by Tia Didmon
Victor huffed. “They should have brought weapons. This will be too easy. Take them out.”
Three men went out the door with their weapons raised. One remained guarding the door.
The shooting started immediately. Jane felt every sharp blast as a blade in her heart. She knew Brock was close and whether he or any family member died. It would be on her. She tried to connect with her cat, pushing her animal to open its eyes. To give her something. Hope.
The shooting stopped as abruptly as it started.
Victor nodded to the guard at the door.
The man clicked his mic. “Report.”
Static crackled through the warehouse.
Victor’s eyes narrowed. “Ask again.”
The man was about to speak again when a deep growl vibrated in the room. The guard turned as the coyote jumped at his throat. The man screamed as a second growl echoed behind them. This one affected every fibre of her body. Her soul. Her cat struggled to open its eyes.
Her mate had one thing in its eyes. Victor’s death. He saw it too. He pulled a knife and snapped it to her throat.
“Don’t come any closer Cascade or she dies.” She picked up the lie in his voice.
She sent a picture to her cat, needing to shift. Her animal tried but was paralyzed by the serum she had been given. She gave Jane the only thing she could. The image in her mind a clear beacon surrounded by haze.
Jane felt her claws spring from her fingers. She slashed Victor’s thigh, rolling away as the knife cut her throat.
Brock jumped at Victor as soon as she was free. She held her throat as blood seeped between her fingers.
Her mate was fast. His muscles flexed under his fur as he slashed Victors other leg, taking him to the ground.
Victor pulled a weapon but Brock was too close. He swatted in away then bit into Victor’s arm, breaking it quickly before jumping back.
Victor had a knife in his other hand, it swung in an arc, catching Brock on the shoulder before the cat jumped away again.
The shallow cut healed instantly. Brock’s low growl echoed in Jane’s ears before he attacked Victor head on.
Victor stabbed Brock in the side but nothing could stop her enraged mate. He bit down on Victor’s windpipe, suffocating him in seconds. The last twitch of death brought her morbid satisfaction.
She pulled her hand away from her throat as her mate shifted. His mouth dripped with Victor Danov’s blood.
Jane hugged her mate. The hard muscles of his body were a comfort against her sensitive skin. She swallowed, trying to focus. “We need to warn Talen. I don’t know if there’s more of them but...”
Brock kissed her temple. “It’s okay. Ari warned us about the soldiers. This was all of them.”
“You took them out so fast.” Her cat’s pride reflected in her voice.
Brock smiled. “As much as I love the admiration in your voice. I had a lot of help. Ryan knew a way in through the back of this building and Sarah took out two of the men before we could attack the others.”
“Sarah tracked with you?”
“No, she came up behind us. She is over a thousand feet away. Devon is with her. Talen sent them shortly after we left to retrieve you. After Ari called him.”
“I’m sure glad Sarah is on our side. Even Kevin is wary of her. I still don’t understand why Ari is helping us though. Everything I know about him, although not a lot, says he’s loyal to Kevin. Or at least to Kevin’s money.”
Brock nodded. “Talen asked him the same question. He said he made Miss Eden a promise.”
Jane frowned. “He never made me any promises.”
“You aren’t the only Miss Eden. In fact, your sister is going to have sole possession of that name soon.”
Jane looked up at her blood-stained mate. “Can we discuss this at home when I’m not drugged.”
Brock startled. “He drugged you?”
“Yes.”
“That fucker!”
Jane eyes settled on her mate. She felt Brock’s strong arms hold her upright, basking in his warmth and his love. “I need to sit down for a moment.”
Brock sat where they were, pulling her into his lap.
Ryan emerged from a rear room in the compound. He was wearing jeans and handed a pair to Brock. “I assumed you would be walking back.”
Brock frowned. “You expected him to drug her?”
Ryan nodded. “It’s what Razel did to Aiden to stop him from shifting.”
“Thanks man,” Brock said.
Jane was unsure about the look of pain on Ryan’s face. “You aren’t going anywhere, are you?”
Ryan’s eyebrows scrunched. “I don’t understand.”
“I mean Carla. She is really attached to you. In her current state, losing you would be...”
Ryan held up a hand. “I know how she feels about me. Her mind is racing to catch up to her body. A man like me doesn’t deserve the devotion of a little sister and a shifter never gets a gift like this. I would die before I hurt her.”
“You dying, is what would hurt her,” Jane warned.
“I understand. I will be... careful.”
Jane nodded. “Thank you, Ryan. For everything.”
Ryan nodded looking uncomfortable with her praise. “I told Racheal I would grab a sample from one of the soldiers. We have some syringes in the back.” He walked away.
She looked back at Brock. “I want to go home now.”
