Cold Blooded

by Amanda Carlson

  “How old is old enough?” I pressed, curiously.

  He chuckled. “Old.”

  Naomi’s words filtered through my mind. When we’d been on the road, she’d informed me there had been rumors Rourke was close to acquiring a godhood, which was the ultimate mix of power and immortality for a supernatural. You had to be old enough, powerful enough, and have a god or goddess as your patron. But it wasn’t something I felt comfortable asking yet. We hadn’t even consummated our relationship. Chatting about possible god-ness sounded too over the top, especially since he was shy about telling me what kind of cat he was.

  I pushed it out of my mind for now. “Okay”—I looked around—“this is as good a spot as any. I’ll change here.” Without waiting, I reached down and grabbed the end of my shirt and pulled it over my head. Rourke stood watching me, and I grinned as I tossed it away. “You better get a move on, Big Boy. You don’t want to risk jumping me once I’m naked. Or I might just jump you, so you better leave while you still can.”

  Reluctantly he turned and left. I shimmied out of my leggings and lay down completely naked in the cool grass. Summer was moving on and the nights were getting chilly, especially in the mountains. My nipples budded painfully and I forced myself to ignore how much they ached.

  “Are you ready?” Rourke called from his spot. His voice sounded strained and I knew without a doubt he could see me and it was killing him.

  I felt a little better. At least I wasn’t the only letch in town.

  “Ready.” I switched control to my wolf on a thought.

  The shift was smooth and effortless.

  My body had become more accustomed to shifting with each change. The first time had been a train wreck. I’d fought it with everything I had, and it had been the worst thing I could’ve done. Now it felt natural and fluid. My back arched as my legs extended. Fur sprouted along my skin like a soft blanket.

  The change took less than a minute.

  Once I was finished, I blinked and glanced around. The night was clear. Everything was more detailed and easier to see in this form. We called our animal form our “true form” because it was our body’s most natural form. We hailed from humans, spent most of our time in a human form, but animals were our true nature. It felt unbelievably free to be in this body. This is what all shifters craved.

  I lifted my muzzle to the sky, resisting the urge to howl. The darkness wasn’t absolute. Instead objects glowed around me in an amber haze, my eyes gathering light from everywhere so I could detect the smallest details. As I stood, I inhaled, raking air in over my sensitive tongue, tasting all the flavors of the night.

  Then his scent hit me.

  My wolf barked and our voice carried into the night sky. We were linked so closely in this form that control hung on a blink. My heart began to race as his musk engulfed us. I was in control now, but my wolf was agitated and a low growl escaped.

  His scent was a thousand times stronger in his true form.

  Cloves and rich molasses were intertwined with a kind of power that I didn’t understand. It didn’t feel godlike, like Selene’s had, but it was still incredibly strong. His smell calmed us, but his power frightened us. It sent currents of pressure into our body, warning us, urging us to flee. My wolf wanted to run. No, hold still. This is right. She whined and pushed herself into me, making us stagger. I know. I smell it, too, but he’s not going to hurt us. Focus on the signature, not on the power.

  Rustling came from the bushes.

  Rourke had finished his change even before we had, but he was letting us get used to him.

  That may take longer than we had.

  I opened my mouth and huffed into the air, telling him we were ready.

  After a second, he stepped into view. One paw at a time until he stood only a few paces from us.

  Oh, dear gods. What is he?

  He lifted his tawny head to the sky and roared.

  7

  He took another step closer and stopped. Power surged off him in crisp waves and it was all I could do not to turn tail and run.

  He was massive.

  And one of the most beautiful creatures I’d ever seen. Is he a lion or a tiger? His fur was a rich gold, like a lion’s, but intricate dark stripes flowed over him, like a tiger. He didn’t have a mane. His fur was short, not shaggy—more like a puma’s. But he was clearly a Big Cat. His front incisors were curved and long, indicating his age. Nothing like him existed today. No lions and tigers had curved canines anymore. His weren’t massive like a saber-toothed tiger, but they were long enough.

