Mate Her by Jenika Snow
9
They arrived at the cave, and Lukin kept her in his arms as he moved through the tunnels. Aside from her head hurting and her palms being scraped up, she was okay. But Lukin refused to allow her to walk, and she would be lying if she didn’t admit that she liked being in his arms.
They entered the main part of the cave, and she instantly saw Brawn and Thorque. They stood side by side, dressed in their leathers and boots, fierce and angry expressions on their faces.
“What the fuck, Lukin,” Brawn growled out and moved forward.
“Wait, it was my fault for leaving too.” She shifted in Lukin’s arms until he set her down and then took a step toward Brawn. He was staring at Lukin, and his rage was tangible. “Please, it wasn’t his fault. He was leaving to get more water, and I asked to go with him to get out and see what my new home was like. I wanted to leave. It was nice, up until....” She shrugged.
“You’re hurt,” Thorque said and moved closer to her. He grabbed her hands and looked at them, then looked at her head. When he touched the back of it, she winced. “Let me get you something to heal them.” He was gone and moving toward the cooking area to grab a few vials off of a ledge.
Brawn took another step, and she held her hand out, placing it on his warm chest.
“I understand why you’re mad—”
“Do you?” Brawn clipped out the word, his anger evident. “If he would have let us know, we could have gone together. It is even more dangerous during the night, and we would have not wanted you out there with only Lukin to watch over you.”
“I can watch over our mate just as well as the two of you.” Lukin sounded enraged. “She fell, and I took care of the Hellion that came after us.”
“There was a fucking Hellion that came after you?” Brawn was positively shaking now, and she moved back an inch.
Thorque had her in his arms and was leading her into the sleeping chamber seconds later. When she was sitting down, she heard flesh hitting flesh, of things breaking, and of the clear fight she should stop.
“No, you’re not going out there when they need to get this out,” Thorque said determinedly. “He shouldn’t have taken you out in the first place, and especially not without letting us know. You are all of ours, Minka.” He grabbed a hide rag and poured some of the gel in one vial on it.
When he grabbed her hand and placed the rag on it, the pain instantly vanished. He held it there for a few seconds, then placed it on the other one. She looked at her palms once he removed the hide and was amazed that the open cuts were now sealed.
“That’s amazing.” The sound of something else crashing in the other room prompted her to stand. “What if they kill each other?”
“I assure you they will not, but they need to get this out or they will be huffing and growling until they do.” He handed her the vial. “Drink, and it’ll heal the wounds from the inside out.”
She grabbed the small black piece of rock, removed the wax-like lid, and then took the substance. It didn’t taste like anything, but warmth filled her as it traveled down her throat. The pain in her head might have faded, but she was left with the memories of that horrid beast.
Brawn and Lukin were out there right now fighting over this situation that she put herself in, and she didn’t want that, but she didn’t know them well enough to understand why they did the things they did. They were a species that was strong and feared by many, so it was only natural, she supposed, that they needed violence to ease their energy.
“Do they fight like this often?” She looked at Thorque, who was cleaning up the supplies.
“When the tension is high or Lukin acts before thinking.” Thorque stared at her and smiled.
“Why aren’t you out there releasing that energy too?” She stared at him, not wanting him to fight, but surely he had the need as well?
“I may be a Hades warrior, but I tend to use my mind more than my muscles when the time calls for it.” When he was finished putting the supplies away, he sat beside her. As he took her hand in his, she stared down at the different tones of their skin. She was a pale, peachy shade compared to his dark-red.
She lifted her gaze to his face, to the sharp angles of his square jaw and strong nose, and looked at his black yet soulful eyes. This male used his brain to figure things out, to solve his problems. It may not be what was in his chemical make-up, being a superior species, but for him, it was what he knew. It was so strange being able to look into their faces and know what these men were about.
Could the mating and breeding heat be reflecting from them and onto her?
“Our desire for you and the things we want can be transferred to our mate. It’s a chemical reaction that ensures we procreate and will always be connected to you, Minka,” he said softly, deeply, and then stared at her mouth.
“I said that out loud.” She didn’t phrase it like a question.
He shrugged, his massively broad shoulders moving only slightly. “I’ve noticed you tend to do that, or at least you have been while with us.” He smiled, and she stared at the twin points of his fangs. “But don’t get too comfortable with the fact that I think rather than act on first impulse, because I am still a male who was born and trained to kill.” He reached out and brushed a finger along her cheek.
A shiver moved through her as she stared into his eyes. The sound of more things breaking in the next room was even louder. “We should make sure they really don’t kill themselves. Besides, it wasn’t Lukin’s fault. I insisted on going with him.”
Thorque stood, reached out, cupped her nape, and pulled her close. The air left her on a whoosh.
“Right now, everything inside us is heightened because of the breeding need that has awoken, but now that we have you, it is even more intense,” he said and leaned down an inch. “Every day you are here with us is a temptation that drives our inner beasts wild. It is an instinct to take you, mate with you, and make you ours.” The sound of his voice became more guttural, harsh even, and she watched as his pupils dilated.
Gone was the male who healed her, thought about her instead of fighting. And in his place was a male intent on having her. She could see that on his face, hear it in the change of his breathing, and feel it in the way he held her neck in an ironclad hold.
“Thorque.” She said his name on a breath, and before she knew what was happening, he was kissing her. The taste of him was intoxicating, and right now, her body and emotions were heightened. With the threat to her life again, and these men saving her, fighting for her, and wanting her so intently that they couldn’t control themselves was an aphrodisiac as much as it was frightening.
She didn’t know what the future held for her, but she did know these males had shown her the lengths they would go to save and protect her.
The kiss lasted only a few seconds, but she had gotten so wrapped up in it that it felt like forever. Thorque pulled away, and the flavor of him stayed on her lips, increasing her need. She shouldn’t want this, shouldn’t want to have any sexual contact after everything that happened. But she couldn’t help it. Maybe it was because of everything that made her need this from them.
Deep grunts had her breathing out and turning to head toward the sitting room. She moved out of the sleeping chamber and felt Thorque right behind her. Lukin and Brawn were throwing punches, and there was an array of broken items scattered around. They were breathing heavily, had blood marring their faces, but as if they sensed her, they stopped and turned to face her.
Right at that moment, they seemed so amped up and dangerous. Her pussy became wet, her nipples tightened to hard points beneath her shift, and she started to sweat. Thorque placed a hand on her shoulder, and she held back the need to moan. This was insane, her feelings were ludicrous, but she didn’t know how to stop it.
Minka didn’t want to stop it though.
Brawn moved closer to her, cupped her cheek, and searched her face with his gaze. “Thorque healed you,” he said.
She licked her lips and nodded. “He did, while you two were beating each other up.”
Brawn smirked, shook his head, and then breathed out. “You shouldn’t have seen that, but sometimes it’s hard not to let our basic needs overcome us.” He moved his thumb along her cheekbone. The scent of blood, sweat, and male aggression still filled the air.
Lukin moved closer as well, smoothed his hand down her arm, and held her hand. “I shouldn’t have taken you out without telling Thorque and Brawn.”
“I wanted to go out. If you were in the wrong, so was I.” She looked at all of them. “But I won’t lie. Up until the whole freaky creature attack, I felt free, and loved you taking me out, Lukin.”
He smiled, leaned in, and kissed her softly. But right when he pulled away, she wrapped her hand around his neck and deepened the kiss. Lukin groaned. She pulled back and then started kissing Brawn. It was like something broke inside her, and all this need and desire washed through her.
She turned away from Lukin and Brawn and started to kiss Thorque again. Her lust was a hard, violent creature inside her, and there was no desire to tame it.
