Turning Payne

by Chantel Seabrook

  Riley's stomach tightened at the thought of her sister. Was she scared? Hungry? Had the animal taken over her mind completely?

  The oil sizzled in the pan. She threw in the diced peppers and poured the whisked eggs over top. After breakfast, she would convince Turner to take her to see Kiera today. Somehow, she would figure out how to get them both out of this Twilight Zone nightmare.

  Her mind drifted, replaying the events from the day before, pausing on the unexpected moment Turner had stripped. Broad shoulders, smouldering grey eyes, tuff of dark hair that trailed down his rock hard abs towards his—Stop it, Riley!

  She blew out an irritated, sexually frustrated breath.

  The man was too hot for his own good—or her own good. She needed to stay focused on what mattered, because if she had to choose between sexy werelion guy and her sister, her choice was easy.

  Chapter 9

  Turner leaned against the doorframe and watched Riley move around the kitchen. She mumbled under her breath. Her expression flickered between annoyed and aroused. She'd dressed in a pair of jeans that hugged her tight ass, and her red hair fell down her back in a sexy, tangled mess. Her mouth was swollen from sleep and his mind immediately went where it shouldn't—those sweet lips screaming his name while he buried himself deep between her legs.

  He groaned silently. He'd woken up with one hell of a hard on. Her intoxicating scent had infused his dreams and made him rock hard.

  Just being near her made him antsy as hell. She wasn't just any woman. She was Boyd's daughter. The man he'd supposedly killed. The man who was responsible for killing and mutilating hundreds, if not thousands, of metamorphs. The man who he believed without a shadow of a doubt was responsible for his mother's abduction.

  The brutal memories of the months after his mother had gone missing were still fresh in his mind. It didn't matter that he'd only been a kid, there were some things a person could never forget—and his mother driving off in Boyd's black Cadillac just two days prior to her disappearance was one of them.

  He'd given up too much to be sidetracked now.

  "Good morning." He cleared his throat and stepped into the room.

  A small gasp escaped her lips. She whirled towards him, a spatula in one hand and a jar of empty salsa in the other. Her gaze drifted down his torso and a fierce blush rolled up her neck, darkening her cheeks. "I wa-was just making breakfast."

  "Perfect, I'm starving." He sat down at the island across from her and tried to ignore the way his heart began to race the moment she looked at him.

  "Your fridge is a little empty."

  "I've been out of town the past few days. We can make a stop at the grocery store later," he said, watching her. She cut the omelette in half and placed the larger piece on his plate. He eyed the food appreciatively. "A regular Giada De Laurentiis."

  Riley's smile reached her eyes, softening her features. "You watch the Food Network?"

  He shrugged. "She's hot."

  She laughed and sat down beside him. "So you like older women."

  He grinned and quirked an eyebrow. "Jealous?"

  She lowered her gaze to her food and he could see the heat creep up her neck. He regretted the question immediately. Flirting was off limits.

  "So, this whole shifter thing. How does it work?" she asked.

  "What do you mean?'

  "Do you live in packs, or..." She tucked her chin and poked at her eggs with her fork. "That sounded terrible, sorry. I didn't mean to imply…"

  He leaned back in his chair and studied her. "Some do. Wolves and Coyotes are more likely to roam in packs. Bears and cats tend to be more solitary."

  "Bears?" Her mouth dropped open.

  "We come in all shapes and sizes." Winking, he flexed his muscles and grinned.

  She turned an even darker shade of red and looked away, but not before he caught the quick dilation of her pupils when she glanced at his bare chest.

  Chewing on her bottom lip, she shifted in her chair. Her arm brushed against his and she breathed in sharply.

  The heat of that single touch burned through him. Part of him thought it was the adrenaline from yesterday that had created a heightened awareness of each other, but now…dammit, this was all fucking wrong.

  He took her plate when she was finished eating, and placed it in the sink. He turned, and leaned against the cupboard. She licked her lips, and it took all of his strength to not claim them as his own. He blew out a breath and rubbed the back of his neck.

