“Scared,”
Maarten interjected when Ryder hesitated.
“This scared of being paralyzed, unable to move. I can’t stand it. I saw a shifter friend of mine fall and break his neck. He didn’t die quickly. With his healing abilities, he should have, but even those abilities weren’t enough to repair the damage done to him. It took him weeks to die. He couldn’t heal, and the medical advances used on humans aren’t available for us. It was horrific. Then when Luuk was overthrown, I was restrained once.”
It’d been terrifying, to be so helpless. Another shifter had bound him, and like this Robert Butler, had done it in a way that Maarten hadn’t been able to escape. It’d been a very bad night for Maarten.
“I can’t stand this. It’s worse than the heat in the trunk.”
“You can stand it, because I’m coming for you, Maarten. I feel you, in my heart, in my soul, my mind. I know which direction you’re in. I can tell that I’m closer with every mile we drive. We found the abandoned car. I saw… I saw your blood on the ground, smelled it, raged at the knowledge that you’d been hurt so much. Marcus had to calm me. I almost shifted right there in an alley in Macapa. I love you, Maarten. Stay with me, slip further into my mind and away from yours and the fear you are tangled in. Come to me.”
“I will.”
But something potentially important niggled at his brain.
“Butler, his voice has a faint Northern accent, almost undetectable, like a long time ago he might have came from Maine or Massachusetts, maybe Rhode Island. He talks like he’s smart, too.”
With that thought, the last of Maarten’s strength waned and he couldn’t resist the escape. Maarten let himself drift, snuggling into Ryder’s warmth, leaving behind the pain as he slipped into something that wasn’t quite a sleep. He was going to be with his mate. Nothing was stopping him.
* * * *
Marcus waited for Ryder to speak.
“He’s awake now, but he’s hiding in me,” Ryder said. “I don’t know if that makes sense.”
“It does,” Marcus acknowledged. “The bond between mates is capable of many things, even leaving one’s corporeal body behind, in a manner of speaking. His body is still there, still with him, but he’s bringing most of his heart and soul over to you for safekeeping.” Marcus smiled slightly. “Sounds melodramatic and romantic, and to some extent, it is the latter, but it’s also something that happens only in extreme circumstances. He must be very afraid. Or very hurt.” As much as he hated to add that on, Marcus had to. Honesty was important to him and to Ryder as well.
“He is hurting, yes. They beat him, Marcus. I know you can”—Ryder spared him a quick look of apology—“understand that, having been abducted and held prisoner for months as you were.”
Yes, months during which he’d been starved, beaten, taunted, threatened and so on. He understood. Many times he’d thought he would die. Sometimes he’d even wanted to. Nathan had saved him from all that.
“He’ll get past this,” Marcus said. “Maarten may joke and seem as if he hasn’t got a care in the world, but he is fiercely loyal, and smart, and strong. Robert Butler has no idea what he’s done.”
“I wish we knew what that bastard looked like.” Ryder tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
“If Dana can’t find a photo of him, it’s because there isn’t one to be found. Olin searched as well,” Keegan added from his third row seat.
Olin leaned forward. “Granted, a cell phone isn’t the best search instrument, but I did also email someone I trust at the security company I work for. She couldn’t find anything on Robert Butler, either. I think it has to be a fake name. Cynthia, the co-worker I contacted, is checking on names of drug dealers in Brazil. She’ll be sending me info any moment now, I’d think.”
“Maarten didn’t see the man’s face. He was still blindfolded when they took him from the trunk.” Ryder smacked the steering wheel. “A northerner, Olin. Maarten said his voice sounded like someone who’d once lived in Maine or Rhode Island, Massachusetts, somewhere around there, but had almost lost that accent. Cultured, which could mean Butler is educated—or just acts like it. Anything else, Maarten?”
Ryder frowned then nodded. “Doesn’t think Butler is old or even middle aged. That’s a guess, though.”
“It’s something more to go on,” Olin replied. “Apparently there are a fuck-ton of drug dealers in Brazil, big ones. Jesus, I didn’t realize. Guess I’m not as hip as I thought I was.”
“Drugs do little to nothing for shifters, so it isn’t something we keep track of either,” Keegan said to his mate.
Marcus focused his attention back on Ryder. “Do you want me to drive?”
“No. I can feel which way Maarten is. This is easier.” Ryder slanted him a sardonic look. “Is it driving you nuts letting me lead?”
