Lion's Bower

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Lion’s Bower ISBN 9781419921223 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Lion’s Bower Copyright © 2009 Margaret L. Carter Edited by Pamela Campbell Cover art by Syneca Electronic book Publication May 2009 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

LION’S BOWER

Margaret L. Carter

Margaret L. Carter

Chapter One In the midst of the tangled wood, a high stone wall surrounded an orchard. A locked gate barred entry. Thick vines festooning the stones, though, made the wall no obstacle to anyone agile enough to climb. Having spent her childhood scurrying after Galen, her elder brother, Diera didn’t hesitate to use the vines to scale the barrier. She would risk far worse than a tumble to rescue Galen from the trap into which he’d thrown himself. She needed to hurry, for the trek from the village had taken longer than expected. She didn’t want nightfall to catch her here. In the glow of the setting sun she glimpsed tree limbs heavy with fruit. But even with her eyes closed she would have guessed the nature of the sorcerer’s garden from the heady fragrance. When she pulled herself onto the top of the wall, she saw the apple trees she had expected, heavy with autumn’s bounty. She hadn’t expected to find pears, plums and peaches as well, not to mention several other fruits she didn’t recognize. Sturdy limbs hung over the wall. Diera leaned sideways, grabbed the nearest branch and swung her legs over it. Aside from snagging her kirtle and stockings on a few twigs, she clambered along the branches to the trunk and climbed to earth with no trouble. On the ground, she leaned against the tree, panting, and surveyed what she could see of the orchard. The sorcerer’s lair must lie at the center of the garden. She strode in that direction. The sweet, ripe aroma grew stronger with every step. To her amazement she glimpsed flowers as well as fruit on the laden boughs of trees she passed. The cool of the early fall evening yielded to summery warmth. The air of this place must swarm with magic. Everyone in her village knew a powerful wizard had taken possession of the abandoned manor, although nobody knew what he looked like. No travelers who had disregarded warnings and trespassed on the sorcerer’s land had

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reappeared to tell the tale. Diera’s heart pounded with terror at the thought of facing him. Fixing her mind on her brother, she swallowed the fear and hurried on. Scattered petals and fallen fruit littered the mossy ground among the trees. Bees buzzed around juices seeping from crushed plums. She noticed berries of different colors, as well as strange fruits with golden, sun-yellow and pale green rinds and a scent whose crisp tang stung her nose. The mingled fragrances made her lightheaded, as if she’d drunk too much mead. Her pulse raced faster, not only with fear. Blood rushed to her cheeks, her breasts and the tender flesh between her thighs. Twilight made the shadows denser and haunted her imagination with phantoms lurking behind the trees. Diera shook her head and focused on the faint trace of a path at her feet. It must lead to the manor, where she would find the sorcerer lord and, she prayed, her brother. Her head spun with increased dizziness the farther she advanced into the fragrant center of the orchard. As she struggled against vertigo, tiny lights in the branches overhead caught her eye. Lanterns hanging from the limbs? No, the glints of light were too small and dim. After a few more paces she saw the source, trees festooned with crimson berries the size and shape of cherries. Like no cherries she’d ever seen, though, they shone from within like miniature candles. Their sweetness enveloped her like a cloud until she could hardly draw a full breath. Boughs heavy with the glowing berries drooped low enough for her to reach by stretching an arm above her head. She couldn’t resist plucking a bunch. When her hand closed on them, she crushed several small globes. Juice moistened her palm. The intoxicating aroma flooded her senses. Lifting the cluster to her face, she inhaled deeply of their fragrance and bit off two of the berries. She had a split second to marvel at her foolishness, wondering whether they might hold poison, before they burst on her tongue. She gasped at the shock of their honeyed ripeness. She nibbled another, then another, longing to savor the taste but unable to stop herself from gobbling them as fast as her lips and tongue could draw

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them in. The juice stained her mouth, chin and hands. The flavor blossomed like a flame in her chest and stomach. Before she realized what she was doing, she had eaten the entire bunch. Sinking to her knees on the sward, she licked her fingers. The lapping of her own tongue sparked new fires inside her. Her nipples tightened, as did the bud between her legs. With an involuntary moan, she squeezed her breasts. Through her bodice she felt her nipples harden against her palms. The tickle between her legs became unbearable. She fumbled under her skirt and pressed her mound. Her hips rocked of their own accord. She dipped one finger into her slit and found it wet. Rubbing the moisture over the swollen nub, she stroked to relieve the ache. It only grew worse. Heat spread through her body in expanding waves. Her muscles clenched with eagerness for the release that hovered just out of reach. A growl broke through the haze that veiled her eyes. Her vision cleared and her throat constricted on a gasp of alarm. Green eyes glinted in the deepening darkness under the trees. Elongated shapes, three on each side, separated from the shadows and stalked toward her. They looked like impossibly huge black cats, larger than any dog she had ever seen. They surrounded her, lashing their tales, baring their fangs and exhaling an odor like raw meat. Terror snapped her to awareness of what she’d been doing. What had come over her, to indulge herself that way with her brother’s life at stake? Trembling, she wrapped her arms around herself and waited for the monsters to pounce. Instead, the two nearest cats drew back as if to open a path. A figure the height of a tall man strode toward her. When it got close enough for her to make out details, she realized it wasn’t a man. Although walking upright, he looked like a beast rather than a human being. He had a short, thick mane like the lions she’d heard of in tales. But his sleek body was black like the hides of his guardian animals instead of tawny as she imagined lions’ 6

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pelts were. His lack of clothing made his maleness obvious, although fur concealed the details. His eyes, with vertical pupils like a cat’s, had the same greenish glow. He had a tail, which lashed in apparent anger, and he showed fangs when he halted and glowered down at her. He gripped her arm and hauled her to her feet. He had fingers like a man, although covered in sleek black hair like the rest of his body. His feet, she noticed when she glanced down, resembled an animal’s paws. “Are you the sorcerer?” Her voice quavered. Who else could he be? Would he strike her dead by magic or rip out her throat with his fangs? He didn’t condescend to answer the inane question. “You ate the fireberries.” His fingers cupped her jaw and claws emerged from their tips to prick her skin. Her flesh, still sensitive, tingled at the painless sting. Shame burned her cheeks. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to steal.” “That is a trivial offense. You shouldn’t be here at all. How dare you trespass within my walls?” Without waiting for a reply, he rubbed his thumb across her lips, smearing a drop of the fireberry juice from her cheek onto them. Her tongue automatically darted out to taste the droplet. The flavor ignited a spark inside her, despite her fear. He leaned over, his face drawing close to hers. Now he would bite her with those gleaming teeth. She stood paralyzed. But instead of clamping his jaws onto her throat, he licked the juice smeared around her mouth. His hot breath smelled like mint leaves. The rough surface of his tongue rasped her skin. The sensation sent tremors through her body. Shuddering, she grasped his arms to keep from falling. He scoured one side of her mouth, then the other. Her lips parted with rapid, shallow breaths. She couldn’t help wondering how that tongue would feel skimming over them. Instead, he lapped her chin and throat. Again she imagined his teeth savaging her neck but they never grazed her skin.

