She stubbornly pushed all thoughts of the snow leopard prince to the back of her mind. Khonish would not be pleased if she offered her body to him with thoughts of another filling her memory. She had to stay focused solely on the task at hand.
“I am prepared to do whatever you require of me.” Anticipation zinged through her body as she remembered the pleasure Khonish had brought her before. He’d already torn her shield, so it would be difficult to convince her mate she was entirely innocent. Khonish, she must think only of Khonish.
“Return in the morning, Bellin. I suspect it will take at least that long for me to have my fill of your priestess.”
The goddess paused long enough to give Jatara a reassuring hug, then she flashed out of sight.
“Are you hungry?” Khonish asked, drawing her gaze back to his handsome face.
“I ate not long ago.” Without Bellin to support her, she felt less confident.
Be brave, yet respectful. But do not let him sense your fear. Jatara wasn’t sure if Bellin had sent the words to her mind or if she simply used the goddess’s voice to soothe her troubled thoughts. It didn’t matter. She took the suggestion to heart and released the tension gathering all around her.
He held out his hand and she placed hers on top, the trembling of her fingers barely visible. With his strong fingers lightly grasping her hand he led her across the room. She glanced at the table, where their first passionate encounter had taken place, but he had a different destination in mind this time.
Even after all the wonders she’d seen, his house was dazzling. Lavish and expansive, it was truly a home fit for a god. He led her to a smaller room adjoining the main space. She knew what a bed was—many of the cultures she’d visited with Bellin had variations of the padded sleeping platform—but she’d never imagined anything as elaborate as Khonish’s bed. High and huge, the sleeping surface was supported by four thick poles. The poles were carved with fanciful creatures and intricate designs.
He pulled the coverings down to the bottom of the bed then said, “Undress.”
She’d just come from a cool mountain settlement, so she was adorned in several layers of clothing. She shrugged out of her coat and pulled off her boots before she dared to ask, “Will you undress as well?” His knee-length tunic outlined his body, but she wanted to touch and see all of him.
With a wicked smile bowing his lips, he pulled the tunic off and tossed it aside. He kicked off his sandals and stood before her naked. “Better?”
“Much.” The word struggled past her dry throat. He was sculpted perfection from the tip of his toes to the top of his dark head. Her curious gaze focused in on his sex and her insides felt as if they were melting. Long and thick, his shaft jutted into the air, already hard and ready to fill her. “May I…”
He chuckled. “Finish undressing and I will indulge your curiosity.”
Her hands flew to the fastenings on her garments, working laces and tugging on material until she was as naked as Khonish. She moved toward him as if in a trance, her hands trembling with anticipation and uncertainty. This would change her forever. The import was suddenly daunting.
“Go on, priestess. Touch me. You were made for pleasures such as these.”
She pressed her hand against his chest, absorbing the heat and the softness of his skin. But beneath his skin, rock-hard muscles formed his stunning shape. In her dream, all she’d touched of her prince was his cock. Khonish invited a more thorough exploration and she was eager to experience everything. She stroked the rounded planes of his chest and squeezed his broad shoulders. Then she descended along his thick upper arms before switching back to his lean waist.
Rather than stand passively by, Khonish touched her as well. His caresses were even bolder, urging her on to more intimate destinations. Her curious fingers curved around his shaft while her other hand cupped his balls. He groaned, eyelids drifting closed for a moment. His hands came to rest on her shoulders and he urged her downward. She slipped to her knees, not understanding what he wanted, but eager for a closer look.
“Open your mouth, Jatara. Pleasure me as I pleasured you.”
Now her position made perfect sense. She angled his shaft toward her mouth and parted her lips. His tip was wide and rounded, like the cap of a large mushroom. She circled him with her tongue then tilted her head back slightly and sucked him into her mouth. Hot, hard, yet incredibly soft. How could he be all those things at once?
She tried not to think of the snow leopard prince, to remain focused on Khonish. But the dream she’d shared with the prince had been so vivid, so realistic. She’d wondered if men liked this form of pleasure and now she knew. As soon as she was free from her obligations to Khonish, she would pleasure her prince like this. She would—
Khonish pressed his hands against her cheeks and held her still as he rocked his hips. His shaft slid over her tongue and against her lips, forcing other thoughts from her mind. He grew harder and hotter as he moved. She caressed his tip with her tongue while keeping a snug hold on his shaft with her lips. It felt odd yet evocative, new and fascinating.
She closed her eyes, concentrating on the rhythmic slide and the faint taste spreading across her tongue. Unbidden, an image formed within her mind. She saw the snow leopard prince, water streaming off his powerful body as he strode out of the sea and hurried toward her. That was how the dream had begun, but instead of draping his cloak around them, he’d spread it upon the sand.
Heat erupted between her thighs and her nipples tingled. Of all the men she’d bitten, he alone touched her heart and haunted her dreams. She longed for him to touch her with more than his hand, to share with her the pleasures she was about to share with Khonish.
Suddenly Khonish pulled out of her mouth and scooped her up in his arms. “I should be insulted to find a mortal man’s image so clear within your mind even as my cock fills your mouth.”
