Touch the Sky

by Kari Cole

  “It’s because of the kissing,” Nate said with a knowing nod at his younger brother.

  Hannah blinked, and she could have sworn she heard Vaughn snort.

  “So? We could chase Ms. Cassandra,” Justin said. “She lets us kiss her.” He glared up at Vaughn, and Dean burst into another fit of laughter.

  “Goddess help us,” Sarah said.

  “Well,” Nate said, thoughtful. “Maybe Sheriff Vaughn is going to chase Ms. Cassandra?”

  “Hmm,” Justin said with a respectable little growl. “He does look like he wants to kiss her.”

  It had been a hot, clear day today, but Hannah was certain that even if she’d sat outside in the full July sun, her face couldn’t have been any redder.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The Gathering Circle teemed with Vaughn’s packmates. Nestled deep within the woods, away from any public hiking trails or campgrounds, the Circle was little more than a small clearing to the human eye. To a shifter’s senses, though, a wild energy like static electricity licked over the skin. You always knew when you’d found a pack’s gathering place. When the pack gathered on a night like tonight, the power felt like it was hopped up on steroids. His wolf sang from the sensation, eager to emerge.

  Normally, his eagle would almost disappear into the depths of his mind. Quiet and watchful. Lonely. The wolf would be content to run, maybe find a pretty female to play with. Sometimes they’d be charmed by his wolf’s dominance and strength, seeming to forget who he was. But tonight both beasts clamored in his head, as irritated and annoyed as Vaughn. Deeply, viciously annoyed. Like he might start breaking legs given the slightest provocation annoyed. For once, it wasn’t guilt at not being on patrol or filling out paperwork. He couldn’t seem to muster any up. Not when BJ, Mary Jo, and Tim were all on duty, and Dean would be heading back into town soon, too.

  His bad temper wasn’t because Dean and Sarah’s boys had growled at him either. He understood they had a bad case of puppy love. Who could blame them? Cassandra Shipton was a grade-A gorgeous woman, with the kind of bright, easy smile little kids gravitated to. Hell, he got a little dazzled every time she turned that high-wattage grin his way. Plus, she had a timber wolf for a sidekick, and had fought to protect them. Of course they were in love with her.

  It wasn’t that the pack females were checking Cassandra out like they were looking for weaknesses, like they would before issuing a challenge. He had no intention of allowing that. She was hurt. Injured twice already in their territory, under his watch. It didn’t matter if Luke or Rissa didn’t specifically ban it. He’d make sure those females knew she wasn’t to be messed with right now. She’d protected their packmates. That earned her at least a small reprieve from werewolf power dynamics.

  As Luke introduced Cassandra to yet another unmated male, Vaughn’s wolf snarled, and he decided the leg-breaking might have to start with his Alpha. Really? Luke had to introduce her to every single goddess-damned one of them? As if he was lining up her choices for her.

  A dagger-sharp beak snapped in his head. Talons twice as large as a natural golden eagle’s flexed, ready to rend flesh from bone. The response yanked Vaughn out of the death and dismemberment fantasy he’d been concocting. Never before had the eagle and wolf agreed on a female. Usually when he found a woman attractive, one or the other would object. But right now, both beasts were all in on driving Cassandra’s would-be suitors away.

  Her infectious laugh rang through the Circle. Christian Vogel, owner of the town grocery store, raised his hand as if he might touch her arm.

  Mine, the wolf snarled in Vaughn’s head.

  His eagle bombarded him with images of slashing Christian’s face with their talons and pecking his eyes out.

  Shoving his beasts back down before one of them sprang from his skin and started tearing males apart, Vaughn covered the dozen feet separating him from Cassandra in a blink of an eye. Christian and the other unmated males took hasty steps back, and Vaughn smiled. Well, bared his teeth.

  “Gentlemen,” he said, and they all paled. Sliding a hand onto the back of Cassandra’s delicate, graceful neck, he met the eyes of every last male standing around her. One by one, they averted their gazes. Most tipped their heads, baring their throats. His wolf nodded, pleased by their submission.

  When he got to the Alpha, Luke raised a brow at him, amusement dancing in his eyes. Dean burst out laughing. Again. The asshole.

