Taen

Chapter Two

Netta

The second Merci latches the door Ren crashes through it like it's nothing more than a rotten log. Merci's scream sends my feet skimming the floor. I stumble, grasping the door frame. Whatever he's pumped into my blood has my head fuzzy, but it's Ren's curses that clear it.

He can't have her. Ren's not going to leave her ruined like me.

When I clamber over the remains of the door, I see Merci clinging to the window frame, body half out, and Ren's hands gripping her ankles as she flails and kicks at him.

"Let go of her!" I scream and launch myself at his broad back.

He shrugs at my weight, grunts when I sink my fingers into his chest and claw at his naked skin. Ren twists Merci's legs sending her tumbling to the hard floor. Then he grips my thigh and pulls me from his back like I'm a ragdoll and flings me on the bed. I buck upright and throw myself at him. Gods, he's heavy. It's like trying to punch stone. When he grips both my arms and turns me to the wall, flattening me against it with his weight the room spins. Out of options, I latch my teeth into the column of his throat.

Hissing in pain, he refuses to release me. His blood, hot and almost sweet, soaks my mouth.

Rumbling laughter fills his chest. "That's right, mark me."

His heat brands my hip. I jerk back, realizing I'm not harming him at all.

"You could have kept going. Bit deeper." Ren grins down at me. Sensual lips take mine in a chaste kiss that ends in my release.

My head spins, searching for Merci but she's no where to be seen. Ren points to the bed. Under it, Merci softly sobs. I bury my face in my hands. The girl could have run out the door by now, but no, she crawls under the bed and hides. She's a fool.

Ren collapses onto the lone wooden chair in the room and rubs absently at the damage I've done. His chest is a latticework of red gouges. Neck a mess of blood. Then he begins laughing. "So who is this?"

"My sister."

He nods. "She'll be coming with us then."

"No."

Ren rolls his eyes then runs a hand over his face. "I've bred you. Your mine."

The wind escapes me, but I manage to scowl at him.

"I could bind you and carry you home, but let's say I leave you. What will you do?"

The trail of cooling cum tickles the back of my knee. I've got precious little coin and there are so few who will do what I consider. Ren must see the thought on my face because he stands and draws closer.

"They won't want you. Even if you lie, move and say your mate died and left you with child, they'll know. My blood with be there. Can you hide the babe's ears? Their eyes? What do you think will happen to you?" He strokes my jaw, voice softening. "How will you live? How are you living now?"

I'm not. I have food for the winter but not the money for the spring taxes. We'll lose this house. My father was a hunter, but I haven't even his bow to use after his death. He put us too close to the Sveril lands. It was a fine choice for his work, but not for a pair of girls living alone.

I close my eyes. Perhaps, if I can breathe properly, I'll snap out of this nightmare. But he's right. They didn't care much for my status before. Now if anyone finds what's been done, they'll call me a whore. I'll be lucky if they take my coin in the market.

"And if I was so heartless as to leave you now, another Sveril will find you." Ren waits while the words sink in. I'm damned now.

But Merci, she could walk to town. Beg for help. Perhaps someone would take her in.

"Fine, but leave her."

"She'll come with us." Ren turns to the bed. "You hear me girl? Come out and get your things."

"You have me, you don't need her."

"I have brothers."

I'm clutching at his arm, fisting his loose shirt, begging. "Please, she's just a girl. You can't!"

Ren cocks his head, a look of incongruity painted on his face. "She's nearly our age. I'm surprised she isn't mated already."

"She's barley eighteen, please." Carefully, I stroke his jaw, willing him to relent. "She's just—she's a silly girl."

Ren exhales slowly and places his hand on mine. It's soft, intimate. "She'll be my brother's bride by nightfall."

"I'll kill you. I swear it."

Ren smiles sadly. "You could try. We're not easy to kill. But, could you think of this as a chance for happiness?"

My eyes burn. If I say another thing, I'll end up sobbing.

"My younger brother, Devlin, is just twenty. He's kind and will do right by her." He waits for me to soften, to submit.

"He can't—she's too naive to be..." I trail off, knowing what will happen to her. I can't imagine her maturing enough in the next year to care for a house, a babe, a male, without the world crashing around her.

