Bound to the Minotaur: Savage Menagerie Book #1

by Naomi Foxx

  His dick was still straining against his pants, pulsing for release. Helping her get through the first call was supposed to help him, but it only ignited a deeper need. He wanted to bury himself in her warm fold and seed her womb. Dammit. He made room as she pushed the back of her head against the partially made wall and asked again.

  “What just happened?”

  He turned his head to the side to help in clearing his senses. The rain washed most of her heat away, but she was still there. Close enough to touch and renew her presence on his body. Xavier turned away as he forced himself to stay in place. When he looked back, she was staring at him. The swell of her chest rising and falling at a rapid pace. Her body was still responding to his. Distance would be the only way to shut down their calls.

  “I’m sorry.” She said as she pulled at the clinging fabric on her legs. She straightened and ran her fingers through her loose braids.

  “Sorry for what?”

  Her eyes were trained on the ground, “For earlier,” she flustered, “That was wrong.”

  Xavier kept his eyes on her hands as they trailed up her arms and fold over her chest. She shivered as another gust of wind pushed them. He had to get her back to her world.

  “Don’t apologize, just work on your weakness.” Keep her at a distance and get her out of here.

  She looked up and gave him a hard glare with her lips pressed into a stark line, “Right, can you point me to the nearest exit?”

  Xavier turned and walked through the wooden frames, “Come, I will get you back to the Menagerie.”

  “We’re not in the maze?” She asked as she followed at a distance.

  How much did she know? Her badge told him she worked at the Savage menagerie. But, did they keep the portal information on a need to know bases? All that worked there should know about the dangers of crossing through the portals since they had to do it in the efforts to build a shared environment.

  “No, you crossed the portal.”

  “Portal?”

  The woman knew nothing. That was a real problem. For the too long, the inhabitants of Xuastroth stayed in the shadows, letting the humans live in blessed ignorance. When was that damned goddess going to introduce her people to the rest of the galaxy?

  “The gate to the maze.” He would have to talk to Zunvaek about how their agreement to work with the humans could happen if they didn’t know another world existed.

  They reached the section of walls covered in sheetrock and the woman kept relatively quiet behind him. Only her slight stumbles in the darkness and rain thick mud alerted him to her presence. He halted as a fissure of power pulsed through the air and died out. The woman stopped beside him with wide eyes and watched as the maze before they disappeared. The portal went down.

  She gasped and stepped forward into the grassy field. Panic sent her heart racing in his ears. He was too slow. The portal always went down during a storm and he took his time in walking her. He couldn’t leave her out in the elements, she was soaked to the bone. There was no way he would leave anyone out there, especially not his destined.

  “Where did the rest of it go?” She stammered with her hands up feeling for something she couldn’t see.

  Xavier turned back and headed for his little slice of peace, “The gate is closed, and you will have to stay here.”

  “Wait,” she scoffed, “here in the maze?” She shook her head, “No, I need to find a station to call in assistance.”

  “You are not in the Savage Menagerie.” He called over his shoulder, “We need to get inside.” There was no avoiding it, he had hoped that the portal would shut down before they got there. She would have to stay until the storm passed. That could be hours or days from now. Then he could get her home. In the meantime, he could get to know her. How would he keep his hands to himself when the heat spread through them again? He pauses in his steps when he noticed she wasn’t following.

  When he looked at her, she was standing in defiance with her arms crossed over her chest.

  “Who are you?”

  “Xavier Payne.” He grinned at the way her brows scrunched in recognition of his name.

  “The lead architect?”

  Xavier spread his arms and gave her a slight bow of his head, “Yes, and you would be?”

  “Camilla Evans, security.” She said just before a big sneeze.

  “I think it’s time we got inside Camilla.” He waited for her to move, but got nothing.

  Camilla looked away, then back at Xavier, “Are you in a suit?”

