Freeing the Feline

by Lacey Thorn

  “Why would a shifter have something like that?” Logan asked, shaking his head again as things came back into focus.

  “To turn us against one another,” Clara said.

  Logan surged toward the table she lay on and leaned over her, lifting her up against his chest and hugging her close. “Baby, are you okay?”

  “Groggy. My head is killing me. From what I just woke up to, it sounds like you’re the one I should be worried about.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Logan tried to assure her. He rubbed his hands down her arms then over her shoulders. He groaned and rubbed over her again.

  “What’s that smell?” Tah asked, his nose scrunched up as if he didn’t find it pleasant.

  “I think you guys need to leave,” Clara said softly, shifting on the table so she could sit up.

  Logan helped her turn toward him, holding the sheet up so no one else would see Clara’s perfect body. A growl rumbled through the room and Logan turned to glare at Tah. His friend had no reason to be making a sound like that right now.

  “Did he just growl at me?” Tah asked, and it took Logan a minute to realize Tah was referring to him.

  “You need to leave now,” Clara said again, grasping Logan by the shoulders and pulling him close. “I think I might know what they gave him, or at least where it originated from.”

  “What is it?” the Professor and Diane both demanded at the same time.

  “I’ll tell you later,” Clara said.

  Logan felt his chest vibrate and that rumble filled the air again. He leaned closer into Clara, leaning low to nuzzle her neck, licking and nipping at the strong column.

  “Leave. Now. Or you’re going to get a show you don’t want to see.”

  “What’s going on, Clara?” Abby asked.

  “That smell. The growl and glowing eyes. Logan’s not just going primal. He’s putting off some serious pheromones. I’d guess he’s entering a sexual frenzy, and as his mate, I’m not far behind.”

  “Oh, shit,” Diane said. “Any ideas how long this might last?”

  “He’s human. It should burn out of his system within twenty-four hours or less. But I’m only guessing. I’ve never seen a human hit with feral fever.”

  “Will you be okay?” Tah asked and Logan felt the rumble again.

  “I’ll be fine. I’m his mate. No matter what he wants from me, he’ll never hurt me,” Clara said. “Now go. And Tah…”

  Logan heard his buddy stop.

  “Yeah?”

  “Don’t go after Zane. You can’t reach him right now. You’ll only risk getting more of you hurt.”

  Logan heard the sigh, felt the beat of fear palpitating from someone, then heard nothing, felt nothing but Clara.

  He pulled back and glanced around, noting he and Clara were all alone. He jerked the sheet from her with one hand and buried the other in her hair, pulling her head back and meeting her gaze. No fear. Only love, acceptance. His chest vibrated again as he leaned in close.

  “Mine,” he challenged her, some part of him waiting to see if she’d deny him.

  “Yours,” she agreed. “I’m all yours.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Logan took her mouth in a kiss meant to demonstrate who was in control. Clara knew he would never hurt her. She also knew he wasn’t the same Logan right now. She’d purposely kept that from the others. Right now, Logan was pure alpha male, and his primal needs were controlling him—at the moment his desire for sex. Probably because they had recently mated and sex was often on both their minds. They were lucky it hadn’t brought out rage or some other savage emotion in him. She’d seen it happen.

  Logan scraped his teeth over her bottom lip and nipped it hard enough to draw a drop of blood.

  “Mine,” he told her again.

  Damn, it was a little embarrassing to admit how much this Logan was turning her on. She really liked him all dominant and possessive. Not that he wasn’t normally, but not quite on this level.

  “So show me,” Clara purred at him and scraped her nails down his chest, leaving grooves as she made her way to the button of his jeans.

  He growled again, and she wondered if he got as turned on by the sound when she made it. Her pussy was beyond wet and ready for him. She shivered with anticipation when he pushed her hand away and ripped open his jeans, shoving them and his boxer briefs down to his knees before jerking her closer to the edge of the table.

  He didn’t waste any time in doing as she said and showing her. He pressed his cock against her and thrust deep.

