Her Panther Protector [The Protectors 5] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Doris O'Connor

  Again, the deep growl from behind Macey stopped the girl, and her eyes turned saucer-like. Macey knew just how she felt.

  “I suggest you leave while you still can, or I’ll have no compunction about facilitating your exit, girl, and Leon will hear of this, Jack. By my reckoning, you can kiss your participation in the charity bike ride good-bye. Hope that bit of pussy was fucking worth it.”

  Macey gasped at the crude words, and Monika found her voice again.

  “You can’t let him speak to me like that, Jack. Who does he think he is? Ow, let me go, you fool. I’m not leaving. Not without my money.”

  Monika put up a good fight, but Jack dragged her away with an apologetic glance back at Macey and the quietly menacing human furnace behind her. Really, he was so warm that the nurse in her was getting concerned that he might be running a fever.

  “That’s Sasha Draven, babe, and you really don’t want to piss him off.”

  Monika’s screech of seeming recognition did little to reassure Macey, and her stomach cramped as it dawned on her that sending the youngsters away meant she would soon be on her own with this man. And he still had her gun, dammit, and her mace spray was in her car with her hand bag. Not the cleverest of moves, really.

  Chapter Three

  Sasha watched with a certain amount of grim satisfaction as the babysitter from hell allowed herself to be dragged away by Simpson. She was still muttering under her breath, and his shifter hearing picked up the insults she hurled back at him and the aunt of his boy loud and clear, but he was more concerned with the wariness that poured off the woman in front of him right now. Her breathing grew shallow and her heart rate kicked up into dangerous territory as adrenaline swamped her system. The fact that she seemed afraid of him made his panther whine in agitation.

  His beast didn’t want her afraid. No, the territorial animal all but foamed at the mouth with the need to claim her, to mark her as his.

  Barely suppressing a growl, Sasha pinched the bridge of his nose and took deep breaths to calm his inner animal. Not that they proved terribly effective, not when every inhale brought with it the alluring scent of home, of belonging. She was his, and he didn’t even know her fucking name.

  At least Sasha now knew what that curious glint in Mrs. H’s eyes had been all about when she’d warned him to be careful and mumbled something about fates colliding. Fucking fates were playing an almighty party trick on him. Not only was he a father, but he’d also found his mate in one fell swoop.

  Fuck.

  He pushed away from the wall and strode toward the ruined front door. Anything to get some fresh air, to stop himself from shifting or simply giving in to every one of his instincts that screamed at him to take this fragrant morsel of his human mate and to make her his. She was human, for fuck’s sake, and clearly utterly clueless about shifters and the history of this cottage. There was a very good reason why it had stood empty for some time. No local would have ever bought it, nor be willing to spend much time here after dark, not if they had any sense, anyway.

  He frowned at the old-style VW Beetle carelessly abandoned half off the drive. The keys were still in the ignition, and in her haste to get into the house, she’d left the lights on. Without thinking too much about it, Sasha jogged over to the car, turned off the lights, picked up the woman’s handbag, and smiled. Her West Cumberland Hospital ID sat on top. Macey Laine, it said. His panther growled and Sasha rolled that name around his head. Macey—it suited her. A warm name to go with her profession, and despite her rather dramatic entrance into her house and waving that gun at him, Sasha sensed that Macey was far from aggressive usually, which had to make a man wonder why on earth she had a gun in the first place, and why she had chosen to buy a place out here, miles away from her place of work.

  What was she hiding? Or perhaps more accurately, who was she hiding from? How Sasha knew it was the latter, he had no idea, but his gut told him he was right. That woman knew how to handle a gun, and there had to be a reason for that.

  He tried for a reassuring smile when he saw her stood in the entrance to her cottage, and must have failed miserably, if her reaction was anything to go by. Macey’s eyes widened and she took several steps away until the wall stopped her. He didn’t miss the way she crouched slightly and her hands came up in a defensive move he recognized. Knowing that his woman knew some self-defense moves soothed his agitated beast somewhat. Not that it would do her any good against him, but if she had to drive miles in that old car—he glanced back at the ancient but clearly well-loved and looked-after Beetle—then it was good to know she wasn’t completely helpless. Still, Sasha had a devil of a time containing his inner animal, and he was pretty sure his panther showed in his eyes when he handed her back her purse.

