Lily and the Lion by Honey Phillips

Chapter Seven

Leotra almost missed his hold on the branch he had been aiming at when he heard Lily give a quiet gasp. The scent of her arousal was heavy in the air, and he could feel her slick heat dampening his lower back. He was almost positive that she had just climaxed, but how? No part of him was buried in her body, and she didn’t appear to be in heat.

But then again, she had responded deliciously to his mouth earlier and he hadn’t caught any hint of artificial heat enhancement then either. Perhaps her species was always ready to mate. The intriguing idea almost made him miss his grip a second time as his cock responded enthusiastically. He did his best to push the idea away and concentrate on the descent.

As soon as his feet were firmly on the ground, he bent down so that she could slide free. He felt her shiver as her damp folds brushed over his ass. When he turned to face her, he could see that her cheeks were flushed and her nipples thrusting against the thin cloth that barely covered her breasts.

He wanted to demand an explanation but remembered his self-imposed limitation just as he opened his mouth. He growled in frustration instead, and her eyes widened—but her scent only increased. Still, there was more than one way to find an answer. He slid a finger between her thighs, almost groaning at the slippery heat that met his touch. Even that one digit seemed too large for her narrow folds as he dragged it through the enticing wetness. A small pearl of flesh at the top of her slit quivered at his touch, and she gasped and took a step back.

“No. No touching.”

He lifted the damp finger to his mouth and licked it. Delicious.

“Licking?” he growled.

Those small, blunt teeth closed on her lower lip before she shook her head.

“No licking.” Her voice was almost inaudible.

He closed his mouth around his finger, sucking up every last delicious drop.

“Sucking.” It wasn’t a question. He intended to feast on her.

“N-No.”

Despite her denial, her eyes were focused on where he was sucking his finger clean. His tail curved around her waist again. Her hand closed over it, almost automatically, and he bit back another groan. She quickly let it drop, and he wanted to demand that she take hold of him again, but he didn’t have the words.

This is ridiculous, he decided. He needed to talk to her. But just as he was about to speak, a low thrumming noise came from the direction of the river. Her eyes lit up.

“That sounds like an engine. Maybe it’s a boat.”

He was quite sure it was a boat, but there was no reason for one to be present in his territory. Unless it had something to do with her presence.

All of his previous suspicions reappeared. What if she had been sent here to trap him just like so many other females before her? What if her apparent sexual responsiveness was nothing more than a more sophisticated mating hormone? After all, it wasn’t really likely that a female would be constantly receptive. Disappointment, and something that felt strangely like loss, seared through him.

“No,” he said gruffly, turning to begin the day’s journey.

“What do you mean no?” She ran to catch up with him. “No, it’s not a boat? Or an engine?”

Even if he had felt like explaining, he didn’t want to use that many words. He simply shook his head and kept walking. It took him longer than it should have before he realized she was no longer following him.

He turned around and found that she was still at the same spot, her hands on her hips as she glared at him. And in spite of everything, that challenging look made his cock throb. She was practically begging for him to pursue her.

“Come,” he ordered.

“No. I still think that sounded like an engine, maybe a boat. Which means civilization and, more importantly, the chance of finding my friends.” She flicked a hand at him, clearly dismissing him. “So you go your way. I’m going back to the river to find out for sure.”

His eyes narrowed and he stomped back towards her, his tail lashing furiously behind him. She didn’t run—which was probably just as well under the circumstances since he didn’t think he would have been able to overcome his instincts. He would have chased her, and when he caught her, he would have claimed her. Claimed her? The mere fact that the thought had occurred to him made him even more furious.

“No boat,” he growled, leaning down until their faces were only inches apart.

“Oh, now you know the word boat. I’m beginning to think you know a hell of a lot more than you’re letting on. I’m going to go find that boat.”

