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  “If I give you that, I’ll expect you explain everything to me privately.”

  “I figured you would.”

  Kinsley’s attention drifted to Pinkie, his appreciation evident. The puma breed loved smaller females, the more delicate and lithe the better. “Is this the wee lass I’ve been searching for?”

  “Aye,” Diskant mocked and shifted his body, rotating Ava in his lap until her legs dangled outside of the booth and she was gazing up at his face with lips parted and eyes wide.

  “Say hello to Kinsley MacGregor.” He lifted his hand and cupped her jaw, brushing his thumb along her lower lip. “He spent a lot of time trying to help me find you.”

  “H-hello,” she stuttered but didn’t sever eye contact, gazing into Diskant’s face as the heady scent of her arousal engulfed his nose.

  Naturally, he reacted to the fragrant spice, cock growing firm against her plush bottom, filling out the lush line between her rounded cheeks until she inhaled raggedly and her eyes clouded. She pressed her head into his hand, turning until her lips were flush against his palm. A warm, wet lick caressed his skin, followed by another, longer swipe of her tongue.

  Sexy little minx.

  He considered lifting her up, spreading her across the table and returning the favor. What would she do if he swiped the drinks off the surface, ripped away her clothes and went to his knees before her in front of the entire room? Would she allow him to pleasure her in front of them? To lap away the succulent cream of her cunt as everyone watched? Public displays cemented the union among shifters, reinforcing the strength of their bond. The pack would accept her with open arms at such a display, welcoming her among them as a sister kind.

  Nothing would please him more.

  As if she knew exactly what he was thinking, she met his lust-filled stare and, after a hesitation, fucking winked as if daring him to do it.

  “Pinkie,” he growled a low warning and tightened his hold. Her breath caught and her beautiful, heavily lashed lids dipped as her pupils flared wide, until a rim of midnight blue was all he could see.

  Damn the second mark.

  Already the fire in his blood refused to abate. He could taste her need, feel it all the way to his bones. From here on in there’d be no stopping them. He wanted to bury his dick from crown to hilt inside her, over and over again until neither could differentiate between the hot satin walls of her pussy and the unrelenting slickness of his cock.

  “I hate to break up your fun,” a crass and unwelcome voice intruded, “but we didn’t come here to watch you fuck your mate.”

  The luscious expression on Ava’s face evaporated, along with the scent of her desire. She blinked rapidly as if catching herself before a committing a serious and unforgivable fall. Her pupils readjusted until they were tiny pinpoints and she ripped free of his palm. Turning her head, she brought her arms to her midsection and tried to pull herself into a ball.

  Diskant slowly turned away from her, furious at the embarrassment that now blanketed eagerness. Shifters wouldn’t have taken the words so harshly—sex was something they had a natural an itch for. His mate, however, was human and a stranger to all of this, and the son of a bitch responsible for her discomfort was more than conscious of that.

  What Diskant wanted to do was place Ava in the seat, climb out of the booth and put the snobby and elitist lynx in his place. None of the shifters in the room would have done fuck-all to stop it, and it was exactly what the rotten little prick deserved. Instead, he called on the lynx beneath his skin, met Donovan Wright’s conceited stare and waited as their beasts battled it out.

  The flicker of indecision across the playboy’s face quickly changed, creating a scent that every person with a keen sense of smell recognized—fear. There were only a half-dozen lynx in New York and though Diskant didn’t fancy himself an Alpha, he was sorely tempted to stake a claim to the title to just to put the condescending pussy in his place.

  He waited until Donovan lowered his eyes, bowed his shoulders and assumed a submissive position before he ordered, “Apologize.”

  It was a double insult, asking Donovan to apologize to a female and a human, which made it a suitable punishment. He would be the talk of the town once this mess with the Shepherds died down. Everyone would know Diskant had put him in his place, and the only females who would willingly give him a piece of ass would be those outside his pride.

  There was a heavy pause before Donovan complied. “Forgive me.”

