by Jane Jamison
Kit jerked Joy closer to the cage. She grunted as she shoved Joy against the bars. “Here you go, fellas. You had a visitor.” She clicked a pair of handcuffs to Joy’s wrist then wrapped the chain around the short steel length that bound the cuffs together. “Actually, she came snooping around the other day, but I managed to run her off. At least, I thought I had. Still, I had a feeling she’d show up again.” She looked up at John and the others. “Back away, guys. Do it or I take your disobedience out on her.”
“Turn her loose, Kit, or I swear, I’ll…”
Kit laughed at John. “Or you’ll do what?” She whipped a strand of extra chain against the bars, making the men step back. “You’ll shift and tear me apart? Oh, don’t even try to deny it. I can see how much you want to kill me.” She pretended confusion. “But, wait. You can’t, can you?” Evil came back to claim her expression. “Because you’re in there and I’m out here.”
She laughed again as she wrapped the end of the chain around the bars then put on a lock to secure it. “It seems your sister isn’t any brighter than you are because she came back. She waited until I went to work and then snuck into the house. Stupid girl. I knew she’d come back, so I let her think I was going to work.”
“Let her go, Kit. She doesn’t deserve any of this.” John ached, ready to beg to save his sister’s life.
“I guess she’ll be what they call collateral damage. Oh, well. She should’ve stayed away.” Kit snickered. “I’ll bet you can imagine what she saw when she walked into the study, right, guys? I just wish I could’ve seen the look on her face when she saw you four on the monitor. Damn. I should’ve put up a camera in there to catch her reaction. Were you talking while she was watching you? When I came in and found her I don’t think you were talking, but then I was a little preoccupied with whacking her on the head to notice.”
“You asshole. Why are you doing this to us? To her?” Charlie still had a hand on John.
“Oh, come on, Charlie. You know why. I’ve told you enough times, haven’t I?” She put a finger to her lips. “Or have I? Damn, I’m too young to be this forgetful.” Satisfied that Joy was restrained, Kit backed away. Immediately, John rushed to get as close to Joy as he could.
“Enlighten me again.” Sarcasm dripped from his tone.
John reached through the bars and touched Joy’s cheek. She was definitely breathing stronger now, and her face was getting some of its color back. “Joy, it’s John. Wake up. Please, sis, wake up.”
Kit put a palm over her heart. “Aw, isn’t that sweet?”
“Why are you doing this?” demanded Charlie yet again.
The softness, albeit insincere, that had been on her face a moment ago was gone, hardened by a monstrous glare. “Because I’m fucking tired of men treating me like I’m nothing. I’m fucking tired of coming in second place. You know what I’m talking about. I’m always the bridesmaid, the best friend, but never the bride or the woman the man loves.”
“We’ve all been rejected,” interjected Win. “But we don’t go locking people up. Especially people who haven’t hurt you.”
Kit’s anger grew, transforming her face into an awful mask. “Bullshit. You hurt me. I knew you were going to break up with me, so I beat you to it. I’m sick of men. And worse, you’re not even totally human any longer. You’re a bunch of fucking animals. Can you even feel like a man? Or have your feelings become those of a beast?”
John rested against the cage, his hand holding Joy’s, his will urging her to open her eyes. He looked up and met Kit’s gaze. “You put us inside a cage, but we’re not the real beasts. You’re the animal, Kit.”
“Don’t you call me a fucking animal. You’re fucking cats. Men who aren’t really men any longer.” She stalked to a pile of hay and snatched up the pitchfork. Striding over to Joy, she held the pitchfork high, its deadly prongs pointed toward Joy’s chest.
“No, don’t!” shouted John as he leapt to his feet. “Don’t hurt her.” He pushed his body against the bars, doing his best to reach through them and grab the pitchfork. “Hurt me, Kit. Joy hasn’t done anything wrong.”
Kit held her pose, keeping the pitchfork just out of John’s reach. Tears streamed down her angry face. “I’m sick and tired of men. I can’t make all the men who hurt me pay, but I can hurt you four.”
