Reed: Bowen Boys (8 page)

“It’s your cat.” She looked at Caitlynne. “She’s coming to the surface to let you know that if you need her, she’s right there. Khan says she’s very beautiful and sleek. But he said she was nearly wild too.”

Kerry sat up and then backed up. Reed was suddenly there and she waved him away. She needed to breathe and think, and there were too many people there to do either. When Khan ordered them all to give them a moment, she looked at Reed, hoping he’d leave her too.

“I’m staying.” Khan chuckled, and she glared at him. “He’s going to stay and tell you what happened to you. Then he’s leaving as well. But I’m not. Not now, not ever.”

“I don’t like you right now.” He sat on her bed, and she got up and stretched. “I don’t know what you think happened at your house today, but I want you all to leave me alone.”

“I can’t now.” She looked at Khan. “You’re a part of my family. And it wasn’t today, it was four days ago. You are mated to my brother, though. That’s wonderful, but in order to help you through your first shift, I asked you to pledge to me. When you did, I was able to pull your cat for you, or…well, you would have died. She was tearing you up to get out and help you.”

“Cat? What do you mean cat? I’m not…what the fuck is going on here?” Terror ran along her skin, and she felt movement again, like someone was touching her. She looked at Reed when he growled low.

“She’s upset because you are. You have to learn to control her or she’ll come to the surface when you’re with humans.” He took her shoulders into his hands. “Breathe, baby. Just breathe and you’ll calm her down.”

She put out her hand and watched her arm seem to sprout fur. Then her hand morphed and she had claws. She looked up at Reed again and tried to breathe, but she was getting dizzy. Suddenly she felt a chair being shoved under her, and her head was pushed between her knees.

A panther. She was a panther? Taking deep breaths again, she tried to tell herself she was dreaming, but knew as surely as she was sitting there that she wasn’t. When Khan said her name softly, she looked up at him. He and Reed were sitting across from her.

“You’re a panther. Walker thinks you’re at least half panther, if not more. He said that he should have checked your blood when you were brought in the first time, but didn’t think of it.” She shook her head, and he nodded at her. “You’re going to have to believe me. I would never lie to you about this. When you were angry with Reed, I felt your cat screaming at you. When I came into the living room where you were, you’d…you’d shifted part of your body but not all. You were screaming and clawing at your skin.”

He reached into his pocket and handed her his phone after he’d turned it on. Reed pulled his chair to her and took the phone, and then showed her the first picture.

“He took these. In the event that you didn’t make it or you killed him, he wanted someone to know it was you so that the family could help you.”

Kerry looked at Khan, then back at the picture. She was there but not really. Her face and one arm were human, but the rest of her was panther. She took the phone from him and moved through the dozen or so pictures. It showed her in varying stages of changing, and then she was a snarling large black cat. Kerry noticed that her hand was trembling when she handed the phone back to Khan.

“Why?” They both looked at her like they didn’t understand. “Why now? I mean, if what you say is true and I’ve had this thing in me for a long time, then why now? Why come out? Why didn’t she just stay where she was?”

“Could be because you were so pissed.” Reed laughed a short bark of laughter. “Sorry, but, Christ, you were pissed off. And since I’d bitten you, she knew that there were others with her and she felt safe to come out and play.”

She knew she’d been pissed off, too, and tried to remember why. She looked at Reed and frowned. “You commanded me to do something. Don’t ever do that again. I’m not a child, and if you ever speak to me like that again, I’ll…I’ll tear you up.”

Khan laughed and stood up. “I’m thinking you’re going to be just fine now. I’m going home. I’m exhausted and I want to hold my wife and my children.” He moved toward the door before turning back to her. “Kerry, for what it’s worth, I’m having Marc look for your mother. I think she’s the key to what’s happened. Also, you’ll need to speak to Dylan and Jack. They will more than likely have some information for you as well.”

When he left the room, she looked at Reed. He was staring at her, and she went to the window. She had so much racing through her mind right now she wasn’t sure where to start.

“When I was little, I fell from the tree.” She had no idea why that suddenly popped into her head, but she thought it was important. “I was about fifteen feet up when one of the branches I was on suddenly broke. Nothing happened to me. I should have broken all sorts of bones, but there was…did the cat do that?”

