Prowl (Pride Riders Book 3) (2 page)

Chapter Two

Ari shoved the lever up and the meter started. Gas flowed into the motorcycle’s tank. Trace was on the opposite side of the island.

Ari rolled his shoulders to ease the tension. His brother was probably making a report to El, or chatting with his mate. Most likely the latter, but he would find out if his phone rung in the next few seconds. If El was on the line, he would know for sure.

His mind drifted to the night before. The shifter he’d met—there was something about her he couldn’t forget. He could see her clearly in his mind’s eye; the soft curve of her hips, and the way she seamlessly shifted into some type of furry squat animal. A slow smile lifted his lips as a particular memory struck him. She even had white spots on her pussy. The carpet matched the curtains.

His cock hardened and he absentmindedly adjusted his crotch to accommodate his erection. He shouldn’t have found that little beast sexy. What the hell was wrong with him? No woman—let alone a female shifter—had ever affected him this way. He found most of the women in his life to be pains in his ass.

He had to find her, but he wasn’t exactly sure why. He’d only seen his brothers like this when they were in the throes of a mating connection…

Ari groaned.
Oh, hell, fuck, no, it couldn’t be…

The rumbling of a well-tuned engine caught his attention. He looked up and admired the brightly colored motorcycle weaving in and out of the traffic. The bike was an attention-grabber; not quite his taste, but the machine itself was a beauty. Whoever the rider was, they had a sweet handle on how to maneuver it.

He studied the form of the rider. The rider was a woman, and he ran his gaze down her luscious body, admiring the way her ass hugged the seat. She wore tight jeans, biker boots, and a light tank top that didn’t quite cover the smooth dark skin of her shapely back. The cycle slipped into the lane closest to the station and slowed to a stop at the red light. She straightened and turned her head. Ari peered through the visor into the same honey-colored eyes he’d seen the night before.

He lifted his head and sniffed, dissecting the myriad of odors that permeated the air. The faint sugary-sweet aroma sent warning bells going off in his head. Maybe the Goddess favored him after all.

He yanked the gas hose free and shoved it back into its slot in the pump. The light changed, and the elusive woman rolled off. Ari swung his leg over the body of his bike and started the engine. He roared off after her, tearing into oncoming traffic. Horns blared and tires screeched as he crossed solid white lines, cutting off drivers. The aroma of burned rubber tainted the air. His nostrils burned as he shot through the growing scent cloud.

As if she knew she was being tracked, the woman glanced behind her. She increased her speed and sped away, blowing through a red light. His tires spun as he swerved to avoid hitting the back of a braking car and the side of his calf brushed the asphalt, ripping a hole into his jeans.

In the middle of the intersection, the light quickly changed again. Automobiles came at him from all directions, and drivers veered to the side to avoid hitting him. He revved the engine and leaned over, sliding under a semi. Ari’s cycle wobbled as he pushed it upright. He dropped his foot on the asphalt to use it as a pivot to spin around before darting between two cars speeding toward him from the opposite direction. He rose up from his seat, peering over car roofs in search of his prey.

Sun rays glinted off her helmet as she disappeared around a dump truck. Locked on her scent, he raced toward her. Damn it, he wouldn’t lose her a second time. Hugging the guard rail, he squeezed past the truck and rounded the vehicle’s front end. He shot over the shoulder as dust, pebbles, and debris kicked up from his tires. Just ahead, she broke away from the flow of traffic and rode up a ramp onto the expressway.

He hung back, following her from a few car lengths behind. She probably thought she lost him. He would bide his time, catch her off guard, and lock her down.

The inside pocket of his jacket vibrated against his chest. No way in hell was he stopping to answer a summons from his brothers. They were the only ones who would be calling. The small town landscape gave way to copses of trees, comedic billboards, and open grassy fields. Wind blew through his hair, caressing his scalp. Riding was second nature to him, and time became a non-issue as he rode.

