“So stubborn,” he mumbled, unable to suppress the smile that pulled on his lips.
A soft breeze stirred the air, bringing with it a new scent.
The lion inside him growled in warning, and a chill went down his back.
Something was wrong. He scanned the street and froze. An unmarked black van with tinted windows pulled away from curb where it had been parked. He’d been so focused on Kiera that he hadn’t noticed it.
His stomach cramped when the van rumbled down the long row of old Victorian houses, then turned in the direction Kiera and Balor had headed.
“Shit.” He sprinted off the porch, onto the street, catching sight of the van rounding the next corner. He raced after it, his heart lurching in his throat when he heard the tires squeal.
He turned the second corner as three men jumped from the van. Kiera screamed when one of them grabbed for her. Balor leapt at the man, sinking his teeth into his forearm. With inhuman strength, the man tossed the dog across the yard, like a ragdoll.
Fuck, he was still too far away. Kiera continued to kick and scream. One of the men grabbed her by the hair and backhanded her hard across the face. She staggered and her knees gave out on her.
Jacob’s blood pounded in his ears and a roar of rage tore from his lips.
The men turned and drew their weapons, dark eyes flashing yellow.
Wolves.
What the fuck did they want with Kiera?
“Stay where you are, or we shoot.” The oldest of the three men cocked his gun and smirked.
Wolves had no regard for Therian rules. They’d shoot him if they had to, instead of fighting fist to fist, or animal to animal.
Cowards.
“Let her go and I may let you live,” Jacob growled.
The man had the nerve to laugh. “Your funeral.”
Jacob’s lion crouched with predatory intent, willing him to let it loose. His fingers clenched, the nails dug into his palm, piercing his skin.
There was only one thing he could do–he shifted.
Chapter 7
Kiera stood, paralyzed with fear.
Jacob let out a terrifying roar. His clothes tore from his body as he shifted, his limbs distorting in odd angles. Golden fur appeared where tanned skin had been, and his perfectly sculpted features elongated into a terrifying snout. It happened so quickly that, if she’d blinked, she would have missed the transformation.
In animal form, Jacob was twice the size of any lion she’d ever seen in the zoo or on TV. His dark mane framed his face, and his golden eyes locked on his victims with dangerous intent.
No matter how many times people told her that shifters existed, nothing had prepared her to see it happen.
The lion crouched, then leapt at the man closest to him, going straight for his throat.
A gunshot sounded, and Kiera screamed, struggling against her captor.
“Don’t move,” the man who held her hissed in her ear, tightening his viselike grip around her chest.
Kiera fought, unable to get free.
The second man let out an ear-piercing howl as his body contorted into a wolf. His transformation wasn’t as smooth as Jacob’s, the beast not as large, but it was vicious, with sharp fangs.
“You’re werewolves?” She blinked hard, trying to get her brain to catch up to the events around her.
“Smart girl.” The man hit her hard across the temple, then flung her into the van. “Stay in there.”
Kiera fell against the cold metal floor, head pounding.
Just outside the van, the animals growled and snapped. One of the wolves yelped in pain, as the lion sank its teeth into the creature’s neck. The wolf seized, thrashing wildly, then went limp.
The last wolf attacked, but it was no match for the fierce strength of the lion. Kiera heard something break within the animal, and it collapsed, lifeless on the cement.
Her chest heaved and her hands balled in fists at her side, unable to process everything that happened. Her life had turned into one bad episode of The Vampire Diaries.
The lion shook its mane, lifted its head and looked at her.
Kiera sobbed in relief. “Jacob?”
More slowly than before, Jacob shifted into human form. He stood unsteadily. There were scratches and bite marks all over him, but despite the injuries, she couldn’t look away.
Holy hell, the man was built. Despite the pounding in her head and the ringing in her ears, she couldn’t control the response she had to him. Arousal didn’t even begin to describe it.
His clothes lay scattered and torn on the ground, nothing left of them to hide his nakedness. Not that Kiera minded, but she figured his neighbors wouldn’t be as impressed.
Luckily, there wasn’t anyone around.
She crawled out of the van and threw her hand over her mouth when she got a closer look at the damage Jacob had done to the wolves. Lifeless, the wolves had transformed back into human form. Thick, dark blood coated the bodies and pooled on the sidewalk where they had fallen. She felt herself pale and the world started to spin.
“Are you okay?” Jacob’s voice was tight.
“They were werewolves.” She swallowed hard. “Why were they after me?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” He dragged his hand through his hair and winced. “I need to clean this up. Go back to the house. Call Chase and Turner. Tell them I need them here ASAP.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Find whoever’s responsible. But first, I need to get the bodies off the street, and make sure no one saw what happened.” Jacob strode across the lawn to where Balor sat. The dog whimpered when Jacob placed his hand on his head.
“And if they did?”
“Then Turner will take care of them.”
She narrowed her eyes, not liking the sound of that. “What do you mean, he’ll take care of them?”
“Oh dear.” A woman’s shocked voice carried across the lawn.
