Cat Style (Stray Cats) (4 page)

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen anyone other than your brother and Hayden, but I can’t shake it.”

“Joel,” Ascher bellowed. He didn’t shift his attention from her. “I need you.”

The door opened and both Hayden and Joel appeared behind him. “What?” Joel asked. “Are you going to pop the question to her?”

“No, not yet.” Ascher shrugged and grinned, but the smile faded as fast as it showed up. “Did you see anyone outside?”

“I had a funny feeling, but I’m always on guard. Why?” Joel grabbed Hayden’s hand. “Asch?”

Ascher squeezed her fingers. “Stay here with Hayden while Joel and I make sure the house is safe. Keep the windows locked and don’t answer the door until you hear the both of us.”

“Got it.”

When Ascher stood, so did Penelope. She wrapped her arms around her body. A piece of her heart left the room with Ascher. She shared a glance with Hayden. “We’ll be okay.”

“We will.” Hayden nodded. “Joel doesn’t rest until everything is fine. I’m sure Ascher is the same way.”

“Yeah. He was my early warning system. If he freaked out -- when he was in his cat form -- I knew something was up. I’m scared.” She hated to admit the truth.

“I understand.” Hayden sat on the unmade bed. “When Branker attacked, Joel knew he was there before I realized something was up. He shifted to keep the man from hurting us. When Branker jabbed that needle into Joel, my heart stopped. My best friend…” She closed her eyes. “I thought he was dead.”

Penelope sat beside her friend. “I thought I’d lost Fang -- er, Ascher once, when he ran into the street. This huge red car came out of nowhere. I could’ve sworn the car intended to hit him. From then on, I never let him go outside.”

“Isn’t it funny how something so simple, like a litter of cats, can bring people together?” Hayden bumped shoulders with Penelope. “I’m glad. You seem like a levelheaded person. The type Ascher needs.”

“I hope I’m what he needs.” Behind Penelope, something thumped. Her blood ran cold. She gripped Hayden’s hand. “Something isn’t right.” When she glanced at the window beside her bed, she screamed.

A man -- someone she’d never seen before -- reared his hand back and smashed the glass. The pane shattered. The sound echoed in the room. Shards cascaded onto the carpet.

“Should’ve had a security system installed,” the man growled. She couldn’t see his face for the dark glasses and baseball cap covering his head. He smiled, baring his crooked teeth. “This was too easy.”

“Ascher.” Penelope forced herself to remain calm. She stood and shoved Hayden behind her and inched to the door. “Joel. Somebody.” They’d told her not to leave the room, but she doubted they’d imagined the danger would come through the window!

The man muscled his way into the room, tossing more broken glass all over the floor. “Don’t bother shouting for your pussy. He’s not coming to help you.” The man flexed his gloved hands. “Better yet, shout for him. He can’t save you, but he will be very important to me.”

* * *

Ascher sniffed the air. Something smelled different. The moment he heard the glass shatter, he doubled back to the bedroom.

“We need a plan,” Joel said. He crouched beside the door. “I feel Hay’s fear. Penelope’s holding herself together the best she can.” He drew a long breath. “Whoever he is, I smell Branker all over him.” He whipped out a cell phone. “I’m calling the police.”

“Good thinking.” He didn’t have any weapons -- except her golf clubs. Not very macho, hitting someone with a nine iron, but who the hell cared? He eased the closet door open and retrieved the heaviest club. “This will work.”

“So will this.” Joel waved a handgun. “You haven’t been in your human form long enough to figure this out. You’ll learn.” He nodded. “Let’s stop this shit.”

With Joel behind him, Ascher hid the club at his side. He nudged the bedroom door open. “Who the hell are you and what the fuck are you doing in my home?”

“Ah, Mr. Ascher.” The man whipped around. When he glared, Ascher’s blood ran cold. He knew that face -- Gio Lupo.

A memory flashed in Ascher’s mind. The scruffy, bearded man with the tribal tattoo along his neck peering at the bag of kittens. “
These will be perfect for what he wants
.” What he wanted. Branker.

Lupo withdrew a syringe from his coat pocket. “Be a good kitty and give me all your blood.”

