Freeing A Lion: BBW Paranormal Lion Shape Shifter Romance (Sleeping Lions - Shifters Prime Book 2)

by Harmony Raines

  His hand automatically went to his throat when he thought about it, but it wasn’t there, and he would make sure neither he nor the two women in his life ever had to wear one.

  Chapter Fifteen – Lottie

  “You weren’t joking about me having to take my clothes off?” Lottie asked. They were standing in tall grass, and there was no one about for miles, but still she was acutely aware that he was asking her to be naked. In public.

  “I don't think you’ll be able to control yourself enough on your first shift,” he said.

  “Are you going to turn around?” she asked, heat creeping through her body at the thought of him seeing her naked. But she was acutely aware of her generous figure, of her voluptuous breasts and her curvy thighs.

  “Do you want me to?” he asked, his mouth curving up in a smile she found so sexy, heat pooled between her thighs. She still couldn’t comprehend the notion that he was hers. Not just her boyfriend, here one minute gone the next, but that he planned to be there for her for the rest of his life. Like an unbreakable marriage contract.

  “This isn't going to be easy.” And she didn’t mean the shifting part. Lottie had never been naked in front of anyone since she was ten.

  “You’ll get the hang of it,” he said.

  “I meant taking my clothes off,” she replied, taking hold of the hem of the sweater Daphne had lent her and lifting it up above her head.

  “So did I,” he said smiling as she dropped the sweater to the floor. “If you want me to help.”

  “I can manage,” she said, knowing they might not get round to her changing into a lion if he got any closer. Her breasts seemed to swell, her nipples hardening under his gaze. Damn, she wanted to feel his hands on her body.

  Later, her lioness said, which still freaked her out no end.

  Her expression must have changed, because his smile became a grin. “What’s she saying?” he asked.

  “It’s private,” Lottie said, undoing the buttons on her shirt and pushing it off her shoulders. Her bra was staying put for now, but her pants had to go, and she undid the belt that was keeping them up. Daphne was two dress sizes bigger than Lottie, and her clothes hung on her, making her feel like a real vagabond.

  “Want to know what my lion is saying?” he asked. She was enjoying seeing him so relaxed and so happy; the weight had lifted and they might be any two people in the whole world, flirting and laughing on a first date. But they weren’t.

  They were lion shifters. And any time now she was going to have to learn to control her lion, or it would control her.

  “Don’t worry,” he said, coming closer.

  “I’m not,” she said, tilting her chin, trying to look brave. This man, this lion shifter, deserved a mate who was brave and tough. But she felt small and vulnerable.

  “I will be with you every step of the way,” he said, his body so close to hers she could feel the heat emanating from him. Stopping, he looked her up and down, making her stomach clench and her sex ache for him. Sex was as much a mystery as being a lion; boyfriends had been too dangerous for Lottie. She was always frightened she would give herself away, confide in the wrong man about her past, and then end up with her cover blown.

  She smiled and shook her head. The irony was startling.

  “Tell me what you are thinking?” he asked, leaning forward so that his breath caressed her skin.

  “I was thinking that I avoided intimate relationships to protect my privacy, and now here I am, in a strange new world, with my cover blown ... because of a man.”

  “I will always be eternally sorry,” he said, blowing on the skin that curved above her bra.

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said bravely, and her lioness agreed.

  “I want you, Lottie, so much it hurts like a physical pain.” His hand stroked her cheek, leaving heat in its wake. Leaning in further, his lips touched hers, softly, questioning her. Her reply was instant.

  Lottie kissed him back, her lips parting slightly, a sigh escaping them, and then his tongue slipped inside, stroking her lower lip, igniting a fire in her body that instantly raged out of control. Deep emotions woke within her, and she had to wrap her hands around his neck, holding on to him when her knees threatened to give way.

