“The comfort of a true mate.”
“Yes. My cats want Nyx’s jaguar too. I’ve been bombarded with images of them curled around Nyx’s jaguar and licking its black fur.” Anton rubbed at his eyes as his cats showed him another picture of Nyx’s cat. This one depicted Nyx in her jaguar form leaning against his side while he was in his human form. “And I know her jaguar will have black fur with slightly darker rosettes you’d have to get close to pick out. Her eyes will be green, and her growl will be fierce to match her inherently protective instincts.”
“Keep your mating a secret, then. She can live here with me in West Virginia. You can visit her on your weekends off. I know it’s not ideal but—”
“And risk death every time I leave the campus? The Code of Conduct only guarantees a councilman’s safety on campus.”
“We’d have someone meet you each time you left and act as your guard while you’re off campus. It’ll be fine.”
“And how long do you think I’d be able to keep our mating secret? She’ll smell like me.”
“Only if you lick her mate bite. It’s not necessary. Hell, let the mating bite heal completely, then nobody will know she’s mated.”
Anton shoved away from the window ledge and paced. “Secrets have a way of coming out. Don’t you think the other Council members would start to question my odd behavior? I haven’t left the campus grounds since the Council moved here. If I suddenly start slipping away, people will talk and rumors will spread.”
“You can make up some sort of excuse. Maybe use Molly as your reason for visiting. The Council will want regular updates on her once the truth about her being a pride leader comes out.”
“That won’t happen for years. We agreed it’d be best if she learns how to control her moods first.”
“About that…”
“About what?” Anton gripped the phone tighter. “We agreed—”
“Molly’s tired of hiding. She wants to stand before the Council and announce herself as a pride leader.”
“It’s too dangerous. Without the first Alexander’s book—”
“Molly is a pride leader. She wants to meet any threat head-on. I can’t blame her. I’d want to do the same.”
“Pride leader or not, Molly is still a child. Tell her no.”
“Maybe. I’m considering my options. In the meantime, the answer to your favor is yes. I’ll make sure your true mate is escorted to West Virginia before the week is out. Try to keep your instincts in check until then.”
Dammit. Anton wanted to argue about Molly. With their current laws, as a female, she couldn’t be a pride leader. Debating the issue was pointless. Kade was as stubborn as the cats he housed. Anton would have to broach the subject another time.
“Thank you, Kade.”
“There’s no need to thank me. You’re pride. Protecting each other’s loved ones is what pride mates do for each other.”
“And if there’s anything I can do for Zoe, let me know. I’ll make it happen.”
“Zoe doesn’t count. She’s a human I extended my protection to out of necessity. She’s not a loved one. Not even a female I would’ve chosen to talk to if I’d had the choice. That makes her my problem only.”
“Really?” Anton couldn’t mask his disbelief. They might not have spoken in months, but it didn’t take a genius to guess at the reason for Kade’s intense desire to get Zoe back. “You’re going to tell me Zoe’s not important to you.”
“Zoe is a troublesome female who obviously wants nothing to do with me. Leave it at that.” Kade exhaled loudly. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
The call ended. Anton slid the phone into his rear pocket and made his way to the stairs. Although he’d secured Nyx’s safety for tonight, he had to get his little jaguar shifter to agree to be shipped off and stay with people she didn’t know. Somehow, Anton suspected winning that argument would be more difficult than convincing the Council to grant their females equal rights.
Chapter 12
For a man who claimed to work constantly—sunup to sundown—Anton owned a surprisingly large number of fiction books. Nyx skimmed her fingers over the bumpy spines of classic literature. She’d read many of the same stories. Without a television in her family home, tales such as these served as her entertainment.
Nyx selected a random title and opened the cover, confirming it was indeed a classic book of fiction. Where were the law books Boris had mentioned? Did they even exist? Or had he lied to her about that fact too?
“Do you like to read?”
