Therian Prey

by Cyndi Friberg

  Landon jumped onto the porch, clearing the rail with an effortless burst of strength. “Father and I have butted heads longer than you’ve been alive.” Though Landon’s tone was steely, Quinn recognized the familiar catch of regret. “I’ve bowed to his dictates out of respect and tradition. But this is too important.”

  “You’re a traitor, and you’re not my brother!” Dhane turned and ran for the far side of the porch. Ignoring the stairs, he jumped off the edge and shifted back into his wolf form.

  “Damn, he’s fast.” Quinn watched the boy disappear into the night.

  Carissa pushed the curtain aside, her eyes wide with uncertainty. “Aren’t you going after him?” Her voice was muffled by the window.

  “It’s safe to come out now.” Quinn motioned her toward the door. “And bring my pants, please.”

  Landon chuckled, but his gaze kept drifting back toward the trees where his brother had departed.

  The front door opened and Carissa stepped out onto the porch. She tossed Quinn his pants and he pulled them on before the conversation resumed.

  “That must happen to you a lot,” she mused, her gaze drifting over his bare chest.

  “Modesty is a human hang-up,” Landon told her. “Many Therians only bother with clothes when humans are around.”

  Her brow arched at the claim, but she only asked, “Why did you let the boy go?”

  Landon shrugged. The golden light had receded, returning his eyes to their natural blue. “He can’t tell our father anything he doesn’t already know.”

  When Carissa’s only reply was a distracted nod, Quinn looked at Landon and said, “I’m going to take Carissa out to the sanctuary. Your father has obviously lost interest in waiting around for Osric.”

  “Or Osric found Ava, so my father is free to pursue his own agenda.”

  Quinn looked at Carissa. Her face had drained of color and she’d crossed her arms over her chest. He didn’t think Landon had meant to upset her, but that was obviously the result. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her against his side. “If anyone finds Ava, Kyle will call me. He knows how worried you are about your sister.”

  “Sorry,” Landon muttered. “I was just thinking out loud.”

  She acknowledged the apology with a subtle nod, yet her body remained tense and distrusting against his side. “If your pack is backing Osric, why are you working for Kyle?”

  Despite her sharp tone and the betrayal inferred by the question, Landon didn’t flinch. “I work for Erin, not Kyle. Kyle might have the title, but his mother wields the real power.” He didn’t give Carissa time to respond. Turning back to Quinn, Landon said, “If you’re headed for the sanctuary, I’ll release my men.”

  “Thanks for coming. I know it hasn’t made things easier for you.”

  He shrugged, his gaze shifting back to Carissa. “My decision was made long before tonight. The Omni Prime must be restored regardless of the cost.”

  * * * * *

  Closing his eyes with a frustrated sigh, Gage eased his face away from the rifle’s scope and switched on the safety. Another lost opportunity. Damn it. Would the jaguar demon keep Carissa here at his cabin, knowing his enemy had been driven away? Or would he feel violated by the wolves’ infringement into his domain and head to a new location?

  And more importantly, why had wolves been guarding the perimeter? Watching wolves fight other wolves in defense of a feline-shifter had seemed extremely odd.

  Gage’s phone vibrated, drawing his attention away from the possibilities. He pulled the device from his pocket and looked at the display. “Shit,” he muttered under his breath. Tossing a tarp over his rifle, he climbed into the cab of his truck before he accepted the call.

  “Bet you’ll never guess where I am.” Though he’d never actually met Nehema, her soft, faintly raspy voice had become familiar over the last few months. Not good, considering she only called when he’d screwed up.

  “I have no idea, ma’am.” He tried not to sound defensive even as his muscles tensed. “Is there some reason why I should?” Team Leader was his direct supervisor, but Nehema made all the important decisions.

  “I’m in front of your apartment building.”

  His mouth dried out as he tried to swallow. He’d often imagined their first meeting, tried to assign features to the sound of her voice. His imagination failed him now, so he awkwardly cleared his throat. “If I’d known you were coming—”

  “I’d have baked a cake?” she jeered. “I was under the impression that my operatives reported to me, not the other way around.”

  He bit back the apology that sprung too easily to his lips. If these fools would listen to him instead of mocking him, their objective would have been reached by now.

  “Where are you?” she asked after a long pause.

  “I’m on a stakeout.”

  Her exasperated harrumph filled his ear. “I guessed as much, asshole. State your present location.”

  “I’m at the jaguar’s cabin.”

  “Did you not understand Team Leader’s directive?” He could picture her lips thinning and her eyes narrowing. That’s how pissed-off people always looked. “He told you to go home.”

  “He told me to get some sleep and I did.”

  A sharp laugh burst from the phone. “Is that how you’re going to play this? A simple apology would have served you better.”

  Apology? He had nothing to apologize for! The memory of Carissa’s body jerking backward as his bullet drilled into her upper chest proved otherwise. But that’s why he was out here. He wanted to atone for his sin. He had to save Willona’s daughter and hopefully prove himself to his supervisors in the process.

  “My target is nearly recovered and something strange just took place.” He spoke in a calm, clear voice.

  “Explain.”

