Jackson's Rise

by Tielle St Clare

  “So, if she’s your mate, why would you want to share her with me?” Reign’s voice held the confusion that Dani had felt when Jackson seemed to be pushing her to make love to Reign. Good to know she wasn’t the only who found that strange.

  Jackson’s chuckle was almost too low to hear. “There’s something between the two of you, and let’s face it, between us. It feels right when we’re together. The three of us.”

  “Cats don’t mate for life.” Reign’s determination rang through his words.

  Jackson laughed. “We’ll see how long you keep thinking that.”

  “Listen, wolf-boy, it’s not in our nature.”

  “Whatever.” Jackson seemed unwilling to concede. He just laughed off Reign’s protest. Dani realized it was time for her to go in, face the boys, though she had no idea what she was going to say.

  She looked up, reached for the door and saw Reign’s doctor heading toward her. Wouldn’t be a good idea for him to hear the boys discussing cats and dogs. It would just add to the confusion.

  “Doctor’s on his way,” she announced as she walked in the room.

  Jackson’s head snapped up. Reign’s eyes widened for just a moment. Good to know she could surprise the guys with the super senses.

  “Dani.” Jackson reached for her and her body responded, putting her hand in his and letting herself be pulled into his embrace, his arm around her back, his hip pressed against her stomach.

  “I’m okay.” She realized the truth behind the words. They hadn’t meant to be assholes. They were just men after all. She’d have a chat later with Jackson about what being his “mate” might mean. Not sure that she was opposed to being his mate but she needed more information.

  Reign reached up and took her left hand in his. She glanced down. Concern flickered back at her through his eyes. She squeezed his fingers letting him know she was fine.

  That’s how the doctor found them minutes later, Jackson’s arm around her, her fingers entwined with Reign’s.

  “Good morning, Mister Reign.”

  Reign grimaced and Dani shared a smile with Jackson. Reign did not like to be called Mister Reign and heaven forbid someone call him Alastair. Dani had barely contained her shock when she’d found out that was his first name. He so didn’t look like an Alastair.

  The doctor, also used to her and Jackson’s presence, looked at the chart, asked a few questions, including where Reign was going when he left the hospital?

  “He can stay with me,” she blurted out. The doctor blinked and got this confused look on his face. Oops. They thought she was Reign’s wife. Where else would he go? She giggled and shrugged, doing her perfect imitation of a bimbo. “Silly. I mean, of course, he’ll come home with me. We’re married.” She looked at Reign, silently begging for confirmation. He nodded but the corners of his mouth were squeezed tight. They hadn’t discussed this and, based on what she’d overheard between him and Jackson, Reign might not want to stay at her place.

  “And I can be there,” Jackson added. “When Dani has to go to work.” He tipped his head and somehow managed to look pious. “To offer spiritual guidance as well as physical assistance.”

  Jackson looked at Reign, practically daring him to counter the offer. Reign’s lips quivered like he was trying to suppress a chuckle…or a growl. “That would be fine,” Reign said.

  The doctor went through medications which Dani was pretty sure Reign wouldn’t take and gave him final instructions, including no strenuous activities. That made Reign’s eyes darken and she almost expected to hear him growl.

  “For how long?”

  “I’m sorry?” Doctor Robins asked.

  “For how long can I not do any strenuous activity?”

  “Oh! Until the stitches come out. Probably a week.”

  With a final pat to the bottom of Reign’s bed, the doctor left saying he would give the discharge information to the nurses.

  He pulled the door shut behind him and then Reign released the growl.

  “I’m asking my own doctor,” he said.

  Jackson laughed, squeezing Dani’s hip and holding her close. “I’m pretty sure even a Cat doctor is going to say no sex for a few days.”

  “It’s already been a few days,” Reign groused.

  Dani shook her head and looked up at Jackson. “He’s going to be a pain in the ass, isn’t he?”

  “I just about guarantee it.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Music rose through the hall—the canned orchestration that accompanied most Vegas shows. This was no different, except Dani was performing. So far, they’d seen her in half a dozen different numbers, some dancing, some simply posing. But this was the finale.

