Chapter Five

T he knock on her trailer door didn't startle Kitty. She'd been awake for hours, replaying the previous night's performance in her mind. The weight of Leo's massive paws on her shoulders, the heat of his breath on her neck, the moment of terror and exhilaration as she'd placed her head in his mouth—it all swirled through her thoughts, leaving her dizzy and conflicted. Leo the lion was also the rude man who had confronted her yesterday and yet, he was also the lion she had performed with last night. It was impossible. And yet, she knew in her soul it was true.

"Come in," she called, straightening her robe.

Leo stepped inside, ducking to avoid hitting his head on the low doorframe. Kitty's breath caught in her throat. How had she not recognized him immediately? It was his eyes that truly gave him away—the same intense, intelligent gaze that had locked with hers in the ring.

"I wanted to apologize again," Kitty began, the words tumbling out. "For last night, for treating you like..."

Leo held up a hand, cutting her off. "Don't," he said, his voice low and rough. "You have nothing to apologize for." He studied her face intently. "How did you know that it was me?"

Kitty swallowed hard, suddenly aware of how small her trailer felt with Leo's imposing presence filling it. "Your eyes."

A muscle twitched in Leo's jaw. He nodded. "What else do you know?"

"Not much," she said. "Just that this carnival, is not normal."

Leo's laugh was harsh, devoid of humor. "You don't know the half of it."

"What are you?" she asked.

Leo's expression darkened. "That's complicated. I made a deal I can’t tell you about. The price of the deal was that I am cursed to become a lion at night."

"What can you tell me?" she pressed. "About the carnival. About Madame Noir."

Leo sighed, sinking onto the small bed that took up most of the trailer's limited space. Kitty's pulse quickened at his proximity, and she silently cursed herself for the reaction. This was hardly the time for the compelling desire that made her want to sit on his lap and kiss him senseless. Did he feel this pull of lust? Or was it just her?

"The carnival is magical," Leo said. "And Madame Noir is a powerful sorceress."

Kitty's mind reeled at the confirmation of her suspicions. "And the others? The performers? Are they all here against their will?"

Leo shook his head. "No one's here against their will. Not exactly. We all made bargains to get here. But once you're in..." His voice trailed off, and Kitty could see the pain etched in the lines of his face.

"You can't leave," she finished for him.

“We all wanted something. Madame Noir has a way of knowing exactly what that is. And exploiting it. What did you want?”

“Another chance.” Memories of the accident flashed before her eyes. The attack, the accusations, the shame. "It wasn't my fault," she blurted out, needing suddenly, desperately for Leo to understand. "What happened at my last carnival. I didn't abuse my animals. I loved them. There was a man in the audience. He offered Brutus, my lion, a steak. I don’t know how he got passed security or what led him to do that.”

But she did, she realized.

Marco had done it. Marco had convinced the man do it. And Marco had destroyed her career because as he said, “You love your lions more than you love me.”

“I might not have been the best person,” Kitty continued. “But I never meant to hurt someone so badly that they felt they needed to destroy my career as a payback. Brutus just wanted the steak, but then the man freaked out and ... well Brutus took more than the steak. He hadn’t been starved. I didn’t abuse him.”

"I believe you," Leo cut her off, his voice gentle.

Kitty blinked, surprised by the certainty in his tone. Grateful tears pricked at her eyes. It had been so long since anyone had believed her side of the story. "Thank you," she said. “I’m pretty sure my ex—the guy who said I mistreated my lions—arranged it all to happen.”

“Marco Silveri.”

“How do you know his name?”

“He took over your position. Your lions.”

That was news to her. Maybe she should have been following the news about her old carnival. “He works with Brutus?” Brutus hated him.

Leo winced. “Brutus was put down.”

“No,” she wailed. She had wondered, but the confirmation of it was too much to bear. She buried her head into her pillow and cried. Cried for Brutus and for the unfair way he lost his life.