"I'll ask him not to." Ren's hands fall to my shoulders. There's a moment between us where my will flies from my chest. He notices. "Pack for a week, we'll come back for the rest later."

When we part I note Merci's sobs are silent. I press my hand to the door across the hall and step into the bath chamber. Ren catches my elbow, turning me so I must look him in the eye. "Do not wash yourself. Not until we are in my home."

Despite his intense gaze, I snap, "You're so certain the damage has already been done, why not give me the dignity of walking around without your cum at my ankles?"

"Believe me," he leans close, whispering into my ear, "My request

will

protect your dignity."

I've no idea what he means, but his tone sends a thrill of fear up my core.

Ren

My hand is mottled with deep olive and blotches of pink. Frowning, I shove my glove back on. I've been warned about going into rut, I just didn't think it'd start to happen so quickly. My clothes feel like wet wool. The sun isn't just mildly uncomfortable, its glaring. My cock aches. My glands ooze slick which seeps through my trousers, chilling my groin and despite the discomfort, I'm still hard. This is a special kind of hell.

I clinch my jaw and glance the sister from the corner of my eye. If it wasn't for her I'd still be burning off these hormones between Netta's legs—marking her.

Too attuned to her scent now. I want to drag her into some dark place until she's covered in me and no other male will think of touching her. At least most will be asleep when I return home, including my mother.

My stomach flips. I'll have to wake her and send her away for the week. She needs not be around for this. I direct my scowl at the girl again. Her eyes widen, then dart to the path at her feet. At least Devlin will be pleased.

I manage a few slips of conversation with Netta, mostly how old she is,

twenty

. I tell her I'm twenty-three. She ignores me. What happened to the rest of their family,

dead.

One word answers. My bride wears a determined frown that does not falter until we approach town.

Now the girls stare at their surroundings as we walk through the empty streets. Few are awake at this hour, which is good because Netta is too hot to be around other males at the moment. We come to my home, a large longhouse which I've built with my own hands. After unlocking the door, I push them inside and feel the knot in my chest loosen.

Netta's dark eyes swallow my house. Perfect pink lips pop open. I should be enjoying her reaction, but all my lust riddled head can manage is an image those lips wrapped around my cock. Her tongue lapping my slick shaft.

"This is... You must be well off," Netta remarks while looking at my mother's collection of silver spoons and charms on our wall.

Devlin comes from the hall, black hair in three directions rubbing his eyes. "Where have you-"

He stops, slack jawed at the sight of the girl. I'm not sure he even notices Netta.

"I've brought you a bride." His attention snaps to me, then he takes in Netta. I slide my hand around her waist, making my claim clear.

My brother stares at the girls like he's never seen a female before. I roll my eyes and turn to Netta. "Wait here. I need a word with my brother." When she eyes the door, I sigh. "Believe me, what your thinking isn't safe."

I toe off my boots and drag Devlin through the kitchen towards my mother's chambers at the back of our home. When we're out of earshot I clap his cheek. "You awake? I brought you a bride."

"How?"

"Later. I promised her sister you wouldn't breed her."

Devlin frowns. "Am I to play cards with her then?"

My head is pounding. I pull off my gloves and see the mottling has gotten worse. I haven't time to go in circles with the boy. "Just don't spill your seed in her. Netta says the girls too young, naive, and I need her to cooperate for a little while. Think like Vinc'en. What does he do when he visits..." I trail off, anger with my older brother blooming.

"Fine." Devlin bounces on his heels and eyes the kitchen.

"Go do something other than stare at her. Like introduce yourself." I turn towards mother's door.

Netta

"What's he going to do to me?"

Merci's eyes are saucer round and her skin devoid of color. We don't talk about these things. I've never needed to explain what's about to happen. There's not enough time for details. My cheeks burn. "He's going to put himself between your legs. He'll press his shaft into you and take your maidenhead."

She's gimlet eyed. "Is it going to hurt?"

There's no use lying. "Yes."

Devlin comes through what I suppose is their kitchen. He's nearly as tall as Ren, almost as broad. When he smiles they're a matched set. His jaw is more angular though and he lacks the dimple in his chin but wears the pair in his cheeks. Merci clutches my hand. This is what I've doomed her to.

"Just breathe." I tell her. "Whatever he does, just try to breathe."

