The Mating Project Read online

  His scent intensified as he woke up, and she looked up at him with an impish smile when he swore.

  "Jesus, babe. Are you trying to kill me?"

  Maria shrugged her shoulders in answer and took him in deep, hollowing out her cheeks as she did so. Tiny spurts of his seed were her reward, and she sucked them down eagerly, humming around the hot flesh in her mouth.

  His groan matched hers, when he dug his hands into her hips and pulled her across until she straddled his chest.

  "Two can play at this game." The growled words into her pussy made her step up her feverish sucking of his dick, as he spread her labia wide and then attacked her sensitive flesh with his tongue. The harder she sucked the more he retaliated, and when he thrust two fingers into her hole and curled them in a figure of eight, Maria screamed around his cock. Her oversensitive tissues reacted instantly, and her internal muscles clenched and released in rhythmic tremors as the familiar tingles of her release took over any conscious thought she'd had. Determined to send him over at the same time, she grasped his heavy sac with one hand and deep throated him, while massaging his perineum at the same time.

  Silas grew longer and heavier in her mouth, his balls tensed, and then he shot his jets of hot seed down the back of her throat. He gave her no choice but to swallow, as her own body convulsed under the waves of another mind blowing orgasm, which left her struggling for breath.

  When he stopped twitching in her mouth and she'd sucked the last drop of his load out of his softening cock, Maria let his shaft slip out her mouth and rested her head on his abdomen with a content sigh. Silas, too, sighed into her cunt, and a renewed shudder went through her, when he continued to lick her pussy clean with appreciative husky murmurs of delight that started an answering purr from her cat.

  Silas lifted her off him, and she turned round to see him swipe his glistening mouth and jaw with a smirk that could only be described as the cat that got the cream look.

  Evidence of her arousal still clung to his morning stubble, and she had to laugh.

  "Are you sure you haven't got a little cat somewhere in your ancestry? You're enjoying this whole eating me out a little too much," she said, and Silas stuck his tongue out at her.

  The playful action made her heart feel lighter, and she propped herself up to throw him her most haughty look.

  "What can I say?" he said with a grin. "I have a sweet tooth, and besides, I didn't start this. If you attack a man when he's still sleeping, then it’s only fair said man retaliates, wouldn't you say? I was hoping for maybe coffee in bed, not this."

  He, too, sat up and reached across to frame her face in his hands, and the tenderness in his amber eyes made Maria feel cherished. There was more going on here than simple lust helped along by the mating bond, and the thought that he reciprocated the tender feelings that turned her insides into a goo around him, brought unexpected tears to her eyes.

  Silas frowned and kissed her nose. He swiped the tears off her face with his thumb, and his voice sounded choked when he spoke.

  "Hey, what's that for?"

  "Nothing, I mean, I'm just so happy, I guess."

  He kissed her then. It was a tender exploration with his lips and tongue that left her in no doubt of his feelings for her, and left her a gooey mass of happiness inside. He broke the kiss and regarded her with his head cocked to one side, and when he smiled it lit up his features.

  "Let's not analyze this, eh? All I do know, is that I want to keep on seeing you, any which way that you want to. I know this … us will cause problems for you, but we can face them together. I'm not going anywhere, Maria."

  The sincere words lodged deep in her heart, and she returned his smile.

  "I know. I'm not normally such a crybaby, but then … you know…"

  Silas sighed and tucked her hair behind her ears.

  "I know, baby, I know. This is all moving so fast, and we hardly know each other, but this feels right. Like I said let's not analyze it, or label it. Let's just enjoy each other and see where it leads up, huh? Hopefully to breakfast or a cup of coffee at least. I'm starving."

  He winked at her again and then leapt off the bed. Her mouth went dry as it always did, seeing him pull up a pair of well-worn joggers that hung low on his hips. He headed off to the bathroom with a grin over his shoulders.