“They should have put the man with the steak down,” she sobbed.

“He’ll get his,” Leo vowed. “And so will Marco.”

She shook her head. “No, he won’t. Men like that always get away with things like this.”

“Not this time,” Leo said.

Kitty shivered. Why did she believe him?

He took her into his arms. She let go of the pillow and rested her face on his powerful chest. He cradled her against him and rocked her as she mourned her cat.

“It’s not fair.”

“It’s not.”

Then a thought hit her. “How powerful is Madame Noir?”

Leo tensed. “Don’t do this. Don’t ask her.”

“Could she bring Brutus back to life?”

“You couldn’t afford the price.”

She could offer whatever Madame Noir wanted. Kitty would give anything to have Brutus back with her. But she would want Nala and Sarabi as well.

They sat in silence for a moment, the air between them charged with unspoken emotions. Kitty attention was drawn to Leo's hands, strong and calloused. She wondered what they would feel like against her skin, then quickly shoved the thought aside as the desire came flooding back.

"I don't want to humiliate you," she said abruptly, needing to change the subject. "In front of the audience. It feels wrong."

Leo's smile was sad. "It's part of the bargain I made," he said. "And part of the act.”

“Do you regret it?”

“As much as I hate changing into a lion and as much as I hate her, I'd make the same deal with Madame Noir again if I had to. There are some things worth any price."

Kitty felt the same way about getting her lions back. She wanted to know what he had felt had been worth the torment of his bargain, but he had already told her he couldn’t speak of it.

“Why does she do this?”

Leo's expression darkened. "It's the nature of the carnival. It feeds on the dark emotions. Fear. Anger. Lust."

The last word hung in the air between them, charged with sudden, electric tension. Kitty swallowed hard, acutely aware of Leo's proximity, of the heat radiating from his body. So that was the reason for what she was feeling.

Kitty's heart raced. Her breath came in shallow gasps. She should pull away, should put some distance between them. But her body refused to obey. Would she feel this way about him if they were away from the carnival?

“I can smell your arousal.”

Yeah, like that wasn’t embarrassing as hell. “I...um..” What did someone say to that?

"The attraction between us is amplified by the carnival. We can act on it, or we can pretend it doesn't exist. But it won't go away." He trailed a finger up her arm.

Her head spun. She was distracted by his closeness, by the way her nipples tightened, and an ache blossomed between her thighs. Kitty had never been so viscerally attracted to a man before, but she needed to know if it was real, or just one of the carnival's twisted illusions.

His nostrils flared. A low rumble sounded in his chest. His eyes turned molten gold, more animal than human. Barely leashed hunger.

She shivered, not from fear but from anticipation. Reckless desire. She knew she should pull away, but she only wanted to get closer, to feel his heat, to have him touch her. Consume her. He was a magnet, and Kitty was helpless to resist the pull. Some primal part of her knew he'd be her undoing, but she no longer cared. She yearned to surrender.

In that moment, Kitty made a decision. She was tired of being alone, of being judged and misunderstood. She had never felt like this before, not with Marco, not with anyone. And curse or no curse, she wanted to experience more of these delicious feelings.

And then because she couldn’t help it, she kissed him before she could think better about it. For a heartbeat, he remained still. Then, with a growl that was more beast than man, Leo pulled her against him. His eyes darkened with arousal as he pressed her against the bed, pinning her wrists above her head. She reveled in the feeling of being completely at his mercy. The kiss was hungry, desperate, years of pent-up longing and frustration pouring out in a clash of lips and teeth and tongue. When they finally broke apart, they were both were panting. Kitty's robe had slipped off one shoulder, and Leo's eyes darkened at the expanse of bare skin.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, his voice strained with the effort of control.

Kitty nodded, beyond words. She wanted this— wanted him— with an intensity that frightened her. But beneath the desire was something else, a yearning for connection that went beyond the physical.

