STORY EXCERPT

“Thank you, for supplying what I needed,” the lioness, Tia smiled at him.

“No problem, anything else you need let me know.” She gave him a finger salute before she turned and seemed to skip down the steps. He shook his head.

Kids.

Killian opened the door to the house, or rather cottage, the pride had given to him. It reminded him of one from one of the children’s stories his mother used to read to him. This must have been here when the pride settled in the area. Beth mentioned when she brought him over to it that it was mostly used for the single visiting guests. They had gutted the inside and tore down some of the inner walls to make one large open room. He had shrugged and pretended to be interested while she told him about how the house was before they renovated it.

He smiled at the memory of the small human’s enthusiasm about the cottage. She went on and on about the open floor space and the flower garden in the front of the house. Must be a female thing to think a male cared about things like that. Just so long as he could eat and sleep, a hut would be fine with him. Killian walked straight to the kitchen where someone had brought food to him. He inhaled deeply, the aroma of the food making his stomach grumble. He had some breakfast when he went over to talk with Malachi, but his appetite had yet to be satisfied.

The corners of his mouth slid up when he about thought about how surly his friend was with him, which he could understand. If he happened to be lucky enough to find his mate, he would not want one of the others interrupting his mating. He was happy that his friend had found his true mate. Maybe he would find his. He snorted to himself.

Killian opened three of the six cabinets before he found a plate. He grimaced. Maybe he should have paid more attention when the Beta’s mate was showing him around the place. The silverware was easier to find. Killian removed the containers from the bag, sniffing each dish. There was a wide variety of different food for breakfast and dinner, and either could be eaten as lunch. He even pulled out some different desserts: chocolate cake, sweet potato pie, an assortment of cookies, and even cherry cheesecake. He snagged one of the oatmeal cookies and popped it in his mouth as he cut a big slice of lasagna. Most of it was gone by the time he brought his food to the dining table.

Killian reclined in the chair and sighed. As he finished the second piece of cheesecake, he heard a noise from outside. He shrugged it off. Some of the teenage cubs had passed by, and he assumed it was them returning. The sun had sunk lower in the sky as he opened the back door and walked out to the small patio. The deck and the minor wall surrounding it were made of some type of flagstone. He was listening when Beth told him about it earlier.

The light of the day had faded, and the darkness covered the woods. He sighed, his head tilted as he gazed at the stars in the night sky. Killian turned to go into the house when he heard a moan or whimper from somewhere in the forest. He leaped over the patio wall and jogged to the edge of the woods. He paused to listen and moved in the direction of the sound. He sent his senses out, searching to find who or what was making those noises. He could hear the leaves as they swayed in the light breeze, smell the dirt on the ground, but he could not hear the whimpers anymore. Killian continued making his way in the woods when he found a recent path through the thick foliage. He tracked through until he came upon what seemed like a bundle of clothes off to the side of a tree.

He stepped on a twig as he moved with caution closer to the tree. The bundle jerked around, and a face of a young girl with wild eyes was staring at him. She scrambled backward away from him.

Killian raised his hands. “It’s all right. I’m not going to hurt you.” He stood as still as a statue, his body in nonthreatening pose.

The blood drained from her face as she tried to stand. His gaze narrowed on her, and he moved closer. She shook her head, hands up in a defensive posture.

Killian again tried to calm her as he took cautious steps toward her. She let out a painful cry as she tried again to stand but fell back down. She reached her hands out so her face wouldn’t hit the ground. A growl was emitted from him. Her body went rigid like a board. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. The girl’s cape had opened when she collapsed, and his eyes focused on her body.

Her ponytail was ragged, loose hair falling over her features. There was a bump on her forehead, and dark purple bruises lined her neck. His gaze moved down to reddish welts that were scattered across her stomach under her tattered shirt. Hand marks littered her arms, her legs had bruises going down to her feet, and one of her ankles was swollen. No wonder she had fallen when she tried to rise.

ADULT EXCERPT

She stared back at him, the gray flecks in her eyes deepening as he licked at her lips again. Killian’s hands delved into her hair to hold her in place as he explored her lips. Bella’s mouth opened enough for him to plunge his tongue inside. He watched her lashes drift lower, watched her eyes darken. The sweet smell of orange blossoms drifted through him.

She tastes like honey, he thought.

