Pride of the Lion

Chapter Thirteen

Leander wanted to roar again but desperately swallowed back the aching need to voice his pleasure, not wanting her to think he was more animal than man. He loved the feel of Araminta’s hands on his back, touching his tattoo. It was as good as having her stroke every inch of his body. He knew she had no idea how sensitive his tattoo was.

His entire body was still humming from making love to her. His cock should have been limp after the orgasm he’d just had, but he was still hard as steel and ready to go again. But he wouldn’t do that to Araminta, didn’t want to make her sore. He could fuck all night long, but her body was much more delicate and fragile than his. He had to remember that she was human and he was not.

It frustrated and angered him that even if they survived today he would lose her in a few short decades. No, not if, but when they survived. Araminta would live no matter the cost to himself. She was too precious to him.

Funny how in the long millennia before the war with Hades, none of them had ever considered taking a mate. They were warriors. They fought when necessary, they ate when they wanted and fucked willing women when the urge was upon them. But that was all secondary to their task of protecting the Lady.

Maybe it was the long years in captivity that had changed him, had made him appreciate the warmth of a woman’s body, her laughter and softness, made him want more than he’d had.

She stroked her hands over the lion’s flanks and his hips bucked, his cock jerking as if urging him to roll over and reach for her. If she kept this up he wouldn’t be responsible for what he did.

A muscle jumped in his jaw, and he clenched his teeth to keep from rolling over and taking her again. He didn’t think just any woman would have him feeling this way. He knew himself too well to believe that. He’d had his fair share of women in the days before the curse. Fucking was fun for both parties, but he’d always been ready to leave once it was over.

Not so with Araminta, and not just because he was honor-bound to protect her. No, he wanted to be with her. Her intelligence, her courage and her subtle beauty all drew him. It was as if the universe had created her just for him.

And he would not fail to protect such a treasure. He would not fight fate, nor would he question his good fortune. They were meant to be together, but if that could not happen, he would die protecting her.

She slid her small hand across the lion’s back and down his left flank.

Leander could take no more torture. He rolled and pounced on her in one motion, her shriek turning into a moan of pleasure as he shoved his way inside her. She was still wet from her earlier orgasm and took him easily. He purred, loving the way her pussy closed around him like soft, wet velvet.

“Again?” Her eyes were wide and her lips parted.

He leaned down and kissed her, twining his tongue against hers. When they were both breathless, he pulled back, letting his lips hover an inch away from hers. “Again.”

Araminta locked her thighs around his hips and moved with him as he fucked her. Her slick channel spasmed around him and he knew she was as close to coming as he was. This time was gentler than the last, but it didn’t take long. He rocked them both, supporting her back with his hand, leading her into each deep stroke.

She dug her fingernails into his shoulders and her eyes never left his. They came at the same time, neither of them looking away. Leander felt his heart lock and knew no other woman would ever own it. He belonged to Araminta and she to him.

Tears filled her eyes and he leaned down to lick away one salty drop that escaped from a corner. “Don’t cry.” He hated to see her upset.

She swiped at her eyes. “I don’t know why I’m crying.”

He kissed her, not knowing what else to do. He continued to thrust in and out of her hot depths, wanting to comfort her, loving the way her pussy squeezed him as though it would never let him go.

But time was moving fast and they’d already taken a big risk by making love. He reluctantly shifted off of Araminta. “We need to get dressed.” He played with the messy tail of her braid, sweeping it over her skin. “We don’t want to be TSTL,” he teased her, remembering her earlier reference to her writing.

She gave a watery laugh. “No, I guess we don’t want to be that.” She sat and grabbed the comforter as if suddenly realizing she was naked. He pulled it away from her, not wanting her to hide her body from him.

“Go get cleaned up.” He stood, and in the blink of an eye was clothed in leather pants and boots again.

“That’s just not fair.” Looking disgruntled and totally adorable, Araminta climbed off the bed, bent down and grabbed her clothing off the floor and left the room. His eyes almost rolled back in his head when she bent down and he got a glimpse of her glistening pussy. His lion roared, wanting to feel her juices filling his mouth and flowing down his throat before he fucked her again.

But that wasn’t going to happen. He’d already risked her safety as it was. The clock was ticking and Hades wasn’t done yet. The next few hours would be a fight for their lives and their very souls.

