Two Months Later
THE L’Alliance courtroom buzzed with barely contained energy as the judge’s gavel came down for the final time.
Hexius watched from his position in the gallery as Vaughn was led away in enchanted chains, the snow leopard’s head bowed in defeat.
Life imprisonment for the attempted murder of a human—specifically, the attempted murder of Samira Hondros-Mercier, mate to the Leopard King.
“This is Camille Dubois reporting live from L’Alliance headquarters,” the reporter spoke rapidly into her camera.
“In what can only be described as the trial of the century, we’ve just witnessed justice served not only to Vaughn Mercier, but shockingly, to Arnulfo Hondros—grandfather of the victim herself. ”
Hexius’s jaw clenched as the reporter recounted the horrifying details that had emerged during the trial. Even now, knowing Samira was safe, the revelations made his leopard snarl beneath his skin.
“The elderly Hondros, who appeared via video link from Greece, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, supernatural trafficking, and—most disturbingly—the murder of an innocent human woman twenty-five years ago. The court heard how Hondros killed this unnamed victim as an offering to demonic forces, seeking to discover the perfect mate for his granddaughter in order to increase his family’s power. ”
Several people in the gallery gasped, though Hexius remained stoic.
“But here’s where it gets even more twisted,” Camille continued, her voice dropping dramatically.
“Hondros had been giving his granddaughter what he claimed was ‘medicine’ during her years living with him. This substance, derived from ancient dark magic, permanently blocks the telepathic bonds between mates. The grandfather’s goal?
To prevent Samira’s future mate from reading her thoughts, allowing Hondros to eventually control her through supernatural means. ”
The reporter paused, allowing her audience to absorb this information before continuing.
“When Hexius Mercier rejected Samira six years ago—a rejection the court learned was influenced by Hondros feeding false information to both brothers—the grandfather flew into a rage. He’d assumed mates would be instantly, irresistibly attracted to each other.
Believing the devil had cheated him, he threw Samira out of the family home, cutting her off entirely. ”
“But the devil had kept his bargain,” Camille said with relish. “Hexius Mercier was indeed Samira’s perfect mate. It was Hondros’s own manipulations that caused the initial rejection.”
She gestured to the crowd. “The story only gets more complex. The court heard how Hondros gave ancient compatibility findings to Alphonse Mercier, the former Snow Leopard King, who had no idea these perfect scores came from a demonic bargain. Alphonse, we learned, genuinely meant well—he wanted his younger brother to find happiness.”
The camera panned across the gallery, finding Alphonse seated with his arm around a beautiful blonde woman.
“Speaking of the former king, there he sits with his wife, Brandy Mercier. Yes, you heard that right—Brandy, who was nearly killed trying to stop Vaughn’s attack, has since married Alphonse Mercier. ”
Camille’s eyes gleamed as she moved to the most salacious part of her report.
“And here’s an exclusive tidbit from our investigative team: we tracked down several participants from that fateful speed dating event three months ago.
Every single man who spoke with Samira that night told us the same thing—they’d love another chance if the Leopard King ever lets her go.
” She laughed. “Though I doubt that’s happening anytime soon. ”
The camera finally found Hexius as he rose from his seat, preparing to leave.
Camille practically sprinted over, microphone extended.
“Your Majesty! How do you feel knowing you’ll never be able to read your mate’s thoughts?
That this telepathic bond all mated couples share has been permanently blocked? Don’t you feel cheated?”
Hexius paused, one eyebrow rising in that distinctly arrogant way of his. The entire courtroom seemed to hold its breath.
“Why would I need to read my mate’s mind to know what she’s thinking?” His voice was calm, matter-of-fact. “I love her. It is enough.”
A collective sigh rose from every woman in the vicinity. Camille pressed on, “But what about those speed dating participants who expressed interest—”
“They can look at her,” Hexius said with terrifying calm, “and they die.”
As he strode away, leaving a courtroom full of swooning women in his wake, Camille faced her camera with flushed cheeks. “There you have it, folks. How would it feel, to be so loved by the Leopard King? This is Camille Dubois, signing off.”
****
I SINK LOWER IN THE cafeteria chair as literally everyone turns to stare at me. My face is probably redder than the tomato soup Spencer’s eating—or trying to eat, since she’s too busy laughing at me to actually consume anything.
“‘I love her. It is enough,’” Maryah quotes in a dreamy voice, clutching her chest dramatically.
“Stop it,” I beg, covering my burning face with both hands.
