by Vonna Harper
The Predator’s Pet
By
Vonna Harper
Copyright © 2019 by Stormy Night Publications and Vonna Harper
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Published by Stormy Night Publications and Design, LLC.
www.StormyNightPublications.com
Harper, Vonna
The Predator’s Pet
Cover Design by Korey Mae Johnson
Image by Shutterstock/Arthur-studio10
This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
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Chapter One
Jaguar.
Callie Sterns had cared for the big cat she’d named Luna from the day of his birth. She’d watched him open his eyes for the first time, held her breath as he got his feet under him, but seeing the fully grown creature brought her to tears. She was looking at something precious and rare, something she believed she understood as well if not better than any human could.
Not for the first time, she wished she were an Elite and not an Other. As an Elite, she’d have a say in the rare and magnificent beast’s future. However, she didn’t. Never had and never would.
“I hope the move will be what you need and deserve,” she told the predator watching her from the other side of the metal fencing. “I understand the facility is larger than this one. I’m sure you’re glad to hear you won’t be on display.” She smiled. “You’re a loner. It’s part of your makeup, but the preserve is being set up as a breeding facility. Do you get what I’m saying? If everything works out like the owner intends, you’ll be doing your part to save your species.” She waited while the predator blinked and cocked his head.
“You don’t understand the meaning of the word endangered so I won’t go there. Suffice to say the desire to mate is an essential part of your makeup. I know how strong, how healthy you are. You haven’t yet fucked, but I have no doubt you’ll know what to do. Instinct’s like that. I just wish...”
Undone by regret, she swiped at a tear. Apparently the jaguar she loved more than she believed she was capable of loving wasn’t interested in listening to her regrets because he yawned and started to walk away.
“All right, all right,” she called out. “You’ve heard me pour out my heart more times than I can count. If you’ll come back, I promise I won’t do it again. And I won’t go off on my opinion of how the Society is set up.”
Luna stopped in mid-stride and looked back at her. Every move, every stance the young male had taken since birth mesmerized her. Now was no different. Tawny yellow with dots that ranged from white to black covered most of his body. Thanks to nature’s design, he could blend into a forest’s shade. At the moment Luna stood where she had a clear view of his lean, hard muscles. The zoo where he had spent his life was in need of an overhaul, but at least his enclosure allowed him to move about freely. The space included several trees to climb and boulders to hide behind.
The zoo’s ownership had just changed hands and rumor was the new owner had plans to buy some adjacent property and turn the facility into a showstopper. As an employee, she should care where she fit in with the new plans, but today was for saying goodbye to Luna.
“I’ve been trying to learn more about where you’re going,” she said now that she had Luna’s attention, “but other than being told it’s a preserve, I can’t tell you much. I’m sure those who run the Society have given it their approval. Hell, nothing happens without politics being involved. Preserve has a nice tone to it, don’t you think? Better than zoo. I don’t know who runs it, whether it’s a corporation or a group of Elites but—”
“It’s neither,” a male voice behind her said.
Barely holding back a gasp, she spun on her heels. She found herself looking way too far up at a man. No, not just a man. An outstanding member of the male species. He was tall and muscular, the two coming together in a way that commanded the space around him and alerted the area between her legs. He wore a short-sleeved new dress shirt and worn jeans, the combination saying he didn’t give a damn about fashion. His arms hung easy at his sides. At the same time they gave out the silent warning that he could and would instantly bring them to use if need be.
He was an Elite. His stance alone said he had no doubt of his status within the world everyone called the Society. He’d always known he was in a position of power and wealth. He accepted the condition without question, used those things to his advantage, gave no quarter, and most important at least where she was concerned, expected Others to accept his leadership. He might be cruel. Some Elites were.
Those dark brown eyes of his. If only she could dismiss them. But they held her as firmly as ropes or chains could. He was judging her, taking his measure of the submissive Other he’d come across. She was female and he was male, which further highlighted the difference between them. He was in control while she could only dream of having a real say in her life. She wasn’t a slave in the traditional sense, but neither was she free. Bottom line, Others did what was expected of them, and if they didn’t—
Just thinking about punishment made her shiver. Her parents hadn’t spared the rod, on the rare occasions when they thought about their children that is. Also she’d been swatted a couple of times when she first entered the work world and had been trying to figure out her role. A quick learner thanks to her upbringing, she’d done everything she could to stay under the radar. So far she’d been able to do that here.
But things might change with new zoo management. Instead of the middle-aged couple who’d run things for decades, their replacement might start by making sure everyone did things his or her way. She’d go from being trusted to do her job to being treated like a misbehaving child. If he or she ordered her to bare her ass for some real or perceived infraction, she’d have no choice but to grit her teeth and submit to being spanked.
