Cat's Cradle: String of Fate, Book 1

by Bianca D’Arc

  He kissed her bruised and colorful arm. “Never again, El. I don’t like seeing you in the line of fire. No more frantic phone calls in the middle of the night. From now on, you stay with me, where I can see you at all times.”

  She was surprised by the possessive tone in his voice and more than a little startled by the vehemence behind his words, but for the most part she agreed. She didn’t ever want to be in a life or death situation like that again. One time through the wringer had been enough to last a lifetime.

  “I’ll do my best, Cade.”

  “See that you do.” His smile turned daring. “Now there’s one more thing I want you to do for me.”

  “What’s that?” She liked the sexy purr in his voice.

  “Kneel.” His eyes glowed as he spoke the single word that made her belly clench.

  He held her gaze as he threw a folded towel on the floor in front of him. She sank to her knees, the cushy towel padding her skin against the hard tile floor. That wasn’t the only thing that was hard either. His cock stood out proud and long, seeming eager for her attention.

  She opened her mouth to speak but he placed one finger over her lips.

  “No talking.”

  She shut her mouth and nodded at him. She liked this game. This was the Alpha male in his prime, commanding his mate. The thought sent a shiver down her spine. It was a shiver of anticipation.

  He moved his hand away from her mouth with a gentle caress, then stepped closer, positioning his hard cock in front of her. Suddenly, she wanted it more than anything. She wanted to know the feel of him against her tongue, the taste of him on her lips.

  “Now suck.” He placed one hand on the back of her head and drew her closer. She willingly came to him, taking the head of his cock into her mouth and running her tongue over the cap and down below to the sensitive spot that made him shiver.

  “Yeah, baby. Just like that,” he rumbled, thrusting shallowly as she took more of him in.

  He was everything she’d dreamed. Salty and sweet, ridged against her tongue and strong as he thrust more deeply. She worked to take more of him as he thrust increasingly deeper into her mouth.

  “Look at me, El.”

  She looked upward, meeting his gaze and the glow was back. It sustained longer than she’d ever seen it as she raised her hands and began working him in a steady rhythm. One hand cupped his balls, rubbing gently as her other hand took the root of his cock, fisting around him as she lowered over him and withdrew helped along by his shallow thrusts. Between the two of them, she took him deep, keeping the pressure on him with her fingers.

  He growled low in his throat as she hollowed her cheeks and sucked strongly over the head of his cock on each stroke. The sound turned her on. He was close, she could feel the almost violent tremble in his limbs as her pace increased.

  “I’m going to come, kitten.”

  She blinked up at him, staying close as the pace picked up again. She felt his body preparing itself to erupt and craved it. She wanted to taste him, to swallow him, to take him inside her body in every possible way, but he moved away. Instead of filling her mouth with his hot seed, he spurted his come all over her breasts.

  He held her gaze as he came, covering her with his creamy spurts of come. He groaned, but it sounded more like a growl. She loved the sound and let it wash over her. He held her gaze as he dipped low and lifted her upward so she was standing in front of him.

  “Now you.”

  Oh, man. The low-voiced command made her quiver as he sat her on the vanity and spread her legs wide. One toe dragged the folded towel over for him to kneel on. He dropped down and licked his way up her dripping folds, homing in on her distended clit. He sucked it between her lips as two long fingers pushed into her channel.

  She moaned as he brought her to a fast, shuddering climax. He wasn’t much for finesse at the moment, but she didn’t care. The hard, rough edge to his passion sent her right over the moon with a keening cry that made him purr in satisfaction. The added vibration of his purr against her most sensitive skin drew out the orgasm and made it even more memorable.

  Damn. The man knew just how to touch her to drive her wild. He smiled smugly as he rose from between her legs and gathered her into his arms.

  “Thank you, El. That was beautiful.”

  “Mmm. Yeah. For me too.” She was dizzy with satisfaction.

  Placing a quick kiss on her lips, he tucked her into a terrycloth robe and took her into the bedroom.

