Electricity flickered over the surface, scorching my flesh. I turned, looking over my shoulder to take him in. His white button up shirt was undone completely, his smooth chest exposed to my greedy eyes. The top buttons of his jeans were undone as well, showing a thin line of dark hair that trailed low into his jeans.
"Leaving?" He inquired, sauntering further into the room from the archway he had just entered from.
I bit my bottom lip struggling for courage to see this through. "This is a bad idea."
His dark head tilted as he took in the slutty clothes and bare feet. I was shaking and it had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with being half-naked and inside Ryder's private domain.
"Afraid you might like it my little itchy Witchy?" His voice came out gravelly, as if he was feeling the same thing I was. Lust.
"No, I just have more of a sense of self-preservation than most women."
I blinked at how husky my voice had sounded.
"Is that so? You're shaking, cold?"
I could have lied.
I should have lied.
Should of, would of, could of.
"No," I whispered dropping my eyes to floor so they would unlock with his bronze stare. They locked on to his bare feet. It was intimate being in his bedroom and both of us missing our shoes. My hands trembled violently, as I balled them into fists to keep them from being noticed.
"Bed or the chair, Pet. What's your poison?"
My nipples hardened at the word "bed" flowing from his lips. Bloody hell I was lusting after my sworn enemy and he knew it. "It doesn’t matter, pick one."
"Bed it is," he flashed me a devastatingly wicked smile before his fingers snapped together and the iPod dock clicked on and the music started playing. I followed his movement as he watched me with those animalistic eyes, no glowing yet which was good.
I meant to start for the bed, but my feet wouldn’t move. They were glued to the spot where I shook like leaf with the reality of what I was about to do—with him. I could take men to their beds to murder them, yet I couldn’t walk towards one where I would pretend to be aroused enough to pull off a stupid job. This was ridiculous.
Why the hell had I let that stupid woman talk me into no panties? I wanted to turn around and run from the room, run from this place and never look back.
"I can still get Larissa to take your place, Synthia," he rumbled, forcing my eyes to swing to his.
I couldn’t put Larissa and Adam through this, I'd told them what was going down when Adam had come up to see what was wrong with me. We had a strong bond, we could sense each other's distress and when I'd explained it to him. He'd cursed but agreed I was the better choice for what we had to do tomorrow.
I strengthened my spine and straightened my shoulders telling myself I could do this. It was only another interview—right. The last one had gotten someone killed! Stop it you freaking wussy! Get it together. Now.
"No Fae-fucking me Ryder, promise me that you won't."
His eyes lit up but he shook his head. "Not unless you piss me off, but I won't fuck you, I don’t fuck unwilling humans, Syn. I have thousands who actually want my dick. I don’t need an unwilling one." He settled on the bed with his back propped up—every inch the predator he was.
I swallowed past the thickness of my tongue. Nine Inch Nails was pounding from the stereo, the beat of Closer, erotic and perfect for what this was. A show. "Good," I replied forcing my feet to move one after the other as I walked toward my impending doom.
When I was inches away from him he held his hand out and I flinched away as if his skin would burn me.
"Relax, if you can't do this, how are you going to pretend to be my fiancé in front of Fae who will see you for the fake you are? They will see the tension and know you are not Fae instantly; we are a very sexual race Syn. To pull this off you are going to have to get over this aversion you have to me."
He was right, which failed to make me feel any better about what I was about to do with him. Even if it was only just another part of the show.
His hand came up and cupped my cheek softly, stroking my skin like a lover's touch. My eyes flashed to his and locked on the amber glowing fully now within his molten depths. His free hand went to the small of my back and he drew me closer, unhurriedly, allowing for me to escape if I needed to, my breath hitched in my lungs as thousands of different sensations ran wildly through me.
"Ryder," I sighed without meaning to.
"Stop thinking Syn. You keep over-thinking everything."
My lip trembled with the need to either kiss him, or run. I settled on biting it softly while his hands held me in place. The one on the small of my back came around softly pressing against the silk of the skirt as he rubbed his hand across my ass through wispy material. He lifted my leg and placed it on the bed carefully.
I watched his nostrils flare as the glow became more apparent, as he allowed me to see the full fire that I’d created in him. "No panties?" He questioned through a guttural tone.
"Claire said it would guarantee you—I mean Vlad chose me for the job," I murmured. My hand instantly smoothing the skirt to assure myself it was still covering my core.
"Did she?" His voice was barely above a whisper before he groaned and released my face to rub his hand down his own.
"I can go change," I blurted trying to remove my leg he still held in place.
"No, it's too late for that." He replied rasping his words as he lay back on the bed releasing my foot in the process. "Make me want you Syn."
I fought for strength as I watched his eyes search my face carefully. I exhaled a shaky breath and then placed my hand on either side of his hips as I climbed onto the bed to sit on my knees above him. His hands came up and cupped my hips as he watched me straddled his hips.
I could smell him, the exquisite smell of male, rich and toxic to my hormones. His mouth turned up in the corners, his roguish smile back in place as he watched me through hooded eyes. One hand pulled away and he snapped his fingers making the song restart.
