PrimalDemand (7 page)

His thumb brushed over her clit. She drew in a hissing
breath. Her nails sank into the skin at the back of his neck, tugging at him.
He chuckled and flicked at the nipple. The torment strung her close to the edge
of the pleasure she craved.

When his mouth lifted, she tried to pull him back down. He
met her eyes as he widened her thighs. Hooking an arm under her right knee, he
eased closer. His cock brushed against her pussy. She wanted to feel him
driving against her, but he was moving so deliberately.

“Please, Arron, more.” Her hands slid over his back and
shoulders gripping at him, trying to urge him to move.

His mouth claimed hers. His tongue thrust deep in a slow
rhythm that matched the rocking movement of his hips. She lifted against him.
Each torturous withdrawal and advance of his cock sent shivers rolling through
her body. Her nails raked down his back. His hips drove against hers. She
gasped and arched. His control seemed to snap. He thrust into her. His teeth
nipped at her lips. He began driving into her. Her body tightened and she held
onto him desperate for release.

His lips trailed down her cheek to her neck. She strained
upward, her hips meeting every downward thrust. When his teeth lightly closed
on her shoulder, sensation slammed through her. Her body shivered with the
force of the pleasure as he continued to move in her, prolonging the rush of
blissful delight.

He deliberately moved his chest back and forth across her
nipples. The hardened buds tightened even more with each stroke. She lifted
into his strokes as hunger and anticipation built.

He growled against her neck and his hips jerked against hers
as he came. She felt the hot splash of his semen inside her as his hips kept
rocking against hers. The
re’kai
, hit hard. Intense pleasure flooded her
mind at almost the same instant that it exploded over her body, leaving her
shaking and moaning. He held her tight to him. She didn’t want to let go of him
either and pressed close to him.

His breathing eventually softened and he lifted his head.
“No matter how mad it makes you, you’ll be staying with me.”

She drew in a breath, suddenly remembering what he’d made
her promise. Anger rushed through her. “I don’t have to stay anywhere with
you.”

She knew it would make him angry, but she couldn’t let him
get away with pressuring her. His expression hardened and he looked far more
formidable than she’d seen him. Somehow, she knew that he was accustomed to
getting almost anything he wanted. He wasn’t going to get his way on this
though. She couldn’t let him. Her sister’s life was too important.

He growled, low and deep. His weight came fully down on her
once again. “I’m not going to argue with you about this. You aren’t going
anywhere without me. I will tie you to me if I have to. Don’t press me.”

She looked up at him, but didn’t say anything more. He might
be arrogant enough to take silence as agreement. She wasn’t going to give him
another warning. If he had any family, he’d realize why she couldn’t stop.

Arron took a little time to calm himself by letting his eyes
wander. The morning felt slightly cool, but he knew it was probably more from
the light breeze coming off the river. Light dappled the forest floor streaming
through the dense leaves of the
manoga
and
vetin
trees. It should
have calmed him, but he knew this might not go as he planned.

He looked over at Leah as he walked with her. She’d given
him a long stare this morning before they’d started walking again. Although she
hadn’t said a word, there was a wealth of stubbornness in that glare. She
hadn’t given up on going after her sister herself. He would have been more
worried about her if she readily agreed with that.

Her resistance to his experience in this frustrated him, but
he knew there were other things he needed to do. This situation was so
uncertain that he had to get her ready for almost anything. He didn’t know what
they’d encounter before they reached the city. Once there, he knew they’d be
relatively safe. They wouldn’t be alone long. Raven would meet them. Until then
though, he’d do whatever he had to do to keep her safe.

So to prepare her for any possibility, he had to show her
and get her accustomed to his other form. The one benefit of that was that he’d
be able to hide any trail they might be leaving with his paw prints. Anyone who
might have managed to track them wouldn’t look for the trail of a big animal.
They’d be searching for two people.

He simply hoped she didn’t panic and try to run from him. He
didn’t want her scared of him, even for a few moments. Although he could
understand why she’d feel a little uncertain faced with a strange animal, he hoped
she realized that he wouldn’t hurt her. He’d put it off for as long as he
could, but he wanted to do this while they were moving today.

“We’re going to stop for just a few moments. There’s
something I need to do.” He glanced her way.

She nodded, but didn’t say anything. She leaned against a
vetin
tree. Although it wasn’t one of the giants, the lowest branch of the conical
tree hung well over her head. Light green leaves draped from the leafy bough.
She looked around for a moment before finally returning her gaze to him. He
waited for her to look at him before he took off his shirt.

“What are you doing?” She frowned as she came away from the
tree.

“I’m going to change into my other form. I want you to know
how the animal half of me looks. I can’t be certain what we’re going to
encounter before we get to the city. If I have to change, I don’t want you to
panic when you see me.” He walked over to her. “I won’t hurt you. I know I’ll
look big and probably a little scary to you, but I’ll know you and I’ll understand
you.”

