The searing intensity of his eyes shot sparks of green and amber toward her. His arms clutched her tighter than necessary, crushing her body to his. She had no way and no desire to escape. Every place their bodies met, hers heated, and his hardened cock pressed into her thigh. Already primed and aroused, a thundering wave of desire crashed over her, causing her to let out a breathy moan.
“Kaylee,” he groaned. “Please, don’t do that.”
She gasped in a breath. Pete not only desired her, he was evidently at the edge of his control. After falling deeply in lust with the Yeti, so was she. But Pete wasn’t her goal. Though her body responded to him, he wasn’t the one she so desperately wanted. Pete only wanted to thwart her plans, keep her away from the Yeti. Determined to free herself, Kaylee grabbed his shoulders and twisted in his arms, but her efforts only resulted in her inadvertently rubbing her breasts against the hard planes of his chest, turning her nipples hard.
Pete’s fingers dug into her hair as he cried out, his head swooping down. His generously wide mouth framed with a thin line of facial hair captured hers in a rampant, devouring kiss.
Kaylee could not breathe. She could not move. She surrendered her mouth to his. With each passing second, the kiss grew deeper and she willingly opened to him. Her panties soaked as the throbbing heat between her legs flooded her core. God, now she wanted two males? How crazy could she get? Her sex life had gone from zero to a thousand in the last twenty four hours and holy crap, it was about fucking time. She needed sex, wanted sex, but it seemed wrong to do this with Pete. Still the press of his lips against hers felt so good she wantonly kissed him back.
With a deep growl he popped his mouth off of hers. If his arms had been on fire, he couldn’t have deposited her on the bed any quicker. Then he stood back, raking a hand through his pitch-black hair. “I’m sorry. That shouldn’t have happened. I didn’t mean to…”
I didn’t mind. Kaylee clamped her lips shut before the words escaped. She pulled the covers over herself and huddled down in the bed. From this angle, her gaze was about even with his genitals. Her mouth watered at the sight of the thick, long cock framed in his jeans. Pete was hung like a horse. Or maybe a Yeti, if that were possible, but she’d only seen one. So far. The very idea there might be more of them had her clenching her pussy tight again. “I did see one, you know. And I’m going to find him. I’ll prove it to you.”
“Do yourself a favor and forget about it before you get hurt again.” He spun from the bed and stalked back to the fireplace. His movements were jerky and quick as he tended the fire. “Are you warm enough? If you are, I suggest you get some sleep. I’ll stay until you doze off, then come back to check on you in the morning.”
“I saw him.” Kaylee yawned, surprised at how tired she felt. But then, she’d had quite a day. Nearly dying in an avalanche had sucked the energy out of her. “I did.” Despite wanting to argue the point further, she closed her eyes. Good night, Pete. I’ll show you tomorrow. I’ll prove it to everyone.
❄ ❄ ❄
Pete sat on the couch with his hands clenched and every muscle in his body tensed. Kaylee’s alluring scent teased his nostrils, inflaming his already high libido, pushing the edges of his control. His iron-hard cock strained, pressing against the placket of his jeans, demanding he satisfy the Yeti mating urge boiling through his veins. Or at least open his jeans and stroke it. Anything to relieve the pressure of being here, too close to Kaylee, the one woman he knew better than to touch. But hell, he’d kissed her. I shouldn’t have lost control. I shouldn’t have tasted her. Now what am I going to do?
Her soft little moan had gripped him with such fierce desire that he hadn’t been able to resist her lustful cry for pleasure. Even now moisture leaked out his swollen crown as he played the sound over in his mind. Her lips had been warm and pliant, perhaps a little stunned by surprise. But then she’d opened to him, offering to turn his selfish desires into reality. That’s when his reason had kicked into gear.
He’d realized he was kissing his own worst enemy. She could never be his mate. She was a Yeti hunter, a danger to his people. He’d reluctantly let her go. But laying her on the bed and not covering her with his own body had been the hardest thing he’d ever done. Until now. Sitting on the couch listening to her nice, even breaths as she slept like an innocent babe tortured him. He wanted to fuck her so badly it would kill him to stay in the tiny cabin a minute longer.
