Savage King: New Worlds - Milly Taiden Page 0,21

fruits from her hand so he could be connected to her. He felt more than a physical link starting. The mating mystery was weaving its magic around them. He wasn’t going to screw this up. He’d follow the exact rules to courting so she’d never leave him.

As his mate’s sweet voice floated on the air, he answered the questions he could until she asked something he wasn’t prepared to hear.

“How long will it take to get us to civilization, to go home?”

Go home? This was their home. No, his tigron whispered in his mind. She’d stepped through a magical portal from another place. Of course, she’d want to go back. But where did that leave him? He couldn’t go on without her now that he’d met her. He wouldn’t be able to let her go. Fear stole his thoughts, though he somehow continued to nod or shake to her questions.

How was he getting her to stay? Could he make her stay? His tigron repeated they had to claim her to keep her with them. He took a deep breath and calmed himself. They would work it out. But in the meantime, he’d show her how much she affected him.

He’d smelled berries in his last deep breath and headed that direction. The girls would enjoy the sweet bits. As they walked, he sensed the concern in her voice. She was worried about getting home. She asked if he could get them back to her friends. Didn’t she know how animal’s noses worked? His tigron could smell a grouse at a great distance.

He thought back to when they met. He was near death lying beside the creek. The moment he changed into his two-legged version, she and her friends had run. He didn’t see her again until he pulled himself from the water and returned her shoe.

She didn’t know he had two beings in one body. Another bout of anxiety erupted in his chest. Did she know about creatures like him? Would she accept someone like him to be with her? What if his tigron scared her? She’d run, and he’d never see her again. He could never tell her about his animal, who didn’t like that idea.

But what else could he do? His other half said that perhaps she knew others of dual form. He wasn’t sure there were others like him. Only the alphas had the magic to change. No one else in the tribe could. No, he couldn’t take that chance. Perhaps they’d talk about it one day if he convinced her to stay with him.

Arriving at the berry bush, he put all that from his mind to focus on his mate. He tasted one of the berries to make sure they were ripe before he gave her one. Oh yes, almost as sweet as her kiss.

He picked another berry, and instead of handing it to her, he got close to her to feed her himself. He remembered many couples doing this when he still lived with the tribe. Being so near her was starting to test his patience. He felt his hand shake, holding the berry. When she opened her mouth, his arm jerked, shoving the bite into her mouth.

She leaned forward, tapping her chest. Oh goddess, he’d pushed it into her throat so she couldn’t breathe. As she coughed, he didn’t know what to do.

“I’m sorry, so sorry,” he said, placing his hand on her arm as she straightened. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

She waved away his worry. “Sorry,” she said, “I wasn’t expecting the berry to be as big as it was. Next time, I’ll pay attention to what you give me to put into my mouth.”

Her face flushed a beautiful pink, and her arousal slammed into him. He’d never smelled anything like her. It woke something in him that had lain dormant for centuries. He needed more, so he quickly picked another berry and put it to her lips, this time making sure he didn’t choke her.

When she smiled, he saw a twinkle in her eyes. She leaned forward and took the berry into her mouth, along with his fingers. She sucked on them, her tongue circling, then she leaned back, releasing his hand. Oh goddess. His patience was gone. His body was on fire for her. He could hardly breathe.

Then to make the situation harder, an incredible moan vibrated in her throat that finished him off. His world narrowed down to this luscious female before him. He wanted her like he’d never wanted