Ravenous Virtue Read online

  “Nice,” Todd chuckled. “Bad, bad girl.”

  He smacked the other cheek, bringing it to warm life as well. Raven kicked wildly.

  “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “Spanking you, silly. I’ll stop when you accept your punishment.”

  His palm peppered her rear with stinging slaps, none of which truly hurt on their own. It was the constant application of them that set her ass on fire. Raven jerked and yelped.

  “Stop! You big jerk, that hurts!”

  “Really?’ Todd paused. He suddenly slid his hand between her legs, stroking her pussy. He found her dripping wet.

  “Hmm,” he said appreciatively as Raven’s face heated with embarrassment. “I figured as much, since you weren’t putting up a real fight. Now stand still and take your spanking as you know you should, sassy girl.”

  Raven twisted her head around so she could look at him over her shoulder. Todd’s sweet All-American Boy face was lit with happy mischief. Something dark lurked behind his blue eyes, something that made her insides curl with equal parts fear and excitement.

  She’d never been spanked by a man as part of foreplay before. Somehow, giving herself up for discipline in such a setting was strangely exciting.

  Raven relaxed in her lover’s grip. “Yes sir,” she said, bowing her back to offer him her ass again.

  He took her up on the invitation immediately. The spanking was firmer now that he had her compliance and extremely thorough. When he was finished, Raven’s ass was roasting hot and pulsing with pain. At the same time, her pussy throbbed with want. She gasped, her breath ending in little whimpers.

  Todd kept her wrists pinned to the table. She heard him moving behind her, then his legs wedged between hers. The sound of his pants coming unzipped made her pant faster.

  “I’m going to fuck this pussy now,” he said in a low, evil voice. He widened his stance, forcing her legs farther apart, opening her wide.

  Raven moaned in reply. She liked this assertive turn he had taken. It was scary and exciting and wonderful.

  When his hot, wide cockhead prodded her opening, she trembled. Todd paused.

  Oh no, please no, she thought desperately. Don’t go back to being passive. Not now, not when you’ve been so perfect.

  “Beg me for it,” he said.

  Raven shuddered. He wasn’t being passive at all. He was still take-charge Todd, domineering and strong. The juices sliding from her were like molten lava.

  “Please?” she said.

  “You had better do better than that.” He actually sounded angry.

  “Please fuck me?”

  He slapped her ass, making her jump. The fevered tip of his cock brushed her clit, and Raven cried out.

  “Please – please fuck my pussy.” Raven wasn’t sure exactly how he wanted her to plead for it.

  But I know how I want to beg him. Maybe that’s what he wants too.

  Now there was an exciting thought. Raven decided to give it a try.

  “Please, shove your cock in me. Fuck my cunt. Fuck me until I scream,” she said, her voice getting louder with each entreaty.

  Todd chuckled. “Not bad. You could use some practice at this.”

  Raven was close to a retort when he thrust against her, grinding hard into her. She gasped to feel his hard cock invading her with such hot, exciting force. Usually, she was on top. The few times Todd took the lead, he was all about missionary. In fact, Raven was pretty positive he’d never bent her over a piece of furniture before.

  Right now, he was shoving in, making her take him. She was sloppy wet, which kept the burning ache of it from edging out of pleasurable achiness into outright pain. Raven made herself soft and accepting.

  “That’s my girl,” Todd muttered. “Take that cock, my darling. Take it all.”

  She did, enjoying every second of him shoving demandingly into her. She loved feeling Todd being powerful, masterful. She liked how he held her down, keeping her from moving. She had nothing to do but take pleasure from what he did to her. It was incredibly indulgent.

  His groin met hers. Todd was imbedded deep, filling her more than she ever remembered. They’d had sex only days ago, yet Raven didn’t recall feeling so full. It had to have something to do with the position. He was pressing hard on her G-spot, giving the sensation of heavy pleasure. Raven groaned with the gorgeous heat of it.

  Todd drew back slowly, emptying her with smooth gradualness. The friction against her hot button had her writhing wildly beneath him. He moved until only the thick head of him remained inside. Then he shoved back in, hard and fast, grunting with the force of the movement.

