STORY EXCERPT

 The jaguar trotted up the steps to the backdoor of the cottage, the scent of the forest still clinging to his sleek black coat. A hand touched the knob of the door instead of a paw, and silky dark fur had changed to brawny muscles and glistening skin, scented sweat rolling down his body from the vigorous track through the woodlands. His breathing returned to normal as he walked through the house, going straight to the bathroom.

He pressed both hands against the sink, raising his head to look in the mirror. The pupils of his eyes were the last to change shape from cat to human. The color remained the same moss green in both forms. As Nathan stepped into the shower, the streaming water created the illusion of morning mist.

Nathan heaved a sigh when he heard the ring of his cell. He grabbed a towel as he stepped out of the shower to answer his phone.

“Hello.”

“Nate. We need you at the council house. Someone tried to hack into Kael.”

Kael, a changeling owned computer company which also employed human scientists, was developing a new missile-targeting system.

“On my way.”

Nathan walked through the open council doors. Killian, Alexi, and Dylan, three of his lieutenants, were already seated at the table. Malachi, his second, was recovering from the wounds he’d sustained in an attack to free the rogue leader, Seth. The assault happened on the way back to the council headquarters when Seth had tried to take over his pack, Wind River, by kidnapping the mate of the pack, enforcer, who was also Seth’s cousin, and leading him into a trap. It was a shock to all of them to find out she was one of the chosen; the descendant of female humans who could shift if mated to a changeling.

Nathan’s gaze moved to his father, Daniel, Prime of the Council Elders as he walked over to the other end of the council table to sit. He acknowledged the members of his team with a nod.

“Sorry about the late hour, but we received a phone call from Ethan, CEO of Kael. A group tried to break into the lab to steal the missile-targeting logic chip. The project is classified Top Secret. A team of scientists and computer experts, in conjunction with the Department of Defense, have developed a smart chip. The details of the project are in the report, along with the names and bios of the people who knew about it.” Daniel described the details of the break-in as they received copies of the report and the file on the project.

“Nathan, you’re going to San Diego to find out who is behind this and why. Only Ethan and key board members know who you are. You’ll be going in as the new security expert.”

“How did they get into the building?” Nathan asked. “From the looks of it, the lab is in a restricted area which no one gets through without a security ID.”

“They are renovating some of the offices on the same floor. Somehow they got false ID badges from the construction company we were using.” Daniel frowned as he looked down at the papers in front of him. “They took out the guards and disabled the cameras and monitors.” He frowned again at the papers. “Information about the project was confined to the people on the teams, Ethan, and the board members.”

 “So we have a conspirator.” Nathan growled. “Either someone on the team or a board member has turned traitor. Ethan, have any ideas who would have betrayed us?”

“No.” He confirmed with a shake of his head. “Most of the group working on this are shifters, except a small handful of human scientists, and before you ask,” Daniel held up his hand. “They all cleared the security and background checks we conducted.”

“When do you want me to leave?” Nathan asked.

“Tonight, the jet will be ready in an hour.”

Nathan gathered the files and report, and gave a nod to the rest of his team as he rose from the chair to leave. As he walked into the hall, he stopped, seeing his mother. “Mom, why are you awake so late?”

“I wanted to talk to you before you leave about Cinna.”

“What about her?” Nathan asked.

“Her parents came by today to talk to your father and me about a bond ceremony between the two of you.”

His brow lifted at her comment.

“There’s nothing to discuss.” The words came out as an angry snarl.

“They seem to think differently.” She said, lightly touching his arms.

“They think wrong. There will be no bonding between us.” Nathan growled, his beast rising at the manipulation of Cinna and her parents. “She knew from the beginning that nothing would come from our relationship and she agreed. It’s a non-issue anyway. I ended things last night.”

“Good, now come give me a hug before you leave.” Nathan enveloped his mother in a tight embrace. 

ADULT EXCERPT

 It was just after one in the morning when Nathan opened the door to Kyra’s house for the second time. Kyra had been giving him one syllable answers since they left the office. She walked past him straight to her kitchen.

“Are you going to give me anything other than one-word answers?”

