Zula's Stand

Zula’s Stand Jade Buchanan The Pridelands 2

Chapter One Mike slammed the tailgate shut, checking to make sure it was latched completely. His little rust bucket was almost ready to be sent to the truck cemetery, but she had a few more trips left in her. Walking around the driver’s side, he figured he might have a few more of these trips to make if things didn’t change. It wasn’t as if he didn’t like visiting his cousin, Darren, but the circumstances weren’t the best. Darren’s brother, Aaron, had gone missing two months ago after going up to visit their cabin north of Muncho Lake. Darren began getting worried when Aaron didn’t return so he went up after him, only to find no sign of Aaron. It was as if he’d been abducted by aliens or something. A search and rescue team was called in, using aircraft and ground trackers, but there was absolutely no trace of him. If they didn’t have the proof of his gear and the food he’d brought up, Mike wouldn’t have believed Aaron had ever been in Northern B.C. Darren had decided to stay up north instead of going back home, desperately hoping Aaron would just walk in one day. Mike knew better. If Aaron hadn’t come home yet, he probably wouldn’t. There was too much wildlife up near Muncho Lake and the Provincial Park was a huge area. If Aaron had gotten lost in the park, they’d never find his body. He was trying to be positive, really he was, but he was more practical about these sorts of things. Mike didn’t want to get his hopes up. Starting his truck, Mike slowly pulled out onto the road. He needed to stop for coffee before the trip. It was roughly 150 miles from Fort Nelson to the park and he needed to stay alert. Just coming off a twenty-one day rotation working ten hours a day, he was exhausted. It was a good thing his project was done and he had a week off. He could just zone out on the couch and let Darren take care of food. Mike pulled into the drive thru of his coffee paradise just before leaving town. He wasn’t in the mood for small talk, and thankfully neither was the lady working. Timmies in hand, he was now ready for the drive along the Alaska Highway. Half an hour later, he had to admit he was glad to be out in the wilderness. Heck, he’d even brought his rifle in case he decided to do a bit of hunting while he was up here. They called Northwest B.C. “the Serengeti of North America” for a reason. At any minute you could see any number of animals. Stone sheep, mountain goats, bison, moose, elk, caribou, white-tailed and mule deer, wolves, coyotes, foxes, grizzly bears, black bears, lynx and wolverines roamed the countryside. It was an ecotourist’s haven and a hunter’s paradise. 1

It was days like this he was thankful he lived up here. He wouldn’t do well in a city. He was a smalltown boy at heart. He liked to get his hands dirty, play in the dirt, sleep on the ground. He’d wither and die if he had to live among steel and glass buildings. That was definitely one of the things that set him and his sister apart. They’d both grown up in the same place, but Mike treasured being out in the wild while Joy would really rather be living it up in the city. She was a party girl with a heart of gold. He sure did miss her some days. Mike was glad when he entered the eastern park limits through the Alaska Highway Corridor. He really wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings. The view was almost wasted on him today. Reaching the small campground where he normally left his truck, he got out to stretch his legs. Most of the park was protected land and you weren’t allowed to bring vehicles off the designated areas. He’d have to hike the rest of the way in. It wasn’t far, though. If they’d been smart, his family would have stocked up on a few trail ponies and they wouldn’t have to worry about carrying everything, but Mike’s father always believed a little work never hurt you. Still, the first time Aaron and Darren had been told they’d have to hike with their overflowing packs up to the cabin… the looks on their faces had been priceless. They weren’t used to roughing it seeing as they’d been raised in the city. Shrugging his heavy pack on, Mike breathed in the fresh air. They were definitely coming up on a cold snap, but he didn’t mind it too much. It was almost like being in heaven. Or at least it was his version of what he wanted heaven to be like. He took out the heavy canvas case holding his rifle, cradling it protectively before slinging it over his shoulder. His sidearm was next, a .454 Casull, just in case he came upon anything larger than a deer. His bear spray was hooked on the side of his pack, so he didn’t have to worry about that. It was too late to hunt mule deer but you never knew when you’d come upon a nice lynx. They were still in hunting season until February, so he was good to go. Hell, he’d even take a nice cougar if he saw one. Though he preferred mulies over any other animal. There was just something about a mule deer that called to him. Too bad they weren’t in season. Maybe he’d get some time off closer to the end of the year and he’d be able to get out again. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gone on a nice hunt. With one last check to make sure his doors were locked, Mike set out to find a little peace and quiet. *** “That’s bullshit!” “Darren -” “No, no fucking way, Aaron.” Zula Steinsson heaved a sigh, wishing desperately for a little peace and quiet. If she had to listen to the Coleman brothers fight one more time, she’d gut someone. Unfortunately, if she did, her brother would probably take her head, so she was trying to be reasonable. Durai was partial to Darren, being his mate and all. She was used to being around men, but at least on the ship she could go off alone. Durai respected her privacy and the rest never bothered her once she was in her room. It was one of the privileges of being the only female on board. Her brothers and her other pride members knew enough about Leo females to know she could take every one of them if she wanted to. You didn’t go around riling a female up if you valued your hide. And when she wanted peace and quiet, she got it. Unfortunately, the humans didn’t quite understand that. They were driving her crazy. This space wasn’t large enough for so many people. Between the two Coleman brothers, Zula, and her four brothers, Aaron’s two mates and the Bolen twins, she barely had enough room to breathe. One tiny room and an even tinier loft upstairs weren’t the best of surroundings. She dearly wanted to go back to the ship. Her brothers at least had the right idea. They were in the forest, searching for a way out of here at this very minute. Not one of them felt comfortable enough to sit inside the tiny, cramped cabin. “Enough. If you’re going to fight, go outside,” she growled, waving her hand at the two men. It still took some getting used to whenever she saw them. They were so unlike her people. She’d had a tough enough time accepting Griffin and Mazin Bolen when they joined Durai’s pride, and they weren’t all that different compared to the humans. The two brothers were of the Pardus clan, both tawny gold with large black spots. Her own fur was a paler color than theirs, although none of the Leo had spots like the Pardus. They didn’t have stripes like the Tigris, either, or the thick lustrous fur of the Lynx clan. In comparison the Leo were almost 2

plain, their rich fur all one color, except for the lush and full manes the males had. Her own hair was a shade darker than her body. She wasn’t as dark as her brothers. She wasn’t as large as them, either, and that had always annoyed her growing up. She just wanted to fit in, and belong with the rest of them. Considering she was the second oldest, she should have been able to do more with her brothers, but their mother never liked the idea of Zula gallivanting around with the boys. She figured she should stay closer to their abode, and craft and gather with the other women. Zula shuddered just thinking of it. Thank all that was mighty her father stepped in and let Zula do what she wanted. She wasn’t born to be a gatherer of plants. She was a hunter. One of the mighty Steinssons. Just like her brothers and their father and his father before him. Reaching down with her right hand, Zula fingered the knife strapped to her thigh. It was a gift from her father, given to her the night she joined Durai’s pride as an official member of his crew. Most women weren’t allowed to journey into space with the men. Unless she was mated to one of the pride leaders, a woman stayed at home on Felid, their home world. Zula was the first to leave planet and travel. Okay, so she was doing it surrounded by her four brothers. That didn’t take anything away from her achievement. She was finally doing what she wanted to do. If she was honest with herself, some days she really wished she could find a Leo who completed her and be able to raise cubs with him. The only problem was, she failed to link with any pride leader on Felid. She wasn’t a match for them, didn’t have a mind link with any of them. It was disappointing for her family. Her father had initially hoped she would mind link with Laithe, the heir to the rule of the Leos, but he had found his mate in a little human female. She was too much of an alpha female herself to actively try to cultivate a relationship with someone, anyway. Zula had never found any Leo who made her want to be in a relationship. Until she found that Leo who made her forget herself, she was content to be alone. She wanted a man who clouded her mind with passion, who wanted to be with her above all others, who thought she was perfect, just the way she was. She just hadn’t found him yet. If he even existed. “Durai said we couldn’t go outside, remember?” Darren’s voice interrupted her musing. Zula jerked, tossing her head to glare at the two men now facing her. She’d almost forgotten the reason she was stuck in here with them in the first place. After their encounter in the forest with the creature that looked so similar to them, they had all agreed they needed to leave immediately. It had been scary, seeing a being that resembled them but walked on all fours instead of upright. Like looking in your ancestor’s eyes. When the amazing creature had been killed, they had all been frightened. If humans hated these creatures so much they would shoot and kill them, what would they do if they found one of the Felidae? Darren had put his foot down though, about leaving right away, after thinking about it overnight. He wouldn’t leave until he’d seen someone from his family, to prevent them from worrying about the two men any more than they already had been. He knew how much his family had panicked at Aaron’s disappearance and didn’t want them to worry about him as well. She thought it was admirable, but it was causing her more stress. The rest of her pride couldn’t stand the small quarters and escaped out into the forest as often as they could. But someone had to stay here and wait for Darren’s family to arrive. Meaning, someone had to stay and watch over them. She’d drawn babysitting duty on the brothers today. They were so similar they almost looked like twins upon first glance. But there were enough differences to make it obvious once you knew them. Darren was the elder, and she had to admit that her brother, Durai, was a lucky Leo for mating with him. His hair was the color of some of the Tigris she’d seen before, a deep orange red. His skin was pale, a beautiful milky white covered in small spots he called freckles. He turned the most alarming shade of red when he was embarrassed, or if he went out into the sun for too long. Really, he was fragile. No Leo would burn under the sun’s rays. It was almost unheard of. His younger brother was similar in build. Both of the Coleman brothers were lanky, shorter than the Leo men they were mated to. Aaron was missing the spots that covered Darren’s chest, although he did have a full beard that covered his lower face and the most peculiar wire frames around his eyes. Apparently his vision wasn’t the best. She sighed. “Please just keep it down, then.”

3

“Wait, could you just answer one thing for me? Aaron keeps saying it’s gonna happen, but I’ll kill your brother if he intends to do it.” Darren placed both hands on his hips, a frown pulling the corners of his mouth down. “What?” “Is Durai gonna pierce something during some mating ceremony that everyone attends?” Zula blinked, considering his question. He looked uncomfortable now and Aaron could barely hold in his snort of laughter. “Are you asking about the ritual piercing?” “I told you so!” “No, no way!” Lifting her hand before they could get started again, Zula prayed for patience. Here she was wishing she could go through that rite, and Darren wasn’t even aware of how lucky he was. “It is part of the mating ritual and a very sacred rite. A symbol of your connection to your mate, of the fact that you are now one. He promises to protect you and cherish you and by accepting his ring through your most intimate part, you show your promise to accept his love and protection. Our people pray for the day we can go through the same rite. You won’t be officially mated to Durai until you stand before the Appaliunas, the father lion, and declare your intentions.” “Well, Jesus. If Aaron’d just said it like that, I would have been okay with it.” “Oh, right, I’m really sure you would have just opened your legs and told Durai to go ahead and split the head of your dick with a piece of metal.” “Are you trying to pick a fight with me? ’Cause you’re so close to getting an ass whooping you’ve never experienced.” “Oh, yeah? The only ones allowed to whoop my ass are Lev and Morgan, so don’t even -” Zula stood, snarling, cutting off their words and drawing their attention back to her. Standing, she was nearly taller than them. Actually, she was a tiny bit taller than Darren, but that was only if she perked her ears up. She opened her mouth to say something when the front door slammed open, bouncing against the wall once. “Darren! I’m home. Did ya miss me?”

