STORY EXCERPT

Eira couldn’t believe it. She was sitting on a counter having been thoroughly blindsided and slightly ravished by this giant, hulking male smashed against her. One minute she had been walking out of the bathroom to have breakfast, and the next she had looked up to see this man devour her with his eyes. She felt like she had been hit by a truck with all the lusty promise building in his eyes. Then, he had picked her up and settled her on the counter. She hadn’t even thought of all the people witnessing this crazy behavior. His kiss had taken everything from her, and boy, did she want more.

He stopped her hands from moving under his shirt. She hadn’t even realized she had put her hands up his shirt and she was slightly embarrassed. Sure, he had started it with the grabbing and kissing, but she started fondling him. And in public no less. He nuzzled into her neck and took a couple of deep breaths. She looked over his shoulder at everyone watching them. Some looked outright shocked while others, mostly the women, looked at her with pity. Before she could consider their reactions she felt him stiffen against her.

He pulled her away from him, keeping her at arm’s length while he stared at her. She didn’t even have time to gasp, he moved so quickly. Eira watched the rage overtake the lust and possession in his eyes. Eira tried to pull away and speak but his snarl and tight grip on her arms prevented either.

“You’re human!” he accused. Shock lit her eyes at his comment. Hadn’t he already smelled her? Before she could reply, he shook her and snarled in her face.

“You can’t be human. I will never take a human mate!” he demanded, and even though she had just laid eyes on him, his insistence hurt her. Would no one ever accept her for who she was? If a man who thought she was his mate didn’t want her, why would anyone else?

Mates were supposed to be your destined other half in the shifter world. The one person created to complete you and make you whole. Shifters could immediately smell their mates and if one were lucky enough to find a mate, they held on with everything they had. There was no one more loyal than a mate. You were never more loved by anyone if you mated.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” her captor demanded, with distrust in his eyes. Yeah, like she could do anything to him. He was probably six five and three hundred pounds of solid muscle. She wondered how big his lion was. His gaze narrowed and he looked at her angrily.

“How do you know my animal?” he demanded quietly, but with viciousness. Eira realized she must have said her thoughts out loud. A man stepped up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Cale, calm down. Let the woman go and then you can ask your questions,” the man insisted. Cale calmed slightly at his friend’s words and stood up so that their heads were no longer breaths from each other, but he did not release her.

“I asked you a question. Who are you and how do you know me?” Cale demanded again, like he was the king of the town or something. Although, for all she knew he was. But that didn’t mean she was going to sit there and take this giant lion’s crap. She pushed down the hurt and let the anger take over. This man had kissed her within an inch of her life, then been rude and accusing, and now was manhandling her. She might feel a connection to him, but no one had walked on Eira Sloan since she was eight years old. She wasn’t about to let it happen now, mate or not.

Eira met his gaze with one of her own, filled with fury. He was momentarily surprised and his hands loosened their grip on her arms. She took the opportunity to knock his arms away from her and jumped down from the counter. She turned so she could see him and his two friends. She didn’t know how this situation would turn out, but she wasn’t giving them the advantage by putting her back to any of them. Eira crossed her arms over her chest and addressed the giant.

“I don’t know you. I’m here to eat breakfast.” Eira insisted not giving him an inch.

“You lie,” he growled at her. “You reek of human and yet you said I was a lion. How do you know this?” he demanded again.

“I do not reek!” she demanded with gritted teeth. “It was you who charged me, declaring that I was yours. It was also you who kissed me.” 

“I didn’t see you putting up a fight, or complaining. Do you always let strangers kiss you in public places?” He put every ounce of hatred he clearly had into his accusation. “It wouldn’t surprise me. Most humans are easy.”

Eira saw red at his comment. 

Eira screeched at him, “I don’t know who you think you are, but I will not stand by and be insulted by some overgrown pussy cat!”  Everyone in the diner froze. He looked like his head might explode, like a tea kettle about to scream.

