Fang Chronicles: Ivan

by D'Elen McClain

  “I needed to cool down.” I was tall enough to touch the soft sand below.

  She laughed nervously. “Are you sure those eating machines will stay away?”

  “Not in the least, but they haven’t bothered me yet. There’s always a first time, though.”

  She circled around and faced me. “I couldn’t stay away this morning, Ivan. When it finally made sense and I realized I was your mate, I couldn’t stop myself.”

  I didn’t like seeing the anguish written across her face. I looped my hand at her neck and pulled her close. It wasn’t just my wolf responding to her now. I needed her against me—her skin against mine. “Neither of us can stop this. I’m not thrilled.” Her body stiffened, so I quickly continued, “But when I don’t fight it… this… us, we make sense.”

  “I’m young…”

  She was too damn young. “Don’t remind me.”

  Two of her fingers gently covered my lips. “I’m young, but I’ve fought to live for most of my life. I’ve done bad things to survive. You aren’t getting a child as mate.”

  I grabbed her hand, pressing her fingers to my lips and nipped them softly. “We’ve all done bad things, Talya, but when you live as long as I have, it’s easier to forget some of them. The others need to stay with you so you don’t repeat them.”

  Her eyes went soft and her voice husky. “You are a wise old dog.”

  There was nothing I could do but kiss her. This morning was about claiming. This was about exploration. I sipped at her mouth and nipped when she tried to deepen the kiss. I ran my tongue across the inside of her lower lip teasing her. She growled in displeasure, but I found her breast and rolled her nipple between my fingers. The growl changed to desire as her legs circled my hips. The water did nothing to hide her scent. It called to me—made sharper for just this reason.

  My lips traveled over her cheek and back to her neck. Her scent was richer, more concentrated in this one sweet spot. I licked the soft skin, needing her taste as badly as I needed her. My wolf and I were in perfect accord. She wiggled until my erection probed her entrance.

  “Please,” she whispered as her head fell back, her hair trailing in the water and fanned outward. I nipped the skin of her throat and pressed my hips upward. I cupped her ass, sliding into her warmth, holding her there. Her eyes closed, lips beckoning for another kiss. I sucked on the skin at her neck unable to resist marking what was mine.

  The sounds she made—mewls, growls, and moans urged me to move faster, but I continued a slow, steady rhythm. I licked the mark on her throat before moving back to her lips. I used one hand at her nape to bring her closer, but my thrusts remained slow and steady.

  “Please,” she begged in her sexy voice.

  “No,” I growled. “I’ll do this my way.” She might be alpha, but she was just coming into her power. I’d had hundreds of years to learn control. I expected obedience.

  The pain on my lip was sudden and the taste of my blood filled my mouth. Her eyes were open, staring at me with heated command.

  “I tried being nice,” she purred.

  The little hellcat. I grabbed her hips and growled my displeasure, but she’d won. I could no longer hold back. I barely managed to contain my release until she screamed hers. Her inner muscles sucked each pulse of seed from me. Keeping her tightly against me, her sated body lax, I looked to the shore and drilled the boy with a hard glare. She is mine, I conveyed with territorial dominance.

  Talya finally lifted her head and looked in the direction that held my attention. When she saw him, she pushed violently away and kicked out as she swam to shore.

  The kid turned his back and ran.

  “You son of a bitch. Why did you do that?” she said when her feet were firmly planted on dry land.

  I wasn’t far behind. “He needs to know you are mine. His life depends on it.”

  Her hand fisted at her side and fire blazed in her eyes. “He doesn’t understand mating and I need to explain it to him.”

  My growl wasn’t friendly. “You may explain, but do it from across a room.”

  She shifted to her feline form and took off after the boy. I followed. There was no way she was having this conversation with him while she was naked. And when she had the conversation, if she didn’t make it clear she was off limits, I would.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Talya

  Rondy didn’t deserve this, and I couldn’t approach him with Ivan around. Rondy was my friend and though I craved Ivan with an animalistic need, it killed me to think that Rondy was hurt. That’s how friends cared for one another. Maybe one day a friendship between Ivan and I would grow, but it obviously wasn’t necessary to mate. Right now I didn’t even like him.

