Portal to Passion

by Nina, Tara

  * * * * *

  Somehow, Deveney knew Tor stood at the edge of the garden shadowed in the trees. So she waited. It took determined concentration to continue to sew with Willow and not go to him. Though she tried, he still maintained a wall around his thoughts, keeping her out of his head. Instead, she tuned in to his every movement. The soft pad of his paws to the ground graced her ears. It seemed to her as if he tried to sneak up on them. A wry smile tugged at her lips.

  Excitement brewed in her gut. Did Tor have a playful side? Would he make a good father? Deveney swallowed hard against the sudden need rising to the top of her senses. She wanted him. In an attempt to keep her rampant lust for Tor in control, she focused on her plan.

  No sex. Gain his friendship. Earn his trust. Show him I want to remain here. Deveney closed her eyes for a moment and concentrated on the silent mantra scrolling through her brain. When she opened her eyes, she saw Willow steadily piecing together a tiny version of the robe she wore. Though the other woman smiled and chatted, Deveney sensed her inner turmoil and pain. She wouldn’t let Willow down. Her brothers deserved to be saved. Determination molded a solid steel rod in her spine. In this she would not fail.

  No matter what it took, she planned to convince Tor to test the possible remedy to their problem. She survived the trip and felt certain others would as well. Deveney inhaled deep. For a split second, she wavered as his scent filled her nose. Mmm, he smelled delectable, making her mouth water for a taste of his lips.

  No, she reprimanded her rampant libido. No sex. She rubbed her tummy, soothed the butterfly sensation and drew support from the growing spirit inside. This baby needed a father and whether Tor liked it or not, she intended to stay in Eximius Mundus.

  Confidence guided her moves as she lifted her chin and looked across her shoulder at the massive golden bear she knew to be Tor. God, he was huge. When she moistened her lips, she hoped he didn’t sense her nervousness. Be strong, she reminded herself as she stood.

  Curiosity took over with each step closer to him. Those eyes belonged to Tor, not some wild creature. Tor lived within that bear’s skin. Her palms itched to stroke his fur and test its texture. Excitement spiked through her, almost making her stumble when he rose on his hind legs. Incredible, massive, tall and fierce, filtered through her thoughts. She tightened her jaw and chose to show no fear. Instead, she maintained her position and didn’t back down.

  Within arm’s reach, she tilted her head and smiled up in the face of a dangerous creature. This man-bear owned her heart. Every solid fur-covered inch of him controlled her sexual desires. She had to touch him. Both hands extended, she stroked his belly straight up as far as she could reach.

  The softest sensation she’d ever felt tickled her palms. Thick golden fur filtered through her fingers as she rubbed him until he shook, replacing the displaced hairs to their proper position. She loved the feel of his fur and wanted to stroke him again. His fierce growl sent a chill down her spine and she sensed he warned her to back off. She refused. She planned to win this round of stubborn antics.

  Deveney closed the gap and wrapped her arms tight as far as she could around him. Warm fur caressed her cheek. Touching him was euphoric. Taking one last deep breath of his aroma, she released the hug and stepped back.

  She turned on her heels, tilted her head up and spoke in what she hoped sounded like a calm, confident tone, “Come, Tor. You and I need to talk.”

  It took a great effort on her part not to laugh when the golden bear’s jaw dropped open. Surprise flashed in his eyes. Apparently, he didn’t expect her to stand up to him. Warmth spread through her and lifted her spirits at the small victory. She’d showed him. She meant it when she said she didn’t fear the bear.

  She smiled inwardly, strolling to where Willow gathered their sewing. She didn’t fear the bear. But the man was a different story. Continuing her charade of total confidence, she stood tall and walked face forward with a smile plastered in place.

  Willow rose with her basket in hand. She leaned close to Deveney and whispered, “I don’t think he saw what we were making. I’ll keep everything with me until later.”

  Deveney hugged her tight and replied in a hushed tone, “Thank you. Hopefully we can meet after dinner and you can teach me more.”

