Savage Possession (Temple of Luna #1)

Copyright
Information

Savage Possession
Copyright © 2009 Moira Rogers
http://www.moirarogers.com

Previously published by Changeling Press.
All rights have reverted to the author.
Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters,
businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of
the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any
resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is
purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion
thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher except for
the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Table of
Contents

Chapter
One
Chapter
Two
Chapter
Three
Epilogue
Sneak
Peek
About the
Author

Chapter One

“
You’re overdue,
Rais.”

How his cousin managed to pack so much
admonition into three words, he’d never know. “Not so terribly,
Zahra.”

“
Three moons.” Her
white robes swished softly as she walked, a familiar sound in
the Temple. “Almost four. Dangerous.”

“
I know danger, cousin.”
The far door of the hall opened, admitting the noises and scents of
the bathing pools and lush flora in the courtyard. Rais kept his
eyes closed and relished the gentle sounds. On the battlefield,
nothing blocked out the violence and destruction, the bodies of
dead men and wolves alike. Shutting one’s eyes might eclipse the
blood and rent, burned flesh for a few moments, but it left behind
either pained screams or dead silence to assault the
senses.

Here, at least, peace reigned in the
quiet.

Zahra’s cuffs jingled as she laid a hand on
his arm. “This could well be your last visit. Has your father
spoken with you?”

“
Yes.” Rais gritted his
teeth. “He feels my birthday feast would be even more festive if we
were to celebrate my coronation as well.”

“
And is he wrong?” Zahra’s
bright green eyes glimmered with amusement. “You
are
nearing the end age,
after all.”

“
End age, my ass.” Not yet
forty years old, and put out to graze like an elderly cow. “I have
plenty of fighting years left in me.”

“
But your responsibilities
are different now. Choose a mate, settle down, start a family...”
The humor in her gaze faded. “And rule, Rais. That is who you
are.”

“
Perhaps.” Even if it felt
like abandoning the soldiers under his command. Rais changed the
subject. “So who am I to see? Lilavati was pleasant.”

“
Mmm, and she spent a month
after your last visit telling the other priestesses you were sure
to mate her when the time came to choose your queen.”

“
Damn.” She hadn’t
been
that
pleasant. “Not her, then.”

“
Siobhan?”

Rais called to mind the short, curvy redhead
and decided she would do nicely. Before he could answer, the door
opened behind them and soft footsteps crossed the floor. It had to
be a priestess--he could hear her robes, for one thing, but more
telling was the call of her magic. Unlike his own clan’s, unlike
enough to awaken the sleeping beast with a flare of lust.

 
His cock stirred, and
he scrubbed his hands over his face with a groan. “Just get me
anyone. And hurry.”

The woman behind them cleared her throat.
“Zahra, they need you in the infirmary. There was an accident with
one of the generators. No one’s dead, but at least three workers
were injured.”

He had a voice now to go with the magic.
“Avani.” He turned and almost stumbled. She’d been a child the last
time he’d visited her uncle’s home, no more than sixteen. Now, she
was beautiful, fully grown into her lithe limbs and strong
features.

And she was nervous. Her gaze touched on his
and jerked away, and Rais crossed his arms over his chest. “Do they
need me?”

“
Arrogant ass.” Zahra waved
a hand at him as she hurried toward the door. “Avani can help
you.”

Avani smiled, slow and shy but with a bit of
the teasing edge he remembered. “Rais. If you’d like, I could find
a room for you to wait in. I’m afraid you’re going to find yourself
stalked by most of my fellow novices if you don’t get out of sight.
They’ve been gossiping all morning.”

The edge in her smile coupled with her magic
made him even harder, and he tried not to look grumpy. “Let me
guess. They all aspire to be my mate.”

Her full lips pursed, as if she was trying
to hold back a smile. “Of course. Who wouldn’t want to sit at your
feet and bask in your glory?”

Rais didn’t bother to hide his own grin.
“Only you, Avani.” He offered her his arm and ignored the rush of
heat that overtook him. Having her wasn’t an option. Even if she’d
finished with her training, she was off-limits. “Walk with me. How
is your uncle?”

