Soraya awoke with the essence of a dream slipping from her mind and tiny sparks dancing across her skin. As she came to, she was thankful that the pounding headaches she was so used to waking up with were, for once, wonderfully absent.

  Blinking her eyes open slowly, she lay still for a moment, taking stock of her body’s sensations. At first, she felt a soft buzzing energy tingling through her limbs, but it was soon overshadowed by a more insistent, distracting sensation. A low hum of need pulsed through her core, squeezing around a gnawing emptiness that made her ache with desire.

  She bit back a groan and drew in a shaky breath to help calm herself down, but it only made things worse. The sweet, intoxicating scent of crisp berries and spiced pine flooded her senses, making her mouth water and her already throbbing pussy spasm. A fresh wave of wetness pooled in her thong, and her throat clicked as she tried to swallow against its dryness. Switching to breathing through her mouth helped slightly, dampening the paralyzing arousal. After a couple of deep, scent-deprived breaths, she finally felt able to move.

  Cautiously, she sat up, but even that slight motion sent an unyielding flash of arousal shooting up her spine and knocking the breath from her lungs.

  She choked back a curse, knowing her needs couldn’t be ignored for much longer. Her damned libido was trying to kill her early in the morning. The sun wasn’t even up, for mercy’s sake.

  Reaching out a hand, she fumbled for the side of her dresser, searching for her vibrator except…her nightstand wasn’t there. Confused, she sat up—gingerly—in bed, trying to spread her legs to avoid brushing her increasingly sensitive clit against anything. Her hand flailed in the open air where her nightstand should have been…but it wasn’t there.

  She blinked.

  As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, realization dawned. She wasn’t in her room.

  She had woken up in another hotel.

  This is really getting out of hand, she groaned to herself.

  Throwing back the covers, she bit the inside of her cheek to quell her desires and quickly stood out of the comfortable bed. A long black cloak slid off her and pooled onto the floor in the process. Still breathing through her mouth, she could practically taste the sweet berries on her tongue, and a sudden wave of dizziness made her head spin. She slammed her eyes shut, feeling her knees weaken and her core clench, and she stood still until the sensation passed before opening her eyes again.

  The room she found herself in was about the size of a standard hotel room—nothing big or grand. It had cream-painted walls, a four-poster bed, a dresser pushed against the wall, and a set of fogged-over glass double doors that likely led out to a small balcony.

  She looked down at her fully clothed body and realized that she hadn’t been up to anything nefarious lately. Which would explain her throbbing sex. She could use a good round of—

  Shaking her head of all thoughts that belonged in the gutter, she determined it was time to go back to her apartment, even as her gut clenched at the idea.

  Looking around the room, she spotted her sneakers by the door. Ignoring the way both her gut and pussy clenched in protest, she walked over and slipped her shoes on. She patted the pocket of her leggings and found her phone still there. When she pulled it out, she frowned at the dead screen.

  Perfect.

  She would have to walk home from wherever she’d ended up.

  As she glanced around the empty room, a strange sense of déjà vu washed over her. Shrugging it off, she was about to make her exit when she caught a glimpse of a figure behind the fogged glass doors. From the silhouette, she could tell it was a man by his broad back.

  Soraya bit her lip. She recalled eating and drinking all of his food, and…had gotten a little too tipsy on the wine, judging by her hazy memories. He must have taken her back to his hotel room to look after her. Like any decent person would, though it couldn’t have been easy.

  Her heart warmed at the thought. He even removed her shoes for her.

  She should say goodbye to him before leaving—and if it led to something more…well, all the better. Her pussy throbbed in agreement.

  But just as she took a step in his direction, she noticed the way he was hunched over the railing, head down. As if the weight of the world was resting on his shoulders. Soraya knew that feeling all too well, and she certainly wouldn’t have wanted to be bothered in that state.

  Guilt settled heavily on her chest. Here he was, dealing with his own burdens, and on top of it all, he’d had to take care of her sloppy, drunk ass when he didn’t owe her a thing. And now, she was standing in his room, breathing through her mouth like some kind of creep ogling him.

  She couldn’t even pay him back for the food, and she’d taken his only bed for the night. Embarrassment heated her cheeks. She hated the thought of being someone else’s burden.

  As quietly as she could, Soraya slipped out of the room, finally allowing herself to breathe through her nose again.

  She found herself in a wood-paneled hallway. It was short, with only one exit, so she turned left and followed it until it led her to a curved staircase. A soft light glowed at the bottom, guiding her way.

