Already Freakn' Mated (22 page)

“Jack?” Gina, a little bit bruised, but none the worse for wear, stood. She wore a t-shirt and shorts that didn’t cover enough. The exposed skin displayed splotches of color, a visual map of her resistance, and fuel for his simmering rage. No one could say she lacked courage. But it pissed him off she’d needed to defend herself in the first place.

Gina approached the bars of her cage but refrained from touching them as she stared at him. “What are you doing here?”

A wan smile curved his lips. “I was making an attempt at chivalry and thought I’d trade myself for you.”

Despite her situation, she met him with an answering grin. Did she not own an ounce of common sense?

“I don’t think it worked.”

“I hadn’t noticed. Are you okay?” He drank her in, noting the burns that spoke of her attempts to free herself from the silver prison. “I’ve been better. So what’s the plan?”

Conscious of the watching eyes and listening ears, Sheng sighed loudly. “The plan failed. Kaleb was supposed to trade you for me, but he lied. But don’t worry, I’ll figure something out.”

“Bullshit. You are too methodical to not have a backup plan B.”

Sheng noted the empty cargo space, but still didn’t trust it. He gave her a hint. “Eyes and ears.”

“And mouth and toes. Why are we singing a kid’s body part song?”

Thankfully, he didn’t have to answer what seemed obvious to him.

A howl rose up outside the plane, the ululation of dozens of wolves. The cavalry implementing part two of their plot.

Kaleb bolted back in to the plane, his two goons following more slowly and taking up position at the foot of the ramp.

“Shit. The fucking cat didn’t come alone. Close the bay door and get this piece of metal into the air,” Kaleb yelled.

“Aren’t you going to do something?” Gina hissed as motors whirred to life.

Sheng didn’t reply, watching instead as Kaleb grabbed a rifle and primed it, but didn’t use it. The door to the plane shut, minus one of the gorilla mercs, cutting off the sounds of snarls, but not quite muffling the distinct cracks of guns going off. Gina’s face turned ashen, her usual spirit cowed at the violence erupting outside the plane.

Ignoring the sizzle of pain as he slid his arm through the bars, Sheng reached for her, and to his relief, she gripped his hand, squeezing his fingers tight.

“Please tell me everything will be alright,’ she whispered.

“I can’t because I made a promise. No more lies.”

“Since when?”

“Since I left you after acting like a jerk because you caught on to me. From now on, I’m going to give you nothing but the truth.”

“Seriously? You couldn’t have decided that days ago, before I began looking into you? Or last night, when you ran off without explanation?”

“About that, I’m really sorry. Patricia called and said my sister was in danger and –”

“Whoa. Back up. Sister? Aha. I knew it. You are Sheng and Jiao, not Jack and Jill, husband and wife.”

Still clasping her hand tight, despite the burns on his forearm from the bars, he told her the story, from his capture with his parents, to their deaths, to the escape and their years of hiding.

“I’m so sorry,” Gina whispered when he was done. “If I’d have known, I would have never done a search.”

“Not your fault. My sister made a very valid point about my paranoia and instinct to act standoffish brought us more attention. If anyone is to blame it’s me. I put the target on us by refusing to blend in and make friends.”

“You’re right. It is your fault. So fix it.”

“I intend to.” He lowered his voice, not worried as much anymore about anyone listening because of the noisy vibrations all around them. Gina needed something to keep her mind occupied, and guess who had the perfect distraction for her? “Just so you know, once we get out of this mess, I’m claiming you.”

Tearing her fingers from his, she took a step back. “Excuse me?”

“We’re mates. Hence, I am going to claim you.”

“Gee, how romantic. Especially the part where you asked me. No.” Eyes flashing, she crossed her arms over her chest in a defiant – but very cute – pose.

“No?”

“You heard me, no. I want a man who thinks of me as an equal. That man isn’t you. I’ve heard your theories on women.”

“Backed by science and brute strength tests.”

“Oh, you’re incredible.”

“And smart,” he added smugly.

“Definitely not modest.”

“Why, when I have nothing to be modest about?”

Such a subtle, yet blatant reminder of his cock and her enjoyment of it, and oh, she reacted beautifully. Her cheeks flushed, her eyes smoldered and her lips rounded into a beautiful ‘O’ perfect for…

“You’ve got to be kidding me. You have a boner!”

An unfortunate aspect to the life of a shifter: nakedness, because clothes were such fragile, easily lost items. Rule number five in the guy shifter hand book, though? Unless you can do something about it, pretend you don’t see the erect evidence. Ignoring his wildly inappropriate hard on – her fault, she turned him on after all in the first place – he forged ahead.

