Her mouth opened as she registered what he’d just said. Her blue eyes watered, and she shook her head. Markus’s heart clenched painfully. How could she think herself safe in a place like this?
“Princess.” He took a step toward her, but she raised her hands to ward him off.
“Don’t touch me.” She ran her fingers through her hair, clearly agitated. “God, I don’t even know your name.”
“Markus.” He took another step toward her. “My name is Markus.”
“Stay there. Don’t come closer, or I’ll scream.”
“You had your chance outside, princess, but I think the beast in you knows exactly what it wants even if you don’t.”
“No, no,” she murmured. “There’s no beast, no animal, nothing. You are mistaken.”
“There isn’t?” Markus took another two steps. “Then why didn’t you shout for help outside? Why are you breathing so hard?” Another step. “You’re taking in my scent, committing it to memory. You’re filling every single one of your pores with my essence, allowing it to complete you. You might not want to, Sophia, but it’s a process that started the moment you caught a whiff of me. “
“No.”
Her eyes grew wide as he pressed his chest against her palms. She pushed back, but only half-heartedly.
“Look me in the eye and tell me you feel nothing. Tell me you didn’t just feel my presence when we stood in two different rooms. Tell me that the arousal coating your panties right now isn’t because of me. Swear it, and I’ll leave.”
Her gaze dropped.
“No.” The word was whispered so softly he had to strain his ears to hear her.
“Look at me.” She lifted her gaze. “Now say it to my face.”
“Markus.”
His animal stirred at the sound of his name on her lips, the pleading tone causing his heart to constrict and flutter with excitement at the same time. She could deny it all she wanted, but she was his.
Gently, he grasped her hands and spread them apart. Her eyes were clear as the skies as he stepped into the empty space. He felt her breath hitch as he ran his thumb across her pouty bottom lip. Grasping her chin, he tilted her head and kissed her.
Soft, warm, and inviting, the simple touch of her lips promised nights and days of lust and passion. She held onto his shoulders, both pushing him away and holding onto him as he increased the force of his kisses. He licked her lips, and she opened for him, granting him full access. With a victorious growl he slid his tongue into her warmth, coiling it with hers. The pressure on his shoulders increased.
“Don’t fight it, Sophia.”
Grabbing her hips, he pulled her tight against him allowing her to feel the extent of his arousal. Sophia moaned. Her hands moved, snaking down his arms, across his chest, searching for the heat of his flesh. Markus aided her, throwing his jacket across the room between ravenous kisses. She started undoing his shirt, growling in frustration as the tiny buttons didn’t budge. Grinning, Markus ripped it off. Their teeth clashed in a bruising kiss, and her hands roamed over his chest, leaving behind a scorching trail of raw need.
“Sophia.”
Chapter Four
“Sophia.”
The sound of her name echoed in her head. Decadent and full of promise, it made her nipples harden further. Everything about him was delightfully sinful. She ran her fingertips over the ridges of his abdomen—so smooth and yet so hard. Markus leaned into her neck, inhaling deeply.
“Sweet,” he murmured, before nipping and kissing a path down to her chest. Molten heat coated her thong, slipping past to the top of her legs. She didn’t recall ever being so aroused. Markus found the front zipper to her makeshift corset and opened it. She hissed in pleasure as he closed his mouth over her nipple, suckling hard. Her back arched, and she threaded her fingers in his quickly loosening braid. Yes, she’d felt him on the other side of the window. She’d felt something even before she had called Edgar to kick him out. It was so intense she had been afraid of losing control. After years of keeping that thing inside of her at bay, it had come out to haunt her. He’d brought it out, and she’d danced like never before to push it back. Knowing he was there, though, only fueled the creature. Not only did it need liberty, it needed him: his raw masculinity, his powerful presence, his protective stance. Her vision blurred, and her hands shook. What giving in to all of that could mean made her blood turn to ice.
“Stop.”
Markus continued lavishing attention to her other breast, alternating between sucking and rolling the hard nub between his teeth.
“Markus, stop,” she said, pulling his braid.
