by K. C. Wells
“Okay. You’re for real. I’ll grant you that. I looked you up. So tell me more about this job. Seriously?” A rich, deep chuckle filled his ears. “You want me to rescue a tiger from the top floor of a Chicago skyscraper? Why in hell would you want to do that? Or are you one of those activist nutjobs who goes around liberating bunnies from testing labs? Not that I have anything against bunnies, you understand. They’re very tasty.”
Rael couldn’t argue that point. “Yes, I’m being serious.” He struggled to remain calm, but his heartbeat had quickened for some reason. “And as for why I want to do this, I can’t explain that. Not over the phone.” He wasn’t even sure he could explain it face-to-face. “But this whole conversation is fruitless if you can’t do it in the first place.”
There was silence for a moment; then Horvan’s deep voice rumbled over the line. “If I can do it?” He snorted. “I’m going to let that go, because you obviously don’t know me, but I promise I can get the job done. I just have this little quirk that I like to know why I’m doing something.”
“Then we need to meet.” Rael had no clue why he was so agitated.
“You’re still in Chicago?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. I’m about five hours’ drive from there. Let’s see, it’s….” A pause. “Eleven thirty. How about we meet at six this evening?”
“You’re… you’re coming today?” Rael’s chest tightened.
Horvan chuckled. “What can I say? You got me interested. I wanna know more. I’ve got a place in Chicago. I’ll send you the address. You come alone, okay?”
“Who would I bring?” The only person Rael knew in Chicago was Kyle, and he certainly wasn’t bringing him.
“Where are you staying in Chicago?”
“Funny you should ask that. I was looking for a hotel when you called.”
“Then stop looking. You can bunk with me.”
Rael stilled. “But… you don’t know a thing about me.”
“I know you’re a real person. I’ve seen your articles. And while I would never normally do this, for some reason my gut tells me I can trust you. I always go with my gut. Plus, I know fifty-seven ways to kill a man, so I think I’m more of a danger than you are.” He snickered.
Rael couldn’t argue with that, especially as his gut was telling him the same thing. “How do I contact you? In case I get held up or something goes wrong?”
“Nothing is going to go wrong, but I’ll message you from my personal cell, all right? That way you’ll have a number. In the meantime, I’m gonna make a few calls. If this goes ahead, I’m gonna need my team, so it’s best if I give them a heads-up.”
“Wait.” Rael’s heart pounded. “Don’t do that yet.”
“Why not? This isn’t the kind of job I can do on my own.”
“Yeah, I get that, but….” Rael had to be honest. “I can’t pay for a whole team. Hell, I’m not even sure if I can pay you. I didn’t expect you to agree to see me so fast.”
Silence.
Fuck. Rael knew he’d blown it. “I guess that means you’re not coming, right?”
A heavy sigh greeted him. “What is it about you? If anyone else came out with that, I’d have hung up already. But I so much as consider ending this call, and it’s like there’s this voice in my head yelling at me, saying I’d be crazy to do that.” Another pause. “And I find that as intriguing as your email, so I guess I’m still coming to Chicago. See you at six.” Then he disconnected.
Rael stared at his phone in amazement. What the fuck? This was surreal. Then his phone buzzed, and there was a text from Horvan, from his personal number, with an address.
That left Rael with hours to kill. The temptation to go back to Global Bio-Tech to see Dellan one more time was huge, but he knew he couldn’t risk doing that. The last thing he wanted was to arouse suspicion.
One option was doing a little sightseeing, and thankfully the predicted rain had been a no-show. The temperature was cool, but at least there was no snow. Rael had left that behind in Salmon, Idaho. And Chicago in March was kind of pretty—the clouds reflecting in the towers of glass and the occasional burst of sunlight sparkling on the river.
Not that Rael was in the mood to play the tourist. He simply wanted the hours to fly by until he got to meet Horvan.
He’s not the only one who’s intrigued.
Of course, what Rael really wanted was to shift. He’d been aching to do it since seeing Dellan in that cage. It would have to wait. When this was all over and he’d gotten Dellan out of there, he was going to head back home to his forest.
