Kiran sank to the bed, his knees buckling at the expression of stark desire on Rohan’s face. “But I still don’t know about my past. How can you want me? Once the mark is bestowed it’s final and can’t be undone, right? What if my memory returns and I’m not the person—”
“Stop right there. You don’t have a mark now, which means you’re free. If you had a mate, the mark would still be there unless your mate had died. You’re a good man, Kiran. You’re the man I want. I’d like everyone to know it.”
“Can I think about it?” The idea that Rohan wanted to stake such a final claim blew him away. A quick scan of Rohan’s face told Kiran that Rohan meant exactly what he said.
“Yeah.”
“Are you pissed?”
Rohan scowled. “A little. You worry about the past too much. I keep telling you it’s the future that matters. I thought you were okay with that.”
Kiran stood and took three giant steps to reach Rohan. “I want you so much.”
Their lips met, the kiss hard and full of ownership. Kiran let his worries fade under the sensual onslaught, responding to Rohan with every particle in his body. He slipped his hands beneath the hem of Rohan’s polo shirt and slid his palms over the warm skin of his back and broad shoulders.
Rohan sucked on his tongue, the sensation shooting straight to his groin. Kiran moaned and pressed closer, pumping his hips against Rohan to get some friction going on his cock.
“Someone’s impatient,” Rohan said.
“And someone isn’t naked. As much as I like the way you fill out those jeans, I’d like to see you strip.”
“Why don’t you do it for me?” The lazy suggestion held a silent dare, one Kiran was happy to meet.
Instead of undressing Rohan immediately, Kiran started to tease him, dipping one hand into the back of his jeans and running the fingers of the other up and down his fly. He explored. He tempted. He used every method he knew to make Rohan hot and desperate.
Kiran shuffled Rohan over to the bed and they fell in a tangle of limbs with Rohan on top. Rohan grinned at him, another hint of challenge.
“I’m on top. What ya gonna do?”
“Deal with it,” Kiran said, drawing his head down. His kiss was aggressive this time, noses clashing until they lined up right. Rohan’s taste went through him, a hint of hops from the beer they’d shared before their aborted dinner and the unique smoky flavor he’d come to associate with his lover. He nipped and smoothed away the sting with a lick of his tongue. Every part of his body tightened and prepared for the loving to come. Rohan made him feel free, made him feel whole. Special. Loved.
Kiran hesitated at the thought, tried it for size and knew it was true. He truly believed Rohan loved him and wouldn’t intentionally hurt him.
“Okay, I agree.” Kiran stared up into Rohan’s eyes. “Mark me.”
Rohan pushed away with a sound of disgust. “Don’t do me any favors.”
Not the reaction he’d hoped for, but he didn’t blame Rohan. He’d hesitated, his past looming large in his mind yet again. Kiran grabbed Rohan before he could lever off the bed. “You’re right to doubt my decision considering the way I’ve hesitated. It’s hard sometimes. When I try to look back, all I see is this black abyss. It scares me—the not knowing. The dreams.”
The stiffness leached from Rohan’s muscles, and Kiran relaxed his grip. “I know what I feel. I’m not about to change my mind.”
“Neither am I,” Kiran said with a soft smile. “I’ve never felt like this before. Not in my memory.” Although he wanted to say words of love, he faltered.
Rohan curved his body against Kiran’s in silent acceptance, and Kiran released the breath he hadn’t been aware of holding.
“Tell me about the marking process again,” he said.
Rohan frowned and scanned Kiran’s face. Whatever he saw must have reassured him because he rolled off Kiran to lie on his back and started talking.
“It’s the way feline’s mate. According to Saber, most felines sense their mate when they meet them. There’s an overriding urge to grab them and never let go. Sex jumps to the fore and it’s hard to imagine ever having sex with anyone else. You want to touch, to fuck and then do it all over again.” Rohan stroked his hand over Kiran’s jaw, the subtle pressure of his fingers making Kiran turn to face him. They stared at each other, and Kiran fancied he could see Rohan’s heart in his eyes. “Remember how you felt when Ambar and I rescued you from the hospital. You didn’t know me but you wanted to have sex. That’s the mating urge.”
“Can you feel that urge and walk away?”
