Cloaked Ties, page 9
“It’s your show.”
He didn’t make her wait any longer, just shifted in a dazzling display of shimmer. In an instant, his world shifted to one ruled by lupine senses. Everything sharper than it was in his human form, despite that being advanced and superior to a normal human. He stood there, his four large paws holding him up as he stood before his mate.
Nose searching the currents for any hint of fear, he was pleased when he didn’t get any. Yet, he didn’t move, just waited for her to make the first move.
She swiped her tongue along her lips before canting her head to the side. Kraven wasn’t sure what to do, he couldn’t see himself from her eyes, and he wanted to. He craved to have their mating bond pulsing strong between them, allowing him to feel her emotions, sense her joy, her passion. Everything and anything.
When she held out a hand, he approached. Feet making no noise on the carpet of grass beneath him, he paused just short of where her hand would touch him. The last inch between them, would be her decision and her choice to make.
His body quivered when she began to move once more. Her fingers curved in a tiny bit, like she wasn’t ready to complete the connection. Within his wolf, he felt him and the beast together, gravitating toward her, seeking the brush she was withholding.
Another minute flex of her fingers before she diminished the remaining distance between them and settled her palm against his broad head.
Both he and his wolf were elated. He longed to close his eyes in ecstasy but he wanted to see her expression, gauge her reaction.
His wolf took over and stepped closer to her, forcing more of his head beneath her palm. Her lips twitched and just that lightened the concern in his heart.
“You’re a beauty.” Her soft lilting voice nearly his undoing. “No wonder your human side has a big head.”
Kraven smirked but sopped up the attention. She used two hands now, on either side of his neck.
She slid off the log and sank to her knees, her fingers dug into his plush coat. Kraven nearly held his breath when she placed them forehead to forehead.
“I’m trusting you, wolf. Don’t let me regret that decision.”
His wolf opened its maw and settled razor-sharp teeth along her left forearm, he closed it gently before releasing her. Then he lay down, his head in her lap so she could continue to pet him.
And she did.
* * *
αβ
* * *
She walked into his arms. Keane closed them around her and hugged her tight. When he pulled back, she witnessed the concern he had in his gaze.
“Are you alright?”
Shira smiled a tiny smile and this time it didn’t take any trouble for it to cross her mouth. “I am. What are you doing here?”
Beyond them, she spied Keane’s mate, Tora where she stood speaking to Kraven. She watched the man she spoke with but Kraven, he definitely watched her and Keane.
“He asked for help from the Alpha, he sent my mate.”
Her smile was true this time and much larger. “And you weren’t letting her come alone?”
“Never.”
They were no longer touching, she and Keane didn’t have the kind of relationship he had with Dyana, where the woman would cuddle up against him. “I appreciate it, but this isn’t something that this Pack should get into. I will handle this.”
Keane gripped her arm above the elbow, expression serious. “I have no doubt that is the case, Shira, but you have to see this from our point.”
Frustration popped its head through the soil and took root. “Who’s point?”
“Mine and Dyana’s.”
That calmed her a tiny bit. “She is of the belief I am going to kill myself. Is that yours as well?”
“You know it’s not. You have others to look after and you’d never risk them by doing something so foolish. But, I do know, your life has become more complicated as of recently. You’ve traveled with Tora before, let her see if some contacts can’t help.”
Kraven marched closer to them, his lips a thin line of disapproval. She barely spared him a glance.
Eyes locked on Keane, she shook her head. “You and Tora have a child. I will not risk your lives to assist me.”
“Take your hand off my mate, cat if you want to keep living.” Kraven wrapped an arm around her waist and moved her back from Keane’s touch.
For once, Keane didn’t rise to the bait, in fact, Shira was shocked he hardly looked at Kraven but kept his gaze on her, expression serious.
“We have a child who came from the heinous shit you are trying to stop, Shira. People like who you are after are the ones who took his eye and tortured him, after killing his younger brother in front of him. So, this isn’t a decision you get to make.”
“Tone it down,” Kraven issued the order, his tone wolf and matching the aggressive cat in Keane’s voice.
Tora walked up, flicked her glance between the men then landed it on Shira. She tipped her head to the left and the women walked off, side by side. Shira admired this woman, she’d overcome enough of her own demons to get to where she was. A top lieutenant in the Tatra Pack.
“I put out some feelers and the two you are after, they have joined with some others.”
Feathers brushed the inside of her skin as her bird sought freedom. The disgust in Tora’s voice told her one thing.
“Ryan Larkin?”
The petite woman nodded and pushed her hands in her back pockets. “Seems he is trying to increase operations.”
Talons pricked her fingertips, yearning to be freed to rip and tear into flesh. “He needs to die.”
“Agreed.”
“What else?” Shira pulled her gaze from the sky and put it on Tora.
For a moment she appeared indecisive. “There are rumors of an eagle shifter working with them.”
“Good to know.” God, she needed to fly, to at least get away. Tamping it all down, she and Tora continued to walk, the men watching them, matching scowls on their faces as they stood shoulder to shoulder.
