by Terry Spear
“Hmm, I guess that works,” she said, tracing circles around one of his nipples. “I don’t have any other plans, and if we haven’t found my sister by then, or the shooter, then we’ll still be together.”
She hadn’t ever rung in the new year with a hot, deputy sheriff cougar. But she was thinking that if things worked out between them, she might even be staying on longer.
He pulled her into his arms and they snuggled then, like two big cats would. She didn’t need to worry about having any nightmares tonight, not when she would dream about running with the cougar.
Early the next morning, Nina’s phone dinged, startling her and she couldn’t believe she’d slept in so late with one hot cougar. She had a text message and she leaned over to her bedside table and picked up her phone to read it. Her heartbeat quickened when she saw the text was from her sister.
Quit following me, Nina! You’re going to get yourself killed. I can take care of myself. I don’t need your help. I’ll take care of this. Ava
Stryker glanced at her cell phone when Nina just stared at it and didn’t set the phone aside. Nina let out her breath in frustration. “I shouldn’t be irritated with her, because I’m supposed to be trying to see to her safety, but my sister really annoys me. I mean, I’m trying to look out for her, and she pulls this crap.”
Nina set her phone back on the bedside table, and Stryker pulled her back into his arms. “You’re the eldest, I take it.”
“By five minutes, yes.” Even though Stryker was trying to soothe her, she felt stiff in his arms and agitated.
“And you have all this Agency training, so you feel more prepared to take down the bad guys. Plus, you love your sister,” Stryker said.
“Right.”
“But she seems to have taken care of the other situation you were concerned about the last time you were here.”
“The police thought I was the one at fault!”
“Okay, I’m just saying maybe she can handle this on her own, in her own way.”
Even though Stryker was being reasonable about it, Nina didn’t want to hear it.
“Ava sounds resourceful, maybe not as highly trained as you, but will be able to handle herself just as well when faced with difficult issues. You can only do so much for other people and then you have to let them do for themselves.”
Now Nina knew Stryker was thinking of this in terms of reality and not allowing emotions to get the better of him. She sighed. “I know you’re right, but I keep feeling if something happens to her, like what happened to my parents, then I’ll be just as much at fault.”
“You were no more at fault for the tragedy that befell them than you are for whatever happens to your sister when she’s fighting you, when all you want to do is help her.”
“It’s because of what happened to our parents. She thinks I will only get her killed.”
“Are you sure that’s what she believes? Where was she when your parents died?”
“Out of country, in Mexico, having a blast with some cougar.” Nina couldn’t help being annoyed by that because Ava did as she pleased when Nina had always been the super responsible twin.
“Did she see your folks much? Help them out even while you were both growing up or after the two of you left home?”
“No. She was always doing what she shouldn’t, running with borderline rogue cougars. She was never home for the holidays, never there to help our parents when they needed anything. She’s an adrenaline junky and gets her thrills from doing risky ventures.”
Stryker didn’t comment for a moment.
Nina knew just what he was thinking. She folded her arms. “I’m not like that.”
“What about your job as an undercover agent? And now, chasing down the bad guys?”
She snorted. “That’s different. I’m doing some good for society.”
“Yet you get the same rush from it or you could just be working in a forensics lab.”
He was right, but she wasn’t going to admit it.
“So maybe she’s feeling a little guilty that she wasn’t there for them.”
“Maybe.” It was hard for Nina to believe her sister ever felt guilty about anything she did, but maybe she did.
“You were always there for your parents, except for that one time. You can look back to all those occasions you and your parents had good times. She can’t. And now it’s too late for her to make those memories.”
Nina brushed away tears.
Stryker took a deep breath and let it out. He unfolded her arms, and pulled her against his chest and ran his hand over her back in a soothing way. She hadn’t had anyone she could talk to about any of this ever. She used to talk to her parents about her sister, but when they were gone, it had been such a strain. She realized how important it was to talk about this now to someone who could not only sympathize, but straighten her out on misconceptions she might have.
