Pride of the Lion

Chapter Twelve

Araminta’s heart skipped a beat when Leander spoke of the Lady of the Beasts being free from Hell. That meant that Hades could no longer touch her. He’d agreed to free the Lady, and if he tried to hurt her now his own power would rebound on him and kill him. Or at least that’s what was in the books Araminta had written. It felt right.

Leander leaned against the wall, looking as though he didn’t have a care in the world. His attitude was disconcerting to say the least. The Lady might be free, but their lives were still on the line. That hadn’t changed.

“What else do you have to offer?”

Her heart nearly stopped when Leander spoke. Was he seriously considering siding with Hades or was this a ploy to kill time? She glanced down at her watch and barely swallowed a groan. It was late afternoon and there were still far too many hours they had to survive to break the curse and be free from Hades’ wrath.

Several hours seemed to have slipped away and she wondered how long she’d been trapped in the dream-like fog, the spell that Luna had woven around her. Like most dreams, it had only seemed like a few minutes, but it must have been a much longer time.

Leander’s hair fell behind his impossibly wide shoulders. The blond, orange and reddish-brown hues caught the late afternoon sun streaming through her office window. With his molten-gold eyes and broad, flat nose, he appeared more like the lion that lived within him.

She wanted to see the lion again, to touch the tattoo of the beast on his back. There was so much she wanted to do with him and the chance might be lost. They both might be dead within a few hours or less. Araminta had the sense that Hades was toying with them, letting them get hopeful they could survive before swooping in to destroy them.

She took solace from the fact that two of the warriors had survived. And, regardless of what Luna said, Araminta truly believed that their women had too. In fact, she was almost certain they had.

Had those other women felt the sense of connection and the sexual attraction to the men they’d released from the carousel? If she survived this encounter, she planned to find out.

“Hades can offer you anything your heart desires.” Luna tossed her head back, letting her hair fall over her shoulder like an ebony curtain. “All you have to do is ask. I’m authorized to fulfill any of your wishes. Every last one of them.” She licked her lips and Araminta wanted to smack the other woman for her blatant sexual come-on.

But Luna wasn’t done. She sauntered toward Leander, her hips working back and forth. Araminta knew she couldn’t hold a candle to Luna when it came to looks and figure. Luna was stunning, while she was average at best.

“Anything?” The way Leander said that one word made Araminta’s heart clench. His gaze was intent on Luna. Araminta might as well not even have been in the same room with them. Her fingers tightened around the rock. She wasn’t sure who she wanted to use it on more, Luna or Leander. Right now, it was a toss-up.

Luna glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Araminta, making her blood run cold. “Hmm.” She tapped one painted fingernail against her ruby-tinted lips. “If you got rid of her we could talk in private.”

Araminta felt her cheeks heating. There was no mistaking Luna’s offer. The hussy demon wanted to have sex with Leander. Too bad for her. Araminta wasn’t going anywhere. This was her house and Leander was her man.

The thought froze her in place. What was she thinking? Leander wasn’t hers. He was a warrior on a mission and Luna was offering him whatever he wanted on a silver platter. The Lady of the Beasts was free, but would that be enough for Leander? After all those years in captivity, would he still be loyal to the goddess now that the chips were down, or would he throw his lot in with Hades? Would he trade her life for the freedom of the remaining warrior?

She swallowed hard and watched as Leander’s cool gaze flicked to her and then back to Luna. “What do you have in mind?” His query shattered her heart but strengthened her resolve. She hadn’t asked for this, but had been pulled into this war against her will. Maybe she should have taken Luna’s offer.

No. She couldn’t do that. No matter what Leander did, she’d done what she knew was right. Some might think her stupid, but she’d written those two books and had multiple dreams about Hades and the world he ruled over. No matter what the document said, there would be a loophole. Hades always won when it came to contracts. It was his strength. She would not risk her eternal soul in such a way.

Luna ignored Araminta as though she was of no import. And she supposed in the scheme of things she wasn’t. For the most part, she’d lived a lonely life. Her grandmother had loved her, but even she hadn’t understood Araminta’s need to write, to create stories and other worlds populated by the most amazing people.