Chapter Two Mike stared in disbelief at the sight before him. His cousins were standing just inside the door staring at him in shock… both of them. As if it wasn’t enough of a jolt to see Aaron standing beside his brother, there was the matter of the furry female in front of them. And he could definitely tell she was female. Her rounded breasts pressed against the thin cloth barely covering them. Maybe he’d gone insane thinking about cougars earlier, because she definitely looked like a big giant walking-on-two-legs cat. He shook his head, bringing his attention back to Aaron. Ignoring the female that was now crouched in front of his cousins, he started forward. “Where the fuck have you been?” A low snarl filled the room before his cousins jumped into action. “Zula, no!” Mike stopped in midstride, thrown off balance by the lithe shape that was hurtling toward him at top speed. Throwing up his arms, he backed up, unable to move fast because of the damned pack. He hit the wall beside the door with a thud. She stopped an inch from his face, baring her large - and quite threatening - teeth. “Who are you?” Her voice was surprisingly melodious. She sounded like a sex kitten, especially with that little growl she was emitting. “Zula, it’s okay,” Aaron cried out. Mike turned his attention back to his cousin. “Where the fuck have you been?” “It’s a long story.” “Then sit down and start talking. Do you have any idea what you put your family through? Damned idiot.” 4

A furry hand curled around his throat, surprising him. “That is quite enough. Who are you?” “Mike. What the hell are you?” Aaron stepped up beside them, Darren mirroring his actions on their other side. “Look, it’s a long story. Can we all just take a step back and figure this out before someone gets hurt?” Darren placed his hand over Zula’s. She backed up, her reluctance evident with every move she made. Nodding his head, Mike slowly let both packs slide from his shoulders, placing them on the floor beside the open door. He was careful to keep his rifle case in sight, but there was no way in hell he’d be able to get it out before she was on him. He had it loaded with .270 Winchester cartridges, but he didn’t know if that would be enough to stop her. It could stop a deer in its tracks, so he should be good. He’d almost forgotten about his sidearm. If she was keeping Mike’s cousins against their wishes, or hurting them in any way, he’d shoot her between the eyes without a twinge of remorse. Reaching over, he shut the door, closing them in. Shit, maybe he shouldn’t have done that. Who the hell was this? And what the heck had Aaron been doing for two months while Darren and the rest of their family went nuts looking for him? Both brothers were dressed in faded jeans and nothing else. Aaron had sprouted a surprising beard and Darren had bite marks all down his neck and chest. Had she done that? What had they gotten themselves into? Was he going to have to hurt someone to protect the two men? The female was standing close, not letting him get too far away from her. They were roughly the same height, but Mike figured he outweighed her. Not by much though, strong muscles were evident beneath her silky fur. His fingers itched to touch her and see if she was as soft as she looked. Her body was feminine, appealing despite - or maybe because of - all that luscious coat of fur. And her tail, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, she had a tail. It was swinging back and forth, idly. What the hell was wrong with him? She was a cat, he couldn’t possibly find her attractive. Right? Maybe it was the full pout of her lips, or the silky fall of hair from her head. Or the illusion created by her gold-kissed fur that made her seem warm and inviting. ’Cause it damned sure wasn’t her personality. Despite the promise in her lyrical voice, she was still frowning at him, little growls sneaking out of her throat. He found it strangely erotic. God, he was weird. He needed to get his mind back on the threat to his cousins. He reached his hand back, caressing the hilt of the knife that was clipped to his belt. If she made any movements he didn’t like, he’d use it without any qualms. Great, now he was acting like a bloodthirsty savage. Killing a deer was one thing; it didn’t talk back to you. Although if Bambi ever started talking to him when he was on a hunt, he’d be more afraid for his sanity. Mike would most likely offer himself up to the closest crazy house. Maybe he was dreaming right now. Surreptitiously, he crossed his arms, pinching the skin on his arm painfully between his thumb and forefinger. Ouch, okay he wasn’t dreaming. She wouldn’t take her gaze off him. Zula leaned forward, inhaling deeply. Mike had a feeling if he tried to run, she’d be on him like white on rice. A thin beige cloth wrapped around her small breasts, and a similar wrap was around her hips. But there was an awful lot of her left on display. Including the intimidating, massive bowie knife strapped to her thigh. Geez, that thing could probably decapitate an alligator without too much trouble. It was bigger than his. Fuck, now he had knife envy. It had a deadly curve to it. Just like its owner. “Okay, someone start talking now, or I’m gonna blow up.” “Maybe you should sit down, Mike.” “Fuck, Aaron, just tell me where you’ve been.” Aaron paced in front of the small sofa, his hand coming up to play with his beard. “Look, it wasn’t my choice to leave. I was kind of… taken.” “Someone took you? Did you have anything to do with this?” He rounded on the female, baring his own - definitely less threatening - teeth. She pursed her lips, considering him from beneath lowered lids. “You humans constantly surprise me. You seem so fragile yet you will jump to defend your kin at the slightest chance. And my name is Zula. Use it.” 5

“Yeah, well, Zula, if you had anything to do with Aaron’s disappearance you’re going to find out exactly what us humans can do.” She bowed her head, remaining silent. Her nostrils flared, and he could hear her inhaling again. “Zula didn’t have anything to do with it. I was taken by someone else. He took me to his planet -” “His planet, eh? You expect me to believe this?” Aaron sighed. “You’re standing in front of a woman who looks like a lion. Seriously.” “Point taken. Okay, open-minded now. Talk.” “Zula’s people are kind of like big cats. They’re called the Felidae and they’re made up of a couple different clans. There’s the Leo who look like big lions, the Tigris, the Pardus, who resemble jaguars and the Lynx, who… well, you can guess that one for yourself. “Zula’s obviously a Leo, but the man who took me kind of looked like a big walking tiger. Stripes and everything. He was going to offer me to the highest bidder to do with what they wanted. I was rescued by a group of people who took me in when they didn’t have to. They treated me like family. You’ll be meeting two of them later as soon as they freaking come home. They’ve been gone all morning.” Mike closed his eyes, trying to wrap his mind around what Aaron was telling him. He was too tired for this. Working twenty-one days in a row was causing his mind to veer off when he really needed to concentrate right now. So this female was an alien? “Back up a second. How did you get there? Through some portal? What, is there a stargate here in the mountains?” He chuckled despite himself. “On a ship, dummy.” “Right, cause that’s so much more believable than having a stargate in B.C.” “Just when I think everything is getting exciting, I find another being just like the Colemans.” Zula sighed, shaking her head. “Uh, that’s probably because I am a Coleman. I’m Aaron and Darren’s cousin, Mike. Our dads are brothers.” She considered him, cocking her head again and pacing forward until they were inches apart. “You are not the same color. How is this possible?” He laughed despite himself. He’d never thought of what it would look like to outsiders that he was different from the rest of his family. “My mom is First Nations. She met my dad years ago when he was living up here. My sister and I came after they got married.” “First of Nations? You are rulers, then?” She was putting him at ease every time her body relaxed further. The more relaxed she was, the less chance she was going to attack someone. “Uh, no, First Nations are just… it means my ancestors on my mother’s side are the original people in the area, we lived here long before the white people came. I’m Native, you know, Indian? My dad is white, my mom is… you have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?” She was looking confused, her brow furrowed in a very cute way. Once again, he was thinking she was attractive. What was wrong with him? She could be threatening his cousins. He couldn’t forget that. Although he was starting to think she meant them no harm. Darren and Aaron weren’t idiots. If they were this calm in her presence, they obviously knew her. “It’s like how Khalid is both Tigris and Leo,” Darren chimed in. “Ahh, I understand. You are a half-breed then.” “Jesus, lady. Can you not call me that?” “It offends?” “Yeah, it offends. Not exactly a nice term. People here usually use it in a very negative way.” “My apologies. I meant no offence.” Mike nodded his acceptance. It was strange to think he was standing in front of a woman who lived on another world. She probably knew next to nothing about humans, and if Aaron and Darren were her only contacts with them, then they were all in trouble. He knew Joy would be killing herself if she knew what she was missing right now. Part of the reason she left Fort Nelson was to study anthropology. She was fascinated with other cultures, and they didn’t get much more different than an alien culture. He wondered how different they really were or if there were similarities buried somewhere. 6

Something they’d said suddenly clicked. “Wait, Khalid? Who’s Khalid?” “That would be me.” Zula almost laughed at the expression on the human’s face. He whipped around to face the door so fast she almost expected him to just keep on going. He looked similar to the Coleman brothers in some ways but he was so different. All three of the humans she’d seen so far had been fair of skin, with reddish hair of different shades. Mike was something else entirely. His hair was thick and lustrous, the deepest black she’d ever seen. The closest that came to it was the dark stripes on some of the Tigris. His hair almost glinted under the soft glow from the lamps in the cabin. His skin was smooth, tanned a rich, dark cream. His body was similar in shape to his cousins, but he was a little bulkier, his nose straighter, his cheekbones more pronounced. His scent was what had first captured her attention though. He smelled like earth, raw and rich, something loamy that was driving her nuts. She inhaled again, hoping she was being discreet. She wanted to wallow in his scent, rub it over her body until she couldn’t distinguish her scent from his. Her tail jerked, out of control for a moment. He was arresting. She almost couldn’t keep her gaze off him. She’d always been curious about the humans and here was someone else for her to learn about. He was unclaimed. She wouldn’t have to worry about interference by her brothers, or Lev and Morgan. Speaking of which… her brothers were now standing behind Khalid, all of them towering over the three humans in the room. And her, they always towered over her. It made the fur on the back of her neck rise. She hated it. “What the?” The human made a strange gurgling noise, which made Zula smile. Her brothers could definitely be intimidating. His scent intensified, fear creating a mix of top notes that had her leaning forward to draw it in. Khalid was both Tigris and Leo, but it seemed as if he had gotten the best of both worlds. He was larger than the rest of them, his fur was a tawny gold with a hint of deeper orange. Pale stripes a shade darker than his fur covered him from his head to his toes. He had a sparse mane, setting him apart from his Tigris kin. His voice was deep, resonating in the space around them. It fit with his larger body, everything about him was over the top. Durai and Rais stepped around to stand on either side of him. They looked similar enough that they could have been twins if it weren’t for the deeper chocolate brown of Durai’s mane. That and the scar that bisected his eye, running from his temple to his cheek. Despite the obvious weakness, Durai was the strongest Leo she knew. He was a born leader, literally. As their eldest sibling, Durai had been groomed since birth to lead the rest of their family. Now he led them with his mate, Darren, by his side. It would take some getting used to for the rest of them. They hadn’t had a new pride member since the Bolen brothers joined them years ago. Zula still wasn’t entirely comfortable around Darren. She cared for him, he was another brother for her, but she was starting to grow antsy with every male addition to the pride. Every male addition that she either wasn’t attracted to, or couldn’t act on her attraction for. Speaking of the Bolens, Griffin and Mazin chose that moment to come into the cabin with Lev and Morgan behind them. Griffin and Mazin had immediately latched onto Morgan when they first met up with them. It was rare for them to be around another Pardus and they were taking full advantage of it now. “Mike, I want you to meet someone.” Darren stepped forward, holding out his arms to hug Durai close to him. Durai bent his head, nuzzling his cheek into the bend of Darren’s neck. “This is Durai.” Zula looked away. If she was forced to endure more public displays of affection, she was going to do something drastic. She was practically the only one on board that wasn’t having sex. Well, her and their youngest brother Achan, but he was barely old enough to come on this journey so he’d better not be having sex. Unfortunately, her only options for sexual partners were the Bolen brothers and she wasn’t interested in them in that way. Darren was taken, Aaron, Lev and Morgan were out of the question, and the rest of her pride was made up of her brothers. If that wasn’t a crime, she didn’t know what was. In fact, the only person available to her was the delectable little human she’d just met. Interesting. She found him pleasing. His scent was almost driving her to distraction right now. “He is family?” Durai’s voice rumbled, capturing her attention. 7

Zula shook herself. She didn’t know what was wrong with her, but it wasn’t like her to be so distracted. If any of her brothers noticed, they would tease her unmercifully. She turned to see what was going on, meeting Mike’s gaze. “He’s my cousin. Durai, this is Mike.” Mike angled his head, breaking their eye contact. Stepping forward, he clasped the hand Durai held out for him. “You are the one Darren told me about. You kept him company when his brother went missing.” Nodding, Mike remained silent. His gaze darted around the room, landing on one man briefly before moving on to the next. She wanted to know what he was thinking. Was he disgusted by them? Zula inhaled deeply, drawing his scent into her lungs. He didn’t smell like disgust, or anger. A hint of fear still lingered, but she couldn’t tell what else he was feeling. He seemed merely curious. She didn’t want him to be uncomfortable around them. Zula hadn’t realized until now how miraculous it was that the other humans she’d met had accepted them so easily. The humans weren’t used to being around others that were so different from them. They also weren’t used to some of the basic concepts that ruled her life, like space travel and the idea that there were dozens upon dozens of planets teeming with life in the night sky. “This is Lev and this spotted guy is Morgan.” Aaron stepped up to his own mates, standing between them. Both men wound their tails around Aaron’s legs, binding them together. “Lev and Morgan are the reasons I’m even here. Their pride rescued me when I was taken. I guess you could say I found my soul mates out there. They promised they’d bring me home to visit you guys, let you know I was okay. So, here we are.” Mike nodded at both men, biting his lower lip. Zula wanted to soothe that ravaged bit of skin. “Okay, I don’t understand something. I understand Lev and Morgan and you, I even understand the rest of you guys. But how did Darren get caught up in this? ’Cause I’m pretty sure those are lion boy’s teeth marks in your skin.” Darren chuckled, burrowing deeper into Durai’s embrace. “Seriously, when Aaron said it was a long story, he meant it. The Leo, which most of these guys are, are split up into prides -” “Like lions, eh?” Mike nodded. “Right, and each pride is ruled by a single male who is the strongest of th -” “I beg to differ.” Khalid’s voice boomed out, causing Zula to roll her eyes. “Hey, no interruptions!” Darren laughed, taking up his tale again. “Each pride is ruled by a strong male. Better?” He waited until Khalid nodded before continuing. “There’s a whole bunch of reasons why they’re chosen as pride leader, but one of them is the ability to sense their mates. They believe there’s one person out there that completes them. They can actually link minds with their soul mate. It’s a connection deeper than anything else out there. Anyway, when I first met Durai, we found out we shared that connection. In the same way Aaron shares it with Lev. Lev rules his own pride, even though it’s only made up of Morgan and Aaron.” Durai opened his mouth, looking like he wanted to say something. Shaking his head, he snapped his jaw shut. Zula frowned. She didn’t miss the glance he’d sent to Griffin and Mazin. There was something there, and she’d find out what it was before long. She hated secrets. “Wow, just wow. I don’t know what I’m supposed to say. I can’t take it all in.” “I know it’s a lot to understand. Trust me, it took me a while before I was comfortable with everything Durai told me. I couldn’t be happier though, Mike. You have to believe that.” “I believe you, Darren. And I can tell just by looking at Aaron that he’s just as happy as you. Only, can I just say woohoo that you ended up with two men, Aar? Geez, only you.” The three humans laughed, Aaron grinning widely. “Hey, you know what this calls for?” Darren removed himself from Durai’s hold, throwing his arms wide. “Celebration time!” “Guess what I brought?” Mike grinned, entrancing Zula. He was gorgeous when he smiled. “Oh, please tell me you brought wine.” “I brought wine.” Darren immediately stepped to the door, pausing before the packs Mike had placed on the ground. He touched the smaller pack briefly before picking up the larger one and carrying it over to the kitchen counters. While he rummaged through it, Zula turned her attention back to the rest of them. 8

They had all spread out, the men making the small space even smaller. She knew none of them liked enclosed spaces, and wondered if the humans realized how much of a sacrifice they were all making by coming in to the cabin. Although… She did a quick headcount, uneasy for a minute. “Achan’s missing.”

