03 - You Only Live Nine Times

by E A Price

  There wasn’t much for Leslie to confess about her crimes. She admitted that she used a special perfume – her own concoction – to try and hide their scents at the graveyards. She didn’t want anyone catching onto them too quickly. But she lamented the fact that she lost her work locker key while trying to maneuver a particularly large corpse. Lamented because she’d left a banana in the locker it was sure to have gone nasty by now. She told them that after she had revived Mark, she had arranged for them to leave the country. Then she was planning on writing a letter to the LLPD confessing her crimes and also providing money to cover the damage they had caused to the cemeteries, as well as tidy sums to give to the families of the corpses. It was going to be an apology for digging up their dead loved ones. She was still planning on doing that to make up for any emotional distress she caused. As Leslie said, she was crazy, but she wasn’t rude.

  Other than stealing bodies, the duo hadn’t really hurt anyone. Well, apart from Igor himself who Leslie did actually murder. But it was plain to see – due to his howling declarations of love – that he bore her no ill will on the subject and when finally prodded into talking, refused to admit it was Leslie who shot him. Isis grudgingly admitted that they weren’t planning on killing or even hurting her or Raf, and the only bruises she sustained were from when she stormed into Leslie’s house, shifted to her tiger and attacked Igor. Yes, she had been the one to make the first bite. Not that it did her much good; the guy was strong even for a freaking bear. Perhaps he’d become stronger in death. Stranger things had happened. Or had they? The jury was still out on that.

  At that moment, the director was pondering what to do about Leslie and Igor while Isis was borrowing some of Avery’s lion-sized clothes. Big, butted lioness. Isis had borrowed Raf’s t-shirt for as long as she could stand seeing other females eyeing her man’s naked chest appreciatively. Finally, her need to keep the bitches’ lusty eyes in their heads was enough to outweigh how much she enjoyed being enveloped in her mate’s scent and had begged some clothes from Avery. She really needed to keep more clothes at the office.

  And yes, her mate. She admitted it – freely. They may not share a bond yet, but he was hers and watch out any female who tried to take him. Ms. Kitty was eager for a little claw action.

  Avery shook her head, completely ignoring the jibe about her getting fat. It was a thing they did. “Nothing, I like him.” Isis growled unhappily at that. “It’s just I thought you said humans were weak, that they weren’t up to the job of being shifters’ mates. You hate humans.”

  “No, I don’t,” frowned Isis. “I’m half human.”

  Avery almost swallowed her tongue in surprise. “You’re half human?!”

  “Yeah, didn’t you know?” Isis pulled on a pair of pants, making a show of how baggy they were in the hips, causing Avery to snap that they were supposed to be baggy - that was the style.

  “And no, I had no idea about you being half-human.”

  “Huh, I’m sure I mentioned it.”

  “Un-freaking-believable,” Avery muttered to herself as she walked out the locker room, almost tripping over Raf, who was standing outside waiting for Isis to reappear. Avery beamed at him as she walked past him. Stupid lioness. Grrrr.

  Finally ready, Isis joined him, and they walked together to the elevator, hands entwined. She sneered at anyone who dared show surprise at her behaving so lovey-dovey. They’re just jealous, sniffed Ms. Kitty.

  “Well this was all a bit anti-climactic,” complained Isis.

  Raf quirked an eyebrow at her. “Really? We caught two grave robbers, solved our case, stopped a woman from reanimating a corpse and solved the mystery of a missing, dead Russian bear shifter gangster. Not exciting enough for you?”

  “It’s just usually my cases end with a shoot-out, or a fist fight or a high-speed chase. They don’t usually end with my perps declaring their undying love and slobbering over one another.” Images that would haunt her worse than her mother.

  “What do you think will happen to them?” pondered Raf.

  “From talking to the director, I think the worst for Leslie will be another spell in the nut house.”

  “You’re so sensitive,” he commented, sarcastically, but not meanly.

