title

Shapeshifter’s Craving Lee Pearce

Kate, shapeshifter and royal princess, has fallen in love with her bodyguard, Aidan, a man with the perfect body built to defend and love her at any cost. Aidan has been encouraging Kate to accept her shifter future and settle on one form. During a storm, Aidan accidentally shows his true form to her. Now Kate must decide if her love is strong enough to accept Aidan’s true heritage.

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Shapeshifter’s Craving ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Shapeshifter’s Craving Copyright 2010 Lee Pearce Edited by Helen Woodall Cover art by Syneca Electronic book publication March 2010 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

SHAPESHIFTER’S CRAVING

Lee Pearce

Dedication I dedicate this book to anyone who has been tempted by someone from the other side.

Acknowledgement Thank you to my parents, Gwen and Bill, and all their bridge friends who continue to encourage my endeavors.

Lee Pearce

Chapter One The hot summer sun beat down on her sweaty body as Kate lay at the edge of river during an afternoon of swimming with her sisters, brothers and their bodyguards. They made a large, noisy group, splashing in the river, running up and down the grassy shore, diving from a raft someone had shoved out into the middle of the river. It was a riotous group except for one man, Aidan, her own bodyguard, who swam a little away, keeping to himself but every once in a while glancing up in her direction, his brown eyes sparkling. “Soooo? When are you going to tell us all about him?” Kate glanced at her older sister, her mind dazed from watching Aidan swim. “What do you mean, Elise?” Aidan continued to stroke across the river, somersaulted beneath the surface and stroked back. His large muscled arms and shoulders moved in such a fluid manner that he appeared one with the water. His body glistened in the sun. “You know,” Elise said. “How he is, uh, out of his swim trunks?” “We haven’t been together that way,” Kate said. “Is it because of your shifting?” Elise asked. “I thought he knew.” “He knows,” Kate said. “I don’t think he likes me in that way.” “Kate, he’s your bodyguard,” Elise said, “He has to obey you. What are you afraid of?” “Nothing.” Kate stood, moved off the blanket and turned to stare at her sister. Still young, Elise’s body showed the gentle curves that hinted at the beautiful woman she would become. She was now on her second bodyguard and enjoyed talking about how she used him at night as well as during the day.

6

Shapeshifter’s Craving

Kate glanced down at her own body, the form-fitting bathing suit showing teacupsized breasts, a small waist and slim hips. She thought herself shaped more like a boy than a woman. No wonder Aidan had not yet approached her to spend time together at night. He must not see her as a woman. Just the thought of his hands touching her body made her breasts tingle. Her sister continued to giggle. She wouldn’t get any more serious conversations out of her so Kate turned around and walked to the river’s edge. Aidan had started another lap across the river. The water coursed over his broad shoulders and down his spine to churn over his buttocks and long legs. His was a body made for swimming. Maybe he didn’t like the idea that she could change into an animal at any time. Maybe that was what kept him from touching her. Or maybe the fact that she hadn’t yet chosen her animal shape. At twenty years, she should have chosen by now. She was late by her family’s standards. Her sisters and brothers had chosen by their mid-teens. She couldn’t help it. She liked being able to change into whatever she felt like—a bird or a cat or whatever suited her mood. Kate waded into the river until it swirled around her thighs. She waited for Aidan to finish his lap. As he did his somersault, she dived into the river, swimming to the bottom of the riverbed where she sat on the sand and watched him pass overhead. His powerful strokes sent pulses through the water massaging her body. She could imagine his hands instead and felt an ache grow in her stomach. She heard the dull whomp each time his arm sliced the water. As he passed overhead, he suddenly bent his upper body and kicked down toward her. He dropped in front, his feet lightly touching the sandy bottom, and reached out to grab her arms. She blinked at him and let a few air bubbles escape. He looked at her, puzzled, then understanding came across his face. His hands traveled down and took her hands, grasping them lightly. He pointed upward and she nodded. They both pushed off the bottom and rose, letting the current pull them downstream.

