He cupped her ass cheeks, holding her up. “Sugar, take your time and go slow. We’ve got all night to enjoy one another.”
She stilled, refusing to move as she thought more about what had happened between them. As she realized it, her eyes widened. “You claimed me.”
He faked indignation. “You claimed me!”
Her protest died on her lips as she remembered her automatic response to him.
And you’re mine too.
Damn straight, he responded in her mind.
“Jon, we should talk about this.”
He slapped her ass cheek lightly. “I think you should ride me and then we can eat. After that, I want to eat you again. And again. And again.”
Laughing, she laid down on him, kissing his lips softly as she moved her hips, riding his cock and enjoying every second of it.
Chapter Sixteen
Jon stared at his mate as she slept, her long hair fanning out around her. She was even more beautiful claimed than she had been, and that was saying something. It was nearly dawn and almost time to wake her so they could continue their journey, but he found he just wanted to watch her sleep.
Though he was sure they’d not been followed, Jon had stayed awake and watched over her, keeping a lookout. He’d sleep sound once he had her back near his brothers.
His gaze eased down the length of her, to her lower stomach. They’d spent hours learning one another—hours making love. He’d spent his seed in her so many times he’d lost count. Deep down he hoped a little one would take root. That Tori’s belly would grow, and that before long they’d be welcoming their own little one into the world—just like Roi and Lukian had done.
Just like Green and Wilson were getting ready to do.
All night he’d fought the burning need to shift forms and hunt whoever it was who’d ordered the team of men to come after his mate. The fierce need to protect her at all cost ate at him. He’d seen the behavior in his fellow teammates and recognized it for what it was—the result of being mated.
Even understanding the urge, he found it hard to fight. The only thing that kept him from surrendering to it was the fact that it would mean Tori would be left alone. That wasn’t acceptable.
“Did you sleep?” she asked, surprising him by being awake.
“I’m good, sugar.”
She propped herself up on one elbow, her long hair hanging partially over her bare breasts. Damn. He loved her breasts. Just seeing them there again made his dick harden.
Tori’s gaze followed and she tossed her head back, laughing. “You’re never satisfied.”
Growling, he moved up and over her, driving his cock into her pussy. He didn’t bother with being gentle. His need for her was raw and primal. Tori arched her back to him, her nails digging into his upper arms. She grunted under him as he fucked her like the animal he was. He wanted to grind himself through her. To become truly one with her. To possess her.
She raked her nails down his arms and the pain spurred him onward. Jon nailed into her, nearly coming when he felt her pussy milking at his cock as she climaxed. Her cunt fisted his shaft, making it hard for him to stave off his own body’s desires. He had to slow his pace and focus. He didn’t want to come just yet.
His little hellcat of a woman clawed at him as he rode her harder. He nearly came and had to take hold of his cock and squeeze it tight, fighting back against his own orgasm. Breathing heavy, Jon withdrew from her, holding his cock at the base with one hand before grabbing Tori and turning her over with his other.
She went onto her hands and knees as if sensing his need to take her from behind. The tiger wanted it. Wanted to fuck her as it would fuck.
She pushed her ass up at him and he was tempted to take it. Tempted to drive his cock into her dark rosette, but he held back. She wasn’t ready for that yet. She’d come to him a virgin and he’d need to prepare her to be taken from behind in such a manner.
For now, he’d do the next best thing.
He lined up with her pussy and thrust in, going to the hilt, crying out as he did—the feel of her around his cock nothing short of nirvana. His ball sac slapped at her clit as he fucked her, letting the tiger up enough to enjoy it all. He knew his cock had both lengthened and thickened with his slight shift.
Tori cried out, her hand coming to his thigh as she slowed his thrusts. She glanced back at him, desire showing in her dark gaze. She grinned and nodded. “Mmm, fuck me, lover.”
“That would be husband to you,” he said, ramming deep, his voice gruff because of the tiger.
She pounded on the bed with one fist and shouted, “Yes! Yes!”
Unable to hold back, Jon came in jetting waves inside her, his cock twitching with delight as he emptied his seed into his mate. She sank forward onto the bed and he collapsed on her, his cock still in her. She laughed and touched his thigh again.
“Mmm, so that makes me your wife, right?”
He kissed her shoulder. “It does.”
“I have a praying tiger for a husband,” she said with a giggle.
He bit lightly at her shoulder. “Hey, my wife sees dead people.”
She glanced at him again. “So do you now, remember?”
“Shit.” He winked.
Tori stared back at him. “Jon.”
“Yes, sugar?”
“I love you too,” she said.
Smiling like a damn fool, he found himself moving in and out of her slowly as his cock hardened again. He’d never get enough of her.
Ever.
