FavoriteObsession (29 page)

Mira woke to Josh’s steady heartbeat under her ear. She grinned
and snuggled closer, but the first hint of unease slithered through her.
Although she didn’t hear or smell anything unusual, her instincts flared. Not
wanting to wake Josh, she reached inside herself and prodded her inner cats
who’d been dozing too. They’d done it again and given their trust to Josh. She
growled at each big predator, reminding them they had to stay on alert to
protect their human mate.

Their annoyance resonated along the bond she shared with
them but her tigress raised her head. After a moment, she snarled.

Josh sat up, wrapping his arms around her. He swung his head
in the direction of the door and cursed.

“Smoke,” she stated the fact Josh seemed to have picked up
on too. “The bar’s on fire.”

He lifted her and set her on her feet. The next thing she
knew he was yanking a shirt over her head. He grabbed sweats off the back of
the couch and had his phone in hand before she could move. She shook her head.
He’d moved so fast she’d barely followed him.

He grabbed her hand and tugged, already dialing on his cell.
“Let’s go, babe. When we get out in the hall, stay below the smoke.”

In her three hundred years of life, she’d never been in a
fire. Her heart raced. She clung to Josh’s hand.

He wrapped the edge of his shirt around the doorknob. With
her held back and to the side, he flung it open. A wave of heat swept into the
room. She blinked rapidly to ease the sting the smoke rushing in caused.

“What fucking good are they if they fall asleep?” Josh
muttered.

She frowned at his words but didn’t get the chance to
question him. He pushed firmly against her head and forced her to squat. The
confident hand holding her trembling one gave her strength. Josh led her into
the darkened hallway while he relayed the fire to someone on his phone.

“Kade’ll be here in five. He’s calling the fire department.”

She breathed a sigh and crab-walked down the hall behind
Josh. Although the smoke hung thick above them, the space they occupied didn’t
fill her lungs with the noxious scents. The heat irritated her skin and
agitated her cats, however. She ignored it, mentally soothing her inner spirits
with gentle strokes, and kept her eyes on Josh’s strong back.

The first crackle of fire reached her ears. She peered over
his shoulder. Flames crawled along the walls in the main bar, spreading along
the dark wood faster than she imagined it would’ve.

“It’s moving fast.”

Josh gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “That happens when
you use an accelerant.”

She gasped at his words. This wasn’t an accidental fire.
Micah had followed through with his threat. She inhaled deeply. There. She
scented the chemical, faint and unrecognizable.

Josh got behind her and gave her bottom a small push. She’d
stopped to watch the flames race in a line toward the bar. “Hurry, kitten. Once
the flames reach the alcohol we’re going to be in trouble.”

They weren’t already? She didn’t voice her fear. It wouldn’t
help. She focused in front of her and moved as quickly as she could toward the
door. Once there, he set her to the side and hit the handle to open it. It
didn’t budge. He tried again. No luck.

“It’s locked,” she stated the obviously.

Something loud popped. A whoosh sounded. An angry roar rang
out that shook the wall behind her back. She screamed. Josh threw his shoulder
against the door. He groaned and pushed harder. It flew open, him stumbling out
with it.

He reached back a moment later and tugged her into his arms.
Her feet left the ground. He cradled her against his chest and ran. More
breaking glass tinkled in the background. More sizzles and pops. She buried her
head in the crook of Josh’s neck, needing his scent and comfort. Her inner
predators reached for him too. Gods, she should be the one protecting him. She
wiggled in his arms. No use, he held her tight.

Before she realized it, they were at the small building on
the rear of the property. He used to live in the tiny one-bedroom apartment.
Zoe did now.

Her back met the door and Josh curled his body around hers.
A moment later, an explosion shook the world.

* * * * *

Fangs filled Josh’s mouth. The tips of talons peeked from
his fingers.

Somebody—Micah or Zeb, he’d guess—had tried to kill Mira.
Well, in all honesty, she wouldn’t have died. Hurt? Hell yeah. According to
Devin, being engulfed in flames resulted in excruciating pain but wouldn’t kill
a royal. Only losing their heads or their hearts would do that. He’d know too.
He’d been set on fire multiple times while confined to the shifter torture
chambers—their version of prison.

