Freakn' Shifters Bundle (3-in-1) (17 page)

“Trust me, we want to hurt them too, baby” Ethan added.

“But in the meantime, you need to be careful. Running off alone in the woods, especially given what’s been happening, may not be the wisest course of action.”

Lips pursed and eyes narrowed, Naomi glared up at the voice of reason. “And how else was I supposed to work off my frustration. I couldn’t go home in this condition. I need to vent.”

“What happened to living a calm life?” Ethan teased, his thumbs rubbing circles on the skin of her waist.

“They hurt my brother,” she whispered. Saying the words aloud brought home a very scary fact she’d not wanted to think of before. “They could have killed Chris,” she yelled, her hands slapping forward against Javier’s chest.

He caught her wrists and pulled them up. “There are better, just as energetic ways to take care of your frustrations.”

“I thought sex was out unless I let you both bite me,” she retorted.

“It is,” Javier announced. “But I think we can give you relief in other ways.”

Naomi almost said, screw it, bite me. She knew they could make her come, bring her to pleasurable heights. But she wanted more than that. She wanted them, inside her, marking her, claiming her.
Belonging to me.

Why exactly did she fight them still? Sure, she’d known them less than a week, but in that time they’d proven they owned the qualities she looked for in a mate, plus some she would never have thought of. Did she love them? She wasn’t sure yet. She knew her mother had mated to her father before she’d grown to love him, but as her mother confided, all the best relationships started with lust. Love was only something that came after time. And grew stronger the older it got.

The real question was did she dare take a chance on these two males? Males who kept proving in little ways they cared for her—temper, irrationalities and all? Who fired her blood and didn’t fear her when she let loose?

Yes. Yes, I want them in my life. I want to get to know them. I want to fight with them and make up. I want them.
The answer, once she admitted it to herself, made her feel light. She took a step out from between them, and took a breath, “I—”

A cracking sound made her halt. Splinters rained as something impacted the tree to the left of her. A moment later, Javier stood in front of her, his body flinching as another report sounded.

Naomi squealed as she found herself thrown to the ground, Javier’s body heavy on hers as a roar shook the forest. With a growl to make any but the bravest piss themselves, she heard the crashing sound of a shifted Ethan lumbering off after the shooter.

Heart pounding, Naomi tried to catch her breath, fear and indignation battling for supremacy.
Someone shot at me!

Warm moisture and the recognizable scent of blood made her eyes widen. “Javier? Oh, my god. Javier, were you shot?”

“I’m fine, sweetheart. The more important question is, are you unhurt?”

“Other than being squished, yes. But if you’re fine, why do I smell blood?”

Shifting his body off of hers, Javier moved into a crouch, his eyes scanning the darkness. In the distance the occasional roar drifted to their ears as Ethan chased the hunter. Naomi sniffed the air, the scent of blood still strong. She reached out a hand and ran it up Javier’s arms, encountering moisture.

“You’ve been shot!” she exclaimed.

“Bah, ‘tis but a scratch,” he scoffed.

“Are you seriously quoting
Monty Python
to me, you geek?”

His soft chuckle eased some of her tension. “Come on, you gotta admit, it works in this occasion. Or would you have preferred something more modern classic like ‘Excellent.’” He doped up his voice, and Naomi bit her lips so as to not give in to hysterical laughter as he mimicked the idiot from
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
.

She jumped up and stared down at him, her heart pounding. “I was thinking more along the line of what the hell were you thinking of acting like a human shield so you could take a bullet for me?” Naomi planted her hands on her hips and yelled at him. It was either holler or kiss him silly for doing something so incredibly courageous and dumb.

Standing, he peered down at her. “Is it too soon to say I would die for you?”

She slapped his uninjured arm. “Idiot.” The word came out sounding like an endearment and he grinned.

“If you’re done acting like a wife, can we head back to the house?”

“Are you trying to protect me again?”