Epilogue
Twelve Days Later…
Jon sat in the briefing room at I-Ops Headquarters, his stomach in a knot as he tried to be patient as he waited for his mate to finish her check-up with Green. He glared at Wilson and Eadan, wanting to punch them both in the faces for forcing him to let Tori have privacy as Green made sure the tranquilizers used on her had no ill-effect. He wanted to kick himself. Instead of hurrying back to Virginia with her, he’d made more stops on the way, making love to her, holding her, wanting to wrap her in a protective cocoon and never let her out.
Wilson grinned. “Sucks, don’t it?”
“Fuck you.”
“Nah,” said Wilson with a shrug. “You have a wife for that now.”
Eadan laughed.
Jon flipped him off just as the door to the briefing room opened. Lukian entered, looking as if he hadn’t slept in days. He probably hadn’t.
“I hear congratulations are in order,” he said, looking at Jon. “Mated, huh? Nice. I just spoke with Tori and she seems lovely.” He paused. “Though she did give me a message from my aunt.”
Jon stiffened.
Lukian narrowed his gaze on Jon. “Who passed nearly a century ago.”
All men present watched him carefully.
Jon cleared his throat. “Sorry about that. Apparently, my mate has built-in cell service that covers the afterlife as well as other normal blackout spots.”
Lukian glanced in Wilson’s direction. “Is it me or did he just make a joke?”
“Nope. Not you. Jon found his funny again.” Wilson cuffed him playfully in the back of the head. “Good to have you back.”
Deciding a change of subject was in order, Jon nodded to Lukian. “How is your son? Does he have a name yet? Green gave me a quick rundown and said at last check the baby was being called ‘If Your Father Even Thinks of Touching Me Again’. Please tell me Peren has at least shortened that.”
The edges of Lukian’s mouth pulled up as a slow smile spread over his face. His expression held pride, as any new father’s would. “We’re still in a debate on his name. She wants to name him Basil.”
“Rosemary and Thyme were taken then?” asked Wilson, a shit-ass grin on his face.
Eadan didn’t bother to hide his laughter. “Yeah, nothing says heir to the American lycan throne more than an herb.”
Jon failed to keep from laughing.
Lukian groaned. “Oh, it’s funny until it’s you. And my guess is, your
turn is coming sooner than you think.”
Jon sat up straight in his chair. “Yes, sir. How are Roi and Missy doing? And their little ones?”
“Roi has taken to calling his daughters Alpha One and Alpha Two,” said Lukian with a groan. “He also wanted to start training them to kill men who tried to date them. Missy is not amused with him right now.”
“Explains why I found him sleeping in his truck when I stopped by his house yesterday,” said Eadan with a snort. “He’ll be fine. Overprotective, but fine.”
Wilson sighed. “My little guy will be here before you know it.”
Eadan nodded. “He still making things fly around the room from inside Mommy’s tummy?”
Wilson ran a hand through his hair. “Oh yeah. I didn’t get his mommy chocolate ice cream fast enough the other day and I ended up taking a lamp to the head.”
“That’ll teach you,” said Jon, as Lukian’s expression hardened.
Lukian took a seat across from him. “I think it’s time we laid out everything we know.”
Jon’s breath caught. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know everything. “Yes, sir.”
Lukian glanced at Wilson and Eadan before speaking. “Jon, I asked some of the PSI-Ops we trust to go to Nape Field and investigate more.”
“And?”
“They found traces of Lance having been there,” said Lukian softly. “Recently.”
Jon’s emotions lodged in his throat. “He was close and I left him when he needed me?”
Wilson touched Jon’s shoulder lightly. “No, man.”
Jon didn’t understand.
Lukian lowered his head. “From what our people could find, it looks like Lance was there as part of the teams sent to retrieve Tori.”
For a moment, Jon could say nothing. His other brother-in-arms had come to hunt his mate? No. That couldn’t be. Lance would never do that.
Lukian exhaled long and loud. “And your instincts were right. There was more than one unit dispatched to get her. You killed one, but not the other. The other appears to have tracked you some distance after Nape Field, but you diverted directions, not coming straight here, and in the process, you lost them.”
As Jon thought harder about it, he sat back in his chair, feeling deflated. “You mean I lost the team with Lance in it, right?”
Lukian nodded. “Not coming straight here was the right thing to do. Deep down, you must have sensed that.”
“I just wanted more time with her,” he said, his voice barely there. “I wanted time to ourselves. I was being selfish.”
“You were protecting her, as a mate should,” reminded Lukian. He stood, his gaze going to the door. “Listen, she’s coming with Green right now. I can hear them talking. She’s upset and worried you’re going to be angry with her.”
“Why would I be angry with her?” Jon asked. “I brought all this shit into her life.”
