The Mating Ritual Read online

  “There! I think I see something over there, in the water!” The other man came running from the direction of the cabin. “It has to be the girl! Get the truck!”

  Shit! Toni filled her lungs, and dove beneath the surface again. She continued to swim across the lake, praying she made it there before they did. At least she had a head start. She pushed herself to the limit. The next time she came up for air she paused long enough to listen and search for the truck, hearing it in the distance. Thank God, there wasn’t a road circling the lake, but she knew she wasn’t out of trouble yet. If they were determined to get to her, they would find a way.

  When she reached the shoreline, she crawled out of the water and lay there for a moment, gasping for breath and trying to think of what her next move would be. The sound of the men’s approaching vehicle decided it for her. She got to her feet, half stumbled up the embankment, and dove into a wooded area, just as the flash of headlights broke through the trees and landed on her.

  “Fuck, man, there she is!” She heard one of them shout out his window.

  “I’ll get the bitch!” The other one said, and then Toni heard the unmistakable sound of the door being opened and slammed shut again.

  She took off in a dead run, tearing through branches and bushes with only one thought on her mind—she had to get away if she wanted to live. It was completely dark now and she was moving on pure fear and instinct, adrenaline giving her the edge not to question where she put her bare feet. With no direction in mind, she ran and ran, pausing only long enough to catch her breath when she had to and listen to see if they were in pursuit.

  At first all Toni could hear was her own labored panting and the eerie sounds of an active nightlife surrounding her in the woods. She became frighteningly aware of how noisy the forest became after dark, of the howls and shrieks, the hoots and screeches of animals as they moved about in the brush in search of food. She had no way of knowing what they were, or how dangerous, and the thought of bears was never far from her mind.

  “She went this way!”

  The closeness of the harsh comment warned Toni that the men were nearer than she’d hoped. She took off again, forced to go slower this time, as the forest grew denser and denser the further she went into it. She was constantly tugging her long hair free from branches or pushing the spidery limbs away from her face and arms. When she wasn’t quick enough to avoid the occasional slap against her skin she ignored the sting, focusing on escape. It didn’t occur to Toni that she was following the sound of running water until she came to the edge of a rocky cliff. At least she thought it was a cliff.

  Oh! She just managed to stop from falling off, doing a little jig backwards to gain her balance. It was too dark to see but judging by the noise of rushing water she sensed the black void below her was a river, possibly rapids. She stepped back out of fear. One thing was certain; she wouldn’t attempt the descent until day light. She wasn’t a fool, but she was frightened and beyond exhausted. She couldn’t go on, and she knew she needed to find a place to hide quickly.

  Toni turned to backtrack, but that’s as far as she got. It was dark, but she could make out enough of an outline to know that she was facing something big. A bear was her first thought, but it seemed too big to be a bear. Then she realized that whatever it was, was standing on two legs, which made him appear even more threatening. She held her breath, fighting down the scream that threatened to rise from her throat. When the ominous shadow moved in her direction, she felt her knees buckle and a crippling wave of terror overtake her. Before she could decide or make a move, she heard a rustling, followed by feet stomping on the ground coming toward them.

  “Come on, I think I heard her go this way!”

  The dark shape her gaze had been riveted to stopped abruptly and stepped quietly back into the shadows, just as the bushes parted and the two men chasing her broke through. They had flashlights, and stopped upon seeing her. She couldn’t make out their expressions, but she could hear them panting and could well imagine their sense of victory at finding her. An evil snicker was all she heard as they began walking slowly toward her.

  When they were within inches of her Toni saw movement behind them, and then everything was happening so fast. The large silhouette moved quickly and silently up behind the two men. Without hesitation it grabbed them by the back of their necks and threw them over the bank with a gritty sound of force. She gasped, hearing their screams diminish the further away they fell, realizing that the ravine was deeper than she had first thought. A distant splash that indicated at least one of them had hit water.

