by Natavia
“That’s so deep. I can’t stop crying,” I replied.
“Stay away from Naji,” she said and stood up.
“He’s just like his patriarch, Karu. I think he’s trying to live out Karu’s legacy to gain respect from his father. Naji guards this temple the same way Karu did. Karu is the reason for saber hate in the lion’s village but he kept my night with Rajan a secret because of embarrassment,” she said. Y’kiki went over to the wall and slid it back. A bright gold light shined and I covered my eyes.
“This portal will take you to the lake me and Rajan used to sneak off to and watch the sun rise. This place is my treasure. I send snakes to guard it for me,” she said.
“Can they be smaller?” I asked.
“How would they eat intruders if they are smaller?” she replied. “Oh, wear this,” she said and placed the necklace around my neck.
“You should keep it,” I said.
“Things from the past will make him remember. Does he still drink plant juice?” she asked.
“Smoothies,” I replied.
“Can you unfreeze Safari now? She looks awkward,” I said.
“See you again,” Y’kiki said before turning into a gust of wind. She breezed past Safari’s body and Safari fell on the floor.
“Did I go to sleep?” she asked.
“Yes, but now you’re awake,” I replied.
“Damn, I must’ve had too much wine,” she said, brushing her knees off.
“I’m ready to step into the portal now. Whatever you do, no one must know about this place,” I replied. Safari hugged me and rubbed her face again mine.
“See you soon,” she said and pushed me into the portal. My body fell a long way down through a tunnel.
“OUCH!” I shouted when I slammed against a stone wall. Moving the wall back, I realized something was blocking it. My sharp nails ripped away at the barrier. I used my spear to puncture the metal. Once the hole was big enough, I climbed out of the floor. I was inside a house.
“What in the hell?” I said aloud.
I walked upstairs in the basement and opened the door. I smelled Eze’s scent but the home wasn’t the estate.
“EZE!” I called out when I heard the water running upstairs. I ran upstairs and down the hall where I heard the noise.
“EZE!” I yelled and burst through the door. I balled my fist up when I saw Lynx stepping out of the shower.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, covering herself up with a towel.
“Where is Eze?” She rolled her eyes at the question.
“Bitch, do it look like I know?” she asked.
“I’m not trying to go there with you, kitty,” I replied and left the bathroom. I searched Eze’s room down the hall. He had pictures with his father on the wall. When I picked up the pillow and sniffed it, Lynx’s scent was all over it. She ran into the room with a crazed look on her face.
“Eze isn’t here. He’s at his office!” she yelled and charged into me. I kicked her and she flew against the wall.
“BITCH!” she yelled. I grabbed a hand full of her hair and dragged her out of the room and down the stairs.
“GET YOUR CRAZY ASS OFF OF ME!” she screamed. When I let Lynx go, she punched me and I slapped her to the floor. The lake out of the window caught my eye. It was the lake Y’kiki and Rajan used to sneak off to.
“Is this Eze’s cabin?” I asked.
“Yes, and he gave it to me,” Lynx replied.
“Looks like he’s going to be taking it back. This territory doesn’t belong to you, it belongs to us. You need to leave,” I said.
“I understand the whole soulmate thing y’all have going on but this is my home, and Eze will never kick me out of it. You can have him now because I’m over it,” she said.
“I can have him now? Who do you think you are? You don’t call the shots and I’m damn sure not listening to you. Understand that you are not doing me any favors,” I replied.
“He could’ve been my mate if it wasn’t for the afterlife,” Lynx said.
“And I could’ve killed you in the woods and left you like a carcass. I’m tired of fighting with you. The next time I have to draw my spear, it’s going to rip through your throat and suffocate you,” I replied.
“You’re in my home. I can call the police because you’re trespassing and threatening my life,” she said.
“Police? I don’t fear humans,” I replied.
“Did he buy you that?” she asked, touching the necklace Y’kiki had given to me. I smacked her hand away and she rolled her eyes.
“You’re a mean and evil bitch,” Lynx said.
“And you’re a desperate slut,” I replied.
“I had him before you,” she seethed.
“No, I had him hundreds of years ago. Your five minutes of passion is already forgotten,” I teased. She went inside her purse on the kitchen counter and pulled out her cellphone. Lynx called Eze and his deep voice gave me butterflies when he answered the phone.
“Your crazy soulmate broke into the cabin and attacked me. Come over here and get her now before I call wildlife,” Lynx said.
“I’m on my way and tell her to stay put!” he said and hung up the phone. Lynx threw her phone back into her purse and crossed her arms as she leaned against the kitchen sink.
“Don’t touch anything while I get dressed,” she said. She grabbed her purse off the counter and walked out of the kitchen.