  Daniel caught her in his strong embrace, pulling her tightly against him, stroking her back with his right hand, comforting her as a tremor of desire passed through her body. It was all so intense; after being bitten, her life seemed to be one emotional roller coaster after another. The pain of the change had brought her to her knees, but now Daniel promised to take her by the hand and they would soar high above the Prime together.

  She nipped his lip, her teeth grazing his, and her lioness purred, wanting her to draw blood, to taste him properly. “Yuck.”

  He pulled back. “Sorry, I thought this was what you wanted.”

  “It is. It’s ... I didn't mean to say that out loud. My lioness puts thoughts in my head and I need to learn to process those in my head before I speak.”

  He smiled. “I can imagine how weird it is. Only because I spent too long without being able to hear my lion. That was the strangest period of my life, and not just because I was in a cage. It was so lonely.” He stroked her hair back from her face and then kissed her lips lightly. “You will get used to it. Now, let’s get on with today’s lesson.”

  “Yes sir,” she said, and then looked down at herself. “Do I really have to take all of my clothes off?”

  “If you ever want to wear them again,” he said. “I can turn around, but then it’s going to be difficult for me to help you change.”

  “Can I see you first,” she said, thinking that might give her courage.

  “Sure,” he said, “My lion is always anxious to show off.”

  Daniel moved back away from her, and stood still, he kind of had this faraway look in his eyes, and then he began to move, to change, and she could see why it was called shifting, because his body shifted from one thing to another, fur sprouting out of his skin, his nails becoming claws, and his teeth becoming elongated, with whiskers sprouting out of his cheeks.

  “Holy shit,” she said, her voice a shocked whisper. If she hadn't seen him do it she would have thought it was some kind of illusion. But she had seen it, the change so rapid, it was almost instantaneous. “Can I stroke you?”

  He nodded his massive lion head, and she went to him, running her fingers through his mane. It was thick, luxurious, and she remembered him in the circus, and found it hard to believe this was the same beast. He was tall, proud, and the handsomest lion she had ever seen, his amber eyes fixed on her. Running her hand over his back, she felt her lioness scratching at the edges of her mind, begging to be released and she knew it was time, that they would be capable of working together to get this right so they could run across the grasslands with their mate. Two lions, side by side.

  “I’m ready,” she said quietly, scared but prepared to embrace the other side of herself, this new part of her, that had never walked on four paws and felt the sun on her back.

  He changed, his body becoming upright, his claws retracting and his skin replacing the fur. “Then let’s see what you can do,” he said, a glint of mischief in his eye.

  She sighed, and reached around to undo the clasp of her bra. “Here, allow me,” he said, his fingers deftly moving to unclasp her bra. A sigh of satisfaction escaped his lips when her bra was gone, her breasts spilling out. She immediately tried to cover herself, but he took her hands and moved them to her sides, his eyes caressing her skin, the swell of her breasts, the taut buds of her hardening nipples.

  “You are beautiful,” he said, his voice raw with emotion.

  “You’re biased,” she said. “The mate-bond thing makes you want me.” She ducked her head, avoiding his eyes, embarrassed.

  Daniel put his finger under her chin and tilted it up so their eyes met. “I don't care whether I’m biased or not; I know beauty when I see it.”

  Her lips
parted, inviting him in. He lowered his head and kissed her again. The heat between her thighs radiated out and she knew when she took her panties off they would be wet, evidence of her intense arousal.

  “I’ve changed my mind,” she whispered. “I don’t think I can concentrate on anything else until you’ve made love to me.”

  Chapter Sixteen – Daniel

  Her words made him hard, his cock go solid in his pants. “Are you sure?”

  “Certain.”

  He groaned, his mouth claiming hers and his hand threading between their bodies to touch her between her thighs. Damn, she was wet, he traced his finger along the length of her sex, and she whimpered softly when his fingers stroked her clit. Lottie eased her thighs apart, allowing him better access and he drew her panties to one side, pressing a finger deep into her. She cried out, her excitement almost too much for her.

