Lily and the Lion by Honey Phillips

Epilogue

Nine months later…

Lily hidin the undergrowth beneath one of the huge trees in the Sayari jungle, her heart racing. She had heard Leo pass by only a few minutes earlier, and she wasn’t sure if she had managed to fool him this time. Cautiously lowering a leaf, she tried to peer out of her hiding place without giving herself away. The clearing looked empty, and she debated making a run for it. But just as she decided to take the chance, a massive body tackled her, rolling over so that he hit the ground first and cradled her fall.

“Gotcha,” he growled.

“I’m never going to be able to escape you, am I?” She mock pouted.

“Never.” His eyes went to the mating mark on her neck with immense satisfaction. “You are mine.”

“But you still like to chase me.”

“And you still like to be chased.”

He was right. She loved the rush of adrenaline, even though she knew he would never harm her. And when he caught her? Her pussy was already wet with anticipation.

“Although I don’t understand why you insist on wearing these,” he grumbled, tracing his finger down her bra strap, his claws already threatening to emerge. “You know I’m only going to rip them off of you.”

“Because they’re pretty. And because you enjoy ripping them off of me.” So much so that she suspected she had become the lingerie shop’s biggest customer.

Her nipple peeked through the appliquéd flowers that formed the minimal cups, and she shivered as his claw popped out and teased the rosy peak.

“They are pretty,” he agreed. He plucked at the strap of the matching thong, working it back and forth and teasing her sensitive bottom hole. “But you are far more beautiful.”

As he started to tug her towards him to feast on her nipples, she heard the communicator hidden in his loincloth make a soft ping.

“Ignore it,” she urged him. “We’re on holiday.”

He had spent the last nine months trying to repair all of the damage his father had done to the company. She could see the strain it had put on him, and she had finally conspired with his grandfather to practically kidnap him and take him back to Sayari for a well-deserved rest.

The break from routine had appealed to her as well. In an effort to assist him, she had started managing the many social events that were an integral part of the way the Tajiri did business. Somewhat to her surprise, she found that not only was she good at it but that she rather enjoyed it, but she wanted this time alone with him even more.

“Your grandfather will handle it,” she reminded him now. The older man had promised to take care of everything while they were on Sayari.

“I have to check. What if something has happened to him?”

The thought made her heart skip a beat. She had grown as fond of Leo’s grandfather as if he was her own grandfather.

“You’re right.”

He pulled out the communicator and checked it quickly. His body tensed.

“What is it? Please tell me he’s okay.”

“It’s not Grandfather. It’s a message from Captain Nargan.”

The rush of relief made her even more angry that he’d disturbed them. “Really? What couldn’t wait?”

“He received word from Mafana. Someone is trying to find you. The message says her name is Kate.”

“Kate?” The jungle whirled around her. They had spent so long looking for her friends—and every lead had seemed to reach a dead-end. She had almost given up hope, even though Leo insisted on continuing the search.

“Yes.”

“But the Mafanan ambassador said that no humans had been abandoned there.”

“I don’t understand it either,” he admitted. “But it’s the first real lead we’ve had since we started searching.”

“Is she all right? Where is she? Can we go there?”

She scrambled her feet, wincing apologetically when her knee rammed into his cock.

“You know, another five minutes wouldn’t make any difference,” he said, stroking his abused cock with a pitiful look.

“You would never be satisfied with five minutes,” she told him. “And there is a bed on the ship. I can spend the whole journey soothing your wounded… pride.”

“Now that sounds like a reason to hurry,” he agreed, leaping to his feet and throwing her over his shoulder as she squealed with laughter, her heart filled with hope.

Please let it be Kate, please let it be Kate, she prayed as they raced back to the lodge.

“You tricked me,”Leo growled in her ear as the boat they had rented glided across the green Mafanan ocean.

“What do you mean?”

“You didn’t spend the entire trip soothing my… pride.”

She giggled. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep. It was your fault. You made me come so many times I couldn’t keep my eyes open.”

“I’ll just have to keep working on your stamina.”

An anticipatory shiver rolled across her body as she leaned back into his arms. “I can hardly wait.”

