But it was time to show Sabrina who she belonged to. Time to claim her as Madeline’s mate. Already the magic burned beneath her skin, urging her take the worthy female and give her the love she deserved.
“Would you like to be hunter, or prey?” Madeline asked in a deceptively mellow voice.
Sabrina’s breath sped up, but she didn’t answer. Instead, she looked up at Madeline with wide eyes as energy shimmered off her body in waves.
Madeline rubbed her cheek against Sabrina’s, delighting in the satiny texture of her skin even as Sabrina gave her a warning growl. Their breasts brushed against each other and Madeline’s body hummed in approval. Ignoring Sabrina’s increasing snarls, she grabbed the woman’s hair in her fists and tightened her grip.
Playtime was over.
“I am going to hunt you, fuck you, and make you mine.” Sabrina shuddered against her and the hot wave of desire that rose from her skin caressed Madeline’s. A warning growl rumbled from the pit of her belly as Sabrina tried to push her away. “I’ll even give you a head start. When I let go, you’ll have ten minutes to change and flee. Then I’m coming for you.”
Barely moving her head, Sabrina nodded and licked her lips. Madeline followed the path of her tongue and wanted desperately to kiss her, to claim her mouth and taste her. But that went against the rules. She had to catch her first and prove her superiority. Her muscles cramped as she held her change at bay, forcing herself to release her hold on Sabrina’s hair.
The instant she did, Sabrina lunged back, landing on the balls of her feet with a grace that Madeline adored. To her disappointment, she took off into the forest to make her change. She would have enjoyed watching the other woman undress, revealing her tight and athletic body one piece of clothing at a time.
She quickly removed her own clothing and out of habit, hid them in a cluster of fern bushes. One of the first things a cub learned was to conceal any evidence of the change. Empty clothing in the middle of nowhere had a way of attracting attention, almost as much as a naked woman alone in the woods. Before she let her puma loose, she took a deep breath of the forest air. Even in human form her senses were heightened. A whiff of beer and human male sweat came from the west, but far enough away they probably didn’t have to worry about it. A foul smell tickled the back of her palate, but when she tried to get a lock on it, the wind shifted. She hesitated a moment then decided it was probably carrion rotting in the forest, or a place where some camper emptied their latrine.
The moonlight bathed her body in a warm shimmer of white sparkles as her magic rose from her skin to embrace the change. Her blood turned to ice then fire as the enchantment of her shift worked through her. The world went dark as she closed her eyes and they reshaped themselves in her newly elongated skull. Elation raced through her as her human soul melded with her inner cat and together they roared their challenge into the night.
An answering snarl came from her left and Madeline hissed. The hunt was on, and she had no intention of losing.
Chapter 2
Sabrina slunk through the underbrush, careful not to leave an easy trail to follow. Arousal coursed a sweet path through her veins, and her heart thundered in her chest. The memory of Madeline holding her, the sensation of their breasts brushing, made her ache for the other woman. Sabrina delighted in the strength that lay beneath all of Madeline’s lush curves.
Dark brown fur helped her blend into the forest, yet her eyes remained the same shade of gray as her human eyes. She paused beneath a large pine tree and rubbed a cheek on the bark. In her night vision, the world turned shades of amber and the moon gleamed in the sky, butterscotch gold. A few days away from being full, it illuminated the forest as clearly as though still daylight.
The shifting breeze brought a hint of female puma and her whiskers twitched as she took in the scent. Madeline grew closer and part of her wanted to shift to her human female form and lay herself at Madeline’s feet. Her inner cat, however, was determined to make Madeline work for the gift of her submission. She needed to know, had to know that Madeline was good enough, stealthy enough to follow her. That she had the willpower to overrule her instinct to run from humans and pursue Sabrina.
The stealthy thud of paws came nearer than she thought and Sabrina sprinted through the darkness. The wind rushed through her ears and the perfume of pine and the rich earth of the forest filled her head. There, the smell of beer and males. She ignored the training that told her to stay away from humans and crept closer to their camp.
