***
El leaned back on the couch and studied the pictures Gunter was showing him. They were of the hidden remains of several rabbits surrounded by large paw prints. He’d run those forests for miles, he knew the animals and humans who hunted there. The deep indentations in the dirt didn’t match any paws he’d seen in the past.
“So, we have a nomad lion stalking our pride.” He glanced at Gunter for confirmation. Beyond them, he could hear Nae in the other room arguing with someone.
He’d never thought to ask if she was single. Her scent hit him, and he hadn’t really cared. But, if she had a man in her life, he should probably warn her that if the bastard came around, he would make the fucker disappear. El turned his head toward the room.
“Get you head around tribe business.” Gunter growled.
“It is. I’ll take care of it tomorrow and hunt the asshole myself.” El answered absently.
“You shouldn’t go alone. Take Trace with you.”
El snapped his head forward. “At what point did you decide I’m a weak leader, hyena?”
“Son, this mating shit is screwing with your head. You go and battle a young lion intent on taking the pride from you, and if you’re not focused, it could end badly.”
“Pride law demands that any lion who defeats me inherits everything as my replacement, including my woman. No way in hell that’s going to happen.” El leaned forward, placed his elbows on his knees, and dangled his hands between them.
“I do believe you expressed those same words when your brother issued the challenge after you’d been chosen as chief.” Gunter leaned back and pulled out a cherry root, thin cigar. “When we left, Ellory was still alive.”
“Barely. And, I don’t consider that losing. He was my brother; you raised us together. I couldn’t kill him in cold blood.”
“That was your first mistake, cause if he had the chance … you wouldn’t be sitting here wondering how you were going to get rid of me, so you could get your dick wet.” Gunter chuckled.
“That’s not something we have to worry about, is it, since he’s in Africa? Before the challenge, I asked him to come with us. Hell, I’ll admit I begged him to keep our pride together.”
“Mistake number two.” Gunter held his fingers up. “No Alpha begs. Ellory had no respect for you, but he was also bat-shit crazy. I backed you because you are level-headed and damn near a genius. I knew you would lead us into a prosperous future, but you don’t have killer instincts. You brought this tribe far within a few years, and you have the respect of your people. But, allow me to ask you this. What if this unknown lion is Ellory, come back from his near death experience? Then, what?” Gunter cocked a thick brow. “If it comes down to you or him, he will kill you.”
“You have so little faith in me?” He pursed his lips before exhaling. “No matter who it is trespassing in our territory, before they die, they will know I am the devil and this is hell.” El stood up and moved to the window. He knew Trace was out there, and the tiger would keep Nae safe. He could go hunting tonight. He turned around and faced Gunter. “Has La found Reese yet?”
“No, but Sitka, the lioness he rents his room from, said he sometimes goes missing for a few days. Says she thinks he goes hunting.”
El tilted his head. “Is it possible those are his paws?”
“Maybe, but he’s not around to ask, so I’d rather err on the side of caution.” Gunter stuck the cigar in his mouth.
“You’ve taught me well Gunter. I won’t make the mistakes of my youth.” El smirked. “Trust me.”
“Don’t smile like you have a secret and nobody else knows it. It’s not like home where you had to fight just to make it through the day. Out here, we’re isolated. There are no other clans to test your wits against.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, my intelligence is tested on a regular basis. I leave you here to run the pride in my absence, but you don’t know where I go.”
Gunter snorted. “Sure I do. You arrange the dealings with our connections; make sure we get paid for our work, assign the sentries to skill specific deals, a suit job. Like I said, when the Goddess was giving out gifts, she neglected to give Ellory empathy or common sense, while you were wired with intellect and the skill to talk anyone into just about anything.
El nodded. “Yeah. You think that’s all she gave me? Listen, is there any way we can continue this tomorrow? As you so eloquently put it, I’d really like to make love to my woman. Have Ari bring her truck here too if you don’t mind.” He spun and crossed his arms.
Gunter rose. “Well, considering I’ve known you most of your life, I would have noticed anything different, and do I look like your damn secretary?” He ambled toward the door.
Nae strolled out with her phone in her hand and stopped. The faint smile on her face was tentative. “Oh, you’re leaving.”
“Not by choice. Seems your man has plans that don’t include me.” Gunter nodded.
“I hope they include food. I’m starving.” She twisted her torso between the men.
El cleared his throat. “I’m sure we can come up with something.”
“That’s my cue. Tomorrow, El. We need to handle our issues before your meeting with our contacts. I don’t want any surprises popping up while you’re gone.” Gunter wrapped his palm around the knob.
“There will be no loose ends when I leave. I’ll bring Nae with me. She needs to understand pride business and how we handle it.”
