Shifter’s Surrender (12 page)

“Hey, beautiful,” Pete wrapped her up in a warm embrace.

“Hey, yourself,” Kaylie answered, returning his hug. She had no problem showing affection to her friends, but when Dean came up behind her, curled the fingers of his left hand into the top of her jeans, and gave a not-so-subtle tug, she broke free of Pete’s hold. “You know Dean Kinigos don’t you?”

Pete sent her a “duh” look and shook Dean’s hand. “Like I don’t know the mayor. Glad you could make it. Sure you’re feeling up to this, Kaylie?”

“I’m fine. Why are you even asking?”

“You look a little pale.” Pete tapped a finger to the side of his head. “Head bothering you at all?”

Kaylie felt the tension increase in Dean’s body, along with the sound of material ripping. She had a feeling she might need a new pair of jeans. “I’m good.”

Pete’s eyes flickered from Dean to Kaylie and back again. “Well, then. The Jeeps are ready and the gear is packed. We’re all set to go when you are.” He sent her an odd look. “I’ll, uh, just give you a minute.”

Kaylie frowned at Pete than lifted her gaze to Dean. When she noted the amber rims of his eyes she shot her own back to Peter. “Or two.”

Pete nodded, a clear warning in his expression before walking away. A warning Kaylie understood clearly. She turned to face Dean and shuffled around so that his back was to the small group of waiting humans. “What’s wrong with you?”

Dean growled. “What do you mean, what’s wrong with me?”

“You’re going all wolfy.”

Dean growled again and Kaylie shivered. For some reason the sound was turning her on. Like she needed to be turned on right now. Or
more
turned on she should say. Her panties were already damp, and the Alpha attitude and possessive gestures were just making her want to melt into submission. So not like her.

“You touched him.”

“And your point? I touch a lot of people. Some of them even men.”

Dean glared at her, his lips curling up and showcasing pointy fangs. Oops. Not the time to bait the beast, even unintentionally. “I. Don’t. Like. It.”

Kaylie swallowed at the guttural tone and wanted to slap them both. Herself for her stupidity in forgetting that male shifters, especially newly mated ones, could hardly stand other males to stand too close to their woman, much less touch them. And Dean for, well, just for making her crazy.

She laid a hand on his chest, right over his racing heart. Dean closed his eyes and, surprising the hell out of her, wrapped one of his hands around her wrist and slid her hand up until she was touching the bare skin at his throat. The flesh there felt hot enough to burn, and the heat radiated down her arm, through her body and right to her core. She let out another shiver and leaned in to him. Her touch seemed to sooth him, and she gave herself another mental scolding. She knew shifters enjoyed touch immensely and that it both calmed and reaffirmed affection among their kind. Just like humans. And while she once thought Dean was the exception to the rule, she now knew otherwise. The need was instinctive, and whether Dean liked it or not, his beast needed her touch. And Kaylie was more than happy to give him everything she had. “I’m all yours, Dean. See? I’m right here.”

The hand at her back tunneled under all three layers of clothing and flattened against her skin, pressing her even tighter to his muscled chest.

“Okay. So no touching other men. What else got you riled up?”

The silence stretched until she thought he wouldn’t answer. Finally he muttered, “I should have asked you about your head.”

Kaylie smiled into his shirt. “In case you haven’t notice, I don’t have too much of a problem voicing my concerns.”

He grunted. “Yeah, I noticed. But I’m supposed to protect you, tend to your needs.”

Hot damn. Things were looking up.

“I think you tend to my needs quite well.” She rose up on her tiptoes and buried her face in his neck. His scent was strong here and she couldn’t resist a small lick. And then another.

He growled in approval and his fingers flexed. “If you don’t want me to tend to your needs right now, you need to stop.”

She rubbed her hips against the wonderful bulge in his pants and actually had to think about it for a moment. She licked him again. Not only because he tasted so yummy, but because pushing the envelope was who she was. “But you like it.”

“I like it too damn much.”

Kaylie didn’t try to stop Dean as he let go of her and moved back a step. A quick scan from head to toe showed no signs of wolfiness, just an intense sexual hunger. That she could understand. But since now was not the time she changed the subject. “Summary. Peter knows about the shifters but his family, and Julie, don’t.”

