Primal Claim Read online

  What was she going to wear after her shower? Not the blood-tinged shirt and pants that she had carried around a severed finger in. That left naked. No. Or his clothes. Shit. It was practical and he told her to help herself. It just seemed so intimate. Especially after their conversation.

  With no other choice, she rifled through his drawers coming up with a black t-shirt that would be like a nightgown on her, and a pair of athletic shorts she could roll down and drawstring to fit. What she didn’t find left a slow burn in her belly. No underwear. Made sense, less to remove after shifting and find again later. But knowing he was commando, twenty-four seven, ready for anything, anytime, anywhere…

  Gah! Was she a dude now, filled with lust finding out a girl didn’t have any panties on? And it didn’t matter for guys, whether they wore undies or not, they were always ready anytime, anywhere, and hoped for anything.

  Virgin? Dani snorted. Could he really claim that when so many mouths had been closed around him? Jealously threatened to blow her head off. What was going on? Was this the pregnancy emotional roller coaster? But it was only related to Mercury when she couldn’t keep her cool, and unfortunately the throat punching was before she even met him.

  X called him weird, but seemed to respect the hell out of him as someone she’d come up against. Dani sifted through her mind for any little detail she’d heard over the years as she stripped down and climbed into the bathtub/shower combo still wearing her clothes. She’d rather wash those while she was dirty then have to deal with them later and feel like she needed another shower.

  While she worked on scrubbing her duds and her body with the lone bar of soap in the shower, she tried to filter out any specific Guardian from the snippets of gossip passing through the training gym and cafeteria. Sigma had tried to remain under the radar in this location for years while they built up their base and conducted their research. Dani was often out of the area, back where she originated, hunting the rogues who ruined her life, and maybe a couple of others who were real assholes needing to be put down. The Guardians themselves, the police of their species, were busy with their own interspecies issues.

  Let’s see…she’d heard of the twins. Could’ve been worse, she shuddered. She could be dealing with future matedom with one of them. Would they share their mate, too? The commander was a formidable male, and she could believe it after meeting the quiet, intimidating Guardian. But not much was known about him other than his field work. He didn’t do much that was gossip worthy. Most of the salacious, hushed conversations were about the three who frequented Pale Moonlight, and that was all she heard about them.

  The latest she found interesting was that they had added to their pack; a woman, rumored to be Guardian-born, and another male that Sigma had an unsuccessful mission with. It was uncommon for Guardians to be recruited instead of a member by birthright. But with so many more shifters filtering into the human population, increasing numbers of rogue and feral instances, they probably needed more manpower.

  Satisfied she and her belongings were adequate, Dani wrung out her only possessions and strung them up, then reluctantly climbed into Mercury’s clothes. As soon as the shirt slid overhead, caressing its way down her sensitive skin, she was enveloped in his scent, like a fresh spring day in the great outdoors.

  There were no barriers between her and his items, like the shifter sleeping on the porch, she was also commando. Agent’s shirts usually doubled as their bra support and Dani didn’t need a whole lot in that area, always having been a lean girl, and her panties were strung up to dry. At least she could yank them down in the morning, the other items would take longer to dry.

  Deciding to get one more drink of water, Dani made her way to the sparse kitchen. Not much different than his bedroom and bathroom, the kitchen contained little, only what was necessary, if that. On the way back to the bedroom, she glanced out the window to see the large sleeping form stretched out on his side in front of the door. His back to the door, his front facing out, ready to take on any danger that might threaten his place. If Mercury knew what filled in the blanks in her backstory, he would be facing the door instead.

  Ignoring the anxiety at the when, not if, scenario of the Guardians learning she hadn’t been a prisoner, Dani crawled into bed glad she didn’t know where the light switch was. They dimmed slightly once she settled under the minimal bedding. Freaky. Mercury must’ve done that mind magic that his kind could perform. What would it be like to manipulate things with her mind? Recalling the two events from earlier in the evening when her wishes came true, maybe she already had an idea.