  She carried on, unperturbed. “I doubt it though. She seems quite rational at the moment. I reckon as long as she takes her meds, she’ll be okay out in the real world. Although, I already asked Lake from tactical to confiscate all her antique guns – we don’t want any more of those hanging around her house. Last time she got the urge to use one she ended up with an undead boyfriend. I wouldn’t wish that to happen to her a second time. As for Igor, I’m not sure. Prison might not be the safest place for him.”

  “You think other prisoners might attack him?”

  “Given who he was, yes, but that’s not what I meant.” No, he wouldn’t have any problems beating off other attackers; he was built sturdier than a mountain. “He’s not the same person anymore. Being locked up might freak him out. No matter what Leslie says, his mind isn’t what it used to be.”

  “Not exactly a bad thing considering how he used to behave.”

  “True, but locking him away from his beloved nerdlinger doctor might send him bananas. I mean, even more than he already is.” He was already pretty cuckoo.

  “Are you saying you think we should just let him go?”

  “Oh, no! Hell no! Nobody wants him on the loose. I was thinking of house arrest or something. Keeping him off the streets, but also away from too many strangers.”

  Raf kissed her nose, and she blushed from the tip of her freshly kissed nose to her simpering tigress, while simultaneously managing to glare at a passing penguin shifter who was paying them just a bit too much attention. “What was that for?”

  “For being compassionate towards them. It would be easy just to dismiss them and send them to jail, but you’re being… kind.”

  “It’s not that big of a surprise!” she spluttered. Jeez, anyone would think she ran around trying to cancel Christmas.

  “No, it’s not, you’re sweeter than you want people to know. Just another reason I love you, and why you’re wonderful.”

  Isis and her tiger preened at the compliment. But she did feel a need to undercut the sugariness. “You do realize that you’re the woman in our relationship, right?”

  “Just as long as you don’t introduce me as your bitch, I’m fine with that. But I do have a confession to make.” He slid his arms around her waist.

  “Yeah, me, too,” she admitted with a nervous laugh. “You first.”

  Raf hung his head. “In high school, I wasn’t just in the chess club. I was also in sci-fi club. We used to go to the conventions. I always dressed as Dr. Who.” He peeked a look at her and was alarmed by her stony face. Fuck, he was only joking. He didn’t really think she’d care that he loved sci-fi.

  “I see.”

  “You don’t actually mind, do you?”

  “I’ll get over it,” she sighed. “Of course, given that I am being incredibly understanding of your deep, dark secret, you have absolutely no choice but to accept and understand my secret.”

  “Uh, okay,” he said, slightly baffled.

  “My dead mom was psychic and that means I can see my dead mom’s ghost and she’s haunting my apartment. She’s the chill you felt when you were there - she walked right through you. She doesn’t plan on going anywhere, so it looks like she’s going to haunt both of us. Plus if we ever do have kids – which I’m not sold on and we may not be able to have anyway – most likely they’ll be able to see her, too.”

  “Wha…?”

  “Oh, it feels good to share!”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “You sure you’re up for another round?” murmured Isis as she lavished fluttering kisses all over his sweat-beaded torso.

  “Just try and stop me,” chuckled Raf, hoisting her over his body to straddle his waist.

  Her tiger purred her satisfaction. Isis was in the mi
dst of her heat, and Raf was more than rising to the challenge. It was the first time she had ever indulged in male company during one of her heats. She had always feared that any male she chose would take advantage of her less than clear mind. The way she was feeling right now, she’d give away her car for an orgasm. And then there was the fear of getting pregnant. She wasn’t ready for kittens just yet, if ever. She would think about that one day, way, way, way in the future. For now, she was happy to trust Raf to see to her needs, she was on the pill and they were using condoms during her heat – just in case.

  He clamped his hands on her waist and rubbed his thumbs over her stomach. She leaned over to snag another condom, her breasts swung in front of his face, and he took the opportunity to kiss them. Her nipples puckered, and she shook them in his face.

  “Keen, aren’t we?” she teased. “I felt certain I’d worn you out that last time.”

