It took four hours for the DPCA to clear out the old Hanshaw farm. After a thorough search, they located holding cells where a half dozen Shifters, three of which were children orphaned by the GHA’s experiments. It was all in their records, which were surprisingly thorough. But I guessed maybe that was because I was the one who’d trained Gabe and I was nothing if not diligent in my record keeping.
That fucking prick. I wished he were still alive so I could kill him all over again.
With Mother’s help, the orphaned children were placed in Sybil’s care, which was perfect timing since Harbor House was just about ready to reopen. I gave everyone physicals, making sure to draw their blood to test for anything the GHA might have injected them with since most of them couldn’t remember much about their time there. I was grateful they mostly suffered from ordinary bumps and bruises. Nothing lasting. Nothing like what that bastard did to my Asher.
It seemed Gabe, that piece of shit, had been working for the Global Human Alliance all along. Siphoning supplies from my lab and stealing my notes. Luckily, we had arrived on scene just in time before the next round of injections. Unfortunately, Asher got the first one, and it was another variation of their formula. Gabe had taken measures to counter all the advances I’d made in my research, and it was going to take some time to fix this. But I wouldn’t give up. Not now, not ever.
To think this all happened because of the total fucking ineptitude of the goons working for Gabe or his GHA bosses. From what I understood, the DPCA team who’d been tracking their movements found the leader and his minions, and they got them all. Every last one of those hateful fucks.
The leader of the Global Human Alliance turned out to be this piece of shit Warlock with a beef against Shifters. The fucker resented the Supernatural Council, and the Shifter Council, for denying his request for a separate entity to police Warlock and Witch magical practitioners. His whole mission statement was to out the supernatural world to humans and to takeover. The madman believed supes were superior and therefore destined to rule the world.
He was hardly original in his grand scheme, but whatever. His name was Michael Smith, or Smithers, or some shit. I didn’t care. But his story was so fucking stupid. He didn’t get what he wanted, so he went and found himself an army of scared, worthless, hateful jackasses with access to weapons. How he managed to convince Gabe to work for him, I had no idea. Regret filled me as I readied another vial of the latest antidote I’d been working on. I didn’t regret Gabe dying, I regretted the fact I hadn’t recognized him for the sniveling two-faced prick he was.
The sound of claws scraping against the cement floor brought my head up, and I smiled at my mate as he stalked towards me in his Lion form. Six weeks had passed since Asher and my Clan rescued me from Gabe’s clutches. Six weeks since I last saw him in his human skin. Not that I didn’t love his beast, but I needed my man. I had to get him back.
Please gods, please help me get it right this time.
“Are you ready to try again?” I asked Asher, watching his Lion for any sign of distrust or discomfort.
Shifters were dual natured creatures, but the animal’s sentience was different from their human awareness. Even Shifter animals ran on instinct, and I never wanted to get Asher’s hackles up. Especially not when he was more than half a ton of powerful Lion.
He sat down on his haunches directly in front of me, his big gold eyes never leaving my face. I shivered at that stare, feeling his love and adoration wash over me. Gods, I loved this man. I sucked in a breath, turning back to look at the vials, checking dosages and jarring a few notes to make sure I had everything ready.
Lucky for me, my brother-in-law was a construction guru. He’d outfitted me with a lab of my own in the back of the new Harbor House construct, complete with enough space to house a Lion, and a smallish bedroom area for me to crash with him. I hadn’t left Asher’s side for more than a few minutes since we got out of that GHA hellhole.
I felt a gentle swoosh across the back of my head and turned to see Asher’s tail caressing me. It was a gesture he made often, one that made me feel safe and loved. One that told me it was okay if I failed again. Only, it wasn’t okay. Not really.
“Here we go,” I said, keeping my voice light.
I ran my left hand over his giant leonine head, giving him a good scratch and smiling as he closed his eyes and purred, pressing his head more firmly against my touch. He was such a pussycat with me. A big pussycat, but still a pussycat. I had no doubt he’d curl up on my lap if he could fit. I was just glad he didn’t try. I did not feel like adding crushed by Lion to my list of shit I never expected to do this year.
I used the flat part of my hand to press down on his thick, glossy mane until I saw his skin. Aiming for the same patch where I had injected previous versions of the drug I’d made to counter GHA’s poison, I stuck Asher with the needle and closed my eyes as I pressed down on the plunger.
