Chapter Four
“For the love of lettuce! I haven’t been shot!” Carly shoved at Neal’s hands. The man was bound and determined to keep her in bed and she was just as resolved to get her bubble butt into the living room.
“Carly…” Her mate’s voice was low and deep, too low for a human male, and that told her just how close Neal was to losing control.
Taking a deep breath, she reached up and placed her palm against his cheek. The lines of his face were hard, ridges instead of smooth bones. She stroked and petted him, watched while his eyes lost some of his panic.
“Cowboy, I’m fine. I didn’t even need stitches. The bullet grazed my arm and the thing is already healed.” She growled at him. “Let me out of this bed and let’s go talk with the others.”
See? She could totally be all diplomatic and shit. She hadn’t even bitched about him stripping her down once they’d arrived at his home.
He grumbled and she couldn’t quite make out his words. “What?”
Neal gave her a glaring stare. “You’re naked. I don’t want them looking at you.”
Carly rolled her eyes and shoved at his shoulders. “Okay, it’s your fault I’m naked, so shaddup about that. And Neal? I’m yours. Yours. I don’t want those guys, just like you don’t want any other women.” At least she hoped. “Right?”
“I guess I’ll just have to prove to you how much I want you, and only you, won’t I?” Oh. That smile was predatory. His eyes seemed to glow in the low light, the right side of his mouth kicked up just enough for a hint of his dimple to appear. His body was too languid now, too smooth moving, and she figured he and lion had come to the conclusion that making love was better than fighting.
Had it been any other time, she would have agreed.
As it was, they had three shifter leaders out in Neal’s living room, and all that testosterone and power could easily spiral out of control if they didn’t get through everything and get them shoved back to their own territories ASAP.
She’d hardly blinked and then his hands were on her, shoving the blanket aside, head bending down to her breast. Neal captured her nipple with his lips and tongued the now hard nub, drawing it into the moist cavern of his mouth.
Her pussy responded in an instant, grew plump and wet, pulsed with every beat of her heart. She panted and arched, gave him more of her.
Neal palmed her neglected breast, kneading and teasing her. With every pull on her nipple, a shudder of arousal slithered through her as if the nub had a direct line to her clit. “Mmm…”
Carly slid her fingers into his hair, pulled him closer. The bunny, that total slut, wanted him, wanted to nibble and bite and kiss him from head to toe. Fuck getting shot at; she craved her mate.
Hopefully, someday, the heat of their new mating would dim. It couldn’t be healthy to walk around with this all-consuming need twenty-four seven.
Who was she kidding? She never wanted this desire for him to cool. Ever. She craved the taste of his skin, his blood in her mouth as she sunk her teeth into his shoulder, and the feeling of being filled by him.
He released her breast and blew a soft puff of warm air across the damp flesh. “I almost lost you.”
“You didn’t almost lose me, idjit.”
His talented pink tongue snaked out and flicked her stiff flesh. “Well, if I didn’t almost lose you, I guess there’s no reason to let the lion have you right now. He’s anxious to slide into your heat, Lucky. Wants to make sure you’re alive.”
Neal’s hand drifted down her ribs, over the gentle rounding of her stomach and cupped her needy pussy. She widened her legs without question, anxious for his touch.
He slid a single finger between her sex lips, her wetness allowing him to touch her with ease, and glanced over her clit. She whimpered as a tiny bolt of arousal caused her pussy to clench.
“Okay. You win.” That talented digit traveled further south and circled her heat, danced around her hole, and she was desperate to have him inside her. “Need you.”
All she got was a wicked smile, his blue eyes deepening and shifting to a dark gold. Oh, his kitty seemed all about this.
Between one heartbeat and the next, her mate was between her thighs, his jeans parted just enough for his thick cock to rise hard and strong from his groin. “Need you, too.”
The tip of his cock settled against her wet hole, kissing the entrance to her body and teasing her with what was to come.
Carly rocked her hips, raised them the tiniest bit, and silently begged for his possession.
“Slow, angel.” With a huff, she relaxed into the soft surface of his bed. “That’s my girl.”
Then he moved, gave her what she craved, and filled her.
Sorta.
No, instead of slamming home as he’d done the previous night, he went slow, inched his way into her pussy with infinite care.
Neal gave her an inch and then retreated, gave her two and then withdrew once again. Three and then out…on and on he teased her, gifted her with what she desired, but then took it away.
He possessed her, stretched and speared her on his cock in tortuous increments until she thought she’d go mad with her desire. With each thrust, her pussy pulsed and clenched on his invasion, clit twitching with desperate need, and slivers of pleasure poured through her.
