“Like Isabela?”
Her face darkened. “No. The opposite of Isabela.”
“I don’t think you’d get the opposite of Isabela with me.”
She couldn’t argue the fact. “Do you think Sybil Auger is really dead?”
“That tough old witch? I wouldn’t be surprised if she survived to come back and plague us.”
“I think she really did try to help me, to protect me and the dragon. But having to watch over us for a century probably drove her insane. How could anyone do something for a hundred years without losing it?”
Blood raised his brows.
“Okay, someone less dedicated.”
“I can think of something I could do for a century.”
“Oh?”
He leaned over and kissed her. She felt all of his focus in the embrace, as if she was the only woman on Earth. Her body responded, and she felt Elathan respond as well. Yes, she thought. She could probably do this for a hundred years, too.
As his hands undressed her, she wondered why she bothered putting clothes on after she shifted. Elathan picked her up and lay her down on the air mattress. “Pretty good for an old man,” she whispered.
“Pretty hot for an old lady,” he whispered back.
The kiss was a shock of passion, tongues wrestling with frenzied energy. She felt Elathan respond immediately, even as she went dewy with need. Together, they fought his clothes off him.
Elathan lifted her into the embrace, his hands running down her back, her hips. His teeth nipped at her earlobe, her neck. She gasped, flooded with desire.
With both hands, she lightly scratched his inner thighs. His cock was as hard as the rest of his body. She grabbed his member, massaging her clit with the tip. Kisses and bites covered her body. Kayla’s nerves fired, reacting to the pleasure, the pain.
Playing the head of his cock over her sex brought her to a quick peak. She let out a cry as the frisson spread through her entire being. Before the shivering subsided, she angled him into her.
Elathan moved into her completely with a single, long, slow thrust. She thrashed as she opened up to him. His girth stretched the oiled silk of her pussy. Kayla sank her nails into his ass, urging him on.
“You’re so wet.” His voice tickled her ear. She ground her pelvis against his.
Slow, endlessly long thrusts drove her to frenzy. She wrapped her legs around him, moving in time. “Harder, Elathan, faster. Please!”
The cot shuddered and creaked beneath them. Kayla feared their exertions would break it. The thought was buried as Elathan worked up to speed. He moved inside her like a piston. Grabbing a fistful of her hair, he kissed her with bruising force.
Her nails raked his back. A slow-motion explosion rocked her, moving outward from her hips. Suffused in sensation, she felt herself tip over the edge. The orgasm gripped her at the same time Elathan arched his back, grunting in animal pleasure.
Ripples of ecstasy became waves as he erupted into her. The heat was nearly unbearable. Kayla let herself burn with it. Time froze as she was fully consumed.
Elathan collapsed on top of her, fully spent. Silence greeted them, only the night winds blowing over the barren hills and their heavy breathing broke the stillness. She would fight to free this man she had fallen in love with. She would fight to keep him with her forever.
Epilogue
“Case Number 45218, State of Oregon versus Elathan Blood.”
The gavel banged, and the bailiff drew him to his feet. The court came to order. Blood’s eyes tracked the courtroom, all polished wood and wary eyes. The shifters stared back at him. Sally, Leon, Thorn, Felicity and even Iwalani Johnson would be called as witnesses by the defense.
None of them knew what was about to hit them. If they believed that Kayla Hart was a prey species, they were in for a big surprise. Even the shark-shifting Iwalani Johnson didn’t know what she was up against.
Blood continued to eye Kayla’s soon-to-be victims, ignoring the opening statement of the prosecutor.
The defense’s opening statement was brief. “Without taking up too much of the court’s time, I intend to prove my client, Elathan Blood, not guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt. Mr. Blood has been the victim of misunderstanding and prejudice, neither of these a crime, and I am certain the jury will agree that he is innocent.”
He watched her in action, a magnificent figure in the courtroom, the jury’s eyes locked on her. Blood couldn’t blame them. His eyes had been locked on her since first sight.
The prosecutor’s case was fairly straightforward, and Blood had to strain to stay awake during the testimony. Sheriff’s detectives were interviewed. They testified that Elathan Blood tampered with Thorn’s truck. They couldn’t say that Thorn had been lured to drive up Mount Hood, where he wrecked the truck, because Kayla had suppressed the evidence.
In her cross, she asked why physical evidence of the vehicle tampering wasn’t submitted. The detectives admitted that there was none. Blood had worn gloves, of course. No need to bring that to anyone’s attention.
The sheriff’s men went on to describe a text that led Thorn to a ruined sawmill where a trap had been set with explosives. This cell phone text was allowed as evidence. After the explosion, Thorn was believed by the cops to be dead. In her cross, Kayla asked why they believed this if no body was found. Her comment that this apparent non-murder had been made public record spoke to the rest of the prosecutor’s case and was struck from the record. It still made Blood smile.
After two days, the prosecution rested. From the attitude of the jury, Blood could see that they weren’t convinced of his guilt. Kayla called her witnesses, a hurricane force that ripped the case apart. First, she called Sally.
