Mark Of The B*E*A*S*T*

by Rebecca Goings

  Once he was on the back porch, he noticed Jet sitting

  by himself on one of two lounge chairs near the water, watching Robyn as she tossed a beach ball with Lanie and Keira. Wade, Trevor and Noah took turns cannonballing into the deep end.

  Robyn spied Mac immediately and smiled, melting his anger. She was absolutely gorgeous with her hair slicked back and her skin wet with water droplets. She'd borrowed one of Marlie's swimsuits earlier, and Mac felt a momentary pang of remorse for not joining her for a dip.

  Once Jet saw him, he leaned back on the lounger as if he'd been soaking up the sun's rays the whole time. Determination lit in Mac's heart. Rogan was right. There was no other woman he wanted. It was Robyn or no one.

  She was his mate and had been for quite some time, whether she knew it or not.

  Mac made his way to the lounger next to Jet and sat down, resting his elbows on his knees. He laced his fingers together and cleared his throat.

  "To what do I owe this honor?” Jet asked, a wry grin on his face.

  "Just want to clear up some things."

  "What's that?"

  Mac took a deep breath. “Robyn's mine. She's been mine ever since the day we found her back in Oregon."

  Jet stared at him with his mouth wide open.

  "She's my mate, Jet, and I'm not too keen on sharing."

  "I...you...but—” Jet's shock couldn't have been more obvious. “You haven't even made love to her!"

  Right about now, Mac hated the fact the guys could smell that. His knuckles went white with the effort to keep his hands from making a dent in Jet's face.

  "You can fight me for her if you think you can win."

  The younger man's eyes went wide. They were evenly matched as shifters, with Mac as a jaguar while Jet was a leopard. But Mac was more solid, more muscular. It was a no-brainer that he would win any fight between them, be it as humans or predators.

  "What are you two talking about?” Robyn stood near the chairs, dripping water on the concrete after crawling out of the pool. Neither one of them had noticed her approach.

  Mac stood. “Just claiming what's mine."

  She gave him a look of confusion a moment before he grabbed her waist and pulled her close. The front of his clothing soaked through.

  "You sure you don't want me to leave you, sweetheart?"

  Her eyes searched his, then softened. “I'm sure."

  "Then you're stuck with me, Robyn Bishop."

  "My last name is Groves."

  Mac slowly shook his head. “Not if you're my mate."

  She gasped but he didn't give her time to protest. For Jet's benefit as well as his own, he swooped down and kissed her. She made a sound of surprise, then tenderly caressed his cheek. The moment his tongue plunged into mouth, she stood on her toes and grabbed two handfuls of his hair.

  His triumph sang thoughout his entire body. She was his! And it was about damn time. He hadn't heard the whoops and hollars of the others around him, but apparently Robyn did as she pulled back, blushing. Mac couldn't resist kissing her cheeks, her forehead, her nose.

  "Get a room!” Rogan yelled, having apparently followed Mac without his knowlege. Everyone laughed.

  Everyone, that is, except for Jet.

  But Mac didn't give a flying shit. That young cub could find his own woman.

  The one in his arms was taken.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  EIGHT

  Robyn trotted along behind Mac as he pulled her through the house. She was still dripping wet, but she got the feeling he didn't much care. He'd just declared her his mate in front of his friends. She couldn't have been more shocked than if he'd gotten down on his knee and proposed marriage.

  He took the stairs two at a time, forcing her to do the same. When she got to the top, she was breathless.

  "Mackenzie—"

  Before she could finish her sentence, he pulled her into his room, slammed the door and shoved her against it. His mouth claimed hers, devouring her whole. Robyn gasped loudly and Mac took advantage, plunging his tongue deep while pressing against her.

  His hands raced up the sides of her bathing suit to the shoulderstraps, where he hooked his fingers and yanked none-too-gently. The sound of ripping fabric filled the room, and Robyn drew back, staring at him with surprise.

  "I'll buy Marlie a new one,” he said, unrepentant as he continued to rip the garment.