“
He’s well. Enjoying some
time with his grandchildren now. My cousins have been quite
prolific.” Magic brushed over him as she settled her hand around
his arm, a softly submissive power that was gentle and eager all at
the same time.

Every dominant instinct in him suddenly took
far more notice of her. “And what of you? Waiting for a soldier of
your own to return from war?”

She lifted her free arm with a put-upon
sigh. “You didn’t notice? I’m a novice. Still.”

He studied the gold bands on her sleeves
with a raised eyebrow. “You must be nearly twenty-one by now,
Avani. What’s holding you back?”

Her cheeks flushed as she studied the floor.
“I’m twenty-three. But twenty-two is the average age. Some women
just need time to grow into their power.”

Or they didn’t belong in the Temple, wearing
Luna’s robes. “You’ve not had your first warrior, then.” He
shouldn’t have been so pleased by the realization.

“
I’ve had my training,” she
retorted, a hint of challenge in that soft voice. “I know how to
gentle a warrior.”

“
Not one like me.” Rais was
shocked to hear the challenge returned in his own words.

She stopped in front of a door and turned,
tilting her head back until her gaze met his. “Even a prince is
just a man in the dark. Or do royalty have exotic tastes?”

He backed her against the
door in a surge of sudden, instinctive movement. “A lesson
unlearned, novice. Warriors aren’t
men
, especially not in the
dark.”

As if the scent of her body wasn’t
intoxicating enough, he caught the first hints of arousal as she
sucked in a sharp breath. “You--you know what I meant.”

“
Do I?” He moved even
closer, his hips pressing against hers. “What do they tell you
about pleasing a warrior?”

Her body melted into soft
curves and submission, but her eyes sparked with the stubbornness
that ran in her family. “They don’t
tell
us anything, Rais. Do you think
they sit us down to study books and vids and then send us as a
virgin sacrifice to whatever warrior is to be our
first?”

Honestly, he’d never given much thought to
the training. “Then what do they
do, Avani?”

She moved, rocking her hips against his as
her hand came up to rest against his chest. “They sit us down to
study books and vids.” Slim fingers stroked down his chest and he
felt the power inside her swell, hungry for his dominance. “And
when we’re done studying, we go to bed with a trainer, who shows us
what pleasure is and how to give it.”

The rage that welled in him was stupid--and
unacceptable. “Who’s touched you?” The words escaped in a
growl.

Avani stared up at him with too-wide brown
eyes filled with a dangerous longing. “You’re touching me.”

“
No, besides--” Rais bit
off the words with a groan. “You’re impossible.” The only thing to
do was kiss her, so he did, claiming her with a hard, hot fusing of
mouths.

She wasn’t untouched, that was clear. She
kissed him back, open-mouthed and hungry, but it soon became
painfully obvious why she still wore the robes of a novice.
Everything about her was open and too trusting, especially the
magic that curled around him, urging him to take, to have in any
way he wanted.

In
any
way he wanted.

The warriors would eat her alive.

Rais broke away, panting. “Shit. I have
to--” He was horrified with himself and his reaction to her. But
more disturbing than that was the thought that, as soon as she’d
earned her white bands, someone could take advantage of that trust.
“I have to go.”

She blinked at him, her eyes dazed. “I...
You’re going?”

“
Yes.” He needed to talk to
the high priestess. “Have a good night, Avani.”

“
Rais.” It was barely a
whisper, and her voice trembled on his name. “Don’t--don’t tell.
I’ll be in so much trouble. I should have found a senior priestess
and left you alone.”

She’d gladly welcome him into her cunt where
they stood. He could see it in her eyes. “No, no trouble,
sweetheart. I promise.”

Her head bobbed in a jerky nod that sent her
wavy blonde hair tumbling over her face. The hand she lifted to
push it back trembled, but she smiled at him. “Good night,
Rais.”

He gave her a curt nod, then turned on his
heel and stalked back toward the heart of the Temple.