He clenched his hands at his side, his fingers morphing into giant claws before he got control of himself. Hades would not have his Araminta. He’d follow the demon god into Hell itself and slaughter him if he tried.

Araminta stared at her reflection in the mirror and shook her head. She looked totally debauched, her cheeks were red, her lips swollen and her hair a mess. Her limbs were loose, her body relaxed.

Under normal circumstances, she’d be very happy, but these were anything but normal times. Hades was waiting to kill them or turn Leander to his side. She really had to get her act together before she ended up being a TSTL heroine. Not exactly how she wanted to be remembered if she didn’t make it through the rest of the day.

She looked longingly at the shower but knew there wasn’t time. She quickly pulled on her clothes and decided, what the heck, there was time to redo her hair. She took out the braid, ran her brush through the tawny mass and made fast work of braiding it again.

It was only as she was reaching for the bathroom door handle she remembered what she’d meant to tell Leander. She pulled open the door and hurried back into the bedroom. “Leander.”

He appeared in front of her so fast she almost stumbled into him. He caught her in his strong arms. “What is it?”

His unusual features no longer seemed strange to her. He’d never look totally human, his facial structure was too strong and broad, his nose too wide and his hair such an unusual color, but he looked perfect to her. He was simply Leander and she loved him.

She sucked in a breath and averted her gaze. When had that happened? She couldn’t love him. He wasn’t staying. Couldn’t stay.

He caught her chin in his hand and lifted it until she was staring at his face. He looked worried so she tried to smile. “I remembered something while you were…chatting with Luna.” Araminta didn’t quite know how else to phrase it. “I think I know what Hades’ demons were looking for when they wrecked my home.”

“What is it?” His amazing eyes were intent on her, his entire focus on what she was saying. And what a turn-on that was.

She forced herself to get on with the job at hand. “I got an email a while back from a reader. I ignored it, thinking the person wasn’t quite playing with a full deck, if you know what I mean?”

Leander frowned, making him appear forbidding and menacing. “You mean you thought she was lying?”

“I thought she was lost in the story, thinking it was real when it was make-believe.”

Leander caught on quickly. “But it is not make-believe.”

Araminta hurried to her office with Leander on her heels. “I know that now, but I didn’t then.” She grabbed her computer bag and headed out to the living room. Better to be far away from the room with the bed, although she didn’t think that would stop Leander if he wanted to make love to her again—the wall, the floor, the sofa were all possibilities.

Her body throbbed in agreement, her breasts swelling against the lacy cups of her bra. She ignored her arousal and sat on the sofa, setting her laptop on the coffee table. “This woman was asking about the first book in the series, the one about the tiger.” She powered up the computer and waited impatiently for it to start up. “She also included a website link for a site that was devoted to the Lady of the Beasts. I checked out the website and it had some pretty interesting stuff, but most of it was information that was already in my book.”

Leander’s tension was palpable. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I think I might be able to contact at least one, possibly two of the warriors and their women.” Her fingers clicked over the keys as she retrieved the email from the file where she kept troubling messages. “If this woman was telling the truth she’s the one who freed the bear.”

“Marko,” Leander whispered.

She nodded. “Yes, Marko. And the website she sent the link for had a huge white tiger icon on it.”

Leander sat on the sofa next to her, practically vibrating with excitement. “It has to be Roric.”

“Maybe.” She didn’t want him to get his hopes up too high. “Here it is.” She brought up the website and swiveled the computer so they could both see the screen. The stylized lettering of the banner read Lady of the Beasts and there were seven links, one for each animal, as well as a contact button.

She scrolled and hit the link for the white tiger. Immediately the page opened and the legend of the Lady unfolded. Leander reached out and touched his finger to the photo of the enormous white tiger. “Roric.” His tortured whisper just about broke her heart. “Show me the rest.”

Araminta clicked on the link for the bear, and when the page opened she gasped at the photo of the giant brown bear standing on his hind paws. Beside her, Leander sucked in a breath. “Is that him?” she asked.

“Yes. It’s Marko.”

She clicked on the other links but found only generic photos of a phoenix, jaguar, wolf and what appeared to be a Chinese dragon. That had to be the serpent.

“Mordecai,” Leander growled.

“The serpent.” She glanced at the accompanying text and it matched what she’d written in her book. “So he went over to the dark side and joined Hades.”