  "What?" she asked, her eyes wide and innocent, as if she didn't know the effect she had on him.

  His lion rumbled and it must have been audible because her breathing changed and she gripped the counter, standing abruptly. The movement stirred something primal within him. He could smell her desire. It tickled his senses and sent the blood rushing to his cock. But there was also reservation behind her eyes.

  Walk away. That was the best thing he could do. And he had every intention of doing it—but her gaze pulled to him, and before he could stop himself, he had her pinned against the wall, one hand wrapped around her waist, the other tangled in the hair at the nape of her neck.

  She sucked in a sharp breath. Her eyes were wide, but she didn't protest. She wanted him. And God, he wanted her. Mine, his animal growled. There was so much wrong with the entire situation, but in that moment, he didn't care.

  He ran his thumb down her jaw. She shivered and closed her eyes.

  One taste.

  He dipped his head and her lips parted. She placed her palms on his chest and leaned in, the heat of her breath teasing his mouth. Her breath was choppy. Cupping her jaw, he traced the outline of her mouth with his thumb. His throat constricted—fuck.

  What was he doing?

  Her presence was like a tsunami, threatening to drown him if he didn't run fast. He was the king of throwing caution to the wind, but even he had his limits.

  He pulled back and dropped his hands to his side.

  She blinked at him, emotion swirling in her green eyes—a mixture of fear and desire.

  "I didn't mean to…" He raked his fingers through his hair and put more distance between them.

  A cool mask of calm came over her face, but he didn't miss the small tremble of her lower lip. She squared her shoulders and faced him.

  "You said you'd take me to see my sister."

  "Yeah," he grunted, both glad and oddly irritated that she'd changed the subject so quickly. "Let me shower and get dressed and we'll head out."

  She nodded solemnly and moved to walk past him.

  On instinct, or some other primal response that he didn't want to scrutinize, he reached for her arm. "Riley, wait."

  She glanced down at his hand that was wrapped around her wrist and frowned.

  "I appreciate what you're doing for me and Kiera." She took a deep breath and shivered, but kept her gaze down. "But I think it's best if we don't make things any more complicated than they already are."

  He ran his thumb over the star-shaped pattern of freckles along her delicate wrist bone and sighed. A confusing rush of disappointment hit him. She was right, but that didn't calm the nagging beast within him. She's not ours, he reminded the animal. The lion snarled in response.

  He dropped her hand and nodded. "I'll be ready in ten minutes."

  Chapter 10

  The morning breeze held the first hint of winter, but despite the nip in the air, Riley's blood burned like molten lava.

  He'd almost kissed her, and she'd wanted him to. He stirred a need within her that she hadn't known existed. Lust, pure and simple, but there was nothing simple about Turner Payne. She wanted to believe that it was because it had been so long since she'd been with anyone, but she knew it was a lie. Her body had been sexually comatose before he showed up.

  She ignored the frown he gave her as he got out of the car. He'd been moody and silent the entire drive over. But she hadn't missed the periodic side glances whenever he thought she wasn't paying attention.

 
He reminded her of the Siamese cat, Blu, she had as a child—playful one moment, sullen and moody the next. Even his eyes were the same silvery-grey, rimmed with darker shades, making the irises appear eerily translucent in the shadows.

  Right now, those eyes were trained on her behind a mask of stoicism. He seemed to be as disconcerted around her as she was around him.

  The almost-kiss hung in the air around them. He'd pulled back, which was probably for the best. But the 'what if' was a fire in her gut. And every subtle touch, every stolen glance, only added kerosene to the growing flames.

  She followed him up the walkway towards a large two-story house. "How long has your brother and his, er, mate, lived here?"

  He cleared his throat and looked away. "They built it a couple of months ago."

  He rang the doorbell, then shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at her.

  Damn kerosene. Even with the wariness in his eyes, she felt her knees weaken under his gaze.

