Shadow Of A Mate (10 page)

Gotcha.
He was just about to pull away now he’d found what he was looking for when Deke was ripped away from him.

Lightning shot from his chest, striking and sending Deke flying through the air away from him. He almost collapsed at the sudden rush of energy and power leaving him, but caught himself by locking his knees and bending to lean his hands on his thighs. That really fucking hurt.

Bright jealous rage rose up within him like a tangible force in itself. The emotions didn’t originate in him. They came from something different and distant, but very strong.

Inside, his jaguar hissed and spat at the foreign presence moving through him.

Yet somehow there was something familiar in it, something soothing in a way he could not express. He could feel it in his chest, then in his throat until the power of the feeling was so great that he could do nothing other than release it in an agonised roar.

He dropped to his knees and roared again as his body shook and seized without his consent as the power burst forth from his mouth and took form in front of his eyes. The thing was ghostly white with a blue hue, but clearly visible as a cat—a lynx with a long tail.

“Jay?” His voice came out barely above a breathless whisper.

Unable to believe what he was seeing, Kyle reached out and waved his hand through the ghostly figure. The visage of the lynx feathered and split, allowing his hand to pass through as if it were only air in front of him. Despite that fact the lynx spun around and hissed at him, striking out with his paw.

Gasping in pain, Kyle drew back his hand to see thin red lines of blood forming on his skin. Claw marks.

“Ouch!”

Displaying very real and solid looking teeth, the lynx hissed again.

“Okay, I’m sorry for kissing him, but you know I didn’t feel anything for him,” Kyle reasoned desperately. He hated to think that Jay might doubt their bond. Though even he could admit that this scenario didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

Deke scrambled and Kyle blinked with surprise. He’d forgotten all about the human.

The lynx’s attention swung from him to the human and Kyle could tell that the cat was in full predator mode even before it rolled its shoulders and began to stalk the whimpering human. Deke had become prey.

The human crab-crawled away, slipping in the sodden ground and getting caked in black-brown mud as the lynx crept nearer, tail slashing wildly side to side.

The long tail sliced through the air like a sword as he watched energy-like electricity crackle across the feline’s fur. He could see the energy sizzling and hear it buzzing in the air. He tried to draw in breath to smell the homey scent of his mate but instead all he picked up was the decay of the swampland around, the people in his party and a cold crispness that could only be the semi-transparent cat.

Mistakenly Deke tried to run. Idiot. Katrianna must not have high standards when looking for henchmen or minions. Although, now Deke was fully focused on the approaching lynx that no doubt had death in his eyes, he could see the defined features of his face that had been stunning now fuzzy and fluid. A glamour. He wasn’t surprised.

“Holy shit!” someone shouted close by.

It sounded like Mack, but Kyle’s attention was squarely centred on the ghost lynx currently electrocuting Deke with biting attacks of harsh energy, growling as it prowled.

Stumbling attempts to gain his feet and flee didn’t help Deke at all. The human spat curses in another tongue that Kyle didn’t recognise and that again reaffirmed his belief that Deke was at best nothing more than Katrianna’s puppet.

Roots grew from the ground in unnatural quickness and tried to capture the ghost lynx, but nothing could, they simply passed through the form like it wasn’t there.

Deke changed tactic, shouting more foreign words that this time caused small explosions like firecrackers to go off at the lynx’s feet, but again this had no effect. Kyle blew out a breath of relief. He had no idea what was going on here but he knew that ghost lynx was somehow a part of Jay.

“You will pay for this!” Deke turned his attacks to him and Kyle didn’t jump out of the way fast enough. Another set of small blasts went off at his feet and the intense burst of heat set his pants on fire. He cried out in pain and immediately patted out the flames, but even the few seconds caused damage and his skin burned with fiery pain.

“Son of a bitch!” He grit his teeth and tried to compartmentalise the pain. In an hour or so the injury would be healed so there was no point crying over it. Besides, he’d had worse.

Roaring in a voice more like the crackle of thunder, the lynx leaped at Deke. Just before they made contact, another bolt of lightning shot from the ethereal form, sending Deke flying away from them with a scream of agony. The blow was so powerful that Deke travelled far over the water and landed with a crashing splash. After the initial sound, eerie silence descended.

