Lycan Warrior (6 page)

He gave her a hard look. “How am I expected to react when you’re standing there practically naked?”

Frowning, she glanced down at herself and her face heated up. Her sheery, long night dress was see-through. Katya crossed her arms on her chest and gave him an uncertain look, her stomach flipping at the expression on his face. It was dark with desire, his gaze resting on the swell of her breasts. Malek wanted her. He had his hands clenched at his sides and she watched him swallow hard.

“It’s getting harder for me to stay away from you,” he said, his deep voice sending shivers up her spine.

“Even if we’re not each other’s
ones
?” she said, picking the first thing that leapt to her mind.

“To hell with the legend,” he rasped. “I want you, not my
one.”

She parted her lips, gasping softly. For the first time, she admitted to herself she wanted him, too. “I’m…I’m not stopping you.”

Hope flared on his handsome face. “What did you say?” Malek asked quietly.

“I…I said I won’t stop you.” And she wouldn’t, she realised. Somehow, Katya knew Malek held the key to destroy the nightmares plaguing her sleep the past two years. Somewhere in his proud, aloof, arrogant self, he held the secret to release her from her past. She wasn’t sure if it was her wolf responding to his, but she did know she was right.

A satisfied look softened his ruthless features and he growled under his breath. Slowly, Malek advanced, his face etched with determination. Katya was afraid, but not frightened. Something about him that made his face predatory, a primal need that reached out to her, making her nerves flutter with excitement.

She took a small step forward, her courage rising. “Show me how it should be between a man and woman. Help me forget the past two years,” she said.

He drew in a strangled breath, groaning as he strode to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. He pulled her hard against his chest as his mouth descended over hers.

Malek ran a hungry kiss over her mouth, pushing her head back, and Katya moaned against his warm, firm lips. This was where she wanted to be, Katya thought suddenly.
In his arms.

Just as quickly as he kissed her, he withdrew, leaving her shaken and uncertain. She looked up at him and saw dark flames of desire leaping in his eyes, his erection rigid and hard against her belly.

“You are not afraid?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

“No.”

“
I
am afraid. What if I can’t control myself with you? My wolf has burned with desire for you from the first moment I met you. I…” His deep voice trailed. “I don’t want to frighten you.”

She reached up and cupped his face with her hands. “You won’t. Make love to me and my wolf will respond.”

Malek snarled, a satisfied glint in his eyes, and he turned his face to plant a hard kiss on her hand. He slid his own hands around her waist and drew her close.

Katya could feel every contour of his strong body and she closed her eyes, basking in the heady sensations running through her limbs. He began rubbing her back and she moaned at the pleasure he was inciting in her veins. Yet, she knew he was holding back. She knew he was still afraid to scare her away with his passion.

Determined to put him at ease, she planted a soft kiss on his chest and pressed her lower body against his loins. Malek sucked in a harsh breath.

“We must go slow,” he suggested in a strained voice.

“No, we mustn’t,” she murmured, running more kisses on his chest. “I want to know passion. Don’t be afraid to hurt me. I’m a Lycan, and my wolf is burning with desire for you, too.”

Sucking in a harsh breath, he slid his hands to her bottom and ground her body against his, his expression taut with passion. He ran kisses over her face until his mouth closed over hers. Katya whimpered under the passionate onslaught of his kiss.

His hands bunched her nightdress and he lifted it over her head. Malek withdrew from her, running his dark gaze over her as Katya stood naked before him. He stared at her breasts and groaned, dropping his head to take one in his mouth. Katya threw her head back and whimpered. Darts of ecstasy pulsed from her breasts to the joint where her legs met and she throbbed with both pleasure and pain.

He took her other breast in his mouth and her ache mounted.

Malek suckled and lathed her rosy nub until Katya couldn’t take it anymore. Her knees buckled and he lifted her in his arms, carrying her to the cot. He placed her down, staring at her body, a deep growl emanating from his throat as he knelt at the foot of the cot and grabbed her knees. She lay her head back and squeezed her eyes, biting into her lip as the ache between her legs grew. He was driving her mad with desire.

Katya gasped! He pushed her legs apart, exposing her womanhood to him, and she held her breath.

Her body tensed with shock as she felt the first thrust of his tongue entering her. He kissed her, suckled her, lathed her, and all the while, a build of ecstasy was rising over her limbs. She felt like she was going to explode into a million pieces.

With his mouth still on her silken, wet folds, Malek placed his palm on her throbbing nub while he dug his tongue into her.

Her passion erupted as wave upon wave of ecstasy washed over her, leaving her shaking with spasms. Katya breathed hard, unable to catch her breath as she felt him rise from in between her legs and position himself over her.

She gazed up at Malek with wonder on her face. His pallor was a dark red, dangerous and predatory as he placed his knee between her legs and separated them.

Her body’s tingles were subsiding, but the moment she felt his hard erection on her folds, she flung her head back, squeezing her eyes.

Malek growled as he thrust himself deep within her moist sheath, making Katya scream at the pleasure reawakening in her limbs.

Malek withdrew and entered her with punishing force and she matched his movements wildly, wanting him to stay inside her. Dazed, she looked up at his face and caught her breath. It was a duller red, his eyes as black as night, his expression taut with unrestrained passion. He looked more animal than human.

And with one final thrust, Malek threw back his head and roared his release as Katya joined him in her climax.

For a few moments, they didn’t move as their heavy breathing subsided. He braced himself over her on his elbows so he didn’t crush her, and she yearned for his heavy weight over her.

