Alpha's Mate (5 page)

Violet traveled deeper within her mind, trying to hide from the complete agony of need that continued to swamp her.  Her spirit huddled, a faint light growing dimmer.

Sometime later, when the pounding on the hotel room door, finally broke through to where Violet huddled, hiding in her mind, she looked up in confusion and disbelief. What was going on?  Why was she in agony?  Was she sick?

“Violet, Open the damn door!  Come on baby, if you don't open it, I swear I'm going to break it down.”

Violet got up.  Her body was stiff and sore.  She stumbled across the room and threw open the door.  Dmitry stood there looking worried and upset.

“What the hell took you so long?” she hissed, as she launched herself into Dmitry’s arms and started sobbing.

Dmitry picked her up, holding her close to his chest.  He kicked the door closed behind him.  Thank God, he finally found her.  His racing heart started to slow.  He could breathe, now she was safe in his arms.  He walked over to the bed and sat down with Violet still clutched to his chest.  He wrapped his arms around her, holding her quaking body.  Needing to comfort her, he rocked her gently.

“Easy,
lyubov moya
.  I'm here now.”  He hated to see her in so much pain.  She needed to merge her mind with his at once.

“What is wrong with me?  Why can't I stop crying?”  Violet asked her face buried in his chest as her fists gripped his shirt.

“Hush now.  Lower your shields, join your mind with mine, all will be well.”  How did she stop herself from joining with him?  She possessed a will of iron.

“I don't know you, why should I trust you?” she sniffled.

“All the answers you seek are in my mind for the taking.  You know I can't lie to you in my mind.  Join with me,
lyubov moya
.  It is the only way to take away the anguish.”

Violet realized she felt better in Dmitry’s arms.  Like last time, she felt safe and cherished.  She lowered her shields, and reached for him with her mind.  There was no resistance.  In fact she seemed to hear his mental sigh of relief.  She could feel Dmitry’s concern for her.  How he worried and needed to come to her.  He was suffering as well.  Violet found that unsettling.  She didn't want Dmitry to suffer.

She slipped in and out of Dmitry’s memories.  He had a younger brother and sister.  He was the leader of his people.  He held many responsibilities, but loved being of service.  He could be hard, but also gentle.  This strange thing between them was a mating bond.  Dmitry saw her as his soul mate, his true love.  He was determined to claim her, but he wanted to be gentle with her.

Violet found she was too exhausted to continue.  She knew Dmitry was a man of honor, someone dependable.  For now, as she lay cuddled to his chest, it was enough.  She closed her eyes and fell sound asleep.

Dmitry sighed as he looked down at his mate.  He gently brushed the mahogany hair from her face and wiped the last tears from her cheeks.  She was so small, barely coming up to his chin, and he could encircle her waist in his two hands.  But she was stubborn, with strength of will which astounded him.  She was able to stop herself from reaching for him, in the agony it caused her, amazed him. 

He wanted to shake and rail at her.  How dare she hurt herself in such a way?  Didn't she know he couldn't survive without her, wouldn't want to survive without her?  But of course, she didn't know.  He felt her regret when she realized he suffered as well.  At least now they were together, he would be able to teach her their ways.

Dmitry got up with Violet braced in his arms and pulled back the covers on the bed.  He untied her robe and pushed it off her shoulders.  It was a testimony to how exhausted she was that she didn't wake up.  He laid her carefully in the bed and covered her up.  He stood looking at his little mate.  This human woman was the person who completed him, his other half.  His heart tightened.  He was already falling in love with her.

He went over to the phone, calling Kolya and Anton's room number.  Kolya picked up on the second ring.

“Is she well?”

“She will be.  She is sleeping now.  Call the rangers tomorrow, tell them we have been delayed.  We will call them back with more information.  Watch over us.  We are not leaving here until she is claimed.”

“Don't you think she needs more time?” asked Kolya

“By defying the mating bond, she put herself in danger.  I cannot allow her to do so again.  Whatever time she needs she can have, after I know the bond is complete.”

“I see your point.  Be gentle with her.”

“She is my mate.  I can do nothing less.”

Dmitry undressed quietly and made sure the room was secure, before he allowed himself the luxury of climbing into bed with Violet.  She murmured softly when he pulled her into his arms, then snuggled down with her head on his chest.   Dmitry felt a warm glow to know she was comfortable with him in her sleep.  Their minds were lightly joined, as Dmitry allowed himself to relax for the first time since Violet walked into the club in Moscow.  Now he needed to convince her to stay with him forever.

Chapter Four

Violet woke up to the sun shining in the window and realized she was sprawled across a hairy chest.  She could feel Dmitry still connected to her mind.  He wasn't asleep, enjoying having her in his arms.  Violet's fingers, of their own accord, started to explore the muscles beneath them.  When she brushed past a nipple, she heard an indrawn hiss of breath.  She continued to explore, a small smirk on her face.  A shadow in Dmitry’s mind, she could feel everything he was feeling.  She felt the growing length of his arousal next to her thigh.  He wanted her.  Violet found the feeling powerful, intoxicating.  She turned her head slightly and reached out to lick his chest.  The answering groan made her bolder.   She took a nipple into her mouth.  She licked and rolled it in her teeth, and was rewarded when his grip tightened.  Then his hands became busy on their own.  One reached for her breast, plucking at a nipple, while the other gently caressed her inner thigh.  Their minds linked closer, stronger, with each of them feeding their feelings into the link.

