“You... cooked it,” Megan says, slowly as she stares at the heart in her palms. “It’s not well done, though.” Her green eyes flick from the heart to my face and then back at the heart as if she is afraid it is going to sprout legs and jump on her. The tan sweater brings out the richness of her brown skin. As much as I enjoy the way her pants highlight her figure, I love when she wears dresses—easier access.

  “How difficult can it be to cook meat?”

  “No, I mean, it’s still bloody. There’s a way of measuring the doneness of meat in my world. This is more on the rare side, so a little bit of char—heat. Well done is cooked longer, so you don’t see so much...red.” Megan closes her eyes and inhales. “Here goes nothing.” She lifts the heart to her lips and takes the smallest bite. The blood stains her lips.

  I want to kiss her—I always want to kiss her.

  “Eating with your eyes closed, that is a new one,” I comment, though I am pleased to see her eating more. A mage’s heart is a delicacy. It is not something that is easily obtained.

  “Not a common meat in my world or diet,” she responds, taking another bite. She opens her eyes and watches me as she eats. “I’m not going to sprout wings from this, am I? Since it’s a mage’s heart.”

  “No, but it is more nutritious than others. You will need the extra protein.” It will also help with her powers, giving her an extra boost so she does not tire herself out, and she will tire herself out because my vixen does not understand how to do anything in moderation. I will hunt down every dark mage if it means giving Megan what she needs.

  “For winter?”

  “For when I breed you,” I correct.

  “Roharu!” She sps her palm over my mouth. “We aren’t alone! You can’t say that.” She looks around the vilge and then at me.

  I lick her palm. Megan pulls her hand away and gres at me. Her cheeks are red. She looks as frightening as a newborn kit. I want to tease her further. See how far that flush goes.

  “No one is paying attention to us.” I dart my tongue out, licking at the remnants of the blood on my lips. “Besides, we are mates, and I have seen how you care for Yazir. Do you not want kits of your own?” At the rate Megan is going, it is only a matter of time before she asks if we can take the orphan in. I am surprised she has not mentioned doing so yet.

  “Not right now, no. We haven’t even figured out who is behind these portals.... are you trying to keep me away from the danger?”

  I shrug. “The thought did not occur to me, but now that you mention it—”

  “Don’t you dare.”

  “Come, there is a stream for you to wash your hands.” I grab her hand and gently tug her along, keeping her close to my side. My ears twitch. Katsuro and Chloe are sneaking off somewhere. He is more than capable of keeping his mate safe. The smell of meat mixed with spices fills the air. The others will be busy preparing to lie down for the night. “Tomorrow we will work on constructing a wall to slow down any beasts or enemies looking for a quick meal. I will work with the others on the construction of the wall and have some males to continue working on the inn. Eventually, everyone will have their own homes, but for now, we will stick together.”

  We walk out of the vilge and down what used to be a beaten path. Now it is overgrown with vegetation. I make a mental note to y stone down the path to the stream to make it easier for the others to find their way back to the vilge.

  Perhaps we should create a wall that goes down to the river, so the others do not have to fear attacks? I need more time to think on this and the logistics of it.

  “How much longer until winter gets here?”

  “If we are lucky, the snow will not fall for another two months. If we are unlucky, then we have just shy of a month. Winter in this world comes on fast. Once the first snow arrives, there are seldom days in which it does not snow. Many tend to bunk down and limit travels during the winter months.” With the exception of snow trolls, but I do not dare speak of their existence. “Do not fret. I will ensure we do not go hungry during the winter months.”

  “I wasn’t worried about that. I know you’ll take care of me and make sure everyone else is straight.” She squeezes my hand. “Is there anything I can do? And don’t say stay out of trouble.”

  I sigh, pretending to be upset. She pokes my arm.

  “You can work on the seals. I know the saintess has been unhelpful, but perhaps with your strength and your intelligence, you can figure something out that will work better than all the seals in the capital.”

  Megan wriggles her nose. “Maybe it doesn’t matter if it’s in my world’s written nguage, then. Maybe the intent matters more.” She hums. “Or praying over the walls? I’ll figure something out. I might brainstorm with Chloe some ideas. I was never big on religion, but there are some customs you just pick up.” She lets my hand go and stops right in front of the river. It sparkles a light blue. The grass next to it is a mix of green and purple. “There’s nothing in here that is going to jump out and eat me, right?”

  “Apollo would have taken care of it when he gathered the fish.” For my peace of mind, I dip my hand into the water first and shake it around. My ears twitch as I listen for anything coming our way. “You are safe to wash your hands.” I pull my hand back and pull out a jar of soap from my bag.

  “We should have grabbed a bucket to take some water back with us,” she says as she washes her hands. “How come your hands do not get as dirty as mine? It’s not fair.”

  “I am not human?”

  “Is it really that simple?”

  “It can be.” I sit down close to the bank. “Vixen.”

  “Hmm?” She shakes her hands and grabs the jar of soap. “Ready to go back?”

  “No.”

  Megan narrows her eyes. “Are you hiding another heart somewhere?”