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“The fireberries roused lust in you.” His voice sounded close to a growl. “I can smell your musk.” He cupped her breasts through her bodice. Her nipples tingled. She whimpered and leaned into his touch, clutching his shoulders. The silken fur tempted her to stroke it but fear held her chained. For all she knew, any wrong move might unleash his rage against her. “How many did you eat?” “A handful, maybe a little more. I don’t know.” The words came out slurred. Lightheaded, she felt the goal she pursued slipping from her grasp. A sound that might have been a laugh rumbled in his chest. “Three or four berries would have sufficed. No wonder you need relief. I see I won’t get answers from you unless I supply it.” He slid one hand over the front of her kirtle and gathered up the cloth to expose her from the hips down. “What are you going to do?” Her voice shook with clashing excitement and fear. The extended claws of his other hand skimmed up the inside of one leg, then the other, to leave searing tracks in their wake. A gush of heat welled between her thighs. “I’m going to make you spend,” he said. He slipped one finger into the folds of her slit. “Your cunt is wet already. This will not take long.” She squirmed and dug her nails into the fur of his shoulders. In a tiny corner of her mind she writhed with shame at her wantonness but the need that flooded her drowned those faint scruples. His tail curled around her legs while he licked her throat and the exposed flesh above her breasts. The tickle of the fur on the backs of her thighs and the rasp of his tongue made her burn with the rush of blood to her skin. When his teeth grazed her neck, the hunger inside her banished any fear that he meant to bite. The sharp points against her skin only made the hollow place between her legs ache to be filled all the more.

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The creature’s finger probed deeper as if he sensed what she yearned for. She thrust her hips forward. His thumb circled her bud. The slick wetness he spread over that spot wrenched a moan from her. “It’s very firm,” he said. “You are so ready I could fuck you now and you would make no resistance.” “Please don’t!” She hardly knew what she was saying. The horrific image of having a beast-man ravish her scarcely penetrated her brain. Even while she protested, she rocked faster, silently begging for more. “I would not do that against your will.” His finger flexed inside her in the same rhythm that he rubbed her swollen bud. The brisk, almost harsh friction would have hurt at other times. Now she reveled in it. Her thigh muscles clenched in an echo of the rippling contractions in her sheath. The hard nub he was strumming tightened even more. His hot breath ruffled her hair. “Is your clitoris throbbing?” “My…yes.” Although she’d never heard the word before, she instantly realized what it meant. “Faster, please!” He rubbed faster. Waves of sensation radiated from that spot through her whole body. On some level she felt the caress of his tail on the back of her legs, the tautness of his muscles under her palms, the lapping of his tongue on her throat and the stroke of his finger in and out of her slit. Those sensations faded into the background compared to the heat that pulsed under his thumb and surged outward to consume her. At last, still shaking, she opened her eyes to find she was not only clinging to his shoulders but burying her face in the soft fur of his chest. With a gasp, she pulled back. For a second she stumbled. The creature held her upright. “Now can you answer my questions?” She nodded, her breath shallow and fast, her cheeks hot with shame. The worst of the humiliation was that her flesh still tingled with eagerness for more of his fondling.

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“Then tell me why you have invaded my home.” “I’m searching for my brother.” “A slightly built young man with chestnut hair? Yes, I caught him before he reached this spot.” She nodded, relief nearly blotting out both lust and terror. “He’s here? And alive?” “So far.” The ominous phrase chilled her. “Please let him go. He has a wife and child who need him. He didn’t mean any harm.” “Then why did he violate my refuge?” “Everyone knows a powerful sorcerer lives here. He hoped you’d have a potion that would heal his baby daughter. She’s sick with spotted fever. When he didn’t return after most of the day had passed, I feared for his life.” “Yes, I might have such a potion. But why should I share it with your brother? I sell my elixirs dearly. I doubt a simple villager could pay my price.” “That’s why I came here—to bargain with you. I’ll pay anything in my power if you’ll give him the medicine and set him free.” “What thing of value could you offer? I use the blood of my captives to brew my potions. Are you willing to let me bleed you?” Her chest and throat constricted. “Yes.” “You’re braver than I expected. Don’t be afraid, that is not what I want from you. I will send your brother home with the healing elixir on one condition. You must become my mate.”

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Chapter Two “Why would you want me? I don’t have any special charms. I have a plain face and ordinary brown hair and green eyes.” “Aside from your being the only woman who’s ever had the audacity to come here?” A sardonic smile revealed the tips of his fangs. “I see nothing wrong with your face.” He fingered the thick braid that hung to the middle of her back. “You have hair the shade of autumn leaves and eyes the color of summer grass. And your scent reminds me of freshly mown fields.” He cupped her breasts. “Furthermore, I enjoy the soft roundness of your body. I’ve had no mate all these years and you will suit me well.” She swallowed hard and nodded. Before she realized what he meant to do, he swept her off the ground. Her head reeled. With a gasp, she wrapped her arms around his neck. He emitted a string of low growls that sounded almost like words. The giant cats slinked silently away. The beastsorcerer’s rapid strides brought the manor in sight before Diera could catch her breath. In the moonlight she noticed beds of herbs, including a luxuriant patch of the mint she’d smelled on the creature’s breath. Flowering vines swarmed up the stone walls. He flung open a ponderous wooden door and carried her through halls lit by glass globes that emitted an amber glow. More magic. They stopped in a chamber, its opulence astonishing after the bare wood and stone she’d seen so far. Sconces on the walls held candles. The sorcerer waved a hand and two of them flared to life. The marble floor was adorned with a deep violet rug, matching the curtain that covered the archway leading into the room. A bed wide enough to hold four adults dominated the space. A wardrobe and two chests of rich woods she’d never seen before stood against one wall. On all other sides, tall, narrow

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windows hung open to expose the room to the night air. Vines wreathed the frames and saturated the bedchamber with the fragrance of their trumpet-shaped blooms, as if the garden encroached on the inside of the house. When the creature deposited her on the edge of the bed, the smoothness of the sheet under her palms came as another surprise. She’d never imagined linen could feel so soft. “What is your name?” he asked. “Diera.” “Call me Leontis. I shall release your brother now.” “With the healing potion?” “I have said so, haven’t I?” She clutched his hand. “Don’t tell Galen I’m here. He would never leave if he knew I’d traded myself for him.” “Of course not,” Leontis said. “Wait here in the bower.” She bowed her head in agreement. She wouldn’t consider trying to escape with Galen’s fate depending on her obedience. After the sorcerer left, she got up to circle the room, running her hands over the fine-grained wood of the bedposts, chest and wardrobe. Pulling off her shabby leather shoes and her stockings, riddled with snags from climbing over the wall and down the tree, she savored the lush thickness of the carpet. A screen decorated with paintings of unicorns hid a chamber pot. Inside the wardrobe she found robes and cloaks. One chest held other garments, as well as folded sheets and blankets. She couldn’t open the other chest. She wandered to a window and gazed into the moonlit garden, hoping to catch a glimpse of her brother being escorted to freedom. At first, nothing moved in the darkness. A few seconds later though, a shadowy pair of silhouettes appeared from around the corner of the building. Drawing back so she couldn’t easily be seen, she watched them pick their way among the trees, Galen in front and Leontis close on his heels. After they passed out of sight, she expelled a tremulous breath.

