Running in Fear Escaped (5 page)

A painful knot in her calf wrenched her from sleep. Jaycee grabbed hold of the leg and messaged it. Groaning, she reached over to nudge her mate, only to find the bed empty and cold. The clock next to her bed told her it was twelve o'clock in the afternoon. Jaycee moaned. A light tap on the door gained her attention, and Shelly poked her head in.

“Can we talk for a minute?” Jaycee patted the bed in response and scooted over, still rubbing down her calf. Shelly hopped on the bed, eyeing her leg.

“Muscle cramp, I take it?”

Jaycee laughed, “Yep. I want to say I'm sorry. I can't tell you everything, Shelly. There's so much none of you know.” She paused and looked at the bedroom door. “Soon I'll be able to tell you all of it, but not yet.” Jaycee turned and stared at her friend, trying to gauge her reaction.

But Shelly just looked to the door, ignoring all of what she'd said. “You know how I told you I didn't want to come here this month? Well, one of Dane's guards claims I'm his mate. He's here, Jaycee, and I just don't know what to do. I mean, the man is a hunk and all, but he's into the BDSM scene. I've no experience with that kind of stuff.” She shifted, wringing her hands nervously.

Jaycee smiled and took hold of her friend's hand. “I don't know what level he is – you'll have to ask him – but I know he'll show you everything you need to know. It's different, Shelly. I don't have a lot of experience, personally. I mean, I have been trained by a professional, but I have never had my own personal Master until now.” She laughed. “I do know that they only want your pleasure, and, if he's your mate, he won't hurt you. Just take your time.” Jaycee smiled.

Shelly flung her arms around her and hugged her. “Thanks for the advice. I'm here if you ever want to talk. Even though they're my brothers, you're still my best friend, and I'll help any way I can. I better go so you can take a shower and put some hot water on that calf.” Jaycee watched Shelly get up and slip out of the room.

Pushing the covers off, she limped her way to the bathroom. Yep, hot water would do the trick. She turned the shower on as hot as she could take it and stepped in. She stood under the water, letting all her sore muscles soak up the warmth, when she heard the bathroom door open. She knew it was Dane; his smell alone brought wetness to her folds. Dane's heated gaze scanned her wet body as he stepped into the shower with her.

“I was beginning to think you would sleep all day,” he grumbled and placed her hands on the wall in front of her. He pushed her upper body down, and his fingers entered her wet core.

“God, are you always this wet?”

“I'm in the shower,” she moaned as he pierced her from behind. His arms came around her, and he grabbed her breasts. This morning he took his time. Slowly, he touched every inch of her body, loving her.

Jaycee's body shook from her release, and she couldn't catch her breath. A pounding on the bathroom door interrupted them. She snarled and looked towards the door as Dane pulled out of her and stepped out of the shower. “I don't know what it is, but every time we have been together, someone has interrupted us. This better be important!”

His thick, muscled arm grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, flinging the door open with a thud. Jaycee could see Gaston standing there, his head lowered. Wrapping the other towel around her body, she stepped around Dane.

Gaston looked down at her. “Jaycee, I need to speak to you now. Alone,” Gaston stated and looked at Dane out of the corner of his eye. “I'm sorry, Dane, but this can't wait.”

She looked up, only to see a frown spread across Dane's handsome lips.

Jaycee pushed Gaston into the bedroom, away from Dane.

“What is it?” Jaycee hissed over her shoulder and pulled on her robe. She threw the towel down just as Dane stalked into the room still wearing his. He waited, his arms crossed over his chest, daring them to move him.

“I need to talk to you alone. I am sorry, Dane, but this business is from long ago.” Gaston pulled her out of the room, across the hall and into his bedroom. The door slammed shut, closing out Dane. Frank was pacing back and forth in the room.

“We have a problem. It seems James has gotten in touch with your stepfather. Our men spotted them in town talking. He's brought about twenty men with him,” Frank growled and shifted into his beast form.

Jaycee sank down onto the bed, stunned. “This can't be happening. How did James find out about him?” Jaycee shivered, a nightmare flashing though her mind: her stepfather and his men each taking turns raping her.

“We don't have enough men for this! We also noticed some of Curt's men snooping around the surrounding homes,” Gaston said, and walked over to Frank to calm him.

