by Bianca D’Arc
They had shared so much in just a few short days. She felt things with him that she felt with no other. She trusted him with her body in ways that she had never trusted another man. Dare she trust him with her heart? She was afraid it was almost too late to prevent it.
But did she want to? Her new-found confidence was telling her to take the chance. To grab for happiness with the cougar. The High Priestess’s words repeated in her mind, encouraging her to step out of her comfort zone and rejoin the land of the living. She’d already come so far, but Bob had made her want to come all the way back into the light—to be with him.
She had loved every minute of their time together and wanted to make love with him again and again. While she had fled in confusion the night before, Bob hadn’t held it against her. She had almost feared her reception—when she had a moment to think about it—today, but he hadn’t brought it up. He merely kept going, accepting her. Keeping her as safe as he could under the circumstances. Allowing her to make her own decisions.
That respect was precious to her. If he could love her, she would probably never find a better man. Her cat wanted him for its mate and her human half wasn’t far behind, but she had to find out where he stood on the matter…and that would take some doing.
Her cat form yowled low in frustration as she approached the bank of the small stream. It caught movement in the flowing water and pounced, acting completely on instinct.
A fat fish flopped onto the shore. Serena felt a pulse of satisfaction and turned back to the stream. It was time to be a cat and not worry about the human side of things. Good thing cats liked sushi.
By the time Bob arrived at the stream a few minutes later, three fat fish lay at Serena’s feet. He padded over to her on his much bigger paws and tapped her nose in play. She swatted at his paw and then pushed two of the fish toward him.
The cougar sank onto his belly and sat opposite the bobcat as they feasted on fresh fish. For the moment, they let their animal sides rule while they filled their bellies. The cats loved the fresh seafood and after finishing the meal, they prowled around a bit together, working off the stiffness from the long car ride and allowing time for dinner to settle.
When they were both feeling relaxed and a bit weary, Bob herded her back toward the SUV. She didn’t need much coaxing. She stayed in her cat form to see what he had in mind. She had noticed a chain around his neck, mostly hidden in his fur, but she could see that the key fob for the SUV was attached to it. He had left his clothes under the vehicle, she saw as they returned, but he had kept the key with him. Smart. But it needed human fingers to work the buttons, didn’t it?
That question was answered as he pressed a sensor under the bumper with his paw. The proximity of the electronic fob and the pressure in the right place seemed to combine to pop the hatch open.
Bob took a moment to lift the neat pile of his clothes in his teeth and stow them in the back of the vehicle before he jumped up into the roomy cargo area. She hopped up, following him. Her clothes were already within easy reach on the passenger seat, where she had left them. She wasn’t sure if they were sleeping in their fur or their skin yet, but she would follow his lead, whatever he decided.
He didn’t seem inclined to shift, so she sat on one side and watched him as he hit another sensor with his paw and the tailgate closed automatically. The tinted windows enclosed them in darkness, but they both had excellent night vision. She saw him do a few more things. He touched a small panel on the side of the SUV’s body and it slid out and down, showing a peephole of sorts that had been built into the lower part of the body of the vehicle.
Another press of his paw slid a tiny part of the back roof up at an angle to allow for fresh air to circulate in the enclosed space. There were already dark-colored blankets spread on the floor under them and a few dark pillows along the side of the compartment. All the comforts of home.
After showing Serena where the control was for the viewing panel on her side, he settled down, his face near the small viewport. It was clear he was choosing to sleep in a place where all he had to do was open his eyes to see what was outside on his side of the vehicle. She realized he probably wanted her to do the same.
It made sense. They could watch a good sized area from the little ports without moving a muscle, and in their fur, their senses were extra-sharp. They would hear the slightest sound from outside and the fresh air circulating through the open hatch would allow them to smell intruders from a long distance away. They could sleep and guard at the same time.
Realizing they were as safe as they could be given the situation, Serena gave in and slept.
Sometime before dawn, Serena woke to find herself encased by strong, bare arms. Bob. His big, naked body was spooned against hers, his front to her back, and his arms were around her as if they belonged there. One hand cupped her breast and the other was over her belly, dangerously close to the apex of her thighs—the place that wanted his touch desperately.
They must have shifted form sometime during the night. Both of them. And then snuggled together.
Had he taken her into his arms consciously or was it some kind of instinct that had made him curl around her? All sorts of questions flooded her mind as she came slowly awake. Dawn was starting to trickle through the dense trees. They had slept through the night—or at least she had—with no disturbances. Had he awoken to find her in her human form, then shifted to take her into his arms? Or had he been as weary as she and just did it in his sleep?
Did it really matter? They were both naked. Human. Wrapped together in a cocoon of body heat with the dark blanket thrown over them. Had he done that? Had she?
She wished she knew what it all meant.
A kiss on her shoulder made her mind still and her racing thoughts scatter.
“Good morning.” Bob’s voice rumbled near her ear, deep with sleep. Sexy.
A little thrill went down her spine. When she didn’t move away, the hand on her breast began to stroke and pluck. Oh yeah.
