Taming Kiera (Therian Agents Book 3)

by Chantel Seabrook

  “We don’t have time to argue.” Hunter picked Jenna up, cradling her against his chest, his expression tight with grief. “Her wounds are deep and she needs an antiserum. I’m taking her with me.” He held Jacob’s unwavering gaze, and something unseen passed between them. “Let me fix this.”

  A long tension-filled moment passed before Jacob lowered his gun. “If you hurt her again…”

  “I know.” Hunter glanced down at the woman in his arms and his expression softened.

  Whatever had happened between the two of them in the past had scarred him deeply.

  “Tell me what you know about the wolves. Who are they working for and what do they want with Kiera?”

  “You already know who they’re working for.”

  “Circe.” A muscle under Jacob’s eye twitched.

  Hunter gave a brisk nod, then turned his gaze on Chase. “She has a daughter. The girl’s been sick since she was a kid. Circe kept her alive by transfusing her with metamorph blood, but there are rumors that she won’t survive much longer.”

  “Lies.” Chase’s lips pulled up in a snarl, revealing sharp canines. “I don’t have a sister.”

  “Half-sister,” Hunter corrected. “Her father was human, and so is the girl. Circe funded Boyd’s research in hopes that one day her daughter could be turned. Kiera’s the first of Boyd’s victims to survive and resume human form. You can imagine why Circe wants her. She won’t stop until she gets what she wants.”

  Kiera swallowed past the knot in her throat. She glanced at Jacob. His face had gone pale, but he wouldn’t meet her gaze.

  Jenna stirred in Hunter’s arms, and a soft moan escaped her lips. He took a step towards the shattered window, his intent clear.

  “We can’t let you walk out of here,” Chase growled.

  Hunter smirked, then gave a quick nod at Jacob before disappearing into the night.

  Chase cursed and started after him.

  “Let him go,” Jacob commanded.

  “Have you completely lost your mind?” Chase swung around. “He has Jenna.”

  “He won’t hurt her.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “Yes, I do.” A pained expression crossed Jacob’s features.

  The corners of Chase’s eyes twitched and his mouth drew into a thin line. “How?”

  “Because, she’s his mate.” Jacob swallowed hard, straightened and turned his amber gaze to Kiera. “And now I need to get mine as far away from here as possible.”

  Chapter 15

  The car turned down a dirt road and the moon disappeared behind the heavy foliage above them.

  Kiera glanced at Jacob, opened her mouth to speak, but shut it, shaking her head instead. They’d been driving for over three hours in silence, and the tension had become almost tangible.

  Slumping in her seat, she rubbed her temples. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

  “Somewhere safe.”

  “I think I would’ve been safer with the wolves,” she muttered.

  “Don’t push me, Kiera.” His gaze shot to her, and his knuckles went white on the steering wheel.

  “Or what?” She glared at him, daring him to react. “What will you do?” She laughed harshly. “You don’t have balls to do what–”

  Jacob slammed the breaks, causing her to jolt forward. Her hands flew to the dashboard to brace herself.

  He put the car in park, then turned quickly, leaning towards her. He was so close, she could see the moonlight reflected in his eyes, taste the minty scent of his breath on her lips.

  His hand brushed against hers, then down the side of her leg. It was a small touch, but it hit her like an electric shock.

  A click sounded, and she realized he’d unbuckled her seatbelt.

  The corner of his mouth twitched. “We’re here.”

  He pulled back abruptly and got out of the car, leaving her breathless and uncertain.

  Kiera sighed deeply and opened the door, allowing the fresh, cool air to fill her lungs. Moonlight beamed through the tree branches, illuminating a small, wooden cabin.

  “You’re kidding, right?” Kiera asked, eyes wide.

  Jacob gathered their bags from the trunk, and shone a flashlight towards the cabin.

  The front door squeaked on its hinges when Jacob opened it, and Kiera swore she saw something skitter across the floor.