  Whatever he was, I’d never seen anything like it.

  I took a tentative step forward and he whined at me, urging me to come closer. Cats and dogs were naturally leery of each other and this was strange in the extreme. For a moment it felt like fate had played a trick on me. And instead of being mated, Rourke would gobble me up the moment I stepped closer.

  Sensing my trepidation, he sat down.

  When I didn’t move, he sprawled on his stomach and lowered his head so I stood clearly above him.

  It was enough to make me take another few steps closer.

  My muzzle stretched out to him, scenting. He smelled like heaven, which was in direct odds with this scenario. When I got close enough, he reached up and licked my chin, his giant tongue covering all of it. I eased considerably, as did my wolf. She yipped, and the sound carried out of our shared vocal cords. I had to be careful, because all these heady emotions made our control bounce back and forth, and she would love nothing more than to take the reins.

  He snuffed at us.

  I moved back as he stood. He was a shoulder taller than I was, his beautiful eyes radiating outward. He was glorious.

  He paced by my flank, rubbing up against me, scenting me and marking me to others. Then he started forward into the woods, and when I didn’t immediately follow, he huffed once over his shoulder before taking off into the night.

  I took off after him, barking joyfully into the darkness.

  We ran quickly, hitting the base of the mountain within moments. A cat was better tailored to pick its way over rocks as we climbed, but I kept up just fine, even though he kept circling back to make sure we were okay.

  After the third time, I snarled a warning.

  He can’t keep babying us. We may not be as seasoned as he is, but we’re strong too. My wolf growled at the thought of us being weak. I didn’t say we were weak, but on a scale of power, Rourke has us beat. She flashed an image of us tearing a similar lion to shreds. Come on, you felt his power. It’s off the charts. It almost hurts it’s so strong, and a minute ago you wanted to turn tail and run. She snarled, flashing a box in my mind. The very same one she’d shown me when we’d gotten into trouble with the Mahrac. I’d thought that once she opened it, it would contain more power than I could handle. But I’d absorbed it fully because it had been mine all along. At the time, I hadn’t known how to tap into it. I get it. I can sense the power inside us, but stronger than Rourke? That seems unlikely. He radiates it. Power leaks out of him like he can’t possibly contain it. Ours is not like that.

  At once my body quivered and adrenaline raced out before I could stop it.

  My wolf was teaching me a lesson.

  Hey, no need to go crazy—Before I could say any more, my muscles coalesced under my skin, harder and bigger than they’d been a second ago. My fur started to prick as currents of energy raced along my spine, like fireworks bursting outward from all the nerve endings in my body.

  Rourke snarled, turning toward us, sensing the power fluctuation.

  He raised his head, trying to scent danger, wondering what I was reacting to. Not seeing anything around us, he charged into the trees roaring. A giant buck leapt out of the undergrowth and bounded off. Rourke paced back out, his body lithe and primal. He was so lethal; currents of his power whipped up and down my hide, reaching me easily where I stood.

  There was no way to tell him I was only reacting to my stubborn wolf. />
  Power was still seeping out of me at an alarming rate, from every cell of my being, where it seemed to have been patiently waiting all along. I felt light-headed but invincible at the same time. It was a dangerous feeling. Why are you doing this now? She growled at me, frustrated. I can’t help that it’s going to take me longer to figure out the stuff you already know, just like it’s going to take you time to be patient with our human obligations. Manipulating power is no small task. She clacked her jaws at me. My wolf was an old soul, that much was certain. She was sure of herself in ways that came only with age. It made reasoning with her incredibly difficult when she was intent on proving her point. I had no idea how the Prophecy worked, and what it entailed, but this was the card I’d been dealt. She and I had to learn to work together for the long term. We were two sides of the same coin and we had to start acting like it.

  Rourke paced around me, a low growl emanating from him in a constant thrum. Instead of trying to deal with the situation, since I had no words to give him, I took off, leaping ahead of him in one giant bound. I flew over the surfaces, making my way up the mountain quickly.

