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

by Doris O'Connor

  The fact that he didn’t react at all, just looked at the brown mess spilling all over his stone tiles with a disinterested expression on his face, made her earlier sense of foreboding return with such intensity she found it hard to breathe.

  “What happened?” she asked. “Kenny?” Her voice broke on that one word and he swore and was on her in seconds. Lifting her up, he carried her away from the mess on the floor and sat her on the work top while he got a mop, dust pan and brush out and made short work of clearing away the mess she’d made.

  “Sir, is Kenny okay? Please, you’re scaring me here.”

  Sasha dumped the contents of the dust pan in the bin with a growl and turned to face her. “Yes, kitten, he’s fine. Thank fuck he was with Ronan last night and you were here with me.”

  He ran a hand through the shock of black hair on top of his head and started to pace. His animal’s agitated growls filled the kitchen and she could see his sleek panther prowl under his skin.

  “They fucking came for you last night.” At her gasp, he stopped pacing and grabbed her in a tight hug as though he never wanted to let her go. Macey hugged him back, not knowing what else to do, and she blinked away tears. She was not going to like what he had to say, she knew that much.

  “They?” she finally asked, and she felt him nod against her before he let her go and stepped back. Without his body warmth surrounding her, Macey felt the cold dread grip her anew and she rubbed her arms in a vain attempt to get rid of the goose bumps. Sasha stepped back up to her again and did it for her when he noticed. He seemed to have as great a need to touch her this morning as she had to be touched by him.

  “The fuckers who planted that list in Kenny’s bear, and what’s more, they’re using fucking vamps. Powerful ones, at that. They managed to get past the protection spells Mrs. H sat up, and they killed the wolves on patrol.”

  He smiled grimly at her horrified expression, and continued.

  “There were only two, because you weren’t there. The fuckers sliced their throats and drained them. It means they died as wolves and there is no fucking closure for their family. They can’t even give them a human burial, because it would risk exposure too much, and, fuck it.” He paused briefly and glanced at her as though he was debating how much more to tell her, and a shudder went through his large frame when she put her hands on his chest.

  “There’s more, isn’t there?” she asked, and he nodded.

  “Yes, they leave behind a wife and several little ones. They were in a poly relationship with the Alpha’s sister.”

  Tears sprang to Macey’s eyes and she didn’t bother to swipe them away. “Oh, god, this is my fault. I never should have—”

  Sasha’s furious growl stopped her, and she swallowed past the rapidly forming lump of misery in her throat.

  “If we didn’t need to get you out of here, I would paddle your ass so hard you wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week for that inane comment. How is any of this your fucking fault? It was your sister who hooked up with these guys and brought all this trouble on our heads. I can’t even say that I blame her. Those drug dealers prey on the weak, and as a recovering addict, she was easy meat for them. I know their kind. They can be extremely persuasive. No doubt she thought herself in love with the scumbag, and all was wonderful, until he had her hooked on the stuff so tight, that she couldn’t get away.”

  Sasha smiled grimly at her sharp intake of breath.

  “How did you…I mean, that’s exactly what happened. That bastard isolated her, until we fell out and…dammit.” Macey couldn’t continue, and Sasha’s smile didn’t reach his eyes.

  “Like I said, not your fault, and I don’t even want to think about what would have happened to you or Kenny, had you not come here. You’re one of us, and that means that the community will pull together to protect you. And yes, sometimes that means we lose someone. That’s life.” He paused to draw a deep breath into his lungs and cupped her chin to make sure she looked at him.

  “It might have taken me until now to fully appreciate this, but I’m a Protector, and I’ll hunt those fuckers down until I can tear their throats out with my bare hands. No one threatens what’s mine, this village or my friends.” He paused again and tapped her nose with one clawed finger.

  “Are we clear, kitten.” It wasn’t a question as much as a statement, and the intensity in his gaze meant she could only do one thing.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  His tense stature relaxed somewhat and he smiled at her. While it didn’t reach his eyes, it was certainly an improvement of sorts.

