by Alicia Banks
“Another part of you?”
“Yeah, the part that is just a little bit feral.”
“Well, whatever it was, that was a lot. I don't know if I'll be able to look you in the eyes for a while. Your feral side is a bit much.”
“Wait until tonight, and I will make you feel all of that with my mouth. Make you beg for more again.”
Cassandra shifted uncomfortably and Antoine just laughed a little louder. Cassandra was having a real hard time with the conversation, but it seemed to be right up his alley. Cassandra didn’t do those kinds of things and she certainly didn’t talk about it.
“Why do you say those kinds of things to me?”
“Probably because I like the way you get goosebumps on your arms and I like how nervous you get. I like that I make you nervous. I like that with a few touches, I can have you screaming out my name. It definitely gives me a feeling of power.”
“And that's why you like it?”
He got serious for a moment, handing her some honey for her biscuits.
“No, it has nothing to do with the power. You are actually the one in control, so you have the power. I’ve never had a girl make me feel the things that you do.”
“So, if you lose power to me, why do you like it? You seem to be a man that wants to keep control.”
“Because you feel so damn good.”
“Does it always do that thing, right at the end?”
“What thing right at the end?”
“You know, where it gets bigger?”
“I don't think it gets bigger.”
She shook her head adamantly to the contrary. “No, trust me. It got bigger. I don't remember that from before, and I didn't think that that was actually a thing. Is it just you, or do other guys do that, too?”
He frowned at that. “Are you already thinking about other men?”
She hitched her breath and just kind of shook her head. “Wow, that happened fast.”
“What?”
“That idiot jealousy thing that you guys do sometimes. I mean, that happened quickly tonight. Just the mention of another guy and you’re right there.”
He didn't say much to that and granted, there wasn't much to say. It wasn't like she was asking a question. It was merely an observation, and whether he wanted to hear it or not, it was still true. Cassandra had too much experience with envious men.
“It would be quite hard not to be jealous of you, Cassandra. I think I am jealous of any man that has ever kissed you or touched you before in their life. Maybe I'm even envious of men that have looked upon you. Now that you’re mine, I never want anyone to look at you like that again. I don't know if I'd be able to take it.”
“Since I'm yours?”
She giggled a little bit because she thought it was funny. She thought he said it like it was a joke, but he was far more serious than she thought he would be. “Yes, Cassandra, you're mine now. I can't be with you in that way and not have you as my own.”
Still, she was laughing a little bit, making light of it, but he got very serious, very quickly.
“I'm not joking, Cassandra. You’re mine now.”
“Don't you think that I'm supposed to have a say in it?”
“You had a say in it, when you were naked when I came in. You were pushing for this, and I'm telling you now, that you got it.”
Cassandra didn’t really feel like she had won anything. If anything, it was like she was being put in her place. Cassandra had never liked that. She refused to talk about it anymore. Cassandra didn’t know what he meant by her being his, and he didn’t elaborate. Instead, he just looked at her amused, and knowing she was mad, he just smiled.
“Why are you smiling like an idiot?”
“Because I’m thinking about in a little while what’s going to happen when we go to bed.”
“Yeah? What’s that going to be?”
He grinned and leaned a bit closer, like he had some great conspiracy to tell her.
“I’m going to lick every inch of you, Cassandra, that’s what.”
She shivered and looked away. All he did was laugh at her red face and Cassandra wanted to deny it, tell him no. She knew that she wasn’t going to, though. How could she say no to him? Why would she want to?
Cassandra sat back and didn’t say a word. That was even funnier to him and she sighed loudly. “You know, you can say I’m yours all you want to, but you keep it up, you’ll be sleeping alone.”
That shut him up and it was Cassandra’s turn to laugh. It was so fast, and she found it hilarious.
“You’re mean. You aim straight for the jugular.”
“Thought you’d see things my way.”
He grinned. “You can claim the win for now, but we both know that once I get my hands on you, Cassandra, I’ll be the one that gets my way.”
Cassandra knew he was right, and she tried to deny it, but it felt like a lie, even to her own ears. The bravado was false and that was obvious, too. Her body shook with thoughts of what his hands and mouth could do.
***
Before Cassandra could find out what Antoine had in mind, Antoine got a call on his satellite phone and moments later, he was getting dressed and saying that he had to leave. He had on light clothes and she couldn’t believe that he wasn’t going to take a heavy coat. It was freezing outside. When she mentioned it, he told her that he didn’t feel the cold.
He gave her a kiss and told her he would be back as soon as he could be. She wanted to ask questions of where he would be, but she’d learned quickly that he was a private man, and she wasn’t going to push it. There was no point. Cassandra just knew deep down that he would be back soon. He wanted her and getting back to her was a real incentive that she didn’t mind using.
