“You’re so certain they all deserve to be where they are. Some of them do. I can accept that. But tell me how a child born with a mixed form because her Were mother is held prisoner and raped by a human hunter is guilty of a crime and should be forced to live an outcast’s life.”
Aryck stood, unable to remain still as Rebekka assaulted him with questions that weren’t his to answer. He was an enforcer, not a shaman. Pack law was pack law, and when it came to outcasts and humans, it had remained unchanged by generations of Jaguar alphas.
Almost against his will he found himself saying, “Weres born in a mixed form are killed by their mothers or left to die.”
“And if they’re not? Then is it okay to kill the child at three years old, or four, or ten, or twenty? Did you ever stop to consider how The Last War and what followed created millions of orphans with no knowledge of their heritage? People whose descendents carry Were genes that lie dormant, who think they’re human until physical trauma triggers a healing response and leaves them trapped between forms.”
“Impossible.”
“I’ve seen it for myself. Are you calling me a liar?”
Aryck clenched his jaw, paced to the door, and told himself he should open it and leave. Instead he turned, only to feel the sharp blade of another question.
“What if Caius can’t shift into tiger form after all he’s been through? Would you drive him away? Send him to the city to become a victim and claim he deserved it? Kill him if he refused to leave?”
Aryck stalked over and crouched next to her, a growl forming in his chest, in his mind. “Enough.”
She sat up, clutching the fur to her naked chest and sending a roar of heat through him to rival the anger. In that moment she seemed every bit as fierce as a female Jaguar defending something of value.
Bare shoulders and cascading hair, strength welded with femininity. The sight of her aroused him, making him want to rip the fur away and silence her with the thrust of his tongue into her mouth, the thrust of his cock into her slick sheath, despite the danger of one day becoming the very thing they argued about because of it.
Her eyes met his boldly, challenging him. Telling him she was his equal in every way despite having only one form.
“Enough,” he repeated, raw need twisting in his gut. His testicles heavy and full and his cock throbbing.
She licked her lips, nearly shredding his control. Her scent changed subtly, with the beginnings of desire.
Naked, stretched beneath him on the furs, she wouldn’t say no to him again. He would make sure of it.
One coupling and no other female could hold my interest.
His father’s words slipped into Aryck’s thoughts again. He wanted to deny them, to ignore them, to shake them off and tell himself he was not his father.
He couldn’t. Worse, Rebekka was making him question his beliefs, the rigid framework of his world.
Aryck stood, afraid to risk remaining in her presence.
A turn. A step.
The Jaguar came to life with a vengeance, beast soul riving away from the whole. Refusing to leave Rebekka.
Aryck embraced the pain, willingly accepted the escape from conversation and questions his furred form allowed. He pushed his pants off his hips, not able to deny the pleasure at feeling her eyes on him, traveling down his body.
It was all he could do not to turn, to display the hard length of his cock jutting upward, spasming against his abdomen and wetting his skin with escaped arousal.
Her scent deepened. Her breathing became erratic.
The rustle of furs had him imagining her naked. Made him realize man and beast were once again fully united in their desire to claim this woman.
With a thought Aryck commanded the change, knowing if he turned back toward Rebekka in a human form, he would take her, without care for the consequences.
Rebekka was torn between relief and disappointment as Aryck became Jaguar. It was for the best, she reminded herself, lying back down but unable to suppress the small thrill that came when he padded over and settled next to her.
Heat poured off him, so much of it she wanted to kick off the covers and lie naked in the cool night air. A flush spread over her skin at the erotic image.
He began purring, a low rumble that felt like a rough tongue lapping over her swollen folds and hardened nipples. She shouldn’t, she knew she shouldn’t, and yet she couldn’t stop herself from reaching over and running her hand down his neck and over his shoulders.
Both his forms were magnificent. Beautiful.
For the first time in her life she wished she’d been born something other than a gifted healer. If she were a Jaguar—
But she wasn’t, and only pain would come of imagining otherwise, of dreaming there could be a future here with him. She was human, fathered by a demon, her gift altered by a supernatural being who’d turned it into something that would bring death to those she lived among if she wasn’t careful.
Aryck’s purrs deepened, drawing her away from her troubled thoughts. Stroking his fur eased her, quieted her mind and her body, finally allowing sleep to reclaim her.
Sixteen
REBEKKA woke to a strong male body covering hers. Warm skin touching warm skin. Making her feel safe, protected, desirable.
Muscles rippled beneath her hands as they glided over a naked back. The hard throb of an erection pressed against her belly and ground against her stiffened clit. Lips nuzzled her ear. A cheek rubbed against hers, bringing a scent that had come to represent temptation. Aryck.
Her nipples were tight, aching points stabbing a smooth chest. She let herself pretend, keeping her eyes closed, not wanting the fantasy to end as her fingers lingered at the base of his spine, then dared to go lower.
His moan was a rumbled purr as her hands smoothed over firm, muscled buttocks. He lifted onto his elbows enough to allow him to trail kisses to the edge of her mouth.
Like a cat, his tongue darted out, licked along the seam of her lips. Enticed.
She opened for him. Her lower lips did the same. Unfurling, making her want to spread her legs wider and cant her hips. To tear away the barrier of her panties so he could find her opening and join their bodies with the thrust of his cock deep inside her.
His tongue slid into her mouth, rubbed against hers as his body rocked, each movement striking her clit. She opened her eyes, unable to deny herself the sight of him above her.
He growled in satisfaction. Shifted his weight onto a single elbow, freeing his hand to cup her bare breast.
Desire rushed through her. A whimper escaped and she arched her back.
His face tightened, nostrils flaring as his fingers rubbed over her nipple, clamped onto it and tugged, eyes more jaguar than human. Daring her to deny him. Promising exquisite pleasure with her acceptance.
She licked her lips and his hips jerked, thrust his rigid cock against her clit and made her cry out. Lust flashed through her and she clamped her legs against his.
He lowered his head. Lapped at her nipple. Took it between his lips and suckled.
Need made her forget everything else. She tangled her fingers in his hair, writhed under him as gentle sucks gave way to the feel of teeth, to pain that only fed the pleasure.
With a growl he released her nipple, laved and kissed her breast, burying his face in her cleavage before once again covering her mouth with his. His tongue thrust aggressively as his hand went to her panties, fingers curling around them at her hip in preparation of ripping them away from her. Enough sanity remained for her to cover his hand with hers, stopping him.