Even a half mile behind the woman, he couldn’t miss the vividly colored bike. Ari glanced up at the sun; it was past its zenith and she had to be getting tired. At the very least, she was probably low on gas. They had been riding for hours.

She rode onto an exit ramp and he trailed behind her, pulling into a gas station, and parking behind her motorcycle. By the time he twisted around on his seat, the woman was gone, her helmet placed squarely on her seat.

He swung his leg around and dismounted, peering over the gas pumps. A group of young men stood around a bus’s rear fender. College sports team, maybe. He scanned the area; nothing but a couple of families with children running around them and some roadside vendors selling fruit and trinkets. Then he spotted her.

She was holding bear-shaped bottles filled with a golden liquid. After paying the clerk, she stuffed the change the guy gave her in a pocket, and walked straight toward him. He cocked his head and backed up to get a better view, watching with avid interest the way her hips swayed. Her walk was sensual, almost hypnotic. He waited anxiously for her to reach him.

She stopped just out of his reach. “Want to tell me why you’re following me?” Her tone was even, but she clutched the bottles in a white-knuckled fist.

“You have something I want.” His cat rose up in his mind and started pacing.

“Do I know you?” She tilted her head and looked him up and down. Shaking her head, she added, “Never mind. Whoever you are, whatever you think you want, you got the wrong person.” She moved around the gas pumps toward her bike.

The cheetah roared in his mind at her refusal to acknowledge him. His animal confirmed what he, the man, suspected. Fuck the mission, she was his mate. His claws erupted from his fingertips, and fur grew from hair follicles. His canines extended. He sucked in a deep breath and tethered his beast.

Ari took a step in her direction and caught himself. “You know exactly who I am.” The words fell through his lips in a jumble, slurred by the fangs filling his mouth.

Her nose twitched as her eyes widened. “No freaking way!” Her tone drew the attention of the humans around them. She lowered her voice. “This is all wrong. You’re the cat…the cheetah. How the fuck did you find me?” Slowly, she backed up.

“A beast will always find his mate,” he growled. The number of males in the area was making his cat possessive. This wasn’t good. Even with people watching, all he wanted to do was toss her ass to the ground and sheathe his dick deep in her body to claim her.

He was supposed to be on a job. The Goddess was one hell of a comedian. He’d found the one woman meant for him and she was stuck in denial. “What are you? Your scent is unfamiliar.”

“I am my own woman. I belong to no one.” She swallowed hard, stopping between the bikes and next to a metal barrel.

“Until now.” He locked the cheetah down. Too many humans were watching. The young men who were by the bus drifted toward them.

“All jokes aside, if this is about last night. I got hold of those papers long before you arrived.” She looked down at her hands longingly, and sighed. “Giving up this good stuff is a little painful,” she muttered and placed the bottles on the top of a plastic trash barrel.

“What’s your name?” Ari watched her closely, and took a tentative step. She was a wily one. His cat chuffed in agreement.

“That’s really not important.” She glanced around. “As informative as our meeting has been, I have business to take care of.”

Horrified, he watched as she opened her mouth and screamed loud. “Help! Oh my God! Please, baby, don’t hurt me! I promise I wasn’t trying to leave you.” She fell to the ground and threw up her arms in a defensive positon to cover her face.

What the fuck?
Ari peered down at her. “Sugar, what the hell are you up to?”

“Hey! Leave the woman alone!” A few of the young guys trotted their way.

His mate winked as she cowered on the ground.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Ari cocked a brow at the boys.

“Is there a problem?” Workmen, big and burly, pushed through the growing crowd surrounding them. Their dusty work shirt sleeves were rolled up.

Great
. Ari shook his head. “Trust me when I tell you. You don’t want to get between me and mine.” His cat paced faster in his mind. He didn’t want to hurt anyone, but he wasn’t letting het go.

“That guy just hit her,” somebody blurted out.

A few onlookers stepped forward and helped her up. Huge tears rolled down her cheeks. She spun in a circle and latched on to the biggest man in the group. “Please help me,” she sobbed as she burrowed against the guy.