White-haired with thick-rimmed glasses, an elderly woman stared wide-eyed at them. From her spot on the porch, the bodies were hidden behind a row of bushes, but Jacob stood fully visible in all of his naked glory.
“Jacob? What’s going on?”
“Everything’s fine Mrs. McCumbers. Go back inside.”
“Where are your clothes?”
Kiera held her breath. How the hell was he going to explain his way out of this?
“Balor got out when I was in the shower. He hurt his leg. Just need to get him home.”
“Do you need me to call someone?” The woman moved further out onto the porch.
Kiera looked over her shoulder. Jacob did the same. The bodies were hidden from the woman’s view, but only barely. If she took another few steps towards them, she’d be able to see the carnage.
“I’ll distract her,” Kiera said, placing a hand on Jacob’s shoulder when he started to stand. “You do what you need to do.”
He gave a curt nod and lifted the dog in his arms.
“Mrs. McCumbers?” she said, walking up the pathway. “I’m Jacob’s friend, Kiera.”
The woman raised an eyebrow, then looked back at Jacob just in time to see his bare back disappear around the fence.
“Well now,” the woman breathed out heavily, fanning herself. “You don’t see that every day.”
Despite everything, Kiera laughed. “No. You certainly don’t.”
Mrs. McCumbers shuffled towards the porch steps.
Kiera moved in front of her, blocking her view. She took deep breaths and tried to think clearly, to come up with some way to get the woman back inside her house.
“I was wondering if I could use your phone? I need to call my sister. She’s a…a vet.”
“Of course, dear. Come in.” The older woman opened the screen door and led Kiera into the kitchen, nodding at an old rotary phone that hung on the wall.
“Thank you.”
Kiera clutched the headset and spun the numbers, trying to keep her fingers from sha
king.
“Hello?” Riley’s melodic voice echoed on the other end.
“I need your help.”
“Kiera?” Riley’s tone raised an octave. “What’s going on?”
Mrs. McCumbers watched intently from across the room.
“Jacob’s dog was injured and he needs to be looked at. He’s a big dog so you’ll need to bring Chase and Turner with you. It’s urgent.”
“Is someone listening? Are you in trouble?”
“Yes, that’s right. Please hurry.”
“Kiera–”
She hung up.
“You’re sure you’re all right?” The woman pulled out a bag of peas from the freezer and wrapped it in a dishtowel. “That’s a nasty cut on your lip.”
Kiera touched her mouth gingerly and winced. Was she all right? No, not even close. Werewolves had just mauled her, tried to abduct her. There was nothing all right about any of it. She needed to get out of there before she burst into tears.
“I’m sorry. I have to get back to Jacob.” She rushed out of the house and tore across the lawn.
For a moment, she contemplated running in the opposite direction. But where would she go?
As crazy as it was, this was her life now.
She felt a gentle tug inside her, calling her back to the house, back to Jacob. The lion within her stirred, but for once it was calm, nudging at the back of her mind, with gentle urgency.
Jacob needs you.
Chapter 8
Jacob pulled the van into the garage. He gripped the steering wheel and took a steadying breath. Already, the wolves’ venom was starting to take effect. His limbs grew heavy, and his vision blurred, but at least he’d made it home. Now he just had to get Balor and himself into the house, before he passed out.
On shaky legs, he opened the side of the van. The stench of death stung his nostrils. Balor whined and smacked his tail on the van floor.
“I know, buddy. We’ll get you fixed up.” Jacob was certain the dog had fractured his front leg, as well as a couple of ribs. He lifted Balor carefully, taking all one-hundred-and-twenty pounds against his chest.
Numbness crawled up his arms and down his legs. He stumbled inside the house and placed Balor on the couch in the living room.
When he straightened, flashes of light blurred his vision and pain tore through his chest.
A wave of terror raced through him. The scrapes and gashes on his body were already starting to heal, but the poison in his blood was making him sick. He’d been bitten too many times and the venom was spreading quickly.
Fucking wolves. And not just any wolves, but feral ones. Their bites were more lethal. If he was lucky, he had five minutes before the venom took full effect.
“Shit.” He leaned against the wall when then the room began to spin. He needed the antidote. One agonizing step at a time, he made his way down the long hall.
Cold sweat dripped down the side of his face. He tried to breathe, but his throat had constricted, making each breath excruciating. The lack of oxygen had turned his fingers and nails blue.
This was what his father must have felt right before the end. Jacob squeezed the painful memory from his mind. He wouldn’t die like this. Not today.
He made it to the kitchen, opened the cabinet, and pulled out the first aid kit.
Once he held the case in his grip, his knees buckled beneath him. He slowly slid down to the floor. Leaning against the cupboards, he pulled a syringe from the case, and said a silent prayer that it would be enough. His entire body shook uncontrollably as darkness crept along the peripheral of his vision. He grit his teeth and managed to get the cap off the needle.
He tried to move his hand, to inject the antidote, but it lay limp at his side.
It was too late. His body had become too weak. No matter how hard he pushed, his body wouldn’t respond.
Death. He felt it on the back of his neck and deep in his bones. He’d die from the wolves’ venom, just as his father had. But there’d be no mate to mourn his loss, no children to grieve his absence. No one would suffer because of his passing. For that, he was grateful.