  The door swung open and Riley did a double take. There was no doubt that the man in front of her was Turner's brother. Same dark hair, olive complexion, strong, sculpted bone structure. The main difference was the piercing blue of his eyes. He was handsome, but there was an authority to the man that hardened his features, and made him less approachable than Turner.

  She gave him a weak smile when his icy gaze focused on her. A muscle in his jaw flexed. It was a look meant to intimidate, and she fought the urge to recoil. Instead, she straightened her shoulders and tilted her chin, giving him an equally cool stare. She had enough experience with arrogant men, including her father, to know that shrinking back would only amplify the man's sense of power.

  His eyes softened and the corner of his lips twitched in what she was sure was a rare smile. "It's nice to meet you, Riley."

  She took his outstretched hand and felt an instant connection. This was a man she could respect. "Thank you for helping."

  A rumbling sound came from Turner's direction. "Think we can move this party inside?"

  Chase huffed, but didn't seem overly surprised by his brother's angry outburst. "Come in. We have a lot to go over."

  The scent of fresh paint and newly laid hardwood hit her as she entered the foyer. It was a beautiful home, new and clean, and definitely not a place to keep a lion.

  "Where's Kiera?" There was a slight edge to her voice that betrayed the emotions she was trying hard to keep at bay.

  "She's comfortable," Chase said. "We've kept her semi-sedated, but she's conscious."

  "But you think you can fix her, right?" Riley said.

  Chase's eyebrows shot up and he glanced at his brother.

  Turner placed his hand on Riley's shoulder. The contact sent a zing of heat racing down her spine. She ignored it, focusing instead on the look of warning that passed between him and Chase.

  She spun on him. "You said you could help her."

  "I said I'd do everything I can." Turner's gaze softened. "And I will."

  Her throat tightened. She wanted to believe him, but something in Chase's expression made her question Turner's words.

  "Can I see her?"

  Chase scratched the back of his neck and nodded. "I'll take you down."

  She followed him through the house, down the basement stairs, aware of Turner following close behind.

  The metal bars were the first thing she saw, but it was the low, violent growl that made her flinch. The animal crouched behind the cage, canines bared.

  "Kiera?" She approached the cage slowly. "It's me, Riley." The lioness snarled. "We're going to help you. Find a way to change you back."

  In a flash of fur and teeth, the lion leapt, stopping before slamming into the bars. Riley stumbled backwards. Turner placed his hands on her shoulders, holding her steady.

  Riley bit her trembling lower lip to steady her emotions. This was a bad idea. She should be out searching for answers. She shouldn't have asked to see her, not like this…this wasn't her sister.

  "It's her," Turner said, as if reading her thoughts. "She's still in there."

  Chase cleared his throat. "I'll give you a few minutes."

  The lion paced from one side of the cage to the other, never taking its eyes off them.

  "Talk to her. Help her remember," Turner said softly, when Chase had disappeared up the stairs.

  "What do I say?"

  "Just speak to her like you normally would." He squeezed her shoulder. "I'll be right here."

  She could do this.

  Despite her overwhelming sense of panic, she took a few steps forward, and knelt in front of the cage, placing her hands on the bars.

  "Kie-Kiera," Riley stuttered. "It's me."

  The hairs rose on the back of Riley's neck as the lion stopped and looked at her.

  "I'm so sorry this happened." The lion's ears twitched, and for a moment, Riley thought she saw something, a spark of her sister, behind the golden eyes. With slow movements, she approached the cage and gripped the cold bars that separated them. "I'll get you out of there. I promise—"

  The lion lunged. Turner reacted before Riley could move, pulling her back as the lion's extended claws swiped at her through the bars.

  Turner cursed as he dragged her further away from the cage. A roar vibrated around them, and reverberated off the walls.

  "She-she tried to hurt me." She blinked back the tears that threatened to fall.

  She couldn't breathe and she fought to swallow past the growing knot in her throat. Her sister was gone. All that existed was the animal. She had seen the truth in Chase's eyes, and she saw it now in Turner's. The shaking started in her fingers, and moved up her arms like ice, freezing her from the inside out.

