Atlantean's Quest Volume 1 Page 31

  Jac’s wayward thoughts brought Ares’s cock to full attention, tightening to the point of pain beneath his loincloth. Her eyes trailed down the front of his chest like a sensuous caress, leaving him trembling with need. He allowed his hunger for her to show upon his face. She flushed. Although Ares doubted she recognized the sexual response. Her body betrayed her mind.

  He’d given Jac the time she’d needed to process the earlier events. Now he would lead her back to his hut, where the taming would continue. Ares looked forward to having her creamy skin below him, writhing, as he buried his shaft in her waiting wetness. He could smell her arousal from here. And it was all for him. Ares relished the moment. Cherished every last second. She may be attracted to Coridan, but Jac burned for him.

  “I’ll take you to your new home.” His voice dared her to refute his words.

  She opened her mouth. He had no doubt to protest, but then clamped it shut. Ares smiled and clasped Jac’s hand. He led her down a tiny trail, not visible unless one knew where to search. He could feel the tension in her long fingertips; they trembled beneath his touch, a delicate balance of anger and lust. He would make sure that lust won out this day.

  She could deny what was building between them all she wanted, but he knew the truth. Ares could see it in Jac’s eyes, feel it in her touch. His fierceness was a proud warrior, but in the end she’d learn how to surrender…to him. He would not, could not lose her. They were destined to be together.

  Jac was so mad and horny she could scream. Part of her wanted to throttle him, while her feminine side longed to fuck him senseless. She didn’t know which one would win out in the end. If the wetness between her thighs was any indication, she was screwed. Jac blew out a frustrated breath. It killed her to admit it, but she wanted him. If he didn’t take her soon, she might do something insane like take him. All Ares had to do was look at her and Jac melted. What was it about this caveman that turned her on so much, made her lose her hard-won control? She shook her head. She’d probably never know the answer.

  Ares snaked his way through the brush, winding this way and that until they arrived at a heavily wooded area. Jac looked around but didn’t immediately see anything except for thick brush and trees. He released her hand, then strode forward about ten feet and pushed aside plants revealing a door. The hut had been so well camouflaged that she hadn’t seen anything but brush.

  Dad would be proud. Where that thought came from Jac didn’t know, didn’t want to know, but she banished it straight away, dismissing the sentimentality.

  Ares said nothing. He pulled the furs up, then stepped aside and waited. She stared at him for a few moments. His actions seemed strangely out of character. She didn’t understand these people. Jac decided ultimately it didn’t matter, since she wouldn’t be here long enough to. She covered the small distance in a few strides and crossed the threshold.

  He expelled a breath, his shoulders instantly relaxing. Goosebumps rose on Jac’s arms. She tried to rub them away. It was as if the simple act of coming in meant something—something important. Surely Rachel would’ve warned her if there was something culturally significant about the act of entering a male’s hut. Jac thought of her friend and how much she’d changed. Then again, maybe not. She frowned as her eyes adjusted to the dimness.

  A small wooden table, only large enough for two or three at the most, sat off to the side, with a couple of chairs arranged around it. A big bowl of fruit and bread had been placed in the center of the table overflowing with abundance, along with a tiny firepot. A bed of furs lay in the opposite corner, piled high enough to reach her thigh. Four wooden spikes had been driven into the ground framing the bed. They weren’t part of a frame and they didn’t look to be decorative. Jac continued to scan the room. A carved out barrel of sorts had been tucked into a corner. It brimmed with clear liquid. Water, she surmised.

  There was a solitary window, surrounded by vines, which allowed very little sunlight to enter. The small dwelling still managed to feel cool in the late afternoon air. How? Jac wasn’t exactly sure. There seemed to be a lot of strange things about this place, about this tribe. They had powers and abilities far beyond anything she’d ever seen or imagined, talking in thought, reading minds, glowing yellow fireballs shooting from their hands. Were they really aliens? If so, why hadn’t the government found them? Common sense told Jac she should be frightened, but she wasn’t. It was not in her nature to allow fear to dictate her actions.

