Prowl (Pride Riders Book 3) (3 page)

“I’ll slice your balls off and wear them as earrings!” she muttered, inches from his face.

“And I am so looking forward to you trying. Goddess, woman, keep talking and I might just come in my pants.” He meant it as a joke, but the admission was ridiculously close to the truth. Ari slid his hand down her back and cupped her ass to press her pelvis against his erection. “Say hello to my absurdly large friend.”

She reared her head back. “Feels more like a cocktail weenie to me.” Her tone was deadpan.

Ari released her and grabbed hold of her wrist. He swung a leg over his bike and tugged her down. She resisted.

“Fine, stop. I’ll ride.” She snatched her hand free and hopped on to take the seat behind him.

He started the bike and pulled out of the gas station. His cat ceased its struggle to take precedence, satisfied that their mate was secure. Ari slowed to a halt at a stop sign and glanced down the road. Several police cars trailed each other, barreling toward them. He turned his head to the side. “I want you to know I intend to fuck you like the world is ending tomorrow.”

Ari waited until the cops were so close he could see the surprised expressions on their faces before he pulled off. For him the enjoyment was in the chase; he was a cheetah after all. His heartbeat increased and he could feel the adrenaline high working its way through his veins. But the challenge wasn’t always in the chase, sometimes it was making a clean getaway. Facing a foe and besting them…yeah, he was cracked in the head.

Ari snorted. He blamed El. The lion had dropped him when he was a cub, he would swear to it.

Ari revved the bike. The tires spun, creating a billow of deep gray smoke. His bike fishtailed as he sped off.

****

Bane watched in trepidation as the police cars drew closer.
What the hell was he waiting for?

She leaned forward, and the scent of dry heat and fresh grasses wrapped around her like a warm cloak. For a few seconds, she was back home in the Sudan. Briefly she could bask in the heat of the sun on her skin, and feel the coarse grains of sand blowing around her.

Her lips touched his earlobe. “Are you going to leave anytime soon?”

He glanced back at her, and the corner of his mouth kicked up, “I thought honey badgers didn’t give a shit.” He flicked his wrists and tapped the gear with his toe. “I already told you to hold on. I would really hate to have to come back and get you.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist, locking her hands against his taut stomach and rested her face on his broad muscular back. Her cheek brushed the scraped leather covering his shoulders. Her thighs rested against his as they rode off with sirens blaring close behind them. She gazed over her shoulder. One car had turned off into the gas station while two other continued the pursuit.

“I thought cheetahs were fast,” she whispered against the wind flowing around them.

He sped up and the front tire momentarily came up off the ground. He rode the white line, shooting them between automobiles.

Forget what the hell was wrong with him. It was more like what the fuck was she thinking?
She was a cunning thief and fighter when necessary, yet here she was, cuddled up against the man like he was one of the Goddess’s greatest accomplishments. It was foolish to use the humans as a diversion. She should have fought him off instead. The strange thing was, she really didn’t want to. Even her attempt at getting away was half-assed.

She knew he followed her, and she made it easy for him to do so. On her bike, she could have been a hundred miles ahead and out of sight before he cleared the intersection. Instead, she rode like she was on a Sunday drive in the country. She had no clue that it was the cheetah on her tail, but the man…wow.

That first time they made eye contact at the gas station, she wanted—– no,
needed
—to know more. He stood there in faded jeans, torn around his leg and black boots. A heavy leather vest framed his shoulders and his dirty blond hair sported paler highlights throughout the strands as if he spent a lot of time in the sun. His eyes were the color of deepest night and his jaw was dusted in a shadow of hair slightly darker than the hair on his head. When he saw her, he didn’t smile or even acknowledge her. His lips formed a firm line and suddenly the chase was on.

It was thrilling knowing he was following her. His declaration that she was his woman wasn’t entirely wrong; she admitted there was some unusual attraction. The mate thing, though…now
that
was bullshit. She didn’t believe it for a second, but she could feel the tug between them as surely as if they were linked by some invisible cord. Damn her curiosity, but she wanted to know exactly what drew her to him. Shifters believed that they only had half a soul, and would only become whole when they mated with the one animal created by the Goddess for them.

The elders in her tribe liked to sit around the fire, telling stories as the women cooked. Mostly these stories were used to scare the children into behaving, like the great war between shifters and vampires. She remembered her own childhood, and being regaled with stories of the Goddess. Those were her favorite fables; tales of when the world was young and shifters ruled the earth.

The Goddess, in her great wisdom, created beasts that could walk as men and women. While the men had the strength and cunning of their animals, they lacked the compassion and acumen that the women had been blessed with. Their souls were not in balance, and this could only be attained by mating the one being meant only for them. They could go through life as effective warriors and leaders, but to find true happiness, they needed the other half of their soul. It was said that when you met the one meant only for you, all your senses would lock on to that person. Supposedly every beast had a mate and when they found them, peace would follow. She snorted. It was a beautiful story but she knew better.

