by Eliza Gayle
She bit her lip and stifled a grin. She found it damn hard not to admire a man that organized. It also led her down the road of too many questions. What kind of life did he lead to need this kind of preparation? Chey thought about her own various mountain hidey-holes and stashes of supplies throughout the state. Hello pot, meet kettle.
Voices behind her grew louder and Chey dipped deep for the reserves to swim faster to the shore. Malcolm climbed out of the water and over the boulders bordering the area. His biceps flexed and the water still dripping from him caught the sunlight, making his skin gleam. Her mouth watered at the sight. She followed him out of the water and scrambled across the terrain herself.
“Not much farther,” he whispered over his shoulder. They were both more than aware that if they could hear their pursuers, then Ben and Charlie could hear them.
“Do I even want to know why you have an escape route already planned out?”
“Probably not.” She heard the laughter in his voice and a huge grin spread across her face. The man got to her. Simple as that.
Together they ran for an unusually large clump of bushes which she discovered was where his Jeep was hidden. She moved to help him clear the way and a hard hand clamped on her arm.
“You need clothes.”
The spot where his skin touched hers burned a path from her arm directly to her core. Her sex squeezed. She jerked her arm free. “Sorry, I forgot to carry some spares. Besides, we can worry about that later when we aren’t about to be caught.”
A growl erupted from his throat and his eyes went hard. “I don’t think so.” He grabbed the edge of his shirt and pulled it over his head. “This is better than nothing.”
Chey rolled her eyes. “You act like you haven’t already seen me naked.”
“If you want anyone we run into to keep breathing, I’d suggest putting it on.”
“Possessive freak,” she mumbled while holding back a smile. She grabbed the shirt he held out to her and pushed it over her head. Fortunately for her it was long enough to just cover her butt; unfortunately for her, it smelled like Malcolm. Her nostrils flared and she breathed deeply.
They cleared the stacked limbs and branches from around the vehicle until they’d made an exit path.
“Cheyenne. Malcolm. Stop!”
She snapped her head around in time to see Charlie and Ben climbing over the river embankment.
“Get in now.”
“Crap. I thought we had more time.” She threw herself into the passenger side and barely had a chance to hang on before the engine roared to life and Malcolm raced in the opposite direction.
“We’re lucky we beat Ben at all. He’s the best damn tracker out there. In fact if we get away I’ll suspect he’s decided to let us go—for a little while.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I trained him and he knows how I think just as much as I know how he thinks. Our only advantage at this point is the vehicle. So hang on.”
Malcolm swerved to the left and immediately to the right. Chey swore she saw a flash of fur out of the corner of her eye. Her stomach plunged to her feet. And she thought she drove crazy.
Trees sped by as they were bounced ruthlessly from their seats. With no road to follow she prayed they didn’t end up in the bottom of a ditch or ravine somewhere. Death by car accident wasn’t exactly in her five-year plan.
She glanced once or twice in the direction of Malcolm and found herself shocked by the hard planes of concentration across his face. That ruthless determination she’d been loath to discover stood out starkly on his ruggedly handsome face. She couldn’t see his eyes but imagined them dark as midnight and as equally ruthless as the rest of him.
By the time they made it to the small park road, Chey’s muscles burned from the effort of not falling out of the Jeep.
"Are they still behind us?" She swiveled to look over her shoulder. The only thing she saw was the dust in the road behind them.
"I think we finally lost them about five minutes ago. Although honestly I'm surprised. I've seen Ben on the run before and something like a Jeep on a rutted dirt road should not have outpaced him.”
“You think they let us go?”
Malcolm shrugged. “Can't say one way or the other but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.” He tightened his grip on the steering wheel and she watched his muscles flex as he kept the Jeep under control.
“God, is this even a road?”
“Not really. But it will do. I know these woods very well so you have nothing to worry about.”
She shrugged. “Not worried.” Not about the road anyway. She had bigger problems than a few potholes. Like this insane attraction to a man who couldn't stand what she was. Even after all these years, no matter how she'd convinced herself that he'd meant nothing to her she could barely sit next to him for wanting to jump him. Not to mention the scene in the woods earlier haunted her. She wanted to know what the hell that was about and as soon as they got somewhere private and quiet she would get some answers from him. One way or the other.
“So where to now? I'm not convinced yet that running was the best possible answer.” She stared him down waiting for him to respond. Instead what she got was the muscle of his jaw tensing. “What? You don't seriously still think I did this?” When he remained silent, heat traveled up her face and rage formed a knot in her stomach. The bastard did. Mother Fucker.
“I don't know what to think. Before you showed up at my place this morning everything was calm and quiet. I've been minding my own business for a while now. So of course I ask myself what changed?” He turned and met her gaze, accusation clear as day. “You're what changed, sweetheart.”
Rendered speechless by his accusations Chey swiveled around in her seat and stared out the open window. If that's what he really thought so be it. He'd have to get in line with the rest of her family and friends and apparently his clan as well. It seemed everyone she came in contact with had already decided she was guilty in John's death. What was another kill on top of that?
