“He doesn’t care much for rabbits. His favorite treats are dumb little girls who like to disregard measures set up for their own safety.”
The female voice had her jerking around, only to earn her a sharp nip on her back from the animal at her back.
She jerked back around, staring in surprise as he roared again.
“Can you call him off or something?” she gasped. The little bite hadn’t hurt, but she would prefer not to have a chunk taken out of her.
“Tiny pretty much does what he wants,” the woman drawled softly, her voice soft, almost melodic as she came around Amanda and hunched down beside the animal. “Don’t you, Tiny?”
The lion butted against the woman, her features too dim and Amanda’s gaze too filled with sharp teeth to pay much attention to how she looked.
The huge animal made a soft snuffling sound as he rubbed against the woman’s leg, obviously content for the moment.
“Good boy.” She stroked his mane and then amazingly enough, purred with a kittenish soft sound. “Go lay down and I’ll talk to our visitor a minute. Tanner will be here soon with your treat.”
The lion’s head swung back to Amanda, the look he gave her one of pure male aggravation, but he turned and moved a few inches away, plopping down on the ground and watching her closely.
“I can’t connect with them very well,” the woman kept her voice pitched to that melodic, almost mesmerizing tone. “Just stay quiet and nice and unthreatening and he should be fine until Tanner and Cabal arrive. They’re right behind me.”
Amanda wasn’t taking her eyes off the lion.
“Was I close?” she asked, her voice barely above a breath.
“Not even close,” she sighed. “Actually, another twenty feet or so in this direction is a hidden ravine. You might not have survived the fall.”
Amanda lowered her head dejectedly.
“Is it so bad?” the woman asked her then, her voice reflective. “My sister mated with Kane, he’s not a Breed, but he should have been one. Is the mating horrible?”
Amanda flicked a surprised look to the dark form. Still kneeling on hands and knees, she was terrified to move. The lion wasn’t taking his eyes off her.
“Umm. No,” she said carefully.
The mating was great. The dumb male that thought he was suddenly her lord and master was beginning to suck though.
“Then why are you running?” A dark head tilted, pale features barely discernable in the darkness as she stayed hunched between Amanda and the animal. “Kiowa is the most honorable Coyote I’ve known. He’s not like the jailors we had, trained to mercilessness. He has the scent of truth, of gentleness. Why are you running from him? Are human males more worthy?”
Amanda blinked back at the other woman in amazement. Her voice was soft, somber, as though the question held more importance than she wanted to let on.
“How the hell should I know?” She swallowed tightly. “Look, this is really weird. Can you tell that monster to let me sit down?”
The monster growled.
“I would really stay still a few more seconds,” the woman advised. “I can smell Tanner and Cabal approaching. They’ll come in easily to keep from upsetting the cats. There are several around us you know. My lionesses will try to protect you if Tiny attacks, but I would prefer they not be hurt. And you didn’t answer my question.”
“Ask me when I’m not about to become a lion snack,” Amanda suggested. She chuckled. “I was merely curious. Perhaps you were right to run. Sex isn’t a pleasant act.” Her voice was filled with shadows then.
“A mating could be no better.”
“He doesn’t hurt me,” Amanda had no idea why it mattered that the woman know that. Amber eyes, much like the lion’s, regarded her quietly.
“I’ve heard you scream.”
Amanda could feel the flush heating her body further.
“Yeah, well. Sometimes screaming is good.” She cleared her throat nervously. “This is a really weird conversation, you know?”
“I understand.” The other woman’s head nodded before she rose carefully and spoke again. “Tanner, Tiny is more upset than usual. This woman’s scent isn’t the one bothering him, but he’s becoming more agitated by the night.”