  Cade had set up the promised Continental breakfast while she was in the shower, so it was waiting for them when they emerged from the spacious bathroom. Chuck the cat had finished his bowl of tuna and was sunning himself in the window, batting lazily at the feathers hanging off what looked like a piece of Native American art.

  “Is this a dream catcher?” Elaine greeted Chuck with a tummy rub as she looked at the intricate design.

  It reminded her of the circular ornaments she’d seen in stores, but the workmanship was more exquisite than anything she’d ever seen. It had beads and shiny shells and stones worked into the webbing, and what looked like real hawk or eagle feathers dangling from ribbons on the sides and bottom of the decorative hoop.

  “You’ll find them in most shifter homes. It’s something we’ve adopted from the native people of this continent. It’s one of the few things that’s come to us from the were. Very potent magic to help guard our sleep and protect our homes. A few of the raptor Clans make these.” Cade fingered the dangling feathers.

  “Then those are real? I thought only Native Americans were allowed to have real eagle feathers.”

  “And only shifters can have real wereeagle, werehawk and wereowl feathers.” Cade sent her a knowing grin.

  “They pull out their own feathers?” Elaine was appalled by the idea.

  Cade laughed, and she hoped he was going to tell her she was wrong. It seemed kind of sick to mutilate yourself to decorate someone else’s house.

  “They molt,” he explained. “What you see here are probably juvenile feathers. Their adult feathers are much bigger. From what I understand, starting when they’re in their teens, every few years they have to stay in their bird form a few weeks until the new feathers are fully grown. New feathers grow in and sort of push out the old ones. It depends on their age and species how long the molt takes and how often they have to suffer through it. They collect the old feathers and use them for all kinds of things. Making these is one of the more profitable uses, and takes advantage of the magical nature of shifter feathers. Even the old, discarded ones hold some of the magic of the shift and make these dream catchers magical, beautiful and very useful too.”

  “That’s fascinating. I didn’t even know such creatures existed. It’s daunting enough when I remember that you and Gina can turn into big cats. I had no idea there were others out there that could shift shape into something that can fly. That must be so cool.”

  “I agree.” He seated her at the small table by the window. “Flying must be awesome, but I’d rather do it from the protection and comfort of an airplane.” They both laughed as he poured coffee.

  “So what other kinds of shifters are there? You’ve mentioned wolves, bears, eagles, hawks, owls and big cats. Are you all predators?”

  “For the most part. There are varying schools of thought on why that is, but I personally believe that to pair with a human soul, an animal predator is the most sensible combination. After all, humans are at the very top of the food chain thanks to our ingenuity and creativity. We have our moments of compassion and complacency, but underneath it all we are still predators. Only now we hunt the next big deal, the next corporate merger, the next hot stock, or whatever field of endeavor we choose. Very few humans in the developed world are still in touch with their predator nature because they no longer have to hunt for food or protect their homes and families from being hunted.”

  “I never thought of it that way. When you put it like that it makes sense that the other part of your
nature renews those ties to the predator within. Of course, I’m kind of glad to be sitting down to breakfast with the man, not the scary big cat.”

  Cade laughed as he sat opposite her. He’d cleared a vase of flowers off the small, round table and replaced them with a tray holding bagels, lox, cream cheese, butter and assorted jellies, along with two plates, silverware and a thermos carafe.

  “Lox and bagels?” Elaine shot him a questioning grin.

  “Hey, what can I say? Chuck isn’t the only one who likes fish in the morning.”

  They shared a laugh as Cade saw to her every need. He was so solicitous she felt like she was eating in a five star restaurant instead of somebody’s guest room. Cade gave her a plate and let her choose what she wanted from the serving tray first.

  “How’d you get Chuck not to pounce on this?”

  “I asked him nicely and bribed him with a portion of the lox in his bowl. He seemed content to leave some for us.”

  Chuck picked that moment to stretch hugely, yawn, then curl up in a furry ball and close his eyes. After such a rich meal, Elaine wasn’t surprised that he’d fall asleep. They’d both been through a lot over the past week.