The chain on his beast snapped. She was seeking comfort from someone other than him. Ari stomped forward and grabbed her by the arm. “Enough.” He swung her around and gazed into her eyes.

Sorry
, she mouthed before the corner of her mouth inched up and she screamed again. Suddenly she collapsed. Her dead weight tugged him down with her. He set his feet and tightened his grip.

The big guy wrenched Ari’s wrist, breaking his hold on her. Anger burned like fire through Ari’s veins. His cheetah’s fur bristled and he bellowed in his mind. Ari reacted, reared back and punched the man in the nose. A distinct crack filled the air and blood gushed from the guy’s nostrils as he crumpled to his knees, grabbing his face.

“Didn’t your mama teach you to keep your hands to yourself?” Ari rumbled. He looked around for his mate. No surprise, she was up and slipping through the throng of people surrounding them.

The crowd parted as he rushed past them and reached for her again. Another person grabbed him by his jacket and yanked him back. He swung around and stomped his foot on the knee of the person hampering him. The man swung and Ari ducked. Coming up on the man’s side, he plowed a fist into his assailant’s ribs. A muscled, meaty arm locked around his throat in a chokehold. He caught sight of his female shifter as she scurried in the direction of her bike.

Another man stepped into his line of vision. Peeling his lips back over his teeth, Ari snarled in warning. The guy buried a fist in his gut. “We don’t take kindly to anyone using a woman as a punching bag around here.”

Ari grunted. “That the best you got?” He snapped his head back, connecting with the forehead of the person restraining him. The man staggered to the side, pulling him along. “Let me show you how it’s done.” He pushed back and bowed, lifting his legs. In one swift motion, he wrapped his calves around the neck of the guy in front of him. The grip on his neck loosened.

“If I kill them, their blood is on your hands.” Ari called out to his mate. “Make no mistake, they will die.”

“Dude, I’m a honey badger and as a general rule, we truly don’t give a shit.” Her voice rose above the angry murmurs made by the small mob.

“Well, that didn’t work,” he muttered. That was all he needed to know. Ari reached behind him and slammed his palms against the ears of the man clasping him. The hold on his throat gave way. He threw his elbows back, connecting with the man’s gut. The guy released him and he dropped down, using his weight to flip the man over his head. Ari sprung up onto his feet. He kicked the guy in the ribs, sending him curling into the fetal position and took off running. No one else tried to stop him.

Fuck, she’d made it to her motorcycle. His cat clawed at his mind. He needed to stop her before she took off on him again.

In desperation, Ari freed his beast, allowing it to overshadow his human persona and leaped over the garbage can between him and the gas pumps. The honey badger started her cycle and gunned the engine. He launched himself at her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He yanked her off the seat and tucked her against his body as they fell backward. Pain shot through his back as he landed with her on top of him. The bike toppled over onto its side.

She lifted her head and groaned. “My bike. Have you lost your ever-loving mind? That’s my ride.”

He rolled up onto his feet and jerked her up with him. “I’ll buy you another one.” Ari tugged her behind him. He stopped next to his motorcycle and stared down at her. “Get on.”

“Uh, gimme a minute. No.” She crossed her arms under her breasts. Cleavage filled the neckline of her tank top. Distant horns blasted through the air.

“That wasn’t a request.” Ari leaned forward and touched his nose to hers. “You can sit on the seat or lie across my lap as we ride down the highway. Trust me, I will make either position work for me.”

Sirens blared as the cops got closer and the small crowd hung back. She narrowed her eyes. Her chest heaved.

“Decision made.” Ari hefted her up.

“Put me down, you son of a bitch!” She flailed her arms and kicked her legs, connecting with his shins.

“Sorry, baby, wrong genus. I am all cat now, so if you had called me a pussy…no, that wouldn’t work either.” He glanced behind him in the direction of the sounds. “I’m sure you’ll come up with a suitable nickname for me.” In the meantime, he needed to get them the hell out of there.