Awakening (Kiss of the Jaguar Series Book 1) (2 page)

“You’re only making it worse.” A thick, deep voice said low in her ear.

She stilled, watching his thick fingers work on the strands, freeing them quicker than she possibly could. Once he freed the unruly locks, her focus shifted. Her body was now trapped between a male and the bush. His hands, touching her wrists, slowly moving up her arms. The heat alone made her shiver, as did the feel of rock hard muscles pressing against her back. Naked, rock hard muscles.

“Soft,” he said again softly in her ear.

She could feel his breath upon the back of her neck, after his hands stopped on her shoulders. She shivered.

“Very soft.”

The straps of her shirt were moved down and she felt lips move along one side of her shoulder.

“You smell heavenly.”

The statement made her feel as if cold water had been splashed in her face. The trance he put her in—gone. Alesha turned quickly in his arms and made an effort to move away, only he seemed faster. One arm went around her waist, pulling her hard against his bare chest. Both of her hands went up in an attempt to push him away. It did no good. His strength amazed her. He was the first guy ever able to hold her. Meaning, he had to be one of…them. A full-blooded jaguar. But—but they don’t come down here according to her mother. They stay to themselves, so why is this one here?

He walked backwards, holding her close, and Alesha was unable to do anything about it. When the moonlight touched his face, she got her first look at the male.

Dark, almost black eyes with specks of gold gazed down at her. Long black hair touching his shoulders, with wisps of hair brushing into his eyes. The inherent strength in his face had her mouth going dry. Full firm sensual lips, strong cheekbones. When his mouth opened slightly she could see almost perfect white teeth. She already knew his chest rippled with muscles and by the way he held her with ease; she assumed his arms were as well. The rest of him would be a mystery at this point, since she refused to look down.

He stopped, turned her around and dropped to the ground. Once she touched the soft patch of grass his arm let her go, but instead of walking away, he shifted to hover his firm body over her softer one.

Alesha’s breath came hard and fast. She was so unsure of what he might do, but quickly started to get a good idea. The biggest question was could she really fight him off. Then a little voice in her head whispered: do you really want to?

Back home she didn’t have one guy really interested in her. They were weak and timid. Not this guy. He seemed to know what he wanted and if she wasn’t mistaken, was about to take it.

His hands touched her legs, moving up under her skirt. Alesha couldn’t find her voice to stop him, or make her arms move to stop him herself. He reached all the way to her panties, took hold of them, pulling them all the way down her legs and off. The motion had her breathing faster. Shocking enough, she could feel herself get a bit wet at the same time. His hands went back to her legs moving up, this time pushing her skirt up. Those dark eyes of his moved from her face to look down at the flesh he exposed. She held her breath, waiting to see what he might do next.

“Oh god!” she gasped when his head went down between her legs.

Alesha stiffened, waiting. He didn’t really touch her, but moved his face over her mound and if she wasn’t mistaken he sniffed at her. She flinched, when his tongue made brief contact. His head came up and his whole body stretched out on top of her. Hips forcing her legs to part for his large frame. Feeling his cock touch her sex, reality came rushing back. She tried to push him off, squirming even.

“Shhh,” he soothed, his hand touching her face.

A light kiss from this stranger and like magic she stilled, staring up at him. He kept touching her face, moving a finger over her lips, down the nose, over her forehead and down to her throat. The touching for some strange reason seemed to calm her nerves. Even when that hand moved down over a breast, a finger gliding over her hardening nipple still covered by her shirt had her body relaxing and coming to life at the same time. She could feel herself getting wet, her clit awakening with a throb.

His hand moved farther down to her right leg where he picked it up and held it up over his hip. This time she felt the head of his cock at her entrance. Before she could voice a protest or say anything, he entered her. All rational thought, even simple breathing left her. He entered her, making unused muscles part for the width of his flesh. It made her feel full, stretched and questioning if she could take anymore. She did.

He kept right on pushing, breaking past what she couldn’t seem to give away as a teen and now held onto, waiting for the right one to come along. Alesha bit down on her lower lips to stop herself from yelling out. The pain washed through her quickly, leaving as fast as it came. Only a throbbing need building inside her now. He stopped, once more those dark eyes locking onto hers, pulling back, he plunged right back in.

