by Maya Banks
imagination.
Hunter woke to the knowledge that he wasn’t alone. He turned his head to see Kaya huddled a short distance away, her body shivering in the cold.
Emitting a soft curse he rolled, pulling the covers with him so he could cover her with the blankets. She moaned softly when the sheet brushed across her arm, so he tucked the blanket carefully underneath it but swaddled the rest of her in the soft warmth.
For a long moment, he lay there, just two inches from touching her. Her gold-burnished skin glistened in the soft rays of sunshine that poured through his window, and her hair, soft brown caramel, spilled over his pillow, tickling the underside of his arm.
He’d forgotten what it was like to wake with a woman in his bed. Forgotten the contentment of knowing he wasn’t alone, but he’d also managed to avoid the pain that accompanied loss.
Hell of a trade-off.
Finally he reached for her face, tracing the delicate curve of her cheek before cupping her jaw. She turned toward him, seeking his touch, her eyes never opening. She was so starved for affection. He could only imagine how lonely her life must be. What had made her trust him and Jericho when it was clear she’d avoided people her entire life?
How long could he continue to pull her close and then shove her away? He’d already admitted he wanted her. Hell, he and Jericho had had a positively civilized discussion, like she was some object to be bartered. For all he knew she didn’t even look at him and see a man she wanted to be with.
She kissed as sweet and as hot as any woman he’d ever been with, but there was an innocence about her that made him question just how aware she was of her sexuality.
And he’d be a damned liar if he denied that he wanted to be the one to awaken her, to stir the flames higher and brighter, to show her just how it would be between them. Then there was Jericho.
With a heavy sigh, he rolled away to stare up at the ceiling. Jericho presented a complication. Not that he hadn’t shared a woman with his friend before. They’d both loved Rebeccah, and they’d both lost her. He’d never said as much to Jericho, but he hadn’t been convinced that they wouldn’t have lost her anyway if she hadn’t died. She hadn’t trusted the bond between the three of them, hadn’t believed that they could love her and not destroy each other in the process. Part of him couldn’t blame her, and the other part resented that she had given her heart but not her trust. Because of that, Hunter had vowed never to get into another situation where he and Jericho were both involved with the same woman. And yet Kaya had burst into their lives and both men were drawn to her. It wasn’t as easy as just deciding to back away. He knew he should, but like Jericho, he had no intention of stepping aside.
“Hunter?”
Her sleepy voice melted over him, eliciting a tenderness that he’d sworn was alien to him now. He turned to face her, watching her eyes for evidence of pain. All he saw was wariness as she watched him. Was she afraid of him?
It was a stupid question. After the way he’d acted the night before, pushing her away as soon as she’d revealed her secret, she probably had no idea what he was thinking or how he felt.
“Are you hurting?”
There was strain around her lips, and then she licked them, parting them as her husky voice slid over his ears. “Yes, but it will get better. Already I’m healing.”
He reached out to run a finger over the broken arm. The bruising had already faded, and the swelling had gone down remarkably.
“Why did you come in here?”
As soon as the question was out, vulnerability flashed in her eyes. He could see her withdrawing as she braced herself for his rejection. He wanted to reassure her, apologize for the brash way he’d blurted out the question, but he was genuinely curious as to why she’d left Jericho’s bed to come to him.
“I wanted to be with you,” she said simply. “I’m sorry. I’ll go back to Jericho.”
She started to slide toward the edge of the bed.
“No, don’t go. I didn’t mean it like that.”
She paused and stared back at him. “Are you still angry with me, Hunter? I’m sorry I broke my word. I was coming back to you and Jericho.”
“Angry with you?” He was astonished. “Kaya, it’s you who should be angry with me. I shot at you, for God’s sake. I’m the reason you broke your arm.”
She touched his lip with her fingers. He kissed them hungrily, and for the first time allowed all of the desire to well, unfettered and free. It overwhelmed him in a rush. He hadn’t allowed himself to feel since Rebeccah, and it was frightening in its intensity.
He shook with his need, with wanting. Beside him, Kaya studied his expression, her head cocked to the side in gentle curiosity.
“Will you keep my secret, Hunter?” she whispered. “I’ve never told anyone. It frightens me because now I feel powerless.”
