The Liger's Mark

by Lacey Thorn

  “Me, too,” he vowed, reaching for her and pulling her up before rolling over so he was on top. He used his knees to urge her thighs wider and growled as his cock slid along the plump folds of her sex. He loved how she was always wet and ready for him.

  “Now,” she urged, undulating up into him. She gripped his upper arms, fingers curling around and holding tight while she rocked her pelvis into his.

  He’d planned to wait, to tease her as she had him, but all thoughts other than getting inside her left as his cock lodged against her snug opening. He flexed his hips, closing his eyes on a moan of sheer pleasure as he slowly sank into her channel. She mewled in pleasure when he was as deep as he could go, balls resting against the lush swell of her ass. Perfection. Heaven. That was what the sensations washing through him brought to mind. He held completely still for a long moment, savoring the feeling.

  “Gabriel.”

  His name was a plea from her lips, and he knew just what she wanted. He slid back his hips, enjoying the friction as her pussy clung to his cock, rippling as he tugged free. Then he thrust back, surging inside once more and pulling a cry from his mate’s lips. Heaven. Definitely heaven.

  He kept the pace slow and steady, despite the repeated pleas of his mate for faster and harder. He’d give in soon, the need for the same was tearing up his spine. First, he wanted to immerse himself in her, to indulge the desire to lavish in the sensation of her tight sheath sucking at his cock. His balls were so tightly drawn, he knew once he hit a certain pace, his control would shatter. So he drew it out, crooning as his mate whimpered and begged.

  He dropped his lips to hers, giving her the fast and hard she desired in the conquering kiss he claimed her mouth with. She met him full on, tongues dueling as they took and gave. Only when she was mindless with pleasure did he give her what she wanted. He drove her into the bed with each thrust, and she screamed her satisfaction.

  “Mine,” he growled at her neck, tongue licking over the bite he’d marked her with.

  She skimmed one knee up along his side, opening herself wider for him and moaned in agreement. “Yours.”

  “Who are you?” he demanded, and her gaze jerked up to meet his. He slammed his hips harder against her, wringing more cries and asked again. “Who are you?”

  The whispered words of pain she’d spoken the previous day still haunted him. I don’t know who I am. He couldn’t get the image of her, looking so lost and broken as she spoke, out of his head.

  “Mine,” he rumbled at her and scraped his teeth over her mark. “My woman. My mate.”

  “Yes,” she agreed, leaning her head to the opposite side and offering her neck to him.

  “Who are you?” he asked again. He felt the struggle inside her, and it was tearing him apart.

  “Yours,” she answered softly.

  “Who are you? Tell me!” he commanded as he fucked her mercilessly.

  “Yours,” she cried. “Your woman. Your mate.”

  The liger preened, more than satisfied with her vow, but the man wanted more. The man knew she needed more.

  “Who are you?” he whispered, nuzzling her neck as he slowed his pace once more.

  She blinked up at him, and a tear spilled from one eye. “I don’t know.”

  “Bullshit,” he snarled, startling her, making her angry. “Tell me who you are.”

  “I don’t know,” she yelled in his face.

  “Tell me who you are, or I’m going to turn you over and spank your ass until you do,” he warned.

  Her eyes flared, and he had to cling tightly to his control as desire flashed through the anger in her eyes.

  “Your fucking mate, asshole,” she hollered. “I’m the woman who’s going to kick your ass if you don’t make me fucking come. I’m the woman who owns you. Your mate? Your woman? How about your fucking goddess!” She reached up and clenched both hands in his hair, using her grip to pull her up to his chest where her mark branded his flesh. She licked over it before snarling at him. “I’m the woman who will hunt you down and slice your balls off if you ever try to leave me again. I will not be abandoned.”

  “What else?” he challenged, gritting his teeth as her clasp tightened. It was worth it, to see the fierce woman come alive in her eyes.

  “I’m Kenzie Marshall. Woman, shifter, Marine and mate to the fucking Angel.” She gazed up at him, and another tear spilled from her eye. He bent to kiss it away.

