Therian Prisoner: 3 (Therian Heat) (11 page)

“Someone had to sign over the deed. When they’d finished with me, they slit Albert’s throat. Then they told me I had until sundown the following day to make the transfer legal and get out. Ian found me later that night. He buried Albert and took me to safety. Without Albert by my side, I didn’t care what happened to the place. I didn’t care about much of anything for a very long time.”

Only one detail remained and Devon couldn’t bring herself to ask.

“I lost the baby,” Dorothy told her. “But I had other children with men almost as wonderful as Albert. The rest of my life has been happy thanks to Ian. If he hadn’t sensed my grief and cared enough to respond, I would most likely be dead.”

“He sensed your grief?” The implication sent a shiver down Devon’s spine. “Ian’s empathic?”

“Very.” Dorothy munched on a piece of bacon and offered no further explanation.

“How long did it take you to get over the pain?”

“Honestly, I still have days when I feel like a victim. I acknowledge the emotions as real and valid without allowing them to control me.”

That all sounded well and good, but Devon was still at the mercy of her emotions. “How did you… I’m not sure I’m that strong.”

“You are easily as strong as me. The first step toward recovery is to regain control over your life. That’s what you’ve lost, you know. You lost control over your environment. Then you lost control over your body, your sensations and sexuality. The only way to break through the pain and start healing is to reclaim them on your own terms.”

That made sense. Devon just wasn’t sure how to accomplish what Dorothy was suggesting.

* * * * *

Ian hesitated on the front porch. He’d been gone at least an hour, yet he wanted to make sure Devon had plenty of time to confide in Dorothy. Dorothy was easy to talk to and her past would give them a common ground. Still, he needed to be with Devon, to protect her and provide for her. The instinctual drive was growing stronger with each passing hour. He also ached to claim her, but that had to wait until she’d dealt with some of these feelings.

The tantalizing scent of bacon drew him onward, so he knocked on the door before he pushed it open.

“You own the place, you overgrown bird.” Dorothy laughed. “You don’t need to knock.”

“I didn’t want to interrupt.” His gaze immediately sought out Devon. She was dressed in jeans and a dark-green blouse that accented the color of her eyes. “Smells awfully good in here. Did you save me anything?”

“Munch on the last few pieces of bacon and I’ll scramble you some eggs.”

“Would you like coffee? I figured out your infernal machine.” Devon emphasized the word infernal and Dorothy laughed.

“Sounds great.” He pulled out the chair next to Devon’s and watched the women work. They seemed to be getting along well and Devon appeared comfortable, more relaxed than she’d been since he found her. Good. That was what he’d been hoping for when he called and asked for Dorothy’s help. She placed a plate of steaming eggs on the table in front of him and handed him a fork. Devon followed with a mug of steaming coffee. “I could get used to this sort of service.”

“Don’t count on it.” Dorothy crossed her arms over her chest as Ian scarfed the eggs. “So how long are you two going to be around?”

“Trying to get rid of me already?” Ian teased.

“Just the opposite, actually. If you’re going to be here Friday night, I’ll invite you to my dinner party. The others don’t see near enough of you.”

“This is what, Tuesday?” Ian shook his head as he cleared his mouth of food. “Friday’s kind of doubtful, but I’ll give you a call.”

“Fair enough. Ain’t it just like me to trash the kitchen and leave?” She laughed then nodded toward the door. “Can I talk to you outside for a minute?”

“Sure.” He scooped up the last bite of eggs before he followed her outside. “What’s up?”

“Are you in love with her?” He saw a fierce protectiveness in Dorothy’s dark gaze that hadn’t been there when she arrived. “If you don’t care for her deeply, let me take her home with me.”

“Nothing in this world could make me hurt Devon. I’m glad she confided in you. I know she needed to get it all out, but I think she also needs me right now.”

Dorothy just stared at him for a long moment as she nibbled at her lower lip. “She needs the one thing you’ll have a hard time giving up.”

“What are you talking about? I’ll give her anything she needs.”

“She needs control. You’re alpha to the marrow of your bones. How can she regain control of her life, her body and her sexuality with someone like you?”

He was honest enough to understand the complication. His first instinct in any situation was to take over. In the bedroom it was even worse. He needed his partner to surrender or he wasn’t fully satisfied. “If I can’t give her what she needs, I’ll bring her to you.”

