Cat of a Different Color: Halle Pumas, Book 3 (8 page)

“You better not be blaming yourself.”

“And what if I am?” she whispered.

He shook his head. “You are not responsible for the actions of Parker.”

“If Belle hadn’t volunteered to protect me she wouldn’t have been hurt.” Relief lit his eyes at her tone of voice, and she knew he understood that she wasn’t upset.

She was pissed.

“Belle is going to be fine. I promise you that.”

Sheri shook her head. “How can she be? Mrs. Anderson told me they had to put a pin in her hip! If they did she won’t be able to change, you know that.”

He sighed. “That woman talks too much,” he muttered.

“Tell me about it.”

His lips twitched, the rest of the anger leeching away. “We’re trying to figure that one out.”

“And what about Emma’s store?”

His eyes widened in shock before dark lashes dropped over them, hiding his expression. “What about Emma’s store?”

“I know about the window, Doc Obvious.”

He laughed. “That’s a new one.”

She rolled her eyes. “Stick with me, kid, I’ve got a million of them.”

“I plan on it,” he purred, gently cradling her body against his. He reached up with one hand and gently tweaked one of her pale nipples.

“Uh…”

“I know just which part I’d like to stick to, too.”

She thought about bopping him on the head, but it hurt too much to move. “First off, I’m in way too much pain for what you have in mind. Secondly, I will not be distracted by sex.”

“No?” He pouted down at her, eyes twinkling with mischief.

“No.”

“You’re sure?” he asked as his hot tongue swiped quickly across her puckered nipple.

“Sure,” she gasped, not sure anymore what she was agreeing too.

“Marry me?” he whispered just before he kissed her with mind-bending thoroughness.

“Sure…wait, what?”

“Too late,” he grinned triumphantly.

“Hold on there, weren’t we fighting a minute ago?”

“Nope.”

“But—”

“Hey, no take-backs!”

“
Adrian
!” She laughed, loving the look in his eyes as they twinkled down at her.

He shook his head, clucking his tongue. “That wasn’t the kind of screaming I was going for tonight, sweetheart. Guess I’ll just have to try harder.” He sighed happily.

“Dork.” She laughed breathlessly as his mouth landed on her breast again.

He laved her nipple gently, barely sucking it between his lips. “Hey, studies show that orgasms are very good for pain management. It has to do with all those lovely endorphins crashing through your body. Hold very still, sweetheart.”

“Not…sure…I can,” she panted, desperate to get closer to him. The pain in her body seemed to recede when he touched her like that, so maybe there was something to that endorphin thing, after all.

Or maybe it was just his touch. Everything seemed better when he touched her.

“If you don’t hold still I’ll have to figure out some other way to help you sleep,” he whispered, grinning his wicked grin. He kissed the tip of her nose when she whimpered and froze. “Good girl.”

He nibbled his way down her neck to his mark, but didn’t bite. She wanted him to, oh, so desperately, but he merely shushed her and moved on.

Butterfly-light kisses worked their way down her body, stopping at each breast to lovingly pay homage. Lips, teeth and tongue came out to play as he did his best to make her forget her pain. He kept his body away from hers, hovering over her as he moved down, almost as if he was afraid to touch her. He lingered on the bruise on her hip, barely breathing on it as he growled over it. The barely there kisses soothed the ache in her heart more than the ache in her hip. She closed her eyes and shivered as he worked his way down one leg. He kissed both of her feet reverently before working his way back up the other leg. He spread her legs apart, softly kissing up the inside of her thigh. She waited for him to nip her there, wanting to feel the bite of his teeth, but again he refused. Instead, he began a long, languid, wet lapping at her pussy that had her drenched in seconds. It took everything in her not to follow that hot tongue as he methodically worked her over, slit to clit, never stopping, speeding or slowing.

Her breath was coming in pants, her hips undulating despite her efforts to hold them still. “So good,” she whispered just before the orgasm rolled through her, hot and sweet as candy.

Her eyes opened as he slid inside her. She could feel every rock hard inch of him straining against her as he held himself back. “I love you,” he whispered just before he took her mouth with a dominance that left her feeling weak and shaken.