  Jacob placed their bags on the floor, handed her the flashlight, and disappeared in the shadows.

  Kiera felt the wall for a light switch and flicked it on and off. Nothing. She groaned. “Please tell me there’s electricity.”

  A few seconds later, the hum of a generator sounded and the lights turned on.

  She breathed a sigh of relief.

  The cabin was small, but it appeared to be clean, the furniture old, but still in good condition.

  Jacob returned with a folded sheet set and quilt, and placed them on the sofa.

  “It’s late. You can have the back bedroom. I’ll finish unpacking the supplies.”

  He started past her towards the door, but she stepped in front of him.

  “Why did you bring me here if you’re going to keep ignoring me? Why not take me back to the agency? I’d be just as safe there.”

  “You think I can’t protect you?”

  Was he serious? The flash of indignation that crossed his expression told her he was.

  “Of course I do.” She exhaled a frustrated breath. “But I want to know why you want to.”

  “It’s my job.”

  “Bullshit.” She placed her palms on his chest.

  He stilled under her touch and sucked in a ragged breath.

  His scent gave off a mixture of signals. She wasn’t sure if he was angry, terrified or aroused. His heart hammered under her palm. He didn’t move, but she could see in his eyes he wanted to run.

  She wouldn’t let him. Not this time.

  “I’m not your responsibility.” She licked her lips and ran her hands down his chest.

  “Yes, you are.” His nostrils flared, his breathing irregular.

  “What are you afraid of? Just admit. You like me. You could have taken me back to the agency, but you didn’t. I heard what you said to Chase, that I’m your mate. I don’t have a freaking clue what that means, but whatever it is, I think it scares the shit out of you. That’s why you keep your distance, why you refuse to–”

  Without warning, his lips crashed down on hers. Her mouth parted for him, and his tongue sank into her mouth. He slid one hand around her waist, the other tangled in her hair. Hunger filled her, rose inside of her, filling her, flooding her entire body with intense desire.

  She lost her breath at the silent demand of his tongue.

  The heat of his body burned through her clothes. She grasped at his shirt, pulling the hem from his pants. The ache between her thighs pulsed with the need for his touch. She was desperate for him.

  Pinpricks of sensations lashed across her flesh. Too many nights had passed fantasizing about the feel of his flesh against hers, his cock sinking deep and hard between her thighs.

  She barely restrained a cry when his fingers brushed over her sensitive nipples. She arched against him, needing more.

  “Is this what you want?” There was no mistaking the heat in his low voice.

  “Yes,” she whimpered against his mouth.

  “Do you have any idea what you’re unleashing?” He lowered his head and raked his teeth across her neck. A harsh, tortured groan tore from his lips.

  “It’s just sex,” she said breathlessly.

  “No.” He pulled back, panting, his eyes dark. “It can never be just sex between us. My lion has claimed you. Do you know what that means?”

  She shook her head.

  “I have no control around you.”

  “You have too much control.” A frustrated whimper welled in her throat.

  He laughed, low and deep. The sound vibrated off her skin, making her shiver with longing.

 
“If only you knew what you do to me.”

  “Show me.”

  “If we continue, I can’t promise I won’t mark you.” He ran his thumb along her neck and ran his tongue over his teeth.

  “You mean bite me?” Uneasiness crept along the back of her neck.

  “It would bind you to me, physically, mentally, emotionally. You would be mine in every sense of the word, and I would be yours.”

  Kiera shivered.

  “Are you willing to give me everything, every part of yourself? If we do this, there’s no going back.”

  She blinked up at him. Not even the most earth shattering orgasm was worth that sacrifice.

  The lion within roared in acceptance, but the woman bristled at the thought. She wouldn’t be put on a leash–by anyone.

  He smiled sadly. “I didn’t think so.”

  “Can’t we just have sex without the biting part?”

