by Victoria Sue
Lisa was going to explode. Hot shocks pulsed in her. Pushing in and exploding out.
Something, anything, every part of her burned. So hot. All the time Mac talked. Soft urgent kisses followed by sexy words until the words were swirling around with her fingers, and the fire inside threatened to consume her.
Mac. “I, Mac…” Panting. Whining. Begging.
“Now Lisa, Now.” His voice took over, urgent, demanding, filling her completely. “Come for me now, baby.”
Fireworks lit her up. Hard, firm lips grounded her neck as her body flew. Splinters of pleasure exploded and spots danced in her eyes. Darkness zeroed in, and contentment wrapped her up. Safe, he held her safe. Kisses took her fears, and lips kept her together. Harsh breathing surrounded her, and she didn’t know whether it was his or hers.
“Lisa?”
“Mac, I’m here.”
Soft chuckles surrounded her. Mac moved slightly. “I know that, honey. How are you feeling?”
Wonderful. “I.” Lisa licked dry lips. “I’m cooler.” She could feel Mac nodding against her back. “You. Do you?”
Mac shook his head against the nape of her neck.
She tensed up, anxiety slamming into her. “Mac, what are you doing here? How did you find me?” She turned her face to him. “The girls..?”
He caught her lips in a punishing vice that softened as soon as hers did.
Mac pulled his lips away, and Lisa sighed softly. “You’re awfully good at that you know.” His lips tilted against the nape of her neck.
“Honey, listen to me. We haven’t much time. Erin and Molly are fine. Riley and I followed your scent. We decided I was going to let myself get caught while Riley went back to find the others.”
“But why let yourself be caught, Mac? Look at your face. You could have just waited until I came up there.”
He paused, and Lisa knew there was something he wasn’t telling her.
“Lisa, honey, there’s no time. You’re not to worry. The others are on their way. Scoot over there.” He nodded to the ledge. “We don’t want to anger him further.”
Lisa sighed. “Why did you get caught?”
“I’d never leave you on your own, ever. You’re mine.”
“Mac—”
“Just start thinking about what beach you’d like to go to when all this is done. I’m going to take you somewhere warm and beautiful. I want you happy.”
Lisa smiled. “A beach?”
“Yeah.” Mac nuzzled some more. “Warm, happy and naked. Lots of naked.”
Lisa’s breath caught at the intensity in his words and the determination in his eyes. She was his. She breathed in. Something stirred inside her, something proud. She licked her lips and cupped his face. “And you’re mine.”
Eyes lit up at her declaration and gleamed in answering possession. She grabbed her panties quickly and pulled them on.
Footsteps clanked down the stairs. “Jesse.” Lisa jumped up as he hurried into the room.
“Quickly, the others are getting the ceremony ready.” Jesse skidded to a halt when he saw Mac. They both eyed each other.
“Mac, this is Jesse. He helped get Erin away.”
Mac nodded. “I remember you from the other day.”
Jesse fingered his jaw. “Yeah, same here. Now, Lisa. You have to come now.” He tucked a gun in his waistband, and Lisa tried not to look scared. Of course, Killian’s guards had guns, but at least they had something now. “We’ve only got a few minutes.”
Mac nodded to the steps. “Go on. The others will come get me.”
“No.” Lisa looked at Jesse. “I can’t leave him.”
Mac shook his head furiously. “No, Lisa. You have to go now.”
Jesse gazed at the chains. “I can’t touch them. Let me get you out.” He glanced at them both. “I promise I’ll come back and try.”
“No.” I can’t. Lisa met determined blue eyes.
They heard shouting from the top of the steps. Mac’s stiffened, and she wanted to tell him it was okay because she couldn’t leave him anyway.
Killian and two of his henchman ran down the steps. One of the guards angrily sent Jesse sprawling, pushed him out of the way. Agitated didn’t begin to describe Killian. She could still hear shouts and bangs from upstairs. He yanked her forcibly to his side and froze. Lisa trembled at the anger that was rolling off him.
“You whore,” he spat and slapped her face.