  “So what’s on the agenda for today?” Elaine asked, unsure where she stood in the larger scheme of shifters, weres and humans. She had a vague notion that Cade, or one of his people, would probably try to track down the men who had questioned her and especially the one who tried to kill her. She wasn’t sure how they’d go about it, but wanted to help in any way she could.

  “For you? Healing,” Cade said shortly. “For me? I’m free until later tonight. I called in while you were in the shower and explained the situation. I’m sure Bonnie and Ray reported in last night after we got here, but they didn’t have all the particulars. The Royal Guard has a vested interest in trying to identify exactly who the players are in this town. I’d like you to think more about that detective, Figueroa, and talk to some of my people. Any little identifying characteristic you can remember might help us figure out just who this guy really is.”

  “And when you know that?”

  “We’ll know what we’re up against. It’s never good to go into a battle without understanding your opponent. I bet Harris taught you that.”

  “Speaking of Shihan, is there any news on what happened at the dojo? It occurred to me the two fires were probably set by the same guy, or group of guys. My bet is on Bimley, the fireman. It wouldn’t be the first time a firefighter turned out to be a fire bug in disguise.”

  “Maybe,” Cade’s eyes narrowed as he ate his breakfast. “But a better bet would be Figueroa. If he really is a magic user, he might also be our arsonist. Some mages specialize in fire.”

  “You mean like that kid in the old horror movie?” Elaine was fascinated by the idea.

  “Something like that, I guess. I’ve only known a few mages and none of them were firestarters, so I’m not sure how dramatic they get.”

  “You’ve actually known people who can do magic?”

  “A few. Like I said before, it’s not common for shifters to mix with other supernaturals. Every once in a while we work with Others, but not often.”

  “Still, that is so cool.”

  They lingered over their meal, enjoying the blessedly quiet morning. The bagels were fresh, the coffee hot and the company better than any she’d shared in a long time. Come to think of it, the company was hot too. There was no man who appealed to her more on a physical level than Cade, and she was fast coming to appreciate his appeal on other levels as well. For one thing, he had a wicked sense of humor. She loved that about him…and so much more. If she wasn’t very careful, she’d find herself loving everything about him, and then where would she be?

  She turned away from those dark thoughts, resolving to focus instead on the moment. She’d almost died the night before. Today was a day to live.

  She was already off to a good start. Experiencing more pleasure than she’d known all year was a good way to wake up any day of the week.

  Cat's Cradle: String of Fate, Book 1

  Chapter Eight

  “What’s it like?” She hadn’t meant to ask the question. In fact, she’d hoped to ignore the panther side of Cade until it became absolutely necessary to acknowledge it, but the words just popped out.

  “What’s what like?”

  She felt heat rise on her cheeks as she turned back to the remains of her breakfast. “Never mind. Forget I said anything.”

  “No,” he touched her hand. “What did you want to know?”

  Emboldened by his gentle tone, she thought how to phrase such a delicate question.

  “Well, I was wondering about…you know…when you shift.”

  “Yeah?” His expression encouraged her curiosity.

  “I told myself not to be so nosy but that’s obviously not working. So what’s it like to be a panther? Can you shift at will or is it a full moon kind of thing? And do you know who you are when you’re a panther or does the cat take over?”

  “You’re curious as a kitten, aren’t you?” His tone was teasing, but she feared there might be annoyance veiled by the laughter.

  “You don’t have to answer. I know I’m being rude.”

  “Not at all,” he assured her and this time, she believed him. “After all, I think you’re more than entitled to know something about the man who’s sharing your bed, don’t you?”

  “Well, when you put it that way.” One side of her mouth lifted in a cautious smile.

  “To answer your questions in random order...” He sat back and sipped his coffee, watching her with sexy, hooded eyes. “I’m me when I shift, and I can shift anytime I want. Too many shifts too close together can be dangerous because they’re taxing, both physically and magically, but as an Alpha, I have a little more power than the ordinary shifter. And being the panther is…exhilarating, electrifying, amazing in a way I can’t describe, yet at the same time, it’s just me. I was born a shifter and always knew I’d be a panther when I got old enough. I looked forward to my first shift the way most teenagers look forward to their first car or the first time they make love.”

