Pack Security (Were Chronicles) (12 page)

Another ten minutes of riding brought him to his destination.

He knew he was at the right place when he saw the plaid blanket and picnic basket. He turned off his Harley and let the bike still under him. He brushed the hair from his forehead and glanced around him. He didn’t see Cassie anywhere.

After throwing his leg over the side of his bike and stretching, he whistled sharply. If Cassie was in her wolf form, she should be able to hear him.

He strolled over to the blanket and stood with his hands on his hips. He drew a deep breath and brought in the wild scents in the area. He could smell where Cassie had been and figured it was about an hour since she’d left. There were also other animal scents. Small critters and even a coyote.

The air was fresh, and with the slight breeze, it was a perfect spot.

Movement ahead of him drew his attention and he watched as a small tawny wolf slowly approached. He hadn’t seen Cassie in her wolf form. She was breathtaking. Pride and satisfaction flooded him as he thought about the fact that she was all his.

Both the woman and the powerful creature were his to claim and protect.

She paused on the ledge right above him then lowered to the ground. Max closed the distance before dropping to his knees beside her. He buried his hands in her soft fur and tugged lightly.

Cassie rolled, exposing her belly to him and he got the hint to give her a rub down. It was amazing to be able to share this with his lover. He’d stayed away from the Pack for so long that he had forgotten that even if he couldn’t transform like everyone else, he enjoyed being around them in their shifter form.

Cassie was sharing her wolf with him and he fell just a little more in love with her. His feelings were new and growing, but he had no doubt they’d be able to make things work between the two of them.

Cassie licked at his hand before turning back onto her stomach and getting to her paws. She shook her body and he backed up, laughing.

As she started her shift, Max made sure to keep his senses open to insure her safety. Once she completed her transformation, he grinned at her. “Nice run?”

“Yes,” she answered. “I’m glad you got here before the sunset, though. I wanted to show you the view.”

Max ran his gaze over her naked body. He could stare at her all day. Slight and compact, she was a little firecracker.

“Not me!” She smacked his chest.

“Sorry, but when you don’t have any clothes on, I don’t see anything else.”

Her brown eyes sparkled in delight and she rewarded him with a kiss. “Well, I packed a picnic for us. And it includes a bottle of champagne. After the sun goes down, you can make love to me right here.”

He caught her hand and pulled her closer. “What if I don’t want to wait?”

She didn’t get a chance to respond as he lowered his mouth and kissed her deeply. Her arms went around his neck and he lifted her off her feet.

“O-okay” she panted when their lips parted.

Max carried her to the blanket. “We’ll stick to your plan for now.”

Disappointment flashed in her eyes, but Max just grinned. “Now where is the champagne? Are we celebrating something?”

She flopped down then dug into the wicker basket. “Us. I know you asked if I wanted you to go back to Chase’s, but I really don’t. Although it happened fast, I like having you around. I want you to stay.”

He joined her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into his lap. “I’m not going anywhere, baby. My place is next to you.”

“Good, so see, we’re celebrating us!”

“I’ll drink to that.”

Max filled the two glasses with the bubbly liquid and turned just as the bottom of the sun passed behind the canyon.

Colors exploded in the sky and it was so stunning that it actually took his breath away.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Cassie whispered.

Max nodded. He didn’t have the words to describe what he was seeing. He tightened his hold on her as they silently watched the sun lower. Drinking their champagne, Max was awed by the perfect moment. Once the sunset, he turned his face to hers. She was watching him intently.

“My fingers ache to paint the look on your face.”

He set his glass down before taking hers and placing it next to his. “Later, first I want to show you how much I want you. Always need you. It doesn’t matter if I haven’t seen you for five minutes or five hours. I can’t stop thinking about you.”

“I feel the same way,” she responded softly.

“You’ll be mine forever, right? You and me, we’re a team.” He laid her back gently, nibbling her neck.

“Yes, Max. I’m yours. Show me.”

“I’m yours too,” he vowed.

Since she was already bare for him, he took his time kissing down her body. The air around them had started to cool, but he wasn’t worried. He would keep her warm.

The taste and feel of her was already so familiar. He’d been telling her the truth when he’d said he always wanted her. Every part of his mind, body and soul belonged to Cassie. He needed the same from her. He would have the same as he showed her his love under the darkening night sky.

He skimmed his lips over her soft skin and Cassie shuddered in need.

“Max,” she gasped his name as he slipped a finger through her wet folds then inside her. He added a second finger, opening her to prepare himself to bury deep in her body.

“It’s just you and me out here. I’m going to claim you again, make you mine.”

Cassie lifted her hips and rolled into each thrust of his fingers. “Yes!”

Max leaned back over her and lowered his mouth to hers. She gripped his shoulder tightly. Her pants and murmurs grew in volume. Before she flashed over the edge, he removed his fingers.

“In me, please, Max!”

Covering her body with his, he positioned his hard cock at her entrance. “Open your eyes and let me see you as I take what’s mine.”

Her soft brown eyes met his and he slowly pushed inside. He groaned as her inner muscles clamped down on him. On his knees, he lifted her hips and held her firmly. He withdrew gradually then snapped his body, slamming back into her.

Cassie cried out in pleasure.

He pumped deeply, connecting the two of them in the most intimate of ways. There was nothing like the power of the strong woman he was making love to calling out his name and giving in to the pleasure he gave her, the pleasure they gave each other.

The tingle at the base of his spine signaled his coming completion. He sped up his movements even more.

He lowered his head and took her mouth once again, climaxing together. They kissed through the powerful release until she had to pull away to catch her breath.

Cassie was absolutely breathtaking, looking thoroughly sated.