  “Here, I’ve locked her up for you. Not the safest mode of transport, considering you work in Whitehaven. How old is that thing, anyway?”

  “Friedolin is perfectly safe, thank you. My mode of transport is none of your concern, and how dare you look inside my bag?”

  Fire flashed in her expressive chocolate eyes when he couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Friedolin?” he asked, and she snatched her bag out of his hands and glared up at him.

  “Yes, that’s his name. Do you have a problem with that?”

  Oh she was utterly beautiful when she got annoyed, face flushed in her agitation, her little breasts strained against the blue fabric of her uniform, and Sasha’s mouth watered. She wasn’t immune to him. He’d sensed her unwilling arousal earlier, and even now the scent of her feminine musk was strong. It made him want to do all sorts of wickedly perverted things to her, but that would have to wait—for now. Besides, she would no doubt check him out the minute he was gone, and Sasha was all too aware of his reputation as a womanizing playboy with a dangerous edge that you didn’t want to cross. It had never bothered him before. He had encouraged it, in fact, but that reputation could well come back to bite him in the ass with this woman.

  Everything about her screamed “responsible,” from the tidy cottage, her immaculate uniform, and the flat, sensible shoes she wore to the unwavering devotion he’d sensed in her toward her nephew. Sasha had no fucking clue what was going on, but he knew that this woman would defend his son with her last breath. It was the about the only thing that had stopped him from completely losing it earlier. Well, that and the gut-wrenching realization that he’d found his mate. Him, Sasha, who’d done nothing but take the piss out of his fellow Protectors since they’d fallen hard and fast for their mates.

  He shook his head and grinned at the feminine growl that erupted from his woman. The deep, earthy sound shot straight to his balls, and Sasha barely resisted the urge to adjust his aching cock away from the zipper of his jeans. He’d been semi-hard ever since he’d first scented her, and this close to her it took every ounce of self-control he possessed to not lean down and claim those lush lips of hers and kiss her senseless. Judging by the way her breathing grew labored and she unconsciously rose on tiptoes to close the distance between them, she felt the strong pull between them, too.

  Sasha forced himself to step away and pulled the gun he still had out from behind the waistband of his jeans. Macey made a strangled sound in the back of her throat but dutifully took it off him when he handed it to her. Pride surged through him when she checked the safety was on and then put the hand gun into her bag, after a surprised look up at him.

  “I would appreciate you not pulling that on me again, and for the record, I have no problem with you calling your car anything. I also did not go through your bag. Your ID was sat on the top, and I couldn’t help but notice it, Macey.”

  He’d dropped his voice saying her name, and a shiver went through her frame. He had to smile at the way she made a big show of closing her bag and pulling it over her head until the strap rested diagonally across her chest. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you looked at it, the action made the fabric across her chest tighten further until her nipples were loving
ly outlined. If he wasn’t mistaken, and Sasha very rarely was when it came to ladies’ undergarments, his girl was wearing a lacy bra underneath her sensible uniform, and he hardened to the point of pain as he imagined this sensible nurse with a hidden penchant for sexy underwear.

  “Well, don’t bust my door in again, and I won’t.” Her breathy reply made him smile, and he nodded.

  “Touché.” He held his hand out for her to shake, and after a moment’s hesitation, she took it. Heat travelled up at his arm at the innocent contact and his panther growled low in his throat. Macey gasped and swallowed hard, but she didn’t yank her hand away either, like he’d half thought she might. Instead, she tightened her hold on his digits in a firm handshake, and Sasha had to clear his throat to get his next words out.

  “I guess we started off on the wrong foot somewhat. Sasha Draven at your service, and believe it or not, I don’t normally make a habit of busting beautiful ladies’ doors down.”

