Claimed By the Horde King by Zoey Draven

Chapter Thirty-Three

“Your skin is dry here,” I observed, looking at the ball of Seerin’s shoulder. “And here,” I murmured, running my palm down his side, underneath the water of the bath.

Water trickled as I shifted and he groaned when his cock rubbed between my legs. We were in the bathing tub and I was straddling his hips, leaning against his chest. We’d already washed one another and I discovered that Seerin washing my hair, those long fingers scraping at my scalp, felt like heaven. And right then, I’d never felt warmer or happier or more protected in my entire life.

“Because my alukkiri left me,” he murmured, tilting my face up, his eyes studying my features.

“Because you were being stubborn,” I replied, remembering that night well, quirking a brow.

He grunted, hard-headed male that he was.

I hid my smile when I said, “But we did have an agreement and I didn’t hold up my end of it.”

“Nik,” he murmured gravely, as if this was the most serious matter we’d ever discussed. “You did not, thissie.”

“I suppose, to make up for it,” I began, “I can be your alukkiri for the rest of the season?”

His purr told me just how much he liked that idea. “Lysi?”

“Yes.”

“And I can be yours, thissie,” he growled, his hands running up from my hips, cupping my breasts, his thumbs rubbing over my nipples.

My laugh sounded slightly breathless and died completely when he leaned in to nibble at the column of my throat. “Seerin.”

“Mmm?”

“You still haven’t told me about Dothik,” I reminded him before he decided to distract me. Again. We’d taken a break from our lovemaking to wash, but it had been hours since Seerin arrived back at the tent and he’d managed to avoid every single one of my questions about his journey.

He sighed and leaned back. “I am happy and relieved to be back at my horde, Nelle. That is all.”

“It went that poorly?” I chanced.

His lips pressed together. “There were many meetings with the Dothikkar and the other Vorakkars. None of them ended well. We will reconvene after the thaw comes.”

“You have to go back so soon?” I asked, frowning. The thaw wouldn’t happen for another couple months, but it still seemed too soon.

“Lysi.”

“And what of your mother?” I asked after a brief pause. “Did you see her?”

He inclined his head, but his eyes flickered slightly. His hands roamed down my body again and I knew what he was doing…he was trying to distract me. I caught his wrists below the water when he reached between my thighs.

Seerin made a sharp exhale. I remembered what his pujerak had told me…that Seerin’s mother was calculating and ruthless. I wondered if his words painted her accurately, but asking him would have revealed that his pujerak had spoken to me. And, for some reason, I didn’t want Seerin to know about that night. I had a feeling it would only anger him.

“Lysi, I saw her the first night and again the second night,” he said.

“How is she?” I asked softly.

“She is how she always is,” he answered, but his words didn’t satisfy me. They told me nothing.

“And how’s that?”

His eyes came to mine. “She is the Dothikkar’s favored concubine. Apart from when he needs her, she is free to do what she wishes. She is dressed in the finest clothes, adorned with the finest jewels, and is satisfied with her position in his court. To my mother, status is important. Hers is as high as it could be.”

“And her son is a Vorakkar,” I said softly. Hesitating, I added, “The Vorakkar of Rath Tuviri. You took her name.”

His gaze sharpened, though he ran a gentle hand down my bare back, settling his palm over the swell of my buttocks.

“It is the only name I have,” he said. “It is my name too, not only hers.”

Because he’d never known his father.

“Do you ever wonder about him? About your father?” I whispered, tracing a path down his chest, following the golden markings inked into his flesh. “About who he is or where he is?”

“Nik,” he said. “I have not thought about him for a long time.”

I nodded, though I frowned.

“Do you ever wonder about your parents?” he murmured.

My brow furrowed. “More so when I was younger. I used to wonder what my life would be like with them. I used to think we would be happy together if they were on Dakkar and not…gone.”

“And now?”

I sighed. “Now I think it was better that they never reached Dakkar.”

“Why?”

“It would’ve been difficult to feed three,” I said simply.

My father would’ve needed to spend long hours hunting. I thought of Grigg and how he offered extra credits for sexual favors from the females. I wondered if my mother would’ve given in to feed her family. I wondered if I would’ve eventually given in if I’d stayed.

