Mated (Dark Ties Book 2)

by A. Vers

  I scour his face and look back out the window. “Caine—”

  “Save it, cat,” he says tersely. “I know what you all think about me. How you perceive me. But just remember, you came to me. You asked for my help and I gave it.” His head shakes out of my peripheral. “But whatever caused this … It was not me.”

  As his steady heartbeat sounds in my ears, I’m left with only one question.

  If his magick didn’t mess with Nisha’s memory, what the fuck did?

  ***

  The fire station where Nisha works is all tan stone and brick jutting off of a massive open set of bay doors. Inside, pumper trucks and squad vehicles wait next to a large aerial unit and several racks laden with drying hose.

  Caine points. “There,” he says.

  My eyes track to Nisha’s Jeep in the parking lot and I whip into an empty space nearby. We climb from the truck and head to the main entrance.

  The interior is cool to combat the early morning heat, and bright. Like a hospital or office building. Several narrow glass rooms sit to each side of a short hallway.

  A single male in uniform sits behind a desk in the office closest, laptop before him and a stack of papers to one side.

  I knock on the door.

  His head tilts up and he offers a friendly smile. “Can I help you, gentlemen?”

  “Nisha Rawlins … Is she in?”

  His lips turn downward. “She’s in with the Captain right now. Is there a problem?”

  Caine and I exchange a glance.

  If she is in with her boss, she is more coherent than I expected. And judging from the lack of raised voices anywhere in the station, maybe I panicked for no reason.

  “Just friends of hers,” I mutter. “She was helping us with a case.”

  He sits back, crossing his arms. “You boys cops?”

  Caine snorts. “Hardly.”

  I nudge him with my elbow and he falls silent. “Look, can we wait for her in here? Or would you prefer we chill outside?” I ask.

  The male continues his wary appraisal of both of us. “Either is fine. She should be out soon.”

  I grab Caine by the arm and tug him to a small seating area in the lobby. He drops into the chair beside me, his arms crossed in surly defiance.

  “Are we really going to just wait?” he demands.

  I look at him. “She’s in with her boss. You hear shouting, then we go in. Otherwise, give her a minute.”

  He falls silent again and we wait.

  Chapter 39

  Nisha

  I run my hand through my hair and step out into the hall. That went better than I expected, considering I have damn near been missing for days …

  I shake my head.

  No. Not missing. Having the best sex of my life with a demon and an alpha shifter.

  Despite the heat being mostly gone from my body, I can’t deny the urge to head right back to the campgrounds and climb between Caine and Tanner in that damn bed.

  But I still need to stop by and talk to Mom before I can even consider facing both men again.

  It’s not embarrassment of all the things we did. It’s the unsurety of what happens now.

  I already stopped by the drugstore and took a morning after pill. Even with Caine’s magick, I know better than to chance a pregnancy scare.

  But with my heat well and truly fading and no sign of an impending shift … Where does that leave me with a certain hot shifter?

  I’m not crazy enough to call what I feel for Tanner love. But a healthy dose of knee-weak lust? Or even a really amazing rebound? Oh yeah. That’s definitely there.

  My lips curve against my will.

  But when all of this is over, what happens then?

  Does he go back to his coven in Lock Lake? What about me?

  I glance around the hall at the familiar white stone walls and the tile beneath my old sneakers.

  My life is here. My job.

  I could always transfer stations but I like being here. I know the people, the city.

  Biting at my bottom lip, I start down the hall.

  It seems awkward to ask Tanner to go on a date. Especially now that the man has done things to my body that no one else has.

  I shove my frustration away and step out into the main lobby across from two very familiar faces.

  Tanner’s dark head whips up, his eyes gray in the low lights and his nose ring glittering. He climbs to his feet and Caine follows suit.

  I flush at the rolling glide to their walks as they near. The near sensual sway of lean hips and muscle that I have felt under my hands. My mouth.

  “Hey,” Tanner says softly as he stops a foot or so away. There is a tightness to his frame now. Almost a waiting.