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Leaning on the window frame, she inhaled the aroma of the flowers draped over the sill. An intoxicating lightheadedness swept over her again. Her skin tingled. Whimpering, she pressed her palms to her breasts. Did the luscious essence of the fireberries still flow in her veins? Leontis reappeared a moment later. “I’ve sent your brother on his way with a vial of the healing potion. Now you must keep your word.” Grasping her shoulders, he nuzzled her hair, his breath hot on her scalp. She spread her hands over his chest and kneaded the fur-covered muscles. “I will.” “Why are you so eager to sacrifice yourself for your brother?” “Not only him, my baby niece too. I couldn’t let them die.” “What about those who would mourn if you died?” His tongue swirled around one of her ears. Tiny shocks of warmth and chill danced over her skin. “Besides Galen and his wife, there’s nobody left to care about me. Our parents died of spotted fever in the spring and last month the same sickness took the man I was to marry.” Tears blurred her vision at that memory. “You might find another mate.” Leontis guided her to the bed and eased her down, until they sat on the edge of it. Diera shook her head. “No man would want me now. Three people close to me have died of the same fever in a short time. Our neighbors think I’m cursed.” “Then your neighbors are fools.” His hands skimmed up and down her arms, which tingled at the friction of the fine hairs in his palms. Heat was building inside her again. Liquid seeped from her slit and she squeezed her thighs together for relief. Without thinking, she hid her face on the sorcerer’s shoulder to stifle a moan. “Whatever you ask, I’ll give in return for not killing my brother.”

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A laugh rumbled in Leontis’ chest. “I said I used the blood of captives as one ingredient in my potions. I never said I killed them.” “What?” She raised her head and frowned at him. “If they waste away of having their blood drained, that’s the same as killing them. What do you do with their bodies?” Her stomach roiled when she imagined dozens of corpses buried somewhere in that orchard. “They don’t die at all, at least not while I hold them captive. Each day for a week I bleed a mere half cup from a vein in the prisoner’s arm. Then I release him.” “But we’ve never seen any of those travelers return to our village.” “Of course not. They’re too wise to linger after I send them away.” “Then your cats don’t devour them?” “No, my panthers feed on rabbits, deer and other game in the forest. I let them out to hunt every day.” He nipped her neck, barely denting her flesh with his teeth. She flinched from the playful bite. “You tricked me!” Anger swallowed up the remnants of her fear. She pounded her fists on his chest. “Galen would have been safe anyway. I thought you were going to murder him. And you let me believe it!” Fresh tears stung her eyes. “Yes, he would have survived, but without your promise I wouldn’t have granted him the healing potion.” He seized her wrists. “Will you break the bargain now?” “No, I gave my word. Even if you aren’t honest, I am.” She rubbed her eyes to clear them. Chuckling dryly, he said, “I’m as honest as my circumstances allow. Not that I have much opportunity to deceive people, since I meet so few face-to-face.” He caught the hem of her russet kirtle. “It’s time for you to pay your debt. I’ve waited long enough.” He lapped her throat.

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The tantalizing roughness made her wonder how his tongue would feel on her breast and nipples. She let out a startled cry when he peeled off her kirtle in a single quick gesture, leaving her clothed only in her under-smock. “Lie down.” He emphasized the command with a gentle push. Diera reclined on a pile of fluffy pillows. His claw-tipped fingers curled around her ankles, then roamed up the insides of both legs, stopping just below the swollen flesh at their apex. She couldn’t help whimpering and arching her hips, though she hated revealing how much she yearned for him to fondle her the way he had in the garden. “What do you want?” Her face flushed. “You know.” His feral smile mocked her. “Yes, I smell how wet you are. It makes me hungry for you.” He pushed her smock upward, rolling the cloth out of the way to expose her chest. Her nipples puckered in the night air. He leaned over her and grazed the upper curves of her breasts with his teeth. Short whiskers clustered on his face tickled her skin. His tongue swirled around each nipple, while his tail curled over her thighs and flickered between her legs, never quite touching her moist slit. Sliding his hand down her belly, he stroked the hair on her mound. She clutched his shoulders and pumped her hips up and down. If only he would move his fingers an inch or two lower! “The fireberries still burn in your veins.” His hand wandered farther down, pressing more firmly, and he circled her bud with one finger. “Please,” she breathed. “I can’t stand it.” “Oh, shall I stop?” His breath came faster, more ragged, as his tongue flicked first one nipple, then the other. “No!” He strummed her clitoris, which tightened and pulsed in time with his strokes and the lapping of his tongue. She closed her eyes, her head spinning. Soaring toward her

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peak, she dug her fingers into his fur as if she might float off the bed without that support. Convulsions racked her so violently she couldn’t breathe. At last she opened her eyes to find him staring at her, his pupils glittering in the dimness of the chamber. He asked, “Are you a virgin?” “Yes.” She and her betrothed had kissed and stroked each other but never coupled. A pang of grief pierced her at the thought of yielding her maidenhead to someone else. But she’d given her word. “Are you? You said you’d had no mate.” He shook his head. “When I lived in the city with my master—the wizard who trained me—I sometimes purchased the services of women. They cringed in fear and loathing when I embraced them. I soon grew sick of that and resorted to my own hands whenever I needed release.” He rose from the bed. “If you’ve never had a man’s cock inside you before, you should take another dose of fireberries to make sure you won’t feel pain.” He padded to the locked chest and murmured a word she couldn’t understand. The lid opened to his touch. Taking out a handful of the glowing berries, he brought them to her and inserted two between her lips. Delight shuddered through her when the juice burst inside her mouth. She licked her lips and extended her tongue for more. Laughing, he fed her another berry but ate the rest himself. “You shouldn’t eat too many at once. An ordinary human body can endure only so much of their potency.” “Why do you grow those berries?” “To make love potions, a much prized commodity among those who buy my wares. I grow plants to brew elixirs for many different purposes besides healing.” He sniffed her neck and licked juice from the corners of her mouth. Already, the fresh dose seared through her veins. She twined her arms around Leontis’ neck and pressed her parted lips to his. He tasted like the berries as well as mint. When her tongue darted out, his responded. Tantalizing sensations raced from her mouth to every nerve in her body.

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“I knew you would taste delicious.” He stripped off her smock, leaving her naked. He licked every inch of her shoulders, then roamed to the hollow of her throat and downward to her breasts. She arched her spine, silently begging him to venture still lower. With a deep chuckle he swirled his tongue around first one nipple, then the other. The moist roughness set her flesh on fire. He captured her hand and guided it down the front of his torso. In a low voice, almost a growl, he said, “Touch my balls.” She cupped his sac, fondling the downy hair that covered it. Lying on his side, he spread his legs to give her room. Her fingers danced over the pouch, her nails scraping the ridge just behind it. From the fur-covered sheath above, a red tip protruded. Her eyes widened in fascination as she watched his cock emerge inch by inch. Within seconds it stood erect. “Here.” His harsh breathing roughened the word. “Your hand on my cock, now.” Wrapping her fingers around it, she felt it stiffen in her light clasp. She slid her hand from the root to the head. A pearly drop oozed out. When she spread it over the tip with her thumb, he growled again. “Harder.” She squeezed the rigid shaft and pumped up and down in time with the thrusts of his hips, while his fingers darted in and out of her slit. Without her will, her thighs opened farther, begging him to probe deeper. Her channel felt hollow, craving his cock instead. “Now?” she whimpered. “Yes. Can’t wait.” To her shock, he seized her with both hands, claws extended, and rolled her onto her stomach. “Lift up your arse.” With her face buried in the pillow she folded her knees to her chest. He grasped her inner thighs and shoved them apart. She cried out when he plunged inside her. Although the penetration didn’t hurt, his thickness and length filling her felt strange. It seem to scorch instead of soothe her aching sheath. Her hips flexed in response to his pounding thrusts. His hand crept between her legs. “Yes…there.” She needed that touch to quench the burning. 17

