Freeing A Lion: BBW Paranormal Lion Shape Shifter Romance (Sleeping Lions - Shifters Prime Book 2) (13 page)

“Well, if ever I see a doll like that, I’ll make sure to bring it to you,” Frasier said. They had reached the big house, and a small group of people stood waiting outside. “Here we go, a welcoming committee. Better get ready to be hugged to death. Your mom has been waiting for years to see you, Daniel.”

“No pressure then,” he said.

“She’ll love you. Just like I do,” Lottie said, kissing him.

“And I love you too, Daniel. You won’t leave me now we’re here?” Lea asked.

“Never. We’re a team right?” he said, hugging her. “I love you both and we will always stay together.”

Frasier parked the truck, and behind them there was a thud as Kane got up and dragged the hyena out of the back. “What are they going to do to him?” Lottie asked.

“Depends on whether he talks or not. Kane has had a lot of growing up to do since he arrived, and he has had to make some hard decisions. He’s a good man, but Serif hasn’t let this go like Kane hoped.”

“Daniel?” A woman approached the truck, her face a picture or hope and fear. “Is that you?”

Daniel looked at Lottie, pleading for help, but she had none to give. He had to face this alone. “Go to her.”

He opened the truck door, getting out as if he was about to jump into shark-infested waters.

“Is it really you?” the woman asked, coming forward, as scared as Daniel.

“You must be my mom,” Daniel said. “Nora had a picture of you.”

“Nora,” His mom said, looking past him to the truck. “She isn’t with you?”

He shook his head, the sorrow filling him, easily picked up by his mom. “She died a couple of years back.”

“Oh, I so wished to see her, to thank her for looking after you.”

“She has a daughter, though,” Daniel said, and held out his hand for Lea.

“It’s OK,” Lottie said, helping Lea down.

Daniel turned to help Lea, lifting her up, hugging her tight to let her know everything was OK. “This is Leanora.”

“Oh, oh,” his mom moaned, collapsing to her knees.

“What’s wrong?” Lottie asked Frasier who was watching the whole thing, misty eyed. “You are a soft old bear.”

“If you knew what she’s been through, living with the man who killed your mate, just to try to stop him going after your kids.” He shook his head. “Anyway, her name is Leandra. It seems Nora named her kid after both of them.”

“Why?” Lottie asked. Were they that good friends?

“Nora never told Daniel she was his aunt? Lea is Daniel’s cousin.”

“I don’t think so. I wonder why didn’t she say?” Lottie asked.

“Beats me.” Frasier got out of the truck and went to the back to help Kane, leaving Lottie unsure of what to do.

Leandra was kneeling down, holding her arms out to Lea, who clung to Daniel. And then slowly she let go. They hugged each other, and Lottie could hear Leandra sobbing loudly, making a lump rise in her throat. What a mess this all was. So many ruined lives, so much suffering; it mirrored her life in so many ways.

But it shouldn’t be like that: they all had time to heal old wounds and be a family. And Lottie desperately wanted to be part of that family. So when Daniel turned to her, holding out his hand for her to take, she went to him, holding him tightly.

“Is this your mate?” Leandra asked, her eyes red from crying.

“Yes. This is Lottie. The bravest woman I know,” Daniel said.

“That’s not true,” Lottie said, embarrassed.

“Yes it is. If it wasn’t for you, we would still be stuck in cages, with no hope and no future.” He kissed her and then cupped her face, staring into her eyes. “I love you, Lottie.”

“Cages?” Leandra whispered, horrified. “All of you?”

“No.” Daniel said. “Only me and Lea. Lottie helped us escape.”

“So you aren’t one of us?” Leandra asked, but it wasn’t an accusation.

“She wasn’t…” Daniel said, and couldn’t meet his mother’s eyes.

“You turned her?” Leandra asked.

“I was in trouble, at the border,” Lottie replied. “It was the only way.”

“Oh, Lottie. I am so pleased he did. I am so pleased you are together. There is nothing as bad as losing somebody you love,” she said, looking down at Lea. “I will always be grateful to you for helping bring my family back to me.”

“I’m hungry,” Lea said.