Still the pain lanced through her. As much as she tried to convince herself she didn't need someone to believe her, she'd wanted Malcolm too. Damn it. When would she learn?
Chey grabbed the seat belt and buckled herself in seconds before she pulled her knees into her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. Her eyes slid closed and she sucked in a deep breath, taking in a fresh wave of the man who haunted her. Fate... What a bitch.
Chapter Ten
Sometime later the Jeep skidded to a stop and she jerked in her seat until the seat belt caught her. Her eyes flew open and she stared through the windshield. In front of her there was a small cabin at the base of a mountain barely visible through a stand of trees. If Malcolm hadn't parked just so she probably would have looked right over it.
“Where are we?”
"Safe house. One I haven't used in a very long time so hopefully it will buy us some time to rest and grab some food before we leave again.”
“Leave? You have a plan for what comes next?”
“At some point we are going to have to talk to Kane. My brother is a lot of things but disloyal isn't one of them.”
Chey snorted. "You think after everything you've done he wouldn't turn on you?"
Malcolm turned to her sharply. "No I don't. If you didn't lie about him sending you here then his reasons are legit. Trust me." He pulled a duffel bag out from under his seat. "I know my brother."
Chey sniffed. She used to have blind faith like that and then John died and her family turned their back. “You might be the world's biggest fool, Malcolm Gunn. I'm not sure I want to stake my life on that.”
“If you didn't kill the shifter then you have nothing to worry about. They seemed far more suspicious about my involvement. They were merely baiting you to get a rise out of me. Guess it worked.” Malcolm hoisted the bag over his shoulder and headed toward the tiny cabin.
Suddenly a stab of anxiety shot through her. Alone with
him she wasn't sure she could trust herself. That little bit of shut-eye had done nothing to bring her down from the shift. The animal was still too close to the surface and only one of two things helped: A lot of sleep or some intense sex. One seemed out of the question, what with them being on the run and needing to keep their guards up, and the other posed a dangerous risk to her sanity.
She could still feel the thick slide of him as he'd entered her earlier. So much had happened in the course of one day it seemed hard to believe it was just that morning. The sensations he'd elicited from her had been off the charts incredible.
“You coming?” He'd turned and now stood eyeing her warily.
“Yeah.” Although not in the way you think. She mentally slapped herself for her wayward thoughts. She wasn't going to stay in control if she kept this up.
Malcolm punched a code into a security pad embedded into the doorframe. When the door popped open, he held it for her and waited for her to enter in front of him. Her eyes didn't need to adjust to the darkness; she could see equally well with or without light. There were many advantages to being a shifter.
Other than some basic dust on the place, it looked sparse and functional. A single couch in the one room with a table shoved in the corner. Although that table was covered with books and a rather sophisticated looking computer set up. The other side of the room functioned as the kitchen with the basic appliances and an island in the middle with two barstools. Nothing exceptional but more than adequate.
"Bathroom and bedroom are to your right. Everything else is pretty much what you see is what you get. Although around the corner is a well stocked pantry and deep freezer, so if you're hungry we should be set.”
Oh she was hungry all right. Just not for food. "Another shower would be good. Don't suppose you have any extra clothes stashed here?"
"Probably not much that's going to fit. There is a dresser in the bedroom with some basic T-shirts and jeans. Maybe some boxers would work."
Chey swallowed thickly. An image of Malcolm lounging on a big bed with nothing but his boxers filled her mind. All long legs and thick muscles. She clutched her head and turned away. She'd probably turned beet red.
"You okay? That was intense back there."
"Fine." Not really. But she would be soon. "Just going for that shower." She left the room in a rush and locked herself in the bathroom. Not like a flimsy lock could keep a man like him out if he wanted in. Still, that little barrier gave her a sense of peace she desperately needed at the moment. She quickly stripped her clothes and stepped into the marginally warm water. Guess the cabin has some decent plumbing for its odd location.
She grabbed the soap and a sponge and hurriedly washed her body, ignoring the ache of her breasts or the peaks of her hard nipples begging for attention. Between her legs, the moisture of her arousal had pooled and she did her best to wash it away. She knew damn well he scented everything about her. It wasn't as if she was fooling anyone. Least of all him.
Not wanting to waste all the hot water in case he needed a shower, she turned off the spray and jumped out. She grabbed the lone towel and wrapped it around her body and went in search of some semblance of clothing that might keep her sane for the next few hours until the energy of the shift wore off.
She opened the door and Malcolm stood just on the other side. Waiting.
“What?”
“I can still smell your need. It's fucking everywhere.”
She tightened her towel and set her lips in a grim line. “Big deal. You're a big boy. You can get over it.”
“Just because I can't shift doesn't mean I don't feel what you do.” He grabbed her hand and placed it over the hard ridge of his erection. Chey tried to ignore it, to not let him get to her. What had he said? She tried to focus on something besides the burning ache between her legs. Dammit! A shift always did this to her. Left her with adrenalin to spare and energy dying to be used. Of course, the added element of fear of trying to escape had only ramped the normal sensations to the breaking point.
