by Smith, S. E.
“Crom wants you to choose him,” Melda said, sighing again. “Did you see the way he showed off for you?”
“Crom?” Emma asked looking in the direction that Melda was staring. Her eyes widened when she saw the huge male who had stood up as she walked by earlier staring at her. “Why is he staring at me?”
Sebra, who remained next to Emma, laughed. “He is fascinated with your hair, including the lack of it. I overheard him telling another male he wanted to see if you felt as soft as you look.”
Emma flushed and looked over to where Ha’ven was sitting. She had been trying not to stare at him all evening but it was very difficult, especially after what they had shared earlier down at the river. All she wanted was to be back in his arms again. She felt safe when he held her.
She drew in a startled breath when she saw the heated look in his eyes. She was also surprised at the touch of anger in them. Her fingers rose to play nervously with a flower at the end of one of her braids.
She jumped slightly when Sebra touched her arm. “Now, it is time for the women to make one of the men wish to belong to them. Watch,” she murmured.
Emma turned in her seat to watch as Melda and two other women stood and moved to the center of the dining area. Each stood in a different area. Her lips parted in delight when she heard the faint strains of music in the background. She watched as the women began moving. Her eyes followed the moves of each dancer, hypnotized as they twisted and turned in an intricate dance. In her mind, she followed their moves while words flowed, matching the rhythm being played. Her own body responded to the music. Her heart opened like a withered sunflower kept in the dark that was suddenly touched by the sun.
She swayed in her seat, a deep yearning to join in sweeping through her as the music suddenly died down. She watched as two of the males rose and approached the three women. Melda looked them over critically before she turned her eyes to Crom who remained seated. She looked back at the two men who stood posing for her and the other two women. She grunted out something to the women before she gave a short nod. Emma bit her lip as the women walked around each male, sizing him up. Her mouth dropped open when Melda not only felt each male’s ass but cupped the front of them as well. Her eyes flashed to Ha’ven who was watching her.
Emma forced her gaze away when she heard a low growl. A shiver raced through her when she saw Crom was watching her as well. There was no question that he was waiting for her to dance.
“Your young prince will have to work for you,” Sebra said with a note of satisfaction. “Crom will challenge him.”
“You don’t have to sound so happy about that,” Emma complained. “I don’t want Crom. I only want Ha’ven.”
Sebra chuckled. “A little competition will be good for your young prince. It will keep him alert and make him hornier to know that another male desires you.”
Emma glared at Sebra for a moment before she tilted her head in curiosity. “How do you handle sharing Saba Monda with the other females?” She asked.
“I am very happy,” Sebra responded with a grin. “He is a very horny male. I would never get anything done if I had to satisfy him alone.”
“That is more information than I needed to know, Sebra,” Emma grimaced. “I should have known better than to ask.” She ignored Sebra when she responded by bursting out in laughter.
Emma turned as the three women led one of the men away. The young male who wasn’t chosen grinned and returned to his seat. Emma watched as two other women rose and moved to the center of the dining area. Over and over for the next hour, the women around her rose and moved to dance for the men. Soon, there was only her and two other women remaining at their table.
“You will go now,” Sebra murmured.
“But,” Emma looked at the older female in panic. “I don’t want to dance with the other women! What if they dance with me and chose a male? I don’t want…” Her eyes flew to Ha’ven who was sitting perfectly still, his eyes glued to her.
“There are only two males left,” Sebra said. “You will dance alone for them.”
Emma’s eyes moved to Crom who sat looking at her with a burning hunger before turning to Ha’ven. The confident determination in his eyes calmed her. He promised to protect her. He would never let another male take her from him.
She rose on shaky knees. Walking over to the small group of musicians, she spoke quietly for several minutes before moving to the center of the dining area reserved for the dancers. Closing her eyes, she lifted one arm above her head while the other curved gracefully behind her.