  "Give me five in there, and then it's all yours. I'll put the coffee on to brew, and I'm sure there's some bread still left over for toast. I normally have breakfast at campus, see."

  He stalked off, and Maria, too, got up.

  Now, where had he put her clothes? They weren't here, so she picked up the jumper he'd worn yesterday and pulled it over her head. Instantly his very essence surrounded her, and she inhaled deeply.

  "Bathroom's yours."

  She grinned at his shout and padded up the hallway to take care of business. She was washing her hands in the sink, when Silas's phone rang and she heard him answer it. He moved across the hall way and must have shut the bedroom door, because his voice grew muffled.

  Maria dried her hands, grimaced at her wide eyed, sleep rumpled reflection, and attempted to finger comb her hair into some semblance of its usually sleek appearance, to no avail. She needed her straighteners and her hair serum to achieve that. Right now, she looked exactly like what she was. A thoroughly fucked woman, who'd had a good seeing to by the man she loved.

  God, loved? Her cougar growled her approval, and Maria grabbed the sink for support. Could you fall in love so quickly and so deeply, or was this just the mating bond fucking with her mind and her emotions? Damn it, she needed to talk to someone who wouldn’t judge her, but who could she talk to?

  Her mother was out of the question. That would be cringe central at best, a disaster at its worst, because she would tell her father and then the shit would really hit the fan. Anastasia seemed the obvious choice, but she was busy with her cubs, and besides, her brothers would know instantly if their mate was keeping secrets from them. Those three had grown even closer since the arrival of the triplets, and Maria wouldn't be the cause of unrest between them.

  Which left Emmi. Her human work colleague had become a close friend over the last few weeks, and if anyone could help her shed some light on her conflicting emotions then it had to be Emmi. After all, she was in the same boat, being mated to Cole, and whilst she wouldn't have any concrete answers, Maria would at least feel normal, knowing that Emmi was going through the same thing right now.

  A plan formed in her mind, and she went in search of her handbag. Having found it in the living room, she turned on her phone, grimaced at yet more messages from her mother, and speed dialed Emmi.

  The woman answered on the fourth ring, and her sleepy voice made Maria glance at the clock.

  Shit, it was just seven in the morning, and this was Emmi's day off work. She'd woken up a pregnant woman. Not her best move.

  "This had better be good, Maria. Do you know what the time is? I hope your house is burning down or something."

  Maria grinned at Emmi's voice. The human had spunk in spades.

  "No, nothing like that, but I do need to see you. Can you meet me at our coffee shop at half eight please? I wouldn't ask, but I need your help, and it’s urgent. Sorry, sweets, but I need to get this sorted, and besides, they do make those great macchiatos you crave. Come on, I'll pay."

  Emmi grunted down the phone and swore in a most un-lady like fashion that made Maria grin.

  "Fine, as it's you, but you better not be late, I tell you."

  Maria clicked off the phone and followed her nose to the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee to the kitchen. Trust Silas to have an old fashioned coffee maker.

  She went in search of two mugs, filled them with the fragrant brew, and inhaled deeply. Silas's scent mixed in with the heady aroma of the coffee, as he stepped up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist and nuzzled into her neck.

  "Hmm, do you know how damn sexy you look stood here, barefoot in my kitchen, pouring me a coffee?
A man could get used to that view." He dropped a kiss just under her ear, and Maria bit back a moan. That exact spot there always drove her wild with need, let alone when Silas kissed it. It did seem his favorite spot to linger on her body, apart from her cunt, of course.

  Those were dangerous thought processes, and sure enough she grew wet again, and Silas stiffened in his pants behind her. He rubbed himself against her ass, and Maria let her head fall back onto his chest with a mewl of need.

  "Can't you just ring in sick or something?" Silas asked and dug his teeth into her neck. The tiny bite sent her cougar wild, and Maria panted her answer.

  "Professor Deacon, are you suggesting I lie to my superiors? Is that what you teach your students? Well, I must say that's outrageous behavior from a man in your position."