“Mine,” he whispered against her mouth. “Mine.”

Also available from Totally Bound Publishing:

Shifter Chronicles: Birds of Prey

Crissy Smith

Excerpt

Chapter One

The call came at five in the morning.

Cody fumbled on the nightstand beside his bed and knocked something onto the ground as he reached for his cell phone. “Hello?”

“Agent Johnson,” Commander Jacob Green’s brisk voice came through loudly.

“Yes, sir?” Cody replied with a wince. It was Sunday and his day off. He’d gone out the night before with Zak and Jamie and had only climbed into bed three hours ago. Sadly, he’d crawled into bed alone but with too much alcohol in his system. If he was being called in, a hangover was not going to help.

“I need you and your team to report to a scene,” his boss told him.

Cody sat up and rubbed his hand roughly over his face. “Okay.” It wasn’t normal procedure to call in one of the teams that wasn’t on the schedule. His superior had also never phoned him personally before.

“I’ll text you the address,” Commander Green said, lowering his voice. “It’s going to be a long day.”

“Understood, sir,” Cody replied, before his boss disconnected the call. Even if he didn’t understand yet, he wasn’t going to argue with his employer.

He only had to wait a few seconds for the address to be sent to his phone. And that was all he got.

1125 Lake Shore Drive.

No names or information on what he and his team would be walking into. Not normal at all.

He forwarded the text with the addition to report ASAP to his unit.

Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, he couldn’t hold back a groan. He should have known better than try to match shots with Jamie, but the bear shifter had kept pushing.

Zak had just laughed at them as they threw back round after round.

It wasn’t the first time he’d made the mistake of trying to take his buddy on and it probably wouldn’t be the last.

Cody needed coffee. Strong and black, and a lot of it.

He walked to his closet and pulled out a clean pair of jeans and a black T-shirt. He tossed them on the bed as he crossed to his dresser. He yanked out a pair of boxers and socks. His boots were still right next to the bed where he’d kicked them off earlier.

Dressing quickly in what he considered his daily uniform—jeans, shirt and boots—he was once again glad that he was part of a field team and rarely had to put on a suit. He preferred to be comfortable when he worked.

Picking up his cell again, he noted that all three members of his crew had replied affirmatively, just as he had expected.

He strolled out of the bedroom and down the hall of his two-bedroom, one-bath apartment. He didn’t bother turning on any lights until he reached the kitchen.

There, he flipped on the switch above the sink to light up the room then pulled his travel cup from the cabinet above his single-serve coffeemaker.

He put in the strongest blend and started up the machine. Sixty seconds later, the aroma of the strong brew almost caused him to weep in relief.

Once his coffee was finished, he placed the lid on tightly and headed out. He grabbed his badge, wallet and keys from the side table by the front entrance just before he unlocked and opened the door.

Outside, it was already reaching the high eighties and he knew it would only get hotter as the day wore on. It wasn’t even light yet, and the dry air was already stifling.

Didn’t matter, he mused. Something had happened and he suspected that it wouldn’t be just a long day, but a long
few
days.

He climbed into his old Jeep and started it up. The air conditioner blasted on, sending warm air into his face. He cursed and wrenched the knob to low.

Before he backed out of his parking place, he typed the address into his phone’s GPS and waited. Once the GPS announced the route he should take, he shifted into reverse and drove to work.

It took him twenty minutes to reach Lake Shore Drive. The street was located in the classy part of town. Old money. Big money. No wonder Commander Green had called him in personally.

This was going to be high profile.

Damn, that meant media and gawkers.

He hated that.

And since it was his unit that had been assigned, a bird shifter would be involved in some way.

He turned onto the quiet street, admiring the large houses. This neighborhood was made up of two and three-story structures that spread onto perfectly manicured plots. Even though he’d grown up in Lake Worth, he had never spent a lot of time in this area of the city.

Two blocks down the street, he finally saw the lights from police cars. His GPS announced that he was coming up on his destination. He reached over and turned the program off.

Roadblocks had already been placed limiting access, so Cody had to pull off to the side. He exited his vehicle and made sure that his badge hung in view from around his neck.

City cops roamed about or stood in small groups as Cody stepped around the barricades. He narrowed his gaze as he took in the scene.

Tall, wide iron gates stood open with a ruined vehicle still smoking just inside.

Plainclothes detectives were speaking with his boss. He headed over there first.

Yellow crime tape roped off the smoldering SUV, preventing anyone from gaining access.

“Here he is now.” Commander Green waved him forward.

Cody joined the three men.

“Detectives Lawrence and Sanchez, this is Agent Johnson,” Commander Green introduced.

Cody shook each of the detectives’ hands. Their grips were firm but not aggressive.

“Agent Johnson, it seems this scene will be turned over to you,” Detective Sanchez said. He was obviously unhappy with that decision, if his scowl was anything to go by.

Cody didn’t say anything. He’d let the man speak his peace.

“While I respect what the Coalition has accomplished in the short time it’s been operational, I don’t like just handing off a case in my jurisdiction,” Sanchez continued.

“I understand,” Cody assured him. “And I promise to keep you in the loop. We don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but we
are
more equipped to deal with shifters.”

Sanchez’s jaw clenched. “Maybe.” He paused a few seconds. “And I would appreciate it if you would indeed stay in contact.”

“I will,” he vowed. He had once been a local police officer and still remembered the feelings he’d had when he’d had to hand off cases. It wasn’t good. Had never sat well with him either. And they didn’t need to make enemies with the local police.

With a sharp nod, Sanchez turned on his heel and stalked away. His partner followed behind him. Cody blew out a breath and faced his superior.