Chapter Three Mike peeked out the front door. After Zula’s discovery, the men had immediately set out to tour the surrounding area. Mike and his cousins had gone with them, their familiarity with the area needed right now. Unfortunately, after an hour’s search, they hadn’t found anything. It started to get dark around 3:30 and they’d had to come back to the cabin. At least, the humans had come back. The Leo had stayed out to search further. It was eerily similar to when Aaron disappeared. He didn’t understand how someone could just disappear. No one could remember when Achan was last seen. He had been with Rais for most of the day, but they had separated around noon. Right before Mike arrived. The men were so uneasy; at first he didn’t understand what the big deal was. “You have to promise not to say anything,” Darren whispered in his ear. “I’ll keep silent, but I don’t like it, Dare. If they find out I lied…” “They won’t find out. You just can’t show them the rifle. Please, Mike. I don’t know what they’ll do to you if they find out. You didn’t see them when they heard the mountain lion get shot. I’ve never seen someone so unsettled. It was like they weren’t used to being thought of as prey. Durai wanted to leave as soon as possible, but we convinced them to wait a few days until you came up. I knew you’d be coming soon and I figured you’d freak if I suddenly disappeared too. But now with Achan missing, I just know they’re all thinking about those hunters out there. We can’t leave now. I don’t know what to do.” “I still don’t understand that. They’ve never seen firearms before?” He thought of his own weapons now stashed up in the loft. “No, at least not like that. And I think it was more the fact that they’d seen a mountain lion earlier and all thought it was uncanny how much they looked like them.” “Yeah, that had to be strange.” “Fuck, Achan better be okay. He’s the baby, Mike. Durai said he almost didn’t come on the trip because he just came of age.” “What, he’s still a teenager or something?” “No, he’s way older than that, but Durai said most Felidae had to be a certain age to join the prides that traveled outside Felid. You have to have a certain maturity since you’re expected to be away from the majority of your clan for large stretches of time.” “I don’t like this, Darren. It doesn’t feel right. My guts telling me something bad is going to happen.” Darren sighed, leaning his back against the wall before walking over to the couch. Sitting down, he lowered his head to his hands. “Yeah, that makes two of us.” Studying his cousin for a moment, Mike left the door, closing it behind him. He expected the others back soon. They needed to finish this conversation first. Aaron came down the stairs at the back of the cabin, sitting on the floor at Darren’s feet. He’d been changing upstairs, a sweater now covered his chest. Mike placed himself in front of the two of them, crossing his arms. “They’ll have to go out in shifts tomorrow. We have enough satellite phones that we can split up into four or five groups, but I think we should split into three groups just in case. We’re more familiar with this area than the Felidae. So each one of us takes the lead of a group. Got it? Someone stays here and mans the fort. Aaron, that should be you. Darren and I are the better trackers. I’ll take a group south and Darren can take the other group in a northwest direction. We’ll check in at periodic intervals and make sure everything is okay. Agreed?” Aaron shifted. “I know you’re the better tracker, but I think you should stay here. Lev and Morgan aren’t going to let me stay here without them and they’ll be of better use out there tracking. Trust me, that’s what these guys do. They hunt, that’s pretty much all they do, and they’re damn good at their job. Darren can’t stay here for the same reason. Durai’s needed out there and he damned well won’t go out without his mate.” 9

“Fuck.” Mike saw his point, but he couldn’t stay here by himself and slowly go crazy. “Fine, I’ll stay here with one of them. Uh, I’m not sure who would be the best to stay with me. Do any of them have any special skills that would help?” Darren shrugged, looking to Aaron. “I think Zula’s pretty good with that kind of stuff. I do know, though, if Achan is missing they’ll want to protect her. They’ll either band around and take her with them or leave her here where she won’t encounter anyone by accident.” “Why would they do that?” “Females are so rare among them. She’s one of only a few who have ever left their home world. Durai told me the other day that as soon as she finds her mate on Felid, she’s going to be practically locked up to prevent her from traveling anymore. They don’t like their women wandering around, even if she has the protection of her brothers.” Mike couldn’t figure out why that fact upset him. It shouldn’t matter at all but it didn’t chase away the clenching in his chest. “Okay, well when they get back we’ll outline the plan. I know they’re probably the better hunters and trackers, but this is my territory. I know what I’m doing.” “We should make some dinner. The guys will be tired and they’ll want to leave first thing tomorrow morning.” Darren stood up, surprising Mike when he went to the kitchen and started getting out food. “You gonna cook for us?” He couldn’t quite hide his snicker. “Hey, enough of that or I’ll start bragging about how I’m getting some and you’re not.” “Thanks for rubbing that in.” Laughing, Darren turned to look at him. Leaning back against the counter behind him, he crossed his legs at the ankles. “What happened to Suzy?” “Said I work too much. I think she found someone at some fast food joint.” “Geez, that sucks.” He shrugged. “Eh, I was gonna break it with her eventually anyway. Just couldn’t find the right time. And she was right, I do work too much. It isn’t easy having a relationship when you’re out of town living in some camp for three weeks.” Now that he thought about it, it was a very good thing he was unattached. He wasn’t the type of guy that cheated on a significant other, no matter that he’d lost interest in Suzy over a month ago. He’d still made a commitment to her. But now that he was footloose and fancy free so to speak, he could do whatever he wanted. Mike turned at a noise outside, pacing back to the door just as it opened to reveal Durai and the others. The big Leo shook his head, indicating they hadn’t found Achan. He searched the faces for Zula, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. She fascinated him, and not just because she was the first he’d seen. It was more than that. Something about the strength she’d shown earlier, her obvious attempt to protect his two cousins from harm. He wanted to learn more about her. “Mike has a plan and we all think it’s a good one.” Darren spoke from the kitchen, stirring the contents of a can into a pot. Walking over to the wood stove, he placed the pot on top, watching it carefully. Durai came up behind him, enfolding the man in his arms. Looking away, he was uncomfortably aware of how nice that had looked. Only he didn’t want to be enfolded in Durai’s arms, he’d rather be… well… Shaking his head, he realized the others were watching him, probably waiting for his brilliant plan. Time to start acting like he knew what he was doing. “Uh, I figured we should split into three groups, with Darren, Aaron and I each taking a group. That way, I can stay here in the cabin as command central, directing the groups, and the other two groups can do a coordinated search to see if we can find Achan. We’ll have to pack enough food and supplies so you guys can be gone for awhile. I don’t know how long it will take. Obviously, we can’t call in a Search and Rescue team so we’ll have to play their roles.” Durai nodded. “Darren will come with me, as will Mazin-” “Mazin and Griffin should accompany Morgan, Aaron and I.” Lev stepped up beside Durai, staring at the other man. Lev was a Leo the same as Durai, but he wasn’t quite as big and intimidating. Nevertheless, he was staring Durai down. There was an undercurrent there, but Mike couldn’t figure it out. He wished he knew more about them. “As you wish. Rais and Khalid will come with Darren and I, then.” 10

“Durai, you cannot be serious.” Zula stepped forward, the shock on her face. He didn’t like the idea of her being upset. Geez, he barely knew her and here he was all getting annoyed because Durai had upset her. “And what of me? I have a better sense of smell than all of you. I can find Achan.” “I know Zula, but I can’t let you go. You will stay here with Mike at the - what did he call it? - command central. You are better at coordinating things, Zula. I need you for this. We leave at first light.” An absurd bubble of joy grew in his chest. The idea of the two of them - alone - in his cabin was something else. He just hoped she was happy about it. Maybe they could learn more about each other. He needed to get over this insane attraction. She was going to be leaving as soon as she found her brother. Plus, she wasn’t human. They might not even be compatible. He knew next to nothing about her. “Uh, you might want to leave before that if you can. First light won’t be until about nine-ish. Long nights this time of year.” “Fine, we will eat, get a few hours sleep, and then we leave. Any objections?” “We should call for assistance.” Mike turned at the interruption. Khalid stood tall in the room, larger than anyone else there. He had his arms crossed over his chest, his tail jerking madly. “No.” “Durai -” “No, we call no one. Is that clear?” No one said a word. Mike looked around the room, taking in the serious expressions on everyone’s faces. His gaze lingered on Zula, unable to make out the play of emotions on her face. What had he gotten himself into? ** * Zula watched her pride leave the next morning, wishing she was with them. Achan was her youngest brother, she should have protected him. How could they have missed him? Where had he gone and how was it possible no one had noticed him missing? She wanted to be out there, hunting, but Durai was right. Her strengths lay in gathering info and working out plans. She was a better strategist. Still, it rankled being left behind. “He’s going to be okay, you have to believe that.” She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes on a rumbling purr. Gods, his scent was killing her. If she didn’t do something about it soon she was liable to rub her body up against him and she would probably be embarrassed about that. Satisfied, but embarrassed all the same. She turned at the interruption, spying the human left behind with her. At least that wasn’t so bad, she could have been left with either Darren or Aaron. Or, her worst nightmare, both Darren and Aaron. Suppressing her shudder, she considered Mike. He was dressed in much the same way he had been yesterday, except he had taken off the small jacket he’d been wearing. His chest was covered in black cloth that stretched over his skin, almost molded to his body. Blue pants covered his legs, hiding his limbs from view. She didn’t like the humans’ need to cover up their bodies. It made it so much more difficult to see what you were looking at. Plus, it must be hell when they wanted to fuck. Too many layers to be removed. She much preferred the Leo habit of wearing a loincloth. Of course, the humans were more fragile and this land wasn’t as warm as Felid. She’d felt the coolness yesterday, even through her thick fur. “Of course he will be fine. He is a Steinsson.” She tried to smile but by the look on his face, he wasn’t fooled. “So, looks like it’s just the two of us now.” “Thank you for helping us. This is not your fight, you barely know us.” “I don’t know you, but I know my cousins. They’re great men and awesome judges of character. If they vouch for you, I’ll accept that over anything.” “So, we are just supposed to wait here? Do nothing?” “Uh, what do you want to do? Unless you know how to play cards, there’s really not much up here. It’s a great place to come for peace and quiet-” “Only if you are alone. I was almost driven out of my mind by your cousins.” Mike laughed, sprawling on the sofa. “Yeah, they do like to talk, don’t they? It drives me nuts sometimes. I like my quiet, you know, being alone with just my thoughts. Some days after I come home from work it’s all I can do to sit back and watch TV without falling right into bed.” “That must be tough on your mate.” Zula relaxed against the wall, studying him carefully. 11