He fucked her slowly, careful not to jar her. She could see the promise in his eyes. As soon as the pain was gone he planned on giving her what they both wanted, a good, hard pounding that would leave them breathless, sweaty and very, very happy.

For tonight, he gave them what they both needed.

She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, barely hiding the wince the movement caused. “I love you, too.”

His eyes went wide and, as if the words were a trigger she’d pulled, he came with a groan.

He lay there as she slept in his arms and tried to go to sleep, but every little noise in the house had his eyes flying wide open. The creak of the front porch swing had him nearly leaping out of the bed. He knew Gabe was guarding them, but a part of him just couldn’t relax. Not after his conversation with Parker earlier. There was no way in hell he was sleeping tonight, and he knew it. He’d be lucky if he dozed.

Sheri snuffled in her sleep and curled in tighter around him. Sighing, she settled back down, one arm draped across his stomach, one leg thrown across both of his.

If they didn’t catch Rudy soon he was going to be one massively tired kitty. He kissed his princess on the forehead and resigned himself to guarding her sleep.

Chapter Eight

Richard Lowell was huge and intimidating. The man easily reached six-foot-four. Broad, powerful shoulders matched the massively muscled arms crossed over his chest. Pale blue eyes stared coldly at Adrian from a face that had seen hard times. There was a scar that ran the length of his left cheek, an angry red one that let Adrian know it was still new, probably within the last few weeks. Since he was the new Pack Alpha, odds were he’d received it during a dominance challenge. Long bright red hair was tightly bound by a braid that went all the way to his waist. He wore black jeans and a dark blue sweater that strained against his massive chest. “What do you mean you’re leaving to bring back the other female?”

Belinda was being discharged from the hospital. She’d been in a full day longer than Sheri. She’d refused to go to a halfway house, opting instead for physical therapy on an outpatient basis. “Both women are at risk, Belle because she pushed Sheri out of the way of the car. I think it’s best to have them both under the same roof, especially since Belle can’t protect herself right now. Gabriel will guard Sheri while I fetch Belle.”

“I don’t think that’s wise.”

Adrian stared at the huge Pack Alpha. “You’re here. Are you telling me that Parker will be able to get through you, your Marshal, his second,
my
second, and two other wolves to get to my mate?”

“I’ll send one of my wolves to fetch the female.”

Adrian rolled his eyes. “Sure, right. Belle would take one look at your guys and scream her head off. No offense but she doesn’t know any of you guys from Adam, and she has reason to be cautious of Wolves right now.”

“But she trusts you, since you’re Pride.” Richard still stared at him coldly. “Then have one of my men go with you, or send your Second.”

Gabe flushed. “She won’t go with me, either.”

Richard looked at the sheriff briefly before returning those cold eyes to Adrian. “Meaning that the female can’t trust the peacekeepers of her Pride?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose; the headache he’d woken up with that morning was only getting worse. “Look, there were some issues between Belle and the rest of the Pride that we’re still resolving, and none of them are her fault. She trusts very few people right now. I just happen to be one of them.” He looked around the room at the five Wolves and three Pumas. “Sheri isn’t leaving this house, and she’s one of the few Belle trusts. Emma and Becky are dealing with the vandalism of their store. Max and Simon will be going with me to get Belle, and, no, I will
not
send them alone; the threat is to both of them as well. Gabe will protect my mate. I’m asking you to stay here and help him with that. If you can’t I’ll make other arrangements.”

The power rolling off of Richard was different from the power that Max exuded with such ease. The man was incredibly strong, but the difference between the independent, strong-willed power of the Pride Alpha and the dominant hammer the Pack Alpha wielded as he tried to bludgeon Adrian into submission were completely different. Richard didn’t give a fuck what Adrian wanted. He demanded obedience with his force of will. He probably always got it, too.

But not today.

Adrian knew he was right. He was acting on his instincts as his Pride’s Marshal, not as a Puma with a mate in danger. The thought of sending Max and Simon to the hospital alone gave him a major case of the panics. He stared the Alpha down, not budging an inch as Gabe clutched his head and groaned. Sheri curled up in a ball, whimpering at the power rolling through the room.