  A yipping cry fell from Raven’s lips as he collided with her cervix. Elation so acute that it almost felt like pain shattered her abdomen. She had no opportunity to recover; Todd was riding her with vigorous passion. She couldn’t even draw breath from the cataclysmic ecstasy building in the pit of her stomach.

  Todd pounded faster and faster, their flesh making whip-cracking sounds as skin slapped skin. Raven’s mouth was wide open as she tried to scream. She needed to release some of the insanely building pressure. All that came out was a high, whistling sound.

  “You want to come for me, don’t you, Raven?” Todd said in her ear. A sweetish-spicy scent filled her senses, that strangely familiar cologne she’d never smelled on him before. A scent that fed her already crazed arousal.

  She tried to answer him. All she could get out was a desperate croak.

  “Tell me,” he insisted, thrusting hard enough to make the table thump against the wall. “Tell me you want to come for me.”

  Raven strained to find her ability to speak. “Please, Todd,” she gasped.

  He pounded against her even harder, driving air from her. “Tell me, damn it. Tell me.”

  “I want – want to – come – for you,” she managed, every word an effort. Her feet were coming off the floor, kicking helplessly as he rode her fiercely.

  “Louder.”

  “Todd – damn it – I want – to come for you!”

  “Louder, my darling. Much louder.”

  “I WANT – WANT TO COME – FOR YOU!”

  His hand reached beneath. A moment later his fingers seized her clit, rubbing with demanding friction.

  Raven’s insides convulsed. Brutal pleasure tore through her, shredding her from the inside, making her scream wildly. For a few moments, there was nothing but harsh spasms twisting and churning her guts, making her pussy pull hard on the thick length that tormented it.

  The battering ram in her sex froze for a moment, then it shoved hard and quick inside a couple of times. Then there was a low groan from behind and the subtle sensation of Todd spilling inside her.

  Hooray for the Pill. I think we would have both forgot if we were still relying on condoms, she thought.

  Loud, low booms sounded from the wall their poor table had thumped so exuberantly against. Lying loose-limbed on its surface, Raven mumbled, “I guess the Lloyds don’t appreciate our dinner music.” She snickered, though facing their neighbors would be embarrassing later.

  Todd chuckled. “I guess we’d better take Act Two to the bedroom.”

  Raven raised her head and stared at him. “More?” Todd was a once-a-week guy, when she was lucky. Twice in one night was unheard of from him.

  He grinned and helped her off the table, holding her steady as she swayed on her feet. “Damned right more.” He tugged her towards the bedroom and swatted her still-warm ass when she didn’t move fast enough to suit him.

  Raven didn’t know what had gotten into Todd, but she liked it, even the uncomfortable parts. Hell, who was she kidding? She was especially hot over the uncomfortable parts.

  I’m going to start being naughty more often, she thought. I wonder what his belt on my ass would feel like?

  Chapter 3

  The alarm went off only three hours after Raven had finally been allowed to go to sleep. She slapped it silent and stretched with a huge yawn. Good
heavens, she was sore all over in the most delicious, delightful way. Lack of sleep or not, she was in a wonderful mood.

  She rolled over. Todd was still fast asleep, half of his All American Boy face buried in his pillow. Raven dropped a kiss on his cheek.

  “Good morning, gorgeous,” she giggled in his ear.

  He cracked open the one blue eye she could see and blinked sleepily. “S’up?” he croaked.

  “Time to get up and go to work.”

  His brow creased. “Dinchoo get my message? My shift got switched. I’m working four to midnight for awhile. I still have the same days off.”

  Raven looked at him in confusion. “Oh. Sorry.”

  “S’okay.” He rolled over, facing away from her. Snores rumbled from his side of the bed.

  Raven frowned. She was positive Todd hadn’t said a word about a shift change last night. And why did he say he’d left her a message?

  She snorted at the back of his close-cropped head. Well, of course he wasn’t making much sense, not after working her over the way he had last night. Good heavens, if there was a position they hadn’t done, she thought it hadn’t been invented yet. He’d given them both a good workout.