  "I'm sorry." Turner's arms tightened around her. "I shouldn't have let you get that close."

  A small cry escaped her lips and she shook her head, turning into him and burying her face in his chest.

  Turner cupped her face and forced her to look at him. Warmth spread over her like a second skin. The same warmth she'd felt the day before, calming her, bringing his face into focus.

  The lion seemed to sense the shift in the air, and moved to the back of the cage.

  "I'm going to make this right." He held her a little tighter. "Whatever it takes, we'll get her back."

  She whispered shakily, "I'm scared."

  "I know." His silvery grey gaze remained locked on hers. "I'm not giving up. You can trust me."

  "This is totally crazy, but I do."

  He pulled back slightly and his eyes widened. There was something in that look that made her stomach flip flop. His fingers tangled in the hair at the nape of her neck and he placed his forehead against hers.

  She breathed him in, and with every breath, warmth infused her. He had some unnatural ability to calm her. The thought should have scared her, made her run, but instead she melted into it, greedily seeking more.

  Her hands moved up his chest and snaked around his neck. Every touch removed the ache in her chest. It was wrong. Standing in that basement, with her whole world crumbling around her, she shouldn't want him the way she did.

  His hips pressed into her and she forgot all the reasons why she shouldn't kiss him. His hands splayed across her lower back, holding her to him.

  She held her breath as he lowered his mouth closer to hers.

  "Riley." Her name was a low growl on his lips. She could almost taste his words. "We shouldn't—"

  Curling her fingers in his dark hair, she went up on her tiptoes and pulled his mouth down to hers. His lips brushed against hers and she felt it—a zing, hot and explosive, making every nerve ending in her body fire at once.

  His tongue stroked boldly past her parted lips. Tasting him only increased her need. She surrendered to him, whimpering as his mouth moved deeper. The noise he made in response made her knees go weak.

  "Riley." It was part groan, part warning.

  The cage rattled and a growl vibrated through the metal bars.

  Startled back to reality, Ri
ley pulled back. What was she doing?

  Turner swore quietly and scrubbed his hands over his face.

  Her cheeks burned and she looked away. Away from Turner, away from lion who watched her with wild eyes.

  "We should go upstairs." His tone was flat, but his voice was rough. "I have a few things I need to discuss with Chase."

  She swallowed past the growing lump in her throat and hugged herself. "I'm going to stay here for a few minutes."

  He gave a sharp nod and headed up the stairs, then stopped on the top step. "Don't get too close to the cage."

  She didn't know why, but the warning broke something in her. "I know," she whispered, and drew in a shaky breath when he disappeared behind the door. When he was gone, she let her tears fall.

  Chapter 11

  Turner handed the baggie with the syringe to Chase. "Not sure what it is, but the asshole had it jammed in Riley's throat before I got there."

  Chase held it up to the light and frowned. "Some kind of sedative?"

  "That's what I thought." He skated a hand over the back of his head. "Riley thinks it may be what turned her sister."

  A fierce frown wrinkled Chase's brow. "And you're only giving it to me now?"

  "Just get it analyzed."

  "And how the fuck am I supposed to explain how I got it?"

  "That's your problem"—Turner nodded to the bag Chase held—"Whether or not that turns out to be the golden egg or not, this Marcus guy knows something and I'm going to find out what."

  Chase gave him a long, piercing look. "And Riley?"

  Turner clenched his teeth at the speculation he saw in his brother's eyes. "She's got enough to deal with right now. The less she knows the better."

  The front door slammed shut, and Lora came into the kitchen carrying two large grocery bags. Chase rushed to take them from her, and she rewarded him with a kiss. The smile fell flat when she spotted Turner.

  "The prodigal son returns." Lora stood in front of him, hands on her hips, amber eyes narrowed on him. She barely came up to his chest, but despite her size there was a boldness to her that always made him smile.