Simple words, no fanfare, his warm breath brushing over my mouth, not moving from whatever he was preparing to do. “I will do what needs to be done to save her.”
My mind churned, in despair and confusion as I felt one man’s breathing begin to accelerate over my lips, while another man’s heart skyrocket, beating frantically against the back of my head, time ticking incrementally slower than all three actions, my mind, the breaths, and the heart.
Elder Jacobs slowly prompted in the quiet, “King Collins…”
A loud shaky inhale from my King. “Caro, I’m making the hard choice for you.” A pause. “Do it. Save her.”
Wait, my mind screamed, just as the One’s lips landed on mine gently. Reverently. The softest caress of his plump lips against my unmoving mouth, before his thumb pressed my chin down, and I heard him inhale before his hair stroked over my face and his opened mouth captured mine, his heated breath rushing through my mouth, the tingle of the stars, but potent, so much stronger than my own as my chest lifted, my lungs filling with his given air and power, even as he laid a hand over my Core, tingling and magical, zapping my flesh in a warm caress before his power plunged deep within me, a straight shot at my Core, a magical feeling of rightness. Then, he pulled, his magic grabbing hold of mine in an iron fist, and started a slow pull toward his own. Mine bowed, a low groan flying into his mouth over mine just as my power touched his, injecting, weaving instantly, and I heard him whisper in my mind, my very being, “Awaken, the Chosen.”
My eyes shot wide open to a blue ceiling with painted whimsical clouds, and I knew instantly I was in King Collins’s office as my mind tumbled in a blurred double vision, also seeing my face from a downwards view. My chest heaved, and I shoved at Leric, pushing him away, no longer at any way just the One to me, feeling a damn tether connected to him, feeling…him. “Jesus Christ!”
He sat back instantly, actually falling back, blinking just as hard at me as I scrambled up…Elder Merrick’s body…gripping his neck tightly with one arm, curled up on him as my heart rate shot off like a damn cannon, rubbing my eyes repeatedly, “Christ, I’m going to puke!”
Leric was rubbing his eyes, shaking his head hard, then more rubbing. “I can’t say that was what I always thought I’d hear the first time my Chosen and I connected, but,” more rubbing, “fuck, I can’t say I disagree with you, either.”
King Collins grabbed my face, bending over the back of the couch, staring down into my frightened gaze. “What’s wrong?”
“Jesus,” Leric barked, waving a hand drunkenly in my peripheral from the ground, “Not so damn close, man. Move back.”
My eyes damn near crossed and I swallowed the bile down hard as I saw not only King Collins face, but me at a distance on top of Elder Merrick, my Kings hands gripping my face. “Leric!” My voice was shrill and frantic. “Turn this off!” Okay, maybe I was yelling. A little.
Instantly, part of the double vision went away, blankness, as I stared up at King Collins, and I sighed a bit in relief, until Leric barked, “Caro! Close your eyes!”
I did instantly, realizing he was probably still seeing what I did, even with his eyes shut. My chest heaved repeatedly as beautiful nothing surrounded me…except for a damn emotion I could feel starting to radiate down through the tether, and I waggled my finger in Leric’s general direction, shouting, “Keep that to yourself, buddy.”
His quiet chuckle sounded behind the blankness. “You can feel that, can you?”
“Just stop it.” My chest heaved…and I shuddered the barest bit, since he didn’t stop. “That is not funny.”
“You know I find you attractive.” More chuckling. “This shouldn’t be a surprise.”
I jerked my face from King Collins’s hands. “Somebody tell me how to stop this shit!”
King Collins cleared his throat. “What exactly is it you’re…er…experiencing?”
Instant from Leric. “Double vision. I can see what she sees, and it appears, vice versa.”
I talked over him. “Emotions. I can feel his emotions.” Shuddering again, I snapped my fingers in his direction. “Goddammit, stop that!”
“You’re frightened,” Leric murmured softly, a quiet purr. “I’m just trying to compensate.”
“Oh, bullshit. I don’t even have to be a Shifter to smell that,”
“Lie?” Leric whispered on a purr inside my head. “Is that what you were going to say, kitten?”
I thumped my head hard. “And his voice.” More thumping. “His voice is in my head.” And it wasn’t stopping as I began hearing every damn thought, but suddenly, I jerked on top of Elder Merrick, sucking in a harsh breath as I felt an influx of power down our joined tether, a heady dose, and I knew I was glowing. “And his power. I can feel his power.” Yeah, my voice sounded a little awed, but still…”Someone tell us how to stop this!”
Dead silence reigned.
“Hello?” I was starting to sweat, his voice, his thoughts, I could tell were trying to be quiet, but…they weren’t so much. “We need some damn help here!”
King Collins instantly growled, “You said she wasn’t your mate!”
“She’s. My. Chosen.” Leric’s tone was a growl. “And I would really like to be able to walk fucking straight again, so somebody give us a damn hand with this.” And…a tiger’s growl echoed.
Instantly, I jerked, and the force I had felt when I had awakened bubbled up like a fountain from my Core. I grabbed at my chest, choking. Coughing hard. Pushing it…down…frightened as a fury built within me. Coughed hard, my body racking…and it burst forth, my lips parted.
The tiniest tiger growl I had ever heard emitted from within my chest.
“Ahh!” I screamed, scrabbling at my chest with my free hand. “What. The. Fuck?”
Leric sighed, his own growling stopping, sounding damn content. “There you are.”
My chest was pumping in frenzy as quiet surrounded us, and I screamed, “I am going to start hurting people if you don’t quit staring, and help us!” I thumped on my chest as another…goddamn…bitty growl erupted. “And this shit, Leric. You are going to explain.”
“It’s a…baby tiger,” Queen Ruckler murmured, sounding awed, her voice coming closer. “Is she going to shift, or something?”
I froze. Utter and completely. “If I’m going to be turning furry, you had better warn me right fucking now before I rip your goddamn balls off for doing this!”
“Just calm down…and nothing will happen.” Elusive words, which I didn’t like one damn bit…and I instantly felt him trying to soothe me down the tether, which only worried me more. “Really, people, I know you’ve had mates before. This runs parallel. Just a little advice would go a long damn way.”
Realizing—belatedly—I was probably choking Elder Merrick, even as I sucked oxygen, I loosened my hold…a bit…and held still on his frozen lap, feeling his heartbeat pound like rapid fire against my side, racing as fast as mine, waiting…for someone to get over their damn shock.
King Collins eventually cleared his throat. “Alright,” another clearing of his throat, “normally as I’m sure you both know when two individuals of like faction are mated, they receive one mate gift.” A pause. “You’ve apparently received all, plus…others. The double vision and “tiger”…thing, aren’t usual. The other three are. To control the other three, you need to envision your power. Your gift, which would probably work best as the stars. Imagine building a wall of this between you and the other in your mind…”
He continued babbling in a calming voice, but I was already working aggressively on my damn wall of stars. It wasn’t easy. Not at all. Beads of sweat started perspiring down my temples, and I started trembling the barest bit at the effort it took, because the expanse was so damn vast. Eventually, after what seemed like forever, I muttered on a defeated breath, “It’s too much.” It was the fucking galaxies. It would take a lifetime to accomplish.