Tallusian Nights [Xihirian Shifters 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Ciara Lake Page A

to wash my hair, it’s too cold. It will just have to wait.” She shivered, running her fingers through her hair as she rinsed off. When done, she rushed out of the water. “I can’t stay in there long.” She quickly made it to the shore. He followed close behind her. Grabbing hold of her, he pulled her close. His body was warm, comforting.
    “Here, let me warm you. Close your eyes.” He spoke close to her ear. His breath smelled spicy, and it soothed her as well.
    “Why?” She pretended to pull away, teasing him.
    “Trust me, Zalora. Close your eyes, and don’t open them. I’m going to warm you really good.” He nipped her ear.
    “Oh.” She laughed. “I know you are.”
    “You’ll see how warm you’ll be. I’d never hurt you. I want to make you feel good and share myself with you.” His hand cupped her breast, fondling it. Obediently, she closed her eyes, and leaning back into him, she sighed.
    He scooped her up in his arms, placed her on top of the extra tent material near their fire. “Keep your eyes shut.” He kissed her lids then her lips.
    “Why?” She laid still, waiting for what, she didn’t know.
    “Just trust me. Do what I say.” He kissed her neck.
    “You’re bossy.” Zalora squealed when soft fur pressed against her. A warm furry body covered hers like a blanket.
    “What’s this?” She flashed her eyes open. “Oh my sweet Creator.” She looked into the eyes of a big beast. Frozen, she eyed the beautiful beast, truly unsure as what to do. He was upon her, this humongous wild beast. Instinctively, she knew it was Val.
    At first, despite realizing it was her lover, fear mixed with confusion raced through her. However, it lasted only moments. Val’s expressive amber eyes looked into hers. It was definitely Val. He shook his enormous head as he watched her. When he opened his mouth, she could see his mouth was full of sharp, carnivorous teeth. “I guess I wasn’t supposed to open my eyes?” He shook his massive head again as he laid his giant paw next to her head to balance himself.
    His paw was massive, with claws, which looked razor sharp. They were fully retracted from what she could tell. All four of his paws were enormous as his whole body. His muscular body was covered in glistening black fur. The fur coat was soft and thick. It was absolutely beautiful as it gleamed in the fire light. She rubbed her hand through his coat, admiring the texture. Looking him in the eyes, she could see he enjoyed her ministrations. She gently rubbed his head. Perky ears flexed back and forth, showing his approval. His body was soft while hard all over. The lean muscles he had in his humanoid form transformed into bigger, more powerful muscles as a beast. “So this is a Wolfton?” She sank her fingers into his thick fur. “You feel nice.” She boldly hugged him.
    He purred. His whiskers nuzzled her. Carefully, she kissed his whiskered face, giggling. Val purred louder, and she could feel the vibration against her. They both lay there for a while, Zalora absorbing his comforting heat. He was toasty like an oven. Caressing him all over, he continued to purr his satisfaction. He was careful not to put his full weight on her or his paws. Without warning, he separated from her, and before her eyes, he transformed to his more familiar shape. He stood proud before her, grinning.
    “You like me?” He cocked his head to the side.
    “Yes, I do.” She stood, too, moving closer to him. She touched his arm then rubbed his biceps. “I like your muscles, too. They feel good.” She winked. “You like me?” She lowered her eyes.
    “More than you know.” He pushed her chin up to kiss her lips. Then he pulled her closer to him. “You’re mischievous. I like that about you. Get dressed. It’s chilly for you. You can cook those leaves. I’m going to shift again to hunt. If you need me, just call my name.” He turned to walk away, paused to look back. “Zalora, I like the fact you accept all of