by Tara Nina
Unwillingly making a split second decision, Alessandro shifted. As his form changed to panther, his spirit intertwined with Rose’s and a peace he had never known flowed through his soul. Her inner beauty astounded him. She was so pure, so good it made his insides quake. What would she think of him? He knew she saw into his soul, his thoughts and his memories as their magic combined into one life force.
Would he be able to face her when this moment was over, knowing she knew all the wrong that he had done? This was the reason he did not want to take an eternal bonded mate, he knew no woman would understand and forgive him of his misdeeds.
Hell, he didn’t even forgive himself.
Chapter Seven
Fear and shock seized her mind as visions of his life marched through her brain. Stolen as a child by a warlord who killed his parents when they fought to save him, he was turned into a brutal battle master. Scenes of death and destruction rippled through her thoughts to the point she wanted to scream but did not. This man she chose as her mate.
His memories were her memories, his pain was hers to shoulder and offer him comfort. She would not shy away from the beast behind the man. Time and again, a monstrous face appeared to torment, beat and force a scared child into defeat. The child refused. Rose wanted to cry, but couldn’t.
His life traipsed through her head like a sordid play. As he grew to adulthood, he learned the necessities to survival in the lair of the demon. Until he snapped, fought the demon and freed those trapped there with him. Two familiar faces flashed inside her head. A mother and child, Ilene and Joseph were the catalyst of his rebellion. He refused to kill the innocents. In a tiny corner of his soul, she sensed a greatness that would not be denied.
She smiled inwardly. It was not in this man, her man, to be pure evil. This she believed to be a truthful fact and it made her heart grow stronger with an undeniable love for him. Using the last spark of available strength she could muster, Rose returned to human form and sensed Alessandro followed as if they were one being bonded forever. Bonded forever burned bright behind her closed eyes and a comforting heat surrounded her soul.
As her system slowly returned to normal, she realized they’d somehow switched positions and he lay wrapped around her, cuddling her to his chest as they lay entangled on their sides.
They’d shifted while connected. It lasted only a few moments but the result was the same.
Alessandro was her eternal bonded mate. This thought ignited a hunger within her sheath that only he had the ability to sate. The feel of his length embedded within her made her inner muscles clench, tugging at the silken skin of his manhood and marking him as hers and hers alone.
A tingle of delight shimmered down her spine to pool within the moisture of her folds, coating his shaft, urging him into play. His body heat surrounded her, his fist tightened in her hair and his fingers strummed her nipple sending jolts of energy straight to that sensitive nub between her thighs as if an invisible chain connected the two.
This was heaven. Every ounce of her wanted him, loved the sensation of his great length inside her, stroking her inner walls and driving her on a path toward another climax. When she kissed and nipped his jaw, his fist knotted in her hair and forced her head still. He lowered to her ear. Hot breath warmed the tender flesh of her lobe as he staked his claim.
“You are mine, Rose. No one else’s.” He shoved in to the hilt, emphasizing his claim as he spoke. When he pulled back leaving only the plump head of his cock inside, Rose trembled at the loss. As if he needed to reinforce his meaning, he shoved in to the hilt again, staking his claim, warning her that she would share intimacies with no other.
As if she wanted to, Rose thought as she moaned. There would be no other but Alessandro. With each rough thrust, he laid his claim and took her heart. Wanting only him, Rose kept his slow deliberate pace with her hips. Though they lay on top of the bastion on the cold stone, she felt nothing but his heat. Even the breeze couldn’t cool her skin.
His lips burned a trail from the nape of her neck to her ear and along her chin. Then he tugged her head back with his fingers twisted in her hair and captured her mouth. The pace of their tongues increased in sync with his thrusts into her body. Slow then fast, hard and deep. He filled her every need, taking her to heights of pleasure she had never known.
As the pressure built within her sheath she grabbed his hand, which fondled her breasts and held on tight. Though the stone scraped the side she laid upon, she couldn’t stop. Pain mixed with pleasure as he took her to a level of even greater sensations.
