My Cat Burglar

by Shelley Munro

  Charlie’s voice, the tone low and urgent, faded into the background.

  “Is she all right?” Saber ran across the road from the direction of the café and fell into step beside him, his face stern and mouth grim. “Gavin on his way?”

  “Yeah, Charlie’s ringing him now. God, Saber. What am I going to do?”

  Saber opened the door to the surgery and Jonno maneuvered past. Jonno set Laura on a pristine gurney and checked her breathing again. She didn’t seem any better. He lifted the wad of material and saw the bleeding had slowed. Aw, fuck. Maybe not. Moving her hadn’t been a good thing.

  Charlie rushed into the surgery. “Gavin’s just arrived. Luckily, he was at the Radisson place down the road.” He strode over to a phone sitting atop a neat desk and picked it up. Jonno was vaguely aware of Charlie detailing the make, color and registration number of the car plus the circumstances.

  Gavin strode into the surgery and hurried to Laura’s side. Without a word he set his bag on the floor and nudged Jonno aside. A growl erupted from deep in Jonno’s throat. Mine.

  “Knock it off,” Gavin snapped.

  Saber curled his hand around Jonno’s upper arm. “Steady. Gavin will help.”

  Jonno growled again, his mind knowing it was the truth. Rational thinking didn’t appease the feline. The hair at the back of his neck lifted as he bristled again.

  “Jonno.” This time Saber’s tone left nothing in doubt. As an older male and council member, he expected obedience. Grudgingly, Jonno acceded and moved back to give Gavin room. However, he couldn’t restrain yet another rumble of protest when Gavin used a pair of scissors to hack away Laura’s shirt and bra to reveal her chest.

  Saber’s hand tightened on his arm to the point of pain. Instead of objecting, he used the pain to focus. Laura. He…she…they needed Gavin to help her.

  “Charlie, she’s gonna need a hospital. See if the rescue helicopter is available. We don’t have time to wait for an ambulance.” Terse. To the point. Gavin’s words scared the hell out of Jonno. Fear gripped him, and when Saber’s hand tightened, he realized his legs shook and he leaned on the other man.

  Charlie spoke, his tone urgent and panicked. The phone crashed down. “They can’t come because they’re on another call. Another hour at least.”

  “Fuck,” Gavin said. “Right, this is what we’re gonna do. I need to get the bullet out. I can see it, so it shouldn’t be too bad. Ring for the ambulance. Tell them it’s urgent,” he fired at Charlie.

  Jonno stood, numb and shivering.

  “What about the bleeding?” Saber asked.

  “That’s the problem,” Gavin said, his expression grim.

  The knot in Jonno’s throat threatened to choke him. “Help her.”

  Gavin shot him a sympathetic glance. “I’ll try.”

  Jonno nodded, reading the determination laced with compassion on the man’s face. Gavin didn’t think Laura would survive. The idea brought a knifing sensation to his gut, the pain so intense he doubled over. For the first time since childhood, emotion found an outlet in stinging tears.

  She couldn’t die. She couldn’t leave him.

  He refused to let her off this easily. She hadn’t told him she loved him yet. He knew she did, but Jonno wanted the words to treasure. He wanted his mate alive and at his side. Arguing. Loving. Laughing.

  He sucked in a deep breath. “What can I do to help?”

  Laura groaned, the pained sound sending renewed fear skittering through him. Charlie arrived with boiling water and a stainless bowl, setting it beside Gavin. The man worked with speed, yanking supplies from his bag and the cupboards. A disinfectant scent filled the air.

  “I could give her a mild painkiller, though I don’t think I should. It will raise questions,” Gavin said.

  Jonno protested and Saber’s grip tightened. His jaw worked while he fought the urge to slug Saber with his fists. This was Laura. His mate. No, she wasn’t feline. It didn’t matter. Laura was his mate. “She’ll die,” he gritted out.

  “I know,” Saber said, his voice heavy with regret. “We have to be careful. Gavin will do as much as he can before the ambulance arrives. The last thing we want is to lose Gavin’s services because officials decide he’s overstepped in his capacity as a vet.”

