Her heart squeezed with compassion for Malek. From what she’d seen of him, he was well respected by his men, and he treated them firmly but fairly. She could just imagine how he felt losing a man in battle.
“He grieves for Konrad,” Ortega said gruffly beside her.
She cast a quick sideways glance at him and looked back at Malek. “I know.” She swallowed hard. “I…I want to offer my sympathies to him, but—”
“You are afraid,” Ortega interjected quietly. “I understand. The men, too, are afraid to invade his private moment of grief. Malek is a proud man, but he is not without a heart. Konrad was a good man and I know Malek is taking this hard. He feels responsible for all our lives, and when he loses a man…” his voice trailed off, making Katya wonder how seriously Malek took his job.
“I…I can’t explain it, but I feel his pain.” She gave Ortega a look that said she thought she was going mad. “I can hear every ragged breath he’s taking, feel every spasm of pain in his gut.”
Ortega didn’t look in the least bit surprised by her admission. He simply nodded as though that was the most natural thing for Katya to say, but Katya didn’t think it was natural. Who sensed another human being so vividly as though they were living under that person’s skin?
“Go to him, milady.”
She inhaled slowly and stared back at the lonely, sole figure of Malek, then slowly went toward him, her heart fluttering with the wings of a thousand sparrows. She reached his side and placed a gentle hand on his forearm.
“I’m sorry, Malek.”
He looked down at her, his dark eyes brilliant with a curious sheen in them, and her heart broke at the look of pain crossing his face.
“Konrad was a good soldier.”
“He respected you.”
“Aye, but look where that loyalty got him.”
“It’s not your fault. Any one of us could have been where he is now. It was his time to go,” she ended gently.
“Did you know he met his one three weeks ago and they were to be married upon his return from this scouting mission? She is with child.” He ran a hand though his hair and Katya noticed a tremor running through his fingers. “Dear God, how am I to tell her that her beloved is gone?” he asked, glancing back to Konrad’s resting place.
“Malek, Konrad left her with a beautiful gift, a child that will help keep his memory alive.”
Malek tore his gaze from the grave and peered down at her. Impulsively, she drew her arms around him and hugged him. He put his arms around her and she heard him take a ragged breath.
She wasn’t certain, but she thought she felt a whisper of a kiss on the top of her head. Slowly he drew away and looked deeply into her eyes.
“Katya, I…”
“What?” she said softly.
“Never mind.” He then dropped his hands and stalked away.
She stared at Malek’s retreating back and stiffened at the torrent of emotions she sensed emanating from his tall frame.
Anger, regret, guilt, self-loathing.
Her heart plummeted. She had failed to console him.
Later that night, she came out of her tent and saw the guards preparing to eat. Nolan had already thanked her for the hundredth time for saving him and she smiled at him, telling him he would have done the same for her. He left her to sit with the men as Ortega came up to her with a plate of food. His stern face was softer, his eyes warm.
“The guards are all saying you are a brave woman for saving Malek.”
“Malek doesn’t think so. He said I was foolish for risking my life.”
“His duty is to protect you. If you had been hurt, he would have never forgiven himself.”
“Like he never forgave himself for not saving his brother?” she commented without thinking.
“We don’t talk about Garrek anymore. Malek has lost all hope his brother will ever be returned to him.”
As soon as Ortega left, she lowered herself on a small boulder and began to eat. She saw Malek to the far right, his expression pensive and drawn. Fatigue lines ran around his face and there were shadows under his eyes. She was sure he was thinking about Konrad and she wished she could help ease his guilt. Suddenly, he looked up and their gazes locked. Katya held her breath, unable to explain the powerful impact his dark, mesmerizing eyes had on her senses. Her blood began to pound.
He rose slowly and walked toward her until he towered in front of her. “I apologise,” he said.
“For what?”
“For thinking you might be under Balkathan’s control.” He lowered his body next to her. “I realise now you are not. You would not have saved my life or Nolan’s if you were.”
“Thank you for realising that.”
“I should be thanking you.”
“You saved my life, too, Malek,” she said quietly.
A brief spasm of pain crossed his face. “I was afraid I could not reach you in time.”
He gazed deep into her eyes and she held her breath. There was something different between them, something tangible and warm. His gaze flickered to her mouth.
“You told me earlier Konrad left his bride-to-be a beautiful gift. A child. Once, before we all turned Lycan two hundred years ago, I wanted a family.” He gave her a careful look. “Do you want a family?”
The question took her by surprise. “I’ve never really thought about it. According to the Lycan Legend, we all have predestined mates.”
“Ah, yes. The Lycan Legend.”
“You don’t believe in it?”
“I do, but I want control of my own destiny. I have always wanted a family, and one day, after Balkathan is defeated, I will choose a suitable mate and start a family.” He gave her an unreadable look.
“What if you choose the wrong woman?” she asked gently.
His face hardened. “I have seen what the legend could do to a man and a woman. Ortega loved a woman deeply once. They were both convinced they were true mates. When they first consummated their love—”
“They didn’t spontaneously transform into their Lycan forms,” she ended softly, recalling what her mother had explained to her. “What happened?”