  As soon as her breasts were free, he didn't bother peeling off the rest of her suit before he knelt in front of her and pounced, filling his mouth with her nipple. Robyn couldn't do much more than thread her fingers through his hair and toss her head back, suddenly on fire from his sensual attack. He'd waited far too long to be stopped now. He had claimed her to the others, and now he meant to do it in truth. Robyn's heart kicked into overdrive. With every beat, her memory fluttered, and she tried like mad to grasp

  it.

  But his hand rose to palm her other breast, tweaking her nipple before suckling that one as well, making it impossible to concentrate on anything but him.

  He stood suddenly, then picked her up and strode to the bed. His arms were gone and she fell to the mattress with a shriek, but he was right there on top of her, pressing her back, kissing her senseless. Every breath was him, every movement, every feeling. Robyn's entire world was Mackenzie Bishop, and she held him as if her life depended on it.

  In a way, it did.

  She undulated against his body, she couldn't help it. She needed to feel his skin against hers and could only assume he felt the same. He ripped out of his shirt, pulling away only to tear it over his head before his warmth was back, heating her to the bone.

  The moment her breasts rubbed his chest hair, she kissed him savagely. Her tongue stabbed into his mouth, demanding his surrender, yet he wouldn't give it. He was waging his own assault, tugging, teasing, driving her wild with the need to feel him between her legs.

  "Touch me,” she whispered, trailing kisses down his neck. “Please."

  Mac didn't say a word, he merely complied, taking his hand and rubbing her through the crotch of the swimsuit.

  The contact was electrifying. Up and down he went, making her wish she was naked, yet not willing to part from him to undress fully. Not now, not yet.

  She spread her legs wider, asking for more.

  "If I don't get inside you I think I might die."

  His words made her look into his face. Twin flames greeted her in his gaze as his eyes flashed gold. The grin he gave her had her shuddering beneath him, knowing damn well her own eyes flashed right back at him. She could feel it, the familiar itching that accompanied the need to shift. But shifting was far from her mind. Right now, all she wanted was him.

  "Don't stop what you're doing. Not yet."

  His hand still stroked her, finding a rhythm against the sway of her hips.

  "You like it when I touch you?"

  Robyn closed her eyes. She was close. So close.

  "Always."

  "I'm the only one who's ever gonna, sweetheart."

  "You're the only one I want. Oh...God! Mackenzie!"

  Flames of passion shot down her arms and legs, consuming her as she came apart. Her mouth sought his and he kissed her hard, making sure his hand continued its play while her shudders lasted for long, blessed moments.

  Robyn's palms held his cheeks and her legs wrapped around him, urging his weight to press against her.

  "Jesus, Robyn, you're so goddamn beautiful."

  "Could you be any more blasphemous?” she teased, nipping his neck.

  "Just stating fact. Watching you come for me almost had me coming in my pants."

  "Then take them off and come inside me. We'll move Heaven and Earth."

  Mac stopped cold and rose on his elbows. The look on his face was full of astonishment. “What did you just say?"

  Robyn opened her mouth to say it again, but the entire house was rocked by deafening thunder. Pictures fell off the walls while the side-table lamp
fell over, shattering on the floor. The bed swayed from side to side and chips of the ceiling fell all around them.

  "What the hell?"

  Mac was off Robyn like a shot, searching the room for his shirt. The moment he found it, someone pounded on the door.

  "Mackenzie, get your ass out here right now!"

  He turned to give Robyn a wide-eyed stare of confusion. “Christ, that was Noah. You smell that?"

  "Something's burning,” she answered, taking a deep breath.

  "Get dressed. And stay here!"

  With that, Mac ripped open the door and sprinted down the hall.

  Mac's passion was forgotton the moment he flew down the staircase. Glass was everywhere and the unmistakable scent of ash and burned rubber almost overpowered him.

  Keira lay in the living room, her forehead bleeding while Wade attended to her. Marlie wept loudly in the kitchen, and Rogan, Lanie and Noah stood in the front doorway, staring in horror at the scene that greeted them.

  "What the hell happened?” Mac demanded.

  Rogan turned, tears in his eyes. “Wade! Call an ambulance."