As the music began, she let it sweep over her. The beauty of the notes poured through her blood, awakening the magic deep inside her. A soft smile curled her lips as she imagined herself back in the dance studio with her father. His arms guiding her as she took the first tentative steps.
Her arms moved in a graceful arc as she turned. She flowed around the circle lost in the beauty of her memories and the music. Soon, her voice joined in. The clear beautiful tones rising and falling like the waves brushing the shores of the lake. Heartfelt and pure, the sounds washed over those sitting around the circle as she danced, mesmerizing everyone with the beauty of her words and movements.
Chapter 18
Ha’ven sat enchanted by the vision in front of him. The beauty of her voice and the grace of her body as it moved in perfect synchronization gripped him in its magic. Her aura swirled around her making her body glow in the delicate colors that were uniquely hers. The effect was pure magic at its most powerful and his own power, drained as it was, fought to answer the call of its mate.
Unable to resist when she rose up, her back arched in an elegant arc and her leg raised and bent behind her as her arms reached for the starry sky, he joined her. Moving as if in a trance, he gently gripped her tiny waist and lifted her. The moment he touched her, his power rose up to entwine with hers. He could feel the weak threads being caught and held in the warmth of her essence. As one, they moved together to the music. Ha’ven never let her go. His hands or body touched some part of her as they danced around the circle, oblivious to anyone other than each other.
Ha’ven watched as Emma’s eyes fluttered open as she slowly turned in his arms as the music faded in the background. She stood… entrapped in his arms. Her hands rested lightly on his shoulders as she gazed up at him.
Overwhelming love flooded him as he sank deeper into the blue oceans of her eyes. His lips gently caressed hers. He drank deeply when her lips parted for him. His arms drew her closer even as her power wrapped around them, tying them together forever as one.
He reluctantly pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. “I have never seen or heard anything more beautiful, misha petite,” he whispered huskily. “You are my love, my mate, my life. I ask that you choose me as yours.”
“I already have,” Emma replied as she smiled softly up at him, a tender smile curving her lips as she raised her right hand and laid it against his cheek.
A low growl sounded behind Emma. Ha’ven immediately twisted, pulling Emma behind him as Crom stepped into the circle. His face darkened in warning as the huge Moniker stepped forward.
“I challenge for the female,” Crom called out in a low rumbling voice to those sitting around the circle.
“I accept the challenge,” Ha’ven snarled back.
“No!” Emma said, frightened. “I don’t want you to accept.”
Ha’ven threw a heated glance over his shoulder. “I will not let him claim you, my Emma. You are mine!” He growled.
“Yes, and you are mine,” she responded softly, resting her fingers lightly on his back. She looked over Ha’ven’s shoulder at Crom who was staring at her with dark hungry eyes. “I have already chosen Ha’ven Ha’darra.”
“I am stronger. I can protect you and care for you,” Crom said, standing tall and pounding his right fist into his chest. “I would be a good mate.”
Emma carefully stepped around Ha’ven. She stopped beside him, running her h
and down his arm and curling her fingers around his. She looked up at Ha’ven with a tender smile before turning to look at Crom.
“I am honored by your challenge but my heart has already been taken. You see, a very wise woman once told me there would be a man out there that would love me so much I would walk on a cloud and never touch the ground,” Emma said as her throat tightened with tears at the memory of those words. “My mom was right. I found him… and I love him.”
*.*.*
Crom stood looking at the strange but beautiful female. The tears in her eyes and the truth in her voice and eyes showed that she would not accept him. A part of him still wanted to challenge the male for her but something told him that he could never win her. His eyes swept over her hair and the smoothness of her pale skin before he looked at Ha’ven who stood ready to strike.
“I ask for one thing before I will concede to the male,” Crom finally responded.
Emma tilted her head and looked at the huge male. “What is it?”
“I wish to see if your skin feels as soft as I imagine,” Crom responded with a grin. “I have never seen a female like you and it makes me curious.”
