by Jade White
“Yes it is,” she gasped in disbelief. “You are trying to understand what it is he can see in a human girl.” She glared up at him, eyes blazing.
“That isn't it. Don’t be ridiculous,” he said, his own temper rising.
“Oh yes it is,” she accused, more hurt than she cared to admit. “Let me tell you something. Kissing me isn't going to help you understand them because of a few key differences.”
“What are those?” he demanded, nearly shouting.
“I'm not Grace,” she said with as much malice as she could muster.
“I know that,” he replied, annoyed with the ache he felt at being so close to her, yet unable to touch her.
“And you don't love me,” she said, her voice full of anger.
“I know that, too,” he said, enunciating each syllable of his stony statement.
“But without that, you will never get what you want,” she replied in exasperation.
“There is no sense in us fighting about this,” he said, attempting to move closer to her.
She took a step back, knowing instinctively that he was trying to get around her words. “I know that, because you will not ever understand Dylan's choice until you let your guard down enough to understand the emotion of it.”
“Our entire pride is at risk now, not to mention his own life, and you want me to care about their emotion?” he shouted at her. A lesser woman would have taken another step away from him, but she stood her ground, fueled by her own anger and frustration.
“I don't want you to do anything,” she said, throwing her hands in the air. With that she strode down the path, filled the bucket, and pushed past him without another word. For his part, he fumed behind her as he worked to ensure that she was safe. Once she finished filling the kettle and placed in on the fire outside, she burst through the doors to the cabin.
“The coffee is on, Grace. I have a headache. I'm going to lie down. Goodnight gentlemen,” she exclaimed, without looking at anyone but Grace.
“Are you OK?” her friend asked, sure from years of living together that it was not a headache that was giving her trouble.
“Nothing a little rest won't solve; I promise,” she answered, kissing the baby on the cheek before leaving without a backward glance.
“Alright, goodnight,” Grace called after her.
“What's wrong with her?” Dylan asked, puzzled as only a man can be by an angry woman.
“I don't know. She was having such a nice time earlier,” Grace said, looking at Jason knowingly as she spoke.
“I should leave now,” Jason said curtly. “Thank you for the meal.”
“You are family. You're welcome in our home anytime,” Grace said warmly.
“Thank you,” he said awkwardly.
CHAPTER NINE
The second he was outside, he transitioned to his lion form and ran to clear his head. How could that woman speak to him in such a way? How dare she try to change his mind? This affected him and his people. She had no understanding of that. The thing that bothered him the most, of course, was that her opinion mattered to him at all. He couldn’t recall the last time any woman had meant so much to him, and he had only known this frail human for two days.
Running at his top speed to burn off his frustration, he made it back home in no time at all. Jason was greeted by Gunther, a lion two years his junior, when he returned to the pride lands. Gunther was a lion of no particular standing in the pack, but he was a good hunter and respected well enough by the others of their kind.
“I take it your obligatory dinner with our queen did not go well,” he sneered.
“It was fine enough,” he growled, unwilling to discuss the details of his evening with anyone.
“I know you are as upset by the state of affairs as the rest of us are,” Gunther said, taking his terseness for disgust at having to share air with humans for an evening.
“Yes I am,” he said, letting his anger towards Shannon seep in to his words.
“Then help us do something about it,” Gunther said with a sly smile.
“What are you saying?” Jason snarled at him.
“I know he is your cousin, but he is no longer fit to rule,” the other male said calmly.
“What would you have me do?” Jason said, suddenly intrigued by the path the conversation had taken.
“Join us. Help us to dethrone him and his human queen. There are many among us who believe you would make a fine ruler. Be our king. You will have everything you've always wanted. The females will fight to be your mate and bear your children.” He looked smug when he finished speaking, as though he had presented Jason with the perfect solution to all of their problems.
“I believe in your cause,” Jason said plainly, “but he is my cousin. May I have the night to think about it?”
“That is understandable.” Gunther nodded his head as though he understood. “I am afraid this night is all I can give you, though. We attack at dawn.”
“What is your plan?” Jason asked.
“We will take the child. He will be raised by you and your mate if you are willing,” he began.
“He is a fine cub,” Jason replied.
“Dylan will be forced out of the pride lands,” Gunther continued.
“That seems unavoidable,” he said, though he hated the thought of it.
“And the two women will be killed,” he concluded, looking satisfied. The thought of Shannon in such danger, facing down his snarling brethren, struck cold in his heart. He was desperate then to see her, to hold her in his arms and know that she was alright. Still, he couldn’t let Gunther realize his attachment, or he would never allow him to leave and warn them all.