Inwardly groaning, he forced himself up to stoke the fire one more time, ensuring her warmth when she woke. As quietly as he could, he dug through her bag and placed her groceries on the counter. He went to put the milk in the fridge and found it warm. The power had been out for a while. He’d double check the generator tomorrow. Frowning, he set the perishables outside her door in the snow. They’d be colder out there anyway. Then, with a last longing look at the sleeping beauty, he slid the door closed behind him and left.
No stranger to trudging through deep snow at odd hours, neither the cold nor the dark bothered him. Only Kaylee troubled his thoughts. He’d never wanted any other woman this badly. Every second he spent in her presence ratcheted up his longing for her, slamming him with insatiable need over and over again. Maybe all those years without a mate had finally taken their toll.
Yeti men were allowed to take human mates, for the women of their species were not shifters. Since ancient times they had specialized in the equally important role of healers. But Kaylee didn’t seem the healing type. As a reporter, she operated solely for her own gain; not exactly perfect wife material for a man from an ancient protector race. But by the gods his body nearly trembled apart with the force of the passion she’d aroused.
When he reached his cabin door he paused, resting his head against the doorframe and croaked out a heavy sigh. Kaylee had nearly died today. If he’d been a minute or two later, she’d have suffocated under the snow. He’d seen death by avalanche too many times to deceive himself otherwise. So many years of pulling frozen bodies from the snow weighed heavily on his heart, made him wish for a mate so he’d no longer be called first to the scenes. But failing to save Kaylee would have cost him his sanity, his soul. He’d have torn the entire mountain apart to find her. The second her warm breath had tickled his chin his beast had eased. But Pete knew only trouble lay ahead for him with this woman.
Knowing he’d check on her in the morning made his discomfort all the worse. He’d pass the night in agony, thinking of nothing but her. Then, in the morning, he’d talk some sense into her. Shoo her off the mountain and send her home where she belonged. Back to a life he could never share.
Chapter Four
Dawn came and Pete raked a fist over his shadowed eyes. He hadn’t slept. His erection had taunted him, the ancient beast inside him calling relentlessly for her heart and soul to join with his. He needed to get her away from there before his animal instincts overrode his reason. During the night a plan had formed – he’d see a healer after Kaylee had gone and ask for a cure. There had to be a way to stop this obsession before he went insane. Sighing, he got up and drank a cup of coffee before heading out the door.
When he reached the Hamilton cabin he knocked and heard a chirpy “Come in!” He found Kaylee sitting at the table in her bathrobe, her wild hair cascading down. She had her phone in her hand and was texting though he had no idea how she managed to get reception up here.
“Morning!” She wriggled in her seat, causing the robe to fall open just a bit, exposing the succulent rise of her breasts.
A sharp ache twinged in his balls, thickening his cock. If he stared at her any longer, he might kiss her again. Bad idea. “Um, yeah. Look, Kaylee, about last night…” He looked away, rubbing his head as the warmth of a blush crept up his cheeks. “I didn’t mean to kiss you like that. I just…”
“Oh that’s okay.” She bounced up behind him. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. In fact, it’s given me an idea.”
His stomach sank. He had a bad feeling he knew what her next
words would be. “An idea about what?”
“How to bring the Yeti back.” She flounced over to the fridge, opened it, and frowned. “Where’s the milk?”
He grit his teeth. One thing at a time. “Outside. The fridge wasn’t working last night.”
She went out, taking a coffee cup with her and he followed, keeping an eye on her. He knew his healing powers were good, but she’d made an amazing recovery. How? Kaylee seemed too up-and-at-‘em for her own good this morning. She’d even managed to make coffee in the fireplace. Funny, he hadn’t pictured her as anything but a lazy luxury-addicted city dweller. Certainly not a woman capable of rustic life.
She poured some milk in her cup and took a sip. “Ah, that’s perfect, thanks. And the power’s back on now, so I’m putting it in the fridge.”
“Kaylee…” his tone held more warning than he’d meant it to, but damn it, this woman had infuriating as a middle name. “What exactly is your plan?”
