“Why does that make me so hot?”
Saxon gently bit down on her skin. “What?”
“Your words. I want you to fuck me right now.”
Saxon smiled. “Here? In the parking lot where you work?”
“Yes. No. That would be stupid. We’d get caught.” She rubbed herself against his aching dick. “But I want you. You’re messing with my head.”
“Ditto,” he said and kissed her.
His phone began buzzing in his pocket.
He pulled away. “Hold that thought,” he told Demi. He pulled out his cell and answered it, “Saxon.”
“You almost home?” It was Vance.
“No, we’re just leaving the library.” Saxon pulled the keys from his pocket and unlocked the doors. Demi got in while he went around to the driver’s side to do the same. “What’s going on?”
“We have a new development. Emergency meeting. Come straight home.”
Saxon turned the engine over. “We’re on our way.” He hung up the phone and took off from the parking lot.
“What’s going on?” Demi asked.
“Emergency meeting. All Vance said was, there’s a new development.”
“Oh my God. I hope Kendall’s okay.”
Saxon glanced at Demi. The blood had drained from her face, and she was wringing her hands.
He put his hand on her thigh. “Let’s not assume the worst until we have to. The fact that we’re having a meeting means something needs to be, and can be, done.”
“You think so?” The look in her eyes was pleading with him to say it was true.
He squeezed her leg in reassurance. “I know so.”
By the time they got back home, Vance and Lilith had a full house. Because Kendall was a wolf-shifter, all of them were a part of the search, too. Even if Kendall hadn’t been a wolf-shifter, they would have probably shown up. The cats and wolves had come a long way in mending the broken relationship between the two.
Demi fell behind him as they walked up the steps. “Are they going to hate me?” she asked him after he explained why the extra cars were there.
He frowned. “No. Why would they?”
“I’m the reason she was kidnapped.” She straightened her spine. “Look, I can handle it. I just want to know what I’m walking into.”
His poor Demi. Always feeling like an outsider and that it was her against the world. If Saxon could shake her grandmother, he would. Demi deserved to know that she wasn’t alone.
“I’ll be honest. I’m sure some are going to attribute her kidnapping to you, but none of them are going to blame you.”
“If I had just stayed with you instead of insisting on going home…”
“But would Siya have stayed? Probably not. They still would have found a way to get to you, Demi, whether it was through your friend or another way. The only ones to blame here are the bad guys. You did not make them come after you. They chose to do that all on their own.” He took her hand in his. “Come on. Let’s go. They’re probably waiting for us.”
The two of them walked into the living room. A few eyes went to them, but no one gave them dirty looks or stopped talking to stare. Saxon had to admit, he was a little relieved. He’d been pretty confident in his fellow shifters placing the blame where it belonged, but he hadn’t been sure until they walked into the room.
Vance clapped his hands, and Damien put his fingers to his mouth and whistled. The room quieted.
“Damien and I both received phone calls today,” Vance said. “Kendall is still alive.”
“Who called you?” Saxon asked.
“Donald Wright. He’s behind it, just like we suspected. But also, his organization, the Pure Pride Power.”
“Shit,” Vaughn said. “So, the group is still active?”
“Afraid so,” Vance said.
“What do they want?” Saxon asked.
“They want to exchange Kendall for Demi.”
“No fucking way,” Saxon said the same time Demi stepped forward and said, “I’ll do it.”
“Over my dead body,” he told her.
Saxon had just found Demi. There was no way he was giving her up without a fight.
Chapter 29
Demi stomped out of the house with Saxon at her heels. She needed some room to think and to breathe. There were too many people in there.
“Demi, stop.”
She turned when she got to the bottom of the stairs. “You have no right to tell me what to do.” She poked him in the chest. “If I want to risk my life for someone else, that’s my choice.”
Saxon put his hand over hers. “I’m sorry.”
She tried to slip her hand free.
“Demi, stop.”
She ignored him.
“Will you listen to me, please?”
“Will you let go of my hand?”
He released her, which kind of ticked her off. Now, she had to listen to what he had to say.
“Even if I didn’t care about you and didn’t want to see you hurt, there is no way Vance is going to let you offer yourself up like that.”
Demi crossed her arms across her chest. “He’s not the boss of me either.”
“He kind of is. He’s your alpha.”
Hearing Saxon say that made her want to cry for some stupid reason. “I’m not a part of your dumb pride.”
Saxon sighed and reached for her hand, but she backed away.
“Fine. Have it your way.” He leaned down and picked her up in a fireman’s hold.
Demi screeched. “What are you doing?”
“You might want to be quiet, or there’re going to be several dozen eyes watching us from the window.”
Demi tried to see if anyone was looking, but she was facing away from the house. “What are you doing?” she asked again but in a much lower tone.
“I’m taking you running.” Saxon walked past the house.
“Running?”
“Yes,” Saxon said as he walked them past the bunkhouse, too. “You’re a shifter. You need to get out and run.”
