Her Panther Protector [The Protectors 5] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Doris O'Connor

  He had to laugh when Macey rolled her eyes and threw her hands up.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me if you think I have the energy to do this again anytime soon.”

  Sasha laughed and took the stairs three at a time to sort out his son. She might protest, but he wasn’t done with her yet, not by a long shot.

  Chapter Eleven

  Macey woke up the next morning deliciously sore all over. She wasn’t exactly sure what had woken her, unless it was the fact that she was alone in her bed. The sound of the telly blaring registered seconds later and, groaning under her breath, she turned over to squint at her old fashioned alarm clock.

  Six-thirty a.m., so, yeah, naturally Kenny was up. At least he just seemed to have crept downstairs to watch CBeebies, which were small mercies. The cushion next to her still held the imprint of Sasha’s head and it smelled of him. She inhaled deeply and promptly blushed as she recalled the amount of times Sasha had woken her up in the middle of the night to make love to her. And it had been love, without any absence of kink, bar holding her wrists above her head. The last time had been when he’d left at the crack of dawn to ensure Kenny wouldn’t find him in her bed.

  Macey had woken up to Sasha sliding into her pussy from behind while murmuring endearments into her ear that she never would have thought him capable of uttering. Even if he’d only said those things in the heat of the moment, Macey had still treasured his calling her his sweet girl. She lost count of how many times he’d said she was his, and in her heart of hearts, she knew he was right. She would never admit to him or anyone else, but Macey had done the one thing she’d always sworn she would never do—fall head over heels in love.

  She winced when she swung her legs out of bed and her ass and tender pussy protested that move. She still felt hugely swollen between her legs and oh so very sensitive. Sasha was a big guy, and her poor bits had seen more action over the course of the last few hours than they’d had in her entire lifetime. That probably made her a right saddo. Mind you, not as sad as her telling the sorry story of her last boyfriend attempt to Sasha in the middle of the night. He had been so furious on her behalf, and it had done a lot to soothe that particular hurt.

  “‘Frigid’ my fucking ass. That complete and utter wanker just didn’t know what to do with a hot-blooded woman when he saw her. You’re utterly beautiful and responsive, and I don’t want to ever hear you call yourself that, or so help me, the little bit of a spanking you got today will look like a picnic in the park compared to the pounding your ass will receive, and believe me, you won’t enjoy that.”

  He’d looked utterly furious and a little bit menacing when he’d said that while running his claws over her hot butt cheeks, and then, flipping her over, had taking her fast and hard up against the headboard. It was just as well Kenny was a deep sleeper, though she had giggled when Sasha had brought up a kitchen chair and rammed it under the door handle to her bedroom, muttering to himself that he would install locks on every door in the house soon.

  In between their bouts of unbelievably hot sex, they’d talked and talked, and Macey now knew all about Sasha’s past, his struggle against his true identity, and what it meant to be a Protector. Her heart clenched in her chest even now at the mere thought of Sasha in danger, out there fighting goodness only knew what, and to think that Kenny would one day follow in his footsteps was, quite frankly, unbelievable.

  Macey gasped as she caught side of her ass in the long mirror on her wall. It still looked red, marked with thin red lines from his claws, and a half-imprint of his hand was also still just about visible. Considering the bruises she used to find on her sister that should have horrified her, but unlike the abuse Fiona had suffered at the hand of whoever, presumably, had killed her in the end, this had been consensual.

  Turning on the shower, Macey stepped under the hot spray and pushed the disturbing thoughts away. They were far away from Glasgow and any threat to her and Kenny, and besides, she knew that Sasha wouldn’t let anything bad happen to either of them. No, she had to get her head in the game and get ready for the day ahead.

  She was going to meet Sasha for lunch in Middle Brook and then they were going to look around the nursery. With just two more days before her next shift, she needed to get childcare sorted out, and there was no way she would leave Kenny in this house while she was working away, not even with a capable babysitter this time, not knowing what lurked out there at night.