Every pound of her heart and gasping breath teased her.
Carly’s nipples drew up tight and hard, the nubs throbbing and practically begging for attention.
Eyes trained on him, she brought her hands to her breasts, stroked and tormented them with her palms, plucked her flesh with her thumb and forefinger, pinched and rolled the sensitive skin.
And still he tortured her. That thick cock, his strong length of silk over steel, penetrated her in gentle, possessive strokes.
“You’re beautiful. My angel. My mate.” Neal’s words came with huffing breaths, sweat coating his chest as he gave her pleasure.
Carly abandoned one breast and settled her hand on the back of his neck, pulled him to her. “My mate.” She whispered against his lips. “Claim me, my mate.”
That was all the urging he needed. With a deep growl, Neal withdrew from her body, her pussy clinging to his shaft as he pulled from her, and then shoved his way back into her heat, sending the headboard slamming against the wall.
Carly screamed and arched, the pure pleasure of his possession overwhelming the desire to be quiet. No, she couldn’t withhold her sounds, not when his cock stroked her from within, scraped over sensitive nerves that ached for his touch. His hipbone pressed against her clit and she reveled in her mate’s ownership.
He repeated the move, a quick withdrawal followed by a fierce thrust. The banging of the headboard mingled with their breathless moans and groans while he continued. In and then out, faster and harder with each flex of his muscles.
Neal grunted and heaved over her, chased his pleasure while giving her great doses of her own.
Hand still curved around his neck, she sunk her nails into his flesh, added pain to his ecstasy, and the scent of fresh blood filled the room.
Her mate growled and flashed his elongated fangs at her. “Mine.”
She did the same. Not as impressive since she was a rabbit, but still. “Yours.”
Neal lowered his head to her chest, pinched the flesh of her breast between his jaws and pierced the vulnerable skin, adding the flavors of her to the fragrance of their sex.
With blood flowing, his pace increased, the thump of the headboard against the wall nearly matching that of their heart rates while he pummeled her with his cock. His entire length pistoned in and out of her wet pussy. Her body accepted him with ease, eagerly clinging to him with every move.
Carly’s cunt rippled around him, the thrum of his every stroke stoked her arousal, sent her pleasure spiraling higher with each thrust, each meeting of their flesh. Her clit throbbed and twitched, each brush of his pelvic bone easing her closer to the edge, nearer and nearer to her release.
In her mind, her climb to bliss resembled a cliff, her furry bunny legs bringing her closer and closer to the edge, spurred by her mate’s attentions. By then, desire pulsed through her veins, pounded and beat at her, chased her toward the final explosion of her need.
She didn’t resist the pull. No, she craved it, was desperate to pulse and burst around her mate, milk his cock and encourage his release to mirror hers and fill her with his cum.
“Mate, mate, mate…” The word became a chant, each word punctuating his thrusts and she kept her gaze focused on his features, watched the look of pleasure and pain ghost across his face. “Come with me, mate.”
The words ended on a breathless gasp, but Neal answered her call. His pace increased once again, one thrust after another as he pounded her needy cunt. Over and over.
That cliff, that representation of her orgasm, was suddenly before her, the edge within her grasp. And she embraced it. Carly flung her pleasure-filled body over the threshold and soared through the air, let the sky embrace her, ruffle her delicate fur, and pound along her veins.
Pure bliss—an ecstasy she’d never known—enveloped her, and it blossomed. Her pussy clenched around him in a jerky rhythm, milking his cock while her own release crammed into every corner of her body from head to toe.
She screamed his name and pulled at him, brought his shoulder to her mouth and didn’t hesitate to sink her teeth into him. She slipped through his skin and grasped his muscle, clenched and sucked, drank down the essence of her mate.
And still her body twitched and spasmed with the pleasure that pounded through her.
Neal mirrored her movements, his thrusts suddenly jerky and inconsistent, until he sealed his hips against her, cock throbbing and seeming to grow inside her pussy. His dick twitched and pulsed, signaling his release and his teeth were suddenly buried in her flesh, mouth sucking and tongue laving her abused body.
They remained still, locked and tasting each other while their breathing returned to normal.
Minutes—maybe hours—later, she slid her mouth from his battered shoulder and Neal did the same, slumping over her, his cock, now soft, still deep within her pussy.
Okay, hot, dirty, ‘OMG I almost lost you’ sex was the best evah.
Seriously.
