Zander quickly shut down all the engines. The vessel slowed, then drifted toward the fishing boat that waited for them, white against the blue sea.
The larger boat rocked calmly, floating on gentle seas in the summer sun, and the world was quiet.
* * *
Zander wanted nothing more than to take Rae belowdecks and made fast and furious love to her in one of the empty cabins. Hell, he’d even do it on the deck itself, in the sunshine, no matter how many people were on this damned boat.
But they weren’t quite free yet. Carson tried to arrest Zander on the spot but his flunkies had gone on strike. The one who’d been sick gave Carson a hollow-eyed stare and said bluntly, “I quit.” His fellow guard nodded in fervent agreement.
“Piotr!” Zander, up on deck in the stern, bellowed through his cupped hands at his friend on the other vessel. “Take these guys back to shore with you.” He pointed at the guards, who’d come outside to hang on the deck’s rail, breathing heavily. “And look after my boat, will you? Don’t let anyone abscond with it.”
Piotr gave him a salute. “I will if I don’t get arrested, you crazy s.o.b.”
Zander waved this away. “You know everyone in Homer. You’ll talk them out of it.”
Piotr shrugged. “Probably. What about Rae? I’ll take her home with me too, nice and safe.”
Rae, who’d come out beside Zander, shook her head. “I’ll stay here,” she called.
She looked regretful, as though she’d rather sit in a warm house and eat Russian pastries than follow Zander on whatever loony thing he decided to do next. But they had a sword to fix, training to resume.
Miles came back on board as Piotr drew the fishing boat close. Ezra came too, carrying the packs that Zander had asked him to bring. Miles charged past Zander and Rae as soon as he made it to the deck, heading into the pilot house to see whether Zander had left his boat in one piece.
Ezra said to Zander as he handed him the packs and Zander’s samurai swords, “You were right. There’s nothing for me at home now. Piotr said he’d look after the house for me. I’m going to go find some other Shifters and figure out my life.”
Zander only gave him a nod. “There are plenty of bunks below.” Ezra said nothing, only gave him a grateful look and disappeared to the cabins.
Piotr was waving both arms and yelling a parting good-bye at the top of his voice. He gave a final wave then turned away, already talking good-naturedly with Carson’s guards. Zander suspected that by the time they reached port, the two men and Piotr would be best friends. Piotr would no doubt take them for a drink before heading home to his wife and kids.
Zander felt a pang of regret as he watched the boat recede. Piotr was a good guy and Zander always hated saying good-bye to him. But when this was all over, he’d take Rae to Nikolaevsk for a visit. Piotr and his wife were gracious hosts.
That left Miles and Carson to deal with. “Miles,” Zander said, leaning in the door of the pilot house. “Head for the mainland. Anywhere is fine.”
Miles nodded in acknowledgment as he continued checking over readouts and switches, like a hen fussing over his chicks. Zander left him to it and went below, down to the storage rooms where Carson had first locked up Zander.
Zander had put Carson into a room there, which could be locked from the outside. The door had a small round window through which Zander could see that Carson was sitting on the cot they’d dragged in for him.
Carter frowned at Zander when he noticed him looking in. “If you take over my boat,” Carson called to him, “the charge will be piracy.”
“Don’t worry,” Zander said. “I’ll give it back.” Carson snarled something under his breath but Zander, after making sure the door was securely locked, left him to go look for Rae.
He found her in one of the larger cabins on the main deck, sitting cross-legged on the bunk and gazing morosely at her broken sword. The sun coming through the cabin’s window glistened in her dark hair and on the sword’s silver blade. She’d shucked her jacket, which lay on the floor, and wore a sweater beneath that hugged her breasts.
Zander sat on the edge of the bed. “Hell of a day,” he said.
Rae looked up at him, her eyes widening. “Shouldn’t you be watching Miles?”
“He’s fine. More worried about the boat than us.” Zander rested his fingers, which were cracked from the sun and wind, on his thighs. “He won’t call the Coast Guard or Shifter Bureau—he doesn’t want us blabbing that he’s really a Shifter.”
