Page 97 of Wedding the Werepanther

“That’s all I ever want, for you to enjoy yourself.” Naomi’s words come back to me. I need to explain who I am to Kayla, need to show her more of the real me. The constant patter and splash of the water isolate us in our own little world, helping me to get the words out.

“My people purposefully hide much of our true selves, wanting to show no vulnerability. I do so perhaps more than most.” My lips twist in a wry smile. “Before the doors of Farie opened and everything changed, I was used to being the best. Then suddenly, there were so many things I didn’t know: how to wear clothes, how to cook food, how to build a shelter. Learning to be a man made me feel like a kit, stumbling through my first steps.”

“I had no idea! You’re always so self-assured.”

“I didn’t let you know. But now I want you to see my truth.” I brush back a wet lock of hair clinging to her cheek. “Games are a large part of what it is to be cat sith. We search for the joy in life. From the time we’re little, we make everything play: learning to hunt, learning to fight.”

Her expression grows thoughtful.

“My people think of so many aspects of our lives in terms of games. It doesn’t trivialize what these things mean to us. Games and play are intrinsic to our nature. We may learn to hunt via play, but we still need to be good hunters, or our bellies will go empty.”

“What are you trying to tell me?” Her beautiful brown eyes search mine.

“When I say I play the courtship game with you, my witchy beauty, I don’t mean it’s a casual endeavor.” I cup her cheek and move closer until our legs touch, her skin shockingly warm compared to the water. “A cat sith chooses to play the courtship game only once in their lives, when they find the person they wish to make their mate.”

“Shadow,” she whispers, her lips trembling, her eyes large and liquid. “I had no idea.”

“How could you? I recently studied how the men of this society speak of women and games and being players. It’s the opposite of my intent.”

“Thank you for telling me.” Her intelligent eyes go thoughtful. “You’re right. I didn’t understand how you were talking about games in terms of romance and courtship. I’ve only ever heard men say it in negative ways, but I really love the way you see games and play.”

“I feel a kindred spirit in you.” I grin. “You also have a love of games.”

“Gamesarereally important to me. Like you, they’re more than simply something fun,” she says slowly, turning her words over. “When I was younger, I don’t know how I would have survived without games. They were one of the only sources of joy in my life, and once I joined a few online guilds in high school, I finally found other people like me. I didn’t feel so alone, so different.”

I grin. “It seems we both recognize their importance.”

“We do.”

“So it’s in all seriousness that I say this.” I drop my voice to a deep purr. “Play with me, Kayla.”

Amusement flickers through her eyes, and she lunges for me, her hands landing on my shoulders and pushing me down into the water. Then she kicks off the rock face, darting across the pond and daring me to follow.

My pulse pounds, my entire body tightening as primal instinct wells in my chest with the need to chase, to claim. I take off after her.

My strong, competent Kayla races ahead of me all the way to the other side of the waterfall. She dives for the cliff face, ready to flip and kick off from it.

I catch her mid-movement, wrapping around her from behind, crushing her to me, the soft warmth of her body a heady delight compared to the cool water as we sink under.

Kicking upward, I bring us back to the surface, pressing her up against the rock.

“You ran from me, my wife. You begged me to chase.” I nip at the crook of her neck, letting her feel my fangs.

She gasps, arching back into me. “And now you’ve caught me. What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to give you exactly what you deserve.” I spin her around and lift her onto a ledge. Nudging her legs wide, I run a finger up and down the edge where her soaked underwear meets her inner thigh. “Do you like these little panties?”

“Yes.”

“Too bad.” I grip the drenched lace and tear it from her body, exposing her glistening folds, coated in a wetness that has nothing to do with water. The heady scent of her arousal perfumes the air, making my cock leap. “Dirty girls don’t get to wear underwear. Dirty girls go naked so that their pretty littlepussies can be eaten.” I brush my thumb lightly over her clit in a tease that makes her hips jerk. “Are you my dirty girl?”

“I am,” she gasps.

Smirking, I lean forward and turn her sweet gasps into screams of delight.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Kayla