  He reluctantly released her hand and a giggle escaped Macey. The lighthearted sound wrapped itself around his soul, and his volatile beast calmed instantly.

  “No, I dare say one look at you and females fling their doors wide open.” Sasha laughed out loud, and Macey blushed a delightful shade of crimson and slapped her hand over her mouth as though horrified at what she’d just said.

  “God, please pretend you didn’t just hear me say that. Jeez, I’m sorry. It’s been a long day so far, and my mouth tends to run away with me when I’m tired, and…”

  Her words stuttered to a halt when he indulged himself by running his index finger along her jaw and down her neck until he could trace her delicate collarbone. Her soft skin called him to linger, and it took considerable effort on his part to not do just that.

  “Shh, it’s okay. Go, and relax while I try and fix this door. I’ll replace it, of course, but I can’t leave you here with that door all busted in. Have you got any tools I can use, by any chance?”

  Macey blinked several times and screwed her nose up as she seemed to think this over.

  “As a matter of fact, I do. I mean, the previous owner of this place left a big tool box in the cupboard under the stairs. I’ve been meaning to throw it out, but haven’t got round to it, and what do you mean you’ll replace the door?” She looked up at him and frowned. “There’s nothing wrong with my door. Well, nothing that can’t be fixed. Why on earth would you get me a new one?”

  She blanched when his panther snarled at that and threw him a worried look while pointing up the hallway. Sasha took the hint and whistled through his teeth when he wrenched open the doors of the under-stair cupboard and pulled out the tool box.

  “We’re in luck. This has everything that I need.”

  A still-worried-looking Macey came up behind him and peered over his shoulder as he crouched on the floor.

  “Yeah, I thought it looked more or less new. I did wonder why it was left behind. After all, men and their toys and all that, but I wasn’t going to ask too many questions, not when this came at such a great price, and yeah…”

  She bit her lip as though she’d said too much already, and Sasha’s instincts screamed at him again. Yep, she was definitely hiding something. Then again, so was he. Somehow he didn’t think she would appreciate the news that the previous occupant had died a rather gruesome death in this very cottage by the very set of hands that now handled the man’s tools. Of course, he’d been a mere shell of his former self by then, after his vampire lover had turned him into nothing more than a bloodthirsty abomination of a human being. That vamp and the ones that had followed since had been eradicated and Middle Brook had enjoyed relative peace for months now, but this cottage, right here, and the fields it stood in…vamp bait.

  He swallowed his beast’s growl and straightened, box in hand.

  “I’m sure he’s had his reasons, and it’s by the by, really. I have what I need to make this door as secure as it can be, and I will be fitting a new and more secure door for you.” He held his hand up to stop her attempt at interrupting him, and shook his head.

  “Not. A. Word. It took one kick for me to bring this down. If you don’t value your own safety, then think of the boy.” That stopped her protest, and she simply glared at him. “You’re out here in the middle of fucking nowhere. You need a decent front door.”

  Macey shrugged her shoulders and muttered under her breath as she walked off in the direction of the kitchen, and Sasha had to grin at the snatches he could hear. “Chauvinistic pig” featured greatly, and much louder, to make sure he heard, no doubt, “Well, normal folks do not kick other people’s doors down.”

  Grinning, Sasha set to work. It took some work, but by the end of it, he was reasonably sure that the door would stay up, and he accepted the cup of steaming coffee Macey handed him with murmured, “Thanks.”

  “This will hold for now,” he said, and Macey rolled her eyes and then promptly yawned. Sasha’s gut churned seeing the tired lines around her eyes now, and he gulped the coffee down in one go. It burned his gullet, but he would heal in seconds, and it was clear that his woman was dead on her feet. Time for him to get out of there. It would be some time before he would get any sleep, as he had no intention of leaving her cottage unprotected, but she didn’t need to know that. She would never know that he would prowl the perimeter of her property in his panther form until the sun came up.

  “Thanks for the coffee, but I have to get going.”

  Macey’s surprise registered on her expressive face, and he bit back a grin when she accompanied him outside, and then dashed back in as though the hounds of hell were after her. She reappeared moments later, clutching his leather jacket.

