“Now that was really stupid.” With one arm, Ian hauled the smaller man to his feet. “You see, we kill anyone who learns our secret. We weren’t sure if you were a threat or just someone in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“I know exactly what you are and the rest of my team is on their way. If I disappear, they’ll burn this place to the ground.”
Quinn motioned to the barn surrounding them. “Not much of a loss.”
“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
“I’ll tell you what I know.” Quinn moved closer and Ian tightened his hold. “You’ve got a rifle in the back of that truck with my mate’s blood on it.”
All the fight seemed to melt from their captive. “You bonded with Carissa? Has she…given in to her demon nature?”
“You say her name as if you know her.” Quinn ignored the insult. Members of the Abolition were brainwashed into believing what their leaders wanted them to believe.
“Take me to her. She deserves to know that there are other choices for her life.”
“Choices like those you provided for Willona, perhaps?”
“Have her meet us in the classroom,” Ian cautioned. “This piece of shit isn’t getting a guided tour.”
Quinn reached for Carissa across their private link and felt her relief rush over him. I’m fine, hellion. The shooter is contained, but he’d like to speak with you. Meet us in the classroom.
Why does he want to talk to me?
I’ll explain when we arrive. Or she would recognize the shooter’s face and her memory would fill in the blanks. If this weren’t an opportunity to help Carissa understand her mother better, Quinn wouldn’t have indulged the shooter’s request. But Carissa was so conflicted about her past. He wanted to give her every piece of information he could find.
Ian dragged the human into the back of his truck then closed up the rifle’s case and handed it to Quinn. “Drive us over to the sanctuary. I’ll come back for the SUV once we’ve figured out what to do with him.”
The keys were in the ignition, so Quinn fired up the truck and drove it to the parking lot beside the cat sanctuary. Ian hauled the human out of the back of the truck and Quinn slammed the tailgate. Erin and Carissa were waiting in the classroom, along with Holt and a guard Quinn didn’t recognize. Holt and the guard stood on the outside of the open doorway, alert but unobtrusive.
“So what’s this about?” Erin asked, her gaze hot and hostile upon their captive.
Carissa turned her head this way and that, eyes narrowed yet bright. “I know you,” she whispered. “Why does your face look so familiar?”
Carissa pressed her hand over her thudding heart as she waited for the man to speak. His coat was shredded, flesh bared and bloodied in numerous places. She looked at Ian and whispered, “Did you do that to him?”
He looked at his fingernails and shook his head. “I had a manicure on Tuesday.”
“Is this the man who shot you?” Quinn asked.
She started to say it was then realized she really didn’t know that for a fact. “I saw him with a sniper’s rifle, but I can’t be sure he was the one who fired it at me.”
“I don’t think he fired it at you,” Quinn said. “I think he fired it at Ian and you got in the way.”
“Then I can finish what I started in the barn?” Ian’s grin was nothing short of bloodthirsty.
“Not yet.” Erin placed her hand on his bare chest, stopping his advance toward the human. “He was brought here for a reason.” She looked at Quinn and asked, “Does he have information you’d like to explore before our friend rips him to ribbons?”
“I suspect he has all sorts of information worth exploring, but I’m only interested in what he knows about my mate,” Quinn clarified.
“I would never harm Carissa intentionally. I was like a father to those girls.”
Carissa looked at the stranger as she searched her memory. He was so much older than she remembered, but then so was she. “Is your name Gary or—”
“Gage.” He licked his lips and met her gaze for the first time. “I helped your mother escape these monsters and I can help you.”
“Help me escape my mate or help me escape myself? What do you presume I want to escape?”
Tears gathered in his eyes and he shook his head. “I found you too late.” Then his head came up and he blinked back the tears. “What about your sister? Has Ava been defiled?”
“I would choose my words more carefully. I find your attitude insulting.”
“I only want what’s best for you.”
He sounded so sincere she almost wanted to believe him. The tragic thing was he obviously believed every word. “Good. Then answer a few questions.”
“I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”
“Did my mother contact you or did you go after her?”
He licked his lips and glanced at Quinn. “I’m not sure. We noticed each other about the same time.”
He sounded far less believable now. “Look at me. My mate will not hurt you until I lose interest in you.” Gage turned his head and missed Quinn’s challenging look. He’d destroy Gage without a thought if he attempted to hurt her again. “Did you require my mother to submit to sterilization?”
“They are not my rules. But she was not forced to do anything. She made her own decisions every step of the way.”
She wanted to slap him or shake him and force him to see the lives his rescues ruined. “How many have you rescued since then?”
“I don’t know.”
“Ten, a couple of hundred? Give me a range.”
He pressed his lips together and his face fell into an expressionless mask. “I’m sorry they corrupted you before I could succeed. I will always remember you as an innocent child.” Then he looked away and refused to acknowledge her existence.
Quinn was beside her in an instant, drawing her away from the pain. “Let them handle this. You’ve done more than enough already.”
“So, asswipe, convince me to keep you alive,” Ian said as Quinn led her from the room.
