But she was scared, when he caught up with them, standing on a tennis court, with floodlights spilling down across the grass, he could see the fear clearly in her face. But it wasn’t fear for herself; it was fear for him. He understood why. This was the reason they had come to the Prime, this was the man who had killed his father and forced him and his brothers into hiding.
This was the man. This was the moment. This was his life.
And he wanted to keep it. He had so much to live for, so much he wanted to do, so much unfilled potential. Being one with his lion, even over such a short space of time, had made him understand more about life than he had in all of his years before. Being with Amara was life.
Inside him, his lion stretched, pacing backwards and forwards, ready for release. His tail swished, his lips drew back over his sharp teeth. They were waking as if from a deep slumber, their blood stirring, adrenaline pumping, they would be triumphant, here on the ground that had belonged to his father. This usurper would pay the ultimate price.
“Well, what do we have here?” Serrif said. “You look familiar. A face I haven’t seen for such a long time. Yes, I know who you are. I have been expecting you, or one of the other little cubs. I knew eventually you would have to return.”
He dragged Amara close to him, his hand travelling over her body, disrespectful, enjoying the way she tensed. Then he kissed her cheek, making Amara pull away, and he let her go, leaving her to fall to the ground as she overbalanced.
“She won’t get far. After I have beaten you, there will be nowhere to hide. I will enjoy having her in my bed, just as I have enjoyed having your mother in my bed.” He sneered, and beside him, Kane’s mother hung her head in shame.
Serrif laughed. Then he walked towards Kane, confident, in control, and Kane knew he would beat this man to a pulp and not stop until he was dead on the floor. Inside him the alpha lion woke. The lion whose task it was to protect his pride was lifting his head, ready to tell the world he was here, and he would be victorious.
“Shall we, little lion cub?” Serrif asked in a sing-song voice.
Kane did not speak, he simply moved away, gathering his lion to him, and letting him spring to life, fur erupting, claws digging into the ground, sharp teeth piercing his gums, tail flicking the air, not in anger, but in disgust at this man who had taken everything from him as a child.
Well, payback was coming. And payback was a young lion who was about to strike.
“You think you can take me on?” Serrif laughed. “I mean, really. You are already battered and bruised, it wouldn’t be a fair fight.”
Kane lifted his head and roared out his challenge, leaving no doubt to anyone who could hear that he was ready, and more than willing to fight.
“If you insist,” Serrif said, but the woman with him stepped in front of him to stop him.
“Serrif, please, let him go. Let them both go. Haven’t you done enough damage,” she pleaded.
“I am not the one who came here to fight. But if he insists, then for the sake of the Pride, and my pride.” He grinned at his own joke. “I have to do this. I promise not to kill him, my poor sweet Leandra.”
“Is that what you said to Kane’s father before you killed him? Told him you just wanted to talk?” Amara asked.
“Now, now, let’s not go dragging up the past, Leandra finds it quite upsetting, don’t you, dear?” he asked the women, who Kane now realised was his mother. “No, don’t worry, I’ll let him live, it’s much more enjoyable knowing he will be alive in Shifters Prime, while you live here with me, serving my every wish.”
He saw Amara move, knew she was going to change into her lion and take him on herself, but he didn’t want that. Serrif was his, he had to beat him, had to prove to everyone he was worthy to be his father’s heir. So he leaped forward, landing only ten paces away, and roared his challenge again.
Serrif did not hesitate. He changed in mid-air, landing where Kane had stood, only Kane had already moved away, jumping sideways and then spinning round to lash out at Serrif, taking first blood from the older lion.
Serrif roared in rage, and leaped after Kane, catching his flank but not drawing blood. Even so, his legs swayed under him and he had to fight to keep upright. He couldn’t afford to fall. If he did, Serrif would be on top of him, pinning him down. That conjured up unbidden thoughts of Serrif on top of Amara, making her submit to him. That would never happen, not while he still had breath in his body and teeth in his jaws.
With his breath coming hard, he circled Serrif, biding his time, waiting for him to make a move, but he didn’t. Kane had to remember Serrif was a seasoned fighter, he was the one who had killed Remus, so he must have a high level of skill. Think, make no sign you are going to move, and then pounce, he told himself.
And that was what he did. When he made his move, he was surprised Serrif did not move, or try to attack. He just stayed still until Kane slammed into him. Serif fell to the ground, and Kane leaped on top of him, pinning him down, his sharp teeth on his jugular, cutting off his breath, but still expecting some kind of retaliation. Yet Serrif lay still, looking bewildered.
Amara and his mom rushed forward, as he sank his teeth into Serrif’s neck. Beneath him, the man appeared scared, his body trembling. “Don’t kill me.”
Kane’s sharp canine teeth split his skin. He tasted blood, and found he liked it. This man, this thing that had taken his father from him and treated his mom like a whore, this man who had threatened Kane’s mate, deserved to die.
