His Purrfect Mate (35 page)

Aida forced her eyes open and glared at him.
He was covered in sweat, and there was that wild look she loved so
much in his eyes. The one which promised unbeatable passion.

“
Stopping isn’t nice,” she
informed him.

“
Not stopping,
moving.”

Dane repositioned them on the bed. Aida
moaned in pleasure when he began moving again. His lips covered
hers and captured her scream as she shattered beneath him. She bit
his lower lip and hung on when he roared in response before driving
home, hard and deep, before shuddering with the force of his own
orgasm. He pulled out and fell to the side, drawing her close.

“
Did I hurt
you?”

She smiled against his chest. “No. Trust me,
those were all good screams.”

His hand covered her ass. “Nice to know.”
Dane kissed her forehead.

The pounding of his heart soothed her. “What
are you doing here, tiger-mine?”

“
Where else would I be?”
One hand trailed idly up and down her arm.

“
Thought you went home
with…with… Oh my God, where’s Lera?” She bolted up only to have him
gently guide her back to her previous position beside
him.

“
She’s fine. Sleeping in
the guest room.” He drew back and stared down at her. “You mean the
world to me, Aida. I won’t force you to live in a country you don’t
like. Your home is here. You are
my
home, so here we are.”

Her heart soared. Touching the side of his
face, she asked, “What about your family?”

“
I can visit like you do
yours. But you,
solnyshko
moyo
, Lera,” he covered her slightly
protruding belly with one large hand, “and our unborn baby are my
family.”

“
Tell me what that
means.”

“
Solnyshko
moyo
. My sun.”

She liked the sound of that. “What about the
darkness within you?”

“
It’s still there. I can
feel it. And I know that
thing
isn’t done chasing me. But I can’t live without
you in my life, mate.”

“
Dane?”

“
Yes, my love?”

“
Will you always love
me?”

“
Beyond forever, mate.
Beyond forever.”

A smile curled up her
lips. “That’s a long time.”
I kinda like
being called mate. It makes my toes curl when he says
it.

“
Not nearly long enough.
And yes, mate, I will be pushy and possessive every step of the
way.”

Aida snuggled closer. “Good thing I plan on
being stubborn and difficult those same steps.” He swatted her
butt.

“
I suppose now I’m going
to have to make an honest woman out of you.”

“
Don’t have to. We could
forget the whole thing.”

“
Don’t bet on it, Aida
Roberts. I plan on having you being Aida Kumani Roberts Sidorov
very soon.”

“
I’m looking forward to
it,” she said honestly.

“
Me, too,” he purred in
her ear.

“
You’d better be. Now, I
really need a shower and food.”

“
Are you not taking care
of my baby, mate?”

She shoved him and laughed
when he grunted. “I just got home, and
you
distracted me.”

“
I did, didn’t I? And it
was a lovely distraction.”

“
No argument, but I’m
really hungry. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

Dane released her and watched her with
hunger in his eyes as she got out of bed. “Why?”

Slipping on her robe, Aida said, “I get to
arrest Lord Devon Smythe. We finally have enough to put that
bastard behind bars.” That made her smile. It had been a long time
in coming, many sacrifices made, but tomorrow was the day. Walking
to the bathroom, Aida shut the door on Dane, saying, “Not having
Lera wake up and find you in the bathroom with me.”

Aida was in high spirits as she tucked Lera
in after a late meal. She’d missed the little girl and the sparkle
in her eyes. That night, Dane held Aida in his arms, carried her
beyond the stars, and kept her safe.

“
I love you, Dane,” she
whispered before sleep claimed her.

“
And I you.”

Epilogue

South Africa

Three years later

Dane smiled and watched Lera run by with
Kamau hot on her heels. Not far behind them were three other young
ridgebacks. Lera still didn’t like people outside of him, Aida, or
their other kids to touch her. Especially men but she had blossomed
living here, both inside and out, and had grown so she looked much
closer to her age now. Although she was still a bit on the small
side. The house was much larger now, and Dane had his family and
friends visiting. A huge celebration to celebrate the birth of
their third child. Valera was thirteen, her brother, Grigori Lenard
was almost three, and the newest member, his second daughter,
Irinah Daneil was six months now.

Aida walked by, and he grabbed her, drawing
her in close. “Where are you going?”

“
I
was
going to eat
something.”

“
I missed you this
morning,” he murmured, staring at her green cargo pants and tight
black shirt.

“
Sorry, I had to work.”
She trailed her hands over his jean-clad ass.

“
I was going to put you to
work.”

Ohhh, I bet that would have been way more
fun than what I was doing.

He still couldn’t explain how it was that
Aida had managed to slip past all his barriers and into his mind.
There was also the question as to why she could control if he could
enter her head. But he didn’t mind. He loved being able to always
feel her light and warmth around him. She left the link open,
always allowing them in contact. Dane cupped her cheek and kissed
her. “I love you, mate.”

She gave him a smile that
made his knees weak.
You call me that when
you’re feeling possessive.

