Untamed (8 page)

He
had
to
show
her
that
he
was
not
the
monster
she
thought
he
was… and that she was everything he had hoped she would be.

He
cleared
his
throat, and she glanced up at him briefly before looking up at the inky, black sky.
The dream realm you’ve created is beautiful,
he
murmured.

This is home,
she
mused
softly. Her voice touched his mind with almost painful tenderness.

Her
spotted
coat, dappled with moonlight, called to him. Keeping his eyes on her, watching for any sign of discomfort as his energy mingled with hers, he reached over to touch her. Fingers outstretched and hovering just above her head, he threw a silent prayer to the universe and stroked her fur as gently as possible. He let out the breath he was holding when she didn’t bolt or break their connection. Her fur was surprisingly rough against his fingers and the friction only served to entice him further. All he could think was that if touching her felt this good in the dream realm, how spectacular would it be in reality? He rubbed behind her ears and grinned as she leaned into his hand and encouraged his attention.

That feels wonderful.
She
purred
and
stood
on
all
fours
as
he
continued
his
exploration. William ran both hands along her sleek back. She was an exotic combination of silk and steel, strength and beauty, all rolled into one as she rubbed against his legs and almost knocked him over. Layla walked past him as his fingers trailed along her tail, which she yanked from his grasp playfully. He watched her walk away from him a few paces, and she crouched low with her long tail twitching behind her.
So you say that you don’t want to possess me, right?
she
challenged.

Yes
, he said hesitantly. He narrowed his eyes.
What are you up to?

Well, you see, counselor…
She
crouched
lower, and her lips curled back to reveal a mouth full of sharp white teeth.
You’d have to catch me first.
Then
in
the
blink
of
an
eye, she burst into a run and exploded across the field like a rocket.

You’re not the only one who enjoys a challenge,
he
shouted
after
her.

William’s eyes flicked to their clan form and glowed brightly in the night as he broke into a run, whispered the ancient language,
Verto
, and shifted into his gyrfalcon. The warm, familiar ripple of the shift washed over him, and within seconds he was soaring high above the field, gaining on his mate. He tracked her as she sprinted through the tall grasses and with a loud shriek, he swooped down low and fast, matching her speed.

Looks like I could catch you after all.
He
touched
his
mind
to
hers
and
heard
her
laugh
in
response.

Really?
She
chuckled
as
she
ran
at
a
breakout
pace
. Look out for the lightning.

He
was
about
to
ask
what
she
was
talking
about, when a white bolt of lightning shot down in front of him, blackening the grasses, and almost cooking him along with it. He shrieked loudly, banked to the right, and lost sight of his mischievous mate. She may not know everything there is to know about being Amoveo, but she sure seemed to have a solid handle on controlling the dream realm.

Layla
burst
out
of
the
grasses
and
slowed
considerably
as
she
entered
the
forest. Breathless, she trotted over to a giant pine tree and flopped down on a bed of needles at the base of the trunk.
I won.
Her
victorious
voice
panted
happily
into
his
mind.

William
soared
in, shifted, and stood next to her in his human form once again.
Built for speed, but not for distance, Firefly?
He
shoved
both
hands
in
his
pockets
and
leaned
against
the
neighboring
tree.
I suppose that’s why you resorted to cheating
. He sighed.

Layla
snarled, and before William could say another word, she shimmered and shifted into her human form. William’s mouth went dry at the sight of her. She was wearing a white tank top, which molded perfectly to her small breasts and topped the most miniscule pair of white shorts he’d ever seen. Oh yeah, she knew exactly how to use the dream realm.

It wasn’t cheating.
She
rose
from
the
bed
of
needles
and
leaves.
I was simply using all of my resources. That’s not cheating.
She
closed
the
distance
between
them
until
she
was
standing
just
inches
from
him.
It’s resourceful.
She
breathed
the
words
softly
and
seductively
as
her
eyes
wandered
over
him, boldly appraising him.
I thought, as an attorney, you’d appreciate ingenuity like that.

Those
sparkling
green
eyes
met
his
and
her
hands
rested
on
slim
hips, daring him to argue with her. He definitely had no desire to confront her. He felt like their entire relationship so far had been one sparring match after another, but looking into that heart-shaped face, quarreling was the furthest thing from his mind.

