Taming Kiera (Therian Agents Book 3) (2 page)

“Shaken up. Turner's taking her home. I told them I'd call if anything changes." Chase nodded at Kiera, his lips twisting into a frown. "How much did you tell her?”

“Enough for now.” Jacob sat back and closed his eyes.

Exhaustion nipped at his flesh like an irritated dog, but as much as he craved sleep, he couldn't bring himself to leave. He’d sleep in the chair beside her bed like he’d done every night for the past week.

“You need a break.”

“I'm fine," Jacob bit out, more abrasively than he’d intended. Rubbing the back of his neck, he blew out a long, steadying breath. "Go home to Lora. I'll sleep in the barracks if I have to.”

Chase shook his head and turned to leave. He stopped in the doorway. “You don’t have to take care of everyone. She's not your responsibility.”

His lion growled in disagreement.

When he was alone, Jacob rubbed his temples and glanced at Kiera, his thoughts chaotic.

His animal paced and snarled as if a storm approached. He could sense the danger coming. Death loomed in the shadows, not for Kiera–
for him.

He’d made peace with it years ago. Accepted his lot in life, but something had changed. He didn’t want to think too deeply about what it was.

A soft rumble rattled in his chest.
Protect Kiera.

Jacob scrubbed his hands down his face. He couldn’t do anything to alter his fate, but he
could
fight to ensure Kiera’s future.

Kiera stirred from her drug-induced sleep. Groggy and disoriented, she kept her breathing steady and eyes closed when she realized what woke her.

Jacob’s deep voice rumbled from across the room.

“No more.” Despite the man’s cool demeanor, his voice held a smooth, dark quality that had a shiver running up her spine. “It’s been over a week since she regained consciousness.”

“She still needs to be kept under observation,” a woman’s voice argued.

Kiera peered through slit eyes. A short, dark-haired woman wearing a white lab coat and emo-style glasses crossed the room and wrote something on the chart hanging on the wall. Jacob towered over the stranger, all alpha-male and domineering. Kiera rolled her eyes, then shut them tight when he glanced in her direction.

A harsh, masculine sigh vibrated across the room. Kiera chanced another peek and found Jacob had turned, giving her a view of his perfectly sculpted backside.

“You have what you need.” Jacob’s tone didn’t allow argument.

“For now.” The woman pursed her lips and squinted up at him. “But we need to do more tests, take more samples.”

“I’ll bring her in when you need her.” Jacob’s muscular shoulders strained against the white button-down. “You can’t keep her contained down here.”

“She isn’t ready to be exposed to the outside world. What if she–”

“I’ll take responsibility if anything happens.” He reached for the chart on the wall and handed it to the woman. His amber eyes flashed with annoyance. “Sign the papers. I want her released.”

Released?

They were going to let her go home?

Mixed emotions made Kiera’s stomach flip. Over two months had passed since she’d been injected with the drug that had transformed her into a lion, yet only five days since she’d been changed back into human form–but she wasn’t human, not anymore.

Fresh anxiety tightened her throat. She wanted nothing more than to go home, to go back to the way things were before the world tipped off its axis. But she still hadn’t learned to control her animal, at least not without the help of drugs. When she wasn’t sedated she could feel the lion scratching to get out, and it scared the hell out of her.

What if she shifted again and got trapped in animal form?

Jacob and the woman continued to argue in hushed tones.

Kiera’s newfound animal senses allowed her to pick up every word, every inflection. It was like being hyperaware of everything. Her sight and hearing were sharpened. She could smell things she never knew had scents. Food tasted different, the flavors more intense. Her skin seemed to buzz with electricity, with a heightened awareness of even the softest touch.

Even more alarming, her body ached, constantly, with pent-up sexual need. A need that centered on the man who never left her side.

It wasn’t her fault. Long, powerful legs, massive shoulders, strong, muscular physique. The man was built.

She clenched her legs together at the growing heat between her legs. She needed release, but there was no way she was going to get it while Jacob and his crew kept a twenty-four hour surveillance on her.

The dark-haired woman tilted her chin and pushed her glasses back up her nose. “I’m letting the Council know you’re going against my judgement. If anything happens–”

“I know.” Jacob shoved his hands in his dark slacks. A muscle twitched on his jaw. “She’s my responsibility.”

His Responsibility?
A silent growl rumbled at the back of her throat. She was no one’s responsibility but her own.