  “Good girl,” he said. “The boys brought you some clothes.” He smirked when she gasped and hid her flaming cheeks behind her hands.

  “Why…I mean, how…Oh, dammit, are they all out there, knowing what we...?” She couldn’t quite bring herself to finish that sentence, and Sasha’s obvious amusement was not helping one iota.

  “This is not funny…Sir.” She thought it wisest to add that title, and besides, it slipped from her lips as easily as his name now.

  “Relax, kitten. Everyone will know we’re mated when you step out of this house, and that’s the way I want it. You’re mine and I don’t care who knows. I want the whole fucking world to know, but no, they do not know exactly what we did. However, you were in your uniform last night when we found you, so naturally they figured you’d want new clothes, okay?”

  This time when he smiled at her, his amusement had fled, and Macey mentally rolled her eyes at herself. Considering what was going down, this really wasn’t all that important. “Yes, sorry, Sir, I don’t know why I’m being such a baby about all this.”

  Sasha drew her in for a quick hug, and released her with a slap to her backside.

  “It’s only natural, and your way of coping with all this, I dare say. Now, go get dressed. We’re congregating at Dimitrius’s place. Well, the Protectors’ families are. The wolves are at their pack house.”

  Macey’s eyes widened at that statement, and that cold fist of dread squeezed her insides again.

  “The vampire’s house? Is that wise?” she asked.

  “Eva’s mate.” Sasha’s voice held a distinct note of censure when he corrected Macey. “He’s one of us, and, from what I can gather, pissed as hell about these vamps going after Kenny.”

  Her eyes filled with tears at the mention of her precious boy, and Sasha sighed.

  “He’s okay, baby. He’s already there, as are Leon’s wife and baby, and Mrs. H. And here is something you’ve got to understand about Dimitrius. He’s got a very old-fashioned code of honor, and this whole fucking mess goes against everything he believes in. He doesn’t normally get involved, but I, for one, am glad he is this time. Now scoot, and get dressed and meet me outside.”

  Macey didn’t need telling twice. She got herself dressed in record time. The simple T-shirt and jeans hid her racy underwear, and she had a moment of self-consciousness when she stepped outside Sasha’s house and the assembled wolf shifters waiting on their bikes sniffed the air and nodded. After all, one of them must have riffled through her underwear drawer to get her smalls.

  Not that she had much time to ponder any of this. They all started their powerful machines, and Sasha handed her a helmet and leather jacket. Once she’d put them on and clambered on his bike, they took off at frightening speeds. Macey kept her eyes shut the entire way, convinced they would crash as Sasha took corners far too fast for her liking, and when they drew up outside Dimitrius’s place, she gasped at the myriad of bikes parked on his drive.

  His jag was there, as well as the two Land Rovers Ronan and Leon drove, and before she had even managed to shrug out of her jacket, the front door flew open and a little Kenny-shaped missile launched himself at her. She took a step back under the fierceness of his jump into her arms, grateful for Sasha’s hard body behind her. His arms came round both her and his son, and his inner animal’s possessive growl trembled through her. Kenny’s cub answered with a good imitation of a growl, even i
f it did come out little more than a strangled cat’s purr, and a rumble of amusement passed through the assembled shifters.

  Kenny made a face and grinned up at Macey and Sasha.

  “Missed you, Mama and Daddy.”

  Sasha tensed behind her, and in truth, Macey was a bit shocked, too. She was even more grateful for Sasha’s arms around her supporting them both, because she wasn’t at all sure she would have managed to hold onto Kenny. He’d had a real growth spurt and weighed a ton.

  “Missed you, too, baby.” She somehow managed to croak the words out past the lump of emotion in her throat, and Kenny blew her a kiss. His grin slipped somewhat when he looked over her shoulder at Sasha, and she elbowed him in the ribs.

  “Hey, buddy.” Sasha’s voice had lost all of its usual power and Kenny frowned at him.

  “Daddy okay?” he asked, and held out his hands to Sasha.