And if fate were with him, he wouldn’t be alone, and the Salmon-Challis National Forest would gain a tiger. That brought him a smile. The two of us, running together, play-fighting, swimming…. Thinking about it made him glow inside.
His phone buzzed, and he swiped the screen. Mom. “Hey.”
“How did it go this morning? Did you see Dellan again? Is he all right?”
Rael told her everything he could about the morning’s encounter, and as he’d expected, she burst into tears when he related how Dellan had called him mate. “No crying,” he said softly. “I have a plan.” Well, the germ of one.
That stopped her tears. “You do?”
“Uh-huh. I’m meeting someone tonight who may be able to help me. He’s… he’s done this sort of thing before.”
Mom chuckled. “Oh really? Sounds like a very handy man to have around. But make sure you stay safe, okay?”
Rael said nothing. If Horvan was going into that building, Rael intended accompanying him, and that had the possibility of being distinctly unsafe.
“Rael Alexander Parton, I know you. What are you up to?”
“Mom—”
“I’m wasting my breath. He’s your mate. You’re going to do whatever it takes to get him out, and I suppose that might be dangerous. Forget I said anything.”
“I promise I’ll stay as safe as I possibly can, okay? What about you? Did you come up with any contacts for me?” Not that he’d need them if Horvan was as good as he claimed to be.
“Your dad did have one idea. Wait. He wants to tell you himself.” There was a moment’s pause before Rael heard his dad’s voice.
“Son? From what your mother’s told me, it sounds like you might need medical help once you’ve gotten him out of there. Well, I’ve been thinking. Do you have any contacts in the military?”
“No, but how about ex-military? Will that do?” The timing of his dad’s question was uncanny.
“Yep. Now listen. I knew a guy a few years back. Horse shifter. He said when he was in the military, there was always a medic around who knew about shifters. Maybe it’s a thing. Maybe a lot of shifters end up in the military. Stands to reason they’d have to have a doc on call who wouldn’t bat an eye if they had an emergency or something.”
“An emergency shift? Is there such a thing?” Rael chuckled.
His dad ignored the attempt at humor. “I’m just saying, maybe your ex-military contact might know of a doctor who’d be able to help.”
“Yes, they might,” Rael said slowly. “But you’re forgetting one thing. They’d only know that if they were a shifter themselves.”
“Yeah, but—” Dad sighed. “You’re right. Sorry. I guess I got carried away.”
“What about your horse shifter friend? Wouldn’t he know?”
Dad’s voice was so soft. “He died, son. Heart attack. Didn’t see it coming.”
Rael’s heart went out to him. This had clearly been a good friend. “I’m sorry, Dad.”
His dad cleared his throat. “Now get this straight. When this is all over and Dellan is safe, you bring him to meet us, okay? We want to meet our prospective son-in-law. Well, as good as.”
That was the first time the full implication hit Rael. “Oh… oh wow.”
Dad let out a soft chuckle. “You hadn’t thought about that part, had you? We always hoped you’d meet someone who was perfect for you. We didn’t care if h
e was a shifter or not. We only want you to be happy. Well… I guess you can’t find someone more perfect than your mate.” In the background, Rael could hear his mom crying again.
“I’ll bring him, I promise. As soon as he’s able to visit.” That was the unknown quantity. Rael had no idea what was going on physically with Dellan.
“You do that. Okay, we won’t keep calling you. We’ll let you get on with… whatever it is you have to do.”
A thought occurred to him. “Dad, are you okay? Why aren’t you at work?”
“Well, let’s see. Someone woke me up at an insane time because she was yelling at you over the phone, and then she kept me awake talking about you and your mate. So I took the morning off to see what I could find out for you. I figure you need all the help you can get.” His voice softened again. “God be with you, son.”
“Love you!” Mom called out.
“I love you both, so much.” Rael disconnected, then wiped away the tears that pricked his eyes. He had no idea if Dellan could hear him, but that didn’t matter.
Dellan? I’m going to get you out of there. I promise.
Now all Horvan Kojik had to do was live up to Rael’s promise.
