Jungle Freakn' Bride (30 page)

A chuckle preceded Acat
as he
stepp
ed
into the light cast by the single torch thrust into the ground
at the base of the large tree
. “You did exactly what I thought you would. But it’s too late. The fight is already begun.” As if to highlight his claim, a dual howl
of
wolves
, a sound Carlie recognized even if her feline didn’t
,
filled the night air.

“You need to stop this,” Ruth demanded as she clambered down the rest of the way
, her fear of heights forgotten
,
it seemed
,
with her concern for the men she’d slept with
.

Carlie could have told her not to bother.
Acat
did it for her as he
shook his head, long
,
dark hair swirling. “Sorry, sister of my mate, but the will of the gods is being done. Fear not, I believe your true mates shall emerge victorious.”

However,
Ruth, with a tenacity Carlie had never seen, scowled at his reply before t
aking off in the direction of the chanting crowd
. Carlie made to follow
,
but a grip of steel locked around her wrist.

“And where do you think you are going?”

“To help my sister.”

“Oh, I dare say you’ve helped her enough.
And for nothing. Her mates
are
win
ning
. She will leave this jungle.”

“Still a human?”

“Yes. Her mates refused the change for her.
It seems they like her as she is.
”
Acat sounded surprised by the choice.

The knowledge eased the anxiety in
Carlie
. His next words
,
th
ough
,
wrung a shiver
.

“
I warned you
about defying me
.
”
Quietly spoken, but hard
–
edged
nevertheless.

“
You did.”

“
And yet you blatantly
went against my wishes
.” He shook his head. “
You know what this means?”

Her cleft moistened even as her mouth fell dry. She licked her lips.
“Punish me if you will. I’d do it again. I am not your slave. I’ll do as I please.
”

“Then you leave me no choice.” W
ith a final shake of his head, he
grabbed her, his big hands not daunted at all by her thrashing frame. He
slung her kicking over his
wide
shoulder and stalked off.
It was so annoying how he just manhandled her with ease. Annoying and so damned hot.

Feeling eyes on her, she looked up and saw Ruth gaping.
Poor l
ittle sister was on her own, but
not for long if Acat’s prediction held true.
Just in case
,
though, she yelled a final warning
,
“Don’t drink anything. I’ll see you in the morning, after I teach my
husband
what equality means.”

Oh
G
od, the slap to her ass made her hiss, but the hand between her cheeks that followed drew a moan.

Why did getting into trouble have to be so much fun?

Acat’s
bride challenged him at every turn. Made a mockery of his traditions. Did as she pleased. Told his secrets.
Seduced him with her smiles.
Lied. Laughed.
Despite her flaws, she drew him, intrigued and
en
flamed him.
Acat wanted her with a ferocity he almost fear
ed
.
A passion he embraced.

Defiant and unrepentant, she stood against him,
arguing for her rights,
defending her sister.
He admired her
tenacity and
loyalty. Now
,
if only he could get her to shift that absolute trust and stubborn nature to him and Chaob.

Carting her off to his hut,
in primitive style
–
which judging by her scent
,
she enjoyed as much as him
–
h
e
smiled
even
as he listened to
her tirade, something to the effect of men living in the dark ages
,
to
which he paid little mind.
Acat had the greatest respect for women, but Carlie was more than just a woman. She was
his
. As her husband, he owed certain things to her
;
a
h
ome, the basic comforts and protection
s
, which went without saying. But a husband needed to do more than that, he needed to keep his mate happy
,
o
r
as
his fathers explained to him one night over grog
:

“Son,” Ixtab said, slinging an arm around his shoulder. “A wife is a pre
c
ious thing.
A jewel
,
if you will.
Treat her right a
n
d place her amidst the right setting and she will shine, bringing you great wealth. Chip her the wrong way and you might as well kill yourself because you’ll always regret it.”

“What Ixtab is saying,” interrupted his other father
,
“is treat her good and you’ll get the honey.”

“There’s more to it than sex.” Ixtab shoved at Hunapu.

“Well of course there is
,
like telling her she looks pretty and fetching her nice things.”

Ixtab adopted an expression, often seen, of forbearance. “
Petty gestures.
F
inding out what makes her happy
, what makes her fulfilled
–
that is the key. Sometimes it’s more than one thing
.
”

“
What do you give
M
other?” Acat wrinkled his brow as he tried to picture what they did for her. She cooked and cleaned
constantly in between h
arangu
ing
them about not eating enough. Or making a mess.
It seemed like he and his fathers made work for her instead of alleviating it.

