Freedom in the Smokies (12 page)

Kaitlyn groaned low in her throat and slapped at Micah’s hands as he reached for her.
“Stop it.”

“Admit you want me.”

“No.”

“Do it and I’ll leave you alone while the sheriff’s here.”

“Fine. I want you. I want you so bad my vision is blurred. My jeans are wet and my pussy aches for you. Are you happy? Now back off before I embarrass myself.”
Kaitlyn attempted to scoot away from him, but she came up short, bumping into the arm of the couch.

She turned to face him.
“You promised.”

“I never said I wouldn’t touch you, just that I would try to block some of the more crass scenarios playing out in my mind.”
To seal his communication, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, letting his hand dangle above her breast. With a silent snort into her head, he brushed his fingers across her nipple. The gentle swipe caused the tip to pebble beneath his gaze while his mate gasped and squirmed under his firm hold around her shoulders.

“I’ll get back at you for this later. If you want to play hardball with me, buster, you will lose in the long run. Trust me.”
Kaitlyn tossed a smirk over her shoulder, shrugged Micah off her and stood to greet the sheriff. At least she no longer looked like she was going to kick him.

“James Hardin.” He stuck out a hand. “Sorry to meet under such circumstances, although I must say it’s par for the course around here.” He smiled, but his eyes were serious, his brow furrowed with worry. Micah felt the same dread as the sheriff.

“Sheriff Hardin. Nice to meet you. I’m Kaitlyn Winston.” She took his hand and turned to the other men he wouldn’t know. “This is George and that’s Enrique. They came out from the farm I grew up on in California.”

“We filled them in on everything that’s been happening here,” Micah said. “And they have a great deal of knowledge to share themselves.”

Each man shook James’s hand.

“Sheriff.” George nodded.

“Please, call me James.” He sat in an armchair while everyone resumed their spots in the family room.

Sergius wasted no time. “Bring us up to speed, James.”

James cleared his throat. “Several surrounding farms called in during the night. Yours wasn’t the only one targeted in such a peculiar fashion. The Wilks family found all their chickens loose in the yard. None missing, not even an egg. Just the cages opened.

“The McPhersons woke when their dogs started barking. Oddly enough the dogs didn’t bark
while
their tractor was being moved from one end of the yard to the other. The little buggers started barking long after the elusive vandal was gone.

“Do y’all have any idea why on earth McKinney would be going to all this trouble?” He glanced around the room.

Micah squeezed Kaitlyn’s thigh where he’d let his hand rest when she sat back down. “To demonstrate he can. He’s toying with us.”

“Can what? Move stuff?” James looked confused.

“Yep. Without us realizing it.” Micah sighed. “He has new powers. Enrique was enlightening us about the possibilities. It seems a vampire can use his anger to strengthen his abilities. That explains why he was able to block us from communicating with each other last year.”

“I hate to ask what his newest additions are.” James groaned.

“He’s blocking himself now. His scent. We can’t detect his presence, even right outside on our property.”

“Shit.” James slapped his knee.

Sergius stood and began pacing. Micah knew Sergius, as the oldest brother, felt as though he carried more responsibility for the others. It was crap, but he humored Serg when he got like that. “We have to burn him. It’s the only way to kill a vampire.”

“You mentioned that possibility last year. Did you get confirmation?” James tipped his head up.

Micah looked at Enrique and started to speak, but the Hispanic man beat him to it. “My family has done this in Mexico. It was about a decade ago, but they rid themselves of the local vermin with fire after years of trials. It’s the only sure way I know to exterminate.” He chuckled at his word choice.

James glanced at Micah and then at Enrique. “Your family is…?”

Enrique nodded. “Lupine. Yes.”

Micah watched the surprise on James’s face. The Durhams were the only shifters he knew and that had happened by accident. James exhaled slowly and shook his head. “So, we need a planned burn, essentially.” He looked toward Brianna. “Perhaps you could help us figure something out?”

Thank God Jaxon’s mate was a firefighter.

“Of course.” She nodded. “We have some extensive maps. Let’s lay them out on the table and figure out a good spot to work with.”

“I’ll help with that,” Juliana said.

Everyone stood.

Jaxon grabbed his jacket. “I’ll do a perimeter check.” He turned to Enrique. “Wanna come?”

“Yep. It would be good for me to get the lay of the property.”

Hardin grabbed his jacket and headed for the front door. “I have to get back to the precinct, but I’ll be in touch later.” After a quick round of goodbyes, he settled his hat on his head and ducked out the door.

The others headed for the large dining table.

Kaitlyn turned to Micah. “I should really go work with the horses.”

He tipped his head. “What? Now? Why would you do that?” He shook his head. “It’s not safe out there. We can’t know what McKinney is planning next. You can’t leave the house.”

“Then come with me.” She smiled. “If you’ll recall, you hired me to train horses.”

He groaned. What was with this woman? “What? No. Baby, that was…yesterday. Today is different.”

“How?” She narrowed her gaze. “Do you still have horses that need training out there in the barn?”

“Don’t twist my words, Kait.” He took her hands and drew her up as he stood. “First of all, I didn’t hire you at all. I never consented to it. And since your working here was contingent on my agreement, I vote no.” When she tried to interrupt him, her eyes wide with shock, he continued. “Besides, yesterday you weren’t mated to me. Today you are a member of the family, not a hired hand.”

Micah watched as her face reddened. “Don’t give me that shit. What am I supposed to do while everyone takes care of their usual jobs and plans a vampire attack? Huh? Sit here and look pretty?” She pointed at the couch.

Micah looked longingly at the cushion beside them and smiled. “Perfect. Yes.”