  Beneath his palm, Cassandra moved. He looked down into her blue eyes. They were clear and bright and blinked at him in surprise. Her face flushed and his wolf sent him an image of nuzzling her soft cheek. Sounded like a great idea, but then the expression on Cassandra’s face changed from eager pleasure to measured calculation. Gold spread through her irises.

  “You’ll have to catch me first,” she said, her voice a husky dare.

  He sucked in a quick breath as every drop of blood in his body shot south. Had anyone ever issued him such an unbelievably fucking hot challenge?

  He leaned down and brushed the shell of her ear with his lips, enjoyed the way she quivered, and whispered, “I will.”

  * * *

  You’ll have to catch me first.

  What the hell was she thinking?

  She wasn’t, that’s what. If she’d taken even a millisecond to use the brain between her ears before opening her mouth and letting whatever the hell craziness fly, she’d have realized that throwing down a gauntlet like that to a male like Vaughn would only lead to trouble. Big, giant, enormous trouble.

  And to the kind of sex she was certain would blow her mind.

  Well, that part sounded awesome. But she wasn’t supposed to be attracting any more of his attention. He could chase her and catch her, and not in the super-fun Thunder Moon let’s-get-it-on way either. Remember, Hannah? Huh? Remember? No sir, the little angel who was supposed to sit on her right shoulder and keep her on the straight and narrow was not just quiet, but totally absent. Lazy thing. Of course she’d pick now to go off on a bender. Right at the moment when the little, exquisitely dressed she-devil on her other shoulder was orating as if she were in front of the Supreme Court.

  If it pleases, and you know it will, darlin’, climb on and ride that male like a rodeo queen.

  Jeez Louise, her subconscious was a naughty place.

  Calling the pack to order, the Alpha clapped his hands together once, startling her and nearly launching her out of her canvas tennies. Vaughn’s grip on the back of her neck tightened and he drew her closer until the hard, strong line of his body pressed against her side. The squeeze wasn’t painful. Instead, it drew her wolf closer to the surface, and the shameless hussy rubbed herself against the sheriff’s palm and anywhere else she could reach.

  Who was she kidding? If Hannah could gather the coordination to move, she’d do the same thing. Maybe wrap her leg around his hip and pull him down so she could suck on the sweet spot on his neck. She just couldn’t help herself around him. He was so dang hot. From his short, dark hair to the intense storm-gray eyes, muscled bod, sexy tattoos, and stern expressions. Who knew she had a thing for the disciplinarian type?

  Vaughn growled low in his throat. “Careful, beautiful. You’re driving the other males to distraction. I will fight to have you tonight.”

  Tonight. Good reminder. This isn’t for keeps, Hannah. Not with her messed up life. But...damn. She shouldn’t like that threat. Her human friends would say she shouldn’t even deign to speak to him after that caveman comment. But he wasn’t human and neither was she. And she did like that he wanted her enough to fight for the privilege of having her. But just because they were part animal didn’t mean she couldn’t make her own choices. Even if he fought off every male in the pack and chased her down, she’d be the one to decide if she took him—or anyone else—to bed.

  Hannah took a deep breath and smelled his determination. His lust. She considered the ot
her males. Strong, healthy, good-looking, charismatic. But when she looked inside herself, she saw Vaughn’s desire mirrored back. It was stupid and dangerous, but she wanted him, too. No other male measured up. Not just here in the clearing, but in all the Gathering Circles she’d ever visited.

  That thought frightened her a little. Still, she wasn’t going to miss the chance to be normal and have some fun with a male who made her knees weak from just looking at him.

  Unabashed, she met his gaze. “I’m quicker than I look.”

  Gray eyes flashed gold. “So am I, little wolf.”

  As her pulse pounded in anticipation, a kernel of despair wormed its way into her heart. It didn’t matter how handsome he was, or how much she liked his protective, dominant nature. Even if he caught her tonight, she’d have to keep a little piece of herself out of his reach.

