by Delta James
His musings regarding all of the ways he intended to indulge himself with Flynn were interrupted with the reason he was not between her thighs thrusting his cock into her wet heat. David Koto. Alex planned to call the Kotos’ headquarters to try and reason with the man. His goal was to warn him off. If that proved unsuccessful, Alex intended to hunt the man down and dispose of him before he could hurt anyone under his protection—Flynn and her brother, Josh and his family, or his clan members.
Flynn... even thinking of her or allowing his inner voice to say her name evoked very primal feelings where she was concerned. He smiled as he thought that while he wanted her to be safe, he liked the idea that she would challenge him and he could take her over his knee and spank her bottom until it was red and heated to the touch. He found he rather enjoyed pummeling her pussy afterwards with his pelvis slamming into her tender backside. The fact that he had yet to not find her wet and willing left him in an aroused and irritable mood that he was being denied time with her due to having to deal with the immediacy of the threat from Koto.
Reaching a high point on the island, Alex shifted to his human form, dressed, and called Koto Development.
“Ranger Kingston? My name is Cheri Atkins. I am Mr. Koto’s Executive Assistant. “
That was different, the last woman who had identified herself as his assistant had been named Kelly.
“I understand you need to speak to him,” she continued. “May I inquire as to the nature of your request?”
“It’s private and personal, but it is regarding the deaths of his brothers. He will want to speak with me. Please get him my message and this number. Tell him I won’t call again,” said Alex before disconnecting the phone.
His next call was to Yutu. Alex hoped that he had been able to get Josh released and Josh and his family out of Koto’s reach.
“Uncle Alex!” answered his niece.
“Cassie, why are you answering Yutu’s phone? Did he tell you he could?”
“He didn’t tell me I couldn’t, and I recognized your number.”
Logical, especially for a six-year-old. His brother’s eldest daughter was smart and precocious. Alex only hoped that one day she, and her sister, would fall for a member of their clan and be turned to become one of them.
“I’m glad you only answered because you knew it was me, but you shouldn’t answer other people’s phones. But I’m glad I get to talk to you. Is your dad there with the rest of you?”
“Yep. Yutu picked up Mommy, Lesley, and me and then we went and got Daddy out of the hospital. Mommy says if it wasn’t for you, Daddy could have died. Uncle Alex?”
“Yes, Cass?”
“Are you going to get the man who hurt Daddy? Lesley is scared he may come after us, but I told her we were safe with Yutu and Daddy.”
“You tell Lesley that your Daddy and Yutu will keep you safe while I go make sure that anyone who wants to hurt our family knows they would answer to me.”
She giggled. “Mommy said the same thing and said nobody messes with Uncle Alex.”
“Your mommy is a smart girl.”
“Yep. Daddy says that’s why she married him instead of you.”
Alex laughed out loud. He could just imagine Josh saying that.
“Uncle Alex, I heard Daddy telling Mommy that you were getting married. She didn’t seem happy. Doesn’t she like your girlfriend?”
Trying to explain the dynamics of Kodiak-shifter relationships to a six-year-old was not something he wanted to take on. He’d leave that to Josh and Allie down the road. “Your dad is right, and your mom hasn’t met Flynn yet.”
“Her name is Flynn? That’s a funny name for a girl.”
Alex chuckled. “It is. Her name is Flynn Montgomery and she teaches at a university like your daddy. But I think you’ll like her. Is your daddy available?”
“He’s taking a nap. Mommy’s here though.”
Alex heard the phone being handed to Allie.
“How’s he feeling?” Alex asked his brother’s mate.
“Recovering rapidly. I always forget how much more quickly you Kodiaks heal. What are you planning to do?”
“I’ve placed a call to David Koto. I’ll see if I can broker a peace, but if not, I’ll deal with him.”
“I suppose I should admonish you not to hurt him, but if this bastard is a threat to my husband and my children, you need to kill him.”
“Spoken like the mate to a Kodiak. Koto will either retreat or die. He is a threat to my Flynn as well.”
“You do know I’m not happy about that situation...”
“I didn’t imagine you would be, but it’s our way Allie. Flynn is my mate. We will be bonded, and she will submit to me.”
“Alex...”
“Enough, Allie. That Josh indulges you is Josh’s choice, but as clan leader, I will not brook your interference in the traditions of our kind. Besides, Flynn will be happy. I will see to that. I’ll keep in touch. Take care of Josh and the girls and try not to be too big a pain in the ass to Yutu.”
He disconnected before Allie had a chance to subject him once again to a tirade. She was Josh’s mate and made his brother happy; that made her his family and subject to his protection.
Deciding to give Koto a bit more time to return his call, Alex headed for his cabin. He wanted to ensure it was secure and that no trace of Flynn could be found.
Ah, Flynn, the very thought of her made him smile. Alex was not foolish enough to think that it would be smooth sailing from here on out. In fact, he was fairly sure they would lock horns on a regular basis. He supposed he shouldn’t be looking forward to their confrontations, but he was. Forcing Flynn to yield to his authority had a definite appeal. He had no doubt as to who would be the victor in their contests and her surrender would be all the sweeter for it.