“I’m going to—”
Ping. The first, loud emergency tone sounded in his ears, drowning out all other sounds. The ancient calling system. A mountain emergency somewhere in the world required his immediate response. He blinked and scowled, trying to focus on Kaylee’s words.
“… and try to get him to rescue me again.” She crossed her arms, looking defensive.
Panic squeezed his chest. “You’re what? How?”
She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. “Didn’t you listen to a word I just said?”
Ping. The second tone, louder and higher pitched than the first, rattled his eardrums. If he didn’t respond, the call would come again, this time at ear-piercing shrill decibels. He had mere moments to answer, but first, he had to know Kaylee’s crazy plan. “Please, just tell me again.”
“I’ll go outside and climb as high as I can. I know it will be cold, but I also know he’ll rescue me.” Kaylee winked. “Then I can prove to you — to everyone — they are real.”
“Kaylee, no!” He grabbed her arms and gave her a light shake. “Don’t you dare put yourself in danger, do you hear me? No story is worth losing your life. Are you crazy?”
She stuck out her chin and the glare in her eyes was full of stubbornness and anger. “Let. Go. Of. Me.”
“Kaylee…” The third emergency tone sounded inside his brain. Without thought, he obeyed long-standing instinct. He tilted his head back and howled, letting go of Kaylee completely.
She stepped back, her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide.
Great, he’d managed to scare her, but he had no time to soothe her nerves. He had to get to the nearest portal, which would transport him immediately to the scene. As an unmated male, he was one of the first called. Unmated. The beast inside him paced, agitated over leaving her alone. “Stay here. Don’t do anything stupid. I’ll be back.”
Unable to spare another second, he hurried off. Not wanting her to see him shift, he raced toward the trees and then weaved through them and around to the back of the mountain. He shifted once he was sure he was out of her line of sight. His legs elongated and huge padded feet bearing claws appeared at the ends of them. His arms and torso also stretched, ripping his clothes until he stood over nine feet tall. Thick white hair covered his body, and framed his somewhat ape-like face. The face the ancients had always worn, that of the Yeti. Since the path to the cave was steeper on the backside of the mountain, he rounded the front near the top. Kaylee cried out to him from the cabin, waving. Blood pounded in his ears as well as his cock. This had better be quick. She’ll get into some foolish trouble if I leave her alone for more than ten minutes.
But he had work to do. Ignoring her pleas to come back, he burst around the pinnacle and entered the cave. Inside, the ancient’s mechanism stood ready. Once the emergency had been issued, the portal automatically set the destination. He only needed to step onto the platform. Cursing his luck, he walked through the electric blue curtain and was zapped to an unknown destination.
❄ ❄ ❄
“I know he saw me. Oh God, it was him. I know it was.” Kaylee’s heart pounded out of her chest. This was the most exciting moment of her life, thus far. She’d seen a Yeti running up the mountain just now — while wide awake this time — and knew with every ounce of her soul he’d come back for her. “Yes!” She fist pumped the air. “I did it. I’m going to be soooo famous.”
She texted Angie as soon as she got back inside. “I saw it again. The Yeti. Say hello to the new Pulitzer Prize recipient for journalism.”
Angie’s reply came quickly. “Woot! Congratulations! What about the hot guy at the store you told me about earlier? Did you get a piece of him too?”
“No. He…disappeared.” Kaylee frowned at the phone as it took a long time to send her message. The cabin provided only off-and-on reception, mostly off, which she found as annoying as Pete’s alpha male antics. But what the hell was up with him this morning? He’d basically ordered her not to go through with her plan and then gave a weird roar like he was angry and vanished, right before the Yeiti appeared. Did Pete know more about these creatures than he was letting on? Was he in touch with them? If he was, he certainly wasn’t sharing the info, plus, who did he think he was, ordering her around? And why had he lied? “Pete didn’t rescue me, the Yeti did. I know. I saw him,” she whispered.
The phone finally buzzed. Angie again.
“Well don’t go hogging all the hot guys. Save some for me!”