  Chapter Seventeen

  As Luke gave the pack last-minute instructions for which areas were off-limits and which were fair game tonight, Vaughn only listened to him with half an ear. Far more of his attention was on the sweet-smelling female at his side. She was nervous. He supposed she had reason to be. Besides him, she’d barely had time to speak to any unmated members of the pack. Even though the Thunder Moon’s true call was still a few days away, its effect already drove the instincts of every shapeshifter. As Izzy had so succinctly put it: they were twitterpated. Driven to seek out their mates.

  That thought alone made Vaughn’s blood run cold. He wasn’t looking for his lifemate. Goddess knew he didn’t have time for one. How could he care for someone else when he was already screwing everything up?

  His beasts both shifted in irritation, making his temples throb. Neither one liked his reasoning. Easy answer, his eagle said, its voice a grating screech that seemed to get stronger every week.

  It was the expedient answer. The full one was a lot more complicated, something he couldn’t discuss with anyone.

  He twisted the copper cuff on his right arm and the motion brushed his elbow against Cassandra’s arm. She glanced up at him. Whatever she saw in his expression troubled her, but then just as quickly as the frown had appeared between her brows, it disappeared, replaced by a gently blossoming smile that hit him like a strike to the solar plexus.

  A rounded hip bumped him. “All right there, Sheriff?” she asked in a low voice.

  Words wouldn’t form in his addled mind, so he nodded. The smile grew and her honeyed scent declared her sexual interest. It was all he could do not to grab her, throw her over his shoulder, and sprint for a private spot in the woods. Hell, his truck wasn’t far. If she straddled him—

  A frustrated growl derailed his deviant thoughts. Five males in various states of lust and aggression glared at him. Christian’s lip curled. No doubt about it, Vaughn would be challenged on multiple fronts for Cassandra’s affections tonight. It spoke to the strength of the moon’s pull and her beauty.

  He bared his own teeth at the males. Bring it on. None of them were as strong or dominant as him. He knew that as well as he knew his own name. After the battle against the rogues this winter, the pack dynamics all changed. Since then, any one of these males could have challenged him for position. Instead, they’d remained silent and done nothing when he’d assumed the third spot behind Luke and Dean. It told him everything he needed to know.

  As the last rays of the sun sank behind the mountains, Luke gave the signal they should get ready to shift.

  Christian asserted himself in front of Cassandra again. “I’ll show you where you can—” He broke off as a snarl rose in the air. It took Vaughn a second to realize the nasty noise was coming from his own throat.

  Christian, Davy Crandall, and three other males froze. The smoky scent of fear rose in the air.

  They weren’t just startled or afraid. No, they were terrified. All of them.

  The muscles in his neck tightened at the knowledge. He’d never done anything to instill that kind of fear. Hell, he’d never even started a fight before. If someone challenged or disrespected him, he dealt with it. Quickly and efficiently, without lasting harm. He didn’t want to lead the pack, but he wasn’t going to bow down to anyone who couldn’t take him in a fair fight. Yet here he was, with five unmated males practically cowering before him because he’d told them he wanted Cassandra. Christ, it was the Thunder Moon. Dominance fights were expected, but his packmates were acting like he’d rip them limb from limb if they didn’t submit.

  It’s what the stories say, isn’t it? What they whisper when they think you can’t hear. Freak. Malvado. Evil.

  Killer.

  A cold ball formed in his gut, and he chanced a look at Cassandra. Brow wrinkled in confusion, she studied the males before her.

  Vaughn may not have wanted a mate, but he was still male. He appreciated a beautiful female when he saw one, and Cassandra Shipton was gorgeous. Her general wariness notwithstanding, she was sweet and funny. Was it so wrong to want one night to enjoy himself, maybe make her smile just for him? One night before someone told her about what he was and she looked at him with suspicion, too?

  Guess so. She stiffened, and he clenched his jaw, waiting for her rejection.

  When she turned to face him, she didn’t look afraid. She looked mad, her delicate brows drawn low over blue eyes gone cold. Even though he’d expected it, her reaction made his stomach roil.

  But then, quick as a hummingbird, her expression changed to wry amusement. “So, Sheriff, do you kick these guys’ butts on the regular? No? Hmm, maybe it’s the I eat gravel for breakfast expression you wear all the time. A smile now and again won’t actually crack your face, you know.”

  “What?”

