by Ashley Shay
“So are you.” Carly arched her eyebrow and looked pointedly toward his cock.
Shane chuckled. “We aren’t talking about me right now.”
“I am.” Carly placed her hands on his waist and turned toward him.
He nodded. “I guess we are.”
* * * *
The eagle cocked its head, its keen ears listening to every word the humans spoke. Viper would be happy to know his informant had been correct. Its mission over, the eagle could have flown away from this cloying and nauseating scene, but it remained perched in the oak tree, gripping the sturdy limbs with strong talons. Viper had warned him the woman might sense him nearby, but he hadn’t yet discovered how or why, despite questioning some of their scientists. Still, Viper was convinced she had a special ability that homed in on their kind.
At this distance, though, it would be safe enough. Talon knew the human woman couldn’t recognize him for a shifter unless he flew closer, which he had no intention of doing. In the meantime, the view of the woman wasn’t half-bad from his lofty perch. He’d had worse scouting assignments.
Talon knew he couldn’t stay too long though. Cattail had too many guards and intruder-detection sensors for it to be completely safe. That fucking Cougar had done his fucking job well. Even though it was risky, Talon wanted to stay for as long as he could chance it. He wanted them to get comfortable with his presence because, if things didn’t go according to plans, he would be bringing them a visitor in a few days.
With a thrust of his powerful legs, he launched himself from the tree. Spreading strong wings, he soared into the sky and circled the bucolic scene. He might be a bad guy, but he had to admit this ranch was a beauty, and so was the woman. If everything worked out, he thought he might approach Viper for a slight reward. Maybe he’d be willing to share a piece of this land, or better yet, a couple nights with this Carly Barnes.
Below him, in the crystalline stream, the humans looked like they were beginning to mate. He’d like to stay around for the show, but Viper would pluck his feathers if he fucked up this assignment. The snake could be a brutal son of a bitch. Some said he had no conscience at all. Talon wasn’t sure about that, but he wasn’t willing to find out. He still had no idea what had happened to his brother, Raptor, but he wasn’t about to bring up that particular topic again. His left wing was still fucked up.
With one final lingering look, Talon lifted into the sky and headed east.
* * * *
She lay before him like a beautiful gift.
Shane dropped down on his knees in the soft, mossy grass. “Let me taste you, Carly.” He put his hands on her hips and drew her close, nuzzling his face in the damp triangle of hair that covered her pussy. Her scent excited him to the point he trembled, and he wondered if he would be able to control his need for her. As the alpha, Tyler had the right to mate with Carly first. He would mark her for family, and she would become their mate for life. But, damn, Shane thought it would be hard not to take her when he unleashed his inner beast to the passion.
Carly put her hands on his head and guided him into her moistness. He groaned softly in appreciation, running his hands between her legs to spread them apart a bit farther. She willingly obeyed his unspoken command and shuffled her feet so they were a comfortable distance apart.
Shane ran his tongue along the lips of her pussy, tasting the spicy tang of her that, from this moment, would forever be embedded in his feline memory. From this point on, he would know her by her scent, and her taste would linger in his mind like the memory of a rare vintage wine. With a connoisseur’s patience, he licked and kissed her smooth skin, trying to hold his desires to a controllable level. It wouldn’t do to get carried away and nip her, so he traced her visible skin without pushing inside to lap at the creamy essence of her arousal. That taste would test the limits of his control. With each stroke of his tongue, he made sure to sweep across the swollen bud of her clit. Each time he touched that bundle of sensitized nerves, she shuddered and lifted higher. She moaned softly as he nibbled and sucked her, each moment leading her closer into an orgasm.
Her fingers tightened on his head, and her legs were trembling. She was almost there. With an inner chuckle, he buried his tongue between her folds, pushed his face tightly against the lips of her pussy, and purred, a deep, throaty cougar purr that vibrated through her until she gave a strangled scream. She spasmed against his mouth as she released her climax. He felt the orgasm move through her body with the rumble and power of a tremor beneath the earth. The orgasm swelled through her torso and spread to her limbs, tightening her muscles and causing her body to buck up tighter against his mouth.
