Jaguar shifter, Brent, is on the most important mission of his life, to find his missing brothers. Separated years ago when their family home was attacked by the Ravens, Brent has never forgotten his lost siblings and will do anything to bring them back home. Then he finds out that one man holds the key to their location, a Hawk shifter named Daniel. Daniel has been on the run from the Ravens ever since they nearly eradicated all of his kind. Hiding by living as a human, the last thing he wants is to be sucked back into the shifter world. Then he wakes up to find a Jaguar shifter in his bedroom, demanding his help. Even though he wants to refuse, Daniel takes one look at the desperation in Brent’s eyes and knows he has to help. Even the smallest child knows that cats and birds don’t mix. It still doesn’t stop the two men’s growing attraction to each other. Even as they fight new and old enemies, their feelings of love grow. Will they be able to overcome a lifetime’s worth of hatred and prejudice to be together? Or will they have the pay the ultimate price for love?
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. A Feral Christmas Copyright © 2009 Stephani Hecht ISBN: 978-1-55487-444-6 Cover art by Angela Waters All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by eXtasy Books Look for us online at: www.extasybooks.com
A Feral Christmas Lost Shifter Series Book Two
By
Stephani Hecht
Dedication To all my readers. Thank you for everything.
Chapter One
I
f sun-kissed beaches, ocean waves and margaritas were a gift from God, then ice, snow and blizzards were Satan’s great big fuck you to the world. Daniel took a bracing breath before he got out of his car and stepped into the beginnings of an impressive blizzard. Instantly, the frigid air seeped through his heavy leather coat and he started to shiver. A cold wind slammed into his body, making him slide across a patch of ice before he regained his footing. Yep, this was definitely the work of the man downstairs. If there was one thing Daniel had never grown used to, it was cold weather. Maybe it was because he was a Hawk shifter and the bird in him didn’t like snow. There was a valid reason all his full animal counterparts formed those Vs and headed south every year. If he had half a brain, he would have joined them instead of letting a low paying job and a sense of anonymity keep him in 1
Stephani Hecht Minnesota where his only form of entertainment was watching his balls freeze off. Hell maybe his brother Colin had been right by calling him a whiny nancy. Of course, it had been nearly two decades ago that Colin had flung those parting words his way, but something told him his brother’s opinion hadn’t changed over the years. Regardless, Daniel couldn’t wait to get inside the house and get a fire started. Maybe he’d even add some Peppermint Schnapps to the mix, really live life on the edge. Throw in his Snuggie and then he’d be in heaven, Satan be damned. The only thing missing would be a warm, willing body to rub against, but then you always didn’t get everything you wanted. Pulling the collar of his jacket up to shield his face from another harsh gust of wind, he hurried up the driveway of the old farmhouse he called home. It was rundown and he had to watch his footing as he went up the warped steps of the porch. He wasn’t about to complain since he’d lived in worse places. It was night out, the sky seeming to be even darker since he was out in BFE and there were no streetlights. That was before you added the heavy snowfall that was getting stronger with each passing minute. Even with his enhanced vision, he had trouble seeing more than a few feet. He cursed for forgetting to leave the porch light on as 2
A Feral Christmas he tripped over something. Luckily, he made it to the door without falling flat on his ass. Just as he was raising his numb fingers to open to the lock, there was the slightest rustle of movement to the left. It wasn’t much, in fact, he barely heard it over the howling wind, but it was still enough to make his adrenaline kick in as he whipped to the side. All he saw was the vague outline of what had once been a barn and more snow. There was nobody standing there. No creatures were lurking about, and most importantly, no Ravens flying in the sky. Now that would ruin his holidays faster than a green Santa-costume-wearing monster with a stingy fetish. Still, he stared at the snow-covered landscape for several minutes. His heart pounded and white puffs of frost billowed from his mouth as he breathed heavily. Needing to feel the reassuring touch of cool steel, he slid his hand inside his coat to finger the butt of his Glock. “Okay,” he murmured. “Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to take that second shot at the bar.” Truthfully, it hadn’t been a good idea for him to be out period, but he’d grown so tired of being cooped up with only his inner monologue for company. He’d just wanted to hear someone else’s voice. Even if they had been the local drunks since the small town didn’t exactly cater to upscale 3
Stephani Hecht nightclubs. When he still didn’t see anything amiss, Daniel gave a slight shake of his head. All the years of being on the run must have made him paranoid. There was no way anybody could have found him since he’d become damn good at hiding his tracks. So all was fine, no worries. Now if someone would just tell that to his pounding heart and clenched stomach. He quickly opened the lock and rushed inside, slamming the door behind him. As he pressed his back to the wood and caught his breath, he scanned his gaze over the room, finding nothing out of place. “See, you’re getting yourself all jacked up for nothing,” he said, trying hard to ignore the fact that he’d stooped so low as to talk to himself yet again. “They haven’t found you. You’re safe. It’s okay.” Now if he could just believe his own pep talk. **** “I think I found the house,” Brent said into his communication piece as he blinked away snow that had blown into his eyes. “You think or you did?” was the snarky response from headquarters. Brent bared his canines and let out a little hiss, 4
A Feral Christmas although the asshole on the other side wasn’t there to see it. “Remind me to kick your scrawny ass when I get back to Michigan, Rat.” “Don’t tease. You know I like pain,” Rat shot back, sounding more bored than afraid. Brent closed his eyes and slowly counted to ten. Nobody could piss him off faster than the Cheetah shifter. One of these days he was going to figure out a way to muzzle Rat. Then the entire feline shifter population would share one great big group hug as celebration. “Speaking of pain, how cold is it out there?” Rat asked in voice a little too happy sounding. “As if you haven’t already looked up the weather report on one of your damn computers,” Brent snapped back between chattering teeth. “It’s balls numbing cold. Does that make you happy?” “You Jaguars never can take the cold. You’re all such big pussies about it. Pun intended, thank you very much.” “I’ll make sure I let Mitchell know you said that when we get back. I’m certain our leader will love knowing your high opinion of Jaguars since he’s one, too.” Brent lifted his hand to wipe his nose only to find his snot had frozen in place. Greeaaat…someone call GQ because this had to be his sexiest moment ever. All that was missing was him sticking his tongue to a flagpole and the picture would be complete. 5
Stephani Hecht “I don’t have to worry about Mitchell’s wrath. He already has it all heaped on you for not coming home for Christmas,” Rat drawled. This time the comment struck home and Brent felt a heavy guilt. Born from the same litter, they were as close as brothers could get and he didn’t like disappointing Mitchell. It didn’t help matters that this would be the first Christmas home with their little brother, Jacyn. They had just found him a few months ago and he was still adjusting to life in the shifter society. “Tell him I’m out here now so that next Christmas we can have all of our brothers home,” he said, aiming hard to keep his voice neutral. It was difficult though as he thought about his shattered family. Four brothers taken from them twenty years ago and only one found. That meant there were three more missing pieces out there and he wouldn’t rest until he brought them back. He looked up at the old farmhouse, thinking about the man inside. So far, Daniel had been their only and best clue that would tell them where almost a whole generation of feline shifters may be. Brent wasn’t going to rest until the man told him everything. Even if he had to get creative in thinking of ways to make him talk. “Just tell Mitchell I’m on the trail and I’ll be home soon with good news.” He cut off the link before Rat could fire off a smartass comment. 6
A Feral Christmas Pulling his facemask in place, he left the cover of the tree he’d been hiding behind and started to skirt his way to the house. Since it was snowing outside and he wore all black, he knew he stuck out against the white. To compensate, he stayed close to trees and buildings to blend into their shadows, as he kept a sharp eye out for both Daniel and the Ravens. Although he hadn’t seen a sign of them, he knew without a doubt they would be coming since they were after the same target he was. A certain Hawk shifter who knew way too much for his own good. Brent couldn’t let them get the man though. Daniel was the only one who could tell him where his missing brothers were. The only one who could bring his family back together after so many years apart. Possibly the only one who could save the entire feline shifter race from extinction. He didn’t like having to go to a flyer for help. Although Hawks weren’t as nasty as Ravens, they had never been friendly toward Brent’s kind. Of course, that was before the Ravens had turned on them and brought the Hawk numbers down to nothing. Which made all of the feline shifters wonder why Daniel and the other Hawks helped feline children in the first place? For years, the felines hadn’t even known the missing children were alive. Twenty years ago, the Ravens had led a mass attack on several feline 7
Stephani Hecht homes, killing off any felines they came across before setting fire to the homes. It had only been recently they’d learned that Hawk shifters had managed to save some of the orphaned children and hidden them amongst humans. Why they hid the kids instead of bringing them back to the felines, was a mystery. Frankly at this point, Brent didn’t give a monkey’s ass as to the why, he was much more interested in the where. Moving closer to the house, he gave the skies one more worried look before he pressed himself tight against the chipped wood siding, right by the kitchen window. A peek inside told him all the lights were out and Daniel had likely gone to bed. For a fleeting moment, he wondered if the Hawk shifter still looked as he had in the photographs the felines had. God, he hoped not. It would be easier to pull off this mission if the man was fat, ugly and a slob. Brent knew the chances of that were slim to none. Even though twenty years had passed, that was nothing to shifters. Once they passed puberty, the aging process nearly came to a complete standstill. There was little doubt that Daniel still looked as good now as he had when that last picture of him had been snapped. The image came back to Brent. Of how handsome the dark-haired man had looked as he smiled for the camera. How chiseled his jaw was 8
A Feral Christmas and how the Hawk’s nearly black, do-me eyes had seemed to call to Brent. Brent snorted. Shit, who was he kidding? Deep down he’d known this mission was more than just finding out where his missing brothers were. Ever since he’d seen Daniel’s picture, there had been some strange compulsion to have the Hawk in his sights. Looking into the window again, Brent’s lips spread into a feral smile. It looked like he accomplished one goal because before Daniel had ducked into the house, Brent had got enough of a glimpse to tell him he’d finally found the Hawk. Even through the dark and snow, Brent had been able to make out the hard lines of the man’s body. The smooth, sensual way he walked, even when he’d been sliding on the ice. Despite the cold, Brent’s cock swelled as he fantasized about stripping off his clothes and climbing into bed with the Hawk. Oh how warm and sensual Daniel’s flesh would feel as it pressed against him, heating him in more ways than one. Get your thoughts out of your pants and back on the mission. Now that he had found the Hawk, the last thing he needed was to let his wandering mind ruin things. Now all he had to do was get to Daniel and convince him to talk. After that, then he could worry about scratching that itch he’d developed 9
Stephani Hecht for the Hawk. Pulling out a set of daggers, Brent cautiously made his way to the front door. He would have to break in and then make it all the way to the bedroom without being detected. Not that he was worried. He was a feline shifter and nobody could hear them coming. **** Daniel could hear someone coming and judging by the scent, it was a feline shifter. Even though his heart started to race, he made sure to keep his breaths the same steady, slow rhythm, feigning sleep. He slowly slid one hand under his pillow where he kept his six-inch blade. It was one of his favorite weapons, perfectly balanced for both fighting and throwing. As soon as his fingers slid around the hilt, a small measure of comfort came to him. The feline was now in the living room. Most others, be they shifter or human, would not have heard anything. But years of being on the run had honed Daniel’s senses. It wasn’t much, just the slightest whisper of air displacement. It was enough though and he didn’t think for one second he’d imagined the noise or the distinct musky smell that screamed cat. Another sound this time closer let him know the cat was in the hallway outside his door. By 10
A Feral Christmas now, his heart was thudding so loud it was a wonder the intruder didn’t hear it. Daniel tightened his fingers around the knife. How had they found him? He’d been so damn careful. Left his shifter life behind and made a new beginning. It had been going good, too. He had a decent job. A place to call home. Hell, he’d even started a 401K. Now this asshole was going to bust into the world he had carefully built and ruin everything. You are so going to fucking die for this. He seethed inside since he couldn’t yell the words out loud. I’m going to skin your ass and make you into a rug to go in front of my fireplace. Then I’m going to buy a dog just so he pisses on it as one big last fuck you. The whisper of cloth against wood told Daniel the stalker had just entered his room. Without altering the pattern of his breathing, he took in the scent. Yes, it was definitely a feline. No doubt about it. The fact that they were now hunting him down was unsettling, but not entirely surprising. The only shocking thing was, it had taken them twenty years to figure it out. Although he didn’t hear anything else, he could sense the feline getting closer. No more than a few feet from his bed. If it had been a human intruder, Daniel would have already jumped up to confront him. That kind of tactic wouldn’t work for a shifter due to the natural ability to move fast. He couldn’t risk the chance of this one getting away. 11
Stephani Hecht No, he was going to kill the cat and then send his remains back to the rest of his coalition as a warning. Maybe then they’d think twice before they came in to make his life hell. A fresh surge of adrenaline shot through his body, making his skin feel tight and itchy as a cold sweat broke out on his brow. A low rumble sounded as the feline sprang. At the same time, Daniel flipped to his back and pulled his blade out. The plan was that when the cat landed, his own weight would impale him on the knife. That wasn’t quite how things worked out. Son of a bitch!
12
A Feral Christmas
Chapter Two
B
rent saw the glint of the blade just as he jumped on the bed. Knowing it would be too late to away back, he bowed his back out, landed on top of Daniel and then stretched out his body, pinning the man down to the bed. He avoided being gutted…barely. Brent let out a low hiss of pain as the tip of the knife cut into the flesh under his ribs on the right side. Daniel gasped in surprise. Brent used that to his advantage. He snaked one hand in between them to grab the Hawk’s wrist, twisting until the weapon dropped. Only when he had the man disarmed, did Brent allow himself to feel a small thrill of victory. “Naughty, naughty,” Brent admonished, his voice slightly muffled by his facemask. The corner of Daniel’s lips curled up in a snarl, but otherwise he didn’t say anything. Brent gazed down on the man, reveling in his first good look of 13
Stephani Hecht his prey this close up and in person. The picture they had of him back at headquarters didn’t do the Hawk justice at all. Even in the dark, Brent’s cat vision was able to make out how sexy the man’s dark eyes were. The fact they were sharp in anger only added to their appeal. He had such dark brown hair it seemed almost black and it made him even more attractive even if slightly mussed from sleeping. Brent had his hand halfway up to brush it back before he caught himself and stopped. The most appealing thing about Daniel though, had to be his body. Even though Brent couldn’t gaze at it, he could feel the hard muscles under him. Careful not to move as he took in several deep breaths, he became painfully away of every dip and curve of the Hawk’s tall frame. Then Brent took in a deep breath and knew he was in trouble. Even through the thin fabric of the mask, the alluring woodsy smell of Daniel overwhelmed him. Desire slammed into him and his body responded, his cock swelling against his pants. Daniel must have felt it pressing against him because his eyes got wide as he exclaimed, “You have got to be fucking kidding me.” Brent’s lips formed a sheepish grin that he knew couldn’t be seen before he shrugged his shoulders in the typical oopsy-daisy manner. That just seemed to piss Daniel off more. 14
A Feral Christmas Letting out a loud growl, he swept his leg to one side. In his distraction, Brent hadn’t prepared himself for such an attack and the movement set him off balance. Daniel used that to his advantage. Putting his hands on Brent’s chest, he shoved, hard. Brent went flying back. At the last second, his feline instincts kicked in and he tucked so he landed on his feet in a crouched position. “Now that wasn’t nice at all,” he admonished in a cold voice. “I just wanted to ask you a few questions.” “Fuck you,” Daniel snarled. Warmth spread out over Brent’s body as the man’s rich, warm tone washed over him. “You could have done that, too,” Brent crooned as he straightened up, then started to walk toward the man. Sheathing his daggers, he splayed his hands out to show he was unarmed as he continued, “I don’t mean you any harm.” “Then why in the hell did you break into my house? What can a feline possibly want with my kind?” Brent allowed his gaze to slowly travel up and down the male’s body before stopping at his cock. “I can think of a thing or two I could want from you.” “I’m sure you didn’t go to all the trouble of tracking me down just for a good screw,” Daniel 15
Stephani Hecht snapped. Brent could see a slight flush come over the man’s cheeks. He knew this really wasn’t the time or place for this type of conversation, but couldn’t put a lid on his impulse to goad the man. Caught up in thinking of what he was going to say next, he almost missed it when Daniel brought his hand back and threw a different knife in his direction. Cursing under his breath, Brent dove to the side to avoid being hit. Shock coursed through his already jacked up body. That had been twice now he’d let down his guard and Daniel gained the upper hand. In all his years as a soldier, that had never happened before. “Why wouldn’t I track you down for a good lay? Just one look at you tells me your cock is worth all the trouble.” Brent gave an internal bitch slap to his libido. Something told him that coming onto Daniel wasn’t the key to convincing him to help. Stop letting your cock control you. Think, think, think. Use your head. It was hard though. Daniel was only wearing a pair of blue, plaid sleep pants and his chest looked so smooth, tan and tight, his body tense as he prepared for the fight. There was a predatory glint to his eyes that made him all the more appealing and a small shaft of moonlight played against the hard planes of his stomach. Brent licked his lips as he imagined how warm and smooth the flesh 16
A Feral Christmas would feel under his tongue. “You need to come with me.” Brent held his hands up in the classic peace pose. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” Daniel snarled savagely. Brent half-expected another knife to be flying his way. “Look, I promise no harm will come with you. Don’t be afraid just because I’m a feline shifter. We have no beef against you.” Unless of course you refuse to tell us what you did with the lost shifters. Sexy or not, nothing would protect Daniel if he tried to hold out. Brent was going to find his missing brothers, even if he had to kill to do it. “I don’t give a damn what kind of shifter you are. You could be a fucking flamingo and I still wouldn’t give you shit.” Daniel balled his hands in fists as he moved forward a couple of steps. Brent sighed as he realized a fistfight was inevitable. Damn, it was going to be such a shame to mess up such a pretty face. “First off, there is no such thing as flamingo shifters. You birds may have kept a lot from us, but I’m pretty sure I would have noticed a guy turning into a pink lawn decoration. Second, what do you have against shifters? I hate to be the bad-news messenger here, but you’re one, too.” “Not anymore. I left that life behind.” “You can’t change what you are. You were born a shifter and you’ll die that way.” Brent just hoped 17