He moved closer to her, careful not to touch her arm. Their mouths were now so close that he could feel the warmth of her breath on his chin.
“You can trust me, Kaya. I’ll protect you, take care of you. No one will ever know but me and Jericho. I swear.”
She touched his cheek with light fingertips. “Thank you.” And then she kissed him. Just one sweet brush of her mouth to his. It was the lightest of sensations, like a butterfly’s wings, but it electrified him.
Her eyes were glowing when she pulled away, and he stared, mesmerized, into her liquid depths.
“Will you tell me about the cougar?” he asked.
“Yes, I will tell you and Jericho. Could I…could I eat first?”
His stomach clenched. It sickened him to imagine how many times she’d gone without food or shelter.
“Do you want me to bring you something in bed?”
“I can get up. I want to see Jericho too.”
He reached over to help her sit up. She kept her arm flat against her chest, and her lips tightened into a fine white line as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.
They met at the foot of the bed and stood staring at each other. She regarded him with understandable wariness, and yet he was shedding the protective layers he’d worn for so long.
“Come here,” he said in a low voice as he reached for her.
She settled against his chest at an angle where she could keep her arm from pressing against him. He wrapped both arms around her and simply absorbed the sensation of holding her. Emotions long buried fought their way to the surface, raw and painful, and yet he welcomed them like the spring thaws after a long, harsh winter.
She made a sweet sound of contentment that rocked him to his soul. Somehow she belonged. Here. With him and Jericho. He should deny that fact. He should push her away, but he could no more do that than he could stop the flood of want.
It wasn’t just sexual desire. It transcended the simplicity of lust and passion. He needed her and that scared the hell out of him. How could he need this slip of a girl who encompassed the soul of the cougar?
“Come on so I can get you something to eat. You’re too thin.”
He felt her smile against him. “I am hungry.”
He took her hand, unable to resist touching her. And then he dropped it, disgusted by his weakness.
She didn’t let him leave, though. She stopped him with an outstretched hand. Her fingers curled trustingly through his, lacing them together. She squeezed as if she understood the battle he was waging with himself.
“It will be all right, Hunter,” she said solemnly. “I know what it’s like to hurt, to be alone.”
Somehow he believed that. She’d suffered enough hurt and loneliness, though. If he could help it, she wouldn’t hurt again.
Stunned by the implication of his wayward thoughts, he pulled her toward the kitchen. Had he just committed himself to her well-being? It was more than that. He’d just locked his future with hers.
Fool. He knew nothing about her. She could leave tomorrow, and here he was forming attachments he had no business forming. The sad thing was, in the few days
he’d known her, he’d already given her the power to destroy him as soundly as Rebeccah had.
And he only had himself to blame.
Chapter Thirteen
Jericho looked up when Hunter and Kaya entered the kitchen. He fought to keep his expression neutral. When he’d awakened to find Kaya missing, he knew she’d gone to Hunter. It shouldn’t bother him, but it did. This wasn’t new territory for him and Hunter, but with Rebeccah it had been different. The three of them had always just been. Theirs was a comfortable relationship. The way he felt about Kaya was wild and decidedly uncomfortable.
Kaya’s gaze met his, and she studied him with a hint of unease, almost as if she could read his thoughts. He stared back, holding his breath as he waited. For what he wasn’t sure, and then she told him. With her actions.
She walked directly to him, her courage bolstered and burning brightly in her warm eyes. Mere inches away, so close he could feel her slight warmth, she stopped. Her broken arm was clutched tightly against her body, but her free hand glided up his arm and then over his chest.
He caught her fingers, unable to resist touching her as she touched him. Curling his hand around hers, he brought her palm up to his lips and pressed a kiss to the pad of her thumb.
A soft little sigh escaped, and she leaned into his body.
“Kiss me, Jericho.”
Forgetting all about Hunter who stood a few feet away, Jericho gathered her gently in his arms and lowered his mouth to hers. Her lips were crushed petals, as sweet as a spring flower.
His grip tightened, and her whimper escaped into his mouth. He released her immediately and cursed his lack of care.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
She smiled ruefully down at her arm. “I will be well soon.”