  He chuckled and pulled her against his chest, kissing the top of her head. When he released her, she saw a new resignation in his eyes. “Marked or not, I’ll protect you with my last breath.”

  She watched him walk out the door, into the darkness.

  It wasn’t his protection she wanted, but for now it was all she’d willingly take.

  Chapter 16

  In lion form, Jacob paced the edge of the cliff that looked down on the tiny log cabin. Kiera had been sleeping when he left to roam the woods earlier that morning, but the smoke coming from the chimney signaled she was awake.

  He started back down the steep terrain. From what he could tell, there wasn’t anyone, other than a few mountain lions within a two mile radius. He backtracked, and hid the vehicle’s tracks, pulling the foliage over the dirt road. The only other people who knew about this place were a few members of the Oliver clan, and an old were-grizzly who lived in solitude past the southern lake.

  For now, Kiera was safe. That was the only thing that calmed his growing anxiety.

  Fuck, what the hell had he been thinking bringing her up here?

  His control wasn’t just slipping, it was completely unraveling, hanging on the precipice of a very dark hole.

  She’d been right. He was afraid. Terrified, actually. But it wasn’t Kiera he was scared of. It was the hope she stirred. The longing for something more. A life worth living.

  He fantasized about raking his teeth over the sensitive spot on her neck and sinking in, letting the mating hormones seep into her body.

  Claiming her.

  Marking her his, forever.

  But even if she wanted the mating, could he mark her, knowing their future could be ripped from them at any moment?

  Death stalked him like a curse. The darkness had lingered in the shadows since he was a boy, and one day it would claim him.

  Then, who would protect Kiera?

  Losing a marked mate wasn’t just painful, it could be lethal. His own mother had barely recovered from the loss of her mate, his father.

  His primal urge to mark Kiera, only subdued by the rational side of his brain, would protect her at all costs–even from himself. It could mean losing his position at the agency, a very likely scenario considering the shit he’d pulled over the past week. How many of his men had he written up and suspended for similar actions?

  Shit, he’d let Sinclair take his sister. Why? Because he’d felt for the man. In his whole life, when had he ever made a decision based on fucking emotions, the way he had that day?

  He stopped at the small lake in front of the cabin and shifted into human form. He dove into the cool water, hoping to take the edge off his relentless arousal.

  “Better than a cold shower?” Kiera stood at the edge of the lake. She dipped her toes into the water and shivered.

  He snorted and shook his head. “Not much.”

  She gave him a half-smile, and started to undress.

  “What are you doing?” He barely suppressed a growl.

  The gleam in her eye made it perfectly clear what she intended. “Joining you.”

  “We talked about this last night, I can’t–”

  “Relax.” She shimmied out of her pants. “Deep water sex has never been my thing.”

  “Deep water sex?”

  “Mm hmm.” She pulled her shirt over her head, her expression playful. “Bathtubs and showers are okay, but there’s just something creepy about having the fish, and whatever else is down there, watching you.”

  She unsnapped her bra and let it drop to the rocky shoreline.

  He tried to force himself to avert his eyes, but she held him captive, in a stupor. She looked so fucking beautiful it hurt. One touch and he could lose himself completely.

  “Anyways.” She dove into the water and emerged a few feet from him. “I think I figured out a solution to our problem.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep.” A smile stretched across her face. “Duct tape.”

  “Duct tape?” He narrowed his eyes.

  She nodded, her eyes twinkling, and tread closer. “We can duct tape your mouth. You can’t bite me with your mouth all taped up.”

  He laughed so hard he nearly choked.

  “I’m serious.” She splashed him.

  He gripped her wrists and tugged her towards him. Despite the frigid water, his cock was hard as steel and her eyes went wide when her belly pressed against him.

  “Do you feel what you do to me?”

  She gave a slight nod and licked her lips.

  “You’ve got about ten seconds before I change your mind about deep water sex.”

  A small whimper escaped her throat.

  She squirmed against his erection.

