by Desiree Holt
“Seth, I—”
He touched his fingers to her mouth. “Shh. It’s okay. We’ll take our time. But it will happen. I promise you.” He brushed his mouth over hers. ”I’m jammed up a little right now, between my regular shift and helping Max keep an eye out for the rogue leopard. But I want to see you. Tomorrow. Maybe for lunch?”
She nodded.
“Does Aisha have your cell number?”
“Yes. She does.” She looked at him as if he was everything in the world to her.
Fast. This is happening so fast. But in a real mating this is the way it occurs. Instantaneous.
“Okay. I’ll get it from her and call you. In the morning. That’s a promise. And Kendall? Until this predator is caught, I’ll be keeping you safe.”
The smile she gave him was enough to keep him warm all the way back to The Litter Box.
Chapter Two
“I can’t get that woman’s body out of my mind, Kendall.”
Seth paced Kendall’s living room, his body a vibrating bundle of tension.
Kendall leant back on the couch and studied him, her heart breaking for him. They’d been spending some time with each other every night. Usually it was at The Litter Box, what with Seth still trying to catch what the media had dubbed The Shredder, because the killer raked his claws over the victim after killing her, shredding her skin.
Because talking at the club was difficult with all the noise, each day Seth took her to lunch near her office building. Then at night they stole whatever free time they could at the bar. The sensationalism of the murders didn’t seem to be affecting business any, and the bar was jammed from the moment it opened every day at four o’clock.
They hadn’t had much alone time. Their most intimate moments seemed to occur on the dance floor, when Seth held her so close she could feel his swollen cock pressing against her. The heat rolling from his body wrapped around her like an erotic cloak. And in Max’s office, where they managed to steal a few minutes here and there. God, the man could definitely kiss. His tongue was like a living flame every time he thrust it into her mouth, scorching her with the fire of sexual arousal. And his hands—magic. That was the word for them.
But it was an unsatisfying situation for both of them. Kendall didn’t ever remember being as sexually or emotionally drawn to a man. Each night after Seth saw her safely home she crawled into bed and eased her sexual frustration with her favourite dildo, while she closed her eyes and pretended it was Seth.
He’d taken her to brunch at one of her favourite restaurants, complete with orange mimosas, and they both should have been relaxed. But Friday night another woman had been killed and she knew it weighed heavily on the man who she was coming to care for more than she’d expected.
“This is really getting to you, isn’t it?” she said when they were back at her place.
“How can it not?” He rubbed his hands over his face. “Those poor women. Kendall, I can’t get their bodies out of my mind. I can barely imagine what they went through before they died.”
“Aisha says Max is practically a basket case.”
He nodded. “He’s even talking about closing The Litter Box until we catch this guy. He feels responsible in some way.”
“But that’s absurd!” Kendall swung her legs to the floor and sat up. “No way is it his fault.”
Seth shrugged. “I keep telling him that, but he reminds me if he didn’t have a place for cat shifters to hang out, he wouldn’t be providing a hunting ground.” He resumed his pacing, every line of his lean body tense—his thick black hair dishevelled where he kept raking his fingers through it. A muscle twitched in his cheek.
Kendall hated seeing him like this. She rose from the couch, unclipping her long golden hair and shaking it loose.
“I think I know how to get rid of some of that tension that’s got you wound up so tight,” she told him.
He stopped in front of her and looked at her, his panther eyes smouldering with heat. “Oh yeah? What did you have in mind?”
She normally wasn’t the aggressor in these situations, but no one had ever struck at her core the way Seth Rogan did. It wasn’t just that she wanted to do something to ease the anguish he was dealing with. She’d wanted him in her bed since the first night she’d met him and she was tired of waiting.
“I was thinking a little exercise might be in order.”
The fire in his eyes flamed brighter. “Oh?” He raised one elegant black eyebrow. “What kind of exercise?”
Her face was so close to his that his breath was a warm breeze fanning her cheeks. She wound her arms around his neck. “Maybe the kind that requires us to take our clothes off first.”
He threaded his fingers through her hair, clasping her head, holding it in place. “I’ve been trying not to rush you on this, Kendall. I know this will sound stupid—I mean, we just met a few days ago—but we’ve got something special here. That first night we were together was incredible. But I’m trying to give you some space. I just thought I should back off a little. I don’t want to ruin it by pushing you into something before you’re ready for it.”
“Trust me.” She brushed her lips against his. “I am so very ready for this.”
He’d kissed her before—kissed her plenty at The Litter Box and when he’d followed her home each night. But when he took her mouth this time there was a passion and heat to it. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, licking every surface, tasting her everywhere. She pressed herself against his hard, lean body, the heat of it surging through her. Her breasts felt heavy and the pulse in her cunt throbbed with insistent need. And Seth’s hot tongue was everywhere in her mouth.
They were both breathing hard when he lifted his head, the smouldering look in his eyes washing over her like a dark flame.
“I think it’s time to get rid of those clothes you mentioned.” Seth’s voice was rough, edged with lust.
“I agree.” Her own voice was none too steady.
“Then let me have the pleasure.”
