Chapter 22: Chapter 22

CASVAN

I noticed how my mate’s heartbeat doubled, and how she looked shocked to see my face. It pleased me that she cared, and that she felt the connection between us.

I sent her a calming feeling from my side of the bond, to assure her that I was okay. She closed her eyes and breathed in deep for a few seconds.

Then she opened them again, calmed. She didn’t say anything about my current situation.

Instead, she was waiting for me to answer. She looked at me questioningly.

“You haven’t answered my question.”

“Oh, Kitten, the answer’s no, we don’t eat humans.”

I couldn’t hide the amusement in my voice. She was so innocent and clueless about me and my world, I was sure.

The sanctimonious bigots who were in charge had closed up their queendom, and in so doing, they’d endangered the people here—women, children, and the few human males. They had no knowledge of the world outside or what was coming for them.

Secluded in their ignorance and hatred, they thought they were safe here. I felt anger that if I hadn’t taken the initiative to come here after my foresight, my mate might have been helpless against the real monsters.

~Mine!~

Just the thought ratcheted up my need to have her close, where I could touch her, smell her hair, bury my nose in the silky mass, and breathe her in. But it wasn’t time yet.

“If not humans, then what do you eat?” she asked.

She took a step closer. Her body pressed against the barred iron unknowingly. She didn’t notice her body’s need to have me close.

I shut my eyes. Her voice was like a caress against my heated flesh; it made my cock hard as rock.

My Reyna had no idea how much she meant to me, how much her voice and scent were affecting me. I envied the barred iron she was leaning her delectable body against.

“We can eat all human foods. Most especially meat.”

And when we changed into our animal spirit, we hunted for raw meat—deer, rabbits, etc.

“So you are not going to eat me?” she asked.

My eyes glowed brighter, my fang slid free, and I ran my tongue over the tip. Now, how does a beast answer this question?

I couldn’t control the guttural growl that escaped my throat.

“Oh, kitten, you are killing me. I very much want to eat you bit by bit, then suckle and lick you clean.”

I grinned when she trembled, her confusion clear on her face. She didn’t understand my words, though I could sense that it didn’t frighten her as much as I thought it would.

She stepped back, confusion written on her face.

“Did you lie to me? You’re going to kill then eat me, just like you killed the guards. What kind of a monster are you?”

I chuckled lightly. It was the first time in a long time I found any amusement in anything.

My mate’s innocence pleased me as much as it baffled me. I didn’t think there were any innocent left in this world, not even the young ones.

The different wars between factions and different species of supernaturals had left the world in a precarious situation where everyone was for themselves. People, both supernatural and human alike, were capable of just about anything to survive.

Children had been known to lie, deceive, and trick older, stronger, and more experienced men to their demise. All for a little gold, silver, or foodstuff.

So to meet someone who wasn’t tainted and affected by that world was a breath of fresh air in this chaotic, violent world. My beautiful mate was a pure soul.

“Oh, kitten, you are so innocent. I can’t wait to get my hands on you. Just the thought of everything I can teach you is making me hard.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“You’ll understand one day, hopefully soon. To answer your other question, I never intended to kill the women. Believe me, the last thing I want is to hurt anyone in this city.”

“Then why did you? Why did you attack our queendom if you never wanted to hurt us?”

I opened my mouth and closed it, deliberating whether or not I should tell her more. Killing the women was not something I had counted on.

“My warriors are fighting their violent nature. They weren’t in control of themselves. They wouldn’t have killed them if they didn’t shoot at us. Believe it or not, it’s something I regret deeply.”

I could see she wanted to believe me. She still had doubts, which made her smart; she wasn’t blinded by the bond between us.

She cared for her people, as did I, which to me made her all the more attractive.

“Reyna, I’ll admit, I should have foreseen the death of the woman. We only came here to warn you of the danger coming to your door and to provide our protection in exchange for the chance to find our fated mates or chosen mates among you.”