  When she reached the final step, she looked around what appeared to be a small reception area. A desk was tucked beneath the narrow staircase, and a lone lamp with a white shade cast a soft glow over the space. On either side of her, purple curtains hung over doorways leading to dark rooms. Soraya wasn’t in the mood to explore, and there was no need to—the front door was right in front of her.

  She made a swift exit and found herself in an alley lined with scattered wooden crates. Stepping down onto the cobblestone, she glanced right, then left, trying to gauge which direction would lead her home—hopefully not too far away.

  Soraya sucked in a breath of salty air that tingled as it filled her lungs, then exhaled slowly, steeling herself for the walk ahead. By the smell of it, she was close to Santa Monica. If that were the case, she’d have to head back upstairs and bother the stranger for a charger. She really didn’t think this through. But at least the mind-numbing arousal she’d woken up with had faded to a dull throb.

  As she stood there contemplating her next move, a voice called out, startling her.

  “And where are you going?” a raspy voice asked.

  Her heart pounding, she glanced up and spotted a familiar figure leaning over an iron railing, looking down at her. Of course, she thought. The balcony faces the alleyway.

  Caught off guard and unsure what to say after being caught sneaking out, she licked her lips and replied, “I’m trying to get home.”

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  He tilted his head to the side, his white hair glinting in the moonlight. He was still wearing his costume. “Where is your home?”

  “It’s by the university, close to downtown L.A.,” she said, a hint of hope in her voice. “I don’t suppose we’re close to there.”

  His eyebrow quirked up. “Never heard of the place.”

  A shiver shot down her spine. His raspy voice stoked the fire in her core, but she managed to hold it at bay. Clenching her thighs together, she opened her mouth to respond—but then his words registered. Had he just said he’d never heard of L.A. before?

  “You’ve never heard of downtown L.A.?” she asked, incredulous. She’d never met anyone who didn’t know L.A. Was that arrogant of her? Probably.

  Instead of responding, he simply leaped over the iron railing of the balcony and landed right beside her.

  Soraya blinked, all thoughts flying from her mind. “Wow…that was…” she trailed off as the scent of those damned berries and spices gripped her senses. He straightened to his full height, pinning her place with his golden eyes. As he stepped closer, she realized he was the source of that intoxicating, mind-numbing scent, and it hit her like a ton of bricks square in the chest.

  Her mouth parted, and her breath hitched as that familiar throbbing sensation ignited a fire between her legs, sending an inferno sweeping through her entire body. Her cheeks flushed as she felt her own wetness begin to drip out of her.

  Looking up at him, the rest of the world seemed to slip away until he was all she could see. He looked just as disoriented as she felt. His throat worked as he swallowed hard, and his eyes grew heavy, his gaze darting to her parted lips.

  It felt like she was paralyzed, unable to do anything but watch as he raised a hand to brush against her lips. That simple touch burned her.

  Soraya made a sound in the back of her throat, and the next thing she knew, he was leaning down, brushing his mouth against hers until their lips sealed together. The kiss was soft and coaxing, and a tingling, electrifying sensation began to dance across her skin.

  God, he tastes good.

  The flavor of him consumed her, and before she could stop herself, her wandering hands found their way to his chest, then lower. Through the coarse fabric of his shirt, she could feel the defined lines of every muscle on his chest and stomach.

  He made a low, pleased sound, and placing one hand on her neck, he gripped her gently and pulled her back slightly to break the kiss. With nothing short of pure control, he managed to say in a voice thick with gravel, “Well, someone’s needy. Is there something you want, love?”

  Since he’d asked, she wordlessly moved her hands down to his belt and slipped them under his shirt. When her fingertips brushed against his velvet-soft skin, she felt his stomach tense, his breath coming out ragged. That shut him up.

  Soraya licked her lips and looked up at him imploringly, just as a spicier, smokier scent of berries and pine mingled together in a deadly mix that sent her hormones into a frenzy.

  She captured his lips again, biting down on his plush bottom lip.

  His voice was husky and breathless as she suckled on his now bruised lip. “There’s a nice bed upstairs.” She could hear him swallow. “Don’t suppose you would want to—“

  Before he could say another word, she kissed him again, slicking her tongue into his open mouth. He groaned. She wanted more. Her hands traveled across his stomach, reveling in the feel of his skin underneath her fingertips, then slid lower until they settled on his belt.

  “Needy, if you do that I—“ He gritted his teeth, as she tugged on his belt. The sound of him unraveling under her touch was pleasing to her ears, but it wasn’t until he finally put his hands on her that she felt truly victorious.

  Both his hands wrapped around her ribcage as he took control of the kiss. His tongue swept into her mouth, and she sucked on it, earning another low groan from him. All the while, her hands fumbled with his belt, unsure how to undo it—until she felt the leather slipping free on its own.