“Why can’t—Why can’t you shift?” She could barely breathe, let alone talk, with the heat and tension filling the room, crowding her senses.
“Don’t try to change the subject,” he growled and licked his lips.
Oh God, those lips. She stared at them. Moist. Bitable. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. The right or wrong of it was fading fast. She met his gaze and swallowed at the hunger she recognized. The gold flecks of his eyes had spread and taken over the green color until they practically glowed. The cougar’s eyes.
She wanted him. So much need. The animal under her skin clawed closer. Why did she even bother to fight it? Her heart beat faster, almost as fast as his. His nose flared, catching her scent. A low rumble began in his chest and rose to the surface.
She could do this. On her terms—her control. Chey unhooked her towel and dropped it to the floor. Naked and vulnerable she went to him.
“Don’t toy with me. You won’t like the results.”
“Shut up.” She grabbed the back of his head and pulled his mouth to hers. She kissed him with everything she felt. Hot, edgy, hungry, fierce and then some. Mouth open, her tongue sought his, desire beating a driving rhythm in her head.
He kissed her back and the taste of hunger on his tongue drove her wild. He threaded his fingers through her hair and tugged at the strands until her scalp tingled with excitement. Oh good God, she wanted him so bad.
The scent of outdoors clung to his skin, awakening every cell of her body. The smell of fresh grass, dried leaves, and the animal inside him filtered through her senses until everything pulsed incessantly. She gripped his arms tighter and pushed against him, every lean hard muscle molding to her naked form. The hard ridge of his erection pulsed at her lower abdomen. Dying for more, she rubbed against the long and thick flesh of his burning arousal.
Another growl rumbled in his throat, causing her to smile into their kiss. She loved that noise and decided it would be her personal mission to hear it as often and as much as she could. His tongue swiped against hers, sparking a moan. Already her nerve endings sizzled and she felt soft and hot inside.
Her nipples tightened and brushed against the soft hairs of his chest. Curious, her hands roamed those muscles until her fingers touched across his tiny hard points of flesh. He sucked in air and wrenched his mouth free.
“Holy hell, woman.”
She grinned up at him. “What? You don’t like it?”
He grabbed her hands and pinned them behind her back. His head dipped to the curve between her neck and shoulder and scraped lightly with his teeth. “I like it and you damn well know it.”
She groaned at the delicious torment of his canines pushing at her skin without breaking through. He would kill her with torment like this.
“Push much more and I won’t be able to go slow. Give you the pleasure you deserve.”
Her head lolled back giving him more access than before. “Don’t want slow,” she whispered. “Can’t do slow. Not after a shift.” She didn’t want the man, she wanted the animal inside. Rough. Hard. “Bed, Malcolm. Now. Please.” Words were getting harder the more he touched her.
“I doubt you understand what you’re asking for,” he whispered, his breath feathering across her skin.
Her eyes popped open and met his gaze. “I know.” She stared at him for a few seconds longer. “I know.”
Something snapped in his gaze and she swore the gold turned downright molten. “If you change your mind, it will be too late.”
Before she could respond he hauled her into his arms and moved her across the room. “Knees now.”
Chey scrambled across the mattress on her hands and knees and waited. He had no idea how badly she wanted this. She’d heard the rumors. If this was the real Malcolm, then dammit, she deserved to have him. Heat gathered between her legs, making her ache more than before. Her skin itched. The animal inside rode so close to the surface she swore she felt fur sliding under the skin.
>
She glanced over her shoulder in time to see Malcolm shred the jeans he wore with thick claws. A hard shudder coursed through her. She wanted those hands on her, claws and all. “Hurry, Malcolm,” she pleaded.
His head jerked up and he pinned her with the gaze of his beast. Yes!
Her claws were out, digging through the sheets and into the mattress. They’d be lucky if the room still stood by morning. The scent of her arousal filled the room. He would have caught it by now and that knowledge made her squirm. When a male shifter scented a female in heat his animal began to howl. Supposedly if it was the heat of a mate, it drove the male into a frenzy. She wanted that. It would be sublime to watch Malcolm lose the last of his prized control.
What if her combined animal scent wasn’t the same… If he scented the wolf…
“Stop it.”
“What?” She held her breath. He couldn’t hear her thoughts.
“You’re entire body just tensed up, so whatever you were thinking, stop it.”
“But—”
His hand landed on her ass. A shocking slap more than a pain filled one, but it certainly caught her attention. Her back arched and a moan slipped from her mouth. Chey’s lips curved in a small smile.
Thwap! She sucked in a sharp breath. That one was much stronger. The bed shifted and before she knew it, he was behind her, his thickness pushing against the flesh of her ass. She automatically shifted looking for a different touch all together.
“Don’t move,” he ordered.
She paused. Was he crazy?
A large hand, now free of claws, wrapped around her hip and pulled her tighter into his groin. Chey didn’t know whether to groan or scream he felt so good. So strong. His fingers curled into the soft spot between the top of her thigh and hip and she nearly shot off the bed. Holy hell. When had that become an erogenous zone? Fuck. She could barely breathe.