His arms tightened around her as they watched the waves skim by. Sea birds circled far overhead, and the warm ocean air suddenly reminded her of Cosmo Beach.

“This is so beautiful. I had forgotten how much I love the ocean.”

“There is an ocean on Yangu as well,” Leo reminded her. “I believe we even own a house there. Would you like to visit it when we return?”

“I’d love to.”

“No one has been there for a long time, so I’m not sure what kind of shape it’s in,” he warned. “And I don’t think it’s very big.”

“That sounds even better.”

“I told you that we didn’t have to live in the mansion.” They had moved in after his father’s unceremonious departure.

“I know, but I didn’t want to leave your grandfather there alone. I’m getting used to it—but it would be nice to have some place smaller just for us.”

“I’ll look into it as soon as we return,” he promised, then pointed to the front of the boat. “I think that’s our destination.”

A tropical island rose out of the water ahead of them, lush with vegetation. A pretty village of square white buildings followed the curve of a bay, but they headed for the rocky point at one end. A sprawling white castle climbed up the rocks, festooned with flowering vines.

As they pulled up to the dock, a tall Mafanan male came to join them. In one of the few intervals when they weren’t making love and she wasn’t asleep, Leo had briefed her on the Mafanans. She knew that what looked like his legs were actually tentacles that would unfurl when he entered the water, but she wouldn’t have guessed by looking at him. He was very good-looking in an austere sort of way, with deep teal-colored skin and large golden eyes.

“I am Prince A’tai of House Maulimu. You are Lily?”

“Yes, and this is my mate, Leotra va Situni. Where is Kate?” she asked eagerly.

“She is on the terrace. She is still weak, and I would not permit her to come down and meet you.”

Her heart started to race. “Weak? What’s wrong with her?”

“She is still recovering from the birth.”

“The birth?” Kate had a baby? The same woman who had pulled a face anytime Mary talked about her kindergarten class? Had this strange male forced her to give birth?

But when they reached the terrace and she saw Kate cradling her child, her face warm with happiness, her doubts disappeared. There was no doubt that she loved her daughter. A’tai checked to make sure that Kate didn’t need anything, then he, Leo, and Nargan left them alone to talk.

“This is Marli,” Kate said proudly. “I named her after you and Mary.”

Unexpected tears sprang to Lily’s eyes as she admired the baby. Her skin was a soft, pearly white and she had a tiny tuft of brown hair, but when her eyes blinked open, they were as large and golden as her father’s.

“She’s beautiful.”

“Yes, she is,” Kate said complacently. “Now sit down and tell me everything that’s happened to you. I can’t believe we’ve been so close all this time and didn’t know it.”

“The Mafanan ambassador told Leo there weren’t any humans here.”

“We don’t spend a lot of time in the capital, but it’s hard to believe he hadn’t heard about me. Unless my evil mother-in-law told him to keep silent.”

“You have an evil mother-in-law?”

A guilty expression crossed Kate’s face. “I shouldn’t say that. She can be… difficult, but she usually has good intentions. She might have told him to say that because she thought she was protecting me. Or A’tai. And I have to admit that she’s a wonderful grandmother.”

Kate told her more about how she’d met A’tai and her encounters with his mother, and then Lily filled her in on her own experiences.

“And you couldn’t find out anything else about Mary?”

Lily shook her head. “We’re not even one hundred percent positive it was her. The witness said that was her name, but he wasn’t very reliable. He did seem pretty sure that a Bukharan bought her, but the trail went cold after that.”

Both women looked over at the Bukharan captain, and Lily sighed. “I know that Nargan is a very honorable male. My friend Mata is also mated to a Bukharan, and she’s very happy. But they’re so big and Mary is so small.”

“I have found that a large size is very pleasurable,” Kate said calmly, and Lily almost choked over her drink. Kate gave her a curious look. “Don’t you think so? I assumed that your mate would also be well-endowed, but I suppose that physical size could be deceptive. Why are you laughing?”

“I promise you that Leo isn’t short in that department,” she managed to say when she finally stopped laughing. “I just didn’t expect you to start talking about it.”

“It’s a perfectly valid observation,” Kate said a little defensively. “I find the subject of reproduction fascinating.”

