Surrounded By Temptation(29)

“I sent off samples of saliva for DNA analysis. As a scientist, I need as much information as possible to—”

“Save it!” he roared. “I want the fucking truth.” He leapt over the desk and tackled her, caging her beneath him. She started kicking him, but he was too strong. “Admit it!”

“Yes!” she cried out. “I’d thought about using you, but I swear I wouldn’t have gone—”

He crushed his mouth to hers, stifling her plea, and she was relieved she’d shut her mouth just in time. He growled when she didn’t open up for him. He roared as he moved back. Then he shoved his legs between hers, forcing them open as he spread his own.

Oh God, this couldn’t be happening. She looked up at him and screamed for help, hoping someone could hear her. His fangs had descended.

“I’m going to claim you as mine. I’m going to fuck you and bite you, and Rob won’t be able to do a damn thing about it because you’ll belong to me. Forever.”

She screamed again, beating her fists against his chest. She knew this had been a danger when she took this assignment, but God, she didn’t want to die. She knew if this happened—if he succeeded in claiming her and turning her into a mountain lion shifter—she’d fight back, and since they didn’t love each other, it’d be a fight to the death. After being raped. Yeah, don’t forget about that scary shit. She had to keep him talking, distracted until someone came for help.

“Why are you so aggressive?”

He threw his head back and roared. “Because your pussy smells like heaven and you’re available. It’s my nature.”

“But—but the drugs.”

“Those fucking drugs have kept me from taking you already. They don’t change who I am.” He smiled and it looked pure evil. “Of course, I haven’t taken the drugs the last couple of days. Told you, they made me sick, and since Dad refused to pass that information along, I decided to modify the dosage myself. Figured a few days without them wouldn’t hurt.”

If she wasn’t terrified of being raped and killed, she’d feel ashamed. Ashamed of what she was going to do to this family and ashamed that she hadn’t been smart enough to insist on daily checkups with Jack.

“I’m sorry—”

The sound of banging on the door cut her off and she silently thanked the heavens for the cavalry while hoping beyond hope they’d knock down that door and get to her before Jack bit her, turning this nightmare into reality.

“Fuck!” Jack growled down at her, then turned his head toward the door. “Too late. She’s mine.”

“I’m going to kill you!” Rob shouted, and Ariel felt her pulse quicken. She wasn’t sure if it was because she was relieved to hear his voice or for some other reason. It didn’t matter. She was happy to hear him regardless.

“Looks like we’re out of time, baby,” Jack rasped. He reached for her pants and tugged them free just as the office door flew into the room, crashing several feet away from them.

“Get off of her,” Rob growled. Toby and Josh were standing on either side of him, all three of them naked. She whimpered, realizing for the first time that she was shaking uncontrollably. Rob glanced at her when she’d made the terrified sound and then focused on Jack again as he crouched down. “I won’t tell you again.”

When Jack looked down at her and tried lowering himself, she heard a screeching hiss and then was jostled as a lion knocked Jack off her. She scrambled to her feet, grabbing what was left of her pants to protect her modesty as two other lions cornered her, but they were not watching her. They were watching the two other cats fight. She figured Jack had turned once Rob attacked and the others were his brothers, protecting her in case Jack got free from Rob.

She wanted to run, but she was frozen in place, shaking so badly she wondered if she could stay upright if she moved. Some instinct, a vague reminding thought of not running from them prickled and made her lock her knees. If she fled, she could make things even worse.

Oh God, Rob could attack her. Maybe that was also why the brothers stood guard in front of her.

She heard running coming from the hall and watched the mangled doorway as Krista and Mikaela came barreling through.

Krista gasped, and Toby immediately shifted back to his human form. Josh followed.

“Stay back,” Josh ordered the other women.

“Screw you!” Krista shifted and ran over to Toby as he cursed and grabbed her by the scruff to keep her from joining in the fight.

“No, baby!” Toby squatted down in front of Krista, and Ariel just watched as her sister snarled at her mate. He nodded. “I know what it looks like, but you can’t.” Ariel guessed her sister was speaking to him telepathically, but before Ariel could ask, she saw Mikaela crouch.