Nature of the B*E*A*S*T*

by Rebecca Goings

  "What?” Keira asked when he trailed off.

  "I think I know how he got my number."

  "How?"

  "Noah captured one of B*E*A*S*T*'s scientists, Dr. Lucian Carver not too long ago. When Lucian escaped, he used a safe word, a word that made all the shifters at Noah's rental home go catatonic. When Rogan came to, he said his phone was missing. I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts Carver stole Rogan's cell."

  "Doctor Carver is in on this, too?” Keira gave him a wide-eyed look of disbelief. “My father told me he was his personal physician!"

  Wade shook his head. “'Fraid not. Lucian is one of the premiere scientists at the B*E*A*S*T* agency. It was by his orders Tam was instructed to kill Noah."

  He smelled her sudden unease. “Tam was the panther, right?” Her voice wavered.

  "Yes."

  Keira cleared her throat and swallowed hard, but continued to drive without a word. Wade stared at her for a moment, taking in her glorious red hair. He'd buried his fingers in her hair earlier that morning, and he was itching to do it again. Knowing she was now his responsibility didn't stop the lust riding him. In fact, it seemed to intensify it. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't help but wonder what she would feel like underneath him, calling out his name.

  Closing his eyes, Wade leaned his head back and attempted to clear his mind. Visions of how she might look naked suddenly bombarded him, and he felt claustrophobic in the car.

  "We'll need to stop soon,” he said in a gruff voice. “We're both dead tired."

  "All right,” Keira acknowledged, not sparing him a glance. He'd be willing to bet she knew exactly what was going through his mind. It wouldn't be hard to figure out, as Wade continuously tried to get comfortable on the seat, but it was hopeless. His frequent grunting was another big clue. Keira wasn't stupid, and it didn't take long before he smelled her scent, laced with desire.

  "Christ,” he whispered to himself. In an attempt to distract his torrid thoughts, Wade flipped open his phone and began dialing. If he was trapped in this car with her any much longer, he'd go insane.

  * * * *

  "Who the hell is calling?” Rogan held up Noah's ringing phone to show him the unknown number on the caller ID.

  "Don't know,” Noah answered from the backseat. He'd given Rogan the wheel a couple of hours back. “Want me to answer it?"

  Rogan grinned. “Nah. I got this one.” He flipped open the phone and said, “Rex's Pizza Barn, we make it, you bake it."

  Noah had to stifle his chuckles behind his hand. Even Lanie and Marlie were trying hard not to laugh.

  "Wade!” Rogan exclaimed. “Where are you calling us from, buddy?"

  Noah took a deep breath and wondered why Wade was calling. He'd seemed depressed that morning. Hopefully everything was all right.

  "No shit?” Rogan said.

  "What is he saying?” Noah asked.

  Rogan merely held up his hand to quiet him. Noah had to count to five to keep from growling. Lanie rubbed his shoulder and smiled. She still had the power to turn him into a puddle of goo and now was no exception. Her grin melted his heart.

  After a moment, Rogan pulled the phone away from his ear and held it to his shoulder. “Brett's got my old phone, it seems."

  It took Noah a moment to process that. “How?"

  "My guess would be he must have gotten it from Dr. Carver. He called Wade out of the clear blue sky. Almost tried to kill him not too long ago, as a matter of fact."

  "Is Wade all right?” Marlie's scent turned fearful.

  "More shaken up than anything. Seems his hostage Keira got a crash course in B*E*A*S*T*. Brett turned into a cheetah right in front of them."

  "Damn!” Noah rubbed his eyes. “So much for being discreet."

  "No doubt.” Rogan put the phone back up to his ear. “Wade, where you headed? We could meet up with you."

  A long, silent pause followed his words. Rogan suddenly whistled through his teeth. “Good Lord, Cougar, sounds like you have your hands full!"

  After a few more words, Rogan said his goodbyes and snapped the phone shut, grinning at Noah. “Well, he's not taking her back to Dallas."

  Noah's eyebrows shot up. “I'm afraid to ask."

  "He's going to Oklahoma."

  "What the hell's in Oklahoma?"

  "Beats the shit out of me."

