The cat locked eyes with her, and something solemn yet contented passed between them. He drew nearer until they were face to face treading water, then Taylor reached out, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself close.
Later, she would think about this impulsive action, and how she wasn’t a forward person. Didn’t normally make the first move. But right then all she could register was warm, wet fur one moment and solid, smooth, male flesh the next. And hands…big, impatient hands, pulling her even closer. She felt hard abdominals. And an even harder sex against her belly.
He eyes went up and connected with silver and blue. Her breath was somewhere lodged in her lungs. But she managed a shy smile and a breathy, “Séverin.”
But the male had no smile. Only an expression heavy with hunger, desire and fear. Instinctively, Taylor tightened her grip on him. But the male had ten times her strength, and he wanted to get away.
In a clash of splashes and groans, he disentangled himself and started swimming for shore. Treading water, Taylor watched powerful arms rising out of the water and cutting back in. But the very second he hit shore, he was a puma again.
Her heart confused and slightly bruised, she stared at him. She didn’t understand. Why he pushed away. She accepted him in his cat form. Anytime. For as long as he wanted. Forever, if that was what he wanted. But he had been a male. When she’d touched him, he’d become his male counterpart. And that male had wanted to hold her.
Her eyes implored him. “Why?” she asked.
But the cat gave her nothing except its wet back as it turned around and lay down.
***
Hunger.
But not for the nutria.
The large rodent lies uneaten outside the nest.
Inside the nest, the woman reads.
Or pretends to read.
Angry.
At me.
Doesn’t understand me.
I don’t understand me.
“Let me know if I’m in your way,” she stated from behind the book Ashe had brought her.
Ashe had brought her many things. Canned and bagged food, clothing, female’s things to bathe with, a small pillow and blankets. Séverin’s lip curled at the last two. Taylor didn’t need soft and warm blankets for sleep. She had his body to lie against. To lie beneath—
He growled. At himself. The errant thoughts of a male who kept emerging without permission. He was puma. An animal. His fur, thick. His heart strong for catching prey. His mind clear.
And yet, when he caught sight of her long, bare legs peeking out from the pale pink robe she’d put on after they’d returned to the nest, he felt the male inside of him pound against his ribcage. He wanted her. Wanted more of her smile, her laugh, her stories, her hopefulness…
“Séverin?”
He glanced up.
She put her book aside and gave him a solemn look. “You know I want to stay here. But I don’t want to screw things up for you. Make it uncomfortable for you. With what’s going on inside of you. The battle that seems to be taking place. If there’s one thing I understand it’s desperately needing peace.” She inhaled sharply. “Ashe has offered to let me stay with them—”
He didn’t allow her to finish. He was on her, straddling her, licking her mouth with his long, pink tongue. Forcing her to stop talking.
Mine.
Every inch.
Mine.
She wants to stay here.
I want…
“Séverin,” she cried out.
He froze. Stared down. Taylor’s robe was open. She was wet. Everywhere. Her face, neck, chest, belly, bra and panties…
My cat.
Me.
What is happening?
Her eyes were pinned to his. “It’s okay.” Her breathing was labored. “It’s more than okay. It’s you. Don’t go away again. Kiss me. And don’t go away again.”
Male.
I am male.
He’d felt the shift. A second ago. A second in time. His gaze raked over her. His blood rushed hot through his veins. He wanted. So much. So much of her.
His head came down and his mouth crushed against hers. Hunger unlike anything he had ever known slammed into his body. His male body.
“Fuck!” he ground out as he ripped his mouth away.
Her arms went around his neck. “No! Please.”
“Taylor,” he growled, then took her lips again, suckling the bottom, nipping the top, then kissing her, hard and demanding.
Séverin had felt the urge to consume many times. Prey. Fresh water. But it had been a long time since he’d felt that way about a female. And with this one, his Taylor, he wanted more than to just take her. He wished to devour her. Feed off her breasts, drink from her sex.
