by Cougar (lit)
A smile toyed with the corner of his perfect lips.
Kiss mine. Kiss!
He gently massaged my neck with his fingers.
"Aren't you going to kiss me?" Please. Dammit. I stared at those soft tanned lips.
"No." They fluttered. "I don't want to get carried away."
Hell. I slid my gaze over the curved lines of his circle beard and nose, up his nose's ridge, to his smiling eyes.
"You're a little sore, Kitten," he said as if he was protecting me.
I could have punched him. "You can't remember anything?" How could he shift into such a powerful creature and not recall what happened? "I'm pretty certain you liked it as much as I did."
His hand fell away.
Apparently, he decided I'd recovered emotionally enough to stop implementing his soothing touch to twist answers out of me during his grilling. Come on. I'd confessed his penis was the most amazing thing on the planet. He didn't have anything to worry about now. So, did this mean I was an asset or still just his pain in the ass?
"I have something for you," he rose and foraged through the baskets under his bed.
He had no idea what he had hidden away. One incredible ass-et. Not in the basket, genius. How had I managed to choose the Shifter packing that weapon? Nobody could ever know. I'd become the target of desperate women out to ensure Jackal was mate-less because of that extraordinary tail.
He shoved the basket back under the bed and turned, rising.
With a tin whistle. And a devilish smile.
My subconscious took over and I was suddenly in his arms holding the shiny silver pipe.
I couldn't play more than two songs on one. Because I'd lost mine back when I was seventeen. "Where did you find this? Toby said he didn't have any musical instruments."
He placed the cool lightweight metal into my palm. "I know who has what." He winked. "Do you know how to play one?"
"Enough." I could have died from joy. I wrapped my fingers around the cold metal.
He found me an instrument. Why? It wasn't like he was tired of being with me. Or I needed something else to keep me busy. Out of his business. But he traded for top dollar toys. "Thank you." I wasn't going to argue. I'd mull all of this over later. "You really need to stop spending your money on things to entertain me. We'll wish we could trade for food, warm clothes, medicine, or ammunition during the starving days of winter."
He snorted and hugged me against the long hard length of his body. "Kitten, I've got plenty of cash to take care of you."
Did he? "Oh? You're wealthy?" I scanned his barely humble abode.
"I've been alone working for Tornado since I was eighteen. Two years younger than Steel. I've had money to burn since then and nobody to spoil." He slanted his mouth with the turn of his head and leaned down to plant a sucking smooch on my lips.
A kiss. Really soul-strumming. Deeply gripping. Bottoming out low in my belly. I couldn't do anything but open my lips and beg him to claim me with his tongue. He obliged with a deep thrust of his rough muscle.
Cougar sighed.
He sucked his tongue away, retreating enough to study my eyes.
My knees wobbled.
Come on, knees! Lock.
"Anytime I find something to engage your mind, Kitten, I'll bring it back to you."
Please. And tell me why. It couldn't hurt to hear those three little words. "Why?"
Chapter Twelve
My mate tightened his hold on me a moment where we stood inside our sparsely-furnished abode. "You're my mate, Sierra. My job is to keep you happy."
Nice answer. I shot him a smile. "I love the tin whistle. Thank you."
He chuckled and released me. "I think you should help the kids today at the school. Or they'll worry you're laid up in bed broken beyond repair."
At least he was being thoughtful, worrying I had some concealed injury from last night's Wolf encounter. I could deal with considerate. Maybe he didn't feel as strapped with me as I had feared. Or he's coming to a point where I have value for him. Chalking that estimation up to lust wouldn't work. His mind wasn't overwhelmed with lust every moment of every day. And our forced mating had more to do with reality than romantic convenience. We both needed time to establish value in each other. So, I'd give him time. He certainly wanted some.