“Great Lord,” she gasped, “I am sorry.”
He placed her on the edge of the bed and stepped between her knees. “If it were anyone but Aylon, I would be most displeased.”
Aylon! His name was Aylon. Warm tingles danced across her skin and desire pooled between her thighs.
Khonish chuckled and grasped her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. “Look at me.” The pressure of his hold increased until she met his piercing gaze. “What do you think it is that draws you to Aylon?”
“I am not sure, My Lord. I do not mean to think of him. I do not do it intentionally.”
“He is one of my chosen, one of the best. It is the high concentration of my energy in him that attracts and fascinates you.” He bent to her breast and sucked long and hard as his words resonated through her mind. Aylon’s taste had seemed familiar. Even his dream image had felt more powerful than a mere fantasy. Khonish moved his mouth to her other breast and nibbled upon its crest. “Rather than punishing you for your distraction, I will help you focus on your sacrifice. Lean back on your elbows. Do not lie down.”
She did as he directed and her heart began to pound. He moved her legs farther apart and traced her crease with his fingertips. “I will be your first,” he told her as he pushed his first two fingers into the very heart of her body. She watched the long digits disappear and felt the slight fullness inside her. He paused for a moment, lazily brushing his thumb across her swollen nub. Her inner muscles tightened, caressing his fingers as sensations gathered beneath his thumb. Then he pulled back his hand and his fingers emerged, wet with her cream. “And I will be your last.”
Her gaze collided with his as fear zinged through her system. “You intend to keep me here?”
“That’s not what I meant.” He removed his fingers and positioned his cock to take their place. “Aylon is my trusted servant. Each time he is inside you, a part of me will fill you too.”
The realization made her restless and hot. Khonish was a god. She had never expected to share more than this one night with him. He was helping her see that surrendering to him was not a bet
rayal of Aylon. Once her soul joined with Aylon’s, she would never know the touch of another.
But tonight belonged to Khonish.
“That’s right. Now watch as I take you. Surrender yourself to me.” He draped her legs over his forearms and slowly pulled her toward him, driving his cock inward by slow degrees.
She watched more and more of his shaft disappear into her body. Her inner walls stretched, the fullness acute, but not painful. She tried to relax, to surrender herself into his keeping, but it was strange and overwhelming.
When his pelvis pressed against hers and his entire length was firmly seated, he drew her up for a reassuring kiss. The new angle accented their joining and made her moan into his mouth.
“Am I hurting you?”
His concern surprised her, so she concentrated on relaxing her inner muscles. She’d expected him to take his pleasure and be done with it. “It just feels strange.”
“Then wrap your legs around my waist and hold on tightly.” As soon as she locked her ankles behind his back and clutched his neck with her arms, he climbed onto the bed. He supported her back as he laid her down then he paused again to kiss her mouth. “Ease up, sweet. Let me touch you.”
She relaxed her legs and he slipped one of his hands between their bodies. He caressed her breasts and belly as they kissed, gradually working his way downward until his thumb covered her nub. He circled the ultrasensitive spot and liquid heat swirled within her.
“Oh yes.” His sigh feathered across her damp lips as he slowly drew his hips back. The fresh rush of moisture allowed him to slide smoothly and she started to understand why others found this enjoyable. “Let the pleasure crest and you will grow even wetter.”
She combed his hair with her fingers and rolled her hips as sensations gathered deep inside her. It felt so good, so wondrous and new. His hand rotated, his fingers teasing her folds as his thumb continued its careful rotation against her nub.
Her ankles released and she drew her legs up high against his sides. He moved over her and into her, each stroke long and deep. Soon her inner muscles echoed the rhythm of his thumb, tightening around his shaft as if she meant to keep him deep inside her.
Tension wound, drawing the urgency down through her body. She arched her back and cried out sharply as pleasure burst with sudden force. Lights danced before her eyes and she shuddered violently beneath him.
Before her mind cleared, he withdrew and turned her over, pulling up on her hips as he drove back in from behind. Jatara gasped as her body adjusted to the new position. He felt even bigger and possessed her more deeply with each demanding thrust.
This was how she’d expected to be taken from the start. Most Therian males preferred to cover their mates from behind because it was more natural for their animal natures. The face-to-face intimacy had helped ease her fear, but now Khonish was obviously ready for a more vigorous joining.
His hands gripped her hips as he shuttled and out. She folded her arms and lowered her head, offering him a better angle. Lust rose up within her, wild and primal, answering his silent call. The animals she’d collected surged and tossed, battling for control and threatening the confines of her human body.
Khonish wrapped his arm around her waist and thrust to the hilt inside her. Then he bit into her shoulder and Jatara screamed. Fire spread through her chest and gathered low in her belly, radiating outward like rays off the sun. She shot forward, trying to escape the searing pain. Her legs unfolded and she came down hard on her belly. Khonish followed her down, their bodies still joined. His energy poured into her mind as his cock pulsed inside her core.
