“Okay, you’re right. It’s just a lot to take in all at once.”
“Yeah, I get that.”
And then he tugged at her hand, and they were off again.
They ran through the alleys, and while he probably could have stolen a car or something to get them there faster, he didn’t want to risk it. The humans had no part in this. He didn’t want them to have to deal with a stolen vehicle or motorcycle if he took one.
They kept going, even as Poppy lagged behind him. She had to be exhausted, using that much power to turn another gorgon to stone, and she had said that she was tired before the battle. He could pick her up and carry her, but then his hands wouldn’t be free to fight if needed.
By the time they got to Malik’s place, he knew Poppy wouldn’t be able to see it, but he could. He was Pack. He could sense the home behind the wards. So, he sliced his hand using his claw, even as Poppy gasped beside him. Then he slid his palm along the wards, creating a doorway. He pulled Poppy through as he closed the opening behind them.
“That was…I’ve never seen that kind of magic.”
“It’s Pack magic. Others have it, too. Do the gorgons?”
She shook her head. “The gorgons don’t have much. They’re so secretive that they don’t evolve in powers and magic or align in treaties with others. They keep trying to find new Medusas so they can replenish their powers, but we’re dying out. Centuries of forgetting the rest of the world. We’re dying.”
“You’re not dying today.”
“I feel like I just might.”
Alarmed, he moved forward. “What is it?”
“You’re not supposed to turn another gorgon to stone. It hurts, takes more out of you. She slid her hand over her hair, now under full glamour. “My snakes are sleeping. They’re exhausted, too. They’ll be fine, but we need to rest.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do.”
He pulled her inside, locked the doors behind them, and checked the security system. Magic and technology didn’t always work together, but in their safe houses, they had found a way. Malik was a genius at protecting what was his.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for saving me. I hate that I couldn’t save myself.”
His gaze was on her, his jaguar rising to the surface again. She didn’t move back, though, and he was grateful for that. “You did everything you could, and you saved me. I was able to do what I did because you were there. I wasn’t alone, and you fought. I can teach you self-defense. I can teach you how to use more than your powers. And you’ll learn. But don’t negate the power that you have.”
“You want to teach me?”
“Of course, I do. You’re my mate.” And before he could stop himself, his hands were on her face, her silver eyes wide, and his mouth was on hers. Consequences be damned.
Chapter 4
Poppy’s body shook, but it had nothing to do with the escape, the bombing, the fights, or the other gorgons. No, it had everything to do with the man in front of her, the jaguar who held her close, his hands on her face, and his mouth on hers.
She shuddered in his touch, wanting more, craving him. She didn’t have an animal inside her, didn’t have a beast clawing its way through her in order to escape. She was that beast. She was a Medusa, and the magic within her pulsated, arcing out of her so it could wrap around the man in front of her.
Her glamour fell, and she heard her snakes hissing, moving around her head as they stared at Jonah. She pulled away, gasping. She never lost control like this. She could have hurt him or someone else just then. If they had been in public? No, she didn’t want to think of what could have happened. She’d have to remember that part of her control, make it rote.
Jonah looked at her snakes and laughed. “I’ve never kissed a Medusa before, should I introduce myself to them, as well?”
“Are you making fun of me?”
He shook his head. “I’m not making fun of you at all. I don’t know the proper etiquette, just like I wouldn’t know the proper etiquette for kissing a dragon.”
“So, you and Dante never kissed?”
Jonah threw back his head and laughed. He was beautiful when he did that. “First, pretty sure that dragon could kill me with one single bite. Second, his mates could do far worse.”
“That is true. As for my snakes, no, they do not have names, but they are mine.” She slid her hands through them, and they coiled around her. “They’re not pure reptilian. They’re a part of me. It’s hard to explain. They feel what I feel, even though they do have personalities of their own.”
“So, you don’t have like a sled of puppies on your head, as Penelope would say.” He said it softly, and it made her smile. Apparently, he knew she was nervous. She’d spoken of her snakes before. They were part of her, but she’d been forced to hide them even within the gorgon realm. It was hard to let go of those secrets, even to a man that she knew deep down would never betray her.
She smiled, though, thinking of baby Penelope. “No, I don’t. No sleds here. I haven’t named them truly. Others have, but mine are just a part of me. They haven’t wanted names yet, if that makes sense.” She paused. “But I think they like you.”
He studied her snakes, his jaguar in his eyes. “The one on the right coiled around my wrist when you were passed out after the attack.”
“I figured. That one likes to wrap around wrists and other things...mostly because it can strangle.”
He arched a brow, but there was still laughter in his eyes. “That’s good to know.”
“They’re a part of me, and I can put the glamour back up.” She ran her hand over her snakes, and they slithered along her palm.
“You don’t need to wear a glamour if you don’t want to.”
“Maybe not, but they might be in the way.” She caressed her snakes, mostly to make sure they knew they weren’t in trouble, even if they would have been able to feel it from her directly. Then she turned her glamour back on so she was only skin, and hair, and nerves.
