by Dana Archer
“Nobody.”
Josh straightened. “What do you mean? We’ve always had two of you in the woods. One patrolling. One sitting and watching the house.”
“Zach’s on his way over. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”
“And that’s a few minutes too long.” Josh moved toward the door. “I’ll go sit outside and keep an eye on the woods.”
Kade grabbed his arm. “No, you won’t.”
“Why? Because I’m human?”
“Yes. I’m sorry if that hurts your pride, but it’s a fact you can’t change. You will never be faster or stronger than a shifter. Jon might be old by shifter standards, but he’d still gut you with one swipe of his claw.”
“I held my own against Devin.”
“You held your own against a male who was fighting the influence of his cats. If he’d given in to them immediately, you wouldn’t have even landed the first punch.”
“Fine. I won’t leave the front porch, and I’ll yell if I see something. I won’t move an inch off my seat.”
Kade crossed his arms over his chest. “No.”
“Son of a bi—” Josh clamped his mouth shut and glanced at the hallway.
Josh’s parents, Mira, and the kids shuffled in from the kitchen with bags of chips.
Jazz laid her hand on Josh’s arm. “Come on. Help me pick a movie for the kids.”
“Sure. Might as well. Doesn’t look like I’m good for anything else.”
Josh picked the first one. With nothing else to do but worry, she sat on the arm of the sofa to watch an animated flick she’d seen dozens of times. The opening scene played. Singing filled the room, but her gaze kept straying to the door.
Kade motioned her over.
“Rafe loves you. That is why he’s so desperate to take out Jon. He doesn’t want to risk losing you to him. Nor does he want to spend the next several decades looking over his shoulder, waiting for Jon to die of old age.”
“Rafe told you he loves me?”
A lopsided smile spread on Kade’s face. “No, but I know my twin.” He rested his hand over his heart. “We’re connected. I feel his devotion to you. It’s a first for him.”
Jazz glanced over her shoulder at where Josh sat. “Hasn’t Rafe ever been in love?”
“There are many types of love. Once you’ve lived a few centuries, you’ll realize that. Rafe has been infatuated with women. Lusted after them. Cared for them. Never has he loved. It wasn’t for lack of available women.” Kade shook his head. “Many single shifter fathers have paraded their daughters before him, hoping to entice my twin into choosing one of them as his mate. Rafe refused to even kiss any of them, let alone mate them.”
She was glad but couldn’t help asking, “Why?”
“There aren’t that many Royals. We just don’t reproduce well. It takes four conceptions to occur at once in order for a Royal to be born. So the female who snags one of us is prized and gets the social boost mating into royalty brings. And if the single shifter female can convince her Royal mate to soul-bond with her, she’ll have immortality.”
Kade’s annoyed tone suggested he didn’t like the constant female attention either. Honestly, if she had men interested in her only for what they could gain by being with her, she’d be irritated too.
“And that’s what the single shifters ultimately want. Immortality?”
He shook his head. “Not all. Many are content with their fate. They live several centuries, die, and are then reborn to do it over again. For those who screw up the first time around, the promise of another try isn’t so bad. I wouldn’t mind a do-over.”
“A do-over?” She smiled. “I think I like you Kade.”
Kade squeezed her hand. “And I like you, Jazz.” He released her. “I’m going to go sit on the porch. I think I’ve watched this movie five times already. Besides, Josh is right. Somebody should be outside until Zach gets here. You’re safe with Mira. Devin might be protective of her, but she’s more vicious than many males I know.”
Josh jumped from the couch as Kade reached the front door. “Wait for me.”
Kade peered over his shoulder. “You’re coming too?”
“Yeah, unless it’s not safe for me sitting mere feet from the Alexander pride leader.”
Kade flung the door open. “Let’s go.”
She grinned at Josh’s eagerness to escape the musical torture session. Josh might love her boys, but he’d never been a big fan of television or cute kid shows. It’d be fun watching him adjust to living with Megan.
Jazz made her way back to the couch, but Seth hopped from his spot on the floor and headed toward the kitchen.
