Chapter 53: Chapter 54

A WEEK LATER…

The first day back in sunny California and I’m currently lying on one of the lounge chairs by the pool. Darius is officially part of Lazarus’s security team overseeing the safety of Prince Caspian and our pack. He will still be working closely with the Royal Army, but his first priority will be us. I have no problem with that. None at all.

Caspian disappears to god knows where as soon as we landed.

Constantine and Genesis are in bed, getting over the jet lag….well, they might be having a painting session for all I know. Lazarus and Serena were in the pool with us in the beginning, but now they too have disappeared.

The sky is clear blue and the sun is shining brightly. Life is beautiful.

I turn my head and surreptitiously glance at the lounger next to me. My mate is lying there in his board shorts. A pair of sunglasses is covering his eyes, and his fair hair is glistening in the sun. I wonder if he’s asleep.

I let my eyes wander to the perfect curve of his cheeks, nose and the firm carved lips. His strong jaw and chin seem relaxed.

His body is a chiseled perfection….and sexy. He’s so beautiful my heart aches just looking at him sometimes. Like now. I can’t believe that he’s mine. My eyes make their journey downwards then up again from the deep v that disappears under his shorts to his cut abs, his wide chest and all the way to his face. My gaze makes it in time to see the corners of his lips slowly and slightly curve up into a tiny smug smile. Ughh…he’s awake.

“Don’t stare at me like that unless you want me to take you upstairs and make you scream my name, Malyshka.” His voice comes out in a lazy, naughty, accented drawl. I love it when he talks dirty to me but his self-satisfied smile annoys me. Only he knows how to make me see stars. He plays my body like a well-tuned instrument made only for him and he’s smug about it.

Humphh…I turn my face away. “Whatever,” I mutter quietly.

“What’s that, honey?” He’s very recently added the word

“honey” to the list of names he calls me. He still calls me Persephone from time to time when he’s not too happy with the things that I do or say.

“Nothing, mi vida,” I answer, flashing him a big smile, full of sugary sweetness.

“Oh, I thought I heard you said “whatever” there for a second,”

he says, sounding like he’s on the verge of laughter. His lips curl up sexily even more.

“I wouldn’t dare,” I mutter again.

We fight a lot. Well, okay…so I get mad a lot. He thinks that I’m cute or funny when I lose my temper. He knows I use the word “whatever” when I’m well and truly exasperated or when I’m losing an argument. Now he’s using the word against me.

Whenever I say “whatever”, he’ll take me to bed to do

“whatever”. He seems too eager for me to use the word

sometimes…not that I’m complaining.

“We’re going to Mason’s party, right?” I ask him to change the subject. He lifts the sunglasses up to let his clear blue gaze sweep over my features before they lock on my eyes.

“You really want to go?” One of his eyebrows rises up.

I received a text invite from Mason, one of my human College friends a few days ago. The party is this evening. Yesterday I asked Darius if he’d go with me. He never answered me. I don’t think he likes Mason much.

“Of course, I do. that’s why I’m going,” I answer him.

“You’d still go if I’m not going? You do realize that human wants to get in your pants, right?”

I roll my eyes. “You think ALL men want to get in my pants,” I answer back.

“This time I’m right,” he says. “As usual.”

Actually, I’m aware that Mason is interested in me, I’m not that stupid. I still think that we should go, though. Lycans don’t normally mingle with humans more than necessary but I think we should not limit our association with only lycans and werewolves. I decided that I should still keep my human friends.

“Well, I’m still going,” I announce.

The slash of his blond eyebrows slope down into a frown and his firm fuller bottom lip sticks out more prominently. “I’m not going and I don’t want you to go either.” If I didn’t know any better I’d say he’s pouting. He looks like a sexy five-year-old about to throw a tantrum. Oh, wait! No five year old is sexy.

Gosh, I’m so messed up when it comes to my mate. Still, sexy or not I will not let anybody tell me what to do.

“Whatever,” I throw back haughtily, turning my face up towards the sun.

“That’s it! That’s twice “whatever” from you.” He jumps to his feet and throws his sunglasses down on the lounger.

“Oh, no no…I need my vitamin D a bit longer.” I scoot back up my chair as he advanced menacingly towards me. I let out a yelp as he grabs my hips then throws me over his shoulder.

