70 Lion Awake
~ TARKYN ~
Thankfully, taking his mate hadn’t spent his energy. Tarkyn had decided he wouldn’t heed the risk. Being close to Harth was as necessary as breathing. But he’d known in the back of his mind that it was a risk.
He’d already been so weak. Despite his best efforts to hide it, the others had clearly sensed it in him-it was part of why Elreth had been so fearful. Her natural dominance growing in the face of a male she’d relied on growing weaker. He knew that. And it was humbling. But this morning he’d woken feeling so much stronger. And now...
His blood pulsed in his veins, his heart still returning to calm. But instead of his body feeling spent, he felt invigorated.
And angry.
He caught the simmer building and tried to soothe it-reminding himself how he might respond to an Alpha near death. Reminding himself that Elreth had been standing in instinctive protection of their people.
But the lion in him was awake now-and angry. He didn’t want to leave his mate. But damned if he was going to be torn from her and not make use of the time to ensure that it would never happen again.
He was going to fix this. Today. He would make Elreth hear him, and he would find the way forward with the Chimera. They all would. They had to.
With a silent prayer of thanks to the Creator for his lovely, soft mate, he rolled off of Harth, pulling her into his side.
.....
The twist of dread in his gut wouldn’t be moved. He would have to leave her soon, and he couldn’t think of anything he wanted less. But it had to be done. And at least she’d be safe and comfortable here... wouldn’t she?
Harth sighed and snuggled into him, her arm across his chest, her fingers playing up and down his arm, raising goosebumps.
Fuck.
The desire was there to lock the door and ignore the rest of the world and just bury himself in her again and again. He turned to kiss her head, and inhaled deeply, wallowing in her warm, happy scent.
He didn’t want to move.
And yet, he wanted to burn the whole fucking place down for daring to pull them apart.
“I have to go soon.” His voice was dark, deep. He cleared his throat and gave it warmth before he spoke again. “What do you need to be comfortable here while I’m gone, Harth?”
He felt her tense under his hand and pulled her tighter against him. “I’ll be fine,” she said, but he could feel her, feel the tick of fear and unease.
But she was strong, his mate. He was proud when, a few minutes later, as he reluctantly rolled off of the bed and began to get dressed, she did the same, a fierce light in her eyes despite her fear.
They walked down the stairs together, Tarkyn taking the lead-but as they reached the landing at the bottom, he realized they’d used all their time and he hadn’t even shown her where to find anything. He turned to face her on the square landing, frowning.
“I’m sorry, I haven’t shown you where anything is. I can give you a quick tour,” he said. “Will you want food? Or blankets? I can show you-”
“Tarkyn, I think I’m intelligent enough to look around to find what I need,” she said dryly, but grinning to soften the words as she stepped right up to wrap her arms around his middle, her head turned up and throat bare.
She smiled, and though it was tense, he couldn’t resist. He cupped her face and kissed her, long and slow.
She gave a little sigh and her grip in his waist tightened-which brought his body alive again.
Creator’s mane, she was like a drug.
But he forced himself to break the kiss and look down on her, to show her his care. “How is it for you being in here? Is it like the cave?” he asked quietly.
She shook her head. “No, the windows help a lot. I’m tense, but I’m not panicking. It’s just hard knowing there’s guards out there.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“I know you will.”
But he could feel the way her guts tightened at his words and he groaned, pulling her into a kiss again. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“I know.”
“I’m not sure you do, Harth,” he graveled, turning her and pressing her against the wall so she was covered from sight, shadowed by him. An ache clenched his belly then-he would let them flay him alive if it would keep her safe. He knew she’d be safe-she wouldn’t leave. But that tiny piece of him that always wanted to believe a good thing couldn’t last, screamed fear.
He gave in and kissed her again, his body rising to find her while his heart began to race as he traced her lips with his tongue and delved her sweet mouth.
Harth whimpered and her body rippled under his touch. Her kiss got desperate. She clawed her fingers into his hair and pulled him down, and he was lost again, both of them panting.
The kiss became heated and frantic. Tarkyn, with a low growl, let one hand drag down her back, down her leg and cocked up one knee to hook it over his hip so that he could grind against her.
It was a silly, juvenile desire, but he couldn’t resist it. And Harth’s mouth opened on a small gasp that lit a fire in his belly.
Holy shit, he was hard for her again, his body driving forward. Seeking. He would have tried to tamp it down, but to his delight, Harth leaned back, letting the wall take her weight as she arched closer.
He slid that hand higher, cupping her ass and pulling her against him just as she started to unbutton his shirt and her tongue traced his.
Everything left his head except his joy in her and the burning, driving desire for her-until there was a thump on the door behind him and they both started.
“Tarkyn, it’s time.”
Tarkyn froze, his face buried in her neck, her hand inside his shirt and dragging down. Both of them breathed too quickly.
Tarkyn lifted his head, his hair falling out of its tie because she’d had her fingers in it.
The look in her eyes that he could feel through the bond-impossibly mingled desire and joy right alongside terror-made him want to close his teeth on something.
Rage at the injustice of all this-and at the interruption-threatened to steal his control.
Either she sensed it in him, or she was just that beautiful, because she reached up to stroke his jaw and sent to him through the bond.
‘Go. As long as they leave me alone, I’ll be fine.’
Tarkyn growled at the image that flashed in his head-her fear, males rushing into the tree after he was gone, and coming for her. He tightened his grip on her, but she only dropped her forehead against his chest and sighed. “Tarkyn, go. It’s not going to get easier.”
Teeth clenched, he lifted her chin and gave her a quick, chaste kiss, holding her eyes. “I’m going to fix this. Now.”
*****
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