FavoriteObsession, page 3
He’d consumed a hell of a lot of their blood during the weeks he’d been participating in their popular brawls. The fights gave the shifters an excuse to beat on one another. For Josh, it allowed him to hone his body and distract himself from obsessing over Mira, not that he’d succeeded in the latter. Still, it gave him something else to focus on for a few hours a week. Plus, they were fun.
Many of the shifters enjoyed taking him on in the fights, but more often than not Josh had needed a little intervention to ensure he could walk away. He’d always felt stronger, more powerful and well just…better in the days after he’d taken their blood. He hadn’t even fallen victim to the case of food poisoning that had sickened many of the employees in his bar the last time they’d had Chinese.
He had to assume the lingering effect of his last donation of shifter blood was the reason he’d recovered so well today. It was the only explanation he could come up with that sounded logical. The other, a memory of pain, apple pie and Mira’s eyes, made no sense whatsoever.
He shoved the crazy image in the locked box with the ones of finding his brother Tony mutilated and his beautiful sister tortured and in labor. The damn door was going to burst soon. He’d experienced too many horrors in his life.
He counted backward from a hundred. His racing heart slowed. The memories faded away. He breathed a sigh.
The older medic pushed to his feet and patted him on the shoulder. “You’re a lucky man, Mr. Conway.”
“I suppose.”
He held out his hand for the phone Josh held. “Are you done with that or do you need to make another call?”
He passed the cell over. “Nope. I’m good.”
He’d gotten the info he’d needed when Zeb had answered his phone with a slurred, incoherent greeting. He’d reacted exactly the way Josh had expected. Zeb had gone home and gotten shit-faced drunk—his MO. It gave Josh time to deal with the mess he was currently in before averting another.
The medic collected Josh’s bloody shirt and the remaining dressings and tossed them in a Haz-waste bag. “You really should come to the hospital to get some blood tests. You bled an awful lot for such a small wound.”
“I’ll call my doctor in the morning.” Or not. Josh cleared his throat. “Are you all done?”
“If you won’t take the pain meds, then I am. Do you have somebody to stay with you overnight?”
“Yeah, I’m good,” Josh lied. Truth was he didn’t want anyone around him. He didn’t feel quite…right. Company wouldn’t be welcome tonight, not when his skin crawled and his gut rolled. It took every ounce of self-control he had not to scratch madly at his arms and legs.
The medic stepped away and small pair of booted feet took his place in front of him. Josh sighed and glanced into Ella’s concerned face. Five-foot-two, one-hundred-and-ten pounds and a no-bullshit attitude made his little cousin the best damn cop in the county. He knew she still struggled with the sexist attitudes of many of the other police officers, but Ella never let it bother her. She just worked harder and better than everyone else to prove herself.
“Officer Rodrick.”
“Who did this?”
“I got in a fight with Zeb. He nicked me. I must’ve hit my head and blacked out. Last thing I remember is tripping and falling.” Along with the scent of apples and the feeling of burning alive. He rubbed at the back of his neck where tingles skipped along his skin. “I woke up when Sara was talking on the phone.”
Ella narrowed her eyes. She pointedly looked from the blood-soaked gravel to the bandage on his stomach. “And you bled that much from a little nick?”
“Must have something wrong with my blood. I don’t know why it didn’t clot sooner.” He shrugged. “I’ll call Doc tomorrow.”
Another long glare and she huffed. “What were you fighting about?”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not pressing charges.”
She widened her stance more. “You don’t get to decide. Zeb shot at you. That’s not something I can let go. He’s on probation.”
“You do what you have to but don’t expect my involvement. Just do me a favor.” He leaned forward and turned pleading eyes on his stubborn cousin.
“Don’t pull the ‘I’m family’ card, Josh. You know I hate that.”
