A Cougar's Claim (Charmed in Vegas Book 7)

by Jennifer James

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Inila you crazy ass dragon. What the fuck did you do?” Rhiannon instinctively recoiled from the remains. The cougar could separate scents into different parts, and there was a thread of rot coming from the large, fat man lying a few feet away with his belly rising up like a pale, bloated gibbous moon. Her knees shook and her muscles hurt from almost shifting. Thank God Kit had been there to help her get control. Her cougar had gone crazy, unable to come out like she wanted, but too angry to retreat on her own.

  “Dragon’s tits!” Inila stomped into view. “Why are you hiding? Did Kit hurt you? Because I’ll fucking kill him if he did. I didn’t get ogre guts in my teeth for nothing.”

  Kit widened his feet and freed both hands for combat. To her shock, Callum and Tristan took flanking positions next to him. “She’s my mate, I can’t hurt her. You’re the one scaring the shit out of her. She’s not used to the way everything smells and sounds and looks different yet.”

  Warmth poured through her. Without Kit supporting her, she’d have been trapped between forms. He’d saved her. He had her back. He hadn’t left her when things got hard. She’d been waiting for that to happen, for him to bail. But here he was, at her side, threatening an almost immortal being for her.

  Kit loved her. He really loved her. The mating bond between them coursed over and through her in a constant stream of warmth and safety and happiness. She could feel him there, almost like she was physically touching him.

  And she loved him, so much. The feeling had been planted as a seed many years ago, and now that seed sprouted and unfurled into a blazing, glorious light in her soul.

  Callum lobbed a length of wood at Inila. “You’re fucking paying to fix the fucking wall dragon. I just had the door in back replaced after that temper tantrum you threw last month and now you damn near tear the fucking building down.”

  Smoke rolled out of Inila’s nostrils. “I paid for the door.”

  “You did not, you treacherous wench! You worked some convoluted scheme that ended up costing me double—” Callum sputtered, red faced, as several of the wolves he’d awakened with pack magic chuckled and twittered around them.

  Tristan coughed. “Lovely to see you again, Inila. What have you brought us? Is that Vince Mancini?”

  Mancini? Oh hell, what had Inila done? The mob would be after Inila for years until someone found a weapon capable of killing her. She wanted to slap her friend silly and hug her all at once.

  “I went to see the slime about buying out Rhiannon’s marker. I bribed some of Mancini’s henchmen and found out he’d hired a demon to find Jase before Rhiannon did. Wanted to kill Jase, take the money, and Rhiannon too. Your pack magic protects you from demons, so the demon’s been tracking Rhiannon instead. Pretty standard thing in an assassin’s tool box, except Rhiannon was human and the demon attacked her more than once. She almost died.” Inila kicked the body hard enough to lift it four or five feet off the ground. “Turns out Mancini had gotten paid and used Jase dropping off the scene to trick her.”

  Mouth hanging open, Rhiannon fought the urge to whoop with joy and a surge of self-hatred. She’d jumped to the conclusion that Jase screwed her over so readily. “So you’re saying for once I didn’t trust the wrong person?”

  “Yeah. I know. I almost shit a lava rock myself.” Inila checked the screen on her phone and sent a text message.

  “What the hell is going on out here? Rhiannon, hey honey, it’s good to see you. I’m glad you’re back in town.” A tall, sandy haired man made his way through the loitering crowd, not yelling, but projecting his voice with the ease of someone used to being the center of attention. Tattoos covered most of both arms and his chest, muscles moving under his skin like water. Both nipples and his tongue were pierced. Knowing Jase, he probably had one in his cock as well.

  Speak of the irresponsible shifter himself. Still sexy, but not Kit level sexy.

  Jase Barrientos embraced his stunned cousin in a one armed hug. He gripped the hand of a petite, barefoot blonde with the other, her long cartoon character T-shirt engulfing her frame. “Kit! Brother! What the hell are you doing here? How’d you get time off to come to Vegas?”

  “Hey, you have to meet Avrie. Avrie, this is Kit, my cousin from back home. You’ll love him, he’s very responsible. And this is my friend Rhiannon.” The blonde gave Kit a shy smile and shook his hand and waved at Rhiannon, her cheeks bright red, not even trying to talk around Jase’s excited babble. “Avrie’s my mate. Can you believe it? I found my soul mate. She’s a wolf shifter, and man, she makes the most incredible brownies. Oh my God they melt in your mouth.”