7

Lee Pearce

They burst above the surface. She could see her brothers, hands shading their eyes, standing at the edge of the river. Allen, her youngest brother, waved madly in their direction. She waved back to show nothing was wrong. “They are worried,” Aidan said, still holding her hands but down at his side so that she had to float very close to him, sometimes bumping chests and legs when the current pushed at them, making her body tingle. “We should go back.” But instead of making motions to swim to shore, he continued to hold her tight. “They can see we’re fine,” she said, her breath coming in short gasps. With his body so close, she felt the spot between her legs pulsing. “Why don’t we just drift for a little while?” He released one of her hands and they floated onto their stomachs. Still holding her close to his side, they stroked through the water, mostly to keep themselves over the deep part so that they wouldn’t scrape along any submerged rocks. The river wound its way around her father’s large island estate and eventually led out to the sea. The forest thickened on either side and tree branches drooped over the river, creating shady caves in the hot afternoon sun. Brightly colored birds hopped out on the branches, crying out shrilly, as if wondering who these strange creatures were floating by. She took a deep breath and didn’t dare to look up at him. Might as well find out now if he was as attracted to her as she to him. “Aidan.” “Yes, Princess?” The sound of his calm voice made her pulse race. “Why are you here?” “To keep you from drowning.” She looked up now, saw a smile playing at his lips and relaxed a little. This was the playful Aidan she had grown to know. “What were you told when you took this job?” He smile widened. “That even though you are a headstrong, stubborn, spoiled girl, I was to watch over you, keep you safe and obey you to the best of my ability.”

8

Shapeshifter’s Craving

She smiled. He always knew how to make her feel good. “And do you like your job?” “I…like?” He flipped onto his side, concerned. “What is bothering you?” Kate felt her face growing hot. “My sister was asking me, uh, if you and I, um, had, uh…” Too embarrassed to continue, she dipped her face into the cool river. She could feel him staring. “Oh,” he said, then turned so they both faced forward. His silence caused stabs of pain in her chest. He didn’t want her after all. She felt so ashamed. “Aidan, I’m sorry. I won’t speak of this again.” Kate yanked her hand out of his grasp and stroked toward the side of the river. Tears stung her eyes. She could hear him swimming close behind. Her knees bumped against the sandy edge and she scrambled out of the water. Starting to get to her feet, she felt his hand grab her calf and pull her back down. She fell onto her stomach. Aidan grasped her arm, rolled her onto her side and with his other hand, tangled his fingers in her hair. He bent his head close and pressed his lips against hers. She opened her mouth and sought out his tongue. He pushed back, crushing her lips, seeking deep inside. Then he stopped. She opened her eyes, seeing for once how black his eyes seemed to be. Hints of gold sparkled in their depths. “You never gave me a sign,” he said, his free hand brushing wet strands of hair away from her face. “I thought I’d failed at my job.” Kate saw the pain in his face and couldn’t stand it. She grabbed his head with both her hands so he couldn’t look away. “I thought you didn’t like me.” “You?” he said, looking deep into her eyes. “You are the most intriguing, beautiful woman I have ever met.” “Me? My sisters are far more beautiful. You could have had any one of them at any time.” His face clouded over. “I want no one else.”

9

Lee Pearce

“Then why have you not come to me?” He untangled his fingers from her hair and sat up. “It is not my way to take a woman without her permission.” The words came out angry and bitter. “I do not agree with how your father insists on satisfying a young woman’s needs, especially his daughters’, with any available man.” Aidan dug his hands into the sand. Kate had never thought about it in that way. Her sisters had rejected more bodyguards than they had taken to their beds. They had never been forced to have sex with just any man. Her eldest sister had told Kate in secret she had never taken a man completely until she married. Kate rose to her knees and leaned her chest against his back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, her hands unable to reach all the way around, so she laid them over his nipples. They grew hard beneath her palms. “Aidan, I want to love no one else either.” And she kissed the back of his neck. Before she could take a breath, his arm had snaked around her body and pulled her onto his lap. His lips found hers and she opened to his probing tongue. He touched her mouth, her teeth, found her tongue and teased its tip. She bit down gently, nipping at his flesh. Deep inside her chest, she felt the vibrations of his moaning. A warm wetness gathered between her legs. Aidan’s lower hand held her upper body close to his mouth. His upper hand pulled the thin strap of her bathing suit down her arm. She pulled her elbow and hand out of it. Realizing he would have trouble with the other side, she pushed away from him and knelt between his legs. Very aware of trying not to look at the bulge beneath his swim trunks, Kate kept her eyes locked on his as she lowered the other strap and pulled her suit to her waist. Cool air washed over her breasts. Her nipples became painfully erect. Then as Aidan leaned forward, she held up her hand. He looked at her, puzzled. She stood and held out her hand. He took it and stood. She inserted her thumbs into her suit and slid it over hips, let it fall to the sand and kicked the fabric aside. Then she reached for his trunks, hooking her fingers in the waistband. He grabbed her hands and