* * * *
After a long afternoon explaining atoms and cells to twelve students between age six and twelve, I played the guitar for the village's Normals at dinner. The music would have been soothing if I'd sat among the audience. But twelve curious minds capable of shooting questions as quickly as Black Betty doled out precious bullets wore me out today. I strummed the taut nickel wires playing something Spanish I'd reduced to memory one summer I spent with my parents long ago in New York City's little fiefdom.
My gut gurgled at the smell of roasted potatoes.
Tornado penetrated the edge of the crowd of families eating sausage, potatoes, and mustard greens. He cast me a brief glance where I sat on a boulder and played music.
No singing. I'd talked myself hoarse with explaining the basics of plant and animal life. And why should I work harder after working all day? I deserved a meal!
Tornado sauntered through the sea of diners, nodding at those who made eye contact with him, heading toward where Jackal leaned against a tree trunk, his arms crossed. Jackal stood about ten steps from me.
Probably guarding me.
Tornado's gaze scanned my direction again. His brief glance hinted he doubted I could kill his ass.
I would. Give me a chance. All I needed was the right motivation. The bastard.
Tornado walked the five steps past Jackal to Sue's table and kept her talking while she served him his supper.
What was said, I couldn't tell over the tune from my guitar.
Jackal eyed me with a questioning look.
Whatever he wondered remained equally unsaid.
Keezia shuffled across the edge of the village's throng and headed directly toward me.
How did the blind priestess know where I was? Of course, the music.
Jackal took a few casual steps to a tree directly behind me.
"Little Mongoose?" Keezia almost rasped.
Rip out her throat, Cougar snarled.
A simple go away is more human, cat! Why don't you crawl back to where you rested before sex with Jackal? You're driving me insane.
Must stay with mine.
I've been cursed beyond measure.
Jackal's eyebrows arched.
I guess there was no avoiding the priestess.
Keezia hobbled over to stand before me, honing in on my spicy Spanish rhythm.
I wasn't going to stop playing to speak with her.
She scowled at me.
Waiting. Where were Bounders when you needed one to devour a person?
My song finally ended.
"Good evening, Keezia," Jackal rumbled.
"I know you're there, Jackal." Keezia cackled.
Evil annoying woman. "What do you want?"
"There's a meeting. You must go."
I don't think so. "If it's associated with you, I'm not interested."
"You will be, little mongoose. It's a gathering of minds. Of powerful spirits. You must join them. To meet your destiny."
Go choke on a breath. "That would have been a gathering for my mother. Go bother someone else, Keezia."
She pointed the upper tip of her knobby cane at me like it was fist. "Your dame lives through you. Through the power welling inside you. And you will go. Sooner or later."
"I don't know what you're referring to. I embrace my sire's perspective. Mother only struggled to turn me with my apprenticeship to the sisterhood. So," I smiled futilely at the blind bat, "you're wasting your time and energy on me." I rose, slung my guitar strap over my shoulder, and bumped into Jackal who'd relocated to stand a step behind me.
He nodded toward Sue.
Since my gut snarled for food, I didn't argue. "Good night, Keezia."
/> We sat back at our table in our lodge before I could think about anything other than White Priestess words.
"What was Keezia rambling about?" Jackal asked.
"I have no idea."
He thoughtfully stabbed at his potatoes. "She's always acted like a soothsayer. Like someone with something to share. To better life."
"How many years has she been at Death Summit?"
He eyed me, holding a bite of golden potatoes still. "Six. Apparently, she was wandering, stopped for the night, and decided to stay. Tornado didn't argue. He likes having her around to ease some of the tension folks need in turning to the safety offered by belief in the supernatural." He tucked the food between his tanned lips. "Then she lost her eyesight. She could no longer wander."
I preferred him casual and open like this. We seemed normal. Married. And there was much to be said for the comfort in that type of union. Like I had a normal future ahead of me. And it was about time I had some normalcy in my life.
"You look like you enjoyed working with the kids, Kitten."
Almost as much as I do sitting here. "Yes. But they exhaust me."
One of his dark eyebrows arched. "You're tired?"