  “Who are you?” he asked again, softly this time.

  She gave him a look of confusion as if she didn’t know what else to say.

  “Don’t you see? You’re exactly who you’ve always been.” He brushed kisses over her lips and cheek. “I understand wanting to know where you came from, who you came from. Those things don’t define you. Only you get to define you.”

  She seemed to pause as she let his words sink in.

  “You’re right,” she agreed. “I know who I am. I still want to find answers.”

  “We won’t stop until we do,” he promised.

  She smiled. “You might be nice to have around. Good thing I’m forgiving and took your sorry ass back despite your lack of intelligence.”

  “Lack of intelligence?”

  “You did bite me and leave me,” she reminded him.

  He opened his mouth to remind her Laura’s life had been in the balance, but he saw the laughter in her gaze. She was teasing him, and he found that he liked this side of his mate.

  “Might be nice to have around?” he asked and thrust deep, making her close her eyes and arch her neck as a moan spilled from her lips.

  “Might,” she agreed and whimpered when he did it again. “I think…ahhh…I might need…mm-hmm…more persuasion!”

  The last word rose on a sharp cry as he resumed the frantic pace they both craved. He loved how vocal she was in her passion and when her inner walls rippled around him, he knew her orgasm was close. He went to his elbows, bringing his chest closer and slid one hand into the hair at her nape, urging her to do his bidding.

  “Bite me,” he ordered.

  She attacked him with a roar, teeth sinking deep and sending exquisite pleasure firing through him. He clasped her to him, binding her hair in his fist as he gritted his teeth, forcing back the release building inside him. She tugged against his grip, turning her head and offering him her neck. He struck, teeth piercing and bringing the metallic taste of her blood to his tongue as he gave in to the need tightening his balls.

  When they were both able to breathe again, he held her firmly at his side, her head cushioned on his chest. Their fingers were woven together, resting beside his chin, and he rubbed it across the back of her knuckles. He ran his other hand along her side and knew there would never be a time when he didn’t crave the feel of her skin against him.

  It was disconcerting to realize how much she’d come to mean to him so quickly. He knew he was damn lucky she’d forgiven him. In a thousand lifetimes, he knew he would still be undeserving of her. For so long, anger and a need for vengeance had been all that fueled him. The desire to avenge his mother, to avenge all the senseless murders of shifters.

  It sickened him to know the lengths and measures hunters were willing to go to. Enticing shifters caught alone and uninformed. The thought of what could have happened to Laura, and knowing he’d had to spill the blood of one of his own because the drugs in the male shifters system had been too much for the other man to fight.

  “What are you thinking?” Kenzie asked, placing a kiss on his chest. “You tensed up on me.”

  “My mother died when I was just a boy,” he said. “My brother and I were visiting a friend and came home to find her in the yard. My father was gone a lot, having secret meetings that kept him away for days at a time.”

  “What happened?”

  “Hunters. She was alone. They…” A shudder went through him, and he swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. “She’d been dragged into the flower garden she loved so much. I was afraid to send Daniel for help
. We had no idea where they might have been. So we checked the house then locked ourselves inside.”

  “How old were you?”

  “I was seven. Daniel was four. That was the first day my mother let us walk to our neighbors by ourselves. She told me I was a big boy, and she trusted me. She told me it was my job to watch out for my brother, made me promise.”

  “She knew they were there,” Kenzie said with the same stunned surprise he’d experienced when he’d come to the same conclusion.

  “I think so. They left a note pinned to her.” He spat the words out. “When my father came home, he read it and burned it. We buried my mother, and he never left again.”

  “How long did you wait for him?”

  “Three days. I called Adrian’s house as soon as the numb wore off. His dad and uncles came to stay with us until my father returned.” He still remembered when the coyotes had come in one by one, shifting into men only when they were satisfied it was safe.

  “Why didn’t they go after you dad and bring him home?”

  “We didn’t know where he was,” Gabriel stated. “I still have no idea where he was or what he was involved in. He’s never spoken of it or the letter.”

  “God, Gabriel, I’m so sorry.”

