Hunting the She-Cat (11 page)

“There you go again, wanting to feed
me.” She smiled. “I have a feeling I’m not going to like
this.”

“This is one of those out of the hot
pan into the hotter blazes things, I believe.”

“Frying pan into the fire,” she
absently corrected.

“Misha, if you are your mother’s
husband’s child --”

“I am,” she interrupted. “My mother was
not lovers with Tryth. Never. Never. Even as a child, I knew she
detested him. That’s probably why he killed her. He wanted more,
but knew it was hopeless.”

“Then you are the next in line to the
royal throne of Eliava’s traditional leader, the Pride
Queen.”

“What?”

“As you can imagine, knowledge of this
would cause great joy and uncertainty at the same time for
Eliavans. Gald is using plausible lies, causing divisiveness among
the people -- in his efforts to grab great power.”

“Gald might be even more rabid for my
blood?”

“Worse than rabid. But he wins either
way if you are gone for good. That’s why I destroyed your locator.
When the time comes, you can step forward and claim your birthright
-- if you choose to do so. The Pride Queen is yet a young woman,
only in her middle years.”

“What, five hundred or so,” she
joked.

He didn’t refute that.

“Why is it we live so long anyway? Age
so slowly?”

“Genetic improvements and disease
resistance bred in over thousands of years.”

“I see.”

Misha sat down and just watched him a
moment, letting his words sink in. Being a princess was not any
worse than having a close cousin trying to murder you, but weird
all the same. She hadn’t known what to expect Lugar to say but not
something like this. Nope.

“Hell, no, Lugar. This isn’t right.
This can’t be. I barely manage my staff at the office without open
revolt. I am so not going to try to run a whole alien world of cat
shifters. Uh, un. I’d be torn to shreds in no time
flat.”

“No one would tear you to pieces, we
are civilized. I believe you will rule with great grace and ease.
Your good work with the environment concerns here will serve you
well. But that is not the point of this discussion. The current
queen, your paternal aunt, is a good and wise ruler and has many
years left, barring unforeseen accidents.”

“Or assassinations.”

“She is well guarded by an amazing
group of males and females.”

“Of which you were one?”

“Yes. And Zeff.”

She picked up Gix, who moaned a
protest. “Tell me something? How did my father die
then?”

He looked at her the longest time.
“Your father is not dead. Why would you assume as much? We will
visit him when it’s safe.”

Shock waves rolled over Misha. How had
she assumed her father gone.

“I guess I assumed he’d be king if he
were alive. Jumped to the conclusion that he -- Oh, God. My father
is alive?”

“Males do not hold the top spot on
Eliava.”

“Only women rule?”

“Right. Knowing your father lives,
changes your mind about visiting the world of your birth, does
it?”

“I could travel a few million miles to
see my dad. Yes.” She smiled and laughed. Awake after his power
nap, Gix danced and walked on his hind legs expecting a game of
tennis ball fetch.

“I will never get used to this keeping
miniature canines as pets.”

“Hmmm. How large are dogs on
Eliava?”

“As large as we are. We keep to
opposite sides of the world.”

“That’s not very diverse.”

He shrugged. “But practical, we are
natural competitors.”

“I suppose.”

“I will make love to you now and he
can’t watch.”

She laughed and stepped into Lugar’s
strong embrace. “I’m sure he can go downstairs for a few
minutes.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I will need much
longer. All night.”

She laughed.

Lugar looked at Gix. “Leave us, little
canine.”

She shook her head. “He can’t
understand you.” But Gixie gruffed a time or two exactly as if he
did understand and then happily bounced down the stairs.

“The little canine says he has no wish
to watch humans make fools of themselves with all the frenzied
noises of sex anyway.”

“Well, hah, the little snob. Are you
joking with me? Did he really communicate with you?” He took her
left earlobe in his mouth, heating her blood with his
action.

“Mmmm. Mmm. I love that.”

“I would not lie to you ever, much less
for something so small. The canine language is very intricate, a
lot of low frequencies grumbles and wuffs and some high frequency
squeaks, but I know enough to get by.”

Shaking her head in amazement, she
believed him. “Uncle Joe could use your help at work with the
service dogs he trains.”

“You wish me to stay in your
world?”

“Yes, yes, yes. Very much.”

“The Queen’s heiress will need a full
time guard.” He grinned.

He nibbled her neck. “Will it frighten
you if we make love in cat shape this time, little one?”

“Oooooh, kinky.”

He laughed and hugged her to him.
“Normal, natural to me, sh’iabla. Tradition.”

“Not a good idea. Lugar, what if I hurt
you? In my … er … excitement, what if I strike at you with my fangs
or claws?” She looked down to her hands.

“G’Ran, Misha.” He closed his eyes. “I
am humbled that you think to protect me even from yourself. I can’t
believe we’ve found each other. No man can be so lucky.”

“At least you are aware of it,” she
said, wanting to lighten the mood.

“Shift for me. Please.”

She did so, hardly noticing the
sensations that always came with the change, the crunch of bone,
the pull and molding of soft tissues. But a thrilling wildness like
nothing she’d felt before, called to her. By the time she was fully
cat, Lugar was too. He came to her, extended a long foreleg in a
quick move to hold her still. Fear and alarm at the feeling of
being trapped took her. He sensed it and stilled for a long moment,
allowing her to adjust to his domination. The big cat nuzzled her
neck, stroking, soothing.

“I will go slowly, Misha, mine,” he
assured her, his voice rumbling, stirring her to desire for him. He
raked a path along her spine with his sharp teeth. Gasping from the
sensual surprise of it, she collapsed momentarily to her foreknees
with her hindquarters raised to him. He growled his
approval.