  Toni stood frozen in fear, barely able to breathe as the menacing shadow turned slowly back toward her. She could just make out the glimmering reflection in his eyes. Oh God, this isn’t happening! She swung around to jump, deciding to take her chances in the river after all. But just as her feet left the ground an arm encircled her waist, hauling her back against a hard-as-granite body, while a large hand that smelled of earth and something manly covered her mouth.

  The next thing Toni knew she was sinking into a black abyss.

  Chapter 2

  When Toni finally came to, she had no way of knowing how long she’d been out. As she slowly regained consciousness, she became aware that she was in some kind of cave, lying on something that felt soft and furry. At first she thought it was a dead animal. She jumped to her feet and moved away from it, only to find that it was just an animal hide. Picking it up, she examined it before wrapping it around her cold body.

  She glanced around the cave, wondering how she’d got there, and then her memory returned. Where was he? That a man had dragged her in there she had no doubts. She could tell the cave went further back, she could see the flickering shadows against the walls indicating some kind of lighting, but she wasn’t about to go exploring. The loud sound of moving water reminded her that she was still near the river. She turned toward the mouth of the cave, walked to the edge, and glanced down. As far as she could tell, it was the only way out of there.

  If she had jumped the night before she would have killed herself. Nothing but boulders and large rocks lined the steep incline down to the river. Something off to the side drew her attention, and she gasped, recognizing one of the men that had been after her. There was no question that he was dead. His twisted, broken body was lying just inches from the river, his bloody face and glazed, lifeless eyes were staring up at her. She shivered with repulsion and searched around for his friend, until remembering that she’d heard the sound of a splash.

  Her gaze shifted across the water to the other side, wondering if he’d crossed the river or had been swept away with the current. Even if he had managed to swim across he wouldn’t have been able to climb up the embankment. More likely than not he’d been washed down the river and had drowned. At least she didn’t have to worry about the men anymore. Once she returned to the cabin she’d call Detective Todd and tell her what happened, and with a little luck, the local police were already searching for her.

  Toni didn’t realize how close she was to the edge until she felt the heel of her foot begin to slip. She screamed when the reality that she was falling rushed over her. Once again a muscular arm came out of nowhere and encircled her waist. Then, with surprising ease, she was hauled against a huge male body. She knew it was male because he was naked, and there was no denying the feeling of a large, flaccid cock against her backside.

  She glanced down, thanking God his arm wasn’t as hairy as she’d been expecting, but still screamed and tried to wiggle free. He was much too strong for her. He kept her tight against him, grunting when she dug her nails into his flesh. He pulled her away from the cave entrance and tossed her against the cave wall. She hit it forcefully, crying out, and clutched the fur as it started to slip down.

  Toni swung around and stared at the man in shock. One thing she knew for certain, he wasn’t Bigfoot, but he was big, possibly seven feet tall. And he was definitely human, his features were rugged and strong and not tota
lly unpleasant. He had long brownish hair that appeared streaked with blond, his brown eyes conveyed intelligence and something else that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. His naked body revealed that he was well muscled, from his thick neck, defined biceps, pectorals, and sculptured abs. His thighs were as solid as small tree trunks, and his flaccid cock was surprisingly thick and long. The light dusting of hair that covered his body was like any other man, allowing Toni to see his scars and other imperfections. As he stood there staring at her he made her feel something wild and primitive. He was magnificent.

  Ohmygod! Was he part of the wild people that the locals spoke of, the ones who lived in the mountains? Did they really exist? Toni felt her heart begin to race with growing fear. His gaze moved over her in much the same way that she had examined him, and it was then that she recognized that it was interest in his eyes.

  She clutched the animal hide tighter to her breast. His mouth quirked in the semblance of a grin, which, under normal circumstances would have calmed her nerves somewhat. But these were not normal circumstances, and when he moved she gasped, and leaned as far as she could against the cold stone behind her. The closer he got, the smaller she felt. Toni had to look a long way up to meet his eyes.