Leander nodded, his features grim. “I don’t understand how he could do such a thing.” He shook his head. “He was always challenging Roric’s leadership, but I never imagined he would join our sworn enemy.”

“Being held captive for five thousand years can change a person,” she began, but he shook his head again.

“He is a warrior of the Lady of the Beasts, his first and only duty is to see to her safety.”

Araminta ignored the pang of jealousy that rocked her. She had no right feeling angry or envious at the way he talked about the Lady. After all, she was a goddess and she’d created all the warriors. Of course their first loyalty was to her. They’d protected her since the dawn of time. She’d known Leander less than a day.

Still, it was disheartening and she struggled with her composure.

“Let me show you the email.” Better to keep all her thoughts and energy devoted to saving herself from Hades. She shivered at the memory of the earlier encounter with Luna. She didn’t want to experience anything like that again. The dream world had seemed to fulfill every one of her heart’s desires, but there’d been a sinister quality about it, as well as an emptiness that still echoed in her soul.

Soulless. That’s what it was. She’d rather die than spend eternity in such a place. Not that she’d be given another opportunity to take the offer Hades had put forth. In the books she’d written, the offer had come once and, if denied, Hades resorted to more deadly tactics to get his way.

“See, it’s from a woman named Kellsie Morris. She says that the legend is real and if I’d like to talk to her I can call her at that number.”

“Let’s call her. Maybe I can speak with Marko. He might have information vital to our survival.”

Araminta got her phone and placed the call. It rang four times and she figured it would go to voicemail on the next ring. But before it could do so, a woman answered. “Hello.”

“Is this Kellsie Morris?” Araminta gripped her phone, very aware of Leander hovering beside her, his massive frame tense with anticipation.

The voice turned wary. “Who wants to know?”

She licked her dry lips. “This is Araminta Davidson, and I think you might be able to help me with a rather large problem.”

“Ohmigod, you freed one of them. Which one?”

“Leander. The lion,” she added in case Kellsie didn’t know the warrior’s names.

She heard yelling in the background as the other woman called for Marko. “Marko is coming. How much time do you have left?”

Araminta glanced at the clock on the mantle. “Five hours.”

“Too long.”

She didn’t need Kellsie to tell her that. There was something in the air, a thickening, a growing menace that made her want to run and hide in the closet like a frightened child. Except there was no hiding, not from Hades.

“Marko is here and he wants to talk to Leander.”

She held out the phone to Leander. “Marko wants to talk with you.”

Leander took a deep breath and shook his head. “Can you make it so we can both hear whatever he has to say?”

She nodded, pressed the necessary button to activate the speaker and placed the phone on the table in front to them. Then she nodded at Leander.

“Marko. Is it truly you?”

“My friend.” The voice was deep, more a bass rumble. Leander was visibly overcome with emotion. He tilted his head back and swallowed hard.

“I never believed I would ever hear your voice again.” Leander leaned forward and rested his forearms on his thighs. “How did you defeat Hades and break the curse?”

Araminta leaned forward too, not wanting to miss a single word. Before Marko could reply, the phone suddenly went dead. The silence was deafening. “What is wrong?” Leander demanded.

She picked up her phone and hit redial. Nothing. “I don’t know. This shouldn’t be happening.”

“Hades.” Leander sprang to his feet and held up his right hand. A gigantic sword appeared, the sharp metal blade gleaming as he circled the room.

Araminta checked her computer screen only to find it blank. “Computer is down too.”

“The time of waiting is at an end and the time to fight is here.” Leander sounded as though he was relishing the coming battle. She’d much rather run until the clock ran out and they were safe. She was a thirty-year-old romance writer, not some crazy female action hero. The height of excitement in her life had been attending the writer’s conference. And look where that had gotten her.

If she lived through the rest of the day she might never leave the house again.

Buck up, she scolded herself. She’d lived in obscurity her entire life, never making waves, never leaving a mark on the world. Here was her chance to be a part of something bigger than herself. The fate of the world was at stake. She’d written the darn books so she knew the truth of the matter. If Hades managed to get the support of even one more warrior, he’d probably have the power to stage a takeover of the world before the other members of his pantheon even knew what was happening.

Hades would then be the most powerful of all the Greek gods and he would be unstoppable. Only the warriors of the Lady were here on Earth and had been for so long that the other gods and goddesses accepted their presence in this realm. Their being freed hadn’t raised a blip on their radar.

