Page 17 of Tamed By the Lion Freak

Slowly, their heartbeats returned to normal, their breathing eased. Leo rolled off her, but not before planting a tender kiss on her back. "Rest, my mate.”

Chapter Six

The crowd noise stillechoed in Kitty's ears as she rode Leo out of the center ring. Sweat glistened on her brow. Her heart raced from the adrenaline of their performance. She could feel the audience's energy pulsing through the air. It was a potent mixture of fear, excitement, and something darker.

Disappointment. Anger.

They had come expecting blood, thirsting for danger. Instead after a week of working together, night after night, and enjoying each other’s bodies during the day, Kitty and Leo had given them grace, power, and beauty. It was everything Kitty had dreamed of in a performance, yet she could sense the crowd's frustration simmering beneath their applause.

As they reached the backstage area, hidden from prying eyes, Kitty turned to Leo. His golden eyes met hers, calm and at peace despite his fearsome lion form. She reached out, running her fingers through his thick mane.

"You were magnificent out there," she murmured.

Leo leaned into her touch, a low rumble of contentment emanating from his chest. For a moment, Kitty forgot about the restless crowd, lost in the connection she felt with Leo.

It was so different from what she'd had with Marco. Where her ex had been manipulative and cruel, Leo was... well, she wasn't quite sure what Leo was yet. But she felt safe with him, understood in a way she never had been before.

A stagehand appeared, ready to escort Leo back to his enclosure for the night. Kitty gave him one last affectionate pat before stepping back. "Rest well," she said softly. "You've earned it. I’ll see you in the morning." They had made plans to get away from the carnival for a little while. She was hoping that their attraction would still hold when they weren’t at the center of the needy carnival that fed off emotions.

As Leo padded away, Kitty became aware once more of the carnival's frenetic energy. The crowd was dispersing, their chatter a mix of excitement and dissatisfaction. But there was a current of dark pleasure that pulsed through the very air of the carnival grounds.

Madame Noir appeared beside her, materializing from the shadows as she so often did. "An interesting addition to the act." Her voice was like silk over steel. "Normally, I don’t like improvisation, but in this case I’ll make an allowance."

Kitty inclined her head, uncertain how to respond. There was approval in Madame Noir's tone, but also something hungry.

"The audience wanted blood," Kitty said. "I could feel their disappointment."

Madame Noir's lips curved into a secretive smile. "Ah, but disappointment is such a delicious emotion, isn't it? So close to anger, to bitterness. The carnival feeds on all of it."

Before Kitty could ask more about the nature of the carnival, Madame Noir had melted back into the shadows, leaving Kitty alone with her thoughts.

She made her way to her small trailer, her mind whirling. The performance had been exhilarating, unlike anything she'd experienced before. Working with Leo felt as natural as breathing. Yet there was an undercurrent of darkness that put her on edge.

Once inside, Kitty peeled off her sweat-soaked costume and stuffed it into the small washer dryer unit. She should have been exhausted, ready to collapse into bed. Instead, she felt wired. Sleep would be impossible. She felt like dancing on air. Had she’d ever been this happy? This satisfied?

It won’t last.

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