“How soon?” Hunter asked.
She turned as if she too had forgotten Hunter’s presence.
“A day, maybe two.” A frown wrinkled her brow. “Could be longer. I’ve never broken an entire arm.”
Despite her serious tone, Jericho had to laugh at the way she’d said it. “An entire arm? What have you broken, then?”
“A finger,” she said as she flexed her index finger on her right hand. “I had to set it, but it didn’t hurt as bad as last night.”
She seemed surprised by that fact, and he and Hunter just shook their heads at each other.
Hunter moved forward, nudging her gently toward a chair at the table. “Have a seat, Kaya. Breakfast will be up shortly, and you need to eat before we ask you twenty questions.”
“Only twenty?”
At first Jericho thought she was teasing, but there was solemnity on her face that suggested she had no idea it was a joke.
“Well, maybe a few more,” Hunter said with a smile.
Jericho cocked his head in Hunter’s direction. He seemed a lot more relaxed this morning. More accepting. As if he’d gone ten rounds and finally scored a knockout in the final seconds. Try as he might, he couldn’t catch Hunter’s gaze to verify his suspicions. Oh well, he’d just see how it played out this morning. He had a feeling he wouldn’t have to wait long.
Kaya settled down and fussed a few minutes as she tried to get comfortable with her clunky splint job. Jericho turned back to the stove and forked out the last of the frying bacon.
Hunter ambled over to get plates and forks while Jericho finished putting the food on the table. Kaya looked at all the food with what Jericho could only describe as sheer wistfulness.
“Dig in, honey. Get as much as you want,” Jericho said as he plunked down on the chair beside her.
He and Hunter watched as she piled her plate high with eggs, bacon and toast. After a few minutes fumbling awkwardly with the fork, she forewent utensils and ate with her fingers.
What should have been slightly barbaric turned into an erotic exercise that was destined to drive both men insane. After each tiny bite, she licked delicately at her fingers, sometimes sucking the tip between her lips only to release it with a slight pop.
When she was finally done, neither man had eaten much and Jericho quickly cleared the table of the dishes.
“Let’s go into the living room, and I’ll add some more wood to the fire,” Hunter said. “We can talk there.”
Kaya hesitated and looked back at Jericho, her eyes gleaming with questions.
“Go on. I’ll be there in a minute,” he said.
She seemed to relax as Hunter ushered her away. Jericho tossed the dishes in the sink and decided to take care of them later. There were a hell of a lot of questions he wanted answered, and he wanted to make sure Kaya didn’t get any crazy ideas about leaving again.
Kaya settled onto the couch and watched as Hunter added more logs to the fire. When it crackled and blazed higher, he came back to the couch and sat down on the end. There were at least two feet of space between them. She fidgeted, going back and forth between staying where she was and moving closer to Hunter. But if he’d wanted her close, he would have sat next to her.
Jericho suffered no such compunction. When he entered the living room, he went straight to the couch, picked her up and settled her onto his lap. Surprised by his show of affection, she snuggled into his chest and let out a contented sigh.
Her cheek resting on Jericho’s shoulder, she gazed over at Hunter who regarded them intently. What was it about these two men that compelled her so solidly? They’d drawn her out of the mountains, caused her to risk discovery. She couldn’t stay away. It was as if some invisible force guided her back to them time and time again.
Perhaps it was the Maker’s way of ensuring she wasn’t left alone forever. For that she was grateful.
“Two mates,” she whispered in wonder. Was it possible?
“What was that, honey?” Jericho asked.
She shook her head. “Nothing.” She didn’t know their intentions, and the last thing she wanted to chance was rejection.
“Will you tell us about yourself, Kaya?” Hunter asked. “We have so many questions.”
She tensed against Jericho, and he pressed his lips to her hair in a reassuring manner. “Don’t be afraid.”
“It’s not that. It’s just…”
Her voice trailed off as painful memories, long buried, welled to the surface. Unexpectedly, tears stung the corners of her eyes.
Hunter scooted forward on the couch and carefully brushed away a tear with his thumb. Then he cupped her cheek in his palm. “Whatever it is, we can help you.”
She braved a shaky smile. “The memories are painful for me. Once I had a home and a family.”
