by Becca Van
“You’ve got martial arts training?” Tarik asked.
When she lowered her gaze, Hodge knew the answer and from Tarik’s frustrated sigh, so did he.
“Look—”
“Do you have a registered gun you know how to use?” Tarik shifted on the seat.
“No,” Celeste whispered.
“So how the hell do you think you can protect yourself?” Tarik roared.
Celeste jumped to her feet, moved a few paces, and then spun to face them, pointing a finger at Tarik. “Don’t yell at me. If he shows up here, I’ll leave.”
“And go where?” Hodge asked.
“Anywhere.”
“Are you going to let this fucker ruin your life?” Tarik stood. “Are you going to be okay living with fear, not knowing when he’s going to pop up next? You can’t live like that, baby. Looking over your shoulder all the time isn’t healthy. You’re going to end up getting sick and not being able to continue your career.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
Hodge was surprised at how matter of fact she’d said that. In fact, her sweet personality was totally the opposite of what he’d expected a famous supermodel’s demeanor to be. She wasn’t stuck up or hung up on her looks. She’d never once worried about using makeup since she’d been on the island and though her clothes were all designer labels, she didn’t care about dressing to the nines every day. She wore clothes that were casual and comfortable. More often than not, she wore jeans and long-sleeved T-shirts.
“Why—”
Hodge knew what Tarik was about to ask so he quickly cut him off. “We’re worried about you, love. You aren’t sleeping properly and have dark marks under your eyes. We hear you pacing in your room until the wee hours of the morning. We just want to help.”
Celeste sighed. “I appreciate that. I really do, but this is my problem, not yours.”
“If it concerns you then it concerns us,” Tarik said.
“Why?”
“Because you are here on our island, living in our house.”
“That’s easily remedied.”
The second she’d finished speaking those words, was the moment Hodge lost control of his sabear. Fur rippled over his skin, his canine teeth elongated and thickened, and his claws punched through the tips of his fingers. He fell to his hands and knees with a roar, still fighting to wrestle back control, but he was already lost to his inner animal. Fabric ripped, his clothes tearing at the seams as he began to change form. He was transforming in front of Celeste and all he could think about was that he hoped he wasn’t scaring her.
* * * *
Tarik had almost let his sabear free at her snippy remark but when he’d seen Hodge sprouting fur he’d ruthlessly pushed his beast back down. He was an alpha male and had greater dominance over his sabear. He slowly moved toward Celeste, keeping his gaze on Hodge’s bear-mixed saber-toothed tiger in case his friend’s animal did something stupid like trying to mark their woman without her permission.
“Don’t move,” Tarik ordered in a low voice when Celeste took a step back. He placed himself directly in front of her, shielding her with his body to take the brunt of Hodge’s weight if he attacked. Once the transformation was complete Hodge’s sabear sniffed the air and lumbered toward him.
“Hodge, you need to change back. You don’t want to scare our…to scare Celeste, do you?”
The sabear huffed out a breath and took another step toward him, the beast’s long talons clicked on the wooden floor before taking another step. Tarik braced his legs apart but kept his muscles loose ready to take his friend down, but when he met the sabear’s gaze, he knew Hodge was cognizant and he sighed with relief. He should have known that Hodge and his inner animal wouldn’t do anything to hurt their mate. Tarik stepped to the side and wrapped an arm around Celeste’s waist.
“Hodge’s sabear wants to meet you, baby.”
“Is it safe?” she whispered.
“I won’t let anything happen to you, Celeste.”
Tarik took her hand in his free one and then guided her hand toward Hodge’s beast.
Her fingers trembled and she held her breath as she sank them into the scruff of the sabear’s fur. “He’s so big.”
Tarik nodded. The top of the sabear’s head was level with her chin. If Hodge’s animal stood up to its hind legs, he would tower over Celeste by four or five feet.
“It’s soft.”
“What is, baby?” Tarik cleared his throat when his voice came out hoarse.
