“Yeah, well, some thoughts leak out with no help from me. Specifically mice. You were very loudly thinking about mice. It’ll be fine, just throw me on the bed and get naked!”
Well, he couldn’t argue with an order like that.
“Yes ma’am.” Of course, he couldn’t actually throw her. There was an excellent chance the bed frame was rotten, and she was too delicate to throw around.
“I’m not delicate you pain in the ass.”
Theron sighed. It would be interesting, living with a mind reader. He stilled – no one had said anything about them living together. He had to put a damper on any thoughts of happily ever after. Focus on the now. In the now, he had found his mate, and she wanted him in bed. The future could just fuck off.
He tossed her gently onto the mattress. The bed creaked a little but held fast. Watery moonlight filtered through the shattered window, bathing her pale skin. She looked like a goddess. Creamy white flesh, those perky little breasts, short red hair laying around her head like a halo.
She still wore her skirt, hiked up and tangled around her hips. Theron knelt and tugged at it, desperate to bare her completely. She gave him a shy smile and in a wavering voice, scolded him.
“Hey! I am at a distinct disadvantage here! You need to get some of your clothes off.”
The shifter paused, a twinkle in his eye. People tended to forget that he was a practiced magician. He took a breath, and just like that, Lily’s skirt and the entirety of his outfit vanished.
Lily couldn’t decide if she should giggle hysterically or start moaning over this man’s body. The result was a strangled combo of the two – giggles that faded into appreciative hums as she drank in the sight of him.
He was all hard muscle and sleek skin. His perfection was almost unreal – there wasn’t a blemish or scar to be seen. He wasn’t even tan, presumably due to spending all his time in the lab. A light dusting of black curls dusted his chest, and of course created a delicious trail leading down…
Well. She hadn’t had the opportunity to really examine a man’s penis before, but she doubted they were all this… substantial. Honestly, she didn’t believe that anything that large would fit. Not that she had any frame of reference…
Theron dropped down next to her before she got too caught up in her thoughts. She was shaking. The cold of the night air, the heat of his body next to hers, the need coursing through her, the fear of the unknown; it was almost too much to bear.
She squeezed her eyes shut, doing her best to breathe, as she felt one of his hands slide up her stomach. His fingers left a blazing trail of heat in their wake, and she felt her back arching up of its own volition. She was the cat now, begging to be touched and stroked.
He moved upward, grazing the underside of her breasts with his knuckles. Her nipples were hard as rocks, and it seemed like if he didn’t do… something… she might die.
He did something.
First he teased – lightly circling her nipples with his index finger, barely stimulating them. It was torturous, just adding to the buildup within her body. She needed it harder, faster.
He dipped his head towards her, and lightning shot through her as his warm tongue met her pebbled skin. She was completely out of control now, moaning and shoving her breast into his face. Her hands were trying to grasp nonexistent sheets, and she tore at the mattress with her nails.
When his tongue left her nipple, she almost sobbed – she had been on the verge, and he had left her wanting.
Theron smiled against her skin as he kissed his way down her torso, heading for that sweet spot between her legs. He was a master of denial, and Lily was very responsive.
He gently pushed her knees apart and studied his prize, blowing warm air towards her clit. Her whole body went rigid, as she did her best not to clamp her legs around his head.
“Just take me already!” Lily couldn’t handle any more of this game – she needed him to fill the void inside of her.
Theron was surprised at her impatience, but he complied. Sliding back up the bed, he positioned himself at her entrance, reveling in the feel of her juices, already coating the tip of his cock. He nudged into her hole, and then paused.
Looking down at her beautiful face, he brought his lips to hers, kissing her sweetly. She opened her mouth, welcoming him, and he simultaneously impaled her with his tongue and his member, filling her, drinking in the sensation of her body accepting his.
He felt a slight barrier as he sunk himself into her pussy, and smelled the sharp tang of blood in the air. Startled, he drew back slightly to study her face again. Her eyes were still closed, revealing nothing.
