Embracing Her Lion: BBW Lion Shifter Paranormal Romance (Carver City Shifters Book 2)

by Lyra Valentine

  He took an awkward step and stealthily adjusted his rock hard erection. They were out in public, after all. Jessa laughed throatily and kept walking toward the double-doored entrance.

  His eyes dropped to the curve of her heart-shaped ass as she swayed in front of him. He wanted to nibble along the dip of her waist and lick a path straight to her center. He was drunk with the need to hear her moan and beg for him, to feel her thighs wrapped around him. His lion roared with approval.

  As if she could feel his eyes on her, she looked over her shoulder and winked.

  Damn the woman.

  ***

  Sam had chosen well for their first date. She loved movies, and theater was dramatics come to life. She also had an overwhelming love of good food, which her abundant curves attested to. Sam had combined the two for a unique spin on dinner and a movie.

  Once he let go of constantly trying to convince her of their destiny together, she could see the man underneath. He was a little bit sensitive, goofier than she suspected a lion pride’s second should be, and one hundred percent hot.

  His dark hair was mussed so perfectly that she estimated at least an hour spent on the style. Not that she minded. The man was utterly gorgeous, and it was only fair he went through as much trouble as any woman to look nice. His charcoal grey suit hugged his body in a way that suggested it was tailored to fit his large, muscular body. The thought sent her on a wildly explicit tangent of how his tight body moved over hers.

  It was a mixture designed to make her light headed and insatiably horny.

  The soft lighting overhead dimmed to near nothingness. The real illumination at the tables scattered throughout the audience floor came from the candle centerpieces. Shadows crossed Sam’s face, but his eyes glowed in the low light and she was reminded that under the human part of him lurked a deadly predator that was on the prowl for her.

  Jessa swirled the wine in her glass as a delightful shudder raised goose bumps along her arms. The audience grew quiet as the last of their plates were served and the waiters faded into the back of the room. The spotlights opened up on an empty stage dressed as an extension of the audience, and the murder mystery began.

  The actors filed in and took their seats at tables similar to the ones in the audience. They bickered amongst themselves, and flirted with their dates in over exaggerated attempts of seduction. They acted as regular members of the audience, though several stood out with much louder lines.

  Then a blood-curdling scream from an audience table made Jessa jump. The actors on stage rushed over to a body slumped in the chair. The woman played her role well, even letting her arm limply fall when someone held it aloft. The cast fussed with the victim and cast accusations around the room.

  Sam reached across their small table and stroked the inside of her wrist until her heartbeat returned to normal. Jess let go of the breath she hadn’t realized she kept caged in her chest. She reminded herself that the dinner theater would have planted actors amidst the audience, and sat back to enjoy the show.

  If she could manage to pay attention to anything beyond Sam’s hand on her wrist.

  She excused herself at the intermission and went straight to the bathroom. Washing her hands, she glanced into the mirror to check for any out of place hairs. And froze when she saw Cenek standing behind her. Panic wormed its way into her stomach. She was alone in a bathroom with a man who could wield magic well enough to change a fundamental part of her being.

  She was going to chew his eyes out. Gnaw off his fingers and fun bits. Make him beg for her to stop. Yeah, her chimera liked the sound of that.

  Bolstered with the irritation of her beast, she recovered quickly and glared at his reflection. “Stalking me now? Breaking and entering wasn’t enough?”

  He ignored her and asked his own questions. “How is your date going? Is the kitty behaving himself?”

  “You shouldn’t care. I thought I made myself clear. We’re over, Cenek. Never again. Not happening. Get the hell out of my life.” She growled and turned to face him.

  “Can the kitty really give you what you need? You’re meant for more than just delivering the local babies and popping out your own furballs. What happened to the Jessa that wanted to stake her claim on the world?”