He dipped his head and nuzzled her breast until it sprang free from the soft piece of fabric. A low, feral sound erupted in the back of his throat as he gazed upon the dark pink nipple, which rose even higher as he envisioned drawing it into his mouth.
Taylor arched her back. An invitation…as if he needed one. The moan escaping her parted lips and the erotic scent of her wet pussy was more than enough. He lapped at her, for the first time in so long, using his tongue to give pleasure instead of to glean sustenance for his body.
She moaned and slipped her hand between their bodies. Séverin took her into his mouth and suckled. Pain and pleasure collided inside of him, two whitecaps fighting for dominion. She tasted so sweet, so hot. He wanted inside of her body. Wanted to thrust himself so deep he was lost.
He was hidden.
Pictures started flickering through his mind. His once-clear puma’s mind. Needles, impatient hands, pain…
But she isn’t pain.
My woman.
She is pleasure.
She is happiness.
And comfort.
She can be my hiding place.
Then her hand wrapped around his cock and the light turned instantly to darkness.
He was puma.
CHAPTER 5
The long redwood table inside Ashe and Raphael’s dining room was one of the most beautiful things Taylor had ever seen. Votive candles and small silver vases filled with white flowers dotted the spaces not laden with food. And overhead, a chandelier made up of crystals and long tubes of green glass sparkled warmly, gently. What a life this human woman had created for herself. A home, a mate, friends and family.
Some of whom were seated around the table with Taylor. To her right were Ashe’s sister, Isi, and her mate, Talon. And across the votives and flowers and food was a male called Roch, a diplomat like Raphael, and his human mate Lydia, who was pregnant. Both couples were fun and engaging and welcoming. And Taylor wished more than anything that she could join them in their high spirits.
Outside, the puma howled.
Again.
And again, Ashe glanced over at her from her spot at the head of the table. “I’m sorry, Taylor.”
“Don’t be,” she assured the woman.
“Sounds hungry,” Roch remarked, tossing Talon a grin.
“Starved,” the male said, chuckling, his pale gold eyes dancing in the light of the candles.
“He’s been invited inside,” Taylor informed everyone for the third time. “But not his puma.”
Isi shook her head, showing off the tattoo that ran from her ear to her bare shoulder. “Hard-ass.”
Pouring herself another glass of sparkling water, Ashe said very calmly, “Is it too much to ask to have a nice dinner without cat hair all over the food?”
“That’s cold, ma chérie,” Raphael said in between bites of alligator fritter. “And don’t forget our daughter will have fur as well.”
“You know very well how much I love fur,” she said, her eyes lifting to meet his. “Yours in particular. Very soft.” She grinned wide as she brought the glass to her lips. “Just not at my dinner table.”
Raphael growled lovingly at her, and at the same time, the front door burst open. Taylor’s head came up to see
Séverin stalk in. Not Séverin the puma. Séverin the male. Her heart twisted and heat spread through her limbs like wildfire. There he was, all six foot three, naked and ferocious, silver eyes running accusingly over each face at the table. Until he got to Taylor’s stunned face, that is. Then, his mega-feral expression softened.
“Holy shit,” someone muttered. “So that’s what he looks like?”
Taylor thought it was Talon, but she wasn’t sure. Kind of didn’t care, actually. She was too busy looking at Séverin, admiring Séverin, worrying about Séverin. Though he was massive, nearly taking up the whole doorway into the dining room, he seemed a little lost. A little confused. She wondered if he’d shifted on his own, or had done so involuntarily, as had seemed to be the case lately.
“There’s a seat next to me,” she called to him, pulling out the chair and patting the cream fabric.
His eyes instantly warmed and a smile touched his beautiful mouth. Her heart kicked as he started toward her.
“Raph,” Ashe said quickly. “Grab those sweatpants you left in the kitchen earlier.”