At the bottom of the stairs she stopped and glanced over her shoulder. “What will happen to him once Ian finishes toying with him?”
“That’s up to the Alpha Council.”
“But Gage isn’t Therian. Shouldn’t he be turned over to human authorities?”
“As soon as he started screwing with our people, he became part of our world.”
And Therian justice was swift and decisive. She shouldn’t care what happened to him. If it weren’t for Gage, her life would have been very different. But she couldn’t help feeling as if she’d betrayed a childhood friend.
“Am I going to have to tie you to the bed before you rest?” Quinn asked as they reached the tunnels.
She grinned and took his hand. “How about if you tie me to the bed and I’ll rest after you’re finished with me?”
He stopped walking and looked into her eyes. “Does the idea excite you?”
She shrugged and averted her gaze. “Domineering men always pissed me off until I met you.”
With a little growl, his fingers tightened around hers and he started walking again. The pace was noticeably faster as they resumed their trek toward Erin’s house. Carissa fought back a smile, not wanting him to realize how delightful she found his changeable moods or how easily she could arouse him.
He kicked the door shut behind them and scooped her up in his arms. “I keep waiting for this fire to burn itself out, but it just grows hotter and hotter.”
“Do you want it to burn out?”
He lowered her to the bed and whipped off her shoes. His haste thrilled her and her body echoed his enthusiasm. They’d already made love twice today, why was the craving still so strong?
Standing long enough to tear his shirt off over his head and struggle out of his jeans, he returned to the bed naked and ready to conquer.
She ran her gaze from his head to his toes, admiring his sculpted body and all the leashed
power awaiting her, but it was his eyes that captivated her most, so dark and soulful. She raised her arms and he pulled her shirt off, tossing it toward his. Her breasts swayed unhampered by a bra.
He noticed the lack of underwear and grinned. “Are you commando all the way?”
Lying back as he unzipped her jeans, she soon revealed the full scope of her naughtiness. “Unplanned trips make things complicated. I didn’t see any boxers when you pulled off those jeans.”
He peeled her borrowed jeans down along her thighs then tossed them off the bed. “I never wear underwear. When I’m alone, I seldom wear clothes.”
“We’ll never get anything accomplished if you walk around naked all the time.”
“Depends how you define accomplishments.” He bent to her breast and drew her nipple deep into his mouth. The firm suction sent ribbons of sensation curving through her torso and into her abdomen.
She pushed her fingers into his hair, sighing as the silky strands caressed her fingers. She would never tire of his lips sliding over her skin or the wet suction of his mouth. His entire body was hard against hers except for those talented lips.
She closed her eyes and saw their link for the first time. It arched between them, an iridescent band, shimmering and shifting as their emotions changed. Can you see it too? Has it always been so beautiful?
He lifted his head and smiled into her eyes. “When you’re pissed off or afraid, it looks more like a storm cloud than a rainbow.”
“Have you always been able to see it?”
“At first it was hardly visible. Like one single strand of a spider’s web.”
She hesitated, not sure how to ask the next question without making it sound like an accusation.
He chuckled. “Just spit it out. I only bite when you want me to.”
“You’ve referred to me as your mate.”
“So have you,” he reminded.
“I think the others expect you to claim me, but has it happened yet?”
He threw back his head and laughed. “It couldn’t have been a very strong bonding if you don’t remember it happening.”
“So much has happened and I wasn’t in control for most of it.”
“When we bond, you will be aware of every kiss and caress. When we’re ready for our souls to join, it will eclipse everything you’ve experienced before.”
“How will we know when we’re ready?”
“I’m not going to rush you. You’ve been thrust into a world you knew nothing about and you deserve plenty of time to adjust to the changes.”
“That makes it sound like you’re waiting on me. Are you ready now?”
He cupped her chin and brushed his lips over hers. “I know the difference between love and lust. I can feel how vastly different this is from anyone I’ve ever touched. I’m convinced you’re my mate, but I want you to be sure.” She started to reply, but he placed his fingers against her lips. “Wait until your life has settled into a routine and you have learned to control your powers. If our feelings for each other haven’t changed, we’ll move forward with a soul bonding.”
She knew he was right. It was the sensible choice, the responsible choice. But her heart hungered for him, longed to feel their beings entwined eternally.
He slipped his arm under her neck and covered her mouth with his. As always, the kiss was slow and deep, exasperatingly patient. She tangled her fingers in his hair and tried to take control. He chuckled against her moist lips and moved over her, nudging her legs apart with his knees.
Devilment gleamed in his eyes as he drew her arms down and slipped his arms under her bottom. His hands closed around her wrists and with one firm tug he had her hands pressed against the small of her back and her ass rested on his forearms.
“What are you doing?”
“Who needs rope when it’s more fun just to hold you in whatever position I choose?” He angled her pelvis up and lowered his head between her thighs.
She tugged against his hands just to see if he could hold her. His fingers felt like steel bands, inflexible yet exerting only as much pressure as necessary to restrain her. A thrill bore deeper into her soul as her helplessness sank in. He was far stronger than she, able to do whatever he wanted. And what he wanted was to make her drunk with pleasure.
