“The gang members shouted to each other as they followed Wra.” She looked up at Joe, her eyes wide as she told him and Chris. “And then suddenly some shifted to wolf forms.” She turned in Joe’s arms and looked up at Chris. “I saw Wra stop and move toward you, and he shifted into a bear form. I couldn’t free myself from the bastards holding me, and I was so afraid for you. Jen and I fought them.” Her voice shook. “I knew you guys would get us away from Wra’s gang.” She smiled at Chris and him, but tears shimmered in her eyes.
Joe felt a painful ache in his throat for what she’d suffered. He didn’t think he’d ever forget the sight of Valerie in the clutches of Wra’s gang. “They held you and Jen in front of them as Wra made his getaway.” His voice sounded rough and strained to his own ears as he remembered. Her kidnapper had held her captive with his bruising arms around her, the bastard clutching her with one huge hand between her thighs and the other hand covering one delicate breast. Fury threatened to overcome him, his breath coming fast and hard as he remembered that sight.
He didn’t want to upset Valerie more and tried harder to control his emotions as he remembered. “While Chris and I fought those bastards, who kept us from reaching you, Roger and Trav helped us, along with the other agents close by. Mark Wolfson and Tom Packson fought beside us like berserk wolves, just as Jeff Yates and Ry Garret did.”
She smiled at him and Chris. “We kept trying to get free. The one restraining me gripped me so hard. He threatened that he’d gladly fuck me if I fought him. Don’t be surprised if you notice some bruises on me. Thankfully, you got there fast and the gang released Jen and me and shoved us toward you and our own wolf shape-shifters. You guys were scary.” Her eyes widened with her smile. “You fought so hard and were so determined to free us. I’ll always remember the sight of you both racing to rescue me and Jen.” Tears filled her eyes again, and she wiped them away quickly.
“There was no way we were going to let you go, babe.” Joe smiled at her. “When we heard that roar from Wra, and his men ran away, we saw that Trav and Roger had things sort of under control.”
“I was worried something bad would happen when Jen raced after Wra with Trav and Roger.” Valerie looked from Joe to Chris. “I was so relieved when they returned and told us they were all right and Wra was held prisoner.”
“After we all walked back together to the parking area at the hot springs, I just wanted to get you home, hon,” Chris said, stroking her arm gently.
Valerie shook her head. “It was important to wait for Jen and Trav and Roger. We needed to make sure that they were all right and that Wra was taken into custody and delivered to the authorities.”
“It took longer than I wanted to wait, though.” Joe smiled at her. “I just wanted to get you away from there and head home.”
“I wanted us to get home, too. I was sort of in shock,” she said. “I knew you’d feel how hard I was trembling and would worry.”
Chris shook his head in denial. “We wanted to be sure you were all right and not hurt,” he said, his voice a soft growl.
“I’m fine, now,” she said and smiled at them as she slipped her arms around both Joe and Chris and pulled them close against her.
“We don’t want anything like that to ever happen to you again.” Joe met her gaze. Somehow, he and Chris had to keep Valerie out of harm’s way. Joe couldn’t bear to think that she’d relive a frightful experience every time danger threatened. He was sure Chris felt the same.
“I know you both feel that way,” she said. “I feel the same about both of you. But I also believe it’s important that we work with C.P.O. to stop gangs like Wra’s from preying on people.” She looked up at Joe and Chris. “There’s always going to be a certain amount of danger involved in what we want to accomplish in making communities safe. How about we make a pact to work together to find and arrest the gang members still hanging around this area?”
Wishing he could keep Valerie out of this op, but knowing he couldn’t, Joe exchanged an understanding look with Chris and returned his attention to Valerie, meeting her gaze. “I’ll go for that, as long as we all three keep in mind how dangerous this gang is and we stay safe.”
“Absolutely,” Chris agreed. “We should contact C.P.O. in the morning and let them know what we want to do about rounding up the remaining members of Wra’s gang.”
“Good.” Valerie nodded in agreement.
