Marda’s Hunt Read online

  “My name is Cayden, and I would like to know how on earth you know I am of Aine?” he asked through gritted teeth.

  Cayden. She liked the name, it suited him. “My name is Marda,” she said huskily. Cayden’s scent was beginning to overwhelm her senses, and she found it hard to think. “I am the High Priestess of Dana. My Lady sent me to Earth to find my mate.”

  As she answered him, she rested her head on his broad chest. The need to mate with him was overwhelming her. Why had she left it this long? Her emotions were taking over and if he didn’t shut up she would throw him to the ground and have her way with him… whether he wanted her or not.

  She gave a little grimace as she remembered her thoughts and feelings earlier. Marda knew she would have to apologise to her Goddess for being so contrary.

  “Dana knew we were stranded here?” Cayden growled at her.

  His angry tone brought her out of her passion-filled daze. She looked up into his frowning face. “I honestly can’t tell you, Cayden. I was only told that I would find my mate here on Earth. I didn’t know that this was where the missing Aine ship had ended up until I had a vision just minutes before you arrived.” Marda hoped he believed her; she would hate to have him angry at her.

  Thankfully he must have seen the truth in her eyes, as he pulled her close to him again. “I need you, mate. I have waited millennia for you.”

  Marda pulled herself from his arms. “No,” she whispered as he tried to touch her once more. “I want you to watch me.”

  Marda took off the jacket and dropped it on the nearest chair, then started to unbutton the shirt she had on. She watched the red hue flush over Cayden’s pale face as she stripped for him. “Take off your clothes, mate. I need to see you too.”

  She watched as Cayden complied with her request. The pale skin of his muscled chest was revealed as he slowly pulled the jumper he had on over his head. Marda leaned in and took one of the small male nipples into her mouth and pulled strongly on it. As she heard his groan, she bit it slightly before licking it, and then moved over to its twin, giving it the same attention.

  She pulled back and unclipped her chemise, letting it fall to the ground as Cayden returned the caress and fastened his mouth over her pebbled nipple. He licked and sucked on it until she thought she couldn’t withstand the pleasure any longer. She was glad when he moved to her other nipple and took the small nub into his warm mouth.

  Marda ran her fingers through his thick shoulder-length black hair. It was pure black with no highlights running through it. Closing her eyes she gave herself to him; he could do what he willed with her. She was his.

  And for her, who had never wanted a mate, who had railed at her Goddess for so long, that was a sobering conclusion!

  Chapter Five

  The taste of his mate’s warm skin with her womanly musk was better than anything Cayden had tasted before. He sucked her nipple further into his mouth and heard her answering moan.

  His cock continued to spurt out pre-come, but he was enjoying touching and tasting his mate so much that it didn’t matter that he was staining his trousers. Nevertheless he knew he had to get rid of them before his steel hard cock was bent permanently.

  Pulling away from her was hard; all the barren years he had been without her and on this alien planet had worn away his and his companions’ spirits. He was just realising how much, now that he could feel joy again.

  Cayden knew he had to share this feeling with all his family. Oh, they weren’t blood kin, but they had been through so much together that this was how they all felt about each other.

  He opened up his senses and reached around the world. Some of their group had made their homes in lands where the sun rarely shone, so they could have some semblance of normal life.

  The inexpressible joy and love that was returned to him brought him to his knees and tears filled his eyes.

  Marda looked down at him with a worried look.

  Cayden buried his face in her stomach and opened himself completely to her. Marda gave a tiny gasp when she realised what he had done. “Everyone is still alive? How? Where are they all?”

  The different voices that answered her question brought a frown to her forehead. She looked away then back at him.

  Cayden saw the numerous other questions in her eyes, but he didn’t want the answers to spoil this moment so he stood once more and closed his mouth over hers.

  After a moment of indecision she melted into him. He touched her tongue with his, and then sucked on it, drawing the flavour of her into his body. Cayden was aware that the others were still with him, but he didn’t think Marda was aware of them. They stayed in that quiet, personal spot of his mind — watching.

  Reaching around her flowing skirt, he unzipped it and pushed the fabric over her hips and let it fall. The brief thong she had on was quickly ripped away too.

  Cayden felt her hands go to his jeans and she unbuttoned them. As his cock popped free, he had never been so thankful not to be wearing jeans with a zip in his life!

  Marda pulled away from his kiss and looked down at his jutting member. She ran her finger over the wet tip and brought her finger to her mouth, slowly sucking and licking his juices from her digit.

  Cayden groaned and his cock spurted more pre-come at the sight.

  Marda kicked her skirt out of the way and helped him remove his jeans. As she kissed her way down his chest, he shivered with pleasure when she ran her tongue around, then into his belly button. She continued her explorations, running her tongue over the trail of dark hair toward his groin.

  The tingling sensation he felt throughout his body increased as she knelt in front of him and took his rock hard cock in her small hands. She gently pushed the foreskin back from his leaking tip and took him in her warm mouth, running her tongue over the rim of his cock then taking more and more until he could feel the back of her throat. One of her hands left his cock to fondle his balls. Rolling them in her hand, she squeezed slightly, but not hard, before returning her hand to his cock.

