This is my fault. All my fault. Neomee’s worried eyes studied his painted back as he’d led her back to their quarters.
Later, that evening as Neomee and Bray lay next to each other in their room she stared wistfully out the window at the stars. Then she parted her soft pink lips and broke their weeks’ long silence. “Can we leave?”
Bray did not look at her, but kept his eyes focused on the ceiling of their room, “What do you mean?”
“When we…become mates. Can we leave the temple?”
“Leave to venture out or leave forever?”
“Forever.” Neomee whispered.
“It can be done, but it must be earned.”
Neomee rolled on her side to face him, “Earned how?”
“I would have to fight for the right. My service can be ended if I defeat five of my fellow Cats in battle.”
She couldn’t hide the incredulity in her tone, “You’d have to fight them all at once?”
“No. I would fight them one at a time, but I’d fight them one after another. It is an extremely difficult task.”
“And because I’m your mate they’d just let me leave with you if you won?”
“Yes.”
“I-is there nothing I can do to earn our freedom?”
Bray chuckled, “Not unless you are willing to fight to the death for it.”
“Hmm…who would I have to fight?”
“NO!” The growled word brooked no refusal.
Silent for a few moments, Neomee finally asked, “Do you think you’d be able to do it? Could you best five of your brothers?”
“Clearly, it is not beneficial for the Priest or the temple to have Cats seeking their leave. If it were easy to do, all Cats would undertake the task and none would be left to guard the people or the temple; therefore, the task of earning freedom is nearly impossible. I imagine my selected challengers would be twice as strong as would be chosen for any other as I am the Prince of Cats.”
“Are you a Prince?”
“No. Prince of Cats is the title given to the best warrior. I have earned the title.”
Silence hung in the air for several moments before Neomee rolled onto her back to stare up at the ceiling, “Bray,” the name felt strange on her lips, “what if I am willing to fight to the death for it?”
Bray turned to study her face, “Are you?”
She paused a moment, contemplating. “Yes.”
“If it is what you want, then it is what I will give.”
Hope sprang to file. “You’ll let me fight in an attempt gain us our freedom?”
“No. I will fight and gain it for you.”
Neomee sat up, “No! I don’t want you to fight for me.”
Bray rose from the bed and walked to the window, staring out over the sleeping village. “It is my duty to provide what you desire.”
Neomee dropped her head, “It’s not what I want. I don’t want you risking anything for me. I’m just a slave Bray.”
“You are my mate. I would do anything for you, even if it meant death.”
She raised her eyes to stare at his back, “I’m sorry.”
He turned to face her, “Sorry? For what?”
“I’m sorry that your Cat chose me. I’m sorry that…well I’m sorry for everything. Mostly I’m sorry that I’m not more for you, that I’m not what you would want if you had the choice.”
Bray approached and stood over her, “Don’t be mistaken. My Cat has not made a choice that I must now live with. I made the choice and my Cat agreed with it. You are who I have chosen because you are what I want.”
“Today,” Neomee whispered up at him, “the Cats in the hall. How did they know?”
Bray turned from her, his expression suddenly cold. “You do not carry my scent.”
“Scent?”
“When we have consummated our mating bond, you will carry my scent as I will carry yours.”
“For how long?”
“Forever.”
Neomee looked down to fidget nervously with the hem of her gown, “I…I don’t want the other Cats to laugh at our expense.”
Bray strode back to the window, “Well, there is only one way to remedy that.”
Silence hung between them.
Neomee’s whisper would have been inaudible for any other man, but not for the Prince of Cats, “Then we should...remedy that.”
Bray glared angrily out the window, “I do not seek to mate with you to keep myself from ridicule.”
Neomee rose from the bed and crossed the room silently. As she approached, he continued, “If I were concerned with being ridiculed, I would not have allowed my Cat to choose a slave as a mate.”
Neomee caught herself just as her hand was inches from his shoulder. Slave? “Oh.”