Brock pulled her to her feet. Once he was sure she was steady on her feet, he put on his jeans and led her out of the compound.
They walked at a slow pace flanked by the cougars and one coyote. As they crested the hill to Brock’s house, they were met by Judd in his bear form.
He gave a nod and bumped the couple with his large body as he walked by.
Jane grabbed his fur laughing.
“Stop flirting with my mate, Judd.” Brock snapped in mock anger.
Jane kissed the bear’s head then followed her mate to their home.
Jane woke to the sound of birds chirping in the crisp morning air. She attempted to stretch but Brock was pressed against her back with his hard cock resting between her butt cheeks. The covers rustled as his hand moved up her stomach to cup her breast. “How long have you been awake?”
She could hear the smile in his voice. “A few hours. It’s almost noon.”
Jane turned. “What? Where is Carla?”
“She spent the night at Devon and Racheal’s. Racheal wanted to monitor her during the night but she is fine. Carla and Ryan are out running right now.”
Jane laughed. “Poor Ryan, she makes his coyote run for miles every day.”
“Are you kidding? Ryan says his coyote has never been happier. Honestly, Jane, I think Ryan needs Carla as much as she needs him.”
“She adores him. Want’s to be like him.”
Brock sighed. “She isn’t a coyote, Jane.”
“How do you know for sure?”
“Racheal says she is slowly going through the transformation. Although her scent is off, she believes it’s a feline.”
“You think she’s a cougar?”
“Yes, but she was given multiple DNA strands so Racheal believes her body will take time to purge the DNA she doesn’t need.”
“I allowed my sister to be a lab rat,” she whispered.
“You saved her and yourself despite impossible odds.”
She turned on her side facing him. “I had you to help me.”
“And you always will.”
She ran her hand over the soft beard of his jaw. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you but I will spend the rest of my life proving to you how much I love you.”
Brock’s growl was low. Sexy. “I can’t express what you saying those words mean to me but I am more than willing to show you.”
Jane’s heartbeat spiked. “Is that so?”
Brock rolled on top of her. He cupped her face with her hands. “I need to taste you. Every morning I want to wake up with yo
u on my lips.”
Jane tried to look serious. “That sounds like quite a hardship.”
Brock kissed her. Intense heat poured through her. That was his gift. He could turn her body from placid to a fiery paradise in seconds. She gave him everything. Wanting to return the love and complete devotion she felt with every moment she spent with him.
He nipped her neck as he made his way to her breast. Slow flicks and circles around her nipples had her arching her back, straining for a sane thought. “I thought you wanted to kiss me,” she panted.
Brock kissed her belly button. “You misunderstand. I said I wanted to taste you... every morning.”
Jane moaned as his lips slipped through the slick lips of her pussy. “Brock.”
“I need this, Jane. You moaning my name, begging me to make you come. I need the sweet cream only you can provide.”
He devoured her. Every inch of her body seemed connected to her clit as he sucked and licked her into a quivering mass teetering on the edge of pleasure. She clutched the soft sheets that chafed her sensitized skin.
“Please,” she begged.
He rose over her, kneeling between her thighs as he pressed into her.
She felt the electric fire of his hard invasion. There was no give. No place to hide from the overwhelming sensations pulsing through her body. She didn’t try. She gave in to the storm, curling her legs around his as he pumped into her with long eager thrusts.
It didn’t take long for him to put her over the edge. He intensified his pace, going deeper, pumping harder until she screamed his name, taking him with her.
He held her while she brought her breathing under control. She couldn’t help admiring the man in her arms.
“You keep looking at me like that and we will never get out of this bed,” he said.
She laughed. “That isn’t much of a threat.”
He kissed her again with sweet reverence.
“I look at you like this because I truly love you and that’s something, I never thought I would have. Thank you,” she said.
“You’re everything to me.”
Jane batted her eyelashes. “You had something you wanted to ask me?” she said slyly.
Brock smiled. “Miss Jane Eden, will you do me the courtesy of becoming my wife?”
She felt her animal’s pride and love mingle with her own. “Yes. I will.”
Brock’s eyes flickered. “Good because I have no plans on letting you out of this bed.”
Epilogue
Jane entered Talon’s House with Brock behind her.
Lucy met them at the door and hugged them both though her expanding tummy made it difficult. She rubbed her belly. “I told Talen if I get any larger, I will give up walking and just roll everywhere.”
Jane laughed, shaking her head. “You look beautiful.”
Lucy waved her hand dismissively. Talen tells me that too but I’m pretty sure he’s biased.”
Brock chuckled. “Although I try to disagree with my brother on principle alone. I have to agree with him on this. You are glowing.”