  Silas's shoulders shook in a silent amusement, and Maria took a sip of her hot coffee, just as the front door flew open with bang. An ice cold draft swirled around her bare legs and brought with it the barely controlled fury of wolf. The cup slipped out of her grasp and smashed in the sink, and her cougar whined.

  "What the fuck? Take your fucking hands off what's mine."

  Chapter Nine

  Malachi's wolf growled his fury, and he had the devil of a job reining the fucker back in. He scented her the minute he'd stepped up to the front door, but he hadn’t wanted to believe it. After all this time, his fucking mate was here, and with his best friend draped all over her.

  Silas stiffened and turned around slowly, but he didn’t relinquish his hold on Maria, and Malachi's wolf growled low in his throat. Maria's scent was all over his friend, and the just healed mark on his neck proclaimed his status as loudly as possible.

  "Calm down now, Malachi. I haven't got the foggiest what the hell you're talking about, but you need to calm down."

  Silas's voice held an edge of steel, and half shifted Malachi bared his teeth at the other man. Behind him Maria shook off Silas's hand, and her cat snarled and growled in much the same manner as his wolf did.

  "You!" The chill in her voice served like a cold shower, and Malachi looked into her cat's eyes when she spoke. "How fucking dare you. After all this time, you turn up here, and claim I'm yours. If I'm yours then why the fuck did you stay away for ten years, tell me that, mutt boy."

  Silas whistled through his teeth, and Malachi knew the minute the human connected the dots in his mind. He took a step away from Maria and ran a hand through his hair.

  "Fuck, she's your girl?" he asked. "I had no idea."

  Maria's growl of annoyance shook the windows, and despite his fury Malachi had to admire the fire in her eyes. The slender young girl he'd known had grown into a beautiful, confident woman, and her anger just got his wolf more excited. He hardened instantly, and by the way both the man and woman in front of him reacted he knew they were all too aware of his predicament.

  Silas's eyes drifted to his groin, and he groaned slightly, causing Maria to throw him an astonished look. She glanced from Silas to Malachi, and back again, and even though she mumbled the words, Malachi heard them loud and clear.

  "I don't fucking believe it."

  Her animal whined as her anger deflated, to be replaced by hurt disbelief, and she pulled at the hemline of Silas's favorite jumper in a futile attempt to cover up more. The human's item of clothing fell back down one shoulder, exposing acres of creamy flesh, and one well rounded shoulder, that bore Silas's faint finger marks. The visible reminder of the fact that Silas had gotten to her first, taken what should have been rightfully his, should have made his wolf clamber to be released, and to rip the other man's throat out, but the regret and silent determination in Silas's eyes stopped him.

  "I never would have … I mean … fuck!" Silas stalked over to the fridge, and it was testament to his state of mind that he grabbed two beer bottles and threw one at Malachi. He caught it easily and slugged half of it down, noticing that Silas did the same. Silas never drank this early in the morning, but then again this was an unusual situation to say the least.

  "Yeah. Some fucking homecoming this has turned out to be."

  Belatedly Malachi turned and slammed the front door shut, on the curious face of one of the neighbors. Great, that was all they needed. Miss Busybody announcing his return to all and sundry. Malachi liked to stay under the radar—of the council, in particular—and here was Councilor Anderson's daughter, his daughter, in his damn flat and having been fucked six ways from Sunday by Silas. The daughter of the man who ordered Malachi's execution, should he ever be found.

  Not only that they'd mated. The connection between them was palpable. You didn't need to be a shifter to see that, but now his wolf had calmed down a bit, he could smell their emotions. Maria's hurt cut through him like a knife, and Silas's worry was equally hard to take.

  An uneasy silence fell among them all, only broken by the sound of Silas slamming his now empty beer bottle on the kitchen work top. Maria jumped, and then Silas surprised them all by kissing her. One hand cupped behind her head, the other settled on her ass, as he devoured her mouth like a man starved of sustenance. The little hell cat Malachi remembered from before simply melted against Silas in an act of silent surrender, which made his wolf whine his distress.

