Primal Flavor

Danica Avet Book three in the Cajun Heat series. Being a human in a parish filled with shifters, Colette Robicheaux has learned to be tough as nails. A hunter with the kind of lethal skills that make most men nervous, all it takes is a single hot look from Zachary Trahan to make her melt into a puddle of goo. And this tiger shifter doesnt fight fair, using his

hot body and his many skills in the kitchen to melt her panties. But theres a danger in the swamps that threatens to tear them apart, an evil that could turn this hunter into prey. When chef Zachary Trahan took a break from work to hunt, the last thing he expected to find was his mate. A human huntress with a hot temper, a quick trigger finger and the kind of body destined to keep him up at night, Colette makes his tiger purr. Hell have to fight his

stubborn mate, her impossible family and the threat hiding in the swamps before he can finally claim her for his own. A Romantica paranormal erotic romance from Elloras Cave

PRIMAL FLAVOR
Danica Avet

Chapter One
An undisclosed location She ran. The stitch in her side had grown into a searing pain and her feet didnt just ache, they burned, but she couldnt stop. They were out here with her. They could be behind the next bush, next to that tree, anywhere. And she wouldnt see them until it was too late. If she had been like them, able to change at will, this might have been a fair fight. Or if theyd given her a weapon, she might have been

able to defend herself at least with one of them. But theyd stripped her naked and turned her loose. She stumbled over a log and nearly pitched headfirst into a tree trunk. It might have snapped her neck, which wouldve been a lot better than what they had planned for her. Why was she fighting this anyway? She paused and looked around, desperately trying to catch her breath. She had no idea where she was and fear made her blind. She was a city girl whod never stepped toe into anything other than a park,

yet here she was in a vast, strange wilderness and the monsters were chasing her. How did she get here? Why? The last thing she remembered was flirting with the guy the others called Roscoe. She knew she shouldnt have gotten into his car with him, but shed been fooled by his beautiful blue eyes and his charming smile. All the loneliness shed felt since arriving in New Orleans seemed worth it with Roscoe smiling at her like that, as though he knew how isolated shed been. Itd seemed harmless until a hand appeared from the backseat

and slapped a chemical-drenched cloth over her face. When shed awakened in a cold cage, Roscoe was nowhere to be seen, but they had her surrounded. Why did she keep thinking Roscoe would sweep in and protect her? Hed been the one to trap her, but something, like a whispered memory, pecked at her mind here one second and gone the next. It had to be a false, stupid hope that someone would save her. Her skin pebbled at the memory and she rubbed her arms, peering through the shadows at the woods around her. She really didnt want to die

here the way they planned. No one was coming to save her. Not Roscoe, not anyone unless she could rescue herself. She wanted to go home, apologize to her mom for their last fight and bury her head in that comforting embrace. But Kansas was a long way away fromwherever this was. A twig snapped behind her, sending her into another full-out sprint. Panic steered her. She was only twenty-four, only a stupid human girl whod thought moving to New Orleans was the perfect way to celebrate her independence. Shed wanted to be wild and party

like a rock star, to enjoy Mardi Gras, to laugh and have fun because you only live once. A harsh, breathless laugh escaped her as she clipped a tree trunk with her shoulder, burning pain searing her skin. If these monsters had their way, she wouldnt see any of the things shed moved to south Louisiana for. Even as the thought crossed her mind, something sharp slashed at the backs of her legs, right above her knees. She screamed as she fell to the ground, hitting it hard enough to punch the air out of her lungs. But she didnt give up. She tried to get back on her feet, but her

legs refused to work. The excruciating pain and warmth spreading down her calves suggested a horror she didnt want to comprehend. But still, she didnt quit. She dug her fingers into the thick dirt and dragged herself along the ground. Down here the scent of earth, decay and a thick musk suggested she was in a place that didnt see much sunlight. Probably a swamp of some kind, a quiet place where she could become the animal the monsters thought her. She didnt know how far she managed to move, but her slow

progress allowed the others to find her, their heavy footfalls vibrating through her. She refused to look back, stubbornly trying to get away. She hadnt made a sound since she fell and she wouldnt do it now. Logically, she knew she wasnt going to get away. She was going to die out here and no one would ever know how it happened. Tears burned her eyes as she realized her moms last memory of her was going to be the horrible fight they had and she said a silent prayer, begging for her moms forgiveness. A mans bare foot appeared in front of her. It was an elegant foot

for such an ugly man. She didnt need to look up at him to know he was naked. That was the way theyd all appeared to her, but then they werent like her. Animals, she spat at the foot, not caring that she was antagonizing them. Filthy, stupid, fucking animals. They laughed and the foot in front of her hooked under her injured shoulder and flipped her to her back. They surrounded her, wearing those weird masks theyd worn when they first appeared to her. How theyd managed to keep them on while shifted to their

animal forms wasnt worth worrying about. Not when they each lifted the mask to reveal their normal-looking faces. No, not normal because there was an intense, sick hatred in their eyes as they glowered down at her. The leader, the one whod flipped her over, stopped her with a single foot on her throat. She knew him from somewhere, as though he was someone important, someone she should recognize. Were not the animals here, Miz Denton, he said in a calm tone. His teeth gleamed white in the darkness as he smiled. Were

the true rulers of the world and we allow your kind to live in it, allowing you the pathetic belief that you actually matter. It sickens me how humans like you actually believe youre something special. He squatted next to her, more of his weight pressing down on her throat. Spots danced before her eyes. He whispered as though confiding a secret. If I had my way, wed slaughter you all, but this is much more fun, dont you think? One by one well eradicate your disgustingly weak species from this earth and enjoy a good hunt while were at it. Before you

die tonight, Miz Denton, youll discover the true meaning behind the power we wield. The pressure on her throat eased and she coughed, blood spraying over his foot as he stood. Why me? she couldnt help but cry. Why? He laughed and it was such a warm, charming sound, it reminded her of Roscoe, the betraying bastard with his heavenly blue eyes. Do you remember a young man named Paul, Miz Karen Denton of Topeka, Kansas? She felt her jaw drop in shock as the man shed rejected two weeks

earlier appeared next to the monster. Paul had been a friend from work, a jackal shifter and he was cute, but she didnt like him enough to go out with him. You thought you were better than me? he asked her now with a sneer on his face. His muddybrown eyes raked over her naked body seconds before he spit on her. Get that look off your face, whore. I wouldnt touch you with my enemys hand now. The smile that curled his lips made her bite back a whimper. Youre going to pay, you little human bitch. Claws slid from the tips of his

fingers and his teeth grew until they extended over his lip. Karen, whod sworn she wouldnt give them the satisfaction of hearing her scream, couldnt hold back her cries of agony and fear as fangs and claws tore her to pieces. Every tear, every bite, every rending of her flesh wrung another shriek from her throat until she had nothing left, until she couldnt feel anything else, until the last thing she saw was the leader standing over her. His face and hands were coated in her blood. And thus ends another successful hunt for Fang and Claw,

he announced to the equally bloody shifters surrounding him. Paul, my boy, youve shown great aptitude for this. Consider yourself inducted into the club. And dont forget her heart is yours. The chuckle he made after this announcement was accompanied by a rip in her chest. His smile followed her into the abyss as she welcomed the succor of death.

*****
Colette Robicheaux paused in the middle of loading her boat for the nights hunt, her head turning in the direction of the eerie scream.

Her cousins paused as well, their happy chatter falling silent as the cry echoed around the swamps they called home. There was a tension among them now that hadnt been there before. They all knew that despite what the authorities said, those screams werent from a cougar. They were too frequent, too agonized and human to be anything else but a woman in extreme fear and pain. Colettes heart sat in her throat, a lump that threatened to choke her with rage and sympathy for the woman. But there was no telling exactly where the sound came

from. We should go look for her, her oldest cousin Cotton said firmly. Beau, his brother, scoffed. You know we wont find her. Whatevers out there gets rid of all the evidence. Cotton turned on his younger brother, the two falling into the comforting sameness of sibling arguments. Colette tuned them out, her eyes trained on the distant woods without adding to their stress relief. They were both correct. They should go look for that woman, but Beau hit the nail on the head. Theyd never find her.

The hunters and families of Bayou Ange, the small woodland community in the far corner of Pointe-Aux-Chat Parish, had been searching for the source of those screams for as long as she could remember. Parties would go out, combing the woods they were all so familiar with only to return with nothing. Their human senses, despite years of honing them by hunting the wild game in the swamps, werent able to detect anything unusual. And the few times her shapeshifter cousins came to Bayou Ange, they never discovered

anything weird. The animals they relied on for food remained unfazed by the screams, as though they were a part of the natural landscape. The ground never held evidence of what sounded like murder long enough to call in the authorities. It was a pointless exercise to hit the woods month after month searching for the woman who screamed, but that didnt stop Colette from wishing she could. The more superstitious people thought the screamer was a ghost. Colette thought that was a load of bullshit. It was a real person, they all were and they were

out there at the mercy of a monster. Are we goin froggin or what? Cotton finally demanded as he clicked on his headlamp. Colette didnt even need to turn around to know her cousin was sulking. She could hear it in his voice. She knew he was pissed because hed lost the argument to go after the woman to Beaus logic. We dont get paid for sittin on our asses doin nothing. Beau muttered something in Cajun French, which started off another round of arguing. Colette finally tore her gaze away from the dark woods. The scream wouldnt come again. Not tonight at least.

But this time next month theyd hear it. And shed have to struggle with the urge to run into the woods to find that woman and do something about her agony. She turned just in time to see Cotton launch a fist at Beaus head. Hey! Stop that and lets catch some frogs. Despite outweighing her and towering over her much shorter frame, the boys broke apart and stepped into the boat. Colette shook her head as she climbed in after them, sitting up at the engine, which she kicked over with one tug. The motor purred to life,

cutting through the tension that had killed some of their happiness at being in their beloved woods. Colette cast one more glance over her shoulder, unable to help herself. One day shed find the source of those screams and God help whoever caused them. Whatcha waiting for? Kick it in the ass! Beau called back to her, his violet eyes sparkling with excitement. Colette shot him an answering smile and revved the motor, sending the boat jetting down the bayou, the Robicheaux boys letting out Cajun yodels that could

probably be heard clear to Maison Rouge, the distinctive Aiyeee echoing around the swamp.

*****
He stared at the shack, his sensitive nose picking up the scent of the woman hed left here hours before. There was no trace of her now. He was too late. Hed intended to get back in time to confront his mysterious boss, to press for his acceptance into the inner circle. The girl had trusted him, falling into his arms as though she belonged there the same way the others had, their human senses

too weak to tell they were in danger. And he was too late again. His wolf snarled and snapped with frustration and fury. There wasnt even the faintest hint of a trail to follow. Karens scent disappeared at the door as though it never existed. But he knew. Hed carried her in here at his bosss request. And she was gone. Vanished without a trace. His claws punched through the tips of his fingers and his fangs threatened to slide free of his gums as he imagined the hunt, the capture. But hed missed his chance.

Again. Not next time though. Next time, hed prove his worthiness and end the mystery once and for all.

Chapter Two
The tiger crouched, patient and attentive as he watched the feral hog root in the grass, his snorts of contentment belying the danger of the beast. Zachary Trahan, the rational mind inside the tiger, cautioned his animal half to go slowly. This was their first hunt in months, the first time theyd been able to get away from work long enough to take time for themselves. There were no demanding brides or mothers calling him at all hours to make sure their cakes and menus were just right. There were no

junior chefs following him home, begging for the chance to work in his kitchen. And there were definitely no women trying to entice him into doing something completely stupid, like mate with them. The fur on his scruff stood at attention, his tiger offended by the very thought of being tied down with any single female. Zach soothed his animal and directed its attention back to the hog that had wandered closer. His mouth watered for a taste. When he was human, he preferred his food cooked a little more, the chef in

him mindful of the parasites he chanced by eating on the hoof. But the tiger wasnt bothered by things like blood and the possibility of developing trichinosis. It wanted the thrill of the hunt. Even though the hunt had taken him farther into the swamps than he normally ventured, Zach had allowed his animal to guide him, following his instincts. The wellworn path leading from Maison Rouge had been used by thousands of shifters over the last three hundred years as they let their animals run wild. But the tiger hadnt wanted to follow the usual

path that would lead him to the areas heavily populated by game. Itd wanted to explore a bit, to test its boundaries and seek out a little solitude. And it had been wonderful. Zach appreciated the nonstop business brought to his bakery door by the sudden popularity of PointeAux-Chat Parish. Tourists bought his desserts by the pound as they hung around the small town in hopes of catching a glimpse of the members of the all-shifter band Saber. Some of the models, debutantes and dignitaries who flocked to Maison Rouge to be

fitted for custom gowns by fashion designer Kitty Chambers loved to indulge in the chocolate he made. The weddings and mating ceremonies that kept popping up as his neighbors took that ridiculous step meant his catering business had increased as well. Things were finally looking up for him. And he hated it. His eyes narrowed on the hog as though it represented every annoying customer brought to his door. When hed started out with the plan to take over his grandmothers bakery and also run a side business, hed never imagined it would eat

into so much of his time. But there were many days he didnt sleep because he wasnt sure he could trust his assistants to recreate his recipes to his exact specifications. Yes, hed handpicked each one and personally trained them. Yes, they were the cream of the crop and well-qualified, yet he couldnt let go of the fear they would fuck everything up. The hog snorted, lifting its head to smell the wind, dragging Zach away from his musings. His ear flicked as he caught a sound so faint, he wasnt certain if it was a figment of his imagination or not.

He ignored it, remaining perfectly still. This hog was going down. If it turned into a fight, so much the better. A fight was better than waking up after a night of fucking to see a female flipping through bridal magazines. He shuddered at the memory. Ugh, goddamn women. Every muscle in his body tightened as he prepared to spring from the undergrowth, his ears flattening, his legs bunching slightly. His leap would cover twothirds of the distance between him and the hog. His heart pumped faster with anticipation and the

sudden surge of adrenaline coursing through his body. His claws dug into the soft soil beneath him as he used the ground as a springboard. He leapt out of the leaves in an explosive burst of speed that had the hogs head swinging in his direction. The little beady eyes widened momentarily, the wild boar rearing back on its hind legs in preparation to run and even took a few steps toward him as though his was the path of greater safety. The tiger snarled, wanting it to run, needing it to lead him on a chase that would drain the stress from his

body. Except the hog no sooner reared back when it fell to the ground with a heavy thud, causing Zach to sail over his prey, missing it completely. Sliding across the dirt, claws scrambling for purchase, Zach didnt come to a stop until he hit a tree on the other side of the clearing. He barely registered the pain of slamming into the trunk, bouncing to his feet in one smooth motion. Someone had shot his fucking hog. He growled low in his throat, his lip curling away from his fangs. Someone had robbed him of his one moment to enjoy a good,

long hunt and a tasty meal he hadnt cooked. Someone was going to get their ass handed to them. He didnt care if they were human or not. And he knew it was most likely some pathetic excuse of a human hunter. No self-respecting shifter would use a gun to hunt. No one, but no one stole his kills and lived to brag about it. Zach crouched next to his former prey, no longer interested in sating his anger and hunger on it. It wasnt any fun now that it was dead. No, he would save his aggression for the moron who went hunting in shifter territory.

Everyone in the fucking country knew certain areas in each county and parish were reserved for shifters, yet this fucktard had brought a high-powered rifle, complete with sound repressor, into that territory. And shot his fucking kill. He should have been outraged that a human had fired a weapon in an area where young shifters could be practicing their hunting skills, but all he could think of was his thwarted fight. He bit back a roar, not wanting to give away his position. Sure, hed probably get a visit from Sheriff Picou for scaring one of the

parishs fragile humans, but that was a small price to pay for losing his kill. It wasnt as if hed kill the motherfucker as much as hed like to. God knew neither he nor his tiger wanted anything to do with non-shifters. Their males were too weak to fight, their females were too weak and small to fuck, and it was illegal to eat them even in his animal form, so what the fuck good were they? He didnt hate them. He simply had no use for them. And for one of them to steal his hog He almost shook his head at their stupidity and arrogance. A twig snapped nearby and he

turned his head slowly to watch the shadows. It wasnt nighttime yet, but the dwindling sunlight was a plus for him, not the human. His vision made a mockery out of the goggles humans had to wear and he was able to see everything. He waited, but still nothing approached. He also didnt feel the ground vibrating from a clumsy humans footsteps. If he could have frowned in his tiger form, he would have. Where were they? Usually when humans went hunting feral hog, they had four-wheelers and a crew of three or four to help pull the hog out. Yet

he hadnt heard a single thing since that twig snapped, nor did he scent anything that didnt fit the surroundings. It was a puzzle, something he absolutely hated. You can come on out. I know youre there. The voice caused him to jump. Not only because it came from the opposite direction hed expected to see the hunter, but also because it was accompanied by the deadly sound of a gun being pumped. No more than five feet away from him. Even better, the voice, while low and husky, was undeniably female. He searched the shadows,

impressed despite his contempt of humans. Whoever she was had somehow moved around him, remaining downwind the entire time and slipped into cover so thick he couldnt make her out. Then he caught the gleam of a rifle barrel. Slowly, details about the figure behind the gun emerged, but only because she stepped out of the protection of a bush. She wasnt wearing fancy camouflage the way hed seen some hunters employ in the hopes their prey wouldnt see them coming. Her plain, faded jeans were frayed at the hems and had rips that came

from long, hard use, not a designers mind. From his position on the ground, her legs looked to be a mile long, the jeans lovingly following her thighs to round hips, yet she couldnt have been more than five foot two. The plain green t-shirt tucked into the waistband displayed a neat waist and smaller breasts than he usually liked on his women. Her shoulders were narrow, but there was no denying the strength in her upper body, the feminine muscles evident through the thin cotton. His tiger was intrigued despite its frustration over losing a kill. He

appreciated a predator and hadnt really considered human females as the kind to hunt. The ones hed seen and rolled his eyes at had been all fluffy and frivolous and about as dangerous as a gnat with one wing. This one was different though. Eager now, the tiger forced Zachs eyes away from those interesting little teacup tits to her face. And he promptly forgot about her body. Every shifter in Pointe-AuxChat Parish knew about the very small community nestled in the deepest part of the swamp called Bayou Ange, or Angel Bayou. Shifters didnt really go there

unless they were authority figures and even then, they went in groups. Zach had never given the small community much thought since the people there went to nearby Germantown instead of Maison Rouge for anything they needed. All he really knew about them was a combination of historic fact found in the parishs archives and gossip he heard in his shop. But he was aware that if you ended up in Angel Bayou without an invitation, shifter or not, you were bound to earn a hurting when you were discovered. And you would be discovered. The Robicheauxs, the

largest family in Angel Bayou, were some of the most legendary hunters in the state. Something that didnt endear them to Zach. In his mind, hunters had no business living near shifters in case they were ever tempted to snag a prize of the twolegged variety. And the pale-violet eyes staring down at him so impersonally belonged to none other than a Robicheaux. That was another thing he knew about the family. It didnt matter what ethnicity they married into, the strange purple eyes were dominant in the line. Those eyes gave her away as belonging to the

close-knit clan of rough, tough hunters who were said to fight a fence post if it got in their way. That was why the Pointe-Aux-Chat Sheriffs Office went in the community with backup when they were called out, which was frequently. The men liked to fight. A lot. He wasnt so sure how the family managed to avoid being banned from Germantown, but hed had several shifters from that area come to his bakery and talk about how the Robicheauxs had torn up the town again. Strangely enough it was always said with

affection and a touch of amusement, as though they were proud of the heathens. But in all the time hed heard stories about the Robicheaux clan, Zach had never once heard mention of a female unless it was someones wife. Yet there was no mistaking he was looking at one now. Those tits had given her away. Well, and the hips and the voice that made the fur on the back of his neck stand straight up. Once he was able to drag his gaze away from her mesmerizing eyes, he catalogued the rest of her features. Long, bold nose with a

bump on the bridge. High cheekbones, square, almost masculine jaw, stubborn chin with a cleft and a cute, rosebud mouth. His gaze snagged on those lips, which seemed completely out of place on the rest of a face that screamed hard woman. Light-pink, like sugar-crusted rose petals. He remembered that interesting concoction from culinary school and her lips looked just as delicate and delicious. Which was insane, really. He didnt kiss humans. But her pale lips and light eyes stood out to him. Set against her sun-bronzed skin with the slightest

tint of red beneath, she was strangely exotic and sexy to him. Even his tiger was intrigued by her, eager to catch her scent, but with her downwind, that wasnt happening. The loaded rifle cradled in her capable hands didnt waver once while he stared at her. The muscles of her arms stood out as she took the weight of the weapon, but she didnt seem strained. This was a strong, dangerous woman. She didnt seem afraid to be faced with a tiger that outweighed her by several hundred pounds. If anything, she seemed almost bored.

Youre trespassing, she said suddenly, her voice calm and collected. And dont try to act like you dont understand me. Tigers arent indigenous to south Louisiana. She lifted the rifle up to align the sight with her eye. So why dont you tell me what youre doing here trying to steal my kill, furboy. Zach was in love. Well, no, not in love. He didnt do love. He did lust. His tiger, on the other hand, wanted to knock her to the ground and lick her from head to toe. Idiot fucking cat. It liked the fact that she was threatening him. Shifter

females didnt do that. They all rolled over way too easily, giving in to him before hed even decided what he wanted from them. This human, who should have been pissing herself in fear, wasnt scared of him, wasnt intimidated by his size and looked as though she couldnt care less if he walked out of the swamp or was carried out in a body bag. Strike that, she was a Robicheaux. She probably knew exactly how to skin and dispose of his body in such a way that no one would ever find his bones. And his tiger liked it. Zach told

the animal to shut up, even as he fought his bodys urge to shift and show her exactly how happy he was to see her. His tiger wanted to share the hog with her, feed her the best bits of meat and then lick off the juices. It didnt even care hed have to cook the meat first. It wanted her to be happy with him. It wanted to please her. In more ways than one. Oh fuck, this is so not good. Im going to count to three. If you dont shift and tell me why youre on my land, Im gonna start shooting body parts starting with the tip of your pretty ear. The

barrel moved inches to the right. She was a human living in a parish populated by shifters. If she wanted him to shift and see him naked, who was he to deny her? Besides, he couldnt try to charm her into a friendly wrestling-slashfuck match if he was in animal form. With that thought in mind and his blood boiling hot for sex, he shifted. Colette, only daughter of Willis and Laurette-Marie Robicheaux, knew it was a bad idea to tell a shifter to change to human. Not because they would attack. Shed

shoot the big bastard between the eyes before he could say rar. No, it was a bad idea because hed be naked when he lost his fur. She knew it. She might have been a human in a world of shifters, but everyone knew the basic facts. They were stronger and faster than normal people. They had senses Homo sapiens had long abandoned in the quest for technology and science. But there was one thing shifters couldnt do and that was keep their clothes when they went from one form to the other. Depending on the size of their animal, their clothing would either

rip or fall off. When they shifted back, they were naked as the day they came into this world. Some of her cousins turned furry when they wanted to, so it wasnt as though she didnt know exactly what she was doing. Knew it and also knew it was oh so wrong. And she couldnt wait. When shed seen the striped body fly through the clearing when she shot at the feral hog, her heart nearly stopped beating. She knew who this tiger was. She didnt need him to shift into his sexy, muscled, panty-wetting human form. But she wasnt about to stop him.

It was a universally known truth in the entire tri-parish area that Zachary Trahan was the sexiest tiger-shifting chef in the world. A lot of women werent sure which was more important, the way he looked or how he handled desserts. Colette wouldve scoffed over the claims she heard while she was in Germantown, except shed been to his shop once. Just once and shed fallen into instant lust with the baker. So knowing how close hed come to being shot by her while she hunted on her familys land nearly had her dropping her rifle. Only

years and years of gun safety had kept her from doing something stupid. Shed had to take a minute, or more like ten, to calm her nerves. She knew she hadnt shot him. She was one of the best marksmen in her family. But a rogue wind, a shift of his body, the slightest jerk of her arms couldve left him either dead or critically injured. He couldve been killed. No more Zach the sexy tiger, no more sweets from his bakery. Gone in a split second. But he was there in his tiger form, his eyes trained in the direction shed just abandoned. And shed just had to soak in his

beauty. Yes, beauty. For the most part, appreciating the beauty and the strength of the animals she hunted extended to a kind of awe over the shifters who populated the parish. How many times had she wished she could change into an animal, to experience life in a completely different way? Too many to count. But there was no way to turn a full human into a shifter, no magic pill, no exchange of bites or saliva that would make it happen. But that didnt mean she couldnt admire them anyway. The way she was admiring Zach right now, her pussy heating up as

the man was revealed. Gold, black and white fur receded so quickly and smoothly, she barely had time to blink before her gaze was caught by golden skin and muscles. Cher bon Dieu, the man had some muscles. She practically ate him up with her eyes, devouring every square inch revealed to her like some kind of weird striptease. Not that shed ever been to a strip joint. There was a place her cousins wives had told her about in Texas where muscled men took their clothes off, but shed never been. Not for a lack of trying though. She just hadnt been able to convince

her male relatives there was a women-only hunting ground and she simply had to go. But now, after seeing Zach Trahan in the nude, she wasnt sure any other man could measure up. Like, really measure up. Her gaze was drawn down his rippled stomachshed never seen that before in real life, only on television to the long, hard length of his shaft. Heat raced through her body, arrowing straight between her legs to warm her pussy and shoot up to her face in a blush she was positive would set her hair on fire. Which was ridiculous. It wasnt

as though she were some virgin. Despite the sheltered life shed led in Bayou Ange, Colette had gone to college just like her male cousins and shed done her fair share of crazy things, had unfurled her wings as a young woman and taken a couple of lovers. But none of them had been built like this. She suddenly felt cheated, even as she acknowledged if her first lover had been as big as Zach Trahan, she wouldve been walking bow-legged for months. The tiger-shifter had a bibette that would make a horse look twice. Realizing she was staring at it as though he were a

snake charmer, her gaze shot up his gorgeous, muscled torso to tangle with sultry yellow eyes. Thanking God she was downwind and he couldnt smell the hungry musk between her legs, she pretended she was facing a game warden and let her I dont know anything mask fall in place. The sexy twist to his lips was almost a smirk and it told her that he knew better. Damn. She tightened her hold on the rifle. What are you doing on my familys land? she demanded. Instead of answering, he stretched, lifting his arms over his

head and elongating his body. She told herself it was a natural reaction to let her gaze skim over him again. And it was perfectly normal for her stare to linger on his impressive groin. What would something that size feel like moving inside her? What kind of lover was he? Did he like to take his time, or did he like it fast and hard? Her nipples tightened. A quick glance up at his face showed hed definitely noticed her bodys reaction since his eyes had dropped to her chest. Good Lord. What are you doing here? He dropped his arms to his

sides, adopting a relaxed pose that should have looked ridiculous since he was buck naked, but Zach Trahan seemed as composed as he would if he were fully clothed. Colette bit back a snarl of envy. She avoided looking in mirrors unless she absolutely had to, and never when she was naked. Yet in her twenty-eight years, one thing shed learned about men from watching her cousins was that they had absolutely no shame. How many times had they whipped it out to pee when she was on the hunt with them? As far as they were concerned, she was

one of the guys even if she had to squat to pee. But that wasnt all. Getting drunk and streaking around the swamps on their allweekend hunts was nothing to them. She knew from growing up with all boys that most men were oblivious to the little thing called modesty. However, shed think being buck naked in front of a stranger would affect them somehow. But there was no selfconsciousness in Zachs gaze and his impressive dick didnt wilt beneath her study. If anything, it seemed to grow another inch. And

she was staring at it again. Have to stop staring at his junk. Her mama would beat her ass if she knew she was gawking at a naked mans groin, no matter how sexy he was. Her mama would cluck and find something for him to wear. But the last thing Colette wanted to do was cover up a single inch of naked Zach. I was hunting, he said after a few more seconds, his voice dragging her gaze from his cock. She hadnt realized shed been looking. Again. And you stole my kill. Colette was as hot-tempered as

any Robicheaux over certain things. She hated cruelty in any form, having been known to take down men twice her size if she caught them abusing an animal. She hated bullies. She also took her sense of honor very seriously. No one called her a liar or a cheat, or a thief in this case. Ever. Having the man shed been openly infatuated with for nearly a year say she stole anything from him was like having a bucket of ice water thrown over her during a heat wave. The rifle went back up, her ire lending her tiring arms renewed strength. She wouldnt be able to

keep it up for long though. She either had to shoot him or send him on his way. And after that accusation she was leaning more toward the former. A kill you tried to make on private property, she told him in a cold voice that would have warned any one of her relatives she was about to lose her control. The tiger had no sense of selfpreservation because his smirk became a full-blown grin that wouldve made her weak at the knees if she hadnt been on the verge of a volcanic explosion. About that Youre not quite

what I expected from what Ive heard about the Robicheauxs. It was as though he wanted to die a very slow death. Another quirk of hers, one not many people ever tweaked, was her defensiveness about her family. Oh, she knew exactly what everyone in the parish thought of the residents of Bayou Ange. Most of the time she could ignore the comments, the mockery and condensation when they spoke to or of the Robicheaux, Brule, Boudlache and Gautreaux families who inhabited their small community. They were called backwards. Kayaks, a derogatory

term for people who lived so far down the bayou they may as well be another species of Cajun. She and her cousins and brothers had heard it all applied to them, but especially to their fathers. If the people in Pointe-Aux-Chat Parish only knew over fifty percent of the backwoods coonasses from Bayou Ange had college degrees, maybe theyd realize the err of their assumptions. But her parents always told Colette not to worry what other people thought. It wasnt their fault their mamas didnt raise them right. For the most part, she was able to ignore

the snide remarks. Not right now though, not with him. She flipped the safety on her rifle. Why is that? Because Im wearing shoes? she sneered at him, finally well over her lust. Thank God she hadnt made more of a fool of herself. He was so not worth the screaming orgasms she gave herself. Colette vowed to fantasize about someone else from now on. One of his thick, black eyebrows rose and his smile faltered. Im sorry? You didnt expect to see a Robicheaux wearing shoes? You

didnt expect one of us Kayaks to have the ability to formulate a complete sentence? Or know words with more than two syllables? What? She let each question snap like a whip until his smile was completely gone and a frown furrowed the smooth skin between his eyebrows. You know what? I dont want to know. Just get your ass off my property before I put a hole in it. And trust me, I dont miss.

Chapter Three
This was not going as planned. Zach stared at the suddenly pissedoff Cajun woman in front of him and tried to figure out a way to soothe her and work his way into her bed. Because this Robicheaux woman in high temper was hotter than the ghost chili peppers hed been trying to incorporate in one of his recipes. Her eyes nearly glowed with her anger and her cheeks had darkened. He was almost a hundred percent positive shed started out flushed from arousal and embarrassment, but that

quickly changed to anger over some imagined slight. Which brought him back to why she would be angry with him. He hadnt asked her what her favorite position was. Hell, with the way all the blood had left his head to pool in his dick, he wasnt capable of much thinking at the moment anyway. The instant her little nipples stood out in sharp relief against the smooth cotton of her tshirt, his mind went blank. He hadnt even known what he said to her to piss her off. How could he when all he could imagine was finding out how much of a handful

her small tits would be for him. Would she fill his palms? Or would he be able to cover her completely? Those had been the images dancing in his mind. At least until she lifted that damn rifle again, hiding her perky, friendly nipples from his line of sight. And yeah, he had a one-track mind at the moment. Itd been at least a month since the last time he had time for anything but a fast jerk-off session. And this woman, this human woman with a fiery, fierce personality wouldnt expect him to mark her and live happily ever after or some crazy shit like that. A

marking was a solemn bond between mates, a promise of fidelity and forever. Humans didnt do the whole marking thing, meaning if a shifter ever tied up with one of them, the human could go on their merry way. No sane person hooked up with humans for that very reason. Since he had no plans to marry or mate at any point in his sane life, Zach wondered if hed maybe been a little hasty ignoring all the comehither glances from human women. If they were looking for a little rough, casual sex, he could do that. Especially with this woman.

Lets just relax, he said with a calm he didnt quite feel. His tiger figured this was a perfect moment to display his dominance over her. It urged Zach to spring at her, tackle her to the ground and fuck the anger right out of her. His balls ached at the thought even though his logical mind said that was considered sexual assault. I think were just having a misunderstanding. He gave her his most charming smile. Her eyes narrowed on him. So on top of trespassing on private property and insulting my family, you think Im crazy?

For the first time in his life, Zach was stunned speechless. His tiger scrambled, trying to figure out what she meant. He should have been used to not understanding females, which was why he limited his contact with them to fucking. He fucked a woman, made sure she screamed with pleasure, found his own and was out the door shortly after. It was a system that worked to lower his chances of becoming entangled in the web of male helplessness that caught so many of his friends. One after the other, hed watched them tie themselves in knots over their mates, from the

start of the attraction to the mating and beyond. There was no understanding the female mind and from what hed heard of human females, they were the worst of the lot. Which failed to explain his sudden need to get this one in bed. Or take her right here on the ground. I dont think youre crazy, he said slowly. The rifle lowered a bit. Youre talking to me as though you think Im crazy, she accused. Zach abruptly dropped the charm. Woman, I dont know what crawled up your ass, but Im

trying to talk to you. Now you can either tell me what I said wrong, or shoot me. He really hadnt expected her to choose the last option. He just counted himself lucky she was either a worse shot than she boasted to be, or couldnt bring herself to actually put a hole in him. The rifle barrel dropped and a nearly soundless expulsion of air was all he heard before the dirt two inches in front of his toes kicked up to slap against his shins. Zachs jaw dropped in shock even as little Zach gave a jerk of excitement. He was a sick fucker. Sick, sick,

sick because he should not have found being shot at by a tough, possibly insane Cajun woman the least bit sexy. But he did. God help him, he and his tiger were just about frothing at the mouth with lust. He had no idea what her name was, or if she needed medication for that chip on her shoulder, but he knew he needed to find out as much about her as he could. Colette? A male called out in the distance, breaking his lustinduced daze. Cher, where you at? He appreciated learning her name, but would have preferred

learning it from her. Zachs tiger growled, possessiveness nearly overwhelming him. It was a struggle to keep from shifting right then and there. It hadnt even occurred to him that she might not be single, that she might not be his for the taking. The thought echoed around his head and he backtracked. He didnt want her permanently or anything. He just wanted her in every position physically possible and some of those that werent if he could find a good pulley system. Hearing another man calling for her, using a familiar endearment

pissed him off more than fucking up an easy recipe. He wanted to go find the bastard and rip his head off. She lost some of her anger, the aggression and tension easing from her slowly as though she realized he wasnt going anywhere. Then she spoke. They wont be as nice when they get here. The Cajun Ice Princess voice taunted his tiger to warm her up. Go on and get out of here. They wont miss on purpose if they decide to shoot you. He could hear a good-sized party of what he supposed were her fellow hunters, probably her

family and a possible husband walking toward them, but he didnt move. You shoot at every man you meet, Colette, or just the ones you like? It was a calculated gamble to unsettle her as much as she unsettled him. Her lips softened and parted, a pink tide of color sweeping up her neck to settle in her cheeks. The rifle dropped some and yup, there were pert, hard little nipples pressing against her shirt. W-what? she stammered in a voice that wasnt nearly as frigid as it had been before. No. His tiger purred. She might not

want to be attracted to him, whether it was because she didnt like shifters or some other reason, but she was. He might be upwind of her, unable to catch any hint of her feminine musk, yet his animal half was an expert at reading body language. He didnt need to smell her attraction. It was written on her face, in her dilated eyes, flushed cheeks and the rapidly beating pulse in her neck. In the expression that twisted with want and anger and frustration. The party crashers were coming closer and he knew his time with her was coming to an end. For now.

He had every intention of finding out more about this lone Robicheaux female, more specifically if she was married or not, so he could pursue her. It was a hunt of an entirely different kind, but one he and his tiger were positive would end successfully with her pussy clamped around his dick as she screamed his name. Colette, where you at, bbe? the male voice, mature with a thick Cajun accent called out again. She turned her head slightly in the direction of the call. It was all the opening he needed. Using the strong muscles

of his legs that gave him such an impressive jump, Zach launched himself at his newest prey. Her head jerked back around, her pretty eyes wide with shock, her mouth falling open and then they were going down. He couldve been a complete jerk and let her take the brunt of their weight, but again, Zachs tiger wanted to make even this show of dominance and intimidation easy on her. He wrapped his arms around her lean body and twisted slightly as they headed for the ground so he took her weight. Shed jerked the gun up at the last minute,

sandwiching it between their bodies, the barrel warm, but it was the surprisingly small woman cradled in his arms who heated him up the most. Finallyfucking finally, he could smell her and his dick gave a jerk of excitement despite being used as a gun rest since that was exactly where the butt of her rifle was. His tiger considered that a small price to pay to have her this close, her arousal making his head swim. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, a purr of arousal and contentment rumbling in his chest. Sweet vanilla musk with a

hint of some kind of spice he couldnt identify made his mouth water with the urge to taste her thick cream at the heart of that scent. For a moment, she was perfectly still although he could feel the frantic pounding of her heart against his chest. The tight buds of her nipples poked at him through the fabric of her shirt. Their bodies had aligned perfectly, his thigh nestled against the juncture of her legs, the warmth of her pussy scorching him through her jeans. He opened his eyes to see her gaping at him with a shocked

expression. Beautiful eyes with deep, black pupils that dilated as he returned her stare, letting her see the intent on his face. Because he had to kiss her. Despite knowing the men in her family, one of them possibly a loverhis tiger snarled at the thoughtwere coming closer, he had to have one taste. She sucked in a ragged breath and Zach made his move. Velvety soft, her lips cushioned his in a kiss that held him transfixed. All it took was a single touch and he was a goner. The lust was still there, riding him hard, demanding he strip her naked and

take her, but it was held back by something stronger. Something foreign that wanted to cherish this moment, to extend the game. He lifted his head slightly, tilted it to the left and kissed her the way hed originally intended, catching her words with his mouth, his sudden strike knocking her hat back. This time though, it wasnt a chaste meeting of lips. This time, he kissed her the way hed wanted to from the minute he saw the sugarcoated color of her mouth and the almost doll-like shape of her lips. He kissed her, his tongue parting those plump contours and surging

forward. He didnt bother holding back his groan ofgroan of, what was it? Relief to finally know her taste? Pleasure because she tasted as sweet and spicy as hed believed? Or excitement because her tongue met his in tentative greeting? When her body softened against him, molding to his nakedness, Zach knew it was a combination of everything. His tiger pulled back slightly, letting him take the lead, knowing this was a job for the man. The cat could mark the female later, keeping her the way it wanted to, but right now they needed to gentle her, to show her how good it

would be between them. The man twisted their bodies, rolling her beneath him without breaking the kiss, her legs falling open. The scent of her musk grew stronger, headier. Zach moved over her, settling his body in the cradle of her hips, shuddering when her legs hooked around the backs of his. There. This was where he wanted her. If her clothes werent in the way, he could take them both to heaven. Just a little shift and slide and pure bliss. Their kiss turned fierce. The rifle rolled away from them when she lifted her arms to wrap around his shoulders,

the fine muscles of her body tense. Then she was rolling him over. He wasnt sure how she did it since she shouldnt have been able to, but he found himself on the ground with her on top, her hips rocking against him. Holy fuck. He let out a growl of need, his hands gripping the surprisingly soft curves of her ass and grinding her down. He had to get her jeans off and dive inside that tight little Colette! She moved a lot faster than he wouldve thought a human could, leaping to her feet and pulling her

hat back into place before he could grab her and refuse to let go. She muttered something under her breath, her movements nearly frantic as she wiped her arm across her lips and patted herself down, dusting away the leaves and dirt. Zach glared at her heart-shaped ass when she bent over to pick up her rifle, his tiger snarling. She did not just wipe away our kiss. Yeah, Zach wasnt too happy about that either. Women didnt just walk away from him, especially not human women who were so wet their arousal practically humidified the air around him. His

dick gave a little leap of excitement. Okay, so he kind of liked that she was all business as she started toeing away the evidence of their tussle. Until she kicked some dirt over him. He glared at her, but she didnt seem moved despite the honeyed scent telling him she wasnt as unaffected as she pretended to be. The man shouted again, rousing Zachs anger. He tensed, ready to charge the trees to find the fucker. He didnt know who the hell it was, but that bastard was going to eat it. Hed never felt so violent and sexually frustrated and fuck, his

balls ached with the need to come inside Colettes tight cunt, to feel her squeeze him as she Then she said, My dad and cousins will kill you if they find you here. Tu va. Zach relaxed again, stacking his hands under his head, ignoring her order to leave. Okay, cousins and fathers he could handle. You do like me, he couldnt help but tease. He had no doubt her relatives were packing enough weapons to take over a small country, yet he didnt feel overly inclined to leave. It did kill some of his desire and his balls still hurt, but he could think

again. Sort of. Colette Robicheaux had knocked him for a big loop. Especially after that amazingly hot kiss. He had needs and so did she. Needs they could both satisfy if she sat on his face. His tiger purred. I knew you liked me. The words came out as a barely disguised crow of triumph. The attractive flush on her cheeks darkened even more despite the glower she sent him. I just dont want the responsibility of feeding you to the alligators. Oh yeah, his tiger liked her a lot. Spicy, tough and strong. She might not be able to claw at him and bite

back the way a tigress would, but he had no doubt shed make the mating dance fun. Whoa, wait. Mating dance? Zach put the brakes on his tigers erratic thoughts. Theyd always agreed neither of them wanted a mate, or the mess of being tied down to one female. And it wasnt as though this human was possible mate material anyway. He just wanted her for fucking. A few times. At the very least half a dozen times, didnt he? The tiger sent the word mate to him with a hopeful purr, completely forgetting its former resistance to the idea. The fucking traitor. Zach slammed

the door shut on the idiot felines thoughts, unwilling to even entertain them. Not now when his cock and balls ached with unfulfilled desire. Hed heard a lot of men do something they later regretted, like getting mated before they wanted, because they were desperate to come. He refused to be one of those unfortunate bastards. The crashing grew closer and Colettes arousal dissipated beneath a wave of panic that smelled like burnt sugar. His tiger surfaced enough to let Zach know he didnt like it at all. He rolled to his feet, unwilling to cause her further

anxiety. For now. He needed to get away from her for a little while anyway, get his body and his cat back under control. But that didnt mean hed let this little Cajun off the hook. He glanced over at her just in time to see her gaze stray to his erection. He bit back a triumphant grin even as the betraying organ strained toward her. Ill see you around, Colette, he said, her name rolling off his tongue as though it was meant to be there. Gah. The fucking cat was rubbing off on him, getting him all

sentimental and shit. But he didnt show her how unsettled that left him. He surveyed her again, taking in the tough stance, the pert tits and those lips. Too bad she had that baseball hat on her head. He wouldnt mind seeing if she had brown hair to match her eyebrows or something else. Next time, he promised himself. Not if I can help it, Monsieur Pussy Cat, she shot back with a halfhearted snarl that was kind of ruined by her puffy lips, beardburned cheeks and the heady scent surrounding her like perfume. And stay off Robicheaux land.