“There is nothing wrong with a virile male showing appreciation of a pleasing female form in the most visible compliment available.”

“Pussycat, you ever get a hard on for another woman in front of me, and you’ll sing soprano in a girls voice.”

“Jealousy. It is the sign of a true mating.” He said the words in his best wise sage voice – the one atop the mountain, smoking a pipe, cross legged with a beard down to his knees.

“Would you stop that?”

“Stop what?”

An inarticulate snarl came from her before she gave him her back. Sheng stifled a grin. How utterly amazing. Here he was, stuck in a cage, his mate also a prisoner, on a plane to who knew where, and yet, he smiled. Not a cold smile, or a wry one, but a genuine, happy in the moment smile.

Now, a person could argue that his misplaced humor, during such grave circumstances, emerged because of his need to protect his mate. A need to prevent her fear. But given their situation, caged in a metal bird, a few thousand feet in the air thing, yeah, he needed something better than, ‘Don’t worry, I got this.’ Come on, a daring escape attempt with her under the current conditions was on par to racing on foot in front of a tornado. Doable, but with a highly unlikely survival rate. Escape was out until they hit solid ground.

But he couldn’t let her panic, or cry. He hated it when his sister cried and suspected he’d hate it even more with Gina. Not that she appeared anywhere close to crying. Nope, she ignored him and studied the wall of her cage.

A part of him felt kind of bad he couldn’t say anything. Yet he was also loathe to reveal too much in case Kaleb or his men possibly eavesdropped.

Still, though, making a joke, and about mating – which he took very seriously – had he completely lost his mind?

Yes he had, and it felt great. He’d spent so long in his serious shell, mistrusting the world, not letting people get close. It hadn’t done him an ounce of good. Miserable wasn’t how he wanted to spend the rest of his life. Funny how a change in scenery and a chance encounter could change a man so drastically so fast. However, meeting Gina didn’t cause the entire reversal of his previously held notions. He’d realized a lot of things recently as his sister questioned his true motives behind his paranoia. Honesty within himself oozed forth to shock him.

I’m scared.

Before his capture by Kaleb, the first time when he was still just a boy, Sheng remembered the happy times. The smiles and laughter. The love of his family. Then, in one fell swoop, his bright and shining world was ripped away. He survived. He protected his family best he could. He failed with his parents and escaped with his sister. However, his one victory didn’t appease the fear or bring back those happy days, a past where he didn’t constantly look over his shoulder.
I fear.
Jiao hit it square in the head when she questioned his reasons for hiding. Forced him to see.

To compound his already fragile mindset readjustment, he met a certain she-wolf determined to get under his kin. Happiness beckoned, but required him to find the courage to grasp it.

But what if I lose it again?
What if I can’t keep
Gina
safe? If I fail…

So many doubts. Time to stop let fear make his choices. Time to live life, instead of envying it. Time to claim his mate and a chance for happiness.

Gina might fight him now, but she didn’t stand a chance.
I want her in my life.
Even if she drove him nuts, he’d have to make sure not to claw the furniture. Gina did, after all, own a gun. He could see plenty of fireworks and head butting, but at least life would never lack action. And if lucky, he’d get to live in love.

Stupid freakn’ silver cage. Too small for her to pace properly, too silvery for her to touch, Gina couldn’t properly vent her frustration by wearing a groove or hitting something. A sane person would have blamed her dilemma on the situation – kidnapped and flown to God knew where – but no. Gina didn’t doubt her family would come to the rescue. They wouldn’t rest until she was found, so if she just sat back and kept herself from getting killed, they’d spring her at some point.

No, her problem napped in the cage beside her. Lying on his back with his knees drawn up and his hands crossed over his naked stomach – taut and defined with washboard abs she’d licked less than a day ago – Sheng slept. How could he sleep? Especially after telling her he intended to claim her ass as his mate – and sporting a very complimentary boner. The things she could do – and had done – with that perfect dick…

Stop. She couldn’t think that way. He’d smell her desire for sure then. Back to the reason for her annoyance.
I’m his mate, or so he says.

Not likely. Sure, he pushed every single one of her buttons and made her orgasm like nobody’s business – more than once, all three times they’d screwed – it didn’t mean she’d tie herself to a guy who thought women were inferior to men. He’d made his beliefs clear.

I could show him different
ly
.

If she cared. Let someone else teach the jerk that women were just as, if not more than, capable of taking care of themselves. So long as the person who taught him wasn’t a woman.
Ours
, her wolf snarled. Ours indeed. If the idea of him with another woman made her want to neuter something, then something big was afoot.