Her brother was someone Alex felt could be trusted with the secret of the Kodiak-shifters. Whether or not Flynn chose to share with him that she was no longer human was a choice he would leave to her. Whether or not she was to become a shifter was not.
* * *
Flynn had watched him leave and remained on the bed until she was sure he was gone. Then, she began a systematic search of the room. First, she visually scanned the room, then she began feeling all of the walls... every nook and cranny—looking for something out of place, some way of revealing a hidden exit.
She tried not to think about him but failed. Every time he crossed her mind, she could almost feel his touch, just as she had each time during the past two years; only now she had more memories to add to her reverie. Why did he have the ability to touch her in a way no other ever had? It wasn’t just his sexual prowess, although that seemed to know no bounds, and it certainly wasn’t his use of gentle caresses and honeyed words—there had been none. But there was something honest and true in his visceral possession of her body... something that spoke to some deep, dark part of her calling forth a response that she had never felt with anyone else.
Was that enough to base a life on? What was she thinking? She wanted no part of whatever it was he was offering in whatever demented fairytale she had stumbled into.
Her nipples beaded and her pussy pulsed in denial of her thoughts. It was as if he were some foreign substance and she was an addict. The last rational part of her brain told her to run, but the greater part of her being whispered for her to stay and assured her that safety as well as a life and love worth sacrificing everything for lay with the man who was also a beast.
Flynn had all but given up when her fingers found a small crevice in the rock that felt chiseled out by man and not made by mother nature. She probed it with her fingers looking to find how it worked or what it revealed. Finding nothing, she pressed and was surprised when the stone fireplace across the room clicked open. She crossed over to it and found that the stone fireplace and chimney was all one unit. It wasn’t, as one would assume, affixed to the cavern wall, but rather to a unit designed to move.
She pushed on it and could smel
l fresh air and feel the cool air from the outside. Quickly she returned to the clothing he had left her and got dressed. He had provided everything she would need, not all of it intentionally. Gathering together some food, a gun, ammo, flares, and outerwear, she ventured into the corridor and pulled the escape hatch closed behind her until she heard it click back into place. Lighting one of the flares, she made her way towards freedom.
The passageway was dark, and the torch provided only the most minimal of light, but she made steady progress. The further she went, the fresher the air. After about what she estimated was no more than a half hour, she could see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. Once outside, she extinguished the flare, trying to get her bearings. Even though it was late spring, there was still some snow on Shuyak, especially on the higher areas of the island. The going was slippery, but she made steady progress. Thankfully, at this time of the year, there was almost perpetual daylight.
She figured they had entered the cavern to her right. That meant the best way to leave was down the hillside and to the left. She tried to recall from what direction they had come. Flynn was fairly sure that it too lay to the right, but decided to head up and to the left, before turning to go downhill. She needed to find running water and try to follow it back to the coastline. From there, she could figure out how to get to the ranger station.
She had no sooner begun her trek when it occurred to her that Alex was a ranger. She wondered if all of the rangers were some kind of shifter. Even if only those on Shuyak were, there would be no help for her there. Still, the ranger station should have kayaks or other ways of leaving the island. She formulated a plan to steal or borrow some means of escape and make use of it.
The going was rough, but Flynn was experienced and comfortable in the wilderness. She knew she needed to get out of the open. Without the ability to blend into the wooded areas or at least the tree line she would be far too easy to see. She had no doubt that if he spotted her, Alex would come for her. And if he used his ability to become a bear he could easily overtake and overpower her.
Her body seemed intent on betraying her. She was quite sure that if he caught her, he would spank her again and then fuck her with even more intensity and fervor than he had in the past. If he was truly a Kodiak, this was their mating season. If he shared those traits, and all indications were that he did, he would be in the grip of the need to rut, and as he saw her as his mate, he’d be looking to do so with her.
Why did the thought arouse and not disgust her? Each time he had fucked her had been more intensely satisfying than the last. Even when he was driving into her with a ferocity she had never experienced with anyone other than Alex, she felt more alive, more one with him than with anyone before. She had tried several times to have sex with a man after Alex but had been unable to do so. At some point she either realized she felt nothing, or the idea of another man touching her intimately was something she simply could not abide. So, for the past two years she had made do with pleasuring herself, which was far from satisfying. She grinned; she’d certainly made up for it in the past few days. Each time they had been together, he had ensured she had multiple orgasms before forcing her to come with him as he released what felt like a torrent of cum into her.
And what did he mean by being turned? Was it possible to become what he was? What would that be like to be able to shift fluidly from one form to another? And why did the idea not fill her with disgust and terror? She had convinced herself that she was not meant to be with a man in any kind of long-term, committed relationship—whether it be marriage or not. Was Alex right? Was she his mate? Was he her future? Would exploring a relationship with him be so bad? Would she be able to retain her own identity or would that be subjugated to his will along with her body?