  Rourke followed at my heels, quiet but alert.

  We crested the top and I raced across the expanse, bounding into the clearing where the small cabin stood before I realized I was even there. I skidded to a stop in front of the quaint structure. Moonlight cascaded down on the grounds and it looked as picturesque as I remembered. I moved forward and stuck my nose near the doorjamb and inhaled.

  I could detect traces of vamps, wolves, and Selene, as well as residual smells from the battle we’d fought, but no humans had been here. It was a difficult place for them to access easily, but I wanted to be sure. I was tall enough to see inside the glass partition in the door, and it was just as homey as the image in my mind. A growl escaped, knowing there was food and a bed for us in the loft.

  I turned slowly.

  Rourke stood a safe distance away, his head up, nostrils flared. A low, menacing sound issued from the back of his throat, but it wasn’t because of any danger.

  He was reacting to me.

  I paced out from the cabin as he came forward.

  One step at a time.

  He notices we’ve changed. I wonder what our power feels like? As soon as we shifted back, I’d ask him, but it still made me wonder. Okay, I confess, you were right—we have more power than I realize on a daily basis—but I don’t necessarily think we’d win a battle against Rourke just yet. My wolf snarled. Please, we are so inexperienced. Someone like Rourke, who’s been fighting and honing his skills for centuries, would beat us. Power or no power. She bit the air in front of her. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It just means we need some polishing. And guess what? I know just the cat to help us. And that’s a lucky break if you ask me. The top fighter in the supernatural world is our mate. Score one for us.

  Rourke sensed something.

  His ears perked, and he took off into the trees. I followed, catching up as he slowed just outside of the cathedral of pine trees. This was the very same place where I’d made my second shift into a wolf and discovered he was my mate. This area had a special aura, heightened to me in this form. It vibrated with a quiet intensity. Natural circles, such as this one, were very powerful. This one was no exception.

  I’d bet my life that Rourke finding this place had been no accident.

  Ray’s new vamp signature was all over.

  By the smell of it, Naomi had left less than five minutes ago, her scent just beginning to fade. She’d waited until she heard us, covering my ass like a champ. But I was glad she’d taken my order to leave seriously. Dealing with the Vamp Queen was going to take skill. She needed to be rested and ready before we took on that challenge.

  Ray was inside the circle.

  I followed Rourke through the trees, ducking my head to dodge the low-hanging branches. We both padded into the middle. The grass was neatly trimmed, which added to the uniqueness of the surroundings. It shouldn’t be this groomed, yet it was.

  Ray was secured to a massive pine tree on the other side. Naomi had doubled his bonds with chains she’d found from Rourke’s stash. I yipped at Rourke and he huffed, unmoving, nodding once. I stepped closer, inhaling.

  There was blood in the air.

  I scented only Ray’s, but we had to make sure. His face was still caved in, but from my vantage point, it appeared to be healing. He was still out cold, thank goodness. I lifted my head to the starry sky, gauging it was about ten or eleven at night. There was still time, but we would need to get him out of the direct threat of sunlight before dawn.

  Power vibrated around me.

  I glanced over to see Rourke had begun to shift back into his human form. I dropped down to follow his lead but stopped when I heard his voice. “Jessica, don’t shift yet. Stay here. Keep your senses focused outward while I move Ray to a safer place. We can’t leave him here overnight. There’s another cave less than a mile away where I can hold him securely.” He stretched as he stood. “He’s not my first guest.”

  I barked my objection. I wanted to go with them.

  “It’s better for you to stay here.” He walked over to Ray. “I don’t smell anything brand-new, but there is a lingering scent of wolf that could be trouble.” He bent over and grabbed on to the massive padlock Naomi had used to secure Ray and crushed it with his fist.

  He was completely naked.

  Even though I thought he looked glorious nude, perfectly chiseled with hard lines and firm muscle, I hoped to the high heavens Ray didn’t wake up. If he does, he’s in for the first ever vampire cardiac arrest. I chuckled to myself and the sound came out in short snuffs.

