Jacob's Ladder (String of Fate) (11 page)

“Then we’re a good match,” she whispered back, turning just her head to brush his lips with hers. “Because you’re the sexiest man alive.”

He made a sound that was halfway between a chuckle and a growl. It turned her on. Big time. Not that she needed any help in that direction. Between his hands stroking over her body—one tugged at her nipples, switching from one to the other every so often, and the other one was currently rubbing little circles around her clit—and the power of the sacred place, she was going up in flames already and they’d barely begun.

“I need you inside me.” She was going to beg in a minute, if he didn’t get a move on.

He stilled behind her. “Right now?”

“Five minutes ago,” she replied, her breath hitching as she felt his dick rubbing against her ass through is pants. She wanted that piece of hard, thick male flesh inside her—and she wanted it now.

“Are you sure?” His words were definitely a growl this time and the animalistic sound coming from his purely human body made her want to bite him—in a really good way.

“Now, Jake,” she replied, her voice a demanding whisper. There might’ve been a hint of a growl in there too, come to think of it. The cat wanted to be scratched in just the right way—the way only Jake knew.

“Your wish is my command, milady.” She pouted when his hands moved away from her body, but she heard the zip of his pants, followed by a rustle of fabric, and then he was back. His cock nudged her ass with no fabric between them now and she wanted to sing.

In fact, she did make some joyful noise when he bent her over the altar stone and pushed inside her, slow and steady. She loved that he was taking care, even when she was demanding he join with her in what must seem like extreme haste. But her need of him was far from hasty. With Jake, she seemed always to be ready for him, always willing, always able.

And with the power of the altar stone flowing through her, she was even going beyond her usual thresholds. She wanted everything he had to give. And more. A lot more.

He began to thrust and she reached for the stone, holding herself against it so that her breasts wouldn’t scrape along the rough surface. At least—not too hard. And not all the time. The small amount of contact that happened, only made her desire spike higher as Jake’s pace started slow and increased by small amounts as time went on.

She screamed when her first climax hit and she knew it was only the beginning.

“Are you okay?” Jake had stopped moving, though he stayed within her.

“I’m good,” she gasped. “Keep going!”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he whispered against her neck. He was bent over her as she rested for a moment against the surface of the warm stone.

“It’ll only hurt if you stop,” she insisted.

He withdrew and turned her around so that her butt rested against the altar stone. She lay back as he joined with her again, driving slow and steady until her body began to quiver in anticipation of another, higher climax. She reached for him, guiding him as they came together this time, a whiplash of power binding them on the altar and to each other.

It was profound. It was sacred. It was the most amazing thing she had ever felt. Their two souls, bound in this sacred place, never to be parted.

Jake groaned as he came, his body covering hers completely as they both reached the pinnacle together. The stone pulsed with energy beneath her shoulders and probably under his palms if he was sensitive to such things. She thought maybe he was. He was magical too—in his own way.

There were no words to speak about the magical, intensely intimate thing that had just happened between them. Ria collapsed under him as he moved off, just a bit to the side so he wouldn’t crush her and they lay there, limbs entwined, in the Lady’s sacred circle for a few minutes while they caught their breath.

They didn’t talk. The power of the place was too overwhelming for mere words. It affected them both. It wasn’t long before she felt Jake’s cock stir. In fact, she wasn’t far behind. The energy of the altar stone thrummed through her, reigniting the fire she thought had just been banked. Apparently the stone circle—or perhaps the Lady—had other ideas.

But Ria was all for it. If this was her last day in the mortal realm, she wanted to spend as much time enjoying her mate as she could. They’d had precious little time together alone since discovering each other. Things had been happening too fast. Danger had followed their every step. This little interlude seemed like the only time they might have and she wanted to make the most of it.

Either one of them—or both—could die this night. She didn’t want to leave behind too many regrets if she had to pass through the veil. Nor did she want Jake to leave her alone in this lonely mortal realm. Now that she had found him, she never wanted to be parted from him.

That thought made her cling to him, clutching at his shoulders when he moved to lever himself up off the stone. He paused, meeting her gaze.

“Don’t go,” she whispered.

He made soothing, shushing sounds and leaned in to kiss her gently and with such care, it brought tears to her eyes. She loved him so much. And if his actions were any indication, he cared as deeply for her, though he hadn’t yet spoken the words. Perhaps he never would. Some shifter men took it for granted that their mate would understand everything mating entaled—physically and emotionally.

But Jake was human. She bit her lower lip, worrying about something she couldn’t come straight out and ask him. Normally, she wouldn’t hesitate to pose any question she wanted, but this was something he had to come forward with first. He had to make the first move or she might never feel the words were valid.

Time, she counseled herself. If they had the time, everything would work out. And if it turned out they didn’t have the time, what did it really matter anyway? The only thing that should matter was these stolen moments. Right now. That’s all they had and that’s all she should be worrying about.

She wrapped one hand around the nape of his neck as he drew back from the kiss. “Make love to me again,” she begged in a soft whisper that didn’t intrude on the sanctity of the space.

“Are you sure?” Jake seemed uncertain though she could feel the evidence of his desire against her leg.

He wanted her. That much was obvious. But he was being a gentleman. The realization brought more emotion welling up within her. He was such a sweet man, though she was sure he would never agree to such a word being applied to himself.

There was only one answer to her mate. “Yes.”

A spark ignited behind his eyes and she felt the heat in his touch as he began to stroke her body with strong, knowing hands. He took his time, touching every inch of her bare skin, following his fingers with kisses and little, exciting nibbles her inner cat enjoyed immensely.

