Page 5 of Taste of Thorns (The Firestone Academy #3)

Chapter Four

D ray

Me and Beaufort move three armchairs and a load of cushions and blankets up into Thorne’s room and the three of us – me, Beaufort and our little Kitten – take one each and settle down for the night.

Thorne’s sleeping peacefully and something in my gut tells me with our mate close by, he’s going to be okay again by morning.

“You comfy?” I whisper over to the little Kitten, curled up in the chair between us. She certainly looks comfortable, unlike Beaufort who’s struggling to fit his giant frame inside the chair, his long legs spread out across the floor.

“You don’t understand,” she whispers back, “I spent like the last five years sleeping on the floor or out in the forest. I know you all complain, but the academy is like luxury to me.”

“You slept on the floor,” I growl.

“Muriel didn’t think I deserved a bed.”

“And how about your dad?” Beaufort asks. “Didn’t he have anything to say about it?”

“He was off his face every evening,” she mutters. “I doubt he knew what was going on.”

“Piece of shit,” Dray mutters.

“I think,” she says, smothering a yawn, “it’s what Slate does to you. Chews you up and spits you out. I’m really enjoying imagining Odessa there. Maybe I’ll get to visit.”

She smiles wickedly at me and I’m severely tempted to drag her from her chair to mine and do equally wicked things to her.

But the stern look Beaufort’s giving me from behind her, one that reads, “behave, shithead,” decides me against the idea. Usually I take that as a provocation, but we’re here for Thorne tonight.

Soon, the little Kitten is drifting away into sleep. She’s had a busy little day. Beaufort follows soon after.

Then it’s just me, sitting awake in the dark, watching over my brother and our mate, mulling over everything I just read about lumomancy.

Eventually light filters through the window and brightens the room and I find Thorne staring back at me, looking much more like his normal grumpy-ass self.

“What is this? A vigil or something?” he asks. “Am I dying?”

“I wish,” I say, winking at him before I feel something weak and feeble punch me on the arm. Little Kitten.

“Don’t say that!”

“He knows I’m only joking.” I blow Thorne a big kiss, one that makes him frown. “I love him really.”

“The feeling is not mutual,” he deadpans. He considers the three of us. “You all slept in here last night?”

“Yep,” I say.

“You didn’t have to,” he mumbles.

“We did,” Briony says, “that’s what friends do.” She chews on the inside of her cheek a little nervously. “How are you feeling, Thorne?”

Her eyes are a little puffy, her skin blotchy from all the crying she did last night. I don’t like seeing her sad like that. If Thorne wasn’t already hurting, I’d beat his ass for making her sad like that. I’ve already decided I’m going to work damn hard to never see her that sad again.

“Better,” Thorne says, nodding. “Although, a little groggy.”

“You’re probably hungry,” little Kitten says. “I could make you some breakfast.”

I capture her around the waist and drag her onto my lap, burying my nose in her neck. She smells of sleep and flowers and something basal. “I know what I want to eat for breakfast.” I nip at her neck and her skin flushes hot, even as she attempts to wriggle away.

“Put her down,” Beaufort commands.

“Err, no fucking way,” I say. “She smells too good.”

“I don’t! I smell awful. I haven’t showered since the trial.”

“You need a shower?” I say eagerly.

“Big time.”

“Shit, yes,” I say, scooping her up into my arms. “Excuse me,” I tell the others.

Thorne’s okay. The self-loathing swamping his eyes yesterday has gone, replaced by the usual irritation.

Yep, things are back to normal. Time to put that smile back on my kitten’s face.

“We’ll be back in about two to three hours. Four if I get really lucky.”

“Where are you taking me?” she squeals, kicking her legs.

“To clean you up.” As we leave the room, I add, “Then I’m going to make you all dirty again just so I have an excuse to clean you up a second time. Maybe with my tongue!”

“But Thorne!” she protests as I carry her down the stairs to my bathroom.

“Is fine now. Trust me, I know him well. He doesn’t need you fussing over him now he’s better again. It’ll only fuck him off.”