  She got up and headed to the shower in a less happy mood. Didn’t it just figure Todd would finally fuck her properly when their shifts were now in opposition to each other! Damn.

  Raven’s only consolation was that they still had the same days off. She hummed as she waited for the shower to warm, replaying the previous night’s activities to keep her spirits up. After all, she still had Tuesdays and Wednesdays to look forward to spending with the new, more passionate Todd.

  * * * *

  Raven walked into the Park Service’s office, acknowledging her fellow rangers’ hellos. Despite having a huge cup of coffee at home courtesy of her single-serve brewer, she went straight to the break room for another cup.

  She groaned at the wide-open cardboard box next to the brewer. “Okay, what sick bastard brought in the fresh doughnuts?”

  A chuckle sounded behind her. “Guilty, Ranger.”

  Raven turned to see Douglas Bringer smiling at her. His golden eyes twinkled, as merry as Santa Claus. “I heard about you law enforcement types and doughnuts.”

  She scowled. “You heard right, but my diet is going to be pissed.”

  “Diet? You have nothing to worry about.” He gave her a look appreciative enough to raise the hair on her arms, but not obnoxious enough to cross the line into lechery.

  Sheesh, someone was in a good mood this morning. Maybe he’d gotten laid last night too.

  Raven loftily informed him, “Not eating doughnuts is why I have nothing to worry about. You auditors are evil incarnate.”

  With that, she grabbed a chocolate-filled pastry and stomped past him. She caught a familiar scent and froze in the doorway that led into the main office area. She whirled and faced Bringer.

  “What?” he asked, frowning in puzzlement.

  “The cologne you’re wearing. What is it?” Her mouth had gone dry.

  Bringer shrugged. “I don’t know. It was a gift last Christmas. Do you like it?”

  Raven tried to get her pounding heart to slow. It was the scent she’d caught from him yesterday when he’d given her a lift from the courthouse to the park. The very one she’d smelled on Todd last night.

  That brought back too many visions of the activities she’d enjoyed so much. Damn it, now her panties were wet.

  She turned around, afraid Bringer would somehow sense her arousal. Which was stupid, but she suddenly felt way too exposed. Keeping her voice as offhand as possible she said, “It’s not bad,” and hurried to her desk.

  One look at the six-pack of bottled water sitting on her workspace’s surface made Raven forget all about sex and cologne. She waved her doughnut in the air. “Woohoo! Coyotes, rattlesnakes, and poachers, I am back!”

  Superintendent Jackson stepped out of his office and grinned at her celebration. His seamed face wore the leathery look of the longtime desert dweller. “You’re riding solo though. It could be that way for awhile.”

  Raven snorted. “You’ll understand if that doesn’t hurt my feelings, sir.”

  He nodded. “I thought you might feel that way. Just remember to give all the bad guys their Miranda warnings, okay?”

  She glared and took a vicious bite out of her doughnut. He knew her better than that.

  Jackson didn’t look impressed. “By the way, I’m sorry to tell you your guy Wills disappeared.”

  The chewed slab of sweet seemed to stick in Raven’s throat. “Already?”

  He blew out a sigh. “We were going to surprise him with a search warrant last night and try to find something – anything to arrest him on. His rental was completely cleaned out. No forwarding address, no sign of where he went. Sorry, Virtue.”

  “Yeah.”

  They exchanged a disgusted look, both despairing over their missed opportunities. Neither said it, but Raven knew Jackson was thinking the same thing she was: Wolford needed his ass kicked in the worst way. Their only hope now was that Wills would get caught trying to abduct another woman. That he would return to kidnapping was not a question. Black despair threatened to crush Raven when she thought of how likely he was to get away with more disappearances before – if ever – he was caught again.

  Jackson went back into his office. Raven forced herself to shake off the cloud of depression. She was back on patrol, damn it, and that was a great thing. She gulped her coffee and shoved doughnut in her face as she checked the board for her assigned route.