  “My father was consumed with hate, and he set a fire going inside Daniel and I. When I was twelve, he began telling me the story of the avenging angel, and I knew that was who I wanted to be. It was easy to tell him I’d never take a mate. Easy to agree to every limitation my father told me would be required. My life is not my own. I am the hand of justice, the executioner,” he quoted.

  She came up on her elbow beside him, head shaking furiously. “Those words don’t define you. Remember? Only you get to define you.”

  He nodded. He’d understood the truth of those words when he’d given them to her. “My father is a bitter man. He’s molded me into his vessel of hate and retribution, and I’ve allowed it willingly.”

  “You didn’t know any better,” she whispered.

  “He was livid when Laura followed me home because I’d let her, and he was right. I did. I could have lost her at any time. I chose not to. There was something about her, something that gave me hope. I took her in and gave her a home. I think my father was afraid she was my mate. He did everything he could think of to run her off. Still does, but she won’t leave.”

  “I’m not jealous of her,” Kenzie promised. “I know you’re mine.”

  “I am,” he vowed. “We’re getting ready to head home, now, and I need you to know who he is. He won’t accept us. He’ll cut at you in any way he thinks will get to you.”

  “I’m not leaving, either,” she stated.

  “Don’t,” he urged. “No matter what he says or does, don’t leave. I’d hate to have to hurt my father, but I would without hesitation if he did anything to harm you.”

  “I won’t go anywhere,” she swore. “Besides, you’re forgetting I have an entire pride of friends in Oklahoma, now.”

  “Your pride is your family, Kenzie. When I had to leave you, I asked Tah first if he would watch over you, care for you. His reply was she’s family. Not a friend. Family. You went off searching for the people you belong with when you were with them all along.”

  “I was until I met you. I don’t want to be where you’re not.”

  “Then let’s go home. My father is causing trouble, and I need to put an end to it. I expected Daniel to step up to the plate in my absence, but apparently, he’s not. Tah was ready to leave last time we spoke.”

  “They need a safe place,” Kenzie said. “Abby just had Regan. Diane is pregnant. Zane still has traces of feral cat fever. According to Vic, both Logan and Finn have recessed animals inside them. They need a place to settle in and call home.”

  “They have it. I promise. The ranch in Riverton doesn’t belong to my dad though he likes to make people believe otherwise. It was my mother’s, and she left it and all the surrounding property to me when she died. Trust me to make this right,” he said.

  “I do,” she promised. “What about the hunters following me? I don’t think they’ll let us slip away without a fight.”

  “Then we give them a fight.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Kenzie sat sideways in the passenger seat of Gabriel’s SUV, gaze glued out the back window as she kept a keen eye out for any tails they shouldn’t have. Gabriel had spoken to Tah while she was in the shower then with Holt. By the time he’d jumped in the shower, everyone was packing up and ready to hit the road. Other than discussing the hunters they needed to be on the lookout for, Gabriel said the rest could wait until they were safely home and could go over it once with everyone. Vic and Gideon had some news though Vic hadn’t really said what it was.

  The twins had decided to leave their car behind and surprised Kenzie by splitting up. Reed went with Vic and Gideon while Dusty and Nix rode with Holt. Laura was with Kenzie and Gabriel. There was still something about the other woman that Kenzie just couldn’t put her finger on, something familiar.

  Laramie had talked them into waiting and leaving under cover of darkness. So they’d spent the rest of the day saying farewell to the Holloway brothers. Kenzie had taken a nap and startled awake to find Nix in her room. He’d heard her cry out, not realizing she was asleep and rushed it to check on her. Embarrassing but nice of him. She must have twisted her upper arm either in the dream or when she’d jerked awake as a deep ache had settled in. She’d told Gabriel about it, afraid someone else might have heard her. Thankfully, no one had.

  When night finally fell, they drove deeper into Holloway land, heading farther north and avoiding any hunters watching the front. They traveled without headlights, which made the drive quite the adventure. Gabriel led the caravan, seeming to know where he was going.

