Read Cougar's Gift: Pacific Northwest Cougars: (Shifter Romance) Online
Authors: Moxie North
Cougar's Gift: Pacific Northwest Cougars: (Shifter Romance) (24 page)
“
B
aby
, I’m coming,” Libby moaned into Stryker’s neck.
It was later that evening. Effie and Dax had headed to bed in the motor home. Stryker and Libby had stayed up talking. It was hard but heartfelt. Libby felt like they weren’t on opposite sides anymore, but together looking forward.
“Let me come with you, hold on, mouse,” Stryker grunted. He had Libby’s legs wrapped tight around his waist. His thumb was working her clit in rapid circles.
They’d already made love twice then he’d gone down on her and now they were on round two. The hormones pouring off of her were driving Stryker and his cougar crazy. They also meant that his mate was insatiable right now which was just fine with him.
He rocked his hips into her and felt the tingle of his impending orgasm race up his spine.
“Now, mouse,” he ordered. Stryker felt the sweet heat of her pussy clamp down around his cock. He used his thumb on her clit to push her over the edge.
She came screaming his name into his neck as his teeth sank into her shoulder. Sealing her mark like he should have done all along.
Libby barely felt his teeth as he put the mating mark on her. She was riding so high on endorphins that all she felt was pleasure.
Mind numbing, toe curling, sweet, lovely pleasure. Libby felt Stryker jerk into her, his hot cum easing her swollen throbbing passage. She’d lost track of her orgasms.
After their talk Libby had two priorities. Food and sex. Possibly at the same time. She even told Stryker that and he didn’t even laugh. All he said was, “I can handle that.”
And he had. He’d handled her so many ways tonight that she was worried she wouldn’t be able to walk tomorrow. Although, she wasn’t sure she needed to. A few more days bed rest as the doctor had ordered didn’t sound all that bad.
“Mouse, you okay?” Stryker was still panting into her neck, licking at her wound.
“I’m not bad,” she murmured.
“Not bad huh? Doesn’t sound like I did my job very well then,” Stryker said, pulling back to look down at her.
“Okay, I’m fucking blissed out. Is that better?”
“Liberty Moonlight Berkowitz, watch your language,” he scolded her.
Then he placed soft kisses on her eyelids then her cheeks, her nose, until he got to her mouth. That kiss wasn’t a peck it was a devouring one. Libby wouldn’t think she’d be able to go another round, but he was stoking her libido big time.
Stryker licked over the wound on her neck. It was a deeply rooted animal pride he had seeing his mark on her.
“How does it look?” she asked quietly.
“It looks like it should have been your only mark given to you only during sex when you were happy and ready,” he said solemnly.
“I bet there aren’t a lot of shifters with two mate marks, huh?”
“Not shifters, only the first mark doesn’t heal. I guess I’m lucky that humans scar,” he said this and couldn’t hide the sadness in his voice.
“Hey, we can’t go back. This is what we have now, this is where we get to restart from,” she said to him, placing her mouth on his.
She kissed him. It was a kiss of passion and forgiveness. It was a kiss that was as healing to her body as it was to her soul. Libby felt Stryker’s hips flex between her legs again.
“Unless you have a reserve tank, mister, you better take a break,” she warned him.
“Oh, didn’t I tell you? Shifters have extra stamina. We can do this all night.” This was said with a toothy grin that she could see in the faint light of the bedroom. Stryker knew that what she said was true. This was their new start, the three of them.
“But…we aren’t going to do that. Because it’s time for bed, young lady,” he said, rolling off her and hitting the bathroom.
He came back with a washcloth. He cleaned her up first then himself before tossing the towel back across the hall. He crawled back into bed and scooped her into his arms, settling her back to his chest and hooking a leg over her to secure her against him.
“That was nasty. Where did that towel land?” she asked, annoyed.
“Dunno, but I bet it will be there in the morning,” he said casually.
Libby sighed, this was not a reason to get angry. In fact, anger was a much removed emotion at the moment.
She was happy, in love and well on her way to mending the damaged heart she’d had all week. She’d realized it had never really broke. It was just bruised a bit.
“Fine, but you better get it in the morning,” she said, giving the inside of his arm a pinch.
“Woman, don’t pinch me,” he warned.
“Don’t throw sex towels on the floor,” she growled back.
Libby could feel the vibration behind her as he laughed. “You said sex towel.”
“Grrr, go to bed,” she said, only a little annoyed.
“We are in bed,” he replied.
“Then go to sleep,” she suggested.
“I can do that, mouse,” he said quietly, his voice changing to a deep rolling sound.
He placed a kiss on her neck, then another above it then one right on her ear and whispered, “I love you with all my heart, Libby. Forever.” He said that with his hand sliding down to cup the soft mound of her belly.
Libby loved hearing that, she wanted to hear it every day of her life. And she knew without a doubt that she would.
“I love you Stryker Hayes, more than my books,” she finished.
She felt the vibration of the chuckle again.
Then she heard him whisper, “Now that’s sayin’ something.”
T
he house was
hot from dozens of lit candles. The room had been smudged with regular and white sage. All of the curtains were closed to the outside. Furniture shoved back against the walls created an open space with a large triangle drawn on the floor.