Oh no she wasn’t. He roared, the sound echoing through the jungle, then picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She gave an outraged cry, swearing at him as she struggled against his grip. Her foot caught him in the stomach, and he promptly smacked her ass. Her whole body went still, and her reaction penetrated his anger. Horrified, he wondered if he had misjudged his strength and hurt her. He gave her ass a soothing stroke, preparing to put her down, and then his thumb brushed across her slit. She was wet, even wetter than she had been before.

With the remnants of his rage still racing through his system, it was all he could do not to carry her to the ground and claim her on the spot. A small rational part of his brain reluctantly reminded him that he still didn’t have any answers. The fact that she had responded to one of his favorite sports should only add to his suspicions. And yet he could swear her response was genuine.

Definitely time to get some answers—but first they were getting as far away from the blasted river and any fucking boats as possible. He resumed walking, and she didn’t make any further protest. It wasn’t until an hour later when they reached the springs and he finally put her down, but he saw her cheeks were stained from crying.

Lily refusedto look at Leo as he gently set her back on her feet, disturbed both by her unusual display of emotion and the heat that still lingered in her body. Both of them were strange to her. She’d learned to lock her feelings down a long time ago—even before she’d left home. Her parents were neither affectionate nor even particularly interested in her. No matter what she tried to do to get their attention, their usual response was to ignore her. She had told herself she didn’t care and buried the hurt deeper each time. And then when she finally thought she’d found something special with her singer, he’d ended up rejecting her just as easily.

But that was all so long ago. What had released this flood of emotion?

The fact that you’re a million miles from home?she thought, but somehow she suspected it was more than that. First she had been taken from a place that she had tentatively started to consider as home, and then from the two women who in a short span of time had become closer to her than anyone ever had. And now she was alone again except for this giant, confusing male. As furious as he made her, somehow she also felt connected to him in a way that made absolutely no sense. Was it just because he had fed her and protected her? Or was it the humor that sparkled in his eyes and the multitude of feelings that flashed across his expressive face?

And why, oh why, was her body responding to him the way it was? She might have been able to explain away her climax when pressed against his back as mere physical stimulation, but the heat that had rushed through her when he smacked her butt had shocked her to her core.

It wasn’t that she disliked men—not all of her relationships had been complete disasters—but deep down inside she’d never really trusted them. One or two of her partners had suggested spanking fun, but she had adamantly refused, finding the whole idea appalling. But when this stranger, this alien stranger, had spanked her, she had longed for more.

“Hurt?” Leo asked softly, and she looked up to find him giving her a worried look. He should be fucking worried, she thought, but she couldn’t muster her usual vehemence. Not when she was still so confused.

“No.” She shook her head, then forced herself to add defiantly, “No thanks to you.”

She suspected her words rang hollow and didn’t like the way he was studying her face, so she deliberately turned away, then gasped in surprise as she noticed their surroundings for the first time.

He had stopped in a secluded clearing. More of the giant trees ringed the space but the area was large enough that sunlight could reach the ground. Soft orange moss covered the ground between a series of rocky pools. Water flowed down a craggy hillside, then from one pool to another before disappearing into the jungle again. Little flowers bloomed amidst the moss while the gentle trickle of water made a soothing backdrop. It was one of the prettiest places she had ever seen.

“This is beautiful,” she said softly.

“Beautiful,” he echoed, but when she looked up at him, he was looking at her.

The fiery heat that was the curse of the redhead surged to her cheeks, but she ignored it and gave him a suspicious glare instead.

“Your grasp of language certainly seems to be improving. Are you ready to talk?”

He tilted his head, the sunlight glittering in his mane, then nodded. “Talk.”

With his startling speed, he picked her up again—cradled against his chest this time—and headed for the largest pool nestled against the small rocky hillside.

“This isn’t talking,” she muttered, even though she found the way he was carrying her a little too enjoyable. An enjoyment that disappeared when he reached the pool and casually tossed her in. When she rose spluttering to the surface, he was grinning at her triumphantly.

“Why you…” She started towards him, then realized that the water flowing around her body was warm and silky with a distinct floral scent. The lingering aches in her muscles began to disappear. Distracted from her desire to wreak immediate vengeance, she slowed down and let the water swirl gently around her.