Yeah, he knew, but he couldn’t let anyone find the knife that had nearly gutted him. People would start asking questions. “Please, Ella, just hear me out. I called him. He’s home and was minutes from passing out. He’s not going anywhere. Give me tonight to talk to him. We had a disagreement. I want to clear it up.”
“What kind of disagreement?”
The black muscle car pulling into the lot stopped his answer. Josh stepped around his cousin and strode toward Kade’s ’Cuda. Mira jumped out before it came to a complete stop and ran straight to him. Josh opened his arms and enveloped her in his embrace. The scent of spring rain chased away the lingering clover and cinnamon in his nose. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled more of her comforting fragrance.
“Are you okay?”
The concern in her voice slowed the churning in his gut. Another deep breath and the itch lessened. “I am now.”
“Sara said you were bleeding and unconscious.” Mira pulled back and ran her hands over his bare sides. She fingered the tape holding the large bandage. “Gods, what happened?”
“I got in a fight. The guy nicked me but it was a long cut. Needed a big Band-Aid.” He grinned, hoping to ease some of the worry in her eyes. “You can kiss it later and make it better.”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth he tensed, expecting Devin or Kade to say something. They didn’t. Both shifters stood with their backs to them, talking to Ella’s deputy.
He jerked his chin in their direction. “Have your bodyguards decided to stop giving us a hard time?”
She gently skimmed her fingertips around the white dressing. “Not in this lifetime but they want to know who hurt you so we can return the favor.”
“No.” He focused on her and let her see his determination. “I don’t want them or you involved.”
Jesus, that’d be a disaster. After what had happened tonight, he had to corner Zeb and convince him he hadn’t nearly gutted him. Zeb might be slow in a lot of things, but Josh couldn’t take the chance he’d put two and two together and start looking too closely into the affairs of his new friends.
Josh might only be an honorary member of the pride, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t protect them at all costs the same way the full-blooded shifters would.
“You’re a member of our family. We protect our own.”
Damn if he didn’t love the fire in her eyes. He brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “I know but this isn’t something that needs their interference or yours. It was a little fight. That’s it. I’ll handle it.” She opened her mouth. He pressed a finger to her plump lips to stop her argument. “I won’t allow anyone to fight my battles and this one simply got out of hand. Okay?”
She held his gaze for a long moment. Finally, she breathed a sigh and his tension eased. “Yes, okay, but if this person,” she choked on the word, “hurts you again, all bets are off.”
“This person was human,” he whispered, conscious of the people around them. “He’s also not accepting of anything different. Leave him be.”
She pressed her forehead to his chest and he rubbed her back in long soothing strokes along the length of her spine. She’d talked to him one night about her fears for the future. He shared them too, which was why he couldn’t let Zeb get any crazy ideas in his head.
Shifters were known by nearly every government in the world. In most modernized countries, they were accepted as citizens with special provisions taken to hide their age and others to legalize certain instinctual customs, including their devotion to their beloved humans.
Those who were entrusted with the knowledge of shifters’ existence understood the danger to the world if the general populace learned about the nonhumans living among them. It didn’t take much to picture the scenarios of what would happen, none of them good. As much as he loved his fellow neighbor, he knew the peaceful acceptance of another species wouldn’t happen. Hate ran deep in human culture.
The only problem was, it wouldn’t last. Josh felt as though they were riding the peaceful waves before the storm. One of these days, the shit would hit the fan. He refused to be the reason it did.
Devin approached and cleared his throat. Josh loosened the tight circle of his arms. “Yeah?”
Devin glanced from Josh’s linked hands at Mira’s waist to his face. Although his expression remained blank, displeasure rolled off him. “Mira wanted the honors, but I’m going to pay Zeb a visit. They’ll take you home.”
Josh set Mira off to the side and took a step forward. “I already discussed this with Mira. I’m the only one who’ll be paying him a visit and,” he motioned behind him, “my car is right there. I can drive myself.”