Inside the triangle were a kneeling Primrose and Freedom. Eyes closed, faces tilted up as a pan flute CD played in the stereo.
“This initiation into the secret society of shifters, or the SSS, will forever bind you to complete and utter silence regarding your knowledge of shifters.
At no time will you talk about shifters, mention them in passing or speculate to those on the outside. The ancient order of feline shifters was established in Egyptian times to…” Stryker forgot the words and looked to Libby for help. She held up a flash card behind their heads.
Libby had one hand on the clearly rounded curve of her belly. She’d taken a sabbatical from the library when after about six weeks, her stomach was no longer able to be concealed under her baggy clothing.
This also meant she and Stryker had to tell her parents. They were sure that the pair of them had gotten into some bad mushrooms and after a lot of convincing they started to believe. It was hard to believe they put up such a fight considering Libby’s belly was rapidly expanding.
“Ensure that our secret was kept safe. You are now part of that secret and will be bound to your oath of protecting all shifters.” Stryker finished and rolled his eyes at Libby.
Libby covered her mouth to stifle the giggle. She worked up this initiation as a way to make sure her mom and dad understood the magnitude of the secret they were being entrusted with about Stryker and the fact that her pregnancy was rapidly progressing.
He didn’t like the idea, but Effie was right. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her. And this was a doozy. He was wearing a gold glittery cape that Libby found in their attic. He had stripes painted on his face and had almost memorized his speech.
Her parents were shocked, but totally got on board once they were told they’d have to swear an oath and join a special club.
“Do you swear by penalty of death that you will fulfill your promise,” Stryker intoned this part rather dramatically.
Her parents answered in unison, “We do.”
Again Libby had to try and cover her giggles.
“Then by the power invested in me by the SSS you are official members for life.”
Libby banged a small gong behind them. Her giggles were getting uncontrollable and she had to hold her growing belly to keep it from jiggling.
Primrose and Freed opened their eyes and stood up.
“Can we see it now?” Primrose asked. She was practically bouncing she was so excited.
After they told her folks they, of course, wanted proof. They told them they had to take the oath before they could see Stryker’s cougar. Now they wanted their reward for being patient.
Stryker yanked off the cape and tossed it away. He started walking around blowing out candles.
“Outside, he doesn’t like to be cooped up,” Stryker said, making sure to not miss any open flames.
“Ohh goody,” Primrose said, clapping her hands together.
“Mom, dad, why don’t you head outside? We’ll go across the street into the woods. Give us a few minutes we’ll be right out,” Libby suggested.
Her parents made a beeline for the door. They were out before Stryker hit the last candle.
“Thank you, baby. That was amazing and hysterical,” Libby said with a laugh.
“It’s good you have me sworn to a lifetime of servitude, mouse,” he said, curling her into his arms.
“Yes it is and this little girl is going to have you wrapped around her finger too,” she said casually.
“A girl?” Stryker looked at her surprised.
“I have a feeling and my feelings are never wrong. They weren’t wrong about you,” she reminded him.
“No, they weren’t wrong. I’m yours, Libby. Forever and always.”
“Yes, forever and always,” Libby repeated. Her heart was full with her mate and her child. It didn’t get any better.
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“
W
ill
you stay tonight with me? Please, sweetness?” he asked between kisses.
Effie had no intention of moving away from the sexy man on top of her. No way, no how.
“I’ll stay, but there better be pancakes in the morning. I get very cranky without my morning carbs,” she warned.
“Duly noted,” he growled and kissed her hard again. Sliding his hands down he reached for both of her hands and drew them above her head. He wrapped her fingers around the slats in the headboard.
D
ax Hayes knew
what it meant to be the Alpha of a cougar pack. He also knew that his responsibilities to family were his first priority. But Dax wanted more. He’d been around a long time and he simply wanted to find his One. His one true mate to start a family with. A temporary break and a fresh start was just what he needed.
Life had a way of kicking you when you were down. At least that’s what Effie Parks had come to believe. Growing up with a mother in jail and foster parents who weren’t cruel, but weren’t kind, left her fighting for every scrap of happiness. She didn’t ask for much, her needs were simple. Until she met Dax.
Do opposites attract or are some hurdles, human and shifter, too big to overcome?
“
S
ay it again
,” she whispered. Her name on his lips was like an aphrodisiac.
“What?” he asked
“My name, say it again.”
A low purring came from the middle of his chest as he leaned down, his lips hovering above hers.
“Layla, my Layla,” he said low, swiping his tongue over her lips.
A
computer genius
, a dedicated gamer, and on some nights a cougar shifter, Everett Hayes had his whole life in front of him. Where that path led he didn’t know. Computers were his refuge until he met Layla.
Layla Klein loved her pack, loved her crazy family, and totally dug her job overseeing the hottest club on the Vegas strip. A few missteps and some unwanted attention didn’t dampen her enthusiasm.
A chance meeting in the night. Two shifters from two different packs. Sometimes love happens fast and lust happens even faster. Doesn’t mean your past won’t catch up with you.
Taking a chance on love and luck. Cougars, dice, and Vegas, oh my!