Even if she could have made her boneless body move, it would have flatly refused. It was enjoying what he was doing too much.
“You know I think you’re beautiful, right?” Bob’s whisper sent warm heat across the shell of her ear. The weight of his words landed a blow to her defenses—what little was left of them. “You’re cute and sexy and smart. All the things I’ve always dreamed of in a mate.”
That last word made her breath catch in her throat.
“Mate?” she croaked, at a loss for air. Her body froze, waiting for his answer, but he continued stroking her.
“Yeah, I think so. Don’t you? There’s something really special going on here. My cat is truly happy when in your presence and your scent drives him mad with desire and protectiveness. He wants you, even though he doesn’t really understand why your tail is so short.” He chuckled and placed little kisses along her shoulder and part-way down her arm.
“What about your human side?” She held her breath, anxious to hear what he would say. Both halves of a shifter’s soul had to be in alignment, or any relationship they tried would never work.
“My human side was attracted to you the moment I first scented you in the woods. That attraction has only grown since getting to know you. My heart breaks for what you’ve been through and I’m proud of the woman you’ve become. I’m enchanted by your little cat form and my human arms long to hold you all night, every night. For as long as you’ll let me.”
He stilled this time, seeming in anticipation of her reaction. Her heart had melted into a puddle of happy goo. Her brain had finally stopped harassing her with so many anxious questions. All seemed right with her world for this short moment out of time. They were both thinking in terms of mating. Their thoughts—and hearts, she hoped—were aligned.
She turned to face him, rolling over within the loosened circle of his arms. She raised one hand to his face, cupping his stubbly cheek and looking deep into his eyes.
“What if I want you forever?” she
whispered, not really believing she was being so daring, but Bob had a knack for bringing out her inner wild child.
“That can be arranged.” He moved closer, sealing their serious words with a wondrous kiss. It was gentle and strong at the same time. A lot like Bob himself.
When he pulled back after long, breathless minutes, a smile spread across his lips, crinkling the corners of his eyes. This was a man who smiled a lot. He would bring joy to her world and more than that, she sensed he would bring love. So much love. Her heart yearned for it and wanted to give so much in return. Finally, she had found a man she knew she could have that sort of relationship with. He was a cougar, but her inner bobcat seemed fine with that.
After the hell she had faced at the hands of bobcat males, her cat saw most of them as the enemy. It was always doubtful she would have been able to change the cat’s opinion, or her human reactions to males of her own species. If she was ever going to find anyone to share her life with, she had thought maybe she would be forced to spend the rest of her life living among humans, hiding her true nature.
But Bob had changed everything. His cat didn’t frighten hers, even though he was so much bigger. His human side had won her admiration as well. And there was something indefinable going on in her heart and soul. Something almost magical. Something divine. Goddess-touched, though she had never really experienced anything like it before. Somewhere down deep inside, she instinctively recognized her mate.
She loved the feel of his hard muscles against the soft spots on her body. His hard pecs flexed against her breasts as he moved her closer. His thigh insinuated itself between hers, the sinuous movement encouraging her to ride his hard-muscled leg. His tongue danced with hers, lulling her senses and sending her into a place of bliss—where only they two existed.
He trailed his hand down over her thigh, reaching under to coax her leg over his hip and then he was just…there. His cock ready at the entrance of her straining body. There were no real preliminaries this time, but none were needed. She was ready and eager to accept him into her body. In fact, she reached between them to help line him up. She wanted him more than her next breath and if his hushed growls were any indication, he wasn’t far behind.
Bob pushed inside, the angle making it a bit of a challenge, but he was up to the task. She wrapped her leg around him tighter, moving to accommodate his entrance. Their coming together this time was primal, hungry, intense. Rain poured down around the vehicle, but they were encased in a little bubble of warmth that hid them from the rest of the world. Nothing else existed.
Bob used his muscular thighs and braced one foot against the wall of the SUV for purchase, holding her body to him with strong hands. One kiss ended and another began, one blending into the other as he possessed her totally, sending her body into an orbit of need and want.
But he didn’t leave her wanting for long. His thrusts brought her pleasure so intense that she began to make soft little noises each time he filled her, her body clenching around him, wanting to keep him deep within.
She was desperate now, breathing hard as she reached for the pinnacle, just out of her grasp. But Bob was there. He brought her with him, urging her higher and higher. And then they exploded in a shower of sparks she swore she could see, though her eyes were shut tight. It was magical and ecstatic. Sublime and almost divine.
Being with the man who might just be her mate was like nothing she ever could have predicted. And her inner cat was purring, wanting to keep him with her forever. The human woman was tempted to agree.
She must have dozed for a few minutes because the next time she woke, the rain had stopped and dawn was definitely lighting the sky in the east.
“Good morning again, kitten.” Bob’s voice was full of the low rumble of his purr. Sexy as all get out.
She reached up, kissing him as she took stock of the happy lethargy in her limbs. She had slept well and been well loved the first time she had awakened. Maybe they had time for a repeat before they had to get on the road?