Bray spun at her proximity, lost in thought he hadn’t heard her approach, but Neomee was already turning from him. Hurt, she walked from him as he caught her wrist. She stopped, but didn’t turn to face him. She didn’t want him to see how his words had stung.
“Lily…”, the pain in his voice revealed his regret, “Neomee,” he corrected himself, “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant; it’s not what I feel.”
Turning slowly, she looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, “Don’t let them make fun of us.” The silent plea in her voice was what Bray had been waiting for, hoping for.
“Never.” He bent to scoop her up and carried her to their bed. He gently lowered her before he stood and removed his knife from its sheath on his hip. Neomee’s breath caught as Bray bent and slid the knife under one strap of her gown. The cold blade felt wonderful on her too hot flesh. Bray was careful as he cut one strap then the other. He slid the sharp knife between her ample breasts and carefully slid the blade down until her gown lay pooled around her body, exposing her lean frame.
Naked save for the collar possessively clasped around her slender throat, Neomee reached up to touch Bray’s cheek when he crawled over her. Pinned beneath her Prince of Cats her breathing hitched at the hungry desire she read in his eyes.
Suddenly, a voice at the doorway bellowed, “Perfect!” It was the Priest. “I’d heard you had not yet mated your slave. And here I’d come to take her from you, but apparently this is a most inopportune moment.”
Neomee gasped in shock as she attempted to cover her exposed breasts. She pulled from under Bray and quickly rolled clumsily to the floor as she reached for her tattered gown.
Bray sprang from the bed and stalked aggressively toward the Priest not at all bothered by his own nakedness. “Leave!”
Bray’s warning growl had the Priest backing out the door with a wicked grin on his face as Bray fought to contain his Cat, “By all means, it is about time you had another mate. Consummate, seal the bond, …” the Priest licked his lips as he glanced at Neomee’s naked flesh, “pierce her with your intentions.” Then he was gone.
Dazed on the floor, Neomee realized that in all that had transpired she’d forgotten to ask him about her…his other mate!
Bray’s shoulders and head sagged as he exhaled deeply. He moved to sit on the opposite edge of the bed facing away from Neomee. They sat in silence for several moments, neither one moving.
“Ask!” He growled.
“Tell me about her.” Neomee couldn’t keep the disappointment from her voice.
Bray knew she was already retreating back into herself, her desire that he’d reveled in mere seconds ago, now recoiled so quickly that the scent of it that had overwhelmed him earlier, now barely lingered in the room.
“She was Hondo’s sister.”
“And she died?”
“Yes. She was my mate.” Bray exhaled harshly as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Hondo introduced us, we were mated immediately. A few years later when Hondo’s mate had been murdered, I thought he should have some time away from his station to reflect, to mourn. If I hadn’t forced Hondo from his station, asked to be allowed to take his shift, I would have been with Sanura wh
en she was attacked. I could have…would have protected her…saved her.”
Sanura. “That is why Hondo hates you?”
“He didn’t want to be on forced leave from his station. Said he was fine. I thought he needed more time, as did Sanura. I persuaded the Priest to force Hondo to take a break from his station, and in return I’d temporarily replace him. He swore he didn’t need the time. Begged the Priest to let him keep his station. The Priest agreed with me. While I covered for Hondo, thieves entered the temple through the window in my room. They killed Sanura while she slept.”
Neomee couldn’t bring herself to apologize for forcing Bray to relive such horrible memories. He belonged to someone else. “Did you find her killers?”
“No. We Cats, all of us, scoured the city. We found no sign of the thieves, no scent to follow, no clues, it was as if they’d disappeared. I have not avenged my mate.”
The possession in his tone made Neomee’s belly drop. My mate?
“I thought Cat’s mated for life and only did so once.”
Bray turned to look at her as she still sat sprawled half naked on the floor, “It is up to our Cat. If he chooses to seek out another mate, or to remain alone is solely up to our Cat. It is rare to mate more than once in a lifetime, but it is not unheard of.”
