Authorized: Mercenary Shifters (Mercenaries For Hire Book 4) Page 10

  Apollo had been trying to show me how to properly pounce on my prey. Instead of attacking the animal ahead of us, he pulled back and sat down a few feet away. He nudged his head in the direction I had been heading.

  Internally I smiled, pleased that he wanted me to take my own lead on this. He wouldn’t do it for me and let me reap the awards. Instead, he showed me and wanted me to finish the hunt. Crouching back down, I crept forward, just like Apollo showed me.

  I pounced.

  ****

  My paws thundered over the ground, my belly full, and I felt more energized than I had ever been. Even the one time I didn’t think energy drinks would affect me like a normal human and drank three in a row. My heart had felt like it would have pounded out of my chest. This felt almost like that but without the scary health side-effects. Instead I panted with happiness as Apollo nipped at my paws.

  I barked quietly as I ran back toward the scent of the cabin. Apollo followed, never protesting the direction I was heading. Darkness had fallen, the stars peeking between the branches, but my vision had never been better. I hopped over a branch. Apollo stepped over it. I growled at him which earned another yip near my back side. I chittered. Apollo licked his chops, having eaten with me.

  The cabin came into view, and the animal inside of me yawned, pulling back. Her exhaustion echoed my own. As I dragged myself forward, a heaviness settled in my bones. My skin twitched, my fur started to rescind, giving way to flesh. As my hair brushed against my naked skin, I twirled around to see Apollo had shifted back.

  “That was the single most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. Ever.” Elated and feeling as if I weighed nothing I threw myself at Apollo. He caught me, hugging me to his bare chest. My overheated skin against his sent a zing of awareness through me.

  Apollo was my mate, after all, and feeling him against my own body warmed me inside and out. Feeling the playfulness of my fox still, I nipped at his ear. Apollo snarled, leaning back, looking me in the eyes.

  “Mallory …” The plea in his voice, the desire that stirred against my leg, I couldn’t resist. The only thing that had been holding me back from embracing Apollo completely was my fears of Asher. But I refused to allow him to infringe on anymore of my life. In a sense, I had told Apollo I didn’t know who I was. It was time I started to shape who I wanted to be.

  I wanted to be with my mate.

  “I need you, Apollo.”

  Taking it upon myself to be brave, I rubbed against him, encouraging his own want. Apollo brought my lips to his, claiming me hard and fast. His tongue stroked against mine, offering promises of what was to come. My heart burst in my chest, and my body ignited with flames.

  Apollo wrapped his hand around my thigh, encouraging me wrap my legs around him. Needing to feel him against me, I obligated. His muscles bunched as he walked us back toward the cabin, his lips never releasing mine. My breasts felt full for once and ached for his touch. I rubbed my chest against his, trying give me a sense of relief.

  My body demanded a reprieve of some type. My breasts ached, my core felt empty, and even with Apollo’s devilish tongue working wonders on my imagination I needed more. Craved it like my next breath.

  Pulling back from Apollo’s lips, I brushed my fingers across the strong cords of his neck, down his chest. Slipping past my own body, I wrapped my hand around his straining cock, stroking it, and encouraging him to move faster.

  He groaned, panting against the crook of my neck.

  “Can’t move when you touch me like that.” His hot breath stroked the tips of my breasts, tickling and teasing my tightening nipples.

  “Hmm.” I released him only for him to rush inside of the cabin. The door shut behind us, and Apollo pressed my body against the door. I started to drop my legs, but Apollo thrust his hips forward, keeping me in place.

  “Fuck, I want to be inside of you right now.”

  “Then why aren’t you?” I leaned forward, nibbling on his earlobe, then licking away the sting of every bite.

  “I need to savor you. I want to watch you writhe in pleasure. I want to taste your sweet pussy, and I want to fuck you so hard you’ll forget about any man you had before me.”

  Every word had me panting harder than before, imagining what he’d said, wishing for it now.

  I swallowed, slowing licking my lips. “Apollo.”