He glanced over his shoulder. Flames hungrily ate the
beloved bar his great-granddad had started. Josh had used his college savings
toward remodeling the place. He’d invested everything he owned into that bar.
It angered him to see it destroyed. He pushed aside the loss and focused on the
woman who could’ve been hurt in the fire—the real reason the world around him
took on the red tint he now knew came from the predators inside him.

He reached between them and laid his palm on Mira’s belly.
“Are you okay, kitten?”

“Your bar.”

The hollow look on her face and the fear souring her scent
pushed his rage to a higher level. He didn’t like seeing her upset. He reined
in his anger so as not to add to her unease. “I have insurance. Don’t worry
about it. I want to know how you feel. Any pain? Dizziness?”

She shook her head. “No, no. I’m fine.” She pressed her hand
to his cheek. “You could’ve been killed.”

He flashed her a lopsided smile. “No. I don’t have to
worry—”

A garbled groan stopped his words.

Zoe.

Hands at Mira’s waist, he lifted her to the side and threw
his shoulder into the door leading to Zoe’s apartment. Mouth parted, he
inhaled. The scents of blood, pain and anger seeped into him—all Zoe’s. Not
smelling or hearing anyone else’s heartbeat, he tugged Mira inside and slammed
the door behind them.

Mira scooted around him and headed for the stairs. The only
rooms on the first floor were a half-bath and the storage room housing the
furnace, water heater and enough crap to have ten yard sales. Josh caught her
before she stepped on the first thread.

“I go first, never you.”

He saw the irritation in her eyes but they didn’t have time
for a verbal spat. He set her to the side and took the stairs three at a time.
The small bedroom at the top looked nearly the same as he’d left it when he’d
moved out—a big bed and a lamp on an overturned milk crate. Except now, Zoe was
tied spread-eagle to the four posters. Thankfully, she still wore her sleep
shirt and panties.

The sight didn’t ease him, however. Cuts ran down her arms
and legs. Bruises marred her pale skin. With one eye swollen and a gag shoved
in her mouth, she should’ve look scared, especially considering her history,
but his little sister had given up that crippling emotion years ago. What he
saw in her eyes was what had saved her life.

Rage.

She thrashed against her bonds. Mira ran to her side,
unleashed a talon and sliced the thick rope before he could.

Zoe pulled the balled-up shirt out of her mouth. She cursed.

“Who did this, Zo?” he asked so he could find the fucker and
kill him.

“Don’t know. He was a shifter, though.” Her lip split. Zoe
winced but licked the trail of blood away. “Ugly bastard. Thin face, long black
hair—”

“Micah.” Mira’s hand fell away from the knotted rope she
held. She hurried back to Zoe’s side and grabbed her hand. “Did he rape you?”

Zoe shook her head. “But he said…”

“Please,” Mira choked back a sob, “what did he say?”

“If you didn’t give him what he wanted he’d rape and kill me
then start picking off all of Josh’s loved ones.”

Mira covered her mouth. “Oh gods.”

“He won’t hurt you, Zo, and he sure as hell won’t hurt our
family. I’ll kill the fucker first.”

Zoe nodded.

Police sirens wailed in the distance. Josh glanced toward
the door. “Kitten, give Zoe some blood while I stall the cops.” He focused a
hard glare on his stubborn sister. “Take her gift, Zo. Either that or Ella will
insist you talk to the shrink again once she sees what happened to you.”

Zoe’s eyes widened. “Cut a vein, Mira, and make it quick.”

Questions danced in Mira’s eyes. He turned away. Yeah, he
had the answers to them, but he wasn’t sharing them tonight and not without
Zoe’s permission. She’d already lost enough. She didn’t need her secrets to
become common knowledge among the shifters. Those painful memories were locked
away in her juvie record. Bad enough half the town knew some of them. Some, not
all. He planned to keep it that way.

He slipped outside and waited for the cavalry to show Kade’s
’Cuda pulled in a moment before the fire truck. The police would be next. Josh
had to get Mira and Zoe out of here before they showed.

Kade parked and jogged across the lot. The scent of his rage
swept out ahead of him. Josh tensed wondering if the shifter would notice the
change in him now that his cats were fully bonded to his soul. Mira hadn’t.

“Who did this?” Kade’s slurred voice betrayed his anger.