  Ares brushed her arm, reminding her of his presence. Not that she’d really forgotten him for one second.

  “Is this acceptable to you?” His voice seemed aimed at seduction, yet it held a modicum of vulnerability, too.

  Jac looked at him. “It’s fine.” She glanced around once more, then added, “I like it.”

  His emerald orbs flashed in approval, causing Jac’s heart to swell. She glanced away. She didn’t want to feel these emotions. She hadn’t asked for them. They made her feel…feel…vulnerable. She hated that.

  Her troubled thoughts washed over Ares, drowning him in sensation. She may not realize it yet, but her resolve to leave had weakened. In time she’d know that in weakness one finds their greatest strength. But Ares decided he had better not point that out yet or he’d find himself back where he started. For now he’d bask in the fact she’d crossed his threshold, therefore accepting him as her mate.

  His gaze shifted to her clothing. The shirt she wore clung to her breasts like a second skin, molding, embracing, caressing her nipples like he himself longed to do. She smelled of spice, her lust mingling with the natural woman’s scent that was her own.

  Ares shifted, trying to alleviate the pressure from his growing erection. He’d managed to rein in his need in the time it had taken them to reach his hut, but now it was back with a vengeance, and he wasn’t quite sure he’d be able to stop it.

  Not that he truly wanted to. Jac’s lithe body called to him. He wanted to stroke her short blonde hair and feel its silk bunched in his fists. He longed to bury his tongue in her wet channel. Nip and kiss her inner thighs until he’d explored every inch of her. Ares took a deep breath, his large body trembling with the effort it took not to act upon his desires.

  He placed his hands on Jac’s shoulders and turned her until she faced him. His eyes wandered over her pale face, taking in her striking blue eyes, dark like the depths of the sea, radiant like the sun. Her lips parted slightly in anticipation of what would occur next. She wanted him to kiss her. Ares wanted that, too, but not yet. He could read her thoughts, sense her need. She was ready to explode. The time had come to continue the lesson. He released her and stepped back, his eyes never leaving her delicate face.

  “Take off your clothes.” A growl formed in his throat. He hadn’t meant for the request to come out as a demand, but he needed her and was in no mood for gentleness.

  Her eyes widened in surprise, then Jac’s jaw tightened and her body tensed, ready to fight. Green clashed with blue in a war without sound. His next words stopped her dead.

  “Or I will.”

  * * * * *

  Chapter Nine

  There was no way in hell she would strip out of her clothes. How dare he demand such a thing.

  Ares stepped closer. “You would do well to obey me on this.” He held his hand out and an energy burst, much like a streak of lightning, shot from his palm and ignited the kindling inside the firepot, illuminating the small hut in soft light.

  Jac jumped, but held her ground. “I will not be bullied by you or any other man. I can’t believe you just threatened me with physical violence.”

  “I would not hurt you. Never that.” He brushed a wisp of hair away from her face, his fingers lingering against the pulse beating directly behind her ear. “And I never make threats, only promises.”

  Jac’s heart leapt beneath the subtle stroke that sent her senses into overdrive. She felt heat spread from her stomach and radiate out, until she could hear the steady pulse of her blood thumping like a
drum in her head. She took a deep breath, inhaling the musky odor that was all Ares, all masculine—all sex.

  Her breasts grew heavy, so sensitive that breathing became a chore. She could feel moisture gathering between her thighs, preparing her body for what was to come. Jac staggered back, fighting for control. She shouldn’t want him so bad. She was like an addict and he was her fix. Why did he have to be sex incarnate? Her throat seemed so dry. She moistened her lips. His eyes followed the movement like a predator waiting for the opportunity to pounce.

  The air seemed to close in around them, pressing, cornering, trapping. Jac glanced at the bed of furs in the corner, then back to the door, attempting to judge her chances of making it to the opening. At some point Ares had pulled the fur covering back in place, blocking out all trace of light. She’d been so engrossed in battling her thoughts that she hadn’t noticed. The thin flap would definitely impede her escape.

  “Do not even think about it,” his voice dropped an octave in warning.

