by Piper Stone
Then there’d been the two telescan calls from Mr. Anonymous, the jerk managing to mask the location and number of his call as well as his appearance. His accusations regarding misuse of the Breeds were disturbing, but he’d been unable to back up his claims.
“Hundreds if not thousands of Breeds have been captured, tortured in horrific facilities for pure entertainment of the rich and famous.”
That had been the first call, one that was truncated almost immediately.
“There is more going on behind the scenes regarding the Breeds. They are in a dangerous position.”
That had been the second, the faceless caller huffing when I demanded to know who he was. I’d been the one to end the call that time.
What the hell was I supposed to do about it? While I should have contacted Daniel immediately, I knew he wouldn’t pay a bit of attention to anything anonymous. He’d likely remind me that my previous attempts at ensuring the new laws were obeyed regarding the Breeds had gotten me into hot water, and not just with members of law enforcement.
I remained on an undetermined period of probation on my job already, my behavior monitored, which was why Gina had attempted to curtail my pissed-off reaction. My boss didn’t like my aggressive tendencies, and usually gave a gentle reminder that he’d gone out on a limb to give me the job in the first place. Of course, the man knew all about my past, reminding me just how grateful I should be on four separate occasions. Besides, at this point, the caller hadn’t provided anything to tempt me into doing something crazy.
Yet.
I didn’t want to even think about the bizarre visions I’d had in the middle of the day, the majority of them seductive in nature. There’d also been a few that had left me finding it difficult to breathe, fear creeping into my system. Danger. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. It was as if the beast continued to call to me.
Other than I was likely losing my mind.
She inched closer. “I know you’ve been working long hours without taking a single day off. I think it’s time you get some R & R.”
I laughed and stripped off my gloves. “I’m not certain how I can do that. We have a deadline.”
“I know because you make certain and remind me every day.” Her eyes twinkled when she said the words. “We’re coming close to finding answers because of your brilliance.”
Cocking my head, I was forced to smile. “You bucking for a raise?”
“Maybe.” Gina grinned. “Just try and take a deep breath. You can’t alienate all our suppliers or the people you work with. Eventually, someone of importance will take notice. I kinda like having you around.”
Her statement was one I should heed. While our research was important, there were protocols that had to be followed, behaviors that were required or the government officials would swoop in and shut us down. As soon as the alpha lion shifter and his offspring’s blood had provided the required portion of gene sequencing for a restructure of human DNA, every scientific lab in the entire world seemed to have been tasked with finding the cure.
One that would save the human race from extinction.
The last war had taken a toll on humans as well as animals alike, forever altering our DNA. While the beasts had been given what some called the gift of shifting into human form, the toxic chemicals used in the warfare had begun a slow but virulent breakdown of every human cell. Earth was on a race to discover the cure, something that remained elusive.
Were we closer than a year ago when the discovery was made?
Maybe by one percent.
Time wasn’t on our side.
Laboratories couldn’t make the chemicals needed for testing purposes fast enough.
“I hear you,” I said wistfully.
“Look, I hate to break up the party, but I actually have an event to go to tonight. I mean, if that’s okay.”
At least Gina had a life. I had fourteen-hour days, processed food with a couple of glasses of wine.
And nightmares.
Burning desires.
Intense longing.
“Go on. I’ll finish up here.”
She grinned, jerking off her lab coat. “You can always come out and play with me and my friends. We’re going out to dinner. Then there’s this hot new dance club.”
“You’re ignoring curfew?” I admonished.
Winking, she swished her hips. “Trust me, it’s worth the risk. There will even some Breeds there. They are hot, girl, with bodies to die for. Whew.”
Breeds.
She had no idea what kind of danger as well as punishment she could be facing. “Uh, no. Go have fun.”
“Take my advice. You need to get out of this lab, Raven, and have a little fun.”
“I have fun,” I huffed.
Gina rolled her eyes as she shifted closer, a wicked expression on her face. “Uh-huh. Just think about it. One incredible Breed taking you. Fucking you. Doesn’t that sound better than studying microbes?”
“Stop. I’m not into the Breeds.” But there were thousands of women everywhere who were. Actual relationships were no longer illegal, at least according to the change in the Constitution. However, the majority of Breeds wanted nothing to do with humans.
That certainly wasn’t true for the big he-man who’d ravaged me.
“Imagine a brooding tiger. You could bear his cubs.”
I shot her a nasty look, shaking my head. “As I said, I am not into the Breeds.” And there would be no procreation. None. Beyond that, there were even speculations the human who’d mated with Luca, the lion who most considered the king, was now capable of shifting. That was something the government was tight-lipped about and I didn’t blame them. There was far too much hysteria as it was, thousands of people fearful they’d turn into animals. I personally had no desire to become a Breed.
I rubbed my hand across my neck, another round of memories more unsettling than before.
Ra-ven...
Fuck. I could almost feel him.
“Me doth think you protest too much. You don’t know what you’re missing. At least we’re moving forward. Someone will find a cure. Humans will survive in spite of ourselves.”
