Desire Untamed (Feral Warriors #1)(17)

"It's my fault. I put off an explanation that shouldn't have been delayed." He looked to Paenther. "The Pairing takes place in an hour."

Paenther nodded.

As Lyon peeled Kara away from him, she looked at him with eyes that, while no longer petrified, were still more wild than he would have liked.

"Come." He held out his hand, and she took it without hesitation and followed him from the room. His palm pressed against hers, calming her as he led her up the stairs. But while her fear, ebbed away, he sensed rage rushing in to fill the void.

The moment they reached her room, she jerked away from him and grabbed her suitcase. "I hate this place! I'm going home."

No. She wasn't. But he was wise enough not to voice that thought out loud. Not yet. Not until he'd had a chance to ease her anger. He crossed the floor and slid his hands on her tight shoulders, but she whirled out of his reach and faced him, her color high, blue eyes flashing.

"Stop it! Stop manipulating my emotions. I like feeling angry." But with each word, he felt her anger draining away. "I hate feeling afraid." Her hands rose and splayed over her skull, her gaze scattering like shot over the floor. "This place is driving me crazy."

Finally, her hands fell, and her gaze rose to spear him. "You neglected to tell me a few things."

"Yes." Avoided, was more like it. "I'm sorry. I didn't think you were ready for the whole story, but you shouldn't have had to find out that way."

"I think you'd better tell me everything now." Her voice was brittle, but no longer jagged with emotion.

Lyon nodded. He'd known he'd have to tell her sooner or later, though he'd been opting for later. "Why don't we sit down?" He needed to be able to reach her, touch her, if she became agitated. Yeah, right. He just wanted to be close enough to smell the sweet scent rising from her skin.

But Kara refused. "I don't want to sit."

Lyon settled himself on the upholstered chair by the window where he could watch her.

She met his gaze. "What are you? Werewolves or something?"

"Shape-shifters." He could almost see the wheels turning in her head.

"Just eyes and fangs? And claws?"

"No. The partial shift comes about when emotions run high. Usually negative emotions. We call the partial shift going feral. When we're in full power, we can also shift completely into our animals when we want to. That takes control, and is usually not done in the heat of anger."

She looked away, as if processing that. "Am I one? An animal?"

"No."

Her focus returned to him, her sweet mouth moving, her teeth playing with her lip. On a burst of air, she sank onto the chest at the foot of the bed. "You'd better tell me the rest, Lyon. I need to know."

She wanted the truth. Deserved the truth. And yet there were things—things about the rituals—she was not ready to hear. He'd tell her what he could.

"All right." He settled himself more comfortably and recited the brief version of their history he'd learned as a youth. "Eons ago, before the rise of human civilization, two immortal races battled the Daemons for control of the Earth. The Mage, or magic ones, and the Therians, the mighty shape-shifters. Though traditional enemies, the Mage and Therians banded together to overcome the High Daemon, Satanan, ending his reign of terror and destroying his armies."

Kara watched him, her blue eyes deep as the sea, her expression, for once, giving nothing away.

"The cost of victory was high," he continued, still reciting. "To win that ultimate battle, both races were forced to mortgage nearly all their power. Only one Therian among each of the ancient lines of shape-shifters was left with the power of his animal. They became known as the Feral Warriors. Today there are only nine of us left. Our job is to hunt the remnants of the Daemon empire, the draden, and to guard the blade that imprisons the High Daemon and his horde."

"So you don't… attack people?"

Lyon felt his lips twitch. "No. We're not monsters."

"What about the draden? Do they attack people? Humans?"

"Rarely. They're mindless beings, pure predators who feed off Therian energy. They can feed off us just by being near us, though they'll attack if they get the chance. As long as we keep their numbers low, there's enough energy to go around. If their numbers grow too large, though, as they're in danger of doing now, they'll turn on humans. Humans give off such low levels of energy, a draden can only feed by stealing it all. Killing the person."

She stood and began pacing, her stride sure and graceful. "Where does the Radiant… where do I come into all this?"

"It's through you that we access the Earth's energy that gives us the power to shape-shift and thrive."

Her gaze snapped to his. "How?"

"Initially, through the ritual that ascends you. After that, just by living," And making love with her mate.

An unwanted image blasted through his head, sending the blood rushing to his groin. Kara lying sprawled across the sheets, thighs wide and welcoming.

He didn't want to be her mate. Being chief already took up all his time. A woman would demand attention he didn't have time to give. He didn't want a mate. But damned if she didn't keep making him forget that.