Banished

by Anita Philmar

  The ticklish sensation of his breath against her ear and his provocative suggestion sent shivers down her spine. Could he really accept her ability to transform into another creature so easily? “And why would I transform into such a creature?”

  “Because you know I can satisfy you in whatever form you wish to—”

  “Kitty, could you please step in here?” The sound of her boss’s voice drew her from the sensual haze she’d fallen into, and she stepped back. Did the governor ever grow tired of yelling for her?

  About to turn, she paused when the hand on her waist tightened. “Looks like we missed our opportunity.”

  The heat in his blue-black gaze raced through her body and drops of need trickled over the lips of her pussy.

  “He can wait,” whispered from Jack’s lips. He covered her mouth and moved with gentle persuasion that seduced her into staying and forgetting her responsibilities to anyone but him. The soft stroke of his tongue inside her lips reminded her of the rapture she could enjoy in his arms. She slumped against him and responded by darting her tongue over his.

  “Kitty!” The deep tone of the governor’s voice jerked Kitty from the bliss of Jack’s kiss.

  Her gaze met his. Heat scorched through her, and she fought her desires as she slipped farther and farther out of his arms. “It’ll have to wait.”

  “But why do you have to be at his constant beck and call?” Jack held onto her hand.

  “Please, Jack.” She hated to beg, but she didn’t want to anger the governor either. The last time she’d defied him, he locked her in her room for two days and secured the shutters over her windows so she couldn’t escape.

  Jack’s grip loosened, and she turned.

  How could she ever explain the governor’s hold on her? He’d bought her from her parents, educated her, and given her a home for the last twelve years. He protected her, even if he did force her to sleep with his friends and tortured her by forcing her to transform and then prolonging the time until he allowed her to have sex.

  He deserved her devotion, didn’t he?

  “Then we’ll get together later.” Jack’s word registered seconds before she stepped into the parlor.

  “Yes, Governor, what can I do for you?”

  ****

  The dark night didn’t bother Jack. He enjoyed the peaceful sound of an owl cooing and the cold crisp dirt under his paws. Fresh air filled his lungs, and he quickly recovered from his jaunt through the woods. Sloan had led him on a merry chase, but Jack gained the information he needed.

  Still in his panther form, he followed Kitty’s scent. She hadn’t agreed to meet him, but her unique fragrance on the breeze had directed him to her path through the underbrush. The low shrubs helped provide plenty of cover from any wandering guest.

  A snap from a twig sang through his sharpened awareness. He scanned the sandy shore of the lake. A sleek female panther stalked to the water’s edge and dipped her head to drink.

  With her tail up and lying along her side, the rich scent of her sex filled his senses. He focused on the wide spread of her back legs. The pleasure of pumping his barbed cock deep into her lush pussy enraged his lust. Her scream of completion would echo through the night and alert the humans in the castle of their activities.

  Kitty.

  The panther turned and stared at the castle. Jack? What are you doing here?

  He stepped out from his hiding place. The light from the night beast lit the area in an eerie glow. Unwilling to expose himself to danger, he tossed his head back at the structure glowing in the distance. Many of the bedroom windows faced the lake.

  Why don’t we move to a more secure area? I don’t want anyone from Sloan’s party to see us. He turned.

  No, Jack. Even though you’ve caught me in my panther form, I’m not following you into the underbrush. I’ve read that male cats have an insatiable hunger to mate. She shuffled her paws in the sand and strolled along the shoreline.

  But wait! With a quick burst, he covered the ground between them. He closed his mouth around the hairs on the back of her neck and tugged.

  She sighed and stopped. Jack, I’m not fucking you in this form. A quick twist of her head and she broke free of his grip. Now stop.

  A deep purr rumbled from his chest. He couldn’t allow her to escape. His cock aching, he stepped forward, ready to pounce.

  She brushed the sensitive hairs on his face and sank onto the sand. Her back legs lengthened, and she rolled into the shallow water. A pop, then a snap, and her body twisted into a different shape. The low moan escaping her lips announced her place back in her human form.