“Oh.”
Exhausted, Bray fell back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Neomee stared at him from her spot on the floor for long minutes. When she finally heard the rhythmic cadence of his breathing, she knew he’d fallen asleep. She rose from the floor and dressed herself before leaving Bray to his past and to his dreams.
Chapter 17
Bray woke to the morning sun shining down on him through the window. He rubbed his head trying to recall the past night’s events and he felt as though he’d been kicked in the belly when he finally remembered. Neomee!
Sitting up, he scanned the room for her but it was empty. He knew she’d been hurt by his revelation last night. He hadn’t missed the shock and disappointment she’d attempted to disguise, he’d also scented her pain. Was it sadistic that her pain pleased him?
He knew that the root of her disappointment was jealousy but wasn’t sure whether she’d realized it or not. Regardless he needed to explain himself, he owed her that much.
Leaving the room, he followed the corridor to the dining hall where he hoped to find his mate but before he even reached the end of the long corridor, he heard a faint whimper. Stopping, he strained to listen. There, he heard it again. Sniffing the air, he could faintly smell fear and desire mingled together. Sniffing again, Bray recognized Neomee’s scent. The hair on the back of his neck stood on edge and a low growl escaped him as he began tracking her. Hearing whispers, he followed the scent and the sound through the doorway that led to the lower catacombs.
Once below, Bray ran through the dark tunnels now locked onto the sweet smell that was his mate. She was in danger and afraid. As a result he was pissed, and on the verge of shifting. His incisors drew blood as they lengthened and punctured his lower lip.
***
“Please, don’t. I’m bound…I-I belong to someone.” Neomee pleaded with the Cat that stood before her, his palms resting flatly against the wall on either side of her as he leaned in to nuzzle her neck.
She’d left the quarters she shared with Bray in the middle of the night. Unsure where to go or what to do she roamed the temple until the sun rose, then she’d decided to sneak into the dining hall to steal a quick bite before Bray woke. She never made it.
She’d been grabbed from behind and drug down to the catacombs. At first she thought the Cat carrying her was Bray, but slung over his shoulder she saw in the dimly lit tunnel that this Cat lacked the three black stripes that Bray always wore painted down his back. It was not her Prince of Cats! She’d struggled against him in vain, trying to free herself but succeeding only in making him laugh. He carried her deep into the catacombs and the further he got, the faster her heart raced.
“I am mated to Bray, Prince of Cats.” Her voice sounded shaky even to her own ears.
The Cat nuzzling her inhaled deeply, “You may be bound, but you are no Cats mate. Not yet.” The Cat reached up and slid the straps of her gown down until her gown pooled in a white linen heap at her feet.
Neomee gasped, crossing her arms over her chest as she tried to cover herself, “Please stop!”
Even in the dark, she could see the white of the Cat’s teeth as he grinned down at her. He removed his hands from where they were braced on the wall and began fumbling with something below his waist that she couldn’t see. She tried to take advantage of the opportunity to run but was caught by her hair and yanked back to the wall. She felt the Cat’s naked flesh press into her own, his thick erection pressed against her soft belly. Neomee shoved at the Cat, erupting into hysterical tears as she screamed, “STOP! NO, DON’T! NOOOO!”
The Cat laughed again as he leaned down and lifted one of Neomee’s legs onto his hip. She could feel his cock probing for entrance. “Please don’t,” she whimpered.
“Play nice and keep quiet pretty girl and I promise not to hurt you.”
Neomee closed her eyes and bit her lip to stifle her cry. In the darkness she heard a roar then she was lying naked on the ground. Her eyes flew open and she tried to make out shapes in the darkness as she quickly retrieved her gown and clumsily pulled it over her head.
Two dark shapes hissed and growled in a tangled mess of fur and dust. They fought ferociously, clawing and biting at each other.
