Page 51 of Lion Conquers All
He chuckled low in his chest. “I know why I do that. I’m the cat, remember. And I was very happy that you let me hold you and wipe away all your tears from the night before.”
Connie put her hands between them and pushed on Aarav’s chest.
He released his hold instantly. “What?”
“That’s what he… er, you…were doing? Licking my face?”
“Yes. The salt on your skin from the tears last night was very strong. And then he got a little carried away. He was also trying to get a rise from you. And when you smacked his nose, it was the best kind of challenge.”
The tears that were trying to surface disappeared with his last comment and made her smile again instead. “I did that without thinking and that was when I realized he, I mean you… it was meant as play.”
Aarav nodded. “Yes, it was play. And it’s okay to call himhe.I often do. There are many instances when his instincts are stronger than mine and I allow him to make decisions or be in control. There are also times when he will force an issue, but those are rare.”
“But he can?” Connie’s stomach clenched and a rock formed in the bottom. “Doesn’t that scare you. What if he shifted without your permission? He could expose everyone.”
Aarav’s face tightened. His lips drew into a thin flat line before he spoke. “He knows everything I know. We share every thought. Our beasts know the risk. I don’t get a turn to shift except every few weeks. Col has us on a very sparing rotation. Our beasts understand and we are doing the best we can to remain hidden. I will not lie though, it isnoteasy and it is emotionally draining to not have the freedom to shift when the need arises. We are also allveryhungry.”
“Why would you be hungry? You eat like a normal person.”
Aarav’s shoulders dropped and Connie could see the exhaustion hanging around him like a cloud. A cloud she hadn’t seen before or hadn’t taken the time to notice because she’d selfishly only thought of her own problems and fears.
“Our beasts require food in their form on a regular basis. It’s hard to explain, but the magick inside us to stay balanced requires that we care forbothsides.”
“What happens when you are hungry, like you’re saying?”
“It gets harder to hold back the shift.”
“But you wouldn’t hurt people or—”
“No!” Aarav spoke quickly, interrupting her. “We wouldn’t hurt people. Ever. None of us. Not even if we were dying. But holding back the desire to hunt becomes increasingly difficult. It’s a constant barrage, like a very real, very painful twist in the gut.”
“Like you’re starving.”
He nodded. “Yes. Most of us are. Col and Naomi most of all. All of us, when we get our turn to hunt, bring something back for them after we’ve eaten. Col gives it to Naomi most of the time. He says he can handle it better and refuses to allow her to be in pain.”
Connie’s vision blurred. Tears rose again and fell steadily down her face. The town still watched the Reyleans so carefully. There had been too many “odd” incidents. The people in town knew the Reyleans were connected somehow. Just not how.
And she’d been the one to scold Col and everyone else. She’d told them to be so careful and hide. They’d listened, but it was hurting them. Her friends were suffering in silence to protect all of them—the whole town.
“I didn’t know what I was asking would hurt you. I wanted to keep you safe. All of you. You’re my friends and I didn’t want to lose you. I’m scared that I’m going to lose you.”
“Shuarra.You are not to blame, love.” He took her back into his arms and held her close. “You only spoke the truth. We know you have our best interests at heart.”
He kissed the top of her head, then rubbed his cheek against her hair, then kissed her head again.
Over and over. Until the tears stopped.
She really did hope he was right.
21
AARAV
Twenty minutes later, he’d provided his mate with fresh iced coffee from Lily’s and was walking her into the community center. The storm had let up only slightly. Visibility was still crap, but fine enough to move around town safely. There was no way SAR would send people up the mountain in this though.
Those kids were in for another rough day and possibly night.
His lion flexed inside him angrily. They could go look. All of them could safely go find those kids, if they could get enough people to stop watching the mountain long enough.