“Let it go, Rick, he’s not going to budge,” the Pack Marshal said with a smile as his second joined in with some head clutching and groaning of his own. The other wolves were all cowering on the floor at their Alpha’s display of temper.

The power Richard had been wielding abruptly cut off. “You are a stubborn man,” Richard said softly.

“I’m my Pride’s Marshal, and every instinct I have says it’s dangerous to send Max after Belle without me.”

Richard stared at him for a long moment before nodding once. He turned to his Marshal. “Secure the area, Ben. Let me know when the Pride Alpha and Beta arrive.”

The man nodded once and motioned to the other wolves. They left the house, presumably to “secure the area” to their Alpha’s satisfaction.

“Thank you.”

The other man finally smiled. “No problem.”

Adrian shook his head and sat next to Sheri. He gathered her close, not surprised when she tucked her face into his shoulder. “As soon as the others get here I’ll leave. Belle will sleep here, with us, until Parker’s dealt with. You’ll be able to fuss over each other to your heart’s content. Okay?”

She nodded.

“Head hurt, princess?”

She shook her head.

Richard knelt in front of them, his ice blue eyes soft as he looked at the trembling woman. “I promise you, Parker will not lay a finger on you while you are under my protection.”

Sheri looked up at the huge man. She bit her lip, uncertainty in her eyes as she stared at him. “May I see you?”

Adrian started, his Puma snarling. “Seeing” Richard meant nose to nose, not something he felt comfortable with.

Richard looked at Adrian, then looked back at Sheri. “I can understand your nervousness, considering it was Wolves who attacked you. If it will make you feel more comfortable, by all means, um,” he frowned, slightly confused, “see me.”

Adrian sat back and forced himself to allow his mate to get close to the big, bad Wolf.

Sheri stared at the large red-headed man in front of her and tried to remember that he was there to help. The fact that he smelled of Wolf didn’t help much. His coldness and his power only made her more afraid.

But when he’d knelt in front of her and tried to reassure her she’d known he understood. He only
seemed
cold. Every instinct she had told her that this man would sooner gnaw off his own paw than hurt a woman. She didn’t know how she knew that, she just did.

Maybe it was in his scent, or the way he immediately grasped her problem and tried to fix it in the only way he knew how. By opening himself up to her examination he allowed her teeth and claws dangerously close to his unprotected eyes and neck, something he would never do if he felt threatened in any way. It reassured her in a way nothing else could have.

She leaned in close and allowed their noses to almost touch. She felt Adrian’s tension and knew he wouldn’t appreciate it if she actually made contact with the other man.

Pale blue eyes stared at her from a battle-worn face. The initial layer of frost hid a nature more deeply compassionate and caring than any she’d ever seen before, mixed with a fierce determination to protect those he considered under his care. It was easy to see. She’d seen it in Adrian’s eyes once too often to mistake it.

But it was different in this man. Where Adrian was content to slide through until his special abilities were called for, this man was always “on”, always aware of what was happening with and to those people he considered his. If her mate hadn’t had the threat of Parker to fuel his power, he’d have been groaning right alongside Gabe.

“I can see why she is your mate now,” he said, staring into her eyes. What he saw there, she had no idea, but it seemed to reassure him just as much as what she saw reassured her. “She sees deeply, more deeply than anyone I’ve ever met.”

“But I was still fooled by Rudy.”

He went cold again, hiding himself behind icy eyes. “Just because you can see deeply doesn’t mean you always think to look.”

He stood up, towering over them, and stared at their joined hands. “She’ll be safe with us. Go get the other female.”

And he turned and walked into the kitchen without a backward glance.

Sheri tapped her fingers nervously on her legs. She was watching television, trying to distract herself until the others returned. Richard’s utter stillness wasn’t helping, either; it wasn’t relaxed at all. It was the stillness of a predator waiting for his prey to come within striking distance. He stayed away from windows and doors, making sure she did the same, and he kept between her and the doors and windows the few times she moved. He inspected every room she went into before she entered it. He’d detailed his Marshal and men to outside guard duty. His Marshal had agreed, as he felt it was his job to guard them both. In short, he acted the perfect bodyguard. Gabe was outside with the other Wolves, since he was familiar with the wooded territory behind Adrian’s house and they weren’t.

