Waking the Beast (7 page)

She’d never used her boobs in such a way before, and it made her feel dirty. But she told herself whatever it took. Tah was all that mattered, getting him the help he needed. She stayed away from her personal email accounts, not knowing how far Harlan would go to try and find them, or if he even was trying to find them. She still didn’t understand what his agenda had been. Since when had Harlan cared about anything she’d spoken of as a child? And why would he follow her to Africa?

She might never know, and that was just something she’d have to accept. She sent a message to Professor Mueller from yet another of the therianthropy forums they were both registered at. She’d already been at this for two hours with no luck, but she refused to give up.

This site was one of the largest available, and she knew he frequented it. Her last name would show when she sent a message, and she hoped the Professor was on to answer. She’d never suspected when they first met just how much of a mentor he would turn out to be. Not only was he an anthropologist, but he and his daughter Jess were big into the lores and myths of cultures. And Jess was as into therianthropy as Abby was. They’d spent hours talking about shapeshifting, while Abby and Professor Mueller had researched the genealogy that had led her to Tah. If anyone could help her now, it would be them.

She felt her heart beat faster when he messaged her back instantly.

Mueller: Call me 7778123265895247

Lane: No access to phone yet

Mueller: Tonight?

Lane: Yes

Mueller: …did you find what you were looking for

Lane: …yes…

Mueller: eyes are watching. not safe to say more here. tonight?

Lane: …yes…

She ended their contact before he could ask anything else. She might be getting as paranoid as he was, but better safe than sorry. Plus, it had taken too much of her time before she’d found him. Tah would be here any minute. She’d tell the Professor everything on the phone later. She had his number written down, easily deciphering the code he’d used to send it to her. She just hoped Tah remembered to pick up a phone.

“Holy shit.”

She looked up as the woman sitting at the end of the row of computers spoke out loud. Abby wasn’t surprised to see Tah standing there. She watched him inhale, saw the twitch of his nose as if something distasteful hit him before his searching eyes found her. One corner of his mouth lifted as he curved his finger and motioned her toward him.

They were really going to have to work on his caveman attitude.

She closed her internet browser then did a quick delete of the history cache. It wouldn’t hinder anyone if they really wanted to see where she’d been, but it would be enough to halt the average snooper.

The clerk stopped her and asked if everything was okay.

She did her best to ignore the growl behind her, but there was no ignoring when Tah stepped forward and pulled her back against his chest.

“We’re leaving,” he stated clearly with a hard glare at the guy.

She would have laughed, except she could tell Tah wasn’t joking. He was getting territorial of her and jealous. His palm moved to the small of her back and that easily he had her turned away and heading toward the door. No one interfered or stopped them again.

As soon as they were in the parking lot by the bike, he pulled her against him and nuzzled her hair, rubbing his cheek over hers and then licking at her neck.

“Tah? What are you doing?” she squeaked out, embarrassed by the public display.

“I need to be able to smell myself on you,” he informed her, as if that made perfect sense and didn’t sound crazy as hell.

“Tah?”

His mouth took hers, his tongue thrusting deep and fast as he found hers and sucked it into his mouth. She felt the sharp point of one of his canines and went back to explore it with her tongue. He growled into her mouth, and she felt the rumble in his chest. His palm cupped her ass and lifted her into him. If she didn’t help him get control, she was afraid she might just lose her virginity in the parking lot.

She pulled her mouth away, panting as he moved to her neck. It shouldn’t have excited her to feel the scrape of his teeth against her skin. But it did, and his deep inhale assured her he smelled just how much it was affecting her.

“Tah, let’s go back to the motel.”

“God, yes,” he moaned as he patted her ass. She squeaked again when he lifted her off her feet and put her on the bike. “I need you, Abby. I’m ripping apart with the need.”

His eyes. Brown, yellow, brown, yellow, brown. And was that a sliver of blond she saw in his hair?

He thrust the helmet into her hands and straddled the bike in front of her. She barely had time to put the helmet on and wrap her arms around his waist before they were roaring out of the lot and heading back. She could feel the coiled tension in his body.

