Chapter Two
Abby Valiant raced across the dewy grass, hot on the tails of two small cougar kittens who squalled their protests. That old adage about cats not liking water? In the case of her shifter twins, bath time was the equivalent of medieval torture.
“Haven’t you heard that you shouldn’t chase after werecougars?” called out Abby’s unhelpful husband, Reese, alpha of the Valiant colony. “They’ll only run faster.”
“That’s werewolves and dogs,” she yelled over her shoulder. “Cats have more civility.”
Reese laughed. “Tell that to our sons.”
“You could help, you know,” she called out.
“And miss out on this home movie opportunity?”
“Are you serious?”
The two golden-furred kittens reached the back fence and each veered off in different directions. Abby stalled her progress and decided playing the game as a human put her at a disadvantage. She turned around and faced her husband. Yep. He had his smartphone out and was definitely filming the twins’ shenanigans. “Do you want to record me getting naked and shifting?”
“Nope. You naked is for my eyes only.” Reese tapped his phone screen and then lowered the device. “Proceed.”
She laughed as she stripped off her sundress and panties. Then she crouched on all fours and shifted. Four legs were far better for chasing bath-avoiding cubs. She easily caught up to Finn, pouncing on him lightly. Her son flattened, mewling. With her mouth, she gently picked him up by the scruff and took the kitten to her husband.
“One down,” he said.
Fain had taken shelter in an oak tree. He lay across a low limb, staring down at his mother, tail swishing. Abby roared the equivalent of “Get down here now, mister.”
Fain did as his mother requested and jumped the four feet from the branch to the ground. Abby turned and walked to Reese, and Fain sullenly followed.
“You’d think we were trying to dip them in acid instead of soap and water.” Reese scooped up his other son. “I’ll get them into the tub.”
Abby sat on her haunches and watched her husband take their children into the house. She yawned, resisting the urge to lie down and rest in the middle of the backyard. Raising werecougars was hard work. But she was grateful for her family—and gladly sacrificed sleep and, on occasion, sanity to have them. It was hard to believe that she’d once run as far from Reese as possible. When they’d met, she couldn’t have his children—and the alpha had needed heirs. She’d called on the Hunter, the protector spirit of the Valiant colony, to take her life. She’d realize too late that she’d been incredibly stupid. Luckily, the Hunter was a compassionate being and had healed Abby’s barren womb.
And now she had two beautiful boys with the man she loved most in the world.
She popped up onto all fours and loped toward her discarded clothes.
Before she’d gotten halfway across the yard, dark gray smoke appeared in front of her. The smoke swirled into a grandmotherly figure. The Hunter. She had silvery gray hair tucked into a bun, a wrinkled face that featured kindly brown eyes, and a plump, huggable body. She wore what some humans called “church clothes.” Dress. Hose. Sensible flats. And a string of pearls around her neck.
“Abigail,” said the Hunter. “How are you, dear?”
Abby answered with a short, happy sound.
“That’s wonderful.” She tilted her head. “Would you mind taking your human form so we can actually talk?”
Abby shifted. Dusk painted the sky purple. The wind picked up, but despite its gentle warmth, Abby felt a chill. Werecougars had no hang-ups about nudity, but even so, she felt vulnerable standing before an ancient spirit in just her birthday suit. “Let me get dressed.”
She hurriedly put on her panties and the green summer frock. The Hunter wasn’t known for casual visitations. In fact, until Abby had called on her nearly two years ago, the Hunter hadn’t been seen in the Valiant colony for at least a generation.
Suddenly anxious, Abby asked, “Why are you here?” She huffed out a breath. “I’m sorry. That was rude. It’s nice to see you again.” She paused, foreboding twisting her stomach. “Is anything wrong?”
“I’ve come to warn you of the impending apocalypse.”
“What?”
“No need to soil yourself. I’m kidding.”
“You’re hilarious,” said Abby drolly. She rubbed her belly, trying to unknot the tension coiled there. “So you’re just here for a social call?”
