“You’re not human,” Erin persisted. “You need to start thinking like a Therian.”
Carissa stilled, eyes narrowing on Erin’s face. “If you agree with these ridiculous concepts, why did you send Ian after me?”
“I don’t agree with the old ways and neither does Ian or Kyle, but Kyle has only led the feline network for a few months. He’ll do what he can to protect you and Ava. I’m just afraid he won’t be able to control the older members of the council. Most of them see nothing wrong with coercing stubborn females.”
“Tell her the rest,” Ian prompted. “She deserves the whole truth.”
Erin looked decidedly uncomfortable, but she complied. “Kyle is my son, and my husband was head of the network when your mother chose to leave us.” She paused for a sigh then went on in an embarrassed rush, “My husband and Osric contracted a match between Ava and Kyle shortly after Ava was born. Your mother objected. It wasn’t that she disapproved of Kyle. How could she? He was still a child. But she wanted Ava to have the freedom to choose her own mate.”
“Why Ava? Is Osric rich or something?” As Erin answered the questions, Carissa’s gaze shifted to Ian. Her nostrils flared and she nervously wet her lower lip. Could he sense the restlessness rising within her? What the hell would she do if it became as demanding as it had before?
“Females in your bloodline have a rare ability. They’re able to imprint more than one male.”
Carissa absently touched her lips, her gaze focused on Ian’s mouth. She needed Quinn! Needed…needed to pay attention to what Erin was saying! “I have no idea what that means.”
Erin looked from Carissa to Ian, understanding widening her eyes. “Is she in heat?”
“Oh yeah.” Ian shifted position, the bulge in the front of his jeans undeniable.
“Can you calm her down? She really needs to understand this.”
“Let’s find out.” He strode to Carissa and pulled her into his arms. For just a moment she melted into the embrace, and then his scent filled her head and she went wild. She shoved against his chest and violently arched away. “Settle down. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I am not doing this again!”
He stilled at her last word, his gaze narrowed and intense. “Again?”
“When did it start?” Erin asked, suspicion creeping into her expression.
“This morning.” Carissa turned around, but he kept one arm wrapped around her waist. “Quinn came into our store and… It felt as if an electric current passed between us. I’ve been edgy ever since.”
“All he did was talk to you?” Erin glanced at Ian as she waited for the answer. “He didn’t touch you or kiss you?”
“Why is this important?” Carissa evaded, trying to minimize her contact with Ian’s restraining arm.
His fingers splayed against her side, firm yet careful. “Quinn can intentionally trigger Therian heat. The council banned him from all network functions until he bonds with a mate.”
“What does this have to do with me?” She was missing something obvious, but rising desire kept her mind muddled.
“A female in heat is simple to track. Her scent is unmistakable.”
She turned back around and looked up at him. “Quinn did this to me?”
“It’s possible.”
“It’s probable,” Erin countered, bitterness hardening her characteristically mellow tone.
Anger cleared Carissa’s mind for a moment and she wiggled out of his arms. “Kyle sent Quinn after me. He had to know what Quinn would do. And Kyle isn’t doing this out of the kindness of his heart. He’s trying to recapture his betrothed.”
Erin reluctantly nodded. “When my husband died, Osric informed Kyle that the contract was null and void. Osric has begun negotiations with several other leaders, but Kyle is determined to—”
“Wait a minute. Osric thought we were dead. My mother made sure of it.”
“Your mother was fooling herself. The familial bond between Therians is strong. Osric sensed your mother’s passing and he’s known all along that his daughter was still alive.”
“‘His daughter was still alive’? Don’t you mean daughters?”
Ian shot Erin a cautionary look. “Slip of the tongue,” he dismissed. But Carissa wasn’t buying it. “Osric is just focused on Ava right now.”
With so many other knots needing to be untied, she let the inconsistency slide and tucked it away in the back of her mind. After a short pause she asked, “Why now? If he wanted us so badly, wouldn’t it have been easier to track us down as children?”
