Jaguar Secrets

by Khloe Wren

  “Have fun banging your chest to Tim? Gah, all males are the same. Still stuck in a cave. Bloody macho bullshit. For the record, I’m only coming with you to get answers, and to prove to Tim he can’t control my life. So don’t get any ideas about what we’re going to be doing today.”

  Nate wasn’t sure whether to be proud of her strong fiery spirit or peeved that their plans for the afternoon and evening had just evaporated. Either way, it was going to be a long drive out to their home if neither he or Luca could come up with a way to fix this mess.

  ****

  Luca hopped in the car beside Cammi, leaving Nate up front on his own. They had some serious damage control to do to fix what Tim had told her.

  “Darlin’, what did Tim tell you?”

  She turned toward him, and he could see the anger and confusion in her gaze.

  “He told me about Tilly. What Jace did to her. To him.”

  “I thought that’s what he’d done. I can’t believe I didn’t guess it would be the same Tim when you said your house-mate’s name.”

  “Tim’s a fairly common name, Luca. No one would have guessed. I gather he’s telling the truth, then?”

  “He told you his truth. That’s not the whole story.”

  “And I suppose you’re going to tell me he got it all wrong, that the scars on his body—which I’ve seen with my own eyes—aren’t real?”

  Luca sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was going to kick Jace’s ass the next time he saw his damn cousin.

  “What if you met them? Jace and Tilly, would that help ease your mind? Then Tilly can tell you herself what happened. Because, honestly, all me and Nate have heard is second hand information. I don’t want to lie to you, Cammi, not even unintentionally.”

  He hated the look in Cammi’s eyes. She looked at him with distrust.

  “Okay. So she’s with him by choice, right? He doesn’t force her to stay?”

  “Cammi, with jaguar shifters the woman holds all the power. Even if a male forces his mate to stay by his side, if she doesn’t willingly participate, there is no mating, or bond, or children.” He moved his hand to cup her face and was relieved when she didn’t pull away like he’d feared she would. “For us to mate, you need to seduce us. Me and Nate have to allow you to come to us, offer yourself to us and make the first move. The first time we have sex, darlin’, it’s going to be totally up to you and it will bind us all together for eternity.”

  She relaxed a little as he started stroking his thumb over her cheek. “Is that why you and Nate kept your pants on yesterday? Why you wouldn’t let me touch you?”

  The car was now out of town and on the farmland owned by the Jags so he removed his seat belt and slid over the seat to press himself against her. “We’d already started by seducing you, we couldn’t let you touch us or we’d have taken you, and until you’re willing to accept us both as your mates, we won’t make love to you.”

  “I, um, I’d thought you didn’t like the feel of my touch. That neither of you truly wanted me.”

  Oh, by the stars above, his little mate got all sorts of strange ideas in her head. Still cupping her face in his palm, he lowered his face so their cheeks touched, and with his lips next to her ear he spoke quietly. “Does this feel like I don’t want you?” He took her hand with his free one and placed it over his swollen groin. “Did what Nate and I do to you yesterday feel like something we didn’t want to do? If your touch repulsed us, we certainly wouldn’t have wanted to taste you, sweet mate.”

  He felt her shudder before her hand left his cock and she wove her fingers into his hair. She tilted her head with a sigh as he kissed and nipped his way over her jawline and down her now exposed neck.

  “You taste so good.”

  Her fingers tightened in his hair as he licked the soft skin at the junction of her neck and shoulder. He would bite her right there when they mated. He opened his mouth and bit gently over the spot he would mark, hopefully later today. Hearing her gasp at his action caused his heart to swell and his body to tighten. He trailed one hand down her front where he quickly undid the buttons of her sensible hiking shirt. He ran his fingers under her bra strap, down until her breast was resting in his palm. He groaned as he kneaded her soft flesh. He’d missed her beyond belief in the short time they’d been parted. His thumb brushed over her tight peak and she shuddered beneath him again.

  “I love how you do that when I touch you, Cammi.”

  “You’re a little hard to ignore … I don’t think I could not react.”