Was this the new owner? If so, his unrelenting gaze and squared jaw served as the only warning she needed. If he wanted to place his hands on her backside he would.
“I’m sorry,” she belatedly thought to say. “I didn’t mean anything when I told Luna I didn’t know who’s in charge of the preserve he’s going to.”
“Luna?”
She indicated the jaguar who was keeping his distance. “That’s my name for him.”
“Interesting.”
The way he looked at her, she felt as if she was on display. There wasn’t much to her, five foot three and about a hundred and twenty pounds with small, firm breasts and hips that hopefully one day would shelter a baby. Her physical job called for jeans and casual shirts, but she held onto a measure of femininity by keeping her straight, medium brown hair long. Today, as she always did when she was working, she’d corralled it into a ponytail. She seldom wore makeup but if she’d known the brown-eyed man would be here, she might have put on lipstick and let her hair flow. Something about him increased her awareness of herself as
a woman.
That wasn’t all.
“Can I do anything for you?” She slid her hands into her back pockets. Doing so highlighted her breasts more than she’d intended. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was coming onto him. “Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t take you for a visitor. You’re—if you want, I’ll take you for a tour.”
“I already know everything I need to about this operation. How well do you know Luna?”
Taken aback by the question, she shoved her fingers deeper until denim stroked the back of her hands. “I was there the night he and his litter mate were born. Sadly the female only lived a few hours. Fortunately Luna was stronger.” She blinked repeatedly. “His mother rejected him so I took him to my place and hand-fed him around the clock until he was old enough to be weaned.”
“Does Luna think of you as his mother?”
The sense that there was more to her reaction to the stranger than sexual awareness increased. His presence had touched an untapped need deep inside.
“He did when he was younger.” Much as she loved talking about Luna, she was distracted by the man’s six foot plus height, the muscles straining his clothes, his nearly black and unkempt hair. In some respects he reminded her of the zoo’s meat eaters. He was strong, restless, always assessing his surroundings. He might be the most uncivilized man she’d ever met, not that she’d been in his presence long enough to know for sure.
“He doesn’t anymore?” he pressed.
“He’s sexually mature.”
“In other words, he’s primarily interested in fucking?”
Because she spent her work days and then some around animals, she wasn’t shy when it came to discussing the role sex played in their makeup, but she didn’t even know this man’s name.
“He doesn’t think about sex twenty-four/seven but wanting to reproduce is hardwired into him.”
The not-quite-a-stranger nodded, the gesture disrupting the hairs trailing over his forehead. The thought of brushing them back weakened her a little. “Considering my plans for him,” he said, “that’s good to know.”
“Your plans—you’re talking about the preserve Luna is going to?”
“Exactly.”
“Then you aren’t—”
“Connected with the zoo? Hardly.”
Still aware of him as a man, she focused on what she’d just learned. “How will you get him there? When will the move take place? This is the only place he’s ever been. New smells, sights, and sounds are going to—”
“I’m aware of how he’ll react. The last thing I need is a lecture from you.”
A warning bell went off inside her. If she was wise, she’d keep her mouth shut. However, no one, not even this self-confident man, knew Luna as well as she did. Making sure she got her point across was worth being on the receiving end of his disapproval.
“He’s particularly sensitive to sounds,” she continued. “Earlier I told Luna there probably won’t be as many visitors where he’s going. I’m hoping that’s true because he’s never gotten used to being the center of noisy attention. It’s part of his solitary nature.”
Instead of responding, the man studied her. He had to be aware of the impact his gaze had on people, particularly women. He was challenging her in ways she didn’t understand.
“What’s your job description?” he asked.
“My title—I don’t have one if that’s what you’re getting at. I’m considered a handler with a focus on young animals. I’ve worked for the zoo for nearly three years.”
“What about big cats, the mature predators?”
“I’ve always wanted to get more involved with them, but the couple who used to own the zoo decided I was better suited for the various nurseries.”
“Because you’re a woman.”
“I guess.”
“More than guess. We both know how the Society runs things. How did you wind up here?”
People meeting her for the first time were almost always interested in what she did so the explanation shouldn’t be hard, but she was having trouble thinking of anything except him. She was physically attracted to him. What woman wouldn’t be? But her guard was up like it always was when she was around predators—which was what she likened him to.
“One of my brothers worked for a zoo. When things at home—he’d often take me with him. After I’d done my homework, he’d let me help him clean empty enclosures, stuff like that.”