Rogo and Logan raced over to the swamp edge. Both of them searched the water but couldn’t seem to find Deke. “Where did he go?”

As the lynx padded back over to him Kyle’s mind barely registered the question. “You won’t find him,” he said absently.

Logan turned to him with a confused frown. “What do you mean?”

“He’s returned to his master,” he answered with a snarl.

“Katrianna?”

Blocking out the rest of the talking around him, he put his hand out. The lynx stared at it for a moment, hesitating as if it was about to fly off in another direction. “Please,” Kyle whispered, unsure of what he was asking. Kyle’s fingers traced gently over the outline of the sparking, glowing fur and felt a vibration almost like purring.

Too soon the ghost lynx retreated and he watched, heavy hearted and frozen to the spot as the image of his mate faded into nothing.

Despite the dreams, the doubting voice in the back of his head had whispered that maybe it was too late to save Jay and that the dreams were just a figment of his imagination. He’d seen the sideways looks from the others since he’d told them about the dreams. They’d been doubting him, too. Now he had proof.

“What the hell was that?” Mack’s freaked out exclamation made him smile briefly.

“Jayden.” Merrick didn’t sound happy about the fact. That man was so irritating, like claws on a chalkboard.

Probably sensing the building hostility in Kyle, one of his betas intervened before Kyle could say or do anything that would delay them. If they were fighting amongst themselves then Katrianna would win.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Tryst joked slapping Merrick on the shoulder a little harder than was strictly acceptable to be a purely humorous manner.

Still staring at where the ghost lynx had vanished, Merrick paled. “Devlin used to appear to Jay’s mother like this when he was far away. Astral projection. Jayden must be with Marion.”

The last part of Merrick’s explanation stole his breath.

No.
No, Jay couldn’t be with his mother because that would mean he was dead and he felt Jay, had seen his lynx right in front of him with his own eyes. Jay wasn’t dead. He wasn’t.

Forced to his feet by his anger, Kyle limped over to Merrick and poked the man’s chest hard, growling. “How can you say that? Jay is alive, you just saw him shoot Katrianna’s puppet with lightning.”

Merrick slapped his hand away and growled back. “Jay hasn’t the power or knowledge to do this on his own and you know it—”

He didn’t wait to hear what else the older shifter was going to say, his jaguar burst forth from his skin and Kyle leaped at Merrick.

Taking the man down under him, Kyle pinned Merrick to the ground. But only for a second before Merrick shifted as well and switched their positions with an angry roar and hiss.

Unleashing his claws, Kyle dug into Merrick’s fur and rolled them again, fighting for the top position. Even though lynxes were usually smaller than jaguars, Merrick was old, very strong and dominant so the lynx was a lot bigger than ordinary cats of that species.

Despite the extra alpha power rushing through his veins and bolstering his attacks, Merrick still managed to evade his swipes and even used his momentum against him to throw him clear away. Skidding to a stop on the wet ground, he snarled and tensed, ready to charge back into the battle again.

Jumping between them, Mack and Tryst again intervened. “Stop! What the hell has gotten into you both? If you guys want to fight then you can damn well wait until Jay is here to smack some sense into both of you.”

“It may not be them alone. I told you the land here would do strange things. If aggression and fighting amongst ourselves is the worst of it, I’ll count us lucky,” Logan muttered, standing close and looking out into the suddenly quiet swamp.

All of them stopped and scanned the dank surroundings as a gust of smoggy air blew across them, smelling of dark and unnatural things that were as foreign to his jaguar as it was to his human side.

The moment’s pause was enough for Kyle to fight the anger clouding his mind and it was obviously the same for Merrick as well. They both shifted back.

“Dark magic is on the wind. We need to replenish our strength and not linger here longer than needed.”

“Agreed,” Kyle said dryly, still casting his gaze around to assess the environment.

They had made their way back to the small camp quickly.

Kyle’s jaguar was still on high alert, listening carefully to every leaf blowing in the trees and every small crack, creak and splash of the swampland around them.