Though obviously calmer now, Dean narrowed his eyes in irritation. “I’m not an idiot, Kaylie. I don’t walk around announcing what I am to the world.”

Kaylie tilted her head to the side and said with faked innocence, “Then maybe you should work on your temper.”

His face turned into a scowl. “It’s not my temper. It’s this damn mating heat.”

“Uh huh.” She so didn’t believe that for a second. Part of it sure, but she had a feeling there were other contributing factors to the rage he bottled up. Namely, whatever had caused that impression on his ankle. Being chained up would cause anyone to have anger issues.

“So, go retrieve my coffee, put on your mayor face,” she patted his cheek, “and let’s get going.”

Dean squinted at her. “You really should show some respect, woman. I’m a dangerous shifter. Alpha of the largest pack in the United States. A little fear is healthy.”

Kaylie shrugged, noting that, while his words might seem a warning, his tone and stance were no longer screaming
Danger, Will Robinson
. In fact, if she didn’t mistake it, the slits of green that peered out from his face held a glint of relief, and maybe a bit of appreciation.

She gave him a fake yawn. “Color me awed. Now hustle that gorgeous ass of yours. We’re burning daylight.”

At that his eyes rolled up in exasperation and she knew the danger had passed.

The ride to Kitchell Cave took only fifteen minutes, much of it over bumpy and sandy earth. Kaylie and Dean were in the spacious backseat of the Jeep with Peter and Julie. Julie chatted nearly non-stop the whole way. Kaylie knew from experience that it wasn’t nerves, it was all Julie. The other woman, while kind, vibrated with so much energy that she at times bugged even easy-going Kaylie. It amused Kaylie to no end when Dean sent the younger woman another exasperated glare. She had to smother her chuckle as Julie prattled on about some movie she and Pete had seen the night before. Kaylie hadn’t seen the movie yet, and didn’t need to now since Julie had provided enough explicit details and commentaries to rival professional movie reviewers.

When they finally reached the caverns Dean all but jumped out of the jeep. Grinning openly, Kaylie unsnapped the rear canvas top and whistled before he could stride away. “Here, boy.”

At his glare she pursed her lips together and made a kissing sound. Dean dropped his head, shaking it. But he finally moved up to her as Pete and Julie came around the vehicle.

“Belt,” Pete said, reaching in and then handing her said item. “Gloves and helmets for both of you.” Dean held the later items as Kaylie put on the belt underneath her fanny pack. He raised one dark brow at the bright yellow helmets with attached flashlight.

“Pretty, huh?” Kaylie said, taking one helmet out of his hand and popping it on her head. “I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. Kinigos.” She batted her eyes coquettishly at him.

Dean’s lips twitched. “You are so odd.”

“Yes, but I’m an adorable odd.”

“That’s debatable.”

Kaylie yanked the other helmet out of his hands and plunked it down on Dean’s head, giving it a hard push for good measure. “Safety first.”

Dean scowled. “And the point of these?”

Kaylie put on the gloves, motioning for Dean to do the same. “To protect your head from any falling debris. The attached light allows you to see where you’re going while leaving your hands free. Gloves protect your hands from sharp rocks, bugs, and anything else yucky in the caves. The belt holds a secondary flashlight, a rope to which we attach one end to an anchor in the main cavern and use as a guide for getting back, a walkie talkie, and other odds and ends.”

Dean eyed the belt. “Is all that really necessary?”

Kaylie gave him a raised eyebrow for raised eyebrow. “Some of us don’t see as well in the dark as others and the farther back you go, the less light there is.
Some
of us can get hurt easier than others, and
some
of us take every
human
precaution as possible.”

Dean pulled on the gloves with obvious reluctance. “I get it already. So what if something happens to the rope while you’re in the caverns?”

They moved toward the mouth of the cave where the others already gathered. “What do you mean?”

Dean shrugged. “Say it gets unhooked from the anchor or frays in half from friction against one of those sharp rocks you were talking about. You could drag around ten feet of rope behind you even though you’ve gone fifty. How do you know which way is out?”

Kaylie snapped open a small container attached to the belt and held out a neon pink piece of chalk. “I also use this. For backup.”

Once again Dean shook his head, this time grinning in admiration. “You think of everything.”