Fuck. Theron had no idea she was a virgin. Would that have changed anything?
Lily didn’t give him time to consider. She spoke in a slurred, heavy voice. “For god’s sake, keep going.”
“Your wish is my command.”
Theron pulled out, almost completely, before thrusting back in. He set up a steady pace, rocking her body. The pressure built within her again, and soon she was gasping for breath. He filled her so completely. Not just physically, although that was certainly true. For so long now, it felt as though there had been a hole where her heart should be, and somehow that hole was literally filling in. Could it be the mating magic?
Sensing that she was right on the edge, Theron reached between them and firmly pinched her throbbing clit. Lily let out a tiny scream, as her entire body bowed upward. The waves that had been rising within her crashed, creating the most pleasurable feeling she’d experienced in her life. It was a like a drug – she was floating, soaring, tingling all over, electricity singing through her veins.
Theron gave one last thrust and found his own release, a growl ripping out of his throat as he released inside of his mate. No other feeling could top the primal instinct to sow his seed.
He collapsed on top of her, and they laid together, panting. Theron looked towards Lily, and was filled with only one feeling. Mate. The bond was sealed, she was his. Forever.
No words were spoken. They stayed together, limbs tangled, and slowly drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Twelve
Theron was a nervous wreck. For eight years he had been doing his damnedest to become an emotionless block of granite, and had mostly succeeded. There was no one he could hurt, no one he could lose.
And then a woman he was supposed to hate came along and destroyed his walls in a matter of hours. No matter that a mating curse was involved - he felt personally responsible. He should have been stronger, forced the magic out of his body sooner. Now they were bound together. And it could only end badly. Hell, everything in this fucked up world ended badly.
Why had he fallen for her virginal seduction? He thought it would be fine, that he could suppress his need for her, walk away. He was a fool. Now that they’d “sealed the deal” his need for her was a hundred times worse. And he still hadn’t told her...
They had left the abandoned house hours ago, and had been traveling without much conversation. Finn was no longer green, but still pale and tired looking. Hecate wasn’t really staying with the group, taking frequent side trips to prowl through the woods. When they had woken up, Theron hadn’t known what to say to Lily, and he still hadn’t figured it out.
Hovenweep was very close now – there had been a couple helpful Fae rings along the way, enabling them to jump forward some distance. He wondered what it was like, in the other areas of the world where humans ruled. Presumably Fae rings wouldn’t be very common. He couldn’t even imagine going back to cars and electricity. But if he succeeded in becoming human again, he would have to.
Eight years, he’d been trying to force the magic out of his body. He hadn’t even thought about how little humanity remained. His apartment, his lab – all powered by magic. He hadn’t driven a car since the Blink. His brother was magic, his son, his only friend, and now his mate… Was he going to throw that all away? And for what?
Because as it stands, you’re an out of contr
ol monster… Theron couldn’t escape that painfully true thought. Within hours of having the shifter magic forced on him, he’d killed his own wife. As long as the tiger remained, he’d never trust himself.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Lily sidled up alongside him, a light breeze stirring her flyaway hair. She hadn’t been lying when she said she wouldn’t read his mind, but she couldn’t not notice the negative vibes streaming off him.
“I was just…” Theron didn’t want to tell her what he’d been trying to do. It would only remind her of her past. She’d been experimented on to remove her humanity – he’d been experimenting on himself to do the opposite. “I just don’t know where we go from here.”
Lily forced a smile on her face. She didn’t know what she should say. She wanted to tell him to stay with her. To shout it from the rooftops that she… no. She couldn’t love him. She barely knew the man. Yet somehow, she couldn’t see her future without him. But to him, was she still just the disturbing little science experiment? When he looked at her, was he just reminded of the G.H.O.S.T. who wiped his son’s memory?
Still, she had to say something.
“I… where do you want us to go from here?”