“Absolutely not.” Devin whipped his head to peer at Mira. After a moment, while they no doubt engaged in a telepathic argument, he snapped his teeth together. “I don’t like it.”
“I agreed. The discussion is over.” She reached out and stroked her fingertips over Josh’s bicep. “Let’s take Josh home.”
He grasped her wrist. “I don’t—”
She looked over her shoulder. “You shouldn’t drive if you hit your head hard enough to black out.”
Josh took in the stubbornness and worry stamped on her face and sighed. The sooner he assured her he was well, the quicker he could deal with Zeb and make sure she was safe. “Fine, let’s roll.”
They climbed into the ’Cuda. The short drive to the house Josh had moved into last week passed in silence after he refused to answer Devin’s pointed questions about the injury he’d suffered. Josh didn’t need anyone else’s doubts on top of his own. As soon as he’d gotten into the car with the other shifters, the crawling sensation had returned.
Kade parked in front of Josh’s fixer-upper farmhouse and motioned toward the door. “I called Zach to come stay with you tonight. He’ll be out within the hour.”
“No way. I don’t need a babysitter.”
Kade narrowed his eyes. “Mira won’t be content until she knows you’re well and I sure as hell won’t allow her to stay here tonight. Deal with it or you can come room with me.”
Josh ground his teeth. Instead of wasting time arguing, he bit out, “Fine.”
“Good.” Kade motioned toward his house. “You need help getting settled?”
Mira grabbed his hand before he could answer. “I’ll help him.”
“Don’t take too long and remember the rules,” Devin warned.
She opened the door, pulling him along with her. “Sure, okay.”
They hurried up the steps and slipped inside. With the door shut behind them, Josh crowded her against the hardwood surface. He leaned in to kiss her, but she bent her head so his lips brushed over her forehead instead.
She splayed her hands over his chest and gave him a slight push, not enough to break his hold, more of a ‘hold on’ move.
He clamped down on his disappointment.
“So I guess you didn’t come in here so I could ravish you.” Not that he had time to indulge in her but he hated losing any moment with Mira.
She wrapped her hands around his waist and snuggled close, her cheek over his heart. “Please, Josh, just stop. I’d like nothing more than to go upstairs with you. It can’t happen.”
He shoved away before he swept her into his arms and did exactly that. “Go home then. I’ll be fine until my babysitter shows up.”
She twisted her fingers together. He turned his back on the sight. Clipped steps took him into his living room.
Moving boxes filled the otherwise empty room. He opened one and started unpacking the stacks of movies, anything to distract him from what he wanted to do with the woman standing behind him.
Dusty VHS tapes took up most of the space inside the crate. Why had he brought them? He didn’t even own a player anymore. With them piled off to the side, he pulled out the discs he could use.
Mira grasped his wrist, stopping him from reaching for the next movie. “Ignoring this won’t make it go away.”
He yanked his hand free. “What do you want me to do? I’ve made it clear that I want you. You said no and I’m in no mood to fight tonight.”
Silence stretched while he continued to unpack. He felt her eyes on his back no matter where he moved in the room.
Finally, she sighed. “No matter who I end up mating, I don’t want to lose you.”
He slammed a disc down. “You can’t lose what you don’t have, Mira. And this,” he brushed his fingertips over his scarred cheek that carried her scent, “doesn’t give you any rights to me.”
He turned away, unable to bear the hurt expression on her face, and reached for another movie. Not looking at her didn’t stop the memory of her laving the wound her brother had caused when he’d swiped a clawed hand across Josh’s face.
Josh had almost kissed her that night, probably would’ve made love to her too if she would’ve let him. Kade had stopped them in a frenzied panic as if he’d known they were about to get naked. That was when all the ridiculous rules had started.
“It makes you my beloved human.”
He whirled around. “No, it makes me Devin’s fucking beloved human. Or did you forget that rule?”