  “Believe me, Kiera, my control is faltering. If you don’t swim away now…” A deep, primal sound escaped his lips.

  She held his gaze for a moment, her eyes reflecting the tormenting desire raging through his body. With a small smirk, she submerged under the water and swam away.

  Once on the shore, she grabbed her clothes, and looked back.

  “Are you going to help me?” Something wild glowed in her blue eyes.

  “With what?”

  “Finding the duct tape.”

  When the cabin door shut behind her, Jacob sucked in a heavy breath, before he sunk below the water, his control completely shredded.

  Chapter 17

  Kiera combed her fingers through the wet tangles of her hair and let out a frustrated breath. The cold water had done little to deflate her arousal. If anything, it had given her a fresh burst of energy.

  The need for his touch was almost unbearable. It was more than lust, more than desire. She’d felt that often enough. This was something different, something primal, unlike anything she’d ever craved from a man before.

  She pulled open the kitchen drawers one at a time, emptying the contents of each one. There had to be at least one roll of duct tape in the damn cottage. She leaned over, opened the final bottom drawer, and let out a sigh of relief when she found what she was looking for.

  The front door creaked on its hinges, then slammed shut. The cool breeze on her naked back sent a chill down her spine.

  Jacob’s harsh breath hissed behind her. “What the hell are you doing?”

  She grasped the tape and pulled her arm free, then sat back and waved the duct tape at him in triumph. “Found it.”

  He dragged his fingers through his hair, closed his eyes and let out a long, uneven breath. “You’re killing me.”

  “Only because you’re too stubborn to take what you want.”

  He moved quickly. His fingers curled around her waist, and the next thing she knew her breasts were pressed against his bare chest, his amber eyes gleaming down at her feverishly.

  The bulge of his cock strained through the rough fabric of his pants, pressing against her stomach.

  “I can’t fight this any longer.” His fingers slid behind her head, tangling in her hair.

  “Then don’t.” She ran her hands down his chest, over the taut muscles of his stomach and
felt him tremble. Her fingers worked the button and zipper of his pants.

  His cock sprang free as she pushed his pants and boxers down over his hips.

  Pleasure surged through her as she stroked the hard length of his cock. He was so hard, the silken skin stretched so tight, it appeared almost painful.

  “I want you inside of me.”

  A savage moan tore from his throat. His lips found hers, devouring her, causing fiery whips of sensation throughout her body. His teeth scraped along her jaw, down her neck. He palmed her breast, lowering his mouth to cover the other. His tongue lashed out at the sensitive peek. Sucking, nipping, licking, until she could do nothing more than beg him to take her.

  “Jacob, please.”

  He ignored her plea, trailing his lips down her stomach. His fingers gripped her ass as his mouth lowered to the damp curls between her thighs.

  “Let me taste you, sweetheart.” His tongue flicked against her clit.

  A desperate cry left her throat as his tongue thrust inside her. Her hands tightened on his shoulders, and held her up, when her legs threatened to give out. Pleasure whipped through her in waves as his tongue pushed inside of her with hungry strokes.

  He ran a hand up her stomach, cupping her breast, caressing the nipple with his thumb.

  His touch was an addiction, as essential as breathing. She needed more. So much more. Her body ached for him in ways she never knew possible.

  “Please.” She gripped his hair, gently tugging.

  He stood, his amber gaze burning into her, and lifted her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on as he carried her into the bedroom.

  “I could lose myself in you,” he murmured against her neck. “I think I may already have.”

  Her heart clenched at his words.

  She ran her fingers along the dark scruff of his jaw, took in the savagely honed features, amber eyes that watched her with unrestrained hunger, and knew she was lost to him as well.

  Pulling his head down, she kissed him. In that moment, he was hers, and she would take everything he gave her.

  She clung to him when he eased her onto the bed. He moved between her thighs, the heavy length of his cock pressed against her sensitive folds.