 
# Escape

### A White Mountain Chanat Novella

## Melissa Stevens

### Contents

Also by Melissa Stevens

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Dictionary of Terms

Also by Melissa Stevens

Change

About the Author
Copyright 2011 Melissa Stevens

* * *

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Created with Vellum

# Also by Melissa Stevens

Books and series from Melissa Stevens

* * *

**Kitsune Series:**

Change

Fight

Hunt

Live

The Kitsune Collection

(with Change, Fight, Hunt and Live in one volume)

**WMC Series:**

Escape

Jade's Peace

Risking Alex

* * *

**Demented Souls:**

Ruger

* * *

**City of Sin:**

Released by Desire

Redeemed by Desire

Revealed by Desire

The Dragon Chronicles

(with Released by Desire, Redeemed by Desire and Revealed by Desire)

* * *

**Diamond Bridal Agency:**

Justin

Sean

Alex

* * *

**Pelican Lake:**

Steamy Days

Smoldering Sunsets

Sultry Nights

* * *

**Novels:**

Robin's Nest

Choosing Happiness
To anyone who has a dream.

Chase it.

# Chapter 1

Rebecca knew someone was following her. She could hear the muted crunch of footfalls as they chased her through the woods. She could tell it was another Kitsune and another cat as well, by the sharp tang of his scent. What she couldn't know was if he after her because of who she was or if it was because she was on his territory. Would he return her to the people she was hiding from? Was he alone? She ran harder, desperate to evade her pursuer, even though she knew she had little chance. Leaping over fallen trees and pushing through the low hanging branches of the smaller trees that hung in her way, she didn't take the time to find an easier path as she raced forward, desperate to escape.

She knew she'd been trespassing on someone else's territory, but she wasn't planning on staying long, and had hoped she could evade notice. She'd been passing through. She could have gone around but hadn't thought anyone would come after her for such a short visit. Now, she wished she'd avoided the area to begin with.

Rebecca continued running, but she'd already begun panting. Cougars aren't built for distance running. The footsteps behind her faded and she was starting to hope she'd managed to escape. Suddenly another cougar jumped from a tree overhead and landed on top of her, knocking her to the ground. She knew from the scent that the newcomer was a male, like the cat who had chased her in his direction. She fought, trying to knock the newcomer off her so she could escape again. The cat who'd knocked her down sunk his teeth into the skin at the back of her neck and held her to the ground. He prevented her from moving but the hold didn't actually hurt.

_Shit,_ she thought to herself. _He wasn't alone. He was herding me right where he wanted me._ She struggled, trying again to knock the cat holding her loose or even just get up but she couldn't gain any traction in the loose debris covering the forest floor.

The cat standing over her didn't move. He didn't try to drag her away or attack her, he just held her down while staying out of the reach of her claws. He kept her pinned for several minutes. After a while it became obvious he was waiting for something or someone. After what seemed like an eternity, Rebecca heard footsteps approaching. The stride was different. Not the cadence of a cat, it was human. Just as the person was about to step into her line of sight the footsteps stopped. Her nose told her the human that had arrived was the Kitsune who'd chased her.

"Shift," demanded a deep, rumbling voice.

_Crap, they know I'm a shifter._ She knew better, but had hoped they wouldn't realize it.

"We know you can. You might as well shift and make it easy on yourself."

Realizing she had no choice, Rebecca sighed, though in this form, it came out more like a snort. Carefully, slowly, she nodded, unable to do more the way she was held. The pressure on the back of her neck eased slightly, but didn't release, as if they didn't quite trust her.

_Smart. Given half a chance I'd run._

She closed her eyes and concentrated. She felt her skin sting and tingle, the once familiar sensation seemed foreign after so long in this form. She waited while her muscles and bones shifted and popped under her flesh, she felt the fur receding into her skin. When she opened her eyes she was human again for the first time in months. She lay curled on her side, naked on the sticks, leaves and dry pine needles covering the uneven ground. The teeth holding her down were gone. As she'd shifted the skin he'd been holding had slipped out of his grip.

Rebecca pushed herself up slowly until she was sitting. She pulled her knees up in front of her body and wrapped her arms around them, hugging them tight against her torso as though shielding herself. She looked around, trying to assess her situation and decide what to do next. The Kitsune who'd chased her was standing to one side, human. She shyly looked up at him through her lashes. He was tall, she guessed at least six feet, with dark hair that looked like he was a couple months overdue for a haircut. He had clear green eyes that seemed to see right through her as he stood glaring down at her. His body was toned, like that of someone who either worked hard or took care of himself, probably both. She couldn't stop her gaze from dropping, taking in his narrow waist and muscular thighs. Because he was as naked as she was, she couldn't help but notice the thick shaft that hung between his legs.

She looked away, blushing at her breach of etiquette in noticing him that way. Turning her head let her see the cat who'd taken her down, the one who'd held her so the man in front of them could catch up. He was sitting calmly behind her, ready jump if she tried to run again. His tawny coat was the exact shade of the dried grasses she had run through earlier in the day. His green-gold eyes didn't seem to blink as he watched her carefully.

"Who are you?" The man in front of her wanted to know.

Rebecca hunched her shoulders up around her ears and bowed her back, as if expecting a blow, but remained silent. She was determined not to go back to her family, or the marriage they were trying to force her into.

They didn't smell like her Chanat. Maybe there weren't here to take her back. Rebecca didn't know what to do. The men her father had sent after her had found her everywhere she'd hidden in human society. She'd finally determined that if she was going to have any chance of staying free, she'd have to hide better. What better way was there to hide from people than to live wild as a natural cougar? She'd spent the last few months roaming the mountains, living off her hunting skills and finding shelter in caves and thickets. She never stayed in one place long, always afraid that they'd somehow find her, and drag her back to her father.

"You're trespassing here and as the leader of this Chanat. I need to know who you are and why you're here." He paced a small path in front of her as he spoke.

"My name is...Rachel. I'm here because I have nowhere else to go." She thought quickly, giving him a false name in case he knew her family was looking for her.

"You have no Chanat?" He knew she was lying about her name, but he ignored it. He stopped pacing and bent down until he was balancing on the balls of his feet. Sitting on his heels, he still looked down at her, thought he was much closer. He carefully ignored the fact that neither of them had any clothes on.

"I left my Chanat and I won't go back," her voice steely with determination. "If you try to send me back, I'll run." Even as she stood her ground, she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Now, don't be hasty, kitten" His tone gentled. "If things are bad enough in your Chanat to send you running, then I've no intention of sending you back. However, this isn't really the place to discuss that. You look like you've been on the run for a while." He looked over her shoulder to the cat still sitting behind her and then back at her. "Why don't we go to my cabin, it's not too far from here, and we can see about getting you some food and clothes. Maybe a bath if you'd like," he suggested, trying to tempt her into agreeing. "Once you're comfortable, then we can talk."

Rebecca hesitated, not yet ready to trust him. She felt something, some unnamable sensation deep inside that said she could, but she was reluctant to rely on it. She'd been running for so long she was leery of trusting anyone, even herself.

"I'd like a bath and some clothes," she admitted quietly, trying not to let him see how badly she wanted them.

"My cabin's close, but it'll be easier on our feet if we go as cats. If you'll shift back, you can follow me," he said, ignoring the other cat who sat quietly, still watching her.

"All right." She shivered briefly before shifting back into her cougar form. _I didn't realize how cold it is out here until I didn't have my fur keeping me warm,_ she thought.

The man shifted as well. He became a cougar like her, but she already knew that. She hadn't seen him as he chased her, now she could see that he was huge, at least as long as his human height, without counting his tail. His coat was a golden tawny color with very little of the darker brownish shadings. He swung his head motioning for her to follow him as he started padding in the direction he had herded in earlier.

As promised, the trip was short. They'd traveled less than a quarter of a mile when he led her into a large clearing. Situated in the center was a small house. He climbed a short set of steps onto the porch surrounding the house before shifting and opening the door for her. She didn't bother shifting before going into the house.

# Chapter 2

Rebecca stopped in the living room of the warm house and shifted. Human again, she stood, carefully since she hadn't been on two feet in a while. She wanted to be certain she wasn't unsteady on her feet. She once again ignored the fact that neither of them had any clothing. Among the Kitsune, noticing such a thing was rude unless the other person wanted you to notice.

The man came inside behind her and closed the door. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you the bathroom where you can take that bath." He lead the way down the short hall. "I'll dig up something for you to wear when you get done, though I can't guarantee they'll fit."

"That's fine, any clothes you can find for me will be better than the nothing I have now." She watched the muscles move in his back, butt and legs while she followed close behind. _I'd like to get my hands on those._ She shook her head, wondering where such thoughts came from.

"The bathroom's right here." He opened a door on the right side of the hall. "Towels are on the shelf, the drawer on the right should have some new toothbrushes and razors if you'd like." He pointed to things as he named them.

"Thank you," she said, stepping past him into the bathroom, a blush heating her face at the direction her thoughts had taken.

"I'll put the clothes on the bed in the room next door for you. It's a guest room and no one's using it right now, so make yourself at home."

"I don't even know your name," She said shyly.

"I'm Nick Hastings," he said. "My enforcer, the cat who was with us, is Steve Romero, he'll be around later."

"Okay."

"Take as long as you like, kitten." His voice was kind. "When you're done, come on into the front room. I'm going to go start dinner." He turned and continued down the hall, leaving her alone to bathe.

After leaving left her alone in the bathroom, Nick dressed and put an old set of sweats on the bed in the guest room before heading into the kitchen.

Nick found Steve already sitting at the table to one side of the kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee.

"What're you gonna do with her?" Steve asked, his cup paused in mid-air.

"I don't know yet." Nick pulled several items out of the refrigerator and carried them to the counter near the stove.

"You know she's lying right?"

"You mean about her name? Yes, I'm well aware of that." Nick gave the other man an exasperated look. He put the pot he'd pulled out of the fridge onto the stove and turned on the burner under it. "But she wasn't lying about leaving her Chanat, nor about not being willing to go back."

"No, I believe she's quite serious about that part."

"She's gonna be hesitant to trust us, and honestly? She has no reason to," Nick mused as he worked. "I hope I can convince her to tell me what's going on. There's something about her. I just couldn't leave her out there."

"I just hope you're humanitarianism doesn't come back to bite us in the ass," Steve didn't bother to hide his cynicism.

"I'm almost certain it will. The question here isn't if it will, but rather will it be worth it?" Nick said.

Steve remained silent, considering his Khan's words.

Rebecca emerged from the bathroom freshly scrubbed and still damp. She felt cleaner than she had in almost longer than she could remember. Bathing in rivers and streams worked but it was cold and during the coldest part of the winter, most were frozen. She'd been lucky to find enough water to drink, much less bathe.

She looked up and down the hallway to be sure she was alone before moving quickly through the hall to the bedroom that Nick had told her to use, and quietly closing the door. The idea of being caught wearing nothing but a towel seemed somehow more intimate than when she'd been completely naked after shifting. She found a set of mismatched sweats sitting on the foot of the bed and slipped them on, wishing for a moment that she had underwear. She rubbed her wet hair with the towel to get as much of the moisture from it as she could before she hung towel over the back of a chair and went in search of her host.

She padded carefully on her bare feet into the living room of the small house, looking around for Nick.

"Hello?" she called tentatively.

"In here," Nick's voice came through another doorway.

She followed the sound and discovered that Steve and Nick, both dressed much to her relief, were in the kitchen. Nick was standing in front of the stove stirring a large pot while Steve sat at a round dining table to the side, watching him and drinking from a mug that never quite seemed to make it to the table surface. Steve seemed smaller than Nick, though it was hard to tell with him sitting. He had well-tanned skin and deep brown eyes that were hard to read. She couldn't tell from this angle if his hair was very short or pulled back tight against his head.

"Do you have a comb or brush I could borrow? I need to get these tangles out of my hair before it dries."

"Sure, I'll get you one. Have a seat, I'll be right back," Nick offered, leaving her alone with Steve. She stepped slowly into the room but didn't sit. She still wasn't sure of these men. Moments later Nick returned a small hairbrush in hand.

"Sorry, it's all I have." He held it out to her.

"It's great. Thanks. I'll be right back." Rebecca took the brush back to the bedroom and quickly detangled her light brown hair. Having no way to pull it up, she left it curling softly past her shoulders and down her back. When she finished with her hair, Rebecca went back into the kitchen, the smell of the food on the stove drawing her.

"I left the brush on the counter in the bathroom. I hope that's okay," she said, entering the room.

"That's fine, thank you." Nick continued to stir the pot without looking up. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving. Whatever that is, it smells divine."

"I can't guarantee how it'll taste. I'm not the best of cooks," he admitted.

"I can promise it'll be the best thing I've eaten in months." She inched closer to the men.

"How long have you been hiding?" Nick looked up, meeting her eyes.

"That depends. What's the date?" she asked in return.

"June third."

"Then it's been just over a year since I left my Chanat."

"Do you mind my asking why you left?" Nick asked quietly.

Rebecca shrugged, not seeing any reason she shouldn't tell them. The sooner she figured out how they felt about the situation and what they intended to do, the sooner she could make plans.

"I didn't want the arranged marriage my father was trying to force me into."

"An arranged marriage?" Steve asked, surprised. "I didn't think anyone did those anymore."

"Some do," she answered wryly. "But those that do, don't advertise it. Someone might put a stop to it. Unfortunately, no one in my Chanat was willing to defy my father and do that."

"Is your father the Khan?"

"No, he's the Kadri, but it was the Khan he'd arranged for me to marry. Anyone who wanted to stand up for me would have had to defy them both." The whole thing still disgusted her. "My only options were to accept the marriage or run. While he wasn't a bad guy, I wasn't going to be trapped with someone thirty years older than me for the rest of his life, even to be Karhyn. So I ran."

"I can't really say I blame you," Nick sympathized. "I assume you weren't potential mates?"

"No. At least he wasn't mine. If he were maybe I wouldn't have been so desperate to get out of there."

"So you ran, and you've been on the run for over a year now?"

