He hadn’t thought of that. ‘I don’t know, Kitten. All I know is Zev better do something because I won’t stand by and just watch my family die. So he can track and watch Zander. I’ll go to Salvation if I have to, or Ozzy or Vili.’
“Fuck, I hadn’t even thought about the Ghaurdian.” Sighing, she rubbed her face with her hand. “I’ve met Ozzy a few times, Pops knows him. Anyone trying anything here would have to be insane with a house full of panthers and a demon.” Still, she didn’t like not knowing when it might come. “I’m just glad your back. I feel better with you here.”
He purred and licked her hand. ‘I’m glad to be home too. And yes, if they come here you can bet they will leave missing a limb or two and probably their man parts. Mom likes to go for the soft bits, as she calls them.’ Jared laughed through the link. ‘And anyone who messes with her grandbabies is gonna wish they were in Helheim with a red hot poker in their anus.’
Serra grimaced, because that was some imagery right there, even if it was true. Laughing, she stroked his face, loving being able to touch him. He hadn’t been gone long, but it sure as hell felt longer. “I think I’m going to like your Mom. Sorry about trying to, um, attack her.” She felt herself blush a little. “Not the first impression that I wanted to make.”
‘You did what she would have done. Almost. She would have attacked and asked questions later.’ He nipped her hand.
“Hey!” Laughing, she squished his paw with her toes. “I was dodging fire. Fire!” Finishing her coffee and setting the mug aside, she stretched out beside him, nipping the end of his nose before rubbing her face against his and purring. Turning her head to look into those teasing hazel eyes that she loved, she pinned her lower lip with her teeth. “I’ll do better with your dad.” She hoped.
Jared looked up at her, knowing that she hoped they’d like her. He didn’t care what they thought. She was his and no one’s opinion mattered. Not even his parents. ‘I know you will.’ He purred at her.
She lifted his paw, sliding her hand under the rough pad and smiling at the sharpness of his claws. Dropping it to her chest, she nuzzled his neck. “It’ll be fine.” She nodded with a teasing smile. “You’re stuck with me now.”
He kneaded her with his paw and purred. ‘It seems that way, but you may want to see if there is a loophole for us.’ He was enjoying the sun on his fur and her laying next to him. He’d learned the hard way to savor feeling at peace, even if only for this moment.
Pulling back to see his face, she kissed his nose with a smirk. “Tired of me already? Find your own damn loophole. I’m happy where I am.”
Jared shifted into human form and ghosted on boxers, rolling on top of her. “Is that so?” He raspberried her neck hard and pinned her hands down into the grass. “Whatcha gonna do about it huh?” He raspberried her again.
“Yeah, that’s so.” Her smirk became a laugh at the tickling. She couldn’t get away, not that she tried very hard. “Oh, I don’t know. This?” She laughed pinning his ear with her teeth. “Your move, panther.” She growled around his ear.
When her teeth pricked his ear, he purred and did the unthinkable. He licked and drooled on her face. As she squealed, he ghosted away from her, appearing half way across the yard. “What now, Kitten?” He laughed at her.
Pulling her shirt up to wipe her face on, she glared at him. “That’s just nasty!” Rolling up from the ground, she laughed, shifted and chased after him.
Jared took off running through the yard and around a big tree. Then he darted into the cub’s Playhouse, trying to hide from her.
Pacing back and forth outside the playhouse, her tail flicking for effect, she waited. ‘You can’t stay in there forever, Jared.’ She linked with him, trying to hide the shake of her laughter. Laying down in front of the door, she crossed her paws and lowered her head, staring at him.
He ghosted out and jumped on her, biting her ear. “Growls and stuff.”
Serra twisted and lunged up from under him to knock him off balance. Rolling on top of him, she nipped at his neck before she licked him furiously, purring.
“Girl germs!” He screamed and flailed.
She pulled her head back, tilted it to the side and watched him before collapsing in a laughing heap.
Jared pulled her tail a bit.
She swatted at him with a low growl, yanked her tail away and pounced again. Rolling onto her back and looking up at the sky, she purred and enjoyed feeling content.
Rubbing her belly, he laid next to her.