Zach chuckled at her fierce tone, enjoying her Tom & Jerry reference, which wouldve pissed him off if it had come from anyone else. He gave into his tigers need to shift, the change coming over him as naturally as breathing. Once complete, he gave a full-body shake to settle his fur properly, his keen ears catching Colettes soft gasp. He looked at her with the tigers eyes, finding her even more exotic than before now that hed had a little taste of her lips, knew her scent and flavor. She held her gun in a loose grip, the muzzle pointed at the ground, her eyes wide and her

puffy lips relaxed. He preened a bit for her viewing pleasure, satisfied that hed left a little mark on her. It wouldnt last long, but hed be back. He chuffed at her before he turned and began jogging in the direction of town. Zach had a lot of work to do if he was going to make time to find out more about his future lover. He didnt even realize hed moved her from one-night fuck category to something a little more intimate. His human mind was too focused on information, but his tiger purred at the unnoticed slip.

*****
Colette! She jumped, dragging her gaze away from the palmetto leaves that still swayed from the tigers passing. Her heart beat so fast she thought it might leap out of her chest. Not from fear or panic, but from unadulterated lust. And wouldnt that be a sight for her relatives. Theyd never seen her flustered over a man. Not even Pierre Dubois whod asked her to share his duck blind with him a couple years ago. Shed politely turned him down and ignored the teasing from the others. Theyd

have a field day if they knew she was on the verge of fanning herself over a man, a shifter who kissed like he wanted to eat her alive. Her heart gave another leap, more moisture soaking her already wet panties. Her gaze fell to the perfect outline of Zachs big paw prints in the soil and she hurriedly began kicking dirt over them. She didnt need her relatives to know shed just had the most erotic experience in her life with a shifter. Theyd shit a brick. They werent prejudiced against shifters, not with some of their own

family members turning furry whenever the urge struck them. No, they were prejudiced against men who might try to despoil her. If she hadnt gone to college, shed probably still be a virgin. And since shed never been stupid enough to bring any of her lovers home with her, her family most likely thought she was on the verge of becoming an old maid, but what they didnt know about her wouldnt hurt them or anyone else. Unless they found out what shed been doing. If they knew Zach had justwhat? Rolled around on the ground with her,

kissing her as though it were his mission in life? Her cheeks heated again. She flipped the safety on her rifle and cradled it in one arm to press her free hand to her cheeks one at a time in an effort to cool them. God, she hadnt been this giddy since she left home at eighteen. She wasnt a kid though. She shouldnt be on the verge of giggling to herself. The man was insane. Shed shot at him, for crying out loud. And hed kissed her in, what? Retaliation? Was that the appropriate response for shooting at a man though? Then her thoughts centered. Oh.

Shit. Colettes mind abruptly shifted gears from giggling schoolgirl to possible future inmate. Shed shot at someone. Well, it wasnt exactly the first time. Three weeks before shed found the slaughtered carcasses of doe, which were extremely out of season, and tracked the kills back to a couple of shifters. Antoine and Vernon Schumacher, idiotic brothers who lived in Germantown, had tried to intimidate her into forgetting about their little foray into bloodlust. A well-aimed bullet had caused them to turn tail and run. She hadnt

seen them since then, but she had reported them to Wildlife and Fisheries. She shook her head. She was babbling in her brain. And it didnt matter anyway. The Schumacher brothers didnt count since they were idiots and everyone wanted to shoot them. Zach was a respected member of Pointe-Aux-Chat society. He could go back to Maison Rouge and tell Sheriff Picou what shed done. What the hell kind of defense could she summon? He turned me on so I was trying to get rid of him. No, that wouldnt work. She was certain taking potshots at the

opposite sex as a means of social interaction was frowned upon. She doubted anyone would believe her anyway. Theyd think she was crazy. Which was a way to avoid going to prison, but then shed end up institutionalized. The crashing footsteps of her menfolk arriving had her spinning around. Her dad, two of her uncles and five of her cousins stumbled into the clearing, faces relaxing when they saw her. She knew they had faith in her abilities. Theyd trained her well, but that wouldnt stop them from worrying about her. For once though, she was glad

they hadnt waited for her to send them her all-clear signal. Theyd prevented her from doing something stupid. Like stripping naked and taking a ride on Zach Trahans joystick, a ride many women before her had taken. Her heart dropped as cold reality and jealousy reared their ugly heads. He could say whatever he wanted to. Zach wasnt coming back. He wouldnt brave the possible anger of a united Bayou Ange to see her again. Why would he? He could have any woman in the tri-parish area and had, if the gossips were correct. The chances of

her ever going to Maison Rouge were slim to none. If her inner schoolgirl threw a tantrum over never seeing him again, Colette ignored the whiny putain. Zach wasnt the kind of shifter whod have anything to do with her. More than likely hed just been trying to charm her out of shooting anything sensitive. And to her ever-lovin shame, itd worked. Then her family crowded around her, marveling at the hog, chastising her for not answering them, slapping her on the back for a good hunt and basically distracting her from thoughts of a very naked

and aroused Zach Trahan. But Colette knew images of the sexy shifter would visit her at night when she was home alone and trying to sleep. She knew it as surely as she knew her dad would quiz her on what had her so distracted. She read it in his eyes, recognized the interrogation to come because he didnt miss a thing. While her cousins began preparing the hog for transport out of the swamp, her dad studied the ground around the kill. Colette knew the instant he realized a bigger animal had been in the area.

His body tensed, his shoulders going rigid as he caught sight of Zachs bare, human footprints mixed with the tigers paw prints. He studied the ground more, his sharp gaze following the tracks away from her, his LED lantern granting him a better view of the area. His lips thinned when he saw the furrowed gash her bullet had left in the ground and its proximity to Zachs footprints. Colette cursed herself for not doing a better job of clearing the area, even as she realized shed been distracted by her pussy. She lowered her eyes when her dad

looked her way, pretending to be interested in what Cotton and Beau were saying. She wasnt sure she was ready to answer any questions he had for her and prayed he would wait until they were alone before he began to grill her. Hes got to weigh a good threetwenty, Cotton said with obvious pride in Colettes abilities. And she got him with a clean shot. Beau gave him a shove before leaning over to truss the hogs legs together. Of course she did. I taught her everything she knows. That caused everyone in the group to laugh, earning Beau some

good-natured ribbing since he consistently shot three inches higher or lower than where he aimed. Colette was thankful for the distraction, laughing along with them. Once the hog was ready for the drag back to the trucks, her bigger cousins each grabbed a rope and began to pull the kill along the ground. Colette followed behind with her uncles and dad, who were congratulating themselves on a good hunt. Each group had taken down one of the nuisance hogs, which would provide them all with plenty of food. With alligator

season starting in a couple of weeks, theyd needed some meat for their freezers since none of them would have time for a hunt before then. She felt her dads eyes on her several times, but he didnt approach her until they finished the two-mile trek to the trucks. It took nearly the entire group heaving and pulling to get the hog in the back of her Uncle Tudus pickup. Well see yall at the house, her dads youngest brother called out as his sons piled into the cab. Good job, Collie girl. Well have this pig butchered before you get

there. He tore out of the clearing, spitting dirt behind him to his sons laughter. She waved after them, determined to pretend everything was normal. But as soon as the taillights disappeared down the trail, a tense silence fell over the clearing. Shed ridden to the hunt with her dad and her Uncle Frog, the eldest Robicheaux brother, something she now regretted. It wouldve been nice to tell them see yall in a bit and take off in her truck instead of riding back with them. When her dad cleared his throat,

she flinched. Colette, what the hell is goin on out here? he asked in a tone that clearly said he expected a rational explanation. Ugh. This was not going to be pretty because she had no rational explanation to give him.

Chapter Four
Zach glared at the roux he was stirring, the sounds of his junior chefs bustling around the kitchen barely a blip on his radar. He hadnt been able to find out jack shit about Colette Robicheaux other than rumor and gossip, neither of which he gave much credence to. He seriously doubted her Haitiandescended mother had conducted a voodoo ritual just so she could have a daughter. Nor did he believe she was the anti-Christ, or a mutant, or a foundling. He shook his head and added

more flour to his roux. Even Father Bryan, a rational man whod been known to give sound advice to any and all who approached St. Patricks Catholic Church, hadnt been able to shed much light on the people of Bayou Ange. Zach hadnt even known priests could swear that way, but apparently Father Bryan had been told very firmly and politely that they didnt require his services. The very small, family-built chapel called Our Lady of Angels had its own deacon, who happened to come from one of the founding families of Bayou Ange. It was as though they were

taboo, which was weird. Unfortunately, he hadnt been able to make a trip to Germantown since he met Colette. Between dinner parties he had to cater and a sudden surge in birthday parties and weddings he had to bake cakes for, he hadnt had time to do more than jerk off to fantasies of having her on her knees, ready to take everything he had to give, all because memories of her kiss haunted him. His research had taken him to the one place hed wanted to avoid at all costs, but the need to know about her had him sucking back his

pride and common sense to approach the Pointe-Aux-Chat Parish Sheriffs Department. Hed had to know exactly where Colette lived and that information sure as hell hadnt been in the phone book or on the internet. The only address he could find for any Robicheauxs in Bayou Ange had been for Bayou Ange Swamp Tours. And the tour company was run by Colettes family. Something hed found out by bribing the very cranky, pregnant deputy Daisy Reinhardt with a box of beignets. He frowned down at his roux as he remembered that meeting. Hed

have to start being more of a badass and less of a sap for pregnant females because shed been rude. Of course, when hed arrived shed just been escorting some Orleans Parish Sheriff Detectives out of her cubical. Hed overheard them talking despite the noisiness of the station and their attempts to speak quietly. It seemed they were extending professional courtesy by sharing information about a woman who went missing a couple of weeks before. Daisy hadnt been in the best mood after that and when he voiced his question shed stared at

him for several long minutes. Are you out of your goddamn mind? shed asked, even as she snatched the box of beignets out of his hands. Left with nothing to hide behind, not that he was hiding per se, Zach had stuffed his hands in his pockets. I just want to Drive to Colettes house as a man instead of sneaking in like some kind of stray. Im thinking about offering them a business proposal for the tourists who take their swamp tours. That hadnt been on his mind at all, but now that he thought about it, his tiger liked the idea. It would

get his foot in the door. If, however, things didnt work out the way he wanted, Zach wasnt opposed to sneaking in the back door. Nothing, but nothing was going to come between him and finishing what he and Colette had started in the woods that day. Daisy had squinted up at him over a fluffy, powdery mound of beignet, giving him the cop look, but Zach wasnt worried about Daisy even if she was the most miserable pregnant woman hed ever had the misfortune to know. Shed put her beignet down, not seeming to care that she had a

powdered-sugar mustache, and pulled herself closer to her desk. Hed barely kept himself from asking if she needed a wireless keyboard since her large beach ballsized baby bump meant she had to strain her arms to reach it. He turned his attention to a bulletin board boasting easily two dozen pictures of women, all young and human, bolted to the wall. Nothing tied the women together as far as his untrained eye could tell, except their human status. They had disappeared from different parts of south Louisiana, worked different jobs and ranged in

ages from eighteen to thirty-eight. That was all. And yet theyd all disappeared, one a month for the past two years. Daisy mumbled to herself, her fingers tapping at her keyboard. When he had time, which wasnt often anymore, Zach liked to watch cold criminal case shows and documentaries about prolific criminals. If what hed learned on television was correct, the women all disappeared before or during a full moon. He glanced at the calendar to see the next one was in a couple of weeks. He filed the thought away as Daisys printer

began to churn. Zach snatched the page off the printer to see shed printed Colette Marie Robicheauxs house address. Thanking her, hed left without a backward glance. If the black bear deputy had known he was planning to go to Bayou Ange to possibly start World War III, she wouldve taken the beignets and locked him up for his own safety. Because he might not know a lot about the Robicheauxs, but hed gotten the gist of their protectiveness toward their women. Words like crazy, possessive

and jealous bastards had been thrown around with wild abandon by more than one male. It seemed the Robicheaux men made some shifter males look like slackers when it came to taking care of what they considered theirs. And Colette, as the only born Robicheaux female, was definitely theirs. Sticking his nose in Bayou Ange because of a kiss seemed like a stupid thing to do. It was just too bad he couldnt forget about her or that kiss. He scowled at the perfectly golden roux at the bottom of his pot, absently reaching for the Holy

Trinity of seasoningschopped onions, bell peppers and green onions, dumping them into the pot. He stirred, trying to ignore the hard-on that threatened to desecrate his kitchen. Hed tried to stop thinking about Colette, about her using that little rosebud of a mouth on his dick or running the slick crown across her pert tits before he came all over them. Zach cursed under his breath, glad his heavy chefs coat hid his erection. Hed damn well done his best to put her to the back of his mind while at work, but thoughts of her invaded when he least expected it.

Like now. Hed already traumatized half his junior chefs with his bad temper. He didnt want to make the rest faint like the maiden aunts he didnt have. Casting a dark glare over his shoulder at the younger chefs he could practically feel watching him, he sent them back to work without a single word. They jumped back into the fray, preparing the food on the menu for a wedding the following day. He muttered under his breath and added water to his roux. Once hed filled the pot as much as needed, he threw in the crab claws, boiled crawfish tails and

stepped back. He turned his attention to the poor sucker whod lost the toss to work as his personal assistant for the day. He wouldve much preferred to have Dwayne, his catering assistant, on the gumbo, but the man was too valuable to waste on something so easy. Let this come to a full boil before you add the shrimp, then add more water and let it come to another boil. He pointed to the combination of seasonings hed carefully measured out before he began the roux. Then, and only then, do you add the seasonings.

And if you so much as think about adding your own flavors, Ill break your fingers. Got it? The shaking, quaking fox shifter nodded, the stench of his fear filling Zachs nose. His tiger let out a rumble of discontent. It didnt want to be around these shifters who were so scared of him they couldnt look him in the face without nearly pissing themselves. It amazed him how Colette managed to do that and make it seem completely natural. Most females, even the ones who had only enough bravery to approach him for sex, never went toe-to-toe

with him the way a fragile human had. The way one elusive, sexy guntoting Cajun woman had. His dick gave an eager lurch, ready for them to indulge in yet another naked-Colette-beingfucked fantasy. He bit back an annoyed groan and marched away from the catering prep area of his kitchen to the bakery at the front of the building. His workers here, while more seasoned and familiar with him than his catering crew, refused to look at him as well. Okay, so maybe he shouldnt have thrown that whole wedding cake out, but what good was it being a

chef if he couldnt throw an artistic tantrum now and then? Even Emily, his baking assistant, refused to look his way and shed been with him almost from the time he took over the business after his grandmothers passing. He bit back an annoyed sigh and made a mental note to foot the bill for yet another night out for his kitchen crews in apology for his bad temper. Some people are so goddamn sensitive. Annoyed, horny and frustrated beyond belief, Zach was about to enter his office to return the five million fucking messages left for

him when a sudden hush throughout the building made him pause with his foot in midair. He glanced at his workers, who werent even looking at him, but had their stares fixated on the doorway leading to the customer area. He hadnt seen them look that attentive at the last shop meeting. Wondering what could possibly hold their attention so thoroughly, he glanced over his shoulder and nearly lost his balance. Cold violet eyes in triplicate glared at him from leathery faces lined by the sun and time. Three men, brothers he

assume, by their close resemblance and the almost exact same shade of silver hair covering their heads, stood in the doorway to his kitchen as though they belonged there. Even over the sweet tang of various fruits, the slightly bitter scent of chocolate and the underlying mouthwatering smells of gumbo, jambalaya and stew cooking, Zach could make out the acrid scent of gun oil and metal. The men were packing, which might have accounted for the sudden dearth of activity in the entire building, but somehow he didnt think his people or

customers were worried about weapons. No, it was the cold, menacing look on the humans faces that had his workers smelling as though they were about to run for cover. His tiger roused itself from a boredom-induced sleep long enough to figure out which one was his females father. The one in the middle. There was an unholy fire burning in his eyes that could only come from the father of a woman he feared was about to be completely defiled. And he had every right to be scared because Zach planned to thoroughly enjoy

Colettes body from the top of her head to the bottoms of her feet. Several times because once wouldnt be enough. Zach turned to face the man, who until that fateful day in the swamps had been the most important man in Colettes life, studying him carefully. Time hadnt bowed her fathers shoulders or curled his back. He stood straight and proud, his sharp eyes missing nothing. Zach and the older man studied each other like opponents, which Zach supposed they were since they wanted different things for the same

woman. Mr. Robicheaux, he greeted Colettes father politely and glanced at the men on either side of him, acknowledging them as well. Can I help you with something? The man in the center opened his mouth, but before he could say anything the front door of the bakery slammed open and a familiar female voice shouted, Daddy! Zachs tiger went from mildly interested to eager, tail-twitching excitement. His eyes went to the empty space behind the men, his senses expanding as though he

could feel her approach. He caught a scent carried in by a sultry breeze from outside that made his tiger purr and his cock threaten to leap out of his jeans. The luscious scent that haunted his dreams, making him come all over his sheets like a teenager for nearly a full week, preceded Colettes reentrance into his life. And then she appeared behind her relatives. Sort of. He saw the top a white-blonde head over the middle mans shoulder before a pair of anxious violet eyes peeked over it, searching out and finding his. Since this was his first time

seeing her without the shadows of the swamp or her baseball hat, Zach felt as though someone had just slammed him right between the eyes with a two-by-four. She wasnt pretty. Not in a classical, or even in a girl-next-door way. She was so much more than that. She looked exotic and wild, the features and colors that made up Colette Robicheaux appealing to his tiger on a visceral level. It started with her unusual eye color combined with her darker skin and ended with the shock of whiteblonde hair she had pulled into a sloppy ponytail. The silkiness of the

strands straggling down the sides of her face and along her slender neck told him it was her natural color. Hed seen plenty of women whod bleached their hair to get the same color only to end up with strands with the consistency of straw. There was no way Colette Robicheaux would ever pass for drop-dead gorgeous by societys standards, but then Zach had never followed the herd. If he had, he wouldve done like every other male tiger shifter hed ever met and set out for a nomadic lifestyle. Instead, he returned to his hometown and became a chef, a

very domestic career choice for a cat species known for wandering far and wide. And he was fine with that. He enjoyed his career, enjoyed being his own man and not following trends. It was what made him a good chef. He did what he wanted, not what current fashion or trends demanded. Colette was not the kind of woman whod ever grace a magazine unless it was about women and guns or hunting. She wouldnt prance around in a bikini or spend hours looking for the perfect pair of shoes to go with a purse. When her dad shifted to the

side, allowing Zach a better look at her, he almost smiled. She was a fashionistas nightmare and if his friend Kitty saw the human in her current getup, shed probably faint dead away. The woman whod been haunting Zachs dreams for the last week wore a sleeveless tshirt with the acronym B.A.S.T. on the front, another pair of tattered jeans and boots that belonged on a construction site. It was over a hundred degrees outside and sweat clung to her skin, giving it a glittery quality that left him with a sudden hunger to treat her like a salt lick, yet she didnt seem fazed in the

least by the heat. The hesitancy in her gaze disappeared when she saw him, replaced by the same hunger and determination hed seen on her face that day in the swamp. Daddy, she said to the man standing in front of her. I know Mama said she wanted that special cake from here, but I dont think she meant you had to go in the kitchen to get it. She flicked a curious glance around his spotless, busy workspace, sniffing the air curiously, and wrinkled her nose. Then she settled a decidedly disinterested look on him. I dont

see what the big deal is though. A cakes a cake. But her gaze said she was talking about him. The dismissal in her voice set his tiger to pacing in agitation. He didnt know what infuriated him more, that she didnt see anything special about him, or his cakes. People came from all over the country to entice him to bake for them. Women fell over themselves to get his attention even if they smelled as though they were scared when they had it. Was she insinuating that any man would do? Or did she really mean she didnt think his cake was anything

to write home about? Both thoughts agitated him, stirred up his tiger and his pride until he was nearly crazed. Zach forced himself to calm and studied her closely. There was no way she meant it. She had to be downplaying her interest in him, and his food, so her father didnt have an aneurysm. Then she looked away with a yawn. Zach had to remind himselfand his animal that she was human. They were stupid sometimes. Maybe she hadnt gotten a good look at him in the swamp, didnt realize his peak physical condition, the size of his

cock, the muscles that would ensure he could protect and tend to her as needed. He had to fight the urge to strip out of his uniform of chefs coat and cargo pants to show her now. Instead, he waited until she glanced his way again and shot her a look so heated and hungry her cheeks turned dark pink and her pretty, kissable lips parted on a silent breath. There. Thats what he wanted to see. The reminder that theyd shared a kiss so intense itd left him with an obsession over her mouth. The tiger was satisfied she finally recalled how good they

were together. The chef still wasnt satisfied, but he began devising ways to bring her around to his point of view. As for her relatives? Her father and the uncles she was so worried about, the ones whod invaded Zachs territory and thought to keep him from doing what he wanted with her? They bristled at the look. Her daddy reached for the bulge on his side with a muttered curse. Things were just about to get very interesting. She couldnt believe this was

happening. After a week of working herself to the bone in an effort to fall asleep without having to masturbate like a horny teenager, she was standing right where shed sworn she wouldnt go. Colette had made a promise to herself after telling her daddy and uncle an abbreviated story about her meeting with the tiger that she would have nothing to do with him ever again. Shed even sworn to go on a diet, forgoing her Trahans Bakery desserts as a way to cut off contact with him permanently. It would kill her to stop having her treats shipped to her post office

box, but shed do it if it meant staying off the radar. But word had come to Bayou Ange about a shifter, a big, arrogant bastard of a cat asking about the lone female Robicheaux. Everyone in her family and extended family had gathered at her Papaw Blues house for a discussion that had resulted in five fights, the consumption of a whole roasted pig, several cases of beer and shouts of revolution. Thankfully Colette had managed to wrestle the sniper rifle out of her grandfathers hands and prevented him from going on a big-game hunt.

Everything would have blown over if her mama hadnt decided she absolutely needed a cake from Trahans bakery. Colette had argued for a solid twenty minutes with her mother about that damn cake, drowning in a miasma of exasperation over her moms stubbornness and an intense need for the Trahan Triple Decadence Chocolate cake. Feeling herself weaken with the envie to have that cake and eye Zachs fine body, shed promised to bake one for her mom if she just let it go, forgetting for a moment that she was a complete disaster in the kitchen.

The silence that followed this stunning revelation was when they both heard the unmistakable roar of her dads truck. Her mom hadnt even seemed surprised when Colette ran out the door and hopped in her own truck to go after him. No, her moms hysterical laughter and rapid French told her that Laurette-Marie was on the phone with her aunt, the two of them getting a kick out of the excitement happening in Bayou Ange. Colette spent the thirty-minute drive to Maison Rouge imagining all kinds of horrific scenarios. Shed

pictured her daddy shooting Zach dead and winding up in prison. Shed pictured Zach mauling her daddy and ending up in prison. Yet entering the bakery with the scent of delicious sweets permeating the air to see her daddy and uncles standing shoulder-to-shoulder facing a relaxed and almost indolent Zach hadnt appeared in any of her imaginings. The stupid tiger didnt seem to realize he was in danger. She tried to ignore the heat that flared in her lower abdomen when she saw him again, especially when he looked a million times yummier than the

desserts lining the showcases of his shop. The aura of his power seemed to seep from every inch of the shiny, modern appliances and worktables. He looked like a king and seeing him in the light reminded her of just how beautiful he was. A bandana covered most of his head, but she could see the strands of black, gold and white peeking out the back. It gave him a piratical appearance, which was only compounded by his sensual topaz eyes. Then he sent her that look. It was a look shed never been the focus of before and it nearly

buckled her knees. The heat and intent in that gaze said he had plans for her and they didnt involve playing cards. It was the kind of stare her body recognized as a silent promise, reminding her of how well he kissed, how easily he made her forget everything. Heat and moisture flooded her pussy even as her nipples hardened into sharp, throbbing peaks. His eyelids lowered even farther in a blatant come-hither glance that had her feet moving before she realized it, obeying his silent command without thought. Only the solid wall of her relatives in front of her

kept her from making a complete fool of herself. And thats when her daddy reached for his gun. Colette nearly had a heart attack, but luckily her Uncle Tudu was a little less rash and caught his brothers arm, stopping him. Jail time, Willis. You promised Mama you wouldnt shoot anyone. Her dad stopped trying to whip out his gun and levered one finger at the tiger shifter who didnt seem to realize how close hed just come to being murdered in his own kitchen. In a voice that wouldve made an evangelical preacher

jealous, he thundered, You stay away from my daughter, yhear? She doesnt need trouble like you. God, please strike me dead. But of course He didnt. Colette had to suffer through the pitying and amused looks from everyone in the damn building. How many women her age had to put up with an overprotective father who seemed ready to go to prison over his daughter? She wasnt sure she wanted an answer to that question. She only wanted the embarrassment and humiliation to end. She shot Zach an agonized look.

He didnt seem as relaxed now. If anything, he appeared highly pissed off. Either he didnt like being threatened, or he didnt like anyone implying that he would want anything to do with a human in the first place. The fury on his face was enough to make Colette glad she wasnt the focus of that look, even though she didnt want her dad to be the target either. To prevent anyone from spilling first blood, Colette touched her dads tense shoulder. She cast a quick glance around the bakery, trying to judge the audience. Since the chances of anyone knowing

Cajun French were low, she addressed him in that language to give them a little privacy. He doesnt really want me. Hes just trying to get you riled up. It didnt seem to help her dads tension much, but at least he seemed less likely to go for Zachs throat. She glanced over at the tiger, who apparently wanted to be the victim of a homicide case. He stared back at her, his gaze thoughtful, as though he were trying to see inside her mind. That was definitely a place she didnt need him or anyone else and she broke eye contact with him

immediately. Cmon, Dad. We dont need one of those cakes. Lets just get back to the office. We have a group coming in two hours and we still have to get the boats ready if were going to fill our tags, yeah? If there was one way she could distract her dad, it was by mentioning hunting. The only thing that made Willis Robicheaux as happy as being with his beloved Laurette-Marie was hunting, pitting his wits against his prey. And Im sure Mom could probably use some help getting the bait ready. You know how she

sometimes doesnt use enough sauce. He shot her a wry look over his shoulder, one that said he knew shed cooked that half-assed story up as a way to draw him away from his goal for the day. But he didnt fight her. He glanced back at Zach, who hadnt taken his gaze off Colette. Just stay away from her, yeah? There are places we could leave you where no one would ever find you. Colette swallowed a groan and made a mental note to send her mom a text saying to expect Sheriff

Picou sometime today. She had no doubt someone would call him, or was in the process of calling him to let him know that one of the crazy Robicheauxs had just threatened Pointe-Aux-Chat Parishs beloved baker. Which meant Father Bryan would make yet another futile attempt to coax them into attending St. Patricks services. Joy. Cmon, yall, we got work to do, she urged, hoping the reminder that alligator season was starting the following day would motivate the older men to vacate the building.

It did, but it was like herding cats. None of them wanted to turn their backs on the real feline standing on the other side of the room. There was a lot of bumping into each other and the door, snarling at each other and muttered curses until Colette managed to drag her daddy and uncles out of the bakery, the crowd in the lobby parting for them like the Red Sea. The smothering heat should have made it impossible for her to feel anything except misery, but when she turned around with her family in tow, it was to see nearly the entire town of Maison Rouge

blatantly staring at them. As if they were freaks in a circus. If her face got any hotter, shed probably burst into flame, yet she didnt lower her gaze from the curious eyes staring at them. Nothing to see here, people. Just the parish misfits visiting. Carry on. Colette kept her head high, leading the way through the throng of respectable Maison Rougians to the trucks parked down the street. Her mother was going to have a cow when she told her about this and it was all Zach Trahans fault. She kept chanting that in the back of her mind as she walked toward

her truck, her dad and uncles talking behind her. Theyd already moved on to what concerned them now, the upcoming gator season, but Colette was left stewing in embarrassment and regret. She didnt know what bothered her more, Zachs silence when he was threatened by her dad, or that she cared at all. She was an idiot for worrying over it. Hed given her that look to remind her of the kiss to stir up trouble. She knew enough about Zach to know he was one for finding mischief. He fought with Monk Badeaux on a regular basis and everyone in the parish knew

Monk was the most easygoing man ever. So yeah, she knew hed only looked at her so provocatively to make her dad angry. Which he was. Mission accomplished. But her stupid heart ached anyway. Glowering at the crowd around her, she stepped up to her truck and looked back to make sure her dad and uncles were doing the same when her gaze collided with a pair of ice-blue eyes. The hair on the back of her neck stood straight up as she performed a quick analysis of the man staring at her so blatantly. Handsome in a prettyboy way, swarthy skin with

perfectly cut, russet-brown hair, he was tall and lean, his strength evident despite his rangy build. The gray uniform he wore was as familiar as her face in the mirror. Game warden, Uncle Frog spat out under his breath, but loudly enough for her to hear several feet away. Colette broke off her staring contest with the stranger, noting he stood with the Schumacher boys. Her skin pebbled as a case of the frissons erupted. There was something very wrong about seeing a member of the Wildlife and Fisheries Strike Force hanging with

two of the shifters responsible for slaughtering doe out of season. Especially since there was a weird unity about the trio, as though they were friends. That shouldnt have been the case after her call to the LDWF. She couldnt quite put her finger on it, but the whole picture unsettled her. Lets go, her dad called out, rousing Colette from her uneasy musings. A glance in his direction showed he appeared just as uncomfortable as she felt. Somehow though, she didnt think it was his usual distrust of the people who wore the gray uniform.

Well follow behind you. She nodded and climbed into her truck. She no longer cared about the crowds of onlookers staring at and gossiping about her family. No, there was something really weird going on. She felt the sudden need to gather her family close to protect them and herself. It was an instinct that went beyond a hunters unease for game wardens. This was something instinctive, like primitive knowledge that a storm was coming. How and when it would hit, though, was anyones guess. As she drove in front of the

bakery, movement caught her attention. Zach stood at the window, his eyes boring holes through her windshield, compelling her to look at him. But she didnt turn her head. Couldnt. With a strange new game warden in town, there was no telling what trouble he would stir up. In this case, family won out over lust, no matter how much her body wished differently.

Chapter Five
The tiger hunted, slinking through the swamp, led by instinct. It followed a different path from the one itd taken the previous week because this time he wasnt in search of the kind of prey he could eat. No, this time he was after the female whod foolishly pretended she didnt want him. His ears flattened, a dangerous growl rumbling in his chest that had the nocturnal animals scurrying for cover. Yeah, he hadnt liked the implied disinterest from Colette,

especially after hed scented her desire for him, kissed her plump lips. Things couldnt have changed that drastically in a week, could t h e y ? No. The tiger shook the thought away like a bothersome fly. Shed been lying, mostly to her family, but a part of him worried she was lying to herself for some reason. Itd taken all his considerable willpower not to storm through the flimsy barrier of her protective relatives, throw her over his shoulder and take her to his office where he could paddle her ass in private. Maybe give it a kiss or two between swats, but

whatever. He planned to teach little Miss Colette Robicheaux a lesson. If he decided he wanted her, she should accept that as gospel. He was well aware how arrogant the thought seemed, but he didnt retract it. He was practically a connoisseur of women, yet she thought he was, what? Playing with her? Humoring her? If she only knew. When it came to fucking, he didnt play. His upper lip curled over his fangs at the thought. He was going to spank her cute little ass bright pink for that. The fire in his veins flared to a scorching inferno as he

followed his instincts, searching for her. Hed driven as far as the first bridge leading to Bayou Ange before shifting and taking to his paws for the rest of the trip. He didnt want the entire community to know there was a predator among the sheep. Not yet at least. The scent of the woods here was of natural animals, a complete change from what he was used to living among so many shifters. Scenting a fellow shifter was part of life, allowing them to recognize the animal lurking beneath the human skin, but here there was none of

that. Just the soothing scent of earth and stagnant water mingled with abundant vegetation and the animals that lived here. It was peaceful and he would have lingered if he hadnt had a greater mission. The tigers eyes narrowed against the darkness as he crept closer and closer to Bayou Ange. Following the directions hed gotten from Daisy, he knew he was close, but even if he hadnt known, he would have by the smells, the scent of food cooking and the animal musk of dogs. Full dogs too, not wolf shifter assholes like the

wildlife agent whod arrived in Maison Rouge the day before. He snorted in disgust. It never failed to amaze him how, when a new male arrived in the area, the single females suddenly swarmed as though theyd never seen one before. Like the human he had his sights on. If Colette had looked at that wolf any longer, Zach would be sitting in jail right now for ripping the fucker a new asshole. He rumbled in displeasure and paused to test the wind. He was downwind of the dogs and the community that was backlit against the shadowy night. He didnt see

anything special, nothing that suggested this was a community of crazy people. The houses sat on nine-foot pillars, which would protect them in case the bayou flooded, but it was the smaller home set away from the other houses that caught his attention. The scent emanating from it belonged to Colette while the truck parked beneath the house looked to be the same make and model shed driven earlier that afternoon. Bingo. If he had been in his human form, his smile wouldve made Colettes knees knock together with nervousness even as it made her

pussy cream. He sneaked closer, staying downwind of the hounds, and rounded Colettes truck, intent on reaching the stairs leading to the house level when he came face-toface with a wolf. He and the canine slid to a stop, staring at each other with growing awareness and, on Zachs side, mounting possessiveness. There was no mistaking the frigid blue eyes of the big wolf, or his pretty red coat. The tigers lip curled in disgust, a dangerous growl rumbling in his chest. The wolf, the game warden, had

the nerve to return Zachs warning growl as though he had every right to be here at Colettes house. The sound caused the tigers hackles to rise and his body to tense. It, along with Zach, wasnt happy to have this ball-licking, tail-chasing canine at his females house. The wolf didnt belong here, sniffing around Colette, and the tiger would make damn sure the dog knew he wasnt welcome.

*****
Colette stepped out of the shower, shivering at the cooler air in the bathroom and reached for

her towel, her hands shaky. Rivulets of water streamed over skin gone rosy from a combination of scalding-hot water and a powerful orgasm aided by her detachable showerhead. Her heart slammed against her rib cage as she dried herself, patting at her sensitive skin rather than rubbing briskly the way she normally did. God, she had to stop thinking about Zach or shed never leave her house. This intense and insane hunger she had for him was not helping her. She wrapped the towel around her torso, tucking the edge under

her arm to hold it in place while she finished the rest of her nightly ablutions. After piling her hair up on the top of her head, she brushed her teeth. Once done, she opened the container of very expensive moisturizer her cousin Kanda had recommended. It would probably surprise the people of Pointe-AuxChat to know just how much time she spent moisturizing her skin. With as much time as she spent outside in the elements, she needed as much moisture as she could slap on her face. The constant humidity in the area helped a lot, but it only did so much.

Once she finished basting herself with the moisturizer and then her favorite lotion, she grabbed her brush and strolled out of the bathroom and down the hallway. The house was silent. A welcome change from the way itd nearly rocked off its pilings earlier. Colette bit back a groan as she flopped on her sofa to brush her hair. Her dad and uncles had called a powwow at her place to discuss the game warden and the baker. She smirked. It sounded like some kind of weird book title, but her smile soon faded because both men were bad news. Just in very

different ways. She pushed thoughts of Zach from her mind, concentrating on a stubborn tangle as she pondered the newest trouble in Pointe-AuxChat Parish. The game warden was the bigger threat. There had been pointed interest in the way he watched her and her family, a calculating speculation in his gaze that had nothing to do with suspicions of illegal hunting. With the Schumacher brothers at his side, it just gave her the frissons. And not the kind of frissons she felt when she thought of a certain sexy tiger shifter.

Dammit. She bounded off the sofa, the brush falling to the floor as she hurried to her eat-in kitchen and the pitcher of ice-cold water she kept in her fridge. Her water bill was going to be outrageous this month from the number of hot, and cold, showers shed taken and the gallons and gallons of cold water shed consumed in the hopes it would douse the fire in her blood. It never worked. She suspected the only thing that would cool her off would be having a certain man between her thighs. Pounding away at her with that big dick. Her

pussy gave a slow, hard clench at the thought. It didnt matter what she did, or didnt do, her mind always circled back to Zach and how he made her feel. Colette hefted the pitcher out of the fridge with a groan. She should pour it over her head and be done with it. A couple of droplets hit the tops of her feet and she shivered, some of the desire fading. No, that was okay. She wasnt couillon enough to douse herself with ice like one of those polar bear club swimmers. She reached for one of her insulated mugs when she heard a low snarl.

The heat between her legs was forgotten at the dangerous threat in the sound. She carefully placed the pitcher on the counter and crept across the house to the front door, not wanting to alert the animal making all the noise. It wouldnt be the first time a cougar had found its way to her house, or one of the natural black bears that roamed the woods and swamps, and come looking for something to eat. But it didnt mean she wanted any of them rooting through her trash, tearing shit up. Colette grabbed the BB gun she kept next to the door. She had no

intention of killing anything that might be scavenging for food, but she sure as hell could make its ass hurt. She opened the door, giving silent thanks to her brother Anton who was nearly obsessivecompulsive when it came to squeaking doors. Hed gone after every hinge in her house earlier that evening with a can of lubricant, spraying and spraying until they all opened without a sound. She did a quick check left and right to make sure the animal wasnt on her porch. As she suspected, it was all clear. Carefully, using the stealth shed

honed after years of hunting, she eased down the first few steps leading to her carport. The snarling was much clearer now, but as she crept down the stairs, BB gun at the ready, she realized it wasnt one animal down there, but at least two. Her heart pounded and her palms grew damp as she prayed two bears werent about to start fighting. That would require more than the BB gun. She approached the carport level of her house and her mouth dried. The snarls were interspersed with growls and what sounded like scrambling claws. Fuck, they were

fighting. She paused a moment, trying to decide if she should just head back up and get a bigger gun. Then something reddish brown rolled across her line of sight, appearing out from beneath the house and crossing the groundlevel landing to her stairs. A wolf. Not indigenous to the area. They had coyotes and sometimes a stray red wolf would pass through, but both canines were half the size of the big fucker shed just seen. And that meant only one thing. It was a shifter. She shook her head, confusion taking over some of the fear. What

the hell was a wolf shifter doing at her house and what was it fighting? Then she saw a familiar striped body charge after the wolf. She lowered the gun, shock and anxiety swirling inside her. The two shifters disappeared under the house again, a massive ball of fangs, claws and fur. Whatever they were fighting over, it looked as though they had every intention of killing each other. She eased down one more step only to see the wolf latch on to Zachs throat, his teeth sinking deep. Her breath caught. They were trying to kill each other. Colette

forgot everything but the desperately stupid crush she had for Zach. It didnt matter that hed only been amusing himself at her expense, or that her daddy would root for the wolf to finish the tiger off, or that he was being attacked by a strange shifter. It only mattered that she put a stop to it somehow. She lifted the BB gun and aimed, but they were moving too fast for her to get a good bead on the wolf. She couldnt kill him and not just because her BB gun wouldnt do any good. Although the wolf was hurting Zach, he was still human.

Sort of. Shit, she whispered, the sound not breaking into the intense battle going on beneath her house. The two malesshe could tell that much when the wolf flipped over to go after Zach againrolled right into her truck, which groaned beneath their combined weight. She winced. But before she could shout to get their attention, they rolled in the opposite direction and slammed into one of the beams supporting her house, making the entire structure shudder. Colettes eyes widened as she stared at the beam that now listed to the side.

They were going to destroy her damn house. Outrage replaced some of her fear. It was fine for him and whomever the damn wolf was to have some kind of pissy shifter fight under her house. What did they care if they were destroying everything she worked hard for? Theyd trot back to Maison Rouge and leave her with a disaster. The more she watched them rolling around, hitting her truck, bumping into her boat trailer and repeatedly wrapping each other around the pilings of her home, the angrier Colette grew. But it wasnt until

they knocked over her crab traps, crushing the fragile wire beneath their heavy asses that she finally had enough. She stomped back upstairs, muttering under her breath, no longer caring if they heard her or not. She almost hoped they did hear her, because then theyd know they were in deep shit. Goddamn arrogant shifter men, she mumbled to herself as she stormed into her house. Her eyes shot around the somewhat clean space, looking for something, anything to teach them a lesson. She was so tired of shifter

men thinking because they were alphas they could just trot right over everyone, shifter and human. Smug bastards. She could get a shotgun and scare the hell out of them, but she didnt want to alert her family about their unexpected visitors. For whatever reason, she wanted to keep Zachs appearance beneath her house a secret and it had nothing to do with the curl of arousal that returned, stronger than ever now that she knew he was here. The house shook again and she became a little more desperate to

find something that would stop the fight. Then the pitcher of ice-cold water snagged her attention. Colette didnt need a mirror to know her grin was evil because she could feel it. It was full of an unholy glee that wouldve made her cousin, and Our Lady of Angels Father Franois make the sign of the cross and call for an exorcism. The Bayou Ange church might not be as big and fancy as St. Patricks in Maison Rouge, but her cousin took his duty to his congregation, and family, seriously. She marched across her house and snagged the sweating pitcher. It

worked to break up fights between domesticated cats and dogs, didnt it? The ice cubes shed thrown in before her shower clinked softly against the sides of the pitcher as she carried it across her kitchen and out of her house. Stomping down the steps to the halfway mark, she looked over the shifters still fighting and snarling and throwing fur all over her carport. They were both bleeding, but the more she studied them, the more she realized the wounds were superficial, as though they didnt want to hurt each other too much. Her blood pressure shot through

the roof. While they didnt seem to want to kill each other, they didnt seem to mind destroying the things she used to make her living. The crab traps were flattened mounds of wire and Styrofoam, her battered truck was more battered than before and she was almost positive the piling holding the very center of her house was listing even more than it had a few minutes before. The fuckers. Colette hefted her pitcher and waited for the perfect moment. Condensation from the ice melting in the sticky heat dribbled over her fingers to splatter on the wooden

steps beneath her feet. But still she waited, willing the idiots to roll in her direction. As though they heard her, Zach did a kick with his hind legs shed seen housecats do, sending the strange wolf hurtling in her direction. Luckily for her, and them, the canine caught himself before he hit the wooden steps. He hopped to his feet and waited for the tiger to come to him, almost as though he was taunting the cat. Zach, of course, answered with a muted snarl. The minute the two males tangled up together right beneath her, Colette leaned over

the railing and emptied the bracingly cold water over both of their hot heads.