Emma bit back a giggle and blushed when Ha’ven snarled a dark curse under his breath. She squeezed his fingers before she slipped her hand from his and took a step forward. A low rumble of displeasure filled the air behind her.
She glanced over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. “Behave,” she admonished in a humorous tone. “He just wants to touch me.”
“You are not his to touch,” Ha’ven grumbled as he stepped up behind her.
Emma turned back to face Crom even as she stretched her left hand behind her to touch Ha’ven. She relaxed when his large hand wrapped around hers. She felt the familiar warmth that flooded her the moment they touched.
She bit her lip. In truth, she was a little curious herself. She reached up to timidly touch Crom’s fur-coated chest at the same time as he reached out and touched her cheek. Her eyes rose to meet his. The tips of his fingers were rough but soft as well. She tilted her head back a little further so he could run his fingers down along her jaw and throat. A low purr filled the air and the rumble of it vibrated under her fingers.
Emma couldn’t hold back the giggle that escaped at the feeling of it. It reminded her of a small kitten she had when she was younger. She gasped when a thick arm suddenly wound around her waist and she was pulled back against Ha’ven’s broad chest.
“You got your touch,” he growled out to Crom. “We are done.”
A startled squeak escaped Emma as she was suddenly swung up into a pair of strong arms. Her eyes flew to Ha’ven’s blazing violet ones. The swirling of black deep inside them sent waves of heat through her blood.
“Where are we going?” She asked in confusion when he turned on his heel and began threading through the tables and down a small path into the dark forest.
“Saba Monda has given us a small hut that is used for visiting guests. I am taking you there and then I am going to let you claim me,” he said in a husky, desire-laden voice. “I don’t want any of those other damn males thinking that you are available again.”
Emma sighed and laid her head against his chest as he carried her. She tilted her head so she could catch a glimpse of the stars through the trees. A smile curved her lips as she snuggled into his warmth.
A part of her felt guilty for not being there for her mother but a bigger part of her felt amazement for how much her life had changed over the past few months. She had wanted a chance to find out what was out in the world. She had wanted a chance to live a little. She was finding out the world was a lot bigger than she ever imagined, and well, she had never felt so alive in her life.
*.*.*
Ha’ven strode down the long narrow path to the hut Saba Monda had shown to him earlier. His blood boiled with jealousy. It had taken every bit of his self-control not to kill the Moniker. The thought of any other male touching her was like pouring fuel on a fire. He had wanted to rip the other male’s hand off when he reached to touch Emma’s cheek. His arms tightened around her slender figure as she relaxed back against him.
“It’s so beautiful here,” Emma sighed. “I’ve never seen so many stars in my life.”
Ha’ven heard the ache in her voice. “What is it, misha petite? Something is bothering you,” he asked quietly, slowing his pace so she could have more time to enjoy the stars above.
“I wonder how my mom is and...,” she answered in a small voice. “Sometimes I feel guilty that I’m not there for her… not that she would even realize it anymore,” she whispered. “But other times, like now with you, I don’t. I never want this to end. Do you think that makes me a selfish and uncaring daughter?”
Ha’ven’s heart clenched at the hesitancy in her voice. Her uncertainty and sadness pulled at him. He knew she feared he would judge her harshly for wanting to stay with him. Did that make him any less guilty for wanting his time alone with her to never end as well?
“You said once that your mother did not remember who you were,” Ha’ven replied as he stepped up to the door of the small hut. “Does she remember her life from when she was young?”
Emma reached out and lifted the latch to the door so Ha’ven could carry her over the threshold. A shiver coursed through her at the symbolic meaning. It was as if they had truly married that night.
“Yes, she remembers fragments. She especially remembers my father, though at times she doesn’t remember they were married,” Emma said sadly looking up at Ha’ven’s face in the dim light shining through the windows. “I don’t want to ever forget you,” she murmured in a hushed voice.
