Hour of the Lion

Cariad. It sounded more intimate than darling. She sighed. The night she’d spent with him had been terrifying. He’d taken control and kept it, satisfying her with hands and mouth, taking her hard and then gently, again and again. She’d never experienced anything like it, the way he pushed her one moment, cared for her the next. Why had she let him? Let him? Hell, admit it, she’d totally gotten off on doing whatever he commanded, surrendering her will to his. And he’d reacted as if he’d both expected, yet treasured, how she’d…submitted.

Fuck, she’d submitted to him. Like a whipped dog. She pulled back and glared at him.

His eyes narrowed, and he studied her, slowly, his gaze moving over her face, her body. “Little cat, what has you upset?”

“I’m not a dog.” He wasn’t getting it, so she added, “I don’t go belly-up for a man.”

“Ah. This is about last night.” His lips quirked. “No, I doubt you’ve ever gone…belly-up…before.” The utter confidence in his expression, in his whole body, sent a quiver through her. “I’m pleased that you would surrender to me, Victoria. Did you not enjoy making love?”

He’d broken down her defenses until her emotions had been as open to him as her body. He’d made her beg, dammit. She averted her gaze.

His hand cupped her cheek, turning her back to face him. His voice held an officer’s stern determination with that thread of tenderness that undermined all her resistance. “Answer my question, little cat.”

She’d never wanted to lie so bad in her life. But aside from the necessities of the job, she didn’t. Dammit. “Yes. I enjoyed it.” She turned her head. “Too much. I don’t like that I liked it.”

“Look at me.” Gray eyes should be cold, but his were warm. So warm.

“This isn’t who I am, Calum.”

“You only surrender to me because you trust me. And because you want to.” He brushed a kiss over her lips. “This is who you are when you sheathe your claws. You don’t have to stay on guard all the time, Victoria.”

Her mouth flattened. Yes, I do.

He smiled slightly, then started them back down the mountain, leaving her more confused than before. Sometimes when he looked at her with that penetrating gaze, it felt as if he’d touched her soul.

The man scared her spitless.

As they walked past the houses, Vic saw a guy step out of one, bare-assed naked. Without looking around, he shifted into a bear and lumbered up the steep slope. Damn, right out in front of God and everyone.

Calum rapped on the door of a larger cabin.

Vic scowled. Being with Calum was one thing-meeting a bunch of shifters? Entirely different. She didn’t know how to act around them. Deep breath. Things change-deal with it. At least he’d knocked; they obviously observed a few human courtesies.

An old guy, as tough and stringy as a piece of jerky opened the door. “Cosantir, we weren’t expecting you.” His nostrils flared, and his brows went up as he looked between her and Calum. “Well, well. Come in.”

Calum let Vic precede him into the house. She checked the exits: front door, two front windows, and another on the left, door at the rear to a hall leading somewhere. They were in the living area with a woodstove radiating glorious heat. Unlit lanterns hung from hooks on the wall, and woven rugs brightened the wooden floor. Looked like a hunting cabin but without any mounted animal heads or antlers.

After helping her out of her jacket, Calum said, “Victoria, this is Aaron. Aaron, meet Victoria. She has an interesting story for the Elders.”

Vic nodded politely. Great, she’d spend the day being interrogated. She’d been insane to come here.

The old man opened the woodstove and poked at the fire. “Are you staying for a bit?”

“For tonight. One room will serve for us.”

God, just announce to the world that we’re having sex. Vic gave him a nasty look.

Calum’s eyes lit with amusement. He ran his hand down her arm, a touch that soothed even as it sent a wave of heat through her. Those hands were… She stepped back and scowled at him. Sneaky cat.

Aaron cleared his throat.”I’ll summon the Elders.” He inclined his head in a slight bow to Calum, smiled at Vic, and left the cabin.

The small meeting room at the back of the house contained a round oak table with eight chairs. The first Elder to arrive was a wizened old woman.

“Maude, you look in good health,” Calum said.

She smiled and thumped him affectionately along the ribs. “And you also, laddie. Gi’ me a squeeze.”

He hugged her, having to bend almost in half to reach her. Turning, he said, “Maude, this is Victoria. Victoria, Maude who is an Elder of this territory.”

“This territory?” Vic repeated. “There are others?”

“Of course,” Maude said. She studied Vic with sharp blue eyes. “What area are you from?”

Good question. Vic glanced at Calum.

“Mine, Maude.” Calum seated the old woman. “I’ll explain when the others arrive.”

Even as Aaron appeared with a pot of coffee and cups, three more came in. Abigail, Leland, and Perry. All with leathery faces seasoned by sun and wind, keen eyes surrounded by an abundance of wrinkles, and the stringy leanness of barn cats or coyotes.

Aaron took a place at the table and so there were five Elders. Calum pulled out a chair for Vic, and she joined them reluctantly. Whoopee, stuck at King Arthur’s Round Table. She glanced at Calum out of the corner of her eye; at least the king was a hunk.

“You summoned, Cosantir. We’re here. Spit it out.” Leland was taller than the rest and had the bowlegged stride of someone who’d spent time on a horse.

“First, let me finish introductions,” Calum said. “This is Victoria, a new shifter who has not yet experienced her first trawsfur.”

With their impassive expressions, Maude and Leland must play poker, Vic decided. The rest stared at her in blank shock.

“At her age? How can this be?” Aaron asked.

After Calum explained, Maude had tears in her eyes. “I taught the lad in his First Year. Filled with pranks. I didn’t think he’d paid attention, but he remembered when the time came. Well done, Lachlan.” She lifted her cup. “Goddess willing, he will return to run with us again.”

The rest raised their drinks, saying, “As She wills.”

Calum smiled at Vic. “Lachlan has brought us a strong woman; she rivals Alec both in courage and sheer stubbornness.” As the Elders laughed, he said seriously, “I bring Victoria, a werecat, to be Seen.”

There was silence as the Elders studied her. Their eyes seemed to burn deep inside her, exposing her weaknesses, the darkness in her spirit, even the men she’d killed.

She wanted to slink down in her chair, to disappear under the table. So she firmed her spine, straightened her shoulders, and stared back.

The Elders spoke together. “We See Victoria.”

Calum raised his cup again. “Rejoice, Daonain, the clan increases.”

And cups clinked.

* * *

That evening, Vic lay on one of the twin beds in the room and watched Jamie pull clothes out of a backpack. To everyone’s surprise, Alec and Jamie had shown up an hour before, having driven as far as possible and hiked the rest of the way. Vic and Calum would have a ride back to Cold Creek tomorrow.

“What kind of a party will this be, anyway?” Vic asked. “I didn’t bring any nice clothes.”

Looking between two T-shirts, Jamie said, “It’s not a fancy party, not like we have in Cold Creek or anything. Nobody here has dress-up stuff.”

“Well, that’s a relief. So this is all right? Jeans and a shirt?”

“Yeah.” Jamie finally picked up one shirt-a blue one that matched her eyes-and pulled it on. “Everybody will bring stuff to eat, but we don’t have to since we don’t live here.”