Pride of the Lion

Chapter Two

Araminta hummed a tune under her breath as she rode up in the elevator. The party was still hopping in the ballroom but she was worn out from dancing and laughing with the other women. She needed some rest if she was going to get through the workshops and booksigning tomorrow. Not to mention the party tomorrow night. She was glad this was only a weekend conference or she might not make it to the end.

She dug her keycard out of her small shoulder bag and had it ready when the elevator doors opened. Her shoes made little sound on the carpeting as she made her way to her room. When the door closed behind her, she gave a sigh of relief and kicked off her shoes.

She groaned and flexed her poor abused toes. “I don’t know how those other women manage to dance all night in four-inch heels,” she muttered. “Guess it takes practice.”

She padded to the bed and almost fell face-first onto the mattress but refrained. Once her head hit the pillow, she knew she’d be out for the count. It didn’t take her long to gather her nightgown and head toward the bathroom. She stripped off her clothes and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water flow over her body.

Her skin felt extra sensitive, almost tender and she took a step back so she wasn’t quite under the spray. She soaped her body quickly and rinsed well before turning off the water.

Other than the rasp of her breathing, the hum of the air conditioner/heating unit and the drip from the showerhead were the only sounds in the room. She quickly toweled off and yanked on her nightgown. The material seemed to abrade her skin, making her flinch.

“What is wrong with me?” She studied her face in the mirror but didn’t see anything different. Same gray eyes and round face. Her eyes seemed overly bright, but that wasn’t surprising considering the excitement of the past few hours.

She plucked the silver clips from her hair and unwound it. The wavy mass fell to her waist and she tugged her brush through it. A yawn caught her by surprise and she tossed the brush aside. She took an extra minute to brush her teeth before stumbling out of the bathroom to the bed.

The light from the bathroom was still on, but Araminta left it, knowing if she woke in a strange bed the light would help orient her. The crisp sheets beckoned and she climbed in, pulling the covers up. Didn’t matter if it was summer or winter, she wanted all the covers over her.

Araminta’s mind was still running a mile a minute, processing everything she’d seen and done tonight, but exhaustion tugged at her body. She yawned again and her eyes fell shut. She snuggled down into the comfortable mattress and relaxed…

She heard the roar in the distance and there was no mistaking the distinct call of a lion. Araminta looked around, wondering where she was. Around her, lights flashed and music pumped out of loudspeakers, the heavy bass thumping so hard the ground vibrated beneath her feet.

She blinked and the sounds and lights were gone, replaced by darkness, a void, complete nothingness. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to take a step forward. She held her hands out in front of her to keep from walking into a wall or another person. She couldn’t see her hands in front of her face. “Is there anyone out there?”

A low, sinister laughter seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere, surrounding her. She spun in a circle, searching for the source. “Who are you? Where are you?” Fear pulsed through her veins and her stomach knotted. She bit her bottom lip to keep from calling out again. Whoever was there wasn’t her friend. She didn’t know how she knew this, but she did.

There had to be a way out of here. Araminta took another step, trying to be as quiet as possible.

“You can’t escape your fate,” the male voice taunted.

She ignored the disembodied voice and kept on moving, hopefully away from whoever was there. She took one slow breath after another to keep from hyperventilating. Terror made her knees weak and her entire body quiver. But she kept moving.

A faint light shimmered in the distance and she moved toward it. Or at least she thought that’s what she was doing. The light seemed to keep shifting away from her the harder she tried to reach it.

She squinted, desperately trying to see more clearly, but it was nearly impossible in the darkness. She thought she caught a glimpse of another woman, but the other person was gone, swallowed up by the darkness before Araminta could speak to her.

The light remained and she hurried toward it as fast as she could. That had to be the exit from wherever she was. A door appeared before her with a low-watt bulb illuminating it. The hum seemed out of place, but she didn’t care. She went to fling the door open but paused. What if whatever was on the other side was worse than where she was?

“You are clever.” The male voice sounded amused.

