CougarHeat

by Marisa Chenery

  Aspen looked at him. “There’s a bar in there? Being so hidden away, I would think they wouldn’t get much business.”

  “They do. They like to be discreet.”

  Taylor opened the door and guided Aspen inside. He didn’t get very far before Nikki confronted him. She glared at Aspen, glanced down at their joined hands, then gave him a hard look.

  “Taylor,” Nikki said. “What is this?”

  “Nikki. This is my girlfriend Aspen. I’m only here to talk to Blaise, then we’ll leave.”

  A look of shock crossed Nikki’s face before it changed to anger. “Girlfriend? How could you take up with a hu—”

  Taylor cut Nikki off before she could get the word “human” out. “Back off, Nikki.”

  He brushed past Nikki, taking Aspen with him. Taylor spotted his brother and cousins at the same back table they’d sat at his first night back in Anchorage. Once he reached it, he quickly made the introductions.

  “It’s nice meeting all of you,” Aspen said. She looked at Taylor. “I need to use the ladies’ room since you didn’t give me a chance to at my place.”

  He nodded, then pointed her in the direction of where the restrooms were. He watched Aspen until she disappeared into the ladies’ room. He found Blaise, Grady and Jase staring at him.

  Blaise spoke first. “What were you thinking, bringing a human here? I don’t have a problem with it, but that’s not the case for everyone. And I’m sure Nikki is as pleased as anything,” he said sarcastically. “Aspen’s scent is all over you and yours all over her.”

  Taylor pulled out a chair at the table and sat. “I think this will excuse me.” He reached under his shirt and took out his pendant. In the dim lighting of the bar, there was no missing how the ruby eyes glowed.

  Jase leaned forward. “You found your mate.” Then a shocked expression formed on his face. “Aspen?”

  “Yes, Aspen,” Taylor said. “It just happened. She also told me it’s been warming against her while we sleep together. Plus, she has an almost overwhelming urge to take it from me and wear it herself.”

  Blaise whistled. “She’s your mate.”

  Taylor nodded. “Have any of you ever heard of a cougar shifter having a human as a mate before?”

  The three other men shook their heads. “I would have to say you’re the first,” Grady said. “And since she got your pendant glowing, there’s nothing anyone can say about it. No one can dispute the magic in it.”

  That was true. Only a male’s mate could set off the magic in the pendant. His father was going to blow his lid when he found out, but Taylor really didn’t give a shit. Aspen was his. He’d already started to fall in love with her, but hadn’t picked up on what his feelings for her actually meant until now.

  The sound of Aspen shouting his name in fear had Taylor shoving back his chair and running at no speed a human could ever achieve toward the restrooms. Blaise, Jase and Grady quickly followed behind him.

  Chapter Seven

  Aspen walked out of one of the stalls in the ladies’ room and went to the sink to wash her hands. The door opened and Nikki walked in. Seeing the unpleasant look on the other woman’s face, Aspen decided it would be best on her part to ignore her.

  She finished at the sink and dried her hands before she turned to head out of the restroom, but found her path blocked by Nikki. Aspen stepped to the side to go around her only to have Nikki move with her.

  “What do you think you’re doing, human, being with Taylor? We don’t want your kind around here.”

  “Human?” Aspen asked, wondering if Nikki wasn’t all there.

  “Do yourself a favor and stay away from Taylor. He’s mine. Stay the hell away from him.”

  Aspen instantly stood up for herself. It was obvious Nikki was jealous, but that didn’t give her the right to try to intimidate her. She gave the other woman a hard look. “Since Taylor is with me, I have to see he never was yours in the first place. And I won’t be breaking up with him just because you’re threatening me.”

  “Then I guess we’ll have to see how much Taylor will want you once I get my claws into your face.”

  What happened next had Aspen’s heart jumping into her throat. Nikki’s body shimmered and blurred. An instant later, a very pissed-off cougar took her place. It snarled and growled as it bunched its back legs under it as if to spring. As it did, Aspen held her arms in front of her face and shouted Taylor’s name as loud as she could.

