Page 12 of Loving the Lion

“I, um.” Sally quickly lowered her arms and started to squirm, trying to find a way out of his arms. As she did, she felt his body respond to her totally innocent movement. Her eyes flew to his, and she redoubled her efforts to free herself.

Bachar stared at her with his slumberous eyes, making no effort to help her. “You are only making the situation more difficult, Sally.”

Their gazes locked and Sally wasn’t the least bit sorry to say, she looked away first. She was honest enough to admit she didn’t have the sexual experience to go toe-to-toe with a lion. Once she stopped moving, he moved, setting down the plate he’d been holding. Next, he picked up one of the small brown chocolate squares and held it to her mouth. When she hesitated, he gave a little growl. Instinctively, she leaned forward, closing her lips around the treat. His growl turned into what she could only describe as a purr of approval. Thankfully, the brownie was small, and she finished it in two bites. Again, she tried to move off him, but his arm wrapped itself around her waist, pulling her closer. He reached over and picked up another brownie. This time she watched as he ate. Next, he selected a small puffed pastry and held it out for her. She opened her mouth obediently. It was small enough for her to eat in one bite. She chewed, feeling more and more self-conscious—and turned on. She swallowed and waited for him to eat one.

“You have cream on your lip.”

“I do?” She lifted her hand to wipe it away, embarrassed.

He grabbed her hand, stopping its upward movement. He leaned forward, their gazes locked. “Do you know how much a cat likes cream?”

“No,” her voice trembled, but she was proud that she could at least speak. Her body started to tremble as well, knowing she was about to feel the touch of his mouth on hers.

“We could live on the cream of a woman,” he whispered a second before his rough tongue came out and licked her upper lip. “Now, what aren’t you telling me?”

Her eyes had half closed in anticipation of his touch, but they popped open at his startling question. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Do not lie to me. That is something I will not tolerate.” He gripped her chin between his thumb and finger, forcing her to meet his gaze. “I know you were doing what you had to do to find your brother, but now you must tell me everything. There are forces at work that you know nothing about.”

Sally thought for a moment. She knew she needed to tell Bachar about her brother, but she was afraid as soon as she revealed the truth, he would send her packing and perhaps punish her brother.

He gave her chin a light squeeze before dropping his hand. Immediately, she missed the warmth of his touch. “Sally, you do realize that shifters can recognize other shifters.”

“How?” Her voice trembled.

“The same way I can tell that you are aroused.”

“What?” she squeaked.

“Shifters recognize other shifters by smell. Just as I can tell if I am arousing a woman properly.”

“I. I.” Wow, Sally thought, that piece of information making her head swirl. She took a deep breath and tried not to move any other part of her body. There was no doubt he had aroused her with that sensual lick of his tongue. And the natural thoughts that had followed—about the feel of that tongue on other parts of her body. “Okay, here it goes, but please don’t be mad at me.”

“I would never harm you.” Bachar watched as Sally gathered her courage to tell him what he had already guessed. Truer words had never been spoken. There was no way he could ever harm her—his mate. Protecting her, keeping her safe, was embedded deep within his DNA.

“My brother is a shifter. I know he shouldn’t be here and I knew if you found out he was a shifter who had entered your territory without permission…” She took a long deep, breath. “I wasn’t sure what you would do.”

Bachar cursed the propaganda still being fed to the general population by The Group. That was the uncreative name the humans had given themselves still intent on robbing shifters of their natural rights much as they had other groups of humans throughout history. Unfortunately for humans now those outcasts, shifters, could fight back. With teeth and claws. But that only gave those humans more of a reason to make trouble in the name of their cause. If he had not been there when she’d arrived at the hotel…if she had entered his lands, unaccompanied…been found by humans…

Thankfully, her brother had been found by an honorable wolf pack. “Has he shifted yet?”

“Yes. He turned sixteen a few months ago.” She looked up at him, unshed tears making her brown eyes dark as the mountain night. He pulled her into his arms, unable to stop himself from offering comfort. His mate was in pain, and it was his natural instinct. “Hush, Habibi.”

“His first shift was awful, he was in so much pain.”

Her words made him frown. The first few times a person shifted were painful indeed, but usually, a parent was there to help, to guide, to encourage. He could only imagine how difficult it must have been for her, seeing the transformation and knowing there was nothing she could do to prevent the pain. “He is your step-brother.”

“How did you know?”

“There is no animal inside you. A mating with a human always results in a shifter. We are the dominant species.”

He held her for a moment, stroking the dark fall of her hair. So beautiful. Finally, he thought, he had found her. The other half of his soul. His lion purred in satisfaction before reminding him they both would be much more satisfied when he took her to their bed.

“Which parent was the shifter?”

“My step-father. He was killed by a pack of rogue wolves. As far as we could determine, he was attacked and left for dead. He would go to the mountains once a month, and my mother would tell me and Nick it was to hike.” She grimaced slightly. “After he was killed, she told us about him.”

“They should not have withheld such important information from either of you.” Bachar pulled her closer. “Tell me how your mother died.”