  I tuck my hair behind my ear. “Hey.”

  His jaw works. “You took off kind of quick this morning.”

  As I take in the rumpled state of his jeans and Caine’s disheveled hair, my chest constricts oddly.

  They rushed here. That much is obvious.

  But why?

  I cross my arms. “I haven’t checked in with a few people in a couple of days. Figured it would be better for me to do so in person.”

  T nods. “Track,” he mutters, but his whole damn massive body is like stone.

  Caine shifts next to him and scoffs. “What the cat really wants to know is if you’re okay?”

  My eyes remain locked with Tanner’s as my lips twitch. “Considering?” I ask. Tanner watches me without answering. “Physically? Yeah, I’m fine. Mentally? Give me a minute.”

  He flinches slightly and I want to take it back. His big body steps toward mine. “Nish—”

  I hold my hand up and peer around as a fourth heartbeat reaches my ears.

  Davis sits in his office behind us, his brown eyes locked on myself and both men with a frown. My lips peel back before I can stop them.

  Great. An audience.

  I turn back to Tanner. “Let’s go outside.”

  He and Caine exchange a glance before leading the way out into the bright light of a Louisiana morning.

  Tanner’s truck is a few parking spaces down from my Jeep. Though both cars offer a modicum of privacy, it would be hot as shit in both. I motion and we walk to the narrow patch of trees at the end of the lot.

  The guys stand quietly as I pace a bit. Considering Caine’s mouth normally, his silence throws me off even more than the fact they both came after me just to make sure I was okay.

  “As cheesy as it sounds, thank you. Both of you,” I finally say.

  “So you’re not pissed?” Tanner asks, confusion lacing his tone.

  I gape. “Pissed? About what?”

  He shuffles a little, and the motion is almost cute. “Lilah said you freaked about losing so much time. Though we don’t know what caused it … If we had known—”

  I hold up my hand again. “I wasn’t pissed that I lost time, T. I was worried.” His brows furrow, and I offer a small smile to ease the tension I can still see threading through his frame. “I have a full-time job and a life here. I can’t exactly go MIA for four days, you know? I’m shocked no one called the cops.”

  They are both silent for a beat.

  “You’re really not pissed?” Tanner asks.

  I roll my eyes and walk to him. Planting my hands on the hard swell of his chest, I go up on tiptoe to kiss his full lips. He growls under his breath and his hot hand finds the small of my back, lifting me against him.

  I smirk. “Not pissed,” I mutter against his mouth. “Promise.”

  His own smile is devious, hot. “Good. Caine was worried.”

  The demon snorts beside us, but otherwise makes no move to press closer. “The cat is vastly overexaggerating. I assure you.”

  I pull back from Tanner with another glide of my hands over his muscle. Though his eyes spark, he doesn’t try to keep me in his arms, and for that, I am more frustrated than grateful.

  You would think fucking him for days would have eased a little of the lust
I have for the man.

  Unfortunately, I am beginning to grasp that not fucking him may have been the smarter idea. The man is almost addictive.

  “Well your heat seems gone,” he says, nostrils flaring. “Which isn’t a bad thing, true? But there’s still no sign of your shift.”

  “Is that normal?” I ask.

  He shrugs. “I’ve personally never heard of a shifter keeping their change at bay through the full moon, but we’ve been a bit preoccupied with other shit.”

  I flush and dip my head in silent agreement. “So now with the heat over … What do I do?”

  “Whatever you want,” Tanner tells me. “Within reason, of course. With your shift still in the air, maybe stick close to the pack or myself. Just in case. Once you change and we see how you handle it, you can probably get on with life as normal.”

  My head is bobbing before he ever finishes.

  By this time tomorrow, I will know if my request for medical leave is approved or denied.

  Asking for the extra days off was one of the hardest things I have done in a while. Especially after having to explain to Captain that it is because of a shifter bite.

