Chasing Payne (12 page)

The lion staggered forward and collapsed at Austin's feet.

A strangled scream tore from Lora's lips as she fought to breathe. She struggled against the rope that held her, and could feel it slicing into her skin as she tried to get free. Blood dripped down her fingers, but she still couldn't get loose. The lioness within her clawed and roared to get out, to protect her mate. “Chase—”

His body shuddered, a rippling of muscles under golden fur. He tried to stand, and Lora saw the large pool of blood beneath his body, before his legs buckled beneath him.

Austin continued to point the gun at the lion's head. “I was afraid I was going to have to track you down to kill you. But this makes things so much easier.”

“Let him go. I'll do anything you want.”

A rumble of sound came from deep in the lion's throat. With slow, deliberate movements, he lifted his heavy head and looked at her. Their connection had been severed, but he still possessed the ability to push into her mind.

He thinks you can't shift. But I know the animal still lives within you.

She bit her lip and shook her head. No, she couldn't do it. It had been too long. But even as her mind protested, the lioness pushed for control. It was so close to the surface that she could feel muscles vibrating, waiting to be released.

You can do it. I believe in you.
Chase's words echoed through her mind, edging the animal forward.

“Any last words for your
lover
?” Austin spat, cocking the gun. His eyes raked over her, his expression mocking, his smile vicious.

“Please. Don't. Do. This.” Each word was forced, painful, filled with soul-shattering terror. She had to let her animal free, had to give up control, but it wasn't possible. The connection was severed, no matter what Chase believed, and because of it, he was going to die. Her eyes burned with unshed tears. A sob tightened in her throat, nearly choking her. “I'm sorry.”

Chase's breaths were labored, and he closed his eyes in acknowledgement.

Austin chuckled and turned his back to her. Squatting, he pressed the barrel of the gun against Chase's forehead. “You have no idea how much I'm going to enjoy this.”

The animal inside her screamed in rage. She couldn't let him die. He was her mate. Chase was the only man she loved, and even though she was willing to live without him, she wasn't willing to live in a world where he didn't exist.

She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth. The lioness was there; its canines bared, desperate to be released, to re-join with the woman who shared its soul. Lora took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and allowed the animal to consume her. She gave up complete control.

Pain exploded at the base of her skull. Her muscles ripped and tore, and bones cracked and reformed. The ropes that held her wrists broke and fell to the floor. Her neck snapped back, and when she opened her eyes her vision was sharp, the focused sight of the lion. The entire transformation took less than a few seconds, but it was long enough for Austin to sense the shift behind him.

Austin stood quickly, and turned his head towards her. His eyes grew wide and his mouth dropped open.

She lunged. The metallic sound of the gun firing seared her ears as her powerful jaws clamped around Austin's throat. She ignored the pain that tore through her stomach.

He fell backwards against her weight and her teeth sunk deeper, piercing the flesh. She tasted blood. One movement and she could rip his throat out. The lioness wanted vengeance and death, but Lora hesitated. Killing him in human form would have been easier, but it went against Therian law. To take a life, even one as evil as Austin McCaffrey, would make her no better than him.

She felt his body tense, preparing to shift. Biting down harder, she held him in her powerful grip as his body contorted beneath her.

In animal form, he was smaller than her, but still powerful. A large clawed paw swiped at her face. His hind legs pushed against her flank, sending stabbing pains shooting through her stomach. She stumbled back and shook her head.

The jaguar stood slowly, and Lora swore the animal was smiling.

It's a shame
, Austin pushed into her head.
We could have been really good together, but now I'm going to have to kill you.

She snarled in response and crouched low, preparing to attack. He mirrored her action.

Just as she was about to pounce, a shot pierced the silence, and the jaguar dropped mid-air in a lifeless heap in front of her.

She stumbled back, her paws slipping on blood.

“Lora.”

She lifted her head slowly, with small flashes of light blurring her vision of Chase.

He stood above her, the gun still tightly clutched in his hand, his body gloriously naked. His broad, muscled chest gleamed with sweat and blood. “You're going to be okay. I need you to shift back for me now. So I can help you.”

Shift back?
The lion rumbled in protest but the sound was weak.

Chase placed the gun on the floor and slowly approached her. “You're hurt. I need to get your wound looked at.”

