by Tia Didmon
“How does he survive?”
“I don't know what was done to him, so I can't say what, if anything can save him.”
Hunter rinsed his hands in the sink. “Why would this concern you?”
Racheal huffed. “It's not his death I'm worried about. It's the people he and Kevin will kill in the meantime, looking for a way to save him.”
“We'll keep an eye on him.”
Racheal nodded. “I should get started on the serums.”
Hunter put the towel down he'd used to dry his hands. “Not yet. I want to show you around the house and get you settled first. Then I'll take you over to the freezer.”
“The freezer?”
“It's what we call the warehouse that has our holding cell. The top floor had been empty but we created a lab for you. I'll take you there later.” He held out his hand. “Come on.”
She took his hand, allowing him to lead her to the stairs. She stopped to run her hand over the carved cougar heads that adorned the banister. “The woodwork in the house is beautiful.”
Hunter smiled. “My dad's work is impeccable. Devon was the only one of us to inherit that gift though.”
Racheal followed him upstairs to the spacious bedroom with two walk-in closets. She frowned. “Why do you have two closets?” She noticed the second was filled with women's clothing. “Did your last girlfriend forget to take her clothes?” she sniped.
Hunter pulled her close to his body. “The closet is yours. Every one of us has built a house in hopes of sharing it with our mate. I've never seen the clothes before, so I'm guessing those are from Sarah.”
Racheal pulled away from him to inspect the clothes. “They’re all my size and mostly my style.” She pulled out a slinky black dress. “Except this. I'm not sure where she thought I would wear this.”
Hunter motioned to the dresser in the corner.
Racheal opened the top drawer, pulling out the lacy undergarments. She inspected a pair that was missing the crotch. “She knows I don't wear...” She gave Hunter a dirty look. “You had nothing to do with this?”
Hunter held his hands up in mock surrender. “I didn't… I swear. I do like her choices though.” He smirked. “And I would have given anything to see Devon's face while she was taking him into all those women's lingerie stores.”
Racheal inspected the tag on one of the garments. “Expensive lingerie stores I might add.” She laughed. “She didn't really drag him into those stores to shop for me, did she?”
Hunter winked. “Oh yeah, she did.”
Racheal put the underwear away. “She should have left him at the door. Poor man.”
Hunter's expression sobered. “No, she couldn't.”
Racheal looked back at him. “Why?”
Hunter rubbed his jaw. “She's a new cougar which means her cats... instincts can sometimes get the best of her.”
“How so?”
“We grow up with our animals but our mates have to learn to control their cats after the transition. Primal instincts can be difficult to control at first. We have to be around our mates at all times in the first few years so we can ensure their safety. A cat breaking out in our lair is expected. If a cat breaks out in a lingerie shop it's a disaster.”
Racheal bristled. “You aren't my supervisor.”
Hunter’s body stiffened. “I'm your mate and your safety will always be my priority.”
Racheal crossed her arms. “You're saying I can never go to a coffee shop or shopping on my own.”
Hunter’s eyes glittered. “You can do both those things as long as I'm with you.”
“What if Sarah and I..”
“Then Devon and I will be with you,” he said curtly.
“Sometimes girls need to talk without men around.”
Hunter’s jaw flinched. “Then talk here. I have no problem giving you privacy when you ask for it as long as it's safe.”
Racheal’s eyes narrowed. “So, I HAVE traded one prison for another.”
Hunter's jaw clenched. “This isn't a cage. This is your home. These precautions are for your safety and the safety of those around you.”
Racheal crossed her arms. “I was held for four years. Told what to do. When to sleep or eat. Do you think I'm just going to let that continue just because the view is better?”
Hunter took a calming breath. “I understand your point of view, I do but your cat could literally break out at any time. If that happened off-site you’d put everyone in danger including Sarah.”
Racheal winced. “That was a low blow.”
“Perhaps, but it's true.”
Racheal glanced out the window. “So, what exactly ARE the rules?”
