Forbidden Mate: Shifter World: Royal-Kagan series book 8 Read online

  She met his gaze. Held it. Realization hit him in the face of her intent stare.

  Nyx didn’t fear him.

  “Uncle Boris lied to me. Is that what you’re telling me?”

  “I can’t answer that without knowing what he said.”

  “He told me you are a man of your word.”

  Damn. She’d forced him into a corner with her simple statement. He couldn’t lie to her. Not about his honor, anyway.

  He pressed his palms against the old stone wall on either side of her. The cool uneven surface irritated his skin. Her soft hair under his fingertips would feel so much better. He didn’t give in to the urge to touch her. He couldn’t. The longer he drugged himself on her scent, the better the idea of getting her beneath him sounded.

  Without heels, Nyx appeared no taller than the average human female. Five-four, maybe. Standing like this, with his legs spread slightly and his body crowding hers, he could easily press his lips to her forehead. If he tipped her head back, she’d be at a perfect angle to accept his kiss.

  “Well, Anton? Did my uncle lie?”

  “My word is good, but—”

  Nyx pressed a finger to his lips. “Then I should be allowed to stay the night. You said I could.”

  He captured her finger between his teeth and bit the tip gently before releasing her. “It’s rude to interrupt an elder.”

  “And it’s rude to send me out into the night. It’s cold outside.”

  “You’re a shifter. You can regulate your own body heat.”

  “Not well. I’m young. My control over my jaguar isn’t that good.” She blinked her big brown innocent eyes at him. “And it’s bitterly cold out.”

  Why leave her window open, then? He didn’t know nor did he care to ask. The less he knew about this woman, the better. “You’re strong. I can sense it. A few minutes or even hours outside won’t kill you.”

  She turned her head, hiding her expression. Not quickly enough. He caught the pleased grin on her face. No doubt his unintentional praise had caused it. He’d only meant to state the facts. She was powerful. A dominant.

  “I suppose.” Nyx shrugged. “It’s still rude.”

  Her pouting voice should annoy him. He didn’t like games. Or silliness. Still, he couldn’t stop his grin. “It’d be just as rude to allow you to think you had a chance of employment here. I won’t be using you as a secretary. That decision won’t change in a few hours’ time.”

  “Then use me for something else.” Her words rushed out.

  He bent close and brushed his lips along her jaw. His lips tingled. He wanted to taste her. Just once. One kiss wouldn’t satisfy him, however. He knew himself well enough to understand what happened when lust seized him. He’d take and take until he’d had his fill, then he’d toss Nyx out.

  Anton couldn’t quite make himself ease away, however. Her scent lured him, tempted him. He wasn’t sure he’d ever been around a female who’d smelled this good. That was enough of a reason to get away from her.

  With his hands on her waist, Anton forced himself to lean back. “Don’t make open-ended comments. They can be taken the wrong way.”

  “I’m serious.” Nyx stood on her tiptoes. His hands slid over her hips, pushing her shorts partially down as she stretched to look him in the eye. “I’m sure you can find some use for me.”

  Her bare skin under his fingertips tormented him. Her words teased him.

  His control snapped.

  He slipped the fingers of one hand under the waistband of her shorts. She inhaled sharply but made no move to get away or tell him to stop. She watched him with widened eyes. Her eager stare did little to help him regain control.

  He skimmed his fingers closer to her pussy but forced himself to stop before he found out if she was as wet for him as she smelled. The lure of her arousal wrapped around them. “Be careful, Nyx. I might not have requested a female, but that doesn’t mean I won’t take one tonight.”

  “I’m not worried.” She grinned.

  The smile struck him as odd. He’d expected shock. Apparently, she needed a lesson after all.

  He chuckled and slid his fingers lower. Slickness met his fingertips. He stifled a groan. She was wet for him. Dripping wet. His mouth watered. He wanted to bury his face in her pussy. Make her come. He didn’t understand the compulsion. He took from his lovers. He didn’t give them pleasure without getting anything in return.

