She seemed to be adapting to the den and the pack, and Kevin told himself that once he had healed completely, he would start the courtship in a manner that Nina would understand and appreciate. However, Kevin had no idea the chaos that waited at his doorstep.
Chapter 7
He had started feeling better. His naps were fewer, and he was more alert. That evening, he had had a particularly exciting romp outside the den with Nina. She made excellent pretend prey, and the short screams seemed almost realistic. Of course, she smacked him afterwards for jumping on her without warning and then chasing her around. She had sulked throughout dinner, and Cassie had asked gleefully whether he was in the ‘dog house.’
Kevin had bared his teeth at his alpha’s mate. He was starting to agree with Luke. Fergus was starting to become a bad influence on Cassie. Speaking of the wolf, he had not seen him since he had helped him out with the hunters. He communicated this to Heather, who told him she would ask Cassie.
Nina, sulking, was quite funny. He tried to nudge his head under her arm, and she tucked her hands in her elbows, refusing to pet him. That was not very nice. In their room, he threw himself on the bed, his massive form sprawled onto it, covering every inch of space available. The young witch tried to budge him. She even pushed at him, but he would not move. Finally, she burrowed herself into him, determined not to let him get his way.
Unfortunately, it ended with her trapped under him, and the bear delighted in that new game where he got to lick any part of Nina that was exposed. She did not quite appreciate that, and her annoyance was made evident when she floated him off her and dropped him on the ground.
Then, it was Kevin’s turn to sulk. However, unlike Nina, the bear shifter was easy to win over. A few peppered kisses on his nose had him climbing into bed and curling around her. They drifted off to sleep, and Kevin told himself as he saw the book on the bedside table that the first thing he would do when he shifted back to his human form was to make a shelf for Nina where she could keep all the books she wanted.
Unfortunately, that was not the first thing he did when he shifted back to his human form.
Nina moved in her sleep. Somehow, the cold had seeped through her blanket. She fidgeted, her fingers outstretched to search for that familiar warmth that she was becoming too accustomed to. Not encountering the soft fur she was looking for, she made a sound of dissent in her sleep, and then something or someone moved toward her and she was warm again.
A few hours later, the burning sensation in her abdomen woke Nina up. It was quite dark, and she grumbled. She needed to pee badly. The set of muscled arms that held onto her made it quite hard to move freely. She pushed against the firm chest, and mumbled, “Let go. I want to go to the bathroom.”
However, her companion was of no mind to release her. As the urgency grew, Nina became more alert, and she realized that it was not a fluffy bear that held her, but a human male.
The shriek that she let out could have shattered chandeliers.
A familiar snarl that sounded strange coming from a human throat reverberated through the room, and the lights switched on.
Nina stared into Kevin’s eyes, and hers widened. She leapt back, tumbling over the bed and landing on the carpeted floor.
“Are you okay?”
She heard Kevin jump off the bed and come to her side.
“Stay back!”
Kevin froze.
The panic on Nina’s face had him growling. “What’s wrong?”
She stared at him for a few seconds as if he had suddenly grown a second head. “You’re…You’ve changed back!”
Kevin stood still. “You dislike my human form?”
A lance of pain shot through his heart at the idea. His bear whimpered at the obvious rejection from his female. His emotions must have registered on his face because Nina whispered, “That’s not it.”
His animal perked his ears, suddenly hopeful. Kevin knelt by Nina’s side. “Then what is it? I’m the same shifter you slept in bed with.”
“But you’re human!”
Kevin growled in confusion. “What is wrong with me being human?”
Nina pushed at him and jumped to her feet. She disappeared into the bathroom, leaving behind a puzzled and annoyed shifter. He glanced down at himself and put on some shorts. Had she been shocked by his lack of clothing?
He was about to find out.
Foregoing a shirt, Kevin pulled on a pair of jeans and looked at himself in the mirror. His chest was not clean-shaven, like some of the juveniles had started doing. His form was lean and muscled. He had not become the most senior lieutenant simply because he was Luke’s childhood friend. His body was a dangerous weapon. Kevin’s fighting skills were on par with Luke’s. He was better at hand-to-hand combat in human form, even better than Luke. Every female he had been with had found him very attractive. Nina was the first one to run from him.