“Oh, I intend to give you your vitamin D,” he answers and I howl in laughter.

“You’re hilarious, Mr. Rykov!” I announce while he carries me like a caveman on his shoulder. “Now, let me down this instant!” On second thought, the view is awesome. My mate has this tight sexy ass…

“Did you just bite me?” I hear him ask. Disbelief is apparent in his voice. Well…just a tiny bite. Serves him right. I grin, looking at his delicious back upside down. “That merits a punishment,”

he adds just before I feel a smack on my backside. Owww…

In a blink, we’re back in our room and he’s kicking the door shut. I bounce on the bed a few times after he drops me in the middle of our super king size bed.

“I can’t believe you just bit me.” There’s still a look of amazement in his eyes but there’s laughter in his voice.

“Well, you slap my butt,” I counter from my position on the bed. All of a sudden, I’m aware that his smile is gone and his eyes smolder as he stares at me lying in the middle of the bed in my aquamarine blue bikini. My hair fans out wildly around me, framing my face and covering the pillow. My heart flutters in my chest and my stomach clenches with excitement at the way his eyes are raking me from head to toe. Then I remember that he threatened to punish me and I lift myself up. That look on his face instantly changes into a predatory one as soon as I clamber to the edge of the bed. I think I’m going to make a run for it.

I shoot him a glance before I make my next move and he shakes his head in warning. “Don’t do it, Malyshka.” My heart rate spikes up even more as I stare at my beautiful mate. Do I really think I have a chance against my powerful lycan warrior mate? Not really. Am I still going to make a run for it? Heck, yes!

He must have sensed my resolve because he grins wolfishly with just a little bit of his white teeth and canines showing while his eyes stay intense and watchful. I’m his prey and this is a game he’s intent on winning. Well, tough luck, mister, I’m not going to make it an easy win for you! I glance at the closed door, then flash him a quick grin before I bound out of one of the windows and brace myself for the inevitable landing. Hah! I bet he didn’t see that coming. I bet he thought I was going to go for the door.

I almost let out a self-congratulatory laugh as I roll to my feet on the grass just below our window. Darius lands perfectly on his feet less than a foot from me a second later and I sprint away.

“Very clever, Mrs. Rykov,” he compliments me as he moves unhurriedly. I giggle as I dart to the back of the house. I love it when he calls me Mrs. Rykov. I hear his deep laughter and almost silent footsteps following me.

He corners me on the landing of our grand staircase after a quick run around the house. I look wildly around for ways to escape but I can see by the way he stalks purposely to me and the predatory intense look in his eyes that this cat and mouse game ends here. He wants his prize now and I’m it.

“Give it up, Malyshka. There’s no escape this time,” he says.

His smile is definitely roguish. “You’re due for a lot of punishments.”

“No, I’m not,” I answer back, still looking for ways to escape even though he’s standing over me with his powerful arms bracing the wall on either side of me, caging me in.

He shakes his head in incredulity and amusement. He always seems amazed at my refusal to admit defeat no matter what the circumstances are. I know, I’m awesome like that…well, some people might find that debatable.

“Let’s see, you say “whatever” to me not once, but twice, then you bit my ass…”

“Whatever!” I interrupt him before he can continue to list down all the indiscretion I’ve committed within the span of 30

minutes. Well, if I’m going to get punished, might as well go with a bang. Go big or go home as they say. No doing things half-assed for me. I am a very dedicated person, after all.

Darius raises an eyebrow, daring me to defy him further.

“Whatever, whatever, whatever, whatever…” See what he’s going to do with that!

His eyes darken as he grips my waist to make sure that I can’t run off again. He leans in close and whispers warningly, “Oh, you’re going to get it now.” His teeth nip at the shell of my ear gently before his tongue comes out to trace it teasingly. I shudder at the delicious heat that spreads through my body from his closeness and the little teasing.

“Promises, promises.” For some reason, I’m slurring. My tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth.

He chuckles darkly. His breath tickling my ear. “You’re hot and cute when you defy me like that.” His mouth continues its delicious torment downwards. He kisses me behind my ear and along my neck. I close my eyes and let out a soft moan. “Be careful, I might find out that you actually enjoy your punishment, Malyshka.” His voice is low and husky.