Flynn shook her head to rid herself of such musings. She needed time and distance to figure out if she wanted any part of Alex Kingston... well, any part other than his cock as it stroked her pussy repeatedly until she had cried out his name in need and then fulfillment. That she already knew she wanted desperately.
She spied the tree line at the top of the ridge and picked up her pace. Until she made up her mind about how she felt, if anything, about Alex, she needed to keep moving and stay out of his hands. It was becoming obvious that each time he possessed her, she craved his touch that much more. What was worse was that she was fairly certain he knew it.
Once within the relative safety of the woods, she allowed herself a moment to catch her breath and take a long swallow of the cold water in her canteen. A canteen—who the hell used canteens anymore? She grinned. Apparently Kodiak bear shifters.
* * *
Koto had yet to call and even though Alex’s cabin would be difficult to find, he approached it with caution. After ensuring he was alone, Alex circled the cabin looking for any obvious signs that anyone had breached his security. Seeing none, he started to open the door. His excellent sense of hearing detected a click with just enough warning that he was able to fling himself off the porch. Rolling close to it, he saw the shrapnel and what had once been the front door blast past him. Koto had been there and left him a not very subtle message as to his intentions.
He stood and surveyed the damage as he grabbed the fire extinguisher out of his storage shed and put the fire out. He examined the explosive device. It had been shaped to focus its fury at whoever tripped it as they entered the cabin. Incongruously, the majority of the cabin looked untouched. He realized it wouldn’t take much to restore the cabin to good working order. He ran his fingers through the residue and held them up to his nose. While he could still detect the faint, distinctive fragrance of his mate, he could also discern motor oil, the signature of the explosive C-4.
Alex began cleaning up the mess. He would need to board up the doorway, not only to keep out any animals who might think to take up residence while he was away, but to secure its contents. He was just nailing the last board into place when the sat phone rang. He glanced at the number... a Seattle area code.
“Koto,” he answered.
“You are still alive. That’s a pity, although I suppose a Kodiak with your skills will prove to be an interesting quarry.”
“I think you’re mistaken as to who is predator and who is prey. So far, it’s Kodiak two, Komodo zero. You want to take a run at me, we can make it three/zip.”
“And are you so certain of the outcome?”
“Given what’s happened so far, I’m liking my odds a lot better than yours.”
“But what of the woman?”
Alex had to suppress the growl that threatened to erupt from his throat. Koto had said the woman, not his woman. That shouldn’t be surprising, Komodos tended to have one female to several males; there were no strong emotional ties. Each male would breed the female during the mating season. Neither gender had any interest in sex outside the breeding season, which probably accounted for the Koto brothers’ success, their focus had been on business not on the continuation of their line. It was said that female Komodos were capable of asexual reproduction, which Alex believed given how ugly the large lizards were.
Koto not knowing yet of his connection to Flynn was a good thing. If he did, her value as a target for his vengeance would skyrocket. As Alex knew the mating habits of Komodos, he was quite certain that Koto knew that Kodiak-shifters mated for life and were incredibly sexual, especially during their breeding season. The fact that Koto was keeping him from breeding his mate did nothing to foster any kind of warm, fuzzy feelings towards him.
“What of her?”
“I am not ignorant of who or what you are, Kingston. I would imagine that killing the Alpha of the Unangan Clan would ensure that your brother would lead your people in a holy war of sorts against me. That would be time consuming and not profitable. I would propose you turn the human female over to me, and we will be done with this unpleasantness between us.”
“Unpleasantness? Is that what you call it? I kill two of your brothers...” started Alex.
“That’s cold even for a Komodo. If she is bound to you and you were to die, would any eggs that hatch inherit your fortune? Because I rather imagine she’d much prefer to reproduce without ever having to endure your breeding her.”
Koto hissed. “You will not give up the woman? Why is that, I wonder? Has the Chief of the Unangan Clan taken her to mate? Interesting. And this is your breeding season as well. I suspect you would much rather be in the throes of the rut with your new female. What about her brother?”
Alex barked a laugh. “I’d always heard Komodos were fierce, but it seems you’d rather negotiate than fight.”
“Why risk myself if we can find a mutually beneficial solution.”
“Would those in your clutch see you as your brother’s successor if they knew you were unwilling to avenge your brother?”
“Vengeance or justice can be had in many ways among my people. Ritual torture of the one responsible is valued in the same way as combat. And it could be argued that the brother is just as much at fault as you or the female. After all, he was the one Henry contracted with.”
“That’s a bit of a reach. After all, I’m the one who almost ripped Henry’s head from his body and crushed Kevin’s skull in the stream. Let me tell you plainly, I will fight you one-on-one and let that be the end of it. After all, your idiot brother brought this down on his head when he lied to Ben and Flynn and tried to kill a Kodiak, without a tag I might add. That’s a violation of federal law. He only compounded his stupidity when he tried to kill my brother. At that point he put himself in my cross hairs.”