Soft, easy, gentle, wouldn’t describe what was happening this first time of hers. No, the guy on top of her, inside her body, took her hard and fast, building up such pleasure that she didn’t think a person could withstand it. Faster, harder he moved, acting like the animal she knew he had to be.

Higher and higher she felt like she was being pulled, until that high could go no more. She screamed, the climax hitting her so hard she just knew she would have a heart attack any second, still he kept going.  In fact, more of his weight came down on her, a strong hand clasped on her ass and he pulled her up to match his thrusts. Low, almost deadly growls came from him with each of those thrusts and soon the pleasure started to build again.

“God, don’t stop,” she begged, unable to stop the words from coming out. She didn’t want him to stop either. She didn’t want him to leave her hanging when another mind blowing climax was just within her reach.

He bent over, his hips still moving at a steady pace and pulled her top up to expose one breast. Lips closed over the nipple. Sucking, nibbling, savoring. As another climax crashed upon her, he bit down on the top of her breast hard. Again, Alesha screamed in ecstasy, but this time he yelled with her and just stopped. She could feel something deep inside her swell, which had the orgasm heightening in pleasure. Everything on her body hummed to life in sensitivity right then. She actually felt him come inside her, which strangely caused her orgasm to keep rolling.

How long they stayed like that, she didn’t know. But when he finally relaxed, slipping free of her body, Alesha got her senses back and pushed him off of her. Unable to face him, or face what she just let happen, she got up and just ran. Not once did she look back to see if he might be coming after her. She just ran, ignoring her body demanding to go back for another round with the male.

When she saw the house she almost cried out in relief, until she saw her cousin also coming out of the woods. Instead of meeting her, Alesha stopped and watched Chloe walk towards the house. The way her hair was messed up spoke of how she must’ve also had a little action in the woods. The expression on her face said that it wasn’t that good. Instead of going inside, Chloe ended up walking around to the back of the house. That gave Alesha the small opening she needed to head to the front and race up the stairs. She hoped like hell that no one knew she was gone or that anyone would be up when she came back. Luck finally on her side, the house was just as she left it, so she raced up the stairs, taking them two at a time until she was safe on the third floor. When her foot touched the top floor is when she heard Chloe start up the stairs herself. Quickly, Alesha made it to her room, closed the door softly and crumbled to the floor with a pounding heart.

“What did I just do?” she asked herself, pressing a hand to her forehead. “God, what the hell just happened?”

Jonah Devanta stood under the shower spray, head hung down, allowing the water to take away all the dirt from his hunt as well as the evidence of a little action in the woods. A bit of blood on his groin, slowly being washed away, reminded him of just what he did, as if he really needed that to remind him. He could still smell her all around him. Could still feel her body wrapped around his. Feel the way the tight pussy parted with a bit of reluctance for his entrance.

Who was she? A question he couldn’t answer. What he did know, she wasn’t from around here. He knew just about all the females and the ones he didn’t know were because the fathers guarded them well. He didn’t blame them for that either. With the breeding season close, all females were guarded well. So where did this one come from?

Once the evidence was gone, Jonah reached for a bar of soap and began cleaning himself. It didn’t matter to his father if he was out hunting all night or not. He was expected to be clean and at the breakfast table each morning. Sometimes there were things about the others needing discussion or things around the house. With the alpha getting up in age he wanted to make sure his son was ready to take over the household. So far, Noah Devanta didn’t think his son was ready to lead the family. All clean, he turned the shower off, grabbed the towel and dried quickly. The sun started to come out and his time to be down at the table was rapidly approaching. One thing about his father is he’s early for just about everything. Breakfast needed to be served and done before seven sharp.

Wrapping a towel around his waist, Jonah stopped. Right where he placed them before getting into the shower was the pair of panties the female left behind when she got up and ran from him before he could get her name. He picked them up and brought them up to his nose, taking in her scent. With these he would be able to track her and bring her back to his home where she now needed to be. Only then would he tell his father that he had finally found a female to breed. After all, she is the first he has ever locked with.