Serra turned her head and blinked at him, holding her eyes closed just a moment longer than necessary. ‘Love you Jared.’
He nuzzled her. “I love you too, Serra.”
Purring, she nuzzled him back. She hadn’t expected all of this, his being sweet and playful or that she would fall in love with him and his cubs. If she could, she wouldn’t change a thing.
“Are you hungry, baby?” He asked, still petting her.
Shifting back to human form, she rolled up to cup his face and kiss him. “Starving. I’m surprised the Cubs haven’t found us yet.” Ghosting on a pair of cut-offs and a tank top, she kissed him again before pushing herself to her feet and offering her hand.
Taking it, Jared let her pull him up. “I think Mom got them.” Sure enough, as they headed inside, the smell of pancakes, bacon, steak and eggs hit him.
“There you two are,” Frank said as Justice jumped into his lap.
“There is coffee brewing if you want some,” Brenda remarked when she saw them. “Jared Lee Morgan put some clothes on!” She barked.
Smirking up at Jared, Serra headed for the coffee maker for a refill, thanking the gods that she thought to ghost on some clothes before they came inside. Stepping back and out of the way, she leaned against the wall, watching the family together. This was not a bad way to start a morning.
“Sorry Mom.” He ghosted himself clothed and helped her with breakfast.
Serra grinned down at Theo who was climbing her leg. Reaching down, she pulled his claws loose and purred against his face as she crossed the room to join the family at the table.
Daniel dragged himself out of bed, hissing as the stretch chewed into his bruised and battered body. Sore didn’t scratch the surface of the dull throb that he felt bone deep. His ears twitched at the sounds coming from downstairs. He was so not in the mood to play this happy family shit. A growl rolled over his tongue. It was a lie and fuck it. He wasn’t going to play. His resolve to stay planted in what used to be his room, to wallow in his misery, died a brutal death when the smells of breakfast cooking, tackled him. Bacon. Fuck. Who could say no to bacon?
Shifting into his human form, one side of his mouth quirked up at the idea of going to the table naked. If he didn’t know for a fact that his grandmother would kill him, he’d do it. He already hurt enough, and he liked all of his parts where they were. Groaning, he ghosted on clean clothes, refusing to open the dresser drawers that Serra restocked every time that she did laundry. Everything inside was neatly folded and stunk of lavender. The maternal, Suzy Homemaker act was bullshit.
She needed to stop trying to play Mom. It was all right if she wanted to give it a shot with the twins, but it just pissed him off. He’d lived that nightmare once and had no urge to repeat it. Besides, she wasn’t much older than he was, for fuck sake. She’d been his friend once, and that just made all of this shit sting more. Hell, she’d even been his stupid kid crush for a while, starring in his childish daydreams, before she brushed him off and disappeared. The ones where a knockout of a female panther finally saw how fucked up he was and could love him anyway.
He made a face as he followed the stairs to the main floor. Right dream. Wrong panther. She sure as shit saw that in his Dad. His feet stalled just outside the kitchen and the buzz of conversation surrounded him. Daniel felt like he’d hit a wall. She was banging his Dad. His childhood crush was knocking boots with his old man, on the regular. He shuddered. Gross. Thank fuck he had headphones or he�
�d have stabbed a pen into his ears until he was deaf. No one needed to hear the sounds that came from their room at night. Fuck, it didn’t even have to be night! It was just one more reason that he couldn’t live here.
And the way she was looking at Jared, as Daniel watched from just outside the room. That was another. A constant reminder that she wasn’t the cold-hearted bitch that he wanted to believe that she was. Instead, she could love, but he hadn’t been good enough. He shook his head and began to back away. He could grab something to eat at The Pit and skip the BS. Yeah, that was a solid plan. He turned and began to slink back to his room.
“Daniel!” Brenda’s voice cut through the others. “I set a place for you. Come. Eat. The food is getting cold.”
His shoulders slumped. There was no escape. He knew that tone, and if he wasn’t careful, she’d twist his ear until he submitted. Closing his eyes for a moment, Daniel exhaled in a long sigh and turned back to walk to the kitchen and take the seat that she pointed to with the spatula in her hand. His stomach growled. The table was loaded. Eggs. French toast. Waffles. Meat. And did he mention the bacon?