  Without a second thought, her hand reached inside, and her core clenched as her fingers wrapped around the hard length of him.

  He broke the kiss, spitting a low curse as she stroked him. She could feel the veins bulging along his shaft, and she moaned softly. Soraya could also feel her pussy soaking through her thong—and most likely straight through to her leggings.

  With unfocused eyes, she looked up into his wild ones, and he seemed to understand exactly what she needed. He backed her up until her back hit the alley wall, and in a blink, he spun her around and pressed her back firmly to his front. A protest was on the tip of her tongue but died when his hand cupped her cunt.

  “Are you sure this is what you want?” he whispered into her ear, his voice rough.

  She turned her head to catch his mouth in a kiss, her answer clear. Yes.

  Without another word, his thumbs hooked into her leggings, and in one swift motion, he shoved them down along with her thong, leaving them stretched around her thighs. She gasped as she felt his scorching palm cupping her now bare pussy. His fingers played in her slick, stroking them up and down her dripping seam while his palm grounded down on her clit.

  Stars burst behind her eyes as she desperately tried to push down on his fingers, but he denied her, teasing her higher and higher until a short, sharp orgasm ripped through her unexpectedly. A fresh wave of wetness gushed onto his waiting fingers and dripped down her trembling thighs.

  “That wasn’t enough—was it, needy girl?” he taunted, his voice dripping with sex.

  A frustrated, keening sound escaped her lips. It wasn’t enough.

  Without warning, his other hand gripped the back of her neck and bent her over until her hands shot out to brace against the brick wall in front of her.

  She felt him spread her ass with his fingers, and then the head of his cock pressed against her entrance. She pushed back, and he allowed her to spear her pussy on the tip of his cock, but he wrapped his hands around her hips to keep her from going any deeper.

  Panting and out of breath, Soraya’s head spun as her entire focus narrowed down to the hot, hard tip of him, sliding back and forth through her drenched folds. Her mind reeled, her legs shook, and she barely pulled herself together long enough to look back at him and form a single, desperate word: “Please.”

  His eyes locked onto hers, and with one swift, powerful thrust, he bottomed out inside her.

  Soraya opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out as the raw sensation of him inside her consumed her entirely. He gave her a moment to adjust to his size before slowly dragging his cock out and slamming it back in. The sharp slap of their bodies colliding echoed in the alley. Still, he wasn’t going as fast as she needed. She tried to push back against him, but his grip tightened on her hips, holding her steady.

  He pulled out slowly, then slammed back into her, repeating the motion until a frustrated shout tore from her throat. An answering chuckle met her ears before he settled into a slow, steady rhythm. Then, like rolling thunder, he gradually built up the pace, thrusting harder and faster until he was fucking her into the brick wall. Even still…

  She needed more.

  “Fuck, Needy,” he groaned behind her as he slammed all the way into her. She moaned and clenched around his cock as he plunged in and out of her at a brutal pace. The sound of his hips pounding into her bent-over form echoed up and down the alley they were fucking in.

  She didn’t know how she ended up like this. Was it early onset compulsive sexual behavior disorder? Had the stress of the last couple of hours finally gotten to her? She didn’t know, and she didn’t care. Not as he hit that sweet fucking spot inside her over and over and over again, making her whole body shudder with the force of his thrusts. It took everything to hold herself up, palms flat against the brick wall in front of her. Her legs spread apart, as much as her leggings pulled down around her thighs allowed it.

  Moaning louder, she pushed her ass back on him just as he slammed back in. He hissed, tightening his already too-tight grip on her hips. “Fuck.” His deep male voice did things to her. She was panting, saliva dribbling from the corner of her mouth. She was not in control, not in the slightest.

  Dropping her head down, unable to keep it up any longer, she looked between her thighs. She watched as his thick shaft slipped in and out of her—her slick cum coating his hard erection. She watched as strings of her arousal dripped down from the mess he was making of her pussy, right into the red-laced thong she had worn when she’d fucked another stranger early that morning.

  When she moaned next, it nearly came out as a scream when a powerful orgasm blasted her apart, splitting her wide open and laying everything bare—for a stranger.

  She couldn’t even remember his name.

  Blinking away the stars in her vision, Soraya barely registered a deep voice drawling somewhere behind them, “I always knew you were a bastard, Raziel—but fucking in an alleyway? This is beneath even you.”

  Great. Caught with her pants around her thighs and a stranger’s cock seated deep inside her. Soraya never thought she would have an audience to witness her descent into becoming a full-fledged whore. The part that killed her the most? She didn’t hate it.

  She needed more.