Prowl (Pride Riders Book 3) (9 page)

BOOK: Prowl (Pride Riders Book 3)
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Chapter Ten

 

The women couldn’t be more than a few hours ahead of them.

Ari rode side by side with Trace. Gunter and El rode together close behind them. Ari flexed his wrist, twisting the handle to accelerate. Greta’s engine whined before he moved his foot to change gears. He blew past Trace and down the road. Green and white interstate signs became a blur. Bane wouldn’t go far with the other women, and since Nae tended to drive like an old man on Sunday afternoon, they should catch up to the small group quickly.

Thoughts swirled through his head. She had no reason to sneak off. Or maybe she’d convinced the others to help her slip away. His cheetah raised its head in his mind. He was curious, too, at her motivation. No one knew about the trap door except his siblings. La was the only one that could show her the way out.

Sun rays heated his bare arms. He glanced up. The blazing orb was just past its zenith, bright in a clear blue sky. Bane’s decision to creep out not only confused him, but her desire to leave hurt. He’d been shot at, attacked, witnessed his brother and sister almost lose their lives, but that pain was nothing compared to what he was feeling now; almost like he couldn’t catch his breath.

Gunter and El rolled up next to him; his brother made a motion for him to pull over. He shook his head and watched in his side mirror as they fell back, following Trace onto an exit that led to a rest stop based on the signage they passed. He slowed and pulled to the shoulder. Maybe Trace picked up on a scent that he missed.

Ari checked behind him. A few cars breezed past, but traffic was light. He estimated the distance, opened up his bike full throttle and roared off, swinging it around. Gravel flew out beneath his tire as he crossed the lane and rode up the other side of the lane against oncoming traffic. Vehicles blew past, their backdraft buffeted him. Some drivers laid on their horns, the sounds blaring loudly before fading as they drove down the highway. At the first opening, he zoomed across and rolled up the exit ramp to arrive on the other side of the stop.

Chaos greeted him. An old van was blocking the entrance into the area. Men kneeled in the side door entrance, firing automatic weapons. The continuous burst of cracks was almost deafening. Two more guys hid behind the passenger door, firing hand guns. He inhaled deeply. The guys weren’t shifters.

Gunter was yipping, but Ari couldn’t find the hyena he was sure his father had shifted into. He followed the direction the weapons were aimed toward. Bullet holes riddled El’s truck. Beneath the carriage, he could make out the large paws of his brother Trace.

He hurried off his bike and pulled his shirt over his head, El and Bane were in the melee somewhere. His brother could take care of himself, but Bane was just a honey badger. Suddenly a jaguar ran past, heading straight for the vehicle filled with humans. The animal zigzagged, dodging bullets and leaped, plowing into the door the men hid behind.

A yowl rent the air and Bane—in her animal form—flew out of the foliage and slammed into the asphalt, rolling to a stop. She rose to her feet and staggered a few steps. A lioness burst from the bushes and darted toward his mate. White hair rose up along Bane’s back and she scuttled back and hissed. The big cat hesitated.

He kicked off his boots and shoved the jeans off his ass, then took off running as the cheetah claimed possession of his body. Ari leapt and the jaguar knocked him to the side as bullets grazed his fur. He skidded to the side and met the icy-blue stare of the jaguar before the cat pushed off and ran for the van again.

A ferocious roar broke through the bedlam. Ari rose to his feet and glanced across the parking lot. El was on the automobile’s roof making it rock on its axles. Men screamed. One raised his gun and fired up into the ceiling.

Ari shook his head and swiveled around, searching for his mate. Who were all the people and where the hell did they come from?

He spotted Bane on the sidewalk. She’d gotten hold of the lioness’s muzzle and curled her body around the beast’s head. Blood flowed from the spots where her claws had pierced the cat’s hide. Bane circled her head like a small cyclone. Rumbles escaped the animal as she tried to push the honey badger off with her paws and tumbled forward.