“Then let’s go and find you something to eat. Amara is inside cooking, it smelt wonderful as I left. I’m sure there is plenty to go round.”

They headed to the house, Daniel and Lottie holding hands, while Leandra held onto Lea as if she was scared the little girl might disappear on the breeze. Every other step she would turn and look at Daniel, and smile to herself, fresh tears running down her cheeks that she quickly wiped away.

This wasn’t how Lottie expected their arrival to be. She had expected them to be treated like outsiders, but she already felt at home, as if she was being enveloped into a big family; and she knew it was what she wanted, what she had missed. But could she dare hope Daniel would be happy here?

“He wants to talk to me,” Daniel said.

Lottie tied the towel tighter on her head, massaging her wet hair under it. “What about?”

“I don’t know.” Daniel had a feeling they were supposed to trade life stories, buddy up over a beer and become friends.

“It would be good for you to get to know each other,” she said.

“Would it? Just because we’re blood-related, doesn’t mean we have to get on. Don’t brothers argue?” Daniel asked.

She went to where he sat on the edge of the bed, and climbed up behind him, putting her arms around his shoulders and kissing his cheek. “You both need some kind of closure, and if we are going to stay here, you need to know where you stand.”

“And if we don’t get on? If I don’t like him, or he wants me to join him in some takeover of another pride?” Daniel asked sourly.

She laughed. “From what I see, there are enough problems keeping this pride together, without him going after another one. Those hyenas were sent from the old leader, this Serif. What if he’s stirring up other kinds of trouble?”

“That isn’t my problem. This isn’t my pride, it’s Kane’s.”

“It was your father’s pride. And we belong here; Lea belongs here. Don’t make her choose.”

He looked up at the ceiling and then back down at the floor. “Things were so much simpler when I was stuck in a cage.”

She laughed. “This is what being part of a family is all about.”

“What happened to yours?” Daniel asked, knowing she usually shied away from talking about it.

“My dad was investigating a firm that dealt with the disposal of chemicals. There were rumours they were moving the stuff on, by ship to China or something. Pocketing the difference. Whoever was running the scam was making a lot of money and didn’t want it to stop.” She moved to sit down next to him, her head on his shoulder. “So they threatened him.”

“And he didn’t stop.”

“No. He always thought the truth was the most important thing, especially when innocent lives were at risk. If the chemicals were dumped, then people would get sick.”

“And so someone decided to shut him up permanently.”

She nodded. Daniel felt her tears on his shoulder and said, “I’m sorry. It’s painful for you to talk about it.”

“I want you to know. I want us to be open and honest with each other. I’ve only known you a handful of days, but this is it, we will always have each other. But I think we both need more than that, and Lea certainly does. She needs to grow up feeling safe.”

“Did you see those hyenas that attacked us?” Daniel asked.

“And if you work together with Kane, you will be able to stop them.” She scooted round to look at him. “You know if I could stop the men responsible for my parents’ death, I would. The thought that he is out there, walking around enjoying his money and his freedom while I have lost my family, rips me apart. The men who went to jail pulled the trigger, but only because they were paid. That’s why they want me dead, a loose end.”

“Revenge won’t make it better.” Daniel had come to terms with having no parents. It was hard for him to be angry about the death of a man he never knew.

“I know. But it doesn’t make it right. Or fair.” She kissed him. “How many more people will have to suffer because of Serif?”

He got up. “We should go downstairs.”

“Why, because you think your mom is going to steal Lea away?” Lottie asked.

His mom and Lea had hit it off straightaway. Now they were making brownies, just like Daphne taught her to. He smiled. “I’m pleased. Really pleased. Nora loved my mom, now I know why. Although I wished she had told me she was my aunt. I think Lea and my mom need each other. I’m happy they get on so well. I thought Lea would be clingy. You know, after everything.”

“She’s come out of everything remarkably unscathed. You both have,”

“That’s because we’re lions,” he said and she laughed softly. “I mean it. We have this strength. Maybe that is what I saw in you. What made us right for each other, you have the same inner strength.”

“You know, I’d like to stay in this room and see a little bit of your inner strength,” she said, her voice sexy and low.