Theron shrugged, avoiding her gaze. “To be honest, I’m not even sure what I’m doing here. I got caught up in it all, and now… I belong in Emerald Isle. My work is there.”
“Even though you’re in danger?” Lily’s heart sank. He was not talking like a man in love.
“I can handle myself against Zelloth’s hired thugs.” Theron kicked at a rock, sending it careening into the trees. It was unlike him, a departure from his usual composure. “I just don’t have any place in Hovenweep. No reason to be there.”
“Do you have a reason to be in Emerald Isle?”
“Of course I do. My lab is there.” Theron finally looked at her, but his look said “you’re stupid.” Lily was suddenly very angry with him.
“A lab can be relocated. Unless there was some actual reason that you had to be there, you’re grasping at straws. Look, it makes no difference to me. I just thought you’d want your son to be safe, which he definitely isn’t if you go back to the Isle. Just leave me out of the picture, think of Finn. You need to move – if you decide to move here, I’ll stay out of your way.” She felt the urge to find her own rock to kick, but she knew better than to assault unknown trees.
Theron gave her a long look, which betrayed none of his feelings. “You would stay out of my way?”
“Yes, goddammit! If that’s what you want. I’ll be a ghost, you’ll never see me again.” It hurt her so much to say that, but no matter. She wasn’t lying – Theron and his people couldn’t stay within Zelloth’s grasp.
“And what if I did want to see you again?” Theron had sworn to himself that he wasn’t going to say anything, but faced with the possibility of his mate slipping away, the words tumbled out of his mouth.
“Just hear me out okay? I’m a shifter – obviously. I don’t know if you’ve heard of our little mating curse, but, well… It’s real. And you’re my mate. And the deal is sealed with sex. So… that’s why I was so hesitant last night, but now it’s done.”
Lily blinked. Of course she knew about the shifter mating clause, but it had never occurred to her that one would activate on her. Two days ago, she would have puked at the thought. But now… “What does that mean, exactly?”
“I mean, it’s like a soul mate kind of deal.” Theron had no idea how to explain it without coming off like a stalker.
“So is that why I feel like I love you after only two days?”
He gaped at her, momentarily stunned. “You… you what?”
“Against my better judgement, yes, I love you.” Lily felt her skin turning hot, and knew she was bright red again. She hated that she was so damn inexperienced at all this. “Do… you…?”
Theron’s face broke into the widest grin she had ever seen. “Lily, if you’re willing to deal with a tiger following you around, you’ve got me for life. I couldn’t love someone more.”
Chapter Thirteen
The eerie cackle of hyenas echoed off the cobblestones. Hovenweep’s ruling clan had come to play.
Lily should logically be more upset by wolves than any other shifters, but somehow her subconscious didn’t work that way. Werewolves were familiar. And for all that they were oversized, vicious beasts, with glowing eyes and a healthy bloodlust, they were also as close to household pets as shifters got.
Tigers were bad, huge as they were, but again, there was that connection to mostly harmless housecats to soften the blow.
Hyenas had nothing soft and cuddly to be compared to. They were scary looking animals, lacking the sleekness of the big cats. Powerful shoulders sloped upward, pitching their heads forward. Jaws that seemed as though they were constructed only to crush their prey.
And of course, that hair raising laugh.
None of their group had ever actually met any hyena shifters. They were a crazy bunch, and ruled Hovenweep with iron paws. However, for all that, their personal customs bordered on the obscene, their queen was fair. There was no reason for them to attack. Lily kept telling herself that as their little group was surrounded.
Hecate danced towards one of the hyenas, her face alight with happiness. “Oh aren’t you just the prettiest shifters! How have I never met one of you before?”
The animals shifted on their feet, shooting each other very human glances. This was obviously not a reaction they were used to. After a few seconds, some agreement was made, and one hyena stepped forward.
