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  Angus moved to intercept them as they made their way toward the shadowy door through which they’d entered. “I take it you’ll need to go out the back way.”

  “If Shifter B-bureau is at the front d-door still, then yeah.”

  Angus gave Dimitri a sharp eye. “Brice has done this before,” he said.

  Jaycee looked startled. “Done what? Dumped someone off the balcony? Why is he allowed in here?”

  “He has the human manager coerced. Why do you think?”

  “What happened to the p-person he tossed off?” Dimitri asked.

  “A Shifter,” Angus said. “I recovered. Eventually.”

  “You tried to join Brice’s group?” Jaycee asked in surprise.

  Angus snorted, his eyes flicking to Shifter white. “Fuck that. I was doing my job as bouncer, trying to kick him out. I told him dickheads like him weren’t welcome. He and his best friends tossed me down. I thought the bar’s owner would have him arrested, but no. Brice and the owner have an understanding.” He growled in Lupine disgust.

  “Why do you still work here?” Jaycee asked. “If the owner doesn’t mind if his bouncers are dropped from three stories up?”

  “To keep an eye on Brice,” Angus answered without pause. “And I need the money, sweet thing. Have a cub to take care of.” He glowered at Dimitri. “If you two join him, don’t talk to me anymore. I don’t want to drown in shit.”

  With that, he stalked toward the back, leading them to the safe passage out.

  * * *

  The ride back to the house was silent and uneasy. Jaycee had kept an eye out for Ben as they’d walked back through the hot crowd to Dimitri’s motorcycle, but neither she nor Dimitri had spotted him, dead or alive.

  Jaycee hoped like hell they’d find him at Jasmine’s house, but when they walked in—the door obligingly opening for them—the house was dark and empty.

  “He’s some k-kind of magical c-creature,” Dimitri said, trying to sound reassuring. “He probably magic-ed his way out.”

  “Why was Brice so angry with him anyway?” Jaycee asked as she dumped her helmet on the hall table, along with the fake Collar she’d pulled off. “Brice knows Dylan asked us to spy on him, but he threw Ben over the balcony, not us.”

  Dimitri shook his head. He looked up the dark staircase as though trying to decide whether to ascend it.

  The floors were still dirty from the storm, grit beneath Jaycee’s boots. Jasmine would have to get a cleaning service in here before the tourists were let in again.

  “Dimitri,” Jaycee began. Her throat hurt, and she couldn’t make the words come out.

  “What?” Dimitri asked absently, studying the dark chandelier above them.

  Jaycee took a breath and continued in a rush. “Brice doesn’t want us back until I refuse your mate-claim.”

  Dimitri dragged his attention from the shadowy upper floors and fixed it on Jaycee. His gray eyes were stark in the dim light, the wolf in him looking out.

  “What?” The word was hard.

  Jaycee outlined what Brice had told her—the need for females to take several mates to strengthen the bloodstock, like cattle. Brice hadn’t actually said that, but Jaycee knew that was what he meant.

  When she finished, Dimitri stood absolutely still. “Asshole,” he bit out. “Did he tell you one of the mates had to be him?”

  “No.” Jaycee shook her head. “He said mates would be my choice, and didn’t mention himself.”

  “Good,” he said quietly. “’Cause I would have killed him.”

  Every word was pronounced clearly. No stammering, no caveats—Dimitri hadn’t said, I might have had to kill him or I would have thought about killing him. He meant, literally, that Brice would be one dead bear if he had instructed Jaycee to mate with him.

  “I’m not doing it,” Jaycee said swiftly. “Not for him. Not for a job. I’m telling Kendrick it’s off.”

  She started for the stairs, ready to run up to her room and make the call, but Dimitri blocked her way. He gazed down at her, his gray stare holding her in place.

  “You can refuse, Jase.”

  Jaycee blinked up at him, unsure she’d heard him right. “What?”

  “Brice is right that it’s your ch-choice. You’ve n-never said yes or no. I don’t give a shit what you tell B-Brice. I only give a shit what you tell me. So which is it?”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Jaycee dragged in a sharp breath that burned her lungs. Dimitri remained motionless, waiting for her answer.