  “What… who are you?” She didn’t even know if he understood or spoke English.

  “My clan calls me Cormac. I brought you here.”

  His clan? His gaze continued to roam over Toni, slowly, as though he could see right through the fur that she held in front of her. She cringed when he reached forward and grabbed a handful of her long, brown hair, bringing it up to his nose. She pulled it away from him. His response was a grunt, and a tightening of his mouth. It was clear that he didn’t like what she’d done. She swallowed hard, recognizing that he could probably kill her with one blow. The sheer size of him was intimidating. A flashback of the night before reminded Toni what he was capable of.

  “My name is Toni.” She didn’t know why she felt the need to introduce herself, except that he’d saved her life, and maybe if she were friendly to him he would help her. She wondered how she was going to find her way back home. One thing she did know, she couldn’t stand there all day and do nothing.

  “Well, it was nice meeting you.” It seemed a silly thing to say but he wasn’t very talkative, and Toni had no reason to think she couldn’t leave.

  She pushed herself away from the wall with the intention of going further into the cave. There had to be another entrance because where they were now, the only way out was straight down. Toni only took two steps before she felt his hand in her hair, and she was jerked backwards against his solid form. She cried out, her hand automatically going to where his was clutching at her hair.

  Facing his fierce expression, she demanded, “Let me go!” She tried to pull away, raising her free hand to pound her fist against his chest. When he didn’t respond she grew frustrated and bit him on the forearm. Toni knew she’d made a mistake as soon as she did it. She was no match for him, and he could do anything he wanted to do to her. Provoking him was a stupid mistake.

  “Woman, stop!” He growled.

  She halted at his command and stared up at him, frightened. “Please let me go.”

  He let go of her long hair and grabbed the fur from her body, wrapping it around his hips. His gaze fell to her barely concealed breasts, remaining there until Toni felt her nipples become hard. When Cormac’s gaze roamed down to the triangle covering her sex a flush of heat spread throughout her body, surprising her. She didn’t like the way his nostrils were suddenly flaring, and his eyes had turned almost black. Toni had slept with enough men to recognize that hungry look on his face.

  All of a sudden the air around them crackled with an undercurrent of primal heat. It was palpable, and like nothing she’d ever experienced before. In spite of her precarious situation there was something raw and basic about the man, and it was having a strong effect on her dormant libido. Of all the times to get horny! It was the wrong time and the wrong place. All wrong!

  “Go.” He pushed her in the direction that led deeper into the cave.

  Toni dug in her heels. “Wait a minute, what about me?” She pulled her arm from his grasp, swung around, and peered up at him. “I need something to cover up with too.”

  Damn, she shouldn’t have brought attention to her undressed state. Once more his gaze roamed over her, seeming to strip off what little she had left on. She shivered, and not from the cold air in the cave. His lingering look moved like a caress over Toni, making her think about things that she shouldn’t be. What’s wrong with me? The only thing that should be on my mind is getting back to the cabin. Had she hit her head the night before, and this was some kind of odd side effect?

  “Please, just let me go.” Sensing they were both curious about each other, Toni pushed the notion of what that could lead to right out of her head. “There are police, people, looking for me.” She wasn’t sure if she’d said that to scare him or to take his mind off her lack of clothing. “Do you know what the police are?”

  Her strategy didn’t work. “Only mated females cover their bodies.”

  “What?” For a moment, Toni had forgotten what she’d asked him. Then his words registered, turning her blood cold. “But I’m not one of your females,” she said. “And where I come from everyone wears clothes.”

  “Not last night.” He pushed her in the direction that he wanted her to go.

  How was she going to explain last night? It soon became apparent that the flicker of light she’d seen earlier deeper in the cave was coming from the burning torches in the ground, which were spaced every few feet apart. As she unwillingly walked deeper and deeper into the cavern, she began hearing voices in the distance. She started to drag her feet, afraid of what she’d find at the other end.

