The Quest III: Return to Volter

by Marilyn Lee

  “What is your pleasure for today, my lady?”

  She squeezed his hand. “To spend the day exploring the Plains as I never could before and to have you call me Ayanni.”

  After leaving the building site, they returned to the hut to have the shemoras pack them a meal, then set out with their destination the other side of the river.

  Ayanni was surprised at how content she felt with Shadow. True her thoughts continually turned to Slayer, but she found the resulting feelings quite bearable.

  They spent the majority of the day exploring. As they drew further away from the hut, Ayanni stared around her in wide eyed wonder. She had never been so far from home. It was as the sun lost its warmth that she noticed Shadow tensing.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  He stood still with his handsome blond head tilted to one side, his nostrils flared for several moments in silence before he suddenly looked around. His gaze settled on a tree with low hanging branches several body lengths away.

  “Quickly, to the tree.” He took her hand and ran her to the tree. He lifted her and pushed her onto the low standing bough. “Upward, my lady. Quickly. There is trouble approaching.”

  Ayanni resisted the urge to ask questions and scrambled up into higher branches. She sat clinging to the trunk, staring down as Shadow quickly moved away from the tree and stood tense and silent, his head tilted to one side.

  Moments later, three carnivores bounded into the clearing and slowly began to advance on Shadow.

  Ayanni bit her lip to keep from screaming. Although Shadow was big, he was in humanoid form and he had no weapons. Even if he reverted to his natural form, he would not be a match for the other carnivores because his strength must surely have been sapped by having maintained his human form all sun rising.

  The cats menacing Shadow were too small to be Tern Terrains, but they were big and there were three of them. Ayanni closed her eyes and reached out. Slayer! Oh, Slayer! Where are you? You must come and help Shadow. Slayer. Please.

  She felt the familiar brush against her mind that she shared only with Slayer. I am here, my Ayanni. Fear not.

  Heart thumping, she glanced around, expecting to see Slayer, but she could not locate him. Yet she had felt him and he had answered her.

  Have faith, my Ayanni.

  She looked back down at the scene unfolding below her.

  Shadow stood unwavering. “Macak! I am Shadow of Tern Terra. Stand down in the name of Slayer, future ruler of Tern Terra.”

  The larger of the cats gave an angry toss of his head. When he spoke, Ayanni was amazed to find that she understood him. I am not fooled, as your female is. I know who and what you are.

  “Then retreat or face the wrath of a son of Tern Terra.” Shadow turned his attention briefly to the two smaller cats. “If you persist, none of your prides will be safe from the wrath of Slayer.”

  The smaller cats paused.

  Do not be afraid. This is not Tern Terra and he is weak. After we dispatch him, we will take turns coupling with his female cowering in the tree.

  Ayanni gasped, but fearful of distracting Shadow, remained silent. Somehow she knew that Slayer and Shadow would find a way out.

  “You have all received the only warning you will get!” Shadow said coolly. “Proceed and die…all of you.”

  The bigger of the cats continued forward. Do not fear him. He cannot take us all.

  Ayanni bit her lip and clung to the tree, offering up silent, frightened prayers to the Gods of the Mountains.

  “Do not be fooled by anything the cowardly Macak says. If you proceed, I will dispatch him and you both. Then those of your prides will be dispatched…from cub to full-grown. Just as you have shown no consideration for youth or age, none will be shown those of your prides.”

  The smaller of the carnivores both let out fearful growls before turning and disappearing into the forest.

  Shadow centered his gaze on Macak. “Now he who would dispatch she who bore him, there is only you and me. Retreat now and out of respect for Meka, I will allow you to withdraw.”

  I will not withdraw. You have taken leadership over the prides. You are weakened and after I have dispatched you, I will dispatch Berka and take complete control of the prides.

  “Withdraw, coward, and live for a little while longer only.”

  I will dispatch you and spend the night enjoying your female before dispatching her.

  “Your death will be on your own head.”

  Macak let loose an angry roar and charged Shadow.

  Ayanni couldn’t completely suppress a small scream. She quickly pressed a fist against her mouth. She wanted to look away, but somehow felt she had to look to show her trust in Slayer and Shadow.

  A roar rumbled from deep within Shadow’s chest. Snarling, he leapt into the air. Macak rose onto his hind legs and lifting a paw, he delivered a powerful blow to the side of Shadow’s head.

  Shadow was knocked to the ground onto his back. He lay unmoving.

  “No!” Ayanni screamed and began scrambling down the tree. “Get away from him!”

  Do not descend the tree, Ayanni. Shadow will be all right.

  Slayer’s words halted her downward scramble. Are you sure?

