I ran as fast as I could through the forest, jumping over fallen trees and ducking through low-hanging branches. Many times I felt the urge to cast a glance over my shoulder but resisted. My focus was to put as much distance between me and my hunter.
I cleared the river, hopping over stones, but ignored another fallen log that led up into the trees. That was one of the rules: Hares do not climb trees. Instead I ran alongside the river, hoping the water would wash away my tracks, before diving into more underbrush.
Eventually, I slowed and came to a stop to catch my breath. I had run a long way, I noted as I knelt down next to a tree. I had to be in the Great Piece Hills, near the border of the Scotch Plains, I surmised. It was quite a distance from John's Town, where I started. I should have felt safe with how far I'd run but I still felt alert and glanced around warily. Though I was alone, I knew deep down I was not.
As my breathing evened back out, I kept searching the horizon for any sign of movement. One snap of a twig or the rustling of bushes and I would have to run again. And as I made to stand, a patch of bushes rustled. I froze, heart thudding, and my eyes locked onto the moving branches. I held my breath, ready to bolt. But a rabbit darted out from the bushes and disappeared into the trees.
I let out a sigh of relief but at that same moment, a heavy hand clamped around my mouth. An arm wound itself across my stomach and pulled me into a firm chest. I screamed against the hand on my mouth and immediately struggled against the grip. But I stilled when I felt a pair of lips skim across my exposed neck all the way up to my ear. “At last,” I heard, his voice barely more than a whisper. “The wolf has caught his prey.”
Shivers traveled up my spine at the sound of his voice. But I felt a rush of excitement at his words because the game was still going. It amazed me how a simple comment about hunting while traveling the frontier evolved into such a delightful game for us. However he loved the game the most. He thrilled in the hunt, chasing me across rivers and fields as I attempted to find safe areas to hide. But no matter what I did, he found me every time.
He released my mouth and his hand wandered down to the buttons of my coat and he began to undo them. “I have won,” he hissed in my ear. A button popped open. “And as they say, 'To the victor belong the spoils.'” He undid another button until he could pull my coat away to get at my shirt underneath.
I leaned my head back, showing my throat in a sign of submission. His mouth found a particularly sensitive spot and sucked just so and a groan escaped me. “Connor...” I sighed.
He nipped gently, a warning for me. “My true name,” he reminded me.
Another rule. He was not Connor the assassin here. Here, in the wilderness, he was Ratonhnhaké:ton the hunter. The Wolf, I had said when we came up with the rules.
“Ratonhnhaké:ton,” I amended and he rewarded me with finally opening my shirt. He tugged it off and my shirt joined my coat on the forest floor. His hands traveled up my stomach to caress my breasts. I whimpered as his fingers found my nipples. He brushed his calloused fingertips against them and my body tingled as it started to react to his touch. I found myself putting my weight into him as his fingers kneaded and rubbed my breasts.
Before long, his hands abandoned my breasts—much to my displeasure—to work on my trouser buttons. I couldn't contain myself and I lifted my hands to help. Immediately he growled in my ear and whirled me around, faster than I could comprehend. He slammed my back against the tree and I grunted as the bark dug into my skin. Now I faced Ratonhnhaké:ton as he glowered at me. “No touching,” he reminded, his voice low. “You are the prey and I caught you. The pleasure is mine for the taking.”
I nodded. “Of course,” I said. One of my rules I brought up. The one who won could lead and do what they pleased, as long as the loser gave consent.
Ratonhnhaké:ton's lips came crashing down onto mine as he kissed me rigorously. I returned the kiss eagerly, wanting nothing more than to drown myself in him. His hands were hot and heavy as he continued his ministrations on my breasts and I felt myself becoming wet.
His lips moved down to my neck again and sucked at the spot again. I whined in need, wishing he'd relieve the ache between my legs. He chuckled. “Patience,” he said. “I want to take my time with you.”
Another whine escaped my throat as I stared up at him. I met his eyes and tried to tell him with my own what I wanted—needed. Please, Ratonhnhaké:ton, I tried to tell him silently. Please touch me.
He smirked. I felt his thumb stroke my lower stomach before hovering over the waistband of my trousers. “Is that what you want?” He asked, toying with the button. I nodded. “Say it,” he commanded.
