Amethyst strolled along the river which still flowed at full spate after an early morning heavy rain. She stopped occasionally to pick up stones and skip them over the calmer water in the shallows near the shore. She smiled as she remembered how patient her father had been, teaching her and Gloriana the trick of getting as many skips as possible.

Finding a nice, flat rock, she sat and enjoyed the myriad colors of the evening sky as the sun continued to set behind the mountains to the west. Inhaling the cool autumn air, she smelled moisture and knew there’d be another storm before morning.

Mother Earth had bestowed many gifts on this small valley. Enjoying the sounds and smells of nature, Amethyst closed her eyes and let her mind wander, painting mental pictures of what it would be like living here with Kerr and comparing those images to the reality of her life in England.

There was no comparison. England was all about work and constant battles with Mildred. Assjacket would be about a loving partner and family. She’d have a life, not an occupation.

“However … that mating bite better not hurt,” she muttered. “Or I might just have to zap his furry balls.”

“Faithless cunt.” The foul words echoed in the clearing along the river’s edge. “You’ll pay for betraying me with a lowly animal.”

Amethyst leapt up and turned to face the speaker. “Reginald?” He stood about fifty feet away and above her, on a small ledge of jutting rock. “I never betrayed you. I wasn’t yours to begin with.”

He slowly picked his way down the rocky incline. “Your mother promised you would wed me. No one rejects a Wolverstone. We do the rejecting.”

“Then we can let it out that you decided we wouldn’t suit. I’ll back up the story.”

As Reginald approached, Amethyst muttered the incantation for her transport spell. She’d always been of the strategic retreat mind set rather than going on the attack. But her spell didn’t work. She tried again—and it failed. Reaching out with her magic, she found some sort of block which held the oily taint of black magic. Reginald had obviously learned a new spell since their last encounter.

Amethyst pulled her magic around her like a shield and began looking for a physical escape route.

Bloody hell. Kerr would be furious that she was in danger. Could she call him? Was the burgeoning telepathic connection between them strong enough so he could hear her cry for help at such a distance?

What the hell? It couldn’t hurt to try.

Kerr! I need help.

“You have nowhere to go, Amethyst.” Reginald reached the more level area of the shore and stalked toward the rock where she now stood.

He’d cut off her escape route up the incline. The shore farther up and down the river was rocky and almost non-existent, so she couldn’t escape that way. Why had she picked a fecking perch in the most rugged part of the river?

“If you try to run, I’ll catch you.” His smug tones grated on her last nerve and pissed her off.

What were her other options? Get off the rock, meet Reginald on the shore, and engage in a battle of offensive magic—at which she sucked—or, wade into the river, take a chance that the rapids weren’t so bad, and that she’d survive until she reached a calmer area farther down the river where she could wade out.

Ammy, where in the hell are you? What’s wrong?

Her mental cry for help had worked. Relief and love for her man permeated every cell in her body, mind, and soul. She now had a third option—her mate would have her back.

By the river. She sent him images of the area and how she’d arrived there. Reginald is here.

A buzz-saw growl filled her mind. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Do whatever you have to do, baby, to stay safe. I love you.

I love you, too.

Kerr’s joy at her words traveled through their mind-to-mind connection. Then the feel of Kerr’s mental touch changed from the more rational thought processes of a human to the primal reasoning of his animal.

Through the mind of her bobcat, Amethyst experienced his leaps and agility as Kerr approached the river at a high rate of speed. The scents of the forest and valley were stronger and the sounds, sharper. She could even taste the air.

Movement on shore drew her attention back to her current predicament.

And the reality hit hard. Kerr was still too far away. Reginald was far too close.

Amethyst cast her go-to defensive spell—the one Oliver called her popsicle spell—and the one she’d used to freeze Reginald in place the evening he’d tried to rape her. But her magic slid off him as rain slid off a duck’s feathers. A cloak of dark magic shielded him.

“Haven’t learned anything since the last time, have you, bitch?” Reginald crowed. “White magic is like bringing a butter knife to a sword fight.”

Amethyst had no dark magic, at all.

