The Bond (4 page)

 
“I have another surprise, kitten.” Bending
down he lifted her into his arms, and she squeaked.

 
“What are you doing?” Shocked, she wrapped her
arms around his neck.

 
“I’m going to make sure we both get nice and
clean before we get dirty again.” His sultry words accompanied by the romantic
bridal carry made her jaw drop.
Is he for
real?
Lowered gingerly into the water, with bubbles tickling her skin, she
had her answer.

 
“You had this planned out, why? You know we
should be doing pack business.” Guilt crept in, threatening the happy place
they’d created. With her heat in check for now she could think rationally.

 
“There’s no way we could have done any of that
with you in heat. Besides, we’ve paid our dues a million times. They can wait
twenty-four hours.”

 
“I suppose you’re right. It just feels wrong
knowing all that I know and sitting on it.”

 
“What you’ll be sitting on tonight is my cock.
I want to wash the stench of that animal off your body and your soul. I know
how much it killed you pretending to be a vapid twit while he put his hands on
you. It’s the eve of your comeuppance, baby girl, time to celebrate. Please,
allow me the honor of pampering you.” His words penetrated the shell she’d
surrounded herself in for self-preservation. Weary, she leaned back against the
tub, letting the water do its job and relax her aching muscles. It had been too
long since she’d been fucked so well. Tiny waves lapped against her breasts as
he entered the tub.

 
“Why are you so different tonight? I’ve never
seen this side of you, and we both know I’ve never been a flowers and candy
kind of girl. “

 
“While it’s true you can play sports with the
best of them, every woman deserves to feel special, you especially. I never
revealed this side because I never cared about any of the women before you.”

 
“I- I don’t understand.”

 
“Yes, you do.” Her heart rate picked up as his
massage moved up her thigh, and his lips brushed her toes in a delicate
kiss.
 
“It’s always been you. Even before
you were legal I wanted to spread your legs and make you mine. It’s why I keep
my distance, pulled back and grew cold. I didn’t want to do anything that would
land us both in trouble we couldn’t get out of. If we’d been together when that
son of a bitch drugged me, I would’ve lost my mind.” His muscles flexed and
anger poured off him, tinting his natural scent. Scooting in, she placed her
hand on his chest.

 
“Tomorrow we’ll clear you. All of that’s in
the past. Even back then I knew you would never do something like that to a
human.” She paused. “I thought we were getting clean so we could get dirty.”

 
“Of course, kitten; I’m sorry I’ve been remiss
in my duties. You’ll have to move forward if you wish me to cleanse you
properly.”

She complied, sighing when he
moved the soapy washcloth over her skin. He started at her nape, leaving no
part of her untouched with the exception of her face. An unfamiliar emotion
unfurled inside of her like a flower. His gentle touch snuck through her lowered
defenses and reawakened the girlish awe she’d held for him. Only now it was
matured into an emotion she dare not think of. When he pulled away to clean
himself without asking her to return the favor she was relieved. Thoughts
of the cloth that ran over what she knew to be a lean sculpted body made her
purr in the back her throat. The nails on her fingers lengthened as her hormone
level spiked. She needed to get him between her thighs fast before she shifted.

“Mhmm, I smell you, kitten. You’re
ready for me again. I’m a gentleman, so I never let a lady wait.”

“Then don’t.”

Feeling him rise from the bath and
step out, she fought the urge to take off the blindfold to see his body. Her
ears picked up the sound of cloth and then he was picking her up, wrapping her
in a soft, fluffy towel and carrying her once more.

“Don’t believe in letting me
walk?”

She laid her head against his
chest as she felt him begin to walk. This was every adolescent dream he’d
starred in come to life.

“Once again, just indulge me, kitten.
You’re getting what you want. I am going to get what I want, right along with
you.” He placed her on her feet, the back of her legs hitting the bed. She
stood still, uncertain of his next move. Moments passed, the mutual escalation
of their breaths the only sound. His voice acted like liquid honey, turning her
bones into mush as he whispered to her.

“Stay right there. Don’t move.” A
drawer opened near the bed and then closed. The hint of wisteria and vanilla
wafted up to her nose, and she purred softly in pleasure. His warm hands cupped
her breasts, rubbing the scented lotion into her skin.

Her hands traveled the length of
his chest and again captured the back of his head. Unable to resist she allowed
her slender fingers to tangle into the long strands of his hair and tug. He
grunted, pulling her tight to him. His hardened cock was snug against her
belly, and she reached for his dick. Skirting her advances, he danced away.

“No, querida.” She fell to the bed
under his gentle hand on her shoulder and growled. Shoving her to the bed, he
stepped back.

“Rafael!”

“Remember, I want you to learn
what it’s been like for me to wait. Let the passion build up and take over
until you can think of nothing else.” He placed a cool glass in her hand.
“Drink. It’s a wonderful champagne. I massage, you drink and talk to me, sí? I
want you to turn onto your stomach, facing towards the headboard.”

“Okay...” Her voice quavered. She
took a sip, praying the liquid courage would melt away the stick embedded up
her ass from being on guard twenty-four-seven and repressing her emotions. She
flipped onto her stomach, facing away from him. The pillows were heaven as she
propped up against them and took another drink. The light, fruity flavor
coupled with bubbles tickled her mouth as it slid down her throat.

His hands were magical on her left
calf, working the stiff muscles there. He found a pleasure point, kneading the
flesh into submission, and she melted.

He grabbed her other foot, giving
her other calf the same treatment. By God she couldn’t remember the last time
she had been taken care of like this, if ever.