“Oh, I don’t really have one. I mean, I was seeing this girl, but it didn’t work out for us.” “Really?” “Yeah, she didn’t like that I worked all the time.” “Hmmm, her loss.” She lowered her lids. “Uh, yeah, I guess.” “So, what do you like to do for… fun?” She drawled the last word. “Uh, are you flirting with me?” “If you have to ask, I must not be doing it right.” Standing up, Mike walked closer to her. “The better question would be why.” “Why not?” She looked him up and down, letting her gaze wander over his body. It was strangely nice to be able to look him directly in the eyes. She was so used to looking up at males. Such an improvement to find someone the same height as her. “Zula.” “Let’s just say it has been so long for me I am afraid I do not know how to do it anymore.” “It?” “Sex, of course.” He sputtered, his shoulders shaking. “Are all Felidae as direct as you?” “I find you appealing, your scent is driving me crazy, and if you do not touch me in five seconds I am going to do something incredibly embarrassing. Unless… y-you do not find me appealing?” Sighing, Mike shrugged his shoulders. “That’s the problem. I find you just a little too appealing. I barely know you and to be honest, I never thought I was a furvert.” “Furvert?” His cheeks turned red, intriguing her. Didn’t that mean he was embarrassed about something? She’d seen that happen to Darren before. “Uh, there’s this whole group of people out there who love anthropomorphic characters, you know, animals that have human characteristics. Or humans who have animal characteristics, depending on how you look at it. It grew out of comic books. They’re called furries and plushies. Anyway, furverts, uh, furry perverts, are different from furries. They sexualize the characters. It’s this whole subculture. My sister, Joy, is an anthropologist and she did a paper on it once. It’s the only reason I know about them. I’m not much for comic books.” “So, you think you are one of these furverts?” Mike laughed, reaching out to run the fingers of his right hand down her cheek. “Yeah, I guess you could say I’ve been converted.” Zula sniffed, catching his scent. It was stronger than before, muskier. He really did find her attractive. It wasn’t like her to be unsure of herself, but this was completely outside any experience she’d ever had. He was a human, a fragile hairless being. What if she hurt him? She really should have talked to Durai before he left. For a split second she considered talking to him over one of the satellite phones Mike had given them, but she couldn’t figure out how to get Mike out of the room so she could have a bit of privacy. This was ridiculous. “Maybe we should not -” Mike grabbed her around the waist, pulling them close until barely a breath separated their bodies. The hard ridge of his erection pressed against her belly. “Oh, no, princess. You aren’t going to back out of this. Not when you started it.” “I just think -” He effectively cut her off, trapping the rest of her words within his mouth. His lips pressed to hers, mingling their breath. She moaned into him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, and melding their bodies together. Unable to stop herself, she wiggled, rubbing her body against his, trapping his cock between them. It was his turn to groan. Breaking their kiss, he pulled away just enough to grab the hem of his shirt, whipping it off over his head. She followed suit, unwrapping the cloth at her breast. Reaching down, her hands met his, both of them struggling to unwrap the fabric at her hips before tackling the unfamiliar device on his pants. She snarled in 12

frustration, slicing the thick denim with her claws. The tattered remains floated down to his feet, but he didn’t seem to care very much. When she reached for her knife strapped to her thigh, he stopped her. “Leave it on.” “But -” “Please, it’s kind of a fantasy. Just leave it on.” Grinning wickedly, she planted her palms on his chest, pushing him backward, gratified when he stumbled before righting himself. Pushing him again, she herded him to the stairs at the back of the loft. She wanted to get to the bed upstairs, but they never made it there. Mike tripped at the stairs, falling to his ass and splaying his thighs wide. She purred, her gaze drawn to the thick, tasty cock nestled in a short pelt of black hair. Going to her knees in front of him, she bent forward, running her tongue along his calf. Teasing the skin behind his knee, she purred against his leg, undulating her hips helplessly. The flavor of him exploded on her tongue, wild and earthy. He tasted the way she thought the forest itself would. Her core throbbed painfully. Her breasts felt heavy, aching for his touch. She was surrounded by his scent, drawn closer to him. Inhaling deeply, she cried out when her pussy clenched. Almost, she was almost there and he hadn’t even touched her yet. She’d probably die if he did. When she tilted her head, it was to see his eyes widen, his pupils dilated. He was panting harshly. She continued her journey up his thigh, licking and nibbling her way. Grabbing his thighs in a strong grip, she flicked out her tongue, touching the weeping slit of his cock. He jerked, and his shaft got just a little bit harder. It was flushed an angry red, and his delicate testicles were drawn up close to his body. She wasn’t the only one desperate for more. Deciding to put them both out of their misery, Zula moved, sliding herself up and over Mike until she was astride his lean hips. Grabbing his shaft in one hand, she squeezed him. “Fuck!” Mike tossed his head, slamming it into the stair tread above him. She grinned, flashing her fangs at him. He grabbed her hips, bringing them into closer contact. Zula shifted, rubbing his cock over the lips of her sex, letting him feel how wet she was. Sinking slowly, she drew his dick into her body, feeling her pussy stretch to accommodate him. It had been too long for her, but the tight fit was painfully pleasurable. Spots danced in front of her eyes. Letting her head fall back, she gasped when he bottomed out inside her and she was pressed hard against his pelvis. Zula dropped her hands to his chest, caressing his smooth skin. He lifted her, almost drawing her completely off of him. Zula mewled, slamming her hips back down. It became a test of wills, Mike lifting her and Zula pressing back down until they were gasping for air. The battered walls of her pussy clenched again and again, building her higher to some peak she was almost scared to reach. Releasing one of her hips, Mike reached down and pressed his thumb against the bundle of nerves at the apex of her sex, flicking it gently. She screamed, coming around the cock still thrusting inside her. Zula curled her fingers, riding out her orgasm. Mike panted, tensing beneath her. His cock jerked inside her, and a low guttural groan slid out between his clenched teeth. Her arms gave out and Zula slid bonelessly on top of him, unable to stop her fall. He grunted softly, his arms coming around her back and holding her tight. “God, if we do that again, I’m wearing chainmail. Fuck, that hurts now.” Zula snickered, lifting up enough to pull her claws out of his chest. She’d pierced him on his pectorals, little indents surrounding his nipples. She hadn’t even realized she’d done that. Twisting her neck, she licked each of the wounds on his left side, pausing to place the flat of her tongue against his nipple. It beaded tightly and Mike groaned again. “You’re going to be the death of me, princess.” “Hmm… I am sure you do not mind that, do you?” She moved to the side, licking his neglected nipple before sucking it into the hot cavern of her mouth, careful of her fangs. “I think my ass is going to permanently have the shape of the staircase imprinted on it. We should move while I still can.” She hummed in disappointment, hissing when he slapped her ass. Lifting her head to glare at him, Zula narrowed her eyes. 13

“Do not give me that. Move, now.” In a graceful move, she was on her feet, holding out her hand to help him up. Gratified to see his gaze linger on her body, she took the stairs two at a time, desperate now to continue what they’d just started. She wished it hadn’t come at Achan’s expense, but she was glad all the same for this time with Mike. Maybe she’d get him out of her system by the time they were ready to return to Felid.

Chapter Four “I desperately need coffee if we’re going to have another day like yesterday.” Mike picked up his mug, sipping the bitter brew. He rubbed his chest, wincing when he touched the scratches his little she-cat had left on him. His body now looked more like Darren’s had initially, bites and scratches covering his chest and shoulders. Zula was definitely a hellion in the sack. It was a good thing he loved it about her. She was so passionate, so open. There was no fear of what he thought of her, no self-consciousness on her part. It was refreshing. His last girlfriend hadn’t wanted to have sex with the lights on, and she’d constantly groused about her muffin top, whatever the fuck that was. They’d spent the morning wrapped in each other’s arms. His balls felt drained, but he knew just one look from those sultry amber eyes and he’d be as hard as stone and ready for round two - four? five? - in a matter of seconds. He should probably get some food in him though, if he expected to keep up his stamina. Furred arms wrapped around his chest from behind. Zula rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, purring softly. The rumble was soothing against his back, yet another patch of skin that bore the marks of her lovemaking. “Hey, none of that until I drink my coffee.” “I think I can change your mind.” Mike pursed his lips, trying to hide his smile. “Hmm?” Her claws scraped gently down his sides, causing him to arch his back. “I told you not to put the pants on, did I not? Such a shame to ruin two pairs of pants.” He frowned. “Nothing’s wrong with my jeans.” “No? My mistake.” She grabbed the waistband of his jeans and the thick sound of denim tearing filled the room. Mike jerked as the denim slid down his legs. Something wet touched his hip, startling him before Zula sank her teeth into the meat of his ass. Crying out, he dropped his mug, grabbing for the kitchen counter to hold himself upright. The mug spilled over, hot liquid running down the side of the counter. She soothed the bite with her tongue before nuzzling her cheek against his skin. A low rumbling sound caught his attention. She was purring again. Oh lord, that was hot. He slipped out of her hold, pressing his sore butt against the cool wood of the counter. She grinned up at him, her sharp teeth inches away from his rising cock. Before she had time to act on the wicked promise in her gaze, he grabbed her under the arms, lifting her and swinging around until she was seated on the counter. She gasped, clenching her thighs to either side of his hips when he stepped between them. “You’re going to have to pay for making me lose my coffee.” Sliding his palms down her thighs, Mike avoided the knife strapped to her right leg. He didn’t know what it was about the damn thing but it was such a turn on seeing her in nothing but the strips of leather. Hmm… maybe he could fashion up some leather dominatrix costume for her. His cock throbbed. Oh yeah, he liked that idea. Mike dropped to his knees, spreading her thighs wider and pulling her closer until her sweet pussy was right in front of his face. Cupping the top of his head, Zula leaned back, raising her hips. He smiled, hiding his grin against her silky thigh. He would have expected her fur to be coarse, but it was like the softest down. Almost like the undergrowth on a cat. It was incredibly short, the strands barely parting when he ran his hands along her calves. He could get lost in her. Her scent was spicy, her limbs elegant. It was a definite turn on to think she could overpower him at any minute. When push came to shove, she could probably kick his ass without too much trouble. 14

Without pausing to give her time to anticipate the action, he buried his face between her sweet thighs, blowing a puff of air on her sex. She squirmed, threading her fingers through his hair. Her scent was richer here, clouding his mind. Mike licked her, a long swipe of his tongue from the bottom of her pussy to the little bud peaking out among the thicker fur at the apex of her groin. He wanted to give her as much pleasure as she’d given him this morning. Christ almighty, when she first put her tongue on him, that wicked raspy tongue, he’d just about blown his top. It was a damn close call for a minute until he could get himself under control. He didn’t want her in control, though. He wanted her screaming his name. Her unique flavor was heady on his tongue, like supping from the greatest liqueur. He could get drunk off her. She was purring, deep rumbles vibrating her body. He could almost taste it. Stabbing his tongue into her cunt, he was gratified when she wailed, clenching her thighs tighter around him. He vaguely heard a noise over her whimpers, but his mind was full of her. Her taste, her scent. The way she was shaking under him, her body tense. “Should we come back at another time?” The voice was amused. And female. What the fuck? A dull thud sounded before he was even aware that Zula had moved. When he turned his head, he saw the hilt of her knife quivering where it was imbedded in the wall next to the door. Next to the open door. A female that looked similar to Zula - but about as different as one could possibly get while covered with fur - was grinning widely. She had her arms out wide, her hands empty of any weapons. Mike panted, trying to make sense of it. The woman was a muted tan, with thick black stripes banding her body. Her hair was short, and a dull brown cloth was wrapped around her chest and hips. “I will not miss next time, Rabi’a. That was your first warning.” Zula hissed. “My apologies for interrupting your pleasure, but we have larger matters at hand. I am assuming this is not your brother’s mate.” Mike stood, his erection wilted. Great, now he was naked - and not at his best - in front of someone he’d just met. “Who the fuck is that?” “Mike, meet Rabi’a Asher, Khalid’s sister on his mother’s side. Rabi’a, meet Mike Coleman, Durai’s new cousin through mating.” They nodded to each other, Mike trying to find something to say. Geez, what did you say to someone who’d just walked in on you eating someone out? Zula hopped down off the counter, picking up his jeans and thrusting them at him. “Can you change?” He nodded, quickly walking to the stairs and continuing to the loft. Pulling a pair of black pants from his pack, he realized Zula was right. He hadn’t brought too many changes of clothes since he was only planning on being here a week. Already, two pairs of jeans were ruined. Slipping a tee over his head, he pattered to the edge of the loft when he heard another voice. “Zula. Well met.” Looking over the edge, he stared straight into the eyes of the most arresting man he’d ever seen. A current passed between them and the man’s eyes widened slightly. Mike gasped, pulling back and touching his chest. What the fuck had that been? The man had looked like Rabi’a, they were the same muted tan and he had the same thick black stripes covering his body from head to toe. His belly was white, a shockingly vulnerable color against the striking stripes and the tiny loincloth he was wearing perilously low on his hips. He was taller than both the females, towering over them by at least a foot or more. “Jai, what are you doing here?” Mike jogged down the stairs, once again meeting the male’s gaze. He had a wicked tilt to his lips, a hint of fang peaking out while he watched Mike intently. It was Rabi’a who answered, drawing Mike’s gaze away from Jai. “We received your distress call, of course. You said it was urgent we come and help with the hunt for Achan. You did not think we would refuse, did you?” Mike frowned. “But, Durai said -” “Mike.” 15