“He had no interest in children.” Ian watched her closely as if he feared she’d run. “You both turn twenty-five next week. If you don’t name your mates, Osric can make the decision for you.”
“Erin said the council selects mates for reluctant females.” She turned toward the fire, not wanting the warmth but needing a moment away from their perceptive gazes.
“The female’s father is allowed to make suggestions to the council. The council isn’t required to accept the father’s choice, but they often work together. Because of the contract dispute over Ava, the council approved Osric’s choice and sanctioned his actions.”
“Much to Kyle’s chagrin,” Erin added.
Carissa watched the dancing flames as she absorbed what she’d learned so far and allowed her mind to accept the implications. “And I’m next. Aren’t I?” She turned back around, too keyed up to remain still. “As soon as Osric finalizes the sale on Ava, he’ll open the bidding on me.” She rubbed her upper arms, trying to hide her hardened nipples. How much longer could she pretend this wasn’t happening? She raked a hand through her hair and started pacing. “I need to think. Why can’t I focus?”
“Ian, give us a few minutes. I need to talk with Carissa—alone.”
He looked as if he would argue then he nodded and left the room.
Erin unzipped the overnight bag at her feet and dug through its contents as she explained. “I wasn’t sure where you’d be staying or which challenges we’d be facing, so I tried to plan for everything. I brought a change of clothes, basic toiletries…and this.” She pulled out a plastic case and opened it across her knees. “Spray this up your nose. It should settle things down. If that doesn’t work, the vaginal cream will do the trick.”
Carissa took the nasal spray from her outstretched hand and looked it over dubiously. There was no label, no directions. “Where did you get this? What’s in it?”
“A synthetic version of what you’d get from a man. It’s not a cure. Therian heat won’t be denied, but this makes the cravings manageable. Many of us stopped being slaves to our hormones—and our men—a long time ago.”
“Do your men know about this?”
“Of course they do.” Erin laughed. “That’s why it’s forbidden. Most men enjoy the challenge of winning a mate, but there are still some who prefer women powerless. We were tired of ‘being treated like chattel’. Isn’t that how you put it?”
“So you kept producing it despite the ban?”
“Discreetly,” Erin stressed with a smile.
Desperate for any relief from the ache, Carissa placed the nozzle in her nostril and pulled down on the tabs, dispensing an odd-smelling mist into her nose. She sniffed, sneezed, and then sniffed some more.
“Do you feel any different?” Erin sounded hopeful.
“Not really.”
“Try the other side.”
She repeated the process and gradually her head began to clear. The ringing in her ears lessened and her temperature slowly lowered. “It’s working.” She no longer felt edgy, and the ache between her thighs subsided.
“Good. You can use it every few hours, but hold out as long as you can. Your body will eventually compensate for the chemicals and you’ll need the real thing, but this should buy you some time.”
“Do people really go insane from this or did Quinn just say that to frighten me?”
“It’s extremely rare, but it has happe
ned. Our physiology is stubborn, our species determined to survive. The mist slows down the entire process, but again let me stress that it’s not a cure. You’ll need to find a sexual partner eventually. The cream works best at night or when the cravings are especially intense.” Carissa handed the nasal spray back to Erin and she returned it to the plastic case, then tucked the case back inside the overnight bag. After zipping the bag, Erin crossed to Carissa and gave her an encouraging hug. “Get some sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning. More yourself.”
“Myself?” She laughed. “I don’t even know who that is anymore.”
Carissa sensed an undercurrent swirling around her as Ian walked Erin to the front door a few minutes later. The same electric sensation had prickled Carissa’s skin when the wolves lapsed into silence. Were all Therians telepathic? Could she learn to send and receive thoughts?
Had she just thought of herself as a Therian?
She didn’t want to buy in to this madness, but there was too much tangible proof that what they were saying was real. Her reaction to Quinn. The memories released by Erin’s scent. Not to mention the wolves’ transformation and Ian’s wings!
