For about the millionth time, she tried to moisten her cracked, bleeding lips with her very dry tongue. It seemed as though she’d swallowed the Sahara Desert. There was no moisture left in her worn-out body.
Anita laughed, a hysterical, high-pitched sound that startled her. Lord, she was absolutely certifiable. This had to be some really warped dream. She’d wake up in her cozy apartment and laugh about the whole thing. Or maybe she’d been given a powerful, mind-altering drug that sparked vivid illusions. Still her mind had no trouble accepting the absurd peculiarities of the situation, circling back to the same facts, and she found herself believing in this insane fantasy.
She walked through the wilderness accompanied by a black jaguar that did not belong on this continent as they made their way to his home. The magnificent creature that possessed a medical background and had the ability to speak within her mind. Oh, and the most fantastic part… Sometimes the jaguar could take the form of a human. A sexier-than-hell hunk who stirred her latent sex drive.
Yup, she was ready for her padded room and white coat with extra-long sleeves. Anita pictured herself sitting in a wheelchair on a beautiful landscaped lawn, a woven blanket draped across her legs. The nurse would place a small white pill on her tongue, which she then dry swallowed. Not long after, she’d be clapping as a parade, created by her drugged, delusional mind, passed by.
She nodded her head, accepting her fate. “I’m totally bonkers.”
You’re not crazy, my love. The confusion will pass once you’re healthy again.
She walked in a dazed state, her mind refusing to process coherent thought any longer. Compassionate words of encouragement in that sexy voice were the only lifeline she had to hold on to as she surrendered herself to his care.
* * * * *
Rakahnja had observed the beautiful dark-haired woman from a distance for years. She was part of the land he loved and visited often. One of the few humans he’d ever encountered who actually cared about the mountains, leaving little if any trace of her passing behind, taking joy in the beauty of his home.
The closest he’d ever dared get to the woman was to watch over her sleeping form during long, lonely nights. Something about her drew him, attempting the impossible task of bridging the gaping hole within his soul.
Finding her unconscious had nearly ripped his heart to shreds. In that moment, Kahn realized he loved her. Always had.
Ludicrous.
There was absolutely no way a being such as he could ever expect to win a human mate. She’d never accept him or the primitive life he’d provide. Besides, he’d learned the harsh truth about mixed relationships from his parents’ example and Kahn refused to follow in their footsteps. Such folly would only end in misery and pain.
Although he’d given her brief glimpses of his human form, he primarily maintained his feline countenance, instinct telling him she’d be less afraid of an animal than a human male under the circumstances.
For some reason, the hunters who’d shadowed their movements never came near him. They’d come into his territory at different times over the last several months but didn’t pursue him, instead merely observing the environment. They appeared to be afraid of him and his being there protected the woman from any threat they may offer.
The men didn’t worry Kahn. This was his domain, where he ruled. Were they to become a menace to the woman, he would not hesitate to confront them, but while the men remained peaceful it was best to avoid any contact lest they discover his true nature. Were such an event to occur, it would end in a repeat of the fate his sire had faced.
No.
Kahn shook off the dire direction his thoughts had wandered. He was unwilling to delve into bitter emotions better left buried while the woman relied on him.
Keep walking, love.
He’d known she was visiting his territory but had remained unaware of her injury. Upon finding her, Kahn had been tentative in approaching her supine form, ready to run if she were to awaken. With each step closer, her natural feminine scent had filled his senses. Each stride revealing more of her outward beauty, yet it was the inner woman exposed through her actions over time who most captured his heart.
Thick locks of chestnut-brown hair framed a sweet, pixie face Kahn had dreamed of many nights. She kept her hair short, barely brushing slender shoulders, in a disheveled style. Sweeping, thick lashes fanned out above the high arch of delicate cheekbones. Her small nose turned up at the end and just a bit to the right above a pair of wide, full lips. Normally those lips were a vibrant red, but now they appeared pale and dry, almost dusky.
The thrill of being so close to her was intoxicating. He’d been unable to resist standing over her for a moment, drinking in every delicious detail, storing them away for the long, empty nights. Each lush curve of her voluptuous form would forever be vivid in his memories.
The awkward position of her body, along with the disturbed terrain, indicated she’d fallen and been injured. Kahn had narrowly resisted the urge to shift and scoop her up into his human arms. His heart ached for any pain she may have suffered, but long ago he’d decided never to show himself to anyone. His dealings with humans had never been pleasant. Instead, he’d gently nudged her shoulder with his nose.
Wake up, love, he’d encouraged, speaking within her mind.
Fear had tightened his chest when his actions failed to rouse his sleeping beauty. Momentarily giving in to overwhelming desire, he’d bathed her delicate face with broad sweeps of his long tongue, savoring her sweet woman flavor as it burst inside his mouth. Even in his human form, Kahn’s tongue was rough like the cats. He also had a feline barb beneath the head of his cock that was there in both forms, though it had never opened. He wasn’t even sure it was functional.
When she’d finally begun to stir, he’d moved back into the cover of nearby foliage, determined to maintain his anonymity.
