In her dream, he had been so relieved to see her that he’d swept her into his arms and kissed her mouth. Apparently, reality was going to require more finesse. “I am sorry about the bite. I was overwhelmed and I panicked.”
Heaving a heavy sigh, he looked beyond her for a moment. His emotions were clearly in conflict. “There is no reason to fear me, Jatara. Fear is the last thing I want for us.”
She gasped and took a step back. “How do you know my name?”
“Your lovely blonde friend told me before she disappeared.” He watched her closely but allowed the distance between them.
“She told me your name as well, Aylon.” He smiled, but she had to glance away. It was the first of many lies she’d be required to tell if she hoped to plan a future with this man. “She also told me you are a dream-walker. Why did you only come to me once? I waited each night for you to return, yet you never joined me again.”
“You promised to return. I was waiting to see if you kept your promises. There can be nothing between us without trust.”
She fiddled with the sleeves of her tunic, feeling inadequate for the task ahead. How could she make him understand all she had been through if she could not tell him the truth? “It took a bit longer than I’d intended, but I am here.”
He approached slowly, as one would a wounded animal. “Relax, love. I would never harm one so obviously favored by the gods.” He was clearly teasing her, but he had no idea how close he had stumbled to the truth. “Where have you been? I was hoping to spend more time with you. Maybe learn more than your name.”
“I…” She had debated what to tell him with Bellin as they trained, but none of the stories they’d rehearsed rang true. “You seem kind and honorable. I do not want to be a burden on you.”
“What foolishness is this?” He gently took her hand. “You could never be a burden. It is my honor to care for you.”
What a novel idea. She smiled, yet her insides twisted. Her next few words might well shape her future for many years to come. She had to be certain. “I have lost everything.” She whispered the claim as tears welled in her eyes. In a way it was true. She had lost her family and her tribe when she accepted Bellin’s challenge. “I have not been able to locate anyone from my party. I fear they all perished in the storm.”
His arms closed around her, drawing her slowly into the warmth of his embrace. This was what she’d wanted, what she’d longed for ever since she left him on the beach.
“I will share your grief and I offer any comfort I can.” The sincerity in his tone was mirrored in his beautiful blue eyes. “I will protect you and provide for you while your heart heals. Just do not run from me again.”
She dragged her gaze away from his handsome face and shook her head. “Why do you care what happens to me? I am a stranger to you.”
“I know you are Therian. It’s there in your scent and your taste. Therians mate for life and I knew you were my mate as soon as your scent reached my nose.” He raised his hand to her face and traced her lips with his thumb. “Are you going to try to convince me that you feel nothing when I touch you?”
“I feel…” She lowered her lashes, hiding her expression and releasing the tears pooled in her eyes. “I am feeling this connection with you, which means my mate is dead.”
He tensed and lowered his arm, but didn’t step back. “You are soul bound?”
“That is why I grew so frightened when I kissed you. I was excited by your touch yet knew we were confirming my deepest fears.”
“Your mate was on the ship when the storm hit.”
“It is worse than that.” She sobbed. “You must know everything before you offer your protection.”
“Nothing you say will change what I feel for you. I tried to rid my mind of your image and it did not work. We are in this together, come what may.” He placed his hands on her hips and gazed into her eyes. “Tell me the rest. Let us have no secrets between us.”
“I am with child. If you open your heart to me, you will be…” Emotion closed her throat and she couldn’t complete the statement.
His smile was slow and filled with affection. “Is that the worst you can do? The fact that you told me only reinforces my assessment of your character. Your belly is still flat. You could have convinced me the child was mine, but you chose to be honorable. I will love the child as I love you. I offer you both my protection and my devotion.”
Hard sobs shook her shoulders as she collapsed against his chest. Relief and guilt buffeted her composure. He spoke of honor and devotion, yet she still twisted the truth. Could she trust him with such a secret? No. Even if she told him, he would think she was mad.
“Relax, my love.” He pulled her snugly against his chest and stroked her unbound hair. “You are safe now. Nothing will ever harm you again.”
She knew her life would never be that simple, but it was a comfort not to face it alone. His embrace felt so good, but the lies she had told weighed heavy on her heart, so she shared with him more of the truth. “I have reason to believe that I carry a daughter and she will inherit my abilities.”
“What are your abilities? Did your first mate define your animal nature?”
She took a deep breath and chose her words carefully, not wanting to scare him away. She’d had nearly two cycles of the moon to adjust to the changes in her life. She couldn’t expect him to accept everything in the course of one night.
“I am unlike most Therian females,” she began. “In fact, I am one of a kind. I believe that is why the gods spared my life and brought me to you.” Skepticism crept into his expression, but Jatara didn’t take offense. “You said I was favored by the gods. I know you were jesting, but in fact it is true. I host multiple animal natures and am able to shift into numerous forms.”
He stared at her in stunned silence, doubt clear on every feature.