His cougar bristled at her defiant nature. “Just that you are accompanied at all times and you shouldn't leave the lair until after your transformation.”
Racheal huffed. “Is that all?”
Hunter growled low. “Don't push me, Racheal. I'm at the end of my patience.”
Her eyes flashed yellow. “So am I.” She turned to walk away.
He was on her before she took her first step, turning her so quickly he swallowed her gasp as he took her mouth. He didn't give her time to protest, spearing her lips with his tongue. He was rewarded with her soft moan.
She clutched his sides as his mouth dominated hers. Telling her without words what he thought of her ridiculous idea. If anyone was a prisoner here it was him. There was nothing he wouldn't do to ensure her happiness and he was about to prove it.
He pulled the dress from her body in one motion, thankful she had nothing underneath. His hands moved to her sides before roaming to the taut curves of her rear. She wiggled against him, trying to get closer.
His body tightened in response to her arousal. Her hands roamed his body in desperation, clutching and grabbing his skin before tangling in his hair. His fingers tightened on her ass, bringing her closer to his body.
He groaned when her hands, aggressively pulled open the button fly of his jeans and grabbed his cock. She gripped him as her other hand slid his jeans down his hips. He kicked off his pants, continuing to ravage her sweet mouth. The taste of her kiss was addiction he would never give up.
She lifted her leg, grinding her pelvis into his erection. She knew what she was doing. Her moist fire was a temptation he couldn't ignore. He grabbed her ass, forcing her to wrap her other leg around him.
He walked her to the wall. He kissed her deeply before thrusting into her. She moaned as her tight muscles clamped around him. He set a quick pace, pumping into her with long deep strokes. His arousal heightened by her tiny mewing sounds.
The scent of their combined arousal permeated the air as did the sound of their bodies coming together. he pumped harder as he reached for his orgasm. She thrashed against him signaling she was on the apex with him.
He nipped her neck. His hard jets releasing with force as he held himself locked inside her.
Racheal screamed, “YES.” As she tumbled over the edge.
He pulled out of her slowly, letting her legs slide to the floor.
Racheal looked at him defiantly. “Don't think you are off the hook because you are good in bed.”
He didn't hold back his smile or the amber in his eyes. “We weren't in a bed. I am good anywhere,” he teased.
Racheal huffed while holding back a smile. He didn't find out what she would have said as a knock at the door startled her.
She scrambled to dress. “Who is it?”
Hunter wanted more time alone with her but the one person who could make her home complete was outside their door. “It's Devon and Sarah.”
Racheal straitened, smoothing back her hair. “Are you sure it's Sarah?”
Hunter heard the tremble in her voice. “Yes.”
Racheal was nervous. Will she be able to forgive me? Will I ever forgive myself? She rushed to the front door then stood looking at the ground.
Hunter walked up behind her and opened the door.
Sarah flew into her arms
. “Racheal. I'm so glad you're here. I've been worried sick about you.” Tears ran down her face.
Hunter shook Devon's hand. “Thanks for coming.”
Devon smiled. “Couldn't keep my woman away once she found out Racheal was here.”
Racheal pulled out of Sarah's grasp. “Do you want some tea. Let's go into the Kitchen.”
Sarah winked. “Oh yeah. We definitely need tea.”
Racheal led Sarah to the kitchen then grabbed the kettle, and put it on the stove. Sarah sensed her discomfort immediately.
“What's wrong Racheal?”
Racheal took a long breath. “I've done so many horrible things. I'm not sure I can ever wash the blood off my hands.”
Sarah circled the table to stand near her. “You did what you were forced to do. You survived. That's all that matters now.”
Racheal grabbed two mugs out of the cabinet. “I wasn't sure you or anyone here would want to see me again,” she said.
“You know me better than that. I would never turn my back on you,” Sarah said.
“I don't deserve a friend like you or a man like Hunter. After everything, I've done to help the Kallans, how can his family accept me?”