Once she thought she’d found the man of her dreams; instead, she wound up with a knife in her back, literally. She still had the scars to prove it.

The cheetah weaved the cycle through traffic, leaving the cops stuck behind vehicles. He picked up speed on the straightaway, blowing through lights. A cacophony of horns sounded behind them. She dipped her head and smiled against his vest. He wasn’t her mate, but she was sure he would be hard to forget.

She had a little time before she needed to contact the Colonel. It wouldn’t hurt to have a little fun, maybe for a few days. Any man willing to play with the police was worth finding out more about. In the distance, sirens could still be heard.

She lifted her head and pressed her lips to the shell of his ear. “What’s your name?”

“Aristotle.” His words were faint, drowned out by the by the air rushing around them. “Friends call me Ari.”

“Bane.” He tilted his head, and she glimpsed the upward curve of his lips. “So now that you got me, wiseass, what’s next?”

They leaned as he turned sharply down a rural road thick with weeds. The short lane ended with a single standing steel gate. He rode around it and parked behind a grove of pines, shutting off the bike. She let go and scooted back. He twisted around and gazed at her. Bane opened her mouth to speak.

He laid a finger on her lips. “Shh.”

Police cars sped past them, lights flashing.

Aristotle dropped his hand. “We need to work on your listening skills, woman.” He cupped her face within his palms and pulled her close.

She covered his hands with hers. Perhaps giving in so easily wasn’t her wisest move.

Bane studied his features. Flecks of gold dotted his irises, and thick lashes framed his eyes. On another man, lashes like that might give him an effeminate appearance, but on Aristotle, they made him look almost ethereal. She brushed her thumb across his eyelid. He gripped her wrist and brought her fingers to his mouth, kissing her knuckles.

“You, me, a big bed, and no interruptions.” Aristotle released her hand and curled a finger under her chin, pulling her closer.

He pressed his lips to hers, sliding his tongue along the seam of her mouth. When she gasped, he slipped it along her teeth. Bane slanted her head and buried her fingers in his hair. Her nipples tightened in the cups of her bra. His hand slid down her spine and he twisted back, dragging her with him. She leaned into his chest, half sprawled across his lap.

He broke the kiss and gazed down at her. “Honey badger may not give a damn, but I do.” His tone was a deep rumble. “I want a soft bed and all night.”

He released her. “Hold on, sugar, we got a long ride ahead of us.”

Chapter Three

Skyscrapers towered in the sky. Their lights blocked the illumination of the stars above. A myriad of aromas—motor oil, burned meat, and body odors—hung ripe in the air.

Ari hated the city; however, for the time being, it was the best place to hide his honey badger. His cell hadn’t stopped ringing since they left the gas station and he knew the onslaught of calls was because he did something he’d never done before; skipped out on an assignment. El and Trace would be looking for him and he didn’t want to be found.

He would call Gunter, but first he needed time alone with Bane. The sugary scent of his mate was slowly driving him crazy. Every time she moved, another whiff of her unique fragrance drifted to his nose.

They’d only stopped twice, once for a bathroom break and the second time to grab snacks. He’d ridden hundreds of miles with a perpetual hard-on, and he would ride thousands more to keep her with him. The clasp of her hands over his belly gave him a comfort he’d never experienced before. She was there and she was his.

This was all new to him, so any feelings bombarding him at once. He thought back to his oldest brother El’s reaction when he met Nae, his mate. El was a dangerous lion, but after finding Nae, it was almost like he couldn’t control himself. He’d put beasts through the window of their bar in the blink of an eye. Gunter had resorted to buying cells by the case, because El would break them within minutes of having a phone conversation. The shifter became lethal in all his dealings, like he’d shed his thin veneer of humanity.

Ari sighed. Currently, he wasn’t doing a great job at handling his emotions, either. He wasn’t a cub, so shit shouldn’t be this hard. He took the exit ramp into the downtown area.

The streets were nearly deserted. Ari stopped at a light and a lone woman on the corner waved her hand. Her short gold skirt, barely covering the tops of her thighs, glittered beneath the streetlight. Her sheer shirt exposed her breasts, her rose-pink aureole clearly visible. She teetered on her stilettos when she stepped off the curb.

“Hey, sexy, I got a two-for-one special tonight. I can give you and your friend a trip around the world for forty bucks.” She strolled closer. “I have a special trick.” The woman giggled softly before raising her voice. “I know how to make you a happy man.” She smiled and her teeth popped out. She caught them in her palm. “You ain’t felt nothin’ until you’ve had these gums on your dick.” She popped the dentures back in her mouth.

Bane straightened behind him and emitted a low snarl. The woman’s eyes widened and she stumbled back, tripping out of her shoes. She rushed away, disappearing into the shadows of an alley.

