by Liza Street
Matchmaking? Jessica liked this less and less. Maybe Marcus didn’t want Jessica around long-term, but right now, he was hers.
18
Marcus’s wolf growled at the unhappy expression Jessica wore as she walked off toward the trailer. Allison didn't look any happier to be dismissed, either, but that didn’t bother him in the slightest.
“I don’t have a woman squirreled away in the trailer,” he told Lena.
She folded her arms over her chest and gave a pointed look to where Jessica was opening the trailer door and stepping inside.
Marcus ran a hand over his whiskers. "She wasn't here before," he said. "Besides, whether or not she’s here, I don't want you bringing women here to meet me. I don't need a mate, and I'm not getting out."
"I can't accept that." Lena's blue eyes flashed. "You don't belong here. I know it, Carter knows it, and Grant and Caitlyn know it, too."
A week ago, Marcus would have argued with her. But now he was just tired. And even worse, the traitorous part of his heart was grasping at the hope that maybe she was right. Maybe he didn't belong in here. Maybe he could get out—with Jessica. Just because the boundary hadn’t let him through before, didn’t mean the witch wouldn’t.
Lena went on, "Anyway, I won’t bring anybody else."
Marcus stared at her. What wasn't she saying? It was unlike her to give up so easily.
"I appreciate that," he said. “But…why?”
She smirked. "Seems like you didn't need my help, after all."
With that, she spun on her heel and joined Allison at the far edge of the clearing. Allison gestured toward Marcus, obviously annoyed, but Lena just smiled and shrugged, then the two of them walked away.
Sighing, Marcus returned to the trailer. Jessica stepped lightly out of it, bearing their two plates with sandwiches, and a deep scowl.
"So, Maurice, do you want to tell me what that was all about?" she asked.
"Nothing important," he said.
She pushed out her chin, and he knew she was going to start being stubborn. "Why don't you enlighten me, and let me decide whether or not it's important?"
She was so fucking sexy when she was pissy.
He cocked his head at her. "You jealous, Joanne?"
"You wish," she said shortly.
He couldn't help smiling. When had anyone been jealous over him? Just about never. He couldn’t deny this was helping his ego. Still, she was obviously upset, so he couldn't enjoy it as much as he wanted to.
"Come here, Jessica." He took the plates from her one at a time, then set them on a fallen log. She turned around, trying to ignore him, but he put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a gentle massage. She was tense. Pissed.
She really was jealous, he realized. Painfully so. His amusement faded and he tugged her over, pulling her into a hug.
"I'm sorry for making fun of you," he said. "I didn't mean to upset you."
"You didn't upset me," she said. "They did. I don't even know why they were here."
He sighed. "Lena’s a friend of mine. She's trying to find me a mate."
"Do you want a mate?"
"No, I didn't. I told her to stop bringing women around."
He could sense that she had more questions, so he waited. But if she had more questions, she kept them locked up in that pretty mouth.
He knew it was risky, and he didn't want to give her any false hope of forever, but he couldn't resist squeezing her tight and murmuring, "The only one I want is you."
Nothing overtly changed between them, no declarations had been made. But at the end of the day, Marcus couldn’t keep from touching her at every opportunity. Her curvy body, her quiet smiles, her teasing laughter, her unadulterated joy in the natural world, her heated expression as their gazes met—each of those things alone could make him pause and take note. But put together into the singular package that was Jessica? They’d bring him to his fucking knees.
The door had barely closed after they went into the trailer before Marcus tugged on the edge of Jessica’s shirt. “I need you,” he said, his voice hoarse with want.
Her eyes grew round and her sweet scent strengthened in his nose. Gaze never leaving his, she pulled her shirt over her head.
“You need me?”
“Yes.” He grabbed her waist, held her neck in his hand and kissed her plump lips, thrusting his tongue between them.
She moaned and pulled back. “I’m yours, Marcus.”
His need for her transcended sex. He didn’t just want to chase fleeting pleasure. He needed a forever.
He needed what he could not have.
Gripping his face in her hands, she brought his mouth to hers again. As he kissed her, he unsnapped her bra and pulled the straps down her shoulders to free her from it. Next, he shoved down her shorts, the panties with them. She kicked them away, along with her shoes and socks.
Now she was naked in his arms. His inner wolf howled. She belonged here with him, like this. He’d keep her for as long as possible.
She was shoving down his pants, yanking on his shirt, unable to get his clothes off. He briefly let her go to help out with the onerous task of undressing. Her hands were smooth against his chest and arms as she explored his body. She ran a hand down over his abs to where his cock jutted eagerly forward.
“Do you want to use this on me?” she whispered.
“Fuck yes,” he said, thrusting into her grip.
When she reached down and scratched her fingernails lightly against his balls, he groaned with pleasure and crowded her against the wall, licking and sucking her neck. The box of condoms rested on the counter next to him so he pulled one out, unwrapped it, and rolled it over his cock. Jessica watched, her lips slightly parted, a flush of pink darkening her tanned skin.
Once he’d made himself safe for her, he nudged her legs apart and picked her up, using the wall and one of his legs to hold her at the perfect height so he could slide into her wet heat.