Bob seemed to be thinking along the same lines, his hands roaming over her body. She was starting to heat up again—
And then the screech of an owl sounded almost right above their vehicle and both of them stilled. She was breathing hard, as was he. His gaze held hers even as he moved slowly to separate their bodies. He looked upward, out the small vent at the top of the roof of the SUV and then out the small viewports on either side of the vehicle.
The owl screeched again and then the sound of wings could be heard moving away. A moment later, something small squealed. The owl had made a kill despite all the noise he had been making.
“That doesn’t seem quite right,” she whispered so low that the sound wouldn’t carry beyond the cabin of the SUV.
“Yeah, I know,” Bob agreed, pulling on his pants with deft, quiet movements. She reached for her clothes and did the same. “It’s too close to full daylight to risk going out four-footed. I’m going to take a quick look around out there. Stay here, close up the ports, and be ready to leave. If I don’t return in five minutes, drive away and head to Las Vegas, okay? My family will take you in and I’ll join you there, if I can. Promise me.”
“But—” she tried to object.
He reached out to her, cupping her cheek. “Promise me, sweetheart. I only just found you. I want you safe.” His gaze held hers and there was so much being said between his impassioned words. “Please?”
She sighed and nodded. “Okay. But you be careful.” It was the please that got her to agree in the end. She knew big, strong Alphas like Bob didn’t often plead with anyone. They were more into giving orders and expecting obedience. That he bent so far for her meant something. Something important.
Bob took off through the woods on two legs, using every skill he had for stealth. He might not have actually served as an Army Green Beret, but his two eldest brothers had, and they had made it a point to teach the other three brothers everything they knew. The five of them were a well-oiled machine when it came to field work. They had put in long hours practicing until they each had developed skills that exceeded most regular shifters.
He scouted on foot and finding nothing, he took to the trees. Cats were naturally good climbers and he was no exception, for all his size. He saw the owl that had been so loud above them and followed its flight path. The higher vantage point and pearly gray light right before full dawn showed him things he hadn’t seen the night before.
Not too far away was the reason for the owl’s odd behavior. Intruders. Several dark-clothed men stalked through the forest as if looking for something, but not really expecting to find it. They were far enough away that he judged they wouldn’t hear the engine of the SUV—if they left now.
Bob hopped down from the tree and raced back to the vehicle. Serena was in the front passenger seat and she looked relieved when she saw him until she realized he was running. Smart girl.
He hopped into the driver’s seat and started the engine as quietly as he could. Making sure to check the mirrors and look over their campsite carefully, he moved rapidly toward the road.
“I think we got away clean,” he said as the SUV rolled onto the pavement. “They’ll see depressions from the tires and might even get a few impressions of the tread, but I made sure to buy a very popular brand of tire that fits multiple vehicles. They won’t get very far trying to trace us that way.”
“Who won’t?” she asked. She seemed more baffled than upset, for which he was glad.
“Whoever sent out a search party in that forest. There was a team of about five guys in dark gear beating the bushes, looking for something. They weren’t dressed like forest rangers or campers. They looked like foot soldiers.”
“Do you think they were looking for us? How could they have traced us? We were so careful.” She seemed more alarmed now and he hated having to add to her worry.
“It’s possible. We had to get gas. People saw us when we stopped. And other motorists saw us on the road, though with the ti
nt on this glass, they probably didn’t get a good look. But it’s equally possible those guys were looking for someone else. That owl might’ve been one of our kind, which would explain why it screeched a warning in case the SUV it saw parked in a strange place had shifters in it. Or maybe those foot soldiers were just searching any area where were might’ve hidden after the shake up yesterday. We’re not the only ones on the run from the Lords’ mountain. By now they’ve gotten word out through the Alpha network to warn every affiliated Tribe, Pack and Clan. Everybody on our side of this conflict is laying low and regrouping, preparing for the worst. Or at least, they should be.”
“I wish we knew for sure what was going on.”
“It’s almost six a.m. I’ve got to call Steve to check-in. We’ll get a sit rep from him.”
Bob touched a few controls that would connect him with his brother in Las Vegas through the phone. The magic of Bluetooth connectivity allowed the audio transmission to play over the speakers in the SUV so they could both hear the call ring on the other end.
“Bobcat, how’s it going?” Steve answered on the second ring.
“Somebody was beating the bushes near our overnight parking spot this morning, but I don’t think anybody saw us. We’re back on the road. Most they’ll get is a tire impression. What’s going on in the wider world?”
“The Lords are still pinned down by a large force. It’s an old fashioned siege up there with magic flying every which way, but I’ve got my money on the good guys. If this were my op, I’d say the siege of the mountain is a distraction maneuver. Something else is going on here. The less protected shifter leaders were fair targets, but the Venifucus had to know they’d never be able to take the mountain with the force they sent. The best they could hope for is exactly what’s happening now—keeping the Lords in place and less effective than they otherwise might be.”
“They haven’t managed to stop communications though, right?” Bob asked.