"Pretty much. Every time I'd start to think I'd gotten away, they'd turn up again. I finally decided I had to disappear. So, I disappeared into the forest. I've pretty much kept to the mountains. I've been roaming the forest and living off the land for months now."

"How long were you out there before we found you?" Steve took another sip of coffee.

"I've only been in your territory for a couple of days. I knew I was in someone's territory and I planned to move on, but I needed to rest for a day or two," she said honestly.

"When did you go off the grid?" He wanted more details.

"Just before Thanksgiving."

"Where?"

"The last place they caught up to me was St. George. Where are we now?" She was curious. "Somewhere in Arizona I assume?"

"Utah? You've come all the way from Utah?" Steve couldn't seem to believe it.

"Yeah. Though I have no idea where here is," she hinted.

"We're in the White Mountains, outside of Alpine to be more exact. You're only barely still in Arizona. A few more miles to the east and you'd be in New Mexico. St. George is more than 400 miles away." Nick let her know.

"Four hundred miles in six months. Not too bad, but not as far as I hoped. Not far enough that they won't be looking if I pop up," she reasoned.

"You think they'll still be looking after six months of nothing?" Nick asked.

"I've made the mistake of assuming they'd give up before. I won't do it again. Given the chance, they'll drag me back and force me to marry whomever my father wants. If it's not the Khan, then it'll be someone else." Something inside told her she could trust the Khan in front of her. She wasn't so sure about the other man but if Nick trusted him enough to guard his back, she figured she could probably trust him too.

"Let's not worry about that right now, kitten," Nick said, spooning stew out of the pot and into bowls. "Sit down, have a bite to eat. We've got plenty of time to decide what we're going to do. We won't make any decisions tonight." He pulled spoons from a drawer and set the bowls on the table.

Rebecca sat down at the table, still undecided about what she was going to do.

When he'd finished eating Steve excused himself and left the small house. Rebecca assumed he had a place of his own nearby, but didn't ask.

"Why don't we go in the living room and sit down. We'll be more comfortable in there," Nick suggested. She followed him into the larger room. When he offered her first choice of seats, she sat on one end of the sofa curling her bare feet under her.

"Where are you from?" Nick sat on the sofa close to her but not actually touching.

"I'm not sure I want to tell you that." She hesitated.

"You've already given me enough information that with a little investigation I could find out easily. I don't want to have to do that, I want you to trust me enough to tell me what I need to know, but I won't push you to right away."

"Thank you."

"I'd like to give you as much time as you need to learn to trust me." He gestured with his hands as he spoke. "But the urge to do this is strong, it's hard to resist. If you don't want it, say so. Tell me to stop and I will." He leaned toward her, slowly dipped his head, giving her time to stop him before he settled his mouth over hers.

He kissed her gently at first, careful not to push too fast. Coaxing her mouth open, he swept his tongue inside, tasting her. He brought one hand up to her shoulder, sliding it along her neck and up to her face, stopping only when it cupped her jaw. Unable to stop himself, he wrapped his other arm around her, pulling her close against him as he deepened the kiss. His tongue danced with hers as they both lost themselves in each other's taste. He inhaled her scent, savoring the aroma of caramel that was uniquely hers.

Rebecca was so caught up in his kiss that she barely noticed when she wrapped her arms around him. It wasn't until the muscles in his back flexing under her hands pulled her roughly back to her senses. She pulled away, gasping from the intense, unexpected sensations his kiss had wrought. She backed away from him on the couch, moving until she no longer touched him. Nick moved away as well, trying not to crowd or scare her.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he said.

"No, you didn't scare me. The intensity surprised me, but I'm not afraid of you."

"I'm glad you're not afraid, but I still shouldn't have."

"It's all right, I enjoyed it."

"Still, I shouldn't have. I want you to learn to trust me and pushing myself on you isn't the way to earn that."

"My instincts are telling tell me I can trust you. I've second-guessed everything and everyone for so long that I've even started to second-guess my instincts. I know better."

"I'm relieved you've decided to follow your instincts, and that they tell you I can be trusted. But I still shouldn't have done it." He stood up and started to pace back and forth across the small room. "I should be finding out as much as I can about you and your situation so I can protect you."

"Why do you feel like you have to protect me?" She tilted her head to one side as she waited for his answer.

"You just told me you know better than to question your instincts, right? Well, so do I. Right now they're screaming at me to protect you, at all costs." He tried not to frighten her by going into the details of what his instincts were telling him. She could be his mate, could rule his Chanat by his side, but only if she agreed.

_I can't lie to him anymore,_ she thought. "I have a confession to make," she admitted reluctantly.

"Oh?" He stopped pacing and stood in front of her, watching, waiting.

"I lied. My name's not Rachel."

"I know." He resumed pacing, unconcerned. He seemed to be trying to burn off some kind of extra energy with the pacing.

"You know." She repeated, clearly surprised. "How?"

"I sense lies. I knew you lied when you told me your name was Rachel, but I didn't want to push. I wanted you to trust me enough to tell the truth without being forced to." He stopped again. "You may not have noticed, but I never used that name."

Rebecca was silent for a moment, considering. He was right, he'd never called her Rachel he'd always called her kitten. She hadn't realized it until he pointed it out but now it seemed obvious. She looked up at him, speechless.

"Do you want to tell me your real name or should I just keep calling you kitten?" He watched her.

"Rebecca, my name's Rebecca," she said quietly. "But kitten is okay too."

"Rebecca," the way his voice caressed her name sent warmth deep inside her. "Such a pretty name. Do people call you Becca or Becky?"

"No, just Rebecca,"

"Thank you for trusting me with your name, Rebecca." He went down on one knee in front of the sofa and took her hand, as if offering a vow. "I'll do everything I can to keep you from regretting it." His tone sincere he released her hand. He stood and resumed pacing. "I need to know as much as you can, or are willing to tell me. I'd like to know where you're from?" Nick asked again.

"Idaho. I'm from a small town in northern Idaho," she admitted, nervous. Not because it was him, but because she hadn't told anyone the truth about where she was from since she'd fled over a year ago.

"Thank you. I'll tell you know, I'm gonna do some research. I'm not contacting your Chanat but I need to see what I can find out about them. I'll be discreet. I don't want them to know I'm asking about them. But I need to know what we may be up against, what to prepare for."

"I understand. No good Kahn would want to lead their Chanat into what could be a dangerous situation blindly. I wouldn't want you to, but trust is hard for me. I haven't had anyone I could trust in a long time."

He stopped pacing again and looked at her, meeting her eyes. "You're not alone anymore, kitten. Try to remember that." She only hoped he meant it.

# Chapter 3

Later, Rebecca laid in the dark, cocooned in the soft, warm bed unable to sleep. Her mind was spinning too swiftly to allow rest. She'd relaxed her guard enough to listen to what her instinct was telling her. In doing so she'd not only sensed that she could trust this man but also that, if she wanted, he could be her mate. But was he willing? Was she his potential mate too?

Mating and marriage aren't certain things, even among the Kitsune. The mating instinct helps but it doesn't guarantee happiness. A true mating happens only when two or more people find someone that they can make a life with, when that is possible, the instinct will be there for all involved. But that's not always the case. Sometimes the instinct only surfaces in one of the potential pair. The upside is you can have more than one potential mate. You're not stuck with the first you encounter. Chances are, if you keep looking, you'll find someone who you can make a life with. Granted, some choose to marry non-mates. Actually, in the Chanat Rebecca grew up in, marrying without mating was common but she knew it wasn't that way in other groups.

Lying in bed, she couldn't stop herself from thinking back to the kiss she and Nick had shared. He was interested, even if she wasn't his potential mate. She wondered if he would be more interested in protecting her if she was sleeping with him.

She couldn't lie still any longer. She kicked off the blankets and sat up, sliding her legs off the edge of the bed. She reached and pulled the sweatshirt she'd taken off before getting into bed from the chair next to the bed. After living in nothing but her cougar skin for so long, she had a hard time wearing anything, especially anything so heavy, to bed. She pulled the large sweatshirt over her head, letting it fall to mid-thigh. Thinking no one else was awake, she decided she'd be okay with just the sweatshirt.

After quietly opening the bedroom door, Rebecca tiptoed down the hall, careful not to make any noise and wake her host. With her enhanced night vision, even in human form, she didn't need to turn on a light. The moon outside gave off enough light that she had no trouble seeing where she was going as she made her way to the kitchen. She went to the refrigerator. Opening it she peered inside, looking for milk or something else that might calm her enough to sleep. Nick had told her earlier in the evening to make herself at home, so she didn't feel guilty for snooping.

She grabbed the jug of milk and set it on the counter next to the fridge. She turned glanced around the room, trying to decide the most likely cabinet to find a glass in when she saw him. His presence startled her, and she let out a small scream as she dropped into a crouch. It was a position she could defend herself from if she were attacked. After a few seconds, her panic subsided enough for her to realize it wasn't a stranger in the room, it was Nick. Standing quietly in the corner near a large window, he watched her in silence.

She stood upright, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a rush, trying to blow some of the tension from her body.

"You startled me." She shrugged. "I didn't expect to find anyone sitting in the dark, much less you."

"I couldn't sleep, so I came in here to think. I can stand here, in the dark that's not really dark, watch the world out the window and lose myself in thought. If it's any consolation, you surprised me too. I didn't realize you'd come into the room until you opened the fridge."

"I was trying not to wake you."

"You having trouble sleeping too?" He changed the subject. He couldn't stop his eyes from drifting over her body, noticing the bare, shapely legs stretching below the hem of the faded gray sweatshirt. _That shirt never looked anywhere near that good on me,_ he thought. It took all his self-control to stay where he was.

"Glasses?" she asked, drawing his attention back to what she was doing.

"There." He pointed to a cabinet on the other end of the room. He watched as she reached up to open the cabinet and retrieved a glass. The hem of the sweatshirt hitched up, exposing a long line of creamy thigh as it rose. He felt his cock stiffen in response. He looked away quickly before she turned around and caught him staring.

Rebecca carried her glass back to the milk jug and poured herself some before putting the half-full jug back into the fridge. She picked up her drink and approached Nick. Sipping slowly from the glass, she moved across the room, stalking her way toward him.

Rebecca decided then and there to take the situation into her own hands. She hadn't expected to run into him tonight but she'd take advantage of it just the same. She was going to seduce him. If nothing else, he'd be more protective of a lover than a stranger. She sipped the milk she'd poured herself while trying to gauge his response. She lowered her lids and looked him up and down, hoping the sultry bedroom eyes would entice him. She could tell he was interested; the bulge in the front of his jeans gave that much away. But was he interested enough?

She took the last sip of milk from the glass and set it on table as she passed, continuing her slow advance. She could see him watching her, his eyes glued to her as she approached.

"I've been thinking." Her voice was low and breathy.

He had to swallow before he could speak. "What have you been thinking?"

"I've been thinking," she repeated. "That maybe I was a little hasty when I pulled away earlier."

Rebecca stopped in front of him, her body almost against his. She let him feel the brush of her breast against his bare chest as she lifted both arms up and pulled his head down until his mouth met hers.

Rebecca opened her mouth against his, running her tongue along the outline of his lips until he opened to her. She swept her tongue inside his mouth to mate with his, tasting him again.

Nick couldn't resist, she felt so good against him. He reached down, intent on lifting her closer against him. He felt his whole body stiffen and go on alert when his hands, expecting to meet cloth, encountered only the soft skin of her ass. He ran his hands over her, reveling in the soft, silken texture of her skin, before he cupped her cheeks and lifted her tightly against him. He felt the heat of her body through is jeans where they pressed against his now straining erection. He wanted no doubt left in her mind about how she made him feel. He set her onto her feet once more, so he could slide his hands up the sides of her body, under the fabric of the sweatshirt to cup and knead her full breasts.

Rebecca continued kissing him deeply, lost in the feeling of his skin against hers. The strength he'd shown when he'd easily lifted her only made her more eager. He ran his hands up her stomach and over her breasts, she moaned into his mouth, encouraging him to continue. He flicked his thumbs back and forth over her tight nipples while gripping the flesh of her breasts. She buried her fingers deep in his hair, holding his mouth against hers as she poured all the urgency she was feeling into the kiss.

Nick broke the kiss, speaking against her mouth. "Are you sure?" His voice ragged.

"More," she moaned breathlessly.

He accepted the answer, and her seduction, as he again lowered his mouth to hers again. He moved his hands, abandoning her breasts and sliding them down her stomach once more and around her hips. He cupped her butt and lifted her again, higher this time. He pulled her tight against him carrying her as he stepped away from the wall.

"Wrap your legs around me." He broke the kiss again as she pulled her hands from his hair in order to hang on as he moved. He slid his mouth to the side of her neck where he could kiss and caress her but still see where he was going, he didn't want to hurt her by walking into a wall or something else.

He carried her through the house and into his bedroom, not bothering to switch on the light as he set her down on the bed. He pulled taking the sweatshirt off over her head as he stood.

Rebecca sat on the bed where he'd set her, raised her arms to let the shirt slip off, but once clear she only lowered her hands as far as his body. She slid them over the skin of his chest and stomach, marveling at the texture of his skin and hair, and the warmth of his skin. Nick pushed her back until she lay on the bed and leaned his body over hers. He bent to kiss her again, briefly, before moving away. He kissed, licked and nipped his way down her body. He paused when he reached her full breasts, pulling one erect nipple into his mouth, suckling and biting gently at the taut flesh. With one hand, he cupped the other breast, softly pinching and pulling at the nipple as he kneaded the pliant flesh. Rebecca's sighs and soft moans letting him know he wasn't being too rough, while her hand in his hair pulling him closer told him she wanted more.

Nick moved his mouth to the other breast, trailing his hand down her stomach he smoothed his fingers over her hip and down the outside of her leg. When he reached her knee, he lifted, pulling her leg around his body while sliding his hand up the back of her leg and pulling her tight up against his body. He felt the heat of her desire where his hips rested against hers.

Rebecca pulled her hands from Nick's hair and flattened them against the tops of his shoulders, flexing her fingers until they dug into the muscles there. When she realized what she was doing, she was afraid she would claw him with her nails and hurt him so she moved her hands away, fisting them in the smooth bedspread beneath her.