I wasn’t entirely certain that was possible. “I know. Have fun but don’t be late tomorrow.”
“Slave driver. What if we don’t have the chemicals?”
Exhaling, I honestly had no idea. “Then I’ll travel to the warehouse and pull the bottles myself. Over Joseph’s dead body.”
“Such a badass. That’s why I adore you. See you tomorrow.” Gina grabbed her things, heading out the door. I followed her, realizing that several of the other offices were already dark, the majority of scientists working far fewer hours than I was. After closing the door, I leaned against it, rubbing my eyes.
A startling number of sensations rushed down my spine, coursing through my legs, my pulse quickening. I was shaken by the vividness, the vision unlike any of the others, much more powerful. I shot forward, struggling to reach the counter, my legs threatening to give away. My mind was foggy at first, then his face appeared much in the same way as it had before.
I could see him clearly, the desire as well as an expression of dominance.
Long, dark hair framing a perfectly chiseled face, green eyes so intense that I could swear I could see into his soul, and a rugged, muscular body sculpted from the very gods above.
He was perfect in every way.
And he was beckoning for me.
Jabari...
Realizing that I knew his name was jarring, sending electric pulses dancing into every cell and muscle.
“Come to me, little human, or you will be punished.”
Everything around me was spinning, echoes bouncing in my ears. The voice seemed so real, as if he was in the room. No. That wasn’t possible. The facility was secure. I lowered my head, struggling to control my breathing as the vision took over, thrusting me into a powerful fantasy.
I jerked my head around, trying to find the source of the voice. Covering
my breasts, I slid further into the water, scanning the forest around me. This was my special place, a location no one knew of. No one. Seeing nothing, I inched closer to the water’s edge, terror racing through me. I was merely dreaming. That was it.
As I walked onto the soft grass, I heard a rustle in the trees and smacked my hand over my mouth to keep from screaming. I felt him. The monster. The beast who’d been watching me. Hunting me. He’d come to claim me.
Jabari...
When he eased from the trees, I backed away. His eyes bore into mine as he took long strides in my direction, tilting his head as his gaze fell across my naked body.
“I commanded you to come to me,” he half whispered, the husky tone sliding over my skin, warming every inch of me.
“No.”
“Then I will take you.”
“Please.” I backed away, unable to take my eyes off him. He was magnificent, his build powerful, his eyes shimmering in an unearthly manner. I was completely mesmerized, even as I quiver. I was hot and wet, my pussy aching.
And all because of him.
My instincts kicked in and I took off running, racing toward the safety of the trees. I heard him bellowing from only a few feet away, the crackling of limbs as he lumbered after me.
“You will not escape, beautiful Raven. You belong to me. I will take you in every hole, claiming what is rightfully mine.”
I refused to give in, continuing to run even as exhaustion startled to settle in, my heart hammering against my chest. I was shocked at my body’s betrayal, an almost desperate need I felt for him, the white-hot heat searing every nerve ending. Nothing seemed real as the ominous appearance of the trees became suffocating. I was losing track of where I was, the fear crippling.
Glancing back, I stumbled and almost hit the ground, yet I didn’t see him. Maybe he’d given up. With every long stride I took, the sensations became more oppressive, until I found it difficult to breathe.
When I broke through the trees and onto another grassy knoll, he captured me, pummeling both of us to the ground.
“No. No!”
“You will learn that you belong to me. If you try and escape again, I will hunt you down and the punishment will be much worse,” Jabari growled as he tossed me onto all fours, kicking my legs apart before yanking my hair into his hand.
“I won’t run. I promise you.” My voice was shaking even as desire roared through me, my pussy slick with my juices. How could I want a Breed? A monster?
He laughed as he lowered his head, his hot breath sliding across the back of my neck. “Of course you will. But I will catch you every time.”
As he ground his hips back and forth, the feel of his throbbing cock sent another wave of tremors dancing down my spine. A part of me had never craved anyone like I did this man. This... beast. I was horrified that I wanted him, confused as to why the electricity soaring between us was so alive. How could I have such an extreme connection to him?
A moan slipped past my lips as the scent of my feminine wiles wafted between us. Everything became a blur as he dragged his tongue down the side of my neck before scraping his sharp teeth over my skin.
“I can tell you hunger for me to fuck you,” he murmured in a husky voice.
“No. No!”
He brought his hand down against my bottom twice, the hard cracks jarring. “Do not lie to me, little human. I can smell your desire as I have for days. You hunger to have my cock shoved into all your tight holes. And I will over and over again.”
“I...” Just hearing his filthy words, the dark inflection infused in every syllable turned me on, my nipples aching from the thought alone. No longer able to focus, I closed my eyes.
“Tell me or your punishment will be worse,” he instructed.
Every word seemed to echo and when he smacked me several times, I whimpered, my entire body quivering from an almost desperate hunger. Everything was one big blur, my heart hammering against my chest. There was no denying the beast, his control over me unimaginable. But I craved a savage fucking. “Yes. Fuck me. Just fuck me.”