  Though I won’t be the only shifter on duty, I will be the newest one.

  And despite Tanner’s calm outer countenance, I am still nervous about shifting. Staying close to him or the pack will be easier if I don’t have to worry about going on calls too.

  “So what now?” he asks.

  “Well, I already took a morning after pill on top of my implant. So that’s one less thing to worry about.”

  His jaw drops. “What?”

  I glance between him and Caine. “Nothing personal to either of you. Or Caine’s magick. But I don’t want a kid right now.”

  Tanner’s eyes remain large.

  Caine however gives me a serious nod. “Good girl, kitten,” he croons and the endearment floods my mind with all the times he whispered it over the last three days.

  My thighs clench under the onslaught.

  His hellfire eyes gleam and his expression morphs to one of heat and masculine knowledge. “Seems our kitten has not forgotten everything after all.”

  I glare at him. “It comes and goes in waves.”

  He simpers and his lips part to speak. But Tanner’s arm shoots out, stopping whatever snarky comment he was fixing to make.

  “Hey, Nish,” Tanner mutters, his gaze locked behind me. “I think someone is trying to get your attention.”

  I turn.

  Chuck scowls yards away at the front of my Jeep. Considering today is his day off, I know who told him I was here.

  “Davis. The fucking rat,” I snarl.

  Chuck starts over the grass, his muscular frame wrapped in skin tight blue denim and a plain white shirt. He glowers at me with every step.

  “Well, look who finally decided to show,” he says with feet remaining between us.

  Tanner brushes up against my side. “This guy a friend of yours?” he asks in a deadly rumble.

  “No. Ex-boyfriend,” I mutter.

  Tanner arches a brow but falls silent.

  I take a step closer to Chuck. “What do you want, Chuck?”

  He looks from me to both men right behind me. “Who are your friends?” he asks coldly, a slight sneer twisting his features.

  How I ever found him attractive, I don’t know.

  “Why do you care?” I snap back. “We aren’t together anymore.”

  “Yeah, but your ass has been fucking missing for days,” he says. “I had to take over two of your shifts and get the damn landlord to let me in to get my stuff.”

  I fold my arms over my chest. “Poor baby.”

  “I figured you were spreading your damn legs somewhere. Guess I was right.”

  The sound that pours from Tanner’s throat is low and far from human. My hand flies out and I grip the solid muscle of his forearm. Some of the sound fades.

  Chuck sneers. “And I guess I know for who.” His dark eyes track up and down the man beside me. “Got to say, Nisha. I’m surprised at you. Goth has never been your type.”

  I want to roll my eyes, but manage not to. “Oh why not, Chuck? According to you, I’ll fuck anyone.”

  “You gave me so much shit about fucking Danielle. How long have you been spreading your legs for this one?” He motions at Tanner.

  “And again, Chuck. We are not fucking together anymore, so walk the fuck away.”

  He takes a step toward me and Tanner blurs as he moves into his path.

  My arms cinch around his waist, attempting to hold back an over six-feet-three mountain of alpha muscle. My feet skid over the grass.

  I glare at Caine. “A little help?”

  The demon raises a brow. “Personally, kitten, I would like to watch the show.”

  I growl and haul back on Tanner’s muscular frame. When that doesn’t work, I slip in front of him and lay my hands on his chest. “T. Don’t.”

  His lips are pulled back in a truly feral snarl, and his teeth are already elongating.

  Shit.

  I grip his face and wrench with all the strength I can muster. It barely moves him. “Look at me, damn it.”

  His silver irises flick to me.

  “He’s not worth it,” I say softly as my thumbs idly stroke the chiseled lines of his cheekbones. “He cheated and now he is pissed because I’m not crying over him. That’s it. And I don’t even care. But if you go alpha on me, I will be seriously ticked at you.”

  Little by little, the glow in his irises fades and his lips close back over those deadly teeth.

  I don’t let go.

  He straightens a bit and draws me to him. I gasp as his hands clench into my hips. He plants me at his side and under his arm, the motion very clear to anyone watching.

