“You’ve finally woken, kitten,” Damiano’s deep voice said. “Roll over, love.”
Damiano’s words warmed Paget’s heart as his mate’s strong arms fell away. He rolled over and faced the warrior. In the darkness of the chamber, Paget could make out the light golden eyes of the large tiger who lay with his head on a large pillow as he stared back at him. He was almost surprised when Damiano smiled at him. His mate reached up and caressed his cheek gently. Paget didn’t scent anything to fear from his mate and the orange glow between them was no longer there. The only scent in the room was one of calm and of course, one of blood which was a result of his claiming of the night past. He sat up on one elbow, propping his head on his hand as he looked down at his handsome mate. His shaggy black hair was beautiful, streaked with gold and white that was visible as highlights in the dark room.
“I need to go and start my work in the palace,” he said, moving to pull away from Damiano’s warmth.
Damiano stopped him with a strong hand on his waist, pinning him in place. “You have some time yet. I need to talk to you, Paget.”
His mate looked so stern that he relaxed back on the bed. “What about? What is so important that we risk being caught in this chamber so close to the king’s?”
Damiano smiled softly at him as he caressed Paget’s cheek again. “I met with Theo last night after our mating.”
“Pasha Raab’s Seer?” Paget swallowed hard, pinning his mate with a serious look. “So, you… you must know… everything?”
Damiano nodded as his fingers trailed downward until they circled Paget’s neck. He knew the powerful tiger could snap it in half a second if he so desired.
“I now know why I am here and I know everything about King Fain and Miruna Grey. I know it was foretold long ago that I would be brought to the palace to restore Pasha Raab to his throne. The time has come to do that.”
“But…”
“Wait, I’m not finished.”
Paget watched Damiano frown as he let his hand drop from his neck. He missed the skin to skin contact with his mate almost immediately. He reached out a hand and placed it on Damiano’s lightly-furred chest but remained silent as his mate continued.
“Theo also revealed that my friend, Paladin Chino Cortez, is in trouble.”
“The paladin who you left back at Base Camp?”
“Yes. He has been betrayed by the captain down there. I wanted to go to him immediately but Theo says he will be brought to me. I’m not sure what that could mean exactly but Theo has no reason to lie about what happened.”
“If he is brought here, you will be in even more danger,” Paget said, unable to keep the whimper out of his voice. The thought that his mate would be killed so soon after they’d found each other nearly gutted him.
“I must trust that Theo does see an accurate future for all of us. Without that, there is no hope. You understand, my pet?”
Paget nodded, feeling very unsure and terrified for the first time. They were in more danger than he’d ever imagined they could be. He felt the emotions well up in his chest and he didn’t even attempt to hide his scent from his mate. He knew it would be a futile gesture even if he tried. Mates knew everything about each other. Some could even read each other’s thoughts but Paget couldn’t read Damiano’s—not yet at least.
“I understand, Damiano.” Even though he tried to hide his worry, Damiano’s concern for Chino was easy to scent. The amount of strength it took for his mate not to run to his friend must be incredible. Had it been anyone other than the knight, he would have no doubt given into his emotions and gone to Base Camp to help his friend. Just the simple fact that Damiano had placed his faith in Theo’s visions was remarkable. Paget had to give his mate more credit than he had. He was unbelievably strong. He glanced at the window seeing the first light of dawn as it approached. He tensed but Damiano slid his hand down over his belly, letting it gentle him as if he gentled prey right before taking a bite out of it. Damiano suddenly smiled at him.
“You still think I’m going to hurt you, baby. Put away your fears, kitten. Do I need to show you I am not a threat to you?”
Paget would have answered but the words were crushed between their lips as Damiano suddenly snatched his hand away and grabbed Paget’s hip, pulling him beneath his body as he kissed him deeply. The kiss stole Paget’s breath and he instantly returned the dance of Damiano’s tongue on his. His massive erection pressed against his body between them. He was hard as a brick. Paget was also hard and he knew he couldn’t hide his arousal from his mate—nor did he ever want to do that.