  The restroom door slammed open and Taylor, Blaise, Jase and Grady ran in. Taylor caught the cougar around the middle before it reached Aspen and threw it into one of the open stalls. The large cat quickly recovered and shot out like a bullet.

  Aspen found herself frozen to the spot as Taylor’s body blurred and shimmered as Nikki’s had and a larger cougar stood where he’d been. The male cat blocked the female’s charge, his large paw coming out and swiping her across the face, but that didn’t stop her from attempting to get at Aspen again. It took the male grappling her to the floor, standing over her with his sharp teeth bared above her throat, to have her backing down.

  The female cougar’s form shifted to human and she was Nikki once more. “I’ll leave your precious human alone for now, but don’t ever bring her here again.” She gained her feet and stomped out of the restroom.

  The sound of harsh breathing filled Aspen’s ears. It took her a few seconds to realize it was her making the sound. Her heart raced as the male cougar’s body blurred and shimmered and Taylor was himself again. He turned and took a step toward her, but she stopped him by holding her hands out in front of her.

  “Stop,” she said. “How could you… What are… What the hell just happened here?”

  “I can explain everything, but I don’t think this is the place to do it,” Taylor said.

  “Yeah, I’d get her out of here before Nikki flips her lid again,” Blaise added.

  Aspen looked at Taylor’s brother and his two cousins. “All of you can change into cougars as well?”

  Grady answered. “We’re all cougar shifters.”

  “How?”

  “We were born this way. Think of us as a different race who can do things a normal human can’t.”

  “Different race?” she asked sarcastically. “I’d say it’s more than that.”

  The sound of voices gathering outside the ladies’ room had them all turning their heads toward the door. Taylor quickly took Aspen by the arm. “Time to go, and please don’t fight me. I would never do anything to hurt you. The people out there, I’m not too sure about. Nikki and her family own this bar. I’m sure she just told everyone you’re human.”

  Fear still pumping through her, Aspen figured she would be safer with Taylor and his family than the strangers outside the door. She allowed him to guide her out to the bar. There was a group of people there, all looking none too pleased to see her. Blaise, Grady and Jase closed around her and Taylor, then all together, they left.

  They parted company with Taylor’s brother and cousins once they reached his pickup. After Taylor put her in the cab, he spoke a few words with the others, then got in the driver’s side.

  As they drove toward her apartment, some of Aspen’s fear subsided. She felt numb, as if it were too much for her mind to accept. She made no move to touch Taylor, and he didn’t try to touch her. Neither one of them said anything.

  At her apartment, Aspen unlocked the door. Taylor didn’t give her a chance to keep him out. He crowded behind her, then closed them inside. Needing some distance between them, she went and sat on the couch. Taylor didn’t give her much space as he came to stand in front of her.

  “Are you going to give me a chance to explain?” he asked as he looked down at her.

  “I guess.”

  He squatted and tried to take her hands in his, but Aspen pulled away before he touched her. Taylor sighed. “I’m not going to hurt you so stop being afraid of me.”

  “Sorry, but seeing my boyfriend turn into a cougar does that to me
.”

  “Look at me, Aspen. Really look at me. I’m still Taylor. I was a cougar shifter when I first met you. Not once have I done anything to harm you. You were even safe with me on the long drive to Anchorage.”

  She wrapped her arms around her middle. “I know. Were you ever going to tell me what you are?”

  “Yes. I just hadn’t figured out how I was going to do it. Then this happened.” He pulled out his cougar head pendant and angled it toward her.

  Aspen saw the ruby eyes still glowed. “I don’t understand.”

  “Every male is given one of these necklaces once they hit puberty. It’s crafted with magic inside it. When he finds his mate, she will set off the magic it contains and the eyes will glow. It’s the female’s choice to take the necklace from the male and put it around her neck. Only then will the mating bond form between them, joining their souls.” He met her gaze. “You set mine off. It usually takes a little while after the couple meets, but if it’s meant to be it will happen.”