  I ran to the house and leaped up the stairs to the second floor. I shifted to human in the room I shared with Cecily and angrily pulled on clothes. Looking out the window to the inner courtyard, I saw everyone working to clear away the leftover construction material. I didn’t see Rondy. Cecily was barking out orders like she was born to the job.

  “We will be spending a lot of time out here and the baby needs a safe place to toddle without nails. They can’t be that hard to find.”

  When I’d checked on Rondy this morning, he was no worse for wear. I explained to Cecily and Rondy about the bond of vampire and beastkind. The discussion was overdue and they both handled it as expected. Rondy wasn’t happy that the vampire fang marks were gone or that he wouldn’t turn into a vampire. And Cecily had a million questions, which I answered until she slowed down and I made my escape to find Ivan. I should have explained mating to them, but I wasn’t ready to speak of it yet. I knew Rondy would be hurt. He loved me. I loved him, too, though not the way he wanted me to. It now made sense why I didn’t want him touching me. During the mating, it was natural to keep males or in Ivan’s case, females away.

  Ivan wasn’t the only beastkind with jealousy issues when mating. I growled at just the thought of a female holding his hand. The anger over his attack on Rondy was now at a bearable level. But that didn’t mean I forgave him. Beastkind knew the rules and Rondy did not. If Ivan told me what was happening between us instead of being his contrary hateful self, I would have stayed far away from Rondy, and the attack would never have happened. I needed to push aside my embarrassment and explain the mating bond to Rondy and Cecily so there were no more misunderstandings. If humans chose to live among beastkind, they needed to know what they faced.

  I went down to the courtyard and pulled Cecily aside. “I need to speak with you privately.” Easier said than done because of beastkind hearing, but I had to try. Cecily followed me to the front of the house. I stumbled through the explanation with red cheeks.

  She looked horrified. “You have no control of this? You’re forced to mate with him?”

  Of course she would see it as one-sided. “It goes both ways. It’s not usually a bad thing, and many of us never find our mate.”

  She thought about that for a moment. “What do you do if you don’t find one?”

  I couldn’t explain the yearning you carried because humans had no reference. “Continue searching.”

  It was impossible not to notice how she processed everything she learned. Once each piece went into the neat box in her brain, she moved on. “Rondy saw you?”

  It was a huge relief to move past the actual claiming explanation. “Yes, and he’s hurt.”

  She smiled gently. “Rondy is resilient. He’ll feel crushed right now, but he’ll get over it. He’s old enough to hear what you just explained to me.”

  Goddess I hoped not. There was no way I could explain to Rondy about the need for Ivan to mark me. One of the male cats could have that conversation with him. I wanted Rondy to know I cared about him and nothing would change that. Of course, I needed to do this from across a room or I’d risk his life again.

  “Here’s your chance, dear. I’ll be in the courtyard if you need me.”

  Rondy approached. I saw dejection in every step he
took. Where was Ivan? He’d veered off when he saw me enter the house. Rondy kept coming as Cecily made a hasty retreat. When he stopped a little too close, I took a step back. The look on his face was miserable.

  Tears formed in his eyes. “What? I’m not good enough to be within touching distance now that you have the big bad wolf?”

  “Rondy, you don’t understand.”

  His laugh wasn’t nice. “You think I don’t understand what two people fucking looks like?” He looked away before bringing his angry gaze back to me. “I just don’t get it. He hates you and I thought you hated him. It’s fine if you don’t like me that way, but come on, he’s no good for you.”

  I didn’t think Ivan was good for me either. The Goddess could have chosen someone who wouldn’t leave me feeling miserable after each mating. “Please, Rondy, sit on the porch with me so I can explain.”

  With a sneer, his eyes traveled up and down my body. “I’ll pass. You can save your explanations for someone who cares.” He walked around me and into the house. He was careful not to touch me, and now I wanted to cry.