  Thirteen

  "Hungry?” Wade glanced at Keira after her stomach growled loudly. She blushed.

  "A little."

  He chuckled at her and crossed his arms. “Sounds like more than just a little.” What was it with this girl not admitting to her hunger?

  She brushed a stray hair from her face. “I'm not sure how much I'd be able to keep down after all I've seen today."

  "So I guess steak and lobster is out?"

  Keira giggled, giving him a sidelong glance. His eyes twinkled and her heart leapt. When Wade turned on the charm, she was sure no woman in her right mind could resist him.

  "Yeah, I don't foresee steak in my future."

  "How about sandwiches?"

  Keira's stomach growled even louder. “Mmm, sounds yummy."

  "There's a small town coming up. Let's pull off the highway and get some food. Maybe we can find a motel to stop at for the night."

  If Keira's heart was pounding before, it fairly hammered in her chest now. She didn't know if she could survive a night with Wade. He must have smelled her unease.

  "Don't worry. We'll get separate rooms."

  Keira didn't understand her raging emotions. A sudden disappointment rippled through her. Damn girl. Get a grip. Do you want the man or not?

  "It's for the best.” Wade's voice was low and raised the hair on her arms. She resisted the urge to rub her skin.

  Glancing at him, she gasped at his sudden intensity. His eyes flashed and her nipples tightened in response.

  "Believe me, lady,” he murmured. “It's for the best."

  * * * *

  Keira fought her depression as she turned the key in her motel room door. Wade stood next to her at the neighboring door, taking longer than it should have taken to unlock it.

  "You going to be okay?"

  His eyes seemed a deep gold in the yellow neon lighting of the Tumbleweed Inn. She nodded and smiled. “As well as can be expected."

  A plastic sack holding a sub sandwich and a bag of chips dangled from her hand. They'd stopped at a sandwich shop not fifteen minutes before, as Wade had wanted to get a couple of rooms before it was too dark. He was exhausted. She wanted to crash as well. But that didn't stop the feeling of gloominess flooding through her. She hadn't realized just how much she'd enjoyed being in his presence. And knowing that Brett was chasing them didn't make her feel any better. A chill crept up her spine and Wade's gaze softened. She knew he could smell her change of mood.

  "I'll be right next door if you need me."

  "I know.” Keira opened her door. “I'll be all right."

  Wade looked her up and down with his sexy eyes, making her shiver for an entirely different reason.

  "Good night, Keira Covington."

  "Night.” She took a deep breath and crossed the threshold. She was just about to close the door when Wade's hand grabbed hold of it.

  "Will you be here in the morning?"

  His sudden question shocked her and her heart skipped a beat. “Y—yes,” she stammered. “There's no way in hell I'm going to fend for myself with Brett still out there.” Speaking those words made her swallow hard. She wouldn't have believed he could shift into a cheetah if she hadn't seen it with her own two eyes.

  "Good.” Wade gave her a lopsided grin. “I'll be waking you up nice and early, so be ready."

  "Okay."

  "Sweet dreams.” With that, Wade let go of the door and Keira closed it softly. Leaning against the cool wood, she took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut. Dear Lord, that man put her nerves on edge. He was too fricken’ hot for his own good. She could barely think around him.

&n
bsp; Wandering to the tiny table near the window, she refused to look at the bed as torrid thoughts slammed through her head. His lips, his tongue, his fingers ... It was Herculean effort to curb her imagination.

  Keira snatched a chair and plopped on it, setting her food on the table. She opened the bag and took out her turkey sandwich. It was good, but she barely tasted it. The walls of the motel were paper-thin, and she could hear Wade banging around in his room. What the heck was he doing in there?

  After a few minutes, Keira heard a door slam, followed by the sound of spraying water. He was in the shower. A groan escaped her at the thought of that perfect body, naked, wet, and covered in bubbly soap. What would his skin feel like against hers? Was it rough or soft? Did it taste sweet? Or salty?

  Keira, get a grip on yourself! The man's a shifter for God's sake. She didn't know if she could even handle him. He was so passionate, he could set her on fire with just a look alone. Hell, even thinking of him naked sent ripples of lust right down to her fingertips. She had to scoot on the chair to ease the ache between her legs.