“What are we doing?” she whispered after a moment of silence. Not awkward, but filled with moments. Anticipation.
“Living.” A simple answer that was anything but simple.
“I don’t know what to feel. I’ve never felt like this before in my life.”
“I don’t think you were supposed to. I’m your one and only.”
“I don’t even know you.”
“You could. Here.” He rubbed his fist over his heart.
“If we do this, we’ll be bonded for eternity. There’s no going back,” Poppy said, swallowing hard.
“And I know we should take time and not rush into it. I know we should figure out exactly who we are, but I want to know more. I want this. And I know it’s fate pushing at us, and it makes no sense, but I’m going to protect you till the end of my days.”
“You don’t even know me,” Poppy said, laughing.
“I would protect you even if you weren’t my mate. Because I protect the innocent.”
She shook her head. “I’m not innocent.”
“You are. But it’ll take more than my words to make you believe that. Until then…we wait. We wait to bond. We figure out who we are, but first, we need to protect you.”
She let out a shaky breath, needing to do something but unsure what to say. “Will you teach me how to fight?”
Jonah nodded. “First, let’s teach you how to punch. Do not tuck your thumb in.”
“I thought that was the best way to do it,” she said, looking down at her fist.
“Like I said, that’s the best way to break your thumb.”
“Oh.”
He slid behind her, and she sucked in a breath, the heat of him almost too much.
“This might be a bad idea,” she whispered, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, the growl in his chest reverberated through her.
She could feel her snakes quivering above her head, and she knew they wanted this as much as she did. More like they wanted emotion, and she
was the one who gave it to them. In a weird Medusa way, but that was who she was.
“Okay, how do I punch?”
He was right next to her ear. “You have to move your body with it, not just your arm.”
“Show me.”
It wasn’t a question, but thankfully, he did. He moved with her, showing her the motion, and she did her best not to tuck her thumb into her fist.
He had one hand on her hip, his front pressed firmly to her back. She could feel the long, thick ridge of his erection, and she swallowed hard.
He moved away then, and she turned in his arms, even as she let out a shaky breath. “We’re not going to bond tonight,” he whispered.
“Is that a euphemism?” she asked, and he laughed.
“We’re not going to have sex. We’re not going to bond. We’re going to get to know each other. We’re going to stay safe behind these wards.”
She couldn’t focus, but she knew it was the right decision. “Who are you, Jonah? Other than the man from the bar that saved my life more than once tonight.”
“I’m a jaguar, a soldier, and, if we dive into fate, I could be your mate.”
“And you’re not going to tell me? The stories.”
He looked down at his hands. “I want to. I will.”
“It’s a little heavy, though, right? I mean, I told you mine, but that was because we were on the run from parts of my past. We could take a minute before we talk about yours.”
“We can. But I want to tell you. I haven’t told many people. Malik knows, but no one else.”
“Why is that?”
“Because it’s my past. But my past has to do with my present somewhat.” He leaned down, and she frowned as he pulled up his pant leg.
She saw the metal there, and her eyes widened.
“You’ve been fighting all night. Are you hurting?”
Jonah nodded. “Yes, I should probably rest it for a bit. I’ve been fighting on some form of prosthesis for half my life at this point. You think I’d be used to it.”
“I didn’t realize that shifters could lose limbs.” She closed her eyes and groaned. “Don’t comment on that. That’s a horrible thing to say.”
Jonah took her hand and led her to the couch. He sat down, and she did the same. She hoped she wasn’t going to say the wrong thing.
“I’ve been intrusive. I’ll stop.”
“No, you’re not. When I’m not wearing shorts, it’s hard for me to bring up the fact that I lost my leg in battle.”
“Oh.”
“It doesn’t hurt anymore. It’s been long enough that the scar tissue feels like just normal skin and muscle at this point. But thanks to some magic that went against nature, I was unable to grow my leg back the way a normal shifter would.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I am, too. However, I learned how to fight with one leg—or three if I’m in my animal form. I’m still a good soldier, and I can still protect Penelope.”
Poppy shot up to her feet. “Penelope. Shouldn’t you be there? Protecting her? We need to go. Or you can go, and I can stay right here for you, but you need to get back to the realm, don’t you?”
“I do.” He held out his hand, and she looked down at it, swallowing hard. We can both sit down, Poppy.”
She did.
“I’ve been texting with Malik, Penelope is fine. She’s with her mother and her guards.”
“How many? Doesn’t she need like a battalion to keep her safe?”
“It’s good that you’re worried for her, it means you’re a protector just like I am. There are seven guards with her right now.”
The way he said it made her think. “How many guards when it’s just you?”
“There is no need for other guards when I’m there.” He looked smug, yet still serious.
“I see. Full of yourself, aren’t you?”
Jonah smiled, and she did, as well. “Sometimes, others are around, but it’s mostly just me and Penelope and her mother and father. Right now, we’re on high alert because of the gorgons after you.”
“I don’t want anyone else to get hurt because of me.”
“I said it was the gorgons after you, not you who was the issue. We will figure this out, and Penelope is safe in her bed in the lion realm.”