As the thoughts of how they would have to behave in public suddenly flooded his senses, Damiano kissed him so deeply, they quickly fled from his mind. Only his mate existed for him in that moment. Damiano was here and he was all his, every luscious inch of his mate’s skin belonged to him. Last night with Damiano’s claiming of his mate, everything had changed. He knew Damiano would die without him and that he would lay down his life to protect him.
Paget groaned as Damiano deepened the kiss, stealing his breath and his errant thoughts along with it. He wrapped Damiano’s large body with his arms, once again running his hands over the broad expanse of his muscled back. Every time he moved over him, thrusting against him, he felt desire spike in him, carrying him away on the waves of lust and a deep craving to have Damiano inside him as he did last night. When Damiano finally pulled his head back and let Paget breathe, he stared down at him with a gaze that told him everything.
“I must have you again, my mate. You will have to resume your duties in the palace soon enough.” Damiano sat up then, still straddling Paget as he reached for the lube bottle.
Paget glanced at the bottle and smiled as Damiano squirted some into his hand. He glanced down and bit his lip, watching Damiano slather his beautiful cock with the lube and then he boldly reached for his own cock, hard and bobbing between them. Paget had never topped and never wanted to. He’d not had many lovers but those he did have weren’t half as good in bed as Damiano had been last night. Of course that encounter had been an actual claiming which needed to be done from behind. He glanced up at his mate’s face to find him watching him curiously.
“What is it, Paget?” His low and rumbling voice had taken on a gravely tone which flipped all of Paget’s switches. Fuck. Is it possible for you to get any hotter?
He reached up both hands and framed Damiano’s cheeks, feeling the rough scrape of black whiskers which he loved to look at.
“I want to watch your face as you take me, mate. Please don’t put me on all fours again?”
Damiano smiled, shaking his head. “Never. I want to watch your beautiful face, Paget.”
Paget breathed a sigh of relief as Damiano let go of his cock and leaned back, waiting for Paget to spread his knees and bend them so his mate could move in close. He lifted both knees, grasping them with his hands just as he felt Damiano’s cock press against his entrance. Damiano stared at him like he was the last man on earth and it literally took his breath away. The moment he relaxed, Damiano leaned over and took his lips in another scorching kiss.
Paget was transported by the taste of his mate’s mouth and was almost unaware of him breaching his body, sliding deeply inside until he was buried. Paget kissed Damiano back, pouring every single bit of heat and emotion he could into the kiss. It wasn’t difficult. With Damiano moving inside him, powering into each thrust with unbelievable strength, Paget felt more emotionally and physically connected to him than he’d ever felt with another lover. Damiano was undeniably strong but he was also gentle with Paget. Even as he fucked him, there was more to their connection than just the physical act. Damiano was as gentle as he could be when he dragged clawed fingers once more down his body. The stinging trails tingled in the sexiest way, the way he imagined a woman’s fingernails would as they stroked over his ribs. Paget knew they’d leave red marks on his human flesh but he didn’t care—he welcomed them.
Damiano groaned again into h
is mouth before separating their lips and sitting back. He reached down and grasped Paget’s shoulders, pulling him up into his lap as he sat back on his heels.
Paget was suddenly face to face with his mate as he continued to thrust up inside his body. He wrapped his arms around Damiano’s strong neck and leaned forward so that their chests touched and he could reach his lips. He sank into another kiss, panting as he felt his own cock drizzle precome onto Damiano’s muscled belly. Their mingled scents of arousal rose between them and Paget gasped at the power of their connection. He slid his fingers into the hair at the back of Damiano’s head and took hold of it, pulling at the short strands. That seemed to pull another groan out of his mate so he did it again and again until Damiano was speeding his thrusts, pistoning inside his body.
