KateUndone (9 page)

Jesse reached for his hand and pressed a kiss to his palm,
for once leaving his
guer
wide open. “We’ll take care of her, Logan.
Ours, finally. And we’re not letting her go.”

Logan nodded, in lust, in love and in danger of losing his
mind should anything happen to Kate or Jesse. Now more than ever, he would be
strong. He refused to be the weak link anymore. And in their new pack, he
didn’t have to bow to anyone. Not the Prime, his guard, or their queen.

He’d rip Lawless apart one inch at a time if the male looked
the wrong way at Kate. Voids love him if he didn’t.

* * * * *

Will Lawless waited for his contact at the police department
to show. He’d been searching for a press release for hours, but for some reason
the Salinas were keeping quiet about the woman’s death at the hotel.

An average-looking man rounded the corner and nodded.
“Evening.”

“Well?”

The man glanced over his shoulder then around him. “Word had
it Chen interrupted everything.”

Will didn’t know what to say. This was one angle he hadn’t
anticipated. “Chen? What the hell would a crime boss want with three
insignificant Ravagers?”

The cop shrugged. “No one knows. The girl’s death has been
swept under the rug as a random attack. They’re playing it like a druggie gone
crazy. No hint of Voider involvement, though as soon as it hits the tabloids
that’s all they’ll be talking about.”

Will swore and nodded at the cop to leave.

“Same time and place?” the cop asked.

“Yes, yes.”

The man practically ran from the alley, overjoyed he’d
receive payment soon enough. The bastard got off on pain, and it took little
for Will to hurt him. Frail humans. So undeserving. For a simple ass fuck and a
few scratches, the human would sell out his fellow officers and do anything
Will needed.

Had the humans been less concerned about presenting a good
face to one and all, the cop could have found the freedom to live in the open
about his wants and needs, like most Ravagers. Eric Savage might be a complete
shit, and a stupid one at that, but at least he’d had the balls to take a human
as mate out in the open.

Though Will hated his guts, he also respected the male for
his grit. Savage was wrong, but had conviction.

But none of that mattered, now that Will’s prey had gone to
ground. He’d need to get with some of his older contacts to flush Kate from
wherever it was Chen had hidden her. The sooner he had her away from the other
Ravagers, the better. He didn’t much care if one of them happened to get her
pregnant. He’d rid her of the pup easily enough, but some females could be
fierce about their young. And if he was forced to abort her fetus, he’d have to
work that much harder to earn her loyalty.

He didn’t want to invest that much time in a breedmate. Not
unless he absolutely had to. Will had other plans. Other hungers to assuage. He
headed for the Tombs, knowing he’d find what he sought there. And if he were
lucky, he might just find Kate as well. There’d be time enough to kill Logan
and Jesse Savage later. And then the rest of the cards would start falling into
place. He was sure of it.

* * * * *

They spent the remainder of their short time together
fucking, laughing and finally getting clean. Of course, the small shower dared
them to be at their most creative. Logan had banged his head and scraped his
knees, but he’d had Kate begging for mercy before he’d fucked her good and
hard.

A few blowjobs for Jesse and his mate was in a mellow, sated
frame of mind.

They all dressed and lay together on the bed. Kate stroked
Logan and Jesse wherever she could reach, giving them the soothing contact they
needed. Ravagers loved touch, but being handled by his sexy mate made
everything right. Logan loved Jesse like nothing else, but Jesse wasn’t soft.
He rarely did gentle or tender. Rough, domineering, sexy and hard. The man
could be brutal, a stone-cold killer if need be. But he was always there for
Logan, no matter what. So Logan could wait on that “I love you”.

Through his
guer
Logan shared with Kate his concerns,
and she understood. They’d both somehow been corrupted by sentimental humans.
Logan’s parents had cared for one another, but they hadn’t loved. Not like the
people did here. Not like he did Jesse and Kate.

Life in the homeworld had been filled with fun and play.
Carefree affection that had gotten them all but killed when the Dekken arrived
to slaughter everything in their city.

Through blind chance he’d found one of the Voids deep in the
Ravager forest. He’d landed in Cross Step just a few years after Jesse, just in
time for Eric to make him pack. Their years together had only strengthened
their bond. In the serious-minded male, Logan had found someone to share with,
confide in and care for.