10

Shapeshifter’s Craving

pulled them out. He yanked down his own swimwear and stood before her, his penis erect. She reached for his cock and ran her fingers lightly up its length. Her heart hammered. As she stroked his cock, it grew wider and longer, stiffening under her grasp. Aidan moaned. She felt her body dripping more wetness down her legs from a spot that ached with need. Aidan lowered her back onto the sand. She lost her grip on his cock as he moved lower down her body. Hovering above her breast, he swirled his tongue over her nipple, teasing it to an even more erect position. Then he opened his mouth and consumed the globe. The sudden warmth shot down her stomach to between her legs. She felt her body thrusting upward, insisting he take more. Instead he lifted his head and moved to the other side. This time he raked his teeth along her nipple. She shuddered and cried out. Kate tried to roll onto her side, wanting, needing, to feel his body pressed against hers. Aidan held her down flat on the sand. “Not yet,” he murmured, releasing her tip. He trailed his tongue down farther along her body, dipping into her bellybutton, continuing down, through the soft curls between her legs. He parted her legs and slipped over her thigh, to lie between them. His hands slid beneath her buttocks and lifted. His head dipped and she felt a sudden rush of warm air. More wetness gushed from inside. He ran his tongue from the top of her clitoris down the channel to her vagina then back up again. The roughness of his tongue sent shivers up her spine. She arched her back, feeling a growing pressure and an aching need to have him fill her body. “Aidan, please,” she moaned, digging her hands into the sand. He lifted his head up. “Are you sure?” “Yes, now,” she cried out. How could she explain the need that filled her body so suddenly. A need only he could satisfy. Holding her arms out, she pulled his body close as he came to her. He kissed her lips harshly. She so badly wanted to feel his skin against hers. He lifted her legs so her 11

Lee Pearce

calves lay on top of his hips. He raised himself off her chest. Lowering his hand, he took hold of his penis and pressed it against her opening. Kate felt it sliding into her, filling her deeply. He kept watching her face as he pressed his hips closer. She shifted her hips to feel him as completely as possible. He started to pull away, concerned, but she grabbed his shoulder. “Don’t stop, Aidan,” she said, “Love me.” He slid the rest of the way into her channel. “All right?” he asked. She nodded. He began to move his hips in a slow pumping motion. She matched his rhythm, driving her body thrust for thrust. The pressure started to rise in her stomach. She arched her back again, this time feeling it race up her back and neck. Heat moved into her head. She felt nothing but his skin raking her skin, joined in a place that rooted them together in this moment, filling her with a completeness that she would never feel again with anyone else. A dark cloud exploded in her mind. Aidan collapsed on the sand, their legs still entangled. As he withdrew his shaft, she felt a deep sense of loss. Rolling onto her side, she wrapped her arms around his chest and rested her head on his heaving chest. “Did I hurt you?” his soft voice caressed her mind. She felt a little sore between her legs but already that pain was vanishing. “No, Aidan,” she said, “You could never hurt me.”