  Those amazing eyes of his glitter in the sunlight as he looks at Chuck.

  The other man takes a step back.

  “I advise you to go,” Caine says as he crowds my other side, his hellfire gaze rolling with devilish flames. “And maybe you should consider staying far away from the kitten. See … her cat has rather wicked claws.”

  Tanner’s free hand flexes and his claws elongate in one fluid, practiced motion.

  I stare up at the hard line of his jaw and the promise of pain swimming in his steel gaze before turning back to Chuck with a cool smile of my own.

  I’ve never been one to go for the possessive alpha type, but Tanner pushes every button I didn’t know I had.

  My fellow firefighter backs up and keeps going until he reaches his truck. He climbs inside and peels out of the parking lot in a cloud of smoke and burnt rubber.

  The silence stretches for a beat and I grip the back of Tanner’s head and pull his face down to mine.

  My teeth snare his bottom lip and he growls as his hands find my ass to lift me against him. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him hard.

  His smile is harsh when he pulls back. “Still not pissed?” he asks.

  I rock my hips over the hard line of his cock and his eyes glint with need. “Not pissed. But I am damn sure something.”

  His dark head lifts and he scans the lot and the trees around us.

  “Caine …”

  The demon chuckles but leans against a nearby oak. “You’re good still.”

  For a moment, I don’t understand. And then Tanner turns on his heel and walks me deeper into the narrow forest.

  Chapter 40

  Tanner

  I press Nisha back into the first trunk I find that looks solid enough to hold her. She gasps. “Tanner.” But her smile is coy. Luminous.

  I bend my head and capture her pretty mouth, tasting and nipping at her already swollen lips. “You are the sexiest fucking creature I have ever seen,” I breathe as my lips trail from her mouth, to her jaw, and down the smooth column of her throat.

  Her fucking scent is filling my head. Just as it was dealing with the mega douche of an ex-boyfriend.

  There was no anger or care for him
in her fragrance. But every time she looked at me her scent spiked.

  I know it is nearly four days of mating and that asswipe acting like he has any fucking claim on Nisha still. But everything in me needs to touch her. To take her.

  She trembles in my arms. “And you are too fucking hot for words.” Her hands grip my face, forcing me to look at her.

  I smirk and rock my hips over her already molten core. “So are you.”

  Her back arches, pressing me deeper.

  Setting her on her feet fast, I thumb her shorts open and wrench them down her legs. Bare from the waist down, her lean mound and those supple thighs are all I can focus on.

  She fumbles for my fly. The warm air kisses the head of my cock and I lift her by the waist, seating her over my length in one hard push.

  Her head falls back and her lips part on a strangled cry. “Fuck, Tanner. Yes.” Her voice is all gasps that make my dick jump inside her.

  Gripping the base of her skull, I press her back into the rough bark and piston into those hot, silken folds. She urges my mouth to hers and I slip my tongue between her lips, tasting the flavor that is solely her.

  Every fucking stroke knots my gut tighter, clenching every muscle from head to toe until I give a wordless grunt and pound into her so hard the tree sways.

  The sound of our flesh hitting together is only drowned by our breathing and the near united rhythm of our hearts.

  It’s fucking poetic. Perfect.

  And then her cunt grips me like a fist and her scream fills my mouth.

  My sac draws up and pleasure forks through me as her little body milks me dry. And still my hips rock, filling her over and over until I sag against her and she is boneless in my arms.

  Our breathing is loud in the quiet.

  Her hands rub my shoulders in an almost idle caress. One I am not sure if she even realizes she is doing.

  “So …” Her voice cracks and she coughs a bit, spasming that tight channel around my cock. “I can’t feel my legs.”

  I can’t help it, I laugh.

  Which just makes my hips dip into her more. She gives another small cry, arching and grinding over me.

  “Nisha—”

  But it’s too late.

  My barb drops into her still rippling sheath.