  She crossed her arms over her chest and locked steely blue eyes on him. What twenty-year-old didn’t dream of doing something worth remembering? She’d received a healthy dose of reality from Cenek’s betrayal, though. And another booster when she’d been abducted with Lena. She was content with the lot she’d chosen. “You cursed her. She went home and found someone who treats her like she walks on rainbows and leaves a trail of glitter behind her.”

  Cenek didn’t one bit bothered by her glares. “Will he feel the same way if your little shifting problem went away? I hear these shape changers are picky about their companions.”

  The chimera roared to the forefront, snapping and straining to get at the warlock. He’d make it disappear and that was strictly not allowed. Jessa had endured so much pain and lied about her nature before she gained any sort of control over the beast. They still didn’t act as one, but she was deeply bothered by the possibility of losing that side of herself.

  Jessa chewed her lip as she considered Cenek’s words. Certainly, there were shifters who believed in pure bloodlines. Ethan’s family had been of the view, and forbade Ethan from mixing with the human girl Lena. She didn’t think Ethan, who had finally claimed a human as his mate, would allow someone with that attitude to be his second in the pride leadership.

  Sam was taking it slow and giving her the time she needed. He hadn’t insisted they were connected by a mystical force all evening. That had to suggest they were building toward the lasting love she craved. It would still be there even if she were just human, wouldn’t it?

  Would Cenek take matters into his own hands again and remove the curse without her consent? She didn’t know if she should even believe him capable; he’d sounded like it was a permanent hex when he accosted her in her garden.

  She took a deep, calming breath. Mentally, she stroked her hand down the chimera’s back. They were at least one in their hatred for the man in front of them. It shifted form even in her own head, but it was a growling lioness right then. A perfect match for the mate they were returning to.

  “Get out of my way,” Jessa hissed, “and leave us alone. You’ve played enough dirty tricks on me. Let me be.”

  “I’m in your head, Jessa. Admit it. I’ll always be in your head.” A cocky smile lifted his lips.

  Jessa glowered at him. She’d had enough of his interference. She wound her hand back and aimed for his cheek.

  And stepped back in surprise when his figure turned to smoke and swirled in the air around her. She waved the vision away, glad it didn’t trigger any fire alarms. That would take some explaining she just didn’t want to do.

  “Fucking magic,” she muttered and stomped out of the bathroom.

  Sam stood when she arrived back at their table, and moved around to help her take her seat. Instead of sitting, she stood on tiptoe and wrapped her hands around the back of his neck to tug his face closer to her own. She meant the kiss to be a chaste brush to reaffirm her tie to him, but that went out the window as soon as their lips touched.

  His velvety soft lips brushed across hers. He lingered for a moment, and she pressed him further with a delicate tracing of the seam with her tongue. She chased after the taste that was all him, fire and chocolate and pure comfort. She savored every note of his flavor, and poured her own emotions into the kiss. Hints of love and trust were sprouting inside her as Sam took hold in her heart. It was no doubt the opposite of what Cenek had intended.

  Her core tightened, and liquid heat wet her pussy. The chimera shoved forward, nearly begging to get out of the human crowd and be alone with their mate. Jessa ached for him, too. Ached to be spread underneath him, and feel him filling her to the brim.

  Then Sam slowed their kiss, and pulled away. His breath
came in hot bursts that he blew along her jaw and down her neck. He nuzzled her shoulder, spreading his scent over her skin.

  “We should take our seats before we give everyone a different sort of show than they expected tonight,” he whispered huskily.

  Jessa’s cheeks blazed. The world faded back into view, and she noticed more than a few tables looking their way. One even gave her a thumbs-up in approval. She took a heavy seat and let Sam push her closer to the table.

  Still, she was impressed at Sam’s self-control. She wanted to leave then and there, and get busy gettin’ busy. She needed to clear the last of Cenek’s cobwebs from her mind, and knew the best way would be to feel Sam’s touch all over her body.

  He didn’t abandon the plan for his date. She appreciated him for it, once her heart had a moment to slow. Lust clouded her judgment, and she wasn’t interested in building a life on the rush. She needed the strong foundation of love, and he was determined to start building it with bricks made of dates and sealed together with thick gobs of trust and follow through.