“You know, my brother and I didn’t hit it off right away,” Stryker said.
“Really?” She’d watched the brothers interact, and they’d been cute, between the lighthearted ribbing, and when his older brother had been protective of Stryker with regard to her. She had just figured when Stryker had learned about Leyton, he would have been thrilled to have found his brother.
“Yeah. He’d taken Kate hostage after he’d been wounded on a job to eliminate a rogue cougar. Though what were any of us to think? The guy was wounded and stole Kate away. All of us were irate, dedicated to finding her and ending him. Of course, we didn’t know what was going on between the two of them in the meantime. We only worried about her safety.” He let out his breath. “I was kind of hoping Kate and I could get together.”
Nina slapped Stryker’s chest in a lighthearted way. “You’re not supposed to talk about past girlfriends while we’re in bed together. Naked.”
He chuckled. “It really wasn’t like that. I was interested, and she wasn’t. As friends, only. I’ve felt that way about a lot of women, truth be told. Like everyone else is mating someone, and I should be too. But the hotness factor hasn’t ever been there for me with any of the women. It’s more of a case of mutual respect and enjoying the she-cat’s company. With you, hell, I’m on fire. Aroused when I shouldn’t be. Forgetting my duty and thinking about you and only you. You turn my world upside down, woman, in a totally intriguing way.”
She smiled and licked his nipple.
“Yeah, like that.” And then he leaned her back against the bed and began kissing her, his leg over hers, possessing her.
And she was caught up in the lust-filled moment, thinking nothing more about her sister who wanted to do this on her own, and only about the time Nina had with Stryker, the glorious, mind-numbing, enthralling, sex-filled time she had with him. She realized she’d missed this in her life. And she didn’t want to miss it any longer.
Nina had thought going for a run with Stryker as a cougar first thing in the morning would have been fun, but when they finally woke after making love again, they hit the shower together, and then it was time for breakfast.
Over waffles, she asked, "What if that wasn't my sister's text?"
"Did it sound like her? Or like she was trying to convey a message that said she needed your help?"
"It sounded just like her."
They finished their waffles and then Stryker said, "I'll check the last trap and we can decide what to do after that."
She really didn't relish just sitting in the house waiting for the bad guy to show up, or her sister either. She recalled that was one of the things she hated in undercover work with the FBI was the waiting around she had to do.
"All right. I'll clean up the dishes," she said, which she much preferred, rather than checking out the skunks again. “And then you can give me your baby blanket to examine.”
“Okay.” He checked on his cell phone. “Looks like the big snow didn’t happen like they predicted.”
She looked at the weather report on his phone. “Nope, you’re right. Now the fron
t won’t be coming in until tonight. But you know how these things go.”
“Yep. They’ll say it’s coming at a certain time, and it will come ten hours early, or ten hours later.”
“Or just fizzle out and nothing happens at all.”
“That’s true too. I didn’t hear anything set off the traps last night, but I better check them.” He gave her a peck on the cheek, but she grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him against her.
“Just in case you get skunked again and we won’t be able to be around each other for a while.”
He smiled and kissed her then. “I’m taking you back in the shower with me and you can help wash me off.” He kissed her again, then released her, grabbed up his coat and yanked it on, winking at her before he headed outside.
She smiled. He was such a cougar.
She began putting the dishes in the dishwasher when she heard something. Like a thump outside, or well, she wasn’t sure what, but whatever it was, it made her wary all at once. Especially since she couldn’t see Stryker headed out to the cage and he should have been by now. Of course, it could be nothing, but with the problems they were having? She had to check it out.
She went to the back door and opened it and saw Stryker lying in the snow, unconscious. Her heart took a dive. Her immediate instinct was to run to him, check him out, and take care of him. Her Agency training took over though. She couldn’t help him if she ended up like him.
