by Cecilia Lane
She jabbed the handle of the crop into her thigh. They had a job to do. Flirting was not on the itinerary.
A quick scan showed most of the attention had left them. Only the women thirsting for Hudson and the man eyeing her ass still focused on the scene. Collared servers moved from one group to another, and Mara caught the first look at the woman she wanted.
Mara yanked on the leash, wrapping it around her fist as she did so. Hudson was given no slack to stand, and kneed his way toward her. She placed her finger under his chin and pressed her lips close to his ear. “Ronnie’s here. Over your left shoulder.”
To the others, she announced, “Show’s over, darlings. I need to get this one back to bed and remind him exactly who is in charge.”
A few catcalls followed her as she led Hudson away from the crowd. They meandered slowly, but steadily toward the corridor Ronnie disappeared down. Mara recognized a few of the faces guarding the entrance. None were kind to her, and she didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty when she walked straight up to them. “You better get to the front doors. I hear there’s a shifter posing as a guest trying to get inside.”
The idiots exchanged a look with one another. Two of the three stepped away, leaving one to her charms.
Mara took a wobbling step, then bent down to adjust the ribbons holding her heels on her feet. A quick twist of her fingers brought the knife from her heel into the palm of her hand.
The remaining guard caught her elbow when she wobbled to upright and she planted the edge of the blade into his side. “Back up with me, or I’ll cut your balls off right here,” she commanded.
Hudson chuffed a quiet laugh behind her.
The hunter’s eyes rolled between them, but his mouth stayed shut. He stumbled back step after step, until they were out of sight. To any other observer, she was a guest getting started on her fun for the evening.
Hudson took the man from her, wrapping thick arms around his neck and steadying his head until he fell unconscious. With a thump, the hunter landed on the ground and Hudson stepped over him.
“This way,” she said, nostrils flaring. “I can smell her.”
Snippets of conversation floated down the hall as they neared. A woman snapped out her orders. Mara tightened her fingers around the handle of the riding crop in one hand and the tiny knife in the other. Ronnie was only feet away. Answers were so close, she could taste them.
Her lioness coiled in her middle and readied for the hunt.
Mara glanced to Hudson. He nodded. Together, they rounded the corner.
The hunters blinked at them. One opened his mouth to object. “Hey, you can’t be back here.”
Mara unclipped the leash connected to Hudson’s collar. “Get ‘em, pet.”
A feral grin spread across his face and he moved with a suddenness that surprised her. With three quick steps, he’d separated from her and went on the attack. The nearest two guards were snatched up by the backs of their necks and slammed together. Another experienced a broken arm for daring point a weapon at him.
Mara stalked forward, eyes on her target. A hunter on the ground tried to stop her. She whipped the crop down on his reaching hands before he could grab her ankle. Then the hands were gone as Hudson dragged him away.
Ronnie tried to scurry back into her hole, but the only place to go was inside the security room. She tried to slam the door shut, but Mara slapped it open. Panic flashed across Ronnie’s face. She’d been cornered and her entourage dismantled.
Mara pointed the crop at the woman who caused her so much pain. Ronnie had taken her freedom, her brother, her ability to look herself in the eyes. The deep scars that covered her heart were put there by Ronnie.
“You tried to kill me. You tried to kill Hudson.” Mara shrugged. “I’m willing to let that slide if you answer a couple questions.”
“I’m not telling you shit. Someone will be here soon enough, and we’ll finish the job.”
Mara went on as if Ronnie’s words were just the buzzing of an annoying bug. “What did you do with the cubs, Ronnie?”
“Why are you so concerned with those brats? Did someone take one of yours? Maybe we could arrange that.”
“You will never get near them again.”
A cold glint lit up Ronnie’s eyes, and she slowly shook her head. “They had you underground and in their most secure building and we got to you. Enough money can make most men do terrible things, and they are some delightfully corrupt ones just waiting to put you monsters down. Two crotch goblins running around that bullshit town will be easy to snatch.”