“But we didn’t mean to hurt you, Kit.” Charlie eased closer. “None of us hurt you like—”
John shot him a glare along with Win and Mars. From his stunned expression, Charlie hadn’t meant to go that far. He’d slipped up.
“None of you hurt me like Mason Hartley did. That’s what you were going to say, wasn’t it?” Kit still held the pitchfork over Joy.
John dropped to his knees, pressed his body against the cage, and tried to put his hands between the pointed tines and his sister’s chest. “Wake up, Joy. Please.”
“Mason didn’t mean to hurt you, either,” said Win in a soft, comforting voice. “He couldn’t help that he didn’t love you anymore than you can make someone love you.”
Her face crumpled. She closed her eyes and regained her composure. “Mason and his brothers will pay later. But I have to be clever, don’t you see? Killing you guys first will make it less likely that anyone will blame me. Then I’ll kill another set of werelion brothers to further take attention away from me. Besides, no one will ever think that sweet, little Kit is the killer. Once I’ve gotten rid of the next guys, once no one is looking my way, I’ll go after the Hartley men and finally make them pay. True revenge takes time.”
John kept his focus on Joy. He saw the flutter of her eyelashes, giving him hope that she would wake soon. Until then, he needed to get Kit out of the barn. He didn’t want her there when Joy realized what had happened to her. “Go away, Kit.” He glared at her. “Leave us alone. There’s nothing we can do, so just leave us alone.”
Kit’s smile was all evil. “Well, I really should be getting to work. Your sister’s made me very late.” She bent down and patted Joy on the cheek. “I was going to feed you before I left, but now I don’t have time.” Standing, she strode toward the barn door before turning back around. “Hey, John?”
His answer was a glare that, if he’d had his way, would’ve torn Kit apart.
“But if you do get hungry, you can always change into a big pussy cat and eat your sister.” Her cackle laugh floated on the air to taunt him as she walked out of the barn.
* * * *
Joy woke up with a pain at the back of her head. She moaned then tried to touch her head. Instead, another pain came from around her wrist. “Ow.”
“Take it easy, sis. You’re okay.”
John.
She sucked in a breath and opened her eyes to find her brother—her lovable, funny, alive—brother looking at her with relief. “John? Are you okay?”
He chuckled. “For now. Let me help you up.”
She jerked her arms, stunned to see that her hands were cuffed and then chained to the cage. “What’s going on? What happened?” Realization came quickly. “Kit.”
“Yeah. She knew what you were going to do and set you up.” He tugged her body closer to the cage. “Damn it, Joy. I’m so sorry I got you into this mess.”
Three men stood behind John as he sat on the ground just on the inside of the cage. They looked at her with compassion and worry.
“Joy, these are my friends.” John nodded toward one of two men who had black hair. “That’s Charlie Mesa. Next to him is his brother, Win Mesa.”
“And I’m Mars Mesa,” said the third man with the blond hair. His hair had been dyed, and the roots were turning dark. “I wish we could’ve met under different circumstances.”
She liked his smile. Considering the conditions they were in, his smile was comforting. “What’s going on, John? Why is Kit doing this to you? To them?”
“She’s crazy,” answered Charlie. “It has something to do with how men have treated her, and she’s making us pay for the price for their sins.”
> “But that’s—” She stopped, realizing she was only repeating what he’d said.
“Yeah, it is.” John shook his head. “We’ve tried to get out, but we can’t. Sis, you never should’ve come looking for me.”
“You knew I would. We’re a team, right? We always have been and we always will be.”
“You’re definitely a tight brother and sister.” Mars held up his hands, palms out. “Not that that’s a bad thing.”
She looked to John, seeking silent consent to tell them. “We got pretty close while we were growing up. Especially since we’re twins. Then we grew even closer after our folks died.”
“Twins, huh?” asked Win. “I was wondering about that. John mentioned once that you shared a birthday. But he didn’t say anything about you two being twins. I guess I just never put it together.”