  Besides, Sasha said the nursery was run by Ronan Bernhard, who was head of the Protectors and a father himself, plus all the local shifter children attended the nursery and school. Kenny would be safe there among his own kind, and that’s what was important.

  * * * *

  Several hours later, and with a suitably worn-out Kenny in tow, Macey stepped into the local café with a certain amount of trepidation as all conversation stopped and everyone seemed to look at her. She’d had that same reaction from most folks since she’d parked her trusty little Friedolin in front of the village green. Kenny had spotted the play park behind the big willow tree, and as she’d had some time before she was supposed to meet up with Sasha, she had allowed herself to be dragged across to the swings. Now, her arms ached from all the pushing Kenny on the swing she had to do, and her sore ass protested even more, having been bounced along the seesaw.

  What had been far more disconcerting had been the steady stream of folks walking by and sniffing the air when they got close to either her or Kenny. Sasha had said that Middle Brook was mostly made up of shifters, but it was still disconcerting, to be sure. Talk about feeling like a strange museum piece to be ogled over. Even the landlord of the local pub, a huge guy, as tall as he was wide, had come out as they’d walked past. Or rather, Macey had tried to convince Kenny to keep moving after he’d spotted the ice cream sign and insisted they needed to go in and buy some ice cream.

  “We can get some in the café, Kenny. We’re meeting Sasha, remember, and then we’re going to look around the new school he talked about.”

  Kenny had continued to sulk, but had brightened considerably at the mention of his Sasha. It made Macey realize all the more how much the little guy needed a father figure in his life.

  There had been an awkward moment during which the landlord had sniffed the air, grinned, and then doffed an imaginary hat at her with a jovial, “Top of the day to you, miss, and the little guy.”

  It had all been rather odd, but all of that paled into insignificance at this open staring of the patrons of the café.

  “Cake!” Kenny’s excited shout as he bounded up to the counter, behind which the most mouthwatering array of baked goodies was on display, meant Macey hurried after him.

  “Yes, they do look good, but you need some lunch first.” Looking up into the assessing chestnut gaze of the middle-aged lady wearing an apron embroidered with “Lucy’s Café,” Macey’s smile slipped. “You do make sandwiches, right?”

  “Ah, Lucy here makes the best sarnies, and try the walnut cake for after. I made that.” Macey jumped at the voice behind her, and she briefly considered running when she turned round and saw who the owner of that voice was.

  The little silver-haired old lady leaned heavily on her walking stick with one hand while she held out the other for Macey to shake, and Macey hastily did just that.

  “I’m Joanne. Most everyone calls me Mrs. H, but as you’re Sasha’s girl, do please call me Jo.”

  Her lined face broke into a big smile when Kenny peeked his head out from behind Macey’s skirt.

  “Ah, and you must be Kenny. Your mama is quite right, you know. Sandwiches first, and then you can have cake and ice cream.”

  Kenny offered her a timid smile, and she reached out one arthritic hand and ruffled his hair in a surprisingly affectionate manner. At least Macey was surprised. This was the famous Mrs. H, and she was a very powerful witch, or so Sasha had said. It sent shivers of unease down Macey’s spine as Mrs. H regarded her thoughtfully and then diverted her attention to the lady beh
ind the counter.

  “Lucy, sort that out, will you? And I think a nice, big glass of milk for the little guy, and my special tea for Macey, here. Strawberry or chocolate milk, Kenny?” she asked, and her smile deepened at his whispered reply.

  “Locolate, pwease.”

  “Ah, such manners. So good to see. Come and join me by the window, my dear, and Lucy, this is my treat to our newcomers. The rest of you stop gawping. Talk about making the woman feel uncomfortable.”

  Mrs. H clapped her hands and everyone dropped their gaze and went back to whatever they were presumably doing before Macey had walked in. It reiterated this old lady’s status, and Macey mumbled her thanks.

  “You really don’t need to do that, I mean…” The rest of her protest died on her tongue when Mrs. H fixed her intelligent gaze on her, and frowned.

  “Poppycock, my dear, and don’t look so worried. I’ve reached my quota for turning silly humans into frogs this week, so you’re quite safe.”