The woman gave a curt nod and left through the sliding glass door.

“You can stop pretending to be asleep.” Jacob breathed out heavily, then turned and met her gaze.

“I wasn’t pretending,” she lied.

He snorted.

She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. The room swayed and she had to grip the edge of the gurney to keep from toppling forward. Jacob took a step as if to catch her, but she lifted her hand to stop him.

“I’m fine.”

When she inhaled deeply, multiple scents slammed into her brain like a kaleidoscope of fragrances. Lemon scented antiseptic wash mixed with the woman’s lingering perfume, but it was Jacob’s rich, masculine scent–earthy, with a hint of spice–that sent a tingle of warmth through her body.

Stupid heightened animal senses. They were playing havoc with her hormones.

Sure, he was good-looking. Like the sculptures she studied during her tour of Greece. Every line symmetrical, flawless, but there was no depth behind the marble exterior.

No passion.

He was the opposite of everything she was, everything she strived to be. What was life without excitement, without fire?

Jacob watched her with a strained, careful expression. His full lips were drawn tight, the edges pulled down. Did the man ever smile?

“So…” She pulled the elastic from her braid and started combing her fingers through the thick, dark tangles. “You’re letting me go home?”

Uncertainty flashed behind his eyes, and for a second he almost looked vulnerable, then it was gone. He squared his shoulders and narrowed his gaze, his expression even more severe than it had been moments before.

“Yes, but there are some conditions.” He stepped closer to the bed, his movements rigid and controlled.

“What kind of conditions?” She squinted up at him and pursed her lips.

“I’ve talked with your sister and we both agree you need to be around other metamorphs while you learn to control your animal.”

He’d spoken to Riley about her? She frowned. Her sister had come to visit several times since she’d regained consciousness, but Kiera couldn’t shake the feeling that Riley was holding something back. So much had happened while Kiera had been trapped in animal form, and the small pieces she could remember did little to curb her apprehension.

But if she wanted out of there, she needed someone to teach her how to maintain her human form.

“I can stay with Riley. The man she’s living with is a…” She licked her lips, wincing at the word. “Metamorph, isn’t he?”

It wasn’t an ideal situation. Her sister claimed the man had marked her, made her his mate. Whatever that meant. The entire situation was like something out of the movies. But, Twilight had nothing on reality.

“Turner won’t always be there. Riley would never be able to defend herself if you shifted.” Jacob’s left eye twitched slightly.

“You think I’m a danger to her?” A chill shot through her body and she couldn’t suppress the shiver that ran down her spine. She wiped her palms over her light blue hospital gown.

“Can you guarantee that you won’t shift?”

Kiera closed her eyes and rubbed her temple. No matter how much she hated it, he was right. Until she learned how to control the beast inside of her, she wasn’t just a threat to Riley, she was a threat to everyone.

“So I’m stuck here.”

“There’s another option.” He met her gaze coolly. 

She cast him a suspicious look. “What?”

“You can stay with me.” He ran his hand over the dark scruff on his jaw. 

“With you?” She smiled until she realized he was serious. “I barely know you. Why would you take me in?”

“I have the space and I can train you.” He rocked back on his heels and his lips thinned. “You’ll be safe.”

She had no doubt she’d be safe with him, but he still didn’t answer her question. “Why?”

“It’s my job.” He crossed his arms over his chest, the outline of every knot and muscle well defined.

Living with him was an interesting option. If the man wasn’t so uptight, she’d suggest sharing a room. A small giggle tickled the back of her throat. She could only imagine his response.

The corner of his lips turned down as if he could read her thoughts.

Her cheeks warmed and she glanced down at the tiled floor.  Shit. Was she that transparent?

She cleared her throat. “It’s your job to take random strangers into your house?”

“You can stay here if you prefer,” he said tightly.

No. That wasn’t an option she wanted to consider. She needed fresh air, space to breathe, and most important, she needed her brushes and paints. Everything would be better once she could paint again.

“Okay.” She tilted her chin and gave a brisk nod.

“Okay?” His eyes widened.

“I’ll stay with you. But I have a few rules.”

Jacob’s golden eyes narrowed on her. “What kind of rules?”

“First, I want my art supplies…and my clothes. I need a room to work, where I won’t be interrupted.”

“That can be arranged. Anything else?”

