STORY EXCERPT

Something felt different, Asher realized the moment he entered his apartment. The scent he’d grown associated with his little cat seemed changed, altered, and he soon found out a way. Asher shut the door behind him, remembering to lock it, and beheld the beautiful stranger in his bed.

Dark blond hair fell over the guy’s shoulders, curling under his ears, over a face more pretty than handsome, the body underneath slender, the skin creamy and tempting. It didn’t help that he could tell the guy was aroused under the sheets, erection poking out.

Normally, Asher accepted gifts delivered at his door, but he couldn’t make any hasty moves. He recognized the shirt, that the other man carried his scent. There was no mistaking his strong-willed little cat, who somehow found the courage to find his way back to his humanity on his own.

“Little cat.” A statement, not a question. The wolf in him watched and waited, although Asher knew his patience wasn’t at its best.

“Daniel Porter. You can call me Dan.”

Pleased he hadn’t scared Dan into changing back to tabby cat form, he approached the bed, tentatively, slowly, knowing anything could set Dan off.

“That name sounds familiar, read it somewhere in the papers before.”

Dan flinched. Shit. Bad move, but his mind shifted through information nonetheless, because digging for secrets was part and parcel of his job. Old society papers, announcement sections, but his mind came up with a blank. Dan had to tell him the rest.

Reaching the edge of the bed, he sat down, careful to keep some distance between them. He could scent Dan’s fear, but he wasn’t offended, couldn’t even imagine what would push Dan into clinging into the skin of his animal.

“Do you need me to give you more space?”

He had to ask, although his wolf didn’t like that one bit. Raul and the others told him it had been a hopeless case, that only a tiny percentage of rogue shifters came back, and they never came back right. He proved them all wrong, because despite Dan’s fragile appearance, his little cat had a spine of steel.

“No,” Dan eventually said. “I like it when you’re close. I feel safe with you.”

“I’ll never let anything or anyone hurt you.”

Dan narrowed his eyes. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

A snarl slipped between his lips, but Dan didn’t look away, didn’t slap his hand or stop Asher from tipping his chin upwards so they could look eye-to-eye. “I keep all my promises, little cat, especially those important to me.”

Asher’s gaze slid from that remarkable face to the side of Dan’s neck. Dan stilled as he tugged the collar of the shirt aside, growled at the sight of the bite mark there. Not just any simple mark either, but a mating bite, even though it had faded.

“You belong to someone else,” he said, voice dull. Asher wasn’t the sort of man who took without asking, would never steal from another. He released Dan, wolf full of sorrow, surprised when Dan grabbed his hand, closed slender fingers over it.

“No, not anymore.” Dan’s vivid green eyes blazed with remembered fear, anger. Those eyes looked far too ancient for Dan’s face.

The realization dawned on him. Fury speared inside of him, and his next few words were accompanied with a growl. “This fucker was the one that hurt you so bad, you had to retreat into your animal.”

Dan began to look away, but he gripped Dan’s jaw again, thumbed the stubble there. Not knowing when Dan would withdraw touching privileges, he thumbed Dan’s bottom lip, waiting for the other man to tell Asher to halt what he was doing.

Thin-lipped, Dan’s look turned haunted, distant, as if going to a place he couldn’t reach.

Asher didn’t like that. If Dan wasn’t ready to talk, he’d wait, but he wouldn’t let Dan go to the dark places in his mind alone. He grazed Dan’s lips with his own, slowly, feeling Dan’s reaction. If Dan didn’t like it, he’d pull away, but miraculously, Dan kissed back, reaching out for his left bicep and gripping it, before sliding closer out of his own volition.

Pleased, Asher took control, plundered Dan’s mouth until the kiss turned rough. Their tongues tangled, teeth clashed. He slipped his hand under Dan’s shirt, touching a still too-skinny frame, but he’d make sure to feed Dan the nutrients his mate needed. He also touched old scars, but didn’t remark on them.

When he deepened the kiss, Dan sucked down on his tongue. Eager little cat. When he withdrew his mouth, he smiled. “That looks better. You were heading somewhere I can’t reach you.”

Dan stared at him, panting, then looked down to see his hand under the shirt. Asher ran his callused fingers over the old claw marks. Dan dropped his gaze. “Do you find me displeasing?”

“What the fuck? Why would you say that?”

“I’m scarred. I mean, he left my face intact, but the rest of me,” Dan faltered. “I’m used goods, no good to anyone.”

Since Dan seemed unable to comprehend he was perfect the way he was, Asher sealed his lips over Dan’s again, bit Dan’s lower lip. Dan widened his eyes, and he broke from the kiss.

“You bit me,” Dan accused, licking his lips.

“You liked it, and besides, you were spouting stupid shit.”

“Stupid?” Dan repeated, looking stunned.

“Don’t ever talk about yourself like that. You know what I see when I look at you?”

“What?” Dan whispered.

“A fucking survivor who didn’t give up when other shifters would. You know the percentage of rogues being able to turn back to human form? One percent, just one, and you made it.”