“Marcus,” she gasped.
He pumped inside her, but heard a loud knocking sound—her head was hitting the wall.
“Sorry,” he said, and carried her to the bed.
“I didn’t mind.” Her voice was breathless.
“I never want to hurt you,” he said, his heart swelling as he spoke the words. “Ever.”
He stroked his hand and arm over her skin, kissed her mouth, treasured every gasp and sigh she made. He caressed her breasts, tugged lightly on her nipples, felt her tighten around him.
His mouth against her neck and shoulder gave him an unnameable need. He wanted to mark her, bite her hard enough to scar so he and everyone else would know that they belonged to each other. The temptation was too great, with her sweet-smelling skin so close to his mouth. He pulled back so he was kneeling, then lifted each of her legs and hooked them over his shoulders.
“Oh—fuck—wow,” Jessica said. “That angle.”
He kept his strokes even and purposeful, not ready to lose control yet. Her pussy tightened around him and she grabbed his forearms, her nails scraping his skin.
“Marcus,” she said. “I’m coming—”
“Yes. Come on my dick, squeeze me tight.” He held one of her legs on his shoulder with his arm, and with his hand, he reached down to rub his thumb over her clit.
She wailed as she came, her hands digging into his hips while he continued to thrust. As her pussy squeezed him rhythmically, he came, too, the orgasm stretching through his whole body until it burst forth.
After he got up and disposed of the condom, he returned to the cramped little bed and pulled Jessica against him.
“Was that too much?” he asked.
“No,” she said, pressing a kiss to his neck. “More. With you, I always want more.”
Nothing had changed, yet things were very different. He felt closer to her, like he understood her better. He could sense her feelings, her wants, before she even gave voice to them. He had gone the last couple of months feeling like he had no purpose, but
now he did. His purpose was Jessica.
When she got out of this place, he was going to be a wreck.
They spent the next day together, training and talking, scouring the area around the trailer for new plants, searching for them in the guidebook, and then recording them in Jessica's notebook. Marcus wasn't sure if he had ever even looked twice at a plant, but Jessica's enthusiasm was catching, and he found himself getting excited every time they thought they came upon something new.
Still, at this rate, they would be able to catalog every plant in the Junkyard in about a week. And then what? Jessica needed to be free of this place. She should be able to look for plants in other places, too.
He didn't want to, but he had to talk to Grant and find out if he'd heard from the witch yet. It was too late for Marcus—he was completely attached to Jessica. But if she could leave soon, maybe she wouldn't get too attached to him.
He kept an eye on Grant and Caitlyn’s cabin, waiting for an opportunity to talk to Grant. However, it was Grant who came to him. He stood at the edge of the boundary, a strange expression on his face.
Marcus dropped the plant he had been holding and hurried over to talk to him, Jessica at his side.
"You have news," Marcus said.
"Yep."
Jessica was strangely quiet next to Marcus. He would have expected her to be jumping up and down, rocking on the balls of her feet, yelling at Grant to tell them the news already. Instead, she was quiet, thoughtful.
"The witch is dead." Grant rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. "No one else will talk to me. The entire coven is in mourning, apparently. A spokesperson said they aren't interested in shifter affairs."
"This isn't about shifters," Marcus said, unable to keep the anger from his voice. "This is about humans. Innocent humans."
"I get it, I really do," Grant said. "I just don't know what to tell you."
Jessica squeezed Marcus’s forearm. "But Blythe..."
Marcus looked at her. "I know. And you, too."
"I don't care about me," she said, sounding just as angry as Marcus had a moment ago. "I'm not in danger. I'm fine. But if we don't win this fight, Blythe could get hurt."
"I won’t let that happen," Marcus said.
Jessica pulled back, shaking her head. “This is too much.”
“I know,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault. I just. Ugh.” She covered her face with her hands. “It’s hard to think any of this through. I need a minute.”
She started walking away.
"Where are you going?" Marcus asked.
"I need to think," she said over her shoulder. "Just give me a minute to think."
Marcus turned back to Grant. "There's really nothing to do, is there?"
"You already tried to get out, alongside her?" Grant asked.
Marcus's heart squeezed painfully in his chest. "I did."
Grant looked from Marcus to Jessica's retreating figure. "Maybe it wouldn't hurt to try again. The way she looks at you, the way you look at her—"
Marcus shook his head. "Stop. I can't think about that. Besides, that won't help her friend."
Grant nodded. "True."
"Thanks for trying," Marcus said. It came out a growl, not because he was mad, but because he was upset.
As Grant walked away, Marcus realized he wasn't as upset as he probably should be. If Jessica couldn't get out, it meant she would still be here, with him. And a part of him was selfish enough to enjoy that idea.
Spinning around, he looked to see where Jessica had gone. She was nowhere in sight, but she couldn't have gotten far. She had said she wanted to think, but she was also hurting. He was torn between respecting her wishes and the need to comfort her. Deciding to give her a few more minutes, he headed toward the trailer. The sun was falling, the woods settling. He paused at the trailer door and cocked his head, listening. The woods were too quiet.
"Jessica?" he called softly.