  Malachi barely resisted the urge to free his throbbing dick and seek the relief he so desperately wanted. Hungry, dirty, and pissed off as he was at the fact that his nemesis had escaped him again, all he'd wanted to do was come back to the one man he could call home. Maybe even climb in his bed and let Silas help him forget the burden he carried for those few precious minutes, when they sought pleasure in each other's bodies.

  Instead he came home to this.

  He shook his head and glared, just as Silas broke the kiss and Maria had to grab the counter for support. Silas steadied her and then walked across to where Malachi stood, still frozen in time, and mirroring his earlier actions with Maria, yanked Malachi's head down to kiss him.

  Malachi's grunt of surprise gave Silas access, and pleasure surged through Malachi's tired body as the man he loved most in this godforsaken world fucked his mouth with his tongue, as though the woman he was mated to wasn’t standing mere feet away, watching their every move. Malachi could taste her mixed in with the familiar musk of his lover, and instinct took over. The beer bottle clanged to the floor and burying his hands in Silas's hair he kissed him back with all the rage and hurt inside of him. They slammed into the wall, hips grinding against each other, in a grapple for dominance that had their hard cocks sliding against each other. Still, it wasn't enough. Malachi wanted nothing more than to rip the other man's clothes off and lick every trace of Maria's scent off his lover's body.

  That thought made him come up for air, and they broke the kiss. Foreheads resting together they held on to each other, until their breathing regulated and Silas smiled grimly.

  "I take it you didn't get the bastard then?"

  Malachi grunted his agreement, and Silas stroked his tense shoulders before he drew back.

  "I missed you," he said, and Malachi snorted and looked across to Maria. She hadn't moved. Just stood there watching them with wide eyes. It wasn't disgust that he scented from her, though. It was arousal, so intense that his wolf panted and Malachi's jaws ached to sink his teeth into her throat and mark her as his. Which would be as good as a death sentence for him. Anderson hadn't looked for him, but Malachi knew that the councilor wouldn't stop until Malachi was dead and buried this time, if Malachi actually mated with his precious pure blood princess of a daughter.

  He forced himself to step away from Silas, and he couldn't keep the bitterness out of his voice.

  "Looks like it." He jabbed his head toward Maria, and Silas's eyes clouded over.

  "It's complicated," Silas said.

  Maria growled low in her throat, and despite the situation Malachi grinned. That was more like it.

  "You do know that's Anderson's princess daughter, don't you?"

  Silas nodded just once, and Malachi swore.


  "I do, but I had no idea she was your particular princess. You never told me her name." Silas didn’t look at him but at a spot far above his shoulder, and tension emanated off the human in palpable ways.

  "To be fair, I don't think it would have made much difference had you told me." He glanced at Maria, and a faint smile played around his lips. "It is what it is."

  He shrugged his shoulders and finally raised his amber gaze to Malachi.

  "It's fucked up, that’s what this is."

  Both men jumped when a beer bottle narrowly missed their heads and smashed against the wall. The dregs of beer left at the bottom ran down the magnolia wall in pale streaks of yellow, as the glass fell around them like macabre confetti.

  "Hello, I am standing right here, in case you haven't noticed." Maria's sarcastic voice brought both their attention back to her, and Malachi smirked.

  "Oh, trust me, princess. I'm very aware that you're here. After all your stink is all over him, so it’s kinda hard to miss."

  Silas punched him in the gut with enough force to wind him, and Maria hissed and bared her teeth.

  "What the fuck was that for?" Malachi glared at Silas and blocked the next punch aimed at his face.

  "Don’t fucking talk to her like that. She doesn't deserve it. This isn't her fault."

  "And don’t call me princess. I'm no one's fucking princess, mutt boy."