*****
Really, he shouldnt have been enjoying himself so much, but itd been a while since Zach had a fight as perfectly balanced as this one. While hed never go so far as to say the wolf was a tough opponent, he would admit that the canine didnt give up. He outweighed the wolf by at least a hundred pounds, but no matter how many times he swatted the wolf away, the canine would bounce right back to his feet

and come back for more. It was as though he had some stake in the outcome, as though this fight was for a mate. The thought wiped out any feelings of camaraderie he might have felt for the wolf. The ball-licking bastard could just forget about going near Colette. He had no idea how long they fought, only that once in a while he caught the strong, drugging scent of Colette, which only fired his blood even more, fueling his strength when he might have tired. This fight, it was for her. Shed probably never know the lengths hed go to protect her, to make her

safe and to mark her as his. And that was fine with him. The fight didnt matter. It was a small step in the direction his tiger demanded he go and Zach was damn tired of fighting the cat. Pinned under the wolf for a moment, he kicked out at his opponents belly, flinging him across the carport. Unfortunately, the bastard still didnt give up, scrambling back to his feet. Zach had to admire the wolfs spunk. There werent many whod go up against him in his cat form and keep bouncing back like a Weeble. But that didnt mean he would just

let the wolf taunt him, the way it was doing now. Zach read it in the cold, blue eyes, the clear, smug fuck-you attitude that had kept this fight going longer than normal. He was tired of it. Tired of the fight, tired of this wolf thinking he had some kind of right to be here and he was damn tired of being down here when the luscious woman he smelled was upstairs. He hadnt come here for this. Hed come here to somehow get that woman in bed, not play with wolves. It was time to end this. Now. Zach launched himself at the

wolf, covering the fifteen feet between them in two bounding leaps. The canine must have realized this was different because when they clashed, there was a new strength in the animal. They wrapped up in each other, claws digging into fur and skin, fangs extended, muscles straining for supremacy. Battle heat and bloodlust filled the air around them. Someone was going home hu Ice-cold water rained down on both of them. The shock of the freezing water, complete with chunks of solid, square cubes,

slapping him in the face made him let out a ridiculous squeak. He would have been embarrassed by the sound except the wolf yipped like a puppy spanked with a newspaper. Just like that, the fight was over. He and the wolf separated, shaking and flinging the icy water from their fur. If he had been in his human form, goose bumps would have sprang up all over his body. It was like jumping into a cold shower after being in the sun all day. Sudden, painful and unwelcome. Now that I have your attention, do you mind getting the fuck off

my property before I call the police? Or my family? The sweet, husky voice shouldnt have surprised him. Hed known she was crazy, but now he had proof. Shed stood up to him in the swamp last week and marched through a crowd of predatory shifters as though they were sheep in a petting zoo. But looking up to see Colette Robicheaux standing on the stairs above them in nothing but a towel, a towel that did nothing to hide her lush, pink charms from him since she was above him, left him wondering if crazy wasnt a good thing after all.

Because she didnt seem to realize, or care, that she was flashing him and the wolf, that they could see straight up the towel to the lush center of her body. The wolf. Zach shook off his pussy stupor and rounded on the wolf still peering at the delicate petals of Colettes sex. The cold water had stopped the bloodlust, but it did nothing for the possessive jealousy that raged through Zach. He slammed one massive paw across the wolfs head, spinning the canine around a hundred and eighty degrees. That was fine with him because it meant he was no

longer looking at Colette. I swear to God if yall start fighting again, Im getting my gun to shoot you both in the ass, she threatened from above. Now get the hell out of here. No, it wasnt a threat. It was a promise. He heard it in the calm steadiness of her voice. The wolf mustve recognized it as well. He shot Zach a look promising retribution, but he slinked away from her house, his body low to the ground as though to avoid being seen. Zach stared after the retreating canine. He was glad to see the bastard go, but there had

been something weird about the whole incident, something that You can carry your happy ass out of here too, Colette said, interrupting his thoughts. I dont know what the hell you think youre doing here, but youre not welcome and I really dont want to have to shoot at you. Again. Zach forgot about the wolfs intentions. If he knew what was good for him, he wouldnt come sniffing around Colette again. But his tiger purred because in the animal world, any retreat meant the last shifter standing won the prize. He swung his head around to

look at his prize poised on the stairs as though she were some beast master, her lightly muscled arms folded across her chest and her face set in a scowl. The stance, which he supposed was meant to be intimidating, was ruined by the peekaboo show she gave him with her towel and the thick fall of hair spilling over her shoulders. Seeing her like this, her bare skin glistening from her recent shower and the smothering heat, her hair fluffed around her head, Zach felt like a conquering hero. And his prize was the crazy woman eyeing him the way she would a

slug. He sauntered to the foot of the stairs and looked up at her. He wanted her to run, to take this dance to the next level and its natural conclusioncovering her with his body and fucking her into submission. A loud purr rumbled deep in his throat at the thought. Her eyes, those amazing purple eyes, widened when he put one paw on the bottom step. Dont even think about it, she warned in a firm tone. He ignored that and strolled up the stairs as though he had every right to. Which he did by right of

battle. She didnt back away. Not at first. She threatened him with all sorts of awful things involving her family, guns, knives and his various body parts, but his tiger wasnt daunted. It heard the breathlessness in her voice and scented the sudden musk of her arousal. In the tigers world, the female was supposed to put up a fight, to demand that her possible mate show his worthiness. Colette, human by nature but a predator by choice, was following the mating dance perfectly. When he was four steps below her, she started to back up, the pitcher in one hand and her other

hand on the railing. Her feet were tiny with the cutest little red-tipped toes. He wanted to lick his way from those toes, up her surprisingly long, lean legs until he could nuzzle the tender skin in the crook of her leg, bringing him closer and closer to her sweet cleft. S-stop, she stammered. Im not playing, Zach. You shouldnt be here. He shifted between one step and the next, not even aware of it until she stumbled over the top step, the pitcher falling out of her hand and rolling down the stairs. Zach sidestepped the container, his only

goal the woman watching him with hungry eyes. He swore he could almost feel her gaze like a touch as she looked him over. His cock strained upward, toward her, the crown growing damp when she fixated her stare on it. Oh, she breathed and the air thickened with the musk of her arousal. Um. You threw water on me, Zach said as he stalked her across the porch and into her house, closing the door behind them with a soft click. He didnt break eye contact with her, not even bothering to look away from her long enough to

glance at the inside of her house. He only needed to find a spot for him to finish this first step of the dance. You let that wolf look up your towel. He growled, causing her eyes to widen even more. I did not! He backed her up against the arm of her sofa. She stopped with a gasp, but he had her exactly where he needed her. He reached out, his hands itching with the need to touch her skin and when he made contact with her flesh, it was as silky soft as hed imagined. His dick lurched. This was the moment hed dreamed about for a week, the feel

and scent and sight of her exactly the way hed imagined. Mine, was all he could say in response to her denial. No wolf was going to look at her again, no other man was going to be able to give her what he could and hed make damn sure she realized that. Her mouth opened, the indignation in her eyes sparking into the spitting fury he recognized, and enjoyed, so well. What did you say? she asked through clenched teeth, her anger burning bright enough that he could feel it. Yeah, he was a sick man, but he found he actually liked her hot

temper and her unpredictability. He liked it enough to repeat his caveman, chest-thumping claim. Mine. Youre mine. In a million years, he wouldve never expected her to grab her towel and throw it at his face. He supposed she did it to distract him. And it worked, but probably not the way she intended. The minute he saw her lightly bronzed skin bared, the pale-pink nipples that topped her perky little tits and the smooth, flat plane of her stomach that ended in a little strip of palebrown hair, he caved. And did as his tiger had been urging him to do

for a week, tackling the swearing, snarling, pissed-off Cajun to her sofa.

Chapter Six
Colette found herself naked and sandwiched between her sofa and a hard, hot place. Oh sure, shed dreamed of this exact position several times. The position that had her naked thighs wrapped around Zachary Trahans naked hips and his big, thick cock pressed tightly to her pussy. She just never realized her dreams were absolute shit compared to the real thing. She hadnt imagined the hairroughened body pressing against hers would be a lot different from the nude body of her youthful

lovers. She hadnt known how satiny-smooth his skin was or how the muscles of his shoulders would feel beneath her hands. She needed to let him go, shove him off her, move away from him before he could lead her into temptation. Except this was a temptation she never thought to touch, to smell, or to be buried beneath. It kind of helped that Zach was also a lot heavier than she was, but she found she liked the weight of him. It made her feel as though she had no control, as though she was being ravaged. Her body thrilled at the thought,

especially when he grabbed her hands, pinning them to the sofa on either side of her head. They stared at each other. His eyes were all sexy and gold and slumberous and trained on her. Not some other woman. Her. The breath caught in her throat as he levered himself over her. He was solid and hot. God, he was hot, scorching her where they were plastered together from chest to hips. The massive erection he sported was even hotter, reminding her why shed stared and let herself be caught. It was all his fault. Hed mesmerized her with his cock, the

subtle bobbing as he climbed the stairs and stalked her, emptying all thoughts of self-preservation from her mind. The man didnt have a lick of self-consciousness, not that he needed it, but it still awed her. And it was that awe that put her in this position. Captured. Helpless. His for the taking. Her pussy gave a slow clench of excitement. Colette tried to ignore the moisture gathering along her channel, preparing the way for that much man to enter her. There would be no sex, she told her traitorous body. No fucking. No thrusting. No He leaned down to

kiss the tip of her nose. Mine. Colette blinked up at him. Shed heard him right. Did he honestly think that was hot? That she would get off on hearing him say that she belonged to Zach kissed her cheek. Colette turned her head to the side, not giving him her mouth. She had stuff to say. Important He kissed his way across her cheek to her ear. He nipped on the lobe, which suddenly seemed to contain a zillion nerve endings and each one of them connected to her pussy. But even the hard, heavy

pounding of her heart couldnt drown out his growled, Mine. Colette closed her eyes as the moist heat of his breath caressed her ear. It was one of the most sensitive spots on her body and he seemed to know it, tracing the outer shell with his tongue. Not licking, barely touching her, he caused her blood to heat up. Her pussy ached. Shed thought he turned her on before, when he was just some man whod kissed her and appeared in her dreams. She hadnt known what desire and hunger meant before now. Before he set to tormenting her with her

own body. My Colette. Her nipples had tightened when shed stupidly thrown her towel at his face. Why had she done that again? Oh. Right. She thought it would blind him. If she had breath to spare, shed snort at her idiocy. He hadnt even blinked when the towel hit him in the face, his gaze trained on her body. Her very naked, very aroused body. And then wham she found herself here. Under him, with his mouth trailing down her throat, tongue lapping at her skin and his cock leaving a damp trail over her stomach.

I knew youd taste like this, he murmured into the hollow of her throat. Salty and sweet. More cream flowed along her channel, her womb contracting hard at his words. His purr reverberated through her entire body. Colette bit back a whimper. She should not be doing this, this Whatever this was. But her need, the one that had sparked to life when she first saw him at his bakery demanded to be fulfilled. It demanded appeasement. He slid down her body, the wedge of his torso forcing her thighs wider. Her cheeks burned as she realized the

spread lips of her pussy were leaving a line of juices on his rippled abs. He didnt seem to care, his mouth nibbling and licking and Her back arched when he took one of her nipples into his mouth, a strangled whimper catching in her throat. The man was the devil. An absolutely evilly tormenting devil because he released her tight peak before he did more than swirl his tongue around it. Mine. Colette couldnt hide her whimper this time. Not when his breath washed over her damp

nipple, making her very aware of what he was doing. He was claiming her. The thought alone should have been enough to snap her out of this, but then he was there again, his mouth taking her, his tongue lashing her. Shed read that before, that some hero in a book gave the heroine a tongue lashing and thought it sounded silly. Maybe it was for others, but with Zachs tongue flicking and lapping and circling her nipple, Colette found nothing about this silly. It was arousing, amazing, torturous, awful and awesome, but

not silly. And then he left her tormented breast to tease the other neglected peak. She squirmed beneath him, not getting far at all. Her thighs were soaked. She was probably leaking all over his stomach, but there was no helping it. Not when he had her pinned and was going at her like a cat with a bowl of cream. The continuous purring didnt help either. Not when she could feel it vibrating between her legs. Then he was sliding away from her again, leaving her damp, swollen nipples to the cruel, cool air of her living room. Her arms were free,

but there wasnt a chance in hell she was going to stop him. In fact, she held her breath, anticipation and excitement and a touch of fear holding her immobile. His weight wasnt pinning her down any longer. He didnt need to because she wasnt going anywhere. Then his mouth left her skin and he was gone. Her eyes popped open. A glance down had her cheeks burning hotter than ever. Zach had made her forget that hed tackled her to the sofa, that she was naked as a jaybird. His mouth had made her forget she was sprawled in the most

obscene way, her hips propped up on the arm and her legs spread wide, everything on display for him. She should have clamped her knees together faster than you could say sin, but the glowing gold eyes staring down at her exposed sex, the dangerous glitter and hectic color riding high on his cheekbones made her feel sexy. Not obscene. As though this was the most natural thing in the world, as though offering her body to him in such a blatant position was the perfect conclusion to the crazy tango theyd been a part of.

So instead of closing her legs, instead of covering herself the way she would have with any other man, Colette lifted her arms over her head and arched her back. Surrendering herself to the man whod touched her heart without even knowing it. At what point had he died and gone to heaven? Zach couldnt say. Maybe hed fallen down the stairs and broken his neck. Or maybe she really shot him this time, not missing the way she had before. Whatever it was that had brought him to this point, he couldnt be

sorry. Not when she lay spread before him like a caramel-andstrawberry dessert topped by whipped cream. He stood over her, his cock aching and leaking, his balls tighter than ever, and stared. It was all he could do, the awe nearly overwhelming. When hed tackled her, her hair had fanned out into a wavy, white cloud around her head, the perfect contrast for her red sofa. Violet eyes had gone black with want after he took his time making her pale nipples bright pink and swollen. Her bronze skin, with the slightest difference in color

showing where she worked in the sun, was flushed and dewy with want. She sprawled over her sofa, her legs spread wide in welcome, the deep-pink of her swollen folds glistening with her juices. It was enough to bring any man to his knees and he was no different. There was a loud crack and distant pain when he dropped to the wooden floor, bringing his hungry gaze level with the heart of her body. He hadnt stopped purring from the moment he tackled her on the sofa and the sound ramped up louder. The scent of her on his skin, her sticky need

coating his stomach, all of it combined to make Zach and his animal two of the smuggest sons of bitches this side of the Mississippi. Normally, with any other woman, he wouldve eased into tasting her, gentled her to his hand. Because with other women, they were scared of him despite their desire. Not with Colette. All he could smell was her vanilla spicy scent and the strong musk of her arousal. All he could see was the way her body wept. For him. No one else. He wanted to mark her, his gums throbbing with the tigers need to sink his fangs right into the

skin of her inner thigh, but he needed her to come first. Needed to make this so good for her she wouldnt even realize he was keeping her. Zach pushed the annoying thought away. His tiger was talking crazy again, something they didnt need right now. Not with that beautiful, wet cleft beckoning his mouth, his tongue. Placing a hand on either side of her pussy, he leaned forward and tasted her without preamble. He made a hungry, desperate sound in the back of his throat as he curled his tongue from the entrance of her

wet cunt to the swollen pearl of her clit. Salty and sweet, his Colette was like a cool glass of water on a hot summer day. The more he had, the more he wanted, lapping at her, tasting her, drinking her down like a man dying of thirst. And maybe he had been until now. All he knew was that the taste of Colette was better than anything hed ever baked, anything hed ever tried. He devoured her, nipping, lapping, licking and sucking, oblivious to everything but her unique flavor. He curled his tongue into her cunt, scooping her

delicious arousal into his mouth before he circled her tight little nubbin. Over and over, tracing a traveling figure eight with his mouth to make certain he didnt miss a single square inch of her. Her cries were vague sounds he heard over his constant purring and growling. Her hands tugging at his hair spurred him to take more, to slide two of his fingers into the tight clutch of her pussy. Zach! she screamed, her muscles nearly snapping his questing, searching fingers in half. The pleasure she gave him, the delicious taste of her, to see her

flushed, damp face tightened into a frown of concentration had him forcing his eyes open all for the joy of watching her. Her white teeth sank into her bottom lip as she tugged and pulled on her nipples, tormenting the peaks to a darker color. He curled his fingers inside her cunt, searching for that special spot, and rubbed. She screamed again, more of her delicious moisture soaking his fingers and running down his hand. He growled, lapping up every drop, his own arousal put on the back burner. He wanted to make her come again and again, until hed

wrung so much pleasure from her that she would never look at another man, until he was so entrenched in her body that it would respond only to him. He went to another place in his mind, his only thoughts to make Colette need him as much as he needed her. Nothing mattered as much as that. As much as making her realize she was his. When she came down from the orgasm, he brought her back up again. Orgasm after orgasm until they seemed to roll right into one another. His gaze trailed up the graceful

arch of her body to her flushed face. To her parted lips that panted and moaned and cried out his name, to the damp eyelashes trembling on her cheeks. Beautiful. How could he have ever thought she wasnt? She was exotic and gorgeous, and oh so his. Zach shoved the goddamn tiger away again, not wanting the distraction, but the animals unwelcome thoughts helped center him. Colettes face was twisted in an expression of tortured pleasure, her knuckles showing white where she gripped the sofa. Her tiny breasts with their flushed peaks,

rose and fell as though shed run a marathon. Sweat glistened on her skin, giving it the appearance of sugar sprinkled over chocolate. Beautiful. He pressed a gentle kiss to her mound, the scent of her seeping into his pores, and rested his chin on his pussy. His pussy. Some of his urgency had fled during his exploration of Colettes body. Sure, he couldnt wait to be inside her, couldnt wait to feel what it was like to have her tight cunt wrapped around him, squeezing his dick until his eyes rolled to the back of his head, until he wished he could

die from pleasure. But it wasnt as important as soothing her, as necessary as bringing her down gently and easily. His hands stroked over her smooth, silken skin, not to arouse, but to relax. She was so soft on the outside, but the more he touched her legs, her stomach and ass, her back, the more Zach felt the strength of her lithe body. She was human, but she was strong. She was female, yet she evened the playing field against a predator with fangs and claws. It was sexy as all fuck. Without knowing how long it

took for her breathing to even out, for her shuddering and quivering to stop, Zach did something hed never done before. He thought of someone else. He gently cared for her, tended to her until she quieted again. His cock was still hard, his balls still ached, but this wasnt about him. It was about her, this hard woman who drove him insane. He smiled against her thigh, not really caring that his legs were falling asleep. This was something new and exciting and unbearably sexy. It was intimate and theirs. When he heard a delicate, unexpected sound, he lifted his

head from where hed rested it against her mons, breathing in her scent, reveling in it. A guarded glance showed her eyes were closed, her face relaxed. Sleeping. She let out another soft snore. Zach frowned down at her. Should he be insulted shed fallen asleep? Offended? Flattered? He chose the latter. She wasnt the kind of woman whod let her guard down for just anyone. She had the suspicious squint and quick trigger finger of someone who shot first and asked questions later. So yeah, he was going with flattered that she could sleep with him here,

that shed let him touch and taste her until she couldnt take any more. Zach glanced at his dick, still hard, still hopefully pointed at the object of his lust. Sorry, he muttered to the poor, neglected shaft. Shaking his head at himself, he stood, stifling a wince as the blood returned to his calves and feet. He mustve gorged himself on her for He looked for a clock and winced. Nearly an hour. Hed gone down on her for nearly a whole hour, wringing orgasm after orgasm from her with little care for

anything but tasting her. A grin tugged at his mouth and if anyone else had been in the room with them, they wouldve seen his chest puff out just a bit. Yeah, he was damn proud hed eaten this hard woman into a near coma. She didnt move a muscle when he scooped her into his arms, lifting her with no problem. Her limp body settled against his chest, her head coming to rest on his shoulder. All that silky blonde hair floated over his naked skin, trailing down to tickle his ribs. As tough as his Colette was, she had some soft spots, he was coming to realize. Her

long hair, her painted toenails, smooth, silky skin that smelled like rich vanilla and spice all pointed to a woman who was more than the gun she wielded. Even her home was softer than he wouldve imagined. Now that he wasnt blinded by lust, he saw shed decorated it with flair and drama using bright, bold colors completely at odds with her camouflage-wearing self. The scarlet sofa was the focal point of the entire living room that had dark mahogany bookshelves packed with paperbacks, a blinding-white love seat, abstract paintings all

made a living area that looked as though it belonged in an apartment loft in a big city, not in the swamp. Interesting. His tiger wanted to explore more, but first he needed to get his tired female to bed. Zach carried his light burden down a door-lined hallway. He felt absolutely no shame in opening each door to see what kind of room it guarded and to sniff each one, making sure it didnt conceal another males scent. What he found was a guest bathroom, two guest rooms and what was obviously Colettes hunting room. She had three gun cabinets lining

one wall, a desk opposite with maps nearly wallpapering the room. Zach had no doubt if he opened the closet, hed see nothing but camouflage. Strange how that turned him on. He eyed her speculatively, wondering if she wore camo undies when she went hunting. His cock definitely liked the idea. A cute camo thong and matching bra he could tear off with his teeth before he fucked her against a tree. He swallowed a pained whimper as his dick gave another pulse of want. He ignored the ache, nearly running out of the room of temptation.

The last door though, the one at the end of the hall, was the one that made his tiger purr, made him want to roll over the bed to capture her scent on every inch of his skin. But her bed didnt look big enough for him. Hed have to see about fixing that, but until then, theyd just have to get real close. He placed her in the center of the queen-sized mattress and pulled the cool sheet over her body. She sighed softly, turning on her side toward him, curling into a little ball. He looked around at the blatantly feminine room, at the pale-pink touches that almost

matched her nipples, at the lingerie spilling out of her dresser drawers. He gulped down deep breaths of her spicy-sweet scent. Colette was a definite surprise. One he couldnt wait to explore. Now that he had her settled, at least for a little while, he began to poke around her house, exploring everything about Colette. The pictures on the walls and shelves in every room spoke of a woman who loved her family. The diplomas on the walls left him feeling like an idiot. This woman who spoke with a flat Cajun accent, who hunted and conducted tours in the

swamps, had graduated summa cum laude from Loyola University with a Bachelors of Science degree. And as if that wasnt enough, there were awards for marksmanship. The woman couldve killed him if shed wanted. She knew anatomy and could shoot the center of a dime out at fifty yards. That she hadnt was all the evidence he needed to prove she liked him. The thought left him with a bounce in his step as he continued exploring the house. He peered in her fridge to see she had nothing in it. He frowned, recalling the ladder of ribs hed felt under his hand as

he carried her to her bedroom. She didnt eat enough. A quick peek in her cabinets showed boxed foods and her freezer held frozen dinners he wanted to toss in the trash before she could heat them up. He shook his head in disgust even as he admired her beautiful range. It was brand new and looked as though itd never been used. Going by the lack of raw ingredients in her kitchen, it was obvious the woman needed someone to take care of her. He returned to her bedroom to see her sleeping peacefully. He had enough time to put his plan into motion before he woke her up. He

pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, inhaling her scent. Dont go anywhere, he whispered as he straightened next to the bed. Feeling absolutely no shame, he took her keys off the rack next to the door, discovered which one went to her house, locked up and shifted with the keys in his mouth. He then spent a good twenty minutes marking his territory. Only when the whole area was saturated with his scent did he leave. The half-hatched plan in his mind solidified as he hurried back to his car and the box of condoms he kept in his glove compartment.

When Colette woke, wouldnt know what hit her.

she

*****
I told you she was nothing but trouble. The sulky words, accompanied by a full pout by a grown man were enough to make him grimace. Once he left Colettes house, hed met up with the Schumacher brothers at some hidey-hole they had in the swamp. At first Roscoe thought the meeting would be in the coveted ceremonial area, except he was doomed to be mightily disappointed tonight. He should

have known better. He wouldve preferred meeting directly with the big boss after all this time, of putting a face with the voice hed taken orders from for the last four months, but instead hed been stuck with these morons. They had nothing worth saying, nothing of note to give him other than ignorant observations they made. Theyd contacted the group via a convoluted chain and somehow gotten to the right person, which meant the boss told Roscoe to come out here. In the middle of fucking nowhere, yet he was strangely okay with that

because he had a feeling everything hed been working for was coming to fruition. Hed finally take part in the hunt. He just had to get through spending time with Antoine and Vernon. How hed ended up working with this pair of idiots was beyond him, but here he was, following orders as usual. He forced his eyes away from the sullen faces of the Schumacher brothers, his wolf insulted to be near them. It was a proud animal and it was also a very pissed-off animal after that fight with the tiger. Yet another disappointment

hed have to get over tonight. He considered the brawl a draw. Later, when things werent so urgent, hed go back for a rematch. But right now he had things to do, a woman to draw into a trap and a point to prove to the world. He scrubbed a hand over his jaw as he recalled his last sight of Colette Robicheaux. She didnt fit the description hed been given before he ever arrived in Pointe-Aux-Chat Parish. She wasnt some veritable Amazon, some beast of a human female who stood eye-to-eye with male bear shifters, a woman with leathery skin and hair like straw

from a life of working outside the way hed been told. She was none of those things. Colette was barely five foot two. Her hair was pale, but not white with age. Her skin was dark from genetics, but glowed with health and youth. Her eyes were eerily pale, but then so were his. And she had a nice body. Hed gotten a very good look at her body from his spot on the ground with her standing over him. If circumstances were different, if his purpose here were different, he might have approached her for something other than his plan. He might have

tried to tempt her to play with the big bad wolf. But he did have a plan and it didnt involve finding out if the Cajun woman liked it doggy style. Shes the one? he asked the idiots whod called his boss. That little woman? Vernon, the smarter of the Schumacher brothers, which wasnt saying much, growled, his muddybrown eyes glowing yellow for a brief moment. She aint what she seems. He muttered something in French under his breath. Shes a hunter, Vernon said when Antoine nudged him.

And with those words, the jackal shifter sealed Colettes fate. While he might doubt her danger to these two idiots, even the man known as Roscoe could see there was something dangerous lurking under the small humans skin. It was in her witchy eyes and the way she walked, as though she didnt fear anything. Unfortunately for her, Roscoe was something she needed to learn to fear. Because with one phone call, the call he was making right now, Colette Robicheauxs life would change and it wouldnt be for the

better.

Chapter Seven
The smell of food and the insistent growling of her stomach dragged Colette from the hottest, most erotic dream shed ever had. It blew all the others out of the water with its attention to detail. Zach, if her fantasies were to be believed, had a very talented tongue he enjoyed using on hapless females. Her body ached and throbbed with desire, but it was muted, as though shed come so many times her hormones were overworked and fully sated. Like a tick about to burst.

Colettes eyes popped open. A glance around told her she was in her bedroom and everything looked exactly the same, but the delicious aroma wafting from the doorway beckoned. Had she left something in the oven overnight? Or had someone broken into her house tocook? She shook her head. Impossible. She wouldve heard it if someone broke in. Maybe her mom had brought her breakfast? She glanced at the clock. It wasnt even midnight yet. No way in hell would her mom be out so late. Her heart skipped several beats as another possibility

intruded. One that involved a man with sultry gold eyes and a body to die for. No, itd been a dream. There was no way Zach was in her house cooking. There was no way hed buried his face between her legs and feasted on her like a starving man until shed passed out. No way. But thoughts attempted to surface along with realizations. Like, she was completely naked. There wasnt a stitch of clothing between her and her sheets. That meant nothing, she rationalized. She sometimes slept naked, especially when she got sunburned,

but she hadnt been burned yet. That would happen over gator season. The next thing that caught her attention was her hair. It was loose. She never left it loose when she slept. It was so long and got so insanely wavy, she had to braid it before she went to bed to avoid tangles. Yet, she hadnt done that tonight. And she didnt remember coming to bed at all. All she remembered was Her eyes widened. Had it been real? She let out a breathless laugh and shook her head. No, of course not. Men didnt just eat a woman out until she fell

asleep and put her to bed without getting anything in return. Except when she bolted up in her bed and swung her legs over the edge of the mattress, her thighs screamed. But her inner muscles didnt feel stretched or sore. The discomfort was isolated to her inner thighs, which didnt fit with full-on hard, fast sex. A flash of memory, of her sprawled on her sofa with her legs spread wide, her hips propped on the sofa arm, nearly fired her circuits. Heat scorched up from her womb straight to her face. She slapped her hands to her cheeks and closed her eyes.

Oh. My. God, she whispered into the quiet of her room. If you want to eat while its hot, you should come on out, someone, a man, called from the direction of her kitchen. Colette paused, every muscle in her body tensing at the unexpected sound of someone else in her house. No, not someone else. A man Zach? She didnt know. She hadnt heard him talk enough to know his voice right off the bat, but whoever he was, he hadnt been invited. Habit had her reaching out to the .40 caliber she kept in her nightstand. The sheet threatened to

take her to the ground when she stood, so she tossed it off and crept across the room to the basket of clothes she hadnt gotten around to folding and putting away. She placed the handgun on the pile so she could clothe herself, grabbing the first thing that came to hand. Luckily it was one of her cousins old shirts and fell to mid-thigh when she pulled it over her head. Partially clothed and ready to take care of whomever might be in her house, she picked up the gun again and slipped down the hall. The door to her hunting-slashhome office was ajar, but she didnt

sense anything suspicious. It should have pissed her off. Normally it would have, except judging by the way her heart skipped several beats and her breathing quickened, she wasnt angry so much as excited. She almost snorted at herself. Excited. Yeah, that was an understatement. If that was Zach in her kitchen, she wasnt sure what shed do. Fall to her knees in worship for the amazing orgasms? Shoot him for real this time because hed ruined her for any other man? Maybe throw herself in his arms and declare her love? She stopped just a few steps

away from the end of the hallway where it met the living room. The man moving around her kitchen made no attempt at disguising his sounds. There was the soft clang of something being placed in the sink. The quiet rasp of skin over hardwood floor as he moved from the cabinets to the fridge and back again. Well? Are you coming or not? There was a taunt in the voice, clear as a bell and without even turning the corner Colette knew shed see Zach rummaging around her kitchen. She tugged on the hem of her t-shirt with her free hand,

sucked in a deep breath before straightening her shoulders and rounding the doorway. But he wasnt rummaging in her kitchen. Instead, he leaned against her counter, his arms crossed over his chest, which did nothing to hide his erect cock and muscled body. He should have looked funny standing in her kitchen, naked as the day he was born, but even though he wasnt dressed in his chefs coat, didnt have his longish hair hidden by a bandana, wasnt surrounded by assistants and his stainless-steel appliances, he looked as if he owned the space. The sexy

smirk on his face, the one shed known was there, faded when he caught a glimpse of her and his arms fell to his sides as he pushed away from the counter. Do you go everywhere with a gun? he asked as he stalked toward her. I know you dont sleep with one under your pillow. Her heart didnt skip a beat. It flat out stopped and she felt the color leave her face at the realization that he had been moving around her house while she slept. Around her bedroom. The color shed lost returned in full force. He had to have seen her toys.

The many toys shed purchased and enjoyed over the years were carefully placed in areas where they wouldnt be immediately seen, but Zach was a tiger and she imagined he had a cats curiosity. Colette was so lost in her horrified thoughts, she didnt realize Zach was next to her until he plucked at her baggy t-shirt. Do you like this shirt? She shook her head and blinked. What? Yes, of course I do. Im wearing it, arent I? He circled her, but she spun around to keep him in her sights. It wasnt much of a hardship considering a naked Zach

in motion was the sexiest thing shed ever seen. But that wasnt important at the moment, right? She totally needed to ignore the tingling in her pussy and find out what he thought he was doing in Bayou Ange. In her house, more specifically. Dragging her admiring gaze away from his flexing ass, she looked into his face. Why are you here? Gold eyes scanned her bare legs with appreciation. Id think thats obvious. Gawd. Her face felt as though it were going to explode from the force of the blood rushing to it. She

was embarrassed, turned-on and a little pissed. She drew herself to her full five foot two and a half inches and planted her free hand on her hip. The other still clutched the gun, although she kept it pointed at the floor. For now. What the fuck does that mean? Colette demanded in a near growl. If he thought just because shedlet him give her a half dozen orgasms in one night that it meant he could expect to get full-on sex well, he was probably right. But it would have been nice if he I was cooking, he said, breaking into her internal rant. He

spoke it so simply, as though it were perfectly natural for him to cook for the women hed tonguefucked into a coma that she didnt know how to respond. He plucked at the sleeve of her shirt again. Whered you get this? She slapped at his hand with a frown, still slowly turning to keep him in her sights. She was starting to get a little dizzy, but it was better than having him at her back. Even if part of her wanted him to toss her on the table and fuck her hard and fast. Her stomach gave a slow, hungry clench that had nothing to do with the delicious smells in the

kitchen and everything to do with the tiger shifter eyeing her like a wounded gazelle. My cousin left it here after we went froggin one night. Why? You have a problem with it? But he seemed to lose interest in the shirt because he shrugged, ending his circuit around her by heading for the stove where pots and pans she hadnt even realized she owned sat on burners. Sit down so you can eat, he said over his shoulder. She didnt of course. This was her house. But the way Zach reached into the correct cabinet for

a plate and began loading it with food, she began to wonder exactly how much time hed spent going through it. And how was she supposed to think about food when she was staring at his ass? Watching it flex and bunch with every move he made? Or the long, muscled lines of his legs when he shifted from one foot to the other? Or He turned around and his cock pointed directly at her. Again. Her heart fluttered with excitement and want. The logical Colette, the one who knew Zach being in her house was a bad thing, tried to tamp down the arousal.

What are you doing here? she asked again as he approached her with a heaping plate of food. It looked delicious and her stomach growled. Right now, Im feeding the hungry beast in your stomach, he said easily, bypassing her to put the plate on the table. Colette allowed herself to relax since his back was to her, but before she could do more than squeak, Zach spun around and snatched her off her feet. In a split second she found herself perched on his lap, her gun clattering to the tabletop. She gasped, her head lifting, and

stared directly into his gorgeous eyes, which were only inches away from hers. The look in them, hungry and devious, sent a quiver of awareness through her. If she hadnt recognized the need in them, the hard column of his cock pressing into her hip wouldve told her exactly what he planned to do. But just in case she still didnt understand, he told her. Later, Im going to feed an entirely different beast, he whispered against her lips. He pressed a quick kiss to her mouth and pulled away. Now eat. Stunned from that brief moment

of contact, a kiss that reminded her too easily of what hed done to her on her sofa, how hed turned her anger into arousal, Colette looked away from him and at the plate of food he pulled closer to them. Two thick, fluffy pancakes sat at the center, surrounded by a moat of berries. Sliced strawberries nestled between blackberries and raspberries in a neat circle around the pancakes, which were golden perfection. Her stomach yowled. Zach reached out and sorted through the berries, rejecting several before he plucked a plump blackberry from the pile. Then he

held it up to her mouth. Colette reared back in surprise, her gaze flying to his. He wanted to feed her? He traced her bottom lip with the berry, letting it drag across her skin, the heat in his eyes requesting no, demanding entrance. Her stomach twisted with the abundance of butterflies that had taken up residence there. Without thinking, she gave him access, opening her mouth for him. Satisfaction gleamed in the gold depths of his eyes as he placed the ripe berry on her tongue. Colette reflexively closed her mouth and captured his fingers between her

lips in a suckling kiss. His pupils dilated, the black swallowing the gold until only a thin ring remained and a deep purr rumbled in his chest. Unable to help herself, caught in the intense sensual pull he had, she flicked her tongue over the tips of his fingers in a shy caress. The movement caused the berry to burst, combining the salty taste of Zachs skin with the tartness of the fruit, her eyes closing from the tart flavor. You have a nice kitchen for someone who doesnt cook, he said conversationally. Colette opened her eyes again to

see a smile flirting with his sinful lips. Im not good at it, she confessed. My mama tried to teach me, but I preferred being on the water or in the woods with my dad and cousins. He placed a slice of strawberry on her tongue, his fingers stroking her bottom lip and leaving a trail of fire behind. Youre close to your dad, huh? She wouldve responded to that, but he popped a raspberry in her mouth when she opened it. So what do you do at the tour company? Between bites of succulent berries he kept pressing on her,

Zach slowly drew out information about her. She told him about the Bayou Ange Swamp Tours, how her dad had started it when he returned from college and brought his brothers in with him. How shed grown up with a true love for the beauty of Pointe-Aux-Chat Parish and had gone to school to study biology so she could have a better understanding of her surroundings. She told him how her parents met, that her mom was a third-generation Haitian whose twin sister married a clouded leopard shifter and lived in New Orleans. She told Zach everything

he wanted to know without even meaning to and in doing so, she learned more about him as well. How did you end up becoming a baker? she asked when he was busy searching for another perfect berry. Since there were only a few left, she figured he was stalling. He shrugged, the purring growing softer for a moment before starting up again when he looked at her with another raspberry pinched between his fingers. He fed it to her, his eyes on her lips. I came to live with my grandmother when I was four. My mom wanted nothing

to do with a kid, so she dropped me off and that was the last time I saw her. He shrugged again and reached out to pull a small covered bowl toward him. Mamaw had the bakery, which had been in the Trahan family for over a hundred years. Since Mom was her only child and had no interest in it, she taught me the recipes that have been passed down for generations. She watched his hand as he broke off a piece of pancake and dipped it in what appeared to be some kind of homemade syrup. He held the dripping cake up to her mouth. Colette opened obediently

and the tartly sweet flavor of blackberries exploded on her tongue. She closed her eyes with a soft moan as the butter from the cake mingled with the berries. It wasshe couldnt even think of the right word for it, her mind too busy buzzing with delight to think properly. Zach continued, his words nearly drowned out by the food ecstasy humming through her body. I knew the bakery would be mine, so I worked hard at learning, went to school and then studied abroad for a couple of years before taking over for Mamaw. She died

about three years after I got back from Europe and Ive been running the bakery ever since. His tone gave no hint of his feelings on the matter, but the purring stopped completely. I started the catering business a few years ago and thats it. She continued eating what he fed her, but she chewed over her thoughts more than the food, her heart aching for him. His mother had left him to go roaming and his grandmother, the only mother he really knew, had died leaving him alone. Colette couldnt imagine being alone, couldnt imagine not

having the safety net of her family ready to catch her when she fell. That he had no one but himself did something to her, made her hurt for him and want to wrap him in her arms and give him all the love hed been missing. He popped another bite of blackberry-soaked pancake into her mouth, but she didnt chew right away. She couldnt because her mouth was suddenly so dry she wasnt sure she could swallow. That was the second time the word love had come to mind involving him. Which was ridiculous. She didnt know enough about him to

be in love. In lust, yes, because he was a sexy motherfucker, but that was all. She ignored the little voice in the back of her mind that insisted on reminding her of the stories every Robicheaux man had about the first time they met their wives. Love at first sight had been mentioned more than once. Lightning strikes, dumbstruck and struck stupid were more commonly used when it came to how they described their first meeting with their wives. It was something of a family tradition to love fast, hard and forever. Colette just never thought it

would happen to her. She peeked up at him as he surveyed the plate with a frown and her body melted. No, it wasnt love. Not yet at least, but it could be. If Zach stuck around, if he continued to be as irresistibly sexy as he was now, all without trying, shed find herself falling for him. Hard. It was a scary thought, even scarier when she knew the chances of him returning the sentiment were slim to none. What are you doing here? she asked him yet again. His gaze shifted from the plate to her face. She tried to tell herself it was a trick of the light, that there

was nothing beyond sexual heat in his eyes, but when he looked at her, she saw something more than lust shadowing his gaze. Was it love? No, but it was affection. Im here because I cant stay away. The surprise in her eyes equaled the surprise in his brain. Had he really said that? The way her face softened and her arm slipped around his back to hug him told him yes. Yes, hed just confessed something he wouldve preferred to keep to himself a little longer. At least until he was more comfortable

with the weird emotions driving him to be with her. Zach didnt deal in deep emotions. He liked his life simple and uncomplicated. He saved the messes for his kitchen because they were easier to clean up. But when she slipped one of her arms around his back and pressed her cheek to his chest in a onearmed hug that had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with a budding friendship, he froze for a moment, stiff in her hold. He didnt want to be friends with Colette. He wanted to fuck her, to burrow so deeply inside her that the affection

she felt for her family would warm the colder corners of his life. Which was stupid. He didnt need anyone, never had. Even his grandmother had ceded to his independence, knowing it didnt do any good to hold a tiger down, or attempt to. Yet Colettes arm around him in a platonic hug warmed him in a way nothing else had for a very long time. It was almost like an acceptance. She wasnt asking anything of him, didnt say she was sorry for his childhood or any of the things he imagined women would say. She gave him her silent support and he appreciated it the

same way he couldnt help but admire her appetite. Nothing made him feel better than to know his food filled her belly and that she enjoyed it. He didnt think she was even aware of the sounds of pleasure she made in the back of her throat as she ate, or the way she wiggled slightly in his lap when she wanted the next bite. Itd wreaked havoc on his control until theyd started talking about him. Zach didnt want to think about feelings and things like affection or possibly obsessionthere was no way hed ever use the L-word in conjunction

with anyone. Especially a human who didnt understand the importance of mating. No, this was an anomaly, sex with affection and maybe friendship. He could do that. Hed never tried being friends with a woman he fucked before, but he figured that was better than just being a friend. His tiger began purring again, forgetting about the food hed been gently placing in her mouth, forgetting about messy emotions and things hed rather not think about. It was busy inhaling her sweet vanilla scent, feeling the soft press of her breasts against his

chest. She was tiny compared to him and fragile, but shed come out of the hallway with her gun and fire in her eyes. His tiger had thought only one thing at the time and that was What a woman. Now though, Zachs attention switched from food to sex. His cock had finally deflated for the first time the entire night and all itd taken was the thought of his absent mother and dead grandmother to do it. Now though, oh now Mini Zach swelled to life, pushing into the soft hip nestled in his lap. He held his breath, certain shed leap away from him in disgust because

this didnt seem like the right moment for him to get a hard-on. But she didnt move away. Her warm breath washed over the light dusting of hair on his chest, which seemed to be connected to his balls because the puff of air sent a tingle south. Then she kissed his nipple. Zachs gaze dropped to the woman nestled against his chest, his heartbeat kicking up a notch when he saw her cloud of white-blonde hair spread across his skin. His dick pulsed in excitement even as she brushed her lips over his nipple yet again, velvet softness against the slowly hardening nub.

Colette, he rasped, his hands tightening on her. He wasnt sure how much he could take. If she was just trying to soothe him, it wasnt working. He had a split second to feel hot, moist air before she latched on to the suddenly sensitive peak and suckled. Zach cursed under his breath, one of his hands sliding up to sink into her hair. He wasnt sure if he wanted to pull her away or hold her closer, but when her tiny pink tongue began to work his flesh in a perfect mimicry of what hed done to her a few hours earlier, he decided to enjoy it. For as long as

he could. But allowing her to initiate sex didnt mean he couldnt help. He kept one hand on her head, holding her close even as his other hand slid up her silky thigh, under the hem of the t-shirt to cup the round curve of her ass. His tiger purred louder at the contact, his fingers kneading the surprisingly generous flesh while she suckled and nipped at his skin. The scent of her arousal, the sweet musk he wanted to roll around in, thickened the air around them. Zachs heart pounded like a jackhammer as his fingers slid along the silken crevice of her ass

until he encountered the slick folds of her sex. She moaned against his skin as he traced her slit, her teeth sinking into his flesh. Her hands came up to grip his shoulders, blunt fingernails digging deep as she squirmed on his lap, her legs separating as though to invite him inside. His dick started leaking, leaving trails of dampness on her hip. He was going to come without ever making it inside her, but he wasnt even sure he cared. He knew hed get it up again after a very short reprieve. Colette was like Viagra and an aphrodisiac rolled into one.