“I could send her to Hades.” Luna’s suggestion had sweat beading on Araminta’s forehead. She had no desire to see that realm or its leader firsthand.

“Now what would be the point of that?” Leander’s soft-spoken words barely reached Araminta’s ears, and she strained to hear what he was saying. “She is mine. It is you who belong in Hell.”

He attacked so swiftly he was little more than a blur. He shot out his hand, but it was no longer his hand. It was a massive paw tipped with razor-sharp claws. He ripped through Luna’s chest and tore out her still-beating heart. Blood sprayed, the splatter covering Leander’s shirt and the wall, peppering the papers strewn on the floor.

Araminta slapped her hand over her mouth to smother her scream of horror. Luna slowly fell to her knees, her face pale and her eyes wide open. Her lips were parted as though she meant to say something. What that might be they would never know.

Luna’s body swayed and toppled to the side. Blood flowed from the open wound, soaking into the papers and carpet. The stain would never come out. Hysterical laughter bubbled up, threatening to erupt.

Then Leander tossed the heart onto the floor beside Luna’s body. Araminta dove for the garbage bucket, barely making it before she lost the remains of the large breakfast she’d eaten hours ago. The rock tumbled from her hand as she grabbed the rim for support. Her legs gave out and she dropped to her knees.

“Araminta.” She heard Leander’s concerned voice over the retching but shook her head. She couldn’t look at him right now. He’d ripped out a woman’s heart.

Was she next?

Araminta slowly raised her head and shuddered at the sight of Luna’s body lying in a pool of blood. “You killed her. You killed a famous romance author in my home.” Her voice rose with each word until she was almost screaming.

Leander shook his head. “She was a demon, not a human.” As if to prove his point, Luna’s body began to sizzle. Just like the demons back at the garage, her entire body shriveled and turned to ash. Even the bloodstains on the wall and carpet turned to ash.

“I’m not cleaning that up.” The absurdity of what she’d just said made her drop her head into her hands. She was losing her mind.

Leander walked to the window and shoved it open. A heavy wind blew in and gathered the dust from the floor and walls. It swirled around, almost forming the shape of a woman before being swept out the window. She didn’t know where the ashes went and didn’t care. They were out of her house. That was all that mattered.

He slammed the window shut and stared out into the late afternoon sky. Dark, ominous clouds were forming to the west. Araminta pushed to her feet. Not wanting to leave herself undefended, she grabbed her rock. Not that it would do much damage. She wasn’t sure she could even make herself hit Leander. Then the final words he’d said to Luna sank in, leaving her even more confused. Had he told the demon she was his?

“Araminta.” He strode toward her, stopping when she took a step back. Pain filled his eyes and his hands clenched at his sides. “I would not hurt you.”

She swallowed hard, hating the sour taste in her mouth. “I wasn’t sure there for a moment.”

He briefly closed his eyes and nodded. When he looked back at her, his eyes were gleaming. “Make no mistake. You belong to me. To us.” He held up his hand and it morphed into the powerful paw of a predator before her very eyes. “There is nothing either of us would not do to protect you.”

Wow. That was a lot for a girl to take in. But one question remained. “Why?”

He shook his head and canted it to one side as he studied her. “Why does the sun rise in the east? Why do the birds sing?” He placed his hand over his heart. “These things just are.” He took another step toward her. “You are in my heart, Araminta Davidson, and there is no removing you from it.”

He moved closer still and started to lower his head. She ducked out of the way at the last second. A low growl filled the air. He wasn’t happy.

“I have to brush my teeth.” She motioned to the wastebasket where the remains of her breakfast sat. No way was she kissing him after puking up her guts.

His scowl disappeared and he offered her a tender smile. “Go and see to yourself. I will take care of this.” He leaned down and brushed several kisses over her forehead.