The leader of the diplomats didn’t move. He, like everyone else, was staring. Taylor could hardly blame them. It was the first time any of them had seen Séverin as a male. And he was rather impressive.
Ashe hurried from the room and was back just as Séverin was about to sit down. “Please.” She held the gray sweats out to him. “I won’t make you put on a shirt. But pants are a must.”
He made an impatient sound from the back of his throat.
“Why does he get to go topless?” Roch complained with a fake pout and a laugh.
Talon and Raphael turned to stare at him.
He shrugged. “What? Oh… Yeah. Didn’t really hear myself say it until just now.”
Taylor was giving Séverin an encouraging smile. He’d come so far. She knew this wasn’t easy for him. Finally, with a grumble, he took the sweatpants and, because he obviously hadn’t worn clothes in a long time, awkwardly slipped them on.
“Alrighty.” Ashe gave everyone a tight-lipped smile as she headed back to her seat. “Please continue. I don’t want your food to get cold.”
But even though some of the parties at the table picked up their forks, their eyes and their attention were entirely devoted to the shirtless god now seated beside Taylor.
“Want some chicken?” she asked him.
He didn’t answer. His gaze was moving over her face, taking in every inch.
“It’s delicious,” she said.
“I think he thinks you’re delicious, Taylor,” Isi said on a laugh.
“Isi,” Ashe said, shaking her head at her sister.
“Come on. Look at the guy. He’s practically drooling, and it isn’t over your potatoes.”
Ignoring them, Taylor put a chicken leg on his plate, along with some mashed potatoes, spinach salad and a roll. “Please. Eat.”
His eyes flashed with fire, and he leaned in and brushed his nose across her cheek.
“Oh dear,” Ashe muttered.
“The food, Séverin,” Taylor chided, knowing that cheek and the other one were red with embarrassment.
His gaze lifted and in it she saw his want, his need, his care for her. None of it laced with force or intimidation, or threats. He hadn’t changed from puma to male because the food at Ashe’s table called to him. He’d changed because he wanted to be with her.
She reached out and placed her hand over his. The simple act made his face light up with pure, unabashed pleasure, as if she’d given him a car on Christmas morning. On a growl, he took her mouth, kissed her hungrily until she moaned and melted into him. Lord, she wanted to care about the others at the table, but she didn’t. Her heart was beating and threatening to burst. Her breath was stolen. And below her navel, wet heat reigned.
When he eased back and sat up in his chair, a megawatt grin on his face, Taylor could barely breathe. She watched as he grabbed the chicken leg with one hand, a scoop of mashed potatoes with the other and went to town. Oh, Séverin. Table manners…highly overrated.
To her right, Lydia sighed.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Roch asked her, instantly concerned.
“Oh, nothing,” she said, a few of her tight blond curls escaping the bun on top of her head. “I just remember when you kissed me like that.”
There were a few chuckles around the now lively table, as everyone had resumed eating. Roch, however, was both dejected and defensive. “I don’t wish to harm the cub.”
Beautiful violet eyes gazed at the male with sympathy and longing. “How many times do I have to tell you it won’t?”
“It?” Talon put in, brows raised mockingly.
“Shut up,” Roch snarled. He turned to Raphael. “Tell me truthfully, will it hurt the cub if I…take my mate…”
“No,” the male answered, his eyes bright with amusement.
“Now this is dinner conversation I can get behind,” Isi remarked in between bites of salad.
“But,” Roch continued seriously. “As Pantera, we are not the most gentle…”
Ashe glanced Taylor’s way and winked. “Our poor, terrified predators.”
Taylor laughed. So did Lydia and Isi.
Raphael drained his beer before answering. “These human women are very sturdy, brother.”
“Indeed,” Talon agreed, giving his mate a broad smile.
Roch stood up quickly, knocking his chair down. He didn’t appear to notice. “Have you filled your belly sufficiently, my love?” he asked Lydia, his voice low and eager.
