by Eliza Gayle
“Not yet, baby.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her hand away from her pussy. She whined around him, protesting his actions. “Aww, don’t worry, you’re going to get your reward, but the longer you wait the sweeter it’ll be.”
She sucked harder in response, loving the way he seemed to grow the closer he got to his own orgasm. She wanted to make him come, hear him moan her name until the wild wicked taste of him exploded on her tongue.
She flickered her tongue around the flesh fast and furious until a hard growl emanated from him, igniting her own fiery lust as both his hands fisted her hair and his hips pushed forward, fucking her mouth. When she thought she wouldn’t be able to stand another second, he pushed her off of him and lifted her into his arms as he stormed from the bathroom.
In front of the bed she expected he would place her there and make crazy mad love to her until she screamed and begged him to stop. Or, at least that’s what I’m hoping for.
But he surprised her by putting her on all fours in front of the fireplace, the plush rug cushioning her knees. Her breath caught in her throat as her empty sex ached for him to hurry up. He shifted quickly behind her and slid home. Her vision blurred as he stretched and filled her and she gave up even trying to regain a normal breath. Oh, yes, so good.
“Mine.” The word rumbled from him and she felt the meaning of that possession in every fiber of her body. He pumped behind her, working in and out of her in quick, short thrusts. She clenched the fur below her by the handfuls on a low, long wail of pleasure as he hit new sensitive spots with every move.
“This is what I needed, Lara, to be buried deep into your burning flesh. We need this to survive.” He dug deeper, driving her mad as her release grew closer but not quite there. “I can’t live without you, baby, but more importantly I don’t want to.”
He tilted his hips, pressing against the one spot he knew would push her over the edge. As lights burst in her head and passion engulfed her, she screamed so loud and so long she thought the windows might have rattled.
It didn’t end, with each continued stroke he drew out the soul- destroying ecstasy she felt. When she thought she might recover, he hit another new spot that threw her over the edge again as tremor after tremor of pleasure rocketed through her until she thought she might die from too much.
“Come on, baby, milk me, make me come.”
His hands squeezed the globes of her ass before coming down and covering her back with his own. Perspiration ran between them as he growled low and deep once again. His pointed teeth nibbled on her neck as he changed his strokes, making them hard and deep. When his teeth pierced her mate mark everything within and around her imploded, resulting in a complete and total loss of control. She was his and he was hers, their joining more complete than ever before.
With a final thrust behind her, his release jetted hot and thick inside her, his cock pulsing and throbbing. Never again would she have to be alone with no one to trust or care for. Their need for each other so strong and pure, they would spend the rest of their lives loving, desiring and fighting with each other.
Chapter Seventeen
Kane woke hours later with Lara curled in his arms, still lying together in front of a roaring fire. His hands stroked down her fire-heated back as he remembered how many times and ways they’d made love over the last few hours. A soft snore sounded against his neck and he chuckled. How he loved all the little sexy noises she made, even in her sleep.
He looked out the window and noticed the slight change in the darkness. Dawn would be here soon. He needed to get up and take care of a few things, but not yet. First he needed to spend some more time with his mate. He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed, nibbling her jaw and lips as he went.
“Don’t tell me you’re not sleepy.” Her drowsy voice sounded soft and sexy, another sound she could make that got him hard and ready. Not that he needed much of an excuse. A look, her scent, anything about her, really.
“Did I wear you out, baby? Can’t take anymore?” He bit at her lips, sucking the lower half into his mouth.
She pulled away. “I can take anything you’re willing to dish out, Kane, and then some.”
“Ohh, cocky in your sleep, aren’t you? Well, we shall see about that. I can’t wait to find your limit and when I do, I’ll push you past it.”
“Promises, promises.”
He shut her up with a kiss—the hard, urgent kind that had his tongue darting in and out—fucking her mouth like he’d been fucking her all night long. He rolled on top of her, pushing between her thighs and entering her slowly, one inch at a time, reveling in the tight warmth surrounding him.
“You’re going to be nothing but trouble, aren’t you?”
In a surly but somewhat satisfied mood, Kane walked back into their bedroom to find Lara staring out the skylight. Her black hair fanned out underneath her head and her face seemed to glow with an ethereal beauty far more precious than before. Whatever the change, it agreed with her, and she looked even more bitable in the light of day than she did at night.
“Anything interesting out there?”
“Not as interesting as you.” Her head turned and a heated glow in her eyes swept over him.
As tempted as he was to join her again in the bed, they needed to talk and he knew horizontal wasn’t the way to do this.
“The cougar you killed yesterday was in fact Nick Smith, my childhood friend and the one man I thought I could trust my life with.” He dropped into the chair at the foot of the bed and roughly pushed his hands through his hair before scrubbing them down over his face.
“I’m sorry.” Her simple, quiet apology seemed heartfelt despite what Nick had planned to do to her. He’d been inside his friend’s house this morning and seen first hand his obsession with Lara, and if he hadn’t already been dead, Kane would have hunted him down and ripped his heart out himself. The black rage had swept through him unlike anything else before and damn near brought him to his knees.