  “You got it. Good luck. Remember, you’ve got Mom and me in your corner, if that helps any.” Willow kissed her cheek and walked toward the kitchen door.

  “It does,” Deveney stated before she got too far away. And it truly did mean something to her to know others wanted her to stay. Now she needed to convince one stubborn, bear-headed fool.

  Standing beside the bench with her hands on her hips, she shot Tor as stern a look as she could and stated point-blank, “Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to join me? We need to talk and I’d like to do it now.”

  Dumbfounded, Tor gaped at her. The woman had nerve. No one ever touched him as bear nor did they command him in such a manner. She stood all of five-foot-five inches tall and told him they needed to talk. It touched him deeply. He grinned inwardly, lowering to his feet.

  Deveney equaled the perfect woman. Brave and confident. Beautiful and sexy. Her touch lingered in his fur as he ambled over to her. When he stood directly in front of her, he changed. The magic sizzled in the air, heated his skin and increased his awareness of her. He should’ve known to wait and change when they were apart. Now it was too late.

  Every ounce of him fired to life. He stood naked in man form. It didn’t help that he was rock hard for her. He wanted her. The sexual pull of the mating magic guided his cock and burned through every ounce of him, making it difficult for him to think of anything other than being hilt deep within his love.

  Staying calm and collected grew increasingly harder with each intake of her musky mating aroma. It made his cock twitch and his breathing difficult. He wanted to kiss her anger away and touch those beautiful ripe breasts, which sat perfectly fitted in the golden robe. The deep-vee front allowed easy access. He fought the desire to gather her in his hands and sample those luscious nipples. Stop! Tor commanded his thoughts. She wanted to talk and it seemed important to her. He struggled to remain in control, but the mating magic fueled his need and spiked his lust to an all-time high. Every ounce of him wanted Deveney.

  Tor fisted his hands at his sides in a desperate attempt to keep from touching her. When she stepped closer, he stiffened his spine and tried to focus on something other than sex with Deveney.

  He grappled for control over the rampant urges captivating him. In a vain attempt to redirect his thoughts, he focused on her safety. The garden was empty for now, but how long would that last? His need to get her safely out of sight intensified.

  “Deveney, you must return to the room. It is for your safety that you must stay within the walls of the room.” He hadn’t meant to sound so commanding, but he did as he stepped toward her. The sight of her eyebrow arching and her lips thinning made him instantly regret his stern tone and stilled his movements.

  Her shoulders straightened and her jaw tightened. Her determined, steady gaze leveled on him. The heat of her stare turned him on even more. He sensed her anger and hungered to soothe it. Tor steeled his resolve, determined not to touch her. For if he did, he knew he’d lose this battle of wills.

  Seeing Tor shift had turned her on. What a magnificent sight it had been. The bright golden light streamed around him as the bear disappeared and the man returned in a phenomenal show of magic. For a second, she’d reveled in its heat and soaked in the radiant glow. Power seeped into her veins.

  When Tor stood before her in all his glory, naked and hard for her, she’d wanted to reach for him, but resisted. Desire tormented her. Her insides knotted. Deveney dug deep for a measure of restraint to resist the urge to mate with Tor. The words sexual torture fried her brain. God, this was more difficult than she thought it would be. Seeing Tor poised and ready made her wet with anticipation of having him buried within her heat. Need sizzle
d through her veins, but ground to a halt at his commanding tone.

  “Tor, you may be the ruler of these people, but you do not rule me.” It took sheer will to refrain from poking him in the chest as she spoke, but she feared if she touched him even slightly, her anger would switch into a molten need to fuck him.

  Thank you for being so arrogant, she silently decided. If he flaunted this superior attitude in her face, she’d win. Male arrogance always riled her. His demanding tone doused a small enough portion of her desire she gained a grip on the reins of her lust, even if temporarily. She swallowed hard, folded her hands over her lower abdomen for an added boost of support from the baby and faced her opponent. Though she hated to think of Tor as an opponent, she had to in order to maintain control over her raging hormones at the moment. She prayed Willow was right about only females sensing a pregnancy in the early stages.

