Escaping Love (18 page)

He was using a different name
, but it was him. She could feel it to the marrow in her bones. She tried to hide her happiness under the scrutinous gaze of her captor.

Hell
, she wanted to jump for joy. The insurmountable weight on her heart lifted, restoring her faith. He looked absolutely glorious and no matter the danger, her body heated. Her nipples pearled beneath the fabric of her top, and moisture seeped between her legs. Carlos snarled and pulled her with the leash he still held.

“You know him
, you little bitch?”

With Clint there she felt braver. “Yes
, I know him. Now do you want to increase the bid or not?”

He seemed to grapple with his choices. His eyes flashed with something close to anger
, when he regained his cool composure.

“I concede to the man. Now come up to the stage and claim your new pet.”

Alex wanted to give him a matching set of scars on his other cheek but she refrained, barely. She watched hungrily as Clint stalked up to the stage.

Clint took the leash from Carlos and immediately freed her from the collar. He gave her his jacket to cover up with. It did the perfect job
, as the edge came to her knees. God, he smelled so good. She wanted to take his hand and leave Carlos and everything else behind.

Carlos started to leave the stage when Clint spoke.

“Not so fast there, partner. I have a bone to pick with you. I invoke the Blood Right of Hospitality.”

Carlos whipped around.

“You have no cause for a Blood Right.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. Miss Santos was mine to protect under the oath of Hospitality.”

“Do you have a witness to corroborate the fact?”

“I do
. Bart, bring in Clay, would you?”

It was then that everything dawned on Carlos. The big bear walked in with a slight hitch in his step. She wasn’t sure what Carlos and his men had done
to him but she would bet he’d come to regret it.

Carlos’s eyes narrowed on Clint.

“You are not who you say you are. The name you go by is Clint.”

“This is true
. Not too long ago that was my name until an old friend came forward and told me the story about my past.”

“Lies,” he hissed.

“Now listen here, you slimy excuse for a man. I don’t lie. Ever.”

“Then prove it.”

Clint motioned toward Clay. The bear pulled out an official-looking paper and presented it to Carlos. Clint encased her hand with his while Carlos read the paper.

“Fine.
I will accept your request for the Blood Right.”

Alex gripped the sides of the suit jacket to keep from flipping the bastard the bird. But now there was a new problem Clint had been shot and a Blood
Right was exactly what it sounded like. The two lethal predators would shift and fight. Whoever drew the most blood would be the winner.

Her
cowboy gave her a soft smile. It should have reassured her, but it didn’t.

~****~

Clint squeezed Alex’s hand while trying to stay calm. He wanted nothing more than to rip Carlos’s throat out and be done with it. He fought the instinct to pull his Little Cat into his arms shielding her from everything that was about to happen.

He had every confidence he would win. Even if he didn’t
, Clay had a claim to the Blood Right as well. Carlos had killed their mother. Justice would not go unclaimed. One way or the other the weasel would die. He just hoped he’d be the one to do it.

Everyone stood and filed out of the house to the front yard. If this was anywhere but in the shifter world people might become alarmed with a wolf and a panther ducking it out in someone’s front yard.
But not in his world. It was common and widely embraced. They believed that the strong survived, and this was the ultimate show of strength.

His
body hummed with muscle feeding adrenaline. His need to protect his mate then claim her brought his primal instinct boiling to the surface.

They circled each other with calls from the cro
wd, fueling their primordial fire. This would be it. He nodded to his opponent and shifted into his sandy-blond wolf.

His mind changed then, his wolf pushed to the front
, ready to claim the right to kill the one who dared harm what was his to protect. He could smell the fear coming from the lithe panther. The male knew his time was at an end. His human side wanted to drag the fight out, but his wolf knew the faster it was over the safer it would be.

He wait
ed for the panther to make the first move. They circled and the world became a blur of movement the cat slashed at his face but was no match for his speed. He countered by ramming his powerful body into his rival’s back. The cat snarled and hissed. The smell of death hung in the air, ready to take away the loser.

Clint advanced
, snapping at the feline with his massive canines.

Contact
.

He could feel his prey claw at his belly as he slowly suffocated his prey. He’d never let go. The moment of retribution was his to prolong.

An image of Alex’s stricken face flashed before his eyes, cutting his battle short. He wanted to be with her, touch her, claim her for everyone to see. With a sudden jerk of his head, he snapped the bastard’s neck with a sickening crack.

Tossing the limp carcass to the side, he threw his head back and howled his victory to the world, but mostly to his mate, the woman he loved. The crowd roared with excitement
, high on the smell of blood. He could see the hunger for the fight in their eyes. But they wouldn’t get it, not today. This day belonged to his beast.

With his bloodlust fe
d his other hunger raged to the surface of his mind. The witnesses grew quiet and parted, revealing his next target.

Shifting, he reveled in the way his skin burned for the transformation.

“Run,” he growled.

Alex’s eyes widened before her fight or flight instinct kicked in. She turned and
, in the moment it took to blink, dashed through the unruly jungle. He lifted his head, scenting her arousal tainted by a small hint of fear. His cock jutted from his body and each step reminded him how much he wanted inside her sweet little cunt.