“This has got to stop.” She waved her hands at him. “The hovering. Acting like I’m fragile, like I’m going to break at any moment.”

She slid off the bed and winced as her feet hit the icy floor. With teeth clenched, she ripped the tape off her IV and pulled the needle out.

He opened his mouth as if to argue, then snapped it shut. She swore she could hear his teeth grinding.

“I’ll ask for help if I need it.” She grabbed the duffle bag her sister had brought and tossed it on the bed, pulling out a pair of jeans and a black Jimmy Hendrix t-shirt. She reached behind her neck and pulled the string that loosely held the hospital gown she wore.

“What are you doing?” he growled.

“Getting dressed.” The gown dropped to the floor, exposing her pink lace bra and panties. She shot him a satisfied smile when his eyes went wide and his face turned red.

“Shit.” He spun around so his back was to her and raked his fingers through his hair, making it stand on end.

It was more of a reaction than she’d expected. She shrugged the shirt over her head and reached for the jeans.

“If we’re going to be living together, you have to get used to seeing me naked. I’m not an exhibitionist, but I do believe in–”

“Enough.” He moved so quickly she barely had time to react. He stood above her, his breathing hard, labored, so close she could feel the heat of his body, feel the tickle of his breath against her lips. “I don’t play games. That’s
my
rule. I’ll help you, but that’s all this is. Understand?”

The intensity of his gaze made her knees weaken. She breathed in the scent of him. Strong. Powerful. Masculine. Desire shot through her veins like liquid fire. Damn that she didn’t have the same effect on him.

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice breathless.

“Good.” He shook his head and glanced up at the small camera on the ceiling. “Finish getting dressed and I’ll deal with the paperwork.”

When he stormed out of the room, her lion stirred. She managed to contain it, but it was as if the animal spoke to her. One word growled from the deepest part of her soul–
mine
.

The SUV pulled down a long stone driveway and came to a stop in front of an old Victorian-style house. Kiera turned to Jacob with her mouth hanging open.

“What?” he asked, his brows drawn down.

“You live here?” Kiera didn’t know what she’d expected, but the immaculate three story house and landscaped yard wasn’t it. It even had a large wraparound porch with a hanging swing.

“Yes.” He opened the vehicle door and got out, stretching his long legs.

“Alone?” She grabbed her small duffle bag and followed him up the cobblestone walkway.

The corners of his lips lifted slightly. “Not anymore.”

“Right,” she muttered.

“Riley and Turner are bringing your things over.” Jacob punched in a series of numbers on a high tech scanner that looked completely out of place beside the antique, stained-glass door. “I’ll show you to your room. You can rest until they come.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ve had enough rest. And you agreed to not treat me like a child.”

“I didn’t mean…” He shook his head and sighed. “Point taken.” The scanner beeped and the door clicked open. Jacob motioned for her to enter, his expression strained. “The house is yours while you’re here. Do as you please.”

What should have felt like a small victory, only seemed to increase the tension between them. But as soon as she walked through the front door, all thoughts of Jacob and his moods disappeared.

“Wow,” she breathed out.

The foyer had been renovated to capture both the original wood and stone details, mixed with modern accents that made the room look like something on the cover of
House & Homes
.

“You like it?”

“It’s gorgeous.”

He smiled. Not just any smile, but one that lit up his whole face, crinkling the corners of his eyes. Their gazes locked and Kiera’s breath caught in her throat. Holy hell the man was good looking.

He blinked and his expression hardened again.

“Stop.” His command came out in a harsh whoosh.

She thought he yelled at her, until she heard the thunderous footsteps approaching from behind at lightning speed. Even though she knew it was coming, she barely had time to brace for the impact. One second she was standing, the next she was lying flat on the floor, mauled by a wet, slobbering, pink tongue. She put her hands up to cover her face, and tried to push the matted, gray-furred beast away.

“Balor, heel.” Jacob’s voice boomed above her.

The dog obeyed, sitting, its huge tongue hanging from the side of its mouth, large tail thumping against the hardwood floor.

“Sorry about that.” Jacob looked mortified as he held out his hand and helped her stand. “We don’t have a lot of guests.”

“What is it?” She wiped the wet slobber off her face and stared at the goliath-sized dog.

“An Irish Wolfhound.” Jacob scratched behind the dog’s ears. “He’s big, but he’s harmless.”