  Technically it wasn’t an apology but Ava took the higher ground and nodded tersely.

  “I realize you’re newly mated but we need answers.” Jackson, the Alpha of the tiger pride stepped forward. His red-gold hair was offset by strands of blond and large portions of black, each color distinctive and vibrant. “If Shepherds are in the area, we need to be on full alert until they’re gone.”

  “I know what they want and I’m going to arrange a meeting to give it to them.” Diskant spoke with a confidence that conflicted with his true feelings regarding the situation. “They don’t have an interest in our city or in saving the populace. When they have what they want, they’ll leave.”

  “How certain are you of this?” Zeitgeist asked, coming in to stand beside Jackson to create a semicircle with Donovan. The cheetah shifter’s chin-length hair was a mixture of brown, black and blond—an odd coloring that all the members of his pride shared.

  Diskant started moving from the booth as he answered, “Certain enough that I’m going to leave Trey to answer your questions and offer you all a drink while I take my mate upstairs.”

  Kinsley was the only obstacle in their path and didn’t move out of the way, standing before them with his arms folded over his chest.

  Diskant stopped in front of him. “I’ll be back to talk as soon as she’s settled.”

  Kinsley grinned and the look on his face screamed “lucky fucking bastard”. He nodded and moved aside. “Don’t keep me waiting long.”

  “Don’t worry.” Diskant carried Ava past the Alphas and called over his shoulder, “It’ll be sometime before the sun comes up.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Diskant made one stop to retrieve Pinkie’s belongings before he took her to the top floor—to his own private apartment. He didn’t use it often, only when the shit hit the fan and the pack wanted to grant him a place he could rest and call home. That meant there were all the amenities he could ask for and then some—including a large plasma television, a couch, loveseat, recliner that allowed him to stretch out and a large hot tub in the bathroom.

  The door wasn’t locked when he barged inside but he rectified that problem as soon as he closed the door and tossed the bag onto the floor. His dick hadn’t gone soft since Ava’s display at the bar and it wouldn’t until he released inside her. This was the danger of being second marked and wouldn’t go away until he took the final step and brought her wholly into the bloodbond. It was a biological instinct, instilled so that mates couldn’t put off the process for overly long.

  “Wait,” Ava said as she realized his intention. “I need to talk to you—”

  He whipped her around and claimed her lips, silencing her effectively as he started removing her clothing. The apartment was a simple and modest layout—large living room, small kitchen and an enormous bedroom with a king-sized bed. As he guided her past the coffee table, around a large leather sofa, and she breached the entranceway of the bedroom, he caressed her skin, massaging her breasts. By then her sweater was gone, her pants were unbuttoned and she’d managed to undo the fastenings to his leathers, pop the fly to his jeans and bare his cock.

  Her hand wrapped around the turgid length and she whispered, “I don’t understand why I want you so much.”

  “It’s natural.” He forced her to let go when he bent to remove her shoes and socks.

  “For you, maybe. I’ve never been like this before.”

  He slipped her socks off and lifted his head, staring up at her. “There is no reason to be ashamed
of this. Among shifters it’s entirely natural.”

  She blushed. “I know that but—”

  “But nothing.” He clasped her hips, drawing her into his lap. “What we’re feeling is special. Some unlucky bastards go lifetimes without ever knowing what it means to share what we have together.”

  “That’s just it.” She met his gaze with eyes that were tortured and uncertain. “I don’t know anything about you really. I don’t know who your parents are—”

  “Elizabeth and Martin Black.”

  “Where they live—”

  “Alaska.”

  “If you have brothers or sisters—”

  “I have a younger brother who lives with my mother and father.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t even know how old you are.”

  “Two hundred and thirty-seven.”

  She gasped at the revelation but quickly recovered. “What your likes and dislikes are. What you want in life.”

  “Pinkie.” He placed the pad of his index finger over her mouth. “There is nothing more important in this world to me than you and there never will be. Not our children. Not the any of the packs or prides. Only you.”