  “I might come just hearing you say my name that way.”

  “Oh gods …”

  His voice, his words only made me want him more. Now.

  “Tell me you want me, Mal, tell me what you need.”

  “You.” A quiet growl vibrated at my vocal cords, and the hunger I felt for the hunt bloomed within me again. This felt like a different sort of hunt though. A different challenge.

  Apollo pressed his lips against my neck, kisses going down farther and farther until he hit the crook of my neck. His teeth pressed lightly against my skin. I stilled before pushing him back a little. A growl came from me, and following Apollo’s earlier comment, I listened to my instincts.

  Racing away from him, I felt free in my nudity and comfortable with him. I stood behind the couch and watched as his wolf stepped forward with the man. Both of them considerate and patient. But even I could see the hunger and lust in his eyes. And―ahem―other prominent areas as well.

  Apollo raced around the couch and laughter bubbled up my throat as I breathlessly escaped his hold. I ran down the hall. Strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind and lifted me up.

  “You’re mine.”

  The words sent delicious shivers down my spine.

  “Yes.”

  Chapter 21

  Apollo

  “Yes.” Mallory’s hissed acceptance might be my undoing. My cock felt so hard and the base of my spine tightened. I could have an orgasm just holding her, hearing her words. Fuck, I felt like a sap. Her naked body pressed against mine had become my new definition of heaven. A body like hers was what sinners dreamt of. Certainly nothing that I deserved.

  I swing her legs up, carrying her cradled in my arms to my bedroom. Moss and I never came up with a rule about having women here, it had been an unspoken thing that this was our place. No one else’s. But I think with my mate, he would understand. However, it didn’t mean I had to mark every room in the cabin with our mating. Even though that is exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted everyone to know she was mine.

  Mallory leaned forward in my hold, running her tongue along my collarbone. The sensation, mingled with her scent covering me, urged me on faster. I dropped her carefully on the bed, but enough to let her know I still held the power.

  Mallory’s animal had initiated the battle of wills, and dominance between us. I didn’t mind, my wolf liked to play, and I always won. Mallory didn’t look like she wanted to play that way anymore. Her eyes held a heat that I prayed belonged only to me. My fingers brushed down her sides, making her squirm a bit, and as they made a trace toward her core, she danced.

  Mallory moved, pulling my attention back to her lips as she claimed mine, tugging my hand away from her curled covered core. Pulling back from her obvious tactic, my brows pinched together.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Her scent shifted from straight lust to souring a bit with a mix of emotions that, in my state, I couldn’t separate. It didn’t help that her primary scent, which still reigned, was lust. Which increased my own.

  “Um, I need you to know. You’re not my first―”

  I growled, “Not something I want to hear, Mallory.”

  “Listen, you oaf. But you are my first in a couple years.”

  Fuck.

  “Fuck. That’s a long time …”

  “Yes, I know. Thanks for that. But I haven’t … you know, trimmed down there or anything because … well, I had been in coma.” Mallory shifted her gaze away from me, her cheeks had a brushing of pink on them.

  “I don’t care. We’re shifters, Mal. You sprout fur all over your body and I still think you can be
sexy. Mallory, you are my gorgeous, sexy mate. Nothing about you is unattractive to me.”

  The tension from Mallory’s body drained out, and she shifted her weight under me, her rhythm suddenly a very different beat. Her body called to mine, and I refused to ignore it. Proceeding where I had left off, I slid my fingers to her inner thigh, caressing circles on the sensitive skin.

  Sensing she needed a few more moments of just this, I leaned down, pressing kisses against her neck. Mallory moaned quietly, her hands roaming across my body, exploring as I wished to do to her. Only, when her hips rotated forward, brushing against mine, it took all of my control to hold back. Aware of what she said, I knew this first time would have to be slow for her. But fuck did I want to mate her like my wolf wanted to. Hard. Fast. Satisfying for the both of us.

  Later. This time we will go slow and enjoy each other.