Nick continued moving down her body, kissing and licking his way past her stomach, until he settled between her thighs.

"Do you want this, kitten?" he asked softly, looking up her body into her face.

"Don't stop," Rebecca cried, picking up her head to look down at him. She was unable to stop her hips from rising, silently begging for his attention.

Nick bent down and ran the flat of his tongue over the closed, puffy lips of her sex. Rebecca gasped her hips lifted again, restless for more. He licked again, deeper, opening the lips of her vulva with his tongue, tasting the cream that she was dripping with her desire of him. When his tongue reached the small nub near the top, he circled it with his tongue, teasing her briefly before putting his mouth over it and sucked for a moment. He scraped his teeth gently across the small button as he released it.

Nick shifted until both of Rebecca's legs lay draped over his shoulders. He slid his hands under her butt and lifted her slightly, angling her hips as he moved his mouth over her again. He ran his tongue around the edges of her opening, savoring the cream waiting there for him.

Rebecca quivered with need. She ached for him to fill her.

"Nick," she gasped, unable to keep her body from squirming. "More."

He plunged his tongue deep inside her over and over, fucking her with his mouth, pulling more of the sweet cream from her. He licked the length of her slit once more before settling his mouth over and working his tongue over her clit. He slid one finger deep inside her, moving it in and out of her clenching heat. She was close, he knew. He added a second finger to the first, and scraped his teeth against the hard button at the top of her slit then licked it soothingly for a moment. Suddenly, he gently bit down, sending her exploding over the edge into an orgasm that left her gasping as her heat clamped repeatedly on his fingers. He ran his tongue her clit once more, soothing the sting from his bite before he lowered his mouth and drank in the cream flowing from her core.

As Rebecca started to calm from the orgasm he moved his body up, kissing his way up her body again. He ran his tongue over her sensitized skin, feeling the shivers advancing over her skin. He kissed and nibbled the undersides of her breasts before advancing to the tightly puckered nipples. He took each nipple into his mouth in turn, sucking hard, while flicking or gently biting the sensitive tips. In no time, Rebecca was once again moaning and restless in his arms and by the time he continued up her body, taking small gentle bites of skin along her shoulder and up her neck, she was eager to kiss him again, to taste herself on his lips.

Nick kissed her deeply, aggressively. He held her mouth captive as he lined his erect cock up with her hot, wet opening. He pushed gently, working his way in carefully. When he had just the tip snug inside her, he stilled, reaching for her hands. When his hands found hers, he patiently untangled them from the bedding beneath her and entwined his fingers with hers, bringing them over her head and pinning them there. His mouth still covering hers, his tongue dancing with hers, he thrust hard. Burying himself deep inside her in a single push.

She broke away from the kiss, throwing her head back with a gasp.

"Did I hurt you?" Nick asked, immediately concerned. He released her hands and caressed her jaw with one hand.

"No," she gasped, barely able to breathe. "So good. More." The last word came out in more of a moan than anything else. He moved again, slowly withdrawing.

"You like that?" He reversed direction and pushing slowly into her again.

She could only nod, still struggling to find enough breath to speak. She once again wrapped her arms around his body, digging her fingers into the muscles on his back as he increased the tempo of his movements. She felt his muscles flexing under his skin as he thrust in and out of her body. Her body arched, her fingers and toes curling as he pushed her closer to that edge again. That edge where there was nothing but sensation, the feeling of him buried inside her, filling her.

Nick lowered his head, putting his lips to her neck, the temptation to bite her, to pierce her skin was hard to resist. He wouldn't do that, not without her consent, instead he kissed her, running his tongue over the soft skin. He thrust deep into her, pushing her closer. He cupped one breast, flicking his thumb over the taut peak. He could tell she was close. He pushed her further, sliding his hand between them and pressing his thumb over her clit. She exploded, clenching around him time and again. He felt her teeth against his shoulder as she bit down there and he couldn't hold out any longer he groaned her name as he exploded deep inside her.

"Kitten," Nick whispered. "You've got to let go." He held as still as he could, if she hadn't already broken the skin he didn't want to do it accidentally. He felt the grip of her teeth loosen. When she'd released him, he rolled off her, not wanting to crush her with his weight. He tried to look at the bite on his shoulder but he couldn't see it well enough to tell anything. He reached over to the table beside the bed and switched on the light. They both shielded their eyes for a few seconds, until the bright light no longer stung.

"Kitten, I need you to look at this for me." He turned so she could see the bite mark. "Did you break the skin?"

It took Rebecca a few seconds to realize what he was asking. She looked at the mark she had given him. "It's bruised, but the skin's not broken." She reached up and ran her fingertips softly over the mark. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. Something came over me and I couldn't resist."

"It's all right, kitten. I wanted to do the same to you, but I didn't want to force you."

"What do you mean 'force' me?" She asked, confused.

"Has no one explained mating to you?" Nick was taken aback.

"I know about mating. It's the sensation that tells you when someone could be your mate," she replied.

"What about how a mating is confirmed, sealed in place?" He prompted.

Rebecca could only blink at him, having never heard of such a thing. "You've never been told how to seal a mating?" he asked

She shook her head.

Nick lay on his back before reaching over and pulling her close. She lay along his side as he pulled the blankets up over them.

"Here, let's get comfortable and I'll explain it." He wrapped one arm around her as she snuggled against his side, laying her head on his shoulder. "You good?" He knew he was delaying the inevitable.

Rebecca bent one leg over his and curled an arm over his chest before nodding against his shoulder.

"Sealing a mating is very simple, kitten. A piercing bite during orgasm ties the bitten to the biter for the rest of their life." He put it as simply as he could. Then he lay quietly, holding her while the implications of the information sunk in, and the questions he knew would come started.

"Ties how? What does sealing a mating mean exactly?"

"When done properly, and both parties are sealed, it means that their lives are tied together irrevocably. They're bonded, physically and psychically. Mates always know when the other is injured and just the nearness of a mate can speed healing. Sometimes it can give the couple extra powers, telepathy, sharing energy, that kind of thing, but only between each other."

"Wow." Rebecca was silent for a moment. "So what you're telling me is that if I'd broken the skin when I bit you, I would be mated to you for the rest of my life?" She wanted to make sure she had it straight.

"No, I would have been mated to you. You would be free to do as you please." Nick took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It has to go both ways for it to be a true sealed mating."

"I don't get it." She was confused. "You said a bite that breaks the skin during sex will seal the bitten to the other? If that's true, then why don't the non-mated couples in my old Chanat seal themselves to each other?"

"That's not quite all there is to it. There are a several elements required for it to work. First, the bitten must be a potential mate. If they aren't then their body won't accept the hormone that seals the mating. Second, the biter must be a potential mate, or the hormone isn't released. Third, the hormone is only released during orgasm. Biting at any other time during sex or with someone not potentially your mate, while erotic, is harmless."

"So what you're saying is I'm potentially your mate?" She was catching on.

"You are," he confirmed. "I'm pretty sure I'm potentially yours as well."

"Then, why didn't you want..." For some reason the thought that he didn't want to be her mate hurt.

"Hold on a second there, kitten." He squeezed her tighter to his side with the arm she lay on, cutting her off mid-sentence. "It's not that I don't want you. I think I've already proven otherwise." He chuckled. "I already told you, I didn't want to force you. You're already on the run from someone trying to force you into marriage. I don't want to give you the same reason to run from me. Besides, I want you to choose me, not get stuck with me."

Rebecca didn't know what to say to that, so she kept silent, hugging as she held back her tears. She wasn't even sure why she was crying.

"Get some rest." Nick softly kissed the top of her head. "We can talk about it more in the morning if you want."

Nick held her close, enjoying the feeling of her next to him. He lay awake listening to her breathe long after she fell asleep. He knew he could easily love her and he wasn't sure what he'd do if she decided to leave. He hoped he didn't have to find out.

# Chapter 4

Rebecca woke disoriented the next morning. It took her a moment to remember where she was. The arm curled around her body as she pillowed her head on a muscular shoulder helped. She lay quietly against Nick, watching him sleep as she thought about what he'd told her the night before.

In telling her everything he had, he'd done two things. He'd given her something she could use against him, and at the same time, he'd shown her that he trusted her not use it. She could tie him to her, without it affecting her. Hell, she'd almost done it last night, albeit unknowingly.

Rebecca wondered briefly if she could have relationship with him knowing that he could do the same to her. She already sensed that she could trust him with her safety, but could she trust him with her heart, her soul? She lay there for a while longer, making her decision, and determining the best course to take in acting on it.

She carefully slipped out from under Nick's arm, sliding away from his side slowly in order to keep from waking him. She stepped into to the attached bathroom for a moment before returning to the bedroom. Standing next to the bed, she looked down at Nick as he slept peacefully, unaware of the turmoil in her mind. Second thoughts assaulted her, was this what she should be doing?

Rebecca had already determined that her best option was to trust her instincts. They'd never misled her yet. In order to yield to those instincts she forced herself to dismiss her doubts and act. She slid back onto the bed, still careful not to wake him. Crawling up over his body, she carefully tugged the blankets down as she softly caressed his body. Running her hands over his skin, she enjoyed the rough texture of the hair on his chest, how it thinned to a narrow line over his abdomen leading her where she wanted to go.

Rebecca trailed her mouth over his stomach, gently kissing the warm flesh, sliding her lips over his tanned skin. As she moved further down, she cupped his balls, gently massaging the sensitive tissue as she lowered her mouth to the growing length above. She licked the soft length tracing abstract doodles with her tongue, causing it to spasm and grow longer, wider. She sucked the tip of him into her mouth, keeping a gentle suction on the semi hard point as she ran her tongue around the rim.

Nick shifted slightly under her, moaning her name.

"Rebecca, kitten," he breathed. "God! What a way to wake up."

She looked at him through her lashes, his hardening cock still in her mouth. He'd lifted both arms up and, dragging the pillows with them, piling them under his head so he looked down the length of his body and watch her. The undisguised lust on his face encouraged her. She took more of him into her mouth, pulling him in until he filled her mouth and hit the back of her throat.

Nick moaned again, struggling to keep pushing himself roughly down her throat.

Rebecca worked her mouth up and down over the length him, swirling her tongue around the rim every time she reached the tip. She ran the nails on her hands lightly over the skin on his legs and hips, not scratching him, but adding to the overload of sensations he was already feeling.

Nick to couldn't take any more, he was close to the edge of his control when he burst into movement. Releasing the pillows, he reached down and pulled Rebecca's mouth off him. He roughly pulled her body up, sliding her bare skin against his until he could capture her mouth with his. He kissed her passionately, possessively, as he lifted her higher against him. He settled her against the length of his body and slid his hands along her body until he was kneading her breasts, thumbing the dusky nipples until they beaded. He palmed the globes and squeezed gently as she moaned into his mouth. Continuing to make love to her mouth, he caressed one hand down her abdomen to her cup her mound. He found her hot and wet against him. He slid one finger inside, rubbing the tight nubbin once, twice, before moving further back and sinking two fingers deep in her hot, moist channel. He pumped them in and out of her, loving the feel the slick heat she'd produced. Nick broke the urgent kiss.

"Ride me," he whispered. "Please, kitten."

Rebecca was hesitant. She'd never done this before, but when he asked so nicely, she couldn't deny him. She sat up, lifting herself off him enough to fit the tip of him into her opening before she lowered herself over him, letting the weight of her body push him deep into her body.

"Ooohh," she sighed, feeling her hips settle against his, pushing him deeper than he had been the night before, stretching her, filling her. She could feel the ripples of pleasure already moving through her.

Nick laid his hands on her thighs where they rested on either side of his body and slid them up, gripping her hips, lifting her once, then twice, encouraging her to move over him. Lifting her up and letting himself slide almost all the way out before letting her sink back over him, working his length in and out of her body. After a few strokes, he slid his hands up her body, and around her back. He pulled himself up until he was almost sitting, the pillows falling behind his back so that when he moved his hands to cup and play with her breasts the fallen pillows propped him at an angle he could easily to pull one nipple and then the other into his mouth. He lapped at the hard, sensitive tips with his tongue.

"Ahh," Rebecca squeaked in surprise when he bit down sharply on one nipple, the shudders starting to race through her body. Nick gripped her hips again and increased the tempo of their thrusts. Not releasing her breast from his mouth, he flicked his tongue over the abused tip, soothing the sting of his bite. Releasing one breast only to capture the other, he maintained the increased pace he'd set between them while suckling hard. Suddenly he bit down again, careful not to pierce the skin. He bit just hard enough that the sting, the contrast of sensations would throw her over the edge into orgasm again.

The sudden, stinging pain sent Rebecca screaming into the abyss. She lost awareness of anything around her. Only the intense pleasure, the shuddering and squeezing of her body, and the heat of his body against and inside hers existed.

The pulsing and gripping of her body around him sent Nick beyond his control and he exploded, jetting his seed deep inside her. When she collapsed against him, gasping from the intense pleasure, he caught her, gently cradling her body against his chest while she recovered.

The bedroom door exploded open, slamming against the wall and bouncing back. Steve raced into the room, searching for the threat to his Khan. Startled by the intrusion Nick pulled Rebecca tight against him as he rolled off the bed to the far side of the door. He left her lying on the floor when he stood, careless of his nakedness, and prepared to defend her against the intrusion.

"What is it?" Nick demanded from Steve, his nerves on edge waiting for an attack.

"I heard screaming and ran to help."

Nick ran one hand over his face, as if wiping away the last remnants of sleep, "We're fine. Why don't you go back to your coffee and I'll join you soon."

"Yes, Sir." Steve backed out of the room, pulled the door closed behind him. Once they were alone in the room again, Nick bent down to check on Rebecca.

"Are you all right?" he asked, concerned. "I didn't hurt you when I rolled us onto the floor did I?"

"No, I'm fine." She picked herself up off the floor, a grin spreading across her face. "You have to admit, it's funny." Barely able to hold in her giggles sat on the edge of the bed and released them, laughing out loud for the first time in ages. Nick, charmed by her laughter, chuckled, shaking his head.