When she finished, they lay together on the warm mossy grass, holding one another as the sun baked down upon them.
“How did you do that?” Carly’s eyes were as blue as the summer sky as she looked at him.
Shane pushed a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and smiled at her, pretending he didn’t know what she meant. “Do what in particular, darlin’?”
She blushed prettily but went ahead with her question. “That…that…purring thing you did? It was incredible.” She shook her head as if words couldn’t describe it.
Shane gave another playful purr, and she shivered. He knew that purr would be forever ingrained in her memory and would always serve as a call to pleasure, a call to him.
“Do it again,” she whispered.
Damn if it wasn’t working already.
* * * *
“Mating?” Viper asked with smirk. “It didn’t take the Lucas brothers long to claim her.”
Talon dipped his head once in a birdlike nod. “Yeah, they were at it when I left. I didn’t stick around long enough to draw attention to myself.”
“You did well.” Viper’s hooded eyes fastened on Talon’s shoulder. “How’s your wing?”
Talon blanched at the reference, taking a stumbling step back as any prey might from a snake. “Fine, it’s okay, Viper. Good as new.” Unconsciously, he rubbed at the shoulder one of Viper’s previous outbursts had dislocated.
“I regret our little misunderstanding the last time we met.” Viper hissed a silky apology, watching the eagle squirm uncomfortably at his insincere words. He could smell fear on the raptor, and he struggled to hide a smile. “You will be suitably compensated for your work today.”
Talon wisely kept his beak shut and waited.
Viper settled bonelessly in a nearby chair and steepled his hands together, looking out into the distance at nothing in particular. “Did you see Rosa?”
“Earlier this morning. She was with the kid.”
Viper narrowed his eyes. Yes, indeed, he and the Lucas brothers seemed inextricably tied by their women. Rosa loved that child as if she were her own. With a hiss of frustration, Viper focused his thoughts on Carla Barnhart. Anything else was nothing more than a distraction. One he couldn’t afford right now. He would deal with his sister and the child later.
“Can you get an assassin into the ranch?”
“Yeah, but only once,” Talon said. “Cougar hired a contractor and has set up enough magic barriers to protect Hogwarts.”
Viper raised one eyebrow. “Hogwarts?”
Talon broke out into a sweat. “Nothing, it’s nothing. Just a book I read. A kid’s book. It was about a wizard. This kid, a—”
“Enough.” With one word, Viper stopped Talon’s nervous rambling. “All I require is that you get me onto the inner ranch. Can you do that?”
“I can fly you in as if you’re my meal and drop you from the fence post.” Talon squinted his eyes shut. Ah, the man knew him so well. He expected reprisal for the idea of handling him so crudely. To torture his minion, Viper let him wait for a moment then offered a low chuckle. Talon cautiously lifted one eyelid.
“Excellent.” Viper watched his henchman visibly relax. “I will eliminate the new Miss Barnes then fulfill my contract on the senator. After that, I’ll pay Rosa a visit. We have some catching up to do. In the me
antime, keep an eye on things.”
* * * *
When she settled under crisp, sweet-smelling sheets that night, Carly lay staring toward the open French door leading to her private balcony. The moon cast a few errant rays across the ceramic tile, allowing her to see the shadows of nocturnal creatures taking advantage of the cool evening. One seemed particularly large as it drifted in the air above the balcony. She wondered vaguely what sort of bird would cast a shadow that large. Surely not an owl.
As she listened to the sounds of bullfrogs calling to their mates from the small pond near the house and smelled the sweet scent of night-blooming jasmine, she thought back over her day. She couldn’t have imagined a more perfect one. Carly Barnes had the most fabulous life.