Angry growls and deep barks filled the air around him. He changed direction and sprinted for the duo. The shriek of glass breaking drowned out the grunts of creatures. Ari stayed focused on the dueling beasts ahead of him.

Bane was shoved off the cat’s face, and held down with a large paw. Her talons tore into the air inches from the lioness’s face as she squirmed to break free. He lowered his head and rammed into the shoulder of the lioness. The cat stumbled to the side.

Bane flipped to her feet and scurried to stand next to Ari, slipping between his legs. He dipped his head to brush his face against her fur. Slowly the lioness rose to her feet and faced them. A high-pitched rumble erupted from Bane, and he curled his lips back, exposing his canines as a show of reinforcement. The beast paced, stopping momentarily to wipe a paw across her snout, smearing the blood through her fur.

Behind them, the human’s yells faded to whimpers and animals snarled. Trace appeared at his side and stalked away, flanking the lioness. Snivels died to silence.

The female cat lifted her head and peered over them. Without warning, she spun on her paws and ran toward the trees. Ari cocked his head, watching her lope into the tree line. Bane inched forward and he growled. His mate stopped and twisted to gaze up at him. He shook his head before turning to face Trace.

The tiger was already moving away toward the truck Shay had been riding in. Ari shifted and rose. “What the hell just happened?” He turned to gaze at the van. Gunter, El, and a woman he’d never seen stood over the dead bodies of the humans who were attacking them.

Bane wrapped her hand over his shoulder. “I think it’s my fault. My buyer is pissed that I didn’t show up with the documents he hired me to steal.”

“Bane!” The woman he didn’t know shouted his mate’s name and rushed toward them.

“Myra.” The corners of Bane’s mouth lifted in a cautious smile. “What are you doing here?”

His brothers followed the jaguar shifter as she crossed the parking lot. Nae and the other women walked from around the front of the truck. Ari eased in front of his mate to block her from attack.

“Down, cheetah. Myra is an old acquaintance.” She sidestepped Ari and moved to meet the stranger halfway.

They hugged, but Bane kept her body stiff. Ari narrowed his eyes. El walked over to him. “Who the hell is she?”

“I don’t know, but that jaguar is one hell of a fighter.” Appreciation was apparent in Gunter’s voice as he settled on the other side of Ari.

“I don’t like the sudden appearance of all these new players,” El whispered.

“All we can do is watch and wait,” Gunter replied as the two shifters spoke around him.

His brother’s mates had surrounded the two women, and everyone was smiling and laughing like they were all old friends. Ari shook his head; the female species was strange. Trace had changed into his human form, but hung back with his arms crossed. The look on the tiger shifter’s face was unreadable.

Ari moved and ambled toward Trace. “Something about this situation is making me uneasy.” He twisted to watch his brother’s reaction.

Trace turned to gaze at him and nodded.

“Gunter appears to be enthralled with the lady jaguar,” he continued. Bane looked almost happy to see the woman. The cheetah in his mind was snarling with discontent. His father joined the women, but was particularly close to the newcomer.

Trace pursed his lips and nodded again.

“We may have a problem.” He couldn’t explain why, but he took an immediate dislike to the shifter who had probably saved his life.

Trace touched his arm and gazed into his eyes. He didn’t have to say a word and Ari knew exactly what the tiger shifter was saying.
Stay on guard, watch and wait.
The very words Gunter had uttered to El only moment earlier. Trace slapped his shoulder and prowled toward Shay, leaving him to stand alone with his thoughts.

Bane broke away from the group and strolled his way. “Why the long face?”

“You left me.” His chest ached. He would never hurt her, but she continued to try and escape him.

“I was going for the documents,” she mumbled.

“Is that all?” He had to know.

“Okay, maybe the though crossed my mind to send the files back with your sisters-in-law while I caught an international flight, but the idea was fleeting.” She lifted her chin. “Try as I might, I am having a hard time leaving you.”

He couldn’t stop the grin as it bloomed on his face. “I keep telling you we are made for each other.”

“Please don’t make me regret changing my mind…again.” She held up a hand. “Come on, cat boy, you need to remind your family we still have cleanup to do.”