He ended the kiss slowly and looked at her. Bella’s face was flushed with a slight blush to her cheeks. Killian’s gaze traveled to the camisole. The lace lay over her swelled breasts. They were firm, plump little globes with hard, pointed nipples.

His eyes narrowed on the obvious signs of her arousal, and his cock stretched beneath the sweatpants her wore. “Your nipples are hard,” he snarled as he tried to control the flame of heat flowing through his body. But her tight little buds were just below his fingertips, more tempting than he could have imagined.

The stretchy neckline gave effortlessly to his fingers as they smoothed over the hard curves. They were flushed, too, the dark dusty nipples hard as the fabric rasped over them. The elastic hooked beneath the firm mounds and lifted them higher. Killian’s fingers traced a path around one nipple before his thumb and forefinger gripped the material and tugged firmly. Bella’s chest pushed out toward his fingers as a sexual tremor went through her.

His body was hot, and he shook as he heard her moans. The lust had mounted fast and hard. He felt out of control. He lowered his head, mouth opening as he covered a quivering peak, drew it in, and sucked it into his mouth as he leaned over her. His tongue curled around it as she lifted closer and pushed her nipple tight and hard against his tongue.

Bella squirmed beneath the molten heat of his mouth. He might be a stranger to her human half but not to her tiger half. She screamed when his teeth seized the hard tip, nipping and tugging it. His lips, teeth, and tongue worked her nipple until he heard her panting for breath.

“Goddess, you taste good,” he murmured before he drew the nipple in deep and hard, sucking her into his mouth.

She twisted under him. Her hips rose as he leaned over her. Whimpered howls emitted from her as he started to play with the other nipple.

“You like that?” He raised his head, his eyes narrowed on her as his fingers twisted the tortured nipple.

“What do you want, baby?” he whispered then, a wicked sexuality suffusing his expression, giving him a dangerous, dark look.

The burn went from her nipple to her womb. It was hard to catch her breath as the endless ripples of arousal coursed through her lower body.

He pulled at her nipples again, and her gaze glazed over as she fought for breath. A flaming rush of sensation invaded her body.

She arched to him, gasping as his fingers tugged at her nipples again. She wanted his mouth there again. He lowered his again. His mouth was hot, his tongue an instrument of torture as it rasped and lashed at the peaked flesh and sent her senses careening with pleasure.

Then his teeth nipped at it, sending fiery shards of painful pleasure exploding into her womb. His lips covered hers again, his tongue forging into her mouth. She entangled her tongue with his. He gripped her head to hold her to him.

His hand moved from her head, flattening on her waist before smoothing to her thigh, her lips parting as she gasped for air, as his fingers grazed the crotch of her panties. His tongue pumped into her mouth as he got rid of them. When his hand returned, she stilled, and his palm cupped her pussy. Killian raised his head slowly, his eyes narrowed on her, watching her carefully as he moved lower on the bed, as his gaze went between her thighs. His fingers parted the saturated folds, which sent tingles of electricity flowing over her nerve endings. She shuddered as she felt his breath send a cooling caress over the sensitive tissue.

His fingers running through her slit tore a cry from her lips. “I’m going to eat you up, baby.”

Killian’s tongue followed the path of his fingers. Slowly, he worked the snug little valley, gathering the juices that pooled there as she bucked at his lips. His hands held her hips tight as he licked through folds that had never known a man’s touch.

He moaned into her pussy, licked and sucked the folds of skin, and then his tongue moved higher, rasping over her burning clit.

“Yes,” she whispered deliriously. “Oh yes, please, please…”

He growled as his tongue circled the tight little bud, swamping her with a pleasure.

“Like that?” he whispered, his breath blowing over the straining mass of nerves.

“Yes.”

“You taste sweet,” he growled. “Like honey, smooth and sweet on my tongue.”

She whimpered, her head twisting on the bed.

“Do you want to come, baby? Your little clit is hard and swollen. Do you want me to make it feel better?”

“Yes,” she cried.

His fingers slid through her juices, stroking over the entrance before circling the hole of her rear. She jerked at the caress but lay still, trembling as he did it again and then again. He gathered more of her juices and repeated the movement, repeatedly as his tongue licked at her enflamed pussy, until she screamed with the building pressure when his finger slid deep inside her burning rear.

His lips clamped on her clit then, his tongue rasping as he sucked it into his mouth. His finger moved inside her, sending those much-needed hungry flames blazing through her body.