N. Walters - Pride of the Lion

He rubbed her lower back, pushing her more firmly against his erection. “I always want you, Araminta.”

Wow. That was a huge turn-on. But she couldn’t afford to get distracted just yet. “When are you leaving?”

He frowned, stilling his hand at the base of her spine. “What do you mean?”

She chewed on her bottom lip. “I mean. I know you’ve got duties and things to do. I was just wondering how long you were staying with me.” She was proud of the fact she’d gotten through her small speech without breaking into tears. Oh, she would miss him so much. Her chest hurt and she wanted to yell at the unfairness of it all, but that would be childish. She’d known going in what the score was.

He moved and she suddenly found herself flat on her back with him hovering over her. He did not look pleased. “You want me to leave you?”

Why was he making this so hard? She tried to look away from him, but he caught her face in his big hands. He smoothed his thumbs over her cheeks and deep sadness filled his beautiful gold eyes. “You do not want me?”

“That’s not it at all.” No way did she want him to think that. She took a deep breath and served up her heart on a platter. “I love you.”

The sadness retreated, replaced by a questioning look. “I don’t understand. If you love me, why do you want me to leave?”

Was he being dense on purpose? “I don’t want you to leave, but I know you have to. You’re an immortal warrior to a goddess. You have duties and responsibilities. I get that. I really do.” That sounded mature and confident even though she was dying inside.

He shook his head, his fluffy mane of hair brushing against her skin. “No. I do not go without you.”

“Really?” Her heart leapt at the possibility that their time together wasn’t done yet.

He sighed so deeply his breath ruffled her hair. “I love you. I have said it, have I not? I have never said that to another woman.”

“Ever?” She could hardly believe it.

“Ever,” he repeated. “You are my heart and share my immortality. You are mine. You belong to us.” He leaned back and allowed his face to shift until the lion appeared his golden eyes staring down at her. Then the lion retreated and Leander was back. “We both want you and will not give you up.”

Araminta meant to say something appropriate for the moment. Instead, she burst into tears. Concern and panic filled Leander’s face, his expression almost making her laugh.

“This was not meant to make you cry.” He leaned down and kissed her. “You must stop.” He licked a salty tear from her cheek.

“I must, must I?”

He nodded. “I do not want you unhappy.”

She sifted her fingers through his hair, loving the way it clung to her skin. “These are happy tears.” She sniffed and tried to stop, but another tear rolled down her face.

“I do not fully understand you, but I will.” It was a vow and a promise and she took it as such.

“I don’t know where this is going or what will happen, but I’m in this with you.”

“Forever,” he told her.

“Forever,” she agreed. She flung her arms around his neck and held on tight. “I love you so much.” It should have been impossible, but there was no denying what her heart was telling her. She loved the man holding her in his arms—lion, immortal warrior and man. She loved all parts of him.

“You are my gift from the goddess, Araminta. A prize for all my years of confinement and loneliness, for my years of service.” He shifted position slightly and parted her legs. She felt the heavy probing of his cock and wrapped her legs around his waist and lifted her hips.

He slid into her moist channel and they both gave a sigh of happiness. His lips found hers and they kissed as he made love to her again.

Leander pulled Araminta down onto his lap and smiled. He couldn’t believe he was sitting in the living room of Roric’s mate with Marko and his woman beside him. Araminta had put her life on hold, packed up the car with their luggage and Percy and headed across the country. Thankfully, her neighbor, Mary Jo, had agreed to watch the house while they were away. Mary Jo had taken one look at him the first time they’d met and given Araminta a strange hand-smacking gesture, which Araminta had later explained was called a high five. Araminta’s friend approved of him and their relationship.

It had taken them three days to get here, but neither of them had minded the long hours in the car. It gave them time to talk and to share more about their pasts. He and Araminta had arrived in North Carolina yesterday and he was pleased that all three women had become fast friends.

None of the women knew exactly what being immortal meant. They could not conjure weapons and clothing as the men could. Nor did they have enhanced strength to help them fight. But they would live forever. The only thing that would kill them was beheading. There was no way back from that. But Leander didn’t know if Araminta’s body would heal as quickly as his would. He thought it would, considering how quickly her wounds had healed, but it wasn’t something he was willing to test. It was a constant concern. He hated to have her out of his sight.

“What will we do next?” It was Marko who asked. He and his mate, Kellsie, had flown out from California to be here with them. Kellsie sat on the arm of his chair, playing with the bear’s long hair.

“I’ve got a theory.” Araminta sat forward, but Leander kept his arms looped around her, making sure she stayed put.

“What?” Aimee asked.

The two women had bonded over the stories they were writing. Aimee was creating her graphic novel and Araminta’s second book was about to be released. She might no longer have an agent, but the publisher still wanted the rest of the series. She’d been working day and night on the third book in the series and hoped to have it finished within weeks. Both women had had dreams about Hades and the curse and had spent hours comparing notes. Their stories were similar, but there were enough differences to keep them guessing as to what was truth and what was fiction.

When Hades had been trying to bargain with them, he’d said that if they attacked him then he was no longer bound by his word not to harm them. Leander and Araminta had talked about it and both agreed they thought the god was lying. After all, Hades had agreed to leave them alone if they broke the curse. They, on the other hand, weren’t bound by any such an agreement. All they’d had to do was break the curse and reap the reward—freedom and a guarantee that Hades could not harm them in any way. And that guarantee of protection included the women who’d freed them as well.

Leander wondered if this was Hades’ way of trying to keep them out of the coming fight in order to protect their mates. Definitely something he needed to think on some more and discuss with his fellow warriors when the time was right, but not tonight. Tonight was about renewing bonds of friendship and making new ones.

“In the first book I wrote, there was only you and Roric.” Araminta waited until everyone nodded and then continued. Leander wondered where she was going with her line of thought. If he’d learned anything in their short time together it was to not underestimate his mate’s intelligence.

“But near the end of the book, I wrote about you mentioning your favorite movie actress. One who just happened to be in horror movies. The name was fictitious, but I was wondering if it happened in real life.”

Aimee nodded. “I’m a huge horror movie fan and have got Roric hooked on them.”

The tiger smiled at his mate. “I still do not understand why the people in these movies do not fight back.” He turned to Leander. “They have no instinct for strategy, but the popcorn is good.”