Joe noticed when the light shone on a lock of her damp hair that it seemed to him to be a darker color than usual.
“What’s the matter?” she asked him as he studied her hair.
“Your hair looks darker in this light,” he said.
“I just put a red rinse on it in the bathroom,” she explained. “Does it look bad?”
“No,” he assured her quickly. “It just looks a little darker than your usual blond color.
“I decided to go red,” she said and grinned at him and Chris.
Chris chuckled. “I like it,” he said and hugged her, kissing her cheek.
“So do I,” Joe said. “Goes with your feisty personality.”
Determination sparkled in her eyes. “Lots of people think a redhead has a hot temper. I expect that to serve me well.”
“You’re hot no matter what color your hair is,” Chris said, grinning at her.
“What do you think? Should I have you bleach my hair a lighter color and cut it short?” Joe grinned at her.
“Absolutely not.” She smiled and shook her head at him. “I like your black hair just the way your barber keeps it, at shoulder length. Even during the fight, I could tell where you were in the middle of the other agents, like Mark, Tom, Jeff, and Trav, who have dark hair like you but wear theirs cut shorter.” She met Chris’s gaze. “And Chris, you’re easy to spot because, even though you have sandy-colored hair like Roger and Ry, you’re taller than they are and I could see you. I knew you were both all right and would rescue me.”
Joe grinned at her again. “It’s a good thing. Are you ready for bed?” he asked her gently.
“Yes, I am,” she said.
“I need you bad, babe,” Joe confessed, wondering if she was up to having sex with them.
“So do I,” Chris said softly as they both watched for her reaction.
“I’d like that,” she said, smiling at them. She turned and crossed the room, where she turned off the overhead lamp.
Joe thought it was unusual for her to do that. Was she hiding bruises she didn’t want them to know about? He hoped that if she’d been bruised by being manhandled in the fight that she wasn’t in pain. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
Chapter Three
“Yes, I want you both making love to me,” she said, smiling warmly at them.
Chris stepped behind her and helped her out of her robe. She climbed onto the bed and scooted to the middle.
It worried Joe that she didn’t remove her nightgown. She had to be hiding bruises she didn’t want them to see.
Chris stretched out on the bed beside her and lightly trailed his fingers over her abdomen and across the peaks of her breasts. She moaned and arched beneath his touch.
“I want to eat you up.” Joe’s voice was rough with his arousal. He feathered his fingers over her mound, and she spread her legs apart for him, her body undulating with her need. He gently lifted her nightgown upwards until he had complete access to her mound and pussy. He parted her legs wider with his hands, gently pressing against the inside of her warm, velvet-soft thighs. She jerked and gave a small cry.
“Valerie, are you sure you want to do this? Are you all right?”
“Yes, please, I want you guys to caress me and make me come,” she said, her voice sounding low and needy.
Joe moved to stretch out on his belly between her curvy legs, wanting to taste her warm flesh, but needing to know that she was all right with this. As he lowered his head closer to her mound, he noticed odd marks on her flesh revealed by the light of the bedside lamp they’d left on.
He studied the marks, some darker pink, like scratches, and others that looked like bruises forming. He remembered the sight of the gang member clutching her body tightly with his hands during the fight that afternoon. The damn animal had bruised her delicate flesh.
“Babe, are you hurting from being held captive by that thug earlier today?” Joe met her worried gaze.
“It’s not bad,” she said lightly.
“These marks on you look like they could hurt,” he answered her.
“You won’t hurt me,” she said, looking from him to Chris. “Make me feel good,” she said softly.
Joe realized she wanted him and Chris to take her away with their gentle touches and kisses and help her forget the day’s traumatic fight.
He lowered his head and lightly touched one of the red marks with his tongue. Her swift breath made him look up at her face to see if she was in pain.
She smiled at him. “That felt so good. Don’t stop. Lick me as much as you want.” She undulated her body, moving closer to him.