That left her in the cabin by herself. It was not something that was very strange anymore. She spent a lot of time there by herself because he was always so busy, doing this and that. She wasn't really sure what it was he did, just that he was gone more than he was there. After what happened at the office, Cassandra didn't really question much of anything. He had warned her that there was danger in their lives. Cassandra trusted Antoine to keep her safe. Maybe she shouldn't, she didn't even know him that well, but she did.
Cassandra went into Antoine's room and looked through the drawings. There were several of them that made her pause. They were pictures of her, many pictures of her. As she worked her way down the disorganized pile on the table, she saw a couple with dragons that caught her eye. Antoine did not really draw fanciful things, but real-life subjects. Pictures of dragons were strange to be in the midst of the rest of his drawings. They stood out, because they were so lifelike, like all the rest of them. But how could a dragon be lifelike?
Even weirder still was the fact that Cassandra recognized the dragon. It was the same one that was constantly in her dreams. The one that turned into a man and made love to her. How could he know what the dream dragon looked like?
It was hard for her to really think about it. She could feel her face getting red and she was thankful that she was alone. He probably wouldn't like her in his bedroom, anyway. He was very secretive, but Cassandra knew that she would not be able to stop herself from asking about the dragons.
The drawings were done so well. So much care was put into each scale and since it was just like the one in her dream, she had to wonder if that was a coincidence or not. Maybe he had dreams about them just like she did? If that were the case, what would that even mean?
She looked around a little bit more, but the dragon drawings were probably the most interesting thing she could find. There were a few old books, but they were written in a language that she didn't even understand, so she couldn't tell for sure how important they were. All she knew for certain was the fact that she was there. There had been a buildup of desire between the two of them all day and she had been looking forward to turning that into something good.
Cassandra started the bath. It wasn't the end of the day and she wasn't even dirty, but Cassandra
needed some relaxation time. A tub of bubbles and hot water sounded like just the cure for what ailed her. If that couldn't calm her down, nothing else would.
She tried to push it all out of her mind. She tried her best to calm herself and be patient, waiting for Antoine to come back. He said he was going to be a while though, so Cassandra didn’t have a choice. She was going to have to exercise some of that patience that was never enough.
Her head was back, her body submerged in the water. Cassandra was almost asleep when she heard the front door open. Her mind went to Antoine, who else would it be? She called to him, asking him why he was back so soon.
Cassandra was waiting for an answer and she sat up. She made sure her breasts were out and exposed, knowing how much he liked to see her like that. Cassandra was ready for more attention, even if she was still struggling to get over what had happened before. She was still devastated by the way he looked at her and when he was inside of her, it was like nothing she’d ever felt before.
Her face fell when she saw someone else there. It wasn’t Antoine smiling down at her from the door. She moved to cover herself, but there was no use.
“Well, well, well. What do we have here? It looks like we have a pretty little human, hiding in the bathtub.”
Human?
“I wasn’t hiding, I was taking a bath. Who are you guys? Get out of here!”
She tried to sound indignant, but she just sounded scared, instead. Cassandra had three guys in the bathroom doorway, and they were all leering at her in the worst way possible. She couldn’t even look. She didn’t want to see what she knew was going to be there. Her mind refused to even consider that an option.
“You should leave now. My husband will be home any minute.”
“Yet, you just said that he was back early.”
The man talking was handsome and he knew it. He was grinning at her and looking through the bubbles that were no longer very good coverage. She felt just about as naked as she was.
“Please, let me get dressed and I will get out.”
The tall guy that introduced himself as Gill sauntered into the room, asking her why she was there.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, Antoine doesn’t like women for more than a night, and certainly not a human. So, why are you here?”
Again, she caught that he said human in a strange way, but she didn’t like him calling her a liar. She didn’t know what to do. Gill was getting closer to the edge of the tub. He sat down on the edge, flicking his finger in the water.
“So, I have to ask, what makes you so special?”
His dark brown eyes were on her heavily and she tried to pull her attention away. He held her there, full lips smiling. “Yes, that’s what I want to know. What makes you so special that Antoine dragged a damn human off to his cabin? You really must be something. I think I might like try you out and see.”
Chapter 12
Antoine
Since Antoine had gotten his mind clear with Cassandra, the next day the only thing on his ‘To Do List’ was to take care of Nathan's enemies. They had become not just a problem to his friend, but a problem to him as well. They had found his office and they had done several attacks on people that he knew. The only way forward was to cut down the enemy and help Nathan take his rightful place as leader. Then, he would be able to settle down any more factions against him, creating peace instead of war that everyone was tired of. It was one of the reasons that Antoine had shunned so many of his kind. They had a thirst for warring that he never had. He was good at it, killing and dominance, but that didn’t mean that he liked to do it.
The two men attacked some of the last remaining people that had once run Fire Island. Some of them conceded and were more than happy to just be a spectator or a civilian. About half of them gave up their place, knowing Nathan was the true king.
Since Antoine avoided violence, he was happy that so many had decided to step down and walk away from the fight. Many others did not, though. It made violence necessary again, for that night.
