Hayashi joined him. “Nicely done. I thought for sure I'd break you down, but now I have a feeling you were just toying with me. Your speed is a huge advantage, Ava. You're even faster than Morgan.”
“Hey. I'm plenty fast.”
“In the bedroom,” Tersch managed.
Hayashi chuckled at his lover. “Don't mind him, baby. We can work on that later.”
Morgan scowled. “Shut it, kitsu. You're not that cute.” Tersch shifted under Ava's hand, allowing her claw to dig into his skin and getting off on the tiny prick of pain. He watched Morgan dive for Hayashi, and the two began fighting, then wrestling. Despite Morgan's larger frame, Hayashi held his own.
“I guess I should let you up, though I still haven't heard you say mercy.” Ava's snarky laugh annoyed the shit out of him.
Before he thought better of it, Tersch latched on to her hand at his throat, mindless of the blood she shed when she dug her finger deeper. He yanked hard and rolled, pulling her under him. Leaning his weight onto her, he stared down into hazel eyes gone so dark brown, they looked black.
“Oh,” she said on a breath when he pressed closer. “I guess you are happy to see me.” She wriggled under him, making him harder. The press of her full breasts under his chest didn't go unnoticed. “Wanna wrestle?” Imagining all sorts of positions he wanted to share with his mate— this woman—he quickly moved back and up onto his feet. “Sorry, habit.”
“What? Getting hard for your sparring partners?” she asked.
“Frederik has such a thing for my ass, Ava. Sorry to have to tell you that,” Morgan taunted before Hayashi grabbed him in a bear hug, wrapped a foot around Morgan's calf, and took him down hard. They landed with a grunt and a laugh and continued to battle.
Tersch kept his gaze on Ava. “Smart-ass. No, taking advantage of helpless little girls. Like you and Morgan.”
“Did you just…call me a…girl?” Morgan said between breaths.
“Shoe fits.” Tersch shrugged, but he couldn't break his stare from Ava. She looked better every time he saw her. Doubt crept in where she was concerned. Why the hell would a woman who looked like her ever want someone like him—a great big lumbering oaf with little grace?
“Come on. You're upsetting my cousin.” Ava pulled him with her out of the gym. She wore a thin tank top that didn't much conceal her sports bra underneath, as well as shorts too short to be called anything but a tease.
“He's not your cousin. And you need to put some damn clothes on.” Instead of letting her drag him, he dragged her. He marched her down the hall, past a grinning Keegan—whom Tersch flipped off without a thought—and right to her bedroom.
“Go get dressed,” Tersch growled.
“I need a shower first.” She walked through the door into a spartan bedroom.
No frills, no flowers, just function.
Tersch had been in here before, but he still didn't like it. Where the hell were her pictures of friends and family? Her books, knickknacks, her interests? Just a bed, a dresser, a small TV, and a closet, though the room could hold much more.
He shut the door behind him, annoyed for no reason. “This looks unlived in.” Ava shrugged, then moaned and dropped onto her stomach on her king-size bed.
“What's wrong?” He didn't scent any blood on her. “You need to see Sheridan?
She's leaving in another hour or so. We have time to get you—”
“I'm just sore, you idiot. Rub my back, would you? Kisho took me to the mat because of you.”
“I didn't see you hit.”
“That's because I'm fast, and I recovered before you could blink. It still hurt.”
“Suck it up, princess. Don't blame me for your lack of concentration. The enemy won't go easy on you.” But he sat next to her anyway, even knowing how incredibly stupid this was. He put his hands on her shoulders—her strong, shapely shoulders—and rubbed.
“Oh, God. That's good.”
He continued to rub, wishing she'd stop making those grateful, mewling little moans. The same way she'd sounded right before she'd come. His cock ached to sink inside her. He'd jerked himself off the past two nights to no avail. Tersch woke each morning hard and wanting Ava.
“I remember doing this before.” Just two days ago in his own room. Talk about a sexual déjà vu. He needed to leave and pronto, before he did something really stupid, like fuck her. His berserker was stirring again. The need for blood and sex and pain built. How sick was he that pain turned him on? After everything he'd been through?
“Shut up and straddle my back. You're not giving me the right pressure, and I hurt,” Ava whined.
She sounded so feminine, so soft when she said it. He couldn't explain how she did it, because he didn't think she actively meant to manipulate him. But her scent hit him smack between the eyes. He obeyed her without thinking twice. Keeping his weight on his knees on either side of her curved ass, he applied a slight pressure to her neck and shoulders.
She moaned her appreciation at the small pop that sounded.
He froze.
She rolled her shoulders. “That's perfect,” she purred. Literally. The woman vibrated beneath him, and before he knew it, he answered in kind, more than satisfied because she was. Their combined rumble of contentment touched him in a way he was hard pressed to deny.
“You smell good.” In a move that would have done Hayashi proud, Ava slid out from under him, turned around, and pushed him on his ass. Stupefied, he watched as she unfastened his jeans and tugged them free of his body with little effort. She settled between his wide-spread thighs before his conscience caught up with his libido.
“Ava, what the hell?” He tried to move, but the woman planted her hands on his thighs and held him down.
Incredible. His beast surged to the forefront, and he partially changed. His pupils elongated, his nails lengthened, and his chest swelled. As did that other part of him already hot and bothered. “You're such a pretty little beast.” She winked up at him and inched closer, on her belly. “I know.” He chuckled, or rather his beast chuckled, the dark rumble sounding like thunder.
The sexy woman licked her full lips, making them shiny and ripe. “Now I recall you saying something about giving me a treat.”
Tersch wanted to protest. He wanted to keep Ava far away from him and his growing desire, to keep her safe. Pussy that he apparently was, he did nothing but obey her.
“Mmm, nice. Cup yourself for me,” she ordered.
He held his aching balls and waited. This is so not smart. Where has your discipline gone, man?
“Thick, aren't you? Your slit is wet. For me?” She laughed, and the low purr of her beast captivated him. “Good. Now don't move.” She grazed his inner thighs with her claws, drawing streaks of blood.
He throbbed with desire and couldn't contain a groan.
When her lips surrounded his cockhead and she began taking him in, he endured, sweat beading on his brow. When she took him all the way to the back of her throat, he did his best to keep still. But when she palmed his balls and squeezed just hard enough to set him off, he couldn't stop himself.
His beast rose and refused to back down. “Yes, baby. That's it. Suck it all down. Gag on it, Ava. Yes.” He thrust hard into her throat, growing longer and thicker, daring his mate to keep up.
And keep up she did. She scored his shaft with her sharp little teeth. He barked a pained laugh and slid into her mouth, thrusting harder. The berserker inside him took notice and smiled when she made choking sounds. So fucking good.
So right.
Her grip on his balls tightened. He twisted, needing more. He fisted his hand in her hair, loving the feel of her. Gripping her head, he tried to pull her harder over him, but she growled and nipped harder.