  “I can go all night, well, I can go some of the night, as long as I have rest breaks and timeouts to get some water. But while I’m resting feel free to do whatever you want to my body.”

  Isis flicked his nipples, and he groaned. “Oh, I will.” She shuffled down his body, settling over his thighs. His manhood sprung up before him, large, hard and oh so tasty. She bent her head and licked her way up his length, before nibbling on the engorged head, sucking at the drops of pre-cum.

  “Baby, please, you gotta stop before I explode.”

  A smug grin touched her lips, and she ripped apart the condom wrapper with her teeth. “Well, as much as I enjoy you that way, I wouldn’t want to waste this delicious treat.” She traced a fingernail over the underside, and he shuddered as she smoothed the condom down his length.

  Isis placed herself over him, leaning back to rest her hands on her thighs, arching her back, pushing her breasts out and her groin forward. She rubbed her sex over the blunt tip, drenching him with her honey, before lowering herself in tiny increments, as much teasing him as allowing his thick cock to open her slowly. His mouth opened, and his eyes glittered with desire. Finally tiring of her game and impatient to feel him inside her, she dropped her body down the last few inches and let out a satisfied moan as her hips rested against his. Her tiger roared. Mate.

  “Oh, yes, honey, that’s it,” she purred as she began rocking her hips against him. She moved slowly at first, whimpering as his thickness slid in and out of her quivering sex, before the need for release, the need to mate, and sate her heat drove her to crash against him.

  Raf bucked his hips against her, meeting her furious rhythm. His hands roughly kneaded the twin orbs of her breasts.

  “Yes, touch me!” she cried as the delightful feeling inside her surged, demanding release.

  Her movements became frantic as she ground herself down on him. He released her breasts and rose up on his elbows, pulling her down so he could suck one of her orbs into his mouth. She leaned over him, bracing one arm on the bed and looping the other around his neck, clutching him to her, crushing him against her flesh. He teased her pebbled point with his teeth, before biting down. The pain sent her spiraling into climax, and she howled in ecstasy as her tiger roared in completion. Her muscles tightened around him, almost strangling his member and he groaned around her soft breast as he thrust inside her and exploded.

  Panting, they collapsed into a sweaty heap on the bed.

  Isis smiled contentedly. “Hmmm, that was fantastic.”

  Raf traced his fingers down her back. “Yeah, but I think I might need a little time to recuperate this time. In the meantime, I’ll bring in one of the reserves.”

  He reached over to the bedside table and pulled out a pink vibrator. It was a little shorter and thinner than him – chosen, especially so that she didn’t prefer it to him. There was no chance of that ever happening.

  “I think I need a little recuperation first, too. I’m amazed, my darling human, you’re actually wearing me out.”

  “Yeah?” he laughed. “I’m glad to hear it.”

  He wasn’t proud of that fact, nor lording it over her, he was just pleased that he satisfying his mate – which he was, astoundingly so. He wasn’t an arrogant ass about his sexual prowess, like so many male shifters would be, he was just happy to be with her. It was one of the reasons she loved him – one of many. And this time they were spending together was almost perfect. It would be completely perfect except for one thing…

  A frisson of cold air danced over her spine. “Mom! Get the hell out now!”

  *

  The captain glared at him. “Are you sure this is what you want? If you leave, you can’t come back.”

  “I’m sure,” replied Raf, firmly.

  He’d thought it over, talked it over with Isis, who was behind him one hundred percent, talked it over with his father who was behind him zero percent, and then finally made his own decision. He was joining the SEA. He loved being a cop, and he decided he wanted to work more supernatural cases, but doubted he’d be able to in the LLPD.

  His superior tapped his pen on his desk. He was keen to get to his golf game, which was the reason Raf had chosen to tell him at this time, but he wasn’t about to just give in without some cajoling. “You know I was hoping that maybe you’d take over as captain when I retired. I was putting in a good word for you to get a promotion, and then I figured I’d teach you all I know so you’d be ready.”

  A lot of uncharitable thoughts ran through Raf’s head about what he knew, but he wisely held his tongue.