“Maybe.”

He leaned against the doorframe, watching her. “You know this is for your own safety.”

Kyra turned to him as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I can protect myself. I don’t need you or anyone else guarding me.”

Kyra frowned at him, a look of annoyance on her face. Nathan didn’t move from his spot as she glared at him. With a frustrated sigh, she walked past him heading for the stairs. “I’m going to bed. The guest room is to the left of the stairs,” Kyra said, not turning around as she made her way up the stairs. She gasped as she turned to shut her bedroom door to see Nathan there in the door way.

Kyra started to protest but was cut off by Nathan.

“This is not up for debate. Your safety is more important. These people want this new technology and since they have made two tries to get it and failed, the next option would be to get to you.” He held her close and, rubbed his hand up and down her back until she relaxed against him once more. “You can fight me about this once it’s over.” Nathan moved his hand to her neck and caressed her cheek with his thumb.

“Okay, but after this is over, we are going to talk about this domineering complex you have,” Kyra said, looking straight into his eyes.

 He covered her lips with his finger as she was about to speak. “I will be with you until we catch the people after you. From now on, wherever you go, I go.” He started undressing her, his eyes not moving from hers as their clothes fell away. Nathan lowered her to the bed and  spread her thighs slowly, moving his hands up to remove her panties, staring in wonder at the light pink and cream of her flesh at the junction of her sex. He had never seen anything as arousing as the silken lips of her pussy parted for him.

 He stretched out between her outstretched thighs, sliding his fingers over the thick layer of juices that gathered there. As he licked his fingers, he lowered his head. She jerked, a whimper escaping her lips as he swiped his tongue through the glistening cream that lay heavy on her swollen cunt. He licked and lapped, circled her little clit, and sucked at it strongly as her cries began to rise in volume. Her hips twisted, writhing against the pleasure, and soon his own sex was tightening in his raging need as he heard her crying out his name.

He moved lower, plunging his tongue into the velvet recess of her pussy as her cries escalated. Her knees were bent now, thighs spread wide, her hands on his head as she held him to her, her hips undulating, pressing her pussy against his devouring mouth as she fought for her orgasm. He gave her pussy one last lick as he moved up her body. She moaned in protest.

“Not yet. I want to be inside you when you come.” She moved her hands to his shoulders, sliding her palms over the flexing muscles there, and watching as his lips opened. He drew one desperate nipple into the suctioning heat of his mouth. His teeth rasped over her swollen nipple, his tongue licked, his mouth suckled. Sensation after sensation crashed into her womb, convulsing her stomach as she fought for control. She could feel her cunt growing wetter, her clit swelling hard and tight. “You taste so sweet,” he growled as he moved to her other breast. He repeated the action there, growling as his beast wanted to be set free to claim his mate.

 Nathan’s eyes glowed with his desire and hunger. His beast needed to be satisfied. He would not be able to hold off much longer. He lifted her legs, spreading them wide, sliding his hand up the inside of her thigh as he cupped her pussy, moving his fingers up the narrow slit and coating his finger yet again with her juices.

“Are you ready for me?” He started to ease his tense flesh into her. “God, you are so tight.” Nathan had never felt anything as good as what he was feeling as he sank deep into her heat. As he continued to go deeper, he felt the barrier of her innocence. He stiffened. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

 “Don’t stop.” A strangled moan echoed from her as she lifted to him and his flesh again started to impale her.

Kyra writhed against him in desperation. She screamed, her clit swelling further as he lunged inside her. She lost her breath, as her clit exploded and her pussy began to ripple around his cock. She felt the thick head nudging against her and the hard jets of his semen begin to pulse inside her.

 “Ah, Kyra,” he moaned as his body collapsed against her, holding her as he spilled semen into her convulsing womb. Afterward, Nathan rolled over to the side so as to not crush her with his weight.

She moaned and rolled over to follow him. She reached out and gently scraped her fingers down his chest. He pulled her closer, caressing her lower back. Nathan started tracing the outline of her birthmark. He traced the pattern again. Shock raced through him and he rose to stare at the symbol. “You have the mark of Isis.”