Anton’s deep voice slipped through Nyx, warming her as easily as his touch had. The memory of being held under his body—at his mercy—returned. She could almost feel his breath on her skin. The spot where her shoulder met her neck tingled still.
Nyx closed her eyes and willed her traitorous body to behave. No matter how many times she reminded herself not to lust after the enemy—or supposed enemy—she couldn’t stop her naughty thoughts from taking over her mind. “Going by the collection you have here, you must.”
“Most older shifters are avid readers. Technology is quite new, relatively speaking. And books, letters, journals… Those things were important ways for our species to communicate. Humans couldn’t read the old language. We could safely discuss the issues affecting our species and not worry about some human learning something they shouldn’t know.”
She couldn’t imagine the life Anton had lived. Even the stories Boris had told about his youth left her both in awe and glad she’d been born in this century. “You must’ve felt cut off from the world. I never did, even though I didn’t leave our property. We had a phone and computers. I can’t imagine life without instant communication. The distance between packs and prides must’ve made it difficult to contain threats or rogue shifters before having them.”
“Yes and no.”
Nyx faced Anton. Dressed in another pair of chinos—black, this time—and a white button-down dress shirt with the sleeves loosely rolled, Anton looked as casual and deliciously hot as he had the first night she’d laid eyes on him.
The urge to go to him was just as strong as it had been then. Even knowing he’d killed the man Boris had used as a pawn in his manipulations didn’t dim her craving. In a way, Anton’s actions today intensified her yearning for his touch. He’d protected her.
Killed for her.
Anton’s violent response appealed to her primitive side. Her shifter nature loved knowing a powerful male had fought for her. That was the type of behavior her jaguar looked for in a partner. He’d do the same for their children too.
Of course, she and Anton would never have children. Only mated couples could reproduce, and Anton would never mate her.
She blinked at him, refocusing her thoughts. “What do you mean?”
“Most shifter groups lived under the very strict hand of their alpha leader. Any internal issues were handled swiftly and forcefully much as they are today. External ones…the rogue shifters or dangerous human…” Anton nodded, his features grim. “Those were of great concern to all groups, especially as we didn’t have Shifter Affairs to come clean up our messes.”
“What did you do, then?”
“Whatever was necessary to contain those threats. Oftentimes, that involved soliciting the help of the angels of death. The assassins of our kind were revered years ago. When an angel walked onto a shifter group’s lands, they were treated as royalty.” Anton smirked. “It was said that if you looked death in the eye, you would live another day.”
“Because assassins will make the kill before most people realize they are in danger.” Boris had explained that. He had several deep friendships with assassins.
Anton inclined his head slightly. “And they have few to no scruples. They live by a code the rest of us would never be able to uphold, and for the most part, our society has turned a blind eye to their activities. An ignorance is bliss sort of thing.”
“Not so much anymore, right?” Boris had warned her
not to mention the visits of the assassins to the other shifters she chatted with on the heavily encrypted computer networks that connected shifters around the world.
“Their numbers are dwindling, but it’s a reflection of our species’ growth and involvement with the humans. Shifter Affairs handles many of the same issues the assassins had, but in a more ethical manner.”
“Do you think that’s a good change or a bad one?” Boris had been convinced it would be devastating. Someday, they’d need a heartless killer to sweep in and destroy, not worry about the emotions of those left behind.
“It’s neither good nor bad. It simply is.” Anton tapped the spine of the book in her hands. “You didn’t answer my question. Do you like to read?”
“Yes. I love all types of books. Fiction, nonfiction, biographies, and even boring law books. Actually, those are my favorite. I’m fascinated by the law, both human and shifter varieties.”
“Boring law books are your favorite?” The disbelief in Anton’s voice was clear.
“Yes. You wouldn’t happen to have any law books here, do you?”
“Of course. I’ve dedicated my life to the law. My personal collection is kept in my study.”
“Not here?”
“This is the room where I accept visitors.” Anton’s voice hardened. “During the occasional times people visit me.”