  “Please, let me go,” she pleaded with him again. “I’m telling you that there are people searching for me, dangerous people.” Maybe Cormac would release her if he thought his clan might be in jeopardy.

  He continued to push her. “I will protect you.”

  Toni stopped and turned, but he didn’t. As big as he was, when he hit her she went flying backwards with a gasp. She would have hit the wall had he not pulled her to him. All at once she was aware that her breasts were flattened against his six-pack abs, but what frightened her most was his equally massive hard-on. As a new threat engulfed her, Toni began to struggle. His powerful hands seemed to be everywhere at once, as he easily subdued her.

  She wasn’t afraid of rape, she was afraid of herself. It had been so long since she’d had sex, and lately the toys in her nightstand drawer weren’t satisfying her needs. This man, Cormac, was the ideal version of the Viking hero in the last romance novel she’d read. How many times had she masturbated with that damn Viking on her mind? Now here he was, in the flesh, and she was growing exceedingly horny. It wasn’t like Toni to think about doing it with a stranger, not to mention while in a situation that was beyond weird.

  The next thing Toni knew she was flush against Cormac. Her nipples were hard and tingling, and a strong, undeniable feeling of desire fluttered wildly inside her belly. The arousal she saw on his face frightened her in its intensity, but what she felt was even more frightening. The way he held himself, the way his nostrils flared as if taking in her scent, trying to determine if she was receptive, made her hot. She already knew he was turned on, and with him, it was palpable. His cock was pounding against her like some medieval weapon, ready to invade her body and claim victory. Oh, lord, there was that Viking again! Staring into his eyes, filled with lust, Toni shook her head no.

  Suddenly he picked her up until their faces were level. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words were locked in her throat. His warm breath bathed her face, and then his tongue was against her lips, tracing them. She gasped at the sensuousness of it, her body buzzing with hunger while she waited for his kiss. He surprised her by lifting her higher, until her breasts were even with his mouth.

  Her
eyes rounded and she quivered, sucking in her breath. He wouldn’t! But he did. His tongue came out and traced her hard nipples through the thin film covering them. Wet heat surged through Toni, and she knew that her body was preparing for his possession. Then he took one breast into his mouth and suckled on it as if he was getting nourishment. Toni closed her eyes and moaned loudly, suddenly coming alive.

  The strong pull of his mouth caused the floodgates to open. She couldn’t believe the intensity of craving she was experiencing, what he was drawing from her love-starved body. Her heart raced. She waited with breathless anticipation when he finally moved onto her other breast, and repeated his action. A sharp sensation zinged all the way down to her aching cunt. It was crazy, but nothing seemed to matter at that moment except what he was making her feel.

  Oh God! Why don’t I stop him? This isn’t real! Only it was all too real. And Toni’s emotions were wreaking havoc on her common sense to the point that she had none. She was shocked that she was enjoying his foreplay, which was amazingly erotic. How could such a man, who appeared so rough-edged, be this intuitive to a woman’s needs? To her desire?

  Toni recognized that the moans echoing around them were hers, mingling with Cormac’s guttural-like sounds. She felt his long, hard, and hot cock poking against her. Good God, she marveled once again at how huge it was! If he fucked her, would she be able to take all of him? All she could think about was his warm mouth covering hers, and the rough feel of his tongue against hers. His kiss started out gentle, almost exploratory, until she squirmed against him, wanting more. Somehow, Toni had to convey her message.

  She reached down and grabbed his cock through the hide covering it, and squeezed.

  The growl that escaped him sounded more animal than human, and was the first sign that he might not be as human as he appeared. Toni should have been frightened, but she knew that it was a sound of pure animal lust erupting from his monstrous chest. His kiss turned rough, his tongue thrusting halfway down her throat and nearly gagging her. She was on fire inside. So many forbidden and lusty thoughts were running through her mind, the least of which was the reality that she was responding to his advances as if she’d done it hundreds of times before.