  Behind her, Lucy burst into gales of laughter, whereas Kenny, of course, latched onto that straight away.

  “Awesome, my like frogs.”

  Mrs. H smiled at him and held out her free hand for him to take.

  “Thought you might. Most boys do. Mind you, my daughter was rather fond of them, too. The amount of times I found one in my bed when she was growing up…” Kenny giggled, and with the two of them walking off toward the table Mrs. H had earlier indicated, Macey was left with no choice but to follow.

  “Not that I recommend you place a frog in your mama’s bed. She will most likely tell you off.”

  Macey shook her head as Kenny hung onto every word that came out of the old lady’s mouth. Just like he had done with Sasha, Kenny hit it off with her straightaway, his usual shyness quickly overcome. He talked her ear off, in fact, told her about Sasha and his cool bike, and how much he loved the swings. Mrs. H occasionally looked up to smile at Macey, and when Lucy appeared with a tall glass of chocolate milk and kiddy-sized strawberry jam sandwiches—Kenny’s favorites—he squealed in delight, and then finally quieted down to eat.

  Lucy set a large mug of curious-smelling tea in front of Macey, followed by a large slice of walnut cake, and then left them to it.

  Walnut cake happened to be Macey’s favorite, and when she looked up, having given her tea a cautious sniff, it was to find Mrs. H watching her with a curious smile.

  “Drink it, sweet girl. It will help to calm your nerves, and there’s nothing in there to harm you.” She winked at her and took a sip of her own cup of tea.

  “I wasn’t suggesting that—”

  “Of course you were, or at least the thought has crossed your mind,” Mrs. H interrupted her, and Macey held her breath, but she could only read amusement in the old lady’s gaze. “And yes, Lucy brought those out, because I’d previously arranged this with her. I’m not a mind reader. Well, not completely, anyway.”

  That curious smile played around the old lady’s lips again when Macey gasped at the implication that Mrs. H could, indeed, read minds.

  “Good to know,” she mumbled and, to keep her hands busy, picked up the cup and took a small sip. Hot, soothing, and full of flavors, the liquid exploded on her taste buds and she couldn’t help but close her eyes and savor several more sips. Sure enough, the churning in her stomach ceased, and she didn’t even mind the occasional odd glance directed her way.

  “See, it’s good, isn’t it? My special blend. I call it mate’s tea. You know, specifically designed to calm down humans mated to an overbearing shifter.”

  Macey choked on her next mouthful and Kenny jumped up and ever-so-helpfully thumped her back with far more force than was necessary.

  “Thanks, babe, I’m okay now.” Macey croaked the words, and Mrs. H smiled and addressed Kenny.

  “You ready for ice cream yet?” At his enthusiastic nod, she waved over Lucy.

  “Take this little man to help him choose which flavors he wants, and then he might want to see the kittens,” she said, and Kenny’s eyes grew wide when Lucy smiled.

  “Oh, yes, I dare say the say the little man would like them. They’ve only been born yesterday, so they are this big.” She held out the palm of her hand, and Kenny’s mouth dropped open.

  “Wow,” he said, and looked up at Macey with such a look of longing on his face that Macey knew she had to let him go. Besides, she recognized a ploy to talk to her on her own when she saw one, so she nodded her approval.

  “Go on, but come straight back here when you’ve seen them, and listen to Lucy. If she says the kittens have had enough, then you have to let them be.”

  “K,” he said and slipped his hand into Lucy’s proffered digits as though he’d known the woman forever. Macey shook her head in astonishment and then focused her attention back on Mrs. H.

  “It’s his shifter genes,” the woman said. “He doesn’t understand why, but he responds to anyone with shifter blood in them. I dare say he’s been different since you came to Middle Brook, no?”

  Macey blew out a breath and gave a nervous laugh.

  “You could say that. I barely recognize him at times.”

  “I would have thought that would be a good thing,” Mrs. H said, and Macey couldn’t shake the feeling that this old lady knew far more than she ought to.