  I felt another heavy gaze and looked to the surrounding trees. Ivan was downwind, but I could feel him. “Are you satisfied?”

  “He needs to understand the risk if he gets close to you.”

  Stomping my foot was a ridiculous possibility. “You are such a bastard. Why the Goddess saw fit to pair us is a mystery.”

  “It’s nice to know we’re both on the same page. You’re sleeping in my room now, so move your things down.”

  I stomped. Ivan’s condescending laughter rang through my head as he disappeared into the foliage. After taking a deep breath to calm myself, I headed to the courtyard. I needed physical labor to cool down. Rondy showed up thirty minutes later, refusing to acknowledge me. Everyone, including the baby remained in human. Babies should shift naturally from one form to the other. It frustrated me. If Ivan didn’t do something about it in the next few days, I would. Mr. Grumpy needed to lead his pack and stop being such an ass.

  We finished clearing the courtyard and the women asked if they could begin unpacking the boxes for the kitchen. There was room in the courtyard to begin self-defense tactics. “No,” I said with determination. “We are spending time each day so you can learn to protect yourself and the children. It starts now.”

  The men began backing up. My glare stopped them. “This includes you. The women won’t be fighting against women if we’re attacked. They need to learn to fight men.”

  From the corner of my eye, I noticed Rondy making an exit. “You’re included in this, Rondy. Fighting humans is different than beastkind and everyone needs to know how it’s done.”

  “Your boyfriend didn’t fuckin finish me off and you want them to?” He nodded to the cats with his face set in stubborn lines and something I hadn’t heard from him in a while. His gangbanger voice was back.

  Goddess save me from men, please. “The idea is for them to fight and not hurt you… too badly. But if you’re afraid just say so.”

  We could all hear the four letter words he mumbled, but he stiffened his shoulders and smiled. “Bring it on, fur face.”

  I fought back laughter so maybe he’d think he insulted me. “Cecily, do you mind holding Meesha and keeping Jasper back?”

  “No, no, no mama…”

  I looked at Jasper, giving him a small push of alpha. He immediately stopped begging. “You can watch and learn from today’s lesson. When we’re finished someone will practice with you. You are not to interfere when we train or you will answer to me.”

  My ability to charm a four-year-old needed work and I was grateful when he didn’t argue. “Mitty, you’re first. Everyone else make a circle.”

  It wouldn’t surprise me if Mitty peed where she stood. That’s why I wanted her up first. Her worry over taking a turn would only increase her nervousness.

  “Today is about learning to fall. We’re cats and it shouldn’t be hard for us to land on our feet, but I want you rolling into it.”

  Mitty didn’t fight me or move back when I swept her legs. She fell hard. I nodded my approval when she rose and faced me instead of running away.

  “Do it again, but this time you know what’s coming and I want you rolling.”

  She did better and the third time better still.

  “Try to dodge so you don’t take a hit at all.” I didn’t give her time to think about it and kicked higher. She moved quickly out of my way.

  We smiled at each other. “Next,” I called.

  Isa, Lacy, and Marisol picked up on what I wanted by watching Mitty. They remained tentative, but didn’t take a hard fall. Only Rondy, Mase, and Treson remained when Ivan walked into the courtyard. He’d watched from an upper window. I hadn’t looked up when I sensed him, but my cat tried purring with pleasure. I pushed her back, though it wasn’t easy.

  Ivan’s low rumbled words put everyone but me on edge. “Let’s see what you have, kitten. How about if you try sweeping my legs?”

  That pissed me off. It was one thing to use the name kitten when he wanted sex, but quite another when we were in front of everyone. “Sure thing, pretty boy.” I was no match for him. At least not yet, but I had a few tricks under my belt. I squared up then turned slightly so it looked like I planned a high kick. “Protect that face, pretty boy.”

  I went for a roundhouse kick. Ivan shied to the right moving into me. I grabbed his wrist, twisted my body, and tossed him over my shoulder. It wasn’t pretty because he weighed a ton, but I achieved the desired result. He picked himself up from the hard-packed ground and dusted his hands on his sweatpants never taking his eyes from mine. “I see the kitten has claws. Wanna try that again?”