  Cayden growled as he gripped each side of her head. Fingers buried deep in her long hair, he moved her into a rhythm that pleased both of them.

  He let her pleasure him as long as he dared, but he didn’t want to let this be the end — not so soon, so he withdrew, paying no heed to her moans of disappointment.

  Dragging her back up to her feet, he caught her mouth in another deep kiss, swept her into his arms and carried her toward his bed. Marda was moaning with pleasure, but it wasn’t enough… he wanted her to fall apart in his arms.

  Placing her on the turned back sheet, he broke away from her kiss and started to lick his way down to her pebbled nipples. The shiver she gave was very gratifying to him. He loved being able to generate this reaction from her.

  Taking her hard nipple into his mouth, he sucked strongly on it before transferring his attention to the other. Marda moaned his name as she moved restlessly on the bed.

  Cayden was amazed at the feeling of fulfillment that accompanied the knowledge that he was pleasing his mate with his touch. This was what he’d been missing for all these long years.

  He felt Jordan’s unspoken agreement on their private link and felt glad his friend was gaining some pleasure by linking with him.

  Chapter Six

  Marda had never felt so many delicious sensations running through her at one time. The way Cayden’s talented mouth was doing things to her body was thrilling.

  Marda felt a wave of sorrow that she hadn’t made more of an effort to find Cayden sooner. But it was no use regretting what could not be changed. They were together now and that was all that mattered.

  Cayden left her nipples and kissed his way down her stomach, moving nearer and nearer to her waiting pussy. When his tongue touched her swollen clit, she jumped.

  “Oh, baby. What a lovely little clit you have. It’s come out of hiding just for me.”

  Marda could only moan in pleasure at both his words and his touch.

  Cayd
en latched his mouth over her clit and sucked it into his mouth, running his tongue over it as she pressed her hips closer into his face. When he moved and inserted one, then two fingers into her waiting pussy, she was thrown into an orgasm that lifted her body off the bed in response.

  Cayden continued to keep his fingers moving in and out of her pussy as he waited for her to focus on him once more.

  Marda’s breath was ragged as she said, “I haven’t felt anything like that before, Cayden.”

  With a smile of male pride, he replied, “Good. I want to give you experiences you have never had with anyone else.” He returned his attention to her pussy. Marda voiced a protest when he removed his fingers from her slit, but groaned when he latched his mouth on her pussy and inserted his tongue in her depths.

  Cayden fucked her with his tongue as she sank her fingers into his hair, pushing him as close as she could. Marda loved the attention he was giving to her pleasure, but she wanted him deep in her now. Pulling on his hair, she said, “I need you in me.”

  When he looked up from between her legs, the passion in his glance delighted her. He lifted himself up her body, until the tip of his cock was at the entrance to her pussy.

  Looking up at him, Marda saw the hunger she felt reflected back at her. This was what it meant to be with a mate. This all-encompassing need for their touch. She hadn’t known this before now.

  Cayden kissed her as he thrust his cock deep, deep into her waiting depths. The feeling of fullness overwhelmed her, and when he started moving — well, that brought quivers of pleasure rippling throughout her whole body.

  When he drew back from kissing her, he groaned deep in his throat, before burying his face in her neck. Marda felt him give one lick, then two, then the searing pleasure/pain of his teeth as they sank deep into her jugular vein.

  The blinding white pain was immediately replaced by the most amazing pleasure. It ran in waves from her hair down to her toes. Marda could do nothing but go with the flow as sensation after sensation rippled through her.

  Marda felt herself thrown into orgasm after orgasm as the sensual feel of his sucking mouth became her only point of reality. Marda knew he was taking too much when she became dizzy and disoriented. But like Cayden, she was too caught up in the overwhelming feelings of being with her mate for the first time to force him to stop.

  Cayden, you have to stop. You are taking too much blood from her.

  Jordan’s voice in his mind filtered through to him as his body rippled with the most intense orgasm of his existence. Cayden grew alarmed as more of his family joined with Jordan to pull him back from the unforgivable brink of seriously hurting his mate.

  “Aine! What have I done?” He licked the two pinpricks and watched them disappear, then he turned his attention to his limp and white mate. “No!” he shouted. “Marda. Marda, talk to me.”

  She slowly turned her head toward him. “I am okay, Cayden. Don’t worry so much,” she said before closing her eyes once more.

  Cayden felt the ripple as Jordan teleported into the room beside him. “What happened? I haven’t seen you lose control that way before.”

  Running his hand through his hair, Cayden said, “I don’t know. It was like I couldn’t get enough of her. I wanted her to be a part of me forever.” Cayden cursed himself under his breath.

  I am all right, my mate. I just need to recover from the blood loss. I require some sleep.

  “You heard?” Cayden asked.

  Nodding his head, Jordan said, “Yes. You can give her some of yours to help her replace what you took.”

  Cayden felt a fool for not thinking of that right away. He had lost all good sense it seemed.

  Before he could open a vein near his heart, a blinding light appeared in the room at the bottom of the bed. The light formed itself into a woman’s body; a beautiful woman at that.

