The Link That Binds (14 page)

* * * *

Jace would have attacked Shamus the moment he saw him if the guy hadn’t pulled a gun on the kids as he stepped out of the dark blue van.

Jace was fast, but he wasn’t Superman and he couldn’t risk them getting shot before he could pounce and disarm the vampire.

They’d only been a few blocks away, but they had taken some shortcuts through people’s back yards. He’d heard Jason trying to make his older brother go back, but Kyle hadn’t been listening. The kid might have grounds for being pissed, but when a team of good-guy soldiers take you to a safe house, you fucking stay put.

When Christa stepped out of the van, Jace’s muscles tensed even further, preparing to attack. Shit, he needed to do something. If he waited, there’d only be more of them to deal with. So waiting for a better advantage than what he had now wasn’t an option.

At least the wind was on his side as he stalked through the shadows, hoping the small glimmer would allow him to stay unnoticed. The glimmer didn’t make him invisible, just sort of bent the light around him so he wouldn’t be seen. But he could be spotted if one knew what to look for.

The kids struggled as Christa tried to push them into the van and Jason even got in a kick to the bitch’s gut. But when the hag backhanded him for it, Jace snapped and let out a roar as he charged them.

Kyle got Jason off to the side as Jace pounced through the air, his jaw closing down hard on Shamus’s hand holding the gun.

Shamus screamed and grabbed hold of whatever the hell had gotten its teeth in him. He got Jace by the scruff of the neck with his uninjured limb and tried to pull him off with little success. Both Jace and his leopard were pissed; their cubs were being threatened. By a lowlife, no less. Needless to say, the only way Shamus would get loose would be with one less limb.

Jace had no intention of letting him go and shook his head ferociously, his canines sinking into the bone and then some.

“Shoot him!” Shamus cried out.

Just then, Jace remembered Shamus wasn’t there alone and instantly threw the lackey vamp to the ground before jumping in front of the kids and snarling at Christa, who’d tried to sneak up on them.

His cat showed off all its sharp, flesh-shredding teeth making damn sure they knew what would happen if they tried anything. Just about ready to pounce on them again, someone clearing his throat made him rear his head.

He already knew who it was.

Mika stood there with an almost psychotic smile on his face; it actually made him look as if Christa belonged by his side. Hell, even Jace had considered the detoxing vampire to be just a tiny notch above
that
shit… now he wasn’t so sure.

“Well, well, Jace. I have to say, I kind of thought you’d be of the orange tabby coloring, not white. A white spotted rug would clash with my office.” The vampire sneered as if genuinely annoyed by the fact that Jace didn’t match his furnishing.

The fucker.

Jace growled and advanced on the crazy vamp, but backed off as soon as Mika took out his gun and aimed it at the kids. He couldn’t do anything but snarl.

It gnawed at Jace that he couldn’t just attack and rip Mika to shreds. He could sense Jason’s fear, even if the kid put on a brave face and Jace knew he couldn’t do anything that would endanger those kids. They were Link’s, for fucks sake, and therefore they were his too. And you don’t ever fuck with a shifter’s cubs. Not ever. He just needed to wait for an opening… then, Mika’s ass would be his.

Needing to talk, but not daring to turn human, Jace let his body shift again. Growing longer, Jace stumbled to his back legs as he adapted to his Triferus shape. Shifting directly from his cat form to his third form felt really awkward and his joints ached as he stretched his limbs. But at least he made a bigger shield for Kyle and Jason.

“Get your filthy ass the hell away from my cubs, Mika!” Jace snarled in a rough, inhuman voice. It was the best he could do in this shape, but it was clear enough to get his point across.

Mika did not look happy with Jace being in his Triferus shape, his eyes widening a bit before he could school his features properly and glare. “You don’t get to decide the rules, kitten!” Mika sneered and made his point by taking a shot at Jace’s leg.

Christa looked as if she’d just received a birthday gift and giggled in her shrieky kind of way as Jace roared. There was no way people hadn’t heard. Mika’s gun might have a silencer, but Jace’s snarl didn’t.

Being sure to keep breathing properly, Jace did his best to ignore the pain. He had to ease some of the weight off his leg, but otherwise he still stood strong. To Mika’s annoyance.

