Chapter 8

Chapter

Eight

T he shower did Mariah a world of good. She felt completely refreshed and safe. When the discreet knock on the door came, she opened it and Adam set the food on the table by the bed.

"You look much improved," he remarked.

"I am. The shower helped to clear my sinuses and my brain." She looked at the food longingly, but curiosity overtook her desire to eat. "Doesn't the Cerberus Group work out of here?"

Adam nodded. "Mariah, if you need Cerberus, you're in a lot more trouble than you've indicated thus far."

"No, I'm really not. I have a gala event for a local charity tomorrow night. I'd really love to make a grand entrance with a couple of bodyguards in tow—the beefier and hunkier the better."

I t looked at the torn and mutilated body lying on the cold, hard ground. A unique aspect to this wolf-shifter was that it could form a knot at the base of its cock and ram it up into a woman's pussy. As exquisite as the feeling was for it, the female involved experienced a kind of sexual frenzy that left her almost incoherent from the intensity of her orgasms. And when it ripped itself out, the bleeding and ripped tissues drew out the female's death and made her lifeforce so much sweeter.

It had been right to test another wolf. The she-wolf in San Francisco had been too willful, too strong, and would not give over. This male wolf had been weak and was easily controlled by giving it sex. It wasn't sure, but it felt as though its current host had embraced its possession, reveling in the murder and mayhem which fed it. This host suited it well. It provided little resistance and was proving to be an exceptional acolyte.

The she-wolf that it had abandoned in San Francisco had been invited to a party that its current host was to have attended. Also in attendance were expected to be the she-wolf and her mate who had joined together and called forth the dire wolf, its mortal enemy. It thought it had destroyed all of the dire wolves and their spawn eons ago, and yet, it had been forced to flee New Orleans because of it.

Now there was revenge to be had in London. The two she-wolves and their mates must die. It would consume their lifeforces and be sustained for a good long while. Long enough to lull the fools into thinking it was dead. It left the corpse of its latest feed and made its way back to the centuries old castle.

The knowledge gained from the last host had proved invaluable. It still had the passcodes for the computerized data base and had been able to pin the corpse's murder and dismemberment on the wolves. The Hunters had been quick to blame the wolves for any wrongs committed, and it intended to commit so many more. But first it needed to destroy those who had amassed too much knowledge of its resurrection and existence. There might easily come a time when it returned to the new continent to destroy the old crone—hers would be the sweetest lifeforce of all.

M ariah's dreams were filled with visions of Simon Howard. The blond alpha wolf had gotten under her skin in both the best and worst ways. In reality, he'd done nothing but hold her hand and speak to her in a very authoritative voice, but it had made her whole body tingle in a way it never had before. Her mother might have been beta to the all-female Bae Diogel pack, but Mariah knew she was an alpha bitch. She would never submit to anything less than the strongest, most dominant and worthiest of alpha male wolves. The problem she was facing now was that she feared she'd finally met him.

She could feel the ropes that were wrapped around her—tight but not constricting. Obviously Simon Howard was a Shibari Master. Because she never played with those of her own kind, she found that in order to surrender in a scene, she needed to be bound so that she couldn't overpower her partner.

"I intend to see that you get what you need," he purred.

Mariah's breathing deepened and evened out. She wasn't nervous. In fact, between the rope and the man who had bound her, she felt a deep sense of peace. She loved the feeling of being bound, knowing there was no escape and that whatever pleasure he inflicted could be savored. She loved how the binding of the ropes intensified everything she was feeling and if done right, it was as if they were the only thing tethering her to this world.

Simon positioned her arms behind her back so that her forearms were touching and her fingers of each hand could touch the opposite elbow. Securing her arms in a double column tie, he now had made her generous breasts thrust up and out. He passed the rope around her waist, sliding it so that it touched her all along her skin, raising goosebumps in its wake. Finally, he secured it below her belly with a simple overhand knot.

He pulled the excess ends up to separate her tits and tied another overhand knot between them before drawing the rope higher and tying another knot at the base of her throat. Next Simon drew the ropes over the tops of her shoulders and down each arm, working quietly and meticulously, humming to her and whispering kisses all along her skin. Mariah shivered in anticipation and need. He continued to bind her until a beautiful diamond pattern covered her entire body,

Working down her legs, he tightened the rope so she could feel it keeping her safe. Once he had her trussed up, he attached the harness to hard points in the ceiling and carefully suspended her several feet off the ground. Mariah moaned. It had been far too long since someone had provided her with the feeling of freedom that ‘flying' allowed her. Even in her dream she realized that for many people, the idea that being bound and suspended from above could be liberating was a stretch, but Mariah had accepted it about herself a long time ago.

Simon whispered in her ear. "When I get you in my ropes, my sweet mate, there will be some discipline before there is any pleasure."

Arousal raced through her body and lit up all her synapses and nerve endings, sending her to a time and place where only she and Simon and all that he could provide existed. He stepped between her splayed legs, leaving her genital area completely exposed and vulnerable. Simon reached out to place his thumb on her clit, pressing gently enough to provide contact but not hard enough to bring about orgasm.