“Let him live, Kane,” Amara said, and from out of her purse, Amara pulled the collar. He shook his head. “Really, you beat him fair and square, why not use the collar to make sure it stays that way? Even if it’s only temporary.”
“She’s right,” his mom said. “I wouldn’t trust him to not turn on you once you release him. Put the collar on.”
Kane didn’t want to put the collar on Serrif. He wanted to kill him and feast on his bones. The look in his eyes must have told Amara this, or did she feel it, in the same way he felt her emotions. She placed her hand on his thick fur, winding it around her fingers. “There has been enough death because of this man. If you kill him, the authorities will hunt you, Kane. And I don’t want our child to be a fugitive.”
He turned to her, trying to comprehend what she was saying. And in that split second, she placed the collar around Serrif’s neck and snapped it shut.
Kane turned back to his human form, his eyes filled with wonder. “A child?”
She nodded happily. “I was trying to find the right time to tell you.”
“Why did you come here and risk yourself and our child?” he asked.
“Because I wanted to see your mom. I wanted to know if there was a way to end this without you being in danger,” she said, falling into his arms. “I should have thought it through, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Frasier wanted us to leave, and I didn’t want to run. I want to have our child here, where he belongs, surrounded by his family.”
Kane held her close, his face buried in her hair as he remembered the long, lonely days of his childhood, and he said, “That’s what I want too.”
Chapter Thirty – Amara
“I thought you deserved breakfast in bed,” Amara said, placing the tray down on the edge of the bed.
“I know what else I think I deserve,” Kane said, and she knelt down beside him, kissing him gently.
“I’m afraid I’m going to hurt you,” she said, her fingers running over his cheek, while she looked at his black eye, and the various other bruises that coloured his face.
“I am a big, bad lion, a little kiss won’t hurt me,” he said, pulling her down next to him. “Damn, I thought I was going to lose you.”
“Never,” she said, kissing him again.
His hands went to part her robe, tugging it open to reveal her pyjamas. “These will have to go too.”
“Is that the new law, o great and mighty lion?” she asked, giggling when he tried to put on a
stern face. “It doesn’t work when you look like that. You are not going to make a good first impression when you go to meet your loyal subjects.”
“Will they be loyal?” he asked, pushing her top off her shoulders, and throwing it down on the floor. He kissed her breasts, and she sighed, cradling his head in her arms.
“I think so. When I spoke to Leandra last night, she was convinced that most people will be glad to see the back of Serrif. He nearly destroyed your father’s business. The pride is poor; they will follow you if you can turn their economy around.”
“And there was me thinking you were just a pretty lioness to be petted and stroked.” He pushed her pants down and turned her on her back. She eased her thighs apart, letting him move between them.
“I like to be stroked,” she said.
“Here?” he asked, his fingers covering her mound and then slipping down to stroke her clit.
“Oh yes,” she said.
“And here?” he asked, his fingers moving back to slide into her wet sex.
“Oh, right there,” she said as he found the place inside her that made her arousal peak.
“Damn it, I want you,” he said, and he withdrew his fingers, only to push his hard cock inside her. “Oh, that is worth fighting for.”
She giggled. “Don’t let anyone else hear your pillow talk.”
“I won’t, it is only ever for you.”
“Good,” she said, her hands stroking his back, urging him on.
“I love you, Amara,” he said as he impaled her on his cock. “I feel so blessed you came into my life.”
“Even … if … I … turned it all … upside down,” she managed to say, while her orgasm gathered, her body tense, waiting for release.
“Yes,” he said, his voice rising as he came, his cock spurting deep inside her. She followed, her sex gripping him, milking his essence until they were both utterly spent.
“I love you too, Kane.” She kissed him, smoothing his hair back from his face.
“I couldn’t wish to have a better mate by my side as we try to rebuild Talamo,” he said.
“My family will help. It would be good to bring more prides together. The leader of the Satoma is old, he has no heir, he has never found his mate; and so one of my brothers might be the new leader. It would be good to form an alliance,” she said.
“And Darius? Do we bring him back here?” Kane asked.
“I think you need to talk to your mom about that,” Amara said. “Which reminds me, we are meeting them all in an hour, you need to eat and get dressed.”
“Don’t we have time for a little more fooling around?” he asked.
“No,” she said, pushing him off gently.
“Ouch, the ribs, watch the ribs,” he said.
“Sorry,” she said, cringing at the thought of causing him pain. “Once we have been over to your pride lands, let’s take off for a few days. You can rest, and I can show you some of the sights. There is so much of the Prime you haven’t seen.”
“Sounds good to me. Then when I’ve healed, we can get to work.”
“Right. Now eat.” She got out of bed, and placed the tray of food next to him. “I am going to shower and get dressed. That way at least one of us will look respectable.”
“What do you mean? The bruises make it look as if I fought hard for the leadership,” he said.
“Yes, even though you didn’t. All that worry and Serrif was a pussycat in the end,” Amara said.