“Who are you?” She might be better off not knowing, but she wanted answers and she wanted them now. Making a decision, she grabbed the handle, turned it and yanked open the door. The hinges gave a sharp squeak that seemed overly loud. She stepped inside and the door slammed shut behind her. There were no locks, but at least she’d hear if anyone entered.

The light in this room was dim, but there did seem to be light coming from somewhere, because she could make out shapes. Araminta moved cautiously, placing her feet carefully on the ground beneath her. She couldn’t tell if she was inside or outside. It was very disorienting.

A brilliant spotlight flashed on and she shrank back, covering her eyes as she was momentarily blinded. She blinked and slowly lowered her hands, needing to see if there was anyone there with her.

She didn’t see a person, but she did see a broken-down carousel. The ride had seen better days and only two animals remained on it—a wolf and a lion. Drawn to it by a force she couldn’t deny, her feet moved until she was standing beside it. The paint was chipped and worn, but there was no denying the beauty of the carved animals. They were so realistic, so incredibly beautiful.

She ran her hand over the flanks of the wolf. His head was slightly turned toward her, his mouth opened to reveal several rows of sharp teeth. “You’re a dangerous one, aren’t you?” She wanted to stroke his head but was almost afraid to, he was so lifelike.

A dizzy spell caught her unawares and she thought she heard a wolf howling in the distance. She shook her head and reached out to catch herself against one of the posts of the carousel. “Wow, what was that all about?” This whole place was disorienting and it was making her feel slightly light-headed and nauseous.

She shuffled over to the lion and sucked in a breath. The creature was magnificent with his thick blond mane and golden eyes. She wasn’t even certain if lions had eyes the color of old gold, or if they would be brown. Not that it mattered. This was an artist’s representation of a lion, not a real one. Still, the animal was amazing with paws the size of dinner plates and thick muscles rippling beneath a layer of fur.

She reached out and touched his side and was startled to feel warmth beneath her hand. She stumbled back, clutching her hand to her chest. The lion slowly turned its head toward her, opened his large, powerful jaws and roared.

Araminta’s heart raced and pure terror enveloped her. The sharp fangs of the lion seemed to glint in the muted light. She jerked back, slipped and kept falling. She thought she might have screamed, but wasn’t certain. For a few brief moments, she couldn’t see or hear anything. It was terrifying to be plunging through a dark nothingness that wrapped around her and threatened to strangle her.

When she finally landed, it was with a thud on a soft padding. The breath had been knocked out of her so she sucked in air in big gulps. It was still poorly lit, but she could see the outline of furniture. She was in a room of some sort. She frowned as the objects came into better view. It looked like her bedroom at home.

A large male arm snaked around her, pulling her back against a massive male chest. Araminta opened her mouth to scream, but he spoke before she could manage to do more than squeak. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

She blinked once and then again. What was going on? Where was the carousel and how had she gotten home?

Warm lips nuzzled her nape, sending a blast of heat cascading through her entire body.

“You smell nice.” A large hand cupped her hip through the thin fabric of her nightgown, giving it a squeeze. “You feel even better.”

She knew she should do something, get out of bed, run away or at the very least, scream. Something. Instead, she lay there beside the strange man and absorbed his heat and quiet strength. Something about him calmed her fear and silenced her unease.

She turned onto her side so she was facing him, wanting to get a better look at him. She couldn’t see the color of his eyes or hair, but there was no hiding the hard planes of his face. His nose was broad and flat, his forehead wide. His jaw was strong and powerful, his neck muscular.

But it was his hair that made her gasp. It was gloriously thick and fell to just below his shoulders. She reached out and touched it, shocked when it felt soft and silky. She wanted to rub her face in it. Heck, she wanted to rub her entire body over it.

Which was crazy because she had no idea who this guy was. Still, she wasn’t alarmed or upset by that fact. She wanted to get closer to him, to snuggle against him.

