UnexpectedFind (20 page)

She delivered her snack and spent a few minutes assuring the
kids everything was fine. It was all lies, but how was she supposed to tell
them the truth? Already they knew they were in danger, that there was a
dangerous man after them. They didn’t need any more stress.

She made her way to the stairs. Rafe’s booming voice rang
out. She smiled and hurried back down. He stood naked next to an equally naked
Kade but she only had eyes for
her
golden-eyed man.

He opened his arms and she went to him. Wrapped in his
embrace, the worry and sadness of the last couple of hours faded away. A sense
of rightness settled over her. This was where she wanted to be. In Rafe’s arms.
She felt safe now. Complete. It was an illusion. Until the murdering shifter
was caught, they wouldn’t be safe but for this moment, she was. Rafe was here.

“Jasmine,” he breathed into her hair.

“I was worried about you. You left me and—”

He tightened his arms around her. “I’m sorry. I was a little
shocked and—”

“Any word from Devin?” Josh asked.

Rafe released her and took the shorts Kade handed to him.
Rafe yanked them on. “Isn’t he outside?” He glanced from Josh’s chalky face to
hers. “What else happened?”

“That bastard went after my parents.” Josh stalked across
the room, fists clenched at his sides. “Because I fucking forgot they’d be in
as much danger as the rest of us!”

Rafe cursed and looked behind Josh’s enraged body to where
Mira stood. “Mira?”

“Josh’s mom called about ten minutes ago and said there was
a lion there. Devin went over to…” Mira glanced at Josh then back to Rafe. “To
help them.”

“Remove their dead bodies.” Josh spun and glared at Mira.
She stepped back. “That’s what you mean. Isn’t it?”

“Enough.”

Kade’s voice rolled through the room. Everyone besides Rafe
flinched. It was hard not to react. The deep timbre sparked something elemental
that made her want to cower under the nearest table. She didn’t though. Rafe
stood inches from her. Her anchor. She shifted closer to him. He laid the tips
of his fingers on her hip. The sense of rightness rolled through her, taking
the fear away and replacing it with warmth.

“The past cannot be changed, Josh. Whatever happens to your
family is ultimately my fault. You are now part of my pride.” Kade flicked
angry eyes to Mira, who dropped her gaze. “It is my responsibility to protect
you and your family.”

Josh strode forward but Rafe shoved him back and got up into
his face. “Stop it, Josh. You and I are going to have to talk about your new
place in my family but now is not the time.” Josh opened his mouth. Rafe hissed
at him. “Go cool off, human. Save the fight for later.”

Josh pivoted and stormed back into the kitchen. Mira
followed but stopped at the door. She glanced back at Rafe who shook his head. “Keep
him occupied or he’ll end up with another scar.”

Kade grabbed handfuls of his hair and tugged. “You can take
the reins any day, brother.”

“Nope. I don’t want the hassle, never did.” Rafe reached for
her and she took his hand. “Besides, I’ve got my work cut out for me breeding
the next generation of Alexanders. I won’t have time to deal with family
problems.”

She stared at him wide-eyed. Rafe winked at her.

Kade shook his head and walked away. “I’m going to check on
the kids. Explain the plan to your female.”

She waited until Kade left then looked at Rafe. “What plan?”

“The one to end this shit once and for all.” Rafe led her to
the couch, sat and pulled her onto his lap. She straddled him. Slowly, he ran
his hands over her hair. The strokes soothed her and she suspected they calmed
Rafe too. After a moment, he continued, “He wants you, baby. Killing you will
destroy me and he knows that, so he’s going to keep coming at us until he
either gets you or I kill him.”

“Why does he hate you so much?”

Rafe pulled her closer. “He was a member of my father’s
pride. We were friends. I considered him a brother. I never knew he wasn’t
quite right in the head.” The heartbeat under her ear sped but his slow
caresses down her spine didn’t betray his agitation.

“He’d been seeing a human girl in town. I think he loved
her, but he’s not royal, he couldn’t take her as a mate. One night he came home
and asked me to mate her and share her with him.” She stiffened but his firm
hands on her back held her in place. “I told him no, that he was nuts. I didn’t
know how right I was at the time.”

“He didn’t take your refusal well?”

