Page 52 of Yasmin and the Yeti
“You’re hurt,” she said, noticing a dark stain on his side.
He shook his head dismissively. “A scratch. Already healing.” His voice was rough with fatigue, but his eyes never left her face. “The cub?”
“Strong,” she assured him, her hand moving to her belly. “The sothiti helps.”
He nodded, some of the tension leaving his massive shoulders. “The river will be clean soon. The poison is gone.”
“Polly told me. You destroyed the lab?”
“Yes.” His expression darkened briefly. “They will not return. The entrance is sealed, and we will keep watch, even in the sacred valleys.”
He moved further into the room, stopping beside a basin of water that had been left for washing. He washed quickly, removing the worst of the blood and grime from his fur. Shewatched him, drinking in the sight of him—alive, victorious, returned to her.
When he had finished washing, he turned to her, his expression softening into something vulnerable and questioning. “You need rest.”
“I need you,” she corrected him, holding out her hand.
He hesitated only a moment before moving to the bed and carefully settling beside her. She shifted to make room for him, and he gathered her against his chest, his arms encircling her with gentle strength.
The scent of him—familiar and comforting despite the lingering traces of battle—enveloped her. She pressed her face into the clean fur of his chest, listening to the steady thud of his heart.
“I was afraid,” she admitted in a whisper. “That you wouldn’t come back.”
His arms tightened around her. “I will always return to you,” he rumbled, the vibration of his voice resonating through her body. “Always.”
She tilted her face up to his, her hand coming up to trace the strong line of his jaw. “Show me,” she whispered.
Blue fire burned in his eyes. “You are not strong enough?—”
“I am,” she insisted, her fingers threading through the thick fur at the nape of his neck. “I need this. Need you.”
For a moment, she thought he would refuse. Then he lowered his head, his mouth claiming hers in a kiss that was achingly gentle. His huge hands cradled her as if she were made of the most delicate crystal, his touch reverent and careful.
He undressed her slowly, his eyes taking in every inch of her exposed skin with a hunger that made her shiver. When she was bare before him, he removed his harness, his powerful body looming over her.
“My mate,” he growled, the words a claim and a promise.
“Yes,” she agreed, reaching for him. “Yours.”
He lowered himself over her, his weight braced on his elbows, careful not to crush her. His fur brushed against her skin, the sensation both familiar and thrilling. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer until his body covered hers, their hearts beating in tandem.
His mouth found hers again, his kiss deepening until she lost all sense of time and place. There was only him, only this.
“Need you,” she gasped against his lips, her hips lifting instinctively.
He groaned, the sound rumbling through his chest. “So eager. So soft.”
One of his hands trailed down her side, exploring the curve of her hip before sliding between her thighs. She was already wet and aching for him, her body arching into his touch. His fingers circled her clit, teasing the sensitive flesh until she was trembling with need. Only then did he slide one long, thick digit inside her, drawing a cry from her throat.
“Please,” she whimpered, her fingers digging into the dense muscles of his shoulders. “I want all of you.”
He growled low in his throat, the blue fire burning in his eyes. “As my mate desires.”
He withdrew his hand, positioning himself between her legs. The tip of his kotra brushed against her entrance, slick and pulsing with need. Slowly, carefully, he pushed inside her, stretching her around his girth. She gasped at the sensation, her body adjusting to his size.
He stilled once he was fully seated within her, his breath hot on her skin. “Are you well?” he asked, his voice strained with the effort of holding back.
She nodded, her hands sliding down his back to grasp his hips. “More than well.”