Hunter’s expression darkened. “Did they turn you out because of what you are?”
Her brow crinkled in confusion. “No, at least I don’t think so. I don’t really know.”
Jericho squeezed her shoulder then brushed her hair over her shoulder. “Tell us. We’re listening.”
“I had a sister. She was a cheetah. She’s all I remember, really. I mean, I know I had a mother and father, but so many years have gone by. Their faces are so dim.”
“There are more of you?” Hunter asked in astonishment.
“She was beautiful and fast. So graceful. I remember wanting to be like her. She always left me behind when we ran. One day we ventured farther from our home than we should have. We were just cubs then. Mischievous and anxious to explore our surroundings. I was caught in a trap and the people took me away. They said I didn’t belong there.”
“Where was there?” Jericho asked.
“Alaska.”
Hunter raised a brow. “I can see why they didn’t think you belonged. Did they see your sister?”
Kaya shook her head. “No, I don’t know what happened to her. I was taken here to the mountains. For a while I was kept in a cage. Maybe they intended me for a zoo. I’m not sure. I was terribly frightened, so I stayed in cougar form until I could escape.”
“How old were you?” Jericho asked.
“Four, maybe five.”
Hunter
swore. “You were just a child!”
She nodded. “After I escaped, I hid for a long time, afraid that if I came out, they’d take me again. Then, when I was able and older, I made my way back to Alaska only to find the house deserted. I was nine or ten.”
Tears welled again and Jericho’s grip tightened around her.
“They were gone. They’d left me. I waited and waited but they never returned. So I went back to my mountains.”
“How long?” Jericho asked. “How long have you lived alone up here?”
Kaya frowned as she considered for a moment. “I’ve passed thirteen winters. Maybe fourteen since the time I came back here. It’s hard to keep count.”
“Jesus,” Hunter murmured. “How the hell did you survive?”
She shrugged. “The cougar is a very good hunter. She took good care of me.”
“You talk like she’s separate from you,” Jericho said.
“In a way she is. We are one and yet we aren’t. She is who guided me to you.”
“How is it you can change?” Hunter asked softly. “I didn’t think people like you existed.”
“I don’t remember a lot of my heritage,” she said sadly. “I know the animals are gifts from the Great Maker. Our souls are united when we are still in our mother’s womb. The cougar is my caretaker and I am hers. We have to strike a careful balance between the human and the animal. We have great healing power, but we must shift often. I chose to stay in animal form to stay safe, and it’s taken a toll on me. Even now, the cougar cries out to be set free. Embracing the change is what aids the healing process.”
“Amazing,” Jericho said in an awed voice. “I’m speechless.”
“Same here,” Hunter echoed.
She found Hunter’s gaze then tilted her head to look up at Jericho. “Does it bother you?” she asked hesitantly.
Jericho touched her cheek and then lowered his mouth to hers. His kiss was soft and sensual. Warm and so loving.
“No,” he said against her mouth. “Nothing about you bothers us. We want you to stay.”
Her eyes widened in surprise as she pulled away. Then she turned to look sharply at Hunter. Surely he couldn’t be included in the invitation. She’d seen the hurt in his eyes. She reminded him of someone he’d lost. He wouldn’t want her as a constant reminder.
As if sensing her rioting emotions, Hunter leaned forward again, his eyes intensely focused on her.
“I want you to stay, Kaya. Somehow, someway, we’ll work it out. I don’t want you out there alone, in the snow, cold and frightened. I want you here where Jericho and I can take care of you, make sure you have food and warm clothes.”
She frowned a little. “Is that all? You just want to take care of me?”
Jericho nudged her chin until she was forced to look at him. “I think you know that’s not true, honey. We just don’t want to push you. I can’t even be in the same room with you without wanting you. We’d like you to stay so that we see where this takes us.”
Two mates. It was more than she’d ever dreamed. After so long on her own, of having no one, that she’d have two strong mates was more than she could conceive.
“I’ll have you…both?” she asked, still disbelieving what they were offering.
“Do you want us both?” Hunter asked quietly.
“You are both here,” she said, raising her uninjured arm until her hand curled into a fist over her heart.