“Yeah, nothing is final until the marking process is complete, but the craving is hard to fight. That’s where a feline bites his mate on the shoulder. Here,” he said, touching his fingers to the fleshy part where Kiran’s neck and shoulder met. “This is the marking spot. The bite draws blood and enzymes enter the blood. The wound heals to a small scar.”
“And if both lovers are feline?”
“They can exchange bites, usually while making love. Or not exchange bites. It depends on the relationship.” Rohan’s gaze skittered away from him and tension filled the room.
Kiran frowned. “But wouldn’t that mean the unmarked person could walk away?”
“Yes, if they wanted to.” Rohan darted a quick look at him then lowered his gaze. The truth seared Kiran. Rohan feared that happening to him, but had still suggested the marking to Kiran. The knowledge humbled Kiran, filled him with both wonder and hope.
“And what happens if one of the partners dies?” Kiran asked.
“They mourn their lost partner, but eventually the mark fades. They can mate again if they find someone they care for.”
“But if they mark each other, they stay together for life? They can’t stray or leave for another?”
“No, there’s something about the marking process that makes you stay true to your partner. It’s impossible for marked partners to cheat on each other.”
“And the instinct to mark is never wrong or false?”
“Never. Meeting a true mate is a process of fate or kismet. I’ve known many couples who have married and lived together but haven’t mated and have never found anyone to tempt them. My parents had an arranged marriage. Many tiger shifters have arranged marriages and are perfectly happy without going through the marking process.”
“Meeting you and Ambar was kismet. It saved my life.” At the time, Kiran hadn’t realized the danger they’d faced to save him. He knew it now. He also sensed he’d never felt as happy or fulfilled as he did now. “I don’t have any doubts, Rohan. When I think about my future, I can’t imagine one without you. Mark me and I’ll mark you in return.”
Rohan turned to face him then, and Kiran saw the sparkle of unshed tears in his eyes. “Thank you.”
“Stand up. Let me undress you.”
Rohan pushed off the bed and Kiran followed him. Kiran kissed him, a slow, lingering touch and taste of lips. He nipped Rohan’s bottom lip, laughing when his lover jerked away with a curse.
“Let me kiss it better,” he whispered, peeling the cotton fabric over Rohan’s shoulders. Once he freed the polo shirt from Rohan’s arms and over his head, he tossed it away. He breathed in the citrus tang of Rohan’s soap and nibbled on his jaw. Rohan tilted his head and Kiran kissed over his jaw and down his neck, savoring the contrast of stubble and warm skin. When he reached the marking site, Rohan shuddered. Kiran felt the race of Rohan’s heart, and his own heart rate kicked up into a similar speedy beat. The instinct to bite roared through him. It was as if his mind had finally synchronized with his body, the urge seductive. Unbearable. With steely control, he licked, keeping his teeth covered by his lips even though every sense roared at him to take action and his gums burned as his canines pushed to the surface.
“Hell,” Rohan said, his voice unsteady and filled with longing. “Can you take my jeans off for me? And watch your claws. They’re bloody sharp.”
Kiran looked at his
hands with surprise. Beneath the nails of his human fingers, lines of black were clearly visible, the sharp ends protruding and digging into Rohan’s shoulders. “I’ve started to change,” he said in amazement. As he recognized the shift in his body, his canines forced down fully from his gums.
“Side effect of the mating process,” Rohan said, his voice distorted. Kiran caught the flash of canines when Rohan spoke.
“Interesting.” It seemed his body was already with the program.
“Jeans,” Rohan reminded him. “They’re strangling me.” He gave a lopsided grin. “Could cause some damage if you don’t hurry.”
“That right?” Kiran rose from the bed and tugged Rohan with him.
“You’re not suffering because I liberated you.”
Silence fell as their eyes met. “So you did, and I’m glad it was you.” Kiran unfastened Rohan’s jeans, carefully maneuvering the coarse fabric over his hard-on. He pushed the denim and underwear down his legs and helped him step out of them. Kiran straightened and wrapped his arms around Rohan, holding him despite the urgency beating through his body.
Taking Kiran’s hand, Rohan led him back to the bed.
“Face-to-face,” Rohan said. “I want to watch your face when you mark me.”
