Page 18 of The Manticore's Mate

“Anything?”

“Have you knotted with anyone else? Are there little Cades running around the world somewhere?” She combs her fingers through my mane.

“You are my only mate. This is my first knotting.” I wouldn’t have thought the process would be so emotional or so pleasurable. Older people hardly ever talk about the event beyond saying if you wait, it will pass, and it almost always leads to impregnation. Of course, they were talking about monsters mating. None of them ever mated with a human. Though, it happens. I heard about a family in Western New York state that mated with all human women, and they have had children. None of them are manticores, but I can’t help hoping that Leona carries my baby, or soon will.

She pulls her dress over her head and rocks her hips. “Oh, that’s so good. If we’re going to be linked together like this, my beast, I think we should make the most of it. She rocks again and my cock thickens, pushing us both into another round of ecstasy.

By the time we return to her hotel room, it’s only a couple of hours until dawn, and I leave her to sleep. I need rest too, but I have to spend a little time figuring out who tried to keep me in manticore form.

I return to the woods where Leona saved me, and as a full monster, sniff the ground until I find the dart. Shifting back into a man’s form, I dress and move the leaves aside until I can pick up the injector.

The side has writing on it, but it’s too dark to read it, so I head home.

In the light of my kitchen, I clearly see PremTor in white lettering. So, the dart came from the PremTor Pharmaceutical Company. Did they create it knowing it would keep me a monster? Are they who want me to stay a beast, or did they make it for someone else? There are too many questions without any answers.

I set the alarms for the house and property and head into bed. Maybe it will make more sense after I get some rest.

Not to be, the proximity alarms sound just after the sun comes up. I might have ignored it if it wasn’t for the incident of being shot. I head to my office where I can view the surveillance video on my computer.

A powder-blue sports car waits at my gate and behind the wheel is Melony Millar. My gut knots, but I open the gate.

Grinning like the cat that ate the family canary, Melony passes through and up my driveway.

In sweats and a t-shirt, I wait just outside my front door. Whatever this is, it cannot be good.

She pulls to a stop and steps out wearing a skin-tight dress that ends just past her ass. “Cade, I’m so glad to see you.”

“This is my house, Mrs. Millar. Who else would you see?” I cross my arms over my chest. Maybe I can intimidate her. “What brings you out so early?”

Unfazed, she climbs the three steps in stiletto heels and faces me. “I thought we might have a little talk.”

“What about?” The faint scent of vodka sours her breath.

Pretty to the casual observer, Melony has blue eyes like her sister, but she wears a lot of makeup, and everything about her looks expensive. While her eyes are similar to Leona’s, Melony’s are tainted with an agenda. She exaggerates the swish of her hips as she walks to the porch swing and nearly exposes herself when she sits. “It has become clear to me that you are dating my sister. Isn’t that enough cause for us to get to know each other better?”

“I had planned to come visit with your family today. Why not wait and get to know me then?” I remain standing but close the gap and lean on the front of my house.

She sighs. “My parents, while I love them, can be difficult. I thought if we could talk away from them, it might be cozier.”

“And your new husband doesn’t mind you going out at the crack of dawn to visit men?” She’s up to something, I’m just not sure what it is.

“Derek and I have a very trusting relationship.” She looks around the property. “Why don’t we go for a walk?”

“What do you want, Mrs. Millar?” My instincts tell me to get rid of her, but the fact that she’s Leona’s sister keeps me from tossing her from the porch.

She smiles and lowers her long eyelashes in a way that’s meant to be coy and flirtatious, but falls short with me. “Call me Melony. Why not stroll through your beautiful woods and get acquainted? Maybe we could swim in that lake.”

I’m not surprised she knows I have a lake. The resort's property and mine share the shoreline. I don’t see a bathing suit, so this is an attempt to get me to do something other than talk. “I’m trying to remind you that you’re married, madam. I have no idea why you would come here and flirt with me, but my opinion of you was already bad before you came, so say what you have to say and go so I can get some sleep.”

She juts out her bottom lip. “I wanted to soften the blow, but if you’re going to be mean… I came to warn you about Leona. I know she looks sweet and acts kind, but she’ll break your heart like she broke Derek’s.”

“He doesn’t look heartbroken.” It takes all my will to keep my temper.

Her smile is wicked. “That’s because I cheered him after she broke off their engagement. He needed someone to help him through, and we fell in love. Now Leona brings you in to make him jealous, and on our wedding weekend. There’s no limit to her betrayal.”

“Thanks for the warning. If that’s all you want, you should go back to the Greentree now. I have a lot to do today.” Nothing this woman says is true. I know it and based on her frown, she realizes she’s failing to convince me of anything.

Rising, she skims her hands over her hips and saunters toward me. When she’s inches away, she runs her hand along my biceps. “I could make you forget Leona the same way I made Derek forget her. I promise you’ll enjoy yourself.”

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