  “I’m your mate?”

  “Yes. And you can decide whether you’ll accept my necklace or not.”

  “Once I do we’ll be mated? For life?”

  “Correct. As far as I know, you’re the only human to be a mate to a cougar shifter.”

  Aspen took a deep breath. This was a lot to take in. She looked at Taylor and saw the man she had fallen for, but the cougar side still scared her. “Do I have to make the decision about being your mate right now?”

  “No.”

  “Good, because I can’t.”

  Taylor stood. “I think it’s best I go and let you think through everything. I would never pressure you into doing something this life changing, but I will say I love you. Now I know why my feelings for you were so strong right off the bat when I have never experienced it with any woman before you. Take as much time as you need. You have my cell number.”

  Aspen remained on the couch as Taylor gave her one last look, then walked out of the apartment. A minute later, she heard his pickup truck pulling away from the house. A part of her wanted to chase after him and tell him to come back, but she stayed on the couch. She had a lot of thinking to do.

  * * * * *

  It was late the next morning when someone knocked on Aspen’s apartment door. She opened it to find a woman who looked to be in her thirties standing on the other side.

  “Can I help you?”

  “If you’re Aspen, you sure can.”

  “I am.”

  “Good. I’m Mara, Taylor’s mom. Can I come in?”

  It was then that Aspen saw the similarities in looks. Mara had the same tawny-blonde hair and light-brown eyes that verged on gold. She also didn’t look anywhere old enough to have a son Taylor’s age.

  Aspen took a step back. “I guess.”

  Mara walked through the doorway and looked around. “This is a great little place. I understand your parents live in the house.”

  “Thanks, and yes, they do.”

  “Enough of the pleasantries, I’m going to get straight to the point of my visit. It’s about you and Taylor. He told me what happened yesterday. I had to pry it out of him, but he eventually opened up. I thought I’d come here and see how you were feeling about it all.”

  Aspen motioned Mara to follow her into the living room and they both sat on the couch. “I don’t know what to think. It’s hard to accept the fact there are cougar shifters in the real world.”

  “I know. I blame that on the fact it was long ago decided we would keep our kind hidden from humans and werewolves.”

  “Werewolves?” Aspen asked, feeling her world tilt a little more. How many more mythical creatures were there that actually existed?

  “Yes, they’re real as well. But as I was saying, we’ve kept what we are a secret. And because of that Taylor was banished four years ago. He defended his human friend from a werewolf. They fought in animal form. Taylor ended up killing the werewolf in self-defense. Since he allowed others besides our kind see what he truly is, my mate, the head of our family group, decided to uphold the old law and banished him. I didn’t agree with it. And after hearing who my son has been friends with and living around while he was away, I think it’s time we loosen the rules. I pried that out of him too.”

  “So you’re okay with a human being Taylor’s mate?” Aspen had no idea what Mara was referring to about Taylor’s friends in Juneau.

  “Of course. He’s lived too long among humans. It makes sense. I can’t say everyone in our family group will feel the same, but there isn’t much they can do about it. You set off the magic in Taylor’s pendant. Only a mate can do that. There will be no one else for him but you. I hope you don’t mind me asking. Do you love my son?”

  That was the one thing Aspen could settle on. She did love Taylor. Finding out he was able to shift into a cougar hadn’t changed that. “Yes.”

  “Then go and tell him. Right now he’s probably in a fine mess. Once a male’s pendant starts to glow, he’ll find himself, how should I put this, in a constant state of need for his female until she takes his necklace from him. He won’t be able to eat or sleep until that happens.”

  Aspen swallowed. “I have to admit it has been on my mind too.”

  Mara laughed. “It’s all part of the magic. But seriously, if you choose to accept Taylor as your mate, you will never have to worry about him straying. His love for you will never dim. You’ll have a best friend and devoted lover all rolled into one.”

  The thought of being able to have a relationship that close with Taylor had Aspen wanting to jump at it, but the whole cougar thing scared her. “The only thing stopping me is the cougar part. What happened at the bar scared the crap out of me.”