“Will you be able to talk to me in my head like you did the
other night?” Her teeth worried her lower lip.

“Yes, I’ll be able to talk to you that way.” He felt a
little relieved at her reaction.

“Are you just going to change and then change back?” She
tilted her head and watched as he took off his shirt.

“No, I’ll stay in my Zarain form probably for the rest of
the walk today. I want you to be relaxed around me like this, but there is
another reason. If someone has found a trail to follow, this should end their
ability to do that.” He unbuttoned his pants and pushed them down his thighs.

She glanced to the side. He smiled at the shy blush staining
her cheeks and held back a chuckle as she peeked back over at him. Her scent
drifted to him. Arousal, confusion and a little anger mixed.

“Arron?” She licked her lips, looked down and toed at the
ground. Nervousness rolled off her.

“Is something wrong, Leah?” He drew his finger down her
cheek to get her attention.

“Not wrong, but I’ve wondered why I feel like I do.” She
took a deep breath and met his eyes.

“What do you feel like?” He didn’t know what she meant. His
first impulse was to tell her it was because she was his mate, but her question
might have nothing to do with the pull to him.

“Every time we’re near and every time we stop, I feel pulled
toward you. It’s not only that I want to be near you. I want you. It seems as
if the lust slams into me whenever I’m close to you.” She exhaled slowly. Her
hands clenched. “Every time it happens I feel so out of control.”

He hesitated. While he didn’t want her to think that
everything she felt was because of the Zarain scent, lying to her could cause
an even bigger problem in the future. She’d discover that she was his mate when
she fully made the change into a Zarain and that far more than scent bound them
together. It would take more time than they’d likely be traveling for that to
happen though.

“There’s a reason for that.” He took a deep breath and
struggled to think of a way to explain it where she wouldn’t automatically
think that that was the only reason she wanted him.

She looked up at him. “There is?”

“Yes, there is. It’s my scent.” He struggled to find the
words. Even as he thought about it, he realized it would sound like she was
merely a willing female to him. She was so much more than that.

“Your scent?” She looked confused. “You smell good, but I
don’t think that’s why I want you.”

He smiled. Of course, she wouldn’t simply believe him. “I
know it sounds strange, but it’s true. The attraction will be even stronger
because you’re human.”

“Did someone tell you about this scent thing?” She raised an
eyebrow.

“I’ve seen it happen again and again. Women who wouldn’t
have anything to do with a warrior suddenly become almost desperate.” He could
see she wasn’t taking him seriously.

“So if what you say is true then I don’t want you because of
the connection you say is between us. It’s all because of your scent.” She
tilted her head and waited.

He knew she was trying to draw a reaction from him with that
statement. She almost succeeded, but he held onto the urge to show her just how
strong the connection between them was. The Zarain musk may be what caught her
attention, but the connection would form without it.

“No, you first desired me because of the scent. The
connection is because we are mates.” He kept his voice even. He wanted to haul
her close and kiss her.

“You said you knew me by smell. Have you ever thought
another woman was your mate? Is there a way to get it wrong?” She licked her
lips.

From her scent, she was anxious and confused, but he
couldn’t decipher any other emotion from her in any way even through the
fledgling mental connection forming between them. It wasn’t fully formed yet
and he couldn’t read her thoughts yet. Not that he’d ever have complete access
to her mind. She would be able to block her thoughts or open her thoughts and
feelings to him if she wanted. He’d have to tell her about it and teach her to
do it and now wasn’t the time.

He wondered if the fact that he still had to consciously
make the connection with her was because she was human. He’d never spoken with
anyone who’d mated a human woman. Well, after they’d mated the woman. Achan
Zaden had mated with an Indiri woman. That was close to human. From what he
knew, the connection with a Zarain woman formed strong almost from the first.

“I did know you by your scent. No, I haven’t ever thought
that anyone else was my mate. It’s not something a Zarain or any shifter would
mistake. You’ll realize that when you complete the change.” Arron smiled
softly. She wouldn’t have any doubts about the connection then. “But you
already know it’s more.”

She stared at him for a moment. She felt more than lust for
him. He didn’t think she’d have made so much of a point about his scent if she
wasn’t afraid that it was so much more. He watched as her tongue slicked out
and wet her lips.

“I don’t know that.” She took a deep breath. “I don’t even
know what you say about your smell is true. There is something different.
Something has to make it more intense.”

“The scent just makes you want me. It starts the connection.
It doesn’t make you feel everything more intensely.” He knew she was trying to
make sense of everything, but she had a definite talent for saying just the
thing to send the Zarain inside roaring for dominance. The only thing that gave
him hope was that remark about the intensity. What she felt for him was as
strong as he had hoped.