  “A small pack of wolves made a charge for the cabin, but they were driven off by other wolves.”

  “The jaguar hired wolf guards?” She sounded doubtful.

  “I have no idea why they acted in his defense, but they attacked their own to protect the jaguar and my target.”

  Another pause followed. Was she contemplating the possibilities or deciding whether or not he was full of shit? “Are they still at the cabin?”

  “At the moment, but I suspect they won’t stay.”

  “Consider our conversation postponed. Follow them discreetly and report back any new developments.”

  Relief tingled down his spine and he smiled. Despite Team Leader’s best efforts, Gage was officially reinstated.

  Chapter Eight

  Carly loitered in the observation room, waiting for Osric’s inevitable appearance. He’d returned to the compound twenty minutes ago, and he always checked on the test subjects before he sought out the solitude of his quarters. She couldn’t imagine why he stayed within the suffocating walls of the compound at all. Unlike her, and the rest of the staff, he was free to come and go as he pleased.

  With a bored sigh, she turned her attention to the surveillance monitors. The main monitor allowed onscreen manipulation of the image while six smaller monitors offered thumbprints of the available camera angles. At the moment, each of the six holding cells occupied the small monitors and Devon’s cell was displayed on the main monitor. Devon’s cell spent a lot of time on the main monitor. Her conditioning had progressed farther than the other test subjects, but Carly suspected Osric also had a personal interest in the young feline shifter.

  The other test subjects were asleep on their bunks while Devon sat, staring blindly into the darkness. She’d drawn her legs up to her chest, wrapped her arms around them and rested her chin on her knees. The position made her look vulnerable—and defeated.

  An unwanted pang of guilt compressed Carly’s heart. She’d done this to Devon. Each successful test, each new level of conditioning, eroded the young woman’s spirit. No. Devon wasn’t a woman. She was a genetically advanced animal. She might look like a person, but she was ruled by insti
ncts rather than logic.

  Carly had witnessed a display of Devon’s savagery not two hours before. When she emerged from the drug-induced sexual frenzy, the tempestuous creature had thrown a fit unlike anything Carly had ever seen. Devon had smashed everything in her cell that wasn’t attached and screamed obscenities in three languages. The guards had finally darted her when she made no effort to calm down. Apparently the sedative was already wearing off, but Carly had no idea how long Devon’s quiet would last.

  The door slid open and Osric came up short in the doorway. “What are you doing in here?”

  She’d anticipated the question. She generally stuck to a regimented routine and this was a deviation from the norm. “Devon had a violent outburst earlier. I was just checking to make sure she was still calm.”

  He moved into the room and closed the door behind him. “What caused her outburst?”

  “Without the treatment clouding her thinking, she wasn’t happy about yesterday.”

  “Letting the guards at her was your idea, not mine!”

  Damn, he was defensive. “I wasn’t blaming you.” She took a deep breath and emotionally braced for what she was about to do. “What’s the matter?” She swiveled her chair to face him and crossed her legs. Her narrow skirt crept up to mid-thigh. “You seem unusually tense.”

  “There have been complications with my plans to capture the twins.” His gaze traveled up her legs and lingered on her breasts before finally connecting with her eyes. “I’ve depended too heavily on others and I’ve been disappointed. As usual.” He paused for an unconvincing shrug then asked, “What did the backers want? You’ve never been summoned before.”

  She’d anticipated this question too. “They weren’t pleased with some of my recent decisions. They disapproved of my allowing the guards access to Devon and were even more disappointed that I…entertained myself with Samuels. They reaffirmed my objectives, in no uncertain terms, and reminded me that staff is not to interact with the test subjects for any reason. And fraternizing is strictly forbidden.”

  His lips bowed just a little and his shoulders relaxed. “Doesn’t sound like Devon appreciated your thoughtfulness anyway. Were you punished?” Excitement rippled through the question and his gaze zeroed in on her mouth.

  “They warned that any deviation from established protocol would result in my immediate termination.”

  “I see,” he grumbled.

  “You sound disappointed.” She pushed to her feet and moved closer. “What were you hoping they’d do?”

  “Let you feel what it’s like to be a spectacle.” Their gazes locked and desire began to smolder in the depths of his brown eyes. “You completely disregarded Devon’s dignity when you allowed the guards to take advantage of her condition.”

  “What would have been a better solution? She was clearly in need.”

  He shrugged again. “A vibrator or a partner of her choosing, one more familiar with Therian females.”

  Someone like you? She didn’t speak the question, knew it would piss him off. It became more apparent with each passing day that he had a thing for Devon. Carly couldn’t really blame him. Devon was gorgeous, intelligent and spirited. But allowing him to dwell on the feisty shifter made her less appealing, and that would never do.

  “And how would you have made a spectacle out of me?” Rather than look away as she usually did, she stared deep into his eyes and tried not to shudder. Could she really let him touch her, kiss her, push inside her? He was an animal, just like the test subjects!

  “I would have bent you over the conference table and held you down while one of the guards paddled your ass.”

  Heat suffused her cheeks as the image formed within her mind. “That wouldn’t have been very professional.” She allowed a husky rasp to thicken her tone.