“Alessandro.” She panted, breaking their kiss as she soared into the oblivion of another phenomenal orgasm. Every ounce of her quivered in his arms as her sheath contracted, tugging his cock in to its deepest point and she swore he touched her womb as the heat of his seed spilled into her and coated her inner walls.
Exhausted and thoroughly sated, Rose snuggled against him, clasping his shaft within the moist heat of her canal. This was where he belonged and she intended to keep him there no matter what it took. Even though they had experienced the sex of a lifetime, she sensed a darkness within him that begged him to pull away. This would not do. Alessandro was her mate, forever.
She wanted to sleep with him inside of her and wake in the morning for another round. Oh, what a wanton wench he created. She smiled secretly. Having seen the way he acted when she was with Kade, she knew of his jealous nature and decided to use it to her advantage. Rose whispered inside his head on a yawn.
“It was a sin to wait so long to enjoy the gift of pleasure. It is the most marvelous sensation on earth. Are all men’s shafts as good at giving pleasure as yours?”
Alessandro wrapped around her possessively as he stated in a commanding tone inside her head, “You shall never know. It is my cock and it alone that you shall seek your pleasure with, my lady panther.”
On a heavy sigh, Rose snuggled deeper into his arms and fell asleep holding his softened shaft within her, knowing her claim was staked to win his heart. It was a difficult path ahead that she must take, for even though they were mated, she wanted more.
She wanted his love.
* * * * *
Seconds slipped into hours as Alessandro lay with her under the night sky. The subtle sound of her soft purring snore as she slept was music to his ears. The feel of her in his arms equaled more than he deserved. Rose represented the essence of beauty and all that was good and he… He was the devil’s minion. Guilt gripped his soul and shredded his heart.
Why had he not hidden from her instead of letting this happen?
Now she was bonded to him, bound to die when he faced Mephistopheles. The strength of the eternal bond was great. He had seen it in his village as a child—when one died, the other followed. Most forgot how to live without their mate. Would this be the same for Rose?
Alessandro’s gut knotted knowing that if he lost, then so would Rose. He felt her inside of him. Her memories were of family and love. Yet when he lingered in the treasures of her past, there was one dark spot upon her soul. The death of her mother cut deep leaving a jagged scar upon her heart. Unable to save her, Rose reacted in a carnal nature that was as familiar as breathing to her inner beast. She attacked the human who killed her mother.
It was only natural, Alessandro sighed. He would have done the same. But why did this bother his lady panther so? Bloodlust within the beast was a part of their souls and yet, he sensed she fought against it.
The tender beauty in his arms shivered and he realized that the castle wall was no place for her. The ability to seek comfort in any place be it rock, mud or straw was ingrained in Alessandro. Comfort for him was not a necessity. But Rose, she deserved the finest comforts offered. He inhaled her scent, gathered her in his arms and stood as gently as he could in an attempt not to wake her.
Not a soul walked the castle when he carried her inside. The only beings awake were the night guards and they knew to turn a blind eye to his actions.
Once ins
ide his chamber, he laid her on the bed then tucked the covers up over her. A decent man would crawl in there beside her and continue the mating ritual where they left off. But he was not such a man. The sound of her soft sigh when he brushed the hair from her face nearly weakened his resolve. God knew it hardened his cock just looking upon her beauty.
Mated by eternal bond or not, he would not seek pleasure with Rose again. This he knew he had to do to keep her safe. The bond was fresh. Did that mean that it remained weak? Of this Alessandro could not be sure, but he intended to test his theory. Newly mated couples were known to engage in repeated fucking for days on end, reinforcing their everlasting connection. If he kept them apart, would Rose stand a chance for survival if he lost his life?
It was a chance he had to take.
The impending battle with Mephistopheles lay on his horizon. No matter what the outcome, he knew his soul was damned. It was a fate he refused to cast upon Rose. A man such as he didn’t deserve a woman like Rose. She deserved more than he was capable of giving.
Alessandro allowed himself one last feast as he gazed upon her beauty before he turned and left the room. Fate had a cruel way of dealing with the likes of him, but then again he knew from the actions of his past, he deserved every stone they threw at him.