  “This isn’t a good time to discuss this,” Jaycee said, her voice cracking. “We’re working. We have to keep our mission separate from our personal life.”

  “You just said you wanted to call off the m-mission,” Dimitri said. “To t-tell Kendrick you’re done. What’s the matter, Jase? You don’t like being t-told to make the decision?”

  “No,” Jaycee answered loudly. “It’s none of anyone’s business but ours.”

  “So tell B-Brice what he wants to hear, we’ll figure out what he’s up to, and g-go home.”

  “He wants me to refuse in front of witnesses.”

  Dimitri went very still, his eyes taking on a sharp light. “He said that?”

  “Yep.” Jaycee’s chest was tight, her heart beating too fast. “If I do this, you know it will count whether I truly want to refuse or not.”

  Dimitri kept looking at her. “I’ll just mate-claim you again, Jase. That’s my right. No matter how many times you say no.”

  Jaycee shook her head. “He doesn’t want me to choose you as mate. He wants me to mate with Felines, to breed more strong Felines.” Jaycee wrinkled her nose. “I’ve never liked Felines. I’ve always been partial to wolves.”

  “You are a Feline,” Dimitri pointed out. “So’s Kendrick.”

  “I know. So I know how annoying they can be.” Jaycee let out a breath. “I don’t want to refuse. Not for Brice, and not in front of witnesses. It should be my real choice—our choice.”

  “It’s only for the effing mission,” Dimitri growled, the intense light growing in his eyes. “We g-go home, I’ll claim you again, and we can f-fight about it then.”

  Jaycee folded her arms. “That easy, huh?”

  “Sh-should be.”

  “I see,” Jaycee said angrily. “If you take the claim so casually that watching me refuse it for Brice and his Shifters doesn’t bother you, then maybe I should go ahead and refuse. For real.” Her heart ached even as she said the words. “Then I wouldn’t have this dilemma—the one where I’m worried as hell it will upset you. Bite me, Dimitri Kashnikov.”

  Jaycee swung away to storm off, make her way outside, maybe jump in the pool with her clothes on—she had no idea. She only knew she had to run, deal with this confusion and very real hurt Brice’s request had caused.

  Dimitri’s heavy hand on her shoulder stopped her. Jaycee whipped around, ready to continue the argument, but Dimitri took hold of her and lifted her against the nearest wall.

  The wind chimes on the veranda rang with a breeze that rushed into the house from the opening back door. No one came inside, only the wind and the scent of roses. Jaycee felt polished wood dig into her back, Dimitri’s hot body hard against her front.

  His eyes had gone very light gray, his red brows drawn, his mouth turned down. Lighthearted Dimitri was gone. In his place was a fierce man, a Shifter who’d survived many things and helped others survive them with him.

  “You think I take it casually?” he asked in a quiet voice. Rage sparkled in his eyes, his strength unnerving, but he held himself in check. “Do you think I made the mate-claim because of some stupid hope that it would make you obey me, that I needed to dominate you?”

  Jaycee didn’t answer, her mouth too dry. Dimitri had snapped out the mate-claim when he’d wanted to prevent Jaycee climbing into a dangerous
hole to save Kendrick. Jaycee had gone in anyway.

  “I know it was more than that to you,” Jaycee struggled to say. “That’s why I thought Brice asking me to refuse would upset you.”

  “I’m not a little cub you have to placate,” Dimitri answered, voice harsh. “I’m not the Lupine just past his Transition who wanted sex with you before his craving for you killed him. I mate-claimed you, Jaycee, my best friend. Not because I thought it would make you obedient—hell, I’m not that deluded. I did it because I fucking wanted to.”

  Dimitri never stuttered when he was furiously angry. Words came out without him having to think about them or stumble over them.

  He glowered down at Jaycee, focused on her, not speech, caring only about what was enraging him.

  “I claimed you because of your sassy mouth,” Dimitri went on. He touched her lips with one finger. “Because your hair shines like gold in the sunshine, because as a leopard, you can hang upside down from a tree, for the Goddess’ sake. Because your eyes look like topaz, because you can kick the ass of any Shifter who gets in your way. Because you jumped into the fight club ring to keep me from being trounced by a Lupine who tried to tranq me. Because you’re hot, you drive me fucking crazy, and I don’t want any other asshole Shifter to have you.”