“That’s not very sterile and it won’t hold all my blood.” Ascher sized up the situation. Hayden and Penelope clung to each other on the other side of the bed. Neither appeared to be hurt, just scared.

“Who needs sterile when I’m getting what I want?” Lupo grinned. “Let’s make this nice and easy.”

A new power surged within Ascher. Making love to Penelope hadn’t been just sex. They’d created the bond. She might not have understood or was willing to admit she loved him, but the mating had taken place. The magic didn’t lie -- she loved him. Lupo could do whatever the hell he wanted with the blood, but he wouldn’t change anything.

“Have all you need.” Ascher rolled up his sleeve. “Go on.” He ripped the needle out of Lupo’s hand. “Here, I’ll give you the fucking blood.”

“Stupid animal,” Lupo spat. “You’ve signed your own death sentence.”

Ascher shook his head. He glanced at Penn, who clasped both hands over her mouth. Tears shimmered in her eyes.

“You’re too confident.” Ascher tore the needle from his arm. Green blood swirled in the vial. “You’re also too late. My blood won’t help you. I’ve taken my mate.”

“No.” Lupo shook the vial. “Can’t be. No.” His bravado evaporated. He crumpled into himself and dropped the syringe. “Branker won’t quit. He’ll search out the others.”

Ascher lunged at Lupo, knocking the man to the ground. He growled and wished he could’ve used his claws. “Never, ever touch my family or my mate again.” He cocked his arm and punched the older man square on the jaw. “Understand?”

Before Lupo could answer, sirens wailed outside of the house. Blue and red lights flashed on the walls.

“I’ll get the door,” Joel said and sprinted out of the room.

Ascher gripped Lupo’s shirt tight. He braced his knee between the smaller man’s legs, pinning him to the floor. Behind him, footsteps thumped on the floor. The sound of radio chatter filled the room.

“What do we have here?” One of the cops put his hand on Ascher’s shoulder. “Cut him loose. We know Mr. Lupo.”

“Lt. Slone.” Hayden sagged against Penelope. “Thank God.”

“We know him,” Joel added.

Lt. Slone hefted Lupo off the floor. “Branker couldn’t leave well enough alone.” He snapped the handcuffs around Lupo’s wrists and spoke to his partner. “Put him in the car.” He turned his attention to Ascher. “I’m sorry he broke into your house. We’ve been looking for him.”

Once the second officer removed Lupo from the bedroom, Lt. Slone spoke into his radio. He explained the situation to dispatch. When he finished, he scrubbed the back of his hand across his forehead. “I didn’t expect to see you again, but I’m not surprised.”

“We’ve got two more brothers.” Ascher stood and smoothed the wrinkles from his shirt. “We don’t know where they are and I’m sure Branker’s looking for them. Might not be him personally, but he’s not given up.”

“No, he’s not.” Lt. Slone shook his head. “I’m having my buddy Ridge bring over some plywood to cover that window. We’ll do statements next. Ready?”

Two hours and a lengthy interview later, Penelope slumped on the couch. Good Lord, Slone asked a lot of questions. She’d been as honest and cooperative as possible. As much as she loved her new family members, she wanted time alone with her man. She waited until the police left before she questioned Ascher.

“How do we find these brothers of yours?” She forked her fingers into her hair. “How do we keep them from having to deal with this craziness?”

“I’m not sure.” Joel withdrew a piece of paper from his pocket and smoothed the page on the coffee table. “I’ve got a map.” He pointed to different points on the paper. “This is where we were dropped off, and this is where Hayden lives. You’re right here. Doesn’t help much other than you and I ended up closer together. Since we left before the others, I don’t know who adopted them other than a couple of names on a note Hildegard left.”

Ascher draped his arm around her. “Then we’ll look for them. Tomorrow. Branker is no fool. He used Lupo to hunt for us. He won’t stop until he gets what he wants. We’ll sort out our next move, but right now I want to spend time with my mate.”

Joel grinned. “Penelope, let me have your cell phone a moment.” When she handed over the device, he keyed in his phone number. “Call me when you’re ready.”