Taking the panties with him back to his room, he tossed them in his own underwear drawer and started to get dressed. Clean black slacks and a crisp white shirt along with loafers on his feet. Hair still wet but combed, he left his room and headed down for breakfast. And as usual his father already sat at the head of the table; paper in hand, food before him. How in the hell he could do it even this early amazed Jonah.

“Hunting again I see,” Noah stated, closing the paper. “I heard you come in this morning.”

Jonah’s own food, brought out and placed before him, along with a glass of orange juice and his own pot of coffee. “Well, you have commanded me to breed.” He picked up his napkin, snapped it open and placed it on his lap. He started to cut into his steak and had a piece ready when his father spoke again, stopping Jonah from eating.

“Ashley Sulwen, or Nowles, whatever her name is now, has come home.”

“Garek Sulwen’s little sister?” Noah nodded and Jonah put his fork down. “She was banished. Why is she back?”

“Because Garek granted her his blessing to come home.”

“Why in the hell would he do that?”

“Because he’s still alpha of his family!” Noah raised his voice, and normally Jonah would lower his eyes, but not this time.

“She bred with a human. That is punishable by death. Being banished was bad enough, but letting her come back—doesn’t she have a human child with her?”

“She does.”

“And I suppose he let it come with her.”

“I told you when you were a cub; we do not kill our own kind. My father was wrong in what he did and I won’t be like him. Neither is Garek”

“Yes, I know the story. Your own sister bred with a human and he had them both killed. The families will—”

“They will agree!” again, Noah raised his voice. “As will you. Our females are becoming less and less. Ashley is still of breeding age. By Garek forgiving her past transgressions she will be accepted back and the
Five
may be able to breed from her.”

“And her child?”

“I will see for myself if the child has any of our traits.”

Jonah frowned. “See for yourself?”

“I’m going to have them both over this evening for dinner. Garek has agreed to the inspection. If the child has enough of our ways in its blood then it will also be accepted under our protection. Who knows, might even change our ways some.”

“You’re not thinking about breeding outside our race, are you?”

“Jonah, we’re starting to die out,” Noah sighed. “I saw it years ago, even when my father didn’t. His hatred of humans is why my sister had to die and why so many males hate humans. If we are to survive, then we might have to breed outside our packs. We might need humans.”

“You do this and there may be an uprising.”

Noah nodded, “I’m aware of that, which is why I expect my son to be on my side.” He gave Jonah a hard stare. “You are next to lead this family. Change is here and we need to embrace it if we want to survive. If Ashley’s child has enough jaguar to mix our DNA with then it is our sign we can expand ourselves and live. Otherwise, we will die out soon.”

“So if her offspring has enough jag, then what?”

“Then if it’s a female she will breed.”

“If? You don’t really know if she had a son or daughter.”

“I will find out tonight and then plans will be set in motion. Now, as to you, I’m done with the game you’re playing. This season I expect you to find a female and breed. No more excuses.”

“You think it’s an excuse?”

“I think you’re waiting for the lock to happen. It doesn’t always happen, so forget that crap and just pick one. You need a son of your own in order to rule the family.”

“And if one doesn’t appeal to me still?”

“It isn’t a request Jonah,” he chuckled. “But an order from your alpha,” Noah met Jonah dead in the eye.

The tension in the room rose up. Noah was the one to break the eye contact and gave his full attention to his meal. Not really feeling very hungry, Jonah picked at his breakfast. Once finished, his father pushed away from the table and walked out, not one word said. Jonah just tossed his napkin on the table and slumped back in the chair.

He’s being ordered to breed. Great! What his father didn’t understand was he couldn’t just pick one. He had to have a connection or he just couldn’t get it up.  Of course he wasn’t about to tell his father that. If the alpha knew his own son couldn’t fuck just anyone then there would be a big problem.  Not that he didn’t have a couple of them right now, one being the female that he come up on last night.