Someone who needed him.

They hadn’t talked much about Jesse’s past, but Logan knew
it hadn’t been anything like his. Logan had a feeling Jesse’s pack had been
brutal. One of the traditionalist savages living out in the wild, away from
civilization. For all that the people on earth called Ravagers animals, the
homeworld had been filled with an advanced social structure.

Yet some, like Jesse’s family, tried to live as the animals
in their
guer
. Too much human or too much animal could make a Ravager
weak. Just like too little sex could craze the mind.

Logan studied his companions with a sigh, wishing he wasn’t
always the one needing help. But from the beginning, he’d needed more
attention, wanted for sexual care. Otherwise, he had trouble focusing. His
guer
simply needed to exercise that very physical part of him. And the Voids knew
he’d been quite popular finding his way. Until Jesse had taken him under his
wing.

Though they’d shared their sexuality with other males,
namely the prime and his second, Jesse was always there to watch or take part.
A protective lover, a determined friend.

“Relax, Logan. It’s okay,” Kate said as she petted his arm.

Jesse gave him a sharp glance.

“I’m fine, just eager to get back and make all your dreams
come true,” he teased her.

She shivered, and the concern on Jesse’s face turned into
lust. That quickly, arousal returned.

The scrape of metal outside the bedroom shattered the sense
of intimacy, if not the mood. Someone banged on the door.

“Yeah?” Jesse called out and stood protectively between them
and whoever was behind the door.

Logan sighed, wondering just when Jesse would start to see
him as more than someone to protect, but to stand beside.

Kate glared. “Hey, I can defend myself you know. Why all the
caution? Logan, I thought you said Chen was a great guy?”

Logan smiled at her, amused that Jesse’s defense annoyed her
too. “I honestly liked him, but he’s still Tommy Chen. Relax, Kate.
We
know you can handle yourself.” He shot Jesse a look to behave. “But it makes us
feel big and manly to protect you.” Logan joined Jesse, adding another body
between Kate and the door.

She huffed. “Whatever. Just try not to get blood all over me
if you need to get rough.”

“I like rough,” Jesse muttered and tore off his shirt. He
shifted into his
guer
in seconds. In this form, his muscles grew, his
bones elongated, and he sprouted fur, fangs and claws. His eyes were midnight
black that shone in the dark. Logan felt a huge wave of lust crash over him all
over again.

“Wow, is he sexy or what?” She gripped Jesse’s ass and his
cock rose.

He chuckled and swore. “Damn, girl. It’s going to be hard to
look threatening when my dick is leading the way.”

Logan glanced down to see his own erection bulging in his
jeans. “True, but maybe you can disarm the enemy by taunting them with that
huge cock.” Logan stayed in his human form with Kate, ready to deal with Chen
if he needed to. He’d always found a sharp mind almost, if not more, important
than sharp claws.

The door opened and the familiar scent of home wafted
through. Dominic Savage, the prime’s mate and second in command, stood with a
few of their clan at his back. Dom took a deep breath and smiled. Logan knew
what that grin could do to his libido, and he glanced quickly at Kate to see
how she reacted.

But his mate only stepped closer behind him and scratched
his back with comforting, sharp nails. Her
guer
settled his but not
Jesse’s apparently, because Jesse hadn’t turned back into his human skin.

Kate patted his back and Jesse growled a warning for the
others to keep away and slowly shifted back.

“Claimed them both, eh, Kate?” Dom’s smile was genuine.

“Yes, I did.”

“Good.” Dom strode forward and took Jesse in a huge hug that
lifted him off the ground. Seeing that, the rest of the small party entered and
gave congratulations. Yet they kept their respectful distance from Kate.

Pleased, Logan returned the slaps and handshakes and hugs.

“Damn. Guess this means you’re off limits now?” one of them
asked Logan. “Kate doesn’t look like the type to share.”

“I’m not,” she snapped, and the Ravager grinned at her with
a good-natured leer.

Jesse stepped back, keeping her behind him. “Settle down,
Kate. Terry’s just teasing.” He focused on Dom. “So you know what’s going on
then?”

