Lazarus pulled away suddenly, breaking the intensity of the kiss with a low, throaty laugh that echoed through the den. His golden eyes gleamed with amusement as he looked down at Mahnoor, his wide mouth twisting into a feral grin. The tension in the cave was palpable, the
air heavy with the lingering heat of their shared kiss, but Lazarus seemed entirely unbothered, as if the intensity they had just shared was nothing more than a momentary distraction to him.
"AHAHAHAHA," he roared, the sound vibrating through his chest, sending another shiver through Mahnoor. His sharp teeth glinted in the dim light, and his large hand tightened briefly on her hip before he let her go, his grip loosening as if she were nothing more than a toy to be set aside. "You tiny creature... your kind should have at least made me a female to keep me company."
Mahnoor's heart pounded in her chest, her mind still reeling from everything that had just transpired. She could still feel the weight of his kiss, the way his lips had crushed against hers, the rough texture of his fur against her skin. It was overwhelming, too much for her to fully comprehend in the moment. But now, as his words echoed through her, reality hit her like a cold wave.
He wasn't just playing with her. He was serious.
Lazarus chuckled again, the sound low and almost mocking as his eyes flickered over her. His gaze was intense, predatory, as if he was sizing her up, deciding what to do with her now that he had claimed her in some small way. His massive frame shifted slightly beneath her, his hands still resting possessively on her hips, keeping her in place on his lap as if he had no intention of letting her go.
"Well," he continued, his voice rumbling with amusement, "since they didn't, I'll be keeping you around, human."
The finality of his words sent a spike of panic through her. Mahnoor shifted on his lap, trying to find a position where she could sit more comfortably. The weight of him beneath her was overwhelming, his massive thighs pressing against the insides of her legs, keeping her spread wide in a way that was both uncomfortable and deeply disconcerting. She felt trapped, caged by his sheer size and strength, her body small and fragile compared to his towering frame.
She needed to get off his lap.
Her breath quickened as she subtly began to shift, trying to ease herself out of his grip without drawing too much attention to her movements. Her legs were starting to ache from being forced into such an awkward position, and her mind was screaming at her to find some way to put distance between them, to regain some sense of control over the situation.
But as she shifted, trying to slide off his lap, she felt it—an unmistakable hardness beneath her, pressing against her thighs with a force that made her freeze in place.
Mahnoor's eyes widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat as the realization hit her like a punch to the gut. Lazarus was hard. Very hard.
She could feel the massive shape of him beneath her, the thickness of his arousal pressing against her as she sat awkwardly on his lap. The heat of him radiated through the fabric of his fur-covered body, and the sheer size of him was enough to make her pulse race with a mixture of fear and disbelief.
Oh God.
She moved quickly, instinctively, scrambling to get off his lap before the situation could escalate any further. Her small hands pressed against his broad chest as she pushed herself up, her legs trembling as she managed to slip off of him and onto the floor of the cave. The moment she was free from his grip, she staggered back, her body trembling with adrenaline as she put as much distance between herself and Lazarus as the confines of the cave would allow.
Lazarus watched her with an amused smirk, his eyes never leaving her as she moved. He didn't make any attempt to stop her, simply leaned back against the cave wall, his massive frame relaxed as though he was completely unconcerned by her frantic escape.
Mahnoor's legs were still shaking as she backed up against the far side of the den, her body pressed against the cool stone wall as she tried to calm her racing heart. Her eyes darted around the space, looking for some way to ground herself, to regain a sense of control. The cave was dimly lit by the flickering fire in the center, and in one corner, she noticed a large, comfortable-looking blanket spread out on the floor.
Her body moved almost on its own, gravitating toward the blanket as if it was some kind of sanctuary. She collapsed onto it, her body tense as she stretched out on the soft fabric, trying to put as much distance between herself and Lazarus as possible without angering him.
The blanket was surprisingly comfortable, a stark contrast to the hard stone floor of the cave. Mahnoor's body sank into the softness, her limbs stretching out as she tried to steady her breathing, her heart still pounding in her chest from the overwhelming encounter she had just escaped.
But even as she tried to calm herself, her mind was still spinning with the implications of what had just happened. The feel of Lazarus's massive hardness beneath her, the sheer size and power of him, had left her shaken to her core. She had crossed a line—kissed him, initiated something—and now there was no undoing it.
Lazarus remained seated where she had left him, his gaze still fixed on her with that same predatory intensity. He was watching her closely, studying her every move, but he made no attempt to follow her to the blanket. Instead, he remained seated against the cave wall, his massive arms crossed over his chest, his expression unreadable.
"You'll be staying with me now," he said, his voice calm but filled with an undeniable sense of finality. "Until I decide otherwise."
Mahnoor swallowed hard, her body still trembling slightly as she lay on the blanket. She wasn't sure how to respond, wasn't sure if she even had a choice in the matter. Lazarus was stronger, faster, and far more dangerous than she could ever hope to be. If he had decided to keep her here, there was little she could do to stop him.
But as she lay there, trying to calm the storm of emotions raging inside her, one thing became painfully clear: she had crossed a line she couldn't uncross. And now, in this den, in the heart of the lion's lair, she was entirely at his mercy.