  In the blink of an eye, Sasha had stepped round Macey and drew his boy in for a hug, and Macey was almost certain he blinked away tears before he got his emotions back under control. A quick glance around showed the shifters looking at the floor to give them some privacy, and Mrs. H, who appeared at the open door, smiled and nodded her head.

  “I’m fine, son.” Sasha’s reply restored Kenny’s happy grin, and Sasha looked at Macey over Kenny’s head. The uncertainty in his expression tore at her heartstring, and she reached out to ruffle Kenny’s dark curls.

  “Who told you, baby?” she asked, and Kenny squirmed to be let down. When Sasha sat him on his feet, he grasped both Sasha’s and Macey’s hands and pulled them toward the house.

  “Grammy Jo did,” he said, and Macey looked at Sasha to see the same shock on his face that she felt.

  She tugged back on Kenny’s hand to stop his forward movement and, getting down on his level, grasped him by the shoulders.

  “Grammy Jo?” she asked, and Kenny gave her a look as though to say duh.

  “Yes, silly, Grammy Jo.” He pointed back to the door where Mrs. H stood with an unreadable expression on her face.

  “Well, I’ll be damned if—”

  Macey’s glare up at Sasha stopped his tirade, and he settled for glaring at Mrs. H instead. Their resident guardian witch shrugged her frail shoulders and grinned, seemingly completely unperturbed by the quiet fury emanating from Sasha.

  “Well, Grammy Jo had no right to say that.”

  Kenny’s little face fell at Sasha’s growled words, and Mrs. H’s eyes narrowed. Her fingers flicked as though she was itching to do something to Sasha, but Kenny’s quiet voice seemed to stop her.

  “Sasha not my daddy?” he asked, and he looked so crestfallen that Macey started to harbor some murderous thoughts toward Joanne Hastings herself. Really, what had she been thinking, telling Kenny now, especially when they were about to go into battle? And if anything was to happen to Sasha…She couldn’t bring herself to complete that sentence, not even in her head. It was too horrific to contemplate.

  “Of course I’m your daddy, little guy.” Kenny’s face lit up as though all of his Christmases had come at once, and, straightening up, Macey followed Sasha and Kenny into the house past a bemused-looking Mrs. H and into the living room where everyone seemed assembled. Kenny let go of Sasha’s hand to join the enthusiastic car-chase game Ronan and Tina’s toddlers were playing on the patio, and Macey offered everyone a weak smile.

  Dimitrius paced the floor, muttering to himself in Russian. It was such a stark contrast to his usual laid-back demeanor that Macey couldn’t help but stare at him. The others, too, seemed to keep away from him, and even Eva threw him worried glances.

  Sasha grumbled something under his breath, and some sort of silent communication seemed to be going on between the vamp and Sasha, as he stopped his pacing and approached Macey.

  She took an involuntary step back when his dark gaze pinned her in place and swallowed hard when he flashed her a grim smile. The sight of his fangs gave her palpitations, because, right now, he looked every inch the lethal vampire he was, and she nervously looked around the room. Ronan frowned and Leon inched closer while Mrs. H, who had just entered the living room, smiled. Sasha put a hand on Macey’s shoulder, and she drew strength from this contact. Eva approached and touched Dimitrius’s arm, and some of the god-awful tension left his big frame.

  He withdrew his fangs with an audible click that made Macey jump, and held out his hand. To not take it would have been rude, and when she did, he raised it to his lips and dropped an old-fashioned kiss on the back of it.

  “I feel the need to apologize for my… kind.” From the intonation he put on that word, it was clear that he considered them anything but related to him in any way, and Macey swallowed hard.

  “O-okay,” she whispered, and Sasha’s hold on her shoulder tightened imperceptibly.

  “I promise you that I will deal with them personally. This ends today, and they will pay for what they’ve done. Threatening small children is not acceptable. Neither is getting involved with the human scum that peddles drugs.” He released her hand and murmured something under his breath that distinctly sounded like a swear word.

  “I’ll be outside when you’re all sorted in here.”

  With a flash of air displacement, he was gone, and Eva sighed.

  “I best go after him.”