  Nyx’s cries of release would satisfy him, however. Instinct told him that. He wanted to understand why. Surely that wouldn’t hurt anything. After tonight, he’d never have to acknowledge her existence.

  “Why aren’t you worried, Nyx?” He dipped his thumb between her lower lips. Warm, wet, and soft. Nyx’s body would welcome him inside, cushioning his thrusts and urging him to fill her up. “You’re alone in a house with a man who has you in a very vulnerable position. There’s nobody here to save you from me. I could do anything I wanted to you.”

  Nyx’s eyelids lowered as he dragged his thumb over her cleft. She shifted her bottom closer to him. His thumb dipped into her opening. She bit her lower lip as if she was trying to stop a moan, then focused on his eyes. “Rumor has it you don’t like women.”

  “Does it?” He slid his other hand to the back of her neck while he continued to stroke Nyx’s cleft. With each slow caress from her clit to her core, more wetness flowed. The sweet scent of Nyx’s desire tied them together. That was what he felt, anyway. “And does this rumor mention why I don’t like women?”

  Nyx gripped his shoulder and pulled herself closer to him, then lowered her voice. “Whenever females are welcomed onto Council grounds, you spend your night alone.”

  Her softness pressed against his hardness stirred those primitive drives he had no business entertaining. He couldn’t stop them. This female lured him in a way no other had. He needed to know why.

  Anton adjusted his hand and dipped his middle finger inside Nyx. She was tight. Incredibly tight. She’d strangle his dick.

  He pressed his cheek to hers to hide his expression. He couldn’t be certain what showed—hunger or worry. Never before had he been tempted to find release inside a woman. The pressure in his balls made him wonder if he’d finally found a female who’d break his control.

  Anton rubbed his cheek to hers, leaving his scent on her skin, a temporary claim that would wash off with her next shower. Right or wrong, he couldn’t stop himself. “I’m not alone tonight, am I?”

  “You just asked me to leave.” Nyx slid a hand to the back of his neck, holding him tight. “That I should call my driver and leave. Tonight.”

  More games. She was picking and choosing which of his words she wanted to remember. It didn’t bother him. It should. Instead, her actions made her appear intelligent. And sexy.

  “So I did.” With a hand in her hair, he tipped her head back and skimmed his parted lips over her cheek to her lips. Energy rushed through him with the slight contact. He’d never experienced anything like it. It was the ultimate power rush.

  He wanted more.

  “But the longer I’m in your presence, the more I’m thinking I do have a use for you.” Firming his hold on her head, he pulled his finger from her body and pressed it against her mouth.

  Her cheeks reddened. Her pupils widened. He’d never seen a more beautiful look on a woman.

  Anton bent close and licked her arousal off his finger. Slowly. A low groan escaped him. She tasted of rich honey and primal lust. One taste, and he wanted more.

  He stuck his thumb in her mouth. Closing her eyes, she sucked. His dick jerked. He muttered a curse. “Scratch that. I know exactly what I want to do with you.”

  She turned her head. “I bet you do, but I was thinking of something a little more beneficial to you.”

  And sex wouldn’t be? “Like?”

  “Cooking. Cleaning. Running your errands. That sort of thing.”

  “You’re offering to be my live-in servant?”

  Never taking her gaze off
him, she nodded. “Yes, I’ll do it all. Your secretarial work. Take care of the house. Everything.”

  “You sound desperate. Why is it so important you stay?”

  “If I can support myself, I don’t have to mate right away.” Nyx looked at him with pleading eyes. “And I don’t want to be mated off to anyone…to just anyone, I mean. Um…several jaguar shifters will be coming of age soon. I might want one of them.” She bit her lip. “Maybe. You never know.”

  A surge of possessiveness swept through him. He slapped his hands to the wall on either side of her chest and leaned close. “You’re promised to someone now, aren’t you?”

  A small dip of her chin answered him.

  He turned his back on her. The faces of countless shifter females mated against their wills flashed before him. He knew their situations by heart. All were fully detailed in those cases he couldn’t act on. At least with the current guidelines for interpreting their laws.