Araminta turned and fled into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. “Oh God.” She rested her head against the cool mirror and took a deep, cleansing breath. Drawing back, she stared at herself. Her face was as pale as chalk, her eyes huge. Wisps of hair had escaped from her braid and hung around her face, framing it.

She grabbed her toothbrush and quickly got rid of the nasty taste in her mouth, replacing it with minty freshness. When she was done, she thought about brushing out her hair and washing her face but didn’t bother. It didn’t really matter what she looked like. They needed to talk and make a plan of action. Hades would be back and soon.

She emerged from the bathroom but didn’t go out to the kitchen where she could hear water running. Leander was actually cleaning up after her. That made him one special man. No, he wasn’t a man. She had to keep reminding herself of that. He was a mythical warrior, one with a mission.

Turning, she went into her bedroom. It was no longer the sanctuary it had been. A demon invasion had pretty much taken away any sense of safety she’d had. Percy perched on the end of bed and gave a low grumble when he saw her.

She sat next to him and he immediately climbed into her lap, offering her comfort in the only way he knew how. She cuddled him close and, for once, he allowed it. “What am I going to do, Percy?” He grumbled again in response, drawing a tiny laugh from her. “Maybe I should put you outside just in case.” She’d hate to see him killed or hurt in this fight.

He bumped his furry head against her chin, and she hugged his heavy body to her chest, needed the warmth and comfort. Her entire life was upside down and she had no idea what was going to happen next. Even if she survived she would never be the same again. She would be one of the few who knew that demons, curses and ancient gods were real.

“I envy the cat.” She jumped when Leander spoke. He stood in the doorway of her room, watching her with unreadable eyes. He’d removed his stained shirt, leaving him clad in only his leather pants and boots. As always, the sight of his broad, firmly muscled chest momentarily distracted her.

“Why?” She asked because she really wanted to know, plus she needed some time to compose herself.

Leander prowled toward her, his gait smooth and stealthy, like a lion on the hunt. Every nerve ending in her body fired at once, sending tingles racing over her skin.

“Because he is touching you and I am not.”

Oh, wow. “Ahhh.” She shut her mouth before she said something even more stupid. Whenever he said things like that she lost her ability to string together a sentence. She also found herself trying to memorize them to use later in a book. The writer in her never stopped working and she couldn’t help herself.

Leander stopped in front of her and crouched down. He parted her knees so he was between them. Percy craned his neck toward Leander and he obliged by rubbing the cat behind the ears. “Go,” he whispered to Percy, and damned if the cat didn’t listen to him. Percy shot her a glance over his shoulder and then gracefully jumped from the bed and padded out of the room. It was just the two of them now.

Her breathing quickened and her heart began to race. They should talk. That was important.

But she’d almost signed over her soul to Hades. It might have been under coercion, but it had almost happened. She could have been killed. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Luna had been more than capable of the task.

Now Leander was crouched in front of her. His unusual, masculine face was only inches away, his full lips and strong jawline within touching distance. Did she really want to talk?

The answer didn’t surprise her. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to his, sighing when he kissed her back.

Leander didn’t know if he’d ever get over the gut-wrenching fear of finding Araminta alone with one of Hades’ minions. His lion roared in agreement. The only satisfaction he had was that he’d dispatched Luna back to Hell where she belonged.

Hades was pulling out all the stops, tempting both him and Araminta. Leander wondered if he’d done the same with all the other warriors who’d been freed from the carousel or if this was a new development. He so badly wanted to talk to them but had no idea how to find his friends.

Araminta made a small mewling sound that fired his blood and made him forget everything else. She was alive and so was he and nothing else mattered. He slanted his mouth over hers, deepening the caress, and tasted mint and desire upon her lips.

Animal instinct was riding him hard, and he had the need to claim her, to mark her as his so that all who came in contact with her would know who she belonged to, would know she was his.

He gripped her thighs and pulled her closer. Fisting his hand in her braid, he held her still as he plundered her mouth, leaving no dark corner unexplored.