  Before she could get much farther, sleep claimed her.

  “Dad!” Dani screamed.

  Deep, male laughter that left an evil taint in the air came from the brute to her left. Another one, dressed similar, like homeless thugs with lank, greasy hair stood to her right. She clutched her mother as they huddled together.

  A third male, similar looking, was beating her dad. A constant dinging could be heard from the family’s car where the door had been left open when her father had gotten out to check their suddenly flat tire. Her dad had been shot in the leg as soon as he stepped out, and while Dani and her mom screamed, they were all dragged onto the road where the women were forced to watch, with terrified incomprehension, as a fanged male with what looked like clawed fingers beat her father.

  Dani was glad her mother got 9-1-1 dialed as soon as they had car trouble in the middle of nowhere. Now Dani just prayed for cell reception and a thorough cop who would decide to follow up on the dropped call.

  When her father’s body went completely limp, the creature pulled out his gun and pointed it as her dad’s head. Seeing the writing on the wall and taking advantage of the other two’s rapt fascination with impending death, Dani’s mom spun, taking Dani with her and ducked between the two males.

  “Run!” she cried.

  And they did. Darting around the car to gain a distance advantage on their captors, they flew down the ditch into the surrounding trees. Relief flooded Dani when she heard distant sirens wailing, though they were still a ways off on the desolate highway.

  “Kill ‘em if we can’t play with ‘em,” one snarled not far behind her.

  Bullets started hitting dirt around her. One male, baring his fangs was fast approaching on her side, his gun, pointed at her torso. He was so close, there was no way he’d miss.

  Dani was shoved to the side, her mom turning her body to cover as much of her daughter as she could when the next shot rang out.

  Dani was taken down to into the brush with her mother’s falling body weight.

  “Mom!”

  “Fuck! Daniella!”

  She came to in the stark, white room. A breeze wafting over her skin. Looking down the length of her naked torso, she found her feet in stirrups, and Agent T between her knees.

  “Ow! Shit, Daniella!”

  He had her pinned, her wrists manacled in his hand, she couldn’t move. His weight was crushing her. Agent T came back to finish what he had started.

  “Daniella! Wake up!”

  With a gasp, Dani’s eyes flew open. Her wrists were caught up in Mercury’s hands, his grip already loosening as he gauged her alertness. But he still held on, from the red claw marks on his cheeks, he didn’t want to be struck again.

  Breathing heavily, Dani glanced around at the unfamiliar surroundings, her panic not yet receding. Soft light filtered in through the windows so she must’ve gotten some sleep before the nightmares set in. A mountain of muscle rested solidly, but somehow lightly, on top of her. His face was close to hers since he was using the bed to help restrain her flailing arms.

  The bewilderment and concern in his swirling, mercury eyes was her undoing. One of those nightmares would torment her all day, but three consecutive?

  Her hands flew from his now loosened grip, and she wrapped them around his broad shoulders and buried her face in neck.

  “Are you all right?” he hesitantly asked, cradling her and s
upporting her weight as she clung to him.

  Nodding, she moved a bit so she could look at him, strangely comfortable with how close they were, given the fact that she’d kicked off her covers sometime during her slumber. When his head lowered to determine whether she was indeed all right, Dani couldn’t resist anymore. She had to know. Would his lips feel as good as they looked?

  She met him the rest of the way, claiming his lips with her own. He stiffened, she felt the shock quickly dissipate as he hugged her closer, his knees sliding out so he was stretched out over her, his body a welcome balm for the terror she woke up from.

  He was so warm, so solid, and so real. She gave her hands free range over his body. When his tongue swept across her lips, she gladly opened them and met it with her own. He explored her mouth like it was the new eighth wonder of the world. The restless feeling between her legs started to throb, wanting to be as close to him as possible, moisture started to pool anticipating his entrance, wanting to also be invaded by his body, like her mouth was.

