by Celia Kyle
One who’d somehow banished whatever pain lingered within him. He felt perfect, unharmed by what had been happening for the past several days. There were no aches and twinges marring his movements. The agony that had become a companion was no longer attacking him. With her scream, her burst of rage, she’d gotten rid of it all.
Her scream…
“Someone dared trespass on mine…”
It was too much to hope that her definition of “mine” and his were the same.
He withdrew his arms from beneath her but didn’t move away. With a gentle touch, he brushed her hair aside, giving him a clear view of the curve of her cheek and sweep of her neck. He wanted to nibble her there, lick and taste, then bite. A claiming bite. Yes, he couldn’t wait for that, though he had a feeling lush Tess wouldn’t be falling into his arms anytime soon.
The relaxed expression on her face eased his worry. Tess didn’t appear to be harmed by what had just occurred, but he’d rather be safe than sorry. He’d go to the infirmary and grab the doc, drag him here to her room if necessary. He wanted her checked out. Period. Patting his pocket, he confirmed he still had the key. Good. He could lock her in, protecting her from Jackie while he fetched someone.
One last look at her alluring features and he realized he couldn’t resist her. He couldn’t leave, not without a simple…
Harding leaned over her, bracketing her with his arms while he lowered his face. He brushed a whisper-soft, chaste kiss across her brow. The lion encouraged him, urged him to lie down and pull the sleeping woman into his arms. Apparently, the cat didn’t care if he had an invitation or not.
But he resisted the beast. Slowly he eased away, intent on putting space between them only…only Tess’s arms wrapped around his neck and tugged him closer.
A low murmur was on her lips, but the words were unmistakable. “Harding… Stay…”
“Tess…” His resolve was faltering beneath his human half’s desire to be close to her and his beast’s outright demands that he stay put. “I need to get a doc, sweet.”
She turned her head and nuzzled him. “No. Fine. Sleepy. Stay.”
“You can’t even speak in complete sentences, Tess.”
She growled and nipped his wrist. “Stay.”
With a sigh, he relented. “Lemme scoot you over.”
She grinned, her eyes still closed, and he slid her across the mattress until she was against the wall. He settled at her side, and she curled against him, fitting her luscious curves along the hard planes of his body as if she belonged there.
Then again. She did.
“Someone dared trespass on what is mine…”
Maybe she realized it, too.
*
Tess was shaken. Her body and mind had yet to sync and slide into one. Right now she operated on instinct. And instinct demanded that Harding stay with her, that he was safe.
Safety had been so long in coming. Stone had done his best, but he hadn’t pounced between Jackie and her, hadn’t run off the homicidal bitch. Nope, the gorilla had talked, and talked, and talked about playing well with others. The man had tiptoed around the five of them, afraid of sending one of them over the edge.
Harding’s pain lingered in the air. Oh, it lessened and dispersed with every passing breath, but its memory still floated around them.
Tess tasted its essence, and the psychic residue of Harding’s attacker rolled through her mind. She noticed hints of Millie’s assault from days ago, sensed the shifter’s presence, but it was clouded by something—someone—else. She let the flavors tumble over her tongue as she sought the source in her memories. Right now, she wasn’t liking what she was finding.
She hugged Harding tighter, welcoming the squeeze that he gave her in response. “You okay?”
Tess nuzzled his chest, the after effects of her journey into his mind still making it difficult to form words. “Mmm…”
Harding chuckled, and then his chest stilled. “I really should get you to a doc, Tess.”
“Won’t help.” She settled deeper into his embrace with a contented sigh. God, when had she ever felt so safe?
The answer was easy: never.
“Tess…”
“Gimme a minute. Need to hunt in my head.” She knew he didn’t understand, but she couldn’t take the time to explain, not while the stranger’s scent was still so fresh. It tickled at her memory, teasing and taunting her.
She delved into her past, sought out what she needed. Unlike Harding, her mind was organized, memories tucked neatly into filing cabinets, each labeled with bits of time. With so many voices battering her day in and day out, she’d needed some semblance of order so she could function. Every interaction, each confrontation was tucked away somewhere amongst the files.