She ran to get her phone out of the kitchen and her gun from her purse. On the way to the door to help Stryker and before she could call Dan, her sister burst in through the door, gun pointed at her, and said, "Put them down. The gun and your phone."
For an instant, Nina just looked at her, slack-jawed. She thought they’d have problems with whoever was after Ava, not that they’d have trouble with her sister! "Are you out of your damn mind?" Nina put the gun on the kitchen table, as a gesture of compliance, and rushed past her sister and outside to see to Stryker, slipping her phone in her pocket. Hopefully, her sister wouldn’t remember about it.
"He's going to get you killed!" Ava ran outside after Nina, sounding like she really believed it.
"You could have killed him. He's a deputy sheriff, for God's sake. He’s one of the good guys! And he’s trying to help save your butt." Nina glowered up at her sister.
"You can't stay here, damn it, Nina. They're coming to get me, and they know they have to take you down now too."
She completely ignored anything Nina had said to her about Stryker trying to help her sister. Nina was trying to revive Stryker, but he was out cold. "Help me get him inside." She couldn’t leave him out in the frigid cold no matter what. He wasn’t wearing gloves or a hat and he could become hypothermic, if he even lived.
Ava was still pointing the gun in Nina's direction and Nina was so angry she could scream. "Put the damn gun away, Ava, and help me or I swear to God—"
"What? You're going to kill me? Over him? A lawman? Whatever good did they do us? I'm constantly wanted by the police, and I've never done anything wrong."
"You keep dating the crud of the earth, and they’re wanted. No wonder they think you’re involved. You’ve just assaulted a deputy sheriff who is trying to protect your ass. So, yeah, I’d say you’ve done something gravely wrong this time."
Ava stuck her gun into a holster under her coat, trudged through the snow, and took Stryker's other arm. They hauled him through the snow and into the house.
"Put the cuffs on him," Ava said.
"You're crazy, you know that? He's been trying to help us.” Nina couldn’t say it enough, but none of it seemed to be sinking in. Though she was surprised her sister seemed to want to “save” her, even if she was going about this all wrong. “The guy who’s after you shot at me in the ghost town of Anderson last night."
"I'm impressed you’d discovered I’d been there. Must be your FBI training. But see, here's the thing. They located me, or at least where I've been, and they found you. They know we're both in the area. Why do you think I wouldn't come here? They know about our aunt and uncle."
"You're here now."
"To save your ass."
Nina was hoping Stryker would come to before she cuffed him. She leaned down to hear his heartbeat thumping steadily, and she felt his pulse. It seemed fine. His breathing was steady. Come on, Stryker, wake up. Then again, she worried her sister might shoot him if he came to and acted in a threatening manner. Being a deputy sheriff, he would know how to deal with an unstable person, which her sister was right this moment, but still, Ava could react badly if she felt threatened and didn’t think she had any other choice.
"You said there is more than just the one man coming for you?" Nina asked, still feeling Stryker’s wrist, continuing to check his pulse as if it would suddenly stop on him.
"Yeah. Dr. Rudy Hayes hired his no-good cousins to kill me. Apparently, the one has done other jobs for him. Maybe the other too that I didn’t know about. Anyway, his cousin hasn't been able to catch up to me now and he told Rudy that there are two of us they have to rub out. So Judd said he needed the other cousin’s help. Rudy sent Louis to help with the job. He was the one shooting at you. They all have the last name of Hayes. Anyway, I dated Louis, so it really pisses me off that he's now out to kill me. Well, and you. He wasn't a bad date either. I'd hate to have to kill him, but I will if I have no other choice. Handcuff the cop, Nina. And hand over your phone and gun."
“My gun’s on the dining room table.” Nina cuffed Stryker, knowing if he wasn't hurt too badly, he could get out of the handcuffs without any problem like he did earlier. She purposely cuffed his hands in front so that it would be easier for him to remove them, considering his current condition.