  The door next to Cammi opened and Luca lifted his head on a growl, fully prepared to rip out the throat of anyone…

  “Wanna move over and let me in?”

  A little shocked to see Nate, Luca give him a quick nod and an apologetic look. He hadn’t even realized Nate had stopped the car.

  “Sure, buddy.”

  Unclicking Cammi’s seat beat, he slid her to the middle so Nate could get in. Luca took a moment to scan around the car. He grinned at the fact Nate had found the perfect spot to park, completely hidden by trees and shrub on the edge of the reserve. Focusing back on Cammi, his breath caught. Nate had her shirt and bra pulled down and his mouth wrapped around her breast.

  “Oh, damn, that feels so good.”

  If she felt good with one being suckled, she’d feel even better with both getting some love. Gently, but quickly sliding the material off her other shoulder he revealed her lush breast.

  “Oh, darlin’ you are so beautiful.”

  He lowered to her, taking her nipple to the back of his mouth. Her fingers wound their way into his hair and held him to her. Her hips began rocking, and he lowered his hand to her pants to undo them. As he slid the zipper dow,n the scent of her arousal bloomed in the car. Both he and Nate growled low as their bodies reacted. Luca released her breast and moved away from her to watch as he slid his hand beneath her panties and reveled in the slickness he found. He flicked her clit lightly before he pressed one long finger deep inside her core. His gaze moved up her body. Her back was arched as she threw her head back on a gasp. Nate had taken over from him and was lavishing attention on both her breasts as Cammi began to ride his finger. He slipped a second one deep within her heat and he moved to take her mouth with his.

  “I need to taste her again. Luca, help me get her naked.”

  Nate’s voice was low and raspy with arousal. Slowly, Luca slid his hand from within her, making sure to brush over her clit on his way out of her jeans.

  “Won’t … someone … see?”

  Cammi’s breathy words wound him higher and, unable to stop himself, he lifted his fingers and licked them clean. Like Nate, he needed to taste her again.

  “We’re in thick scrub on the border of our property and the reserve. No one will see us, sugar.”

  She seemed to relax a little at Nate’s words, so Luca sat on the other side against the door to give Nate the most room. He wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her up enough that Nate could tug her jeans and panties off. As they slid down her long legs he had to bite his tongue to prevent himself coming in his pants like a young teenage boy. Damn, they really need to mate with her.

  Luca sat her down so her back was against his chest as he sat with his torso twisted to the side. Wrapping his arm under her right knee, he lifted it out and up so Nate would have plenty of space—not to mention an awesome view—and Cammi’s muscles wouldn’t lock up from the strain of holding her leg raised.

  ****

  Cammi wanted to be serious with these men today. She hadn’t wanted to just melt into a puddle. She had questions, dammit! But she couldn’t resist them. Their smooth charm and gentle caresses would always be her undoing. She watched through hooded lids as Nate lowered himself over the rear bench seat of the car. He kissed his way up the inside of her left leg that was pressed against the backrest of the seat. The whole time his gaze held hers until he reached her upper thigh, then he focused on her exposed sex. With Luca holding her righ
t leg out, she was spread wide open for him. Like a gift. Luca continued to kiss and lick at her neck, shoulder and ear. Her brain so overloaded with passion, she had to concentrate just to keep breathing.

  “So pretty…”

  With a low growl Nate took her in his mouth and began tormenting her with his incredibly talented tongue and lips. She arched back into Luca as she instantly flew high, close to a climax.

  “What are you doing to me?”

  She couldn’t cope, couldn’t understand why she reacted like she did to these men when no other man had ever caught her interest to this intensity.

  “We’re loving you, Cammi. We’re your mates, we will always give you what you need. And darlin’, you need to come. Right now.”

  As if she were a puppet and he controlled her strings, she flew apart. Nate continued to lap at her as she shook and floated her way back to reality. With one last long lick, Nate moved up her body, teasing and kissing his way until he could take her mouth. He took possession of her lips. It was deep and passionate and she shivered as she caught a little of herself on his tongue. It started the coil in her womb to tighten all over again.

