RaleighPointRescueSue (16 page)

Lisa looked up and immediately regretted it. His black eyes
glinted. Saliva dripped from his lips as both of his canines had dropped, ready
to bite. In all the years she had been captive in the hospital, she’d thought
nothing could ever be worse.
I was wrong.

A ripping sound echoed as Killian clawed her front and
pushed the pathetic scraps of material away. She wanted to shut her eyes, to
escape from the terror, but Killian smacked her face as she tried. “Keep them
open, My Queen. See who your alpha is. See who rules Stone Ridge Pack.”

Lisa whimpered once. Cruel hands ripped the rest of her
clothes from her body. Snarls and howls sounded around her. Shouts, someone
shouted her name. Killian leaned over her gleefully as one hand held her face
still. Sharp claws piercing her skin so she couldn’t move. He scrabbled at his
jeans to push them down and bent his head to her throat. Saliva dripped on her face,
and she wanted to gag from his smell.

Through all the noise came a quiet popping sound.
Small, insignificant, except that small sound seemed to drown out
everything else.
Everything stopped. Killian’s mouth twisted and bewilderment
shone briefly in his eyes before they blanked over. Something was dripping on
her. Funny, his saliva, so bad before, was suddenly red. She heard someone
screaming, and as Killian’s body lunged toward hers as if it had a mind of its
own, she saw Jesse standing behind Killian, holding a gun.

Everything seemed to happen at once. Shouts and roars
surrounded her. A huge cacophony of noise so bad she thought her eardrums might
burst. She finally closed her eyes. A heavy weight was lifted off her. She really
didn’t want to think what that was. Maybe she was dead?
I don’t care. I don’t care anymore.
It seemed like she’d had to
fight all her life, and now she was done. Strong arms lifted her, and she
smelled something she knew. Half-smiling, she nuzzled into bare skin. She could
hear her name being called, feel kisses on her head, nearly taste honey on her
tongue.
Too much.
Lisa let her mind slip away.

Chapter Sixteen

She was warm.
Cocooned.
She
wondered whether the safe space was just in her head or if it would still be
there if she opened her eyes. Warm breath dusted her face, and she breathed it
in. Something moved inside her, responding unbidden to the sweet smell.

“Honey?
Lisa?”

Lisa wanted to laugh. He called her honey, but he smelled
and tasted of it.
No,
she wasn’t
ready to wake up yet. She wasn’t ready to find out if her dream wasn’t real.
Not quite yet. She could just snuggle down a bit more.

“Lisa?
Baby?”

A soft chuckle rippled around her and pulled her up. Soft
lips settled on her skin, not moving. If he would just move them a little, she
could taste them. See if they were real.

“Wake up. Come back to me.”

The soft lips seemed to be asking her to move. Could she
tilt her head, just a little?

Soft rumbling noises started, and strong arms held her. She
smiled. No wonder she felt so safe.
I can
move my head without opening my eyes.
As soon as she thought that, she
sighed and moved her lips to meet those other ones, the ones that had been
waiting for her, her whole life.

Dusting over hers, those warm lips silently clung to her
skin, lightly teasing her mouth to open. Teeth nibbled at her lips, and a
tongue gently pushed inside. She really ought to open her eyes, she supposed,
but her hands worked fine without them. Nails scraped over strong shoulders
that hovered over her. She tugged at them, wanting them closer.

Another laugh.
“I’ll squash you.”

Her mouth sought out his again.

“Do you love me?”

Her eyes shot open.
Not
fair.

“That’s better.” She could see the satisfaction rolling off
him in waves and loved the low rumbling of soft, quiet noises.

 
“Honey, you’re
safe. No one’s
gonna
touch a hair on that head.” He
dropped kisses as if to make it so. “Well, except me.”

“What happened?
Mac?”

“Lisa, he’s dead. Your pal Jesse got him good.” She
shivered, and Mac wrapped her up even more if that was possible.

“Miranda?”

“Locked up.
Lisa, I—”

She silenced him very satisfactorily. She didn’t need to
know.

There was a soft knock at the door, and Riley poked his head
around. She suddenly realized she was back at home. Riley grinned and came into
the room. “How are you feeling?”

Lisa grimaced back. “I’ve been better.” Bruises throbbed.
Scratches stung.
Ow
.
Her head felt like it was beating in time
to her heart.

“Let me take care of that.” Riley told Mac. “Daniel’s on the
phone downstairs.”

“You’ll be okay?” Lisa nodded and leaned into Mac’s hand
cupping her face.

“Okay, Lisa, just relax.” Riley smiled. “Let’s get rid of
that headache for you.”

* * * *

Sometime later, Lisa woke to an empty room. There was a warm
dent on the bed where she could smell him.
So, not gone long, then
.
She sat
up cautiously and felt fine. Riley could put a lot of drug companies out of
business.