Stephani Hecht today wasn’t the day that Daniel did bite it. Daniel opened his mouth to reply before he gave a sharp shake of his head as annoyance crossed his handsome features. “Can you at least take off that damn mask? I feel ridiculous talking to someone who looks like an extra from a ninja movie.” “Sorry, can’t oblige you there. The mask helps me be stealthy and melt into the darkness. At least that’s what they told me when I was issued it.” Brent smiled. “It makes you look like a kid afraid to give up his favorite Halloween costume. Fine, don’t take off the mask. You can wear it as you leave my house and drive the hell away.” “Not going to happen. You’re coming even if I have to handcuff you to me and drag your fine ass all the way.” That comment must have been the final straw because Daniel let out a roar of anger as he attacked. Brent dodged to the side, but was too slow. His jaw was clipped. Pain exploded in his head, making him see stars, but he still managed to swing back, connecting with Daniel’s gut. The man let out a grunt before he wrapped his arms around Brent’s waist and brought them down to the ground. This time, Daniel ended up on top with another 18
A Feral Christmas one of those never-ending knives in his hand. For a wild second, Brent wondered if the guy was pulling them out of his ass or something because he always seemed to be able to have one handy at all times. The only logical explanation would be the man must have them hidden all over the place in order to always prepared for trouble. Brent couldn’t help but be impressed even as the edge of the blade pressed against his throat. Daniel spoke in a hard, cold voice, “I’m feeling charitable so I’ll let you live. But if I ever see you around here again, things won’t go so nicely for you.” Brent started to shoot off another smartass remark. Several loud thumps came from the roof, shaking the whole house. He froze as fear shot through his body. “This is not good,” he said thickly, even as more thumps pounded down over them. Brent silently cursed himself. Not only had he failed to get Daniel to come in, but he’d led the Ravens directly to the Hawk’s doorstep. **** Daniel’s heart seized in dread as he realized that after all these years, the Ravens had finally found him. Glaring down at the shifter pinned 19
Stephani Hecht underneath him, he realized how they’d done it, too. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t slice your head off and toss it and your carcass to the Ravens,” he snarled. A brief flare of anger flashed over the feline’s brown eyes, but other than that, he didn’t react. Of course, all Daniel could see of the other man was his eyes since that damn mask hid everything else. For all he knew the guy could be sticking his tongue out at him. “You kill me and you may as well off yourself next. Because there is no way you’re going to get away from that many Ravens without my help,” the man responded in a low rumble of a voice that was a bit like a purr. “You seem awfully sure that they’re here to do me harm. How do you know our kind doesn’t stick together like you felines?” The handle of the knife was feeling slick in Daniel’s palm as he strained to hear how close the Ravens were. “Aww,” the feline tsked. “You’re so cute when you’re coy. Come on, we both know what the Ravens and I are here for. I need you to talk. They need you to keep quiet. Now which one of us do you think wants you dead?” Daniel hesitated as he weighed his shitty options. The cat did have a point and he would need some help if he wanted to get out of this mess with his hide intact. There weren’t too many 20
A Feral Christmas things he was certain of at this point, but one of them was that the Ravens wanted him dead in the worst way. Letting out a frustrated grunt, Daniel got off the man and started to move quickly around his room, putting on a shirt and gathering up his weapons. As he sat down on the edge of the bed to quickly stuff his feet into shoes, he noticed the feline had two Glocks in his hands. The man’s sharp gaze shifted up to the roof and there was the slightest bit of movement behind his mask. “Are you smiling?” Daniel’s jaw dropped in incredulous disbelief. “Maybe a little bit. I always loved the thrill before a fight. My name’s Brent, by the way.” Great, he had an adrenaline junkie on his hands and a roof full of Ravens who wanted to kill him. Who said you couldn’t get screwed sideways just because it was the holidays? Daniel grunted as he stood and went over to his dresser. Pulling out his own Glock, he checked to make sure it was ready. “Not to be a nag, but we really should make a break for it before the birdies get impatient and come in for us,” Brent said right before he aimed his guns at the ceiling and started firing. Daniel cursed as he saw his house being destroyed. There was the ear-splitting ring of gunfire as a hail of bullets came from the Ravens’ end. Brent laughed and Daniel shook his head. 21
Stephani Hecht The fucking loon of a feline actually found this enjoyable. Not even Freud would want to touch a mind this messed up. “Come on. Let’s go.” Brent grabbed Daniel’s arm and jerked. Before Daniel could react, much less prepare himself, Brent shot out the window and dove through where it had once been. Daniel swallowed back a scream as he found himself falling two stories to the wet, snow-covered ground below. Of course, Brent twisted his body at the last minute and landed on his feet. Just like a fucking cat. On the other hand, Daniel landed in a painful heap because nobody ever claimed a dumbass bird that refused to use his wings would always land soles down. “Ouch, that looks like it hurt,” Brent observed as he cocked his head to the side. Daniel wondered, not for the first time, what the man looked like. Despite the fact that Brent had broken into his home, tried to capture him, pinned him down in his own bed and then brought the Ravens, Daniel couldn’t help but be intrigued. “I must have been dropped too many times on my head as a kid,” he muttered as he staggered to his feet. “I’m sure your mama did it because she was just trying to teach you how to fly.” “Does your mouth ever stop running?” 22
A Feral Christmas “No, not really. We have to move. Now!” Brent swung his guns in the direction of the house. Daniel’s stomach dropped when he saw the night sky alive with what had to be dozens of Ravens. Larger than normal ravens, when in their animal form, the winged shifters were the size of a large dog. They were ten times meaner and had vicious claws to back their attitudes up. A pair of them landed on the hood of his car and started to tear into it, the sound of screeching metal and breaking glass filling the air. “No, not my car,” Daniel protested as he raised his gun and squeezed off a couple shots. All that succeeded in doing was pissing the birds off more as they flew in angry circles to avoid the bullets before landing back on his car and doing more damage. “Wow, that’s a GTO, isn’t it?” Brent was shooting, too, but he was aiming at the sky, holding off an attack from above. “Yes, and now it’s destroyed.” “Damn Ravens never did respect good quality.” Brent clucked his tongue before he reached out and grabbed Daniel’s arm again. “There’s too many of them. Much as I hate to retreat, we’re going to have to make a run for it.” “Where to?” The air was so thick with the birds, Daniel doubted they would get far before being overtaken. Even if he had it in him to shift into his 23
Stephani Hecht Hawk shape, he’d never be able to carry Brent and the idea of leaving the feline seemed strangely wrong. “My car is close and unlike your baby, it was made to hold up against attack.” Still holding Daniel’s arm, Brent took off running, moving so fast that it took everything Daniel had to keep up. Behind them, he could hear the outraged squawks of the Ravens, followed by the flapping of dozens of wings. “We’re never going to be able to outrun them,” Daniel panted. “Wait for it.” Brent never turned back. Daniel was going to ask him what in the hell he was talking about until a huge explosion ripped through the night. Bright orange flame shot up from what used to be his house. For a second it seemed almost like daytime because the fire glowed so bright and then everything went dark. Daniel found himself airborne once again as the force of the explosion threw them forward. He hit the ground hard, his face falling into the snow. He got a mouthful of the cold, wet stuff and couldn’t breathe for one panic filled moment. Recovering, he scrambled to his knees and turned. “You fucking blew up my house?” “Call it my first insurance policy.” Brent let out a whoop of delight as he surveyed his destruction. The asshole actually seemed proud. Daniel had 24
A Feral Christmas to admit it worked. The Ravens that hadn’t been killed in the blast were now flying away, some of them wobbling a bit in flight like they were injured. “Your first insurance policy? Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like your next one?” Daniel asked, torn between shooting the feline and thanking him for saving their collective asses. Brent got to his feet and walked over. “Because you’re not.” Moving so quickly he almost seemed a blur, Brent whipped his hand out and grabbed Daniel’s wrist. Daniel felt something cool around his skin, before he heard a distinct click. Even though he knew what was there, shock still shot through him as he stared down at it. Fucking A. The feline had just handcuffed them together.
25
Stephani Hecht
Chapter Three
L
ifting up his gun, Daniel leveled it right in Brent’s face. “Take off the face mask,” he ordered. “Now.” Slowly, Brent used his free hand to pull the hat and mask off his head, revealing light brown hair spiked up from sweat and the most handsome face Daniel had ever seen. The feline had it all going for him, high cheekbones, a strong jaw line and full, sensual lips that just begged to be nipped. Almost as if reading his thoughts, the corners of Brent’s mouth kicked up into a lazy smile. “Is this where we kiss?” he asked, his hungry gaze boldly traveling the length of Daniel’s body. “Do you always say the first thing that pops into your head?” Daniel asked, not lowering the gun. He had a sneaky suspicion Brent didn’t feel threatened at all. Maybe because he knew something Daniel didn’t or perhaps it was just the guy was too much a psycho to take a gun to the 26
A Feral Christmas face seriously. “Yeah, it’s one of my faults. My brother Mitchell says I was born with no inner monologue.” Brent shot off a sly glance that looked way sexier than it should have. “So where do we go from here?” For one brief moment of insanity, Daniel wanted to shout, My bed! All he could think about was how it would feel to have Brent’s body under him, the man’s hard cock pressing against him. There were just two problems. Number one, there was no way in hell Daniel was going to get involved with a shifter, much less fuck one. Number two, his bed had been blown to bits with the rest of his house. “You take off these damn handcuffs and I’ll let you walk away.” Truthfully, Daniel wasn’t for sure he could shoot the man if it came down to it. While he’d killed in self-defense or in battle before, the thought of harming Brent bothered him. “You’re the first guy that ever asked me to take off handcuffs. Usually they’re begging for me to put them on.” Brent ran his tongue slowly along his bottom lip as he got a predatory flare in his gaze. His body seized by a fresh wave a desire, Daniel's breath caught painfully in his chest. “We don’t have time for this shit. Thanks to your light show, the human authorities will be here any 27
Stephani Hecht second. And we need to be gone before they start asking questions we can’t answer,” Daniel snapped, hoping his anger would hide his arousal. “You have a point. We should get going,” Brent replied in clipped tones before he turned around and started to walk again. Daniel stared at him in gap-jawed shock as he let himself be led away by the handcuffs. “I’m serious, I will shoot you.” “Yadda, yadda, yadda.” Brent used his lose hand to mimic someone speaking. “We both know you won’t do that. Do you want to know why?” “Why?” Daniel stumbled over a tree stump as Brent led him further down the dirty road away from his house. “Because I know where the keys are to the handcuffs and I’m not telling you. So if you shoot me, then you’ll have to drag my carcass around for the rest of your life.” “You’re insane!” “No, you want to know what’s insane?” Brent stopped suddenly. Daniel almost ran into him. Turing around, the feline gave him another one of the snarky smiles. “Please, tell me. Because we all know nobody knows crazy better than the top nut,” Daniel said. “You could get away from all this, the handcuffs, the Ravens, me. All you have to do is shift into your Hawk form and fly away.” Brent 28
A Feral Christmas followed his bombshell of an observation with a dry chuckle. “I told you, I want nothing more to do with that part of my past. I’m done with it.” Daniel started to shake, both from the cold and from the memories. Brent pointedly looked over at the smoldering remains of the house. “Yeah, well it looks like your past isn’t done with you.” “It is if you unlock the damn handcuffs and let me go,” Daniel argued, even though he knew there was no chance of that happening. “Are you shitting me? It’s not every day I find myself latched to a hot body like yours. Hell, I just may lose that key forever.” Flicking one last dismissive glance at the gun, Brent started walking again. Daniel was so stunned and insulted, he found himself incapable of speech. How dare Brent turn his fucking back on him as if he were no threat? Pulled along like some disobedient puppy, his trigger finger became itchy. Maybe if he squeezed off a shot the feline wouldn’t be so cocky. He didn’t have to make it a killing shot, a knee shot would do just fine. “Now we both know that wouldn’t be a good idea,” Brent called back, as if reading Daniel’s mind. “Not only would the gunfire let the Ravens know where we are, but I get cranky when I’m in 29
Stephani Hecht pain.” Daniel cursed under his breath as he realized the asshole was right. There had been a reason he’d led their retreat through the thickly wooded area. Even with the leaves being gone from most of the trees, it still gave them good cover if the Ravens flew over. Add in the heavy snowfall, they were practically invisible, even with heightened bird vision. “Fine, how about I just give you a good old fashioned ass kicking? Make you tell me where you’re keeping that goddamn key.” He tucked the gun into the waistband of his pants and shivered as a gust of wind blew over them. In his haste, he’d forgotten to grab his coat. Brent didn’t have a jacket either, but at least his shirt had long sleeves. “Oh, I might like it. Anything to get your hands on me.” That was it. Using his free hand, he punched Brent in the back of the shoulder. The man let out a grunt of pain as he stumbled forward a couple of steps, taking Daniel with him. “What the fuck? That’s just not nice.” “And messing up my life is?” Daniel jerked on the handcuffs, pulling the man off balance again. Brent tripped toward Daniel, who brought up his fist, getting off a great shot to his jaw. He expected an answering blow, but Brent gave a slight shake of his head as he rubbed the spot that had taken 30
A Feral Christmas the hit. When he gazed back, Daniel was struck by the raw emotions in the man’s eyes. “I’m sorry about your house, your car and all the things I ripped you away from, but you took something far more important from me.” “What?” Daniel asked hoarsely. Guilt built a bitter path down his throat and into his gut as he thought about that night so long ago. Brent held up four fingers. “That’s how many of my brothers I lost the day my parents were murdered by Ravens. So far, all we’ve been able is to find is one. Do you have any idea of how deep it cuts to know you have three pieces of your soul that are missing? To not know if they are dead, hurting or worse?” “What makes you think I can help you with that?” Daniel directed his gaze to the side, unable to meet Brent’s accusing stare. “A few months ago, we found my brother, Jacyn. He remembers that night.” Daniel whipped his head up, stunned. “How is that possible?” “Yeah, I guess you would want to know that since all the lost children’s minds had been wiped clean.” Brent gave a bitter chuckle as he shook his head in disgust. Daniel didn’t even try to deny it anymore. In truth, a female Hawk named, Loppa, had used her mental gifts to erase all the children’s memories. 31
Stephani Hecht At the time, the Hawks had foolishly believed that if the feline children didn’t know about their past, then they could be safely assimilated into human society. The elders thought it would cover their tracks so the Raven would never find out that the Hawks had disobeyed orders to kill the children. How damn wrong they’d been. Almost the entire Hawk society had paid the ultimate price for that mistake. “How did he remember?” Daniel shivered as another bitter wind whipped by. “Our Doc has this really neat concoction he makes. It’s a mixture of herbs, mushrooms and God knows what else, but it’s great at sending my kind into a hypnotic state. My brother took a spirit walk and remembered everything. He told us they would have all died if it hadn’t of been for you guys flying them out of there. My only question is why didn’t you bring them back to the felines? Why did you have to hide them?” “Because if the Ravens knew what we had done, they would have killed our people in retaliation.” Oh God, he was going to be sick. For years, he’d been pushing these memories away, refused to think about his old life. He took several deep breaths as a sweat broke out over his body. Daniel closed his eyes as the smells and the sounds of the screams came back to him. So much blood. So many dead. And there was not a damn thing he could do to stop it. 32
A Feral Christmas “Shit,” Brent whispered as horror slowly crept over his face. “That’s why the Ravens turned against you and nearly wiped out all the Hawk shifters. They somehow figured out you saved the kids.” “I should have been able to stop them.” Daniel swallowed hard as he clenched his hands into tight fists. Years worth of guilt and failure washed over him. “You can’t blame yourself. The Ravens are vicious. Plenty of other strong species of shifters have fallen because of them.” Brent reached out and touched Daniel’s arm. “You’re research no doubt told you I was leader of the Hawks at the time. So yes, it was my fault.” “It also told us you were just barely out of your teens at the time. Way too young to be saddled with that kind of responsibility.” Brent was so understanding. It should have made Daniel feel better, but instead, made him feel all the worse. He didn’t deserve pity or comfort. He should be hated and looked down on. “I still should have done better. Instead, I fumbled and led my people to their deaths.” Daniel was surprised at how much he was saying. But now the floodgates were open and he couldn’t seem to put a lock on them. “Didn’t you have elders and advisors?” “Yes. After my dad died, they were appointed 33
Stephani Hecht to help me out. But I was the one who insisted on saving the feline children. During my father’s rule, we always obeyed the Raven’s orders. That was the only thing that kept them from attacking us.” “So I guess that old saying of birds of a feather really isn’t true.” Brent stepped closer. The heat from his tall body warmed Daniel. It took all his willpower not to press into the feline’s chest and take comfort in his embrace. “No. Ever since I can remember, we lived in fear of the Ravens. But my father always managed to keep them from harming us. Then in the first year of my rule, I blew it.” “You didn’t blow it,” Brent argued as he reached down and cupped Daniel’s cheek. “The Ravens put you in a spot where there was no right answer. Any honorable leader would have done what you did. If anything, you’re one of the bravest men I’ve ever met.” Daniel felt a strange longing burn through him as he locked gazes with Brent. Despite the fact he’d just spilled some of his darkest secrets to a virtual stranger and his whole life had been rocked on its side, he couldn’t deny his attraction. Somehow their bodies managed to press closer together. So close that their lips were only inches apart. Brent exhaled sharply and Daniel felt the breath flutter against his face. The feline’s breath was sweet and sugary. 34
A Feral Christmas Was Brent going to try and kiss him? Would Daniel let him? The answer immediately came to him. Yes, he would. He’d enjoy every moment of it and probably beg for more. This was crazy. He didn’t know squat about Brent except that he was a feline. For decades, felines and Hawks had been at odds. But when he looked at Brent, he didn’t see an enemy. All he saw was a good-looking man that oozed sexuality and Daniel knew that nothing was going to stop him. For a few seconds, he didn’t think it was going to happen. Then Brent let out a low moan before he moved forward those few inches, his soft lips brushing against Daniel’s mouth. Brent’s touch was so warm, a stark contrast to the night air. Daniel reveled in it, opening his mouth and surrendering. Brent took the invitation, sliding his velvet tongue inside to tease. Daniel moaned at the taste of the man. Sweet, just like he thought. He felt Brent’s arm snake around his waist, his embrace chasing away the last of the chills. Daniel’s cock was hard, needy. Thrusting his hips forward a bit so his erection brushed against the hard body in front of him, he reveled in discovering that Brent’s cock was just as ready. It felt so thick, big. He suddenly realized that if he didn’t taste it soon, he would die. Their cuffed hands touched and he spread his 35