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His tail snaked between her thighs to glide up and down the sensitive skin, while his fingers danced over her bud. Ripples began to spread through her channel. His breathing grew louder, harsher. Something sharp stung the nape of her neck. His fangs. He was biting her the way a tomcat would clamp onto the neck of his mate. One arm wrapped around her waist to clasp her tight against Leontis. Her bud pulsed in rhythm with the contractions deep inside her. He drove into her with a roar of triumph. The molten heat of his seed filled her and she screamed as her release echoed his. Panting, he lay above her until they both stopped trembling. He moved her braid aside to lick the scrape he’d left on her neck. He rolled onto his back, his arms still caging her. With her head on his chest she heard a soft rumble, not quite a growl this time. “You’re purring!” “Like any satisfied cat.” He stroked her spine, making her quiver with pleasure. “Not that I’m finished with you, of course. That didn’t come near to sating my hunger. Cats always mate more than once.” How many times would he need her? Half eager and half afraid, she decided she should welcome his lust, because the more he wanted her, the longer she would be safe under his power. She felt she ought to hate him for holding her captive, yet she didn’t. He had granted her wishes when he could have brutally ravished her and ignored her family’s need. He had also transported her to peaks of pleasure she’d never imagined. After a moment he sat up, cradling her on his lap. In the candlelight she noticed scattered stains on the sheet. As he’d said, the fireberries had kept her from feeling pain at the shedding of her maiden blood. Leontis snapped his fingers and muttered another cryptic word. The spots vanished. At the same time her discarded clothes flapped onto the top of the unlocked chest, where they folded and instantly became free of rips and stains.

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“Do you always clean the bedding by magic?” Remembering endless hours of scrubbing clothes in harsh soap, she envied that power. “Yes, and everything else that needs cleaning within these walls.” He stood up and walked to the locked chest against the wall. Again he opened it with a magic word. He carried a pair of rosy apples and a wedge of cheese to the bed. “The spell on this casket preserves food and drink. I’ll teach you how to open it.” He fed her a bit of cheese. When she did the same to him, he licked her fingers. A surge of pleasure flowed down her arm and rippled through her body. He gave her one of the apples and bit into the other one. She smiled at the odd sight of his dagger-sharp teeth crunching the fruit. “What amuses you?” he asked. “I didn’t expect you to eat fruit.” “I live mostly on wild game brought home by the panthers,” he said, “but I do like variety to spice my diet. After all, I’m as much human as cat, even if others see me as a beast.” She thought she heard a trace of melancholy in his voice but she didn’t know how to respond to it. Instead, she asked one of the many questions that teased her mind. “Did you conjure the panthers from some distant land?” “No, I bred them from ordinary cats by magic, just as I grew the magical fruits from seeds of mundane trees.” “How did you learn to do magic? Or was it something you were born with?” Another question occurred to her. “How did you become like this?” “A sable cat that walks upright, you mean?” he asked, smiling thinly. She nodded. “Did someone put a curse on you?” Too late, she wondered if such prying might offend him. He answered calmly, though. “Not unless it changed me in the womb or at birth. I’ve been this way all my life. I don’t remember my parents. I was a child when my

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master, the wizard, found me in an alley, starving and half dead after a gang of street urchins stoned me.” “He must have been a kind man to take you in.” His lips curled in a humorless smile that showed his fangs. “Not exactly. He saw me as an intriguing specimen. After I was nourished and healed, he recognized my talent for magic and made me his apprentice. He named me Leontis because of my resemblance to a lion.” “What happened to him? How did you end up here?” “He was already old when I met him. By the time I reached adulthood, we shared common interests and mutual respect, even if neither of us felt any real affection for the other. He eventually died of an illness his magic couldn’t heal and I inherited his property. I had no wish to spend the rest of my life in that city, where I couldn’t step outside the door without getting shunned or cursed as a monster. I heard of this abandoned manor and bribed your lord with a generous purse of gold to let me live here unmolested. I negotiated through a messenger, of course. The baron doesn’t know the true nature of the mage who holds this land.” “Did you create the gold by magic?” “And have it vanish overnight? No, my master left me considerable wealth in hard coins.” “You mentioned selling your potions, so you must have contact with the outside world sometimes.” “A traveling merchant comes to my gate at every full moon. He buys elixirs from me and sells whatever I need that I can’t make for myself. I wear a hooded cloak and cast a spell to make my hands and face look completely human for the few minutes I must speak with him.” For a second, his eyes looked shadowed. He must be lonely, living this way year after year with only panthers for companions.

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The thought reminded her that her vow pledged her to live the same way. Did he truly plan to keep her confined here for life? “If you meet someone from outside these walls,” she said, “doesn’t that mean I could do the same? Could I make sure Galen got home with the potion and the baby is well from the fever?” “Don’t be concerned about your brother. I sent him safely on his way.” Her throat tightened with anxiety. “But all I have is your word for that.” His eyes snared hers with a green glow. “Be at peace.” He brushed a hand over the top of her head. Instantly her fear faded into mist and drifted away. Seconds later, she couldn’t remember what had distressed her. With a wistful smile he offered her another fragment of cheese. After they’d finished eating, he stood and drew her to her feet. “Come along.” Without answering her question about where they were going, he took a gown from the wardrobe and led her along the dark corridors to a stone staircase leading down. At the bottom she found a circular room with narrow, unshuttered windows. Moonlight shone through them to sparkle on a pool sunken into the floor. Leontis ignited candles with a wave of his hand. They smelled far sweeter than the tallow candles Diera had used at home. “The bathing pool comes from an underground spring that supplies the whole manor.” After laying the garment he carried on a pile of oversized cushions in a corner, Leontis stepped into the water and uttered one of his magic words. “It’s warm now,” he said, reaching toward her. “Come in.” She took his hand and obeyed. Three steps carved into the side of the pool led into water to the depth of her waist. He sat on the bottom step and pulled her down next to him. It was indeed warm. “Could I learn to do this?” “Possibly.” He untwined her braid and combed his claws through the hair that cascaded to the middle of her back. “It depends on whether you have a natural gift for it. We shall see.”