  He let a corner of his mouth lift, “I’ll let you check for seams when we get out of this rain.” He couldn’t help it. She was strong, beautiful, and his. A little wordplay would be fine if he got her out of the cold and stormy weather.

  His eyes homed in on her bottom lip as she bit it. Camilla let her eyes wander his body, then stalled when she made it to his face. She was going to look hard for a seam. Would she be happy to find that there wasn’t one? That was the question.

  3

  Camilla ran the events of the night repeatedly in her head. Did someone slip her a drug and she had passed out at work? She squeezed the punchers on her forearm and pain surged up to her shoulder. This was real. Lifting her arm away from her, she let the cold rain was away the pooling blood and sooth the ache.

  The minotaur in front of her looked real enough. His short tail swayed behind him as he walked. The dark pants he wore had a v-shaped opening to allow movement. The wet fabric clung to his tight ass and she could see the muscles working underneath. Heat radiated from her cheeks as her thoughts moved back to her grinding on his leg.

  What was she thinking? About getting into his pant obviously. It didn’t make any sense for her to want to strip him immediately. She didn’t even know his name at the time. This never happened with any man before. In fact, her tendency to take is slow and avoid overbearing men got her in this mess in the first place.

  They left the partially finished maze and stepped into a canopy of trees. The rain and light from the moon lessened with each step. Camilla moved closer to Xavier and focused on his steps. The ground was growing bumpy with craggy roots and she kept her steps in the general area of hooves.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  Xavier paused and pulled a thick stick form his holster, “To my home.”

  Camilla heard the strike of a match and the stick became a torch. The golden light casted thick shadows over his rippling body as he moved deeper into the forest.

  “Then what?”

  “You can get warm and check me for seams.”

  Camilla put her head down and focused on his lower body, “That won’t be necessary.” She stifled another sneeze. Shelter was her best bet in the coming storm.

  “Getting warm is absolutely necessary.” Xavier’s tail slid across his ass in a slow, deliberate move and Camilla followed the tuff as it repeated the action. How would it feel when she stroked if from the base to the tip? The thin fur over his chest was soft and fine. Would he moan as when she rub her fingers under where it connected to his back? She squeezed her arm and the sharp pain brought her into focus.

  When she looked up, Xavier was smirking at her over his shoulder. Get ahold of yourself, Camilla. She silently chided herself as she tried to keep her eyes from moving down his bare and spectacular back. She looked ahead and her eyes fell on a large stone door set in a moss-covered hill.

  Xavier pulled the door open and waited for her to step in. Camilla halted and looked around the dark forest. The rain was pounding through the leaves as the wind began to pick up strength. She took a deep breath and stepped in.

  Warmth flooded over her cold skin as she followed the dim hallway. It opened into a cozy living area bordered by candles. Using two heavy slabs of wood, he bolted the door across the width of it. Camilla wouldn’t be able to leave on her accord. She moved to allow Xavier passage out of the hall as he pulled off his holster and sash to hang them on thick hooks. He tapped the torch against the hearth br
inging a fire to life in a blaze. Camilla did not wait for an invitation to get close to the heat. He lifted a pot of water and hung it over the fire.

  “Take off your clothes.” Xavier said as he unbuckled his pants.

  “What? Why?”

  “You’re soaking and cold. They’re worse than useless now.” He turned away from her to kick off his pants and moved to what must have been the kitchen area.

  Camilla watched him open a cabinet and grab a small canister, and then headed back to her. She turned back to the fire. The way she has been feeling, if she got a glimpse of what fit so nicely between her legs, there was no telling what she would do. She sniffled as she put her hands over the fire. Great, her nose was running and she wanted to fuck. How much more awkward could this night get.

  Xavier pushed a handkerchief into her numb fingers. She took it graciously and blew her nose. With her nostrils clear, she could scent the thick smell of him in the tiny home. His hands moved around her body and he began to unbutton her uniform shirt. Camilla worked at her belt buckle and he moved her hands away.