Stephani Hecht fingers, linking them with Brent’s as the man pulled back. At first, Daniel let out a whimper of disappointment until the man started to playfully nip and bite at his lips like the feline he was. Nobody had ever kissed him quite that way and he wondered how it would feel to get that kind of treatment on other parts of his body. Thrusting his hips forward again, he hissed as a sensual friction was created. The only thing separating them was the thin fabric of their pants. These teasing touches weren’t enough. He wanted to touch Brent’s cock, skin-to-skin, cold be damned. Sliding his hand between them, Daniel started to fumble with the opening of Brent’s pants. The feline reached out and stayed his hand. “As much as I want this, we should get moving. The trees and snow will only allow cover for so long and the Ravens will be on our tail. We need to get out of here.” “Damn,” Daniel muttered, feeling profound disappointment. “I know. I can’t actually believe I’m stopping this either. If you only knew how many nights I’ve dreamed of having you this close to me.” Daniel frowned. How was that possible when they’d just met? A shout from behind them pulled him out of his musings. Brent swore loudly as he tugged on Daniel’s cuffed hand. “They’re coming.” 36
A Feral Christmas Daniel turned around and his stomach twisted when he saw half a dozen Ravens in human form, chasing after them. Brent took off at a run and Daniel had no choice, but to keep up or be dragged though the snow. A gunshot rang out, the bullet hitting the ground beside them, kicking up dirt. They flinched, but neither one of them broke their pace. “My Hummer is just ahead. If we can get in, we’ll be doing a whole hell of lot better since it’s bulletproof,” Brent said as he veered to the left, toward where the woods would dump into a road. “Bulletproof? You’re shitting me,” Daniel panted. Damn, this just wasn’t fair. Even though he worked out every day, he was still puffing wind in an effort to keep up with the feline, while Brent didn’t even look out of breath. Figures. From what he could tell, the guy was just this side shy of being a superhero worthy of a comic book. Not only had he not shown one bit of fear tonight, but he’d managed to singlehandedly take out nearly a dozen Ravens. Forget the car, this guy was bulletproof. Nothing seemed to be able to break through his shields. Not even the cold. Despite the fact that the shirt he wore was thin, he hadn’t shivered. Daniel on the other hand felt like he was in the beginning stages of hypothermia. Another shot ran out, this one much closer. “We’re not going to make it.” Daniel gulped 37
Stephani Hecht hard, the air stinging his lungs and making each breath painful. “Sure we will. I never get caught.” Brent let out another one of those maniacal, cocky laughs. Daniel realized he was doing it to taunt the Ravens. And it worked because even more gunfire came their way. Daniel tensed, waiting for the all too familiar sting of a bullet piercing his flesh. Instead, he felt the handcuffs jerk as Brent stumbled forward. Daniel let out a roar of denial as he lunged forward to catch the feline before he fell. He was shocked and relieved when Brent shrugged his hand off. “I’m okay,” he said, resuming his breakneck pace. Daniel breathed a sigh of relief until he noticed there was a warm stickiness covering his hand. Looking down, he was horrified to see it was coated with blood—Brent’s blood. “You’ve been shot,” he exclaimed stupidly as he realized his one and only ally was now injured. Of course said ally had also kidnapped and handcuffed him, but who was he to nitpick? “Nah, I was just winged.” Brent chuckled. “Get it? Winged.” “Yeah, because we’re being chased by birds. You’re just a riot.” If he had the breath, he would have groaned at the bad pun. Instead, he just mentally stowed away the info that Brent was not 38
A Feral Christmas the best in the joke department. Still, the predator in him sensed that the feline was hurt a lot worse than he was letting on and that worried him in more ways than he was willing to admit. Even to himself. “We’re here,” Brent announced. Just as Daniel was about to ask him where the car was, it came into view, parked far off to the side of the road and nestled in a little dip so most casual observers would miss it. As promised, it looked huge and impenetrable. For that alone, Daniel could have kissed the man again. Brent navigated them toward the driver’s side and opened the door before giving an impatient wave of his hand. “What are you waiting for? Get in.” Daniel started to ask how in hell he was supposed to do that when Brent jerked him by the arm and nearly threw him into the car. Grunting in disgust, Daniel did an awkward crawl over the driver’s seat. “This would be a lot easier if you just took off the damn handcuffs,” he bitched. A dull ache started to throb all the way up his shoulder as his shackled arm twisted in an odd angle. “True, but then I wouldn’t have this golden opportunity to look at your ass,” Brent declared in a husky whisper. “Geez, is your mind ever off your dick?” Daniel jumped when he felt Brent’s hand on his ass, the 39
Stephani Hecht touch soft and almost reverent. “You mean besides when you’re trying to get your hands on it?” Daniel shot him a dirty look before finally getting himself settled into the passenger seat. Secretly though, he was a little amused. Brent had an uncanny way of making even running for your life entertaining. Brent slammed the door shut, pain flashing over his face. Just as he turned the engine on, more gunshots rang out. Daniel flinched, covering his head, before slowly realizing the feline hadn’t been lying when he said the vehicle was bulletproof. “Wow,” he breathed, actually believing for the first time that they may get out of this with their heads intact. “Told you. We get all the fun toys. One of the benefits of being the government’s bitch.” Brent hit the gas. They were both slammed back into their seats as the Hummer accelerated fast and hard. Struggling, Daniel craned his neck around to see several Ravens standing in the middle of the road, shooting. When that didn’t work, they all shifted to their bird forms. “Oh no, looks like the witch sicced her flying monkeys on us,” Brent tisked before he made a sharp right into the woods. “Fuck,” Daniel cursed, closing his eyes as the 40
A Feral Christmas Hummer narrowly missed hitting a tree. “Trust me,” Brent chided. Daniel snorted, this coming from the guy who’d turned a perfectly good house to kindling. “Thank you, but I think I’ll settle for keeping my eyes shut so I don’t see my own death coming at me.” “Have it your way, but you’ll miss all the fun.” “Color me boring, but I like it better this way.” “Living as a human has made you soft,” Brent scoffed. That pissed off Daniel enough to crack his lids open. Red-hot rage shot through his body. “Don’t underestimate me. The last shifter that did, found himself missing his head.” “Really, do tell? Who was it? A cockatoo shifter?” Brent cocked a brow. “No, it was a Jackal,” Daniel snarled. Brent let out a low appreciative whistle. “Wow, those things aren’t easy to take down. When did that happen?” He turned the wheel hard to the left to avoid another tree. “A couple of years ago. Thanks to him, I had to leave my home, kind of like I did tonight.” “Did it piss you off as much then, too?” “I left his head behind as a warning to anyone else who would be stupid enough to try to take me down.” Daniel hadn’t felt a bit of remorse about it either since the Jackal was a murderous 41
Stephani Hecht bastard who’d taken any bounty so long as the pay was high enough. “Well then, I guess I should consider myself lucky that you didn’t try to do the same with me.” Daniel grew silent as he wondered just why he hadn’t tried harder to escape. Sure, Brent was holding that damn missing key over his head, but in the past, Daniel would have never let something as small as that stop him. A year ago, he would have shot the feline and then cut off the man’s hand to get free of the cuffs. Yet tonight, he’d basically rolled over and taken it like a bitch. Why? He worked that question around in his head, hardly noticing when Brent pulled into an old barn and turned off the ignition. “We’ll hide here and hope the Ravens pass over without thinking to look in.” “What about the tracks the Hummer left behind?” Daniel started to shiver again, mourning the loss of the heat now the vehicle was off. “Hopefully the snowstorm will cover them.” “If not?” Daniel asked. “Then we’ll go with your way of handling things. Cut off their heads and putting them on a pike.” Brent grinned.
42
A Feral Christmas
Chapter Four
B
rent reached over and flicked on the overhead lights. Temporarily blinded, Daniel had to blink his eyes several times before they adjusted. As soon as he could though, he directed his gaze over to Brent, anxious to get his first real good look at the man. Maybe if he found a flaw or two in his appearance, he could get over this idiotic infatuation. . Damn, Brent looked even better in the light. Daniel realized the man’s hair wasn’t just a light brown, but it had darker patches of color speckled throughout and he had this insane urge to run his fingers through it. The Jaguar’s face somehow managed to be hard, yet sensual at the same time. His full lips slightly parted as he pulled out his cell phone and started to push buttons. Daniel’s mouth suddenly went dry as he remembered how it had felt to have those lips pressed against him. 43
Stephani Hecht Brent shifted slightly and let out a hiss of pain. Daniel jolted out of his sexual musing. What kind of idiot was he, ogling over someone who was injured? His stomach lurched as he noticed how the back of Brent’s black shirt had a dark patch where blood had seeped into the fabric. “We need to get you to a healer,” he said as he scrambled his mind to think of where the closest shifter who practiced medicine might be. Going to a human hospital was out of the question for their kind. If one of them accidently shifted while sick or injured, then there would be a lot of explaining to do. “We can’t risk stopping until we’re safely back at headquarters. It’s too dangerous with the Ravens on our asses.” “It won’t matter if you bleed so much you pass out,” Daniel argued. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve had much worse.” “Why don’t you try shifting and see if that helps?” Many times if an injured healer shifted, the changes helped their bodies heal at an accelerated rate. Unfortunatly, if the wounds were too severe, it didn’t always work. Brent lifted his cuffed hand as his lips kicked up into a smile. “If I shift into my Jaguar, we can’t very well keep these on.” “Are you always this stubborn?” Daniel snapped, aghast at the man’s tenacity. At the same 44
A Feral Christmas time, a little thrill went through him because he’d found out one more tidbit about the alluring man. A Jaguar? That would explain his unique hair coloring. “Only when it comes to my family.” A flicker of something Daniel couldn’t identify passed over Brent’s face. “Fine. Do you at least have a first aid kit or something? Maybe I can stop the bleeding long enough for us to get the hell out of this mess you dragged me into.” “In the back, behind my seat.” Daniel managed to twist around enough to pick up the duffle bag. Given how heavy it felt, the thing appeared to be pretty well stocked and he wondered just how many times Brent had to use it in the past. “What exactly is it you do for the government?” he asked as he set the bag in his lap and unzipped it. “They contract us to do jobs humans can’t.” Brent pulled his shirt over his head, sliding it down his shackled arm so it draped over the chain connecting them. Daniel blanched when he saw the neat hole in the man’s back. Pulling out some gauze pads, he ripped open the package. He then pressed them against the wound. Blood immediately started to soak through. “I suppose if you tell me more about the jobs you do, you’ll have to kill me,” Daniel teased as he continued to hold pressure on 45
Stephani Hecht the injury. “Something like that.” Not meeting his gaze, Brent added, “I am sorry I got you into all this.” “What if I told you that I didn’t know where the lost shifters were because I wasn’t the one who hid them?” Daniel asked, wondering if that would be enough for the man to let him go. A strange pull of disappointment went through him at the thought of never seeing Brent again. Get over it. He may have kissed you, but it was probably for shits and giggles. Felines don’t fall for Hawks. Period. Especially one who he thinks took his brothers away. It was true though, he didn’t know where the lost shifters were. Well, at least not technically. It really didn’t count that he could point Brent in the direction to the one living elder who’d been part of the plan, did it? “Let me guess, it was the elders who placed them with the humans,” Brent said, not missing a beat. Daniel cringed, realizing he’d underestimated the feline once again. They were silent for several long, tense-filled minutes. Still not saying anything, he slowly peeled back the padding, pleased to see the bleeding had slowed down to a mere trickle. Moving quickly, and with a skill that years of fighting had honed, he dressed the wound, despite the fact he had to do it with only one hand. 46
A Feral Christmas “Are any of them still alive?” Brent asked, breaking the quiet. “Who?” Daniel gulped as he looked at the feline’s muscular back. How he would love to have just a few minutes to run his tongue down the length of Brent’s spine before going lower to his tight ass. “The elders,” Brent drawled, the corners of his mouth twitching. It was almost as if he knew the decadent thoughts running through Daniel’s head. “Oh yeah, them,” Daniel started, jerked out of his sex infused daydream. He decided to go with a halftruth. “They don’t speak to me anymore. None of the Hawks do. Not even my cousin or younger brother.” It still hurt that they’d cut him off like that. The pain as fresh today as it had been then. But that shame was something he would never share with anyone. He dropped the subject and busied himself by shoving the supplies back into the bag. “You did a really good job of patching me up. It almost makes me feel bad for what I’m about to do.” Brent slowly rotated his bandaged shoulder. “It can’t be any worse than what you’ve already done,” Daniel scoffed. “I think it may be,” Brent replied, his tone sad, almost regretful. Moving so quick he didn’t have time to defend, 47
Stephani Hecht the feline stabbed Daniel in the neck with a hypodermic needle that he must have filched from the kit. “Fuck, you just tranqed me, didn’t you?” he asked stupidly. Brent may have answered him, but Daniel didn’t hear because the drug worked quick. Even though he fought it, a heavy cloak of unconsciousness surrounded and dragged him down. **** Brent sighed with heavy regret at he watched Daniel slump against the seat, his dark lashes nearly fanning his highly arched cheekbones. Even in rest, his body still carried a dark, lethal aura that let everyone know he wasn’t someone to be fucked with. He had the power to back up that threat, too. Brent’s jaw still throbbed from the blow Daniel had delivered. Plus, he more than handled himself against the Ravens. The Hawk may have been hiding and denying who he really was, but he’d never left the predator part of him behind. Brent’s cell phone beeped at him again, letting him know he’d received another text message. He didn’t even have to look at it to know it was Mitchell demanding a report. While they’d been running from the Ravens, Brent had somehow managed to lose the communicator in his ear. 48
A Feral Christmas Mitchell was probably beyond pissed that they weren’t able to contact him. Knowing he couldn’t put it off any longer, he grabbed the phone and called home. “It’s about damn time,” Mitchell barked as soon as he answered. “Sorry, I was a little bit busy running for my life to take time out to punch in a text message. I know it was inconsiderate of me. Maybe you should send me to soldier etiquette school so I can learn some proper manners,” Brent drawled. “How about I just pound them into you instead,” Mitchell snapped, obviously not amused. Not that Brent was shocked about that one. He didn’t think he’d seen his brother make a joke once in all of their lives. Even though they’d both been born the same day, they couldn’t be more different in personality. “Did you at least find the target?” Mitchell demanded in a stern, hard voice. “Have I ever let you down?” Brent felt the usual bitterness burning in his gut. Why did Mitchell always doubt him? Just because he’d been born second and wasn’t the leader of their coalition didn’t mean he was a fuck up loser. It seemed he’d been trying to prove that fact to his brother ever since their dad had died. “I just got off the phone with the leader of a Bear shifter pack that’s a mile from where you are. 49
Stephani Hecht He wanted to know why one of my felines blew up a house and stirred up the human authorities.” “Ravens attacked us and I had no other choice if I wanted to escape.” Brent clutched the phone tightly, wondering if Mitchell would have preferred he let himself be killed. He probably thought that would be better than making another shifter pack upset. Mustn’t cause a diplomatic incident. That would just be tragic. “Did you get injured?” Mitchell’s tone grew a little softer. It was just enough concern creeping in for Brent to hold back the sarcastic, Would you even give a damn if I was? “I’m fine,” he lied, even as his gunshot wound throbbed in protest. “How about the target?” Mitchell prodded. “You mean Daniel?” For some reason, it ticked him off that his brother refused to use the Hawk’s name, almost as if he were beneath them or something. “Yes, that’s who I meant. Were you tracking more than one all-knowing Hawk?” “He’s fine, just taking a little nap right now.” Brent winced as he wondered how mad Daniel was going to be once he woke up. “Okay, as soon as it’s clear, I want you to bring your ass and Daniel back here.” There was a long silence and for a second Brent thought his brother had hung up. 50
A Feral Christmas Mitchell cleared his throat and said, “I’m really glad that you’re going to be home for Christmas and I know Jacyn and Cassie feel the same way.” Now that Brent did believe, at least the Jacyn and Cassie part of it anyway. He and his sister had always been tight and he’d grown really close to Jacyn since he’d come home. “Yeah, well just make sure Cassie isn’t the one who cooks the holiday meal and we’ll call it even,” he said gruffly. “Now that would be just plain mean.” Mitchell chuckled. For a brief second, Brent was reminded of the brother he had before that horrible night where they’d lost everything. “How about if Daniel refuses to talk, we make him eat her tuna casserole?” Even as he talked about torturing the Hawk, Brent found himself cradling the phone under his cheek so he could reach over to stroke the man’s jaw. “Not even the Ravens could be that cruel.” “I guess not.” Noticing Daniel had goose bumps all up his arms, Brent reached in the backseat and snagged his coat. Draping it over the man, he returned to the conversation. “I don’t think the Hawks meant us any harm. From what Daniel told me, they were trying their best to protect the children.” “I’ll believe that once we have all of our missing 51
Stephani Hecht family members back and I don’t just mean our brothers. We have no idea just how many kids were saved all those years back. There are so many families that lost loved ones that night and now Daniel may be the only one who can bring them all home.” “I know,” Brent replied hoarsely. As he gazed at Daniel, an unwanted feeling of protectiveness surged through him. “Just so you know though, we aren’t the only ones the Ravens hurt. The Hawks are nearly extinct thanks to them and from what Daniel told me, it was because they helped us.” “They took our children and hid them from us for over twenty years,” Mitchell snarled. “How is that helping?” “I know how it seems.” Brent sighed as he ran his fingertips over Daniel’s face again. “Just promise me you’ll hear him out. Please.” “Are you getting a soft spot for the Hawk?” Mitchell asked sharply, as usual not missing anything. “Would it be so bad if I was?” Brent ran the pad of his thumb across Daniel’s bottom lip, recalling how nice the man’s kisses had tasted. “Yes, it would. You falling for the Hawk would be just about the worst thing that could happen,” Mitchell said. Brent’s heart sank as he realized how right his 52