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“Then could I help you brew potions? We could send a supply of the healing elixir to my village so nobody else would have to die of the spotted fever.” He froze. After a tense silence he said, “That would not be practical. Your neighbors wouldn’t welcome any gift from me.” “But there’s so much I could do for my brother and his family if only you’d let me.” That request didn’t seem like such a heavy demand. Why did Leontis insist on staying so isolated if he could use illusions to mask his true nature when dealing with ordinary people? “Forget about that,” he murmured, his eyes fixed on hers. “All is well.” Her worries flowed away and dissolved in the water while his claws continued to comb her hair. His fingers on her scalp made her shiver in spite of the blood-warm bath. “You must have very powerful magic.” “Inside the boundaries of this estate, I do. When I took possession of the manor, I used the spring to anchor the taproot for the enchantment that pervades my domain. It keeps the weather mild regardless of changing seasons and bestows gentle rain on the plants every few nights, as they need it. At every full moon I descend into an underground chamber to renew the master enchantment. I draw upon it to work charms for cleaning garments and furnishings, heating the bath, starting fires—all the things you’ve seen me do and more. Outside I can perform only the ordinary spells any mage of my rank could work.” Splashing water on her face, she inhaled its elusive rose-petal fragrance. She couldn’t help contrasting this luxury to baths at home in a wooden tub filled with heated water hauled in buckets, always cooling too fast. From a jar beside the pool, Leontis scooped a handful of cream, also rose-scented, and massaged it through her hair. She decided it must be soap, but not like any she’d washed with before. She leaned back, sighing with pleasure at the tingling sensations that swirled from her scalp over every inch of her skin. When her whole body felt as if it glowed from the rubbing, she ducked under the water to rinse off the cream. 22

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Leontis nuzzled her hair. “You smell even more delectable now. I want to taste you.” He clasped her around the waist and lifted her onto the edge of the pool. She gasped with shock when he rubbed his face over her belly and probed her navel with his tongue. Shivering, she stroked the glossy fur on his shoulders. That purring sound rumbled in his chest again. He licked down her stomach and over her mound to settle between the damp folds. “Spread your legs.” The tickle of his breath made her clitoris tighten instantly. Grasping the tops of her thighs, he parted her flesh with his thumbs. The tip of his tongue teased her bud. “Your scent tells me how ready you are. The fireberries haven’t lost their effect yet.” His tongue swirled over the aching flesh and around the taut nub. Leaning back on her elbows, she closed her eyes and yielded to his seduction. He lapped her in tightening spirals until she couldn’t help moaning. Guided by her incoherent cries, he settled on the spot that needed his attention most. Her legs wrapped around his shoulders while his tongue flicked faster. With his claws grasping her hips to hold her in place, he drove her to ecstasy beyond anything she’d known before. Leontis rested his cheek on her thigh while she quaked with aftershocks. When her breathing slowed, he put his arms around her waist, guiding her to sit up. He got to his feet and stood on one of the steps so that his lower body was level with her face. His cock emerged from its sheath. “I want to feel your mouth on me.” Anchoring herself by holding onto his waist, she bestowed a timid lick on it. His cock twitched and he growled. “Not so softly. I want to feel it.” She ran her tongue up the front of his shaft. A prolonged groan emanated from him. She licked up from the root to the head again, more vigorously. Emboldened, she repeated the motion over and over while he threw his head back and cupped her breasts in his palms. Her tongue swirled around the ridge at the end of his erection, wrenching a hiss from him. When she flicked the tip and tasted salty moisture, his tail

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snaked around her and crept to the seam between her buttocks. The tantalizing brush of fur on that spot ignited flames throughout her body. His thumbs caressed her nipples, which hardened and tingled. She sighed. At the puff of her breath on his cock, his muscles rippled in her hands. “Enough.” He knelt to hug her against his chest, where his heart hammered under her ear. “No other woman has ever done that, even for gold.” Stepping out of the pool, he drew her to her feet. “I want to spend inside you.” After a muttered word and a snap of his fingers, her skin and hair instantly dried along with his water-slicked fur. He led her to the cushions and ordered her to lie facedown. Trembling, she huddled on the puffy surface with her head pillowed on her arms. Her sheath ached with eagerness for his cock. The prick of his claws on her thighs as he pinioned her beneath him only provoked a fresh gush of hot wetness. “You have a luscious arse.” He nipped her bottom, making her yelp in surprise. With a low chuckle he bit her again. His teeth didn’t hurt. Rather, she squirmed with impatience and rubbed her nipples against the cushion. He lapped the cleft of her buttocks, sweeping his tongue down until the tip teased her slit. “Do you want me inside your cunt?” His hot breath made her flesh pulse with need. “Yes,” she whispered. He slid into her channel inch by inch, while his fingers danced on her clitoris. She wiggled her hips, urging him deeper, but he maintained his slow glide. At last he lodged himself to the hilt, then pulled back with the same tormenting deliberation. Finding the spot where she burned unbearably, he strummed her bud until her whole body pulsed with rising need. When she shuddered in release, he clamped his teeth onto the nape of her neck and plunged into her faster, harder. Her frenzied movements kept time with his thrusts. The pounding almost hurt but she soared above any hint of pain, swept out of herself by ever-expanding waves of ecstasy.

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He drove deep into her core and transfixed her with his gaze while his climax shuddered through him. She peaked again, blinded and deafened by the delirium that possessed her. Struggling for breath in the aftermath, she reflected that she’d never felt anything so overwhelming, even at her own hand. These sensations had to be caused by the fireberry juice. They couldn’t be natural.

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Chapter Three Leontis rolled her onto her back and gently licked the scrapes where he’d grabbed her thighs. “At such moments, I forget to retract my claws. Forgive me.” “It doesn’t hurt,” she murmured, drowsy with satisfaction. Even now the flick of his tongue sent tiny shocks of pleasure through her. Helping her up, Leontis offered her the pale green robe he’d brought along. When she slipped into it, the translucent cloth slithered over her skin like a spring breeze. “What is this made of?” “Silk,” he said. “One of the goods I purchase from the merchant who buys my potions. It comes from a country at the far end of the earth.” He led her toward the stairs. Climbing them made her legs tremble with fatigue. He picked her up to carry her the rest of the way. Putting her arms around his neck, she marveled at how safe she felt with the beast-sorcerer, despite his claws and fangs. It must be his magic working on me, she thought. In the bedchamber she stretched out with her head pillowed on his sleek, furry arm. How strange it felt to lie beside this creature. Perhaps this whole night was a dream. As she wondered about that possibility, his purring lulled her to sleep.

***** Diera woke to a peculiar noise. On first opening her eyes, she saw the moon shining through a strange window. Where was she? Panic swamped her like a river flooding its banks. Images of fangs and claws swarmed through her mind. A demon-beast held her captive. When she sat up and caught sight of Leontis curled on his side next to her though, the panic quickly

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subsided. In that position he looked too harmless to inspire fear. She remembered falling asleep in his bower. But what was the noise she heard? Leontis’ nostrils flared and his lips were parted. The sounds came from his throat. Snuffling and mewling, like the cries of a hurt kitten. The tip of his tail twitched, while his claws flexed. She hesitantly ran her open palm over his shoulder and along his arm. The fur bristled. She laid her hand on the center of his chest. His heart raced. “Leontis,” she whispered. “Wake up.” His eyes flew open, glowing in the near darkness. With a hiss he grabbed her hand. His claws gouged her wrist. Her heart stuttered in alarm. “Leontis, it’s me.” His fierce glare softened. “You. Diera.” He panted as if fleeing a hunter. “Yes.” She stroked his back, where a ridge of hair bristled. She smoothed it until it lay flat. “That’s the first time you have called me by name.” He lifted her forearm to his lips, kissed her wrist and licked the scratches his claws had left there. “Forgive me. I have no wish to hurt you.” “It’s all right.” The marks stung only a little. “Your sleep seemed…troubled.” His breathing slowed. “Only a dream. I apologize for disturbing you.” “I don’t mind.” She lay down, wondering whether he wanted her close or not. He answered the silent question by wrapping an arm around her. “What kind of dream?” “The same as ever. I am a child again, running through filthy streets with stones flying at me. I can’t outrun the others and they are all stronger than I. In reality I can see in the dark but in the dream the night blinds me. It always ends with them knocking me to the ground, kicking me until the darkness covers me like a shroud. I cry for my master, the wizard, but he never comes.”