Markus pulled back, his pale brows knitting together in confusion.
“What’s wrong?”
“I—” Sophia licked her dry lips. “I can’t do this, Markus.”
He placed a finger on her lips, quieting her. His feral gaze bored into her.
“Why aren’t you following the heart of your animal?” He cupped her cheek, and she leaned into it, like a kitten searching for affection. “Why do you fight against instinct and fate, princess?”
“Because it doesn’t exist. We’re not animals, Markus. We’re humans.” She stepped away from him. “We’re humans. There is nothing inside of us except blood and organs.” There’s no animal, no beast. She repeated the mantra in her head. The thing she felt inside of her, growling and prowling, the visions, the higher than average instincts, the acute sense of smell, everything, was simply anxiety, nerves, and her mind playing tricks.
“No?” Markus took a step back, regarding her carefully. His eyes had a dangerous gleam to them that made her blood curdle.
“No,” she cried out as Markus turned around and walked away. Her heart constricted painfully, her insides turning to mush at the sight of him leaving again. Markus veered around.
“I’m not going anywhere, princess.” He smiled. She gaped, noticing for the first time the sharp canines. Surely, she would have felt them when they kissed? Kicking off his shoes, Markus began to strip. Her mouth watered as she stared at him. His appearances were deceiving. With clothes on, he appeared lean and fit, but he was more than that. He was all hard, sculpted muscle that rolled and tensed as he continued to strip.
“Here,” he said, reaching for his wallet and tossing a coin at her. “Put on some music.”
She caught it in the air and forced herself to walk away. When she reached the machine she placed the coin to a side, not bothering to explain that from the stage room she could pick whatever song she wanted. She chose the first one she’d danced to that night. Sophia turned around, her knees buckling at the sight of the snow leopard sitting in the spot where Markus had been standing moments before.
No beast, eh?
His smooth voice sounded in her head, filled with amusement. Sophia blinked. Her mind had to be playing tricks on her. It couldn’t be true. One moment, Markus stood before her, and the next a white leopard sat in his place. The animal tilted its head, the pale green eyes watching her curiously. Sophia lowered herself to the floor. The beast moved. Its tail swayed form side to side and its grey fur gleamed under the lights as he approached her. She scuffled to get away from it. He pounced in front of her, blocking any possibility of escape.
No beast, eh?
Sophia shut her eyes. Her breathing pattern changed, and she began to pant. No. No. No. The thing inside her growled. Her chest felt too tight, her body too small. The ball of energy in her stomach rolled and lurched across every cell in her body leaving behind a trail of scalding fire. She clenched her jaw, the sharp sting of fangs brushing over her lip. Markus rested his head on her knee. Her world tilted and fell, and a wild growl burst from across her lips.
Sophia shook her head, a fuzzy, nauseated feeling coursing through her. She blinked several times trying to clear her sight. Everything around her had changed. Sounds were louder, and colors were brighter. The song she had picked was coming to an end, and she switched her tail to the rhythm. Panic gripped her,
and she jumped to her feet as she realized that her body was not her own anymore.
Easy, princess.
Markus. She had to warn him.
Why are you still scared, princess? What did they do to you?
He nuzzled her neck affectionately, and she relaxed. Markus was with her. He would protect her. She snuggled against him, breathing in his wild scent: mountain air, dirt, grass, and a masculine musk that appealed to her. He reminded her of her childhood in the mountains before she moved to the city. The mountains were always there. Large and looming, they inspired fear but also beauty. Capped with snow in the winter and green and alive in the summer, Markus was just like that.
He looked down at her, those rich green of his eyes making her quake. Abruptly, the happy memory vanished. His eyes were similar to her brother’s. The one they had killed because of her. There were no mountains, only ugly grey buildings and the stench of decay. Pain and horror collided in a blast that had her on her feet and running toward the door scared in an instant. She never made it as Markus pounced over her, throwing her down. She whimpered and began to cry.
“Sophia.”
They were both back in their human form, and Markus was pulling her into his arms, cradling her as she sobbed.