He shrugged shamelessly. “I’m always
possessive of you.” Dane patted Ruger who stood beside him. “So is
he.” The ridgeback refused to allow anyone in Dane’s family to
touch him. Kamau wouldn’t either but he seemed to be warming up,
whereas Ruger made it perfectly clear he wouldn’t ever allow
it.

“
You just like that he
growls at everyone else.” She stepped away and turned.

“
That, too.” It baffled
his family and made him chuckle.

Aida shook her head before facing him again.
“Tell you what. You let me go mingle, see my kids, eat, and I
promise I’ll make it up to you tonight.”

The seduction in her tone hardened his cock
immediately. “Promise?”

Her gaze darkened as she sucked one finger
in her mouth before making an “x” over her heart. “Oh yeah.” She
kissed him quick and walked off.

Mate?

Aida stopped and looked
over her shoulder at him.
Yes,
tiger-mine?

I love you.

And I you.
She winked and continued on her way. He watched
her talk and begin to fill a plate. Aida stood with her father,
Bryndis, and Nahia who was with their three-year-old son, Dayne
Maikel Van der Ness. Dane was honored they named their firstborn
after him and the eldest Van der Ness sibling who had been believed
to be dead. Dayne was a twin to a lovely girl, Siri Adelia, who had
Aren already up in arms about males coming around her.

You should eat something, tiger-mine.

Dane nodded at one of his
brothers who walked by.
Why?

Because I fully intend on
making you purr.
She cut her gaze to him
and purred in his head.

His cock went from hard to
titanium hard.
Mate,
he said, trying to control his lust. Dane had to sit when she
flashed a memory of a time against the wall.

Eat up.

Dane was damn near sweating. He regained
control and stood overlooking the people gathered then back to his
wife. He touched the pendant he still wore and smiled. The darkness
still lingered but it didn’t scare him. Aida gave him the light to
combat it. He had not totally let down his guard for he knew
someday the “Master” would resurface.

His family mattered. He smiled as Lera
stopped beside him. “Hey, little one.”

She tucked her hand in his, a habit he hoped
she never outgrew. “I’m not the little one anymore, Daddy. I’m the
oldest.”

Dane remembered the day
she first called him Daddy to his face. Big tough alpha tiger
shifter who used to be an enforcer. He’d cried. “You’ll always
be
my
little
one.”

“
I love you,
Daddy.”

“
Love you, too, Lera.” He
frowned. “Where’d you get that?” he asked pointing at her necklace.
The silver oval stood out against her dark skin. The black symbol
emblazoned upon it was familiar to him; however, he couldn’t place
where he’d seen it before.

“
Isn’t it
beautiful?”

“
Yes. But who gave it to
you?”

“
My angel.”

It had been a while since she’d spoken about
her mysterious angel. Dane looked around. “Is he here?”

“
No, not anymore. I gotta
go, Daddy. Just wanted to give you something.”

He crouched before her. “What’s that?”

Lera threw her arms around him and kissed
his cheek. “That.” She ran off.

You, tiger-mine, are a wonderful father.

Dane stood and walked
toward a group to join in the conversation.
She makes it so easy. Did you know her angel stopped by? Gave
her a gift this time. A necklace.

Perhaps it was from one of the boys in the
village and she figured if she said her angel gave it to her, you’d
be okay with it.

He seriously doubted
that.
Perhaps.

We’ll figure it out together, tiger-mine.
Enjoy your family and friends.

Clapping Aren on the shoulder, Dane smiled
at the men there. As the day wore on, Dane never let his wife stray
far from his thoughts. She was everything to him. His love. His
heart. More than his mate. Aida was his perfect mate. The very
thing he needed to balance him.

After everyone had gone to bed or left, Aida
held true to her word and made him purr.

More than once.

About the Author

Aliyah Burke is an avid reader and is never
far from pen and paper (or the computer). She loves to hear from
her readers and can be reached
here
, or feel free to apply to join her yahoo
group at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aliyah_burke
.

She is married to a career military man. They
are owned by a German Shepherd, two Borzoi, and a DSH cat. She
spends her days sharing time between work, writing, and dog
training.

Here are the blurbs and covers to my
Megalodon Team series.

Enjoy!

Navy SEAL Tyson Kincade was proud of his
emotional control.  So how, with one glimpse of the voluptuous
sepia beauty sitting alone, all that sanity and control disappeared
like waves receding from the beach?  From the first moment
they touched he knew…he never wanted to let her go.

               
Ever want to ignore the voice of reason and have that fling with
the handsome man you met on vacation?  Jayde Porter did. 
From the second her eyes landed on his tanned muscular body. Then
she ran into him, literally.  An encounter which led to a
scorching kiss, dinner and—marriage?  Her life was in
chaos.

               
Exploding plane, night jumping, and jungle dangers Jayde knew that
to survive she would have to trust the man she married. 

Can he make her understand they were meant to
be together or will they be kept apart by circumstances surrounding
them?  Together if Tyson has a say in it, for the amazing
woman he married is…

KINCADE’S ROSE