The Purrfect Plan (16 page)

"Remember, cookie, my office, my rules, my desk, and most importantly..." His hands covered her breast, as he pinched her nipples. She arched her back, groaning at the mix of pleasure and pain shooting through her, making her throb with need. He bent his head and licked her hardened nipple, while his hand slid down under her panties, finding her clit. He slowly circled the engorged bud. "…my woman." He leaned forward, his hot breath invading her ear before she melted as his hot wet tongue followed, licking the shell of her ear.

"There are people all over the house, if you don't want them to know what we're doing… you'd best keep quiet, but I'm going to try my best to make you scream." When he bit down on her lobe while sliding two fingers into her, she knew there was no hope in hell of her keeping quiet.

~ * ~

Despite her worries, Storm was a hit. He couldn't wipe his proud smile from his face. She interacted well with the families at the party. The women she'd made friends with at the lake and had gone shopping with the day before, stole her away to 'ooh and aahh' over the shiny ring on her finger. The men slapped him on the back, congratulating him on at last marking her.

He'd heard from Sky that Gia had left town and gone down to Sydney. The news only marginally set him at ease. While there was still a threat hanging over Storm, and without her memory to help confirm his and Hawk's theory, they could not relax their vigil to keep her safe. It didn't take long before Storm had gravitated toward the playing children. It seemed staying by her side the whole time was unnecessary; she did indeed shine. She was beautiful, inside and out.

"See, my boy, you've been worrying about nothing. Storm is doing fine. Such a sweet girl, my grandbabies have a wonderful mother." Maria smiled as proudly as he felt.

River couldn't help but agree. Watching Storm play and interact with the young cubs, she had a beautiful natural way with them. His heart ached for the kind of childhood Storm had survived through. Despite her words of not wanting anything, he had every intention of showing her all the pleasure a close family brought. He was glad he'd agreed for their engagement party to be a family affair rather than just grown ups. Everyone was enjoying themselves. And River got to catch up with many of the families of the town.

"River, got a minute?" Regan sidled up. "I got a call from a photo journalist this evening, wanting access to Black Town Reserve to take photos."

River took his gaze from Storm to face his enforcer, who doubled as the area's park ranger. "Give her the usual tour then send her on her way."

"It won't be that easy this time. The woman is Tinder Munro. She's not just a wild life photographer but an investigative journalist. I suspect she's going to try to get a snapshot of something more than just wallabies and koalas."

River snorted. Every so often people came to investigate the long running whispers of overgrown house cats. "Another one chasing the big cat rumors."

"If we turn her away, no doubt she'll get suspicious."

Regan sipped his beer as River thought it over.

He had a lot on his plate at the moment, and being newly mated, wanted more time with Storm.

"Want me to deal with her? I can sweet talk the old lady into believing ice cream comes from the cloud," Hawk chimed in with a grin before taking a swig of his beer.

Regan laughed. "Wait 'til you get a gander at this
old lady
. She'll cut your tail down to size."

"Ohh, I love a challenge. You gotta let me handle her."

River shook his head; damn his jaw ached. "Your nine lives will be up one day, bro. I'd tread with care, but go ahead and handle her all you like."

"Sweet." Hawk shook his beer bottle. "'Til then I need a new beer. Anyone want one?"

"I'll take another." Regan handed over his empty bottle before Hawk strode casually towards the makeshift bar.

"Congratulations, Alpha. It seems your mate and mine have become good friends."

"Sandy helped Storm feel more at ease. I appreciate her help. As you know it's not easy for humans to get used to our ways." River turned back to where his little cookie played with the children only to find her missing. His gaze slowly swept over the area but came up empty. Some of the kids had gravitated back towards their parents.

"She can't stop talking about her." Regan chuckled. "But then my girl can talk the ear off a donkey."

Hawk returned with the drinks.

The fine hairs pricked up on the back of River's neck, the feeling something was wrong. "Have you seen Storm?"

All three men now turned to search her out.

"Mum." Hawk beckoned Maria over. "Seen Storm?"

Maria paused with a platter of chicken in her hand. "I saw her running after little Flint just a moment ago. They were playing hide and seek."

Cold dread hit River's stomach. Every instinct told him something was wrong.

"Spread out. Find her, now!" he snapped. Without question, as a domino effect, Regan and Hawk spread out, relaying the search to every enforcer in at the party to obey his order.

He had to find her fast.

~ * ~

Breathless from running and playing the game of hide and seek with the little ones, Storm paused by the fence line of the backyard to calm her racing heart.

"Where are you, Flint? I'm going to find you," she called, peeking into the bush land, hoping they were not using it to hide. It was far too dark, and someone could get hurt tripping over the uneven ground and branches.

A soft sobbing caught her attention. Storm paused, holding her breath for a moment to listen. Worried about flint, she ventured into the darkness. She followed the sound, deeper into the bush land surrounding the back of the yard. With only a half moon to light her path, she gingerly picked her way over the leafy floor. Storm pushed the bushy branch out of the way, to find Alice's little four year old boy Flint, sobbing softly, his little body shaking.

"Hey, Flint, it's me Storm. What's wrong, sweetheart?" Crouching down low, she crawled over to the child, noticing how he gripped his leg.

"Have you fallen over? You hurt you're leg?"

Flint shook his head but did not look at her; instead he stared past her looking at something behind her. Storm turned her head to see what he was looking at. A woman stood only a few feet away, completely naked, her perfectly slender body, shadowed by the waxing moon.

A little hand tugged at Storm's arm bringing her attention back to Flint, the boy shook his head.

"Bad lady, bad, bad cat," he whimpered.

"I guess leaving you to burn alive was a bad plan after all."