  She shouldn't be thinking these things. Wade could shift—just like Brett. Even though she hadn't seen him change, it still scared the shit out of her. But that didn't put a damper on her desire.

  "My God,” she whispered under her breath. “I'm going crazy.” Keira crossed the room, crawling onto her bed. She tried in vain to drown out the sound of Wade's shower by mashing a pillow to her head. But her brain was in overdrive and her body was desperate for his touch.

  She wanted Wade more than any man on the face of the Earth. And if he were in the room at that moment, he would have been able to smell it. She considered taking care of the problem herself, but self-gratification would only give her temporary relief.

  Standing from the bed, Keira paced the room, wiping her palms on her jeans. What the hell was the matter with her? Cursing softly, she didn't want to analyze her feelings too much. The more she thought about why she felt so strongly for a man she only knew for a day, the more she was convinced she was going crazy. She was on the run from her very own father with a man who claimed he could shift into a cougar. Where was the logic in that? None of it made sense. But it made Keira feel better, somewhat. Because her lust didn't make sense either.

  After a few more minutes of pacing, Wade's shower turned off. Keira closed her eyes and envisioned him toweling off, rubbing himself all over his hard muscles...

  With a growl of her own, Keira yanked open her motel room door and stepped out onto the walk. Before she could think about what she was doing, she pounded on Wade's door. Butterflies swirled in her stomach, and she had no clue what she was going to say to him. But she'd be damned if she was going to spend the night alone.

  The door swung open wide and she gasped at the sight on the other side. Wade stood there in all his glory, with nothing more than a white towel around his waist. His skin was still wet from his shower and his hair dripped onto his shoulders. He could give Adonis a run for his money. She knew she was staring, but she couldn't seem to get her mouth to work as she looked him up and down, speechless. He was a spectacular man, his muscles bulging in just the right places. His stomach was flat, with a light mat of golden hair that converged into a line disappearing beneath his towel. The only imperfection was a couple of large scars streaking across his belly, which almost resembled claw marks. Where had he gotten those?

  He glanced around her, seeming to look for some kind of pursuer, before taking a step forward. “What's wrong?"

  His stance was a guarded one, as if he were getting ready to pounce on whatever dangers might lurk beyond his door.

  "I ... I...” She shook her head and he raised a brow.

  "Are you hurt?"

  Keira smiled inwardly. If Wade only knew the “pain” her body was going through ... “No,” she finally said. “But I ... I heard your shower and I ... Damn it."

  She crossed her arms and turned away, her eyes burning with unshed tears. She was hot and more than a little turned on. But she wasn't used to telling a man what she wanted from him. Asking Wade to make love to her suddenly seemed like a foolish idea.

  Then, in a burst of inspiration, she turned back, looking him in the eye. “Will you shift for me?"

  She'd surprised him with her request. His brows shot up and he scratched his head. “You want me to shift for you?” His tone was skeptical. She had to keep him talking.

  "Yeah. I mean, I've only seen Brett do it. I love cougars, you know. I want to see you shift, too. As ... as long as..."

  "As what?” It was Wade's turn to cross his arms.

  "As long as you don't hurt me."

  He took a deep breath and sighed. “I might be able to change into a cougar, but I can still think as a human. You wouldn't be in danger."

  "So you'll do it?"

  His eyes flashed while a muscle ticked in his jaw. “I hate becoming the cougar."

  "Oh.” Keira tried to hide her disappointment. But she should have known it was pointless in front of him. Wade knew what she was thinking almost before she did. She turned to leave.

  "Wait.” His voice stopped her in her tracks. She trembled with desire. It had to be rolling off her in waves. There was no way he didn't know what was on her mind.

  Keira turned and glanced at him. He opened his door a little wider and cocked his head, as if daring her to come in. She bit the inside of her lip and hesitated for only a moment before breezing past him. She got a whiff of his clean scent and it was all she could do not to reach out and touch his skin.

  The door slammed shut and she jumped at the sound. Wade loomed over her. “Are you ready for this?"