Ari glanced over his shoulder. The corners of Bane’s mouth were pulled back into a sneer, and her fangs curled over her bottom lip.

Her features changed as she twisted her head to face him. Her sharp teeth receded, her snout reformed into a slightly upturned nose, and a slow smile blossomed on her face. “What? Trust me, you didn’t want any of that.” Bane wrapped her arms back around his waist. “I think the hooker might have had worms. I don’t care what the vet says. They are a bitch to get rid of.” She placed her chin on his shoulder.

His laughter echoed off the brick walls surrounding them. “There are several motels not far from here. Not the best places, but I know of at least one where the sheets are clean.” The light changed and he rode off.

“I’m following your lead—for now.” She hugged him tighter.

The downtown area was a maze of streets and sharp turns. In some places, street lights were busted out, leaving blocks shrouded in inky darkness. Empty storefronts and derelict buildings reminded him of dead, soulless creatures waiting to be revived. Instinctively, he knew predators lurked in the shadows. They weren’t his concern; if anyone dared to come at them, death would be their reward.

Ari turned down a lane with a row of motels on one side. A few parked cars were scattered among the shared parking lots. Dimly lit signs denoted the different businesses. One sign flashing yellow neon read MOTOR LODGE in script lettering. The sign was missing the T and the G. He directed his bike into the courtyard of that building. Resting it on the kickstand, he dismounted and switched off the bike.

The front office door was propped open with a large rock, and half the space was closed off by a wall with a small Plexiglas window. A small rectangle, just large enough for money to pass through, was notched out from the bottom of the thick plastic. Below that, a two-by-four piece of lumber had been bolted into the wall to form a slim ledge. Above him, a three-tier gold and crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. Prisms of light flowed through the shards and scattered dots of color around him. The motel had been nice, once upon a time.

Ari’s pocket buzzed again as he entered the narrow lobby. He couldn’t ignore his family forever and he doubted they could track him to his current location, since he was the tech guy in the group. “I need a room.” He spoke loudly to be heard through the clear barrier and pulled his cell free. “Yes.”

“It’s about damn time you picked up.” Gunter’s tone held a thread of concern. “What the fuck happened? El got a text from Trace that you took off from the gas station like a bat out of hell. Where are you, boy?”

He wasn’t a wayward child to be questioned. Anger made his gut roil. He inhaled deeply to get control of his feelings. Gunter raised him, and deserved respect. “I found her,” Ari whispered.

“Who? Ari, I don’t understand what you’re trying to tell me, son. El rode out to meet Trace. Are you in some kind of trouble? Tell me where you’re at, and I will be there by daybreak.” Gunter spoke quickly, his voice faded in and out as if he was moving.

“
Her
, Gunter, I met my mate.” Ari couldn’t stop the slow smile from lifting his lips at the corners. Watching his brothers go through a mating, it wasn’t something he wanted, but now he didn’t want anything else.

“Gracious Goddess. When will this fucking madness end?” Gunter sighed. “Ari, finding your mate throws you off, son; right now, you’re not thinking clearly. Tell me where you are and I’ll come to you, help you sort through your emotions.” Gunter paused, and then quietly muttered, “Before you gut someone.”

Ari didn’t want any male anywhere near his woman, family or not. He needed to stake his claim soon. “No.”

The clerk pushed a card through the window, along with a pen. Ari jotted down Amal Cheetar as his name and left the rest of the information blank. “Gunter, I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Swear to m…”

He slid his finger across the screen, cutting off the older man’s anxious words. Ari slipped the phone in his pocket and pulled out a couple of hundred dollar bills. “I don’t want to be disturbed.” He pressed the money and the card back through the window.

A key appeared in the slot. “I gave you the presidential suite.” The clerk chuckled.

Ari grabbed the triangular-shaped keychain, turned, and exited the office. Bane was leaning on his motorcycle with her feet crossed at the ankles. “I was wondering what took you so long.” An arched brow slowly rose up her forehead.

“Family business. Needed to let them know I was taking a few days off.” He glanced at the thin green plastic attached to the key to check the room number—lucky number eleven.

“Only a couple days?” Bane blinked up at him, staring at him through wide eyes.

“Sugar, you better pray to the Goddess you’ll be able to walk when I’m done.” He winked before looking around. “Our room is somewhere that way.” He waved a few fingers in the opposite direction.

“Huh. Actions speak louder than words. It’s not me who will be communing with the Goddess, cheetah boy.” She climbed up on the seat and patted the spot in front of her.

He didn’t say a word, but his heart thudded in his chest in anticipation.

Bane leaned back on the bike. “Cat got your tongue, Aristotle?”

“Sweetness, I’m about to show you the difference between a boy and a man. Your pussy is mine…hell, I plan on claiming every inch of your body, until the only thing you can do is crawl out of bed. Thing is, when I’m done, I bet you won’t want to.”

