Vision Revealed (14 page)

Jin searched the long wooden sidewalk as it bordered Lake of the Woods, a very large

lake that was the source of employment for many humans as well as leopards and

werewolves in the area. There were too many boats docked alongside her in the water to

count. Humans went about their business, their stale scent annoying but one she was used

to over the years she’d been forced to interact with them. For the most part, the setting

was calm, life as usual for the small town.

“Maybe what we saw doesn’t happen today,” she offered, and wrapped her leather coat

around her tighter when a cold breeze came in off the lake.

“Maybe.” He tucked her in closer, keeping a diligent pace as their boots made a

repetitive clomping sound over the wooden walkway.

“Wait.” Kane paused, his light blue eyes glowing when he stared down at her.

Jin’s stomach growled from an overwhelming strong smell of fresh fish. Someone had

just brought in a huge catch and it succeeded in reminding her she hadn’t eaten yet today.

“You smell it too.” Either he heard her stomach growl or simply stated the obvious.

“Fish,” she offered dryly.

He nodded and his aroma filled her nostrils, suddenly making her a lot hungrier for him

than the fish. Kane slipped his hand under her coat, his warm touch caressing her side and

then pressing against the middle of her back. He pulled her closer, giving the impression

to everyone moving around them they were two lovers on a stroll, indifferent to the

fishermen working, and simply enjoying the view of the massive lake.

“The clouds are parting. Turn around and see,” he suggested.

Jin obliged and when she did, squinted as the glare tried blinding her. If it weren’t for his

hand, resting just above her ass under her coat, the setting would have been unappealing.

She liked the feel of him next to her, the way his scent seemed to wrap around her

protectively. Not once in her life did she ever view a male as anything other than sexual

relief and otherwise almost always a nuisance. Soon she would work on not enjoying

Kane’s company so much because obviously he couldn’t continue being with her. But for

the moment, knowing he would probably take the growing pressure inside her away

before long made her forget how cold it was outside.

She held her hand over her eyes, shading them from the glare, and searched the nearby

boats, trying her damnedest to focus on anything other than fucking Kane. Everyone

around her was human. As she looked down the row of boats though, she spotted two

males, barely grown, their growls reaching her as she studied them.

“Over there,” she said, gesturing with the hand she’d used to shade her eyes.

“Stay here,” Kane growled.

“I’ve been a hunter for years,” she reminded him, ignoring his command and walking

alongside him down the dock. “I can handle this myself if needed.”

Kane grunted but didn’t say anything. Two males were breaking into a heated argument,

causing the boat they stood on to rock dangerously in the icy water. Jin searched the

docks, not surprised to see humans in nearby boats glance over curiously but then go

about their work. Humans didn’t get involved in problems other than their own and

would run from a fight before diving into it.

Kane wasn’t human. He leapt across the dock, hurrying to get on the boat and jump in

between the males. That’s when one of the males grabbed a female, who clutched a cub

to her breast. His howls were profane, the female was spitting and hissing, ready to

protect her young. And the baby cried furiously.

There was one problem. They were werewolves, and they were fighting leopards. The

hair on the back of her neck shot to attention as if she’d just been shocked. Sparks ignited

up her spine, the urge to change, to become more than human and strong enough to take

on the fight and bring it to its knees, overwhelming her.

She didn’t return to draw attention to herself, especially among the werewolves who

wanted her dead. At least one particular den who’d deemed her a den-wrecker. The

charges were false, at least they were in her mind and always would be. But controversy

and more outrageous howling would make it harder to do what she came here to do,

which was speak to the hunters, explain to them what really happened and then disappear,

hopefully before they killed her.

There was nothing worse than hesitating while watching a fight. The smell of

humiliation, or worse yet fear, was more than she could stomach. Jin worried her lower

lip, chewing on it until her teeth lengthened with her growing anxiousness and she

punctured her flesh. The metallic taste of blood brought her to her senses.

This wasn’t about her. Jin could stand there and protect Jin Rose, an already tarnished

female, or she could save the young female and cub who were in danger of falling into

freezing water as they struggled to get away from the two outraged males. She couldn’t

risk falling into the water and losing her wig. There would be no more humiliating

herself.

As Kane jumped onto the boat, roaring at both males and grabbing their attention, Jin

ripped off her wig and yanked out her contacts, shoving them in her pocket, aware how

easily she might lose them but willing to risk that in order to save the female and her cub.

Refusing to think how tousled her hair must look, she raced across the docks, leapt on to

the boat and tackled the female and cub just as the males lunged in their direction.

“You’ve lost this boat!” the werewolf growled, the fierceness of his tone proof enough

he would go for blood any moment.

“My litter is here! This is my fucking boat!” the male leopard hissed, his vehement tone

just as dangerous sounding as the werewolf’s.

“You don’t have a boat and in about thirty seconds you won’t have a litter either!” The

werewolf tried lunging past the leopard just as Kane leapt on to the boat.

Jin moved just as quickly, racing past the males and charging into the female, relying on

the fact she’d protect her cub with her life. They stumbled and fell, rolling over each

other on the wooden floor of the boat. It was slick, freezing and damp with salt water.

Jin’s leather coat and pants shielded her somewhat, but the female leopard wasn’t as well

protected.

“What the fuck?” the female howled, coming up with tooth and claw while successfully

holding her screaming infant against her chest.

“I’m trying to save your ass,” Jin hissed, and managed to drag the female across the boat

and away from the males.

She looked up, feeling the frigid wind burn her cheeks and make her eyes water as Kane

took a blow to the side of the head by the outraged werewolf.

