Tempted by the Jaguar #1: Transformation (Riverford Shifters)

by Cristina Rayne

  Kylie snorted. “Sounds to me like they’re just dumping me on you. I mean, how hard can it be to rent a large hall and just call everyone up and say ‘come meet the clan’s new member’?”

  Hunter chuckled. “Normally I would agree with you, but you’re a special case. It’s very unusual for a shifter to leave their clan for another, so new additions are pretty rare. It’s tradition that they introduce themselves to key members of the clan, but since you’re new to all of shifter society in general, it’s only logical that they ask me, the only jaguar you’re somewhat familiar with, to help you with the introductions.”

  “So one of the owners of this club is a key member of your clan?” she asked. Knowing just who filled the upper echelons of the jaguar clan could prove useful to her and Paul’s search.

  “Oh, no. Maxim—that’s my friend—heard about you from a family member who’s an elder and wanted to meet you.”

  There was something about the way Hunter grinned at her as he replied that immediately set Kylie on edge, but she couldn’t for the life of her figure out why or even if it was her who noticed it or the jaguar in her. She was beginning to wonder if she would ever get used to her dual nature, that maybe she had lived as just a human for too long. What was the use of having enhanced instincts if she couldn’t interpret any of their meanings?

  Hunter stopped his truck in front of a group of young men dressed in black tuxedoes, and two of them immediately broke away to open their doors. The valet had the strong, earthy smell of a shifter, though it had another underlying element that she had never smelled before. Kylie wondered which type of shifter he was. She would have to remember to grill Hunter later about which shifters were friendly with whom and not just for appearances.

  Loud music assaulted her senses once they stepped into the club, from a live band she was pleased to note. She wondered how long Hunter planned for them to stay. It was Friday night, after all, and she was missing out on hanging with her friends. Not that she had much to complain about seeing as she was currently walking into Southern Glacier with a super hot guy—and she did not just think that.

  Kylie’s entire body seemed to heat up as she glanced at Hunter from the corner of her eye. Hadn’t she already decided that she would keep their relationship strictly on friendly terms, that she wouldn’t even try to flirt? It wasn’t like her to fixate on any guy, no matter how hot, especially when she knew how dangerous letting this guy in particular get closer to her could be.

  Even though it was fairly early as far as clubbing was concerned, the tables and dance floor were already pretty crowded. Never had Kylie been so glad about the city-wide ban on smoking in public places than now. She could only imagine the havoc adding cigarette smoke to her already reeling senses would have caused.

  Hunter led her through the tables towards the huge bar that spanned the entirety of one of the far walls. He caught the eye of one of the many bartenders and spoke something into his ear that Kylie couldn’t hear over the music.

  “Have a seat,” Hunter said, gesturing towards a barstool that someone had just vacated. “I sent that bartender after Maxim. If you want, I’ll buy you a drink while we wait.”

  Kylie raised an eyebrow as she jumped up onto the stool. She beckoned Hunter closer and said into his ear, “I guess you forgot.”

  He tilted his head curiously. “Forgot?”

  “I’m only twenty remember.”

  For a couple of seconds, he looked confused before he shot her an incredulous look. “Normally this would be the last place you’d want to bring that little fact to anyone’s attention.”

  Her smile was self-deprecating. “I’m not much of a drinker.” Let him make of that what he will, but the last thing she wanted to do was get into the “whys.”

  He nodded and then flashed her a smile that was much too charming for her peace of mind. “Even so, my offer still stands. Sparkling water? Coke? Italian soda?”

  Kylie couldn’t help returning his smile. “Thanks, but I’m good.” She gestured with her chin over to the stage where the four-man band was just finishing up a rock song she had never heard before. “Being able to listen to live music is enough for me. I’m usually too busy with school, so it’s not something I get to do as much as I’d like.”

  “Sounds exhausting,” Hunter said, leaning up against the bar.

  “It can be.”

  “I never had the ‘pleasure’ of going to college. When my parents died, my brother and I took over several apartment complexes and rental properties. Occasionally, I will even buy and flip a house. I guess you can say real estate is in my family’s blood.”