She was panting heavily now, her eyes slightly dazed when he pulled back. He loved her stormy-gray eyes and sucked in a breath when she licked her moist red lips. Satisfaction roared through him when he tugged at her top and she didn’t stop him from removing it. She was wearing a lacy bra that barely contained the bounty of her breasts.

He covered both mounds with his hands, testing their fullness and weight with his palms. She gasped and then moaned when he rubbed his thumbs over the puckered tips, caressing them through the thin fabric.

Leander lowered his head and pulled one pert nipple into his mouth, sucking on it. He rubbed his tongue over the lace-covered nub, loving the breathy sounds of arousal Araminta made.

Slowly, he tugged down the straps of her bra, pulling the restrictive garment from her so he could release her breasts. Magnificent. There was no other word for her or them. The mounds were firm and large, the nipples pink and lush. He reached behind her, unhooked the bra and tugged it away.

Her long braid fell over her shoulder so he took it in his hand and brushed the end of it over one of her nipples. “Leander.” The way she moaned his name made his cock throb.

He leaned inward and rubbed his hair and face over her breasts, much like a cat showing his favor. A loud purr escaped him. He sensed her surprise and then she dug her fingers into his scalp and twined through the thick mass of his hair. Like any cat, he loved having someone rub his fur or, in this case, his hair. He purred again and turned his head to latch onto one of her nipples.

She jumped and then groaned as he sucked and rubbed and carefully raked his teeth over her sensitive flesh. His balls drew up tight and his pants were becoming more uncomfortable by the second so he willed himself to be naked. His clothing disappeared and his cock sprang free, giving him a moment of temporary respite.

He had to get her naked.

Leander attacked the fastening of her jeans. It only took him a moment to yank down the zipper. “Lift up,” he ordered as he pulled down her jeans, taking her panties with them. Araminta supported herself on her hands as she raised her bottom off the bed.

In two seconds flat, he had her completely naked, her shoes and socks tangled with her jeans. He grabbed her legs behind her knees and tipped her back. She gave a small squeal as her back hit the mattress. He spread her legs wide, licked his lips and lowered his mouth to her lush core.

Araminta couldn’t seem to catch her breath, not with Leander watching her, a predatory gleam in his molten-gold eyes. This man was so different from the one who’d coldly killed a demon in her office. This man was all passion and fire. Both sides were part of him and helped make up the man she was quickly coming to care deeply for, which wasn’t smart considering the situation. But, at this moment, she didn’t care about curses or gods or immortal warriors. There was only Leander and Araminta, a man and a woman.

He looked determined and very aroused. Her pussy throbbed just watching him. He licked his lips and leaned inward, pressing his mouth against her slick folds.

She fisted the comforter in both hands, needing something to hold on to as he explored her in the most intimate manner. He probed and licked and teased every crevice, every nook with his tongue. The rough texture stimulated every nerve ending and sent her arousal rocketing through the roof.

“Leander.” She breathed his name and moaned when his tongue probed her channel, driving as deep as he could go. Her breasts ached so she covered them with her hands, wishing it were his hands on her once again. His fingers were long and broad, his palms huge, and he’d had no trouble covering all of her with them.

He purred and the sensation was like having a warm, living vibrator caressing her skin. “Don’t stop,” she ordered. She’d never experienced anything like this before in her life. Leander was an incredible lover.

In answer to her command, he captured her clit between his lips and tongued it. The sandpapery texture of his tongue sent lightning bolts of pleasure shooting through her. She closed her thighs around his head. No way was she letting him go, not when she was so close to coming.

He reached up and pushed her hands aside until his palms were covering her breasts. It was perfect. While his mouth and tongue teased and tormented her pussy, his clever fingers played with her breasts.

She’d never felt so alive before. Maybe it was the specter of death that surrounded them. Maybe it was simply Leander himself. Araminta didn’t know and didn’t care. She reached for her orgasm, wanting it with every fiber of her being.

She cried out, balanced on the edge of orgasm, but it slipped away once again and she moaned in frustration. She was so close.