His tongue teased her cleft, lightly stroking her folds without touching her sensitive clit. She wiggled, trying to guide his tongue where she wanted it, which only made him more determined to avoid the spot.
“Put your legs over my shoulders and I’ll give you what you want.”
Beyond caring if she were bowing to his demands, she instantly obeyed. His warm lips pressed against her sex and his tongue slowly delved between her folds. She held perfectly still, waiting for the first caress to send her senses soaring. He circled her slowly, drawing tension into her pelvis as his tongue swirled round and round.
“Oh.” She gasped, arching into the tantalizing touch. “Faster. Please.”
He ignored her, continuing the mesmerizing rhythm. Her belly quivered and her core clenched as the coil drew tighter and tighter. She trembled, hovering on the brink. Then he surrounded her clit with his lips and sucked. The firm pull of his mouth drew the sensations to the point of contact and when he let go, the pleasure burst and she came in shuddering spasms.
With her legs still draped over his shoulders he lifted her and found her opening with his cock. Her wrists were still firmly contained within his hands as he pushed into her trembling body. She opened for him, surrounding him with heat and liquid welcome.
He wasn’t gentle and she savored every forceful stroke. This was Quinn at his best, aggressively tender, ruthless in his pursuit of their pleasure.
Just when she’d adjusted to the demanding position, he released her hands and dragged his arms out from under her. She moved her arms to a more comfortable position as her legs slid off his shoulders. He twined his fingers through hers and pinned her hands to the bed on either side of her head. Then he started moving again.
Her heart swelled with wonder. Even in the throes of passion he worried about her comfort, tried to balance her willingness to please him with her fragility.
In response to his selflessness, she arched into each stroke, taking him deeper and increasing the impact as their bodies met. He moaned, and joy rippled across their link, which was already seething with the intensity of their combined passion.
She drew her legs up high against his sides as his tempo sped. His gaze drilled into hers, hot and demanding just like his cock. “I love you.” The words seemed ripped from his very soul and time itself seemed to pause and listen for her reply.
“I love you too.”
He closed his eyes but relief and contentment surged into her mind. How could he doubt her devotion? Couldn’t he feel her emotions as she was feeling his?
She dragged her hands out from under his and took his face between her hands. “Look at me.”
His eyes opened, but his hips kept up the steady slide between her thighs.
“Say my name,” she demanded.
He smiled and whispered, “Carissa, my love. My life.”
“And who are you?”
His brows rose and his instantaneous insecurity vanished. “Your lord and master?”
“In your dreams!”
His lips sealed over hers and words were forgotten as the pleasure crested. He drove his entire length into her heat and they clung together as they came. “So damn good,” he whispered against her damp lips.
She pushed him back and looked deeply into his eyes. “I love you. I’m going to keep saying it until you believe me.”
He kissed her then said, “What if that takes the rest of our lives?”
“Fine by me.”
They reluctantly separated and she settled against his side as he sprawled on his back. His arm loosely circled her back and she rested her head on his shoulder. Content and sleepy.
If only she knew where Ava was this moment would be perfect.
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An image popped into her mind and she tensed.
“You okay?”
She squeezed his shoulder to let him know she was fine but poured energy into the unexpected vision. The cozy living room was the same one she’d seen when Ian had guided the vision, but Ava was no longer curled up on the couch. When she’d tried to expand the scene before, she’d lost the image completely. Still she had to try. Slowly, she pulled back and the vision responded. She could see a narrow hall and a shadowed bedroom. And Ava sound asleep in the bed.
Light from the hallway gleamed on the distinctive brass headboard and the familiar landscape that hung above the bed. She knew this bedroom, saw it every day in her store!
“Oh my God.” She released the vision and sat up, heart thudding out her excitement. “I know where Ave is.”
“Just like that?” He sounded a bit doubtful, but he was smiling.
“I was thinking how this moment would be perfect if only I knew where Ava was and her image popped back into my mind.”
“But you could tell where she was this time?”
“Yes!” She grinned from ear to ear.
He laughed. “Well, where the hell is she?”
She bent her knee and turned to face him, so excited she could barely speak. “I thought about our employees, but I’d forgotten about our partners.”
“Okay, you lost me.”
“Our rental shop partners with the guys out at Pine Valley Ranch. Like the brochure I gave you the first time we met. This is so obvious. I can’t believe I didn’t think about it sooner. They have rental cabins. She’s tucked away in one of them.”
“In a rental cabin at Pine Valley Ranch. Are you sure?”
She nodded. “Positive.”
He climbed out of bed and dug his phone out of the pocket of his jeans. “I sent Kyle the location. He’ll probably have her here for breakfast.”
Her heart gave another happy leap and her cheeks hurt from her continual grin. “I hope so. I’ve been so worried about her and there is so much I want to tell her!”
He laughed as he climbed back into bed. “You’re all wound up again. Do we need to start all over?”
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