Sarah gave her a reassuring hug. “Racheal. They accepted me. My father exploited their species. Hunted them. Killed them.”
Racheal shook her head. “That was your father. Not you.”
“I came here with the name Marksmen. I was alone. I didn't know it at the time but they could have easily taken me out. They let me do my job and though I didn't deserve it, they trusted me.”
“You think I should do the same.” She pulled the kettle from the stove, pouring it into the teapot. “Are you happy? I mean do you miss being a ranger?”
“I'm happier than I've ever been. I do miss being a ranger. Devon offered to take the courses needed so we could work together if I wanted to go back someday. I haven't decided yet.”
Racheal face hardened. “You aren't allowed to be a Ranger unless Devon is with you?"
Sarah looked surprised. “Not allowed? Have you forgotten who I am?”
Racheal poured tea into the cups. “Hunter said we need supervision in the early years after transformation.”
Sarah nodded. “As much as I hate to admit it, Hunter is right. It’s difficult to control your cougar at first.” She looked away sheepishly.
“I know that look. What did you do Sarah?”
“The boys are always ribbing each other. It's what brothers do.”
“And?” Racheal persisted.
“It was completely Dylan's fault. He was teasing Devon and my cat didn't like it.”
“You accidentally shifted?”
Sarah rubbed her forehead. “Right onto Marie's dining room table. I swatted the turkey off the table onto Galen's lap and proceeded to snarl at Dylan. Poor Galen is still sanding the scratches out of the table.”
“Wow. What did the family do?”
“The brothers encouraged my feisty cat to teach their loose-mouthed brother a lesson. Devon wouldn't let that happen. He took me out until I got myself under control.”
“They encouraged you? What did Dylan do?”
“He backed down of course. He apologized to my cat. Even if I had of scratched him, he would never have shifted. As antiquated as it may sound, we are sacred to them. Every one of them would die to protect us.”
Racheal handed Sarah her tea. “Are you still you? In your cat form, I mean?”
Sarah took a sip of her tea. “Yes, she is part of me. Two beings and one soul.”
“That's beautiful. They’re pretty remarkable, aren't they?”
“Yes, they are,” she whispered. “Devon is absolutely amazing but don't tell him. He's way too confident as it is.”
Racheal laughed. “I get the impression they are all like that.”
“Oh yeah. Overconfidence is definitely a Cascade trait.”
Racheal sipped her tea. “I'm glad you're happy.”
Sarah held her cup in both hands. “I am. I can't wait till you meet Lucy.”
“Talen's wife. I mean mate.”
“Yes. You'll adore her.” Sarah winked. “She shoots.”
Racheal laughed. “Trust you to find another woman who likes guns as much as you.”
Sarah shrugged. “Maybe not as much as me, but we’re starting shooting practice as soon as the babies are born.”
“I forgot about the pregnancy. I want to check on her when we get set up. Just to make sure the hormone Cyril injected her with didn't have any adverse effects.”
“The lab is all set up for you. It's state of the art. I think you'll be impressed. Garrett is syncing all the computers right now.”
Racheal put her cup down. “Garret's here?”
Sarah nodded. “Yes, he's fantastic. He can fix anything.”
“He is.” She fiddled with the handle on her cup. “I promised Kevin I would help him,” she said quietly.
Sarah sighed. “I know. You did what you needed to do in order to ensure you and your mate survived.”
“At what expense?”
Sarah put a reassuring hand on her arm. “Jordan would have done everything you did, only worse.”
“Yes, but on a longer time frame. I sped up his work.”
Sarah squeezed her arm. “Don't focus on what was. Focus on what you can do now.”
Racheal smiled sadly. “Okay. Thanks for coming to see me. You've sacrificed so much...”
“No Racheal. You sacrificed. I was home living a lie at the expense of your freedom. You have nothing to feel bad about.”