She was squirming on the altar stone once more within a few minutes, ready for him again. But Jake had different ideas this time. He moved her so that he sat on the stone, and guided her hips so that she sat above, straddling him. He smiled up at her, giving her control.

“Do your worst, milady,” he quipped and she had to grin. She loved it when he dominated her, but she also liked to take control occasionally. Here was her perfect mate, giving her what she needed. The Goddess really did know what She was doing when she designed them for each other.

She began to make love to him, holding his gaze as his eyes sparked in that sexy way he had. He really was a magical, mysterious man and she would enjoy the years to come—if they were granted any—learning all his secrets and letting him learn hers. They were well matched if these few days were anything to go by. He seemed to know what she wanted even before she knew herself.

She balanced with her hands on his chest for a moment, enjoying the feel of him sliding deep inside her. She began to move, slowly at first, acclimating herself to the feel of him all over again. Once she had a rhythm going, she felt the fire inside her burn hotter, driving her to more motion, more intensity, more…everything.

Her head dropped back and she closed her eyes as she rode him, just feeling. It was so incredibly intense, so hot, so perfect. Jake’s hands went to her hips, steadying her as a small climax hit. Her body bucked, but it wanted more. The little orgasm didn’t let her stop to rest. Her body demanded more and a keening cry left her lips, moving upward through the trees.

“Look at me, Ria.” Jake’s harsh voice rasped over her senses, not to be denied.

Her head dropped forward and her eyes opened. His gaze swirled with energy and passion that nearly stole her breath. She felt her own magic rising up to answer the call, swirling around her body, sensitizing every last inch of her skin. Something really special was happening here. Something epic.

And then a twig snapped. Ria stilled immediately, looking around the sheltering stones.

Then she saw them. Two men. Light and dark. Two sides of the same coin.

The Rojas brothers.

They were watching her make love to her mate and their strong jaws were set in tight lines. They looked almost as if they were in pain, but she understood. The cat inside her knew that look and reveled in the fact that they could watch, but not participate. She had her chosen mate already. She didn’t need two jaguars—mighty as they were. She had the only man she wanted beneath her.

But that didn’t mean the cat didn’t enjoy their attention.

Ria’s breath caught as another little climax took her by surprise. She looked down at Jake and she saw knowledge in his eyes. He knew! Or he had known they would come. She realized he might’ve seen this very scenario in one of his visions. The cretin, she thought with a little inward grin. The least he could’ve done was warn her.

Ria hadn’t known she had any exhibitionist tendencies, but she was a shifter, after all. And shifters did it in the woods—in their fur and out of it—and often didn’t care who saw them. It was part of being what they were. Part of the animal nature that shared their souls.

Catching her breath, Ria looked back at the two men. Pax, and his brother, Ari, she recalled. They were both handsome in a solid, jaguar sort of way. Sinuous. Sleek. Tall and strong. Mysterious. She looked down at their pants and the respective bulges barely contained by the fabric. And hard. Very hard, indeed.

She smiled at first one, then the other brother, nodding toward their crotches and she wasn’t disappointed when they followed her unspoken invitation and lowered their zippers. Two hard cocks sprang out, into waiting hands.

The brothers formed a triangle to her and Jake, who were still on the altar stone. Pax was off to their left, just behind and to the left of the northwestern standing stone, and his brother, Ari, was to their right, just to the right of the northeastern stone. They probably couldn’t see each other clearly, but they both had an unobstructed view of her and her lover on the altar stone.

Ria began to move again, her body undulating in sultry waves as she put on a bit of a show that heightened her own pleasure. She could tell that Jake liked it too. His hands guided her, lifting her up high so her pussy was clearly displayed, his cock sliding almost all the way out before she plunged back down, accepting him greedily.

She watched the Rojas brothers stroke themselves as they watched her body accept her mate over and over. She realized within moments that she was in control of three men’s pleasure in that instant. The Rojas men and her mate would come when she wanted them to, and no sooner. It was a heady thought.

For a woman who’d had next to no sex life for years, she was certainly making up for lost time. Ria had never thought of herself as a femme fatale, but she found she liked the idea. She liked it a lot.

Her body began that incredible quiver that she had come to recognize as a sign that an incredible orgasm was very near. She hated to end this interlude, but her body would not be denied—and she’d kept the men on the cusp of coming for long enough, she figured. They deserved a little relief too.

She reached down and spread her inner lips, displaying herself to the men, circling her clit with one finger while she slammed down on Jake’s cock with hard, fast digs that sent her senses soaring. She nodded at Ari, then Pax, her slight signal giving them leave to come in hard bursts, their thick, white ropes of come shooting into the stone circle, bathing the ground in front of them each with the stuff of life, a blessing of a kind for a Goddess that was known as the Mother of All.

Ria cried out when she came and Jake was only a split second behind, shooting deep inside her, filling her to overflowing as she collapsed on top of him. He held her as their breathing sounded through the circle, four souls trying hard to catch their breath from an experience unlike anything she ever could have expected.

She craned her neck, stretching to look over toward the brothers. They each leaned heavily on the standing stone they were next to, clearly moved and a little wrung out by what they had all just experienced. It was as if the stone circle had demanded their participation, using the pure, sexual energy of the moment to recharge itself against the coming trials.

If so, Ria couldn’t think of a better use of their time. Or maybe it was just her fanciful thinking. Maybe she was just really horny now that she had a mate to make love to any time she wanted. Either way, the experience had been profound.

She lay her head back down on Jake’s shoulder and let him soothe her into a light doze. His hands stroked over her back and lulled her into a feeling of complete peace. It was the most serene feeling she had ever experienced as an adult, and a moment to treasure.