After claiming my mate on the hard floor of the office, shed, or whatever the fuck that building was, we showered and moved to the bed. Facing me on her side, I traced every inch of Nova lovingly with my eyes first, then my hands, and eventually my lips.
“You know you have me, right? I mean that, Baby. You have every inch of me, and I am never letting you go,” I whispered and dragged her body closer to me.
I dropped a kiss on her temple, enjoying the way she leaned into me. Poor little thing was exhausted. After making her come on my tongue, fingers, and cock several times in a row, I understood. But I wasn’t through with her yet. All those weeks I spent trapped inside my Lion’s body, I ached for her. It would be a good long while before I sated the need to feel her slick sex pulsing with pleasure around me.
“Good. I don’t want you to let me go,” she whispered back, kissing the place on my throat where her face was pressed against me.
“I know we haven’t had a chance yet, but would you tell me what happened that night? When they took you,” I said, trying to keep the growl out of my voice and failing.
“It doesn’t matter, Asher. I’m safe now,” she said, concern marring her pretty blue eyes, but I shook my head.
“I know, Baby. I know, but I need to hear it. Please,” I begged, and that was a fucking first. I never begged.
Nova stirred against me, and I eased up on the grip I had on her body. But I couldn’t bring myself to let her go. As if she understood, I felt her small hands against my chest, and listened to her inhale before she started speaking. I breathed in her peppermint rosemary scent, now permanently mixed with my own manly musk, and I thanked the gods she was safe.
“I was looking for my sisters when he grabbed me. He was human, but he must’ve seen my eyes glowing with my Fox after we talked. I was so emotional, I guess I wasn’t guarding myself as closely as I normally would,” she said, as if she needed to apologize for getting kidnapped.
“Nova, what happened wasn’t your fault. Look at me. It. Was. Not. Your. Fault.”
I had to see her when I said this, so I leaned back and lifted her face with a finger on her cute little chin. She blinked and nodded, and I replied with the same gesture, waiting for her to continue.
“He stuck me in the neck with some sort of paralytic, but it also had some of that formula to freeze a Shifter in one form. The thing is, I’m not just a Shifter,” she said, and I nodded in understanding.
This could have been so much fucking worse if my little Vixen wasn’t also half Witch. I managed to keep a lid on my rage, allowing it to simmer not burn, while she described her fear as she was thrown in the backseat of their car. She hadn’t seen me, so no, she didn’t know I was coming for her, and that broke my fucking heart.
“When they dragged me into that barn and laid me on the table, the careless assholes didn’t even bother with straps. They were snickering about what a hot find I was, and how they hoped the boss would keep me in my human skin so they could play with me a little before he finished experimenting on me,” she whispered, and I trembled.
“Fuck. Nova, I’m so sorry. Did they—”
“No! No, Asher, you got there in time,” she said, trying to reassure me.
Fury filled me and I wished I could go back in time and kill those bastards all over again. Just the mention of what they were thinking of doing made my vision red. I felt Nova’s hands on my face, and she lifted up, pressing my lips to hers.
“I’m safe, Asher. You saved me before they could do anything. It was just talk. By the time they brought their scientist in, and I saw who it was, you were almost there,” she continued.
“Gabe almost shit himself when he saw me. He started cursing and yelling, and his distraction was exactly what I needed. I used my magic to push the paralytic out of my veins while he was chewing them out for taking me.”
“Apparently, they were aware of our little undercover operation thanks to Gabe, that piece of shit, but the fact we were at The Thirsty Dog and not Quenched messed them up. They were always focused on you, staying away from you, the big, badassed agent. So when they saw me, eyes glowing with my Fox, they thought I was fair game.”
“Badassed?”
“Hell yes. Everyone at the DPCA thinks you’re a superhero,” she said.
I grunted, reminded of the moniker Gabe had called me. Ashman. That prick. I was glad he was dead. I didn’t feel like a superhero. Yes, we got there in time, but I almost lost her. And almost was too close for comfort.
“Then you arrived, and you know everything else,” she said, wrapping up the story. “Oh, but they were using an olfactometer at first in the other instances. Just thought you should know, you were right about that. My eyes gave me away, but they had the device on them when they took me. It’s in my lab at the DPCA. Mother had me take it apart to see how it worked.”
“Mmm,” I made a noncommittal humming sound in the back of my throat.
I did not care about being right just then as I kissed her head, letting her feel my love and adoration in the caress. My heart squeezed inside my chest. I never thought this was possible. I figured I’d end up being another stud for my mother’s Pride. But after meeting Nova, I knew that was not my fate.
This woman. This beautiful, brilliant, ballsy woman was my everything. She was my reason. And I would do anything to keep her safe and by my side.
“Fuck, I am so sorry. I know you have your Fox, and your magic, and your Clan, your family to protect you. You don’t need me. But you have me, Nova. Do you know that? You. Have. Me.”
“I know,” she whispered, her beautiful eyes filled with tears as she nodded.
“For better or worse, Baby.”
“Speaking of marital vows, um, this here?” she asked, holding up her ring finger. I grinned unashamedly and confirmed the truth.
“Yep. Tracking device. I was worried.” I explained.
“And I’m glad you had the foresight to do that, but maybe tell a girl next time.”
“Next time I’m putting a tracker underneath your skin,” I warned before squeezing her again.
“Ha ha,” she teased, but I didn’t laugh.
It wasn’t a joke. I was putting a tracker under her skin sooner or later. But I promised myself I would tell her about it this time. Whether it was before or after I did was another story.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t stop them before they could get their filthy hands on you, Baby,” I apologized once more, needing her to understand just how sorry I was.
“And I’m sorry I couldn’t find the right formula to get you back sooner,” she said.
“You got me back, alright,” I reminded her, nuzzling her face with mine.
It was a sign of affection among felines, Shifter or not, and I couldn’t stop once I started. Rolling her onto her back, I followed, pressing my face against her soft skin. I needed to stamp myself on every inch of her. It was possessive alphahole behavior, but I couldn't help it, and Nova didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she seemed to relish it. She opened her thighs, cradling me with her body while I kissed, and petted, and worshipped her.
I didn’t think I’d ever have my fill. And that was okay. Because we had until forever to sate our need for one another. This woman was mine in every way that counted, and I would not rest until the entire world knew it.
“I love you, Asher,” she said, and my heart fucking melted on the spot.
This woman owned me. Body, heart, and soul. I was hers and hers alone. Did she know it? Could she understand the power she held?
My mouth salivated as her peppermint rosemary scent increased along with her arousal. I wanted to devour her. To lick her from head to toe. Stamp myself all over her. Make her come while screaming my name a thousand times.
Sexy, beautiful, genius of a woman. She meant so much to me. I wanted to kick my past self for ever making her doubt herself. And I vowed there and then to lift her up like the queen she was. To be her cheerleader. Her protector. Her lover. Her biggest fucking fan.
“I love you, too, Baby. So fucking much,” I growled, claiming her lips once more.
“Show me,” she said, licking her tongue into my mouth and sharing her sweet flavors with me.
Fuck. This woman was my everything. My all. And I was going to show her. Now. Right now.
And I did.