Authors: Joyee Flynn
“I’m so sorry,” Curtis said softly as he closed the door and came closer. “It doesn’t bother me that you’re blind. And I didn’t mean to treat you like a child. I–I reacted on instinct. I can’t imagine how much harder everything you’ve been through has been with you not able to see.”
“So you don’t see me as damaged?” I asked, making sure to turn my head in his direction. I’d learned over the years that people got wigged out when you didn’t face them when talking to them. It was as if they especially noticed you were blind if you didn’t conform to what they were used to.
“No, that’s not how I see you, angel. Do I wish you could see? Of course, but not because I think you’re broken. I just think there are lots of things in the world that are beautiful and wish you could see them.”
“Me, too,” I sighed and jumped when he knelt in front of me and his body brushed my legs. “Curtis, you need to not be so close to me.”
“Why? Do you want me to leave?”
“No, when you touch me, I want you naked,” I said with a purr. “Everything in me is screaming to claim you, and when you’re this close, I can’t think.”
“I don’t have any lube,” he whimpered as he ran his hands up my thighs. “And please, please,
please
tell me your name, my angel cheetah.”
“Why angel?” I asked, tilting my head to the side as I mulled over the pet name choice.
“Because you’re the most heavenly thing I’ve ever seen,” Curtis answered as he leaned closer. “And I was feeling so lost and defeated, without any purpose, until I saw this vision sitting in the courtyard sunbathing. Seeing you before I even realized you were my mate made me remember that there was beauty in the world. That there were reasons to keep going on.”
“I’m still having that problem,” I whispered as my cheeks heated up. “I was just sitting here daydreaming about what it would be like to be mated and maybe be happy again one day. But while I feel such overwhelming desire for you because you’re my mate, I just lost my parents. I’m a mess, and that shouldn’t be your problem.”
“Please, angel, give me the chance to show you that we can work. I know you’re on a deadline, but we can go slow after that, okay? I promise to give you everything and make you happy.”
“
Shemael
Cowell, but everyone calls me Shem,” I said so quietly I barely heard myself. “I thought you were making a joke at how we’re all named after angels. My parents were very religious, even if they didn’t follow any one church. They also named my sisters after saints.”
“No, I didn’t know that, but it makes sense to me,” he replied. His lips brushed over mine gently, and I felt a jolt of electricity run through me from just that kiss. “Please give me a chance, Shem.”
“Okay.” Before he could say anything, I pulled his head to mine and kissed him again. My mate tasted like heaven! Sweet, but manly, oh so manly. And I knew I could do nothing but kiss him for a week and never get bored. “Do you know what happens when I claim you and afterwards?”
“You go into heat, right?” He panted, needing air as much as I did after that kiss. “I saw what
Kody
went through when his mates weren’t around. God, I’d die if you were ever in pain like that.”
“It hurts now,” I admitted as I blushed again. “My brothers found me sitting in a cold shower because I wanted to claw off my skin with need.”
“Then we need to mate right now,” Curtis exclaimed and lifted me into his arms. “And I’m not trying to treat you like a child when I pick you up like this, Shem. I just wanted any excuse to touch or hold you. I was dying to see what my mate felt like in my arms.”
“I’m sorry I was a butthead and didn’t give you the chance to explain.” I heard the door open and close again and realized he was taking me to his room. “I’m scared, Curtis.”
“Of me?” he asked, halting his steps.
“Of all of this,” I answered honestly as I snuggled into his chest. “I’m scared to love anyone else and then have the chance I could lose them. I’m scared to have sex for the first time. I’m scared this won’t work out, and we’ll be stuck with each other. I’m just scared.”
“Vampires are very hard to kill, my angel,” Curtis said gently as he walked us up the stairs. “And I mean very hard. And you’ll become immortal after mating me. I know your first time having sex is scary, probably more so for you because you won’t be able to see what’s happening. But you’re going to claim me first, and I promise I’ll bottom until you’re ready, okay? I have no problem with you taking me, so we’ll wait until you’re ready for anything else.”
“Cass was right. You are a good guy,” I replied with a purr. “Thank you, Curtis.”
“God, when you purr my name, it makes me almost blow.” He groaned. I giggled and then stopped suddenly. “What’s wrong?”
“That’s the first time I’ve laughed since my parents died,” I whispered. I didn’t know how to process that. Was I allowed to be happy and laugh when they’d just died a few months ago?
“It’s okay to be happy even when you’re grieving, Shem,” he said as if he’d been able to hear my thoughts. I nodded and thought about what he said as he carried me to our destination.
A few minutes later, he opened a door, led me inside, and closed it behind us.
“I’m going to love you so good, angel,” Curtis whispered as he nuzzled my neck. Him simply touching me felt so amazing that I was struck speechless. When he laid me on the bed, I immediately toed off my shoes and yanked off my shirt. “God, you’re gorgeous.”
“Thank you. You are, too,” I replied as my cheeks heated up. He didn’t say anything as I started to undo my jeans, and I realized he thought I was lying to him. “I can see shapes, shadows, and figures when I’m in my half and half form. I can see as a cheetah can when I’m in full shifted form. So I saw you yesterday.”
“Oh, that’s good to know.” He chuckled and kissed me again. “I wasn’t sure if you were saying I was gorgeous on the inside or something.”