“Eat.” Brenda waved the spatula at him again before turning back to whatever was sizzling in the frypan. “Jarred, get the boy some juice.”
Daniel watched with amusement as Brenda ordered his father around and the old man did as he was told.
“I’m glad that you’re back.” Serra offered him a small smile and passed him the OJ that Jared had set on the table beside her.
“I’m not staying.” He growled and ignored her hand and the juice until she sighed and lowered it to the table.
“Don’t growl at your stepmother, Daniel,” Frank said lowering the morning paper to eyeball his grandson. The paper rattled when Theo jumped on the crinkling paper.
“She’s not my mother.” He muttered under his breath and began filling his plate, ignoring Serra’s sigh. Well she wasn’t, and she never would be. They all needed to grasp that concept now and get the fuck over it. Justice jumped from Serra’s lap into his and stretched a paw toward his face like she was petting the air.
Purring at the cub, he ruffled the black fur on her head and wearily eyed the big ass Kanon demon that sat at the other end of the table, hoovering everything within reach. This shit was too fucking weird. Offering a chunk of breakfast ham to his little sister, he played out his plans for the day. Try to see Paula, if she didn’t slam the door in his face after what Zander had done. How the fuck was he going to explain that?
He sighed and closed his eyes for a second, using the technique that Ve had been trying to pound into him. Literally. And then to see that rat bastard for more of an ass kicking. It wasn’t often that a god with Ve’s street cred offered to train a ‘punk ass little snot,' Ve’s words, and Daniel sure as hell wasn’t going to pass it up. Not after what had just happened. It wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
Jared stood outside waiting on Brother Bear. “Peel yourself off the wolf. You promised to be here tonight.” He growled into the phone when it hit voicemail.
Brian groaned, and he looked at his phone. Kissing his mate again, he ghosted downstairs and growled as he listened to his voicemail. “I’m right here, Baggy. Get your panties out of a bunch.”
Jared looked at him. “They ain’t. I have none on. You thong wearing, fucker! Does Michelle know you’re a freak that will steal all her panties and give them to Dane?”
Brian smirked and rolled his eyes. “Fuck you too, Cat. I don’t wear thongs.”
"Sure you don't." Nodding, Jared headed inside. “I've got the pictures to prove it.”
“Oh really?” Brian followed the panther inside, shaking his head at Brandon. “Why the hell do you have pics of guys in thongs, Perv?” He ordered a bucket of beer. “What’s new, Cat?”
“Because I like dudes.”
Brian smirked and turned back to the bar. “Yeah, even I know better than that, brother mine.”
Jared laughed and slid onto an empty stool. “Nothing new, other than I have a demon on me!”
Brian's interest was piqued. “A demon? Like a Kanon demon? How did you manage that? Is that what had you away from your new family, as long as you were?”
Jared pulled up his shirt to show him Edge’s tattoo form. “It’s a long story, but I got myself bonded to him. His name is Edge. He’s so old that he makes Salvation look like a pimply ass tween. It’s quite the hot mess.”
Brian watched the tattoo shimmer. “Wow. Interesting. Hello, Edge.” He looked back up and pulled a beer from the bucket of ice, taking a drink. “I didn’t think there were any older than Sal. Damn Bagheera, what have you gotten yourself into?”
Jared let his shirt drop and groaned. “Fuck if I know. All I know is that it’s because of my parents and something about him watching over the cubs. Serra is scared that he’ll do something to hurt us. More the Cubs.”
Brian tilted his head. “Mamma cat, already?” He smiled. “She adores the Cubs, but why would she fear him? He’s protecting you. He wouldn’t harm them, right?”
“Well that’s supposed to be how it works, but you know my luck. And Serra almost took out my mother. So yeah. Mamma Cat isn’t the right word for her.”
Brian smirked and shook his head. “She’s protective. Trust takes time to build.”
Jared nodded and pulled a bottle from the bucket. “Yes, it does.”
Brian finished his beer and opened another. “So, how are the folks doing?”
Jared slammed his drink before answering. “Good.” He burped loudly, and people turned to look at them.
Brian smirked. “Feel better?”