“No. I need a Band-Aid and a beer, not to mention my man-parts are getting cold out here.”

Naomi’s gaze flicked down and took in his cock, lying limp amidst his dark curls; although, it didn’t stay still for long. “Nice to see your blood loss hasn’t affected your equipment. But seriously, you can’t mean to leave Ethan out here by himself? Or have you forgotten there’s someone with a gun?”

Javier grinned. “Worry about an Alaskan Kodiak bear? That’s funny. I’m more worried about him not bringing any pieces back if he catches him. Ethan’s going to be fine. Shifted, it would take more than a few bullets to stop him. He’s built of good stock. You on the other hand, are a delicate flower.”

Naomi stuck her tongue out at him in a childish gesture as he reminded her of her claim.
Jerk, he would use it against me
.

A growl rumbled in his chest. “Don’t point that thing at me unless you intend to use it. Now come on, my lazy wolf. Shift your delectable ass so I can chase it back to the house.” When Naomi would have argued some more just because it was fun, he slapped her on the behind, and not a light love tap. He cracked her hard enough to make her yelp. But did he stick around for retaliation? No, the jerk shifted and bounded off, followed seconds later by Naomi. And he kept his promise, nipping her bottom whenever she slowed to listen or look for Ethan.

The pandemonium when they reached house proved epic, especially once her family heard about the gunman. Naomi’s brothers, with her father leading the way, poured out of the house, tearing at their clothes. Shifting into big, hairy wolves, they sprinted off into the woods, baying like wild animals. All except for poor Stu, who pulled the short straw and ended up with guard duty at the house.

Naomi’s mother took one look at the deep gouge on Javier’s arm and went for her first aid kit while Naomi blushed and tried not to look as he pulled his pants up over a cock that refused to stay down.

A part of her wanted to leave so she could join her brothers in the hunt—AKA ensure herself of Ethan’s safety—and sink her teeth into the bastard who’d hurt Javier. However, worry for injured Javier and Chris, who only had Stu and her mother to guard them, made her stay inside. Of course, the idea of guarding Javier was comical. Other than the bandage, he looked perfectly capable, but she catered to him anyway, cuddling him on the couch after she fetched them both a beer.

Stupid or not, the damned cat did stop a bullet for me.
It made her grudgingly like him even more. As for Ethan, right after she reassured herself he’d returned intact, she’d tear him a new one for rushing off by himself. Then she’d kiss him because, dammit, she couldn’t help caring for him, too.
Stupid dumbasses.

Cradled on Javier’s lap, her head nestled against his chest, waiting for news, the steady thump of his heart lulled her and she fell asleep.

Ethan kept peering in the rearview mirror at Naomi, curled up and sleeping on the backseat. It had taken quite a bit of convincing to get her to agree to leave and come with them to Toronto. She’d kept insisting she needed to stay and protect Chris, who in turn yelled she was treating him like a little girl. And then, it degenerated even further when she played the world’s tiniest violin.

They’d only managed to pry her from the doorframe, as she sang the refrain from “Cry Baby, Cry,” by whispering in her ear that she couldn’t play a crucial part in their plan to snare her assailants if she didn’t come with them.

“Are you going to use me as bait?” she’d asked with narrowed eyes.

“Yes,” Ethan had answered bluntly.

“I’m in,” she’d chirped.

The process of packing her a bag and grabbing their stuff took some running around, but they finally got on the road to Toronto mid-morning and she’d promptly fallen asleep in the back of the SUV, using Ethan’s sweater as a pillow.

“I’m not sure I like this idea,” Ethan growled in a low tone, repeating his dislike of the plan for the umpteenth time.

Javier sighed as he drummed his fingers on the armrest. “We don’t have a choice. You and I both know if we don’t do something, and quick, Naomi’s liable to do something rash.”

Yes, she would, the cute little thing. “But still, couldn’t we have just have handcuffed her to a bed in her parent’s house while we hunted the bastards down?”