  Daniel released her, scooping her up in his arms and laying her on the ground. He knelt beside her, hooked his fingers into the elastic of her panties, and dragged them down over her thighs. She lifted her feet one at a time to remove them, and he caught a glimpse of her heated sex. Licking his lips, he knew he would have to taste her before he made love to her.

  It would ease the tension in her body. But it would most certainly increase his.

  Easing her thighs apart, he moved between them, stroking her skin with his hands, edging closer to his goal. She watched, and he could see she was barely breathing, her concentration too wrapped up in what he was about to do.

  Pressing his lips to the soft skin of her inner thighs, he made his way to the centre of her need. Daniel covered her clit with his mouth, his tongue flicking out over it to drive her wild. Lottie threaded her fingers into his hair, pulling at it as she fought for control. But he wanted to take that control from her. Inching down, he pressed his tongue into her sex, her juices smeared on his face, as he plunged into her.

  She cried out, her voice high pitched and breathy. In and out he pushed, deeper, before switching back to her clit, his teeth grazing it, sending her wild. Using two fingers he entered her, bringing her to the brink of her orgasm and then taking her over the edge. Around the grasslands her voice echoed, a desperate sound as she climaxed, her sex gripping his fingers, her juices flowing as she came.

  He gave her a moment to recover, although his cock strained at his pants and he didn’t know if he could hold himself together for much longer. A situation not helped by his lion, who desperately wanted them to claim their mate and make her theirs.

  Kissing his way up her body, he moved to rest his weight on one elbow, his body nestling between her thighs. She wrapped her arms around his neck and dragged his head down so that their lips met. He kissed her gently, sensing her fear.

  “Are you still sure?” he asked.

  “More than I’ve ever been about anything,” she said. “But you’re going to have to strip too.”

  “You sure you want to see me naked?” he teased.

  “Absolutely,” she said.

  Daniel pushed himself away from her, rising onto his haunches and then standing up. First he dragged his T-shirt over his head, pleased when her eyes devoured his toned chest, and then flickered lower. Undoing his belt, he dropped his jeans to the floor, her eyes going wide when she saw the length of him.

  “Like what you see?” he asked.

  “Absolutely,” she said, but her voice wavered with nerves.

  Daniel went to her, lying down in the grass, feeling it prickle his skin. He kissed her, and held her close, comforting her. “It’s OK. We’ll take our time, and afterwards, we can run for miles, you and me. Two lions together.”

  “If I can change,” she said.

  “Is that what this is, a delaying tactic?” he said.

  “No, Daniel. It’s not. I just want this more than anything. We both do,” she said, and he knew what she meant because his lion was purring with happiness at them having their mate so close. For once he was being patient, not trying to push Daniel to change, which is what he had been doing since they had reached the Prime and the collar had been removed.

  Daniel eased himself forward, then he lifted her thigh, draping it over his. Guiding himself forward, he entered her, very gently pushing the head of his cock inside her. She gasped, and he felt her tense. He stopped, holding back, giving her time to regain her composure, all the time he whispered endearments to her, telling her how much he loved her and wanted her.

  “I love you too,” she said. “I know it sounds lame, we’ve only just met, but it feels as if we have known each other forever.”

  “Maybe we have, Lottie,” he said and kissed her. At the same time he eased forward, pressing the head of his cock deeper inside her. She yielded for him, her inner walls tense, but she took what he gave her, her sex gripping him.

  Deeper and deeper he moved. He couldn't have imagined it would feel this good to be inside his mate. She was wrapped around him, warm, wet, tight. He thought he was going to come, she felt too good.

  He stopped moving, trying to put his mind elsewhere so he didn’t come prematurely. But it was hard, she consumed his senses: the scent of her, the taste of her still on his tongue, and the touch of her hands on his flesh. She was everything to him and in this moment they were one.

  She was right, it was as if they had known each other forever, and had loved each other forever.