  “Jase, did you pay off a debt for Rhiannon?” Inila snorted in indignation, but Kit pressed on.

  “Of course I did. Rhiannon, really? My feelings are hurt. I’ve done some screwed up stuff but I’d never let that guy get his hands on you. I even made him give me a receipt. Avrie came up with that. To have him put it in writing.” Jase beamed.

  Rhiannon’s heart beat slammed in her chest. “Jase, he told me you hadn’t paid it. I got back from my mother’s funeral and have been on a wild goose chase trying to find you. All you had to do was answer your phone.”

  “Oh, yeah, see, that’s kind of a long story. You know that aquarium down the Strip a ways? I threw my phone in one of the exhibits.”

  “What? Why in the hell would you do that?” Definitely not the answer she’d thought she’d get, but it was more interesting than him saying he’d lost his phone or broken it.

  “Well, see, I knew that if I didn’t answer—”

  The reek of sulfur crept into the room and the hackles on the back of her neck rose. A collective warning roar rose through the crowd of shifters.

  Everyone went on alert, aside from Inila, who studied her nails, rolled her eyes, and intoned, “Demons. Always about the dramatic entrance.”

  “Who in Satan’s ball sack killed this welsher?” Lilith materialized, in all her black booted, dead man’s colored eyes glory, standing on Mancini’s chest. She brandished a hunting knife, purple energy crackling around her free hand.

  ***

  Christ. He wanted to take his mate home. Leave this crazy ass shit show, get something to eat, sleep, make love to his mate, and get on a plane. Now the demon was back.

  Callum and Tristan took a half-step forward, a visual reminder of their status within the pack. “Don’t fuck with our wolves or our guests, demon, or we’ll make sure you’re obliterated from existence.”

  “How many times do I have to rip your throat out to kill you?” Kit snarled, ready to dismember the abhorrent creature masquerading as a human female only a few feet away.

  Tristan snapped his teeth at Kit, a censure from an alpha to a pack member. “Careful, cat. She was working a job before and most likely held her magic in check when fighting you. Rhiannon is alive as are you.”

  “That’s right sweet cheeks, listen to your new friend there. Besides, a little thing like massive blood loss isn’t enough to kill me. Me, demon. You, shifter. There’s no comparison. But I’ll give you points for trying. An ‘A’ for effort.” Lilith flashed blood stained teeth at him. “I’m not here to bother you or your mate. What happened before was business, understand? Chaos and death without a payout doesn’t interest me. I’m here for this welsher’s head and his dick. Anyone want to try and stop me?”

  “How did he welsh? Exactly?” Rhiannon glanced at the crowd around them. “Aren’t any of you curious? I thought she was supposed to find Jase and turn him in for a bounty. She didn’t.”

  Lilith cackled and her hair stood on end around her head like it’d gotten caught in static electricity. “He died before I could complete my task. We had a contract. It’s not my fault if he didn’t read it.” She grinned, her face lit up with glee. “This whole thing worked out better than I could have ever hoped for.”

  Kit tucked Rhiannon behind his back, hoping she realized it’d be better not to talk to the demon any more. Her soft hands e
dged up under the hem of his shirt, her palms flattened on his back, and a sense of calm enveloped him.

  Controlling his cat’s urge to shred the demon with his claws, rip her into small tiny chunks until there was no way she’d rise again, was one of the most difficult trials he’d ever endured. However, the wolf was correct. Any conflict now was likely to draw in the pack and his mate as well, and he saw no reason to risk that kind of bloodshed. If the demon offered no overt violence, he would not attack her.

  Tristan and Callum glanced at one another and both shrugged. Tristan said, “Don’t have any use for them. Please, help yourself.”

  Lilith pointed at Kit. “See? If you’d have been reasonable with me, things would have gone so much easier.”

  A wave of irritation, disbelief, and fear flooded the mate bond. Kit widened his stance and crossed his arms, drawing up tall and arrogant. Rhiannon needed a visual reminder of his sheer size and strength. She had no reason to fear the demon.