Kevin was leaning against the bed post when Nina came out of the bathroom, her cheeks red. When their eyes met, Kevin could see the embarrassment flood her face. She stood at a distance from him and fidgeted before she raised her chin and said, “I’m sorry for overreacting. It took me by surprise. I’m not,” she gestured toward him with her hand, “I’m not used to your human form.”
Kevin studied her, and it surprised him that his anger had not abated. He was hurt, and he wanted her to know it.
“Why are you standing so far away from me? Are you scared?” The last part was a taunt that came from a part of him, which surprised him.
Nina’s head jerked up, her eyes glittering. “Am not!”
“So, prove it.”
Nina knew he was baiting her. He leaned against the bed post, his hands in his pockets, looking harmless. She had seen more than just shirtless men in her life. However, none of them had sparked the defiance in her attitude that this shifter did.
His smile was taunting, and it made her angry. She marched over to him until there was only an arm’s distance between them. “See! I’m not scared of you!”
The slow motion in which Kevin took his hands out from his pockets arrested her until he pulled her forward by her arms. She fell into him and looked up. He did not have the expression on his face that those men used to have. He looked annoyed, like he wanted to bite her. The expression reminded her of his bear form, and she relaxed.
“Why did you feel scared of me?”
Nina looked up into his face and felt her heart skip a beat. His jaw was taut with annoyance, and his brown eyes, which usually laughed at her, were lit with anger. She was smashed against his chest, and her belly quivered. With what, she did not understand. She tried to think past these new sensations and struggled with an answer. “You were…you…”
However, Kevin was not listening. He had picked up on her scent which had become spicier and was laced with arousal. Did Nina want him? He studied her expression and noted the intensity in her eyes. There was confusion there as well, but desire clouded her eyes.
Kevin wanted to give in, but the confusion that was present in her eyes warned him of something he could not quite understand.
“Nina.” He breathed, and he watched her lips quiver. Those pink lips parted, and he found himself fascinated by their shape. Her blue eyes met his, and he read a fear of the unknown in them. However, his question was lost in his mind when she rubbed against him.
It was not a provocative act. However, it was all that was needed to set him off. He lowered his mouth and brushed his lips against hers. Nina tried to get more of the kiss, but he was in control – not her – and his hands restrained her movement. Her tongue reached out hesitantly to touch his, and Kevin’s mind went blank.
It was the same feeling that had coursed through Kevin’s body when he had first kissed her, helpless against his instincts. Something about her was drawing him in. He tasted her mouth, his lips gentle, coaxing out her tongue again. He wanted to suck it. He wanted that pretty, little mouth on him.
Nothing was making sense to Nina
at that moment. Was this what she had been missing all these years? However, a voice in the back of her mind told her that none of those men would have treated her with this gentleness. The hot, male body that covered her pressed against her in a most intimate position. She had never felt a naked man press up against her. All those muscled ridges – those dips and that rough skin – made her want to rub against him. Her lower belly was burning, and she could not understand what she wanted. Her lower area was clenching and unclenching in anticipation of something, and she shifted uncomfortably.
Kevin’s kisses were soft and gentle. He sipped at her, and Nina relaxed. However, she forgot in that moment that Kevin was a shifter, and nothing about sex was gentle with him. Her defenses down, he swooped in with ease, thrusting his tongue through her parted lips. The witch’s eyes flew open as she felt his wet tongue move in her mouth. Helpless, she opened her mouth and let him explore every crevice. When he sucked on her tongue, Nina moaned and felt his hands move to her ass and grind her cheeks.
Assaulted by sensation, her lids lowered, and Kevin saw the wantonness in her eyes. It made him smirk, and he left her mouth to trail wet kisses on her neck. He kissed the side of her neck and watched her move her head to the side, obediently giving him more access. He groaned at that submissive gesture.
