Surrender in Moonlight

by Stella

  Her instincts told her that all larger animals were dangerous, and she couldn’t help but agree. Everything was much simpler in her snake form. Everything was instinct. Most of the time she flowed with it, let the snake do as it pleased then changed back. It was a fairly simple arrangement, and it pleased the snake. An environment where she could relax into her nature was truly a godsend.

  The last light of the sun faded from the sky as she reached the lagoon. It was true what she’d told Reece. She was an excellent swimmer. Her shorter body was far better adapted to the water than the trees, and she slipped in barely making a ripple. This was her time…where she excelled. She flowed through the lake looking for targets. Fish were always a possibility, but rabbits and rats were easier targets. Spotting what she was looking for at the edge of the lagoon, she slowly floated her way over to the drinking hare. A few seconds later, she struck and sank back into the lagoon, waiting for her venom to take effect.

  Chapter Seven

  Reece woke alone for the first time in a week. He missed the subtle heat from her body as much as he missed the morning sex they would engage in. He knew he could get used to waking up with her. She was beyond addicting.

  He sighed as he sat up, figuring she had hunted and stayed in the sanctuary overnight, giving her snake self a well-needed night out. Still, if she didn’t return before nightfall, he would go out and look for her. Now, however, his own duality urged him to the deck where it could feel the sunshine at its brightest.

  His deck was the only one, other than Elise’s, that wasn’t connected to another room, and for that, he was grateful. He’d never liked sharing anything really, but he knew if Carmen showed up while he was changed, he wouldn’t mind sharing that special time with her.

  He exited the room and relaxed in the bright sunshine, concentrating on slipping his skin and relaxing into his other self. Reece loved both his forms. As a human, he was attractive, tall, and smart, and as a snake, he was almost ten feet long, a bright sable red and as big around as an elm in its twilight years. As a snake, he was happy. He curled in the far corner of the deck, where the sun beat down the hardest and rested his head on a larger coil of his body, closing his eyes to enjoy the tranquillity.

  Carmen entered the room some time later, humming to herself, seemingly quite pleased. He opened his eyes and tasted the air, making sure it was his chit and not Chrissy coming in to snoop. She was talking, seemingly to him, and he waited patiently for her to see the back door open. When she walked through still speaking, she stopped dead as she saw him coiled lazily in the sun.

  A huge grin spread across her face, and she came and sat next to him. “Hey there, big boy. You’re pretty fat, aren’t you?” she commented, her tone gentle.

  He raised his head a little, his snake way of raising an eyebrow. Talking to me? This could be interesting.

  She smiled and leaned her head back against the wall, her eyes shut as she soaked in the rays of the sun. “It was weird waking up alone this morning. I missed the way you cuddle against me.”

  I cuddle against her? I suppose I do, but she is always the one who reaches for me, isn’t she?

  “It’s okay, though I wouldn’t say that to your human self. It’s a nice day, sun’s all high in the sky, and there are plenty of bunnies in the trees,” she said, looking him over. “But then, you look like you could do without a meal for a while. And you call yourself a swimmer.”

  So she doesn’t think I understand her? Very interesting. I wonder…. He uncurled and moved closer to her, re-curling a foot from where she sat on the floor of the deck.

  She smiled and patted her lap gently. “I think you’re right, you know. My hunt was perfect. It’s no life at all living as a rogue.”

  Ooh, my little loner learning to like the life of the nest? That could be fun, having her around all the time.

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll have to see how it goes once I hit the road again. Maybe I’ll petition one of the smaller nests. Maybe I’ll even find a mate, somebody’s bound to want me right?” she asked then shrugged again. “No doubt, I’ll have to take one anyway, but it’ll be a lot safer, like you said. Maybe auditioning males won’t be so hard.”