Racheal didn't realize how much she needed to hear those words until Sarah spoke them. Her emotions bubbled to the surface. She grabbed Sarah, hugging her as the tears streamed down her face. She shuddered in her best friend’s arms, unable to speak.
Sarah clutched her, racked by her own sobs.
Hunter entered the room. “You girls okay?”
Racheal pulled back, sniffling. “I'm good.” She smiled at Sarah. “Really good.”
“You ready to check out your new lab?” he asked.
It had been four years since the feeling of excitement of a new project tingled through her veins. She smiled as the old feeling coursed through her. “Oh yeah. I'm ready.”
Racheal surveyed the massive log cabin surrounded by lush forest. It had been a short drive from Hunter's house. “This is my lab?” she said skeptically.
Hunter put his hand on her back, urging her forward. “Don't let the outside fool you. We built it as a holding facility and warehouse. The outside looks similar to our homes because my father built it, but the inside has been redesigned especially for you.”
He opened the door, motioning her to enter.
Racheal stepped inside, surprised by the interior. While the walls were wooden, stainless steel tables, glass fridges, several freezers, and various testing apparatus were neatly set up throughout the entire room. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the open sample case, sitting on a steel counter. “Where are the samples?”
Hunter motioned to the corner. “We put them in that fridge for now. You can redistribute and organize the lab as you see fit.”
Racheal felt her chest squeeze. “There are millions of dollars of equipment here. How did you set this up so quickly?”
“The advantage of living hundreds of years is boosting your financial assets. However, this lab has been jointly funded by all the cougar lairs. Talen hopes to bring other shifters into the fold once they realize the magnitude of Kallan's plans. There were samples from almost every species we know of. This isn't just about us anymore.”
“No. He will exploit anyone or anything that will help him obtain his goal.”
“Hopefully your serum will make him back off.”
Racheal shook her head. “I promised a serum that will stop his MS from progressing. It won't give him a longer lifespan or enhanced abilities.”
“Prick.” Hunter motioned the walled off room in the corner. “
That's Garrett's computer room. He's just finishing the setup. I'll leave you here so you can work. I'll be back in a few hours to check on you. I've notified the coyotes to stay away from here and our house until further notice.”
Racheal slipped off her jacket. “Tell them I'm sorry about the restriction. I'll try and find a way to fix it. Can you get me a blood sample from Aiden, please? I want to compare it to the samples we got from Jordon to see if any are his.”
“Will do.” Hunter kissed her and left.
She walked over to the fridge containing the samples. She looked through them, deciding her first order of business was to decode the samples and figure out which species they were from.
She worked for hours. Each vial had a species, location, and date of sample tag. She had to decode each tag individually. A few had old codes that she recognized but most required hours of work just to break the species tag. Once she had the coyote tags she focused on the date and location for those vials.
Her stomach rumbled, making her look up at the clock. She'd been at it for four hours and Garrett had never come out of the room. She got up and walked over to the door, knocking lightly. “Garrett?”
The door opened quickly. “Racheal. I didn't realize you were here. Come in.”
She laughed. “I thought cougars have good hearing. You didn't hear us talking earlier?”
“The room is soundproof when closed. Notice the seal on the door.”
Racheal looked at the steal lined door. “Is this a safe room?”
“Basically. It stays at an optimum temperature to run the computer system and can act as a Faraday cage if needed. The testing that goes on in here will remain the property of the Cascade family.”
“That's smart. Kallan can’t find out about this.”
“He won't,” Garrett assured her.
Racheal looked at the door. “Do you want me to close this?”
“No. The set up isn't finished yet. I have to head out soon to get a few supplies that were missed.”
“I'm really glad you're here. How long can you stay?”
Garrett rubbed his neck. “I'm here permanently.”
Racheal was shocked. Then she remembered their last conversation. “Your lair kicked you out?” she said furiously.
“I think the older generation wanted that. The younger generation. The men I grew up with didn't. Things were going badly. My situation caused dissension in the lair. Talen made a compensation offer.”