  He took over at her pants and pulled them down, leaving her panties in place. Camilla pulled her undershirt over her head, taking the uniform shirt with it and them to the side. He wanted her naked and he was going to get it. She began to unclasp the front closures of her bra and something strong and minty filled her nose.

  Xavier clasped her neck and chin in his hand and held the canister up to her nose, “This will help clear you up.”

  Camilla’s eyes watered and she was back in the now, “What that hell is wrong with me?” She panted and slapped the offensive container out of his grasp and grabbed his wrists before he could pull away. Stepping back, she pressed her body flush with his.

  “Nothing is wrong.” Xavier groaned as she slipped his finger into her mouth, “You’re affected by my scent. It’s too strong in here.”

  She pulled his finger out and pushed his hand down her body, “Is this how you get your women?” She spread her legs and slid his hand into her panties.

  “No, only you.” He slipped his wet digit into her slick canal.

  Camilla moaned as he pressed them tighter together and gave her slow stokes. He sank to the thick fur on the floor and made her sit in his lap. When he leaned back on one hand, she spread her legs wider.

  “Tell me to stop.” Xavier breathed into her ear as he circled her nub with his thumb.

  Camilla bit her lip and turned her face to nuzzle his neck, “Why? Don’t you want me?” She could feel his rod pressed between her ass cheeks. Rocking into his fingers, she pulled a grunt from him.

  “Answer me.” Her boldness fueled by her need, she lifted her ass to free his dick and pressed it against her covered pussy. She needed him inside of her, to make their connection complete. His body vibrated as she stroked her hand over him.

  Xavier bellowed and ripped the fabric from her, “Since the first day you visited the maze.” He spread her lower lips wide and she guided him into her pulsing core.

  “Yes!” Camilla screamed from her walls being stretched and filled so quickly.

  He flipped her over to her knees and pumped in an out of her. His body squelched in her sopping wetness from his brutal attention. She jerked and moaned as he pushed her down, forcing her to open wider. Camilla let out a high-pitched whine as he pushed at the limit of her body.

  Xavier eased his strokes and pleasure rocketed through Camilla. She clenched around his body and shook as she came in a burst of liquid heat. He yanked out of her and flipped her to her back.

  “Tell me you want more,” He commanded as thrust two fingers into her swollen pussy and curled them to stroke her rough walnut.

  Camilla’s pussy fluttered in ecstasy and she crunched up to grab his horns, “More!” She cried and he speared his body into her over and over.

  “You are mine and I am yours!” he roared as he drove her towards another climax.

  Jolts of pleasure convulsed through Camilla and Xavier buckled over her. He jerked his last rocking strokes and she could feel the heat from his seed fill her body. She lay limp and panting as he moved to spoon against her back. He reached over her to roll his fingers through their combined wetness leaking from her and swirled it around her swollen clit. Sleep overtook the tingles that radiated from his fingers and Camilla sank into a blissful blackness.

  Xavier woke up with his fingers still inside of Camilla’s sticky folds. He pulled away from her and tiptoed to the bath to grab a warm wet rag. He wiped away their mess and laid back down in front of Camilla. He stroked his fingers along her cheek and watched her slowly wake up.

  She moaned and rubbed her thighs together and smiled. Her happy memories were interrupted with shock as she took in his new face.

  “Who the fuck are you?” she scrambled to her feet and yanked up the soiled fur to cover her body.

  Xavier stood slowly with his hands up, “Your mate.”

  “You ain’t no friend of mine,” Camilla looked around, “Xavier!”

  “I’m Xavier, Camilla.”

  She straightened, “Okay, show me the suit.”

  “It wasn’t a suit, I took on this form after we completed our mates bond.”

  “Wait, what?”

  “Our people can take on a new form after we find a mate.” He kept still, “It’s a way to protect our mates.”

  “Then, turn back.”

  “I can’t yet, my body has to acclimate to the changes overtime.” He should have told her before they mated. Maybe he should have sniffed the neroroot to clear his head too. But, she did and still wanted the bond. Did she not understand?

