Mating Hunt (12 page)

“Doesn’t it hurt when you stay like that?”

Amusement flicked across his expression as he released a hissing breath and adjusted his crotch. “Oh, yeah. But it’s a good hurt.”

The fleece throw was soft beneath her, and the wiry hairs on his muscled chest tickled her cheek, but with Kyle’s arms wrapped securely around her, she felt warm and safe. She could lie here a long time drowning in his scent, she thought drowsily.

Scent. A troubling realization hit her.

“Kyle, the Skins who took the children, they’re not typical humans. I couldn’t pick up their scent in the cabin.”

“No, they’re not,” he said quietly. “All I detected was a faint scent of dark magick.”

“The wizard conjured a spell to empower them.”
Don’t panic, think of a plan
.

“I’m not afraid of dark magick.” He cupped her cheek, the coolness of his palm refreshing against her flushed face. “And neither are you. Fluffy can take them down if Arianna doesn’t kick their asses first.”

His confidence fed her another bite of courage. Arianna looked around the cabin with its wide windows. “How are we going to keep them out? They seem to have all the power.”

Dropping his hand, Kyle gave a cold smile. “They don’t. If they come here, I’ll give them a little demonstration.”

This was another side to her laid-back, gentle guardian. Confident and dangerous, as if the beast she’d seen long ago bristled to claw its way out.

He paced over to the window and spoke over his shoulder. “Get some sleep. I need you alert and refreshed for later.”

She accepted his suggestion, her eyes heavy. But as she trudged up the stairs, she saw him watching with his hooded gaze. Stopping halfway up the steps, she leaned over, palms on the railing.

“Later, when you need my wolf?”

Kyle stroked a finger down the cold windowpane, as if stroking a woman’s thigh. “Later, when I need you naked.”

Swallowing hard, she headed for the second guest bedroom, her body tingling at the erotic promise in his smile.

A
RIANNA AWOKE TO
the thunderous snap of metal, the crunch of bone and howls of agony.

Heart racing, she tossed aside the blankets, rolled out of bed and pulled on her sweatshirt and pants. She raced downstairs, taking the steps two at a time.

Kyle still stood at the window, a cruel expression on his face. Heart pounding, she joined him as he lifted the curtain with the back of one hand.

Moonlight illuminated the garden, with its cheerful cherub statues overlooking the violence staining the pristine beauty. On the ground outside, a man writhed, bellowing in pain as his friend struggled to open the jaws of a trap imprisoning his leg. She recognized them as the same Skins from earlier in the evening.

“Bear trap,” Kyle said briefly.

“The bears around here are shifters. You set them out as a welcome mat?”

“Ben and his family brought it when they came over for dinner. Said it would make an attractive planter. Grizzlies have a strange sense of humor.”

With a muffled curse, the Skin sprang the trap, releasing his partner’s leg. Arianna recognized the taller man as he lifted Skip’s mangled leg from the steel jaws. Skip’s moans were music to her ears as the taller Skin helped him stand. Gleeful, she pressed her nose to the glass, hoping they’d finally get the message and leave for good.

The taller Skin swung around and seemed to look straight at her. And then she saw the glint of moonlight on a shotgun barrel.

Kyle shoved her down to the floor and took a protective stance. Growling at the window, he flashed sharp white fangs. At the emergence of his wolf, her own wolf whined and clawed to the surface. Arianna felt the tingle in her body heralding the shift.

Oh yeah, playtime is over, boys. Come and get it.

But he glanced down at her and shook his head. “Stay here.”

“Let me help you.”

“Stay here.” The words came as a growl. “I need you guarding the young. I’ll deal with this.”

He turned and headed for the door, then paused. “I must do this. Don’t watch, Ari. It’s going to get ugly.”

As the door slammed behind him, Arianna crouched by the window. She glanced upstairs. No sign of the young.
Please, let them sleep through this.

She lifted the curtain and peered outside.

Kyle rounded the cabin and faced the tall Skin, who swung the shotgun toward him. Moonlight gilded his honed muscles. Goodness. Her guardian was stark naked.

Staring in awed wonder and growing concern, Arianna put a hand to her mouth. One Kyle versus two Skins. Okay, one was wounded, but one was armed with a shotgun. Lupine magick was no match against a metal bullet. Hadn’t she witnessed proof of that when her parents died?