No, he sighed heavily, Rose deserved a better man than he.
* * * * *
Rose lingered in the fading light of the most wonderful dream of her life. Alessandro and she mated. Rolling over, her arm landed in an area of cold instead of the heat of Alessandro’s body. One eye opened in a slow tortured motion. The handsome face she expected to see was not there.
Had it truly been a dream?
She licked her lips, drawing in the remnants of his flavor. When she shifted position, the tenderness between her thighs confirmed their mating. Every aspect of her ached as she forced her tired body into action and sat up. Her inner muscles hummed with the need to be filled by Alessandro. Mmm… She sighed as she stretched. Just thinking of him sliding into her, stroking her, caressing her and tasting her made her wet and dripping with the need for his cock and his alone.
A smile upturned her lips at the memory of how insatiable he became when she used such lurid language. If he were here right now, she’d ride his cock and beg him for more pleasure. Inwardly she shivered and the pressure of desire mounted in her core. The thought of having a taste of Alessandro to break her fast was the meal she craved. Rose swung her legs over the edge, gathered the blanket and stood. Her thigh muscles trembled and there were red scrapes on her hip and side from the position they made love in on the bastion, but none of that mattered.
The essence of Alessandro flowed within her veins. Though she shifted unintentionally during their intimacy, no remorse touched her soul. Bonded for life. She sighed. Images flashed inside her head. Violent, sad pictures that made her cringe and she squinted trying to stanch the outpour. The power within her grew stronger than anything she’d ever known. It seemed as if his soul lived within her own. Rose clutched the blanket to her chest and slowly sifted through the memories of Alessandro that were forever embedded in her brain. She needed to know him, understand him if she planned to help him.
He had not been born the spawn of the devil as the legends claimed. Tears streaked her face as his youth flashed through her head. A demon possessed him, forced him into service and created the Black Knight renowned for his horrific feats. Just whispering that name among the common man invoked fear.
Rose sniffed then swiped a hand to her eyes. Alessandro deserved happiness. He’d been misread. Another created the darkness that held Alessandro’s soul in a fist and made him into the angry beast, whose only vision was to kill or be killed.
A hideous face appeared within the walls of her brain and Rose crumbled to her knees. Pure evil saturated every memory of this being, this beast, this demon. Pain riddled her muscles and tears formed in her eyes as she suffered the strongest sensation of hate and bloodlust she had ever known. But she understood.
This demon created the Black Knight. He preyed upon every shred of dignity and decency in Alessandro’s soul and used it against him in order to diminish Alessandro’s defenses. With beatings, starvation and mental depravation, this monster sucked the purity from Alessandro. And even that had not been enough, it wanted more. A putrid scent from his memories filled her senses. Familiarity washed over her. Where did she know this disgusting aroma? Tears stung her eyes as she struggled to place the scent.
Rose’s eyes sprang open wide. It coated the missive when she first took it from the room. So much so that she almost dropped it several times as she fought the urge to gag. Something evil touched that missive, she knew it in her heart and now she felt it in her gut. The demon that tortured Alessandro’s soul masterminded this plot. It was naught but a ploy to get at him and held no real danger for the king.
Without heed to her appearance, Rose grabbed the nightgown from the floor, threw it on over her head then wrapped the robe around her. Her footsteps echoed on the stairs as she ran down them.
The eerie quiet of the castle slapped her in the face as she reached the last stair. There were no sounds of servants, men or others scurrying about making things ready for the day. Total silence met her ears.
Rose ran to the door, tugged it open and hurried outside. No carts and wagons stood in the bailey or the ward. All were gone.
“Miss.”
Rose jumped and spun around at the sound of a voice. Mary stood with her head bowed and her hands knotted together.
“Miss, they have gone. They left at first light.”
This could not be. Her mate left her behind. Rose spun around taking in her surroundings. Few people remained. Several guards walked the walls and a sentry remained at his post at the gate. The men left behind were there to protect until Alessandro’s return.
Anger stiffened her spine. She looked at the sun’s position. If her calculations were right, they had just a few hours head start and she knew that due to the size of the troop, they would not travel fast.