  Noah put his hand on Rogan's shoulder. “There's nothing left to call an ambulance for."

  The moment Mac saw the carnage beyond the door, his heart stopped beating. The charred remains of his Hummer roared with flames, and pieces of its destruction littered the ground. Everywhere.

  "Where's Jet and Trevor?” he asked, almost too afraid to know.

  Noah tilted his head toward the truck and looked at him with red-rimmed eyes.

  "What?” His brain wouldn't process what Noah was trying to tell him. It took a few moments to connect the dots inside his head.

  "Jet wanted to blow off some steam,” Rogan yelled. “After you marked your territory with Robyn, he asked Trevor if he'd like to go for a drive. Swiped your keys and the next thing we know...” He let the sentence hang.

  Wade's voice drifted to him. “Yeah, we live at 917 Cottonwood Drive, please hurry!"

  He must have called 911 after all.

  "Mackenzie!” It was Robyn. She raced down the stairs. He was too numb to feel anger that she hadn't stayed in his room. All he could do was hold her close and try to prevent her from looking outside.

  "Oh my God. Trevor and Jet?” She must have heard them talking.

  "Watch your feet,” was all he could think to say. Glass was everywhere and she wasn't wearing shoes.

  "Oh, Jesus.” The scent of Noah's surprised panic raised the hair on the back of Mac's neck. “There's a shifter out there!"

  "What is it?"

  "Who is it?"

  "Christ, what's going on?"

  Everyone was talking at once. Mac was the only one who noticed the flames from the truck had reached a low-hanging palm. It was now burning the large green leaves. And those leaves spread over the roof.

  "We can take him. Bastard killed two of us, we still have four!” Wade's anger seethed.

  "I don't think so,” Noah said, sniffing the air. “Smell that? He's different. Something's off."

  Mac inhaled deeply, despite the repugnance of the other scents in the air. Noah was correct. This shifter didn't smell right.

  "We don't have the time to talk about this,” Rogan growled. “While we stand here and argue, that bastard is going to circle around and take us all out. He obviously wants us dead. We need to think of our mates. They can't shift and fight whoever's out there. We've got to scatter and make things harder for that bastard. Maybe regroup and plan things out."

  "Rogan's got a point.” Noah took hold of Lanie's hand. “Time to go."

  "Where do we meet?” Wade asked.

  "Remember that hole-in-the-wall cowboy motel we stayed at on our way down to Miami?"

  "The one in—"

  "Yeah, that one,” Rogan interrupted, widening his eyes and cocking his head out the door.

  Wade nodded and stayed quiet.

  "Let's go.” With one final look at Mac, Rogan smacked his arm. “You gonna be okay?"

  He nodded, still unable to take it all in.

  The wolf gazed at Robyn. “Take care of your jag."

  Sirens wailed in the distance.

  Mac grabbed her arm and stooped to snatch her flip-flops off the tile by the door. Wiping them of debris, he handed them to her. “Put ‘em on."

  She obeyed, standing in front of him in the exact same clothes as the night before. Without a word, he pulled her to the back door along with the others. They crossed the patio and raced out the screen door of the lanai. Noah and Lanie went out the side gate while Rogan and Marlie hopped the fence. Wade and Keira hopped the other side-yard fence

  and Mac decided to follow Rogan.

  He helped Robyn up and over, sprinting out the other house's gate while Rogan and Marlie had merely hopped the adjacent house's fence.

  "Where are we going?” Robyn asked, holding her arms out for Mac to catch her.

  They tore across another yard before crossing the street that ran parallel to theirs. Running through another side gate and backyard, they emerged a few streets over before Mac answered, somewhat out of breath.

  "Jacksonville!"

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  NINE

  "You okay?"

  Robyn shivered. Despite the fact that the car's vents blasted heat in the middle of a balmy Florida evening, she was freezing. She didn't think she could ever be warm again. They'd stolen a car, the first one Mac had found unlocked. Somewhere in his travels, he'd learned how to hotwire, and now, they were on I-95, with a straight shot north to Jacksonville.

  She didn't know what kind of car they were in. It was blue, and had four doors and four wheels. That was all that mattered.