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The strain in his voice brought tears to her eyes. Twining her arms around his neck, she kissed his cheek and laid her head on his shoulder. “That can never happen again. You are powerful, stronger than any mortal man.” His lips brushed the top of her head. “The sleeping mind knows nothing of such things.” He stroked her hair. “Usually, when the nightmare overcomes me, I get up and pace in the orchard for fear of the dark visions returning. With you beside me I don’t need to fear that.” The surprising tenderness in his voice inspired her to cuddle closer. He turned on his side so they faced each other, bodies pressed together. She skimmed her hand down his back. Stroking the thick fur soothed her as much as it seemed to please him. In return he raked his fingers through her hair and brought its strands to his face, inhaling as if it were drenched in perfume. He nuzzled the hollow of her throat. “I never imagined I would enjoy sharing my bed with anyone.” The tickle of his breath sent its echoes to her nipples and clitoris. A trickle of moisture seeped between her legs. He clasped her bottom to draw her tighter against him. She felt the tip of his cock emerge. He nibbled her ear. “I want you again. I think I’ll never stop wanting you.” At the word “never” a momentary chill cooled her ardor. Regardless of her promise, she hadn’t given much thought to the prospect of spending the rest of her life here. His licks and nibbles on her neck and breasts blotted out that misgiving, though. Sparks of heat chased each other over her flesh until she burned with need for him again. His hands wandered over her body, tracing the curve of her spine, molding the shapes of her breasts and hips. As she stroked him the same way, savoring the tautness of his muscles and the thick warmth of his pelt, the tingle from his fur grazing her palms radiated up her arms and flowed over her body. Her breath quickened along with his. She involuntarily arched her back to press her mound against his cock. He circled the peaks of her nipples first with his thumbs, then

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with his tongue. Probing between her folds, he spread her juices in widening spirals. “Like honey,” he murmured. “Let me feast on you.” A blush heated her cheeks and bosom. She and her late sweetheart had never talked about the things they did together. Leontis licked his way down her torso with gentle flutters of his tongue like the wings of a moth. Her flesh seemed to glow everywhere his hands and mouth touched. His breath ruffled the hair on her mound. Her legs fell open of their own accord. While he clasped her by the waist, he circled her bud until she moaned and dug her nails into his arms. His tongue flicked faster and faster on that burning spot. Her muscles tightened as the tension built inside her. Ecstatic convulsions started there and surged over her, drowning all thoughts and fears. As her climax faded, his lapping slowed along with it. Instead of turning her facedown this time, he glided up her body, pausing every second to lick or nuzzle her quivering, sensitive skin. He kissed the corners of her mouth and teased her tongue with his, at the same time rubbing the tip of his cock gently over her clitoris. The throbbing started again. She felt her folds opening, craving his penetration. Though she flexed and squeezed, silently urging him to hurry, he slid inside with a slow, smooth motion. He delved deeper, inch by inch, then withdrew almost to the tip at the same speed. The downy hair on his stomach grazed her bud with the rhythm of his deliberate strokes. The pressure mounted inside her again. Whimpering, she locked her legs around his. Her sheath rippled, contracting around his shaft in the spasms of her release. Her climax freed him to drive into her harder and faster. A growl rumbled in his chest as she felt him shudder in fulfillment. She threw her head back and screamed when her own delirium overwhelmed her again. With arms and legs twined around him, she clasped him so tightly that both of them struggled for breath while they quaked with aftershocks. His weight lay heavily

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on her chest but she didn’t mind. He gently licked the sheen of sweat that dampened her neck and breasts. “Mine,” he whispered into the hollow of her throat. “My mate.”

***** Upon waking after sunrise, Diera found herself alone in the vast bed. Again she had to take a moment to remember where she was. Why didn’t she feel any fear of the creature who’d claimed her as a mate? Was she still lulled by the aftereffects of the fireberries? The soreness between her legs convinced her otherwise. Her muscles ached when she dragged herself off the bed and staggered to the chamber pot behind the decorated screen. She found another of the silken gowns in the wardrobe and put it on. At home she could never have felt so comfortable in such scant clothing. The enchantment made the autumn morning as balmy as a day in late spring. Yet, beautiful as this place was, she had no desire to spend her life here. If she satisfied the sorcerer’s lust often enough, maybe he would grow sated with her and let her go. Or would he relax his vigilance enough to let her slip away? Remembering the panthers that prowled over the estate, she realized escape wouldn’t be that simple, even if she overcame her scruples about breaking her promise. Leontis padded silently into the room. The aroma of apples wafted from a silver goblet he carried. “Drink this. I’ve added a dash of healing potion to it.” She sipped from the cup and savored the taste of crisp, chilled cider. By the time she’d finished, her aches had vanished along with the sting of the scratches from his claws. Leontis withdrew again, returning minutes later with a basket of fruit. They shared the contents along with bread, honey and cheese from the magic chest. He gave her an elongated fruit with a brown-dappled yellow peel and creamy inside, then a globular, golden-orange one with a thick skin and tangy juice. He licked its juice from her fingers and the corners of her mouth.

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After their tongues had met several times, she felt the now-familiar warmth building inside her. Yet she hadn’t eaten any fireberries this morning. Surely he wouldn’t have sneaked them into the cider with the healing potion? Brushing a hand over her breasts, he smiled at the instant stiffening of her nipples and guided her hand to his sac. Its weight and the downy hair in her palm made her tingle with anticipation. Within seconds his shaft rose to full erection. His eyes followed her downward glance. “I knew I couldn’t touch you without having a cockstand. You’d better eat a fireberry to assure you’ll be wet enough when I take you.” He popped a berry from the basket into her mouth and ate one himself. At once, her blood sizzled like new ale. He slipped off her robe and stroked her bare skin. She squirmed with eagerness while he lingered at her breasts, his fingers pinching the nipples while his mouth explored her neck and shoulders. She ran her hands down the thick pelt of his chest to the softer, thinner fur below his waist and circled his cock with one hand while cupping his balls with the other. “Yes,” he hissed. “Squeeze harder. Rub it.” Obeying, she wiggled closer to sit astride one of his legs and press her slit against it. She was already wet but at the contact, fresh liquid welled between her folds. His fingers splayed over her ribs, grazing the lower curves of her breasts. When she shifted her hips to brush her swollen bud on the hair of his thigh, he nipped her ear and said, “What is troubling you?” Her face flamed. “You know.” She automatically pumped his cock faster while rocking her pelvis at the same speed. “Tell me.” “I need to be rubbed too.” Her clitoris was twitching with eagerness. “Do you fondle yourself when you’re alone?”