“Yeah, right,” Kiera muttered, rubbing the small lump that had started to form on the back of her head.

“Are you hurt?” His brows drew down with concern.

“I’ll be fine.” She sighed and picked up her duffle bag. “What room do you want me to take?”

“Up the stairs. Third door on your right. It has its own bathroom.” Jacob shoved his hands in his pockets and turned. “I’ll start dinner.”

“Thanks.” She started up the stairs and tensed when the dog began to follow her. She called over her shoulder, “Mind taking your demon dog with you?”

“Balor, come,” Jacob shouted out from below.

The dog bounded ungracefully down the stairs, two at a time.

Kiera shook her head. She didn’t mean to be so touchy, but she needed to keep her distance. Needed to ignore the insane animalistic attraction she had for the man.

At least the house was large, that might help. She could get lost in it. They could spend days together and never see one another.

The third door on the right opened into a large, well-lit room, which looked like it had been recently scoured with a bottle of bleach and a steel wool pad. The walls, curtains, and bedding were all different shades of white. The antique mahogany furniture provided the only color.

This was more what she had expected from Jacob.

Cold. Sterile. Untouchable.

She cursed her hormones and uncooperative body for wanting a man who clearly didn’t want her.

She tossed her duffle bag in the corner of the room and kicked her shoes off.

The last of the sedatives still lingered in her system and her eyes were heavy. She pulled the covers back and climbed under the thick down comforter, the weight of sleep pulling at her.

Damn that Jacob was right about her needing to rest. She’d close her eyes for a few minutes. Not long enough for him to notice.

* * *

Jacob heard Kiera’s soft, even breaths through the closed door. Good. She needed the sleep. No doubt she’d fought it just to prove him wrong. The woman was too stubborn for her own good. He smiled and tapped his leg, ordering Balor to follow.

Her sweet scent lingered in the long hall, rousing his lion. His body tightened in response and fresh desire surged through him. He clenched his teeth and fought for control, but his cock continued to respond like a seventeen year old in heat.

Bloody hell. What had he gotten himself into?

He’d seen Kiera’s test results, and knew her hormones were elevated–it was one of the reasons he wanted her with him and not with any other agent. Not many men could resist a beautiful werelion in heat. But he would have to if he was going to help her.

* * *

The room was dark when Kiera woke.

Voices mumbled from the level below.

She stretched as she stood, a small purr vibrating in her throat. Her hands flew to her mouth. Seriously? She was never going to get used to the lion thing.

The voices grew louder as she made her way down the stairs towards the kitchen.

“I don’t think she’s ready to know yet.” Riley leaned against the kitchen counter, and Turner’s arm wrapped protectively around her. “She doesn’t need any more stress.”

Kiera paused in the doorway. “What am I not ready to know?”

“I thought you were sleeping.” Jacob moved around the kitchen table towards her.

“Obviously.”

“We brought some of your things over. If you want, I can help you set up your studio. Jacob said you could use the solarium. It has the best lighting and–”

“No.” A low growl rumbled from Keira’s chest. Riley flinched, but Kiera kept her gaze narrowed on her. Her lion stirred, and another low growl rumbled in her chest. “No more secrets. Whatever it is, I can handle it.”

Jacob moved towards her with slow, catlike movements, his golden eyes trained on her. “No one’s trying to hide anything from you. We just wanted to wait until you adjusted to all this.”

She ignored him, shrugging off the heat that crawled along her neck and down her skin the closer he got.

“A lot happened when you were a…” Riley stopped and chewed on her bottom lip.

“A lion,” Kiera bit out a little too roughly.

“Yes.” Riley nodded, then glanced up at her new boyfriend.

Turner Payne. The man was a little too cocky for Kiera’s liking, but for what it was worth, he seemed to be head over heels in love with her sister. She’d give him credit for that, despite his playboy looks and arrogant demeanor.

“She deserves to know.” Turner placed a hand on Riley’s cheek. “Maybe it will help her understand.”

“Understand what?” Kiera demanded.

Riley exhaled slowly and pinned Kiera with a grim look. “Our father was the one who created the serum that turned you.”

“No.”

“It’s true.”

Patchy memories started to form in her mind. Her father, a white room, immeasurable pain. Kiera shivered. Her father was supposed to be dead, killed in a fire that destroyed his life’s work. But as the jigsaw puzzle of images danced in her mind’s eyes, she knew he had been in the labs with her.