“Jon, I don’t mean to spoil the surprise, but from what I’m hearing, Green is trying to convince her you’ll be thrilled that she’s pregnant.”
She was pregnant? And she thought he’d be upset about it?
The door opened and Green was there, holding the door open for Tori, whose eyes were rimmed with red. Jon was up and out of his seat in the blink of an eye, going to her, pulling her into his embrace. “Woman, I love you and I’m so fucking happy we’re going to have a baby that I can’t even put it into words.”
She stared up at him and then smiled before tugging on his ear. “Watch your mouth, Jonny.”
He smiled and then bent, kissing her, knowing he’d do anything to keep her safe. Even if that meant hunt a former teammate and a man he’d considered a brother.
Green cleared his throat. “You tell him about Lance?”
“Yes,” said Lukian. “How is Melanie?”
“Any day now and she’ll be delivering too,” said Green.
Wilson stood as well. “Might be time for us to call in some favors. With all of our mates either having little ones right now or about to, it’s important we be close to them to keep them safe, but Lance needs tracked down. If he can’t be un-programmed from whatever they’ve done to him….”
He didn’t need to finish the sentence. They already knew the answer.
If Lance couldn’t be saved, he had to be eliminated.
Lukian nodded. “Colonel Brooks is making some calls. A lot of shit is going to be changing. I just hope it’s for the better.”
“Me too,” said Wilson.
Tori snuggled closer to Jon and he kissed the top of her head. “We’ll get through this. We always do,” he said.
The men nodded.
Lukian grunted. “The road won’t be easy.”
“Never is, Captain,” returned Jon. He kissed his wife’s head again. “But it’s sort of all about the journey.”
THE END
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King of Prey: A Bird Shifter Novel by Mandy M. Roth
In a place where realms combine and portals open passages to the unknown, a prophecy speaks of fertility being restored to King Kabril’s people through the taking of his mate.
The prophecy neglects to mention she lacks something vital to his kind--wings. Kabril, king of the Buteos Regalis, has no interest in taking a human mate. His kind believe humans are dirty, vile creatures who rely on machines to lift them into the air. The last place he wants to go in search of his mate is the realm of Earth, but he's left no choice.
Never did he expect to find love on a planet with one moon, people who lack wings and a stubborn vixen who makes his heart soar. When he does, he fears the truth about who and what he truly is will steal it away. Little does he know his enemies fully intend on doing the taking.
Excerpt from King of Prey: A Bird Shifter Novel Book One by Mandy M. Roth
Chapter One
Accipitridae Realm
“King Kabril, you cannot stand idly by while your people cry out for you to lead. Our race will not survive unless you take a wife. The mating magik that governs our lands will not grant established unions the blessing of children if the leader himself refuses to sire offspring,” Sachin said, his words the truth. As head advisor to the king he was afforded the opportunity to speak freely where others were not. It was a privilege Kabril was fast beginning to suspect needed to be revoked. “You know the laws, the way of the land and the demands you must meet as king. The time has come, my lord. This can wait no longer. The people of Accipitridae need you to act now.”
Though Sachin’s words were the truth, they were not what Kabril wanted to hear. No. He muc
h rather preferred hearing all was well and that none of the people under his rule were troubled. Of course, those moments were few and far between of late. The rumbles of pending war continued to make their way through the kingdom. Now was not the time for foolishness or for stopping everything to heed the warnings of those who did not leave their chambers.
Ever.
Seers and the Oracle.
He grunted. He had no time time for prophecy.
It had been a good long while since his people had been in full-scale war. Yes, they had the occasional run-in with the enemy, but nothing epic. Too long for some to remember the horrors of it, yet not long enough for others to be afforded the chance to forget.
Kabril was one of the men who could not forget. He did not want a repeat, nor did he want his people’s moods soured because he was refusing to do what was required of him as king. Gods be damned if what they required didn’t go against his very nature.
Select a wife.
Settle upon only one woman—forever?
Absurd.
Truly, he would have thought it a trick of the Oracle had so many not stood behind the words.
Foolish words.
Sighing, Kabril leaned back on his throne and stared into the reflective mixture Sachin held in the bowl. He ran his fingers over the scrolled armrest and glanced down at the carved hawks. A slow smile caused by pride moved over his face. Pride in his people, their traditions and their beliefs, even though those very beliefs were the cause of his unrest.
He did not want to be forced to select a queen. Far too long he’d ruled alone, answered to no one and liked it just fine that way. He did not require the assistance of a female.
Few men did.
Females tended to talk too much and think with their hearts, not their minds. Such was a luxury men could not afford. He shuddered to think what would come to be should females ever rule the realm. There would be nothing but talk, talk, talk.
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