“What did you do to me?” he muttered, looking at Larsson with an aggrieved expression. “I don’t feel right.”
Larsson stood up and pulled his mate to his feet, not an easy task considering Tarr’s size but he managed.“Come on. Lie down for a while. Thiswon’t last very long.”
“But what is it?Why do I feel so lightheaded?”
Larsson wrapped an arm around his waist and led him out of the water. They got back up on shore and collapsed, their limbs tangling together. By this time, Tarr was only about half conscious, another repercussion of the bite. His skin was almost alarmingly warm to the touch. Larrson half-supported, half-carried him to the shelter and got him to lie down, then took the water tin to get cool water to bathe his forehead. He knew that new mates often ran a fever from the venom, but it was still alarming. If anything happened to Tarr, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.
The fever raged for at least an hour, with Larsson staying right by his side, drizzling cool water on his face and neck. Tarr seemed almost out of his head, mumbling nonsense and words in Tygerian that Larsson didn’t understand. Just when Larsson was considering taking him back into the water to cool his body temperature, the fever finally began to ease off, and Tarr slipped into what seemed to Larsson to be a natural sleep. Larsson stretched out beside him protectively and decided to close his eyes for a few minutes too.
Larsson awoke some time later when he felt a hard jab in his ribs.
“Wake up. What did you do to me, damn it? Why am I lying here naked and drenched in sweat?”
Larsson opened his eyes and yawned.“What do you remember?”
“Not much, which is why I’m asking. Whatdid you do?”
Larsson couldn’t help the grin that spread over his face. “Well, I did give you the mating bite…that was just before you fainted.”
Tarr glared down at him.“I didn’t faint. You did something to me—wait a minute, you gave me the what?”
Larsson put his hands behind his head.“Faint…swoon…whatever. And I said I gave you the mating bite. You started it, you know. I was perfectly happy just to take a bath, but you practically attacked me.”
Tarr got an affronted look on his face.“I was simply concerned about the bruise on your chest.”
“Uh-huh. And then you hauled me up on your lap and attacked me.”
“You didn’t exactly resist. Wait a minute—you bitme.” He put a hand to the side of his neck and rubbed it, grimacing.“Am I bleeding?”
“Oh for the gods’ sakes, no, you’re not bleeding. Such a baby.”
Tarr glared at him.“Well, then why do I feel so strange? Did I get a fever or something? Did you infect me?”
Larsson sat up and looked over at him.“In a way. I infected you with the venom from my bite. It’s what makes you my mate. I didn’t think I wanted you for a mate, because of who you are, but it really is kind of satisfyingnow that it’s done.” He grinned.“You know, realizing that from now on, there won’t be anybody else for you except me.”
Tarr gave him a sharp look.“What the hells are you talking about? And what do you mean, because of who I am?”
“You know, a slaver, a whore, an outlaw, a thieving, nogood Roger…in short, a Tygerian.”
Tarr cast him a furious glare.“I don’t remember you exactly pushing me away out there in the water. Me being such a no-good whore and all.”
“No,” Larsson said, smiling. “I decided to stop fighting it. The gods have seen fit to make you my mate, so I’ll just have to rehabilitate you.” He trailed a finger along Tarr’s jaw. “I think I can train you.”
Tarr pushed his hand away, his eyes blazing.“I think you have it the other way around. It’s you who will betrained. I’ll beat you every day until you settle in and obey me like a good little nobyo.”
“You try to lay one hand on me and I’ll cut it off! No, I’ll cut you off! No sex until you straighten up!”
Tarr snorted.“If I want sex, I’ll take it elsewhere. There are plenty of men who would love to be my nobyo. You should be thanking me for making the offer!I’ll just find someone else who appreciates the honor of being my nobyo.”
“You can try…you won’t be successful, but you can try.”
“Oh, and why is that? Whatin hells are you talking about?”
“The uh…fever you had? It was from my venom.”
“Yes, so you said—so what?”“So the Lycan venom makes certain changes in the bodies of our mates.”
Tarr’s eyebrows came together in a sharp frown. “What kind of changes?”
Larsson leaned back against the cliff wall behind him, really beginning to enjoy this.“Well, for one thing, you won’t be able to get hardfor anyone but me.”
Tarr’s mouth fell open in shock while his eyebrows almost reached his hairline.
He sputtered a few times, trying to speak, while Larsson smiled back at him benignly, enjoying his reaction.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Tarr said hoarsely, finally finding his voice.
