The Prey: A Dark Enemies to Lovers Romance (Oakmount Elite Book 3)

“Catch me, if you can.” The words echo through my mind.

Fuck, how is it that I’m even more turned on now than I was five minutes ago, watching as the hilt of my blade slid in and out of her tight cunt?

I shake my head and shove off the ground, smiling while I do it. My hand stings from the cut there, but it was worth it. Worth watching her orgasm and tasting her cum on my knife. Fuck, she’s got me so hard my cock aches, leaking pre-cum into my pants.

As I peer through the trees I spot my knife, the one I just fucked her with tight in her grip. Fear constricts my chest. I’m about to yell at her when I notice she shifts the knife so it’s point is safely out and away from her body.

If she fell on the blade…I don’t know what I would do.

I blindly chase her. She’s fast. So fucking fast. I can’t help it as a swell of pride expands my chest. My girl is so fucking fast.

I keep her in my sights so she doesn’t get too far ahead. The anticipation of bare skin under my fingers, as it has been every night since I met her, encourages me to chase her and claim her. Nothing else matters at this moment but catching her and making her mine for good. That is, after I rip the knife from her grasp and burn her ass for putting herself in danger by running away with it. I charge through a pair of bushes and lose sight of her feet as she closes around a cluster of trees. Dammit. I pick up the pace, feeling the cold air seep in and out of my lungs with every gasping breath. It’s the end of football season, I’m in the best shape right now, yet she somehow managed to outrun me on land that I’ve been running for years.

I pause, listening, hoping to pinpoint her by sound, but I don’t hear anything but far off laughter and the soft hoot of an owl.

No, she didn’t outrun me; she’s hiding. I grin into the night. Clever Little Prey.

I lift my feet higher to quiet my steps as I cut through the trees toward the area I last saw her. It’s still eerily quiet, and I can’t see shit in the dark. I have a flashlight, but I don’t want to use it. Not yet. When I catch her, I want to have earned it, and every second she keeps me on the chase makes my cock harder, makes catching her all the more worth it.

There’s a rustle of leaves to my right, and I spot a faint figure dart through the trees.

Caught ya. I give chase, my blood pumping in time with my heart, my breathing becoming deeper, heavier. It feels good to run, to chase, and it will feel even better when I sink inside her as my reward.

She darts left and I catch the glimmer of moonlight off one pale shoulder. It’s streaked with dirt and leaves, but I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. Once we’re finished out here, I’ll take her out of these woods and soak her in the bath. I’ll take my time cleaning every inch of her body until she’s warm and languid in my arms.

The thought of caring for her spurs me on more. It’s strange; with other women, I couldn’t leave fast enough once the deed was done. Now I’m fantasizing about aftercare and ensuring her comfort. That’s after I’ve had my way with her. Shattered the existence of who she is. I won’t stop until she cries and whimpers and begs me to fuck her. Begs me to stop. Begs me for everything.

I adjust my erection as I run, almost holding it now, just needing to ease the ache enough to keep moving.

She’s still running, hopping over rocks and around fallen logs. Hell, if she kept going, she might get to the cabin and win this shit. The last time she was out here, she rode on the four-wheelers, but hell, maybe she remembers the way. Not that she’d know 25K sits out there in the woods ready to be claimed since she was just tossed into the event.

There’s a noise up ahead, and I drag myself from my thoughts just in time for a scream to pierce the quiet of the night. Fuck. I speed forward and enter into a small clearing. A few yards ahead, I spot Ely. My sigh of relief morphs into blind rage. Some random fucker has an arm wrapped around her middle, their hand circling her throat.

At first, I fear the worst, that Yanov has found her, but that fear diminishes greatly as soon as I see the douchebag’s face, and recognize him as one of the members of the football team. If he’s smart he’ll step the fuck back.

“Deakins. If you don’t release my prey, I’m going to kick your teeth in.”

Ely struggles in his grasp but then seems to remember she’s holding my very sharp knife. Lifting it, she presses the point up to the side of the man’s neck, barely poking him. As if he’s been stabbed in the throat, Deakins screams, shoving Ely away. She stumbles forward and winces as she falls to her knees, the knife skidding across the ground in front of her.

Piece of shit.

I launch myself at Deakins, tackling him to the hard forest floor. We land in a heap, me on top of him, my hand pressed against his throat where a small trickle of blood shows through his fingers. Pussy.

“What the fuck, man?”

Tightening his shirt in my fist, I haul him up off the ground and slam him into the nearest tree. Holding him in place, I pull my arm back, clench my fist tight, and punch him in his stupid face. He grapples with me when I go to hit him again, but then I rip the mask off my face, throwing it away so he can get a better look at my face, so who he can see who he fucked with.

Deakins freezes and drops his hands down to his sides. “Arturo, fuck. I didn’t realize it was you. I’m sorry, man. If she’s yours, she’s yours.”

“She’s mine. More than mine. And you fucked with the wrong person.”

I rear back and land one more hit on him, if only to burn off some of the rage threatening to burst out of me like a damn atomic bomb. Okay, once isn’t enough. I make a move to strike him again but am stopped when a small hand lands against my arm.

I pause only briefly and glance down at Ely, who shakes her head at me. Her expression is soft but earnest. “It’s okay. He’s going to leave; he didn’t know I’m yours.”

Deakins chimes in, nodding so hard I feel it up into my arm. “I didn’t. I didn’t know. I’m sorry. I’ll leave you alone.”

I keep my gaze fixed on Ely as I release him and then give him a hard shove, just for safe measure. In his haste to escape, he scrambles into a tree, then spins and races out of the clearing. I force a couple of breaths into my lungs in an effort to calm myself. I can’t lose control. Not with her.