He stood up and walked up behind her. When he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, she felt…calmed. She wanted to turn around and snuggle her nose into his throat but resisted. Barely. But when he moved her hair from her shoulder and nipped at her, she felt it all the way to her toes.

“She would have kept you from being injured too badly. Did you lose consciousness?” She nodded. “You more than likely did break a few bones and hit your head. But she healed you. I would also bet that you were never sick as a child or caught any of the childhood diseases, and as an adult you more than likely never got sick either.”

She hadn’t been sick. And when her family did, she had to nurse them through it as well. Kerry turned in his arms and looked up at him. She needed to know what happened now.

“Will I be able to live a normal life?” She flushed when she realized he did. “I mean, will this anger thing get out of control again? Will I simply be at the store buying milk and have the sudden urge to become something I’m not?”

“You’re a cat, Kerry, now and forever. And it’s doubtful that you’ll shift like that again. I’ll learn not to piss you off too much, and that’ll help.” She pulled away from him, and he let her. “Kerry?”

“I don’t know what to do about you.” She knew that sounded bad and tried to fix it. “I mean, you’re not really my kind of date. I’ve never been out all that much, but being with you is too much. You’re rich and handsome, and I’m just…well, I’m just not.”

“Handsome is not a word I’d use to describe you, no. But beautiful, breathtaking, gorgeous are just a few that I’d call you. And rich? No, you’re not rich on your own, but as of the moment that we mated you’re as rich as me.” She shook her head at him. “Yes, you are. You and I are together, and I’ve fallen in love with you.”

“But I don’t love you.”

Chapter 8

Reed walked around his house like a zombie. Kerry was avoiding him, and he was her as well. But this couldn’t go on. He heard someone pull into his drive and went to the door, glad to see the delivery people finally here. He tried to pull in his temper because he knew that he’d been short a lot the last few days, but last night had been the point where he’d snapped at the wrong person.

He’d never forget the look on little George’s face for as long as he lived when he’d told him to get the hell away from him. The little guy had wanted him to read him a story, and he’d been thinking about his mate. Khan had come at him so quickly that he’d not had any chance to defend himself. Not that he thought he would have anyway. Monica had pulled her husband off him, as well as his dad. He’d shifted and come home to find that Kerry had taken her car, which had been brought to the house only today, and gone to the bank to make arrangements to pay off her loan when she had a job. He felt her enter the hallway behind him and didn’t turn.

“I have a job. As soon as I can afford the first month’s rent and deposit, I’ll be moving out.” He felt his cat snarl at him, but Reed didn’t move. “I’m sorry to have bothered you.”

She was leaving him and it was all he could think about. When he turned to ask her—no, beg her—to stay, she was gone. The first piece of furniture was being brought in, and he had to deal with that.

Two hours later, the house had what he needed. He looked around at his house, no longer thinking of it as his home. The furniture had made a huge difference, but the place still felt cold and unwelcoming. He moved to the kitchen, where he knew Kerry was. She was talking to Camps.

“I don’t think I should tell you. I’m thinking you’ll want to make it for me and tempt me, but I’m really not all that hungry. But I thank you.” She looked at Reed and started to stand, and he asked her to please stay. “I’m just going to go and look at the paper again.”

When she left the room, he sat down in her chair. A sandwich and a salad were placed in front of him. He looked up at Camps and shook his head as he pushed it away. It was shoved right back at him.

“She’s not eating, sir. And if you don’t, what am I here for?”

He remembered thinking she looked like she’d lost some weight and looked down at the plate. “Is she eating anything?” Camps shook his head. “How long has it been since you’ve fixed either of us a meal?”

“You last night. You ate half of it.” He looked at the door Kerry had gone through. “She has not touched anything in over a week. I worry for her. I cannot even tempt her with sweets or drink. Her cat, sir, it’s starting to feel the pain of it as well.”

Reed picked up the roast beef sandwich and bit into it. It had no flavor at all for him, but he knew that Camps was an excellent cook. He’d been the undercook at the mansion in DC that Caitlynne owned. He looked at Camps when he sat down across from him.

“She is very unhappy. What do you plan to do about it and the man that calls here?” Reed looked up from his lunch. “She did not tell you? I had thought that she had, but, well the man calls here nearly every day. I do not know what he is saying to her, but when she hangs up, she goes to the yard and cries. It’s a sad sight to see. The poor thing sobs and sobs. Perhaps she needs to shift and become her cat for a time to feel free.”

