Unclaimed

by Sara Humphreys

  “This is ridiculous,” Tatiana huffed. “Layla, tell him I can take care of myself. You’re my sister, and you should be taking my side.”

  “Just give it a rest, Tatiana.” Layla’s freckled face twisted with concern. “You really took a tumble. Matt’s right. If Dominic hadn’t shown up when he did, Spirit might’ve trampled you when she ran out. Something spooked the hell out of her.”

  “Yeah.” Matt looked wide-eyed from Tatiana to Layla as he clutched specimen bottles in both hands and stepped back, giving Dominic plenty of room to pass. “M-maybe you should let the doc have a look at you, Tatiana.”

  “Listen to that.” Dominic spared her a glance as he strode through the stable doors toward the house. “Even your boyfriend thinks I’m right.”

  The man was infuriating. He knew that Matt wasn’t her boyfriend, and now he was gloating because he’d figured out her ruse.

  “I’ll be fine, Matt,” Tatiana shouted while glaring at Dominic as he walked across the lawn. “Just get the samples, and help Layla get Spirit back in her stall. She’s sick and shouldn’t be wandering around.”

  “See,” Dominic said in a teasing tone. “You should follow your own advice. Although the horse has more sense than you do.” He jerked his head to the right. “She’s dying to get inside and rest.”

  Tatiana saw Spirit standing by the edge of the barn waiting to go back inside. A smile curved her lips, and she let out a short laugh. Pain shot through her head and down her back.

  “Shit,” she said in a rush. “That hurts.”

  “What?” Dominic asked as he carried her across the property. “The bump on your head or the fact that I’m right.”

  “Both.”

  Silence stretched for a beat or two and, with only the feel of his body occupying her every thought, Tatiana had to talk about something to distract herself.

  “How did you know I grew up on a farm?” Tatiana asked.

  “I did a little research before you showed up here, as I do with anyone coming to the ranch.” Dominic flicked his eyes to her briefly. “In addition to Layla, your adopted sister, you have a twin brother named Raife. Purists murdered your Amoveo father from the Timber Wolf Clan, and your human mother died when you were a toddler. You and Raife were raised by your Aunt Rosie in Maryland, and you’re stubborn as hell.”

  “You got all of that from your research?”

  “Well, everything but the stubborn part,” Dominic said through a chuckle as they approached the house. “I found that out the minute I met you.”

  Tatiana rolled her eyes, which only made him laugh again.

  “So you talk to animals, huh?” Dominic smirked as he climbed the steps of the porch. “Why didn’t she tell you to get out of the way?”

  “Very funny.”

  Dominic stopped at the front door and tightened his hold on Tatiana as he peered at her intently. He held her gaze as his thumb brushed along her bare thigh beneath the edge of her shorts. She tried not to notice the way the muscles of his chest moved temptingly against her arm or the warmth of his hands as they pressed against her flesh, but it was no use.

  Dominic surrounded her in every way a person could be surrounded.

  Tatiana’s breath caught in her throat, and even though she wanted to look away, she couldn’t. That penetrating stare held her captive and studied her, as if he could peer directly into her soul. Perhaps he could?

  “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I don’t want to see you get hurt anymore than you already are. You’re too important.”

  Tatiana’s eyes widened as panic welled. She knew what he meant. She was his mate, and he needed her so he could keep his abilities. Resentment flared as she remembered what Layla told her. If Amoveo didn’t find their mates, then they would lose their powers and age like humans. She was merely a means to an end.

  “I am?” Her voice shook with fear and uncertainty.

  “Yes.” His mouth set in a tight line as he abruptly looked away. “Richard and Salinda need you to figure out what’s wrong with their horses. They are Salinda’s most prized possessions. Well, more like family, really. Especially Spirit.”

  Tatiana’s mouth snapped shut with surprise. She’d been ready to rail him with a scathing response about how she was not going to be part of this whole you-complete-me mate crap.

  “Right.” She nodded and looked away, unsure of what was happening. Maybe she misjudged him. Perhaps he wasn’t going to try and convince her to mate with him? Maybe Dominic was as annoyed by the prospect of having a life-mate as she was.