I need you, Abby.

His words were tearing her up inside too, tearing apart every excuse she was still clinging to that would allow her to deny him, deny them, again. His whole world was changing. She could see the changes occurring in him, but he was dealing with them. And what was happening that she couldn’t see, changes hidden inside him and not visible to the eye. How could she refuse his need for her? Especially when she needed him too.

No words were spoken as he parked the bike and helped her off. He laced their fingers as he led her to the room. Another inhale and he pulled they keycard out and unlocked the door. His eyes met hers as he held it open for her. Everything was about to change again, and she only hoped these changes didn’t destroy her heart.

She heard the soft click as the door shut behind her, and she turned to watch him. He’d picked up some type of safety bar and used it to secure the door before he turned to her. She licked her lips in anticipation as he caught the hem of his T-shirt and almost ripped it as he pulled it off and tossed it aside.

“Tah.” Her voice was breathy, husky, and she couldn’t stop herself from backing to the wall as he stalked toward her.

“Strip.” The words left his clenched jaw as he dropped his hand to his belt.

She could see he was shaking.

“Too long,” he growled as he pulled the belt free and tossed it aside before going to work on his jeans. “We were apart too long.” He rolled his shoulders and neck as he popped the button loose and tugged down the zipper. “I can’t be apart from you. It drives me insane with need, Abby.”

His eyes met hers. Brown with yellow swirling through them. She felt a tremor rock her core as heat swept through her. His eyes dipped almost closed as he inhaled her lust. His lips edged back, revealing the full length of his canines, and damn, if the sight didn’t make her pussy cream more. She should be terrified.

“Abby, if you don’t want me to sprout those claws you thought you saw and shred your clothes from your body, you really need to strip.”

Abby gulped as she bent to untie her boots and kick them off. Tah moved to the edge of the bed and sat to remove his boots and socks. She reached for her jeans and taking a deep breath, pushed them down her hips and off.

Utah growled as his eyes latched onto her bare pussy. She’d been so worried about him seeing her scar, she’d forgotten she wasn’t wearing panties.

“I’m a virgin,” she whispered as he stood and moved toward her.

His head rolled again, and she swore his chest puffed out.

“Mine,” he rumbled as he scooped her into his arms and turned back to place her on the bed, coming down over her.

His mouth took hers before she could say anything further. She knew better than to argue with the primal claim he’d just made. Not when she could see the animal so close to the surface, as the golden yellow that must be the eyes of the lion fought the warm brown of the man.

He only left her mouth long enough to jerk her shirt over her head. Then he was back, hot, hard, and naked as his hands made quick work of her bra and tossed it aside. He burned her, setting her nerves on fire with a lust she’d never imagined could exist. Her breasts were crushed beneath the power of his chest as his hands explored and caressed her.

His mouth finally left hers, and she gulped in air, not wanting to pass out and miss a moment of this. His teeth scraped over her neck again as he slid down until his hot breath fanned across her aching nipple.

“Tah,” she moaned as he licked over it. One hand plumped her breast, holding it up for him as he licked her. “Oh God, Tah.”

“Mine.” He told her and took her breast in his mouth.

The warm wet suction had her arching off the bed, pressing deeper into his touch. Both her hands reached for his hair and cradled his scalp, scratching and holding him close. She knew she was rocking her pussy up into him, fighting for a touch that would bring relief to an ache she’d never known.

He moved to her other breast and treated it to the same thorough attention. When he pulled back, they were even more swollen, the tips wet from his mouth. He pinched and tugged at her nipples, making her cry out as her hands slipped to claw at his shoulders.

“Mine.” He informed her again, and she was helpless to do anything but nod in agreement.

His fingers brushed over her scar, and she felt torn in different directions when his gaze fell there. Part of her wanted to hide it as she had all her life, since the day she awoke in the hospital with it. But there would be no hiding from Tah. His mouth dipped, and he traced each claw mark with his tongue, sending pulses of liquid fire to explode in her womb.

