I leaned my face on Colby’s shoulder and waited.
“He used my curiosity against me and set a trap. They took me on his yacht on the Danube River, where no one would hear me scream.”
I closed my eyes against my tears. Shedding them would drive him further away. He’d see it as pity, not compassion. I knew my master could be cruel; I didn’t have any delusions.
“He chained me to the wall and cut off my clothing. I couldn’t fight him. I didn’t know how to shift, but God, I tried.” His breathing grew ragged.
I clung to him and forced his face toward me, pressing small kisses to his forehead, his cheeks, his eyes. “You don’t have to…you don’t…”
“I do.” He took a deep, shaky breath. “He never touched me. Not physically. He tore into my mind, took my memories, and learned everything about me. Every fear and pleasure. My fantasies. Nothing was sacred.” He ran his finger under my chin. “Gwen, he knows me better than I know myself. I’m vulnerable around him. Don’t…” He closed his eyes, resting his forehead against mine. “Don’t make me go to him. Please.”
I wrapped him in my arms and legs, pulling him against me as if I were trying to make us one being. “We won’t go back.” An ache burned in my throat from the effort not to cry. “I promise.”
He hugged me tighter, almost cracking my ribs. “Thank you. We’ll figure things out. One day at a time.”
I ran more kisses along his neck. “We need a shower. Especially you.” Crawling over him, I took his hand and pulled him on his feet, leading him to the bathroom.
“Here?”
“Mutt set this place up like an apartment. You’re not going to get squeamish, are you?” I pulled out some fresh towels from a closet. “He even has a washer and dryer.” I winked at him. After his confession, I needed a little levity to ease the abrasions on my soul.
Colby turned on the water until steam filled the room and undressed in a quick fashion.
I followed his lead and stepped in the shower behind him.
He jumped. “What are you doing? Mutt’s outside.”
I rose to my tiptoes to meet his glare, secretly pleased that he was tall enough to make me feel small. “Are you shy?” Sliding my hand along his abdomen, I cradled his hardening cock in my hand. “Doesn’t seem like it.”
A crooked smile graced his lips. Finally. I was glad he’d shared his pain with me, but it was time to wash them away. They’d never be gone, but I’d do my best to fight their re-emergence.
With each caress and stroke, the tension in his shoulders seemed to ease until he began to thrust to my slow rhythm. The shower stall was narrow and didn’t leave any room to maneuver. Hot water beat upon us as he cornered me. Brushing his fingers over my pussy, Colby sent a tremor through my legs. We needed to find a connection outside of hunting and sex. Something we both believed in.
He pressed his fingers inside, exploring at a relaxed pace we hadn’t had the night before. “You’re so soft here, just for me.” Deeper and deeper, he pushed until I was panting and clinging to his shoulders.
Heat blazed over my skin while he traced my pebbled nipple. Only a man like Colby could make me feel so feminine.
He dipped his head, took part of my breast in his mouth, and sucked.
My knees buckled. “Yes…”
Holding me up, he stepped in between my thighs and released my sensitive flesh.
I jerked as he lifted me, guiding my legs around his hips, the tip of his cock pressing at my entrance. His eyes were focused, sharp, his kisses demanding.
Arms enveloping his neck, I leaned my head back so he could devour my mouth.
He pulled away, sucking on my bottom lip before letting it slip away. A huge smile spread across his face, something he let only me witness.
“What?” I whispered.
“I never thought I’d fall in love.”
A small gasp left my lips. “You love me?” Silly of me to ask. I’d suspected it, but hearing the words spoken of his own free will made it real.
“Since the day I pinned you to the floor in that hotel room in Rio.”
I tangled my fingers in his wet hair and grinned. “I pinned you first.”
He dropped his mouth closer to mine, his cock teasing my tender flesh. “I don’t recall that.” With a sudden thrust, he pushed past my secret muscles.
Digging my nails into his back, I tried to find purchase on his slippery skin while he moved inside of me. Fast and hard. Relentless.
Breathing became difficult as wave after wave of ecstasy flowed through my body. Water pounded on my face, trickling into my open mouth. I moaned from his onslaught.
His heavy panting filled my hearing and he gripped my ass tighter. The muscles in his neck corded as he pounded harder. “Gwen…”
I brushed my lips over his forehead then arched my back while the blinding pleasure took over. My mate kept repeating my name in my ear until his climax spilled his seed. Heat swelled inside my abdomen.
He leaned against the wall, crushing us together, and caught his breath while I ran my hands over the defined lines of his sleek muscles.
A booming knock on the bathroom door shattered the silence. “If you’re both finished screwing around in my shower, we have some things to discuss.” Mutt sounded tense.
Chapter Eighteen
We washed and dressed before joining Mutt in his sitting area.
The vampire had changed back into his usual torn jeans and T-shirt. He sat in the chair across from the sofa, resting his chin on his hand, a pensive expression on his face. He stared at nothing in particular.
My smile faded from my face. I’d never seen Mutt this concerned. I sat on the sofa, Colby joining me. “What is it?”
“I called Tane.” He mumbled around the fingers covering his lips. “He’s happy.”
“Okay.” I glanced at Colby, but he appeared as confused as I was. “And?”
“I should have let you call him instead.”
“Why didn’t you?” This plan had been mine. I was willing to take any fallback from it.
“When they sent you to me, what were your instructions?” His dark eyes darted toward me.
A flutter of concern grew in my stomach. “To teach you anything I thought you needed. Keep you out of trouble.”
He nodded. “I was given different instructions.”
Colby took my hand and squeezed. “This is where the Nosferatu shit starts, right?”
“Yeah.” Mutt leaned back in the chair, his hands resting on the arms. “They’d told me I had to kill Cesio months ago. No reason why. Just orders.”
“Months? They knew what he was doing?”
Mutt shrugged. “I guess.”
The flutters got worse. “Then why didn’t you do it? You’re strong enough. You proved that tonight.”
“When I was a regular vampire, I was just a foot soldier in Cesio’s nest. After changing me to this, the Nosferatu told me I couldn’t afford to be a soldier anymore. I had to learn to think for myself. Every time they came, it was about making me use my head.” He tapped his temple. “I’m not their soldier either. If Cesio broke the laws, then I needed proof. Not some random order from the top.”
“So you asked for proof?”
“No, I think if they had it they would have killed him already.”
“This was a test.”
“Everything is a test. I guess Tane thought I might need help and he sent you.” He sighed and closed his eyes. “I never asked for any of this, you know. I just woke up after a day’s sleep and it was already done. Poof. Nosferatu. They never asked.”
“I don’t think it occurred to them that you would have refused.” I hated to see the pain in Mutt’s face. He had eons to live, but they didn’t need to be unhappy ones.