  Chapter Seventeen – Lottie

  Lottie pressed herself closer to him, needing every part of her body to be in contact with his. The heat of his body inflamed her skin, while the feel of him inside her inflamed her desire. Her arousal grew, intensifying with each stroke of his cock against her inner walls.

  Daniel held her close, his arms strong around her, holding her while he thrust in and out of her, each stroke harder, deeper. He kissed her, starting with gentle kisses along her neck and working his way along her jaw line, and finally found her lips, his tongue stroking her lower lip. She nipped him, making him pull back and she chuckled to herself.

  “You are such a tease,” he said, and thrust into her harder, corkscrewing his hips to stretch her wider.

  She clutched at him, her nails digging into his back, urging him on, feeling her orgasm growing until she couldn’t stop it taking over her. Daniel lunged into her, long strokes, riding her climax with her, satisfying her, and then he let himself go, his seed spurting into her.

  He cried out, the undertone of a roar meeting her ears as he called out her name.

  After they had finished, she lay in his arms, her heart beating rapidly in her chest, her breathing heavy. Today was perhaps going to be a day of firsts. With her virginity gone, all she had to do now was turn into her lion, and she would be new, changed, different. Her world had truly shifted.

  “That was amazing,” he said, kissing her shoulder, stroking her skin, and breathing in her scent. “And now it would be amazing to see you. The other you.”

  “Damn, I’m scared I’m going to get it wrong and end up like a raccoon or something,” she said, sitting up, and reaching for her clothes.

  “You won’t need those,” he said. “Remember.”

  “You know, maybe we should head back and see if Lea is all right,” she said.

  “She’s fine,” he said, pulling her back to him. “It’s OK, sweetheart.”

  She blew her breath out between her lips, letting her lungs deflate. With her next inhale she tried to give herself courage, strength, but it didn’t work. “It’s probably a lot easier to learn to do this when you’re a kid.”

  “You're smart, and brave,” he said. “You can do this.”

  She looked away, and then nodded. “Then go.” She got up, trying to be brave and not self-conscious about her body.

  “That’s my girl,” he said, jumping to his feet, still naked.

  “Are you going to put your clothes on?” she asked.

  “No. We’ll do this together, so you won’t feel so bad,” he said.

  “Man, I’m going to feel
bad no matter what.” She took a real deep breath. “OK. Is it going to hurt?”

  “I don’t know. It might, the first time. I can't remember.”

  “Well, I thought sex was going to hurt the first time and it didn’t, so maybe this is going to be OK too.”

  He smiled. “I’m happy it didn’t hurt, Lottie. I thought it was incredible, and this is going to be incredible.”

  “You’d better be right.” Standing firmly, feet apart, as if ready for a fight, she said, “What do I do?”

  He thought about it. And she guessed he was trying to put into words what came so natural to him. “You have to try to connect with your lioness, try to see yourselves as one, and then when she tries to take over, you have to let her. But always stay in control. You are allowing her to take over your body, and she has to allow you to take it back when it’s time.”

  Lottie closed her eyes, picturing her lioness, her beautiful strong lioness, and feared she would never be able to control her, never be able to make her go back in once she had been allowed out.

  “Don’t worry, you'll learn to work as a team.” He nodded, reassuring her. “Let her go.”

  Let her go.

  Was it going to be that easy? Lottie searched her mind, finding her lioness waiting expectantly, eager to be released. Lottie quaked in fear, scared of what she was about to become, what she was about to unleash. But she had to do it, she had lived her life in fear for the last two years; now she was here, safe in the Prime, she refused to still live in fear.

  Her lioness stood up, and then took a step closer, Lottie held out an imaginary hand and they touched. A chain reaction sparked into life and a pain like being burnt alive covered her, and in its wake, fur appeared across her skin, sprouting out until she was completely covered, her nails elongated, tearing her flesh as they erupted from her skin. She remembered how Daniel had looked, how he had changed, and this helped, because she knew she could live through it and she knew she would be able to change back; she would stay in control.