  Dani walked on stage, the full flight of feathers surrounding her ass, making her look like a large silver peacock. A silver peacock with perfect tits. She smiled—that vague, distant smile that comforted Jackson. No emotion lingered behind her smile. She felt no connection to the humans—particularly the males—who watched. This was her job. She came closer, stopping at the edge of the stage. She stood, waiting, allowing the adoration but gaining no pleasure from it.

  “Yeah, baby.” The lecherous whisper came from two seats over—from the young man sitting on Reign’s left. Jackson was on the aisle but he heard the kid’s comment.

  A fierce growl rumbled from beside him and Jackson tensed. Reign had heard the kid as well. Jackson looked over. Reign’s eyes were squinted low and tight and the points of his fingers were stretched into claws, gripping the arms of the theater seating.

  “Down, boy,” Jackson whispered.

  Reign looked prepared to ignore Jackson in favor of ripping the throat out of the guy sitting next to him. The young buck was practically drooling, his eyes locked on Dani’s tits. Jackson felt a reflected aura of jealousy. Those tits belonged to them—him and Reign. Later tonight, Dani would beneath him—them—and those perfect breasts, tight nipples would be hard and ready for their mouths.

  The finale continued and Dani sauntered across the stage, her breasts swaying slightly as she took each step. The kid sitting next to Reign leaned so far forward his face was almost buried in the toupee of the man sitting one row in front. Tension raked Reign’s body and damn if those claws weren’t going to leave permanent damage to the theater seat.

  “Ease back,” Jackson said in a low voice. “Just remember who she’s going home with.” Reign nodded and his lips pulled away from his lips. Any moment he was going to turn and lunge for the stage. Jackson put his hand on Reign’s knee. He flinched but didn’t look away. Jackson could tell Reign’s possessive instincts—despite his assertion that Cats didn’t claim mates—were split between their woman and the pitiful male beside him. Reign’s Cat wasn’t a separate presence in his mind the way Jackson’s wolf was but the Cat reacted to the tension of his host human and was obviously fighting to be free.

  Maybe it was time to give the kitty something to think about besides killing the human next to him. Keeping his movements slow, almost subtle, Jackson skimmed his hand up the inside of Reign’s thigh. As he drew closer, he moved faster until his palm rested on Reign’s cock. He was already hard—not surprising.

  Reign jerked and looked around, like he didn’t know what was happening. Then he froze, his tension in his body shifting from attack mode to sex.

  Even as Reign recognized Jackson’s hand between his legs, Jackson went deeper, cupping his hand around Reign’s balls and squeezing gently.

  The sensation shot through his groin, making his cock harder, ready to burst. But the caress did the trick. He was no longer intent on killing the puny human but damn, if Jackson kept this up, they were going to have a bigger problem on their hands—like Reign throwing the werewolf to the ground and fucking him right there in the theater. The past five days had been brutal. No sex. After he’d been released from the hospital, one of the doctors in the Cat Community had checked him out and given him the same advice the human doctor had—rest, heal. No strenuous activity. />
  But as of three o’clock today, he was cleared. For whatever.

  And he had a night of very strenuous activity planned.

  He wanted to fuck, to make love to Dani all night. And he wanted Jackson.

  He wasn’t sure how he felt about that—or how Jackson felt about it—but he was sure that if the three of them ended up in a bed together, he was going to take his turn on Jackson. His cock tightened as he thought about it, the hard male body beneath his, taking him inside. The fact that Jackson wasn’t a submissive made it even more arousing—that he would open himself, make himself vulnerable to Reign’s penetration.

  Dani strolled to their side of the stage. She smiled down, looking directly at them. Reign knew that with the bright lights blasting down on her, she couldn’t possibly see them but it felt as if she was smiling just for them. It was a secret, seductive smile. One that promised so much more. Jackson’s hand tightened on Reign’s cock. He’d seen it too. The strokes to his cock became less about distraction and more about pure sex.