Not if you're shape shifting. I chuckled and gnashed into a piece of brown sausage. "I'm never too tired to spend time with you."
Mischief glinted in his eyes. "You were the other night."
Oops. "Well, I was."
"Why? I did something that angered you."
Oh, I didn't want to go there. "Just let it go, Jackal."
"Why? There shouldn't be anything between us. And when you turned away from me, there was something between us."
I studied his serious green eyes. What would he do? Would I be stupid for ruining this comfortable oasis we finally reached in our relationship?
"Kitten?" he cooed.
The conspiratorial twinkle in his eyes couldn't be ignored.
"Alright! Enough. I know you just used me to make Sessily leave Death Summit. There. It doesn't bother me anymore-"
"What?" His spine straightened, and he grew deathly serious. "Sessily had nothing to do with you and I. She tried to come between us. But I took the woman I wanted."
Well, I gave him the opportunity. But I wasn't going to note that with the acidic tone he used.
"Sierra, I did not use you for anything other than some deep-rooted subconscious need I have a hard time defining. And that's the Gods-be-damned truth. I would never want you to think otherwise." He shoved up from the table, knocking his chair over, to pace out a trail across the shadowy room.
I sighed. "See why I didn't want to discuss it. I'd already come to grips with the issue by finding work to keep myself out of your way, and, then, realizing your actions were genuine with last night's events."
He whirled to face me, hands planted on his hips. Muscles bulging on his bare arms. "I believed myself better at relationships than I am. I'm sorry. I didn't want you to suffer any more than what you would through your unavoidable grief."
Guilt pinched deep inside my chest.
Why did I suddenly feel horrible? He'd always done everything to make me the happy person in our relationship. I stared at my dark soggy pile of mustard greens. "I'm sorry, Jackal. I didn't mean to repay your kindness with blithering callousness. You deserve better."
His pants whispered as he kicked up a wind, propping up his chair, and descending into the creaking wood. "Enough of that. Let's play chess when we finish. Or would you rather play cards?"
I'd rather get him riled up where he whipped out an enormous ribbed erection. But I wanted him to know how much I appreciated him for everything. Not just sex. "Maybe I can teach you a card game I loved when I was young?"
He smiled. "Is it easier to learn than poker?"
"Yes. War is just about which cards are greater than others. I could go on for hours though."
* * * *
How does she get the aces and face cards? Jackal sprawled out on one side on the bed propped up on an elbow, just wearing camouflage pants, wondering at the coincidences he experienced with his mate. Playing War. Sierra sat across from me, slapping cards down faster than I could pick them up. "How do you do that, Kitten?"
She grinned. "It's all in the luck of the draw. I have no idea which card is up next. Let's blame fate if that's easier than tossing around probability."
"No talking like Keezia." I threw down a two of diamonds.
She dropped the two of hearts on top of my card.
That's my sign from love. "I surrender! Let's be done with this, or I'll be here all night. And I have other things in mind." Oh yes. She loved the way my mind worked at bedtime.
She chuckled and picked up the cards. "Sometimes, you have to just quit or blow your brains out in War. For the record, I was winning." She winked.
Women. "So losers dig trenches? Or do the subjugated have far worse duties?" Of which I could think of a few associated with bed service.
She threw her head back laughing.
Kitten wouldn't be laughing when I taught her not to play games with large prisoners of war. I shoved up from the bed to push her back onto the brown bedspread and pin her wrists over her head.
"No fair. I won! You surrendered." She pretended to try to wriggle out from beneath my body, her head rocking side to side atop the haze of her golden hair spread out on the bedding.
Feeling her laughter only hardened my determination to please my captor. "Maybe I let you win."
She met my gaze with surprise. "Ha! You'll have to pay for that lie now that you've got me where you want me." She arched her hips against my swollen determination. Nice attempt to lull me into a false sense of security so I could abuse her in the most carnal of ways.
Those plump heart-shaped lips were just inches from mine.
Waiting. Parting. So ready.
