The Wolf & The Pretender

by Serena Simspson

  The Shadow disappeared.

  “What happened,” Kayden growled.

  Keva walked away leaving him and the others behind.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Keva, Kayden, Ave, and Locke were sitting in the living room. The rest decided to wisely give them some time. Keva thought it was for the best.

  “What happened in the house?” Kayden was sitting on the couch with Keva, but he left a space between them.

  Keva looked at the space wondering if he knew she needed time to understand all that happened.

  “Did everyone feel the cold chill when we reached the top of the stairs?”

  “I did and so did Locke,” Ava leaned into Locke shaking from the memory.

  “Kayden let me know that was new. I built an energy shield to go around the rest of the group we were with.”

  “They didn’t notice anything, but after a few minutes, we didn’t notice anything either except you standing in the same position. You didn’t explore the house with us,” Kayden told her.

  “I’m pretty sure I met the Shadow that designed the trap that drew me in a couple of weeks ago. He was polite almost pleasant to talk to.”

  “That must have been…” Ava trailed off not finding the words.

  “He told me that they tried to save you before you bonded with Locke. Now that you have, they have no other choice but to destroy you.”

  “I bet they did.” Ava fought a frown smiling at her friend.

  “I believe he was hoping to have better luck with me.”

  “Well his approach is better I’ll give him that.”

  Keva nodded at Ava’s words. “He told me that when you first came to this planet that you killed the women.”

  “We did.”

  She eyed Kayden, was he going to elaborate? “Is that all you have to say?”

  “We were males that lived our lives being denied female companionship. When we crash-landed here, we were surprised to find out that we were desired. When we realized that the females here couldn’t take us, we secluded ourselves and stayed away from human females until Deja turned Enzo’s world upside down.”

  “Why did they die while Mira and Ava are alive?”

  “Tristan has a theory on that,” Locke told her. “It’s a combination of the fact that all the females that have been mated with have a developed sense of a gift and that you are all so beautifully thick. We are not small men and gentle, what is normal to us could be bone crushing to you.”

  She might hate to admit it, but the theory made some sense. There could be issues when size came into play. Let’s say she bought that story; she did buy it. Why had the Shadow told her about it?

  “I know that you were made from Enzymes floating around, but they came from the forbidden zone that made you an abomination. I hadn’t heard that part of the story.”

  “I didn’t think it mattered. Anyone not born of a female is considered an abomination. That includes those societies that have no females.”

  “Every society has females.”

  “You’ve spent a lot of time exploring different planets?” Kayden growled at her.

  “You growled at me!” She got up in his face. This would be a fight for her life, but she didn’t care.

  There was no desire to hurt her, hit her, or even make her feel like a fool. All she could see was impatience. He looked like a male that thought she should understand.

  “Don’t you want to fight?” She pushed on his shoulder before hitting him in his chest. He got up and moved to stand by the window.

  “You have the wrong male. I will never lay a hand on you in violence, but I will not allow you to hurt me either.”

  She was up and at his side so fast that she was a bit dizzy. “I’m sorry, I had to know.”

  “Know what?”

  “If you were going to hurt me. That’s what the Shadow implied. You were made from bad enzymes and would turn around and kill me the way you or others killed those earlier human women.”

  He picked her up and carried her back to the couch arranging her on his lap as he sat.

  “I wonder why they used enzymes from the forbidden zone. Why was it forbidden?” She mused out loud. No one had an answer for her. “He offered to bond with me. To allow me to be on the winning team.”

  “What did you say to him?” Kayden gently stroked her back.

  “I told him that his offer was generous, but it caught me off guard. I needed to think about it.”

  “Then that’s what you should do.”

  “What?” She stared at Kayden like he was going crazy. “No one has made me a better offer, but still you think I should think it over.”

  “No one can make a decision for your life. Right or wrong, the decision is yours alone.”

  Why was he honorable when she was looking for the caveman to beat on his chest and pull her into his room by her hair? Truthfully, she would kick him in his balls and storm out. Now she was forced to decide who she wanted more Kayden or a Shadow who knew how to play the game.

  “If you will excuse me.” She stood up. “I’m going for a walk.” She didn’t have any place in mind when she left, although it didn’t surprise her that she ended up at the lake.

  This was the place Kayden took her on their first date. How could she not love this place? Taking a seat on the riverbank she skipped rocks across the water. Memories of food and laughter swamped her. Thoughts of swimming in the lake and lying on the cool pads with a warm breeze whipping around to the dry her off. This was a magical place.

  She laid back legs still dangling in the water. Her feet kicked the sound of the splashing water made her smile. How was she supposed to choose between a Kur’ik and a Shadow? Kayden had and would not hurt her. That was a big point in his favor. If she bonded not mated with the Shadow what would the result of that be? ‘Not every smile shows the truth.’ That was her mom’s saying, and it bore keeping in mind. The Shadow had been gracious almost kind, unlike when she met him the first time. Did that mean his agenda changed?