Lily started to laugh again. “I prefer hands-on experience.”

“It is much more satisfying,” Kate agreed. “But the fact that we’re both happy makes me hope that perhaps Mary is as well.”

Marli whimpered, and A’tai appeared at Kate’s side immediately.

“Is she all right? What does she want?”

“She’s just hungry.” Kate pushed the top of her dress to one side, and the baby immediately latched on and began nursing. Lily watched in fascination as one of her small legs separated and a tiny tentacle began kneading Kate’s breast.

“Let me know when she is finished, and I will change her,” A’tai said sternly.

“Yes, dear.” Kate rolled her eyes at Lily, and Lily laughed.

“He’s as bossy as Leo. Do you think all alien males are like that?”

“You will never have a chance to find out about other alien males,” Leo growled softly into her ear, and she jumped.

“Are you eavesdropping again?”

“You know I have excellent hearing.” He lowered his voice even more. “Although I think we will have to have a little discussion about your lack of appreciation.”

“What do you mean?”

“‘Not short in that department?’ Is that the best you can do?”

“Maybe I need a reminder,” she said innocently.

His hand dropped down to squeeze her butt. “That’s not all you need.”

“Would you like me to show you to your room?” Kate asked, and Lily blushed.

“You will do no such thing,” A’tai said immediately. “You will feed our child, and then you will rest.”

“I know the way,” Leo said as he picked her up and started to carry her off the terrace.

“But we were still talking.”

“And you can talk more later. Once you have been reminded to show proper appreciation for your mate.”

An hour later,Lily sprawled bonelessly across the bed. She had been thoroughly reminded and a lazy feeling of satisfaction hummed through her veins. The windows were open to the ocean breeze, and she could hear the gentle ebb and flow of the waves against the rocks.

“So… I was thinking,” she said slowly.

“Oh?” Leo looked up from where he was unpacking. As usual, he had four times as much luggage as she did. She could hear the suspicious note in his voice and hid a grin.

“Kate’s baby is very cute, isn’t she?”

“Yes, she is.”

“I know we agreed to wait a year, but it really seems as if things are under control and I’m not getting any younger and I just thought that maybe…” God, why is this so hard?

“Maybe what?” He had his eyes fixed on her face, but she couldn’t read his expression.

“Maybe we should go ahead and think about having a baby,” she blurted out.

His roar echoed through the room as he turned back to his luggage, rooting through the case and tossing his clothes aside frantically. Why was he so upset? Her heart sank, but maybe it was had been too soon.

“It was just a suggestion. If you don’t want to—”

“Not want to?” He stalked back towards her, holding something in one hand.

“What’s that?”

“The pill to reverse my fertility. I’ve been carrying it for the last six months.” He popped it in his mouth, swallowed, and grinned triumphantly.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t want to rush you. And we have been busy.”

“But you do want to have a baby?”

“More than anything.” He shoved down his pants, revealing his cock, already erect and throbbing. “Are you ready for me again? I don’t think I can go slowly.”

“Yes.”

The word was hardly out of her mouth before he pounced on her. He kissed her frantically as his hands traveled over her body, groaning into her mouth when he reached the slick heat between her legs. His tail wrapped around her thigh, pulling it open, and then he thrust into her, hard enough to make her see stars.

Despite her excitement, she struggled to adjust to the sudden intrusion as he set a demanding rhythm. But then his thumb stroked across her clit and the burning stretch became a pleasurable fullness. He growled against her neck, his fangs tracing the mate mark over and over as his hips pistoned into hers. All she could do was cling to him until he roared again, and she felt him explode in her as his fangs sank into her neck and his barbs locked them together.

Her own climax swept over her, so intense that her vision turned dark and it took an endless moment before she was aware of being back in his arms. His tongue swept back and forth over the mating mark, soothing but also sending little shudders of pleasure through her. She felt his embedded cock flex in response.

“Would that pill really work that quickly?” she murmured.

He raised his head and grinned down at her. “Perhaps not. But we will just have to keep trying until it does. I love you, Lily.”

“I love you too.”

And as he bent his head to kiss her, she could only hope that Mary had found the same happiness.