No. Even then, I would have rather starved.

I’d always been so relieved, so happy to know that my parents had been a love match. I was glad to know that the hard years in our village wouldn’t have diminished that love.

Seerin was frowning when I focused my attention back on him. For a moment, I wondered if this was how my parents had felt about one another. I thought that my mother’s grief would’ve been justified after my father had been killed. Because thinking about Seerin simply gone from this world? It didn’t make sense to me. It was unfathomable.

“But I’m here now,” I said softly. Looking to lighten the mood, I said, “And I think it’s time I finally make good on my promise to be your alukkiri.”

He allowed the change in subject, though his eyes told me he knew what I was doing. He jerked his chin up and I climbed off him, stepping out of the bathing tub. Seerin stood after me, helping me dry off as I shivered slightly before drying his own skin.

“Leave it off,” he rumbled when I reached for my tunic. I paused at the command and then released the material. “I will keep you warm enough tonight, rei thissie.”

Wicked demon, I thought, watching as he went to his cabinets and returned with the familiar bottle of oil. He handed it to me and I uncapped it, pouring a small amount in my hands, noticing that it smelled earthy and pleasant. A droplet of water from my damp hair landed on my chest and ran over my breast. Seerin’s gaze followed it and it felt like his tongue—not his eyes—was tracing its path.

Reaching up, I smoothed the oil over the tops of his shoulders, where I’d first seen the dryness of his skin, before running my palms down his arms. Despite the fluttering I felt between my legs, I was all business at first, working the oil into his flesh methodically and thoroughly.

He made a sound in his throat when I ran my fingertips over his dusky nipples and I quickly ran my hands over his ridged abdomen, biting back a smile. After I finished his front, I went around his back, my smile dying a little when I saw his Vorakkar scars up close for the first time. His back was nothing more than scar tissue and I wondered how he’d managed to survive it.

Gently, I smoothed my hands over his flesh. His skin felt tight underneath my fingertips, but I made sure to reach every inch and when I was done, I couldn’t resist leaning forward. I pressed a soft kiss to the middle of his back and let my lips linger.

He stilled. A harsh sound emerged from his throat.

“Nelle,” he rasped.

My hands trailed down to his firm buttocks and I spread the oil there too. They were muscled and tight and I kneaded the flesh as a choked laugh came from him.

“You will be the end of me, starling.”

For a moment, I froze. His words were so similar to his pujerak’s, yet I knew Seerin had meant it only in teasing.

“Nelle?” he asked, sensing me still. “What is it?”

“Nothing,” I replied, my voice coming out husky. I came around his front and reached for more oil. “I’m already halfway done,” I murmured, smiling.

His cock was throbbing and swollen. It twitched at my words and twitched again when I kneeled in front of him.

I ignored his cock and spread the oils over his legs, his calves, the back and front of his thighs. That same possessive streak hit me as I rubbed, suddenly grateful and relieved that he’d never taken an alukkiri, that another female had never done this to him, as far as I knew.

Because it felt intimate. I could feel every rippling muscle, every shift in his body. I could feel his heat and power and the way he tensed and relaxed whenever I hit a sensitive place.

When I was done with his legs, I set my eyes on his cock before craning my head back to meet his gaze.

His grey eyes were hooded and intense, looking down at me on my knees in front of him. I was kneeling before a Vorakkar but I didn’t feel powerless. I felt strong.

“Here too?” I whispered.

His exhale was sharp and his hand reached down to drift across my lips. “Kiss it first, rei thissie.”

With my thighs squeezing together, I asked, “Is that part of an alukkiri’s duty?”

“Nik,” he rasped. “But you are mine and as my female, you will learn every part of me. As I will learn every part of you.”

Thud, thud, thud. My heartbeat beat out a quick, excited rhythm in my chest at his words. I liked him calling me his entirely too much.

Grasping the base of his cock, I pulled it down, away from where it pressed tight against his abdomen. Leaning forward, I felt a little shy as I kissed the glistening head, letting my lips linger on his heat even as I met his eyes.

A rough growl echoed around the voliki, followed by his loud, audible swallow.

“Again,” he rasped.

Between my thighs, my clitoris was throbbing. I remembered him there, licking and kissing and suckling softly. I wanted to reciprocate that pleasure because I wanted him to feel as good as he’d made me feel.

