by Eliza Gayle
Her stepfather’s right brow climbed up his forehead before he turned and addressed the Sheriff. “Thanks, Dave, I’ll get her back home to her momma and she’ll get her fixed right up.” Grasping Kira by the arm, harder than he needed to, he led her out of the sheriff’s office to the car he’d left running at the curb. The sheriff followed them out and watched them go.
She jerked her arm free and considered a last chance attempt at running away. Where could she go this time? Between Lucas, a witch, her stepfather and a council out to get her, her time had run out. Resigned she slid into the passenger seat of the sleek vintage Cadillac her stepfather adored.
Once inside the car, he chuckled. “Well, Kira, it looks like all that running you did was for nothing. You’re right back where you started. Except you’ve really gotten yourself into a deep hole this time, telling the sheriff Clan secrets. What the hell were you thinking? This is going to require a massive cover up to fix.”
“It’s not as if he believed them.” Not to mention part of her had noticed he actually didn’t seem shocked by her supposed lies.
“Doesn’t matter, and you know that. It looks like the Council is going to have to take care of you once and for all.”
32
Three days later, Lucas emerged from the woods and returned home. As he approached his house, he was thankful no one would be there waiting for him. He wasn’t sure he was ready to see Kane yet, but he knew he’d have to face him soon. Something was seriously wrong and had been eating at him for days. Even more so than the scene of his brother in the woods half naked with Kira’s scent on him.
The last time he’d seen Kira in his dreams, she’d seemed hopeless and sad. He’d been so angry with her over her betrayal he had refused to listen to what she’d been trying to tell him.
He wished now he had listened. His instincts were screaming at him to find her. She was in some sort of serious trouble. After finally letting go of his stupid pride, he’d tried reaching out to her mind but had found nothing. For whatever reason their link had been severed.
When he slept he dreamt about her continuously, but the dream-walking had ended. He only dreamt of what had been between them. But every time just before he woke, he would hear her plead with him.
Help me. Please.
It really was driving him insane. He needed her so badly. He was in a constant state of arousal and his being in solitude this time had made him miserable. He really needed a good—
“What the hell?” He froze. He’d been wrong. Someone was waiting for him. He considered shifting when he caught the unfamiliar scent of a stranger, but decided to wait. Best to see who it was before he got all grrr on them. While a human was rare this deep into the woods, it was possible.
Lucas opened the door and came face to face with Kane. Not at all what he’d been hoping for.
The banked anger surged forward and it took everything he had to tamp it back down. He swore he would talk this out and save the ass kicking for afterwards.
Kane raised his hands up in surrender. “I know I’m probably the last person you want to see right now, but I have to talk to you. I’ve been searching for you for two days. Where the hell did you take off to?”
“Probably? Are you kidding me? I definitely don’t want to see you right now. Although I guess that’s why you threw me off with the new stench. What could be so damned important you have to barge in here right now?” Lucas took a deep breath and let it out slow. He really didn’t feel like a fight right now. “Not a good idea to test my patience right now, bro.” He stormed through the door, throwing his bag into the corner to deal with later.
“It’s Kira.”
At the sound of her name coming from Kane’s lips, Lucas’ blood boiled over and he tackled his brother to the ground. They wrestled around for several minutes before Kane gave in and let Lucas pin him to the floor. With his arm across Kane’s neck, Kane had to struggle to talk.
“Damn it, Lucas, give me a chance to tell you what I came for. If it wasn’t life or death, I wouldn’t be here. I’m not an idiot. I know you need time, but dammit we don’t have any more time.” Lucas glared at him, watching his face contort in pain, studying his eyes for any sign of deceit. Finally he relented and pushed himself off of his brother.
Kane rubbed his neck. “There’s something about Kira you don’t know.” Lucas flashed a venomous look at his brother. “Just hear me out, I know you want to kill me, but at least let me finish first.”
Lucas grappled for control of his anger, but as it abated, the pain in his heart resurfaced making it difficult to look at Kane. Hell, it hurt to breathe.
“Her Council has sentenced her to death. The sentence is to be carried out in less than twenty-four hours.”
Lucas abruptly sat on the arm of the chair. The pulse in his ears began to roar.
“Why?”
“She has a mental disease that afflicts all of her kind. Once her mating call begins, she has a finite amount of time to complete the mating ritual with a suitable mate before she loses her mind to complete chaos. When that happens, her clan’s Council issues a death sentence.”
“What? Why death?” He was so confused by this. But somehow it fit with their last conversation.
“Apparently, their Council, just like ours, fears exposure to humans and any risk is unacceptable. They think the only way to control this exposure is to eliminate any and all threats.”
Kane paced now, but Lucas needed to know more. Although he understood vigilance all too well. He’d been forced to carry out sentences in the name of protection. It was an archaic system but one that had worked for centuries.
“Is Kira lost? Has her mind already shut down?” He threw his hands in the air as his mind raced through the possibilities. “Do you know how crazy this sounds? Why the hell didn’t she tell me this? I would have saved her.” Probably. He frowned at his brother. “How the hell do you know all of this anyway?”