  Rourke wrapped the layers of chains around his chest and hoisted a still-unconscious Ray over his right shoulder. Well, at least the chains are separating all his parts from Ray. It afforded Rourke a little modesty. He disappeared into the forest and I trotted to the other side of the tree line closest to the cabin. There were a lot of smells, but none of them seemed particularly fresh.

  Picking up a strange smell of mustiness, I followed the circle, weaving my way in and out of the trees. I walked outside to investigate and was just about to head back to the center to wait for Rourke when a low growl rent the air.

  No more than thirty paces from me.

  It sounded like a wolf, but I couldn’t see what it was.

  I lowered myself into a fighting stance and cocked my head, lifting my nose. I still don’t smell anything clearly. Do you? My wolf was at attention, already standing sentinel against the threat. Can you detect any movement? We took a step closer. The growling increased and something rustled to my left. It rose off the ground slowly and shook itself off, and right as it began to move, its scent hit me.

  An old, decayed smell almost fully masked its signature, but there was no mistaking who it was.

  Hank.

  How come we didn’t scent him before? As he shook his coat and paced forward, I realized why.

  Hank had lain down to die.

  He’d dug himself into the earth and had been covered in mud, pine needles, wet leaves, and moldy dirt.

  There was no indication any other wolves were here. My father had told me before I’d left town that he’d dispatched two wolves to track and find Hank. As I inhaled once again, I opened my mouth, tasting the air. There was a very faint scent of death, but it wasn’t in the immediate area. Hank had likely killed them and taken their bodies somewhere days ago. We attack first and catch him off guard. It looks like he hasn’t eaten in a long time. I hoped that meant he was weaker than usual, because Hank was a fighter.

  He growled at me, his eyes beginning to spark a deep amber.

  My wolf pitched her muzzle in the air and we let out a deafening howl into the night sky, letting Rourke know there was trouble.

  Then we sprang.

  My claws hit Hank’s flank hard, tumbling us both down to the ground. He snarled, rolling away quickly, adrenaline aiding his fight-or-flight instincts. Ha
nk was a mean wolf, which had always given him an edge, and he was getting his gumption back more quickly than I’d hoped.

  He turned and lunged, snarling furiously, saliva leaking from his jaws. I’d just given him the only reason to ever emerge from his grave. To exact revenge. I’d killed his only son and this was his chance—his last chance, and likely one he didn’t think was possible until a few minutes ago—to avenge his son’s death.

  I sidestepped him as he came at me, sinking my teeth into his hind leg and biting hard.

  He yipped and stumbled forward and I rounded on him quickly. We are not losing this advantage. I want to be done with this … and him. I aimed for his neck, but he surprised me by lashing out and connecting with my head. His jaws were around me before I could blink.

  A mew escaped my throat as a ferocious snarl erupted right behind me.

  Hank heard it too. He unlatched his hold on me reluctantly and peered around my body. I followed his gaze. Rourke stood behind us. He had shifted again. He’s not taking any chances, I told my wolf. He can kill Hank in seven seconds in that form. The snarl coming out of him was full of menace.

  But this was my fight.

  It was mine and I wanted it. Hank had made my life a living hell since the day I’d been born. I’d dispatched his son with no regret, and I needed this saga to end on my terms. Wolves fought for status constantly; it’s what we craved. It was our hierarchy. If I beat Hank, it meant I was superior to him in all ways. I wanted that. I deserved it.

  I snarled back at my mate, warning him to back off.

  His ears shot up. The surprise lacing his features almost made me laugh.

  He took a tentative step forward and I snapped my jaws decisively, letting him know I’d keep him posted if I needed him. He cocked his head and sat down with a thump, a small questioning huff escaping his lips. I’m sorry you don’t like it, honey. But that’s the way it’s going to be.

  Hank growled. All my wounds had already healed from our little altercation. I took a step back and allowed Hank to regroup. I wanted a fair fight. He glanced from me to Rourke, trying to figure out the dynamic. I barked until Hank brought his attention back to me.