“Please Ratonhnhaké:ton,” I whispered. “Please touch me.”
He tilted his head as if pondering my words. “So needful,” he mused. “But I cannot deny you. Not when you are so helpless like this.” And with that, he undid the button and pulled my trousers down until I stood before him naked (prey does not wear undergarments.)
I groaned in need as he kissed me again. His hands wound around my bottom and lifted me up. The bark of the tree pressed into my bare back painfully but I forgot it when I felt his fingers run up and down my slit.
“Ratonhnhaké:ton,” I whimpered and attempted to buck my hips so he'd touch me fully. But a pinch to my bottom stilled me again.
But the moment his thumb brushed against my clit I let out a loud groan that quickly turned into a series of moans as two of his fingers entered me. He pumped slowly but deeply and his thumb rubbed small circles into my clit. Heat spread throughout my body at the sensation and I wrapped my legs around his waist, trying to coax his fingers deeper.
He leaned down and kissed me again, silencing my moans. His fingers left me and I whined as the pleasure in my core dwindled. “Ratonhnhaké:ton,” I said again, needing him inside me.
With one arm secure around my waist, keeping me pinned to the tree, he reached down to his own trousers where I saw a noticeable bulge straining the material. For a moment, I gave him a teasing grin and tightened my legs around his waist.
“Enough,” he growled as his trousers came undone.
“But I want you inside me,” I whined.
“Beg me.”
My eyes widened. “What?”
I yelped when I felt the tip of his cock prod my entrance. But when I tried to shift my hips forward, his grip tightened until I couldn't move. “Beg me,” he said again. “Beg me to fuck you.”
“Fuck me, Ratonhnhaké:ton,” I begged. “I want you to fuck me.”
He grinned. And finally he slid inside me. I cried in completion as he began to move. He started slow, pumping into me fully before almost exiting me and then sliding deep in such a way that made my toes curl. I wounded my arms around his shoulders and kissed him.
But each time he thrust, he began to get faster and faster. He pressed me against the tree so hard I was sure to have marks from the bark on my back for days. Yet, I didn't care. He took a hold of my legs to support me and set a faster pace. He broke the kiss and traveled down to my breasts and took a nipple in his mouth.
I screeched, “Ratonhnhaké:ton!” His thrusts were coming harder and harder now and his mouth moved furiously against my breast. I raked my nails across his back, wishing I could touch flesh, and clenched his coat in my fists.
He tugged on my nipple with his teeth before letting go. “You are mine,” he growled in my ear.
I opened my mouth to speak but a scream came out instead as he hit a sensitive spot deep within me. “Oh please,” I howled. “Please, please, oh please!” I could feel the heat rising and my body twitched uncontrollably under his grip. “Please, I need you right now. Oh please,” I sobbed as I felt my climax near.
“Come for me,” he growled in my ear. And then his fingers were there toying with my clit and I screamed again. My walls clamped down on his cock as my climax rushed through me, sending me into ecstasy.
“Ratonhnhaké:ton!” I cried his name over and over as he continued to move inside me until he let out a loud groan and stilled.
I was still panting when he finally lowered me to the ground. He draped my coat around me and pulled me into his chest. For several long moments, we lay there and just basked in each other's presence.
“That,” I finally said, “was amazing.”
He chuckled beside me. “Indeed it was.” He ran his fingers through my hair, taking care to brush out tangles. “I am glad you thought of this. It adds some… excitement to it all.”
I laughed. “I find it thrilling. But we've done this twice now and twice you've won.”
His eyes glinted in amusement. “Perhaps you need practice at hiding.”
I pouted in mock anger. “I'm good at hiding,” I protested half-heartedly.
“Not to a hunter,” he replied. “Your tracks were easy to follow, even though you tried to lose me along the river.”
I frowned but my lips twitched into a smile. “I guess I'll need more practice then.”
He smiled and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. “I suppose you will,” he said and stood. “We should start heading back before Achilles wonders where we are. No doubt he expected us to be back by now.”
I stood and started pulling my clothes back on. “Of course. But perhaps we could detour through Valley Forge or Packanack next time. I hear the game there is rather... rich.”
Connor laughed. “Next time,” he agreed.