Then she began to slide off his lap. Zach let out a snarl, not happy with her moving until he realized she was sliding between his legs. The tiger liked that image a lot and quickly bit off the animalistic sound. The man, however, nearly discovered what it was like to have a heart attack. Seeing Colette, the tough woman who seemed to live with a gun in her hand, on her knees between his legs, her hair a thick curtain around her tanned face and her witchy eyes trained on his cock, was enough to make any man weak in the knees. You did so much for me

earlier, she said absently, her hands stroking his thighs. But you didnt take anything for yourself. Hungry eyes met his, striking him dumb. Its my turn. Holy shit, yes! Did he say that out loud? She wasnt staring at him as though hed grown a second head, so no, he hadnt. But he wanted to. Especially when she captured the base of his cock in her strong hands. Stacked one on top of the other, they still werent long enough to cover his entire length, but a slow, strong stroke upward managed to touch every square inch of sensitive skin. Then when

she leaned forward and lapped at the crown, cleaning up every drop of pre-cum, Zach had to grip the edges of his chair to keep from snatching her off her knees and fucking her senseless. But Colette was the one who seemed determined to drive him insane, using her hands and her tongue to go at him like a woman trying to catch a dripping ice-cream cone on a hot summers day. She lapped, she licked, she nibbled and she stroked, working him from base to tip and back down, over and over but never once did she take him into her mouth. It was a tease,

her parted lips skimming along his length, her heated gaze trained on his face as though gauging his reaction. It wasnt until he thought the top of his head would blow off that she finally wrapped those lips around his dick and took him as far as she could. Zachs eyes rolled to the back of his head and his entire body shook from the need coursing through him. His tiger was of the mind that now was as good a time as any to tell her she belonged to him forever and ever. This bliss, this tormenting pleasure she gave him with her little, inexperienced

suckles was better than anything hed ever had with the many women hed been with. It was because of her, because it was Colette. Tough, hard Colette with soft lips and an innate ability to drive him out of his mind. She didnt draw on him as though she were trying to suck his brains right through his dick, it was more of a soft draw, her tongue working the underside of his cock as she stroked upward with her hand. He groaned appreciatively, his hands leaving the seat of his chair to tangle in her long, soft hair. Every movement of her head had

the strands tickling his thighs, brushing his calves and stroking his stomach. God, baby, he moaned when she swirled her tongue around his crown again. God yes. Yes. His balls were drawn tight, the tingling at the base of his spine growing stronger the more she worked his flesh. He wanted to hold out, to enjoy the moment, to draw out the anticipation. But it seemed his sly little Cajun woman knew more than she let on because just when he thought he might have been able to hold off his climax, she gently scraped her teeth

along his length. The scent of her arousal was thick enough to taste and his mouth watered. Eating her out, having her come over and over on his tongue had been a pleasure unlike any other. She gave another slow draw on his dick that numbed his brain. He wanted to come, wanted to selfishly enjoy the moment, but he needed something more. Without giving it further thought, or stopping to wonder if he was thinking rationally, Zach swept his arm over the table, tossing everything to the floor. The warm suction around his dick

disappeared as Colette lifted her head with a strangled gasp. But he was too far gone to put into words what he wanted. Sliding his hands beneath her arms, he lifted her off the floor and plopped her onto the table. She looked so surprised, so shocked, if he wouldve been in his right mind, he wouldve smiled. As it was, all he could think was he needed her pussy and he needed it now. The condoms, though, were in another room. Next to her bed in fact because thats where hed put them when he returned. He stood, eyeing her. He was

too damn impatient to get them and playing Russian roulette with her eggs wasnt something he would ever do. Although the tiger liked that thought, wanted his seed to bathe her womb, to mark her from the inside out and do it over and over again until it found fertile ground. Zach pushed the images of Colette round with his cub away. That was something for him to think about a lot later. Like with a full bottle of whisky. He studied the table. It was sturdy enough to hold him. An old farmhouse-style piece that could withstand weight and time. He sat

next to Colette, dropped flat on his back and grabbed her. She squeaked and said something as he positioned her over his face. The hem of her shirt had ridden up, giving him a perfect view of her slick, swollen cleft and the round, golden curve of her ass. Zach! she exclaimed in a breathless voice that throbbed with excitement. What are you doing? Were too heavy for the tab He pulled her hips down and buried his tongue in her dripping cunt. She sucked in a loud breath, her entire body going tense from shock. But her pussy creamed for him, the

thick honey of her arousal coating his tongue. Oh. Oh God! His tiger purred, glad to have her where it wanted her most, her scent filling his nose until it was all he could smell, her sweet, tart flavor flooding his mouth and causing his taste buds to contract in delight. He began to purr against her spread nether lips, his tongue searching out her cream before he lapped at the taut bud of her clit. His dick pulsed with excitement, but that was nothing compared to what happened when he felt her warm breath wash across the sensitive tip.

He stroked one hand up her back, pushing her shirt until it wadded beneath her armpits. Silky, warm skin, a beautiful woman sitting on his face, her pussy giving him all the cream he could possibly eat and her little mouth lapping at his dick. Had any man ever been so lucky? Even when she awkwardly tongued his cock, her panting moans vibrating along his length, it was better than anything hed experienced with any other woman. But once she caught on to this new position, the one that would allow them both to tease and

torment and race to completion, Zach knew Colette was his perfect partner. She gave as good as she got, tortured him even as he tortured her to the point she cried out against his dick, which in turn made him groan and purr against her clit. The back and forth, the give and take was what hed always wanted but never had. She wasnt scared of not pleasing him, of not telling him what she wanted. When she ground her pussy harder against his mouth, he took his cue from her and scraped his teeth along her clit. Zach growled, the tingling at the

base of his spine warning him that his climax wouldnt hold off much longer. He latched on to her clit, lashing it with his tongue even as he slid his fingers into the tight clasp of her cunt, searching for the roughertextured spot. When he found it, Zach curved his fingers and rubbed. He felt her orgasm, felt her inner muscles clench around him seconds before she screamed. With his dick buried in her mouth. That scream, the vibration of sound turned the tingle into a shudder as the pleasure in his dick shot up his spine, lighting up every nerve

ending along the way before it shot down to his balls. Then he was coming in her sweet, hot mouth, jet after jet of seed coating her tongue and the lovely, hard woman swallowed it all. Minutes, or hours, later, Zach lifted his head from the tabletop to see Colettes thigh draped over his chest. Her cunt was still slick from her arousal, her even breaths puffed across his flaccid cock and when he shifted a little she let out a small groan. His back was killing him and he was pretty sure his legs were dead, having been draped over the edge of the table for so

long, but none of that stopped the satisfied grin spreading across his face. They still hadnt made it to her bed and the box of condoms hed placed right next to her vibrator. A glance at the clock showed dawn wasnt far off. He couldnt be seen leaving her place, not if he wanted to remain a tiger with skin intact. They wouldnt be breaking open any of the condoms tonight, but as he again picked up his protesting lover, carrying her to bed yet again, Zach silently promised both of them hed rectify that situation as soon as possible.

Chapter Eight
He had to be out of his mind. For the twelfth time since he left Maison Rouge, Zach told himself this was not his brightest idea ever. Yet he didnt turn around and drive back to civilization. He didnt shrug and consider her a loss. And despite the idiocy hed been telling himself, he knew with this seemingly simple act, he was putting Colette in a completely new category. After last night, he had to. Between his cat whod been reluctant to leave her house even though hed marked it repeatedly,

and his dick, there was no denying that Colette was entirely different from the women who normally shared his bed. He usually didnt walk away from them with his dick hard and his balls aching. Only with her. As if he didnt realize she was different, that she wasnt his average one-night stand, his passenger was further proof. The Triple Decadence Chocolate cake hed baked fresh that very morning sat in a box on the seat next to him. Hed had to slow his Jeep down to avoid sending chocolate perfection onto the floorboards. His tiger purred

happily. It couldnt wait to see her again. This time though, he was purposely doing it with her family around, because he wanted her to realize he wanted her. The tiger wanted her to be proud of it, proud to know shed caught the attention of a predator of his caliber. The arrogant son of a bitch. But there was no denying the cat wanted to prove to her and everyone else that she was the one he wanted. Okay, so maybe she hadnt gotten that memo. She shouldve at least awakened today and called him to thank him. Right? They had history. Sexual history. He frowned

at the road ahead. Unless she thought that was all they had? Maybe she figured shed gotten hers and shed never see him again. He snorted. That might have been the case with other females, but with her, things were going in a completely different direction. Zach was still struggling to come to grips with that, with the knowledge that he was actively pursuing one woman. Part of him realized even though he felt differently toward her, it was just for sex and most likely wouldnt last longer than a couple of days, but he never chased

after women. Never. Not even as a young cub with more cum than brains. The girls came to him. Then the women. But Colette hadnt called him, or come to Maison Rouge today. He frowned at the bumpy road. Why hadnt she come to town to see him? Hadnt what theyd done together on her sofa and kitchen table been enough to hook her? What if she wasnt as enthralled by their lovemaking as he was? Now that was a scary thought, one that kept circling his head and it made his tiger defensive and testy, not a good combination when he was

supposed to be a sea of calm for frantic brides and their mothers. So Zach had done something extreme and out of character. Hed left the execution of tonights wedding reception in his kitchen assistants hands. The look on Emily Doucets face had been priceless and if he hadnt been distracted by his tiger and his libido, he might have found it funny. The wedding wasnt big and it wasnt going to be publicized like the other functions hed catered for, so he didnt see what the big fucking deal was. He cringed a bit at the bold-faced lie. Okay, so he was a control freak. It

was what made Trahan Catering a success. But hed convinced himself that letting go of the reins a little wouldnt sink his business. He hoped. It wasnt as though he had any other option. The cat hadnt let him sleep after he left Colettes house, yowling and grunting in his head, wanting her. Fucking lovelorn feline. If Zach didnt know better, hed think his other half was pining or something. It was ridiculous, of course. Hed only seen her three times, two of which had involved weapons pointed at him. The third time, her gun had been pointed at

the floor, which he saw as a vast improvement. His eyes almost drifted closed at the reminder of how shed welcomed his tongue and hands, how shed tasted. Itd been damn near impossible to make himself shower today. He and the tiger had wanted Colettes scent to remain on his skin all day long as a reminder that he had brought her to climax so many times she fell asleep on him. Twice. Only knowing others would smell her desire, might find pleasure in her musk had been the deciding factor in him thoroughly cleaning himself this morning. But he

mourned that sweet scent, wanted to carry it in his pores forever. Zach scowled at his hands. No, not forever, he growled at the tiger. The cat didnt gainsay him this time. Because right now, the big bastard was content. It knew they were going to track down their errant human. It was aware of the flashes of bodies in the trees, racing him down the road, but it didnt care. Zach wasnt worried either. He knew it was Bayou Anges version of an early-warning system. There was no telling if the kids because the short, quick figures

couldnt be anything elsehad been playing in the woods around the community, or if theyd been placed there purposely, but he knew by the time he found the street he was looking for, everyone in Bayou Ange would know he was coming. The word echoed around his mind, reminding him of the explosive climax hed had that emptied his cum into her mouth. His cock strained against the fly of his jeans and he had to shift his legs to ease the pressure. This whole being-hard-all-the-time thing was getting old. How was he supposed

to work with his dick aching like a toothache all fucking day? And all it took was the reminder of what shed looked like after hed gorged himself on her pussy, tasting her sweet cunt until she passed out for him to harden. Zach groaned. Dont think about it, he muttered under his breath as he saw a break in the trees ahead that signaled a change in scenery. Youll probably have to face down her relatives and if you do that looking as though youve got a solid lead pipe in your pants, theyll know exactly what you want with Holy shit, he whispered as he

cleared the tree line. The hair on the back of his neck lifted at the complete lack of life to be found. There wasnt a single soul in sight, which was unexpected for a Saturday afternoon. Kids should be playing, people should be cutting grass or cleaning cars, or loaded for bear waiting for him to arrive. He was almost disappointed. For some reason, hed imagined the entire community forming a human wall across the street to prohibit him from entering, but while he didnt see a welcome mat, he didnt feel as though they were telling him to get out. It was

anticlimactic to say the least, especially after the stories hed heard about this area when he was growing up. He took a right on Robicheaux Lane and his jaw dropped. No wonder he hadnt seen anyone on the main street. They were all here. Waiting for him. His foot eased off the accelerator and the Jeep slowed to a stop. Easily two hundred adult humans and what looked like fifty million kids crowded the base of one of the houses on the lane. A group of women of varying ages stood on the porch above, but none of them were Colette. Two younger

men stood guard over an older woman. Both males had blond hair, darker than his human obsession, but something in the shape of their faces reminded him of Colette. The woman had darker skin and looked a lot like the kids in the pictures hed seen at Colettes house. Zach put the Jeep in park and turned off the engine. For such a large crowd, it should have been loud, but deafening silence occasionally punctuated by the engine cooling down was all he heard. Even the children were quiet and watchful, speaking in such soft tones he couldnt hear them. The

dogs that hed worried about the night before didnt make a sound either, just sat watching him. Then they all heard the distant roar of boat engines growing progressively louder, coming closer. The older woman on the veranda waved for Zach, beckoning him over. The others with her began arguing, their hands moving as they tried to talk her out of it, but she continued motioning him to join them. He knew it was a bad idea. Getting out of the vehicle and joining that family on the porch, most of whom didnt appear to

want him there, would not really endear him to Colette. But the older woman had to be her mother, the woman whod sent her family into town to get a cake for her. He glanced over at the Triple Decadence Chocolate cake hed originally intended to sweeten up his human and knew exactly how to play this.

*****
Colette ached all over, but it was a good kind of hurt. Itd been a productive day of hunting. The sun beat down on her, burning her skin and warming her soul. If things

continued the way they had today, they could have their tags filled in no time at all. She glanced at her dad, who had a tired but happy smile on his face. Uncle Frog rode with Beau in one boat, while Uncle Tudu ferried Cotton in another to either side of Colette and her dad. Everyone had the same relaxed, pleased look on their faces. Theyd done good work, taking on a ridiculous number of tags that spanned nearly the entire Bayou Ange community. The next three days they would push hard, catching as many gators as they could before they slowed

the pace a little and hit the much more remote areas. Theyd begin staggering the boats, leaving one out of circulation for the day, allowing each of them a day or two off a week. From the boats at least. Their days off would be spent working the swamp tours, but it was easier work than hauling gators into the boat. Today had been her younger brothers day at the office and tomorrow was hers. Colette faced front again, closing her eyes against the wind. If she was completely honest, she usually looked forward to her days at the office, using it as a break.

Not so much now. Not after Zach had come into her house andwhat had he done? Tormented her to the point she fainted and fell asleep? Twice? Then put her to bed without fucking her, again, leaving her to wake up alone and disoriented. She hadnt known if the night before had been a dream or not. Not until she dragged herself downstairs to meet up with her family and saw the mess the wolf and the tiger had made of her crab traps. And seen the mass of claw marks on each wooden support holding up her house.

Whats goin on? Uncle Tudu shouted over the roaring engines, causing her to open her eyes again. The boats slowed as they neared the dock. She forgot about the night before and Zach as she realized nearly all of Bayou Ange was crowded around her parents house. Her heart leapt into her throat as an almost crippling panic crept over her. She didnt dare glance back at her dad, knowing he had to be just as freaked out as she was and if she saw the same fear in his face that she felt, shed break. Just break. She popped her phone out of the holster on her hip,

flipping it open. No missed calls. Her brothers wouldve called her if something had happened to their mama. There was no question about that. Several distant cousins ran forward to grab the lines she and her cousins threw out, tying the boats up to the dock. Colette was out of her ride before it came to a complete stop, the stomp of boots behind her letting her know her dad wasnt far behind. The crowd of cousins and friends and very distant relatives parted for them as she and her dad ran for the house. The confused looks on the faces of

those around them helped calm some of her panic. If it had been something bad, there would be tears, prayers, something. She didnt see any of that, but she did glimpse a strange SUV parked in front of the house. The sight of that vehicle slowed her momentum, bringing her back to hurry along with her dad. Is it a game warden? she asked him under her breath. All day long shed had the weird feeling they were being watched. Not as a group because her cousins wouldve said something, but her specifically. She hadnt seen any

evidence to support her belief, but there was no mistaking that itch between her shoulder blades. It was the same feeling she got when she was on the wrong side of a feral pig or an alligator that was waiting for the perfect moment to snap. It spoke of danger. I dont know, her dad said in a low tone. Dont look like a state vehicle. And the worry that the game wardens would bust in their house to look for something against them wasnt unfounded. Game wardens were the only authorities who could enter a private home without

a search warrant. The people of Bayou Ange had been the victims of more than one random search. Sure, some of those searches had been the result of probable cause. Usually everyone obeyed and followed the states regulations for hunting and fishing, but sometimes someone tried to slip one more fish, or one more buck under the radar. Colette didnt and she knew her dad and uncles didnt either, but it didnt stop the fear of being searched. They pounded up the steps sideby-side where they could finally hear voices raised in argument.

They were shouting too loudly for her to understand their words, but she recognized her brothers bellows. Beneath their shouts was her mothers smooth, lyrical voice that intertwined with a much deeper, gravelly masculine voice she didnt want to recognize. A peek out the corner of her eye showed her dads scowl deepening, the Robicheaux jealousy rearing its ugly head. Then she caught the scent of food. Her stomach growled, completely insensitive to the trouble that might be waiting for them in her parents house. It only

knew the three sandwiches shed had three hours ago may as well have been consumed yesterday by how hungry she was. She tried not to recall the midnight breakfast shed consumed while sitting on a naked mans lap because that caused a hunger of an entirely different variety. Her stomach yowled again. Colette slapped a hand to her abdomen as though that would muffle the sound, but there was no mistaking the scent of her mamas red beans and pork chops. Her mouth watered. Her dad passed her, probably more jealous than hungry. Colette

wasnt far behind, actually running into her dad when he stopped dead in the doorway of the house. Going to her tiptoes, she peeked over his shoulder and promptly wished a hole would open up and swallow her. Not that shed go very far. If a hole opened on the porch, shed end up under the house, but that was preferable to knowing shed somehow brought this trouble to her family. Zach stood next to her mom, nodding at her instructions as he cooked at the battered stove her mom had cooked thousands of meals on. It was a lot different from

the stainless-steel, industrialquality appliances in his kitchen, or the unused appliances at her house, but he didnt seem to care. He leaned over at the waist to sniff, a lock of hair hed tucked behind his ear falling forward to caress his cheek. Colette almost died when her mom reached out to brush his hair away like the mother she was, especially since it caused her father to let out a roar of rage and throw himself forward. She tried to catch him, but there was no stopping a Robicheaux when he thought someone was flirting with his woman. Colette

covered her face with both hands, not sure she wanted to see something as pretty as Zach Trahan maimed by an older Cajun man. Especially after the amazing night hed given her.

*****
Zach liked it when he entered the house at Mrs. Robicheauxs invitation simply because Colettes scent was stronger in here, as though she spent as much time at her parents house as she did her own. Hed learned the reason her kitchen was bare was because she ate at her childhood home every

night. And that while she was a tough girl, there were plenty of men interested in her, none whod caught her attention though, Mrs. Robicheaux assured him. There was a sly cast to the matronly Robicheauxs eyes that told Zach she knew exactly why he was here and she didnt mind at all, that she wanted him to win her daughters attention. He hadnt said a word to deny or affirm her suspicions, but he found his tiger liked the thought of having Laurette-Marie Robicheauxs approval. Idiot cat. Were nothing like people

think, she told him over her sons howling as she stirred a batch of cornbread. She had a lyrical voice that spoke of her Haitian descent. My man taught his children to love the land and what they hunt. To respect it. She closed the oven on her pan of cornbread. My Colette provides food for the table. She and the others make sure we have enough meat while theyre busy working the lines or the tour business, she stated proudly. Her words made Zach realize the people of this community were probably closer to nature than the shifters who claimed to love it.

These people didnt hunt for sport the way most shifters did these days, making Zach very aware of how often the predators went on hunts just for the hell of it. They were living off the land the way their ancestors had, treating it with the same respect and reverence most people reserved for artwork. They didnt shun technology, but used it to aid them without letting it overwhelm them. The Robicheaux family was a perfect example of how spirituality and science could work together if balanced correctly. While she cooked and taught

him the secrets of her red beans, Laurette-Marie chatted about her family who lived in New Orleans, her sister who married a leopard shifter from Thailand and her niece who danced. Zach soaked up the information she doled out with the same careful hand she used to season her food. He learned Colette hadnt had a serious boyfriend since she came back from college. He learned that his Cajun woman wasnt the first in her family to bring back a shiny college diploma. It seemed the Robicheauxs had been hiding their intelligence behind stereotypes, which had

probably helped them out several times in their lives. Zachs tiger appreciated their sneakiness and even approved of the way theyd used it to their advantage. The time spent in her kitchen, learning her secret recipes for creamy, flavorful red beans and listening to her stories of the family reminded Zach of being young. His grandmother had been the same, more open and friendly as long as she had her hands occupied with food. It relaxed him despite the constant complaining and sullen glares thrown his way by Mrs. Robicheauxs sons.

And when the door flew open, Zach gave the new roar about the same attention hed given Colettes whining younger brothers. None at all. And who could blame him? Mrs. Robicheaux, the tiny, round woman had shown him how to make the perfect pot of red beans. If she wasnt already married and the mother of the woman he was interested in, he might have asked her to combine forces with him to take the culinary world by storm. Instead he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, his mind sorting through the spices shed thrown together, spices that had eluded

him for so long. Cayenne pepper, red peppers, garlic salt, black pepper and a host of other little touches combined to create a flavor that made his mouth water for another taste, but the last time hed tried to sneak another spoonful, Mrs. Robicheaux had smacked his hand. Shush, she said and all the noise in the room came to an abrupt end. Zach glanced over his shoulder curiously, his gaze colliding with Colettes. And just like that, his thoughts turned from food he wanted to sample to the woman he

needed to taste again. His body came to abrupt, painful attention. He straightened slowly, the distance between his nose and the pot bringing the other scents of the Robicheaux home to him. The woman he couldnt get out of his mind stood staring back at him from a face red and sweaty from the heat. Strands of hair had fallen from her baseball hat, sticking to her cheeks and the sides of her neck. She wore another sleeveless shirt, this one sporting a vintage New Orleans Saints logo that was pasted to her torso. Sweaty, dirty from whatever shed

been doing, Colette Robicheaux was the sexiest thing hed ever seen. His cock, which had thankfully behaved itself from the moment he walked into her mothers kitchen, suddenly hardened. Because he recalled her looking nearly exactly like this sans clothing last night as he tasted her. If he had been alone with her, he wouldve tackled her to the ground the way his tiger urged him to. He wouldve torn her clothes from her to get to her deliciously satiny skin and licked her from head to toe the way he had the night before. But her father popped

up between them, violet eyes sparking with rage Zach suddenly understood. The older man was the patriarch of this small clan, had given the Robicheaux family their first female in several generations and was understandably protective of her. The tiger understood the fathers feelings, knew that if he had a daughter who shared her mothers white-blonde hair and pretty purple eyes, hed eviscerate any male who came sniffing around her. The hair on the tigers scruff lifted at the thought, a grouchy snarl curling its upper lip. His

daughter would be locked up until she was fifty. Or he could send her to an all-girls school, then a convent. He gave a mental nod. That sounded better. Zach broke off his staring contest with the elder Robicheaux. Holy fuck, what was he thinking? He was here because Because he wanted to fuck Colette a few times. Maybe feed her because the jeans she wore sagged on her lean hips. She definitely needed to be fattened up. Hed noticed that the night before as he carried her to bed. And thats when Zach frowned.

I can hear your stomach growling from here, woman. Why didnt you eat today? he asked, cutting off her fathers tirade about guns and neutering and a whole bunch of other shit Zach didnt want to hear. The sudden silence in the kitchen, punctuated only by Laurette-Maries quiet chuckle and the soft sizzle of pork in the pan, couldve been cut with one of her professionally sharp knives. Colettes jaw dropped and her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink. Her dad, who was starting to get on Zachs nerves, looked

between them, a frown furrowing his forehead. The loud boys, her brothers, snorted before breaking into laughter. Since hed been taught to respect his elders, even when they irritated the ever-lovin fuck out of him, Zach turned his attention to the kids. Whats so funny? Shes too skinny. Colette spluttered, earning a glare from him. You need to eat more or youll waste away to nothing. Without waiting for an invitation, Zach grabbed one of the knives from the butchers block and opened the cake hed brought. He

cut a slice of the moist dessert with practiced ease, placing it on the saucer Mrs. Robicheaux handed him. Hed cut a much larger piece than he normally did when he was doling out cake, but his woman obviously needed it. He shot her father a hard glare as he thrust the dessert in her face. Eat. Supper wont be ready for a little while. Her wide-eyed gaze traveled from his face to the cake and back again, but she made no move to take it from him. Frustrated beyond belief because he couldnt take the insistent growling of her stomach,

he forked up a big bite and held it up to her mouth. Open up. Fire sparked in her eyes, a mutinous line firming her lips for a moment before she opened her mouth. Zach knew she wasnt opening for food, but to deliver what would no doubt be one of her scathingly frigid retorts. But he and his tiger werent without sneakiness. He shoved the bite of cake in her mouth first. Her lips automatically closed over the tines of the fork and he forgot his ire, the sudden surge of desire washing everything away.

He thought for certain shed spit the piece of cake back at him, his heart pounding with nervousness as he waited for her reaction. He hadnt felt this self-conscious about his cooking since college. He wanted her to love it even as his body reacted to the eroticism of feeding her, his tiger purring as he imagined the food energizing her for the play he wanted to do later. It was similar to how hed felt last night with her on his lap. Hed thought nothing could be better than that moment, but he was proved wrong. The anticipation causing his heart to beat as he

waited for her reaction was so much more. Because it meant more to him now. She meant more to him. Zach scanned her face, waiting for the blend of dark, milk and white chocolate to hit her taste buds. He knew the instant it did, the fire in her eyes banking beneath a tide of pleasure that softened her expression to one hed kill to see over and over again. She made a strangled sound in the back of her throat, her eyelids sliding shut. The breath caught in Zachs chest and his tiger growled softly, realizing this was what shed look like when

he was buried to the hilt inside her. She would soften around him, the hard woman melting beneath her desire to accept everything he had to give her. Hed already seen her pleasured to exhaustion, had seen her body twisted with the agonizing torment of orgasms so intense they left her screaming for mercy. But he hadnt seen her like this, relaxed. Open and calm, accepting what he would give her. This is what shed look like as he rocked into her slow and easy, taking his time to enjoy the hot clasp of her body. It wasnt sex, or just about sex. It was about

connection and caring. She opened her eyes again, slowly this time, as though the lids weighed a ton. They stared at each other over the mound of cake Zach held, awareness heating the air between them. His cock twitched, pressing against the fly of his jeans, wanting at the wet silk of the pussy he smelled. Hunger of a different kind filled him. He wanted to taste her again, to just dive back into her cunt and gorge himself on her salty-sweet flavor. Then she smiled at him. It was the first time hed ever seen it, watching the way her face lit up, a

little crease in her cheek that couldve been a dimple flashing at him. When she reached for him, Zach nearly dropped the cake at their feet and threw her over his shoulder. It probably wouldve resulted in his balls being crushed by her knee because his woman didnt reach for him. Colette snatched the saucer out of his hand and proceeded to eat it like a woman starved. You obviously dont know Collie, someone said, the words buzzing around his head, annoying the tiger since itd forgotten they werent alone. Her youngest

brother Alcide approached. The only time Colette isnt eating is when shes sleeping. Yeah, try being a growing boy with an older sister in the house who fights with you over food, the other brother said. Can we get a piece of this cake, or Colette snarled, Mine around a mouthful of food. It wasnt the most attractive sight Zach had ever seen, but that might have had more to do with the fact that she shoved him out of the way to protect the cake. He brought this for me, she told her brothers with the kind of protective snarl his tiger

appreciated even as he hated that it wasnt directed at him. The two boys, who were probably in their early twenties, turned to their mom and started the whining, bellowing thing again with Colette grumbling at them from her spot at the table. Mrs. Robicheaux jumped into the fray with the long-suffering look of a mother whod been wrangling children for years. Zach watched in amazement and a touch of longing. He had no siblings and his mom had dropped him off to his grandmother when he was a cub. While his grandmother had tried to

be a mother to him, shed been too old and set in her ways for a rambunctious boy. Hed never experienced the kind of easy affection the Robicheaux family had. Dont get too comfortable, the Robicheaux patriarch muttered beneath the boisterous argument happening only a few feet away. My daughter deserves better than to be used by some cookin tiger, yhear? Zach dragged his gaze away from the quartet at the table, the woman who had drawn him here laughingly huddled over the cake

like a hen with an egg as her brothers tried to tickle her ribs to get her away from it. He looked over at the man who had given that woman life and knew he was the biggest obstacle to being with Colette. Braving the possible dangers of Bayou Ange had earned him Mrs. Robicheauxs respect. Cooking with her and feeding her daughter had solidified it. She would accept him, even seemed to encourage his pursuit. Because she thinks you want forever with Colette, his conscience told him. The tiger didnt know what the big deal was. It wanted forever

with Colette. Expected it. Mate, it growled in his mind as he watched her laugh with her brothers, taunting them with bites of the cake hed made. She glanced over at him, some of her laughter fading as awareness crept into her eyes again. The scent of her desire called to him, but so did the spice of her uncertainty and a dash of fear. It pissed his tiger off because it knew she wasnt scared of him so much as what he wanted from her. Zachs world tilted on its axis. He could do exactly as hed planned when he first saw her and get her in bed, fuck her the way his

body demanded. It would be great, beyond great really. Shed enjoy it too. Hed make sure of that. But suddenly sex didnt seem like enough. Oh, he would get it. He just had to figure out how to make it a permanent kind of thing. Which meant he had to figure out some way to win her father over. I told you so. Zach growled at his tiger.

Chapter Nine
It was the strangest dinner Colette had ever shared with her family. Not because they had a guest, but because of who it was. Zach should have looked out of place at her moms table, his stunning good looks enough to make her forget about food a couple of times, yet he appeared completely unfazed by the glares her dad threw his way. He and her mom chatted about recipes as though theyd been friends forever, while her brothers bugged him about the rock stars living in

Maison Rouge. Colette hadnt been able to think of a single thing to say to him after hed fed her the most decadent cake shed ever tasted. She cast a wistful glance at the box on the counter. Her mom had taken the cake away from her, declaring it would spoil her dinner. Whatever. Everyone in Bayou Ange knew Colette ate like three grown men. She couldnt help it. If she didnt burn so much energy working and hunting, shed be as big as a house and she didnt care. Food, especially the Cajun-Haitian-fused cuisine her mom made was her

biggest weakness. But desserts were her other weakness, something Zachs bakery had proven to her again and again. How could she have purposely cut off her sweets supply? She had to be some kind of idiot because God Himself wouldve loved that cake. That cake. She purred in the back of her throat at the memory of the silky chocolate melting on her tongue. Zach shot a look her way, no doubt his sharp ears able to pick up the small sound she made over her brothers loud talk. Her cheeks heated, her pussy giving a hungry little quiver that had her squeezing

her thighs together. God, horny in her mamas kitchen. It was blasphemous, but she couldnt seem to help it. Not with him here in her territory, his big body sprawled in the chair as though hed visited her moms house all his life. But there was no forgetting who or what he was. It was there in the way he studied them, the predator studying her family in turn before watching her with a hunger she knew was all about sex. And suddenly, even though she knew she was still in her moms kitchen, Colette was right back there on her sofa with Zachs heavy

frame pinning her down. Back on her kitchen table with her pussy riding his mouth as she took his cock between her lips. She experienced it all over again, the close intimacy of him feeding her, their faces only inches apart. Her gaze dropped to his lips as he smiled at something her brother Daniel said. Those lips had tasted and sucked at her, his tongue had lapped at her until she thought she would die. Until she thought she had died. Heat speared her pussy, leaving her soft and wet for him all over again. His nostrils flared, drawing her

gaze upward. He watched through hooded eyes, the glinting gold reminiscent of what hed looked like the night before. She knew he could smell her over the food. Knew he was probably hard as a rock beneath the fly of his jeans, the crown of his dick slick with desire. Colettes breath quickened at the thought. There were many things she regretted about the night before. She hadnt let him kiss her again. Why had she turned away from him? Because she feared him even as she wanted him. Zach could hurt her badly. His

reputation as a free spirit, a male who enjoyed sex and none of the ties that went with a relationship had preceded him. And yet she didnt care. Sort of. Despite his possessive, demanding words the night before, claiming her as his, she knew itd been lust talking. Not him. And he hadnt exactly fought to kiss her, to claim her lips. Her cheeks burned. Well, not the lips on her face at least. She reached for her glass of ice water and gulped it down. It didnt help, the same way it hadnt helped any other time she tried to cool herself from the inside out. The

quirk of his sexy mouth suggested he knew exactly what she was trying to do, just as he knew it wouldnt work worth a damn. Colette dropped her glass at that quirk, the heavy glass sliding from her fingers to hit the table. It drew the attention of her family who all stared at her as though shed lost her mind. Well, the men stared at her. Her mama gave her a knowing smile before looking back down at her plate. Following suit to avoid drawing more attention her way, not in the least bit interested in food for the first time since she could remember, Colette pushed

her beans around. Another thing she regretted about the night before was that she hadnt felt what it was like to have Zachs dick spread her pussy wide, stretch her inner muscles and slide home with one hard thrust. Her fork almost slid from her hand as her fingers set up a tingling that had nothing to do with lack of sensation and everything to do with the remembered feel of his bare skin. Golden satin stretched taut over muscles that flexed as he moved over her, the slick glide of his cock along her stomach, the wet trail of her pussy on his stomach.

She wanted to be in charge. She wanted to have him beneath her, at her mercy, her body Right, Colette? She almost strangled on her tongue. Instead, she jumped and bit it, her head jerking at the sudden intrusion into her dirty, nasty, sexy thoughts. The taste of blood flooded her mouth, but she only betrayed the pain by the smallest wince. Everyone was looking at her again. What? she asked when they continued staring. Daniel rolled his eyes, shooting Zach a commiserating look as

though to say women. She was going to kick his ass as soon as she could walk straight. Zach wanted to know if he could take the swamp tour tomorrow, he said slowly and carefully. I told him we didnt have any clients scheduled, so you could probably do a short tour, right? Well now, her dad said loudly, looking between her and Zach as though he wasnt sure he liked that. Tomorrows Colettes day off. Werent you going to New Orleans to visit your Uncle Sun and Aunt Antoinette tomorrow? Isnt Kanda

expecting you? That naturally had Colettes mom looking up from her plate in shock. It was no stretch of the imagination to say Willis Robicheaux did not get along with his brother-in-law. It was a hunter, nearly extinct species thing that started the minute Sunan Banthao, a Thai immigrant who was also a clouded leopard shifter, learned his mate was related to a hunter. The two men were never seen in each others company, didnt speak of each otheras though ignoring the other meant they didnt exist, but neither did they attempt to stop

their wives and children from being friendly. It was a silent feud no one spoke about, but for Colettes dad to throw an impromptu trip to New Orleans to visit a shifter he didnt like meant he was desperate to get her away from Bayou Ange. He ignored the incredulous stares Colette and her mom sent him, turning to Alcide, whose eyes nearly bugged out of his head. You can take him on the swamp tour. Alcide gaped. You mean, youre letting me drive the airboat again? Her dad opened his mouth and closed it again, a chagrined

expression on his face. The last time Alcide had taken the airboat out, hed somehow gotten a thick cypress branch caught in the propellers, causing extensive damage and had nearly gotten himself killed at the same time. Colette, along with everyone else, waited to see what the patriarch of their family would say. The minute stretched out and she couldnt help but glance over at Zach to see how he was taking this obvious ploy to keep them apart. He didnt seem worried in the least. He sprawled with one arm draped over the back of the chair, the other

drawing patterns on her moms tabletop, his heavy-lidded stare trained on her. Her palms grew damp. The small smile playing at the corners of his lips seemed to suggest he gave a rats ass what her dad planned. Considering how hed slipped into the neighborhood and left, without anyone but her knowing, she figured he probably had a right to be smug. She really shouldnt have thought of that again because it reminded her of what hed done when he arrived in Bayou Ange. The spark in his eyes told her he knew exactly where her mind had

gone. Thats enough, her mama said firmly, silencing everyone at the table and drawing Colettes attention. Alcide is not driving the airboat. At least not until Ive gotten grandchildren out of him. Her brother squawked but it did no good against his determined mom. Hes going on the boat with you tomorrow as planned while Daniel takes Beaus place, the way yall were planning to do all season. Colette will take the chat on a tour of the swamp and thats it. Fini. Alcide continued mumbling under his breath, but dropped his

eyes to the table in front of him, unwilling to challenge their mama when she got that expression on her face. Not even Colettes dad gainsaid her, although his body language spoke volumes. He glared at Zach, eyes glittering with anger. Now, how did the hunt go? Mama asked with false brightness.

*****
Hours later, Zach crouched in the shadows behind Colettes house, waiting for her father to leave. The older man had walked his daughter home, bringing a dog with him. The hound had gotten a

whiff of Zachs markings all over the place and refused to go near it. Listening to Colette and her dad curse as they realized all her traps were scent-marked by him, had him rethinking the means he used to keep others at bay. He hadnt given any thought to what would happen with her traps and equipment once he marked it. His only concern at the time had been making sure the damn wolf knew she was off-limits. Now though, realizing she was going to have to have new traps made and spend hours trying to clean the ones he and the wolf hadnt smashed, he

wanted to gnash his teeth in frustration. You shouldnt see him, her father said in disgust as he helped her sort equipment that could be salvaged from the mess theyd left behind. Hes nothing but trouble. Instead of arguing, Colette shrugged. Thats what Mama said her dad told her about you when yall started dating, she said absently, picking through the smashed crab traps. Besides, Im not dating Zach. Hes just coming around because hes bored. If her father hadnt looked as though he could spit bullets, Zach

wouldve stormed out of the brush and stalked Colette up those stairs again so he could paddle her ass in private. And this time hed really do it. She thought the only reason he was hanging around was because he was bored? Her dad seemed just as insulted, but for an entirely different reason. I dont like it, he spat and folded his arms over his chest. Youre not some kind of toy he can play with and go on his way when hes finished with you. Colette said nothing in response and after several minutes of silence, Willis sighed heavily and caught

her arm as she went to walk past him. With the familiarity of a parent knowing when he stepped over the line, he pulled her into his embrace, hugging her tight. Im sorry, he muttered after nearly squeezing her to death. Youll always be my little girl, yeah? You deserve a good man who will take care of you, not someone who just wants to have a good time. He leaned away to look her in the face. How about Pierre Dubois, hanh? Hes a good provider and he cooks too. Maybe not as good as the tiger, but he makes a good sauce picante.

Zach vowed to find this Pierre Dubois and castrate him, especially when Colette gave a little laugh. Yes, the rival had to go. Why she hadnt told him about this Pierre character was something hed find out as soon as he had a moment alone with her. Tonight. Colette thought hed put his mark on her and her home before? She hadnt seen anything yet. As for her dad, hed have to work out exactly how to win the old Cajun over. Cooking hadnt worked. The man approved of this Pierre guy because he would be a good provider. He and his tiger almost snorted

at the thought. Who better to take care of a female than a shifter who could hunt with her? A male who could cook her all the sweet delights she seemed to love? There was no way hed ever forget the look of ecstasy on her face as she sat down with her after-dinner dessert. Hed always assumed the phrase the way to a mans heart was through his stomach applied only to men, but he was quickly learning his Colette was a woman who adored food. He was a chef. He created dishes that had members of Hollywoods A-list begging him to cook for them. His desserts were

quickly becoming a tourist attraction and the demands to ship internationally had grown over the last year. There was no way this Pierre person cooked better than he did. So no, he wasnt worried about some human winning Colette from him. She was too wild and predatory herself to ever be content with a non-shifter. His tiger purred softly as it watched her work with her dad, the fine muscles of her body moving together in a symphony of lethal grace. Tonight, he was going to have her. Tomorrow, they were spending the

day together under the guise of a swamp tour. He licked his lips. Hed have to work double-time when he got back to the bakery in a couple of days, but it would be worth it because he planned to fuck Colette until they were both raw and barely able to move. A plan solidly in place, he rested on the cooling soil, watching father and daughter work together in perfect synchronicity. It was evident this wasnt the first time theyd cleaned up, or worked on traps, because as one would do something, the other was there to provide help without being asked.

Even knowing Willis was his main obstacle to being with Colette well, besides her continued belief that he was just amusing himself with herthere was something poignant about watching them together. He couldnt help but picture this same type of scene, but instead of Willis and Colette as the stars, it was Zach and a little girl with her mamas violet eyes. This time though, instead of shying away from the images in his head, the fantasy of a life spent with Colette, Zach considered it rationally, or as rationally as a horny tiger shifter could. She was

tough. He liked tough women. She was independent. Maybe too independent, he thought as she lifted a crate too heavy for her. She wasnt afraid of him, or anything really. He admired that, even as he worried about her. And it was that worry, the constant concern he felt for her, that made Zach think about what he expected to happen with Colette. Whatd started out as raging lust was turning into something else, something softer and warmer than just sizzling sexual attraction. Father and daughter sat side-byside on the tailgate of her truck,

their hands working on straightening wire. Willis said something under his breath that made Colette laugh and Zachs heart did a strange flip-flop in his chest. He wished he could say it was something like indigestion, but watching her dad reach out to tuck hair behind her ear in a move hed probably done a million times over the years, Zach finally stopped fighting his instincts. If it took him the rest of time, hed make Colette his.

*****
When Colette woke up the

following morning, it was with the knowledge that Zach hadnt come over, hadnt knocked on her door, sultry eyes watching her like a hungry beast and his signature killer smile ready to slay her. She stumbled off the sofa, nearly going to her knees when her legs finally came to life. Pins and needles burned all the way down to her toes. She leaned against the sofa with a wince. No more sleeping on the sofa. It wasnt exactly comfortable for all its chic design. She was never going to let her cousin Kanda help her furnitureshop again. Yes, it looked good, but

it was a bitch to sleep on. Not that she made a habit of crashing in her living room. The last time A blush heated her cheeks at the memory of the last time she fell asleep on the couch. If Zach had been there, he couldve carried her to bed the same way, but he hadnt shown. Once her legs were under her control again, she shuffled to the door, her heart pounding with excitement. Maybe he was standing on the other side with a knowing smirk on his face. But a peek showed no tiger lounging on her porch, no naked Zach storming up

the stairs. Disappointment sat heavy in her throat. She stood in the middle of her living room, feeling lost. How ridiculous was that? The man had only come to her house once, yet in that one night hed managed to leave his imprint everywhere. She couldnt look at her kitchen without seeing him leaning against the counter, or sprawled on her table. Her sofa was another piece of furniture she couldnt look at without remembering what hed done to her on it. Getting horny over furniture was just messed up. Seriously messed up.