Damn. Stupid cat got it right. He was her mate. She could deny it and fight it all she wanted. In the end, the fever would consume her and she’d crawl to him begging for his mark.

Screw that. Gina Greco didn’t get on her knees for anybody. Okay, unless she was giving head. But that was different! So how to solve this dilemma? She knew enough of the mating fever to know once it struck, the clock began ticking, faster and faster until they gave each other the mark in a mindless frenzy. There was only one acceptable solution.

Bite her pussycat first and claim him on her terms. And if he pulled any of his macho bullshit, she’d chase his feline ass up as tree.

Sitting hunched, she must have dozed off because she woke to a rude, “Still awake, bitch?” Her captor sidled up to her cage.

Oh if she could have one shot, just one, perfectly timed punch to the face, she’d erase the smirk Kaleb regarded her with. “You’ll regret doing this, human.”

“Ooh, I’m shaking in my boots.”

“You should because if I ever get out of this cage, I’m going to find you. Handcuff you to a chair –”

“Sounds kinky, no wonder my little Chinaman likes you,” he interrupted with a leer.

“– strip you.”

“This is getting better and better.”

“Then I’m going to wrap dental floss around your balls, and pull it so freakn’ tight, those babies will turn black and fall off.”

“And then?” Kaleb smirked, not at all bothered by her threat.

“I’ll make you eat them.”

“Lay one finger on me and I’ll show you how many ways there are to torture a person and keep them alive.

It seemed Sheng didn’t nap after all because he said, “I don’t think so. You want to use me as a stud, then you’ll leave my woman alone.”

Kaleb whirled from Gina to her pussycat. “Oh ho. So the cat finally admits she’s his. Should I punish you for your earlier lie?”

“Not if you want me to cooperate.”

“If I agree to leave her untouched, you’ll breed her?”

“Yes.” Sheng didn’t look too happy, but he agreed to Kaleb’s terms.

“Prove it. Take her, right here, right now. I’ll have my men toss her into your cage.”

Okay this took voyeurism to a level Gina didn’t like. “Excuse me, but I don’t do live sex shows. And I don’t care what video some people say they saw on Youtube. It wasn’t me.”

“What’s she’s trying to say, in her usual delicate fashion, is no,” Sheng added. “I won’t be watched like an animal. Any breeding we do, we’ll do in private.”

“Only? That kind of sucks. Public sex can be so much fun.” Gina pouted.

“Would you shut up?”” Sheng hissed.

“A lover’s quarrel, what fun. While I’d love to watch, you’re distracting me from my work. How about you decide on the whole public sex thing after a nap.”

Gina would have said she wasn’t tired, but something pricked her in the side. She peeked down to see a feathered tuft sticking from her skin.

“Drugs don’t wor–” she couldn’t finish the thought, darkness grabbed her so quickly.

*

Mouth tasting like a toilet – a fact Gina unfortunately knew due to party years (still ongoing) – Gina raised her head and peered blearily around her. Blink. Stare. Blink. Stare.

Nope, still definitely the weirdest place she’d ever woken up in. It looked like a cross between a dungeon, and a cage. A big cage, but still a freakn’ cage.

What the hell?

Up she sprang, swaying a little as her sluggish body fought to catch up. Gina whipped her head from side to side, checking out the joint. Then flicked her gaze back left. Yup, a much too relaxed Sheng – if you ignored his semi erect cock that twitched higher the more she stared – lay on the floor, naked, rumpled haired, bristly jawed, and looking like the most luscious piece of ass ever. She couldn’t help the heat between her legs. Her naked legs. Shit, who undressed her?

Clarity returned quick as the possible answers narrowed themselves into equally distasteful options. Nothing sore. Sniff. No strange smells on her skin. It looked like someone stripped her but left the goods alone. “Where are we?”

“Kaleb’s compound in the mountains. Welcome to the lowermost level of Castle Hell, or at least that’s what we called it when I lived here with my family. These are not his best accommodations though. Say hello to the training model. If we behave ourselves while here and follow the rules, we get to move on up to something a little less rustic with an actual bed.”

“This is seriously insane.” She fought down panic. Gina Greco didn’t do girly wimp. “This place is awesome. I am so going to suggest it for next year’s Big Brother Have-Not Room.” Ignoring his shocked expression, she peeked around.

The floor, if you could call it that, since it consisted of concrete covered in itchy, scratchy hay, was about ten by ten, enough for some movement, but small enough to drive her crazy real quick. Stone blocks comprised the back and side walls. The only source of light proved a window high up and covered in thinly spaced – bet you they were silver – bars. The three cement block walls appeared unwashed and scarred with scratches and splotches she preferred not to dwell on. The fourth edge, at her back, comprised floor to ceiling bars. She could feel the tingle of silver in them from two feet away. Shudder.