Coated in sweat and smears of blood, Carly relaxed fully into the bed, exhausted. She just wanted to sleep…
Of course, the men waiting in the living room wouldn’t let them. The fierce thump, thump, thump of a fist hitting the bedroom door pulled them out of their exhaustion.
“Let’s go!” Alex’s voice echoed through the room.
With a reluctant groan, Neal rolled away from her. “Come on, angel. Let’s get this over with. I want to figure out what the hell is going on.” He stroked her arm, caught her hand and brought it to his lips. “I want to get on with our lives and make sure you and our baby are safe.”
Resolved, Carly crawled over him and from the bed, tugged Neal along with her, and then hunted for clothes. She found her top, blood staining the fabric, and frowned. “Cowboy? Do you have something else I can wear?”
In a flash, a white button down shirt appeared before her along with a pair of sweatpants. She snatched them and he crowded her toward the wall, pressing her against the hard surface, his erect cock settling between the cheeks of her ass.
“Damn, angel. I want you in my clothes. Want to surround you.” He ground his shaft against her heated skin. “Want you…”
“Neal!” Alex barked out her mate’s name.
Heh. Barked.
With a snarl, Neal left her, a quick swat to her ass before he moved out of range.
Frowning, she tugged on his clothes, making sure that the buttons were all secured tightly, and then tromped to the bedroom door. Her mate at her side, they headed to the living room, right toward a crowd of carnivores.
And she had blood on her skin.
Lovely.
It wasn’t long before Neal was pulling her through his home; she got the impression of dark colors, large furniture, and not much else. The walls were sparse and empty. She’d change all that after she moved in. And she wasn’t going to examine that decision all that much. Sure, they still had issues, but after the bite, things had shifted between them. She didn’t want to examine the change; she was afraid she’d overthink everything and get them back to where they’d started. For now, she’d enjoy his attention, trust in his professed love, and try very, very hard not to claw out Naomi’s eyes.
Okay, somewhat hard.
But if that beyotch…
She took a deep breath. The woman was the mother of Neal’s children. She couldn’t kill her, no matter how much the bunny wanted the bitch’s blood. Her relationship with Neal had turned her into a freakin’ carnivore.
Ick.
Okay, only ‘ick’ if she wanted to murder anyone but Naomi.
Carly was pulled from her thoughts of ripping Neal’s ex limb from limb when she stepped into the living room and into the lion’s den. Or rather, lion slash wolf slash rabbit den.
Seated around the room were the prime and his second, Grayson. Not far from them were Max, Alpha of the Stratton wolves, along with his enforcer, Riley, and then Ian, the warren’s Buck, and his second, Devlin. Poor Devlin looked exhausted and wrung out. The normally bright eyed, smiling man was withdrawn, eyes sunken with dark bags just below them. He looked defeated.
Neal tugged her to a large, leather chair nearby and settled into the seat, dragging her to sit on his lap.
“What are we dealing with?” Her mate didn’t bother with introductions. “Why’s someone after Carly?”
Carly opened her mouth to ask what the fuck was going on, why her mate thought she was the target of the nights fun, but Alex cut her off.
He sighed and began. “A quick survey of the parking lot didn’t reveal much of anything. We found nine millimeter shell casings along the side of the building, but with so many customers…” The prime shrugged and sighed. “I left Wyatt and Deuce behind to follow a few trails.”
“Why do we think someone’s after me? It could have been someone going after Neal…” Every male in the room looked at her like she was an idiot, including her mate. He was so not getting rabbit pussy anytime soon. “Me?”
She turned her attention to her brother. “Ian?” Carly glanced at Devlin. “Dev?”
Kind, tired eyes met hers and Dev’s gravelly voice washed over her. “There was a note with Beth’s…” He took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment and then continued. “Her body. We won’t go into details, but you were the target. It was pretty vague, but they definitely wanted you.”
Target.
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Beth died for me? And you think today was an attempt on my life?” Tears burned her eyes and a tear slid down her cheek. “Why? I haven’t… I’m not involved in the warren or the pride. I’m a nobody.”
Ian leaned forward. “You’re my sister and Neal’s mate, and Neal guards the local pride’s prima. With your death, Maya and I would have been devastated. Add in Alex being upset over Maya’s being upset… The warren would go into chaos without a leader keeping everyone under control and I doubt I’d be able to do that if I lost you. Neal wouldn’t be functional.” Carly agreed. Even if they hadn’t known one another long, mates could barely live without their other half. “It would then leave Maya vulnerable and Alex would be just as torn up. We’d all be easy prey.”