  “Mine,” he rumbled once more as he pounded in and out of her.

  Clara clawed at his shoulders, legs wrapped at his waist, as she held on. He was fucking her so hard the table was actually shaking, and she was enjoying every moment of it. There was no holding back for either of them. His heat became hers.

  “That’s it,” she crooned. “Fuck me so good. Show me who I belong to.”

  He reached down and slid his hands under her knees, flipping her back on the table as he lifted her hips higher. She flung her hands out to catch her weight as she fell and let her head drop between her shoulders in ecstasy as he continued pounding.

  “Oh, God! Yes! Yes!” she screamed as her orgasm rocked through her core and had tremors spiraling through her.

  Logan just grunted and kept fucking as her juices soaked his cock. His hands were firm on the side edges of the table and he showed no sign of being anywhere close to coming with her.

  “More,” he uttered and shifted her legs until she was lying on her side on the table with her knees bent up toward her chest.

  “Oh, God!” she yelled as he thrust deep. The angle in this position was unbelievable, and she was revving up toward another orgasm quickly.

  “My pussy,” he told her.

  “My cock,” she fired back.

  He did that rumble and pumped his cock in and out a little faster. His grip was firm on her hip, but he slid the other hand up to fondle her nipples, pinching and tugging on them. Clara tried to turn her upper body into his touch, wanting to give him more access, or at least access to both breasts. He shoved his cock deep and bent down to suckle her nipple.

  She wrapped one hand around his neck and held him to her while he sucked, licked and nibbled on her. He felt so good she couldn’t stop her body from rocking on his cock. He lifted his head and shifted again, pulling his cock from her.

  “No,” she groaned in denial, wanting him back inside her, but Logan obviously had something else in mind.

  He flipped her onto her back and came over her, pressing her flat to the table while he kissed her breathless. Slowly, he eased their mouths apart and trailed down her body with his lips. He nuzzled her, licked her and occasionally grazed or nipped her with his teeth. No part of her was left untouched, even her arms and legs were worshipped. She almost jumped when he sucked her big toe into his mouth, but those strong hands of his held her still for his bidding.

  He kissed his way back up her inner thigh until he reached her pussy.

  “Mine,” he said against her skin and bit down on the inside of her thigh hard enough to mark her.

  Clara cried out and jerked against his hold. Not in fear or pain, but in sensual delight at the way he claimed her. It called to the lioness within her. He flicked his gaze up to meet hers and she saw desire still burning in his eyes. If that look was anything to go by, she was going to have a long fulfilling night.

  He slid his tongue between her pussy lips and ran it up to her clit. He licked over the taut bud then flicked it, stabbing at it with his tongue. She tried to lift her hips again, but he held her in place.

  “Mine.” He grunted, raising his head a bit as he met her gaze again.

  She reached down and sank the fingers of both hands into his hair, jerking his head back down to her pussy. He nipped her in a display of dominance, a reminder from him that he was in charge. Then he dropped to her pussy with a groan and began pumping his tongue in and out of her, lapping up her juice
s.

  “Yesss,” she hissed between her teeth as he slid his thumb up to rub over her clit.

  Just that quickly she was coming again. Logan took in her orgasm and gave her another. She was panting for breath, her body one tremble after another as she drowned in pleasure when he finally moved back. She glanced at him with eyes half open and took in the rock-hard cock that stood out from his body. The head was flushed with pre-cum glistening on it. And suddenly she had her breath back and knew just what she wanted.

  She licked her lips and watched his cock bounce as he moved around the table. She rolled over on her stomach and came up on her elbows watching as he stepped in front of her. One hand circled his cock, slowly pumping up and down his shaft. He rubbed his thumb over the head, smearing the pre-cum and making her mouth water.

  She glanced up at him from beneath her lashes and opened wide. He took the invitation and pressed his cock into her mouth. She wrapped her lips around the crown and sucked greedily. He groaned in pleasure and dropped his hands to the edge of the table.