“She does!” Gunter bellowed.
“I do!” Nae squeaked at the same time. “Listen this is turning into some huge affair I didn’t sign up for.” She started to back up. “It dawned on me I’m in way over my head. I’m gonna go back home and tell Amos I couldn’t locate you. Shay is booking my flights now for the morning. I can stay at a hotel if need be.”
“Who the hell are Amos and Shay?” El growled.
“I really hate matings.” Gunter yanked the door open and slipped out into the evening.
Nae’s stared at the spot Gunter left.
El prowled her way. “We have quite a bit to talk about, Nae.” He watched her gaze dart between him and the various exits in the room.
“This has been fun and all, but I must have gotten conked on the head in the bar. This is all just a bad dream. There no such thing as were-people. I mean, I’m willing to play along if it means I’ll wake up, but nothing seems to be working, so I’m just going to go hide in the bedroom and wait until the doctor can revive me.”
He bounded over the couch which stood between them and grabbed her wrist as she turned to run. Pulling her with him, he fell backwards and tugged Nae along. The cushions whooshed as he dropped into them, and she toppled over onto his body with a thump. He locked an arm around her waist and opened his legs for her to fall between them.
El arched his pelvis to rub his erection against the inside of her thigh. “Does this feel like a nightmare to you?” He pushed the hair from her ponytail up and over her shoulder.
She shut her eyes tight. “There is no other reasonable explanation.”
He tapped her temple with his index finger, “Then, stop thinking with this,” and skated the digit down her face, along her neck, to the valley between her breasts. “Choose to follow this. I am the man you need, and you are the woman I want.” He lifted his head to replace his finger with is lips.
Her chin grazed his temple. “I’ve known you all of two days.”
“We have a lifetime. And that’s practically an eternity for shifters.” His voice was muffled. Anxious for skin to skin contact, he yanked her shirt, rolling the thin material up her body. She levered up, and he yanked the shirt over her head, jerking the fabric off her arms. “I hope this isn’t you favorite bra.” A flick of his wrist, and his claws cut the thin back strap into pieces. The satin fell away from her breasts.
Taking one heavy orb in his hand, he inched his head over, and wrapped his lips around the darker flesh of her erect nipple. Deep moans passed through her lips as h
e rolled the tight numb across his tongue. Her knees squeezed his waist when he sucked her aureole into his mouth. The slide of gentle lips brushed his temple. She slipped her hands beneath his under shirt, dragging her nails up his rib cage. His dick jumped when she flicked her nail over his nipple. The lion in him raised its head in interest. El took her scent deep into his lungs, soothing the beast.
He slid his hands down her torso, to the jeans molded to her ass, and slipped his fingers into her waist band. She sucked in her stomach muscles, and he brought his hands around to un-snap her pants. El released her tit and sat up. Locks of her hair had escaped her ponytail, and dark tresses framed her face. Her cheeks were flush a deep red, and want shined bright in her eyes. She sat back on his thighs and watched him. He met her gaze.
Coils of excitement flowed through him. She was his. He leaned forward and kissed the place above her heart. Her arms came around his shoulders, holding him in place. Easing one foot on the floor, he hefted her up and swung her around to place his other leg over the edge of the couch.
El slid his hands up her thighs to grip her hips. He rose, and her legs dangled before he bent and slid his arm under her knees. Hauling her against him, he tilted his head and nipped her earlobe. “There’s no running away after tonight.” He nuzzled the spot below her ear. “Who am I kidding? After getting a taste of you last night, there was no way in hell I was ever letting you go.”
She placed her cheek on his chest and warned. “Keeping me won’t be easy.”
“Nothing worth having ever is.” He marched down the dark hallway. “But, I promise you the adventure of a lifetime.”
Nae raised a hand and pushed the door open while still in his grasp. “I’m still dreaming right?”
He eased her on the bed. Straightening, he studied her form, her bronze skin a contrast against the white covers. The single lamp on the nightstand bathed her in an ethereal glow, and his heart stuttered in his chest. He reached for his fly and slowly undid each button, taking his time to push his jeans over his hips and down his legs. Stepping out of them when they were around his ankles, he kicked them out the way.
His cock jutted long and hard in front of him. “Do I look like a figment of your imagination?” He reached out and took her hand, placing it on his cock. “I am as real as a man can get.”
El involuntarily flexed his pelvis when she squeezed his shaft.
With a firm grip around his member, she urged him toward her. Rising up on an elbow, she leaned forward and opened her mouth, taking the in mushroom head of his rod. He dropped his head back as pleasure rolled through him. The mattress squeaked as she moved around on the bed. His lion rose and stretched before pacing back and forth in his mind. His cock touched the back of her throat, and she mewled. The vibration coursed through him, building on the earlier sensations.