  Jac crossed her arms over her chest, the tiny movement torture as she rasped her puckered areolas. “You can’t keep me here against my will.”

  He gave her an unholy smile. A hard glint of determination, the likes of which she hadn’t seen before, reflected in his jade eyes. Jac made a mad dash for the hut door. She’d managed to move three feet when a vise-like grip closed around her waist, lifting her from the ground.

  She shrieked. “Put me down you son-of-a-bitch! I’m not staying here another minute.” Her arms flailed and she kicked out her legs in an attempt to dislodge herself from his hold.

  Ares carried her back toward the furs, his muscles not even straining. When he reached the bed he transferred Jac to one arm and tugged at the pouch on the side of his loincloth with the other. Several silk scarves a deep shade of emerald fell onto the bed.

  “What are you planning to do with those?”

  His smile widened.

  “Don’t even think about it.” But even as she said the words, Jac’s body tightened in anticipation.

  She’d played bondage games before, but had never allowed her partner to tie her to the bed. The thought of being spread eagled at Ares’s mercy and out of control caused Jac to fight like a wildcat. Before she knew what was happening Ares managed to slip one scarf around her wrist. When she tried to pull it off, he snagged her other arm. She pushed against his chest, suddenly Ares released her and she sailed through the air.

  Jac landed flat on her back atop the bed furs. Before she could jump up, Ares scooped up the last two scarves, leapt onto the fur bed, and straddled her. He secured her wrists to two of the wood stakes surrounding the furs. The scarves looked flimsy, but even with her pulling with all her strength they didn’t budge. She tried to kick him when he grabbed for her legs. It took him seconds to capture and secure her ankles.

  In the end, Jac lay staked to the bed like a human letter ‘X’. Her legs were spread in a wide vee allowing plenty of access to her drenched opening. “Untie me this instant.”

  Ares got off her and stood to the side, smiling down at his handiwork. When she got loose from the ties, she’d kill him for sure. Jac tugged again, but the material refused to budge. She finally gave up. No use wasting her energy on the scarves—they weren’t going anywhere.

  As soon as her body stilled, Ares approached. He ran his hands along each scarf, testing her bonds. His fingers lingered on her shins, gently scraping his nails over her sensitive bare skin.

  Jac shuddered. Her lungs labored from the fight, thrusting her nipples boldly through the material. His eyes lingered on the tight buds as if willing away her clothing, then suddenly he pulled his knife from its leather sheath. She froze. Her eyes locked on the blade.

  “What do you plan to do with that?” she asked, her body tense.

  “I believe you know.”

  “Don’t even think about it,” Jac warned.

  Ares paused for a moment, then brought the metal to her stomach and cleanly sliced through her shirt and shorts.

  “Bastard!”

  Within seconds she’d been laid bare, except for her socks and boots. He pulled the shredded garments from beneath her and tossed them into the fire pot.

  Jac’s watched helplessly as her clothes went up in smoke. What was she supposed to wear now? Her arms strained as she pulled against the stakes. When all that remained was burning embers she turned back. “I hope you have my backpack laying around here somewhere.”

  “You will not need any clothing for the next few days.” His eyes caressed her, zeroing in on the thin slice of curls between her legs. “After that, I will provide you with proper Atlantean attire.”

  “Proper attire, eh? I’ve got your proper attire right here.” Jac growled, trying to ignore the growing wetness his gaze brought forth. “You better not be referring to those sheer skirts all the women are wearing.”

  He said nothing.

  “Ares, I swear if you don’t untie me this second, I’m going to kick your ass all the way back to New York City.”

  Ares laughed, the deep rumbling sound vibrated throughout the little hut, sending shivers of delight along Jac’s spine. “I beg your forgiveness, my fierceness, but you aren’t going anywhere until I’m finished.”

  “And when will that be?” she asked tartly.

  Never—the whisper scorched Jac’s mind.

  Ares glanced around his hut. All was prepared and ready. He just had to visit the Seer for the last items. He may not be able to formally approach Jac with a mating ceremony until after he won the challenge, but he could prepare, tame, and seduce her in the meantime. He must see Ariel. “I must leave for a moment.”