  Yes. Climb back up and do not distract him.

  She slowly climbed back into the upper branches and looked down.

  Macak wheeled around and charged Shadow, still on his back on the ground. When he was within a body length of him, Shadow sprang up from the ground, exploded to his feet, and shifted swiftly. By the time he gained his feet, he had resumed his Carnivore form. Like Slayer, he was huge with a sleek, tan coat, a beautiful, luxurious dark mane, and green slanted eyes. Her heart thumped. He didn’t just look like Slayer…he was Slayer.

  Macak, seeing that Slayer had resumed his natural form, broke off his charge, veered to the right, and crashed into the surrounding foliage. Slayer, roaring out an angry challenged, raced after him.

  Ayanni climbed down the tree. “Slayer. No! Don’t kill him! Remember your promise to Meka!” she begged.

  She could hear Macak and Slayer crashing through the forest, neither making any effort to be silent. Macak was fleeing for the life Slayer was determined to take.

  “Slayer! Please don’t!”

  She gasped and stopped abruptly as Slayer, in his natural form appeared in front of her, panting with rage. She swallowed slowly, then reached out a hand to stroke his mane. He let out a plaintive growl that tore at her heart, and laid his head against her shoulder.

  She slipped her arms around him and kissed his face. “It’s all right.”

  No. You will not be safe while he breathes. I must dispatch him.

  Not on my account. I am not afraid of him…not as long as I have you by my side.

  He lifted his head and looked down at her, a troubled, yet hopeful look in his green slanted eyes. Then you forgive me?

  “Yes,” she whispered. “And I am sorry I sent you away. Please don’t ever leave me again.”

  I have never left you in any way that mattered. You have always been she who I value more than my ability to breathe. I will forever need and want you, my Ayanni. Will you…reside with me in the new dwelling being built while I preside over the prides until Wynter is old enough to rule them?

  Yes, she told him. I will reside with you on the bare ground if you but ask it of me. She frowned. I do not understand. I thought Wynter would rule Tern Terra.

  She will. After me. When Hunter no longer rules there, I will return for my turn. When my reign is over, Wynter will rule. While I rule Tern Terra, Wynter will rule over the prides.

  He trembled against her and she stroked his mane. “Are you all right? You seem…unsteady.”

  He sank down to the ground. She dropped to her knees beside him, staring at him. “Slayer?”

  I’m a little unsteady, but I am all right. Maintaining humanoid form is very difficult for me.

  “Why? All the Great Carnivores are shape-shifters.”
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  I am not like the other Great Carnivores. My sire and his sire both had human mothers, as do most of the other Tern Terrains. As you know, I did not. It took many seasons of work with Sheela to learn to shift into other creatures of the forest. Everyone thought I would never be able to shift into humanoid form, but I persisted until I mastered the ability to morph my body into humanoid form. But I can only do it with great difficulty and maintaining the form for any length of time is extremely taxing and painful for me.

  She wet her lips. “Then why did you spend so much time as Shadow?”

  You said you wanted a humanoid guard and I had an unbearable need to be near you.

  “Oh, Slayer!” She slipped her arms around his neck. “You put yourself through so much discomfort to please me.”

  If it pleased you, it was well worth it.

  “It did.” She kissed his mouth. “Shadow is wonderful…almost as wonderful as you are.”

  You would like to see him again?

  She shook her head. “No.”

  He drew back to stare at her. Why not? I learned to shift to human form in part for you.

  “You said it brings you pain and I would not wish to cause you pain.”

  It is a pain I would willingly bear again and again to please you.

  She stroked his face. “I value you just as you are, Slayer. It would be nice to see Shadow again, but you are the one I felt as if I would perish if I did not see again. You.”

  Then why didn’t you meet me at the mating tree as I asked you?

  She frowned. “I did come!”

  You did not! I waited, but you did not come.

  “I came…but I came later. Why couldn’t you wait a little while for me? Making the decision to risk all the hopes of my family was not as easily made one. But once I had made it, I came. Why didn’t you wait for me?”

  I feared you were not coming, but I would have waited forever except that my sire’s mate and her bodyguard were in danger. My sire was too far away to arrive in time to help them so he called out to me and I went to intervene.

  “Were you able to save them?”

  I held the interloper off until my sire arrived. Both of them survived.

  “Why didn’t you come afterwards? I went back the next two sun risings before I gave up.”

  She felt a wave of regret from him. I was not yet fully grown and I was gravely injured. If not for Sheela, I would have perished. I was not able to stand for several sun risings. When I was again able to rise, I had convinced myself that you had not come because you had made your choice. And I went to Tern Terra, but I never stopped valuing you.