  They made it to the interstate, where they hoped hunters would refrain from attacking and calling attention to themselves. The plan was to stick to the busier highways and highly populated stops to avoid confrontation. It seemed to be working so far. Kenzie was positive Laramie and his brothers had also set up a diversion to keep the attention of the hunters focused on the Holloways instead. She prayed they were okay.

  “I hope I get to see Laramie again,” she said and grinned when her mate growled.

  Laura laughed out loud. “I’d like to see any of those bears again. They were hot!”

  “They were,” Kenzie agreed and snickered when Gabriel glared at her. “Don’t worry. No one compares to my sexy mate. I like Laramie, though. He seems like someone you can depend on.”

  “He is,” Gabriel said.

  “How did you meet?” Kenzie asked.

  “Came across a group of hunters while out on a search. They didn’t have who I was looking for, but they did have an older man with them. They were torturing the hell out of him,” Gabriel said.

  “He was a bear shifter?” Kenzie asked.

  “Laramie’s father,” Gabriel said. “He didn’t make it. He knew he wouldn’t but asked me if I’d take his body to his sons. I did. Stayed with them long enough to heal up myself and got to know the Holloways.”

  “I heard Declan say hunters had killed most of the bears off,” Laura said. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know for sure,” Gabriel said. “I do know there are very few left, less than a hundred. As far as the Holloways know, there are no females. The few males among them who have mated and had children, all have boys.”

  “Abby and Tah had a girl,” Kenzie said. “So it must be a bear shifter thing.”

  “I’m looking forward to seeing the baby,” Laura said. “Vic was telling me about her. Said she has all the men of the pride wrapped around her finger already, especially her dad.”

  “I didn’t get the chance to see her before I left,” Kenzie admitted. “I sort of snuck out.”

  “Sort of?” Gabriel said with a laugh. “You snuck off like a thief in the night.”

  “Must have something to do with all the alpha men around
me who think they can say stay, and I’ll obey,” Kenzie said.

  “Tah, too, huh?” Laura asked.

  Kenzie snorted. “We have a whole pride full of them. The ones who are mated…they seem to have an overdose of testosterone as soon as they stake their claim.”

  “Yippee! You can just drop me off anywhere along the way,” Laura teased.

  “Please,” Gabriel said. “From what Daniel said when I spoke with him, the women rule their mates and everyone knows it.”

  “One can only hope,” Kenzie murmured, and Laura rolled with laughter.

  Gabriel threw a quick glance her way, eyes daring her to try and tame him, but she didn’t want to rule him. She just wanted him.

  “We have another pregnant mate in our group, now,” Kenzie said, picking up the earlier conversation. “Diane.”

  “I’ve heard about her. Vic told me about the feral cat fever virus, and how you helped Diane get to her mate and save him. Zane, right?” Laura asked.

  Kenzie nodded. “They’re great people. You’ll really like them. Did she tell you about anyone else?”

  “Not really. I happened to catch her as she was hanging up from talking to Diane,” Laura said. “I ask her about Reed and Dusty. I’ll admit, I have trouble telling them apart. Plus the way they communicate with just a look is spooky.”

  “They’re a handful,” Kenzie said with a grin. “I know what you mean about the looks. As for telling them apart, it’s hard. There are times they still fool me.”

  “Other than that, I really didn’t hear about anyone else,” Laura said. “I spoke with Holt for a bit, but he was usually off with one of the Holloway brothers while we were there.”

  “They’re all pretty fantastic, but I’ll let you discover that for yourself,” Kenzie told her. “Tell me about you, instead.”

  “Not much to tell. Suburban home. Mom, dad, older brother,” Laura said but the bitterness in her voice was hard to miss.

  “Do you still see any of them?” Kenzie asked softly when Laura didn’t say anything else.

  “No,” Laura admitted. “My dad was a giant controlling prick. Mom bowed and catered to him. My brother’s eight years older than me. He bailed as soon as he graduated, headed to the military and never looked back. Can’t really blame him since I did the same thing, though mine wasn’t really by choice at the time. That was six years ago.”