This time he whispered his claim against her skin as he nuzzled her there. “Mine.”

His touch left her boneless, unable to do more than watch as he skimmed over her belly, pressing her legs apart. He shifted until he settled between her thighs, using his broad shoulders, spreading her wide. He inhaled deeply and the pure pleasure on his face kept any embarrassment she might have felt from registering. When his eyes met hers, they were a deep amber, a perfect blend of the brown and gold.

“Mine,” he said as he watched her. He rubbed his face against her plumped folds, but made no move to taste or touch like she wanted.

“Mine,” he said again and waited, searching her face for something.

“Yes,” she agreed, realizing he was waiting to see if she would deny him again. “Yours.”

That rumble left his chest again as he parted her and drove his tongue inside her pussy.

“Tah!” She almost came off the bed as she screamed his name. He pumped his tongue in and out of her, fucking her with it, and though she’d had toys, nothing could have prepared her for the rapture of his touch.

His thumb found her clit and rubbed over it. She came with another cry, his name spilling from her lips. Tremors wracked through her as he purred against her, the vibrations keeping her lost in the pleasure washing over her.

She was still gasping for air when he flipped her over to her belly, shoved a pillow under her hips, and pulled her up to her knees, moving in behind her.

Oh, God. He would be incredibly deep like this. She didn’t doubt she could take him. Her heart screamed she’d been made just for him. She was his just as he claimed.

His cock pressed into her and kept pressing until he filled her. He shuddered behind her as her pussy contracted and fluttered around him, struggling to adjust to the newness of him inside her. His hands were hard where they gripped her hips.

“Mine.” The growl left his lips just seconds before he began to move. Slow and easy strokes quickly turned into deep, hard thrusts that had her dropping her head to the bed and clenching her fingers in the covers.

He rode her hard, taking her as if he needed to brand her with his scent, and this was the only way he could accomplish it. Her mind was trying to make her acknowledge something, something she might feel was important later, but she denied it, reveling in the sheer pleasure of being claimed by Tah.

That’s what this was. It was more than sex. It was a primal claiming as he fucked her senseless.

She didn’t think it could get better as she screamed with another orgasm. His body lowered over hers, and she felt his breath at her shoulder. One hand fell forward to brace him as the other shoved her hair aside before it dropped to the mattress too. She had only a moment before she felt the scrape of his teeth against the muscle where her shoulder met her neck. Then he struck, his canines breaking skin as he bit her and held her in place beneath him.

He came with a roar muffled against her skin as she shuddered and jerked under him. She felt no pain, no horror at what he’d just done. She felt loved, desired, claimed. She felt mated.

He lifted one of his hands to cup just under her right breast, and she shuddered as his fingers seemed to fit perfectly against the scars a lion’s paw had left in her skin. He pulled his teeth free, and she felt her pussy clench, forcing another spurt of semen from his cock as he licked over the wound he’d made.

“Mine.” He purred against her as he continued to lick where he’d bit.

Once again, she was marked by the beast.

He was rubbing against her, purring.

“Tah?”

“You smell like me now,” he whispered as he licked over her again. “I smell like you.”

“Okay.” She wasn’t sure what to say about that, but it seemed important to him.

He sighed as he tugged his cock free and shifted to lay beside her on the bed, pulling her against his chest as if even after what they’d just shared he couldn’t stand not to touch her.

“My senses are growing.”

She nodded against him, her hand resting on his lion tattoo as she snuggled into him.

“When I was out today, I could smell women’s lust. I’ve seen it before, but I didn’t realize it has a smell, an awful smell. It made me sick to smell how those women wanted me.”

It pissed her off too. He must have sensed it because a growl rumbled up from his chest.

“I don’t want them, Abby. And knowing they wanted me made me angry. I got our supplies as quickly as I could. I needed to be with you. I needed to touch you, to remind myself I belong to you. Not because I didn’t remember, but to assure myself you did.”