  The scent of her transformation heightened his hunger for sex, and he followed her lead. The cool water of the lake washed over his skin, and the warm touch of Kitty’s hand alerted him to her presence. Opening his eyes, he glanced at her, braced above his chest. She grinned and lowered her mouth to nibble his collarbone.

  His cock, swollen and hard, rode along the inside of her thighs. He slid his hands over her silky ass and contemplated lifting his hips until the tip of his staff found her cunt. Then he’d tease her with the heaven to come.

  “And what do you have in mind now?” He glided his hands along her back and reined in his lust to a bearable level. He had to remember his well-laid-out plan.

  “I need to taste you.” Balanced on one arm and her knees, she leaned forward and caressed his mouth with a gentle kiss that ignited a fire in his soul. Then she nipped at his lips and outlined them with her tongue. A quick dip and a soft caress skimmed over his teeth and cheeks. Unable to remain still, he tilted his head and entwined his tongue around hers in a dueling dance of passion.

  Heart hammering, he worked to calm his need by smoothing a hand along the gentle slope of her back. She moaned and released his lips. Her mouth drifted lower, and she stroked her tongue around the crest of his nipple.

  Fire shot through his balls, and a groan escaped. The stimulating sensation of her tongue over the tight bud drew all the moisture from his mouth, and his fingers gripped the plush flesh of her ass. She ran her hands over his stomach until her fingers raked the hair circling the base of his shaft.

  Her velvety hold around his hard cock pushed the air from his lung, and he gasped. The steady pace of her fingers playing back and forth along the inflamed length drove him to the end of his endurance.

  “Kitty.” Need beyond his control settled in his cock.

  Her lips offered one more tug on his nipple, and then she lifted her head. The glint in her eyes revealed her desire, and she shifted down his body while her hand continued to stroke him from base to tip. A quick flick of her tongue against the end ignited a merciless hunger.

  He groaned and grabbed her head. The exquisite touch of her mouth over his cock almost made him come. He clamped down on his yearning and wove his fingers through her wheat-brown hair. She sucked lightly and then twirled her tongue over the crown. A searing sensation quivered through his belly and down his legs to his toes.

  He adjusted his hips, but her thighs on both sides of his wouldn’t allow him room to spread his legs. Giving him no rest, she worked her mouth lower until her lips touch the base of his cock.

  Up and down, she tortured him for several long moments until he growled for relief, and then she released him. Sitting back, she drizzled cool water over his staff.

  The drastic contrast in temperature caused goose bumps on his skin. “Fuck, that’s cold.”

  She smiled, then licked the drops from his rod and finally covered him again with her mouth. The grip of her hands tightened on his thighs, and she drew him deeper down her throat then glided back up to the tip. Her tongue circled the ridge below the head before she licked his stiff rod and sucked him hard and deep again. Her long enthusiastic strokes drove him closer and closer to complete ecstasy.

  An invisible force connected their bodies and minds, and he marveled at the hot passion streaming from her to him and back again. Giving and taking, the heavy pulse of their heart
s beat as one.

  “I’m coming.” He gripped her head and thrust his hips upwards. She covered the mushroom head and sucked his cock deep. Her fingers fondled his balls. Beyond control, every muscle tensed, he shot semen into her hot mouth with a howl of pleasure.

  Her mouth closed tighter around him, and she swallowed several times. Her throat tightening around his cock heightened his pleasure. Finally, she licked him dry.

  Completely sated, he relinquished his hold on her and dipped his hands in the shallow water around them, amazed by the heat in his body compared to the cold water lapping at his sides. The fragile bond between them severed.

  Kitty rolled away and crawled her way deeper into the water. The distance between them widened. After a few moments, the slapping sound of her strokes reached his ears. Jack tracked her retreating form.

  What was wrong? Why run?

  Oral sex shouldn’t have revealed his secrets. The link wasn’t strong enough. Or was it?