She stood completely still, every part of her body vibrating, as Seth slowly unbuttoned her silk blouse, tugging it from the waistbands of her slacks and brushing the fabric down her arms until it fell to the floor. One fingertip traced the upper swell of her breasts—a light sweep that brought goosebumps to her skin. His eyes darkened to polished onyx as he took in every detail, his hands palming her breasts and lifting them towards him, still contained in the silk and lace of her bra.
“Gorgeous,” he breathed.
He bent his head and captured one nipple with his mouth, fabric and all, grazing the taut bud with his teeth and sending thin shards of electricity through her. He gave the other one equal attention, still holding her in his hands, squeezing the mounds—now so sensitised she wanted to rip off her bra so she could feel him directly on her skin.
She felt her inner cat beginning to growl, seeking to emerge, but she tamped it back down. Not yet, not yet, she told it silently.
When he’d lavished enough attention on her nipples that she was ready to scream in frustration, he flicked open the front catch then tossed the bra on top of her blouse. His mouth blazed a trail through the valley between her breasts down to the waist of her slacks, his tongue licking along the line of the fabric. Kendall shivered with expectation.
Seth’s lean fingers made quick work of the button and zipper. Slowly he pushed the material down her legs, kneeling as he did it so his face was directly in line with her pulsating cunt. Kendall balanced herself on his shoulders as she lifted first one foot then the other so Seth could add her slacks to the growing pile of her clothing.
Holding her in place with his hands on her hips, he licked the insides of her thighs, light brushes of his tongue that had her quivering with the need for more. He slid his fingers up through the elastic edging at the bottom to caress the cheeks of her ass, his touch like a hot brand. Kendall rocked slightly, silently urging him to probe deeper, but he slipped his hands from her panties and caressed the backs o
f her thighs.
“Your scent is driving me crazy,” he murmured as he buried his face against her pussy. She could feel his breath through the very thin silk, tickling her and arousing her even more.
“Taste me,” she urged, rocking forward again.
Seth lapped the front of her mound while his fingers stole beneath her silken undies again and stroked the cheeks of her ass. This time when he moved his hands away they took the flimsy scrap of material covering her pussy with them, tugging them down her legs and helping her to step out of them. She stood before him, shaking with need, while his eyes drank in every inch of her.
“Naked,” she gasped. “I want to see you naked.”
Who is this bold woman who’s invaded my body? Where did she come from?
But every minute she’d spent with Seth this week had been an exercise in control for her. She had never met a male of any breed who had called to her inner cat the way this one did. The leopard in her screamed for his panther. She had two friends who had mated across breeds very successfully, and on Saturday, while Seth had been on duty, she’d called them and as casually as possible asked them about their matings. Their curiosity had been aroused and she’d barely managed to hang up from each one without giving away more than she’d intended.
By the time today rolled around, her desire for Seth had reached a fever pitch. It was a wonder she’d been able to control herself this much.
Seth nipped at her labia. “I don’t want to go so fast I frighten you,” he murmured against her flesh.
“The last thing I am is frightened,” she told him in a breathy voice. “Fast is good.”
Seth rose with his panther grace and stripped off his clothes in seconds, dropping them next to Kendall’s. Her eyes widened as she took in the muscled, lean length of him, the mat of hair on his solid chest, the thick, swollen cock rising proudly from its nest of dark curls. She drank in every bit of him, the pulse in her cunt beating even more strongly now. When she raised her eyes to meet his, she saw such intense desire it shook her to her core.
“Fast is what you’ll get.” His voice was raw with passion. “At least the first time.”
He urged her down onto the couch, spreading her legs and kneeling between her thighs. His gaze was so hot it scorched her and in response she arched her hips up to him in silent urging. Sliding his hands beneath the cheeks of her ass, he lifted her to his mouth and lapped the length of her slit.
Kendall shivered at the touch of his tongue and a tiny moan whimpered from her lips.
He traced her length again before swirling his tongue around the sensitive nub of her clit, rasping against the swollen flesh and teasing her until she was begging for more. When he shifted his hands to open her labia with his thumbs and thrust his tongue inside her, she screamed with pleasure. Her entire body seemed acutely tuned to his every touch.
At the moment she was reduced to begging, he rose to his knees, wrapped his fingers around his cock and nudged the entrance to her pussy.
“Put your legs on my shoulders,” he urged in a hoarse voice.
The moment she did he drove into her with one strong, powerful thrust.
Oh God!
The sensation was more than she could have dreamt. He filled every inch of her hot channel, stretching her tissues to accommodate him, the head of his penis bumping up against the mouth of her womb. What felt like multiple bolts of lightning speared through her, stunning her with its electricity.
Mate!
The word echoed in her brain.
She’d known it that first night, but did Seth have the same feeling? Then he pulled back, paused, then slammed into her again and her brain short-circuited. Her senses took over, the feel of him inside her electric, his scent surrounding her, the sight of his passion-scored face mesmerising her from above. She locked her ankles behind his neck, lifting her herself to him to increase the force of their joining.