  “Suck it,” he commanded, but she was way ahead of him.

  She wrapped one hand around it and dropped the forearm of her other arm down to provide more balance than just her elbow. She took as much of him as she could, loving the feel of the tip hitting the back of her throat. She swirled her tongue around him, circling the head and shaft as she worked his cock in and out. Every once in a while she would let him feel just a hint of teeth, mostly because she saw how much he liked it.

  She was really getting into it, getting greedy to taste his cum on her tongue when he gripped her hair and gently pulled her off his cock.

  “No,” she groaned, coming up to her knees and grasping his shoulders with her hands. “I want to taste you.”

  He shook his head. “Fuck.”

  “Oh, yeah,” she agreed.

  Then he surprised her. He lifted her up and held her there while she squealed and wrapped her legs quickly around his waist. He lowered her onto his cock and just held her against him for a long moment while they both looked at each other.

  “Mine,” he whispered. “All mine.”

  “Mine.” She gave him the words back. “All mine.”

  He took her by the waist and began lifting and lowering her on his dick. She gripped his shoulders and used them to allow her to aid him. It felt so good. Gravity was working with them, allowing her to take him impossibly deep every time she sank down on his shaft. She used her thighs to help her lift and lower. She was close to coming again. Her nipples brushing his chest with every movement and adding more stimulation.

  “Oh, God,” she cried. “I’m coming. I’m coming!”

  He turned her then, as if that was what he’d been waiting for. Her back met the wall and her chest was flattened by Logan’s. He powered into her, grunting and moaning with every thrust, riding her through her orgasm and sending her flying high into another one.

  “Logan!”

  She screamed his name as his cock jerked inside her. A hot pulse of cum filled her, then another as Logan fucked her mercilessly. She leaned forward and sank her teeth into him, hitting the spot where she’d already claimed him before. His cock pulsed inside her again and more cum spilled out to fill her. Then he leaned heavily against her, crushing her between him and the wall as he fought for breath.

  She moaned, holding tight as she felt his legs tremble, then they were both sliding to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs, his cock still buried inside her.

  “Mine,” she purred, licking over the wound she’d reopened.

  “Yours,” he answered, and she knew he was finding his way back to her.

  * * * *

  Logan awoke the next morning with Clara naked atop him. His back was chilled from the floor and his chest was warm from his mate. He groaned as he went to move. God, he ached all over, even his dick, which felt as if it had put in a hell of a workout. What the fuck had happened last night?

  Clara stretched and blinked, her soft golden-brown eyes at him. “Logan?”

  “Who else would you be naked with, Mate?” He lifted his brows with the question.

  She grinned and leaned down to kiss him. “Only you.” She shifted and Logan saw her try to bite off a groan.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Just not used to sleeping on the floor when we have a perfectly good bed upstairs.”

  “So why are we here on the floor?” Logan asked.

  You don’t remember last night?” Clara asked with huge eyes.

  “I remember the alarm going off.” He sat up, nearly spilling her onto the floor. “Jesus! You were shot! Are you okay? Let me see.”

  “I’m fine,” she said and showed him her leg where there was nothing more than a scar.

  But then he noticed other things, like the fingertip bruises on her hips and thighs.

  “What the hell?” he demanded, trying to turn her so he could see the all of her.

  She glanced down as if she didn’t know what he was looking at. “These?” She indicated the bruises as if they were nothing. “Yeah, it was a great night, and they’ll be gone soon.”

  “Fuck!” Logan exploded. “I did that to you?”

  “Oh, yeah,” Clara moaned. “And I enjoyed every minute of it.”

  “I’ve never bruised a woman in my life, Clara. I swear.”

  “I’m not only a woman. I’m your mate, and trust me. I gave as good as I got. How’s your back?”

  He shifted his shoulders. “Sore.”

  “Sorry about that,” Clara crooned. “I think my claws might have come out a bit at one point.”

  “So I had this dream about having wild, completely no-holds-barred sex with you all night long,” Logan said.