He turned to Zula, catching her warning glare. Ookay, so apparently he wasn’t supposed to mention that Durai expressly forbade them from contacting anyone. So, who went against his orders? He honestly couldn’t remember where everyone was the night before last. He was exhausted in the first place, and he’d practically collapsed in his sleeping bag when it was time to sleep. Not that he’d gotten much sleep. Durai had asked that they all stay inside, probably in a bid to keep them from leaving and searching for Achan on their own. With Durai and Darren upstairs with Lev, Morgan and Aaron, the rest of them had slept on the floor in the main room of the cabin with Zula resting on the couch. Someone had apparently snuck back to the ship though. How else would they have been able to get a message to these people? Suddenly, something occurred to Mike. They had stripes, just like tigers. Just like those tiger-like people that took Aaron. “Who is the human?” Jai licked his lips, his gaze moving between Zula and Mike. He realized that while he had dressed, Zula had not. Growling, Mike backed up, grabbing her wraps from where they had been draped on the end of the couch, and thrusting the bundle at her. He didn’t like the idea of anyone else looking at her. She grinned, slowly covering all her pertinent parts. He didn’t like that one bit. Someone coughed, but when he looked at the other two in the room they refused to meet his gaze. “You should explain to us what is going on.” Rabi’a took control back. Glancing over at Zula, Mike waited until she nodded before he spoke. “We noticed Achan missing yesterday. There weren’t any signs near the cabin so we decided to expand the search in two directions. Darren, Durai, Khalid and Rais moved southeast of here early this morning, while Lev, Aaron, Morgan, Griffin and Mazin went northwest. They’re trying to cover as much ground as they can. It’s pretty much like searching for a needle in a haystack, but we don’t have much of a choice. We can’t afford to break up the groups any further because Aaron and Darren are the only ones halfway familiar with the terrain out there. “If it was a human missing, they’d send out teams with search dogs and air support, but we can’t call the humans in for obvious reasons. And we can’t risk any of you being discovered by any hunters or trappers that might be out there this time of year.” “Ah, I see why we were contacted then.” He shook his head. “I’m not sure what you mean.” Zula moved up beside him, running her tail along his thigh. The thick appendage wrapped around his leg briefly before dropping down. “The Tigris are excellent hunters. They are at home both on land and in the trees, like the Pardus are, but they also are extremely comfortable in the water. Plus they’re used to being solitary, so they have a different set of skills. In a Leo pride, we rely on the strengths of each other. Among the Tigris, you must be strong on your own. You cannot rely on others.” “True, but there are reasons for us to come together. We aren’t entirely solitary.” Jai grinned. “I just bet you have reasons.” “Would you care for me to demonstrate, Zula?” Mike clenched his teeth, wanting to step forward and tell Jai where he could go, but something was holding him back. This was definitely unfamiliar territory for him. He didn’t have a claim on Zula, despite what they’d just spent the morning doing. Besides, Darren was the one who told him it was expected for Zula to find her mate on Felid. Whatever they had wasn’t going to go any further. She’d probably end up with some lion man, popping out babies. His chest tightened at the thought. Zula hissed, her tail lashing. “I do not think so, Tigris.” “Enough. We need to determine our plan of action. Sheer, Pran, come in here.” Rabi’a walked back to the door, calling out. As Mike watched in disbelief, two more men came pacing into the cabin. Christ on a crutch, how many Felidae could they possibly get here without anyone else knowing? It sounded like the beginning of a joke. Geez, this was ridiculous. Someone had to have noticed them landing whatever ship they’d come in. They couldn’t be that much more advanced than them. They were supposed to have missile defence systems in North America, for Christ’s sake. They were both massive, larger than Rabi’a and Zula. They looked to be bigger than Jai even, but not by much. These men gave new meaning to being ripped. Their muscles flexed as they moved silently into the room. 16

Both men ignored him, focusing on Rabi’a. What, was she their leader or something? “You heard?” One of the men nodded, the other remained still, a sneer on his handsome features. Great, first he found out he was attracted to a lion woman and now he was thinking Tony the Tiger was hot. Mike carefully avoided looking at Jai. He was just too tempting for words. He couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him. He’d never been attracted to a man before, had he? Sure, everyone looked at male models and celebrities and thought they were attractive. And there was that one time in high school where he’d popped a boner right after gym class when Bobby McFae was undressing next to him, but… okay, so he was bisexual at the least. Didn’t mean he had to all of a sudden turn into a promiscuous furvert who offered himself up to every attractive furry alien he met. Right? This was all Aaron and Darren’s fault. He was totally blaming them for his relaxing morals. Hell, if Suzy could see him now. Well, actually, if Suzy was here she’d probably be in a dead faint. She hadn’t liked animals of any kind. He could still remember this one time when they found an escaped hamster in Mike’s apartment. It had been from the kid next door, but Suzy had pitched the biggest fit. He almost hadn’t been able to capture the thing. He was laughing too hard. That incident had kind of been the beginning of the end for them. Hell, they’d only dated for a few months anyway and he’d been away at camps working for most of that time. Definitely said something for his past relationships. He didn’t exactly have the best track record for maintaining long lasting bonds. And hell, his latest interest was going to be leaving as soon as they found her brother, so he better not get too attached. “Sheer, you go with Pran and track down Lev. I will -” “No!” both men spoke at the same time, stepping forward to object. Great, looked like there were even more undercurrents here. Christ, practically everything was going over his head. Zula better be talking once these guys left. He wasn’t going to stand for it anymore. Everyone here was now involved with his family, like it or not, and that meant they’d better start accepting Mike too. “I will find Khalid.” “I will stay with you.” Rabi’a looked from one to the other, sighing. “Men. Why must I always be stuck with someone who thinks they can tell me what to do? Fine. Pran, go to Khalid, but if you start any trouble, I will personally hunt you down and rip out your throat. Sheer, you may accompany me, if you must. Actually, forget that. We will go together and get our directions from Durai. Jai-” “I would rather stay here.” “Of course you would. Because no one listens to me anymore. I might as well be standing here talking to myself. Fine, stay here and wait for news.” “Fine with me.” “How do you contact the others?” Rabi’a turned to Zula, cocking her hip. “We have phones that bounce a signal off satellites, they allow us to communicate over large distances, and Mike says they are quite reliable in this area. We should be expecting them to check in any minute now.” “Good. We should head out, then, while they are not too far ahead of us. Jai, do not cause any trouble. I do not want to have to explain to Khalid why his youngest brother has been gutted by Zula.” “I am not his youngest brother, Rabi’a. Do you forget? Achan is two seasons younger than me.” “Okay, wait just a damn minute. Khalid is your brother?” He pointed to Jai who nodded. “And your brother?” He pointed to Rabi’a. “And he’s also Zula’s brother. Okay, how about everyone who isn’t related to Khalid raise their hand.” One of the men - Pran - snarled. “That bastard can drop dead. He is not related to me.” “Nor me, although I do not have a problem with him,” Sheer chimed in. “Okay, fine. Glad we got that cleared up. I think I need a fucking family tree painted on the wall to keep all you guys straight.” Rabi’a snorted. Nodding to them, she walked out the door, her tail swishing behind her. Sheer followed, grabbing Pran by the back of his neck at the last minute. He said something to the other man in a low voice. Mike had no idea what it was, but it caused the other Tigris to growl and jerk away. He slammed the door behind them, leaving Mike and Zula alone with Jai. Great. Now they were stuck with someone else in the cabin. He could probably expect a giant case of blue balls by tonight. Mike didn’t suppose Zula would let him take up where they’d left off with Mr. Stripes within earshot the entire time. 17

Technically he’d also be getting quite the show too. There really wasn’t anywhere to fuck here without having everyone see it. Privacy had never been a big issue when Mike’s dad had built this place years ago with Darren’s father. Hunting kind of erased all those pesky privacy issues most people had. Besides, only family had ever stayed here. In the last week, they’d had more visitors than they’d had in over thirty years of coming up here to this area. His dad was probably rolling over in his grave right now. He’d practically hated people, and his cabin used to be the one place where he could get away from everything. “I guess we should grab something to eat. I don’t know about the two of you, but I’m kind of hungry.” Mike walked over to the kitchen, rummaging through the cupboard for a can of soup. Somehow in the last few minutes, the tension had increased in here. While he’d been reminiscing about his family, Zula and Jai had entered their very own version of a Mexican standoff. They were both standing within a foot of each other, not saying a word. It was starting to get to him. Any minute now, he’d start babbling to fill the silence. This was why he didn’t like being around people. You had to play nice and talk when you were with others. You couldn’t just be a bastard and ignore everyone. “So, you must have a lot to catch up on. Being family and all. Did you grow up together?” “We are not family -” “I am not related to him -” They broke off, staring at each other again. Zula’s tail was lashing back and forth but Jai was utterly still. “Ookay. So, it must be weird meeting Khalid’s other side of the family, eh? My family isn’t really that big. I mean, on my dad’s side, there’s only the four of us. Darren and Aaron, and then my sister Joy. My mom’s side is larger but I’m not as close to them. Strange, eh? How you can be close to one side of your family and not the other. I guess it all depends on how close you live to each other. But that doesn’t really factor in for my family, since Darren and Aaron have never really lived close to us. We used to spend our summers together though. Driving down to Montana and camping out, taking family vacations with our two families. That kind of stuff. “Uh, I totally apologize for the fare, we don’t exactly have five star accommodations up here so the food isn’t the greatest. We do our best, of course, but there’s only so much you can bring up in a pack without breaking your back from the weight. And it has to be food that won’t go bad in a few days. We like to keep the cabin pretty much stocked just in case. You never know when you’re going to get snowed in here or something in the winter. It can get pretty bad if you aren’t aware of the weather. Oh, Jesus, someone stop me now before I start a conversation on the weather. ’Cause I can just keep going and going on this and -” Zula strode forward, grabbing him by the back of the neck and drawing his mouth to hers. Well, fuck, that was a pretty nice way of shutting him up. Zula couldn’t understand what was wrong with her. Here she was with her mouth on the most delectable man she’d ever met, someone who inflamed her senses with just one sniff of his appealing scent, and she was thinking of someone else. Well, she wasn’t just thinking of someone else. Which made it worse somehow. Why couldn’t she be content with what she had? Why did she have to start fantasizing about having both Mike and Jai together, lavishing attention on her? Sure it was most women’s fantasy to be with more than one man, and considering how rare females were among the Felidae it was actually expected that they would mate with more than one man. Most women who joined prides with males who were unrelated to her ended up fucking everyone in the pride. It ensured their species continued, and gave everyone an equal chance at having offspring without resorting to bloodshed. But was it something Mike would want? It didn’t matter. She couldn’t be attracted to Jai. He was Tigris, of all things. And, he was Khalid’s younger brother. How was that for confusing? They were practically related. They may not technically be related, but for the sake of her sanity she had to act like they were. Of all the men that could have walked through that door, why did it have to be a Tigris? They were forceful, dominant, rude, overbearing, and crass and what’s more, they actually needed to be alone. Sure, she liked her privacy, occasionally, but she would die without her pride around her. And here she 18

was, lusting after one man she’d be leaving soon, and another who probably had no interest in ever joining a pride. There had only ever been one full Tigris who had joined the prides and he was an exception. Khalid didn’t count. He’d practically been forced by Zula’s father to come home and join them. He’d spent the early part of his life with his Tigris family. In fact, if she remembered correctly, he had some sort of thing with Pran years ago. Maybe it wasn’t such a good thing the other man was looking for him now. Oh well, she had one brother to worry about, she couldn’t afford to divide her attention any further. Khalid could more than take care of himself. “Can just anyone join in or is this one of those sports only two can play?” Jai purred. Jerking back, Zula panted, staring into Mike’s beautiful eyes. They were the color of the sky over Felid, and reminded her of her home. He could become her home if she wasn’t careful. Already she couldn’t imagine leaving him behind when they found Achan. And they would find Achan. There was no other alternative. Twisting her head, she considered Jai. He had moved until he was right beside them, staring at them both. Mike was breathing harshly, and if she wasn’t mistaken, the hard press of his erection into her belly indicated he didn’t mind being intimate in front of Jai. He exhaled, burying his head in the curve of her neck, placing a kiss to the sensitive underside of her jaw. Tilting to give him more room, Zula was suddenly aware of something tickling her thigh. Moving only her eyes, she spotted Jai’s tail swishing idly back and forth beside her, just grazing her leg. He was giving her the option of pulling away. But did she want to? Maybe she’d gone crazy from Mike’s scent, but she didn’t want to stop and think. Thinking meant she had to be aware of her brother missing. She couldn’t think about that, didn’t want to even have it enter her mind. She desperately needed a distraction or she was just going to break down and bawl like a cub for its mother. It was all too much. The unfamiliar land, the discovery of creatures so like her people, yet so different, finding out Durai had a mate, Achan missing, Mike… It was all too much. Unable to decide what she wanted, Zula glanced to Mike. She just didn’t know what to do. It was all so confusing. “No, no. We are not doing this.” She turned, pacing to the door as if the very foundation was going to come crashing down on her at any minute. Her entire world felt disrupted. This was crazy. No man was going to have her shaken. She wouldn’t allow it.

