Six days later…

It was a sight he would never tire of. That much he knew. It was one that would be branded in his mind for all time. Till the end. Water cascaded down her face, running in rivulets between her breasts. Her head was flung back. Her teeth clamped down on her lower lip. Her eyes squeezed tightly shut.

Her fingers dug into his shoulders. Cadon held her hips and lifted and dropped her onto his prick. He also jack-knifed into her welcoming snatch from below. He watched his cock sink into her. In and out. Watched her breasts bounce with each thrust. His balls tightened. His jaw did too.

It turned out that a seat in the shower was a handy thing. A very handy thing indeed. He leaned in and sucked on one plump nipple, rolling it around in his mouth. Kerry moaned.

So hot, so wet, so damned tight. After all these weeks, she still took his breath away. Not just during mounting either. When she smiled or laughed. That look she got when he was teasing her. All of it. The sex, well, that had only gotten better. It still made his heart pound and everything pull tight as he took her. He still roared each and every time as well. This time would be no different.

Her hands clenched his shoulders even tighter, her moans turned silent. Kerry groaned deeply, the sound quickly morphing into a scream. Cadon was thrilled that he was still having the same effect on her. Her pussy clamped down on him. Squeezing him mercilessly. He pushed his face into her chest as his orgasm pounded him.

Cadon roared.

His thrusts slowed, his arms circled her. His breathing was ragged. He hugged her to him as he stopped moving. Still deep inside her. “That never gets old,” he said between hard breaths.

“It’s only been a couple of weeks,” she panted. “It’s pretty normal for us still to be going at it like rabbits.” Then she did this little head shake thing like she’d said too much. Talking like they were together. He made the same mistake too sometimes. They just fit so well together and not just in the physical sense.

He smiled at her, his chest still heaving. “I don’t think this would ever get old.” Blast! Where was he going with this? Where could he go? Nowhere. It couldn’t go anywhere despite him wanting differently. Maybe he could talk with Leukos. Maybe…

“What?” She looked confused for a second but smiled through it. “Why were you looking at me like that?”

“Like how?”

“I don’t know…” She didn’t look too sure of herself. “In a funny way. In a way that you maybe shouldn’t be.”

“I’m loving the fact that you still scream for me.” He tried to make light of it.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you do, but that’s not it.” So astute. That and direct.

By feather! He shouldn’t say anything more. “I do love that you still scream for me, but you’re right. That’s not it…”

There was a loud crash. Cadon was up in a beat, he pulled his female behind him just as Magnar pulled the shower door open. It pulled right off, crashing to the floor, glass flying.

“What do you want?” Cadon growled. “How fucking dare you…” he added, a snarl building inside him.

Magnar narrowed his eyes, his face was twisted in rage. His hands clenched and unclenched. His eyes moved over his shoulder to where Kerry hid and then back to Cadon. “Just so you know, your female has saved your life today. If she was not with you, I would end you.”

“You would try.” Cadon pushed the lever, switching the water off. “What’s going on?” He worked hard to inject calm into his voice, even though his mind raced at a mile a minute. He couldn’t think of anything it could be. Last he checked, all was well. Better than well. Many of the males were having sex. Maximus had told his female what he was and she was still around. Two of the other males were dating. Most of them had brought someone home, at least once. All except for Hagan who still wanted that same female. The male moped around like a dog who had lost his bone.

“You lied to me!” Magnar yelled. “You lied to my face.” He was spitting mad. A vein throbbed on his forehead and his face was red.

Had he found out about Kerry? About him and Kerry not actually being together. Was that it? Was he going to take his female? Or try to? Not a fuck! He would fight to the death. Cadon pulled himself to his full height, keeping his mouth shut.

“You were mated! You were fucking mated!” Magnar screamed. “I knew it! I thought I’d gotten it wrong somehow. I had to be wrong, right? You should have been dormant.” He shook his head in confusion. “I fucking knew it, though!”

Andy came into focus behind Magnar. His face was broken and bleeding. His right arm at a strange angle. His left eye was completely shut, his right not too far behind. “Sorry!” Blood ran from his mouth, down his chin. “I’m sorry. I…he made me tell him. He had two of his males hold me while he beat it out of me. He was going to cut off Locke’s balls. Had three males holding him down. Orrick tried to help but… we’re out-fucking-numbered.” Andy threw Magnar a dirty look.

Kerry sobbed behind him, pressing herself against him.

“I don’t understand.” Magnar frowned looking down at Cadon’s prick for a moment. “How is this even possible?” He made a groaning noise. “You should be incapable of mounting a female. Of getting one with clutch. What sorcery is this?”