  The front door swung open, and a young blonde woman with a shy smile and large green eyes greeted them. Tatiana sensed she was from the Coyote Clan. She looked about seven months pregnant, but her expression switched to concern when she saw that Tatiana was hurt.

  “Oh my goodness,” the young woman said quickly, stepping aside as she rubbed a hand over her round belly. “What on earth happened, Dominic? Hurry, take her downstairs to the medical suite.”

  “She got a bump on the head and the wind knocked out of her when one of the horses got spooked. By the way, aren’t you supposed to be resting, Courtney?”

  “I’m fine, Dominic. What is it with you Amoveo men?” She smiled and gave Tatiana a knowing look. “I’m Courtney, by the way,” she said as they crossed the spacious front hall to a door leading to a set of steps. “Steven’s mate.” She looked away and opened the door for them.

  Tatiana noticed a subtle change in her energy signature when she identified herself as Steven’s mate, and it gave Tatiana pause. It was like a hiccup in a steady stream of energy, as if she momentarily let down her guard. Perhaps Tatiana wasn’t the only one who didn’t embrace the whole fated mate idea?

  “Be careful with her, Dominic.” Courtney smiled at Tatiana and led the way down the steps.

  “Believe me, I will be,” Dominic said. “She’s the careless one, not me.”

  Tatiana made a sound of frustration and bit her lip to keep from telling Dominic off. Besides, with her luck, he’d probably enjoy it.

  “Nice to meet you, Courtney.” Tatiana kept her arms folded over her chest and her eyes straight ahead as Dominic carried her down the steps into a long, well-lit hallway. “I’d shake your hand, but I’m afraid Dominic will think that’s too strenuous,” she muttered.

  “Keep joking, but you are the veterinarian who got clobbered by her patient. Not me.” His brow knit together as Courtney scooted past and opened a door marked Exam Room on the right side of the hall. “What got Spirit so riled up, anyway? The horses are examined on a regular basis and are used to shifters, hybrid and pure-blood, so what happened?”

  “Steven is finishing up in the lab,” Courtney said with a faint smile. “He said that he’d be here in a minute.”

  Dominic carried Tatiana in and placed her gently on the cushioned exam table. She glanced at him briefly as he stepped back, and she tried not to notice how swiftly her skin cooled when she left the shelter of his embrace. There was no denying that her body responded to his, and it reminded her of the imprinting that some animals do when they find their mates.

  Tatiana couldn’t help but wonder if that’s what this was—a genetic, imprinted response—but if that were true, it actually gave her hope. If this intense attraction between them was merely biological, then she could choose not to participate.

  “Thanks,” she said as she gingerly adjusted her position. Tatiana arched her back, trying to work out the kinks, but stopped as another sharp pain shot into her head. “Damn, she got me good. I’m not usually careless.”

  “I didn’t think so,” Dominic said darkly. “What happened?”

  The truth was that she wasn’t quite sure. She had never connected with an animal so clearly before. Staring into Dominic’s eyes, she had a sinking suspicion of what caused the sudden boost in her abilities. Before she could answer, a tall, handsome man with shaggy blond hair, wearing a lab coat and a warm smile, came into the room.

  “I’ve b
een looking forward to meeting you, Tatiana,” Steven said with a friendly grin as he shut the door behind him. “I have to admit I hoped it would be at dinner tonight and not in the exam room.”

  “Hey, babe.” He placed a quick kiss on Courtney’s cheek. “Aren’t you supposed to be resting?”

  “I’m fine, Steven.” Courtney lifted one shoulder, and a look of embarrassment passed over her face as she glanced at Tatiana. “I wanted to make sure Tatiana was alright, but I’ll go back to our cabin and lie down if that will make you happy.”

  “It would,” he said with a wink. Steven squatted down so that his face was directly in front of her large belly. “Tell your mother she needs to rest.”

  “Fine,” Courtney sighed. “You men are so bossy.”

  “Thank you.” He kissed her tummy and stood up. “And we’re not bossy, just concerned.”