But why hadn’t they noticed when two of the warriors had been destroyed? Definitely something to ponder if she survived the next few hours.

Hades was not happy. And when he wasn’t happy everyone around him was miserable. Mordecai was no exception. He stood with his hands loose at his sides, ready to protect himself if the god suddenly decided he was expendable. Mordecai hadn’t survived this long only to lose his soul and his life because Hades was in a foul mood.

“How could this happen?” Hades was dressed all in black, as usual, the Armani suit tailored to perfection, the linen shirt smooth and crisp, the silk tie understated. Personally, Mordecai didn’t know how the guy could be comfortable wearing the tight garb. He much preferred his khakis, boots and a T-shirt, but to each his own.

Mordecai shrugged. “Luna was too impetuous. She assumed because Leander acted interested that he was. The guy’s a lion. He plays with his prey before he kills it. He’s also extremely protective of those he considers his.”

Hades glared at him and paced from one end of the room to the other. “I need another warrior. You’re not enough.” He sneered, but Mordecai didn’t rise to the bait. His ego was much too healthy to be bothered by such a small slight.

“You need at least one more warrior,” he agreed. “Two would be better.”

Hades glared at the mirror into other realms and watched as Leander circled the tiny living room of Araminta’s home. What remained of Luna had appeared in Hades’ antechamber not long ago, and since then Hades had been on the warpath. He’d killed the poor demon who’d brought the remains to his attention. Mordecai assumed he didn’t adhere to the adage of not killing the messenger.

“And they actually made contact with one of the other warriors.” Hades pointed at the mirror as if it would tell another tale simply because he willed it. The mirror showed what was, not what the viewer wished to see.

Mordecai leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest, confident that Hades wouldn’t try to kill him yet. He still needed Mordecai alive, plus he’d gotten the worst of his anger out when he’d slaughtered the poor unfortunate messenger.

“Modern technology is a bitch. It’s not like the old days when we’d have to send up a smoke signal or wait for days or months for a messenger to arrive. Just be glad that the Lady hasn’t found them. She could transport them to anywhere on the Earth with just a thought.” It might not be a wise thing to do, but Mordecai wanted to see how Hades would react when his failure was tossed in his face.

The god glared at him and smoke literally rose from his body, seeping out from beneath the cuffs and collar of the suit jacket. “The Lady is weak and lost somewhere in a godforsaken forest. No one remembers her name anymore, let alone worships her. She will not gain any power, therefore she is of no consequence.”

Mordecai inclined his head. “As you say.” Better to placate the god, for now. “Is it time to take the fight to Leander? He is the most fierce of all of us, even more so than Roric.” He’d always wondered why the lion hadn’t taken leadership of their group from the tiger. He was more than capable. But then some people didn’t want to lead, were content to follow. Mordecai was not one of those people.

Hades strode to the far end of the room and threw himself down onto his throne. The dark wood gleamed in the candlelight that flickered from the enormous iron candelabras ringing the room. The shimmering light caught Hades’ face, illuminating it. The god’s handsome face appeared sinister and sly, more true to his actual nature.

The Lord of the Underworld rested his elbows on the arms of his chair, steepled his fingers together and contemplated his options. “If we are to fight in the middle of a town, I will have to create a barrier of sorts. It wouldn’t do for Zeus or Poseidon to hear about what was happening. They have spies everywhere.”

Hades glared at Mordecai, who held up his hands in mock surrender. “I’m not one of them. You’re the one who found me,” he reminded the god.

“So I did.” He tapped one finger against his chin. “If I use energy on a force field, I will have to send fewer demons to fight.” He pointed at Mordecai. “You will go with me.”

Mordecai straightened away from the wall and smiled. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“No, I don’t suppose you would. You’re a bloodthirsty creature.” Hades stood and prowled across the floor, coming to a stop in front of Mordecai. “Just remember your place.”

“That, my lord, is something I never forget.” Mordecai let one corner of his mouth tilt upward, giving Hades a sly smile.

“Good.” Hades snapped his fingers and four enormous demons entered the room. Each was clad in leathery brown garments made from the flesh of lesser demons, and Mordecai knew it was thicker than steel armor. Each carried a sword in one hand that they angled across their chests before bowing to Hades.