She’d returned from her ride with Shane feeling vibrantly alive and energized, ready to tackle the world. Even hours after Shane had left her side, she could feel his hands on her skin and his tongue on her clit. Her pussy ached every time his image flitted through her mind. She thought she should probably regret her interlude with the middle brother, but even after some deep soul-searching, she couldn’t find regret or remorse of any kind inside herself. All she felt inside was a warmth and attraction as deep as she could possibly imagine. Shane Lucas was a near-perfect example of what a man should be—an attentive lover, a wonderful role model for a child, and a good man. At their return to the barn, she’d watched him interact with some of the ranch hands and saw the respect and loyalty in their eyes.
She’d allowed Suzie a half hour of pool time right after lunch. Afterward, they’d settled into the kitchen to go over some basic lessons disguised as play. Carly had no idea how far the child had progressed with her last tutor. Apparently the little girl had managed to scare her off after three weeks, and the woman hadn’t left notes of any kind. The brothers were no help. They had no idea what Suzie did with her tutor. Carly intended to make sure Tyler was kept apprised of Suzie’s progress, good or bad.
Carly gave Suzie a little basket and told her to go “shopping.” Suzie wandered around the kitchen, going from the refrigerator to the pantry to the storage closet, perusing and selecting items. When she’d finished, she sorted everything on the table according to like items then counted each stack. When they’d moved from math to reading, it was obvious to Carly that Suzie loved the feel of the storybook in her hand. She even managed to read most of the pages without help of any kind. Just as Carly had expected, Suzie was far ahead of most children in her age group.
While they went over lessons, three of the Lucas brothers kept a steady parade in and out of the house, all with lame excuses for being there. Carly found it a bit distracting, but she was also flattered. They didn’t come in to check on Suzie, or even check on Carly’s teaching style. They just leaned against the counter, holding a forgotten glass of water, and stared at her. Carly was grateful for the cool air circling through the kitchen. Without it, she was sure their gazes would have scorched her. In the late afternoon, right before they stopped lessons for the day, even Cougar came into the kitchen. He watched her for a few moments, his dark-green eyes roaming over her body and leaving a trail of heat before he vanished without a word.
Suzie seemed oblivious to all the activity around her. When the child was occupied and engaged, she became entranced in her schoolwork. Carly had never seen such a young child so clearly eager to learn. After dinner, Carly caught Tyler in his study and gave him an evaluation of Suzie’s aptitude. He listened, obviously stunned at her assessment. “And she did everything you asked willingly? Without a problem of any kind?”
Carly had laughed. “Of course. She’s a wonderful little girl. Very cooperative. Very bright.”
Tyler had shaken his head then peered at her, an obvious question forming in his head, though he seemed reluctant to say it. He ran his hand through his hair and finally said, “Nothing unusual happened? Nothing at all?”
“Not unless you call a five-year-old reading at a second-grade level unusual.”
He heaved a sigh then sank deeper in his chair. “Well, I’m…glad to hear that. Surprised, but glad.”
Now, staring at the gauzy curtains fluttering in a small breeze, Carly was almost glad she had come upon poor Mr. Haney’s assassination plot. There was nowhere else she’d rather be. Cattail Ranch, and the four men who lived here, offered her more promise than she’d ever had in her life.
She found herself drifting off, remembering the feel of Shane’s lips but also thinking of how Tyler’s hands had swept through his mane of golden hair. She wanted to run her own hands through it. Maybe tomorrow she’d do just that…
As her eyes closed, she wondered again what sort of creature had cast the large shadow she’d seen on the tiles. She made a mental note to ask one of the brothers in the morning.
Chapter Nine
I feel like I belong here. This is my home, already. Carly looked around her in wonder as she emerged from the steamy bathroom. I can't believe I've only been here two weeks. She felt she had accomplished so much in such a short time, and she found she didn't miss her old life at all. It seemed she had waited all her life to be here in Catamount, Texas living at Cattail Ranch with the gorgeous Lucas brothers.