  He dragged his coat down, hiding what was happening. His hips rolled up, convulsively pressing into the tight grip of Jackson’s fingers. God, he had to stop this. He couldn’t, wouldn’t embarrass himself like this, wouldn’t come in his trousers. Not like this.

  He grabbed Jackson’s hand and yanked it away from his cock, hating the loss but knowing now was not the time. The days of restraint tore at Reign’s control, weakening his ability to control the Cat that was currently clawing at his insides, demanding release. And fuck that would be a bad idea. A wild cat loose on the Vegas Strip. Stupid for a multitude of reasons.

  He had to get out of here. Thankfully the show was almost done. He needed to move, to work off some of the energy.

  Of course, the only true release was going to be sex and a lot of it.

  Applause surrounded him and Reign looked up. The dancers were taking their bows. Dani and the other two topless women paraded to the middle of the stage and posed. The noise in the room grew deafening, which was actually a good thing because couldn’t Reign control the growl that tore from his throat.

  The curtain went down and the lights came up. The audience voices dropped to a low rumble.

  “Damn, did you see the rack on that dark-headed chick?” the punk next to Reign said with a nudge. “How’d you like suck on those babies?”

  “How’d you like to crawl out of here on broken knees?” The threat was barely out of mouth and Reign had just enough time to mark the kid’s reaction before Jackson dragged him into the aisle. Reign’s body fought the forcible retreat even as his mind knew it was for the best. He wanted to go back and gouge the guy’s eyes out for daring to look at Dani’s breasts.

  “Keep it under control.”

  Jackson’s warning just echoed what was going on in Reign’s head.

  They approached the stage door. Groups of twos and threes were approved by the guard and allowed access. Dani had given them instructions and a pass. She would be waiting for them backstage. Jackson glanced at Reign. The tight line of his shoulders, the constant rolling, almost twitching of his muscles. And Jackson was sure that if Reign looked up, his eyes would be glowing. This was one pussycat who was not fit for human company at the moment.

  “Why don’t I go check on Dani? You wait here.”

  Reign raised his head and just as Jackson suspected, the Cat’s eyes were staring through Reign’s gaze. His lips quivered and Jackson could see his teeth—long and sharp, definitely not human.

  “You’re close to your change, aren’t you?” Reign didn’t respond. He snarled and jammed his fists into his pockets, looking away. Yeah, he was close. “Do you need to go for a run?” Taking on the animal’s form usually helped release some of the tension. At least that’s how it worked for his wolf.

  Reign shook his head. “I don’t need to run.” He glanced at Jackson and a shiver scraped down his spine. “I need to fuck.” The words were growled low and muffled and left no room for error.

  “Will you be okay here? I’ll go get Dani?”

  Reign nodded. His shoulder rolled back and his head tipped to the side. Damn, Jackson thought, he’s on the edge. But he seemed to be controlling it. He had to trust Reign knew his own limits.

  “Hang in here.”

  With that warning, Jackson flashed his backstage pass to the guard and was allowed entrance.

  The hall was crowded, half-dressed women slinking by him with no concern in the world. He appreciated the view but found it a little strange that they would walk around with their breasts showing. He didn’t like the idea that Dani might be one of these women. Determinedly he kept his eyes focused up, above the neck if possible as he navigated the hallway. He tried to remember the instructions Dani had given to find her dressing room. She’d explained it to Reign and he’d nodded wisely.

  Jackson had listened but hell, he couldn’t drive well-laid-out city streets. There was no way he could manage the maze of back stage.

  He was lost. Bodies passed him, some half naked, until he felt surrounded and his wolf started to panic. He gave in and asked for directions. He was close and within two left turns was in front of her dressing room door. She’d warned him that she shared with three other dancers so he wasn’t surprised that another feminine voice called for him to enter when he knocked.

  He opened the door and two female bodies appeared, one wearing nothing but a tiny thong that left her ass nearly bare. And Dani. A yelp followed as he stepped inside and she shrugged her robe around her shoulders. She relaxed when she saw who it was.