  The eagle shifter, too, disappeared, and Macey hugged her arms to herself in a vain effort to stop the trembles of anxiety from taking over.

  Mrs. H clucked her tongue and sat down on one of the long leather couches in the opulent room.

  “Stop your fussing. This will all work out,” she said, and Sasha’s growl behind her shook the floor boards.

  “If you know something, please do share. After all, you’re so very forthcoming with information today. How dare you tell Kenny? That was not your place.”

  Macey blanched and looked between Mrs. H and a furious-looking Sasha.

  “Stop your prattling, boy. Your son needed to know, and you had plenty of time to tell him yourself. Considering how long it took you to claim Macey here, I dare say that boy would have been a teenager before he knew.”

  She held out her hand to stop Sasha before he could respond to that, and Ronan stepped in the way.

  “Mrs. H, enough. We don’t have time for this. We’ve got ourselves some scum to kill, and Sasha, for what it’s worth, I agree with you. I did try to stop her…” The bear shifter let his words trail off and regarded Mrs. H warily. Sure enough, their council elder had a rather mischievous glint in her eye. Hands up in surrender, the massive shifter took a step back.

  “Better, Ronan, or next time I’ll turn you into a toad, not just make you sound like one for half an hour. Mind you, it was fun.” She smiled at Macey, who belatedly remembered to shut her mouth, which had fallen open in astonishment at this exchange.

  “Kenny certainly thought so. I still smile at his giggles, and it sure stopped him from shifting and tearing up Dimitrius’s Oriental rug. Now that he has the answer to his heritage and knows who and what he is, he’ll find that easier to manage, especially with his father around.”

  Macey made a strangled sound in the back of her throat, and Joanne Hastings fixed her expressive eyes on her.

  “You told him that, too?” she asked. “He’s too young to understand that, surely, and—”

  “Poppycock, my dear. Your desire to protect that boy does you credit, but he already knew, deep down. He might not have had the words to express it, but trust me, he knew. Now that’s it all out in the open, he is much more settled. Children are resilient little things, shifter children more than most, so rest easy. Say good-bye to your mate and stop your worrying.”

  She got to her feet slowly and, wincing, put a hand to the small of her back.

  “I’m going to fix us some tea, and I know our ancient vamp has enough food in that fridge of his to feed an army, so if you ladies would like to join me, that would be good.”

  She glanced at her daughter Rebecca, who had been sat q
uietly nursing her baby girl throughout all of this, and her lined face lit up in a big smile.

  “Some of us, at least, will need the sustenance, even if the rest of you won’t eat for worrying.”

  With that, and a pat on Macey’s arm, she shuffled out of the room, leaving Macey to stare after her in wonder.

  Rebecca’s quiet words summed it all up well enough.

  “That’s Mum for you. She means well, Macey, and she’s always right, as infuriating as that is. Besides, I, too, sense victory for us. The best we can do is let our men go to do their job and make sure there’s plenty of food when they do get back.”

  Tina nodded and standing on tip toes, kissed Ronan. Macey averted her eyes as the kiss quickly turned passionate, and Leon, too, bent to kiss Rebecca before he left the room, closely followed by Ronan. It left Macey as the only one to see her mate off, and, blinking back tears, she hugged an expressionless Sasha.

  When he hugged her back with a low growl, she did burst into tears, and he pulled back and kissed them off her face.

  “Hush, baby, I’ll be back before you know it.”

  “Promise?” she said, and Sasha nodded.

  “Too damn fucking right I will be. I have too much to lose to contemplate anything else.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  That promise played uppermost in Sasha’s mind as he circled the rundown property their prey was holed up in. The abandoned farmhouse looked eerie and forbidden in the twilight surrounding it. It had taken them most of the day to track the fuckers down. They’d led them on a merry goose chase, from one B&B to the other. The vamps had left no visible trace behind, something that, ordinarily speaking, would have worried Sasha a great deal. Only old and powerful vampires were able to mask their scent like that, and had it not been for Dimitrius, they might never have found their hiding place, or rather, he would have died trying to find them, because there was no way he would let the fuckers that harmed his kin go.