  Yeah. He knew Saber had to act for the best for the shifters. It didn’t make it any easier to accept. Damn, he felt so helpless. Shrugging away from Saber, he rounded the gurney and stood by Laura’s head, smoothing her hair from her face and away from her shoulder.

  Gavin picked up a stainless implement from a sterilizer machine that reminded him of a large pair of tweezers. He dug around in the wound, grunting once he found the bullet.

  “She’s waking up,” Jonno said.

  Laura groaned, her eyes flickering. Her limbs thrashed.

  “Hold her,” Gavin ordered, her voice terse.

  Saber took one arm and Jonno took the other. Charlie moved to her legs.

  “Steady, Laura,” Jonno whispered.

  Saber shot him a look of encouragement. The silent approval lent Jonno strength, grounded him despite the fear pulsing through him.

  Gavin probed the wound again. Laura cried out, the sound tearing at Jonno’s heart. He continued to hold her tight to prevent her moving or lashing out at Gavin. She moaned.

  “Jesus,” Charlie said.

  “Almost got it,” Gavin said.

  Laura let out a pained cry. Jonno swallowed.

  “Got it.” Satisfaction filled Gavin’s voice, punctuated by the clink of the bullet when it hit the interior of a stainless bowl. “Keep holding her for a sec. I have a battlefield wound dressing I can use. It should slow the bleeding and will help fight infection.”

  “She’s lost consciousness again,” Saber said.

  “Probably for the best,” Charlie said.

  Gavin bustled around, the scent of alcohol filling the surgery. He ripped open a package, his hands steady and each move competent as he poured a gel-type substance into the wound. Jonno envied the man’s composed manner when his knees threatened to buckle.

  “Done,” Gavin said after a few minutes. “Let me get a cloth to clean off the blood.”

  Jonno stilled the instinctive protest, gritting his jaw while another man tended his mate, touching her in an intimate manner. Gavin stopped without warning, his head jerking up to stare at Jonno.

  “She’s not marked.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Jonno growled under his breath, not holding back in communicating his fury. Every muscle in his body tightened while he fought to remain civil. The last thing he wanted was to run afoul of Saber, so he tried to control the bubbling rage inside.

  “Back off,” he snarled, moving his body between Laura and Gavin. Tension vibrated through him and another low-pitched growl filled the surgery.

  The hostility in the surgery ramped up while Jonno and Gavin faced off.

  Jonno prowled closer until their faces almost touched. Worry for Laura and sheer panic made his heart crash against his ribs. At the back of his mind he knew he was overreacting yet he couldn’t rein the feline back.

  “Keep away from my mate.”

  Gavin remained silent. Watchful, he didn’t give an inch.

  Saber darted between the two males, forcing Jonno to step back.

  “Dammit, I’m not interested in Laura for a mate.” Gavin backed away from Jonno and Saber until he stood next to Charlie. He raised his hands, still moving with caution. “I have my mate, my own problems, dammit. I want to help Laura. Okay?” He grabbed a thin blanket from a cupboard along the far wall and walked over to the gurney to spread it over her.

  “What do you mean then?” Jonno’s voice held clear challenge. His limbs shook. A sharp pain in his palm drew his attention, and he saw he’d done a partial change. Fighting for control, he dragged in a deep breath. The combined scents of antiseptic, blood and sweat brought a frown, a surge of nausea. He fought it, knowing the smell would haunt him for the rest
of his days. Closing his eyes, he dug deep for control. He opened them again to glare at Gavin. “What the fuck do you mean?”

  “The enzymes exchanged during the marking process should help her heal better,” Gavin said. “They take time to work, but if she makes it through the next few hours, they’ll speed her recovery.”

  His words were a kick in the gut. Laura might be his mate, but he hadn’t wanted to rush her. Everything had happened so fast between them. Love. It was there on his side—without a shred of doubt. Laura…

  “Are you saying I should mark her now?” Jonno glanced from Saber to Gavin and back. Neither man said a word.

  “Why can’t you mark her, if it might save her life?” Charlie asked. “What’s the big deal?”

  “Because Laura hasn’t agreed. If I mark her, she’ll be tied to me,” Jonno said. “For life.”

  “She loves you,” Charlie said.