  “Ooh, welcome,” the other woman said, her words more of a theatrical moan than anything else. She slithered to her feet and arched her back giving him a clear view of her surgically perfect breasts. “And who do you belong to? Say no one and I’ll put you in my stable.” The blatant, flirty sexuality amused him but he had no interest.

  When Dani was near, it was impossible for him to notice any other woman.

  “Sorry, Jess, this one belongs to me.” Dani’s possession eased something deep inside Jackson’s heart. Dani was his mate, his lover. They hadn’t known each other long enough to verbalize the sentiment but Jackson didn’t doubt that they’d get to that place. The element he didn’t know, couldn’t predict was Reign.

  “Ooh, so is this the twin?” Jessie’s eyebrows crinkled. “Damn, you’re right. He looks just like the other one—but without the playboy glint in his eye.”

  Dani’s cheeks turned a delightful shade of red.

  Jackson looked at her. “You think Max has a ‘playboy glint’? I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to know that.”

  “That’s not something you have to share with your brother,” she said with a warning. Jackson waited for the jealousy and discomfort to follow but there was none. Dani wasn’t even thinking about Max.

  “Well, you certainly have an eye for hot-looking men.”

  “Yes,” Dani said with a smile. She turned to her friend. “But that’s not why I slept with him.” She threw one arm around Jackson’s shoulder and neck. She leaned in and scraped her teeth across his neck. “It’s because he’s so freakin’ sexy I can’t stand it.”

  Joy and energy seemed to radiate through her body, penetrating his. He caught her against him, pressing her hip to his. She squirmed like she was trying to get closer.

  “But what about the cop? I thought you said something about doing a cop.”

  She shook her head and looked up at Jackson, wrapping her other arm around his neck so he faced her. “She makes me sound like such a slut when she says it like that.” A giggle burbled up in her chest.

  “But we know better.”

  Her smile stretched wide. “Yeah.” She sighed, happy to be in Jackson’s arms, happy that the performance had gone well. Just happy. “Did you like the show?”

  “It was great. You were amazing.”

  “Yeah?” She’d been complimented before but it was different hearing the admiration coming from Jackson.

  �
��Amazing. You’re an incredible dancer, sexy, gorgeous. I thought I’d come just watching you,” he whispered as his hand tightened on her ass, pulling her closer, shifting their bodies so she could feel his erection pressing against her mound. Reminding her that it had been five days—five very long, sexually frustrating days—since they’d made love.

  “Did you like the end?” She couldn’t resist rubbing her breasts against his chest to remind him that she’d been topless.

  The edges of Jackson’s eyes tightened just a little. “It was fine.”

  She tipped her head back. “You knew going into it what I did and that I’d be topless tonight.”

  “I know. And I’m okay with it. Or I thought I was until the kid next to Reign started drooling.”

  She smiled and shrugged. “It happens.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Where is Reign?”

  Dani pulled back. She couldn’t stop her lower lip from curling out in a low pout. After all, he’d come to the show to see her. A visit backstage was part of the fun of opening night.

  “Uh, I left him outside.”

  She looked up and saw the truth in Jackson’s eyes. She didn’t understand it but for some reason, it was best that Reign hadn’t come backstage.

  “Hey, sorry to break up this little, uh, sex-fest the two of you have going…” The teasing in Jessie’s voice soothed any ruffled feathers Dani had. “But are you going to the party? Opening night? Free booze? Hot guys…oh wait, you have one of those.”

  “I have two of those.”

  Jessie laughed. “Ooh, willing to share?”

  “Not on your life. They’re mine.” She turned to Jackson, sliding her fingers through his hair. “All mine.” She might have felt a little panic at such a public declaration if she hadn’t felt Jackson’s cock twitch against her pussy. Needing to taste him, she pushed up on her toes and licked the soft peak of his upper lip, gently calling him out to play, demanding her lover’s attention.

  And Jackson was there, strong, loving. He cupped the back of her head and covered her mouth with his, his tongue sliding between her open lips. The warm heady rush of flavor she’d come to associate with Jackson flooded her senses, zapping the strength from her knees. She leaned into him, using his strength to keep herself upright.