“But I can’t shift. However, I can walk on my own.”
“If you can walk, you can run. Even on two legs.”
“Does that mean, you’re going to put me down?”
“Not until we get to our destination.”
“Suit yourself, but you’re going to have one sore shoulder.”
Saxon smacked her ass. “Don’t talk about yourself like that.”
“Ow.” She tried to reach back and rub her sore bum, but it was too hard to do upside down. “I was just stating a fact. I’m not saying I’m fat or anything.”
“Oh.”
“Jeez.” Jump to conclusions much? “Now, my butt hurts.”
“I’ll kiss it and make it better later.”
Hmm…
She liked the sound of that. But she didn’t want him to know that. “Pass.”
“You know, my nose is very close to your crotch, and your pussy says that was a lie.”
“Whatever you say, Maury.” She moved around, trying to ease the sudden ache between her legs and to try to drain some of the blood that was pooling in her head.
“Will you stop squirming?”
“If you put me down, I wouldn’t have to squirm.”
“This is probably far enough anyway,” Saxon said and dropped her to her feet so fast that she almost fell over. He grabbed her hand to steady her.
She looked around. They were in an open field with the house off in the distance in one direction and a grove of trees in another.
“Vance and Lilith own all this land. You’re free to run here.”
Demi turned back to Saxon from taking in the view to see him pulling off his T-shirt. “Whoa. What are you doing? We’re not having sex right now.”
Saxon laughed and shook his head. “I’m getting ready to shift.”
“Oh.” She watched his shirt and then his pants fall to the ground. “What does it feel like?”
“What does what feel li
ke?”
“Shifting? My grandmother used to say that I needed to force my body to shift. If I willed it and tried hard enough, I could bring out my cat side.” She looked down at the ground. “But I never could. No matter how badly I wanted it.”
When her grandmother had given up on trying to teach her to shift, that was when Demi knew she’d never belong. She was too human to be a shifter but too much of a shifter to be human.
Saxon put a finger under her chin and lifted it. “I don’t feel that way at all. When I shift, I feel like I’m letting myself go. I don’t have to force myself to become my cat because a part of me always is.” He ran his thumb down her cheek. “Just like your cat is always a part of you. She might never come out and play, but that’s okay because she’s still in you.” He stepped away, and Demi saw that he was completely naked. “Now, let’s go run. Give both our cats a chance to be free.”
Demi collapsed on the ground with her arms and legs spread. She was hot and exhausted, but she felt a lot better. Saxon had been right.
He came to her side, collapsed on his cat belly, and began to purr. She wished she could run like him as a cat, but she’d still had fun. He was faster than her, but he’d always come back if he got too far ahead of her.
Saxon’s purring stopped, and his breathing evened out. He had fallen asleep rather quickly, but she didn’t blame him. The sun was warm, and the grass was cool.
Demi closed her eyes and imagined herself shifting, but unlike the times her grandmother had tried to force it upon her, she thought of Saxon’s words. She searched her body and mind for her feline side.
She realized now that her grandmother had been sending her mixed signals. She’d wanted Demi to shift but scared her with stories of what would happen if the shifters discovered she was half-human. So, Demi had spent years suppressing that side of herself.
But, now that the shifters knew she existed, she didn’t have to be scared anymore. Sure, there was the awful Pure Pride Power, but there were assholes and hate groups everywhere. Demi wasn’t an illegal species or some abomination. She was just…herself.
Demi searched the furthest reaches of her mind before she finally found her. Her cat.
And her cat’s reaction was something along the lines of, Bitch, what took you so long?
Demi laughed out loud.
All this time, she’d thought that she was so strong because she’d been pushing her cat away, but now, she discovered that her cat was what had been giving her strength.
I’m sorry, she told her cat.
Her cat shrugged. Better late than never.
I suppose.
You know we’re not giving up without a fight. You’re not turning us over to Donald Wright like some martyr. We’re going to work with the other shifters to bring this asshole down.
I know.
Saxon sighed next to her.
You know I consider him mine, right? her cat told Demi.
This news startled her. No, I didn’t.
You let me mark him. How could you not know?
How would I have known it was you? Demi asked, amazed.
Because I’m a part of you, remember? And, sometimes, you let me come out. Like when you want to mark the sexy male beside you. Or when you have to fight off someone trying to kill you.
It seemed silly now that she thought about it. Her cat had always been there when she needed her.
Thanks for having my back. Demi just needed to work on letting herself connect with her cat, even when she wasn’t stressed or aroused.
Demi woke on the cool grass when she felt a shadow fall over her. She opened her eyes to see a human Saxon up on his elbow, grinning down at her.
“What?” She touched the sides of her mouth. “Was I drooling or something?”
His green eyes lit up, and he laughed. “No. You were purring.”
Tears immediately filled her eyes, and she blinked them away. “You’re joking.”
He made an X across his bare chest. “Cross my heart. You were purring, baby.”
She felt a tingle inside and realized her cat liked hearing Saxon call her baby.
