Cruz Bear walked out of the sky and came to rest next to his lair thanking his lucky stars that he'd kept Lane from meeting his alleged damsel in distress. When he'd gone instead to check on the Were fem who'd texted his techno brother a distress message, he'd been ambushed. The stinky Sundowner who'd jumped him had actually managed to conjure a battle axe out of thin air. He strode toward his cabin wincing as the time jump made his wounds start to knit.
Lane and Tyson probably wouldn't thank him for being sent on a decoy ride but at least they'd come out of it in one piece, he hoped. So where they hell were they? They should be back by now. Then his brothers roared into the driveway on their twin vipers and he relaxed a little. Thank god they hadn't been caught in the same trap. He'd deliberately sent them away, not trusting Lane's source and he'd been right. The question was, had it been a ploy to take his clan down or something more personal?
He was thoughtful as he watched his brothers dismount. Moonlight glinted off Lane's blond hair and Tyson's ebony skin as they strode toward him. Tyson, a telepath, had never been the same since he'd lost his first love, Fleur, in clan warfare three years ago. Now he looked even more troubled and Cruz knew he'd instantly noticed his injuries. On the other hand Lane, being younger and thinking himself half in lust with the alleged damsel in distress, just looked pissed to see him standing there without her. Cruz sighed, preparing to handle another battle. Damn it all, he'd only wanted sanctuary this wild mating week. But clan warfare and designing females were messing with his bliss. “You two run into any trouble?” he asked, thinking of the roving bands of Sundowners that formed over mating season. They'd stop at nothing to get laid.
Tyson's eyes narrowed. “We didn't find jackshit out in the hinterlands, just like I'm sure you know. Stop worrying about us and tell me what happened to you."
Cruz's jaw tightened as he wiped the blood off of it, sorry that Tyson was so perceptive. Even Lane took a pause from glaring at him. “Not much. I just walked into an ambush, that's all. And after questioning one of Black Jack's sentries, I found out there is no such female."
Lane sucked in a shocked breath. “That can't be true. She's been texting me for weeks, ever since I signed up for weremates.com. It's only lately that she said something bad was going down."
Cruz shook his head wondering if Lane knew how naive he sounded. Exchanging a look with Tyson, who knew women weren't to be trusted, they both frowned. “Yeah, well, it wouldn't be the first time someone's joined the group for cross purposes."
"I refuse to believe that she lied to me. Sheila's not like that, she's..."
Cruz held up his hand to forestall his lament. “Let's take this inside before whoever's behind this manages to break through our shields."
"This conversation isn't over,” Lane said gruffly, and turned to stomp toward the cabin.
Cruz ignored his pissy attitude, knowing that mating fever was making the young bear swain edgy. Hell, he wasn't immune himself, and Tyson, the self-avowed woman hater, still looked at pretty Weres. They were all feeling it and that was the main reason he'd decided to hole up here until the fever was past. He personally had no intention of starting his own line even though it was the very thing Ma insisted on. When the time was right, Tyson and Lane would find mates and he'd be free of responsibilities.
"Come on, baby bear, let's go see what Ma left us to eat.” He saw Lane wince at the private nickname and smiled. He'd been dubbed Papa being the oldest, and Tyson much to his chagrin Mama, being a sympathetic telepath. Striding toward the cabin where, as expected, all the lights were lit and smoke was drifting out of the chimney meaning the fire was lit in the fireplace, he finally started to relax. The spa would be filled and ready for him too. Ma knew he'd be stiff and sore after the supposed peace parlay. After he loosened up, all he'd need was a cold beer and a helping of some of Ma's home cooking and he'd be back to normal.
"Hold it,” Lane said.
Lane's tense tone told Cruz something was up. He and Tyson turned to him in unison to see him looking at his divers watch. If the electronics whiz was worried about one of his sensors something was seriously fucked up. “What's up?” Cruz looked down at his matching watch to see the luminous dial glowed red, telling them by heat signature that an intruder was inside. Ma would be long gone by now and the cabin locked up tight, so who was inside? Cruz felt his tension shoot up like a Geiger counter.
"I knew these things would come in handy one day,” Lane crowed.
At least playing with his gadgets had brought the kid out of his funk. Shit, he couldn't believe that he'd missed the fact that there was an intruder. He glanced Tyson's way and saw the same shocked look on the telepath's face. Knowing Tyson usually sensed danger before they met it didn't make him feel any better. Had the Sundowners broken through the shields after all? He gave hand signals and the boys took flanking positions, one on either side of him. He stuck his key in the lock braced for an attack. The door popped open before he could turn the key in the lock. Fuck! The damned place was unlocked and the shields were down. Ma wouldn't have left it that way. The dizzying scent of a female Werebear in heat hit him like a brick, making him growl under his breath as his cock stirred. He knew the boys felt it too as they growled low in their throats. Damn! He surveyed the empty room, seeing the shoes by the door, women's sandals, one strap broken. “We've got company,” he said under his breath.