I moved my hips slowly and sensually as his hand came back down to rest on it. This was just a job, another one. I could get through this. I brought my hands up caressing my breasts which got a curse from his lips, empowering my inner vixen.
He wanted a show? I'd give him one he wouldn’t soon forget. I dropped down slowly, temping him with what he knew was bare beneath the skirt's flimsy material. My hands rose to my hair, removing the ponytail, letting it fall sensually down my back. I leaned over him placing my hands between his head on both sides bringing my face close to his.
His eyes never left mine. I heard his quick intake of breath as my lips lowered to a hairsbreadth from his own. My tongue snaked out to lick his full upper lip, slowly, eagerly. I dropped the last inch rubbing against him, which was a mistake.
I was sex starved and he was sex incarnate. His hands released my hips, one went to the back of my neck holding me in place (as if the thought of escape had even crossed my mind since touching him) while the other cupped my ass and pushed me down on his full, hard erection.
His kiss was searching. His lips touched and found mine, gently at first and then demanding as we lost the fight. Colliding together like two cars out of control in a head on collision. One minute I was above him and the next I was beneath him as he devoured my mouth hungrily, intensely, savagely.
Together we were explosive, I gave him back as much as he was giving me. The demand I felt in my body was complete and naked need. Intense and erotic. He ground his huge erection against my naked core, until I could feel the storm building inside of me. I wanted him, I wanted him in this moment unlike I had ever wanted anything else.
I called his name over and over as it built inside of me until I thought I would break into a million pieces but his feral growl was low and harsh as he pushed me off of him and stood up, backing away. It was a reality check, his breathing was as labored as my own, the need inside of me winning over self-preservation. I fought to c
atch my breath, my chest heaving with both breasts exposed to him. My hands shook violently as I righted my clothes and fought to control the urge to reach down and finish the job myself.
One touch and I would explode, one touch and I’d come for him.
"If you do that to anyone and I mean anyone else Syn, I will lock you up inside this fucking room. That wasn't dancing, not by any fucking means." He paused turning his full hungry Fae eyes in my direction.
I was angry, at myself, at him—at this entire situation. "You Fae-fucked me."
I was thrown back on to the bed before I knew he'd even moved. His hands caressed my body as his mouth crashed against mine and every thought that had been inside my head was gone. I had one need and it was to please him, to give him what he needed of me.
His cock pushed against his jeans and I wanted it inside of me. I told him so, begged him to give it to me. Even as my mind screamed somewhere deep in the recesses deep inside where I was still myself to fight him off. My body refused to listen and I instantly knew the difference.
The first time had been me—giving in to the hormones, this time—this time it was him. I felt the storm building again, violently and painfully. His body vibrated with his need and the sensation was intoxicating. I cried out as I exploded, my body shaking, legs trembling, my eyes open but sightless as I watched a multitude of colors explode where his face had been.
“I could bury my cock inside of you right now Pet you’d allow it wouldn’t you?” He growled.
“Yes,” I whispered knowing only one thing. I needed him, now.
“I could part this sweet pussy and bury myself inside of you and you’d fucking take every inch I offered while begging for more. Wouldn’t you Pet.”
“Yes,” I replied pleading, as I shook my head.
When I drifted back to earth, I cried out as my body shook from smaller orgasms still ripping through it, his eyes watched me intensely, angrily. "That’s the difference between me mind-fucking you and your body needing release. I suggest you never forget the two Syn, or I will gladly remind you of the difference."
I blinked at him, unable to make my lips work now that he’d released me from his spell. Angry tears exploded from my eyes flowing down my cheeks. I turned away from him, forcing him to move his face from mine. He moved away completely, standing up and marching to the door where he opened it and held it there with his eyes still hungrily on me.
I sat up swallowing the sob that threatened to steal from my lips as I tried to make my legs work for a hasty retreat. I moved past him in quick angry strides and continued down the hall until I heard his door slam closed.
My knees gave out the minute it did. On my hands and knees on the thickly carpeted floor I sobbed. I had been so stupid. I’d just baited a fucking beast in his own domain and then I'd lashed out at him because of my own traitorous body’s reaction. I'd blamed him for my response he brought out, the inner wanton that I'd starved since Adrian had died.
I was out of my league with Ryder, over my head in the deep end without going through swimming lessons first. I inhaled and exhaled before holding the wall to help myself up off the floor and made my way back to my room through the maze of hallways that led to the top floor of the mansion.
Inside my room I'd cry, I'd berate myself for being stupid and then I'd go find Ryder and apologize because I had been wrong. I'd blamed him and I wasn’t the type to not admit when I'd wrongly accused someone. And I had, as much as it sucked to admit it. I'd been mad at myself for reacting. I'd known the difference before he'd shown me.
When I reached my room, it was to find Larissa and Adam both waiting for me. Their eyes bugging out at the outfit I wore. "I think I got the job," I whispered grabbing clothes from the dresser without looking either of them in the eye and headed for the oversized bathroom before either could figure out I had been crying.
Inside the bathroom I clicked the lock into place and slid down the door only to jump as Adam pounded on the door I was leaning against.
