Kattlyn

 

When I heard the sound of Jussin’s voice, I wanted to crawl under a rock and hide. The last thing I wanted was to have both of them standing in front of me at the same time. If Jussin even suspected . . . I didn’t know what he would do. Maybe step up the timetable. Father hadn’t canceled it. He said to give him time, but time was running out. I could feel it. The pressure from all sides was almost too much.

And then . . . and then this . . . female had the audacity to throw her arms around Alan’s neck. Rage boiled up inside me, but thankfully, I was able to squash it before I could act on it. It helped when Alan stepped out of her arms. And in the distance, I spotted Vanna watching the entire exchange with a deflated look. What a mess.

Alan and I headed back to the castle, the silence thick between us after I explained who Jussin was. I wanted to know what he was thinking but didn’t dare ask. As we neared the front gate, Alan offered an insincere smile.

“I need to check on Krista.” He squeezed my hand. “See you later?”

“Sounds good.” But it wasn’t. I could feel the distance growing and didn’t like it at all. Somehow, I needed to fix this. I also needed to find a way to keep Jussin away.

My heart sank when Alan left me standing in the courtyard. I needed to think, needed to come up with a plan. But how? And what? And then I remembered what Sydney had said about Rikker. Feeling a little encouraged, I headed for the side entrance.

Walking into medical, I took a quick look around to make sure it was empty. I didn’t need someone to catch me here, ask questions, or think I was ill and tell Father.

“Kattlyn.” Rikker sounded surprised to see me. “What can I help you with?”

I worried my hands together, looking around one last time.

“Kattlyn?” His smile dropped. “Are you all right?”

“No.” I sighed, not hiding my emotions anymore. “I need your help.”

His face softened. He nodded and I followed him into his spacious office. The door slid closed behind us. “What is wrong?”

“I am speaking with you in confidence and you cannot tell anyone.”

“Of course.”

I dropped into the empty chair. He took the one beside me.

“Tell me?”

“I have met my true mate.”

His face split wide. “That is wonderful.”

It was wonderful. It should be wonderful, but with all the current problems, I said angrily, “You would think.”

As he studied me, his smile faded to a frown. “You are not happy?”

My shoulders slumped. “I am, but . . .” I let out a heavy sigh. “Father has arranged a mating for me but he is now thinking things over.”

“But he cannot—”

“My true mate is Human.” Rikker didn’t look like he understood the dilemma so I added, “With dull teeth.”

His mouth dropped open. “Oh. I see.”

“I don’t know what to do.”

Taking my hand in his, he patted it with the other one. “I am not sure how I can help you.”

“Oh, come on. With all your technology, surely you can do something.”

“Your father will be angry at me for interfering”—his eyes softened— “but your mother would want me to help you.”

“I won’t tell Father.”

He laughed, a low rumble that said he wasn’t worried.

“Let me think.” He rubbed his chin with his finger and thumb. “Perhaps, if I could get a blood sample from him and another one from you—”

“Yes!”

“No promises, Kattlyn,” he warned.

“I know.” I threw my arms around his neck. “Thank you, Rikker. Thank you for trying.”

I walked out of Rikker’s office with a little hope. The next time I ran into Alan, I would convince him to visit Rikker and then everything would be okay. I had to believe that. Why else would the gods send me a Human mate?

Outside, I spotted Sydney in the garden. I heard her son’s laughter as he played a little distance away. Sydney threw her hand up when she saw me heading over. “You look much happier.”

“I feel better. Thanks.”

“Figured out a way to make things work with Alan?”

“We are working on it.”

“Uh oh.” Sydney smiled playfully and I sighed.

“It is fine. He just wants to take things slow.”

I worried a little when Sydney leaned in close. She always had this mischievous look in her eyes just before she made some strange comment. “Want to know how to speed it up?”

I shot Sydney a cautious but curious look. “How?” I never knew what she’d come up with but I loved to hear her ideas. They were bizarre and amusing most of the time. I listened intently while she whispered in my ear. When she finished, I shot her an incredulous look. “That will work?”

“Oh, yeah. It’ll work.” She gave me a wink.

I was bold, but to do that . . . Could I? My lips curled up as a plan began to form. I tried to think about every scenario, trying to predict how Alan might react. I just didn’t know.

I spent a little more time talking to Sydney before her son came running over.

“Mommy, I’m hungry.”

She scooped him up in her arms and kissed his cheek. “Me too. Let’s go find Daddy and get something to eat.”

“K.”

“See you later, Kattlyn.”

“Bye,” I said, more than a bit distracted.