She wrapped her arms tightly around her chest. Dammit, seeing her upset always infuriated him. Being the cause of it agitated him more. Only around him did Mira act real. She never backed down in the face of the other men—he’d seen her unleash her claws and egg them on. With him, she softened. He still hadn’t decided if it was because she felt safe enough around him to show her femininity or didn’t view him as a threat.
“No, I didn’t forget. How could I when I have not only Devin directing my life but Kade and now the Council?” She dropped her arms and stepped forward. “I know exactly what I am—a pawn! This whole ridiculous demand from the Council proves that.”
He tipped up her chin with a single finger and waited until she focused on him. “Why are they doing this to you?”
The fight went out of her. She sagged and he looped an arm around her waist to support her.
“They claim it’s to preserve the species. We’ve lost over three-quarters of our women this century alone, many of those royals.”
He’d already heard the official excuse from Lena. “What’s the real reason?”
She licked her lips and tried to turn her head. He firmed his grip on her chin, refusing to lose the insight her expression gave.
“I don’t know.”
“Bullshit, Mira. Tell me the truth.”
“I suspect it has to do with Molly. The Council had plans for her, which Devin nixed when he stopped the trafficking deal involving her. Within days of that, the order concerning my mating was delivered.”
He’d heard bits and pieces of Molly’s situation but nobody had mentioned anything about the Council’s involvement. It bothered him, yet didn’t surprise him. “What kind of plans?”
She nibbled her lower lip. “Molly’s special.”
Not exactly an answer. His anxiety spiked. “Of course she is. White lions are nearly extinct.”
She blew out a breath and the sign of her conflicted emotions angered him. “Mira, look at me.” He waited until she complied. “What has Kade been hiding from me?”
“The scientists who experimented on her accomplished the impossible.” She swallowed hard. “Now we’re pretty sure she’s immortal.”
His heart skipped a beat. He knew Molly had spent the first four years of her life in a medical facility before finding her way to Lena’s family a few months ago, but this little nugget of info had been omitted. He pushed his irritation aside over being left out of the loop and focused on the facts. “Single-shifters are mortal. They must be mistaken.”
“After what they’ve done to her, she should be dead, Josh.” She laid her hand over his racing heart. “And the fact she’s spoken to Devin telepathically proves she’s not quite…normal.”
“And the Council knows she’s been altered?”
She gave a small nod in answer.
The idea forming in his head brought his anger back to the surface. Josh narrowed his eyes. “Were they planning to continue experimenting on her?”
“I hope not but the single-shifters resent our immortality. If there’s a chance they can figure out how to get it too…”
“Shifter Affairs won’t stand for it.” Neither would he.
“My instincts say their plans are less nefarious but just as painful.” She sifted her fingers through his hair, an act he knew soothed her as much as it did him. “Unofficially, the Council approved a pre-arranged mating between Molly and the future leader of a single-shifter pride from California. Since female white lions always give birth to white cubs, no matter the father, I assume they’re hoping Molly’s kids will be immortal too.”
“They want to start a new breed?”
Mira shrugged. “If Molly’s kids are born immortal, any of her female cubs would most likely give birth to another generation of immortal cubs.”
“And her sons?”
Another shrug. “Your guess is as good as mine, but instinct tells me they’d pass on their genes. Whether all their kids would be immortal, I can’t say, but some might be.”
Thus giving the single-shifters what they believed had been wrongfully denied them—eternal life exactly as their royal cousins had. Well, the shifters already born wouldn’t get it, but their kids would. Still, for a group who had resented their royal cousins for millennia, it wasn’t a bad outcome.
“They can’t do that. Molly is not just an incubator. She’s a beautiful child who deserves happiness and love.”
Mira caressed his cheek, running her fingers back and forth over his stubble. Desire hazed her eyes despite the grim topic. “I know. What they’re doing to me isn’t exactly on the up and up either. Over the last decade, the Council has gotten over a dozen new members, mostly single-shifters. At least one of them knows how to manipulate the laws.”