“I was asked to give you this.” Tora pulled out a folded envelope from her front pocket and handed it over.
She opened it and the moment she did, she knew who it was from, she could smell the deer. Unfolding the sheet the second she pulled it free, she read the few lines.
They don’t understand.
I’m scared.
Ensuring her expression didn’t slip, she returned it to the envelope and pushed it into her pocket. “How long before you hear from your contacts?”
“I wish I had an exact time for you, Shira. I don’t. Larkin is becoming sneakier and he’s not so easy to track down.”
God, she needed to fly, scream out her frustrations to the sky. All she did was nod. “I have no wish to keep you from your Pack. We should be there by tomorrow if we push hard.”
Kraven shook his head. “No, we stay here tonight, get sleep and go after them fully rested.”
Keane nodded in agreement. “I agree with the wolf. Let’s eat and get some rest.” He kissed Tora and led her back to their vehicle.
The moment they were alone, Kraven focused all that hyperaware attention on her. “What did she say?”
“Who?” She didn’t look over to him, just stared at the way Tora and Keane walked together, holding hands. Something so simple yet, said so much.
Kraven shifted in front of her. “Eyes off the cat,” he growled. “The deerling who sent you the note.”
“Letting me know how she is doing, is all.” She lifted her gaze to his. “I have to fly. Don’t wait on me to eat.”
“You’re not going after those two are you?”
“No. I gave my word, Kraven. I will not go after them alone. I just—”
He reached out and squeezed her hand. “You don’t have to explain this to me, sky goddess. We all have the need sometimes.”
Squeezing his hand in thanks, she nodded. “I’ll be back.” She released him and walked away a few steps before she ran and shifted on the move, taking to the sky as her clothes fell to the earth. She rose swiftly, it not taking a lot for her powerful wings to ascend her up to where she longed to be.
She hadn’t lied to him. Shira wasn’t about to go back on her word she’d given to Dyana and Casimir. But she did need to meet some people that the ones she traveled with couldn’t know. Opening her mind to her kind, she waited for the familiar brush against the link.
A feeling far different from the bond she had waiting for her acceptance with Kraven. That one, with the wolf was full of passion, heat, desire, and possessiveness. This one, was something else.
Two eagles met her up in the sky and for a while, they played with one another. She was the largest of the three and the most experienced. But the others were more than capable of holding their own.
While she longed to settle with them and see them, make sure that they were okay, she couldn’t risk their smell on Pack land. So they continued to soar far above the earth, to far for most eyes to see them. Once they had finished playing she opened the connection.
How is everything, Aditi?
This was the woman who she trusted to keep the others safe when she was gone. The first she rescued. The woman reminded her a bit of Tora. Small, feisty and deadly. The name Aditi had been chosen as it was an ancient goddess of the sky in Hindu.
They miss you, of course but everything is fine.
I miss them as well. The young she helped, were her children, having figured she wouldn’t be getting any of her own. And how are you, Tane? He was one of the oldest of the males she had in her aerie.
I’m well, how about you?
This is an exercise in restraint.
Their laughter was comfort to her and she reveled in it. With them, she didn’t have to hide her scars or pretend she was fine when she wasn’t.
Except she did. She was, for all intents and purposes, the Alpha of the aerie.
I know you want to get back as soon as possible and I have kept you away for a long time, do we have room for a deerling?
We always have room, Shira. Aditi’s response came quickly and it reassured her that she’d picked the right woman to be the top of her soldiers. Where is this deerling?
She is one that I rescued earlier. I got a message from her that she is scared and those around her now don’t understand.
The growls that reverberated through their connection sounded more like wolves would emit than eagles. They came from both Tane and Aditi.
Very well. That’s all the answer I required. I will find a way to secure her and bring her when I’m done here.
What about until then? If she is scared, she could be in danger.
I understand that Tane. I will ask the wolf to make sure she is fine.
Your friend?
Yes. My friend, Aditi. This is not up for debate. I wanted to make sure we would still be okay if I brought her in. I have to go. Tomorrow the last two die.
Fly safe.
Both Aditi and Tane said that at the same time.
You as well.
She knew they were going to be near, watching. Having her back. With a cry, she broke from the group and streaked toward earth. The rush of wind pulsing through her feathers. Heading back to the camp, she pushed herself, knowing she’d been gone a while.
Damn her inner hussy for wanting to see the man who she had started to look at, as her mate.
No, she reminded her animal. What she wanted didn’t mean what she was going to have.
Her bird, disagreed.
Out of habit, she circled where she was going to land a few times, scouting from her vantage point. All part of her way to make sure her secret stayed that, a secret. This time, she saw him there.
Kraven.
Waiting for her. He leaned his back against a tree as he sat by the huge trunk, one leg bent with his arm causally resting on it. There was a buzz of awareness along the connecting thread between them and she struggled not to preen at the welcoming caress. Or the way his head tipped up as if he searched the sky for her.