“Would you turn in Miles to Shifter Bureau?” Rae asked in worry.
Zander looked at her in surprise. “You think I’d do something like that? His secret is safe with me, Little Wolf. He just doesn’t need to know that yet.”
“I don’t know what you’d do, Zander.” Rae’s gray eyes were full of anger, confusion, and fear. “Just when I think I have you figured out, you go and do something even more lunatic than before.” She gave him a fierce glare, though Zander sensed that behind it, all she wanted to do was scream at him or laugh. Laughter was better, so he’d try to coax it from her.
Zander put his fist on his chest. “What can I say? I’m a madman.”
“No, you’re not. You pretend to be, but you’re not.”
Rae’s gaze was too perceptive. “Hey, don’t go giving away my secrets,” Zander said. “And I really am crazy. It’s the only way to keep myself sane.”
Rae shook her head but the corner of her lip twitched. “See what I mean? When we’re someplace safe and I stop being scared, I am seriously going to yell at you.”
“We’re never going to be safe, you and me.” The words weren’t the ones Zander meant to say but they came out anyway. “Trouble will always find Shifters like us. It’s how we deal with it that makes us strong.”
Rae rested her chin on her balled fist. “If you’re trying to make me feel better, you know you really suck at it.”
“No, what I want is . . .”
Zander broke off. To hell with this. He rose, reached down, and dragged Rae off the bed and into his arms.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Zander didn’t hold back with the kiss. Rae came off her feet, Zander’s arms hard around her while he opened her mouth with his.
Rae clung to Zander as his kiss turned fierce. Carson was below them, Miles and Ezra somewhere on the boat, and the cabin door was unlocked, but Rae couldn’t seem to care.
Zander kissed her as though he’d never have another chance. His mouth was commanding and at the same time tender. Rae stroked her hands down his back then wormed her fingers under the giving sweatpants to cup his very firm ass.
Zander jumped but Rae didn’t withdraw. His backside was tight and nice and she pressed her fingers into it as she kissed him back.
Zander made an mmph sound in his throat. He lowered Rae to the mattress and shoved the sword out of the way. The sword fell from the bed, rang once as it hit the floor, then went silent.
Rae couldn’t be bothered to see whether it was all right. Zander rose, taking his wonderful heat with him, but not for long. He stripped off his shirt and came down on the bed on top of her, his warmth driving all the bad things away.
Zander slid Rae’s sweater and tank top up her torso, fingers finding the back hooks of her bra. He pressed a hot kiss to her abdomen, pushed the garments up to her shoulders, then took her breast in his mouth.
Rae groaned with the joy of it. She arched to meet him, hands cupping his head. His tongue played on her nipple, his mouth hot and wet, a place of fire.
Rae was lonely and scared, had been terrified by the Graveyard, and was mad as hell at Zander for . . . everything. But, oh Goddess, he knew how to hold her, touch her, make her feel wanted, protected, treasured. He caressed with his hands and mouth, his hunger coming to her. Shifters loved sex—for mating, for comfort, for fun. Never any shame in it.
Zander had no shame at all licking Rae’s breast, thoroughly pleasuring it before he moved to its twin. He closed his teeth over the
nipple, tugging, and the tiny dart of pain seared her with liquid heat.
Rae felt pliable and open. She wanted this man inside her with a mindlessness that would be alarming if she cared about such things right now.
Rae closed her legs around Zander’s hips, urging him down. His sweatpants weren’t thick enough to hide how rigid his cock was, the beautiful length of it pressing hard on her between her legs. He wanted to be inside her as much as she needed him there.
Zander lifted his mouth from her nipple, taking away the lovely warmth, but he cupped her breasts in his big hands as he dipped his head to kiss her lips.
Yes . . . Rae planted her feet on his thighs, pulling him onto her. His full cock slid along her opening under her jeans, the friction hot and exciting.
Zander planted his hands on either side of her head and dragged his mouth from hers. “No,” he said hoarsely.