She wanted to ask him why it was the lion realm, why it wasn’t anywhere else. But she didn’t. She didn’t want to ask about him being a jaguar yet. Instead, she tried to change the subject just a little.
“Will you show me what you look like as a jaguar?” she asked, her voice soft. “After all, you’ve seen me in my full Medusa form. You’ve seen me turn someone to stone. I’ve always wanted to know what a jaguar looks like.”
“I can do that.” He paused. “I’m going to have to get naked to shift, though. I don’t have a change of clothes here, so I can’t shred these, and it’s not that easy to shift while still attached to my prosthesis.”
“Oh, could you do it on the other side of the couch or something?” She knew she blushed, and he laughed.
“Yes, that would probably be a good thing. Getting naked in front of you is one thing, getting naked in front of you and not being able to touch you? That’s going to be a little difficult.”
“We hardly even know each other, Jonah.”
“Exactly. But the mating urge is riding us: your Medusa, my jaguar. We can hold it off. We’re strong enough. But I’ll still show you my cat.”
He pulled off his shirt then, and Poppy swallowed her tongue. He was all muscle, every ridge of his eight-pack defined, every hard line of his chest. He had that V that went down below the waistband of his jeans, and she swallowed hard, trying to catch her breath.
“Wow.”
“Thanks,” Jonah said, winking. And then he stood up, and she watched his back as he moved, each muscle perfect, strong. A warrior’s form.
She wanted to learn to fight like him. Didn’t want to have to rely on anyone else.
But somewhere deep down inside, she knew she could rely on him.
And that should worry her, but the magical aspects of her nature told her that she didn’t need to be concerned.
He crouched down behind the couch, and she heard some rustling, and then there was the sound of skin against skin, and then fur against fur, and then a jaguar walked around the side of the sofa. She stood up, her eyes wide, her hand over her mouth.
“You’re beautiful,” she whispered. And he was.
He was a golden yellow with dark black and brown spots all over him. He was muscular, his head large, his ears twitching.
He had a long tail that helped him with balance, and she could tell that he used it differently than many jaguars might. It helped offset the fact that he didn’t have a back leg. He walked with a regality that spoke of royalty, rather than a soldier as he’d called himself.
She didn’t know his story, but she hoped one day he would tell her. She swore Jonah preened.
“Am I allowed to touch you? Pet you? Would that be weird?”
This time, she knew the jaguar rolled his eyes. In answer to her question, he butted her palm with his head. She sank her fingers into the soft fur and smiled. “You’re so soft.”
She slid her hand down his body and over his tail, even as it coiled around her wrist, the same as her snake did.
As if knowing that she was thinking about them, they undid her glamour and hissed.
She knelt in front of Jonah so her snakes could look at the jaguar in front of them, and she swore she could feel them purr right along with the big cat.
It was so odd, so different. Gorgons and Medusas were usually stuck in their own realm, not able to mix amongst the humans, other than when she was younger, and her parents let her go to school in the human realm for college.
It had been a mistake, she had killed Alex, but she had learned so much, too. And now, she was learning even more.
She let her hand slide over his body again, but then he tensed, a little growl sliding from his thro
at.
He was in front of her in an instant, and she whirled towards the front door. A man didn’t walk in. Instead, a majestic lion prowled through, its mane thick and wonderful. He stalked proudly into the room, two guards having opened the door for him.
She knew who this was without even having to ask.
This was Malik. Alpha, king.
And Jonah’s best friend and boss.
“Wow,” she whispered. Jonah narrowed his eyes at her before turning back to Malik.
Jonah let out a rumble, and then Malik did the same, except Malik’s seemed to shake the whole house.
Jonah once again narrowed his eyes at her as if he knew what she was thinking, and then he padded behind the couch again. She saw him stride to the back of the house, clothes tucked neatly into his mouth. One of the other lions followed with Jonah’s prosthesis.
She looked back at Malik, who she had a feeling was laughing at her. One of the guards slid clothes into his mouth, and Malik padded off right behind Jonah.
Well, this was an interesting way to spend the evening.
The guys came out together, both tugging their shirts over their heads as they walked in, jeans undone, bare feet slapping on the hardwood.
She had known that Malik was gorgeous, but damn, seeing him standing next to Jonah?
It was a feast for the eyes.
And she was suddenly very hungry.
Jonah’s brows rose, as Malik’s eyes filled with laughter. She wanted to bury her face in her hands. Instead, she double-checked that her glamour had been put back into place as soon as the door opened.
She didn’t want to turn anyone to stone, especially not people Jonah loved. Particularly not the king.
“Poppy, this is Malik, my Alpha.”
“And friend,” Malik said. “I would reach out to shake your hand, but in the throes of the mating urge, Jonah would probably bite my arm off.”
Really? She shouldn’t feel delighted at that. “Hi, I’m Poppy.”
“It’s good to finally meet you.”
“Did you get to the house?” Jonah asked, coming to Poppy’s side.
Dante’s Circle Reborn: A Dante’s Circle Collection Page 10