  Mara frowned. “I heard about that from Blaise, Jase and Grady as well. I never did like that Nikki. Don’t judge our kind by her. She’d be a bitch even if she wasn’t a cougar shifter.”

  Hearing Mara swear, being as elegantly dressed as she was, had Aspen laughing. “I guess some people are like that no matter what they are.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Can you turn into a cougar for me? Maybe if I see you it will take some of my fear away.”

  “Of course. Just remember I’m still the same person inside the cat. I’ll be able to understand you, but I won’t be able to respond.”

  As Mara stood, Aspen noticed the cougar head pendant she wore around her neck. It was identical to Taylor’s. Looking at it made Aspen want Taylor’s even more.

  Mara shifted to her cat form and stood patiently for Aspen to make the first move. Aspen screwed up her courage and sank to the floor in front of the large cat. She tentatively touched her head. Mara purred and gently placed her paw on Aspen’s cheek. Looking into the gold eyes of the cat, she saw the intelligence that lurked behind them. As she continued to stroke the top of Mara’s feline head, she found her fear disappearing. She felt as if she was in no danger. Only with Nikki had she felt it.

  Aspen gave Mara one last scratch behind the ear, then sat on the couch once more. “Thank you. I’m not scared anymore. I know I have nothing to worry about from you.”

  Mara took on her human form. “And you never will. I will say since meeting you, I’d be more than happy to have you as a daughter.”

  For some reason, that made Aspen’s eyes burn as tears threatened to rise to the surface. She usually wasn’t the emotional sort. “I think I need to see Taylor.”

  “Then I’ll take you to him. This is his first day back working in the family business, but I doubt he’ll be able to concentrate enough to get anything done.”

  Aspen collected her purse and jacket, then followed Mara out to the dark-gray luxury sports car that sat parked in her parents’ driveway. She didn’t say anything until Taylor’s mother pulled up in front of the tall office building that was owned by the biggest software company in Anchorage.

  “This is your family business?”

  Mara nodded. “Yes. Taylor’s office is on the top floor. I’ll call his
secretary and let her know you’re coming up so she won’t stop you. Now off you go.”

  Aspen got out of the car and entered the building. No one stopped her as she got on the elevator. The ride up to the top floor had her starting to feel nervous. She wasn’t second-guessing her decision. She wanted Taylor. His mother had set her fears to rest.

  After the elevator doors slid open, Aspen stepped out into a large reception area. The woman behind the desk waved her on to the closed double solid-oak doors. Aspen swallowed her case of nerves and opened them, stepped through, then closed them again.

  The first thing she noticed was the floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides of the office. The other was Taylor, who paced in front of the one opposite her. He wore a suit and tie. He looked handsome, but it seemed so out of character for him.

  “Taylor,” she said, thinking to make her presence known, but he was already turning toward her.

  “Aspen. You’re here.” Taylor crossed the room, closing the distance between them.

  “Yeah. Your mom came to my apartment and had a chat with me. She’s the one who drove me over.”

  “When I told her where you lived, I never thought she’d go to your place.”

  “It’s okay. She’s really nice…and she helped me come to a decision.”

  “And?”

  In way of answer, Aspen stepped even closer, reached up and snagged the chain of his necklace with her finger. She pulled the pendant out from under his button-down shirt. She touched the glowing ruby eyes, then took hold of it and pulled it over Taylor’s head. She turned it so the pendant would face the right way and put the chain around her neck.

  The instant it came to rest against her chest, Aspen sucked in a breath. A sensation as if something snapped into place between her and Taylor surged through her. Looking at Taylor’s expression, he had to have felt the same thing.

  “You took my necklace,” he said quietly.

  “I do love you, Taylor. I can’t picture my life without you in it.”

  With a cat’s growl, he gathered her close and kissed her as if he couldn’t get enough of her. Aspen returned his kisses with the same fervor. Her need to have him inside her bordered on desperation.