by Ruby Madden
“I don't know what to think right now. I’m having some cognitive dissonance here.”
He took her hand, pressed the palm flat against his chest. The beat of his heart accelerated, shivering through her fingers. “Then don't think. Just feel. Sometimes you know right away who your mate is. Sometimes the knowledge unfurls slowly, over time. And sometimes one half of the pair knows right away and has to wait for the other half to catch up.” He smiled, crooked. “I think I'm waiting for you to catch up.”
“We haven't even kissed,” she whispered.
Silver flared, crooked smile disappearing under the sudden heat of his gaze. “I can rectify that.” He began to back up, fingers wrapped around her wrist, tugging her with him. “Come on, Relle. Let me show you my etchings. I know this place like the back of my-”
“Cassius, who is this lovely young woman you’re trying to sneak off with?”
Cass froze. “Shit,” he muttered. “Hi, Ma. This is Norelle Conway.”
CHAPTER
5
Norelle looked at him. Damn. Couldn’t he have said she was his hookup for the night or something? No way in hell she wanted to meet the mother.
She pasted a smile on her face, turning. A female of medium height studied her, blue eyes neutral. Her long sapphire gown fit her like a glove, showing off toned arms and a golden tan. Blond hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. Norelle blinked. This was his mother? She looked so young, even for a Bear.
“Ma’am,” Norelle greeted, defaulting to the manners drilled into her since she was a child. Females deserved respect and were also approached with care.
“Norelle,” Courtney Sullivan said. “It’s lovely to see how you’ve grown. I remember you. Gwenafar’s daughter. How is your mother doing?”
“She’s well, I’ll let her know you asked.”
Courtney smiled, dry. “Yes, I'm sure you will.” She glanced between her son and Norelle. “What brings you to Seattle, Norelle?”
She opened her mouth to reply when Cassius tugged at her hand. “Sightseeing, Mother. We ran into each other this afternoon. I thought she looked familiar and when I came close I knew she was Den, so…”
It was so cute to see a grown man properly nervous of his own mother.
“How nice. Well, dear, I hope your stay in Seattle is pleasant. How long are you here for? We’ll have to have coffee.”
Norelle’s smile wilted, just a little. “How lovely. Just text me when you’re free.” Norelle would be certain to lose her phone or something. Last thing she wanted was to sit through an interrogation with Cass’ mother.
“We’ll catch up with you later, Ma.”
Courtney watched as he tugged Norelle away, expressionless. Norelle allowed him to tug her, glad of the escape. “I thought your mom would be more- more…”
“Yeah. Those were interesting times.” He looked at her. “The feud between our parents has nothing to do with us.”
Norelle said nothing, just followed him through the silent halls of the museum, her heels clicking on the floors.
“Where are we going?”
“Private library.”
“A museum has a library?”
“This one does. It’s small though, and the books are all about the exhibits. There’s a couch.”
“Cassius, if you think I'm going to make out with you in a museum library…”
He stopped, glaring at her. Looked away, shoving hands in his pockets. “Excuse me? We are going to talk. You wanted to talk, so we’ll talk.”
“Oh.” She didn't know whether she was relieved or disappointed that his earlier fire seemed to have dimmed. But then she supposed being interrupted by your mother would do that to any male. Your mother who would ask questions in the morning which one would want to answer truthfully. And innocently.
He brushed by her and opened one half of an ornately carved wooden double door she hadn’t noticed. She walked past him, her eyes adjusting with shifter swiftness to the dark. She picked out the narrow, modern circulation desk and the streamlined, minimal shelves of books. Many looked old, some modern. Shiny flat monitors with keyboards sunk inside glass tables faced a wall sized window through which a view of an inner courtyard provided plenty of distraction from work or research.
And tucked in a corner was an oversized white leather couch. A marble, chrome and glass coffee table sat in front of it, two sleek low backed arm chairs on either side. She imagined the exclusive library patrons sitting quietly while they discussed their work or made arrangements for fundraisers. The place reeked of wealth and esoteric knowledge.
“Pretty yuppie,” she said. “So I bet only the $299 and up donors get access to this.”
Cass shoved his hands in his pockets, shrugged. “It’s elitist. No one does any work here. But it’s strategic to bring a date here if you want to show her you aren't like all the other males.”
Norelle stared at him. “How old are you? Never mind.”
He laughed. “Come on, let's sit down. Truth told, I hate these functions. I hide out in here.”
“Why do you come then?” They settled on the couch. Cass stretched out his legs, throwing an arm along the back. She shifted, eyes narrowing. He shot her a little innocent glance.
Yeah, right. Billionaire start up guru, guileless. About as guileless as the chocolate bon bon she served liberally laced with cayenne. He turned his head away, leaning back and closing his eyes.
“Okay, so talk. Try and convince me to do whatever it is you want me to do.”
What she wanted him to do? Her mind immediately went somewhere dirty. She took a deep breath, looking away when one of his eyes opened, staring her down. Of course he would scent… she blushed, fingers twitching. His hair wasn't really long, but the locks were shaggy enough to run her hands through. The texture looked as fine as silk, where hers had the slightly rough feel of hair that might have been curly three or four generations ago.