The bystanders began to file back into the house and then he was ready for the hunt.
He grinned wickedly as his Little Cat’s scent changed to her animal form.

She must have taken to the trees. No matter
, he would catch her, force her to shift back, fuck her, and claim her.

With a warning howl, he
took off after her.

Her trail was easy to find with his senses on high alert from his battle. As he ran through the underbrush
the forest animals grew ghostly quiet. They could sense an apex predator on the hunt.

He jumped over a log and fell into a pool of quicksand.

“Tricky cat.”

No wonder her scent was so easy to follow
—she was playing with him. He found a nearby vine and pulled himself free. She’d gained a head start, but it wouldn’t last long. He picked up his pace, laughing as he ran into another one of her diversions. A nest of rainforest ants were not too pleased at his uninvited visit.

His foot burned but it would heal.

He laughed, thoroughly enjoying the chase. She proved to be a worthy opponent. With all the unfamiliar smells she had him following a false trail. The one thing she couldn’t mask was the unique scent of her need. It called to him.

Focusing on that alone, he changed directions
, running toward the sound of flowing water. She drew close. He could feel her. Breaking through the brush he found his prey gloriously naked and sunbathing on a beach of white sand.

“What took you so long?”

She stood with her hair down, resting just above her ass. Her pert little breasts dotted with perfect nipples, moved up and down with each exhale. He could smell the moisture between her legs.

His appreciation rumbled deep in his chest. Her mouth parted with sweet invitation
, and his eyes grew half-lidded.

“Is that a snake in your pants
, or are you just happy to see me?”

“Oh I assure you
, darlin’, this is all me.”

He started stripping of his clothes happily discarding them in a sandy pile.

She gave him a guilty-looking smile. “Enjoyed the quicksand, did you? That was one of my favorites.”

“Don’t worry about that
, Alexandria. I plan on spanking you sweet ass for being so mean to your mate.”

“Mate?” she
squeaked and started to back up. She looked at the water, probably hoping for escape.

“If you run from me again
, little one, I will not have the restraint to be gentle when I make you mine. You do know how wolves claim their mate don’t you?”

Her eyes widened as she shook her head.

“We pin you to the ground, enter your secret entrance and mark you with our bit while we pound into you.”

She swallowed and licked her lips. The scent of her need grew to cock
-shattering strength.

He closed his eyes
, drawing every mouth-watering detail of her fragrance inside his body. He let it mark him too.

He opened his eyes slowly and gave her a wolfish smile.

“I can see my words please you. Now have you made your choice? Run or stay?”

Alex’s body shivered with delight under her magnificent male’s appraisal. Her thighs were coated with her cream
, and her pussy clenched with need. Could she handle him like this? His masculinity after winning the Blood Right called out to her feminine core. She ran her hands over her over sensitive skin, moaning at the contact.

He wanted her as his mate
, and she wanted him as well—more than anything in the world. He’d come for her, protected her, and all she had to do was say yes.

There were still so many things about him she didn’t know. The big things,
such as how he treated her, the way she felt about him, and the way he made her smile seemed like enough. The rest would be learned with time.

“I would like my answer. Will you be mine?”

But still one thing bothered her.

“Do you love me?”

He gave her a look of utter disbelief.

“How could you ask me if I love
you? Haven’t I showed you in the way I touch you, the way I hold you? Do I not provide for your every need? If this is not love then what is?”

“You haven’t said the words.”

Her excuse sounded lame to her ears, but sometimes you just needed to hear it.

“I love you
, Alexandria, more than simple words could express.”

Happiness in the form of tears spilled out of her.

“Yes, I will be yours, always.”

He pounced, bringing her small frame into his. He bent down and kissed away all of her tears. Her nervousness gave way to passion as her body reminded her
of what it desperately needed. She hardly noticed.

She
kneaded his back as he tasted her skin. Briefly she noticed the angry scar on his shoulder, the one from the gunshot.

“I thought I lost you,” she whispered.

“Shh…none of that, darlin’. This moment is for me and you. Your fears have no place here.”

His strong rough hands cupped the globes of her ass
, lifting her off the ground. Her head lolled to the side as he trailed hot kisses down her neck. He bit at the sweet spot where her shoulder met the base of her collar.

Moaning, she wrapped her legs around his waist pushing her heat against his cock. She began rubbing against him
, desperate for him to be inside her.

“Not that way. When I fuck you it will be in your ass.”

Fear and curiosity rippled through her body. She’d never done
that
before. Despite her uncertainty her body responded with swift arousal. Soon she’d be his and only his. She threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled his mouth to hers. He kissed her with desperation as if his control only held on by a thread. She sucked on his tongue mimicking what she wanted his body to do to hers.  She felt soft sand against her back, amazed that she’d been so consumed she hadn’t felt him move her.

He halted the kiss and nibble
d on her jawline. His hand plucked at her nipple while the other cupped her breast, massaging gently. His mouth fell to the one on the left while he continued his ministrations on the other, rolling her nipple between his fingers and making her hiss with pleasure. Her whole world spun out of control as her release coiled within her.

His tongue played a quick melody
, driving her higher. Her head thrashed in the sand, but she dared to watch him. His gaze locked with hers as he swirled his tongue around the base of her nipple. Then he drew her into his mouth and released her with a savage pop.