Ruby (3 page)

“Hurry up with those ropes, pup. When she wakes up, we’re fucked if she’s not restrained.”

The low growl caused Sol to turn. Ruby stared at them, and her eyes weren’t human any longer. Isser took a step back.

“It looks like we’re a bit late. Damn,” Sol muttered.

“If you can hear me, we mean you no harm. Ruby, stay calm,” Isser said quietly as he held up his hands. Her yellow-brown cat eyes glared at him, but she made no move to attack. “We don’t have a choice, Brother. Her change is coming, and if she isn’t pleasured, she’ll die.”

“Damn. She’s glaring as if she wants to eat us. Even a wolf is no match for a tiger,” Sol whispered. Ruby lay on her side. The yellow cat eyes glowed. She gazed at the men intently.

“Buck up, pup. She’ll return to her right mind if we give her a reason. If we are men enough, we’ll save the woman from the tiger. Now we just have to find a way to mount her. This would be easier if she were tied.” Ruby rose up to her hands and knees. The deep rumble coming out of her throat echoed loudly. The growl emanated as a half-woman half-tiger warning. She crawled forward on the bed as if she were stalking prey.

Isser’s words brought a fierce snarl out of her. Isser took a step forward. “You need a man, Ruby, and we offer you two. Focus on my voice and remember that the pleasure we offer will save your life. I am Isser, and this is my blood brother Sol.”

She growled again. Her body remained human, but her face changed, becoming increasingly feline by the second. The soft fur sprouting to replace her pale human skin was beautiful. Isser knew he had to act soon. He pounced on her. She snarled and tried to buck him off.

“Is this what you want, beauty?” Isser asked as he grabbed her hips and pulled her to him. Her tattered robe bunched around her hips, and he could see underneath her lush body was nude. Her pussy peeked out in all its natural glory. She snarled but didn’t pull away. “I won’t rape you. Even in this state, I’ll ensure you are ready and willing, woman. We want to help you. We’ll make you feel good.”

Sol snorted. “If you can’t do it, I’ve got your back, Bro. Damn. Look at that sweet pale ass. I’m as hard as a brick.”

Isser growled. “She’s innocent. We’ll do this right, or we won’t do it, pup.” He grabbed her biceps to hold her in place, and as a warning to his blood brother. A surge of protectiveness rose up inside him. Isser pushed her robe up her back and over her head. It fell to pool around her hands. He caressed the soft, pale skin. Her nudity was glorious. The woman’s body was sexy as hell. The litheness of the tiger carried over to the woman. He picked her up and pulled her around to face him. The robe fell to the floor. Her glowing eyes stared at him, but he wasn’t afraid. He pulled her close. The fevered heat of her body burned against him. His cock ached. The sight of her body was the most erotic thing he’d ever witnessed. Isser had never experienced such a high level of arousal before now.

Sol whined. Isser grinned as his blood brother’s face fell. They’d both make love to the tiger, but he wasn’t going to allow her to suffer brutality. Her life depended on them fucking her, but she remained a woman inside. Her heart—her soul—relied on them being strong, courageous males. He knew the stories. A tigress would flourish with the right mate—male.
Where the hell did that thought, come from? Mate?
He wasn’t prepared to be anyone’s mate. Her feral gaze pierced him. Even as she suffered mindlessly as the heat raged in her, a little bit of who she was remained. He could still notice traces of the woman in her gaze. She was in there, but the tiger was in control. They needed to reach the human part of her before it was too late. He didn’t want to hurt her. She writhed, caught between the beast and her humanity. He hated the agony of his own change, so he couldn’t imagine having to endure it for more than a few moments.

“Fuck. She’s beautiful. You’re right, Brother. There’s a woman inside the tiger, and we need to make love to her.”
Sol’s thoughts filled his mind.
“Look at her. She’s amazing.”

Isser did, and as he examined her expression evolving, he saw the lust blooming there. He let go of one of her arms. She didn’t try to push him away. She remained kneeling in front of him. He pushed the hair tangling in front of her eyes off her forehead. Her dangerous inner animal calmed, and even with the cat’s face staring back at him, he saw her very human response. He pulled a few stray strands of hair away from her mouth. She didn’t resist. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. She groaned, but the vocalization erupted as a rumbling purr of noise. He experienced the vibrations against his chest. He couldn’t stop his smile. His lips pressed against hers. Joy flowed through him. This was what he existed for—Ruby. He’d forgotten how good it was to be happy. There was something vibrant and wonderful in his chest as his heartbeat in time with hers. He hadn’t been carefree like this in a very long time. Isser stopped his train of thought. His desire rushed into some seriously dangerous territory.