  “Is your brother older or younger?”

  “Older.” Hunter’s eyes flickered to the side briefly, his posture suddenly tense.

  “You sound pretty busy yourself having to manage that much property,” Kylie remarked, deciding not to press the subject. No use purposely stepping on a potential minefield—at least not yet. “I’m sorry that the elders saddled you with me.”

  His lips curved up. “Because coming to Southern Glacier with a cute girl is so terrible.”

  “Well, that was certainly quick,” a deep voice abruptly said loudly near Kylie’s ear, startling her so much that she nearly fell off her stool.

  “Don’t even,” Hunter said warningly at the tall, platinum blond man dressed completely in black in a fashionable suit sans tie who was smiling affably at them both.

  A strong scent of something that was definitely not the scent of a jaguar shifter emanated from him, reminding Kylie of the clean smell of snow in the air. It completely caught her off-guard. She had automatically assumed Hunter’s friend would be another jaguar, and now she realized how utterly short-sighted that was of her.

  “Maxim Clarke,” he offered, holding out a hand to her.

  His large hand all but swallowed hers as they shook hands. “Kylie Moore. It’s nice to meet you.”

  The moment she released his hand, Kylie felt a surge of warmth flow through her entire body. It took every ounce of control she had to keep from visibly reacting. What in the hell had just happened? Did Maxim do something to her? Exactly what type of shifter was he?

  For his part, Maxim gave no indication that he knew she was freaking out inside, regarding her with the same polite interest in his pale blue eyes. Maybe it was just a natural reaction that shifters of certain clans experienced. Did she dare ask which clan he belonged to? Kylie turned and looked at Hunter questionably, hoping he would understand and save her from asking and possibly committing some kind of social faux pas.

  “He’s a tiger,” Hunter said. There was a definite tinge of amusement in his voice.

  “Siberian, to be exact,” Maxim interjected. “We and the Bengal tiger clan have got a rivalry going on, so you don’t want to get us confused.”

  “At this point, I wouldn’t know a Bengal tiger shifter from a moose shifter—if there’s even such a thing—so it’ll probably be better for everyone all around if I just don’t say anything,” Kylie said wryly.”

  Maxim laughed. “Well, come to my family’s club often enough and you’ll definitely get a nose-full. You’ll find no better melting pot of shifters outside a university.” He slapped Hunter on the back. “I’m sure this guy’ll be happy to set you straight. I’m always telling him he needs to get out more, anyway.”

  “Your whole family runs the club?”

  “Just my older brother, sister, and their mates. You’ll find that with shifters, pretty much everything is either family or clan-oriented. Well, with the exception of the jaguar loners. They tend to do their own thing.”

  “And that’s why we have more territory in this city than any other clan,” Hunter said.

  “Too true, but at least you’re not greedy about it like those damn gators,” Maxim said darkly.

  Hunter’s entire demeanor was instantly alert. “More trouble?”

  The tiger shifter sighed. “Always,” he replied, his tone heavy with meaning. He turned his at
tention back to Kylie. “The alligator clan hates us felines more than any other. As I’m sure your new clan’s elders told you, a Returner like you is a big deal in the shifter world, like winning the genetic lottery. It’s only a matter of time before the gators catch wind and see an opportunity to strike back where it would hurt most. When that happens, just know that the Siberians will have your back.”

  Kylie was taken aback. Was this the reason why Hunter wanted her to meet Maxim? Did she dare hope that she might have found more true allies within the shifters like Karen? It was still too early to judge, but for the first time in a long time, Kylie felt a flutter of hope that maybe, just maybe she and Paul might be able to move their investigation into her parents’ disappearance past the utter standstill it had been in for over a year now.

  “Saying thanks doesn’t seem like it’s enough, but thanks,” Kylie said.

  He waved a hand dismissively. “I know all this must seem confusing as hell, so the least all of us can do is ease you into our world as painlessly as possible. Which reminds me—a gator tried to start a fight outside the club last Friday and lost his beanie in all the excitement. I’ll have security bring it to you so you can get a whiff. That’s one scent you’ll want to know right away.”

