“I love you,” Mali whispered. Gripping her hips, he thrust into her quivering body over and over, harder and harder. With one hand still on her hip, he reached around and found her clit, his fingers plucking, and stroking.
“Mali,” Melissa cried, her pussy convulsing around his throbbing cock.
A hoarse yell burst from his throat as his climax rushed through his body, his canines dropping in preparation for claiming his mate. Mali deposited his seed deep into his mate as he sank his teeth in the soft skin of her shoulder. Her body jerked as a second climax raced through her system.
Sated, he collapsed gently on her back, his cock still hard inside the walls of her twitching pussy. After a moment, he carefully disengaged from her warmth and pulled her into his arms. “You’re mine,” he growled. He claimed Melissa’s mouth with his lips, tongue, and teeth.
“Forever yours,” she whispered.
* * * *
Carrying Tania, Kaugh walked into the small animal hospital and looked around. “Hello, anybody here?”
“I’ll be right with you,” a voice called out from one of the back rooms. After a couple of minutes, a young man walked up to the front desk. “Can I help you?” He glanced at the carrier in Kaugh’s hands.
“Yes, you can. I’m sorry to say I’ve got the unpleasant task of having a dangerous cat put down. Can you take care of that here?”
“Absolutely, no problem.” He reached below the counter and pulled out some papers. “You’ll need to sign a release. The fee’s based on the animal’s weight.”
“It shouldn’t be much, then. She’s pretty small.” Kaugh set the carrier on the counter and began to fill out the necessary form.
The young man peeked through the bars at Tania. “That’s a dangerous cat?” he asked skeptically.
“Meow, meow, meow, meow,” Tania cried.
Kaugh chuckled. “Don’t let her looks fool you. She attacked my brother’s kids for no reason, and I can’t have her around like that.”
“Okay.” He shrugged. “I’m not the vet, and he won’t be here until tonight. Did you want to witness the procedure?”
“Not necessary, young man. I’m sure I can trust you to take care of the problem.” He handed over the signed form. “How much do I owe you?”
“It’ll be thirty-five for the euthanasia. Did you want us to dispose of the body, or will you pick her up?”
“Meow, meow, meow, meow!” Tania’s cries were getting louder and more frantic sounding.
“Hmm, I think I’ll pick her up tomorrow. That way I can see to a proper burial.”
“Meow, hsssssss!”
“Boy, it’s almost like she knows what we’re talking about.”
“They say animals are very perceptive. What time tonight will you be putting her to sleep?”
“The clinic closes at eight, and he always does stuff like this after we’re closed.”
“Then I’ll be back in the morning to pick up her body and the carrier. You can just leave her in it for now. She’ll be happier in her final hours in something she’s familiar with.”
“Hey, man, that’s pretty decent of you. Most people don’t think of the animal’s comfort if they’re fixing to have them put down.”
Kaugh headed for the door. “I’m thinking of your comfort, too, son. If you try to take her out, she just might bite you and escape. I can’t have that happening. I’ll see you in the morning.” He left, the door automatically closing behind him. Making his way to his car, he laughed. “That’s one less problem in my future.” Smiling, he drove down the street and checked into a small hotel on the highway. He wanted to be there bright and early the next morning to pick up Tania. Then, he was heading to the lab in Canada. He would have to figure out another way to continue Constantine’s research.
* * * *
“Why hasn’t he been able to wake him?” Latan yelled. “It’s been over sixteen hours.”
Remus looked at his brothers and felt deep sorrow. The longer it took to get a lead on Tania’s whereabouts, the less chance they had of getting her back unharmed. “Try to hang on, Latan. Tehran’s sitting with him, and he’ll let us know the minute he’s conscious.”
“We have to find her, Remus, and soon. There’s no telling what he’ll do to her,” Ethan sobbed.
“Remus,” Tehran called, rushing into the kitchen. “He’s waking up.”
“Finally,” Remus growled. He headed down the hall toward the bedroom, his brothers close on his heels. He walked into the room and stood over the bed.