  “You taste divine, mate. I could lap at your core all day and never get enough.”

  “Don’t. Say things. Like that.”

  She shuddered between them. Their hot naked chests sandwiched her in. Wonder if either of them even own a shirt?

  “Why not? It’s the truth.”

  “Because I can’t think when you have me so turned on all the damn time!”

  Cammi let her anger and frustration push through her arousal, but the men wouldn’t release her from between them. After a moment Nate did lean back, although before she could push off Luca’s body, his hand slid over her hip and Luca pressed two thick fingers deep in her body.

  “Oh, damn…”

  Her body lit up and she couldn’t prevent her hips from rocking against his sensual touch. Nate took her breasts in his hands, kneading them and tweaking her nipples. Just as Luca did earlier he gently bit into her shoulder and she flew apart again. Stars overtook her vision as she screamed out their names. Her body was liquid fire and when she came back to land she slumped against Luca as her eyelids slid closed.

  Fingers stroking her face and neck woke her from slumber. She turned away from the caress and nuzzled into the delicious smelling skin now against her face. She hummed as she gently bit before laying a kiss against a very hard male nipple. Hands gripped her shoulders and moved her back as Luca growled low at her.

  “You little hell cat. Woke up with your claws out, did you?”

  His tone was tense, but teasing. She blinked the sleep from her eyes to discover she sat cuddled into Luca’s lap and was completely dressed. Busy searching for Nate, she jumped in shock as the door behind her opened and Nate grabbed her from Luca’s lap.

  She squeaked in surprise at the sudden movement. These men moved her around like she was a doll.

  “Stop teasing Luca when we can’t follow through on it, sugar.”

  He gave her a firm passionate kiss before setting her feet on the ground.

  “We’re at Jace and Tilly’s place. I rang and let them know we’re coming, so let’s head in, shall we?”

  Still trying to clear the arousal from her mind that Nate’s kiss caused, Cammi allowed Nate and Luca to take her hands and lead her up to a stunning ranch house with a wide veranda around the front.

  “Oh, I love these big old homestead houses.”

  Both men squeezed her hands and Luca leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Wait till you see our place, then. It’s bigger than this one and has a veranda the whole way around, not just the front like Jace’s.”

  She sighed at the thought.

  “So you too live together, then?”

  “Sure do, we’ve been best friends since we were cubs.”

  She felt heat rise to her cheeks as her thoughts ran wild. “And you’re just friends? Or are there benefits involved?”

  Both men stopped on a dime before turning their shocked stares onto her face.

  “Just friends, darlin’. We have never had any kind of ‘benefits’ between us, and we won’t ever. We’re co-mates to you, Cammi. That doesn’t make us mates to each other.”

  “Oh. Um. Okay.”

  Her face heated further and she cursed that she’d brought it up at all.

  “Why’d you ask, sugar? Do you like the idea of us together and with you?”

  “I don’t know. I just needed to know. I’ve never really thought about two men together.” She shrugged her shoulders, trying to dismiss the topic. “Forget I said anything. I want to talk to Tilly.”

  ****

  Tim paced around the house trying to control his temper. He couldn’t believe Cammi had ignored his warning. Damn those shifters and their brainwashing. He knew he couldn’t just go get her. For one, the reserve was massive and he had no idea where they were hiking, and secondly, he knew firsthand how the bastards dealt with intruders on their own turf. He had no desire to be mauled to the brink of death a second time. He ran his hand down his chest and ribs, feeling the ridges of the scarred claw marks through his thin t-shirt.

  “Dammit, Cammi!”

  He couldn’t just sit here and wait for her. He’d go crazy. Grabbing his phone, keys and a towel he slammed out the front door and headed toward the beach. A run in the shallow water would free his mind and body. It always did. He made his way to the jetty and snuck up underneath to stash his towel and shoes where no one would see and steal them. Then he jogged down to the water’s edge and let the cool ocean water flow over his feet and ankles. He walked for a bit, simply enjoying the sensation of the sand against his soles and between his toes. He headed out of the water to more solid ground and took off for a run. With the sea breeze in his hair and sound of his feet slapping against the wet sand, Tim let all his worries float free.