****

Bane gawked at him. She never expected him to utter such bold words.

He had the body to back up his claim, but she wondered if he had the experience. Granted, Aristotle had caught her off guard a few times, but he still had an air of geekiness about him. She held his gaze; the gold flecks seemed to ignite a fire in his eyes and his pulse was a consistent throb in the hollow of his throat. Tingles skidded down her spin.

Aristotle pressed his lips together in a firm line. He prowled toward her and swung a leg over the seat. The bike roared to life, the only sound in the quiet night. He circled the bike around and directed them deeper into the darkness beyond the building. Small lanterns hung above the doorjambs, casting miniscule circles of light. Tarnished silver numbers attached to the doors gleamed dully under the faint beams.

He parked. The door to room eleven loomed a few feet away and she swallowed. Bane scurried to get from behind him, hooking her foot on the edge of the seat. She hopped in place to free it before stumbling back. Never before had she wanted to run from a situation, but now the idea had more appeal. In her mind, her animal vehemently shook its head in disappointment. She was running hot and cold almost at the same time. She’d made a decision, and damn it, she would follow through…maybe.

The attraction was undeniable, but deep down she was worried. If she went through with having sex with Aristotle, would she be able to walk away? Would she even want to? Instincts screamed at her this wasn’t simply sex. Her badger filled her mind, letting her know it was curious. She closed her eyes and stared back at it, willing the beast to retreat. It loomed, standing its ground in her mind and making its presence felt. Bane sighed.

Callused fingers skated across her cheek. She focused on the man before her. His mouth moved tantalizingly close to hers. When the fuck did he get off the damn motorcycle? Bane’s badger skulked through her mind, watching, waiting. Aristotle eased closer. Slowly he slid his palms up her arms.

“You have my beast’s interest.” Her tone was quiet. She held herself immobile. The honey badger in her usually allowed her to do her thing without much interest when it came to males or sex. The idea that her animal was now seeking out the cheetah wasn’t something she could wrap her mind around clearly.

“Sugar,” he whispered the word against her mouth. “Every time I taste you, I am amazed by your sweetness.”

Aristotle traced the shape of her lips with his tongue. She sucked in a breath and curled her tongue with his to suck it between her teeth. The saltiness of the beef jerky they’d purchased during one of their pit stops flowed into her mouth. Slowly, she unbuttoned his vest and walked her fingers up the soft material of his undershirt. Bane swallowed his groans, as his heart thudded hard against her fingertips, resonating through her hand.

She panted as her beast took up residence in the forefront of her mind. The badger pushed for dominance as her canines sharpened and she bit down, piercing the inside of Aristotle’s bottom lip. Blood flowed over her taste buds, filling her mouth with a metallic taste.

She tore away from his lips. She’d always been so careful when she had sex; her ferocity could hurt a human and she’d never had any interest in shifters. The males tended to be arrogant, and since that didn’t work for her, she tended to stay away from them. There was always the fear that a shifter would try to make a claim on her. That didn’t work out so well the first time. When she really needed to scratch her itch and she’d burned out her vibrator, she would satisfy her hunger for sex with a human man.

Her honey badger peeled back her lips to expose her fangs. The animal wanted to challenge Aristotle’s cheetah. Bane tethered the bitch, locking the badger down in her mind. Her human side had to maintain control so she could think.

He swiped his thumb across the corner of her mouth and stuck it in his mouth. “Your beast wants to play, sugar, let her out.” Aristotle crowded her.

Bane scrambled back and stopped. What the hell was wrong with her? She was a freaking honey badger. Her species was the baddest of the badasses. “I could kill you.” He needed to understand she would not indulge him easily.

“Try.” He held his arms extended out at his sides. “I am a cat, baby. I am not without my own defenses. Or temptations.”

Her animal yanked at the ties she chained it down with. “This was a bad idea.”

He dropped his arms and stalked past her to the door.

She did a double take. Would he give up so easily? Maybe he wasn’t the beast her animal thought he was. He opened the door and reached over the threshold. Illumination filled the doorway and his body cast a long shadow across the walkway. He’d braced his arm against the wood jamb, leaning over. “If you run, I will chase you.”

Her belly clenched at his underlying threat, and threads of carnality made her pussy tingle. “Who said anything about running?” She was rooted to the spot. “And if I did, you would never catch me.”

She would put on a show until she was in a better position to handle the man. He didn’t need to know the effect he was having on her.

He shrugged off his vest, and rummaged through a pocket before tossing it behind him. His sculpted chest was easily defined by the thin fabric of his shirt. Tribal markings inked on his skin flowed from beneath the hem around his shoulder. “I would find you and make my claim then and there. If you’re into public exhibitions—I’ve never done it before…but I’m down.” His smile was crooked.