"Come on, let's get showered and go have some breakfast." He suggested.

"Maybe we should take separate showers. I'm starving and I suspect we'll get distracted and not get to eat for a long while if we take one together."

"You have a point," he acknowledged, "You use this shower, I'll use the one in the hall." He went to the tall dresser and dug through a drawer. He pulled out a pair of shorts and tossed them onto the bed in front of her. "Here's a pair of shorts for you, they've got a drawstring waist, so you should be able to keep them up, and your sweatshirt's hanging on the back of the chair next to you. I'd apologize for not having any underwear for you, but in reality, I'm not sorry." He flashed a leer in her direction.

"Be that way," Rebecca said flippantly, gathering up the clothes and heading for the bathroom. "I'll remember it and use it against you later." She grinned over her shoulder before closing the bathroom door, leaving him alone in the bedroom. He gathered clothing for himself and headed down the hall to shower.

# Chapter 5

Rebecca managed to finish her shower and beat Nick into the kitchen. Walking in the room, she found Steve sitting at the table where they'd all eaten the night before, drinking from what looked to be the same mug.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am," Steve said. "If I'd known you were in there I wouldn't have burst in like that."

"It's no problem, Steve," She smiled at him. "You were doing your job and protecting your Khan. I understand and respect that. If I'd known you were in the house it probably wouldn't have happened."

"And I would deeply regret that," drawled Nick, coming into the room behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and bent to nuzzle her neck. "Mmm, you smell good," He whispered, nuzzling her ear.

"Food," she stated simply, pulling out of his arms. "No distractions until I get food."

Rebecca went to the refrigerator and opened the double doors. Peering inside, she tried to find something she could turn into a decent breakfast. She started pulling things out and stacking them on the island behind her. After all that had happened, even in such a short amount of time, she figured she might as well make herself at home. Besides, cooking relaxed her and she hadn't been able to do any in so long.

Rebecca set about fixing breakfast, opening cabinets and mentally inventorying what was available for other meals as she went along, looking for what she needed. She listened to Nick and Steve talk at the table while she worked.

"Did you even get her real name before you fucked her?" Steve asked quietly as Nick took a seat at the table with him. Nick was fully aware the other man knew Rebecca could hear them, but he asked anyway.

"Her name's Rebecca, she told me that and more before we went to bed the first time. Separate beds." He glared at the other man.

"All I can say is you certainly work fast," A smirk settled on his face.

Nick's scowl deepened, and he all but growled. "I suggest you show a little more respect to the woman who may very well end up as your Karhyn, or you may find yourself looking for a new Chanat."

Steve's eyebrows shot up in astonishment, he looked his Khan in the eye. "You're shittin' me?"

Nick remained silent, the unhappy look never leaving his face.

"All right, you're not. I'll behave myself, I promise."

"You better." Nick took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He turned and watched Rebecca move around the room. "I need you to line up some back up. We may not need it right away, but they'll track her down eventually. I want our people ready when it happens."

"Why wait for them to find us? Give us the advantage and make the confrontation on our terms. Call them and tell them we have her and we're keeping her." Steve's gaze flicked back and forth from Nick to where Rebecca was cooking in the large sweatshirt and shorts that could barely be seen beneath it. "If you seal the mating with her before you contact them, even the council wouldn't try to make her go back."

"Whether or not we seal the mating is going to be her choice." Nick's tone brooked no argument. "If I tried to force her, or even suggest it was a stipulation for protection, I would be no better than the animals she's running from."

Rebecca continued her cooking; pretending she couldn't hear every word that was said.

"Can you believe she didn't know how a mating is sealed? Apparently they've completely abandoned mating and don't even teach how it's done in her old Chanat."

Steve blinked in disbelief. "And you found this out how?"

"Well, without going into details. I had to explain sealed matings, both the how and the effects, to her last night, after she bit me."

"Shit, did she-?"

"No, but I think it was close." Before Steve had a chance to respond, Rebecca set plates down in front of him and Nick. She walked away only long enough to fetch her own plate before she sat at the table with them and they all ate breakfast together. Rebecca asked questions about what was going on in the outside world, what she'd missed in the last six months, while the men tried to answer them.

After they'd eaten Nick suggested they go for a short run before making a trip into town.

"If you don't mind, I'd rather not." Rebecca stood up, picking up the empty plates on the table.

"Rather not what, kitten?" Nick took the plates from her hands and carried them to the sink.

"Honestly? Either."

"Will you tell me why?"

"Well, except for the last about twenty hours, I've spent the last six months or so as a cat all day, every day. I'd rather not return to it quite so quickly if I can help it." She shrugged. "But don't let that stop you. If you want to go, go ahead. I'll be fine here."

He walked back and stood in front of her. he rubbed his hands up and down her upper arms trying to comfort her. "Why don't you want to go into town? As much as I like seeing you in my clothes, I thought you'd want to find something that fit."

"I'd like some clothes of my own," she admitted, ducking her head briefly before looking at him again. "But I'm reluctant to be seen by anyone. I never know who might contact my father and tell him where I am."

"The only Kitsune that live in or around Springerville are my Chanat. While I can't guarantee that no one would contact your family, I can promise to keep you safe," he said sincerely. "I won't let them take you back. We're a small, tight knit community here. If there were any unknown Kitsune around, I'd know about it. Even if I hadn't encountered them yet, my Chanat would have let me know."

She hesitated another few seconds before giving in. "All right, if you're sure it's safe, I'll go into town with you. You go for your run, I'll clean up while I wait."

"You don't have to clean up after us. Why don't you go look in my office, down the hall, and see if there's anything you'd like to read, or there's a TV on the wall in the living room if you'd rather watch something." He suggested.

"I'll find something to do when I'm done, but I don't mind cleaning up. Besides, I made most of the mess anyway," Rebecca insisted.

"If you're sure," Nick acquiesced, he turned to Steve. "Come out with me, we'll run for a little bit then we'll all go into town."

Once they were outside and had the door closed so Rebecca couldn't easily hear them, Nick continued, "I want you to stick close to the house. Make sure no one comes too close while she's in there alone. Stay out of sight though, I don't want her thinking we don't trust her."

"Yes, sir."

They both stripped, folding their clothes onto a chair on the porch before shifting and heading out into the forest.

# Chapter 6

Nick and Rebecca climbed into opposite sides of the front seat of Nick's truck, while Steve claimed the back seat for himself.

"Do we all need to go?" Rebecca asked.

"Steve's my Shaku, as well as my personal security. While normally I might go into town without him, I want him with us today, just in case. I'm not risking your safety over my pride."

She ducked her head shyly. "Thank you."

Nick put on finger under her chin, lifting and turning her face until she was looking him in the eye. "No more of that. Hold your head high. That defiance that made you flee your old Chanat? I love it. I don't want you hiding it - ever."

The joy flared in her eyes, followed closely by the relief that washed over her face, a smile breaking through, "Thank goodness for that. I wasn't sure how long I could do the meek, submissive thing before I blew it."

"You don't have to. I expect you to stand up for yourself and others if you're able. Even if you choose not to seal the mating, or even stay with me, you'll have a place in this Chanat."

"Thank you." She lifted her chin off his finger and lifted herself to lean over the console between the seats to place a kiss on his cheek before settling back onto her side of the truck and buckling her seatbelt.

They were soon on the road and Rebecca asked questions about the town and surrounding area during the half hour drive.

Nick pulled into a small lot and parked his truck in front of a small ladies clothing shop. Sliding out of the truck, he went around to the passenger's side and caught Rebecca before her bare feet could hit the ground.

"Pavement sometimes has broken glass in it. No need to cut your feet up if you don't have to." He carried her over to the sidewalk and sat her down carefully. He curled his arm across the back her shoulders and walked toward the building with her. Steve, not seeing a reason he was needed inside, leaned against the side of the truck, keeping an eye on them through the large display windows and watching the street around him at the same time.

Nick pulled the glass door open, letting Rebecca into the store and following close behind.

"Pick out whatever you'd like," he prompted, letting her wander deeper into the shop. He watched as a sales girl approached her and he signaled for the other girl's attention. As the girl approached he recognized one of the younger members of his Chanat. He'd known it was likely here and he'd chosen this particular shop for that very reason.

"Amy, she's gonna need to wear an outfit out. The rest needs to be bagged and taken out to my truck. Don't give her the prices, I'll cover it all."

She nodded and went to help the other sales girl. He caught up with Rebecca where she was browsing through one of the racks.

"Finding anything you like?" He rubbed one hand across her lower back as he came up behind her.

She turned and smiled up at him before going back to looking through the rack. "Some, I don't need a lot, but I do need a few things."

He watched her closely, anything she seemed to particularly like but put back on the rack he motioned to Amy. She would nod and make a note on the pad of paper she kept in one pocket.

After thirty minutes, Rebecca had chosen only a couple pair of jeans and a few t-shirts. Nick tried to convince her she needed more but she refused. He was glad he'd already made arrangements for her to get the things she'd liked. He turned to the first clerk. "Underthings? She needs it all, from the skin out."

As the clerk lead her toward the lingerie section of the store, he turned back to Amy and handed her a credit card. "Do you carry shoes?"

"A few. Nothing much, sir."

"Hopefully you'll have something she can wear out of here." His mind more on what Rebecca was doing than himself. "Let me know if you need anything else," he said over his shoulder as he went to find Rebecca again.

When they were finished shopping, Rebecca disappeared into one of the changing rooms while Nick took care of the bill and sent the bags out to the truck. Rebecca emerged dressed in one of the pair of jeans she'd chosen. She'd paired them with a snug, well-fitting t-shirt with MEOW stretched taut over her full breasts, and a pair of lightweight tennis shoes protected her feet. She carried a small bag she'd taken with her to put the sweats in. Nick looked at her as she approached him, smiling. He could already see a change in her attitude and the way she carried herself.

"You ready to go get something to eat?"

"Sure, if that's what you and Steve want to do." She smiled back. "Where's the rest?" She looked for the rest of her purchases.

"I already took them out."

"All right then." She turned to the clerk who'd helped her. "Thank you for all your help today, you were a lifesaver." Rebecca smiled at the girl. The girl just nodded, not knowing what to say.

"Come on, kitten. Steve's been standing out there for almost two hours, let's go feed him."

She cringed as she headed for the door. "Two hours? Really?"

Nick just laughed, happy she'd lost track of time while she'd shopped.

They went to a small family style restaurant for lunch. It was obviously a local hot spot, because even after one o'clock there were only a few empty tables in the entire place. Rebecca trailed after Nick, sliding into one side of the bench seats at the booth he'd led them too. He slid in beside her, leaving Steve to sit alone on the other side.

Before they'd completely settled in, a waitress came by, bringing glasses of water and menus. She was an older woman, probably in her mid-forties, tall with auburn bouffant hair teased within an inch its life. She had a perpetual smile as she greeted them.

"Good afternoon. What can I get you all to drink?" she asked.

"Iced tea please, Liz," Steve smiled at her.

"I'll have tea too," Nick replied, hugging Rebecca to him with one arm. "What do you want?"

"Do you have Coke or Pepsi?" She smiled up at the older woman.

"Pepsi."

"Then a Pepsi please." With another smile Rebecca turned her attention to the menu in front of her. Her anxiety about being found had returned when she saw the crowded restaurant.

After they finished eating, they stopped at the grocery store to pick up the few things they needed while they were in town, then they climbed back in the truck for the trip home.

"Rebecca," Steve spoke up from the back seat. "It occurred to me in the grocery store you don't have a purse,"

"It was kind of hard to carry one while I was living as a wild cougar," Rebecca said sarcastically.

"Yeah, but that's not really what I meant. I mean, without a purse you won't have the things most women carry in one. Driver's license, identification, that kind of thing."

"So? Is that a problem for you?" She was starting to get annoyed.

"Not for me, but I thought eventually you might want them. When you went into hiding, did you hide them somewhere you could retrieve them later or do we need to contact the state for new copies?"

"Oh." She realized he was trying to be helpful. She twisted in her seat until she was able to look at him as she spoke, "I hid my real ID shortly after I left my Chanat. I figured out real quick that if I used my real name they could find me faster. When I went on the run as a cat, I just left what I had. It was all forged anyway."

"That's good, it was smart. When you're ready, if you'll let us know where you hid your things, we can send someone to retrieve them."

"That would be nice. Thank you." She smiled, but didn't volunteer the information. She knew she'd need something if she was going to stay long term, but didn't want to contact the company she'd left the package containing her things with until she knew she wasn't going to run again.

# Chapter 7

They arrived at the house and started carrying in bags. Rebecca carried in a load of groceries and started putting them away while Steve took the food he'd gotten himself out to his place. She was finishing putting things away when Nick came into the kitchen. He came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist and bent down to kiss her neck.

"I put your bags on the bed in your room, but I didn't put anything away in case I could change your mind," he murmured softly as he snuggled closer to her.

"Change my mind about what?" She tilted her head to give him better access to her neck.

"The room. I told you that you could have it, but I was kind of hoping you'd share mine."

"Hmm..." She pretended to consider it. She turned around in his arms. "I might be persuaded, depending on what you have to offer me."

He smiled against her skin. "Let's see." He played along. "There's an attached bathroom, a warm body to snuggle up to at night."

"You're forgetting something," she whispered, momentarily losing herself in his caress.

"What have I forgotten?"

"Amazing sex."

"Oh, yes, there is amazing sex, but you can still have that in the other room, though probably not as often." He kissed her, softly at first but soon with more energy, more passion.

Rebecca returned his kiss with eagerness. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling his shirt out of his jeans so she could run her hands over his skin. The arms he had loosely wrapped around her tightened, pulling her against him. She felt his hard length press into her belly and she rocked her hips, cradling him with her heat while she ran the tips of her nails up his back, causing him to groan into her mouth.