She snarled as he took another step towards her, the lioness' response to once again being caged within its human body. Her heart pounded in her chest and her breathing became erratic. She slumped on the floor, the pain in her stomach increasing.

He knelt before her and placed a warm hand on her head. She could sense his own pain in the trembling of his fingers. They were both going to bleed out if they didn't get help soon.

“Lora, I need you to shift back before you lose consciousness. It's not about control, it's about unity. Find peace with the animal. Let it know you won't cage it again.”

He was right. It wasn't about control, it was about letting go, finding peace with the part of herself she had denied.
I'm sorry
, she spoke to the animal's mind. They were one, not two separate beings as she had forced herself to believe. The animal sensed the acceptance within her, bowed its head, stepped back and surrendered control.

* * *

Chase exhaled a shaky breath as Lora morphed.

Her body seized and convulsed, bones shifted, muscles and sinew stretched and shrunk. The lion's muzzle pulled tight into a snarl, as her features became more human. Her eyes closed tightly, grimacing against the pain that wracked her body.

The bullet that was lodged in her stomach fell to the floor as the shifting expelled it from her body. But the wound was deep, and the location life-threatening if he didn't get help soon.

He glanced around the room and stood. Clothes hung on a rack in drycleaner bags. He jerked the pants on and grabbed the pressed button-down shirt. He placed it over Lora's naked body, her blood instantly soaking through the white fabric.

Her skin was cold when he picked her up. The movement sent a shock of pain through his shoulder, and he hissed in a breath.

“You're hurt,” she whispered, eyes closed, face unnaturally pale.

“It'll heal.” He stood, ignoring the discomfort.

She mumbled incoherently against his chest, and flinched as he repositioned her in his arms, making sure she was properly covered.

“Chase?” Tears filled her amber eyes. “I didn't know what he was going to do. I would never—” She grimaced, and let out a small cry. “I would never have left if I knew.”

He shook his head and tightened his grip. She'd left him, again. He still didn't understand what had happened. Why their connection had been severed? He'd sensed McCaffrey's scent on her, seen the mark on her neck…a mating mark. He didn't know what the fuck it meant.

Tension held his body tight as he looked down at the fresh wound across her jugular. The thought of another man touching her, claiming her, sent a violent shiver down his spine. She was his. He didn't know what McCaffrey had been playing at, but he wasn't sorry the man was dead. If he could kill him again, he would.

He growled as he glanced at the man's corpse. In death, he had shifted back to human form. Dark blood pooled around the body. Chase knew he would have to answer for shooting a Metamorph, but any sentence he would receive was more than worth saving Lora's life.

She was alive—
for now.
But if he didn't get her help soon, he knew she wouldn't survive. He couldn't lose her.

He swallowed tightly and looked down at her. “Just don't fucking leave me again.”

She nodded weakly, a trace of a smile curving her lips.

He stepped around the body and exited the cabin. Moving as quickly as his body would let him, he made his way through the forest towards the agents that waited for him.

With every step, he could feel her slowly slipping away. He knew his shoulder hurt like a bitch, but the only thing he could feel was paralyzing fear. She was everything to him and he damn well wasn't going to let her die. Not in his fucking arms. He pushed himself harder, running at a rate that would have left him breathless even if he weren't carrying her and had just been shot.

“Agent Payne!” The shocked voice of a younger agent had the rest of the team rushing towards Chase.

“Open the car door. You need to get us to a medical building. Call Agent Oliver and tell him to have a surgical team waiting.
Now!
”

The men and women scrambled to obey.

Chase closed his eyes as the car lurched over the rough terrain. Lora lay motionless in his arms. He didn't know when she had passed out, sometime during the trek from the cabin. Her pulse was weak, but her heart was still beating. He clung to that as hope.

Tears burned his eyes, and he swallowed hard. He swept one hand through her disheveled hair. Wishing he could do something more, but there was no mating bite that could heal her now. He pressed his lips against her icy forehead, and breathed in deep, silently demanding that she live.

A heavy veil weighed Lora down, dragging her into a world of nightmares and strange visions. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't open her eyes. Someone called her name. She recognized voices. Chase's harsh angry tone, and Jacob's calm, level response. Then her mother and sister were there, their voices muffled by sobs, urging her not to give up. Finally silence, only the soft hum and rhythmic beeping of machines.