  Rissa called her name and beckoned Cassandra with a wave to go to her on the other side of the Circle. “Be right there,” Cassandra replied.

  Then she met Vaughn’s gaze and beamed that devastating smile of hers at him. She lifted up on tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek. “See you on the furry side,” she said before shoving through the line of males with a “Hmmph!”

  Vaughn stared after her as his frozen packmates scattered, unable to process what had just happened. He touched the spot where she’d kissed him, her wildflower scent hanging in the air, and he smiled.

  * * *

  Hannah couldn’t remember when she’d last had so much fun on a run. She hadn’t attended one since October, but this pack was in high spirits, running and jumping all over one another, nuzzling and nipping playfully.

  She’d expected more antagonism from the unmated females, but they’d welcomed her easily enough, encouraging her wolf to follow them, inviting her to play with them. Everyone was careful around her healing gunshot wound. After they’d investigated the raw spots on her wolf’s left flank, they’d whined in sympathy. Through it all, the Luna, Rissa, and the Alpha’s intense mate, Izzy, stayed close by, their blonde and silver wolves nearly glowing in the rising moonlight.

  As they jogged up a mountain slope, Hannah’s wolf yipped in delight as the pack swirled and danced, pouncing on one another when another small space opened in the trees. Brit, a tall, slim red wolf with a gorgeous white fan of a tail, woofed and hopped over her head. Another female, whose name she couldn’t remember, darted across her path and spun to bat at her back. Hannah’s wolf skidded to a stop on some loose pine needles and pretended to nip at her ear.

  Here at the head of the pack were mostly mated pairs and unmated females. The single males were still busy tackling and grumbling at each other. Their barks and growls carried uphill as they fought for position and the females’ attention.

  Hannah didn’t care who won which challenge. She and her wolf were in complete agreement on that. Neither of them had liked the treatment dished out to Vaughn in the Gathering Circle. When they’d entered the Circle with Dean and Sarah, a hiss of whispers had broken out. There she is. Who is she? Where’d she come from? All standard fare. S
he was a new face, after all.

  Someone had muttered freak and her stomach dropped through the soles of her tennies.

  Then she’d realized they weren’t talking about her. All eyes had pointed at Vaughn. It’d made no sense and she’d shrugged it off, but then those males had acted like he’d threatened their mamas when all he’d done was stake a claim on her for the night. Males had been making plays for her like that since she’d hit puberty. Never had the rest of them acted like a bunch of wimpy weasels. She especially didn’t care for the way the incident had soured Vaughn’s scent and created shadows in his eyes.

  No, sir. She didn’t care if one of those males took down the Alpha himself. They wouldn’t be coming within five feet of her hindquarters. Her wolf growled her assurance that she’d bite the nose off any male, other than Vaughn, who tried.

  The ground leveled out a bit as they reached a plateau and the forest opened onto an indigo velvet sky, scattered with diamond-like stars. Had she been in her skin, the beauty would have made her gasp. A cool breeze ruffled her fur and carried the scent of fresh water, spruce, various birds, a few rabbits and mice, and a deer of some kind. Around her, the other wolves twitched, excited to discover large prey so close at hand.

  Vaughn’s big brown wolf sidled up next to hers. Though she’d sensed his presence while they ran, it was the first time they’d been so close since this morning after the fight with the bear. Then, she and her wolf had been totally out of sorts and terrified, unable to appreciate his size and presence. He was almost twice as big in wolf form as she was, despite her human height. His wolf stared hers in the eye before gently touching his nose to hers. Then he was all business, checking her injury, sniffing and looking her over to make sure she was all right. When he was finished, he licked her muzzle and let his tongue loll out in a big lupine grin.

  Hannah’s wolf was charmed, but you wouldn’t know it from her response. She snorted and proceeded to inspect him as thoroughly as he had her. Stoic as his human half, the brown wolf remained still until hers nipped his cheek and leapt back to bow at him. He bowed, too, his hind end in the air, tail whirling around, but then a wolf’s howl rang into the night and he sat upright. With his mate, the Alpha perched on a boulder on the side of the cliff. He sang again to the rising moon, and, one by one, the pack joined him.