  “Yes, well, I don’t really want to talk about his past, if you don’t mind,” she said, and took a bit of the walnut cake. Just like the tea, this was full of flavors and melted on her tongue. “Mmm, this is delicious.”

  Mrs. H shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

  “I happen to like baking, so when the mood takes me, I make them in batches and send them to Lucy. Guarantees her plenty of business.” She paused to let Macey take another bite, and then reached across the table to place her hand on Macey’s. “You might not want to talk about the past, but it has a nasty habit of coming back to find you.”

  Macey couldn’t help her shiver of foreboding at those quietly uttered words, and Mrs. H squeezed her hand and then let her go.

  “Sasha tells me you’re looking to place his boy into the local nursery?” At Macey’s nod, she smiled in approval. “Excellent choice. He’ll thrive there.” The unsaid and he’ll be protected hung heavily in the air between them, and Macey shivered again.

  Before she could press Mrs. H for anything else, the powerful roar of a motorbike pulled her attention to the village square, and Sasha’s arrival. Her breathing hitched when she spotted him, and everything down south seemingly jumped for joy. He pulled his helmet off, sniffed the air in that subtle way of his that she was beginning to realize was very much a shifter trait, and then looked straight at her.

  “Ah, talk of the devil,” Mrs. H said, not that Macey was paying her any attention, because Sasha’s smile in greeting slipped as an impossibly tall and beautiful dark-haired woman threw herself at him and kissed him.

  What in all that was holy was going on?

  Chapter Twelve

  Sasha’s panther roared his outrage as Jennifer’s cloying scent wrapped itself around him, and he damn well nearly gagged when his former fuck-buddy of sorts pushed her tongue in his mouth. The panther shifter had the element of surprise on her side, and by the time he’d managed to disentangle himself out of her clutches, several heart-stopping moments had passed, and Macey advanced on them.

  Sasha couldn’t take his eyes off his mate. She looked about ready to tear his balls off with her bare hands, and whereas the feel of Jennifer now pressing her impressive rack into his back made him wanna puke—a curious sensation, for sure, considering he’d never had a problem fucking the woman before—seeing Macey all flushed and angry as she was made his dick stand to attention with a speed that left him lightheaded.

  Jennifer, of course, thought that was for her, and grasped his cock through his denims. The contact was enough to make that appendage want to hide away forever, and he shook the female panther off with a warning growl.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re
doing, Jennifer?” He growled the words with as much menace as he could muster, short of giving his beast full reign and this turning into a full-on brawl. Besides, it would no doubt encourage Jennifer. She liked it rough, which could be all kinds of fun, but not anymore.

  Jennifer’s own panther flashed in her eyes, but she ignored Sasha’s warning and threw her long mane of hair behind her head in an exaggerated gesture that wouldn’t have looked amiss in a hair dye commercial. The saccharine-sweet smile she pasted on her lips should have warned him, really.

  “Come on, Sasha, baby, just saying hello to you, and making sure certain people know to keep their hands off what’s mine.” She directed the latter part of that statement to Macey, who skidded to a stop in front of them, hands on hips, and glared at the hand Jennifer snaked around his biceps again.

  Sasha shook it off and ran a hand through his hair. This had the beginning of a disaster in the making. There were too many folks milling about, clearly excited for the show, and even Mrs. H had come out of the café. Lips pursed, she leaned on her walking stick and shook her head at Sasha when he shook Jennifer’s hand off again. He didn’t need to be a mind reader to know what Mrs. H was thinking right now, what most, if not all of the assembled shifters must be thinking.

  Mrs. H had only warned him last week to stay away from Jennifer. Not that he’d needed the quietly issued warning. There was something far too clingy and almost desperate about the panther.

  “Excuse me, yours, is he?” Macey’s voice rung through the eerie silence surrounding them loud and clear, but it was the hurt in her expressive eyes that made Sasha reach out to her. She shook her head and took a step away from him, and his panther whined. “Is this true, Sasha?” This time she couldn’t quite hide the wobble in her voice, and her eyes narrowed when he shook his head.