A Feral Christmas brother was. It was dark again and they were only a few minutes from headquarters when Daniel finally began to stir, letting out a long moan as he slowly sat up. “Where am I?” he asked in a raspy voice as he stared through the window. “In Michigan. We’ll be in Flint in a little bit,” Brent supplied. “You drugged me, didn’t you?” Daniel accused, hurt flickering over his dark eyes. “Yes.” Brent didn’t see any point in denying the obvious. “It was easier for me to control you and frankly, I’m in no condition to fight if you suddenly got froggy and decided to try to escape again.” “Did it ever occur to you that maybe I wouldn’t try to get away?” Daniel’s fury was so strong the Jaguar in Brent could actually taste it. “Excuse me for jumping to conclusions. Correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t you the one who waved a gun in my face and demanded the key?” Brent snapped even as a bit of guilt started to develop in the pit of his stomach. Why he cared that he’d hurt Daniel was beyond him since he usually didn’t give a damn what others thought. “That was before I had chance to realize that now you’ve led the Ravens to me, blew up my 53
Stephani Hecht house and got my car destroyed, you’re the only safe haven I have at the moment,” Daniel snarled. Ouch. It hurt to know he was the last choice on the Hawk’s list. Clearing his throat, he said gruffly, “There are some energy bars in the glove box. You were asleep for most of a day so you must be starved.” “Did you lace them with drugs?” Daniel narrowed his eyes suspiciously. His distrustfulness stung, until Brent reminded himself he deserved it. “No, if you want, I’ll take a bite first to prove they’re safe.” “Don’t do me any favors.” Daniel opened the glove box and snatched out one of the bars, barely opening it before he sank his teeth in. He was quiet as he devoured the bar, not talking until he reached for a second one. “How is your injury?” It hurt like hell and Brent was starting to feel a little woozy and feverish, letting him know infection was already starting to set in. It wasn’t in him to admit to any weakness though. “Fine, just peachy.” The man didn’t look like he believed him, but shrugged as he continued to munch on the bar. Brent breathed a sigh of relief when the familiar landscape of Flint came into view. Just a few more minutes and they’d be home. Not only would Daniel be safe, but Brent could go to the infirmary and have Jacyn give him something to kill the pain 54
A Feral Christmas and infection. Then he’d find the closest bed and crash for the next few days. Crap, how long had it been since he’d slept? Two, no wait, three days and all he’d eaten in that time were energy bars. What he wouldn’t do for a nice deep-dish pizza from Buddy’s right now. “Sorry about the nasty ass bars,” he felt compelled to apologize. “Once we get settled into headquarters I’ll see about getting you something better.” “They’re not that bad. I’ve had to live off worse.” Something in the matter of fact kind of way Daniel said that tugged on Brent’s heart. While he may have gone through some crappy things in life, he’d always at least known where his next meal was coming from. “How old were you?” “How old was I when what?” Daniel asked as he settled back in the seat and gazed out the window. “When the elders cut you off.” “Within a year of the feline attacks. By then, the Ravens had already killed most of my people and the elders blamed me for not stopping it.” There was no mistaking the tinge of self-loathing in Daniel’s voice. Brent was aghast. From how Daniel talked, he was the same age as Brent had been when the attacks had gone down. How could they blame someone so young for that? Sure, Mitchell had 55
Stephani Hecht been just as immature when he’d taken over leadership, but from the sounds of it, he had a whole lot more support than Daniel did. “We’re here,” he said, glad to have something to distract him. Daniel squinted through the snow and dark. “Are you kidding me? This looks like some old rundown factory.” “That’s because it is. Before all the automakers pulled out of Flint, this place was used to make trucks. We took it over and made a few modifications inside to fit our needs.” Brent pulled in front of the guard shack and waited for clearance. “Do you guys actually live in there?” Daniel stared at the building in horror. Not that Brent blamed him. His first reaction at seeing the place had pretty much been the same. “No, just my family since as the leader, Mitchell, is on call all the time. The rest of the felines live nearby in the surrounding neighborhoods.” Brent was surprised when a Panther shifter, Kevin, left the shack and approached the car. Short by shifter standards, the dark-haired male was bundled up in a heavy down jacket. Rolling down the window, Brent asked, “Why in the hell are you on guard duty? This is way below your rank.” “I may have pissed off Mitchell a little.” Kevin flashed one of his shit-eating grins despite the fact 56
A Feral Christmas he was shivering. “It would take more than just a little for him to pull you from a team and plant your sorry hide in that shack.” “All I did was try to beat some sense into Rat’s thick skull,” Kevin admitted. “Why do I sense there is an and that you’re leaving out,” Brent prompted. Rat was the resident pain in the ass and everyone had tried to take him out at one time or another. If it hadn’t been for his mad hacking skills, they probably would have sent him to the Ravens with a great big red bow slapped on his ass years ago. “Some of the computer equipment kind of got in the way and got broken. Mitchell sent me out here for the night so I could have some time to think about how to better handle my temper.” “How’s that going?” Brent chuckled. He’d heard those same words tossed his way so many times he’d lost count. “Not so well, but I did think of ten new and inventive ways to kill Rat.” Kevin bent over at the waist so he could peer into the car. “Well, lookie what you have here. Is this the little birdie you’ve been searching for?” “Yeah,” Brent answered as he sensed Daniel tensing up. “Maybe now Cassie will stop being such a pill since this means you’re going to be home for 57
Stephani Hecht Christmas.” Kevin turned on a flashlight and swept it through the car before he gave a satisfied nod. “You’re clear.” “Thanks.” “I live to please,” Kevin replied dully, already turning back to make a dash to the shelter of the shack. “Friend of yours?” Daniel asked, a strange tone in his voice. “Yeah, we trained together as kids. I’ve been tight with both him and his mate forever.” Brent rolled up the window and pulled into the large parking lot. Since it was late, it was mostly deserted. “So he’s taken then?” Brent felt a bitch slap of jealously hit him hard. “Yeah. Sorry to disappoint you, but Kevin’s off the market.” “No, I didn’t mean it that way.” A slight flush came over Daniel’s cheeks. “Forget it.” It slowly dawned on Brent that Daniel had asked because he’d been trying to see if Brent and Kevin were the ones together. Could it be possible the Hawk was actually jealous? The thought warmed Brent. Parking the car, he felt a wave of regret go through him as he realized his time alone with Daniel was at an end. Mitchell would no doubt take over from here and try to get every bit of 58
A Feral Christmas information he could out of the Hawk. That meant Brent would have no reason to be around the man anymore. The thought upset him more than it rightfully should. He couldn’t help it though. The attraction to Daniel hadn’t dimmed over the past day. It’d only grown stronger. So fierce that Brent felt a strange surge of protectiveness go through him. At that moment, he knew if anyone tried to harm Daniel, he would make them pay. “We better get inside,” he grunted, hoping his emotions weren’t showing on his face. Opening the car door, he bit his bottom lip to hold back the groan of pain the motion caused. Damn, this gunshot wound was worse than he’d thought. He got out and waited as Daniel climbed over the seat to join him since they were still handcuffed. The cold air felt like a blessing against his feverish brow. Brent took several deep breaths to try to get rid of the dizziness. Daniel finally got out and shut the car door. Brent didn’t move, too caught up in the thrill of having Daniel’s body so close. He gazed into the man’s eyes and was pleased to see the same desire he was feeling stamped there. That gave him the courage to move forward so his body was pressed against Daniel’s, pinning him against the car. Closing his eyes, Brent leaned in and rubbed his cheek along the Hawk’s face. “What are you doing?” Daniel asked in a shaky 59
Stephani Hecht voice. “Marking you with my scent. That way the others will leave you alone because they think you belong to me.” Brent bit his tongue to keep from adding, They’d be right, too, because you are mine. “Oh, I guess that makes sense.” He was shocked as the man’s hand ran through his hair. “That feels good.” Brent let out a feline sounding purr as Daniel’s fingers massaged his scalp. “Won’t the others get mad if I come in smelling like you?” “I don’t care.” Brent turned his head so he could lightly nip at Daniel’s ear. “Funny I don’t either.” Daniel cupped the back of Brent’s neck and brought him in for a kiss. For the Hawk to take the initiative both shocked and sent a sexual thrill through Brent. One that made him rock hard, his cock pushing painfully against his pants as it begged for attention. He opened his mouth to moan and Daniel immediately thrust his tongue inside. Brent almost came as the spicy, wild taste of the man washed over his senses. He reached out to caress his arm and pulled back when he encountered cool, bare skin. “Shit, I forgot you don’t have a coat. You must be freezing.” He mentally kicked himself for not remembering sooner. Daniel didn’t complain 60
A Feral Christmas though, quite the opposite. With a growl, he grabbed Brent by the front of the shirt and pulled him back. “I don’t feel a thing. Now get back here, I want more.” Brent didn’t have time to protest before Daniel claimed his lips once again. It felt so nice to have the Hawk be the aggressor that all other concerns suddenly vanished. His injury, the cold, what obstacles they may have to face in the future, none of them mattered. He pressed his body even tighter to the man, a primal urge making him want to soak Daniel in his scent. It wasn’t just to hold the others at bay. No, he wanted to mark the man as his. Mine! And God help anyone that comes between us. Brent rubbed against him again, but it still wasn’t enough. He didn’t just want to feel that huge cock pressed against him, he wanted to taste it. Breaking off the kiss, he gave an eager lick of his lips before he dropped to his knees in front of Daniel. The slushy snow instantly soaked through his pants, but he hardly noticed it as he reached out and started to fumble with the ties of Daniel’s sleeping pants. “Fuck, you’re not going to actually do that out in the open like this?” Daniel protested weakly. Brent paused long enough to look up at him. The man was gazing back at him, his dark eyes 61
Stephani Hecht glazed over with passion and he breathed heavily between parted, kiss-swollen lips. His dark hair rustled a bit when a breeze kicked up and Brent marveled at how Daniel could look dangerous and sensual at the same time. “Does that mean you want me to stop?” Brent was compelled to ask even though he felt like he was going to bust if he was denied the pleasure of sucking Daniel’s cock. “Hell no, I just wanted to try to be the voice of reason.” The man rolled his hips forward, the bulge from his erection huge as it strained against the fabric of his pants. “Now quit stalling and take my dick in your mouth. Or are you trying to make me beg for it?” Brent grinned. He wouldn’t make Daniel beg. Yet. But before he was done with him, the man would be pleading for release. Finally getting the pants undone, he lowered them just enough to free the man’s erection. For a second, Brent froze in awe of the magnificent cock in front of him. Large and thick, with a ruddy tip, it was made for sucking. As he watched a drop of pre-cum form at the tip, Brent couldn’t resist leaning forward to lick it off. A low purr rumbled in his throat at the salty taste of Daniel. “Damn, talk about a cat purring because he got the cream,” Daniel said in a stained voice before he gave a short chuckle. “Ouch, that pun was so bad it makes me almost 62
A Feral Christmas want to get up and leave,” Brent teased as he ran one finger up the tender underside of the man’s shaft. “Okay, I promise to shut up. Just take me in your mouth and get on with it. Please.” Brent smiled at the urgent need he heard in the man’s tone. Obeying, he parted his lips and slowly took Daniel into his mouth. His cock was warm, hard and it tasted so good—so right that Brent knew he’d never be able to give him up.
63
Stephani Hecht
Chapter Five
D
aniel bit his bottom lip to keep from shouting as his cock was slowly bathed in the moist heat of Brent’s mouth. He couldn’t believe that they were actually doing this out in an open parking lot where anyone could see them. Yet, he was powerless to stop it. In fact, if anyone tried to interrupt, he may be tempted to shoot them. Daniel gazed down at Brent marveling at how handsome the feline was. His eyes were closed, snow sprinkling his dark lashes and the wind making his cheeks red. The darker speckles of color in his hair continued to intrigue Daniel. He ran his fingers through it, loving how soft it felt under his touch. Brent hummed in approval as he pulled back before sucking his cock deeper. “Damn, your mouth is magic,” Daniel hissed, closing his eyes and throwing his head back in pleasure. This wasn’t his first blowjob by any stretch of the imagination, but it was by far the best. Brent didn’t just suck him. The feline also 64
A Feral Christmas gave those playful nips and bites of his. His mouth and lips were everywhere. First, he played along his shaft, then the tip of his cock was pulled into his warm mouth, before he started to teasingly lick Daniel’s balls. When Brent sucked them into his mouth, Daniel didn’t even try to hold in his cry of pleasure. Another gust of arctic wind blew by them. He barely noticed it, too caught up in Brent and his sweet mouth. “Take my cock back, please,” Daniel begged, rolling his hips forward. “Suck it deep.” Brent gave a wicked smile, looking so sexy it was all Daniel could do not to pounce him and fuck him right there. “Told you I’d make you beg,” the feline crooned right before he took Daniel’s cock into his mouth and sucked so hard his cheeks hollowed out. “Enjoy the power while you have it,” Daniel groaned as he started to thrust his cock in and out. “Just know that the first chance I get, I’m going to pin you down, spread you wide and fuck you into submission. You hear me?” Brent whimpered around his cock as he nodded. Lifting his gaze up, his eyes beseeching and lustful. Daniel realized the feline was enjoying this as much as he was. “You like having me fuck your mouth, don’t you?” 65
Stephani Hecht Again Brent nodded, never letting up with his sucking. Daniel fisted his hand in the shifter’s hair and quickened his strokes. Brent let out another whimper and that was his undoing. With a loud moan, Daniel climaxed, his cock pulsating as he shot off into the feline’s eager mouth. Even after he was spent, Brent continued to suck and lave him, like he was eager to gather every drop of cum. It wasn’t until Daniel’s cock was completely clean that he stood and faced him. His lips were gleaming from the remnants of semen. A possessive thrill went though Daniel at the sight of it. He fisted the man’s shirt, bringing him forward for a hard kiss. Brent gasped before he started to kiss him back, his hot tongue darting into Daniel’s mouth. Tasting himself on the man’s lips sent Daniel further over the edge. Even though he’d just had an orgasm, his cock got hard again. Letting out a feral growl, he twisted their bodies so it was now Brent pinned against the car. Brent let out a cry. Daniel could tell it wasn’t in passion. Pulling back in concern, he saw a flicker of pain pass over the feline’s face. When he remembered Brent’s injury, passion immediately replaced guilt. “Sorry, I lost control,” Daniel apologized as he let Brent go. 66
A Feral Christmas “That’s okay, we both did.” Brent was breathing heavy. Even though it was freezing out, there was a fine sheen of sweat on his brow. “We should get in before someone comes out to check on us. Kevin probably already called ahead to let them know we’re here.” Pulling his pants up, Daniel nodded. He noticed that Brent’s hair was messed up where he’d grabbed it, so he reached over to smooth it down. The man got a tender look in his eyes that made the breath hitch in Daniel’s chest. He realized just how much he’d grown to care for the man in the mere few hours they’d been together. If that wasn’t a kick in the can. He finally found someone worth being around and they couldn’t be more wrong for each other. Shifters always stuck to their own kind when it came to picking mates and he didn’t have any reason to suspect Brent would be any different. This whole interlude was probably just a fun diversion to him and didn’t mean a damn thing as far as he was concerned. The thought hurt Daniel way more than it should have. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you,” Brent vowed, no doubt thinking Daniel’s sudden silence was because he was anxious about going into a building full of felines. With those simple words, Daniel knew he was a goner. Fuck, could he actually be falling in love 67
Stephani Hecht with Brent? Not trusting himself to speak, he just nodded dumbly and allowed himself to be led to the building. The closer they came, the more rundown and crappy the factory looked. Did Brent actually expect him to believe they were running a top-notch operation out of here? The felines must be struggling to survive like so many other shifter breeds. That could be the only plausible explanation for them working out of this dump. Brent opened the door and ushered him inside. Daniel sucked in a breath as his entire opinion changed. The interior of the building was nothing like the outside. It was a state of the art military operation. Monitors lined the walls and large television screens, all showing different data feeds. Some had maps, others had different news channels and a few had images on them that looked like they were from security cameras. Partition walls ran along one side, dividing the large space into offices and meeting rooms. Even though it was evening, there was still plenty of activity as men and women rushed around. “Wow,” Daniel breathed. Maybe if the Hawks would have had this kind of technology at their fingertips they wouldn’t be nearly extinct now. A wave of bitter resentment went through him before he put a lid on it. He had learned long ago not to dwell on the what-might-have-beens in life. 68
A Feral Christmas “Not at all what you expected, huh?” Brent grinned as he pulled him into one of the small offices. A lone shifter was in the room manning what had to be a dozen computers. With hair so dark it had to be dyed, especially since it had blue streaks running through it, the man fit the typical Goth stereotype. He was dressed in all black had more piercings then out to be legal, and even had his green eyes rimmed with liner. “Hey, Rat,” Brent said. “Is my brother around?” “Which one? The grumpy one? Or the hot, sexy paramedic?” Rat quipped, never once looking up from his keyboard. “You better not let Logan hear you talking about Jacyn that way.” Brent leaned forward and slapped his hand over the keyboard, forcing Rat to stop working. The Goth shifter let out an aggravated sigh before finally looking up. “You can’t blame a guy for looking even if his choice is off the menu.” Rat rolled his eyes, before he looked over at Daniel. “Speaking of hot and sexy, who is this?’ “Cut the crap, Rat. You know damn well who it is.” “Buzzkill. You’re starting to get just as boring as Mitchell.” Rat’s lips curled up into a shit-eating grin. “Well maybe, not quite as dull. You do know the parking lot has security cameras?” 69
Stephani Hecht Daniel felt all the blood drain from his face as the implication of Rat’s words sunk in. Judging by the man’s snarky comments and I-know-whatyou-were-doing look, he had a front row seat to what had gone down between the two of them. Daniel shot a quick glance to see if this was all news to Brent and was pleased to see he looked just as shocked. “When exactly did we install cameras in the parking lot?” Brent demanded as he shot an apologetic look over at Daniel. “We had another security leak and Mitchell insisted they be installed.” Rat switched over to a loud, dramatic stage whisper, “He’s convinced we have a snitch amongst our ranks, but don’t tell the Hawk. We can’t let him know all our secrets.” Daniel shook his head, not sure if he was amused or annoyed by the strange behavior. Now he could see why Kevin had tried to beat him. Brent let out an aggravated sigh as he ran his hand through his hair. “Will you just tell me where Mitchell is?” “He’s in the war room, debriefing a team that just came in.” Rat flicked a glance their way. “Oh, handcuffs, kinky. Are those the same ones you used on me?” An unwanted rush of jealously went through Daniel when he saw Brent’s cheeks flush. Rat seemed to find the whole situation 70
