Lethal Rider

Besides, he didn’t think missionary would be comfortable—or even possible—in her condition, and while he’d love to get her on her hands and knees eventually, this was what they needed now.

“Faster,” she moaned. “Harder.”

“Are you sure?” He lifted her leg to allow his cock maximum penetration. “I don’t want to hurt either of you.”

“Oh, yes,” she said, her entire body quivering. “I’m so sure.”

Her assurance snapped the restraints that had held him back. On his arm, Styx reared up like a stallion out of a gate. Thanatos let loose, driving into her sweet softness as if he would die without her. She reached back and buried her fist in his hair, clinging to him, forcing his mouth against her satiny neck. God, she smelled good, like the strawberries and cream soap Limos had brought, but underneath was the earthy aroma Than always associated with power.

Regan was power. The fine muscles in her arms and back rippled as she rocked against him, and her fingers dug into his scalp, guiding his mouth where she wanted it. His fangs elongated, pulsing with the need to bite into her tender flesh, and when they accidentally grazed her skin, he hissed and jerked back.

“No,” she whispered. “You don’t need to hide them anymore. Not with me.”

Her sweet words leveled him. She had every reason to hate what she’d learned about him, but was instead asking him to embrace what he’d kept secret for so long. He couldn’t bite her—he’d never risk that, especially when she couldn’t afford to lose the blood that was nourishing the baby. But he lowered his head to lick the delicate vein beneath her jaw, tasting her before pressing the tips of his fangs to her skin.

The tap of her pulse against his teeth joined the hammering of his heartbeat, setting his blood ablaze. And as Regan’s panting breaths turned to whimpers and gasps, his pleasure peaked. She joined him with a cry, bucking and arching, and he thought she might have actually called his name.

Awesome.

They lay there in the aftermath, their ragged breaths drowning out the crackle of the fire. That had been … extraordinary. Never had he experienced anything like that, anything that involved the melding of bodies and pleasure and intimacy. Yeah, he and Regan had fucked that one time, but they’d been drugged, and he’d been distracted by fear for his Seal.

This had been the true taking of his virginity.

“Is that…” He rested his forehead against her silky hair, his heart pounding from both exertion and a touch of embarrassment.

Still reaching back, Regan played with one of his braids. “Is that…what?”

Just spit it out. “Is that what it’s always like?” And was he supposed to stay inside her like this? Or was he supposed to pull out? God, he hated this. He was as old as the wheel, as Reseph used to say, and he didn’t know a damned thing about what to do with a woman.

Regan tensed, a subtle hardening of her muscles, a mere sharp inhale, but it was there. “I don’t know.”

He lifted his head to stare at her. “I assumed—”

“That I was a slut.” She dropped her hand and shifted, and his cock slid from her warmth.

Well, shit. He had sort of called her that, hadn’t he? You volunteered to play whore. How many men have you fucked for your job? At the time, he’d been furious, and for all he knew, he’d been right. But in the time Regan had been here with him, he’d seen a woman who regretted what she’d done, who cared for the growing life inside her, who was ready to die in order to save that life. No doubt, she was still the badass Guardian he’d met nine months ago, but he’d seen the emotional, sensitive, vulnerable human beneath her demon- slayer shell.

“I don’t think you’re a slut,” he said softly. “And …” This was going to hurt. “I’m sorry for implying that you were.” Yep, ouch. He and apologies didn’t get along. “I just assumed you had some experience. Was I wrong?”

She sighed, and most of the tension melted out of her posture. “You’re only my second. My first… didn’t go well. We only did it once.”

He fucking loved that answer. He wrapped his arms around her and tugged her back into him. “Why just the once?”

“My power. When I…get excited…I lose control of it. That’s why it came out that night with you.”

He frowned. “Then why didn’t it attack me just now?” When she didn’t respond, he traced his fingers over the gentle slope of her shoulder. “Regan?”

“It’s gone.” She paused, as if struggling to find the right words. “I think it’s got something to do with the pregnancy. Please don’t tell anyone.”

“Don’t tell The Aegis, you mean.”

She didn’t answer, so he shifted back to the original topic, but he wouldn’t forget. “Did you kill the guy?” He kind of hoped so. He didn’t like the idea that there was a male out there who had touched Regan.

“No, but it was scary. I swore I’d never have sex again.” She shivered, and he immediately dragged a blanket up over her.

“And then I came along, and you thought you didn’t have to worry about your ability hurting me.”

“Yes.” She rolled over, with a little effort if her grunts and groans were any indication. “I’m sorr—”

“Don’t. Remember what I said about that? It didn’t hurt me.” He lowered his mouth to Regan’s, a kiss meant to comfort her, but the moment their lips met, heat ignited. His hunger for her was all-consuming. Dangerous. Undeniable. “And it sounds like both of us have a lot of catching up to do.”

Twenty-three

God, sex with Thanatos was good. Even when he wasn’t inside her, his touch and voice alone worked her up.

“Come here,” he said roughly, as he rolled onto his back and lifted her so she was straddling his waist. He lifted his hips to penetrate her, but horrid memories gripped her, dragging her back down into the guilt Thanatos had asked her to leave behind, and she tried to scramble off him.

The last time they’d been in this position, he’d been restrained, and she’d been…taking him.

“Thanatos,” she whispered, fighting his hold. “I can’t do it like this.”

“Let it go, Regan.” He skimmed his hand up her ribcage to her breast, and despite her misgivings, she arched into his touch. “I wanted it. We both wanted it.”

“But you had no choice.”

He’d cupped her cheek, his palm warm, the calluses firm. “Neither did you.” With exquisite tenderness, he brought her hand to his mouth, where he kissed her knuckles. “Take away the fury and death, Regan.” His lips were satiny against her skin. “Only you can do that. Only you.”

Tears scalded her eyes. Dear God, he was amazing. Dizzy with desire and some other emotion she couldn’t —or wouldn’t—put a name to, she began to rock on top of him. His hands caressed her, stroked her, encouraged her. This was nothing like their first time. This was how it should have been.

“That’s it.” His dark, guttural voice rumbled through her in a wave of heat. “Take me.” He surged upward, his shaft plunging deep, his pelvis lifting her off the bed.

His expression was intense, eyes wild, and when his lips parted to reveal the white points of his fangs, the first contractions of a climax coiled inside her. Those things were wicked sexy, and she wasn’t even going to ponder why she thought that or why she wasn’t denying it. Instead, she reached out and stroked one.

Thanatos let out a growl that should have terrified her, but the reaction that came with it made her want to do it again. His urgent thrusts crashed into her harder, faster, and his grip on her grew tighter, more possessive. And when she took the fang between her finger and thumb and caressed the smooth surface, he roared in ecstasy.

Bucking beneath her, he came in a hot, wet flow, triggering her orgasm. The pleasure crested twice, massive surges that left her gasping for breath and collapsing bonelessly next to him when it was over.

“Damn,” he breathed. “Holy … damn, that was good.” He shifted so he was facing her and tenderly brushed her hair away from her face. “The fang thing? We’ll have to remember that.”