Chapter Five “Zula! Get back here.” Mike followed her to the door, catching a glimpse of her tail as she cut a path around the cabin. He had half a mind to follow her, but sanity intruded before he could take more than one step outside. “Fuck.” “I apologize.” Mike rounded on Jai, gritting his teeth. “For what?” “I believe it was my presence that has… upset her.” “Yeah, well, I’ve learned from experience that women aren’t exactly rational all the time. Who knows what set her off?” Jai grinned briefly, standing still in the middle of the room. “Besides, she is Steinsson. They give new meaning to the word stubborn.” Mike snorted, closing the door and spotting the knife still buried to the hilt beside the door. She hadn’t even taken it with her. He left it where it was, walking back into the room. “Yeah, well you picked a hell of a time to come here.” “I had no choice.” Arching his brow, Mike walked over to sit on the couch, gesturing for Jai to join him. Might as well be friendly if they were going to be stuck here. Besides, nothing bonded men faster than having to deal with the confusing mind of a female. Jai stepped forward, gingerly sitting on the lumpy couch. “When we heard Khalid was here, we had no choice. I had to come, as did Rabi’a. Do you have siblings?” “A sister, Joy.” 19

“Then you understand. When we heard Khalid was stranded here while he looked for his brother, we had to come. I would do anything for him. Even if he could care less if I existed.” “Whoa, what’s that supposed to mean?” “Nothing, just forget I said anything.” Jai turned his head, his tail whipping up and down, setting a staccato beat against the arm of the couch. Mike really wanted to find out what Jai had meant, but one look at the closed expression on his face and he decided to drop it. For now. Before he could say anything, the buzzing of his phone interrupted. He fumbled to answer it. “Hello?” “Mike, have you heard anything?” “Hey, Dare. No, nothing here. You?” “No. Khalid went up ahead searching for something, but he can’t find anything except for a faint trace of Achan’s scent. They can’t figure out why they can’t smell him. It should be clear as day, but they all sniffed around outside the cabin, and it’s as if he just disappeared. Either that, or he’s doing a damn good job of hiding his scent.” Mike nibbled on his lower lip, trying to decide if he should say what’d been on his mind since finding out Achan left. “Darren, what if he’s hiding from them? I know they all think he’s been taken by someone. But what if it isn’t that?” “Shit, Mike. If he’s hiding from them, they’ll find him eventually. I’d trust Khalid’s nose over Achan’s ability to hide out any day. But I really don’t think that’s it. You never met him, but trust me, Achan relies on the rest of them. He’s the baby in the family, and he just barely qualified to join them on their trip here. He won’t know how to exist without his pride. No, if he’s missing, he’s either been taken or he got lost somehow. I just can’t figure it out. None of this makes sense.” “All right. I was just putting it out there.” “Thanks, Mike. You don’t have to be doing this, you know that, right? You don’t know how much this means to us.” “Yeah, well, I love you too, cuz.” “I better go, Khalid’s back. We’ll check back in a few hours. See ya.” “Bye.” He put the phone down, sighing. “You did not tell him we were here.” “Shit.” Mike looked at Jai, both men grinning. “That’ll be a surprise, won’t it?” “I would love to see my brother’s face when Pran arrives. They have not seen each other in years.” “Yeah?” Mike bit his lower lip again. A long tongue swiped out, caressing his lip. Jerking back, Mike stared in shock at Jai from inches away. How’d he move so fast? Heck, Mike hadn’t even heard him when he shifted on the couch. Jai froze, his eyes narrowed. “I don’t think -” Jai’s mouth cut him off, the other man pressing his mouth to Mike’s. Groaning, Mike lifted his arms, curling his fingers around Jai’s biceps. He could barely get them around the thick muscles. Jai let more of his weight drop on Mike, pressing him back against the arm of the couch. Turning his face to the side, Mike broke the kiss. Jai took advantage of the move, caressing his lips across Mike’s cheek, nipping his earlobe. Panting, Mike squeezed his fingers together, holding on for dear life. His dick was growing hard, pressing against the seam in his pants. He arched his hips, gratified when Jai shifted again, laying the full length of his body against Mike. Jai’s cock brushed his before settling against his thigh. Mike tried to open his legs to get the man to lie fully against him, his left foot dropping to the ground. His right leg was held tightly between the back of the couch and Jai’s big body. Dropping his hands from where they were gripping Jai tightly, he wrapped them around the man’s back, smoothing along his soft back. Jai’s fur teased his fingers, an added sensation. Reaching his ass, Mike palmed the rounded globes, squeezing just hard enough to get Jai’s attention. Jai lifted his head, staring down at Mike. “We should not do this.”

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Mike shook his head, lifting his hips to push his cock into Jai’s. His grip tightened on Jai’s ass. Moving restlessly, he reached up with one hand and grasped Jai’s tail in a tight hold. An animalistic snarl sounded close to his ear. Mike tightened his hold, squeezing the base of Jai’s tail. Jai held himself still, arching his own hips until they were practically dry humping. Oh, God, he was going to come if he wasn’t careful. The hard weight of Jai on top of him was killing him, the feel of his cock pressed against Jai’s almost enough to have him lose his mind. Jai gripped the back of Mike’s head in one massive paw. “We cannot do this.” Groaning, Mike dropped his arms, letting go of Jai’s tail. They were both panting harshly, their breath loud in the small space. “Fuck, what’s wrong with me?” Mike pushed against Jai’s chest, both disappointed and relieved when he moved away, standing beside the couch. Gratified to see the large tent at the front of Jai’s loincloth, Mike had to practically tear his gaze away. “There is nothing wrong with you, human. If I had any sort of brain, I would be showing you how much I want you instead of stopping.” Mike sat up, running his fingers through his short hair. He was pretty sure it was probably sticking straight up, but he couldn’t care less. It was the cock, tantalizingly near, that was causing him more concern right now. He was seriously going to die of blue balls if he wasn’t careful. This was twice now in the space of a fucking hour that he’d been driven nearly mad without getting any kind of release. Uh, that would be twice in an hour… with two completely different people. And genders. Great, he was a furvert. Might as well rent a billboard and announce it to the world. Hi, my name is Mike and I’m a furvert. Yep, I get turned on by furry men and women. Hell, I’ll bend over for anyone. Line starts here. He snorted, placing his head in his hands. “Why’d you stop then?” Jai placed his hand on the top of Mike’s head, sliding his palm down and around until he was cupping Mike’s jaw. Mike looked up, straight into those damn arresting eyes. It wasn’t as if they were all that special. Heck, nearly everyone he’d met so far had amber eyes. But no one else seemed to have the almost greenish striations, the warm, inviting golden flecks. Oh Christ, he was fucked. “Never mind, don’t answer that. Despite what just happened, I’m not into guys anyway. I can’t do this with you.” Kneeling so they were eye to eye, Jai pursed his lips. “This is complicated.” “Yeah, no shit.” “I am not sure what that means.” Jai wrinkled his brow. “It just… never mind.” “I want you. Do not think that I do not want to be with you. And you want me, I know you do. But it is not that easy. We must consider Zula.” Mike jerked out of Jai’s hold. “What about her?” Blushing, he realized how that might sound. “I mean, what do you want with her?” “Has she told you anything about us?” “There’s an us… I mean, there’s a you?” “There is nothing between Zula and me, if that is what you mean, but I meant, has she told you anything about our people?” “Not much. I mean, my cousins told me a bit about how you’re all structured.” He paused, biting his lip. “About how Zula is expected to mate and all.” “It is expected for every one of our females to mate, regardless of what she wants. It is imperative that they provide us with a future generation. Some of them glory in that status, immediately seeking out mates. Some of them… do not. My own sister hates the idea of being mated. Seems to think it is going to curtail her freedom. She even had a cub from a male who shared no interest in having a future with her just so she could say she did her duty. I have a feeling that Zula might be the same.” “What’re you saying?” “I do not believe Zula has any intention of taking a mate. At least, she has no intention of taking a mate who she feels might tell her how to act. She is considered rare among her people because she travels with her brothers. It was quite the fight to even allow her to come with them. It is only because of Durai’s close relationship to the heir to the Leo rule, that they even granted her wish. If it had been up to most of the pride leaders, she would not have been allowed ten feet off Felid.” 21

“How do you know all this? I mean, I thought you guys didn’t interact. Don’t you live on a different planet?” Jai remained on his knees in front of Mike, peering up at him. It put them more on equal footing, so to speak. As weird as it was for Mike to look down at the man, he was grateful for the position. After a day of having everyone tower over him, it was kind of nice for one of them to realize the advantage their height gave them and willingly give up that position. Without realizing he’d moved, Mike cupped Jai’s face, stroking his fingertips along the man’s cheek. Shaking his head, he removed his hand, squeezing his fingers into a fist. He couldn’t want the man, so why was he acting like this? Jai rumbled, a rhythmic purring sound. His tail wrapped around Mike’s ankle, caressing the bare flesh. “It is true that we live apart, but we are quite free with our flow of information back and forth. Besides, Rabi’a and Khalid have always remained close, he shares a lot of information with her.” “Will you tell me about Khalid?” Mike grabbed Jai’s hand before the man could move. “Please?” “There is not much to tell.” “You said he doesn’t care for you.” “He does not.” “That is not true.” Zula’s voice rang out from the door. Mike jumped, releasing Jai’s hand. He hadn’t even heard her come in. Oh, God, what was she going to think about him and Jai? Not that they’d done anything. This was getting more and more complicated the longer he stayed at this damned cabin. Jai stood up, his tail unwinding from Mike’s ankle. It was stupid, but he actually regretted the loss of that tail. It’d been comforting. “It is true, do not try and make excuses for him.” “You have no idea why he left.” “I know. I am not stupid, Zula. I know. More than you.” Mike stood up, putting himself between them. “Look guys -” “Why are you here? Why did you really come, Jai?” Jai turned his head, refusing to answer. “Answer me! Why are you here?” “Why are you so scared?” Zula growled, low and sharp. Striding forward, she grabbed Jai around the throat, backing him up until he slammed into the wall at the back of the cabin. Her knife was suddenly in her hand, pressed against the side of his face. Mike stared in shock. Stupidly, he turned to look at the door, only to find the knife missing. Christ, how did everyone move so fast around here? He felt horribly normal compared to them. “Do not ever say that to me. I am scared of nothing,” Zula hissed. Jai remained still, not so much as twitching. “You are worried about something.” “Okay, that’s enough, Jai. Zula, let him go.” Mike tried to grab her arm to get her to release him. He couldn’t so much as budge her. Ookay, she was definitely stronger than him. Great, now he was normal and weak. Yay for being human. “I am worried about nothing. You are nothing to me.” Whoa, where had that come from? Mike backed up, watching them carefully. He didn’t know anything and it was starting to piss him off. He felt like he’d opened a book, only to find out it started on chapter five and the first four chapters were filled with all the back story. He was missing out on practically everything here. “Someone better not bleed in here. If you’re going to be assholes, then take it outside. I’m so God damned tired of this. You think this is easy for me? I came up here for some fucking peace and quiet. Does this look like fucking peace and quiet to you? If I don’t get some answers in the next five seconds, you can both take your hairy asses outside and starve to death for all I care.” He turned his back on them, walking into the kitchen area. It was time he got some answers or they could just stand there and kill each other. But he’d be damned if he was going to be ignored. Enough was fucking enough.