  Chapter Five

  The moment her feet touched the murky sludge at the bottom of the lake, Kitty stopped swimming and walked to a large boulder near the shoreline where she’d hidden her clothes.

  She shouldn’t think of Jack as her savior, the one to free her from Sloan. But, each time he touched her, the connection between them grew. Could he be her perfect mate, her one true love?

  As appealing as it sounded, she had to face facts. In two days, he’d be gone and she’d be left with nothing. The governor wouldn’t allow her to follow Jack. And if the truth were known, he probably wouldn’t want her around after the party anyway.

  The sloshing sound of footsteps in the water alerted her to his presence. His moist fingers circled her forearm, and he pulled her around to face him. “What’s going on? Why did you take off?”

  With her free hand, she brushed back her wet hair. “It’s this connection between us. I’m getting images and impressions that I don’t understand.”

  “Like what?” He tightened his grip on her arm.

  She pulled away, and he released her. “I’m seeing people and places that seem familiar, yet I...” How could she have forgotten such alluring things?

  Jack stepped closer and gathered her against his chest. He guided his hands along her damp back. “Tell me which ones bother you, and I’ll explain.”

  Kitty snuggled against him and laid her head on his shoulder. His warm strength calmed the doubts rushing through her mind. Was it any of her business where he went or who he spent time with?

  “I’m...” She closed her eyes to focus. “I see people with their bodies covered in colorful leaves. And the ones not wearing leaves are either naked or in shimmering robes. The rooms light up when you walk into them. Yet there are no lanterns on any surface.” She lifted her head and studied his face. “It appears to be a magical place, but I don’t remember where it is.”

  Jack smiled and cupped her face. “Ardenia is a wondrous place, and the reason you recognize it is because it’s your home.”

  Kitty blinked at his words. A vision of a lush green paradise flashed through her mind. Peace and love filled her senses then just as quickly vanished, leaving a painful ache in her chest. “How do you know where I came from?”

  “Because most shape-shifters live in Ardenia. The only reason you don’t recall the place is because of a forget spell placed on you around the age of ten.”

  Shocked by the correlation between the age he stated and the age she’d been when the governor bought her, along with the plausible reason for her lack of memories, Kitty stepped backward and bumped into the boulder. “But how do you know all this? Who are you?”

  Jack closed in and pinned her against the large rock. The hard line of his body met hers. The sensual part of her nature and the connection they’d shared demanded she believe him. But could she take such a risk?

  “My parents are from Ardenia, and they’re familiar with your family. Your sister enlisted my help to find you.” His softly spoken words brushed her face.

  “But why?” The intoxicating scent of his earlier transformation rode on her taste buds, and she bit her lips to hold back the ache rising in her core.

  “Because they want you back.” Jack swept his hands up her sides, and his thumbs nudged the undersides of her breasts. “You were taken during the war. The giants and dwarfs were fighting the humans and resented the shape-shifters helping in the matter.”

  “Is that why everyone wants to kills us?” The curly hair on his chest tickled her nipples, and her hands tightened on his biceps.

  Jack shook his head. “What are you talking about?”

  “The governor says that if anyone should find out about me changing forms, I’ll be hunted down and killed.” The terrifying thought sent shivers down her spine. “That’s why I’ve stayed here all these years.”

  “Well, he lied.” Jack stroked his hands over her breasts and squeezed gently. “If you want, I’ll even help you break free.”

  “Is that why you came here?”

  “Yes. Your family decided you might need some help.” He edged closer, and the hard line of his cock hit her thighs. “Sloan won’t let you go easily.”

  “He won’t let me go at all. In the twelve years I’ve been with him, I’ve never left his estate.” Kitty recalled a few times she’d attempted and the hours she’d spent in a cage to break her of “such foolish notions.”

  Fear spiked her already heightened lust, and she wrapped her arms around Jack’s neck. “How are you planning to steal me away? And where will you take me after you do?”