  She spread her knees to cradle him between her thighs, he rocked into her. His impressive size stroking her intimately, but relieving nothing. There were too many clothes in the way and he appeared to be in no rush, like he was fascinated with her lips and her tongue, his hands exploring her curves. Once one hand reached her butt, it never left while he used his other hand to slide up her shirt.

  A low groan rumbled against her chest as soon as his fingers met her flesh.

  “So soft,” he muttered, against her lips.

  Almost desperately pulling up Mercury’s black shirt, Dani slid her hands up and down his chest. Up, gently circling his nipples, smiling when she felt his body shudder over hers, back down, rimming the top of his sweats. His massive size pushed the fabric out of the way, but out of her reach, pinned between their bodies, slowly rocking into her. The thrumming between her legs was almost unbearable, the male above her irresistible, the adrenaline from her nightmare like kerosene. Heat was building, desperately needing to be released.

  Mercury’s hand found her breast and cupped it gently, careful but firm. Then his fingers began to massage the nipple.

  Heat. Unbearable.

  Frustrated, she grabbed his hand from her ass and, thanks to the extra big, extra loose shorts, effortlessly slid it in between them and her body to touch her center.

  Abruptly, he stopped their kiss, his forehead on hers in complete awe as he touched her.

  “So. Soft,” he growled. “So wet.”

  Rolling her hips into his hand, his fingers threaded between her folds, and she exhaled into him.

  It was like she’d gone from zero to one-twenty two seconds after she woke up. His scent, his heat, his emotion, stoked her desire to unheard of levels.

  So fast, she should be ashamed if she didn’t need it so bad, her body peaked and went soaring. Mercury didn’t even have to move his hand, she took care of it all with her shudders and spasms as she cried out her orgasm.

  The first thing Dani noticed after coming down off the tumultuous waves was that his hand still hadn’t moved and she was already moving against it again. The second thing was his heart-wrenching gaze of utter adoration at her, like watching her climax was the most astounding thing he’d ever seen.

  The anxiety of when, not if, he found out her secrets threatened to interfere so she grabbed him up in another kiss to make it go away.

  A quick learner, Mercury circled her sensitive bud and tunneled a finger down. Slowly he slide it inside.

  “Even wetter,” he moaned into her mouth.

  Her body clamped down onto him, barely letting him move to slide in and out. She hoped instinct told him to prep her well before trying to fit his massive size into her.

  Pounding on the door made them both freeze.

  “Mercury! Get some food and meet in the lodge in an hour.” Dani recognized Bennett’s voice.

  To say irritation flashed in Mercury’s eyes would be an understatement. Was he growling?

  “Merc!”

  “Yeah! Fine!” Mercury hollered back.

  “Well next time answer your damn texts,” Bennett shouted through the door. “Or I’ll think the little woman slit your throat in your sleep.”

  Dani stiffened then forced herself to relax, but Mercury caught the movement and withdrew his finger from inside of her. Her body instantly mourned the loss.

  “Leave, Bennett.”

  “You’d better not be doing her. Dude, you know we can’t trust her.”

  Mercury was helping Dani up.

  “Fuck off, Bennett.”

  Loud stomps could be heard as Bennett stormed off the porch.

  “Sorry. He’s, ah-”

  “Protective?” Dani finished. Bennett had to know everything about Mercury, and although she had no intention to hurt Mercury – only pleasure came to her mind when she thought of him – she couldn’t blame Bennett for looking out for him.

  “Yeah. That’s it.”

  “You guys text each other? I thought you all were telepathic or something?”

  Mercury’s guarded look and considered pause meant he was figuring out what was okay to tell her and just how much. She wasn’t fishing for information to use against them, just surprised that paranormal creatures equipped with a variety of mental gifts would be thumbing iPhones to communicate.

  “We can be,” he finally said. “But it’s not working like it should.”

