Varu frowned at the stones in his palm. “Yes, I will. When she wakes.”
Hmm. No doubt something the goddess Hirpus wanted passed to her berserker, Riley.I wonder how Kraft will feel about that.
Max barked and shook, and his fur fluffed out then settled. The lycan seemed to grow in power, a boost to an already powerful lycan. His wounds vanished as if they’d never been, and Max shifted back into a man’s form on a breath.
“Holy shit.” He glanced around. “Sorry. I mean, just...wow.” His eyes glowed and his skin had a pale sheen of red before disappearing.
Fara stared and asked Mormo, “What was that?”
“Your goddess’s blessing,” Mormo said to Max with a smile. “She’s pleased with you, Max Bramson of the Crimson Claw.”
“Well, okay then.”
Everyone smiled or laughed at Max’s shock.
Max looked around. “Is my cousin okay?”
Everything grew quiet. Varu shook his head. “Apparently, she’s resting with her new mate.”
“Ah. Well, that’s not exactly right.” Max told them what had to happen for Riley to be properly mated, according to lycan custom, which made everyone’s night.
When they broke up after celebratory drinks to their victory, their locating not one but two Bloode Stones, and to Paz, who’d been a heck of a helpful demon, Khent returned to his room with a lighter step and settled down to sleep.
And dream.
* * *
When Riley woke,she found herself cuddled against Kraft. She sighed and stretched, feeling tired yet almost reborn.
As her memories from the previous night came back, she fretted about her cousin.
“Shh. Easy, mate.”
His lips against her hair settled her. And that annoyed her.
“Hey.”
Kraft groaned. “Still alive and still a pain in my ass.”
She rolled him onto his back and put a claw at his throat. “What did you say to me?”
She hadn’t been surprised for the sheer joy in his eyes, or the large grin he gave her.
“I understand that to properly mate you, I am to battle all comers who think to challenge you to mate. I will fight them all and then fight you.”
She laughed. “You think you can beat me, fanger?”
He rubbed her hips, his touch electric. She felt him hard and hot under her and shifted, so that she slid over his erection with her own arousal.
“I will always win when victory means your happiness.”
She blinked. “My happiness?”’
“I don’t know enough about you yet. But I’m going to take notes. I know you like pink roses. That you apparently drink a mean poisonous cocktail.” His gaze hardened at that, then relaxed as he gripped her ass, rocking her over him. “That you love your people and can always be counted on to protect those you care for.” He stared up into her eyes, and she swore she saw genuine affection there. “Do you care for me, berserker?”
“I, ah, I think I do.”
He smiled and shifted, so that when he dragged her back over him, he slid inside her.
