Page 27 of Consort

I see no attacker, and a gryphon already stands guard outside, but I’m compelled to protect her. The only way I can think to do that is to take her pain away. I move closer and crouch in front of her to see if I can find the source of it. She’s a small shifter, a Beta or Omega. What’s she doing out here all alone?

“The gryphon let me in to help you,” I say softly, hoping to earn her trust. “Just tell me what you need.”

She remains silent, gazing at my face and neck with her cloudy eyes. I can’t read her expression. Not even a little bit. It’s infuriating. I’d be tempted to kill again if it would tell me what she’s thinking right now.

“What are you called?” I ask, needing that connection to feel more in control.

Her lush lips move, and her tongue flicks around in her mouth, but no words come out. Only a whimper as she rolls over and clutches her stomach. Watching her turn away feels like a blow to the chest. I can’t explain it, but I’m desperate for her to face me again. I need her to know I’m here.

I need her towant me here.

I pause to feel the air, searching for some trace of magic that could be making me feel so unstable. But I feel nothing. I need to pull it together. She needs help, and I won’t leave without giving it to her. But it would really help me out if she would just tell me what to do.

I reach out and gently roll her back over so we can talk. Whenher eyes flutter open, I’m struck by how different they look from a few seconds ago. The slivers of green are gone, swallowed up by her blown pupils. Her eyes are left as black as her shiny hair.

All at once, she transforms into an entirely different creature than what rolled away from me. Her eyes fixate on my lips for a moment, then trail down my chin and neck. I notice her fingers twitching like she wants to reach out and touch me.

Her nostrils flare and her eyes roll back in her head. It takes me a moment, but I realize she’s scenting me. Her hungry look floods me with arousal. I’m immediately ashamed of my reaction. This isn’t normal, and this isn’t about me. I shake off my failure so far and focus what’s ailing her. I can’t fix her until I know what I’m dealing with.

“Are you sick?” I ask, hoping she’ll finally speak. “Are you cursed? Poisoned?” Still, she remains silent, giving me no hint at what’s wrong.

Then, as if her pain has vanished, she rises easily to her knees in front of me. I move to mine as well, mirroring her position. Her hair is damp and matted against her head. Tears have left streaks down her flushed, dirty cheeks. Still, my stomach flips over at just how damn beautiful she is.

How is she affecting me like this? And why have her cries suddenly stopped? What kind of spell have I walked into?

I consider going back outside to think. My mind was much clearer before I stepped into this cave. But before I can rise to do it, she lunges forward and grabs my cloak with both of her hands.

I freeze, worried she’ll see the crest and send me away. Seconds ago, I wanted to go. Now, all I care about is making the cloak disappear.

I tear it off and fling it across the cave. The Omega sways a bit with my sudden movement, so I take her hands to steady her. Slowly, I guide them to my tunic, allowing her to hold onto meagain.

And fuck if it doesn’t feel more like I’m begging.

She tightens her grip, and I let my hands fall. I probably shouldn’t let her touch me until I’m sure there’s no curse or poison that could spread. But since she won’t speak, I’ll have to let her show me what she needs. And I can’t lie to myself. The way she’s gripping me makes me feel needed. I can’t help but be empowered by it.

She shuffles forward on her knees until we’re touching. I’m shocked by the warmth of her body as she presses it against me. My cock tries to swell, but I will it back down with a curse. It never seems to have the right response for the situations I’m in.

She wiggles against me, and a tiny growl slips out of her lips. It’s so endearing that I feel the urge to embrace her. I can’t remember the last time I wanted to hug someone. The strength of the desire is alarming, but it’s easy to resist. Wrapping my arms around her could frighten her. The last thing I want is for her to feel trapped. I let my arms hang at my sides as she snuggles closer, trying to ignore her breasts pressing against my stomach and her soft, contented sighs.

I decide to sit back on my heels to put a little distance between us, but she follows, scooting herself between my thighs and pressing her body against me again. She buries her face in my neck and pulls in a deep breath. My cock defies my will and fills with blood. I try to pull away as it begins to move in my leathers, but she grips me tightly and continues to scent me with a soft moan.

I’m trying to figure out how to politely remove her when something warm and wet slides across my throat.

Did she just lick me?

I look down to see her dragging her dampened lips across my shoulder. The puffs of her breath send chills across my body as I try to remember what I’m supposed to be doing. She slides herhands down my chest and around to my back like she owns me. After finding her way into my tunic, her hot fingers run along my spine while she continues to taste my skin.

I shudder under her attention, trapped in whatever spell this is. Surely, she’s no shifter. She’d never hold a fae this way. She must be a siren, somehow this far from the dark lakes. She called me in with a cry of pain instead of a seductive song.

A small growl slips into my ears, and I feel two small pricks in my shoulder. When I look over and find her mouth clamped down on my skin, I finally realize what’s happening.

It’s a heat.

Everyone knows about heats. It’s a topic that fascinates the fae. A heat is when Omega shifters go into mating frenzies that can last for days. Fae are renowned for their sensuality, but none can compare to the lust of an Omega in heat.

Heats are one of the things that set us apart from shifters. The fae don’t look down on them for this difference, though. Fae are too wrapped up in their own sexual natures to judge others for their mating behaviors. Some fae like to boast that they could handle a heat or replicate it. But if heats live up to the stories I’ve heard, no one but an Omega could last or lust in such a way.

Alphas, the strongest shifters, typically care for them during these periods. This little shifter must be an Omega. An Alpha would know what she needs.

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