Penelope stood and hugged both Hayden and Joel. “See you later.”

Ascher walked his brother to the front door. They exchanged words she couldn’t hear. When he returned to the living room, Ascher stretched and stalked toward her. “Now… mate.” He grinned. “You have been my salvation.”

“How?”

He wrapped his arms around her. “You love me.” Ascher coaxed her back to the couch and tugged her across his lap. “We could screw around a hundred times without love factoring into the act. Nothing would happen besides a hundred orgasms.” His eyes glittered. “But you and I made love. You felt it. I felt it. That love factored into the equation and made the difference. You and I became mates. From here on out, I’m yours. You can leave my ass high and dry and say you don’t want me. I’ll have to revert back to my cat form forever and be your lap pet until I die.”

“I don’t want you to die.” She toyed with the buttons on his shirt. Although the whole situation had happened at lightning speed, she understood. She loved him when he’d been her cat, and the man intrigued her. The love was new, but it was there.

“Magic is fast, but it’s dead on.” He brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. His touch sizzled on her cheek.

Penelope crouched forward and snuggled to his chest. “So you’re my mate. Is that why you have green blood?”

“The change, yes.” He stroked her back. “Shifter blood is richer than human blood and when we join with our mate, it turns green. Crazy, but true. It’s a protection method. We can’t be killed for our blood that way.”

“I’m glad. I didn’t want to lose you.” She sat up straight and looked into his warm green eyes. “Make love to me.”

“You’re already my mate,” he purred. He threaded his fingers into her hair. “And you’ve got my love.”

“You don’t want to have sex?” She unfastened his buttons, one by one. “Guys usually want to have lots and lots of sex.” She was goading him and loving every moment.

“I sure do. All night long.” Ascher picked her up in his arms and spread her out on the couch. He yanked his loose shirt up over his head, baring his chest. The muscle stretched over his lean frame, and his flat nipples pebbled.

God, her cat had become a sexy man. “Does this mean you can shift whenever you want?”

“Do you want me to shift right now?” He shoved his pants to the floor. His cock stood out, long and thick, from the thatch of black curls at the base. His abs flexed as he untangled the denim from around his ankles.

“I’d like your dick inside me, thank you very much, and I’d like you to stay in your human form.” She sat up and wrapped her hands around his cock.

“Yes, ma’am.” He moved her hands. “But this time, I’m taking care of you.” He wriggled the jeans down her hips, revealing her inch by inch. He licked his lips. “I’ve needed to taste you for so long.” He tossed the pants to the side and knelt at the edge of the couch. With both hands, he spread her pussy lips open.

Penelope focused on his every move. She loved the soft swipe of his hair on her inner thigh and the bite of his fingers into her flesh. The moment he dabbed his tongue over her cunt, she moaned. He gave her clit extra attention, nibbling on the bundle of nerves.

“Right there,” she coaxed. “Lick me right there.” She moved her shirt out of the way and smoothed both hands over her breasts. Her skin sizzled, and she couldn’t hold still.

“So wet.” He bit her labia, then licked the tender spot. Ascher inserted one finger into her pussy. “All mine.”

“I’m all yours.” She tensed from head to toe. One finger in her cunt wouldn’t be enough. “Fuck me.” She panted and clawed at the couch cushions. “Please?”

“No,” he said and shook his head. “I’ll make love to you.”

“Yeah.” She reached for him. “Ascher.”

He climbed onto the couch on top of her and draped her leg around his hip. He braced himself on his hands and kissed her. “Love you, Penn.” He eased his dick into her body and groaned.

Penelope closed her eyes. She basked in the throb of his erection in her pussy. The rest of the world faded away except for Ascher. She matched him moan for moan and arched her hips to meet his thrusts.

“Oh, Goddess.” Ascher buried his face against her neck and his breath warmed her skin. “Fuck.”

Tiny whimpers burned in her throat, and she grabbed his shoulders. The waves of pleasure in her belly built to massive proportions. She’d never be able to hold the orgasm at bay. “Ascher.” She opened her eyes and dragged her fingers through the downy hairs at the back of his head. “I’m so close.”