Hell, he didn’t even know why they were calling and already his sense of alarm had grown. He was acting ridiculous. Pulling the cell phone out of his pants, he flipped it open and noticed Drayven’s number immediately. Maybe they were just calling to check on him. They’d objected to his doing this alone for months, but Jakob insisted. That’s probably all this was. When would they learn he could take care of himself just fine, damn it?
“What?” He knew his answer sounded gruff, but damn it, as the eldest, this was his responsibility. To see that someone deserving had a place to live, to feel safe to raise their cubs in.
“We need you here now, Jakob. It’s time to claim our mate.”
Immediately, the thick mane of hair on Jakob’s head fluffed out. He had to constantly keep it cut and dyed or it looked exactly like what he was—a lion’s mane. “What’s happened?” he growled. If something had happened to his mate while his brothers were looking after her, he’d kill someone—starting with his younger brothers. He’d purposely stayed away from Serenity once they’d told him they found her there in town so she’d have time to get used to the gentler, easier going of the Murphy brothers before meeting him—the not-so-gentle Murphy brother. It’d barely been two weeks. No way had they had time to get her used to them yet, never mind prepare her for the demands Jakob would make on her.
“Didn’t you get Ryker’s message?”
“Obviously not, or I’d know what the hell was so urgent.”
“She found a paper at a crime scene earlier. After reading it, she went ghostly white, then purposely hid it, shoving it deep into her pocket when she thought no one noticed instead of turning it into the authorities. My guess, she’ll paint a target on her back and go hunting—without the Sheriff’s knowledge or approval.”
Jakob stiffened where he stood, wanting to reach through the cell phone and strangle his brother. If Raine thought she’d put her ass in danger, she had best think again. That he couldn’t—wouldn’t—allow to happen. Not without him by her side to protect her. He could and would give her freedom—but only up to a point. He’d waited years, many, many years for a mate and he couldn’t lose her now. It would destroy him and he hadn’t even met her yet. How much stronger would the feelings grow once he got in the same vicinity as her, breathed the same air, inhaled her scent for goddess’ sake? Already she had him at the edge of his control and he hadn’t seen more than a photo of her.
Shaking his head, Jakob gripped his cell phone tighter as he fought the beast he could feel rising to the surface in preparation for battle. “I’ll be there in the morning. Sit on our mate if you have to, but keep her ass safe until I get there.” With a click, he hung up on Drayven and started hunting up a pen and paper. The new owners of the house would just have to let themselves in. He had something much more important to take care of—ensuring the safety of his mate. They’d simply have to understand and if not, he really didn’t give a fuck.
Chapter
Raine glanced at her watch and winced. She’d been on scene since the call out to Twila’s diner without so much as a coffee break and that had been over twenty hours ago. Every so often, she stuck her hand in her pocket, feeling for the note she’d found lying amidst the rubble. She wanted to quake in fear because she was terrified, but she wasn’t about to show the note to anyone else, not until she had time to think. Bad enough that Ryker had seen it, knew what the letter threatened.
Just thinking about Ryker made her insides jump around like a school girl with her first crush. The same thing happened when Drayven was nearby. It didn’t help that her inner lioness wanted the males as her mates—was quite insistent that she stake her claim on them, but she wasn’t ready to settle down. Not yet. Might not ever be.
She’d grown up in an all-male household, treated like a fragile doll who needed protecting from everything and everyone most of her life by her father and her four older brothers. She’d worked too damn hard for her independence to have a male or two think they could take over her life simply because they thought they knew what would be best for her. And all male lions she’d come across in her life had felt that a woman should be taken care of, staying at home, looking after the children. Raine snorted. They apparently didn’t think about the fact that in the wild, it was the lioness that did the hunting, took down the prey to feed and care for the males and the young—not the other way around.
She wasn’t stupid though. A female lion shifter had little chance against a Demon Lord who could possess anyone, be anyone, with powers she couldn’t conceive of. She’d just have to go see Ben and see about getting some protection—someone who wouldn’t want to take total control of her life but would be there if the Demon Lord made good on his threat. She could handle herself against the typical male. She wouldn’t have risen up the ranks in the fire department if she couldn’t, becoming Serenity’s first female Fire Chief. But standing up against other male lions who might be her mates… That could end up being more trouble than she wanted to deal with, especially on top of having to be alert at all times for an attack by a demon who’d apparently picked her as his next victim.
Once again, Raine patted her pocket, making sure the letter still remained where she’d put it earlier. When she heard the crinkling paper, she jerked her hand away and shoved her hands through her hair, tousling the already-unruly curls.
Gods, she needed some coffee, something to eat before she collapsed where she stood. Now that all the evidence had been collected, a thorough inspection of the crime scene completed, she could head back to her office and write a formal report for Ben and the district attorney to use as evidence in the arson. And there was no doubt in her mind an arsonist burned Twila’s diner. Then finally, maybe she could rest for a little while, get some sleep and figure out what to do about the threat hanging over her head. She’d talk to Ben when she brought him his report, killing two birds with one stone.
