Claws (3 page)

His dick was rock hard and her nip made him impossibly harder. The way she held his cock left no doubt in his mind that she would try to keep her word and the idea that she had no problem meeting him on a visceral level only made him want her more. The urge to get her to land had him calculating the quickest route there. Not because of what she might try to do, no, the desire was more primal than that. He wanted her on solid ground so he could get her under him and bury himself balls deep into her heat. Swimming in the cool currents of the bayou was doing nothing to calm him down.

He opened his eyes and held her gaze. “
Sha
, I can’t get us out of here with you holding me so intimately.”

She released him. “My name is Sasha, not Sha. Shift already. Can’t you become some kind of prehistoric beast?

He reared his head back and cupped her chin. “My species is American alligator. Respect that.” He slid his hand around the back of her head and pressed his lips to hers.

His tongue tangled with hers as he moved deeper into her mouth. He splayed his hand over her butt cheek and thrust his thigh between her legs. With her breasts pressed against his chest he felt the tight points of her nipples. In that instant, he knew she was attracted to him. The knowledge made him smile against her lips. His cock throbbed and bumped the inside of her thigh. He eased his hand down along her neck and across her shoulder. She winced and he swallowed her moan. He pulled away breaking the kiss.

“Climb on my back,
Sha
.” He spun around in the water and shifted, ignoring the confusion on her face. First he’d take care of her then he would follow through with his plans and make love to her.

Court opened his eyes, gasped for air, and sat straight up. He gripped the back of the couch and held on as the nightmare slowly released its grasp on his psyche. The nape of his head throbbed, pounding with a force that made it hard for him to concentrate. Slowly he regulated his breathing and released his hold on the sofa cushions. He blinked several times trying to erase the picture of the black panther’s maw inches from his neck, on the verge of snapping its jaws shut. A sigh escaped past his lips and he coughed, sending a piercing pain shooting through his mind.

He shut his lids tight and inhaled the stale air deep into his lungs. He’d stared into the animal’s amber eyes and knew deep down in his soul he’d looked into the eyes of death and survived. Now it was his turn. He’d find the beast and cut the bastard down. That’s what his daddy always told him. Face your fears, son, then kill the fuckers. Court opened his eyes and swung his legs off the furniture. His boots hit the floor with a heavy
thump
and he leaned forward to gaze at the wooden planks under his feet.

He wrinkled his nose from the scent of blood and entrails in the air. Tim must not have cleaned up the kitchen area where they’d placed some of the meat from the slaughtered animals in preparation for transport. Court moved his arms and realized one of them was bound to his side all the way to his shoulder. He turned his head and stared at the white bandages covering the appendage, leaving only his fingers free.

“You’re up.” The front door slammed and his hunting partner, Tim stood just inside the doorway.

“Yeah, but my head is still ringing.” Court rubbed his temple.

“I have no doubt about that. That cat was about to make you supper when I showed up. You’re pretty banged up with a broken arm, a couple of contusions, and I’m pretty sure you got some busted, if not bruised, ribs.” Tim moved farther into the room and flopped down into the rocking chair near the door. “That panther was the biggest I’ve ever seen in these parts.”

“I know and that bastard was smart. I saw intelligence in its eyes.”

Tim snorted. “Those are the best animals to chase. They make the hunt fun.”

“Exactly.”

“So we’re going after the beast.”

Court raised his face and glanced at his partner. “I owe that damn cat and I intend to pay it back in spades. What did you do with the animals we collected and how long was I out?”

Tim leaned back and stretched his legs, crossing them at his ankles. “You’ve been unconscious since yesterday evening. It’s late afternoon now. As for the animals, when I was fairly sure you weren’t gonna die, I skinned and cleaned the remaining carcasses, took the meat to P.B. He gave us a good price for them. When we deliver the last of the furs, he’ll pay us the balance.”

“How much?” Court rubbed the back of his neck.

“Three grand in hand, five on delivery.”

“Nice.”

“Yeah, P.B. said those rich folks like to buy exotic meats like forty going north. They also like to purchase the skins and lay ’em out in those big houses like they’re the ones who went hunting.”