Furnishings were a one star hotel, hole in the ground replete with a stack of paper, a blanket, and an annoyed looking Asian man.

“Have you gone into shock?” Sheng asked.

“No. I’m just assessing the situation. Looking for a way out, and something to use as a weapon.”

“Shhh.” He slapped his hand over her mouth and dragged her close. “Be careful what you say. They are listening.”

Shit, she’d not even thought of that. Bad cop. Hmmm, now there was an idea for role play later. But for now, while warming quickly at the slight brush of his skin against hers, she instead opted to slant her head until she whispered back in his ear. “Well duh, but if I don’t act in character, a.k.a. new prisoner looking for escape, then they’ll think I’m up to something.”

“Are you?”

“Am I what?”

“Up to something,” he snapped, only to clamp his lips when he realized he practically shouted.

“Of course I am.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to let my family have all the fun when they come to the rescue.”

“They are not coming to the rescue.”

A raspberry on his chest told him what she thought of his reply. “Don’t be silly. Of course they’re coming. It’s my family. Like they’d pass up a chance for some fun.”

“Fun?” he choked out.

“Yeah, I guess this is a little more serious than a party. How about they couldn’t pass up a chance to hit something? There are a lot of boys in my family. The testosterone can get a little heavy. People to hit, outside of family members, are encouraged.”

“So in other words, at Christmas dinner I should wear a jock?”

“And a helmet. My mom’s coming. It should be better than UFC 271.”

“That good, huh?”

“Better. But back to my family getting ready to rescue me, since I don’t want to have to listen for the rest of my life how they had to rescue my fat ass –”

“Absolutely tempting ass,” he corrected.

“– and my cuddly little pussycat from the bad guys. We can’t let that happen. I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Excuse me? You did not just call my leopard cuddly.”

“Leopard? How interesting. And here I thought you might be a Siamese.”

“A domestic hairball?” he sputtered.

“Well you are rather snobbish, and I’ll bet you’re high maintenance. But between the baton and my cuffs, I think we can cure those habits.”

“Cuffs?” His gaze took on a smoldering intensity that sucked her breath away. Never had a man ever looked at her with such hunger. And need.

She wanted to feed both. She wanted him.

Gina could see now the whole picture – the rigid man, no more than a boy when he started his hard life, protecting the only thing left to him, a sister. She could see the lover who struggled with his needs, looking for someone he could trust and finally relax with. And finally Sheng, lost and hurt, who needed to learn how to regain his identity, his life, and smile again –
right after I hurt him for being
such
a dumbass.

“Oh pussycat, we are going to have so much fun when we get out of here. However, if you’re going to be my mate, you’ll have to understand a few things.”

“Mate? What happened to
hell no
?”

“I’m not stupid. I know you belong to me. But just so we’re clear. I don’t share.”

“Me either.”

Yeah, Sheng looked the possessive – borderline stalker – type, which worked, because she had trust issues too. “Oh, I wasn’t talking about you. Although, that goes without saying. I meant I don’t share my steak, or my ice cream, or my chips. Actually, if you want to earn sexual brownie points, bring me home some chips, with dip if you want me to lick it off you.”

“Fair enough. I don’t share the remote.”

“Typical,” she muttered. “Now for the ground rules. One, I am a cop, not a very important one I’ll admit, I mostly patrol parks, the downtown strip and hand out tickets, but still, one day, I might make it to the one of the cool squads, and if I do, I expect you to respect that even if it’s dangerous.”

“Or I could keep you barefoot and pregnant.” Surely he feigned that level of nonchalance?

She gaped at him. “You did not just say that.”

He grinned, mischief dancing – a huge cucaracha with flamboyant can-can dancers – in his eyes. “We’ll get a big house that you need to clean too. Maybe a tiny yappy dog we can name Skittles.”

She opened her mouth to retort, but then got it. “You’re joking with me?”

He snickered. “Of course I am. I might be a little rigid, but even I have kept up with woman’s rights. And besides, can you see me owning a dog? I’m much more a cat person.”

“If you’re Mr. Joe Cool, then what was all that crap about women not able to protect themselves?”

“Best pickup line ever when I was in the circus. Don’t forget I was a teenage boy while cooped up. There weren’t many girls close to my age, but there were some. Challenge a girl to prove she’s tough and you get to cop a feel. From there…”

“You used a pickup move on me?” Gina breathed the question, not daring to believe his nerve.