Marked (The Recruits: Book One) (10 page)

Chapter Sixteen: A New Life

Three weeks later

Faye stared out the tinted windows, the stretch limousine barely emitting a sound as it slowed down to come to a final stop in front of a large house. They’d entered the compound minutes before, the white gates sliding open to reveal a neatly paved road flanked by rows of houses. This house, however, was the biggest of them all. It stood proud on top of a small hill, wild flowers nearly hiding the green of the grass bordering it. It looked idyllic, Faye thought, if only it wasn’t in the middle of her newest nightmare.

She wasn’t ready to meet everyone!
The door opened and she looked up, Jake’s body hiding the sun from her. He looked so forbidding like this. Tall and wide and his presence so huge she wondered, and not the first time, how he could be her husband. How she could have fallen into this new life of hers.

“Ready?” he asked her as he held out his hand.

She shook her head but let herself be pulled out of the car anyway. Sofia was already standing beside him, all smiles and happiness at the prospect of being back home. The other woman had been both a blessing and a curse over the past weeks. She was nice, that wasn’t the problem. She’d been her friend for months after all. But she was intrinsically part of this, and she was
always
there. Like right now.

“Come on, babe! You’re going to love it here, trust me. We’re going to have so much fun!” Sofia grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the steps leading to the house’s front door, pulling her away from Jake as if he didn’t count. But he did. He did. Faye tried to stop their ascent but she should have known it was futile. When Sofia had made up her mind about something, that was it.

She turned around, halfway up the steps, the other woman giving up in her haste to view the house. “Jake?”

He looked up. “Go on without me. I need to go to the office for a little while. Make yourselves comfortable and I’ll be back later.”

She licked her lips and finally nodded. She moved to turn around and resume her climb when she heard him growl behind her. Footsteps echoed on the paved steps, a hand grabbed hers and she was flung around. She shrieked but he didn’t even notice.

He was standing below her, their faces for once level. “Behave, okay?” he said, then claimed her lips.

Their mouths met in an explosion of heat. This was why she was here with him, she reminded herself. Why she hadn’t left when he’d Marked her; why she’d forced herself to accept everything they’d told her. Even if it had sounded crazy or just plain odd, she’d listened and observed and processed. And here she was, with the imprint of his teeth on her neck, forever etched into her skin. She drew back when breath had all but left her, and it was either that or faint. “See you later?” she asked, her voice still somewhat hesitant.

“Yes,” he responded, knowing she needed reassurance and willing to give it. For now…

* * * *

Faye hadn’t moved from her seat on the uncomfortable leather sofa but she still felt as if she was being paraded around town. Probably because the whole population had decided to visit their house, all the better to welcome back their First Woman, and to gawk at the newcomer. Their First Man’s Mate. The one who was so different to them it was almost funny. Come to think of it, Faye thought, she had seen some of them laugh behind their hands quite a few times already.

She stared at the dozen women chatting in what was supposed to be her new den and ignored the pang of homesickness that threatened to overwhelm her taut nerves. She had to get used to this…to
them
. This was her new home, after all. If only Jake was here. If only she understood why he’d chosen to Mark her. She was so different to all the other women she’d seen over the course of the afternoon, it was a wonder she hadn’t already run upstairs and hidden under the covers of her new bed.

At least, Sofia was here with her. The other woman hadn’t been home in months however, and she was busy flitting around, talking to one, exclaiming over another’s news, hugging a third. She was in her element, joy evident in her expressive eyes. And so, Faye remained quiet, never letting on that she was on the verge of losing control.

But if one more said something about her looking different than Jake’s usual conquests, she would scream!

* * * *

She looked lost, Jake thought as his gaze fell on his Mate. He stood in the threshold, aware that everyone was turning towards him and would soon be crowding him, but his eyes were only for her. The one he’d called his wife, even though she wasn’t in truth. There was so much he should tell her, so much he should have told her.

He knew she didn’t know what was expected of her. He could feel her twist under the covers every night, trying to find sleep but unable to do so. His hold on her was lessening, and his powers with it. She was truly becoming his Mate, triumph burning bright inside him.

He’d been looking for her for so many years, hundreds of years really. He’d thought he’d found his Mate once, but she had been nothing more than a pale copy. Faye, with her soft body and plentiful curves, looked so unlike anyone he’d ever loved before. He would have never chosen her, but Chris had been adamant she was the one. His Recruiter had been right.

Taking a deep breath, he put a smile on his face, and stepped forward. He had a role to play, but afterwards the night would be theirs.

Chapter Seventeen: His Pet

He’d motioned her to him, his gaze intent on her until she’d finally relented. Faye forced her way through the crowd surrounding him, his hand finding hers and pulling her to his side. She looked up but he was already lowering his head, his mouth finding hers a second later. She hadn’t expected that. She hadn’t expected him to kiss her like that, with his tongue around hers; not when they were surrounded by his people. It was as if he was staking a claim, but that just didn’t make any sense. She drew back and looked at him, unable to stop herself from licking her lips and tasting him one more time.

She’d missed him today, she realized. Had missed not hearing his hard voice ordering her to move into position, had missed his body tight against hers. His hands. His tongue.
Him
. Her husband. Their First Man.

He leaned down, his voice low enough no one around them could hear. “Don’t push me, baby. I’m this close to tugging your pants down and fucking you senseless. Right here. Right now.”