  “Has she told you?” Jonno winced at the need in him, the eagerness for confirmation. Charlie took so long answering he took two steps toward the cop, ready to throttle him. Gavin stepped between them and growled. Astonished, Jonno came to an abrupt halt.

  Charlie peered from behind Gavin. “What’s with the growling?”

  “Nothing,” Gavin said, brushing it aside.

  Gavin and Charlie? Jonno shoved the revelation aside to concentrate on his mate. “If I mark her, you think it will help?”

  Gavin shrugged. “Yeah. How long before the ambulance arrives? Another hour?”

  “Less,” Charlie said. “They had to come from Dunedin. There wasn’t a closer one.”

  “What do you think?” Jonno asked Saber, turning to his friends’ brother for advice.

  “If it were me, I’d do it,” Saber said.

  “Okay.” Jonno sure as hell didn’t want her to die. “I’ll do it.” He walked over to the gurney and stared at her colorless face. She seemed so still. Defenseless. He couldn’t bear it if she died. Part of him would die with her.

  “One thing.” Gavin’s hand closed on his shoulder. “Normally the marking process takes place while a couple makes love. From what I’ve heard that counteracts the pain of the bite.” He glanced at Saber for confirmation. Saber nodded. “This marking will be painful for her.”

  Jonno swallowed, his hands closing to fists at his side. He ignored the sharp bite of nails against his palm. “How much pain?”

  “From my research, I’ve heard it’s bad. On a level with the gunshot wound.”

  Jonno stroked a finger over her smooth cheek. His mouth twisted when he looked back to the others. “Not much choice. Either I risk her dying or have her hate my guts because I’ve marked her. Painfully.”

  “Jonno? What happened?” Laura’s voice sounded weak and thready.

  “Laura?” Jonno bent over her and couldn’t resist pressing a kiss to her lips. “You’re awake. How do you feel?”

  “Like a pile of shit after it’s run over by a truck. Hurts. I don’t remember…”

  Gavin spoke from behind him. “Jonno, can I take a look at Laura?”

  “Yeah.” Jonno moved away to let Gavin check on Laura. This time he didn’t act as territorial, not with the reaction Gavin had shown when he’d stepped too close to Charlie.

  After a quick check, Gavin stepped back. “She needs blood, antibiotics and stitching. I’ve done as much as I can,” he said. “She’s weak.” He glanced at his watch. “Damn.”

  “Jonno?” Saber’s voice held a question.

  Jonno ran his fingers through Laura’s hair, and knew there was only one solution. He’d do it. If she recovered, it’d be worth it. Yes, he’d be bound to her for life, but that was what he wanted anyway. “Won’t marking leave a noticeable wound? Won’t it raise more questions?”

  “We’ll plead ignorance and say it was there beforehand,” Gavin said.

  A frown creased Jonno’s forehead, apprehension bubbling through him. Hopefully Laura would feel the same way, if the bloody ambulance arrived in time. And if she didn’t…well, he’d face that challenge once it happened.

  “I love you, Laura.” Jonno bent his head and kissed her lips, foreboding coloring his emotions. Anxiety filled him, spreading through his body and finding an outlet in a tremor. He trailed kisses from her mouth and across her jaw, disquiet growing proportionately the nearer he came to the marking site. Hurting her, causing her more pain didn’t sit well. Marking her without permission didn’t feel right either. He wanted the words. He wanted to know she returned his love.

  A whimper escaped Laura. Fire burned her chest, stealing her breath. She heard the murmur of voices. None of the words made much sense. Jonno kissed her. She knew it was him because she recognized his musky scent. Damn, he didn’t want to have sex now, because she felt like crap.

  She tried to move, and a dagger sliced her chest. Jonno’s lips brushed her throat. Heat filled her, perspiration coating her skin. She shivered, nausea dancing through the pit of her stomach. Fuck, she thought she might puke. Laura groaned.

  “Go away.” She pushed weakly, but Jonno grasped her shoulder and smoothed her hair aside. He ran his mouth back and forth over the fleshy part where shoulder and neck met. The nausea rose. She swallowed hard, bile filling her throat. It hurt. Everything hurt. Laura pushed against Jonno, trying to get him to move. “Jon—”

  He struck. Teeth sliced through her flesh, fiery pain searing from her throat to join the heavy weight throbbing in her chest.