She groaned and arched her back while writhing against him. Her pubic bone ground against his leather-clad groin. Isser shuddered. He wanted this minx, but he had to maintain control, or he’d never be able to hold on long enough to give her what she needed.

Sol cleared his throat. “She wants you to undress, Bro,” he said. “Aw fuck, I want her. Damn, I’ve never seen anything so sexy. Just look at her face. That’s pure lust. She needs us.”

Isser glanced at the other man and rolled his eyes. “I’m not going to hurt her.”

“I don’t think she’s hurting. She wants you. Just smell her!”

Isser inhaled deeply. His blood brother was right. Ruby’s natural perfume infused the air with a heady combination of wet pussy and pheromones. The woman
and
the tiger were hot. She’d die if he didn’t make love to her, but he had to be sure she truly wanted this. He could make her his in a way she would never be for another man. He’d save her from her primitive side, but he could lose himself by saving her. As he smelled her need and stared into her pleading eyes, nothing else mattered but her salvation.

“Do you want me, Ruby? Are you in there?”

She tossed her head, and her long, exotically colored hair flipped over her back. Brown, red, gold, and black strands mingled together. The effect was beautiful. A soft growl erupted from her throat, and then she whimpered. “Yes, please,” she murmured. The words garbled strangely, but they were clear enough for him to understand. She wanted him.

Sol groaned. “Let’s rock the pussycat’s world, Bro. We’ll make her snarl with pleasure.” Sol adjusted his cock in his pants.

Isser shook his head. The pup had a helluva way with words. The image brought another grin to his lips. He was glad they weren’t in orbit. He wanted to take his time with her before they took off. This shuttle didn’t have an autopilot. The wolves didn’t waste any more time as they began to prepare to seduce the woman inside the cat. The she cat’s eyes never wandered from their bodies as they shed the clothing quickly and left their garments strewn haplessly on the shuttle floor.

“I’m yours,” Isser said quietly. His gaze never left her amazing golden, glowing eyes. The raw vulnerability in her expression gripped him. He didn’t want anything to ever harm her. She arched her back and whimpered again. Isser reached out for her. He took her into his arms. Her skin burned. Shifters ran hot, but this was beyond the heat of even the worst fever. He glanced at Sol. The other man nodded to him as if he understood Isser’s reluctance.

Isser ran his fingers down her soft skin, starting at the middle of her belly and then passing through her downy pubic hair until he found her wet heat. He caressed her clitoris. She cried out. Her hips jerked. He flicked her again. “More!” she screamed in a human voice. Her eyes stopped glowing. They were a beautiful light brown now. He saw the haze of lust still lingering in her expression. A grin spread across his lips. He would enjoy saving her from the tiger’s hold.

She reached up and put her arms around his neck. Her nails were still elongated, and the prick of each tip became an exotic sensation. He let her pull him down to her mouth. Her body knew what it wanted, and he was all too willing. Sol came to stand closer to the side of the bed. Sol reached out, and his fingers brushed her breast. Her eyes glowed, and her mouth opened to display her dangerous, very inhuman tiger teeth. She snarled. He backed off.

“You need him, Ruby. You need us both. I’m not able to give you as much as you need alone. He won’t hurt you,” Isser whispered. He rubbed her cheek tenderly. She shut her eyes and leaned into his caress. The gesture made his heart do a funny little flip. When she opened her eyes, they were normal again. She glanced over at Sol, her expression showing clearly her attempt to accept the truth of what she needed.

“I won’t hurt you,” Sol said confidently. He came closer and tweaked her nipple. She jerked and moaned. Isser’s fingers continued caressing between her legs. She closed her eyes and threw back her head, whimpering. She opened her mouth and cried out with agony. Her teeth appeared human again. Sol kneeled on the cot behind her. He took her breasts in his hands and played with them as Isser stroked her faster and harder. Ruby panted. Then a keening wail erupted from her throat. The men never stopped touching her. She kept coming. When the cries died down to a soft whine, Isser wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. Ruby clung to Isser, her body limp in his arms. When he pulled back, he saw Sol rubbing her neck and shoulders. She wore a peaceful expression. Most of the sign of the cat had left her face now, but he knew if they didn’t keep making her come, she’d start transforming again If they didn’t give her enough sex, she’d endure the agony of living trapped forever in a half-cat, half-woman, mindless, sex-crazed state. He’d never accepted so much responsibility for another’s pleasure before. He liked to make sure his women came first, but this time his skill determined his partner’s future. The thought was daunting. He glanced at Sol.