Paget rode him like a pro but the truth was, he’d never been taken like this in his life. When Damiano lowered his face to Paget’s neck, he held his breath waiting for another bite. Instead, Damiano licked over the bloody place where he’d claimed him the night before and the very act of that sent Paget over the edge. He cried out as his cock erupted between them. Untouched by either of their hands, he emptied himself against Damiano’s powerful body in long spurts. Only a second later, he felt Damiano’s body tense and then with a deep groan and the scrape of his sharpened fangs on the mark, his mate filled his clenching ass with his own release. The bite was smaller this time and didn’t hurt nearly as much but the second Dami’s fangs sank into his flesh, Paget spilled another thick hot load between them. Dami moved slowly, thrusting deeply into Paget’s swollen flesh, probably sensing how sensitive he truly was as he released his fangs and then licked over the wound.
Paget hung his head as his second orgasm subsided and let himself appreciate Damiano’s languorous licks as he cleaned the bite he’d given him. The truth was, he loved being marked in that way, even a second time, and he could only hope Damiano would do it each and every time they made love.
He stopped and thought about that for a moment. Their bed play had been much more than just fucking, though the fucking had been amazing. Every moment they’d shared had been making love and for the first time in his life, Paget realized he’d finally found his home in Damiano Satriale. He was his mate but he was also the man he was in love with.
****
Damiano greeted King Fain with a bow. Miruna Grey stood next to him. Parting with Paget when he left had been impossibly difficult, especially now that they were mated. The distance between them physically hurt and Damiano did his best to tamp it down. He wondered whether his scent had changed now that he’d claimed Paget as Theo had told him the night before. He could only hope the boy was especially sensitive to it because being found out this way was not in his plans at all. He could be arrested at any moment.
In addition, now that he knew Pasha Raab was still alive, he had no idea how he was going to help orchestrate his return to power, especially since King Fain was surrounded by loyal paladin who were sworn to protect him with their very lives. Paladin were bred as warriors and even if they hadn’t been on hand to guard the king, an army of askari would take up arms to kill anyone who threatened him. Only a few days before, Damiano would have welcomed that much loyalty and firepower but now, he dreaded it. No one would take his word—that was—unless he uncloaked his royal vibration and demanded they do so. Even then, he wasn’t certain he would be able to convince the askari or the paladin that Christos Fainova had stolen the throne and attempted to put their ruler to death.
On top of everything, he feared for Chino. He’d tried his phone as soon as he’d woken up that morning, getting no answer. He hadn’t expected to be able to reach him after hearing what he’d heard from Theo but not knowing what was happening was maddening.
“You look rested, Satriale,” King Fain said, greeting Damiano with a sniff. He lifted his nose to the air and Damiano waited for him to pick up his scent. “Are you concerned about something?”
Damiano smiled, relaxing as he lied. “Only concerned that I will displease you, Sire.”
“You have already pleased me greatly, Satriale. I feel very safe with you at my side, Primero.”
Damiano bowed again. “I hope it will always be so,” he replied, masking the lie in his scent.
“Well then, I suppose we should get on with our hunt,” Miruna said. She reached for her shirt and pulled it over her head, exposing perfect breasts as the king began to strip. Moments later, the three of them had shifted along with the guard of twelve paladin led by Stevens that Damiano had assigned to their hunt. Once he was in tiger form, Damiano felt more himself than he almost never did when he was in human form. King Fain’s tiger was much like his own, similar in size but slightly darker with light brown fur and black and white stripes. Miruna’s cheetah was much smaller, sprinkled with black spots and a small black mask of fur on her face and around her eyes. Stevens’s shifted form was a golden panther like Chino’s and the other paladin he’d tapped for their royal guard that day were a combination of other large cats, lions, panthers, bobcats, and even a lynx.
They headed out for the densest of the Wrightwood forest behind the palace in the opposite direction of the pond where Damiano had met Theo the night before. Within five hundred yards, Dami was running beside the king, keeping pace with his long tiger’s strides. Dami felt free as he gave his cat his head, leaping over fallen trees, dodging boulders as he followed the king. They ran for miles, picking up on the scent of wild game as they moved through the forest. Though Damiano felt the urge to stop and chase the scents of smaller game, he followed his king, keeping him in sight just ahead.