It was strange to feel this much for someone after a few
short days even when he’d expected it. For her, it must be a little scary. If
she knew a little bit more about him, she’d know that what was happening was
normal. At this point, he didn’t think she’d believe him. Still, he wanted to
reassure her.

She shook her head. “It doesn’t make sense.”

“It’s normal for a Zarain. The connection grows between
mates, drawing them together. A mating is for life.” He cupped the side of her
cheek. “Now, we need to get moving which means I have to change.”

Her eyes locked with his and she nodded and stepped back. He
finished taking off his clothes and put them in the bag. He couldn’t lose
those, with only what he’d been wearing and what she bought for him. He was
just glad that she’d thought of it and that she’d felt guilty enough to follow
and free him.

Raven would have gotten him away from the monks, but Arron
would have missed finding her. He would have forgotten her. The urge to find
her would have been there, but he wouldn’t have known anything about her.

He’d scented her in the library. It’s why the monks had
gotten a shot at his back. He’d turned to follow her out of the aisle. He still
didn’t know exactly what had happened. He’d been focused on getting to her. He
remembered a sharp pain in his back, but he didn’t expect to know what
happened.

He handed the bag to Leah. She slung it over her shoulder,
but kept her eyes on him. He let the change roll over him. Her eyes widened and
she took a slow step back as her eyes swept over him. He knew the Zarain form
was more than a little intimidating to someone who’d never seen it. He was
simply happy that she wasn’t running. She wouldn’t have been the first to flee
at the sight of a Zarain.

Although he kept his distance, he knew the size would be
intimidating. Standing on all four feet, his head would be above her shoulders.
Long black fur covered his body and the sharp claws on his paws, but she’d be
able to see the sharp canines extending past his lips. The large body wasn’t
exactly cuddly. Built for endurance and strength

He could see the fine tremors running through her body and
stayed where he was. He didn’t want to scare her any more than he already was.
He waited until she slowly relaxed and finally took a deep breath.

“You should have tried to describe yourself to me. I almost
took off running. The only thing that kept me in place was the thought that
predators chase. I didn’t want to set off any kind of instincts in you.” She
sounded a little breathless, but the scent of her fear was fading.

I wouldn’t hurt you even if you ran. I’d just keep up
with you.
He walked over to her, but kept some distance between them. He
didn’t want to scare her by getting too close yet.

“I didn’t know that. Ready to go?” She took a deep breath
and looked toward the direction they would go.

He watched her for a moment. It would probably be better to
back off and let her relax. It would take her a little time to adjust to seeing
him like this, especially once it finally clicked in her mind that she was
changing. She’d have questions and he hoped she didn’t panic.

He started walking and kept his pace slow. She moved up
beside him. They kept a steady pace. If she was right, they should reach the
town tomorrow or the next day. He kept watch on her as they traveled. He didn’t
want to strain her trying to keep up with him or for her to get hurt. He wanted
to get her to the city and his pack.

She might be stubborn, but he was even more so. He knew he
could eventually talk her into seeing that it was too dangerous for her to
continue the search. Maybe she didn’t fully understand a Zarain’s abilities or
maybe she didn’t realize she could trust him to keep his word. They would find
her sister. They’d be able to smell the connection to her even if they didn’t
recognize her by sight. Although there were a few people within the pack who
could draw so maybe they’d be able to get a likeness of her sister.

We’ll be finding a place for the night soon. Stay close.
He glanced over at her. As they drew closer to the gate city, there was more
danger that her brother and any other men with him might be searching the
forest for her. He didn’t want them to catch her alone.

She glared at him, but didn’t say anything. That worried him
more than an argument. He’d rather have her arguing than stubborn silence. She
could shut him out with silence. At least if she was yelling at him, he had a
chance of getting her to listen to him.

I’ll see if I can catch some fish for us tonight
. He
turned to glance over at her and stopped mid-step. His breath caught in his
throat. She was gone. He cursed himself for not keeping a better eye on her. He
knew she was nervous and worried about him interfering with her search for her
sister. He hadn’t thought she’d run for it though. She knew her brothers were
searching for her and that her best bet of making it out of the gate city was
with him.

Anger rose up inside him. She wasn’t leaving him. He had to
keep her with him. He turned and followed her scent trail back only a little
ways and then off the main trail. She didn’t head toward the river, as he
suspected. She’d need to follow it directly if she didn’t want to get lost.
Confusion swirled through his mind. What was she doing and where was she going?
She was walking away from the river, not to it.

He didn’t slow down even though he wasn’t sure what she was
doing. She could easily walk into danger. Just from watching her as they
traveled, he knew she didn’t know much about the forest outside of plants and
animals familiar to her. It wasn’t that strange, but it worried him now.