In a flash of light, the beast was gone, leaving a wild looking woman in her place. Dreadlocks hung down her back, animal bones braided throughout them. Purple and black war paint decorated her face, her eyes completely black. Ragged cloth wrapped around her breasts and hips, leaving her only barely decent. Lily had heard stories of the hyena shifters – they practiced their own brand of magic, probably black, and were considered almost feral. She comforted herself with the only positive rumor – they did not attack without provocation.
The woman spoke, her voice low and surprisingly smooth. “For what reason do you approach our territory?”
Theron stepped forward, already having decided to play the victim. “Greetings. We are from Emerald Isle, and we seek-”
Lily reached out and froze his tongue, for only an instant. He got the message and stopped speaking, giving her a quizzical look. She pasted a sly smile on her face and focused on the hyena woman. These were not a species that would respond well to weakness. “Hello. We’re just here to see his brother.”
She was met with an assessing gaze. Hyenas were anything but stupid. This woman knew that Theron was not about to say that. “And why should we let you pass? It’s a dangerous city. We dislike when weaklings come in and get themselves murdered. Messy business.”
Lily’s smile turned slightly feral. She raised her voice that everyone could hear her, her gaze never leaving the woman’s. “What do you think guys? We likely to get murdered?”
Hecate’s playful expression never left her face, as a black cloud surrounded her and fire burst from her hands. The fire also shooting from her eyes probably made her grin look less friendly and more maniacal. The hyenas nearest to her backed up slightly, all but one. Still though, their leader was unimpressed. “So one of your party is a witch, big deal. I do not expect that she can protect all of you. If that is the best you’ve got, you may as well just turn around.”
The branches around them trembled as a colossal roar filled the air. Theron had shifted, finally. He was a glorious sight to behold – black and orange and promising death. Padding forward delicately, he walked a circle around Lily, snarling at every hyena he passed.
Finn joined in as well, sending his vines out to tickle and tease their surly welcoming committee. This bothered the animals far more than Theron or Hecate’s displays, as they danced away from the conjured plants and let loose with a cacophony of yips and growls.
&
nbsp; The head hyena’s face was bored, although Lily could feel the uncertainty slowly seeping out of her. “Those three pass,” she smirked, a note of cruelty creeping into her voice, “but I’ve yet to see you do a trick, little girl.”
Lily walked forward, ignoring the angry beasts surrounding her, until she was within striking distance of the woman. Her voice rang out, clear and confident, as she unleased her powers on the entire pack. “Bow.”
The sight of every hyena dropping their heads in submission was glorious. She knew it shouldn’t be, but what a rush. Lily couldn’t deny the fact – it would be so easy to fall to the dark side. But she was confident she could resist.
Their group filed through, Finn’s vines pulled in, Theron still in his tiger form. Hecate’s black cloud and fire had subsided, although her eyes were still molten lava. As she passed by the head hyena, head bowed but lips curled up in a snarl, Hecate stopped. Grasping her under the chin, she forced her head up and spat one sentence into her face. “I am the witch, and you’d better not forget it.”
Lily tried to hide her smile – by all accounts she should be terrified of Hecate, but she couldn’t help but find her endearing.
Theron walked along beside her, and suddenly she felt him pushing at her mind. He was deliberately pushing his thoughts at her! She knew it was possible, but no one had ever tried it on her before. He wouldn’t know it, but such a simple gesture meant the world to her.
“Can you read my thoughts still?”
She “spoke” back to him, but kept it telepathic. “Yes! I didn’t know you could do that.”
“Ha. I didn’t either. Anyways, do we have any plans?”
Lily felt a single tear roll down her cheek. For the first time in a long time, she wasn’t alone. She spoke aloud, wanting the universe to hear. “All that matters is we’ll be together.”
Epilogue
Vesper hunched over the fire pit, the flickering flames only emphasizing his gaunt features. Diesel leaned against a tree nearby, watching the dark intently. He didn’t know who or what was threatening his home, but every rustle in the darkness seemed like a potential threat.
Scholar (Emerald Isle Tigers Book 3) Page 5