“Or take her home. I know Erin mostly by reputation, but her reputation is impeccable.”

“Devon’s still pissed at Kyle and where Erin goes Kyle soon follows.”

“Then bring her to me.”

Ian sighed. “I think she might be the one.” Saying the words out loud made them feel possible. His heart leapt and he clenched his fists, frustrated by the complication. Why couldn’t life ever be simple with him?

“I hope you’re right, but she still has to come first right now.”

Her unintentional double entendre made him smile. “I’ll do my best.”

Dorothy just rolled her eyes. “That wasn’t what I meant and you know it.”

“I will protect her with my life and make sure she has exactly what she needs no matter how unnatural it might feel to me.”

It took her a moment to nod, then she glanced up at the cloudless sky and smiled. “The upper meadow is in bloom. It would be a lovely spot for a picnic.”

He acknowledged the suggestion with a smile then said, “Thanks, for all of this.”

“It was no trouble. She’s adorable.” Dorothy gave him a quick hug then hopped on her ATV and headed home.

Ian lingered on the porch, troubled by the possibilities. He wanted Devon and she wanted him, but would he be able to hold back, to allow her control, once his predatory nature was fully engaged?

Chapter Six

Heather dragged a comb through her wet hair with a frustrated sigh. She’d hoped a few hours sleep and a nice long shower would soothe her frayed nerves, but she still felt like the Therian rope in a ruthless tug-of-war. What a cluster! She’d reluctantly left Lexxie with Dhane, though she’d refused to spend the night in a rebel’s house. Recent events might have shredded her emotions and made her question the wisdom of some of her father’s choices. Still, that wasn’t reason enough to abandon her pack.

Dressed in a bra and panties, she opened the door to her bathroom and gasped. “Shit, Dad. A little privacy please!” She snatched her robe off the back of the bathroom door and quickly put it on. “Any particular reason you’re being so rude?”

Her father stood by the dresser with her phone in his hand and murder in his bright blue eyes. “What’s on County Road 49?”

Showing fear to Nate Fitzroy only invited abuse. She’d figured that out a long time ago. Squaring her shoulders, she respectfully lowered her gaze and made sure her voice didn’t quiver. “I thought I had a line on Dhane, but it turned out to be nothing.” If she hadn’t taken a minute to purge her call and message logs before she went to bed, he wouldn’t be asking questions. He’d be banishing another traitor. But she hadn’t thought about the GPS. Only her father was that suspicious.

He tossed her phone onto the bed and closed the distance between them. “Look at me.”

His bullshit detector was even better than hers, but she’d been dancing around the truth for years. Reluctantly, she raised her gaze. “It was a waste of time. I’m sorry. I was hoping to have better news.” She didn’t flinch beneath his piercing gaze. There was no way in hell she’d endanger Landon or Dhane, regardless of her feelings about the rebellion. “Why didn’t you tell me Dhane was missing?” She allowed resentment to flicker through her expression, hoping to explain her heightened emotions.

For a long, silent moment he just stared at her and inhaled her scent. “I’ve been patient long enough. You need to choose.”

She felt her mouth gape and snapped it shut. She thought they’d settled this nonsense weeks ago. Why was he bringing it up now? She’d choose her mate when she was good and ready and not before. This was the one area where the rebel position made perfect since. Therian customs were ridiculously antiquated when it came to women’s rights. Or the lack thereof.

“I turned twenty-five three months ago. What’s the hurry?” She tried to sound insistent without being disrespectful.

“The hunters are restless and their aggression will grow until one of them claims you.” Brutal amusement suddenly made his eyes gleam. “I can hold a competition. That might be fun. Let them fight for you.”

The image of Bruce’s mangled body flashed through her mind and she shuddered. “No. I’ll give it some serious thought. There’s no need for a competition.”

He grabbed her chin and guided her gaze to his. “Parents are supposed to love all their children the same, but you’re my only daughter. You’ve always been special to me.” Before she could react to the unexpected praise, his fingers tightened painfully. “If you betray me, neither of us will survive the aftermath.”