  She bit her lip, remembering all the lonely seasons without him, struggling to provide enough food for Wynter and herself. And it had all been unnecessary. He had valued her the entire time.

  She quickly blinked away the tears that stung her eyes. They were useless now. They were together again. This time forever. She sighed and tightened her arms around his neck. For the first times in many seasons, everything was right in her world. Now that she had Slayer back and Shadow, she had nothing to hope for. The future she had never dared hoped for, looked bright and promising.

  * * * * *

  Wynter and Totter stood together in the darkened forest, facing each other. Although she and Totter had spent the last two evenings sleeping in each other’s arms amongst the prides, Totter had refused to couple with her again. Now she felt frustrated and angry that he would not take her. They were both naked and he was aroused, but he was being noble again and refusing to take her. But her pussy and her heart ached for him. She was determined to have him again.

  “You are very young and not ready to take cock. I should not have taken advantage of you. Although I am prepared to accept the consequences of my actions from the royal house of Seeker, I need to know if you can forgive me.”

  She sighed. His refusal to satisfy her physical needs left her aching for him. She kissed his lips. “There will be no consequences! This is what I wanted and for all the pain, I do not regret it! And I intend to repeat the offense…again and again! I will have you, Totter and will allow no one to harm you.”

  He stroked his fingers through her hair. “You are brave, beautiful, and generous. But it is my job to protect you.”

  She stroked her fingers through his hair and kissed his warm lips. “We will protect each other, my Totter. It is the way of two who value each other as we do. When I rule the prides, you will rule with me. When I ascend the throne of Tern Terra after Slayer, you will rule with me. I pledge my life, my body, my heart, and my soul to you.”

  “As I do you, my Wynter,” he whispered, slipping his arms around her.

  Finally. She spread her naked body against his. “Couple with me, Totter…fuck me and make me sufficient.”

  Sliding his nude body on top of hers, he slipped his cock deep into her pussy. He coupled with her slowly, stroking his big shaft deep into her, touching her interior clit with each delicious movement of his powerful hips. Even in human form, he was a wonderful, breathtaking lover. His cock, thick and hard, stroking gently in and out of her, brought untold pleasure and delight to her. Her pussy was the center of everything and his cock the reason for breathing. She clung to him, valuing him so much and so deeply, her feelings stunned her.

  Holding her tightly, he thrust hard and forcefully into her. She cried out in an agony of delight and came several times on his cock before he exploded inside her, filling her with his seed. She wrapped her legs around him, determined to keep every drop of seed in her mating channel so that he might impregnate her with her first litter of cubs.

  “Oh, Totter, take me. Take me and give me cubs that will one day rule Tern Terra.”

  He kissed her lips, sinking his tongue in her mouth and thrust his cock deep into her body and up into her soul, whispering that he loved her for eternity. Such sweet, sweet words. They coupled several times before he drew his cock out of her, holding her close.

  “Oh, Totter, I love you too,” she whispered, holding his body against hers. She fell asleep feeling sore, but very happy and content. She had a feeling the future she and Totter would share would hold many adventures and challenges, but together, they would be equal to them all. Of that she had not the slightest doubt.

  About the author:

  Marilyn Lee lives, works, and writes on the East Coast. In addition to thoroughly enjoying writing erotic romances, she enjoys roller-skating, spending time with her large extended family, and rooting for all her hometown sports teams. Her other interests include collecting Doc Savage pulp novels from the thirties and forties and collecting Marvel comics from the seventies and eighties (particularly Thor and The Avengers). Her favorite TV shows are forensic shows, westerns (Gunsmoke and Have Gun, Will Travel are particular favors), mysteries (love the old Charlie Chan mysteries. All time favorite mystery movie is probably Dead, Again), and nearly every vampire movie or television show ever made (Forever Knight and Count Yorga, Vampire are favors). She thoroughly enjoys hearing from readers.

  Marilyn welcomes mail from readers. You can write to her c/o Ellora’s Cave Publishing at P.O. Box 787, Hudson, Ohio 44236-0787.

  Also by Marilyn Lee:

  Bloodlust (anthology Things That Go Bump In The Night)

  Bloodlust 2: The Taming of Serge Dumont

  Bloodlust 3: Forbidden Desires

  Bloodlust 4: Nocturnal Heat

  Branded

  Breathless In Black

  Carnal Confessions

  Full Bodied Charmer

  Moonlight Desires

  Pleasure Quest

  The Quest III: Return to Voltar

  Road To Rapture

  Shifting Faces

  The Fall of Troy

  The Talisman

  Discover for yourself why readers can't get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora's Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave
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