“You don’t think we should check on Lea?” he said, but he wanted to stay here with her, in this tiny oasis where he could forget all about his brother and what might be expected of him. He had come to Shifters Prime to find a quiet life, not be caught up in a war.

“She is safe, she’s happy, and I haven’t really had you to myself since we met,” Lottie said, pulling the towel off her hair and dropping it on the floor. “And this room is so hot.” She pulled her robe open a little, revealing the swell of her breasts, hinting at what was underneath.

And, damn, he wanted more than a hint.

“Lottie, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,” he said, going back to her, and pulling her robe open to reveal her breasts. Lowering his head, he kissed them reverently, knowing how lucky he was to have her as his partner through this crazy life.

“That bed looks awfully inviting,” she said a gasp escaping her when his mouth sucked one of her nipples inside, his tongue rolling over it.

“Then why don’t we lie down for a while,” he said, the robe falling to the floor as he manoeuvred her backwards.

They collapsed onto the bed together. He wanted to take her, to make her his, and his mate wasn’t going to put up a fight.

His hands were warm, confident, insistent as he caressed her skin, igniting her arousal. Turning towards him, she kissed his lips, his tongue pressing for entrance into her mouth. Lottie allowed him access, their tongues entwining, and the hardness of his cock intensified as it pressed against her thigh.

Sighing with contentment, she moved her hand down between their bodies and touched him, stroking his cock until he groaned against her mouth, and pulled away.

“I have to have you now,” he said. “It seems an eternity since that first time in the grass … I have imagined being inside you again so often.”

“Then let’s make it real,” she said, her hand firmer on his cock.

Daniel moved, his body swift, his intent obvious. The weight of his body forced her onto her back, and he pinned her hands above her head, his mouth descending down to capture hers. His kiss was fierce, demanding, as if a new man had woken inside him and wanted to be in control.

“You are mine,” he said, his words whispered against her ear while his body nestled between her thighs, his cock hard, pressing against her entrance.

“I always will be,” she said, and then turned her head, nipping his lower lip. “In the same way that you will always be mine, Daniel.”

He laughed, low, sexy. “We were made for each other.”

“Then let’s join together, right now. Make love to me, Daniel.”

He inched forward, his cock moving inside her, and she gasped as he penetrated her. Deeper he pushed, his hips flexing as he moved out of her and then he thrust deeper. She cried out, the sudden fullness of her sex almost too much, yet when he slid out she felt empty, and so she urged him on.

Daniel released her wrists, and slipped one of his hands underneath her bottom, changing his angle of penetration. Thrusting hard, he impaled her completely, each stroke of his body sending shockwaves through her body; the friction between them was incredible. Each movement stimulating her clit as his body brushed against it.

Higher and higher her arousal flew, the world standing still, all worries, all fears gone as they made love. They were the only two people here, safe for now, nothing could touch them. Harder, faster, his cock driving into her and she lifted her legs, wrapping them around him to urge him on.

Daniel’s movements became more intense, his body jerking into her as he came, his arm straining to support his weight as he lost control and he pulled his head back calling out her name. He claimed her. In this moment of intense ecstasy, she was his and that thought took her over the edge.

They were one, bound together not just by some unseen, unbreakable bond, but also by love and loyalty. His cock spurted his essence deep inside her, and she knew that they might be making a cub of their own, that soon she might be pregnant, another life to protect, more love to give and more joy in their lives.

Her nails scratched at his back. She wanted to be so close to him, to become one with him physically, just as she was one with her lion. Yet they were two separate beings, caught up in a moment of exquisite pleasure, and then they crested the wave and crashed upon the shore, both completely spent. Both utterly happy.

“Do you think they’ll miss us if we just stay here?” he asked.

“Me, maybe not, you definitely. You need to talk to them, Daniel. Kane and your mom need to get to know you,” she said, stroking his chest, in no mood to move either. They were warm, they were safe, and most importantly, they were together. But she wanted to check on Lea; she didn’t want the child to think she had been abandoned or that Lottie was trying to take Daniel away from her.

“What am I supposed to say?” he asked. “Do you think they really want to know the truth? It feels so … sordid.”