"She smells like heaven,” Lane said, slipping past him and into the room.
Cruz shot his younger brother a wry look. “I thought you were in love."
Lane gave him a chagrinned look. “Sheila hasn't mated me yet. So I'm still on the marriage mart."
Tyson rolled his eyes. “Don't you know a trap when you see one, cub?"
"Keep it down and watch out for the Sundowner's clan,” Cruz cautioned. He didn't feel them. As a matter of fact, all he felt was horny, but he wouldn't be led around by his cock. Cruz moved out without saying a word and the boys joined in on the hunt. Entering the kitchen he spied a dirty bowl and spoon on the breakfast bar. “Five o'clock,” he said under his breath and the boys turned toward it. “Someone's been eating my chili."
"Bold housebreaker,” Lane said.
"And hungry,” Tyson agreed. “Not your typical bear swain, I think."
Cruz could feel it too. There was something different but tempting about her, like she was a rare hybrid. “Maybe the Sundowners wanted to send us a message. They can get to us anytime. I wonder if she's still here,” Cruz said, starting a search. He saw one of Ma's prize afghans on the floor next to his leather wing chair. “Someone's been sitting in my chair,” he said under his breath.
Tyson chuckled beside him. “Sounds like Goldilocks. I wonder if she's in my bed."
Cruz frowned at the slang term for a mortal woman who threw herself at Werebears because of their sexual prowess. He'd never much liked the way his kind made light of the softer emotions.
"An ugly mug like you couldn't get that lucky,” Lane teased.
Moving back out into the hall he picked up her scent mingled with jasmine bath oil. Had she actually stopped to take a bath? He couldn't help smiling at her audacity, but it wouldn't stop him from dropping the hammer on her. His body tightened in anticipation. He stopped short at the bathroom door. The tub was empty but her clothes were strewn across the floor. A glance took in a mud-stained white blouse with red chili stains and a pair of denim shorts followed by a matching set of red satin bra and panties.
She was all but leading him by his dick to the bedroom...where she'd no doubt try to blow him away. Anticipation unfurled inside him making him feel alive again when he bent to pick up the red bra. He could swear it still carried her body heat and it smelled like her—strawberries and woman. “Someone's been using my spa,” Cruz said as his hand tightened on the lingerie.
Lane nodded. “It's a little departure from the storybook, but intriguing,” he added with a grin.
Tyson winced when he looked at the empty bottle of bath oil. “Shit, she used the last of Carol's jasmine bath oil, big sister's going to kill us."
"Don't sweat it; I ordered another bottle for her birthday.” Cruz grinned when he saw his brother's relief. Carol could be hell on wheels, but she was family. “Come on, let's go find her."
They moved silently toward the bedrooms, looking for their naked spy. They walked past Lane's room with its waterbed, empty.
Lane poked his head in the door and grumbled, “Shucks."
Tyson grinned. “Better luck next time, kid,” he said and strode toward his room with its antique sleigh bed. “Damn,” he grumbled, finding it empty. Then he turned to look at Cruz. “Only one bed left."
Cruz let out a long suffering sigh. Shit. This wasn't starting out well, not when the very thought of her had him primed and horny. “That's kind of what I figured."
Tyson smiled. “I'm sure you can handle one little virgin bear."
He surged into the room and froze, taking in a sexy seminude Goldilocks sleeping in his bed. Shit, she was wearing his robe. Someone was playing a warped joke on him. Her golden curls spread out around her head like a halo and her closed eyelashes looked like angels wings. He gulped. “Goldilocks is sleeping in my bed, it seems."
Tyson grinned. “Someone really wanted to get leverage against you."
Cruz didn't know why she was there; he just knew he needed to get rid of her before he did something really stupid like give in to temptation to fuck her. The front of her robe slipped open to display cleavage voluptuous enough to make a monk horny and he was no monk. His fascinated gaze lingered on the dusky edge of her perfect pink nipples, like ripe strawberries, and his cock came to life. She'd look hotter than hell wearing emerald nipple clamps. He let out another growl, his cock straining at his pants. She wasn't a Sundowner, he recognized all their females.
"Some guys have all the luck,” Lane cut in joking. “Care to share, bro? I could help you interrogate her."
Lane knew the rules, whoever made her come the hardest got to keep her. In essence it was up to the female to choose her mates. And despite his earlier feelings, he wanted her more than he could possibly explain. Feeling territorial, Cruz stepped up to her. “She's mine,” he blurted out, startling himself. Her eyes popped open, huge, sapphire blue, and shocked, and he felt like he'd been sucker punched. Change that to sapphire nipple clamps. He watched her nipples bud.
He watched her mouth drop open in a perfect O of surprise and asked, “Want to tell me what you're doing in my bed, Goldilocks?"