“I gave him a stimulant about a half hour ago. He’s coming around, but I can’t guarantee how lucid he’ll be.” Tehran stepped up and slapped Marty’s cheeks. “Wake up. You need to wake up, Dyer. We need to talk to you.”
Marty Dyer’s eyes opened. He looked around the room, his gaze stopping on the two wolves that sat by his bed. A look of horror came over his face.
“Don’t worry about them, Marty. They won’t attack unless I tell them to.” Remus had left several wolves guarding their prisoner. Some of them had elected to remain in their wolf forms around the unwelcome man. “Look at me, Marty.” He waited until the man’s gaze returned to his own. “Where did Kaugh take Tania?”
Marty looked puzzled and tried to talk. His voice came out rough and weak. Clearing his throat, he tried again. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Could he have been shot before Kaugh took her out?” Ethan asked.
“He might just not know what the doctor had planned. Marty, who shot you with a tranquilizer?” Remus asked.
“Dr. Kaugh,” he whispered.
“Why did he shoot you?” Remus reached down and shook Marty’s shoulders when his eyes dropped shut. “Why, Marty? Why did Kaugh shoot you?”
“I wanted the cat. I don’t know why that upset him so much.”
“Where’s the cat now?” Latan demanded.
“She was such a cute little thing,” Marty mumbled. “I just wanted to take her home and love her, let her love me.”
“Where’s the damn cat?” Ethan growled.
“He said he was gonna take her to a vet and have her put to sleep.” Marty’s eyes filled with tears. “I just wanted to love her.”
“Marty, do you know which vet?” Remus asked.
“No, he didn’t say.” His eyes closed as he dropped back to sleep.
Remus jerked his head toward the door, motioning for his brothers to follow. He walked quickly back to the kitchen and then stopped in the doorway, surprised to see Mali and Melissa sitting at the table. “Mali, are you feeling better?”
“I’m feeling great, Alpha.” Mali jumped up, pulling Melissa to her feet. “Alpha, uh…”
Remus sniffed the air and smiled. “No need to explain, Mali.” He walked over and pulled Melissa into a hug. “Welcome to the pack, Melissa. I know you and Mali are gonna be very happy.”
“Thanks, Remus. That means a lot to me. I know I’ve got a lot to learn, but I wanna make Mali a good wife.”
“You will.” Remus grinned. “When this crisis is over, we’ll throw a big party celebrating your mating.”
“What’s the latest on Tania, Remus? Can we help?” Mali asked.
“We’re getting to that now. Stick around.” Remus looked up as Michael and Ariane came into the room. “Are you fully recovered, Michael?”
“One hundred percent, Remus. Is Maddie doing okay?” Michael hugged Ariane close to his chest.
“She’s getting there. Right now, she’s sleeping.” Remus stepped closer to his brother-in-law. “I need you to get on the phone or the Internet and find me the nearest vet.”
“Wait, I can answer that,” Melissa said. “When I first came here, I was pretty lonely and thought about getting a cat. I wanted it to come from a professional, instead of someone’s home, so I could be sure it was healthy. The closest animal facility is about forty miles from here in Kenyan. When I visited, they didn’t have any kittens to adopt. The next closest is over seventy miles.
”
Remus breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at his brothers. “I don’t think he would go any farther than Kenyan. He would want to get rid of her as quickly as possible.” He looked at Melissa. “Get on the phone and try to reach someone there. Ask about a stray black cat. Get them to wait on putting it down until you see if it’s yours.” He turned to Mali. “I want you and Michael to stay here with the women. I’m leaving Tehran and the guards in the back bedroom with the prisoner. Don’t take any chances while we’re gone.”
“Come on,” Ethan yelled.
“Okay, everybody move. Koril, get the emergency clothes packs and have four of the men carry them. We can make better time if we shift.”