“They killed him. They killed him,” she said, trying to shake off the memory of her dead brother. “And then they tried to kill me.” Markus tightened his embrace.
“Who?” The silent promise of retribution hung heavy in his question.
“It doesn’t matter anymore. They’re dead. I made sure of that.” Her gaze pinned on Markus’s chest, she spoke. “They ambushed us in an alley. My brother had been in some trouble, and they thought they’d teach him a lesson with me. They got both of us, and he tried to protect me, but someone slipped. The knife went in too deep. They panicked, but I was furious. I was a newborn shifter. I had only started letting her out a month prior. I didn’t know what I was doing. I went after them.” She looked at Markus, pleading for comprehension.
“You were only defending yourself, Sophia.”
Relief swept through her at his words.
“They found me bathed in blood, naked and in shock.” She clenched her fists so tightly she felt the bite of her nails on her flesh. “They took me away from my family, to a hospital.” She took in a shaky breath. “And decided my parents weren’t fit to raise me. The doctors,” she took another breath, “they said I was in shock, and that’s why I had made up the whole story about shifters. They didn’t believe me.” Tears streamed down her face.
“So you buried it all away. They brainwashed you and convinced you to believe that the leopard didn’t exist.”
“It was anxiety, nerves, my mind—”
“Playing tricks on you.”
Markus swore, anger seeping off of him in waves. Sophia buried her face in his chest. She nodded, a few more tears sliding down her cheeks. Her fear had led her to believe what the doctors had said, and her life had wound up a mess.
“Eventually, they let me out of the hospital. My parents tried to find me, but I ran away. I didn’t want to hear them. I thought they blamed me for my brother’s death. I blamed myself,” she added quietly.
Markus pulled her away from him, gazing into her eyes.
“Sophia, you didn’t kill your brother. Those bastards did, and your snow leopard, the animal that lives in you, acted naturally. You’re a predator, a hunter. They hurt someone you loved, and you pursued and killed. Hell, I would have done the same. Would do the same if anyone tried to hurt you, princess. There’s nothing wrong with you.” He wrapped his arms tightly around her. “God, what I don’t know is how you’ve managed to keep your leopard locked in you.”
Sophia smiled through her tears. “Dancing.” She snuggled into Markus’s comforting embrace, feeling safe and protected for the first time in years. “When I danced it was as if I channeled her. I can’t really explain. I guess, in a way, even though I kept her tied in, when I was dancing she found an outlet.”
Markus appeared thoughtful. “That explains your eyes when you were dancing earlier.” She gazed quizzically at him. “They had changed,” he said.
“Oh, I didn’t know it did that.”
Markus caressed her back and shifted his posture. His semi-hard cock brushed against her ass, and her breath caught as newfound pinpricks of arousal swept over her.
“Markus.” She exhaled his name softly.
“You dance beautifully, Sophia. I want to see you do it again,” he whispered seductively in her ear while running his hand over her left breast. Sophia moaned. “And again.” Bending over, he kissed her. This time it was tender, full of understanding and love. “And again, for me and only for me.”
His hands roamed over her breasts, possessively squeezing them. Sophia spread her legs as a flurry of juices slid between them. Markus rolled her stiff nipples between his fingers, drawing a whimper from her. Gently, he shifted their position, pushing her back against the floor and spreading her legs. He stroked her calves, her knees, and the inside of her thighs, leaving behind a trail of sparks that threatened to burst into flame at any moment. His soft hair, which had fallen loose after his shift, brushed over her flesh, amping her arousal. Markus kissed her pubis, and her hips bucked. He chuckled. Another kiss and the molten heat coursing through her gushed out of her pussy to wet the top of her thighs.
“Easy, princess.”
“Markus.” She sighed out his name as he gave her lower lips an open mouthed kiss. The glowing embers across her flesh mounted into a scorching fire as he traced her lips with his tongue, nipping and tasting at will. Her head swung from side to side. Her legs shook, but he kept them firmly apart. The blaze inside of her raged. Her leopard danced with wild abandonment. For the first time in years she allowed herself to feel, and the world around her was beautiful. Sensations and smells flooded her senses, but one stood out above all the rest. Markus.
