Taming the Queen of Beasts

GAR

All thoughts about wars or humans had left Gar's head. He wasn't worried about Protectors or Guards, or even his family.

For those breathless, beautiful minutes that she was in his hands, everything else sank to shadows behind the spotlight glare of her—the scent of her skin, the sound of her cries, and the warmth of her body's embrace. The embrace he still hadn't taken.

"Rika, are you—"

"Don't stop," she gasped, throwing her head back and digging her fingers into his ass, pulling him against her as Gar rolled his hips. He growled his approval and rewarded her with two, quick thrusts. Sliding over that bundle of nerves in her softest places, so she cried out, then he slowed again even though she whimpered a protest, tasting the skin of her offered neck, letting his teeth graze her collarbones, then stroking a hand down her side, her leg, to find goosebumps rising there as she rocked against him, seeking the joining.

He'd meant to take his time, but they were both desperate. These times, this place, it all conspired against him. Unable to resist, he cupped her ass and pulled up in the same moment he thrust forward, a guttural moan tearing out of his throat as he took her to the hilt.

Rika called his name and her fingers clawed up his back, digging into the muscles of his shoulders. He shuddered but, determined to make the most of this, pulled all the way out, slowly, then took her again.

Her mouth dropped open and her fingernails pierced the skin of his back.

Gar gave a breathless chuckle and pushed up far enough to watch her face as he began to roll with her in a smooth rhythm that was torturously slow.

Cupping one hand over her head, he watched her mouth, her lips soft and slack, opening and closing, her breath stopping in her throat at the peak of each thrust, then released in a whoosh when he pulled out. With each roll, he let his lips play over hers, soft kisses, gentle tastes wherever he could reach.

They were pinned together so tightly, it seemed they barely moved, but his body surged and tingled with delight at the wave of pleasure generated from where they joined, the sensations chasing themselves up his spine and down his legs, as he dug his toes into the furs for purchase and picked up the pace, just a little bit.

Her breath began to come in soft, short pants, whispered pleas for more. Her eyes were still closed, her head thrown back and the tendons on her neck standing proud.

"God, I love you, Rika," he groaned.

"I love you too!" she wailed and Gar shuddered as that fizzing light, the warm, churning power that kept lighting in his veins when they were together, began to swirl again.

"Don't ever leave me," he gasped. Desperate to be closer, always closer, he laced his fingers over the top of her head, bracing his elbows on the furs above her shoulders, and pulling into her with his entire body.

"Gar, I—! Oh… holy…" Her breath caught again as he took her and her chin tipped up. He tasted that, too, then delved into her mouth, his tongue invading, rolling, dancing to the same rhythm as his body and hers.

Rika trembled from head to foot, even her breath shaking. Then she lifted her head to suck on his neck. A low roar puttered in his throat, and she laughed.

"Please, Gar. Please. Don't be careful. I want all of you."

They were wrapped together, breathing each other's air, their bodies rocking, rolling, shaking together.

That light in his veins began to glow, feeding out to his limbs, reaching for her. He could feel it, shifting closer to his skin with every thrust, every cry that left her throat.

But as they both became frantic, as the pace increased and Gar began to grunt with the effort of holding himself back, his entire skin tingled and glowed.

His body rolled until the current of this pleasure, this searching heat—and came up against… something. A barrier.

Rika, abandoned to pleasure, met him stroke for stroke. She called his name until she stopped making words and only cried out with each thrust. One of her hands clapped to his back, the other to his ass and she called for him.

"Rika, I… oh shit!"

"Gar… GAR!" She broke, her body bowed under him, her breath coming in rasping cries as she clenched around him and held him as close as two people could be.

Huffing the matting call, Gar slowly pulled out one more time, almost the whole way, while her body still hung in the balance, then pushed back in and broke over the crest of the wave with her, both of them twitching, spasming, their voices broken and harsh, hands gripping, bodies slicked in sweat.

Gar, trembling, collapsed over her, bracing as much of his weight on his elbows as he could so he wouldn't crush her.

Rika kept whispering his name, kissing his neck, and running her fingers through his hair. And it felt delicious. The most wonderful sensation he'd ever experienced.

And yet…

And yet…

That tide within him, that glittering light edged back, away… leaving a gap in his chest that should have been full.

Gar groaned into her neck, slumping, exhausted, thrilled, and devastated.

"Are you okay?" she giggled because he was making more noise than he usually did when all was said and done.

"Fuck, Rika," he said hoarsely, then kissed her temple. "Just… fuck."

He wouldn't tell her that the bond still hadn't cemented. She likely didn't know. And he didn't want her worried about it.

He shouldn't be worried about it, he knew. It would come in good time. It wasn't unprecedented for a couple to mate several times before the bond snapped into place. But his family—his parents, his sister, and Aaryn… The bond had been effortless for them.

And now, of all times… when everything was so dangerous…

"Are you okay?" Rika whispered, combing his hair back from his face which he still had buried in her neck.

He was trembling, he realized.

"Yes, yes, I'm… I'm great!" he whispered and raised his head to kiss her because he couldn't quite meet her eyes.

He was great. He was better than he'd ever been. Being with her—here, too, in this cave where they'd first met… it was wonderful.

He just wished he understood what the hell was happening to them.