ADULT EXCERPT

Eira was warm. So incredibly warm, that it surged through her entire body. She couldn’t remember ever being so warm. She tried to recall where she was and what was going on, but all she could concentrate on was the warmth. She shifted her hand slightly and came into contact with hot, hard skin. Eira held her hand still for a moment until she could catch her breath and then moved her hand over more skin. Eira stopped when she heard a purr. She lifted her head and peered at the man she was apparently lying on. She squirmed a little on top of him, at the unusual sensation of having such a hard male body pressed to her. As her gaze caught on his face, she stopped breathing. It was Caleb. How is this possible? I must be dreaming. There is no way Caleb would be in bed, cuddling with me. Caleb rumbled underneath her, making her jump.

“If you don’t stop wiggling that hot little body all over me, we’re going to be mated before you can wake up enough to give me that piece of your mind that has been building.” He hadn’t opened his eyes and she hadn’t known he was awake. He turned his head and regarded her with golden feline eyes glowing from his gorgeous face. Caleb suddenly grabbed two handfuls of her ass, and pulled her up so she lay against his body more fully.

Eira was pulled up so that their eyes met, and she could feel his straining erection along the curve of her ass.

“Caleb,” Eira started, confused beyond measure at what was going on.

“Shh,” Caleb said, and squeezed her ass in his large, callused hands. He brought his head up to meet hers and gave her a light, fleeting kiss. Eira immediately wanted more before she could think about her decision. Caleb must have read her mind because one of his hands left her ass and cupped the back of her neck. He pulled her in and gave her the most passionate kiss she could imagine. Eira had the fleeting thought that she should object, but then realized that it must be a dream and threw herself into the kiss even more. If this was her dream, then she was damn sure going to enjoy it.

Caleb groaned at her reaction to him and rolled her beneath him. They continued kissing heatedly while Eira’s hands smoothed over every inch of Caleb’s hot, hard body. He encouraged her to explore with his satisfying hands, and did some exploring of his own. Caleb broke the kiss and started kissing his way along her ear, and down the side of her heck, moving slowly towards her breasts.

Eira moaned and writhed under him as he made the journey to his destination, equal parts torture and pleasure. When he finally got to her breasts, he gently kissed one nipple and then the other.

“Please, Caleb,” Eira moaned breathlessly, begging him to continue this sweet torture.

“Always, baby, always,” Caleb said in a growl and sucked her nipple into his mouth. Eira’s back arched off the bed as she drove her nipple farther into his mouth. Caleb recognized her hunger and began sucking harder. Eira’s moans reverberated around the room as Caleb continued driving her wild. He released her nipple with a plop.

“Mmmm. You taste better than I imagined.” Caleb purred, as he nuzzled his head against her breasts, marking her with his scent. Eira ran her hands through Caleb’s hair and directed him to her other nipple. He chuckled against her skin but complied with her silent request. Drawing her nipple into his mouth, they both became less frantic, but the passion grew hotter.

Caleb’s hand moved down to the juncture of her legs and he parted her soaking-wet folds. He groaned at how wet and ready she was for him and became even harder. His hot, hard shaft pressed between their bodies and Eira could feel his desire for her in every cell of her body. Caleb shifted and pressed his finger gently into her and she whimpered and moaned, throwing her head back in ecstasy.

Eira reached down and touched him tentatively and he stiffened, knowing that if she continued even with her feather-soft touch he would be done. Caleb put his hand over hers to stop her exploring and she froze.

Eira tried to take her hand back after making the mistake of touching Caleb but he wouldn’t allow her to take her hand back.

“No, baby. Don’t pull away. Next time you can explore all you want. I just can’t last with you touching me right now. I want to come while I’m deep inside you, not on your stomach like a horny teenager who can’t control himself.” Caleb looked down into her worried face and she met his eyes. He felt terrible that she was looking at him with such hesitation. He saw the light enter back into her eyes and she beamed him the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.