  “Then I would have brought in the same men you set loose on Devon. I would have stood back and watched while they lifted you to the conference table and took turns fucking you.”

  Slowly licking her lips, she glanced down and toyed with one of the buttons on her blouse. Watching the guards pleasure Devon had been exhilarating. It took very little imagination to relocate the scene to the conference room and substitute herself for Devon. “It’s an interesting fantasy, but it would be counterproductive to the point they were trying to make.”

  He moved closer and his unique scent wrapped around her. She’d frequently noticed his faintly musky smell, but she’d never found it appealing before.

  “Have you ever been spanked?”

  She shook her head, glancing up at him through her lashes. “My love life has always been—tame.”

  “Now you sound disappointed. Are you ready for a taste of something wild? You know I’m more than ready to give it to you.”

  Catching her lower lip between her teeth, she fidgeted for a moment, as if she were mulling over the possibilities. “They’d dismiss me. They made their expectations crystal clear.”

  His eyes gleamed and he placed his hands on her upper arms, slowly drawing her toward him. “I’m not staff and I’m not a test subject. I don’t see the complication.”

  “I’m not sure the backers would see it that way.” She pulled against his hold and his fingers tightened on her arms. “I don’t want to lose my job.”

  “They’ll see it however I want them to see it. If they dismiss you, I’ll walk. And they can’t do this without me.”

  She nodded toward the door. “Should we go to one of our bedrooms?”

  He turned her around and urged her toward the chair she’d just left. “This is less suspicious.”

  She bent from the waist and rested her forearms on the chair. The sooner he started, the sooner this would be over. “Do you have a condom?”

  “I can’t get you pregnant.” His voice sounded gruff and urgent.

  She was on the Pill anyway, but she’d felt obligated to ask. “What about STDs?” Craning her neck, she looked at him, hoping for some hint of gentleness in his eyes. His head was bent, his attention completely focused on her body.

  “Don’t have them and can’t get them.” He ran his hands up the backs of her thighs, pushing her skirt up as he went. “You have the most distracting ass. I’ve been watching it wiggle beneath those tight skirts for months.”

  Suspecting this was how her night would end, she’d worn her one and only pair of black panties. She expected him to yank them down and get right to work. He certainly hadn’t wasted any time positioning her to his liking.

  Instead, he snapped the elastic edge and said, “Take them off.”

  With another deep breath to fortify her determination, she pulled down her panties and kicked them aside. Then she returned to her earlier position. He kneed her legs apart and settled his hands on her hips. The warm thickness of his shaft pushed between her thighs and Carly stilled. This was going to happen. She was going to have sex with a feline-shifter.

  “You’re hot, but you’re not very wet.” He was wedged against her opening, but he didn’t thrust inside. He reached around her hip and cupped her mound, his middle finger gradually working its way between her folds. “Why give in now? You’ve made your position abundantly clear.”

  His finger flicked her clit and Carly started. “They pissed me off.” She remained still, allowing him to manipulate her body while she carefully distanced her mind.

  “Don’t like being told what to do?”

  “Basically.” God, he was driving her crazy. He stayed right there at her entrance, teasing her with the potent promise of his first thrust while his fingertip doled out careful flicks and slow circles.

  “Unbutton your blouse.”

  The husky command stirred something deep inside her, made her body melt and soften. She’d expected to endure this, to sacrifice her dignity in the name of ambition. So why was she hovering on the brink of orgasm? She wasn’t supposed to enjoy this. He wasn’t even human!

  But his hand felt so good and the blunt head of his cock created just enough pressur
e to make her ache for more.

  She quickly unbuttoned her blouse and waited for his next directive.

  He rotated her body, angling her toward the monitors until they could see their reflection on the screens. She moved her hands to the desktop and he kicked the chair aside. “Now take it off.”

  Her hands trembled as she obeyed. Why was this exciting her? She never let her lovers take control. It was far more like her to push them down on the bed and climb on board.

  With his free hand, he pulled her bra cups down, exposing her nipples without losing the firm support underneath. She was still mostly dressed, but he’d managed to expose all her intimate parts. It made her feel dirty and starkly sexual. This wasn’t driven by affection or even passion. This was elemental lust, raw and…animalistic.

  “Oh yeah.” He rolled one of her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. “You have wonderful tits. Makes me want to bite.” Using his fingers to simulate teeth, he squeezed her nipple hard enough to make her yelp. “That’s right. Feel the burn.”

  She instinctively arched her back and rested her head against his chest. He squeezed one nipple and then the other as his finger continued its teasing orbit of her clit. She felt restless and needful, ready for the slide of his body inside hers.

  “I’m right there, Carly. If you want me, push back.”

  It was a challenge. He wanted there to be no question about her willingness, no regrets once their lust cooled. Gripping the edge of the desk with both hands, she slowly pushed back. His hands steadied her hips while his shaft plowed into her waiting passage. No, he wasn’t moving. Her core slid onto him, surrounding him with her sopping heat.

  “So damn hot,” he growled then his fingers tightened on her hips and he drew back.

  His first real thrust rocked her forward, making her breasts bounce. Pleasure zinged through her body as his second stroke found her G-spot. “There.” She gasped. “Right there.”