Leap of the Lion (The Wild Hunt Legacy #4)(56)

More guilt piled on her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you miss the party.”

Gawain dropped the firewood into a pile and studied her. “The party?”

“You don’t need to stay for me. I promise I’ll head back to Cold Creek. If you hurry, you might still get in some fun.”

The way the three guys stared at her was disconcerting.

Tynan’s brows drew together. “If all the males leave you here, what will you do tonight?”

She sputtered. “I told you, I’ll head back to the territory.”

“I mean when you come into heat, how will you—”

“May the Mother save me, she’s as uninformed as Breanne was. Raised human. I bet Darcy’s never experienced a full moon heat.” Donal narrowed his eyes at her. “You lived in a shifter village until you were twelve, right? What were you told happens at these…parties?”

An edgy discomfort stole over Darcy. She was obviously missing something. “Um, one of my brothers was…” This felt like a betrayal. “As a cub, Fell loved sharing secrets…with everyone.”

“You mean he shared information about the Daonain?”

“Unfortunately. We grew up in a mostly human town, and after some close calls, my mother stopped talking about our Daonain heritage. When we neared the age of first trawsfur, she moved us to an all shifter village, so it wouldn’t matter if Fell talked about shifting. But then the Scythe got us.”

“And you learned nothing more.” Donal rubbed his eyes. “This is bad.”

Such a doomsayer. Darcy scowled. “Just tell me. Why is a Gathering party so important and what’s a full moon heat?”

“Gods help us.” Gawain sat beside her. When he captured her hand, the warmth of his concern relaxed the uncomfortable knot in her belly. “Under a full moon, adult female shifters come into heat—which is an overwhelming compulsion to mate. Over the course of the night, each female mates with the males who please her.” He smiled slightly. “We males strive—and occasionally fight—to be chosen by the females we want.”

Wait, wait, wait. Darcy loved being a cougar, but this…this was carrying animal instincts way too far. As panic welled, she said slowly, “You said males as in more than one? In a single night?”

“Aye, catling. More than one.”

Donal moved to sit on a log a short distance away. “Myth says the Fae shapeshifters who made up the Wild Hunt didn’t go into heat. But some of them interbred with humans, and their mixed race descendants acquired the quirk.”

Some quirk. “You’re saying I’m going to have an urge to mate a bunch of males? Like whoever is around me?” Like these males? Outraged, Darcy stared at Donal. “I hardly know you. Any of you.”

“When the heat hits, you won’t care how well you know a male, Darcy.” Tynan sat in the grass and leaned against the log beside his brother. “Mating multiple males under a full moon is not only biology, but tradition and law, as well. The Daonain are too few. With our severe lack of females, our race can’t afford monogamy.”

Law? “A female has to do this forever?”

“Until past childbearing. Of course, if a female falls in love and lifemates, she’ll have no interest in any males other than her mates.” Gawain smiled. “For whatever reason—maybe because of the Mother’s approval—lifematings have the highest blessing of cublings.”

Darcy scowled down at where Gawain’s hand engulfed hers. In captivity, a smart person avoided thinking about the past. Or about how Daonain litters always had two or three males to one female—or no female—and the implications of that lopsided ratio.

She inhaled slowly. If she’d learned nothing else in prìosan, it was to choose her battles wisely. Fighting biology, tradition, and law would be stupid. But oh, she didn’t want to do this—any of it. “Okay, so what happens next?”

The males exchanged relieved glances. They’d been afraid she’d go into hysterics, hadn’t they?

Gawain squeezed her hand in approval. “When you want to mate—and you will—simply choose a male. After you finish mating, you’ll return here. If another male appeals to you, you pick him. If you’re not interested, nothing happens.”

“Nothing?” She gave him a suspicious look. “In prìosan, a human man…used…a female from my village.” Fenella had been raped. The word wouldn’t come out. “Fenella didn’t want him, and he hurt her badly.”

“Humans.” Tynan almost spat the word. “Be easy, lass. A Daonain male’s response—and erection—is set off by a female’s arousal. If you’re not aroused, neither is he.”

“Oh.” Her erratic heartbeat smoothed to an even rhythm. “That helps, Tynan. Thank you.”

She didn’t have to choose any of them, did she? But, oh Gods, then the poor males would just…sit. The Gathering in Cold Creek would have lots of females. Guilt sliced across her spirit. “I’m making you miss the Gathering. I’m really sorry.” Because I’m not planning to participate.

“Catling, we’ve all missed Gatherings before, for one reason or another.” Gawain massaged her cold fingers as if to rub her guilt away. “If you don’t want to do anything more than talk, we’ll simply have a pleasant evening by the campfire. I’m fond of talking with you.”