  Cammi was right. It was her life, and she had a right to make her own choices. No matter how wrong they were. He knew that. But she was like a little sister to him, and he couldn’t just leave her to their mercy when he knew what they could do in a rage. What if she got mauled? Tim wasn’t sure she’d survive it, physically or emotionally.

  Before long, he had returned to the jetty. Retrieving his things, he sat to dry off his feet and pull on his socks and shoes. As he was tying up his laces, he spotted a black kitten climbing over the rocks. He froze as he took in the animal. It looked like any young cat does, except for the fact it was one damn big kitten. Its eyes were wide in the innocent way young animals had as it climbed and fell, purring as he played.

  What’s the bet this little thing is really one baby wild cat? He slowly gathered up his towel and crept over to the creature. Making sure to stay out of its sight, he got as close as he could before he threw the towel over it and wrapped it tightly. He made sure its face was free enough to breathe, while its body firmly wrapped so it couldn’t move.

  “I know you ain’t just an ordinary cat. So, no funny business. And that includes shifting form. Got it?”

  Tim felt a pang of guilt over the fear in the young animal’s eyes. But he couldn’t afford to give in. This might be his only chance to get Cammi returned to him. “So long as Cammi isn’t hurt, you won’t be either.”

  He rushed home as fast as he could, making sure to keep a firm grip on the now growling cat. It might be little, but it still had claws. Once back at the house he pulled out the old possum trap from the shed. It looked like a wire cage when the trap door was down and would hold the kitten safely—and hopefully keep it confined enough to prevent it from shifting to a human. Putting the towel and animal in, he made sure the cage was securely closed before he pulled out his phone. Selecting the camera, he got ready to take a photo of the kitten. It had crawled free of the towel and stood hissing at Tim. Whatever. He snapped the shot and attached it to a message. Now. Who to send it to?

  He didn’t have a number for either of Cammi’s men. He did get hold of Jace’
s sometime back, although he was certain that wouldn’t end well. Maybe he’d just send it to Cammi? The men probably had her phone anyway. Deciding that was best, he typed out a message.

  I believe I found something of yours today. Return Cammi and it’s all yours.

  Simple yet clear. With a little nervousness, he hit send and watched as the phone processed the command. No turning back now.

  Chapter Four

  Cammi stopped to turn her face up to the sky. The sun heated her skin, and she smiled as she felt free and happy. Hiking through the reserve had always been her favorite escape.

  She was glad she’d had a chance to talk with Tilly privately. Tilly told her how sorry she was that Tim had been hurt and agreed that Jace’s caveman routine didn’t help things one bit. Tilly told her how, after taking her from Tim, Jace had left Ceduna. He’d headed north deep into the Outback to keep her secluded from any other male. Tilly hadn’t wanted to know him. She’d seen the first blows of his attack on Tim before she’d fainted and couldn’t even look at him without hatred for it. It took Jace over a year to have a full conversation with her that didn’t end with her storming off.

  The entire four years she’d been ‘missing’, she’d been safely tucked away in a small farm house in the Northern Territory. She’d been unable to contact anyone and unable to escape, but Jace doted on her every desire and whim. He gave her so much attention and affection that eventually, she wore down. They mated late one evening when Tilly was beyond frustrated with Jace’s teasing. She’d already realized the attraction between them wasn’t empty lust, and her feelings for Tim paled in comparison to what she felt for Jace. He’d explained she needed to come to him, that he wouldn’t have sex with her until they were mated. Four years of sexual frustration had them both strung out and Tilly gave in and went to him.

  Tilly explained that they were happy now and even though she was sorry for Tim, she’d never leave Jace or the life they’d built together. She vowed to Cammi that there was no brainwashing involved. Just a man stuck in caveman mode trying to protect his mate from the world until she accepted him.