“You’re just saying that because–”

“I want to fuck you?” She nods and I grin. “Nah, it’s the truth. And if I was that much of an asshole, I’d have fucked you yesterday. Bent you over that armchair in his bedroom–”

“Okay,” she gulps, “I get the picture.”

“You sure? If you want, I can describe it in detail. I know how much you love my dirty mouth.” I swipe my tongue right up her throat and she squeals again. This time with delight.

I kick open the bathroom door and carry her inside.

“Dray,” she says, as I place her down on the floor, “I’m serious. You really think he’s okay?”

“Kitten,” I tell her, bending down so our eyes are level, “you think anyone could be okay after what happened to him?” She chews her lip.

“Fucked up things have happened to me and they’ve fucked me up too.

Same with Beaufort. I’m betting same with you.

” She hesitates, then nods. “We’re all fucked up.

In fact, I’m more suspicious of the human beings walking around who aren’t fucked up. That ain’t normal.”

“Yeah, but–”

“He has his moments – just like we all do. It’s over now. Trust me, little Kitten,” I say, taking her hands in mine. “I don’t fuck about when it comes to the people who are important to me.”

“Thorne’s important to you?” she says, her eyes softening.

“Of course, he’s my bond brother.”

She smiles at me with affection and I’m gathering I just gained a load of kudos points. Ones I intend to cash in right now.

“You know who else I care about,” I say, lowering my voice and resting her small palms flat against my chest. “You, Kitten. All I want to do is make you purr.”

She giggles. “I think you’re the most fucked up of us all.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment. Also, you know what they say. The more fucked up they are, the better they fuck.”

I reach for the hem of her gray academy T-shirt and pull it over her head. She’s wearing some kind of contraption underneath that seems designed to strap her breasts in place.

“What is that?”

“A sports bra,” she says.

“It looks like some kind of kinky torture device.”

“It actually prevents the torture. No bouncing tits.” She jiggles up and down, demonstrating the secure nature of this monstrosity.

“I prefer it when your tits bounce up and down.”

“Well, it hurts.”

“Then I’ll kiss them better. And I’m also going to get you some better underwear.” I spin her in a circle, looking for the fastening on the damn thing, trying to work out how the hell to get it off. In the end, in my frustration, I tear the stupid thing in half.

“And a new sports bra,” she mutters.

Next, I yank down her gray sweat-pants and tug off my shirt, stroking my hand across my chest as I admire her, standing there in just a ridiculously small pair of panties.

“Sorry, Kitten, but I’m going to have to fuck you before I clean you up after all.”

I shake out my hair and stride towards her.

She backs away.

“I smell so bad. I got all sweaty yesterday and–”

“You smell fucking amazing,” I growl, caging her against the wall with my arms. “And you look beautiful.”

I reach around the back of her head and snap away the hair bind, so that her own locks fall around her face.

“In fact, you should see just how beautiful you are.”

I take a hold of her wrist and walk her to stand in front of the full-length mirror. Her gaze automatically falls to the scars criss-crossing her stomach.

I hook my finger under her chin and raise her gaze so she’s looking at her face, my own hovering above her shoulder.

“See, so beautiful. But you know when you look most beautiful, Kitten?” She shakes her head. “When you come.” I nuzzle my nose against her ear. “You ever watched yourself come, Kitten?”

“No,” she says, her voice all breathy, her scent becoming aroused.

“Then we’d better change that.”

I glide my hand down her stomach and into her panties. She sighs as my fingers ghost along the seam of her pussy lips. As usual, they’re already swollen and when I reach her pussy hole, there’s a trickle of arousal. I chuckle. She’s so damn sensitive, so easy to turn on.

“I fucking adore this pussy,” I tell her, lifting my gaze to watch her reflection in the mirror.

“Just like I adore you, little Kitten. I mean, look at those tits. They are perfect. So full, so round. And those nipples.” I groan and the noise sends more arousal trickling from her and those pink nipples crinkle and harden.

“Pert,” I whisper into her ear. “And crying out for some attention. Going to give them some?”

“Wh-what?” she gasps, as I stroke my fingers over her clit, making her melt against my body.

“Take those tits in your hands, Kitten, and show them some attention.”

She squirms. “I-I-I–”

With my free hand, I take a hold of her throat, keeping her chin firm in my grasp so she can’t look away.