In a fog I watch Devlin introduce himself, then takes my sister's things and lead her into a room. As her skirt vanishes a pair of arms wrap my chest and pull me back into Ren's hard body. He's surrounding me again. His scent intensifies.

The world spins as he lifts me and carries me through a door, into a bedchamber. The carpet is plush red, the walls rich oak, and within the hearth a tired fire smolders. Ren deposits me on the bed and practically rips off his shirt before seizing my mouth. Hands paw at my breasts, press my skirt into my mound. He grinds his cock into my hip.

"Take off that dress."

"No."

His cat eyes flash with anger. "You'll fight me every step of the way then?"

"Why should this be easy?" I fire back.

He lays beside me, our feet dangling off his bed, stroking my arm. When he lifts my hand to his mouth and presses a kiss to the pulse point on my wrist, I sigh. "Because you like this."

"What happened to your hand?" They're oddly bruised.

"You." Again, he rolls to cover me with his weight. The way our bodies line up sends a line of fire to my sex. His cock is iron, practically hot enough to scald though our clothes.

His lips trail along my jaw until they reach my ear. "I'm going to mark you now. Then I'm going to breed you until I can think straight."

His neck is still crusted with blood. I shrink back, shoulders rising to my ears. He brings his hands to my neck. "Not like that. Though you're welcome to bite me whenever you wish—with a few exceptions." The corner of his lip quirks up. "Submit to me. Don't fight. I could bind you until you're so drugged on my venom you beg for more." He thrusts against my core. Unintended, I make a sound like a purr. "Gods, you make such sexy little noises. I can't wait feel your mouth around me."

I jerk away. "I'll do no vile thing."

"I'm in no mood to play." His cock is free and glistening in that strange way. When he stokes it, it glides between his strong hands. "I need to mark you. Take me in your mouth."

Edging back, I shake my head. "It's filthy."

The world spins before I can make sense of it and my knees slam into the hard wood floor. Fingers roughly squeeze my jaw until my mouth pops open. I'm so stunned at the pure rage in his eyes that cannot think to move.

He shoves his cock into my mouth, head bumping my throat so I gag. I've had nothing to eat today so nothing comes up. My hands spread out on his thighs. I try to push away, to breathe, but he fists my hair and hold my face like a vice. Ren groans in pleasure. "Swallow it. Suck my shaft."

I try swallowing, but he's fucking into my mouth. Bumping my throat and trigging my reflex. My eyes burn and I feel a filthy snotty mess when he withdraws. Slick spit chains in a thin line to his cockhead. Ren pants and jerks my face so I must look at him. "Either you play with me or I'll play with you like a little doll."

He moves my hand to the base of his shaft. I cannot help by work a small circle into the underside with my thumb, playing with the sweet milky fluid. Experimentally I run my fisted hand up his length and am rewarded with a high groan. "That's it Sweet Netta." Ren thrusts into my fist. "So soft, so sweet."

My palm is slick. The heat between my legs throbs dangerously. My nipples ache against their stiff bindings. He's right. I like what he does to me. The way he smells. I like the strange anatomy of him.

"Stroke me while I'm in your mouth."

Obediently, my lips part. My tongue laps the sweet and salty flavor of him. When I take his thick, dark head into my mouth, Ren curses. "More. Gods, love the look of your lips around my cock. So pink and pretty."

The persistent throb of my clit draws my empty hand and soon I've burrowed it under my skirt. My lips are slick. My sex overheated. Burying my fingers in my folds gives me the relief I need. When his head bumps over my lips, I imagine it nudging inside me. I moan.

"Are you—Gods, I can't look." Ren's fingers rake through my hair, taking possession of me again. His thrusts become more pronounced. He's trying to be gentle, but he's losing his head. I'm trying to swallow instead of gag when he shouts, "I cannot wait any longer!"

My mouth tastes like salt and birch syrup when he finally withdrawals. I wonder if he's about to turn me over, to finally fill me, but hot jets of seed strike my cheek. Any attempt to flinch away is met with a twist of my hair. Before he finishes sighing with pleasure, he pinches my jaw and slides his cock in, feeding me the last bitter-sweet drops of his seed.