  Was he still hell-bent on taking over the earth? If he was would he eventually destroy it, the way she feared? What would happen to her if she was bonded to him? When they leave this planet will they take their human bodies with them or sloth them off like dead skin? There were too many questions, not enough answers. She went over and laid on one of the pads shutting her eyes.

  When she opened them again Mira was lying on the pad next to her.

  “I expected Ava to come.”

  “She wanted to come, but I convinced her to let me come. I’m not a friend you’ve known forever. Whatever I say it’s not because I want you here.”

  Mira was also a straight shooter so she wouldn’t try to BS her.

  “Shoot.”

  “Have you figured out the question you need to ask?”

  She thought she had. This wasn’t about the Shadow it was about how she felt about Kayden. The Kayden that she spent several weeks in bed with kissing, hugging, petting and no more. After all that, he refused to make love to her until she was sure it was what she wanted.

  How was she supposed to be sure until it happened? Now that she was thinking about it, she had to give him credit. She wasn’t the type to just sleep with someone for the heck of it, neither was he. That answered the question, how did he feel about her.

  “How do I feel about Kayden?”

  “How do you feel about him?”

  “In the beginning, I was ‘Dear diary’ excited. I’m still excited but that is edged with both happiness and contentment. That feeling you get when forever may be right around the corner. My dad wasn’t the nicest man. I think at times I’m scared I might pick the same type of man.”

  “My father was in my life but so far in the background that I never think about him. He was always trying to stand between me and my mother. The fact that she was always there for me is something I’m coming to grips with now. I used to think she hated me.”

  “My dad left when I was young, my mom
says it’s the best thing he ever did for us. I’ve been thinking what if Kayden is like my dad? I don’t think he is. Did you know Deja has a daughter by her mate?”

  “She does?”

  “Yeah she showed me a picture of her, she’s beautiful.”

  “There have been times when Tristan and I go out that I see him watching children and their parents with a look of longing in his eyes. It makes me wonder if we could have a child. What color would their eyes be? Would they have my hair or his, be more human or Kur’ik?”

  “I haven’t gotten that far. When I close my eyes at night, I can see a child lying on Kayden’s chest. His hand is splayed over the babies back as he croons a soft song in our child’s ear. It’s in his native language and my heart melts to hear it. My biological clock never ticked before I met him.” She turned over to face Mira.

  “I also know that none of that is possible if I bond with a Shadow. So why am I thinking about it?”

  “It’s your future. Isn’t that worth thinking about?”

  Mira left her alone to draw her own conclusions.

  Keva paced along the riverbank watching the water swirl while it flowed. That was life it flowed sometimes with no obstacles and then wham there were rocks in the way. The voice of the Shadow flowed over her smooth and seductive. It wanted her and was willing to fight. Things that she never would have considered were flowing through her mind. The world burned at a twist of her hand. All the injustice that was done to her and those like her was purged in the fire.

  Finally, she was at the top of the food chain, when she looked down there was nothing but death and destruction behind her. What good was it to be in charge if the changes you made only helped the few, the elite?

  She turned away from the Shadow calling her name, away from the trap trying to entice. She turned her back on all the power she could ever want even if it was only for a few short years.

  Kayden was waiting for her.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Kayden was lying in bed with the shades drawn and the lights out when Keva walked in. She didn’t know what she expected to see, but this wasn’t it. Instead of crawling on the bed like she wanted to, she took off her clothes with the intention of taking a shower. Kayden was still there when she came out. On the dresser was a bottle of ridiculously expensive perfume she bought when shopping. It was worth it because it smelled like cherries. A light spritz behind both ears, then she gave in to the desire to join him on the bed.

  She snuggled against him placing her head on his chest. “Why so silent?”

  “Wondering what you decided, how I stacked up against the Shadow?”

  He was upset and she couldn’t blame him. She’d be upset too if the person she wanted was actively considering the enemy.

  “You have every right to be upset with me. I actively compared you to the enemy. I even considered the fact that you might be the enemy after all the kindness you’ve shown me.”

  “The enemy knows how to show kindness when it meets his needs.”

  She thought back to her father and then the Shadows. “You’re right but I know you’re not the enemy. There are some things you think and others you simply know with every fiber of your being. I did have some questions. Were they big this will change your life questions are small things you talk about after a night spent with your lover? I don’t know the answer to that.”

  “Did you get your answers?”

  “Most of them. What’s your favorite color?”

  “Green and blue. I like that color you get when the blue sky kisses the green grass.”

  “I like that color too.”

  “What about you?”

  “I always thought it was red, then I saw the green of your eyes the way they sparkle and shine. That’s my favorite color.

  The stiffness of his body relaxed.

  “Kayden, the Shadow was never in the running, but I had to do due diligence.”

  “What did you find out?”

  “Whatever their plan is, it’s on an accelerated timetable. There is something about the way you and the others were made that bothers them. If we can find the answer, it may make taking them out easier. Did you mean it when you said that some races don’t have women?”

  “Yes, more than one war has been started over that very thing.”

  “I think it would be considered blasphemy on earth. Some might say that God didn’t mean for them to procreate.”