* * * *
Tania lay on the cool, smooth floor of the carrier, her body trembling. It had been hours since they left her alone in the darkened room. She’d tried repeatedly to shift and call her mates, with no success. She would have only one chance at escape when they came to give her the shot that would end her life. Startled, she rose to her feet when the door opened and the lights came on. Two men came walking into the room, one of them the man that dealt with Kaugh. I guess this must be the doctor. Damn, now I’ve got to get away from two men instead of one.
“Sorry, little kitty.” The doctor gave her a sad look. “I hate this part of my job.” He moved to the cabinets on the wall and began collecting supplies, laying them on the metal table in the center of the room.
“Meow, meow,” Tania cried. Her breath caught as she watched him draw up fluid into a syringe. She’d never felt so much fear.
Sighing, the doctor placed the syringe on the table and walked over to the carrier. Peering inside, he frowned. “You’re awful small to be considered a danger.”
“Meow, hsssssss.” Tania couldn’t help hissing, growling, and showing her teeth.
“Well, I guess that answers my doubts.” He chuckled. Tania watched as he donned a pair of thick rubber gloves that reached his elbows. “All right, little lady. It’s time.”
Tania backed into the corner, hissing and spitting, swiping at his hand with her claws as he reached for her tiny body. Not deterred, his hand kept coming until he was able to grip her tightly around her midsection. He slid her toward the carrier’s opening where his other hand waited to catch her in an even firmer hold. Just as he pulled her free from her prison, the door to the room flew open, slamming into the shelves on the wall behind it.
Tania saw the doctor’s head jerk toward the noise and felt his hands loosen their hold. Taking the opportunity, she wiggled free and jumped toward the floor. He made a wild grab to catch her. His hand closed around her back leg, and then she felt it jerk away.
* * * *
Ethan grabbed the bag of clothes from Koril and quickly donned a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. “Hurry up,” he whispered, watching Remus and Latan pull on a similar outfit while he slid his feet into a pair of sneakers.
“Everyone, wait outside,” Remus ordered. “Only the three of us are going in.” He walked around the building and opened the front door. A young man was sitting in a chair behind the desk, talking on the phone.
“Sorry, we’re closed. You’ll have to come back tomorrow.” He motioned toward the door and went back to his conversation.
“Do you have a black cat here? One that was brought in to be put to sleep?” Ethan growled.
Frowning, the boy ended his call and stood up. “Yeah, we had one brought in this morning, but you’re too late.”
“What do you mean, too late?” Ethan cried, gripped with a fear he’d never experienced before.
“Sorry, man. The doc’s in the back now. He’s been back there long enough to finish it. Hey, wait,” he called out. “You can’t go back there.”
Ethan ignored him and threw open the closed door. He scanned the room and quickly moved toward a man pulling something out of a pet carrier. As he got closer, he could see Tania’s struggling form. He reached the table in time to see his mate jump toward the floor, the doctor’s hand catching her by the leg. His hand shot out, grabbing the man by the wrist. “Don’t touch her,” he growled, tightening his grip until the doctor flinched.
“Tania,” Latan cried.
Ethan turned in time to see their mate jump into his brother’s arms. He glanced down at the table and shuddered at the sight of the filled syringe. Tearing his eyes away, he walked over to Latan and cuddled Tania between them. “It’s okay, baby, we’ve got you.”
“Meow, meow.” Tania purred, and rubbed her head against both men’s arms.
“Relax, pretty lady,” Latan crooned. “Tehran says the drug should wear off in one to three days, depending on how much he gave you. You won’t be able to shift until then, but we’ll keep you safe.”
“Yeah, baby, you’re never getting out of our sight again.” Ethan smiled as she settled down in Latan’s arms and closed her eyes. His mate was home.
“Guess she’s definitely your cat.” The young man from the front office had walked into the room. “You need to get her a collar or something, man. She was brought in as a stray.”
Tania rose up and growled. Her claws extended while the hair on her back stood up.
“The dude that brought her in said she attacked his brother’s kids.”
“Could you tell me what this dude looked like,” Remus asked.
“I can do better than that. He’s supposed to come back in the morning to pick up her body.”