Holding his gaze, I kissed him again before running my lips down to the middle of his shaft. I kissed him there too.

His hand came to the back of my head. His voice came out even rougher. “Again.”

I kissed the tip. Then my tongue darted out to slowly lick the underside of the swollen head, testing, gauging his reaction.

His hips jerked, seemingly of their own accord, and Seerin hissed, “Vok, rei thissie.”

“Again?” I whispered.

His eyes pinned me into place. I felt his hand tighten in my hair, as if afraid I would move away.

“Lysi.”

That time, I licked up the whole length of his thick shaft, feeling his cock throb against my tongue. Seerin’s breath came out harsh and he murmured something in Dakkari, though I couldn’t make out a single word.

“What now?” I asked him, wanting to please him. But I was inexperienced in these things. I didn’t know the first thing about pleasuring a male like this.

He choked out an almost pained laugh at my eager question. “With the exception of biting, rei thissie, anything you do to me feels good.”

“Tell me.”

His swallow was audible.

“Open,” he rasped, brushing his fingers against my lips. I parted them at his words and he gently eased the head of his cock inside. His voice was roughened as he said, “This is where I am most sensitive. Suck me here, kalles.”

A harsh growl burst from his throat when I immediately did as he instructed. His shaft was thick and engorged, but I widened my jaw as best as I could while still suckling on the tip. The beginnings of his seed pushed from the head, wetting my tongue, and I lapped at the slit for more, finding I liked the earthy, musky taste.

“Vok, Nelle,” he groaned harshly, his hand tightening on the back of my head.

The muscles in his thighs trembled slightly as I lapped and sucked. As I moved from the head, over to the side of his cock, I saw his bump, just over the base of his shaft. I remembered, when he’d been so deep inside me, how it had lined up perfectly with my clitoris, how it had throbbed and heated and pulsed against me.

I reached out to touch it, my fingertips still oiled after running them over his body. His hips jerked when I brushed my hand over it. It was hot and hard, just like his cock.

“What is this called?”

“Dakke,” he growled, those eyes piercing into me. Oh yes, my demon king liked me exploring him very, very much.

Leaning forward, I kissed him there too, causing a harsh breath to exhale sharply from his chest. When I dragged my tongue over it, his body rippled. When I sucked it, just like I had the head of his cock, he froze completely.

Before I knew it, I was off the floor of the voliki, in his arms, and then my back was on his bed, the furs tickling my tingling skin.

It seemed I’d pushed him too close to the edge, judging by the darkened, focused look on Seerin’s face. I opened my mouth to ask him how sensitive his dakke was, but the words died completely in my throat when he immediately pushed my thighs wide…and drove deep, deep inside with one claiming thrust.

Seerin fucked me wildly, his oiled skin slapping against my own. And all I could do was grip his shoulders and receive him. I was already incredibly aroused from exploring his body, from watching his reactions as I sucked and licked his cock, from his dakke grinding into me, that when my orgasm began to crest, I wasn’t even surprised.

“Lysi,” he growled in my ear. Gently, he bit the column of my neck again and then rasped, “Come on my cock, rei thissie. Vok, I can feel you!”

The intense pleasure made me cry out, made my hips buck against him and my spine arch. In the midst of my orgasm, I perceived his thrusts quickening.

“Too close already. Kassikari, you would have made me come all over your sweet little tongue.”

Seerin threw his head back and he bellowed to the domed ceiling of the voliki as his seed burst from his tip. His hips continued to rock into me as his heat coated me deeply. His head dropped into my neck, his hair falling over my heavy breasts, and I wrapped my arms around him as he spent the last of his seed into my body.

We laid there in quiet for a moment as we both recovered. When Seerin rolled us until we lay on our sides and pulled the furs over us, I pressed a kiss to his strong, marked chest.

I tilted my face back to meet his eyes. His fingertips caressed my bare shoulder and his other hand clasped the swell of my hip.

“Is it always like this?” I whispered.

I didn’t know what I was asking. I didn’t know whether I’d meant the sex…or something deeper. Or both.

Seerin seemed to know, however.

“Nik,” he said back. “This is you and me, Nelle.”