“To become my mate.” Her finger stilled and the breath she’d been taking whooshed from her.
Her eyes rose to his. “Really?”
He smiled, and she was pretty sure it was the first time she’d ever seen him smile. It was wide, beautiful smile that had her toes curling, her breath catching.
“Yes. Yes!” She dropped down on him and kissed him until his cock rose against her. She wiggled against said length and whispered huskily, “Do you wanna...?”
He laughed and spanked her ass. “Not yet. I want to mate with you first.”
“Oh, I don’t know how you guys mate...”
Darien kissed her again, his tongue scraping across her. “Don’t worry about that. The Kategans will take care of it.”
He was right. And they did.
Later that afternoon, the entire Kategan family and their pack waited in attendance for the mating ceremony of her and Darien.
Vera lent her a beautiful dress that was a creamy white and fell neatly to the ground. Earlier they took a lock of her hair and cut it off. Cassie wasn’t sure what it had to do with the ceremony, she was too excited to even ask. She had a big stupid smile on her face that wouldn’t go away no matter how hard she tried. So what the hell, she thought and grinned happily.
Yet, every time someone asked her if she needed something her fangs started to drop. She hadn’t eaten in days. She was starving. But just the thought that Darien was going to mate with her, sent her stomach rumbling.
Would he let her mate with him her way too? Would he become part vampire for her? Gah, she was anxious and excited and nail biting nervous all at the same time.
A man came in then wearing a goofy smile. “Are you ready Cassie?” She nodded and stood.
“I’m Alfonse, the Elder who performs the mating ceremony. I must say I’m excited to be mating another Kategan off to a vampire. We will have some interesting children running around here someday.” He smiled at her and held his elbow out to her. She took it and walked out with him towards a great, wide-open field.
Hundreds of people were there. They looked at her with excited eyes and smiles. Butterflies danced even more in her stomach and wouldn’t stop.
“Don’t be nervous. See that man over there. That’s all you need to think about.” Cassie looked across the clearing and there he stood. He wore a suit. And damn did he look good. No, delicious. Yummy. Extraordinary. Darien filled the black suit out like an exotic bodybuilder. Her eyes traveled down his pants and landed on his bare, tan feet. She couldn’t help it, she burst out laughing. His eyes lit up at hers even from across the distance. She had the urge to yell, “I’m not wearing shoes either!” but managed to stifle it. Later, I’ll tell him later.
The pack knelt as she approached. She walked arm and arm with the Elder Alfonse as Darien strode to meet her with the gait of a happy and cocky man. He practically swaggered. Alfonse took his position before them, but Cassie couldn’t look at him. She only had eyes for Darien.
“I can’t wait,” she heard him say, and then she was in his arms and he was kissing her. She heard the pack go wild with cheers. She smiled against Darien’s mouth and finally pushed against his shoulders. He let her go, but not all the way. He pulled her close and kept her touching his side as they went through the ceremony.
They each held out their wrists as Alfonse took a band about a foot long made of locks of their hair and pieces of their clothing. She recognized the sight of her worn blue jeans—the same ones she’d worn when she met Darien and a piece of one of his black t-shirts.
They recited vows to each other. Darien said his words quicker, huskier than hers. He looked down as he said his, and she swore her heart melted in her chest. She said hers back and her voice wobbled. As the cloth was wrapped around her wrist and then his, Alfonse announced the ceremony complete.
Darien pulled her close, leaned down, and kissed her the kiss of a lifetime. His mouth captured hers and devastated her senses. It was a kiss that said my woman forever.
He pulled back, turned them to face the crowd, then held their entwined hands in the air. The pack came to a stand and cheered. Vera whistled loudly, Sarina had tears in her eyes, and Alison was jumping up and down clapping. Cassie shook her head at them and smiled.
Darien bent down low and whispered huskily in her ear, “It’s time to run, lumara.”
“Why?” she whispered back. Was this part of the ceremony?
“Because when I catch you, I’m going to claim my mate. I’m going to make you come until you can’t come anymore. And then you’re going to sink your little fangs into my neck.”
Shaking, Cassie looked around at the pack and then the open expanse of field that led to the forest beyond. “Okay,” she said on a trembling breath. “Give me a head start.” If he didn’t, she’d never make it and he’d mount her in front of all these people. He nodded at her, and then the corner of his lip turned up. Not in a grin, or a smile, but in a lecherous, devious smile that had her panties going wet. His look devoured.
Cassie waved her thanks to the crowd then stopped by the Kategan women. “Would someone mind holding this for me?” She cast a quick glance back at Darien to see him looking ready to pounce. “And hurrrry,” she sang.
Grinning, Vera took the bonding tie thingy from her. “Okay, Darien and I will be back later...don’t wait up.” Then she lifted the bottom of her dress and took off running.
Thank God she was a vampire and could move fast because his feet started pounding on the ground after her, not even a second later, like he couldn’t help himself.
She broke through the tree line but he was on her, coming fast. Her heart was pounding loud in her ears. She stopped running. Spinning around she backed herself up against a tree. She fought to catch her breath as she watched him approach. After all, she didn’t want to run form this man.
He came at her like he did when he attacked Daniel...like a predator after prey. He stalked her, grabbed her face in his hands, and kissed her. His tongue thrust into her mouth and she moaned at his delicious male taste.
She felt the eagerness radiating from his. His hands traveled over her body, cupping and shaping her against him. She felt the cool air against her legs and realized he was lifting her dress.
She wrapped her arms around him, bracing herself by his shoulders as his fingers teased the outside of her panties.
Soft, needy gasps left her. He turned to kiss her cheek, then down to her neck. “You please me, mate.” His fingers parted the soft, wet material of her panties, and then he was petting her wet pussy folds. He growled against her throat, the action vibrating through her to her nipples and pussy.
“Darien,” she moaned.
His finger thrust through her lips to circle around and around her little bud. Her hips jerked against him, and he growled his approval. Then the touch was gone and his finger thrust up into her.
She cried out and struggled to get him deeper, bigger, anything. Her body was crying for him with mindless desperation. Her shaking hands fell down his chest to his waistband. She wasted no time in ripping his pants open and pulling out his cock.
He bit her again, in reprimand or something else, she didn’t know. She just knew what she needed. His finger thrust in and out of her, dragging along her flesh with its teasing touch, only making her want more. His other hand tugged at her bodice, and then her breasts spilled out.
He growled and took one hard nipple into his mouth to lick and suck on. “Oh yes,” she said. Her hand fisted his cock in a hard grip. She couldn’t stop herself, she started pumping her hand against his flesh. He was so hot, so hard. His mouth continued to work her breast, and then both hands were at her naked hips, lifting her dress up to her waist.