“Hate it,” I whisper breathlessly. “I absolutely hate it…” I lean my head on his shoulder to give him a better access to my neck.

I feel his lips stretch into a smile against the soft skin of where my shoulder meets my neck before I feel him sucking me there.

Oh, my…a little pain mix with pleasure. Mmm…the best kind.

“Room,” he whispers huskily before he covers my lips with his.

His kiss is hungry and demanding and I open my mouth

willingly for the invasion of his tongue. I wrap my arms around his neck and his hand grabs my ass to lift me up. He spreads another hand on my thigh before he pulls my leg up to wrap around his waist.

I’m drowning in his taste, his scent, and his touch. I vaguely aware of being carried to our room. I only realize that we’re in our bedroom when my back hits the cool soft bedding of our bed and the pressure of his weight on me. I sink my fingers into his silky hair as his lips continue to ravish me. My other hand eagerly maps out the warm solid expanse of his back. My whole body is burning up for him. He moans deep in his throat before he pushes himself off me. Nooo…He chuckles when I let out a sound of protest and grab the back of his neck to pull him back down to me.

“Oh, mi vida…didn’t I warn you that you’re getting punished?”

He drags my hands up and pins them down on the mattress above my head. Say what now?

“Get back down here,” I tell him as I scowl up at him.

He laughs and shakes his head. Cruel. He bends down to spread my thighs open before he settles on his knees between them. His heavy-lidded eyes scan my body slowly while his hand is still holding both my hands prisoner.

“You’re so beautiful,” he says, running his fingers lightly over the side of my face and my neck. He cups and squeezes my breast lightly before moves his hand lower to spread his warm palm over my flat stomach. He leaves a trail of fire wherever his hand touches my body. I’m a writhing mess by the time his hand reaches the little triangle of my bikini. He presses harder as his finger moves lower over the little blue fabric. I arch my body upward and he just eases the pressure and laughs when I start cursing him to the moon and back.

I end my tirade with, “Darn you, you asshat!”

“Beg for it, Malyshka.”

“No. Never,” I growl. His eyes glint and he smiles like he knew all along what my answer would be.

“Let go of me,” I tell him.

“No. Never,” he answers back, this time his lips are pulled back to show a glimmer of his straight white teeth and the elongated canines. My struggle to pull my hands out of his hold is a futile

effort since he’s much stronger than I am. He watches me writhing and thrashing my body about with such unreadable expression on his face but his tight jaw and clenching fist tell me that he’s not unaffected. Such control he has over his own hunger and want. He pulls the strings of my bikini top, pulling it off me and keep watching.

“I hate you,” I hiss in frustration. I catch a flicker of feral hunger in his eyes just before he leans down and presses his mouth to my neck. “So beautiful and so stubborn,” he whispers against my skin before he starts his delicious assault. His lips sucking lightly, his teeth grazing and nipping my skin gently, and his tongue lapping and playing havoc with my senses.

It’s nice lying here with the weight of my mate’s arm curved around my stomach and his scent enveloping me. When I open my eyes, I start to feel confused. Where are we? Are we still in Russia? What time is it? Darn jet lag!

I look around in confusion. We’re back in California but this room looks different. Oh, yeah…we’re in our room. This room is in the same wing of the house as my previous bedroom. It’s just a few doors away from it and a lot bigger. Not that we need a bigger room but the rest of the pack insisted on it. They said we need a mated couple’s room: a bigger room with a bigger bed…and better sound-proofed.

I turn my head to look at Darius behind me. He is still sleeping soundly. His breathing is soft and even. His gorgeous face looks peaceful and his fair thick silky hair is wildly tousled. He looks almost innocent like this but I know better. There’s

nothing innocent about my mate…especially after what he did to me this morning.

His lovemaking was very slow. The slowest ever and it drove me insane. I was panting and writhing underneath him with my hands pinned up above my head. I was also moaning,

sobbing, and blubbering uncontrollably. The end was very intense for the both of us. I felt like I was going to combust. I’m so not hating the punishment!

I’m guessing it’s around noon right now. I base that theory on my stomach, not the sun. I’m hungry. I slowly edge away but the arm around my body tightens its hold.