  “That good, eh?” She challenged him with a frisky grin.

  “Better.” He sipped coffee, holding her gaze in a way that made her think they weren’t talking about shifting anymore.

  “Can I see it?” She couldn’t help but tease him.

  Cade lowered his coffee cup. “Just what are we talking about here?”

  “You,” she drew the word out, “turning into a panther.”

  He burst out laughing. “You had me going there for a minute, Ellie.”

  Cade stood and discarded the towel he’d wrapped around his hips. Her mouth watered at the sight of his amazing body. He was male perfection in the flesh.

  “I’ll satisfy your curiosity this time, El, but when I shift back it’ll be your turn. Are you okay with that?”

  “More than okay,” she answered without hesitation.

  The promise of pleasure was enough to make her want to jump his bones. Forget about shifting. She wanted the male animal, not the beast, but he began to shimmer, his eyes glowing bright with the power of his change. His entire form blurred, bones shifted, fur sprouted and hands and feet became paws—all in a matter of seconds. Before she could blink, a sleek black panther stood before her. He was as gorgeous as she’d imagined and absolutely huge.

  He sat on his haunches, looking at her with his head tilted as if waiting for her make the first move. She saw Cade’s startling silver eyes were the same when he was the panther. They were filled with intelligence as he watched her and when she didn’t move closer, he took the choice out of her hands, lowering his head to her lap and nuzzling her thigh. His fur tickled and scraped across her sensitive skin, the sensations sending shivers down her spine.

  This was no mere cat. His fur was different than say…Chuck’s. It was sleeker, the hair longer and thicker. Cade’s nose sniffed delicately at her as his whiskers trailed over
her, igniting sparks wherever they touched. She dared to touch his head, stroking his ears as his eyes closed in pleasure and a rumbling purr came from his chest.

  Chuck’s eyes blinked open at the deep sound, and he answered with a short meow of greeting, lifting one paw in the direction of the giant black cat. Cade returned the gesture, lifting a paw that was as big as Chuck in return, and Elaine had to stifle a laugh at the irony of the situation. Her new boyfriend was a cat.

  Her friends had warned her she’d wind up an old single lady with a bunch of cats, but she’d bet they never had this scenario in mind. Neither had she, come to think of it, but she’d take Cade over an apartment full of housecats any day. His kind of kitty came with some amazing fringe benefits if this morning’s performances were anything to go by.

  When Cade lowered his paw, it came down gently on her thigh. He flexed the paw, giving her a glimpse of some wickedly sharp claws. Elaine gasped. He nudged her hand, and she sensed he was inviting her to inspect his paw—his hand, really. Elaine traced the contours of surprisingly soft flesh, fascinated by the long ebony claws he showed her. They had to be lethal, but she knew in her heart he’d never hurt her.

  Apparently satisfied with her reaction, Cade lowered his paw to her side, putting his weight on the chair as he moved closer once more. He lifted his head, running his muzzle up her body, into the curve of her neck. She jumped when he licked over the spot where he’d bitten her earlier, his raspy tongue making the fine hairs on her arms stand on end.

  His touch was electric. He was magic made flesh. He was amazing.

  Losing her fear, she stroked him, rubbing her hands along his flanks, loving the feel of him. Cade sat back, then stood on all fours, nudging her with his jaw.

  “What? You want me to stand?” His furry black head nodded, and she got to her feet. He got behind her and herded her toward the bed. She wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted, but she’d play his game—to a point.

  Elaine didn’t argue when he pushed her down on the bed, but she was a little concerned when he jumped up beside her and stretched out. He didn’t make any further moves toward her, so after a short time, she relaxed enough to pet him. He really had the softest fur, and he moved with a sexy, sinuous stride that made her mouth water when she realized he was also a man—a man who’d already made love to her twice that morning, and who’d indicated he wanted to do it again as soon as he changed back.