“Yes, you can.”

Her tongue flicks out to wet her bottom lip and then she takes a breast in each of her small hands.

“Fuck,” I groan, “good girl.” I reward her with a flicker of magic against her clit.

She whimpers and her eyes flutter shut.

“Uh uh, keep them open. I want you to see.”

She opens her eyes, bright and green, flickering up to meet my gaze in the mirror.

“Eyes on yourself, not me. I’m not the beautiful one here.”

“You are,” she says.

I grin at her, grinding my hard cock into her ass. “I am, am I?”

“Ridiculously so. It isn’t fair.”

I chuckle again. “I can do beautiful things with my fingers and my cock. You just have to do something for me first.”

“What?” she says, grinding that fat ass of hers against my cock.

“Play with your tits.”

She bites her lip. Her cheeks are all pink now, her skin flushed and her panties wet.

She pinches her nipples between her fingers and thumbs and rolls them back and forth.

I groan and circle her clit, slowly at first, then building the speed and the pressure, until I can feel her legs shaking and her pulse racing.

“Eyes open,” I snap, as hers start to drift shut again. “You’re going to see how beautiful you are when you come, Kitten, and then you’re going to watch me fuck you.”

“Dray,” she calls out, eyes wide open.

Her clit quivers against my fingertips. I flick it hard. Once, twice, three times, four and she’s coming.

“So good,” I growl as I plunge two fingers deep inside her, feeling the way she convulses around me.

Her eyes are like two green moons in the mirror. Vivid, alert, soaking this image in.

“See?” I whisper down her ear, “see how beautiful you are.”

She shudders and judders with the aftershocks of her orgasm and then I’m sliding down my sweats and her panties, walking her closer to the mirror still.

I bend her forward a little and brace her hands against the mirror, covering them with mine.

“Up on your toes and part your legs a little for me, Kitten,” I instruct her and she does. I whistle, shaking my head. “You have one beautiful ass too.”

She’s a lot smaller than me, so I have to bend my knees, but then I’m nudging my cock through her folds. The head of my cock hooks inside her and she gasps.

“You want it?” I ask her.

She moans, but I want to hear her say it. I want to know how much she needs it.

“Use your words, Kitten. Come on, do you want to be fucked or not?”

“I do,” she says, her voice all breath now.

“And your wish is my command.” I grin and thrust my cock hard up inside her, lifting her right up onto the tips of her toes.

“Yes,” I say, meeting that green gaze of hers in the mirror once more.

“Take a look at just how fucking wonderful that looks, my hard cock, deep inside your pussy, Kitten. Just where it belongs. You like the way that feels, don’t you? ”

“Yes,” she whimpers, squirming because she wants friction. She wants to be fucked.

I glide out of her, savoring the way her pussy walls cling to me like they don’t want me to go. When I’m all the way out, bar just my cockhead, I pause. She squirms some more and don’t I love that.

Then I slam into her hard, the mirror shaking beneath our palms.

I set a steady pace. Fucking her hard and slow and powerfully. Making sure she feels all of me, takes all of me. Making sure I’m hitting all the spots inside her over and over again.

“You’re so beautiful, Briony,” I tell her, loving the way her full tits swing with our movement, loving all those filthy noises that come tumbling out of her mouth. “You deserve orgasms and fuckings every single day – multiple times a day. And I’m going to make sure you get them.”

Talking of multiples, it’s clear this girl can. She’s on the verge of another one right now. I can tell by the way she bites down hard on her lip, her stomach muscles tightening, her legs shaking.

“Dray,” she says, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. She shakes her head from side to side. “I can’t!”

“You can, my beautiful kitten. Just a little more.” I groan as I sink into her again. “Take just a little more of me.”

I nip at her neck, my eyes locked on that reflection, soaking in every part of her. She’s doing the same. No eyelids fluttering now. She’s as absorbed by the sight of the two of us doing this as I am.

Her hands slide down the mirror, she lets out a strangled cry. I thrust into her one more time and she falls apart.

“There ain’t nothing more beautiful than that in the entire fucking realm,” I tell her, as I come right after her, pumping deep inside her pussy.