  “You will not give my High Priestess your blood, Cayden of Aine. That is forbidden until you are joined.” With that, she moved closer until she could touch Marda. A white light shot from her hands and encased the still figure of his mate. He was relieved when she opened her eyes and looked from her healer to him and back.

  “Thank you, my Lady. Without my powers I couldn’t heal myself.”

  Cayden drew Marda into his arms and said, “Thank Aine you are all right. I don’t know how this happened. I have never been this careless before.”

  “It was the pleasure of being together for the first time, Cayden. I should have stopped you when I realised you were caught up in the bliss of the moment. Don’t blame yourself so much.”

  “Well, my High Priestess, it seems you can’t claim your mate without my help.”

  Cayden turned his attention back to the goddess. He would have preferred to ignore her, but she wasn’t going to let him it seemed.

  Laughing, Dana told him, “No, mate of my chosen, I will not let you ignore me. You belong to me now.”

  “My Lady, how is that now possible when he is of Aine? Will she allow him to transfer allegiance to you?”

  Before Cayden could interrupt their conversation, another voice joined the discussion.

  Chapter Seven

  Oh my children, how you have grown since I last saw your beloved faces.

  Cayden looked over at Jordan, who searched the room for the source of the disembodied voice.

  I am sorry I cannot show myself to you, but know that you have my permission to join with the High Priestess of Dana, Cayden. Soon my children will return home where they belong. Until then, remember me.

  “What the fuck? Aine?”

  Marda sat up and gripped his hand tightly. She whispered, with a frown on her face, “Yes, that was Aine. What does this mean?”

  Dana turned to face the two of them. “My sister did not know this was where you and the other children had landed, Cayden. It was by chance this was discovered. Plans have been laid in place, which my Priestess will explain to you all.”

  When Marda interrupted with denials of this knowledge, Dana continued, “I should clarify. Marda knew nothing of these events until now, but when her power is restored, so will the knowledge that the children of Aine need to return home. But know this, Jordan of Aine, it will be a long journey for you all. You must work hard to achieve this. Neither Aine nor I can interfere any further; we have already angered the other gods and goddesses by placing Marda and Cayden together.”

  As her eyes swept down his body, Cayden suddenly realised he was standing naked in front of a goddess. A grin formed on Dana’s face as she turned to Marda. “I can see that the tales of an Aine warrior’s prowess are not exaggerated.”

  “My Lady. That is my mate you are ogling.” Marda giggled as she picked up his jeans and tossed them to him.

  “What about you, mate? You’re giving my friend an eyeful.” Cayden couldn’t help teasing Marda. Although knowing she was comfortable in Jordan’s presence was good as far as he was concerned.

  “We must hurry to complete your joining. I don’t have much time. Aine is keeping the others occupied so I can be here for this moment.” Saying that, Dana waved her hand and both Marda and Cayden were instantly dressed in ceremonial garments.

  Cayden glanced down in surprise to find himself clothed in a silver robe, with beading and embroidery on the neck and cuffs. Looking at Marda he saw a feminine version of his own garment, but much more embellished. The motifs of gemstones and stitching were scattered over the whole robe. Very becoming on his mate.

  Jordan spoke for the first time since Dana appeared. “Is that why she’s not here now?”

  Dana turned toward him. “Yes, Jordan, Aine would if she was able. We had a choice, either her or me, and as I’m needed to join my High Priestess with her mate — she agreed to wait until you all returned to her.”

  I am still here in spirit, Jordan, but how I wish I was there with you now.

  Hearing his goddess talk to his friend helped Cayden accept his role in all this. He was gaining a mate, so he should be content. B
ut not at the expense of his family.

  No, my child, your family will be united with you — in time. Accept your joining with Marda. You will see; things will turn out as planned.

  Drawing a deep breath, Cayden turned to Jordan and said, “I will not be joined until the others are here. Can you…” He never finished the sentence as he heard the pops of multiple teleportation exits forming outside his home.

  “The others are waiting in the garden, Cayden. Did you really think any of us would miss this moment?” Jordan asked with a grin.

  Catching Marda’s hand, Cayden pulled her to the doorway. “Come, I want you to meet all my family.”

  He heard Aine and Dana’s laughter filling the air as they left the room. Rushing his mate to meet his family, Cayden thought about the silent conversation he had just had with Jordan.

  Do you believe them, Cayden? How could she not know where we ended up?

  We can either take them at their word, Jordan, or we don’t. I am just relieved to know that Marda knew nothing about this or us before she arrived here.

  Oh yes, your mate was very vocal in denying knowledge. Like you, I believe her. She is perfect for you, brother.

  Marda joined in her goddess’s laughter as she followed Cayden down the winding staircase and out the front door.

  She did feel a bit better after apologising to her Lady for doubting that there was a mate waiting on Earth for her. But at the same time, she gave Dana a piece of her mind for keeping who he was from her.

  Really! You would think news of this importance would have been mentioned.

  But she was still not completely satisfied that the secrets were all revealed. Marda knew what her goddess was like. Something was going on with the other deities and it wouldn’t be good news for their followers. She just knew it wouldn’t.