Jacob gasped on a sharp intake of breath and his eyes opened wide. The muscles in his shoulders tensed and bulged, and it took both men to hold him down. Jacob glanced franticly around the room.
“Goddammit, hold him down,” Chase snapped.
“I’m trying,” Turner bit back.
Jacob’s body began to contort and the muscles and bones stretched and elongated, then shrunk back to normal size. Her stomach cramped and twisted, knowing the pain Jacob was in.
“Fuck. He’s going to shift.” Turner pressed his weight onto Jacob’s chest.
“Hey.” Chase gripped Jacob’s jaw tightly, forcing him to meet his gaze. “Focus buddy. You need to calm down. Breathe. You shift and it’s going to be a hell of a lot harder to help you.”
There was clear affection in Chase’s voice. She hadn’t realized how close the two men were, but it was obvious that Chase cared deeply for him.
The muscles in Jacob’s body went rigid and his eyes rolled back in his head.
“It’s not working.” Her own chest constricted to the point that she found it difficult to breathe.
“Be patient,” Turner growled.
“Kiera.” Her name sounded torn from Jacob’s throat.
“She’s here.” Chase nodded for her to approach.
She sat down on the bed and placed a hand on his cheek. The tension in his face eased and his body slowly relaxed.
“Are you okay?” His deep voice sounded more like a rough rumble than words. He winced as a small spasm racked his body.
“Better than you.” She held his hand until the spasm stopped.
The shadows in his eyes seemed to lighten and corners of his lips twitched up. He lifted his hand and touched her cheek with the back of his fingers in a gentle caress.
Kiera’s heart fluttered in her chest.
Chase coughed and Jacob dropped his hand.
“He’s going to be fine.”
“Did you find Balor?” Jacob strained to sit up. “I left him on the couch downstairs.”
Turner stood. “I’ll check on him.”
“You’re one lucky son of a bitch,” Chase said, shaking his head.
Jacob grunted, holding his head.
“What kind of damage are we looking at?”
“The van and bodies are in the garage.” Jacob leaned against the headboard, a faint sheen of sweat on his brow, but his color had returned. “The street needs to be cleaned, but I don’t think there were any witnesses, except–” He glanced at Kiera, eyebrows raised. “Did Mrs. McCumbers see anything?”
“She’s perfectly harmless.” She wasn’t sure what they’d do to the poor woman if she had.
Jacob frowned at her. “I can send Turner over if she did.”
“She’s an old woman. How can you even think about hurting her?”
Jacob glanced at Chase, then back at her, clearly confused. “Wiping a person’s memories doesn’t hurt.”
“You were going to wipe her memories?”
“Yes. What did you think we were going to do?” Jacob watched her intently.
“Nothing,” Kiera muttered, warmth infusing her cheeks. Clearly she’d misunderstood, but how was she supposed to know they had the ability to wipe people’s memories?
Jacob turned back to Chase. “I want to know who the bastards were working for and what they wanted with Kiera.”
“You think Circe’s behind it?” Chase folded his arms over his burly chest and clenched his jaw.
“I don’t know.” He scrubbed his hands down his face. “Why would she want Kiera?”
“Who’s Circe?” Kiera asked.
“Fuck.” Chase ignored her and began pacing the room. “If it is, Turner is going to have a meltdown.”
“Who is Circe?” she asked again, this time louder.
“Our mother,” Turner said from the door, his face dark with anger.
“Why would your mother want to abduct me?”
“Circe was working with your father.” Chase stopped pacing and placed his hands on the footboard, leaning forward, shoulders hunched. “If she’s after you, she has a reason.”
“Yeah, to piss me off,” Turner muttered.
Chase shook his head. “Until we figure it out, you’re going to have to return to the agency.”
“I’m not going back,” she said.
“It’s not safe here.” Turner’s eyes were hard when he glanced at her.
“I don’t care.” She crossed her arms over her chest, undaunted by the anger that flashed in Turner’s gray eyes. “You can’t make me.”
Turner growled. “Do you have any idea what we’ve gone through to keep you safe?”
Back to that. She rolled her eyes.
“I’m not leaving.”
Turner took a step towards her and Chase put a hand on his brother’s chest to stop him.
“She stays with me,” Jacob said evenly.
Kiera blinked in surprise.
He stood slowly, wrapping the blanket around his waist.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Turner threw his hands up.
Even Chase looked shocked. “Once the Council finds out what happened, they won’t let her stay.”
“I’ll deal with the Council.” The confidence in Jacob’s tone left no doubt that he would. He moved into the walk-in closet.
“Look.” Turner raked his fingers through his dark hair, making it stand on end. “I’m all for breaking the rules and everything. But I promised Riley that nothing else would happen to Kiera.”
“And nothing will.” Jacob came back into the room wearing a pair of dark slacks and a gray button down. His face was still pale, but he no longer looked like he was at death’s door. “The house is secure.” He narrowed his golden eyes on her, and she shivered under his intense gaze. “As long as you stay in the house you’ll be safe.”
Kiera swallowed hard. “I won’t leave again.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise.” The moment she said the words, panic began to crawl up her throat.