  “When you say bond, what do you mean?”

  She didn’t know, how stupid could he be, “In human terms, the closest thing would be marriage.”

  “We’re married!” Camille exclaimed, “Oh, I did not agree to this.” She paced to the fireplace and snatched up her clothes, “Get me back to the portal.”

  They walked in silence through the dark and windblown forest around his home. It was late afternoon and the storm had done its worst and gone. Camilla walked in silence behind him and Xavier every event from the previous night through his head. He had been hasty in claiming her when she showed interest past their mate’s lust, but she could have stopped him at any time.

  Once they made it to the construction site, Xavier was frantic with no solutions to make this better for Camilla. She would leave him to be sterile and alone. He had to figure out a way to get her to understand and stay with him.

  Xavier jerked his head up to ducked a blow from an oversized hammer. Camilla yelped as she was snatched up from behind.

  “Oh, shit!” Soggaith buried his nose into Camilla’s neck, “Big boss is mated!”

  Xavier spun to catch a kick from Turkumoch. The old heads were making a move and Camilla was caught in the middle of it. Rozziud landed a hit with his hammer to the back of his shoulder and Xavier hit the ground. He growled and rolled to avoid a stomp from Turkumoch. He jumped to his feet and squared off at them. In his human form, he was faster, but could he handle their strength?

  Camilla rammed the heal of her boot into Soggaith’s knee and he bellowed and dropped her. Xavier spun and threw his ax into his chest and the black minotaur went down. Turkumoch and Rozziud roared as the rushed him. The jumped back in time avoid a low swing from Rozziud’s hammer and used the momentum to roll away from Turkumoch.

  Rozziud smashed his hammer into the ground and Xavier fell in the quake. Turkumoch slammed his hoof down on Xavier’s crossed arms. Rozziud stepped up to his other side and raised his hammer again.

  4

  Camilla yanked the ax out of the minotaur and fell back as the ground quaked under her. She turned over to see the other minotaurs standing over Xavier. Rage filled her as she gripped the ax and stood. The molten rock melted and formed around her hands and she ran towards them against every thought in her head.

  They were bigger, stronger, and beating Xavier. She should be
going for help through the portal, but her body kept running towards them.

  She wasn’t in control as she slashed the claws of the gauntlets across the back of the hammer wielding minotaur’s arms. She ran around him and swiped the other in the face. Xavier jumped up and tackled him as he held his face and screamed in to his hands.

  Camilla turned just in time to take the full force of the biggest minotaur’s tackle. She screamed and slashed at every part of his body that she could get to. Blood and pieces rained down on her, but she kept going.

  Xavier pushed the red minotaur’s body off her and grabbed her slashing wrists.

  “Camilla. It’s over, he’s done.” He called to her in a low soothing tone.

  Camilla lifted her rock covered hands and watched the blood drip down to the ground. Her eyes drifted over to the mangled body on the ground. She’d just killed someone in a blind rage. He had attacked her, but it wasn’t instinct that made her pick up the molten hot ax. She backed into the stone wall and let her arms drop.

  Xavier laid his palms over the gauntlets and they melted off her to reform into his ax. She looked past him as he spoke words she couldn’t hear. She had lost control of her self over and over since she crossed over into this world and now she knows that she could take on a murder mode. It didn’t make sense. She just met Xavier a day ago, and now she could kill for him. Camilla was no longer herself and she had to leave.

  Xavier tried to lay is palm on her cheek and she moved out of reach.

  “Leave me alone.” She growled.

  He scrunched his brows in confusion, “Is something wrong, are you hurt?”

  “This is wrong.” Camilla pushed off of the wall and headed for the portal. He was the reason everything changed.

  Xavier followed close behind, “What do you mean, wrong?”

  Camilla pressed her fingers against her temples and kept moving, “I don’t sleep with men I don’t know and I surly wouldn’t kill for one I don’t know.”