How dare he think that he should face this demon alone? She was his mate, his eternal bond and the extension of his soul. Rose turned on her heel and marched toward the castle only to be stopped by her father.
“Rose, it might be wise if’n we left while Sir Alessandro has gone.”
“No, Poppa,” Rose snapped. “He is my mate.”
Rose watched as her father paled. “Why?”
“I know not how or why it happened but I know I love him.” She gathered his hands in hers. “All is not as it seems with him, Poppa. The life he has led was not of his choice. And I fear the road he is on now leads to his destruction. Our bringing that missive to him was simply a ploy. I sense we have been pawns in a horrible trap. We have to save him.”
Rose sensed his indecision over her mate selection and read the sadness in his eyes she hoped time would erase. Several seconds passed before the tension eased in his stance and he spoke. “Then so be it, child. If’n you say the man has been wronged and our actions have caused this then we need to set things right. Go dress and we shall follow his trail.”
* * * * *
The greater the distance between Alessandro and the castle, the tighter the knot in his chest twisted. Rose slept when he left. The beauty of her face haunted his thoughts. It wasn’t right what he did, leaving her without a word. But he couldn’t bring himself to touch her without taking her again. Alessandro rolled his eyes toward the morning sky and huffed in disgust. Hell, just knowing she lay naked in his bed kept him hard and hurting in the saddle. Each step his warhorse Dunstan took jostled his swollen shaft and sent his ballocks into hiding. Never had he suffered so after seeking pleasure with a woman.
Not just a woman, your bonded mate, a little voice at the base of his brain nagged. Alessandro shook his head. He refused to think of such domestic matters. The battle ahead needed his full focus, not the favors of a woman. The one thing in his life he dreaded lay on the path ahead. H
e’d known it all boiled down to this—face Mephistopheles alone, kill or be killed. Alessandro knew the road they travelled well and plotted his point of exit from the troop. At the forest on the northern ridge of his lands, he planned to separate and face his destiny. Lost in thought, he did not hear Kade’s horse amble up beside him.
“What weighs heavy on your mind, cousin?” Kade asked.
“Strategy,” he stated and hoped Kade let it be.
“Alex, the strong scent of a mated man taints the air around you.” Kade smiled. “Rose chose thee?”
“Yes.” He swallowed hard and tried not to visualize her naked in his head. Lust made it difficult. Every ounce of his being begged him to turn his mount around and return to the castle and the slice of heaven between her thighs.
“You seem unhappy with her choice,” Kade stated. “If she chose me, you would not see me out of her bed for a week… Make that a fortnight.”
Alessandro stiffened at Kade’s audible sigh. If he did not need Kade to lead his people after his death, he would pummel him into the ground for even thinking of bedding Rose. The choice in the mating had not been his, but neither had he fought it. His gut clenched at his decision to leave. But he knew this battle was his and his alone. No need for the others to suffer the anger of the demon.
His jaw tightened and his gaze narrowed as he warned between clenched teeth and shielded his true intentions from Kade’s probing thoughts. “Kade, this is not something we need discuss right now.”
“You are wrong, Alex.” Kade switched to mental words. “Rose is a fine woman. You have mated and from the smell, it is an eternal bond which coats you. ‘Bout time you learned to live again and overcome the wrath of the demon.”
Kade shot an unexpected hard glare at Alessandro, cutting off any rebuttal he may have presented as he continued. “I know you and the paths you have walked. It is time you stopped wallowing in the shadows of hell and warmed your soul in the graces of Rose. Lord knows, I would.”
With a click of his tongue and a tug on his reins, Kade turned his horse and left Alessandro to brood upon his words. Alessandro cut a sideways glance at Kade’s retreating backside then returned his gaze straight. No. He grunted. Hell was all he knew. A gnawing fear in his gut kept him on edge. He sensed the deadly darkness within him spread throughout his soul. What if the darkness took total control and he held no rein on this blind rage that had led him to victory in battle no matter what the cost to those involved? Would he harm Rose if she stood in his path? This smidgeon of self-doubt ripped at his heart. He would not take that chance with her life.