“She was devastated. So she left him and broke his heart. He waits still for his soul mate.”
“And you don’t want to wait for your one.”
“Nay. Some Lycans have been known to wait for centuries for their mates. I will not wait. I will choose my mate when I am ready.”
She thought about what he’d said and her heart was heavy. She could never give him what he wanted.
A family.
* * * *
Later that night, when the camp settled down for the night, Malek toured the grounds. He knew Katya was safe in her tent and he stopped behind a wagon. He overheard Ortega and Nolan.
“I like Katya,” Nolan said. “She has great beauty, courage, bravery.”
Malek felt a stab of jealousy.
“That wench is off limits, my friend,” Ortega said. “Have you not seen how Malek is with her?”
“Nay.”
“Then you are blinded by the wench’s beauty. We all stay away from her because we know Malek has claim on her even if he doesn’t know it yet.”
Malek stiffened violently. What the devil is Ortega talking about?
“He wants her,” Ortega continued, “and it’s best to keep your distance, boy. You’re a young Lycan, Nolan. A fledgling. The rest of us have been Lycans since the beginning, two hundred years. We sense things, we know when a Lycan’s time has come to mate.”
Malek’s gut clenches. Is Ortega right?
“I have never seen Malek like this with a woman before in his life. His Lycan blood stirs for her. I saw it happen with the prince when he met Alexandra, and then again with the king when he met Eve.”
Malek couldn’t settle down—not now when Balkathan was still a threat to the royal kingdom.
There was no place in his life for love.
* * * *
The steady drum of rain
on the tent woke her up and she opened her eyes. Malek was out there. Concerned, she rose from the cot, lit a candle, and went to the entrance. She quickly drew back the flap and looked outside. Her stomach dropped when she saw Malek leaning against a crate on the ground, his arms over his bent legs, his head down. He was getting soaked and her heart wrenched at pitiful sight of him.
“Come inside,” she said.
He snapped his head up and their gazes collided. “Nay. Go back to sleep.”
“You’re getting drenched. Please, come inside. You’ll be no help on this assignment if you get ill.”
His mouth quirked. “Lycans do not catch colds.”
“Fine. Then I’ll join you,” she said and proceeded to go outside.
He rose abruptly. “Go back inside, woman!”
“No! Why should you suffer in this terrible weather? You haven’t had a decent night’s rest since we left the castle.”
His expression softened for a brief moment. “Fine.” He entered the tent and ran his hands over his wet face. “I need to undress.”
“Of course.” Now, she wondered if it had been wise to tell him to come inside. Nervously, she turned around and heard him getting out of his wet, warrior garb. Alarmed, Katya wondered what Malek was going to wear. Was he going to remain naked in the tent? She peaked a glance at him and stifled a gasp at the magnificence of his beautifully, sculpted male body. She’d already seen him naked before, by the lake when she’d bathed and earlier during their attack from the vampire family, but this was different. This wasn’t battle conditions. They were in her tent and the atmosphere was intimate and seductive, more so with the soft glow of the candle. She lowered her eyes and couldn’t contain her gasp this time. Malek was fully aroused.
He gave her a hard look. “How am I expected to react when you’re standing there practically naked?”
Frowning, she glanced down at herself and her face heated up. Her sheery, long night dress was see-through. Katya crossed her arms on her chest and gave him an uncertain look, her stomach flipping at the expression on his face. It was dark with desire, his gaze resting on the swell of her breasts. Malek wanted her. He had his hands clenched at his sides and she watched him swallow hard.
“It’s getting harder for me to stay away from you,” he said, his deep voice sending shivers up her spine.
“Even if we’re not each other’s ones?” she said, picking the first thing that leapt to her mind.
“To hell with the legend,” he rasped. “I want you, not my one.”
She parted her lips, gasping softly. For the first time, she admitted to herself she wanted him, too. “I’m…I’m not stopping you.”
Hope flared on his handsome face. “What did you say?” Malek asked quietly.
“I…I said I won’t stop you.” And she wouldn’t, she realised. Somehow, Katya knew Malek held the key to destroy the nightmares plaguing her sleep the past two years. Somewhere in his proud, aloof, arrogant self, he held the secret to release her from her past. She wasn’t sure if it was her wolf responding to his, but she did know she was right.
A satisfied look softened his ruthless features and he growled under his breath. Slowly, Malek advanced, his face etched with determination. Katya was afraid, but not frightened. Something about him that made his face predatory, a primal need that reached out to her, making her nerves flutter with excitement.
She took a small step forward, her courage rising. “Show me how it should be between a man and woman. Help me forget the past two years,” she said.
He drew in a strangled breath, groaning as he strode to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. He pulled her hard against his chest as his mouth descended over hers.
Malek ran a hungry kiss over her mouth, pushing her head back, and Katya moaned against his warm, firm lips. This was where she wanted to be, Katya thought suddenly. In his arms.
Just as quickly as he kissed her, he withdrew, leaving her shaken and uncertain. She looked up at him and saw dark flames of desire leaping in his eyes, his erection rigid and hard against her belly.
