Page 17 of Claiming Their Slave
“She is obedient, is she not?”
A wary look crossed his brother’s face. “She’smostlyobedient.”
“Mostly?”
“She tried to run away once, but I tracked her down and gave her a sound spanking. And… stroked her to orgasm afterward. But that is the extent of the sensual pleasure she’s known. I doubt she will take kindly to you showing up in her room with a bunna root plug. But I wish you luck, as I am going to bed.” He yawned again. “She will be hungry, brother. I promised we’d always take care of her, so please see that she’s fed and comfortable in her room. Might I suggest getting to know her a little before you come at her with a plug?”
Jaxon was right, and Wolfe nodded in acknowledgment of his twin’s infuriating wisdom. Wolfe tended to act without thinking sometimes, and now that they had a little slave who would soon become their mate, he needed to consider his actions more carefully going forward.
Damn Jaxon and his patience. How his brother had been alone with the beautiful girl for days and not claimed her on his own already was beyond Wolfe’s grasp, but he was glad Jaxon had waited in order that they could claim her together. What a heady experience that would be, when they joined with her at once and the mating bond sealed them to her for all time. He realized she wouldn’t feel the bond, but he was confident she would like them well enough. Life here in the abundant forest at the base of the mountain, with two Banded men as mates, couldn’t be worse than her life as a slave in a human village.
“I will be mindful of Ava’s needs, brother. I will hold off on the bunna root, for now. Well, probably.” He gave Jaxon a wry grin and waved him upstairs.
Jaxon grabbed a piece of berry pie their mother had made and headed up the steps. Wolfe fixed a large plate of food for Ava, including a bowl of vegetable soup—another item their mother had dropped off recently—and ascended the steps, anxious to finally be alone with Ava for the first time. She’d been a prominent feature in his dreams and she likely had no idea.
He opened the door quietly to find her standing at the water basin in the corner of her room, stripped down to her drawers and washing herself off. Her chemise and dress rested over the back of a nearby chair. She didn’t turn around, and though he knew he should make his presence known, he couldn’t help but watch as she caressed a wet soapy cloth over every inch of her body, then rinsed herself with a clean wet cloth. He was about to clear his throat when she untied the string that held her drawers on and let the underthings fall to her feet.
Wolfe’s cock went hard and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe. Goddess, she was lovely. Even more so in real life. His dreams had revealed but a glimmer of her beauty. He crept further into her room and set the tray of food on a table near her bed.
The slight noise startled her and she stopped running the soapy cloth over her buttocks and between her thighs and froze, peering over her shoulder and gasping when she laid eyes on him.
“Get out!” she shrieked, dropping the cloth in the basin with a splash. She crouched down and hurried to fix her drawers back in place, then lunged for her chemise and dress, donning them just as quickly. “I said get out!”
“Ava, that is no way to talk to one of your masters,” he said in a tone that was both firm and teasing.
Immediately, the fight left her face and she appeared nervous. She lowered her head, staring at her feet as she stood near the basin. “I am sorry, Master. I-I did not expect anyone to enter so soon, and I am tired and wanted to clean up before bed.”
He approached her and reached for her hair. How many times he’d dreamt of stroking her long golden waves, and now he could finally touch her in the waking life.
She took a shaky breath but didn’t pull away from him. “Is it true?”
“Is what true?” He ran his fingers over her collarbone and delighted in the little shudders quaking through her body.
“Is it true that you dreamed of me and already knew my name? How is that possible?”
“Yes, little slave, it is true. I believe the Goddess sent me the dreams to prepare me for your arrival. It never occurred to me to claim a human as a mate, but the dreams made it clear that you are meant for me.For us. I can tell Jaxon is anxious to claim you too.”
She gulped hard and met his eyes. “Then why didn’t he claim me on the way here? He never once mentioned wanting to claim me, and made me feel as if I was only a slave. In fact, I didn’t even know the two of you didn’t already have a mate until I met your parents and witnessed their reaction to Jaxon bringing me home.”
“You met all my parents?”
“Your mother and your father of the light. Um, Luke, I believe. They were very nice. I liked them both, especially your mother. She gave Jaxon quite the scolding,” she said with a small laugh, her eyes lighting up the room.
At the abrupt sound of her stomach rumbling, Wolfe guided Ava over to the table and pushed a chair up to it, helping her to sit. “I imagine my parents, especially my mother, didn’t react well to Jaxon telling them he’d brought a slave home. I believe he withheld the truth about his intentions for you during your journey, as he wished to ensure I also wanted to claim you. But I do want to claim you, Ava,” he said, gathering her hair behind her head and reveling in the feel of her silky locks. “I want to claim you so badly I fear my cock will burst out of my trousers.”
At her startled gasp, he chided himself for his bluntness. Damn, he needed to emulate Jaxon’s patience if he was going to get anywhere with this little human. As Banded males, they were well within their rights to simply take Ava, but he wanted her panting breathlessly and begging them to claim her, not fearing them and pleading for them to stop.
He bent down and nuzzled his nose against her cheek, then placed a feather-soft kiss to her forehead, letting his lips linger. “Please eat something, my sweet little slave, before it gets cold.”
“Yes, Master.” She flushed. “Um, should I still call you Master?”
He tipped her chin up. He wasn’t certain about Jaxon’s opinion on the matter, but he very much liked hearing that word on her lips.Master. “Yes, unless we tell you otherwise,” he said after careful consideration. “Jaxon too. Though you will soon be our mate, Ava, we will forever be your masters. A female claimed by a pair of Banded males remains under the authority of her mates.”