Tess padded along the length of the first row, ticking off the years. Those were simply retellings of what had happened to her, nothing extraordinary or particularly painful. Just…events. The next row held individuals: those who had hurt her repeatedly and heaped trauma after trauma upon her. She shied away from Alistair’s cabinet, unwilling to be caught in the web of his abuse. No, Harding’s aggressor wasn’t Alistair. Her father was dead. She needed to remember that. But knowing that he was gone didn’t lessen her fear of him.
Unbidden, the polar bear’s actions assaulted her. His fists pummeled her, and bone-shaking snarls vibrated through her body. She whimpered and eased away from the metal box, her body trembling in fear, but it still attacked her. She’d kept it locked up tight, and still his presence loomed before her.
A soft brush of lips against her temple preceded low, whispered words. “Easy, I’ve got you. Shh…” Harding. Harding had her. She gulped and burrowed into his side, twining her legs with his. She wanted to crawl inside him and welcome the safety he represented. His arms tightened and drew her half across him as if sensing her need to be even closer. “I’ve got you, Tess. Won’t let you go.”
Assured of his protection, she dashed away from the memories of her father, racing down the row until she reached the very end. There was what she hunted. She had her own catalog of Sensitives and psychics she’d encountered in her lifetime. She reached for the drawer, intent on exploring her memories, except… Except there was a new box nearby.
Small and compact, it was cardboard while others were made of steel. Brow furrowed, she dropped to her knees and looked the small container over. This wasn’t something she built. At least, not consciously. She reached for the top and slid it off with ease. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she would find. Then her heart stilled.
It was a box, all right. A box filled with memories of Harding. Only a handful of them occupied the small space, but what floored her was their existence at all. She flipped through the thoughts… Smiles… The twinkling of his eyes… The sensual heat that entered his gaze when he stepped into her room… The mere idea of sex with Harding had her shivering, and a low pulse of arousal slithered through her. She shuddered, her physical body mirroring her mind.
Another brush of Harding’s lips graced her temple, reminding her that he was so close, his arms around her while she slumped over his body. Eyes closed, she tilted her head back in invitation. When she sensed his next descent, she stretched for him and welcomed his touch. His mouth pressed against hers, tentatively at first, but then he increased the pressure. One soft kiss became two, became four. His scent enveloped her, and she was surrounded by him, wrapped in a bundle of growing desire and safety.
He flicked her lips with his tongue, and she didn’t hesitate to open for him. Sex, kissing, was new to her, but she’d watched enough television to understand what they were doing. His flavors exploded over her tongue as he swept into her mouth. She mimicked his actions, delving into him and hunting for more of his taste. Heated musk and man met her, and she wanted more.
She clutched him, holding tight while he taught her what it was to kiss someone. She wiggled and writhed, fought to push closer, climb higher, in order to better reach his
mouth. She moaned against his lips and tangled her tongue with his, suckling and licking him in turn. Parts of her body she’d never truly explored heated with each passing second. Sexual warmth surrounded her, them, and she wanted more.
Her pussy warmed, growing heavy and aching with unfulfilled desire. She wanted…something. She’d touched herself before, explored her body, but this need was new. The feral part of her, the bits she’d inherited from Alistair, flared to life and demanded that she succumb to the lion beneath her. The beast pounded against her control, and a disconnected roar echoed through her mind. The bear was a piece of her, yet not, and she refused to listen. At least, not fully.
She dove into Harding’s kisses, accepting and giving them in equal measure until her breathing came in heavy, gasping pants. And still their mouths remained connected.
Yes, the bear urged. Mine.
That single word had her ripping her mouth from Harding, and she scrambled over him, diving for the far corner of the room. She curled into a ball, holding her knees close to her chest. He remained reclined on the bed, his eyes closed and chest heaving before he finally looked at her.