  “As your uncle claimed, I’m a man of my word. You’re welcome to stay the night if you still wish. Tomorrow, we’ll discuss your skills and see if there’s a fit.”

  Nyx laid a hand on his back. “Thank you.”

  He stepped away from her touch. With the way Nyx’s scent affected him, he needed any distance he could manage. The thought of Nyx with another male fed into his primal instincts, eroding the barrier between him and his cats. With their wills influencing his, nobody would be safe from him. Especially Nyx. It was too easy to imagine his savage bite on her shoulder. That wasn’t something he’d be able to hide from the rest of the Shifter Council. Sooner or later, his enemies would uncover his sin.

  And Nyx would pay for it.

  With her life.

  Chapter 3

  Morning sun brightened the enclosed atrium off the library. Nyx had discovered this beautiful spot an hour ago while waiting for Anton. In that time, he hadn’t stepped foot in the space he used as an office. From here, she had a perfect view of his desk. There’d be no missing him.

  So much for him working from sunup to sundown.

  Nyx abandoned the bench in the middle of the warm, floral-scented space and strode through the first floor, peeking in the many rooms. All stood empty and cold. She crossed her arms over her chest and made her way to the tower where Anton slept.

  The proper thing would be to wait for him in the library. After a sleepless night, her patience was running thin. It was Anton’s fault she was sleep-deprived and cranky anyway. Thoughts of him had left her aroused and unsettled. Every time she closed her eyes, his greeted her.

  The candles lining the walls of the winding tower stairs had burned out, but the scent of beeswax and Anton lingered on the air. Awareness slipped through her with each breath she took. Warmth followed, leaving her as edgy as she’d been when she’d walked away from Anton last night.

  This morning, with Anton’s scent in her lungs and her body achy with unrequited need, regret hit her hard. He’d be losing everything soon, including any credibility he had among other shifters.

  So what if she’d slept with him? Nobody needed to know she’d been in his bed. Especially not her future mate. Besides, if all went as planned, she’d never have to mate Harvey. Or anyone. She’d claim the destiny Boris had promised.

  The first female on the Council.

  She’d be untouchable. Powerful. Envied.

  Nyx couldn’t wait. She had to, though. Such a claim could only be made on the new moon.

  Only one thing stood in her way. Or, more accurately, one man’s downfall. Without Anton’s dismissal, she wouldn’t have a spot on the Council to claim. Brock Kane’s sudden vacancy didn’t count. A wolf shifter’s seat could only be claimed by another wolf shifter.

  With the edges of her sweater jacket held closed over her chest, she jogged up the stairs. On the landing above her, a wide door stood open. She hesitated. What would she say to Anton when he asked why she’d come up here? Telling him she simply needed to see him wasn’t a proper answer. The compulsion to look into his eyes wasn’t something she could share. Or explain, even to herself. She could only blame so much on her hormones.

  No matter. She’d come up with something. She always did.

  Nyx cautiously approached the door. Anton didn’t yell or come out. Surely, he’d heard her coming up the stairs. Her steps echoed. Or maybe he didn’t care that she’d entered his personal space. He hadn’t minded yesterday when she’d walked through his home without an escort. Obviously, he didn’t see her as a threat. Which worked in her favor.

  She took another few steps. Still no sounds. No movement. Nothing.

  While Anton might not care if she entered his bedroom without an invitation, she’d like to know what she was walking in on. His mood swings were obviously not an exaggeration. He’d shown her that aspect of his personality yesterday.

  Her jaguar would be able to judge his mood by scent. She hesitated tapping into her cat’s senses, however. Its fascination with Anton wasn’t healthy. Her jaguar wanted to spend its days with Anton’s cats, rubbing against their flanks and licking their fur. It wanted to play with them, running together until exhaustion took hold. Then her jaguar wanted Anton’s cats to curl around its smaller frame, cocooning it in their strength and warmth for a long nap.