“Our sweet Juanita likes to take care of people. She came from a large family, one of the oldest daughters
,
and was used from a young age to caring for many siblings.
”

“But she only had me.”

“Yes, so we had to make up for it.
She loves to cook. So w
e hunt and exert
ourselves
daily to create large appetites and yet not get fat.
We m
a
k
e sure to track in some mud. Tear up our clothes.”

“
You c
reate more work just to keep her happy?”

To this day, Acat remembered laughing so hard he fell to the floor. As if chores could make someone content.
But he watched his mother after that, even made a point of helping her out more by cleaning up after himself. It made her cry,
big
,
wracking sobs
, as she wailed about how
he didn’t need her.

Acat went back to being a slob.
His mother smiled.

But Carlie differed from his mother, thank the gods.
She didn’t want to care for him and Chaob, at least not in a wifely, homemaking capacity.
She enjoyed challenges, spoke intelligently about things he’d have to read up on if he wanted to keep up with her verbally. She didn’t want to get pigeonholed into being something and someone she wasn’t.
She wanted her freedom.

However,
Acat couldn’t let her go.
So he did what
he could
,
instead
,
and challenged her.
Petty contests to be sure, but by rousing her anger, giving her something to focus on, he gave her what he could to keep her spirits high and from sinking into apathy.
Just one problem. It probably wouldn’t work forever. Already, they understood the game the
other
played. She taunted. He replied. He provoked.
She flew in to a fury.
They succumbed to passion. Not a bad pattern all in all
,
i
f he
could maintain it.

Keeping his train of thought proved impossible.
Slung over his shoulder, her buttocks rose in a luscious mound close to his face. Her scent…oh dear gods, her scent drove him mad.
Honey, so much of it pooling so close by, so tempting.
How
quickly and easily
he could
get his tongue to taste.
However,
he didn’t want an audience for what he planned.
No eyes other than his and Chaob’s
were allowed to
feast on her sensual beauty.

To keep her primed – and as a form of torturous foreplay for himself
–
h
e slapp
ed
her firm buttocks every so often.
A firm s
wat
followed by a
caress, sliding his fingers between her cheeks and wetting them
in her slickness
.

“See how your body accepts the need for punishment
?
” he taunted. D
eny it all she wanted, her body gave her away each and every time.

“Does not,” she panted in a flimsy lie.

“You are going to scream and beg for me.”

“
You wish. I betcha you’re
going to
beg-beg-
a
aaah.” She couldn’t finish her sentence as he rubbed his finger firmly over her clit.
He b
rought her mewling to the edge and stopped.

“Ooh, I hate you,” she snarled.

That earned her a slap and she nipped his buttocks in reply as her hips squirmed against him.

Climbing up
the notches in the tree
quickly,
her body still
ed
for the ascent
.
H
e slipped into his abode and tossed her onto his swaying
hammock
.
She squealed as she bounced
and went airborne
. Off
the
strung netting
she
sprang and landed with a soft thump.

“Are you nuts?” she huffed
as she flipped her golden mane
.
H
er eyes flashed with
blue
fire.

“You have good reflexes. You weren’t in any danger,” he replied as he unstrung his
loincloth
and tossed it to the side.
Gods, he loved how her eyes immediately perused him, the tips of her nipples hardening into the tightest buds imaginable.
All the better for biting.

“I hope you don’t think you’re using that.” She planted her
hands on her hips
and inclined her head to the cock jutting proudly from his hips
.

He couldn’t help
but
grin
at her provocative
declaration
.
“Oh, but I am. Don’t worry, by the time I do, it will be because you’
re
begg
ing
me.
”

“Never.
Not until you set my sister free.
”

A roar from the crowd sounded, and even from here, Acat knew the identity of the winners.
His smiled widened.
“And if I said her wolves won
? Which means your sister will
probably
leave on the morrow
?
”

“What do you mean
,
probably?”

“
I tire of you arguing with me at every turn.
” he
said
softly
,
stalking her.
She didn’t budge, boldly facing
him
.
“
Perhaps we can
trade.
I ensure your sister goes home tomorrow with
the friends she arrived with
. You
stay and take on your role of bride.”