A biting cold seeped through his veins. He didn’t have much time left.
“Jacob?” Kiera’s panicked voice echoed through the house.
Kiera. His heart lurched. She made him want more than the hollow shell his life had become. He survived day to day. Empty. Alone. But, part of him had always hoped for more. He realized that now.
He opened his mouth to call out, but the words stuck in his throat.
Her heady scent wafted into the room. A fresh spike of adrenaline surged through his body. It was just enough to give him the strength to plunge the needle into his thigh and press the release. His head fell back against the floor and his body began to seize violently.
“Oh my god.” Kiera rushed to him, her eyes huge, filled with fear. She knelt beside him and placed her hands on the sides of his face. “What do I do?” She looked around the room desperately. “I’ll call Riley again. Chase and Turner should be here soon.”
“St-stay.” His muscles went rigid and he clenched his teeth against the pain.
“I’m here.” She stroked his cheek and moved so his head could rest in her lap. “I won’t leave.”
He lay helpless in her arms. Naked and exposed, all control gone. But her presence stilled the fear.
“Don’t die,” she whispered. But there was something unspoken in her words, a claim that he had only begun to recognize. Her lion called to him, and his animal responded in turn.
Mine.
Brilliant blue eyes, filled with tears, gazed down at him. She was his, even if only for that brief moment.
He sucked in her scent, closed his eyes, and let the darkness claim him.
Chapter 9
Where were Jacob’s men? Hadn’t she made it clear to Riley that it was an emergency?
She should call them again, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave Jacob’s side. His skin grew so cold, his breathing shallow, almost nonexistent. He was going to die, and it would be her fault. She shouldn’t have insisted to go for a run by herself.
“Jacob?” A man’s voice called from the entrance.
“Help,” Kiera choked out. “In here.”
“What the hell happened?” Chase, the older of the two brothers, fell to the floor beside her, and placed his fingers on the side of Jacob’s neck, checking for a pulse.
“I went for a run. There were…men in a black van. Jacob must have…he…he shifted and–” She knew her words didn’t make sense, but she couldn’t form a complete thought, let alone a sentence.
“Wolves,” Turner sneered, picking up the empty vial and examining it. “He shot himself with the antidote.”
“Feral by the looks of it.” Chase ran his hands through his hair, and the brothers exchanged a look that Kiera couldn’t interpret.
“Is he going to be okay?” Kiera asked, cradling Jacob’s head in her lap.
“Once we give him another dose, he should be,” Chase said gently. He tilted his head and studied her. “Do you know what they were after?”
“Me.” She licked her lips and looked down at Jacob’s pale face. “They wanted me. Jacob fought them off.”
Turner cursed and stormed out of the room. He returned a moment later with a blanket and placed it over Jacob.
“What the hell was Jacob thinking, bringing her here?”
Chase gave his brother a hard look, but when he glanced back, his gaze softened.
“He has his reasons.” Chase stood and exhaled. “It’s not our place to question him.”
Turner huffed in response.
“Help me carry him upstairs.” Chase turned to Kiera and handed her his keys. “There’s a black bag in the trunk of my car. Can you get it for me?”
She nodded and took the keys.
“Riley didn’t come?” she asked softly. For the first time since she woke up in the Therian labs, she really wanted her sister.
“She
’s been under enough stress.” Turner didn’t look at her, but kept his silvery-blue gaze focused on Jacob. “We need to move him.”
“Right.” Kiera swallowed hard and left the men to tend to Jacob.
Chase’s SUV was parked in the driveway. She grabbed the black bag and brought it into the house.
She found them upstairs in Jacob’s room. Chase grabbed the bag from her when she entered, and gave her a small, strained smile. Turner was on his cell, staring out the window, his back to her. By the softness in his tone, she figured he was talking to her sister.
“Here.” Chase rummaged through the bag, then handed her two needles. “Help me.”
They had Jacob laid out on the king sized bed, his body covered by a thin blanket. The wounds had stopped weeping blood and appeared to be healing already.
“The bruises are fading.” She ran a hand over his shoulder, where a large purple bruise had been only moments before.
“We heal quickly.”
Turner shoved his phone in his pocket and joined them. “Ready?”
“I need you to hold him down,” Chase said to Turner. “It’s important that he stays in human form when the adrenaline kicks in. Do whatever you need to keep him calm.”
Turner nodded and a small smile played on his lips. “With pleasure.”
Chase narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
“What do you want me to do?” Kiera asked, fidgeting with the syringes.
“Just get out of the way when we tell you to,” Turner bit out.
“Take the lids off.” Chase nodded to the syringes. “I’m going to give him an extra dose of the antidote, then a shot of adrenaline.”
Kiera chewed on her bottom lip and handed Chase the first needle. He administered it quickly, then held out his hand for the second.
“You need to stay back,” Turner growled.
Kiera gave a small nod.
“All right, my friend. This is going to hurt.” Chase shoved the needle into Jacob’s thigh and pressed the release.
Taming Kiera (Therian Agents Book 3) Page 4