He stilled his hand a moment before continuing his downward
stroke. “Actually, he laughed it off, but the following night Nina and my
nieces went missing. Later we learned the girl he’d been seeing was attacked by
a wild animal.” An agonized groan fell from his lips. “He must’ve tried to mate
her but he wasn’t a royal. Instead of tying her life to his, he just killed
her.”

“Nina was a part of your family?”

“My little sister.” He swallowed hard. “She was only
sixteen.”

She sat back and looked into his eyes—golden, not hazel, but
the shape was the same and so was the slope of his nose.

“I’m sorry, Rafe.”

He brushed a hair from her cheek. “It was my fault we lost
her. I stumbled upon him in a situation that I should’ve questioned more, but I’d
believed Calum and lost Nina.”

She froze. “Did you say Calum?”

Rafe nodded.

“That’s the name of the abusive husband Nina said she was
running from.”

Rafe’s heart stopped with Jasmine’s revelation. While Calum
couldn’t mate with a human, he could take a royal shifter mate. In all the
years Nina had been gone, that fate had always been one he hoped hadn’t
happened. But it had. The deed had probably been done by the time he’d gotten
to the garage that night.

He closed his eyes and let the truth settle in his heart.
Nina had been forced into a mate bond and that meant Calum had fathered her
babes.

“Seth and Levi are his,” Jasmine mumbled, mirroring his
thoughts.

He held her close and kissed her cheek. “Shhh, it’s okay,
love. He won’t get them or you.”

“But if he finds out the truth, he’ll never give up. He’ll
want them back.” She gripped his biceps. “I changed my mind. Let’s pack up the
boys and move into the compound.” She squeezed harder. “They’ll be safe there,
right?”

He pried her hands from his arms. They trembled. He rubbed
her knuckles. “They’ll be safe here.”

She shook her head. Her eyes widened more. “No. You were
right in the first place. We should go.”

He scented her fear. It hung in the air around them.
Although he wanted to ease her anxiety, he couldn’t give her this. Not yet. “Your
reasons for staying were valid. I refuse to be the one to rip you from your
friends. Besides, you have a business here.”

“I don’t care. Because of me, Josh’s parents are in danger
to begin with. If we left when you wanted, Calum would’ve either followed us or
left town.” She swallowed hard. “If he kills them, I’m responsible. Their
deaths will be on my conscience.”

He enclosed her in his embrace. “No, baby. If anyone is to
blame, it’s me. I let him go in the first place.”

She pulled back and laid her palm on his cheek. “You didn’t
know he was sick. It’s not your fault.”

Yes it was and he’d make amends for it—to Nina and her
daughters, the little nieces he never got to meet. Rafe brought Jasmine’s hand
to his mouth. He kissed each finger. “If we go back to the compound, Josh will
have to move too. So will Mr. Wilkins when he recovers from his injuries.” Her
brows furrowed. He ran his thumb over the creases to smooth them out. “And do
you really think your stubborn friend will go? He’ll have to sell his bar, pack
up his parents.”

She groaned. “I hate this.”

“I know. That’s why I’m going to take Calum out before he
slips through our fingers again.”

She took a deep breath and sat up straighter. Her lips
thinned. She leveled him with a hard look. “We need a plan. Stumbling around
the woods and town, hoping to run into this nutcase isn’t working.”

He grinned and ran a finger down her cheek. This was the
strong woman who took in two helpless infants, protected and nurtured them.
Love for her grew. “We’re going to bait him with your blood.”

“Do you think it’ll work?”

He shrugged. “I hope his hatred will make him desperate.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

The front door opened. Devin walked in with two older humans
before Rafe could admit he didn’t know. Josh rushed toward them and embraced
first his mother and then his father. Jasmine jumped off his lap and went to
them too, hugging and kissing them both.

“Mom, Dad,” she cried.

Rafe tensed and looked at the humans. He’d suspected Jasmine
and Josh had been lovers at some point in the past but this suggested more. A
shared history that would’ve continued if Jasmine hadn’t been entrusted with
Rafe’s nephews.

“My god, how? What happened?” Josh asked.

“That neighbor kid with the obnoxious car radio is what
happened. He came driving down the street with some thumping rap song playing
and the lion took off,” the older male said.

“And this young man showed up and brought us here,” the
female added.