The small sounds she was making made him harden. She must have felt his cock because Nina’s eyes widened.
She rubbed against him, and he grabbed her wrist as her hand travelled downwards to feel the huge bulge. His eyes gleamed as he pulled back and warned. “Careful, sweetheart.”
But Nina did not want to be careful. She wanted his hands to ease the burning in her skin. She moved restlessly under him, and Kevin let out a curse. He pinned her down with his body, and then releasing her wrists, he gripped her jaw and gave her a punishing kiss.
She tried to kiss him back, but Kevin had already moved lower. His claws came out, and the shirt that she wore lay in shreds on the bed. Her breasts were plump – ripe for the plucking. He fondled one, and Nina closed her eyes at the sensation. She should be fighting back, resisting this. These strange feelings were completely foreign to her, and Nina felt that she might become addicted to them. Her eyes opened, and she looked down to see Kevin’s hands on her breasts. She should feel embarrassed, she told herself, but instead a moan escaped her lips as he rolled her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. “Kevin!”
He smiled at her almost kindly, and then those large, brown hands pinched her nipples painfully, and Nina’s mouth fell open as the pain and pleasure went straight to her pussy.
A warm, wet mouth suckled at her nipple, and she glanced down to see those brown eyes staring directly into hers as he sucked and bit. Nina could not tear her eyes away from his.
She wore an erotic expression on her face, and suddenly Kevin wanted to see what other faces she could make. He slipped his hand down and smirked to see that she just wore a pair of panties. So comfortable with the bear that she forgot that he was a man.
He stopped abusing her breasts, and his fingers pushed aside her panties and searched for the little magic button. Nina’s face flushed as she felt his fingers move about in her most intimate area. She was helpless to stop him.
Kevin pressed his fingers against her clit and watched the witch’s lips tremble. He grinned. This was going to be fun. He rubbed it with his fingers, and she made a shocked sound. Her eyes fluttered closed, and Kevin growled, his voice guttural. “Keep looking at me.”
Nina obeyed his order.
Kevin could feel her pussy grow wetter and wetter as he abused her clit. She was humping his hand, and it pleased him to see how desperate she was for the pleasure only he could give her right now.
“P-Please!”
Nina’s eyes were screaming for relief, and Kevin watched them go cloudy. It was fascinating to watch a woman’s expression when she needed to cum. Suddenly, he wanted to see if she could come just from her clit, and he pressed harder, rubbing circles on it.
Nina was teetering on the edge when Kevin changed his mind and thrust two fingers in her drenched pussy, making her scream. Seeing her lose control from just his fingers, Kevin pumped them inside her and groaned when she started moving her body in rhythm with his fingers.
Knowing that he would not be able to hold himself in check if he kept watching her expression morph into this wanton look any more, the bear shifter pulled his fingers out with a satisfying pop and then turned her over swiftly. His back against the headrest of the bed, he dragged her toward him, her back to his chest.
Those fingers, which had been pummeling inside her pussy, now entered her mouth, and Kevin used his left hand to thrust into her again. Nina sucked her juices off his fingers obediently and moved on his fingers, her expression tight with desire.
Her mind was growing blank, and when he removed his hand from her mouth, she made a sound of protest, making him chuckle and whisper roughly against her ear, “I’ll give you something better to suck on later.”
His wet fingers moved down, and he pinched her nipple harshly as his fingers increased their pace. The cry that emitted from her was beyond erotic. It made Kevin’s cock harden even more, and he lost control. Withdrawing his fingers, he picked her up by the waist and put her on his proud cock.
He felt something inside her give way before she fell on his cock and he froze when he heard the whimper. Oh, fuck! She was a virgin?!
Nina made a soft sound, and as Kevin trailed kisses over her neck, trying to help her relax, he felt her moan. Not in pain, but pleasure.
When she moved restlessly, Kevin understood what she was trying to say. Gritting his teeth, he moved in her slowly, and then to his shock, Nina lifted herself up on the balls of her feet and then fell down on him again. Her moan was long, and she murmured something, which he strained to hear.