“I thought perhaps that was your plan and it is a sound one. I will return at first light with my answer,” he said with a forced smile and nod of appreciation.
“That is very reasonable. I hope you do join us. I would hate to have to stand against you,” he said, his previously pleasant voice turning cold.
“As I would hate to stand against you, old friend,” Jason said before turning to walk away through the darkness.
When he was sure that Gunther could no longer see him, he began to run at top speed back to Shannon. He needed to see her, to know that she was unharmed. He needed to know that she belonged to him and he needed her to know it, too. It was not long before he was at her door, back in his human form, pounding hard enough to make the entire cabin shake.
She threw open the door, wearing a silk nightgown that was entirely impractical for a scientist on a research expedition. When she first saw him, he could see the joy and relief in her eyes, then it was quickly replaced by her residual anger at him.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded.
He did not wait for an invitation, but instead stalked in the door.
“I need to know something,” he said as he stared down at her. Then his iron arms wrapped quickly around her waist and he drew her to him. He kissed her, though it was different than it had been before. His urgency was accompanied with tenderness, as though he was trying to elicit some sort of pledge from her heart by way of her lips.
“What is kissing me going to tell you?” she asked, looking up at him with wonder. It amazed her that someone who had caused such anger in her only hours ago could now bring her such tender joy.
“Not nearly enough,” he growled.
He scooped her up in his arms and held her to him as though she weighed no more than a feather. It amazed her that he could hold her so securely and yet still explore her body so thoroughly. His hands seemed to be everywhere, exploring every inch of her. Though her nightgown gave him much better access than the jeans she had worn to dinner, he was still clearly frustrated with the barrier that separated them. When he moved his head away to grunt in frustration, she took advantage of the moment to try to catch her breath. Instead of returning his lips to hers right away, he rested his head atop hers, as though he wanted nothing more than to hold her close like this for an ete
rnity.
“Oh my god,” she whispered, so lost in the sweetness of the moment.
“Let me make love to you,” he pleaded, the need apparent on his taut face.
“Yes, yes,” she murmured, placing her hands on his cheeks and pulling him to her. “I want you.”
He roared as he captured her lips again. It felt very much as though he was trying to mark her as his own. It was exhilarating and she shivered with arousal. He pulled back and stared at her without saying a word, trying to capture the moment in his mind.
Gently, he laid her down on her mattress. He crawled atop her, swooping down to kiss her passionately. It was as though he simply could not stand a single moment when he was not touching her. Reluctantly, he pulled away and discarded his shirt.
The sight of his bare skin took her breath away. He was tanned, just as she remembered. His broad chest and rippling stomach muscles captivated her and she could not resist the urge to reach out and touch him. He inhaled sharply as her fingers made contact with his skin, but he patiently allowed her to take her time, running her hands across the defined muscles of his stomach, then over his chest.
It wasn’t until she leaned forward and ran her tongue up his pectoral muscle that his control snapped. His hands then wove through her hair and he pulled her mouth up to his own before gently guiding her on to her back.
He lay beside her, running his hands over every inch of her body before dipping his finger below the top of her nightgown, teasing her nipples, first one and then the other. Just when she thought that she wouldn’t feel any more turned on, he righted her nightgown. She was a bit disappointed, thinking that he had changed his mind about making love to her.
That thought and all others flew from her mind when his mouth latched on to her nipple through the silk fabric of her nightgown. The feeling of his warm, wet mouth and the silk fabric nearly drove her mad. She threw her head back, writhing with pleasure beneath him.
He removed his mouth and she moaned in frustration, looking up to meet his mischievous gaze as he moved to give the same attention to her other breast. While he worked his magic there, his thumb worked the nipple he had just devoured with his mouth. The combination of sensations was more than she could handle. She lost all control of herself, groaning like a wanton woman. Her hands wound through his hair as he worked. Each time her pleasure rose, she tugged roughly on his hair, unable to control her motions.
It was then that he pulled her nightgown roughly, just enough to reveal her nipples. She was shocked when he returned his mouth to her breast, this time using his teeth to work the already aroused buds. He didn’t let up his relentless assault until she screamed with pleasure. She shook violently as her orgasm took her and she did not attempt to temper her reaction, screaming his name as she rode the waves of pleasure.
When the sensation subsided, she felt as though her body had turned to liquid as she lay back against her pillows. He simply lay down beside her, resting his head on her breast and listening with satisfaction to her racing heart. They both took their time, as though they had an eternity to make love to each other. Lying there beside him on her mattress on the floor, covered in pillows and surrounded by her mosquito netting, she felt as if they had stepped outside of time. There, in that timeless moment, they were the embodiment of passion and love. They laid beside each other for what felt like an eternity, simply holding each other.
