Cougar Bait

  “Son of a bitch,” Mathis growled. He was standing by the foot of the bed with one long arm wrapped protectively around Sadie, who looked pale with fear. She had one hand on her lower belly, which was already beginning to swell with the baby inside.

  Before Keller could say anything else, Fiona ShadowTree, Cougarville’s resident pharmacist-slash-wise-woman, came sweeping into the bedroom from the adjoining bathroom.

  “Ah, my dears—I fear this is bad,” she murmured.

  Today Fiona was dressed in a flowing peacock-blue caftan with chunky gold-and-crystal jewelry, and her auburn hair, shot through with veins of purest silver, was swept into an elegant updo at the top of her head. The whole effect was one of a Gypsy queen in exile.

  It had been a surprise to Keller to see her getting out of the rental car with Mathis and Sadie. However, Mathis had taken him aside and explained in an undertone that the wise woman had appeared at their front door while they were leaving for the airport and demanded to come along.

  Keller didn’t know why she’d wanted to be here, but he didn’t blame Mathis for bringing her. When Fiona turned the force of her large, dark eyes on someone, they somehow almost always found themselves doing what she wanted.

  “I believe the one who took Samantha must be the same male who attacked her earlier. This Hyena has been stalking Samantha—I can feel traces of his energy. They are . . . most troubling,” she said.

  “Fiona’s right,” Keller said. “He was in human form here, but there’s no mistaking his scent.”

  “But what will he do with her? How did he find her? Where did he take her?” Sadie burst out, questions pouring out like anguished prayers. “Poor Sammie! What are we going to do?”

  “We’re going to find her,” Keller said with more certainty than he felt. “She’s still alive—I can feel it, can’t you?”

  “I guess so.” Her big brown eyes brimmed with tears. “But she’s in terrible danger. I can feel that too—and the feeling just keeps getting worse, getting stronger.”

  Keller had to agree with her. The feeling that Samantha was in peril was growing all the time, like a ticking time bomb at the back of his mind.

  “I can answer one of your questions at least,” he told Sadie. “I know what he wants with Samantha.”

  “What do you mean? Is this the ‘news’ you were talking about on the phone?” Mathis demanded.

  “It is.” Keller nodded. He explained briefly about the Rejuvenation serum Samantha had been injected with, and the effects the same serum had had on the guinea pig.

  Fiona’s eyebrows rose higher and higher as Keller spoke.

  “So he’s forced her into Rejuvenation?” she burst out, sounding uncharacteristically upset. “He’s perverted the will of Lady Moon and manipulated a female she has chosen in ways which were never meant to be!”

  “I don’t know about Lady Moon,” Keller growled. “But yes, I have reason to believe that if the serum works on Samantha the same way it did on our test subject in the lab, she’ll be deep in Rejuvenation right now. In fact . . .” He sniffed the air. “I think I can smell traces of her Juvie scent.”

  “It gets stronger in the bathroom,” Mathis reported, moving in that direction. “Damn, I thought I smelled Juvie scent earlier, but I wasn’t sure.”

  “She was just beginning the Rejuvenation process though, right?” Sadie looked up at her mate hopefully. “Doesn’t that mean she has until the next full moon before she Shifts?”

  “I don’t think so,” Keller admitted reluctantly. “If the serum was able to jump-start her latent Gene, it’s reasonable to assume that the need to Shift . . . along with, um, all the urges that go with it, will also be accelerated.”

  “Oh, poor Samantha! She’ll be stuck all alone with that horrible man who attacked her, and then she’ll start feeling the . . . the breeding fever! She . . .” Sadie started crying and couldn’t go on.

  “C’mere, baby.” Mathis drew her close to his broad chest, soothing her as best he could. “It’s gonna be okay,” Keller heard him murmur as he stroked her trembling shoulders and long brown hair. “I don’t know how, but it will.”

  “Yes, it will,” Fiona said unexpectedly.

  “W-will it? H-how?” Sadie turned toward the wise woman, wiping at her eyes. Clearly she was trying to get control of herself. “I’m sorry,” she said, sniffing. “I’m just so . . . so emotional right now.”