  She downed her wine and shook the rest of the haze from her mind. The lights dimmed and the cast took their places once more.

  A shrouded actor confronted a lone walker in a pretend arbor. The figure took careful aim, and the prop gun cocked loudly in the quiet theater. “You’re getting too close to the truth!” The figure exclaimed. Jessa noted it was a woman, though she did her best to muffle and disguise her voice.

  “You?” The victim stage whispered and clutched at the pearls around her neck. “But you shouldn’t even be here! I saw you—”

  The gunshot rang out just before the victim could offer up more clues to the audience. The victim collapsed on the ground, and the shrouded figure disappeared into the wings. The cast reentered and proceeded to discover the body. Some wailed and clung to each other in dramatic and fake displays of grief, while others again began to throw around large doses of suspicion.

  “I think it was her,” Jessa whispered to Sam and nodded to one of the stragglers. Her hair was mussed as if she’d just removed a disguise, and she cast wary eyes at the others.

  Sam’s nostrils flared as he caught the scents from the stage. “Oh, no. It was—”

  “Don’t you spoil the surprise! Turn off your nose!” She ordered and playfully smacked his arm. He caught her hand and stroked his thumb over her knuckles.

  Jessa’s smile turned to a flinch when the fire alarm blared through the space. Her chimera cringed at the loud noise, and settled itself away deep in her mind. She thought from Sam’s grimace that he was dealing with the same objection from his lion.

  The actors on stage looked around just as confused as their audience. Emergency lights lined the floor and directed everyone to the front and back of the theater. Everyone hurried toward the exits near the front and back of the theater. The crowd rumbled faint instructions and questions to one another under the shrill cry of the alarm.

  Sam held Jessa’s arm firmly, his fingers digging into the muscle almost painfully. She saw the grim set of his jaw and didn’t try to struggle away. He was in protection mode, and would claw his way forward to save her from any danger.

  She stumbled over her own feet, and was knocked back and off-balance a few steps behind him. The crowd still flooded past, and she could see him turn to find her.

  A rough hand grabbed her wrist and dragged her backward.

  “Sam!” She shouted over the din of the panicked audience.

  “Jessa!” He towered over everyone, and she could see his head swivel back and forth trying to locate her. The hand on her wrist kept pulling her backward. She tried to snatch her arm free, but there was no breaking the grasp. She whined as she felt the bones of her wrist crunch together painfully, but she dug in her heels. Better a broken wrist than another kidnapping.

  Chapter Seven

  Sam kept his eyes on the exit of the building. The crowd streamed out the fire exit, one after another, and showed no sign of stopping. The air was heavy with fear and anxiety, and it made his nose itch.

  But there was still no sign of Jessa, so he kept breathing deeply and letting the scent of the crowd roll over him.

  He tried to fight his way back through the crowd, but the sheer number of people blocked his way. He wanted to let loose a roar that would send them running, but he held himself in check. Even with his mate missing inside the crowd, he couldn’t reveal the existence and threaten the lives of more shapeshifters. So he waited.

  And waited.

  He tried her cell phone, but the number went straight to voicemail.

  He waited.

  The steady stream of audience and cast members stopped, and Jessa still hadn’t appeared. Sam slunk around the building to see if she waited with any of the crowds gathered around the other exits. Worry started to really sink into his bones when the screeching sound of sirens reached his ears.

  Another call went to voicemail, and Sam paced in the parking lot. He dragged his hand through his hair, and his lion whined in desperation.

  Two fire trucks streamed into the parking lot, followed by a handful of police cruisers. At least they didn’t need to wait for emergency people to show.

  The firemen thunked out of the truck. They were dressed in their gear and ready to battle any flames that lurked inside, but Sam already knew there was no threat. Odorless gas, perhaps, but there was no prickle of smoke stinging his nostrils and he didn’t remember the scent while they were still inside the building.