“Will do. Promise.” Kaylee plopped down on the bed and shut her eyes. How to bring the Yeti back the quickest was the question. If she confronted Pete, would he agree to bring one to her or would he call her crazy and yell at her again? Hell, Pete acted pretty crazy himself, kissing her like he owned her one minute and then running off angry the next. “There’s no telling what Pete might do,” she told the ceiling logs. “I can’t rely on him as a source.” She rolled over and glared at the lack of bars on her phone. Asking Angie was out as well. “No. I’m going to have to trust my reporter instincts on this one. I’m going with my own plan.”
Decision made, she hopped off the bed and got dressed in her warmest clothes. Gloves. Hat. Boots and ski coat. All ready for a day on the powdery slope. If she left now, she might be able to make it to the top, where she’d seen the Yeti disappear. Just in case, she brought her camera and recorder. This would be the interview of the decade, if not the century. She envisioned the headlines. “Yeti found by small town reporter no hoax.” Or, “Reporter rescued by missing link, scientific community astounded.” Filled to the brim with glee, she grabbed her ski poles and shut the door behind her. This was one assignment she would not fail. “He’ll come for me. I know it.” With each determined step up the mountain, her confidence solidified further. She only had a little while to wait.
❄ ❄ ❄
Pete emerged from the portal as Roshan. At an outpost high atop the French Alps, his body effortlessly adjusted to the sudden increase in altitude. His skin grew thicker, his hair and nails longer, and the pads of his feet turned rougher to provide plenty of traction for the rescue mission. He hurried to the main ops room and found Prem the Elder waiting for him.
“Good, you’re here. I was beginning to worry.”
“Issues I had to deal with at home delayed my arrival.”
“Well you’re still in time. Come, let me show you.” A paper-thin suspended view-screen monitor showed the exact location where four remote skiers had run into trouble. A crevasse had opened up underneath them, sucking them into its depths. The gap was around a hundred feet deep and was situated too high on the mountain for a human rescue team to reach in time. Four lives were at stake. Valtere, another unmated male like himself, already raced toward the wide split in the snow’s surface. Roshan would have to hurry to catch up. “Is anyone else coming?”
“Yes. I expect Sanjay and Avhi soon.” Two more unmated males, just like him. They’d done many rescue jobs together.
“Good.” It would take all of them to plumb the
depths and to carry the four skiers out. “I’m ready.”
Prem made the ancient Yeti sign for good luck. “May the ancients be with you, Roshan.”
Feet padding over the thick snow layer at the top, Roshan picked his way across the slope to the top of the valley where the crevasse had opened. At the edge, he looked down. Valtere hung by his claws inside the crevice, and used one hand to give signals showing how far the men had fallen and which way would be best to attempt the rescue. Roshan fell to his knees and dug his claws into the hard ice. He shimmied into the opening, moving downward quickly, aware each moment he delayed could mean the men’s deaths.
Sanjay and Avhi arrived up above, and began their descent. The four of them used no ropes, or verbal cues. The sound of claws scraping snow told them everything they needed to know about each other’s speed and position. When Valtere reached the bottom of the tunnel, Roshan heard him give a soft howl of despair. The climbers were evidently in bad shape.
Roshan continued on his way down and glanced at the man Valtere carried on his way back up. The human was quite dead. From the amount of blood on his head and face, probably killed by the impact of the fall. Roshan reached the bottom next and grabbed another of the humans. He draped the limp form over his shoulders and hauled him to the surface. When he set him down his worst suspicions were confirmed. The man wasn’t breathing. He too, was dead of severe injuries.
Roshan howled in sadness. When Sanjay and Avhi’s climbers were found to be deceased as well, the mission terminated. All they could do was leave the dead on the surface and hope the humans would find them before they were covered by the next snowfall. More than likely, the bodies would lie there frozen and untouched forever. But burial wasn’t the Yeti responsibility. Theirs was search and rescue, when possible, but in Roshan’s experience, too many times their missions became simply search and despair.
Wracked with the pain of seeing too many deaths in his longer-than-human lifetime, Roshan hurried back to the cave and to the one woman whose feistiness and warmth could mend his tired, broken heart and prayed to the ancients she hadn’t done something stupid. He couldn’t help but feel that if he lost her too, a piece of his soul would crumple as well.
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