“Cubs, huh? Guess you’ve been a little more to daddy than a rear up in the air. Gotta say I didn’t see that going anywhere, well, not past that quick little fuck you guys had on the bar.”

Jace froze, how the hell did he know? No way Link had told Mika about it.

“I’ve been keeping tabs on the place.” Mika snickered, gesturing to the building behind him. “Making sure my investments aren’t jeopardized. Gotta say I was surprised though, seeing you return to the place. Link must be one helluva fuck.”

Jace sneered. Wasn’t like the guy was wrong about his mate having skills, but the idea of Mika whacking off to Jace and Link having sex was nauseating.

“Too bad really. Link’s been a valuable employee. I’d hoped he wouldn’t betray me completely, but since you’ve pretty much confirmed you’re his mate, I will have to teach the man a lesson. You won’t have to worry about the kids though. They’ll be happy enough at the den… though technically, I’ll only need one of them to keep Link in line.” Mika chuckled, “Kyle, though, might suit the life of a donor.”

Jace snarled and launched himself onto the mad vampire at the same moment Mika squeezed the trigger. The bullet missed, but Jace’s canines didn’t and tore into Mika’s chest.

“No!” Christa shrieked and yanked Jace off him. Mika had been about to stab him with a gnarly looking knife. Out of nowhere, sirens suddenly sounded around them. Catching her off guard, Jace kicked the bitch in the gut, making her fly into Mika and Shamus, who still cradled his semi-mangled arm.

Sneering, Mika shouted, “Get the kids!”

Christa grabbed Jason by the arm and tried to pull him with her, but Kyle punched her straight in the face, giving just enough punch to make her loosen her grip and let Kyle pull Jason with him.

Her face must have been hard as bricks though because Kyle cried out on impact and Jace’s protective instincts went on alert. Before the bitch could grab at them again, Jace was straight up in her face and snarled, causing her to turn and run for the van.

“There’s no time!” He heard her shout at Mika as he yelled after her. Blinking blue lights came around the corner, just as Shamus dove into the van and spun out down the street as fast as the vehicle would go.

Shifting so fast his head spun, Jace all but passed out on the ground. The cops might have saved some lives, but Jace didn’t see himself being treated fairly as a seven foot two, furry beast.

* * * *

Hearing the chilling roar rip through the air had made Link’s blood run cold and it hadn’t been long before the police radio in the car picked up the call of a wild animal having been spotted in the middle of suburbia.

Link was taken off guard, though, when Sol had answered the dispatcher. He calmly explained they were with animal control and had received notice of the sighting. They were bringing tranquilizer guns and told her the cops wouldn’t need to get involved.

The dispatcher had thanked him and sent out a new text telling nearby police officers they needed to deal with a breaking and entering in progress instead, which just so happened to be way across town.

When Sol placed the siren on top of the car, Link began wondering what the hell else could be found in the car. Maybe a nuke and some fake passports or something.

Still following the tiger’s directions, Link was relieved as they spun around the corner and found Jace and his kids there. Alive, although both Jace and Kyle were on the ground.

A van drove away at a crazy speed just as they pulled up and Link didn’t even bother to put on the parking brake before jumping out of the car.

“Kyle! Jace? What happened?” he shouted as he got down on the ground between Jace and Kyle, pulling Jason into his arm in the process. Kyle seemed okay, but appeared to have hurt his arm.

“I’m sorry, Dad.” Kyle apologized, fear still evident in his voice.

Link’s heart pounded like crazy and he was damn lucky he didn’t start to hyperventilate.

“Mika, Christa and that dumbass minion Shamus’s what happened.” Jace groaned as he opened his eyes and sat up slightly.

“Are you okay?” Link asked, terrified when he saw the wound in his mate’s leg. “You’re hurt!” he stated.

“Just in the leg,” Jace soothed.

He actually soothed
him.

“It’s Kyle we need to worry about. He gave a nice swing, but I’m guessing the cement Ms Psycho Bitch’s been pouring into those craters in her face broke his hand.”

“Kyle, let me see,” Link ordered and true enough, at least two of his son’s fingers were broken.

