Cross Breed

by Lora Leigh

  Jessica Langer Reever. She’d ensured the death of her first husband, attempted to kill her Breed husband, as well as her only child. She was pure evil. She had no heart. She had no soul.

  “Doesn’t matter, Khi,” he sighed heavily, shaking his head as he began shutting down the various machines he’d used to run her blood samples that evening. “Married or not, whether his wife was dead or alive, that’s your mate. You know it; he knows it. And the time to face it has come.”

  She couldn’t face it. She couldn’t allow it to happen. The woman he’d married wasn’t just any woman. It was her mother. And it didn’t matter what Graeme believed—she knew, knew that Lobo had had sex with that conniving bitch. She’d known it since the week after her sixteenth birthday when she’d walked into her mother’s bedroom and caught them.

  She swallowed tightly, hatred and disgust welling inside her at the memory. Naked, their bodies sheened with sweat, Lobo’s powerful muscles flexing, his hips driving between Jessica Langer’s thighs as he buried himself inside her. The memory of it enraged her, burned inside her like acid and ate at her in ways she couldn’t explain.

  She was fighting to breathe, to keep from screaming at the injustice of the position she found herself in. She couldn’t accept it; she couldn’t bear it. Besides, it wasn’t Lobo she loved but Tiberius. Tiberius who had mated. Who was returning to the estate with the woman he loved. And that was all her fault. If he hadn’t left, if he had loved her, then she wouldn’t have to face mating a Breed she hated.

  “Khi, you need to talk to Lobo,” Graeme advised her then. “Don’t keep pushing him. Don’t keep challenging him.”

  “There has to be a way to stop this.” There had to be.

  But he was only shaking his head. “I’ve done everything I can do, ran every test I can think of. There’s no way to stop it.”

  “So I should just accept it?” She sneered, feeling a shudder race through her body. “I should run upstairs and spread my legs for that bastard and let him steal my goddamned choice from me?”

  He actually had the nerve to roll his eyes at her.

  “That temper of yours is gonna get you in trouble, girl,” he grunted. “And lying to yourself isn’t going to help you either. Grow up. You’re not sixteen any longer and Tiberius never was a good stand-in for Lobo. Admit why you want to hate him and deal with why you don’t.”

  Her lips thinned.

  He thought he knew so much. Him and Lobo both. They thought they knew so much more about her than she knew herself.

  “Go to hell,” she snarled, turning on her heel and stomping to the curved staircase that led from the underground caverns where Graeme kept his mad scientist lab to the house above it.

  She’d be damned if she’d give in to any of them so easily, especially that bastard Wolf, Lobo. He sickened her. Enraged her. He’d married a woman to ensure he could establish his pack and ignored everything else. He’d ignored her bruises, he’d ignored her disappearances, and he’d ignored every pleading look she’d given him to make it stop. He’d ignored it for his pack. And she’d ignore him and his damned Heat now. And she’d find a way to make him pay for it.

  * * *

  • • •

  Lobo stepped from the connecting cavern as the door leading into the main house slammed above them with enough force to echo into the underground rooms.

  Sliding his hands into the pockets of his slacks he looked up, stared at the door and sighed heavily. God help him. If he could change any of this he would, for her. If he could have ensured a mating between her and Tiberius, it would have destroyed him, but he would have done so. For her.

  “Oh, stop feeling so damned sorry for her,” Graeme growled, disgust filling his voice. “If you and Tiberius would stop allowing that girl to bury her head in the sand and hide from the truth, then you’d all be far happier.”

  Would they? Lobo wondered, still staring at the stairs, the scent of his mate in his nostrils, her need increasing his, reminding him why he stayed as far away from her as possible.

  “She’s so very young,” he sighed.

  And he felt so very old sometimes.

  “Ten years?” Graeme snorted. “Keep burying your own head in the sand, Lobo, and someone’s gonna knock you in the ass. You may even cause Khi more pain than she’s already known. That might piss me off.”

  And of course pissing off Graeme just worried the hell out of him, Lobo thought mockingly.

  “You lied to her,” he pointed out to the Bengal. “Multiple times.”

  Graeme shrugged. “Tiberius may well mate before he returns, and as for the hormonal serum, there are some anomalies showing up in her that I want to study before she receives more. I believe it could be detrimental for the injections to continue.”

  “What sort of anomalies?” Lobo tensed, staring back at Graeme suspiciously.