  “I also have something I want your guys to look at,” Hunter said.

  “Of course. Did you want to do this now or…” Maxim’s gaze flickered over to Kylie meaningfully before fixing on Hunter again.

  “Kylie, do you want to go to the back with us, or—” Hunter touched her shoulder, and for the second time that night, Kylie nearly fell off her stool as that same strange warmth she had felt after shaking hands with Maxim shot throughout her body. However, this time it seemed much stronger, hotter and lingering, as though she had just submerged herself in a hot tub.

  Hunter immediately sprang forward to steady her. “Kylie?” he asked worriedly.

  “S-sorry,” she said, shaking her head as if to clear it. “I just felt dizzy all of a sudden. It’s probably just my senses going haywire again.”

  He frowned. “Maybe it was too soon to bring you into such a crowded place.”

  She smiled at him with forced reassurance. “I’m okay now. I was only dizzy for a second. You two go on ahead and take care of whatever business you have. I’ll just sit here and listen to the band.”

  When Hunter hesitated, Maxim said, “Don’t worry. I’ll have a couple of my guys keep an eye on her.”

  “Okay, but you should at least drink something,” Hunter insisted. “Just think of how it’d look if you passed out and I had to carry you out.”

  This time Kylie’s smile was real. “You really do want to buy me that drink,” she teased. “Fine. I’ll have one of those cherry Italian sodas you mentioned earlier.”

  As Hunter waved over a bartender, Maxim turned to her and said, “You have a pretty strong scent. I can only imagine it’s because you’re a Returner. I’ve never met one before you so I can’t compare, but it may peak a few shifters’ curiosity.” He pointed to a couple of large men who looked like real bruisers standing at the other end of the bar. “I’ll have those two make sure no one takes that curiosity any further.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  “I promise we won’t be long,” Hunter said with an apologetic smile as he and Maxim headed away from the bar.

  Kylie watched the two men with narrowed eyes as they quickly wove through the throng towards the back of the room with the agility associated with the big cats who were, in essence, their alter egos. For some inexplicable reason, she suddenly had a strong desire to chase after them. Just thinking about going after them made her whole body heat up and buzz with—something. Excitement? She wasn’t sure.

  Now thoroughly freaked out, she tore her eyes away and concentrated on her drink and the live music. It was no doubt her jaguar side reacting to something beyond her human comprehension. Now was definitely not the time to lose control of her senses, surrounded by a sea of potential enemies.

  She could only hope Hunter really wouldn’t be gone long.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  It was only when she noticed a third pair of eyes, this time from one of the tables close to the bar, staring rather openly at her that Kylie’s initial concern started to turn to fear.

  The first was a guy sitting four stools down from her. One moment he was chatting with a couple of women, and the next, he froze before turning to look directly at her as if he had suddenly caught her scent in the air. Only—she was pretty sure that he and the rest of the people sitting around her were human.

  The second was also a human, an older, thirtyish guy who happened to walk by her. He too had frozen mid-step as if someone had called out to him before turning to look at Kylie with something like bewilderment. This guy had slowly moved on, but sometime when her attention had been on the stage and the band, he had returned to the bar and was now seated at the very end not even trying to hide the fact that he was staring at her with a decidedly creepy expression.

  Kylie watched all three warily, wondering if she should wave over the two security guys Maxim had pointed out. It had only been about twenty minutes since Hunter and Maxim had left her at the bar, so she was reluctant to cause a scene that may send them running back to her. There was also the chance that she might be seen as weak within the shifter society, and thus people would be more reluctant to share anything of value with her. Then the opportunity entering the jaguar clan presented would be wasted.

  Her eyes flickered over to the security men, and she was a bit startled to see them already looking back at her with twin frowns stretching their lips. They were looking at her as though they didn’t like something she was doing, but for the life of her, she couldn’t fathom what. It wasn’t as though she was encouraging all those creepy stares.