And then he moved, lean hips pistoning as he drove into her forcefully again and again. He shifted one hand to find her clit, rubbing it with a rhythm that matched those of his strokes in and out of her pussy. Again, again, again. The climax suddenly unwound within her with the released tension of a tight rubber band, snapping through her system. Her entire body began to shake as it clawed its way up from deep within her.
“Now,” Seth growled.
He pumped into her once more, hard, and as if called up by his command, her orgasm broke over her at the exact moment that he stiffened, growled her name and gave in to his own climax. Everything fell away and there was nothing but her and this man, shuddering with the explosion of their shared orgasm—shaking, breath sawing in and out, nerves firing again and again.
When the last spasm died away Seth reached up to take her ankles and ease her legs slowly back down to the couch. Her heart was hammering against her ribs so hard she was sure he could hear it. She couldn’t seem to drag enough air into her lungs. Every muscle was stretched and limp and she couldn’t have moved if the place was on fire.
Seth collapsed on top of her before rolling slightly to his side, his arms still around her. He brushed stands of hair back from her damp cheeks and smiled at her.
“Either you need to get a wider couch or we need to make it to the bedroom next time,” he told her in a deep, soft voice.
“I vote for the bedroom.” Her grin was suddenly shy. “I… We…um…sort of got carried away.”
“Yes, we did. But I’ve wanted to do this since the minute we met.”
Her eyes widened. “You have?” Heat crept up her cheeks. “I thought it was just me. What’s happening here?”
“Something really good,” he assured her. “Something we need to explore.” He stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “I want you to promise me something.”
“Anything,” she readily agreed. “Just ask me.”
“If there’s a night I can’t follow you home, I want you to ask Max to. He can put Aisha in his car and bring her back to get hers the next morning. But I don’t want you driving by yourself without protection.”
Kendall shivered. “I hope you catch this predator soon. Customers are going to stop coming to The Litter Box and that wouldn’t be good for Max.”
“You’re right. And believe me, it’s my top priority right now. I even got my chief to assign me to this permanently until we catch him.” He brushed his mouth over hers. “Meanwhile, could I interest you in a slow, steamy shower?”
She laughed, relaxing again. “Sounds great to me.”
Chapter Three
Seth was jittery. He leaned against the wall at The Litter Box, not far from the end of the long bar, hands in his pockets jingling coins—a habit he’d long used to calm his nerves, but tonight it wasn’t working. In the past ten days, there had been two more vicious attacks. Two more women raped and clawed to death. And he was still no closer to finding the rogue leopard shifter.
He knew Max had taken it upon himself to talk to as many of his female patrons as he could. He’d even printed small hand-outs that he gave to them, with a message urging them to be careful and suggesting precautions they could take. So far it hadn’t affected his business too much, but he’d told his brother he’d close the place if he had to…if Seth and his fellow cops didn’t catch this shifter soon. Seth hated to even think about that, because The Litter Box was about the only safe gathering place for cat shifters of all breeds. But he didn’t want to see more women dying, either. And it wasn’t as safe as it once had been.
His tension eased slightly as his eyes drank in the sight of Kendall sitting at the end of the bar, Aisha next to her. In the past few days the women had fallen into a new routine of coming into The Litter Box every evening after work. Sometimes they stayed until closing and Max would be on his wife’s bumper on the way home while Seth tailed Kendall. On those late nights another item had been added to the schedule—he’d spend the night at Kendall’s.
And that was something else complicating his life, but only because right now he d
idn’t have the time to devote to her that he wanted. She’d become a very important person in his life, a feeling that went way beyond the off-the-charts sex that only seemed to get better. No, it was a lot more than that. It was a bone deep feeling that, after looking for the right mate for a long time, one had simply dropped into his lap. And he wasn’t about to screw it up. He was grateful that she understood the situation, but he wanted to be able to court her properly. The way she deserved.
Mate!
The word had echoed round and round in his brain ever since the moment he laid eyes on her. After the erotic Sunday at her place he’d been more convinced than ever, and the nights he spent with her in his arms only reinforced that.
He really wanted to tell her to stay home until this killer was trapped—order her, really—but he knew that wouldn’t go over too well. He also selfishly liked being able to see her every evening. And he always made sure she got home safely. If she left before closing, he had a patrol car shadow her.
Another CD slipped into place in the jukebox and Seth headed for the front door. Kendall had excused herself to go to the ladies’ room so he asked Max to tell her he’d be right back. He just needed to take a break from the noise level for a few minutes. Leo, the ever-present bouncer, pushed the door open for him.
“Head starting to ache a little?” he joked, stepping outside with Seth.
Seth made a face. “Don’t even ask. How the hell do you do this, night after night?”
Leo grinned, reached up and removed soft plugs from his ears. “Self-protection.”
“Hell. I wish I’d known that. I might have to get a pair for myself.”
“I highly recommend it.”
Seth studied Leo, wondering exactly what breed he was and how he’d ended up with the job as bouncer at The Litter Box. The man was shorter than Seth, maybe five-ten, solid muscle, with the familiar streaked blond hair of the leopard breed but with the silver eyes of the panther.
