Pit Fighters: Cage: Phantom Warriors, page 8
Chrysus opened his eyes and looked at her. Stevie felt herself falling into the green depths. She touched his cheek. “Why am I so drawn to you?” It was a rhetorical question.
“Only the goddess knows for sure,” he said. “But I think it's because we are so much alike.”
She laughed. “You think so, uh?”
He rocked his hips and she groaned. “Yes,” he said. “We are both warriors, who refuse to be caged by anyone.”
“I don't want to cage you,” she said.
But he wanted to cage her, if it meant that he could keep her.
Chrysus settled between Stevie’s firm thighs. He’d never felt anything so amazing in his life. He stared at her engorged nipples. What would they taste like? The question had no sooner went through his mind, when he decided to check.
He gently grasped her right breast and brought her nipple to his lips. Stevie gasped as he ran his rough tongue around the outside circle. Her nipple plumped even more and flooded with color.
“Your response to me is humbling,” he murmured, then sucked the ripe bud into his mouth to thoroughly taste it.
Stevie’s back bowed as Chrysus laved the tender nub and her lashes fluttered shut. No! Look at me! Know that I am the one giving you pleasure. Please don’t close me out. Every Pleasurer he'd ever hired on Zaron had done the same thing. He couldn't bear that from her—not from Stevie. It would destroy him. Chrysus nipped her and her eyes flew open.
“Let see if the other one tastes as good.” He kissed his way across her chest until his lips hovered above her other nipple.
Stevie wanted to scream. What he was doing felt so good and at the same time, it wasn't enough. She wanted more. Needed more. Not getting it was driving her insane. She tried to pull his mouth down, but Chrysus simply laughed.
“Not yet,” he said. “I’m memorizing this moment. I want to remember every inch of you. Your taste. Your scent. Your cries.”
She bucked her hips and felt him harden even more.
Chrysus nibbled on her. “That was naughty. I’m going to have to punish you.” Making good on his word, he took her into his mouth.
His tongue rasped her flesh as his teeth raked her. The combination of pain and pleasure swamped her. Stevie sank her nails into his back. A pleasurable hiss escaped from his throat.
“Please,” she gasped.
“Beg me again,” he said. “Tell me how much you want me. Want this.” Chrysus ground his erection against the bundle of nerves at her core.
Stevie reached between their bodies and grasped him. He was so large that she could barely fit her fingers around his heavy girth. The breath rushed out of his lungs. “How about you beg me,” she said.
“Til the end of time,” he murmured. “If that’s what it takes to possess you.”
Passion collided with emotion. Keep your heart out of this, Cash. But even as the thought struck, Stevie knew it was too late. She’d never been able to keep sex and her emotions separate. She wasn’t that kind of girl.
Chrysus rocked his hips back and brushed her moist entrance, sending a spear of heat through her.
“Hang on a sec.” Stevie reached into the drawer of her bedside table and pulled out a condom.
Chrysus’s expression changed to one of confusion. “What is that?”
“Protection.” Stevie searched for the size on the foil wrapper. It had to fit. The universe wouldn't be that cruel. She held her breath as she rolled the latex down his thick length.
He looked at her in bemusement. “Protection from what? I assure you my shaft is not deadly.”
Stevie grinned. “You sure? It looks big enough to be used as a weapon.”
“Glad you approve,” he said dryly, but looked unduly pleased.
“I'm disease free, too,” she said. “But I doubt either one of us is ready to become a parent.”
Up until that moment, Chrysus had never imagined himself with a child. Yet, as he laid upon Stevie, cradled by her soft body, he wanted nothing more than to plant his seed inside her. But that wouldn't happen unless he mated her in the Phantom way. He glanced down at the condom that was doing its best to cut off his blood supply. As Earth sexual traditions went, this one sucked.
“May I move now?” he asked.
“Oh yeah.” She nodded enthusiastically.
