Fast and the Furriest (13 page)

Another thing bothered her. She felt bad about
not
feeling bad for what she’d done.

“About what?” His voice was low, a deep rumble that vibrated through her.

Nothing. Everything.

Instead, she shrugged and let the quiet of the night envelop them. The guards lingered in the woods, brought close at Ares’s orders. Let the humans trudge through their land and invade their territory for the night. Their first responsibility was to the members of the pride. Ares would—they both would—keep them safe until morning. Then the consequences of their activities would come to light.

God. Consequences. She let her mind drift to Claire. She opened her senses, the tigress coming forward and increasing her ability to hear. She dug through the sounds and found Claire in the house. Or rather, huddled and whimpering in the basement, unwilling to be near anyone and anxious to hide in the safe room if anyone got too close. She’d only allowed a handful of people down the steps—females and the occasional mated male.

Hawke lingered at the top of the stairs, back on two legs and dressed in jeans, just leaning against the wall outside the door. His pain was palpable, a living thing that enveloped the lower level. What they’d all worried over from the moment the story broke had finally happened.

A tiger was mated against their will.

But…

Zoe turned in his arms, not breaking the hold but simply adjusting her stance until they faced one another. “Why is Claire mated with just that pull when you bit me to claim me as your mate?”

Ares eased his grip, sliding his arms free and then snaring one of her hands. He drew her to a nearby deck chair, settling on it before pulling her into his lap. He forced her to straddle him, getting comfy for their talk.

His fingers brushed over her mating mark, digits caressing the now-healed flesh. Had to love being a shifter.

“This bite is physical. It tells everyone you’re claimed. It also ties us together biologically.” He leaned forward, urging her to bend toward him, and then pressed a kiss to the exposed, twisted flesh. “It soothes my cat to have something permanent and easily identifiable that says you’re mine.”

As he hardened beneath her, his cock firming, it told her exactly how his cat felt about it. “And the tails?”

“That’s more spiritual. Emotional. Soulful. It’s the essence of the cat’s spirit.” He pressed a kiss to her neck, nuzzled her once more as he breathed deeply, and then sat back. “When a tiger couple is prepared to mate, the first step is the tail tugging. The human halves can love each other all they want, but if the tigers can’t come to an agreement, the claiming bites can be slow to come, if ever.” He smiled ruefully. “The cat has to cooperate and shift your teeth when making love. If he’s not content with the human’s choice, he won’t come out.”

Zoe raised her eyebrows. “We didn’t tug tails.”

His smile turned wicked. “The tiger must have sensed something in you that my human half didn’t. He needed to mark you. Period. As for the tails… we’ll shift and take care of that just as soon as things get settled tomorrow. The tiger can’t wait to fight you for that pull.”

“Fight?” She jerked back.

Ares shrugged. “Our animals are just that—animals. A tiger’s tail is one of our weaknesses, vulnerability.” He frowned for a moment before continuing. “A tiger doesn’t want to mate another who is a lot weaker than them, nor does the partner want to mate someone a lot stronger than them. So they have a mating battle.

“The two tigers enter the ring and fight. When the couple is pitted against each other, a dramatic difference in strength is easily seen. One of them will give up right away. If that doesn’t happen, they fight until each can tug the other’s tail. The longer the fight, the better matched they are, the stronger the couple will be. In times past…” He shook his head. “In generations past, the fight would happen when a male challenged for the right to mate a female. She fought to either stay unclaimed or to prove her worth to her proposed mate.”

She gasped. “You mean the whole thing is to force—”

“No.” His denial was immediate. “Generations ago. Today it’s more symbolic, though it has a very deep connection to the heart of the tiger. That doesn’t change the fact that when he pulled on Claire’s tail, her cat recognized that human as her mate. Grudgingly, but it couldn’t help acknowledging it. Now Claire’s human half is dealing with what she sees as her tiger’s betrayal. The tiger is pining for the male.”

“Are we any less mated because… I mean, could someone…” Pull his tail and take him from her?

“Just because we did it backward doesn’t mean we are any less mated,” he murmured, his gold gaze intent on her. “It bothers the cat that we haven’t done that, but I am a very fast, very strong tiger. No one has tugged my tail before, and they will not have a chance before you get your fangs on me.”