12

Shapeshifter’s Craving

Chapter Two “Aidan?” A fog had settled over the creek bed. It had been his idea to play this game of hide and seek, saying it was to test her shifter reflexes. Why today when the weather had gone misty and cool? They’d had a heavy downpour of rain overnight and still the day hadn’t warmed. She’d rather be inside cuddled next to his body. “Aidan!” She stomped her foot. Mud splattered her ankles. The wind whispered through the willow trees, their branches brushing the smooth surface of the water. Kate knelt at the water’s edge. Bugs darted across the surface, their tiny legs outspread. A fish swam close by hardly moving its body at all, letting the current carry it. Bubbles burst along the surface of the river a little farther out. A stick floated by, jerked up into the air as it struck something submerged near the bubbles, swung around and continued its journey downstream. Kate smiled and waded into the stream, already imagining his wet hands upon her body. “I know where you are,” she said, her voice a singsong. Something swirled around her legs, knocking her off balance. Fish? She looked but saw nothing in the clear water. “Aidan?” Spreading her feet, Kate’s feet sank into the mucky bottom. She tried to pull them out but the mud just sucked her down further. The water rose higher on her legs, lapping at her thighs, higher up between her legs, brushing her wetness with a light touch. She stood still, waiting to see what he would do next. His insistent fingers pressed against her pants. The water began to rise, forcing pressure against her hips. Kate struggled to free her legs. They refused to budge. The

13

Lee Pearce

water’s current began to push against her body. She fell over, struck the surface, went under. She struggled up, gasping for air. One of her legs had come free but it was useless as leverage to pull her other leg out. Spotted in mud, her struggles only drew her deeper, she panicked and thought no legs. Submerged beneath the water, she wiggled out of the mud and bobbed to the surface. She darted her tongue out into the air, tasting for his scent. The river had become a sea of waves. The jungle had grown expansive. She could taste on the breeze the many bugs and animals that lived among the branches. Warmth struck her naked snake body before Aidan’s head rose from the water. His eyes glanced around the surface, watched her clothes float by, seeing her, passing over and coming back. He smiled. He seemed pleased. She wished he could become a snake too, so he could experience what she felt, but he was not a shifter. Yet he still accepted her gift. Even encouraged it. Kate felt an urgent need to kiss him and changed as she wiggled forward. When she reached him, she had become human, again. “So what were you thinking when you changed?” he asked, holding her tight after a very deep kiss, as they drifted down the river. “I just reacted,” she said, trying to remember. “I knew what the problem was.” She paused. “My limbs were of no use, so I got rid of them.” “You are going more on reflex and instinct now,” he said. “If I trust my feelings then I choose more sensibly.” “And you are not so exhausted,” Aidan said, his hand running down her spine. She shivered. Her body warmed. “I do feel more energized. If I don’t force it…” “Then we need to work on you holding your shape for longer periods of time,” he said, holding her close as they floated down the river on their stomachs. Kate sighed. “I’m not ready to choose yet.” “That’s not what I meant,” he said. “It takes a lot of effort to hold a shape.”

14

Shapeshifter’s Craving

“Why are you so concerned about me not holding a shape? It’s not like I’m ever going to need to be something for a long period of time.” “What if you needed to fly across the sea, for example?” “Then I’d take one of the ferry boats,” she said. “Or I’d send a messenger.” “But what if it was an emergency and you were the only one available and there was no other way?” “What sort of emergency would need me? There are trained professionals to help people.” “Just think about it, Kate,” Aidan said, “There may come a time when you will need to hold a shape for longer than a few minutes, maybe even a day or two.” “You’re frightening me, Aidan. What would even make you think this way?” Aidan ducked beneath the water, disappearing. Kate started to tread water. “Aidan?” She looked about in the water, growing panicky. “Aidan?” Suddenly, his head broke the surface, splashing water all over her face. He swam up to her, pulled her close and held up a flower. “For you. No more scary thoughts today.” Kate smiled and took the flower. His hand moved down to her rear. “Now I wish to make you happy.” A pulse began between her legs. She placed her hands on his shoulders and brushed her lips against his eyes, touched his nose and met his lips. Aidan wrapped his arms around her and pulling her with him, swam over to a rock that jutted just above the surface. He braced her back against the rock. The current forced his body against her and she wrapped her legs around his back more to hold him in place than to rush the needs of her body. Aidan lowered his head and took a nipple into his mouth, nipping at it. Then he moved to her other breast, taking it fully into his mouth. His warmth flowed down to