  “It’s the pregnancy hormones, my dear,” Fiona said comfortingly. “Shifter pregnancy hormones are twice as intense as human ones, because the pregnancy only lasts half as long. Now then . . .” She clapped her hands together and looked at Keller. “Mathis told me that you formed a partial bond with Samantha while you were healing her after the attack—is that correct?”

  “It is.” Keller frowned. “But I don’t see how that will help. I can feel that she’s in danger, but I can’t feel where she is.”

  “You will be able to shortly. We’re going to use that partial bond to get to Samantha before it’s too late.” Fiona nodded confidently. “I thought this might be a possibility, which was why I had Mathis stop by my shop before we flew down here.”

  From the flowing folds of her caftan she drew out a small, blue-glass bottle. To Keller it looked like a miniature wine bottle. Its cork was sealed with red wax.

  “Here.” Fiona broke the seal and handed the bottle to Keller with a flourish. “Drink.”

  “What is it?” Keller eyed the small bottle uncertainly but didn’t take it from her hand. Though he knew many of the Shifters in his home town relied on Fiona’s expertise at compounding medications, an undergrad degree in chemistry meant he himself had always been leery of trying them.

  “It will strengthen your connection to Samantha.” Fiona didn’t look in the least perturbed about his hesitance to drink the homemade medicine. “You’ll be able to use the bond as a natural compass to guide you to her.”

  “What? But how is that even possible?” Keller frowned, still not taking the bottle.

  “Oh for God’s sake, if he won’t take it, I will!” Sadie exclaimed, reaching for the bottle.

  “No, no, my dear!” Fiona held the bottle away from her, an alarmed look coming into her eyes. “I’m afraid that wouldn’t be good for your baby at all.”

  “Then I’ll take it,” Mathis growled. But Fiona shook her head.

  “It will only work for Liam, I’m afraid.” She nodded at Keller. “He is the only one with a partial life-bond to Samantha.”

  Keller knew she spoke the truth. Though he was still reluctant to take her homemade medicine, which had God only knew what ingredients in it, he didn’t exactly have any other good options.

  “Here,” he said, taking the blue bottle from her and pulling out the cork. He upended it into his mouth and drank.

  The stuff inside had an oily texture and a flavor that was bitter and sweet at the same time—like burnt marzipan. Although it was extremely strange, Keller drank it all, hoping for the best but prepared for the worst. At least the stuff didn’t immediately poison him—but he didn’t feel much different either, except for the lingering taste in his mouth.

  “Well?” he said, looking at Fiona expectantly.

  “Just a moment. Give it a moment, dear.” She patted his arm and took the bottle back from him.

  Keller frowned impatiently.

  “I don’t feel . . .” He trailed off because a strange sensation was growing in him. A tugging feeling, like he was a ship tied to a distant anchor located miles and miles away. Slowly, he turned in a circle. When he got to a certain point, he felt the tugging strengthen to a more steady pull.

  “South,” he heard himself saying. “She’s farther south somewhere.”

  “I knew it! He took her out of Tampa!” Sadie exclaimed excitedly. “Come on—we have to go find her!”

  Fiona shook her head. “I’m afraid, my dear, that Liam must also be the one to track down Samantha.”

  “What are you saying? That Mathis and
I can’t come with him to find her?” Sadie demanded. “Because I don’t accept that! I know I can’t Shift to help track her because the baby is too far along now, but Mathis and I can still help.”

  “No, you cannot.” Fiona gave her a stern look. “And it is because of the baby that you must leave this task to Liam. There will be considerable danger, and the extra stress would be bad . . . very bad for you in your current condition.”

  “I’ve been pregnant before,” Sadie insisted. “I know what I can handle.”

  “You’ve been pregnant with human babies—or at the very least, babies who have latent Shifter Genes,” Fiona corrected her. “Shifter pregnancies are different. Especially in the very beginning, they’re extremely delicate. In fact, you ought to be on bed rest right now instead of flying down here. I wanted to tell you so back in Cougarville, but I knew you wouldn’t listen.”