The river was her only option to stay out of Reggie’s reach long enough for Kerr to come and save the day.

Ammy, no! The fear in Kerr’s mental voice told her he’d followed her thought processes. Throw rocks at the son of a bitch if you have to.

Huh? Now, why hadn’t she thought of that? Because she was too used to relying on her defensive magic. Note to self: sign up for self-defense courses.

Amethyst picked up a good-sized rock and used her magic to give it some extra heft. She missed hitting him, but not by much. She picked up another rock, made some adjustments, and let loose.

“Is that all you have, cunt?” Reginald laughingly swatted the rock away with his magic.

Throwing rocks isn’t working. Hurry.

Amethyst actually felt Kerr’s muscles strain to give him more speed as he raced toward her.

Reginald cut the distance between him and her.

Amethyst stepped off her rock perch and into the fairly calm shallows. The stronger currents were toward the middle where the rocks made the river deadly to anybody traveling down the tributary.

Spotting a nice flat rock barely submerged and about halfway toward the middle of the river, she made it her goal. As she waded into thigh-deep, ice-cold water, she placed each foot carefully so as not to stumble. After two or three steps, she couldn’t move at all. It was as if she were a fly encased in an all-encompassing web.

Using her magic, she found dark magic threads wrapped around her, holding her captive and leaching away her energy. The harder she tried to escape, the weaker she became.

Kerr must’ve sensed her increasing weakness and his growl rumbled in her mind. Hold on, darlin’.

“Struggle away, bitch,” Reginald sneered. “I learned a few new tricks since the last time we were alone together.”

Amethyst looked over her shoulder. Reginald now stood on her previous perch.

“Your magic is feeding my spell. The more you fight it, the stronger my spell becomes.” He shuddered, a look of ecstasy on his face. “Lord of the depths, the feel of your magic makes me hard. I may have to take you where you stand.”

Kerr’s snarl of incoherent rage heartened her … gave her courage.

“Try it, you fecking twit. My mate will gnaw your dick off and feed it to his pals,” Amethyst sneered.

Nice image, darlin’. But none of my pals like weasel cock.

Amethyst laughed.

“You’re laughing at me? Let’s see how funny you find this?” Reginald stepped off the rock into the river. In three long steps, he grabbed her and turned her to face him.

Helpless, she couldn’t move away—couldn’t keep him from ripping her shirt off, then her bra. Kerr!

I’m close. Hold on, baby.

Reginald stared at her naked breasts and licked his lips. “Been dreaming about your tits for months. Let’s see how you deal with a little pain … no, let’s make that a lot of pain.” He grabbed a nipple, pinched it hard, then twisted.

Pain, unrelenting and sharp, made her gasp. Tears streaked down her face. But she refused to cry out.

Kerr’s bobcat snarl filled the clearing. A streak of fur, teeth, and claws leapt from the river’s edge. Then Kerr shoved Reggie away from her, back into the shallows toward the shore.

Sounds of splashing, cries of pain, and growls of rage came amidst a flurry of movement in her peripheral vision. Then everything turned still, silent, but for the sound of the river rushing over the rocks and the cry of an occasional bird.

Amethyst could move again. Reginald’s spell must’ve failed as soon as Kerr had taken him down. She crossed her arms over her naked chest; she shivered convulsively.

“K-K-Kerr?” she called, her voice wavered from reaction to the close call and exposure to the icy water. “You o-k-k-kay?”

“I’m fine, baby. Don’t look. I’ll come carry you out.”

Amethyst turned anyway. Kerr was naked, bent over, washing blood off his hands and leanly muscled body.

To the side of Kerr, about two or three feet away, was Reginald’s body, hung up on some rocks in the shallows. He was clearly dead; his throat torn out.

Amethyst gasped. Kerr was at her side in a split-second.

“I told you not to look, darlin’.” His voice was gentle. His wild green gaze traveled over her from head to toe, pausing at her breast which showed the signs of Reggie’s cruel pawing. “I want to kill him again.” He touched the red, swollen nipple, soothing it with his healing energy. “Better?”