“As much as it’s not necessary for you to say that, thank you.”
“He was your friend at some point; he must have been a very good man to deserve that.” She wrapped herself in the sheet and sat back against the headboard, never taking her gaze from his.
“I love you, Lara.” Her eyes widened in shock and her lush mouth parted slightly. He’d taken her by surprise. I like that.
“I—I—”
“You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know. Our mating was my fault and will likely cause problems for us both, but it’s more than just science or nature that made me do it.”
She nodded, trying to hide the tears trickling from her eyes, but he caught them before she could. Blood surged through his veins and the instinct to hold her, protect her, rode him hard once again. But they had to get through this and then let things fall where they had to.
“I’ve spoken to the council this morning, the charges for attempting to kill my family have been dropped.”
“What?”
“The evidence against your mother, including many falsified statements, were found in Nick’s residence last night. The council has judged that your mother’s death may have been a grave mistake. One that can’t be fixed or made up for. However, due to that, the laws of our clan do allow you justice. The Enforcer who carried out the order was my father, and since he is deceased your justice has to be served against the next Enforcer. Which, until last month, would have been Lucas, which gives you full justification in your actions.
“But—”
“Let me finish. I have to say it and then you can decide for yourself what you want.”
“I know—”
“No! I have to say it.” He didn’t care how sweet she looked in his bed or how much he craved her. She had rights and he was damn sure not going to fuck this up, too.
“Lucas has been shunned, at least for now, which makes me the Enforcer. So your rights now extend to me and only me. You can challenge me and I have to accept.
It’s your right in our clan, and I believe in that right.”
“Kane, please don’t do this.”
“You have to know this.”
“I already do.” He sat in stunned silence, thinking, how could she know?
“I know what you’re thinking and I know you’ll figure it out, but let me save you the time and tell you. I know about the rules because of Malcolm.”
That was it, the other shoe had dropped.
Unbidden, a growl sounded in his chest. He didn’t want a reminder of her relationship with Malcolm, not now. It was far too dangerous for his brother, especially now.
“Stop, Kane. Without that knowledge, you would have never gotten me back here so easily.” She grabbed the sheet and walked from his bed, kneeling down in front of him. “So many things have changed since I enlisted Malcolm’s help. I wasn’t honest with him and for a while wasn’t open to you. But damn, look how far things have come in such a short time. Thanks to you, I see things clearly now. It’s hard to think about how much time I’ve wasted on hate and revenge.” Her hand reached out and touched his leg and the connection between them sizzled.
“I don’t want to live like that anymore. The truth is what I seek. I’m a contrary, stubborn woman who likes things her own way, but Kane, for you—no for us—I want to try and put that part of me in the past.”
He didn’t know what to say. He felt the truth of her words to his core, knew for certain she would try. He doubted she was about to become a sweet little housewife, but he had a feeling he could at least tame her or die trying. Didn’t sound like a bad way to go.
“So it’s settled then?” He smiled at her question. “Yeah, for now.”
“Good. Now, for the important stuff. Did your council have any thoughts on my new, um...abilities?”
“I didn’t tell them.” She sat back on her haunches. “Why not?” “Nick has been researching you. I found a lot of notes and background on you, a pretty thick file actually. He seemed to be interested in your connection to your father.”
“Did he know who he was?”
“Separate from all the research, we found a small journal which indicated that he did, It was implied that your father resided in my clan.”
She fell back on her butt, stunned by his revelation. “What does this mean?” “That there’s a good chance you are born of a human mother and a werecougar father.” The stricken look on her face tore at his gut. But it was the fear in her eyes that really did him in. “Lara, look at me. Focus on us, baby, we’re going to face this together, but for now we’ll keep this to ourselves. Okay?”
She nodded and climbed onto his lap. “I love you, Kane.”
“Oh, baby, you are my heart. My mate. My love.”
Epilogue
Lara heard the knock at the door first and glanced toward the living room for Kane. “You expecting someone?”
“As a matter of fact I am.” He walked to the front door and opened it to a pretty blonde woman who reminded her of the woman who attacked her a couple of weeks ago.
“Hey, Chey, thanks for coming.” He opened the door and motioned for her to come inside.
The sight of the woman raised the hairs all along Lara’s body, her claws extended and her vision narrowed. No, no I can’t do this now. Stay calm. I’m sure there’s a very good reason why Kane is letting this female into our home.
Deep breaths in and out, and the effects began to wear off, although the sound of the woman’s voice grated on her last nerve. Certain her body had shifted back, she walked into the living room to join them.
“Lara, this is Cheyenne, or Chey as most of us call her. Chey, this is my wife.”