Determined to join everyone, she had a quick shower and
pulled on some jeans and a cream sweater. She looked at herself in the mirror.
Clearly Riley had done some work on her face as well. The number of times
Killian had hit her, it was a wonder she had any cheek bones left at all.
Taking a few minutes, she tried some makeup to dull her bruises a little.
Listening carefully, she knew they were all in the kitchen, and her stomach
growled. That would be a good place to head for anyway.

Turning the corner into the passage, she put a hand out to
push the door open and at the sound of her name, froze.

“No. Not Lisa. No fucking way.”
Mac.

“I understand how you feel, but I can’t see—”

Lisa pushed the door
open,
interested to see who the strange voice belonged to. Immediately, Mac was in front
of her with a protective arm around her, guiding her to a chair. “Honey, did we
wake you? I’m sorry.”

Cassie pushed a steaming mug toward her, and Lisa answered
with a grateful smile.

Mac, Riley, and Zack all stood posturing. A tall, elegant
man was studying her carefully. He had black hair with streaks of gray at the
temples and kind wrinkly eyes. She inhaled discreetly.
Not human, not wolf.

He put his hand out.
“Hi, Lisa.
My
name’s Daniel.”

So this was Mac’s F.B.I. contact. Lisa smiled and shook his
hand. She studied him as he sat, and she reached for Mac. “So, what is it you
don’t want me to do now?”

Riley grinned; Zack snorted, and Mac just looked, well,
defeated. Lisa frowned, “What?”

Daniel cleared his throat. “Lisa?”

Mac came and stood behind her, his jaw working, silently,
but the hands he put on her shoulders were gentle, supportive.
Of course, they were.

“I’m afraid Killian DeMarco was the tip of the iceberg. We
have spent a lot of time and resources identifying a well-oiled kidnap and
prostitution ring. Children have disappeared, mostly runaways, who are much
harder to identify.”

Lisa shivered, and she tugged Mac down next to her. He
wrapped both of her hands up in one of his giant ones. The other arm he looped
protectively around her.

“We have been working on this for over a year, but hadn’t
put the connection together with female shifters before.”

Cold suddenly blasted into her.
“Shifters?
Plural?” The thought of others in her position made her sick. Mac tightened his
arm, and Riley moved closer. “What do you mean?”

“We think the alpha female slant is relatively new. The
murdered nurse may have stumbled onto you and told someone. There must be a
pretty powerful alpha up the chain somewhere. No humans obviously would
understand the significance.”

“There’s not that many other shifters that would,” Zack
commented.

“Actually, it’s not just wolves that are affected by alpha
females. Leopards, puma packs definitely, but not tigers so much now.”

Lisa gaped at Daniel.

“Background checks on the nurse found a predilection for
online gambling and heavy debt.” He paused, before asking, “How long do you
remember her working there?”

Lisa frowned. Most of her memories of that place were still
a bit foggy.
Thank goodness.
“At
least a couple of years, I guess.” She had a memory of an older kind woman who
had always watched some TV shows with her, but she’d left shortly before they’d
started locking her in her room. Her throat tightened, and Lisa ducked her
head, blinking furiously.

Mac growled. “That’s enough, Daniel.”

Lisa squeezed his hand and cleared her throat. “I’m okay.”

“We think they found out that alpha females are worth a good
bit of money.”

Lisa nodded. Well, good to know she was worth something. A
hand squeezed hers again. Okay, so maybe more than one thing.
“So what are you going to do now?”

Mac stiffened.

“We need you as bait.”

For a few seconds, the room was so silent it echoed.

Low growls started. Lisa watched open-mouthed as Riley and
Zack stiffened. Mac stood, and black hairs sprouting on his skin as his muscles
rippled.

Cassie smirked and plonked a full coffee pot on the table.
“Going to start getting decaf around here.”

Lisa tugged on Mac’s arm. “Let him finish.”

The tough F.B.I. agent didn’t look fazed. Lisa grinned
admiringly. Daniel reached for the pot at the same time Cassie did. They both
sprang back as if it burned. Riley’s head shot up, and his eyes narrowed.
Cassie blushed slightly and turned to the stove, all while Daniel continued
speaking.

“We can’t get to them. Every time we get close, they up and
move.” His jaw hardened. “We’re not sure it was just Miranda.”

Mac stared at him incredulously. “Then how in the hell can
you sit there and say Lisa will be safe?”

“I’m here, aren’t I? I’ve hand-picked a new team, one that I
trust. I’ve removed all agents associated with the case and brought in people
from way back that I know.” Daniel leaned back in his chair and casually picked
up his cup. “Besides which, you’ll be there.”

Mac huffed. “Fuck, yeah.” Lisa’s mouth twitched. Realization
dawned on Mac’s face that he’d been played.

