She screamed and covered her eyes. “Something’s wrong, Byron. This can’t be right. Something went wrong.”
Byron tried to read her mind, but panic was uppermost. “Let me see. I do not understand what is wrong, Antonietta. You just woke up, there should not be pain. Are you in pain?”
Her stomach churned. “I came awake all at once and could hear things outside the walls of the villa. I could feel you, your skin, your body, and I immediately wanted you. I was thinking of making love, how beautiful it would be and how wonderful it is to wake up in your arms. I opened my eyes, and everything went crazy.”
Byron breathed for both of them, slow and steady until her wild heart was back in rhythm, and the chaos of her mind was under control. He examined the memories in her mind. The room tilting. His face shooting at her, distorted. Blurring. Light coming in from all directions. It was a dizzying kaleidoscope of images and color. Pain shot through his head, his stomach lurched.
“Can we fix it?” Antonietta wrapped her arms around Byron’s neck and hung on, her eyes closed tightly. “That was scary.”
He kissed the corner of her mouth, nibbled at her chin, his mind racing as he sought answers. “My friend Jacques has a lifemate, Shea, a doctor before her conversion, now a valued healer. Let me see if I can show him what is happening. She might be able to tell us what to do.”
It was his continual display of affection, the little love bites, the way his lips feathered over her skin as absorbed as he was in the problem that provided her with reassurance. Antonietta relaxed completely under him, the tension draining out of her. The moment she did, she became aware of the way his body was hard and thick and ready for hers. Sliding her hands over his back, she allowed her mind to become fully engaged in the definition of his muscles. With her eyes tightly closed, shutting out the unknown, she could concentrate on what she knew best, the texture and feel of Byron’s very masculine body.
Byron reached for Jacques.
I need help once again. Have you seen this before? Has Shea? Antonietta cannot open her eyes. He shared the dizzying vision with Jacques. Her conversion was difficult, and there were obvious signs of the Jaguar’s presence. Her entire family has strange barriers, shields preventing scans. Is it possible her genes have in some way contributed to a vision problem?
There was a short silence while Jacques obviously conferred with Shea.
It is so good to know you have found your lifemate, Byron.
Shea’s soft voice was in his mind.
She seems a remarkable woman, and we are anxious to meet her. Do you have plans of a traditional human wedding? I caught glimpses in her mind of staying with her family. She wants a wedding, and of course, we will have one. If Jacques can make it, I would want him to stand up for me. That goes without saying. I think the problem with her eyes is twofold. She hasn’t seen in years. The connections to the brain aren’t there and in proper working order. Time will fix that. She should try to rely on her other senses and give her eyes a break. Short practice without moving so she doesn’t add to the chaos she experiences. The heat images are more than likely her Jaguar genetics. She is far closer to the species than we’ve ever encountered. Cats, like us, have a layer of reflecting tissue which reflects back all external light. They also have binocular vision. Without moving their heads, cats can detect motion over a visual field of two hundred and eight degrees. The things happening to her that you shared with Jacques during her conversion were not normal.
Byron’s heart jumped.
You should have told me. It was too late to stop it. In truth, we have no idea what the conversion will do. Again, a guess would be the enhancement of her natural abilities. We know she is compatible. The eye problem is a drawback, Byron, but with time and practice, she should be able to reestablish connections. This is unknown territory. We thank you both.
Byron broke the connection, leaned down to kiss Antonietta’s throat. “Your skin is amazingly soft. I love the way you feel. Did you get all that? We are breaking new territory.”
“I just have to keep my eyes closed?”
Byron rolled over, bringing her on top of him. “That is the idea, although she said practice. Without movement. Maybe you should sit up there, just straddle me, and look around without moving.”
She laughed softly. “You always make me feel beautiful, Byron. No matter what, around you, I feel happy.” His hands cupped her breasts, his thumbs sending a shiver of excitement down her spine.
“Make me happy and give this a try.”
She found his heavy erection, took her time settling over him, gasping as he filled her, her tight muscles giving way to allow him deep inside of her. “You think I can just sit here without moving?”
He laughed, lifting his head to lap at her nipple. “Just think of the rewards.” He lay back and clasped her hands tightly in his. “Just look at the wall. It is dark in here, very little light can penetrate through the heavy curtains.”
Antonietta deliberately wriggled, tightening her muscles around him, and lifted her hips to ease back over him in a slow, teasing slide. “You want me to hold still?” She lifted herself again, used her muscles to contract around him, slid back and squirmed.
“Very still.”
She had the impression of white teeth bared. “Well, if you really insist.” She tightened her fingers around his, trying not to be afraid. Very cautiously, she opened her eyes. The room lurched and spun. Images leapt at her from every side. She concentrated on the way Byron felt, filling her with his thickness, stretching her muscles. The heat and fiery friction that could be hers with a simple thrust of her hips. She allowed the images in her mind to wash over her and retreat. Feeling mattered. Byron mattered. His body, so masculine, so hard. His mind with such wicked, erotic ideas. Just the thought of his fantasies flooded her body with a need for instant relief. She deliberately picked one out of his head, a particularly graphic picture of her exploring his body, her mouth wrapped tightly around him.
Byron groaned aloud. “You cannot think about things like that. Concentrate on your vision.”
She laughed, careful of moving. She didn’t want to blink; too many images leapt at her. “You’re the one with all those pictures in your mind. I had no idea you were so set on that. I would have been most happy to oblige. I think it would have been far more fun than staring at the wall.”
“Are you able to see anything? If you do not, I swear I might explode.” He had no idea it could be so erotic to lie perfectly still, connected together, surrounded by heat and fire. Her breasts were tempting, begging for his attention, but all he could do was lie passively while she stared at the opposite wall.
“I can’t judge how far away it is, but I can bring the Jacuzzi into focus.” There was excitement in her voice. “I am seeing it through my own eyes, aren’t I?” She shifted, a slight, languorous movement that brought beads of sweat to his brow.
“Yes,” he bit out between his teeth. Fire raced through his bloodstream. She was doing something with her muscles that wasn’t fair. “You are not supposed to be moving.”
Antonietta closed her eyes. “I wasn’t moving.” She leaned back slightly, her hair sliding over his thighs as she began to ride him. “This is moving. There’s a big difference. And let me show you this.” She sped up, hard, fast strokes designed to massage and caress. To drive him wild.
He reached up to capture her breasts, watching the sultry expression cross her face. She always gave herself completely to him, every bit as passionate or more than he. It only added to the dark intensity of his sexual hunger for her. His hands slipped lower to her waist, lifting her in time to his thrusting hips. He was close, so close. He caught her hair in his hand, dragged her to him as he half sat. “Take my blood, Antonietta. I feel your hunger beating at me.” The idea of it excited him so that he swelled even more, so that he throbbed and burned.