“Fraternal twins,” clarified John. He squeezed her hand. “We’re going to find a way out of this. I promise you we will.”
“You bet we will.” She had to be optimistic. If she gave up hope, then Kit would win. She grimaced at the steel cutting into her wrists. “This really sucks.”
“Put your weight on the bars and try not to jerk your arms or move your hands quickly.”
“I’m trying, John.” She tested different ways to move, seeing how far she could go before hurting. It wasn’t much, but soon she had developed an understanding of how best to move. “How did she get all four of you in a cage? She had to have had help.”
“She did. She paid some drifters or other scumbags after knocking us out with drugs. We woke up inside this damn cage.”
“Do you think whoever helped her will tell someone?” Surely, one of those men would talk, brag, or grow a conscience.
“Don’t count on it. I’m sure she enlisted the lowliest of the low. Even if they talked, I doubt anyone would believe them.” John paused then went on slowly, as though he didn’t really want to tell her what he was thinking. “Either she paid them enough for them to keep their mouths shut or—” His voice drifted off.
“Or she killed them?” A chill ran down her spine.
“From what we’ve seen from her lately, I’d think that’s very likely,” added Mars.
“What are we going to do?” She hadn’t meant to sound so down, but she couldn’t help it. Four men hadn’t been able to get away from Kit. How could she possibly get free?
“I don’t know, sis.” John put his hand over hers. “I just don’t know.”
* * * *
All I need is a bowl of popcorn, thought Kit.
She’d already started getting over her anger by the time she’d made it inside the house and sat in front of the monitor. Granted, having to haul Joy into the barn hadn’t been easy, but then again, she was a woman of strong mind and sound body. Every inch she’d had to drag her had been well worth it when she’d seen the men’s reactions. Since then, she’d check on her captives every hour or so. Every time she’d looked, she found them entertaining to watch.
“Poor John,” she quipped as she watched John put his hand over his sister’s, trying to comfort her. “He finally talks the guys into changing him, and then he gets locked up before he can enjoy being a lion. Then, to add injury to insult, his stupid sister has to show up and get herself chained up. Poor, poor John.”
Kit sat back, her attention fixed on the monitor. Maybe she should have a little fun with Joy and the boys. Maybe she could goad them into changing and “out” John for his sister to see. And then, if she really wanted to have some fun, she could force Joy into the cage to see what might happen. Could she goad them into changing and attacking Joy?
“But, nah, they won’t hurt her. Damn.” She’d found out enough about shifters to know that, even while in their lion’s body, they still retained their human memories. They’d resist their beasts’ urges to kill.
If only I’d known back then what I do now.
She’d been so gullible when she’d followed Mason to Lonesome. Even after living on the Hartley ranch, she’d been blissfully unaware of what most of the town’s citizens were.
Shifters. Who would’ve thought they actually existed?
She sure hadn’t. At least, not until one of the men she’d dated had accidentally shifted. Naturally, she’d been terrified at first, but she’d soon realized he wouldn’t hurt her. Instead, he’d been afraid of her leaving town and telling the world that shifters existed. She’d assured him time and again that she’d keep his secret. And she would. Besides, who’d believe her without actually seeing a werelion change?
Maybe I should take one of the men to Dallas and then call the media. She’d thought about doing just that more than once, but she hadn’t been able to figure out a way to make the man change once the cameras were rolling.
She leaned closer to the monitor. What if she took John and Joy to Dallas? Would John change if she whispered in his ear, telling him that if he didn’t shift, she’d kill Joy? Excitement bubbled up, but was quickly squashed. Her idea wouldn’t work. John would know she wouldn’t kill Joy. Not when he could then tell the media what she’d done. Still, it was a fun idea.
There had to be a way around that little problem.
She’d figure it out. After all, she was smart. Very smart.
Wait. What’s going on?
She leaned closer, putting her face only a foot from the monitor. She studied first Charlie’s expression then Win’s then Mars’. At first, she grew angry. Then, she smiled.
