“But she said it matches Callon’s, Ry.”Sam’s eyes were on Lola.“No tattoo has ever been repeated.Ever.”
“That’s what Kian said.”Lola shrugged.“He was shocked when he redrew Callon’s tattoo on me.”
“I bet it wigged him out.”A small smile formed on Sam’s face.“I bet it wigged the prince out even more.”Her gaze jumped to Callon and then back to Lola, and then Sam winked.
“He threw a fit at Jaxine’s.And now she’s banned him from her shop.”
“Seriously, Lo?”Callon sighed, sounding thoroughly put out.“Can we get back to what’s important?”
Sam made a shooing motion with her hands.“Right, my bad.Okay, so you’ve bonded.”She motioned between them again.“You have some awesome new thing with glowworm, identical tattoos, but you haven’t consummated the mating?”
“Yes.”Lola’s face flushed.“That, and Callon has shifted to his full lion form.”
“Oh.”Sam’s eyes widened.“Congratulations, your highness.”
Riker bowed at the hip this time.“May Visata make you and your beast strong.”
“Thank you,” Callon said graciously.
Sam continued.“Your power as ananimuscomes from the magic of the Damarian.The bond you now have with Callon is what will allow you to slip between forms—human and beast.”Sam’s eyes shimmered with an inner glow.“You need only look within, connect with your animal spirit, and let her rise to the surface.”From one blink to the next, a huge, beautiful cheetah had replaced the woman before her.
“Just like that, huh?”Lola murmured.
The cheetah’s whiskers twitched in what seemed like a grin before Sam shifted back.“It becomes second nature with practice.But don’t worry.I’ll walk you through it.”
Lola nodded, her nerves rising again.She closed her eyes, trying to center herself.
“Look inward first,” Sam coached.“Feel your connection to Callon, then go past that to the power Visata has put within you.Your beast is already a part of you.”
Reaching deep, Lola was startled to feel a stirring inside.First, she saw the bond that tied her to Callon—a glowing cord, much like their matching tattoos, that reached between them and tethered them together.Then she did as Sam instructed and looked past that and found something else.But this wasn’t a cord, not at first.This was a glowing light in the shape of a lioness.She was a presence that was both powerfulandfamiliar.Then she saw the thread that tied her to the beast.
“I feel her, Sam,” Lola whispered in awe.
“Good, now embrace that bond.Let her rise up to join with you.”
Lola focused on that thread.It was barely there, but she grasped it tighter.Warmth blossomed under her skin as the lioness’s energy flowed into her.
“Don’t fight the change,” Sam warned.“Let it happen.”
Lola gasped as her body began reshaping itself.There was an aching pressure.She could sense bones, ligaments, and muscles shifting.She forced herself to relax, taking slow breaths.
And then it was done.Lola blinked open feline eyes, the world coming into sharp focus.Powerful limbs flexed.She saw claws sliding free from her paws.Paws!She had freaking paws!She could only stare in wonder.
“You did it!”Sam laughed joyfully.
Lola turned to find Callon watching her, pride and desire glowing in his gaze.
“Magnificent,” he rasped.Suddenly, he shifted as well.Prowling close, he circled her form and nosed her fur.He pressed his side up against her as he moved alongside her, until he’d made a complete circle around her.
“He’s scent marking you,” Riker told her, his lips turned up ever so slightly, amused by Callon’s actions.
Lola pressed closer against Callon.If he got to scent mark her, then she sure as hell was going to make sure he smelled like her.She felt a rumbling coming from his chest and realized he was laughing.He must have felt the jealousy that flared up inside of her, just as she felt his humorandpleasure at her emotions.
Lola plopped down on her haunches and then gazed down at her powerful feline body.She was still in awe of the transformation.Everything seemed sharper through the lioness’s senses.Scents stood out in vivid detail, specifically Callon’s woodsy, masculine smell, and sounds from far away reached her keen ears.She could hear people talking, but the sounds were coming from somewhere outside the courtyard.Weird.Then she focused back on the fact that she was a freaking lion.Lola tensed her muscles experimentally, testing their coiled strength.This beast of hers was strong.She felt like she could take on any foe and win.Let’s not test that theory just yet.
Callon circled her again, leaning in to brush against her tawny fur.Lola pressed into him instinctively, comforted by his familiar presence.She nearly purred when he rasped his tongue affectionately over her ears.
He made some noises, unique tones of rumblings, and somehow she knew exactly what he was saying to her.“Come, run with me.”His golden eyes lit with anticipation as he waited for her answer.