“Calm down, honey. It’s okay,” Latan soothed. Tania was hissing and growling at the young man.
“Koril, get in here,” Remus yelled. When Koril walked through the door, Remus pulled him aside. “Kaugh is due back here in the morning. That means he’s close by.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll find him,” Koril promised.
“Hey, man, you don’t need to go to so much trouble. I can tell you where he is.”
“Where?” Ethan snarled.
“Dinah’s Motel, just down the road. I saw his car when I went to dinner. He’s parked down by the last cottage on the left.”
“You sure it was him?” Remus frowned.
“Yeah, no doubt about it. We don’t get many Avis rental cars in town.”
“I’ll check it out.” Koril frowned. “What do you want me to do here in town?”
Remus looked up as Taynor walked through the door. “Bring him back to the compound, and we’ll talk to him there.”
Taynor laughed. “Why don’t we dump catnip down his pants and turn Tania loose on him?
“Hey,” Latan cried. Tania jumped from his arms and padded over to Taynor. She purred loudly, rubbing in and out of his legs, and then turned and ran over to jump back into Latan’s arms.
The doctor chuckled. “I think she likes that idea.”
Koril stared at Latan, watching him snuggle Tania, and smirked. “I thought you hated cats, Latan.”
Tania hissed, her body tensing.
“Now, pretty lady, you’re not gonna hold that against me, are you?” Latan bent and kissed her furry paw. Tania rubbed her head against his chin and then turned and sank her teeth into his thumb.
“Eeekk,” he squealed as she jumped from his arms to his brother.
Koril laughed. “Guess that answers that.”
* * * *
Tania woke with two sets of tender, nuzzling lips against her neck. Smiling, she stretched her arms out languidly, her hands coming to rest on two masculine chests. “I guess this means I’m human again.” She chuckled.
“Open your eyes, baby,” Ethan pleaded.
“Yeah, we wanna see those beautiful, green eyes.” Latan nipped her ear with his teeth.
Slowly, her eyes opened, focusing on the two handsome men leaning over her. Before she could say anything, Ethan leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her lips. After only a moment, he deepened the kiss, his tongue sweeping through Tania’s mouth. Latan rubbed his morning beard against her as he kissed his way down her belly, his bristly whiskers abrading her tender flesh. Ethan broke
the kiss, leaving Tania dizzy and wanting as he pulled slowly away. He descended on her neck, biting and licking the sensitive skin around his mating mark.
Between the sensual assault on her body and the erotic thoughts coming across the mating bond, Tania was losing control fast. “Stop,” she cried, placing a hand against each of their chests and pushing gently.
“What’s wrong, love?” Latan smoothed the hair away from her face.
“Are you okay, baby?” Ethan raised her hand to his lips, kissing the fingers tenderly.
Tania squeezed his hand and ran her fingers along Latan’s cheek. “I’m fine, and nothing’s wrong.” She felt a flush move up her neck. “I just didn’t wanna get carried away before I get a chance to take a shower.”
“You wanna stop and take a shower now?” Ethan frowned and shot his brother a questioning look.
“Yes, I need one now. I’ve been stuck living as a cat for almost four days. Licking my fur just doesn’t do it for me, guys. There’s no way we’re gonna be intimate unless I get up close and personal with my bodywash.”
Latan laughed and ran his hand down her side. “I’m all for a shower, pretty lady.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I’ll wash your back if you’ll wash mine.”
‘Uh, no, thanks.”
“No?” His eyes narrowed, his hand stilling on her hip. “Why the hell not?”
She sighed. “Come on, guys. Give me a break. This is like a reunion for us, and I don’t wanna have it in the shower.” Leaning over, she placed a light kiss on Latan’s cheek and then turned and repeated the caress to Ethan. “I want us to make love right here, in your bed.” She looked around the room. “Are we gonna keep using your room, Ethan?”
Martine, Missy - Changing Their Wolfen Heritage [A Wolfen Heritage 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 24