  “Tristan, Callum, I’m assuming you have protections in place.” Kit slanted a look at the alpha brothers. Callum tipped his head and Tristan flicked one finger at him in affirmation.

  Right. If the wolves felt safe enough to not attack and try to kill Lilith immediately, he could relax his guard a fraction. He retracted his claws and fangs, but kept his eye trained on the evil creature a few feet away.

  “Stick, Flare, Trey, Bennie, and Allison, get to work on closing the hole in the wall,” Callum ordered, his unwavering gaze affixed on the dragon and demon in the center of the bar, confident his order would be obeyed. “Tourists are getting a whore’s eyeful in here.” Turning to Kit, he lowered his voice. “Anything goes to the fucking fan, and it’s on, until then....”

  Right. Keep it cool.

  “Jase, your father’s ready to step down.” Kit studied the petite, quiet beauty standing at his cousin’s side. Avrie smiled at him, confident and sure. Steadfast. Maybe she’d manage to find the man beneath the boy inside Jase.

  Jase kissed Avrie on the forehead, hoisted her up into his arms, and shrugged. “I don’t want to be the alpha. Never have. Why do you think I haven’t been home in five years?”

  “Jase, you can’t just shrug the responsibility off on your cousin. It’s not right. We should at least visit your father, see how things are going with your clan.” Avrie trapped his face in both hands. “And what about what Kit wants? What about his mate? She has a career here.”

  “Oh, yeah, look at that. Rhiannon and Kit together. Wow. My plan worked.” Jase laughed, all boyish charm and irrepressible good humor. His brows drew down low and he pointed at Rhiannon. “I knew, you know. Even though you lied about your last name, I knew who you were this whole time. I was going to give you one more month before I tossed you on a plane to Kit. Don’t think I wouldn’t. I know I look like nothing but an irresponsible party hungry man whore, but there’s more to me than that.”

  Rhiannon gasped and their bond surged with anxiety. Kit craned his neck to see her face, but she hid in his shirt. He reached behind his back and patted her. “Well, I guess this means I don’t have to punch your teeth in then for not telling me you knew where she was. Although it would have been nice to know when you first met her.”

  Avrie cheeks turned bright red and she huffed. “Don’t threaten Jase. He was being a good friend. You just try and put one finger on him and see what it gets you.”

  The little wolf had a temper under the cute, doll-like exterior. Good to know. Kit fought a laugh and held both hands up, palms out.

  “Aw, thanks baby. You saw me, right from the start. I love that about you.” Jase rubbed his nose against Avrie’s. “Kit, Avrie just took a new teaching job. I’m not going to ask her to give up something she’s been busting her ass for to move to the middle of nowhere. Wolves aren’t like us cats. They need their pack. And, you know I’m not cut out to be the alpha of anything. Except the bedroom,” Jase nibbled on his mate’s ear. Avrie giggled and blushed. “Our clan won’t accept me as Alpha, not with my mate being a wolf.”

  “People can change.” Kit had the oddest sense of relief and unease flood his system. “You wouldn’t be taking on the job alone.”

  “We both know I would make a terrible alpha. Don’t want the job. Never have. Avrie’s my soul mate. If I was meant to be the alpha, wouldn’t my soul mate be a cat? Go home and take care of the clan like you always do. I’ll come visit you and your mate in a couple months.” Jase spun on his heel and strode away. “Oh, and Kit, you better take good care of Rhiannon this time or I’ll kick your ass.”

  Kit would get the story behind this whole thing with Rhiannon and Jase later, in private. “Don’t worry about my mate.”

  Jase paused and growled softly. “I’m not kidding man. She’s my best friend. She trusted me more than anyone in my life ever has. I love her like a little sister. I will beat your ass if you hurt her again.”

  Callum cleared his throat. “You have the backing of the pack on that, Jase. Although, I would like to know what the fuck Rhiannon was thinking, taking a loan from Mancini instead of coming to us for help.”

  A dark, commanding tone slid into Callum’s words, and Kit felt pack magic stirring again.

  “Careful, wolf. She’s my mate, she’s not one of your wolves.” Conflicting emotions rattled Kit to his core. On one hand, he was slightly offended by the assumptions being made here, that he’d hurt Rhiannon again. He knew he’d fucked up, but he wasn’t a kid anymore. On the other, knowing his mate had earned a place for herself in this pack, as a human, and now as a cougar shifter, sent pride welling up in him.

