by Maya Banks
A few seconds later, he had her hand wrapped, and he tossed the gauze into the truck.
Braden slid an arm underneath her and eased her forward. She regarded him with wary eyes as she gingerly sat up. Her gaze flickered to Ian, and for a moment he saw fear—of him—shadowed in her face. Before he could offer any reassurance, the vulnerability was gone, replaced by a look of annoyance.
It was fascinating to watch her, because she was like an open book. Every thought, every emotion played out in her eyes. You only had to watch closely enough to see the changes.
Somehow he didn’t think she’d appreciate his analysis, or that she was so easily read.
“We should get on the road,” Ian said.
He started to help her up, but she shrugged off his hand.
“I can make it,” she said as she slid from the back of the SUV.
She hung back as he and Braden started for their seats. He saw her hesitate as she rounded the corner of the truck, and before he could blink, she bolted.
“Well goddamn,” Braden swore. “Not again.”
Ian let out a frustrated growl as he and Braden both ran after her. His nostrils flared, and her scent carried to him on the wind. Lightning fast images cascaded through his mind.
Predator and prey.
God.
His breaths came faster as he closed the gap between him and the fleeing woman.
He wanted her.
She was his.
A low snarl tore from his mouth.
And suddenly Braden slammed into him, knocking him to the ground.
“Hold it back, Ian.” Braden’s voice came hoarse and urgent close to his ear.
“Go after her,” Ian managed to say. “Don’t let me hurt her, Braden. Swear it.”
“Forget her. She still has the tracking device. Come back to the truck with me so I can give you an injection.”
“Too…late,” he rasped. “Get away from me. Now.”
Braden’s face contorted and rippled in Ian’s vision. The change began to ricochet over his body. Painful.
Bones popped, muscles spasmed and reshaped. He closed his eyes and panted as he fought the shift with everything he had. It was a battle he knew he wouldn’t win.
Braden sped after Katie’s retreating figure. Stupid twit had no idea what she’d started. He’d be lucky if Ian didn’t eat them both for dinner.
Adrenaline-laced fury rocketed through his veins as he focused on the chase.
Don’t shift. Don’t shift. Don’t shift.
The chant swam fluidly through his brain as if by saying it, willing it, he could escape his brother’s fate.
He was gaining on her. He sucked in air through flared nostrils as her scent grew stronger.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
He shook off the hum of arousal as it surged, hot and steady through his groin.
This had to end now.
As he topped the next rise, he dove for her. He slammed into her back, knocking her to the ground. Her body absorbed the shock of both their landings, and her cry of pain echoed in his ears.
He rolled, wrapping his arms protectively around her even while he wanted nothing more than to shake some sense into her. She rammed her knee in the direction of his balls, and his hand shot downward, halting her inches from his groin.
He squeezed her knee until her leg went limp. She sagged against him, but he wasn’t in the least bit fooled by her sudden capitulation. He locked his other arm around her body and held her flush against him, so that absolutely no space existed between them.
“I can’t breathe,” she gasped.
“And right now I don’t give a damn,” he snarled. “I’ve about had it with you, lady.”
She squirmed against him, and he tightened his grip until she could no longer move.
In one quick movement, he flipped her over, threw one leg over hers and wrapped both his arms around her, trapping her arms against her sides. Her ass was pressing hard into his groin, and that wasn’t the only thing hard. Goddamn it. What a time for a freaking erection.
She felt it too, and for a moment she went completely still. He felt her quick intake of air and then she exploded into action, kicking and writhing.
“For the love of God, chill the fuck out,” he barked. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Let. Me. Go.”
“Not on your life.”
She went limp against him.
“Now we can do this one of two ways,” he said through gritted teeth. “You can give in and walk back with me to the truck, or I can hogtie your ass, carry you back and stuff you into the cargo space.”
She stiffened again. “Fuck you.”
