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  He thrust into her, holding her in the right position. Grabbing a handful of her fiery red hair, he yanked her head to the side, staring at the soft nape of her neck, a thirst to know her as intimately as his kind ever knew their mates. Saliva coated his mouth, his eyes bore into her nape and he slowly bent his head. His teeth slid over skin that with just a bit of pressure he could rip into, tasting her blood as it filled his mouth.

  * * * *

  Lucinda walked up the stairs toward the bedroom that Marissa had been into before. She could smell her, the scent of her wafting on the air, entwining in the materials of the furnishings around her. The bitch was moving in, making herself at home in Lukah's home.

  A noise caught the attention of her sensitive ears, a cry of a female in heat. Lucinda's eyes narrowed and she walked quickly toward Lukah's bedroom, standing outside the door. The scent of sex wafted to her nose, the sound of Lukah's voice loud now that she was so close.

  "...you become mine,” he said.

  "I am yours,” she heard Marissa say.

  "No...” Lucinda moaned, jealousy eating at her gut. She turned away from the door, hurrying toward the stairs and the back of the house. Throwing her clothes on the floor, she hit the back door half woman, half panther. A scream of pure rage was torn from her throat, quickly turning to the roar of the cat. She ran off into the woods as if they were her only refuge.

  Marshal watched her for a few moments, hearing her rapid gait that quickly ate up distance. Loping after her, he followed her scent. They would be mated within the week. It was time she became acquainted with the idea and got used to it. A snarling smile was upon his black face, his white fangs gleaming in the semi dark of the forest.

  He found her finally, her body stretched out in a pile of leaves and moss, tears streaming down her once more human face. She was naked, her body curved and lovely, not an ounce of excess fat anywhere. Her hair was tangled and wild around her face.

  His change was quicker than hers for he was much older. Reaching out with hands that still held claws, he grabbed her hair, turning her up to face him. “You cry for another when you are promised to me."

  "I do,” she said bravely, refusing to wipe her eyes. “I love him."

  "But he doesn't love you, does he? Or else he wouldn't take that timid little mouse of a human for a mate.” Marshal smiled. “That's what has you in such a fit of pique. He's making love to the human instead of coming to you."

  "Shut up!” she growled, rising to her feet.

  "No, I don't think I will. How does it feel to come second?"

  "You son of a bitch,” she screamed, throwing herself at him, her claws bared and ready for his blood.

  Marshal turned her, pushing her against a tree, coming up behind her. Naked as they both were, it was easy for him to kick her feet apart, stand between them and find her sweet little pussy with his cock. “Okay, Lucinda, if you don't want to wait, we can begin our ceremony now.” He slid his cock into her, clamping his hand on her belly to keep her still.

  She struggled, fighting and screaming as he pushed himself into her almost dry flesh. He held her when he'd invaded her completely, his teeth growing. Leaning forward, he pushed aside her hair. One bite had his fangs locked in her, holding her to him. He gulped noisily, tasting her blood before pulling away and licking at the wounds.

  "Now you,” he said, holding up his wrist to her, all the while thrusting against her with a rage born of her insolence. “Do it,” he growled.

  "Fuck you,” she snarled, only to feel the slap of his heavy hand against her bottom. Then his wrist was at her mouth, the scent of his blood, just below the surface of the skin, very hard to ignore. Her eyes, grown liquid gold in her pleasure and lust, stared at the large wrist. Finally, she took it in both hands, dragging it to her mouth and sinking her teeth in.

  A feeling close to sexual release caught them both and they stood gasping and rutting together. She drank of his blood, finally pushing him away to lick at the wound.

  "You're mine,” he growled. “No one can take you away unless they kill me first.” Grabbing her around the waist, he sank to his knees in the grass-covered clearing, holding onto her hips as he continued to thrust against her.

  She made small noises in her throat, pushing back with her hips on every one of his thrusts. He knew the signs. She wanted to come. Reaching down, he traced his finger through the wetness of her sex. Finding her clit, he twiddled it delicately then pinched it roughly, her climax bursting through her with the power of a hurricane.

