"Ulric!" She screamed when his tongue made contact with her center. One of his hands harshly pinned her thighs down while the other bound both of her wrists against the bed.

She tried to writhe her body around to create some type of relief, but his strong arms had her pinned to the mattress. All she could do was open her legs impossibly further to give him more room.

His lips clasped around her bundle of nerves and her legs spasmed hard enough that she wrapped them around his head to get them to stop shaking. "Ulric!" She moaned again.

Just as she was about to find her release, Ulric pulled his head away. She almost cried from the frustration. "What? What are you doing?" She gasped. The tension in her body was too much.

Ulric licked his lips off of her juices and bent to kiss her neck. "Punishing you."

"Ulric I need you," she whined, rubbing her legs together to find some relief, but it wasn't working.

"I know you do, little mate." He said while continuing to kiss her neck. "Don't fight your punishment Amaryllis."

He reached down and cupped her breast in his hand, gently fondling it. Then he roughly pinched her nipple in between his fingers.

Amaryllis gasped from the unexpected pain and pleasure mixture of his hard pinch. It sent a jolt of need straight to her core. "Please," she begged, pushing on his shoulders to let him know she wanted him back between her legs.

"Needy little girl, aren't you?" Ulric said right before he bit down on her other nipple.

"Oh!" She arched her back, trying to keep him as close as possible to her body.

He bit her nipple one last time before pulling his mouth away and staring at her with a breathtaking smile. His smile made her heart flutter.

Then his smile dropped as he spread her legs back open and dipped his head between them once more. She moaned in surprise when she felt his finger enter her channel. "Ulric," she gasped when he added another finger and curled them inside her.

Once again, right as she was on the brink of release, he pulled his fingers out and quit touching her altogether.

"Why," she cried while trying to push his hand back down.

"No no no," he chastised.

"Take your punishment, little mate. Do not fight me. Or I'll make it worse than you want it to be," he warned. She wanted to growl in frustration, but she simply nodded her head.

"Good girl," he praised, kissing up her jaw. He moved his lips down her neck and she felt a familiar scratching sensation. His fangs were out.

She bent her neck slightly to increase the contact between her skin and his mouth. "Needy little thing," he commented right before plunging his fangs into the soft skin of her neck.

"Ohhh!" She screamed when his fangs pierced her neck. Not from pain, from intense and overwhelming pleasure. His hand slid back between her thighs where he flicked over her sensitive button with his thumb.

Her moans and cries of pleasure were insatiable as pleasure overwhelmed her body. Her senses were completely consumed by him. All she could smell was him, all she could see was him, all she could hear were the sweet nothings he whispered in her ear while he tortured her body.

Finally, as she was about to orgasm for the first time that night, Ulric removed his fangs and thumb. Tears escaped her eyes from both the disappointment and the ridiculous amount of sexual tension she was writhing in.

Ulric licked his glistening wet thumb and stared down at her. He wiped the tears from her eyes and kissed her nose. "Since this is the first time, I will be gentle with you. But I should beat yourself little ass for pushing my hands down and questioning me. Though, I guess I wasn't clear either. Don't fight it, Amaryllis. Take the punishment," he said against the shell of her ear.

She nodded her head and a few more tears escaped. He flicked them off her face as he stared down at her wriggling body. "Do you need to come?" He asked, to which she eagerly nodded. "Yes."

He slid one hand under her head to support her and slid the other between her legs once more. He spread her thighs apart and then inserted two fingers into her entrance while using his thumb to rub her button.

Now that her hands were freed from him holding them down, she wrapped her arms around his back to support herself as she came apart from his touch. Once he allowed her to release, her body fell back against the mattress from exhaustion. Her arms fell from around him and her legs were no longer tense. Her breathing was heavy and she was trying not to close her eyes and fall asleep.

"I'm sorry," Amaryllis said once she came down from her high.