He’d told her to remain. But everything inside her clawed and raged to shift into wolf and aid him. As if compelled by an outside force, she headed for the door, trying to fight the compulsion.

Arianna opened the door and stepped outside, dragging in a deep breath of cold, crisp air. But it did no good. Emotions in a lather, she closed her eyes.

Transforming into wolf, she growled and pawed the porch. Threats were out back, big threats with guns who had hurt and killed. No more. They would not hurt anyone else.

Her wolf knew silence was essential, so with great stealth, she loped around the corner to the back yard. Arianna crept into the wildflower garden. From there, she had an excellent vantage point. Crouching low on her belly, she hid among the tall, dried stalks of fireweed, Indian paintbrush and lupine. Perched on a stone pedestal next to her, a beaming cherub danced. Arianna tensed her muscles, preparing to attack.

Kyle had his back to her, facing the two Skins. The woman inside the wolf took a few seconds to admire his toned, taut ass. Then the taller Skin spoke.

“I’ll give you five minutes to get the hell out, let me take those kids and the woman. I know they’re inside. I need those fucking kids, damnit. If you give them to me now, I won’t beat them too hard for running away.”

Tension knotted Kyle’s muscular body. But his voice was deep and calm. Too calm. “Why do you want the woman?”

He almost seemed to make the question conversational.

“She’s a pretty piece of pussy, even if she is chunky and has a big ass.”

Arianna suppressed a low growl. Damnit, more criticism of her butt?

“I like women with meat on their bones. And I’ll bet she’ll like it too when I fuck her. When I’m tired of ramming my cock up her ass, I’ll give her to Skip for his turn. After he’s done fucking her, she’ll beg for more.”

“The bitch is mine,” Skip spat out.

“Wrong.” Kyle gave another slow, dark smile. “She’s mine, and if you value your skins, you’ll both leave by the time I count to ten.”

Skip laughed, but looked uncertain as Kyle began to count. “One, two, three, four...”

“Say good-bye.” Tall Skin raised the rifle.

“Ten.”

Gunfire cracked, the ensuing blast compressing the air and hurting her eardrums. Shards rained down on her fur. She blinked hard and glanced up. Half the cherub’s head was gone. Cherub had definitely bit it. The Skin had missed Kyle. But where was he?

The Skins seemed have the same thought, for they turned, scanning the area. And then her keen Lupine vision caught a blurred streak. Kyle tapped Tall Skin on the shoulder.

As he turned, Kyle seized the shotgun with one hand and tossed it aside, then grabbed his throat and squeezed. Hard. The man gasped as his injured friend withdrew a hunting knife from the scabbard at his waist. Moonlight glinted on the serrated blade, polished to a killing sheen.

Arianna growled and prepared to leap forward, but before she could advance, Kyle dropped Tall Skin.

The man lay still, and she scented death.

Skip hobbled over, trying to rush Kyle with the hunting knife. Another blur of air and Kyle vanished. The downward stabbing motion caused Skip to stumble. He nearly tripped over his friend’s body.

Suddenly Kyle appeared behind him. Skip turned, slicing at Kyle’s muscled torso. A thin line of vermillion appeared on his skin. The hot, coppery scent slammed into her nostrils. She growled, creeping forward to punish the one who dared to injure her beloved guardian as Skip swung the blade again, but Kyle danced out of reach.

Her wolf froze in fear as she glimpsed his eyes. Shining in the night, they glowed a fierce amber. Her protector was no longer the male she knew.

Skip bellowed like a wounded bull as he hopped around on his injured foot, slashing his knife through the air. Then he fell and fumbled to reach the shotgun. As his hand closed over the barrel, Kyle appeared. He stepped on the man’s hand. Howls of pain followed the sickening crack.

Kyle grabbed the gun and snapped the weapon in half.

Then her guardian stalked toward the whimpering Skip, who tried crawling away, dragging his bleeding and injured leg. Muscles bunching, Kyle stood over the terrified Skin.

“You dare to come here, to my territory, threaten to hurt innocent children and say you want to fuck my woman? My woman, who I’ve sworn to protect. My woman, who I’ll defend to my last breath, who I have yet to fuck because I care so much about her?”

He fisted a hand in Skip’s shirt collar and lifted him to his feet. “Don’t. Think. So.”