  "Lucinda!” he cried, his own orgasm draining into her. “Oh fuck,” he groaned, jerking as each pulse broke through him with as strong a pleasure as the first.

  When it was done, he reached for her, holding her gently, his lips finding hers softly. “Do you understand now?"

  "This isn't what I wanted,” she sobbed, partly because of the intense pleasure he'd given her, partly because she saw her dreams of becoming Lukah's mate slipping away.

  "But it is what is meant to be. You'll adjust,” he said, rolling to his back and forcing her against his chest.

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  Chapter Nine

  It was a sullen and quiet Lucinda that followed Marshal back to the house, her pouting lower lip stuck out so far she could have tripped on it. She took the clothes he handed her, slipping them on her bruised and battered body. Bruised by his touch, by his possession of her. It was the way of their clan, the mating as intense as it possibly could be, showing each the power they held as a couple.

  "You've ruined me,” Lucinda said finally, glaring at Marshal.

  "I've freed you,” he responded, lifting her hand to his lips. He smiled as he watched her shiver in reaction, her body calling out for his possession once more. “No more will you have to ‘cat’ around for your pleasures, my love. Now all you must do is come to me. I'll be happy to care for any need you have."

  Lucinda struggled against him, finally pulling her hand free of his grasp. “What if I don't want you?” she whined, the childish question making Marshal laugh.

  "You'll want me. You know the ways of the clan. If this wasn't the way it was meant to be, we wouldn't have this bond.” He lifted her hand, pulling his away and holding onto her by her wrist. Slowly bringing his other hand up, they both watched as a force like tiny lightning bolts drew their palms together. Lucinda cried out at the sensation, for it sent lust like no other she'd felt searing into her loins. Her body arched, aching to be held against him.

  Marshal groaned, bringing his palm to hers. His fingers twined, his thumb rubbing almost convulsively at the softness of her skin. His cock was rock hard in his pants, his need intense, as if he'd been without a woman for years instead of mere moments. “See, Lucinda. You're mine. You just need to admit to it."

  Her golden eyes widened as she heard his words. With a stubbornness inherited from her mother, she yanked her hand away from his, rubbing her palm against the skirt of her dress. Shaking her head slowly, she backed away. “No,” she whispered. “No, I won't want you. I can't want you. I want Lukah."

  Above them, as if in answer to her statement, a feminine cry sounded, a long wail of fulfillment. Marshal glanced above his head, a smile playing on his handsome lips. “It sounds like Lukah doesn't want you, Lucinda,” he said cruelly. “You'll learn. The need for me will grow stronger. No other will fulfill your desire, not man or panther. It is our way. Come,” he held his hand out again, beckoning her with a gentle waggle of his fingers. “Let me soothe your hurt away."

  * * * *

  "Fuck me."

  It was an order and one he didn't know how to negate. He couldn't take her this way, not without her full knowledge of who and what he was. Doing that to her would be a terrible betrayal of her trust.

  "Marissa,” he groaned, staring at the pale cheeks and the plump lips of her sex, glistening with her dew. “We can't, not like this."

  Her hips wiggled in invitation. “Please,” she whimpered, looking back over h
er shoulder. “I need you."

  Lukah rose, going to his knees behind her, his hands shaking as he gripped her hips. He scooted closer, the tip of his cock nestling between those plump lips, feeling the teasing embrace and heat of her delicate entrance on his glans. His conscience warred with the cat within him, the male wanting to take her, make her his with no remorse. The little of himself that was human fought the cat, trying to throw up barriers that would stop him.

  He pushed inside of her slowly, feeling the wet folds parting around his shaft, caressing him with their heat and tightness. Grabbing her, he lifted her so that her back was against him, his hands roaming as he slowly found his way home. His eyes glowed golden fire, changing shape in his face. His fangs grew.

  "Yes,” she moaned, a whimper escaping as well as she ground back against him. “More, Lukah."

  He wanted more as well. Pushing her to all fours in front of him, he thrust harder, his hard stomach slapping against her soft bottom. He grabbed a handful of her bright red curls, yanking her head to the side, exposing the sweetness of her nape. One bite, that's all it would take. She would be his forever.