“I’d love to read them. Would you show me where they are?” She hadn’t seen any room that looked like a study in her explorations of this house.
Anton leaned a shoulder against the wall a few feet from where she stood and crossed his arms over his chest. Then, he stared at her for a long minute as if trying to decide why she wanted to see his private collection. “Another day. It’s well past midnight.”
“Please? I have nothing else to do. My laptop is in my room, and my phone is dead.”
“You can get your laptop and whatever else you need from your room. The body has been removed.” Anton cleared his throat. “You won’t be able to sleep there tonight, however.”
“Why not?”
“Blood got on the bed. I had it removed, along with the rug. The stench of death lingers for a long time if you don’t clean up properly.”
Nyx pressed the book she still held to her chest. Anton knew quite a bit about cleaning up after a dead body. “I wouldn’t have thought about that.”
Anton shrugged. “I’m very sensitive to scents. I can’t not think about things like that.”
“Because you’re a Royal. Three cats intensify your senses.”
“Yes.”
“And having three predators sharing your body and soul spikes your instincts and makes you stronger too. Right?”
Anton inclined his head slowly. His careful gaze never left her eyes.
She licked her lips. The intensity in his stare unnerved her. She could’ve sworn he suspected her of something. Maybe trying to get information out of him. In that case, he’d be right. At least this part of her goal for coming here hadn’t changed. She had to find out what happened to Bianca.
What Nyx would do with the truth once she learned it was still up in the air. Destroying the life of the man who’d protected her didn’t sit well with her. But protecting a man who’d killed a woman for betraying him didn’t either. It was all about motive. Protection versus rage.
“I guess I always knew Royals were superior to single shifters. I mean, everyone told me that growing up.” Dropping her gaze, Nyx gave a half shrug and smiled. Hopefully, the demure look appeared genuine. “I was never really around Royals, though. Sure, some came to see Boris from time to time, but none of them ever felt like you did earlier today.”
Anton grabbing the book she held tore a startled gasp from her. She yanked her gaze to his face. He watched her. From inches away, the intensity of his stare stripped her bare. She felt as if he could touch her soul. It was a crazy thought. Such a thing was impossible. The way her jaguar reached for Anton made her feel incredibly exposed, however.
The book left her hands. Anton slid it into the vacant spot on the bookshelf. “How did I feel?”
Many descriptions came to mind. The naughtier ones weren’t appropriate to share. “Powerful.”
Anton lifted her chin slightly. His thumb caressed her skin. Warmth spread from where he held her to her neck and shoulders. “In my werecat form or as I am now?”
“Both.” The truth came out. Like this with his gaze locked on hers, she couldn’t bring herself to lie or skirt the truth.
“Does that make you feel safe with me? Or are you afraid of me?” Still holding her chin, Anton used his other hand to trace her nose, then her cheekbones. “Because I can’t tell. You’re trembling.”
She hadn’t realized that. Nyx pressed a hand against Anton’s chest, using him to steady herself. “Can’t you tell from my scent? You do have three cats enhancing your senses.”
A slow, wicked smile spread over Anton’s face. “If I based all my actions on what my primitive side tells me, I’d be inside you right now. Fucking you. Tearing your restraint to shreds. And you’d be begging me to make you mine.”
Anton’s words and his tone flipped a switch inside Nyx. She hungered. More than she had when she first walked into this house. Lust left her ravenous. Only Anton could satisfy her needs.
Nyx trailed her fingers down Anton’s hard stomach, stopping her exploration at his waistband. “I thought I already belonged to you. Isn’t that what you told me? I’m your secretary.”
“Yes, you are.” Anton traced the curve of her mouth. She couldn’t see the teasing stroke, but she felt it, deep inside her where only a man could touch. “But if I gave in to the primal drives we both feel, you’d be more.”
The images her jaguar kept feeding her danced across her mind. While some had tried to encourage her to get Anton naked, others had focused on the impossible—her jaguar running with Anton’s cats and snuggling with them. Only soul-bond mates could walk through each other’s souls.