“I’m so sorry, Dad, I just… I didn’t know…” Kyle began again, not able to hold back a few stray tears.

Mindful of his son’s hand, he pulled Kyle into a hug and kissed him on top of his head. “I’m just happy you’re here. And you’re totally grounded for the rest of your life.”

Letting go of his sons, Link mashed his lips to Jace’s, ignoring the fact his kids were right there. They would have to get used to it eventually.

He could so easily have lost them, but Jace saved them. If it hadn’t been for him… “I love you,” Link said when breaking the kiss, leaving his mate breathless.

“I love you, too,” Jace panted, before grabbing hold of him. “Now shut up and kiss me again.”

“Can I unwrap my present now?” Jace purred as he tugged on Link’s sleeve. He’d done the happy family schtick already.

They’d even had cake and a party. Jason had shown he was by far his biggest fan, except perhaps for his father, and even Kyle had warmed up to him quite a bit after the whole Christa ordeal.

Jace was just sorry he hadn’t gotten to off the bitch.

It wasn’t safe for Debra and the kids to stay where they’d been and so they’d moved in with Debra’s new mate, who really hadn’t let down on the possessive growling, but showed slightly better control of his shifts. Besides, he lived a lot closer to pride manor than Debra and the kids had before, which allowed Link to have more contact with his sons now that they had moved in with him.

Sol had even made arrangements for the boys to attend a school primarily founded for shifters, seeing as normal schools didn’t really have much in the way of vampire-proof security.

The two kids had actually gotten him a gift, nearly rendering Jace weepy. They’d gotten him this flying helicopter thing and Jace had to admit he loved feeling like a kid again, having it buzzing around the room. He even had to fight Sol for it.

But now the kids were gone and the cake devoured, and Jace wanted his
pressi
. Jace had made damn sure Link didn’t forget what he’d promised for his birthday and had spent the last two days making sure his mate would be ready.

His beast had been roaring all day and Jace had to admit when Link put the ban on sex before cake-time he’d nearly shifted in frustration. He’d barely had any sleep the previous night, not between Link reaming his ass and the general excitement about it being his birthday the following day.

Now though, he’d started getting testy. He could feel his shift trying to force its way forth and just go claim, but he’d been
trying
to be patient. And Link didn’t exactly make it easy on him.

Practically the whole time they were eating cake, the man had been playing a serious game of footsie under the table with Jace’s fun parts. Jace had been miffed as to why his mate took a seat across from him instead of next to him ‘til it dawned on him…

The man was clearly evil!

Not a second later after hauling Link into their room, Jace attacked. He barely restrained himself from shredding Link’s clothes, but found it hard to maneuver the damn buttons with his claws out. Jace hadn’t shifted yet, but they just wouldn’t retract. He could even feel his pointed canines protruding from under his lips.

Link chuckled beneath him, “Easy, kitten. You might shred something I intend to use later.”

That was the last thing he wanted and Jace reluctantly pulled back to let his mate undress himself. He wasn’t entirely unaware of the nervous energy coming from Link and he made sure to rub the tense muscles as they were exposed.

“You haven’t changed your mind, right?” Jace asked, dreading the answer. If his mate wanted him to stop, he would, but he also prayed to whatever god would listen that he wouldn’t have to.

“I haven’t changed my mind, Jace,” Link assured him. “But you can’t blame a guy for being nervous.”

“I know.” Jace purred, knowing the sound would at least drive his mate nuts.

Deciding they’d waited long enough, Jace pulled away from the bed and started to undress. He could feel Link’s eyes on him and Jace suddenly realized his mate wasn’t the only one with a case of nerves.

Jace had never had sex as a Triferus before. Sol had offered him the chance once, but he felt having sex like that ended up being much more intimate than just sex. It had been something he’d wanted to save.

Hopefully, he wouldn’t end up breaking his mate… he’d heard it happen before when one of the partners was human. Then again, if a little slip of a guy like Leo could handle the king of the jungle, Maddox, pounding into him, then he definitely had a chance.

Besides, Link was strong. Being as alpha male as a human could get was turning out to be one fucking potent aphrodisiac. Yum.

With his clothes on the floor and Link equally naked on the bed, Jace took a deep breath before he let the shift take him.