Read Online The Mating Ritual by Tory Richards - Free Book Online

sensed he’d do
whatever it took to ensure his safety, and the safety of his
people. Would he hurt her? Toni didn’t want to find out.
    After a while Cormac’s long legged strides
turned into a jog as he made his way back the way they’d come. Soft
grunts escaped Toni with every jarring step, but she remained
stubbornly quiet. They caught up with his people surprisingly fast;
making her wonder if he’d taken a different route back. Instead of
setting her on her feet where the women and children walked at the
back of the line, he continued with her to the front.
    Cormac’s hands slid beneath the hide, up the
backs of her legs, thighs, butt, and back as he lowered her to the
ground. The gesture wasn’t meant to be sexual, yet a spark ignited
deep inside Toni. She met the hard glitter of his eyes when he set
her on the ground before him.
    “I had to try,” she repeated her earlier
comment, not expecting him to understand.
    “Do not try again.” His tone was cold, devoid
of emotion. “You will get hurt. No one escapes Oh-Mah. It is vital
for our survival.”
    Toni understood why Cormac wanted to protect
his people. They hadn’t remained a mystery for centuries by letting
the outside world get close to them. She thought about the women
Lila had mentioned back in the cave, the ones kidnapped for
breeding. Was that to become her fate? She could already be
pregnant with Cormac’s child.
    “Do you understand?” Cormac pulled her
closer, as if to get her attention. Toni felt a rush of tears burn
in her eyes, choked with emotion that prevented her from speaking.
“I do not want to hurt you,” he said in an unexpectedly gentle
tone, “When mating with you feels so good.”
    His lips covered hers, surprising Toni and
she responded to his kiss willingly as the tears rolled down her
cheeks. She wasn’t sure if they were because of her failed escape
attempt, or her conflicting emotions. She didn’t want to like
Cormac’s mouth on hers, his hands, his body, but the truth was that
she liked it too much. In a relatively short time she found her
emotions warring with her common sense, something that usually
didn’t happen until she was months into a new relationship. We’re not even in a relationship!
    Cormac’s gentle, exploratory kiss pulled Toni
back to the present and the pleasant sensation flowing through her.
When she opened her mouth to allow his tongue inside he deepened
his kiss until it turned hungry and needy. She felt his hands move
with purpose beneath the fur still cloaking her body, turning Toni
warm and tingly wherever he touched her.
    Why can’t I resist him?
    A voice came from out of nowhere, and Cormac
broke their kiss. “Come.” Taking up the rope dangling between her
tied wrists he turned and began to lead the way, pulling Toni
behind him.
    Apparently he wasn’t taking any more chances,
and she realized she would have to earn his trust before she could
attempt to run away again. She was grateful that he had allowed her
to keep the fur over her shoulders, and decided she could live with
the ache of a sore heel if not bringing attention to herself
afforded her that one small trade off. She limped behind Cormac as
fast as she could, determined to keep up. After a while, he let the
rope fall from his fingers.
    They traveled for hours, quietly, and didn’t
stop for anything. They carried the children when they got tired.
Toni wondered who was going to carry her, because several hours
into the hike her feet were sore and she knew had to be bleeding.
Limping caused the muscles in her legs to ache. She had given up
long ago trying to find a safe place to step. The bottoms of their
feet must be like leather.
    As they traveled further into the mountains,
Toni wondered how she was ever going to find her way home. They
passed nothing that revealed that they were anywhere near
civilization. No noises, except for the typical sounds of wildlife,
and occasionally the noise of running water. No lights twinkling