RAEL LOOKED up at the red brick building on West Nineteenth Street. It stood in a pleasant neighborhood, made prettier by the murals and vibrant coffee shops. He’d strolled up and down the nearby streets, gazing into the windows of eclectic stores and cozy cafes, wishing time would speed up so he could go meet Horvan. When the wind picked up, he’d found sanctuary in a cafe.
Finally, it was almost six o’clock, and he hurried up the stoop to ring the bell. Except…. Apartment 1F wasn’t listed. Then he gazed down below the railings in front of the building. Steps led down to a basement, and a brightly painted red arrow, above which was written 1F, pointed to a deep red door. Rael leaped down the steps and rang the doorbell, his heart hammering.
The door opened, and there stood a mountain of a man, with wide, muscled shoulders, short-cropped dark brown hair, and intense dark eyes. His beard extended from a goatee to a thin line of hair along his jawline, accentuating his angular face. His white T-shirt clung to his chest, revealing his bulging pecs, the short sleeves tight around his muscular upper arms.
Horvan Kojik looked him up and down and gave a predatory smile. “Cute. Definitely cute.”
Oh my. Rael’s heart did a flip-flop. His skin tingled, the sensation spreading down his back and arms, and he knew exactly what had caused that reaction. It was the rich scent emanating from Horvan that filled Rael’s nostrils. He breathed Horvan in, and the smell was heavenly.
Shifter. He’s a shifter.
Horvan’s eyes widened, his smile replaced by a look of utter shock. Holy fuck.
The words were as distinct as if he’d spoken them, and the quick burst of nausea was beginning to feel familiar. Rael was stunned into silence, struggling to process what his brain was telling him. Except deep down, he knew.
He just didn’t believe it, because…. What. The. Fuck?
He drew in a long breath before speaking, trying to appear calmer than he felt. “Holy fuck is right.”
Horvan’s jaw dropped. “Wait—how the fuck did you do that?”
Rael sighed. “Because—according to my parents—we’re mates.” They are not gonna believe this. He wasn’t sure he did.
“Stop that.” Horvan glared at him. “Why can I hear your thoughts?”
“Because we’re mates,” Rael repeated patiently. Another mate? Seriously? “I have got to buy a Powerball ticket,” he muttered.
Horvan stood aside. “I think you’d better get in here out of the cold, because I’m freezing my nuts off, and then you can start explaining what the fuck is going on.”
As Rael crossed the threshold, he gently patted Horvan’s forearm, then opened his mind. Relax. It isn’t as scary as you think, once you get used to the idea.
“Like I’m gonna get used to hearing someone’s voice in my head,” Horvan said with a snort.
Rael could tell it was going to be a long night, with quite a few surprises in store—for both of them.
Chapter Five
HORVAN CLOSED the door behind them before leading Rael into a large living room. There wasn’t much in the way of furniture, only a wide leather couch, a small coffee table, a tall cabinet, and a TV. An Oriental rug covered most of the wooden floorboards.
“Nice place,” Rael commented, striving to ignore the heat barreling through his body.
“Fuck, you smell good,” Horvan murmured as he moved in closer until there was barely an inch between them.
Not that Rael was complaining. Horvan’s scent was sending his blood rushing south, and Rael’s dick was like a lead pipe in his jeans. “I had the same thought.” He’d been around enough shifters to trust his olfactory organs. But no one had ever smelled this good.
“Speaking of thoughts….” Horvan lowered his head and nuzzled Rael’s neck. God, I want to fuck you right now.
Oh fuck, not there. Rael shivered as warm lips kissed his neck. Horvan’s instincts were spot-on.
Inside Rael’s head, Horvan chuckled. Hey, I like knowing what you’re thinking. Talk about knowing exactly where to touch you to drive you crazy. He brushed his lips over the sensitive skin again, and Rael shuddered. You’re trembling. I can feel how much you want this. Horvan stroked a single finger along Rael’s stony length that pressed against his zipper. Oh yeah. You want this.
Now that was a smug thought if ever there was one.
“Hey, wait a minute!” Rael mentally poured cold water on his erection. “You don’t even know me.”