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She couldn’t help hiding her face against his shoulder at that question. “Sometimes.” “Show me.” Normally she would have been mortified at the idea but by now she was desperate for relief. Rising onto her knees, she pressed a hand against her mound and eased a finger between the folds to find the spot that ached most urgently. At first she stroked lightly, until the trickle of heat blazed into a flame. She strummed faster, her head on Leontis’ chest while she anchored herself with one arm around him. His tail curled around to tickle her bottom and he slid a finger into her slit. Her channel contracted around it. With a final stroke and pressure on the spot that burned the hottest, she cried out and let the wave sweep her away. Leontis growled and lifted her onto his lap. “Hearing you spend makes my cock ready to burst. Let me into your cunt.” Straddling his legs, she let him guide her onto his rigid shaft. With one thrust he drove into her up to the root. Still trembling from her release, she felt her sheath ripple around him. “So tight,” he breathed. “I can’t stand it.” He surged up and down at steadily increasing speed. She met his thrusts with hers while his hands spanned her waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck. The friction on her bud maddened her. She quickened her movements along with his. She felt him swelling and hardening inside her, rising toward his peak. She convulsed in ecstasy and he followed her a second later. When their tremors died away, he eased her onto her back. She closed her eyes, her head spinning, and heard him leave the bed. A second later she glanced up to find him holding a damp cloth. After sponging her face, chest and abdomen with cool, rosescented water, he washed between her legs. A magic word dried her. “That is how I would like to start every day. But now perhaps you’d like to go out,” he said. “Walk in the orchard with me.” He helped her into the robe and gave her a pair 32

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of sandals from the garment chest. Just outside the front door he plucked a sprig of mint to chew and offered some of the leaves to her. In the fireberry grove she noticed some of the trees were festooned in vines that drooped with the weight of sky-blue berries sparkling with glints of silver. Leontis picked one and put it between her lips. Cold, tart juice filled her mouth when she bit into the fruit. She instantly felt refreshed and suffused with energy. Colors of flowers, butterflies and grass looked brighter, their outlines sharper. “Iceberries form the basis of my healing potions,” he said. “Then Galen could have taken some of these if he’d known about them, and he wouldn’t have needed the potion.” Her heartbeat quickened with anxiety at the thought of her brother as she’d last seen him in the sorcerer’s garden. Leontis softly kissed the top of her head and murmured a melodious phrase. Her worries wafted away on the breeze. “They wouldn’t have served his purpose,” Leontis said. “Alone, iceberries speed the healing of wounds, but to cure disease they must be brewed with other ingredients into an elixir.” With his arm around her waist they strolled through the grounds of the estate. A dreamy quiet enveloped them, varied only by the buzz of bees in the blossoms and a mild breeze rustling the leaves. Again the aromas of flowers and fruits intoxicated her. Her head felt light, almost floating above her body. She froze in alarm though, when the panthers came into view and stalked toward them. She clung to Leontis. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “I’ve brought you out to introduce you to them.” He extended a hand and emitted low half-mewing, half-chirping sounds. The animals crept within arm’s reach. Taking her hand, Leontis offered it to the nearest panther while he continued his feline vocalizations. Diera cringed but the panther didn’t bite her fingers off. Instead, it gave her a tentative sniff, then licked her. Its tongue rasped her skin. A nervous giggle escaped her. One by one the other beasts

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performed the same ritual. After they had all been “introduced”, Leontis waved at them and they ambled away through the trees. “Now they won’t attack you. In fact, they’ll protect you if you’re in danger, not that any harm could threaten you inside my walls.” That assurance inspired Diera with hope. If the big cats wouldn’t hurt her, they couldn’t stop her from leaving. Provided the gate wasn’t locked from inside as well as outside, maybe she could elude Leontis and escape after all. She could go home. A moment’s thought uncovered the flaw in that idea. If she violated her word, Leontis might punish her by wreaking vengeance on her family. Only one hope remained, that he might eventually get tired of her. After all, keeping her here required frequent use of magic for her comfort. Strangely, the idea of becoming a burden he would want to discard didn’t cheer her as much as she’d have expected.

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Chapter Four Over the next few days she learned the pathways of the gardens and the corridors of the manor. She discovered the flavors of all the orchard’s exotic fruits. Leontis showed her where the ripest fruits grew and how to harvest honey from the beehives without getting stung. He also taught her the charms to open the locked chest, light candles and heat the bathing pool. He promised to let her help in blending potions and teach her more complex magic, for she seemed to have a spark of talent. That process, to her delight, involved learning to read the scrolls and books in his study on the topmost floor. They frolicked in the pool every day. He brushed her hair and she groomed his mane and fur, activities that always ended in love-play. Though she no longer needed fireberries to stir her blood, she and Leontis always fed each other a few berries to lend spice to their mating. She felt like a maiden in a tale who’d wandered over the border of the faerie realm into a land of eternal springtime whose delights no cares could mar. Only after five days of constant pleasure did she wake up and remember why she’d come there to begin with. Her brother—had he reached home safely? Had the potion saved his daughter’s life? She realized that when she had decided to offer herself in Galen’s place, in the back of her mind she had expected the sorcerer to slay her. She hadn’t considered the chance of surviving but then being barred from her home forever. After breakfast that day, Leontis found her weeping into her pillow. “Diera, what troubles you?” He smoothed her tangled hair and started to whisper one of his magical incantations. “Stop.” Sitting up, she placed her hand over his mouth. “You’ve been casting spells on me all along, haven’t you? You’ve been making me forget my home.” A flush of anger spread over her.

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“I didn’t make you forget, only stopped you from feeling anxious. I want you to be content here.” “By robbing me of my true feelings? Making me a puppet?” She pushed away his wandering hands. “That isn’t contentment. It’s a lie.” “Then what can I do to make you happy?” The sadness on his face looked sincere, though she fought against letting it soften her. “Nothing.” She rubbed her damp eyes. “I’ve promised to stay here, so I can’t have what I want—to see my family.” “You can,” he said, “even if not face-to-face. I’ll show you.” He took her to his study. There he placed a silver bowl on the table in the center of the room. Into it he poured a shining, blue-black liquid. Shapes like windswept clouds whirled in its depths. Passing his hand over the bowl, he spoke an incantation. “Now gaze into the scrying basin and think of your brother.” Diera leaned over the table and stared into the fluid. Let me see Galen. The shapes coalesced into a fog, which melted away to reveal a familiar place. Her brother sat by the hearth in his cottage. Baby Megan, with downy, chestnut hair the same shade as her father’s, crawled among the rushes on the floor. Reaching Galen’s chair, she pulled herself upright with the cloth of his trousers bunched in her fists. He lifted her onto his lap and she giggled and patted his face. She looked plump and vigorous, her cheeks free of the fever’s rash. The fog reappeared and grew denser until it hid the scene, then dissipated to leave only the dark liquid. Diera’s vision shimmered with unshed tears. “They’re both well. Your potion did heal her.” “Of course.” Leontis arched his brows. “Did you have any doubt of its power?” Having experienced other effects of his magic, she could only smile and shake her head. He drew her into an embrace and brushed his lips over hers. “Now can you be happy?” She nodded and returned his kiss. Although, of course, she was glad to see her brother and niece healthy, the sight of them reminded her that she’d never again spend 36