He reached down and gripped her ass, lifting her easily and setting her onto the counter she'd been standing in front of, never breaking the kiss. Once he had her seated, he broke the kiss, trailing his tongue down the side of her neck. Still using his mouth, he bent and closed his mouth over one nipple, through her bra and the snug t-shirt, tormenting the sensitive flesh. He slid his hands under the hem of her shirt, working it up her body, until he was forced to release her nipple, in order to pull the shirt off over her head. He pulled the cup down on the other breast, latching on to the dry and now bare nipple with his mouth while he tossed the t-shirt aside. He brought his other hand up to knead and squeeze her other breast through the wet lace of her bra.

Rebecca ran her hands over his shoulders and arms, slowly pulling his shirt up, bunching it up under his arms until she could reach the hem and pull it off over his head, breaking the contact he'd kept with her breasts.

He immediately returned, moving back forth from one breast to the other, careful not to leave either unattended for long, until the fingertips Rebecca was digging in to his shoulders became nails. He moved further down her body, lowering his mouth to where he'd already popped the button open on her jeans. Gripping the tab in his teeth, he lowered her zipper. Rising, he kissed her again.

Keeping her mouth occupied with his he used one hand to lift her hips off the counter enough to slide her jeans off her ass with the other, taking her panties with them. He sat her back down onto the counter and she broke the kiss with a small squeal of surprise as her skin made contact the cold counter top.

Nick moved down her body again, licking, kissing and nipping her skin as he went, his hands constantly moving, caressing her skin. He urged her legs further apart as he scooted her hips to the edge of the counter, lowering his mouth until it rested against her opening.

His ran his tongue the full length of her slit, pushing inside, tasting the moisture that was leaking from her body, until he reached the small button the top. He circled her clit for a moment, never actually touching it, before plunging his tongue deep inside her. He pushed it in and out of her body, kissing her core as deeply and thoroughly as he kissed her mouth.

Rebecca had leaned back on the counter, supporting her upper body with her elbows resting on the counter as she gasped for the breath to speak.

"God, Nick. Stop teasing me."

He pulled away a moment, looking up the length of her body. "What is it you want?"

"You, inside me, now."

"How bad do you want it?" He tickled her clit, barely touching it with his tongue, feathering the lightest caresses over it as he watched her lose the ability to speak from the sensations. He went back to kissing her pussy, tongue pressing deep inside her as took mercy on her and used one thumb to put pressure on her clit until she started constricting around his tongue. Cream flowing from her body as she came.

He reached both arms around her, pulling her upright on the counter as he stood. He kissed her mouth hungrily has he lifted her down from the counter and set her carefully on trembling legs.

Once she was mostly stable on her feet. He broke the kiss and turned her around in his arms, careful to support her, as he didn't trust her legs. Moving them away from the cabinets, he bent her forward, placing her hands against the counter.

"Hold on, don't move them," he growled in her ear. He caressed his hands down her body again, stopping to mold her breasts and roll the nipples, pulling her hips back against him.

She could feel the swollen heat of him pressing against her opening through the rough fabric of his jeans and couldn't help the roll of her hips as she pressed her ass against him. He backed away, not touching her for a moment. She started to stand up straight but stopped when he growled, no words, just a deep feline growl from deep in his throat. She hadn't known was possible, but the sound made her wetter. More desperate for him.

Seconds later he returned, his hands sliding up her back and around to cup her breasts again. She felt the press of his skin against hers where he'd shed his jeans and underwear. The heat of his flesh as he settled his hips against her ass again, his cock nestled in the crack of her ass made of her squirm against him.

Nick slid his body against hers, fitting the tip of his cock against her opening. Gently working himself in and out until he had his entire length buried deep inside her, then he increased his tempo. He gripped her hips as he withdrew until he was almost free and thrust himself back in again. Once he'd established a rhythm, he slid hands up her sides until he was cupping her breasts, gripping them tightly and using them to help maneuver himself in and out of her body. The tighter he squeezed her breasts, the harder her body clamped around him. Thrusting harder into her, he suddenly pinched her nipples, squeezing them between his thumbs and forefingers.

Rebecca screamed as she was roughly thrust into orgasm, her knuckles turned white where she was gripped the edge of the counter, only staying on her feet with the help of Nick's arms, his body holding her on her feet.

The her body clamping down on him pushed Nick beyond his control and he erupted deep inside her, with barely enough presence of mind to continue holding her against him, preventing her from falling.

It took Nick several seconds to recover his wits enough that he could carefully pull out of Rebecca. He lifted her still trembling body into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. After settling her gently on the bed, he climbed in beside her, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close.

Rebecca snuggled against him, delighting in the comforting feeling of his arms around her. Drifting back to reality she realized that not only did she trust him, completely, but somehow in the very short amount of time she'd known him, she'd fallen in love with him.

The question now was what to do about it? Should she seal the mating with him, securing her safety from her family? Did she want to tie herself to helping him rule his Chanat for the rest of her life? Was she ready for the responsibility? She'd run from ruling one Chanat, why would it be any more bearable here? She lay in his arms as she battled all her doubts and worries.

Several minutes later, she determined that further contemplation of the situation would get her nowhere. She turned over in his arms. Once she was facing Nick, she looked at his face. "Seal our mating." She looked him in the eyes.

"Are you sure? It's a big step, and irreversible."

"I'm sure. I love you. I want to be with you. I'm ready for this." She sat up putting a little distance between their bodies. "Besides, it will protect the Chanat. Steve was right, if we're mated and sealed even the Council won't try to make me go back." She took a deep breath. "Hopefully it will be enough of a deterrent for my father, if not; he'll be the one in the wrong in their eyes, not us."

"I don't want you doing this for safety, yours, or the Chanat's. If we do this, it will be because it's what we want, that's the only reasoning I'll accept."

"I want to do this. Not for safety, but because it's what I want."

"All right, but let's wait a few days. We've known each other for less than thirty-six hours and I want you to be certain. Besides, a few days won't hurt anything."

"Okay, I can live with waiting a few days. But I'm not going to change my mind."

"I don't want you to change your mind. I just want you to be certain."

"All right." She reached up and kissed him before grinning as she hopped out of the bed. "I get the first shower!"

Nick chuckled as he watched her scamper into the bathroom. He gave her a few minutes before he joined her.

# Chapter 8

Nick was dressing after their shower. He smiled at the memory, it had turned out to be more than just a shower. He heard a vehicle pull into the driveway. He left the bedroom in just his jeans, leaving his shirt and boots behind, to see who'd shown up without calling ahead. He stepped into the living room and looked out the large window looking out over the driveway and into the forest beyond. Bobby, one of his enforcers, was in the drive stepping out of his truck. Nick wondered what had brought him all the way out to the house. Unthinking of his lack of clothing he stepped out onto the porch.

"Bobby, is something wrong?"

"No, sir. Why would there be?"

"You're here and didn't call a head. We don't have a meeting scheduled, so I assumed something was wrong."

"No, sir. Steve called, he asked that I come over."

"Did he say why?"

"No, just said he needed to see me."

Something occurred to Nick. "Why don't you go around and tell him I'd like to see you both. I'll see you in the kitchen."

"Will do." The new man turned headed around the house, to Steve's place. Nick went back inside the house and into to the bedroom to finish dressing.

"We've got company, kitten," he said while he buttoned his shirt. "Take your time dressing and come out when you're ready. I'd like you to meet him."

"All right." She dug through the bags she'd retrieved from the other bedroom while he'd been on the porch. "Why is there so much of this stuff? I know I didn't get this much." She looked up at him, suspicion clear on her face.

"I did. You need more than the couple of outfits you were going to get. I had the clerk add some things. It's all things you liked."

"It is, huh?" She lifted out a pair of thong underwear and let them dangle from one finger. "Somehow, I don't recall even looking at these."

"Well, um, I thought you might be willing to model those. Just for me." He couldn't take his eyes off the small piece of cloth as it swung back and forth.

Rebecca laughed. "Maybe I will, but not now." She dropped them back into the bag and resumed searching. "Go, do the host thing. I'll be out shortly."

Nick turned and walked into the other room, unable to stop thinking about the underwear she'd been teasing him with.

Rebecca entered the kitchen to find all three men sitting around the table. Steve was holding the same coffee mug he seemed to always have, while Nick and the new man had large glasses of iced tea sitting on the table in front of them.

She fixed herself a glass of tea before joining them. She stepped up next to Nick and leaned one hip against his chair. She let one hand rest on the back of his chair while she stood listening.

"I beg to differ. I'm Shaku of this Chanat." Steve was passionate but respectful as he argued with Nick. "It's my responsibility to see that you and our Karhyn are protected. Whether she's officially our Karhyn yet or not, the potential is there. It's my decision that, for the time being, there needs to be someone on duty around here at all times. And when she leaves the house, whether with you or not, she'll have a security detail. I'm not willing to take any chances."

"I'm not either. You still should have consulted me before calling someone up here." Nick argued.

Rebecca shifted her hand from the back of the chair to rest on Nick's shoulder, calling his attention to her.

He stopped mid-argument and looked at her.

"Unless I'm mistaken, the two of you are having a disagreement about calling in extra security? Security for me?"

"Pretty much," Nick spoke while Steve gave her a sharp nod.

"Is your point to babysit me or protect me?" She didn't bother trying to put it nicely as she questioned Steve.

"Protect you, of course." Steve seemed insulted that she would think he was having her babysat. "You said they keep finding you and from what I've been able to find online they haven't given up. I want to make sure you're safe."

"Then I have no argument. I'll accept a guard assigned to keep me safe. But be warned, if I thought now, or I ever get the idea that you're putting someone with me to babysit me, then you, and they, will have a fight on your hands." She met Steve's eyes as she spoke to him, her voice steely. "Don't think that because I ran from my Chanat I'll back down from a fight. I only run from fights I know I can't win. I've been easy to get along with. I don't want to cause problems. But if you back me into a corner and piss me off I'll take a swipe at you, and trust me on this, you won't get away with all your skin intact."

"Yes, Ma'am." He never broke eye contact, letting her know he didn't doubt her.

"If Rebecca has no problem with it then I'll stop arguing, but you still should have at least warned us you were calling someone in." Nick pinned a stern look at Steve. He wrapped an arm around Rebecca's hips, pulling her closer to him. His voice softened as she spoke to her. "Kitten, this is Bobby, he's one of our enforcers. Steve called him to come help keep you safe."

Rebecca turned and looked at the new man, the one she'd ignored until now. He was seated, so she couldn't tell for sure how tall he was, but he was bulky, not fat, it was more that he was built like a linebacker. He was balding and the fact that he was blond only seemed to make him look balder. He had pale blue-gray eyes and appeared to be in his mid-thirties.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Rebecca." She sat down her glass of tea and offered him her hand.

"Bobby Carson. Nice to meet you." He took her hand and shook it firmly before releasing it.

She smiled, turned and addressed the whole table. "I'm hungry. Anyone else?"

"You don't have to cook for us, kitten."

"I know," she replied happily. "But what if I want to?"

He smiled, resigned. "If you want to, then I won't stop you."

"Good." She smiled at him. "Now, who's hungry?" she asked again.

After all three men admitted to being hungry, Rebecca started gathering things from around the kitchen and cooking dinner while she listened to the men plan for her safety.

# Chapter 9

Several days later, they'd established an easy routine. Steve and Bobby had agreed to eight-hour shifts, so that neither had to be up every night, and whoever was off shift slept at Steve's place to avoid being disturbed by any activity in the main house.

By the time Rebecca had been there almost a week she was comfortable enough that it felt like it had been much longer. She and Nick fit well together, they rarely had serious disagreements and Nick seemed to enjoy the attitude and lively personality that had always gotten her in trouble in her old Chanat. She'd been putting together a grocery list for several days and when Nick offered to take her into town to get the things she wanted, she readily agreed.

While Rebecca went into the bedroom to get her shoes for the trip Bobby turned to Nick. "How do we go about this? I know you want me to go with you, but do I shadow her the entire time or what?"

"Depends on what we're doing and where we go. Mostly it's common sense, if I need anything special, I'll let you know."

"I can deal with that."

Rebecca reappeared, ready to go. She grabbed her list. They loaded into the truck and drove into town. During the drive into town, Rebecca kicked off her sandals and curled up in the seat while she considered her list and the men she was feeding and added several more items. She let the sound of the men's voices as they discussed investment news blur, enjoying the sound without hearing the words. Nick's voice calling her name interrupted her thoughts.

"Rebecca?"

She shook her head briefly, dragging her mind back to the moment. "Sorry, were you talking to me?"

"I asked if you had any stops you'd like to make beside the grocery store."

"Is there a discount or drug store in town? I'd like to pick up a few things if you don't mind."

"Not at all," he replied. "I'll pull into the drug store first. It's more a variety store - a little bit of everything. If they don't have what you're after, we'll keep looking."

"That's fine." She leaned across the console in the center of the seat to lay her cheek against his shoulder.

A few minutes later, he pulled into a small lot and parked the truck. Before opening the door, he warned Rebecca. "Kitten, this is a good sized place and it's popular with tourists. There'll probably be a lot of people in here I don't know. I'm not trying to crowd you or hang over your shoulder, but I'll feel better if you let me stay with you. Bobby will be close by if we need him too."

"All right." She slipped the sandals back onto her heals. "Are we ready?"

At Nick's nod, she opened the door and slid off the seat until her feet hit the ground. By the time she gathered her things together and closed the door Bobby had propped one hip against his closed door beside her, waiting. They met Nick in front of the truck and went inside.

As they stepped into the store, Nick picked up a hand basket while making a small hand gesture to the other man. Bobby wandered off, appearing to be in search of something in a different area of the store. Nick wrapped one arm around Rebecca's waist, holding the basket in his other hand.

"Lead on, kitten," he murmured into her ear.

Rebecca looked up at the overhead signs for a moment trying to spot the area she wanted and soon she took off toward the Health/Beauty section. She moved purposefully, but politely, through the close aisles, stopping several times to let others cross an intersection before her. Nick stayed with her the whole time. He appeared to pay attention to nothing and no one but her, but Rebecca knew he was aware of everyone and everything around them.