“Yes,” Rae answered. The sound that came out of her throat sounded like a purr but she was a wolf. Must be a growl. She wrapped her entire body around his, rubbing against his cock, unable to stop herself.
“No.” The word was firmer this time, though heavy with regret.
“Yes,” Rae repeated. She pulled Zander closer, kissing him hard before he could speak again.
He groaned in his throat as he came down to her, the silken ropes of his braids touching her skin. His mouth was hot as he kissed her in need and desperation, and Rae just as desperately kissed him back.
Zander tore his mouth from hers again, his breath coming fast. “Goddess, Little Wolf, you’re gonna kill me.”
“Then we’ll die happy,” Rae said, smiling.
Zander growled, the note in it ferocious. “If I start with you, sweetheart, I won’t be able to stop myself. I’ll keep going no matter what. If the ship goes down, I’ll be too busy to care.”
“Me too.” Rae’s chest felt heavy, her nerves buzzing. “We almost died, Zander. We should celebrate.”
“No kidding. We will.” Zander’s eyes were alight with the same fire running through her. “We will, but later. Hell, I’d be in here with you until the boat ran aground and I still wouldn’t want to leave. Carson will get free, come in here, and shoot us both.”
Rae tried to tell herself Zander was right. They had to remain vigilant—they weren’t safe yet. Carson wasn’t stupid. He’d find a way to take over again if they didn’t watch out.
Rae’s body, heart, and desire had other ideas. If they were in so much danger, if Shifter Bureau might be waiting for them wherever they docked, then Rae needed to be with Zander as much as she could right now. This might be their only chance.
She reached for him, but Zander pinned her arms above her head. Not bad. Rae wriggled against him.
“Mating frenzy,” Zander said, his voice harsh. “It’s crushing us.”
“You think?” Rae tried to free her hands but Zander was too strong. Only made her position more enticing.
Zander went on, his dark eyes full of heat. “We escaped certain death, the damned sword is flaring all kinds of magic at us, and our mating instincts are running amok. True frenzy. We want to lock our bodies together and not come up for weeks.”
“I know.” Rae arched, using his weight on her wrists to send her hips up to his. “I’m not hating it.”
Zander growled a laugh. “Neither am I, Little Wolf.” He removed his powerful grip to touch her lower lip. Rae smiled and bit his finger.
Zander’s face darkened. “Oh Goddess. We’re so screwed.”
“Just hold me,” Rae said. “I need that at least.”
Zander shook his head, his eyes closing in pain. “No, I’m fighting this. I have to.”
Rae desperately cupped his face with her free hand but Zander jerked away.
“No,” he said firmly. He opened his eyes, a light in them that broadcast his strength, his drive, and his bear-strong stubbornness. “Only one way we’re going to fix this. Even if it’s temporary.”
He dragged Rae up and off the bed. Rae came readily, hoping he meant they’d find somewhere more private to work off their longing.
Zander shoved Rae’s tank top and sweater down to cover her breasts and pulled her into the hall. The boat rocked in the heavy sea, the passageway listing back and forth. Zander carefully towed Rae down the hallway and opened a door.
Inside was a bathroom, one obviously designed for men. Two urinals decorated the wall on one side and the other held two showerheads and a drain. There was a short tile partition between the showers but no curtains or any other screen in front of them. Sailors had to get used to little privacy, she supposed.
Before Rae understood what was happening, Zander had her sweater, tank top, and bra off her, exposing her to the empty bathroom. He unbuttoned and yanked down her jeans then her underwear. Rae was already kicking off her boots. Mating frenzy in the shower could be great. Hot water, soap, maybe some shower gel if the guys on this boat weren’t too macho to have it.
Zander looked Rae over once she was naked, a wild light in his eyes. Then he clenched his jaw and pushed her against the far wall of one of the showers.
Rae landed against the tile, which was cold, and bounced right back off . . . in time for Zander to yank the water on and then get the hell out of the way.
A stream of ice-cold liquid poured over Rae’s bare body. Zander spun away and was out the door so fast an equally icy draft slammed through the room as the door banged shut.
Rae screamed. And screamed. The water was damn cold.