“His fur. I thought it would feel rough or coarse, but it’s not.”
“Hm.” Tarik hummed. He was mesmerized by the smile on her lips and the twinkle of awe in her beautiful blue eyes. In fact, he was just totally mesmerized by her. She was famous yet she’d kept in touch with his sister and not because she wanted to rub Tammy’s nose in her notoriety. He’d watched Celeste and Tammy interacting from a distance when she wasn’t aware he was watching. They had a great rapport, a close bond of two friends who loved each other. Tarik wanted to have some of that love turned his way.
He shifted on his feet when his hard cock throbbed in in his pants and heat coursed through his blood. Every day he’d been getting these flashes of heat but he tried telling himself it was because he was lusting after his mate. Although that was true, it wasn’t just because of lust. Well, it was, but it was also because his mating heat was starting.
When he and Hodge had started puberty, Tarik’s dads had sat them down and given them “the talk,” but there was more to explain since they were shifters, too. He’d had no idea that he would go into a mating heat if he was ever lucky enough to meet his mate. He’d begun to think his dads had been yanking his and Hodge’s chain when after a couple of days, it hadn’t put in an appearance, but he’d been wrong. Maybe it had been triggered because he’d had a taste of Celeste’s passion. He still had the scent of her desire on his fingers. Maybe that was also the reason Hodge had lost control of his animal.
“Are you calm?” Tarik asked.
“Sort of.”
“I think we’re going into heat.”
Celeste startled when Hodge’s sabear made a huffing groaning sound.
“It’s okay, baby. Don’t be scared.”
“I’m not.” She smiled still running her fingers through Hodge’s fur. “He just surprised me.”
Tarik nodded.
“That explains the burning hunger in my gut and the loss of control.”
Celeste finally stopped petting Hodge’s Sabear and with a reluctant sigh backed away from the animal before meeting Tarik’s gaze. “Does it hurt?”
“What? Shifting shape?”
Celeste nodded.
“No.”
“Are you able to change shape from the moment you’re born?” she asked curiously.
Tarik took her hand and tugged her toward the sofa. Once they were seated he glanced at Hodge. “Are you ready to change back yet?”
Hodge’s sabear nodded before the outline of his beast hazed and shimmered. Tarik was used to seeing the men of Savoonga transform, but he saw the shift through new eyes when he heard Celeste gasp. The flash of bright white light didn’t affect his vision but he guessed from the way she was blinking it affected hers.
“That’s just so…oh!” Celeste covered her mouth before quickly lowering her gaze. When Tarik saw the pink hue creeping up her cheeks, he guessed she was either embarrassed or turned on, or maybe even both. Hodge was now back on two feet and totally naked. His long, thick cock was standing at full attention and was undoubtedly the reason for their mate’s discomfort.
Tarik sniffed the air and when he scented her desire had to swallow back a groan. His hard cock pulsed inside his jeans, and if he could have relieved the restriction without embarrassing Celeste further, he would have opened his jeans and let his cock hang out.
Hodge didn’t make a move to leave the room and get another set of clothes, but stood staring at Celeste as if she was a feast laid out before him to devour
after not having eaten for a week.
Tarik didn’t realize he was going to speak until he heard the words coming out of his own mouth. “There’s another reason we want to keep you safe.”
She peeked at him from the corner of her eye, keeping her gaze averted from Hodge’s nakedness. “What’s that?” she asked in a breathy voice.
“You’re our mate.”
She didn’t react at all and Tarik began to get pissed. He clasped her chin between his finger and thumb, lifting her gaze fully to his. When he stared intently into her eyes he noticed that she didn’t seem surprised in the least. Tammy. Tammy must have already told her. He wasn’t sure whether to be angry or relieved over his sister’s audacity, but decided on the latter.
Hodge took a step toward Celeste, and then another, and another, until he was standing right in front of her. The pink in her creamy cheeks darkened and she nervously licked her lips. When she shifted in her seat, the scent of her arousal would have brought Tarik to his knees if he hadn’t already been sitting.
