Read Fever Claim (The Sigma Menace) Online
Authors: Marie Johnston
He was watching her hand each time she poked him. He followed the movement when she put it back on her hip. Then slowly, so slowly, his eyes made their way up her formfitting shirt, lingered on her breasts, watching them as they rose and fell with her breath, then burned their way up to meet her eyes. The heat from his look seared her.
A slow, lazy grin spread across his face. Her breath hitched, he was devastating before he smiled, but when he smiled, she lost herself. He took another step closer; she had to crane her head back to maintain eye contact.
Instead of leaning down for a kiss, he grabbed her butt and lifted her up, careful of her side, to meet his lips for a kiss. She hooked her shoes behind his back and threw her arms around his neck. His tongue invaded her mouth, his taste divine. It felt like an eternity since she’d last tasted him. He hugged her even closer, their tongues dueling, not stopping even as Christian broke into a slow clap and low chuckle behind them. Cassie smiled into the kiss, not willing to stop, either. Let him watch.
Epilogue
Jace was grinning like a dumb motherfucker and he didn’t care. He stood in a clearing behind Guardian headquarters, surrounded by his coworkers. Sunlight filtered through the newly budded trees, casting a soft glow on Cassie’s creamy skin, scattering highlights over her hair.
She stood across from him, absolutely gorgeous. And all his. Dressed in a simple, elegant white dress she repeated her vows. As his pack leader, Christian presided over the ceremony having the power and authority to properly mate them. He worried whether she would offer her hand for this part of the ritual, but she did so without hesitation.
Her only concern about today was not being able to have her dad present. They couldn’t tell another human and risk their people. Cassie was unwilling to risk her dad’s mental health by making him wonder about other bits of reality after learning shifters and vampires were real, and possibly still hunting Cassie.
Commander Fitzsimmons and Master Bellamy interrogated both of them about that night. They determined that the mating ceremony Madame G used was intended for the study of mating and combining lifespans. The evil presence Cassie felt may have indeed been the dark woman herself. Why Cassie could feel it, but not Jace, was also unknown. The only logical conclusion any of them came up with was the simplest—because she was human. Madame G has been ramping up her experiments on shifters and vamps, trying to conquer both species. She recruited humans, mysteriously enhanced them, but has never to their knowledge dealt with mating them. So, while she can settle a part of herself into the mating bond undetected to the wolves, she couldn’t remain undetected by the humans. Or at least not Cassie, who also experienced increased immunity, more than most humans, to Mabel’s mental shoves. Maybe it was Cassie, maybe it was the human mate of a shifter.
Christian finished the ceremony, presenting them with their proper mating dagger—a beautifully simple knife, not nearly as audacious as the first mating dagger. Cassie was told the
gladdus
was unique for each couple, signifying the strength of their blood bond and lasting love. Humans did rings, shifters did weapons.
Kaitlyn whooped and threw her flowers in the air. Jace’s buddy and fellow bartender clapped him on the back. Both friends were asked to stand next to the couple as their witnesses. Jace grabbed Cassie around the waist and lifted her for the sealing kiss, wishing they could get away together and soon. Instead, they were waiting before taking some time off, since she had just gone back to work after her medical leave. As long as she came home to him every night, he didn’t care. He would continue to do books for Christian while training someone new, but eventually he would belong to the Guardians—both his brain to help with the books and body for fighting. Kaitlyn kept giving him shit since he’d have to do some form of their training, and she’d no longer be the newbie.
Joining the Guardians wasn’t an easy decision, but he wanted to be more useful to his species than to just keep the club running smoothly. A life lived in obscurity, fading into the background, was his mother’s wish, not his. Sigma went after his mate. His primary concern was keeping her safe, then keeping the shifters in and around West Creek safe. After all, his mom and sister were still out there, and maybe they’d want less to do with a Guardian for a son and brother, but he’d be damned if they became targets. He’d made a vow to destroy Sigma, and Madame G along with it.
Cassie was content to move to the lodge, into a cabin of their own, and was happier being closer to Kaitlyn. Okay, she was thrilled and he’d endure Kaitlyn’s high-pitched shriek of delight at the news all over again to make Cassie happy.
“Mr. Doctor Stockwell!” Bennett boomed, Cassie laughed. “Where’s the free beer?”
Bennett was still attending therapy sessions with Cassie and agreed to go with her to interview her committed patient after the mating ceremony was completed. Cassie had gone back to her notes about the day she had him committed and brought what he’d said during his ravings to the commander. If there were any truth to them, Sigma’s threat was greater than previously thought. Maybe he could give the Guardians information on the specific reasons behind Sigma’s experiments.
A few of Christian’s pack had asked about her job. Mental health services had never been an option for shifters before. Historically, they fought it out, but modern times and millions of cell phones with video was making that more difficult. That, along with the uniqueness of the troubled souls drawn to West Creek seeking Christian’s authority, brought much interest in Cassie and her profession.