  Auditioning males! What the fuck does she think she’s talking about. You’re mine, chit. Mine! Reece the snake was more than fine with accepting Carmen as his mate. However, the human Reece was not so succinct. Either way, the thought of her with another man turned his stomach in the most interesting ways, and all he wanted was to hold her, mark her as his own and keep her. His sentient mind was awash with emotion he didn’t know he had, the turmoil running rampant through his being. He moved closer to her, placing his head on her thigh and wrapping his body gently around her wrist. You are mine, chit. Nothing changes that.

  Her touch was soft on his skin as she patted over his scales. “Funny thing is, I’m going to miss you. It’s been like a week, and you’re pretty much the closest friend I have.” She sighed.

  Her admission touched him somewhere deep inside. Truth was, she was a lot of fun, more fun than he’d had with a female ever in his life. She was sexy, crazy, and she was smart. They’d had some great conversations. He realised he wanted her to stay, and that if she didn’t, he would be the worse for it.

  She smiled sadly. “But it’s okay. Enough said on that, sexy. You don’t need me. Once I’m gone, you’ll just bounce back to your normal playboy routine. Most likely, you’ll forget all about little ole me, just go back to the way you were before. And when you feel the time is right, you’ll mate with some tall blonde snake and you’ll both have little blonde, rich kid anacondas.” She sniffed, wiping her eyes with her free hand.

  He couldn’t help himself, and the next thing he knew, his scales had propelled him forward, his head close to the hand that wiped the tears from her face. He slipped his tongue out, catching the moisture. The fact that leaving him would upset her, well, it spoke volumes to him. Mating with her wouldn’t be so bad, asking her to stay wasn’t the worst thing he could do either. Both Remy and Chrissy liked her, she would fit in fine with the rest of the family once they got back from the Hamptons, and he wouldn’t sleep alone anymore, something he was already dreading even though it was a few weeks away. He’d try to keep her here with him. Even though, he was feeling guilty about eavesdropping on what she thought was a private conversation, he liked hearing how she felt for him.

  She laughed down at him. “I like you like this, much quieter. Less back talk, well, no back talk. And you’re pretty, too. I’m a nasty brown colour. It doesn’t suit me.” She kissed him gently on the head.

  God, I bet your beautiful, Mena. Nothing you are could ever be considered nasty. The nickname fit her, even if she said he couldn’t shorten her name. It was perfect for her.

  She sighed. “So, I’ll leave you alone to finish sunning. The last thing you need is me here nattering your ears off. Not that you have ears.”

  Oh baby, I hear you just fine. She got up and left the deck. He felt her moving further into the house. It was only when he knew she wasn’t coming back that he changed and grinned. Walking into the house, he grabbed a quick shower, deciding on what he was going to do. When he finished, he walked into his closet, and opened a hat box he kept on the top shelf and pulling out a pretty bauble he had bought at the lingerie boutique with her in mind. He smiled and realised that things might already be decided for him, and as much as that should scare him and piss him the fuck off, it didn’t. Plans for the next few weeks were shaping in his mind already, plans he knew his wild girl would love.

  Chapter Eight

  The week since her change had flown by. He’d shown her all the sights in the town, and even some out of town. The more time she spent with him, the harder it was to let go. He was funny, self- reliant and dominant. He was her but in male form. But he was so much more, too. He was sensitive to her needs, as well.

  She dreaded the thought of leaving him, but she knew she had to. The nest would not look too kindl
y on a rogue, and no matter what he said about them, she knew her presence would not be tolerated, no matter how cool Remy and Chrissy were. Her feelings were in turmoil. She knew Reece wanted her to leave once their deal with over, yet she still woke up every morning comfortable and safe in his arms, as if he didn’t want her to leave him. Mixed signals? You bet.

  She wandered out onto the front deck, looking for some sun and some peace to find some answers. The sun was bright in the sky as it always seemed to be here. She looked to the edge of the trees. The view was truly spectacular. She heard the movement behind her long before he spoke, and when he did, it wasn’t the voice that she’d been waiting for.

  “He let you up for air, Carmen?”

  She turned to see Remy standing a foot away from her. “Yeah, something like that. How’s Chrissy doing?”

  “Napping. She’s weak, but Dr. Halford said she would be. She’s close, but she’s got at least another three weeks left. Elise should be back then and able to help with the birth.”