“Tell me, querida, what will you
do with your newfound freedom?”

His hands continued to work their
way up her thighs. The bed gave a bit and then his hands were back on her body.

There was silence as she
contemplated.
 
“I know it will sound a
bit cheesy. But I want to run free. With no one watching me, reporting my every
move back to Logan and timing how long I
should
take.
”

“Ahh, freedom. It is a beautiful
thing. “

Sanura moaned as his hands gripped
her buttocks and manipulated her flesh gently, with a bit more pressure.

“The power one feels when shifted
and running, it can be intoxicating.”

“Yes,” she said.
 
“I do it often. It relieves the tension and
stress, but it’s never the same as it used to be.”

“Mmm. What else will you do?”

“Just be. Wake up every day not
knowing what’s going to happen or having any expectations outside of those I
place on myself.”

 
“My poor Sanura, you’ve been trapped in a
living hell. But they will regale you.”

“What about you?”

“Me, they will tolerate.
Regardless of why I injured a human and brought tension to our people.”

“No.” She tensed. “I won’t let
that happen. You’re a victim just like me and without you I couldn’t have done
this. There were times when I walked the edge. One breath away from blowing the
asshole straight to kingdom come, then I’d leave the house, or meet you out
somewhere, and you’d talk me down from the ledge with that smooth baritone and
waves of calmness you shared. You’re every bit of a hero I am.”

“I did what any man would do.”

“No. No one else could’ve gotten
me through this.” His voice hitched.

“It’s my turn to ask questions.
What will you tell them when you come back?”

“That I’ve grown stronger in my
absence than they’d ever conceived possible. They are blind to how weak the
traditions make them. It’s important to embrace the twentieth century, because
other Prides have, and we both know they will exploit any weakness if it means
their gain.”

“You sound like an activist.” The
passion in his voice as he spoke of change was just as much a turn on as his
capable fingers. She liked a man who knew his own mind, and she herself had
said a dozen times the old ways needed a major overhaul. Not that her father
ever listened. Perhaps with Rafael at her side things would begin to change.

“I like to think I am in a way,
because I plan on dragging the Pride into the twentieth century kicking and
screaming.”

“That’s … admirable. It’s what I’d
like to happen as well.”

“Oh, there’s something about me
you like?”

“There are many things I like
about you.”
That’s the problem
.

“I’m pleased to hear that, kitten.”

“Don’t be.”

His throaty laugh made her hackles
bristle. He wasn’t supposed to be amused.

“Don’t get tense now; you’ll ruin
all of my hard work. Together we will do what needs to be done for our people
to not only survive, but also thrive.” He lapsed into silence as he regained
his ground in the battle to slay her stress, and she placed her face against
the duvet.

“I’m all done.”

Her heavy eyes fluttered open an
indefinite amount of time later as she fought against the blanket of sleep
settling over her limp body.

“Let’s rest now, kitten, I think
we could both use it.” Her words were muffled as her thick tongue stumbled,
failing to form a coherent sentence. He lifted her with deft hands, placing her
beneath the covers. He joined her a moment later, pulling the bed spread up
over their shoulders as she curled her body and he snuggled against her.

Chapter Four

A full moon hung in the sky as
Sanura walked the dry plains of her people. She was aware of her dreaming
state, but there was an aura of power that said this was more than an
overactive imagination. A chill ran down her spine as she paused mid-step to
look behind her, expecting to see her father. He had the power to dream walk,
but it was something he’d never done to her out of respect.
Have my rash actions driven him to this?
By
now she’d be reported missing.

What she saw in the place where
she’d expected her father made her heart race. Twenty feet away sat the most
beautiful Puma she’d ever seen. The pheromones he exuded left no question of
the gender. His champagne-colored coat held a high gloss that shimmered under
the moonlight. His powerful muscles and body language made him both regal and
dangerous.

“I don’t understand,” she
whispered, shaking her head.

Why was she seeing this? Sanura
had less than a second to be surprised before her body was overcome with a
spontaneous change. The fierce blaze ripped through her body, lowering her to
the ground. Her ass waved in the air, begging to be filled, and her core was
molten lava. Juices flowed forth and she whimpered, digging her claws in the
earth to keep her mind grounded. This moment was unlike anything she’d ever
experienced. The male sank his teeth down into the nape of her neck, drawing
blood, and pierced her core with a hard, sure thrust.

“Oh!”
 
She’d never understood the meaning of
animalistic until the male took her from behind.

Each stroke took him deeper as he
claimed her with a wild abandon she had no choice but to accept. His heavy paws
were placed on either side of her body, his weight holding her to the ground.
She was shaking in mere minutes and coming with a gush of liquid. Her mind was
a kaleidoscope of colors as the door to her soul was ripped open by the magic
being woven underneath the amber-colored moon. His seed was a cooling balm to
her heat as he filled her to the brim.

She woke, gasping for air. The
weight of her Latin lover’s body against hers a comfort from the dream walk
she’d experienced moments before.
The
dream was so real!
She lay there for a moment to gather her thoughts, but
the ache would not ease.

Desire pooled within her, and she
knew the only thing that could even come close to easing it was him. Speaking
of which, one of his legs was placed over her body and his head lay on her
chest. It felt as if he had claimed her in all ways, even in her sleep. Was
nothing sacred? She needed to ease the wild ache that seemed never-ending.

“Wake up, Rafe. No more sleeping.
I want you to finish what you started.” She felt him stir against her, his face
nuzzling her neck.