Neomee sat frozen in place, praying that one of the Cats was Bray and praying that he won. Prince of Cats is the title given to the best warrior. He’s earned the title, she reminded herself hopefully while using the backs of her hands to swipe away her tears.
The larger Cat sunk his teeth into the throat of the smaller Cat and the smaller Cat kicked and writhed in an effort to free himself until he finally stopped moving and his neon yellow eyes ceased blinking. The larger Cat used his teeth to throw the smaller Cat against the furthest wall where its bones jarred audibly before falling in a dusty heap of fur and blood. The Cat’s dead stare bore into Neomee. She couldn’t look away and didn’t see Bray shift as he approached her.
Falling to his knees, he grabbed her roughly and pulled her into the safety of his embrace, “Are you alright?”
She blinked in shock before breaking down and sobbing uncontrollably in his arms. “H-he was going to…”
“I know.” Bray cut in. He pulled back to stare at her tear stained face, “Are you okay?”
Neomee nodded, “I’m fine…he didn’t…” Her words trailed off, she couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.
Bray pulled her close and held her for long minutes while she cried until she finally pulled away to glare up at him. “I thought you said this meant something,” she tugged angrily at the collar around her neck. “He didn’t care. It didn’t mean anything.” She struggled to her feet and Bray rose with her steadying her with his hands.
“I told you, it’s only part of the mating bond. It shows them that you have been marked, but they are Cats Neomee, they can smell the truth of it.”
“Ughh!” Neomee swiped angrily at her tears, “Again with the smelling.” She shoved passed Bray and made for the exit but was stopped by his hand around her wrist.
“I’m sorry Neomee.”
“Me too,” she retorted angrily and tried to pull her wrist free.
“No,” Bray began more softly, his hand tightened on her wrist. “I’m sorry Neomee.”
Her heart thudded to a halt. There was something in his tone, something she hadn’t heard before. The way he said the words sounded…off. It didn’t sound like he was apologizing for what had just happened to her, but was apologizing for what was about to happen to her. She tried to jerk out of his grasp, but he wouldn’t relent.
“Bray?” she whispered turning to look at him.
“I cannot let this happen to you again. I will not.” He jerked her
back and slammed her against the wall. As the previous Cat had done, Bray had her gown off in seconds.
“Bray! What are you doing? Have you lost your mind? Stop!” Neomee shoved against him, slapping at his hands as she tried to sidestep him.
He crushed his body into hers, holding her in place and she heard his kilt and belt hit the dusty floor. He used his knees to spread her legs and lifted her until her back was pressed into the wall, her feet left the floor and she was straddling him. She continued to fight him.
“Bray! No! Amon, no! Not like this!” She whimpered as his mouth claimed hers. She continued to fight him, turning her head from his seeking lips. She arched her back hoping for leverage, but it was a mistake. Her bare breasts rubbed invitingly against his torso. She gasped and clawed at his bare chest as his rigid cock sought entrance. She struggled frantically to free herself “Bray please! Stop! STOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!” Her screams bounced off the walls of the corridor. This can’t be happening! A sob tore free and more fearful tears breached her eyes. “You’re hurting me!” She felt Bray’s entire body tense and when he froze she also stopped moving.
“Neomee?” His voice was a strangled whisper.
She continued to sob, “P-please don’t hurt me.”
When he pulled back to stare down at her there was a pained expression on his face. “Neomee, I’m sorry. I didn’t…”
The instant his hold on here loosened, Neomee jerked free. Falling to the ground she snatched her tunic from the floor and raced down the corridor without looking back.
Alone, Bray groaned and rested his head against the wall in the dim catacombs.
***
Neomee was inconsolable. She refused to talk to or even look at Bray. In their shared quarters she took a blanket and slept on the divan every night, but she woke every morning in the bed. She even refused to question how she got there. If Bray approached her too quickly or too closely, the room filled with the scent of her terror and it made Bray physically sick to know that his proximity was the cause of her distress.
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