Court shook his head before speaking. “Let the asses keep coming. This has been the easiest moneymaking gig ever. I wonder what they’ll give for a panther pelt.”

“Big cats are protected. There’ll be jail time if we get caught.”

“Half the shit we trap is endangered.”

“P.B. could probably get us a nice tidy sum for the fur. No doubt there’s someone out there willing to buy it.”

Court straightened. “That fucker was strong. We need to go home and pick up some bigger artillery and be quiet about how we go about our business. Marree has been looking at me strange for the last couple of weeks. I think she suspects something. Shame her office is in the same strip mall as the gun shop.”

“Marree ain’t nothin’ to worry about. She’s just a nosy woman who I told you to stop asking out months ago.”

“It’s not like she ever agreed to a date. I don’t know but it’s better to be safe than sorry. She’s an animal lover in the worst sense. If she catches wind of what we do, she’ll be screaming it from her rooftop. Remember, she got that strange connection to Betaille and that town is full of weirdoes. I think one of those men might be her little girl’s daddy.”

Tim cocked his head. “That child gives me the willies. I swear when Marree’s kid looks at you it’s like she looking through you. Her eyes are cold, like a snake.” Tim shuddered. “As for Marree’s comings and goings, of course she loves creatures; she’s a vet. The woman talks to everybody.”

“Well, most folks in that town got more pets than normal. I know. I’ve been there.”

Tim chuckled. “If you ask me, I think you busted more than a few ribs.” He held up three digits. “Can you tell me how many fingers I’m holding up?”

“Fuck you, Tim.”

“Sorry, you’re not my type but I have seen this pretty black girl around. Don’t know where she came from. She just appeared about a week ago. Now that sweet piece of brown sugar would seriously give a man cavities.”

Court rose and stood in place, waiting for the waves of pain to subside. “Let’s clean and close up camp. We got business to take care of. The longer we’re away, the more money we lose. I bet that panther won’t be too hard to find considering it’s probably as beat up as I am. I swear I shot it.”

“Didn’t look hurt to me. Matter of fact, that ole cat moved like nobody’s business.” Tim stood up and took a faltering step. “You don’t think it’s a
Rougaru
?”

“Boy, get your facts right. Those beasts are usually dogs.” Court glanced at the kitchen and angled his head to Tim. “We take care of the mess you made then we’ll head back to town and prepare for new business. Maybe have a chat with P.B. and get some loose figures on what the cat could be worth.

“Sounds good but you called it right when you said
usually
. Say what you want about the oceans and space but the true final frontier is the swamp and I dare any soul to truly go deep into those marshes.”

“Tim, you have been watching way too much TV.”

“Court, you don’t watch enough.”

Sasha narrowed her eyes and ground her teeth together. Sitting on the edge of the claw-footed tub, she hadn’t made a sound when Etienne started prodding the bullet hole below her collarbone. To avoid looking at him, she glanced around the room. The bathroom, like the rest of the shack, was small and compact and the only luxury she could discern was the deep, porcelain tub she now sat on.

When Etienne carried her up the path, she thought the house was deceptively small. Hoped it would open up into a larger space. She was wrong. The porch was just large enough for two rusty folding chairs and beyond the doorway, the actual living area was only large enough for the bare necessities. A hammock with mosquito netting hanging around it, hung in the corner attached to hooks secured high in the walls. The kitchen area consisted of a camp stove hooked up to a gas tank and was set up on a half counter under a set of cabinets. Below the counter was a huge red cooler. Against the wall next to the door a built-in table stood on rickety legs. The bare walls and windows with no covering reminded her of the Everglades home she escaped from.

She was paid to protect movie stars and dignitaries. This was a far cry from the lush life she’d become accustomed to. Sasha peeked at Etienne from beneath her lashes. The man was beyond sexy. Hell, in the circles she now traveled, she could see a lot of those female mega stars offering him quite a bit in monies for a night in his bed. She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth to keep from laughing out loud. Who was she kidding? The way that solitary lock of salt-and-pepper hair kept falling forward every time he dipped his head would make any woman reach out to touch him. She resisted the urge to comb his hair away from his face. Yeah, she could admit it, if only to herself. She’d pay for his service too. He moved and his knees brushed hers.