A Feral Christmas amusing. “Don’t get your feathers all ruffled there, Hawk Boy. That was long ago and only lasted one drunken night. I am so over Brent.” “You’re such an asshole sometimes,” Brent growled as he glared at the computer geek. “I’m just trying to smooth things over with your new boyfriend. Even if I hadn’t seen you on your knees worshiping him, I would know something was up between you two since he just reeks of your scent.” So Brent had been telling the truth when he’d said that would help keep others at bay. Daniel looked over to see how Brent was handling all this goading and frowned when he noticed there was still a fine sheen of sweat covering the man’s face. Then he realized that Brent was way too pale and starting to tremble. “Where is his other brother, the paramedic?” Daniel asked as he reached over and touched Brent’s cheek. Damn, he was way too hot. He cursed himself for not noticing sooner. When he felt the heat coming from the feline before, he had just assumed his skin had seemed so hot in contrast to the winter cold. “He’s working in the infirmary.” Rat grew serious as his gaze took in Brent’s condition. “I’ll phone him right now.” “That’s not necessary,” Brent protested even as he swayed on his feet. 71
Stephani Hecht “Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?” Daniel soothed. He could hear the hushed conversation as Rat called for help. “Fine, but Jacyn doesn’t need to come all the way here. I’ll walk to the infirmary.” “No offense, but I don’t think you’ll make it.” Daniel tried to ease Brent into a nearby chair, but the man refused to budge. “Jacyn’s on his way,” Rat announced. “What should I do with your Hawk while you’re getting patched up?” “It’s not that serious of a wound so he can stay with me,” Brent said. The expression on Rat’s face showed he doubted that. “Are you sure? I could get one of the go-go cages to stow him in,” Rat suggested. “Just try it,” Daniel snarled. A man dressed in blue scrubs came running into the room. Daniel immediately noticed how the newcomer bore a striking resemblance to Brent. Although Jacyn was thinner, he shared the same hair and eye coloring. He didn’t spare Daniel or Rat a glance, all his attention focused on his injured brother. “What kind of mess did you get yourself in?” Jacyn asked as he rushed over. “Not you, too,” Brent chided. “You’re beginning to sound like Mitchell.” 72
A Feral Christmas Jacyn reached over and touched his brother’s forehead. “Jesus, you’re burning up. What in the hell happened?” “He got shot in the shoulder last night,” Daniel answered. Jacyn gave a slight start, proving he hadn’t noticed his sibling shackled to another man. “Did the bullet pass through?” His brown-eyed gaze searched Daniel’s face, no doubt sizing him up for either friend or foe label. “No, and he refused to go to any of the local healers. I patched him up as best I could with the kit he had, but he needs more.” “Obviously,” Jacyn muttered as he turned back to his brother. “Why didn’t you shift?” Daniel lifted their cuffed hands up. “I told you, a go-go cage would have worked much better,” Rat sang out. “You could have shifted and stalked around the cage while Daniel danced for you.” “Back off, Rat,” Jacyn ordered gently. Daniel was shocked when the asshole actually listened this time, lifting his hands in a surrender pose before turning back to his computers. “Just ignore him,” Jacyn advised. “He’s doing it to intimidate you and get a rise out of Brent.” “It’s working.” Brent swayed a little on his feet. “If I didn’t feel like crap, I’d finish what Kevin started.” 73
Stephani Hecht “We need to get you to Doc Featherstone.” Jacyn tried to lead Brent away, but the feline shrugged off his hold. “Call Cassie first,” he ordered, his voice slurring just a bit. “What for? You’re two seconds from passing out on me and I’m not in the mood to carry your stupid ass all the way through the building,” Jacyn snapped, his face getting the same irritated look Brent had worn at points during the Raven attack. “I need to make sure Daniel’s okay.” “I’ll take care of that, now come on.” Jacyn tried once again to lead him away, but Brent still resisted. “No, it has to be her. She’ll make sure Mitchell doesn’t send him away like he did with Logan.” There was an almost frantic tone to Brent’s voice. Daniel wanted to reassure him. “I’m not going anywhere.” He gave Brent’s hand a gentle squeeze and was dismayed at how hot and sweaty the man’s skin felt. Despite having an audience, Brent turned to him and cupped his face, gently fanning the pad of his thumb along Daniel’s cheekbone. “Promise me.” “I swear it to you.” “Ugh, you guys are beginning to make me gag. Both of you leave before I shoot myself just so I don’t have to listen to all this drama,” Rat bitched. “Shut up, Rat,” Daniel and Brent ordered in 74
A Feral Christmas unison as they pulled apart. Daniel instantly missed the heady sensation of the feline’s touch. “Oh my God. Brent!” A small female with long hair, the same shade of Brent’s, came running into the room. “Another one!” Rat exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. “Since when did my office become a hot spot? I’m going to have to get a velvet rope and hire a bouncer at this rate.” Daniel was tempted to finish the job Kevin had started. Giving Rat a scathing look, he wondered how much room was in the guard shack. Freezing his ass off seemed like a small price to pay. Anything to shut the jerk up. That would have to wait for later though. Right now, the most important thing was getting Brent the medical attention he so desperately needed. “Take the key out of your front pocket and undo the cuffs, Brent,” Daniel gently ordered. The feline’s eyes flared with surprise. “You knew all along where I had it?” “Yeah, like I said, I knew going with you was my only option.” When he saw disappointment flicker across Brent’s pale face, he hastened to add, “But that’s not the only reason anymore.” Brent still hesitated. “I should probably wait until Mitchell gets here.” It hurt a little that Brent still didn’t seem ready to trust him. Letting out an aggravated sigh, 75
Stephani Hecht Daniel reached into the man’s pocket and retrieved the key himself. Unlocking the cuffs, he slid Brent’s wrist free, leaving his side in place for now. When Brent still looked unsure, it pissed Daniel off enough to grab Cassie. “What the hell?” she yelled. He took her wrist and snapped the cuffs in place, shackling himself to her. He tossed the key back at Brent, who caught it neatly in one hand. “There. Now you don’t have to worry about your target leaving while you’re getting treated,” he said, hurt giving his voice a hard edge. “Daniel, I didn’t mean for you to do that.” Brent shook his head. “Whatever, just go get treated. You’re brother is right, you look about ready to fall flat on your face. We wouldn’t want to upset poor Rat by getting blood all over his fancy office.” The Goth shifter opened his mouth to fire off a comeback, but Daniel cut him off with a loud snarl. “One more word from you about that damn cage and you’ll find out that broken computer equipment will be the least of your worries.” Rat smirked as he mimicked using a key to lock his mouth closed. “You don’t have—” Brent began. “You had a mission and you completed it, I understand. Don’t worry, this dumb bird knows his place.” 76
A Feral Christmas
Chapter Six
I
t was the hardest thing he’d ever done in his life, not looking at Brent as he shuffled out of the room. Only years of living with just his wits and instincts to survive kept Daniel from taking back his words. Besides, where did Brent get off acting like he was the only insulted one here? It wasn’t like Daniel had been the one who’d tranqed him. That seemed a lot worse in his book. He was so lost in his inner fuming that he was completely caught off guard when Cassie sharply jerked on the handcuffs. Stumbling forward, Daniel narrowly avoided slamming his head into a nearby cabinet. “You and I have some talking to do,” Cassie spat, her eyes sharp with fury. “We do?” Daniel tried to regain his balance, but she yanked on the handcuffs again, making him trip in the opposite direction. He could have easily retaliated by jerking back. With his body weight, 77
Stephani Hecht he knew he’d come out ahead of a tug-a-war. But then he thought about Brent. It was obvious he cared about Cassie and Daniel knew he couldn’t hurt her. “How did my brother get injured?” she demanded. Letting out a cat like hiss, she tried to pull the cuffs again. This time he was ready for it. Tensing his arm, he stood his ground and didn’t allow himself to move. “He zigged when he should have zagged.” Daniel knew it was a mistake to say that as soon as he heard Rat gasp in surprise. “Dude, you must have one serious death wish. Even I’m not dumb enough to piss Cassie off,” Rat drawled ominously. “Listen real close because I’m only going to say this once,” Cassie snapped, her face tight with coiled anger. “Brent may have forgotten what you did to this family because he’s thinking with his dick, but I’m still seeing everything clear. You’re nothing but a low life, flying piece of shit. And I’d love nothing more than to have an excuse to take my boot to your head.” Daniel stared down at the little ball of hate standing in front of him. “At least you have a family. The felines weren’t the only ones who lost that night.” “What could you have lost that could even compare to the hurt of having your brothers 78
A Feral Christmas ripped away from you?” Everything. I lost everyone I loved and all that could have been. I was left with nothing but regrets and bitter memories. He’d die before he admitted that to her or Rat though. Maybe he could have if it had just been him and Brent in the room, but the thought of stripping himself bare to someone else made him feel physically sick. Instead, he decided an abrupt change in subject was in order. “We need to get out of here.” “Why?” she asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Two reasons. I want to check up on Brent and I have to take a piss.” He didn’t even try to hide his grin at the latter statement. To her credit, she held her ass-kicker façade perfectly. “If you think I’m going to take you to the bathroom, then Hawks are even more stupid than all the rumors said.” “Fine, I’ll go right here.” He would, too. Right now he was so pissed off he’d do just about anything to prove his goddamn point. “You’re such a pig.” “No, I’m a stinky piece-of-shit of bird, as you seem so happy to remind me.” He started to fumble with the ties to his pants. “Okay, I didn’t want to do this to Rat…oh hell, who am I kidding? Doing this to Rat is only the cherry on my big fuck you sundae.” 79
Stephani Hecht Rat let out a huge laugh. “I think I’m beginning to like this guy.” “Fine, then you can take him to the bathroom,” Cassie said, shooting the Goth shifter a murderous glare. “I don’t like him that much.” Rat gave him a lazy wink. “Sorry, you’re hot and all, but feathers make me sneeze. Not only that, but I don’t think Brent would take too kindly to me playing with his new chew toy.” “I don’t even want to know what that means.” Cassie pulled another handcuff key out of her pocket. Daniel was shocked to see she had one, too. What, did all felines have them handy at all times? And if so, why? Surely if they all had a big BDSM fetish, he would have heard about if before now. Then he realized that Brent must have somehow handed it off to her before he left. Despite still being ticked at the guy, Daniel felt a little warm inside, knowing that Brent had been watching out for him. Cassie undid the cuffs and tossed them to the side. He rubbed his wrist, relieved to have it free. Then he noticed Cassie giving him a speculative, almost hopeful look. “Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not planning on running and giving you an excuse to shoot me,” Daniel informed her in a tone so cool it matched the temperature outside. “Now just show me to the 80
A Feral Christmas can…please.” She made a sweeping gesture with her arm. “Down the hallway and to your left. You lead the way. The day I turn my back on a bird will be a day when pigs fly.” “Trust me, lemon drop. The day I have to stoop to attacking someone from behind will never happen. I always like my prey to see what’s coming.” “Boy, I would love to be at your family Christmas dinner this year,” Rat snarked, leaning back in his office chair to get a better view. Cassie snorted. “The only way Daniel’s getting invited to dinner is if he’s the main course.” “I wouldn’t be so sure of that…” Rat paused for effect, “…lemon drop.” Daniel didn’t even try to hide his smirk when Cassie growled low in her throat. Now that she was on the receiving end of Rat’s mouth, it was amusing. “What could possibly make you think that my brothers and I would even think about having this piece of crap over?” “Oh, I think Brent has a much, much higher opinion of old Hawkie here. You want to see the tape?” Rat reached over to touch a button on his keyboard. “It was videoed?” Daniel felt all the air leave his lungs as horror rocketed through him. 81
Stephani Hecht “Yeah, I was planning on selling the sex tape on the internet. You’ll be famous before you know it.” “You do and I’ll cram your precious security cameras down your throat,” Daniel threatened, but with a little less heart than before. The more Rat talked, the more Daniel saw his cocky attitude was all a shield. To hide what, he had no idea, but he was willing to bet it wasn’t pretty. Things never were with their kind. “Yeah, well don’t come crying to me when you don’t get an offer for your own reality show.” Rat turned back to his computer, obviously bored with everyone now. “Let’s go.” Cassie jerked her head to the door. Daniel obeyed. The entire time they were walking down the hall, he could feel her glare boring into his back, almost as bad as twin blades. “What kind of game are you playing with my brother?” “No games, sugar cookie. I grew sick and tired of them years ago,” he replied tiredly. The drug apparently still had to work its way out of his system since he was feeling groggy. “Why do you keep calling me those disgusting nicknames?” “Because I know it will annoy you. It always did my sister.” He swallowed hard as the familiar ache came to his chest whenever he thought about Jane. 82
A Feral Christmas “Did? As in past tense?” They paused by a door that was marked Men’s. “Yeah, she died several years ago.” “Oh.” Her gaze grew soft for the first time. “If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?” He did mind, but he also knew the longer he held it back, the worse things would be once the truth came out. “The Ravens chased her down, killed her and then stripped the flesh off her bones to teach me a lesson.” Cassie paled as she nervously cleared her throat. “What lesson was that?” “That I made a big mistake.” “What mistake could possibly be that bad?” She slowly shook her head. “I tried to save everyone and instead I found out that can never be possible.” Not wanting to face another question, he pushed open the bathroom door and went in. **** Mitchell ran through headquarters, not pausing even though several felines called out his name. It didn’t matter. Even if he did take the time to stop and talk, his mind wouldn’t be able to focus. All his thoughts centered on getting to the infirmary and making sure Brent was okay. Even though he and Brent were the same age, 83
Stephani Hecht Mitchell had always been the one who looked out for the others. He was the protector. So now, as soon as he’d heard Brent had come in injured, Mitchell had to go to him. Running into the infirmary, he started to bypass the small waiting room until he saw Cassie and Jacyn sitting there. Coming to a stop, he asked, “How is he?” “In surgery. By the time he came in, he was too sick to shift so Doc Featherstone is going to have to go in and get the bullet out,” Jacyn said. He must have just gotten off shift because he was still in his scrubs. “How did it get this bad? Someone told me it was just a shoulder wound so a shift should have healed it if he’d taken his Jaguar form right away.” Mitchell started to pace the room, a nervous habit of his that he’d inherited from their father. “He refused to shift and leave bird brains unsecured.” Cassie nodded over to a man sitting a couple chairs down from her. In his worry over Brent, Mitchell hadn’t noticed him before now. Even though he was slouched over and looked like he’d been through hell and back, the guy still had the mark of an Alpha. His dark gaze met Mitchell’s unflinchingly and there was a slight tension in his body that let Mitchell know the guy was ready to attack at the first sign of trouble. “What happened?” Mitchell asked, careful to keep his tone neutral. Although he was 84
A Feral Christmas upset, he knew they desperately needed this man’s help. Besides, diplomacy always worked faster than force. “We were attacked by Ravens. While we were making a run for it, Brent got shot.” A rueful smile crossed the man’s face. “That was after he blew up my house and the Ravens ripped apart my car.” Mitchell could just imagine the fireworks show his brother had put on. Ever since they’d been old enough to fight, Brent had loved all things that could be used to destroy. Guns, grenades, explosives. All of them would bring a smile of joy to his face. Mitchell also sensed there was a lot the Hawk wasn’t telling him. It made him wonder what was going on between the stranger and his destructive brother. His anxiety and curiosity did a spike when he breathed in and realized that Brent’s scent was all over the man. Yeah, Brent and the Hawk had been getting up close and real personal. And after a mere day together. That had to be a record, even for his brother. “Mitchell, can I talk to you in private for a minute?” Jacyn asked in that soft quiet way of his. Mitchell nodded and they went to one of the empty examining rooms. Jacyn shut the door before turning around. His face was lined with worry as he hedged for several seconds, obviously not knowing how to start. “Just spit it out. You know you’re always free to speak your mind with 85
Stephani Hecht me,” Mitchell urged as he leaned against the table and crossed his arms over his chest. He itched to start pacing again, but knew that would only make things more tense. “What are you planning on doing with Daniel?” It took Mitchell a few minutes to realize who Jacyn was talking about. Even though they had known the man’s name from the beginning of the search, he’d been thinking of him as The Damn Hawk and had almost forgotten it. “If he doesn’t cooperate, then he’ll be treated like an enemy combatant.” When he saw Jacyn blanch, he added, “You need to learn how to let go of your human morals because we’re not like them. I know they raised you and that’s all you’ve known until recently, but you’re a shifter. And that means a whole new set of rules. When they say Survival of the fittest, they meant it.” “So does that mean we don’t have compassion, empathy or mercy?” Jacyn asked, his gaze growing intense, thoughtful. Mitchell was stunned to find himself squirming under it. As Alpha of the felines, he’d always done what he thought was right for the pack, all the while not caring who he pissed off in the process. Yet after all Jacyn had gone through, Mitchell felt himself caving. Then the little punk went in for the kill. 86
A Feral Christmas “I promised Brent. He was sick and about to pass out, but he wouldn’t get medical attention until Cassie and I swore Daniel would be safe and cared for. I intend to see it through.” “Look, I’m all for playing nice and making new friends,” Mitchell reasoned. “So long as Daniel is helpful and tells us what we need to know, he’ll be treated with the upmost of respect. But—” Jacyn cut him off, “There can be no buts. I want to find our brothers as much as you do, but not if we lose Brent in the process.” “That’s not going to happen,” Mitchell scoffed. “You don’t know him like I do. The Hawk may be his flavor of the hour right now, but Brent will move on quick. He never stays with one lover too long.” “Not this time.” Jacyn shook his head. “You didn’t see the way they were looking at each other. Brent cares for Daniel.” “That’s impossible. They just met yesterday for God’s sake.” “Sometimes a few hours are all it takes,” Jacyn said, his face pensive. Mitchell knew he was thinking of his mate, Logan. “So what do you suggest we do with him? Set him up in the presidential suite and give him a day at the spa?” Mitchell demanded in a biting tone. Despite wanting to strangle him, Mitchell was proud when his brother didn’t flinch. Not 87
Stephani Hecht many shifters could stand toe-to-toe with their Alpha when he turned his anger on. “No, of course not. Why don’t you put him in Brent’s room for now? We can post some guards at the door and wait. I have a feeling once Brent’s well, he’ll have better luck than us in getting Daniel to open up.” “Fine, but you and Brent both owe me for this. Our apartment is going to reek of bird for months,” Mitchell conceded, hating that it was actually a sound plan. If Brent had developed a bond with the Hawk, then he could get the answers they needed much quicker. Cassie popped her head in the door. “Doc says Brent’s out of surgery and we can go see him now.” Mitchell and Jacyn rushed out. Pausing in the waiting room, he turned to Daniel. “I’ll have one of my felines take you someplace where you can clean up and get some rest.” “Thank you for your generosity.” Daniel tipped his head slightly. But it wasn’t enough so he looked like he was acknowledging Mitchell had any rank over him. Interesting. It looked like someone had taken the time to at least teach him the basics in diplomacy. Looking Mitchell in the eye, the Hawk added, “First though, I want to check on Brent.” Mitchell was ready to deny him, then stopped 88
A Feral Christmas himself when he saw the warning look Jacyn shot his way. Hell, even hard ass Cassie seemed to be warming up to the bird. She gave a sheepish smile as she shrugged, her expression clearly saying, What can it hurt? Mitchell let out a low growl of irritation before he led the way.