Lisa thought her face was going to explode. Why did he always have to hit her there? She lay on the stone ledge where his blow had sent her reeling. Angry roars were coming from the corner where two guys were trying to restrain Mac.
Hard cold metal pressed against her throat, and she froze.
She opened her eyes to rancid breath knowing that Killian towered over her. With one swipe, he tore her dress down and smelled her neck, Lisa tried not to be sick.
“So at least, you had the foresight not to mate him then.”
Lisa barely registered the words. Mate? But they were mated? What did he mean?
An angry roar came from Mac, followed by a crack, and Mac’s head lolled sideways. Lisa whimpered. Fear for Mac overrode anything Killian would do to her.
Killian dragged her to the stone steps. He nodded to his henchman to bring Mac and totally ignored Jesse, who was cowering in the corner.
“Bring the bear. I want him awake and watching while I claim My Queen.”
“Alpha, the fighting is still ongoing.” One of Killian’s henchmen looked worried.
“It doesn’t matter, fool. Once I have claimed her, we will have the pack. No bunch of misfits can go against Stone Ridge. We will burn them, all of them.”
He’s mad. Lisa gazed horrified at the man while he dragged her to the top of the stairs, to a small room, barely a hut. Blankets piled haphazardly around the floor and empty beer bottles rolled away. Killian marched her to the door and dragged her outside. They were in the middle of a clearing. Trees and undergrowth had been cleared away, and group of logs had been fashioned into a makeshift table.
Fighting was going on all around her and heartbroken, she saw blood and fur as wolves went against bears and wolves fought other wolves.
“I have My Queen.” Killian’s voice thundered out and one by one, all the fighting stopped. He pulled Lisa up in front of him, the moonlight glinting on the knife he held to her throat.
Bears and wolves start to shift back, and she recognized Zack and Riley. Riley stepped forward. “The sheriff is on his way with others. You cannot win this, Killian.”
A muffled noise to her left had her turning her head. Miranda was being pulled along by two guys. One hand over her mouth and one around her neck. She looked terrified. Her legs were being dragged along, and she’d lost her heels some time ago. Lisa almost felt sorry for her.
The arm holding Lisa tightened. “I have what I need. No one else has to die, but I will kill each and every last one of you before any sheriff has chance to get here. And we’ll start with him.” Killian nodded to his guards.
Lisa heart seemed to stop. She came face to face with a pair of battered blue eyes. Two guards were holding Mac up although he barely looked conscious. She gazed into those pain-filled eyes and had a clear memory of cowering in a hospital room, and Mac gently trying to cover her with his sweatshirt.
“Let them go.” Lisa pushed her legs up under her to stand tall.
“Let them go, and I’ll do anything you want.” She heard a muffled protest from Mac before another blow to his jaw silenced him.
“Good decision, My Queen.” Killian’s eyes gleamed. He dragged her over to the logs.
Lisa wanted to fight. She wished for one of her rages to overtake her, to be so out of control, she didn’t know what she was doing. Or rather, as Killian pushed her to lie on the log, to not know what he was doing. Two of his henchman grabbed an arm and a leg each, and pulled, so she was obscenely displayed.
Lisa looked up and immediately regretted it. His black eyes gl
inted. Saliva dripped from his lips as both of his canines had dropped, ready to bite. In all the years she had been captive in the hospital, she’d thought nothing could ever be worse. I was wrong.
A ripping sound echoed as Killian clawed her front and pushed the pathetic scraps of material away. She wanted to shut her eyes, to escape from the terror, but Killian smacked her face as she tried. “Keep them open, My Queen. See who your alpha is. See who rules Stone Ridge Pack.”
Lisa whimpered once. Cruel hands ripped the rest of her clothes from her body. Snarls and howls sounded around her. Shouts, someone shouted her name. Killian leaned over her gleefully as one hand held her face still. Sharp claws piercing her skin so she couldn’t move. He scrabbled at his jeans to push them down and bent his head to her throat. Saliva dripped on her face, and she wanted to gag from his smell.