“You know the Clans are dying,” she said, forcing her mind back to business. “How to deal with the issue is what caused your parents to leave.” She paused. “And don't think I haven't figured out that you've claimed Seattle as your territory. We aren’t supposed to do that, Cass. There’s a reason why big cities are supposed to be neutral zones. Too many humans.”
Now both eyes were open, clear gaze steady. Unabashed, not denying a damn thing.
“Another policy the Council is ridiculously short sighted on. That's exactly why we need established Dens in big cities.”
She tried- she really did. It wasn't rational to become defensive every time he said something against the Council. He was entitled to his opinion. Norelle took a deep breath, reining in her automatic retort.
“Be that as it may, the Council is the legal authority over all Bear shifters in North America. And they want you to come back to the Den and… report for duty.”
His expression sharpened, mouth thinning. “And why don’t you remind us what that ‘duty’ is. Because you talk about it as if it’s a simple request.”
Norelle licked her lips. His gaze followed the movement, briefly. “They… there was a lottery. Do you know about that? Ten males from every Den were chosen. They have to- to...” She found herself stumbling over the words, having a hard time with the explanation. His steady regard flustered her. And she found that something in her was reluctant to tell him anyway. The thought of him with a human woman… disturbed her.
“Have to what?” he asked softly.
“Mate with a human. Produce a cub for the Dens.”
He stared, saying nothing. She wasn’t saying anything he didn’t know. Why was he making her rehash her arguments? She continued, words a rush. “It's so we can bring fresh genes into the Dens. It’s the best way because half human cubs still shift, mostly, and in a generation or two the human DNA won’t matter except that it means there are more Bears who don’t carry the defective gene.”
“And you agree with this? You want me
to come back to the Den and mate a human woman? That wouldn't bother you?”
She looked down at her hands, twisting in the cloth of her dress without her even being aware. “It's not about what I want.”
“Isn’t it?”
Noelle looked up, became ensnared in the molten silver of his Bear’s stare. “No, it’s about what's best for the Clans.”
“And you're going to let them tell you to deny yourself, deny your mate, for what they think is best for the Clans? You’re a coward.”
Her fingers tightened. “That's not fair.”
He leaned forward, breeching the invisible polite barrier of space between them. “It’s perfectly fair. I've already said- what's the worst thing that happens if we mate where we will? We lose the ability to shift?” His finger caught her jaw when she started to look away, turned her face back to him. “Norelle, maybe we weren't meant to always be Bear. Maybe we were meant to follow the human evolutionary arc. This could be nature's way of-”
She surged to her feet. “What you’re saying is stupid. We’re Bears. We’ve always been Bears. We’ll always be Bears- whether we shift or not.”
He rose more slowly. “You've made my point perfectly. Do you think I give a damn about the Council’s obsession with species survival? I want my mate. And whatever cub my mate gives me I will love, whether he or she can shift or not.”
Norelle stood, frozen, hearing his words like the answer to a prayer. A male who didn't give a damn about her defective genes. Who wanted a family and would damn the world to have a family with her. But… she closed her eyes.
“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered. “Since I was eighteen I was told that I couldn't be a mother, or a mate. I’ve accepted it. I believe it’s right. I wouldn't want a cub of mine to endure the pain I've seen the Bears who can't shift suffer.”
“Norelle…” his arm wrapped around her lower back, pulling her into his body. Careful, comforting. Her head laid against his shoulder almost like she’d been in his arms before. It felt right, natural. It felt like home. “Life is pain. But it’s still precious.”
“I know. I know. But what kind of person would I be if I gave up my beliefs for-”
“For me? For this?” He lifted her chin, lips seeking hers. She accepted the kiss eagerly, wanting to imbibe on his assurance, his quiet confidence that the world was really as he saw it- full of potential ready to be shaped according to her- their- desires. And not the heart breaking words of emotionless doctors in a cold medical exam room.
“It’s about more than a kiss,” he whispered, sibilant. “More than desire. Norelle, don’t I tempt you, even a little? I want more than a night from you. I want forever from you.”
She protested. “We haven’t seen each other since we were kids.”
His mouth twisted. “Since when does that matter with shifters? The Bears know. We know.”
Norelle was tempted. So tempted. But she wouldn’t be one of those females who threw away everything she’d ever said she believed in because a male came and waved his bushy tail at her.
“If we pursue this, you have to take my loyalty to the Council seriously. We have to discuss an alternative that doesn’t flagrantly fly in the face of the edict.”
His arm tightened. If she were human he’d have trouble breathing. But she wasn't human and the cage of his strength was warmth, protection. Comfort.
Soon the comfort morphed into something hotter, darker. He kissed her again, eyes bright with a combination of desire, anger and acceptance. Steely determination. Her pussy clenched to have this male look at her like she was his everything, clit tingling in anticipation as a not unpleasant roiling began in her lower abdomen. A flush of adrenaline- not the flight kind, but the fight kind. Her hands rose, wrapping around his neck as she pressed against him, mouth opening underneath his. Cass must have felt her eagerness for his body changed, arm tightening around her waist, the angle of his head shifting just slightly. Lips and muscles flexing against her as a male’s natural dominance rose to the surface. She felt it in how he held her, possessive, making no secret of his strength.