  Clara shook her head. “Not a dream. Six times, stud.”

  “Six?” He knew his eyes had to reveal his disbelief. He had stamina, but he wasn’t a machine for God’s sake.

  “Oh, yeah,” Clara purred, looking very content. “Do you remember after I was shot?”

  “I had Reno bring you back here. He’s faster than me now that he’s in sync with his tiger, and I knew I needed you back here as quickly as possible. I grabbed Dillion and…” His eyes widened. “The little prick jabbed me with something.”

  “Needle filled with feral cat fever, or at least some version of it. I think Diane may have been next door running tests most of the night.”

  “Shit. I hope I didn’t scare her.”

  “I think you might have impressed her,” Clara said, and Logan felt his face flush at the implication that Diane might have heard him and Clara having sex.

  “So what all happened?”

  “You came to me. The fever will send a shifter into a feral rage. The only thing that can calm them is their mate. You sought me out, and we made a night of it.”

  “And now?” Logan asked.

  Clara shrugged. “I’m not really sure since I don’t know exactly what strain or dosage you were given. But since you’re human, it should wear off. There are no markers in your blood for it to feed on, not even with my saliva mixed in. With a shifter, it will find the very part of us that makes us shifters and feed on it, multiplying and spreading through our system.”

  “I’m glad it was me he got then,” Logan muttered, thinking of what this could have done to Tah or Reno, Murphy or Zane. God forbid it had happened to Clara.

  “It wasn’t just you,” Clara informed him. “Dillion only got you with some of what was in that needle.”

  “Who’d he get with the rest?” Logan demanded, tensing up.

  “Zane.”

  “Where is he? Is he okay?”

  “He’s gone,” Diane said, walking into the room to join them.

  Logan pulled the sheet beside them over his lap and jerked it up to cover Clara.

  “Please,” Diane muttered. “I’m a doctor for God’s sake. Besides, I’ll be surprised if you can even get it up right now after last night’s performance.”

  He could feel the fl
ush under the skin starting at his pecs and rising to suffuse his entire face.

  “Diane,” Clara chastised and Logan had the luxury of seeing Diane blush now.

  “Sorry. I guess nothing surprises me sexually when it comes to mates. But I’m getting damn tired of my lab being used as your playground.”

  Logan thought of when he’d first met Clara, when Reno had shifted into his tiger and come down there to find Amia. He shifted uncomfortably. “Sorry, Diane.”

  She waved her hand. “Anyway, I heard voices and…” She turned pleading eyes on them. “I was hoping to get some answers from you now, on what we’re dealing with. What can I do to help Logan? And Zane?”

  “I’m not sure,” Clara said. “Why don’t you give us half an hour to crawl upstairs and take a hot shower and then we’ll meet everyone in the front room. I’ll tell you everything I know about it then. Along with what I can about Dillion.”

  Diane nodded. “Are you okay? I…” She cleared her throat. “I couldn’t help overhearing the two of you last night. Do you need me to check anything?”

  “Jesus!” Logan muttered. “You aren’t looking at my dick.”

  “I wasn’t offering, asshole,” Diane lashed back, surprising the hell out of Logan. “I just meant you were both pretty primal last night. It sounded…” She cleared her throat. “It sounded rough. I just thought I’d offer in case all the activity took a toll.”

  “Oh,” Logan said, not sure what to say to this Diane.

  “We’ll be fine,” Clara answered, saving him from any attempt on his part.

  Diane looked at them then sighed and shrugged. “Suit yourself,” she muttered and left the room as quickly as she’d entered.

  “Let’s head up,” Clara said before he could ask her anything else.

  A hot shower sounded heavenly, but he had to admit he was dreading the long trek up two flights of stairs. Not to mention the fact they were both naked. Clara rummaged in the room and came back with his jeans and shirt. She pulled his shirt on and tossed him the jeans. Then she reached down and grabbed his socks, shoes and boxer briefs from the floor then turned back to him.