A loud sound permeated the room, almost like something was purring. It took her a second to realize the sound was coming from him. She placed her hand on his chest and the vibration sank into the flesh of her palm. It radiated down her arm to her shoulder before moving lower to her breasts and still lower until she was squirming and her panties felt damp.

She pulled her hand back. “Who are you?”

“Yours.” The stark reply made her toes tingle even as her brain formed a dozen questions.

He moved so fast he was a blur. One moment, she was lying on her side watching him, the next she was flat on her back with him looming over her. He held himself over her on his hands and knees and leaned down to nuzzle her neck. Oh God, not her neck. It was one of the most sensitive parts of her body. She couldn’t help but groan when he did it again. He rasped his tongue over her jaw. His tongue was slightly rough and left a trail of goose bumps racing down her arms.

She licked her lips and grabbed onto her common sense. “This isn’t a good idea.”

“Why not?” Firm lips kissed her cheeks, her forehead and the tip of her nose.

“Ahh.” Araminta couldn’t remember what she meant to say when his mouth touched hers. His lips were soft and feathered across hers, leaving her wanting more. Without her permission, her arms rose, reaching for him.

He groaned and kissed her again. This time there was nothing soft or tentative about the caress. He captured her mouth and claimed it for his own. She slid her hands up his broad shoulders and strong neck before sinking them into his incredible hair. He groaned and thrust his tongue into her mouth when she lightly scraped her nails across his scalp.

Heat enveloped her. Her clothing felt too rough against her skin, too constricting. As fast as she had the thought, her clothing was gone, leaving her naked and open to his every touch.

He gave another rumble of pleasure that seemed to vibrate from deep within him. He skimmed one of his large hands over her side before arrowing in to cup her breast. Her chest was rather substantial, but his hand was so large he had no problem covering her breast. Her nipple stabbed at the center of his palm.

He was so much bigger than she was. Massive really. But she didn’t feel threatened by him at all. Maybe she was being crazy, but she didn’t care. She wanted him to touch her everywhere.

He was naked too, and she let her hands flow down from his scalp to his neck and shoulders and then lower to his amazing chest. Muscles rippled and flexed and he tensed beneath her bold touch.

She didn’t stop there but continued lower, wanting to feel the size and shape of his erection. She’d felt it briefly against her stomach, but it wasn’t enough. She had the urge to touch and taste this man until there wasn’t an inch of his body she wasn’t familiar with.

She wrapped her hand around his thick shaft, feeling the pulse of life and power, the heat radiating from it. Her sex spasmed and liquid trickled from her core. She licked her lips and pumped her hand up and down his hard length.

Hic cock was broad and long and she wasn’t certain she could even take him within her, but she wanted to try. That thought shook her. She’d had a college boyfriend who she’d slept with during their two-year relationship. And she’d had another long-term relationship after college that had lasted four years before she’d realized they ultimately wanted different things out of life and had broken it off.

She didn’t do torrid one-night affairs.

But she wanted to.

And she didn’t even know his name.

That thought made her tense. He purred again and rubbed his head against her neck and throat, nuzzling her sensitive skin. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you.”

He palmed her breast one final time before releasing it. Before she could be disappointed, his mouth covered one puckered nipple and sucked. Her entire body arched as pleasure slammed through her. He gave a low growl of pleasure and shifted to the other breast. His tongue was warm and wet and slightly rough against the taut bud. The sandpaper-like texture stimulated the already sensitive tip. She’d never felt anything like it in her life and she wanted more of it.

She wondered what that tongue would feel like against her clit and her mind almost exploded. A groan of pleasure escaped her and her hips arched against him. She rubbed her sex against his cock, letting the solid length slide over her swollen, needy clit. Her lips parted but no sound escaped as every muscle in her body clenched with growing need.

He released her breast and worked his way down her body, planting kisses on her stomach, hipbones and upper thighs. His hair brushed against her, adding another layer of pleasure to the delicious experience. It was soft and sensual against her skin and she moaned and lifted herself into his touch.