“Not really.” She flashed Dean a sheepish smile. “Back in high school a bunch of us got lost in one of the larger caves called Maze’s Cavern. There were, are, so many dead-end crevices and tunnels that turn back onto each other that it took hours to find a way out. We were smart enough to bring chalk to mark our path, but because everyone had white chalk, and no one knew which way they were going, we ended up with arrows pointing in all different directions. I not only use this color, which shows up quite nicely under any light, but I also put my initials next to the arrow so I know which indicator is mine.”

They reached the others by the time Kaylie finished her explanation and Pete snickered with brotherly affection. “Pink is such a girly color.”

“Because black shows up so well.”

“Hey,” Pete held out his hands. “I only did that once.”

Dean even laughed with the others at that.

“So the four of us,” Pete pointed to himself, Julie, his brother Stephen, and his sister-in-law Meg, “want to go to Wester’s End. Meg wants to take some photos and copy down some wall etchings for the anthropology class she’s taking online.”

“It’s for my paper that’s due in a few weeks.”

Stephen slung an arm over his wife’s shoulder. “More like a month. But that’s my woman. Proactive instead of reactive. Well. Most of the time.” He bussed her cheek and she flushed to the roots of her light brown hair, giving Kaylie an idea of what she was mostly reactive about.

“Yes, well. Uhm.”

Pete grinned and, saving Meg, said “And I want to take Julie to Markum’s Well which is a short distance behind Western End. There’s something there I want to show her.” Pete shot Kaylie a hard look and she had to stifle a giggle. Kaylie knew good and well what Pete wanted to show Julie, and it wasn’t the four-foot dry well. On second thought, Pete will probably introduce Julie to the rock ledge of the well.

Kaylie nearly snorted at that and had to clamp down on her lips. Out of the corner of her eye she caught Dean giving her a quizzical look but she only shook her head.

“Doesn’t that sound so interesting? I’ve never been in a cave before so I hope I’m dressed warm enough.” Julie started the prattle again and Kaylie, though she wasn’t looking at him, could almost see Dean’s eyes begin to glaze over. “Pete says the well is dry. Oh. How funny is that?”

Dean cleared his throat. “That’s fine. Kaylie wanted to show me Maze’s Cavern.”

Pete groaned. “Better bring more chalk.”

“Hey!” Kaylie retorted indignantly.

“I’m kidding. Anchor up boys and girls. Meet back here in two hours unless there’s a problem or you get bored.”

Everyone, except Julie who didn’t wear a watch, noted the time. Then Pete, Kaylie and Stephen hooked the end of their leader ropes to the various main anchors hammered into the hard granite walls next to their respective cavern of choice, and they all set off.

The entrance leading to the Maze Cavern was narrow and Dean took the lead so he wouldn’t get caught up in Kaylie’s rope. The morning light quickly faded into blackness and Kaylie switched the light on her helmet. When Dean didn’t follow suit she asked, “Can you really see in total darkness?”

“It’s not completely dark. There’s actually a dim bluish glow. It’s quite interesting. But to answer your question, no, shifters can’t see in total darkness. But even during the new moon there’s light from the stars. I don’t recall ever needing a flashlight to see before.”

“Huh. So all your senses are superior to humans?”

“Mmm. But not as strong as when we’re in wolf form. Our eyesight is actually the weakest sense in human form, our smell the strongest.”

Kaylie winced, thinking about some scents she’d caught over her lifetime, and wished she hadn’t. “That can’t always be pleasant.”

Dean snorted. “A couple years ago two of the three trash pick-up trucks broke down, in the middle of a rare summer heat-wave. About three-fourths of the shifter population became ill just from the scent of rotting garbage. Now we’ve got five trucks that go in for monthly service, no matter what. None of us want a repeat of that.”

They entered a small cavern. “Is this it?”

Kaylie looked around, her light bouncing off the jagged walls. “No. I forget the name of this one, but there’s another passageway over there that leads to Maze’s Cavern.” She dug out her chalk and drew a thick arrow with her initials on the wall at eye level.

Dean grunted and set off in the direction Kaylie indicated. “So you’ve been here a lot then?”

“Not a lot, no. Once in high school and three times since. The last time was just over a year ago. Pete and his father were taking a tour group through Wester’s End, and I tagged along. Jack, Pete’s father, had some interesting tidbits of information on the wall etchings and then took us back all the way through those caverns. Anyway, the tour ended abruptly for Pete and me when I ripped one of my gloves on the granite ledge that partially surrounds Markum’s Well and cut my palm pretty good. Pete had to take me to the clinic. He was so pissed.”