“Hey, kiddo, where you going?”
“Need a soda,” he called out.
Her heart skipped a beat. She ran after him and grabbed his arm before he opened the fridge door.
“You know the rules, Seth. If you’re not in your room, you stay with an adult.”
He groaned and rolled his eyes. “But Mom, I’m only getting a soda.”
She swept her arm dramatically to encompass the room. “And where is the adult in here to watch you?”
He dropped his gaze. “I’m sorry.”
She gave him a quick hug. “I know this is hard. We only have to do this a little while longer. Just until the bad guy is caught.”
He glanced at her through strands of brown hair that had fallen over one eye. “I’m tired of being in the house. I want to go outside and play.”
She hated keeping them cooped up too. Kids needed to run, to burn off energy. “I know. Soon. Okay?”
“Okay, Mom.”
She ruffled his hair, then opened the fridge. “Orange or cola?”
He didn’t answer.
“Seth?”
He stood at the patio door with his hands cupped to the glass.
“What do you see?”
Seth slid the door open and stepped onto the deck without responding. Her throat squeezed tight. She ran after him. Mist was falling. She slid across the wet boards but made it down the steps and grabbed him.
“Seth, where do you think you’re going?” She hated raising her voice but fear drove her temper. Instead of waiting for an answer, she tugged him to the steps. “Back inside, young man. It’s too dangerous out here.”
Seth pointed with a trembling hand. “Peggy Sue.”
Jazz looked in the direction he indicated. Peggy Sue, who was supposed to be with another neighbor, was limping toward them through the woods. The older dog stumbled, and Jazz gasped.
“Peggy Sue.” Seth wiggled out of her arms and took off.
“Seth, no!”
She followed and slipped on the wet leaves. Her knees hit the ground. Something sharp pressed into her skin. She yelped. Jazz pushed to her feet. Pain radiated through her leg. She ignored it and ran forward, following Seth into the shaded area but skidded to a stop after only a few feet.
Jon held Seth flush to his chest with a hand wrapped around Seth’s neck. Seth’s wide-eyed gaze was locked on to her, while Jon’s leering one perused her body.
She curled her fingers, wishing she could unleash claws. She wanted to rip Jon’s neck out for daring to put his hands on Seth.
“Hey there, sweet thing. I’ve been waiting for my chance to get you alone.”
“Let him go,” she ordered.
Jon tightened his grip on Seth’s throat, and Seth whimpered.
Jazz stepped forward. “Don’t do it, Jon. It’s me you want, not the boy.”
Snarls came from behind her. She risked a quick peek and found an enraged lion crouched, huge fangs bared. Kade, she assumed, but it didn’t matter which shifter stood behind her. He was one of the good guys. A wolf approached behind Jon. She’d never felt so relieved in her life to be surrounded by predators.
“See? Did you really think we’d be without protection? Let the child go, and you can have me.”
“No. He’s my brat. I’ll do anything I want with the kid, including selling his ass.” Jon
gave Seth a little shake. “Or kill him. That’ll anger his mom good. She’ll regret leaving me then.”
That was what this was about? He wanted to punish Nina for escaping?
Rafe, where are you? I don’t know how to stop Jon. Her hands shook, and her eyes burned. She was going to fail her son.
“Trust your instincts.” Nina’s words repeated in Jazz’s head.
Yes, she’d do that, but it wasn’t her gut feelings she was going to put her faith in. It was Rafe’s. He’d save them. She had to believe that. He just needed time to get here.
“You came looking for Nina, is that it?” Jazz asked to keep Jon talking.
“No. Seeing these little shits at the old human’s place was an unexpected find. Maybe the goddesses haven’t forsaken me. Now I can get my female back, along with the girl.”
“What girl? Megan?”
Jon shook his head. “Molly.”
But he hadn’t known how to find her. That was why he didn’t go after Megan following the fire and why he’d strung Cindy along. Jon had wanted information. Jazz’s thoughts felt right. Why else play games with them?
“Why Molly?”