Rebecca had dropped several items in the basket Nick carried when she picked up what she thought was the faint scent of her original Chanat. She stood, looking casually around, but seeing nothing she decided she must have imagined it and went back to what she was doing. She finished making her selections and she and Nick left the store, Bobby just a few steps behind.

"Did you get everything you were after?" Nick asked, starting the truck.

"Most of it. Safeway will have the rest, so we don't need to keep looking."

"Sounds good. You hungry?"

"I am," Bobby spoke up from the back seat.

"I didn't ask you," Nick grouched.

Rebecca laughed. "Yes, I'm hungry, but I wasn't going to ask." She smiled at Bobby in the mirror of the visor.

"You need to stop that," Nick told her sternly. "If you want or need something, you have only to let me know and I'll get it for you."

"I didn't want to be any trouble."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as though trying to keep his temper in check. "It's not any trouble to feed you, we need to eat too."

"See, so it did matter that Bobby's hungry." She smiled at him, trying to goad him into a better mood.

"Okay, you got me there." He smiled, shaking his head at her. "Let's go eat."

After a stop at the same diner, they'd eaten at before they made their way to Safeway to get the groceries that had been the main reason for the trip.

They stuck together inside the store, Rebecca looking for the things on her list while the men added anything that looked good, mostly junk, to the cart. After they'd paid the bill and exited the store, Rebecca caught the scent again. This time she knew she wasn't imagining it. The scent was stronger, as if a member of her old Chanat had just walked by. She felt the color drain from her face as stopped so suddenly that Bobby, who'd been walking behind her, nearly ran into her.

"Do you smell that?" She looked both ways, looking for where the scent was coming from.

Bobby and Nick both stopped as they scented the air.

"One of us," Bobby muttered.

"Not ours," Nick agreed.

"That's my old Chanat," Rebecca whispered, suddenly terrified and ready to bolt.

"To the truck," Nick said urgently, handing her the keys. "You get in while we load the groceries, if we're attacked you take off. Head back to the house and tell Steve what's going on. He'll see to it you're safe."

She started to protest. How could one man protect her better than two? But stopped. She trusted Nick and she'd do what he said.

She thumbed the remote to the truck, unlocking the doors as she got close, opened the door and climbed into the driver's seat, locking the doors again before putting the key into the ignition. She waited anxiously, watching all around for anyone to approach them in the parking lot. As the men approached their doors, she shifted, lifting herself over the console of the truck and into her own seat before unlocking the doors to let them in. They climbed in and in seconds, they were on the road home.

"Bobby, do you have you're cell on you?" Nick asked.

"Sure, you want me to call ahead?"

"Please. Let Steve know we haven't seen anyone or been approached, but someone's in town."

"Will do." He was already pulling his phone out of his pocket and looking through his contacts to find the number. Before Bobby's call could be connected, Nick spoke again. "It'll be okay, kitten." He reached one hand over and squeezed hers where it lay on her lap. "I promise."

"I hope you're right."

"I am, wait and see."

# Chapter 10

When they pulled the truck into Nick's driveway, Steve was standing in the yard, waiting. As they carried in the groceries, he filled Nick in on what had been done.

"I called in reinforcements. I've got a few who are gonna set up a perimeter, staying hidden in the trees. No one will be sneaking up on us that way. They'll have to use the road to get anywhere close. No sign of anyone having been near the house, so it's likely, though not certain, they haven't been in the area long." Steve filled Nick in on the return trip to the truck, once Rebecca was out of earshot. She'd stayed in the kitchen to put away the groceries, Bobby staying with her, just in case.

"That's good. Priority is Rebecca. If it comes to it, I can fight for myself. Our advantage is they'll be trying not to hurt her too badly. They want her alive, and we know it. We'll use it that our advantage if we have to."

"How do you plan on keeping them from trying over and over, just coming at us till we have nothing left?"

"I have a plan. One I'm certain will work. We may have a battle this time, but as long as we leave one alive to take a message back, they won't be back."

"Good to know."

Nick and Steve carried the last bags of groceries into the kitchen to Bobby and Rebecca, then went back out front to continue discussing their plans.

As they stepped out into the front yard, a large cougar came running up the short stretch of driveway from the trees. Steve darted forward, shifting as he ran, bits of clothing falling from his cat form as he leapt to meet the attacker mid-air.

Nick watched as the two fought, ready to shift and step into the fight if he had too. It was easy to tell the two opponents apart. Steve had a deep gold coat as a cougar while the attacker was a much brighter, cleaner yellow color. He watched them grappling with each other, teeth and claw bared. The newcomer got a good swipe of his claws down one of Steve's front legs and tore open the skin. Nick knew the wound would only piss Steve off and letting let out an almost human scream, Steve renewed his attack.

The scream brought Rebecca and Bobby running to see what was going on.

Nick heard them step out on the porch and motioned for them to stay there. Steve soon pinned the intruder to the ground, much the same way he'd pinned Rebecca when she'd first arrived. He stood behind the new cat, out of the way of teeth and claws as he sunk his teeth into the loose skin at the back of his neck and held him down. The pinned cougar fought, tried to regain his feet and continue the fight, but couldn't.

Nick stepped forward. "Concede." The cat in front of him scrambled for footing again, still unable to get up.

"We don't want to kill you if we don't have to," Nick told him. "I have a message for you to take back, but I want answers first. Shift and answer my questions then I'll give you the message and you can go home."

The pinned cat fought again for a few moments before he gave up. Nick saw the determination leave him as he huffed out a breath before quietly shifting.

He was a young, muscular boy, probably no more than twenty-two or twenty-three. Still young enough to believe anything he was told. He was covered with scratches and teeth marks from the fight.

"How did you find her?" Nick demanded as soon as his human form appeared.

"Humans," The boy said, moving into a sitting position.

Steve no longer had a grip on the back of his neck but he stayed close behind. As a cougar, he could easily catch the boy if he darted or tried to attack again. Nick stood quietly, waiting for more explanation.

The boy continued, "When she first took off her father went to the human police and reported her missing. It didn't take much to make it look like an abduction. In no time, he had her face all over the news. Any time she stopped running, humans would call in and report having seen her."

"How did you find her here?"

"Another human. We heard nothing for months, then suddenly a few days ago someone called the hotline and reported having seen her in town here. So they sent me to investigate. I caught her scent with yours. Saw her with you this afternoon."

"How did you find my house?"

"That was easy," the boy laughed. "All I had to do was go up to a member of your Chanat and say I was visiting the area and wanted to pay my respects to you. They told me how to find your place."

"Very well. You've answered my questions, now I'll give you my message. Remember it well, because the next intruder from your Chanat won't be so lucky.

"Tell your Kahn and Kadri that Rebecca is now my Karhyn. Any further attempts to capture or injure her will result in a war between our Chanats. Also, I'll take the entire situation to the Council. The attempt to force her into a marriage she didn't want. Hunting her for a year after she ran. The attack on me on my own territory. All of it.

"Furthermore, if I ever hear even a rumor that they are forcing anyone into marriage again, I'll take it to the council anyway. I don't care if they want to arrange marriages between consenting adults but I will not condone forcing anyone. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"You deliver the message. Tell them they can contact me directly if they have any questions."

"Yes, sir."

"Now get off my property and out of my territory. Steve, escort him back to his vehicle. Once you're dressed again, come to the house. We'll take care of your wounds." Nick turned and went back to the house, stopping to put his arm around Rebecca and take her inside with him. Bobby stayed close to them both.

"See, I told you it would be okay, kitten," Nick assured her as they walked into the house. He took her into the kitchen and let her go so he could step into the laundry room and retrieve the first aid kit.

"But how can you be sure they won't keep trying to get me?" She was unsure.

"Because they won't want me going to the Council. They're trying to force you into the marriage to begin with was unethical," he explained. "Their chasing you down and hunting you for a year when you ran to escape it is just wrong. Those alone are bad enough. When you add in the attack in my territory in effort to abduct my Karhyn, the council will strip them of their positions. It wouldn't be long before they're eliminated completely. The Council would make it look like random animal attacks or they may just disappear, killed in animal form, but the Council wouldn't allow them to live to possibly try to regain their positions."

"Oh." She was unsure what to say.

He took her in his arms, hugging her tight. "So you're safe. Even if you choose to leave my Chanat, and me, they'll never come after you again. And they'd better never try to force anyone else into an unwanted marriage again either."

She took a deep breath and hugged him back. "I'm not going anywhere, and thank you for that. For stopping them from doing it to anyone else. I hate to think of anyone else going through what I've been living for the last year."

"Me too, That's why I added it." He bent and kissed the top of her head as he held her close, enjoying the relief that flooded through him at the knowledge she was safe and hoping that she would choose to stay. They stood together, neither speaking, neither moving until Steve came in the back door. He was barefoot again, wearing only a pair of jeans.

"He's gone." He stepped through the door from the laundry room. "I don't think we'll be seeing him again. He took off like you'd set his tail on fire."

At the sound of Steve's voice, Rebecca and Nick pulled apart, each heading to do separate things, as though they'd planned it.

Nick partially unfolded a bath towel on the table in front of the seat Steve sat in. "Lay that arm up here," he instructed, opening the large toolbox he kept first aid supplies in. "Let's see how much damage he did."

"It was a lucky blow, his dewclaw caught me."

"It's a good cut, deep and long. You may even needs stitches since you don't heal as quickly as the rest of us"

"Just clean it out and wrap it up. I'll be fine."

"I know, but this is gonna sting," Nick warned him as he started pulling bits of debris out with a pair of tweezers.

Rebecca stepped around Steve and set his coffee mug down in front of his uninjured arm. "Maybe that'll help some."

"Is it just coffee or did you doctor it?"

"That didn't occur to me, if you'll take a couple sips so there's room I'll grab a bottle, what do you prefer to mix with coffee?"

"Whiskey, I'm not picky about brand."

"I'll see what I can find," she replied heading for the library where Nick kept his liquor. When she returned a few minutes later with a bottle of Bushmills, Steve was standing at the sink, letting water run over the open wound, trying to wash out the smallest pieces of dirt.

"Grab another cup please, kitten," Nick asked from the table.

Steve shut off the water and curled his arm into the air so it wouldn't touch anything. He held a towel under his elbow to keep from dripping water and blood across the floor as he returned to the table.

Rebecca grabbed another coffee mug from the cabinet on her way by and took both the cup and the whiskey to the table.

"Pour about an inch into the cup and give it to him, then top of his coffee with it if you don't mind."

"Not at all." She poured the drink as Nick had requested and handed the mug with straight whiskey to Steve while she moved around him to top off his coffee. Steve tipped up the mug and drained it in one drink.

"Go for it." He rasped around the burn of the whiskey.

Nick picked up a bottle of rubbing alcohol and poured it over the length of the gash. Steve hissed as he sucked in air but otherwise didn't make a sound as they let it sit for a few seconds. Nick dried the area with clean gauze before pulling the wound shut and crossing the pink, bleeding seam with tape to hold it shut. He wrapped the entire forearm in a bandage to keep the dirt out while it healed.

"Thank you, Steve. I'm sorry you were hurt while protecting me." Rebecca said. She started picking up the trash and laundry left from bandaging his wound.

"It's nothing, Becca. I'd gladly take a lot more to keep you from being hurt." Steve said.

"It's not nothing. It's a big deal. You, Nick and Bobby are the first people ever to stand up for me. I'm grateful for it."

"That you never had anyone stand up for you only shows how screwed up your old Chanat is. I'd rather not be cut up, but all-in-all, it's not a big deal, it'll be gone in a few day or two. You are my Karhyn and it's my job to stand up for you, to stand between you and an attacker. I would do it even if it weren't. Every woman deserves to be protected and cared for. Not exploited and used."

"Thank you, again." She bent down and gently kissed him on the cheek. "For everything."

# Chapter 11

Later that evening, after they'd sent all the extra security home, Nick and Rebecca sat in the library. Rebecca was reading a fantasy novel in an overstuffed easy chair, while Nick caught up on business at his desk. Rebecca laid her book down on a nearby table and watched him quietly for a few minutes before she spoke.

"I still want to do it."

"Do what?" Nick asked absently, his attention on what he was doing.

"Seal our mating."

He looked away from the computer screen to look her in the eyes, the simple statement having gained his complete attention. "There's no need to rush," He reasoned. "You're safe now. I want you to take all the time you need. Be sure this is what you want. It can't be undone."

"I'm sure, Nick. I'm not going anywhere. I love you and I want to be with you for the rest of our lives." She pushed herself out of the chair and walked around the desk, stopping when she reached his chair.

"You're absolutely certain this is what you want?"

"One hundred percent."

"Then kiss me. Because I love you too, and waiting for you to not feel pressured into doing it for some sense of security has been killing me."

She bent until she could easily meet his lips with hers, her tongue tangling with his as she sank into his eager kiss. She ran her hands over his shoulders, smoothing them down the cloth covering his chest as she deepened the kiss. When he reached for her, she broke the kiss, and pulled out of his reach. Smiling seductively, she started across the room.

"I'm not gonna do this here. You want some, you'll have to follow me." She pulled her over-sized t-shirt off over her head, revealing that she wasn't wearing a bra underneath. She tossed it aside before pushing the short sleep shorts she was wearing off her hips. She never slowed as she let the soft cotton cloth slide down the length of her legs and stepped out of them. All she was left wearing was the thong she'd teased him with the day he'd taken her clothes shopping.

* * *

Nick watched her walk across the room and out the door before he stood up. He had to adjust himself in his snug jeans before he could follow her.

He stepped into the bedroom to find her lying on her side on the bed, still wearing nothing but the skimpy pair of underwear he'd picked out. His fantasy of her wearing them was crushed beneath the reality, it couldn't compare. The sight of her calmly waiting for him, watching him, knowing she wanted only him, made his mouth water. He unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them off his hips as he moved closer to the bed, his eyes never leaving her body.

He crawled up the bed to stretch out beside her before kissing her again, touching her only with his mouth. He deepened the kiss until she lifted one hand to pull him closer. Breaking the kiss, he moved up onto his hands and knees, out of her reach, leaving her laying there gasping for air. He rolled her onto her back and moved over her before lowering his mouth to her neck. Kissing and nuzzling his way down her body, he avoided the sensitive tips of her breasts as he continued downward. He licked and nipped his way down her ribs and over her stomach, ringing her belly button before he licked along the outline of the tiny panties she still wore.