  She placed her hand against his cheek and her beautiful, brushstroke brows came together. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

  “You can tell me anything.”

  Her frown deepened and she took a deep breath, as if building her courage.

  “I can read you.” When he gave her a questioning look she said, “In the office, after…after whatever it was that happened between us…” She lowered her eyes. “I could feel your emotions first. I thought it was just another side effect of what occurred that I couldn’t explain. Then I heard your thoughts.”

  He went still, absorbing what she told him, and his memory drifted to her odd behavior following the second mark. He’d expected her to be upset, to demand answers, but instead she’d acted as if she’d already known them…

  Fuck, she had known them.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she whispered and refused to meet his eyes. “I know it was wrong but I was so excited I didn’t stop and think. I realized how you felt about me and…”

  She shook her head and lowered her hand.

  “And?”

  At first he thought she hesitated because she was worried for some reason. Then he recognized the shyness that wouldn’t allow her to look him in the eye. “No one has ever felt that way about me. Not since my mother and father were alive.”

  His heart felt as if it had folded upon hearing the words, and he caught her chin between his thumb and forefingers—something that was becoming a habit—and forced her to look at him.

  “Can you read me now, Ava mine?”

  “No, I stopped as soon as I realized you wouldn’t appreciate the intrusion.”

  “Don’t stop,” he told her softly. “I want you to know me. That’s the way it should be. A part of what I am allows me to sense you, to know what you want and need. It’s only fair that you can do the same. Read me. Tell me what you find.”

  Her eyes started to shimmer with tears and he smiled, wrapping a hand around her nape. The love shifters experienced was much the same as humans, only it was magnified by the bonds of mating. Over time those ties would become stronger. While a mated male or female could, and often did, survive the loss of their mate, those who had been together longest usually followed soon after. Bloodbonding, however, was something else entirely. A whole new level of connection and closeness. Among his kind there was no stronger link, nothing more revered or respected.

  Moving closer, he placed his lips in front of hers. “Come here.”

  Their lips met, parted, and their tongues tenderly touched, soft and gentle. She moaned as she backed off and he followed, darting inside the warm, moist cavern of her mouth. This kiss was special, meaningful. It wasn’t the heated mating of tongues but the acknowledgement and acceptance of something far more that would encompass sweet and wild.

  You taste so good.

  He didn’t stop kissing her until he realized Ava’s mouth was locked on to his, making speech impossible. When he pulled away she was smiling.

  “You can speak to me telepathically?”

  “I wasn’t sure before now.” She leaned forward to trail her lips along his cheek, making a path to his ear. “I was always able to with my parents, although they warned me not to try with anyone else.”

  Alarm caused him to force her away from his throat until she gazed at him in confusion.

  “Can you read other shifters?” When she nodded he asked, “Can you communicate with them as well?”

  “I’m not sure.” She appeared legitimately puzzled. “Why?”

  He wasn’t sure if she was listening to his thoughts but if not, he wanted to clarify. Her ability, while amazing, had to remain hidden. No one could know that she could listen in or converse telepathically with a shifter. Humans, yes. Preternatural beings? Never.

  It was too dangerous.

  “I don’t want you doing this with anyone but me. If you listen in that’s one thing but never allow anyone to know what you can do. Do you understand?“

  She must have read the danger in his mind because she didn’t argue. “Yes,” she exhaled breathlessly. “I understand.”

  Suddenly her arousal swamped him, as if she’d unlocked a door that he wasn’t aware existed. He gained what she was thinking through feelings and could glimpse—if not necessarily spoken thoughts—something far more. She found his display sexy and thrilling. Knowing he wanted to protect her didn’t turn her off. If anything he made her hotter. She loved knowing he was possessive, wanted him to always care for her so much that he put her protection first.

  “Diskant.” Her lips moved, so she was speaking, yet it was impossible to hear with the blood rushing through his veins, creating an excessive pounding in his head. “Make love to me.”

