stop a fight between wolves and jungle cats? I used my powers, but couldn’t leash both packs in time. Chloe, Jarrett’s mate, and Theo’s father were killed. I remember seeing the look on Jarrett’s face as he held Chloe in his arms, the blood on her face…”
“She was pregnant with their first,” she whispered.
“And then he looked at me and I knew he wanted me dead, at all costs. The Society set up two penal colonies side by side, to imprison only the males. The females could never visit. Only when the two warring packs learned to live in peace would the sentence be lifted.”
“Theo and his brothers came here. That’s why this is a prison,” she realized. “What about you?”
Daimon’s shoulders turned rigid. “As an Ancient, I was exonerated from punishment since my assignment was carried out. But Theo and his brothers were losing spirit and strength. They refused to eat, to drink.”
He whirled, a snarl on his face. “Do you know what it’s like for a wild creature to suddenly be caged? To be cut off from everything dear to him, never to taste the wind on his face, never lie again with his mate?”
“You came here to help them.”
“I owed them. I became the leader, fed them renewed purpose and strength. Gave them a blood vow. Until every man here walks out of that gate free, I would always return here.” He blinked rapidly, fighting the emotions churning inside him like ground glass. “This…is my home now.”
Ariana tapped her fingers on the chair’s arm. She didn’t look judgmental, only thoughtful. The tightness in his chest eased a little.
“Violence bred violence. You tried to stop it because you realized your mistake. You said you are free to leave, but you’re not. You’re imprisoned like they are, only by your guilt, Daimon. It’s time to let go and forgive yourself.”
So filled with beauty, and light. Ariana was an angel who had never done anything wrong, while the weight of all his past mistakes weighed on him. Her face shone with trust. He wanted to pull her into his arms and bury himself deep inside her.
He wanted to push her away because he didn’t know if he ever could forgive himself.
“I don’t know if I can,” he whispered. “I don’t know…if I deserve it. Or anything good. Maybe it was best you left me that first time.”
“I do know.” She came to him, her pale skin glowing, her hips swaying seductively. “I will not let go this time, Daimon. I won’t leave you.”
Deserve her? Hell no. But he hungered for her, his beast growling its demand. He was helpless to fight the clawing need as she pressed her body against him.
Her mouth tasted like sweet berries as she kissed him, tugging off his shirt. She placed a hand on his chest as she gazed up at him. Feral hunger overrode all else and he took her mouth in a ravaging kiss.
They stripped and went to the floor.
This time, it was slow, rich and deep. He took his time exploring her, bringing her the pleasure she deserved. His beast snarled with satisfaction, the jaguar staking its claim once more.
Mine.
He’d taken her virginity, claimed her in the flesh. Now the bond he forged was deeper and more meaningful. He would imprint himself on her body and her spirit so she could never forget him.
Daimon’s velvet tongue stroked over her body in long, lazy laps. She felt bathed in warmth and pleasure. He pulled at her nipples, coaxing them to rigid peaks, then put his mouth on one while continuing to tease the other. The warm suctioning of his mouth, combined with the slow strokes of his tongue was a silky lick between her legs. She threaded her fingers through his thick hair, writhing beneath him.
A bead of sweat ran down between her breasts. Daimon kept up with the sweet torture, making sounds of pleasure deep within his throat. Was he…purring?
She lay beneath a heavily muscled man who was also a jaguar that could shred her to ribbons. A feral light entered his gaze as he studied her. Daimon’s
“She was pregnant with their first,” she whispered.
“And then he looked at me and I knew he wanted me dead, at all costs. The Society set up two penal colonies side by side, to imprison only the males. The females could never visit. Only when the two warring packs learned to live in peace would the sentence be lifted.”
“Theo and his brothers came here. That’s why this is a prison,” she realized. “What about you?”
Daimon’s shoulders turned rigid. “As an Ancient, I was exonerated from punishment since my assignment was carried out. But Theo and his brothers were losing spirit and strength. They refused to eat, to drink.”
He whirled, a snarl on his face. “Do you know what it’s like for a wild creature to suddenly be caged? To be cut off from everything dear to him, never to taste the wind on his face, never lie again with his mate?”
“You came here to help them.”
“I owed them. I became the leader, fed them renewed purpose and strength. Gave them a blood vow. Until every man here walks out of that gate free, I would always return here.” He blinked rapidly, fighting the emotions churning inside him like ground glass. “This…is my home now.”
Ariana tapped her fingers on the chair’s arm. She didn’t look judgmental, only thoughtful. The tightness in his chest eased a little.
“Violence bred violence. You tried to stop it because you realized your mistake. You said you are free to leave, but you’re not. You’re imprisoned like they are, only by your guilt, Daimon. It’s time to let go and forgive yourself.”
So filled with beauty, and light. Ariana was an angel who had never done anything wrong, while the weight of all his past mistakes weighed on him. Her face shone with trust. He wanted to pull her into his arms and bury himself deep inside her.
He wanted to push her away because he didn’t know if he ever could forgive himself.
“I don’t know if I can,” he whispered. “I don’t know…if I deserve it. Or anything good. Maybe it was best you left me that first time.”
“I do know.” She came to him, her pale skin glowing, her hips swaying seductively. “I will not let go this time, Daimon. I won’t leave you.”
Deserve her? Hell no. But he hungered for her, his beast growling its demand. He was helpless to fight the clawing need as she pressed her body against him.
Her mouth tasted like sweet berries as she kissed him, tugging off his shirt. She placed a hand on his chest as she gazed up at him. Feral hunger overrode all else and he took her mouth in a ravaging kiss.
They stripped and went to the floor.
This time, it was slow, rich and deep. He took his time exploring her, bringing her the pleasure she deserved. His beast snarled with satisfaction, the jaguar staking its claim once more.
Mine.
He’d taken her virginity, claimed her in the flesh. Now the bond he forged was deeper and more meaningful. He would imprint himself on her body and her spirit so she could never forget him.
Daimon’s velvet tongue stroked over her body in long, lazy laps. She felt bathed in warmth and pleasure. He pulled at her nipples, coaxing them to rigid peaks, then put his mouth on one while continuing to tease the other. The warm suctioning of his mouth, combined with the slow strokes of his tongue was a silky lick between her legs. She threaded her fingers through his thick hair, writhing beneath him.
A bead of sweat ran down between her breasts. Daimon kept up with the sweet torture, making sounds of pleasure deep within his throat. Was he…purring?
She lay beneath a heavily muscled man who was also a jaguar that could shred her to ribbons. A feral light entered his gaze as he studied her. Daimon’s
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