The Hunter put her hands on her plump hips. “What if I am? Why does something have to be wrong for me to show up?”
Abby lifted an eyebrow. “Because you’re the protector spirit of the Valiant colony, and you’re scary as hell.”
“Well, there’s that.” The Hunter sighed. “All right. I’m here because I need your help.”
“My help?” Abby blinked at her. She couldn’t imagine any scenario where a supernatural immortal being would need help with anything. Even so, she wasn’t going to turn down any request because she owed the Hunter everything. The woman had given her the greatest miracle ever. “What can I do, Hunter?”
“You know, I really don’t like that name. Call me Judith.”
“Your name is Judith?” Disbelief coated Abby’s words.
“No. My real name is irrelevant. I like being a Judith.”
“Okay dokay. Judith, it is.”
“Thank you.” Judith’s wrinkled face lit up with a wide, satisfied smile. “Now, where’s that husband of yours?”
“Bathing two very reluctant boys, who will soon be clean and in their jammies, waiting for a bedtime story.”
“Oh! Can I tell them a story?”
“Does it involve mutilation, murder, and mayhem?”
“The best stories do,” said Judith. “I could tell them about the battle between the Valiant shifters and the Ladon. It’s on my mind because the Ladon is why I’m here.”
“No.” Abby crossed her arms. What the hell was a Ladon? “I’d rather my children not have nightmares. You can read them The Cougars Go to Town.”
Judith looked supremely disappointed. “Does anyone die in this tale?”
“Nope.” Abby linked her arm around Judith’s, and they headed toward the house.
* * *
It sensed the presence of others. In the damp, dark cave the Ladon lifted its scaly head and took in the scents filtering into its home. Ah, the robust scent of sweat. It knew well the delicious aroma of human. It flickered its tongue, tasting the air. Only one? The others were … not human. Two were dead. It hissed in disgust. Dead things didn’t make good meals.
It inhaled once more.
This smell was a familiar one. One that it feared.
Cat creatures.
It bobbed its head, slithering to the entrance of the cave.
It examined the forest, checking for signs of the intruders. Satisfied the newcomers were not near its hiding place, it returned to the darkest part of the cave.
The hole was ten feet across, barely large enough to contain its massive size. It was closer than ever to its treasure—to its revenge.
It had taken decades to find the only thing that would kill its enemy and its terrible shifter offspring. It would not make the same mistake as it had two centuries before, when the Valiant shifters had nearly killed it. After the Ladon had healed from its near fatal wounds, it had searched the continent for the Valiant heart. It had been hidden well.
But the Ladon was closer than ever to uncovering the heart. It could feel the pulse, the warmth, the magic.
It turned and weaved back toward the entrance of the cave. Whoever entered the town could never leave, not without the Ladon removing the boundary spell. It could hunt these new arrivals at its leisure.
* * *
In his cougar form, Aris padded into the copse of trees. It was a private spot in the otherwise dense woods. He stopped, rolled onto his back, and looked up at the velvet tapestry of the night sky. Other than a few more bloodstains from old deaths, he hadn’t found anything untoward lurking around Hellion Hill.
Nearby, he heard Kane’s yowl and he answered it. A minute later, werecougar Kane loped into the small clearing, stopping when he got to Aris.
“Boys,” said Cyn as she arrived. “I got nada. I think whatever happened here—and whatever did it—is long gone.”
Aris shifted into his human form. “I didn’t find anything, either.”
Cyn strode toward him, her gaze heated as she took in his nakedness. Unlike her shifter men who were unaffected by nudity most of the time, she was not so immune, especially when it came to her two hunky mates. She was a lucky, lucky girl.
Cyn melted into Aris’ arms, and he kissed her. Hard. Her body responded instantly to the heat of his mouth and the hard cock pressing against her sex.
One of the perks of being a vampire was increased speed and strength. Cyn discarded her clothing in 1.2 seconds. In the meanwhile, Kane had reverted to his human form.
Huzzah! Time for her sweaty, awesome werecougar sandwich.