Through all the noise came a quiet popping sound. Small, insignificant, except that small sound seemed to drown out everything else. Everything stopped. Killian’s mouth twisted and bewilderment shone briefly in his eyes before they blanked over. Something was dripping on her. Funny, his saliva, so bad before, was suddenly red. She heard someone screaming, and as Killian’s body lunged toward hers as if it had a mind of its own, she saw Jesse standing behind Killian, holding a gun.
Everything seemed to happen at once. Shouts and roars surrounded her. A huge cacophony of noise so bad she thought her eardrums might burst. She finally closed her eyes. A heavy weight was lifted off her. She really didn’t want to think what that was. Maybe she was dead? I don’t care. I don’t care anymore. It seemed like she’d had to fight all her life, and now she was done. Strong arms lifted her, and she smelled something she knew. Half-smiling, she nuzzled into bare skin. She could hear her name being called, feel kisses on her head, nearly taste honey on her tongue. Too much. Lisa let her mind slip away.
Chapter Sixteen
She was warm. Cocooned. She wondered whether the safe space was just in her head or if it would still be there if she opened her eyes. Warm breath dusted her face, and she breathed it in. Something moved inside her, responding unbidden to the sweet smell.
“Honey? Lisa?”
Lisa wanted to laugh. He called her honey, but he smelled and tasted of it. No, she wasn’t ready to wake up yet. She wasn’t ready to find out if her dream wasn’t real. Not quite yet. She could just snuggle down a bit more.
“Lisa? Baby?”
A soft chuckle rippled around her and pulled her up. Soft lips settled on her skin, not moving. If he would just move them a little, she could taste them. See if they were real.
“Wake up. Come back to me.”
The soft lips seemed to be asking her to move. Could she tilt her head, just a little?
Soft rumbling noises started, and strong arms held her. She smiled. No wonder she felt so safe. I can move my head without opening my eyes. As soon as she thought that, she sighed and moved her lips to meet those other ones, the ones that had been waiting for her, her whole life.
Dusting over hers, those warm lips silently clung to her skin, lightly teasing her mouth to open. Teeth nibbled at her lips, and a tongue gently pushed inside. She really ought to open her eyes, she supposed, but her hands worked fine without them. Nails scraped over strong shoulders that hovered over her. She tugged at them, wanting them closer.
Another laugh. “I’ll squash you.”
Her mouth sought out his again.
“Do you love me?”
Her eyes shot open. Not fair.
“That’s better.” She could see the satisfaction rolling off him in waves and loved the low rumbling of soft, quiet noises.
“Honey, you’re safe. No one’s gonna touch a hair on that head.” He dropped kisses as if to make it so. “Well, except me.”
“What happened? Mac?”
“Lisa, he’s dead. Your pal Jesse got him good.” She shivered, and Mac wrapped her up even more if that was possible.
“Miranda?”
“Locked up. Lisa, I—”
She silenced him very satisfactorily. She didn’t need to know.
There was a soft knock at the door, and Riley poked his head around. She suddenly realized she was back at home. Riley grinned and came into the room. “How are you feeling?”
Lisa grimaced back. “I’ve been better.” Bruises throbbed. Scratches stung. Ow. Her head felt like it was beating in time to her heart.
“Let me take care of that.” Riley told Mac. “Daniel’s on the phone downstairs.”
“You’ll be okay?” Lisa nodded and leaned into Mac’s hand cupping her face.
“Okay, Lisa, just relax.” Riley smiled. “Let’s get rid of that headache for you.”
* * * *
Sometime later, Lisa woke to an empty room. There was a warm dent on the bed where she could smell him. So, not gone long, then. She sat up cautiously and felt fine. Riley could put a lot of drug companies out of business.
Determined to join everyone, she had a quick shower and pulled on some jeans and a cream sweater. She looked at herself in the mirror. Clearly Riley had done some work on her face as well. The number of times Killian had hit her, it was a wonder she had any cheek bones left at all. Taking a few minutes, she tried some makeup to dull her bruises a little. Listening carefully, she knew they were all in the kitchen, and her stomach growled. That would be a good place to head for anyway.
Turning the corner into the passage, she put a hand out to push the door open and at the sound of her name, froze.
“No. Not Lisa. No fucking way.” Mac.