“It is an unbelievable boast. I understand that.” She took several steps back and closed her eyes. Just that morning Bellin had taught her an exercise that helped her maintain control while shifting quickly from shape to shape. She drew energy into her chest and pictured the forms she wished to use, lining the animals up in sequential order. “Do not be afraid. I only do this so you will understand the truth of my claim.”
He crossed his arms over his broad chest, clearly annoyed by her warning.
She took another deep breath and released the energy. A tingling wave cascaded through her, sweeping away her human body and replacing it with a long, lithe jaguar. Aylon didn’t seem impressed. Doubtlessly he had seen females shift before. But Jatara didn’t hesitate. Summoning the energy from the tips of her claws to the crown of her head, she reshaped her body again. In one smooth undulation, a large wolf replaced the jaguar. Aylon’s eyes rounded and his mouth gaped, but he spoke not a word. Jatara shifted from the wolf into a puma and finally into a massive white bear.
Aylon stumbled back as the last animal solidified, clearly terrified by the creature.
It took a few moments for Jatara to gain control over the bear and force it back into the well from which it had been drawn. She reshaped her human form and fell to her knees, panting from the exertion.
“That was… I have never… Are you a goddess?” Aylon approached with equal parts caution and awe.
“I am a Therian, just like you.”
He knelt in front of her, reaching out one large hand to touch her arm. “No Therian I know can do what you just did.”
“The Mother Creator convinced Khonish to empower me with unusual abilities so I can fight the injustices so rampant in our world.”
“What sort of injustices? Even with your abilities, what can one woman do?”
They faced each other, still on their knees, and Jatara realized she was at a crossroads. She could allow the misconceptions and build her future on a lie, or she could trust her instincts, trust her mate, and tell him everything.
Including the identity of her baby’s father.
“My father is leader of our v
illage, just as your father rules over yours. To solidify an alliance, my father insisted that I join with a tiger prince even though I felt no attraction to the man. Would such a thing be allowed by your people?”
“Such unions are not unusual among my people, especially between powerful families. However, if the man mistreats the woman or fails to provide for her needs, she can sever the alliance and find a better man.”
“That is a step in the right direction. The women in my father’s village are basically the property of their mates.”
“Ours is not a perfect system. My mother was…motivated to accept my father as mate. She grew to love him eventually, but she was miserable until my birth formed an attachment between them.”
Jatara nodded, easily seeing how that could change a female’s perspective. “When Bellin created females with an undefined nature, it was her intention that females control their own life path. It never occurred to her that Therian males would take advantage of the vulnerability.”
“You speak of the Mother Creator as if you know her personally.”
“I was her faithful priestess when one of my father’s warriors tried to force himself on me. She appeared and drove the warrior away, saving me from ruin and degradation.”
Golden light flashed through the night and Bellin stepped out of the darkness. Aylon gasped and pivoted, trying to shield Jatara with his body.
“Fear not, brave son. I mean you no harm and Jatara knows me well.”
“You are the Mother Creator? It was you by the fire that night.”
“I am and it was,” Bellin said with a cheeky smile.
“I have served your brother since my birth and he has never appeared to me,” Aylon told her. “Why have you honored us with your presence?” Jatara moved up beside him and wrapped her arm around his lean waist.
“Your mate has chosen to disregard my advice and tell you everything.” Bellin paused for a moment, her penetrating gaze moving over Aylon’s face. “Jatara is blessed above all other women. Do you understand how important she is to me?”
“Yes, Great Lady.” He bowed his head but his voice was strong and clear. “I will protect her with my life.”
“She has been infused with these gifts so that she can fight for the cause of women and balance the power within the Therian world. Will you help her fight these battles and support her decisions?”
“Of course, Great Lady. I am honored to be chosen as her mate.”
“And her child.” Bellin’s tone grew softer, less commanding. “Will you open your heart to the child and love her as if she were your own daughter?”
“I will treasure them both, always.”
“Look at me. I would judge the sincerity of your claims.”
He raised his head and looked into her eyes. “I mean every word. I have never known such anger or such grief as when I thought I would never see her again.”
Bellin studied him a moment longer and then smiled at Jatara. “You have chosen well. His heart is true and his spirit strong. I see much of my brother in Aylon. You will be blessed with many sons and daughters. Enjoy them all.”
The goddess flashed out of sight as suddenly as she appeared and Jatara pushed to her feet. “Do you believe me now?”
Aylon stood as well and gathered her hands in his. “I believe you are blessed and chosen, but I am still confused. When you bit me, was that part of your—empowerment?”
“It was. I absorbed your animal nature as well as many others and then…” She hesitated. This was the only part of what she had done that she had not intended to confess. But Aylon had been so open, so accepting. She wanted only truth between them. “Then Khonish infused me with such power that not only are my abilities permanent, they will be passed on to my daughter.”
“The one within you now or all your female offspring?”
“All of my daughters will be extraordinary, but the one I carry now will be the next Omni Prime.”
“Omni Prime?”
“It is the title Bellin bestowed upon me. Therian males have alphas and prime alphas. We wanted a similar distinction for extraordinary females.”