Taking his time, as if savoring her, he
nuzzled and nipped her hip bones, seducing her, testing her
readiness for him. She closed her eyes in ecstasy at the long
stroke of his tongue.

“Are you with me, female?” he asked,
whispering urgently into her tawny fur, parting it to find the skin
below the soft hair. His voice was so different now, deep, urgent,
his breath hot against her sensitized skin.

“Yes, yes,” she whimpered, her
breathing coming fast, her heart pounding hard. “Yes.” Her blood
seemed to bubble with need of him, effervescent and
exciting.

He came over her, then into her, sharp
and smooth. At the sudden thrusting invasion, she could not
suppress an angry snarl. “Wait, no. Lugar.”

“You would have me stop, love?” He
nipped at her cheek. “We’ve waited so long, days.” His words were
rasped from his throat. His handsome head rubbed back and forth
across her shoulders, soothing her.

“No. Yes. Just give me a moment to
catch my breath and resist scratching you to shreds in the throws
of passion.”

“You’re an aggressive one.” He
grimaced, more a lopsided hecat-smile. “I appreciate your
reserve.”

She cried out again.

“G’Ran’s mercy,” Lugar said. “I’m
unsure if you cry from pleasure or pain. Damn it all, I’ve attacked
you, jumped on you too abruptly, penetrating you far too forcefully
and suddenly.”

“Lugar. That’s not so, I --”

“But the temptation is so strong. Your
sensual pull is tremendous. And the delicious scent of you
intoxicating.”

Misha closed her eyes as his words
thrummed through her entire frame.

“Pleasure. It’s definitely pleasure.
You … are … magnificent, all male,” she said, wanting to assure him
he had not failed her.

“I will control myself now.” She saw
that his eyes were closed, his expression serious.

“It will take time for me to become
accustomed to your -- er … length.”

He waited patiently, still, holding her
tight to him.

When she was ready, more confident in
her control, Misha moved against him, backing into him.

Lugar sucked in a breath of air, a
sound she relished. He threw back his head and a loud growl was
torn from his throat. “Misha. Misha. My mate.”

Her brain blurred from the overwhelming
sensations, the sweetness of the call of him. “That’s it,” she
moaned. “That’s it.

“I will have you pregnant in no time,”
he whispered, baring his teeth, arching his neck. She recognized
that the thought of it aroused him even further. He wanted it to
happen now. He plunged into her again and again.

“Oh. God. Lugar. I had not thought of
that.” Looking back at him, her eyes were wide with alarm. “Quick,
tell me how many children we have?”

He laughed and jerked her to him hard,
thrusting deep. “Two, love, only two at one gestation.”

“Oh, oh, that’s good then. I might
handle giving birth to two. Ah, this feels sooo unbelievably good.”
“Good,” she whispered again. This time she was talking of the
lovemaking.

She relaxed and opened more to his
invasion, twisting with him, for him. Just as she hoped, he sped
their pace, gratifying his own drive to do so.

Awed, Lugar watched the beautiful
female undulate beneath him in perfect response to his thrusts.
Looking back, staring boldly into his eyes, showing him her white
teeth, she hissed and spat now.

“Misha?”

But she did not ask him to slow the
pace, staying right with him movement for movement.

“Oh, Lugar,” she said on a gasp. “I
want you so. This is too … carnal, too sensual … too much for
description.”

“I’m glad little female, very glad. No
need to talk now.” He nipped her ear and she rewarded him with a
soft groan.

Coming over him in wrenching waves, the
threshold of his orgasm caught him by surprise, hard and swift the
throbs pounded at him. For a wild moment, he held his breath,
fearing he’d ruined the enjoyment for her.

But she tossed her head and screamed
her passion, only seconds behind him. Her deep enjoyment was very
clear; her cries of completion joyous to his ears.

Enfolding her tighter in his arms, he
ordered, “Shift back.”

They collapsed together to the bedding,
shifting to human shape as they went down.

Lugar wrapped her in his arms tightly,
kissing her cheeks, tangling his hands in her soft tawny hair,
human hair now.

“Love you, Lugar Rova,” she said in a
drowsy voice, yawning.

Shock and thrill in equal parts raced
through him at her words. “And I love you,” he kissed her long and
hard, taking his time with the task of claiming her
lips.

Long sensuous moments of exploring each
other passed, then breathlessly, she asked, “Tell me what you said
the other day. The Eliavan words you declined to explain the
meaning of. What did you say?”

“I said you are the meat of my heart.
Fet t’ian daz v’erta.”

“What? No.” She rose up on an elbow and
looked at him, raising an eyebrow, unsure if he was teasing
her.

“I know, my love. It does not translate
well or I am inadequate at translating it better. It means I would
die without you, stop breathing, blood would stop beating in my
heart. I’d simply stop existing.”

“And what does, sh’iabla
mean?”

“It means ‘mate of my
choice’.”

“Aww. That’s so nice.” She rewarded him
with a quick kiss on his sexy lips and he followed her down to the
pillow for more. When he released her lips again, she said, “And to
think I almost called security to escort you out of my office that
first day we met.”

“And I almost wrote you off as pretty
as hell, but too stubborn to deal with.” He laughed and held her
tight against him. “Do you choose me as mate?”

“I do. I do.”

The End

Did you really enjoy this novel? Help
the author out by leaving a review for the book!

www.newconceptspublishing.com

We update constantly, so be on the
lookout for more great titles by this and other talented
authors.

and don’t forget to check in every
Friday for our latest Ebook releases