Leo's expression softened, as if he understood. "I want you," he said, his voice rough. "Not because you're a famous lion tamer, or because of some carnival magic. I want you, Kitty. Just you."

Tears pricked at Kitty's eyes. It had been so long since anyone had wanted her for herself, not for her fame or her skills in the ring. "I want you too," she whispered. "Even knowing you're cursed. Maybe because of it."

Leo's smile was tinged with sadness, but his eyes burned with desire. Slowly, reverently, he began to explore her body. His touch was gentle, at odds with the raw power she knew he possessed. Kitty arched into his caress, sighing with pleasure as his lips found the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder.

But as things began to heat up, Leo suddenly pulled back. His breathing was ragged, and Kitty could see the internal struggle playing out in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked, fear coiling in her stomach. Had she done something to upset him?

Leo shook his head, as if trying to clear it. "The beast," he ground out. "The part of me that's not human. It's rising. It wants to conquer you."

Kitty's breath caught in her throat. She should be afraid, she knew. But instead, she felt a thrill of excitement course through her veins.

"What does that mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Leo's eyes met hers, burning with an intensity that made her shiver. "It means I need to dominate you," he said. "In this form. So that the beast will allow you to dominate me at night."

“Dominate me? How?”

“Anyway I want.”

Kitty's mind reeled at the implications. But her body had already made its decision, heat pooling between her legs at Leo's words. "Yes," she breathed. "Please."

A growl rumbled in Leo's chest, sending vibrations through Kitty's body. "You looked so sexy in that costume last night," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "I wanted to devour you. Put it on for me," he commanded.

“Now?”

Leo nodded, already pulling his shirt over his head. Kitty's mouth went dry at the sight of his sculpted chest, golden skin stretched over hard muscle. Her gaze traveled lower, to where his hands were now working at his belt buckle.

"Hurry," Leo snarled, and Kitty jumped into action.

With trembling fingers, she retrieved the costume from where she'd hastily stashed it the night before. The fabric was cool against her skin as she slipped it on, the revealing cut making her feel both powerful and vulnerable.

As she dressed, she stole glances at Leo. He had quickly stripped off his clothes, revealing his taut, muscular body. His cock stood proud and erect, and he stroked it as he watched her, his gaze ravenous.

"Come here," he ordered.

Kitty finished securing the flimsy sequined costume and hesitantly approached him, feeling exposed yet empowered in the outfit that accentuated every curve and contour of her body.

"Good girl," he praised, the words igniting a fire deep within her. He stepped closer, his hands deftly pulling the shiny material across her breasts down. The sudden exposure sent a thrill through her, and Kitty’s nipples hardened under his gaze. He lowered his head, his mouth closing around one nipple as he sucked hard.

"Ah," she gasped, unable to suppress her pleasure as he teased her sensitive flesh. He glanced up at me, his eyes dark with desire.

"You have no idea how much you please me." His hands trailed down her belly, maneuvering his hand between her thighs. He brushed his fingers against the damp fabric that teased her swollen folds. She whimpered, the need for him almost unbearable.

She was so wet for him, her arousal audible as he pushed her panties aside so he could stroke her pussy. He kissed her deeply as he explored her further, teasing and probing until she was breathless and desperate for more.

"Please," she whispered against his lips.

He lavished attention on her other breast, teasing and licking until she was squirming.

"Mine," Leo growled, and Kitty shivered at the possessiveness in his tone.

"Yours," she agreed, surrendering herself to the moment, to the sensations overwhelming her. The world fell away, leaving only desire. She was starving for this. For him. Her frenzied hands roamed his chiseled chest, desperate for skin-on-skin contact.

“On your knees.” He pushed her roughly down at his feet.

When her mouth opened in shock, he pushed his cock down her throat. She held on to his hips, trying to lick him. But he used her mouth, fucking it. All the while, he held the back of her head and made feral groans. Her pussy throbbed. She felt out of control and more aroused than she’d ever been in her life.