“What do you suggest?” Lisa looked curious.

Daniel started talking about setting up a supposed shopping
trip for her, a visit to the local mall. He needed Lisa to be seen to let them
think they’d relaxed all protection, now that Killian was dead.

“Mac?”

Mac started.

Riley smirked and nodded to Daniel. “Take it he’s in.”

“There is something else that’s important, vital even.”
Daniel looked challengingly at Mac.

Mac’s eyebrows rose.

“Lisa has to say unmated.”

Well, hell,
thought
Lisa. She thought the room was silent before when Daniel had suggested using as
her for bait, but the kitchen had just become cavernous.

“Fuck, No.” Mac was on his feet, inches away from pulling
Daniel up by the scruff of his neck.

She stood, wanting to get Mac to sit back down. Riley put a
hand on her arm.

She wanted to scream. Someone had to explain why she wasn’t
mated for God’s sake, because she felt mated. In the middle of all the shouting
and posturing, Lisa’s face burned in embarrassment. She felt
very
mated.

“She’s mine. Mine.” Muscles rippled under Mac’s skin, and
claws lengthened from his fingers.

Daniel never moved.

“I know you want her safe. I understand, really I do, but
what about other girls? While she’s still unmated, they’ll think it’s urgent.”
Daniel stood then, clearly pissed off. “This is our only chance. We never know
if or when such a temptation will come along again. Christ, her scent
signatures so strong, I can smell it. What do you think it’s like for an alpha
wolf?” He was nearly yelling by this point.

Lisa wanted to curl up and die. Her face was so
red,
it felt like it was on fire?
Scent?
Really?

Mac dropped into the seat as if the air had gone out of him.

Daniel pleaded. “It’s our only chance.”

Zack nodded. “He’s right, Mac.”

“And we’ll all be there.” Riley put in.

Mac stood without saying one word. His blue eyes glinted at
her like stabbing shards of ice. She couldn’t look away—didn’t want to look away.
He bent down and without saying one word, scooped her up in his arms and turned
for the kitchen door.

“Mac,” Daniel entreated.

Riley put a hand on his arm. “It’s not what you think. Give
him some space.”

Lisa remained pressed close to his thundering heart as she
was swiftly carried upstairs and fiercely hugged close. Mac collapsed on the easy
chair next to the bed. She pulled his head into her chest as he bent down,
whispered soothing words, and ran her fingers through his dark hair.

“Mac?”

Blue eyes gazed at her.

“I don’t understand why everyone thinks we’re not mated.” Lisa
forced the words out in a rush to try and cover her embarrassment.

Mac’s mouth hung open. “Of course, you wouldn’t—”

“Wouldn’t what?” Lisa nearly shouted the words.

“Wouldn’t know.”

Lisa stared in fascination as a flush rose on Mac’s neck.

He tucked her in closer. “Mating is much more than making
love. I mark you.”

“Mark me?”

“Here.” Mac nibbled on her neck. “It changes our scent,
mixes them. Every shifter would know you belong to me. It’s an alpha pride
thing. Alpha females are more sought after unmarked.”

Lisa giggled. Mac looked askance. She couldn’t help it.
“All this fuss?
All this fuss over a giant
hickey?”

Lisa stopped laughing. Mac growled low in his throat. “It’s
more than that. Alpha females guarantee the birthing of alpha males.” Mac’s
quiet statement echoed around the room. His cupped her face. “Wolves are very
traditional. Some packs are obsessive even. It’s supposed to be a mark of
sexual prowess to have a male heir born first.”

Lisa didn’t know where to look. The words came out before
she could filter them. “What about bears?”

Mac leaned in and took her lips carefully, easy on her
bruises. “Well, I can’t speak for all bears, but this one’s very partial to the
thought of a little girl with cute hazel eyes like her mother.”

Lisa smiled, her eyes burning into his.

“Ask me.”

Silence settled around the room. Lisa murmured, “Ask you
what?”

“I always ask if you love me. You’ve never asked me.”

Lisa’s breath hitched.
Oh
God.
She so desperately loved this warm, loving man who had given her his
sweatshirt and offered his heart. She scanned filled blue eyes, suddenly
knowing the answer before she asked the question. “Do you?” She faltered. “Do
you love…?”

The rest of her words were drowned out. Punishing lips
encased hers in a kiss so possessive, so stamped with love and
ownership,
her mind reeled with the force of it. Because she
was
his mate, and she didn’t need a
bite mark to prove
it.
This mark was indelibly stamped
on her heart.

Harsh breathing pulled her away. She tried smiling. “Mac,
you have to explain something for me.”

Mac groaned and bent his head again. She giggled and moved
hers. “No, I’ve just remembered. You said I won’t change until after we’ve
mated? That’s right, isn’t it?”