Something was wrong. Very wrong. He tore off his shirt and yanked off his shoes and pants. Then he called forth his wolf.
The change was fast, spurred by panic. The white light around him hadn't faded completely before he was lurching forward on partially shifted legs.
A sound reached him from the trees—a sound that just about ripped his soul in two.
Jessica, screaming.
19
Jessica’s scream was real and raw. But as soon she let it out, she closed her mouth. Marcus would have heard that. Marcus would come for her. There was no doubt in her mind. Even if she wasn't his mate, even if he didn't want to be with her forever, he was a loyal, caring man. And he wouldn't leave her to fight off these two beasts on her own.
The leopard held back. It remained low to the ground, its focus on her, eyes unblinking. Its spotted coat was a thing of beauty, yet the danger it presented had her heart pounding with terror.
Unlike the leopard, the mountain lion moved, circling around to her right. Jessica guessed that the leopard was Fred Barnum. The mountain lion, she was less sure about. It could be the guy whose name started with a V. Vez-something. Most likely, though, it was Alleman; Marcus had warned her about him.
Whoever these guys were, they were not here to make friends.
Jessica had practiced fighting with Marcus—but only while he was human. She had no idea how to fight off an animal. So far, neither one was attacking her. The mountain lion advanced, but it allowed her a step or two of her own for each one of his. She expected him to spring forward at any moment, but he didn't.
The leopard stood and moved with them. Then it sat, as if waiting for something.
What could it be waiting for? Marcus, maybe. But it seemed strange they weren't attacking. She would never be more defenseless than she was now. No weapon, no ally or hero. It was just her against two giant cats with sharp teeth and claws.
The mountain lion took another step. Jessica turned sideways, keeping him in her peripheral vision while she stepped away from him. He stepped forward again, and she repeated her action.
It wasn't until he moved forward once again that she realized what was happening.
They were herding her.
They’d already reached the outer edges of the dump, from what she could tell from the dark, hulking shapes at one side.
Her panic surged at the thought. She felt lightheaded, like she was watching this from somewhere else. These two big cats were stalking some other woman. Not Jessica. Jessica was safe at the trailer, Marcus at her side while they pored through the guidebook.
The leopard—or was it the mountain lion?—gave a soft growl.
Because the mountain lion looked away from Jessica, she guessed it was the leopard who had made the sound.
Both cats directed their attention to the woods.
Marcus was here.
It wasn't easy to see him in the darkness, but Jessica could still make out his eyes, glowing with fury. They burned with a righteous anger as he stalked toward the two big cats.
Without any warning, the leopard tore into the woods, straight at Marcus.
Jessica stifled a shriek of dismay. She couldn't bear to see Marcus get hurt, but what good could she be against vicious beasts?
The mountain lion, which had been closest to her, seemed content to watch the ensuing fight.
The leopard and the wolf hurtled toward each other, meeting in the air. Their movements were so swift, Jessica could barely track them. She held as still as possible, entranced by the display of violence and frozen by her fear of something happening to Marcus. She had never seen him look so strong, so enraged, so ferocious. He clamped his jaws onto the leopard's shoulder, then whipped his head to the side. The leopard flew a few feet before landing on its flank.
The leopard sprang up a second later, but the mountain lion was already on the move.
Jessica shouted a warning. Marcus was waiting, hackles raised, teeth bared.
With the two cats focused on Marcus, Jessica looked around franticall
y for a weapon. She would take anything, anything that could give her an advantage.
She ran to the nearest hulking structure in the dump. Closer up, she could see it was an old pick-up truck with a dangling front bumper. She reached down and tried to pry off the bumper, but it held fast on the other end. Tears of frustration filled her eyes, but she blinked them away. Looking to the side, she saw something slender jutting up from the mud. She grabbed it and it pulled free. It was a length of PVC pipe. Not as good as the metal pipe Blythe had in her RV, but it was all Jessica could find, and it would have to do. If she swung it with enough force, maybe it would do some damage.
Turning around, she raced toward the fight.
The leopard was down again, and it didn't look like he would be getting up, at least not anytime soon. Then again, Jessica had never seen one of these fights. She didn't really know.
Not willing to chance it, she stood behind the leopard. If he moved, she would whack him on the head.
The leopard’s fur rose and fell with his breaths. Jessica divided her focus between the leopard and the fight between Marcus and the mountain lion.
The wolf and the mountain lion snarled and growled as they exchanged bites. The mountain lion raked his claws through Marcus's fur. Jessica saw blood. Terror thudded through her. He had to be okay. Maybe they should just run, retreat somewhere so they could be safe.
Instead of retreating, Marcus merely fought harder. He feinted one way, then leaped in the other direction. The mountain lion wasn't fast enough. Marcus caught him in the side, clamping his jaws down and not letting go.
The leopard at Jessica's feet stirred. Jessica took a deep breath. She had never hit anything in her life, except for Marcus while they were training, and the idea of doing it with the intent to harm now sickened her.
But when the leopard got to its feet and turned its great face to her, baring its fangs, she knew she had no choice. Using all her strength, she brought the pipe down on top of its head.
The pipe hit the leopard with a loud thud, and the leopard fell back down, its eyes rolling back before closing.