She lay there beside him and he stared at her as though he had never seen true beauty before that moment. The moon shone through the cabin’s small window, casting an otherworldly glow on her skin. She stared back at him, unable to believe the majesty of what she had just experienced. It was as though he had been made just for her.
The physical side was not the most astounding part though. She had spent her entire adult life trying to hide from any real connection, but she couldn’t think of anything she wanted more than to lay beside him for the rest of her days; to have him be the last face she saw before going to sleep and the first she saw in the morning when she awoke. That, she knew, was both exhilarating and terrifying.
She gently rose to her knees and he looked at her in confusion as she moved toward him. Slowly and deliberately, she reached for the fly of his pants and allowed herself to feel his manhood through the fabric. He jolted up at her boldness, his eyes wide open.
“What are you doing?” he gasped.
“Shh, just lay back and let me bring you the same pleasure that you gave me,” she purred as she unzipped his pants and took his member in her hand. She ran her hand over the soft warm skin and he inhaled sharply, his hands gripping the mattress in an attempt to hold himself in check while she explored his most primal part.
When she had freed it from its fabric cage, she took it in her mouth with no hesitation. She bobbed up and down licking and sucking as he watched her, mesmerized. She locked eyes with him and did not look away as she used her mouth to explore every inch of his penis. Though the size had initially intimidated her, she soon felt as though it was for her and her alone and she wanted to feel every inch of it.
He held himself in check as she worked, shocked at the sensuality of this vibrant woman; his woman. It wasn’t until she took his balls in her hand and ran her tongue up the underside of his penis that he could wait no more. He was too consumed with the need to be inside her to wait for her to finish her exploration. With the quick motion of a predator, he lunged at her and had her on her back before she could even blink. She squealed with surprise as she realized how stealthily he had maneuvered her in to the exact position her wanted her in.
He braced himself above her, savoring the sweetness of the knowledge that he was about to claim her as his own. Suddenly, he ran his hand under the hem of her nightgown, working her most sensitive area with his fingers as he watched her begin to writhe with passion once again.
He braced himself above her, taking in the erotic feeling of watching her beneath him, waiting for him to enter her. Instead of speaking, she lifted her hand and placed it on the back of his head, drawing him back towards her. He could no longer contain himself and reached down, grabbing the hem of her nightgown and tore it completely in half and entered her swiftly. The dual sensation of him inside of her and the night air on her moist nipples was exhilarating.
His pace was slow at first, rhythmic even. She moved with him as he thrust. Shannon knew that it was taking all of his will power to keep from simply ravaging her mindlessly and she knew in that moment that that was exactly what she wanted. She swiveled her hips, causing him to pause in an attempt to regain his composure. She used the momentary distraction to shift herself above him. Had he really wanted to, he could have held her beneath him, but he let her take control. He laid back and watched in awe as she began to ride him furiously.
She leaned over him, bracing her hands on his chest as she lifted her hips up and down. It wasn’t until she swooped down to kiss him that he took back his control, grabbing the back of her head and kissing her forcefully in return.
He flipped her underneath him again in one quick motion and began to thrust in and out of her ferociously. She was helpless beneath him, lost to her own desires. Her nails dug deeply in to his lower back and she had a fleeting thought about how upset he might be if she made him bleed, until he roared with pleasure at the sensation. He locked eyes with her then and they both road their pleasure to completion.
She fell asleep quickly after their lovemaking. Jason lay there, watching her for what felt like an eternity, trying to deny what was already in his heart. She was his mate, the family he had always dreamed of, and she was in mortal danger. He had tried so hard to deny what his instincts were telling him that it was hard even then to admit it to himself. Still, he knew what he needed to do. He reluctantly untangled himself from her and walked outside
"Dylan" Jason said softly, knowing his cousin would hear.
"You called," he said, emerging from Grace’s door.
“Yes, cousin,” he sighed. “We have a proble
m.”
“Do we?” he said sarcastically. “What is our problem?”
“Gunther and the others plan to stand against you,” he answered, making no attempt to cushion the blow.
“Why?” Dylan asked already fully knowing the answer.
“Because of Grace,” he said plainly. “They will kill her if they succeed,” he added.
“When?” Dylan demanded.
“At first light,” he said, staring in the direction the lions would come when the sun rose.
“Why are you warning me? You agree with them, don’t you?” Dylan asked.
“They plan to kill Shannon too,” he said without further explanation.
“It isn’t a pleasant feeling, is it, having your mate threatened?”