Savage Sanctuary 2: Panther Moon (16 page)

hoping like hell she’d find him intimidating enough to wait for him at home but she

simply shook her head. “Don’t even try it, buster. I’ll stay in the truck though. I

promise.”

Gods, he loved his mate.

Twenty minutes later he pulled off to the side of a dense trail, spotting the glow of several flashlights. The headlights of his truck cut through the blackness and the foliage.

His men were naked, evidence they’d been investigating while in shifted form.

Dangerous thing but you couldn’t reason with these men when they were on the hunt.

They were predators and hunting was what they did best. The human would be no

match for them, he thought, once again so very proud to be the leader of such men.

Titus turned off the engine and turned to his wife. “Stay here.”

“Okay. Be careful.”

“Always.” He stepped out of the truck. He’d left his headlights on to add more

illumination and walked up to the group of half a dozen men. “Evening gentlemen.”

Heads bowed briefly, in the Old World way that was their custom when in the

presence of their king but Titus waved it away. “How many traps?”

111

Regina Carlysle

“Five so far,” Kev said as he stepped to the front of the group, a sprung trap

dangling from one hand. He shook his head. “One of our females spotted the first trap and alerted her mate. He called me immediately upon getting her to safety. None of us knew what we’d find out here.”

“There weren’t any earlier signs of the human?”

“None.” Kev shook his head as the others branched out over the land in search of

more traps. “I figured this redneck would have stink all over him and would be easy to pick up.”

“Hm. Maybe he has found a way to disguise his smell. Hunters do it all the time

although it’s usually pretty easy for us to sniff out the truth, as it were.” Titus paced off a step or two then turned back to Kevin. “All right. We’ll continue to search. Make sure we have scoured these woods for traps and then tomorrow we’ll double our efforts to

catch this creep.”

Kev’s eyes widened. “But sir, you can’t be traipsing around out here. What if you

stepped in a—”

“I am king! I’m not some ancient elder who has lost his wits.”

Kev lowered his eyes in apology and Titus instantly regretted being so sharp. He

sighed and walked closer enough to settle his hand on his bodyguard’s shoulder. “I’m

sorry I snapped,” Titus said. “You know the whole ‘protect the king at all costs’ thing bugs the piss out of me. Just try not to be so overprotective, okay? I want to help.”

“All right then. I’ll assign someone to stay with Mahara while we look around.”

Several hours later Titus returned to find Mahara still under the watchful eye of one of his men. The poor little thing was sound asleep but her eyes shot open the second he closed the door of the truck and started up the engine.

“Are you okay?”

“Of course, sweetheart. Go back to sleep. We’ll be home in a minute or two.”

“How can I sleep now? What’s going on? Did you find more traps?”

112

Panther Moon

He shook his head and focused on a rutted area of the rough path leading home.

“No, but we know the man who murdered the Morgans was here and he’s obviously

after Trea. If he had any idea he’d stumbled upon an entire community of panther

shifters, no doubt he would have set more traps.”

“That could be good though.”

Titus smiled. “Smart woman. Yeah, he believes he’s after one lone woman not an

entire tribe of us. We’ll get him honey. The bonehead will slip up and then we’ll have him.”

“Can’t happen soon enough for me.”

He went quiet for a moment. “Can you do me a favor?”

“Sure.”

“Call the other women tomorrow, honey. Warn then about what’s going on and tell

them to keep their children indoors for the time being. Wouldn’t want any of the little ones getting hurt.”

Mahara shuddered and then her expression went hard. “No we wouldn’t and it’s

not going to happen. Not under our watch. If one of our people gets hurt, especially one of our children, there will be hell to pay for Tom Hawkins.”

113

Regina Carlysle

It had been three days. Three long, very critical days where her body had become

something that seemed not her own. Aching deliciously, sore in places she didn’t know even existed, Trea lay limply on the big bed as a welcome lull in the extreme sexual

hunger abated a bit. Once again, Rio stroked her weary body with a cool cloth as

Hudson lifted her and held a glass of orange juice to her lips. “Drink, love,” he

whispered.