“Uh uh. No way. Not gonna happen.” Kaitlyn stepped back. Luckily she was keeping her voice low enough no one could hear them arguing. Plus the noise level in the great room with that many people was drowning out their “discussion”.

“Horses are my life, Micah. My passion. I don’t even care about the damn job. Call it what you want. I want to spend my days working with them. Please, fire me. I don’t want your money for doing what I love anyway. But don’t keep me from helping out around here.”

He stepped toward her, crowding her between the couch and a chair. He opened his mouth, but then thought twice before speaking. “Fine. Let’s go outside and discuss this in the barn.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the back door and the pegs where they kept their jackets. He could stand some fresh air and he needed to get out of this house.

Kaitlyn followed him, her hand limp in his. She was not holding on to him as he was gripping her. He didn’t speak again until they were several yards from the back door. And then he spun around and faced her. His hands shook as he set each palm on her cheeks. He kept his voice steady as he spoke. “Kaitlyn Winston, this vampire threat is serious. I won’t have you waltzing around this property unattended…ever. I don’t give a good fuck how much you love horses. Keeping your neck alive is my primary concern. Don’t argue with me on this subject. If you want to go to the barn, you’ll check with me first and I’ll go with you. Got it?”

Her eyes widened. She jerked free of his grip, turned on her heel and stomped toward the barn.

“Kait!” He kept pace with her. He shook with fear and jealousy and the overwhelming concern for his mate’s safety.

When she reached the huge wooden door, she slid it open with both hands and entered without a word.

Micah stayed right behind her.
What the hell?
He had no idea what to make of her behavior.
Women!

Kaitlyn spun to face him, her cheeks red, fury making her eyes squint. “
Women
? Are you fucking kidding me?”

He winced at her use of the word
fuck
. He hadn’t heard her cuss like that before.

“Well—”
If the shoe fits
…

Kaitlyn threw her hands in the air and screeched. “Oh my God. Are you a moron?” She started pacing. “Are you always going to be like this?”

“Like what, I—”

She cut him off before he could finish a thought. “Like a jackass,” she screamed. “If you think for one minute you can start bossing me around like a child because we fucked a few times, you’ve lost your mind.”

Her anger was starting to grow on him. The woman was sexy as hell when she was mad. He’d have to piss her off more often. As soon as he figured out what had triggered it the first time. He had no clue what he’d said or done to make her so mad. With her scattered thoughts flinging in every direction, he couldn’t get a good read on her.

He reached for her, but didn’t step forward. “Baby—”

“Don’t
baby
me right now. Stop it.” She looked him in the eye and then marched toward the closest stall. As she reached for the handle, she grabbed a brush. She didn’t enter, however. Instead, she turned back toward him and railed at him with her anger some more. He blinked as she aimed the brush in his direction.

He wanted her. He had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from moaning aloud. As mad as she was, she’d be pissed as hell to find out he found the entire episode sexy. His cock grew harder by the second, and he grasped his hands in front of him to keep her from noticing his arousal.

He waited.

She didn’t disappoint. “Let’s get a few things straight.” She pointed at him with the brush while she spoke, using it for emphasis.
As if her words don’t do the trick alone…
Hell, her breasts jiggled with each syllable as she yanked her arm back and forth in front of her.

Micah worked hard to keep his eyes on her face and not let them wander to her chest…or lower.

All he could think about was fucking her hard and figuring out a way to ensure they argued like this often, so they could enjoy the makeup sex he was sure was going to be the most powerful experience of his life. He did his damndest to keep his thoughts blocked.

“Are you even listening to me?” She blew strands of hair from her face.

“Yes.” He kept his answer short. One word wouldn’t get him in any more hot water.

“You may not order me around. I’m my own person. I can decide what to do. I’ve been alive twenty-two years without your help and I haven’t died yet. I know you’re worried about me and you want me to be safe, but let’s get one thing straight…” She nearly dropped the horse brush, her arm was shaking so much.

She took a deep breath and lowered her voice. “I’m not some stupid bitch with no common sense. I would never do anything to put myself in danger or anyone else in your family. So you’re going to have to get over yourself fast.”

He cut her off. He couldn’t take it any longer. He needed to taste her. Taste the rage and fuck her.

In a few quick strides, he was in her face, grasping her cheeks and kissing the breath out of her. He didn’t give her a chance to think. He took her lips, tipped his head to one side and pushed his tongue against the slit until she permitted him entrance.

She tasted like the mint from her toothpaste and feistiness.
Does feisty have a flavor?
Yep, and his mate confirmed as much.

When she moaned, he deepened the kiss, swirling his tongue all around her mouth. She wasn’t unaffected by their spat herself.

A thunk told him she’d dropped the brush as she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight.

He couldn’t do slow or wait any longer. Not this time. Without breaking the kiss, he turned her body slightly to one side and backed her in the direction of the tack room.

With a bump of his hip, the door flung open and he pushed their way inside. He doubted either of his brothers—or anyone else for that matter—would dare follow them to the barn, but just in case, the tack room would afford them some privacy.

Light spilled across the room from the far window. Good. He wanted to see her body while he peeled her clothes off.

Micah kicked the door closed and spun his mate around until her back was pinned to the wood. He framed her face, one hand on each side of her against the door. The kiss eased, only because he had more pressing issues. He could kiss her for the rest of his life and never tire of it, but right then he needed to be inside her.

He finally broke free, breath coming in deep gasps. He was hanging on to his control by a thread. “Strip.”

She sucked in a breath and held it, her hands clenching by her sides.

“Yeah, I thought you’d like that. The idea of being naked and taken in the barn makes you horny.” He grinned.