Cadon shrugged. “I’m a freak. I don’t know how—”

“Bullshit!” Magnar spat. “You continue to lie and deceive. To try to deny the rightful king. It is amazing how a male will sing like a bird when his prick is about to be cut off and burned to ash. Locke told me about Talon. This is not a one-time occurrence. I’ll bet it’s something that will happen every time.”

Blast and fucking damn! This was terrible. This spelled war. It was disastrous.

Then Magnar laughed. It was deep, rich and whole-hearted. Tears eventually glistened on his lashes. “You had better enjoy your life, this, her…” he pointed at Kerry.

Cadon growled.

“It’s all about to come crashing down. You…” Magnar stuck a finger in Cadon’s face which brought forth another rumble of anger from him, “are about to find out what it’s like to be exiled. To be Fallen, to be treated like an animal, and I can’t wait.” He smirked.

Cadon wanted to beat that look right off the male’s face, but how could he? Kerry was right behind him. She would be injured, especially considering the two males who lurked just outside the bathroom door. Frustration ate at him.

“This was fun but, as they say, all good things must come to an end. We’re leaving, my king will want to know the good news.”

Cadon wanted to deny everything. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he sucked them back. They would fall on deaf ears. Unfortunately, Cadon suspected that Magnar was right in his deduction. Previously mated males would be able to take mates again. This changed everything. It was exactly what he had been afraid of. He needed to warn his own king. Time was of the essence.

Andy paced. His face was a mess and yet she could still see anguish written there. Underneath the blood, the bruising and swelling, was torment. It was clear as day. He paced, his arm still at that impossible angle.

Cadon was naked, his hair still wet from the shower. He ran a hand through the glistening strands, looking up at the ceiling before pacing away. It looked like he was trying to get himself under control. It was that, or he was thinking things through.

Kerry wasn’t sure what was going on, only that it was bad.

Andy approached Cadon, his steps slow and tentative. “It’s all my fault.”

Cadon stopped walking. “I grumbled about not being able to pursue any females.” He made this anguished noise. “We’ve been stuck in this house for weeks, having to watch the others, you…” he shook his head.

“What happened?” Cadon asked, jaw tense, muscles bulging. His agitation marked every movement he made, every word he spoke.

“I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t realize that Magnar was behind us.”

“What did you say?” Cadon cocked his head.

“I was angry. You have a female warming your bed and you’re not supposed to. I moaned about how it isn’t fair to us. How you shouldn’t even be able to get it up. You should be dormant…helping us, and yet…” Andy sniffed. “It was stupid of me. Petty and stupid.”

“I briefed you not to say anything. I told you about Talon in confidence so that you would know what was at stake. You fucked up!” He pointed at Andy.

Kerry felt sorry for him. She may not know exactly what was going on, but she could see it was serious.

“The three of you are coming with me.” Cadon pointed at Locke, Zaire and Orrick. “We’re leaving right now and flying as fast as our feathers will take us. We need to get word of this to Leukos.” Next, he turned to Andy. “You stay here and heal up. You fly as soon as you are able.”

“I’m so sorry.” Andy shook his head. “Let me know how I can make this up to you.”

Cadon shook his head. “It’s too late for that. Prepare for battle. Pick the right side. I’m sure I don’t have to inform you which side that is.”

“Of course not,” Andy spoke with confidence. “I will fight for Leukos.”

“Good!” Cadon said. “Worth, you stay with Kerry. Take her somewhere safe. I will make contact when I return.”

Worth nodded.

Kerry frowned. “When will that be?”

Cadon strode over to her. “I can’t say.” He shook his head. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He hooked an arm round her waist.

“You’re coming back though, right?” Was this the end? It was too soon. She wasn’t ready.

His whole stance softened. “I’ll be back. We need to talk.”

“Okay.”

He leaned in and kissed her. First soft and sweet and then hard and hungry. It didn’t feel like a goodbye, but it might have been. Within seconds he was pulling away. Pulling out of her arms.

“Let’s go.” They walked outside, Cadon at the head. The other three removing clothing as they walked, dropping the garments at their feet as they went.

Cadon turned and locked eyes with her for a few seconds. His pupils dilating. Then he was sprouting fur and feathers and growing impossibly tall and powerful. Wings and a tail appearing from nothing. From man to powerful beast. Just looking at him took her breath away. Looking at him as he took to the sky made her heart twist inside her chest. Made her realize her feelings were very real.

“How quickly can you pack?” Worth asked as they disappeared out of sight seconds later.