The woman nodded to Kane but did nothing to acknowledge her. This woman really bothered her. She was extraordinarily beautiful with her white blonde hair and skin so translucent there were times the light reflected it to look like cool white porcelain. Her eyes, though, had to be the brightest blue color she’d ever seen, but they were shuttered and impossible to read.
She came across as cold and unfeeling, which Lara would bet was only the case until you flared her temper and then she was mean and ruthless. She didn’t like her around Kane one bit.
“Why is she here?”
“It’s okay, Lara, I’ve asked her here on official business. This shouldn’t take long.” He proceeded to explain her station in the clan. While not an official participant, she and her kind were occasionally called upon for unique assignments. Her kind was all part of a long line of warriors not all that different from the black cougars, though not as deadly yet still dangerous. They lived on the other side of the dragon.
“Chey, I have an assignment for you, do you have the time?”
“For you, sweetheart, I’ll make the time.”
Lara snarled at the woman, knowing she said that crap just to piss her off.
“I need you to find someone for me and bring him back here.”
“Is that all? Piece of cake.”
“Come on, Chey, if it was a piece of cake do you think I would have
called you?”
She laughed, a soft throaty sound. A sexy noise that probably had men panting after her all the time. “I guess you’re right. So tell me, why is this one so difficult.”
“It’s Malcolm.”
Silence filled the room as all of them froze, letting that nugget of information settle around them.
“You ask for a lot.”
“I know, and I wouldn’t even ask if I didn’t have to and you know it. So, will you take the assignment or not?”
The woman paced to the window and looked out into the trees, the tension radiating off of her in waves. “I want double the normal fee and assurance my debt is paid in full.”
“I’m not asking you because of that. I’m asking because you’re the one who can do the job. But yes, your debt will be paid and the money has already been wired to your account.”
“Just as arrogant as ever, I see.” She paced to the opposite side of the room, her gaze never wavering from the window. “You know what will happen if I do this.”
“If there were any other way to get him here, I wouldn’t ask.”
Her shoulders dipped, so slight most wouldn’t have noticed. “Then I’ll do it.”
“Great. I’ll forward all the information I have on his activities as well as the rest of the fee.”
She turned then and squared her shoulders at Kane. “I know this is none of my business, but why now? Why does he need to come back now?”
“You’re right, it’s none of your business.”
She stared back at him for a minute more before making her way to the door. “It’s dangerous to send me after him, are you sure you want this risk?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. Just keep in mind I do need him alive.”
She shrugged and walked through the door, leaving Lara wondering what the hell all that was about.
“Why does Malcolm need to return?”
He didn’t look at her as he answered. “Because we need his help. Nick’s death wasn’t the end of this and you know it.”
“And what makes you so sure Malcolm would help us? He’s the one who set us up.”
“Because he is all we have.”
Ready for more Southern Shifters? You don’t want to miss a second of Malcolm and Cheyenne’s story in ALPHA KNOWS BEST.
He can run but he can't hide. Not from duty. Not from danger. And especially not from the woman who forces him to face the truth.
Get ALPHA KNOWS BEST now!
Keep reading for the complete first chapter of Book 3 in the Southern Shifter Series, Alpha Knows Best.
Thank you so much for reading the second book in the USA Today Bestselling Southern Shifters series! I hope you enjoyed reading MATE NIGHT as much as I enjoyed writing it.
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I'm hard at work writing my next romance, but while you are waiting I invite you to check out all the books I have available to read in the meantime.
If you haven't read all of the books in my Southern Shifter series, may I suggest you start there? Here they are listed in reading order.
DIRTY SEXY FURRY (Lucas & Kira)
MATE NIGHT (Kane & Lara)
ALPHA KNOWS BEST (Malcolm & Chey)
BAD KITTY (Rafe & Kitty)
BE WERE (Dean & Niki)
SHIFTIN' DIRTY
NEVER KISS A WOLF (Greer & Lily)
BEAR NAKED TRUTH (Calder & Jessa)
ALPHA BEAST (Bhric & Marcy)
You can see the full list of my books with links on my website at elizagayle.com.
Bonus Sneak Peek
Enjoy this Sneak Peek of
ALPHA KNOWS BEST
Malcolm Gunn stopped breathing at the shift of air in his house. His eyes popped open when the fur prickled along his forearms, warning him of the intruder nearby. He’d gone to bed hours ago but something had kept him from falling into a deep sleep and now he knew what.
Someone had been hunting him and was now in his home.
Nose to the air, he took a slow deep breath, seeking the scent of a hunter.
Cougar. Familiar.
The scent was unmistakable, one any other of his kind would recognize right off the bat. His eyes slid closed as he allowed the smell deeper inside while he sought an answer to what he faced. Definitely not one of his brothers but still a cougar. He couldn’t help but wonder what idiot would be so brave as to enter the lair of a black cougar without permission. He’d easily be within his rights to kill on sight with no questions asked. Yeah, if he was still part of the clan. As an outcast no one gave a shit about him and any aggression toward another cougar could easily lead to a visit from one of his brothers, The Death Enforcers.