She landed and shifted in a smooth move, her clothing being pulled on even before the shimmers had vanished. Something else she excelled at doing.
Kraven pushed to his feet and covered the ground between them. She noticed his feet were bare, telling her he’d come here in wolf form. He didn’t stop until his hand was securing in a fistful of her braids. Forehead to forehead, he held her to him, their breath mingling.
“You’ve been gone a while. Everything okay?”
“I’m fine.”
He rubbed his face along her skin, burrowing his nose against her neck and she swore, tasting her. Legs weak, she balled her hands into fists to keep from touching him in return.
“You smell divine, sky goddess. Except for the scent of others on you. Who did you speak to?”
Damn his nose was amazing.
“I never once shifted to human. I stayed in the air, floating on the currents.”
He pulled back and looked at her. Intense and suspicious.
“You smell different.”
She furrowed her brow. “Not sure why.”
His gaze shifted to wolf. He held her stare then bent closer again and took a deliberate sniff.
“What secrets are you hiding from me, sky goddess?” This time his question was punctuated by a nip on her neck. One that had her pussy wet and her nipples tight.
“My life is a secret, Kraven. I believe we should be going.”
His growl rumbled through her, only adding to the tension between them. It was going to happen sooner or later. She was going to break and he would own her. Body and soul.
Chapter Nine
She was keeping secrets from him. Kraven knew it. His wolf knew it. But he couldn’t prove it. When she spoke to him, she didn’t waver in her expression, she held his gaze and damn it all, he couldn’t scent a lie on her.
But there were some.
He gripped the nape of his neck and tried to bring his animal back under control. Tora stepped up beside him and he looked down at the top of her dark head. She was small. Not much over five feet and people, shifters included, underestimated her.
“You know she is going to kill Ryan Larkin if she finds him.”
He snorted. “Unlike you?” Or himself?
“I would question him first. She will gut him.”
“How do you know this, Tora?” He didn’t doubt the woman’s words but he was curious to know how she had come to this conclusion.
“Because we all know Larkin won’t talk if he’s caught. And she has no reason to keep him alive if he won’t give her answers.” She crossed her arms and he mimicked her action. “I found the remains of two wolves in a cave. They’d been tortured, gutted, and there was no sign of hesitation in the act.”
“Shira?”
“Yes.” Straight to the point.
“You rode with her a while ago.”
“I did. No, I don’t know where she went. She was with me for a while then went off on her own. There had been a bird shifter in one of the cages but by the time I was there to free the ones I did, it was gone.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
“There is something else.”
Of course there was. “What’s that?”
“I told her earlier, before she took off flying.” Tora bunched her shoulders twice. “There is a rumor of an eagle shifter working with Larkin.”
“Fuck.”
“We’re ready,” Keane called over to them.
Silent, he and Tora walked over to the cat and the bird, standing by the tailgate looking at a map. He moved to Shira’s side as Tora slid under Keane’s arm to allow him to tuck her right up to him.
God, he wanted that permission with Shira. Need rode him and he took a deep breath to rein his wolf back in.
“If there are others,” Keane said.
“I don’t care what happens to any but those two. They. Are. Mine.” Shira’s words were so low then were almost feral.
He touched the small of her back. “You’re not alone, Shira.”
There came a flare of something in her gaze before it vanished in a puff. He waited. All she did was nod and step out of his touch. Kraven noticed that the feline had witnessed that, Tora most likely as well, but she was good at pretending she hadn’t. Cats on the other hand, notorious for their need to gossip and be nosy. However, instead of the mocking or pity he expected, there was a hint of anger in the man’s gaze.
That threw him because he knew as much as his Alpha’s were committed to one another, Keane was the same to Tora. So what was the look for? He didn’t know and right now, he had some wolves to track down.
They slipped through the trees, the four of them and surrounded the location they had on the shifters. There were definitely more than two in there. He scented about eight, at least and his gut churned at the thought of her facing them alone.
Overhead, birds chirped and both Shira and Tora tipped their heads to the side, as if they were listening to what information was passed along. He gave out hand signals and got immediate nods of understanding from Tora and Keane. But that made sense, they were from his Pack.
Shira wasn’t even looking at him, she was peering through the trees. He couldn’t call her name for they were to close. Moments later, he couldn’t smell her, at least not the shifter part of her. And she had barely moved.
How the fuck did she do that?
And where the ever-loving hell was she going now? Shira just walked forward to the house where they were staying.
His wolf raged and he agreed, he was going to turn this woman over his knee after they got out of this. She exited the forest and headed for the two-storey house going up the drive.
“Hello?” she called out. “Is anyone here?”
The door opened and he saw a large shifter step out. “Who are you?” he demanded.
“My car broke down a ways back on the road. My cell phone has died, would you happen to have a phone I could use to call a tow?” She wrapped her arms around herself, doing an incredible job of looking unsure and nervous.
Two more came out of the door and stood on the porch looking at her. Kraven kept moving forward, confident that Keane and Tora were as well.