  She nodded. “Yeah, I hope it all goes well for you two. She’s tough. She’ll make it.”

  “Yeah, she will.” He smiled at her. “So? How are things with you and the whelp?”

  “Whelp? He’s not that much younger than you.” She grinned, avoiding the question. “You ever call him that to his face?”

  The grin widened. “All the time. Though I have restrained myself recently. Most of the barbs coming his way are from my mate.”

  “They really do get creative when it comes to verbally abusing each other.”

  “Chrissy might act like she hates him, but they’ve been cool ever since Chrissy and I were mated. They do it out of love.”

  “Yeah, I noticed. I never knew you could love someone so much.” She looked back to the forest, unsure who she was talking about.

  He sat in the side lawn chair and smiled. “That is true. But we are family, and Chrissy wasn’t sure how she would be welcomed here. But everything works out in the end.”

  “Yeah? I suppose they would for her. She had you to help her.”

  “And you have Reece,” he said quietly, his eyes trained on her face.

  “Do I? He’s not the type, Remy. Doesn’t want it.”

  “You think? I get a different impression.”

  “I don’t. It’s only a temporary thing. It only ever was.”

  “Temporary does turn to permanent when you’re not looking, you know.”

  Her smile was sad. “Sometimes, perhaps.”

  “More often than not. Look, I’m not going to beat around the bush here, Carmen. He likes you, and we like you. The kind of snake you are doesn’t matter here. Elise won’t have a problem with it, and Reece has it bad for you. I can see it in his eyes when you guys are together. I’m surprised he hasn’t marked you yet.”

  She swallowed and looked away. “Yeah, well…he’ll hate me once he knows. Not that I’d stay if I were anything else. That’s not the deal.”

  “Hate you? Girl, he couldn’t hate you if he tried. You’re perfect for him. We know it. He knows it.”

  “So what should I do?”

  “Show him in the simplest of terms what you are. I guarantee it will shake him up. But that’s if you want to stay with him. You’re always welcome here.”

  Bite him? Could she? She’d only ever done it in defence. “It’s not possible. It would hurt him. A lot.”

  “And you’ve been with him this long and haven’t realised he likes that?”

  “No, like…” She sighed not wanting to go into a lecture about venom. He wanted her to mark Reece. “I’m not doing it. I’m not hurting him. Staying would hurt more I think. Despite what his eyes show, I’m going by what he says.”

  “What he says? That’s great! He wouldn’t admit his own heart to himself if it was torn out and beating in front of his dying body. Look, Carmen, Reece doesn’t give nicknames to women, and if I’m not mistaken he’s calling you Mena. Am I right?”

  “Sometimes.”

  “There’s your proof.”

  “That’s my proof that he really wants me to stay?” She crossed her arms. “He calls Chrissy Preggy.”

  “Ooh, believe me, he’s called her worse, but she’s no better with him. Look, trust me, I know my cousin.”

  “So what then? I stay, even though he can’t admit to himself how he feels, let alone let me in on the situation? How is that fair?”

  “He will. He’s Reece. If he didn’t want you around, he would just keep you in that room for wild sex, but he’s taken you out everywhere I think he’s ever been and spent more on you then anyone else outside the crèche.”

  She shook her head. “I really don’t want to leave him.”

  “That’s simple then. Don’t. Look, Carmen, we want you to stay. Chrissy just adores you. Do what you need to do, hon, but regardless on what you choose, you always have a home here, and Reece will attest to that.”

  She smiled, feeling a little better. “Thanks, that means a lot.”

  He smiled and got up, hugging her. “Trust me, little sister, he does want you here. I should go, my mate just woke up, and she’s a bit distressed. Probably looking for that ice cream with bean sprouts I promised her.” He winked.

  She hugged him back feeling better. He’d called her his little sister. She knew he’d never know how much that meant to her, but it was everything. He was family. She screwed up her face. “Disgusting. Ugh, she can eat that?”