The muscles of her face hardened as she realized hed taken the cowards way out. Well, fuck him, she said to the empty house, trying to ignore the way it seemed to absorb the sound of her voice and bounce it back. Better he left now before I put a hole in his troublesome ass. Concentrating on how much work hed caused her, how much money his actions were going to cost her was a lot easier than thinking about how easily shed been suckered in by a handsome face. She hurried through her morning routine, grumbling under

her breath all the while. As she bathed, she scrubbed her skin harder than usual, causing her to tear up a little. She wasnt crying over a puffed-up excuse of a house cat. Her sunburn stung, that was all. And when she got out of the shower, her eyes were dry. No tears, no problem. Maybe it was time to ask Kanda to come out for a visit. She hadnt had a night out with her best friend and cousin in months. Or maybe she really should go to New Orleans. It had to be better than hanging around Bayou Ange, watching the road for

a man whod run at the first sign of trouble. If she played her cards right, she could get Beau or Cotton to take her place on her dads boat for a couple of days. She pulled on a pair of her favorite jeans and a white tank with the B.A.S.T. logo on the front. Shed probably have to be designated driver for the boys on one of their wild nights, but it would be worth it if she could leave the area for a few days. Thinking of going away, if only for a weekend, helped center her and drive away the hurt Zachs desertion caused. She didnt need him or any man. Shed proved that

time and time again. Sure, it wouldve been nice to fuck something other than her toys for a change, but did she really want to deal with the problems that entailed? Like, what if he was a bad lay? What if the gossip around the parish was all wrong? Or what if he had fleas? The evil thought popped into her mind and it helped wipe a little of her anger away. She knew he didnt have fleas, but it was a great image. And she used it to get her out the door of her house. Colette clomped down the stairs, her thoughts far away. At least until she saw something shiny

out the corner of her eye. Knowing she and her dad had picked up the traps she could keep, she stopped well short of the bottom stairs and stared. Brand-new crab traps were stacked neatly along the steps, the metal gleaming in the earlymorning light. Beside them were spools of new ropes, her others going straight to the trash since the deer would scent the tiger on them and flee. The come-alongs, cargo straps, and even the waders shed left on her carport to air out had been replaced, everything shiny, bright and new. Her eyes widened in shock even

as they darted over everything, trying to take it all in. She hadnt owned new equipment forwell, a long time. Most of what she used was inherited crap from her dad and cousins. It was like Christmas. She darted down the rest of the stairs, nearly tripping over her feet in her haste. She stumbled through the maze of traps, touching them reverently. New, never-been-used before, they were the best things shed ever gotten. Over the years, shed made a wish list of things she wanted to buy, things she needed to replace, but something always came up to

prevent her from getting them. While she made a living on the water, shed never strike it rich, so her wish list was almost more of a bucket list of things shed love to have. Here, she saw everything she needed to hunt and fish. It was as though whoever bought this had taken her dog-eared hunting magazines and went shopping. She reached out to touch a high-dollar game bag, her fingers trembling a bit. The question was who had done this? Her dad? She shook her head at the thought. Her parents made decent money, but they didnt have

the kind of money it took to fully equip someone out. In fact, she didnt know anyone in the Bayou who could afford something like this and even if theyd all pooled their money together, she wouldve heard about it. Nothing stayed a secret in Bayou Ange for long. I hope I got everything. If I missed something, let me know. Her heart seemed to stumble in her chest before galloping wildly, hope blossoming like a morning glory with the first rays of sunlight. Colette tried not to let it show on her face, yet there was nothing but happiness and relief at hearing that

voice. She spun slowly to look at him, barely able to keep a goofy smile off her face. It proved impossible, especially when she studied him. The immaculate, unruffled tiger shifter whod invaded her life and her dreams looked harried and stressed. His jaw was dark with scruff, something that only made him sexier than ever, his hair was mussed as though hed run his hands through it multiple times and his clothes were wrinkled. The rumpled appearance seemed to magnify his sex appeal, at least for Colette. Hed been sexy all clean

and put together in his casual way, but looking like a man whod obviously stayed awake all night to replace her things, he was a dream come true. In more ways than one. Her heart melted at his apparent care and her stomach clenched with want. Sexiness, thy name is Zachary Trahan. Shed missed him. Silly and pathetic as it sounded in the much quieter, logical part of her brain, shed wanted to wake up the same way she had last night, with him cooking her a snack and then making her fantasies come true. The anticipation of seeing him

again, even if shed planned to bitch him out for ruining her traps and equipment, had come to an abrupt halt when he didnt show. Now though, wonder overcame any anger shed felt the day before. Wonder that hed gone through the trouble to replace everything. Why? she found herself asking. He grimaced and stuffed his hands into his pockets. I wasnt thinking that night. He tilted his head back to stare at the underside of the house above him for a few minutes before looking at her again. His face was resolved, as

though hed come to a major decision. My tiger, he paused and shook his head. No, I dont think rationally where youre involved. He ran a hand through his hair. Colette wasnt sure the last time shed seen such a stressed-out man, maybe her dad the day before when he realized Zach was staying for supper. I was an idiot, he finally said in a near mumble. And Im sorry. His shoulders lifted as though a huge weight had fallen from them. Colette had seen hard-given apologies before. She had two younger brothers whod made her

teenage life hell. How many times had her mama made the boys tell her they were sorry for some infraction or another? Zach reminded her of that, except where shed still wanted to wring her brothers necks, she felt more inclined to forgive the man in front of her. Only this once, and only because hed made restitution. She supposed a better woman would turn down his expensive gifts, telling him an apology was more than enough, but she wasnt couillon. The crab traps alone were nearly forty bucks apiece and hed bought her five dozen. Shed be

able to make enough to pay him back for them in a couple of seasons since she wouldnt have to constantly trade them out for repair. And she would pay him back, she decided as she studied him. Hed broken her traps, yes, but he hadnt done it alone. The wolf had helped. The other things hed apparently scent-marked, well she didnt even want to try to figure that one out, but she wouldve had to replace those things eventually anyway. It wouldnt do any good to think this thing with him whatever it waswould last for

long. Thank you, she finally told him when he started looking nervous again. You didnt have to do this, but I appreciate it. And Ill pay you back as soon as I get a chance to put them on the water. She did her best not to think about ways she could pay him back. On her back, on her knees, on his lap. Her heart sped up and the apex of her legs ached at the thought. She prayed to everything that he wouldnt guess what was on her mind, that she wasnt eyeing him like a hunter did a ten-point buck. Lucky for her, Zach was just as

stubborn as she was because he shook his head. I dont want you to pay me back. Oh the ways she wanted to let him take his payment. If he was half as naughty as rumor suggested, he wouldve come up with that nefarious plan on his own and taken advantage of her. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking on her part. Men, apparently even those whod tried to make a meal out of her, didnt seem to realize she had damsel-in-distress fantasies as well. Zach, though, didnt seem to pick up on her hunger, her need for

him to twirl his invisible mustache and say, I know exactly how you can pay me back, Miz Robicheaux bend over. Stifling a wistful sigh, she finally shrugged when he cocked his head to the side. You cant always get what you want and all that. Im paying you back. To show the discussion was closed, she slapped her hands on her thighs, feeling lighterand hornierthan she had before. So, you ready for your swamp tour?

Chapter Ten
She did it again. If Zachs cock grew any harder, hed burst out of his jeans and fuck Colette on the bench seat of her truck. Hed tried distracting himself with views of the boring road, glimpses of more houses perched in the swamp, counting potholes, anything but the woman sitting next to him smelling of sex and sin. And looking at his lap with longing. The scent of her arousal was thick in the air, the constant shifting of her legs as she drove and those sly, hungry glances were

enough to leave him with sweat trickling down his back. He clutched his knees, his fingers pressing deep, hoping a little pain would distract him. Then she peeked over at him again, her tongue pressing to her sexy upper lip. He bit back a whimper. Hed spent a lot of time thinking last night as he ran all over trying to replace the traps hed broken and the equipment hed ruined with his possessiveness. All that thinking had been about Colette, about why she of all the women hed known touched off the need to own her, to put his mark on her in

some way. It wasnt until he found himself promising desserts for two hungry she-bears that he realized he was whoring himself out for her. For Colette. And he didnt even mind. When Kitty required beignets for an entire month in exchange for allowing her mate and husband, Monk, to help him find the traps and have them transported to Maison Rouge within three hours, Zach had agreed without a second thought. When Daisy demanded cakes once a week for every week of her pregnancy in exchange for her mates help, Zach hadnt batted

an eyelash. Not when it meant he was able to get Rams band to help him cart everything through the swamp to Colettes house in quick order. The best part though, was Monk and Ram hadnt said a word about his weakness for the human hunter. Theyd just given him knowing looks and helped out where they could. And it was only as he listened to the complaints of Rams friends as they made numerous trips back and forth to her house that Zach realized shed somehow burrowed herself into his heart. He wasnt calling it love. Yet. He liked her,

liked everything about her, even her stubbornness. The flashes he kept having of a life without her in it, without smelling her sweet scent or hearing her soft drawl were like waking nightmares. His tigers hunger for her and need to stamp his territorial markings all over her only solidified the knowledge that Zach needed Colette in his life. He would have her in his life. He just had to figure out how. His first thought was that he couldnt just fuck and mark her the way he wouldve if she had been a shifter. Even if she was shifter savvy, it wouldnt mean a goddamn thing to

her unless she cared for him. His stomach twisted and his tiger rumbled unhappily. And there was the thought that kept circling around his head all night. What about him could possibly entice a woman to care for him? It was such a pathetic thought, hed shied away from it several times. Hed never really battled his self-esteem. He was a tiger, after all. He knew he was handsome, had lethal grace, could fuck like a dream and all other things women had been telling him since he was old enough to know what to do with his dick, but not a

single one of them had ever fallen in love with him. They hadnt exactly fought to keep him in their beds. Thered been one crazy woman who did all kinds of weird stalker shit to him, but he hadnt even been her main focus. Shed gone after the easygoing Monk Badeaux. Zach had been a side project. They hit a big pothole and the truck bucked hard, drawing his attention to the woman driving. She handled the big vehicle as if it were nothing, confident in her ability to take care of herself. God, what a sexy woman. Zach wasnt

sure he couldve picked a better mate for himself. And he didnt even stumble over the word in his mind the way he had weeks ago. A long, wooden building with the faded words, Bayou Ange Swamp Tours, appeared up ahead, distracting Zach from his thoughts. He glanced over at Colette, their gazes catching for a moment. His heart tripped over itself and his cock lurched for freedom. Only the knowledge that he had to show her there was more to him than sex held him in his seat. Otherwise, he wouldve been all over her like white on rice.

After what seemed like hours, she looked away, blinking at the empty parking lot. Were here, she said in a hoarse tone. Lets go. Normally Zach wouldve done the gentlemanly thing and opened her door for her. He wanted to do that, to show her he wasnt an asshole, but he didnt need her to get a good look at the lead pipe in his pants. He took the time it took her to get out of the truck and climb the steps of the building to readjust his dick, try some deep breathing exercises, anything to make his erection go away. No such luck. Colettes fumbling

with her keys caused them to fall from her hands. When she bent over to pick them up again, Zach had to bite his lip to keep from groaning at the round curve of her ass, hands itching to palm the firm globes. Hed never been so desperately hungry for a woman, especially not a woman hed vowed not to touch. For now. Once he made her fall in love with him though, all bets were off. He just needed to survive the excruciating pain in his balls until that happened. She turned to wave to him, her pert little tits swaying beneath her

top. I hope this only takes a few weeks, he muttered to himself as he eased from the truck. He wasnt sure hed be able to last any longer than that before he touched her. The Bayou Ange Swamp Tour office was nicer on the inside than it appeared from the outside. He heard Colette moving around somewhere in the back, but didnt follow. No, God knew he needed as much time as he could afford to regain his control. Instead, he wandered the lobby area, staring at pictures and sketches that had to date back to the late nineteenth

century and documents that had been photocopied and preserved beneath glass. Looking at them, seeing the obvious pride the Robicheaux clan had for their history and preserving it, made him realize he didnt have anything left in the bakery showing how long itd been in his family. Probably because hed never really felt as though they were his family. He frowned at a picture of people whod taken the tour before, a much younger Colette standing next to her dad, beaming at the camera. His grandmother used to try to tell him about his legacy,

tried to get him to love and appreciate the importance of being a Trahan with a business that had thrived for nearly a century, but he hadnt wanted to hear it. What good would it do anyway? His grandmother hadnt really wanted him. He wasnt really part of her family. Hed been a burden on her, something his mother had dropped off like a bag of dirty laundry. His frown turned into a scowl he could see in the picture frame. Zach didnt spend much time thinking about his childhood, didnt dwell on the sense of abandonment that plagued him,

but being around Colette, seeing how much her family cared stirred old ghosts. He was positive some therapist somewhere would say he had issues or some shit like that. If they were brave enough to even speak. Maybe hed clung too hard to his resentment toward his mother, hadnt given his grandmother a real chance to be as close to him as shed obviously wanted. Because looking back, he could see how shed tried to love him. Shed taught him everything she knew about the business, but all Zach had seen was making a name for himself, the

fame and fortune that came with being the best chef in the state. Moving on to another set of pictures, these surrounding an old newspaper clipping, he made a promise to himself to go through the things his grandmother had left for him with her passing. He hadnt been interested in his ancestors before, only caring that theyd paved the way for his ambitions, but thoughts of having a mate and cubs made him want to know more about those tigers whod settled in Maison Rouge. If he had kids, no when he had kids with that crazy Cajun woman, he wanted them to

know about his family as well as hers. He highly doubted, though, that his tiger ancestors would turn out to be half as colorful as Colettes. He focused on the article in front of his face, one that spoke of another ancestor named Alcide Robichau whod settled in what was now called Bayou Ange in 1768. A hunter, trapper and businessman, hed opened a very small trading post, which flourished in the community of Bayou Ange. There was no mention of his relations with shifters, or why shifters never seemed to settle

in the area, but Zach figured the words hunter and trapper had a lot to do with it. The trading post became a general store, the buildings having been flooded out over and over through the centuries. The last reincarnation of the original general store had been constructed in 1893 by Franois Robicheaux. By 1979, the building had gone out of use as a store and thats when the newest descendants, Willis, Claude and Eugene turned the old family business into a swamp tour company. A picture beneath the

article showed the three guys whod barged into his bakery two days before, except much younger. Their hair was long as was the style in the 70s, mustaches hiding their upper lips, but there was no mistaking the purple eyes of the Robicheaux family. Dad swears hes going to take that picture down, Colette said as she entered the room again, a bag over her shoulder. He says it makes him look like a damn hippie. Zach couldnt care less about the picture, not with the light shining through the windows, highlighting

her pale hair and dark skin. His dick, which had thankfully deflated through his little tour of the room, swelled to painful proportions. His tiger liked. The man thought she resembled an angel. Then she gave him that sly, hungry look again that made his blood pressure shoot through the roof and sweat gather along his hairline. Im making a pot of coffee for the ride, she said when all he could do was stare at her. Ill also pack some water and a few snacks. She paused to study him and his cock twitched at the speculative look in her eyes. Maybe a lot of

snacks. She turned around again, her braid whipping behind her as she returned to the back of the building. He waited until she cleared the doorway before he tried adjusting himself again. Treat her with respect. Be gentle with her. Shes not some quick shifter fuck. Shes the woman you want to mate. Repeating the words did nothing for his erection. He banged his forehead on the wall. This was going to be the longest day of his life.

*****
Colette guided the boat down Bayou Lupe, enjoying the serenity of being on the water without hunting. The occasional bald eagle circled overhead, great wings expanded and eyes on the swamp, looking for food. Fat catfish splashed here and there while silverfin carp leapt alongside the boat. Zach sat on the bench in front of her, the slight breeze ruffling his multicolored hair. His broad shoulders, which had started the tour bunched and tight, slowly relaxed as he saw the swamp through her eyes. She couldve

taken the party barge out or the airboat the way Alcide would have, but with only two of them on the tour, shed opted for the smaller sixteen-foot aluminum boat. It made it a lot cozier and they could go places she didnt normally get to show her clients. She slowed the boat as they came to a fork in the bayou. This is where Daddy caught a fourteenfoot alligator when he was twenty, she told Zach, whod turned to look at her. She pointed at the trunk of an old cypress tree. You can still see where the line rubbed into the wood. He won the record for the

biggest alligator ever caught in Pointe-Aux-Chat Parish, she finished proudly. Zach looked suitably impressed, which she appreciated. It was probably no big deal for him to catch an alligator or fight with one. He weighed as much, if not more, than most of the bayou beasts in his cat form. Since he showed up in her life, shed done a little research on tigers and discovered they were one of the few predators that would attack other predators if food was scarce and even eat them. For some reason it pleased her to know he was the kind of predator

who made others wary. But he hadnt made a single move on her since they got into her truck. Colette frowned at him as he studied the tree trunk, his gold eyes thoughtful. Hed surprised her. When they got in the boat, hed looked at her and asked, Can you show me your favorite places to go? Colette hadnt known what to say to that. In all the years shed been doing tours with her family, no one had asked her where her favorite spots were. Of course, none of her past clients had stared into her eyes as though they were

searching for something private and deep. Shed blushed, pleased and flattered and horny. Thank God shed taken a quick shortcut into the office before meeting Zach at the boat. She shifted to the side to hide the bag shed grabbed on her way out of the building. If Zach was just being polite, hed never know what was inside it. If he wasnt Just then he glanced at her and she forgot all about alligators and hunting and the bag of hope behind her. Zach, she started, emboldened by her need for him. She took a step away from the

wheel. Fuck it. You only live once, right? I want this man more than anything else and Im going to have him. As though the fates were completely against her, a crack of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by the ominous roll of thunder. Colette whipped her head around to see the clouds that had seemed so idyllic and picturesque before had turned dark and threatening. Another peal of thunder warned more was to come. And they were in an aluminum boat. Shit, she spat as she stepped

behind the wheel again. Hold on. Zach didnt even question her, gripping the sides of the boat as she spun them around and shot down the left branch of the fork in the bayou. I know somewhere we can ride this out, she shouted over the roar of the engine and the bass-like rumbles of the thunderstorm. She couldnt believe shed let herself become so distracted by him that shed forgotten to pay attention to the weather. South Louisiana was infamous for its summer thunderstorms. They rolled up out of nowhere, dropped several inches of rain and

disappeared as quickly as they arrived. The sky continued to darken, telling her it was only developing faster. The cabin, more like a hunting shack, she frequently used for deer season was only a mile up the bayou. Shed planned to show it to Zach anyway, but hadnt thought theyd be forced to seek it out by a storm. As if Mother Nature wanted to show her just how stupid she was, fat, cold raindrops fell from the darkening sky, slapping her face. The deluge helped drown out some of her arousal. It was hard to hold on to a fantasy when drops of

rain the size of nickels were stinging your face like angry bees. Zach turned to look at her, his gold eyes concerned. I got this, Colette shouted over the noise. Im sure I wont melt. His face got this weird, tight expression she didnt have time to examine, but he didnt look away from her. He probably thought she shouldve been like other women would be in the same situation. Shrieking about their hair, flapping their arms helplessly and a million other things her cousin wouldve done if she were caught in the rain.

Kanda wasnt exactly a ball of fluff, but she wasnt far from it either. Colette shook her head and concentrated on navigating the bayou, the sheets of rain making it more of a nuisance than difficult. Shed grown up here, the cabin she was taking them to had been built for her thirteenth birthday. These were her stomping grounds, her personal playground. Her territory. She rounded the bend, the rickety cabin looking as solid and as untouched as she imagined Mount Everest was. The minute she saw it, her tension melted away. They were safe. She slowed down, letting

the boat drift the last few yards to the dock. Without being directed, Zach leapt to the dock once they were within distance, the rope in his hand. He quickly helped tow her to the shallows and secured the rope to the tie-off piling. Another crack of thunder sounded overhead and the rain went from a cold, steady shower to a howling, freezing squall. Wind gusted along the bayou, nearly sending Colette to her knees in the boat. Zach was there though, his hand reaching down to help her to her feet. Normally, she wouldve given him The Look, but it seemed

the weather was against her today. She gripped his hand, the wind swallowing her yelp of surprise when he lifted her out of the boat as easily as she wouldve lifted a piece of paper. But he didnt set her down once her legs cleared the dock. No, the man flung her over his shoulder, ass pressing against the side of his neck, and took off running for the cabin. Colette swallowed a scream, positive he was going to drop her on her head, and clutched his shirt and planned. Planned to kick his shifter ass when they made it inside. Contrary to her fears, Zach

didnt drop her. Neither did she bounce on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes the way she had when her cousin Cotton had done the same thing when she was younger. Of course, Cotton wasnt a shifter known for his grace. He glided across the uneven ground leading to the shack. It wasnt exactly comfortable for her, but it wasnt awful either. She still intended to give him a piece of her mind when she was on her feet again. And that happened quicker than she expected, the world going topsy-turvy as he slid her off his shoulder, her body rubbing against

his hard chest all the way down. Not as though hed done it on purpose, though. Their clothes were soaked and clinging to each other, which made the move difficult. And erotic. Her breath caught in her throat when her top caught on his chest, causing the fabric of her bra to abrade her sensitive nipples. It reminded her of his mouth, the roughness of his tongue as he flicked it over her tight peaks. And just like that heat blossomed in her cunt, the hunger kept at bay by the cold rain returning with a vengeance. Zach straightened his hands on

her hips as he stared down at her. The rain had plastered his hair to his head, strands sticking to his face and shielding most of his eyes, but there was no mistaking the golden gleam. Her heart slammed against their chests, the world fading away to nothing as she stilled like a deer in headlights. Another crack of thunder caused the rickety porch boards beneath their feet to rattle, breaking the intense moment of intimacy as though it never happened. He didnt pull her closer, didnt smash his mouth to hers and take her against the door the way her mind

pictured. How she wanted to feel him fucking her, slamming into her with the crisp, cool summer rain pounding over them. But it wasnt destined to be. Not when he became all business again. Sounds like this storm is getting worse. Lets get inside, he ordered with a gentle push in the direction of the door. Ill go back for your stuff later. A trickle of shock raced down her spine and she shot a panicked look in the direction of the boat where the bag shed grabbed sat. She wasnt concerned it would be ruined. Shed learned long ago not

to bring anything that wasnt waterproof on the bayou with her, but the contents of that bag would tell Zach exactly where shed thought this day was going. And hed know how stupid shed been. She turned to the cabin with a nonchalance she didnt feel. Dont worry about it. The storm should stop in a little while. I hope, she silently added as she opened the door to her hunting sanctuary. It wasnt as easy to pretend indifference when the man she wanted entered her home away from home behind her, but she managed to turn to him with a

fake, bright smile. Welcome to Camp Colette.

*****
Have you found them? Roscoe held the phone to his ear with one hand and the pair of binoculars with the other, studying the woods around the small shack Colette and the tiger had taken shelter in. Hed been trailing them from far behind, following the sound of her boat engine with the pirogue hed borrowed from the idiots whod called him in for this job. They werent his concern. The Schumacher brothers were only a

means to an end for him. Not yet. There are a lot of nooks and crannies in this fucking swamp, he said into the phone, which wasnt a complete lie. Hed nearly lost them a couple of times, only his skills as a tracker helping him find them again and again. The thunderstorm had helped to mask his approach and he sent a silent thanks to Mother Nature. Ill find them though. I know you will, his boss said with a satisfied sigh. We want this one bad. Shell make a perfect example of how we wont tolerate those who think to get above

themselves. The man was always careful not to let anything vital slip over the phone. We only have a short time left, so make sure you get in good with her. He lowered the binoculars and had to squint to see the cabin from the great distance hed chosen to keep watch on it. The tiger had been at her house all night, hadnt even gone to his bakery the way he usually did. A quick trip into town, a visit to pick up something to eat, told Roscoe how unusual it was for Zachary Trahan to abandon his post at his business. One of the little foxes, a cutie whod let Roscoe

know in no uncertain terms that she was available anytime he wanted her, had chatted about her boss. The tiger was tough, something he already knew, but he was also a hard worker who didnt play around with his employees. He was driven, determined and one hell of a baker. Since coming to town, Roscoe had found himself visiting that damn bakery more than he would back home. He hated to admit how addictive Trahans beignets were, but if he didnt get at least a dozen daily, his whole day was shot to shit.

How are your possible replacements? Worth our time? his boss asked with a hint of impatience. Realizing hed just been staring into space, thinking about beignets, Roscoe sat with his back against the tree, his floppy hat protecting his face and the phone from the deluge. As much as hed love to get out of the rain, his job was to trail the target until he could bring her in to the group. This time wouldnt be any different. For the most part. Except this job came with an added bonus, one hed been waiting months to receive.

The Schumachers are idiots, he said bluntly, keeping his eyes trained on the cabin three miles away. He couldnt see anything clearly, even with his shifterenhanced vision, but hed be able to tell if Colette left again. Lordy be, hed gotten a good look at her in that wet t-shirt. If he wasnt on this job How? his boss barked when he didnt say anything else. Are they unsuitable for recruitment? He bit back a sigh, pushing away the image of Colettes perky tits and tight nipples. Sometimes he really hated his job. They do

stupid things to bring attention to themselves. They drink, they abuse their shifter status, thinking it allows them to be dickheads, and theyre fucktards who dont listen to orders. Theyre still hunting out of season, the boss guessed with a regretful sigh. Thats unfortunate. Regardless, well help them out this time and end our association once were finished with the ceremony. That was one bit of good news today, Roscoe thought as he tucked his collar closer to his neck to keep more water from dripping down his back. Got it. Anything else?

Just keep a close eye on our friend. I plan to enjoy her company very soon. The call ended as abruptly as itd begun, leaving Roscoe to sit in the rain, wet and alone while the tiger got his groove on. And if that striped idiot didnt tap that ass, Roscoe would lose all respect for him. Someone had to be enjoying themselves this dreary afternoon and if he had a hot little piece like the human huntress, Roscoe definitely wouldnt be complaining.

Chapter Eleven
The interior of the cabin wasnt as bad as he thought itd be. It wasnt big by any means, more like a single room studio with everything crammed inside. It also wasnt entirely Colettes. Zach stiffened when his sharp senses caught the scent of several men mingling with hers. She didnt seem to realize he wasnt pleased, moving around the cabin to open the little window to let air in, lighting a hurricane lantern and arranging things for no reason. Pissed at the thought of this

being her love nest, one shed shared with several men, Zach tore his gaze away from her rain-soaked body. He couldnt look at her. Not with that white shirt plastered to her skin showing off the shape of her perky tits and tight nipples. Hed nearly stripped her naked on the leaky porch and fucked her right there in front of the entire world. Think of something else, like the men shes probably been bringing here. His tiger snapped at him. Who else knows about this place? he asked casually, turning away from her as she bent over the cot. Damn

woman was making his brain mush! Oh, a lot of hunters use this cabin for reasons like this, she said, her voice muffled. All the camps in Bayou Ange and along Robicheaux land are considered available for a safe haven if needed. And it smells like someone took advantage of that, she muttered. I dont mind letting people stay here cause Ive been caught out on a hunt when bad weather crept up, but I try to leave it as clean as I found it. Someone obviously doesnt feel the same. She marched across the room, a pair of

dirty underwear hanging from a stick shed grabbed. She threw the no-longer tightie-whities into the trashcan and slammed the lid. Ugh, thats so fucking gross. Relieved because there was no imagining the disgust in her voice or scent, Zach relaxed and really looked around. This is all yours? Yeah, Dad had it built for me when I was thirteen. She went back to the cot and bent over again. Im burning these sheets, she mumbled under her breath. Mama didnt like it, but Dad swore nothing would happen to me out here. The first few years, he or one

of the uncles slept in a tent a few yards away in case I needed them, but after I turned eighteen, Id come out here alone to think or to hunt. She opened a cabinet that contained huge waterproof bags with sheets and blankets. She gave the linens a hard shake to remove some of the wrinkles before bustling back across the room and remaking the bed with quick efficiency. I come out here every deer, duck and turkey season and sometimes when I have a free day from the tours or hunting, Ill stay here to relax. Its nice to have a place where you can be away from

everything. Her braid had fallen over her shoulder, the end brushing the clean sheets she pulled over the mattress, but it was her ass that held his attention. The subtle sway as she stepped this way and that doing an innocent chore was more seductive than a striptease. Her jeans, slightly baggy before, now clung to her ass and shapely legs. He remembered exactly what the haven between her thighs tasted like. His mouth watered for another taste. But hed purposely left his condoms in his car. Because he was

an idiot who was trying to be noble and honorable and win her affection, not just her body. He bit back a frustrated growl. Even though he had every intention of keeping Colette as his own from now until eternity, he wasnt ready to plant his seed just yet. He wanted to enjoy her, learn more about her and accustom himself to the idea of cubs. And figure out how to be a father. He hadnt had one, so it wasnt as though he had many examples to follow. She stood after smoothing her hand over the sheets again. Thats better.

Then she turned, her uplifted breasts practically begging for his mouth. At least thats what Zach told his conscience as he launched himself at the woman who tempted him by simply existing. Her eyes widened, but she didnt even attempt to move out of his way. If anything, she reached for him, her body going soft the instant he grabbed her, taking her to the cot. It squeaked and protested at their combined weight, a sinful screech that sent shivers down his spine. But it was the woman beneath him, staring up at him with sultry eyes and parted lips that truly shot

tremors of painful need through his body. She was everything. He kissed her because he couldnt help himself, pouring all his future hopes, his hunger and his need into her mouth, stroking his tongue against hers, swallowing her soft moan. He imagined it became a part of him, the same way her scent and taste was embedded on his memory cells. Her hands scraped through his hair, short fingernails abrading his scalp with just enough roughness to make his dick jerk with excitement. Her tongue danced with his, tasting him with quick, hungry forays that

made him growl, want and need warring with his future plans and goals, which involved this very woman whose love he was trying to win. He pulled back at the thought, staring into her lustglazed eyes. It sounded so clichd in his mind, but would she respect him if they had sex right now? Did she see him as a male she could spend her life with? One she could learn to love? Insecurities, the ones that he hadnt even realized he had made him roll off her. Unfortunately, hed forgotten he was on the cot and landed on the floor on his back

with a loud thud that shook the shack. Even as his back set up a round of protesting and his cock wilted from having the air knocked out of his lungs, it was rewarding to see Colettes wide eyes peering at him over the side of the cot. Cher bon Dieu, are you okay? And thats when Zach knew there was no falling in love with her. He loved her. Itd taken having his lungs fight for oxygen and hitting his head on the floor hard enough to see stars, but he loved Colette Marie Robicheaux. His tiger didnt seem the least bit surprised. It had known from the beginning,

or at least a few minutes after they met, that she was meant to be theirs. The cat had followed its instincts, while the man had ignored his primal urgings. And of course, the tiger planned to lord it over the man for being stupid. Now they just needed to get their female to return the affection. She had to feel something other than just lust though, otherwise she wouldnt have been concerned about him. Right? She slid off the bed to kneel next to him on the floor, her brow furrowed with apprehension. Zach? Are you okay?

He was gaping at her like a landed fish, staring at her as though hed never seen a woman before. And he hadnt. Hed never seen the woman he loved before. It was a weird feeling, knowing this woman was going to be his. Oh yeah, hed have to make sure she agreed and shit, but she would. He hadnt gotten where he was in his career by giving up. Make her fall for you. Right. That meant not fucking her like a beast in rut. Im fine, he finally gasped when she reached out to him. If she touched him, he was a goner. He

was a strong man, but he wasnt that damn strong. No man was. Im thirsty. He sat up and slid away from her in the same move to avoid her hand. Ill justgo get the coffee and the other stuff. He leapt to his feet, telling himself it wasnt cowardly to run in the face of such temptation. He was only flesh and blood for Gods sake. But it sounds like its raining harder, she said faintly. He made the mistake of looking back at Colette. Sitting in the middle of a rickety cabin on her knees, the jeans tight around her thighs, her t-shirt as thin as gauze,

nipples jutting against the material like ripe berries and her lips swollen from his kisses, she was Eve, tempting him to sin. And Zach ran like the fucking wind. She was right though. It was raining harder, the wind howling louder and the damn raindrops were a hell of a lot colder. It was an awkward walk with his dick as hard and stiff as a baseball bat in his jeans until he got about halfway to the dock. By the time he reached the boat, he was able to actually walk properly instead of like a dog dragging his dick on the ground.

Good thing too because the wind whipped up the current on the bayou enough that the boat bobbed dangerously. Zach carefully stepped in and grabbed the huge canister of coffee they hadnt touched all day. The bag shed carried with her sat in the back of the boat. Remembering how she hadnt let it out of her sight, he snatched it up as well, glad to see it was waterproof. Knowing his woman, it probably held enough ammunition and guns to take down a herd of buffalo and strangely enough, that pleased him. He loved her self-sufficiency.

Hell, he loved everything about her. And hopefully by the time he got back to the cabin, shed be sleeping or something. Anything but tempting him to unleash his animal all over her sexy body.

*****
Colette peered out the window, watching Zachs stiff walk toward the bayou. When he stopped to grab at his crotch, she had to bite back a laugh. For a moment, okay several moments, shed feared he wasnt interested in her that way anymore. It was a natural conclusion when the man had flung

himself to the floor as though God Himself had thrown him there. And when she tried to assure herself that he hadnt been hurt, he scrambled away like a hermit crab. She shook her head and thought about that weird look on his face. That was the only way she could describe it. And shed seen it twice since he showed up at her house with the traps. He looked both happy and terrified, uneasy and satisfied, as though he wasnt sure if he should be thrilled or depressed, or both. Colette frowned at his back, watching as he stopped to tilt his face up to the stinging,

cold rain. Like a man taking a freezing-cold shower. Hed kissed her, gotten her so hot and hungry for him, hungrier than shed been before and then he bolted like a virgin on his wedding night. Like someone who wanted something so badly he didnt want to ruin it. Shed seenand felt how much he wanted her. There was no mistaking the hard length of his cock where hed pressed it against her stomach. And despite how worried shed been for him when he hit the floor, shed taken a moment to look him over, feeling like that cougar in The Graduate. She

wanted to eat him alive. Zach was moving again, striding with his normal grace, his discomfort either gone or easier to manage. He leapt into the boat, grabbed the thermos and stopped for a moment before striding to the back of the vessel. Her heart hammered when he leaned down only to rise with her backpack. He was bringing the bag shed packed for seduction. He didnt look in it, just picked it up, probably because he thought she might want it. And thats what made her want to love him. He didnt make her ask for things, or expect her to tell him

when she wanted something. It was as though his instincts told him what she wanted most and he provided it. She hadnt known she needed to visit her old haunts today, but doing so had helped center her, helped her realize that life was what you made of it. Life was really simple when you removed all the things shed thrown up to make it complicated. Did it really matter that he would move on? He wanted her, she wanted him. Sex was natural. And Colette believed she knew enough about Zach to decide if he was just after a piece of ass. If he was, he

had a weird way of getting it. He couldve fucked her so many times and left without a backward glance, but he hadnt. Was it honor? She touched the swollen tissue of her bottom lip, remembering how hed nipped at it, his tongue soothing the tiny hurt, that purr rumbling in the back of his throat. She wasnt going to ever get him out of her mind or her heart. Despite all the warnings shed given herself, the warnings her father had given her, Zach was on the fast track to winning her completely whether he wanted to or not. And maybe that was his

worry. That shed fall madly in love with him and stalk him the way that woman had earlier in the year. Oh yeah, just because Colette didnt live in Maison Rouge and wasnt friends with everyone in it, didnt mean she hadnt heard the story of the raven shifter who stalked two cat shifters like a big game hunter. The Robicheaux women had been scandalized and amused, even as they admitted Zach was worth stalking. Shed kept her mouth shut, but part of her, the jealous, possessive Robicheaux half, had wanted to go raven hunting. And wouldnt that

have made Zach happy? To have two women fighting over him? One of whom he hadnt even talked to. Yeah, shed pined a long time for him, so it was no surprise she was falling for him. Her impossible crush was growing into a love she knew would haunt her for the rest of her life and the man kept running from her as though she had the plague. Before today, she wouldve suspected he wasnt interested in her, but that kiss, that sizzling, dangerous kiss had told her the real story. He wanted her a lot. And for some reason he was holding back.

Her gaze narrowed on his broadshouldered frame as he climbed out of the boat and began strolling back to the cabin. Why was he holding back? Was it to drive her insane? Because she was halfway there. Sex was all she could really think about. Making love with Zach was all she wanted right now. The fire in her blood burned her from the inside out, clawing at her to do something about it, something naughty and out of character. They were alone in the woods, on land no shifter would dare approach without a hell of a lot of friends. He was bringing a bag

filled with condoms to her. A smile tugged at her lips as she figured out the easiest way to break through whatever strange blocks hed thrown up between what he thought he was doing and what she wanted to do. The walk in the rain helped clear his head. The freezing-cold drops along with the sharp wind helped to reduce the swelling in his dick. It was as good as a shower sans heat. He was finally able to think again once the blood that had pooled in his groin returned to his brain.

He had to figure out a way to tell Colette he cared about her. Cared, not loved. He might know he loved her, but he wasnt ready to tell her. He didnt think shed laugh in his face or anything. She didnt seem the type, but hed never shared feelings with anyone. The last time hed ever told a woman he loved her, shed left him. Pausing well short of the house, Zach closed his eyes and tried to wipe that memory from his mind. But of course, because he wanted differently, his brain latched on to something that happened so long ago he shouldnt have been able to

remember it, except he did. I love you, Mama! he cried as his grandmother held him still to keep him from running after his mom. Ill be good, I promise! She trembled, her thin frame swaying as though she were a tree in a storm. He waited for her to snap the way their porch had in the house theyd been living in with one of Mamas boyfriends, but she didnt. She shook herself and smiled, showing a lot of teeth, her gold eyes weird and bright. Not this time, Z-Man, she said with a little laugh. Mamas got things to do and you cant come with me.

Myra, dont do this, Mamaw said in a sharp voice, her fingers squeezing Zachs wrist enough to make him wince, but she didnt seem to notice. You know youre always welcome here. Both of you. Mama shrugged and tucked her hair behind her ear. Yeah, and its so exciting here. I need more than this. I always have. What about your son? He needs you. Zach stopped fighting his grandmothers hold because he wanted to know the answer as well. But Mama didnt even look at him again. A horn

honked outside the bakery. It was Darryl, her newest boyfriend, a jackal shifter who gave Zach the creeps. Mama turned to the door. I gotta go. Zach, be good for your Mamaw, okay? Mom! he screamed, kicking at the older woman holding him in a tight grip. He began to cry, not even caring that he was acting like a big baby. Mommy, dont leave me! The door closed behind her and his voice bounced off it. All the strength left his body and he sagged to the floor, staring through the glass window as the beat-up Trans Am tore off down the

street with a squeal of tires. He didnt scream anymore. It wouldnt have done any good because she was gone. Gone, gone, gone. The words echoed around his head as tears dripped down his face like rain. It was the cold drops of rain sliding down his cheeks, mimicking that long-ago day hed mostly forgotten that dragged him out of the memory. Yeah, he hadnt cried since that day, not even when his grandmother died. Hed mourned her, but he hadnt shed a tear. And hed never told her how much he loved her. His throat tightened with regret, but he swallowed the

lump down. It was too late to do anything about his grandmother other than pray that she understood his heart better than he had. But the woman in the cabin he walked toward would be only the second person he ever told he loved. When he was ready to do it. Not today, and maybe not tomorrow. One day soon, though, hed tell her he loved her with every fiber of his being. And hopefully shed respond in kind. Hopefully, shed tell him she loved him first, freeing him to repeat the vow. Yeah, that sounded better.

With a little bounce in his step and a lighter heart, Zach climbed the stairs of the porch and opened the door. I got the coffee and your bag Both items hit the floor, the thermos rolled somewhere under the cot and the bag just flopped next to his feet. His jaw was down there with both things and he wasnt even sure he could pick it up because the one thing he hadnt expected when he opened that door was to see Colette sprawled on the cot, gloriously nude. Not naked since that just implied a lack of clothing. No, she was definitely

nude because with her hair floating around her shoulders, one leg bent at the knee and the other hanging off the cot with her foot flat on the floor, she was sex personified. Sweet vanilla musk and the scent that was all Colette filled the air. His dick leapt for joy. Or it seemed as though it had, the room in his jeans suddenly disappearing as his hard-on roared back to painful life. Painful because if he didnt unzip his pants soon, hed have zipper tracks on the underside of his cock for the rest of his life. But despite the danger to his favorite body part, he couldnt look

away from her. Caramel-tinted skin stretched over smooth, lean muscles, her supine position giving her sweet valleys he couldnt wait to explore with his hands and mouth. With her legs parted just a little, not enough to be porn-star naughty, but somewhat modestly, he could see the slick lips of her pussy. His balls ached, backed up from not coming once in over twenty-four hours. Without meaning to, forgetting all his thoughts of seducing Colette into loving him, he took a step forward. Then another. Each

footstep slamming into the floor as though hed lost all coordination. Her pale hair teased him, hiding most of her breasts except for the very peaks, which were tight and berry-colored. Her eyes glittered with hunger and knowledge, feminine knowledge. But they didnt have anything to protect her. Nothing to keep her from becoming pregnant. His tiger roared with approval. It wanted to plant its seed in her no doubt fertile belly and watch her swell with his cubs. Hed keep her that way, and make sure she enjoyed it. The cat even swore it wouldnt mind

baking and cooking all day if it kept its mate pregnant and happy. Yet Zach didnt take another step, overriding the tigers instinctive need to spread its seed. Colette. His voice sounded as though it were coming from a pit, the blood rushing through his body making it difficult to hear himself speak. We cant. He licked his lips. He hadnt closed his mouth once yet. If he wasnt careful, hed start drooling like a dog. I want to, he said with heartfelt regret. God I want to, but we cant. She sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the cot, her knees

several inches apart. Zach bit back a whimper of want. Oh, he wanted to crawl to her, to burrow his head between her thighs and lap his way to heaven. Hed done it once, had adored every slick second, but he didnt have that control. Not right now. The only thing keeping him from tearing into her and marking her was the knowledge that it had to be her decision. She thought this was just sex, just a little fun while they killed time. If it had been any other woman and if it had been before he met Colette Marie, Zach would have been on board with that plan. Now though, it was just

her. Just this woman crooking her finger at him with a knowing smile. Come here, Zach, she said in her rich, husky contralto. No. We cant, Colette. Iyou. He shook his head. Just, no. Instead of being insulted, of clamming up and being embarrassed, she pouted. Her bottom lip turned down and he was a goner, unable to refuse that feminine moue. He shuffled closer, every footstep making his heart pound harder and his balls tighten more. If the wind changed direction, he wouldnt even need to touch her to go off like a Roman

candle. The tingling at the base of his spine warned him how close he was to hitting the end of his rope. And thats when hed tear his clothes off and fuck her until they both screamed uncle. He stopped a couple feet away, close enough that if she wanted to whisper some dreaded secret like I really just wanted to see if I could make you come with one finger or just sit there looking like his every dream come to life, he could without a problem. But Colette, the dangerous, insane woman, obviously didnt think he was close enough. She reached out quicker

than he could react, hooking her fingers into the waistband of his jeans, and tugged him forward with a sharp jerk. Zach nearly fell into her, only his excellent balance keeping him from toppling them both over, but while he was occupied trying not to hurt her, she was busy unfastening his jeans. There was instant relief when his cock burst free of the material. He looked down at the sexy woman sitting on the bed, intending to tell her they didnt have any condoms, when she lapped at the slick crown bobbing in front of her face as if it were a

decadent lollipop. Fuck! Hed been far too close to the edge to last for long before she even touched him. His hands gripped the thick waves of her hair, holding her as his hips instinctively thrust. She opened her mouth, enveloping him in instant wet heat until he hit the back of her throat. He needed to stop, but instead he pumped into her mouth, the soft friction of her tongue rubbing the underside of his dick with just the right amount of pressure to tease. After that, he fucked her mouth in short thrusts to keep from gagging her, but still

pleasing himself. The tingling at the base of his spine grew stronger, like the faint rumbling of a volcano warning of an upcoming eruption. Colette was too hot, too sexy. He wouldnt be able to hold off much longer. He really did need to stop, a voice said in the back of his mind. Using her like a sex doll would not endear him to her, but the scent of her lust grew stronger, sharper. Then her hands slid into his pants as she worked him with her mouth, her lean fingers finding and gripping his ass as though to help him thrust. Colette, he groaned, every

muscle in his body tight with the effort of holding back. Fuck, baby, I cantIm gonna come. The hot, wet torture of her mouth continued, her tongue a sweet friction against his dick that made his balls draw up tight and the tingling at the base of his spine sharpen. Zach wanted to come and it seemed she wanted him to, yet there was more than just pleasure he planned to take care of today. He had to mark her. The primal, urgent need to leave some kind of imprint on her that would tell every male she belonged to him was stronger than his pleasure.