It must have affected Hodge the same way because he sank down onto his knees in front of her and then he gripped his cock and began to pump his hand up and down his shaft.
Celeste slowly turned her gaze toward Hodge. She licked her lips as she stared at his hand working up and down his shaft. The scent of her musky desire grew stronger, making Tarik suck in a deep breath, and tested his control. A fine tremor centered in his lower belly and began to travel through his body. He began to quake with hunger, with need. His muscles hardened as they filled with blood and his hard dick ached each time it throbbed in his jeans.
When Celeste slowly reached out toward Hodge’s erection, Tarik lost all reason.
Chapter Ten
Celeste’s insides had liquefied until she had molten lava running through her veins rather than blood. Although she tried not to look at Hodge’s sexy, muscular, naked body as he came toward her, it was like trying to ask a man about to expire from thirst not to drink a bottle of water set before him.
From her peripheral vision, she saw every move he made. How slowly he sank to his knees right in front of her and then gripped his cock. She swallowed down a moan when he began to pump his hand up and down his dick. The aroma of wild musky man drifted to her nose until she was sure the fragrance was embedded into her pores, into every cell of her being. She couldn’t seem to stop herself from turning to face him and watching with mesmerized lust as his large hand stroked his thick, long cock. When she saw a clear bead of fluid in the slit at the top of his dick, she wondered what it would taste like. Saliva pooled in her mouth and then she saw her own hand reaching toward Hodge’s hard dick.
She couldn’t believe how velvety soft the skin on his cock was and the urge to explore more was too strong to ignore. She was just about to brush Hodge’s hand aside so she could do just that, but she never got the chance.
Tarik hooked an arm around her waist and lifted her onto his lap. His big hand cupped her cheek and then he slanted his mouth over hers. She moaned and gasped as his tongue thrust in between her lips, and whimpered when he twirled it around hers, and then rubbed along the length. She looped her arms around his neck and kissed him back just as voraciously.
“Tarik, slow down,” Hodge said.
Celeste whimpered with frustration because she was on fire and didn’t want to slow down. She needed the flames burning inside of her to be doused. She wanted the fiery ache to be quenched, but wasn’t sure how to ask.
Tarik broke the kiss and rested his forehead on hers, both of them panting heavily. She wanted to scream at him for stopping, but she’d never been an aggressive person unless someone pissed her off—until she couldn’t keep quiet anymore.
“Baby, look at me,” Tarik demanded.
She didn’t even realize she’d closed her eyes until he’d said that. She sat up straighter and met his gaze. He grabbed hold of her braid and held her head still. She guessed it was so she couldn’t look away. Her gaze wandered over his square masculine jaw and the slight stubble on his face. He and Hodge were so ruggedly handsome they took her breath away. They were dominant, confident men, and she loved seeing them dressed casually in jeans and long sleeved shirts. Their casualness seemed to somehow enhance their aura of manliness. She was used to seeing modern men dressed in suits or trousers and dress shirts, but none of those men had ever appealed to her the way Tarik and Hodge did in their denim jeans.
Tarik’s collar-length black hair seemed to bring out the color of his green eyes, making them stand out more. He was at least a foot taller than her own five-foot-seven and was so built she felt tiny in comparison. Hodge’s hair was a little shorter than Tarik’s and a wonderful chocolatey dark brown color. His eyes were a light shade of brown that changed to an amber hue when they glowed as his sabear surfaced. He was an inch or two shorter than his friend but still way taller than she was. He had broad shoulders, a wide muscular chest which tapered down to narrow hips. Both men had strong thick thighs that bulged and flexed whenever they moved. Either man could have made a fortune posing as models for any magazine. They were hot and sexy and they made her blood boil. She pushed her thoughts aside when Tarik inhaled.
“If we make love with you, we are going to claim you.” He paused to meet Hodge’s gaze. “We’re all going into the mating heat, Celeste. Once we start we won’t be able to stop until you’re ours.”
