The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion (6 page)

watch over Angel, now running across the field at full speed.

In a few brisk motions, Clark grabbed Jonathan and dumped him

to the floor. With his own body, he immobilized the other shifter,

holding him down in spite of Jonathan’s struggles.

Just as the coach declared him the winner, a sense of alarm

coursed through him. Clark lifted his eyes, only to see one of the

cheetahs in the track team, a young man named Leiland, shift into his animal form. The feline started chasing after Angel, dodging his

teammates who attempted to stop him.

None of them were supposed to change into their beast form

except on their private time. They were allowed to run or fly, but not while engaged in activities with other shifters who could get hurt in the process. Shifting during PE class not only went against the rules, but it was also very dangerous.

Without hesitating one single second, Clark jumped off Jonathan.

In human form, he couldn’t fight a cheetah, so he allowed his body to melt into that of his lion. Cheetahs were faster than lions,

unfortunately, but Leiland had chosen the wrong antelope to pursue.

Angel didn’t always show it, but he was, in fact, much faster than

other members of his species. Realizing the danger, Angel didn’t delay in shifting shapes as well. He managed to avoid the cheetah and

headed toward Clark.

Leiland didn’t seem to realize what Angel intended, not until it

was too late at least. Clark pounced on the cheetah, stopping him from
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41

his pursuit of Angel. His opponent tried to claw at Clark, but Clark’s mane prevented the cheetah from managing to get a good grip. He was

bigger and stronger, and it would have taken him no effort to tear his sweet Angel’s attacker.

Luckily for Leiland, their coaches intervened. “Enough, Clark. Let

him go.”

Clark snarled, unconvinced. What if he released the other cat and

Leiland decided it was a good idea to continue his previous activity?

Angel appeared behind Clark’s coach and gave him a pleading

look. “Seriously, Clark. Let him go.”

Hesitantly, Clark moved away from the cheetah. The moment he

was safely off the second feline, two shots rang out and tranquilizer darts hit the out-of-control student. For a few seconds, Leiland tried to fight against the substance, but then, he fell on the floor, motionless.

Panting, Clark shifted back into his human form. Angel rushed to

his side and hugged him. They were both completely naked, but when

Clark gathered Angel to his chest, it wasn’t arousal coursing through his veins, but terror and the realization of how easily he could have lost Angel. What if the weather had been sunny today and the track

team decided to train outside? Clark wouldn’t have been around, and

perhaps Leiland would have caught Angel. The mere thought made

him want to hurl.

It seemed Angel was just acknowledging his brush with death

because his knees gave out, and he ended up leaning against Clark

with all his weight.

“Clark, take your brother to the infirmary,” the coach said. “We’ll

talk later.”

“Yes, coach.” Clark lifted Angel in his arms and, without looking

back, left the PE room. He stopped briefly by the lockers to get

dressed and, more importantly, dress Angel. It wasn’t even his own

jealousy that caused him to do so. On a normal day, Angel didn’t even care all that much about nudity. They were shape-shifters, after all.

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Even so, something inside Clark told him Angel needed the normality, the brief armor those clothes provided.

The detour took merely a few minutes, and throughout this time,

Angel didn’t speak again. Clark was beginning to regret his decision, but as they left the PE building, Angel whispered a barely audible,

“Thanks.”

Relief flooded Clark. Angel was obviously still in shock, but he’d

gotten away without any injuries. He rushed his dear brother to the

infirmary, where the medic and Sara were already waiting for them.

Clark gathered the coaches had informed the two of the events.

Clark placed Angel on the infirmary bed and took a step away.

Angel reached for him and gave him a look. “Don’t go. Call Dad.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Clark said. Just by looking at his

brother, he knew the real problem. It wasn’t even that Angel felt

afraid. Rather, the threat of death had brought back things they both would have preferred to forget.

Many years back, when the existence of shape-shifters had been

discovered, Clark and his family had been attacked. Clark could still remember the sight of his brother’s young face splattered with their dad, Carson’s blood. Their father, Brody, had been almost insane with grief, even while he’d tried to calm them down, to tell them

everything would be all right. Clark didn’t know what would have

become of them had their dad died that day, and he didn’t even want

to think about it. However, Angel had been very affected then and

hadn’t spoken for many days. Sometimes, when certain things

happened, the shock returned.

Clark retrieved his cell phone and immediately dialed home.

Moments later, his dad picked up. “Hi, Clark. Is something wrong?”

His concern showed even through the small vid screen of the cell

phone. It always baffled Clark how his parents could tell something was bothering him or Angel, even if they weren’t even blood. “A

cheetah attacked Angel during PE class.”

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43

His dad released a choked “baa,” something that only happened

when he was either very upset or very happy. “Oh, God,” he said as he clutched his chest. “Is he all right?”

“He’s not hurt. He wants to talk to you.”

“Pass him the phone, Clark. Oh, God.”

Clark handed the phone to his brother, in spite of the doctor’s

indications. Angel clung to the cell phone as if it were a lifeline. “Hi, Dad.”

At the other side of the connection, their dad started rambling,

“Oh, my baby. Are you okay? What happened? Are you receiving

good medical treatment? We’re coming there right now.”

Angel released a small laugh. “I’m fine.” He seemed to gain a bit

more color in his cheeks at their dad’s voice. “Clark saved me. He

fought the cheetah for me.”

As if the words had just made Angel understand something, his

eyes widened and he stared at Clark. “Clark, get your ass here. Doctor, would you please check him? He’s the one who got into a fight, not

me.”

Clark shook his head. What injuries the cheetah had managed to

inflict on him already started to disappear, and he didn’t care about himself anyway. “Angel first.”