As she’d slowly come around, she had taken great care in checking for injuries. She stood and the slight wince briefly marring her radiant face didn’t escape his notice. Kahn admired her strength, watching as she bit back the pain and moved into survival mode. Regardless of her obvious confusion, she set about finding her gear.
Discovering her water container broken and empty, she’d let loose with a stream of unladylike curses that made him chuckle, but it didn’t take her long to develop a plan of action. He’d followed as she headed out in search of food, water and a way off the mountain.
Each lethargic movement in the wrong direction revealed how dire her situation had become. She must have remained unconscious for days and was now afflicted by the effects of dehydration.
Kahn had no choice other than to slowly make his presence known. There was no way he’d stand by as she wandered around in a haze and died, even if interfering did go against all his self-imposed rules.
When his projected thoughts had reached her, Kahn felt a strange elation. His parents had shared a deep connection that permitted the rare form of communication, but he’d never found anyone able to hear him before.
That’s it, love. You’re doing well, he had encouraged.
He directed her toward the large cave that was his home. It was the closest location where he could care for her and provide much-needed food and water.
Kahn pulled his thoughts from the past and focused on the current situation. At times, he’d been unable to prevent the change into human form. His normal control was greatly diminished by his concern over the woman’s deteriorating condition. When the last of her considerable strength was depleted and her body crumpled into a heap, he’d had no choice other than to shift after making certain the hunters would not observe the phenomenon. As a human, it was easy for Kahn to gather her into his arms, carrying her home.
He spoke to her in a soothing voice while walking, uncertain if his words were more for her benefit or his own.
“So beautiful and strong. I won’t let anything happen to you, love. You’re safe with me.”
Even in h
er weakened condition, she called to him in ways no other female ever had. Having her in his arms felt right…as if she belonged there. The animal roared with glee at having taken possession of the woman whom every fiber of his being declared to be his mate. The man, on the other hand, was cautiously optimistic. She may or may not be the one he’d searched for his entire life. The one who’d accept him, bring him completion.
“Are you the one?” She nuzzled his neck when he spoke, seeking a greater closeness.
Hope battled with lifelong painful lessons and the excruciating ache of longing. Kahn’s sire had been a magnificent black jaguar shifter, his mother a human. Their love had been pure, but they were not accepted in either the animal or human worlds that sought to tear them apart.
Kahn had been only a teenager when his father was stalked and killed by ruthless hunters. Their plan had been to capture him and cash in on the strange beast-man but his sire had put up too great a fight. In the end, the hunters had used their deadly weapons to protect their own lives. Alone and alienated by society, his mother had closed herself off and died within a year, leaving Kahn to fend for himself.
“I won’t let that happen to you.” Kahn made a vow to protect her. Regardless of the way she made his heart sing and encouraged him to dream of a shared future, he would not make such a leap. There was no way the exquisite beauty would ever agree to Kahn claiming her as his mate. And he would not put her in jeopardy or subject her to a relationship with no plausible chance of a happy future.
“Here we are, love.”
With extreme care, he laid her down on the soft bed he’d made from wild grasses and the scraps of material left behind by countless humans who came to his lands for a reprieve from their concrete-and-steel cities. The worn blanket he placed over her sunburned flesh seemed discordant, out of place. She should be covered in the finest, softest linens man produced. The inability to provide such luxuries stirred a deep sense of inadequacy within him, firming his resolve.
“You will not suffer the way my mother did.”
Looking around his home, Kahn was painfully aware of the comforts it lacked. He needed to just wipe from his mind the crazy ideas and focus on the task of keeping her alive, pushing his yearnings aside. He’d nurse her back to health, then leave the woman be. Her chances of a long, satisfying life were much better without him complicating things.
She was so different from other humans he’d known. Something about her drew him, speaking to his spirit and claiming his soul. He’d been unable to leave her lying at the bottom of the slope to die, vulnerable to wild predators. Such a fate was something he refused to even contemplate.
The first thing he had to do was get some fluids into her. This proved to be a more difficult task than he’d imagined. While cupping her head in one hand, angling it forward, he tried to part her lips and scoop water into her mouth. Each attempt only resulted in the water streaming down her face and neck to soak the bed. He’d need a third hand to make it work.
“You have to help me, love.”
Thinking of how mother birds fed their young, Kahn decided this would be the best way to get water into the woman.
Ah, but what sweet torture. The first brush of his lips against hers generated a fierce jolt of lust, which surged through his veins and made his heart beat faster. Visions of fucking her filled his mind. The sweet pleasure of her moist pussy wrapped around him made his cock stir, stiffen and lengthen. Her soft moans and whimpers bombarded him with overwhelming desire.
Would she make those same noises as he shafted her hot cunt? He imagined the silken walls grasping at him as they indulged their passion. Kahn pictured making a place for himself between her thighs, teasing his cock along damp, welcoming folds. He’d fuck her hard and fast, plunge into her until his balls slapped against her ass and the head of his cock touched her womb.
He growled and his cock jerked to rigid attention. Only through sheer will and determination was he able to push back his carnal ideas and tend to the woman’s immediate needs.
“Open for me.”