He held up a bottle of antiseptic with a needle and thread. “The good news, the bullet blew clean through your shoulder.
Sha,
this going to hurt me more than it hurts you.”

“That’s a lie and you know it.” She couldn’t help the smile burgeoning on her lips.

“Naw
Sha
, it really will.” He placed a hand on the center of his chest. “It will cut me to my soul that I am inflicting pain on you.”

Sasha raised her arm to take a swipe at him and sucked air through her teeth when the pain shot through her side. “Will you get it over with already?”

Etienne’s lips formed a grim line as he lifted his arm and poured the clear liquid over her shoulder. A burning sensation licked down to her elbow. Tears formed at the corner of her eyes. He leaned in close to her and his scent of fresh cypress filled her nose, taking the place of the medicinal smell of alcohol. The skin-to-skin contact took her mind of the pain and briefly made her wonder about the pleasure a more intimate connection could invoke.

“Get your mind out the gutter,
Sha
.” He chuckled as he pressed the compress to her wound.

She stared out the lone window above the toilet. “I was trying to keep my mind off the pain.”

“By staring at my dick.” He sighed. “I have to tell you, I feel violated now.”

Her purr escaped through her lips before she could call it back. Sasha reared back. That had never happened before. She chuckled to cover her surprise.

He cocked a brow. “Does my teasing please you,
Sha
?”

“Can we
please
just finish this?”

He pierced her skin with the needle. “Why do you change the subject when our conversation moves beyond the superficial bullshit?”

She swallowed the saliva that pooled in her mouth before speaking. Her stomach roiled with each puncture he made. This was why she chose to protect pop stars. It was easy and the hardest problem she usually had to deal with was a girl fight that involved one to many slaps to somebody’s face. She closed her eyes. Yeah, her team would find it hilarious that she was being a girlie girl. Goddess, she hoped the war was truly averted. If she had to dirty her hands and break some nails, then dammit somebody was gonna pay and she had no problem killing a bitch.

“Earth to Sasha. I’m done.” He held up the bloody needle and tossed it into the sink.

She opened her eyes and stared into his. “You mean you know my name?”

Etienne leaned forward, stopping short of touching his nose to hers. His arms circled her, gripping the tub edge. “For some reason you’re under the impression that I am some backwater hick who doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the wall. Allow me to clarify a few things for you. I’m the Sherriff of Betaille. I have a master’s degree in criminal justice, and I served our country as a Navy SEAL on three tours of duty.” He didn’t blink.

“Okay, I didn’t know you were the law around here.”

He snorted and brushed his lips to hers before pulling back. “
Sha,
there is very little happening anywhere in the shifter communities that I don’t have some intel on. So believe me when I tell you I’m well aware of what goes on in your specific corner of the universe.”

“No way.”

He shook his head. “What? “You thought your bosses were the only ones who could obtain secure information and make black-market contacts? It’s best you understand this now,
Sha
, so there won’t be any confusion later. My friends and I keep Betaille under the radar because we choose to and anything we decide to do, we think long and hard about.” He skimmed his fingers up the inside of her thighs. “One more thing, Sasha, I plan to claim you so I suggest you get used to the idea of county living once again.”

“Don’t get it twisted, gator. A mating goes both ways.”

She watched Etienne rise, a wicked smirk on his face. He turned and picked up a washcloth and towel, laying them on the toilet seat he’d vacated. Etienne backed out the room to stand in the doorway. “Baby, I have no doubt of my abilities.” He turned and stalked from the small room.

“Where the hell are you going?” She stood up and watched his backside as he crossed the main part of the house, yanking up a pair of jeans from the hefty rope that attached the hammock to the wall.

“To catch us some food. I have to keep you fed. Goddess knows I don’t want you cranky and I read in your jacket you get mean when you don’t eat.” He pushed a muscular leg into the pants then the other, dragging the material up over lean hips. “My suggestion, take a warm bath and relax. Get the scent of the bayou off you.”