  Douglas Bringer smirked at her as she passed him. “Congratulations on your return, Super Ranger Raven Virtue. Or would that be Ravenous Virtue? Didn’t you eat breakfast this morning?” He shook his head as she wolfed down the last sweet bite of pastry.

  She flushed, both because she was eating like a pig and because she got another whiff of his cologne. Damn, she was going to associate that musky-spice smell with hot sex for the rest of her life.

  Raven said, “Sorry. These doughnuts are really good. Don’t tell me where you got them, or I’ll be in the place every chance I get.”

  Bringer winked at her and then sobered. “I heard Wills has vanished.” He shook his head, managing to look sympathetic and livid all at the same time. “That a guilty man can go free simply because someone recites a few words incorrectly…”

  “Don’t remind me. It makes me want to quit my job.” Raven wasn’t kidding about that. There were so many loopholes in the justice system that even when a law enforcement officer did everything perfectly, criminals still found ways to wriggle out of tough sentences.

  Bringer startled her by saying, “You should. You need to go and find a place where you can do some real good. A place where the spirit of the law is adhered to and such ridiculous technicalities do not stand in the way.”

  Raven laughed. “What world is that on?”

  He returned her grin, his amazing eyes glinting mischievously. “Actually, it’s aboard the space station I left orbiting in a parallel dimension.”

  Raven snickered. Bringer was full of surprises. She’d never figured he, with his expensive suits and perfect, exotic looks, would turn out to be a sci-fi geek.

  She told him, “Yeah, well when you head back, take me with you. I’ll be glad to sign up.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Consider it done.”

  It almost sounded like a promise. Heavens, he probably went to those conventions where everyone wore pointy ears and carried light sabers. Shaking her head, Raven headed for the motor pool.

  * * * *

  Raven came home that evening, sighing with pleasure to step into the air-conditioned environs of her apartment. With the drapes pulled the place was like a cool cave, absolute heaven after being out in the triple-digit Arizona heat.

  It had been a busy day filled with stupid little things happening. Tourists with a flat tire and no spare. Tourists cited for littering. Tourists charged with taking pieces
of petrified trees, who swore up and down they didn’t know they weren’t supposed to despite hundreds of signs all around the park that warned of the consequences. Nevertheless, Raven had enjoyed every little bit of the thousands of small stupidities that came with being back on patrol. It beat riding a desk by a mile.

  She automatically went to the refrigerator to see if Todd left her a note on the dry-erase board mounted on the appliance. He had.

  Hi sweetie. I left your dinner in the fridge. Don’t have too much fun without me!

  Todd

  She rolled her eyes. “Goof. I told you I was going out with Kimi tonight.”

  He never listened to her. Most of what she told him went in one ear and right out the other, to the point she wondered why she even bothered to tell him things. Still, the sex last night had been so wow that she thought it made up for this latest batch of being ignored.

  So stop being such a bitch. Unless it might get me another spanking like the one I got last night?

  That made Raven grin. She opened the fridge just to satisfy her curiosity as to what he’d left for her. A box of the fast food fried chicken she liked best sat there in greasy heaven.

  Raven snorted. “Chinese last night and fried chicken tonight. And doughnuts this morning. Is everyone trying to get me fat?”

  She closed the fridge and strolled into the bedroom where she peeled her sweaty uniform off like a snake shedding skin. Not bothering to wait for the shower to warm up, Raven stepped right into the cold spray and groaned with pleasure. Some days it felt like she could never cool the day’s heat from her skin. It was as if her flesh soaked it in, a solar cell storing up to keep her overly warm all night until she could step out into the sun-blasted desert once again.

  A night out meant Raven spent plenty of time exfoliating, shaving, drying her hair, putting on makeup, and looking over her clothing options. She was proud to wear a National Parks uniform, loving the authority it gave her. Still, it was nice when she got to be a girl.

  Tonight she picked out an especially feminine outfit, starting with a flared red skirt short enough to be flirty without being slutty. She counterbalanced its above-the knee naughtiness with a sleeveless blouse that offered plenty of coverage.