“Fangs?”

“We’re both gonna be shifted, baby. What else would you use?”

Zoe raised her eyebrows. “So, what you’re saying is, we’re fighting to see who can bite the other’s ass first?”

He glared at her. “It has a deep, soulful—”

She giggled.
Giggled!
And once she started, she couldn’t stop. The soft chuckles turned into snorts and belly laughs and she couldn’t hold a single sound in. After days of stress and drama, she’d finally cracked. The next laugh was more like a cackle. “
We fight to see who can bite a butt first.
”

Ares’s growl was the only warning she got before he was on her, hands stroking her body, mouth capturing hers in a deep kiss. He gripped her hips, forcing her to settle more snuggly on his cloth-covered cock. That’s when her laugh transformed into a moan, and Zoe slid her hands across his shoulders and twined them behind his neck. She followed his lead, rocking her hips and adding friction, driving them both wild with the added pressure. She delved into the kiss, unable to get enough of her mate. Their tongues tangled, and all the while his hands moved over her body.

Once she picked up his rhythm, his touch shifted, slipping higher along her sides to her ribs and then behind her. He traced her spine, fingers dancing over her hidden flesh.

When he reached the waist of her shorts, he tugged her shirt free and burrowed beneath the cloth. Now it was skin on skin, fingers caressing her directly. His new touch added heat to her growing desire, each stroke sending a spiral of pleasure along her nerves.

He slipped higher, reaching her bra, and a quick snap had the clasp released. Her aching breasts bounced with the loss of tension. The ease of confinement allowed her hardened nipples to rub against the lacy fabric and she trembled with that added bit of ecstasy.

Zoe’s pussy was hot and wet, aching for Ares. For his tongue, his fingers, his cock. She wanted to be filled by him, consumed by him. They’d mated hours ago, but she wanted more of him, wanted to bite
him
. Yes, that’s what the tiger craved. It wanted to sink her teeth into his flesh and then run through the forest, fight to tug his tail. The cat felt mated, but the soul-deep knowledge there was more that could be done prodded her.

She rolled her body, pussy grinding against Ares’s cock. Her clit throbbed, heat tightening and silently begging to be filled over and over again. To be fucked. To be claimed. To… be his. Entirely. Completely.

She yanked at her shirt, anxious to feel his hands everywhere, his mouth on her body, and then she could do the same to him. Taste him. Bite him. She shuddered, a bolt of animalistic need overtaking her, clit pulsing and pussy heating with her thoughts. Claim him.

Mine. Mine. Mine.
The tigress pushed her, urged her to take what she wanted. Her fingernails burned, pain adding to the pleasure that consumed her, and she dug her fingers into Ares’s back. The sweet coppery scent of his blood reached her nose and instead of disgust at hurting him, the cat purred. That was what it wanted.

She sucked on his tongue, desire clouding her thoughts until her focus was on Ares. On coming and making him come.

Then claiming.

She scratched his back, shirt shredding beneath her sharpened nails, and she swallowed his moan. He arched against her, hips rising off the seat to press against her more firmly. They mimicked what they both wanted. Sex. Steamy, rough, fucking.

Flat out, they wanted each other. And they’d get what they wanted in about—

A low cough filtered into her mind, but she brushed the sound off. She could kill whoever was dumb enough to interrupt them. They were inconsequential. She—

Another cough followed by, “Ahem.”

She would rip the person’s throat out just as soon as she—

“A. Fucking. Hem.” That time the voice was firm and… feminine?

Zoe ripped her mouth from Ares’s with a snarl, her cat’s fangs descending in an instant as she bared them at the woman.

Ronnie was unimpressed. “Chill, cat-girl. We’ve got things to deal with. Things like, your captive is awake, though he won’t stay alive long if someone doesn’t stop Hawke from tearing him into tiny pieces.”

She groaned and pulled her hands from Ares’s back. A glance showed the fingertips were stained with his blood—she’d apparently more than pricked his flesh. The red liquid was stark against her pale skin, and her mouth watered. She wanted a tiny taste…

Then large, scarred hands enveloped hers and she whimpered, raising her gaze to Ares. “We gotta take care of our pride, baby. We can finish this later.”

She whined, duty and desire warring. “And the butt biting?”