Mara leaned close. “You’re here, acting like some hotshot cartel trafficker, surrounded by all your friends, and guns, and leashed shifters. I still got to you. Where are the children?”
Hudson said he pitied any of her former captors if she ever came upon them. No trace of the emotion played out over his features. Pride lit up his eyes, but lust was there, too.
She felt power caressing over her skin. Hers. He’d tried to convince her that it still existed and she still controlled her life, but years of having that proved wrong deafened her to the truth.
The cage that kept her locked down in misery sprang open and her inner beast jumped for freedom. She wasn’t weak. She had control. She had power. And right then, she had a mission.
She let her lioness push forward enough to darken and sharpen her fingernails. The partial shift was difficult to hold when her inner cat wanted to rip Ronnie apart in small chunks. Death would be too good for her, especially when she had information Mara wanted.
Mara trailed her lengthening claws up Ronnie’s thighs, then slashed across her middle. Her shirt parted and a tiny line of blood appeared on her stomach. Fear clogged the woman’s scent and Mara relished every note.
“I won’t make this as quick as you did Matthew. Maybe I’ll even turn you so you last longer. Would you like that? The ability to heal from all the wounds I want to give you?”
Ronnie swallowed hard. Her eyes shifted from Mara to Hudson. She didn’t get any sympathy from the bear, and licked her lips. “Don’t turn me. I don’t want to be like you.”
“Is that because you’re afraid of going mad during the process? Women handle it better, if it’s any comfort. Or is it because you know all those people out there will put you in a collar and a cage without hesitation?”
The blood drained from Ronnie’s face and her eyes darted around the room again. “A private buyer picked up the whole lot. They were shipped off yesterday. Only mature stock will be shown tonight.”
“See? Now was that so bad?” Mara patted Ronnie’s cheek. Mature stock. The term made her sick. “Name and location, please, then we’ll be out of your hair.”
“Javier Blanchard. 25 Atalaya Hill, Santa Fe,” Ronnie spat out.
Relief nearly made her shoulders slump. So close. A day’s drive away, at most.
With half of what she needed from Ronnie stashed away in her head, Mara’s lioness demanded her tribute with a low growl.
Sound burst like fireworks going off right next to her ears. Smoke flooded into the room. Magic, too. The light, bubbly scent of fae work mingled with the thick clouds.
Ronnie grinned. “Time’s up.”
Mara reached for her hand, but something snagged Ronnie by the waist and drew her into the thick smoke.
“Mara!” Hudson roared.
“Here!” she yelled back and stumbled her way toward the sound of his voice. Her outstretched fingers touched something warm and solid. Hudson’s chest.
His hands wrapped around her wrist and drew her closer, then grabbed her neck and shoved her lower. Coughing and eyes watering, she didn’t object. He hustled them through the clouds of magic and smoke and into the clear hallway.
Mara straightened and cursed, turning one way then the other. Fucking fae. The smoke ended right at the doorway, contained by magic. The hallway itself still smelled of the magic used to aid Ronnie’s escape, and no sound echoed to give them an idea of which way to turn.
So close. So damned close to ending her nightmares and getting her revenge.
Thudding footsteps ran their way. Hudson tugged on her hand. “This way.”
Her heels clicked with every hurried step through the twisting halls and away from the hunters running for them. No exits appeared, not even a window they could jump through. Mara’s heart thundered in her chest and she imagined she could feel the breath of those behind them.
Mercifully, the next corridor opened on a sunken patio. Mara spilled through the door with Hudson on her heels. He didn’t miss a beat, and hoisted her onto the stone wall. When she was safely on even ground, he grabbed the ledge and hauled himself up beside her.
Just in time. The greenery lining the sunken walls hid them from prying eyes. The hunters below made a careless inspection and then marched away.