She felt her eyes widen at the implication. “Now?”

“Oh yeah,” he growled. “I need you.”

Her gaze drew down, skimming over the curve of his cock straining the material of his pants. “Oh.” She nearly asked him how come he was so excited, but then decided against it. She shouldn’t bait him. Not now when they were surrounded by other people who’d been waiting to welcome him back into their fold. “Okay.”

“Good. Now, I want you to do something for me.” She waited, wondering if he was going to ask her to go cook dinner or bring him a drink. Guess she should have known it wouldn’t be that easy. Not when he was in such a state anyway… “Go to the bathroom and make yourself come. Then come back here so I know you’ll be wet when I get to you.”

Her pussy clenched at his words. “Now?”

“Now. And hurry. Otherwise I’ll have to send someone to get you.” He waved her off, and as she fought the throng, she felt her heartbeat accelerate.

* * * *

He did know her well, Faye thought as she came to a stand beside him five minutes later. It’d been surprisingly easy to lock herself in the downstairs bathroom, hearing all those female voices calling out to her husband. Maybe it was because deep down she knew he was hers, or maybe it was because she knew how good it would be later, but all it’d taken was her hand rubbing her clit over her jeans. She’d come, her thighs spasming at the sweet rush. It was a small orgasm compared to what he’d accustomed her to over the past weeks, but it had somehow comforted her.

And now, as she stood there, his arm finding its way around her waist, she realized she felt a lot more mellow. She watched the other women vying for his attention but she wasn’t jealous anymore. She didn’t much care, to be truthful, only waiting for their departure and what it would mean.

He’d found a way to appease her, and he hadn’t even been there! Mortification would come later, she was sure, but for now she would happily wait for their evening together. Her breasts hardened at the thought of what was to come, and she couldn’t help but brush against him.

He retaliated by pinching her hip, the sharp pain resonating starkly inside her. She moaned under her breath but he heard her nonetheless. “Behave,” he muttered between gritted teeth.

* * * *

It didn’t take him more than five minutes to usher everyone out, Sofia included. She’d grinned at them, cocking an eyebrow as she’d spotted his erection. She’d obeyed his silent injunction however and had followed her friends, leaving them to a blessedly silent house.

“I’ll give you a five–minute lead. Wherever I find you, I’ll fuck you. And you’d better be naked by the time I get there, otherwise you can kiss your clothes goodbye.”

She blinked a second time, but no, he did indeed look serious. “Run?” she repeated for good measure, then the full extent of his words got through to her. “Run. Shit!” She whirled around and grabbed the staircase’s banister, fleeing upstairs with his laughter echoing loudly behind her.

Chapter Eighteen: A Wild Chase

Who’d have thought it was that difficult to run and take your clothes off at the same time? It was those damn jeans that were taking too long! Her shirt had landed somewhere on the landing, her bra soon following. But here she was, bent over as she tried to take off her jeans, thong panties, socks and shoes, all at the same time. “Argh!” she groaned loudly, cursing at the damn denim that didn’t want to stretch. “For pity’s sake!”

“Having problems?” A smooth voice rang behind her, seconds before hands clasped her bare hips.

Faye came to a standstill. “Jake?” He slapped her right butt cheek, reminding her where they were and what was happening. “Master! I’m sorry.”

“You’d better be. Didn’t I tell you to take your clothes off?”

“Yes, but I got stuck and…” She let her voice trail, realizing she really had no excuse. It was her own damn fault she hadn’t managed to undress.

“Guess you don’t care for them then.” One hand pushed on the middle of her back, forcing her to lean forward. “Put your hands on the wall.” She quickly obeyed, finding herself bent at the waist, her gaze on the tangle that used to be her clothes, now anchoring her quite firmly into place. “At least your tits are bare. I guess that’s something,” he added as he moved his hands up, harsh fingers suddenly squeezing her nipples into tight points.

“Ouch,” she murmured, her back arching at the pain. Heat was already swirling through her however.

He kept on playing with her breasts, pinching and pulling until her nipples were so tender she could barely take his touch on her. That didn’t stop him. He slid one hand down her stomach, palming the soft skin, the tips of his fingers just at the edge of her curls. “You need to wax again.”

She smiled, her face hidden by her hair. She’d known she was, of course, but she loved it when he praised her like that. It made her feel…beautiful.

His finger slid further down, circling her entrance, dipping for a short moment. She rocked her hips, tried to keep him inside her, but he drew back, undeterred. Then, he knelt behind her and she felt her breath shorten, thinking he was going to love her with his mouth. Hoping. Praying… But no, he simply grabbed her foot and dislodged it from the mess she’d made earlier. Then he did the same to her right foot and she was all of a sudden free to move. He stood back up, slapped her ass one more time, and announced, “Now, you can run.”

* * * *

She was panting by the time she found the other staircase, the one that led down to the kitchen. Hearing his footsteps closing in on her, she looked wildly around her, taking in the wooden island, the stools. It was almost an exact copy of his other house.
Now is not the time to think, damn it!
She admonished herself, hurrying across the room and flinging the French windows wide open. She stepped outside and stilled to a stop, her breasts jiggling wildly. It was twilight, the reddened skies making her remember an old rhyme her mother used to tell her. “Red skies at night, shepherd’s delight.”