He
took
a
curly
strand
of
her
hair
between
his
fingers
and
found
it
was
softer
than
the
fur
of
her
cheetah.
I’ve been dying to touch your hair since the day I first found you.
He
wrapped
the
smooth
strands
around
his
finger
and
rubbed
his
thumb
over
the
coiled
lock.
It’s even silkier than I’d imagined,
he
murmured
. Did you know that it glints like fire in the rays of the sun and burns like embers in the glow of the moon?

She’d moved closer, and he didn’t know if he’d pulled her there, or if she’d done it on her own. Her breasts brushed his rib cage, and she let out a light sigh as her hands found their way to his waist, and she hooked her thumbs into the loops of his jeans. He tangled both hands in her lush curls and reveled in the feel of it laced through his fingers. His eyes snapped to his falcon as her hands found their way under his shirt, and she slipped her fingers just beneath the waistband of his pants.

The
glowing
eyes
of
her
clan
flared
brightly
at
him
from
under
thick
eyelashes, and her lips tilted suggestively.
Is that the only thing you’ve been dying to get your hands on?
The
moon
burned
brighter
in
the
night
sky, and the winds of the dream realm blew hotter as their energies mingled and tumbled around them.

William
brushed
his
thumbs
along
the
curve
of
cheeks, wishing this moment was happening in the flesh and not just in the dream realm. Those spectacular glowing eyes stared at him, filled with stark need to connect, to discover if everything they felt was valid. Or was it all just exacerbated by the dream? William uttered a curse into the rushing wind and closed the distance between them. Although, he wasn’t sure if he bent to claim her, or if she rose to meet him
—
perhaps
it
was
a
bit
of
both.

She
tasted
like
bubble
gum, and he wondered fleetingly if she tasted this sweet in reality. His fingers tangled in her hair as he devoured her tender lips. To his delight, Layla sighed contentedly and sank into the kiss as her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Her lips parted, and she welcomed him into the warm darkness of her mouth. He angled her head to delve deeper and discover her. The intensity increased swiftly as she swept her tongue along his and grazed her teeth temptingly, before she nibbled at his lower lip.

You taste as good as you look, and that’s saying something.
He
murmured
the
words
against
her
lips
and
rubbed
handfuls
of
her
hair
between
his
fingers. He moved his attentions to the smooth skin of her cheek, whispered his lips along her jawline, and blazed a trail along her neck. Layla’s whole body trembled against him, and she moaned as she brushed her palms deliciously along the small of his back.

You are gorgeous in both forms.
He
kissed
his
way
back
up
to
that
succulent
mouth
and
tasted
them
briefly.
I can’t wait to shift with you in the material plane, to race with you through that field in reality
. She stiffened in his arms, and within seconds thunder and lightning broke out violently around them.

It
would
seem
they
were
sparring
once
again, except he had no idea what he’d done. William pulled back and found her staring at him with a stone cold look in her eyes that he’d unfortunately seen before—the same look she’d given him when she found him fighting with Raife.

Her
eyes
burned
brightly, anger carved deeply in her features, and those lips that he’d been drinking from just moments before, were set in a frown. She slipped out of his embrace and shook her head as she backed away from him slowly.

No.
Layla
shouted
it
above
the
howling
wind
and
thunder
as
her
curly
hair
blew
wildly
around
her.
Good night, William.

With
genuine
confusion
he
watched
helplessly
as
she
moved
further
and
further
away. What in the hell had he done?
Frustration
flooded
him
as
he
felt
all
of
their
progress
slip
through
his
fingers
like
sand.
Layla, wait.
He
reached
for
her, but before he could say another word, the fog bank rolled in and swallowed her from his sight.

***

Layla woke up the next morning feeling more rested, but no less confused. The shared dream with William was the first thing on her mind, and her conflicting emotions were the culprit for her mental exhaustion. She knew she had no one to blame but herself. After all,
she
had let
him
into her dream and allowed him to find her, and the whole goddamned thing backfired on her. She foolishly thought that if she would be able to maintain control and perhaps find a way to make him see how nuts this whole “mate” thing was. She scolded herself and pushed the sheets off her bare legs. Oh sure, she controlled the environment, but not her damn hormones.