Leander released her breasts and moved one hand between her thighs. She tensed, waiting for him to touch her. When it came there was nothing subtle or tentative about it. Like Leander himself, his touch was bold and overwhelming. He thrust two large, thick fingers into her core, stretching her to her limits.

Araminta dug her heels into his shoulders and cried out as her vaginal muscles loosened and tightened in a rhythmic pattern. He sucked hard on her clit and her body clenched and spasmed around his fingers, squeezing them hard.

Head thrown back, she rode out the wave of pleasure, tasting every last drop of it before her body went lax. Leander removed his fingers from her core, drawing a moan of pleasure as her channel contracted around them. He paused long enough to lap at her cream, making another one of those rumbling noises that she loved so much. He was like a big cat, his pleasure a tangible thing.

He stood and she blinked at the very visible reminder that he hadn’t come yet. His cock was huge and hard, the reddish tip wet with his arousal. The heavy veins that ran up and down his length were pulsing with power and barely restrained lust.

“On your knees.” He started to roll her over and she knew what he wanted. She’d never had a man take her from behind before. The thought was exciting, and though she’d just come, she felt passion rising within her once again.

She was a normal woman who liked sex and had enjoyed a select few partners over the years. But this was more elemental, a raw ache that went beyond the physical. She was on fire for Leander. Only he could satisfy the clawing need inside her, fill the emptiness.

“Spread your legs apart.” He tapped the inside of her thighs and she widened them. He gave a rumble of approval. She felt hot breath on her core a moment before his long tongue stroked over her pussy, making her jump. “So hot and tasty,” he murmured.

Araminta could feel her face heating. No other man had ever been so blunt about his sexuality, had never said such earthy things to her, but she liked it, liked the way he wanted her so much. It was a complete turn-on.

He gripped her hips and he slid his cock between the folds of her pussy. Rubbing back and forth, he coated his erection with her juices while teasing her clit with each stroke. She moaned and undulated her hips for maximum pleasure.

He put his knees on the bed beside hers and fitted the head of his cock at her slick opening. It was a tight fit, but he pushed steadily inward until the thick head was inside. Before she could take a breath, he powered all the way in.

In this position he went deep, stretching the sensitive tissues as she struggled to conform to his length and girth. He held himself steady, both of them breathing heavily. After a moment, he leaned down and nipped at her nape, making her jump. The motion drove him deeper, making them both moan.

“Okay?” he asked.

She nodded and shoved her butt toward him. He surrounded her with his massive body, impaled her with his large cock, but she’d never felt safer.

He wrapped one arm around her midsection and began to move. His thrusts were short and hard, and she was glad he was holding on to her or she would have probably fallen face first onto the mattress. Leander gripped her nape between his teeth, keeping her pinned in place as he took her.

He reached between her spread thighs with one hand and rubbed his thumb over her swollen clit. She cried out, her pussy squeezing his cock. Leander released his hold on her neck and roared. There was no other word for the sound he made. It was the powerful roar of a lion that almost deafened her as it echoed in her ears. His cock pulsed inside her, his release flooding her core. He kept coming and that set off another round of spasms within her.

Araminta’s arms gave out and she fell forward onto the bed with a groan. He was still so hard and hot inside her, still coming. She had no idea how long it lasted, but finally he gave a grunt and removed his arm from her waist. She flopped onto the mattress, limp as a noodle.

Leander hissed as he carefully removed his shaft and stretched out beside her. She didn’t know what to say, not after such earth-shattering lovemaking. Well, it was earth-shattering for her. For all she knew it might be normal for him.

She stroked her hand over his shoulder and his entire body arched in pleasure. His tattoo. She’d forgotten all about it, but suddenly wanted to see it again. “Roll over.”

He stared at her a moment, unblinking, but came to some internal decision and turned onto his side, his back toward her. A majestic lion stared back at her, his eyes the same color as Leander’s. No, not the same color, the same eyes.

They were one and the same.

She reached out and touched the creature’s head. Leander’s shoulders stiffened and then he rubbed his head against the pillow. It was fascinating how the two were connected. The lion was a part of him, the relationship totally symbiotic.