by Celia Kyle
Eight-year-old Stella burning herself on the stove. Neither of her parents cared—too lost in their grief. They blamed her for some of that grief. Hell, most of it. It was her fault that Madeline was gone.
It’d taken her a long time to get over that. The guilt hadn’t truly left until her parents died. Dead of a broken heart. They shared a house, but never spoke. They brought home food when they remembered Stella existed, but never ate themselves.
“Then they died. They let their grief kill them. They let their grief blame me. They let their grief abandon me.” She forced herself to continue. To reveal the depth of her need to take revenge on Walters himself. “James Walters put his hands on my sister, Cole. He snatched her off the street while I watched. The last time I saw her, it was in that human’s arms. My parents let James Walters kill them, and now he’s going to get me.”
“I won’t let him hurt you.”
“Just being near him hurts. Breathing his air hurts.” She rubbed her forehead. “I want to forget, but I can’t.”
“You shouldn’t forget. You should let those memories fuel you.”
Her chest squeezed and stole her breath. “They bury me. Just seeing him…” She stared into Cole’s eyes, hating how weak she was but unable to do anything about it. “I thought it’d be easy. I hated that you wanted me to wait, but I thought this weekend would be a piece of cake.”
“But it isn’t.”
“No,” she murmured. “I’m forced to talk to him. To flirt and smile and…” A tear trailed down her cheek. “And pretend I didn’t have to experience my family crumbling in front of me. Pretend he didn’t take the other half of my soul.”
“There is no doubt in my mind that he’s going to die, Stella. He is going to know pain.” Stella’s jaguar purred with his words. “And I’ll make sure he knows that you helped. That the family he destroyed is the reason he’s going to die.”
She couldn’t miss the promise in his words—his tone telling her that he’d keep his vow no matter the cost.
“Stella?”
She swallowed hard and nodded. “Okay.”
Cole leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead, his warm breath fanning her skin. “I’ll protect you.”
She leaned into him, taking comfort in the chaste kiss. If only she didn’t want more from him. Because as stupid as her desire was, she craved Cole Turner—his touch, his kiss, his heart.
* * *
Fire scorched Cole’s soul. A fury like he’d never experienced burned through his veins. His fingertips throbbed with his rapid heartbeat, his tiger’s nails pressing against his human flesh. His gums ached with the push of his fangs, and his skin felt stretched thin, the cat struggling for release. It yowled and roared, furious that Cole wouldn’t let it free. It wanted to hunt and pounce, take down its prey and then present the kill to Stella. It wanted to show her there was nothing left to fear. He’d rip James Walters into tiny pieces and it would be done.
If only it were that easy.
They stayed silent for a while. Only the rhythmic sounds of their breathing and the gentle mumble of the waves filled the air. And he was content to stay that way. He drew in more of her scent and held that breath in his lungs. He tasted her flavors, her sweetness tempered by pain.
He wanted to take that pain away. He knew he would—eventually—but he wanted it gone now.
Patience, cat.
It curled its lip, flashing a fang, and followed that with a long hiss. His cat wasn’t known for its patience. Ever.
“We should go.” Stella’s voice was strained, the teasing lilt and tinkling laughter no longer present. It was more of a rasp that scraped his nerves.
“You sure?” They needed to go to the party, but he’d figure something out if they skipped it. “We can…”
Stella shook her head. “No. We’re doing this. I…” She took a deep breath, the inhale hitching as she tried to fill her lungs with air. “I can do this.” She pulled back, and he let her retreat. Now wasn’t the time to crowd her even if he wanted nothing more than to haul her close. “I’m sorry—”
Cole darted forward and snared her lips in a quick kiss, their mouths touching briefly with a hard press. “No apologies.”
She blinked at him and then blinked again, eyes open wide with surprise. “But I…”
He shook his head. “I don’t want them. Don’t apologize for your feelings. We all have shit that drives us to do what we do. Sometimes it rears its ugly head and catches us when we’re least expecting it.”