Reed had never seen her cat. He’d seen pictures of her, but not her as a cat. He finished off his sandwich and looked at Camps. He had to do something and he had to do it now. Smiling at the man, he had a sudden idea.

“I’m going to find my mate and make love to her. I want you to fix us a meal that will be keepable. Something we can heat up later if we need to.” Camps nodded. “And one of those trays you fixed for Walker and Caitlynne when they were out. Can you put it near the hot tub?”

“I can do that. Yes, sir, I can do that. I was thinking you needed a decorator. Thanksgiving is in a few weeks, and I’d like to try my hand at fixing a large meal for your family. I believe your family rotates it around and it should be your turn.” Reed nodded and told him to let the others know. “And the wedding, sir? Shall I have someone get that organized as well?”

Wedding. He wanted her with all his heart. He looked at Camps and told him to get it started. “I don’t have a date yet, but I’m thinking that we could have something here. This place is nice enough, don’t you think?”

Camps nodded. “I shall have you a list of things we’ll need by the morning. I will also make you and the lovely miss a nice carbohydrate meal to keep your energy up.” He stood and started pulling things from the cabinets as he spoke. “You’ll need to make sure that your mother is aware of your plans when you have them set. Your father as well. He is a man who enjoys being in the loop of things, isn’t he?”

Reed stood too and smiled. Okay, things might not be finalized, but they were at least moving. He went into the living room, then up to the bedroom, taking the stairs three at a time. He had his shirt off by the time he was in their room, and he was toeing off his shoes when he heard her crying in the bathroom. He went there immediately.

The door wasn’t locked, so he opened it and found her in the tub. There was no water in it and she was fully clothed, but there was a trashcan next to her and it was overflowing with wet tissues. She looked up at him when he moved into the room.

“Do you mind? I know it’s your house and all, but I’m in here.” She started to stand and slipped. He reached for her just as she was falling out. Christ, she felt good in his arms.

“Why are you crying?” He picked her up and took her to the bed and laid her on it. “Tell me what’s wrong. Did you get another phone call?”

“How did you…who told you?” She flushed. “I mean, what calls? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Reed got in the bed next to her and pulled her into his arms. This was something else he missed, holding her in the big bed. When she didn’t try to get away from him, he put his leg over hers and pulled her tightly to his body. She was stiff but not leaving him.

“The person who calls you, the one that upsets you so much that you go out into the yard and cry for hours. The person who is going to be dead for pissing you off.” She snuggled into his throat, and he felt his body respond. “Kerry, you’re going to be naked in a few seconds if you keep that up.”

Her teeth grazed over his pounding pulse, and he curled his hand in her hair and held her there. When she tried to pull back, he told her no. He wanted her, and he rolled over her, pressing her into the mattress with his weight.

“I’m not sure this is a good idea.” Reed smiled at her, thinking this was a wonderful idea. “You should be doing something else.”

“I like this job.” He put his hand at the collar of her tee-shirt and looked at her. “Is this something expensive or something you have a great attachment to?”

When she shook her head, he tore it open. Her hands moved up his arms to his biceps, and he felt her nails dig into him. When he leaned down and licked a path over the top of one breast to the other, she moaned and he nipped at the creamy flesh before lifting his head to look at her.

“I want you.” She shook her head. “I do. I’ve never wanted anything like I do you right at this moment.”

“We’re not suited.” He grinned at her. “I mean it. What are you going to do with me when you need to go to a family thing? You’re going to be embarrassed of me when I pick up the wrong fork or do something equally stupid.”

“I doubt very much anyone would care which fork you used so long as you didn’t stab them with it.” She rolled her eyes at him. He nipped at her nipple that was straining at the lacy fabric. She moaned and curled her hand into his hair.

“Don’t make me want you.” Her voice was breathless and low. “You know that I want you as well, but this won’t work out. Why do you insist on doing this?”

He reached behind her and ran his hand down the back of her pants. Her ass filled his hand and he lifted her up to him. When her legs wrapped around him, he rocked hard into her, and with his free hand, moved her bra off her breast and took the warm flesh deep into his mouth. He lifted his head before he could no longer think.