“Your parents approved?”
They didn’t care what I did. “It didn’t bother them. That might sound strange but—”
“Not strange so much as dangerous. Predators are hard-wired to kill.”
As serious as he’d been, he became even more so, making her wonder if he’d spoken from personal experience. He showed no sign of having been injured. Of course not all scars showed.
“I’m well aware of the danger,” she said. “Even so I’ll admit there’ve been a couple of times when things nearly went sideways.”
“Such as?”
He, an Elite, was pushing for the truth. She, an Other, knew how she was expected to respond. “I entered a tiger’s cage without double checking to make sure she was in the adjacent holding area. Thank goodness a keeper saw her start for me and threw some meat at the tiger. One time something distracted me, and I let my hand slide into a cage.” She showed him the back of her hand where a white line ran from knuckle to wrist. “Fortunately I jerked back before she could do any real damage.”
All but glowering, he shook his head. “Your parents were crazy to let you run loose.”
I was out of their hair. That’s what mattered to them. “Nothing bad happened,” she blurted. Damn it, she knew better than to argue with an Elite. “Believe me, my brother’s lecture made an impact. Between that and being scared, I got it.”
“I hope the hell you did.”
Luna had been watching the interplay between her and the newcomer, but something about the man’s tone might have bothered him because he headed toward the far end of his enclosure. She didn’t blame him.
“I knew I wouldn’t be given another chance at getting a job working with predators, which is what I’ve wanted to do for years, if I screwed up again. I’d be blackballed,” she said even though he surely knew. “There aren’t many zoos. Word gets around. Elites have their choice of Others. They don’t have to put up with someone they can’t depend on.”
In a few words she’d detailed the difference between them. Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything, but he understood how the Society functioned as well as if not better than she did. Fortunately she wouldn’t have to spend the rest of her life around him.
“Does your brother still work at a zoo?” he asked.
“No. He and my other brother have a landscaping business.”
“What about your parents?”
Not understanding why he cared, she dodged by saying they lived in another state. Most times people didn’t ask for more information, but she had the uneasy feeling this man would be different.
“Why don’t you live closer to them?”
Darn him for the intrusive question. How would he like it if she asked if he was married or had a lover, whether he preferred men to women?
“This zoo had openings. I’d hoped I’d be able to specialize in predators. Unfortunately that really hasn’t happened yet.”
“What appeals to you about killers?”
A moment ago she’d wanted to end the conversation. His question changed that. “They’re more complex than prey animals, at least that’s how I see it. Most prey animals belong to herds or other groupings. They depend on each other. In contrast creatures like jaguars are loners.” Kind of like me. “They live or die depending on their hunting skills.”
“Lions and wolves are pack animals.”
“True, but lions and wolves aren’t endangered.”
His attention, which had gone to Luna, zeroed in on her. “You want to specialize in endangered predators?”
<
br /> “Definitely, but I might never have the opportunity. “
“And if you don’t?”
“I’m not sure. I guess I’d have to look at other options for employment. A job’s a job. I can never forget that.”
“Let me get something straight. Are you saying you’re here mostly because it’s a paycheck?”
What are you getting at? “No. I want to be around creatures like Luna.”
“Do you consider yourself an expert when it comes to immature jaguars and other young predators?”
He respected her personal space, at least so far he had, but something about him was sucking her in. Without so much as a touch, he’d left an impact she wouldn’t soon forget. Every part of her was on alert.
“I’d like to say I am. Luna taught me a lot. I spend as much time as I can around the zoo’s predators learning what makes them tick. Have you seen the black panther or the cheetahs? Until recently we had three cougars, but last month one gave birth to two cubs.”
“I just left the panther. How do you think the cougar cubs are doing?”
“Fine, thank goodness. It was touch and go for the first few days because they were premature, but the vet prescribed antibiotics and I managed to get the drugs into them.”
“What about whoever is in charge of the predators? Isn’t that his job?”
“He’d been in an auto accident and had broken both arms. Besides, I’d already had experience caring for Luna.”
“How did you administer the antibiotics?”
She explained about snatching the cubs when their mother briefly left them. She’d forced drug-enhanced milk down the little ones’ throats. She held up the hand she hadn’t already shown him so he could see the faint scratches. “They weren’t happy about what I was doing to them.”
He grabbed her wrist, pulled her arm close, and examined the slight injury. Her heart kicked up as did the awareness between her legs. Much more contact and the man would turn her inside out—which maybe he knew he was doing. Perhaps he was deliberately testing her self-control.
She stood. Tried to keep her breathing regular. Felt too much.