Josh waited a moment more, but Kade didn’t ask any questions
about his altered human status. Although Josh’s curiosity rose as to why, he
filed the info away to consider later. The ambiguity might be a damn good
thing, however. Different wasn’t always better.

“Micah,” Josh answered.

“I knew he’d be trouble.” Kade curled his hand but not soon
enough to hide the tips of talons poking through the ends of his fingers.
Luckily, nobody else hovered close.

Josh motioned toward the burning bar. “Mira and I were
padlocked inside. I’d bet money Micah wanted me dead so he could swoop in and
claim Mira.”

“And if Mira was weakened from being burned she wouldn’t be
able to fight him.” Kade cursed. “It’s the only way he’d succeed. Mira could
rip him a new one in seconds.”

Josh closed his eyes. The thought of Mira being at Micah’s
mercy enraged Josh. He breathed through the fury with a promise to his soul’s
hitchhikers that he’d make Micah pay. “Get Mira and Zoe out of here before the
cops show up. Zoe won’t want to give any statements.”

At the mention of Zoe, Kade tensed. He flicked his gaze to
the tiny apartment. “She was here. Is she okay?”

“Mira’s giving her blood. Micah roughed her up.”

Josh barely got the words out. Kade pushed past him and
rushed up the stairs. Josh heard his bellowed curse, but he turned his
attention to the pissed-off cop heading his way.

“What happened?” Ella asked. She didn’t pause for an answer.
She pointed at the burning building. “Every door is padlocked with thick
chains. The lines for the phone and electricity were cut and the fire hydrants
were tampered with. They’re going to have to truck water in.” She looked him up
and down. “Someone tried to kill you. I want to know why.”

Ella’s words played through his head. He sucked in a rough
breath. “Every door?”

“Well the front and side—”

He sprinted across the yard, faster than he’d ever moved.
Shit. He’d have to be careful not to run so fast around humans.
Humans.
He would’ve laughed at the distinction but he had to avert another catastrophe
first.

He picked up the broken metal chain and padlock from the
ground in front of the employee exit. The snapped heavy links couldn’t be
found.

Ella dropped to her knees beside him, gaze locked to his
face. He met her shocked eyes. “What are you?”

“I don’t know.” He gave the only answer he could.

She stared at him a long moment more before shifting her
attention to the broken lock. She yanked off her coat and tossed it over his
hands. “We need to hide that.”

He breathed a sigh. Ella might live and breathe justice but
she too knew sometimes rules had to be broken or remade, especially when it
involved her loved ones. “Yeah, we do.”

With the evidence wrapped in Ella’s jacket, he stood and
strode toward Zoe’s apartment, being careful to walk at a normal pace.

Kade emerged with Zoe cradled in his arms. She beat at his
chest with balled hands. “Put me down, you…you, Neanderthal!”

The fierce expression stamped on Kade’s face reflected his
answer.

Josh hurried to Mira who exited behind them. He pulled her
into his arms, but her stiff body didn’t ease in his embrace. He kissed her
anyway. She didn’t open to him. “What’s wrong?”

She gave him a wan smile. “Nothing. I’m just upset.”

“You sure?”

She slipped from out of his arms and ran a shaky hand
through her hair. “Absolutely.” She pointed toward where Zoe pummeled Kade’s
back as he tried to get her into the back seat of the ’Cuda. “I better go help
Kade. Your sister isn’t too happy with him.”

Josh reached for her as she stepped away. She avoided his
hand. He let it fall to his side. This wasn’t the time for cuddling anyway. If
one of the firefighters rounded the building and saw Kade and Zoe, there’d be a
scene. “Okay. Be safe, kitten. I’ll stop over after this is taken care of. We
have a lot to talk about.”

She peered at the still burning bar. “Kade put out the word
to the others. Everyone who can is looking for Micah. Rafe and Jazz are coming
out here to help you.”

He nodded, it was easier than arguing. Jazz would be upset
too. She loved the place.

He followed Mira with his eyes until the ’Cuda drove away
before heading toward Zoe’s apartment with the broken chain wrapped in Ella’s
jacket. He tossed it in the back with the rest of the junk, turned and almost
barreled over Ella. She stood with her arms crossed and a worried expression on
her face.

“What?”

“Did you guys have a fight? Your girlfriend looks ready to
run.”