Every time she tried to touch him, to grab his hair or guide him with her hands he caught her hand before she could make contact, gently placing it back onto the bed beside her. He continued moving down her body using his mouth to stimulate and tease her. When he reached her knees, he started moving up again. He eased her legs farther apart and ran his tongue over the barely covered pussy, pressing over the hard button that stood erect against the cloth before flicking the tip of his tongue back and forth for a moment.

He moved up again, taking one hard, puckered nipple into his mouth while he palmed the other breast, pinching and pulling at the exposed nipple to simulate the action of his mouth on the other. He alternated from one breast to the other, massaging the full, round flesh while tormenting the tips.

Leaning up, he kissed her again, hard and brief, before pulling away again. He slid the tiny piece of cloth and strings down her legs and off her feet before urging her knees wide so he could lay his body between them. Looked up at her face, he met her eyes as he lowered his mouth to her core. He watched her face as he swept his tongue up her slit, tasting the cream dripping from her.

"So sweet and tasty." He smiled before he dipped his head lower to push his tongue deep into her channel, licking, tasting.

Rebecca's hips lifted while she moaned, wordlessly begging for more. Nick slid his hands under her thighs and caught her hands as she gripped the bedspread beneath them, so she clung to him as he used his mouth to inch her closer to the pleasure they both knew would send her flying.

Nick brought her to the edge only to back of and let it slip away several times. Finally, he gave in, running his tongue the length of her opening, up and down several times before he settled onto her clit, sucking, flicking, and when she was right there, at the precipice. He pinched the sensitive nub between his tongue and teeth, sending her screaming into an orgasm so strong she almost lost consciousness.

As she lay on the bed, slowly regaining her ability to think Nick shifted, moving to lie beside her so he could watch her come back to her senses. He lay on his side, his head resting on one hand while he ran the other along her skin, watching the sensitive flesh quiver and pucker with his touch.

The closer Rebecca got to reality the more she felt of what he was doing to her. The constant onslaught of sensations gave her no opportunity to turn the tables on him. She'd wanted to be the aggressor tonight but apparently, he had other plans.

"Wow," she gasped as soon as she was capable of speech.

Nick chuckled, his voice husky with desire. "That, kitten, was only an appetizer."

He moved over her again, leaning down to kiss her, slowly, deeply sharing with her the passion and eagerness he felt. He lowered his body between her still spread legs, fitting his hips against hers. Sliding his entire body up and down hers, he reveled in the different textures of their skin. He moved until the tip of his manhood rested against her slick opening, sliding it ever so slightly back and forth in the cream from her body, moistening himself.

He pulled away from her mouth. "Are you ready for this?"

"Nick, Now!" she demanded.

He didn't wait for her to ask again. He plunged deep inside her sinking to the hilt in one swift thrust. Stopping for a second, his hips flush against hers, he enjoyed the feel of her heat clamping around him, squeezing him tightly. He withdrew and thrust back inside, starting a slow rhythm that he knew wouldn't last. It wouldn't be long she demanded more. She would soon beg to increase the pace, but he was determined to start slowly, to make this last as long as he could.

Rebecca wrapped her arms around his torso, pulling his body against hers, feeling the slide of his skin against hers as he thrust slowly in and out. Burying her face against his neck, she inhaled the scent of his skin. She kissed his neck, working her way toward his shoulder; she scraped her teeth along the taut edge of his trapezius muscle, sending shivers of pleasure down his spine.

Her fingers curled into his back, pulling him closer. Feeling her release coming she slid her hands downward so she could grip Nick's ass and urge him to move faster, push deeper.

"Oh, more," She cried out. "Harder, baby."

He complied, not speeding his thrusts, but pushing a little deeper, using a little more force with each penetration. He tilted her hips slightly, until he could feel the tip of his cock hitting the spot deep inside that he knew would push her over the edge. After several strokes, several sharp impacts against the sensitive spot way at the back of her, he felt her nails dig into his skin as her channel convulsed and clamped her moist heat around him. He didn't slow down or stop, instead he slightly increased his pace, continuing to hit the same spot repeatedly, sending wave after wave of pleasure washing over her. After several minutes, he slowed, letting her recover slightly before he bent and whispered into her ear.

"Are you ready for this, kitten?"

"God yes, Nick. I want it all. Give me everything you've got."

Still buried inside her, he moved one arm at a time. Sliding them under her thighs before bracing them on the bed on either side of her again, her legs sliding along his arms until her knees were bent over his elbows, leaving her splayed wide and bent almost in half. He moved again, slowly at first, but swiftly increasing his tempo. The new position let him thrust deeper inside her than she'd ever felt before. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him close. She could already feel the wave of orgasm rushing toward her, threatening to wash her away in its intensity.

"I love you, Nick. Always." She whispered against his skin, pressing her face into his shoulder. When her orgasm hit she didn't fight the instinct, she opened her mouth and bit the lower edge of the muscle in his shoulder, sinking her teeth deep.

Feeling Rebecca find her ecstasy beneath him, the quivering of her body against his, her heat squeezing around him and the sharp sting of her bite sent Nick over the edge. He bent to the curve of her neck and bit down as he found his own release. He heard her cry out as he bit her but he didn't stop, not until he tasted blood. When he released her shoulder, he ran his tongue over the mark he'd left, soothing the ache.

"I love you too, kitten. Forever."

* * *

Don't miss the next book in the series, Jade's Peace.

# Dictionary of Terms

List of Terms

* * *

Chanat ~ Group of Kitsune cougars

Kadri ~ Male second in command a Chanat

Kahn ~Male leader of a Chanat

Kahryn ~Female leader of a Chanat

Kitsune ~Species of shape-shifters, have lived in secret, alongside humans for centuries. Many animal forms, all use the term Kitsune

Shaku ~ Lead enforcer / Head of Security in a Chanat

Get your free copy of The Making of a Demented Soul by Melissa Stevens. Exclusive to the author's VIP mailing list by signing up here.

The next book in the WMC series is Jade's Peace, get it now!

# Also by Melissa Stevens

Books and series from Melissa Stevens

* * *

**Kitsune Series:**

Change

Fight

Hunt

Live

The Kitsune Collection

(with Change, Fight, Hunt and Live in one volume)

**WMC Series:**

Escape

Jade's Peace

Risking Alex

* * *

**Demented Souls:**

Ruger

* * *

**City of Sin:**

Released by Desire

Redeemed by Desire

Revealed by Desire

The Dragon Chronicles

(with Released by Desire, Redeemed by Desire and Revealed by Desire)

* * *

**Diamond Bridal Agency:**

Justin

Sean

Alex

* * *

**Pelican Lake:**

Steamy Days

Smoldering Sunsets

Sultry Nights

* * *

**Novels:**

Robin's Nest

Choosing Happiness

# Change

It was early June, and I had big plans for my weekend. Today I was going hiking over a new trail with Brandon, my best friend. We'd been friends since kindergarten and I thought of him almost like one of my brothers, only he didn't torment me like they did.

It was Friday, and the day had dawned beautiful and clear. We had planned for a full day trip, letting our families know where we were going to be. I had even packed my lunch the night before so I had one less thing to do before I could leave that morning.

At just after six, the sun and I had both been up for almost an hour, and I was nearly ready. I ran the brush through my hair, smoothing it into the ponytail I was forming in the back of my head. Winding an elastic tie around the tail of hair I had created, I turned and looked out the window, and saw a familiar car pull into a parking space in the lot below me. I picked up the brush and finished brushing out my hair as I watched the tall athletic frame climb out of the car and head around the end of the building. I was packing the last of my things into my backpack when his knock sounded on my front door.

"It's open!" I yelled.

"You always just holler at anyone who knocks on your door at six in the morning that the door's open, and why exactly is the door open while we're at it?" Brandon demanded as he walked in.

"Just the ones I'm expecting," I said, zipping my bag before looking up.

"So you were expecting me, so what? It still could have been anyone at the door," He said, still intent on the point he was trying to make.

"Could have, except that I saw you pull in as I finished my hair. And I unlocked the door a couple of minutes ago, just before grabbing my lunch. I knew it was you, Brand."

"Ok, fair enough, I'm just looking out for you, Chica," He told me, his tone much calmer now, his hands up in front of himself as if in surrender.

"I know," I told him calmly, "And I know you only push the issue because you care. Otherwise you'd be choking on your balls right now."

"Jeez, Nickie, don't bottle up your emotions like that, you'll get hurt. You need to learn to express yourself, or someday it'll all come exploding out, then where will you be?" He said, deadpan.

I didn't bother responding other than to flip him off as I turned away and went to use the restroom one more time before we headed out. When I returned I asked him, "You got everything you need?"

"Everything but you and your pack."

"Then let's get a move on, we're burnin' daylight." I said flippantly as I picked up my bag and slung it over one shoulder. I led the way out and turned to wait for him to exit the apartment before activating the lock on the door behind us. He looked confused, as if he didn't quite understand but I didn't explain the film reference and let it drop.

The drive out to the parking area where we had planned to start our hike took us about forty-five minutes, by then it was almost seven and the day was starting to warm up. It was still relatively cool but it was already hinting at the heat that the sunshine and desert floor would bathe us in. We strapped our backpacks onto our backs and I tucked my Personal Communication Device, more commonly known as a PCD, into the pocket of my jeans where I could easily reach it, and we took off.

We started out headed west, away from the cars, the ground was rough and uneven but I was used it and I moved over the loose rubble and small rocks with ease. We followed what appeared to be a wildlife trail. A path made by frequent passage of animals like deer and javelina, it was narrow and winding but had very little overhanging brush, so it was a pretty easy walk. As we walked over the still flat ground, I called out to Brandon.

"What have you been up to lately?"

"Not much, work, sleep, eat. You?"

"About the same, throw in spending time with the family and you have my life."

"I'm glad we were able to get out today, it's a beautiful day and I really needed the escape from life for a while and this is a great way to do it."

"I agree," I said continuing along the trail that was starting to turn and lead uphill. "Careful through here, it's really loose," I warned him as I placed my feet carefully to keep from losing my balance as the bits of rubble that had washed off the mountain above us rolled and shifted under me.

Several minutes later we came to a spot where water running down the hill had washed away the softer soil leaving a sharp drop off that was taller than I was. I stopped and waited for Brandon to make the last few steps up beside me. When he reached my side I could see that the obstacle wasn't quite as tall as he was, but that didn't mean that either of us could get over it alone.

"We're gonna have to work together for this one." I said.

"Yep," He replied, "How do you wanna do this, you up first or me?"

"You're gonna have to go first, I can boost you from the bottom but I don't have the strength to pull you from the top."

"Makes sense," he said, nodding, "You ready?"

"You wanna go up with your backpack or should we take them off and hand them up separately?"

"Let's try it with them first, we can always take them off later if we need to."

"Ok," I said, moving to one side of where we wanted to go up the face and bent down on one knee so that the leg that was in front was placed for Brandon to step onto.

"Will that work for you?" I asked.I think so, let's try it." He reached up and braced his hands on the top of the small cliff before he carefully placed one booted foot on top of my knee.

"Ready?" He checked with me. At my nod he quickly pushed up onto my knee and used his arms to pull his body up onto the ledge, like one would lift themselves out of a pool. Seconds later he was standing on top of the small cliff looking down at me.

"How are we gonna do this?" I asked, craning my neck to look at him, "There's nowhere for me to step on my way up."

"Just stand right there," He pointed to where he had gone up the cliff face, "And hold both arms above your head. I'll do the rest."

"Are you sure you can lift me?" I asked, skeptical.

"Pretty sure," He sounded confident, "But we won't know for sure until we try, will we?" He stood right at the edge he had just climbed over, "Come on, let's give this a try."

I looked up at him and he bent down until he was almost sitting on his heels and reached his arms down to take mine. I extended both my arms over my head and reached past his arms to grip his wrists as he wrapped his long fingers firmly around my wrists.

"Are you ready?" he asked, looking at my face for signs of fear. I nodded and he started to stand up, using his legs instead of his back to pull me up the rock face. He kept an eye on my face, I guess he was watching for signs of panic in case I started to struggle. I resisted the urge to try to walk my feet up the cliff face, knowing it would only push my body away and possibly over balance us both. Instead I settled for bending my knees and using them to crawl onto the ledge as soon as I was high enough. He stepped back slightly, keeping his grip on my arms as he asked, "You good?"

"Yeah," I said, releasing his arms as he let go of mine before I stood up, "I wasn't sure that would work, but I'm glad it did."

"Me too," He said, "You want to take a break here, or continue to the top of the fan first?"

"I'm ready to go if you are. You didn't pull anything lifting me like that, did you?"

"Nah, I'm fine, let's go then." He said, turning to take the lead for a while.

It was mid-afternoon when it happened. We'd already stopped for lunch and started making our way back, taking a different route. This one wasn't as clear of trail but the going was easier, which was good as I was starting to feel a bit fatigued. We had stopped a couple times on the return trip but I admit, I wasn't being as careful as I should have been. I was walking along thinking about something else, I don't even remember what anymore, but my mind wasn't on where I was going or what was around me. I tripped over a rock, stumbling for an instant before I fell to my hands and knees.

The fall jarred me back into the present, knocking the breath out of me and leaving me momentarily dazed. I heard a buzzing sound, but didn't register it for what it was. I thought it was just my ears ringing from the jarring of the fall. Crap, that's what I get for not paying attention. I heard Brandon stop on the trail ahead of me, and without even thinking about it I tried to get up. I'd already started moving, trying to push myself up with my arms so that I could get back onto my feet, when I spotted it.

By the time I realized it was a snake, it was too late. He was already in mid-strike and I didn't have time to avoid getting bitten. He'd seen my movement as a threat and was only doing as his instincts demanded, defending himself. I felt the fangs as they pierced the denim of my jeans and sank deep into the flesh of my calf, and the hot, burning sensation as the venom pumped into my body. The snake quickly disengaged his fangs from my leg and escaped across the sand, having already done his damage and hopefully slowing the threat long enough to let him get to safety.