Nina tossed her phone to her sister, and when Ava scowled and grabbed for it, Nina lunged for her, intending to take her down. And she did, but she hadn't expected Ava's next move. Ava yanked out a Taser gun from her coat pocket and zapped Nina. Feeling horrible pain, her muscles contracting throughout her body, Nina fell back against the floor, wanting to kill her sister all over again. Forget about the bad guys going after Ava.
Ava grabbed Nina's gun and phone, then shoved them in Nina's purse and threw the strap over her neck.
"Okay, we're going now." Ava grabbed Nina's arm and dragged her down the hall, grunting the whole way. "I swear you gained weight." She paused to take a breath, then continued to pull Nina to the garage. She opened the door and pulled her inside the garage.
Nina couldn't move a muscle. She couldn't tell her sister off or try and reason with her. She couldn't do a damn thing. Ava tied Nina’s wrists with a plastic tie, and then finally managed to get her into the back seat of her car. She closed the back car door and pushed the button to open the garage door.
Nina couldn't help worrying about Stryker. Not only about his medical condition. She knew if he'd been able to snap out of it, he would have rescued her. She was worried about the men coming after her and her sister and Stryker being unable to defend himself.
Ava got into the car and backed down the driveway.
When Nina finally felt more like herself, she managed to sit up in the back seat. She struggled to get her seatbelt on, worried Ava may be in some high-speed chase before long with the local law enforcement, if they learned someone had taken Nina hostage and injured Stryker.
"If those men go to the house and kill Stryker, you'll be an accessory to murder," Nina growled, hoping to talk some sense into her stubborn sister, though she was certain at this point, that was futile. "If we go back now, we can clear this up."
"Like hell we can. Didn't you hear me? Three men are coming for us. Who knows who else might show up. Rudy's got drug connections because of selling the pharmaceuticals to drug dealers. They don't want him going to prison because of me any more than Rudy does, for the cougar reason."
"So we call reinforcements and make a stand at the house. I never knew you to be scared of a fight. We don't go running our tails off all over the country, t
rying to stay out of the guy's reaches. We take them down. Here. Now. As soon as they show up. And you know he won’t quit coming after you."
Ava just kept driving, not answering her.
"Ava, listen to me. Everyone's here to help you. Don't you understand that?"
"You're wasting your breath."
"Ava! Let me out here. I'll shift and run back to the house."
"Don't you get it? I'm saving your life!"
"I was safer back there. Where are you taking me?" Nina couldn’t imagine any place they’d go that would be safe if it was just the two of them, particularly since Nina wasn’t in any shape to fight anyone else off right now. Not to mention her sister had her gun.
"Someplace safe. Just let me think."
So Ava didn’t even have a safe place to go? "I can fend for myself just fine," Nina said, furious. "We'd have dozens of guns and cougar teeth at our beck and call, damn it, Ava." She tried to wriggle out of the wrist tie, rubbing her wrists raw and not making any progress.
"The deputy sheriff was a cougar," Ava said.
"Yes! They all are cougars. They'll take these guys out! Some are with the Cougar Shifter Force. They take down rogue cougars. So does the sheriff's department. And another group take down people who are involved in the illegal trafficking of wildlife."
Ava didn’t say anything for a moment as if she was considering changing her mind. "They'll arrest me for knocking out the deputy."
"Not if I talk to him about it."
Ava glanced at the rearview mirror, tears filling her eyes. "You feel something for the guy?"
Ava must have realized something was going on between Nina and Stryker, but she’d been so bent on taking Nina away from their aunt and uncle’s house, it hadn’t dawned on her.
But, yeah, a whole hell of a lot, and Nina was even thinking of where this could go with them, if things worked out. Like a mating and a wedding, but she didn't think Ava would be her bridesmaid after this.
"Omigod, you do." Ava frowned and wiped away tears. "I came to save you before they killed you. It's my turn this time."