  “Here, I almost forgot, you’ll need that.” Her fingers brushed his as she handed over his clothing, and this time Sasha relished the tingle of recognition that shot up his arm. He shrugged into the thing, and his panther positively strutted at the way Macey’s gaze ran over his torso as he did so. Her scent increased and his nostrils flared as he pulled her sweet musk deep into his lungs. He huffed out a laugh when her gaze lingered on his groin and she licked her lips. On any other woman, he’d have thought that a deliberate act, but Macey seemed blissfully unaware of what she was doing, her body responding to its mate without any effort on her part.

  That was something, at least. Human mates could be unpredictable at the best of times. They weren’t bound to the mating bond in the same way that shifters were, and Sasha had heard enough nightmare tales of humans leaving their shifter mates heartbroken to know that he never wanted to go down that route. He chose to ignore the little voice telling him that he was very much traveling down that road right now. After all, she had his son. While he might be able to keep his distance from her, he couldn’t walk away from his own flesh and blood. He might be a bastard, but even he had limits. Now that he knew of the boy’s existence, he would do everything in his power to protect him.

  A grumble escaped him, and Macey visibly startled and wrenched her gaze upward until she looked straight at him.

  “I guess I should say thank you, for looking after Kenny. I can assure you I had no idea Monika was so flighty. She had good enough references and the Estate agent recommended her when I was dithering about the sale, because I didn’t know what to do about babysitters when I work the night shifts.”

  A frown marred her flawless skin, and Sasha wanted to kiss the worry lines off her face. Instead, he swung his leg over his Harley and started the engine. It purred into life with predictable efficiency, and he put his helmet on and flipped his visor open.

  “Don’t be too hard on yourself. Arranging childcare can’t be easy, but there is an excellent nursery in Middle Brook. I know the deputy headmaster, so I’m sure he could find a place for Kenny if you need one. If nothing else, he’ll know of reputable babysitters to come and look after the boy while you’re at work.”

  He didn’t add the fact that she would have a hard time finding anyone to come to this cottage. He would need to pull som
e strings and speak to Ronan in the morning. No doubt the head of the Protectors would have a conniption at Sasha’s fate, but he would also do everything in his power to ensure that Macey and Kenny were safe. That’s what the Protectors did, after all, and by moving into this part of Cumbria, Macey and her nephew fell under Middle Brook’s protection by default.

  He had to strain to hear Macey’s reply over the deep, throaty engine of his bike.

  “It’s just the nights. Day shifts are covered by the crèche in the Hospital, but he’s getting too big for that now. Anyway, this is none of your concern. Thanks again, and there is no need for a new door, really.”

  Sasha revved the engine hard to drown out her words, and gestured to his head to indicate that he couldn’t hear her. Macey stamped her foot on the ground and crossed her arms, clearly annoyed with him, and Sasha laughed.

  “Make sure you keep the doors and windows locked, until the sun comes up, at least. And whatever you do, do not invite anyone into your house—ever. Not even someone you think you know.”

  Macey blinked and her mouth fell open, and Sasha grasped her shoulder to bring his point home.

  “Promise me you won’t. This is important.”

  Macey seemed to recover her equilibrium and pointedly looked at his hand on her shoulder, and when he didn’t remove it, she shook it off with a disgusted shake of her head.

  “Fine, I promise, if it makes you feel better, but jeez Louise, this is just the countryside, not some gothic horror movie where vampires will jump at you from the shadows. You know that, right?” she asked, and Sasha revved the engine again.

  “You never know, darling,” he said, and rather enjoyed the way her mouth fell open in the view of her in his mirrors.

  Shaking her head, she made her way back into the house and shut the door. When he couldn’t see the cottage anymore, Sasha pulled up, stored his Harley behind some of the bushes lining the dirt road that led up to her property, and sniffed the air. Nothing amiss. That was something. As he pulled his clothes off and let the shift consume him, he sighed. It was going to be a long, fucking uncomfortable night, for him, at least.