It might have seemed brutal, but there was no halfway. They either had to bend or they were killed. It was just that simple and many still didn’t want to bend. Antoine knew that they would break, and he also knew that he would not enjoy one bit of it. And he didn’t.
He was on his way back home, leaving Nathan to go to his own place. Nathan had a bit of a ways to travel, so they separated much quicker than usual. His friend was eager to get home to his new wife. Antoine was eager to get home to Cassandra as well. They still had to have a conversation, the one where he explained a little bit about his customs and how their first time together changed everything. She was going to need to know that there was no going back.
They were mated and even when all of it was said and done, nothing was going to go back to the way it was. He couldn’t even imagine what it would be like not to be with her all the time. Antoine hadn’t lived with a woman like that, but they already were, and it felt natural. He hoped it to be more of the same. He was optimistic of the future, something that scared him, merely because it was a lot harder to fall, as high up as he was.
Antoine was in good spirits, even considering that he had to kill several people and that was something that he never liked to do. Even that in the back of his mind wasn’t enough to ruin the anticipation that he had for Cassandra. She was so close and once he got to his place, all he thought about was sliding deep inside of her and making her beg again. It was the sweetest sound.
He was so lost in thought that he missed the smell coming in. It was strong, acrid almost in his nostrils. How could he have missed that? As soon as he touched down, he smelled the other shifters there, and he instantly knew that it was an enemy. Nathan was gone, and no one else that he liked would come out in the middle of the day without saying something first. It was more than one shifter, as well.
Antoine worried about Cassandra being there with them and he shifted to his human form, hoping that he had a secret to keep still, as well as a mate to love. He should have gone in with caution, but that went out the window as soon as he got closer. Considering that it probably wasn't somebody that he got along with, it made him realize that there was a lot that could go wrong.
When he got to the door, it was open, and it looked like they had just walked in. It didn't take that much of a guess to realize that the visitors were most likely there because of Nathan's drama. They had attacked them earlier this evening, and the people there now must have been away when the attack occurred. If not, they would be dead now.
He wanted to call to Cassandra and make sure that she was alright, but he didn't want to give away his position, either. There was obviously somebody else there with her and he did not want them to know that he was there. Whoever it was, it would obviously be better if he was able to get the jump on them.
That's what he told himself, until he heard the man in the bathroom talking to his mate, telling her how special she must be and how he wanted to find out what she was so special for. There was fear in her voice, and he couldn’t let it happen any longer. Antoine wasn’t going to be able to sit by and let it happen. Instead, he went forward, dropping one guy from behind and breaking his neck, before he got behind another guy, and was about to do the same.
“Antoine, there you are.”
“You are here for me?”
“Of course, we are. What else would I be doing here?”
“I don't know, it looks like you’re messing with an innocent woman at the moment.”
Gills smiled. “I don't think that this one is all that innocent. If she is, she is lying to you. She seems like the type that can get real wild and nasty. I keep trying to get her to come out of the bathtub, but she refuses. Let's see if she refuses you.”
He could see that Cassandra was upset. She was not used to that sort of treatment and Antoine hated that someone else was messing with her in such a way. She didn't deserve it.
“Leave her alone. Your beef is with me, not w
ith her.”
“It doesn't matter to me. As soon as I take care of you, I'm going to come back and take care of her. Do you really think that I could walk in on this woman in the bath and not try something? Are you that immune to her beauty? Have you had it for so long you are not as grateful as you should be?”
“Trust me when I tell you that I am definitely very aware of how great she is.”
The man wasn't all that happy with Antoine's answer. Antoine didn't really care, though. He was too worried about getting that guy away from Cassandra. The second guy was still in his grip and he wanted to break his neck, just to take out one less person to fight later. It obviously wasn’t ideal with Cassandra looking on, but neither was that man putting his hands all over her, either.
“Why don't you just let her go? There is no need to keep this going.”
“Like I said before, if you want to die first, that's fine. But if you think that I am going to let this little minx out of my sight for even a moment, you're not as smart as you think you are. As soon as I let her out of my sight, she's going to run, and I know it. I can't let that happen.”
“She's just a human. What would she do to you?”
He looked at Antoine and smiled. “I would imagine that it would be the same that you are getting out of her. She is quite the lovely thing, so don’t act like you don't know exactly what a beautiful woman like her is for.”
“She's already claimed. You can't touch her.”
“You claimed her? You actually claimed a human? Your beast claimed her?”
“Like you said, look at her. It was a no-brainer.”
Gill was not happy with that information. He obviously did not want to be denied the pleasure of her company.
“Well, it doesn't matter. You will die and then it won’t matter.”
Cassandra was not one to sit idly by. She stood up from the bathtub. They were talking about her like she wasn’t even there and that obviously upset her, enough that she used sheer shock to get out of the thick of things.
“I do not belong to anybody and nobody is going to have me. Antoine, will you please take care of these two? I need to go get dressed. It's freezing in here. You have left the door open.”