She cupped his balls, gently massaging them as she slid her lips up and down his shaft. He stopped staring at the ceiling and looked down to watch her head bob back and forth. His nuts drew up, and a tingling began in the pit of his stomach. He threaded his fingers through her hair and tugged her head back.
When she glanced up, he shook his head. “I want this time to be about your pleasure.” He crouched between her legs and wrapped his hands around her waist. Tugging the cold steel tab of her zipper he pulled it down. Next to their breathing, the sound of metal un-knitting was the only other sound in the room. “Lift your hips.” He hooked his fingers in the waist band and yanked them down her legs, pulling them off.
Panties the color of her bra was the only clothing she wore. He lifted his chin and stared into her eyes. “I hope you’re not too attached to these either.” He slipped a digit under the thin elastic and sliced through one side, and then the other. The miniscule material fell away.
“I need underwear.” She voiced in a husky whisper.
“I’ll buy you as many sets as you want.” The scent of her arousal engulfed him, and his animal started to yank at its leash.
He forced her knees open wider and pressed little kisses along the inside of her thigh. El traced the moist folds of his pussy, circling her clit with his index finger. She fell back against the bed, and her body slightly bounced. He placed a palm on her belly to keep her still, dipped his head, and covered her clit with his mouth, flicking the small bundle of nerves with his tongue. She dug her hands into him hard, scratching his scalp with her nails.
Her sighs became whimpers. He slipped his fingers into her opening and drove them into her passage, sliding them in and out of her channel in rapid succession. Her smooth, slick muscles rippled around his digits. He slid them free and thrust again. She bucked against his hand. Her legs trembled as she slammed them on his shoulders, and her torso bowed off the mattress. He tilted his head, sucking her clitoris deep before lightly biting down. Then, he crooked his fingers and plunged them deep.
Nae screamed unintelligible words. Her juices flowed down his digits and over his palm. He replaced his fingers with his tongue and lapped her cream. Wiping the corners of his mouth as she eased back, he glanced up to see her staring down her figure at him. His own cock, rigid from need, bobbed against the side of the bed.
Her voice wobbled when she spoke. “That all you got?”
He crawled up her body to lie on top of her. “Hold on baby. I’m just getting started.”
She spread her legs, and he slipped his member into her snug sheath. He waited, enjoying the feel of her vaginal muscles undulating around his rod. Nae rubbed her heels into the back of his thighs. El rose up to rest on his forearms. He rolled his hips, and her hands slapped the mattress. El started off slowly, concerned he would break her with his strength. His lion growled in frustration at the lack of movement.
Increasing his speed, he drove deeper with each lunge. Longer, sharper teeth filled his mouth as his focused narrowed on the creamy, bronze column of her throat. The bedframe lurched to the side, and the headboard hit the nightstand. A crash and the room fell into darkness. His vision flipped, and his lion snapped free. He rammed his cock into her with wild abandon, shoving them both across the bed. His hair lengthened. Her moans urged him on, and she gripped his triceps. The prickling returned in the pit of his belly and sent currents of awareness along his nerve endings. Nae pulled herself up, crushing her breasts against his chest.
El pressed his nose to her hair and kissed her temple. Another thrust sent the mattress sliding over the side of the bed. Nae briefly dropped beneath him. He opened his mouth wide and lowered his head to the crook of her shoulder. His teeth cut through skin and muscle of her neck as his seed erupted from his cock head. The lion in him roared in satisfaction. The metallic taste of blood flowed over his tongue. He raised his head and gazed down at her.
She owlishly blinked up. He dipped his head and licked the puncture wounds. Nae combed her fingers through his hair. He took a deep breath. His scent comingled with the smell of candied ginger. She was well and thoroughly claimed. He rolled around and got to his feet, holding out a hand to help her up.
“Want to cut on the light so we can clean up?” Her breath blew past his bicep.
“Leave it. There are three other bedrooms we can sleep in … or christen?” He tangled his finger with hers.
“Why did you bite me?” Her voice held a thread of anxiety.
“I completed the claiming.” He lifted her hand to his lips.
Her silence was deafening.
“Talk to me Nae.”
“I won’t stay, you have lost your damn mind, and at the moment there are a number of vulgar words going through my head about you.”
“That’s my woman.” He swooped her up to carry her through the room. “I’m sure you’ll think of numerous more after you sleep on it. You need to rest. We have pride business in the morning.”
“Were you not listening to me?”
“I heard you loud and clear. Now ask me if I think you actually believe that.”
“That you’re an ass.” She punched his shoulder. r />
“No. That you won’t stay.” He grunted to make her think her blow actually hurt and stalked out of the room with her in tow.