Her cell phone rang. An amused chuckle came from over her shoulder as he heard her ring tone. “Where did you find that?”

“On a website that had Looney Tunes sound waves,” she answered as she dug her phone out of her purse.

He chuckled some more as Sylvester the Cat’s voice said once again, “You’re darn tootin’, Buster. You
did
see a pussycat!”

“Hello?”

“Hello, Sheridan.”

She felt her blood run cold as Rudy’s soft, growling voice filled her ears. She looked up at Richard, hoping he could see the expression on her face, but his back was to her. “Hello, Rudy.”

“I hear you’ve been a busy, busy girl, Sheridan.”

She licked her lips as Richard moved to look out one of the kitchen windows. “Yes, I have.”

“I’d love to get together, discuss what you’ve been up to. Do lunch, maybe.”

“Sorry, my social calendar is booked full through two thousand sixty. Maybe some other time.”

“Really? Because Giordano would just
love
it if you joined us.”

She froze. “Adrian’s not with you.”

“No? Have you spoken to him since he left for the hospital?”

Richard turned back to stare at her but was too far away for her to see his expression. “No, I haven’t.”

“Tell you what, Sheridan. I’m a generous guy. You get on the phone and call him, see how he’s doing. I’ll call back in five. Just to see if you’ve been able to get a hold of him.”

The connection cut off.

With shaking hands and voice she filled Richard in as she dialed Adrian’s cell. No answer. She tried Max’s, and then Simon’s.

No answer.

Her heart pounding with fear, she started to dial Emma’s number. When the cell phone rang again she jumped. She fumbled it open. “Hello?”

“Well, Sheridan? Were you able to get in touch with any of them?”

“No,” she whispered, terrified beyond belief.

“That’s odd, because I could have sworn I heard his cell phone ringing.”

The gloating triumph in his voice sent shards of terror straight down her spine.

“What do you want?”

“Hmm. Well, my men
are
getting hungry. Are you sure you won’t join us for lunch?”

She whimpered. Wolf packs in the wild had been known to eat lone pumas.

“I tell you what, sweetheart. I’ll arrange it so you can get away from the Neanderthal who thinks he’s guarding you. You leave the house, come quietly with me, and maybe I won’t feed Giordano to my packmates. Deal?”

Before she could answer Rudy disconnected.

“Don’t even think about it.”

She looked up at the large Pack Alpha. Menace rolled off him in waves. “I have no choice.”

“Then don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re leaving this house without me.”

The sound of a gunshot cut off anything else she might have said. A cry of agony was swiftly followed by another gunshot.

“Shit! Wait,” Richard said. “This must be what he was talking about. Move to the front door, I’m right behind you.”

She saw him pull something out from behind his back and figured it must be a gun. At least she hoped it was a gun.

She moved around the couch to grab Jerry’s harness but Richard’s hand stopped her. “Leave him. He’ll be safer.” She nodded her agreement and moved to the front door, opening it slowly.

A third shot rang out before it was open all the way, startling her. She heard Richard groan just before the large man fell, knocking her to the ground.

“Get up, Sheridan, let’s go.”

Rudy grabbed her arm and dragged her to a car. “Be grateful I don’t have much time,” he said as he shoved her in the car, “or I’d have made sure the big fucker was dead.” He got in behind her, crowding in close to her. “Drive,” he snarled to the man in the driver’s seat.

“Get off me,” Sheri said, trying to push him away from her. Another shot rang out, and this time Rudy cursed.

“Not on your life. You’re mine again, and there is no way in hell I’m letting you go.”

When he began ripping at her clothes she began fighting. A vicious slap stunned her long enough for him to rip away her sweater. She thought briefly about shifting but she was still mostly clothed. Getting tangled in her jeans would merely make her more vulnerable.

So she fought him with teeth and claws as he bit and snarled over her, praying that Adrian would arrive before Rudy got to finish what he’d started.

Max pulled up outside of Adrian’s house and snarled. “Problems.”

“No shit, Sherlock, what was your first clue?” Simon snarled back, climbing out of the Durango. “What the hell happened here?”