Hot Summer Love: A Multi-Author Box Set (Shifters in Love Book 2)

“I feel kind of inadequate next to you,” she said, trying to keep her voice light.

He put his arm around her waist and pulled her back towards him, her soft curves nestling against his hard muscles. His right hand ran up her body, cupping her right breast and squeezing it. She gasped, pressing back harder against him. “There is nothing inadequate about you, Amara.”

His mouth kissed her neck and he felt her tremble, her desire overcoming her. It would be so easy to tell her to forget this lion business and skip to the mating. “We should do this now.”

She pulled away, turning to face him, her eyes dilated with desire. “You’re right. Are you ready?”

“No.” He offered his wrist to her. “But I want to skip to the next part, so let’s do it.”

“Take a moment. Remember who you are.”

He closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of her, the clear mountain air waking his senses, and then he looked inside himself, trying to find the real him, the essence of him, and for once in his life he prayed, asking that he would find himself again.

“Do it.”

Her fingers were shaking as she released the clasp on the bracelet. It was stiff, and it took her a moment or two before she made the clasp move, and then it was gone. The thing he had worn all of his life in memory of his father was no longer holding him in. And the lion was unleashed.





14





It started as a ripple along his skin. Amara had seen it before so many times, but never the look of shock and terror that spread across Kane’s face.

“What’s happening?” he asked, sounding scared. “Is it going to just burst through my skin?”

“Something like that,” she said. “Try to stay calm.”

“Calm? I’m being torn apart at the seams,” Kane cried, falling to his knees while claws erupted from the ends of his fingers to replace his nails. Then things happened so fast, it was a blur of fur and claws and a deathly scream filled the air. Then he was there, a massive lion, shaking his head, his long mane shimmering in the air, before it settled around his large magnificent head.

She walked towards him, half afraid, would he have control, or would he eat her up for his first lion dinner? He lifted his nose and sniffed the air, his tongue coming out, as he licked his lips, showing her his long, deadly-sharp teeth.

“Good kitty,” she said quietly, as if singing him a lullaby.

The lion Kane stood still, his large amber eyes watching her intently. Feeling braver, sure he would have pounced by now if he planned to attack, she took another step forward. Her fingers inches away, she could feel the undercurrent of electricity coming from him. Then she made contact with that invisible force and the shock of electricity made her fall backwards.

She landed on her bottom, the big lion towering above her, reeling back from the shock. And then they encountered their first problem, as he tried to steady himself, he fell sideways, only just managing to steady himself before he joined her on the ground.

“I guess this is easier to control when you learn as a child,” she said. “OK. I’m going to change and then I’ll try to teach you what I know.” She stood up, her hands going to the collar around her neck, and with a tug she opened it, and cast it aside.

So many sensations flooded her brain. Only with the collar gone could she understand how much it had taken away, how much she had become accustomed to her dulled senses. First was the air: she could smell the sage bush that grew by a big boulder about twenty feet away. She could hear the buzzard high in the sky as it patrolled the ridge about a mile away, and she could sense Kane on a level she had never experienced.

He watched her and she smiled, reaching out to him once more. This time there was no shock, so the collar was responsible for that. Now they were free, nothing to contain their innate natural powers. His big, long lion tongue licked her, rough against her palm and she stroked his massive head, before leaning down and kissing him. A deep rumble in his chest told her his feelings for her, and the sudden need to be one with him took over her. But in her head, her lioness growled and paced her mind, coming to the forefront so she could see her.

Tears sprang to Amara’s eyes. This beautiful creature had been caged for too long, now was the time for her to have her freedom.

Gathering her thoughts, she allowed her lioness to come forth. Slowly, she shifted, her body changing from human to lion, fingernails growing into claws, sandy fur sprouting through her skin. Amara dropped down to her knees, her legs changing, muscles lengthening, bones shortening as human morphed into beast.

This was what pure humans were scared of. If only they knew!

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