“Yes, now that you’re here.” She took a step toward him, wanting to check him over and make sure any blood still on his body wasn’t his. She stumbled, all coordination lost due to the frigidity of the water and possibly remnants of the dark magic spell.

Kerr caught her up into his arms and held her high against his chest, then carried her out of the river. He didn’t put her down when they reached shore, but kept going, up the incline. He then headed away from town. Away from Mac and Zelda’s. Farther into the dense woods.

“Where are we going?” She nestled her head on her man’s naked shoulder. He was so warm; his body heat chased away her shivers. She inhaled his light male sweat and musk coupled with the wild essence of the woods around them. She sighed and discovered she’d willingly stay just like this forever.

“My place.” He nuzzled her hair. “We both need a warm shower. I want to check you over and make sure he didn’t hurt you anywhere else.”

“He didn’t really have the chance, luv,” she reassured him. “You came just in time.”

Now was the time to let him know she was ready to be his mate, before they reached his house. “Kerr, does the mating bite hurt?”

Well, that hadn’t come out right. She buried her face against his throat.

“Ammy, what are … what are you saying?” Kerr looked down at her. His emotions flowed through their connection—growing hope, then joy. “Ammy, are you sure?”

“I love you and want to be yours. Forever.” She kissed the side of his throat before licking the pulse rapidly throbbing there.

Kerr inhaled sharply and stopped his ground-eating stride. “Is that the adrenaline talking, baby?” he whispered near her ear before nuzzling the lobe. “’Cause you need to be sure. Once I make you mine, I won’t ever let you go.”

“Not adrenaline. I’d made the decision to accept your bite before Reginald appeared.” She rubbed her cheek against his lightly furred chest. “I was wary before … until I realized you’re who I want for a life partner and to be the father of my children.”

“Thank you. Thank you. Back in the diner … my words were … you misunderstood. I rushed out to catch you to explain. Baby, you won’t be…”

“Shh, luv.” Amethyst placed a couple of fingers on his lips, halting his rush of words. “I’m sorry I over-reacted and ran away. Chalk it up to my insecurities. Oliver helped me figure things out right away. And I would’ve come around to the same conclusions, eventually. You’ve been honest and up front with me from the beginning. I needed to remind myself that you aren’t anything like the men from my past.”

“I’ll always be straight with you.” He kissed her forehead. “And I’m definitely not those assholes. You’re the most important being in my life. I’ll always place your needs and wants—and those of our children—above my own.”

“I love you, Kerr,” she breathed out. “And I plan on taking care of you, though I must warn you I can’t cook. I don’t know anything about running a household. But I’ll learn, and love you and protect you and any children we might have with everything that I am.”

“Fuck cooking and running a household. We can hire help. All I want is you loving me.” Kerr placed a light reverent kiss on her lips. He resumed walking as night fell over the woods. “Just rest against me. We’ll be home soon.”

“Sounds good, luv.” Amethyst petted his chest. “But you never answered my earlier question.”

“What question was that?” Kerr asked.

“The mating bite, is it painful?” Amethyst asked as Kerr began up a landscaped stone path that wended its way among a thick stand of trees. There was magic here; it was primal and called to her senses—her spirit. She would love living here amongst the trees and forest creatures.

“It might be, at first, but then you’ll be so distracted having the best orgasm you’ve ever had,” he said. “You’ll be too busy screaming in ecstasy and having an out-of-body experience to feel any real pain.”

Amethyst took in his solemn expression, but sensed he was amused. “Are you pulling my leg?”

“Nope. Just relaying something I overheard.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “You see, Mac and Zelda mated not all that long ago. I overheard Zelda telling her frenemy Sassy that the sex was so good after Mac bit her that they broke their bed.”

“You’re a sneaky one,” she accused. “Now I want the bite just to know what the best orgasm I’ll ever have feels like.”

“Just the first of many such orgasms.” Kerr laughed and teased her lips with a kiss. “I want you with every fiber of my being, so, of course, I’m gonna use everything I know to keep you well-pleasured every day for the rest of our lives.”

Amethyst decided a bit of fleeting pain for mind-blowing orgasms for the rest of her life was a proper exchange.