A presence came up beside him and he didn’t need his enhanced sense of smell to tell him it was Merrick. The stiffening of his jaguar inside him told him. “Jay—”

“Please not now, Merrick,” Kyle snapped, facing the man. He wasn’t in the mood to have any sort of rational conversation with Merrick about his mate.

Anger flared to life in Merrick’s eyes and Kyle didn’t bother to smother his threatening smile.

Another fight between the two of them was inevitable. It was just a matter of time.

Tryst and Mack stepped into the space between them, separating them which just seemed to infuriate Merrick more.

Casting a sideways look at Merrick, he saw the older man jerk as if having to restrain himself from lunging at Kyle. No doubt the man would like nothing better than to go for his throat right about now. Good. It was about time the asshole showed some emotion other than disdain.

Hearing Merrick’s angry grumbling in another language, he deliberately didn’t react and neither did his betas. If there was one thing that cats hated more than anything it was being ignored. Cat shifters hated it even more.

Looking to Mack he asked the question that had been bugging him since he’d woken up. “Why are we not still in the van?”

Mack blinked, clearly not expecting the turn in conversation topic. “You were asleep for hours. The van got stuck a few more times on the way out of the desert, but we were out of it pretty quick using the wood. When we couldn’t wake you up, we figured you were dream walking with Jay again so we just carried you out, ditched the van at the edge of the desert because the engine was shot to shit by that point and took a short rest here, about three minutes’ walk away. Your weapons are over there.” Mack pointed to the side.

“Thank you. You were right, I was dreaming with Jay before...” He dropped his gaze to the floor when he thought about what had happened when he woke up. When they got Jay back, he was going to do everything he could to make it up to Jay for kissing someone else.

The remembered taste of Deke’s lips turned his stomach to stone as he wallowed his guilt.

It must have been obvious what he was thinking about. Speaking in a quiet voice, Mack said, “It will be okay, Kyle. Jay loves you. That’s not to say he won’t kick your ass though. You better be ready to crawl, my brother.” Tryst gave him a sympathetic look while Mack winced. His betas had no idea.

Kyle tipped his head back as a brief laugh escaped. “I would. For him I would crawl.”

Silence met that announcement and he realised he’d said it a little too loud. Alphas were notoriously protective of their mates, but equally proud—almost incurably proud. Saying he would crawl was akin to saying he would tear himself apart limb by limb.

“Really?”

He didn’t answer or acknowledge the incredulous tone in Merrick’s voice. It didn’t matter to him what Merrick thought.

Tired of being ignored, the lynx shifter stormed off to the edge of the small clearing they were in, muttering and cursing. He watched out of the corner of his vision. His jaguar grudgingly appreciated the controlled rage.

Though he was young, he wasn’t unaware of the danger Merrick posed as he would have others believe. He also remembered the cautious way his father and Logan had reacted the first time they met Merrick. That alone warned him to tread carefully. Not that his recent actions were supportive evidence of him listening to his own advice. Merrick just annoyed the hell out of him.

Rogo moved as if to follow Merrick, glancing at Kyle asking permission. Kyle simply shrugged. It wasn’t his place to say who the lion could be friends with. Rogo hesitated a moment longer before walking over to Merrick and talking to the man quietly. He tuned out their voices, giving them their privacy.

Surprisingly, Kyle didn’t actually wish Merrick any ill will. He just resented the man for not finding Jay. Jay wanted a family more than anything. And perhaps if Merrick had searched harder for Jay, his mate might have been spared some of the pain and torment he had endured alone over the years. Some of the blame for that pain landed squarely on his own shoulders as well. He should have tried harder to get Jay to confide in him.

However, if Jay wanted to forge a familial relationship with the man, Kyle would have to get over it or at least swallow his anger enough that he could be in the same room with the lynx without rising to every taunt.

Easier said than done. Perhaps he should take up yoga.

Crackling and the scent of smoke caught his attention and he looked around to see Logan tending a small fire and realised that the wolf was actually making food. It was some kind of stew by the smell of it. There were all these other scents mixed into it such as garlic, pepper, chilli and other spices that he couldn’t remember them picking up in the grocery stop. It actually looked very tasty.