A man's voice echoed down a long dark tunnel. She could see an image in the distance.
Chase
. She ran to him, but her feet didn't touch solid ground. Cold seeped through her. She couldn't reach him. No matter how hard she tried to get to him, he never came any closer, always lingering in the distance.

She grasped for him, but caught only air. His image disappeared, leaving only darkness. The world spun around her, gray images that mocked and threatened. Pain sliced through her. Her mind and body screamed in agony. Then everything went numb.

The lioness was there, in her dreams. It watched her, its presence calm, steadying, giving her strength to push through the fog. For the first time in her life, Lora felt at ease with the creature, as if the animal had finally found its place. She walked towards it, and placed her hand out as a peace offering. The lioness moved towards her. Purring, it placed its head against Lora's palm. Warmth spread through her, and she felt the connection expand until it consumed her.

She was floating. Her body weightless, mind numb. The animal merged with her, so completely that it was impossible to tell where she ended and the animal began. This was the way it was supposed to be. There was no fear. No anxiety. Only tranquility.

Lora.

The voices returned, demanding she wake up.

Lora, wake up.

Slowly her mind cleared of the fog and heaviness that held in the darkness. The strong scent of antiseptic and chemicals overcame her. Chase cursed fiercely from somewhere nearby, and she heard Jacob's familiar sigh. Her fingers brushed against course material that draped over her chest like a steel blanket. It was difficult to breathe. There was pain, but it was dulled, hidden within a drug-induced haze. She tried to open her eyes, but it felt as though they had been glued shut.

“She should be conscious by now.”
Chase
. There was an edge of panic behind his words.

“Give her time.” Jacob's voice was more distant. “You need to rest. I'll stay with her.”

“I'm not leaving.”

A deep sigh. A curse. The shuffling of feet. Scraping of a metal chair across the floor. A door clicked shut.

Silence.

She tried to open her eyes again, determined to emerge from the darkness that held her. She blinked, dragging her heavy lids open.

Sunlight slanted across the linoleum floor towards the machines and wires that were attached to her.

“Chase?” His name came out in a painful rasp.

From the shadows he appeared. “I'm right here.”

He placed a hand on the bedrail and leaned towards her, running his fingers gently across her cheek.

A day's growth shadowed his jaw. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy, rimmed with dark circles. A white sling held his shoulder stable. He was a mess, and yet he hadn't left her.

He bent down and kissed her on the forehead, lingering briefly before pulling back and looking in her eyes. His lips lifted slightly, but there was a sadness behind his eyes.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered hoarsely. She licked her dry lips and swallowed painfully. “I'm so sorry. I only wanted to protect you.”

His eyes widened. “Protect me?”

“I didn't know”—her eyes fluttered closed and she forced them open—“he would try to hurt you. He told me he could break the mating bond…I—I didn't know he planned on marking me.”

He pulled back, the color drained from his face, and his lips turned downward. He was trying to control his anger; she could sense it vibrating under the surface.

“Chase.” She tried to lift her hand, to reach for him, but it lay like lead on the bed next to her. As if sensing her intention, he grasped her hand between his strong fingers. “Don't be angry. I did it for you. For both of us. Now there's nothing binding you to me.” Unshed tears burned her eyes, but she didn't have the strength to blink them away. “You're free.”

“Free?” He repeated, his expression unreadable.

Her eyes closed, and she used all her strength to push them open. “I'm so tired.”

“Close your eyes.” He gave her a weak smile, but the tension remained, and she swore she heard the rumblings of a muted roar within his chest.

She needed him to understand. It was for the best. “Chase—”

“It's okay. I'll be right here. Sleep.”

When her eyes closed again, she didn't try to fight the darkness.

* * *

When he was certain she was asleep, Chase let out the growl he'd been holding in. What the hell was she thinking? How could breaking their bond be best for either of them? It was gone. He was certain of it now. Whatever the fuck Austin had done to her had severed their connection—
permanently
.

He took a deep breath, the air choking him as he swallowed. He stared at the woman who was his mate—No, who had been his mate. There was a reason why Metamorphs mated once, and for a lifetime. The bond they shared with their mates was stronger than any human emotion, and taking it away was like ripping a fucking limb off.