“I am sorry, Jaycee, but we need to know why he's after you. We know why we hate the man, but for him to go to this extreme, there has to be something. You never talked to us, just to the counselor.” Gaston held onto Frank, and they both stared at her, waiting for answers.

The bedroom door bust open, and a furious Dane stood there, glaring at Gaston and Frank.

“I want to know what's going on now. I can feel my mate, and she's terrified. What's wrong?” He moved into the room and glared at Gaston and Frank.

They all turned and stared at her. Jaycee knew it was time. They were surrounded and they had a right to know what they would be fighting for. She shook her head and got up, walking to the window. Her legs wobbled all of sudden, every ounce of her energy gone. The memory flashed in her mind of all those years spent running. While her gaze was focused out the window, her mind was lost in the nightmare.

She rested her forehead on the cold window. “It was my fifteen birthday. My stepfather, Curt Hayed, had tried to step into the Alpha role after my father left, but failed. He threw me a surprise birthday party. But there was no one there except his men and him. They trapped me in the barn and proceeded to rape me, all of them.” Jaycee closed her eyes and saw the faces of the men. “They were going to keep me locked up so no one would find me. But they were all so drunk they passed out. I got away that night and ran. One of my close friends gave me some clothes and money. After a while, I came here, the only place I could think of that would be safe. He didn't know where Gaston and Frank lived. Hell, he didn't care about them; he just wanted me.

“Curt knew I couldn't shift. He and my mother had always made it a running joke in our house, teasing me all the time. She knew what he was doing that night, but she didn't do anything to stop it. She blamed me for my father leaving, saying it was because I couldn't shift.” Tears slipped down her face.

Her knees buckled, and she would have hit the floor if not for Dane. He caught her and sank to the floor with her in his lap. She couldn't look him in the face. She felt so used, remembering how all those men had touched her.

“Mark, get your ass in here. Shelly, you too,” Dane ordered. He cradled her body, holding her and rocking her. Gaston and Frank sat down on the floor next to them, stunned. Jaycee noticed Gaston shake his head, anger replacing the shock on his face.

“Why did this all had to come out now?” Dane asked as he looked up at Gaston and Frank. “I assume something has happened.”

“Curt is here in town with James. It looks like they are working together now. Some of my men have seen them poking around the neighborhood. Curt's brought twenty men with him.” Gaston shook his head in frustration. “His men and James’ outnumber ours. We don't have much time. They know about this place and that she's here,” Gaston growled.

“I'm sorry, Gaston. I didn't want to bring this to your door,” Jaycee mumbled. In response, he scooted close to her and took her face into his hand.

“Well, I'm not sorry. We'll both kill him if he steps one foot near you. I just wish you would've told us sooner.” Gaston suddenly got up and rushed out the door. “I have to make contact with someone. I'll be right back.” Frank followed in his wake.

“Mark, I want you to call in the rest of my team. We need them, now. They should be able to make it here in an hour. Shelly, inform the rest of my men what's going on. I want double patrols, and I want Pierre to double-check all of the security systems.” Dane issued his command and rubbed his hands down her arms.

Jaycee watched Shelly race out of the room. Dane stood and carried her across the hall to her room.

He sat on the bed with her in his lap. “It all makes sense now. When my father and I went to look for you, your mom seemed as if she didn't care at all. And your stepfather was nervous. He kept pacing back and forth.” Dane paused. “He won't lay a finger on you, I promise. No one else will ever hurt you again.”

Dane placed his lips on hers in the softest, yet most reassuring kiss. It melted her heart.

She broke the kiss and stared up at his face. “I'm sorry about not being pure for you. Maybe that's why I can't shift.”

Dane smiled down at her. “Sweetheart, I got news for you. Your first shift won't occur until the full moon, and then you'll be able to shift any time afterward. You're already showing signs that it worked. You're healing faster, and I can smell your wolf. It wants to come out.” He smiled down at her and slipped his hand into her robe, caressing her breasts.

“I'm scared, Dane. I've been on the run from him for so long.” Jaycee scooted closer to the reassuring heat of his body.