The doctor rolled his eyes, took the cell phone from Angel, and

handed it back to Clark. “Right. Angel first.”

While the doctor checked on Angel, Clark returned to the

conversation with his dad. “The doctor’s looking at Angel now, and

I’m fine.”

“We’re on our way,” his dad said. Indeed he already seemed on the

move. “Just…wait for us, okay?”

Clark smiled fondly. “We’re not going anywhere. Breathe, Dad.

Breathe. We’re fine.”

After that, his father also demanded to talk to him. Even if he

didn’t manifest his emotions as openly, the werewolf looked

concerned as well.

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“We’ll see each other soon,” Clark soothed his father. “And keep

Dad calm until you get here. He’s hyperventilating.”

“Will do,” his father answered. “Take care of yourselves, all

right?”

Both of them were reluctant to stop the conversation, but Clark

finally ended the call when the doctor finished checking Angel.

“Physically, there’s nothing wrong with him,” the medic said. “He just needs some bed rest and a break from socializing.”

“We’ll discuss this with your parents,” Sara piped up.

“Can I go to my room now?” Angel inquired in a small voice.

The doctor studied Angel, and after a few moments, he nodded. “If

you’re feeling up to it, yes.”

Clark took his sweet Angel in his arms once again and, after a

respectful good-bye to Sara and the doctor, left the infirmary.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

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Chapter Four

“What do you mean you’re being suspended?” Reed screeched.

Angel sighed. “According to Sara, it’s just a temporary thing while

they investigate. Both Clark and I went against the rules when we

shifted.”

“That’s bullshit,” Reed replied. “You did it to save yourself.”

“Yes, well, it would seem that the cheetah’s parents believe Angel

baited him by shifting first, and then I attacked him unprovoked.”

Clark squeezed his hand. “That fucker. I should have torn his jugular out.”

“This is an outrage,” Alexis commented. He looked upset,

something Angel had never seen him be. “They should be focusing on

why the attack was possible in the first place. The guy should have

been tranquilized by the coaches the moment he shifted.”

Morgan and Layton shared a look. “You know, accidents happen,”

Layton drawled. “People disappear.”

Alexis perked up and grinned wickedly. “Or he can suddenly have

an erection he can’t get rid of.”

Angel shook his head. “Thanks for the offer, guys, but seriously,

no. I don’t want you to get into trouble.” He didn’t doubt his friends would do all they’d said, and more, but right now, he didn’t want to worry about more violence. He just wanted to sleep, preferably in

Clark’s arms.

“It’s not so bad. We get some time off, and we’ll be with our folks.

I think they need it, too, after the scare.”

Reed didn’t look convinced. “If you say so. You’re leaving in a

few hours, right?”

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Angel nodded. “As soon as our parents are done talking with Sara

and the others. It could take a while.”

Reed offered Angel a small smile. As always, the swan seemed to

read his mind. “Well, until then, get some rest, both of you.” He

turned toward the rest of the group. “Come on, guys. Let’s give them some space.”

Everyone got up and made a beeline for the door. Just before he

left, Alexis mouthed at Angel,
“Go for it.”

Angel would have liked to know what that meant, but Alexis

didn’t stick around for him to ask. With a few warm good-byes,

everyone was gone, leaving Angel and Clark alone.

Angel lay back down on his bed and closed his eyes. “I guess our

hunt’s off again.”

Clark cuddled by his side and pulled him close. “We have plenty

of time now that we’re going home.”

For a few moments, Angel didn’t speak. He buried his face in

Clark’s shoulder, simply inhaling the other man’s chest. Clark was so warm, his simple presence so comforting. A light growling sound

escaped Clark, and Angel cracked his eyes open.

“Are you purring?” he asked with a grin.

Clark just grunted. “Get some sleep. You need it.”

And Angel would have obeyed. The purring was so very familiar,

just like everything about Clark. Angel didn’t remember much since

before his time with his parents. Of course, he knew the story—that

his mother had been killed by a lion pride and Clark’s mother adopted him, only to find her death shortly after. Unfortunately, he couldn’t recall either of his mothers, except very distantly, as if through a dream. What he always remembered, though, was Clark.

Whenever Angel was afraid or upset, Clark would purr in that

strange way of his. Lions didn’t purr like house cats, but that was all right because, for Angel, it was just one more thing he loved about Clark.

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47

This time, though, the sound roused something different inside

Angel. The cheetah might not have hurt them severely, but he could

have. He remembered Alexis’s words and wondered. Could he be

brave enough? Could he try to tell Clark how he felt?

His gaze met Clark’s, and he hesitated. What about Tate? Did

Clark truly love the other lion? He’d seemed honestly puzzled when

Angel had confronted him about it. But even if Angel was completely

wrong about Clark’s feelings for Tate, that didn’t mean the lion

wanted the same thing Angel did. God, it was stupid to even

contemplate it.

So what if Clark’s scent made Angel want to tear off his clothes

and simply lose himself in the other man? So what if Angel had loved Clark even before he’d known what this type of affection meant?

They were brothers and nothing more. Angel couldn’t risk having

Clark hate him by confessing his feelings.

He’d have kept quiet, in spite of the whirlpool of emotions inside

him, but all of a sudden, there were soft, strong lips on his own. At first, the situation didn’t really process, so he remained stiff and unresponsive.

A low, rumbling growl snapped him out of his trance, and he

realized in shock Clark was kissing him. The lion rolled them over,

and his bulk pressed Angel into the mattress. If Angel had any doubts as to Clark’s desires, they were blown apart by the feel of the other man’s erection against his thigh.

He didn’t move, too fearful that this was a dream and if he even

breathed, he would shatter it. Unfortunately, his precaution had an

opposite effect. Clark moved off him and shot off the bed. “I’m sorry,”