89
Stephani Hecht
Chapter Seven
I
t was obvious Brent’s family wasn’t too thrilled with his request, but damned if Daniel could find it in himself to care. Right now, his driving need to see the man and make sure he was truly okay overrode any other emotion. It was taking all his discipline not to push past them and run to Brent’s side. Everything inside Daniel, every instinct, both man and animal, was screaming at him to go to what was his and protect it. His? Now where did that thought come from? Sure, he was attracted to Brent and there was no doubt in his mind that they’d eventually fuck, but after that, it would be over. Felines and birds didn’t mix, period. If it was one thing the cartoons got right, it was that those two species didn’t get along well. The only thing missing were the anvils and a crazy soundtrack. It was no use though. No matter what his inner Doubting Thomas said, as soon as Daniel saw 90
A Feral Christmas Brent lying on the hospital bed, he felt powerless to stop himself from rushing over. The man’s eyes were closed and he looked just as pale as before. He wore nothing from the waist up, save for a large bandage covering his shoulder. All was silent, save for a slight whirl coming from the IV pump and soft blips coming from the heart monitor. A tall Native American man wearing a white lab coat leaned over a bedside tray as he wrote notes in a file. “How is he, Doc?” Mitchell asked. “You should be asking me how I’m doing,” the doctor grumbled. “I was the one who just had to spend my precious time bent over his ungrateful hide because he was too stupid to shift as soon as he got hurt.” “That’s my fault,” Daniel felt compelled to defend. “He was trying to protect me.” His fingers burned with a need to reach over and place a light caress on Brent’s brow. Fighting it, he curled his hands into tight fists so he didn’t give into the urge. “Well then both of you should have shifted and got your asses out of Dodge.” The doctor didn’t even look up from his paperwork as he delivered that scathing comment. Since Daniel would die before admitting his weakness to anybody other than Brent, he just said, “It was snowing pretty hard and flying 91
Stephani Hecht would have been tricky at best.” “Yet, the Ravens were still able to launch an attack,” Mitchell pointed out. He caught on way quicker than Daniel had hoped. “True, but they couldn’t stay in the air long. That’s the only reason we were able to get away.” Now that part was true. Daniel had no doubt that the blizzard had saved their lives. “Stop grilling him,” Brent mumbled, his eyes still closed. Daniel felt a pleasant surprise at hearing the man’s voice. “Hey, how are you feeling?” Jacyn stepped closer and pressed his hand against Brent’s cheek. The fever must have been gone because the shifter gave a satisfied smile before pulling back. “Shoulder hurts.” Brent’s words were thick and slow, like he wasn’t all there. Cracking open his lids, he fixed his bleary-eyed gaze on Daniel. “Come here.” Daniel obeyed, stepping closer. Brent reached out with his good arm, his movements sloppy. Daniel obliged, reaching out to take his hand. As soon as they touched, the now familiar feeling of arousal surged through him. Great, wasn’t he just a gem? Getting hard for a guy who was injured and sick. All too aware of the rest of the man’s family’s curious glances, Daniel allowed 92
A Feral Christmas Brent to pull his hand even closer. Nuzzling his cheek into Daniel’s fingers, Brent started to purr, the loud rumbles piercing the shocked silence. “Mine,” Brent declared. He really started to rub his cheek into Daniel’s touch. The movement reminded him of a housecat begging to be petted. Damn his soul to hell because injured or not, he wanted desperately to answer the man’s needs in the most wicked ways. “Everyone can leave now,” Brent ordered as he lightly nipped on Daniel’s fingertips. “Not you though, Hawk. I want you to climb into this bed and play with me.” Daniel felt himself flush. It got even worse when Brent started up with the purring again. Daniel shot an apologetic look at the man’s family as he tried to pull his hand back. Brent held on surprisingly strong for someone so doped up. “Doc, what in the hell did you give him?” Cassie asked, her eyes the size of baseballs. “Some good shit.” The doctor finally looked up from his chart and grabbed a full syringe from the tray. Stabbing it into an IV port, he pressed the plunger down. “Obviously though, it wasn’t enough because he’s talking.” “You mean awake,” Daniel corrected. “No, I meant talking. He never does shut up.” The doctor’s lips twitched into what may have 93
Stephani Hecht been the beginning of a smile. Sure enough, Brent’s eyelids started to flutter shut. “Mitchell…” The feline’s voice was so weak that Daniel couldn’t make out the rest of it. Mitchell leaned in and put his ear down close to his mouth. Judging by the sour look on the feline leader’s puss, whatever Brent had said didn’t make him happy. He still gave a tight nod as he pressed his lips together. That satisfied Brent enough for him to allow himself to slip into a deep sleep, his fingers growing limp around Daniel’s hand. “Come with me,” Mitchell ordered Daniel. “We’ll get you fed and someplace where you can crash for a while.” “I take it this place is going to have bars and not because it’s a go-go cage.” Brent sighed. Mitchell gave him a confused look. Jacyn simply said, “Rat.” “Oh, I get it now. No, it’s not a go-go cage or a jail.” Two whole days. Forty-eight hours of being confined to a bedroom. With nothing to occupy him but his own thoughts, TV and a shelf of paperbacks. Daniel felt like he was going crazy. When Mitchell had led him through the feline headquarters to a large apartment in the back, Brent had been confused at first. He was further 94
A Feral Christmas stunned when he was led to an actual bedroom. True, it didn’t have any windows and there were a pair of guards stationed outside the door, but it beat the jail cell he’d been so sure had his name on it. Once trapped inside, it had only taken Daniel a few seconds to determine it was Brent’s room. Though sparsely decorated, it had the man’s scent all over it. The first night there, Daniel had lain awake, his jacked up body too wired to sleep because of the lingering smell of the feline. It clung to the sheets and pillows. Even during the day, Daniel found himself repeatedly burying his face in the bedding so he could drink it in. How pathetic was he? Reduced to sniffing blankies because he’d fallen hard for some guy who probably could care less for him. Next, he would be doodling their names on a piece of paper, complete with a hearts and arrows. The most unsettling thing about his whole captivity though, was that for the most part, he’d been left alone. For the first day, he’d been on razor’s edge as he waited for Mitchell to come in and interrogate him. Then as the minutes ticked into hours, Daniel had gradually accepted that they weren’t going to come in with rubber hoses or pliers. So he had plenty of time to think of Brent. Again and again, Daniel replayed their time 95
Stephani Hecht together, trying to figure out how the feline had gotten under his skin so bad. In the meantime, he continually strained his ears, hoping to hear the warm tones of his guy’s voice. The longer Brent stayed absent, the more Daniel worried about him. While Jacyn had assured him the feline was doing fine and on the mend, Daniel didn’t know if he could really trust the guy. They could very well be playing mind games in hopes of tripping him up. The sad thing was, he had nothing of value to give them. He fretted that once Mitchell found that out, Daniel would be kicked to the curb with the rest of the garbage. While that would suck because he had no home to go back to and a pack of Ravens on his ass, that wouldn’t upset him nearly as much as not being able to see Brent again. Daniel threw himself on the bed and covered his eyes with his arm as he let out a groan of frustration. How in the hell had he let himself become so dependent and attracted to a feline? If his dad were still alive, he would have disowned Daniel for such a transgression. That’s if he hadn’t ordered his his execution instead. He couldn’t deny it any longer though. Despite everything that said it was wrong, Daniel knew he wanted Brent. And he wouldn’t rest until he had the man. The door rattled as someone unlocked it. Daniel looked at the clock. When he saw it 96
A Feral Christmas wasn’t quite time for dinner, his heart leapt in his chest. Either it was someone coming in with that rubber hose or it was Brent. When the door opened and the man that had haunted his dreams walked in, Daniel barely contained his smile of excitement. He started to get up, but Brent held up a hand. “Stay right there,” he ordered. With his justshowered hair slicked back and dark t-shirt coupled with faded blue jeans, he’d never looked sexier. The color had returned to his face and he showed no signs of pain as he shut the door behind him, then leaned on it. “Are you sure you don’t want to kick me out?” Daniel quipped. “Most felines wouldn’t be too excited to find a Hawk in their bed.” “Are you kidding? If you try to leave, I’ll break out the cuffs again and shackle you to the bed.” Brent’s needy gaze devoured Daniel as he licked his lips. Daniel found himself stuck dumb with arousal as his cock swelled to life. “You look so damn sexy lying there in my clothes on my bed,” Brent declared in a harsh voice. “So you’re not mad I’m here?” Daniel covertly rubbed his hand over his dick to help ease the pressure. Brent still must have noticed because a flicker of heat flashed through his eyes. Brent’s hungry gaze seemed to devour him, but 97
Stephani Hecht the feline still didn’t move closer. “The only thing that would have made me angry would be for me not to find you waiting here. All I can think about is how good your cock tasted when I sucked it dry.” Brent finally started to move closer, his gait slow and dangerous like the predator he was. “Funny. All I’ve been able to think about is how hot and sweet your mouth was.” Some inner part of Daniel was screaming at him to take it slow, to not rush into sex without thinking it through first. He ignored it. All that mattered right now was getting Brent into bed with him. “Does that mean you want a repeat performance?” Brent quipped, the corners of his mouth kicking up into a lazy smile that made him look all the more delectable. “Could be. Or maybe this time I want to be the one who gets down on my knees. Are you up for it? The last thing I want is for you to be in pain again.” “I’m good. Doc patched me back up enough so I could shift and heal the rest of the way. As soon as I got better, all I could think about was getting to you so we could finish what we started by my car.” Brent paused, the slyest of looks passing over his face. “Unless you don’t want to.” “Are you kidding? The past couple days that I’ve been locked in this room, all I wondered about was how you would feel in my mouth. 98
A Feral Christmas What your cum would taste like as it coated my tongue. Whether you’re a screamer or a moaner.” This time Daniel didn’t even try to be discrete as he palmed his own dick. By now, it was so hard that it was painful and he knew only Brent could ease the ache. No other would do. “Nobody’s ever been good enough to make me scream.” Brent reached the edge of the bed. Taking off his shirt, he tossed it to the side, then climbed on the bed and slid up to straddle Daniel’s thighs. Daniel stared up, captivated by the Jaguar’s chest. Brent didn’t have an ounce of fat on his tan muscular body. He reached up and traced one of Brent’s flat brown nipples, earning a hiss of pleasure from the man. God, his flesh felt so warm, so alive. Until that moment, Daniel hadn’t truly realized how lonely he’d been all these years. “Why don’t you take off your pants?” Daniel suggested, sliding his hand down to the waistband of the feline’s jeans. The urge to taste Brent was so strong that it was all he could do to keep a calm front. “Last time I got all the attention, so it’s only fair for you to get some, too.” “Trust me, I enjoyed that as much as you did,” Brent argued. Daniel undid the feline’s pants and reached in. The man’s cock was thick, hard, the tip already wet with pre-cum. Daniel used that to lubricate his 99
Stephani Hecht fingers so he could glide them up and down Brent’s long shaft. “I’m supposed to be bringing you down to talk to Mitchell,” Brent admitted with a soft smile. His eyes were closed as bliss made his features sensual. “He can wait. I, on the other hand, won’t.” Daniel gave Brent’s cock a generous squeeze. Not pausing for a response, Daniel twisted his body and rolled over. He took Brent with him so they ended up with the feline on the bottom as they faced each other. “How come we always seemed to end up in this position?” Brent asked as he rolled his hips up. Daniel got the hint, once more fisting the man’s cock. “Because it’s where you belong, naked, with your legs spread out and ready for me to fuck you.” Daniel started to feather kisses down the man’s sleek chest. “The hell with it. Mitchell can wait all damn day if he has to.” Brent gasped when Daniel gave one of his nipples a light nip. “Your skin tastes so good.” Daniel moaned as he started to travel lower. The urge to bite the man hard enough to leave behind a mark was overwhelming. Not that he wanted to hurt Brent. No, he’d sooner cut off his arm than do that. He just wanted to mark the feline some way, to 100
A Feral Christmas somehow claim ownership. Shit, this wasn’t just a fleeting sexual attraction. The bond he felt toward Brent was so much more. It should have scared the crap out of Daniel. Instead, it made him more eager to continue. Giving Brent’s stomach one last lick, Daniel pulled back so he could peel the man’s jeans off. Daniel swallowed hard as he took in the beauty of the man. With a tight, perfectly shaped body, from his taut stomach to his thick cock, Brent was what wet dreams were made of. “Beautiful,” Daniel crooned before he repositioned himself so his mouth was just inches over the man’s erection. A single drop of pre-cum glistened on the tip. Daniel lapped it up, his tongue making a lazy path across the slit. “Good,” he moaned, still reduced to one-word declarations. His ball numbing arousal making him stupid. “Please, Daniel. Suck it hard,” Brent pleaded, need making the hard angles of his face stand out. Like he could deny that wish. Opening his mouth, Daniel took the man’s cock in. He moved slow, making each inch one of torture and pleasure. While he wanted nothing more than to attack Brent’s cock like it was his last meal, he also wanted to make the man beg a little bit more. Brent tried to thrust his hips up, but Daniel reached out with one hand and held him into place. 101
Stephani Hecht “Please. Please. Please,” Brent chanted. He had a desperate edge in his voice that sent a thrill through Daniel. By the time he was done with the feline, he’d be doing a whole lot more begging.
102
A Feral Christmas
Chapter Eight
B
rent’s body felt so tight with unanswered need that he seemed ready to split at the seams. Daniel continued to slowly ease his aching cock inside his hot mouth, making a game out of the sweet torture. “I’ll do anything you want. Just please suck me,” Brent cried. Never before had he begged a lover like this, but then none of them had been his sexy Hawk either. Something about Daniel that made him more special than all his past flings combined. Brent couldn’t put his finger on it, and quite frankly, at the present moment, he was in no mental position to try. All that mattered was getting relief. Just when he thought he was about to scream, Daniel sucked him all the way in. Brent let out a cry of relief, thinking the torture was over. How wrong he was. Daniel started to worship Brent’s dick. He used his teeth and tongue to drive him to the edge, only to pull back time and time again. It 103
Stephani Hecht seemed to go forever. Just when Brent was sure that Daniel was going to have mercy and allow him to come, the Hawk would pull back before starting all over again. Brent pleaded with him as he tried to thrust up to fuck Daniel’s mouth, but the man kept a firm grip. His fingers biting into Brent’s hip so hard there was bound to be bruising. The pain didn’t bother him though, if anything, it added to the sweet torture. “Daniel, finish me. I’m begging here. I’ll do anything you ask.” Just when Brent felt sure he couldn’t take anymore Daniel released his hip. Letting out a harsh cry of relief, Brent started to thrust up and down, fucking the man’s mouth with an almost frenzied pace. Daniel took everything he dealt and then some, reaching in between Brent’s legs and squeezing his balls. Brent barely held back a loud yell as he came, releasing himself into Daniel’s waiting mouth. The Hawk continued to work him all the way through, licking and sucking until every drop was gone. As soon as the man sat back, Brent scrambled to his knees so they were facing each other. Their faces so close that their breaths mingled as they panted in need. “You have way too many clothes on,” Brent observed. Reaching out, he grabbed the halves of the 104
A Feral Christmas black button up shirt Daniel was wearing and pulled. Buttons popped and scattered as the garment gave, revealing the Hawk’s glorious chest. Daniel laughed, his rich tones making Brent jerk in reaction. “I would be pissed that you ruined a perfectly good shirt if I hadn’t borrowed it from you in the first place.” “Screw the shirt.” Brent arched forward, his body pressed against the man, spreading his scent all over him again. “I’ll buy you a dozen more to replace it. Now take it off so I can touch more of you.” Daniel tsked before dipping his head down to press a hard kiss against Brent’s lips. The salty taste of cum still lingered on the man’s mouth and despite the fact he’d just found relief, Brent’s cock throbbed with need. Daniel cupped the back of his head and deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding inside to stroke and tease. “What’s the magic word?” he demanded, still not moving his lips away. “Huh?” Brent’s fuzzy mind couldn’t remember the conversation they’d been having. “You told me to take off my clothes,” Daniel reminded. His hands slid down Brent’s back, not stopping until they were grasping his ass. “Yeah, right.” Brent was finding it harder to keep up intelligent 105
Stephani Hecht conversation when Daniel was touching him. Especially when he felt the man’s finger slide into the crack of his ass. Brent tensed, a thrill of desire shooting through him as he waited to see what the Hawk would do next. When all Daniel did was lightly circle his hole, Brent hissed. “Enough with the teasing,” he demanded in a hard voice. “You’re used to others always following your orders, aren’t you?” “Of course.” Even though he wasn’t the official Alpha of the felines, Brent still held one of the highest ranks. He didn’t answer directly to anyone but Mitchell. So when he told someone to do something, they always did. No questions asked. Moving so quick Brent didn’t have time to react, Daniel grabbed him by the back of the head and shoved him down on the bed. Brent let out a grunt of surprise as he suddenly found himself pinned to the bed, cheek pressed against the mattress, his knees tucked under him. “Fuck,” Brent groaned as desire shot through his body. Daniel had one hand on the back of Brent’s neck, his hold firm and punishing. Normally he would have fought, refused to succumb. The animal in him not willing to show any weakness. With Daniel, it was different though. Not only did Brent go along with it, he even lifted his ass higher, offering himself fully to the man. 106
A Feral Christmas “Lube. Where is it?” Daniel demanded in guttural voice. Brent trembled with anticipation. “In the drawer of my nightstand.” “I’m going to leave you for a second to get it and you’re not to move one muscle.” Daniel released his iron hold on Brent’s neck, pausing long enough to caress his spine. “I won’t. I promise.” True to his word, when Daniel got up, Brent took great care not to move so much as an inch. Once Daniel had retrieved the lubricant, he climbed back into the same position. Brent’s heart thudded in his chest when he heard the cap of the tube crack open. “We’re done playing games,” Daniel said. “We are?” Disappointment slammed in Brent. Did Daniel bring him this far only to stop things when they were starting to get good? “Yes, no more drugging me.” Daniel slid one finger into the crack of the shifter’s ass. Brent writhed in pleasure. “I won’t do it again.” He balled his hands into the sheet and moaned as he felt Daniel slowly rim the tight opening of his ass. “No more shackles. No more guards.” The Hawk slid the digit in. Brent’s cock twitched as he felt his body stretch to accommodate the intrusion. “No more,” Brent 107
Stephani Hecht chanted. Another finger in his ass rewarded his ready agreement. Wanting even more, he tried to thrust back, but Daniel’s hand clamped down on his neck again. “And do you know why?” Daniel moved his fingers out and slowly unzipped his pants, freeing his cock. “No, why?” Brent was shocked when he actually whimpered. The sound so foreign he almost didn’t believe it’d come from him at first until another one slipped past his lips. “Because I will never betray you. You belong to me now.” The claim was punctuated by his cock plunging inside Brent with one hard thrust.. Brent cried out in pleasure as the Hawk’s thick erection filled him to the point of near pain. It felt so good—so right. He knew there would never be another who could compare. Daniel may have been the one on top declaring ownership, but at that moment, Brent knew there was no way he’d ever be able to let go either. At first, Daniel moved slow, no doubt still worried about hurting him. It wasn’t until Brent curled his lip and let out a low growl that the Hawk lost control. By that action, Brent issued a challenge that the Alpha in Daniel was helpless to resist. Letting out a growl of his own, the Hawk started to pound into his ass. 108