“According to the police report, a text from you to Thorn stated that you were naked and in trouble. Was that a normal text from you?”
Sally adjusted her crooked glasses, face coloring. “Um, it used to be.”
“Used to be? So was it reasonable to assume that Thorn would respond to a similar text?”
“Objection.”
Kayla nodded. “It’s been pointed out repeatedly by the defense that Sally is not the one on trial. So, without revealing any embarrassing details, would it be reasonable for Thorn to respond to a text from you at the time his vehicle went off the road?”
“At that time?” Sally pursed her lips for a moment. “No.”
She dismissed Sally, and called Oscar León. The detective took the stand.
“You were working for Iwalani Johnson on behalf of her client, Sally, correct?”
“Correct.”
“During this investigation, police recovered a cell phone from your person. Whose cell phone was that?”
“Objection. The court has already ruled that the cell phone evidence was obtained legally.”
“Your honor, I don’t disagree with the court’s decision. However, I would like to explore how that evidence came to be seized.”
“Overruled,” the judge said. “Answer the question, Mr. León.”
“It was Sally’s phone.”
“And it was in your possession with her knowledge and permission?”
“I—”
“Answer the question, please.”
“No, Sally did not know I took her phone.”
“In essence, the phone the police took from you was actually stolen.”
Oscar half stood. “I am no thief!”
“Objection!”
“I’ll rephrase. The phone seized by the police was borrowed without consent, correct?”
Oscar sat back down, frowning at Kayla. “Correct.”
“Mr. León, you looked into my client’s background. Did you find any criminal record?”
“Sí. I am not at liberty to discuss such cases.”
“Okay, protecting your clients. That’s fine. As a seasoned investigator, did you come to believe that Elathan Blood was attempting murder?”
The prosecutor objected. “A private investigator is no
t obligated to answer questions about his cases.”
“Your honor, I’m not asking about the case. I’m asking his professional opinion.”
The judge nodded. “I’m going to allow it.”
Oscar’s eyes became slits. “No, I determined his motive was—”
Kayla held up a hand. “The no will suffice, Mr. León. You may step down.”
Blood saw the prosecutor adjust his comb-over, ready to redirect a question. But from Kayla’s posture, the man decided otherwise. The detective left the stand. Kayla commanded the courtroom, the jury’s eyes on her the whole time. With an expert witness, she dismissed the explosive trap, the breaking-and-entering. He almost felt sorry for the prosecutor. Almost.
“Defense calls Thorn.”
Kayla paced in front of the stand. “Thorn. Is that your first name, or last?”
He shrugged. “It’s the only one on my birth certificate.”
“You have quite a record with the local police, and before the prosecution objects, let me sum it up by asking if you like to fight.”
“Yep.”
“Do you fight often?”
“Whenever I can.” Thorn smiled.
“Have you ever lost a fight?”
He blew air through his lips in disbelief. “No.”
“My client is accused of attempting to kill you. Do you believe he could take you?”
“That old man?” Thorn snorted. “No fucking way.”
“Language, Mr. Thorn,” the judge warned.
“According to police testimony, you were forced by my client to dig you own grave. But you were never worried that he would kill you?”
“I think he was just trying to scare the shit out of me.”
The judge rapped his gavel. “Language! If I have to warn you again, Mr. Thorn, I’ll hold you in contempt.”
“Did he succeed in this, Mr. Thorn?”
Again, Thorn blew a puff of air between his lips. “No fu— No way.”
***
“Considering the state’s case has holes big enough to sail an aircraft carrier through, I think the jury has no other option than to agree with me.”
After Kayla’s closing statement, it took the jury less than half an hour to come back with a verdict. Not guilty. She stood up with Elathan, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.
“That doesn’t seem very professional, Counselor.”
She smiled at him. “After ripping the prosecution a new one like that? I’m not worried.”
“I would like to thank the jury for their service,” the judge said. “You are dismissed. Mr. Blood … you are free to go.”
Kayla slipped an arm around him. “You aren’t free to go anywhere, Mister.”
“Are you kidnapping me?”
“You haven’t made a criminal out of me yet.”
He shrugged. “I’ll work on it.” Elathan glanced at her forehead. “Headaches gone? The scar has.”
“No more headaches. I think I still have a long ways to go with my other half. I’m sure she’s happier now that we’ve met.”
“I’m happier, now that we’ve met.”
“Me, too.” Kayla couldn’t help but smile. “I’m just plain happy. And…”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “What?”
Her face colored. No, in fact, she glowed. Blood knew what she was going to say.
“We’re pregnant.”
Elathan pulled her in a hug. For all his failures, for all the wasted years, this felt like a second chance.
CREATED BY JUTOH - PLEASE REGISTER TO REMOVE THIS LINE
Thank you!
If you enjoyed my writing, I’d like to invite you to sign up for my email list and receive access to an exclusive wolf shifter eBook! You’ll also be first to know when I’ve released a new book!
>> Get your free book here <<
The Apex Shifter Complete Set: Books 1 - 3 Page 44