“I’m going to come and you’re going to swallow it all,” he ordered.

He held her so tightly, she could barely nod. But he waited until his eyes met hers and he must have seen the enthusiastic consent in them.

“Take it all. Every last drop.”

She tried to tighten her lips around him, but he was moving too fast. Was too large. When he came, it was all she could do to swallow it all. When he finished, he pulled her roughly back to her feet and kissed her deeply.

His growls of pleasure were primal sounds that set her ablaze. His tongue tasted of dark passions and forbidden hunger. Her core ached for his possession as he nipped at her bottom lip. Her knees wobbled.

"Kitty..." Leo tore his mouth away, voice ragged. His eyes glowed, more tawny than brown. "If we do this, I won't be able to hold back. I will claim you."

She shuddered, liquid desire flooding her core. She was playing with forces she didn't fully understand. But she couldn't stop. Not now.

"Then, claim me," she breathed. Reckless. Wanton.

In one swift motion, Leo stripped off her costume, leaving her bare and exposed. He pushed her back down on the bed and spread her legs wide.

“I need to taste you now.”

She cried out, back arching off the mattress as his tongue parted her folds to find her aching clit. He licked her with long, slow strokes, as if he was savoring her taste. The heat of his mouth, the scrape of his stubble, the wicked things he was doing with his tongue, it was almost too much. Pleasure built inside her with each deliberate lick until her thighs were shaking. He reached up to fondler her breast, playing with her aching nipples. She lifted her hips and bucked against his face, riding his tongue. Shudders racked her body as he licked her clit in feathering strokes.

Oh, sweet mercy, it felt so good. The contrast between the cool air and his heated tongue sent shivers down her spine. He probed her with his tongue, then added his fingers.

"Yes, right there," she moaned, arching her hips towards him.

He added a third, stretching her, preparing her for him. She was so close, so damn close.

"Leo," she panted, "I need you now."

Leo growled against her, the vibrations shooting straight to her core. He thrust his tongue inside her, fucking her with it as he rubbed her clit with his thumb. She fisted her hands in his hair, holding him to her. He responded by doubling his efforts, sealing his lips around her clit to suck hard.

"Oh god, Leo, yes." She was babbling now, too far gone to care. "Don't stop, please don't stop..."

The pressure inside her built to an impossible peak. Leo drove two fingers deep inside her dripping channel and curled them just right. Kitty shattered with a scream, her body convulsing in ecstasy. Wave after wave of raw pleasure crashed over her as he wrung out every last shudder and quake. The room spun as she struggled to breathe, utterly undone.

Leo gentled his touch, lapping softly as she came down. When the aftershocks finally subsided, he raised his head to look at her. His chin was slick with her arousal, eyes glowing with male satisfaction. She could only whimper as he crawled up her trembling body to take her mouth in a deep, plundering kiss.

Then, he flipped her onto her stomach, his large, calloused hands gripping her hips as he positioned himself at her entrance. "You're mine, Kitty," he growled, sliding inch by delicious inch inside her. "Mine to protect, mine to pleasure."

"Yes, Leo," she moaned into the sheets. "Yours, only yours."

With those words, something feral took over him. He drove into her hard and relentless, his grip on her hips bruising. Pain mingled with pleasure, leaving her a quivering mess beneath him. Kitty squeezed her pussy around his cock, milking him for all he was worth. On her hands and knees, she could only hang on to the bedsheets as he fucked her deep and hard.

"That’s it," he snarled, hips slapping against her ass. "Take my cock. Take it all, my beautiful mate.”

His sexy words and punishing pace sent her over the edge again. She saw stars, nearly blacked out as she came. Leo roared his climax, sounding more lion than human. He collapsed on top of her, heaving for air.

Slowly, their heartbeats returned to normal, their breathing eased. Leo rolled off her, but not before planting a tender kiss on her back. "Rest, my mate.”