He sat down heavily in the uncomfortable chair he had used as a makeshift bed for the past two days, and itched his bandaged shoulder. The wound was healing, the damage insignificant compared to Lora's injury. As long as he continued to heal at an accelerated rate, he would have full mobility within a week. But, it wasn't the injury to his body that concerned him.

The steel door opened, and Jenna peeked her head around, her eyes filled with concern. “Has she woken up yet?”

“Briefly.” He motioned for her to come in.

Jenna stood on the opposite side of the bed, and looked down at her sister. “Jacob said that surgery went well. There shouldn't be any long-term damage.”

He nodded, and frowned. Except for the damage to his soul.

“What's wrong?” Always intuitive, Jenna glanced at him with a frown.

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked up at the tiled ceiling. “He marked her.”

There was a brief moment of silence. “Who?”

“Austin.” He inhaled roughly. “When Lora was with him…he marked her.”

Jenna's eyebrows shot up. “I don't understand. She's your mate, no one else can—”

“That's what I thought as well, but whatever he did, it broke our connection.” He winced as fresh pain stabbed his gut. “I can't feel her. Sense her. It's as if a piece of me has been severed.”

Jenna shook her head and looked down at Lora, causing her auburn hair to cover half of her face. “Have you told Jacob?”

“Yeah.” And what Jacob had told him in return did nothing to ease Chase's growing dread. “There are rumors that warejaguars have the ability to override mating heat in the early stages.”

Jenna's mouth dropped open, and she blinked at him in shock. “And Austin is—”

“
Was
,” Chase corrected. “A werejaguar.”

“Holy shit.” She crossed her arms over her chest and started pacing. “Does Lora know? I mean obviously she knew he bit her, but…” She stopped and looked at him. “She's going to freak out when she wakes up.”

“She knows.”

Jenna stopped abruptly and looked at him hard. “And?”

“It's what she wanted.”

“That's bullshit! All she's wanted her entire life is to be with you. There's no way in hell she would give that up.”

“She was trying to protect you.” His voice was harsher than he intended. “And me. She was worried that—
it
—would happen again.”

Jenna took a step back as if he had physically hit her. Her brows arched and she sucked in a deep breath. “She told you?”

He nodded.

She looked down at the floor. “Everything?”

“Yes.”

The color in her face drained, and her lower lip trembled.

“I won't tell your secret, but you should know why she did it. She didn't trust herself to keep her animal contained, not around me.”

A myriad of emotions crossed her face. “I was too harsh with her when she told me about the two of you. I should have been more supportive.”

He shook his head. “What's done is done.”

Jenna leaned against the wall, and her shoulders slumped forward as she stared at the floor. “What are you going to do?”

“I don't know.” Lora didn't want to be with him. She'd run—
twice
. Without the bond tying them to one another, perhaps he should let her go. The question was, could he live without her?

With a slow shake of her head, she stared him down for a few tense moments. “I think you need to give her time. Let her figure it out. Without the bond, there is nothing holding you to her, or her to you. You both need time to heal. Take that time and figure out what you want.”

What he wanted was to have his mate back. To have the emptiness inside his chest filled with the awareness of her presence.

He stood and walked toward the bed. Some of the color had returned to Lora's cheeks. His heart clenched as he watched her chest rise and fall. With shaky fingers, he traced the gentle curve of her jaw. He needed to let her go. Jenna was right. Without the mating bond tying them to each other, they could have normal, separate lives.

Their bond had nearly killed them both. If he pushed her now, he didn't know what she'd do. It was better if he walked away.

He brushed his lips across her forehead and closed his eyes, inhaling her scent. She was everything to him, and she deserved the chance at a normal life. It's what she wanted, and he was going to give it to her.

Aware of Jenna watching him, he let out a stifled sigh. He was either the world's biggest fool or a fucking saint. Regardless, he knew walking away was going to kill him.

“I love you,” he whispered, knowing in that moment that it was the truth.

He heard Jenna's sharp intake of breath. She'd heard his confession, but he didn't care.

Resignation overwhelming him, he stood, squared his shoulders, and forced himself to walk out of the room.