  “Are you sure about this?”

  “Very,” confirmed Raf.

  “You’re not just doing this because of that…”

  “I’m not,” interrupted Raf before the captain did something stupid like insult Isis. If that happened, Raf would have no option but to punch him right in his jowly face.

  The captain blew out a protracted sigh. “Well, it’s your life, I guess I can’t stop you.”

  How generous and gracious of him to admit that.

  He jabbed a chubby finger in Raf’s direction. “But I expect you to stay until I have a replacement for you.”

  “Of course.”

  He grunted in disgust. “Ummm, well, you better get back to work.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  On his way out he caught the eye of Georgia. Detective Barnes was perched on the edge of her desk telling her his tiny pianist joke. When Georgia saw Raf looking, she laughed louder than anyone ever had at that joke. Barnes was delighted. Raf wished them both luck. He was shallow, she was shallow – they’d make a great, if shallow couple.

  The captain had already donned his lucky purple bobble hat and was heading out for his golf game as Raf sat down at his desk. He didn’t bother looking up as Detective Ethan Miller approached his desk. Toadying cretin. Huh, maybe Isis was rubbing off on him more than he thought.

  “I heard you were planning on leaving,” said Miller in a tone that was aiming to be conversational but fell short by being eagerly accusing.

  “Yep.”

  “I heard you’re joining the SEA.”

  “If they’ll have me.” He was practically a member of the SEA. Isis’ director, Gerry Sanders informed him there would definitely be a place for him, he just had to clear it with his boss as to what that would be. Raf was hoping for agent.

  “So I guess you’re not after becoming captain here, then?” Miller leaned on the desk and Raf shot him a narrowed look that soon had him removing his hand and even wiping the area it had touched.

  “No, never was, never will be.”

  Miller nodded and started walking away, again trying for casually, but he looked as casual as a plump and juicy gazelle in a restaurant full of starving lions.

  “I guess now I’m leaving I don’t need to worry about anyone leaving disgusting pictures on my desk or destroying my car with paint, right?”

  He spun to look at Raf, a deep tomato red hue imbuing his features. He opened his mouth like a fish a few times before clamping it shut firmly and scurrying away.

 
It wasn’t hard to figure out that Miller had been the one to do those things. After he eliminated Georgia, Miller was the only one who would actually go to the trouble of messing with him. Not because he had a problem with shifters or Isis in particular. No, this was personal. Miller was ambitious and he wanted to be the captain’s favorite. He wanted to be on the fast track to become the captain. Embarrassing Raf and trying to turn the shifter-hating members of the LLPD against him was a pathetic ploy to get rid of the perceived competition. Raf would have told him not to waste his time if he knew what was happening. It would have saved him the trouble of getting his car repainted. Course, he’d send Miller the bill, and if he didn’t pay, he’d send Isis round to sort him out. He smiled at the thought. That was something they’d both enjoy.

  Raf leaned back in his chair. As he watched Johnson applying his athletes’ foot powder, Barnes flirting outrageously with Georgia and Miller frowning disapprovingly at them all, he realized, he really wouldn’t miss these jokers at all. The job, yes, because it had been a big part of his life, but hopefully his new job would be pretty similar. Plus, he would be nearer to Isis. He couldn’t wait.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Tonight was the night. The night when they joined together as mates. They were going to bond.

  It was a big step, and both felt a little trepidation, but they both knew it was what they wanted. Neither could perceive a future without the other, and since bonding was inevitable, they decided that they didn’t want to wait. For one thing, Raf was a little keen to find out what it was like to be truly in tune with his mate. Cutter, not one for divulging much about his sex life with his little mate – in his words, it was no other fucker’s business - had told him that the bond made sex even more intense. As for Isis, Ms. Kitty was being unbelievably impatient and insisting that they get the hot human bonded to them before he does something crazy like try to run away. Not that he’d get far. She’d hunt him down wherever he went and enjoy doing it. But, why make the effort? She could get him to run away from her for fun after they were bonded.