God she smelled good! He could also tell she was about to go into heat, which might’ve been the reason why he found her. However, he needed to find her again, no matter what his father might think. He locked inside her. It was his sign he had found his mate, his match, the one he will breed with. Only now, he had to find her again, and didn’t have a clue where she might be.

Pushing away from the table slowly, Jonah decided to go back up to his room and try to take a little nap. There was much to do this afternoon before their guests arrived. He hadn’t really slept well lately and could feel it in his bones. As he walked up the stairs, his mind once more thought about her. Long black hair, his hands and fingers itched to wrap around. He wondered who she was visiting. What family she might belong to? She had to be here visiting someone, which meant she’d only be here for a short amount of time then gone. So, after dinner tonight he’d go hunting for her. That should make his father happy.

* * * *

Alesha sat straight up in bed, gasping for air, sweat covering her face and body. She looked around in a panic, trying to figure out where she was, not really recognizing the room or the bed. Her heart pounded in her chest, and strangely enough, in her clit. She jumped when she heard a bang coming from the hallway, then it all came back to her. The move to their new home, and what happened to her in the woods last night. With a groan she dropped back down on the bed and tried to get her mind to not remember it or even think about it.

Another bang. “Is this where you want it?” Her uncle’s loud voice rang through the walls.

Alesha tossed the messy sheet off her legs and got out of bed. Her body protested the movement strongly. Soreness everywhere, which meant she wasn’t going to forget it very easily. Alesha headed into the bathroom, turned the shower on, and stepped into the cool water. She washed, brushed her teeth and dressed, then started to French braid her hair. She had the long strands down to her neck when she opened the door and luckily her mother was coming up with a large box in hand.

“Can you help me with this?” Alesha asked, showing her mother the unfinished braid.

Ashley smiled, put the box down and went over to her. She took the braid and finished what Alesha started. “How’d you sleep?”

“Okay,” Alesha shrugged. “Forgot where I was when I woke up.”

“I bet.”

“So I see you got the old buffet up here,” Alesha looked at the piece of furniture her mother refused to sell. It now rested up against the wall between their bedroom doors.

“You’re uncle brought it up for me. Do you want one of the chairs in your room?”

“Sure, if you don’t have any other place for it.”

“Oh, we’re having all the boxes just put up here for now. We can unpack as we go, but it won’t be much tonight.”

“Why not?” Alesha went over to a box labeled pictures. She opened it up and brought out one of the framed photos of her family, when she was a little girl.

“I always loved that photo,” her mother said from behind her shoulder. “Why don’t you put it in your room?”

Alesha nodded and placed her picture to the side.

“Oh, you need to unpack your clothes. We’ve been summoned to the Devanta family tonight. You should put on one of your good dresses.”

“Summoned, for what?” Alesha frowned.

“He wants to have a look at you.”

Ashley looked very uncomfortable, as if she might be holding something back. “We’ve been gone for a long time, honey. He just wants to see you and formally accept me back into the
Five
.”

“Sounds a bit strange to me.”

“I know, but in time you’ll understand and know all the ways here.”

Alesha didn’t think she would ever understand anything. She placed her photo next to her bed then left again, this time to head down to the first floor. She made her way into the kitchen for something to eat. Standing next to the stove was her aunt Loraine.

“Can I help?” Alesha offered with a smile.

“Um, sure,” Loraine smiled back. “Set the table please. Breakfast is just about done.”

Alesha did, then poured juice in the glasses, took the biscuits and gravy from her aunt and placed it on the table along with a large bowl of scrambled eggs. When the rest of the family showed up, her aunt had just finished grilling up steaks and had them going on the plates as everyone sat down.

“Where’s Chloe?” Garek asked the moment he sat down.

“Don’t know,” Loraine answered. “She left before the sun was up.”

Garek scowled. “That girl is going to get into trouble if she doesn’t stop.”

“She’s trying Garek.”

Garek slammed his hand down hard on the table, rattling everything. “She’s turning herself into a whore! No male is going to want to breed with her if she makes it easy to get.” Silence spread out in the room and he took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. You two don’t need to have to worry about this stuff when you have other things to deal with.”