  She screamed, her body arching upward. A twin sensation ripped through her as she moved, sapping the air in her lungs. A pained croak was all that emerged. She shuddered, blackness stealing through her mind. Jonno. He’d done this. Through blurry eyes she stared at him.

  Why?

  When he moved, she flinched, cringing away despite the searing pain caused by the move.

  “Sorry, Laura. I’m so sorry.” Jonno dipped his head again, angst clouding his face. He rasped his tongue across the bite, each lick sending another jolt of pain streaming down her shoulder and chest.

  A high-pitched scream deafened her, ripping through her mind with sharp daggers. She moaned, frightened to move. Laura wished it would stop.

  “That’s enough, Jonno,” Gavin murmured. “Let me take a look.”

  “It’s not healing like Emily’s mark,” Saber said with concern.

  “Damn, there’s so much blood,” Charlie said.

  Laura’s stomach lurched, and she threw up, vomiting all over Gavin, the gurney and her clothes.

  Agony seared the length of her body, along with embarrassment at being sick. She closed her eyes, shutting out the condemnation she was sure she’d see. Instead, gentle hands cleaned her, voices murmuring.

  It hurt.

  Everywhere hurt so bad.

  Sickness roiled in Jonno’s stomach while his cock filled, pressing against his fly. He stirred uncomfortably and hoped none of the others noticed. The metallic flavor of blood filled his mouth and no amount of swallowing shifted it. The idea of fresh air came to him, but he refused to leave Laura’s side.

  He needed her.

  The connection between them seemed much stronger now, and he ached with need. Sick pervert. He glared at his groin, the twitch in his trousers bringing both self-hatred and derision. What the fuck sort of man was he? His mate lay in agony and all he could think of was sex.

  Gavin walked over to him. “The bleeding’s slowed. I think the field dressing has helped. It should help mask any anomalies the medical staff might find in her blood. They’ll assume it’s the components of the field dressing.”

  From where he stood, Jonno could see the mark. It didn’t resemble any mating mark he’d ever seen. This one appeared like a livid bruise with a clear and defined set of teeth prints. No doubt it would turn a vivid purple and dwindle to yellow in time. A long reminder of a brutal act.

  Jonno’s breath eased out in a hiss of self-loathing. “What are you going to tell the ambulance men? They’ll ask.”

  “I can play dumb,”
Gavin said, compassion in both his face and manner. “You did what you had to. I would’ve done the same.”

  A siren sounded in the distance.

  “Damn, they made good time,” Charlie said. “I’ll stand outside to wait for them.”

  “I’ll go to the hospital with them,” Jonno said.

  Saber clapped him over the shoulder. “I’ll follow so you have a way of getting home.”

  Jonno nodded, swallowing, and walked over to the gurney. Laura’s eyes were open, and they stared at each other.

  “Laura,” he whispered, relief flowing through him.

  “Get away from me,” she whispered.

  Jonno froze, his hand hovering above her head. Slowly, his hand returned to his side.

  “Get away from me.” This time the words were more forceful.

  In shock, he stared at her, not moving.

  “Get away! Don’t touch me,” she screamed. “Away. Get him away.” Hysteria throbbed in her voice and she thrashed around, a heartrending screech echoing around the surgery.

  “Move back, out of her range of sight,” Gavin ordered.

  Saber gripped his arm and Jonno stumbled to the edge of the surgery, tears shrouding his vision. Laura’s sobs made him feel terrible. Guilty. His mate hated him, and he could hardly blame her.

  * * * * *

  “I don’t want to see him. He’s not a man,” Laura said to the nurse. She caught the roll of the nurse’s eyes before the young woman smiled.

  “I’ll tell him, but wouldn’t it be better to see the man and tell him yourself? He won’t believe any of us. He keeps getting in the way, littering the corridor.”

  Laura’s stomach roiled, and a tremor racked her body. She risked a glance at the door and noticed a shadow. Her throat tightened. The man was a savage, an animal. “I’m too tired for visitors.” It wasn’t a lie. Nightmares filled the night. Spotted leopards with bright red eyes… Laura swallowed and sent the nurse a beseeching glance.