  The Bengal frowned almost as though confused. “I’m still studying the anomalies,” he murmured, his expression turning strangely thoughtful. “I do know the hormonal serum is reacting oddly on the Mating Heat hormones in her system, though she’s likely not realized it yet.”

  And what exactly did that mean?

  “Reacting oddly in what way? Is she okay?” For a Breed who had never known fear, what he felt was strangely similar to the descriptions he’d heard.

  “Oh, it won’t affect her health.” Graeme waved the thought away. “The projections I’ve been running aren’t conclusive yet. I’ll let you know as soon as they are.”

  Mad fucking scientist, Lobo thought in disgust. Some days, Graeme seemed to have the answers to any Breed genetic or physiological problem that could arise. Then, on odd days, he could be amazingly reticent.

  “Graeme, what’s going on?” Lobo could feel a suspicion that went beyond the surface now. Something the Bengal wasn’t saying, but should be.

  “As I said, I’m not yet certain,” Graeme reminded him. “I will be certain to let you know, though.”

  Lobo felt his jaw tense, frustration rising inside him. As though he needed more frustration.

  “How long does she have?” he asked then, glancing up the stairs once again. “Before the Heat kicks in?”

  Graeme paused, the green of his eyes darkening over the gold as his lashes narrowed.

  “Twenty-four to seventy-two hours,” he said, his expression becoming a bit brooding. “No more than seventy-two, definitely.” He finally nodded.

  Seventy-two hours. Not nearly long enough to find a way to make her understand when she refused to discuss more than the time of day with him. Not nearly long enough . . .

  •BREED TERMS•

  Armored F-16 Dragoon: Vehicle based on the Armored Sergeants Dragoon but weaponized and more advanced.

  Armored Sergeants Dragoon: Vehicle with the same design as the Dragoon Elite but built primarily for off-road use.

  Breed Appropriations Committee: Group responsible for regulating expenditures of money collected from various persons and governments whose political and/or military arm were found to be involved with or funded, knowingly or unknowingly, Breed research and creation.

  Breed Criminal Cabinet: Breed and human members who act as a grand jury of sorts to decide if Breed Law has been broken and if a matter should be referred to the Breed Tribunal. The Breed Criminal Cabinet is part of the Breed Defense Initiative

  Breed Defense Initiative: Measure created by Cassandra Sinclair, Kane Tyler, Malachai Morgan and Braden Arness for the defense of Breeds or humans accused of breaking Breed Law.

  Breed Law: Mandates of laws signed by President Marion as well as all state-elected representatives and members of Congress that govern the treatment, punishment, acts of prejudice, hatred or other species-related crimes against Breeds, their communities, mates or children. Because of the number of elected and military officials as well as government-backed scientists who were involved
in the creation and cruelties inflicted on the Breeds, the laws were created and approved to remain intact for eternity, unless otherwise abolished, amended or designated no longer needed by the Breeds themselves.

  Breed Ruling Cabinet: Organization that governs and enforces the mandates of Breed Law within the Breed society. Comprised of an equal number of each Breed designation of the Breed species as well as humans.

  Breeds: Humans genetically enhanced and/or altered either before or during conception with any DNA designated as nonhuman.

  Breed Tribunal: Group that oversees laws governing Breed society. Rules on crimes against Breeds or the Breed communities by Breeds, their mates or any human affiliate who signs the agreement of Breed mandates that rules the Breed communities. Comprised of the members of the Feline Breed Tribunal, Wolf Breed Tribunal and Coyote Breed Tribunal, as well as the elected Breed commander and the director of the Federal Bureau of Breed Affairs.

  Bureau of Breed Affairs Oversight Committee: Panel of several elected senators, Breeds and foreign ambassadors tasked with overseeing the running of the Bureau, the actions of its director and the official missions Breeds participate in for allied countries.

  Condition Alpha: Protection and highest level of security to ensure the lives of the members of the Breed ruling families. Their location and protection during danger are kept under the highest level of security.

  Council Breeds: Breeds whose loyalties remain to the scientists and those backing them.

  Council Soldiers: Both Breed and human soldiers who follow orders given in the apprehension or death of those in the Breed society.

  Coya: Mate to the Coy Leader.

  Coy Leader: Head of all Coyote Breeds and/or packs. Base location is Cidadel, overlooking Haven, Advent, Colorado.

  Desert Dragoon: Powerhouse vehicle built mostly for desert use. Rumbles dangerously at low speeds.