Kane hesitated. “Her mother came looking for you two days ago. When Kira was found rambling to the Deal’s Gap sheriff about shapeshifters, they returned her home and immediately sentenced her. Since then, she has been chanting your name. Her Council fears for everyone’s safety and had her locked her up.”
Fear and panic stabbed at him. “Am I too late? No, don’t say it. I don’t care what your answer is. I refuse to believe I’m too late to save her.” Lucas stood and paced to the door.
“Where the hell is she? And why the fuck didn’t I know all about this before? It’s my fucking job to know everything about the other Dragon clans,” he raged, his heart constricting as if someone had a vise on it. He definitely couldn’t breathe.
Lucas grabbed his side table and threw it across the room, smashing it into the door. Panting, he looked back at Kane “Tell me where she is. Now, damn it! I’m going to get her.”
Kane turned to the bureau in the hall and fished out a piece of paper from the top drawer.
“What’s that?” Lucas impatiently watched his brother unfold the paper and hand it to him.
“This is a map to your mate. Kira’s mother came here desperate for me to find you and get you to help her daughter. She said you are the only one who can. Apparently she refuses to mate with anyone other than your dumb ass. So she left this for you.”
He snatched the paper from his brother and examined the hand scrawled drawings and words. He recognized some of the mountains and caves depicted but the actual underground cell was an unknown. Obviously her clan had managed to keep this area a pretty good secret from outsiders.
“What about guards? I don’t see anything here about them.”
“There’s a small guard post here.” Kane pointed to a small shack on the map about one hundred fifty yards south of the underground holding cells.
“This looks too easy.” Lucas rubbed his face and thought long and hard about Kira. Easy or not didn’t matter, he would be going for her, but they did need to be smart about this.
“They aren’t ex
pecting any trouble. According to her mother, there has never been an incident of escape. So security is at a minimum.”
“So they just kill off their unmated women and everyone stands by and watches it happen? That’s pretty fucked up.” The injustice of it stabbed Lucas like a hot poker. It wasn’t the first time one of their council decisions had seemed unjust, but it was the first that affected him directly.
“This coming from the Guardian who deals death for a group of old men deciding fates based on some ancient laws of our own.”
The bite of Kane’s words hit deep and he had to hide the wince behind it. “Point taken.” Kane knew he struggled with his orders at times but this was not the time to get into that.
“We’ve got to go now, there isn’t much time left.” Kane pointed at a duffel bag propped next to the door. I’ve already packed some essentials.”
Lucas nodded, grateful that his brother had known to prepare. Maybe when this was all over he could forgive him after all. “I’m driving.”
33
They took the back roads toward MacDonald land as far as the terrain would allow. About a half-mile from the backside of the mountain where the holding cells were located, they were forced to park and leave their Jeep, after hiding it behind a stand of trees and brush. Lucas took a deep breath, filtering through the scents that flooded him until he found the one he was looking for.
“I’ve got her.” He muttered as he removed his clothes and tossed them on the seat. He shifted and ran, knowing he didn’t have to worry about Kane—his brother would keep up.
Within minutes they arrived at the underground cell in which Kira was being held. Shifting back into human form, Lucas and Kane cautiously approached the small cave. They had easily slipped past the two-man guard post twenty-five yards back and they were almost there.
The cave had been carved out from the back side of stone mountain. It was also dimly lit, which would make things difficult if they were human. Before they got around the first bend, Lucas scented the unmistakable fear coming from Kira.
His stomach heaved at the thought of her suffering. Unable to stand it, he sprinted past the line of cells to the farthest one where they had his mate locked up, ignoring the warning hiss of his brother.
Lucas made it to the cage undetected but stopped short when he heard the noises coming from inside.
Lucaaaassss. Lucaaaassss. Lucaaaassss. Hearing Kira chant his name stopped him cold. She sounded like a feral cat. He should know. He’d been responsible for putting down enough of them when they were past the point of no return. Would he be able to bring her back from this?
He had to. He refused to believe they ended like this.
The lock on the door was no match for his strength and easily gave way when he pulled on it. He eased the door open slowly so as to not frighten her when a sense of deja vu washed over him.
Crouched in the corner, she didn’t notice him walk in. He approached her like he would a frightened cat while speaking softly. “Kira. Kira, honey, it’s me. Lucas.”
At the sound of his voice she started shrieking at the top of her lungs. In the cave the sound amplified against the stone walls and would surely carry straight to the guardhouse.
Lucas flew to her side, grabbed her body up against his and covered her mouth to stop the screams. She blindly fought him, scratching at his arms, kicking her legs, all in her wild attempt to get loose. While her strength shocked him, he still held her with ease.
Kane came running in. “What the hell is going on in here? Everyone can hear her screeching. Are you trying to get us killed?”
She continued screaming against his hand as well as jerking her body like a wild banshee to get away.
“I don’t think she recognizes me. She’s scared to death and frantic to get free. If her goddamn pulse is any indication, she’s about to have a fucking heart attack.”