15

Lee Pearce

her stomach and lower. The ache built. She tightened her grip around his back. Her body felt so empty. She needed to feel him inside. A roar began to fill her ears. Kate leaned her head back, holding onto his shoulders. He released her breast and slid up her body. He pressed his lips against her mouth, forcing it open. She took his tongue and sucked it into her mouth. His hands twisted in her hair, pulling her head closer. Something hard bobbed against her thighs. She reached down between their bodies, Aidan shifting sideways a little and grasped his cock. She fed it between her legs, positioning it just inside her opening. Aidan grabbed her hips and pushed upward. The roar grew louder. Water swirled around their bodies. Aidan held onto her shoulders as he thrust himself deep inside her. Kate clung tight with her legs, her ankles around his buttocks, afraid the quickening current would pull him away. The rock grated against her skin with each of his motions but she didn’t care. His smooth chest rubbed over her breasts sending tiny shocks through her body and head. A pressure built almost as great as the roar in her ears. Aidan’s rhythm increased. Light burst in her head. Aidan’s body shuddered. The roar became unbearably loud. Kate opened her eyes and gasped. A wall of water washed toward them. Aidan spun her around to look. The fast current grabbed their bodies and tumbled them downstream through the maelstrom. They clung to each other trying to kick out of the current but it would not release them. Kate watched, fascinated, as the wall of water rose over their heads. She felt no fear. She wondered why she wasn’t afraid. They were going to die. The water plunged down. She heard Aidan cry out as the water crushed them beneath its weight and dragged them down to the riverbed. Her back scraped along the bottom as they tumbled through weeds and rocks. Her lungs ached. Aidan’s grip loosened on her body. She saw his eyes glassing over. A huge gash had appeared over his right eye. Swim. Fly. Kate kept her grip on his back even as his arms floated free. A flurry of feathers filled her eyesight. Her feet became webbed. She pushed through the churning 16

Shapeshifter’s Craving

water, seeking the surface. As she broke through, her winged arms pushed upward. She pointed her billed nose toward the sun. A second winged body shot up and matched her pace. They glided over the churning river, watching the wall of water moving away toward the distant sea. The duck beside her began to falter. She followed it down to the edge of the river where it landed, flopping onto its stomach. It began the change back to human. Kate changed and in the few seconds it took her to regain her human shape, her vision blurred. When it cleared she stared at the unconscious form of a demon. Kate remained very still. The creature had smooth skin as black as midnight. His hands and webbed feet had long, sharp claws. His face had changed to a more angular version of the human Aidan, and he lacked hair on any part of his body. She reached out to touch him. He stirred and opened his eyes. Then he hissed, grabbing Kate, pulling her close. His breathing had quickened. She could see the need in his eyes. Her body responded with an unexpected fire. He pushed her back to the ground. She felt his shaft digging into her stomach. As she opened herself to him, she felt him nudging at her entrance. He pushed. She felt pain and cried out. He backed away. She grabbed him and saw that his cock had a shape that was not made for a human female’s body. The air shimmered. Aidan’s human form sat before her, catching his breath. “I would never have hurt you,” he said, faintly. The wound over his forehead started to seal closed. “I know.” Kate took his hand and placed it over her breast so he could feel her calmly beating heart. “I wanted you in that form too.” She didn’t know what else to say. The man she loved was truly not a man. He belonged to the sea. A creature from the darkest part of the sea. Aidan just stared back, his face betraying shock, pain, fear. “Kate, I’m sorry. I never wanted you to see me like that.” “Why?” she shook her head. “Why did you let me fall in love with you?” 17