  Courtney opened the door and looked back at Tatiana before she left. “I know what it’s like to be new around here and surrounded by a bunch of overprotective alpha males.”

  “Hey.” Steven put his hand to his chest, feigning injury.

  “When you’re feeling up to it,” she said through a short laugh, “I’d be happy to take a walk with you and show you around the property. The cabin you’re staying in is across the way from ours. I know you have your sister here, but a girl can never have too many female friends.”

  “I’d like that,” Tatiana said through a smile. “Thank you.”

  Courtney waved as she left, but for all her pleasantries, Tatiana couldn’t shake the feeling she was hiding something. It was the way she interacted with Steven. She didn’t appear to share the seamless bond with him that the other women shared with their mates. They lacked the comfort level and innate intimacy she’d witnessed with the others.

  “What happened?” Steven asked.

  “Huh?” Tatiana’s face burned when she realized that Steven had been talking to her, and she didn’t even hear him. “I’m sorry, what did you ask me?”

  Dominic grumbled something under his breath but didn’t move from his protective stance by the door. Tatiana shot him a look of disapproval before turning her attention back to Steven.

  “How did you end up in a fight with the stall door and lose?” Steven stood in front of her and checked her vital signs as they spoke while Dominic kept tracking every move. “It’s my understanding that you have the ability to communicate with animals—read their energies. I have to admit, that’s a pretty radical power, and I would bet it makes you a kick-ass vet.”

  Steven removed the blood pressure cuff and hung it on a hook behind her.

  “What did you see? Was it the same thing that spooked the horse?”

  “I’m not sure,” Tatiana said as she recalled the incident. “It was probably a fluke.”

  “What was a fluke?” Dominic’s voice, low and dangerous, cut into the conversation. He stepped closer but didn’t take his focus off of her. “What the hell happened in that barn?”

  “I heard her,” Tatiana whispered. “I actually heard her speak.”

  Tatiana looked from Dominic to Steven, who stared with curiosity and concern. The words poured out of her mouth as the excitement about this new development registered.

  “That’s never happened,” she said excitedly. “I mean, I’ve always been able to read an animal’s emotions. It’s hard to explain, but I usually see colors in their energy waves, and if I want, I can connect with their signatures, much like we can with other Amoveo, but this was much more. I heard her voice in my mind like I hear Layla, but it was further away, like a bad connection on a telephone.”

  “Interesting.” Steven turned her upper body so he could inspect the back of her head. “So, before coming to the ranch, you didn’t have this particular layer to your abilities? Correct?”

  “That’s right,” Tatiana said slowly. She locked eyes with Dominic as Steven finished examining her, and a knot gathered in her belly. “Why?”

  Tatiana didn’t have to ask the question, because she already knew the answer. It was Dominic, or more to the point, her and Dominic. He didn’t flinch but continued to stare with those intense brown eyes. Dominic knew it as well as she did, but to his credit, he didn’t say a word.

  “Could be a couple of explanations,” Steven said with a knowing look at Dominic. “We may just have to wait and see.” He went to the sink and washed his hands. “I suppose you could try it with another horse and see if you get a similar reaction, but give yourself more distance next time so you don’t end up with hooves in your face.”

  “Got it. So, am I free to go, or will I be carried around all day?”

  Tatiana winced at the way that came out. It sounded as if she was hoping for that, and she totally wasn’t. Yeah, right. She rubbed her hands over her face, wishing she could rub away how out of sorts she felt.

  “You’ll be fine. You’re already beginning to heal, and the soreness should be gone in a few hours.” He smirked and glanced at Dominic while he dried his hands. “As for being carried around by Dom, here… I suppose that’s between the two of you.”

  “I think I can walk just fine.” Tatiana’s face heated with embarrassment, and she let out a nervous laugh. “I have to get back up there. Matt is probably worried, and besides, he’s got the samples.”

  “Matt can wait a good goddamn minute.” Dominic’s eyes narrowed, and he moved toward her. “I want to know what she said.” His voice, strong and steady, filled the room. “Spirit—what did she say?”