“And you have something like that?”
He nodded. He’d never quite figured out what to say when someone offered condolences. “I got my vengeance. When this is done, you’ll have yours. I swear it.”
“I believe you.”
He scented the truth in her words. Their conversation had taken painful twists and turns, but now she believed in him. He wanted to be worthy of her trust. He would be worthy of it, dammit.
“Let’s get you dressed.” He pushed to his feet and held her steady while she rose from the chair.
Not releasing her, he led her through the bungalow—across the open living area and into the room they shared. The bed remained unmade, their scent still clinging to the fabric. His cock throbbed, remembering the feel of her in his arms as he slept.
The cat hissed at him, snarling that he hadn’t taken her last night—claimed her. He rolled his eyes. Dumb tiger. They weren’t the claiming type.
It snorted. He would have continued arguing with it, but he and Stella had reached the walk-in closet.
He pulled her in after him and then released her hand. “Clothes?”
“Uh…” She didn’t move, but that was fine. He didn’t need her help. He was a master at undressing. How hard could dressing be?
“Top first,” he murmured, reaching for the hem of her tank top. “Arms up.” He tugged. She didn’t move. “Stella? Need some cooperation here.”
“I can dress myself.”
“Uh-huh. Arms up.”
“Cole, seriously?”
He stopped and cupped her cheeks, drawing her closer while he took a step forward. Less than an inch separated them, and his tiger urged him to close that remaining distance. They’d never leave if he got his hands on her fully.
But maybe a kiss was okay…
Cole lowered his head and brushed his lips across hers. Just a careful tease once, twice, and then he lingered. He lapped at the seam of her lips, tasting her natural flavors. He nibbled and nipped her lower lip, then soothed the sting with his tongue. He alternated between chaste pecks and more passionate caresses until…
Until Stella opened for him.
He delved into her mouth, gathering her delicious taste and hording each snippet of flavor. Strawberries and honeysuckle drifted over his taste buds, and he swallowed every drop. He explored her mouth, taking more and more from the seductive jaguar. Her tongue twined with his, and he mimicked what he ached to do to her body.
His body thrummed with arousal, pleasure thumping through his veins. The tiger drove him on, demanding he finish this.
But not yet.
Stella was the one to lean against him. She was the one to twine her arms around his neck. She pushed to her tiptoes and increased the pressure between their mouths.
And Cole took advantage of the new position. He changed his hold, abandoning her cheeks to instead wrap around her waist. He pressed her hips hard to his own, his cock cradled by the softness of her lower stomach.
Fuck, but she made him want. She made him willing to throw it all away for a night in her arms. No, more than a night.
She wiggled and then whimpered, and a tremor shook her smaller frame. Then…then came a scent so addictive he didn’t think he’d ever get enough. Salty musk teased his nose—Stella’s arousal now filling the air. His own joined hers, his body and beast craving her.
Cole tightened his grip, squeezing her even tighter, until he knew she’d never get free unless he allowed he
r. She was his sensual captive. One he wanted to fuck for hours.
He shuddered, and his balls drew up tighter against him. Pleasure wrapped around him, cupping his balls and stroking his cock with invisible hands. He could come this way—with nothing more than Stella’s lips on his.
It wouldn’t be nearly as much fun as sinking into her silken wetness.
Stella moaned again, and she scratched the back of his neck, sharp fingernails digging into his skin without breaking the thin tissue. That was followed by a soft whine, one he wanted to echo and—
“Sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds, but you’ve got less than ten minutes to get pretty.” No better way to kill a hard-on than to hear Grant’s voice in his head.
Chapter Nineteen
Cole couldn’t tear his attention from Stella. Even if she wasn’t within his line of sight, his tiger managed to track her through the room by scent and sound. The beast knew she mingled with the guests, pausing to speak with others—both men and women. It had no problem with her chatting with the ladies, but the males were another story. Especially when more than one hit on her.