They were an ugly lot with their glowing red eyes, their sharp teeth and dark skin. They spoke little but growled a lot, displaying their blackened gums. Their misshapen skulls and the short horns protruding from either side of their foreheads made them appear even more grotesque. They lived to fight and would follow Hades’ commands and unthinkingly give their lives for the god.

“Good choice.” These creatures spit acid and were quick on their feet. They would give Leander quite a challenge. Mordecai was looking forward to watching the battle.

Hades glared at him but refrained from answering. Mordecai enjoyed baiting the god even though it was a very dangerous pastime. But there was so little to give him joy in this realm that he took it where he could.

The god motioned to him and Mordecai strolled over to stand beside him. Hades swept his arm in a circular motion and thick black smoke appeared. It circled, getting faster and faster with each rotation. The circle grew larger until it encompassed half the room. The scent of burning flesh and brimstone grew more pungent. Mordecai had grown used to the smell, but it always made him feel like washing himself clean. He was used to fresh mountain air and the crisp scent of fir trees, or at least, he had been. This was his life now.

He shoved aside all thoughts of the past and stepped into the swirling mass beside Hades. All his senses disappeared when he stepped into the void. It was like being struck blind, deaf and speechless. There was no sound, nothing to see or hear or touch. But he grimly put one foot in front of the other, heading toward the light in the distance.

Hades was in front of him with the demons leading the way. No way would Hades enter the earthly realm first. No, the god always sent others ahead, those who were expendable. Mordecai was expected to protect his flank. He conjured his sword and held it at the ready. This was going to be one hell of a fight.

He laughed at his own pun—a hell of a fight, indeed—and stepped out of the tunnel and into the center of a middle-class living room in North Dakota. He raised his sword and saluted his former friend.

The Lady of the Beasts sat naked on the earth, soaking up the energy from the ground and the sun shining down on her. The sun would be gone soon, lost behind the mountains. But that didn’t matter. She could recharge her lost energy with the rays of the moon just as well.

Hades and his ilk never truly understood her or her connection to this world. She was of the earth and skies, drawing power from every grain of sand, every ray of light, every heartbeat of the animals who inhabited this planet.

Like all gods and goddesses, she also gained power when people worshiped her. Not that she’d ever demanded such a thing, not like the Greeks had. She’d always been content to live among the animals in the forests or mountains, but people had started saying prayers to her after a hunt or a harvest, and it had strengthened her, lending energy to the blazing light within her. It had also pleased her that humans hadn’t killed indiscriminately, had understood the sacrifice the animal made in giving its life so that they could live.

Then the gods and goddesses of Olympus had marked the world with their presence, bringing their greed and petulance with them, destroying the delicate balance of the world. They thought her weak. What they did not understand was that she was content to simply wait them out. She’d lived much longer than any of them, had seen creation itself and knew that the time of the other gods and goddesses would come and go and she would remain, as always, while they faded into the annals of history and time.

There’d been no need for them to attack her, to attack her warriors. Herself, she could forgive them for, but not her warriors. They were her creation, her children. And, like any mother, she was fiercely protective. It pained her that some of them had been lost to her, but she could not think about that now. One of her warriors was in immediate danger.

Leander. Her pale-pink lips curved upward in a gentle smile—the king of the beasts, so fierce and so protective. He would need her help soon, and she wanted to be ready to give what she could.

As the sun sank behind the mountain and the moon appeared in the sky, she began to chant. The musical notes fell easily from her lips, more sound than words, and all around her the world went still, the animals straining to hear her.

She sang for all the years she’d been kept away from what she loved best, locked in a dead world of rock and decay. A misty rain fell on her, the earth’s tears washing her clean. She sang for joy, for being reunited with all she loved, and the sky cleared, the clouds floating away.

A wolf howled nearby and a bear grunted just beyond the tree line. An owl hooted and a squirrel chattered. Soon the forest was alive with the music of the animals as they joined her in her song of celebration.

John Running Bear’s voice joined the chant from where he waited for her just beyond the clearing. She knew he would wait for her as long as was necessary, ready to help her with whatever she needed. He was truly a remarkable man, with one foot in this realm and another in the land of the gods.

The world was changing again as people realized just how precious the animals and the natural world was. People were fighting to save their world and she drew strength from them. Change was inevitable, and whether the human race survived or not was up to them. No matter what happened, she would survive, and she would rebuild, one tree, one animal at a time.

That was her true power, her true calling.