  Mallory’s breasts heaved upwards with every heavy breath that escaped her. Her quiet mutterings didn’t feel nearly enough. I wanted, needed her to lose herself.

  “Apollo.”

  My fingers brushed against her warm, wet core. I found her sensitive clit, gently massaging and tweaking my technique, listening and scenting her reactions. My own cock responded, twitching and jerking at the noises she made.

  “Fuck! Gods, Apollo. Fuck me.” Her voice was strained, the muscles in her neck corded and I couldn’t take my eyes off the place I wanted to put my mark. Pulling back, I adjusted myself, her body so welcoming and warm. Mallory leaned closer, wrapping her fingers around me, giving me a quick stroke, before leading me forward.

  Peeking through her lashes, she smiled at me.

  “Mine.”

  “Yours,” I said. I entered her with a quick push, unable to hold back when she encouraged me to. She cried out in pleasure, her animal shining through her eyes for a moment before stepping back. Allowing them both to take pleasure in these moments.

  Keeping my body in a rhythm that Mallory seemed to enjoy the most, we rocked together. Her hands caressed my skin. The muscles in my back bunched under her touch. Everything about her enticed me. Then, surprising me, she clawed at my back when I hit a certain spot for her.

  My lips tipped upwards, and I smiled down at her as I prepared for the same thrust. Her breath stuttered before she cried out, clawing her blunt nails into my skin. I roared at the pleasure of her marking me, even in that way. Fuck I needed to sink my teeth into her. She seemed to understand, titling her head just so.

  Lining up my next thrust into her, I lunged forward, sinking my teeth into her tender flesh. She growled and followed suit. She came apart in my arms, her tight, warm pussy gripping me to the point of pain. I released inside of her as I held on tight.

  This.

  This was fucking heaven.

  Unable to hold back I released her neck and roared as she finished around me. She released her own hold, calmly stroking my back in languid motions. My brave Mallory also, it would seem, had a very caring side.

  “You’re still hard inside of me. Ready for round two?” Mallory asked.

  I growled. I take that back, my mate is brave, caring, and adventurous.

  ****

  We had fucked a couple more times, but the last time had been slow, leisurely as our animals took a step back, allowing us to enjoy each other’s bodies. I realized she had scars on both of her legs, and I gently ran my fingers over the old wounds.

  Mallory, my fearless mate, didn’t shy away from my touch. Instead, her fingers caressed the scar on my back from the wound that almost cost me my life.

  “Would you tell me what happened to you one day?” she asked me quietly as her eyes roamed over my chest.

  “I had been hired by a rival company that had, unbeknownst to me, hired Dominic, a dragon shifter, and Lucas, your sister’s mate. They, along with a third, worked with each other occasionally. If another merc heard about it, they would immediately deny the job. At the time I had been pretty wet behind the ears.

  “The job went sour fast. The people who hired me and hired them had been dealing in … illegally obtained substances, let’s leave it at that.” I couldn’t tell her it had been weapons, definitely didn’t want her to know drugs had been involved as well. While she probably knew I didn’t have a good background, she didn’t need to know everything. Not yet at least. “One of the humans on my side attacked Dominic.

  “I don’t really know what had been wrong with the shifter but he lost his fucking mind. He started to attack everyone on my side, so I jumped in, trying to save the humans. He shifted and clawed my back down my leg. If Lucas hadn’t stepped forward, and got in his friend’s way, I’m sure Dominic would have killed me.”

  We both fell into an easy silence again.

  “My parents had always treated me like glass. Fragile and breakable. Of course, they loved me, and doted on me. Mazy had left to go to college, I wanted to and we had been on our way to visit a college.” Mallory got quiet; her nails bit at my skin as she tried to find a hold.

  “The car came out of nowhere. Or at least it felt that way. Even ’til this day, I keep just seeing nothing then bright headlights. The police suspected the truck driver hadn’t slept in days. He and my parents died instantly, the truck had hit the front of our car. My mom died first, and my father followed after her. My legs had been so badly broken that once they had completely healed up, it was almost a year later. I had to go to physical therapy.