Ugh, that bitch needs to disappear, I thought and left the cabin. I found a cozy spot by the lake. There was a tree surrounded by large rocks. My body was exhausted from traveling through the portal. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep…
I woke up when I felt a pair of lips pressed against mine. Eze was cradling me in his arms and rubbing his fingers through my hair. He groaned when I sat up and hugged him. I pulled away from him and he passionately kissed me.
“Damn, I missed you. I got pulled over for speeding here,” he chuckled.
“I missed you very much,” I replied.
“There’s a portal around here?” he asked.
“Underneath the cabin. It’s connected to my temple. We don’t have to go days without seeing each other anymore,” I replied.
“There’s something I have to tell you,” he said and I pulled away from him. I stood up and crossed my arms.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.
“I’m going to attack you if you tell me you mated with that dumb-ass airhead,” I replied.
“Come on, Sy’noba. You gotta trust me,” he said. I rolled my eyes.
“Get to talking, Eze. I didn’t spend hours cutting down vines and killing a huge snake just to get here for a heartbreak,” I replied. He stood up and scratched his chin, something he did when he got nervous.
“I, uhh, killed your pride,” he said.
“WHAT!” I roared and he backed away from me.
“My nieces and nephew, sister?” I asked.
“No, she isn’t dead and neither are the cubs. Lynx was spying on your pride and one night while she was watching the house, she saw your sister and another lion attack Toyi. They left Toyi to die and Lynx saved her. She brought Toyi to the estate so she could heal. I was in your temple when all of this happened. When I came home, Toyi was broken up, so I healed her. Days later, after she was healed, she got depressed from being away from her cubs. She left in the middle of the night while everyone was asleep. Quanir got worried and wanted to find her. I couldn’t let him go alone so I went with him. Koja sent his pride members out to fight us and things got deadly. I didn’t kill your sister or her cubs but everyone else is dead. I wasn’t sure if you were close to anyone in the pride so I’ve been feeling fucked up about it except for Koja’s death,” he said.
“My only concern is for my sister and her cubs. Everyone else will rest peacefully. Where is Toyi?” I asked.
“At the estate with her cubs. I think Quanir is feeling her or something,” Eze chuckled.
“Take me to her,” I replied.
“Aight,” he said and I walked towards his car.
Lynx was looking out of the window when Eze backed away from the house. She said she was over Eze but I knew she wasn’t. I could tell by her actions she still loved him.
“She really loves you,” I said as he drove away.
“I know but I can’t do anything about that. She’ll find someone to love her back. Lynx is a brat but she has a good heart; a little sneaky but most cats are,” he replied. That throbbing feeling came back again and I clenched my legs together tightly. Eze looked over at me and his eyes glowed. He squeezed my thigh and licked his lips.
“So, that’s why you couldn’t wait for me to return? You’re in heat now,” he said.
“I didn’t like the way you left,” I replied.
“But you knew I was coming back. The company is investing in nightclubs, so I’ve been busy with meeting contractors and shit like that. My secretary quit and left a lot of work behind. She stopped caring for the company after my father left. Everything is just happening so fast and I’m trying to keep up,” he said.
“I understand, but there is no point in waiting if it’s meant to happen in the first place,” I replied and he caressed my leg.
“Can you stay with me for a few weeks?” he asked.
“Why not? Only Tiban is rooting for me. The lions aren’t too fond of me because of you,” I replied and he chuckled.
“That’s not funny,” I giggled.
“Fuck them punk-ass lions,” he spat.
“Watch it, I’m one, too,” I replied.
“Yeah, but you’re different. When I look at you, I don’t see it. All I see is a beautiful cat with pretty eyes and a brave heart. Besides, your cat is magical. Imagine being the only gold rose surrounded by red roses. Still the same, but uniquely made. The red roses don’t even matter at that point, all you see is the gold one,” he replied.
“You have a way with words,” I blushed.
“I gotta come correct when talking to the queen,” he replied.
“Do you remember anything from your past life?” I asked.
“Not really but some things I can sense. Just like that necklace you’re wearing. I gave it to you when I went on an excursion to Egypt. I got it because it matches the color of your eyes. That’s all I can remember about it. I saw another vision of being inside your temple but in a small room,” he said.
“The room with the secret portal. Your family must’ve known about its history. Is that why a house was built over it?” I asked.
“I’m sure that’s the reason. The sabers built over all the portals, except for one. That portal is in a cave at the top of the mountain where I had my ritual. That’s our main portal; it takes us right to Camden. After a while, there was no use for the other ones, I guess,” he said.
The ride to the estate was an hour long. When we pulled up, Quanir and Toyi were walking down the trail. Toyi had her cubs wrapped around her in a blanket. She walked over to me when I stepped out of the car looking happy—very happy.