With the diner out of commission, that meant she’d have to make do with the coffee at the firehouse. She shuddered. Just thinking about the thick brew her firefighters drank left a foul taste in her mouth. She could practically stand a spoon up in the tar-like potion. Still, she needed caffeine and it would certainly fire her synapses long enough to get her report done and her ass over to the sheriff’s department. Decision made, Raine scanned the crime scene one last time, noticed the Murphy brothers leaning against a Serenity Sheriff’s Department SUV, their eyes scanning the lingering crowd.
Raine shrugged. If they wanted to stick around, that was no skin off her nose. Besides, she’d felt their gaze on her all night, smelling their scent, making her hyperaware and far too susceptible to them right now, especially this close to her approaching heat. Lowering her eyes, she headed toward her own vehicle, more than ready to leave now that she had a plan, even short term. If she had to inhale Ryker’s and Drayven’s scents for much longer, her lioness might just decide to take control and she was more than ready to take on the males. When both men inhaled, their nostrils flaring, she sped up. If she didn’t leave now, they’d be all over her and her lioness would submit to their needs to get what she wanted…Ravished. Mated.
After she finally reached her car, Raine released the breath she’d held as she walked past the brothers, not willing to inhale any more of their seductive pheromones. She quickly opened her trunk and set her evidence kit inside, slamming the lid closed in her hurry, but she wasn’t quite fast enough. She could smell them, both of them, coming up behind her. She had to get out of there and she had to do it now, before they could tempt her lioness to come out to play. As tired and close to her heat as she was, it wouldn’t be all that difficult for them to convince her she needed them… in more ways than one.
Without wasting another second, she rushed to the driver’s side of her car and jerked open the door, sliding into the driver’s seat in one smooth motion. But, as she tried to slam the door closed behind her, one large hand grabbed the frame, holding it open. Raine wanted to groan. She’d been so close to
getting away. Now she’d have to deal with one or more of the brothers before she could escape them.
Raine swallowed past the lump in her throat then raised her gaze, not surprised to see Drayven standing behind Ryker as he held her door open, preventing her from leaving.
“Let go of the door, Detective Murphy. I have a report to write and I’d like to get to it so I can get some sleep at some point.”
The corner of Ryker’s lips curled up into a smile. Shaking his head, he squatted in the open doorway. “You’re not going anywhere alone. I’m not going to stop you from doing your job, Raine,” he said holding up his palm when she would have objected. “But we will be there to protect you while you do it. I saw the letter. You need protection.”
She could hear the sincerity in his voice, the concern and something inside her thawed. She wished she could trust that they’d allow her independence, but she’d been around her brothers and other male lions in their prime. They weren’t known for their support of a female’s bid for self-determination to lead her own life.
Raine bit her lip. She wasn’t stupid. She knew she needed protection, but if she invited them to watch over her, there would be consequences. Could she deal with them and was she strong enough to stand up to Ryker and Drayven? With them underfoot, always at her side, they’d soon know how close she was to her heat and would definitely pick up on the fact that they were her mates. Pinching the bridge of her nose, Raine closed her eyes and exhaled. What choice did she have really? The Murphy brothers were Hunters before moving to Serenity and taking jobs as detectives with the sheriff’s department. They were her best bet at staying alive through this whole ordeal. She had no other choice.
Opening her eyes, she met Ryker’s gaze then looked over his shoulder at Drayven. “Fine,” she muttered. “But I have to go to my office first to write out this report and then I have to deliver it to Ben at the sheriff’s department and let him know about the note I found.”
Ryker nodded then stepped away from her door, finally allowing her to close her door. When he just continued to stand there staring at her through the window, she huffed then started the car and pushed the button to roll the window down. “What?”
Drayven smiled. “Just wanted to tell you to drive careful. We’ll be on your ass the entire way to the firehouse.”
Raine’s heart picked up its pace at the visual his words had triggered in her mind. Drayven knelt behind her, taking her as she knelt on all fours, while Ryker watched her with hooded eyes, his cock in his hand as he stroked himself with long, leisurely pulls. She shook her head to clear the daydream from her mind. “It’s only two blocks away.”
“Anything can happen in two blocks, Raine,” Ryker murmured.
Ryker was right and Raine knew it. Nodding, she placed her finger against the window controls. “I won’t even get out of the car until you’re both standing at my door.”
A slow smile lit up both men’s faces and again her heart rate picked up its pace. Her tummy felt like it had a million butterflies flitting inside it. If her hands weren’t out of sight of the pair, they’d probably be able to see them shake as arousal worked its way through her, soaking the minuscule panties she’d thrown on before she raced out the door more hours ago than she cared to contemplate.
Drayven slapped the roof of her car. “Good,” he murmured just before stepping away and heading toward his own vehicle, Ryker right beside him.
Letting out her pent-up breath, Raine rolled up the window and turned the air conditioner up until it blasted out of the vents, cooling off her overheated libido. It took only a minute before the sheriff’s vehicle idled behind her. With the two men visible in her rearview mirror, she pulled out onto Main Street
and heading toward the firehouse two blocks away. Already, her heart and body were reacting to the males and she hadn’t even invited them into her home, her bed. How in the world would she cope?