Chrysus pressed the head of his shaft into her tight entrance. Fire shot down his spine as he slowly pushed into her. She was so hot, so welcoming that for moment he forgot how to breathe.
Stevie bit her lip and adjusted her hips.
“Am I hurting you?” He prayed to the goddess that she said no. Chrysus wasn’t sure that he could stop.
“You feel great. It’s just been a long time since I stretched those particular muscles.”
He grinned. “I’ll have to make sure they get a vigorous workout.” Chrysus pressed on, rolling his hips as he did so.
“Oh god that feels so good,” she said.
Chrysus captured her lips in a drugging kiss. While he teased her mouth, he pulled back and thrust forward hard, burying himself to the hilt.
Stevie gasped, her beautiful chest rising and falling in rapid succession. “Give me a minute.”
He kissed her again, then moved to the side of her neck, where he swirled his tongue beneath her ear.
She shuddered. “That feels amazing. Don't stop.”
Not a chance.
He continued to nibble on her, while her body slowly relaxed. “Let me know when you’re ready for me to move.”
Stevie nipped his chin. “I’m ready.” She rocked her hips to prove her point.
A growl rumbled out of Chrysus’s chest.
The sound made Stevie’s body throb.
Chrysus pulled back.
The slow glide had her relishing every inch of him. She lifted her legs and locked her feet behind his back. The move brought out another deep rumble from him. She’d never felt so full in her life.
“I love that sound you make,” she said. “It’s so primal.” Stevie sank her fingers into his hair and tugged.
Chrysus took it as the encouragement it was and began to move. The first deep thrust felt like it was splitting her in half, but after that, the sensation changed. A wave of pleasure swept over Stevie. He continued to drive in and out of her.
Her grip on his hair tightened.
Chrysus found her lips and devoured them, devoured her like a man given his first meal in days. “I never dared dream it could be like this,” he murmured. His hands slid down her body, settling on the sides of her hips. He held her tight like he expected her to try to escape.
Escape was the last thing on Stevie’s mind. She didn’t want to go anywhere. Ever. Each stroke of the hard ridge hit a bundle of nerves inside her. The wave of desire she’d felt a moment ago began to build even higher. Tension filled her.
Stevie tore her mouth away from his. She couldn’t seem to stay still. Part of her wanted to get away from the passionate fury raging inside of her. As the thought crossed her mind, Chrysus’s grip on her hips turned punishing and another rumble rolled out of his chest.
He kissed his way to the side of her neck and clamped down with his teeth. Stevie hissed in pain. He licked the spot, soothing her, but he didn't let go. He seemed to swell even more.
Just how big was this guy going to get?
His thrusts became more frantic and that delicious musky aroma on his skin intensified. Stevie's body clenched. She wouldn’t last much longer.
Her womb fluttered and Stevie cried out as the first jolt of pleasure yanked her over the edge. Her body clamped down on him, drawing a grunt from Chrysus. Yet, he didn’t slow, didn’t falter. Instead, he continued rutting like a man possessed.
Wave after wave of pure ecstasy struck as he worried the flesh on her neck. She was going to have the mother of all hickeys on her neck, if he kept that up, but Stevie no longer cared. The pressure inside her rose again. It wasn't possible, but there was no denying the tension inside her.
No! She couldn't. Not again.
Her body convulsed and Stevie screamed a second before her vision faded to black.
Chrysus raised his head and roared as his release hit. The pleasure blinded him to everything but the point in which their bodies connected. This was what the Dark King had described. What a true mating felt like. It was so much more than he’d ever imagined. He licked the spot on Stevie’s neck where he’d broken the skin, tasting her blood, taking her into him.
The power that he’d expelled had temporarily knocked her out. Chrysus kissed her tenderly. “Thank you,” he murmured. She didn't know it, and neither had he until this moment, but Stevie had saved his life.
He stared down at her. She was so beautiful. So perfect. So strong. And she was his. He may not have completed their mating yet, but any Phantom who came upon her would know instantly that Stevie had been marked and by whom.