He leaned against the headboard of the bed and held her tight. His hand still played with her breast. She laid her head down onto his chest and inhaled his scent. The smells of the forest filtered to her nose. It soothed and comforted her. His warm lips kissed her forehead, and his chin rested on her head. She closed her eyes and tried to picture him as he made love to her, but all that ran across her mind was Curt.

“Hush, baby, it's okay. He won't touch you, I promise.” Jaycee looked up as someone knocked on the door.

“Dane, Jaycee, could I talk to you for a moment? It's important,” Gaston added.

“Come in, Gaston,” Dane watched Frank and Gaston make their way into the room.

“I made contact with the National Council and informed them what has happened. It seems that your father is on his way here with several of his men.” He paused and stared at her. “He's been working for the Council these past years in secret looking for evidence against Curt and others.” Gaston's gaze never left hers.

Jaycee couldn't believe it. Her father was alive and he was coming here. She jumped up and paced the room. “Did he say why he never came for me before? Does he think this is going to make up for everything?” She stopped and glared at Gaston.

“No. I didn't talk to him personally,” Gaston replied, watching her carefully.

“He left me alone to deal with that asshole when I was just fifteen years old. The damage is done, Gaston. So why now?” Jaycee screamed, fresh tears running down her face. Dane stepped in front of her and wrapped his big, safe arms around her.

Gaston pleaded her father's case. “I'm sure he didn't know Curt would do this. It seems that Curt has been trying to build his own pack by infecting humans and changing them. The Council didn't want your father's pack involved, and they knew his second would jump into the Alpha spot. I'm sure he thought your mother would protect you.”

“When will they arrive?” Dane asked, rubbing her back.

“They're on their way. It should take them fifteen minutes to get here. They're flying in on helicopters. I have my men waiting for them now.” Frank turned and started to walk to the door with Gaston before Pausing and turning back to stare at her. “We love you little one,” Gaston said, walking out of the room.

“Crap, what should I wear? Does my father think I'm going to go with him? If he thinks for one minute I am going anywhere with him, he has another thing coming.” She ran to the closet and threw open the door. Flipping on the switch, she walked in and started to dig through her clothes. Dane followed behind her.

Jaycee whipped around the closet, picking out an outfit, only to throw it to the floor to grab another. She heard Dane's laugh behind her and turned to glare at him.

“This isn't funny. I am scared shitless here, Dane,” Jaycee shouted, turning her attention back to her wardrobe.

“Hey, what's this?” Dane held up a black leather skirt. She knew the skirt barely covered her ass.

She smiled up at him, teasing. “That's what I was going to wear tonight. I have some killer black leather boots that come all the up to my thighs to go with it. You should see me in them.” She fluttered her eyelashes, continuing to tease him. “I must say I look hot in it. When Gaston and Frank first seen me in that skirt, they had a fit. They tried to take it away, but I hid it. I found it again yesterday.”

Jaycee bent down to the floor and grabbed her boots to show him, but she didn't get the chance. His deep growl indicated he wasn't too happy. He grabbed onto her and turned her around, pushing her robe out of the way. The noise from the zipper from on pants was the last thing she heard before he pushed his thick cock into her tight folds.

He snarled. “You'll not wear that outfit for anyone except me. If I'd known you even planned on wearing that, I would've tied your ass down to that bed and sent someone in your place.” Hoyt gripped her hips tight and banged into her again.

Her laugh ended in a moan.

Dane reached around, grabbing her clit, and pinched it. Her body jerked with hard, quick tremors that surged through her. Her tight inner muscles squeezed his cock, milking it, and sent him over the edge.

A voice from long ago penetrated her fuzzy brain. He was there, and she was making love.

“Shit, Dane.” She turned her head and growled. “Now look, I'm not even dressed and my father's here. Goddamn it!” she yelped as he swatted her ass, pulling out of her. He grinned at her, tucking the black leather outfit away into a plastic bag.

“Just pick something, and make sure it's a dress. Every time I think of you in this outfit, I'm going to find you and fuck you.” Dane growled and walked out of the closet, her outfit under his arm.

“Are you crazy? You're not touching me in front of my father!” She pulled on a blue navy skirt and a blouse to match. She heard the men downstairs and shoved her feet into a pair of sandals. She was just in time. Dane pulled the door open a moment later, and her father entered.