  His cougar snorted. Our mate is superior. Of course they value her.

  Rhiannon cleared her throat, turned her face to the side but kept her cheek in contact with his back. “I didn’t ask you or Tristan for help because I’m used to doing things on my own. And I know the pack isn’t swimming in extra funds. You’ve got wolves to take care of, families who depend on you. Like Falcon and her son. I couldn’t put my needs before theirs.”

  A rumble of approval swept through the bar. Tight bands of emotion clamped down on Kit’s chest and he swelled up with even more pride.

  “Rhiannon. Why did you lie to Jase about your last name? Why would you do that baby? You had to know he was my cousin as soon as you heard his last name.” Kit turned, forcing her to let go of his shirt. He cupped her cheek and waited.

  It felt like everyone in the bar was staring, holding their breath and waiting for her response.

  “You...you didn’t look for me. Not once. I put myself out there for you, and when things happened that night—” Her chest shook as she sucked in a deep breath. “I would ask questions about the clan. So I could find out what you were doing. I didn’t want him to tell you that I did that.”

  Understanding dawned on him. She’d been embarrassed by her need for information about him. “Fuck, baby, I did look for you. You hadn’t been gone a week, and I was trying to find out where you lived. When I found that out, I went to your parent’s house. Your daddy wouldn’t tell me anything.”

  “You went to my parent’s?” Tears trickled over her cheeks.

  “Of course. Your father pulled a gun on me. Told me if I came back he’d shoot me and hang my corpse up for you to see if you ever showed your face there again.” He tucked her hair over her ears. “I went to that college you said you were going to go to, but you weren’t there. I ran out of money pretty quick trying to figure out where to look for you. You were a human, you could turn away from the mating bond and eventually you’d forget me. Everything I’ve done with my life, I’ve done with the hope that if I ever found you, you’d want me. That you’d be proud to call me mate. I didn’t want you to miss out on anything and resent me for taking you away from your life. You had so many dreams, all those crazy things you told me about and you were just waiting for your moment to get the hell away from your daddy. I was afraid you’d feel trapped with me.”

  A sob wrenched from her chest and she la
unched herself off the floor, arms circling his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist. He had to take a step back to regain his balance, but then her lips were on his, kissing him so deep he couldn’t breathe. Hell, he didn’t want to breathe, because he didn’t ever want to stop feeling her in his arms.

  Whistles, howls, and cat calls rose from the crowd around them.

  “I could never forget you Kit, no matter how hard I tried,” she kissed his cheeks, his jaw, his chin. “I am so glad Jase threw his phone in that aquarium.”

  “Why?”

  “Because when neither one of us could find him, we found each other instead.” Impish glee glittered in her eyes, her smile so wide it was breathtaking.

  “I guess we owe him, huh?” Lowering his head to her throat, he bit down on her creamy, unmarred skin hard enough to leave a mark.

  “Hey now, I do still have some shows I’m supposed to do you know.”

  “It’ll heal before then.” Kit rubbed his cheek against her. He wanted to coat himself in her scent.

  Inila stomped over, tapping the toe of her high heeled boot. “I took care of your shows this week, but you still owe me the one you’re headlining at my club next month.”

  “What do you mean, you took care of them?” Rhiannon extricated herself from his grasp and slid to the floor.

  The dragon crossed her arms over her stomach. “I got some other dancers to cover the performances. The girls that Mancini had trapped in that filthy cave were more than happy to do it. Plus, they needed jobs, so—”

  “Aren’t you worried about the rest of the mob coming after you?” Rhiannon looked like her eyes were about to bug out of her head. Kit hugged her from behind. He just had to touch her.

  “Hell no.” Inila barked out a laugh and smoke leaked from her nostrils. “I’m a mother fucking dragon. The ones who didn’t want to die work for me now.”

  “Oh. My. God.” Rhiannon shook her head. “You’re kinda scary sometimes.”

  Kit loved the idea of Inila clearing out the mob boss and his cronies. “Good work. Saves me from having to go in and take care of that shit myself.”