Chrysus kissed her tenderly. “Come back to me,” he whispered.
Stevie’s lashes fluttered. “Did I fall asleep?” her voice held shock and disbelief.
He grinned. “I think you passed out.”
She covered her face, but not before Chrysus saw red spread across her cheeks. “I’ve never done that before,” she said. “I-I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he said. “I’m flattered.”
She hit him in the chest.
Chrysus laughed and rolled to the side, but he didn’t release her. He couldn’t. Not yet. Not until he figured out how to tell her the truth and how to deal with the riot of emotions swirling inside of him.
Stevie laid in his arms, tracing the various scars on his chest. “I know you said you’d tell me someday, maybe, but how did you get all these scars?”
His big body tensed. “Do they bother you?”
“No,” she said and felt him relax. “But I am curious.”
“I was speaking the truth when I said I received them from fighting.”
She examined the marks closer. “They look like claw marks.”
His light green eyes narrowed. “I never said I was fighting people.”
“So you regularly take on lions and tigers?” she asked with snort.
“Sometimes bears and a few vipers.” A secretive smile ghosted his lips.
Stevie laughed. “Fine, don't tell me,” she said. “But I’ll find out the truth eventually. I always do.”
Chrysus grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. He kissed the back of her knuckles without breaking eye contact. “I promise that someday you’ll know all my secrets.”
“Sounds ominous,” she said.
He shook his head. “Not ominous,” he said. “Just unusual.”
Stevie snuggled next to him. He wrapped his arm around her waist. “We should get some sleep,” she said.
“I’m not nearly done feasting upon you.” As if to prove his point, Chrysus rolled her onto her back and slid down her body. He didn’t stop until he was settled between her thighs. His broad shoulders kept her from closing her legs. He inhaled and his eyes nearly rolled back in his head. “Your scent drives me insane,” he said. “You have no idea how much I want you.”
She bit her lip and grinned. “Show me how much.”
“With pleasure,” he said, then proceeded to do just that.
8
Julio passed several groups of guys hanging out on the sidewalks as he pulled into his mother’s neighborhood in Pacoima. He glanced at the closest group of white T-shirt clad males on the corner. The youngest looked to be twelve.
A car did a slow roll by. One of the boys broke from the pack and rushed forward. Within seconds, the exchange was made and the kid returned to his friends, sporting cash.
Fighting had gotten him away from the heavily gang-run area, but Julio always returned when he was nervous about an upcoming bout. His madre always knew exactly what to say.
As he stopped his car in front of her house, he noticed a black Mercedes sedan parked across the street. The tinted windows made it impossible to see inside. Julio glanced at the old houses with their neatly trimmed yards. This wasn’t the place for a car like that to be. Not if it wanted to stay in one piece. Even the high-end dealers knew better than to flash that kind of bling in this neighborhood. People died for far less here every day.
The gang on the corner had noticed the car, too and was watching it like a shark eyeing a fat seal. Julio turned the key off and climbed out. The aroma of spices and rich fatty foods filled the air. He relaxed, feeling instantly at home.
The driver’s side door of the sedan opened and a big man stepped out. Julio didn't recognize him, but he recognized the type. He tensed, ready to run. He watched the man closely. If he made a move for any of his pockets, he was out of here.
The driver hurried to the back car door and opened it. Graham Walker slid out and looked around. His nose wrinkled and he curled his lip. He straightened his custom fit, navy suit, then fingered the diamond cufflinks before approaching Julio. The driver didn't follow. Instead, he kept his eyes on the gang.
“I’ve been waiting for you to get home,” Graham said.
Julio glanced up and down the street. “I don't live here,” he said. “Not anymore. How did you know that this was where I was going to be?”
“I make it my business to know how the contenders in town spend their time,” Graham said. “You always come here before a fight. My guess is that it’s the cooking that draws you, since this place isn't much to look at.”
In the distance, chickens clucked. One man's trash was another man's home.