Hudson rose to his feet, then offered her a hand up. She dusted dirt from her legs. They were on the back side of the mansion. Shadows moved across the windows and the party didn’t sound the least bit disturbed. Standing lights turned on one by one outside the main doors.
“We need to get out of here. That was too close.”
“Not yet.” Mara glanced over her shoulder. Men were posted at each corner of a nearby building, which suggested the auction goods were locked inside. She couldn’t leave them to be sold.
Hudson scanned the darkness around them, ground his teeth together, then set off toward the nearest guard. Mara hurried after him.
Just as quickly as he mowed through Ronnie’s guards, Hudson smashed his fist into one guard’s face, broke another’s arm, and disabled them with their own cattle prods. Door cleared, he waved her over.
Inside was another series of crowded cages and miserable faces. Adults were held in each cage. Some were doubled up on occupancy, nearly huddled together to avoid the shock of touching the electrified bars.
Ronnie hadn’t lied about the children, though. No tiny bodies were housed among the mature stock. Gag.
“We don’t have much time,” Hudson said behind her.
“Don’t need time. Just need the control panel.”
The box was mounted right by the door. Mara flung it open and ran her fingers over the toggles inside. Each cage was wired for easy activation.
And deactivation.
With a flip of a switch, the electricity running to the bars ceased buzzing. Another toggle released the locks, and the doors opened.
Now they just needed to get themselves out of the way. She’d seen a camp caught in utter madness when the cages all opened. She’d saved one of Hudson’s clan that night and protected Kate, Joy, and Jack. Her actions put them all in those cages. The rescues didn’t absolve her of the initial captures, but they were a start. Every bit she took back from the hunters helped set the world right.
“Go,” she ordered the shifters cautiously stepping out of the cages. Hopeful eyes watched her. “Run home, or fuck up the hunters in the big house. Your life is yours.”
The nearest pair stepped out of the hunter prison. One took a long look at the lights, and turned into the darkness. The other clenched his fists and let a wolf rip through his form.
More stepped out and made their choice. Most wanted to taste blood.
Hudson grabbed her before she could follow. Heat rolled off his chest. “We’re needed elsewhere. Can’t risk going up there. This will be distraction enough for us to get away.”
Mara chewed her lip and watched the pack move silently toward the mansion. A shrill scream filled the night, followed by a vicious howl. Her lioness added a silent roar to the fighters.
Hudson was right. They had a name and a location. Ronnie, if she survived the night, wasn’t as important as freeing the children she’d stolen.
“Let’s go.”
Chapter 14
Hudson could barely contain himself as he waited for the motel door to unlock. His bear roared in his head, never stopping the slamming demands to reach out and touch Mara. The skimpy dress barely covering her didn’t help in the slightest.
His blood pounded in his ears. They’d done it. They got the name and location of the next target and a solid lead on the stolen children. Ronnie hadn’t lied about that. He’d have heard it in her words and smelled it on her skin if she’d tried.
Mara jiggled the door once more and the lock finally disengaged.
Hudson growled and followed closely behind her. His hands connected with her hips and kept her moving forward. That connection was what he needed and what his inner beast demanded. Man and bear needed to feel her and know she was okay. A single scratch would send him flying back to those assholes to burn their world to the ground.
“Hudson,” she murmured thickly and spun in his grasp.
Blue eyes met his, darkening to beautiful amber by the second. Heat flushed her cheeks and her quick breaths drew the dress tight against her chest.
He was running on the high of success, and he wanted her. The tension of their night could be unwound in her arms.
Hudson stalked her backward until she bumped against the tiny table. Her eyes went wide when he urged her up and stepped between her thighs.
By the Broken, he could feel the heat of her. The sweet temptation he wanted to plunge into again and again was so near.
He needed to hear her say she wanted him, though. She needed to make him believe. He wouldn’t be her toy to throw away when she was done. He’d kept his dick to himself before, and he’d do it again. He’d have to run through the night to burn off the energy coursing through him if truly didn’t want him, but better that than ruining his chances for a lifetime with her.