Hot breath eased from those sweet lips. "Jackal," she whispered.
"Shall I fight my master? Or conquer her?"
Her eyes closed until half-shuttered. "I became your conquest the first time you touched me." She latched onto my lower lip and sucked like a good little captive after her little a confession.
All my blood drained into my cock.
The most useful tool of interrogation. Who mastered whom with the first touch? I remember a sleek little golden blonde rubbing intoxicating friction all over my body inside a tank. Enough to conjure my Wolf. Gods to peel my little trapped heart's clothes off.
But she was sore.
My fault. I pulled away from her sucking mouth and met her gaze. "Kitten, you're sore."
"Nope! The winner gets to make the call. Be lucky I'm not demanding you shift. Tornado's probably got his ear pressed to our door. The ass."
She was so Gods-be-damned right. "Don't worry. I barred the door." I shot her a wink.
"There you go. Taking care of me again." She smooched her lips, blowing me a kiss, and tugged one of her wrists free.
Probably because I wasn't holding them with much strength. I released the other one. "Well, somebody has to do it, right."
Her hand slid around my neck and slanted her mouth to kiss mine. "I won't argue with that. But for someone groaning about a woman like Sessily, I bet you're at fault with your manner of conquest. Now lower that intoxicating mouth of yours down here and give me a kiss."
Oh I wanted to bite her neck right beneath her sassy little mouth. Taste the salty iron tinge of her blood that had to sting from all her feistiness. I sank my lips to the rapid pulse of her jugular and decided to tease her by trailing my tongue along the length of that vein.
"So much for cooperation." She bowed her neck away from me and chuckled. "Mmm, Jackal. You really know how to keep me happy."
My little conquest was about to become extremely happy.
"Let me," she said, shoving an arm into my chest, pushing me away.
"What?"
"I want to have my way with you. Gods, you're just one big sexy muscle."
We'd have to play the game of Wa
r more often.
* * * *
Cougar purring, Sierra straddled her mate's waist as he stretched out on the bed in the dying firelight with his remarkably delectable arms folded behind his head. Smug without the expression to prove he knew he was gorgeous. But he deserved to be with all those damned muscles bulging at me. "You're flexing, aren't you?"
His passive expression strained not to grin. "Why do you ask?"
"Jackal, if there's one thing you don't have to do with your amazing body is flex your muscles. Nobody can miss them. Ever."
He growled, a strange little questioning sound.
The deep sound was almost as invigorating as the view.
Mine! Cougar panted.
Oh, if he only knew what he did to all of me. I slid my palms up his washboard abs to his mounded pectorals and watched his eyes flash to yellow. "Don't shift, Jackal. Big Bad Tornado is going to blow our house down if you do." But, Gods, to have his Wolf ramming inside me again.
"Come here and kiss me." He chuckled without moving an inch.
Is that what he wanted? I leaned into the solid trunk of waist and pressed my sore beaded nipples against his bronze-colored flat ones. Even though my accursed bra and shirt stood between us. "I will when I get good and ready."
He groaned, craning his neck to watch my body touch his.
What would he do when I took off my shirt? "Do you like that, baby?" I whispered, arching my lower back, thrusting my ass a bit into the air like a stretching cat.
He gurgled a growl and bucked his hips, shifting my body as I hunched over him with my bent arms supporting my frame. "Kitten, you have no idea how much I like everything about you."
Mmm. I do believe I like his serious bed-mask as much as his standard compassionate gaze. If he only knew how ready I am to fall on his hard cock, gliding the thickness all the way down to the root where I could squirm in delight until stars burst in my vision. But I wasn't ready to give into my needs. He had to agonize a little. Just a little more. After all, I won the card game! "Tell me what you like about me." I nibbled at one stony pearl of a nipple, perfectly round and knobby, poised, crowning the succulent edge of the bulge of his pec, raking my teeth across the tiny stone, over and over until he threw his head back and grabbed my ass, pinning me against his rearing solid abdomen.