She knew that expression well, even though she’d never had it directed at her. But it was unmistakable.
“Damn. That was fast.”
They wanted her. And it was more than simply wanting her physically. Or merely as men. Their animals wanted her, too.
She sat back, suddenly happier than ever. “Hot damn. Things are getting really entertaining now.”
Chapter Five
“She’s the one.” For the first time since waking up inside the cage, Mars felt happy, excited.
“We don’t know that,” argued Charlie. Yet his soft smile betrayed his true feelings.
“Maybe you don’t, but I sure as hell do.” Win shifted from one foot to the other. “Tell me you don’t feel drawn to her. Tell me you don’t want her. Hell, even stuck in this fucking cage, I can feel it.”
Mars looked to his older brother. “Come on, Charlie. Don’t try and hold back. She’s ours.”
He started to object, but couldn’t. “She could be. But what can we do about it while we’re locked up? Not to mention that her brother is here with us.”
“Or that Kit’s probably watching us right now. If we show any interest in Joy, Kit might decide to take it out on her.”
“She won’t. So far, she hasn’t hurt any women.” Mars hoped what he said was true. “I know Kit’s gone off the deep end, but I have to believe she still has some good left inside her. She won’t hurt Joy.”
But what if he was wrong?
“I say we try to hold back.” Win swallowed then let out a hard breath. “I don’t know if that’s possible. My lion’s already going crazy.”
“What if we give her The Allure?” asked Mars.
“What good would that do?” Charlie shot a glance at Joy. “It’s not like she’s going anywhere.”
“I don’t know. To keep her interested.” Then an idea occurred to him. “Like I said, I can’t see Kit hurting Joy, but what if she decides to fuck us over in a worse way?”
“I don’t follow,” said Win.
“Me, either.” Charlie’s frown grew deeper.
“What if she decides to bring in another werelion and forces him to give her The Allure?”
“Oh, come on. How likely is that to happen?” Yet doubt sparked in Win’s eyes.
“How likely is it that a petite woman like Kit could pull off locking up four werelions?” Mars couldn’t have said why he was so worried, but he was.
“No. We do our best to keep our distance from her. Don’t show any interest in her. Don’t give Kit
any ammunition.” He shoved his hands into his pockets as though that was the only way to keep his hands off Joy. “It’s the only way to keep her safe.”
Mars studied his brothers and saw the amber in their eyes signaling that their beasts were rising. He saw the way they worked their jaws, gritting to keep control. His lion was doing its best to rise to the surface, too, as it demanded he claim her as his mate. As their mate. But they had to do what was best for Joy. “Okay. We keep away from her.”
His lion roared, telling him he was fighting a losing battle.
* * * *
I am out of my mind.
Joy rested against the bars. Hours had passed since Kit had gone. She was hungry and thirsty. The men had to be even more so.
Yet something else was gnawing at her insides. Something that was both terrifying and invigorating.
How the hell am I getting turned on while I’m chained up? That’s just plain crazy.
Yet she couldn’t deny it. Every time she looked at the Mesa brothers, the heat between her legs grew hotter. It just didn’t make sense. They were sexy men, but she’d seen sexy men before. Sure, maybe not as sexy as them, but that didn’t explain her aching need to touch them, to stroke them, to lick them. Doing her best not to let her libido run wild, she kept looking to John to help calm her down. But John had retreated to the other side of the cage and had, blissfully, fallen asleep.
“Joy.”
Even the way Charlie said her name sent a flash of lust through her. “Uh-huh.”
He smiled. “Nothing.” His expression grew bashful, a sweet contradiction to the masculinity oozing off his body. “I just wanted to say your name.”
“Oh.” The heat inside her flared even hotter.
He knelt beside her, facing her, his shoulder not more than a couple of inches from hers. “We’re going to be okay.”
He was only telling her what he thought she wanted to hear like most men would. It didn’t make what he’d said any less true. “I know,” she lied.
“This is going to sound kind of weird, but I need to ask you a question.”