“She’s our only success. The doctors want to study her. Repeat their experiment with others.”
Jazz stepped forward at the same time as Xander, in his wolf form, crouched, readying for an attack. “She’s a child. You can’t—”
Jon looked over his shoulder at Xander. “You move, the kid dies. I’ll rip his head off.” Jon tightened his grip on Seth’s neck as if to prove his point. Blood dripped down Seth’s throat.
Xander froze.
Jon faced Jazz. “Enough games. Tell me where Nina is, and when I get to my car, I’ll let the boy go.”
“Don’t you want to know how to find Molly?”
“Nope. Cindy was nice enough to leave those pictures she sent you on her phone for me to forward on. Kid won’t do me any good anyway. I’m already mated. So tell me where to find Nina”—he held Seth up as if he were a prize—“and you can keep our boy.”
“Why should I tell you anything? I don’t believe you’ll let the child go. You’ll hurt him the minute you get to your car or try to run with him.”
Jon shrugged. “And? You’ll still have the other one. This one’s broken anyway.”
Her heart raced. “Broken? What are you talking about?”
He lifted Seth and stared into his face. “How many cats do you have, kid?”
Seth whimpered but didn’t answer. Jon bared his fangs, and Seth blurted, “Three.”
“Yeah? How many can you shift into?”
Seth shook his head, and more blood ran down his skin.
“Answer me!” Jon yelled.
“Two,” Seth sobbed.
Jon met Jazz’s gaze. “See? Kid’s broken.”
Two animals? Seth always talked about all three. He’d described them in detail and had even commented on their personalities. But…but she’d only ever seen him shift into his tiger or his jaguar. Never his lion.
“Oh god.” She pressed a hand to her stomach. How had she missed that?
“Tell me where my mate is, and we’ll call this even. You took two of my kids. I killed two of your friends. We’ll both go on our merry way.”
Murdering Tony and Cindy most certainly did not make it even. Instead of saying that, she nodded. “Okay, but not until we get to your car.”
He held out his hand, and the growls coming from behind her increased. Kade obviously didn’t approve of her plan. What was she supposed to do? She needed to get Seth away from Jon. The man was clearly unstable or desperate to get his mate back. Both options left him unpredictable. Neither was acceptable, not while he held Jazz’s son in his grasp.
Jazz laid her hand in Jon’s palm. He squeezed her fingers, tearing a scream from her as pain shot up her arm, then yanked her against him. Seth squeaked and fell to the ground.
She didn’t get the chance to see if he was okay. Jon dug claws into her stomach. She cried out, but he clamped his other hand over her mouth, stifling the scream. With the hand digging into her belly, he lifted her and tossed her over his shoulder. Her breath whooshed out. Agony whipped through her.
He hooked his arm over her thighs and ran. Each step he took radiated more piercing pain through her.
Seth’s crying carried over the snarls of the cats. She lifted her head. Josh held him against his chest. Kade—in his lion form—stepped next to Seth.
A wave of relief swept through her. Seth was safe.
Kade chuffed. She met his eyes. He flicked his gaze to the left then back to her. It was her only warning.
A roar rang out. Something rammed into Jon. She fell. More agony ripped into her belly, but she turned her head, desperate to see what was going on.
The scene playing out before her tore a strangled gasp from her throat. She pressed against the sharp sting in her chest. Wetness met her fingers. Blood. A lot of blood. It drenched her hand. She was hurt. Badly. The thought came easily, then skittered away. Her concern focused on the man she loved, not on her injuries.
Two lions fought in a brutal, fast fight she could barely follow. She kept her gaze locked on the black-maned one she knew was Rafe. He rose on his hind legs to meet the other cat’s snapping lunge. Rafe was taller. In this case, the extra height left him open for Jon’s attack, but Rafe countered it before she could scream a warning. He bared huge fangs and bit Jon’s shoulder. Jon rammed his head into Rafe’s chest, and they rolled before Rafe knocked Jon off.
Rafe was no longer the comforting male she’d snuggled with the night before. He was vicious—an enraged predator protecting his family.