With that in mind, he pulled away from her, something he found more difficult to do than he would have liked to admit. Colette protested, her fingers digging into his ass, fighting him, but he won in the end by grabbing her wrists. He leaned forward, using his chest to ease her down to the mattress, straddling her hips. Her hair fanned out around her like a white cloud, tempting him with its softness. They stared at each other, separated only by a few inches. Zachs cock pulsed and twitched, leaving a damp trail over her

smooth stomach. He imagined rubbing that slick trace of his scent into her skin, imprinting her with it, except he wanted it all over her. The thought excited the man and the tiger, his balls tighter than ever, but he didnt want to come alone. Without condoms, hed have to get creative and the image in his mind had his dick leaking like a faucet. I want to scent-mark you, he whispered, his gaze memorizing every inch of her face. I want to come all over you, Colette, and leave my scent in your skin so no man will go near you. Even if he hadnt smelled how

much she liked the idea by the sudden increase in her arousal, he wouldve felt it because her heart picked up speed and her body heated, a flush flowing upward from her chest until her cheeks were bright pink. Her pupils dilated, leaving a very thin circle of violet behind. You She stopped to wet her lips, but she didnt try to get away. You want to mark me? His dick leapt at her use of the word mark, as though eager to get on with it and his gums itched with the need to release his fangs. He wanted to mark her in more than

one way, but this was the only one hed be able to do right now. Until he knew exactly where her feelings lay, he wasnt going to leave a permanent sign of possession. His tiger roared at him, scraping at his mind in a fierce temper tantrum, but Zach refused to budge. Hed already had one woman he loved reject him. He wasnt going to allow it to happen again if he could help it. I want to put my scent on you, he told her, skirting a permanent marking. He leaned down, running his lips along her jawline, the silken skin drawing him. I want to come

all over you and rub it in like lotion. Her breath caught, a soft gasping sound that was all the agreement he needed. Still, he waited until he heard the words he needed. Yes, she sighed against his cheek when he lifted his head to look at her. Yes. Colette wouldve never thought the idea of having a man come on her skin would be sexy, but Zach made her very open to things she wouldve balked at with her old boyfriends. Of course none of them had made her as hot as Zach did.

He made her want to push her own limits, to explore every decadent pleasure he was willing to share with her. Before him, she wouldve never attempted a sixty-nine like theyd done on her kitchen table. Her cheeks heated at the memory, her thighs growing slicker than ever as her pussy ached for Zach. Then she didnt need memory at all because the real thing was trailing his mouth over her jaw, the stubble on his cheeks scraping at her skin gently, marking her. Her heart leapt at the use of that term. Colette had heard stories from Kanda about the mysterious

marking males left on their females. Her aunt had a scar on the back of her neck where Colettes Uncle Sun had marked her when they mated. Shed never heard of a shifter male coming on the skin as a way of marking, but figured it was probably something her aunt and cousin wouldve died rather than mention. While she had a good open relationship with Kanda, there were some things shed rather not hear and this wouldve been one of them. Yet when Zachs mouth found hers, kissing her with all the heat and aggression shed wanted to feel

earlier, Colette forgot about markings and just felt. Slowly, as though to test her, he eased his legs between hers, one by one until his hips were snug against the apex of her thighs. She wanted to tell him about the bag, but she couldnt get enough air and really, who gave a fuck about condoms when she was being kissed as though Zachs life depended on it. And then he started purring again, the sound vibrating through her body, rattling her to her very core. Her pussy wept with want and she eagerly wrapped her legs around his hips, his cock coming to

rest against the parted lips of her cunt. Zach caught Colettes gasp with his mouth, growling as he began to stroke the length of his erection through her folds. She tried to form a thought, tried to think of why this seemed strange, but when the rounded head of his cock rubbed against her erect clit, a sizzling bolt of lightning shot through her, evaporating all logic and rationality. She arched her hips, wanting more, her hands fighting to be free of his hold, but he held on to her, moving faster, using the lubrication from her cunt to glide along her

sex. Her heart pounded with each pass, the air in her lungs getting trapped somewhere in her throat as bolt after bolt of pleasure zapped her, leaving her a quivering puddle of need. She hooked her heels into his jeans, forcing them down his thighs. He hadnt gotten undressed, was still fully clothed except for his bare ass and dick. For some reason, the thought made her cream, her inner muscles tensing. He kissed her again, his tongue thrusting, pumping into her mouth in the same rhythm of his cock sliding along her slickness. She sucked on his tongue, anchoring

her ankles behind his tight ass to hold him in place, arching her back so every thrust made his shirt scrape over her tight nipples. Wet. Hot. Slick. Colette moaned into his mouth. She was so close. So ready for him to stop humping her and come inside her. She needed it. Needed to feel his broad shaft stretching her muscles, rubbing every inch of her Zach circled his hips, grinding down on her clit hard and she exploded, shock and pleasure combing into a keening cry that erupted when he lifted his head. Colette had faint impressions of his

tense face slick with sweat, gold eyes glittering dangerously, sharp fangs sinking into his bottom lip, but he slammed his cock against her clit again and she burst into flames. Before she lost herself to the pleasure, before it swallowed her whole, she heard a magnificent roar and felt the hot wash of his satisfaction land on her stomach. Scent-marked in the most primal of ways. And it made her want to smile.

Chapter Twelve
Zach was pleased. He felt like strutting around the parish with his chest puffed out because Colette carried his scent. Resting on his side after the most embarrassingly loud climax of his life, he stroked her naked back, her smaller body sprawled over his chest. After he came, hed taken the time to rub his seed into her caramel-colored skin, taking primitive satisfaction in how well hed pleased her. Shed sighed and smiled and stretched like a kitten being stroked. Then hed stripped off his damn

clothes, needing full-skin contact with her. That had been at least an hour ago and while he wanted to fuck her, his tigeronly partially pleased with smoothing their scent into herwanted more. So did Zach. But there was so much more they wanted to do, so many positions and pleasures awaiting them and patience had never really been his strongpoint when it came to sex. Colette shifted her weight, her hip pressing into his hardening cock. She paused and lifted her head where it rested on his chest. Her face still glowed from her

orgasm, her lips swollen from his kisses. She looked like a woman whod been well loved. Youre ready to go again already? she asked in a husky voice that suggested she might have strained her vocal cords with her scream of pleasure. Mais, yeah, of course I am, but dont worry, I wont do anything to get you pregnant. Well just wait until were at your place or mine. He tried to make it seem as though it wasnt a big deal when he was nearly dying to have her cunt wrapped around him, squeezing until he came. His dick twitched at

the thought. I didnt think to bring anything. Her eyes, which had been sultry and lazy moments before, twinkled with mischief and her lips trembled as though she fought a smile. Oh, she said in a shaky voice. Thats Wow, Zach, thats so nice of you. You know, not to want to risk me getting pregnant. She cleared her throat, her body shaking slightly. I guess we could, you know, just play and all, right? Feeling as though he was being punkd, Zach frowned at his mate, who didnt know she was a mate, determined to show his dominance.

Whats so funny? She shrugged, trying to appear innocent. She looked like a devious angel with fucking on the mind. Especially when she began to shimmy down his body, her nipples dragging along his chest seconds before her lips nipped at his ribs. Its just a very sweet thing, she said instead of answering him. She paused to lap at his navel, his cock resting between her perky breasts. Youre sacrificing pleasure to protect me. Zachs entire body tensed as she moved farther south, her silky skin skimming over his aching dick.

Itsnot a sacrifice, he managed to choke out when her tongue discovered the slick head of his dick. He fisted the sheets near his hips to keep from grabbing her, but God, it was hard. And not just the erection she lapped at like the naughty girl he wanted her to be. Hed love for her to be even naughtier and take him down her throat. He shook his head. What was he supposed to be saying? Its no problem. She grasped his cock in one hand, pumping the base as she wrapped her lips around the tip and hummed. The sound traveled

down his shaft to his balls where his cum practically boiled in preparation to erupt again. Sweat gathered along Zachs hairline as he fought the urge to just let go. This was for both of them. This playtime was necessary if they were going to build the foundation for a future. Colette released his cock from the haven of her mouth with a soft pop, but she didnt let him go completely. No, his little vixen seemed bound and determined to drive him insane because she rubbed her cheek against the turgid length, the softness of her skin taunting him, the hungry,

mischievous look in her eyes tempting him to show her his true colors. Its so sweet, especially when I have a whole box of condoms in my bag, she purred, her hot breath whispering across his strained erection. Her tongue peeked out again, licking him from root to tip where she swirled it to lick the pearls of seed beading up. Blood thunderednot rushed through his veins, roaring as though he stood next to white rapids. It took him several heartbeats before his brain could process her words. When he did

though, he lifted his head from the pillow, eyes wide as he stared at the sly woman lapping at his cock. What? he croaked. She sucked slightly, closing her eyes as though she loved nothing more than the taste of his dick. Fuck, who knew she could be so deliciously bad? I said, I have a whole box of condoms in my Her words ended in a shriek as he flipped her over when he leapt out of bed as though his ass were on fire. Zach didnt even care that the woman he wanted so much it made his teeth ache laughed as he bolted

across the room to the bag hed brought in earlier. The tricky female had prepared for this exact moment. Part of him wanted to paddle her ass for making him think they had to play it extremely safe, while his tiger purred at his females ability to think ahead. He nearly tore the bag apart in his desperation, his claws itching to punch through the tips of his fingers, but he managed to hold the beast at bay. The box of condoms looked like a sign from God. He almost expected to see a celestial light surrounding the blue packaging as

though to say the entrance to heaven could be found there. He shook his head of the blasphemous thoughts and turned with the box in his hand, only to nearly swallow his tongue. Colette lounged on her stomach, knees bent as she kicked her feet in a lazy, feminine movement that left him biting back a growl of want. Her hair tumbled around her exotic face, her arms supporting her upper body. She was a study of dark skin against white, the sleek lines of her back flowing into the sexy dip of her spine before rising up to create a round, juicy ass and long, lean

legs. Zachs heart slammed as he came face-to-face with the unleashed sensuality of the woman whod captured that pathetically small organ. How could he have ever thought she wasnt beautiful? In this moment, her face lit up by happiness and her skin glowing from pleasure, she was the most beautiful woman hed ever seen. So beautiful in fact, his throat tightened. The man who won Colettes heart and soul would be the luckiest man in the world. And he was determined it would be him. He narrowed his eyes on the

woman who was driving him insane. Her grin faltered, the laughter fading from her eyes as heat rekindled in the violet depths. When he took a step toward her, she leapt to rest on her knees, her hair swirling around her shoulders. Dont run, he warned her as he tore into the box, a strip of condoms rolling out like a welcome carpet. He tore one off, dropping the rest to the ground and quickly covered his hard cock with the latex. His tiger roared because it knew this meant they wouldnt come inside their female, but Zach quieted the animal. Colettes gaze

darted around the mostly empty cabin as though seeking a way past him. Dont do it. If she ran, hed chase her and take her with more force than he intended. But he shouldve known Colette would see his warning as a challenge. She launched herself off the bed. Zachs tiger, roused from its pout by her sudden movement, tried to anticipate the direction she planned to take, leaping to the left. Both the man and the tiger had forgotten, though, that they were dealing with a seasoned hunter whod stalked as much prey as they had.

Colette feinted left and went right, laughter trailing behind her as she darted around the small, rickety table in the middle of the room. There wasnt a lot of room for her to move around and Zach had reach. With that thought in mind, he spread his arms wide and attempted to crowd her into one corner. Her breathless laughter and the scent of her feminine musk filled the air, leaving him slightly lightheaded as lust caused all the blood in his body to rush to his groin. She kept the table between them, darting left and right, her

high breasts dancing as she tried to stay out of reach. Impatience beat at him, urging him to toss the table out of the way, but his tiger wanted to keep playing with her, wanted her to let the anticipation build. The mating dance required some effort on his part. This was what had been missing with the other women who came to his bed. They didnt play, didnt attempt to evade him with sly smiles and pale hair, didnt tempt him to be the animal he was. Then Colette made a crucial mistake in their game. She tried the same move twice, feinting to the

left when she intended to go right. And this time Zach was ready, catching her in his arms when she tried to go around him again. Even though he had her, her naked, slick body pressed to his, she didnt give up. She wiggled, her breathless giggles sounding out as he carried her across the room to the bed. She almost slid out of his hold a couple of times, but Zach finally had his prize and he wasnt about to give her up. He fell to the bed with her, careful to keep his weight off her, but the move still caused the frame to groan and slam into the wall

behind the headboard. Ignoring the way her eyes widened at the sounds, Zachs hands slid down his mates curvy back, over her round ass and gripped her thighs. With one quick move, he spread her legs wide and with a slow thrust, slid his cock home. Colettes breath was caught somewhere, probably on the other side of the room where shed dared to play with the tiger and got caught. Mostly though, itd been punched out of her lungs with one forceful thrust of Zachs cock. She was so wet it didnt hurt so much as

it stung a little as muscles that hadnt handled anything his size were stretched to their limits. But even then, even as her body fought to accept him, her pussy telling her brain this was a bad idea, Colettes nerve endings tingled with absolute pleasure. And kept tingling because he wasnt finished fitting every inch of his hard length into her body. Her eyes widened when he finally hit bottom, a squeal rising up in the back of her throat. Shed never, never ever had that sensation, wasnt even sure she liked it. It was a pressure and ache all at once, her

brain urging her to slide up and away from the battering ram trying to pound through her body. Then Zach stopped trying to punch through her cervix and went still. Colette let out a little sigh of relief and stared up at the man holding her legs open. His hands nearly circled her thighs, his strength such that he held her hips above the mattress as though her weight was nothing. It was both erotic and terrifying to know how much stronger he was, but her body chose to accept it as sexy beyond fucking belief, her pussy softening and growing moist, as though it

was putting out the welcome mat. Put your feet on my chest, Zach ordered in a harsh voice that wouldve made her nervous if it hadnt been for the obvious strain on his face. She wet her lips, the playfulness shed felt before melting beneath a wave of intense sexual need. But she did as he commanded, planting the soles of her feet on his bulging pecs, her heart leaping into her throat when the move caused his cock to rub what seemed like every square centimeter of her cunt. Once she was in the position he wanted, he began to move again.

And her whole world shattered. It wasnt that he was hurting her. It wasnt that he pounded into her hard and fast, bumping her cervix with every thrust. No, it was none of those things. Instead, he devastated her with tenderness and slow, shallow thrusts that sent ripples through her entire body like a pebble in a still lake. It started off small, just a little tingle of pleasure, but then the next thrust hit another nerve, building on the pervious pleasure and again and again, each grind of his hips set off fireworks in her womb. Colette lost herself in the bliss,

her hands finding and gripping his thighs as though Zach was the only thing keeping her grounded. Sweat popped up all over her skin, her pores opening as though they wanted to absorb everything he had to give her. And she did. She took it, sliding with him, letting him rock them to orgasm, letting Zach control their pleasure and she didnt take her eyes off him once. How could she when he caught her gaze with his, demanding she watch? It added to the intimacy of the moment, combining with the slick, sucking sounds of his cock sliding through her wetness, the

soft slap of his balls hitting her ass when he gave her a little more of a thrust than a glide. Their harsh breathing filled the air, causing it to grow even more humid. And then it crashed over her like a category 5 hurricane. Colette tried to fight it. She couldnt have told anyone why she wanted to hold that orgasm back, maybe from fear that it would destroy her. And it was a well-founded trepidation because it did destroy her. It started at a molecular level, the very foundation of her being quaking at the pleasure this man gave her and radiated outward. She was vaguely

aware of someone making loud, high-pitched sounds, of her entire body shaking and shuddering, but it was muted because of the euphoria that enveloped her like a blanket of fire, burning her to the bone and leaving her a brand-new person. Zachs hold on her legs tightened to the point of pain and his gentle glides became sharp, fast slams as he worked her for his own pleasure, the steady pulses of her inner muscles fighting him when he withdrew. Sweat gathered and dripped. Bodies strained together, muscles tensed, smooth finesse

became desperate poundings until finally, with a loud groan, he hit her cervix one last time, sending her into another orgasm, but this time she dragged him with her beneath the flames.

*****
We should get going, Colette gasped against Zachs mouth. Mm-hm, he rumbled in reply, nipping at her chin. She tasted like salt from the sweat coating their bodies and all luscious female. In a minute. Her fingers dug into his

shoulders, her high breasts pressed into his chest and her tight pussy gripped his dick like a vise. Long strands of sweat-soaked hair stuck to her, to Zach, getting in their faces and everywhere else, but he didnt care. I think, she panted as he rocked her onto his cock. I think it stopped raining. It had, but there was no way he was going to rush through this. Hed already used two of the condoms from the box, taking her as gently as he was able to that first time, then hed taken her yet again soon after. This time, though, was

about the need to leave an impression, and more of his scent, on her. He sat with his back against the cold metal railing, Colette in his lap, her feet planted on either side of his hips in a near squat. They werent going at it like bunnies like last time. No, that had been about raw lust. Hed flipped his mate onto her knees and taken her from behind, her hands gripping the railings of the headboard as though they would save her life. The purr that had started from the moment they kissed hadnt stopped and it only ramped up in power the slower they ground

against each other. She fit him like a tight glove. If he wasnt so concerned with making sure she remembered this day for the rest of her life, hed pat himself on the fucking back. Shed had to adjust to him, her pussy rippling and stretching around him, her eyes wide with surprise that made a man feel as though he was twenty feet tall. She grunted softly, her hips rocking on him with a little more force. He watched her, hands on her ass, helping her find the perfect position so his cock rubbed her Gspot. When she arched her back, he

bent his knees to give her support, each movement fluid as though theyd been lovers for years instead of a few hours. The new position slid him even deeper, her face flushing and going slack from pleasure. He could come just from watching her orgasm. Zach, she breathed as she let go of his shoulders to grip her breasts, pinching and rolling the hard peaks, tormenting herself. More of her sweet moisture flowed down his dick, her inner muscles tensing around him. Oh God, cher bon Dieu, she cried out, a string of Cajun French leaving her in a

torrent of words he couldnt make out. But he didnt need to know what she was saying because he felt it the minute she went over the edge. Felt it and loved it, the top of his head nearly blowing off. Colettes body went rigid, her spine arching back over his knees a split second before her pussy clenched around his dick, squeezing and milking him. He lost it, unable to hold back any longer. He gripped her waist and used his greater strength to bounce her on his cock, hard and fast. Throwing his head back, he roared, going off like a

rocket, the sharp, nearly painful pressure in his balls shooting into the condom in rapid pulses. His climax couldve lasted for hours or only a few seconds, but when he came back to himself, it was with a satisfied smile on his face and a very slick, panting female on his limp cock. Theyd both come hard, their lungs struggling to catch their breath, muscles slack and this was usually when he said, Thanks for the fun. See ya later. Yet when Colette made a move as though she would climb from his lap, he held her captive.

He leaned forward, nuzzling the center of her chest, lapping at her silky flesh, tasting the salt from her sweat and the essence that was Colette. The amount of sweat clinging to their skin made them stick together. His tiger, the clean freak who wanted his fur and paws immaculate at all times, would have normally found the stickiness of Zachs skin disgusting, but now made it purr in contentment. He was inside his mate, her sated body limp over his. Life couldnt be any better. His gaze trailed down the exposed column of her throat to the

tender crook where her neck met her shoulder and his gums ached with the need to release his fangs. Okay, so life could get better. He wanted Colette to wear his mark, a small scar showing his possession. Unlike shifters, her mark wouldnt fade after a while. Shed hold the symbol of his territory forever. His purring increased in speed and volume. You sound like a motor boat, she murmured without lifting her head. Is that a problem? Even from his position, he could see her lips curl in a contented

smile. No. It just takes some getting used to, is all. Zach released his tight hold on her waist and stroked her flanks, enjoying the way the muscles flexed as though reacting to his touch. You wanted this to happen today, didnt you? He knew she had, but had to hear it from her. She tilted her head down to look at him with a drowsy gaze. The bulk package of condoms wasnt enough of a clue? Should I have bought a case of them instead? She lifted herself from her limp sprawl, the muscles of her stomach contracting with the movement

and her channel squeezing his dick until his eyes crossed. When he could finally see straight again, shed perched herself on his chest, arms crossed and bony elbows digging into his pecs, but he ignored all that because her face was only inches from his own. Zach, Ive wanted you from the moment I first saw you. Im not like a lot of women youve probably been with. Something passed behind her eyes, a shadow that made his tiger tense, yet she didnt let it linger. I dont play games and I dont lie. With me, what you see is what you get, so if I show up

with a box of condoms its because I plan to enjoy myself with you. My only worry was that you didnt return the sentiment. Some of his tension had faded at her words. No, Colette wasnt like women who thought playing coy and hard to get was the way to go. He wouldnt go so far as to say she didnt play games because he remembered how shed made him chase her around the cabin, but it had been a mutual game, not one she initiated to keep his interest. Then the rest of her words sank into his mind and he glared at her. Are you couillon, woman? Of

course I want you! She snorted and rolled her eyes. Yeah and thats why you didnt come out here prepared, hanh? Because you could barely keep your hands to yourself. He refused to acknowledge the blush he felt climbing his face in a cascade of heat. I was trying to show you I wanted you more than just for sex. He heard the defensive tone in his voice, but couldnt help it. He didnt just want her for fucking. He could get that anywhere. Okay, maybe not Colette-style sex, but if that was all he was after, he couldve saved

himself some time and blue balls to get it. Zach prepared to tell her exactly that, but her wide, strangely vulnerable stare stopped him. What? You want more than sex? His stomach clenched in dread and nervousness because unlike before, she didnt sound excited. If anything, she seemed closed off to him. Even her scent had changed, although her pulse fluttered madly at her neck. Unsure and not liking it one bit, Zach said the first thing that came to mind. I want exclusive rights. It wasnt a lie, per se. He wanted exclusive rights to

her heart and her soul and her body for the rest of their lives. He just wasnt ready to tell her all that. Yet. Colette stared at him, those weird shadows dancing behind her eyes before she nodded. Okay. I want that too, she added quickly, slanting a dangerous glare on him. If some shifter swishes her tail at you, I reserve the right to cut it off. And your punishment would result in something else getting the chop. Got it? The low menace in her voice and the cold bite in her eyes should have turned him off. He didnt do possessive women, but Colette

proved to be yet another exception to the rule. His dick twitched at the danger, the way it did every time she did something to reveal the predatory female in human skin. He lifted her off his cock with a little toss that had her tumbling to the foot of the bed. Before she could splutter in outrage, he had the used condom off and a new one on and was sliding into her slick cunt. At first she threatened him with all kinds of awful things that involved his balls and her hunting knife, but after a few strokes, her fingers dug into his ass, pulling him closer and her teeth were in his

shoulder, stifling her screams of pleasure.

*****
She really hated to leave the cabin, but the thunderstorms had passed at least two hours before and the sun would be setting soon. Colette peeked at Zach under her eyelashes as he helped her strip the bed. He hadnt put his shirt back on yet after cleaning up a little from the cistern water, his golden skin gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. Her heart tripped in her chest when he caught her gaze and smiled. She looked away again, her

stupid blush making him chuckle. Her entire body tingled from the most amazing orgasms shed ever experienced. Hed definitely proved himself to be the kind of lover who left a woman sighing with pleasure and begging for more. If it hadnt been for the fear that her father would come looking for them, Colette wouldve tied him to the small bed and kept him as her secret forever. Because it would have to remain a secret. Maybe her dad would be accepting of her relationship with Zach by their thirtieth anniversary. Her heart fluttered at the thought. She

did her best to keep her cool. He hadnt said anything about permanent markings. She frowned at the pile of sheets that carried the strong scent of sex, bundling them into a single tote so she could clean them at home. He had to mean he seriously wanted to mate her, right? A man didnt demand exclusivity of a woman, mark her in such a primal way if all he wanted was a booty call. Right? A tiny voice, the one that continued to be cynical despite the happiness in her heart and the heavy pleasure still coursing through her body, said he was just marking her the

way he would a tree he wanted to use as a scratch post. It was the same voice she tried to ignore when she thought she saw something stronger than affection in Zachs gold eyes. What would a tiger with his reputation want with a crazy coonass whose family threatened him on a daily basis? A quick fuck, thats what. Everything okay? he asked when she sat staring at the bundled sheets like an idiot. He crouched next to her, all of that golden skin filling her vision. Colette? Blinking to clear the visions of heartbreak dancing before her eyes,

she ducked her head. Yeah, everythings fine. I was just thinking Im gonna have to come back here in a few weeks to give it a good cleaning, thats all. She aimed a blank smile over his left shoulder. Deer season starts in a few months. She caught his frown out the corner of her eye as she climbed to her feet. Lets go. He grabbed the laundry bag laden with soiled sheets and hefted it onto his shoulder without being asked. Not that she wouldve. Colette was so accustomed to doing for herself, she didnt bother asking people anymore. Her shaky, scared

heart warmed at how easily he fit himself into her routine. Not barreling over her like a steamroller, but acting as an extension of herself, as though hed been working at her side all her life. As they left the cabin, Colette tried to pretend as though it were no big deal when he reached out to grab her hand, lacing his fingers through hers as they walked down to the dock. But it was a huge deal. Even with the boyfriends shed had in college, they hadnt reached for her. Shed had to initiate the contact with them, something she frequently didnt bother doing

because it seemed weird and unnatural to hold hands with someone. With Zach though, it was another way he made them fit together as though they were two halves of a whole. Remembering exactly how well they fit together in a biblical sense, Colette shivered. Will you come back to my place tonight? I want to cook for you, he said as he helped her load the boat. Caught in the middle of stepping into the boat, his question took her off guard, which was the only reason she slipped between the boat and the dock, plunging feet first into the bayou. She barely

had enough time to hold her breath before she went under, her movements stirring up the muddy bed and obscuring her vision. Not that she needed it. She let a few bubbles escape her mouth and followed them to the surface, using her hands to find the bottom of the boat so she didnt hit it with her head. She heard muted roars and splashing somewhere above her, but tuned it out to find her way back above water. When her hand broke the surface, Zach was there to grab it, hauling her out of the bayou, wet clothes and shoes and all.

Fuck, Colette, he shouted at her as he pulled her into the boat. His hands ran over her, pressing here and there. Talk to me, dammit! Are you okay? She blinked the water from her eyes, thick, south Louisiana air filling her lungs when she gasped like a landed fish. Okay, she whispered as she coughed. Im okay. His hands left her abruptly, drawing her gaze to him rather than the puffy clouds overhead. Zachs lips were white where they were pressed together, lines of tension bracketing his mouth. His

eyes were pure gold, his pupils tiny pinpricks of black. Wondering what his problem was, she looked him over, wondering if hed hurt himself when he pulled her out of the water. He still hadnt put his shirt on and it looked as though every vein in his arms stood in stark relief against his skin as though hed just pumped enough iron to build a train. Are you okay? she asked tentatively, her voice still hoarse. He closed his eyes, nodding with short jerks of his head. Colette sat up, slinging the hair off her face and looked around. I

havent done that since I was little, she remarked with a selfdepreciating laugh that fell flat when Zach didnt join her. She cleared her throat and got to her feet. Her clothes were soaked. Again. Shit. Well, at least it wont be hot on the trip back to the office, she muttered as she walked to the back of the boat. When she got behind the wheel, Zach knelt in the same place, his head bowed. He had to have hurt his back lifting her out of the water, but was too proud to admit it. Shaking her head at stubborn men, she started up the boat. So what do you want to cook

for me?

Chapter Thirteen
He was having a heart attack. That was the only logical explanation for the way it continued to pound despite the danger being long past. Colette didnt seem to have a problem putting her fall into the bayou behind her. Probably because she hadnt seen the fucking alligator slide into the water from the far bank and head straight for her, he thought, his heart once again jumping into his throat. His tiger had gone on instant offense, roaring a warning at the fucking

lizard threatening its mate. When her hand broke the surface of the water, he hadnt thought twice, just pulled her out. And other than spluttering a little, shed acted as though it wasnt a big deal. So what do you want to cook for me? He lifted his head at that, staring at her with a blend of frustration, relief and pained love. The dip in the bayou had left her clothes plastered to her body again. Her hair slicked over her delicate skull. Skin glistening like wet honey, she looked like a mermaid. A mermaid who didnt seem to realize the

danger shed been in, or if she did, accepted it as a normal part of her life. Zach? He blinked, realizing she was staring at him as though he needed help. And maybe he did. If loving Colette was going to be this dangerous and frightening, it seemed he hadnt given her father enough credit for surviving her youth. Alligator, he muttered as he lifted his ass to sit on the bench in the center of the boat facing her. Im cooking alligator. Sounds good, she remarked with enough enthusiasm that he

could have cheerfully strangled her. His tiger rumbled at the thought. Okay, maybe not strangle her, spanking her sounded better. Do you need me to supply the meat? Cause I have a few bags in my freezer from last season. She chattered on, pointing out all the spots shed hunted, where she caught this alligator, where she shot that buck, not in the least bit shaky after falling into alligatorinfested waters. Listening to her, nodding when she seemed to expect a response, Zach pondered ways he could keep her safe. There was no way he could take as much

time off from the bakery as he had lately. Emily had sounded as though she thought he was dying when he told her to cover for him today. An absence of more than two days in a row would have the place crumbling into ruin. Logic told him Colette knew how to take care of herself, had survived this long without him in her life, but that thought process was about as helpful as tits on a bull because logic had nothing to do with how he felt about this woman. His tiger was outraged that she held herself in so little care. It wanted to wrap her in bubble wrap

and put her on a shelf somewhere so she didnt get hurt. Yeah, that would go over like gangbusters. Shed skin him alive and use his pelt to wipe her feet every day. No, hed have to trust that she wouldnt do something dangerous and get herself killed. Trust. The word alone made his stomach sour and cramp. Whatre you thinking about to make that face? she asked over the roar of the motor. But before he could lie to her, his nose caught a scent that snapped him out of his self-pitying thoughts. A look around showed

they were back to the fork in the bayous where theyd stopped before, but this time there was a new, unwelcome scent all over the area. His tiger let out a subvocal growl that traveled along the bayou, sending birds to the sky. The wolf. He smelled that ball-licking, ass-sniffing wolf. Good Lord, youd better hope the wind doesnt change direction, or your facell get stuck that way, Colette teased as she brought the boat around the curve in the bayou. But the minute they cleared the trees, she killed the engine. The expression on her face went from

happy and carefree to a mask, the smile dropping away as though the sun suddenly fell from the sky. Zach swiveled on his bench, knowing what he would see before he even turned around. Unfortunately, he was correct. The bastard wolf, also known as the Wildlife Enforcement Agent, sat in a boat in the very center of the bayou, his mirrored sunglasses hiding his wintry blue eyes. The tiger snapped at Zachs mind, wanting at the fucker for coming near his woman again, but the gun on the dogs hip stopped him from doing something stupid and

leaving Colette helpless.

*****
It finally dawned on Colette, as she was driving back to the office, that Zach had been worried about her. He sat facing her on the bench in the middle of the boat, a brooding expression on his handsome face. It was the most adorable look ever, melting her heart in ways she really didnt need right now, not if she was going to keep her shit together. But seriously, how could she resist? She was used to him being sexy. Demanding. Mischievous and even

charming. But worried and brooding? No, not so much. And he was that way because hed worried about her falling in the water. Hed run his hand through his hair numerous times, tugging on the strands, eyeing her the same way her dad had when hed discovered she wasnt his little tomboy anymore. Who wouldve guessed Zach and her daddy had anything in common? But it appeared both men thought she needed a keeper. If it had been any other man, she wouldve disabused him of that notion immediately and violently. Except she actually felt as though

Zachs worry equaled care. It had to. You didnt worry for someone if didnt care for them. Right? She puzzled over that for most of the trip, making little comments here and there, trying to figure out if Zach was worried for her in a my girlfriend and possible mate almost drowned kind of way or a I really didnt feel like dealing with a legal inquisition if she drowned kind of way. But all thoughts of how Zach cared for her, if he cared at all, were pushed to the back of her mind when she saw that boat in the middle of the bayou. The weird sixth sense she relied

on when she was hunting returned with full force, warning her this wasnt good. She had to tell her fight-or-flight mode that she wasnt doing anything wrong because every instinct told her to swing the boat around and make a run for it. Her breath caught in shock and a shiver worked its way down her spine. Fear, primal and harsh, slammed into her. Colette could have blamed her moms stories about her greatgreat-grandmother being a famous mambo in Haiti for her sudden and crippling belief that something bad was going to happen. She could

have blamed the old tales of voodoo her mother told her, but she didnt. No, this agent heralded something else. Danger. But she didnt run. Instead, she let the boat coast up to the LDWF vessel, careful to keep a few feet between them. Unless the warden asked for special permission to check out her boat, she wouldnt make it easy for him. Zachs head snapped around, drawing her attention. He scented the air and his eyes flashed pale yellow, the tiger peeking at her from his human face. That simple look helped calm her a little. She

wasnt alone and no one would be dumb enough to take on a tiger shifter, even if that someone was a wildlife agent. Right? But the agent didnt look the least bit worried about Zach, ignoring the tiger shifter in favor of her. He was good-looking from close up, yet he did nothing for her. Even when he flashed her what she supposed was a charming, whitetoothed smile, all she saw was a fox with a mouthful of feathers. Yall hunting today? The drawled question was accompanied by him whipping off his sunglasses. No sir.

Those cold eyes trailed over her as far as they could, a weird knowledge in them that left her feeling naked. Zach didnt seem to appreciate it either, a harsh, warning growl rumbling in his throat. The agent glanced at the tiger shifter, seemingly unfazed by the obvious danger he was in. The two men stared at each other, an unspoken challenge passing back and forth. Colette could almost see the pissing contest going on, but she was left completely in the dark by their silence. All she knew was the longer they stared, the tenser the

men became until they resembled solid blocks of stone. Hoping to get the fuck away from him, Colette did something her daddy said never to do. She engaged a warden in conversation. Afternoon, Agent Roscoe, she said after a quick glance at his name tag. Were just doing a little sightseeing. How can I help you? He looked away from Zach to give her another smile, this one more playful than before. Well now, you could help me by going out to dinner with me. Her jaw dropped. She wouldve liked to say it was because in all her

years of running into agents, shed never had one ask her on a date, but the truth was, shed never seen a man leap across a distance of five feet without preparing for it the way Zach did. He landed in the agents boat, rocking it with his sudden weight and launched himself at the other man like a freight train hurtling off a cliff. The two men toppled over, disappearing from her sight except for the occasional fist and foot as they fought. She didnt know whether to cheer for Zach or to haul ass. She couldnt believe hed done that, even as she thought of

ways to thank him with sexual favors for doing something shed always wanted to do. Hold it right there, jackass, the low threatening growl came accompanied with the ominous click of a hammer being cocked. Colettes heart dropped to the pit of her stomach, all the blood draining from her face as she realized the warden had pulled his gun. No! she shouted, trying to reach out to the other boat to pull it or herself closer. Dont shoot! The annoying drawl muttered something she couldnt hear, but seconds later Zachs head popped

over the edge of the boat. His face was stark white, his eyes glittering dangerously as he moved to let the warden up. Both men had red marks on their faces from the fight and the wardens nose looked a little bloody. But none of that mattered when she saw the gun in the wardens hand. Zach, she said through numb lips, all the strength in her body fading as she pictured the man she loved being blown away before her very eyes. Its okay, Colette. While his face was pale and tight, Zachs voice was steady and sure. The

agent and I just had a little disagreement. Were cool now, right, Roscoe? The wardens eyes raged with cold fire as he glared at Zach, but he nodded. Were cool. Just get the fuck back in your boat, cat. Colette watched as Zach flashed massive fangs at the wildlife agent before he casually leapt back into her boat, barely rocking it. He sauntered closer, coming to stand beside her, his warmth pushing away the chill that invaded her at the thought of him dying right then and there. She shuddered, nausea crawling up her throat, but he

threw an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side. The warden watched them, something calculating in his gaze before he looked directly at Colette. Yall be careful now, he said with a smirk that threatened to destroy the cocoon of warmth Zach lent her. Ill be seein you around, miss. With a shuttered glance at the tiger standing next to her, the warden turned over the engine and drove away, the wakes of his waves causing her boat to bounce. Still, Colette couldnt speak. The only thing she was capable of was

throwing her arms around Zach and squeezing him tight. Zach breathed in her scent, the underlying fear nearly drowning out his markings. He closed his eyes and buried his face in her hair, holding her close. Her heart pounded against his chest, but he couldnt say or do anything more than hug her, let her hug him. Hed never come so close to dying before. Looking down the barrel of a gun with a cold-eyed shifter on the other end gave him a new appreciation for how a deer felt. And for the wolf to whisper, It

aint time for us to dance just yet, pahdnah. He shook his head and tightened his hold on Colette. There was something wrong with that wolf. Maybe hed do a little snooping, talk with Sheriff Picou when he got back to town, but whatever he did, he wouldnt allow that bastard to ruin what he and Colette had just shared. Its okay, he murmured against her crown, tenderness crowding out some of his anger at the wolf. Colette had been genuinely worried about him and he didnt think it was the general

empathy most people had for each other. She cared about him. She had to, right? I thought he was going to kill you right in front of me, she whispered into his chest, her body shivering. She tilted her head back to look at him, her eyes nearly swallowing her face. Im sorry, I just need a minute, okay? He kissed her forehead before tucking her back against his chest. Whatre you sorry for? You didnt do anything wrong. Her small laugh was shaky at best, but some of the tension left her. Im sorry for falling apart like

this. I justI dont know, Im usually better at keeping it together. Zach allowed himself to smile, her hair hiding his expression. She did care. His tiger liked the idea too, although it was tempered by the arrogance only an apex predator could feel. There had been nothing to worry about. The tiger had excellent reflexes and had scented the wolf didnt want to shoot him. Thered been something decidedly weird about the way the wolf acted, as though he was following script. But he pushed the thought to the back of his mind to

think about later. Right now, his mate needed the security of his embrace. A purr rumbled in his chest at the thought of her finding solace with him for the rest of her days. Soon, Zach told his tiger. Soon shell come to us for everything. But not until we know for certain its what she wants. After several moments, her trembling stopped and she made as though to move away from him. Zach wasnt ready to let her go, though. When was the last time someone worried about him? Had hugged him just because they had to assure themselves he was safe?

Never, thats how long. His grandmother, while she loved him in her own way, had been a tiger shifter. By the time he showed up on her doorstep, hed been a little too old for her to coddle in the way of maternal cats. She hadnt neglected him, by any means, but his childhood hurts had been treated as a lesson in how to hunt, how to avoid being injured and any number of life lessons she felt he needed to survive. He was glad she hadnt babied him, except he wouldve enjoyed a hug now and then just because. The way he had a feeling Colette would treat

any cubs he gave her. Shed be a tough mother, but shed also fiercely protect her children and baby them when she could get away with it. Im okay, she mumbled into his chest, her breath washing across his bare skin. Up until that moment, Zach had been able to repress his desires. They hadnt been important when faced with her fear. Now though, the danger had passed. They were in a gently rocking boat in the middle of nowhere and his keen ears and nose detected nothing suspicious. His hold on Colette

turned from protective to hungry, his lips trailing down her silky hair to nuzzle the hollow behind her ear. Her breath caught and her movements to get away stilled. Zach? The soft scent of her arousal wafted to him the more he lapped at and nibbled on her neck, his tigers purrs growing louder. I had a near-death experience, he rumbled against her skin. I think theres a chance I need to do the reaffirmation of life thing. Colette looked up at him suspiciously, her eyes narrowing on

him even as the pupils expanded when he rubbed his swiftly swelling cock against her stomach. Oh really? Mm-hm, he purred and smoothed his hands down her lean back to cup her ass. Really. Do you mind? She was silent so long, Zach lifted his face from where hed been nuzzling her cleavage through her shirt. She was biting her lip, a thoughtful expression on her face, but there was no mistaking the aroma of her cream filling the air around him. I think I need to make sure

youre not really hurt, she finally said, her hands sliding around to his front where she made short work on the button of his jeans. Zach couldnt have stopped himself from smiling, even if the warden held that gun to his head again, and let his mate have her way. Right there in the boat that added a little more motion to their lovemaking.

*****
Holy hell, where did all this stuff from? Did you win the lottery?

Colette looked up from where she was adding markings to the crab traps to see her dad and uncles looking at the bounty Zach had brought her. A secret smile threatened to overtake her face, but she swallowed it down when they looked at her again. No, I didnt win the lottery. She dropped her gaze to the ropes she tied to her traps. She didnt say anything else, but heard her relatives exclaiming over the traps, over the new equipment. She wasnt entirely sure what shed tell them. If she were honest with them, telling them Zach had

bought them, theyd immediately jump to the conclusion that he was trying to buy her affections. A familiar pair of boots appeared in her vision. She kept her head down and tied a knot before placing that trap on the side and reaching for the next. Except her dads hand caught hers. Cher, why you dont tell me where you got this from, hanh? Stifling a sigh and knowing she couldnt lie to her dad, Colette finally looked up at him. Zach gave them to me to replace the ones he broke. It was sad, really, but she

actually enjoyed the look of shock on his face. Her dad hadnt held back his opinion of Zach while he helped her clean up, had been quite vocal about how he didnt like the tiger shifter. But now he looked stunned. Co faire? he asked, his face darkening. This cat thinks he can buy you? Colette sighed deeply and put the trap aside. No, Dad. He felt bad for breaking the others and for uh, she glanced at her uncles, who were watching them with rapt attention, for marking the rest of my equipment. That didnt seem

to go over well with her dad, his face growing redder by the second. Look, he wanted to make amends and I needed the equipment so I accepted it. Her dad opened his mouth, but she cut him off. Im planning to pay him back as soon as I can set my traps. His nostrils flared and he exchanged a dark look with his brothers that made the hair stand up on the back of her neck. She leapt to her feet. No, she shouted. No. Whatever yall are planning, better stop now. Colette, bb, hes good for nothing, bon rien. He only wants

Willis, Uncle Tudu cut in sharply and turned to Colette. Your dad is just worried, cher. This cat, weve heard of him many times. You dont go to town as much as we do. Cet homme est beaucoup amoureux. She glared at her uncles. He is not a womanizer! Much. She shook her head. It doesnt matter what you say, okay? Sucking in a deep breath for courage, she met her dads eyes with her own. I love him. His jaw dropped and his eyes widened. He didnt seem to be breathing and after a moment,

Colette reached out to him, but he slammed a hand to his chest. Cest pas vrai, he gasped. She wanted to roll her eyes at his dramatics. Yes, its true. I love him and Ive loved him for a long time. The sheer shock on his face told her he still didnt get it and her shoulders slumped. She lifted a hand to rub her forehead. I know the chances of us having a future together are slim. Im aware, but the heart goes where it wants, yeah? And my heart wants Zach Trahan. Even if its just for a little while. Something shifted in his eyes,

the shock fading a little beneath understanding, but he didnt relax his stance for a long time. Colette didnt try to defend herself or Zach. Her dad would come to either love him as much as she did, or hate him for any number of offenses. One of which would become a broken heart if things didnt work out between them. She shook the negative thought away. Zach cared. How much, she couldnt say and wouldnt hazard to guess. Not yet anyway. Finally, her Uncle Frog broke the tension between Colette and her dad with a, Is that a new pair

of waders? He pushed past his older brother as he went to admire them. Her dad gave her a stern look. You tell me if he hurts you in any way, yeah? Ill take care of it. Colette blew out a hard sigh and smiled a little. If he hurts me, do you think thered be anything left for you to take care of? Her dad and Uncle Tudu let out nearly identical laughs, slapping her on the back as the tension faded completely. When her dad pressed a hard kiss to her forehead, she knew hed let her handle this thing with Zach on her own. He

wouldnt be happy about it, but hed trust her judgment. Of course, if things went sour, shed have to make sure to hide all the guns in case her dad decided to seek retribution the Robicheaux way.