She looked up to find him still standing on the rock at the edge of the pool, the sun highlighting that big golden body and turning him into a mythical creature. Then he tilted his head and grinned at her, white fangs flashing, and he was no longer mythical. He was just her Leo. Her Leo? Where the hell had that come from?

But wherever it was, it seemed to have washed her anger away.

“Are you coming in?” she found herself asking.

He dropped his loincloth. She wasn’t quite sure exactly what she had expected—some kind of sheath perhaps—but he had the same type of equipment as a human male. Well, not exactly the same. A broad, slightly pointed shaft rose from a thick, textured base. His heavy balls were covered in the same golden fur as the rest of his body. Apparently, pubic hair wasn’t part of their anatomy. She wondered what would he think of her own patch of red curls.

She was still staring at his cock in bemusement when he cannonballed into the pool with a huge splash. She spluttered again, then burst out laughing. Ridiculous male.

He surfaced next to her, his damp fur clinging even tighter to those impressive muscles as he grinned down at her.

“I guess you thought I needed a bath?” she said, teasingly.

His expression changed, and he bent down and sniffed her neck.

“No,” he growled softly against her skin.

What was it with the sniffing? And why did those little intakes of breath set off little shivers of pleasure?

“I thought you wanted to talk.” Her voice came out breathless.

Instead of responding, he picked her up again and walked to one side of the pool. The position of the rocks made a natural bench and he sat there, keeping her firmly on his lap.

“Talk.”

It was clearly a command, and she frowned at him. “I thought you were going to talk.”

He tapped her chest, just above her breasts, and she did her best to ignore the impulse to slide a little higher so he would actually be touching one of the suddenly aching mounds.

“Talk,” he repeated.

“All right,” she huffed, then hesitated, not exactly sure where to begin. “I’m not from this planet.”

He made an odd choking noise, which she realized was a muffled laugh, and she gave him a rueful smile.

“I guess that’s obvious. I’m a human and I come from a planet called Earth, but I was taken from there, along with my two friends.”

His body had turned rigid beneath her, and she shot a curious glance at his face. He looked angry—no, enraged. A second later, his roar echoed across the clearing, almost deafening her. Why was he so mad?

“It wasn’t my fault. I didn’t ask to be kidnapped. Are you mad at me?”

“No.” Once again, he looked as if he wanted to say something more, but simply shook his head.

“That’s really all there is to tell. We’d been on ship for a while, maybe a few weeks, when something happened. I’m not sure what it was, but we were shoved into the escape pods. At least I think we were. They took Kate first, then me, but Mary was still there when they took me away.”

Based on the muttered conversation from the slavers, she was pretty sure that all of them were being sent away from the ship, at least temporarily, but it worried her to think that the other two might still be somewhere on the ship.

He stroked her back in what was obviously intended to be a soothing gesture, but when she looked up at him he was frowning off into the distance. He obviously understood her story, and it just as obviously upset him, but she still wasn’t sure why.

She poked her finger at his chest to get his attention. “Now it’s your turn. Talk.”

He looked down at her, and he was clearly debating with himself, but then he stood up in another one of his swift movements, leaving her alone on the rock bench.

“Food,” he said.

“What? That’s not fair.”

Her words fell on deaf ears. He had already climbed out of the pool. Despite her annoyance, she couldn’t help admiring the way the water sparkled on his golden fur before he gave a quick shake and picked up his loincloth.

I never even got another chance to take a closer look at his cock, she thought wistfully before she came to her senses.

He looked back at her, and once again she wondered what he was going to say. But he only shook his head.

“Stay.” And then he disappeared out of the clearing.

She glared after him, almost tempted to climb out of the pool and go for a walk just to defy him. But the water really did feel wonderful and it probably wasn’t very smart to go wandering around by herself. She took a deep breath and leaned back against the rock instead, letting the water work its magic.