  “Get closer and you can hear my heartbeat.” I hold out a hand. Megan hesitates, but that split second is all I need. “Got you.” I wrap my arms around her and pull her flush against my chest, breathing in her scent. The soap bottle falls out of hands and rolls a little way down. “You do not smell like me. We should fix this.” I tighten my arms around her and press a kiss on her shoulder. The material of her shirt is not thick enough for my tastes. Tomorrow I will hunt for fur.

  “Eating hearts turns you on?” she jokes.

  “No, but providing for you does.” I graze my fangs over her shoulder, delighting in the way her body trembles for me. “I want you, Vixen.”

  Megan turns her head and grabs the back of my head, threading her fingers through my hair. I meet her lips halfway. Her kiss is soft. She moans as her tongue brushes against mine before brushing it against the tip of my fangs. I close my eyes as I taste her on my tongue. She tries to pull away, but I deepen the kiss and then wrap my lips around her tongue, drawing more of her sweetness out.

  Her blood is electrifying.

  “Megan.”

  She turns, straddling me. Her arms wrap around my neck as she pulls me into another kiss. She grinds against me. My fingers twitch.

  “Do not.”

  “I had no intention of ripping your clothes,” I lie. What gave it away? I lean back just enough so I can push her shirt up. “I missed you.”

  She ughs and then moans as I flick my tongue against her brown nipple before drawing it into my mouth, mindful of my fangs. Her nipples are sensitive, and I would hate to be denied them because I nicked them. Her hands alternate between tugging at my hair and running down the pnes of my back.

  “Need to touch you,” she compins, pushing at my shirt. She squirms in my p. Her arousal is all I can smell—all I want to smell. “Stop teasing me.”

  “Patience.” I nip at her lips and grin. Her heart rate quickens. The grass is not as soft as bedding, but it will do for now. I tug her shirt off and then peel mine off. Her nipples are stiff. She shivers from the cool air. I will not drag this out any longer. Her body cannot withstand the cold as well as mine. I tap her thigh. Megan lifts from my p and undoes the button on her pants.

  “Wait.”

  She pauses. “Is there something out there?”

  “No.” I shake my head. “On your knees.”

  She throws a look over her shoulder as she gets into position. Good Vixen. She’s mine. All mine. Megan shakes her ass. My eyes lower, drawn to the way her ass shakes. A vixen indeed. A temptress. I pull her pants and underwear down until they pool around her knees.

  “Roharu!” She nearly topples forward, but catches herself. I close my eyes as I spread her cheeks further and dip my tongue between her lips.

  “You taste so sweet, Vixen,” I growl, my voice thick with desire. My cocks ache with the need to be buried in her. “Bounce on my tongue,” I growl again, knowing how much she likes the vibrations from it. Her legs tremble. She is close, but not close enough. I wrap an arm around her, keeping her still as I lick and suck, drinking her nectar. “Give it all to me,” I command, though the words are muffled, and she probably cannot hear the command over her moans.

  “Fuck! Roharu, you better not stop.”

  I close my eyes and enjoy myself, delighting in the sounds she makes. How her body trembles, trying to get away and yet draws me in closer. She comes with my name on her tongue. It should always be my name on her lips. Her arms give out as she slumps forward, sticking her ass higher in the air. I give her one more lick, dragging my tongue up the crack of her ass and then finally I pull away, pushing my pants down.

  “Pull out,” she breathes.

  I narrow my eyes as I line up my cocks, pushing in slowly so I do not hurt her. “When you are ready,” I tell her. My eyes roll skyward. No matter how many times I have her, I will never get used to the sweet, tight heat of my mate. She was made for me. I was made for her. “The choice is always in your hands.” I grip her hips as I thrust into her. She cries out while her hands tug at the grass. I lean forward and wrap a fist around her hair, tugging just enough to force her back into position.

  There we go.

  “This is the position you will be in when I breed you.”

  She tightens at my words.

  “Do not do that, Vixen, lest I believe you changed your mind.” I let her hair go and grip her hips with both hands, thrusting long, deep strokes. It drives her wild when I fuck her slow like this, taking my time as though we do not have responsibilities waiting for us the moment we are finished here. If only I had not fought us in the beginning, we could have gone away somewhere and have moments like this. “Where do you want it? On your back?” I increase the speed. My balls are heavy with need. I slide one hand down and my fingers over her bundle of nerves.

  Megan fights to stay in the position.

  “Vixen,” I remind her. “Where do you want it?”

  “Mouth. Come down my throat,” she cries out.

  Shit.

  I pull out, missing her warmth as soon as I do. Megan turns quickly...as quickly as she can with her pants halfway on. Her eyes are gzed over. She sticks her tongue out as I fist my cocks.

  “Damn it, Vixen,” I growl as I work my cocks until my semen coats her tongue. Some sptters on her chin and neck.

  Megan closes her mouth and swallows. She takes a finger and then another one, and scoops up the rest before sucking it off her fingers. “As much as I love the way you provide for me, this was a much better treat than the heart.”

  I bark out a sharp ugh. “Then how about another treat?” I tap my cocks on her lips and raise a brow. Megan’s mouth parts.

  I take that as a yes.

  AutumnBanks

  Thanks for reading! Please accept this smut as an apology for not updating st week.