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an evening with Galen and his wife or pick up little Megan. But she couldn’t disappoint Leontis by mentioning those regrets. Her resolution didn’t last long. Fresh doubts crept in. How did she know the vision she’d seen wasn’t just an illusion created by Leontis? Whether his magic included reading her thoughts or merely sensing her mood, he noticed her continued distraction. He questioned her again while they strolled in the orchard at noon the next day. “I’m afraid you are no longer content. How can I lighten your spirit?” Turning to him, she clasped his hands in hers. “You’ve done everything you can. I love the beauty of this place and the flavors of your fruits. I enjoy learning magic.” A blush warmed her face. “I love sharing pleasure with you.” “But?” “But I want to visit my family and I’m afraid you’ll say that’s impossible.” “Not impossible.” His eyes darkened. “Not a good idea, though.” She raised her chin and challenged him with a defiant stare. “Why not? What could be wrong with it? Do you think I’ll break my promise and not come back?” “I trust your word.” He smoothed her hair back from her face. “I only think such a visit wouldn’t give you the happiness you imagine.” The nonsensical claim irritated her. “Of course it would. For one thing, I’d be happier if I could let Galen know I’m still alive.” “I don’t think it would be that simple.” He sighed. “I can’t deny you, though. I can’t endure your sadness. You will come back?” His wistful tone suggested doubt, despite his earlier claim that he trusted her. “I promised, didn’t I?” “Very well, as long as you don’t leave me alone.” Her heart constricted at the quiet words. She hid her face against his shoulder, not wanting him to see how his plea affected her. She realized she cared about his

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happiness too. And his permission to leave thawed the doubts that had chilled her heart. If he could trust her, she could grant him the same faith. Abruptly he stiffened and raised his head, sniffing the air. “What is it?” She pulled back and gazed up at him. “An intruder has just climbed over the wall.” “How do you know?” “The enchantment tells me whenever someone who doesn’t belong here sets foot on my land.” It dawned on her that neither she nor Galen had ever had a chance of sneaking into Leontis’ domain. He knew about any invasion the moment it occurred. Leontis loped toward the gate, calling over his shoulder, “Wait here.” Diera ignored him. When she caught up with him, the panthers already surrounded the intruder. Galen. He held a bow poised to shoot. “Leontis, don’t let them attack!” she cried. At the same moment Galen yelled, “Diera! You’re alive.” Panting from her dash through the garden, she said, “Of course I am. Put down that bow.” Leontis lunged between her and her brother. With a shout of “Demon!” Galen let the arrow fly. It struck Leontis in the side. He crumpled to the ground. Sprinting to him, she fell to her knees and lifted his head onto her lap. “No! Galen, what’s wrong with you?” “I’m here to rescue you. They told me that you’d followed me here. I tried to get some of the other men to help, but they didn’t have the courage.” He drew a dagger from his belt and started toward her but the big cats blocked the way. “Fool, I don’t need rescuing.” The panthers, snarling and baring their fangs, slinked closer to her brother. “Don’t hurt him!” she cried to the beasts. To her relief they backed

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off and crouched in a wide circle, their tails lashing. Tears of anger and grief blurred her vision. “Why did you shoot? You might have killed him.” Leontis’ eyelids flickered and he fumbled for her hand. “Not dead yet,” he whispered. The shock on Galen’s face drove a spear of ice into her heart. “You care for that demon?” “You have no idea what you’re talking about. Didn’t his potion heal Megan?” “Only because you sold your soul for it. What else could this thing be except a demon? It’s obviously bewitched you. You’re crying over a beast—an abomination— and you’re dressed like a whore.” She glanced down at her silken robe. “I never expected my brother to insult me that way.” “I never expected my sister to become a devil’s harlot.” His voice shook. “Come home with me and we’ll have the priest pray for you. Maybe that will cure whatever spell this creature put on you.” “I’m not under a spell.” Now she realized why Leontis had feared going home wouldn’t make her happy. If her own brother felt this way, the rest of the village would loathe her. “Never mind, you wouldn’t understand. Just leave.” “Diera, please.” He shoved the dagger into its scabbard. “If I do leave, I’m never coming back. This is your only chance.” “Good.” He flinched at her harsh tone. “Murderer! You tried to kill the man who saved your baby’s life.” “That’s no man.” He held out one hand toward her. “You won’t come home?” She shook her head, her eyes stinging. “I promised not to leave him.” Galen’s face hardened. “Just as well. You would disgrace what’s left of our family and our neighbors would stone you as a witch. Better for them to think you’re dead.”

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“Yes. Let them think that.” Rubbing her eyes, she turned away from him to ease the arrow out of Leontis’ flesh. Luckily it hadn’t penetrated far. Blood seeped from the wound. She pressed a wad of cloth from her robe against it. When she glanced up, Galen was trudging toward the wall with the panthers at his heels. She didn’t look at him again. She bowed her head over Leontis, her hair forming a curtain around their faces. “Don’t you dare die.” “I wouldn’t think of it,” he said, his breathing labored. She tore a strip off her robe and bandaged his chest with it. When she had to shift him to wrap the cloth around his torso, his half-suppressed groans shot pain through her own breast. “Can you walk?” He raised himself on one elbow but collapsed, gasping. “I think not.” “Wait.” After one anxious glance at him, she ran back along the path. In the fireberry grove she found a tangle of iceberry vines and tore off a cluster of the fruits. She sprinted for the spot where she’d left Leontis. When she reached him, she found the panthers gathered around, one of them licking his face. She absentmindedly shouldered the animal out of her way, too worried about its master to fear its lethal fangs. Cradling Leontis in one arm, she pushed a berry between his lips. “Quick, eat this.” As soon as he nibbled it from her fingers, she fed him another. “You have to eat all of them.” He swallowed the berries one at a time until he’d consumed the whole bunch. He sat up, his eyes bright. “Thank you. I’m sorry about your brother.” A bitter taste welled in her mouth. “You did try to warn me.” His fingers grazed her cheek. “You could have gone home. Why did you stay?” She didn’t even think to invoke her promise. “I couldn’t let you lie on the ground bleeding.” He wrapped his arms around her, his breath rustling her hair. “Was that all?”

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“No.” She swallowed the tears clogging her throat. “I couldn’t leave because I love you.” Only when she spoke the words did she recognize their truth. He emitted a long sigh and she felt his tense muscles relax, as if chains had fallen from his body. His eyes glistened. “No one has ever said that to me.” Drawing her onto his lap, he kissed her forehead and cradled her against his chest. “Just as I’ve never loved anyone before you.” Under her cheek she felt his heart pounding. Hers raced too, now from joy instead of fear. She guided his hand to the valley between her breasts to let him feel its beat. At his touch, she melted inside. He tightened his arms around her and she felt his cock grow hard and demanding. “Take me,” she whispered. “Yes, my beloved. But not here.” He stood, lifting her in his arms. “I want you in my bed.” “Our bed.” “Yes, ours to share, as everything I have belongs to you.” On the way back to the bower he picked a handful of fireberries and fed them to her between kisses. “As we belong to each other forever.”

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About the Author Marked for life by reading Dracula at the age of twelve, Margaret L. Carter specializes in the literature of fantasy and the supernatural, particularly vampires. She received degrees in English from the College of William and Mary, the University of Hawaii and the University of California. She is a 2000 Eppie Award winner in horror, and with her husband, retired Navy Captain Leslie Roy Carter, she coauthored a fantasy novel.

Margaret welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and e-mail address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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Also by Margaret L. Carter Dragon’s Tribute Ellora’s Cavemen: Legendary Tails II anthology Heart Diamond Love Unleashed New Flame Night Flight Tall, Dark and Deadly Tentacles of Love Transformations anthology Virgin Blood

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