  “Every day I blame myself for their deaths. And every single one of those days when I had been in physical therapy, I didn’t think I was worthy. My parents should have been strong enough to survive, I should have been the one who died that night. It should have been me.”

  “I’m glad it wasn’t.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead, unable to not touch her, to show her my affections in some way. I traced the scars on her legs. “These are your warrior bands, never be ashamed of where they came from. You survived what a two shifters could not. It makes you strong.”

  Pride swelled in my chest at that thought. My mate, strong, and resistant. Though I wish she didn’t have to lose her parents in such a way, I couldn’t deny their sacrifice had led to her survival.

  “I fell, when I had a particularly bad night. I had been so angry with my parents, with my sister. With whoever made me this way. I wanted to rebel, to act. Instead, I had been so weak I ended up in coma, I guess.”

  Mallory got quiet again. She tucked her head under my chin and rested against me; her breasts brushed against my chest. Everything about this woman drove me wild with need―to comfort, to fuck, to simply be with her.

  “Apollo?”

  “Hmm.”

  “Fuck me again.”

  Chapter 22

  Mallory

  Apollo is all I can smell come morning. His scent part of me, as mine is part of him. The thought sends shivers of delight throughout my whole body. Refusing to open my eyes, I snuggled my nose closer to the warm chest under me. Apollo and I had spent the night waking each other when the urge got too great, and my bones felt like liquid this morning. Paired with my first shift, and mating, I didn’t want to leave the bed.

  “Cher, maybe we should wait.”

  “No! I need to see my sister.”

  I frowned. Okay, now I know I wouldn’t have dreamt of my sister while in bed with my mate. I blinked a few times, to see Apollo still passed out. Glancing around the room I took stock. Pounding on the door sounded again and I realized I could hear them from here.

  Oh shit. Pushing on Apollo’s chest I tried to wake him. He groaned quietly, but kept on sleeping. Geez. I rolled my eyes, slipping from his hold. We had left out clothes outside, and I cringed. Mazy wouldn’t miss that. It was sad how my older sister made me feel like a teenager again.

  The bag Apollo brought with him sat in the corner of the room. I combed through it, finding another pair of sweatpants and flannel. He really had the rugged man thing going for him. I didn’t mind, I found it sexy. Turning my thoughts away from that because
my animal, lusty little beastie she was, wanted to return to bed. I threw another pair of pants on Apollo, and left the room.

  Finger combing my hair, I wished I had time to shower. The way my senses felt right now, there would be no mistaking what Apollo and I had done. At the moment, the last thing I needed was my sister judging me or yelling at me.

  I shuddered, already able to feel her judging me having realized I had mated Apollo. She had to understand though, because Apollo told me she had mated. She would understand … or she wouldn’t. But I trusted Apollo. He had come after me, had helped me through my first shift. Since I had met him he had been nothing if not supportive.

  “Mallory! I can hear you, open the door!” Mazy pounded her fist against the hard wood one more time.

  I wondered why she didn’t just open the door and enter. Stepping up to the door, I lifted the collar of my shirt, hoping it would help hide the mating mark.

  I opened the door, half hiding behind it, and half ready to slam it shut if need be. But the scents coming through the door seemed familiar. Of course, everything with my animal alive inside of me had been different.

  The older, pretty version of me stepped into the house. Mazy’s eyes were a shade darker, and her hair a shade lighter, but we had our mother’s nose, and our father’s chin. My breath exploded out of me. Mazy’s lips wobbled as tears filled her eyes. She rushed forward, wrapping me up in her arms.

  I breathed in the scent that had mixed with the man at the door, but still smelled like our old home, with our parents. Mazy had always been taller, but as she held me it felt like she had put on a few healthy pounds since I went into my coma.

  Mazy pulled back, wiping away her tears with one hand, but kept the other clasped with mine. She looked over her shoulder at the handsome man standing at the door behind her. He had a couple piercings on his face, and that surprised me. My sister with a tattooed bad-boy? Never saw that coming.