  Dragoon Elite: Vehicle that sits low to the ground, built for speed and agility on congested highways and city streets. Equipped with minimal onboard weapons and two seats, with a trunk and back seat area that’s empty to allow for storage bullet-resistant windows with a protective film covering that confuses telescopes or other devices used to observe occupants explosive- and IED-resistant undercarriage and frame fully armored.

  Federal Bureau of Breed Affairs: Oversees the Breed communities, any protests or accusations against them, and all government payments to the Breeds as a whole. Director of the Bureau chairs any committees concerning the Breeds as a whole.

  Feline, Wolf and Coyote Breed Tribunals: Judicial bodies comprised of three pride or pack alphas and six generally elected members of the community to oversee any general crimes against the community or the members of the community. Overseen by the Pride or Pack leaders.

  Female Alpha: Naturally born female Breed with the same inherent sense of command and inner strength that male alphas are born with. Such a female can become a Primal. Any female Primal is an alpha female, but an alpha female is not necessarily a Primal.

  Genetic Flaming: Sudden flaming or awakening of once-hidden Breed genetics after a long period or even a lifetime of recessive Breed genetics. Usually occurs between ages twenty and twenty-three after the genetics have lain dormant or recessed. Symptoms include body temperature over 107 degrees, convulsions, hallucinations, flaring animal instincts such as enraged growls or snarls and attempts to bite or scratch.

  Genetics Council: Group of twelve who oversee the funding, research and creation of the Breeds.

  Ghost Team: Team of Breeds tasked with protecting the ruling families when an inordinate amount of danger threatens. Separately the Breeds in Ghost Team are highly effective. Together they are the most deadly team of Breeds known.

  Hybrid Breed: Breed born naturally of a Breed-human mating.

  Law of Self-Warrant: Law that decrees that any Breed may, one time only, accept the punishment and/or death for any criminal act that the Breed believes would cause his or her mate, child, parent or other associated relative undue harm.

  Mating Heat: Chemical, biological and pheromonal reaction between a Breed and his or her mate that causes extreme arousal, the inability to allow touch from the opposite sex except from the mate, and in extreme cases, extreme discomfort during the height of the Heat, from any touch beyond the mate’s. It is believed that this occurs only once for a Breed.

  Nephilim: Most popular definition is the offspring of human females and male fallen angels. The title has been given to a group of hidden Breeds who so closely resemble their animal cousins that they appear as two-legged animals. Often used by human parents to frighten their children into good behavior.

  Patrol Water Cruiser: Watercraft used in large lakes or near shore in ocean/sea patrol.

  Petition to Disavow: Physical divorce of sorts that ensures a mate isn’t affected by any crime his or her mate makes after the mating. No contact is allowed after a disavowal.

  Petition for Reconsideration: Petition requested by a prospective Breed mate to have a first mating reconsidered, should a mate show two prospective Breed mates. Forces the mate in question to spend a predetermined amount of time (nonsexual) with the filer of the petition to disprove the viability of the first mate.

  Petition for Separation: Petition requested by a Breed to separate from his or her prospective mate for a predetermined amount of time, though no longer than eighteen months.

  Prima: Mate to the Prime Leader.

  Primal: Preternatural creature whose awakened senses and/or strength can sometimes defy even fatal wounds. Most Breeds know only their human and animal personalities. In the Primal, a third designation becomes known. The Primal’s sole reason for existence is to protect the Breed, to ensure the safety of its mate and/or children. There are currently only four known Primals.

  Prime Leader: Head of all feline Breeds and/or prides. Base location is Pride Sanctuary, Buffalo Gap, Virginia.

  Psychotic Emergent Feral Fever: Most violent and least controllable of the feral fevers.

  Pure-Blood Societies/Purists: Group that believes Breeds should be exterminated to ensure their mutated genetics aren’t allowed to mix with those of humans. They believe in a pure-blood society.

  Rogue Breeds: Breeds with no official ties to the Breed society, either known or unknown.

  Supreme Societies/Supremacists: Group that believes Breeds are animals, despite their human origin, and they should be returned to the labs for scientific experiments and used only to benefit humankind.

  Unknown: Navajo. A group of secretive, unnamed warriors in war paint who rescue, transport or aid Breeds, humans and hybrids in escaping the Council and their soldiers. They have aided the disappearances of dozens of Breed children. Rumor suggests Leo Vanderale financially backs this group.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Lora Leigh is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Nauti Boys series and the Nauti Girls series, as well as the Breed novels.

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