Kiran’s eyes narrowed as he dropped to the bed. “I thought you’d go first. What if I do it wrong?” Then it hit him. Rohan still wasn’t convinced he meant to go through with the marking. He held doubts regarding Kiran’s commitment. He nodded. “I’ll go first. Tell me exactly what to do.”
“Bite me here,” Rohan said, fingering the spot he’d indicated earlier. “Bite down until you taste blood and hold me tight. I’m not sure of exactly what happens because I haven’t seen it done.” His words emerged with a faint lisp.
“You want me to bite you now?”
Rohan chuckled and snuggled up to his side. “Wait until I’m inside you. The bite hurts and the pleasure of sex helps with the pain.”
“Fuck, I don’t want to harm you.”
“You won’t.” Confidence filled Rohan’s voice and it calmed Kiran’s jittery nerves. Excitement pulsed through him instead, and his feline pushed beneath his skin. A low growl rumbled through his mind. “It feels as if my feline is pacing the length of my body. I feel as if I might jump out of my skin.”
“Tell me about it.” Rohan bared his teeth. The canines extended fully from his upper jaw, which accounted for the lisp in his speech.
They kissed again, hands getting busy as they touched and stroked each other, mindful of the claws they both sported. Every touch seemed special, more than sex. Much more. Kiran trembled with the urgency thrumming through the air. Rohan kissed his hip and turned his head, nuzzling his cheek against Kiran’s cock.
“Suck me,” Kiran said, wanting to feel Rohan’s mouth more than anything.
“I might hurt you with my teeth. I can’t seem to make them disappear.” A wry smile accompanied the statement. “That’s what you do to me.”
Kiran hesitated when he saw the sharp teeth. “You won’t hurt me.” He hoped. He snorted. He was about to hurt Rohan. A little pain in exchange wasn’t so bad. Funnily enough, he wasn’t worried about the mark Rohan would bestow on him.
Rohan’s tongue flicked out, rasping across the tender skin of his tip. He lapped up the drops of pre-cum, making a humming sound of appreciation as he did so.
Unable to help himself, Kiran bucked against the rasp of Rohan’s tongue, pressing against Rohan’s lips. Instead of following his plea, Rohan grasped his shaft and pumped it hard, his grip firm and almost painful. He continued with the punishing grip and dipped his head to lick Kiran’s sac. His balls were firm and hard, drawn up tight with arousal. He paused to grab a pillow and shoved it under Kiran’s hips before continuing with the torture. Damn, Kiran loved the way Rohan touched him. A finger skimmed his hole, delicately firing nerve endings. Then the warm rasp of a tongue continued, and Kiran groaned, his excitement building.
Tongue and finger tempted him, teased him, drove him crazy. Rohan took his time, preparing him even though he didn’t need much. Every touch and careful stroke burned into his memory, and he knew he’d never forget this day. Never.
Rohan added lube to the equation and pressed inside Kiran.
“Have I ever told you how good you feel?” Rohan asked. “The tight clamp of your arse, the heat. It’s amazing. I want to have you in me when I mark you.”
Kiran gasped. He’d thought about fucking Rohan, but had only thought it because he was happy to receive, but the idea grabbed hold now, the moment Rohan uttered it. “I’d like that.”
“Haven’t done it for a long time,” Rohan confessed. “It won’t matter. We’ll manage.”
Rohan started to move. Steady strokes designed to push both of them into pleasure. Kiran’s eyes fluttered closed, and Rohan halted, fully embedded in him.
“Open your sexy eyes, Kiran. I want to see you properly. Yeah. Just like that.”
The pleasure ramped up inside Kiran, his breathing coming in harsh gasps. He nuzzled Rohan’s neck and realized instinct guided him. His tongue rasped across the fleshy part, and he heard Rohan’s moan of pleasure, felt the tremor of his body. His teeth gazed the site and Rohan’s thrusts became choppy. A stroke hit his gland and he bit down, pleasure firing through his balls. Then he came and the metallic taste of Rohan’s blood filled his mouth. Instinctively, he licked and the bleeding seemed to slow. Rohan moaned, his cock pulsing deep in Kiran’s ass. He jerked and moaned again. Kiran couldn’t tell if pain lashed him or pleasure. Hell, what if he’d injured him? His teeth still gripped Rohan’s shoulder.