Joe gently licked every mark and bruise he saw on her body. Her sighs of passion encouraged him to continue. He gently slid his hands under her thighs and lifted her legs a little way, spreading them apart so he could see every inch of her velvety flesh. Her slit was rosy and wet with her arousal. Before he touched her clit or folds, he wanted to be sure her delicate flesh wasn’t bruised. He needed for her to assure him she wasn’t hurt.
“Touch yourself, babe,” Joe urged her quietly. He watched her facial expression for any sign of discomfort as she slid her fingers down her mound and along her pussy lips, finally sliding upward to her swollen little nub. She circled that pink flesh with one fingertip. He couldn’t help becoming even more aroused as he watched her spread her cream around her clit and between her folds.
“Now, slide that finger down your slit and inside your cunt, babe.” Joe continued to watch her for any sign of discomfort as her breaths came faster while she slid one finger deep inside her dripping-wet opening.
“Joe,” she said breathlessly. “I need you to fuck me, now.”
Convinced her sensitive flesh hadn’t been bruised, Joe complied in ways that he hoped wouldn’t hurt her bruised body. He spread her thighs wider. “First, I want to taste you, hon.” He gently lifted her hand from her wet, swollen flesh and licked and sucked her slickened fingers. She tasted so hot. He was close to erupting. But he wanted to taste her juices from her wet, pink flesh.
He lapped her cream and was rewarded with the intoxicating taste of her along with her moans of ecstasy.
“More, please, Joe,” she whispered breathlessly.
Joe licked every inch of her heated flesh and delved his tongue deep inside her creamy hole. She bucked against him, and he was glad he could make her feel so aroused. He looked up at her face and saw that she had her eyes closed tight with her obviously intense feelings.
Joe watched Chris gently part her gown and lick one beautiful breast, covering every inch of her swollen flesh. He lapped across the nipple until it puckered and glowed with moisture, and then he moved to her other breast and gave that globe his complete attention, making her moan with pleasure.
Joe noticed the same marks and bruises around her breasts as he’d found on her abdomen and thighs. A growl of fierce aggression for that gang member threatened in his throat, but he controlled it. He’d capture the bastard who’d treated Valerie so roughly and take him to jail where he belonged after he beat him to a shapeless pulp for hurting her.
She moaned. “More, please.”
Joe returned to pleasuring her, gently opening her wet slit and slowly slipping one finger deep inside her an inch at a time. He licked her clit and sucked the swollen little nub gently as he caressed every slick surface he could reach inside her pussy.
She bucked against him and shivered and moaned. “Don’t stop.” She curled her slender fingers around Joe’s shoulders and urged him up her body.
She sounded desperate with need. Joe continued to caress her sensitive nub and cupped one breast in his free hand, took her pebbled nipple with his mouth, and licked that nipple to a turgid peak, as Chris continued to caress and suck her other breast.
Joe heard her deep moan rise as her hips bucked with her orgasm. Her hips slammed against him with her high-pitched cries of ecstasy. He was close to exploding.
As he watched her convulsions ease, she grasped his cock with one hand, and he noticed, as he looked up at her face, that she’d also closed her other hand around Chris’s cock. She gave them both a smile. Her eyes glittered with her obviously determined intent to give him and Chris a pounding climax. A growl rose from deep in Joe’s chest as his body tightened, and the sweet tingle at the base of his spine signaled his impending eruption. His neck arched. He was aware of Chris’s deep growl as they both climaxed at the same time with Valerie’s hands gripping and caressing their engorged cocks. Joe’s cum pumped from his cock over and over until his body finally relaxed, sated. Valerie released his cock and put an arm around him just as she did with Chris. Joe flopped down on his back beside Valerie on the bed. Chris collapsed on her other side.
They were quiet as they all caught their breath.
Joe turned toward Valerie and rested his arm over her velvet soft waist. “That was incredible, babe,” he said, his voice sounding as relaxed as he felt.
“Was it as good for you, hon, as it was for us?” Chris asked her as he caressed her arm.