“I’d prefer to save the cuffs for some erotic fun. Besides, you and I both know if we tried anything like that she’d probably rip our dicks off.”

A chuckle escaped Ethan and he glanced in the rearview mirror to peek on her again. “Fine. But, using her as bait? What if it backfires and she gets hurt?”

“Nothing will happen to her,” Javier swore. “And the sooner we take care of this dilemma, the quicker we go back to wooing her. Speaking of which, I got us a suite with a king sized bed and an in-room hot tub.”

“Nice. Remind me when we get back to do something about her damned tiny bed. It has got to go.”

“When you replace it, make sure you get something with a headboard you can latch those handcuffs onto,” murmured Naomi in a sleep tinged voice. “I’ve always thought bondage sounded like fun.” Her husky chuckle made Ethan lose focus and the SUV swerved on the road.

“How much did you hear?” Javier asked, turning sideways to glance at her in the back.

“Enough,” she replied, sitting up with a stretch. “Mmm. I’ve got to say, a hot tub sounds awful good right about now.”

“Want me to climb in the back and give you a massage?” Javier offered.

“I can wait. I wouldn’t want Ethan to feel left out.” Her tone hinted at sensual delights which confused Ethan, who’d grown used to her prickly nature.

“You seem awful calm and relaxed. Shouldn’t you be freaking out?”

“Or demanding your own room?” Javier added.

Naomi leaned forward, an arm propped on each front row seat. “Well, I’ve had some time to think. You know, you’re both not bad, for shifters that is. I guess you could even say I like you.”

“And?” Ethan queried. His hand gripped the steering column tight enough to turn his knuckles white.

“My body really likes you both, and my wolf is just dying to take a bite. So…” She trailed off, and Ethan ignored the road to turn sideways to look at her. Javier aped him and they both stared at her slow, impish smile.

“Sweetheart, you’re killing us here.”

“Oh, well, I was just going to say maybe, once we get to the hotel, we could strip off all our clothes...”

“Yes.”

“Slip into the hot tub.”

“Oh, yes.”

“Javier, you’ll rub my shoulders while my big, old bear here rubs my little feet.”

“Naomi!” The warning in his tone made her smile wider and tired of splitting his gaze between the road and her, Ethan swerved onto the shoulder and slammed the SUV to a stop. The sudden halt flung her forward, but Javier caught her propelled body and dragged her onto his lap.

Ethan pivoted sideways in his seat and growled at the mischief in her eyes. “You’re teasing us again.”

She nodded her head, her sharp white teeth catching her bottom lip as if to contain her humor.

“Are you telling us you’re ready?” Javier asked quietly before nuzzling the skin of her neck.

“If you mean after the body massage I expect you to lick and touch every inch of me, and then take turns fucking me as I mark you, then—”

She never did finish her sentence because Ethan swooped forward and claimed her lips possessively. He couldn’t stop himself, not when she’d finally admitted she wanted them.
Wants me. 
The taste of her made him groan; a sound repeated when she opened her mouth and let his tongue in to twine with hers.

Fire raced through his veins along with a desperate need to claim her. To leave his mark on her skin to show the whole world this delightful female had chosen him. And he in turn belonged to her, forevermore.

He left her delectable mouth to nuzzle the soft skin of her neck, and Javier took his turn, claiming her lips. Ethan’s hands cupped the fullness of her breasts, his thumbs rubbing across her erect points, the friction of material not enough to mask the rising heat of her body. He could also smell it, her musky arousal, a potent ambrosia that made his mouth water for a taste. The windows of the truck steamed up as their arousal mounted.

The blast of an air horn from a passing semi-truck brought Ethan back to reality. He couldn’t, make that wouldn’t claim Naomi on the side of the road in full view of passing traffic. She deserved only the best, in other words, the woman they adored merited a bed—a soft surface where they could explore her body and bring her to rapturous heights before they marked her.
I want the moment we join to be memorable and beautiful.