  Dominic inched closer. Heat wafted off him and drifted over her in erotic waves, and it took a second for her to realize she was holding her breath.

  “I only heard a few words.” Tatiana’s back stiffened, and she gripped the edge of the table, fighting against the insane urge to reach up and stroke that scar on his face. Her tongue flicked out and moistened her lower lip, and she brushed the hair off her forehead as she met his challenge. “The first two were: hunter killer.”

  “Shit.” Dominic stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned to Steven, breaking the spell. “I knew it. Someone messed with the horses, and I’d bet anything it was those fuckin’ Caedo assassins we snagged here on the property. They probably put something in the food.”

  “It’s possible. Based on the symptoms, I’m betting on poisoning, but I have to run some tests to be sure.” Tatiana took a deep breath and looked between the two men. “Where are the men you caught? I’m sure you questioned them already, but—”

  “I killed one,” Dominic said evenly, as if killing people was commonplace. “But the other got away after he shot Eric.”

  “You killed him?” Tatiana’s voice was barely audible. “You just go around killing people?”

  “Only the ones who try to kill me,” Dominic said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Or the people I care about.”

  Tatiana stared at him, trying to wrap her brain around what he said. A chill rippled up her back, and a knot of fear twisted in her belly. This was exactly why she didn’t want to get mixed up with the Amoveo or their topsy-turvy world. They operated under their own rules, and so far, she didn’t really care for them.

  “Well,” she said in a far shakier voice than she’d intended. “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind, and if nothing else, you’ve given me one hell of a good reason to finish my job and go home.”

  Tatiana hopped easily off the exam table, but when her feet hit the floor, pain shimmied up her back. Though she did her best to hide it, she could tell by the look of disapproval on Dominic’s face, he didn’t miss it.

  You’re not being completely honest. Dominic’s voice shot into her mind with his now-familiar bossy tone. There’s more. I can feel it.

  “Steven?” Tatiana did her best to ignore Dominic. “Layla mentioned you have some lab equipment here. Would it be alright if Matt and I use it to run a few tests?”

  “You bet.” He shucked his lab coat, revealing a rock-n-roll T-shirt, and she couldn’t help but smile. Steven may be an Amoveo,
but she could tell he was a down-to-earth guy. “It’s just down the hall. Mi casa es su casa. I’ll see you two kids later. I’m going back to the cabin to check on Courtney.”

  Steven whispered the ancient language, static filled the room, and seconds later, he vanished.

  “That shit still freaks me out.” Tatiana shook her head and blinked. “Count me out for that particular gift.”

  Turning around, she walked face-first into Dominic’s broad chest. He linked his hands around her biceps and held her firmly against him. His dark eyebrows furrowed as he peered down at her through serious eyes. She licked her lips nervously, trying not to notice the firm muscles of his pecs beneath her fingers. Yup. No fat anywhere.

  “What is it that you’re not telling me, Tatiana?” His voice dropped to low seductive tones as his fingers relaxed and brushed the skin of her arms. “You can trust me. I—I would never hurt you.”

  Tatiana should have been put off by the fact that he invaded her space, but that would be operating under the assumption she could think clearly. All she could do was feel—feel his fingers as they melded against the flesh of her arms or his heartbeat as it thundered steadily in his chest beneath the soft cotton T-shirt.

  Before she could stop herself, Tatiana reached up and ran her fingers down the scar on the side of his face. The strip of marred flesh felt surprisingly smooth beneath her fingertips, and something inside her ached to ease the pain he must have felt. A growl rumbled in Dominic’s chest, reverberating through her as he held her close, and his eyes shifted to glowing amber orbs.

  Tatiana swallowed hard but held his gaze as her fingers trailed down to his stubble-covered jaw. His eyes reminded her of a wildfire, like the ones she’d seen out west that burned bright and out of control.

  That’s what she was feeling—completely out of control. No say over her emotions or her body. Everything burned. Heat flashed over her skin, and her eyes shifted into the bright yellow-gold orbs of her wolf.