“Good.” He nodded abruptly, then turned back to the other men. “We have work to do.”
Turner mumbled something under his breath, and Chase continued to frown.
The men moved out of the room, but Kiera stayed. She sat down heavily on the bed.
What had she just promised?
She’d just traded one cage for another.
But at least this cage contained Jacob Oliver.
She could work with that.
Chapter 10
Balor whined pitifully as Jacob placed him in the back of Chase’s SUV.
“Thanks for taking care of him,” Jacob scratched the dog’s head.
“You sure you know what you’re doing?” Chase leaned against the hood, his arms and ankles crossed.
“She’s safe with me,” Jacob replied with a confidence he didn’t feel.
Kiera bristled whenever he tried to assert his control. She was wild. Unpredictable. There was no denying she had a strong dislike for authority. But if he didn’t find a way to restrain that wildness, she’d continue to be a danger to both of them.
“That’s not what I meant.” Chase shook his head and a flash of concern crossed his expression. “You seem rattled, and not just from the attack. If there’s something else going on–”
“Everything’s fine.” Or it would be once he figured out what to do about the claim his lion had made on the woman. He should have demanded she go back to the Agency. Instead, he’d fought for her to stay. He pushed his fingers through his hair in frustration.
Chase let out a long, exaggerated sigh. “If Circe is behind the attack, you know she won’t stop until she gets what she wants. We don’t know what she wants or how dangerous she is. If she’s hired rogue wolves, there’ll be more of them.”
“The house is secure.” Jacob shoved his hands in his pockets. If the wolves came back, he’d be ready for them. “I’ve got agents watching the place twenty-four-seven.”
&n
bsp; Chase opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it, shaking his head. He gave a small, frustrated grunt.
“What?” Irritation hardened Jacob’s tone.
“Nothing.”
Jacob ignored the look Chase gave him and turned back to the house, intent on finally making Kiera understand the rules that needed to be obeyed.
His stomach twisted every time he thought about how close she’d come to being taken. He’d let his guard down and it almost cost him his life. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.
One thing Jacob knew was that life was never secure or safe. Danger lurked around every corner. The enemy was always waiting, watching for the right moment to strike.
He would fight to his last breath to protect Kiera, but he wouldn’t always be there.
She needed to learn to fight for herself.
He found Kiera in the solarium, bent over a blank canvas, pencil in hand, her brows knit together in concentration. She was left handed, something he hadn’t known about her. He didn’t know why, but the discovery made him smile.
Her hair hung across her slender shoulders in a dark braid. She’d recently showered and her skin glowed, clean of make-up. Her scent washed over him, subtle, yet intoxicating.
His lion was awake and craving. Every part of him wanted her. His body felt raw, on edge, and it took every ounce of strength to rein his desire back.
He cleared his throat, his muscles tense with the effort to stay away from her.
“Thank you for letting me stay.” She didn’t look up from her work.
“We need to talk.”
“Let me guess, more rules?” She put the pencil down and looked at him.
God, those eyes. They bore into him with such passion, such lust that his balls tightened, and he had to hold back the growl that rose in his throat. Her cheeks grew flushed. The scent of her arousal undeniable.
He wanted her under him, screaming his name, begging for her release.
She sucked in a small breath as if she could read his thoughts.
Shit.
He cleared his throat. “You need to start training.”
“I think I’ve done pretty good so far.” She held up her hands. “Look no paws.”
He clenched his teeth to keep from smiling. “You’ve done well to contain your animal, but you also need to learn to release it.”
“Release it?” Kiera shifted in her seat and narrowed her eyes at him. “The whole point of me coming here was for you to teach me to control it.”
“You won’t have full control until you learn to shift between human and animal with ease.”
“And what if I get stuck?” She sounded irritated, but he saw the flash of fear in her expression.
“I won’t let that happen.”
“I think I’ll stick to the no tail rule.”
“You’re making jokes because you’re scared.” He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Of course I am.” She shivered, closed her eyes and sighed. “I’m terrified.”
There it was again–an awareness of her animal, a tug to comfort her. Protect her.
Mate with her.
He swallowed hard and steeled himself against the unwanted emotions that stirred in his chest.
“If you follow my rules you won’t need to be afraid. I can teach you how to shift, how to fight, so that even when I’m not with you, you’ll be able to protect yourself.”
“Fine.” Kiera gave a tight nod.
“Fine?”
“I’ll do it.” She turned back to the canvas and picked up the pencil.
“Good,” he said roughly. “We start now.”
A low muttered curse tore from Kiera’s lips. This time Jacob couldn’t help but smile.
No matter what happened to him, he would make certain that Kiera survived.
Chapter 11
Kiera paced the basement rec room. Was she seriously considering trying to turn back into a lion? This was insane.
“Relax,” Jacob said, his golden eyes watching her with an intensity that made her squirm.
“I can’t do this.”
“You can, and you will. The key is staying calm. Don’t get over excited and don’t panic.”