“Leandra said it was because he had forgotten how to fight, no one challenged him. He really didn’t expect any of us to come back,” Kane said.
“Leandra. Don’t you call her Mom?” Amara asked.
“I might, one day, but it’s still raw. All of it. There are so many unanswered questions,” he said.
“Like what?” she asked.
“Like who sent you to me,” he said.
“It wasn’t your mom, then? She didn’t have anything to do with it?” Amara asked.
“No,” Kane said.
“Well, we can find out some other time. For now, we have a celebration to go to.”
Chapter Thirty-One – Kane
They stood at the place where he remembered his dad lifting him up so he could pick a cherry blossom from the tree. He had put it to his nose and smelt it while looking at the statue of his dad. His brave, invincible dad.
“Kane, do you feel OK?” Leandra asked.
“Yes. I was just thinking of Dad,” he said.
“I am so pleased you remember him,” she said.
“I do. And my brothers. I have vague fleeting images of them and then they are gone,” Kane said.
“As the new leader of the Talamo Pride, I have a request for you,” Leandra said. “You’ll get many today. When the people start to come, they will ask you for this, or if you can mend that. So I would like to ask something of you first.”
“What is it?” he asked, confused by her tone.
“That you do what you can to find your brothers. They are out there somewhere; I know they are.” She looked out over the horizon, where the sun was shining down, warming the ground. He breathed in the air. Summer was coming, everything would be growing, just as the child would grow in Amara’s womb.
And his child needed uncles who would protect him, or her.
“I will do what I can, Mom,” he said.
“Thank you,” she turned to him and hugged him. “Thank you.”
“And what about Darius?” he asked.
“Tell him to come home. We have both lived with the guilt for long enough. I want you to know we did nothing wrong.”
“I know,” Kane said, and he meant it. His mom had loved his father; they had been mates. The only person who should feel guilt was Serrif. “Why did you stay with Serrif all these years?”
“Because it kept him here. By supporting him in the business and the pride, it meant he never thought to go looking for you, my precious boys.” She looked as if she was about to cry, but then she sniffed loudly and straightened up, looking out into the distance. “Here they come,” she said. Out on the plain, there was movement; the tall grass swayed, and in amongst it lions moved. They were coming to meet their new leader, to witness the beginning of a new era.
“So you did it?” Frasier said, appearing by his side.
“Yes, you missed all the action,” Kane said. “Is your business with Darius complete?”
“It is for now.”
“Good, because I have a job for you. Or two jobs, actually.”
“OK. What do you need me to find?” Frasier asked.
“My brothers,” Kane replied.
Freeing The Lion
Sleeping Lions
(Shifters Prime Book Two)
Available February 2016
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Bear Creek Clan and Bear Bluff Clan
suggested reading order
(can be read as a standalone)
Rescued by the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book One)
Finding Her Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Two)
Tamed by the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Three)
Snowbound With The Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Four)
Biker Bear Billionaire (Bear Creek Clan Book Five)
Bound To Her Bear (Bear Bluff Clan Book One)
Doctor Bear (Bear Bluff Clan Book Two)
Stranded With Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Three)
A Bride for the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Six)
Home Or Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Four)
Fated To Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Five)
Lonely Bear (Bear Bluff Book Six)
Forbidden Bear (Biker Bears
Book One)
Secret Bear (Biker Bears Book Two)
Wolf Valley Raiders
Redeem the Wolf
To Catch A Wolf
Reclaim the Wolf
Awakening the Alpha
Christmas Bear Brothers
Santa Paws
Christmas Catastrophe
Bear Humbug
Chosen by the Karal
Deceit
Love
Power
Hunger
Devotion
Warriors of Karal
Stranded
Found
Her Dragon's Bane Serial
Soul Of The Dragon
Blood Of The Dragon
Heart Of The Dragon
Love Of The Dragon
Fate Of The Minotaur
Mate Of The Dragon
Bound To The Flame - A Virgin For The Dragon
When the dragon egg hatches for Trinity she becomes the Dragon Princess and must remain pure until the dragon comes back to claim her as his mate on her twenty first birthday.
An Heir For The Flame (Dragon Fantasy Romance)
The elder dragons have predicted that Trinity will conceive the new dragon child tonight. So she mates with ShanRohit under the full moon.
Waiting For Curves (Curves For Her Wolf) (BBW Erotic Romance)
Curves For Her Wolf Doctor (The Greystone Wolves - BBW Paranormal Erotic Romance)
Mistaken Curves (Her First Time With A Wolf) (BBW Erotic Romance)
Sold To The Wolf (Auctioned Curves For The Werewolf) (BBW Erotic Romance)
Curves For The Lone Wolf (BBW Erotic Romance)
An Auction Of Curves (BBW Erotic Romance)
Anna (Curves in the Family (BBW Erotic Romance))
Heated Curves (Curves For Her Firefighter) (BBW Erotic Romance)
Living a Lion: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Sleeping Lions - Shifters Prime Book 1) Page 13