  Jac frowned, glancing down at her naked body. “You’re not going to leave me here like this, are you?” Her blue eyes latched onto his and for the first time they held something Ares hadn’t seen before, fear.

  He approached the bed and knelt at her side. He leaned over, brushing her hair away from her face. His lips were but a whisper away. Her mouth parted unconsciously, which was all the invitation he needed.

  Ares captured her lips in a searing kiss. She opened for him and he swept inside, tasting, hungering, delving. It had been too long since he’d last savored her sweetness. Their tongues dueled and danced, thrusting and retreating, swirling and sucking. Ares found himself falling into her web once more. His lips firmed and then he pulled away. He had to get to Ariel, before he did something foolish like give in to her demands.

  Ares stood, pressing one last kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be back as soon as possible. I must see Ariel.”

  The color drained from Jac’s face. “You cut off my clothes and staked me to the bed, then you tell me that you’re going to see that blonde bimbo, Ariel.”

  He frowned. “It’s not like what you imagine.”

  “What little I know of Ariel, I’m sure it’s exactly what I imagine.”

  Ares hesitated as her hurt swept through him.

  “Just go,” Jac spat. “But don’t expect a warm welcome when you get back.”

  Ares made his way through the jungle to Ariel’s hut. She would be safe within his home, for only Eros and the Seer knew of its exact location. He knew that information would not stave off Jac’s wrath when he returned, but it eased his mind. He’d never seen his fierceness so angry. She truly believed that he intended to lay with the Seer, which was ridiculous. Everyone knew that the Seer was abstinent. Besides, he didn’t want Ariel. He’d never wanted her. If he had, he would’ve figured out a way around her no sex while on earth predicament and they’d be mated by now.

  Ares reached Ariel’s dwelling within minutes. He held up his palm to requested entrance. The flap covering her door swung back and the Seer stepped forward.

  “I’ve been anticipating your visit.” She moved out of the way and swept her arm, welcoming him inside.

  When the fur covering the door had been put back in place, Ares dropped to his knees in traditional Atlantean greeting, kissing each of Ariel’s
nipples. Ares rose, keeping his head bent in respect.

  I’ve come for the tools.

  Ah, I assumed as much. Ariel’s voice was soft and teasing. Are you sure you want to go through with the taming? She will not be an easy woman to live with.

  He glanced up, meeting Ariel’s gaze. “I am certain,” he said aloud.

  She frowned. You know you may lose her in the end. I had not foreseen Coridan’s interference. For a moment Ariel’s face held pain, then as if realizing that she’d let her mask slip, she smiled erasing the emotion from her face.

  Ares’s jaw clenched. I will not let her go.

  And if Coridan wins the challenge? Her voice cracked in his mind.

  Ares was too angry to take notice. He will not.

  Her expression grew serious. But what if he does?

  “Then I will call on Jac to make her decision,” he said, his voice low, almost pained.

  “Your woman could choose to go with the warrior she finds less—threatening,” she said.

  Aye—but she won’t. He shook his head. By then she will be so attuned to my touch that any other will repulse her.

  Ariel seemed to relax. You are very sure of yourself, Ares.

  I have to be. She is my mate. I would die to keep her.

  Ariel shivered, then walked across her hut and retrieved the items needed for Jac’s preparation. Would you like me to ease your discomfort? She pointed to the raging erection beneath his loincloth.

  He shook his head. I thank you, but my cock needs but one woman. And she is bound and waiting for me back at my hut.

  Does she know you’re here?

  Ares nodded.

  You are brave indeed. Be well, my hunter. Ariel laughed and handed Ares the marking tools.

  Ares bowed and left the dwelling. He found himself rushing back through the jungle as he carried the marking utensils in his hands. He sensed Jac’s fury before he entered his hut. It radiated out like a living entity, waiting, stalking, ready to strike the second he stepped through the door. Instead of abating like he’d hoped, it had grown in intensity. Her thoughts were in turmoil as she pictured he and Ariel lying together naked, joined. She was jealous. A smile tugged at Ares’s mouth, but he hid well.