Untamable Lover (Worlds of Lemuria: Earth Colony Book 2) (20 page)

“I won’t hurt you, Aramie, and I won’t…bite you. You have my word.” 

She stared into his eyes for a long moment. Would she trust him? His heart raced. Suddenly, the question became the most important one he’d ever had. He held his breath. His heart pounded as he counted the seconds.

She exhaled and her body relaxed beneath him. “Kiss me,” she whispered.

He ravaged her mouth, pouring all his emotions into their embrace. She returned his kiss with a passion all her own. As her body moved beneath him she rubbed against his skin, sending sparks of desire to his balls. His cock hardened, the skin taut, straining with the rush of blood. 

Kissing her cheeks, chin, the dimple in the crook of her neck, he savored every bit of skin he could reach. His free hand stroked the side of one breast, teasing her with his soft caress. She moaned under his assault. 

He glanced at her face, eager to see the pleasure in her eyes. The usual brown color was gone, replaced with her yellow feline eyes. Her lips parted on ragged breaths. 

With one knee and then the other, he spread her legs, opening up her core. The scent of strawberries intensified, and he breathed in her unique bouquet. The need to please her overwhelmed him, and he wanted nothing more than to make her come. 

He glided his hand to the opening between her legs. Soft curls tickled the sensitive pads on his fingers. He twirled the fine strands enjoying how she squirmed beneath him. A tenderness filled him, and he vowed to make this a day Aramie would never forget. With utmost care, he rubbed his finger between her slick folds. 

“You’re so wet for me.” He ground the words out through clenched teeth.

She bit her lip, soft pants escaping her mouth. 

He growled his appreciation. Using one finger, he eased into her sheath. She shuddered beneath him and spread her legs wider, giving him easier access. A sudden urge to bite her overwhelmed him and his teeth elongated. He pursed his lips together, hiding them from her.

Her hips arched beneath him and his focus returned to her needs. He rubbed her firm clit with his thumb while he moved his fingers in and out of her passage. Her breaths grew ragged as he worked her. His focus remained on her face, soaking in her pleasure.

She stilled for a moment then bucked against him in a wild frenzy, her hands pulling against his grip. Her sheath tightened around his fingers as she came. He kept up his pressure, wringing out every last drop. When she quieted at last, he eased his hand from between her legs. A satisfied glint formed in her eyes, and she gave him a cute little smile. She raised her hips, rubbing herself against his member. 

He closed his eyes and shivered. Good thing they weren’t human. Disease wasn’t an issue for Lemurians, and since the females were infertile, they didn’t have to worry about pregnancy. 

Her slick folds washed over him, coating him with her wetness. A deep-seated need to claim her raced through him and his body shook. He briefly closed his eyes and clenched his teeth, unwilling to give in to his desire. When he opened his eyes, the devotion and trust reflected in her gaze melted his heart completely. 

With a feral groan, he plunged into her warm passage. She gripped him, squeezing her inner muscles, coaxing him along. They established a rhythm and moved together in a sensual motion. As his desire increased, so did their speed. He gripped her hip with one hand, steadying her as best he could.

His balls tightened. White dots formed in front of his eyes. As he came, he stared into the eyes of the female he’d fallen for. Her gaze locked with his, and he swore she loved him, too. 

When he was spent, he lay on top of her, his free hand stroking her cheek. His other hand still held her wrists, her hands captive over her head. As much as he wanted to give her his heart and soul, he couldn’t even give her access to his full body. 

The dire thought wasn’t what he needed right now, and he shoved it into the back of his mind. His inability to open fully to her burned in his gut.
I’m not worthy of her.
If she saw his scars, she’d think him weak just like his father.

Rolling off her, he pulled her against him, cradling her head in the crook of his arm. They didn’t speak, each lost in their own thoughts. He couldn’t tell her what he wanted. It would only make things uncomfortable between them. He caressed her hair and glanced to the cave entrance. Shadows over the rocks indicated the sun was still high in the sky.

A spot of red caught his attention. Her barrette had fallen out of her hair during their coupling. He picked it up, and then handed it to her. 