“I’m still human though?”
Saxon nodded. “Yes. But you know that you don’t have to shift into your cat half to be a member of our pride, Demi. It’s not a requirement.” He leaned closer to her. “Because you do know that you’re a part of our pride, right? Vance is your alpha. I’m your sentinel along with all the others. And we’re not going to let anything happen to you. Your life is no less important than Kendall’s.”
“I know.”
Saxon looked shocked. “Really?”
“Yes.” She laughed at the look of incredulity on his face. “While you were sleeping, I had a little talk with…myself. I’m not going to risk my life, but I do want to do whatever I can to bring Kendall back. Will you let me do that?”
“It’s not up to me, but I’m sure you can work out something with Vance. He’s not going to let you take unnecessary risks because you haven’t been properly trained, but I’m sure he can understand how you feel.”
“Are you going to kiss my butt now, or do we have to get back?”
Saxon laughed and hopped to his feet in a way no human could do. “I’ll have to kiss your butt later. We already missed enough of the meeting.”
Demi stood and wiped the grass from the back of her pants. “Okay. But, this time, I’m walking.”
Saxon smiled. “Deal.”
Chapter 30
After taking a shower and blow-drying her hair, Siya changed into her scrubs and put her long, dark locks up in a ponytail. The bunkhouse was quiet since everyone was over at the main house. Ram had texted her to come over once she was awake. He promised there was good food, which she really shouldn’t pass up.
Working the night shift meant the cafeteria was closed, so you either brought food to work or you starved. Sometimes, they ordered out, but even pizza got old after a while.
But she was starting to feel homesick. It was unusual, staying with a bunch of people she didn’t know. Everyone was nice to her, but she felt odd and out of place. She felt like she’d hardly even seen Demi lately as she became more involved with Saxon, which only made the loneliness worse.
Siya left the bunkhouse and headed for the main house. As she closed the door behind her, she saw Demi and Saxon walking her way.
Demi waved. “Hey, lady. Getting ready to go to work?”
“Yeah,” Siya shouted back. “Soon. I was going to get something to eat first.”
When the couple reached her, Saxon said, “I’ll meet you in there.”
“Okay,” Demi said.
She watched Saxon walk away, and Siya studied her friend.
“Something’s different about you.”
Demi turned to look at Siya. “Me?”
“Yeah. You look so…happy.” There was really no other way to describe it.
Demi beamed. “You won’t believe what happened.”
“What?”
Demi looped her arm with Siya’s and started leading her toward the house. “Saxon and I went out running in the field and trees back behind the house. We fell asleep, and when I woke up, Saxon said I was purring.”
“Whoa,” Siya said as a million thoughts hit her at once.
“I know, right? I have never been that close to my cat before.”
A shaky smile was all she could offer Demi, so she hugged her. It suddenly occurred to her that the way Siya felt like an outsider staying at the bunkhouse was probably how Demi had felt her whole life. Demi deserved to feel like she belonged.
Siya now knew how much she had taken Demi’s shifter half for granted. Demi acted so human, except for her big appetite and the horny period she went through each month.
“This is amazing,” Siya told her friend. “I am so happy for you.” And she was. She just feared that this would be the moment that their friendship started to unravel.
Demi had new friends now. New friends who understood her far mo
re than she ever could.
Demi stepped back. “Hey. Are you crying?”
Siya touched her cheeks, and her fingers came away wet. “Oh, man. I guess I am.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Demi tilted her head. “Don’t try to fool me.”
“I think I’m just getting my period. I’m extra emotional. I’m happy for you, but I also want to go home.”
“I’m sorry you’re stuck here and that we haven’t seen each other much.”
The two of them started walking again, and Siya fanned her face.
“No, do not be sorry. You didn’t ask anyone to come after you or use me to get to you. And it’s not the first time we’ve worked opposite shifts. I’ll be on days again.”
“Then, what is it? Is it Ram? Has he been awful to you? I thought you kind of liked him.” Demi looked around, confusion on her face. “Hey, wait. I saw him at the main house, but the sun is still out.”
Siya shook her head. “Yeah, he puts on clothing and wears a hat to hide his skin. Or something similar to that. Did you know that he won’t burst into flames?” she asked in an effort to steer the conversation away from her possible feelings for Ram.
“What?” Demi said in sarcastic shock, holding her hand to her chest. “You mean, the movies lied to us?”
Siya laughed. “Yeah. It just drains all his energy, so he has to feed more often and sleep a ton. It almost makes him sick if he’s out in it too long.”
Demi bumped her hip into Siya’s. “Okay, so it sounds like the two of you talk. He must not be treating you too badly?”
“He’s been a perfect gentleman.” Almost too much of a gentleman.
After telling her the first night they’d met that they’d have sex someday and then tucking her into his bed and falling asleep beside her, he hadn’t made one single move on her, which was probably for the best. He was a vampire, and she was human. It would be hard to make it work.
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