*****
Zach hurried through his shower, having slipped up the stairs to his apartment to avoid running into any of his employees. He was dying to sleep, but knew he only had so much time before Colette showed up at his apartment. Saying he was a little excited to cook for her was an

understatement. But he knew that wasnt the only reason he was happy. She was coming to his territory. His dick hardened at the thought of having her here, in his home, her sweet scent clinging to his furniture. His tiger purred with contentment. That last time, in the boat with the sun shining on them, Zach had come very close to sinking fang in her and keeping her without her consent. As he pounded into her, rocking the boat, his fangs had burst out of his gums. Only lifting himself away from the tempting curve of her neck had kept him

from doing something shed later regret. His cock deflated at the thought of Colette hating him for marking her. He growled and fisted his hands against the shower tile. He hated being uncertain about anything, but his mate left him feeling as shaky as a cub learning to shift for the first time. It wasnt like him, except there was no denying his skittishness. So he tried logic. On one hand, he was certain she felt something beyond lust for him. She wouldnt have clung to him the way she had if it was just sex. And when shed looked him over for

injuries, shed really studied him, pressing at bruises forming with a frown furrowing her brow. She did care. That was proof positive. But she didnt look at him with starry-eyes the way hed seen Daisy or Kitty look at their mates. Colettes eyes were shuttered when she didnt look at him as though she could eat him. Or when she was eyeing him as though she were measuring him for a fur rug. He winced. Okay, maybe he irritated her a little much, but she hadnt shot at him again and that was a major plus. Banging sounded on his door,

drawing him away from thoughts of his favorite torment. Zach stuck his head out of the shower and bellowed, Ill be down in a fucking minute, Emily! Youd better be, dammit, she shouted right back. Zach rinsed off and stepped out of the shower, drying himself off with brisk efficiency, his mind turning to matters that would normally have distracted him from Colette. Except she wasnt the kind of woman he could easily dismiss. Even as he dressed and thought about everything Emily would no doubt want to talk with him about,

his mind churned with ways to make Colette see him as a mate. The meal he planned to make for her tonight wouldnt be pretentious. No, he planned to make her something familiar and obviously home cooked. Comfort food as a main meal and then hed dazzle her with his desserts. Zach didnt bother shaving. Emily didnt sound as though she had patience, which was strange since his coyote shifter assistant was patience personified. Yet when he opened his apartment door, she growled at him, her eyes pale yellow as her canine rose to the

surface. You took long enough, she accused as she stepped over the threshold and surveyed him from his wet hair to his bare feet. What the hell is going on with you? First you tell me to handle the McElroy wedding. Then you leave a message on my phone at three this morning saying you arent coming in? To just handle things as I see fit? She planted her hands on her hips and glared up at him. Are you on drugs? His tiger found the entire conversation boring and curled into a ball to get the sleep Zach so

desperately wanted, leaving him to handle his irate assistant. He stifled a sigh and tried to think of a rational explanation for his sudden absence at the business hed lived and breathed for years. Emilys eyes widened and she staggered back a step. Youre in love! The shock in her voice had Zach frowning at her. Why do you say it like that? Im not a machine. Really? Youre going to say that when Ive worked for you since you took over the bakery? She snorted and ran a hand through her short hair. You remember when

Dwayne asked you for the weekend off? Zach waved her story away and turned to his kitchen. It wasnt nearly as big as the one he had downstairs, but the appliances were top of the line, the stainless-steel worktable doubled as his kitchen table and he had enough room to work. This was where he spent a lot of time experimenting with new dishes before he brought them downstairs to the bigger work area. He was having his mating ceremony, Emily continued, undeterred by his dismissal. He really needed to do something

about her impertinence, but she was a decent baker and he always worried hed have a hard time replacing her. You asked him if that was something he really wanted to do. In front of his mate. Zach hunched his shoulders because he did remember saying that to the chef who acted as his assistant on the catering side of things. He only knew the woman two days. I was only looking out for him. And exactly how long have you known the human hunter? A week? she scoffed. Okay, she had a point, but he

was taking the time to get to know his mate better. That had to count, right? He hadnt just rushed out and bit her as if he were playing tag or something. He was giving her a chance to learn more about him, to fall in love with him the way hed fallen for her. Humans werent like shifters. They needed the whole courting thing before they committed to each other. Dwaynes mate had been a cougar shifter just like Dwayne. It was perfectly fine and acceptable for shifters to meet and know they were instantly connected. It was normal. Humans, though, were an entirely different

matter and Zach worried they were too different for Colette to see him as someone she wanted to spend her life with. Ignoring Emilys expectant silence, Zach began to take out the ingredients he needed to make a meal suitable for his female. Im going to be relying on you a lot in the upcoming weeks, he told her without turning around. Dont fuck up. There was a beat of silence. Are you serious? Thinking back to the conversation he and Colette had as they took their time returning to

the landing, Zach knew this was the right time to do this. The advice she gave him the night before in the guise of talking about her family business had helped him realize he was killing himself trying to run two companies alone. Shed done it all innocent-like, as though she just so happened to think about it while they were unloading the boat. He hadnt missed Colettes big, honking hint to learn how to delegate responsibilities. And now was the time to put them into motion. All because Colette had so casually mentioned how well their

company ran because the burden was shared. Willis handled the swamp tours, her Uncle Frog took care of maintaining all the vehicles and promotions for the business, while her Uncle Tudu did the finances. They werent rich, but they were well content with the way things were going. Colette was being groomed for the tours, had been working them with her father since she graduated from college, while her cousins Cotton and Beau would split the finances and other duties. It was a family business they wanted to stay in the family forever, but not run the family the

way Zachs baker and catering service had run his life. Whats the point in working for it if you never have time to enjoy it? shed asked as she licked her spoon clean. Dont get me wrong, I think you need to keep workin on makin new recipes and stuff, but youre gonna kill yourself if you dont pace yourself. He turned to the shifter staring at him as though hed grown a second head. Youre my right hand in the bakery, Emily. Youve worked for me without much complaint, putting up with my temper and youve proven to be

one hell of a baker. I want you to take over the day-to-day operations at the bakery. He smiled, amazed at how much lighter he already felt. And youre getting a ten-percent wage increase as well as a share in the profits at the end of the year. When she hit the floor in a dead faint, Zach rubbed the back of his neck with a frown. He needed to work on his delivery. But he still reached for his phone and called down for Dwayne Paulsen, telling the cougar shifter to make his way upstairs. May as well dole out the shock all at once.

Chapter Fourteen
The dark, decadent chocolate hit her tongue, followed by heat that sank into her bones. Colette reached up to grab Zach by his hair, forgetting hed tied her hands to the legs of his stainless-steel worktable. He kissed her, the taste of Zach and bitter chocolate going straight to her head like a drug. Only his lips touched her, but she swore she felt him all over, the warmth of his body bathing her naked skin. When shed arrived at his apartment, stomach fluttering with

shy excitement and arousal, Zach had swooped down on her like an avenging angel. Shed barely managed to squeak out a hello before she found herself pinned against the door, her pants around her ankles and his cock powering into her. She shivered at the reminder of how hed thrust into her over and over as though he wanted to be a part of her. Theyd both come loudly and with a wet rush that made her thankful his apartment was above the nowclosed bakery. Otherwise, everyone wouldve known what they were doing.

Theyd eaten at the table, both naked as the day they were born, but it hadnt seemed like a big deal. Hed fed her fried alligator and creamy white beans, spooning the deliciousness into her mouth. The tiger cooked as well, if not better, than her own mother, a feat very few ever managed. Hed made sure she was nearly full before he ate. As though her care came first with him. Itd left her feeling shy and a little breathless, but he hadnt taken his eyes off her. Then he surprised her with dessert. Colette had imagined his infamous Triple Decadence

Chocolate cake. What she hadnt expected was for him to make her the dessert. Which was how she found herself tied to his table with thick chocolate and caramel swirls all over her body. Mm, he said as he pulled away from the kiss, lapping at her lips like a lazy cat. You taste better than anything Ive ever made. His mouth moved down her throat, stopping a moment to suck at her pulse before he nibbled his way to her left breast. Swirling his tongue around the hard peak, he gathered the sticky sweet hed left to warm against her skin. Delicious.

Her entire body flushed with pleasure at his compliment even as she shook her head. I dont know. Those apple caramel cookies you make are pretty damn good, she blurted the first thing that came to mind. How did you respond to a man saying you tasted better than his desserts? By deflecting the attention away from her on to something else. Except it backfired on her. His tongue stopped and his lustful face appeared over hers. Apple caramel cookies? he asked with a frown. I havent made those since last year when they

didnt sell well. If there was one thing Colette hadnt wanted, it was for Zach to find out exactly how long shed crushed on him. She hadnt lied to him earlier that day when she said shed wanted him from the moment she saw him, she just hadnt wanted him to realize shed first seen him a year before. So instead of answering him, she lifted her head and kissed him, tasting caramel and Zach, which was way better than cookies. One of his hands found its way to her thigh, where they were splayed at the edge of the table.

Her entire body quivered from that simple contact. She knew what he was capable of giving her and she needed it like she needed her next breath. But while his hand slid up the tender length of her thigh, he didnt touch her suddenly drenched cunt. His fingers played high on her leg, the back of his hand tickling the trimmed hair covering her mound, teasing her. Colette, he said in that deep, rumbling voice. Have you been to my shop before? Without your family? She opened her mouth to say something along the lines of, I

really cant remember, but the evil man proved himself to be an interrogator of the sneaky, sexy kind. When she wouldve hedged on the truth, he stroked his fingers along her slick lips, gathering moisture and skirting her aching clit. Her breath caught, trapped by his gaze. He stared down at her with all the patience of a skilled hunter, the tiger obviously determined to know. I remember my kitchen assistant talking about some of our regular internet customers, he remarked casually, although his fingers were very deliberate as they

played at her entrance, teasing her with the promise of penetration. And she always wondered why someone from Bayou Ange would have desserts shipped to them instead of picking it up themselves. He slid one lean finger inside her tight entrance, curling it to tap her G-spot. Colette twitched, muscles tight with the need to clamp her legs together, holding his hand to her. But there was no moving. Hed tied her down too well. I never thought of it much until now, he mused as he pumped his finger inside her, adding a second one when her

channel relaxed. I bet if I pulled up the database, Id see your address, wouldnt I? He did something, stroked harder, or was it softer? She couldnt even tell and didnt care as long as he continued. Her back arched off the table, her limbs straining the limits of her tethers, head thrashing as tortuous pleasure tore through her, stealing her breath, the buildup almost more than she could bear. And then it stopped. Colettes mouth opened in shock as she was left hanging. Zach stared down at her, a smile playing

around his sensuous lips as though he knew exactly what he was doing. Fils de putain, she snapped at him, the insult bouncing off him as though it meant nothing. He even beamed at her. Now that wasnt very nice, he teased. Would I find your address in my database, Colette? Ill finish what I started if you tell me. She squirmed, embarrassed and turned-on and frustrated, but she knew she wasnt going anywhere for a while. Not until he let her go. Her heart leapt at the thought, her body going liquid with the realization that she was at his

mercy. And the dark, dangerous glint to his eyes suggested he had none. She bit her lip to keep from responding. God, was she sick? Did she actually want him to torture her with pleasure? Yes, yes she did. She loved everything he did to her, even when it was this, her body soaking up every ounce of pleasure he gave her like the soil after a drought. And he didnt disappoint. He went to work on her again, his face disappearing from view, but a peek downward showed Zach pulling a chair up to the table, seating

himself right between her spread legs. Her heart hopped up her esophagus when he looked at her, gold eyes gleaming with dangerous mischief. No, she breathed even as her pussy grew slick at the implied threat. You wouldnt. The smile he sent her was lethal and then she couldnt see it at all because he proved he would. Very well. Colettes cries echoed in his ears, her harsh breathing rasped along his nerve endings. And still he didnt stop. He wouldnt until she

told him what he wanted to know, what his heart told him was fact. In his mind, he remembered her talking smack about his cakes, his desserts. The tiger rumbled with barely suppressed humor. It liked how sassy she was, enjoyed the thought of pleasuring her until she confessed. The sweet scent of her arousal and the salty tang of her cream told him how much she enjoyed it as well. He lapped at her cunt, burrowing through her slit until he reached her clit. And purposely bypassed it. She twitched, the muscles of her legs straining. She

babbled in Cajun French, curses and pleas, but she didnt tell him what he wanted to know. Zach smiled against her soaked sex, eyes closing as he toyed with her, fucking her with his tongue. It wouldnt be enough to make her come, but it would make her hotter, wetter. And he was proved correct when his forays were met with more moisture. Tell me you liked my desserts, he rumbled against her pussy, knowing the vibration of his voice would add to her torment. Tell me you want me to cook for you again, Colette.

She panted, strained some more, her beautiful body gracing his table like the finest of desserts. No. Tell me, he insisted, wrapping his lips around her hard clit and suckling just enough to make her screech. Tell me. She shook her head, her body glistening with sweat. If anyone had told Zach hed purposely tie a woman to his worktable, one of his sacred, sterile surfaces and torment her there, he wouldve looked at them as though they were crazy. But the minute hed tempted her with the ties, had seen the shy excitement on her face at the

thought of being helpless, hed shrugged and tossed her on top of his table. It could be cleaned and since she was the only woman whod ever graced it, he didnt mind at all. He twisted his fingers in her tight sheath, pumping them as he worked her clit, scraping it with the edge of his fangs. And she went tense around him. Yes, she sobbed. Yes, I do, yes. Now please let me come. He didnt waste time with a triumphant grin. His balls hurt too much for that. Instead, he grabbed one of the condoms hed thrown on

the counter after dinner and tore it open. He rolled it down his length and plunged into his mates tight body with one strong thrust. Zach barely had time to enjoy the way her muscles opened around him before those same muscles clenched on his cock hard enough to leave him gasping. Colette cried out, singing out her pleasure as she came, urging Zach and his tiger into a frenzy of pumping as he followed her into bliss. And it was full-on bliss, not the abbreviated kind hed had with other females in the past. Colette turned him inside out, upside down

and he loved it. Loved her with every fiber of his being.

*****
His bed wasnt as comfortable as hers. Colette stretched her back, causing Zach to tighten his arms around her. As if she were going anywhere. Yet. She cracked open one eye to look at the clock. It was just after midnight and she wasnt ready to leave even though shed have to. Snuggling deeper in his embrace, Colette enjoyed the moment. It amazed her how comfortable he made her feel with her body, with her sexuality. There

was nothing embarrassing when they were together. After hed tortured her into telling her dirty little secret, he hadnt lorded it over her. Much. She grinned into the darkness because that was a flat-out lie. When he let her go, limp and panting for breath, hed picked her up and strutted to his shower where he proceeded to clean her from head to toe. And he hadnt been able to keep from smiling, like the cat that got the cream. And then some. I knew you wanted me for my baked goods, he told her as he

scrubbed his hair, looking as smug as any man could possibly be. No one can resist those. In that moment, he looked completely carefree in a way shed never noticed before. It was as though she were seeing him for the first time. Shed fallen for his sexy smile and his charm, but that love solidified when she saw his boyish grin and pride in his accomplishments. As if her opinion really mattered to him. If that didnt make a girl feel special, Colette didnt know what would. And she wanted to see more of that part of him, wanted to know

everything about him, but unlike a lot of women, she wasnt the best conversationalist. More often than not, she put her foot in her mouth, which was why she spent more time with her male relatives and Kanda than her cousins-in-law. But her curiosity urged her to ask him something. They were both relaxed and sated from their climaxes. She wet her lips and cleared her throat. Ease into it, ask something everyone could talk about. Family was good. She loved talking about her family. And hed seemed receptive to the chatting theyd done in her boat after the last time

they made love. Except, he never spoke about them. Never mentioned them, or any funny stories he might have. She knew his grandmother had raised him, had taught him the business, but he never really talked about her other than as a teacher. Zach? Hm? he hummed into her hair, his embrace still tight. Whats your family like? If he hadnt been holding her so close, she probably wouldnt have guessed anything was wrong. His breathing didnt change and she couldnt see his face, but his entire

body stiffened slightly and his purring stopped. Not enough to be a flinch, but enough that she felt it. And it worried her because she felt as though shed inadvertently hurt him. Colette twisted in his hold until she faced him. His face was in shadows, the streetlights streaming through the window doing little to alleviate the darkness in his bedroom. Still, she could see the glitter of his eyes. You dont have to answer that, she said, suddenly desperate to hear him purr again, to feel his contentment. I didnt mean to be nosy.

One of his arms fell away from her, his hand reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear and almost petting her as though the movement soothed him. No, you have every right to ask me, he said after he spent a long time smoothing down her hair to his satisfaction. I just dont have the kind of family you do. He huffed out a laugh, relaxing slightly. Probably a good thing too. Youre always welcome at my parents house, she said shyly. My mama liked you. She held her breath because this was when he should start backpedalling. There

was no way he could mistake her feelings if she was inviting him to come back to meet her family, especially her mother. Shes a great cook, was all he said. This was not going the way shed wanted it to, but she persisted, even though it was obviously a sore subject. What about your family? Were they all good cooks? she asked instead, thinking that had to be a safer subject. His lip curled, not in a smile, but in a frown and her heart sank. She was worse at this aftersex talk than shed thought.

My mom left me with my grandmother when I was young, maybe six or seven, he said in a rough voice. He cleared his throat. I dont know where she is. She felt like scum to bring up such an ugly memory, but he continued before she could recant her questions. I Mamaw tried to teach me about the rest of her family. I didnt realize it at the time. His whole body moved with his shrug. I had this chip on my shoulder, thinking she was just rubbing it in, that I wasnt like the rest of the Trahans. I imagine they were all great cooks.

They would have to be to keep the bakery as long as its been around. He was quiet a moment. But when I have kids, I plan to share with them as much of the Trahan legacy as I can remember and the rest we can find out together. I dont want my cubs to ever feel as though they dont belong. Her heart flat-out hurt. She wanted to hug him and promise to love and cherish the little boy hed been. Then she wanted to find his mom and kick her ass. But that wouldnt help him now. Instead, she traced circles on his chest, trying to find the right words.

I think your grandmother would have been so proud of you, she said quietly into the deep silence thatd fallen between them. Youre the best baker in the history of Pointe-Aux-Chat Parish. He snorted out a laugh. You dont have to try to make me feel better, Im not torturing you anymore. She levered herself over him with a frown. Im serious. Ive been hearing about Trahans Bakery all my life. Trahans is a landmark for everyone in the tri-parish area, but it wasnt until you took over that anyone really knew how good

dessert could be. And then you opened the catering business and everyone discovered you were the best. You think we havent heard all those important people out in Hollywood want you to work for them? She poked him in the ribs. Your employees brag on you all the time and even if they didnt, we know how good you are because we can taste it. He caught her finger and brought it to his lips for a kiss. So passionate about food, he murmured, making her blush. No, Im passionate about people fulfilling their potential.

Like youve done. She looked down into his shadowed face, throat tight with fear and excitement. Dont you have any idea how amazing you are? She thought he was amazing? He wanted to shake his head in shock, but couldnt do more than stare at the woman whose voice throbbed with emotion. This wasnt a typical conversation he had in his bed, but then again, she wasnt a typical kind of woman. Colette was his mate. She didnt know it, would probably hand him his ass on a platter if he went all Tarzan on her,

yet she still defended him, was fiercely protective of him. A shifter who outweighed her in his animal form. He had no doubt shed fight for him if anyone offered him insult or made him feel less than amazing. He hadnt wanted to talk to her about his family, hadnt wanted to appear weak or lacking in her eyes, but instead of concentrating on his mother abandoning him, she thought instead of his grandmothers pride in him. Something he hadnt thought about. She was his perfect opposite, seeing the good his mothers

leaving had wrought rather than the bad. And it would have been bad if hed stayed with his mom. Looking back, he saw shed been headed down a wrong-way street and would have taken him with her. Zach wouldnt go so far as to thank the woman for giving him up, but he had to agree his life was a lot better for it. And Colette was the one whod helped him see it. With that in mind, he caught his mate against his chest and rolled them until she was pinned beneath him, her hair fanned out around her face. Her breath caught and her

heart rate increased, but it wasnt fear that peppered the air. The sweet musk of her arousal was all he scented and it told him better than anything else that she would never be scared of him. Thank you, he rasped into her drowsy face, lowering his head until he could brush her lips with his. Youre not bad yourself, baby. Some of the intensity in her face faded, replaced by a smile that teased and turned him on until his cock ached as though he hadnt used it in days rather than minutes. Not bad? I call you amazing and

you say Im not bad? Her bottom lip turned out in an exaggerated pout he had to kiss away and he didnt lift his head until they were both breathing heavily. Above average? he asked with a playful smile. She growled softly and his dick started leaking. Damn, but he loved when she got all dangerous, even if she was only playing. Slightly awesome? He had the next condom in his hand, rolling it down his cock before she pushed him to his back so when they began wrestling, he could slide in the honeyed depths of her body with no fear of

trapping her. Holding her hands high as she straddled his hips, his shaft buried balls-deep in her pussy, Zach watched his mate come to life, banishing the darkness in his soul.

*****
Dawn was barely creeping across the sky when Zach felt Colette leave the bed. She didnt try to keep quiet about it, moving around with minimal stealth as she dressed. He wanted to tell her to get her happy ass back in bed, but knew she wouldnt. She was leaving to return home before she

hit the water for a new day of alligator hunting. His tiger scratched at him, chuffing angrily. It didnt want to let her leave, didnt want her to put her life at risk for money, but Zach forced the animal back. Colette wouldnt be the woman she was if it wasnt for the life she led. Dangerous, wild and close to the swamps she loved so much, Colette was as much a force of nature as the animals she hunted and he wouldnt change her for anything. Even if it did piss him off that she was slipping away like a thief in the night.

Listening to her dress without moving was torture. He hated the idea of her covering up that beautiful body before he had time for some morning loving, but knew if she suspected he was awake, shed feel self-conscious. His mate wasnt quite as comfortable in her skin as he was. Yet. Hed change that with more fun of the naked kind. Then she walked to the bed. His body twitched with the need to grab her and roll her beneath him again, but he held back. Barely. She smoothed a hand over his hair, a gentle move that soothed the beast

beneath the skin. When she leaned over to press a kiss to his forehead, his tiger settled down completely, purring with contentment. But then she murmured, Tes mon Coeur, before she straightened and left. Zachs brain, not the sharpest thing in the morning and definitely not when it came to Cajun French, had to work to process her words and when he did, his eyes snapped open. The distant rumble of her truck came to his ears as he launched himself out of the bed just in time to see her drive away. His heart pounded and his

hands shook with excitement. You are my heart, shed whispered over him before she left. It wasnt quite the pledge of love hed been hoping for, but it was a good start. And shed said it thinking he was asleep. That meant she hadnt wanted him to hear her words. So they had to be true. Zach wanted to dance around his apartment, but that lacked a certain dignity he was doing his best to maintain. Instead, he leaned his forehead against the cool glass and sent a prayer to the man upstairs that his mate would be able to say she loved him before he

went completely insane.

*****
Roscoe chewed on a string of licorice as he watched Colette slip down the back stairs of the bakery. For nearly a whole week, hed trailed her and the cat around the parish. With alligator season underway, they didnt go far when they got together, something he was glad of. It was getting more difficult to keep the idiotic duo from going after her on their own, but for the moment, he was holding strong. That would change though.

Soon, she wouldnt be skipping and laughing with the tiger who still hadnt marked her. He tilted his head to look at the sky, the moon was nearly full and when that happened Colette would go through an entirely different kind of chase. One without the happy endings she currently had with the tiger. Hed take her, the way hed taken the others and the only one who could stop it was the male feline Colette was infatuated with. And you. You could stop it. His jaw popped as he chewed the strawberry licorice, disgust making his fangs threaten to pop

out. When hed started down this road, nothing and no one had mattered as much as the final outcome. Now though, he was beginning to doubt himself, doubt the way things were going. He wondered if it was worth it, if fulfilling the goal hed set for himself would be worth the pain and suffering this woman would go through. He shook his head. He had to see it through. And if he was lucky, the tiger would mate her fully and it would be a moot point. That little female didnt deserve the fate waiting for her with the full moon.

But he couldnt exactly stop the chase from happening. Only Zach Trahan could. Poor girl, Roscoe muttered under his breath as he climbed to his feet and ambled after her truck. She was so fucked.

Chapter Fifteen
Alcide honked his horn as Colette brought her truck to a squealing stop in her carport. She waved, but didnt stop to chat. His frown was mighty, but all she had to do was point to her watch for him to grin in understanding. Yup, she had a hot date tonight and wasnt going to waste more time getting to it than she already had. Hurrying up her steps, Colette cursed the boat for picking today of all days to break down. Thank God her dad had insisted on every boat carrying SAT phones, otherwise she

and her dad would still be sitting out in Dead Mans Bayou waiting for someone to track them down. As it was, theyd had to wait for her Uncle Frog to show and tow them back to the landing. Then shed had to work on the motor with her dad. Only hed grown fed up when she kept stopping to check the time. Get out of here, he grumbled as he cleaned the filters. I dont need no babysitter while I fix an old engine. And if that cat gives you any lip, you show him youre a Robicheaux, hanh? He didnt like Zach, had made no bones about his disapproval

when her lover was mentioned, but he hadnt once suggested she was stupid. Colette suspected her mama was holding the reins on her dad and made a mental note to give her mom a very nice Mothers Day present next year. She smiled to herself as she finished climbing the steps to her house. These last two weeks with Zach had been perfect. She swallowed a sappy sigh and shook her head. When she wasnt at his place enjoying a spectacular meal he prepared just for her, he was at her place cooking for her. They hadnt talked about a future, dancing

around the subject like two cats on the edge of an puddle of acid, but something in the way hed requested her to dress up tonight made her think that was about to change. Her entire body shivered at the thought of finally receiving his mark. Hed renewed his scent mark several times. Her body heated at the reminder of the way he stroked his cum into her skin, playing with her until she demanded more and more. Her pussy throbbed because Zach definitely delivered as a lover, but it was her heart that wanted more and thought he might want

more as well. Oh, she hadnt missed all those times when his fangs grazed her neck while they were making love. Every time it happened, she held her breath, waiting to feel that exquisite bite and each time she was left trying to hide her disappointment. Especially when she let it slip that she loved him. She stopped on the top stair, staring at her feet. Hed been awake. She knew it as well as she knew he hadnt answered her because he didnt love her back. And the thought was enough to make her stomach twist into a perfect knot.

She tried to tell herself it wasnt his fault he was wary of feelings. With his past, he had every right to fear being hurt again. But oh, she dreamed of hearing those words on his lips, of him placing his mark on her. In fact, she was so ready for it, her soul ached for him even as her cynical side told her not to put too much store in his request that she dress up tonight. God, what if he just wanted to take her somewhere to go dancing or something? What if tonights dinner was no different from the others theyd had? Or what if he decided to dump her in a nice,

public place in the hopes she wouldnt cause a scene? It couldnt be a coincidence hed asked her to dress up the night after she told him she loved him. He was totally breaking up with her. She shook her head again and finished the trek upstairs. No, tonight was special. She could feel it in the air. Laughing at herself, she unlocked her door and stepped inside, kicking it closed behind her. She was halfway across the room, her shirt tossed to the side as she hurried in the direction of the shower when she sensed she wasnt alone. Without turning around, she

dropped to her stomach and kicked back at the large body behind her. Her intruder cursed loudly, falling to the ground somewhere out of sight. Heart pounding as adrenaline replaced her lovelorn happiness, she tried to crawl in the direction of her gun room when a set of brown cowboy boots appeared in front of her. A quick glance up and her gaze was captured by a very familiar pair of eyes. The game warden whod been haunting her swamp tipped his baseball cap back with a smile. Its nice to run into you again, Miz Robicheaux.

She sucked in a shocked breath that turned into a shriek when a hand grabbed her ponytail. Reaching up to claw at the arm holding her, Colette wasnt quick enough to catch herself when the man behind her slammed her into the floor. Once. Pain exploded in her face, blood gushed from her mouth and nose, threatening to drown her. She let out a gurgled scream, scrambling to get away, to do something, but before she could, her face met the floor a second time and she knew no more. You stupid motherfucker,

Roscoe said as casually as he could manage, crouching over the unconscious female bleeding on her floor. Youd better hope you didnt kill her. He kept his voice calm even as his heart threatened to burst out of his chest. Vernon Schumacher stood, breathing harshly as though it took a lot of strength to pound a petite woman into the floor. Roscoe had come very close to dealing with the idiot jackals without waiting for orders, especially when he noticed how they eyed her. Dreading what he might find, he pressed his fingers to her pulse and

swallowed down a sigh of relief when he felt the strong, steady beat. He hadnt gone through hell for four months to lose everything now. He had enough on his plate already. If the dumb fuck had killed her He shook the thought away. There were a lot of pieces in motion in this game and unfortunately, Vernon wasnt his responsibility. The boss dont like damaged goods, dumb fuck. He scooped up the woman and looked for Antoine who stood off to the side, quivering with excitement. Get somethin to clean up this blood. We dont need the tiger to come for her. At least

not until he gets my message. If the dumbass cat is smart enough to figure it out. Yeah, he wasnt holding out much hope for that though. Stupid tiger couldnt even mark his mate properly. Vernon snorted and spat on the floor. He aint comin for that putain, he said confidently. He just wanted hisself a piece of ass and she gave it up nice and easy. He reached down to adjust his erection. Just like shell do for us if she knows whats good for her. Shaking his head because good ole Vern would learn the way of Fang and Claw on his own, Roscoe

carried his light burden to the window. It would be sunset soon, the perfect time for the hunt to begin. If Colette woke up in time. He glanced at her slack face, the trickle of blood from her nose and mouth slowing. She smelled of the tiger, but not enough to protect her. The members of Fang and Claw would think the same way the Schumacher brothers did, that she was a passing fancy to a fickle cat. The hackles rising on the back of his neck told Roscoe it was a stupid conclusion to draw just because she wasnt permanently marked. But if things happened the way

hed planned, hed damn well ask the tiger if he was slow or something. Stupid-ass cat. Colette would have been safe from this. He could have told his boss, the one he would meet in person for the first time tonight, that she was under the protection of a shifter.

*****
The clocks ticking drove him to leave his kitchen to prowl around his apartment. Zach refused to look at it again. She was late. No, she was later than late. She wasnt coming. And she hadnt called to tell him, or sent him a goddamn

text even. He growled, the tiger on edge. She mustve realized he planned to mark her tonight, good idea or not, and decided she didnt see anything in him worth being permanently attached to. No, he muttered under his breath. He ran a hand through his hair, nearly crawling out of his skin as old insecurities reared their ugly heads. He called her cell phone again. It rang and rang and rolled over to her voicemail. Hi, this is Colette Robicheaux. Im unable to answer my phone He cut the connection, swearing under his

breath. Colette wasnt the kind of woman whod say one thing and mean something else. Shed told him she loved him. She hadnt meant to. Hed heard it in the way her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught. Hed played possum, pretending to be asleep but his own heart had thundered with hope and fear. Maybe she thought he didnt care. He spun on his heel and slammed his hands against the wall. She loved him. She had to because he was eaten up by love for her. And hed planned to prove it to

her tonight. Hed pussyfooted around it for nearly two weeks, listening to her whisper her love in so many different ways, planning tonight down to the minute. Except she wasnt here, hadnt called, hadnt sent him a text, a homing pigeon or a big fuck-you. Nothing. And she wasnt answering his calls. Like a coward. He pinched the bridge of his nose, pushing the negative thoughts from his mind. Colette was the least cowardly person he knew, shifter or human. If she hadnt wanted to see him again, or changed her mind about loving him, she would tell

him straight up. She wouldnt just not show up for a date. Something had to have happened to keep her from coming over. Maybe her dad was being a dick and was reading her the riot act for dating a shifter. He shook his head. That didnt sound right. Or maybe she got caught up with her cousin in New Orleans. Hed heard a lot about the infamous Kanda Banthao who danced burlesque in the French Quarter, but that didnt ring true either. Maybe her truck broke down. That was possible. The truck was a piece of shit he planned to replace once

he figured out a way to get the stubborn woman to accept a new one as a gift. Except, she wouldve called him if she was stranded. Unless she didnt have her phone with her for some reason. He tossed around so many ideas in his mind, he gave himself a headache. In the end though, there was only way hed find out and that was to confront her at her house. He grabbed the keys to his Jeep, slamming out of his apartment, the boom echoing around the empty building. An empty building at seven thirty on a weeknight. But it was only one

improvement Colette had made in his life since she burst into it. Zach stormed down the steps, his gaze sweeping the lot, but there was no sign of her. He jumped into in his Jeep and turned the ignition, throwing it into gear and hightailing it down the road before hed even turned on the headlights. That woman, the woman whod sat on his floor in nothing but a blanket and let him feed her bread pudding wasnt the kind of person whod break off a date without letting him know. Colette was salt of the earth. She was the kind of honest and true woman whod always stand by her

word and shed said she would meet him at his place tonight. And that could only mean one thing. Zachs heart clenched. Something God, something was wrong. But even as he thought it, he prayed shed changed her mind about coming to his place tonight. Prayed that she got her days mixed up. He prayed harder than he ever had before as he raced to her house. If she was home, he wouldnt yell at her. If she was at her parents house or any of her other relatives houses, he wouldnt paddle her ass. Please let her be home, he muttered to himself as he took the

road for Bayou Ange. But when he got there, tearing down her familys street, Colettes home was dark and quiet. Her truck was still parked in her carport though, which meant what? That she was sleeping? Pretending to be home? Had left with someone else? His tiger snarled at the last thought. Ignoring the lights that came on at her parents and uncles houses, Zach pounded up her stairs. Hed damn well call her out in front of her relatives if that was what it took, but he was going to talk to her. He banged on her front door and waited, the scent of Colette,

bleach and a slight musk like deer urine wafted from inside the house, making him sneeze. Shed cleaned house, put perfume on and then went deer hunting? He didnt think so, but the combination of bleach and animal scent was enough to confuse his tiger. He waited a couple of minutes and pounded on the door again, this time hard enough to rattle it on its hinges. Colette, open the fucking door! What the hell you doin? a familiar voice asked from the foot of the stairs. Zach ignored Willis and

continued to hammer on the door, but still no one came. His tiger clawed at him, an unnamed panic filling him. Something was wrong, something he couldnt put his finger on, yet knew in his gut was bad. Without looking back at her dad, he braced himself and planted his foot right below the doorknob. Wood splintered and he was inside. His head swung left, then right, but she was nowhere in sight. He followed his nose to a t-shirt she mustve worn today since it carried her scent. But why was it on the floor? She wasnt a messy person. Pounding footsteps told him

Colettes relatives were coming up the stairs, but he paid them no attention, following his sense of smell to the strongest concentration of bleach. On the floor. Colette! her father shouted, storming into the house. Whatd you do to her, chat? Zach ignored the question, trying to sort out the scents his nose captured. Bleach, a lot of bleach. A lot more than a normal person would use to clean because of the damage it would do to the floor, but beneath that he caught a faint trace of an unmistakable metallic scent that made his hair stand

straight on end and a subvocal growl rumble his chest. It was the scent of blood, sharp and metallic mixed with Colettes unique signature of vanilla musk. But was it old or new? Was it from a cut toe or something more sinister? He pressed his nose to the ground, blocking out the sounds of Willis Robicheaux stomping toward him, threatening him with bodily harm. There. He caught the scent of a shifter that wasnt Zach. It was someone hed scented before, someone He closed his eyes. The game warden, he growled just as Willis reached him.

What? Zach looked up at the older man, meeting his sharp purple eyes. The game warden was here. Hes a wolf shifter, he added as he climbed to his feet and started down Colettes hall to her gun room. Colette and I met up with him on the bayou a couple of days ago. I recognize his scent. That dont make no sense, Willis muttered darkly as he followed. Unless shes finally in her right mind about you and seein someone else. Yeah, but a game warden? Alcide piped up behind his dad.

And that guys creepy. We seen him watching the bayou a couple of weeks ago, out by Colettes camp. That halted Zach in his tracks, his hand on the doorknob to the gun room. He looked back at Alcide and Daniel. What? When? The questions punched through the air like bullets. Colettes younger brothers looked at each other and shrugged. I dunno, it was that day she took you on the tour, I think. The wolf had been watching them, following them from a distance. And now hed been in Colettes house. Fear turned Zachs

stomach sour and made his hands sweat. His tiger roared, demanding to be freed so it could find its mate. Zach opened the door to the gun room and saw the message on the wall. I hope youre as good at tracking as you are at baking, cat. Your mates gonna need it. Beneath it was a streak of blood that was definitely Colettes. Willis and his sons stepped back when Zach roared in rage, but when they read the message, the humans and shifter were finally united under a single cause. To find Colette and to kill the bastards who

had her.

*****
Cold water hit Colettes face, going up her nose until it nearly drowned her. Automatically rolling to her side, she coughed to clear her lungs, her eyes blinking open in shock and pain because her head felt as though someone had taken a sledgehammer to it. Rise and shine, hunter, a singsong voice called out from somewhere nearby. Her head shot up, eyes tearing from the throbbing and hammering

going on in her skull. At first she saw what looked like a crowd of people, but the more her eyes adjusted and her focus returned, the better she was able to see four men looking down at her through a set of bars. Her vision snapped to the bars for a moment and followed them to the top of the cage shed been placed inside. Her heart, which was already slamming from her abrupt wake-up call, threatened to leap out of her chest as fear hit her hard. She was in a cage. Her gaze dropped to the floor, but she forgot about that the minute she realized she was naked as a jaybird.

Colette curled into a ball, shielding as much of her body as she could, while squinting through the bars at the men watching her. The Schumacher brothers leered at her, the glitter in their eyes a combination of hatred and lust that made her shudder with repulsion. Next to the Schumachers stood a man who looked familiar, except she couldnt put a name to him. He didnt look like the kind of man whod be seen with scum like the Schumachers. His salt-and-pepper hair was brushed back from a noble face with heavy-lidded brown eyes. He wasnt overly tall or burly, but

he carried himself like a commander and leader. Next to the familiar stranger was the game warden. Unlike the other three men, his face was blank, his frigid gaze steady and calm as he looked at her. Well, hello, Miz Robicheaux, the stranger said in the same singsong voice that made her stomach twist. It sounded evil and cold despite the pleasant tone he used. And why was he so fucking familiar to her? Ah, I see you nearly recognize me. He smiled, displaying pearly-white teeth and long fangs. Colette felt her eyes

widen and he laughed with a suave bow. Senator Dustin Duet at your service, my dear. I hope you voted in the last election, he said with a laugh. Oh, this is going to be fun. He leaned forward and whispered, It isnt often I get to play with people from my jurisdiction, too much chance of being caught. But I prefer my prey to know whos hunting them. It makes their death morepersonal, dont you think? Horror and terror battled for dominance. She definitely knew who he was now. Everyone in Louisiana knew who he was. One of the most powerful shifters in the

state, Dustin Duet was hailed as a politician for the common man. A tiger shifter like Zach, Duet was a stout supporter of equal rights of all. His name had been linked to the most powerful humans in the country and it was being said hed run for the presidency soon. Yet here he was planning to hunt her. Her stomach turned sour and every instinct she had urged her to drop her eyes from his, especially when his eyes began to glow a bright yellow. But she didnt. Youre gonna regret this, she told him with as much confidence as she could muster.

He laughed, the sound bouncing off the warehouse walls, not stopping until he had to wipe tears away from his eyes. Oh thats rich. I adore the stubbornness of my Cajun constituents. Hardheaded and loyal to a fault. He crouched in front of her, his head cocked to the side. You think the tiger you fucked is gonna save you, Miz Robicheaux? He inhaled, his lip curling. I should find him and put an end to his perverted ways, dallying with humans, but even kings have been known to dirty themselves with peasants now and then.