She swallowed back the bile that burned her throat.

“He didn’t die when we thought he did.” Pain etched across her sister’s delicate features.

“He’s alive?”

“No.” Her sister’s lips trembled on the word. “I…I had to…”

Riley’s eyes misted over, her face lost all color, and she swayed. Turner gripped her elbow to steady her.

There was something in her sister’s expression that sucked the breath out of her. She shook her head, not wanting to hear any more.

“Riley did what she had to do to save both of us,” Turner said, his voice tight. “Your father won’t hurt anyone ever again.”

“You killed him?” Kiera stared at her sister in horror.

“Yes, but–”

“But what? Did you or didn’t you?”

Riley squeezed her eyes shut and a tear slid down her cheek. “He was going to kill Turner.”

Kiera blinked hard. Pain ripped through her chest. Her father had been dead to her for years, but still, the knowledge that Riley had taken his life sent a cold shock through her system.

“You murdered our father,” Kiera whispered, venom in her voice.

Riley sucked in a harsh breath.

Turner snarled and pointed his finger at her. “You wouldn’t be alive if she hadn’t done what she did.”

“It’s okay,” Riley said softly, putting her hand on his chest. Her gaze lingered on Turner’s for a moment, until some of the anger dimmed from his eyes. She looked back at Kiera. “I know it’s all a shock.”

Kiera huffed. That was the understatement of the year.

“Sit down. We’ll explain everything.” Jacob placed a hand on her shoulder. His warmth seeped through her in calming waves, but she shrugged him off. She wanted–no, needed–to be angry. If not, she thought her grief might overwhelm her.

“What else don’t I know?” Kiera felt Jacob’s heavy gaze on her, but she kept her eyes narrowed on her sister.

Riley looked down at the floor. “I told you, that it was Marcus DuPoint who injected you with the serum.”

“I don’t believe it.” She shook her head. Marcus was one of her closest friends. There were things he knew about her that even Riley didn’t. He would never have intentionally hurt her.

“It’s true. He would have done the same to me if Turner hadn’t stopped him. He was working with our father. Trying to figure out a way to access the recessive Metamorph gene in non-shifters. Marcus’s sister volunteered to be one of the first injected. Like all the others, she became trapped in animal form. He thought that if he turned you, our father would work harder to find a cure.”

“No. I want to talk to him.” She needed to hear it from Marcus himself. There had to be an explanation.

“You can’t,” Riley answered softly, her eyes filling with new tears.  “Marcus is dead.”

Revulsion washed over her.

“Did you kill him too?” Kiera snapped, staring into her sister’s widening, horrified gaze.

“You have no idea the hell Riley has gone through to protect you,” Turner snarled.

“To protect
you
, you mean,” Kiera bit out.

Turner’s face went red, and a low growl vibrated from his chest.

The lion within paced, responding to the emotions she tried so hard to contain. Her throat ached with the cry she wanted desperately to release.

“Enough.” Jacob moved between them and put his hands up.

“This is bullshit.” Turner cursed under his breath and pulled Riley against his chest. “If you had had even the slightest idea of the sacrifices that were made for you–”

“Sacrifices.” Kiera laughed bitterly. “While you’ve been off playing house with my sister, I’ve had to deal with the fact that there’s a freaking lion living inside of me.”

As if on cue, her lion let out a vibrating roar that echoed around the room. Kiera covered her mouth and closed her eyes, trying to rein the animal back the way Jacob had taught her.

Shit, shit, shit. She couldn’t deal with this right now. Unshed tears burned her eyes. She blinked them back angrily. She wouldn’t cry. Not here. Not now. Not in front of Jacob.

“I want you to leave,” she said, her voice strained, barely recognizable. 

“Kiera, please,” Riley pleaded.

“Go.” The strangled cry tore from her lips before she had time to contain it. She turned her back on them and tried to catch her breath.

Jacob ushered them out of the kitchen, talking to them in hushed tones.

The animal lingered too close to the surface. Kiera dug her palms into her eyes and tried to block the primal urge to let the beast take over. For a moment, she almost let it. How much easier would it be to not have to think, to just be?

Kiera didn’t wait for Jacob to return. Instead, she bounded up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door behind her, and prayed for one last ounce of strength to contain the lion within.