She stared at her trinket then looked at him. Her gaze darted between his eyes. She studied him for a long moment. When she spoke, her words were soft. “Would you put it in for me?”

This barrette was so important to her. For her to ask him to do so was a great honor, a sign of trust.

“How could I not, my Aramie.” He choked on the words, and they came out rough, strained.

She held open her palm, and he grasped her most precious object. With gentle care, he smoothed her locks, and clipped the strawberry-shaped jewelry into her hair.

A warm, shy smile broke out on her face. He was lost to her now. She was nothing like Eleanor, no, nothing at all. Aramie was so much more. Unlike submissive and quiet Eleanor, Aramie exuded strength and determination—and he loved her for it. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for Aramie now.

“We should try to get some sleep.” He kissed her hair, taking in her scent, the one he’d never be able to forget.

She snuggled up to him. Within minutes she snored, the little yips weaseling their way into his heart. 

The skin on the back of his shoulder burned. He touched the bite mark. Wetness squeezed from the open sore. He glanced at his hand. Instead of red blood, a vibrant shade of blue coated his fingers. His hackles rose.

He rolled Aramie over and covered her with her clothes as best he could. Picking up his pants and shirt,  he threw them on. He didn’t want her to see the wound, or the scars on his back and buttocks. A sense of unease rippled over his shoulders and down his arms. The bite still burned. Why hadn’t it healed already?

He lay next to Aramie. Placing his arm over her body, he spooned her, drawing her close to him. Her warmth and unique scent calmed his racing nerves. As he slept, strange thoughts of vodka, razor-like teeth, and an intense desire to kill became his nightmare.

Chapter Thirty-Five

The headache started again. Typically, Ram enjoyed pain, even when it was his own, but not this time. He sat on the rickety, whitewashed deck swing that graced the farmhouse’s porch—the one made for two lovers to gaze at the moon on a warm summer’s night.
Please, poke me in the eye with a stick. 

His vision blurred. Images of a small cave and Aramie in the throes of an orgasm flashed across his mind. Adrenaline surged through his body in a purely male response. He stood in a panic, the swing crashing into the back of his calf. A bruise he could live with, visions of sex with his enemy, not so much. Gossum had no need for sex. Ram wasn’t quite sure if it was one of the benefits of the transformation, or maybe it was a disadvantage.

The female purred under him, and a male hand, not his own, stroked her cheek. He fell further into the vision, the smell of strawberries stirred his desire, something he hadn’t experienced since his days as a human. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, and he swayed on his feet. He gripped the chain that held up the swing to steady himself. 

The vision faded for a moment, and he regained some semblance of his location. He was on the front porch. A strange warmth emanated from his crotch. He blinked and glanced down. His sweatpants tented, the material straining against his cock. Wasn’t that nice—he had a boner.

The front door creaked as it opened. 

“Ram, the new recruits…” Jakar gaped like a fish.

“What’s the matter? Never seen anything quite this big before, have you?” If his first lieutenant stared any longer, he’d give him a close-up shot.

“My lord…please excuse me.” Jakar bowed his head and retreated into the farmhouse.

Ram removed his cap and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. What the hell? These strange visions had started a few hours ago, and they had increased in frequency and duration. It was like he was in someone else’s head—Demir’s. A kernel of excitement spread through Ram’s chest.

He’d bitten Demir on the back of the shoulder during the fight, but with his comrades dead, it had been two against one, and he hadn’t liked those odds. So, he’d fled, tracking the two from afar. They’d holed up in a cave which seemed to materialize out of the side of the mountain. 

Ram had wanted to attack them during the day, but decided not to because of a nearby hiking trail frequented by humans even in the winter. He’d weighed the option of converting any humans he’d encounter, but he couldn’t risk them having connections, family—and the questions that would come. Tonight, he’d bring back his minions to finish off his enemy. 

He walked down the three steps into the front yard. The setting sun warmed the back of his arms. Although he could go out during the day, he much preferred the night, and the opportunity to tangle with his enemy. 

The neighing of horses floated by on the breeze, along with the stench of manure. In addition to the mares, a couple of pigs and an old goat inhabited the barn. The pesky billy had a habit of sneaking out of his stall. He’d already chewed up Ram’s favorite hammock. Jakar seemed to have an affinity for the creatures, so they had remained. Ram ground his teeth.
Those animals will be the death of me yet.