Chapter Six Zula lifted her lip, snarling silently at Jai. He returned her gaze, narrowing his eyes until he was studying her from half-lowered lids. He saw too much. She really didn’t like it. She thunked her knife into the wall by his head, releasing him. Turning to view Mike, she tried to come up with something to say. The problem was that she really didn’t know what to do about him. Everything was so confusing. She was used to things being neat and orderly, 22

and here were two men who scared her. Jai was right, damn his striped hide. She didn’t like being scared. Her whole world was turning upside down and she no longer knew what she wanted. She hadn’t missed the scent when she’d come in. They’d done something when she’d gone. Oh, she knew they didn’t have sex, but their scents were strong, hints of passion and spicy notes of frustration filled her lungs when she inhaled. If they missed out on being together, it would be her fault. How could she deny anyone? Her people took what they wanted. They saw no shame in finding pleasure where they could. And yet, it was obvious these two men hadn’t found their pleasure together. It wasn’t like her to be so indecisive. And it was bad when her confusion was affecting the people around her. “You are right.” The words surprised her. She didn’t realize she was going to speak until she did. Mike tensed his shoulders, still facing away from her. Jai said nothing, leaning against the wall with his face turned away. “You are both right,” she snarled, hating the words even as she realized they needed to be said. She hated being wrong. She hated even more having to acknowledge that in front of someone. That got their attention. Mike spun around, raising one of his eyebrows. She still found it strange that humans had hair in certain spots but not others. Shaking her head, she realized she was allowing herself to be distracted. Jai moved until he was standing before her. Mike stepped forward and suddenly she was facing both men. They stood shoulder to shoulder and had equal, exasperated expressions on their faces. She hunched her shoulders. “And…” Mike prompted. Swishing her tail, she lifted her lip, displaying one of her canines. “And I am scared.” “You’re going to have to say that again, princess.” “I am scared! Happy?” “No, it doesn’t make me happy. But, it’s a start.” “What more do you want from me?” “How about telling us why you are scared?” Jai answered. “You know. You know or you would not have pushed me.” “I am not like them, Zula. And neither is Mike.” “How would you know? You just met the man.” “And you have known him for a day. Some things do not take years to figure out. He would not try to stop you. You know that or you would not have started anything with him. Remember, I saw what you were doing when we arrived.” Zula felt her cheeks heat. Gratified for once that she wasn’t hairless, she cursed her blush nonetheless. Her hair would hide it, but Jai would be able to smell the change in her scent. “Zula… why do I get the feeling I’m missing something here?” When she turned to look at Mike, he had a rueful twist to his lips. “I have worked my entire life to be able to do what I do. I will not give that up.” “I’m not asking you to.” Mike reached out, running his fingers down her arm. “Neither am I.” She turned to Jai now, unsure what to say. “You will not mean to, but it will happen all the same. I have seen it happen. I have seen strong, independent women turned into gushing strangers around their men. As if their wishes and dreams matter not in the face of their mates. I will not be like that, I cannot be like that. I have worked too hard for what I have.” “Aren’t you getting a little ahead of yourself?” Shocked, she could only stare at Mike. What if he… did he not want her that way? She hadn’t thought about that. All this time she’d assumed his feelings were growing for her much the same as hers had for him. What if… what if he did not want her? “Fuck, I didn’t mean it that way. Okay, please someone hit me the next time I speak without thinking about how it’ll sound. Okay, and don’t take that literally, eh. I mean, the first person who hits me is getting a kick in the gonads.” 23

He arched his brow at Jai meaningfully. “Why are you looking at me?” Jai sputtered. Zula grinned, despite herself. He looked so affronted. “I’m serious, Stripes. You’ll be singing soprano for a week.” Jai mock-growled, swiping his arm out and grabbing Mike. Holding the smaller man beneath his shoulder, he leaned down, biting his earlobe. Zula gasped, entranced at the sight of the two men together. They suited each other despite how different they were. Two opposites, both just perfect for her. Shaking her head, she looked around the room, desperate for something to take her mind off them. A low, heated moan caught her attention. Against her better judgment, she turned back to them. Jai had Mike in his arms, his head tilted back over one of Jai’s massive wrists. The Tigris had a hard grip on the back of Mike’s neck. His teeth were bared, as Jai ran first one glistening fang and then the other over Mike’s sensitive neck. Mike was quivering, his entire body shaking. “Stop, Jai, don’t…” Mike moaned. “I told you, I don’t want this.” She inhaled. He wasn’t scared or uninterested; that was definitely passion that colored his scent. Unable to look away, she met Jai’s heated gaze over Mike’s shoulder. He was doing it on purpose. He knew how much Mike’s vulnerability enticed her. There was just something about fucking someone weaker than her. She could overpower him at any minute, and the absolute trust it took for him to be with her was astounding… and arousing. It wouldn’t be the same with Jai. He outweighed her by quite a bit, and towered over her by over a foot. No, he’d be the one in charge when they came together. There was a slight chance she’d be able to beat him in a fight - females were notoriously sneaky - but she didn’t relish the idea of beating him bloody just to gain the upper hand when they fucked. Jai released Mike, whispering in his ear. “You want her, do you not? You want me, do not lie. I can smell it on you. Your passion, your arousal.” Mike whimpered. “We will have to undermine her control. It is the only way. You want to fuck her again, do you not? Push yourself into her gorgeous body until you cannot tell where you end and she begins. I bet she was good, was she not? I bet she screamed for you.” Zula parted her lips. Jai was looking at her, even as he was whispering wickedly in Mike’s ear. Mike was shaking, his breath coming in jerky pants. “Yeah, I bet you would get off on being fucked just as much, would you not? You want me inside you, Mike? Sliding my body against your back, pushing my cock into your ass until you cannot breathe without feeling me inside you. We will have you so tied up in knots you will not be able to move without wanting one of us. And we will have her so horny, she will not be able to resist.” “Oh, God…” Mike mewled, a curiously kittenish sound. “Want to run your hands over my body? Jerk my tail like you did before, wishing it was my cock in your palm? You could lick her, suck her juices into you. Bet you could not get enough of us. You would never want anyone else if we both took you, Mike. And you know that is what it would be, right? We would take you, brand you, own you. You would be ours. I think she likes that idea, Mike. She likes the idea of owning you, branding you. Marking you. Her sweet juices are flowing just thinking about it. Right, Zula?” Zula gasped, realizing that last had been directed at her. Was she? Gods, yes. She was so wet it was going to start running down her legs. Her pussy clutched, aching. She needed one of them, and she didn’t really care who it was. Stepping forward, she couldn’t take her gaze off Jai. He was seducing them both with just his words. “Oh, yes, she likes it. I bet even you can smell it, Mike. Would you like to lap that up? I know I would. I would like nothing more than to thrust my tongue up her tight little cunt and lap up all her cream, right from the source. Or better yet, I want you to fuck her, then suck all her juices off your cock. You want that?” Mike threw back his head, gasping for air. One more step and Zula was behind him. Grabbing the back of his head, she slanted her head, swallowing his cry within her mouth. She bit his lip, that delightfully plump flesh that he kept nibbling on. 24

Thrusting her tongue into his mouth, she lapped up his cries, licking the top of his mouth. She wanted his taste, wanted to wallow in his scent, wanted to feel his hands on her body. Jai wrapped his arms around her, his longer limbs trapping both Mike and Zula in his hold. He had them exactly where he wanted them, the bastard. He’d done that on purpose. “Yes, just like that. I want you to fuck. I want to see it, feel both your bodies quaking.” Jai maneuvered them until Mike was on his knees, Zula kneeling in front of him. They faced each other with Jai at Mike’s back, holding him still. Mike’s eyes wide, his pupils dilated until she could barely make out a ring of blue surrounding the black. “Touch her, Mike. She wants it.” Mike raised trembling hands, wrapping them on either side of Zula’s waist. She purred when he skimmed his fingers along her side, reaching up and cupping her breasts. He squeezed, she moaned and Jai chuckled. Oh, gods. Mike tore himself out of Jai’s hold, falling on her and pressing her to the ground. She lifted her head, meeting his lips with hers, tightening her grip on his arms where she’d grabbed him. She felt the brush of Jai’s fingers against her belly, moving. He yanked, and Mike’s pants came undone, sliding down his legs at Jai’s urging. Mike moaned, and she just bet she knew what Jai was doing with those talented hands of his. She half wished they were on her, but she loved the idea of him driving Mike out of his mind. Mike’s shirt was next, pulled up over his head. They parted briefly, before going right back into their kiss once the cotton was off. Jai wasted no time with her wraps, sliding the top down to bare her breasts, and the bottom up to bare her pussy to Mike’s insistent shaft. She spread her legs, needing Mike. Again, she felt the brush of Jai’s knuckles against her belly. Mike cried out, jerking his hips. “Jesus Christ, I’m going to spill if you don’t stop jerking me.” Jai pressed his lips against Mike’s smooth shoulder, grinning at Zula when she raised her head. Suddenly, Mike’s cock bumped her pussy again. She tilted her hips, waiting for Jai to move, to do something. He ran the head of Mike’s cock against her sensitive lips, her flowing cream making everything silky smooth. Moving his hand, Jai urged Mike to thrust, crooning softly in his ear. She couldn’t make out the words, but they must have inflamed Mike. He gasped, throwing his head back until it rested on Jai’s shoulder. Zula locked gazes with Jai, narrowing her eyes at the beautiful feel of being stuffed full of Mike. She loved this feeling, never wanted it to end. He was big, thick, the delicious veins on his shaft creating the most wondrous friction inside her. She finally felt his pelvis bump up against her clit. “Please…” she whimpered, closing her eyes. Jai’s talented fingers were suddenly there, the claw on his forefinger flicking against her sensitive nub. Mike began to fuck her with long, powerful strokes. It wasn’t enough, too slow, she needed him to go faster. Oh, gods, she needed to come. Both men were teasing her, not letting her attain that release she so desperately wanted. Jai angled his body around Mike’s, keeping his hand down at Zula’s clit, but lapping at her breast with his long tongue. She’d almost forgotten what that felt like, it’d been so long for her. As much as she loved Mike’s softer touch, she craved the feel of a rough Felidae tongue. Just that quickly, she was coming, tossing her head, screaming out her orgasm. Jai twisted his fingers at her clit, squeezing the nub between his thumb and finger. She had no idea what he was doing with his other hand, but suddenly Mike froze on top of her, gasping. “Oh, you bastard…” She grinned, knowing that was a good whimper from Mike. He liked whatever it was Jai was doing to him. He thrust his hips, erratically. Jai bit his earlobe, whispering once more. “Yes, almost there, Mike. Almost there.” Mike froze again, his face contorted. Zula lifted her head, licking his neck before placing her teeth against his frantic pulse. She could almost taste his pleasure there. He was so close. She twisted her hips, urging him on.

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“Oh, oh…” Thrusting hard, he seated himself inside her, his cock jerking, the heat of his seed splashing inside her. Zula’s head was pulled back, stinging. Jai snarled, swallowing her cry of protest. She melted into him, giving him what he wanted. His fingers twisted again on her clit, and she was coming again, joining Mike in her release. Jai cried out into her mouth, and she could practically taste his passion. Spicy and sweet at the same time. His scent filled her nostrils, the scent of his release just as strong - and mind numbingly perfect - as the scent of Mike’s. They collapsed in a heap, completely boneless. Zula couldn’t even complain about being on the bottom. She was simply too sated to care.

Chapter Seven Mike hummed to himself, pleased beyond words. If someone had told him last week this was going to happen to him, he’d probably call them insane. Seriously, men and women who resembled giant walking and talking cats? Sex with a man and a woman… at the same time? Yeah, completely and utterly out of character for him. But he couldn’t regret it. For once in his life, this felt right. The way being with his family felt right. The way he felt when he was positive he was making the right choice. He couldn’t explain it fully, not even to himself, but something had clicked back there. As if he’d gotten a glimpse of his future. He’d just known. Maybe he’d inherited more from his mother than he’d thought. He’d always thought he took after his dad. Practical. Dependable. Doubting Thomas. He’d never been one to just follow fate, and let something else make the decisions for him. He grew up believing that you only came to a decision after carefully weighing all the pros and cons. All his life, he’d been the careful one, the one who cautioned others to use their minds, instead of their emotions, to make a decision. Hell, he’d had girlfriends call him cold and unfeeling before. He didn’t care, he hated rushing into decisions. And look where that got him. It was as if every choice in his life up to now had brought him to this point. How crazy was that? He rummaged in his pack, finally pulling out the bottle of red wine. He’d meant to share it with Darren, knowing his cousin’s fondness for the stuff. Oh well, Darren wasn’t here right now, and Mike definitely had something to celebrate. Furry arms wrapped around his waist, a silky cheek rubbed against his bare shoulder. Mike smiled, leaning back into Jai’s body. “Where’s Zula?” he asked, rummaging in his pack again for the corkscrew. “She snarled something about me ripping her wrap. I think she went upstairs to sulk.” “I can hear you, you Tigris bastard!” The two men shook, trying to keep her from hearing them laugh. She’d just come down, ready to tear a strip off them. Which wasn’t a bad idea actually. She was always sexy when she was riled up. “Are you as tempted as I am to see how mad we can get her? I bet she’s a firecracker when she’s spitting mad. Almost makes me want to tame her.” Mike snorted. “Yeah, I always wondered why black widow male spiders have sex with the females when they might be killed and eaten after, but I’m starting to see the appeal.” Jai hid his chuckle against Mike’s back, tightening his arms. “Damn, I can’t find the corkscrew! I thought I packed the damn thing.” “Do you need to open this bottle?” “Yeah, I thought it would be nice to celebrate something.” “And what would you be celebrating?” “Oh, you know. This and that…” “Mmm, is that right?” Jai’s breath was hot against the side of his neck. Mike grinned, leaning back into the other man. “Seriously, you have no idea what you’re missing if you’ve never had wine. We need to get the bottle open.” “Why do you not just break the neck?” “Hell no! We might waste the wine, and I paid good bucks for this.” 26