His pale blue orbs met her gaze and darkened beneath her perusal, his cat receding. “You okay?” His voice was hoarse, and the bulge at the juncture of his thighs proved that it was due to suppressed arousal. “I didn’t mean to do that.”
Tess shook her head. “It was me. I…” I have a box of memories of you and I want you… “I’m sorry.”
Harding’s grin was tipped with desire. “I’m not.”
She glared at him. “That can’t happen again.” She couldn’t get involved with anyone, him in particular. Or rather, shifters in general.
“Uh-huh.” He sat up, bare feet coming to rest on the ground.
“I mean it.”
“Uh-huh.” He stood and moved toward her, crouching down until they were eye level. “You keep telling yourself that, sweet. In the meantime, I’ll keep kissing you. If you tell me no, and mean it, I’ll leave you alone.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and she fought the urge to nuzzle his palm. She opened her mouth to reply, but he cut her off. “I can scent you, Tess. I know when you’re lying. Don’t ever forget that.”
Tess huffed. “I don’t want you kissing me, Harding.”
“Liar.”
She wasn’t gonna tell him he was right. Really. Stupid cocky jerk. Instead of telling him to go take a flying leap off a cliff, she kept her mouth shut.
“So, do you want to tell me what happened in my head? Who’s decided that I’d be better off gone?”
“Um…” Right. She knew there was something she was supposed to have been doing. Something about the person attacking Harding. A person who felt like Millie yet was decidedly male. A person she was pretty sure she knew from her present and not her past.
And it broke her heart.
Chapter Four
“Ask me anything, I’ve always got the answer. Got a headache? Orgasm. Guy being a dick? Tell him to drop and give you sixty minutes of tongue-land and an orgasm. Work stressful? Orgasm. See? Told you I have all the answers.” — Maya O’Connell, Prima of the Ridgeville Pride and President and Founder of the National Maya Knows Everything Club.
Harding awakened the moment Tess stepped out of her room. He wasn’t sleeping outside her door, nor was he anywhere near her refuge, but something tied them together now. The something that brought memories of his childhood to the surface and the something that allowed him to sense some of her emotions. He didn’t for a second think the link was left in place on purpose, but he cherished it just the same.
He glanced at his clock, noting that it was just past two in the morning, and rolled from bed. He slipped out of his room and tracked Tess through the compound. He still wasn’t happy about the tension between the women, and had resolved to always be near his mate. Especially since Stone was no longer in residence and couldn’t help him keep a closer eye on Tess. There was a strain between Tess and Jackie that went beyond hatred and edged into obsessive rage.
And they still hadn’t figured out who’d attacked him.
He followed her scent past the kitchen and continued down the near-black hallway, hunting her through the compound. It took only a few more twists and turns to locate her in the living room. The low light cast by the television allowed him to see her snuggled in one of the oversized chairs, and he didn’t waste any time going to her. His bare feet were silent on the plush carpet, but he knew she sensed him nonetheless.
Her gaze remained on the TV, giving him the opportunity to look his fill. With her knees tucked to her chest, her shorts rode high, exposing her curvaceous thighs. The glimpse of her legs and pale skin had him imagining what it’d be like to have her wrapped around him. He’d sink deep into her heat while she hugged his hips.
Her tank top exposed more than it hid, the neckline low and giving him an eyeful of her abundant cleavage. Now he envisioned cupping her mounds, kneading her, and plucking her nipples before sucking them into his mouth. His cock hardened in his loose pants, and he willed his arousal to recede. He’d barely been able to get her alone since they’d shared those minutes in her room two days ago. Now, any moment he got within twenty feet of her, she ran.
He allowed himself one last look at her body, one last second of imagining them naked and tangled in sheets. He’d lick every inch of her, taste her and lap at her cream and…
Her sudden gasp reminded him that the connection probably went two ways. Shoving back his need, he resumed his travels, slowly padding closer to her. When he reached her side, she gave him her attention, eyes wide and pupils dilated. He could say that they appeared near black due to the low lighting, but he chose to believe that it was because she was just as aroused as him.