  His stomach tightened with worry. He thought pulled fire alarms were a thing of misbehaving teenagers. The subject of the theater show and lateness of the night didn’t lend itself to a popular teen hangout. If the alarm had been pulled as a distraction for something else…

  He tried Jessa’s phone again and nearly roared with rage when her voicemail recording started playing.

  He struggled with himself. Tell the police that Jessa was missing and perhaps shove humans into a fight they didn’t stand a chance of winning, or wait for the extra time it’d take Ethan and the pride to join his hunt.

  The police packing themselves back into their cars decided for him. They found nothing in the brief investigation, and were heading on to other business. The crowd was directed to the box office to be issued vouchers for a later show, then back inside to gather their belongings.

  Sam skipped the voucher lane and went right into the building. Only a handful of people had reentered, and the quiet was eerie. Chairs were overturned, purses spilling their contents on the floor amidst jackets and other items.

  Sam shut his eyes against any distractions and drew in a long breath, but the fear hung thick in the air and nearly made him gag. He inhaled deeply, searching for any trace of Jessa, but he found none. Even near their table where her scent should have been strongest, he couldn’t identify her. A sharp tang was present instead, like a spritz of bleach or some other cleaner meant to rid the room of odor.

  Fucking hell.

  His lion threatened to burst through his skin and shake every single person around him like a ragdoll. How could they have just let someone drag their mate from the building?

  Sam held on to control through sheer guilt. He was one of those people his lion raged to maul. He also let someone drag Jessa away from him, thinking it was just the push and swell of the crowd.

  His next call went to Ethan. The Alpha picked up on the second ring. “Someone took her.”

  Ethan was quiet on the other end as he processed the words. “I’m sending the best trackers. Where are you?”

  The next hour was a flurry of activity. Big, strong men and a couple lithe females prowled through the theater. Ethan had done his charming act and bribed the owner to keep the doors open for them, even while the rest of the audience and cast dispersed back to their homes. After they’d been questioned by what Ethan called a private security team. Other than a few hidden alcoholics, they had found nothing.

  They gathered back at the pride house when no other clues turn
ed up. Sam’s skin crawled as the MURDER MYSTERY TONIGHT sign finally flashed to darkness and the last of the pride hit the road. What had been a poke at past circumstances now just seemed like a sick joke.

  Lions crowded the entryway of the pride house and lingered outside the front door. Sam growled for them to move out of his way, and they were quick to jump. He could cut them down to size on the best of days; a pride second needed to be as tough as an alpha. They wouldn’t risk further aggravating him in his current state.

  “What is he doing here?” Sam seethed when he entered the formal meeting room and shut the others out. Cenek sat at the front of the room, as he had when Sam brought Jessa there to hear the warlock out.

  “Sam.” The Alpha’s voice dripped with power. The hand he placed on Sam’s chest halted his path toward the warlock.

  He may have stopped moving, but he still protested his presence. His lion was pissed and wanted to tear someone to shreds. “I don’t trust him. He hurt my mate, and by extension, me. How do we even know he’s not behind this? He turns up, and suddenly Jessa’s life is at risk. Again.”

  “We don’t. But smell him. He doesn’t smell like he’s lying. He’s our best chance right now.”

  Sam ground his jaw together. Ethan was right. He’d scented the scene at the theater and hadn’t found her. There were too many tracks and individual scents to find a true trail, even without the seemingly purposeful spray to cover the kidnapper’s tracks. None of the others in the pride had been able to turn up anything.

  He wanted to rip his hair out in frustration. After he dug his claws into the warlock and eradicated the thin scent of smugness that wafted off the man. Sam raised his lips in a growl, and his fangs started to descend. The sting of cautious nervousness replaced the smugness.

  “We’ll find her.” The Alpha solemnly swore.

  Sam nodded, his throat too tight to speak. He glared hotly at the warlock, but let the Alpha guide him to the table. He would work with the creature if it meant the return of his mate.