Violet released his nipple and planted kisses down his chest to his belly button.  Dmitry’s hand moved as well, finding her hot and wet for him, he plunged one finger inside her.  After Violet's initial gasp, she pushed against his hand as she ran her nails against his shaft.  He shuddered, and Violet felt a moment of triumph.  Then he pushed a second finger inside of her, stretching her gently, and she couldn't think at all.  He reached up with his thumb, to strum her clit, and was rewarded with a flush of moisture washing his hand.  Violet was so close, she felt like she could fly apart at any minute.  She groaned in disappointment when Dmitry pulled his hand away from her.

“Not yet,
lyubov moya
, I want to be inside you when you come for me.  On your hands and knees, Violet” he demanded as he slipped out from under her, and then pulled her up into position.

He pushed her chest down, angling her, so her butt protruded into the air.  Then he was between her thighs, guiding his shaft into her moist heat.  She was so hot and tight, the feeling of him entering her caused her to cry out.  She tried to rise up, but he growled and blanketed her. 

“Don't move,” he hissed at her.

Violet stilled, waiting.  Only then did he move.  First he pushed into her, as deep as he could get.  Then he pulled back, so he could bury himself again.  He reached around, stroking her clit with his fingertips.  She tightened around him.  A rush of heat engulfed her.

Dmitry didn't let her rest, but built the pressure again, harder and faster.  Until neither knew where she began and he ended.  She was begging him to finish it, when he leaned down and bit her shoulder.  The white hot pain swept through her mind and into his.  She came apart, screaming in pleasure.  Dmitry groaned as he filled her, following her into the ether.

When they finally floated back to earth, Dmitry licked at the wound on her shoulder, trying to sooth it.  Then he turned, and still inside of her, carried them down onto their sides so he was spooning her.  He caressed her breasts and continued to press kisses against her neck and shoulder.  Violet opened her eyes and saw a thin golden cord of light flowing from her heart around to his.

“You bit me.” she accused, looking back over her shoulder.

“Yes, Sorry.  I couldn't help myself,” he said, giving her one of his devastating smiles.

He marveled at how happy he felt.  She belonged to him.

“What is this yellow light thing?”  She asked as her hands went through the light but didn't break it.

“It is our mating bond.  Only someone who has psychic ability can see it.  We are now tied together, heart and soul.  I take you as my mate, with everything you are into my keeping and give you everything that I am into your keeping.  It is the way of my people.”

“What if I don't want everything that you are?”

“You wound me, but it doesn't matter now.  You were born to be mine, and the mating bond proves it.  If you wish, we can be married as is the custom of your people.”  He could give her a human ceremony.

“Are you asking me to be your wife?”

“You are already my wife in the eyes of my people.  But I see in your mind you once dreamed of a big wedding.  If it is what you wish, then I can only oblige you.”

“You're crazy, you know?”

“Crazy for you,
lyubov moya
.”  His mate, his other half.

“What does that mean?  You've said it before.”

“It means 'my love'.”

“How can you love me?  You don't know me.”

“Of course I know you.  I am in your mind, as you are in mine.  We know each other better than most people who are married.” How could she doubt his sincerity?  She rested in his mind, as he did hers.

“Okay, you're probably right.  But I still don't understand all this.”

“I know
lyubov moya
.  I will try to answer your questions.  I ask only that you trust me.  You have been in my mind.   Can you try for me?”  He ran his hand down the silkiness of her hair.  He loved touching her.

“I don't trust easily, but I will try, Dmitry.”  Violet glanced at the clock.  “Oh my God is it really that late?  I was supposed to meet the rangers to drive into the reserve.”

Dmitry grabbed her waist as she tried to scramble out of bed.  “Calm yourself, mate.  They were informed you were detained.  They wait to hear from you.”

“You called them?  How did you know?”

“You were exhausted when I arrived, and had not slept.  I was thinking about your health.  I knew you would sleep late today.  I wanted to give you the time you needed to recover from your ordeal.” He soothed her, rubbing her shoulders.  He buried his nose in her neck.  He loved the scent of her.  He rubbed his face against her.

“Will it happen again, the terrible agony, when you leave me?”

“I will never leave you,
lyubov moya
.  But yes, it is a side effect of the mating bond.  We need to be able to join minds.  Without the joining, we become melancholy and despondent.  We actually grieve for one another.”  He would never allow it to happen again.

“I never want to go through that again.  I wanted to die.”

Dmitry wanted to point out it was her stubbornness causing the problem, but instead replied.  “If we keep our minds joined, then it won't happen again.”

“Do all your people join minds?”

“With their mates, yes.  It is as necessary as breathing.  But not all of my people can speak to others like you can.” He realized he was proud of her. 

“But you can.”

“Yes, it is required the Alpha be telepathic.  It runs in my family.”