  Another tear slipped from her eyes. “I...I don't think so,” she answered.

  Mac placed his hand on hers. His skin was hot. She wanted to curl up in his arms and melt away. Jet and Trevor just died in a horrible explosion. Now, she and Mac were running from a shifter who apparently wanted them dead. What would they have to do to be free of B*E*A*S*T*?

  "The boys went fast,” he said, his voice gentle. She knew he was trying to soothe her, but his words only made more tears well up. “Probably didn't feel a thing."

  "Why did he kill them?” she asked, sniffling as more tears welled.

  "I don't know. Probably couldn't take us all together so he decided to thin the herd."

  Robyn sobbed into her hands.

  "Christ, I'm sorry for being so crass. I'm just worked up, sweetheart. I'm not thinking straight."

  She nodded and wiped her eyes. Exhaustion swept

  over her and she stared at the twilight sky.

  "Did you recognize his scent?” Mac and the others were the only ones to smell him—Robyn hadn't gotten the chance before they were tearing out the back door.

  He shook his head. “No. Smelled...wrong, though. Like a human and...a jumble of other scents."

  "Have you had run-ins with other shifters on your way to find me?"

  "Not a one."

  She was silent a moment as she considered his words. There was only one other possibility.

  "He had to have followed us, Mackenzie. From the Everglades."

  Mac gave her a sharp look and the car swerved slightly on the road.

  "But you were alone out there."

  Robyn heaved a sigh as another wave of goosebumps raced up her spine. “There were a lot of shifters in that facility. I'd been an owl for days before you found me. My sense of smell isn't as keen as yours. Perhaps he'd been watching me, or perhaps we captured his interest, I don't know. But it's too big a coincidence your Hummer explodes right after we settle in, don't you think?"

  Mac's fingers ran brutally through his hair. With a string of foul curses, he hit the steering wheel again and again. “What the hell do we have to do to, Robyn?” he asked, mirroring her own thoughts of a few moments ago. “Shit! Maybe death is the only way out."

  "Don't you dare say that!” she yelled. “You talk about
death one more time and I'll smack your face."

  Her vehemence shocked him. He arched his brows, but said nothing more than a mumbled apology. Tensions were high—they both trembled.

  "I'm sorry,” she whispered, touching his arm. He flinched. His reaction made her pull back. “I'm just...it's so...I don't know!"

  "When we regroup in Jacksonville, we'll come up with a plan,” he promised. “The guys and I, we can take this shifter if we have a plan. He got us by surprise once, he won't be able to do it again. He can only follow one of us, and we all scattered. Assuming he can find his way to the

  motel, we'll be waiting for him."

  The expression on his face chilled her to the bone.

  "What if you're wrong?” she asked.

  "What do you mean?"

  "You and the guys smelled this shifter and said there was something off about him. Maybe it's not one man. If you all assume it is, then he, or they, might still get the better of us. We have to prepare for every possibility."

  Mac glanced at her and his eyes flashed. By the look on his face, she knew he hadn't considered more than one shifter.

  "We would have smelled a bunch of guys, Robyn."

  "Don't take things for granted,” she told him. “It's possible. Even you've got to see that. None of us were thinking clearly after that blast. Maybe that's why it didn't smell right."

  Mac remained silent, but his jaw clenched, and his knuckles turned white on the wheel. Robyn swallowed hard and glanced out her window, not seeing a single thing.

  "I'll protect you,” Mac said, sometime later. “With my life."

  "I know,” she answered.

  Mac was scared. And confused. And downright pissed. Some asshole shifter had killed two of his best friends. He'd known Trevor since their days in the Colorado compound, and he'd met Jet after they'd escaped and wandered in the mountains until Noah had found them on the road. They'd stuck with him after Sean had killed James and Jason. Their bond had been close, despite the fact that Mac had no idea that Jet had been pining for Robyn. He supposed his own obsession for the woman blinded him to anything else.

  Christ, his family was dwindling.

  Mac's stomach growled, but he ignored it. The clock on the dash read nine. The last time he and Robyn had eaten anything had been at lunch, before she'd gone swimming in the pool.