Ulric slid into the bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her body to pull her tightly against him. He kissed her forehead. "I know you weren't deliberately disobeying me, Amaryllis. However, I told you when you arrived here that you were to follow everything I said without question."

"I know, but I thought maybe things had changed," she whispered sadly.

"Things have changed. Do you think I would allow anyone else to talk to me the way you do?" He asked.

She pondered his words for a moment and realized the point he was making. He had been very gentle with her. He allowed her to do things and say things to him that he would most likely kill someone else for.

"No," she said.

"Do you think if someone questioned me as much as you do that I'd tolerate it? Do you remember how you talked to me about the Clove situation?"

She shook her head. "No." She remembered how she asked about his family issues, realizing that no one else ever had the luxury of knowing that side of him.

"Then things have changed haven't they?" He demanded.

"Yes," she admitted.

"I give you freedoms that no one else has because you are my mate, Amaryllis. You aren't some commoner. You are my other half, my equal, the love of my life. However, when I tell you to do something for your own good, I want you to do it. I never want you to be in danger or fatigue yourself when it can be avoided," Ulric said.

"I understand. I shouldn't have said that," she said.

"That's not it. I want you to tell me what you're feeling so we can discuss it. I don't want you feeling inferior or that I treat you poorly," he said, his hands brushing out the tangles in her hair.

"Okay. But I realize that I was wrong when I said that. You're not the same as when I first met you. You are much more tolerant of other people and you are very caring to me. I was wrong when I said that things hadn't changed."

"It's alright. You are very good at sucking my cock though and you can do it anytime you want now," he said.

Her cheeks heated up again at his words. "Now I can do it anytime?" She teased.

"Yes, now you can."

"Maybe I don't want to do it anymore," she said.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I could force you."

Her mouth dropped and she sat up to stare at him. "You won't force me to do anything," she said.

He pushed her back down so he was leaning over her. "I was kidding, just as you were. See Amaryllis, no one else would've just spoken to me the way you did." She smiled up at him, happy that he regarded her as more important than anyone else. Happy that she was able to tear the walls around his heart down, allowing him to accept his feelings for her.

"Ulric?"

"What little mate?" He answered.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you want to mate me right now." Her face reddened as she said the words.

"Because I do. I don't want to wait any longer, especially after what just happened. Everyone needs to know that you are fully mated, that you are mine," he answered. "But I know you aren't ready yet."

"I am ready," she said. "I want to complete our mate bond."

"I didn't say what I did to entice you. I just don't want anyone thinking you are available because you don't wear my mark yet," he responded.

"I want you, Ulric. I am ready, but I don't want it to only be about my safety. I want it to be because you love me as well."

"I do love you Amaryllis. Our mating will be about my love for you. A benefit to that love is your safety. I've want to mate you because you are my mate and I want to have you writhing underneath me, not just to simply ensure your safety."

"That's exactly what I want, too, Ulric. I'm ready," she said while running her thumb over his lips. "Please."

Ulric shifted so he was above her, holding his body weight on his arms so he didn't crush her. "Are you sure?" He asked. He wanted perfect clarity, he didn't want her to regret it or feel as though he forced himself onto her.

"Perfectly sure," she responded. Waves of nervousness splashed around her stomach, but she wasn't afraid. She would never be afraid of him. She just wasn't sure what to expect. How badly would it hurt, would he enjoy it, would she enjoy it? All of these questions rang around in her head.

"I bought this box just in case I couldn't resist you here," he said, reaching over to the nightstand and pulling a box from the drawer.

He pulled a vampire grade condom from the box and she watched as he slid it onto his member. She had to squeeze her legs together as she watched his movements. When he was done, he slightly nudged her legs open and inserted a finger into her, eliciting a gasp from Amaryllis.

"You're still as wet as you were when I left you," he commented.

"Is that good?" She asked.

"It means that we don't need foreplay to get you wet enough to take me. Don't worry, you're more than wet enough. I made sure of that," he said with a smirk.