Now that we’re alone again, I spin to face her fully, my eyes roaming over her delicate features. No tears, no fear, nothing but soft, gentle eyes trying to reassure me.

“Better run, Little Prey.”

Before she can take off, I snatch her by the neck and drag her backward, my front colliding with her back. Her mouth falls open as she stares up at my face, but I don’t give her any time to speak. I kiss her hard, brutally mashing our lips together so they are caught between our teeth. I want it to hurt. Want her to feel and remember my kiss. I plunge my tongue between her lips, tasting her.

This small act makes me unravel from the inside out. My breaths slowly begin to even out and some of the anger recedes. I need to finish the hunt without hurting her…at least, not any more than she would enjoy. I caress her tongue and then catch her bottom lip in my teeth as I pull away. When it pops back I peer into her eyes, noticing how soft, and languid she is.

Not yet, Prey.

“Run…” I growl and release her.

She jolts, her eyes open wide. Turning she flees, but this time a little slower. That’s fine by me. She’s wearing herself out, which means she won’t have any fight in her when it comes time for me to sink deep inside her warm heat.

I allow her to get ahead but only a little so that when I start running I dont catch her too quickly. Before I leave, I snatch my knife off the ground and slide it into my sheath. I keep a close eye on her, but she’s growing tired, not racing around obstacles, and jumping branches like she did before. Time to catch my Little Prey before she hurts herself.

I scan the woods while I run so if anyone else thinks to sneak up on her they won’t get the chance. She’s mine. All mine.

It doesn’t take me long to rush right up on her ass. She squeals as she feels me and tries to race away, but I grab her around the hips and take us both to the ground, her beneath me, our legs entwining and flailing together.

“Get off me,” she shouts, but there’s no real heat to her words. Especially not when she’s rocking her ass against me.

“Get off you?” I grin. “Are you sure that’s what you want when you’re pushing your ass back against me? Looks more like you want me to fuck you, Little Prey.” I swat at her hips as I tug them up in front of me, then roll her hard onto her back. She winces and shuffles her hips to the side to line our bodies up. “Is that what you want? Me to fuck you?” I want to hear her say the words.

“Yes. Please fuck me.” Her cheeks heat with embarrassment at her words, but I love seeing her like this. Vulnerable and unsure. I’m so turned on by her confession that I reach for her, my hand circling her throat.

Her pulse thunders beneath my hand and I peer into her blue eyes, watching for an indication of fear. When I see none, I tighten my hold, squeezing the tender column.

Leaning into her face I whisper against the seam of her lips. “I told myself I’d try to be gentle with you but I don’t think I can do it. I want you too much.”

“I want you as you are. Don’t be gentle, be you.” She whispers back, and then presses her lips to mine. Fire ignites in my soul, and I kiss her back hard and fast, punishing us both.

I need her, right now, and I’m thankful she feels the same way. Her hands tug at my clothes, like she can hardly bear to have another item separating us.

As much as I hate it, I break the kiss, and pull away to undress. I glance down the length of my body and notice my shirt is partially undone. Fuck she wants this. Wants me, after all we’ve been through.

I undo the rest of the buttons and toss it to the side. Flicking the button on my pants, I shove them down my thighs. My aching cock springs free, jutting out like a damn sword.

Elyse’s gaze roams over my skin, from my chest, down my sculpted abs, and to the tip of my thick cock. I confirm it when I look down at her and watch her staring at me through hooded eyes. Looking down at her I realize she’s been laid before me like a sacrificial lamb.

I reach down and drag my knife out of its sheath and bring it up between us. Her eyes immediately latch onto the metal glint.

“What are you going to do with it this time?”

“Don’t worry, Little Prey. I won’t fuck you with it this time. The next thing going inside that tight cunt is my cock,” I growl with a hint of possession.

I caress her calf with the tip of the knife and then slide it up along her hip to insert the point along the seam of the ripped-up silk lingerie. It slides apart like butter, falling away in scraps around her torso.

She’s so beautiful, cast white under the soft moonlight filtering through the trees. Like she can’t handle the spotlight being on her she lifts her arms to cover herself but I shake my head at her and say, “No, don’t hide from me. Let me see your tits, your silky porcelain skin.”

Hesitantly she drops her arms back down to her sides, and I drink her in. Her tits are small but perfect, with dusky pink nipples that beckon me to take them into my mouth. Fuck, I want to mark them, mark her. So I do just that. Leaning forward I take one of the hard nipples between my teeth, nipping at her sensitive flesh.

“Oh…” Elyse whimpers, one of her hands coming to rest on my head. I flick my tongue against the hard bud, and alternate between sucking and biting her flesh.

It doesn’t take long for her to start lifting her hips, begging me to fuck her without saying a single word. Her pussy brushes against my leaking cock, and I pull away, a harsh breath passing my lips. Fuck. I peer down between her spread thighs, and to her perfect pussy.

She wants me, needs me like I need her.

Control yourself. Don’t hurt her.

She lifts her hips, seeking out my cock, begging me with her seductive gaze.

War wages inside my head, and I almost allow the physical need to let go of control and have my most basic instincts lead me, but at the last moment I clench my hands into tight fists and regain my footing.

Elyse can sense the change in my demeanor and she whispers softly to me. “I can see you struggling for control. You don’t have to be something you’re not for my sake. I’m not made of glass. I won’t break if you touch me.”

“Wrong, Little Prey. You won’t just break for me. You’ll fucking shatter.”