  The thought sent a burst of pleasure that seemed to explode inside of him. A scalding heat burned through him, leaving him breathless. It seemed to come from his chest, burning into his stomach and down into his loins, connecting them where they were already joined. It burst inside of her and he heard her wail, both pleasure and surprise coupled. He leaned down, taking the nape of her neck in his mouth, his fangs scraping over her fragile flesh.

  "W-what?” she gasped, turning her head and pulling her neck from his mouth.

  The denial, then, when he was so close to coming, was the worst possible thing that could happen. He tried to reach out for her but it was as if he were made of stone. There was a feeling of being drained and then filled, a weakness that made his knees shake and his arms tremble. He was lightheaded and cold, his heart pounding so desperately hard inside his chest he thought it would beat itself to death.

  He could see the delicate baring of her nape, the tiny scraping already there from his teeth. Her soft hair fell away from her skin, leaving the tempting flesh exposed. He needed to feed from her blood, to take away the pain that was freezing his insides, paralyzing him. His mouth opened, his body ached.

  "Marissa,” he moaned, slumping over her.

  * * * *

  She couldn't believe the sensations that were pounding through her, sensations that made her dizzy with their intensity. His slow possession had her writhing under him, her hips jerking as she tried to grind against him. He had her in a grip so tight, she knew there would be bruises but she didn't care, it all felt too good.

  His skin rubbed up against hers as he bottomed out inside of her, making her moan at the feeling of being full of him, stretched around his girth. Heat bloomed where they were joined, deep inside of her, slowly growing and filling her. “Oh God,” she whispered, moaning as it flooded her veins, her heart's frantic beat pumping it throughout her system. “Lukah,” she growled as a strange kind of power filled her. “Oh, it feels so good."

  He whispered something, grabbing her hair and yanking it to the side. That little bit of pain sent a tremor of lust through her. He was dominating her, holding her still, his teeth scraping against her neck roughly.

  "W-what?” she gasped as strange feelings pulsed through her, urgings that she didn't understand. She wanted him to sink his teeth into her flesh, to hold her there like two animals mating. The feeling scared her and she turned her head, pulling away from his teeth.

  She heard him moan her name and felt him drape himself over her, his hands dropping to his sides. Unable to stop, she moved under him, feeling stronger than she'd ever felt before.

  "Stop, Rissa,” he moaned weakly. “You've got to stop."

  Marissa turned her head, looking back over her shoulder at him. Her body begged for her to move, to finish what she'd only just started, to continue the ever increasing feeling of power and strength. Lukah looked terrible. His eyes were shut, his face pale and gaunt. He looked as if he'd lost weight in the little bit of time they'd been connected.

  "Lukah, what is it?” she whispered, pulling away with a moan.

  "I don't know,” he managed to mumble. He fell to the bed, lying next to her, his cock still hard and throbbing despite the strange malady that had taken him.

  She leaned over him, her hands roaming over his body. “Can I do anything? Maybe I should call for an ambulance?"

  "No!” he nearly yelled, then repeated, softer. “No, the hospital can't do anything for me."

  "Then you do know what's wrong?” she asked, her worried eyes on his face.

  Lukah heaved a huge sigh. “I-I think so, Rissa,” he groaned. “In my clan, when we find the female we wish to mate with...” he sighed again, lifting his shaking hand to his head. “This isn't easy to explain."

  "Just say it, Lukah. Nothing you say will shock me.” She pushed his hair off his face, wishing that her own body would cool off. The sensual ache that had her begging for him earlier still held her in its thrall.

  "I'm the panther,” he whispered.

  "What?” Her gaze, which had been wandering down over his chest and stomach, shot back to his face in disbelief. “What do you mean, you're the panther? You can't be a panther, Lukah. You're a man."

  "No, I'm not just a man.” He sighed, reaching for her hand only to draw it back when she shied from his touch. “I'm what you would call a were-panther, part man part cat. My whole clan is like this, well, all but Nashe."

  "What's he, a squirrel?” she asked sarcastically.

