Falke’s Peak

gonna call it a night and head to bed.” She stood up, stretched and faced Axel who sat on the couch.

“You coming?”

He glanced at his brother.

Go ahead. I’ll just stay down here…by the fire.

Maybe I’ll feel warm again by morning.

“Yeah,” Axel said. “Just let me put some more logs on the fire first. I’ll be up in a minute.”

She smiled. “Okay, but don’t take too long, or the sandman might beat ya there.”

While she climbed up the ladder to the loft, Axel busied himself with stoking the fire.

Did you use a condom? he asked Gunnar.

No, but you know I can’t impregnate her. She’s human.

Not alone, you can’t. He turned to stare at the cat.

The only way a lone catamount male could reproduce was by having sex with a female of his own kind. Despite an almost one-hundred percent guarantee of multiple offspring whenever births did occur, females like their sister were extremely rare. And unlike the maternal prides of African lions, mountain lions didn’t instinctively share a strong family bond, which was why what the Falkes had accomplished in Leavenworth was unique and precious.

Most male catamount shifters lived solitary, nomadic lives and died without reproducing. But a few males, like their fathers, had discovered a compatibility with humans that helped save their species. And their human mother’s love and guidance throughout their childhood had formed that family bond when other catamount units splintered.

Because Dakota was human, pregnancy wasn’t a concern unless two catamount males climaxed inside her during peak ovulation. Judging by her scent, that time was close. They couldn’t risk impregnating her, not an unclaimed female who might not wind up being their mate.

Damn, I-It’s okay. Axel headed for the hatch to the storm shelter. Lucky for us, Reidar included a box of condoms when he restocked the cold storage last summer. I spotted it this morning when I retrieved fuel for the generator.

Axel was back in a matter of seconds and closed the hatch.

I’ll never pick on him again for his compulsive way of planning ahead, Gunnar said with a full-fanged yawn of his own. The puma hopped up and stretched out on the couch. Have fun, bro.

Axel took out a few of the condoms and put the box in a bottom drawer of the desk. Good night, Gunnar.

He’d reached the top of the ladder when he heard his brother’s snicker. It won’t be as good as yours.

With night fallen, Axel paused to let his eyes adjust to the darker loft area, a task that wasn’t too difficult since she’d lit and left a couple of candles burning in glass hurricanes lamps on nightstands. Shadows danced about the space to the melody of the flickering candlelight, and the scent of vanilla hung in the cool night air.

Dakota lay under the covers, curled on her side, facing him. Her eyes, though, were closed. He smiled at the strange nervousness that coiled in his gut and forced his feet to move. He padded barefoot to the other side of the king-sized bed and put the condoms on the nightstand.

After stripping out of his pants, he lifted the soft flannel sheets and slipped into bed to spoon with the drowsy woman who’d provoked every lustful fantasy his mind could imagine.

Her ebony hair tickled his nose and smelled like fresh-picked strawberries, the fragrance of the shampoo in the bathroom. Her skin was silky smooth and warm to the touch. Better still, she was as naked as he was—a fact that reassured him of her willingness and made him want to keep her snuggled against him forever.

“Mmm.” The sound was soft and feminine, a touch dreamy.

She wiggled a little, cool bare bottom against heated groin, and his cock hardened to attention. He splayed his fingers over her middle and hugged her closer, one finger just brushing the underside of a soft, full breast.

“Sleepy?” he murmured.

“Not anymore.” She turned, scooted around to face him and hiked a bare leg over his hip. Her foot, like her bottom, was a fraction colder than the rest of her body. Heavy-eyed, she gave him a drowsy smile that contradicted her answer.

“You sure?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

He drove one hand into her hair and rubbed her thigh, hip and butt with the other. “Good. I’d hate to have to beat up the sandman.”

A light giggle was her only reply.

Pulling her to him, Axel began a slow exploration of her mouth. He swirled his tongue around hers until she mimicked his moves with her own. Her body came awake as she responded to his kiss with renewed eagerness. By the time he pulled back, her eyes were brighter, more alive and still visible in the soft candlelight.

“With kisses like that, bring on the insomnia,” she teased, making him laugh.

He rolled her beneath him, pinning her body to the mattress with his weight. “Glad you approve, ’cause I’m just getting started.”

“Oh? And what do you have in mind?” There was humor in the question.

He smiled, took her hands and interlaced their fingers as he moved them above her head. “If you’re a good girl, you’ll soon find out.”

“And if I’ve been bad?”

He cocked an eyebrow, enjoying her spunk. “Have you?”

“Not yet.”

“Then we’ll deal with that when you are.”

She grinned.

“Be still. Hang on to the headboard if you want, but don’t move.”

He sat up, shoving the sheets off of them both and revealing her supine body to his gaze. Her skin was a honey color that looked sweet enough to feast on all night long.

She put on a pout, one that succeeded at adorability more than displeasure, and asked, “You won’t give me a hint?”

“Nope. It’s a surprise.” He ran his hands down her arms, over her body. “You like surprises, don’t you?”

“No…yes.” She closed her eyes and hummed her approval, arching her spine as he fondled her soft breasts. “Okay, definitely yes.”

He chuckled and toyed with her dark nipples, lightly pinching and plucking at the tips until they pebbled. Scooting backward, he positioned himself between her legs, placed his hands on her knees and pushed them apart. The dark triangle over her apex parted to reveal a pretty pinkness that made his mouth water. Then he leaned down, using his arms to keep his weight off her, and nipped one of her breasts.

She sucked in a quick breath and grabbed his head.

“Nuh-uh.” He pushed up and sat on his heels.

“Hands over your head.” He didn’t tell her, but as on edge as he was, Axel needed her compliance so he wouldn’t climax too soon. This wasn’t a night for a quick fuck but rather leisurely lovemaking they could both enjoy and hopefully recall years from now as a fond memory.

He waited, watched her expression, saw her bite her bottom lip, but she complied.

When she did, he leaned over again to suckle one plump nipple into his mouth. He moved from one to the other, paying close attention to how her breathing became labored, how her heartbeat raced.

He licked a path downward over her tummy to playfully poke her navel with the tip of his tongue. He kissed her there before he moved lower. She raised her hips in a silent plea he understood but ignored. He had no intention of hurrying.

Instead, he scraped his teeth over her inner thigh, and she gasped at the sharp nip. His effective yet gentle bite didn’t break the skin this time, but he recognized promise in her reaction—a thought, a hope, he filed away to be examined another day.

She couldn’t take much more teasing without some fulfillment, and neither could he, so he dipped his head