Bane twined her fingers with his and tugged him toward the group.

****

They lay naked in bed. Bane held her leg still as Aristotle drizzled honey along the inside of her thigh. He dipped his head, tracing the line with his tongue and inched closer to her pussy. She tightened her fist on the pillow beside her and pressed her lips together to keep from moaning. He nipped her thigh and raised his head, lifting his hand to pour more of the amber liquid across the top of her trimmed mound. He slid a palm up her leg and around her hip. Ari rose up on his knees and tugged her down.

“Somebody’s feeling frisky.” Bane came up on her elbows.

“I almost lost you.” He skimmed his gaze up her torso and met her stare.

“I told you, I changed my mind.” Guilt assuaged her. No matter how many times she told herself to go, she had no urge to leave. She wanted to be there, even if that meant dealing with his obnoxious brothers, sister, and nosy sister-in-laws on a daily basis.

“Although your leaving was a concern…” he smiled that crooked grin she was becoming accustomed to as he swiped a finger through the honey and held it up to her mouth, “…I was referring to your penchant for fighting beasts much larger than yourself. That lioness could have killed you.”

“She had a hell of a time trying,” Bane chuckled, and sucked his finger between her lips.

“Sugar.” He sighed.

She swallowed and succulent sweetness flowed down her throat. Bane released his finger. “I did what I had to do to protect the people you love. The idea of you being disappointed bothered me.” She cupped his jaw. “I would do it again if I had to.”

“Sweetheart, from the moment I met you—you came first. My brothers are more than capable of taking care of themselves and their mates.” He bent and kissed her belly, dragging his lips across her skin before lifting his head. “It’s my job to make sure all your needs are seen to.”

Bane crooked her leg. Since leaving her tribe, she’d been on her own. She hadn’t realized how much she missed the closeness of having a family. It was nice to be wanted and not by the authorities.

“I need to ask you a question, baby.” He brushed a lock behind her ear.

“I’m all ears.”

“The woman Myra, how well do you know her?” Ari leaned over and he momentarily disappeared over the side of the bed.

“We traveled around Europe for a few years. She taught me everything I know. We had to part ways, because she had some family issues rise that needed to be resolved.” She trusted Ari, but he didn’t need to know about her colossal mistake or the darker deeds of her past.

She and Myra lost contact after Myra’s son Kaseo, in a jealous rage, buried a knife between her shoulder blades. Bane closed her eyes, the images of the fight rolling through her mind like a movie.

She’d just pulled off the biggest heist of her life without the help of her mentor, and Kaseo had taken her to the best restaurant in Cairo. Not once did she notice the men her lover accused her of flirting with. Over the course of the night, he became increasingly angry. By the time they left the restaurant, he was mocking her and everything she did. When she smiled at the taxi driver that returned them to their hotel, Kaseo didn’t say a word and she thought he had calmed down.

All hell broke loose in their room and his accusations escalated to a fevered level. When he picked up the knife that was next to the fruit basket in their room, she thought she could calm him down. She’d known that man for years, and they were best friends before they became lovers. Never had she thought that night she would be in a fight for her life with the person she suspected was her soul mate. He almost killed her, but before it was all over, she’d taken his eye. Battered and bloody, it took everything in her not to fillet the bastard. Instead, she called Myra and told her where to find her son before she took the stolen antiquities and got the hell out of the country.

Kaseo could hold a grudge.

“Hey,” Aristotle covered her with his body. “Why are you trembling?”

She opened her eyes and met Aristotle’s inquisitive stare. The two men were so different. Where Kaseo was intense and brooding, Aristotle was lighthearted and carefree. As appreciative as she was for her old friend’s help, if Myra found her, then her son would know within hours where Bane was at.

She inhaled a deep breath and reality weighted her down like a heavy stone tied to her ankles. As much as she didn’t want to go, she might not have any other choice. “Thinking about old times.”

BOOK: Prowl (Pride Riders Book 3)
10.46Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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