  Deveney stepped closer until only the length of his rigid cock separated them. Deliberately, she looked at the object of her desire, then returned her gaze to his, licked her lips and sighed breathily.

  “What a waste of a beautiful piece of anatomy,” she managed to state in as husky a tone as she could muster. Need for him contorted her insides, but she refused to give in. Think of the baby, she silently reminded herself. That gave her the edge. In a bold move, she grabbed his cock and guided him to a seated position on the nearest bench.

  Pure need drenched her entire being at the touch. Wrong move. She shouldn’t have touched him. But she did. Closing her eyes, she gathered the shredded edges of her resolve. Resistance made her strong and would weaken his will. Sooner or later, he’d admit they were mated. Determination to stick to the plan nearly waned but she fought to stay focused on her goal. The baby needed its father. Opening her eyes, she met Tor’s hot, sexy gaze. Her knees weakened, but she refused to buckle.

  Deveney straddled his lap, kept her robe covering her sex and gathered his face in her hands. In a slow, sensual tease, she moved her hips back and forth, gliding her clothed sex up and down his hard-on. She placed tender, heated kisses on his closed eyes, his cheeks and then his lips. She acted quickly and caught his wrists before his hands slid inside her robe to cup her breasts. She knew if he did, she’d be lost. As it was, she dripped moisture from the brush of his cock against her sex. Every ounce of her begged for him. But she refused.

  With the tip of her tongue, she licked his lips, then the lobe of his ear. Her insides twisted and ached, wanting his cock. And still she managed to resist. Lower and lower, she teased his flesh with her tongue. Tasting the salt of his skin increased her hunger for the man. She nipped each nipple with her teeth and heard his ardent moan. It made her smile to know she wielded such power over this man, her man. She continued to taste him as she slid from his lap and lowered to her knees.

  Looking up at him, she was pleased to see the raw, sexual hunger strain his features. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. Desire fueled her, but determination to stick to her plan controlled her efforts. Slow and deliberate, she licked his cock from the base to the tip. With a flick of her tongue to the slender slit, she stood in one rapid movement and captured his face in her hands.

  His eyes sprang open wide, gifting her with the sexiest blue gaze she’d ever seen. He wanted her. But he couldn’t have her, she decided. Not until he admitted the truth. Deveney steeled her resolve and forced her libido to back down. She controlled the magic, not the other way around. It no longer controlled her.

  Leaning in close, she kissed his lips, releasing a small taste of her passion in the connection. The feel of his hands cupping her rear nearly crumbled her determination, but she overcame the momentary weakness.

  She broke from their kiss, leaned close to his ear then whispered, “I love you, Tor. I have no intention of leaving. And though I love the taste of your cock and the feel of it inside me,” she rimmed his ear with her tongue, then stepped out of his reach in one swift backward move, “we can’t do this.”

  The sight of his face dropping and dismay filling his eyes spurred her on. “I think I remember you saying we couldn’t be together.”

  She turned on her heels and forced her legs to function, putting space between them. In as nonchalant a manner as she could muster, she called out without looking at him, “Those were your words. We can’t be together, so we’re not.”

  She stopped for a split second and shot him a look that she hoped speared him in the heart as she added, “Not unless you admit I’m your mate. You’re not going to fuck me again.”

  As fast as she could force her legs to carry her without all-out running, she hurried into the kitchen.

  Tor couldn’t move. He just sat and watched her walk away. His cock throbbed with need as his original words were thrown back in his face. Yes, he’d said they couldn’t be together. But that was before he realized the truth. Shaking his head, he couldn’t believe she’d teased him, kissed him with such passion then left him hard and hungry for her.

  By the Goddess Nirvana, this woman tried to kill him. Tor stood. His cock jutted straight from his body. Somehow she managed to resist the pull of the mating magic when he’d easily succumbed, repeatedly. Weakling. He growled between clenched teeth. He was the man-bear and supposed to be the stronger of the two. Watching the door close behind her, he released a heated snort. How dare she try to control him with sex?

