Page 44 of Fated for Dawn

He started with slow, measured thrusts, each one sending ripples of pleasure through my core. My hands wandered through his hair, then down to his muscled arms, feeling them flex with each thrust as they grew rougher, more desperate.

“Yes, Ryker!” I moaned. “F-faster…”

He obliged, slamming into me with a force I didn’t know I could handle. My body was on fire, my power unleashing itself like flames licking the walls.

“Ry-Ryker,” I panted. “I’m… I’m…”

His reply was lost in a growl as his fangs extended, and he sank them into my neck. The mix of pain and pleasure sent me over the edge, my climax crashing over me.

“Mine,” he growled.

“Yours,” I agreed, breathless, the realization hitting me—he had just marked me.

We stared into each other’s eyes, still high on passion and lust. As I inhaled deeply to steady my racing heart, the acrid scent of burnt wood filled my lungs. I frowned, taking in the damage I had caused. Most of the wall had turned charred and blackened, and smoke rose from a tapestry that was stillin flames. Then, as if on cue, the fire alarm blared to life, its screeching tones cutting through the silence.

Of course, the bloody fire alarm would choose now to work.

“Fuck,” Ryker muttered before chuckling.

He grabbed the tapestry with one arm while still holding me in place, stomping on it to smother the flames. I clung to him like a monkey, laughing.

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hall as the rest of the house woke.

Chad was the first to arrive, his hair tousled from sleep. His eyes widened as he took in the scene. Then, his lips curled into a smirk. “Looks like someone had a hot time.” He sauntered down the stairs, surveying the damage Ryker and I had caused.

From the landing, Rafe and Lucien lingered, taking in the chaos.

“Where’s the fire?” Rafe asked.

“It’s put out,” I assured them, giggling into Ryker’s shoulder, a little embarrassed.

“Can we all go back to sleep now?” Lucien grumbled, rubbing his eyes. “Some of us have work in the morning.”

Even Zade appeared at the top of the stairs, took one look, muttered, “Idiots,”and turned right back around.

Alister was probably still asleep. Ever since he turned human, he slept like the dead.

Ironic.

Hopefully, he wasn’t too attached to that tapestry.

As the others dispersed and the fire alarm finally fell silent, I took a slow breath. Ryker was still holding me, his breathing deep and controlled, his body radiating heat.

He was still inside me.

“You’re still hard,” I whispered.

“That’s because I’m not done fucking you,” he growled.

Ryker had marked me as his mate.

In the hallway, no less.

17

Evelyn

Later in the morning, I paced across the strategy room, the weight of my vision pressing heavily on my shoulders. The guys discussed how Ryker and his men had intercepted enemy shifters setting up a warehouse we’d been monitoring last night.

---