Jared nodded getting another bottle. “Don’t act like you’ve got manners, Brother, I know better. Trashcan man!”
Brian grinned. “I do have them. Sometimes.” He laughed and took a drink. “So, did Edge live with your parents or is his meeting you as a result of something else?”
“He was with my parents.” Jared drank some of his beer. “Mom left your Christmas gifts at the house.”
Brian nodded. “I haven’t seen your mom and dad in a while, are they still in town? How are you dealing with everything Baggy?”
“They’re going back soon. I’m hanging in there.”
Brian nodded. “You’re a survivor, have been for as long as I’ve known you, Bro. You’ll figure it out, and things will settle, but if you need anything, I’ve got your back.”
Jared nodded, drinking his beer and thinking about it.
Brian finished his second beer and started on the third. “How are the Cubs?”
Jared pulled out his phone and showed him photos and a video of them. “Great. So how’s your mate? She hanging in there?”
Brian took the phone and flipped through the pics and chuckled at the video before handing it back to him. “They’re growing fast. Michelle’s dealing and doing well. We stopped by and saw Serra and the cubs while you were gone, so she got to meet them. How’s Daniel doing?”
Jared put his phone away. “He’s okay I think. He moved back in, but he’s been hiding out. Like I don’t know what he’s up to.”
“Have you tried to find him?”
“He’s been with Ve.”
Brian’s brow arched. “Ve? Odin's brother? Wow." Brian blinked and sipped his beer. What the hell was up with that? "He’ll come around when he’s ready.”
“Yes but still, it’s BS to hide from me.”
“I agree, but it’s not the first time he has done something like this and won’t be the last, either.”
“True.” He drained his beer. “But still.”
Brian nodded and sighed. “Yeah. I know.” He knew the past between those two all too well. It wasn’t either one’s fault, but they were the ones paying for it.
CHAPTER 14
It was a beautiful night. The moon was full, the sky was clear and the humidity had dropped just enough to make being outside desirable. Serra leaned her back against the brick facade of The Pit, her face turned up to take
in the night and the scents that she’d begun to think of as home. It was too nice to waste being cooped up inside after visiting Jared for dinner during his ten-hour shift inside the bar, dodging grabbing hands and trying to remember why chewing through a jugular or two wasn’t a good idea. Inhaling the subtle scent of night blooming jasmine and the spices used in the kitchen, Serra purred and decided to walk instead of ghosting home.
Pulling her hair free from the high ponytail, she shook it out and followed the alley until it dumped her onto the street that was still busy this late at night. Humming to herself, she stopped to appreciate a killer pair of kicks in the window display of her favorite local shoe store. Her brows shrugged together as a familiar voice that she couldn’t immediately place, drifted to her on the wind that fluttered her hair into her eyes. Pushing it back, she searched the area in the reflection of the street in the window.
Her heart skidded to a halt so suddenly that she could almost hear the screeching of locked up tires on pavement in her head. Serra stared into the glass and tried to remember how to breathe. The tiger leaned against one of the antique lamp posts, talking on his phone. She could feel his eyes on her like hands. An ice cold shiver sliced up her spine as she panicked. Her claws sprouted from the tips of her fingers, sinking into her palms and filling the air with the scent of her blood as it dripped on the ground while she fought to remain in human form. They’d found her. Serra did the only thing she could think of before her panther broke free and she mauled anyone that dared to come too close.
Not caring if anyone saw, she ghosted back to the dark house that she’d lived in before moving in with Jared. Her head was a jumble of what the fuck? Pacing through the empty halls and dark rooms, she didn’t need to turn on lights, needed them even less when she gave up and shifted into her panther form. Usually holding form wasn’t a problem, but right now the adrenaline coursing through her was kicking her ass and setting every muscle to vibrate. It sounded way better than it felt. Tension crowded around her heart so tightly that her chest ached and pulling in a deep breath was out of the question. Panting, she picked up the pace, her paws padding over the hardwoods at a jog. She needed to dump this feeling, or bad shit was going to happen. The only problem was that she didn’t know how. She couldn’t go home to Jared and the Cubs. Not like this.
The Mating (Black on Black, #1) Page 23