When he shouldered her thighs apart, she thought she might lose what was left of her sanity. His breath was warm against her pussy as he parted the slick folds with his thumbs. “You are so beautiful.” He leaned inward and lapped at her sex, up one side and down the other, his tongue setting every nerve ending alight with pleasure.

Araminta’s eyes almost rolled back into her head and she gasped. But he was only getting started. He lapped and sucked, his tongue slipping into her slit before pulling back again. She was almost crying, needing him to touch her clit. “Please,” she cried, tugging his hair.

He allowed her to lead him where she needed him to be. He closed his lips over the small bundle of nerves and sucked. At the same time, he ran his clever tongue over the distended bud. Stars exploded behind her closed eyes and she yelled. Her orgasm swamped her with wave after wave of bliss. He didn’t stop, but continued to suck and lick and tease until she couldn’t take any more.

She tugged on his hair again, this time pulling him away from her. He released her, rested his head on her thigh and ran a hand up and down her other leg. She was sprawled out beneath him, unable to do more than breathe for several minutes, and even that was dicey at times. When she was finally able to gather enough strength to open her eyes, she did so. As though he felt her eyes on him, he tilted his head so he could see her.

He sat up between her spread legs and his erection bobbed in front of him, still hard and thick. He hadn’t come. He’d brought her to pleasure before he’d sought his own.

She opened her arms. “Come to me.”

He started to crawl up her body, his movements stealthy and sure like a predator hunting prey. He used his knees to push her thighs wider. She captured his face between her hands and lifted up to kiss him. “Yes,” she whispered.

A loud ringing startled her out of the sensual spell that enveloped her. Her lover began to fade before her very eyes. She gasped and pulled away. What was happening?

His lips parted on a roar filled with anguish and pain. His face seemed to change, morphing into a lion before her very eyes.

Heart racing, she pulled away from him. He roared his displeasure and reached for her, but his hands seemed to go right through her…

Araminta sat up in bed, panting for breath. Her nightgown was bunched under her armpits and she shoved it down.

The ringing sound came again and her mind finally made sense of what had woken her from her most delightful dream. She reached over and answered the hotel phone that sat on the bedside table. A cheery voice on the other end said, “Good morning, Ms. Davidson. This is your wakeup call.”

She scrubbed her hand over her face, wishing she were home where her automatic coffeemaker would already have brewed the first pot of the day. “Yes. Thank you.” She managed to get the phone back onto the stand and sighed. She’d forgotten she’d ordered a wakeup call for each morning when she’d registered yesterday.

She glanced at the clock and sighed. It was past time for her to be up and around. The day was packed with events. But she almost wished she hadn’t been so responsible, hadn’t requested a wakeup call. Her chances of falling asleep again and finishing her erotic dream were less than zero.

She shoved the covers aside and sat up, letting her feet hang off the side of the bed. “What a dream.” She’d been dreaming for months now. That’s where she’d gotten the idea for her latest series. But never had she actually been in the dreams herself. And never had her dreams turned this steamy, although she’d seen the carousel twice before. Usually, she was just an observer.

Not this time. Her body was still humming from her orgasm. “Wow.” She’d never had an erotic dream before. And this one was very realistic.

“Only natural,” she told herself. “The strange hotel room, the cute bartender, the dancing and light and music.” No wonder she’d had an erotic dream. And it had even tied into her Demon’s Wrath series. “You need coffee and a shower.” That would help ground her in reality. But first she had to do something else.

With her body still sensitive from her orgasm, Araminta climbed out of bed and went straight to her tote bag to pull out her laptop. The lion had been in her dream. That was where she wanted to go in the next book of her series.

She wanted to get as much of the dream down as she could before she forgot the details. The man from her dream was perfect for the hero. She laughed as she opened a document and began to type. That’s why his face had shifted in the dream. Her subconscious was once again leading her in the right direction. She’d trusted her dreams with the first two books and she didn’t plan to stop now.

Her fingers clicked over the keys. She glanced at the coffeepot that sat on the corner of the dresser, but she couldn’t stop. Not now. This was a great beginning for her next book.