“You’re a shifter, you’re hot, you’re here, and I’m horny as fuck. What else do I need to know?” Horvan reached around to cup Rael’s ass. “Damn, that feels good.”
Rael placed both hands on Horvan’s broad chest, distracted for a second or two by the firmness of the flesh beneath his palms, and pushed him gently away. “Down, boy. We need to talk.”
Horvan grinned. “Fuck first. Talk later.”
Rael tried to glare, but it was damned difficult when all he wanted to do was strip off his clothing and find the nearest flat surface. Come to think of it, a wall would do fine. The image that came to mind was that of Horvan, naked, lifting an equally naked Rael into his arms and pinning him against the wall while he thrust up into him, Rael’s legs wrapped around him as he clung to him….
Horvan laughed. “Now that’s what I’m talking about.”
Rael’s libido was going to be the death of him. He drew in a deep breath. “We still need to talk.” He took another whiff of Horvan and then gaped. “What are you?”
“Bear.” Horvan’s eyes glittered. “Wanna see?”
Stupid question. Of course he wanted to see. “Show me.” Rael took a couple of steps back, giving Horvan room.
Horvan crossed the floor to the windows and closed the blinds. Then he rejoined Rael in the center of the room. Slowly, he pulled his T-shirt over his head, and Rael resisted the urge to drool. His mate was gorgeous, a mass of smooth tanned flesh and rippling muscles. When Horvan unfastened his jeans and tantalizingly lowered the zipper, Rael’s heartbeat slipped into a higher gear at the sight of the girthy cock that sprang up, thick enough to make his hole contract. Yes, please. Rael licked his lips.
“I thought you wanted to talk first.” Horvan was still grinning, the bastard. He pushed his jeans to the floor and stepped out of them. Before Rael could respond to his comment, Horvan’s body rippled before him, and in his place was a beautiful black bear. It dropped onto all four paws with a thud, standing about four and a half feet tall at the shoulders. Rael estimated it had to be at least five hundred pounds. Oh my God, those claws….
The rich smell of him was overpowering in the small apartment, and it was glorious.
Rael stepped closer, reaching out to bury his hands in the black fur. The bear’s muzzle was cream, its snout gray, and there was a touch of gray fur on its brow. But the eyes…. The
y were bright with intelligence and warmth.
“Look at you,” Rael breathed, rubbing his face against the bear’s. He smiled. “I thought you’d be a grizzly at least.” Horvan uttered a low growl, and Rael stroked his round ears. “Not that I’m complaining, you understand. You’re the most beautiful bear I ever saw in my life.”
Horvan emitted a strange sort of rumbling noise, and Rael’s instincts told him it was a happy sound.
It was no good. He had to shift. Rael took a step back and quickly squirmed out of his clothes. He concentrated, letting his lion emerge until he was standing beside Horvan, about a foot shorter at the shoulder. Rael tossed his head, shaking his mane, and moved closer until their noses touched.
Beautiful kitty. Horvan rubbed his snout against Rael’s mane, burying his head in it, and Rael’s heart pounded. Instinctively, he dropped down onto the rug, rolling onto his back and exposing his belly, his heavy paws in the air. Horvan nuzzled the long fur, moving lower to where Rael was already erect, before returning to rub his face in Rael’s ruff. Rael got up off the floor and leaned into Horvan, pushing against his neck and shoulders, and a wonderful sense of peace flowed through him.
Imagine how amazing it will be when there are three of us.
Then he gave a start as Horvan shifted back abruptly. “What do you mean—three of us?” His voice had a hard edge to it.
Oh fuck.
Rael shifted, ignoring his lion’s low roar of disappointment. They stood facing each other, both breathing rapidly, both of them trembling a little with the aftereffects of shifting. Horvan narrowed his gaze. “Up to the point when I opened my front door, I had no idea there was such a thing as a mate. You, I get, but that’s only because I can’t ignore how it felt when we shifted. But now you’re talking like there’s another. So spill.”
“Can we at least put some clothes on first?” Rael pleaded. It was going to be a difficult enough conversation without having to cope with Horvan in all his naked glory. Plus, Rael couldn’t hide his own arousal, and he didn’t think Horvan needed a distraction.