The humans continued their joyous reunion and he slipped to
the edge of the room where Kade stood vibrating with anger. The tips of claws
bit through the ends of his fingers and feline eyes took in the scene.

“You heard?” Rafe asked.

Kade nodded. “I am sorry I eavesdropped, brother.”

“Saves me from explaining.” Rafe turned and watched Seth,
Levi and Megan run down the stairs. They too jumped into the merry family
group. His jealousy grew.

“You can’t expect anything different,” Kade said with a jerk
of his head in the humans’ direction. “They filled the role we should have. It’s
only natural.”

“I know that, but it doesn’t ease me.” He motioned toward
where Josh and Jasmine had their heads bent close together and were talking to
Megan. “They’ve been lovers. Probably would’ve gotten married if Jasmine hadn’t
fallen into our world.”

“And?” Kade shook his head. “Do you think she existed in a
vacuum before you walked into her life? Of course she loved other males, but
she’s in your bed now. Make sure she stays there.”

“As soon as Calum pays for his sins, I will.”

Kade stepped in front of him, blocking the humans from his
sight. “Are you sure that’s wise? If you have Jasmine’s agreement, do it now.”

He didn’t have it yet and he wasn’t willing to admit that. “I
want Calum’s blood and if I start the mate bond, I won’t want to leave her side
until she wakes. That’s days where Calum will be wandering this area. We can’t
risk any more innocent lives. We’ve been lucky so far, but I won’t chance it.”

“You don’t have to be the one who kills him, Rafe.”

“Yes I do. He’s threatening my female. I won’t sit by and
allow you or one of the others to take my kill.” He turned his back on the
humans to hide his emerging feline traits and growled, “Calum had her. He
fucking had his hands on her. The same damn male who raped our sister and took
our nieces.”

“Don’t allow revenge to ruin your future. Nina wouldn’t want
you to lose your mate because of her.”

Kade walked away but his words played over and over in Rafe’s
head. No. This time, he’d get Calum, make him pay for what he did to Nina.

Rafe strode across the room and pulled Jasmine away from
Josh. She looked at him with questioning eyes. “I need you, woman.”

A blush stained her cheeks. She stared at him open-mouthed.
He held his hand out to her. She took it without hesitation. The comfort of his
female’s touch eased the chill in his heart that came from thinking about Nina.
He pulled her close and buried his face in her hair. Her scent, the unique
fragrance that was purely Jasmine, filled his lungs, calming him.

His chest rumbled with a purr and Jasmine jumped. She met
his eyes. “You’re purring.”

Rafe glanced at their audience and tugged Jasmine toward the
steps without answering. With the door to their bedroom shut behind them, he
yanked her into his arms and demanded, “Touch me, baby.”

She smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. “Tell me
about your purring and I will.”

He ran a hand over the back of his neck. “When I’m happy or
content, I purr. It’s not a big deal.”

Her grin widened. “Like a real cat then?”

He shrugged. Why deny it? “I do shift into them and my cats
like to purr, especially my tiger. I’ve resisted the urge but my cats are
demanding. They want your attention too.”

“They do?”

He nodded. “They’ve been patient, knew you were still unsure
of them but they’re tired of waiting. They want to meet you.”

She drew her bottom lip through her teeth and blurted, “Shift
for me. Please?”

“Are you sure?”

She blew out a slow breath. “Yes. I want to meet them too.”
She peeked at him through her lashes. “But maybe only one at a time.”

He reached deep within and touched each animal’s soul. He’d
let them decide who got to meet Jasmine first. His tiger stepped up and bumped
him. He yanked off his shorts and let the change sweep over him before his
female changed her mind. Once he mated her, these would be her cats too. He
wanted Jasmine to love them as much as he did.

Merged with his tiger, they were one and the same. He felt
his tiger’s love for Jasmine. He stood before her on four legs and looked upon
her with his animal’s sharpened vision. Still beautiful. Perfect. He waited
until her thumping heart slowed before he padded up to her. He rubbed against
her legs. She giggled.

“That tickles,” she cried.

He did it again and was rewarded with another happy sound.
Her joy fed his and he purred, the sound deeper in his animal’s body. Jasmine
knelt and tentatively reached for him. He lowered his head and silently urged
her closer. Her hand rested against his flank for a long moment before she
petted him. The fingers running through his fur trembled, but the strokes
became surer the longer she stroked him.