She felt his sexy smirk all the way to her toes. Unfortunately, Ronnie had to ruin it. “Butt biting? And you bitch about wolves sniffing asses? Y’all got some fucked up ideas.”

With that, Ronnie spun and retreated, leaving them alone on the porch once more.

Alone, horny, and effectively cock-blocked.

Ares wiped the human blood from his hands, the cat disgusted by the liquid touching his skin. Any other time, he’d be overjoyed at harming anyone who threatened the pack, but this male was his sister’s mate. So, even if he detested everything about the human, and he ached to rip his throat out, he had to leave him alive.

Fucking laws.

He’d have to wait for the human to finish his transition to tiger and then he could challenge the idiot.

Yes,
the cat whispered.
Challenge and kill.

He couldn’t wait.

Ares stepped from the room, pulling the door shut behind him. He would love to lock him in a cold holding cell, but Claire had taken refuge in the basement. He sighed as he caught sight of the crowd that awaited him. He’d expected Zoe—he knew she’d be worried—and the rest were just as unsurprising. Hawke’s fury burned in his gaze, the male’s anger palpable and thick. The pride healer also stood near, his familiar bag in hand.

“He’s ready when you are, Mark. Keep him alive. I don’t care about his pain.”

The healer’s agreement was immediate, a quick jerk of his head, and then he skirted Ares to slip into the room.

Hawke spoke first. “What—”

Ares held up his hand, silencing the tiger. “I’ll speak with my inner circle first, Hawke.”

“But—”

“No.” He growled low, his cat flexing and making itself known. He skated the edge of control, the scent of the human’s blood teasing his tiger while the aroma of fear added to the cat’s strength. One wrong word, one wrong move, and it’d break free to hunt the cause of the night’s events. “Find Braden, Flynn, and Emma. In my office.”

There was no doubt their omega would be needed.

Hawke growled low. “I’m Claire’s ma—”

Ares snapped, grasping the tiger by the throat and slamming his back against the wall. He leaned in close, threatening rumble passing through his lips while his fangs slowly descended. They slipped free in gradual increments, showing the tiger exactly who he faced. His body stretched and grew, his inner cat refusing to be suppressed any longer. “Remember who you are.” He leaned closer and hissed his Hawke’s ear. “Remember who
I
am.”

Hawke whimpered and tilted his head, baring his throat further. It wasn’t Ares preferred method of control over his pride, but he
would not
be defied.

“Yes, alpha,” he whispered.

“Good.” He carefully rested his cheek against Hawke’s, reassuring his pride mate that his alpha’s anger had passed. “I’ll address the pride after the meeting.”

Ares stepped away and his attention went to Ronnie. “I need to speak to your father and the national lion and bear alphas.”

Ronnie shook her head. “Daddy won’t want to talk to you. He doesn’t even want me here now that Zoe’s a tiger. It was one thing to visit my BFF who happens to be hanging with the pussy patrol, but to actually
be
a cat…” She shrugged. “Cats and dogs, man.”

“He needs to get over his
cats and dogs
prejudice. This affects all of us, Ronnie.” He pressed his lips together and sighed. He gestured for the woman to come forward, his inner cat snarling at having another woman near. It didn’t want anyone but Zoe close now that he’d mated. “They want control through the women, Ronnie.”

“Who?”

“Cadman. His crew.” Ares’s answer was short and snappish.

“No. You’re wrong. The guy is lying and trying to save his own ass or something. Cadman has been working with us since the beginning,” she whispered. “He’s been a huge advocate for shifters. He always puts the weight of DoPE behind us when dealing with issues with other agencies and protestors.”

“One of his men is in the other room,” he told her gently.

“No,” Ronnie shook her head. “He… We have him at the house for dinner. He’s always the first to help us when we have a problem.” Her agitation grew. “My brother has drinks with him. He plays with my niece. He’s so good to her, to us, to the wolves, bears, and lions. He can’t…”

“And somewhere along the way, someone in the chain of command decided controlling us is better than accommodating us. I went through his things. I know Cadman’s scent.” He let that sink in. “Get them on the phone.” Ares left no room for argument.

Ronnie thankfully gave in, agreeing to do as he asked. “I still don’t believe…” Moisture gathered in her eyes and she quickly blinked it back. “Are you sure?”