“You are not afraid?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
“No.”
“I am afraid. What if I can’t control myself with you? My wolf has burned with desire for you from the first moment I met you. I…” His deep voice trailed. “I don’t want to frighten you.”
She reached up and cupped his face with her hands. “You won’t. Make love to me and my wolf will respond.”
Malek snarled, a satisfied glint in his eyes, and he turned his face to plant a hard kiss on her hand. He slid his own hands around her waist and drew her close.
Katya could feel every contour of his strong body and she closed her eyes, basking in the heady sensations running through her limbs. He began rubbing her back and she moaned at the pleasure he was inciting in her veins. Yet, she knew he was holding back. She knew he was still afraid to scare her away with his passion.
Determined to put him at ease, she planted a soft kiss on his chest and pressed her lower body against his loins. Malek sucked in a harsh breath.
“We must go slow,” he suggested in a strained voice.
“No, we mustn’t,” she murmured, running more kisses on his chest. “I want to know passion. Don’t be afraid to hurt me. I’m a Lycan, and my wolf is burning with desire for you, too.”
Sucking in a harsh breath, he slid his hands to her bottom and ground her body against his, his expression taut with passion. He ran kisses over her face until his mouth closed over hers. Katya whimpered under the passionate onslaught of his kiss.
His hands bunched her nightdress and he lifted it over her head. Malek withdrew from her, running his dark gaze over her as Katya stood naked before him. He stared at her breasts and groaned, dropping his head to take one in his mouth. Katya threw her head back and whimpered. Darts of ecstasy pulsed from her breasts to the joint where her legs met and she throbbed with both pleasure and pain.
He took her other breast in his mouth and her ache mounted.
Malek suckled and lathed her rosy nub until Katya couldn’t take it anymore. Her knees buckled and he lifted her in his arms, carrying her to the cot. He placed her down, staring at her body, a deep growl emanating from his throat as he knelt at the foot of the cot and grabbed her knees. She lay her head back and squeezed her eyes, biting into her lip as the ache between her legs grew. He was driving her mad with desire.
Katya gasped! He pushed her legs apart, exposing her womanhood to him, and she held her breath.
Her body tensed with shock as she felt the first thrust of his tongue entering her. He kissed her, suckled her, lathed her, and all the while, a build of ecstasy was rising over her limbs. She felt like she was going to explode into a million pieces.
With his mouth still on her silken, wet folds, Malek placed his palm on her throbbing nub while he dug his tongue into her.
Her passion erupted as wave upon wave of ecstasy washed over her, leaving her shaking with spasms. Katya breathed hard, unable to catch her breath as she felt him rise from in between her legs and position himself over her.
She gazed up at Malek with wonder on her face. His pallor was a dark red, dangerous and predatory as he placed his knee between her legs and separated them.
Her body’s tingles were subsiding, but the moment she felt his hard erection on her folds, she flung her head back, squeezing her eyes.
Malek growled as he thrust himself deep within her moist sheath, making Katya scream at the pleasure reawakening in her limbs.
Malek withdrew and entered her with punishing force and she matched his movements wildly, wanting him to stay inside her. Dazed, she looked up at his face and caught her breath. It was a duller red, his eyes as black as night, his expression taut with unrestrained passion. He looked more animal than human.
And with one final thrust, Malek threw back his head and roared his release as Katya joined him in her climax.
For a few moments, they didn’t move as their heavy breathing
subsided. He braced himself over her on his elbows so he didn’t crush her, and she yearned for his heavy weight over her.
Their gazes locked, and she smiled shyly up at him.
Malek didn’t return her smile. He just planted a hard kiss on her mouth, his dark, fathomless eyes never leaving her face.
Katya wrapped her arms around his powerful shoulders and closed her eyes. This was heaven.
She jerked under his weight, her eyes flying open!
“What the—” she blurted out, then gasped, dazed beyond comprehension.
His expression was stunned for a brief moment until a satisfied glint on his face made her understand what was happening.
They were shifting involuntarily into their Lycan forms. They were each other’s ones.
“Are we…” She couldn’t find the rest of her voice as her body stretched and grew.
“Aye, my lovely,” he said, transforming.
In their full Lycan forms, they stared into each other’s eyes, Malek’s expression a mixture of possessive pride and contentment.
Their humans took over and slowly they reverted back to man and woman.
Katya gaped at him, her eyes wide. “What just happened?”
“We made love,” he replied dryly.
“I meant the other thing! I…I shifted involuntarily.”
“As I. It appears the Lycan Legend has struck again.”
“This isn’t funny.”
“I am not laughing.”
“I don’t understand. That means…that means…” She couldn’t finish her thought.
“We are soul mates.”
“How can that be? We hardly know each other.”
“Souls have an eternal life. We’ve been connected always, since the birth of time. It matters not if our physical forms just met. Our souls have known each other always.”
“Those are quite the romantic words for a fierce, Lycan warrior.”
“Do not jest about the Lycan Legend.”
Lycan Warrior Page 4
