Chapter 37

She grabbed hold of his waist for support, biting down on her lip as he entered her slowly, bit by aching bit. Lilitha hissed as she stretched around him. He stopped, pressed his lips to her throat before going deeper still. Lilitha grabbed at his head, wincing, as he entered another painful part, a second, deeper opening she hadn’t realized was there. More of her opened up, more skin stretched taut. Then he stopped.

“Is that it?” she gasped.

“Yes.”

“Thank God.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m managing.”

“It’s always worse the first time,” he said. “With me.”

“I hope so.”

“I’m going to push now.”

Lilitha braced herself. “Oh!”

He pushed again, sliding in and out, slowly, gently, his enormous shaft sending prickles of pleasure through her body. It didn’t hurt at all now and she relaxed. He kissed her again and Lilitha moaned as he thrust harder, deeper, faster, his girth swelling to an even greater size. She clutched onto him, but it was awkward. He was so tall he had to bunch up his middle and arch his back so he could gaze into her face rather than the ground above her head. The muscles in his stomach clenched, the tendons in his neck strained.

He plunged deeper than ever.

“Mateus!” Lilitha cried.

He stopped, kissed her again, his pointed teeth scraping gently against her tongue, stifling her noises. She grabbed the base of his tail, a nice sturdy place. It swayed heavily in her hand. Then he plunged again and she lost her grip. She wrenched her mouth away with a gasp.

They both started to grunt. Lilitha thrust her hips against him, dug her fingers deep into his waist, and Mateus shuddered against her with a tortured growl, spasming violently inside her as Lilitha’s vagina clenched on hard, tugging again and again and again.

Breathing heavily, they held each other.

He brushed his lips against hers. “That didn’t hurt too much, did it?”

“No.”

He held her head in his giant hands. “I wasn’t too heavy?”

She shook her head and smiled, then nuzzled his throat. “You were good. Nice.”

“Good,” he said, exhaling deeply. “I worry sometimes. I have to be careful.”

Rolling onto his side, he pulled her into his arms and curled around her, his damp skin glistening in the moonlight.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said, kissing her cheek. “So sexy.” He kissed her jaw. “So mine,” he growled, kissing her throat. “I still can’t believe you’re here with us, with me.” And he kissed her on the lips.

Lilitha tucked herself into him, eyes closed, smiling as he continued to mutter gentle nonsense into her ear. His hands were soft as he traced her curves, ran his fingers along her wet cleft, smoothed them over her breasts. Then he took her chin, eyes shining as he kissed her again, and Lilitha melted into him with a sigh.

How could she have misjudged him so badly? Maybe they were right. Maybe she ~was~ overreacting. Maybe Damon had a point with all his arguments. How could they be such terrible creatures when they could love like this? It was difficult to think right now that Mateus could do such awful things.

They were gazing at each other. Lilitha would look at his horns, then her eyes would drift to his gentle eyes, his mouth, then his soft lips. She touched his stubble, letting it grate against her fingertips. Mateus dragged a light finger along her shoulder, around her nipple, over the curve of her hip. He grinned at her shiver.

“Why are your teeth so pointed?” Lilitha asked.

“I filed them down.”

“Why?”

“It makes me look meaner.”

“But why would you want to look meaner? You look mean enough.” She twisted her fingers through his fringe. “Maybe if you didn’t look so mean, I would have found you sooner.”

“You came around. I merely look as I feel. I am a Diablon and proud of it.” He watched her as she played with the light tangle of hairs on his chest. “You should try it. You’re too human for your own good. Stick with me and I could make you a marvel of a Diablon.”

“I would be a terrible student.”

“We’ll see.”

It was edging toward morning and Lilitha shivered at the cold. Mateus pulled her close.

“You are not what I expected,” Lilitha said.

“Neither are you.”

“I thought you’d be a beast.”

He grinned. “I am a beast.”

“You don’t love like one.”

“I could, if you wanted me to.”

Lilitha smiled, then frowned.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“Damon.”

“This is no time to think of him,” Mateus grumbled.

“I can’t help it.” She recalled the scene with her father and winced.

“Like I said, it’s normal, Lilitha. To love me. To love each other.”

“If it’s so normal, then why is Damon so jealous?”

“Because he’s an alpha.”

“But ~you’re~ an alpha.”

“That’s right—and we’re both jealous.”

Lilitha blinked in confusion.

He brushed her hair behind her ear. “We are different, Lilitha. Alphas to betas to females. You will never truly understand how we think.”

Lilitha rolled onto her back and gazed into the treetops. Morning light played with the topmost leaves. Somewhere in the distance, a bird began to sing. She closed her eyes and listened to the rhythm of the forest, the gentle thrum of the earth beneath her back. Then a hand cupped her breast and she smiled.

This time Lilitha tried his lap, and it worked, and it was nicer, much better than struggling on the ground. She could cuddle into him, press herself against him, and Mateus didn’t have to strain to hold his weight away. They rocked gently, his powerful arms cradling her, big hands sitting lightly against her back. He was smiling as he gazed into her eyes, his dark mane hanging around her. She touched one of his horns and ran her hand over it, no longer afraid. He gasped and shook his head, and she felt him harden even more inside her. They kissed. So much for such a ferocious monster.

Light was pouring through the canopy now, hot and bright. Beads of sweat coursed down Mateus’s chest and arms. His hair was damp with it, Lilitha’s skin slick with it. Then he clasped her against his chest and squirmed beneath her, orgasming with a hot gush. He gasped as he throbbed, his body rippling with pleasure. Then he took her face, smiled and kissed her again.

They ripped their lips away at an echoing roar. There came pounding footsteps, a whip of auburn hair, shouting, a blast of air, and suddenly Lilitha was sprawled on the ground alongside Mateus, Damon crouched over him, punching him repeatedly in the face.

“Damon!” Lilitha screamed.

She leapt to her feet and tried to throw him off, but he merely shoved her back, and she fell to her rump with a grunt. It was all the distraction Mateus needed. With a furious punch, he sent Damon sprawling. Mateus leapt to his feet and lowered his horns, tail cracking behind him. Damon wasn’t so quick, rising slowly, face radish red, hair blazing in the morning glow. He wiped the blood from his lip. Mateus was worse, blood gushing from his nose. Then Damon lowered his horns and charged.

Lilitha shut her eyes. There came a nasty crack, a shout of pain, then a heavy thud, and when she next opened her eyes, it was to see them both sitting on the ground, clutching at their heads. Lilitha just stood there, torn between the two. She suddenly felt an insane urge to laugh at how stupid this all was.

Damon shook his head and scrambled to his feet. Pinching his nose, Mateus did the same.

“I told you she’s mine!” Damon roared.

“I’m not anyone’s, Damon!” Lilitha shouted. “Carmella told me how it’s meant to be, and it makes sense. And I saw you! I saw you with my father!”

His face dropped, then flushed. His tail swayed and snapped. Without a word, he stormed away and vanished into the trees.