Mike stepped out of Jai’s hold, looking for something to open it with. “Do you have a knife?” Jai held out his hands, showing Mike they were empty. Growling - although not anywhere near the sound Jai or Zula made - Mike bit Spotting Zula’s knife, he lunged for it, pulling it out of the wall and pressing the tip into the cork. Wiggling it back and forth, he tried to pry the cork out. Fuck, it wouldn’t budge. “I don’t think she would appreciate you doing that with her prized possession.” Jai was leaning against the wall, one shoulder propped up, studying him curiously. Mike considered that. Crap, he was probably right. He put the knife down, glancing up at the loft to see if Zula might have noticed what he was doing. Looking around the kitchen again, his gaze landed on the wooden spoon Darren had used to stir their soup. If he couldn’t pry the cork up, maybe he could push it down. Mind made up, he grabbed it, holding the spoon in one hand and the bottle in the other. Wrinkling his nose, he tried to think of the best way to do this. Finally glancing up at Jai, he smiled winningly at the man. Jai frowned, obviously knowing something was up. “Hey, you want to help me out here?” “What do you wish for me to do?” “Nothing much. Just hold the bottle.” Jai sighed, his curiosity probably getting the better of him. Mike just hoped curiosity didn’t kill this cat. Snorting again, he motioned for Jai to sit on the floor. When the man was seated to Mike’s liking, he handed him the bottle. “Place it on the floor there and hold it down. Easy peasy.” Jai shook his head, his exasperation evident. Mike knelt in front of him, placing the spoon handle on top of the cork. Pressing down hard, he grunted. Nothing happened. Crap, he really thought that was going to work. “What’s going on down here? You’re too quiet not to be planning something.” Mike tensed his arms, using his shoulders to press down as hard as he could with the spoon. He heard a loud pop just as Zula reached the bottom of the stairs. In horror, Mike watched the gushing fountain of wine erupt from the bottle, arcing up and hitting the ceiling. Damn, he didn’t think it’d go that far. Closing his eyes, and hunching his shoulders, he jerked when it landed on him. Wine soaked his skin, falling like rain. Jai growled, a low snarl that echoed in the room. Zula cursed, screaming when she presumably got hit by the backlash of wine. Mike shook, desperately trying to keep his laughter in. A whimper got out, and then another. He opened his eyes, losing it when he saw Jai’s irritated scowl. Looking up, he spied Zula’s incredulous features. Throwing himself backward, he howled with laughter, shaking uncontrollably. “Impertinent brat.” Zula sniffed, sending him off on another round of whooping. He held his stomach, afraid he was going to piss himself he was laughing so hard. “Oh, the l-look on y-yyour fa-ace,” he garbled, crying now. Jai snarled again, shaking his body. Drops of wine flew out in an arc, hitting almost every available surface. Shit, it’d take a week to get the wine out of everything. Mike started to shake again, laughing silently. He could barely catch his breath. “Oh, you’re in so much trouble for that.” Jai was suddenly above him, blanketing Mike with his body. Zula blocked out the light from the front window, standing above them with her hands on her hips. “It wasn’t s’posed to be like that.” He laughed, sputtering at the exasperation on Jai’s face. The other man curled his lips, his amusement obvious. Zula reached down, smacking Jai on the side of the head. “Do not encourage him. Just when I thought I was saved from the Colemans, this one’s heritage rears its head.” She shook her head. Mike wasn’t fooled. He could see the humor glinting in her eyes. She had her hand over her mouth, and he’d bet she was hiding a grin. “Forgive me?” He batted his lashes at her.

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Jai took advantage of his distraction, leaning down and licking along his cheek. Pausing, Jai pursed his lips. “Actually, Zula, it’s quite good mixed with human. I believe I may become addicted to this particular combination.” Zula purred, causing things low in Mike’s stomach to tighten. Oh crap, he was in for it now. He grinned wickedly at her. Sinking to her knees, she swiped her tongue along his exposed shoulder. She licked her lips, exposing her deadly canines. “You know, you may be onto something, Jai.” As if in agreement, they both fell to attacking him with their mouths and tongues. He squirmed, laughing, turned on almost unbearably as they licked their way along his chest, his shoulders, his face. Jai flipped him over and they both nibbled his back. Somehow it had turned from being fun into being completely and utterly arousing. They slowed down, taking their time. Jai ran his hands down Mike’s legs, pausing to tug at his pants. Within seconds, the last pair of pants Mike had brought with him were shredded. He couldn’t care too much right now when it meant Jai’s silky palms were running down his skin. Touching every inch of him. “We need oils,” Jai murmured. Zula moved, sliding effortlessly to the side and standing up in a single, graceful move. Christ, they were so elegant. Mike whimpered into the floor, turning his head to watch her. She reached for a bottle of olive oil sitting on the kitchen counter, returning in seconds. Waving the bottle at Jai, she waited for him to take it. “Not him. Me first.” Mike rounded his eyes, trying to twist to see Jai’s face. The words had been spoken into his thigh, but they were fucking unmistakeable. Was Jai suggesting he wanted Mike to fuck him? His cock jerked, pre-come weeping from the slit. Oh yeah, he liked that idea. Definitely, really, surely liked that idea. It was something he could get behind 100%. Or, actually, Jai was someone he could get behind. Mike grinned, overcome with silliness for a minute. He tried to roll over again, finally getting his wish when Jai released him. “I want to watch.” Jai knelt above Mike’s body, his tail to the side. Zula was smoothing her hands down his back, leaning down to kiss and bite his skin. Jai stared at Mike, catching his gaze and holding it. Mike almost whimpered at the promise in those amber eyes. Zula began to purr, a low monotonous sawing noise. Reaching down for the oil, she coated the fingers of one hand with it, letting Mike see her every movement. He didn’t have the best vantage point, lying on the ground as he was, but he didn’t want to move for fear of shattering this moment. He couldn’t believe Jai was trusting him with this. For some reason he’d figured the big man would be the top in their relationship. Hell, as long as Jai eventually fucked him too, Mike would be willing to do anything and everything for these two. Zula sank her finger into Jai’s ass, up to her first knuckle. Jai closed his eyes, leaning down to nuzzle Mike’s neck. Damn, the two of them had a thing for his neck, that was for sure. Jai groaned into his skin, and Mike raised his hands to run them over the man’s shoulders. He kissed the skin closest to his mouth, tasting Jai’s unique flavor mixed with the wine. He could get drunk off that. Maybe Jai had a point earlier. He would never be able to drink wine again without thinking about how much better Jai tasted. “Enough, Zula.” Jai’s voice was rough, dark with his arousal. He grabbed Mike in an unrelenting grip, pulling him up until Mike was on his knees in front of him. Jai bent his head further, swallowing Mike’s throbbing erection in one glorious swoop. He felt the grazing of Jai’s canines and almost came just from the feel of them. His back bowed and he grabbed hold of Jai’s ears. Thrusting imperceptibly, he tried to control himself. He didn’t want to be one of those un-thoughtful men who fucked into his partner’s mouth without any regard to their gag reflex. But hell, Jai made it difficult to find his control. His long tongue was swirling along any piece of flesh he could reach. “Too much, Jai. Almost… there…” Jai released him, almost reluctantly drawing away. He nodded, and Mike crawled around him. Hell, he’d never be able to gain his feet. He was too shaky, so crawling it was. 28

Zula kissed him, thrusting her tongue into his mouth. He took what she offered, throwing his arms around her waist and drawing her close. Releasing her, he smoothed his palm along Jai’s ass, pausing to grab the base of his tail in an unforgiving grip. Jai jerked, his tail lashing. Oh yeah, he’d found his sensitive spot. Mike grinned, squeezing his hand and pulling slowly and insistently until he was gripping the very tip of Jai’s tail. Letting go, he grabbed the base of his tail, repeating the movement. Jai gasped, lowering his upper body until he was braced on his elbows, his ass high. Mike shaped that ass with his palms, cupping the delectable flesh. He couldn’t wait any more. “This okay?” He fitted himself against Jai’s opening, teasing them both but wanting to have Jai’s answer first. “Please.” Mike began to thrust his hips, slowly impaling Jai on his cock. Christ, the man was tight. He bit his lip, trying to think unsexy thoughts so he didn’t come the minute he was inside him. Gee, wouldn’t that be fun? He’d probably never have another shot at this if he fucked it up right away. Finally, a lifetime later, he was fully inside Jai, panting harshly. It was all he could do to stay still. Zula was suddenly beside him, running her fingers around where Mike and Jai were connected. She was still purring, a deep rhythmic sound that was soon joined by Jai. Ohhhh, that was good. Jai’s purr seemed to vibrate through his body, right to where Mike’s cock was gripped tightly within him. A finger against his crack had him whipping his head around to stare at Zula. She licked her lips, teasing him with her wet digits, playing in his sensitive crease. Mike slumped until he was draped against Jai’s back, sure these two were going to kill him eventually. Oh, but what a way to go. She thrust one finger in, and Mike clamped down, loving the feel of her inside him. The feel of her inside him at the same time he had his cock in Jai. Yeah, no doubt about it, he wasn’t going to survive this. She removed her finger, and Mike almost whimpered at the loss. Catching himself in time, he was gratified when a second digit joined the first to stretch his opening. “Are you ready, Mike?” She purred in his ear. “Ready for what?” A hot presence bumped his hole, confusing him for a minute. What the…? Pressing insistently, it slowly entered him, thick and hard. Warm. Christ, what was that? He tilted his neck, his eyes almost popping out of his head at the sight of the thick striped tail entering his most vulnerable place. “Jai wanted to fuck you after all,” Zula murmured. When his shocked gaze met hers, she beamed. Moving in front of them, Zula sank to her knees, caressing Jai’s head. He moved forward, running his tongue along her thigh. While Mike watched, still in shock - although admittedly harder than he’d ever been in his life - Jai lapped at Zula’s pussy, connecting the three of them. The tail in his ass moved, sliding back and forth. Mike closed his eyes on a sigh. Damn, that felt amazing. He thrust his hips, backing up on the tail before jerking against Jai’s ass. He wasn’t going to last long, not being stimulated like this. Crying out, he lost himself, jerking madly to try to give Jai as much pleasure as he could. Reaching around him, he brushed his fingers over the other man’s cock, creating a vice-like hold to give him something to fuck into. Mike couldn’t imagine not having this in his life, couldn’t imagine going back to a time when he didn’t know them. He didn’t even want to think about it. He sobbed, overcome. There were too many feelings inside him, it was as if Zula and Jai had stripped him bare. He was naked in front of them, completely open. There were no secrets left. Crying, feeling the throbbing in his lower back, he lost himself completely. He went blind, his seed releasing from him in waves, sucking him dry. He couldn’t stop moving, fucking himself on Jai’s tail, and fucking Jai’s ass. Zula cried out, and he could practically feel her release. Jai followed them, thrusting his tail deep into Mike, coming hard. Mike collapsed, trying to breathe.

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He felt like he’d just been reborn. It was incredible. They’d completely stripped him of his past life, taken him somewhere else. “Please don’t leave me…” He was unable to stop the words from coming out. Jai twisted, looking back at Mike with wide eyes. Zula cracked open her own. She was sprawled on the ground in front of them, her neck wobbled when she tried to sit up. Mike’s breath hitched, his chest tight. He whimpered when Jai’s tail moved, pulling out of him. Jai managed to pull himself out from under Mike, twisting fully around until he could coax Mike onto his lap. Zula wound her arms around them from the side. Jai shifted them both until he had his back propped up against the couch, Zula and Mike draped over him. “I will never let you go, so it is not an option. Either one of you.” Jai pressed a chaste kiss to Mike’s forehead before moving to Zula. She whimpered, lifting her hand and caressing Mike’s chest. “I…” Mike smiled weakly, waiting for the words. “Yes?” Jai prompted. “Oh, you can both go fuck yourselves. I do not want to leave either one of you. We are a unit now. The minute we find Achan you two are coming with me back to Felid. No arguments, understood?” Mike lifted his hand, clasping Jai’s before they laid their joined hands over Zula’s where it rested on Mike’s chest. “No arguments from me,” he whispered, his chest loosening until he could breathe again. He inhaled, smelling them mixed together. “I would not dare argue with you.” Jai added. Zula snorted, curling closer to them. Mike grinned. This was only the beginning and he couldn’t wait to see what happened next. Sighing, Zula brought up her hand, wiping her cheek. Mike frowned, placing his fingers over hers. “We’ll find him, Zula.” “I know that, I do. It is just… he is my brother. It is my duty to protect him, and we have all failed. He is lost, somewhere out there. He must be scared, wanting his pride. I almost cannot bear to think of it.” “Hey, we’ll find him. My cousins are out there right now looking for him. Your pride is searching the area, and we have the best damned trackers meeting up with them pretty soon. Achan will be okay. They’ll meet up with him and he’ll be okay. I have faith that everything happens for a reason. Achan’s strong, right?” Zula nodded. “Then he’ll pull through this. Heck, we don’t know what happened, so there’s no use thinking the worst. Until we find him and figure out why he’s missing, we just have to have faith.” Jai squeezed his arms, pulling them closer to his larger body. “We are stronger together. The Felidae is stronger when we band together, and so are the three of us. As long as we are together, nothing will ever pull us apart.”

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