Like that human did? His eyes go pitch black.

Oh God. Just thinking about Tate is making him nuts. I need to get him back to himself. And I really only know one way that’s a surefire method. Are we here because you wanted to have sex? I keep the fear out of my thoughts.

Dakh’s attention rivets on me. His thoughts are sharp and pure, like a burst of light. Only if you want it.

I bite my lip. You have to make me want it, remember? I need your help.

And his eyes gleam with gold. I remember. And I will help.

22

DAKH

My mate stares up at me with big eyes.

I can see her quivering as she stands before me, small but proud. Her scent is mixed—there’s a hint of fear in it, but also a hint of arousal, which is encouraging. Her thoughts are as chaotic as my own, and my concern for her allows me to stop and pick through them, trying to understand. She worries over me. She still hurts from the human’s words. And she is anxious over the thought of mating with me once more.

Such strange foolishness, this worry. I shift to my two-legged form and approach her. When I am this size, she is still small, but now I can hold her properly. I pull her against me and cup her face in my hands. Why are you afraid? Do you not like this place?

Her thoughts are startled. What? Here? I can tell by her reaction that she is surprised. No, this place is fine to stop if you need to stop. It’s not a home, but it’s not uncomfortable.

No bad memories?

Sasha’s small, dark brows furrow. Not really.

I trail my fingers down her arm. Yet you shiver.

“I’m nervous,” she admits shyly. “If you just wanted sex I wouldn’t care all that much—”

Yes, you would.

“Okay, I would,” Sasha agrees. “But I wouldn’t be anxious about it like this. You’re asking me to like it, and my response is going to determine how you respond, so I feel like I’m potentially ruining things for both of us. It’s much easier to assume that I’m not going to enjoy myself and just go with things.”

I touch her soft brow. We are connected here, though. In our minds. Now that I am in your head and you in mine, I will not have pleasure if you do not.

I can feel her flicker of anxiety grow. That’s exactly what I’m worried about. And then you’ll get rid of me, and I can’t go back to Fort Dallas, and—

Stop it. I graze my thumb over her mouth, the sweet pink softness there, and I can feel that she enjoys that small touch. You had pleasure when you saw your story in your head, did you not?

Sasha looks up at me, confused. Story in my head?

Dirk and Ophelia?

“Oh! The book!” Her cheeks turn bright red. “I can’t believe you spied on my head through that.”

I was curious. You felt pleasure when their mating was described. Can we not do as they did if you enjoyed it?

Her face turns even redder. “I don’t know if I remember all of it.”

How do most human matings start? You can tell me that.

“With a kiss,” she whispers, her gaze locked to mine. Her heart flutters, and I can feel both her excitement and nervousness. Her mind fills with images of mouths pressing together, of tongues flicking.

Ah. This kiss. I have seen it before. I did not realize it involved tongues. I am fascinated by the thought and stroke her lower lip with my thumb-claw. Do you know how to perform one?

“Perform one? I…yes? I guess so?” A little giggle escapes her at the thought, and the sound is sweet and enticing.

Then show me.

“Show you?” There’s a little flutter of worry in her belly again.

Yes. I wish to know how to do it correctly so I can give you pleasure. Do you like to kiss?

“I…I guess I do. It’s been a long time since I kissed someone because I enjoyed it.” Her thoughts grow dark, and flashes of the human move through her head again.

Do not think of him, I command, sending my thoughts surging into her mind. Think of me. Show me this “kiss.”

Her gaze goes unfocused and her attention fixes on my mouth. “Right. Kiss. Okay.” She puts one arm awkwardly around my neck and then leans in. She tries to pull herself closer to me, but her bad arm twinges with pain and she grimaces. “This is hard to do with just one good arm. You’re a little taller than I can reach comfortably to kiss.”

Immediately, I fall to my knees in front of her.

Sasha’s eyes widen in surprise, and she chuckles again. “Um. Not quite what I had in mind. Now I’m too tall.”

Ah, but I am a good height now, am I not? I pull her against me and nuzzle at her torso. She has covered her lovely breasts with these annoying skins—clothing—that humans wear. I want to put my mouth on her flesh and lick her all over, and I share that thought with her.

I can feel the pulse of heat that races through her, and I feel pleasure in her response. If nothing else, she likes my words. A moment later, though, her worry returns.

My Sasha is the opposite of me. When she thinks too hard, her worries arrive. When I do not focus my mind, the ravens arrive. We both must work to overcome our problems. I slide my hands up and down her back, gripping handfuls of the annoying clothing she wears. Should we be naked to kiss?

Her laughter is muffled. “It’s not required, no.”

But it will make things more pleasant, will it not? I use my claws on the strange material, rending it apart so I can touch the smooth skin underneath.

Sasha gasps and pulls out of my grip. “You’re tearing my clothing!”

So?

“Clothes are important. They’re valuable. No one’s making them like this anymore, so they all matter.” She pulls a shred off her back and frowns at me.

You have an entire nest full of them, I point out to her, pulling the cloth from her body. As I do, I can see she is wearing even more things underneath. A strange band of fabric with little straps covers her breasts. Can I rip this one?

“No!” She reaches behind her and moves her arms. A moment later, the material—a bra, according to her thoughts—goes to the ground, and my Sasha is topless.

I rumble in my throat, because this is much better. I can smell her lovely scent, and now I can feel her soft skin. I think you should never wear these clothes. They are a nuisance.

“I’m not walking around naked,” she tells me, and there is amusement mixed with her outrage. “Humans get cold when the seasons change. We don’t have fire in our veins like you do.”