Lucy pointed a finger at Brock while looking at Jane. “Don’t let them fool you, Jane. They are all smiles and sexiness but it’s all to make you forget you haven’t seen your feet in three months.”
Talen’s arms circled his wife from behind, his hands skimmed her tummy. “You aren’t making disparaging remarks about your amazing husband, are you?”
Lucy looked up at her mate. Her devotion shone on her face. “No, just telling them all the wonderful things you do for me.” She winked at Jane while Brock covered his mouth and turned away.
Talen laughed. “Yeah, I bet...”
Devon opened the door with Racheal in tow. Their serious faces had Talen and Brock concerned immediately. “What’s wrong?” Talen demanded.
Racheal held up her hands. “Everything is fine now. We just had an... anomaly.”
“What kind of anomaly?’
Racheal glanced at Devon. “Your mother somehow... went into a false heat.”
“What? She is three hundred years old. She hasn’t had a heat in over a century!” Talen yelled. “Sorry Racheal. Do you know what caused it?”
“I haven’t tested her yet. Your parents just returned to their human forms and went to bed.”
Jane’s mind jolted. “I forgot what Victor told me. I was drugged.”
Talen looked at Jane. “What did he say.”
“He said the soldiers needed mates to survive, shifter mates. He said he even dosed the mother.”
Racheal sucked in a breath. “She must have been given some kind of agent to induce mating,”
Talen rubbed his forehead hard. “Those fucking test-tube shifter wannabes are looking to steal our women. Mate my mother.” His eyes flamed amber. “They’re dead.” He looked at Racheal getting his anger under control. “Is she, are my parents alright?”
Racheal coughed lightly. “They are fine. They are healthy so a marathon of sex isn’t detrimental to their health. I get the impression they are fairly active in that area, anyway.”
Talen nodded. “Of course. They’re a mated pair. Only the mating cycle ceases not the physical need for one’s mate.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe they were after my mother. She can’t reproduce anymore.”
Racheal sighed, “These soldiers are going to die if they don’t find a solution. I don’t think that reproduction is a deciding factor. Your mother may be aging normally now but she appears to be a beautiful woman in her early forties. They may not know what is involved in a true mating. They obviously think they can induce it. Every shifter female is at risk, including Marie.”
I think we need to increase security at the lair. Brock can you send a message to Dash. I think we should get him home for a while.”
Jane looked at Brock, “Who’s Dash?”
“One of my Brothers. I assumed you had files on all of us.”
“The file Kevin gave me had information on you, Talen and Hunter only.”
Brock looked at Talen. “Devon never left the lair, but we assumed Razel had told Kevin about him. Maybe Kevin doesn’t have as much information as we think.”
Talen cocked his head, “Perhaps we can feed him some false info as well. Get Garrett to see what he can do.”
“Will do.”
Jane glanced at Brock. “I have some idea’s about how you can disrupt some of Kevin’s more lucrative business arrangements.”
Talen’s eyes went up. “I would be very interested in making Kevin Kallan’s life difficult.”
“Kevin’s most profitable businesses are not legal but he operates successfully because it is well known he keeps his word. I think it’s about time his acquaintances realize his word isn’t what they think it is.”
Brock rubbed his chin. “You want to expose the information we found about him putting business associates in financial peril so he can swoop in and save them.”
“Among other things. Yes.”
Talen smiled. “I like the way you think, Eden.”
Brock rolled his eyes. “You know she is going to be a Cascade soon.”
Talen took on an expression of mock surprise. “I didn’t know you set a date.”
Lucy laughed. “Stop teasing Brock.”
Talen hugged Jane. “I’m looking forward to your idea’s concerning Kevin Kallan but for now, enjoy some time with your sister. You deserve it.”
He led Lucy away, whispering in her ear.
Jane turned to her mate. “This is it. This is really my life now?”
Brock pulled her close, kissing her gently. “This is where you belong.”
Jane stared at the man she loved. “Kevin said you weren’t my mate but even though he believed what he was saying, deep down I knew it was a lie. You’re mine and I belong wherever you are.”
“You will have a long life, Jane. And I will be there to ensure it’s full of love, laughter and family.”
Jane smiled slyly. “I like the idea of a family of our ow
n.”
Brock’s eyes blazed. “Then we should start right now.”
Jane let the fire of her mate’s kiss consume her. She knew it would always be this way, and she looked forward to every fiery moment.
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Tia Didmon writes exotic paranormal romance and is happily married with three kids and one fur baby. While she calls Vancouver Island, Canada home. She loves to travel and can usually find a zipline along the way. She loves to connect with her readers as well as share her favorite meme’s. You can check those out on her Facebook page or Instagram.