  Nyx had to admit the images her cat had shared repeatedly with her held a certain appeal. Too bad it wasn’t possible. Anton could take only one animal form at a time. At least in this realm. In the mystical one that could only be accessed by walking through Anton’s soul, his cats existed separately, running freely with each other in the fields they commanded. Her jaguar had a similar territory. It prowled there alone. Always would. Only a soul-bonded mate could go there.

  Shifters rarely entered into the ultimate mating bond that tied two souls together for eternity. It was dangerous. If one soul-bonded partner died, the other would too. Instantly. They’d drop dead where they stood. The risk was too great, and love wasn’t worth it.

  If shifters had to take a mate, they sought power through the strongest breeding partner they could find. Allowing her cat to cloud her mind with images of affection and companionship weakened her, leaving her confused and unsettled. She didn’t have time for such silly dreams. Her uncle Boris had given her a deadline.

  Anton had to be removed from the Council before the next formal meeting. Or she’d be in Harvey’s bed. Conceiving his children. And he wasn’t strong. He was weak, barely ranking above a beta. He was also an asshole. She deserved better than him.

  She deserved to be alone. No one else would treat her better than she could.

  Nyx straightened her spine and hurried up the remaining stairs.

  Her first glimpse into Anton’s private space drew a gasp from her throat. Books lined the walls, exactly as they had in the library. In here, though, more books had been stacked on the floor. Propped between them, unframed oil paintings in various stages of completion leaned against the walls. Another canvas sat on a stand near the window. She couldn’t see the front of the easel from her viewpoint, but the table next to it held a variety of unopened tubes and dry brushes. Whatever masterpiece Anton envisioned hadn’t been started yet.

  Nobody had mentioned Anton’s hobby to her. Everyone had said he lived and breathed politics. Maybe no one knew. Nyx could see that being the case. She couldn’t imagine he’d invite strangers or even friends into his bedroom. If he didn’t talk about his paintings, how would anyone know he painted?

  A smile tugged at her lips. Less than twenty-four hours in this house and she’d already uncovered something about the elusive Anton Alexander. Of course, this hobby wouldn’t remove him from the Council. Still, she’d made the discovery. No one else.

  She studied the three unfinished paintings propped against the wall directly across from the door. Two depicted big cats taking down prey, while the other portrayed a pack of snarling wolves gathered under the light of the full moon. Anton’s creations were certainly beautiful despite the violence of the scenes.
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br />   Her gaze drifted to the easel. What was he going to work on now? Maybe he had a sketch drawn.

  She bit back a frustrated growl. This was the perfect opportunity to uncover dirt on Anton, not admire his paintings.

  Tearing her attention from the easel, she scanned the room. Anton was nowhere in sight. Not surprising since he hadn’t spoken to her while she’d stood here drooling over his artwork. The half-burnt candles suggested he’d recently been here, however. So did the state of the massive four-poster bed in the center of the semicircular room. Twisted sheets, along with the blankets and pillows on the floor around the bed, suggested he hadn’t slept any better than she had.

  No doors led off the room, but an open laptop sat on the writing desk near the fireplace. She must’ve just missed him. No doubt he’d be back soon.

  Nyx hurried across the room. His open computer was an invitation she couldn’t pass up.

  The laptop screen darkened—the computer going to sleep. She lunged for the mouse. The background brightened, the computer reawakening.

  A sigh of relief escaped her. If Anton had password-protected his computer, she’d never get in. At least not until she learned his password.

  Knowing he’d likely just stepped out and she wouldn’t have much time to snoop, she opened his email. Her uncle had been very specific on what she needed to search for while working with Anton. She scanned the subjects, looking for anything pertaining to Anton’s missing secretary. If Nyx could prove he’d murdered Bianca, Anton’s tenure on the Council would end. And Nyx’s would begin.

  Nyx scrolled through the list of emails and stopped at one. The single name “Molly” in the subject line stuck out among the numerous emails about various shifter laws and issues.

  Who was she? Going by the date, Molly must be important to Anton. He’d gotten this email months ago and hadn’t filed it or deleted it. Why?

  Her curiosity won. She clicked on the email. A picture of a platinum-blonde child filled the screen.