“Right.” She rolled her eyes. He spoke about shifting as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
His expression tightened and his lips thinned, but despite the hard look he gave her, Kiera couldn’t help but imagine how incredible those lips would feel against her own.
“Fine,” she sighed. “What do I do?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “First, you’ll want to take off your shirt and jeans.”
“Well, I was hoping for a bit more romance–”
“Kiera.” His voice was sharp, but a flush colored his cheeks.
She chuckled. “Are you going to join me?”
“I’m not the one shifting.”
“Still, I think it’s only fair.” She cocked an eyebrow at him and grinned. “I’ll show you mine, if you show me yours.”
“This isn’t a game.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. The fitted white shirt that he wore did little to disguise his broad shoulders and corded biceps.
“It’d be a lot more fun if it was.” She stuck out her bottom lip.
He narrowed his eyes and scowled. She supposed it was a look meant to intimidate, but it was difficult to be afraid of him.
“Fine.” She shrugged, pulled her shirt over her head, then unbuttoned her jeans and shimmied out of them. In just her bra and panties, she placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. “Now what?”
Jacob’s jaw twitched and his eyes burned with amber fire. He was visibly trying to control his desire.
Kiera felt the tiniest sliver of hope.
“Close your eyes,” Jacob growled.
She hesitated for a brief moment, then did what he asked.
Shutting down one of her senses made the others more heightened. The air was cool, but she felt the heat radiating off Jacob’s body just a couple feet away. She could hear his breath, smell his masculine scent.
“What do you feel?”
In that moment, she was more aware of him than anything else.
With a nervous swallow, she said the first thing that popped into her head, “You.”
He inhaled sharply, then cursed.
“Sorry,” she muttered, clenching her eyes shut.
He cleared his throat. “Focus on the animal.”
She tried. The animal was there, but it didn’t rise to the surface. It watched her with quiet patience. In her mind’s eye, she could see the lioness clearly. She was beautiful. Strong.
“There,” Jacob said, as if he could see what she saw. He was closer now. She could feel his breath on her cheek, but he still didn’t touch her. “Allow it to come forward.”
Kiera opened herself up, giving the lion room to move freely. The large cat purred. The sound resonated from her own throat, and she almost laughed. It was an odd sensation. When she stopped resisting, the animal became an extension of herself. Adrenaline pumped through her veins and her heart rate increased. She could do this.
“Slow down your breathing.” Jacob’s voice had become distant.
The animal paced within her mind. The soft purr became a low, steady grumble. It moved towards her, filling up the space that Kiera had given it. Anxiety crept up her spine and tightened her chest. She could feel the animal trying to take control.
“Stop,” she mumbled. “Stay back.”
The lion didn’t listen, but slowly crept towards her.
The muscles in Kiera’s limbs went painfully stiff as the animal tried to fit within her skin. Something sharp sliced through her and she cried out.
“Kiera. Open your eyes,” Jacob commanded, his voice gruff. Even in the midst of her agony, she could feel his hands on her. The searing heat almost numbed the physical pain. “Focus on me.”
She opened her eyes and met his penetrating
gaze. His arms were around her, crushing her against his chest. Pain turned to discomfort and the animal retreated back into the dark corners of her mind, until all she felt was pinpoints of pressure, and a slight tingling in her fingers and toes.
“I couldn’t do it.” Her teeth chattered and she shivered despite the warmth of Jacob’s body.
“It’ll get easier.” He continued to hold her. His large hands smoothed down her back, then back up. His fingers were hot against her bare skin. His touch stirred the desire within her.
She curled her fingers against his shirt, unwilling to let him go.
The hard length of his cock pressed firmly against her stomach. He wanted her. There was no denying it. Why did he continue to deny what was between them?
“Jacob,” she whispered his name and his gaze flashed to hers. God, she wanted to taste him, to feel his lips against hers. “Kiss me.”
He groaned and closed his eyes.
She ran her hands up his chest, around his neck and tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling his mouth down to meet hers. She didn’t force it, but merely brushed her lips gently against his. He tensed briefly, then his mouth descended on hers in a scorching rush.
She was too terrified to breathe. Terrified he would pull away.
His hands slid down her back, over her ass, lifting her to cradle his thigh. Kiera moaned into his mouth and wriggled against him. He kissed her deep, hard, filling her body with sensations she’d never known, had only dreamed about. Her head swam with the taste of him. The soft stroke of his tongue lit her on fire.
His scent and the heat of his body permeated her senses. Her hands roamed over his body, across the hard ridges of his abs, across his chest, around his back. She wanted to enjoy the moment, savor the sensation. She didn’t understand the need that coursed through her body, but she knew that only Jacob could satisfy those needs.
Her fingers tightened in his hair, her need for more than just his kiss grew more desperate. She let out a soft moan as his tongue stroked deeper.
He pulled back, his eyes blazing, his expression tight with lust. He inhaled sharply, hissing a breath between his teeth.
“Don’t stop,” she pleaded.
“This can’t happen.” He cupped her cheek with a calloused palm. His expression was a mixture of sadness and frustration.
Taming Kiera (Therian Agents Book 3) Page 5