Carly had spent the last two weeks settling into her new life, evaluating Suzie’s aptitude for various subjects, and flirting with the Lucas brothers. She’d never been much of a flirt, and when she wondered why, she realized it was because she’d never been surrounded by the caliber of man that inspired her to want to flirt. But the Lucas brothers, with their thick blond manes, the sleek movements of their muscular yet lean bodies, and their piercing green eyes, inspired her to want to do many things. None of them suitable for a child’s nanny.
Luckily, she wasn’t a nanny twenty-four hours a day. The men only expected her to tutor Suzie for half the day and provide several more hours of supervised playtime for her. The rest of Suzie’s day and evening was split between the men and Rosa.
Carly wasn’t sure how she felt about Rosa. The woman had been cool over the last few weeks but never anything but courteous, and Carly had been unable to pin her down for any kind of real chat. When she arrived in late afternoon to take charge of Suzie, the little girl eagerly grasped her hand, and the two of them vanished to the pool, the stables, or Suzie’s playhouse. As yet, Carly hadn’t been asked to join them inside the beautiful little house near the pool, but every day she hoped she came a little closer to getting the invitation.
The cool temperature of the bedroom caught her off guard. She shivered and opened the French door to allow a bit of warmer air inside.
She dropped her damp towel to the floor and began searching through her drawers for a loose and comfortable nightie to wear to bed. Once again, she bemoaned her lack of sexier lingerie and determined she’d make some online purchases with her first paycheck. She’d already spent several hours combing through websites, studying the vast array of thongs and garter belts, demi bras and corsets. Half the fun was guessing which item would appeal to each brother. She couldn’t wait to make her purchases and then wistfully dream of showing off each piece.
She pulled a gauzy cotton nightshirt out of the drawer, shrugged into it, and as she buttoned it up, she noticed a dark shadow slither over the ceramic tile on the balcony. She took two steps outside onto the balcony and hovered at the edge of moonlight, holding her breath as she waited for another shadow to pass. When she caught a glimpse of it, she tilted her face upward and spun in a circle, trying to focus on a streak of movement high above. She gripped the railing for support, trying to home in on what might be flying overhead.
At that moment, she heard a sound below, a low rumbling that vibrated in her chest and caused a shiver to skitter down her spine. The timbre and rolling resonance reminded her of the purr of cat, but by the strength of the sound, it had to be a very large cat. The sound probably should have probably frightened her, but it didn’t. She felt a warmth infuse her entire body, rolling out from her heart to spread through her li
mbs. She leaned over the railing filled with a yearning she couldn’t understand, but she knew one thing.
She needed to get to the sound. And she needed to get to it now.
* * * *
Tyler pulled himself out of the pool. The run hadn’t managed to reduce any of the tension he’d accumulated over the last few weeks. His new nanny was playing havoc with his senses, his body, and his beast. The cougar inside wanted to claim her, but the man resisted. Carly Barnes was no ordinary mate prospect. Had she been a cougar, the deed would have already been done. Shifters found no reason to prolong the inevitable, but humans were different. Human women had to be courted, wooed, and treated with affection and respect until they were ready to accept both the concept of shifters and the prospect of mating with one.
So every night he’d gone for a run. The cougar inside him loved the freedom and the exhilaration of both the night and the hunt. Tyler didn’t always allow a kill, but tonight, he’d allowed his cougar a taste of the hunt to soothe the savage beast into waiting a bit longer for what it truly wanted—its mate.
Naked and dripping puddles onto the flagstones, Tyler dropped into a chair at the edge of the pool. He grabbed his cell phone from the table and scrolled for the number he wanted. The call was answered on the first ring.
“Ty. I expected your call days ago.”
“Why’s that, Gabe?”
“Well, it occurred to me after I dropped that little package off, things might get a bit heated.”
Tyler grunted and leaned his head back against the chair. “Heated? Is that what you’d call it? My beast’s been driving me to just take her, human or not. My cock’s been so hard for two weeks I could use it for a baseball bat. You could have warned me.”
“I really didn’t know myself until I’d spent some time with her. She kind of grows on you, doesn’t she?”