“You think reinforcements will get your boat back?” the werewolf howled.

“I’m not reinforcement.” Kane sounded incredibly calm as he straightened and grabbed

the werewolf, lifting him off the ground and giving him a deadly shake. “I’m just one

insane motherfucker who has it in his head a male doesn’t attack when females and

infants are present.”

“Come with me,” Jin encouraged. “Get your cub off the boat.”

“This is all we have,” the female pleaded, her eyes streaked with silver as she panted and

stared at Jin. “I don’t know who you are, but unless you’re here to help my mate save our

boat, I wish you good hunting.”

“This isn’t the place to battle this out.” Jin pulled on the woman’s arm while pressing her

other hand against her back and beckoned her toward the docks. “No one will take the

boat from where it is. Kane will get both males off the boat. Think of your cub. Let’s go

before the boat is capsized.”

As if to back her words, the boat rocked dangerously when the werewolf managed to

break free from Kane and leap on the other male. The female howled, screaming that her

mate be left alone. Jin took advantage of her being distracted and grabbed her, with cub

in hand, and lifted her then stepped off the rocking boat. The solid dock came up hard

under their feet and both females again almost toppled to the ground.

Kane roared, tossing the werewolf off the boat into the icy water. Jin maintained her

balance, watching the leopard when he glared at Kane but then looked past him at his

mate.

“Are you okay?” he asked her.

The female nodded and then cuddled her cub, whispering and doing her best to calm it

and stop the crying.

“What is going on here?” a male bellowed from behind Jin.

She turned, instinctively putting herself between the intruder and the female with her

cub. Kane leapt off the boat, making the dock shake as he landed next to Jin.

“Everything is under control,” he growled, barely giving Tore a moment’s attention

before turning to the splashing in the water. He reached down, grabbed the soaked and

frozen werewolf and yanked him to shore then let him drop so he lay between them at

their feet. “I believe the disagreement will be taken elsewhere now,” he growled.

The male leopard had jumped off the boat behind Kane and now held his mate, his arms

wrapped around her as he watched the werewolf on the dock. Tore and Race stood

alongside each other, their large frames blocking the view of those behind them. Mostly

human, the few onlookers returned to their business, leaving the leopards to tend to their

matters. Jin shifted her attention to Kane, who sported a light-colored bruise on the edge

of his cheekbone. When he looked her direction, his eyes widened, showing off the light

blue depths that instantly warmed her in spite of the cold wind and her damp flesh.

“What is this disagreement?” Tore demanded, watching as the werewolf struggled to

push himself to his feet.

If a nearby human questioned his ability to fall into freezing water and climb out, still

capable of moving when hypothermia should be setting in, no one said anything. More

than likely the humans in the area prayed if they ignored the leopards and werewolves

they would go away.

The leopard, still holding his mate securely to his side, spoke up. “He claims the boat is

his but payment was made fair and square.”

“I didn’t get paid,” the werewolf growled, looking like a drowned rat when he pushed

himself to his feet. His clothes hung wrong on his muscular body and dark hair was

plastered to his face. But the cold glare in his eyes proved he felt wronged.

Jin didn’t smell a lie and was about to mention as much when Kane moved around the

werewolf and put his arm around Jin.

“Sounds to me like a matter to be taken up with your pack leader and not dragged out

onto city streets in broad daylight,” Kane snarled, his body tight with anger that added to

the spicy charge in the air.

Tore snapped his head in Kane’s direction, looking ready to bite his head off for trying to

maintain control of the situation when hunters had arrived. But as he looked at Jin, his

expression changed. It hit her as Kane’s grip tightened protectively around her.

“I’ve always known white leopards were a bit crazier than the rest of us,” the male

leopard said, his confidence intact when he laughed easily and watched the werewolf inch

around the group. “Today though, you’ve honored me and my den. Thank you for that.”

“You’re welcome.” Kane nodded to the leopard. “And good hunting to you and your

den.”

“This matter isn’t settled,” the werewolf growled, wagging his finger at Kane. “You bet

I’ll talk to my pack leader. And when he comes howling to you then you better be ready

to explain why you interfered with this matter. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re charged

with aiding in stealing property.”

“The boat isn’t yours,” the male leopard snarled.

Kane held out his hand, blocking the male when he took a step toward the werewolf.

Then ignoring Tore when his anger spiked, obviously not appreciating Kane being in

charge of an affair he obviously viewed as a hunter matter, Kane focused on the soaked

werewolf.

“Tell your pack leader to howl for me. I’m sure he’s a fair and honored leader. It

shouldn’t take long at all to determine who rightfully owns the boat.”

The werewolf growled, baring his teeth before stomping off, pushing his way through

Tore and Race as he stalked down the wooden walkway. Kane turned, facing the young

leopard couple. “Give these males your information. When the pack leader comes forth,

you’ll be contacted.”

He pressed his hand into Jin’s back, guiding her around the small group. “And good

hunting to all of you,” he added over his shoulder before escorting Jin away from all of

them.

There wasn’t any way they would be allowed to walk away from that scene. Jin didn’t

doubt Tore would finish matters with the mated couple, but then he’d be on their tails,

probably before they could return to the motel. He and Race had now seen her without

her wig and contact lenses. The moment Tore acknowledged her, giving her a quick

once-over, there wasn’t any turning back. All her plans, the itinerary she’d laid out and

gone over time and time again in her mind before running here, were now shot to hell.

She didn’t regret her actions. In fact, if anything, what she did was incredibly honorable.

That female and cub wouldn’t have fared as well in the icy water as the werewolf did.

The cub might not have survived. But now she needed another course of action, and she