“Damn, you’re too serious, Bro. Lighten up. She’s enjoying herself, and we aren’t even close to being done with her yet.”

Isser scowled at Sol.

“There you go looking all intense. Dang it. She’s beautiful and wants you. Enjoy this.”

Isser’s gaze remained on the woman. Sol was right. He’d enjoy this, but he’d ensure that she did too.

“Lie on your back, beauty,” Isser said.

Ruby obeyed. She stared up at Isser with blind obedience.

Chapter Three

Sol suffered a flicker of jealousy but reminded himself of how much he cared for Isser. If he had to share, at least it was Isser with his woman. He was already feeling possessive of Ruby. He took a deep breath. He’d never suffered from these emotions before. The other wolf’s magnetic presence brought him more women. He was also handsome. The man had short, thick black hair and piercing green eyes. His back stood out, covered in a black tattoo of the wolf code, and made him appear dangerous in a way women liked. Tanned and strong, even with all the time he spent in space, Isser’s body was enviable masculine perfection. His chiseled features and muscular body were what women craved. Sol was shorter with light hair and plain brown eyes. The truth was, he’d never be the tall, dark, and handsome male females expressed a desire to find. That fact had never bothered him until today. He was a worthy male and could protect and provide for his woman, but he wanted her to desire him.

He breathed in the perfumed air. Her pheromones called to him. He knew the biology, but it didn’t matter that he wanted her. He could accept Ruby wasn’t a wolf. Shifter desire crossed species. He’d never have imagined himself taking a tiger as a mate, but then again, he’d never imagined truly having a mate. They could have children, and the strong drive for a pair bond still called out to him. When he’d first seen her, he thought she was sexy, but now her scent caused him to react as if she belonged to him.

“We’ve shared women before, Brother. They don’t always prefer me. I feel your pain. You’ve never been like this in past. What can I do to put you at ease?”
Sol felt Isser reaching out mentally with compassionate empathy.

“She’s made her preference clear. She wants you,”
Sol thought bitterly. An ugly stab of resentment caused him to turn away. He couldn’t meet his brother’s eyes. The woman surveyed them curiously. Even in her altered state, he could tell she knew something was going on between them. Her expressive, pensive face said it clearly. When he glanced back at her, Ruby gazed at him—just him. She lay on her back, spreading her legs widely, her body inviting him. She wasn’t looking at Isser. The gesture was only for him, and Sol’s heart soared.

“I want her too, Brother. Her virginity will make this even harder for us to prevent a mating. The nature of our wolf is to claim a woman who trusts us to be her first. We will let her choose who does the claiming, but we will both have her.”
Isser’s thoughts were steady, but Sol sensed the man’s desperation. He wanted to be first just as badly as Sol did.

“Do you want us both?” Sol muttered timidly.

She nodded. There was innocence in her expression, and the absence of resistance suddenly struck him. He saw her accept him—them. A strange need to protect her overflowed in his heart. He’d never cared so much about a woman. This one he barely knew. She shouldn’t mean any more than his port women should, but in some inexplicable way, she was the most important woman in the universe when he gazed into her face.

She grabbed Isser’s hand and put it back on her pussy. The new sensation of possessiveness made her clear preference for Isser all the more cutting as Sol scrutinized her movement.

“I want to taste you. May I?” Sol asked.

She appeared confused.

“I want to put my mouth where his hand is,” Sol said. Isser pulled his hand back, and Sol gave her clit a quick pinch. She bucked. He glanced at her face. Ruby gazed at him with a mixture of confusion and fear, but she nodded. His earlier flippant bravo disappeared. Humbled, Sol knelt next to the large bench where she lay. Her legs widened just a bit, and he leaned forward. Softly he placed his mouth on her intimate lips, and she cried out. Her ass wiggled just a bit. Isser made calming noises as if he were trying to tame a wild animal. Sol smiled sadly. He had no way to tell which one of them would tame her tiger, but he wanted to be the one she accepted. Every breath twisted his emotions as the primal carnality called to his base desire for a true mate.