Now he was fighting the Darkness in him once more, without Sorin by his side to ground him. Ben had to find a way to help.
He just had to.
Finally, all four challengers lay bloody, beaten and mostly unconscious upon the forest ground, groaning over their wounds piteously.
Sin held back from dealing mortal wounds, but just barely. He’d clearly enjoyed teaching the Beasts a lesson.
The triumphant liger began a low, deep chuff, building steadily and with increasing volume to a continuous roar. He walked slowly, standing tall, muscles locked, in a circle around the battleground, looking at each of the gathered Beasts in the eyes, one by one.
He roared and roared.
Goosebumps broke out all over Ben’s skin. He could see that a similar effect had swept through the gathered Beasts in the raised hackles and full-bodied shivers. The liger’s vocalizations were that powerful.
Ben had read that a lion’s roar could be heard from as far as five miles away. He hoped there weren’t any more Dark soldiers or other enemies within the radius. If there were, he hoped they had enough sense to stay away. It looked as if Sin had the savagery and stamina to go another few rounds before he found satisfaction.
As for Ben, he would just as soon not have to fight for his life or negotiate his way out of a tricky situation for the rest of this quest. Sometimes, the excitement was just a little too much.
Thinking of the quest, his internal clock told him that time was running short. He could feel something pulling at him, beckoning him to hurry up and do what he was meant to do in this time and place. Then, go home.
God, he really wanted to go home.
And maybe visit the Goya he knew in the mountain enclave in the Yukon Territories and see if he recalled this experience at all, some eight thousand years ago, give or take a couple millennia.
He’d never been on a quest where he met people he knew before. Granted, he’d just been on the one before this, but Ere said the same thing. He and Sorin never met people they knew in the times they’d traveled to.
Well, except for Tristan that first quest to Medieval times. But then, Ere didn’t know Tristan very well. Whereas, Ben saw Goya at least once a week back home.
Was what Ben was doing now breaking the unwritten rules of the Universe? Did he rock the boat, so to speak? What would be the repercussions?
He sighed internally, taking a deep breath to fortify himself.
One problem at a time. First, he needed to find a way to help Ere and Sorin, and then he’d deal with whatever consequences the rule-breaking might have.
When Sin was done with his two rounds of thorough intimidation and, well, showing off, he padded over to where Zai was still bound against a tree and cut through the thick ropes with one swift swipe of his paw.
As Zai rubbed his wrists and forearms, getting the blood flowing through his limbs again, Sin butted his great head against the Hunter’s hip, rubbing the scent glands on his face all over his male.
“Stop that,” Ben heard the Dark One mutter beneath his breath, exasperated with the possessive Beast.
But he also heard a hint of affection and gratitude.
And though he was surreptitious about it, Ben also saw Zai scratch the liger between the ears and under his chin. Just a stealthy touch here and there, and quickly gone.
Ben couldn’t help but hide a smile witnessing the exchange between the two males.
He wondered if it was as obvious to everyone else present as it was to Ben what the two alphas shared. Ben had seen enough of this undeniable Bond between his parents, grandparents, Ere and Sorin, and so many others in his extended family and friends to recognize it for what it was:
Sin and Zai were Destined Mates.
~ * ~* ~ *~ * ~* ~ *~ * ~
You have made your point, liger, the Tiger King said when Sin went from scent marking to licking Zai’s skin wherever it was exposed.
And Zai knew instinctively, that if he let this go on, the next part would be mounting and fucking him to reallythrustthe point home, audience bedamned.
The overgrown cat was in a bad way after that brutal demonstration of power. Zai could feel his adrenaline and bloodlust, and simplylust, as if they were his own, churning like a hurricane through his veins, making his blood practically volcanic.
In this moment, in the aftermath of his triumph, Sin wanted to dominate Zai too. He wanted hisprize. He wanted to fuck Zai so full of his cum his entire body could be covered in it, all of his orifices overflowing with it, and he still might not be appeased.