She faced Kane while Aris stood behind her. The men began to touch her. Oh, they knew all the right places. Aris kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear while Kane cupped her breast and rubbed his thumbs across her hardened nipples.
She shuddered.
In the next second, Kane scooped her into his arms and gently put her on the ground, lying on her left side. Aris laid down on her right. Both men skimmed their palms down her ribs, long, warm fingers drifting across her thighs.
Her flesh contracted from the light contact—and made electric need zap every cell in her body.
Aris was his usual impatient self. He kissed her aggressively, plundering her mouth with his tongue and nipping at her lips. She cupped his face and his ferocity with her own. Meanwhile, Kane parted the wet folds of her sex and stroked her sensitive clit.
She moaned.
“My turn,” growled Kane.
Cyn rolled toward Kane and met his mouth with hers while Aris kissed her shoulders and stroked her flesh.
She reached down and gripped Kane’s shaft, eliciting a groan. Aris pressed against her, his cock hard against her buttocks. His fingers skimmed her hip and found her slick sex.
Her excitement ratcheted up another notch.
She pressed against Aris, her back against the firm muscles of his chest, while Kane nipped at her flesh. Her nails dug into Kane’s broad shoulders.
“That feels so good,” she murmured.
Aris’ fingers tangled into her hair, tugging lightly. Kane took advantage of her bared throat, trailing kisses up her neck until he reached her lips. As he conquered her mouth, heated passion streaked her.
“God, you’re wet,” said Kane as he slipped his hand between them. He delved into her swollen pussy, sinking two fingers inside her while Aris continued to stroke her clit.
She moaned, floating on the river of pleasure created by her mates.
Cyn wrapped a leg around Kane, and he bent to suck on her distended nipples. She cried out as his tongue swirled around the sensitized peaks.
“I can’t wait,” she huffed. “Please. Please.”
Holding Cyn in his arms, Aris rolled onto his back. He grasped her breasts, playing with her aching nipples as she lifted up her legs and held onto her thighs, opening herself to both of her mates. She guided Aris’ cock inside her, shuddering as he filled her.
Kane kneeled between Aris’ legs, waiting patiently as Aris thrusted. The first time they’d both taken her this way, she’d worried she wouldn’t be able to accommodate their size, but she had. It was an ecstasy she had never before experienced.
“Oh, God,” she moaned. Her pussy clenched around Aris’ pumping erection.
“You make me so hot,” whispered Aris. “I want you so much.”
“Take me,” said Kane hoarsely. “Take us both.”
Aris stilled so that Kane could work his cock inside Cyn. Now, Kane’s shaft lay on top of Aris’.
The double penetration stretched Cyn to the limit, and she loved it. She shuddered, her mates breathing heavy, as they adjusted to the new position.
Kane took the lead, slowly thrusting into her, his cock sliding against Aris’ as he caught the rhythm. With two sizable shafts impaling her, and Cyn held on for dear life as her mates took her fully.
“You’re so wet,” muttered Kane,
“And tight,” said Aris.
The dual rhythm took her to the edge of ecstasy.
Aris tugged her nipples and sharp pleasure arced, contracting her womb.
“I’m going to come,” said Kane.
Aris groaned, and Cyn knew he was close to coming, too.
Kane’s hands gripped Cyn’s thighs, his face, a mask of pleasure.
“I can’t wait,” she said, panting. “Oh, God.”
She cried out as she orgasmed, waves of bliss enrobing her entire being. Kane moaned, still embedded deeply inside her as he jettisoned his seed.
Aris followed seconds later, arching up as he squeezed her breasts and shuddered with his own release.
Kane removed his softening erection and collapsed to the ground. Cyn wiggled free of Aris and rolled off, stretching out between her mates. Both men turned onto their sides and scooted in close, hugging her tightly.
“Cat snuggles are the best,” she teased. Then she sobered. “I love you both so much.”
“We love you, too,” said Aris.
“Forever,” added Kane.