Storm gasped. She knew her voice. She knew the woman. Storm gritted her teeth as a sharp pain ripped though her head. Memories of Gia, how she'd tricked her, knocked her out and left her to burn alive flooded through her mind.

"It was you!" Slowly, Storm stood up, shielding Flint with her body. "You tried to kill me, and now you've hurt an innocent boy just to get at me?"

"The half-breed brat is collateral damage; no half-breed deserves to live, along with pitiable humans who try to take what's rightfully mine. But I won't make the same mistake twice. As soon as you're dead, I of course will be there to help my mate through his grieving period."

The mad smile on Gia's face made Storm stiffen, her muscles tensed as anger rolled through her darker than an oncoming storm.

"River is not yours. He never was nor will he ever be. I don't give a damn who you think you are. Anyone who threatens unborn babies and innocent children is nothing but a dirty bitch who deserves nothing but to burn in hell."

Gia's face twisted in the shadows; her eyes glowed, rage rolling off her in waves.

Storm's eyes narrowed, tracking the other woman as closely as her vision allowed. She kept her breathing slow and even, despite the heavy pounding of her heart. Never would she allow this evil creature anywhere near River, and she would pay for hurting little Flint.

Gia sprung forward, her arms outstretched, her claws gleaming with deadly intent. Storm's mind clicked into action. She flexed her finger out and rolled her shoulder, with one quick step to the left, bracing her feet. She pulled back her arm before shoving it forward jabbing it straight into Gia's face.

Storm winced, hearing bones crack. Gia's pained scream pierced the air as she stumbled back, tripping on a branch. She landed heavily on her ass, her hands cradling her broken nose. Storm's arm throbbed with the impact, but not once did she relax, keeping her eyes trained on the other woman.

"You may have gotten the better of me once, but never again. Half my life watching my father beat my mother, I swore I'd never let it happen to me."

Gia whipped away the blood oozing from her nose with the back of her hand. In a flash, Gia leapt back to her feet and sprung forward. Storm only had time to move sideways so her stomach wouldn't take the brunt of the impact.

Pain flared through her side as Gia slammed her up against a gum tree. Before Gia could raise her clawed hand to slash at Storm, she twisted onto her ass, coiled her leg and kicked Gia hard enough to send her sprawling onto her back.

Even in the moonlight, Storm watched Gia's face turned a mottled red, her frustrated scream pierced the air. No doubt everyone in the whole town would have heard it.

Storm gasped as the woman's eyes began to glow in the darkness. Gia went into a crouch and shifted. She snarled loudly. Storm knew her self-defense training did not cover how to fight off a sharp-clawed and sharp-toothed cheetah, but there was no way in hell she'd go down without a fight.

Flint whimpered from beside her.

"It's going to be alright, Flint. Be brave for me, okay," she soothed, moving into a crouch over the boy, bracing her body for more pain which she knew would hit at any moment.

Gia growled low and coiled her cat body, ready to pounce.

Storm jumped in fright as a roar ripped through the air and a blur of black streaked past her eyes, colliding with the cheetah.

Storm twisted around and scooped up Flint into her arms before climbing to her feet. The cheetah was now pinned under the huge black panther, River. He shifted, his naked body glistening in the limited shadowy light.

"Shift now, Gia!" His voice low, edged with deadly menace.

Gia complied, her body twisting back into a naked woman. Storm frowned; not liking one bit them both being naked together.

"River, darling… She…she attacked
me."
Gia wailed defensively.

Anger curled through Storm at the blatant lie. She gripped Flint tighter, taking a step forward.

"Like bloody hell I did. You tried to kill me twice!" Storm yelled. She jumped, startled when a hand landed on her shoulder. She glanced up to see Hawk, standing by her side.

"You remember what happened?" Hawk asked.

"Yes, yes I do; that bitch tricked me to coming with her in River's truck. She knocked me out, tied me to the steering wheel, and left me to burn to death!" The realization hit hard, making her struggle for breath as she tried to deal with her rising panic. All the memories of that day flashed through her mind, clear as crystal.

"Easy, sis, it's okay. We'll take care of it from here." Hawk's tone was calm, even if his eyes did burn with anger.

"Why the hell would you attack my mate? What is wrong with you, Gia?" River demanded, moving up and off her.

"She is
not
your mate!" Gia screamed. "I'm your mate, I've always been your mate, not some fucking weak human. She deserves to die. They all deserve to die!" Gia snarled at River.

"No, Gia, I am not your mate, Storm is my true mate.
You
never will be. Do I make myself clear?" River drew in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "By our law I should kill you right now, but I clearly see you're mentally disturbed. We'll get you some professional help, Hawk have--"

Storm gasped as Gia suddenly shifted again, leaping at River.

"Storm, take Flint back to his parents now." Hawked pushed her back towards the path. Storm turned her head, glancing around Hawk to see River had shifted also, fighting back.

A little whimper from Flint bought her focus back to the injured boy in her arms. Despite her worry for River, she knew he could handle himself and Hawk was there to watch his back. She did as Hawk said, running back up the path. The loud snarls of both cats fighting ringing in her ears, she ignored other shifted cats streaking past her, focusing on the glowing lantern lights just ahead.

Breaking through the bush into the yard, she glanced wildly about, not knowing who to go to.

"Oh, God, Flint!" Alice ran forward. Storm gladly handed the toddler over to his mother.

"I think his leg's hurt," Storm mumbled in a daze.

"Sky, get a blanket. Ridge, get a chair."

Blinking, Storm stared into Maria's worried eyes.

"Are you hurt?"

"Um, no, I'm okay, it was Gia, she…she tried to kill me."

"I know, Storm. Take a deep breath, my dear. It's all over now. River's taking care of the problem."