Hard, his heavy cock jerked against her soft middle, a silent demand. Her thighs itched to open, her body wanted to feel his invasion, wanted to be stretched and filled. He tore his mouth away.
“If you don’t want this,” he said harshly, “walk away now. I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop in another few minutes.”
Her brows rose. Really?
His eyes narrowed at the skeptical expression, expression twisting. “Don’t look at me like that. My blood is boiling, the Bear is roaring at me to mate you- do I have your consent?”
Norelle paused, a bit… nonplussed. “Do men actually ask for consent these days?”
He stared at her. She stared back. How the hell would she know? She’d never done this before.
“Yes, they do,” he replied, irritated.
“Oh. Well. Yes, you have my consent.”
“Your enthusiastic consent?”
“What is this?” she asked, irritated. He was ruining her little fantasy of being thrown against the wall and ravaged with a long, hard cock until she was mindless with pleasure. What was all this p.c. bullshit?
“My God,” she swore, grabbing his head and pulling him back to her mouth. He huffed with laughter, lengthening fangs nipping at her lips, drawing beads of blood. She wasn’t sure if it was accidental or not.
He twirled her around, walking her backwards to the couch. The white couch. Her body stiffened. Cass stilled immediately, sensing the change.
“What? Are you changing your mind?”
“No…” she hesitated, cheeks pinkening.
He stared down at her. “Come on, Norelle. Elucidate.”
“Well… the couch is white.”
“Astute.”
“It’s white, Cassius,” she half whined. “I’m- I mean, I’ve heard that when women haven’t- it’s white.”
The blank male expression warned her he had no clue what she was talking about.
“White couch- virgin female? Possibility of blood?”
Pale eyes widened. “You’re a virgin? Shit. Well, I suppose that’s the logical outcome of the Council telling you-”
She grabbed his forearms as he stepped back. “If you punk out on me now because of a hymen…”
“No, no, not punking out,” he said, hands hiding in his pockets. Again. “Not punking out. Well. I don’t want to hurt you. Maybe we should take this slower.”
Norelle observed the change in his skin tone. Did he look green? “Cassius. You’re pissing me off.”
He closed his eyes, opened them again. Halted another step backwards. “Okay, right. Manning up. Virgin.”
She crossed her arms. “What is this stupid focus on female virginity anyway? What does it really mean?”
“Only that this one experience might shape your entire view of sex for the rest of your life. That’s all.”
Norelle snorted. “Oh, get over yourself. Like any woman is so stupid she can’t put one experience into its proper context. That’s giving you way more power than you deserve.” She spun on her heels, miffed and offended at the same time. “You know what? I don’t need you. You’re too scared to fuck me, I know a Lion who’d-”
She oomphed as her world shifted on its axis. It took her about five whole seconds, but she realized she was upside down, staring at Cass’ tight ass. Okay.
“Would you put me down, please?”
“No,” he replied, pleasantly. She heard the gritted teeth, though. “You've convinced me this isn’t the best place for sex- spontaneity works better in romance novels, I guess. So we’ll go to my place. Now.”
She folded her arms, rested them on his butt. “Fine. And we haven’t resolved the other issue- don’t think I haven’t noticed. But no more whining about consent and virginity or I’m going to go get the Lion.”
A sharp sting on her ass. She shrieked. “W
hat was that for?”
“Pardon. So sorry. My hand just gets all twitchy when you mention the Lion, is all. Better not do that anymore. Just to be on the safe side.”
CHAPTER
6
The ride in his expensive dark car was silent and tense. He didn’t look at her, except to shoot her little dark glares when she clutched the door and snapped at him to slow down.
Her Bear yammered at her, her thighs clenching. Her stomach fluttering as nervousness built. Why, why hadn’t she let him fuck her in the library, hot and fast and giving her a memory she’d cherish in her old age? Now crowding her thoughts were worries about trivialities like the morning after, whether this was a one night stand or a commitment- yeah yeah yeah, he’d said all that nice stuff about mating and cubs. Whatever. Norelle ignored the little voice in her head that insisted that what she felt- what she felt radiating from him- was no mere lust. But the beginning of a mating frenzy, the first step to a true mate bond.
“Stop thinking, you’re giving me a headache,” Cass said. They’d pulled off the highway, driving up a twisty steep hill where the houses seemed to perch with haughty delicacy on the edges of cliffs. Huge, modern houses made of glass and logs and shiny white stone. His… mansion… was on a cliff, at an incline. The driveway went up. She stared at the house, the entire front wall- once they got behind the gate and several layers of trees and landscaping- just several pieces of sheet glass looking like they were suspended from nothing.
“You really are rich,” she said. “This house is amazing. I don’t think it’s cub friendly though.”
That last part just slipped out, and she blushed. He got out of the car, was around the front and opening her door a bare second later, keen gaze fixed on her face.
“We can talk about that in the morning,” he replied, voice soft. Steely.
She took his hand, wary. She wasn’t sure of his mood though when she glanced down, his erection was still plenty hard. Norelle licked her lips, uncertain.