But Zander had known what he was doing. Frenzy left Rae’s body as survival instincts took over, along with rage. Rae slapped off the water with a blue-fingered hand.
“I hate you, Alexander Fucking Moncrieff!” Her words echoed in the bare tiled room.
“Yeah, I know.” His voice came from down the hall, then there was another slam as Zander left the cabins for the outer deck.
Rae turned to the wall and beat on it a few times with her fists. It hurt—blood stung as it flowed back into her hands.
“Hate you,” Rae whispered to the wall, then groaned. “And I want you so much, you stupid, crazy, big-ass bear.”
* * *
Zander dealt with his frenzy by stripping off in the cabin he’d chosen for himself, walking out to the stern of the boat, and diving into the freezing waters. If he’d remained in the bathroom with Rae, cold water or no, he’d have taken her up against the wall.
His frenzy was so high he could taste it, like blood burning his mouth. Shit.
The waters of the Pacific woke him out of the haze of need, but only so much. He loved the way Rae tasted—saltiness laced with cinnamon and desire. Before today, Zander would never have been so poetic to say someone tasted like cinnamon and desire, but Rae did.
Zander shifted to bear almost immediately, the only way he could survive a dunk in the icy water. His libido calmed slightly as he started to swim, diving under the boat and making schools of fish explode away from him.
He noticed abstractedly that the boat was a good one. The tight hull had been worked on and painted recently, almost pristine except where rocks in the Graveyard had scraped it. The engines were powerful, strong enough to get them through heavy seas. Zander preferred his fishing boat, but this one would do for a longer journey.
Zander swam for a while longer then finally heaved himself back on deck and shook himself from head to tail.
Rae had come out of the cabins in time to be sprayed all over. She shrieked. “Damn you, Zander. I just got dry!”
Zander huffed a laugh, which came out a growl. He shook again, more lightly this time, as Rae wiped the water from her skin in irritation.
Zander knew that if he shifted to human right now the frenzy would return with blasting fury, so he sauntered past her to the closed door to the cabins. Rae made no move to help him open the door, only watched him, her arms folded across her water-spattered sweater.
Zander hid another laugh, reached out with his paw, and opened the door—just to sho
w her that bears had figured out doorknobs.
Zander heard Rae stomping away as he entered the cabins . . . or attempted to enter. The doorway was narrow—a polar bear was a tight fit, and Zander got stuck. He tried to force himself through but only succeeded in wedging himself more firmly.
Zander heaved a sigh and shifted to human form. The doorframe released him but he fell to his hands and knees before he could catch himself.
Please, Goddess, don’t let Rae be seeing this. She’d lose her anger at him and laugh her ass off.
But he heard nothing. Rae had gone, leaving Zander to pick himself up, rub diesel grit from his knees, and saunter to his cabin, his need for Rae not soothed one bit.
* * *
Zander redressed in his cabin then took up his samurai swords, including a bamboo one his friend had also left him, and returned to the deck.
“Rae,” he said to her where she sat in the wheelhouse with Miles and Ezra. “Come on. Let’s keep training.” He signaled to Rae to follow him and disappeared back into the sunshine.
He heard Rae emerge behind him. “How am I supposed to fight?” she asked after she closed the door. “My sword is, you know, broken.”
“With mine.” Zander held the sheathed samurai sword out to Rae.
At that moment, Miles accelerated. He did it gradually, smoothly, no jerking, but Rae stumbled. Zander reached to catch her, but she lithely regained her balance, grabbed the sword, and spun away from him.
“Nice footwork,” Zander said.
Sunshine glistened in the water droplets in Rae’s hair and burnished her skin where she’d rolled up her sleeves. “What footwork?” she asked. “I almost fell.”
“But you caught yourself right away. You’re learning.
Rae held the sheathed sword at her side. “I thought we’d fix the Sword of the Guardian before we did more training.”
“You thought wrong.” Zander swung the bamboo training sword at his side, making the air hum. “Sword craft isn’t something you learn overnight. It takes years. We might as well get started. Besides, it will take our mind off our other problem.”
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