"You're a very cocky man," Amaryllis said. Ulric chuckled and moved up her body. "Yes, I am."

He pushed her legs apart with his knees. "Are you ready?" He asked once more with his chest almost laying against hers and one hand beside her head while the other held his cock.

"Yes," she whispered and gave a confident nod.

He slid the mushroom head along her slit until he found her entrance. When Amaryllis felt his tip move, she gripped his arm in her hand. "Relax, love," Ulric said. She realized how tense she was and quickly relaxed her body, still gripping his arm.

"Good," he said when he felt her relax. Then, he gently pushed his tip through her virgin entrance. He stopped once the head was in between her walls, allowing her a moment to get used to him.

"I'm going to move, okay?" Ulric said after a few moments. His voice was strained and Amaryllis realized how tense his body was. He was holding back from his most primal urges for her. Her love for him grew.

"Yes," she said.

He moved in slightly, allowing her time to adjust before he slid his full member inside of her. She moaned uncomfortably from the sensation. It wasn't excruciating pain, but it wasn't painless either. It was an uncomfortable soreness that didn't feel very good.

Once he was inside her, he brought his other arm to rest near her head. She let go of his forearm and brought her hands to his face. His black eyes stared into her own as she traced the crevices of his face. After a few moments of adjusting to his large size, she nodded. Ulric bent his head, kissing her lips before slowly pulling out and thrusting back in.

Soon enough, the pain started to mix with pleasure as he thrust into her. She started to moan as the friction between their bodies replaced the achiness. She wrapped her arms tightly against his back as his thrusts increased.

"Ohh," she cried as the pain completely disappeared and all she felt was pleasure caused by her mate. "Fuck," Ulric grunted above her, releasing a moan. Hearing his moans stirred up a hungry desire within her body.

"You're so fucking tight," he said, thrusting into her.

She dug her nails into his back as he brought a hand to her center. He rubbed his thumb once more against the little bundle of nerves. "Ulric!" She moaned his name.

Amaryllis's moans heightened in sound and increased as she neared orgasm, as did Ulric's moaning and the string of cuss words. She felt him tilt her head slightly before he placed his head between her neck and shoulder.

"So tight," he said again, loving the sensation of her walls clamping against him.

"Ulric I think I coming!" She exclaimed, never feeling something so divinely intimate before.

"Let it happen, little mate," he grunted with his fangs against her neck. Right before they both released together, Ulric bit into Amaryllis's neck, completing the last step of their bond. He pulled his fangs from her skin after the last spurt of cum erupted from his body.

"Mmmhhh," Amaryllis moaned after releasing around her mate. She loved the feeling of him inside her, moving around, bringing them both pleasure.

Ulric placed his forehead against hers. Tilting her head up, she kissed him. He pushed his tongue passed her lips and kissed her tongue with his. He pulled away when he thought she needed to catch a breath.

Ulric pulled out of her, causing her to whimper at the emptiness and a slight tingle of pain. Then he took the condom off, throwing it in the trash, before laying on his side like he did earlier. They both wrapped their arms around each other, feeling more connected than ever before.

"Do you feel different?" Amaryllis asked.

"I feel much more connected to you than before. It's like you are a part of my body. I can feel your emotions," he answered.

"Wait, you can feel my emotions?" She asked.

"Yeah, you can feel mine too."

"So is that what I feel right now? I feel more connected to you as well and I also feel this sensation that isn't my own, but it's a part of me. Is that your emotions?"

"Yes, it's interesting isn't it."

She nodded. "It's very... intimate."

"How are you feeling," Ulric asked. "I hope I did not hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me. I feel wonderful, Ulric. I'm kind of sore, but it's not bad. How do you feel?"

"Amazing," he answered.

Amaryllis snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder with one arm slung around his side. "I love you," he said to her before she fell asleep in his embrace. "I love you too," she replied.