"Syn, are you okay?" He shouted as if I couldn’t hear him.
"I'm fine," I said not bothering to raise my voice.
"Yeah? Then why is my bullshit meter going off?" He retorted angrily.
"Adam, I just need a few minutes." And then what? Tell them what I'd just done? That I had just come all over Ryder's jeans like some FIZ slut?
Larissa knocked next. "Syn, can I come in?"
"Seriously guys, I'm fine. I freaked out because he's Fae. We knew it was a possibility, it just happened. I just need a shower and then can we go get some dinner?" I held my breath hoping they'd take the not so subtle hint to get lost.
"Is it because of Adrian?" Larissa continued.
I didn’t answer. I hadn't even thought about him while I'd been dry humping Ryder. I'd loved Adrian with everything I had to give, so why had I been so easily tempted by Ryder with no thought to my first and only love when he was around?
I'd tried dating last year, but I'd compared the poor guy to Adrian in everything, which had eventually made the guy break it off. No one deserved to have to listen to a person they were interested in discuss their dead ex-boyfriend. I was pathetic which was why I had sworn off dating and sex altogether.
I lifted my head taking in the huge rounded tub, it would easily fit as many people as a hot tub would, I'd had yet to use it since I was more accustomed to showering since the Guild had open shower rooms, one for the boys and the other for the girls.
I pushed up off the floor setting the clothes I'd brought in on the wooden vanity beside the sink. This bathroom was larger than my entire room in our crummy little apartment, but as crummy as my room was, it had become my home. I needed to get back to it and back to being the self-assured person I normally was.
Here, I was at Ryder's mercy and he knew it, which made him dangerous. It made me weak and reckless not being in charge of own destiny, or my covens. The sooner I got done with this little charade he wanted me to do—the sooner I could get back to being myself.
Eighteen
Showered and redressed in my own clothes I felt more reasonable. I headed out to find Ryder before I met up with Adam and Larissa for dinner so I could apologize. I'd found his Demon walking the halls as if patrolling and asked where I could find his master, which he'd replied growling something about "fucking Witches and fucking office."
Ryder's office was a mere four rooms from his bedroom which meant I had to take the same walk of shame to apologize that I'd taken back to my own room in tears. Which chapped my ass, but I needed to apologize. My coven's fate was currently in his hands and right now those hands were probably itching to be around my neck. I found the door labeled his office and opened the door.
And my jaw dropped to the floor. Ryder had Claire sitting on his desk as he pounded a massive erection into her. I gasped but I couldn’t look away from it, or what he was doing. I watched his body punishing hers and found myself wanting to take her place, wanting to be the one he fucked. I couldn’t look away from them.
My eyes locked to what they were doing and his sleek masculine body as he fucked another woman. I grew wet with need and my mouth watered for his kiss. I shook my head as if it would wake me up with no success.
She was whimpering and crying out as he drove himself inside of her over, and over again. He wasn’t saying anything, her noise the only sounds inside the room. Those eyes of his glowed molten fire, which told me he was feeding from her as he had hadn't done from me earlier. I bit my lip as heat flooded my core with the need to take her place. I'd left him starving when I’d left him inside his room. I'd seen it in his eyes.
"Either strip or get the fuck out little girl," he growled with his eyes now leveled on me.
I turned and ran as fast as I could away from him.
His wicked laughter taunted me until I rounded a corner and collided with a very solid form. Zahruk's hands steadied me as he searched my horrified expression. "You left him starving little Witch. He's Fae and he left instead of fe
eding from you."
"I…I…uh."
He smiled coldly. "Do you know how many Fae could have walked away after smelling your need?" At my puzzled expression he continued, "We have to feed, you might not like it, but its life for us. And you smell in need of a good fucking girl, we can all smell it on you. Too bad Ryder isn’t willing to share his new pet. If you were mine I’d share the fuck out of you and enjoy every scream you gave as we took you, filling you up until you could take no more."
I stared briefly before taking a big step back, what the hell did you say to something like that? “I’m not his pet,” I swallowed and continued. "And I know what he is, I'm well aware of that. I only came to tell him I was sorry for accusing him of Fae-fucking me when it was me who had reacted to him."
I watched his blue eyes shine with laughter, but there was more there in their depths. "You have suffered at the hands of the Fae Synthia, we understand that. But we were not there when your parents died. Ryder's a good man, he has thousands who he has to make hard choices for and he's a damn fine man when it comes to making those choices. Most would have become power hungry, but not him. I'd follow him into the depths of hell to guard him. Remember little Witchling, if you push him, we all will push back."
I narrowed my eyes and folded my arms across my chest as I glared at him. "Is that a threat?"
"No, I don’t make idle threats. I make promises that I always keep. He's trying to save an entire species from fading away to the pages of a history book. You? I think you're only interested in one thing—revenge and that always plays out badly for everyone involved."
"I don’t take unnecessary risk with my coven. Ever." I felt the need to make sure he knew it.
His smile was sad as it spread over his full mouth never touching his eyes, "If that were true Synthia McKenna, you wouldn’t be standing here right now. We all make bad choices occasionally."