Obeying mindlessly, she sipped and managed to swallow as another wave of heat

climbed with insidious slowness over her body. Her bones hurt. Her muscles quivered

but the need was an ever present, hovering deep in her body reminding her that change was imminent. Mindless lust suddenly rushed her, threatening to carry her under. Her

flesh literally moved as the she-cat clawed for release.

Hudson’s eyes widened. He brushed a hand over her hot skin.

“I didn’t realize it would be like this,” he said, watching her muscles bunch and

move. “You’re going to make it. I promise you.”

For the first time since all of this began, he looked afraid and Trea saw it clearly.

Swallowing harshly, she reached for his hand hoping to offer comfort. “It’ll be okay, Hudson. I’m stronger than I look.” A burst of energy rushed her then, stabbing like a thousand tiny pricks bringing a flood of hunger in its wake. Her pussy throbbed and

moisture gushed from her body. Instantly Hudson’s fingers were there, thrusting

slowly in and out until the writhing movements of her body demanded something

harder and faster. Rio tossed the spent cloth aside and soundlessly took a nipple into his mouth. Soon that wasn’t enough and his lips wandered farther, tasting the tender

flesh beneath her breast and over her rib cage.

114

Panther Moon

Too tired to think, too sexually excited to do anything but feel, she arched against

Hudson’s pumping fingers, clasping them in her eager cunt. Fur brushed deep inside

her belly, like an erotic touch, burning her, making her pant. Her gums tingled and as if from a distance she heard a joint pop. Her hip? Her knee?

“Gods! Please!” The whimpered words were her own but she heard them as if from

a great distance.

“Rio!” Hudson spoke the name and issued a command she couldn’t hear.

Rio moved to his back and the instant Hudson withdrew his fingers from her

drenched pussy, he settled her on top of Rio. Immediately, Rio’s heavy cock impaled

her, thrusting insistently. His balls brushed her tender skin and Trea cried out as

orgasm swept her in a flash of fire and lust but it wasn’t enough. One orgasm sped into another, each one spiking higher than the next. Lust on crack. Lust on speed dial. How could any female survive the pleasure and pain and live to tell the tale? Her beast

roared and the sound broke free from her lips. Hudson grabbed her hips and she felt

the release of the second plug as it slid free. He spoke words she couldn’t hear over the roaring in her ears but when Hudson dipped his fingers into her anus and gently

scissored them, she coughed another panther growl.

Her gums tingled and throbbed and incoherently she cried out as her beast panted

out her demands.

She felt Hudson’s broad, warm hand settle at the base of her spine going still as he

pushed the thick head of his erection slowly past the ring of muscle. Dark pleasure

pulsed through her bloodstream, heating and then igniting her as he finally thrust deep.

They froze. Hudson’s hot breath swept her neck as he bent low over her back. “Love

you. Love you. Come now, little cat. You can do it.”

His words shook her, breaking through the paralyzing pleasure to settle in her

heart. And then he began to move into her body in tandem with the strokes of Rio’s

cock in her pussy. Energy burned like a vibrant flame, shooting sparks wildly through her body until it seemed to yank raw, savage cries from the men who were loving her.

115

Regina Carlysle

Above her, Hudson shivered and gasped. Below her, Rio’s fangs sprang free as he

fucked her.

“Look at me, Trea.” Hudson made the rough demand and Trea mindlessly

complied. She looked over her shoulder at him and the second their gazes connected,

her fangs sprang free. A wild panther cough burst from her throat and she watched in

savage delight as Hudson flashed his fangs in response. Her flesh shifted again, from wrist to ankle and every place in between. A fiery blast exploded through her veins as an orgasm shook her again but this time she wasn’t alone, Hudson and Rio were with

her. In a ritual as old as time Hudson sank his fangs lightly into her shoulder, barely breaking skin, but it caused no pain. The act connected them at the most critical

moment of her change.