As he darted his tongue into my ear, the weight of him almost crushing, I was thrown into the kind of desire that shook me to the core. I wanted him. This beast who’d become a man. I craved having his cock driving hard and fast, filling me completely. The scent of his body reeked of testosterone as well as the earth. The combination was amazing, the aroma driving me wild. Every cell was ready to explode from the intensity of the passion.
He was rough and savage and I knew he would take me brutally.
He issued a dark chuckle before continuing to spank me, one hard smack coming after the other. The pain was intense but with every brutal crack, my pussy clenched and released. I was thrown by the raw feeling of bliss coursing through me.
Jabari refused to stop, making certain I understood that he was in full control. His breathing remained ragged as he whipped me long and hard, the heat building across my buttocks, skittering down both legs.
I kept my eyes closed as I tried to control my breathing, digging my fingers into the soft grass. When I felt his fingers probing me, sliding between the slickness of my swollen folds, I tensed.
“You are wet for me,” he muttered before swirling his finger around my clit.
Panting, I undulated my hips, arching my back as he fingered me, finally thrusting two then three of his fingers deep inside. As he pumped like a crazed animal, the force enough to pitch me forward even though he’d fisted my hair, I let out a series of ragged purrs.
“Oh. Oh. Oh...”
“Yes, my beautiful pet. You will learn that obedience will bring you utter pleasure. Now, I fuck you.”
There was such dominance in his words. I’d become his. His to fuck. His to own. His to punish.
His to mate.
As I felt the pressure of his cock pushing against my pussy lips, I sucked in my breath. There was no holding back the beast. He thrust the entire length of his cock inside, driving into the very heart of my womb.
A scream erupted from my throat as the blast of sensations were like bottle rockets, creating a haze around my eyes.
Jabari powered into me, slamming his cock in brutal actions, rocking us both forward. His growls became animalistic, filtering into the trees. It was as if he wanted the other creatures to know he’d mated, claiming what was his.
When he lowered his head, the growl continuing, I felt the sharpness of his teeth once again, only this time, they were canines. With another low rumbling growl, he bit into my skin as he held on, fucking me in savage motions.
A silent scream was all I could manage as he drove into me, stripping away my humanity, claiming my very soul. When he pulled out, I gasped for air, my human instinct forcing me to scramble out of his hold.
There was no stopping him, the powerful man who’d claimed me.
Marked me.
Dragging me back by my legs, he returned me onto all fours before sliding his cockhead up and down the crack of my ass.
“Oh, God. Oh. Oh. Oh.”
“As I told you, every hole belongs to me,” he growled before shoving the tip of his shaft into my dark hole.
Pain exploded, tearing through me as he thrust the entire length inside, my muscles struggling to accept. As I moaned, he threw his head back and roared.
“Mine.”
Chapter Seven
Raven
Raven...
The vision continued to swim in in front of my eyes, my entire body quivering. I’d never felt anything so powerful, the rush of adrenaline suffocating. As I gasped for air, I realized my nipples were scraping painfully across my blouse, my pussy clenching and releasing to the point I was certain I was going to climax.
“Oh... God.” A nervous laugh skittered from my throat, another wave of heat pooling wetness between my legs. “Fuck. What was...” I rubbed my hand through my damp hair, still able to feel every dazzling sensation just like I had in the dream. That was impossible.
However, somethi
ng was different about the vision, including a feeling of danger.
What in the hell was going on and exactly who was he? I was certain I’d never met him before the event in the forest. In truth, I hadn’t worked directly with a single one of the Breeds in weeks, forced to remain in my lab in order to try to meet the oppressive deadline. Yes, I adored them in general, even felt close to them in the ways of my American Indian heritage, but I’d never been sexually attracted to any of them. Why now and with Jabari? Was this beast really calling to me?
He’d taken me twice, promising that I belonged to him, so why hadn’t he shown himself again?
Danger. Danger. Danger.
The dichotomy between the passion versus the warning left me nauseated.
“Jabari.” I muttered his name out loud as if saying it would make the creature appear. Or provide any profound answers. Maybe Grandfather had told me a story that had surfaced. That was a plausible explanation, although my rational mind knew better. As Lenape Indians, we were spiritual creatures, my grandfather teaching me the old ways, nurturing my natural ability to walk a fine line between spirit and physical. However, I’d never had an experience like this one in my life.
Science told me that what I’d experienced had actually occurred. Now I needed to find out for what purpose. The beast wasn’t simply some rogue animal hunting human females in order to engage in a sexual tryst.
He was a creature of importance.
While I’d heard of certain close connections between a few humans and one or two of the species, I’d never believed they’d been able to communicate through their minds.
Now I wasn’t so certain.
If mating was compatible, what else?
A tic remaining in the corner of my mouth, I took several deep breaths then wiped my hand across my brow. Maybe Gina was right. Time to go home and crawl under the covers or consume an entire bottle of wine. Would he be waiting for me? Would he take me again?
I rubbed my forehead, trying to laugh off the nervousness I felt, the butterflies in my stomach.