“I watched the footage. The guards were just scared. They were just trying to protect us. You frightened them when you and the other beast appeared all of a sudden. What did you expect them to do when a threat was coming toward their queendom?”

“Capture us, then take us to their leader. That’s what my warriors would have done in their place. But I understood where you were coming from, Princess. How could I make you understand?

Everything you’re told about my kind is a lie. Would you believe me if I told you your people were burning down villages and killing everything that’s not human?”

She shook her head in denial.

“Our guardians don’t kill anyone that doesn’t deserve it. And if they did, it was to protect themselves. I won’t believe your lies.”

“Believe whatever you will, Princess, but your guardians attacked a village and killed a pack of werewolves, children included, not less than three months ago. I witnessed it myself. Regrettably, the werewolves also killed three of your own, but the damage your women did was too much.”

She shook her head in denial. I rubbed my face tiredly.

“War is coming to your doorstep even now. They are tracking you, coming this way. Your queen would be a fool to turn my offer down. Your soldiers would be the first to die in this senseless battle.”

“My mother has protected this queendom for years, as her mother before her, as will I. And those women are not soldiers—they’re called guardians,” Reyna snapped, irritated. I could feel it. I was getting to her. There was doubt in her eyes, but she wasn’t ready to accept my truth yet.

“Do you know how long I’ve heard of the Roses? Women who are highly trained, attacking beasts’ holdings, stealing from them, and killing them.”

“You’re lying.”

“No lies, my princess. There are a lot of people looking for your queendom. Fortunately, none of them were able to find your city before me, otherwise I wouldn’t have guaranteed your safety.”

Despite her denial, my Reyna listened attentively. She seemed to be soaking up all the new information I was giving her.

“Don’t make it seem as though by coming here you’re saving us—we both know. You’re not here because of some altruistic reasons.”

I grinned, wishing she was close enough so I could touch her. Kiss her softly and passionately.

“I’m just looking for a way for our people to survive in this chaotic world. You need us as much as we need you, even if you don’t want to see that. As I said before, we only came here to negotiate an alliance between my race and your people.”

“What you want is to force us to be your slaves, to bear your children. We don’t want to be your pleasure mates or breeding mates—we’re not slaves and definitely not cattle.

We are humans, and my people will die before they’re enslaved. And if you think I’m going to believe my people have killed children, then you’re wrong.

I will never believe that lie.” The spark in her eyes just made me harder than ever.

I growled low and deep. Instantly, her body reacted.

My nose flared when the fresh scent of her pussy juices suddenly filled my senses, making me salivate.

“If we were as bad as you said, Princess, I would have you above me, with your legs wide open and my cock deep inside your pussy in less than a minute, and guess what?You wouldn’t say no. I bet you’d even scream and beg me for more.”

His expression turned somber.

“It’s true we don’t have women and we desperately need you. I need you, my queen. But I’ll never force you to be my pleasure mate or to bear my children. None of my people will either. We court, seduce, and claim. We might be beasts, but we are not monsters, no matter what your so-called queen tries to make you believe.”

Her brows pulled together. “We have been surviving just fine without your help for years. I suggest you go back to your kingdom when you get a chance,” she replied hauntingly.

She startled when a loud sound suddenly pierced the night.

Dang! Dang!

“What was that?” I growled suspiciously.

“Oh, it’s nothing, that’s the clock tower, it’s midnight.”

“I have to go,” she said, and took a step back.

I didn’t want her to go. I felt like grabbing her and getting out of here.

Make her mine. But I couldn’t, at least not yet.

When she glanced back, I only stared at her. It pleased me to know she was also reluctant to leave.

“What’s your name?”

“Casvan, my princess.” She blushed.

“Casvan,” she muttered softly. The sound of my name in that voice made me groan.

Just then, the clock sounded again and she turned and ran.

Oh Kitten, there’s no running from me, I thought as I shut my eyes and inhaled her scent still lingering in the air.