“I want you because I love you. You may not think you love me, but I think you do. You’re being stubborn.” When she opened her mouth, he kissed her. “Quiet, it’s my turn to speak. Where was I? Oh yeah. I love you. And I want to fill you with my seed and have children with you. I want to spend the rest of my life making love to you whenever the need comes over me, and run in the woods with you. But right now I need to taste you. Lick from your wet pussy until I’ve made you come over and over. Then I want to bury myself inside of you and make slow love to your body, bringing you to peak until you faint away with it.”

She stared up at him, and he could feel her fear. He was afraid too, but not of her embarrassing him. He was afraid that she’d never trust him, never want to share what was going on with him. He was terrified that she’d never love him. He needed her.

“If I stay here, will you tell me when you get tired of me? Will you let me know when I’ve embarrassed you?” He nodded, afraid to speak and frighten her again. “I’m not going to be able to stay here all day without anything to do. I need a job. I was thinking of going to work for the other cable company as a lineman. I know your family owns this one, but—”

He kissed her, cutting her off. As far as he was concerned, if she wanted to work for their competitor, he was fine by that so long as she stayed with him. When she rolled her hips up to meet his thrusts, he lifted his head again and sat up between her legs.

“You have on entirely too many clothes.” He reached for the tie at her pants and slowly untied them, touching her wherever and whenever he could. “I think that in order for us to seal this deal we’ve just come to, we need to seal it with me inside of you.”

“I like that idea too.” She lifted her hips and he pulled her pants down over them, then lifted her legs up to his shoulders and pulled them off. Kissing her calves as he ran his hands up and down her legs, he smiled when she moaned at him.

“I’ve missed you, the taste of you.” He bit into her muscle and felt it quiver under his hand. “Do you have any idea how much I want to mark you again? Bite into your creamy flesh and draw your blood into my mouth?”

“Reed, you’re killing me. Please do something productive before I bash your head in.”

He laughed at her. “So romantic.” Laying her legs on either side of him, he opened the fly of his jeans and freed his cock. When she leaned up on her elbows and looked at him, he fisted himself and watched her face.

“You’re so thick. I wonder how you ever fit inside of me.” He felt his balls tighten against him when she reached her fingers out and curled them around his dark head. “I’ve never tasted you. Would you let me? I’d like to feel your cock in my mouth when you come.”

“Christ yes.” She sat up and he leaned back on the bedpost. She moved her way toward him like a cat, crawling up him until her mouth was just inches from his cock. Her tongue came out and she licked him, and he nearly came up off the bed. When she wrapped her mouth around him, Reed thought that if he lasted more than the next few seconds it would be a miracle.

She played with him at first, licking and suckling at his cock before she leaned down and took him into her mouth. With her still on her hands and knees, he tried to think how to get her to turn so he could drink from her as well when she swallowed him.

“Mother fuck, yes.” His eyes rolled back in his head, and he could feel his heart pounding so hard he thought he was dying. When she lifted her head, he could only beg her to finish him, but she shook her head. Christ, she was going to really kill him. Lying down now she cupped his balls gently, and as she rolled them in her hand, her tongue worried at his opening. Curling his fingers into her hair and lifting her up, he commanded her to finish him.

As soon as she took him back into her warm mouth, he knew that she was going to make him suffer. Before he could tell her again to give him his release, she pulled away from him.

“I need to come.” He nodded, unable to think beyond his cock. “Please help me. I really need to come.”

He told her to lie back. As soon as she was in the position he wanted her to be, he moved over her so that his cock was at her mouth and his mouth over her pussy. When he leaned down, he told her to open for him. When she was spread before him, he leaned down and suckled her clit into his mouth and bit her.

Her release was strong and her juices flowed from her. When he felt his cock in her mouth, he began fucking her, gently at first, but that soon went to the wayside when she cupped his ass and brought him deeper. When she swallowed him this time, he knew that he was going to come this way, but before he could warn her, she rolled his balls again and he came with a roar.

She cried out her own climax as well, making him want more of her, need more of her. When she let him go, he moved around and poised his cock at her entrance. She pulled his mouth to hers and he could taste himself on her. He slammed into her, and she screamed again. Then he moved his mouth to her shoulder. She licked at his throat, and his cat roared at him to take her. When she sank her teeth into him, his cat raced up and he bit her as well, tearing into her tender skin and claiming her. Reed emptied into her. His body was spent as he lay over her.

When she giggled a few minutes later, he lifted his head and looked down. “You nearly kill me and think this is funny somehow? Woman, what am I going to do with you?”