“You’re much bigger than I thought you’d be,” she mumbled.

He let her pet him and her touch tamed his cats, but the man
wasn’t content to only enjoy her loving caresses. He shifted and yanked her
against him, crushing her breasts to his chest and kissing her with the
desperation only she could stir. The short time they’d spent apart made his
hunger grow.

He ate at her mouth, swallowing her flavor and passionate
cries. With fevered hands, he undressed her, molded her body. Her breast,
buttocks, thighs. Not an inch of her frame was left unexplored. His mouth
followed the path he’d caressed. By the time he tumbled them to the bed, they
were both panting.

Jasmine fisted his cock and stroked him. He dropped his head
onto the pillow. Her steady tugs, the slide of her hand on his shaft and her
nipping bites on his chest drew his balls up. He moved with her in a dance she
controlled. It felt too good to stop but he wouldn’t make a habit of finding
release without Jasmine. He grabbed her wrist and gently squeezed until she
released him.

He gave her hip a small smack and demanded, “Roll over.”

She raised a brow but didn’t comment on the order or deny
him. She moved to her hands and knees and wiggled her lush ass in the air. “Is
this what you want?”

He laid a palm on one rounded cheek and massaged the flesh.
She squirmed and the scent of her arousal filled the room, seeped into his
lungs and became a part of him.

“It is, Jasmine. I love your ass.” He bent close and licked
the small rose inked on her skin. “And I love your tattoos.”

He pressed his lips to the design at her lower spine. With
small kisses, he worked his way up her back, pushing the strands of hair out of
his way. At the base of her neck, he stopped his exploration to join their
bodies. With his cheek against her shoulder, he rolled his hips, loosening her
tight sheath to accept him. Fully seated, he closed his eyes and allowed the
joy only Jasmine could bring to fill him.

“Before I make you my mate, I want my name tattooed right
here.” He kissed the base of her neck. “So everyone will know who you belong
to.”

“Only if you put mine on your body.”

He nipped the spot with his fangs and enjoyed the way her
muscles tightened around him in response to the small sting. “Sorry, love, I
don’t scar. A tattoo would only last until my next shift.”

He thrust hard and the words she’d begun to utter turned
into a long, low moan. With slow drives of his cock, he built the pleasure. He
took her to the point where her muscles trembled, the release imminent, then
stopped.

With his shaft buried to the hilt, he licked her shoulder. “When
I mate you, my bite will be made here.” He waited for her reaction. Instead of
fear, more cream bathed his cock. Her breathing quickened. “It’ll hurt, love,
but it’s necessary.”

No response beyond the quivering of her sheath. She didn’t
deny his declaration that he’d mate her nor did she seem surprised by the pain.
Had she already sought answers from Mira? Jasmine had mentioned talking to her.
Good. He wouldn’t have to discuss the scariest steps of the bonding with his
female. It would be bad enough being the one to cut her human ties and take her
to the point of death. He didn’t want to talk about it.

“You understand?”

“Yes,” she panted. “Fuck me, Rafe.”

He clamped his mouth over her shoulder and gave her what she
asked for. A rough, hard fuck that took her to the edge and kept her there, not
allowing her to tumble over. Her cries sharpened until only a breathless gasp
escaped with each thrust. His balls smacked against her body and her arousal
coated their thighs.

Wet, warm and tight—she fit him so damn well. Soon he’d have
her forever, just like this. A sheath custom made to him, a sex drive that
matched his and a body made for loving whenever the mood struck. Perfect. His
Jasmine.

Her sweet bottom cushioned him each time he entered her. She
accepted the pounding drives, widening her legs to take him in as far as this
position would allow. With a tilt of his hips, he shortened the entry,
quickened the pace. Not as deep but the strokes ran over and over the most
sensitive part of her sheath. She sucked in a rough gasp and he knew he’d found
the spot that drove her wild. He changed the depth so his cock rubbed that
special spot over and over.

Too soon, her orgasm hit. A vise grip clamped down on his
cock and Jasmine buried her face in her arm to muffle a cry. He bit her
shoulder until the first taste of blood teased his senses. Turning his head
away, he focused on the waves rippling over his shaft instead of how it felt to
have his female’s tender flesh in his mouth. Soon. He wouldn’t be able to wait
too long. His cats might take the choice out of his hands.