  Looking at him expectantly, Dani waited for a follow up to his cryptic tidbit.

  Instead, he said, “We’d better get ready,” and ruffled through the drawers, the huge tenting in front of his sweats had be uncomfortable. Dani shifted, suddenly self-conscious. She was relieved temporarily of the terrible pressure that had been mounting since he popped up naked in front of her last night. It was getting stroked, literally, again when the door pounding scared the ever-loving shit out of her. Mercury took no relief for himself, back to business as usual, but he had to be aching.

  When he straightened, his eyes swept her from head to toe, flaring hot. In that instant, her pressure was back, starting to thrum like it was trying to get closer to the giant male in the room. His gaze traveled her body slowly, like he was remembering how she felt and the sounds she made when his hands worked her.

  “I’ll change in the other room. You can have the bathroom.” Adjusting his sweats, he headed out the door.

  Dani briefly recalled another bedroom in the cabin; it was empty. On her way to the bathroom, she stopped to read some of the titles of books on his shelves. She wouldn’t have pegged him for a reader. But interestingly, there was quite a variety: classics, contemporary, mysteries, textbooks. The wear and tear on them meant they weren’t just for show, he probably even moved around with them.

  That thought led her to wonder how old he was. Shifters lived so much longer than humans. As his mate, if she bound herself to him, she would share his life span. Even acquire his self-healing abilities. Maybe she should bind herself to him before the stretch marks started.

  Holy shit! The hot mess that greeted Dani in the bathroom mirror startled her musings away. The bar soap and lack of conditioner, not to mention the thrashing from the nightmare, gave her long, chocolate hair all kinds of free reign to get tangled up. But under the rat’s nest, her dark eyes sparkled and her cheeks retained their flush from being with Mercury. The memory caused her to flush even more and her already taut nipples to poke further through the t-shirt material, so now she looked like a thoroughly sexed-up woman.

  Frantically trying to finger comb her hair without ripping it out, Dani got it manageable and tied it back on itself into a loose ponytail. Mercury owned soap, a razor, toothpaste, and a toothbrush. That was it. Those four things, along with the towels, were all the items in the small bathroom.

  Sighing, as she felt her clothes to see if they were at all dry, Dani thought it just wasn’t fair he could look as good as he did without an arsenal of supplies. Humidity wasn’t bad in West Creek and they wer
e deep in the woods surrounding the town, so at least her underwear was dry. The rest would need more time. Throwing the panties on, she folded and tied the shorts and tied the bottom of the t-shirt so it wouldn’t hang so badly on her breasts, showcasing how Mercury made her feel.

  Waiting patiently at the door, absorbing the sight of her, all he said was, “Ready?”

  “I don’t have shoes,” she said, pointing to her boots from last night sitting by the bed. She could wear them, this wasn’t the time to be concerned about fashion, but seriously, boots with her outfit would look atrocious and that bothered her when it shouldn’t.

  He quirked an eyebrow at the boots, obviously wondering why she wouldn’t wear them.

  “The path to the lodge isn’t too bad and we’ll be down there for awhile. I’m sure the commander wants to talk with you some more. If you don’t plan on running, you won’t need them.” The last sentence was said with a growl underlying the words.

  “Let’s go then,” she said, almost a bit defiantly. She wanted to run from Mercury and the feelings he stirred in her, and the memory of his touch. But mothers had to protect their young and as long as she was pregnant with a baby who Sigma desperately wanted, she would cling to any protection the Guardians offered.

  As long as she was pregnant. It was so early yet. What if she didn’t carry to term? She had just graduated college when she joined Sigma. One of her older friends had gotten married and became pregnant. Dani recalled her excitedly spilling the news in a hushed tone because it was so early and she didn’t want to officially announce anything until after the first trimester.

  Concerns and questions, so many questions, were flying around in her head as she followed Mercury down the path to the lodge, picking her way carefully with her bare feet.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, abruptly rounding on her. “I can smell your worry.”