  “No, I think I made my point.”

  He laughed—low with a touch of sexy promise. He stalked up to me and stopped a foot away. His shoulder dipped, he grabbed my arm, and I expected to go airborne. Heck, I’d have preferred it. Before I knew what happened I was dangling from Ivan’s shoulder as he carried me from the courtyard.

  He didn’t say a word, just left them all standing there.

  I wanted to scream, but throwing a temper tantrum would only make me look more ridiculous. I fumed as Ivan carried me to his room and tossed me on the bed.

  “You haven’t brought your things in here. When we’re done go get them.” There was no room for misunderstanding. He’d given me an order.

  The jerk. When he got close enough, I planned to bite him until I drew blood.

  He watched me as if sensing my intentions. “Remove your clothes.”

  I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited. I craved him like I needed to breathe. This was such a normal part of mating, so why did I fight it? “Make me.”

  He continued walking around the bed but turned suddenly. Grabbing my legs, he pulled me down the mattress toward him. He released me suddenly, but before I could kick out, his hands went to my t-shirt. The ripping sound was loud. He tossed my shirt aside with a flick of his wrist.

  I have no idea what came over me. I started fighting. Not to get away but to do serious damage. I landed a good kick to his thigh and got the blood I desired when my teeth found his arm. Nothing stopped him. My pants ripped with the same speed as my shirt had. The slow building fear I couldn’t hold back took over.

  If you shift you’re dead. That was the rule of my earlier life. If you shifted, denying the male cats your body, you were dead. The thought actually froze me.

  We were both breathing hard. Ivan pressed me into the mattress, pinning my limbs. His erection dug into my belly. His clothes were on, but that didn’t stop my panic. I could barely breathe. I hated it. No control… unable to kill because the others would kill me. Wanting death, but too weak to take it.

  The pressure of Ivan’s body eased, but I couldn’t catch my breath. He watched me fighting the panic and exposing my weakness.

  “You simply need to say no, Talya.” He kept looking into my eyes. “Try it. Say no.”

  Would it matter?
I’d never had a choice. No was not in female cat vocabulary. “No,” I said in desperation.

  His weight lifted completely off me as he stood beside the bed. I covered my breasts, which was just as bad as saying no. He lifted his shirt over his head and tossed it to me. Shame had me scrambling into it.

  Watching me closely, he kneeled on the corner of the bed. His fingers traveled through his mussed hair. “I’m sorry.”

  Such simple words. The nightmare faded a small bit and I drew a long breath of air into my lungs. He sounded sincere, but fear still held me. He put his hand out. I had his shirt pulled over my knees. I closed my eyes unable to look at him. His fingers grasped mine and then I felt his warm lips press into the back of my hand.

  In a low voice he said, “Move your things down here.” He released my hand and left the room.

  I took another breath and opened my eyes. What just happened?

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Ivan

  The desire raging through my blood ended when I realized fear gripped her. What should have been fun and mutually satisfying turned dark and ugly. When she gave me Raykon’s name, I guessed at what she’d lived through. Hell, I knew before she gave me the name. Female cats survived however they could.

  Would she be able to release her fear? Earlier, with the mating instinct overtaking us both, our animals did what came naturally. Just now, her human side gained control when my volatile wolf planned to take what was his.

  If I allowed my human side to remain in the foreground, everything I hated about my world would show. Not that she didn’t know my feelings. Why did the Goddess see fit to throw me into a needy group of cats and give me one as mate? I didn’t have the answers. I also couldn’t control the mating frenzy if I remained here.

  I entered the courtyard and found everyone waiting. I don’t think they’d moved a step in any direction since I dragged Talya off. The women didn’t meet my eyes. Mase gave me furtive glances. It was normal for beastkind to only hold eye contact with their alpha for mere seconds, but all of them should be able to do it. I made up my mind on two fronts.