  “She was eating pickles with barbecue sauce last month. Apparently, pregnant female snakes have cravings like regular humans do. Thank God, she’ll be back to normal soon.”

  “Pickles and barbecue sauce?” she said thoughtfully. “That wouldn’t be all that bad, I think.”

  “Careful, Carmen, you’re sounding pregnant to me.” He winked and kissed her on the cheek. “Let me go, hon. I’ll see you later.” He turned and left her with his parting comment.

  She blinked in shock. She wasn’t pregnant, only a little hungry. By the time she’d thought of a good comeback, he was gone. Sneering, she turned and sat down on the worn wooden deck, contemplating making a home here for herself.

  Chapter Nine

  “I really should just get the woman her own card.” Reece sat in the hot tub in the indoor pool area completely undisturbed. Carmen, or Mena as he had taken to calling her, was out in town, picking up some goodies the pregnant Chrissy had asked for, and she’d taken his bike.

  Things with them the past three weeks were great, and despite the fact that he kept telling himself it was a momentary thing, he wanted her to stay more and more each day. Couple that with the almost insane need to mark her again, a need that had gnawed at him since he’d seen his first mark fade, and he was a snake in trouble.

  He’d never thought he’d be in love, but here he was stuck on a woman he could see himself with for a long time and fighting the urge to make her his mate. The only reason he fought it was he didn’t want to ground her. He was a lot of things, impetuous, caustic, surly and arrogant, but he wasn’t one to hold a woman against her will.

  When he had struck the bargain with her, he’d known that she wanted to do it as much as he did, and he’d just played off it, making it look like she didn’t have a choice in the matter. Not that he’d played the big asshole. He’d taken her out, bought her anything she wanted, given her the freedom she hadn’t even asked for, and held her through the night.

  He was going to miss that the most if she left, and the realisation pissed him off. Before her, sleeping alone wasn’t an issue, and now, he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep in the bed without her, and that opened up a whole other set of problems for him.

  Then there was the question of whether she would take the present he had gotten her at the boutique on their first shopping trip. He had successfully hidden it from her, and since he’d brought it, he had been wrestling with actually giving it to her. “A collar that says ‘taken’. What the fuck was I thinking? Well, I know what I was thinking, but shit.”
>
  She was perfect for him, and he knew it. The woman just fell into his lap, and all his instincts told him to keep her, mark her and take her as his mate. I really am not ready for a mate. I’m too fucking young. The fact that the fates didn’t care much about age when they set up snakes to find their true mates kind of bothered him a little, but he realised it was time to face facts. He wanted her, needed her in his bed and his life, needed to take care of her. If that wasn’t love, then he wasn’t sure what was.

  “Okay, so I love her? Big surprise there. Where else am I going to find a woman as hot as her who’s as kinky as I am? Nowhere. She’s mine, and she’s gotta stay.”

  So it was back to his first thought in the hot tub—getting the chit her own card. He’d have to do that, and soon. They were running out of time. Getting her to stay was going to be hard though, and even if he marked her again, there was no guarantee she would do it back, effectively acknowledging him as her true mate. “And what happens if she doesn’t? I’ll look like an asshole, and she’ll know.”

  His own admission of fear wasn’t enough to quench his hunger for her body and heart. Giving her a nickname hadn’t been on the agenda at all, but it just felt right, calling her something that no one else did. It was intimate, and seeing as he only wanted to be intimate with her like that, well it put his designs on forgetting her down the tubes. He was well and truly hooked. No other woman would ever do for him what she did, and no woman would ever play the games they played together.

  His mind trailed to the night in the city with the butterfly vibrator, and he grew hard just thinking about how she’d looked when she’d come as she’d sat across from him, trying desperately to hold her scream in. She was such a good girl, so beautiful and sexy, limber and perverse. She was exactly what he wanted.

  And God, did she taste good, sweet and spicy all at once. Her taste and scent drove him wild, and he knew no other snake ever would again. All the little things, the nickname, his feelings, his urges, it was all pointing to one thing: Carmen was indeed his mate.