Yet he was stuck speaking with Richard King in a secluded corner while Stella interacted with others. Being pulled aside by King was good for the mission. It was not all that good for his jealousy, though.
Plus, King was so. Fucking. Boring.
The man had the personality of a rock with the intelligence of Stephen Hawking. Thankfully Cole had Grant in his ear so he could at least follow some of the conversation. The wolf was smart as hell.
“With an influx of funding…”
“…to begin immediately.”
“…appropriate test subjects.”
“…recently acquired.”
The acquired part snared his attention. “Acquired?”
Grant echoed Cole, albeit a little more colorfully. “Motherfucking acquired?”
Richard adjusted his glasses, pushing them up his nose as if it was a nervous habit, before answering. “Yes, as I’m sure you’re aware, this disease is an epidemic of global proportions. Steps must be taken, Mr. Turner. Steps that require funding from like-minded individuals such as yourself.”
“I’ll give him like-minded. I’ll rip his mind out through his nose and fucking like it,” Grant growled, and the sound vibrated through Cole’s mind. Almost as if it were his own beast.
“I see.” Cole paused to take a sip of his drink and calm his raging tiger. “I have to admit that this is the first time details have been provided, Richard.” He tilted his head to the side. “I’m not sure I understand where this sudden openness and bout of trust comes from.”
Richard pressed his lips together until they formed a white slash beneath his nose. The burning flavors of anger assaulted him, coating his tongue with the sour taste. “We all have our specialties. Some people involved in this venture are more intelligent than others.” The way Richard preened told Cole that Richard believed he had a useful mind.
Grant snorted, and Cole echoed the sound. Richard King was an idiot.
“You’re one of the smart ones.” A question and a statement in one. Cole tipped his glass toward the human with a smirk.
“The King Institute boasts some of the most gifted minds in the world.” Richard wasn’t bragging. The institute really was one of the world’s greatest think tanks. Unfortunately, it was associated with Unified Humanity.
He wondered if the employees knew about shifters and believed his kind needed to be eradicated or “cured”?
“That’s never been in question. I believe my father has benefited from your services in the past.” Until his father had learned of King’s extracurricular interests.
“Hmph. The past is correct. We haven’t participated in any research or development with the Turner Group for some time.”
“Uh-oh,” Grant singsonged in Cole’s ear. “The evil man is cranky because he’s poor.”
Though “poor” wasn’t really the word Cole would use. King Institute still pulled in billions annually. Some of it simply no longer came from his family.
“Yes, well, the Turner Group is in the hands of my brothers now. I have no control over operations.” He flashed the human a feral smile. If he had any sense of self-preservation, he’d be on edge. “I’m simply the playboy who reaps the financial benefits.”
“And with your participation, the world can flourish in the grip of our kind once more.”
“Everyone in attendance supports this endeavor?” Cole gestured to their gathering.
“Of course.” King squared his shoulders and straightened, giving his jacket a slight tug. “Our guests have been meticulously screened and researched.”
“You can appreciate my worry, though. Not everyone believes in Unified Humanity’s mission.” He shook his head. “And it’s not as if a clear board of directors is revealed to potential investors. I have a hard time parting with millions only to discover they’ve disappeared into someone’s pocket.” Cole shrugged. “You understand, of course.”
“Mr. Turner—”
“Cole, please. There’s no reason to be so formal when nine-figure investments are involved.” There. Let the human chew on the idea of a donation of one hundred million dollars or more.
King’s eyes widened slightly, and then Cole was bombarded with the human’s anticipation and excitement. He listened to the rapid thump of King’s heart and the hitch in his breath. Greed. Greed was a great way to destroy a person’s hesitation.
Unified Humanity was very greedy.
“Are you two hiding and talking shop when you should be mingling?” Olivia’s overwhelming perfume preceded her arrival.
The stink of heavy sandalwood clouded the air, and Cole fought against the sneeze that threatened.