Fierce ecstasy claimed her. The world swirled crazily on its axis and at the moment

of final separation from her lovers, her beast was born.

Hudson sat on the bed and looked at his mate in her panther form. He shared a

relieved look with his friend who was somehow plastered against the headboard,

looking slightly shell-shocked. Rio managed a smile. “Hell, man.”

“She’s beautiful,” Hudson said, his voice rough with emotion. Trea was small. Yes,

they were all larger than typical panthers, but she was smaller than most panther

shifters. Her buff-colored coat was thick and luxurious, her eyes a deep green, shining with intelligence. Trea stared unblinkingly at him and flashed her newly minted fangs.

“She is,” Rio answered, watching as Hudson reached out to stroke his mate. “Open

the path of communication,
amigo
. It’s important that you connect immediately with her. At least that’s what I’ve always heard.”

Hudson realized this was a unique experience for all of them but might be

terrifying for Trea. Standing naked from the bed, he shoved shaky fingers through his hair before concentrating on the shift. With a soft whoosh of sound, he transformed into his huge melanistic panther and leaped onto the bed to join his mate. Rio also shifted.

116

Panther Moon

Like Hudson, he was black with an underlay of the typical buff color nearest to the skin.

Hudson couldn’t communicate telepathically with Rio. That distinction was special

between mates but as if he knew exactly the best course of action, Rio leaped from the bed and padded from the room.

Alone.

Yeah, alone was good.

Concentrating on Trea, focusing intently, he opened the channels in his mind that

would connect him to his wife. True mates would always have this connection. It was

special, real, an invisible line holding them together. Prodding gently, he communicated with her beast.
Okay? Trea? Answer me, sweetheart.

Um. Oh my gods! This is so weird,
he heard her whisper.

How do you feel?

Great. Really. Better than great. I don’t think panthers are supposed to cry.

Then don’t, unless they are happy tears.

They are. They are. Oh Hudson, thank you. You did it. You and Rio.

His laughter swept softly from beast to beast.
Gotta say, darlin’, you did a pretty good
job yourself. You are beautiful.

A pause fell between them.
So are you.

Chantrea leaped from the bed and prowled in a large circle at the foot of the bed.

Not wanting a second of separation between them, Hudson followed her, nudging her

hip playfully, brushing his muzzle against her heavily muscled neck.

Want to run? Hell, you’ve waited long enough for this moment.

Yes. Oh yes, let’s go.

Together they moved through the house until they reached the patio doors.

Obviously Rio had gone out, leaving the sliding glass open for them. Off in the distance he loped across the fields until he finally disappeared from sight.
Isn’t he coming with us?

Trea asked.

117

Regina Carlysle

Hudson circled her, giving her another gentle nudge.
He’s being a gentleman and

leaving us alone for awhile. It’s a good thing. We’ll see him back here later.

Trea walked to the edge of the pool and looked out over the rolling hills of

Sanctuary then looked back at him with unblinking eyes.
Race you.

Her joyous laughter echoed through his mind and he joined her, chasing her

through the night as owls hooted in the branches of the woods that surrounded them.

Dove scattered from the trees to sweep the night sky. Trea scared a rabbit from beneath a bush and happily ran after it before becoming distracted by other scurrying sounds.

Protectively Hudson watched over her as she explored the world around her, happy to

hear her laughter and knowing that he loved her beyond all reason. She was his life and he would do everything possible to keep her safe.

* * * * *

Two weeks later, Trea sat with her husband outside near the pool realizing this was

a place of comfort for Hudson. For some reason they always ended up out here. Maybe

it happened because it placed them close to nature, absorbing the sights and smells of the Texas Hill Country. The scent of grilled chicken hung in the air and the dinner

dishes had been carried into the house. Max sat across the table from them having

returned the day before from Chicago. He leaned back in his chair taking the glass of whiskey Rio handed to him.

When Rio took the chair next to Max, he exchanged a soft look with her. Since the