"Oh, shit," I said, my mind spinning in panic so intense that I couldn't put more than the two words together, even in my head.

I froze, trying to slow my mind so that I could think and not just react.

"What is it?" Brandon asked, backtracking to my side to see what had happened.

"Snake. It got me." I told him, speaking in short gasps as I struggled to calm my mind enough to think.

"Rattler?"

"Yep."

"Where?"

"My right leg. On the calf." I was starting to be able to think again What are we going to do now? We're still at least a half mile from the car, and there's no way I can hike it now. It'll take hours for anyone to get out here to us, if they can even find us and do they even keep anti-venom in the area anymore? My mind was still racing but I could at least make out my own thoughts. I knew I had to keep from getting hysterical, that would only pump the venom through my body faster. Stay calm.

My skin suddenly felt too small, as though it were shrinking but the rest of my body had stayed the same size. My whole body started stinging. Wow, I didn't know that snake venom acted this fast.

Suddenly, or at least it seemed sudden to me, I felt like things were starting to move inside my body, bones and muscles moving into new places. I must be starting to hallucinate. The thought only drove my panic faster. I felt as though I had lost control of my body. Suddenly it all stopped, the burning pain of the bite, the stinging in my skin, the sensation of bones and muscle moving and grinding against each other beneath my skin.

Have I died? I wondered, confused. I'd never heard of a snake bite numbing like that, I'd always been told how painful they were and how a victim suffered the pain for years, if they survived that is. Something strange was happening to me and I had no idea what it could be.

I looked up at Brandon. He was standing next to me, and I could see the surprise on his round face, not panic, not fear, just surprise. I tried to speak to him, to ask what was going on, but all that came out was a high pitched whine. What the hell was that? It was a sound I had never heard from my own throat in my life. It was a sound more like a puppy would make than a human.

"Well, I'll be damned!" Brandon said, running one hand through his short brown hair, "I'd given up the hope it would ever happen." His voice seemed very loud, almost as though he were screaming instead of speaking. I whimpered and ducked my head, trying to pull my shoulders up around my ears.

"Whoops," Brandon said softly, his voice dropping to a whisper, "Sorry, I forgot how sensitive your ears are when you change the first time."

Change, what did he mean change? He bent down on one knee and reached one hand toward my face, I felt his hand under my chin as he lifted my face to look into my eyes. I knew something was different, but I didn't know quite what.

"Are you OK?" he asked gently, still speaking very softly. "Do you feel better now?"

I tilted my head to one side, as I thought about what he had asked me. It was gone, all of it; the pain from the bite, even the sting of my hands where I'd caught myself when I fell. What's more, thinking about it made me realize that I felt really good, like I could run back to the car and laugh the whole time. I wasn't even tired anymore, a little hungry, but not tired. I tried to say so to him but this time it came out as a short bark, which made me jump and look around me. What the hell was that? I could hear Brandon chuckling at my reaction,

"It's okay." He sounded reassuring, "Do you think you can walk back to the car now?"

I started to get up and that's when it hit me. I was no longer walking on two legs, instead I was on all fours. I twisted around and looked at myself and I was so surprised I fell on my butt, my body was no longer my own and this one didn't function in quite the same way. I was now in the body of a dog of some kind, a big brown one that looked almost red in the sunlight. I turned and looked at Brandon again and whined, scared at not knowing what was going on. I couldn't think about what was happening right now I had to just go, when it was over and I was safe I would have time to question it, and to have a breakdown if I needed to. Right now I just had to go on.

"You're all right, trust me, it's okay. Let's go back to the car. I'll explain it all, but you're gonna want to be human so that you can ask the questions I'm sure you'll have, plus you don't have any other clothes here. And trust me on this, you do NOT want to hike through this stuff naked," He said, motioning to the thorny mesquite and rough creosote brush that surrounded us. He picked up my backpack by the carry handle at the top and that's when I noticed that the arm straps were broken. He stood and started back down the path we'd been on, headed toward the car. I whined and barked at him, refusing to move from where I was standing. He turned around to look at me.

"What?" He asked.

I nosed the shredded remains of my clothes, smelling the acrid scent of the venom on my jeans as my nose brushed the rough cloth.

"You shredded 'em, just leave them."

I refused to give up and I sat down, indicating to him that I was staying with my clothes. After watching me for a couple of minutes he came back and stuffed the remains of the clothing into my backpack.

"Happy now?"

Satisfied he wasn't leaving my things behind, I silently stood up and padded along the path toward the car.

Once I started moving it only took me a few minutes to get used to the way my new body moved, to get the hang of walking on four legs instead of two. After that first few minutes of fumbling around and tripping over my own feet the trip seemed much faster than I thought it should be. I have to admit that I found moving on four feet through the brush and over boulders much easier than hiking on two, but I tried not to think about it. I was just going to have to wait for answers, and freaking out in the meantime would do me no good. When we reached the parking lot Brandon went around to the driver's side of the car and unlocked the doors. I followed him, not willing to let the only person who knew what had happened to me out of my sight.

"I'm glad we brought my car instead of yours," He said, opening the rear door and motioning me into the back seat, "Hop in, I'll be right back." He moved away from the still open door and toward the rear of the vehicle. If I'm in the car he won't be going anywhere without me, it's not like he's gonna walk all the way back to town. I reasoned with myself as I hopped up into the backseat, turned a small circle on my feet and then sat down to wait for his return. It was only a couple of moments later that he appeared in the doorway, slid into the car and sat down on the bench seat next to me. He was silent for several seconds, his expressive golden brown eyes focusing on the stack of folded clothes he held in his lap as if he didn't know where to start.

He cleared his throat as he turned to face me, "Okay, here are some clothes for you. Don't worry, they're clean. I need you to listen closely and try to do exactly as I tell you. All right?" He looked directly into my eyes. By now I knew better than to try to speak, so I just nodded my head once, maintaining eye contact. "You're going to need to concentrate, picture your body, not as it is now but your human body, focus on that image. You have to will yourself back into that body, to want to be like that enough that your body shifts. Do you understand?" I nodded again, unsure I could do what he was asking, but really, what other choice did I have? "I'm going to leave these here for you. I'll get out and close the door, and then I'm going turn my back and wait. You'll need to knock on the window, or open the door when you're dressed and then we'll talk, Okay?"

Not seeing any other option, I nodded. He slid off the seat and out the still open door, before turning around and setting the stack of clothes on the seat where he had been sitting. He looked at me again briefly before he closed the car door and turned away. Through the window I could see him lean against the side of the car, as though he were patiently waiting for someone to walk out of the desert in front of him. He pulled his PCD from the front pocket of his jeans and it looked like he was making a call, but the enclosed car muffled his voice enough so that I couldn't hear what was being said.

I felt a little lost, Can I really be me again just by doing what he said, by thinking about and wanting to be me again?

I sat for just a moment, wondering how this could possibly work, Has Brandon ever lied to you? Would he ever do anything to hurt you? I trusted Brandon and if he said I could do this, then I could, I just had to do what he told me to do.

I took several deep breaths as I tried to relax some of the tension in my body, closed my eyes and concentrated on clearing all the outside thoughts from my mind. I pictured my body just as I had seen it this morning in the mirror. I started at the floor and worked my way up. I could see my feet standing on the tan carpet of my bedroom floor, the teal nail polish I had applied to my toe nails earlier in the week. I worked my way up, picturing the round bones on the outsides of my ankles and the muscles in my calves, and there was the small scar just below my left knee from a fall off my bike as a child. I could see my thick, muscular thighs, the rounded shape of my rear sloping up to my smaller, but not quite slender waist, and up farther past the generous curves of my breasts to my face.

I concentrated on my round face, the large green eyes that dominate my face. I pictured in my mind my full lips and auburn hair, curling gently as it had settled around my shoulders while I brushed it out before pulling it up. I thought of how badly I wanted to be back in that body. When the tingling sensation all over my skin started again it surprised me, and I almost lost the mental picture of myself, but I managed to ignore it and I continued to will myself back into my body, to concentrate on how badly I wanted to be me again. The tingling intensified until it was almost stinging, and I felt my muscles begin to stretch and my bones start to shift and grind against each other.

After what seemed to be several minutes the uncomfortable sensations started to fade, they slowed to a stop, no more bones shifting, or muscles popping, even the tingling faded until I felt normal once again.

I opened my eyes and anxiously looked down at myself, half afraid of what I would see. I was sitting naked, but human in the back seat of the car. I scrambled to quickly put on the too large clothes that Brandon had left for me, worn, soft, sweat pants and matching top, but no shoes. If he had any they probably wouldn't have fit anyway. I leaned across the car and knocked on the window to let him know I was decent. He looked relieved when he turned and popped the door.

"Climb up into the front, let me grab something and then we'll talk," He closed the door again before heading for the back of the car.

As I climbed between the front seats and settled into the passenger's seat, I heard the trunk open and close again before Brandon came back around and got into the driver's seat beside me. He handed me a couple of protein bars "Eat up."

I looked at the bars he had put into my hands and scrunched up my face in distaste.

"Those things are nasty." I said. He didn't say anything but took one back and opened the packaging, I could suddenly smell the bar inside and I realized I was starving. Before I knew it, I had them both gone. When I realized that I had just eaten both bars in under a minute I was embarrassed at having inhaled the food, and with little memory of what kind of manners I might have shown in doing so. It must have shown on my face, because Brandon chuckled.

"Don't worry about it, Nick, I know how hungry shifting can make you, especially when you're healing at the same time, that's why I went back and grabbed them. They aren't going to be enough, but they're all I have. They'll take the edge off, and hopefully hold you until we can get you something better to eat."

"So, what's going on? What do you mean you know hungry shifting can make you? I've figured out what you mean by shifting, but how? How is it possible? And how can I be healing so fast? I noticed when I got dressed that wound from the snake bite is healing, it's not possible! Am I hallucinating from the venom?"

"Been saving all your questions up, huh?" He asked me, laughing softly again, his smile showing the deep dimples in his cheeks. "No, you aren't hallucinating. You really did change shapes. The process of shifting most likely pushed the venom from your body and at the same time healed the worst of the damage that it had done."

"You've lost your mind and I'm hallucinating, or better yet, it's all just a nightmare and I'll wake up and it will be Friday morning."

"Do your dreams ever hurt like the snake bite did? Mine don't. You're not hallucinating or having a nightmare, Nickie."

"But it can't be true - I must be going crazy..."

"Nope, not crazy, just Kitsune," He told me, interrupting my ranting.

"Kitsune?" I repeated. I'd never heard the word before.

"Yep, Kitsune, we're a species of shape shifters."

"There's an entire species of people who turn into dogs?"

"Actually, we're not dogs, we're wolves. But that's not exactly what the Kitsune are. There are several different animal forms that different Kitsune can shift into, though, generally it's limited to only one animal form per person. You're a wolf, I'm a wolf, and there's an entire pack of wolves in Gila Valley."

"An entire pack of wolves around here? Now you're the one who's dreaming. I've never seen a real wolf before, at least until I was one, and I've lived here all my life."

"Not real wolves, Nickie, Kitsune wolves, there's a difference. Though, you should know, the accepted phrase is natural wolves, not real, because we're just as real as they are."

"Okay, not real wolves, natural wolves. How can there be an entire pack in the valley and nobody knows about it?"

"Actually, there are a lot of people who know about it, the pack members, but very, very few outside the pack. Our secret is well kept."

"How did I become...Kitsune? Is that what you call it? I've never been bitten by a wolf, and I'm sure it's not something I would forget." Brandon rolled his eyes, "There's only one way to be Kitsune, you're born one. Kitsune can only be born, there is no other way to become one of us. The biting thing is pure myth, Hollywood and fantasy novels."

"News flash, Brandon, so are werewolves." I couldn't help but point out.

"Point." He conceded, "You're going to find that some movies and fantasy novels aren't as make-believe as you thought. I know it's hard to believe but I'm not lying to you. I wouldn't do that to you, and you know it." He said calmly, and I shifted in my seat, feeling guilty that I had suspected him of doing just that.

"You're sure? I mean about the whole wolf thing." I asked, looking out the passenger window to avoid looking at him.

"Absolutely certain. Look, do you mind if we head back into town while we talk? While you were shifting back to human I called the Anikitos, our pack leader, and he's expecting us. I'd prefer not to be late and risk angering him."

"Do I have to?" I asked, apprehensive at the thought of meeting the leader of the local wolf pack. I tried to think of everything I had ever read about werewolf packs and their leaders and nothing I was coming up with was reassuring.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. Plus he'll have a lot answers for you that I don't. I may have been raised as one of us, but I'm still pretty young, and honestly, not all that high in the pack. There's a lot that I just don't know."

"Okay, but you have to promise not to leave me alone. I don't want you to just drop me off at some stranger's house and leave me. I'm uncomfortable enough with everything that's happening to me as it is, without being told what to believe by some stranger."

"I'll promise you that I won't leave you alone with the Anikitos unless you want me to, all right? You may decide after meeting him that you don't want me around."

"I can't see why I would do that, but if you say so I'll take your word for it. You've done nothing but help me this afternoon and I thank you for it." I said. Brandon started the car and pulled out on to the highway that headed back toward town.

Click here to keep reading.

# About the Author

Melissa was born and raised in Arizona, she's spent her entire life living across the southern half of the state. She's found that she prefers the small towns and rural life to feeling packed into a city, and often to write about the small towns she loves. With five books already available, Melissa spends much of her time working on the next story.

She lives in Arizona with her husband, and three kids. She can often be found in the stands at a baseball or softball park, notebook in hand, as she works while waiting for the kids to practice.

.

* * *

Don't forget to check out Melissa's other books!

Connect with Melissa online:

Twitter: <https://twitter.com/MelissaTStevens>

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Melissa-Stevens/282311451818513

Goodreads: <http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5062799.Melissa_Stevens>

Smashwords: <http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Melissastevens>