“So full!”
Those words were all that were needed to break his self-control.
Kevin thrust into her, making her cry out with each push. Her breasts moved up and down with the motion, and he held onto them with his hands, determined to give her as much pleasure as possible.
A broken garble of his name.
Nina begging was such a wonderful sound.
Kevin picked her up and then turned her around to face him, dropping her onto his cock again. This time, he could see her face twist in pleasure. He jackhammered into her, making her scream out his name. She could not keep up with his speed, and she sat there, letting him pound into her. Her gasps and cries stimulated him enough that when her inner muscles tightened around him, Kevin thrust again and then bit down on her neck, making Nina throw her head back and scream in pleasure.
He came inside her and felt her muscles spasm before she collapsed in a boneless heap into his arms.
Nina’s breathing was labored, and Kevin kissed her lovingly, trying to calm down her racing heart. He planted a kiss on her temple. “You okay?”
A small nod, and he realized that she was feeling shy and embarrassed. So, he took her into his arms and wrapped himself around her. “Sleep. I’ll be right here.”
And despite Nina’s stricken thoughts and her fear that she might have ruined everything, hearing those words calmed her down in a way that nothing else could have. She slipped off into sleep, feeling safe and secure in those muscled arms.
Broken mirror.
A snake slithering out of it.
So much blood.
“Kevin!” A heartbroken wail.
“Nina.”
The world was shaking.
“NINA!”
Kevin’s face came into view and seeing his face without the blood on it had the girl bursting into tears. She grabbed onto him, and her body shook. Kevin shifted himself so that she lay on top of him. Nina was beyond caring that she was currently naked. Her sobs were so violent that, for a moment, Kevin thought she might have hurt herself.
He had been sleeping when he felt her breathing stop. He was so attuned to the young witch,
that the minute her chest had stopped moving, he had become alert. He had woken up to see her eyes a pure silver color. Similar to how Samuel and Abigail exuded power, Nina’s eyes had ben glowing with an energy, which had been silver.
The words she had spoken made no sense to him.
What mirror? What was going on?
It was when she had screamed his name that Kevin had realized something was wrong and he had shaken her awake. He ran his hands over her back in a comforting manner until her sobs died down.
“You okay now?” he asked quietly.
Sensing that she needed a barrier around her, he wrapped her in the bed sheet and then dragged her onto himself. “Now tell me what happened.”
Those blue eyes, rimmed with red, suddenly looked much older than they should have. Nina studied him and suddenly felt tired. It was as if she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders and she was all alone. She rubbed her hands over her arms, trying to warm herself up, and in a swift movement, Kevin had them both wrapped in the blanket.
That kind gesture had Nina trying to settle her heart. Should she tell him? The only fear that the witch held was that if she revealed her secret, would she become a tool? She did not want that. Suddenly, she knew that if this shifter – if this man – looked at her in a cold manner, judging how he could best use her, it would break her heart. Barely a week here, and Kevin – both man and bear – had cemented a place inside of her. She did not want to see it shatter.
He saw the indecision in her face and, gripping her chin, he swore, “No matter how terrifying you think it is, Nina, tell me. I won’t turn away from you.”
Nina held onto that hand that was holding her chin, and asked, “You promise?”
It was then that Kevin realized the innocence that Abigail had scented had been of Nina’s heart. That sweetness of a heart.
He had heard his grandfather once use that phrase in a story he had told him. During his grandfather’s time – a time that Samuel, Abigail and Heather all recalled – the relationships between the Others had been almost cordial. The disbanding of the Council had cast poison in the alliances, and the coming generations had known only wariness about each other. So, what that phrase meant and whom it was about was lost in time. But the words resounded in Kevin’s head. They seemed to fit Nina so aptly. There was not a malicious bone in her body. A few days with her had established that in his mind. Her behavior with the cubs had been confused, but kind. Everyone she met was starting to become protective of her. He had not been able to tell that from their words but from their actions. Even Luke, for all his growling, watched Nina with the careful intensity that was reserved for the cubs.
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