Lee Pearce

“I didn’t mean for us to fall in love,” he said, calmly. “Then why are you here?” “I came to watch over you.” Kate jumped, startled. “What?” “I suspected you were one of the special shifters,” he said, reaching for her hand. “Special?” she repeated. “What you did back there, saving both our lives.” He pointed to the now calm river. “Very few can do that.” Kate stared at the water, feeling her own emotions boiling just beneath the surface. The ducks. She had changed them both into ducks. Both of them. Her chest clenched. Aidan couldn’t change to any other form. He had chosen human as his only form. She had reacted. To save his life. Her body began to shake. She stared at her hands with blurred vision. She felt herself begin to go numb, dissolve into the air. Strong arms pulled her close. She leaned against his warm body, feeling his life energy. She wanted to push him away. Even put up a hand, pressed it against his chest, the man who had just loved her so deeply. The man she never wanted to be apart from. But she could have killed him, changed him into a creature that he couldn’t come back from. “Aidan, I am dangerous,” she said, choking back a sob. He held her tighter. “No, you are not. Would you have tried to save my life if you were?” “I didn’t know I was doing it.” “And yet you saved me.” “Aidan, you can’t tell anyone about this,” she said. “Being an undecided shifter is hard enough for my family. Most of them don’t even talk about it. But now. With a touch I can change another shifter—no, force another shifter into a different shape.” She tried to pull away from him but he held her tight. “I could have killed you.”

18

Shapeshifter’s Craving

“You are not a killer, Kate,” Aidan said. “You would have left me to drown if you were. I know you love me too much to harm me.” “I do love you.” Kate stopped, no longer trying to escape his arms. She touched his head where only a faint scar showed. “You heal quickly.” “That’s my demon side,” he said. She ran her hands around his back, felt a ridge of bumps along his spine. She felt them soften and merge with his skin. “No, Aidan, don’t change. I want to feel you as you truly are.” His body relaxed and she felt the ridges once again. As she ran her fingers up and down his back, she felt his penis hardening against her thigh. She moved, putting her legs around his waist, sitting in his lap. She continued to run her fingers along his spine. “What are we going to do?” she asked. “How long can you stay up here on land? Do you need to go back? Take your original form?” “I need to change every few days or so,” he said. “It does get difficult to hold a shape for much longer than that. Sometimes I feel my demon shape taking control.” “That’s why you want me to practice holding a shape for a long time,” Kate said. “If we’re going to be together then you should see my world too,” Aidan said. Kate reached up and kissed him on his lips. “Then I shall continue to practice,” she said. “But for now, I would like to see if you have any other bruises on your body.” Her hands and tongue began a very detailed search of his body.

19

Lee Pearce

Chapter Three White drapes surrounded Kate in her bed. She saw his dark shadow approach. Her heart raced with anticipation. Aidan had been gone for several days. Now she wanted to show how much she had missed him. The nearest curtain parted. Aidan slipped through and crawled across the bed, pulling the sheets away from her body. She put up only a small fight as he forced her to lie back on the bed. “We are alone,” he said, lying alongside her, his leg draped over both of hers, trapping her beneath his weight. “Everyone has gone out for the day.” Kate giggled. “We’ve never done this before.” He raised his eyebrows. “Seems we’ve done this once or twice.” He ran his fingers up her side and across to her breast, pinching her nipple. She gasped at the slight pain then leaned forward, her lips brushing his nose. “No, I mean here, in my room.” Aidan cupped her breast, squeezing it gently. She kissed his forehead. “Are you sure you can handle all this softness?” Her arm snaked under his arm and around his back. A low rumble sounded in his chest. He looked up at her, wickedness in his eyes. “I will manage.” His head dipped to the captured breast, his tongue teasing the nipple. His warm breath sent shivers down her back. She felt moisture between her legs. Aidan’s hand moved down her stomach and between her legs. She lifted her upper leg and put it over his hip. His fingers parted her fleshy lips, sought out and circled her bud. Kate felt the pressure in her pelvis begin to build. Another finger pushed down her channel, found her opening and dipped inside, making its own ever-widening circle.