He was quiet for a long time as he gazed off into the distance. Then he shifted his gaze to her face and asked, “Was there ever a boat caught in a storm or did Bellin bring you here?”
His sharp mind was obviously sifting through her claims, separating fact from fiction. “The goddess brought me here.”
“And you were never mated.”
It wasn’t a question, but she felt obligated to respond. “My child is a byproduct of my definition.”
“Meaning Khonish is the father?”
“Yes. I could not deceive you into thinking the child was yours, but I did not think you would believe the truth.”
He licked his lips and glanced away. “If Bellin had not chosen to appear, I am not sure I would have either. I have served Khonish my entire life, but never have I experienced anything like this. I have one more question and then I will focus on the future and the love still burning in my heart.”
“All right.”
“Were you willing or did he leave you no other choice? Khonish is known for his ruthless pursuit of pleasure.”
She silently debated what to say. He wouldn’t be Therian if the thought of his mate with another man didn’t upset him. “I knew from the beginning what his price would be, but I had agreed to pay it before I met you. If there had been any way to avoid the price, I would have taken it, I assure you.”
“Then we will speak of it no more.” He leaned down and kissed her, pushing his taste into her mouth as he inhaled her scent. “We should wait until we are officially joined before I claim you.” The hard thrust of his cock against her belly belied his words.
“You have already claimed my heart and my body has ached for you since I left you on the beach. A dream is no substitute for reality.”
“Well, we are not going to do this on the cold ground.” He took her by the hand and led her toward the settlement. “You will spend the night in my arms and tomorrow you will meet your new family.”
She threaded her fingers through his and gave his hand a firm squeeze as her mind filled with images of the pleasure they would soon share and the future they would build together.
He led her through the wooden dwellings, which were situated in concentric circles around a larger building. “What is that?” She motioned toward the unusually large structure.
“The feasting hall. We gather there to celebrate and plan the next hunt or voyage.”
“And which dwelling is yours?”
“I’ll show you.” Drawing her past the feasting hall, he brought her to one of the dwellings near the center of the settlement. “Welcome.” He lifted the woven panel hanging across the threshold and swept his arm toward the interior.
She ducked through the doorway and looked around. A fire pit smoldered in the center of the room, tendrils of smoke lazily drifting up and through the teardrop-shaped opening high above. On the far side of the fire pit sat a low platform covered in furs. Doubtlessly that was where Aylon slept and where they would consummate their bond.
Feeling oddly shy, she wandered about the room, noting the shields and weapons hanging on the walls. Were they decorations or tools of his trade?
“Would you like something to drink?” His voice was deep, his smile welcoming. He seemed content just to have her near.
She nodded. “I am a bit chilled.”
He took two cups from a nearby shelf and poured an amber liquid into each. His fingers brushed against hers as he passed her one of the cups and energy arced between them. “Sip it slowly. It’s stronger than it seems.”
Raising the cup to her lips, she cautiously took a sip. The taste was sweet, but heat flowed in its wake. “I see what you mean.”
They sipped in silence for a moment, staring deep into each other’s eyes. “Is this dwelling for you alone? Are both your parents still living?”
He nodded. “My parents are
both still alive. They share a dwelling not unlike this with my four younger siblings.”
“Why do you live alone?”
Pain flickered through his gaze for just a moment and then it was gone. “I built this longhouse three springs past, as a wedding present for my mate.”
“What happened to her?” Therians bonded for life, so the link was never formed or the woman was no longer living.
“Much to the horror of her father, she ran away with her lover not long before the ceremony had been scheduled to take place.”
“You do not seem overly upset about the development.”
“I had accepted the thought of mating with her and hoped that she could learn to love me as my mother did my father. Even so, there was no real attraction between us. As I said, our ways are not that much different from yours.” He took her by the hand and led her to the fur covered platform. “Tell me about your home.” He sat on the edge of the platform, so she sat beside him.
“This is my home now.” She had changed so much that it was hard to connect herself with the frightened girl Bellin had encountered in the rainforest. “My life begins tonight.”
“I accept that, but I am not sure my people will.”
“Then we will tell them the story I first told you. I am part of a band of traders that encountered a storm at sea. You found me on the beach dazed and grieving. I did not trust you at first and ran, but now I have returned because I have accepted that I am the only survivor.”
“But they must be told that the child is mine,” he insisted. “I want no hint of scandal to fall upon your name.”
His stubbornness pleased her deeply. They had not yet joined and already he protected her. “As you wish. Bellin assures me the child is female, so this will not disrupt the continuation of your bloodline.”
He took the cup from her hand and set them both aside. “Let us worry about one thing at a time. I want our bond solidified before anyone can object. Once you are my mate, no one will have the right to question our decisions.”
“Our decisions” sounded wonderful to Jatara. In her father’s village females did as they were told, always deferring to the choices and preferences of men. She intended to build a life at Aylon’s side, not cowering at his feet.
Therian Priestess Page 6