“Nope, on the outside.” I giggled. Then suddenly his hands were gently taking my jeans off, and I wasn’t in the mood to laugh anymore. I was shaking with desire as my cat was screaming to be free and claim my mate. Once my jeans were off and I lay naked in front of Curtis, I finally got my mouth to work again. “I think you’ll need to get yourself stretched. I’m having trouble holding back my shift, and claws don’t work on sensitive areas.”
“Do we have time for a little bit of making out before you need to shift? I don’t want you to feel as if I’m rushing you into something without even having some proper foreplay.”
“Can we do it next time?” My body felt on fire as he touched me. I knew trying to hold back my cheetah would be a battle that I would lose shortly. “I could have controlled this better if I’d not run off yesterday. I’m so sorry, Curtis. This is your mating, too.”
“Don’t worry about me, my angel cheetah,” he replied gently and moved away from me. I heard rustling and guessed he was getting naked. “Whatever my mate needs, okay? We can play for the rest of our lives, but it kills me to know you’re in any discomfort. So we’ll skip it this time. Though I plan on giving that glorious cock of yours lots of attention soon. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a perfect dick in my life.”
“I wish I could see yours,” I whispered, feeling awkward I couldn’t return the compliment.
“I’ll stand naked on display for you one day when you’re in cheetah form. How’s that?”
I groaned and nodded as he climbed back in bed. His naked skin brushing against mine sent tingles through my body as my brain went into overload from the sensations.
“Thank you for saving yourself for me, Shem. I’m sorry I didn’t do the same.”
“It’s okay. I’m way younger than you, right? I’m not sure I could have waited if I was older than twenty. Wait, no, I turned twenty-one a few months ago. Duh.”
“It’s cute when you ramble.” He chuckled, and I heard a snap. That had to be the cap of the lube. Curtis kissed my neck, and I angled it to give him better access.
“Cute is good, right? I mean, it doesn’t make me a chick to be cute?”
“No, cute is wonderful on you, Shem.” He let out a long moan, and I knew he was stretching himself.
“Fuck, I want to see you do that,” I whimpered and glanced to where I guessed his ass was. “Is it rude to shift so I can see? I mean, we can’t really kiss once I turn into my half and half form.”
“We have the rest of our lives to kiss, baby. Shift away.”
“Music to my ears,” I purred and let the change flow over me. I may be blind, but I definitely wasn’t stupid. Curtis was hot, and I wanted to see him naked. But that was a perk of being mated. I got to see him naked any time I wanted to.
Chapter 2
“Is it wrong that I’m still turned on when you’re in that form?” Curtis asked a few moments after I shifted.
“No, it’s still me in here,” I answered with a slight growl. It was hard to be part cat and not have everything I say sound like an animal was saying it. “I’m glad you still want me.”
“Oh yeah,” he moaned and spread his legs wider. I moved in between them carefully, since I still couldn’t see much. “You don’t have depth perception, do you?”
“No, not at all,” I admitted, my cheeks heating up. “Two of my brothers see like this when they’re in human form and can see perfectly in their other forms. One explained it as it’s like when someone’s standing in front of the sun and you see the shadows over you. You can kind of see the person, but it’s hard to gauge much.”
“I still think you’re perfect, Shem.” Curtis leaned forward to kiss me, which must have pushed his fingers deeper into him because he groaned. He was careful to kiss my catlike nose so he didn’t get cut on my sharp teeth. “I’m ready for you, angel.”
“You have to be on all fours,” I whispered, scared at what was going to happen. Once we did this, there was no going back, and it was all happening so fast. “D–Don’t l–let me hurt you, o–okay?”
“I promise,” he said gently as he cupped my face. Then he moved to turn over on his hands and knees. “I pledge myself to you,
Shemael
Cowell. I promise to always be faithful, love, cherish, and always put you first. I swear to share you with your other mate and respect your bond as mates.”
“Wait—they’ll be your mate, too,” I replied, freezing in place. I’m sure I looked silly, my cock in hand pressing against his hole, but we needed to discuss this. The wheels in my head were spinning at his words. “You were willing to mate me thinking that I’d only be with you half the time?”
“Cat shifters get two mates,” he said, and I could hear the confusion in his voice. “I figured you’d be in his bed and with him part of the time.”
“No, Curtis,” I whispered as I ran one clawed hand down his back gently. “All three of us will be mates. We’ll all share each other. No some with him, some with you. Fate would never be so cruel.”
“Oh,” Curtis replied quietly. Then suddenly he moved to push harder against my cock and reached for my hip. “That’s way better than what I thought. Now I’m even more excited to be your mate. I give myself to you, Shem. Take me and claim your mate.”
“I can’t believe you were going to let me claim you thinking you only got half a mate.” I pushed into him slowly, not able to hold back anymore. My mate was there like an offering from fate, and my cat was getting impatient.
“Half of you would be more than a full mate for most, angel.”
“You don’t even know me, Curtis,” I replied, still shell shocked as I worked my dick in and out of him to loosen him up. “How can you say that?”
“Because you’re frightened, but you’re not running. Hell, you actually admitted to being scared, which shows me how honest and open you are. You’re worried about hurting a six-eight vampire, and it’s not my first time having sex, it’s yours. You might be blind, but you’re not handicapped by any means, Shem. Oh, and you love and trust your brothers enough to have given me a second chance after I fucked up. That’s a lot to know about someone already.”
“And that makes you want me?” I asked with a moan as I finally pushed the rest of the way in. I leaned over him, relishing in the feeling of being together so intimately with my mate. It might have been rude to just lay over him with my full weight when I should be moving, but I just wanted this one moment to savor it.