  “I have to help save my sister. Mathis, tell her!” Sadie insisted, looking up at her mate.

  The big Buck shook his head regretfully.

  “I’m sorry, Sadie, but I have to agree with Fiona on this one. Shifter pregnancies are really fragile.” He stroked her hair. “You have to be careful—we wouldn’t want anything to happen to the baby.”

  “The baby could really be in danger?” Sadie’s hands came down to cup her softly rounded belly. It was an unconsciously protective gesture Keller didn’t think she even knew she was making.

  “It will be if you keep working yourself up,” Fiona said sharply. “You need to rest and leave the rescue of your sister to the male who has a bond with her.”

  “But . . . but Keller doesn’t even care about Samantha!” Sadie burst out. “He doesn’t care about any woman—he told us so! He just wants her to have his babies.”

  “That isn’t true,” Keller said in a low voice. He exchanged a look with Mathis and knew that the other Shifter hadn’t told his mate about Keller’s earlier confession. Very well, he would have to tell Sadie himself. “I . . .” He cleared his throat. “I care for your sister deeply. In fact, I love her.”

  “You do? But you barely know her.” Sadie frowned at him, putting one hand on her hip skeptically.

  “We got to know each other during our brief time together in Vegas,” Keller explained. “I found myself . . . drawn to her, despite our differences. And while I was healing her . . .” He stopped, unable to go on, unable to explain the intense connection that had grown between them when he sealed Samantha’s healing and brought her pleasure with his mouth.

  “I believe what Liam is trying to say is that the partial life-bond grew between himself and your sister while he was healing her of her wounds,” Fiona said gently. “Such intense and sudden connections are rare but by no means unheard of in the Shifter world. If Liam says he loves Samantha, you can believe him, Sadie.”

  “I do,” Keller said shortly. “She does not return my feelings, but that doesn’t lessen how I feel about her.” He put a hand over his heart. “I swear to you, Sadie, that I will find Samantha and bring her safely back . . . or die trying.”

  “You will?” There was hope growing in Sadie’s brown eyes.

  “May Lady Moon herself witness my vow,” Keller swore.

  “She does, my dear. She does.” Fiona patted his shoulder, smiling proudly. “I knew the right female would come for you—I could feel it.”

  “She’s not the right one for me—she wants nothing to do with me,” Keller said, trying unsuccessfully to keep the Cougar’s growl out of his voice. “Nonetheless, I will find her and bring her safely home.”

  “Then you’d better get going,” Mathis said. “By the scents still lingering in the air, I’d say the kidnapper has a four or five hour head start on you at least, if not more.”

  “I’ll leave at once.” He turned to Sadie. “I’ll try to stay in touch, but if I have to Shift, I’ll have to leave my phone and everything else behind.”

  “Just let us know anything you find as soon as you can.” She still looked fretful about not being able to go, but her small hands were still clasped protectively around her belly, and Keller knew she would stay put as Fiona had ordered.

  “Keller. . . .”

  To his surprise, Mathis stepped forward and extended a hand.

  Keller took it hesitantly, not certain what to think. The last time he’d been in the same room with the big Buck, they had been doing their level best to kill each other. But now he saw only sympathy and admiration in the other male’s eyes.

  “Look, Keller, I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye—me being a herbivore and you being a carnivore—but, well . . . I wish you luck, brother.”

  “Thank you.” Keller was unexpectedly touched. Aside from Reese Cooper, the Shifter who ran Fox’s Autobody back in Cougarville, he didn’t have many close male friends. But looking at the Buck Shifter, he thought he might be able to count Mathis among their number now.

  “Go with Lady Moon,” Mathis said gruffly.

  “Yes, my dear—go with Lady Moon,” Fiona echoed, smiling.

  “Please . . .” Sadie stifled a sob. “Please just bring Samantha home to me. Okay?”

  “I will,” Keller promised. He left the bedroom and walked out of Samantha’s neat and comfortable house in South Tampa. Then he got in his rental car—a sleek silver Porsche—and pointed it south. He could feel Samantha at the other end of their bond, pulling him toward her, whether she knew it or not.