A Feral Christmas Because he’d already come once, Brent didn’t think he’d be able to orgasm quick. After a few moments, he realized just how wrong he’d been. Even though he bit the inside of his cheek and fought it for all he was worth, the pressure in his balls grew until he plunged over the edge. Hot jets of cum coated his stomach and the sheets. He screamed Daniel’s name, only barely remembering to bury his face in the mattress so the rest of his family didn’t mistake the sounds and come rushing to his rescue. “So tight, so good,” Daniel moaned, right before his cock swelled, then pulsated. Brent closed his eyes and savored the feeling of the man’s hot cum shooting up inside him, the weight of Daniel’s body as he collapsed on top of his and the wonderful fluttering sensation as his panting breaths tickled his neck. After a few seconds, Daniel slid his spent cock out and rolled to the side, settling on his back. As Brent sat up, his sex-fuzzed brain finally registered something. “You never took your clothes off?” he frowned, wondering if he should be insulted or not. “Sorry,” Daniel gave an impish grin. It made him look younger and Brent got a glimpse of how he must have looked before life had dealt him a shitty blow. “As soon as I got you naked, I kind of lost control. I promise not to let it happen next time.” 109
Stephani Hecht “Next time?” Brent couldn’t squash the thrill of hope. Daniel reached up and lightly traced Brent’s nipple before saying, “Like I said, you’re mine and I plan on making sure you know that every opportunity I get.” Damn, Brent wanted to believe that, he really did. But in all his years, he’d heard that same declaration from so many other lovers. Each and every time it had ended the same, they’d all left him once they realized he wasn’t willing to give up his quest to get his brothers back. Years of hurt and loneliness had taught him a hard lesson. There was not going to be a happily ever after for him. Daniel looked so tender and sincere when he made his declaration that Brent just didn’t have it in him to share those thoughts. Instead, he leaned down to give the man a lingering kiss. “I’m going to go take a shower and then we can go down and get some dinner. I don’t know about you, but I’m starved.” “Fine, but if your sister tries to feed me birdseed I won’t be responsible for my actions,” Daniel teased lightly. “You’ve never had Cassie’s cooking. Birdseed would be a vast improvement.” Brent got up and started for the bathroom. He couldn’t resist glancing back one last time at Daniel. He looked 110
A Feral Christmas so good lying on the bed, a look of pure satisfaction only a thorough fucking could bring. A strange ache built up in Brent’s chest. He would give almost anything to be able to keep Daniel forever. Damn it. Despite past experiences, Brent had foolishly let the Hawk into his heart. Which meant when Daniel finally did leave him, Brent was pretty sure he wouldn’t survive the hurt. Not wanting to dwell on those thoughts any longer, Brent went into the bathroom and took a quick shower. While he had teased about keeping Mitchell waiting earlier, he knew by now his brother was probably good and pissed. No sense in making things even worse by dragging them out. Turing off the water, he wrapped a towel around his waist and went back into his bedroom. Nothing could have prepared him for the sight that met him. Daniel had put on a fresh shirt and taken a seat on the edge of the bed. He held a silver picture frame. Even without looking at it, Brent knew what the picture inside it was of. He’d kept it by his bed ever since his parents had died, staring at it so many times that every detail of it was forever burned into his memory. “That was the last picture of all my family together,” he said, hoarsely, emotion making his throat dry. “I figured as much.” Daniel lightly fingered the 111
Stephani Hecht glass. “The three toddlers. They’re the ones who are missing.” It was a statement rather than a question. “Yes, Keegan, Andy and Joel.” “I was there, when all the children were brought in. Unlike felines at that time, all the Hawks lived in the same building. We were led to believe that would help protect us, but instead, it proved to be our biggest weakness. It made us one big fat target when the Ravens attacked.” “What happened the night you saved the feline children?” Brent’s heart thundered in anticipation. After all these years, they were finally getting some answers. “We were ordered to assist the Ravens in what we were told was an operation against soldiers. Even though I knew the Ravens were bad, I had no idea the pure evil they could dish out until that night. Instead of finding ourselves in a military battle, we ended up in the middle of a massacre.” “If the Hawks didn’t agree with it, why didn’t you do anything to stop it?” A cold sweat broke out over Brent’s body as all the memories from that night came back. The sounds of the triplets crying, Cassie screaming for Jacyn, the gurgles coming from his father’s body as he gasped his last breath. “We were the second wave. The cleanup crew,” Daniel spat out bitterly. 112
A Feral Christmas His dark eyes were haunted with a grief so palatable that Brent was helpless to resist going to him. Walking over to the bed, he sat down next to Daniel so they could both gaze at the picture at the same time. “Let me guess, part of the duty as cleanup crew was to kill any survivors.” Brent reached out and lovingly caressed the images of the triplets. “Yes, all we found were children because the adults had died trying to protect their homes. I knew right away that we couldn’t do it. The Ravens may have taken our rights, our wealth and our hopes, but I was going to be damned if I let them take our souls as well. So I made what I thought was the only decision I could at the time, I ordered all the Hawks down and told them to rescue instead of destroy.” “Shit, that must have been a hard order to give. You were barely older than a child yourself. Most adults wouldn’t have been that brave.” Brent’s heart broke as he thought of Daniel, too young to have a burden like that thrust on him. He pictured having to face two crappy choices, either of which would weigh heavily on his soul. “When the elders found out, they were pissed to put mildly.” “Screw them. You’re better than all of them put together.” Brent reached over and stroked the man’s jaw, the stubble tickling his fingers. 113
Stephani Hecht “I wanted to contact the feline leaders and somehow arrange to return all the children. The Hawk elders nixed the idea. They were already angry that I exposed us to the Ravens’ wrath by disobeying the kill order in the first place. They thought that if the kids were returned, the Ravens would find out what I did and punish us.” “But the Ravens still found out somehow,” Brent said grimly. “Yes and they came down on us hard.” Brent waited for Daniel to elaborate, but he didn’t. Maybe some memories were too terrible to share. Even after two decades of healing time. He wanted nothing more than to take the Hawk in his arms, to try to sooth away all the hurt. So that’s what he did. Leaning over, he wrapped his arms around the man’s broad shoulders and embraced him. At first, Brent thought he’d overstepped his bounds. Daniel relaxed and let out a soft sigh. “I would give anything to truly keep you forever,” Daniel declared in a thick voice. Brent’s heart soared for a brief second, before rational thought took over and his hope took a crash dive. “And I would give everything to be yours for all time,” he replied as a piece of his soul died. Because he had no doubt that when this was all and done, Daniel would leave him—just like all the others had. 114
A Feral Christmas
Chapter Nine
B
rent got dressed and went downstairs, Daniel following him. He dreaded the confrontation that was sure to take place between his lover and Mitchell. What troubled him even more was the fierce protective streak that went through him at the mere thought of anyone harming Daniel. If Mitchell or anyone else tried to use force to make the Hawk talk, Brent couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t attack in order to protect him. Just as they were nearing the bottom steps, Brent felt compelled to turn and look at the Hawk one last time. “It’s going to be okay.” He didn’t know how much truth that statement held though. Mitchell was so desperate to find the lost shifters, he wouldn’t let anything stand in his way. Especially someone who, by their own admission, had been an ally of the Ravens. “Sure it is,” Daniel agreed, although the same 115
Stephani Hecht doubts stamped all over his strained features showed he didn’t believe it either. “It’s about time,” Cassie exclaimed as she came out of the kitchen. “Mitchell acts like he’s ready to piss kittens he’s so mad. Why in the hell would you keep him waiting this long?” Brent ducked his head to hide the flush coming to his cheeks, but as usual, his sister was way too cunning. Her mouth opened in shock for a second before she recovered. “Well I hope the sex was worth it.” “It was,” Daniel answered. Brent felt even more heat coming to his face. Damn it, first in Rat’s office and now here. He hadn’t blushed this much since he’d been in high school and had a mad crush on his math teacher. “Is that Brent?” Mitchell’s voice called from the kitchen. Brent winced when he heard the edge on his brother’s tone. “Yes, he has the birdie with him,” Cassie replied, shooting a wicked grin at Daniel. “It’s about damn time. Tell them to come in here.” Brent almost opened his mouth to tell Mitchell since he could hear him perfectly fine, the order should go directly to him. Then he decided it was best not to push his Alpha any further and went quietly into the kitchen. 116
A Feral Christmas He faltered, somewhat surprised to see Mitchell at the stove, cooking. Brent frowned as he wondered what was going on. In all his life, he could count the times his brother had prepared a meal on one hand. Not that Mitchell was a bad cook or anything. He just never had the time for something so trivial. Brent positioned himself on the other side of the counter and waited for Mitchell to begin balling him out. His brother remained fixated on his cooking. He looked up long enough to nod at a stack of vegetables. “Cut those up for the salad, will you?” Brent nodded, more suspicious than ever now. Anger he could have handled. Maybe even seething disappointment. This indifference was sending his mind into a tailspin. “So long as Daniel promises not to use the knife to cut out Cassie’s tongue, he can help you.” Mitchell lifted a spoon, tasting something. Brent inhaled deeply and realized it was spaghetti. Not just any spaghetti either, but the recipe their mom used to make. A lump developed in his throat as those familiar scents of basil, tomatoes and oregano brought back memories of a better time. “Why are you cooking?” Brent slid a knife over to Daniel, then grabbed a cucumber and started slicing. “Well, we all know how dangerous it is if 117
Stephani Hecht Cassie does it, Jacyn is still at work and you were otherwise occupied. I figured it was this or takeout and I felt like cooking tonight.” A tense silence filled the room, the only sounds being the bubbling of food, the cutting and snapping of the knives slicing through the vegetables. Brent grew so anxious, he felt like he was going to split from his skin. He jerked in surprise when Daniel broke it. “I don’t know much, but I’ll help in any way I can.” He never looked up from his cutting. “No offense, but how can I trust you really don’t have that much information?” Mitchell turned from the stove and crossed his arms over his chest. “For all we know, you could be just dicking us around and offering up false hopes to keep us off the trail.” “I trust him. That should be enough,” Brent snapped, outraged that Mitchell was being so hard. “I’m sorry, but right now you’re not in the best position to judge him. You’re way too close.” “That doesn’t mean I’ve lost focus. I’m still on goal, just like I always have been.” Brent dropped his knife and gripped the edge of the counter so hard his knuckles popped. “Really?” Mitchell cocked a brow. “So if I were to take Daniel to one of our cells and let our best interrogators at him, you’d be okay with that?” 118
A Feral Christmas A hot-red rage ripped through Brent’s body as the animal in him fought to get out. He managed to hold it back, but not before a low growl rumbled past his lips. “Anyone who touches him will be lucky if all they lose is a limb.” Daniel stepped closer and gently touched Brent’s arm. “It’s okay, he’s just doing his job. If I were in his shoes I’d be saying the same things.” “I don’t care,” Brent raged. “Nobody threatens you that way.” “He’s your brother.” “And you’re my…”Brent cut himself off, realizing he’d almost blurted out mate. His stomach flipped as he realized how close he’d come to making a complete ass of himself. Sure, Daniel may have declared ownership of him, but that was spoken in the heat of the moment. Brent had learned long ago not to put too much stock into such declarations. “He doesn’t know squat about me except my people took his brothers away. Don’t get angry and say things that can never be taken back.” The bleak, hallow look that crept into his normally warm eyes let Brent know the guy was talking from experience. “Can you tell Mitchell what you told me? Maybe that will help him understand things more. Realize all you did for the felines,” Brent suggested, hoping once Mitchell heard all that Daniel sacrificed, he’d be more 119
Stephani Hecht trusting. Daniel hesitated a second before he gave a nod. Slowly, almost like he wanted to make sure he didn’t leave out any details, the Hawk told Mitchell everything. Halfway through, the two sat down at the table, leaving Brent to finish dinner, but he didn’t mind. The most important thing was making sure that Mitchell heard Daniel out. “So if you weren’t there when they hid the children, then how do think you can help us now?” Mitchell asked at the end of Daniel’s narration. “I know where one of the last elders is. He’s my uncle and while we don’t get along too well, he’s the only one from my family that doesn’t try to shoot me on sight,” Daniel said in a matter of fact tone. Brent balled his hands into fists, outraged that Daniel’s family could be so cruel. With him and his sibs, family was everything. That bond could never be broke, no matter how bad they all sometimes fucked up. Sure, they fought and had squabbles, but in the end, they always knew they had one another to lean on. He didn’t know how he could have made it in this sometimes violent and cruel world of shifters if it hadn’t been for Mitchell and Cassie. “Do you think he’ll remember where all the children were placed after all these years?” 120
A Feral Christmas Mitchell sounded hopeful for the first time. “I know he does, because he loves to shove it in my face. Once a year I go to check up on him. He’s not exactly right in the head anymore and I want to make sure he’s still taking care of himself. On each and every one of those visits, I’ve begged him to tell me the locations and he’s always refused.” “Why would he still insist on hiding it?” Mitchell frowned. “If the Ravens already knew what the Hawks did, it doesn’t make sense to keep it a secret from us anymore.” “Uncle Angus hates me because he blames me for the Ravens turning on us. I think he does it just for spite.” “Please, tell me you’ll be taking him to a cell for our interrogators to work over,” Brent said acidly, his protective streak for Daniel rising once again. Daniel’s lips curled into a smile. “Actually, I don’t think that will be necessary. Angus is a survivalist. Once he realizes that the entire feline population knows his secrets, he won’t be able to give them up fast enough to suit him.” “I like how you think.” Brent chuckled. Actually, there was a whole lot he liked about the Hawk, but somehow he didn’t think Mitchell would be interested in hearing them. “Where does he live?” Mitchell asked. “Just outside of Toledo,” Daniel supplied. Brent’s heart skipped a beat. That was only five 121
Stephani Hecht hours away, which meant the answers they’d been seeking all these years had been practically under their noses the entire time. “How has he been avoiding the Ravens this long? It would have been easy for them just to take him out to keep him quiet.” Brent reached up to grab some plates from the cabinet. “Or worse, to find the lost shifters themselves and eliminate them before they can find their way home,” Mitchell mused. He added for Daniel’s benefit, “The Ravens nearly killed Jacyn before Logan was able to find him and bring him home. So we know they’re making it a goal to find the lost shifters as much as we are.” “Like me, Angus is very good at covering his tracks. I’m the only one who knows where he lives and I think he makes sure of that just so he can continue to verbally abuse me. But if you want, I can leave right away to talk to him. Hopefully he has enough marbles left to remember what happened that night.” “We’ll leave after dinner.” Mitchell got up to help Brent set the table. They were using the smaller one in the kitchen, instead of the massive number they had in the dining room. “We?” Daniel echoed, his brow wrinkled in confusion. “I’m rounding up a team and we’re going with you. What? You didn’t think we’d let you have all 122
A Feral Christmas the fun did you?” Mitchell quipped. “This time if the Ravens attack, they’re going to be in for one nasty surprise,” Brent declared, a wicked gleam coming to his eyes. **** By the time they’d finished eating, rounded up a team and made the drive, it was nearly midnight. Even though it had been as cold as the other night, at least there wasn’t a blizzard this time and Daniel had a warm coat. The fact that it was one of Brent’s and still carried the man’s scent was an added bonus. The closer they got to Angus’s house, the more nervous Daniel got. Anxiety crawled up his spine as he wondered what the felines were going to think once they got a good gander at Uncle Crazy Pants. While he usually could give a damn what others thought, he knew Brent and his family were putting a lot of hope into what Angus may know. The last thing Daniel wanted was to disappoint them. “It’s right up this road, on the left.” He leaned between the front seats to point at what looked like nothing more than a bike path. “Are you sure?” Mitchell sounded doubtful, although he turned where directed. “Yeah, Angus usually doesn’t leave so the drive tends to get overgrown.” Daniel didn’t add that 123
Stephani Hecht his uncle lived off the land, hunting or growing his own food. Last time he’d been there, the man didn’t even have running water anymore. Brent, who was sitting in the backseat with him, started to hum the Deliverance banjo song under his breath. Daniel bit back a smile. Leave it to his feline to make him feel better. Even in this tense situation, he still managed to find some humor. Cassie was sitting in the front passenger seat. She laughed as she turned to look back at them. “I was thinking more of a Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibe, but I could see homicidal mountain men, too.” “Now that’s where you’re both wrong. It’s obviously Psycho all the way,” Daniel chuckled, feeling a little more at ease, thanks to their playfulness. “No way,” Brent shook his head. “There’s no hotel and even if there was, I doubt we could convince Cassie to take a shower like that chick did in the movie.” They went deeper down the path. It road so narrow, tree branches slapped into the sides of the vehicle. Dislodged snow sprayed down on them, making it even harder to see. They finally reached a clearing that had a small house so rundown it was just shy of a shack. Daniel tensed as he wondered just how humiliating this showdown was going to be. He 124
A Feral Christmas had no doubt Angus was going to scream about his failure of a nephew. Usually, he’d just shut out his uncle’s rants, but today was going to be worse because he had a very large audience. He felt Brent’s hand on his spine, slowly caressing and letting him know he had the feline’s support. That helped some, but he knew he wouldn’t breathe a real sigh of relief until they finished with this. Four other cars pulled into the clearing, too, carrying the rest of the team. They all got out, but left the headlights on to give them some visibility. Daniel shivered in the cold as he looked at the hovel, wondering how anyone could live this way. A gust kicked up and the sounds of twinkling cut through the air. “Are those wind chimes?” Brent asked as he narrowed his eyes. “Yes,” Daniel sighed heavily. It could have been worse he supposed, at least his uncle had taken down all the obscene garden statues. He still had nightmares about the one of a certain young lady engaged in group sex with her seven undersized roommates. “There has to be dozens of them,” Cassie said, her mouth forming an O. That was probably a low estimate. Every available space surrounding the house had one. They were of various sizes and colors. Some that looked really expensive to ones that looked like 125
Stephani Hecht Dollar Store finds. “Why does he have so many?” Brent asked as he slowly shook his head in shock. Daniel grunted in irritation. He would have to ask that. Taking a deep breath, he dropped the bombshell, “He thinks it keeps away the boggarts.” “Excuse me, did you just say—” Cassie started. “Yeah, I did and we’re not going there again.” She held her palms up. “Hey, don’t sweat it. You’re not the only one who has a crazy leaf in the family tree. We had an aunt who liked to shift into her Jaguar, then get frisky with stuffed animals.” Daniel shot her an incredulous look as he tried to figure if she was pulling his leg or not. She blinked back at him with complete innocence, her expression revealing nothing. So Daniel turned to Brent, hoping he could get a reading there. Only to find the feline’s face a blank slate. “It’s true.” Brent slowly shook his head. “Teddy Ruxpin was never the same after she accosted him.” A loud shriek split the night. They all grabbed their guns and got ready for attack. What did come through made the team howl with laughter as Daniel buried his face in his hands with a groan.