“I understand how you feel, but I can’t see—”
Lisa pushed the door open, interested to see who the strange voice belonged to. Immediately, Mac was in front of her with a protective arm around her, guiding her to a chair. “Honey, did we wake you? I’m sorry.”
Cassie pushed a steaming mug toward her, and Lisa answered with a grateful smile.
Mac, Riley, and Zack all stood posturing. A tall, elegant man was studying her carefully. He had black hair with streaks of gray at the temples and kind wrinkly eyes. She inhaled discreetly. Not human, not wolf.
He put his hand out. “Hi, Lisa. My name’s Daniel.”
So this was Mac’s F.B.I. contact. Lisa smiled and shook his hand. She studied him as he sat, and she reached for Mac. “So, what is it you don’t want me to do now?”
Riley grinned; Zack snorted, and Mac just looked, well, defeated. Lisa frowned, “What?”
Daniel cleared his throat. “Lisa?”
Mac came and stood behind her, his jaw working, silently, but the hands he put on her shoulders were gentle, supportive. Of course, they were.
“I’m afraid Killian DeMarco was the tip of the iceberg. We have spent a lot of time and resources identifying a well-oiled kidnap and prostitution ring. Children have disappeared, mostly runaways, who are much harder to identify.”
Lisa shivered, and she tugged Mac down next to her. He wrapped both of her hands up in one of his giant ones. The other arm he looped protectively around her.
“We have been working on this for over a year, but hadn’t put the connection together with female shifters before.”
Cold suddenly blasted into her. “Shifters? Plural?” The thought of others in her position made her sick. Mac tightened his arm, and Riley moved closer. “What do you mean?”
“We think the alpha female slant is relatively new. The murdered nurse may have stumbled onto you and told someone. There must be a pretty powerful alpha up the chain somewhere. No humans obviously would understand the significance.”
“There’s not that many other shifters that would,” Zack commented.
“Actually, it’s not just wolves that are affected by alpha females. Leopards, puma packs definitely, but not tigers so much now.”
Lisa gaped at Daniel.
“Background checks on the nurse found a predilection for online gambling and heavy debt.” He paused, before asking, “How long do you remember her working there?”
Lisa frowned. Most of her memories of that place were still a bit foggy. Thank goodness. “At least a couple of years, I guess.” She had a memory of an older kind woman who had always watched some TV shows with her, but she’d left shortly before they’d started locking her in her room. Her throat tightened, and Lisa ducked her head, blinking furiously.
Mac growled. “That’s enough, Daniel.”
Lisa squeezed his hand and cleared her throat. “I’m okay.”
“We think they found out that alpha females are worth a good bit of money.”
Lisa nodded. Well, good to know she was worth something. A hand squeezed hers again. Okay, so maybe more than one thing. “So what are you going to do now?”
Mac stiffened.
“We need you as bait.”
For a few seconds, the room was so silent it echoed.
Low growls started. Lisa watched open-mouthed as Riley and Zack stiffened. Mac stood, and black hairs sprouting on his skin as his muscles rippled.
Cassie smirked and plonked a full coffee pot on the table. “Going to start getting decaf around here.”
Lisa tugged on Mac’s arm. “Let him finish.”
The tough F.B.I. agent didn’t look fazed. Lisa grinned admiringly. Daniel reached for the pot at the same time Cassie did. They both sprang back as if it burned. Riley’s head shot up, and his eyes narrowed. Cassie blushed slightly and turned to the stove, all while Daniel continued speaking.
“We can’t get to them. Every time we get close, they up and move.” His jaw hardened. “We’re not sure it was just Miranda.”
Mac stared at him incredulously. “Then how in the hell can you sit there and say Lisa will be safe?”
“I’m here, aren’t I? I’ve hand-picked a new team, one that I trust. I’ve removed all agents associated with the case and brought in people from way back that I know.” Daniel leaned back in his chair and casually picked up his cup. “Besides which, you’ll be there.”
Mac huffed. “Fuck, yeah.” Lisa’s mouth twitched. Realization dawned on Mac’s face that he’d been played.