Dan swallowed, bit his lower lip, a mouth he wanted to taste, kiss again. Oh, Asher wanted to do so many things, to touch, to put his mouth on Dan’s most intimate places and wrangle moans of pleasure from his little cat’s mouth, but that could wait.

“Will you tell me?”

ADULT EXCERPT

He nipped and kissed his way down the length of Dan’s body, loving the taste of Dan, liking the sight of his mate wearing his marks, which told the world Dan was his. He moved lower, holding down Dan’s thighs, preventing movement as he nuzzled Dan’s dick. Flicking a tongue out, he swiped the pre-cum gathered at the tip, tongued the slit, and focused on the sensitive spot under Dan’s cockhead.

Dan groaned above him, fisting his sheets. Wanting more, he dragged his tongue down the veined length of Dan’s prick, exploring every ridge and bump. Dan’s balls, he didn’t neglect. He sucked them into his mouth, hearing Dan cry out above him. Asher finally took Dan’s prick between his lips and began bobbing his head up and down.

“God,” Dan whispered.

Desire hummed in his veins. Blood surged to his dick. Not wanting Dan to explode yet, he pulled his mouth away. Dan hissed at him in frustration. How very like a cat. He smirked. “Not yet, baby, I’m not done.” He rubbed at Dan’s belly, before continuing his task.

He placed a kiss on the crease between Dan’s privates and asshole, pushed Dan’s legs apart, lifting Dan’s knees so he could tongue his mate’s puckered entrance.

“W-what are you doing?”

“Something wrong?” he teased.

“No one has ever, I mean, there,” Dan murmured, looked flustered, but he didn’t complain when Asher stuck a mouth into the inner muscles of Dan’s hole, tracing it.

He closed his fist over Dan’s prick, beginning to stroke. He pulled his face back, aware of how thick Dan had become. This, his mate becoming undone, Asher wanted to see, remember in his head. He moved his hand faster, until Dan cried out. Pinching Dan’s tip did the trick. Dan gasped as strings of his cum coated Asher’s stomach and abs. He smiled at the sight of Dan fluttering his eyes, mouth slightly parted.

His wolf liked the image, too, wanted very much to see Dan happy, in throes of passion.

“That was, wow. Give me a second,” Dan murmured.

“Take all the time you need.”

“I want to take care of you, too,” Dan said, gaze lingering on Asher’s still erect dick.

“Good, because I’m about to burst.”

“How do you want to do this?”

So hesitant, Asher realized.

“When you’re with me,” Asher told his mate, giving Dan’s softening prick a squeeze, “never be afraid to tell me what you want. You’re mine, and I’m yours. Mates never keep secrets from each other.”

“Am I really your mate?” Dan asked in wonder. “I mean, look at you, then me.”

Asher frowned. Dan clearly had some self-esteem issues. Not surprising after what he’d been through, but he planned on helping his mate become more confident, be proud of himself.

“You’re perfect,” he stated, but Dan didn’t seem to quite believe him yet. It didn’t matter. He rolled off the bed. “I’m getting the lube.”

Shifters didn’t catch anything, eliminating the need for condoms, which was good because he wanted to ride his mate bareback with no annoying piece of plastic between them.

“Wait.”

At that, he turned, painfully aware of his erection, but if Dan wanted to do this another time, then he’d deal with it. It turned out he had nothing to worry about.

Dan blushed. “We Omega cat shifters are like Omega wolves.”

He understood what Dan implied, that he was self-lubricating. “Fuck, but that’s convenient. Come to the edge of the bed.”

Dan obeyed, and he positioned himself between Dan’s legs, hefting them above his shoulders. Like this, Dan was splayed to him. He noticed his little cat’s prick was ready for round two. Smiling, he gave Dan’s shaft a teasing squeeze, before sliding a finger inside Dan’s ass. The tabby shifter groaned. True to his word, Dan was slick and ready for him.

Still, he refused to pound his mate against the mattress like a brute. Asher was well aware of his size, and the last thing he wanted was for Dan to associate pain with their first time. He added a second finger and began making twisting motions, prepping Dan for penetration.

Asher must have brushed his fingers against Dan’s sweet spot, because his little cat mewled. He did it again, just to hear his mate make that delicious sound for him again. “You’re ready,” he decided, extracting his digits.

Asher poised his dick at Dan’s entrance, rubbing the puckered flesh, marking it with his pre-cum. He was so hard by now, he knew he wouldn’t last, but he’d make sure this ride would be pleasurable for both of them. He locked gazes with Dan. “You ready for me, little cat?”

* * * *

“Yes,” Dan answered without hesitation, gasping when Asher pushed in the first few inches.

His mate didn’t exaggerate. Asher was big.

“Asher,” he whispered, gripping Asher’s arm, nails digging into skin. Asher didn’t seem to mind the pain. “You’re too big.”

“Breathe in and out for me, baby.” At those soothing words, he obeyed, relaxing his ass muscles. Asher continued, “You can take me in you.”

After Asher passed the thick ring of muscles, it was easier. It still burned, but he was certain Asher would replace that with ecstasy. Finally, he could feel Asher’s balls bush against his ass. He was all too aware of Asher stretching him to his limits, filling him completely.