  “Home.” He crowded closer, and his chest, stomach, and thighs caressed her naked body. “Your mother wants you to live in Ardenia.”

  Kitty closed her eyes, and the bright images of the mystical place sparkled for a moment then faded. She fought to hold onto the vision but failed. The light touch of Jack’s lips on her neck returned her thoughts to a more arousing scene—lying naked on her bed, Jack’s head between her legs, his tongue...

  She forced her eyes open to ground herself in the moment. “Jack, there’s more to this than you’re telling me. You...”

  She stared at the darkened sky, and the spiritual significance of seeing a panther at night hit her hard. Was Jack the kiss of death? Did he plan to murder the governor to gain her freedom? Uneasiness shivered down her spine.

  “Easy, Kitty, don’t worry. I have no intentions of you or anyone else getting hurt.” The reassuring sound of his voice whispered in her ear, and then his tongue licked the outer rim, before he lightly nipped on the lobe.

  “I’m afraid the governor won’t let me go.” She ran her hands through the silky wet strands of his hair.

  “He will if I give him the right kind of incentive.” His words brushed her cheek before his mouth claimed hers. The quick jab of his tongue shot between her lips, and she tightened her arms around his neck. Her eyelids closed. She surrendered to the alluring heat of his kiss. Alive with need, she waited for him to thrust his cock deep into her pussy.

  She twisted, and he lifted his head. He smiled and eased slowly from her embrace. “We should return to the castle.”

  She couldn’t help but gawk at him. How could he not know how much she needed him?

  “Don’t worry about my plan to free you from Sloan. Just trust me to carry it through.” He took another step backward. “And when I say we’re leaving, be ready to go.”

  She dropped her gaze to his groin. Standing out from his body, his hard cock appeared hard and ready to play. Then why retreat? Was he showing her she meant more to him than a quick lay?

  Unable to grasp the significance, she shook her head and walked around the boulder to retrieve her clothes. Could he really be here to save her? And if he did, would her family really want her back after the life she’d led with the governor?

  ****

  The tapping of Rosco’s fingers on the table wore on Jack’s nerves. Late, only three people remained in the game. Jack dealt Sloan his final card, a two of clubs.<
br />
  “All right, Sloan, you have two queens showing and a possible three of a kind.” Jack studied Sloan’s unrevealed card and noticed the Queen standing in the middle of the ornate design with a spear in her hand.

  Queen of spades. Sloan is the winner at the moment.

  Jack laid the next card in the deck in front of Rosco. “Ten of diamonds. You have two pairs with a possible full house, ten high.” The knight on Rosco’s hole card indicated the man didn’t have a chance at winning the hand. Too bad.

  Reading the value of the top card of the deck before turning it over, he placed a nine of hearts next to his other cards. “Looks like I have a possible flush with a nine high.” Jack leaned back in his chair and addressed Sloan. “It’s your bet?”

  Kitty leaned over the governor’s arm and glanced at his hidden card when he flipped it to check its value. Her expression didn’t change, but her gaze fell to the large amount of money in the center of the table.

  “Well, we’ve eliminated a number of people from the game today. Why don’t we see how sure we are of our hands?” Sloan pushed several stacks of disks forward.

  Kitty squirmed on her stool. “But that’ll wipe both Jack and Rosco out.”

  “That’s the chance they’ll have to take if they hope to win the game.” Sloan leaned back in the wingback chair and laid his hands in his lap. A small grin lifted the corners of his mouth.

  “Rosco, what about you? Are you in?” Jack waited, victory sang through his blood, but he frowned to give the impression he doubted his hand.

  Fingering the wooden disks, Rosco studied the cards. “I don’t believe you have three of a kind, Sloan.” Rosco shoved his money forward and turned to Jack. “I call.”

  Having played conservative for the duration of the competition, Jack peered at Sloan. The man expected him to fold. But with the pile of money being more than five times what Sloan would have left after this hand, Jack couldn’t pass up the opportunity to best the man. “Kitty can entertain me if I should lose the hand, right?”