Chapter
As Raine pulled out into traffic ahead of them, Ryker made sure to be right on her rear bumper. Sure, the firehouse was located only two blocks ahead on Main Street right across from the sheriff’s department and nothing would likely happen before they arrived, but better to be safe than worry about something happening to their mate because they were stuck a couple cars behind her. Ever since Raine found the note in Twila’s diner, his lion had battered inside him, desperate to get out and protect its mate. It didn’t help that it could sense Raine’s approaching heat either. She smelled of spring rains and fresh flowers and his cock had been hard and thick in his slacks for the last ten hours or more. He could be thankful he’d chosen to wear a suit to work this morning rather than casual jeans, as he’d normally do, because he’d have zipper marks running down the length of his shaft by now if he had.
He should have been prepared for this eventuality though. His parents had told him long ago if he were to meet a female lioness as his mate, she’d go into heat soon after. But he’d only been a teenager when he’d had that conversation with his father and so much time had passed since then. He couldn’t help but wonder if his brothers remembered that little tidbit of info. Ryker turned his head toward Drayven, noticed that his brother’s fingers were clutching the seat, knuckles white with tension. A layer of sweat coated Drayven’s forehead. “What’s going on, Drayven?” Ryker asked, concerned. He didn’t like the way his brother looked.
Drayven’s gaze met his and Ryker swore he could feel Drayven’s lion trying to overrule his brother’s consciousness. “My beast wants out and it wants its mate.”
Ryker grimaced, then nodded his head in understanding. “Mine, too. She’s going into heat. I imagine once she finally meets Jakob, it will push her over. With the Demon Lord out there, it isn’t exactly the best time for this to happen.”
His brother’s lips twitched. “Well, we’ll just have to make the best of the situation and do our duty.”
Both brothers broke out laughing because mating Raine would be anything but an arduous sacrifice. Ryker had to choke back the chuckles once they pulled into the sheriff’s department parking lot across from the firehouse. If the Demon Lord didn’t see their police vehicle parked in the firehouse lot, he might attack her there and they’d have a chance to catch him, though Ryker wasn’t going to count on it. He and Drayven loped across the street and were standing next to Raine’s vehicle before she even shut off her ignition.
Opening her door for her, Ryker waited for her say something about their over protectiveness, but instead, she raised her gaze to his and gave him a small, weary smile. Her brown eyes had a dull sheen and she had heavy black circles under them. He could tell she was desperate for sleep, but if he even suggested she take a nap in the dorm-style quarters in the firehouse, he felt positive she’d refuse. Somehow, he had to convince her to get some rest, soon, before she fell over from exhaustion. Going about it though would be tricky.
As he waited for her to exit her car, he thought about all the various ways he could start the conversation but nothing quite sounded right in his head. So when she ran her hand over her eyes and gave a small yawn as she stepped out of her car, it gave him something to start with. “You look like you’re running out of gas, Raine.”
Raine nodded, threw her purse over her shoulder and grabbed her evidence kit out of the trunk. Her tired gaze met his then Drayven’s before she nodded and headed toward her office. “I am. After I type up the report for the Sheriff, I think I’m gonna grab a couple hours’ nap at home before my next shift starts.” She looked at her watch then winced. “Damn, I’m supposed to report back in less than six hours. I better just take a nap here at the firehouse.”
Ryker nodded, gave Drayven a quick glance, not surprised when he found his brother’s gaze locked on their mate’s ass as she walked in front of them. “Do you mind if we hang out here, kind of keep our eyes on things while you’re sleeping?”
Raine snorted. “Like you wouldn’t just watch from outside the building if I said no.” Raine rubbed the back of h
er neck with one hand, laid her evidence kit on her cluttered desk with the other. “Sure, just stay out of my way and don’t harass my men. Most of them haven’t been home in over forty-eight hours and are scheduled to go home when the other crew arrives for the next shift in a few hours. They’re exhausted and on edge after being away from their loved ones as long as they’ve been.”
Both he and Drayven nodded. Besides, they’d be sticking close to their mate and not hanging with her firefighters playing poker. She had nothing to worry about.
Scanning her office, Ryker noticed the beat up lime-green sofa circa 1970 against the far wall. A folded up blanket and pillow were piled on one end. No doubt their mate had probably spent many nights curled up on it, catching whatever sleep she could. Looking at her now, he imagined she couldn’t wait to lie down on it, no matter how uncomfortable it looked. Without any windows in the office, the only way in was the door so he felt a little better about waiting outside while she slept. Though, if the Demon Lord really wanted her, he’d probably gain entrance whether they guarded the door or not. The sooner he had her at the house where all three of them could protect her, the better he’d feel.
As Raine settled herself behind her desk, he gave Drayven a small shove toward her office door. “We’ll be right outside your office. If anything happens—anything at all—shout and we’ll come running.”
Ravishing Raine Page 2