* * * * *

Clutching a folded blanket to her chest, Devon paused to look around. The flower-dotted meadow was nestled in the shallow valley between two mountain peaks. Even with the sun beating down on her, the air was cool and refreshing. It felt so good to be outside. No walls, no cameras, no guards.

Ian set down a large wicker hamper and motioned for the blanket. He spread it across the grass then sat. “What are you thinking about? You’ve hardly said a word since we left the cabin.”

“Was this Dorothy’s idea?” She didn’t want to insult him, but Ian didn’t seem like the picnic type. Storming the walls of the castle and carrying off the damsel in distress was more his style.

“How’d you guess?” His smile was slow and sexy and his gaze kept drifting to her mouth.

“No offense, this just has Dorothy written all over it.”

“I hope that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy ourselves.”

“Not at all.” She slipped off her shoes and joined him on the blanket, wondering what it would take to ease the tension twisting through her. She’d always been comfortable with Ian and she wanted to be comfortable with him now. If it came to a choice between sex and friendship, she wasn’t sure which she would choose. Their friendship meant a lot to her, yet she’d always hoped they could take it to the next level without destroying the foundation they’d already built. Way easier said than done.

“Root beer or beer beer?” He held up a bottle of each.

“Root beer.” She took the bottle from his right hand and twisted the top off. The dark-brown liquid bubbled and hissed as she raised it to her lips. He opened the beer and saluted her before taking a drink. If it hadn’t been for their kiss last night, this would feel like any of a hundred activities they’d shared down through the years. No, that wasn’t true. She’d spent a lot of time with Ian, but there were always others around. Usually her mother or Kyle. This felt like a date, not a family outing. “Other than Kyle finding his mate, have there been any other major developments I should know about?” She tried to keep her tone light, casual.

“Ava’s sister, Carissa, was claimed by Quinton Jenaro.” He turned back to the hamper and dug out a small stack of paper plates.

“I’m glad. I know you don’t like Quinn, but I’ve always felt sorry for him.”

One of Ian’s eyebrows arched as he continued unloading the hamper. “I’m not sure he would welcome your pity, but Quinn and I are working through our differences.”

“Good. Fighting among the rebels isn’t good for anyone.”

A cool breeze rippled his hair as he chuckled. “Now you sound like Erin.”

Devon scraped at the corner of her bottle’s label. The mention of her mother made her feel guilty as hell. “I should probably call her.”

“I left her a message this morning. I didn’t come right out and tell her where we are, but I’m pretty sure she knows. She’s never been up here but she knows about the cabin.”

Devon nodded, a bit of her guilt dissipating. Kyle deserved her ire, but her mother didn’t. Devon was glad they weren’t completely in the dark. “You know, half the network expected you to marry her after my father died.”

“Our relationship was never romantic. You of all people should understand that.”

She did. She’d watched them together for years, dreading the day when romantic awareness sparked and her hopes of winning Ian’s heart were dashed permanently. It was really sort of pathetic when she thought about how long she’d been carrying a torch for him.

“My father sure as hell didn’t understand.” She shifted her focus away from herself. “He resented you until the day he died.”

“I know, but he had no reason to worry. I love your mother like a sister.”

Folding her legs in front of her, she looked into his eyes. She wanted to end the waiting, to either move beyond friendship or abandon the possibility forever. “That’s what you used to say about me.”

He stilled, his expression suddenly serious. “You were so damn young when we met, any other attitude would have been profane.”

She knew he was right, but that didn’t make this any easier. “What changed your mind? You certainly didn’t kiss me like a sister last night.” He passed her a plate filled with fried chicken, cheese slices and potato chips. Still, she was more interested in his answer than the food.

“It started on the ride north. Payne asked me if I’d ever felt a bonding pull with you and I told him what I tell everyone.”

“That I’m like a little sister to you?”

“Yeah.” He was fiddling with his food too, but she didn’t call him on it. She needed to understand the progression. How he’d gotten from “she’s too damn young” to “let’s spend the night together, baby”. “Then he told me I was blind, that I wasn’t allowing myself to feel anything but protective affection for you. I thought about it and realized I knew an awful lot about you, and had gone to great lengths to avoid you, which wouldn’t have been necessary if there really was nothing between us.”

“What do you know about me?” He’d always seemed indifferent to her, so it was hard to believe his claim.

