5. Serena

5

SERENA

Chapter 5 - Rodeo

Serena

K ael's eyes flash, amber fire burning into me. My heart pounds. What am I doing? This creature just kidnapped me, claimed me as his property. Yet here I am, offering... more.

Maybe it's the way he looked at me. Like I matter. Like I'm worth protecting. No one's cared about me since Mom died.

Or maybe I'm just grateful to be alive.

His massive hand cups my face, stone-like skin surprisingly warm. "Eager little human. But I require more than that."

A shiver runs through me. More? My mouth goes dry. But not with fear.

"First," he growls, "I must know the name of my mate."

Mate. The word hits me like lightning. I can barely breathe as I whisper, "Serena."

"Serena," he repeats, my name a caress on his lips.

Then his mouth is on mine, hungry and demanding. I gasp, overwhelmed by the intensity. His tongue invades, tasting of smoke and something wild. My eyes roll back, knees weakening.

Kael's arm wraps around my waist, crushing me against his chest. The kiss deepens, consuming me. I'm drowning in sensation, lost in the heat of his embrace.

When he finally breaks away, I'm panting. Dazed. Kael's eyes glow with primal hunger.

"Now, little mate," he purrs, "let's see what other sounds I can draw from those pretty lips."

His grip tightens, and with a swift motion, Kael lifts me, his hands splayed under my thighs. I wrap my legs around his waist, feeling the hard length of him pressing against me.

"You're mine, Serena," he rumbles, the vibration of his voice sending jolts through my core.

"Yes," I breathe out, the word more of a plea than an agreement.

He lays me down on the bed, and the heat in his gaze warms me faster than any fire could.

Kael hovers over me, his eyes tracing the lines of my body. "Such a fierce little creature," he murmurs, almost to himself. His fingers trail along my skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. "You fought well back in the forest."

I can't help but smirk up at him. "And you were... impressive."

He chuckles, a low, dangerous sound that makes my heart flutter wildly. "Impressive?" Kael smirks and forces my thighs even further apart, exposing me to the cool air. "I'll show you impressive."

His mouth finds mine again, fierce and unyielding. His hands explore me, every touch stoking the fire within. I arch into him, wanting—needing—more.

Kael breaks the kiss, his lips traveling down my neck, his teeth grazing my skin. "You're so responsive," he growls in approval, his breath hot against my ear. "But I wonder... can you take what I give you, little mate?"

I whimper as his fingers find my center, teasing and testing. "I can take it," I say, my voice filled with a confidence I'm not sure I feel.

"We'll see," he replies, a dark promise in his words.

He enters me with one brutal thrust, tearing a gasp from my throat. The mix of pain and pleasure is intoxicating, and I cling to him, my nails digging into the stone-like flesh of his back.

Kael sets a punishing rhythm, each stroke driving me higher. "Look at you," he pants, his voice a mix of awe and raw need. "Taking my cock like you were made for it." He grunts, his hips snapping against mine. "This pussy is mine. Say it."

"It's yours, Kael," I cry out, the truth of the words echoing in the cavernous room.

He captures my mouth again, swallowing my cries as he fucks me harder, faster. I'm spiraling, teetering on the edge of something immense.

"Come for me, Serena," he demands, his voice a guttural command.

And I do, my body obeying him without hesitation. My orgasm crashes over me, wave after wave of sheer ecstasy.

The aftershocks of my release still ripple through me when Kael growls, "Again."

It's not a request; it's a demand. His fingers dig into my hips as he pulls me closer, his cock still hard inside me. "You're going to come again, Serena. And this time, I'm going to fill you with my seed."

His words send a thrill through me, a mix of fear and excitement. I've never been spoken to like this, never been taken with such raw, animalistic need. And yet, there's something about it that calls to me, that makes me want to surrender completely.

Kael's pace increases, his thrusts becoming almost frenzied. "Such a tight, little cunt," he grunts, his eyes locked on mine. "Made just for me."

I can't form words, can only moan in response as he drives into me again and again. The sound of our bodies colliding fills the room, punctuated by his growls and my whimpers.

"Touch yourself," he commands, his voice barely human. "I want to feel you come on my cock."

My hand finds its way between us, my fingers circling my clit. The sensation is almost too much, the pleasure bordering on pain. But I can't stop, not when Kael is looking at me like I'm the only thing in the world that matters.

"That's it," he praises, his gaze dark and intense. "Make yourself come for me, little mate."

I cry out as the pleasure builds, each thrust of his hips pushing me closer to the edge. "Kael, I?—"

"Come for me, Serena," he roars, and with one final thrust, I shatter around him, my body convulsing with the force of my release.

Kael follows me over the edge, his cock pulsing inside me as he fills me with his seed. The feeling of his warmth flooding me sends aftershocks through my body, and I cling to him, my nails scratching against his stone-like skin.

We stay like that for a moment, our bodies slick with sweat, our breaths ragged. Kael finally pulls out, and I feel an unexpected twinge of loss at the absence. He collapses onto the bed beside me, his chest heaving.

For a while, neither of us speaks. The only sounds are the crackling of the fire and our own labored breathing. I turn to look at Kael, his amber eyes still glowing with an inner fire.

"By the gods, what are you?" I ask breathlessly.

"I am a gargoyle, little one. And you are mine," he says, his voice soft but firm. "And I protect what's mine."

I nod, understanding the weight of his words. I belong to Kael now, and in this dangerous world, that might be the only thing that keeps me safe.

As I drift off to sleep, nestled against his warm, solid form, I realize that I'm not afraid. Not anymore. For the first time in a long time, I feel protected. Wanted.