“Olivia,” Richard King snapped, glaring at the young woman. So, all was not well in the UH world. Between Richard and Olivia directly, or were King and Walters having problems? “Hasn’t your father taught you not to interrupt?”
The brunette pouted and seemed to ignore King’s snarl. “I was just going to introduce Cole to a few of Father’s closest friends.”
“Olivia.” King’s tone silenced the woman in an instant, earning a glare from his daughter.
“Here you are, darling.” Stella’s voice stroked him with an invisible sensual caress down his spine. The scent soon followed, the peculiar hints of human and feral beast that wrapped around his cock like an ethereal hand. “I’ve been searching for you everywhere.”
She cuddled against his side, arm wrapping around his waist while she leaned into him. She formed a physical barrier between him and Olivia, forcing the human woman to take a step back.
“Who’s this? I don’t believe we’ve met.” Stella held out her hand to King. “I’m Stella—”
“Moore.” Richard grasped her hand and brought it to his lips. “We haven’t met officially.” The human’s mouth lingered. “I did, however, have the opportunity to get a glimpse of your”—his eyes dropped to Stella’s cleavage, and Cole wanted to behead the man for looking at what belonged to him—“assets at James’s get-together several days ago.”
Stella tittered. Honest to God, she tittered. Not a sound he’d ever expected to come from her. “Oh, you’re that shadow from the hallway. Naughty, naughty for spying.”
His teammate snorted in his ear. “I wouldn’t have just spied. I would have gotten comfortable for the show.”
Cole’s tiger surged, snarling in his mind. It pushed a growl up his throat, one that couldn’t be suppressed. It caused his vocal cords to vibrate, and the nearly inaudible grumble transmitted over the com.
“Tou-chy.” Grant’s reply coincided with Stella’s twitch.
The humans couldn’t hear his jealous rumble, but the jaguar sure did.
“Cole, darling.” Stella turned in his embrace and laid her hand over his heart. She petted him with gentle strokes, and his tiger gradually calmed. “I’d love to dance.” She looked to King. “You won’t mind if I steal
him for a moment, will you?”
“You’ll have to excuse me, Richard.” He pushed the words past gritted teeth. “A beautiful woman can’t be denied.”
“Of course. Of course.” The human waved him away, and Cole ignored the heated glare from Olivia.
If he didn’t get out of there, he’d pluck King’s eyes out. Then the man wouldn’t be able to see anyone’s “assets.”
Cole grasped Stella’s hand and drew her away from the secluded corner. His tiger relaxed more and more with every step he took away from the lecherous bastard. Though that calm didn’t last long. The farther they walked, the more attention Stella drew from others, which brought his possessive instincts raring to the forefront of his mind.
He’d blind them all.
They reached the outer edge of the dance floor and insinuated themselves among other couples drifting across the square. He placed one palm at Stella’s lower back and cradled her hand with the other. In sync, they danced to the slow tempo, bodies moving as one.
Stella stepped closer until their fronts touched. “Discover anything interesting?”
“Possibly,” he murmured.
“Definitely,” Grant added.
“She can’t hear you, asshole.”
“Your lovely neighborhood trash compactor?” Stella’s teasing lilt filled his ear.
“Yes, and he won’t shut the fuck up,” Cole growled.
“If you’d tell her—”
“I’m gonna tell her, asshole.” So much for trading intel with the wolf. “Fuck off.”
“No, you fuck off, you pussy.”
“Pussy? Did you just call me a—”
Stella slid her hand from his shoulder to the back of his neck. She toyed with the long, slightly curled strands. “Pussy is another name for a cat.” Cole growled, his tiger annoyed with Grant and Stella. “Oh, hush. I’m a pussy, too.”
“I bet she has a nice pussy.” The wolf just couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Grant obviously had a death wish. “Is it sweet and—”
“One more word.” Cole dropped his voice to a rumble that only shifters could hear. “One more word that doesn’t have to do with this mission and I’ll gut you myself.”