  Jaycee stared up at him, the lump in her throat nearly choking her. Dimitri’s eyes were like white fire, his hands strong but his touch on her lips gentle.

  Another breeze blew down the hall. The chimes outdoors sang through the house, the wind light and cool.

  Jaycee swallowed with effort. “In that case,” she whispered. “Dimitri Kashnikov, I accept your mate-claim.”

  * * *

  White heat seared through Dimitri’s blood, the words sealing Jaycee to him with the ancient magic that beat through all Shifters. The acceptance was supposed to be in front of witnesses to be official, but who cared? In the old days, the claim and its acceptance were enough—the Shifters were considered mated.

  Besides, the house could be a witness. Even as the thought went through his head, Dimitri heard the faint whisper of breeze that sounded like laughter. He ignored it to enjoy Jaycee’s voice, her words rasping but strong.

  “Don’t,” he heard himself say. What? his wolf howled. She’s my mate. She just said so!

  “Don’t what?” Jaycee’s eyes widened.

  “Accept to shut me up. Accept and then change your mind. Accept because Brice p-pissed you off. I know how much you hate people telling you what to do. Don’t accept because of that.”

  Her abrupt breath pushed her full breasts into Dimitri’s chest. She and Dimitri were so different—she with her soft, lush body; he with his angular, hard one. They fit perfectly together.

  “I don’t play games with a mate-claim,” Jaycee said, glaring at him. “I take it as seriously as you do. More, probably.”

  Dimitri gave her an incredulous look. “How can you take my mate-claim more seriously than I do? I claimed you in my head a hell of a long time before the words came out. I claimed you when I met you, Jaycee.”

  That stopped her. Jaycee stared at him in astonishment, her mouth hanging open. Dimitri had been tall and awkward when he’d first met Jaycee, on the verge of his Transition and messed up from it. Jaycee had been wickedly beautiful, sleek and lithe with golden eyes and hair shining in the sunlight. Kendrick had introduced her as a new member of their group and told Dimitri to show her around. Jaycee had smiled and changed his life.

  Transitions were volatile things—Shifters moving from cub to adult with all the hormonal fury of a charging bull elephant—and he and Jaycee had fought. And fought. With hot words as human, with teeth and claws as leopard and wolf.

  The day they’d grabbed each other and found their rage metamorphosing into blatant need had been amazing.

  They’d taken each other with a ripping of clothes, the lovemaking unashamed and unpracticed. When they’d come to their senses, Jaycee had been mortified. Dimitri had pretended to be, but he’d rejoiced. And never forgotten.

  Jaycee must have been thinking about their first time as well, because she flushed a sudden dark red. At the same time, she drew him against her and covered his mouth with a full, deep kiss.

  Dimitri’s grip on her slackened, but he didn’t let go. He pressed her into the wall, holding her up so he didn’t have to bend far to kiss her back.

  Her lips parted under his, the taste of her soul satisfying. Jaycee laced her arms around him, one foot hooking around his thigh.

  Dimitri slid his hand under the hem of her shirt and tank top, working up to close his fingers around her breast. She wore no bra tonight, the tank top thick. Her nipple pushed into his palm in a firm, tight point.

  He wanted to taste more of her. Lay her back on the stairs, lift up the top, and close his mouth around her breast. He’d suckle until she moaned, then he’d slide her jeans down and lock his mouth to the hottest part of her.

  The wind outside built but lacked the ferocity of the earlier storm. It was a friendly breeze, caressing Dimitri, urging him on.

  Jaycee dug her fingers into his back, pulling him closer. The movement pressed her breast into his palm, and she tightened her leg around him to bring the rigid line of his cock into the space between her thighs.

  On the stairs, right now . . . He’d take her in mindless pleasure, stroking his hard cock into her sweet body, she hot and tight, squeezing him . . .

  “Oh,” someone said. “Hey. I guess I should have knocked.”