“Markus, I need you.”
“Not yet, Sophia,” he said sternly, blowing cool air over her folds before sucking them. She cried out. Lust crawled over her flesh like a blanket. She needed more. Freedom. She needed the full freedom that came with mating.
“Please.”
Markus ignored her cries. Overpowering, sensual, strong, dominant, he became her world. It didn’t matter where they were or what would happen next. He was there, and he was everything.
His name spilled from her lips like a liturgy as he pushed two fingers into her and curved them around the bundle of nerves inside.
“Ride my fingers, princess, ride them hard.”
Her hips moved back and forth with his digits. She was on fire, burning from the inside out like dry ice.
“You’re almost ready, princess. I see it in the sweat sliding between your breasts and the coldness in your eyes, but you need to see the stars first,” he said, reaching to kiss her.
“Yes, please, yes.” Scalding pinpricks needled across her flesh. There was only one solution to the intense heat. She wrapped her fingers around Markus’s thick cock, relishing the sound of his disgruntled grunt. “I need you, Markus.”
Chapter Five
Markus pumped into her hand for a second, before removing her tight hold.
“Not yet, princess.”
Grinning, he delved between her legs. Swirling his tongue over her weeping hole he tasted her musky cream. Sophia bucked. Sliding three fingers into her slick warmth, he swept his tongue over her clit. She screamed. He pumped in and out of her a few more times before drawing her clit between his teeth and suckling hard. Sophia cried out, her hips lifting as she came.
Markus watched her face, the bliss painted there warming his ice cold heart. He knew that she was burning inside, her body a blazing fire that would only cool once they mated.
Grasping his cock, he guided it into her. He groaned in pleasure. She was tight around him, hugging his cock like a lifeline. Sophia hissed her approval as he drove his way inside of her inch by inch.
“More,” she growled.
Capturing her hands, he held them above her head. Sophia lifted her hips, urging him to move. He glanced at her face, satisfied to see that her eyes were catlike slits. His ice cold body was having the desired effect. He reached rock bottom, growling with pleasure. Bending across her, he gave her a hungry kiss before pulling out and ramming back in. Sophia cried out. Her fangs pierced her bottom lip. He thrust into her again. His flesh was warming up just as hers was cooling.
“Hold on to me, princess.”
He released her arms, and she wound her arms around him, holding on to his shoulders for dear life. With a victorious growl, Markus pumped in and out of her. Sophia mewled in ecstasy, her hips meeting every one of his thrusts.
“Mine,” he groaned.
“Mine,” she screamed.
His. Sophia was finally his. His heart flipped, and his animal rumbled in his chest.
“Look at me.”
She snapped her eyes open, and he watched the play of colors in their depths. From blue to green and back to blue. They were mingling. Their essence was uniting for eternity, becoming one heart, one love, until death.
“Dance for me, princess. Show me what you can do.”
Sophia moaned. She locked her legs behind his ass and arched her body. Markus grasped the tip of her breast, suckling. He rolled them over so that she was straddling him. Without breaking their rhythm, she lifted herself and impaled herself back on him, in easy strokes.
“Fuck, Sophia.” Markus’s voice came out husky. His breathing became ragged as he watched her knead her own breasts while rolling her hips over his dick. His loins tightened. He was close.
Digging his fingers into her ass, he regained control, wildly pounding into her.
“Touch yourself.”
With a small smile, Sophia obeyed him, her hands reaching between them to play with her clit. His thrusts became fierce. Sophia panted in his ear, her fingers faltering as he drove into her. Keeping a hand on her waist, he grasped her head and kissed her passionately. Her pussy clenched around him. He nipped her bottom lip, and she screamed into his mouth, her insides gripping his cock like a vise, milking him as she orgasmed. With a feral growl, he thrust back his head, erupting deep into her womb. His vision blurred, his teeth elongated, and he pierced the flesh at her shoulder, branding her his. Sophia cried out and responded in the same way, biting into him with fervor and marking him as hers.
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