  “I believe that every planet should be left alone as well as taken on their own merit. We don’t get to say what God or anyone else feels about their planet.”

  “I agree. It’s hard enough for me to understand what should be done on this planet. I don’t want to talk about others, I want to talk about us.” She leaned forward brushing her lips over his. It was her fault that he was frowning. “I do not find the Shadows more attractive than I find you. Nor am I interested in any of them or the one that contacted me. I’m interested in you, but you’ve been saying to me from the beginning to be sure I know what I want.”

  Her fingers traced over his chest. What she wanted was to lick his hard nipples, suck on them until his dick rose up and then ride him like he was a horse on a merry-go-round that she would never get off.

  “I did what you said. It didn’t matter how many ways I processed it the lucky number always ended up on you.”

  Kayden’s moans slid down her throat. “I was never wanted as more than a plaything. My status was leaked. It should have been private, but those who made us didn’t care for such things. I hoped that you would want me for me. Not because of how I was made or the fact that I was part of an elite squad of killers. I didn’t want to be the freak in your eyes.”

  “I think we should have talked sooner. We were too busy guessing about the other person instead of communicating. I want you for you, the you I see every day. Kayden you love your family, you treat them with respect while going out of your way to make their lives easier. You treat me like a queen, not the kind that can’t do anything for themselves. You treat me like I’m part of the process, like my opinion matters to you. You respect me, but you also make me feel loved not by touching me although you do that. It’s all the other things you do on top of that. I know that being with you means not getting hit when you're upset, but it also means you’ll talk to me. I’m saying this all wrong. You’re the male I’ve been looking for and I want to take that next step with you.”

  “I want you too. I needed you to be sure that there wasn’t someone better for you out there.”

  “Kayden, there’s always someone better. The question is, who are you committed to. I’m committed to you.”

  Kayden nodded his green eyes sparkled like the sea having an affair with the sun. He took Keva’s mouth in a kiss that made her heart race, her pulse skittered in a frenzy. Her breath was caught in her throat. If she were to die, this would be the perfect moment. He pulled back, she pulled air into her lungs, her eye sight came back online and her ears that stopped all sound worked again to hear her heart racing as it tried to find a normal beat.

  His mouth went to her neck and his teeth grazed her skin. She came awake with a vengeance wanting to do some exploring of her own. Her hands ran up and down his back, her nails slightly scratched him never doing damage but letting him know she was there. The pads of her fingers explored his back next. His skin was smooth except over his spine. Was that where his shift happened? It was something she wondered about. She still didn’t know what he shifted into and wasn’t in a big hurry to find out. What if it was a blob?

  She saw this old movie about a blob that wanted to consume the earth or some such thing. It was a long time ago.

  “I’ll accept you even if you turn into a blob.”

  He stopped tracing her breasts with his tongue. She’d have to time her statements carefully next time.

  “A what?”

  “A blob a big circle thing that wants to eat everything in its path.”

  “That’s kind of you,” he choked o
n a laugh. “What if I turn into a werewolf?”

  “Aren’t they hairy?” Could they finish this conversation after he sucked her nipples?

  “Yes.”

  “As long as you’re the hairy one and not me it’ll be okay. You better clean up after yourself.”

  “I will,” he bent his head and sucked a nipple into his mouth.

  If he kept doing that she might clean up after him with no complaints. A sweet moan left her lips that became a higher pitch and filled with need the harder and longer he sucked. When he changed nipples, cream slipped from between her legs. One feel of his thick cock told her she was going to need it all to sooth his entry. Her hips surged while her pussy pulsed.

  Her fingers went to the band of his joggers. She tugged on them not liking how they stopped her progress. Her hand slipped inside to cup his ass. God, she loved his ass it was one of those compact ones that weren’t too big and wasn’t juicy. Hers might jiggle but she liked to watch men who didn’t have any jiggle. Kayden’s was pure muscle like there was an exercise just for it and he did it every day. There probably was an exercise for just the butt. Maybe she should find out what it was and do it.

  “Does my butt jiggle too much for you?” Her lower lip found its way between her teeth.

  His hand slipped around until he was holding her ass in his hand. “If you’re asking me is your ass a distraction when I walk behind you, the answer is yes. It’s one of the reasons I like to walk behind you.”

  A smile graced her lips as she tugged at the waistband of his jogger. He took the hint and stood taking them off before crawling back on the bed to play with her abdomen. He kissed her and licked her making her hips thrust more while her breasts perked up wanting more action. She pinched them hard increasing her need for him.

  “I need you inside me.”

  “Condom?”

  “I don’t carry any disease that you can catch.”

  “Umm babies are catchy you know that, right?”

  “Only if we are mated.”

  That was news he should have started off with. She set aside her need for a condom and worked on flipping him over. Stradling him she started her own exploration. Nipples hard and begging for her mouth met her greedy lips. She loved his chest she nuzzled it after sucking both nipples. The color of his skin fascinated her and the taste along with that honeysuckle smell was some type of aphrodisiac that took her higher every time she was close to him.