“He is still your family even if you never see him again. You have your memories, upendo. With me, you will have a future. I promise I will do everything in my power to make you happy. To make you proud to call me your mate.” His lion hummed.
“I like your lion even though he’s a little frightening.” She buried her face in the crook of his neck.
“He likes you too.” His lion’s hum was almost constant, which was good since the big beast was homicidal on the best of days. Shit, he still couldn’t believe he’d untethered him and been able to bring him back without a total massacre. Hashtag winning.
“Why are you grunting? I’m pretty sure that’s not a good lion sound.”
Torrance’s fingers were running through his hair making him purr like a fucking house cat. Her other hand grabbed a handful, wrapping the long strands around her wrist as if she was playing with it. He fucking loved it. If he didn’t watch it the next thing, he’d know he’d be lying on his back, swatting at the air. He was a damn lion, not a pussy cat to be tamed.
“We need to get going.”
Although Torrance said the words, neither of them moved.
“Pardon me, but you aren’t getting anywhere sitting around on your rear-ends. Although, I must say you both do have very fine backsides, I’d much rather start on our journey—wherever that might be, sooner rather than later. I travel much better in the daylight than at night.” Mr. Bixley strode through the open door, his tiny hooves clacked on the hardwood floor.
“I’m pretty sure I can make him stop speaking,” she said, staring at the little goat. Her fingers twitched, tangling in Thadd’s hair.
“I’d prefer you not do that while holding my mane.”
Her lips lifted in a slight grin, chasing away some of the sadness. “It really would be a shame to damage this,” she agreed, pulling her hand free.
“That is very rude. Come on, we must be on our way. Time is a ticking. Tick tock. Tick tock.” Mr. Bixley clacked his way back out of the room.
“So, you’re a witch with a talking goat, huh?” He stood with her in his arms in one smooth motion.
“Eeep,” she gasped, holding his arms while her legs kicked the air and his shins.
“Those in glass houses should not throw stones, Mr. Metal Claws R-Us.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that in a bad way.”
He could see she regretted her choice of words, but he wanted total honesty between them. If she thought he was a monster, it was better he heard it now.
“Don’t do that. Don’t pull away and act like I didn’t hurt you with my stupid words.” She wrapped her legs around his waist as he tried to set her away from him. “Well at least my legs are long enough to reach all the way around you.”
Thadd gripped her tighter, fitting his hands under her ass. “That they are. You got everything you want for the time being?”
She looked around her room. “It looks different from up here,” she quipped.
“While I enjoy the hell outta holding you like this, I do agree with your Mr. Dicksley.” She might not be terrified of him, but they had a lot to learn about one another.
“It’s Bixley, you oaf. Chop chop, times a wasting and so is daylight.” Mr. Bixley punctuated his words with a stomp of his hooves, making Torrance giggle.
He let her slide down his body when he felt her legs loosen, allowing her to feel every hard inch of him on her way down, loving the blush she couldn’t hide.
“Argh, being a redhead is a blessing and a curse,” she muttered.
“I love your hair and your skin color.” He trailed a finger down one creamy cheek.
“You have black hair as a man, but it’s red as a lion,” she blurted. Her hands slapped against her lips, making her eyes water.
“Yeah, I don’t know the why’s of it.” He shrugged not knowing what else to say.
“I’m a black panther, but I have red hair. We’re opposite.”
Her smile was almost blinding, or at least it felt like it to him when she looked up, trust in every line of her body. The Goddess creates one being for all of them, but he’d thought he’d been punished for what he’d done, forever to be alone. Yet here this female stood, more beautiful than any other, and she was his. He’d wreck the entire galaxy to ensure her safety and that of their young. “Nitakuweka salama,” he breathed, his chest swelling with emotion.
She blinked. “What does that mean?”
“I will keep you safe.” He lifted his fist, pounded his chest once, twice. “Una maanisha mengi sana kwangu. You mean so much to me already. This may seem too soon, but for our kind it is not. Do you trust me to keep you and any young we may be blessed with safe?” Her answer could unman him, but he didn’t allow her to see it.
“Silly lion, of course I know you can keep me safe. But that goes two ways. I too can keep you and, well, we’ll talk about little nuggets another time. Let’s get going before Mr. Dicksley comes back in here with his panties in a twist.” She stood on her toes, tugging on his shirt. “A little help here,” she said.
Thadd didn’t lean down to her lips, choosing