“Well there’s all the obvious stuff, the schools you attended, the subjects you studied, the names of your friends. But I know a lot of less obvious stuff too.”

“Such as?”

“You lost your virginity to Steve Wellsford at an after prom party, a fact I’m pretty sure your mother doesn’t know.”

Heat burned across her cheeks and crawled up her neck. After giving up hope that Ian would ever notice her, Devon had unleashed the fundamental rebellion that had been building inside her for years. She’d misbehaved in every way imaginable, much to the frustration of her parents. Sleeping with Steve had been the first of many decisions she’d come to regret.

“How did you find out about that fiasco?”

“Steve’s got a big mouth. I had to threaten to shut it for him if he kept bragging about his conquests.”

She could just picture the confrontation. Steve had been tall and lanky, no match for Ian’s powerful physique and unwavering confidence. “He was such a jerk. I can’t believe I let him…”

“Why did you?”

Their gazes locked and longing ricocheted through her soul. “Because you wouldn’t.” Regret sparked in his gaze, but she pushed on before he could reply. “If you overheard the asshole bragging, that was unintentional. What else do you know?”

“Your mother set up the animal shelter as a front for the rebels, but you pour your heart and soul into the sanctuary.”

“It’s not that Mom doesn’t care, she just has other priorities.”

“It was an observation, not a criticism.” He set his plate aside. Apparently the food held no more appeal for him than it did for her.

“Anyone who knows me knows the sanctuary is my baby.” She picked up a potato chip and snapped it in half then tossed it back onto the plate. “Tell me something you shouldn’t know about me.”

“You’ve had six boyfriends in that past nine years, but you’ve only slept with three of them.”

That was definitely something a casual friend shouldn’t know. She took another sip of root beer as she gathered the courage to ask, “Why did you pay attention to my sex life if you had no interest in me sexually?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out ever since Payne planted the temptation in my mind.”

“You find me tempting?” She cringed at the vulnerability revealed by the question. It made her sound desperate for affirmation.

“Gods yes. I’ve always enjoyed spending time with you, but I never allowed myself to imagine what it would be like to touch you.” He brushed the hair back from her eyes, his fingertips skimming over her skin. “Now I can’t think of anything else.”

She took another quick drink, trying to hide her smile. He watched her silently, desire smoldering in his eyes. “My attraction to you has overshadowed every relationship I ever had. I tried not to compare them to you, but you were always there in the back of my mind.”

Ian took her plate from her and set it inside the hamper. “I say we eat after.”

“After?” Her heart flipped over in her chest and heat pooled between her thighs. She wanted him there, deep inside her, filling the empty ache.

He took the bottle from her as well and set it next to the hamper where he’d placed his half-full beer. Then he brought her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss into the center of her palm. “Dorothy told me I need to go slow, let you set the pace.”

Devon moved closer, understanding the predicament. Ian was a leader, his network’s Prime. Following anyone was unnatural to him. “I don’t disagree with her, but part of what attracts me to you is your strength. I need to feel safe and protected. I need…” She sighed. “I’m not sure what I need.”

Taking her hand, he pulled her forward as he unfolded his legs. She crawled onto his lap, straddling his thighs. “Let’s find out together.”

His lips touched hers and then he pressed his hand against the nape of her neck. She tilted her head so their mouth fit more naturally, but he was in no hurry to deepen the kiss. He caressed her lips, pausing to nibble as he explored her texture and inhaled her breath.

She tugged on his shirt, needing to touch his skin and feel the strength so evident in the shape of his body. He tore the garment off over his head and tossed it aside, only separating their mouths long enough to allow the maneuver. Her hands wandered across his flesh with hungry appreciation. She’d dreamed of the day when she’d have this freedom, have the right to touch him any way she pleased.

He traced her lower lip with the tip of his tongue then pushed into her mouth. She welcomed him with open lips and an eager stroke of her tongue. Part beer, part aroused male and part something unique to Ian, his taste awakened her most elemental self, that part of her soul that hungered for mating and definition.

Emboldened by the urgency in his kiss, she pushed against his chest until he lay back across the blanket. Then she kissed her way down the side of his neck, scooting lower on his legs as she went. She explored one of his flat brown nipples and then the other, fascinated by the tension rolling from his chest into his abdomen and back.