  Ben’s voice floated from the dark hall, and Jaycee yanked her mouth from Dimitri’s.

  “Ben,” she cried.

  She tried to wriggle from Dimitri’s grasp. He still had hold of her breast, and if she jerked again, she might hurt herself. Carefully, Dimitri released the breast in question and eased his hand out from under her shirt.

  Jaycee unwound her leg and leapt impatiently to the floor. She landed with agility, but of course she did. Cats always landed on their feet.

  Jaycee slapped on a light as she ran toward Ben, who stood near the back door, holding himself up on the wall.

  “Are you all right?” she sang out. “What the hell happened to you?”

  Dimitri remained where he was, resting one fist on the polished wood where Jaycee had been, his head bent as he fought to contain himself. Mating frenzy couldn’t be switched on and off so easily, and as much as he was concerned about Ben, Dimitri’s cock was fully tight. He’d have to wait a while before he turned around. Why did Jaycee have to turn on all the lights?

  “I was thrown from a third-floor balcony,” Ben was saying. “How do you think I am? But do not let me interrupt you.”

  “Don’t be stupid.” Jaycee’s last word was muffled, and Dimitri looked over his shoulder to find that she’d embraced Ben.

  Dimitri was supposed to be jealous—his mate had torn herself from his arms to rush to another—but he couldn’t be. Ben looked haggard and bruised, but far better than someone who’d fallen several floors ought to.

  His worry for Ben cut through his desires, allowing Dimitri to turn from the wall. “H-how did you get out of the club? I didn’t see you l-land. No sign of you.”

  “Oh, I landed.” Ben released Jaycee and put a hand to the back of his neck. “I created a little glam so I could slip away—everyone was looking everywhere but right at me. It’s old magic, and I’m good at it. I’m also more resilient than most. Falling twenty-five or thirty feet makes me want to have a good stretch and go to bed, but won’t break anything. The advantage of not being Shifter. Or human.”

  Dimitri didn’t know what to make of his explanation, but it didn’t matter. Whatever Ben had done to survive had worked. “I’m glad you m-made it back here. You’ll s-stay with us.”

  “I don’t have to. I just wanted to let you know I was still alive. Didn’t want to use your phones in case Brice has found
a way to tap them. Don’t worry—his spies didn’t see me come here. Like I said, I’m good at the glam.”

  Jaycee slid her arm around him. “Can you make it upstairs? You can have something to eat and then go to bed.”

  “I said I’m all right.” Ben didn’t look all right, but he ducked out from under Jaycee’s touch. “I’ll go have a swim. I don’t have a suit, so you know . . . give me my privacy. And I’ll give you yours.” He sent Dimitri a wink.

  Jaycee flushed. “We were just working off steam.”

  Ben looked from her to Dimitri and back again. “Sure you were, sweetheart. You two kids have a good time. We’ll talk later.”

  He turned away, gave them a gallant wave, and staggered to the back door, holding on to the wall as he went.

  Dimitri joined Jaycee. “We sh-should go after him,” he said.

  “Don’t you dare,” Ben growled over his shoulder. “I need some alone time, not being bombarded with questions from two Shifters who are dying to jump each other.”

  Dimitri stopped, understanding. He knew how to tell when someone was being courageous and when they truly wanted to be left alone. As if to emphasize the point, the door to the back veranda closed itself with a decided slam as soon as Ben had exited.

  “I g-guess that settles it,” Dimitri said.

  Jaycee ran a hand through her hair, which was mussed from their kiss. “I’m going to bed.”

  She didn’t admonish him not to follow her, but she didn’t invite him either. The moment had broken.

  Dimitri suppressed a dart of frustration. Not Ben’s fault—this kind of shit happened when you were a tracker. Personal feelings and needs had to take a backseat to the scouting and fighting.

  Jaycee’s fine ass made a nice picture as she went up the stairs ahead of him. The chandelier swung a little, its wrought-iron body creaking.

  Dimitri followed her. He shut off the flooding lights with the switch at the top of the stairs and walked with Jaycee into the darkness. Moonlight poured through a window at the end of the upstairs hall, sharpening the edges of the shadows.