Three tents huddled around the embers of a campfire burning orange in her night vision. Empty cans of beer littered the ground along with the acrid smell of cigarette butts. Snores came from two of the tents while in the third, someone moved restlessly. She circled wide around the fire, careful not to get close enough to alert them to her presence.
On her third lap, she let out a startled hiss as a massive shape sailed out of the darkness and knocked her on her back. Madeline was as stunning in her cat form as her human. Sleek honey-colored fur blended into the creamy white of her belly. Slightly larger than Sabrina’s cat, she silently snarled to reveal gleaming, sharp fangs.
Sabrina rolled onto her feet and bared her teeth back, letting loose another warning hiss. From the campsite came a burst of yelling. Madeline cuffed her across the jaw with her paw, knocking her into the dirt. With a guttural roar, she launched herself at Madeline, shrieking when the other cat knocked her to the ground again.
Before she could return to her feet, Madeline grasped her by the back of the neck and drug her away from the campsite like a naughty cub. She tried to twist out of her grip, but the sensation of teeth sinking into the back of her neck hit a bundle of nerves and made her limbs quiver. With a low growl, Madeline dropped her and herded her deeper into the forest with snaps of her jaw and swipes of her big paws.
Every time Sabrina tried to dart away, Madeline was there with a flash of fang and a warning growl that vibrated through Sabrina’s bones. Her elation grew at each rebuffed attempt, joy surging through her body at the magnificent strength and beauty of the Alpha female. Only one more test lay before them to see if Madeline could be her Alpha.
They stopped next to a worn mound of vine-covered boulders and Madeline closed in, backing her into a small alcove until Sabrina’s haunches touched stone. Satisfied that she wasn’t going to escape, Madeline stationed herself at the entrance to the alcove. Magic moved through the air and it astonished her how quickly Madeline shifted back to her human form.
Naked, Madeline was simply stunning. Full hips and curvy thighs balanced off her large breasts, topped by raspberry red nipples. The soft, outward curve of her belly made her appear to be the essence of feminine beauty.
Without fear, Madeline stalked forward. “Shift.”
It was the command of an Alpha and Sabrina was helpless before her power. For the first time in her life she had no control over her enchantment as her inner cat purred and retreated into her soul. No pain accompanied this change. Madeline’s strength and power eased through her in a tingling rush. One moment she lashed her tail, the next she crouched on the ground with her human cheek pressed to the moss-covered earth in submission. With her flanks up in the air and her thighs spread, she shivered as the cool night air brushed over the wet heat of her pussy.
Madeline made a noise low in her throat that sent a bolt of lust straight to her clit. One smooth fingertip ran the length of her spine, coming to rest on the small indentation just above her bottom. Without shame she wiggled beneath Madeline’s stroke, inviting her to take more, to touch her however she wished.
I am hers now.
Warm hands drew her up from the ground and she eagerly moved into Madeline’s embrace, marveling at how well their bodies fit together. Almost the same height, Madeline stood an inch or so taller. She delighted in the stroke of smooth skin, the rich perfume of Madeline’s arousal.
Their eyes met and Madeline gave her a welcoming smile, illuminating Sabrina’s world. Only the sound of their br
eathing disturbed the hush of the night and Sabrina sighed as an empty space in her heart began to fill with Madeline’s presence. Leaning forward, she licked along Madeline’s jaw line, nibbling her way to her lips. Salt and heat, she tasted like passion and power, an intoxicating blend that made Sabrina’s clit ache.
Madeline cupped her neck and slowly brushed her lips against Sabrina’s, a kiss softer than anything she had ever imagined. She stroked her hands along Madeline’s waist, gripping the full press of her hips and delighting in her feminine curves. When her tongue licked along the seam of Sabrina’s lips, she eagerly opened to the gentle caress.
Nudging her legs apart, Madeline pressed her thigh against Sabrina’s pussy and groaned into her mouth. So wet, she easily slid along Madeline’s thigh as they tasted each other, as she let the other woman set the pace. Soon the need to have her release became too much and she made little pleading noises against Madeline’s kiss-swollen lips.