“You can’t get it up for anybody but me. I’m your mate, Tarr, so that shouldn’t pose a problem.” He grinned at Tarr again.“You’re all mine, baby.”
Tarr rubbed a big hand over his face.“I-I’ll kill you. That’s what I’ll do. I’ll fucking kill you.”
Larsson shrugged.“You can try…”
Tarr suddenly grabbed his stomach and doubled over with a sharp cramp. Larsson sat forward and rubbed a hand on his back, a self-satisfied smile on his lips.“Stomach cramp, Tarr? Oh yes, that’s another little side effect I forgot to mention. That’s from the venom in the mating bite.”
“What the hells do you mean? You mean when you bit me, it made me sick? Are you trying to kill me?”
“No, nothing like that. It’s what happens to the mate when he isn’t pleasing his alpha or when he’s misbehaving. It’s all part of learning to become a good mate. Like I said, it’s because of the venom.”
“What in hells are you talking about? I’m a Tygerian!I’m not in your fucking pack!”
“Well, technically you did become a member of our pack when we mated. All pack members have to learn discipline, and since I’m your alpha now, you have to obey me. When you don’t, you might get that stomach cramp.”
Tarr jumped to his feet in outrage and stomped off, kicking the blankets and the water tin out of his way as he went. He got as far as the fire when he whirled around and pointed a long finger at Larsson.“You’re notmy alpha. We don’t have alphas, for the gods’ sake. You take this off me right now! Whatever curse this is—take it off!”
Larsson shrugged, holding out his hands.“I can’t. There’s nothing you or I can do about it now. Unless, of course, you leave me. Or if I die. Then the effects should wear off—eventually.”
“What do you mean byeventually?”
“A few weeks…or months…depending on how strong the bond is. You seem pretty crazy about me, so it may take you longer.”
Tarr took a few steps back toward Larsson, his hands clenched into fists at his side.“I’m not joking, Lycan. Take it off or so help me, I’ll…”
Larsson scrambled to his feet and squared off against his mate.“You’ll do what? Bring it on, Tygerian.I think it’s about time we had it out once and for all.I’m sick of your threats.”
Tarr looked surprised, but a feral grin soon formed on his lips. Absently, he rubbed his belly, and Larsson knew he was having pain, but was just too damn stubborn to admit it or give in to it. Tarr took another step toward him.“If I fought you, I’d destroy you, you puny pup.”
Larsson took a step closer to him and grinned.“Then you have nothing to be afraid of, do you?” He crooked a finger at him.“Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.”
With a loud growl deep in his throat, Tarr dove for him, catching Larsson around the waist and slamming him into the ground, though he took much of the weight from the fall on himself. He rolled to his back, both arms around Larsson trying to trap him in a choke hold, but Larsson had seen it coming and had time to get one hand up between them before he crashed into him. He shoved this hand up and into the underside ofTarr’s chin, making him loosen his hold as he fell backward. Larsson rolled back to his feet and fell on top of Tarr, wrestling his arms up over his head and holding them there, leaning as much of his weight as he could on them.
Tarr grinned up at him and heaved his body over almost without effort, trapping Larsson under him. Larsson was momentarily shocked at this reminder of his strength. He tried to pull his hands away, but Tarr’s strength was too great. All he could do was turn his head to the side as Tarr pulled back his fist and smashedit into Larsson’s jaw.
The pain was blinding, even though Larsson knew he pulled his punch, trying only to subdue him rather than really hurt him. Still Larsson gave a little whimpering cry and went completely limp, letting his eyes roll back up in his head.
Tarr hesitated, staring down at him. Then he shook Larsson, gently at first and then harder. “Wake up! I barely touched you!”
Larsson continued to play dead, holding his breath. Tarr, sitting astride his chest, pulled him up into an embrace and shook him again.“Stop this Larsson. Stop it!Wake up, damn you!”
When Larsson ignored him, keeping his eyes closed and his mouth slightly parted, he could hear a hint of panic in Tarr’s voice. “Larsson! Baby! Nobyo, wake up.I’m sorry I hit you, nobyo. Please!”
Larsson let his eyelids flutter a bit, and Tarr kissed him soundly, then trailed kisses all down his face where he’d struck him.
Larsson fluttered his eyelashes again and allowed his eyes to drift slowly open. Tarr heaved a huge sigh of relief.“Are you all right?” he asked, kissing him again. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t even hit you that hard.Speak to me, sweetheart.”