Without a word he reached for her, tugged her from the chair and took her place before easing her into his lap. He couldn’t do anything about his hardness, the way it pressed against her lush ass, but he wasn’t about to apologize for his body’s reactions to her.
“What are we watching?” He murmured against her ear, lips brushing the soft skin, and he smiled at the subtle shiver that wracked her body. At least now he knew she wasn’t unaffected.
Tess sighed and slumped into him. “You’re not going to give up, are you?”
Harding slid his hand along her biceps, noting the small goose bumps that rose over her skin. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She snorted. “Liar.”
He squirmed in his seat but didn’t say anything. He didn’t want something like the truth to disrupt his chance to have Tess in his arms. A truth that would probably send her running in the other direction. “Let’s just find something to watch.”
Tess elbowed him. “You’ve been following me like a puppy. I wanna know why.”
He grunted. “If I’m anything, it’s a kitten. But I definitely haven’t been following you.” He ignored the tang of the lie on his tongue along with the roaring protest that came from his lion.
Tess turned focused on him, or rather, his nose. Then she flicked the tip. “Does your nose grow like Pinocchio when you lie?” She rubbed the tip with her finger. “It doesn’t look longer. Maybe it depends on the size of the lie.” She thumped it again. “Lie to me.”
“Tess…”
She ignored the warning in his tone. “Come on, you can do it.” Another flick. “Lie to me.”
Harding dropped his head back and fought to control his body. The woman didn’t realize what she was doing by taunting him. Since she’d been avoiding him, the cat was on edge. Now she was teasing him with her impish smile and lush body. Damn it. His lion urged him to get closer to Tess and strip her bare until they were skin to skin. Hell, he wasn’t even sure if that’d be enough. He wanted to crawl inside her, become one with her in every way possible.
“Harding?” Poke. Poke.
“Fine.” He raised his head and focused on her, gaze intent on those sparkling green eyes. “You’re the most hide
ous woman I’ve ever seen. I can’t stand being in the same room as you. I hate each and every one of your curves.” While the lies flowed from his lips, he let the real truth shine through. He knew without a doubt that his lion was peering through his eyes, orbs glowing the palest blue with the beast’s presence. “I don’t know how I’m managing to suffer having you in my lap. The last thing I’d ever want to do is kiss you again. Or strip you down and run my hands and lips over every inch of your body. And I most definitely don’t want to make love to you.”
All the color in Tess’s face vanished. “Harding, that’s not funny…” She squirmed, tugging against his hold, but he refused to release her. Not when he finally had a captive audience. She was right: he had been following her, hunting for an opportunity to get her alone and talk to her. God, he’d turned into one of those men who wanted to talk.
“Lemme go.” The words came through gritted teeth.
“No.” He couldn’t have suppressed the snarl if he’d wanted to. He wrapped his other arm around her, holding her close. She continued to struggle, grunts and growls accompanying her wriggling. “Look at me, Tess.” He shook her ever so slightly, conscious of his superior strength and her semi-humanity. Well, her temporary semi-humanity. “Look. At. Me.”
She finally gave him her attention, a hint of tears swimming in her eyes, and his heartbeat stuttered. Letting go with one hand, he brushed aside an errant strand of hair and tucked it behind her ear.
It’d taken him two days to get her alone. Two days of hunting and cursing when yet another problem was brought to his attention. Thankfully, his head was no longer battered by whomever Tess had banished, but he needed to remember to ask Tess about who’d been inside it. Later. Right now, he had other more important things to deal with. Namely, his mate’s growing tears.
“You asked me to lie, and I did. Period.” He searched her features, looking for any hint that she accepted his words. Nothing yet. “I conned your bedroom key out of Stone so I could be with you. I kissed you because I want you. I follow you because I can’t stand being away from you. And more than anything, I want to make love to you, Tess.” A tear escaped and slid over her cheek. He brushed it away with his thumb, a bit of his heart breaking at how upset he’d made her. “That’s the truth sweet. Every word. If you don’t want to hear it, I won’t say it again.”