“Yes,” she said and sighed. “That was perfect. I’ll be able to sleep now, thanks to you guys. What would I do without you?” She smiled at Chris and then at Joe.
“I feel the same about you, babe.” Joe met her gaze and smiled back at her. He hoped they would always be able to be together like this. The problem was their job was dangerous. What they accomplished as agents for C.P.O. was vitally important to those who were in danger and needed help. But the threat to themselves was always in the back of their minds.
“I look forward to every day with you,” Chris said softly, and she met his eyes and smiled at him, as well. “I don’t want to lose you, ever.”
Joe worried about what they were facing with the change in Wra’s gang. With Wra in custody, what would his gang be up to now? How would Joe and Chris keep Valerie safe? Joe could understand that she wanted to do her part in protecting others, but the threat to her in that recent fight with Wra’s wolf shifters was more than Joe and Chris had expected. They had to keep her safe. Would they be able to protect her the next time they ran into that gang? Somehow, they must. They couldn’t let anything happen to her.
* * * *
The next morning, Chris had just finished fixing coffee for the three of them when his cell beeped. The call was from C.P.O. headquarters. “Hey, glad you called. We planned to give you a call this morning.”
“You need help?” Rob Wylie asked.
“Yeah, it involves rounding up Wra’s gang,” Chris said. Rob could be counted on as one of the guys at headquarters delegated to make calls when needed. “But first, what are you calling about?” Rob often made calls from headquarters to bring the agents up to date.
Joe entered the kitchen just then, and Chris turned up the volume so they could both hear the message.
“Jeff and Ry have been accosted by criminal shape-shifters,” Rob said. “These shifters are from the same gang as the one previously led by the now imprisoned ex-gang leader, Wra.”
Chris met Joe’s deep brown eyes, darkened more in his concern. They listened intently as Rob continued.
“Luckily they were able to call in about their situation before they were forced to engage in the attack. When they couldn’t fight them off on that solid rock hillside, Jeff and Ry were pushed to the edge of a sheer cliff, and they let us know they wouldn’t have any way to get back out and need to be rescued. In their wolfen shapes they managed to land on a narrow rock shelf halfway between the top and the base of the crevice. They now believe that the gang of shape-shifters has lost interest in them and l
eft the area.”
Chris and Joe listened quietly as Rob let them know that the new C.P.O. agents, Grayson Lyon, Casey Wilder, Dan Roper, and Wes Lawson, who were previously trained for mountain search and rescue missions, had been contacted and would join them, along with Roger and Trav.
Joe’s gaze held Chris’s. Memories of the tragedy they’d experienced in the past hit Chris hard. Neither he nor Joe would ever forget, and never wanted to repeat, that day when they’d lost rock-climbing friends in that terrible accident in the deep cave. The accident had happened when he and Joe had already become agents for C.P.O. They’d been part of a large hiking group including both men and women back then, and they were all trained mountain search and rescue agents.
It still weighed heavy on Chris that he and Joe, and some other climbing friends with them that day, Gray and Case, Dan and Wes, all of them experienced mountain search and rescue agents, hadn’t reached their friends in time.
They’d all struggled with that guilt ever since the accident had happened. Their feelings of failure at letting their friends down and not saving them haunted Chris, and he knew Joe struggled with it, too. They hadn’t yet told Valerie about that tragic incident, either. He and Joe had agreed that they didn’t want their guilt and sorrow from that event to be a burden to Valerie or affect their close friendship with her.
Chris thought they needed to tell her soon, though. She had a right to know.
He understood they had been contacted first to rescue Jeff and Ry because he, Joe, and Valerie had been trained for search and rescue operations and were the SAR agents closest to the location of their two friends. They’d worked with Jeff and Ry only a few times since they’d come to this part of Texas. Chris hoped they weren’t seriously injured. The rocky hill wasn’t easy to climb with the few paths around the outside or inside its caverns, which narrowed dangerously in places.
Alpha Defenders-Rescue Page 3