Ian strode back into the room and her thoughts scattered. Like embers disturbed by the wind, her body threatened to flame anew. She took a deep breath, hoping to reactivate the nasal spray. His gaze locked with hers, hungry and hot, and the rest of the world faded from view.
He crossed the room in silence and placed his hands on her shoulders. They inhaled together, as if on cue. He bent toward her, lips parted, ready to plunder. But her body rebelled, the throbbing suddenly painful rather than evocative.
This was wrong! She wanted Quinn, not just a Therian male. Her thoughts were clear enough to understand the difference. She shook her head, thrilled by this new level of control. “I’m not doing this.”
Pushing his hand into her hair, he slowly pulled her head back. “The longer you fight it, the more demanding it becomes. Do you want to lose control?”
She shook her head then rushed through her objections. “This is the twenty-first century. You can’t tell me there isn’t an alternative. There has to be a pill or an injection that will put out this fire!” She watched closely for his reaction. Did he know about the nasal spray? Or was he one of those who preferred his women powerless?
His hold remained constant, yet it only hurt when she tried to pull away. “Scientists have tried to duplicate the chemical reaction, but it’s different for each couple.”
That much must have been true. Erin said it wasn’t a cure, just an aid. A way to manage the unmanageable. “I think it’s too late. My body is already…”
“Shifting to accommodate Quinn?” He urged her backward, not stopping until the couch pressed against her calves. “How far did it go? Did he fuck you?”
Just the mention of Quinn’s name rekindled the heat. “It’s none of your business!”
“Did he hurt you?” He reached for her face, but she turned her head.
“No. To both questions.”
“When did he kiss you? In the morning at your shop or after he took you from your house?”
She glared. “Why do you care? He said it would return, and it has. Nothing else is important.”
He stepped back with obvious reluctance. “I told him I’d kill him if he ever used his power again. I need to know if he deserves to die.”
“I don’t know!” The harder she tried to concentrate, the more her body rebelled, but it wasn’t like before. She wasn’t aroused. Ian was still standing too close. She couldn’t think, couldn’t seem to catch her breath with him so near. “I don’t think so. Please get away from me. I can’t breathe.”
“What did Erin say to you? Did she—”
The musical crash of breaking glass interrupted his question. Ian pivoted as a massive black cat landed in the middle of his living room. Carissa gasped and sank to the couch, terrified yet captivated.
“Stay there!” Ian tossed the order over his shoulder as he turned to confront his uninvited guest.
Cold air gushed in through the broken window pane, rapidly lowering the temperature in the room. Ian stood with his legs braced, fists planted on his hips. His back sparkled then glowed as his wings manifested with a smooth rolling motion.
A sharp feline cry split the silence and she slipped off the couch, creeping to the left so she could see the intruder. The cat was huge, his black pelt gleaming in the moonlight. From his massive paws to the compact power of his hind legs, the cat emanated strength, agility and danger.
Without realizing why, she inhaled deeply, tilting her head as she scented the air. Ian’s smell reached her first, but her brain quickly identified the cat’s scent. She’d touched this man, breathed his breath and tasted his mouth. Even in cat form, her body recognized the intruder.
An odd thrill raced through her system. Hearing Quinn describe his jaguar and actually seeing him were two very different things. Her heart fluttered and her fingers tingled. She should be frightened, yet she felt energized and…excited?
Quinn’s head jerked toward her, eyes glowing gold in the relative gloom. He made a low rumbling noise, tail high and swishing. Ian took advantage of Quinn’s distraction and knocked him sideways with a vicious swipe of his wing. Quinn rolled and regained his balance, teeth bared in a menacing snarl.
“Stop it! Both of you.” They paused and looked at her, bodies still tense and ready for battle. “If Quinn wanted to hurt me, he would have done so before you ‘rescued’ me. Our focus has to be Ava. This isn’t helping anyone.”
“He’s in my house uninvited,” Ian pointed out. “That’s reason enough for me to kick his ass.”