Heat consumed her human form, melting bone and stretching muscles. She screamed and screamed, frantically thrashing as she slowly lost control. Her screams gave way to growls and finally an enraged roar. She tossed her head and leapt from the bed, landing awkwardly on massive paws. Tawny fur now covered her limbs and predatory instincts overshadowed rational thought.
“You must gain control, Jatara. The lioness will recognize your authority, but you must not be afraid.”
She whipped her head toward the bed. Khonish knelt there, gloriously naked, his cock still wet from her body. She opened her mouth and projected her anger in a throaty growl.
He smiled. “Move about, grow accustomed to the new sensations.”
It felt strange at first. The lioness struggled against the commands Jatara sent until she established her dominance with a surge of energy. You could have warned me before you bit me.
“You were too busy dreaming about your snow leopard prince to notice what I was doing. Besides, a warning would not have made the transformation less painful. It always burns like fire the first time.”
Will each new animal I call forth be that painful?
“No. The pain is caused by your human body resisting the transformation. Once you learn to surrender to the change, it is far less painful.”
How do I return to human form? She paced beside the bed, too anxious to remain still.
“Calm down and relax.” He scooted off the bed and caught the thick fur at the nape of her neck as she tried to pass. “Be still. It takes energy to maintain a shift. If you stop fueling the form, it will recede.”
She stood beside him, trembling with anxious energy. She wanted to run and leap and tumble. She wanted to hunt!
“Relax.” He rubbed behind her ears and stroked the fur across her shoulders. “Picture your human body. Push the lioness back.”
Hot, tingling energy washed over her again. Sensations flared, burning brightly for just a moment before fading away. She blinked and rolled her shoulders as human perception returned. She knelt beside Khonish, sweat-soaked and trembling.
“Very good.” He helped her to her feet. “Bellin will have to teach you how to use your abilities. The stronger animals will not want to allow the weaker ones to appear. You must force them to obey. You and you alone are in control.”
She nodded and sank to the edge of the bed. Every muscle in her body ached and she felt weak as a newborn.
“You can spare a few weeks now, but most of your training will have to take place after you have joined with Aylon.”
Blowing out a shaky breath, she looked into Khonish’s shimmering eyes. “I promised Aylon I would return, but why the need for haste?”
“I left you with child.”
Chapter Four
“This doesn’t feel right,” Jatara whispered as she gazed out over the tranquil village. The open clearing and wooden dwellings were so different from her rainforest home. Yet this was where the snow leopard prince lived and she wanted him for her mate. “Even if he accepts me, he will be forced to rear another man’s child.”
“He will have the honor of rearing the child of a god,” Bellin countered. “He is Khonish’s trusted servant. He will understand what a privilege it is to be chosen for this task. A mating bond with you will also increase the strength of his abilities and expand his lifespan to equal yours.”
That caught Jatara’s attention and she looked at Bellin. “My lifespan has been altered?”
The goddess laughed. “You were defined by the Father Creator. Allowing these abilities to fade with one lifetime would be wasteful.”
“I thought the gift will be passed on through my daughters.”
“It will, but you still need extra time to fulfill your mission. I made sure Khonish gave you that time.”
Jatara had spent the past three weeks learning how to control her abilities. Bellin assured her they would have additional training sessions once her life path was established, but the child growing within Jatara made it essential that she begin her new life as soon as possible.
Each night she went to sleep thinking about Aylon, hoping he would appear again in her dreams so they could continue their sensual exploration. But sadly, such a dream never occurred and she was left feeling empty and alone.
“What if he does not believe Khonish is the father? What if he—”
“You are b
etter than this, Jatara.” Bellin took her by the shoulders and turned her around. “You want this man and you felt a connection with him. You must be bold in life or your abilities will mean nothing. I told you the child is female. As long as you provide Aylon with sons, your daughter will not disrupt the line of succession. Men take what they want without hesitation. You must learn to do the same.”
“Men take what they want without caring what they do to others. I will never be like that.”
Bellin smiled. “That is not what I meant. If you are afraid Aylon will not believe the truth then allow him to believe he fathered your daughter. Everything would be much simpler that way.”
“I am not even sure he is the one.”
“Yes you are. You knew it the moment you saw him.” An unusual gleam came into Bellin’s eyes as she added, “And he knows it too.”
“Why are you so sure? There is something you are not telling me.”
“Aylon is a dream-walker. He came to you a few nights after we left his village.”
Heat tingled through Jatara’s body, exciting yet comforting. “I thought there was something different about that dream.”
Bellin motioned toward the village. “There he is.” She turned Jatara back around and gave her a little push. “It is time. Go claim your future.”
Jatara kept to the trees surrounding the village, not wanting anyone else to see her. She narrowed her eyes and inhaled deeply, easily identifying his scent. He had just finished emptying his bladder when she spotted him through the trees.
His head came up and he quickly fastened his pants before he turned around. “I am not sure what I did to anger the forest spirits, but I am glad they sent you again to torment me.”
“I have not meant to torment you. The circumstances of our meeting were beyond strange.”
“I will grant you that.” He took a step closer, his gaze intense yet inscrutable. “First you try to steal from me, then you kiss me. And just when I have convinced myself that you are in need of my protection, you viciously bite me and run away.”
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