“No, fuck you, sister. I’m usually a good-natured guy, but I swear you’re doing your best to piss me off. Now what’s it going to be? If I don’t get an answer in three seconds, I’m choosing option B. God knows it’ll be a lot easier on me if you’re trussed up like a turkey.”
“Fine,” she muttered.
“What’s that? I didn’t hear you.”
“I’ll go back with you,” she spit.
He almost grinned. Sounded like a pissed-off kitten. Then he frowned. He had no idea where Ian was which meant the trip back to the truck was going to be interesting. The sooner he could get her locked in, though, the safer she’d be. For that matter, he wasn’t crazy about skulking around in the dark with a jaguar on the loose.
He loosened his grip and cautiously got to his feet. She lay there in the darkness, her breaths shallow and pained. He refused to feel any guilt over it.
Pale moonlight streamed through the treetops, softly illuminating her skin. The forest was quiet except for the short gasps of her breath as her shoulders heaved up and down.
She rolled to her back, and a shadow fell over her face. He moved so he could see her and then extended his hand down to help her up. For a long moment, she stared at him as if not believing he was acting so civilized. Hell, he wasn’t an ax murderer.
When he shrugged his shoulders and started to lean down to pick her up, she quickly thrust her hand toward his. He curled his fingers around her wrist and pulled so she stood in front of him.
He cupped her chin and tilted it upward until the moonlight better illuminated her face. “You’re a mess.”
Her lips thinned, and she jerked away from his grip. “You’re not looking so hot yourself. And you smell like a goat.”
A light chuckle escaped him, and it seemed to irritate her even more. He cupped her uninjured elbow and herded her back toward the truck.
Though he made an effort to relax and not give away his concern over where Ian was, his gaze shot left to right as they walked back. Halfway there, he heard a low growl emanate from about thirty yards to his right.
Fuck.
“Listen up, sister. When I tell you to run, you haul your pretty ass back to the truck. I’ll be right behind you. Don’t pull any stupid tricks or I swear to God I’ll leave you for the critters to eat.”
She tensed beside him but didn’t argue, thank God.
A hiss shot through the night.
“Run!”
Thankfully, she didn’t hesitate. She took off like a jackrabbit, and Braden pounded the ground after her, his hand at her back urging her faster.
Metal glinted in the moonlight ahead. The SUV came into view, and he grasped her arm and dragged her the remaining way.
He yanked open the door and tossed her inside. She landed with a thump then rapidly turned over to glare at him.
“Don’t get out of this truck,” he said. “I don’t care what you hear or see. You don’t leave. You got me?”
“Yeah, I got it,” she returned softly.
For a moment, fear lurked in her eyes.
“What’s out there?” she asked.
He grimaced. “I’m not entirely sure.”
He glanced once over his shoulder to make sure Ian hadn’t stalked them back to the truck, and then he turned back to Katie.
“I’ll be back
in a few minutes.”
Without giving her a chance to respond, he shut the door, bathing the interior in darkness once more. The night air blew down his spine, eliciting a shiver.
He listened closely, tuning in to the sounds around him. There in the distance—the slow, methodical sound of a predator creeping through the underbrush.
Braden turned and ran in the direction of the noise. He shoved aside branches and bushes then leaped over a fallen log. It was stupid to confront the jaguar, but he wouldn’t leave Ian out here alone.
He burst into a clearing and came to an abrupt halt when the luminescent eyes of the cat stared back at him.
Shit.
They stared at one another, both so still. Then the jaguar raised its head and sniffed in his direction. The ears that had lain flat against his head slowly rose.
The cat stepped forward, and he hastily backed up. He reached for a gun that wasn’t there, not that he’d use it. Then he nearly laughed. What was he going to do, threaten the cat with it?
The jaguar stopped, his nostrils flaring. His head bobbed up and down as he inhaled Braden’s scent. Then he started pacing from side to side, his eyes never leaving Braden.
“Ian, man this sucks. Come on. Shift back. Katie’s probably setting the truck on fire as we speak.”