“I see you’re living your best life out here,” I said.
“Yes, they have been very good to me. Doesn’t it feel good to be out of that house?” Toyi asked.
“Yes, it does. Asha and who else attacked you?” I asked.
“Riya. Things went downhill after you left. When Koja murdered Jinsi, I knew it was only a matter of time before he started killing us. He killed his own brother for taking up for you,” she said.
Hearing the details of Jinsi’s death got to me. He was the good one, though he chose Koja’s side plenty of times. Thinking about it, Jinsi was caged in like the rest of us.
“Asha is very wicked. She attacked me while I was carrying my cubs. They were dying when we got back to the estate but Eze healed them. I would never do anything to hurt her cubs. She’s going to be unhappy until she dies,” Toyi said.
“She will die alone,” I replied.
Quanir and Eze were talking and laughing about something. Toyi’s eyes glowed when Quanir looked at her and winked.
“Are you and Quanir seeing each other?” I asked.
“No, but I like him a lot. He’s a little silly at times but he’s a sweetheart. How is Y’kiki’s forest? You’re a queen there, huh. I knew something was up with you because you hated taking orders. You always had a mind of your own,” she replied.
“You’re welcomed there. Quanir knows the way,” I said.
“I will see you in a few to talk. I’m ready to feed the cows,” she said and walked down the trail. Quanir followed her and I grabbed his arm.
“If you hurt her, I’m going to rip your dick off so Safari can make earrings out of it,” I said and he gulped.
“Yes, Your Highness. I deleted every female’s name out of my phone and I broke it off with my ex-boss’s wife,” he replied and Eze shook his head. Quanir pulled away from me and ran down the trail after Toyi.
“Why you gotta do my cuz like that?” Eze asked.
“I was just joking. Where is his sense of humor?” I replied.
“Lies,” he chuckled.
“I need to take a shower,” I replied.
My dress was dirty and the snake’s blood was on my arms and legs. I smelled like dirt and trees.
“You do stink a little bit,” Eze said and I punched him in the chest.
“With your three-minute ass,” I mumbled.
“Why you gotta bring that up?” he asked, opening the front door for me.
“We have all the time in the world to make up for it,” I said.
“You might be a great warrior and a queen of the forest but my spear can do some damage. It was your first time so I was gentle, but the next time I’m going to reconstruct your spine, beautiful,” he said.
“Come take a shower with me,” I replied.
“I’ll beat you there,” he said.
I leapt up the stairs and Eze crawled across the wall and jumped over my head, landing at the top.
“CHEATER!” I said and he tossed me over his shoulder.
He took me inside his bedroom and locked the door. My heart raced and the throbbing between my legs pained my stomach. A small stream of wetness flowed down my leg and I covered my face in embarrassment. He turned on the shower inside the bedroom’s bathroom and ripped my dress off my body. He kneeled in front of me and helped me take off my sandals. He kicked off his shoes and I helped him undress. Eze pulled me into the shower and closed the door behind us. His dick pressed against my lower stomach as he kissed me. Because of our difference in height, he picked me up so I could face him.
“You remind of the trees in Y’kiki’s forest,” I said and he kissed my neck.
“That means you’ll be swinging on my branch then,” he replied. Eze’s tongue traveled from the nape of my neck to my chin. His teeth scraped against my skin as he massaged my buttocks. I purred against his ear and nibbled on his earlobe. His masculine moans and deep passionate grunts echoed throughout the bathroom. I called out his name when he pulled my breast into his mouth, suckling on my nipple. He clutched my mane and pulled it back to expose my neck. I exploded from the love bite he gave me. My heels rested on his ass as he entered me. He pushed my legs up, my feet dangling over his wide shoulders as my back pressed against the wall. He slammed into me and I scratched him.
“It’s too much!” I moaned.
“Sorry, beautiful, but I gotta fuck you. I have been dreaming about you every night since I left the forest,” he said. Eze had a firm grip on me; it was an awkward position but he was very deep inside me. I closed my eyes and he told me to look at him but I couldn’t. The faces I was making would’ve probably turned him off. He grabbed my chin and held my face so I could look into his eyes as he stroked my pussy. He went deeper, harder, faster. He stared into my eyes and watched me experience another orgasm. Eze’s teeth expanded from his gums and his lips changed into the lips of his cat. Tan fur covered his neck, arms, and face and his eyes slanted int
o the shape of his saber’s. I screamed in pleasure when he grew inside of me, stretching my walls. The pressure sailed in my spine and exploded into my chest. My essence squirted out like urine and I couldn’t stop it. Eze cracked the tile in the shower while hammering into the wall.