He snarled and lunged at Jon but missed when the smaller lion rolled toward her. Fur brushed her leg, and the tuft of hair on his tail smacked against her arm. He snarled at her but never got the chance to bite. Rafe dug his claws into Jon’s flank and yanked him away from her. Jon didn’t stay down, though. He hopped to his feet and swayed.
He was hurt but wasn’t giving up. There was a crazed look in his eyes. He reminded her of how some druggies fought. Pain never registered in their brains the way it did for other people. They thought they were stronger. Invincible.
Until they crashed.
Rafe planted his body between where she was sprawled on the ground and Jon. Another cat, a white tiger with blue-gray stripes, came up on her left and Mira—in her jaguar form—approached on Jazz’s right.
Jon flicked his gaze between her protectors. He lowered the front of his body and leapt the same time Rafe did. Their bodies smacked. Their claws tore at each other’s flanks, but Rafe was obviously the stronger lion. He pushed Jon back, then clamped his mouth over Jon’s neck. She closed her eyes and tried to block out the horrible sounds.
Finally, silence descended. She pried open her eyelids. The branches above her head gave her a dappled view of the gray sky. After a moment, a black-maned lion came into view. The lion faded and the face of the man she loved stared down at her. His image wavered. She blinked. It didn’t help. Fuzziness distorted his sharp cheekbones.
“Rafe, you’re alive,” she mumbled. Or at least she thought she spoke. She couldn’t seem to get in enough air.
His lips moved, but she didn’t hear what he said. She opened her mouth to ask him to repeat himself, but blackness swept over her vision and took him away.
Chapter 36
Rafe stared at the blood running in rivulets from the slashes marring Jasmine’s stomach. More blood dripped from the four punctures at the base of her rib cage.
On a Royal, the wounds would’ve closed within seconds. Even on a single shifter, the flow of blood would’ve slowed. But on Jasmine, neither had happened. Blood soaked the ground beneath her.
He let revenge come before her just as she’d accused him of doing.
He allowed the guilt to consume him for a heartbeat before pushing it away. Jasmine needed him. He wouldn’t fail her. Never would he put his wants before her, no matter how he rational
ized it. If she questioned him, he’d listen and hear her. Not tell her how things would play out. That was if he had a future with his mate.
The others gathered around. He ignored them and turned his attention to Jasmine, where it should’ve been in the first place. An erratic heartbeat and shallow breathing reached him, not what he wanted to hear, but it meant she still lived. He had time to save her.
Using a sharpened nail, he tore her shirt and lowered his head to her stomach, licking the wounds to slow the staunch of blood. It didn’t seal them—that would take more than a couple of swipes of his tongue—but it helped.
As he tended the gashes, he heard Seth screaming for his mother. His voice faded, someone likely taking him back to the house. But the child’s plea cut at his heart. If he didn’t get through to Jasmine, not only would Rafe lose the woman he loved, Seth and Levi would lose their mother.
Rafe knelt over her prone body. “Jasmine.”
She didn’t stir. His animal spirits whined, their anxiety adding to his. He smacked her cheek in an effort to rouse her.
“Wake up, beautiful,” he yelled.
No response. True terror gripped him. His heart pounded hard. He couldn’t lose Jasmine. She was his everything—his mate, his love, his life.
He tore open his wrist and pressed it to her lips. She didn’t drink his healing blood. It dribbled over her chin.
Rafe pressed kisses to her face. “Jasmine, don’t you dare die on me. Wake up!”
She didn’t stir but her brows creased.
“That’s right. Come on, love. Open those gorgeous eyes. Let me see you. Know you’re still with me. I need you.”
The movement behind her eyelids quickened, her lashes fluttering before lifting. Pain hazed the gray, making her orbs unfocused, but he’d never been happier to see anyone’s eyes.
He leaned close and captured her gaze. She had to be aware. To know what was happening before he walked through her soul.
“I’m going to mate you, Jasmine. Do you understand? Tie our souls—you, me, and our cats. We can’t wait.”