Now, I was a scientist, and my brain was hard wired for logic. But these past few weeks, I think I prayed more than I ever had in my entire life. Even then, I prayed, whispering promises, offering bargains, wishing with everything I had that this worked, that I would bring him back. But nothing could have prepared me for the absolute relief that flowed through my body when I felt human hands touching my face.
“Baby, you did it. You did it! I’m back. Baby, I’m back!”
Asher’s voice sounded deep and husky, but I was so fucking happy to hear it I couldn’t stop from sobbing as I flung myself at him.
“Asher? Oh fuck, thank the fucking gods, Asher, you’re back!” I repeated, crying hysterically as he held me tight to him.
“I knew you could do it, Hotshot.”
“I’m sorry it took so long,” I cried, hoping like hell he would forgive me, but he was shaking his head, hushing me as he pulled me tighter against him.
He smelled like fur and dominance, Lion and man, and musk, and I wanted to roll around in it, in him. As if he understood, as if he felt the same, Asher pulled me by the back of my neck and pressed his mouth to mine. He kissed me hard, and rough, with a desperation I felt down to my toes. And it was exactly what I needed, what I wanted, what I craved.
Lust and love slammed into me with all the force of a wrecking ball, and it wasn’t long before I was helping him tear my clothes off. He groaned appreciatively, running his big, firm hands over my curves, testing the weight of my breasts before rolling the nipples between his fingers as his teeth scraped over the claiming scar he’d given me.
“Gonna fuck you now, mate. Gonna claim you again with my bite. Remind you and everyone who you belong to,” he growled, and I squirmed as a fresh wave of arousal pooled between my legs.
“Want that, mate?” he asked, and it was clear he was waiting for an answer.
I felt his cock against my belly, hot and heavy, and hard as steel. I couldn’t think, I was like one throbbing hormone. But this damned man was not going to budge until I said it, was he? So, I scratched my nails down his back, grabbing his ass and squeezing as I told him exactly what I wanted.
“Yes, Asher. I want you to fuck me, claim me with your bite, fill me with your cock, and I want to claim you back, mark you as mine,” I said roughly, almost choking on my emotions.
“Yes,” he growled, eyes glowing as he cupped my face and slammed his lips to mine.
I had zero time to adjust to his lips, as they were off me as fast as they’d been on. Asher’s entire body was vibrating with his growl, and the sound seemed to rush through me, straight to my clit. He turned me around till I was on all fours, his big hand pressing down on my back as he lined himself against my entrance from behind.
“Can’t be gentle now, Baby. Gonna take you hard this time,” he grunted, and I nodded, needing it rough, wanting him any way I could get him.
“Fuck, you’re so wet,” he said, rubbing the tip of his cock along my soaked seam.
Sensation after sensation tingles up and down my spine as he continued to coat himself in my juices. His big hands were holding onto my hips, but he moved them down to my ass, cupping the cheeks before spreading them wide.
“What a pretty little rosebud, Baby. Can’t wait to fuck you there too,” he growled a split second before I felt him bend.
I moaned loudly when I felt Asher’s tongue between my cheeks, licking at my asshole before he turned and bit me right on my butt. I didn’t think I could like such a thing, but like everything else when it came to him, I was so turned on, I didn’t think I would ever be turned off again. He moved again, and I felt his thick head pressing inside one inch, then withdrawing. Again, deeper that time, then withdraw.
“Please,” I begged.
“Please what, Vixen? What do you need?”
“I need you to fuck me, Asher. Now, right now.”
Apparently, that was the right thing to say because he was done messing around. He pulled my hips and slammed into me from behind, making my whole body shake with the force of his thrusts. He filled me so good, so right, stroking that special place inside me that no one else ever touched before until I thought I’d spontaneously combust. Nothing ever felt so good, well, until he reached around with his long fingers and started plucking at my swollen clit.
“Oh gods,” I moaned.
“My name, Vixen. When we fuck, you say my name,” he commanded, caging me in with his enormous body.
His hips never stopped pistoning, and I did as he asked. I said it. I fucking shouted it as he drilled into me, making me feel better than I ever had before.
“Asher. Asher! ASHER!” I screamed, my orgasm skyrocketing through me just as I felt his teeth pierce the skin across my left shoulder.
“MINE!” he roared.
I groaned loudly as I felt the first pulse of his warm release filling me. Turning my head, I caught his bicep between my teeth, and I bit down. Hard.
Mine indeed.