At the sound of his voice, the cat hunched down and let out a growl.
“Shutting up now,” Braden murmured.
He remained stock-still, not wanting to alarm the jaguar any more than he already had. He couldn’t bring himself to think of the cat as Ian. That wasn’t Ian.
The jaguar padded forward again, his steps cautious and slow. His ears flicked and twitched, and occasionally he tossed his head in the direction of a distant noise.
Braden held his breath and hoped he wasn’t about to kiss his ass goodbye.
When the cat was just a few yards away, he stopped again and settled on his haunches. He simply stared at Braden, his tail lazily flopping around his paws.
Afraid to say anything that might set him off, Braden just stood there, waiting.
His chest grew tight. Sorrow squeezed his throat even as anger lit fire to his veins. This was bullshit. It was no way for him and Ian to live—worried that at any given moment they could shift to beast and kill the other, or someone else.
“Come back, Ian,” Braden whispered. “Goddamn it, shift back.”
To Braden’s surprise, the cat eased down and gingerly rested his head on his front paws as he stretched out his lithe body. In the next moment, his body gave a shudder, and a garbled sound of pain—half human, half animal—shattered the stillness.
Braden raced forward, dropping to his knees as Ian’s body contorted and stretched. Fur melted away, replaced by pinkened skin. Sweat popped and beaded on his flesh as the muscles contracted, seized and finally went limp.
Ian’s mouth stretched into a ghastly grimace, and a more human-sounding cry of pain escaped, carried away on the breeze.
Ian’s head fell to the ground. Harsh breaths danced in rapid staccato, escaping in a thin puff of smoke against the increasing coldness in the air.
Braden leaned over his brother, fear like a vise gripping his chest. “Ian. Ian, talk to me, man.”
“It hurts,” Ian said with a tortured groan. “Goddamn, it hurts.”
“Come on, let me help you up before you freeze,” Braden muttered.
With Braden’s help, Ian staggered to his feet, his naked skin illuminated by the full moon. A hunting moon. Did it call to the predator inside them both? Was it the reason, along with Katie’s flight, that they battled the beasts so fiercely?
“Katie,” Ian gasped out. “Did I hurt her?”
Braden snorted. “My money might be on her in a showdown between her and the jag.”
“Not funny.”
A half smile quirked Braden’s lips. “You never think I’m funny.”
“Clothes. I need clothes.”
Braden sighed. “Yeah well, between chasing after Katie, running from you and stuffing her into the truck, I didn’t exactly stop and get you an extra pair of underwear, you know?”
“Go,” Ian bit out.
Braden shook his head. “I’m not leaving you, so deal with it. It’s dark. Your maidenly modesty will survive intact. You can get into your clothes at the truck.”
“I’m not too wiped out to kick your ass, little brother,” Ian growled.
Braden smirked. “You couldn’t fight your way out of a paper bag right now.”
He promptly doubled over when Ian planted a fist in his gut.
“Damn but you’re a cranky son of a bitch.”
“I could have killed you, Braden. Think about that the next time you decide to play babysitter. I told you to get the hell away from me.”
Braden wrapped an arm around Ian’s shoulders and ignored Ian’s attempt to shake him off. He shoved his brother forward.
“Yeah, you told me, but when have I ever listened to you?”
Ian shook his head, but he stumbled and leaned wearily against Braden. They walked back in silence. When the SUV came into view, Braden halted and leaned Ian against a tree.
“Wait here. I’ll get you some clothes.”
Chapter Eight
Eli Chance let himself into the bedroom he shared with Tyana and glanced over to see her propped on the bed, her casted leg elevated on a pillow.
She looked up, her eyes flickering with both welcome and wariness she still hadn’t shed when it came to him.
She kept it interesting which was one of the things he liked most about her. He damn sure never had to worry about being bored.
“Glad to see you found your way back to bed, sugar.”