  "No, his mother was from a different clan. He's part panther, part wolf. It's why he doesn't have much to do with us.” He sat up, only to put his hand to his head as it began to swim.

  Marissa moved off the bed, gathering her clothes and slipping them on her protesting body. “Lukah, please tell me you're kidding me, please?” she begged.

  "I wish I could. Please let me finish,” he asked, holding out his hand to her but not touching her. “I promise, if when I'm finished you want me out of your life, you'll never see me again. You can stay in any hotel in the city and I'll make sure you're okay, but I won't interfere in your life."

  She nodded, but moved to the desk along one wall, leaning against it, well out of his reach. “Okay, explain,” she said coldly.

  "I knew the first moment I saw you that I wanted to make you mine. It was as if something in here,” he said, touching his chest, “recognized you. I felt predatory. You were mine and those men were hurting you. It almost turned me into my panther half right then. But when I saw you after those men were taken care of, you were so small, so hurt, so determined to be brave. I knew I wanted to take care of you then and always. I still do. When we make love, that panther part of me wants to claim you as my mate. There is a ceremony to do that. I would claim you and we would make love in the same position you and I were just in. I would let you claim part of me and in return, I—bite you and drink a bit of your blood, capturing your essence. It bonds us."

  "You drink blood?” Marissa asked, horrified and intrigued at the same time.

  "Not normally, no. But for the ceremony, it is necessary. Then I give you my wrist and you bite me."

  "I'm not a panther,” she stated. “I don't drink blood, ceremony or not.” She shuddered delicately, wrapping her arms around herself.

  "You would be,” he said quietly. “What you feel inside of you is a part of my panther. You are becoming one of us. But without finishing the ceremony, you won't be able to hold form. You need to bind yourself to me, become my mate and then...” He moaned again, his hand falling back on the bed behind him, weakly holding himself up. “I'd never found a mate before. I didn't know it would do this."

  "Do what?"

  "Weaken me this much.” He closed his eyes, opening them to stare at her with dim amber irises. “Without finishing the ceremony..."

  "You'll get this back, this thing that's i
nside of me, right?” she asked when he stopped speaking.

  Lukah sighed, closing his eyes so she wouldn't see the lie in them. “Yes.” He would get it back, but not until after one of them died.

  "You're crazy,” she said slowly, turning and heading toward the door. “I need to think.” She looked around wildly for a moment before seeing her suitcase. Picking it up, she rushed toward the closed portal. “I-I'm s-s-sorry,” she said, her back to him. “I can't do this."

  "I know,” he whispered. “I'm sorry too."

  The door closed behind her. She hurried down the stairs, searching for a phone to call a cab. A disheveled Lucinda greeted her.

  "Running away so soon?” she asked, a catty inflection to her voice.

  "Y-yes,” she said. “If you'll tell me where the phone is, I'll be out of your way in no time."

  Lucinda narrowed her eyes and glared at the frantic redhead. “You're really leaving?"

  "Yes,” Marissa said, a bit of the panic she was feeling creeping into her voice. “Phone?"

  "Oh, not necessary. I'll be more than happy to take you anywhere you want to go.” She picked her purse up from the table by the door. “Come on."

  After a very quiet trip, Marissa had Lucinda drop her off outside Terry's apartment building. She couldn't think for the expression on Lukah's face when she'd left. So full of pain and betrayal, it was all she could do not to scream.

  "How could he?” she gritted out as she rode the elevator up to Terry's. “How could he lie to me?” No answer was forthcoming, nothing but the bing of the car as it moved through the floors. It was almost a relief to step out onto Terry's floor. The sounds of life from behind the closed doors of the apartment building were annoyingly loud in her ears. She could hear a mouse gnawing into a wall and building a nest.

  She closed her eyes tightly, putting her hand up to her ear, trying to ignore the noise and losing the battle. With a panicked step, she pounded on Terry's door until she heard the sound of life on the other side. “Terry, it's me, Marissa. Let me in, please?"

  "Mar?” Terry said, her face appearing in the small crack of the door before she shut it once more and undid the chain, yanking the door open and pulling her through. “What are you doing here?"