Her heart beat faster as her confusion spiked. Nyx tipped her head back slightly. Anton’s hold on her chin firmed, stopping her from easing any farther away from him. “Lust can’t make me important to you. Shifters lust over each other all the time. Sex is…sex. It doesn’t mean anything. Not really.”
Anton pressed his leg against her, turning her, then stepped forward, essentially trapping her body between his and the bookshelf at her back. “If sex meant so little to me, why do you think I’ve avoided it for so long?”
“Rumor has it you’re too cold and too focused on your work to be bothered with women.”
With the fingers that had mapped her face, Anton gripped the edge of her skirt. His knuckles brushed her bare thigh. The trembling in her limbs returned. Holding on to Anton didn’t stop it this time. She was shaken to the core.
“The problem with rumors is that most are based on fear and ignorance. Not truth. Not reality.” Anton dragged her skirt higher. He didn’t reach underneath. Didn’t skim his fingertips along her inner thigh. Didn’t so much as expose her panties. His simple action, however, left her anxious, waiting on his next move. “And believing rumors can be dangerous, Nyx. Very dangerous. I’d recommend you don’t fall into that habit.”
“When you have nothing else to base your opinions on, rumors are better than nothing.”
Anton released his tight grip on her skirt and slid his hand to her ass—her panty-covered ass. The hip-hugging silk covered her bottom, saving her from feeling the heat of Anton’s touch on her skin, but the firm press of his palm on her ass cheeks built a dangerous sense of anticipation within her. She wanted more than just his hand on her ass. So much more.
“No.” Anton flexed his fingers. The bite of his fingertips in her bottom added to her growing eagerness. “Silence is best until you uncover the truth.”
“Silence can be dangerous too. Sometimes, you can’t sit back quietly and wait for the truth to drop in your lap. You have to uncover it. Any way you can.”
“I
agree.” Anton spoke the words softly into her ear. “So ask me why I haven’t been with a lover in decades.”
“How many decades?”
“Two, three, I’ve lost track.” Anton bit her earlobe just enough that her eyelids drifted closed. “My patience isn’t endless. Ask me.”
She heard the warning in his tone. Felt it in the possessive way he touched her. He was ready to make his earlier fantasy a reality. “Why haven’t you taken a lover? Women would beg for a chance to be with you. To feel your lips against theirs. To taste you. Just once.”
“Would you?” Anton’s breath warmed a path to her mouth. “Beg me for a kiss?”
She dipped her chin in response. Then waited for the pressure of Anton’s mouth on hers, for his tongue to slip past her lips, for his taste to drug her.
“Say it.”
His command compelled her to obey. “Please. Kiss me, Anton. Just once.”
“Nyx.” Anton whispered her name. Then he was kissing her. There was nothing gentle about the way he took her mouth. Nothing sweet. Nothing that made her want to sigh with the romanticism of this moment.
Anton dominated her. Took from her.
With a firm tug, he yanked her against his body. Her back arched as he leaned over her. His kiss was bruising, demanding. He didn’t give her a chance to match his passion. He pulled her in. She had no choice but to submit to him.
His sharper fangs descended, nicking her tongue and his. The taste of heavenly chocolate flooded her mouth. She twined her tongue with Anton’s. More of the rich flavor drugged her. She couldn’t get enough.
Digging her nails into his biceps, she clung to him. Her legs felt too shaky to hold herself up. Her head spun. Her hands shook. Every breath she took intensified the feeling.
“Anton.” She managed to get his name out but didn’t know what she meant by saying it. She simply needed… “More. Please, more.”
An animalistic sound rumbled in Anton’s chest. He lifted her with a hand under her ass. She automatically hooked her ankles at the base of his spine and linked her hands behind his neck. Her shoulders met the bookshelf, and the hard outline of Anton’s cock pressed into her groin.
Forbidden Mate_Shifter World Page 11