  Just as Kylie shot them a puzzled look, a group of seven guys passed in front of them, blocking her view and capturing her full attention. In that moment, she was once again submerged in an inexplicable warmth, and as one, every single guy in that group turned to look at her.

  Kylie flinched back in reaction, her heart suddenly speeding up in the beginnings of panic. Her eyes darted around them in an effort to alert the security guys that things had suddenly gone bat-shit crazy, and she inadvertently locked gazes with Creepy Guy Number One who was still sitting four stools down.

  Before she could even blink, all seven guys converged on the stool guy, attacking him with fists and kicks. Kylie expected him to cry out for help, but instead, he let out a weird, guttural sound that was purely animalistic and returned blow for blow like a man possessed.

  More men began to join the fray as Kylie jumped off the stool and turned with the intent of sprinting for the exit. Instead, she was met with a wall of at least eight men advancing on her with a look of hunger in their eyes like a starving vampire. To add to the horrors, as she crouched into a defensive position, a low growl began to rise on its own accord from deep within her throat, and she could already feel the slight spasms in her muscles that signaled her body was on the verge of shifting.

  Shit! Shit!

  “Kylie!”

  The sound of Hunter’s voice in that moment of chaos was as stunning as hearing a chorus of angels. Her head snapped towards his voice in enough time to see him lay out a tall blond guy with a brutal punch to the chin who had tried to block his advance.

  She wasted no time in rushing to him, reaching out to grab his arms. “Hunter! What the hell is going on! I—”

  The moment Kylie touched him, her entire body seemed to ignite with flames, and only Hunter’s quick reflexes prevented her from crumbling to the ground. Desire, lust like she had never felt before inundated her mind, her senses, and she found herself lunging at Hunter with a very audible growl, intent on devouring that luscious mouth she had only admired from afar.

  Yes—yes—he’s the one!

  “Fuck!” Hunter cursed, thrusting her out at arms-length and shaking his head violently as though to cle
ar it after being punched.

  “She doesn’t know how to control it!” Maxim’s voice penetrated the haze of lust that had almost completely taken over Kylie’s mind as effectively as a gunshot in a library, causing her next growl to freeze in her throat. “Get her out of here now! I’ll take care of things here!”

  With another harsh curse, Hunter pulled her tightly against him and began to half-drag, half-march her through the surrounding crowd as fast as he could without sending them both to the ground. Enveloped within his warmth and now mouth-watering scent, Kylie’s groin began to throb rather insistently with arousal. She groaned and tried to rub herself against him as they walked but the constant movement of their legs prevented her from gaining any good friction.

  The walk to the VIP entrance seemed to take an eternity, but thankfully Hunter’s truck was already waiting for them outside at the curb, doors open and engine running, though the valets were conspicuously absent. By then, all Kylie could think about was getting inside, climbing onto Hunter’s lap, and screwing him until they both passed out.

  She tried to push Hunter through the opened passenger door, but he grabbed her head firmly between his hands and held steady until she was finally able to focus on his eyes.

  “Kylie, you have to calm the fuck down,” Hunter said sternly, his eyes hard and piercing. “You’re in heat, sweetheart, and you’re sending out enough mating pheromones to attract the whole state of Texas right now!” He paused and gritted his teeth. “It’s taking everything I have in me to keep from ripping your clothes off and screwing you blind right here on the sidewalk,” he continued roughly. “I have to get you out of here, but there’s no way I’ll be able to keep from driving us into a ditch when all I can think about is driving my cock into your body! Try to think of the most un-arousing things as possible…!”

  Although she was able to hear every word and she suspected that he was purposely being blunt and crude to shock her, Kylie was having a hard time comprehending them when Hunter smelled so damn good. However, some of his desperation managed to seep into her awareness, and enough of Kylie’s humanity still remained to want to understand that urgency to fight to the forefront of her consciousness. She was suddenly seeing Hunter as the human woman rather than the jaguar, could see the sweat on his brow and how his entire body shook with the effort of keeping himself from throwing her onto the ground and having his wicked way with her right then and there.