Dean stopped and turned back to her, anger on his face. “Because he had to leave the damn tour early?”

Kaylie shook her head. “No. Because I’d turned down the use of his special caving gloves,” Kaylie made air quotes around caving and turned her hands, palm up. “Like these. I didn’t think I needed them. Turns out they’re made of some heavy duty material, stronger and harder to tear then the ones I had and would have probably saved me fifteen stitches.”

Dean reached for her hand, turning it over and back again. Then he covered her gloved hand with his bare one. When had he taken his gloves off? “That’s why he was holding your hand at the game.”

“Huh?” Kaylie sent her mind into rewind. “Oh. Our softball game. Yes. Hey! That means you were there.”

“Of course I was there.” His eyes narrowed against the beam of her light and she tilted her face higher, causing the light to shine over his head. “I picked you up off the field after that bitch knocked you out.”

Kaylie scratched her nose with her free hand as Dean was currently rubbing the palm of her left one with his thumb. There was something a little too personal, too forceful in his tone. “So, ah, are you calling her that because she’s a female dog or because she’s a mean female?”

He barked out a quick laugh. “Both actually.”

“So you know her?”

His eyes captured hers, the green gleaming with heat. But a heat of what kind? Kaylie swallowed.

“I knew her before you moved back to Woodcliff, Kaylie. Leave it at that.”

Kaylie yanked her hand back. “It’s left.”

A huge sigh escaped his lips. “Look. She thought she could manipulate me for her own purposes and when I declined, she didn’t take it well.”

“So why did she take her anger out on me?”

His head tilted slightly. “I’m sure I don’t know.”

That sounded like a lie. “Why am I not believing that?”

Another sigh. “I have an idea but since I don’t have confirmation I can’t say for sure.”

“And leave it at that?”

He grinned, and it went all the way to his eyes. Sometimes, okay always, when he graced her with such an expression it just made her want to melt. He took her chin in his hand and kissed her. No tongue, dammit, but a nice solid lip crushing kiss. “Something like that.”

She blinked as he walked away. Something like what? Oh. That’s right. Leave the subject of his ex alone. Because really, would she want to talk about her exes with Dean? Not.

But she did want to know what was up with that kiss. Kaylie licked her lips, tasting him. And how soon before she could have another?

“Are you coming?” Dean called back to her.

Kaylie eyed his retreating back and sighed with longing. “Not yet, but I’m hopeful.”

“Kaylie?”

“Right behind you.” She hurried across the cavern and entered the secondary passageway that led to Maze’s Cavern. Dean was pretty far in front of her but she was fine with that. She needed some time to gather her hormones together.

With her hands trailing over the amazingly smooth walls on either side of her, she picked her steps carefully, making her way slowly through the narrow rock corridor. She could no longer see Dean so she picked up the pace.

Then she entered the cavern, she nearly forgot about Dean as she marveled at the various stalagmites rising from the floor. While she hadn’t forgotten about them, she was amazed at how large they’d become in eight years. She looked up and let out a breath in awe at the stalactites reaching down from the ceiling.

She paused long enough to draw another chalk arrow on the wall and then spend several minutes wandering through the stalagmites and getting her rope caught up. Then she spent several more retracing her steps. When Dean hadn’t reappeared by the time she straightened the lead rope out she called his name. “Dean?”

Her first thought was that he’d lost his way or had fallen down some unknown hole. He could very well be hurt or unconscious, or both. Trying not to panic she called his name again, her voice reverberating off the walls. She waited for what seemed like an eon, holding absolutely still, straining to hear a footfall, a groan or anything from Dean. When only silence met her ears her heart began to pound. She crept a few steps farther into the cavern and moved around a particularly large stalagmite. Twisting in a slow circle, she scanned the area as best she could, the beam from the helmet light didn’t provide enough visibility to see into the far reaches of the cavern. The darkness felt cloying, and a shiver of fear raced down her spine. To her vivid imagination, the once magical stalactites and stalagmites suddenly seemed like razor sharp teeth. Teeth that had gobbled Dean up and were now anxiously awaiting a second course.