He and King Fain must have picked up the scent of a large buck at the same time because they cut to the left as if they’d intended to move in unison, bounding through the trees. Before he had time to think, they were suddenly in a clearing and the huge fourteen-point stag was staring them in the eyes. Damiano held himself in check as he watched King Fain leap at the buck, taking him down with a killing bite to the neck as the stag took a swipe at him with his massive antlers. Damiano was impressed that he brought the animal to his knees with the first bite. He was obviously a skilled hunter. Miruna rushed over and pulled up short, coming to stand right beside Dami as they both watched King Fain rip the stag’s throat out before lowering his huge tiger jaws and beginning to eat.
Once the king was sated, he walked over to them and shifted. Blood ran down the front of his face, dripping off his chin as he smiled. Damiano and Miruna shifted to speak with him and Damiano was pleased with his troops as he glanced around, seeing that the paladin that accompanied them remained in shifted form, surrounding them in a protective circle.
“That is a fine kill, Your Majesty,” Damiano said, bowing.
The king smiled broadly. “Yes. I love this forest. The variety of game pleases me greatly but I wish you and my councilor will find game to your liking today as well.”
“Your wish is my command, Your Majesty and if it pleases you, my cat is here to serve your wishes. I will hunt but I am just as happy to be along as your guard, Sire.” He bowed again and the king chuckled.
“You are so humble, Paladin Primero. I am well pleased with you so I shall not insist you hunt today unless you truly wish to. If it makes you happy to serve by being my guard alone, do so, Primero.”
Damiano bowed his head. “Thank you, Sire.” He’d not been lying when he told the king he’d enjoyed himself. Anytime he could set his tiger free, he was content… even if it was with a man he had every intention of killing as soon as he figured out just how he was going to make that happen.
Chapter Sixteen
D amiano would have been exhilarated when he returned to the palace had he not been so worried about Chino. The concern for his friend suddenly returned like a punch to the gut. He still hadn’t touched base with his best friend that day and he needed to find out what the hell was going on there. It nearly killed him to just sit back and wait for Chino to be brought to the palace. For the tenth
time, he wondered what Theo must have meant about that.
He entered the palace and headed straight for his room. He badly needed a shower and to find clean sheets to change the bed. He and Paget had made a bloody mess of the others. He hurried down the hall, not bothering to cloak his vibration since no one was in sight. When he got to his room, he opened the door, went inside, closed and locked it. He was surprised to find his bed made and lifted his nose to the air taking a sniff. He couldn’t scent even the smallest remnant of blood or the incredible sex he and Paget had only a few hours ago. One check of the bed confirmed that his sheets were clean. Someone’s been in here.
He walked straight to the chair where he’d thrown his jacket and pulled the phone out of his pocket. He called up Chino’s number and hit send, waiting through the ring tone only to be frustrated as hell when his friend didn’t answer. He put the phone away and flopped into one of the chairs in front of the window as he thought about his conversation with Theo again. He will be brought to you, Paladin. The images Theo had shown him flooded his mind again. The sight of Chino in the control center with the bodies of askari around him, the images of him running across the desert in shifted form followed by Takemoto and Bennett. The image of Chino being shot by Bennett. How in the hell could I have been so wrong about Bennett? I left my best friend in the hands of an enemy.
Damiano stared at his phone, willing it to ring and when it didn’t—and he should have known it wouldn’t—he scrubbed a hand over his face, sniffed his armpits and then stood, trudging toward the bathroom to shower. He stunk of sweat from letting his tiger run free but he knew the reason he’d hesitated until now was because underneath it all, he could still smell Paget on his skin. His mate’s wasn’t a scent he wanted to wash off... ever. Hopefully, they’d both live long enough to stink each other up again… and soon.
The Tiger King (Paladin Shifters Book 1) Page 17