126
A Feral Christmas
Chapter Ten
“I
nterlopers! Intruders! Infidels!” Angus screamed as he came running out his shack. “Dear Lord, is he just wearing a pair of thermal underwear?” Brent asked as the corners of his mouth twitched like he was holding back a laugh. “Yes.” Daniel moaned as he closed his eyes to hide his shame. To make matters worse, his uncle wasn’t even wearing the damn things well. Not only were they so dirty the white was now grey, but several holes in places that exposed just enough to give them all nightmare for the rest of their days. Despite the fact most shifters age slow, the years had been hard on Angus and it showed. His wild mane of hair had once been dark, but it had turned to grey to match his tangled chest-length beard. He had a slight pot gut and his skin looked like he’d been baking in the sun for a better part of a century. “Like I said, he’s a few fries short of a 127
Stephani Hecht Kid’s Meal,” Daniel explained as way of an apology. “It looks more like dementia to me,” Jacyn observed as he came up to join them. “Doc Featherstone told me shifters can get it just like humans. Has it always been this severe?” “He’s always been a little off, but not nearly this bad.” Despite all the harsh words Angus had flung at him over the years, it still pained Daniel to see his once proud uncle reduced to this. “Danny, my boy!” Angus cried out, his vacant eyes having a brief moment of clarity. “I’ve been wondering when you were coming. It’s been so long since we played poker.” “Fuck,” Daniel breathed under his breath. He hadn’t played cards with his uncle since before the attacks. This just kept getting worse and worse. If he’d forgotten the past two decades, then how was he going to tell them the locations of the lost shifters? “We have an even bigger problem than missed poker games.” Cassie pointed up to the sky. Daniel bit back a curse as he saw wave after wave of Ravens descending on them. “How in the hell did they know we’d be here?” Brent snarled. “Damn it! Everyone in formation!” Mitchell yelled as he raised his semi-automatic rifle and started firing. 128
A Feral Christmas Angus stopped in his tracks, his weathered face full of fear as he stared at the sky. His mouth opened and closed several times, showing off rotten, yellowed teeth. “Go get him to safety,” Brent ordered Daniel. “We’ll take care of this.” Daniel paused, torn between staying with the man he cared deeply about or helping out one of his few remaining followers. Then he realized if Angus died, the location of the lost shifters would go with him. Letting out a curse, Daniel sprinted across the clearing to get to his uncle before the Ravens cut him down. “They came for it, didn’t they?” Angus asked, his gaze much clearer. Daniel knew the Hawk was lucid for the moment. “Yes, they did.” Daniel threw his arm around his uncle’s shoulders and led him inside. Once they stepped over the threshold, the smell of rot and garbage hit Daniel so hard, he wondered if maybe it wasn’t better to be out with all the fighting. “They’re going to kill me,” Angus wailed pitifully. “Yes, they are,” Daniel replied bluntly. “Unless you give the felines what they want. If you do, then they’ll get rid of the Ravens for you.” Angus narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he scratched his large stomach. “How do I know that 129
Stephani Hecht the cats won’t kill me once I give up the information to them?” “The way I see it, you don’t have much of a choice, Uncle,” Daniel tried not to choke on that last word. “You can either give the felines what they want or they’ll leave you here for Raven feed.” Angus glared at him, his dark eyes seething with hatred. “You never were as good as your father and you never will be.” “No, but that’s because he’s better,” Brent said from the doorway. Daniel jumped, having not realized he had followed them into the house. “Bah, like a stupid feline would know what’s good or not.” Angus waved a dismissive hand at Brent. “Go get the information,” Daniel ordered, not rising to his uncle’s bait. Angus gave one more scathing look before he waddled over to the corner of the room and started pulling up a filthy floorboard. Daniel and Brent exchanged looks of disgust when Angus bent over and his hairy ass flashed at them through a hole in his underwear. Straightening back up, Angus came back and thrust something into Daniel’s hand. Looking down at it, he saw it was an old floppy disk. “There.” Angus bared his yellowed teeth in a 130
A Feral Christmas sneer. “Now get the hell off my land.” “Gladly.” Daniel walked out of the house, not looking back once. The entire way, Brent stayed by his side and he reveled in the feline’s silent support. Once they got back outside, he saw that most of the fighting was done. He had to hand it to the felines, they were a well oiled military machine. The Ravens were no match for Mitchell’s team and the birds had been taken out quick and hard. While the Ravens’ casualty was huge, all he saw were a few minor wounds on the feline side. As soon as things were wrapped up, Daniel went over to Mitchell and handed him the disk. “Angus said this is what you needed to find the lost shifters.” An almost reverent silence went over the felines as Mitchell reached out and took it. Daniel was stunned to see the leader’s fingers were trembling. “We’ll never be able to thank you enough for this,” he said, his voice cracking just slightly. “It’s the least I can do. I just wish it could have been sooner.” Inside though, Daniel’s heart was breaking. Because now Brent would have no use for him and their time together would be over. ****
131
Stephani Hecht The entire drive back to headquarters was bleak and quiet. While Cassie and Mitchell were tense because of the disk, Brent couldn’t speak because he knew soon he’d never be with Daniel again. The fact that the Hawk didn’t say a word either didn’t help matters. It made Brent wonder if the man was trying to come up with a way to let the poor kitty down so he could get back to his own life. The backseat had never seemed smaller as he became aware of Daniel’s every movement—every breath he took. It took all his control not to lean back and melt into the Hawk’s warmth. Then Daniel reached over and wrapped an arm around Brent’s waist and he knew he was lost. Sitting back into the man’s embrace, Brent closed his eyes against the turmoil going on inside him. “I’m going to miss you,” Brent whispered in a low voice meant for Daniel’s ears only. “I’m going to miss you, too,” Daniel whispered back. His warm breath fanned against Brent’s cheek. “I wish…” Brent trailed off, not having the guts to finish. It had hurt enough in the past when lovers had rebuffed him, but he didn’t think he could survive the same words coming from Daniel. So instead, he took the coward’s way out and shut his mouth. “You wish what?” Daniel prodded as he 132
A Feral Christmas wrapped his other arm around Brent. “That we were back in bed where it’s warm,” Brent lied, knowing how lame it sounded. “Are you actually cold?” Daniel’s rich chuckled filled the car. “I thought you were some big, bad superhero who felt no pain.” How Brent wished that were true. They were approaching Flint and, unlike the other day, the familiar skyline made Brent feel sad because he knew that with each passing mile, he was getting closer to parting with Daniel. As Mitchell stopped in front of the guard shack, Brent pulled away and started to get his coat zipped up. All the while, he avoided looking anyone in the eyes, not wanting them to read the emotions that were probably stamped there. It had started snowing again so, once they left the car, they all raced inside to the warmth of the building. It wasn’t until he saw how deserted the place was that he remembered it was Christmas Eve. Mitchell had given most of the felines the day off so they were operating on a skeleton crew. “Let’s get the disk to Rat right away,” Mitchell ordered as he tilted his head in the direction of the computer room. Brent nodded, the lump in his throat making speech impossible as he followed him into the office. All the time, he was painfully aware of Daniel walking behind him. They found Rat in his 133
Stephani Hecht usual position—ass planted in an office chair as he monitored his computers. “Are the rumors true that you found something?” Rat asked, never looking up. “Yes, we have this.” Mitchell held up the floppy. That finally got the man’s attention. He let out a low whistle as he gaped at it. “Holy shit, did you also happen to bring along a pair of parachute pants and a 45 of We are the World when you time traveled back to the eighties?” “Does that mean you can’t get the information off it?” Brent goaded, knowing the best way to get the Cheetah to act was to doubt his abilities. Sure enough, Rat narrowed his kohl-lined eyes in annoyance before giving a push of his feet so the chair rolled over to Mitchell. “Oh, ye of little faith.” He reached up and snagged the disk. “Just give me a few minutes to convert it into a format that’s actually from this millennium and then you can all stand back in awe of my greatness.” Brent snorted in disgust as he turned to look to see how Daniel was taking all this. His stomach dropped as he realized the Hawk was nowhere to be found. Panicked, Brent continued to scan the small room as his heart pounded in fear. “Where is he?” It was a credit to how his feelings must have been obvious that nobody asked who he was. “He left a few minutes ago,” Cassie said, softly, 134
A Feral Christmas her eyes so caring yet worried. Brent realized she knew exactly how much he was hurting. “Oh.” He gripped the edge of the nearby filing cabinet as despair washed over him. While he knew Daniel would leave, not even he’d anticipated it would be this soon. “It’s not too late to go after him,” Cassie stunned him by saying. “What?” He wanted to make sure he heard her right because there was no way possible his sister could actually be telling him to run after a Hawk. “He loves you, Brent.” “No, he doesn’t. I was just a fun diversion, nothing more.” Brent shook his head. “That’s not true and if you’d take two seconds to stop being so stubborn, you’d realize that, too.” “She’s right,” Jacyn added. “Don’t make the same mistake I did and let pride stand in your way. I almost lost Logan because of that.” “What if he doesn’t want me?” Brent hated sounding so weak, but there it was. “You won’t know if you don’t try, but I do know one thing for certain.” Cassie walked over and cupped his cheek. “You will forever regret it if you don’t try.” Brent shifted his gaze over to Mitchell, silently asking permission. When his brother smiled and gave a small nod, Brent felt a glimmer of hope. Not waiting one second longer, he tore out the 135
Stephani Hecht room and ran to the parking lot. He’d expected to have to search for a while so he was surprised to find Daniel just a few feet away, leaning against the railing of the docking ramp. Brent came to a halt, skidding a bit on the ice. For a second, he was too emotional to move. His breath came out in frosty puffs as he stared at the man he loved. And there was no doubt in his mind that he did truly love Daniel with all his heart. “I thought you were gone,” he finally choked out. Daniel turned his head and looked over at him. Brent was stunned to see the flurry of emotions running through the Hawk’s eyes, grief, anger and that same damned bleakness. “I’m trying to. It’s just…” Daniel clamped his lips together and looked away. “Don’t.” Brent rushed forward to the other side of the railing. They were now so close, yet he didn’t dare reach out to touch the man. “What are you trying to say?” Daniel continued to stare off into the distance, not that there was much to see but snow and the smog from the city. “Don’t go.” Brent gripped the railing tight, the cold steel biting into his hands as he built up the courage to plunge on. “Stay here—with me.” Daniel finally made eye contact again as he slowly shook his head. “I’m a Hawk and you’re a feline. It doesn’t work that way.” 136
A Feral Christmas Brent leaned closer to the railing so their faces were just inches apart. “Look, I know I’m a feline. I know you’re a Hawk. And I know plenty of shifters are going to have an issue with it, but I don’t give a damn. Because I also know I can’t live without you. I love you. No other will ever be able to compare to you as far as I’m concerned.” A heavy silence fell between them and Brent felt another wave a panic as he wondered if maybe Daniel would be kicking him to the curb after all. Just as he was about to give up hope, Daniel leaned in the rest of the way and pressed a kiss to his lips. It was warm. It was soft. It was wonderful and as stupid as it sounded, Brent felt just how much Daniel did care for him. They broke apart, but Daniel kept him close. He even reached out to cup his face between his hands. “I love you, too, babe,” Daniel confessed in a harsh whisper. “If you really do want me, then I’m not going anywhere.” “You’re the only one I’ll ever want,” Brent promised as his heart swelled with joy. It would seem that Christmas miracles really did come true because after years of hurt, he’d finally found his mate in the least likely place. Daniel dipped his head in for another kiss. Brent tilted his mouth up eagerly. Even though it was colder than Santa’s ass outside, it didn’t 137
Stephani Hecht matter because it was always warm in the Hawk’s embrace. “Mine. Mine. All mine,” Brent chanted in between kisses, still not believing it was really true. “Yes, and you’re mine,” Daniel replied. They were just pulling away when Cassie came rushing out. She did a little dance of excitement as her cheeks grew flushed from excitement. At that moment, she looked almost cute, in a homicidal kind of way. “He did it! Rat got it open.” Brent and Daniel rushed back inside to Rat’s office. The room was so crowded they had to press their way in. An excited vibe went through all the felines as they studied the monitor. Brent let out an excited laugh when he saw the list of names and locations on the screen. Daniel came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Brent’s waist as he looked, too. “Wow, how many do you think there are?” Cassie asked, her eyes wide and moist with joy. “Hundreds,” Brent guessed as he leaned back against Daniel’s chest. “Look!” Cassie jumped up and down as she pointed at the screen. “Our brothers are there. Andy, Keegan and Joel!” Mitchell shouldered his way through the crowd to get by their side. Clamping this big hand on Brent’s shoulder, the leader said, “Good job. I’m so damn proud of you.” 138
A Feral Christmas Brent was stunned. He always dreamed of hearing his brother say those words, but he never thought he’d be worthy enough. “Thanks, but I didn’t do it on my own. I had Daniel to help me every step of the way.”
139
Stephani Hecht
Chapter Eleven
I
t was still dark outside when Daniel woke up to the wonderful sensation of Brent stretched out over the top of him. The feline was slowly kissing his way down Daniel’s chest, his tongue leaving a velvet path of fire. Still keeping his eyes closed, he let out a happy moan as Brent licked and nipped at his nipples before moving lower to swirl around his navel. “I can’t believe you’re ready for another round,” he chuckled as he reached down to run his fingers through the Jaguar’s soft hair. “I think I’ll always be horny when I’m around you.” Brent gave Daniel’s hip a not too gentle love bite, making him jerk in pleasure. “Aren’t you tired? We were up most of the night fucking.” Daniel rolled his hips up, grinding his already leaking erection against the man. “I know, I’m still sore in the most delightful places.” Brent looked up from under his lashes. The move was so erotic Daniel’s cock jerked. 140
A Feral Christmas Brent moved down even lower so his lips were hovering over Daniel’s needy dick. “I love your cock. It’s so beautiful,” the feline crooned before he darted his tongue out to swirl over the tip. Daniel hissed in pleasure as he fisted his hands deeper into Brent’s hair. It had to be painful, but the man didn’t complain. If anything else, Daniel sensed more arousal coming off him. “Suck it hard, now,” he ordered as he shoved Brent’s head forward. There was no mistaking the brief triumphant smile playing across Brent’s lips before he wrapped them around Daniel's cock. He let out a harsh cry of pleasure as the man nearly swallowed him. “Fuck, you’re mouth is so sweet. Nobody can suck a cock like you.” He thrust his hips up, burying himself deeper down Brent’s throat. “You like that don’t you?” Daniel panted. “Almost as much as you like my dick up your ass.” Brent let out a little whimper as he eagerly nodded, at the same time sucking in while pulling back. His teeth scraped against the shaft, making Daniel almost shoot off too soon. As if sensing that, Brent let up. Daniel let out a sigh of relief, until he felt the man’s warm tongue lapping his hole. “You keep that up and you’re going to get 141
Stephani Hecht more than you bargained for,” he warned even as he gave the man’s hair another tug. “You love it when I drive you to the edge. Admit it.” Brent gazed up, his eyes almost glowing, they were so bright with desire. Lowering his head, he continued to lave Daniel’s ass, from time to time, shifting his mouth forward some so he could lick his heavy sack. “Enough,” Daniel snarled, the hot touch of Brent’s tongue finally driving him to the edge. “Take my cock back in your mouth and make sure you get it good and slick because I’m not taking the time to look around for lube.” Brent moved quickly to obey, his full lips wrapping around Daniel’s throbbing erection. He allowed the man to work for a few moments, getting his shaft wet before he yanked him back by his hair. Brent gazed up at him, his face sharp with an almost wild passion. “Please,” the feline begged as he reached down to briefly fist his own cock. Daniel smiled to himself. How he loved to make the normally cocky man so crazy with lust he was reduced to begging. Even better, he knew Brent loved it just as much because it allowed him to give up control to someone else for once. “You can ride me now,” Daniel acquiesced. Brent got up and straddled his hips. Grabbing Daniel’s cock with one hand, Brent 142
A Feral Christmas slowly impaled himself. Daniel bit the inside of his cheek to keep from crying out as the man’s tight ass fisted his dick. Gazing up at the feline, he reveled in his beauty. The way his body looked so sleek and tawny as he arched back so that Daniel’s cock was buried even deeper. “So good,” Brent groaned as his eyelids fluttered closed. His thick dick jutted out from his body. Daniel’s mouth watered for a taste of the cum he saw glistening on the tip. That would have to wait until later. After he’d given the man the thorough fucking he deserved. Grabbing Brent’s hips for leverage, Daniel started to thrust inside him with quick hard strokes. “Grab your cock, I want to see you pleasure yourself,” Daniel ordered, his voice guttural from exertion. He knew he wasn’t going to last long and he wanted his lover to find release first. Brent wrapped his fingers around his shaft, his hand moving up and down in time with the thrusts. Daniel growled low in his throat, the sight of his man’s dick sliding in and out of his fist the most arousing thing he’d ever seen. “Come for me,” Daniel ordered as he started to pound even harder into the man’s tight ass. “Bathe me in your juices.” Brent let out a hoarse yell as he did just that. 143
Stephani Hecht Thin white jets of cum shot out of his cock and splashed Daniel’s chest. As soon as the scent hit his nostrils, Daniel joined his lover’s release. Groaning out Brent’s name, Daniel’s cock swelled before a red-hot orgasm shot through his body. He held on tight as what seemed like wave after wave of hot cum shot up the man’s ass. It seemed to go on forever before Daniel felt himself come back down. “Now that’s just a waste,” he teased, looking down at the semen streaked on his chest. Brent gave a wicked smile before he leaned down and gathered up the sticky fluid with his tongue. Once he had it all clean, he slid back up and captured Daniel’s lips in a deep kiss. He gasped when the feline spit into his mouth, then moaned as the sweet, salty taste of Brent coated his tongue. Despite the fact he’d just had an orgasm, Daniel’s cock swelled to life once more. With a feral growl, he rolled them over so he was the one on top now. “You are so fucked,” he cooed as he spread Brent’s legs out wide. Just as he was about to plunge inside, a loud knock on the door interrupted them. “Hurry up and get out here. It’s Christmas!” Cassie yelled through the door. Daniel cursed under his breath in frustration as Brent laughed. Looking over at the clock, he let out an aggravated grunt, “It’s only five in the 144
A Feral Christmas morning.” “You should consider yourself lucky.” Brent smiled up at him. “Last year it was four. There is a small part of Cassie that will never grow up.” Daniel frowned as he realized something. “I didn’t get you anything for Christmas.” “Are you kidding, you gave me the best Christmas present ever—you.” It was several hours later and the family had just sat down to dinner when Mitchell got a call. He went to the other room to answer it and when he came back, Daniel could tell by the angry glare on his face that it obviously hadn’t been good news. “What’s going on?” Brent asked. “That was the front gate. We have some visitors,” Mitchell replied, his jaw set in a grim line. “Who?” Brent cocked a brow. “One of them claims to be Daniel’s brother.” They all sprang to their feet and ran to the front of the building where the guards were holding the newcomers. When they got there, Daniel was stunned to see not only his brother, but his cousin and five other male Hawk shifters. They were all looking very uncomfortable as they eyed the dozen feline soldiers who had them surrounded at gunpoint. 145
Stephani Hecht “Colin, what are you doing here?” Daniel asked carefully as he drank in the sight of his brother. In the twenty years since they’d parted ways, he hadn’t changed much. He still kept his dark hair too long in the front and his blue eyes were as sharp as ever. Desperately, Daniel searched his brother’s face to see if the normal anger and hostility were there, only to find the same hope and sadness that he was feeling. “I knew you were alive. Even though Angus told me you were dead. I never believed him.” Breaking free of the circle, Colin ran across the room and wrapped his arms around Daniel in a tight embrace. “What are you talking about?” Daniel asked dumbly as he returned the hug. It felt so good to finally be able to be with his brother again. So good, that he was almost afraid to believe that it was really happening. “I’ve been looking for you for years. I hated how I left things between us and I wanted to tell you I didn’t mean them. At first, Angus refused to tell me where you were, no matter how hard I begged. Then around five years ago he told me not to waste my time because you were dead.” Colin’s body shuddered and Daniel was shocked to realize the Hawk was crying. “I’m so, so sorry. Please, forgive me.” “Of course I forgive you,” Daniel choked out, close to tears himself. “I never stopped loving 146
A Feral Christmas you.” “As soon as we heard the rumors that you were here with the felines, we came right away.” “He’s right,” another Hawk chimed in. “We want to swear our allegiance to our true leader and stand by his side.” Daniel pulled away from Colin so he could look over at the Hawks. One by one, they slowly went down to one knee and they were all bowing to him. Daniel found himself speechless, shock making him dumb as he realized he once again had followers. What were they thinking? The last time he’d led, things hadn’t gone well at all, or had they forgotten that? Almost as if sensing his thoughts, Brent came up to him and whispered, “You can do it. Remember, you weren’t the one who fucked things up the first time. It was the Ravens and your elders.” Brent’s belief in him gave Daniel the courage to look over at Mitchell. “What do you think? Could you use a couple of birds in your rank?” “We would be happy to welcome them.” Mitchell gestured for the guards to put their weapons away. “They can stay in the barracks here until we get them settled in someplace of their own. “Thank you.” Daniel nodded before he returned his attention to the Hawks. “How does 147
Stephani Hecht that sound to you guys?” “As long as we get to serve you, we’ll live anywhere.” Standing up, Colin smiled at him he tugged on his arm. “Come on, fly with us. Just like we used to when we were kids.” Daniel’s heart surged as the Hawk inside him let out a sound of joy. After so many years of denying his shifter side, it suddenly seemed right to be doing this now. “Go ahead, babe,” Brent urged as he placed a soft kiss on his cheek. “I’ll be waiting for you right here. You can bring them all back for dinner, too. We always make sure to have plenty to share.” “I love you,” Daniel said as he turned his head to give Brent a proper kiss. “I love you, too. Now go.” Daniel gathered up the Hawks and they all took off at a run, shifting as soon as they hit the outdoors. As he took flight for the first time in years, he realized that Christmas miracles did come true. Not only did he get back his lost family and friends, but he had found the love of his life.
148
About the Author Stephani Hecht is a happily married mother of two. You can usually find her snuggled up to her laptop, creating her next book. Visit Stephani on the web at: www.stephanihecht.com http://www.myspace.com/stephanihecht Email her at:
[email protected] 
