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"No!"
Davan screamed as Manuel reached for him. He held up a hand as if that would
ward the large jaguar shifter off. It wouldn't. The big man took Davan down to
the floor and hovered over him. "No, Manuel, you don't want to do this."
It was
already too late. Davan cried out as he felt Manuel's teeth sink into his
neck. Tears of sorrow fell from his eyes when he felt the mating bond snap
into place. He slumped against Manuel, knowing that nothing he did would stop
what was happening.
There
was a small part of Davan that gloried in the bond he now had with Manuel,
something he had dreamed of having for years. But it was a small part, a part
he kept buried deep inside.
The
other part, the bigger part, knew that this was all some terrible mistake. He
would never be able to escape the memories now. He'd live with them every day
for the rest of his life. Worse yet, he'd be living them with Manuel.
Being
an elder, Davan knew what Manuel did not and when the man discovered the rest
of the council's mandate, he would hate Davan—something Davan already lived
with on a daily basis but buried each day so he could function.
Davan
prayed that this wasn't happening, that it was all some horrible nightmare. He
knew it wasn't when one of the council guards stepped toward them and Manuel
growled while clutching Davan to his chest.
Davan
had researched jaguar shifters. He knew they were a possessive species. Mating
was taken very seriously by jaguars. They only ever had one mate. They guarded
those mates with a fierceness that was unparalleled in the paranormal world.
It had
been a strong bone of contention between Davan and Manuel ten years ago. Fae
were a little freer about things. They mated but it was often in groups of
three or more. Very rarely did fae mate with just one person.
It
wasn't that Davan planned to be unfaithful or to even bring someone else into
their relationship. He had cared about Manuel too much. It was the
possessiveness that was so hard. Manuel didn't like Davan out of his site for
any reason.
It had
caused many disagreements between them, and Davan knew it was one of the
reasons Manuel left. The anger he could now feel through their bond told Davan
that the road ahead wasn't going to be any easier. Manuel blamed him.
Davan
started to struggle when he felt Manuel's clawed hands start tearing at his
clothes. He knew under normal circumstances that Manuel never would have even
thought of fucking him in a room full of people but there wasn't anything
normal about tonight. Manuel was mindless with mating heat. He wouldn't be
stopped.
But he
could be moved. Davan grabbed at Manuel's hands as he tried to scoot out from
under the man. Manuel growled. Davan inhaled sharply. He knew he wasn't in
danger, not anymore. He was Manuel's mate and would be protected at all costs.
But everyone around them was in danger of losing their lives.
"Not
here, Manuel," Davan said carefully. He knew of only one way to get through to
Manuel in his current feral state. "Please, not in front of everyone else. I
don't want anyone to see me."
Manuel's jaw clenched when he pulled his teeth free of Davan's neck. He
glanced quickly around as if he expected someone to try and take Davan away
from him. Davan grunted when Manuel's arms tightened possessively around him.
Manuel growled and stood up, cradling Davan in his arms.
The
softly painted blue walls of the ballroom flew past Davan as Manuel carried
him out of the room. They quickly turned to stone as Manuel hurried down the
hallway. Davan barely had time to register the fact that they were heading
into a room before the door slammed closed and he was tossed onto the bed.
Manuel
was on him before he could roll over, tearing the remaining clothes from his
body. Davan swallowed hard at the untamed glow in Manuel's dark brown eyes.
The man was feeling every effect of the mating heat.
Davan
just prayed there was enough sanity left in the man to not hurt him during
their coupling. Anyone could be rough when it came to mating. A Jaguar in the
midst of a mating heat could be dangerous.
If
Davan made the wrong move, Manuel might take it as his refusal to accept the
mating, and then all hell would break loose. Davan knew he would have to be
very careful so he didn't set Manuel off.
Manuel's face was flushed when he looked down at Davan. His eyes held an
insane glint in them. Strangely, Davan didn't detect a hint of the hatred he
was sure Manuel felt. Instead, Manuel's look was filled with desire.
"Manny," Davan whispered as he reached up to stroke the side of Manuel's face.
Despite everything, he still cared for the man. Davan's heart almost cracked
when Manuel grabbed his hand and kissed the palm. It was a gentle gesture, one
that was at odds with the fierce warrior that Davan knew Manuel to be.
"Don't
do—ahhh!" Davan cried out as Manuel struck hard and fast, sinking his canines
into the soft skin of Davan's neck.
Davan
knew what Manuel was doing. He was reasserting his claim on Davan. He'd do it
every time he felt his claim was threatened. That’s what jaguars did. Davan
imagined he'd be bit a lot in the future. Manuel had possessiveness down to an
art form.
Misery
and elation warred inside of Davan when he felt Manuel's hands move down his
body. He had ached to see Manuel again for four very lonely years. He dreamed
of the man at night, crying out in the mornings when he woke without him. To
be touched by the man again was a dream Davan never thought he would realize.
But
the pleasure he knew was to come was a small comfort for the pain he knew he'd
suffer the moment Manuel regained his senses. Davan wasn't sure he would
survive it when Manuel left again or told him to his face that he wasn't good
enough to be a jaguar's mate.
Because of that, when he felt Manuel's slick cock slide into his ass, Davan's
cry didn't come just from the exquisite pleasure that movement produced but
also from his soul crying out in denial.
The
intense shocks shooting through Davan at finally being claimed by Manuel
overshadowed everything for several moments. Manuel's large hands stroked his
heated skin as the man pounded into him. His larger body pressed down on Davan
but it was a welcome weight, letting Davan know it wasn't all a dream. Manuel
really was here. Davan was truly being claimed.
Davan
cried out as his body ignited in a maelstrom of pleasure so intense that he
felt his world tilt. He couldn't hold back the pixie dust that would renew his
bond with Manuel when his wings extended. Brilliant colors filled the air
around them, dusting both of them until their skin glowed.
Davan's wings fluttered wildly between his back and the mattress as awe in the
moment grew. Manuel tossed his head back and roared out his release. He felt
the cock in his ass pulse then fill him, further cementing Manuel's claim.
As
Manuel lowered his head and looked back down at him, Davan let his eyes fall
close and exhaustion take him away. He didn't have it in him at that moment to
see the anger in Manuel's eyes when the man figured out what happened.
He
just wanted to dream a little longer.
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