Both Alex and Neal growled, sending the tension in the room skyrocketing.
“Enough.” Max, the proverbial big, bad wolf, pulled their attention. “We’ve got three theories. It’s either personal, Freedom, or the HSE.”
She was pushing for personal simply because Freedom was a group focused on destroying the warren, pack, pride…whatever relationship between shifters. They were anti-authoritarian. The HSE, Humans for Shifter Extermination, just wanted shifters gone altogether and killed indiscriminately. Killing Carly would meet Freedom’s needs… Not so much for HSE. Regardless, both of those options sent a shiver of dread down her spine, fear quickly following that emotion.
And hey, cloaking herself in fear in a room of men who’d like to eat her for dinner was a not good, very bad, thing.
Joy.
Carly cleared her throat and raised her hand. “I vote for personal. Naomi is a total ‘psycho hose beast’. She seriously hates me. Like, ‘she wouldn’t be concerned if I was dead’, kind of hate. And, dude, the whole ‘hell hath no fury’ saying had to come from somewhere, right?”
The men all nodded, but Alex and Grayson didn’t look all that convinced. The prime and Neal shared a look she couldn’t interpret, but she sure as hell knew it didn’t mean anything good. She was seriously going to torture him until she got an explanation.
“We didn’t smell a human around Beth and I know Naomi’s scent. There were rabbits, of course…a male or two I recognized, but no human.” Alex leaned forward, hands clasped loosely between his knees, looking just as tired as she felt. “Besides, she’s the mother of Neal’s cubs. I doubt she’d hurt him that way. Mates have been known to follow their other halves into death and killing you would mean killing him.”
She slumped against Neal. “So that leaves two sets of crazies, both set on causing trouble by killing me.” That statement drew another growl from her mate and she stroked his forearm. “Easy cowboy. You’re not going to let anything happen to me.”
The ring of a phone broke the silence and Riley, Max’s enforcer, dug his cell out of his pocket. “Yeah… We sure? Right… No, that’s good… I’ll pass it along… Give us five.” He ended his call, swept the room with his gaze and focused on Alex. “Your boys found something, but need you to check it out. They can’t figure out what they’re sniffing at.” He turned his attention to his Alpha. “Our wolves can’t nail it down, either, and they’re not sure if it’s because there’s a couple of ‘em working together or because there’s so many people in and out of there.”
Max frowned and Alex’s expression mirrored his. “We’ll head over, then.”
Neal stood and she nearly plopped to the ground on her ass. “I’m going.”
“You’re staying.”
Her mate shook his head. “My mate. My hunt.”
Alex glared at him. “And who’s going to protect her while we’re off chasing these guys down?”
“It could totally be a girl,” she grumbled, but was ignored. The ‘big boys’ were talking.
Ian broke up the fight. “Quit measuring your dicks and focus. You can all go. Dev and I can stay here.”
Five sets of eyes turned on her brother and she bristled at their doubt, but Neal ended the potential fight before it began. Ian was not one who tolerated doubt all that well.
“I’ve seen your sister’s shift.”
Ian nodded. “So you know that pain is something we’re familiar with.” Alex flashed her brother a questioning glance and, it seemed that he was going to be accommodating. “Rabbits may be small, cute, and fuzzy little creatures, but how much tolerance for pain do you think I had to develop in order to go from two hundred and twenty-five pounds down to five?”
“It sure as fuck ain’t pretty.” Neal spoke under his breath.
She whacked him. “It’s fucking gorgeous.”
He tugged her close. “Of course, angel.”
“Patronizing ass.” She stuck out her tongue.
“Don’t show it if you’re not willing to use it.”
Carly pushed to her tiptoes and Ian broke into their moment. “Please don’t maul my sister in front of me.” She glared at her brother. Ian didn’t seem to care. “So Dev and I will stay here and the rest of you can go check out what the others have discovered. Call me if you find anything.”
Everything decided, the house became a flurry of activity. Neal strapped on a gun, or ten—at least it seemed like it—filled his magazines and secured long-ass knives to his thighs.
The rest of the men were outfitted just like him.
Men and their toys.
Before long, she had Neal looming over her, worry etched in every line of his face. “Be careful.”
She snorted. “You be careful. I’m going to watch some TV and worry about you. You’re prepared for war.”
Neal cupped her cheek, stroked her bottom lip with his thumb. “Not war. Just a ‘come to Jesus’ meeting.” He brushed a soft kiss across her lips. “Stay inside. Listen to Dev and your brother. We’re going to follow this trail and get rid of whoever’s after you.”