Then her guardian began to change. Two bone white horns emerged from his skull as his hair grew long and thick, spilling past his broad shoulders. Claws erupted from his fingertips and a dark beard covered his lean face. Fur erupted on his hindquarters, covered his long, strong thighs. Arianna froze, her heart going still.

She’d seen this before...

“What are you?” Skip screamed.

Kyle wrapped a hand around the man’s neck. “The last thing you’ll ever see.”

A minute later, Skip dropped to the ground, staring sightlessly at the sky. Tail lowered, ears back, Arianna closed her eyes, shivering violently. She heard a low grunt, and the sound of bodies being dragged across the yard, into the woods, followed by a long, deep howl piercing the night.

Several minutes later, her ears pricked. Footsteps coming from the woods. Remaining motionless, she scanned the thick weeds and flowers.

And then the smell of cold snow and pine drifted into the air.

“Ari? Come out. I know you’re there. I can scent you.”

She must deal with it sooner or later. Arianna stood and shook her body, fur rippling with the motion. Cold wind pricked her muzzle, but it wasn’t as icy as the dread pumping through her.

She’d disobeyed him. And would now pay the price.

Arianna crept out of the garden and hovered near the flagstone path. Looking normal once more, Kyle stood at the garden’s edge, staring into the woods. Muscles knotted, he looked carved from granite. Anger radiated off him in waves. He turned and in a fluid motion, shifted into a large timber wolf.

She sensed his anger as he trotted over to where the Skins had fallen. Kyle lifted his leg and urinated, marking the spot. Then he loped over to where she’d hidden and marked the spot where she’d hidden, covering her scent with his. The possessive and male dominant behavior was a clear warning for others.

Kyle approached. Resisting the urge to roll onto her back and present her belly, she remained motionless. He circled around her, sometimes touching her with his muzzle as if assuring himself she was not hurt.

Looking upward at the shattered cherub, he growled. Then he nipped, a brief, but sharp sting on her rear, nudging her forward. Needing no more encouragement, yup, she got the picture, Arianna raced back to the house.

Herding her back to the cabin, he nudged her onto the porch and then the wolf shifted back into a naked man. Kyle looked at her and opened the front door.

“Inside, now. Sit on the couch and don’t even blink until I return.”

Arianna lowered her head and trotted inside. She was a muscled 100-pound wolf with sharp fangs and claws, but Kyle’s stern expression made her feel like a pup.

Jumping up onto the couch, she whined, wondering what punishment he planned. The clock on the mantle ticked away the minutes. A few minutes later, he came inside. Her ears pricked at the sound of the door closing, the bolt sliding shut and then the lights snapping on.

Now clad in worn jeans, a checked shirt, he gave her a pointed look. “You staying like that all night?”

Panting, she tilted her head sideways.
Well, you ordered me to sit and not even blink
. But she shifted back and clothed herself.

His severe expression softened. “Are you hurt?”

At her headshake, he nodded. “First, we’ll check on the young. Then you and I will have a little talk.”

Nausea churned in her stomach. She’d screwed up again, badly.

In the first guest bedroom, the girls still slept, but Jessie stood by the bed, the heavy iron doorstop in his fists. Eyes wide in his round face, he was prepared to protect his sisters. Arianna’s heart twisted. Kyle gently removed the doorstop from the youngster’s grip and ushered him downstairs. As they sat on the sofa, the boy’s thin body tensed.

Arianna hurried into the kitchen and microwaved a cup of milk, looking over her shoulder.

Jessie’s voice was low and anguished. “They came for us.”

“They won’t be back.”

Jessie stared at Kyle. “You killed them. I’m glad you killed them. I would do the same, if I was older and stronger.”

Kyle heaved a deep sigh. “Killing your enemies should always be a last resort, Jessie. Lupines must never enjoy it, but use it to survive and hunt. Always remember, Montana is a state that allows Skins to shoot wolves. You’re much better off honing your tracking skills and evading danger, especially from armed Skins. Never confront it unless absolutely necessary.”

The boy stared at Kyle, his expression reverent. “You found us, tracked us. Are you a hunter?”

He nodded. “I taught Arianna. She’s the one who initially picked up your trail. Would you like to know how to track?”

Placing the cup of warm milk on the table, Arianna left them to talk. She went to the windows, staring out at the garden and the shattered cherub.
That could have been me.
Her stomach knotted. Kyle was right. She must learn to control her wolf and these fears. If she didn’t mate before the full moon, Tristan would fry her.