 

Third meal was spent in silence as my mind wavered between going through with this unbelievable plan or not. Alan kept throwing glances my way, but we never talked. Not with my father intently watching the two of us.

When everyone had finished eating, Krista stood and peered down at Alan. “You coming?”

He stared at me for a few seconds and then pushed up from the table. “Yes.” I wanted to know what he was thinking, but I never got the courage to say anything in front of my family. Instead, my heart dropped as I watched him leave. Things were not supposed to be like this. I picked at my food before deciding to put my plan into motion. Now or never.

“Are you leaving so soon?”

My eyes snapped to a stern Jakke, who had watched the entire exchange.

“Yes. I think I will.”

“Leave him alone, Kattlyn.”

I held his stare, neither of us looking away. He was so much like Father, and it pissed me off. But I had to be careful. Not that I liked being sneaky, but they held the power of Azziar and I was low on the totem pole.

When I reluctantly lowered my gaze, they landed on Sydney. One side of her mouth quirked before she covered it with a sip of water. I saw the gleam in her eyes and when she gave me a slight nod, I knew she was on my side. That was all the encouragement I needed.

I had to be bold if my plan was to work.

~~~~~

The castle was quiet, most everyone asleep. I slipped on a red see-through lacy nightgown, covered it up with a dark cloak, and slipped out of my room, quietly closing the door behind me.

Creeping down the hall like a thief, I peered around every corner, making sure the halls lay empty. Eventually I came to a large wooden door and fervently hoped it was the right one. My hands shook. Was I really doing this? I guess so.

Alan shared rooms with Krista and Kollin, but he also had an exit door. Please let this be the right one. Facing Kollin or Krista would be too embarrassing.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, I barely knocked on the door. It felt like I stood there forever, and I was about to knock one more time when Alan cracked the door open. When he saw me, his eyes widened and he opened the door all the way. “Come in.”

My eyes roamed his delicious body. Dark lines across his right shoulder. Dark hair, a chiseled chin, muscled torso with taut abs. Thin dark shorts that led the way to muscled thighs.

I stepped inside and slipped the cloak from my shoulders. His pupils dilated as they traveled the length of my body. I heard his breath quicken, watched as his shorts tented, and when I sniffed, I smelled pure desire. Butterflies did a happy dance in my belly.

Without a word, he threaded his hands through my hair and his lips devoured mine. He tasted like Fire’s Breath and mint, with a trace of blood as his lips moved over mine.

His tongue was seeking, alternating between tenderness and hunger. His hand caressed my neck before sliding down my lower back and then cupping my ass, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Breathlessly, he whispered, “What are you doing here, Kattlyn?”

My hands stroked his bare back, feeling every hard inch of him.

“I missed you,” I said honestly.

Alternating between kissing my neck and jaw, he said, “How can I stay away from you when you show up dressed like this?”

“I do not want you to stay away.”

Stepping back, our eyes locked as he grabbed the hem of my gown and slowly drew it over my head, leaving me naked for his inspection.

What did he think? I wanted to ask but didn’t want to break the intense moment. The moment I’d dreamed about my entire life.

A look of intense passion shone in his eyes. My heart hammered as I watched him hook the top of his sleeping shorts with his thumbs and push them to the floor before stepping out.

I couldn’t look away from his hardness as it jetted upward.

“Are you sure?”

My eyes snapped to his just before he yanked me against him. Skin on skin. My breathing grew more rapid.

“I’m sure.” It came out breathlessly. I’d never been surer of anything in my life.

His lips skimmed my ear before he lightly bit the lobe. I growled.

“Did you growl at me?” His voice was a little hard and then he bit me again.

“Yes.” That bite caused something primal to wake up inside me. I licked my lips and stared at the fleshy juncture between his shoulder and neck. Without thinking, I struck hard and sank my teeth deep and tasted his sweet blood on my tongue.

Alan arched his hips at the same time he threw his head back. Lips parted, eyes closed, a low moan escaped. It wasn’t a sound of pain, but a sound that made me suck harder.

When I released his neck, I looked into his wild, lust-filled eyes. I knew how he felt because I felt the same.

“Feel what you are doing to me,” he demanded as he grabbed my hand and pressed it to his staff. My fingers circled his hardness and I squeezed while working it up and down.

“Dammit, I’m too close.”

Before I could say a word, he spun me around and pressed me against the wall. One hand held both of mine high above my head while he used his knee to spread my legs wide. Without slowing, he thrust hard inside, completely filling me.

This moment . . . this moment felt so right, and I closed my eyes and reveled in the feel of my true mate taking me. Hard. This is what I wanted, what I needed as he grunted with every hard pump of his hips.

We were one.