“Never,” Spencer laughs. “Did you see the reporter’s face? I thought she was going to faint right there.”
“Or proposition him,” Anastasia adds wickedly. “Though his whole ‘look at her and die’ thing probably killed that impulse.”
Like, seriously, I still can’t believe this is my life now. Two months ago, I was getting my heart shattered in a speed dating event, convinced I’d never be loved. Now I’m mated to the Leopard King, who apparently goes around telling reporters he loves me on national television.
My phone buzzes with a text.
Hexius: On my way. Five minutes.
My stomach does that stupid flippy thing it always does when I know he’s coming. You’d think after two months of being mated, one month of living together, and countless nights of...well, you’d think I’d be used to him by now.
But nope.
“I know that look on your face,” Spencer says with a snicker.
“What look?” I protest.
“The ‘my ridiculously hot preter husband is about to walk in and I’m going to forget how to form words’ look,” Maryah supplies helpfully.
“I do not—”
The cafeteria doors open, and my protest dies in my throat because stars above, how is he even real?
“Ladies,” he greets my friends politely, but his gaze never leaves mine. “Samira.”
He says my name the way he always says it these days. All low and smooth and sexy, and his French accent is still to-die-for. I want to sound just as sexy, but when I finally speak—
“Hi.”
The word comes out all squeaky, and Hexius swoops me up in his arms while my friends laugh.
Hexius glances down at me as he carries me out of the cafeteria. “What?”
I shake my head. “Nothing.”
Hexius waits until we’re back in our suite before speaking again. “You forget,” he says gently.
“Forget what?”
“I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t need to read your mind to know what you’re thinking.”
Riiiight.
A sheepish smile forms over my lips. “I’m sorry. I’m just...I guess I’m still not used to how open you are about your feelings. Six years ago, you couldn’t even stand to look at me, and now...”
“Now I can’t stand to be away from you,” he completes. “Things change.”
“I know, but...”
“You are worried about tomorrow’s signing,” Hexius murmurs.
All I can do is shake my head. It really does feel like he’s reading my mind even when I know he can’t. “I’m just...I don’t want you to regret it. If you’re joining L’Alliance solely for my sake, then I don’t think—”
My husband cuts me off by pressing me against the door, his body caging mine.
“If almost losing you has taught me anything, it’s that I can never be too proud about my ability to protect you.
I’ll take all the help that’s offered, and that includes being part of L’Alliance.
Even if it means dealing with their bureaucracy and their endless meetings—”
I laugh, but it comes out shaky because he’s looking at me with so much intensity. “You make me feel so loved. I don’t think I deserve—”
“Then we have a problem.” His thumb traces my bottom lip. “Because I realize I love you more each day—”
“Please stop making me swoon.” I’m seriously begging him here. Because if he keeps this up—
“Alright.”
I just might—oh, what was that he said?
“I’ll make you scream instead.”
Does that mean he’s going to scare—aaaah!
One second I’m fully clothed against the door, and the next I’m completely naked and flat on my back on our bed, with two hundred plus pounds of aroused snow leopard king looming over me.
“That’s cheating,” I gasp, but whatever protest I might have had dies when he spreads my thighs with his hands—his already naked hands because apparently he used that preternatural speed to strip himself, too—and looks at me like I’m his personal feast.
“You were saying?” He lowers his head, and oh stars—
His tongue finds me in one long, deliberate stroke, and my back arches off the bed. I reach for his hair, needing something to hold onto, but he catches my wrists and pins them to the mattress.
“No,” he growls against my sensitive flesh. “You don’t get to control this. You just get to take it.”
And then he proceeds to destroy me with his mouth, his tongue doing things that should probably be illegal in several dimensions. Every time I get close to the edge, he pulls back, until I’m literally sobbing his name.
“Please,” I beg. “Hexius, please, I need—”
“I know what you need.” He rises over me, and I barely have time to appreciate the sight of all those perfect muscles before he’s sinking inside me in one smooth thrust that has us both seeing stars for a long, long time.
****
ANASTASIA WAS ON HER way back to her suite when a uniformed attendant of L’Alliance approached her.
“Ms. Adelardi?” The man bowed before presenting her with a sealed envelope, and her heart started to race.
Jaguar.
She would recognize that emblem anywhere.
“Thank you.”
She waited until she was alone in her suite before breaking the seal open.
And just as she expected, the letter was short and direct to the point.
You made a promise. You know where to find me.
The End