“Say yes, love,” Hodge rasped close to her ear. “Tell us you want us to make love with you and claim you for our mate.”
Celeste felt drawn and connected to them in a way she’d never felt connected to another human being. Even though she loved Tammy as the sister of her heart, the connection she had with her friend paled in comparison to the connection she had with Hodge and Tarik.
She’d dreamed of meeting the man of her dreams when she was younger but those dreams had faded away as she’d grown. She had two men offering to be her mates and though she wanted to say yes, there was still so much she didn’t know, so much she needed to ask.
Work had been the be all and end all of her existence, but she’d decided to give her modeling career up. She wanted to settle down, have a home of her own, and eventually have children. Was that what Hodge and Tarik wanted, too?
“What has you hesitating, baby?” Tarik asked, as he lifted her from his lap and placed her on the sofa.
She glanced at Hodge’s still naked body and shivered as another wave of heat washed through her. Her skin was tingling and she wanted to scratch, but she knew she’d only end up hurting herself and maybe even tearing her skin if she gave into the urge. “Can you please put some clothes on?”
Hodge sighed with frustration and she felt his pain, because she was in pain, too. Nonetheless, she needed some things cleared up before she decided if she was going to leap into a relationship, a mating, feet first. If she took such a big step there would be no backing out. Ever.
Hodge stood and hurried away. Tarik rose and headed toward the kitchen. She wondered if she should follow him or stay where she was but decided it would be safer if they were all in the kitchen. It would be too easy to get comfortable on the sofa again, especially if they were sitting so close.
Celeste shoved to her feet and followed Tarik. Hodge entered the kitchen just as she was settling herself on a stool at the counter. Tarik was standing at the fridge with the door open and staring inside. She had no idea if he was looking for something or just staring into space. Maybe both.
Tarik bent and grabbed some stuff from the fridge before turning and walking toward her. Hodge took the beer he offered and though she didn’t normally drink, she wouldn’t have minded one herself. Tarik twisted the cap off his bottle and placed it in front of her before getting another beer from the fridge and opening it. Celeste lifted the bottle and took a sip, sighing with pleasure as the liquid moistened her dry mouth and throat.
Hodge skirted the counter and sat next to her but she was glad when he made sure not to brush up against her body. She w
asn’t sure she’d be able to remain sane if he or Tarik touched her right now.
“What did you want to know, love?” Hodge sipped his beer.
She blew out a breath and tried to decide which question to ask first. “What does mating involve?”
Tarik leaned his hip on the counter. “We’d make love to you and bite you on the shoulder. Our DNA will meld with yours, which will change your physiology slightly.”
“How?”
“You’ll carry our scent, love,” Hodge explained. “Another sabear or shifter will be able to smell us on you and know that you belong to us.”
Celeste frowned. “What else? Will I become like you?”
“No,” Tarik answered. “You will have some of our abilities, though.”
“Like what?”
“Your eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell will be enhanced. You’ll be stronger and faster, and you won’t have to worry about human diseases making you ill.” Hodge ran his fingers through his hair.
“What about…how do…”
Hodge threaded his fingers with hers and kissed the back of her hand. The heat in her body warmed by another degree or two, making her so hot she wanted to start shedding her clothes. In fact, being outside in the below-freezing temperatures in just her underwear sounded like heaven. The urge to jump his bones was so strong, she ended up gripping the edge of the counter with her free hand.
“What were you going to ask, baby?” Tarik quirked an eyebrow and she didn’t think she’d seen anything so sexy.
She shook her head. She couldn’t get her mind to center on one specific thing. She was so hot and needy she couldn’t think straight. “What is wrong with me?” Celeste finally managed to blurt out.
“It’s the mating heat, love,” Hodge answered. “If you’re feeling all hot and achy and your skin feels as if you have a nest of ants running across it, then it’s the same thing we’re feeling.”
Her mouth dropped open but she quickly snapped it shut again. “How is it possible for you to both claim me? For me to be a mate to both of you?”