“Can I have a word with you?” Graham asked.
Julio took a step back. “I'm late,” he said. “Don't have time right now.”
“Make time.” Graham flashed a cold smile. “I'm sure your mother won't mind.”
Julio stilled. It wasn't an overt threat, but it was a threat to his mother nonetheless.
“Come, it’ll only take a minute.” Graham gestured to the backseat of his car.
Julio glanced at the house. The porch light was on. He’d phoned his mother and told her that he was on his way. The curtains parted. Julio waved his hand to indicate she should stay inside. The curtains closed. When this went bad—and he knew it was going to—Julio didn’t want his madre in harm's way.
Julio crossed the street with Walker.
Graham waited for him to crawl inside the car, then he climbed in behind him.
“What can I do for you?” Julio asked.
“Please call me, Graham,” he said. “We’re all friends here.”
Liar.
Julio said nothing.
“Take us around the block, while we have a chat,” Graham said to his driver, then turned to Julio. “I have a proposition for you.”
Julio didn’t like the sound of that, especially now that the car was moving. He’d heard the door locks engage. The only way he could get out would be if he broke the windows.
“I know Stevie Cash is a good trainer,” he said.
“She’s a great trainer,” Julio interjected.
“Right,” he said. “Great trainer.” Graham straightened the cuffs on his jacket. “The thing is that Stevie doesn’t have the money to take your career where it needs to go.”
Julio arched a brow. “But you do.” It wasn't a question.
“I do,” Graham said. “That’s why I’d like to offer you a deal. Your mother’s house looks like it has seen better days. With the money I have in mind, you’d be able to help her move out of this lovely neighborhood and keep a little for yourself.”
Julio's chest squeezed. “And what exactly would I have to do for this cash?” he asked.
Graham slapped him on the back. “It’s simple really,” he said. “I just need you to not give it your best shot come fight day.”
Julio’s brow furrowed. “You want me to throw the fight?” He’d worked hard to get this opportunity. If he threw the fight, another shot might not come up for years. Fight years were more like dog years. A fighter only had so many before he was too old to try.
“Throw is such a vulgar word,” Graham said. “That's not what I'm asking you to do at all. I just want you to take it easy. Nothing over the top mind you. We still want it to be a good fight. Just maybe not your best effort. Understand?”
Julio understood all too well. Breaking out the window looked better and better. Suddenly the car stopped and the door beside him opened. Julio braced for a fight, until he saw his mother’s house. They’d brought him home. He hadn’t expected that. He scrambled out of the car.
“Julio,” Graham called out. “Before you go inside, I’m going to need your answer.”
He judged the distance between the curb and his mother's front porch. He might make it, if they didn't pull a gun and shoot him. “I appreciate the offer, Mr. Walker,” he said. “I truly do, but I’m going to have to pass.”
“Can’t say that I’m not disappointed,” Graham said. “But I was expecting that answer.”
“You were?” Julio asked.
Graham nodded. “Fighters seem loyal to Stevie Cash. She must be some piece of ass,” he said.
Julio’s jaw clenched and his hands closed into fists.
“Save your energy, boy,” Graham said. “You’re going to need it.”
The words had no sooner left his mouth, when Julio was struck hard from behind. He’d been so busy watching the driver that he’d forgotten that there might be another man in the front seat. Fists pounded him. Julio fought back, landing a few good punches before the driver joined the fray.
Julio tried to run, but the men knocked him to the ground. They stomped his ribs. Something cracked and pain radiated through his chest. A wave of nausea followed. He curled into a ball, but it was impossible to guard his organs and his head at the same time. Julio heard more bones break and gasped in agony. He couldn’t seem to get any air inside.
A siren sounded in the distance.
His ears rang so loud that Julio wasn’t sure if it was getting closer or if the siren was his imagination.
“Let’s get out of here,” Graham shouted.
One of the men stomped on his dominant hand before leaving, shattering Julio's hopes and dreams.