Kiran released the grip of his teeth, licked again and lifted his head. He studied the angry mark and saw minimal bleeding. “Are you okay?”
“Shit that hurt.” Rohan’s bright eyes held awe, as if he’d never expected anything like that.
“Is it still sore? It’s not bleeding but I’ve made a mess. It looks like a bite.” Now he was worried. “Maybe I should call Gavin.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt so much pleasure at the same time. That was amazing. You’re amazing, Kiran.”
Relief seeped into him. “So you’re okay?”
“Very okay. It’s like an extra sense has kicked in. Can you feel it?”
Kiran listened with his senses and blinked when he experienced a connection with Rohan. He’d been so scared he’d hurt Rohan, he hadn’t listened to the shimmer of knowledge zipping through his mind. “That’s amazing. I can’t read your thoughts or anything but it’s like an awareness, an extra sense.”
Rohan separated their bodies and stood to head for the bathroom.
Kiran heard the rush of water as Rohan cleaned up. He should move but he hadn’t felt so relaxed in ages. He luxuriated in it, letting his eyes slide shut even though his mind moved rapidly, recalling the moment when he’d clamped down on Rohan’s shoulder, the way his world had shifted into rightness.
Rohan entered the bedroom. “Lift up.”
Kiran opened his eyes and saw Rohan had a cloth, and he smiled as the other man tended him. “That was amazing.”
“Good,” Rohan said and returned the cloth to the bathroom. He strode back across the room to the bed, a naked man comfortable in his skin. “Because we’re gonna fool around some more then I’m going to mark you.”
“Tonight?”
Rohan stilled, his fingers creeping up to touch his mark. It didn’t hurt exactly, not like he thought it would. Instead the brush of his fingers sent a roar of delight directly to his cock. Shaking his thoughts back to Kiran, he said, “You have a problem with that?”
“No problem. I don’t think we’ll have to fool around much.” Kiran indicated his erection with a self-deprecating grin.
Rohan pulled his fingers away from the mark and it hit him. He’d pushed the idea of marking because he was frightened Kiran would gain his memory and leave him. Yeah, Kiran could still leave, but it would take more effort. A sliver of guilt pierced
him then. Had he forced Kiran into the mating? While he was sure of what he wanted, had he pressured Kiran? It must be difficult not knowing about the past. He hesitated, swallowed and honor forced him to speak.
“Kiran, do you want me to mark you? I mean are you sure?”
Kiran’s dark brows rose. “Isn’t it too late for second thoughts now? I’ve marked you.”
“No, it’s not too late. I want to make sure I haven’t pressured you into the marking.”
“And if I said no?” Kiran watched him closely, the atmosphere in the bedroom suddenly strained.
Disappointment and pain slapped Rohan. He had to fight to keep the hurt from his face. “If you don’t want me to mark you in return tonight, I won’t force the issue. I’m sure of my feelings. I’ve never felt like this about any other man. I want to spend the rest of my days with you, but I want your happiness more. We can do this another time.” It almost killed him to say the words, to force them past the growing lump in his throat.
“You would do that for me?” Kiran asked. “Put me first even though that’s not what you want?”
Yeah, he’d do it for Kiran, even if it killed him “Yes.”
Kiran’s mouth stretched into a curve, the brilliant smile echoed in his eyes. He held out his hand to Rohan. “You’re a man any feline would proudly call mate. We’re finishing this marking thing now because it’s what I want. Really. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”
For an instant Rohan stared, dazzled by Kiran’s handsome face and beautiful blue-green eyes, then his words registered. He wanted to complete the mating, tying them together. Joy washed over him, filling his heart and the empty place in his soul, one he hadn’t realized he possessed. “Thank you,” he said, his throat clogged with emotion. “Damn, I love you.”
Kiran held out his hand. “Come here.”
Rohan clasped Kiran’s hands, savored the bite of his fingers as they gripped and drew him closer. Their gazes met, held. Silent messages passed between them, acceptance and understanding.
They kissed, hunger driving Rohan, making him want to stake a claim and be claimed. His urgency leapt to Kiran and soon their bodies strained against each other, chests rubbed and cocks ground together. Choppy breathing interspersed with whispers of love. Rohan rolled, taking Kiran with him.
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