20

Shapeshifter’s Craving

The two movements made Kate feel dizzy. She didn’t know which to concentrate on. Aidan had a way of making her feel more than she had ever felt before. She closed her eyes and let the feelings overcome her body. Kate reached down for Aidan’s penis. His shaft, already swollen, pulsed in her hand. She stroked, pulling the outer skin back and forth, plunging to the base of his testicles. She so wanted him to feel the rush of climax as she did. He knew how to make her body respond to his love. She wanted, needed to make him feel the same, too. Show him their love was deeper than anything else in this world. Opening her eyes, she saw Aidan watching her face. “You are so beautiful,” he said. “Love me,” she said, pushing her hips toward his shaft. His hand slid away and he pressed forward, making her lie on her back. His legs forced her legs open and he pushed the tip of his cock against her crease. He stopped. “Tell me again.” He had that same wicked look on his face. She smiled and even though her body begged for him to fill her, she said, “Tell you what?” Aidan hadn’t expected that and he let out a gasp. “Tell me what you want me to do to you.” He slid his cock in a little more. Kate felt her nerve endings tingling against his pressure. Sharp little jolts began to run up her spine. Even with him just touching her, her body was ready to explode. She arched her back. “Love me!” Aidan pushed all the way in. He stopped. She looked up into his eyes. The strain of waiting showed on his sweating face. “What’s wrong, Aidan?” she asked, her hands grabbing for his hair. “I will never hurt you, Kate,” he said. He looked so pained. Kate clenched her muscles to hold him inside herself. “I know, Aidan.”

21

Lee Pearce

He began to withdraw. She clenched tighter. Then he plunged himself back in. Kate shuddered. He wasn’t going to leave. She felt a rush of passion move up from her stomach, through her chest and into her head. Stars burst in her skull. Aidan cried out and he shuddered. Kate’s muscles contracted around his penis, milking it. He slowly withdrew then pulled her close against his body. Kate waited until his heart had stopped pounding before speaking. “What’s bothering you, Aidan?” “What do you mean?” His voice was guarded. She knew it was going to be tough to get him to speak. “You’ve been away to your home. And you come back, all worried about hurting me. So tell me, what’s going on?” He sighed. “Do you ever feel that no matter how hard you try to change a path it always manages to end at the same place?” “What path are you trying to change?” Kate asked, her heart starting to pound, again. Aidan must have sensed her fear for he held her tighter. “I’ve been ordered to return home.” “For how long?” His silence answered her question. “Don’t go,” she said weakly. “I will die without you.” “I have been promised to another,” he said, “I must go back.” “You’re lying, Aidan,” she said, sitting up. “What is really wrong?” He reached for her again but she slid off the bed. “Talk to me.” “We can’t be together,” he said, sitting up, the blanket sliding off his body. She couldn’t help but notice his cock still wanted her. “You need to forget about me. It is best this way.” He turned to leave her bed.

22

Shapeshifter’s Craving

She felt the air shimmer around her. She felt the change happening before she had even thought of it. Then she held out hands as dark as night. “Aidan,” she said, her voice slightly raspy. He turned quickly, a look of shock on his face. She kept her arms raised. “Are you pleased?” Aidan walked toward her then around her. He touched her changed body, running his fingers along the ridges on her skin. Her skin tingled beneath his touch, her pleasure receptors heightened as the nerves sat so very close to the surface of her skin. She shivered beneath his touch. As he walked around in front, his body shimmered and he took his real form. Moving between her arms, he picked her up and dropped them both onto her bed, crushing her beneath his torso. She wrapped her legs around his insistent body, felt him thrust his shaft deep inside her channel and stop. She moaned her pleasure and Aidan began to drive his cock into her. She matched his rhythm, feeling the increased stimulation, thinking this was a whole different feeling. As he climaxed, he continued to touch her deep inside, until she too felt the heated explosion. After he withdrew, she no longer had the strength to maintain the demon shape and reverted to her original form. Aidan changed to his human form. He pulled her tight, spooning around her. “You’ve been practicing,” he said. “Why did you want to leave?” she asked. “I was afraid I would hurt you,” he said. She started to laugh. He finally saw the joke and laughed too. “As long as we keep loving each other,” Kate said, turning in his arms to face him, “I don’t think we have to worry about killing each other.”

23

About the Author Lee splits her time between living in a small town in southwestern Ontario, Canada, and at her cottage on the Lake Huron side of the Bruce Peninsula, where the rugged landscape is the inspiration for her fantasy-based writing. When she is not lost in creative thought, she works as a medical secretary in a health center for a major automotive manufacturer.

Lee welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Tell Us What You Think We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email us at [email protected].

Also by Lee Pearce Rapture’s Design Transporting Kyle Zuritaan Rapture

Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

www.ellorascave.com