Then I'm freed. Gasping and dizzy I brace myself on my knees while he pants. Ren falls to my level and bring his mottled hands to my face, smearing my snot and tears with his cum. Massaging it into my skin and sweeping it into my hair, into my scalp.

I grimace in horror at the sensation. His cat eyes are harsh with determination.

"What are you doing to me you vile-"

"Mine," Ren growls, then his lips crash into mine, sending me sprawling backwards. I cannot tell if my hands are trying to push him off or pull him closer. When he half rips my dress from me our body's come flush for the first time, bare. He's all hard lines and I'm soft, almost insubstantial against him.

We stop fighting each other long enough for our eyes to connect. I think my heart skips. He's so beautiful but utterly inhuman. Ren cups my cheek and press his heat to mine. "Promise, when I calm down, I'll be sweet to you. I cannot-"

"Take it, then."

He does. I glance between our bodies as his cock, now darker than crushed pine, seeks me. When he surges home, he slams my womb. Ren catches my expression and shifts so his cock and pelvis grind marvelously into me. I'm cooing, humming my appreciation as he fills me. As his heat stretches me. It doesn't matter that I'm sore from earlier, my hips lift on their own, begging for more.

I try to cling to him but he catches my hands and hold them over my head as he pounds into my cunt. The room is filled with our breath and the wet slap of our bodies.

Ren freezes and clutches my hands. "Hold still."

For once, I listen to him. The moment he senses my submission he thrusts and a neat pain slices through my core. It's sharper on this tender flesh and sends my body into immediate tremors. That living in the clouds sensation licks through my brain.

Above me, Ren's voice becomes a series of, "Oh gods—so good. You're so good."

He chants them like a prayer near my ear. I cannot make my limbs move. I've gone liquid again with whatever magic is in his venom. When Ren finally thrusts again there's a sloppy wet squelch. His strokes are long and sweet which suit me just fine. Somehow he's touching that spot in me again and my legs begin shivering. My breaths come out as sobs. His are broken moans. I think we're about to destroy ourselves.

I'm being fucked like a thing. Ren's showing me that he'll own my body for his pleasure and it's dizzying. His weight on me is delicious. I didn't know sex could twist my thoughts so. That this Sveril could make my mind reel just by pushing me to my knees and taking me.

Suddenly I'm coming apart. If I was a tree I'd be split down the middle. All my leaves in a heap and on fire. Ren is howling like a wounded animal. Hot seed floods my core. He falls on me and it sounds like he's sobbing. I am.

His corded arms pull me into his chest. Hot air fills my hair. I cannot tell if I'm touching the earth anymore.

We lay on the cold floor, utterly ruined until the other sounds in the house distract us. I can hear my sister's soft laughter. Devlin's deep murmur. My cheeks warm with embarrassment.

Reluctantly, Ren pulls his shaft from me and lifts my limp body to his bed. When he arranges me, he turns me in his arms, so I lay on the amazing warmth of his body. His eyes are narrow slits of exhaustion. The expression on his face is impossible to place. "I found a little warrior and she's going to own me, body and soul."

I smile, liking the way he talks too much, then pillow my head on his chest and watch his hand smooth the chill from my arms.

I nod at his fingers. "Are you well?"

His cheeks flush a pretty pink. "I'm in rut. I—you put me into rut."

My heart quickens.

I affect him.

Seeing the strange patterns on his hands fills me with something like pride. I've made his body change just by existing and gods, what a powerful thought. If I resist him, he turns into a possessive animal. If I submit, he breaks in two.

The thought that takes me sideways is,

My body really likes his

.

The smell that comes off his skin works into the strange base parts of my mind and spells out things like,

safety, comfort, need.

I remember how he slipped my cloak under my chest the first time he took me and blink up at him. Ren is considerate. He's well off. Handsome. And I'm the focus of his pleasure.

It's a heady feeling, knowing that I've done something to this creature in turn. Something he's embarrassed by. I squirm so I can run a finger down the length of his dark cock. "Do you ever go soft?"

"I will when I get my fill of you." Ren lowers me like the doll he thinks me onto his shaft. The bite of pain and sweet sensation of fullness has me boneless. I hate him for what he's doing, for the tension pooling low in my body. I hate this Sveril because he can coax the pleasure from me like a spark to flame. Because he does such a beautifully thorough job of breeding me.