* Mi vida = (Spanish) My life

Nicole♥

Sunshine and Vitamin D (2nd part)

I’m guessing it’s around noon right now. I base that theory on my stomach, not the sun. I’m hungry. I slowly edge away but the arm around my body tightens its hold.

“Where are you going, Malyshka?” His deep voice is husky from sleep. I turn back to look into a pair of glacier blue eyes staring at me. His arm pulls me back closer to his body.

“I just want to see what time it is,” I answer him. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“Maybe you did wake me up but I think it’s time to get up anyway,” he says as he reaches an arm out to pick up his watch from the side table. He pulls me to roll with him as he does so and I end up lying on top of him.

“I hate to wake you up when you’re sound asleep,” I tell him.

He stops moving and glances down at me. “I’m fine now, Malyshka,” he says. “I never have any nightmares when I have you in my arms. I doubt I’ll have any more nightmares now but I intend to keep you in my arms every night…for the rest of my life.” He kisses the top of my head. “Just in case.” A soft little smile is playing on his lips. I wonder how many people have ever seen him smile like that. My guess is, very few…if any.

“Just in case,” I repeat, returning his smile.

He squeezes me before he glances at his watch and announces,

“It’s almost five.”

“Five in the evening?” I screech, jumping out of the bed. “No wonder I’m so hungry.”

“Hey, you’re not going out like that are you?” he asks me when I stroll towards the door wearing nothing but the medallion that bears his family crest around my neck.

“Why? Am I going to traumatize everybody who sees me

walking around like this?” I flash him a smile over my shoulder.

He lets out a frustrated sounding groan before he answers,

“The only person who’s going to be traumatized is the prick who I’m going to kill after he sees you looking that way. You know how beautiful you are, but only I get to see you like that.”

I laugh as I enter our walk-in closet. So possessive. I love teasing him like that. As if I was going to walk around the house like this. Genesis and Serena might not find it too amusing and Caspian would have a lot to say…ugh! No thanks.

“I just have something to give you,” I tell him.

I grab a royal blue silk kimono robe from the hanger, shrug it on and tie the belt. I reach into my leather crossbody satchel that’s hanging near the door and start fishing for something.

Why do I have so much crap in my beg?

Darius is sitting at the edge of the bed when I exit the closet.

“What’s this?” he asks me when I hand him the small, flat, black, rectangular box.

“Just a little something for you,” I tell him. “Open it.”

He eagerly opens the box but he stilled when he sees what’s nestled inside. He sits there staring at the black medallion that looks very much like the one I’m wearing right now before he picks it up. He stares at it a moment longer before he lifts his eyes to look at the one that’s already resting between the valley of my breasts.

“How?” he raises his eyes to look at me questioningly.

“I have my ways,” I tell him in a voice that I hope would make me sound mysterious. Ugh! I think I sound like I’m having cramps instead.

Actually, his cousin, Æmelius saw the medallion the day after Darius put it back on me. The whole palace knew by then that I’m not Caspian’s, but rather Darius’s mate. Æmilius

mentioned in the passing that he knew that the medallion was actually a cufflink and that he had another half of the pair in his possession somewhere. He agreed when I asked to buy it from him but instead of money, he suggested a night together for it. So naturally, I threatened to kick him in the nuts as well as tell the Crown Prince and my mate of his disgusting proposition if he didn’t give it to me. I suspect, I amused rather than scared him with my threats. Nevertheless, one of his menservants brought it to me the very next morning.

Caspian helped me send it to his jeweler who made it into a medallion. The jeweler was good. He made it look almost exactly like the one that I have and he had it ready just before we flew back home.

“So now, we’re wearing a matching medallion,” I say after he places it around his neck. “If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.”

“Oh, it’s love, baby,” he says, pulling me to stand between his legs. “So, let me thank you properly…” He kisses me between my breasts while pulling the string that holds my robe together.

“Mi amor, I’m hungry,” I protest.

“I know, I’m hungrier,” he agrees while his hands and his mouth move across my body. My body is heating up and

delicious chill is running down my back. “Very hungry…and you taste so good…” He murmurs. The rest of the sentence is muffled against my skin.

We both know that’s not what I meant. But hey, who needs food when you have love, right? Fries can wait.