  He stood and lifted her in his arms. It was as if they merged, mind and soul. She felt his desire, magnified it and fueled it with her own. She rose onto her knees before him and helped him slide free of his clothes before she removed her jeans, leaving him entirely nude and her barely clad in a skimpy bra and panties. Reaching out, he explored the delicate indention along her collarbone and she brought her small fingers up to his, mirroring the motion. Each place he touched her skin he was aware of the pleasure it brought and strangely was aware that it was the same for her.

  “This is amazing.” Her tone was one of awe. “It’s like I’m under your skin but I’m still inside mine. I can’t wait to feel you inside me.”

  He grinned and lowered his head to nip at her shoulder. “Then it’s a good thing I’m not going to make you wait.”

  He wanted to take his time, make love to her and show her how fantastic slow and deliberate could be. Unfortunately now wasn’t the time. He had to get back downstairs and get things situated. After the shit was settled with Emory, however, he intended to do just that.

  “We’ll go to the cabin,” Ava said, following his line of thinking, grinning impishly. “It’s isolated and a there’s a stream that runs along the back of the property into a lake. We can do whatever we want. You’ll love it there.”

  Flashes of the two of them in the water—with her legs wrapped around his waist and her hands twined around his neck—came to mind. He could almost feel the lapping of the waves against his skin, feel the warmth of her cunt gripping him tight as the water cooled their legs and the sun heated their torsos.

  “I’ll love being anywhere you are.”

  After removing her bra, he pressed her into the pillows and slid her panties down her thighs, baring the sleek, glistening flesh between. Though visibly wet, her pussy was swollen, the lips slightly puffy and reddened from their last pairing. He could still scent his seed on her, the heavy tang of their mating a stark reminder of just how often he was satisfying his needs despite her human nature. Shame at his rough handling and treatment was quickly erased when Ava sp
read herself wider for him, meeting his eyes.

  “I like it when I’m a bit sore after. It’s like you’ve left your brand on me.”

  Shockingly, he felt the contentment she experienced as she focused on the dull throb between her legs, recalling how much she loved the sensation as she brought him into her head to share her thoughts. When they were at the bar, she’d relished feeling the aftereffects. There wasn’t any embarrassment. It made her feel cherished and desirable and she loved knowing that if she keyed him up he’d make her ache just like that all over again.

  “You’re killing me.” He tested her with a gentle exploration of his fingers. They slid easily into her snug depths, surrounded in hot, wet softness that welcomed him as he plunged deeper.

  Please, she whispered in his mind. I need you.

  He fisted the meaty portion of his cock just below the crown, fed the tip inside and entered her. She was tight, her vaginal walls forced to stretch to accommodate him. She gasped and arched her back when he watched his length disappear inside her warm sheath, the lips parting as he slid deep. It was the most extraordinary sensation as he felt the slick, suctioning warmth of her cunt and was also aware of the thick, heavy fullness that his cock created inside of her. She whimpered and he had to force himself to stretch out the pleasure for as long as possible, remembering she too was aware of exactly how she felt to him.

  “See, Ava. You feel like fucking heaven.”

  Bending down, he sought the hard nipple in the center of her pebbled areola. The sensation sent ripples through his chest, traveling down to his balls, causing his scrotum to draw tight. He didn’t stop, biting down gently and flicking his tongue along the tiny nub as he brought his hand down to massage the tiny bead at the top of her sex. She rotated her hips and ground her clit against his fingers. The spasms in her vagina created pulsations all around him.

  He was about to warn her he couldn’t hold off when she shattered, the pure and raw ecstasy of her orgasm rolling through him. A ball of fire seemed to explode from his stomach and spread through his body, extending to his limbs. It wasn’t the same as his own climax but felt amazing nonetheless. Heedless of anything else, he released her clit and started thrusting, going deeper, using his arms to create leverage. She took all of him, eyes closed and chin trembling, her hands forming fists as she clenched the pillows and moaned into the billowy material.