With a laugh, Madeline lowered her to the thick moss carpeting the floor of the alcove. “So beautiful,” she whispered as she straddled Sabrina, cupping her small breasts. “Tell me what you like.”
It was not a question, but a command, and Sabrina couldn’t have hidden the truth from her even if she wanted to. “I like it rough.”
Teeth flashed white in the light of the moon in a savage smile. “Fantastic.”
Heart pounding in her chest, Sabrina lightly scraped her nails over the muscled curve of Madeline’s calf. Without another word, Madeline leaned down and ran the tip of her tongue over Sabrina’s nipple, drawing wet circles around the puckered skin. She moaned at the sensation and abandoned herself to her touch.
Madeline switched to the other breast and repeated the same sensual torture, light licks around areola but never quite touching. In an effort to find some relief, Sabrina tried to shift her shoulders and bring the mouth into contact with the aching tip of her breast. Madeline hissed in response and bit her breast, hard. Electric sparks of pain raced through her body and blended in with her desire. “Please,” she moaned as Madeline gave the aching tip a swift swipe with her tongue.
Instead of responding, Madeline sucked her breast into her mouth, flicking her tongue rapidly back and forth over Sabrina’s captured bud. Madeline’s skin burned hot with her desire and Sabrina couldn’t resist the pleasure of touching her. Lush and smooth, exploring Madeline had to be one of the greatest sensual pleasures she had ever experienced.
Gripping her hips, Sabrina jerked Madeline up until she straddled her face. Her protest died a quick death at the first swipe of Sabrina’s tongue. So wet, her pussy tasted salty and tart. Above her, Madeline rocked her hips back, placing her clit directly on her tongue. She loved this, loved how Madeline purred deep in her throat when she sucked on her clit, loved how her hips twitched beneath her hands as she gently rolled the hood around the swollen bundle of nerves.
Energy moved between them as Madeline got closer to her orgasm. It stroked along her body like the rub of fur and she rubbed her thighs together at the perfume of their mingling desire. Madeline’s tensed and she ripped away from Sabrina’s greedy mouth. Licking her juice from Sabrina’s lips, she gave her a light kiss and whispered, “I told you I was going to fuck you and make you mine.”
Before Sabrina could figure out what she meant, Madeline lifted her leg and positioned herself on top so that their wet pussies pressed together. She gave up trying to see what was going on when Madeline ground her clit against hers and hot pleasure washed through her. With slow, circling motions of her hips, Madeline rode her, learning from her pants and cries what made her simply feel good and what drove her insane.
The center of her soul seemed to vibrate as her puma rubbed against the boundaries of her spirit. Her beast wanted more, wanted to rub against Madeline’s cat and roll in her pheromones. Their hips ground against each other as Sabrina strained for the connection, begged for that final intimacy. All her life she’d waited for a mate strong enough to protect her and her soul would die if Madeline turned her away. Her cat would never forgive her for losing the stunning Alpha female.
Unaware she’d spoken aloud, Madeline answered her fears in rough voice, “As if I would ever let you go.”
A blast of energy with the power of a sonic boom burned through her as Madeline’s spirit poured into her soul. If she’d been able to draw a breath, she’d have screamed in pleasure. As it was, she trembled and jerked on the brink of a tremendous orgasm, held back from the edge by Madeline’s power. Their cats’ energy met in a rush of fur, purring and rolling together, loving each other in the pure way humans never seemed to manage with all of their hang-ups.
She totally abandoned herself to Madeline and sank into her soul. Although she’d had many lovers, nothing prepared her for the sensation of completion with a mate. As their spirits joined, their pleasure rebounded through each other until Sabrina didn’t know where her body ended and Madeline’s began. When the first contraction of her orgasm hit, all she could do was scream out her pleasure until her voice broke.
The world went white and Madeline froze, shaking with her own orgasm as Sabrina’s release rocked through her.
The sensation of being in two bodies at once was completely foreign, but she felt no fear. It was impossible to be scared—Madeline’s puma would die to protect her. Madeline slid to the ground next to her and they wrapped each other up in a tangle of velvety limbs. Little shivers and tremors moved through both of them and they exchanged gentle kisses full of devotion. She had never been happier to be a shifter than right now. Humans would never know or understand the instant love a bonded shifter could feel for their mate.