Kane took a step back and peered down the cave tunnel. “We’re never going to get her out of here like this. Lucas, you’re going to have to perform the mating ritual right here, right now. It’s our only hope." He pointed at Kira. "Her only hope."
“And how do you suppose I’m going to do that with her kicking and screaming? We don’t have the time or equipment to tie her up and gag her?”
Kane didn’t answer him right away and he looked up at him. His brother didn’t say a word, but Lucas knew exactly what he thought.
“Uh, no don’t even go there. It’s not going to work.”
“We have to do something. You have any better ideas to calm her down long enough for you to mate her and bite the damn mark at the same time?”
Lucas struggled with a solution. He had to do something and do something quick. Kane’s unspoken suggestion made the animal inside snarl. He wanted his brother’s blood. But if they didn’t get out of here soon, they’d be discovered and he didn’t think her Council’s reaction to his interference would go in his favor.
Lucas bent his head in resignation. “Fine. Get over here and help me hold her down.” He looked up and met his brother’s gaze. “Whatever it takes.”
For a moment the air around them sizzled. Despite the tension, he’d find a way to hold the animal long enough for his brother to help. He hoped. The idea of his brother touching her in any capacity already had his stomach roiling.
Lucas shifted so Kira’s back was up against the front of his body, one arm wrapped around her waist the other covering her mouth tightly. “I can’t let go or she’ll alert the whole damn clan with her screams.”
Kane walked in front of her and tried talking to her, trying to soothe her fears while Lucas did the same at her ear. No amount of sweet talk or petting seemed to make much of a difference. Until his finger brushed across her nipple.
She continued to wiggle and squirm but her screams behind his hand were beginning to change.
“She may not be sure who we are, Lucas, but I can—uh—smell her desire. Your rubbing up against her is having a definite effect.”
A fierce growl rumbled in his chest. The more his brother talked the less he wanted to go through with this.
Kane held up his hands in surrender. “I’m just saying.”
Lucas forced himself to relax, the mating messed a little with his own control as well, but deep down where it mattered he knew he could trust his brother.
“Her arousal is having an effect all right. An effect on me.” His full erection pressed firmly against the top of her buttocks. The more she wriggled and fought with him, the harder he became. Circumstances be damned, he needed her. Now. First, she needed to stop making so much noise but she wasn’t listening.
If he couldn’t tell her how he was feeling he’d have to show her. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I think we are going to have to do this together.”
Kane stared at him, uncertainty written all over his face.
“Are you crazy? I don't need my throat ripped out today.” Kane mumbled, backing up a few steps.
“I don’t have a fucking choice here now do I?” Lucas hissed. “We don’t have much more time here and I’m going to have to let go of her to complete the ritual. Besides, it’s not as if we haven’t done this before.”
“Yeah, but I don’t recall a single time before her when my life was in danger because I had my dick out. This will make you want to kill me all over again when this is over. Nope. No thanks.” He held up his hands and moved away.
They didn’t have time for this. He knew his brother was pushing him for some sort of promise, so he swallowed his pride. “Please, brother, help me save my mate.” The look in Kane's eyes shifted immediately. He didn’t have to ask again.
Kane wasted no time and quickly moved to Kira, pressing his body up against hers. She was now sandwiched tightly between the two men, which hampered her efforts at getting loose. Lucas used all of his strength to contain and quiet her while Kane started a slow and easy seduction.
"No shifting," Kane said. "I don't trust your cougar not to kill
me for this."
Lucas nodded his head. "Agreed." They both knew this wasn't going to be easy. He absolutely preferred his mate as far away from his brother as possible.
Threading his hands through her hair, Kane brought his lips down to her neck, and with light nibbles he worked his way across her shoulder. Lucas sighed a small relief when Kira’s attempts to scream against his hand turned into whimpers.
She still struggled, but he didn’t think she really wanted to get away any longer. What with her ass rubbing up and down his dick. By no small miracle, he maintained a tight grip and brought his own lips down on the back of her neck.
It was obvious that despite her loss of control, her mating call was still upon her, driving her body to mate. It wouldn’t cease until her mate completed the ritual.
Him. He was her only chance. His heart clutched. What would they do if she survived tonight? Would she ever believe his true feelings? That he saw her as far more than a duty. He couldn’t think of that right now. He had to save her. Her life was more important than her anger.
Counting on his brother to keep a level head, Lucas gave in to the need and savored the unique sweet taste of her skin. How he had missed that. He nuzzled and nibbled until Kira writhed in his arms.
Her sudden gasp under his fingers had him looking over her shoulder, where he saw Kane had raised her shirt and fondled her. Despite his reluctance to admit it, he was on some level grateful to Kane and his willingness to risk his life for her. Jokes and fights aside, family was still family and they were apparently still willing to come together for each other.
Now to get his mate to come around.
Lucas tuned out his brother and trailed his tongue along the contours of her back, she showed her appreciation by once again wiggling her jean-clad ass against his barely contained erection. “Kane, take off her pants. I need to touch her.”