Their gazes locked, and she smiled shyly up at him.

Malek didn’t return her smile. He just planted a hard kiss on her mouth, his dark, fathomless eyes never leaving her face.

Katya wrapped her arms around his powerful shoulders and closed her eyes. This was heaven.

She jerked under his weight, her eyes flying open!

“What the—
” she blurted out, then gasped, dazed beyond comprehension.

His expression was stunned for a brief moment until a satisfied glint on his face made her understand what was happening.

They were shifting involuntarily into their Lycan forms. They were each other’s
ones
.

“Are we…” She couldn’t find the rest of her voice as her body stretched and grew.

“Aye, my lovely,” he said, transforming.

In their full Lycan forms, they stared into each other’s eyes, Malek’s expression a mixture of possessive pride and contentment.

Their humans took over and slowly they reverted back to man and woman.

Katya gaped at him, her eyes wide. “What just happened?”

“We made love,” he replied dryly.

“I meant the other thing! I…I shifted involuntarily.”

“As I. It appears the Lycan Legend has struck again.”

“This isn’t funny.”

“I am not laughing.”

“I don’t understand. That means…that means…” She couldn’t finish her thought.

“We are soul mates.”

“How can that be? We hardly know each other.”

“Souls have an eternal life. We’ve been connected always, since the birth of time. It matters not if our physical forms just met. Our souls have known each other always.”

“Those are quite the romantic words for a fierce, Lycan warrior.”

“Do not jest about the Lycan Legend.”

“We…we just accept our fate?”

“Is it so hard to care for me?” he asked.

“Well, I…I like you, so the Universe and its legend must know what it’s doing,” she quipped.

A hint of a smile softened his handsome features. “
Like
. That is how you feel about me?” He paused. “Fascinating.” He tightened his hold around her.

“Why are you surprised I like you?”

Malek raised an arrogant brow. “I know you burn with desire for me. I know you yearn for my touch as I yearn for yours. I know you sense me one hundred paces away and
feel
what I feel. I am not sure I would use
like
as the word to describe what we feel.”

“Don’t knock it. It’s what people feel when the compassion begins, the caring, the warmth.
Like
enhances the attraction and passion. And then comes lo—” Katya froze at what she was about to say.

“Love?”

Her gaze wavered under his dark, penetrable stare. “Y-yes.”

“So you think you may grow to love me?”

“You’re making fun of me.” She wished they could drop the subject.

His expression was serious. “I do not jest about things like this.”

Thunder rolled with the ferocity of a thousand lions roaring in their tent and she stiffened under him. “I…I think the Gods want us to stop talking about this.

“I think not, but it is late and we need to go to sleep.” Malek rolled over on his side, taking her with him, as he pulled the cover over their bodies. His strong arms clasped around her.

She was surprised. “Together?”

“My
one
will not sleep alone.” He closed his eyes.

After a short while, his breathing evened and she realised he was asleep.

It took her a long time to fall asleep. She lay in his arms, sated and warm, wondering how she was going to tell him she was barren.

Chapter Six

The next day, Katya woke up to an empty cot. Malek was gone. She glanced around the tent and saw the bread and cheese on a plate for her by the basin. She knew Malek had placed it there and she was warmed by his thoughtfulness. She ate quickly, washed herself, and dressed in her trousers and shirt before she went outside and saw the guards packing up the camp.

She saw Malek striding toward her and her face warmed. Katya still was unable to believe he was her
one.

“We leave within the hour,” he said abruptly. “If we travel without stopping, we can make it past the mountains before dark. Mount Trotus will be a half day’s ride after that, so we should make it to the waterfall by tomorrow morning.”

She frowned. Was this the same man who had made mad, passionate love to her last night? The man who spoke of their souls and how they’d been connected since the birth of time? She was irked he could dismiss it so easily.

“Ten of my men are staying here with you. I will be travelling to Trotus with my remaining guards and you will wait for our return tomorrow night.”

“There are traps in the woods at the base of Trotus. Traps made with silver. You’ll be killed!”

“I have survived many battles in two hundred years. Fear not for my safety.” He then turned away.

Katya grabbed his arm and he gave her a questioning look. “No! I have to come.”

His jaw tensed as he glanced down at her hand. “I cannot risk your safety. You will remain here. Ortega and my men are under strict orders to guard you with their life.”

Worry lined her brow. “Malek, I know the terrain. I must go with you.”

“You will remain here.”

She knew arguing with him was futile, so Katya nodded, thinking she wasn’t going to give up that easily.

She turned to walk away, but his hand on her arm stopped her. The look in his eyes took her breath away. His expression wasn’t aloof or cold. There was heat in his eyes.
Heat, warmth, affection.
Slowly, he lowered his head and kissed her. Malek withdrew before she could catch her breath.

“You worry about me,” he said. “That is good.”

* * * *

Malek and his men reached Trotus’s base just before sunrise. The waterfall was just ahead and there were no signs of Lycans from Balkathan’s lair. He knew Balkathan’s Vampires were asleep since it was almost sunrise. He paid attention to the area so when he returned to the castle he could map out the region to the king.

A noise snapped his gaze to the left and he motioned with his hand to his guards behind him to remain silent. He saw three Lycans walk onto the grounds just as the sun rose. He couldn’t make them out. A rustle behind him made his hair at the back of his nape rise. He turned around, astounded to see Katya. He released a soft, yet angry growl.