Madeline tried to speak, but her voice came out in a husky croak. They both laughed and she cleared her throat. “We’ve been looking for you for a long time.”
Sabrina buried her face in the fragrant mass of Madeline’s blond curls and inhaled her scent, trying to calm herself at the sudden rush of nerves. In the frenzy of forming a psychic connection with Madeline, she had forgotten all about Nick, the most powerful Alpha Male in all of North Carolina, and Madeline’s mate. Her panic receded as Madeline extended her will, her control over Sabrina as her Alpha.
She pulled back and plucked a leaf out of Madeline’s hair. “Do you think he’ll like me?” Goddess, what if he didn’t? According to the rules of mating, they should have waited for his permission before bonding. As Madeline’s mate, he had every right to be angry with both of them. From the information provided by Madame Evangeline, he was a respected police officer in his community and well liked. For a moment she tried to put herself in his shoes and couldn’t imagine that he would be anything but furious.
Laughing low in her throat, Madeline asked, “Why don’t you ask him yourself? He’s been guarding us since your little show at the campsite.”
Chapter 3
Sabrina leapt into a crouch and tried to see everywhere at once. She hadn’t sensed him at all. Nick had to be extremely powerful if he’d managed to shield himself from her. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as a branch creaked beneath a heavy weight. A growl rumbled in the back of her throat as her cat demanded she defend her Alpha.
Before she could do anything foolish, Madeline moved up behind her and wrapped her arms around her in a hug that gave her no room to maneuver. She trembled against the other woman, fighting with her instincts. The urge to fight or flee almost overwhelmed her and she made a small, panicked noise deep in her throat.
Madeline’s husky voice spoke into her ear with a hint of steel. “Sabrina, he is my soul mate. He won’t hurt you and you will not hurt him.”
Her rational mind surfaced past the panic and her thoughts raced. If he’d wanted to hurt her, he had many opportunities to do so while she and Madeline made love. Oh Goddess, he had watched her have sex with his soul mate. At the very least she owed him the respect of not going for his throat the instant he showed himself. She had to impress him, show him she was worthy of being their Beta. Beca
use like it or not, what started out as a one-night stand, a mutual meeting of needs, had turned into so much more.
Forcing her body to relax took a great deal of effort, but she soothed her cat enough to back down and let her human side deal with the situation. “I’m cool.”
“You sure?”
“Yep.” She cleared her throat. “Let’s see this man who can melt butter.”
Madeline’s husky laugh vibrated along her back and sent a pleasant rush of heat through her. As arousal tightened her body, the connection with Madeline opened her to the other woman’s uncertainty and hope. “Nick, come on out.”
Paws lightly hit the ground as a massive puma the color of freshly-turned earth leapt from the branches of a large oak tree. Her breath caught in her throat in admiration. In midstride, he changed from beast to man in a display of controlled magic that humbled her. She’d never seen anyone exhibit that degree of power in their shifting.
The glow of the change flared away and love surged through her psychic link with Madeline. Unable to help herself, Sabrina sighed with delight. Nick approached them with a small smile curving his lips. Dark hair with a hint of silver at his temples gave him a mature air, but he had the body of a twenty year old. A few inches taller than Sabrina, he was heavily muscled with more dark hair covering his chest and leading down to a very impressive erection that jutted out over his heavy balls. A neatly trimmed beard framed his square jaw and when she finally tore her gaze from his body and into his eyes, she couldn’t help but laugh. They were golden. The color of melted butter. Her gaze dropped back to his shaft. A flush heated her cheeks and she quickly looked away even as her body heated with desire.
He stopped a few feet away and studied Sabrina until she shifted restlessly beneath the weight of his gaze. Mellow and dark, his voice stroked over her. “What do we have here?”
“Our Beta.” Madeline’s tone was challenging.
1NS 023 - Ann Mayburn - Prides of the Moon 1 - Amber Moon - Decadent 2011-07 Page 2