Dom nodded. “I’m up to speed. Now let’s get you three back
home where you belong.” As they walked, Logan noted the empty warehouse. Dom
shook his head at him. “Logan, I’m just warning you. Eric is beyond upset you
were implicated in a human murder. It’s taken Vicki and Malcolm nearly sitting
on his ass to keep him from hunting Will down and ripping his head off.”

The other Ravagers behind them muttered their approval of
the idea.

“Why doesn’t he?” Kate asked.

Jesse answered, “Because that’s my job.”

Logan blew out a loud breath. “
Our
job.”

“Right. Sorry. Our job,” Jesse agreed and shocked Logan into
missing a step. “As your mates, it’s up to us to seek retribution. You’re used
to the old pack, when Eric led. But this is
your
pack, Kate. We’re your
protectors now, so it’s on us to make this thing with Lawless end the right
way.”

“What right way? Just rip his guts out and be done with it,”
Kate barked.

“Now
that’s
a real Ravager female,” Terry said with
approval.

Logan didn’t like his tone and shoved an elbow in his gut.

Terry coughed. “Easy, Logan. Damn, I’m not touching. Just
admiring.”

“From a fucking distance,” Jesse growled.

Kate grinned.

Dom groaned. “Save me from the idiocy of the newly mated.”

“Um, Dom? Didn’t you just get tied to Prime, the queen and
Malcolm a month ago?” Terry asked.

“Yeah, so I know what the hell I’m talking about.” Dom
glared at Terry, who quickly slid to the rear of the group. “Now let’s get
home. Being in this dump sets my teeth on edge.”

“Now is that any way to talk about the man who saved your
kin?” Tommy Chen stepped out of the shadows. A dozen of his men stood behind
him, armed to the teeth.

Dom didn’t break stride. He walked right up into Chen’s
space. “Problem?”

“Not at all. I just found myself ending a meeting earlier
than expected and thought I’d send my well-wishes to your happy little group.”

Chen’s men snickered.

Damn if the lot of them didn’t project “mean” like a marked
scent. Logan moved closer to Kate, ready to tear into anyone who so much as
breathed wrong in her direction.

Chen stood with his arms crossed, a smirk on his face. His
dark eyes had a weird shine, an iridescent green that appeared and disappeared
at random in his pupils. The guy was as big as any Ravager in human form, and
he had muscles on top of muscles. Logan had found him a surprisingly pleasant
and intelligent host.

“Logan, good luck. Jesse, Kate.” Chen nodded to each of them
as if Dom and the rest of their clan weren’t there. “And Logan, make sure to
tell Vicki we’re done. But if she even thinks about working for her ex-client
again, I’m not going to be as forgiving.”

Logan knew Vicki had a history with Chen. The first time
they’d met her, she’d been on the run from the crime lord. Apparently she’d
stolen something from the guy on behalf of a client, and Chen was a less than
forgiving Voider. Couple that with his warning against Vicki—not just their
queen, but Dom’s mate as well—and Logan expected trouble.

He wasn’t surprised when Dom started to shift into his
guer
.
The prime’s personal guard, Dom was a formidable male, the only blond in the
entire clan, and a Ravager with psychic gifts that protected his prime and his
mates like no other could. Chen threatening Vicki wasn’t a smart move.

“Not a wise thing to say just now.” Logan was aware his
fangs were showing. He didn’t like anyone threatening their queen either.

Chen, the bastard, smiled and stepped right into Dom’s
space. “Easy, Dominic. I meant no disrespect, only a reminder to stay clear of
my business unless you want real problems.”

Before Dom could rip Chen’s head from his neck, Chen latched
onto Dom’s upraised wrist, and Dom’s transformation stopped mid-form. Chen’s
tattoos began swirling around his forearms, the ink almost alive. Dom stared as
if hypnotized.

“Time for the Savages to go,” Kate said in a loud voice, and
the scent of her need broke through the thick tension in the room.

Chen blinked, released Dom and stepped back.

Logan didn’t understand what the fuck was happening, but his
guer
didn’t like it. Chen felt wrong, powerful, dangerous. He seconded
Kate’s idea. Time to go. “We’ll give Vicki the message.”

Dom stumbled. Logan and the clan gathered around him for
support, keeping Kate safely in their midst.

To Logan’s surprise, he saw that Chen’s men continued to
remain in the background. Not one of them had stepped forward to interfere.