With a loud exhale, he continued, his boots crunching over the frost encrusted grass. If Sheri could see him now, she’d laugh at his accommodations. A longing to see his ex-wife expanded, twisting his insides like an old rag, but he didn’t dare seek her out, not yet. He needed to prove himself worthy first, and that meant bringing down Noeh, the Stiyaha king. This time, he would succeed. If he didn’t, he’d never see her again, never get the chance to prove himself to her. His heart ached, and the ragged scar that ran over his chest burned. 

A cobblestone path led off to an old, forgotten garden. Maybe a walk would clear his mind. Cages from last year’s tomatoes still dotted the soil, the wire bent at odd angles from years of use. A handful of shriveled, moldy Better Boys still clung to the stems. The scent of loam and rotten fruit permeated the air. 

He bent over to right one of the cages, the lone sentinel out of line. A wave of pain radiated from the back of his shoulder. The intensity brought him to his knees. Soft, moist soil cushioned his fall. 

His tongue lashed out and struck the tomato cage he’d straightened, flipping it into the air. The wire pen bounced on the ground and stilled. One tomato landed next to Ram’s knee. Red juice, like blood, soaked into the soil. Wetness coated the edge of his mouth. More from an old instinct than anything, he lapped up the rotten juice. He retched, his body no longer able to handle human food. Spittle dripped from his mouth onto the moist Earth.

With effort, he pulled himself to a standing position. A wave of dizziness caused him to sway, and he stumbled over the uneven lawn as he returned to the porch. Sweat coated his arms and the cool breeze raised goosebumps. He sat on the rickety swing and covered his face in his palms. His body shook and he stayed that way for several minutes, resting, calming his racing heart.

Before he could regain his composure, the vision of the cave returned. Aramie lay on her side, breathing the deep rhythmic breaths of sleep. The male’s hand stroked her arm. She stirred, and rolled onto her back. A slow smile curved from her mouth. 

“Demir…” His name rolled off her tongue in a gentle purr.

Demir looked out the cave entrance, then back to Aramie. He took her hand and kissed her fingers. “It will be dark soon.” 

I can see through his eyes.
How could this happen? He wasn’t sure, but his mind raced with possibilities. 

Aramie tugged on her pants, but Demir had other ideas. He pulled her into his embrace and kissed her on the mouth. 

The taste of strawberries and sweat filled Ram’s mouth. He spit on the ground.
Ugh. Break away already. 

The kiss ended, and Demir pulled back.

Aramie’s eyebrows furrowed. “What’s wrong? Demir?”

Ram stilled. Did he cause Demir to end the kiss? 

Glance outside.
Ram pushed the command toward Demir.

The vision shifted from Aramie to the cave’s entrance. Sunlight no longer shone on the rocks. Instead, shadows filled the small opening.

Ram gasped. He could control Demir. Maybe he could use this as an opportunity to get back into Zedron’s good graces.

Demir’s hand moved past his eyes, toward his back. A moment later, his hand reappeared. A blue wetness coated his fingers.

That’s where he’d bitten Demir, on the back of the shoulder. Could his bite have given him control over Demir? Was this an unintended consequence of taking the female Panthera’s blood or was that a coincidence? Ram would have to find out.

 He focused on the couple. Demir cradled Aramie’s face in his palm. 

Her eyes searched his, her penetrating gaze full of worry. “You’re injured. Your blood…it’s blue. Let me help you.” 

Such a touching couple. Their tenderness made Ram gag. 

A cruel idea crossed his mind. Energy surged through his body. He clapped his hands like a child, giddiness getting the best of him. 

Bare your fangs. Growl.
A shiver ran down Ram’s spine.

Demir’s hand, which had supported Aramie’s head with such tender care, tensed. Her skin dimpled under his thumb. 

Grrrrr. 

Aramie’s eyes widened, her attention riveted to his mouth.

Ram chuckled.
Kill her.

*****

The voice in Demir’s head compelled him to kill Aramie. His cat screamed. He didn’t realize he’d made the sound until his ears rang.