Her eyes lifted to meet his, and they flickered with heat and amusement. “I couldn’t eat another bite.”
He reached for her hand. “Come, then. We are going home.”
Soft laughter moved around the table. And as the couple said their goodbyes and thank yous and quickly bolted from the house, Taylor found herself studying Séverin. He had finished his chicken, the meat sucked clean off the bone, and the potatoes as well. Now, he was holding up a piece of spinach, sniffing it.
“Like this,” she told him, picking up her fork and stabbing it into a few of the green leaves on her plate.
He watched as she brought the fork to her mouth and slipped it inside. His nostrils flared, lips twitched, his eyes utterly focused on her mouth. Taylor stabbed at another pile of spinach, but this time instead of eating it herself, she brought the fork to his mouth.
“You’ll love it,” she said, hearing the provocative tone in her voice. “I promise.”
Silver eyes went liquid and as he flashed his teeth and bit at the salad, he made a growling sound deep in his throat. Taylor inhaled sharply as that sound traveled all the way down to her sex.
“Every dinner party,” Ashe said. “I swear.”
“Don’t worry, sis,” Isi told her. “We’re not going anywhere until after dessert. Talon’s already had me three times today. He’s beat.”
Ashe dropped her head in her hands and moaned. “Who wants coffee? I need coffee.”
“Beat?” Talon repeated, his face darkening. “Are you suggesting I am too tired to mount you, my love?” Without waiting for an answer, he reached out, scooped her up and placed her down on his lap. “Answer the question now, mate.”
Isi curled into him immediately and sucked air through her teeth. “Nope. My mistake. Not tired. Not tired at all.”
Laughing softly at the very open way these Pantera shared affection, Taylor pushed her chair back and stood. “Excuse me.”
Séverin turned to her, grabbed her hand.
“Just going to the restroom,” she assured him.
“I’ll show you where it is, Taylor,” Raphael offered, rising from his chair.
She followed him down the long stretch of hallway and into an office space. A masculine-looking office space, so she guessed it probably belonged to him.
“Right through there,” he said, pointing toward a door at the far end of the room.
“Thank you.”
She didn’
t expect to see him waiting for her when she emerged a few minutes later. But there he was, seated behind a metal desk.
“Are we having coffee at the table or…?” she asked, not sure if she should wait for him or just go on back to the dining room herself.
“I actually wanted to speak with you about The Haymore Center,” he said. He gestured to the chair opposite him. “If you could spare a moment.”
She glanced at the open doorway, wondered if Séverin would come looking for her if she was gone too long. Then realized she owed the leader of the Pantera a few minutes of her time. After all, he’d not only allowed her to remain in the Wildlands, but let her stay with the one being who made her feel safe and cared for.
She slipped into the leather seat. “I want to help. Any way I can.”
He smiled evenly. “Do you know what went on in there?”
“I always assumed it was what it was purported to be. A fertility clinic.” She’d never heard Edgar refer to it in any other way. “But I’m gathering you believe otherwise.”
“We believe human women were being impregnated with Pantera DNA.”
All warmth bled from Taylor’s body. “Oh, my god.”
“The woman you met tonight, Lydia, she’s one of those women.”
Shaking her head, Taylor uttered a confused, “How? Why?”
“We don’t know.”
“I do,” came a male voice behind them.
Both Raphael and Taylor turned to find Séverin at the door. His gaze was gunmetal. His expression, bleak.
“They want Pantera blood.”
***
The urge to shift back into his cat was almost unbearable. He felt on edge, ready to spring, both inside his body and out. The only thing that kept him from doing it was Taylor. The way she was looking at him. Confused, sickened, worried. She cared for him. As he cared for her.
“Why do they want the blood?” Raphael asked, pulling his attention.
Séverin remained where he was, in the doorway. “There is a human male. His name is Christopher. I saw him only four times in the many years I was caged there.”
Taylor gasped. “No… Oh, god, no…”