Therian Prisoner(7)

“We have all had to deal with misfortune and loss. The Lashtons are strong, as you say. They will be fine. You will see.”

Ian shook his head and raked his hair with his hand. “Platitudes are clearly not your field of expertise.”

“Only for you do I even bother trying.”

They passed the sign welcoming them to Wyoming a few minutes later and Ian said, “Take I-80 east for about twenty miles. Then it gets tricky.”

It was dark by the time they reached the second turnoff, so Ian missed it as Payne flew past. “Damn it. Things look considerably different from the air. Turn around as soon as you can and…” Payne steered the truck sharply left and cut across the deeply rutted median. “Or that works too.” They took a nondescript exit a few minutes later and continued on in the correct direction. “Three miles down, there’s a dirt road on the right. I don’t think it’s marked, so we’ll have to watch for it.”

“You watch for it. I will drive.”

“Fair enough.” Ian found the road and Payne navigated the truck onto the uneven surface. “You’re going to have to kill the lights or they’ll see us coming.”

“What about the engine?”

“We’ll park as soon as the complex is in sight.”

Payne pulled over as well as the road allowed, and both men climbed out of the truck. “Why don’t you fly over and take a look. An eagle would be less conspicuous than a lion.”

“Good point.” Ian drew energy into the center of his body, allowing it to build as he visualized his favorite bird, or at least the one he shifted into most often. With an ease achieved through centuries of practice, he flowed from human into eagle and shifted right out of his clothes.





Chapter Two




Devon watched Dhane pace the cell, wondering if his control was about to snap. His entire body was tense and ready to spring and still he kept his distance from her, muttering various feline slurs under his breath. He could insult her all he liked if it helped him keep his hands to himself.

Her last injection had been the day before, unless they’d dosed her while she was unconscious. The effects had been so different that she’d wondered if they changed the formula or if her body was just adjusting to the chemicals. Rather than driving her into a sexual frenzy, she’d felt generally aggressive and restless as hell. She’d still felt lustful, but the symptoms had been more painful and far less humiliating.

If Dhane had been given the more recent formula, there might be hope for them yet.

“Dhane, you’re going to have to—”

“Shut up!” He tossed his head then kept right on pacing. “Wolves do not screw cats. You are not worthy of my seed.”

“Well she’s worthy of mine.” The guard laughed, his lecherous gaze boldly assessing her body. “Care if I take her for a spin?”

Dhane growled, his skin gleaming gold as he wildly tossed his head. His shift was smooth and effortless, fueled no doubt by his heightened emotions. An instant after his wolf solidified, he charged. His shoulders slammed into the bars hard enough to rattle the cage as he snapped his teeth repeatedly at the guard. The human scrambled back so fast he smacked into the wall.

“Holy shit. Roberto said he could…I never thought… How’d he do that?” With much belated urgency, the human drew his pistol and pointed it at the wolf.

“If you shoot him Roberto will kill you.”

Devon drew her legs up onto the bunk and wrapped her arms around her knees, struggling against the ache building inside her. So the Italian’s name was Roberto. Thank the gods for incompetent guards.

“This is unbelievable,” the guard muttered to no one in particular.

“You’re new, I take it?”

Dhane resumed his pacing, not bothering to shift back. The transformation had seemed intentional. She didn’t think he was feral, just restless as hell. Was being torn apart by a wolf better than being screwed by a wolf-shifter? She honestly wasn’t sure.

“What do you turn into?” The guard’s bravado resurfaced as suddenly as it had abandoned him. He lowered his weapon but didn’t put it away.

She wasn’t in the mood to indulge a curious human, but his obvious inexperience was interesting. Could she capitalize on his ignorance? “He’s lost control,” she said in a stage whisper as if Dhane weren’t three feet away. “You’ve got to get me out of here.” Dhane’s head came up and he shot her an impatient glare. She ignored his confusion and pursued the potential opportunity. “He’ll tear me apart and that’s not what your boss has in mind. Weren’t you told to separate us if he transformed?” Determination made her voice shrill enough to pass for terror.