“Fucking sexy display back there, kitty,” he murmured into the crook of her neck. She still smelled too strongly of the perfume they used to hide their scents, but the spicy chocolate and sunbaked earth of her floated to the surface. He groaned when it hit his nose.
“I might have a future career as a Bond girl.”
“Don’t sell yourself short. You’d out-agent 007 himself.”
She’d been quick with her tongue to get them out of trouble and handy with her tiny knife when they couldn’t avoid it. She took what she was given and worked the hell out of the situation. Pride filled him and his bear rumbled in agreement. Calling her impressive didn’t even describe half of what he saw that night.
“Your flattery has no effect on me.”
Her breathy voice and hands clenching his arms said otherwise.
“We need to make plans. Talk about what happened.”
“I am talking about it. You liked yanking me around, didn’t you? Wanted to stick your claws in me?” He tried to kiss her, but she dodged his lips.
She didn’t say no.
She also didn’t hide her soft moan or the quick tightening of her thighs around him. His dick jumped in the stupidly thin shorts she’d tossed at him earlier in the day. Though, he had to admit, they did make moving around easy once he stopped worrying if his balls would hang out the bottom.
Which brought him right back to her. Sexy, ferocious kitty. He’d almost lost it when she slapped that crop against his skin. Mara had a naughty streak, and he wanted to see how deep it ran.
He saw the glint in her eyes when she shoved him to his knees. And the anger that flushed her cheeks when one of those hags tried to buy him? At least some part of her felt a mate’s possessiveness. That was the part he wanted to unleash, and then tame.
They could be so damned good together if she’d just admit she wanted him. He wanted to untie all the knots of guilt that kept her from reaching out for him. She damned herself one way and refused help the other. He could ease her pain, but she wouldn’t let him near.
He understood it. He had dark rooms in his mind he kept locked up. They weren’t fit for public viewing. But Mara had a skeleton key, and his heart. She was his mate; there was nothing he wouldn’t share with her. Damage and all, he belonged to her.
He wanted her to admit she felt that way for him, too. He’d be happy i
f it was only to herself. They could work on the rest later.
Hudson pressed his lips to the throbbing vein in her neck. She tasted delicious. “We have a lead. We almost had Ronnie. We know they have powerful friends. Nearly twenty shifters are free tonight because you wouldn’t leave them behind. But right now, right this moment, you need to let go and give yourself this win.”
It was the only way to get through the shit. The small victories needed to be acknowledged and celebrated. Drowning them in the losses and the upcoming worries drove a person mad over time.
Mara slashed her eyes away from him. “We should be on the road. They could get away while we—”
“Judah and Callum and some old buddies of mine have been updated. The first scouts will be there soon. No one will leave without being spotted. Backup will be needed for this, and they’ll take time to arrive. Same as us.” He suppressed the muted desperation from his bear. “If you’d rather leave right this moment, we will.”
Choices. She needed choices. Too many were stolen from her over the years. She’d lived life to someone else’s tune for too long.
His cards were out on the table. He wanted her. They had a victory. She needed to make up her own mind, and he needed to be patient.
“No.” Tiny voice. Tiny shake of her head. “I don’t want to leave.”
His hand shot out and gripped the back of her neck. He crowded close, letting her feel the last bit of air between them disappear as desire rolled off his skin. Amber swirled with blue, her breath hitched in her chest, and her lips parted.
Hudson slid his lips across hers and devoured her moan. He rocked his hips against her soft center and growled at her gasp. So sensitive. So addicting. He slid his tongue between her parted lips to tangle with hers.
Kissing her was like breathing in life itself. He craved it. Needed it. He could kiss her until his heart gave out. She was everything for him.
Her hands tightened on his arms. That’s it, he urged her. Touch me. Drag your nails across my skin. I’m yours.