She rolled her eyes, but he could see the pain and fatigue etched in her brow.
Not waiting for an invitation, he stretched out beside her, careful not to bump her cast. Her body settled comfortably into his, and he felt her go soft around him.
Enjoying the quiet and stillness, he brushed his lips across hers, tasting her mouth with his tongue.
“Jonah tells me you’re getting tired of me already,” he murmured.
Her eyes widened and she stared at him in horror. “He said what?”
He chuckled. “You’re way too easy, sugar.”
She frowned, but he saw a glimmer of guilt before she looked away.
“Ah, so you did put him up to getting rid of me.”
“Hell,” she muttered. “It wasn’t quite like that.”
He lifted one brow as he trailed a finger down the softness of her cheek. “So how is it? Come on, Tyana. We’ve always been honest with each other. Don’t start holding out on me now.”
She sighed and slumped back into her pillows in defeat. “I’m just not used to all the hovering, Eli. Don’t take it personally. This whole relationship thing is new to me. I don’t handle convalescence very well.”
He laughed. “That’s an understatement if I ever heard one. Okay, so I’m getting on your nerves.”
She gazed curiously at him. “You don’t seem offended.”
“Should I be? I’m assuming you don’t want to get rid of me on a permanent basis.”
“Don’t be stupid,” she growled.
He grinned. “I love it when you get cranky.”
He propped his head in his palm and let his other hand wander down her midriff, enjoying the way she tightened beneath his fingers.
“So what’s up, Tyana?” he asked softly. “What’s really going on here?”
There was a flash of vulnerability followed by a quick masking of her features. The tough exterior he was so used to pushed itself outward until not a trace of uncertainty remained.
And then just as quickly, as though she made the conscious decision to let him see inside, she crumbled, and she closed her eyes.
“I hate this,” she said honestly. “I hate not being able to face you as an equal. I hate being out of action. I hate not being able to help D. I want to go after Esteban so damn bad, and
instead I’m stuck here with you babysitting me while Mad Dog and Jonah play the indulgent older brothers. It sucks!”
Eli knew better than to tease her at this point. He touched her chin with one fingertip to gain her attention. Her green eyes locked with his. He could read the conflict loud and clear. He understood it because he’d feel the same damn way in her position.
“So Jonah wants me to hook up with Tits and meet Ian and Braden in Austria instead of Paris, at the safe house he’s arranged. As soon as Ian checks in again, I’ll head out.”
Instead of looking relieved, Tyana grimaced. “You know he did it for me,” she muttered.
“Sending me on a pussy errand? Yeah, I know he did. He wasn’t any happier about it than I was. But we both love you, so I guess we can both suck it up.”
She visibly winced. “Christ. Now I feel about an inch tall.”
Eli took pity on her and leaned in to kiss her. “Quit being so hard on yourself, sugar. I knew when we started that things wouldn’t be easy, and our issues wouldn’t be resolved overnight. We’re both too used to doing things our own way.”
Tyana kissed him back. Not gently because that just wouldn’t be her. She took possession of his mouth like she owned it. Hell, he loved that. And he did belong to her.
When she pulled away, her eyes were glazed with passion, kind of foggy. “I’m not being fair. This has been so much more difficult for you, Eli. Having to cede control to Jonah, to someone you don’t fully trust yet. Having to rely on Falcon for the safety and wellbeing of your men. In your position, I know I couldn’t do it. Neither could Jonah. He’s too much of a control freak. And yet we all expect you to make sacrifices because you were dumb enough to fall…to get involved with me,” she finished uncomfortably.
He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling at her slip. She’d never said she loved him. Nor had she really acknowledged that he loved her. Hell, he couldn’t remember if he’d ever said the words either, mainly because he knew how uncomfortable they’d make her.
It was enough that she was here with him. They were together. She was having a difficult time adjusting, but never once had she hinted that she didn’t want to make it work.
He could be a patient man when the end result was worth it. Tyana was.