Ha’ven carefully lowered Emma to her feet. “I will just have to keep reminding you then,” he said, brushing his fingers along her cheek. “I didn’t like that male touching you,” he admitted with a grimace. “You are mine, Emma. I have never felt this way before and it will take me time to understand the emotions you stir inside me.”
Emma turned her head and pressed a kiss to the center of his palm. “I don’t understand them either,” she said. “I didn’t think I would live much less have a chance at finding someone to love. When Cuello....” her voice died and she lowered her head to hide the pain in her eyes. “I just wanted to fade away from the pain.”
Ha’ven’s face tightened in anger at the memory of what the human male had done to his tiny mate. He tenderly cupped her chin, lifting it so she could see the truth in his eyes. He ran his other hand up along her neck, threading his fingers through her hair. He knew he couldn’t take her memories away but he could ease them by replacing them with better, happier ones.
“Never again, Emma,” he vowed passionately. “I will do everything in my power to protect you from ever having to go through anything like that again.”
Emma’s lips curved in a smile as she looked up at him with bright, trusting eyes. “I love you, Ha’ven.”
Ha’ven lowered his head, capturing Emma’s lips as his hands worked at unbraiding her hair. He wanted to run his hands through the silky strands. He deepened the kiss when her lips parted. The moment her hair was free, he moved his hands to the pin holding the colorful wrap. With nimble fingers, he slid it from the delicate fabric. Catching the wrap, he pulled it free from her body and tossed it behind him.
“Undress me, Emma,” he muttered thickly as he pressed hot kisses to the corner of her mouth. “Undress me and claim me as yours.”
“Forever?” She asked as her trembling fingers worked at pulling free the clasps that held his shirt closed.
“Forever,” he responded.
“Oh Ha’ven,” she gasped as his hands ran down to grip her hips.
Emma fought to push his shirt off his broad shoulders. Her hands roamed over his chest as she pressed tiny kisses across it. She worked her way down his flat stomach until her hands reached the top of his pants. She desperately worked at undoing the clasp at the waist and pushed them down. Ha’ven quickly toed off his boots and kicked
his pants aside as Emma sank to her knees in front of him. His hands fisted in her hair and he closed his eyes briefly when he felt her hot, moist breath against his throbbing cock. Her hands ran up over his calves and clenched the back of his thighs as she pulled him forward.
“I want to taste you,” she breathed out.
Ha’ven drew in a heated breath, his eyes popping open to stare down at Emma’s tilted face. In the dim light, her aura glowed and changed to warmer, richer colors as she opened her mouth. He swallowed several times as her lips closed around him.
“By the Goddess, Emma,” he hissed out loudly. “You are mine forever, misha petite.”
Emma’s soft moan of acknowledgement sent shivers through Ha’ven as the vibration added another layer of pleasure to the heat of her mouth. He thrust his hips forward slowly as she wrapped her lips around his shaft. He watched as she took his long length, amazed that she could take as much as she did without choking. He pulled back shuddering at the light abrasion of her teeth against him. The sight of her loving him was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
*.*.*
Emma wrapped her hands around Ha’ven’s cock wanting to feel every inch of him. The combination of silky smooth and hard pulsing in her hands caused her own body to react. Hot moisture pooled between her legs and her breasts ached to be touched. She was desperate for relief from the building inferno inside her but she wanted to savor this moment when she was the one in control. Deep down, she knew that Ha’ven wanted to show her that she had as much power over him as he did over her. The trembling in his tall hard body proved that he was not immune to her touch.
She wondered vaguely what would happen if he lost that tight control. A surge of recklessness washed through her, pushing her to explore his body and push him to the breaking point. Gripping the feeling, she kept one hand wrapped around his cock while her other one explored. Her mouth became more desperate as her own body heated. She groaned around his cock, moving her mouth back and forth over it again and again. Her right hand moved with her mouth while her left stroked his stomach before sliding over his hip to grip his ass. She surprised herself when she slapped it hard.