The stubborn female resisted his efforts to share the water until Kahn traced the seam of her lips with his tongue, gaining entry into the warm cavern when she gasped. Transferring the cool liquid into her mouth and coaxing the unconscious woman to swallow was a slow, tedious process. He had to give her the water in a slow trickle or she’d gag, coughing out the life-sustaining substance her body required. They both ended up wet, but at least he was getting some of the fluid into her. Between each mouthful of water she took, he offered praise.
Hours ticked by laboriously as the task of hydrating her consumed him, yet Kahn never gave in to his own needs or took a break. A sense of contentment from being needed as he cared for the woman touched off a barrage of unfamiliar emotions he didn’t know how to handle. He found it easier to remain busy and not think too much.
In the pre-dawn hours, she began to show some signs of life and recovery. The dark-haired beauty started to draw the liquid from his mouth, sucking at his lips and tongue as he fed her thirst. Each time he pulled away to gather more water from the nearby bowl, she made an instinctive move to maintain the seductive contact.
“So beautiful, love.” The tribute rumbled up from his throat, tightened by emotion.
Lying next to her on the bed, their bodies molded close together, provided the most sensual experience he’d ever known. Kahn couldn’t resist letting his human hands roam over the soft curves and valleys of her gorgeous body fitted tightly to him. He continued to speak words of comfort, small expressions of love, close to her ear as she rubbed against him, seeking his warmth and the succor of his nearness.
No matter how fatigued he became, Kahn would not allow himself to sleep through the next day and even long into the following night as he nursed her back to health. At times she mumbled incoherently. Other times she lay completely still. But the moments he enjoyed the most were when she pressed her soft, feminine body against his hard, masculine planes, keeping him in a perpetual state of arousal.
As her body strengthened, he fed her small bites of roots and berries he’d mashed until they became soft. Caring for the enticing beauty tired his body but fulfilled his heart. Eventually, exhaustion dragged him into a deep sleep and he shifted back to his animal form.
Chapter Three
Slipping off the scratchy blanket she slept under, Anita curled against the warm pelt cushioning her side. She longed to wrap herself in the silky fur but soon decided it wasn’t a pelt at all when it didn’t budge under her endless tugging. The luxurious coat rose and fell in an even rhythm.
Oh my! A very large animal was curled at her side. She trembled with fear and uncertainty for a moment before remembering her journey through the wilderness. The big jaguar had helped her and posed no danger. He must be the one she had slept next to.
Delicious, yet disjointed memories of a tall, dark-skinned man played through her muddled mind. She recalled long, heated kisses and drinking water laced with his exotic taste from sensual lips. There had also been large, smooth hands stroking over her body, making her burn with desire. Each time his head had dipped toward hers, soft strands of cool hair tickled her face and neck, forming an intimate curtain around them.
Just thinking of the caring stranger’s attentions heated her flesh and stirred her libido. But it was a more pressing matter that captured her attention.
The fullness of her strained-to-capacity bladder made Anita’s belly swell. Running her hand over the roundness, she imagined this was how her abdomen would feel in the early stages of pregnancy.
An all too familiar ache assaulted her. She was too old to anticipate having children. Her time for experiencing that particular joy had passed unfulfilled. There wasn’t time to find a suitable husband and potential father before her baby-making equipment shut down. Better to chase such thoughts away and focus on the here and now.
Upon forcing her eyes open, she found the dim light of her surroundings revealed nothing familiar
. She was camping somewhere in the mountains but was unable to recall the location of her campsite. Maybe this was the safe place Rakahnja had been directing her toward all day.
Oh well, nature calls. As she sat up, she shuddered at the loss of heat from the fur at her side. Moving to her feet as fast as her fatigued body would allow, she reached out with her hands like a blind person while moving forward. A wave of dizziness passed over Anita when her fingertips came into contact with cold stone. She was quick to draw them back.
What the hell?
She explored her surroundings, ending up at the wide opening of a cave. This bewildered her even more. She’d never made her camp in a cave. It was just something she wouldn’t do. You never knew what creatures had made their homes there and would be disturbed by the intrusion.
Weariness, along with fathomless thirst and hunger, plagued her. After relieving her most immediate need, the fatigue won out. She made her way back into the cave and lay down on the bed, which smelled of sweet grass and old, musty wool. As she drifted off to sleep, the large animal snuggled closer, sharing its warmth.
In her befuddled condition, Anita was not going to complain. She would take whatever comfort she was able find. And she felt safe, even protected by the animal. Whispered words of reassurance floated through her mind, leaving her with sublime impressions of peace, security and love.
Kahn sensed the moment she woke up. Confusion and tension seeped into her lush body and her muscles tightened. Lying very still, he relied on his acute hearing to follow her movements. If she wandered very far, he’d let her leave but follow at a discreet distance to ensure her safety. No matter how much he wanted her in his home, he refused to keep her there by force or subject her to certain heartache.
He’d seen signs the hunters had been in the area while he’d cared for the woman. It bothered him since he was unaware of their intentions, but he discarded the concern. His primary goal was to nurse her back to health. If doing so meant he must confront the humans, he would do so without hesitation, even if it brought their attention to him.
Rakahnja's Haven Page 2