“Yeah, man. You promised us beer. Otherwise, I could sit at home and clean guns,” Mercury chimed in, and probably wasn’t joking. He’d been loosening up more around the group. Bennett was worried about him, since he didn’t blow off steam at the club like he did with Mercury now that he was working with Cassie. Without Bennett to deal with any social interactions, Mercury quit going, too. With Kaitlyn around to needle him to try to get him to lighten up, or take out his excess aggression in the gym, he hadn’t regressed.
Mercury had started running with Cassie on the woodland trails to watch out for her when Jace was training. Said he felt guilty “cuz your human almost died when we blew her off before.” Jace was afraid she’d chafe under the extra security, but she said with Agents out there, she couldn’t afford to be headstrong. Besides, Jace knew she seldom saw Mercury when he shadowed her, and when he did chat with her, she found his unwitting bluntness refreshing.
“Meet down at the club in an hour. Give the newly-mated time to consummate,” Christian said. He winked at the happy couple. Jace’s gaze devoured Cassie while a pretty stain touched her cheeks. “I closed it for the night. It can finally serve one of the main purposes it’s meant for—a gathering spot for our pack and its Guardians for celebration and revelry.” His former boss and pack leader looked out, his dark eyes taking in the small group of club employees—all part of his pack and the Guardians, before finally settling on his mate.
Mabel turned to the group and in her soft, southern twang said, “So y’all need to start finding some mates.” The group, mostly male, suddenly became quiet while they studied the ground like there was alien life and avoided eye contact—with anyone. Mable burst out laughing, “Never mind. Let’s go party y’all.”
Jace kept Cassie swept up in his embrace as the mating party filtered through with their congratulations and made their way to their vehicles to head to the club. Master Bellamy hung back, intent on talking with the couple privately.
“Many felicitations, young mates.” His small smile lent a melancholy air to his words.
Jace finally set Cassie down as they expressed their thanks, and Master Bellamy studied them both.
“We need you. Need you both.” Master Bellamy glanced at the dispersing Guardians, the ever present concern on his face deepening. “You show us what we fight for. Those boys haven’t witnessed a happy mating for… decades. Just like Kaitlyn is a breath of fresh air with her vitality and constant attitude, they—
we
—need you to keep showing us that there’s more to life than the devastation Sigma can cause.
“The Sweet Mother blessed you with a mate so young, Jace. Your blessing is our blessing and we won’t take her for granted again,” he said, referring to how the Guardians dismissed Sigma’s threat to Cassie because she was human.
“Be well.” And he turned to go before either one of the pair could say anything.
Jace wrapped his arm around Cassie’s slender shoulder as they watched the distinguished trainer amble off.
“Ready for the wild life, Mrs. Stockwell?” He offered to take her last name.
I’m progressive like that
, he’d told her, and started the process of becoming Jace Stockwell. It meant more as his was a general name meant to assimilate in a world he didn’t belong in. It would also confuse Sigma momentarily on her status as a shifter’s mate, giving Cassie time to work with him and Kaitlyn to learn more defensive maneuvers. She’d also agreed to learn how to handle and carry weapons, understanding the increased danger to her from now on, but unwilling to live a sheltered existence holed up in her new cabin at the lodge.
Cassie beamed up at him, looking radiant and more importantly—happy. “We’ll do wild for the first century or two, then settle down… just a little.”
Thank you for reading. I’d love to know what you thought. Please consider leaving a review at the retailor the book was purchased from.
Marie Johnston
PRIMAL CLAIM
Book Two, The Sigma Menace
After losing her family to feral shifters, Dani dedicated her life to eradicating those responsible, almost reaching Agent status with Sigma. Uncertainty about the network and questions about their “work” were plaguing her when she was tasked with a mission that would forever change her and send her running to those she once sought to destroy.
Mercury’s past and unique looks kept him distant from people, even his own species. Then he captured a beautiful Sigma recruit who claimed to need his help while her scent claimed to be carrying his young.
Bitter enemies brought together, they must rely on each other to keep Sigma from getting their hands on Dani, or the growing life inside of her.
About the Author
Marie Johnston lives in the upper Midwest with her husband, four kids, and an old cat. Recently deciding to occasionally trade in her lab coat for a laptop, she decided to write all the stories down she’s been making up in her head for years. An avid reader of paranormal romance, these are the stories hanging out, waiting to be told between the demands of work, home, and the endless chauffeuring that comes with children.
Twitter
@mjohnstonwriter
Also by Marie Johnston
The Sigma Menace:
Fever Claim
(Book 1)
Primal Claim
(Book 2)
True Claim
(Book 3)
Reclaim
(Book 3.5)
Lawful Claim
(Book 4)
Pure Claim
(Book 5)
New Vampire Disorder:
Demetrius
(Book 1)
Fleet Week Romance:
Table of Contents