  She must have been imagining things. By the look in his eye, she could have sworn he'd meant to give his words a double-meaning. She nodded curtly.

  "Sit down."

  Keira sat on the edge of his bed, refusing to look at his towel any longer. It only made her ache all the more. She couldn't keep her body from shaking. Her nerves were shot. This was it. Wade was going to show her exactly how he shifted. She just hoped she could survive the dark flame in his eyes.

  Fourteen

  Wade turned his back on Keira, trying to get a grip on his libido. His towel barely fit him any longer due to his stiff erection, and he swallowed hard, trying to come to grips with what she'd asked him to do. She wanted him to shift for her, to show her what he could become. He hated himself as it was. A sliver of doubt pierced his heart. What if she rejected him? What if she ran screaming from the room?

  He banished those thoughts from his mind. Keira hadn't scoffed at him so far, and she knew what he was. She wasn't the kind of woman to run at any sign of danger—she'd proven that by sticking with him. He wanted her acceptance more than anything else in his life. Wade didn't know if he could bear her denial. True, he hadn't known her for very long, but these past few hours with her felt like five lifetimes. If she left him now, her image would be branded on his soul for as long as he lived.

  Her arousal was prominent, lacing the air with its pungent aroma. His body responded with primal instinct. He wanted to kiss her into submission, drive into her as deep as he could go, make love to her until she could only whisper his name...

  Wade's breaths came in short pants. He was barely maintaining his composure. Knowing she wanted him as much as he wanted her didn't help, especially when he could feel the weight of her gaze on his back—as if she were actually caressing him.

  "Are you all right?” Her soft voice made his erection jump and he bit his lip painfully to keep from turning around and attacking her with his passion.

  "Give me a minute,” he said, harsher than he intended. Keira didn't say another word. With a sigh, Wade took hold of his towel and untied it, letting it drop to the floor. An audible gasp sounded from behind him and he tried like hell to control his urges. He knew her eyes were drinking him in, having a front-row seat to his ass. The thought made him blush, but only for a moment.

  Closing his eyes, he concentrate
d on shifting, turning his body into a cougar. The familiar rippling in his skin told him it was working as hair grew where there had been none before. Bones popped as his arms and legs took shape, his hands morphing into paws, his tail growing out behind him. He dropped on all fours, and within moments, there was nothing left of his human form, other than his thoughts.

  He turned his head and caught Keira's gaze as she sat watching him on the bed. Her eyes were as large as dinner plates, her skin as white as a sheet. The hint of tears could be seen, but she didn't smell of sadness. Rather, a soft scent of fear drifted to him and his heart broke. The last thing he wanted was for her to fear him. He would never hurt her. He had to prove it.

  Wade padded slowly to her and noticed her glance quickly toward the door, as if gauging how far she'd get if she tried running. Not far, he surmised. If he'd been human, he would have smiled. Now, however, he advanced on her, almost reaching her eye level. He hadn't realized how huge he was in his shifted state until he stood in a small motel room.

  Keira must have decided not to run, because she slid off the bed onto her knees. She reached out a trembling hand, touching his golden coat. “You're soft,” she said in wonder, her fingers barely stroking him.

  Wade closed his eyes and let her touch him, although it was pure agony. He'd wanted to shift earlier, in order to tear something apart, but now, all he could think about was shifting back and showing Keira exactly how predatory he truly was. Her hand became bolder, rubbing his ears and touching his face with a child-like wonder. Wade couldn't hold back his purrs.

  With a flick of his tail, he opened his eyes again, looking right at her. She was frightened, but she didn't back away when he took a step closer. He took another step, pushing the top of his head into her chest. She hesitated for only a moment before embracing him.

  "You're amazing, Wade,” she whispered in his ear. “Absolutely gorgeous.” Her voice cracked. Was she crying?

  Wade pulled back and nuzzled her face. She was crying. He wanted desperately to kiss away her tears. He pushed her back, advancing once more. She supported her weight on her arms, but when he kept on coming, she couldn't do anything more than lay on her back with a cry, gazing up at him with shimmering eyes. She was still frightened, and way past overwhelmed.