  She showed a greater inner strength than he. If not, he’d be buried in her heat, fucking her hard until she screamed his name right now. Instead, he stood with a painful hard-on while Deveney simply walked away. Both hands fisted at his sides. Confusion riddled him. An anguished growl passed his lips as he attempted to sort through his sex-fogged thoughts.

  Tor turned and headed for the secret entrance to the palace. He had no intention of walking the halls naked and in this condition. When he reached the hidden door, he pressed the sensor with his palm and it opened. Inside, he picked up his robe and slid it on. He groaned, looking down. The front tented and no matter how he tried, his need couldn’t be dismissed from view.

  He growled low and long as he stomped to his office. He had work to do and if anyone even mentioned his condition, he’d kill them. At his office door, he lingered, staring up the stairwell he knew led to his bedroom and Deveney.

  His shoulders sagged and his heart ached as he opened the door to his office.

  Her lingering essence coated him as if it were his warm, thick fur coat the moment he stepped inside. The image of her on his desk burned bright in his head. Tor shook his head as he closed the door behind him, walked to his desk and flopped into his chair.

  Deveney was embedded deep in his heart, mind and soul. Facing down the bear in the garden proved she held no fear of him in that form. Leaving him hard and hungry for her showed she controlled the mating magic. Not he. Could he accept she was the stronger of them?

  Lowering his head into his hands, he picked through the scene in the garden. He’d been in control up until she touched him. Then his brainwaves frizzled. He’d focused on her attitude and it bothered him she ruled him. Slowly the fog of desire lifted and the last sentences she spoke popped to the forefront of his thoughts. Laughing hysterically, he leaned back in his chair. He’d been so preoccupied trying to listen to her instead of jump her bones he’d missed the most important words that came out of her mouth.

  Her voice resounded in his head as he played back her words. “Not unless you admit I’m your mate. You’re not going to fuck me again.”

  Well if that’s all it took to land in her bed, then he was ready. Tor grinned. But he intended to make it special. A moment she’d never forget.

  Chapter Twelve

  Obinu’s hypersensitive tongue plucked her essence from the breeze and guided him in her direction. He trusted this reconnaissance mission to no one else. If a woman from the outside world resided in Eximius Mundus, then she belonged to him. He had his magi working on a formula he hoped would overcome the rules of the mating ritual and force this woman to become
his mate. If she even existed. He wasn’t sure he believed the bear.

  Using the outlawed drug, Turism Incense, on Sven worked brilliantly. A thin smile contorted his snake lips as he slithered through the underbrush in the tree line around the gardens of Bjorn Palace. Once uninhibited by the drug’s effects, the twin bear’s tongue freed to answer any questions he asked.

  First and foremost… Was there a woman primed for mating in Bjorn Palace?

  When Sven answered yes, thousands of questions clogged Obinu’s brain. For over an hour, he pried information from Sven pertaining to this so-called Earth woman named Deveney.

  Deveney. Just the sound of her name sent a chill across his scaly skin. No bear deserved a woman more than a snake and he intended to take rightful possession of her and make her his mate. If what the magi created didn’t work, then he’d definitely find another use for the woman. A use that would make the great Tor Artur suffer. But he needed a plan. He chose his path through the trees with care and remained hidden and out of range of any bear’s sense of smell.

  Her scent coated his tongue with each flick. Delectable. He hissed as he wound his way closer. From underbrush to flowerbed, he slithered within eyesight. He wanted to see her. The need to place a face with the wondrous flavor he’d gathered from the air burned in his gut and made him momentarily a bit careless in his moves.

  Obinu darted into the flowerbed closest to the two women and prayed the scent-masking charm kept him hidden. Peering between the flowers, he got a visual on his prey. Long, strawberry-blonde hair cascaded down her back. She wore the colors of his rival—gold. She’d look better in black. He swallowed the natural urge to hiss and stared in total silence. He did not wish to be discovered. Grave importance to his survival weighed on this solitary mission.