Slowly he began to move his hand. His thumb strummed across her sensitized nub. First back and forth, and then in small circles. Mariah knew she could simply hang in midair and let him control the action, bringing her to climax at his leisure. Or she could show him she would not be dictated to. She undulated her hips and pushed against his thumb to get the rhythm and pressure she needed.

Without warning, his other hand smacked her ass and left a lingering pain that heated her skin and her blood, making her moan. "I control your sexual pleasure. You will learn to give over and follow where I lead." His voice was firm yet compassionate.

His thumb rested against her clit and his finger found the opening to her core. He teased the sensitive flesh, just barely penetrating it.

"Simon," she breathed his name with a sigh and was rewarded with another slap to her backside.

"Give over, love," he crooned, penetrating her with two fingers and allowing her to ride them as he caressed her firm pearl.

Mariah didn't want to give over. She played at submission, using it to get sex in the way she wanted, but never truly surrendering and never to an alpha wolf. Down that road lay convention and subjugation of her own will to his. But as he continued to stroke her, she realized it didn't matter, and all the reasons she had wanted to fight his dominance now faded into nothing.

All that mattered was Simon's fingers stroking her pussy. His thumb rubbed against her sensitive nub, but he wouldn't allow her to find a rhythm and move with him. Instead, every time she tried, his other hand delivered a harsh blow to her bottom. He had her so off-kilter from the discipline that she was losing control of the small masochistic streak that lay hidden deep within her.

She'd never allowed herself to lose control and only rarely indulged in true subspace and only with a Dom she trusted completely. His fingers thrust faster and harder and she moaned, trying to hold still to avoid being spanked. She wanted to come, wanted to fly. Simon's fingers curled and stroked that sweet spot and his thumb pressed hard against her clit. Mariah called his name as intense pleasure burned through her body like a wildfire out of control.

Her entire body embraced the heat and the peace that came immediately after. It was as if that London fog was rolling across her body, enveloping her like a warm, soothing blanket .

S imon sat bolt upright in his bed. The dream he'd just experienced about Mariah had been intense in terms of both tactile sensation and emotion. It had been more than just a nocturnal longing. Instead, it had either the feel of a portent of things to come or memories from a past life. All he knew for sure was that his fated mate had a lot to answer for and he was going to take as much pleasure from his retribution on her as he could while providing her with as much or more pleasure.

His morning hard-on seemed more extreme than usual, and he didn't think it would subside on its own or even with a cold shower. He moved one hand under the covers and tightened his fist around his cock. He pulled back the foreskin and idly wondered if Mariah had ever indulged in an uncut cock. Soon he would find out, and his excitement grew at the prospect. His balls were heavy and snugged up against his body and a guttural groan escaped his lips as he moved his hand along his shaft. He realized this might well be the last time he had to pleasure himself, and he smiled with anticipation.

Closing his eyes, he imagined all the delightfully dirty things he was going to do with her and stroked from the base of his shaft to its now weeping head. Squeezing a bit more tightly, he increased the speed of his ministrations as he thought about how much better it would feel with Mariah's cunt contracting all up and down his length instead of his own hand. He would mount her three or four times a day and knot and tie her frequently. It was the thought of forcing his knot into her that sent him over the edge, spilling his cum everywhere.

Simon didn't tarry long. He rolled out of bed, stripped the sheets, tossed them in the wash and then headed into the bath for his morning ablutions. He had lingered longer in bed than he should have, but the nice long wank had done him a world of good. He dressed and headed for his meeting at the Savoy, reminding himself to pick up Mariah's ring and her collar afterward.

T hat same morning when Mariah awoke, she opened the drapes to discover it was a typical grey London day. Adam had slipped a note under the door, letting her know she could head up to the third floor where Cerberus kept its headquarters and to call down when she was ready for breakfast. She wasn't much of a breakfast kind of girl, but she didn't want to push her luck. She needed a safe place to stay—one where she was sure Simon Howard could be kept at bay. That was not the Savoy, and it was not with a wolf pack.

She called down and opted for a breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon. She loved bacon, but then who didn't? When she answered the knock on the door, she opened it to find a tray with breakfast, as well as clothing, which was a good thing. Mariah didn't fancy meeting with the team from Cerberus in a pair of coveralls. She couldn't help but sigh as she bit into the bacon. It was cooked perfectly. Delicious, crisp, and savory with a touch of sweetness.

The clothes provided included leggings and a barn red, fuzzy tunic sweater as well as two different sizes of boots and several different bras to choose from. When she realized no panties had been included, she smiled. Easy to tell a Dom had selected her clothing. Luckily one of the bras was not only her size, but a preferred style. After getting dressed, she rummaged around the bath and found enough cosmetics that she managed to look presentable. She finished off the look by pulling her hair back into a ponytail which she fixed high on the back of her head.

Mariah took the dishes from both breakfast and dinner back down to the lounge. If she was going to stay here for a few days, she didn't want to be any more trouble than she had to be. She wasn't a fool. Simon Howard would be looking for her and Baker Street might well be the only place that could provide her with a safe refuge.