Marcus shrugged one shoulder. “I won’t lie and say it feels natural, but I am a reasonable man.” Then he added a smile that was more teeth than sincerity. “As long as you’re doing what I think you should be doing.”
Ryder chortled. “Well, I’m surprised you’ve admitted it, though I shouldn’t be. I’m secure enough to admit that I’ll listen to any advice you have. You have more knowledge than I do about everything shifter related. I’m not a cocky fuckwit—most of the time, anyway.”
Marcus had chosen well when he’d pushed Ryder to take over the South American packs. It wasn’t that Ryder was in his pocket, so to speak, but Ryder was fair, and smart, and he had a good heart along with a spine of steel. He was made to become the Alpha Anax somewhere, and it sure wasn’t going to be North America, where Marcus ruled, or Europe, as Luuk had no intention of leaving his position as Alpha Anax. The same could be said of the AA of every other continent.
And now it could be said of Ryder as well. He was securely invested in his pack placement.
If he lost his mate, all that would change.
Marcus was worried for his friend and for the stability of the packs under Ryder’s care.
“Can you tell how far away he is?” Nathan asked, yawning afterwards. “All this riding is making me drowsy.”
“Not far,” Ryder answered. “At least he wasn’t flown somewhere. I feel like he must be in Cayenne. That’s in French Guiana, and it… It fits in here.” He tapped his chest. “It’s not huge, but still Cayenne’s a big enough place to have plenty of hiding spots. I don’t think Butler is going to hide in a small village. He’ll want the pretense of safety a larger area will give. I suppose he could be in São Paolo, but no. Maarten is closer than that.”
Marcus trusted Ryder’s instincts. Just as if Nathan had been taken from him, Marcus would know how to track him. He’d feel Nathan in his core. Nothing would keep him from finding his mate.
Nathan placed a hand on Marcus’ nape. The comforting touch was perfectly timed. Marcus reached over his shoulder and cupped Nathan’s hand. He patted it, then let go.
“We’ve heard nothing from Guillermo and Vero yet?” Marcus asked, though he knew the answer.
Keegan cleared his throat. “No. I did ask them to contact me since they’re looking for our pack member, but I haven’t received any information at all. I would try calling them, but should a phone ring at an inopportune time, it could have deadly consequences.”
Marcus knew that. He was just worried about Dallas. “Of course.”
Keegan’s phone rang and the atmosphere in the car immediately became tenser than it had been. “Yes, Dana?”
Not about Dallas, then. Marcus wished he was sitting with Nathan instead of in the front passenger seat beside Ryder. He wanted to press close to Nathan.
“Soon,” Nathan whispered, touching him again.
Keegan asked Dana about jaguar shifters.
Marcus listened, but couldn’t make out what Dana said.
When Keegan hung up, he grumbled, “What a frustrating waste of time. She found nothing about jaguar shifters, nothing about drug dealers that helps us—nothing, period. I can understand the shifter thing, I guess, since you can’t Google and find us. Lots of rumors and crazy theories, but not
us.
”
“Why wouldn’t it be the same for the criminals?” Nathan inquired. “Think about it. They sure as hell don’t want their names out there.”
“Right. Makes sense.” Keegan didn’t speak again.
Marcus rested his head against the uncomfortable seat. He closed his eyes and tried to still his mind and worries. What would come, would come, and he was going to have to deal with it.
Chapter Six
So far, Dallas hadn’t made it past the waterfall. He’d tried, but his feet were uncooperative and he knew the mate bond was already tightening between him and Tiago.
Tiago, who didn’t want Dallas’ kind there.
Wow, Fate must really hate Tiago to saddle him with me.
Dallas wasn’t going to even consider what he might have done to get sentenced to a lifetime with a man who didn’t like what he was.
Tiago kept watching him with those pretty, hungry eyes.
Dallas glanced at the waterfall again. It was growing dark outside. Soon the cavern would be pitch black. With his senses screwed up, would he even be able to see? Dallas shuddered at the idea of being enveloped in darkness.
Movement caught his attention. Tiago stood and stretched, displaying his perfect body right in front of Dallas. Tiago’s thick cock hadn’t gone totally soft. Dallas’ mouth watered as he looked at it.
Tiago huffed and lowered his arms. He ghosted a hand over his length. “If this is not to change between us, why do you refuse to let me have you?”