With hypnotic grace, Quinn flowed from cat into human form. His body rose and reshaped, leaving him naked and agitated. “As if you could take me—in any form!”
Ian swung his wing again, but Quinn was ready this time. Quinn ducked and spun, kicking Ian in the chest before darting out of reach. She watched the bunch and flex of their powerful bodies, mesmerized by the masculine beauty of their aggressive display. Fully dressed, Quinn had been marvelous. Naked, he took her breath away.
Ian grunted, rubbing his bruised chest as he drew back his wing for another violent swat.
Shaking away the momentary stupor, she yelled, “Cut it out!” She rushed forward, glaring at each man in turn.
“Did you trigger her heat, Jenaro?” Ian shouted, obviously unwilling to end the argument.
Resentment filled Quinn’s dark eyes as he turned and looked at her. “I didn’t touch you until after the fever rose. You were going crazy by the time I kissed you.”
She tugged on the hem of her shirt. He was naked, so why did she feel exposed and vulnerable? “I didn’t accuse you of anything. I told them I wasn’t sure what happened.”
“Them?” He turned back to Ian, hostility freezing his features. “Is Erin here? Her son would like to speak with her.”
“I just bet he would,” Ian snickered. “Did Kyle promise you Carissa if you help him find Ava? That will keep both Seymour sisters in feline control.”
Quinn moved forward, eyes narrowed on Ian’s face. “She reeks of you, old man! Did you define her or just—”
“Stop it!” She stepped in front of Quinn again and shoved him back with both hands. He might be unconcerned with his nudity, but she was becoming progressively more aware of him. She hadn’t realized how muted the sensations had been with Ian until Quinn crashed back into her life. “He didn’t touch me. Not that it’s any of your business.” Why was she provoking him? She knew it was dangerous even as the words slipped off her tongue. “I don’t belong to you.”
He grabbed a handful of her shirt and pulled her forward. “I say we take care of that right now.”
In an instant, Ian was behind Quinn with his arm wrapped around his throat. “Even I can smell her fear. Get your filthy hands off her.” His voice was calm and deadly, but Quinn didn’t seem impressed.
“Say the word, C
arissa, and I’ll take you out of here. This raptor’s no match for me.”
Ian’s wing folded sharply, the tip aimed at Quinn’s head. Carissa leapt to the side, meaning to intercept the blow. The snap of fracturing glass sent Ian twisting to the side. Quinn lunged for her, but his reaction was a millisecond too slow. Searing pain drilled into her upper chest and the bullet’s momentum jerked her sharply to the left. She screamed, terrified and confused as the fire in her chest burned away her speculation.
Quinn’s lunge drove her to the carpet. Ian crouched over them, wings spread protectively. She cried out again as her wounded shoulder slammed against the floor and stars burst behind her eyes.
“She’s hit.” Quinn sounded angry, but fear made his dark eyes shine. “Get off me! I need to see how bad.”
“Stay down.”
Quinn’s only response was an impatient sneer.
With his wings still fully extended, Ian pivoted to the side and ran toward the window. His upper body bent low and he leapt through the gaping hole Quinn had left behind then shifted into an eagle in midair.
Even in her pain-induced daze, Carissa felt a rush of awe. “Why would someone shoot me? Doesn’t Osric need me alive?” She clenched her hands and fought back a scream as the agony sank deeper into her chest.
“You weren’t the target.” Quinn ripped her shirt open and examined the wound, worry etched into his features. “Fucking abolitionists.”
Abolitionists? The old-fashioned word swam through her mind, but her brain refused to provide a modern context.
“The bullet has to come out,” he said, “but bleeding’s our enemy right now.” Shooting to his feet, he rushed into the hall bath and returned with a stack of hand towels. “I’ve got to put pressure on it, and it’s gonna hurt like hell, so don’t bother trying to be brave.”
She squeezed her eyes shut and braced for the worst, but her startled scream still echoed off the walls. Pain radiated around his hand, and it felt as if he were shoving the towels clear through her body. “Stop! Oh God…”
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