  I’ll find you Sammie—no matter what it takes. I swear I’ll find you!

  He just hoped to God he wouldn’t be too late.

  Chapter 14

  “Stand up. Let me check your progress.”

  By now Samantha had been locked up in the holding cell inside the hidden lab for what felt like hours, so she was used to the routine.

  Rising wearily from the bare cot, which had a thin mattress and no sheet, she stood, shivering and faced the dull silver bars of her prison. Eddie Lounds was standing on the other side of them with the gun tucked in his belt and a clipboard in one hand.

  “Come on—spread your arms and legs,” he commanded, frowning warningly at Samantha.

  Samantha, who had her arms wrapped around herself as much for warmth as for modestly, forced herself to spread them open. She parted her thighs as well, knowing Lounds would demand it. But it was hard, so damn hard to make herself this vulnerable. Not to mention the fact that the chilly air of the lab made her want to curl back up and try to conserve body heat.

  “Very good,” Lounds muttered, scratching away at the clipboard. “A nice deep rosy shade now. Yes, you’re progressing nicely. I think we’re almost ready for harvesting.”

  You sick bastard, Samantha thought as she stood there, exposed and trembling while her captor made notes about the color of her nipples and outer pussy lips. If I get out of here, I’m going to make you pay for this!

  But would she get out before it was too late? She could feel her body changing, growing more tender and sensitive—it was almost as if she were ripening somehow. The headache in her temples was getting worse too, throbbing like a sick heartbeat inside her head.

  “All right, here.” Lounds was sliding something under the barred door of her cell. At first Samantha thought it was food—so far he’d given her a half-eaten bag of potato chips and a bottle of water, which was hardly substantial.

  But to her disappointment, there was nothing to eat in the flat, shallow pan Lounds pushed toward her. It was half filled with water with a thin piece of soap—the kind you get in hotel bathrooms—floating in it.

  “What’s this?” Samantha crouched down to get a closer look. “Why did you give me water and soap?” She dipped her fingers in the pan and winced. “Cold water.”

  “To shave with.” Lounds held something up beyond the bars and showed it to her. It was a pink Bic Lady razor. “I’m giving you this but only on the condition that you agree to use it and give it back.”

  “Use it where?” Samantha demanded, though she was horribly afraid she alread
y knew.

  “Your sex, of course.” Lounds sounded almost prim. “My collection cups need smooth, hairless skin to adhere to in order to achieve proper suction.”

  “Like hell I will!” Samantha snapped. “I’m not making it any easier for you to torture me.”

  “You’ll do it. . . .” Lounds glared at her, his eyes suddenly flashing from black to yellow. “Or I’ll do it. Either way, you’re going to get shaved, Samantha.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. The flash of yellow in his eyes brought back the night of the attack, the glaring yellow eyes of the beast he’d turned into, glowing in the dark as he ripped and tore. . . . More even than the gun in his belt, Samantha feared his Shifted form.

  “You asshole,” she said in a shaking voice. “I’ll make you pay for this. I don’t know how yet, but I swear you’re going to get what’s coming to you.”

  “Right.” Lounds sounded bored by her threats. He tossed the razor through the bars of her cage, and it clattered to the floor at her bare feet. “Just get shaving. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes. You’d better be completely smooth, or you’ll be sorry.”

  He left, leaving Samantha to stare at the razor and the pan of ice-cold water with its small, pathetic sliver of soap, wondering what in the hell she was going to do.

  In the end, she had no choice—she shaved away the little patch of blond curls that decorated the mound of her sex. There wasn’t much to shave, actually, since she’d recently had a wax, but Samantha still felt horribly exposed once her pussy was completely bare.

  She stared through the bars of the cage at the other side of the room. In addition to the harness strung over the metal frame, there was a shelf with several pieces of equipment, including an industrial-sized hematocrit centrifuge. It was shaped rather like a large Crock-Pot and plugged into the wall behind it. Normally such a piece of equipment would be used for spinning down blood samples, but given that Lounds had talked about “harvesting” her, Samantha wasn’t sure if that was its purpose at all.