He rocked on his heels, his tailored suit barely wrinkled from his position. No matter, but I can promise you, youre not even a blip on his radar. Women like you, human women like you, are about as much enticement as an ice-cream cone to an Eskimo. Youre good for getting off, sort of like one of those inflatable sex dolls, and just as easily forgotten. Unimportant and nothing more than a convenience. Colette tightened her jaw. It wasnt true, she knew it as surely as she knew she was going to die tonight. You dont believe me. He

threw his head back with another laugh, the heartiness of it sounding so warm even as it made her skin pebble with frissons. Youre a smart woman, Miz Robicheaux. Think about it this way. If he cared about you, he wouldve marked you like a mate, not used you like a condom. Because isnt that what he did? Rubbed his scent into your skin? He probably even told you it was so no other man would go near you, but its really his way of saying how little you mean to him. You wouldve been better off wearing a scarlet letter, my girl, because we can all tell youre nothing but his

cum whore. Colette recoiled at that, forgetting to cover herself for a moment. Duet winked and tapped his nose. In my younger days, I did the same thing, but thats our little secret, eh? And those girls sure wont be talkin any time soon. He laughed, the others joining him, the sounds of their sick merriment bouncing around the room, but Colette was too numb to comprehend what Duet was telling her, her mind a maze of pain and disbelief. Shed known shifters could

smell Zach on her skin, but shed stupidly thought it was a warning to them not to go near her. A sign of possession that came before a full marking. If Duet could be believed and why would he bother lying to her since he obviously planned to kill herZach never intended to mate her. If she hadnt been terrified of what these men were going to do to her, she wouldve fallen apart at the seams, her heart torn to shreds. Besides, Ive heard Mr. Trahan isnt fond of humans either, Duet continued, tapping his chin thoughtfully. His face lit up and he

snapped his fingers at Agent Roscoe. Find out if Trahan is a possible candidate for initiation. When youre promoted to full membership, well need a new recruiter. If he was able to get this female to trust him that quickly, he might be useful for the future of the group. The game warden nodded without taking his eyes off Colette. She glared back at him, the fucker whod apparently stalked her for a hunt. He gave a subtle shake of his head as though warning her, but Duet drew her attention again as he turned to her. His mouth opened,

the sick glee on his face suggesting he couldnt wait to continue his monologue. But Vernon shuffled his feet with a sigh as though bored. Something dangerous flitted across Duets face. As much as I enjoy chatting with you, theres some unfinished business I have to attend to. I do look forward to hunting you, my dear. I believe youll provide Fang and Claw with our best game to date. Dont go anywhere, he joked as he stood. He smiled and Colette shrank away, terrified by the quiet insanity gleaming in his eyes. Duet wasnt

the kind of crazy that was apparent unless he let you see it, the way he was revealing it to her now. He reminded her of those man-eating tigers that popped up in the news, ones whod been raised and trained by humans who suddenly went apeshit and bit their trainers heads off. Duet couldnt wait to sink his claws and fangs in her and it showed. He turned away from her and addressed the Schumacher brothers, who were eyeing Colette as if they were starving men at a buffet. She cringed back to the far corner of the cage until the bars

dug into her back. If they came after her Her stomach cramped. There wasnt a goddamn thing she could do. There were four of them and one of her. On top of that, they were shifters. Shed never felt so helpless in her entire life. No one knew where she was. Zach was the only one who expected her tonight. And if Duet was right about Zachs intentions toward her? Would lust be enough motivation for him to go looking for her? She really didnt think so. Remembering his insistence that she dress up for dinner, her heart broke again. Hed probably wanted

to let her down gently, or maybe he wanted to shame her more. Suddenly, all the things theyd done together, the previously taboo pleasures hed helped her explore seemed tawdry and dirty, as though shed whored herself to him. But something, probably the same stubbornness that made her work harder than her cousins in order to become the best marksman, or the undeniably hardheadedness that wouldnt let her quit working even when her body ached down to the bone, rose to the fore. Whatever it was, her

heart told her to have faith in Zach. Yes, he was emotionally scarred, had no real foundation of affection the way she did with her family, but he cared. God, please let him care enough to look for me or to call the cops. Youve done a good job, boys, Duet was saying in his hearty, politician tone. The Schumacher brothers puffed up with pride, but they kept stealing looks at her. Ah, yes, she is sort of attractive for prey, isnt she? Icy-blue eyes appeared between Colette and the three shifters talking about her as though she

were a horse at auction. It was the warden and his face was still blank, but his gaze burned with urgency. She curled her lip at him, feeling about as effective as a kitten against a pack of pit bulls. Bon rien, she spat at him, because he was a good for nothing. Hed brought her here, handed her over to this crazy bastard. Le Bon Dieu descend pas pour. Youll get yours, fils de putain. His eyes blazed and he leaned forward. Youre not so brave without your gun, are you? he whispered harshly, his drawl dramatically reduced. The other three men didnt even look over.

You might want to watch where you step when they let you run. There might be something waiting for you on the ground. Colette cocked her head to the side, not sure what the hell that meant. She already knew she was going to be hunted, why was he warning her? Look for the gun in the moss, he mouthed, his eyes intense and not nearly as cold as they were before. Puzzled and wary, she shook her head. He was playing some kind of game with her. Maybe he got some kind of sick enjoyment from

tormenting her with the possibility of freedom, but she wasnt playing along. Fuck you. He snapped his teeth at her, his fangs suddenly longer, his eyes gleaming bright blue and reached up to run his hand through his hair. He used the move to dart a look over his shoulder at Duet and the Schumachers. There was something weird going on with them, the tension palpable, but then Roscoe looked back at her and pressed his face to the bars. Listen to me, you crazy coonass, Im an FBI agent, he hissed between clenched teeth.

Run to your left when they release you. Theres a .40 caliber hidden in the moss next to the tree. Use it only if youre attacked. Some of my guys are out there. Her jaw dropped, astonishment, but he reached into the cage as though to grab her. She squeaked, an embarrassing sound that made the other three men laugh derisively. Roscoe nodded and mouthed, Act scared and weak. Then run. Now, Roscoe, my boy, I know its your first hunt, but dont go scaring the prey until shes too scared to run, Duet said with a

laugh, chest puffed out. The warden, or FBI agent, or whatever the fuck he was, turned and stood with the others as Duet turned his attention back to Vernon. It takes time to earn your way into the group, Mr. Schumacher. Roscoes been with us for several months now, worked his way up from the very bottom as a transporter, then as a handler of our prey. Its taken a lot of time and patience, but hell finally be inducted into the group tonight. He glanced at Colette, who watched the men with wide eyes. She really didnt need instructions to act scared because

she was terrified. Hell be the one who gets your heart tonight, Miz Robicheaux. Vernon pushed forward with a scowl. The deal was, we got to play with her first, he snarled. That little bitch has been raining hell on our heads for years. Yall aint doing anything with her until we get to have a little fun with her. Of course, of course, Duet said in a soothing voice. I would never begrudge two shifters the right for revenge. He looked over at Roscoe. Let em at her. The game warden turned back

to her, his lips white with rage, but he still walked to her cage, the jackal shifters on his heels. She didnt know why she felt so betrayed by Roscoe. If he was a federal agent, how could he do this to her? Let these men inside with her? When he reached back to his belt and the keys attached to it, Colette thought she was going to be sick. Adrenaline surged through her system, her fight-or-flight instinct kicking into overdrive, but there was nowhere for her to go and she had nothing to fight with. The lock clicked open and Vernon stepped into the cage,

Antoine right behind him. There was no mistaking what they planned to do to her. Colette tensed, ready to throw herself at them, maybe with the thought that she could make them kill her before the rape started, but before she did more than take a deep breath, Duet appeared behind them. Vernons and Antoines eyes widened at the same time Colette heard a sick, wet sound, their bodies jerking. They fell to the ground like puppets with their strings cut, revealing Duet standing behind them with their hearts in his hands. Tiger claws, several

inches long, dripped with blood and gore, but he seemed as calm and relaxed as though hed just plucked a couple of oranges off a tree. He dropped the organs on the now-dead shifters and accepted the towel Roscoe handed him. I dont like rape, he said primly. Especially when two men who claim to be pro-shifter turn their perverted attentions to a human. He sniffed and left the cage, locking it behind him. You wont be in there with them for long, Miz Robicheaux. Moonrise is in a few minutes and youll have served

your purpose here tonight.

Chapter Sixteen
Zach followed that fucking wolfs scent as far as he could, the Robicheaux men behind him, trusting that he would lead them in the right direction. Itd taken a lot of yelling and chest thumping before the men could convince Colettes mother and female relatives that they couldnt come with them. It hadnt been easy looking into Laurette-Maries eyes, seeing the same fear reflected in Zachs heart, but shed finally nodded and promised to call Sheriff Picou.

You sure this is the way they went? Willis asked in a barely audible voice. He stood next to Zach, decked out in camo, grease paint and dripping with enough ammo to make a person wonder if Willis Robicheaux was planning for a zombie apocalypse. Yet he found he couldnt fault the man for going all Rambo. Not when Colettes life might very well depend on it. He wasnt even insulted that Willis questioned the direction they were taking. There was a hint of uncertainty and disbelief in his future mate-in-laws voice that told

Zach there was something deeper here, something that would probably explain a lot. Nodding and testing the air again, Zach tried not to growl when he caught that elusive shifter scent that had been with the wolfs since he caught it at Colettes house. Yeah. I dont know why they didnt try to cover their tracks, but this is definitely where they went. He lifted his head, catching a scent in the wind that made his hackles rise and his tiger growl. I smell a lot of shifters and blood. Lots of blood. Willis caught his arm in a tight

grip, his fear a sharp, acrid smell. Colettes blood? he rasped. Sniffing the air again, Zach shook his head. No, it belongs to the shifters who were with the wolf. Maybe theyll kill each other off before we get there, someone in the small crowd muttered, an agreement rippling through the group of fifteen. Willis, you know where we are? one of the older men in the group whispered. Zach looked over to see it was Colettes Uncle Tudu and his face was pasty white with fear. Where

are we? he demanded. Willis scratched at his cheek. This is Senator Duets land, right across the Pointe-Aux-Chat Parish line. That made the other men in the group, especially Colettes cousins, freeze in place. What? Cotton and Beau exchanged a dark look before turning to Zach with eyes similar to his mates. Once a month, wed hear screams from this direction, but we could never find it, Cotton told him, a grim understanding in his voice. Its been going on for years, but no ones ever found out where they

start. Beau picked up where his brother left off. We even tried to tell the sheriff over in Caillou Parish about it, but he said he never heard or found anything. He shrugged. We tried to find it a few times, but never had any luck. Zach felt the blood drain from his face as he listened to the brothers, his mind recalling what hed overheard at the sheriffs office. There have been disappearances, he muttered, silencing all the men. Several in Orleans and Jefferson Parish, but always around the full moon. He

met their gazes with dread coiling in his stomach. And the women were all human. Willis face turned stark white as he put two and two together. You think theyve been bringing girls out here? On the senators land? He was about to say he knew it when a cacophony of howls, roars and yips split the night air. Zach froze. Every animal, shifter or natural recognized those sounds as a call to hunt. It reached deep to the most primitive instincts and demanded a response, but when he caught the scent of his mate floating on the breeze, Zach knew

exactly what those shifters were planning to hunt. Holy fuck, he whispered and started running. Theyre gonna hunt her. Between one step and the next, Zach shifted, his tiger springing from his skin and shredding his clothes. He didnt even pause to reassure her family that he would do what he could. He didnt have to because he heard them behind him. But his entire focus was on the woman who needed him ahead. Willis, Frog warned as they saw the tiger disappear between

the trees. Split up, he ordered his sons, brothers, nephews and cousins. Frog, you take Cotton and three more to the east. Tudu, you get Beau and another three and take the west. Alcide, Dan, yall are with me. Were following the tiger. Are we gonna wait for the sheriff to get here? Tudu asked even as he began walking away. Willis met their gazes, doing his best not to show them how terrified he was. That noise, the roars and howls, had made the hair stand up on the back of his neck. His daughter, his baby girl was out

there with those shifters who planned to hunt her like a wild animal. Shoot first, ask questions later. One by one, his kinsmen disappeared into the brush, years of hunting in these swamps helping them to fade into the darkness. With a sharp glance at his sons who appeared ready to do what they had to in order to get their sister back, Willis followed the tigers trail. And he prayed. He prayed as hed never done before. And when he heard the first shot, he started running.

*****
Colette cringed as her cage, now empty of the Schumacher brothers, was towed out of the warehouse and left in the center of a group of no less than twenty people. No, not people, she corrected herself as she met wild gazes. They were all shifters. They wore masks to hide their faces and robes to hide their nakedness, but the eyes glinting at her with cold hunter didnt belong to full humans. And they all stared down at her for a moment before lifting their rabid gazes to the man who stood on the back of a truck. Colette

couldnt see his face, but the instant he began to speak, she knew it was Senator Duet. Brothers and sisters, welcome to another full moon hunt, he called out. Tonight we celebrate what it is to be a shifter, to give worship to the powers that make us gods among men. Tonight, we hunt! We hunt! the crowd shouted back. Colette recoiled at the sound, frissons pebbling her skin as the air seemed to charge with anticipation. They were fanatics. All of them. Normally we would reward

the shifter who brings us a new sacrifice, but unfortunately, the jackals wed hoped to bring into Fang and Claw revealed themselves to be weak and perverted, wishing to soil themselves with prey, he spat, pointing to Colette. Several people in the crowd murmured, disgust plain in their voices. Our forefathers knew the day would come when primitive beasts would attempt to rise above shifters. They created Fang and Claw for this very day, my friends. They knew the time would come when wed have to cull the weak from the herd, those who seek to defile their

bodies and their bloodlines with the primitive apes who think theyre better than us. He held up his hands to the frenzied group. I executed them, those jackals who thought to debase themselves with this filth. May God have mercy on their souls, for we have none. But tonight isnt all about disappointment in our brethren, my friends. No, tonight brings us great joy as well for were welcoming a new member to our group, Duet announced with a wave of his arm to his left. Tonight, one of our hardestworking recruiters is joining us in

the fight against the humans who seek to overstep their bounds. The group applauded as a new figure joined the group. It was Roscoe who wasnt wearing a mask, unless his expressionless face counted. His blue eyes scanned the crowd, pausing here and there before he looked at Colette. His gaze burned with silent, frigid fury. This young man has been instrumental in recruiting some of our finest hunts and after months of hard work, hes being rewarded with his very first hunt. The crowd cheered, clapping wildly as Roscoe stepped up to

Duet. Leave the clothes of man behind, the senator ordered. The warden stripped off his clothes until he stood naked in front of everyone. Someone handed Duet a robe, which was then passed to Roscoe. Wear this skin as symbol of your power over the humans. For eons, they have hunted and skinned our natural brethren for clothing and so we return the favor. Colettes eyes widened, her stomach twisting and churning as she realized the robes each shifter wore were made of human skin. Her belief turned to solid proof

when she saw the tattoos etched into the robe Roscoe allowed Duet to settle around his shoulders. She gagged, her stomach rebelling at the thought of these people skinning humans. Several of the members chuckled at her, her obvious weakness drawing them closer to her cage. And now for your mask, Duet murmured. You belong with us, Coltrane Roscoe. Welcome to Fang and Claw. Something about the wardens name struck a chord in Colettes mind, but she was too horrified by what she was witnessing to give it

much attention. The mask the wildlifeno, FBI agentwas handed was made of human bones. She sensed it more than knew for certain. These weirdoes had no problem utilizing human skin, so why not use human bones as well? The sick bastards. Then Duet turned to the group with his hands raised. Brother Roscoe, he announced loudly. The crowd let out noises that blended into a hellish nightmare of sound that bombarded Colettes ears. Howls, roars, yips and snarls combined in a frightening musical that caused her primitive instincts

to roil to the surface. It knew this was bad. No, this is bad, bad. Her eyes darted around, searching for a way out. The warehouse theyd held her in was not an option for escape. The area in front of it wasnt much better, since there was a lot of open land. Then her gaze fell on a tree to her left. Moss draped the lower branches and some had fallen on the ground at the base of the trunk. Colette darted a look at Roscoe, who was accepting congratulations from the other members of the weird club. Theres a .40 caliber hidden in the moss next to the tree. His

words echoed in her mind and her heart steadied. They were going to let her run. Wanted her to run. That was part of their game. But if Roscoe could be believed, he was going to even the odds. Him and his men. She searched the shadows as Duet took control of the group again. She didnt see anything that resembled a person, but if Roscoe was to be believed, his people were here to catch these monsters. Colette didnt trust him as far as she could throw him, yet the alternative was a gruesome death at the claws of this cult. He turned at

that moment to look at her. His expression didnt change from that flat, empty mask, but his eyes nearly begged her to believe in him. Duet stepped up once more and everyone scattered, as though afraid of him. Colette gave a subtle nod of her head to the wolf. Shed trust him on this. Run to the left. Get the gun from the moss. And now what weve been waiting for, Duet announced jovially. Roscoe has brought us a live one tonight. His hand swept out in an encompassing motion toward Colette. She froze at being the sudden center of attention.

Miz Colette Robicheaux here is a hunter. A real Annie Oakley, it seems. And she had the nerve to tempt one of our own to lower himself to her level. He shook his head, his robes swaying at the movement. I know, my friends, I know your pain. But this is why were here. This female, this disgustingly weak, human female thought she was as good, if not better, than us. She seeks to taint one of our very own with her weakness. And were here to stop her, to teach her that despite the technology humans arm themselves with, theyre nothing more than

playthings of those who would walk as gods. The crowd made that sound again, but this time it was edged with something hungry and dangerous. It was a call to hunt. Colettes bones ached, her heart stuttered and threatened to explode when it began to beat again. She did her best to calm herself, tried to recall every lesson shed learned at her daddys knee about hunting, how to handle herself, but that noise brought forth the inner primitive, the one who instinctively wanted to cower and hide. Colette beat that terrified

woman back. She wasnt a coward or a wimp. She was a Robicheaux. A Robicheaux whod caught and held the attention of a tiger she loved with all her heart. A man she was positive loved her back. But even if he didnt, the time shed spent with him had been the best of her life. And if her life ended tonight at the claws and fangs of these monsters, so be it. But she was taking some of those sons of bitches with her. Release the hunter! Duet shouted and two people surged forward to grip the gate. The senator leaned down and

whispered, I look forward to the game, huntress. And then the gate opened. Colette held back a moment, her heart threatening to choke her. Something sharp poked her back, sending pain lancing through her body. She charged out of the gate, her legs threatening to buckle from the crouched position shed held for so long, but she ignored it, pushing herself. No one rushed after her, but she heard them, their growls and snarls of impatience telling her they were just waiting for her to get far enough away to chase.

Holy shit, holy shit. God please, dont let this be a trick. She prayed as she took a sharp turn to the left, heading straight for the massive oak tree and its bed of moss. Colette nearly tripped, but managed to keep her feet as she ran for the promised gun hidden at the base of the trunk. When she got there, she dropped to her knees, casting a quick look over her shoulder to see what the cult was doing as she frantically patted the moss, searching for the gun. They were staring, sounds of confusion rising in the air as they spoke. Duet and Roscoe were the

only ones staring at her, their bodies tense. Then her hand closed around the butt of the gun and triumph filled her. Duet must have seen something in her face, maybe he smelled her fear begin to fade, because he shouted something to his people who surged forward, robes hitting the ground as they shifted. Lifting her hand out of the moss, Colette prayed the gun was loaded and fired the first shot. The woman disappeared into the woods, the leaves barely moving as she slipped away,

running exactly as hed told her to. The shifters were shocked by the shot fired at them. It struck a hyena that fell to the ground with a screech of pain. Several others ran to aid the male, except it wouldnt do any good. Roscoe could smell his death. Colette was an excellent markswoman, but that wouldnt help her with the other shifters on her tail. Which was why hed prepared as best as he could for this moment. He waited for his team to show themselves, waited for the backup hed requested a week before to step out of the shadows, but no one

did. Duet turned to one of the shifters whod come up beside him, a cougar by the smell of him. The hunt begins, he said in a lethally quiet voice that had every shifter freezing in place. Kill her. Roscoe wanted to howl, his wolf pawing at his mind, wanting out. That woman had trusted him to protect her. Maybe not as well as he would have liked, but shed listened to him, found the gun hed hidden for her and now she was running. Yet the backup hed promised her was nowhere to be found. Which could only mean one thing.

Did you honestly think you could hide men here without me knowing? Duet asked as he slowly removed his robe and handed it to one of his disciples. Son, Ive been doing this long before you were even a twinkle in your daddys eye. Did you really think wed let someone in on a hunt this soon? The minute you started pressing for more, we knew wed have to get rid of you at the same time we did our little huntress. He turned away. Horace, shoot him. Turning, he found himself facing the barrel of a gun held by the sheriff of Caillou Parish. The

shifter who was supposed to have been helping Roscoe and his team close the net around the mysterious group. Motherfuck Pain exploded in his body and as he fell to the ground, Roscoes last sight was of Duet shifting to his tiger form. He turned around and used his back claws to rake dirt over Roscoes body the way a domestic cat would cover its waste in a litter box. With a chuff at the sheriff, Duet slipped between some bushes, following the human whod foolishly put her life in Roscoes hands.

*****
Zach slowed, crouching low to the ground as he crawled forward. Several more shots had followed the first, but theyd been spaced apart. And each time there was a gunshot, he heard a scream of pain. It made his heart leap to his throat. Colette was out there. He told himself she was fine. Fate wouldnt have let him get this close to her and then let something happen to her. Besides, he tried to reason, his mate knew how to take care of herself. She was kicking ass and taking names. He hoped. Then his sharp hearing picked

up the sound of someone running. They were being stealthy and quiet, but not enough to avoid detection. Then he caught the muted scent of his mate, a smell so faint he almost didnt catch it until he saw her dart behind a tree. Zach sprang after her, desperation and hope making him foolish. She whirled around, a gun in hand, violet eyes narrowed on him. It was so reminiscent of the way hed first seen her, Zach didnt even realize she was about to shoot him until she suddenly relaxed, the gun dropping to point at the ground.

Zach? she whispered in a shaky voice that spoke volumes. He shifted to his human form, arms reaching out to catch her as she fell. Are you hurt? he demanded even as his hands roamed her naked skin looking for injuries. She was filthy and covered in blood, but it didnt smell like hers. Baby, God, are you okay? Theyre coming, she whispered, pulling away from him to look into his face. Theyre coming after me. She was covered in mud. If he hadnt recognized her eyes and her scent, he wouldnt have known it

was her. How many? I dont know. She reached up to rub her face. I shot five. Maybe fifteen? Twenty? I didnt get to stop and count how many there were at the warehouse. Roscoe said his people were out here, but no one stepped up to help. She looked around. You didnt come alone, did you? God, what are we gonna do? Shh, he ordered, pulling her tight against him, the closeness soothing his tiger some. Im not going to let anything happen to you. We have a date to make up for.

Her arm looped around his waist, the butt of the gun digging into the small of his back, but he wasnt worried. His mate hugged him tight, her shaking subsiding after a few heartbeats. I love you, he blurted with a hard squeeze of her petite body. Woman I love you so fucking much and I didnt think Id get to tell you. She looked up at him, eyes wide in her mud-stained face. I love you too, she said and kissed his chin. But your timing sucks. He nodded, his heart eased by her small joke. Were getting out of here right now, he said and

picked her up. But when he turned to carry her out of there, a man stepped out from behind a tree, a smirk on his handsome face. Zach blinked, frozen in place by sheer shock. Senator Duet? Several more shifters stepped forward, the mud streaking their bodies proving theyd been the ones after his mate. And several of them wore faces he recognized from his business. Sheriff Horace Billiot, Father Becnel from St. Peters Catholic Church in Germantown, Carol Voisin, the principal of Petite Caillou High School and several more Zach had

seen over the years of catering in the tri-parish area. They were all shifters in power whether it was large or small. They were trusted officials giving power over humans and shifters in their territories and they were monsters. It was my hope youd join us, Mr. Trahan, Dustin Duet said as he stepped forward with confidence. With the gun the sheriff had pointing at Zach, he probably felt as though he was untouchable. This female is a perfect example of whats wrong with the world today. And your feelings, his lip curled on the word, for her are

unfortunately exactly the kind of thing we abhor. Its disgusting, Carol Voisin snarled, her green jackal eyes glinting. Sick. Perverted, Father Becnel added. Birds of a feather flock together, son. They dont mate with their prey. Zach tried to keep them all in his sights, clutching Colette tighter to his chest. She still had the gun, but it wouldnt be enough to take all of them out. And with the sheriffs pistol aimed at him, they were looking at a losing situation.

Except for one thing. The Robicheauxs. I wouldve liked to add you to our group, but we cant condone your actions with this filth, Duet continued. Consider this your last date, Mr. Trahan. It pains me to kill one of our own, but your weakness for human flesh cant be allowed to spread. Well now, look what we have here, Frog, Willis said conversationally as he stepped out behind the sheriff. Looks like we got ourselves a bunch of backstabbing, two-faced politicians, is what it looks like,

Frog agreed as he stepped up behind a local councilman. And men of the cloth, Tudu stated from somewhere behind the rotund Father Becnel. Thats a shame. Sheriff Billiots face darkened with rage, his cougar flashing in his eyes. Put your weapons down, he ordered the humans who suddenly appeared, surrounding the circle of shifters whod planned to kill Zach and Colette. I will arrest every single one of you. This man and woman killed an FBI agent. Shut your mouth, Horace, a brand-new voice joined the group

and Pointe-Aux-Chat Parish Sheriff Picou appeared with a full contingent of his bear-shifting deputies. Roscoe? Zach stiffened as the wolf shifter appeared between a couple of bears, his arm in a sling, his naked skin pouring out blood. Dustin Duet, you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. But it appeared Duet wasnt about to go to jail without taking a few people with him. He shifted faster than they could blink and launched himself at Roscoe. A

single shot rang out before he could hit the wolf who hadnt had a chance to shift yet and the massive tiger fell to the ground with a thud. Zach looked down at his mate as she lowered the gun in her hand. Everyone in the clearing glanced from the tiger with a hole in the back of its head to the small woman cuddled in Zachs arms. She shrugged. Id say Im sorry, but Im not. Her words seemed to release the spell everyone fell under. Sheriff Picou pointed his service gun at his counterpart from Caillou Parish. Billiot seemed to realize he was

strongly outnumbered, not just in numbers but in weaponry when every Robicheaux male raised their guns at him. He lowered his weapon, letting it fall to the ground near his feet and placed his hands behind his head. As though that was the signal theyd been waiting for, PointeAux-Chat Parishs finest surged forward and began cuffing the shifters whod made a mockery of their power. Zach faded to the background with his mate, letting the police do what they needed to while Roscoe helped organize them with the help of more people who

poured out of the woods, all of them carrying FBI badges. Willis ran forward, his eyes skipping over his daughters nudity to search her face. My baby, you okay? he asked, reaching up to touch her cheek, his hand shaking as though he had palsy. To every mans surprise, especially the Robicheaux men, Colette began to sob, her tears cleansing the mud from her face. Zach allowed her to go to her fathers arms, grabbing the shirt Alcide had taken off and handed to him, covering her up as she buried her face in her dads chest.

Willis looked at Zach. I dont know whether to shit or go blind here, he muttered as he awkwardly patted his daughters back. She aint never really cried before. Although he wanted to be the one she cried on, the one she leaned on right now, Zach had enough confidence in his mates heart to know she loved him despite reaching for her dad. Youre doing just fine, he told the human. He stroked a hand over Colettes wild hair. Were all doing just fine. Willis relaxed, one arm curling around his daughters back and he

extended the other to Zach. Welcome to the family, boy.

Chapter Seventeen
Three weeks later Colette stuck to Zachs side like glue, unable to help herself. He looked so sexy with his tie loosened at his throat and his shirt rolled up to his elbows. And he didnt seem to mind her close proximity, leaning over now and then to kiss her as they watched the dancers. Her wedding hadnt been as big as her mama wouldve liked, but itd turned out perfectly as far as Colette was concerned. Theyd had to wait until alligator season ended to make sure everyone could make

it and she was glad theyd postponed it. Zach hadnt been happy about it at all, especially since her dad made Colette move into her parents house until the vows were spoken. Your father was trying to drive me crazy, Zach muttered under his breath as he stole another kiss. Making me wait three fucking weeks to get my hands on you again. Pauvre bte, she teased as she stroked his cheek. Ill make it all better tonight. His eyes gleamed, the tiger peeking out at her. How about we

slip away for a few minutes? I have something to show you, he said with a leer, pressing his groin against her hip. She laughed. Uh-huh, I can just about imagine what you want to show me. He dipped his head, his tongue lapping at the tender skin over her throat. I cant wait to mark you permanently, he breathed against her pulse. Right here. When his human teeth sank into her just a little, she shivered, her nipples tightening. Youre mine, baby. Colette nipped his throat as well, showing her mate she wasnt

the only one whod be claimed tonight and was rewarded with a loud, rumbling purr. Damn, straight. And youre mine. Ahem. Zach stiffened at the interruption, but it wasnt until he snarled that she realized it wasnt one of her family members. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw none other than Coltrane Roscoe standing before them. Except he didnt look like the slimy game warden anymore. Hed ditched the uniform for a pair of jeans and a button-up shirt. Colette turned in Zachs arms to get

a better look at the wolf whod saved her life. Roscoe. Roscoe P. Coltrane, she said with a smile. From The Dukes of Hazard. The wolf smiled at her, causing Zachs arm to tighten around her waist. Her mate knew she loved him, knew she wouldnt even think about looking at another man, had said so himself, but this wolf bothered him. Miz Robicheaux, the wolf drawled then blushed after Zach growled. Sorry, Miz Trahan. Its good to see yall again. His glance included Zach in the greeting. My names actually Coltrane Davies.

He tipped an imaginary hat. Of Capers Hollow, Tennessee. His teeth flashed for a moment in a bright smile. I hope yall dont mind that I crashed yalls wedding. Actually Zach began, ending when Colette sank her elbow into his ribs. Were glad to see you. Hows your shoulder? Because although the wolf had taken charge of the clearing that night, she hadnt seen him once since and her last sight of him had shown an ugly wound. He shrugged. Its healin. Then he got serious. I wanted to

thank yall for the statements yall made. I know things have been very quiet, but until yesterday, we didnt have all the information we needed to close this case. Satisfaction gleamed in his pale eyes. The Bureau wasnt able to connect all of the disappearances until about eight months ago. I worked my way into the group trying to crack the case, but it wasnt until they homed in on you that I knew we could finally catch them in the act. A shadow passed behind his pale eyes. Colettes heart went out to him because he had to have

known what was happening to those women, but hadnt been able to stop them. He seemed to know where her thoughts were because he nodded. I lost three of them, he said in a tight voice, throat visibly working. I had to keep up with the ruse, but every time I went to save those women, to catch Duet and his people, they were already gone. We were able to give closure to a lot of families because of the help you and your family gave us. If it hadnt been for your menfolk providing support to the local authorities, I think theres a chance we wouldve lost our lives out

there. He scratched his cheek. Course I had to say Id deputized them all because of the amount of ammunition they had, but the end result is all my superiors were concerned with. That and ending Fang and Claws reign of terror. Her heart broke for him. She wanted to know how hed gotten involved with the taskforce to bring Fang and Claw down, but didnt feel it was her place to ask. Remembering the way hed marked several people with his gaze, Colette thought there was a lot more to the charming wolf than hed let anyone know.

But she still asked, What about the group? Were all the members arrested? Because that was her biggest fear. That shed hear those screams in the middle of the night, or that shed wake up in that cage again. Zach hugged her to his side, lending her his warmth and strength and she didnt feel the least bit weak for accepting it. Thats what partners did, leaned on each other when they needed it. Coltrane nodded, a deep understanding on his face. All the members of the group have been arrested. Luckily, Sheriff Picou, in

conjunction with the Orleans, Jefferson and St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Departments, was able to do a sweep of all known members houses from records Senator Duet kept on file. And the next few days we caught the members we found out when some of the others gave us leads. Duet was the real focus though, he said with a twist of his lips. Im glad hes dead, but Id hoped to be the one to kill him. He was a dirty son of a bitch, pardon my language. Its over, my mate is safe and so are other humans who arent as strong as she is. Thats all we can

ask, Zach said, and to Colettes utter shock, reached out to slap Coltranes shoulder in a consolatory gesture. The wolfs face drained of blood on contact and her mate froze. Shit, man, Im sorry. He let go of Colette to catch Coltrane in case he fell. I forgot about your wound. Coltrane moved out of Zachs reach, one hand out to ward him off. No, no, its okay. Im fine. What doesnt kill you and all that. He gave Colettes husband a tight smile. Just thought Id thank yall for all the help and let you know Ive left the agency to join Sheriff

Picous department. So Ill be seein yall around. For some reason, that warmed her heart. Thats great, Colette said with a broad smile. Welcome to Pointe-Aux-Chat Parish. Zach glared at the wolf. Yeah, welcome to the parish, he muttered. It was going to take some time to get over his resentment toward the guy. Mostly because the bastard had kidnapped her. Sure, he knew itd been because of an FBI sting and if it had happened to any other woman, he wouldve appreciated

the necessity. But Colette wasnt any other female. She was his female. Strangely enough, itd been Colettes father who helped to calm Zach in the days and weeks since the abduction. Willis had turned his considerable focus on his future son-in-law, taking him under his wing. Thats how Zach had found himself standing next to Colettes father, fighting eight-hundredpound alligators with nothing but a hook at the end of a rope and a .22 rifle. Itd been the first time hed gone after the reptiles without claws and fangs, but pitting himself

against the big beasts had helped bleed some of his aggression off. That and reorganizing his businesses had acted as release valves for the pressure and anger he felt when he saw the darkness in his mates eyes. Shed told him everything that happened while she was in the warehouse and itd made him want to kill Duet all over again. But the miracle that was his mate, his Colette seemed to know the depths of his love for her. She hadnt believed the lies Duet told her, or if she did, shed risen above her doubts to believe in him. And

that meant more to Zach than anything. It showed she belonged to and trusted him as much as he belonged to and trusted her. Theirs was a true partnership. He didnt fool himself into thinking theyd have a life of smooth sailing. His mate was hardheaded, stubborn and had a trigger finger that wouldve made a lesser man twitchy. And he loved every bit of it. Their arguments would be epic, and the make-up sex would be legendary. Colette continued chatting with the wolf, but moved closer to Zach until she was wedged up against

his side again. He kissed her temple, his eyes closing as he breathed in her scent. Itd been hard staying out of her bed for three weeks. Itd been even harder when he imagined how scared she had to be of shifters, but shed surprised him. Her love hadnt grown cold and she hadnt once scented of fear. He wasnt sure hed be able to rest easy with her out of his sight, not for a while yet, but the one comfort he had was that his mate had taken care of herself. The predator hiding beneath her deceptively frail appearance was as strong as his tiger.

He opened his eyes, looking over her head straight at her father, who watched them with a bittersweet smile on his face. They werent best friends yet. But now that Colette belonged to him in the eyes of her family and the law, Willis Robicheaux appeared happy. He nodded in Zachs direction, raising his cup of beer in a silent toast. Zach inclined his head at his father-in-law. Everything was settled as far as the Robicheaux clan was concerned, but it wouldnt be until he put his mark on her that every shifter who ever came across her would know she was well

protected by a tiger. And he couldnt wait to sink fang into her unblemished skin. Oh, she said with a chirp that sounded completely unlike her, drawing Zachs attention. Its Kanda! His mate broke away from him without a backward glance, hiked up her skirts to reveal her bare feet and ran across the hall where a tiny, fragile-looking woman stood in the doorway. Whos that? Coltrane asked in a weird voice. When he glanced over at the wolf, the poor bastard looked love-

struck, his eyes glazed and his mouth slack. Zach grimaced, wondering if he looked at Colette the same way and then shrugged. If he did, she was worth it. Thats her cousin from New Orleans. She didnt think shed be able to make it since we didnt give her much notice about the wedding. But he was glad she had. Colette needed her best friend and cousin here. Shes an itty-bitty thing. And she was. If he had searched for any woman to be the complete opposite of his mate, Kanda Banthao would have been it. Where his mate

looked uncomfortable in her dress, slapping at the material when it got in her way, her cousin wore pink with a confidence that came with a love of the color. But it didnt end with the pink, no, it was the pink 50s-style dress topped with a parasol. She looked like a bit of fluff, not the smartass shifter his mate always talked about with such affection. He shuddered. Granted, the style suited Kanda, giving her a dainty, fragile appearance that was only enhanced when she stood next to Colette. There wasnt that much difference in their heights, but the shifter female seemed a lot smaller

than her human cousin. Yet the more Zach studied her, the more he realized she did it on purpose, using makeup and fashion to give off the vibe of helplessness. Black hair with outrageous yellow streaks was piled high on top of her head, adding to her height, but there was no disguising the fact the woman looked like a china doll. Definitely not Zachs cup of tea. But the wolf looked like a bird dog on point, staring at the cocoa-skinned woman with longing. Zachs mate grabbed her cousins arm and began towing her across the room, her face glowing

with happiness. Zach, look! Its Kanda, she announced in a near bellow. He couldnt fight his smile at her excitement, but what he really loved was how she stomped in her dress as though she was sloughing through mud. She stopped in front of him and Coltrane, beaming at them. Zach, this is Kanda Banthao, my cousin. Kandy, this is my mate, Zach Trahan. It was sad how much his chest swelled with pleasure at the obvious pride in Colettes voice as she introduced him to her cousin. He grabbed her arm and pulled her

to his side again, kissing her until she went slack against him. Unable to help himself and now that she belonged to him, why should he? She tasted sweet and perfect and all his. Aww, yall are just too cute, a husky feminine voice sighed after a few mind-numbing minutes. Zach lifted his head, his ears finally taking in the sound of cheers and Cajun yodels bouncing off the walls of the Bayou Ange Swamp Tour building. Lust-dazed and more than a little uncomfortable, he glanced over to see Kanda watching them with starry eyes.

She smiled at him, her strong Asian features softening. Im so happy for yall, she told Zach in a voice as sweet as sugar, clasping her tiny hands together. She was miniscule, barely clearing five feet and probably weighed less than Zachs wedding cake. Then she said, But if you break her heart, Ill kill you. Kandas dark, nearly black eyes gleamed bright green for a moment, showing she, and her inner animal, meant business. She smelled strongly of cat and roses, looked as if she could pass for a childs toy, but there was no hiding the predator lurking beneath her

cute face. But Im sure Colette would take care of that herself. Zachs jaw dropped. Hed never been so sweetly threatened. Before he could say anything though, the little woman turned to Coltrane who watched her with that pathetic look on his face. And you must be the wolf who kidnapped my cousin and let those bullies chase her through the woods. Her breathless, husky voice, coupled with the wide, dark eyes made her appear weak and insubstantial. And then she reached out to grip Coltranes wounded shoulder, digging her thumb into

the gunshot wound. If you ever think of doin something like that again, Ill make sure theres so little left of you to find, your own family wont be able to identify you. Ya hear? She released his shoulder and turned back to Colette as Coltrane sank to the ground, his face white as a sheet. Wheres Aunt LauretteMarie? I wanted to thank her for the pretty fabric she sent me for my next show. Colette bit her lip, obviously torn between checking on the wolf and visiting with her cousin. Zach nudged her away from Coltrane. I

got it, baby. Then he winked. And Ill be finding you later so we can finish this conversation. The pretty blush that darkened her cheeks sent blood rushing straight to his groin. If it hadnt been for the wolf gasping for air and whining at his feet, he wouldve carted his mate off to the nearest quiet spot he could find. Later, she mouthed with a sly lick of her lips that nearly made him forget about everything except having her. I love you. I love you too, he purred and watched her lead her cousin away. His tiger growled in appreciation

when her ass swayed from side to side in an obvious enticement. A groan on the ground made him roll his eyes. Really, canine? Shes smaller than a mite, he grumbled as he grabbed the pale wolf off the ground. Shes a menace, Coltrane panted, his face gray and waxen. Goddamn cat. Dont worry, man, Zach snorted in disgust as he dusted the poor bastard off. She lives in New Orleans. Sixty miles should keep you safe from the little fluff of fur.

*****

The closet was tiny. Way too small for what they were doing, but Colette couldnt wait any longer. Watching her mate prowl around the hall, speaking to her family and being nice to them, had set her body aflame with need. When the drinks really started pouring and the party kicked off after all the formalities were out of the way, shed dragged her mate to the darkest, quietest room she could find. And proceeded to show him how much she missed him. Pinned against a wall, her skirts hiked up to her waist and her camouflage panties hanging from

one of her ankles, Colette bit Zachs neck as he powered into her. Itd only been three weeks, but itd felt like ages since she had him inside her. The frenzied way he fucked her, thrusting into her hard and fast as though he wanted to make them one being, told her Zach felt the same way. They were one. Colette, he rasped against the crook of her neck, his hot breath bathing her skin and sending shivers down her spine. He ground his hips, circled them so that his cock stroked every nerve ending in her cunt. God, Colette. Love you, love you. Her heart sang at his

words, given without reservation. This was what shed wanted from the moment she first saw him. His love, freely expressed and all hers. She clutched at his big shoulders, wishing she was touching skin instead of the material of his jacket. Legs tightening around his narrow hips, she thrust back against him, reaching for that deeper connection with him. He cupped her ass and hiked her higher against the wall and slid balls-deep. Colette lost her breath at the new angle. Then he began to work her, dragging every inch of his shaft over that magic

spot inside her. She let out a high-pitched yelp, not caring if everyone in the parish heard her. Yes, she gasped, her soaking-wet pussy tensing around him. Zach. I love you too. Her climax didnt build up. Maybe it didnt have to after so many restless nights of being alone in her bed while fantasies involving her mate tormented her. Or maybe it was because she was finally reaffirming life, but whatever it was, when the orgasm hit her, it was with the power of a thunderstorm. But it wasnt until Zachs fangs

sank into the tender tendon at the bend of her neck that she truly knew what it was like to be struck by lightning. Her entire body tensed, pleasure and pain combining to a heady mixture that began at the spot where his teeth connected with her skin and ended between her legs. Colette threw her head back with a scream of pleasure. Her orgasm triggered Zachs, his thrusts quickening until he hammered into her with hard, short pumps. A stifled groan escaped him, vibrating into her neck as his dick pulsed inside her,

his seed jetting into her in long, wet bursts her body accepted with greedy clenches and pulls. Colette didnt know how long they remained locked together, only knew that this moment would remain in her memory for the rest of her life. Her mate shuddered against her, his body twitching and pulsing inside hers. She somehow found the strength to stroke his hair and shoulders, whatever parts of him she could reach in her position, comforting him. Shed had a hard time adjusting after the kidnapping, but so had her mate. The look in his eyes every

time he saw her had been nearly frantic, his tiger close to the surface as though he was worried shed disappear. Itd taken time and constant care, the continued reminder of her love for him to relax, yet she knew his fears would remain for a while longer. Until the shadows of Fang and Claw disappeared completely, Zach would worry. And she was okay with that. I love you, she sighed against his ear. His fangs slid out of her skin, causing her to wince. She hadnt minded so much when they were

going in, mais, it stung. Then he began to bathe the bites with his tongue, each slow rasp across the mark sending a pulse straight to her pussy. Zach? Colette asked in a voice that shook with renewed desire, especially when she felt his cock stir to life. Again? He finally lifted his head, the gleam of his eyes all she could see. Well yeah, its our honeymoon now. She squeaked, her arms and legs tightening around him as he pulled her away from the wall and fell to the floor with her, landing on his

back with her on top. The move forced his cock deeper inside her, her sensitive tissues quaking at the friction. And I have a lot of catching up to do. But Colette was beyond listening, her heart, body and soul matching her mates rhythm with perfect grace. And it was only the beginning.

About Danica Avet

Danica Avet was born and raised in the wilds of South Louisiana where mosquitoes are big enough to carry off small children and there are only two seasons: hot and hotter. With a BA in History, she figured there were enough fry cooks in the world and decided to try her hand at writing. Danica is the lucky pet of a compulsively needy dog and two cats. The pitter-patter of little feet has been known to make her break out into a cold sweat.

Writing is how she gives the voices in her head a way out. When she isnt writing, working or contemplating the complexities of the universe, she spends time gathering inspiration from her insane family, reads far more than any sane person would want to, and watches hot burly men chase an oblong ball all over a field. Danica welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Tell Us What You Think We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email the author directly or you can email us at Service@ellorascave.com (when contacting Customer Service, be sure to state the book title and author).

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ISBN 9781419947865 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Primal Flavor Copyright 2013 Danica Avet Edited by Grace Bradley Cover design and photography by Syneca Additional photography by Matt Gibson/Shutterstock.com Models: Axl and Taylor Electronic book publication July 2013 The terms Romantica and Quickies are registered trademarks of Elloras Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in

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purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the authors rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors imagination and used fictitiously. The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book.

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Table of Contents
Blurb Title Page Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine 2 5 6 31 77 125 179 227 272 329 384

Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen About Danica Avet

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