“Let you—” Dallas could out-huff Tiago any day. “You do understand it works both ways? With my kind,” he stressed those three words and watched Tiago flinch. “We mate for life. I won’t want anyone other than you and while yeah, I love to get fucked, every now and then I’d like to mix it up and fuck you, too. You’ll be it, all I get until I die, and it damned well better be the same for you. Man, if destined mates only works on my end, and you can go around screwing everything with a hole… Just, no. No way.” Gods, that would be horrible! He’d never be able to handle it.
Tiago tossed his long black hair. “How am I to know what will happen to me? I told you. Jaguars don’t have mates. We just have sex. Others annoy us after a short period of time. I am
trying
here, Dallas. I feel the…the tug inside, and I can’t leave you here and I don’t think I can let you leave—not without following you. What do you want me to do? My head and body are at odds. You come into my life and everything is altered, and I want to understand, and I want you, and I don’t want to want you but then I do and—”
“Fuck it,” Dallas snapped as he stood up. “I’ve had sex with guys for way less reasons than this.” Tiago was his mate. Maybe, instead of fighting it, giving in was the way to go—for both of them. Sex could be the gateway to learning about each other. It wasn’t an unusual method for mates to take.
Tiago was frozen in place as Dallas stomped over to him. Well, stomped at first. The rock beneath his heels caused him pain with every angry step though, so he had to switch to a normal walk.
He stopped when his toes touched Tiago’s. “You’re confused, upset, angry? So am I. But I know what’s happening in here is right.” He touched his chest, also brushing the back of his hand over Tiago’s skin.
Tiago wasn’t the only one who shivered.
“Destined mates are made for each other. That means this isn’t wrong, and we are each other’s missing half. You aren’t going to fuck anyone else. It would kill me if you did. It’s an unacceptable thing and you won’t even want to. Neither will I. That’s how this works.” He had to believe that, because anything less would break him. He felt the bonds tightening. “You went through a hell of a lot of trouble to get me, Tiago. Now what are you going to do with me?”
Tiago hissed and narrowed his eyes.
Before Dallas knew it, Tiago had him by the back of his head, and had his other arm around Dallas’ hips.
Dallas clutched at Tiago’s shoulders and came up onto his toes.
Tiago growled as he lowered his mouth to Dallas’.
There was full-body contact at the same time that their lips touched.
Dallas cried out, the sudden, overwhelming flood of desire almost knocking his feet out from under him.
The hot, hard stab of Tiago’s cock would surely brand him.
Tiago slid the hand on Dallas’ hip around to his ass and he kneaded Dallas’ cheek. At the same time, he licked Dallas’ lips then pushed his tongue past them.
Dallas mewled and raised a leg up, intending to hook it around Tiago’s hip.
Instead, Tiago held him tighter, and began to lower them to the soft mossy bed he’d made earlier.
Dallas might have swooned. He was being held by his strong, sexy mate, laid out on a bed made just for him, just for this purpose.
Tiago kissed him voraciously, as if he couldn’t get enough of Dallas.
Dallas knew the feeling. He parted his legs when his back touched the moss.
Tiago settled into place between them, never once breaking the kiss. He suckled on Dallas’ lips as he began to rut, sliding his dick alongside Dallas’.
Dallas’ body was going into sensual overload. Every place Tiago touched him was unlike any other man’s touch had been. It was erotic and perfect and so pleasurable that Dallas couldn’t even comprehend it. His body was pinging, shooting bolts of bliss throughout. His skin was extra-sensitized, making every drag and rub seem magnified.
And he could only let his body take over. Whatever disagreements or things he didn’t like about Tiago ceased to matter. This wasn’t a meeting of the minds. It was two desperate bodies driven by instincts so old as to be unnamable.
Dallas thrust up, clutching, clawing, gripping Tiago everywhere. He managed to get two handfuls of hair and held on as he writhed.
Tiago growled and scraped very sharp feline teeth down Dallas’ neck.
Dallas arched for him. His tits burned, his balls ached, and his ass was entirely too empty—and he wasn’t going to last.
Tiago bit without warning, sinking his long canines in deep.
Dallas’ shout rang out in the cavern as he came, his orgasm twisting out of him with an almost violent wrench. Dallas squirmed and stiffened, rubbed and cried out as his climax went on and on.