Awakened Animals (A Shifter Novel Book 15) Read online

“I didn’t know he was.”

  “Bullshit,” Mika snorted. Their food came and Mika cut into the omelet, taking a large bite. “You might want to let him know that she’s been cut off. No more heavy spending at the clubs.”

  “So you’re taking control. I’m impressed.”

  “Are you?”

  Jim nodded. “That family has been through so much. They need a male to take charge of things. Will you be taking her to a Gathering then?”

  Mika had the fork halfway to his mouth and stopped. He lowered it back down and wiped his mouth. “Is that what you called me here for?”

  “No, I’m just curious is all. But if you do decide, let me know. I think Kurt is very interested.”

  “No, thanks.”

  Jim chuckled. “Come now. You can’t let pride get in the way of a good match. I think our families, or more like her family and mine, would be good together.”

  “And I don’t.” Mika straightened up in the chair and linked his hands together, resting them over his stomach. “Why don’t you stop beating around the bush here and come out with why you really wanted this meeting?”

  “All right.” Jim also put his fork down and wiped his mouth. “I’m sure by now you know that half of the shares to the mine in this town belong to Kaley.”

  “Yeah, I saw that.”

  “I would like to buy them.” Mika squirmed this time in his seat and unlinked the hands to cross them over his chest. “I’m willing to make a very generous offer.”

  “Sure, you think you will.”

  “Come now, Mika.” Jim once more smiled big, showing his even white teeth. But that smile felt so fake. “An unmated female such as our Kaley…”

  “Hold it right there.” Mika raised his hand up, cutting Jim off. “She’s not our Kaley. Not yours, not mine.”

  “I apologize. Didn’t mean for it to come out sounding like that. I do worry for her.”

  “You don’t have to. I can take care of her.”

  “So then you plan to make a claim?” Jim went back to eating, eyes right on Mika. “Thought you were to mate with her sister, Lora.”

  “You know, I’m starting to think this isn’t so much about business as it is you fishing for information.”

  “I’m only concerned.”

  “No, you want something. What is it? Kaley, or her shares to the mine?”

  “Doesn’t one come with the other?”

  Mika busted out laughing. It was loud enough that others looked at them. He pushed away from the table, stood, and tossed his napkin on the half-eaten food. “Stockton, let me be a blunt as I can with you. Keep your son away from Kaley, or I’m going to rip his fucking throat out and shove it up his ass. As for the shares, no sale. Go fuck someone else over. And thanks for breakfast, what I had was very good.” He walked away, not giving the man a second glance.

  “You have been sitting in this room for hours.” Stray walked into the office slowly, hands in pockets. “Take it that little meeting didn’t go well.”

  Stray didn’t miss the lost look in Mika’s eyes or how fast he covered it up. When he opened the door to check in on him, he was a bit surprised to see Mika just sitting at the desk, or more like the chair tuned toward the far wall. He didn’t look at anything. Just had one leg crossed over the other at the ankle, leaning to the side with his fist at his chin and a finger tapping his lip. Clearly, he had a lot on his mind.

  “Hum?” Mika looked up and Stray turned his head slightly, narrowing his eyes.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah, fine.” Mika cleared his throat and stood up. “What’s up?”

  “Well, for one, you’ve been acting a bit strange since you came back. Was the meeting what you thought?”

  “Yeah, Stockton wants her shares as well as her for his son. Told him pretty much to fuck off. And you were right. The omelet was good.”

  “Okay, I’m going to bite here. What is wrong?”

  “Nothing.” Mika went over to the window and just stared.

  “Mika…” Stray trailed off his name and just stood there waiting.

  “How could I have missed it all? How could I have not seen it? Feel it?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The pain.” Mika turned around, facing Stray with a confused expression. “I mean, it had to have always been there, right? Then why did I never see it? I loved her, for Christ’s sake.”

  “Mika, what the hell are you talking about?”

  “It’s not dead, Stray. I can feel it waking up deep inside, and it shouldn’t be. Not like this.”

  “Mika, will you please make some sense here? You’re confusing the fuck out of me.”

  “Where’s Kaley?”

  “Um, she and Vesper went out shopping.” Mika opened his mouth and Stray quickly finished before he could blow his top. “No, I mean, she took Vesper out for some clothes. I gave her the money.” Mika nodded and lowered his head. “Dude, what is wrong with you?”

  “Lora has been this grand prize for all,” Mika said, his voice sounding a bit detached. “God, I was so fucking stupid. I’ve been home, Stray, for a few hours, just walking around, looking at the rooms in this house for the first time. There’s no warmth here. It’s so cold, like a damn tomb dedicated to Lora.” He took a few deep breaths before he spoke again. “Kaley has been overshadowed by everyone around her, and I never saw it then.”

  “No one did.”

  “This place almost looks as if one child was brought into it, instead of two.”

  “Mika, have you ever stopped and thought about what drew you to this family?” Stray asked. “I mean, clearly there was never really a pull to Lora, but something brought you here.”

  “If it was really Kaley, then I would have picked up that vibe a long time again.”

  “Says who?” Mika sighed, head going down again in defeat. So Stray continued. “Look, man, you know as well as any that sometimes it just doesn’t hit every one of us fast. Hell, remember me telling you about Thorn? The bullshit he went through with his mate before they both even figured out she was his. Her own mother, for Christ’s sake, used him, then he got his hands on her. I don’t know all of it, but I do know that he went through a bunch of crap before the bells went off on his animal.”

  “I can’t, Stray.” Mika shook his head before looking at him with his head still down. “I’m not going to be another one to hurt her, and that’s all I’ll do.”

  “If that happens, Mika, then doing nothing will hurt her. Keep that in mind.”

  “I will give you this, you know your clothes,” Vesper said. She slid into the booth across from Kaley in a restaurant they decided to stop at for a bite to eat. “I don’t think I would have ever looked at this stuff or even touched it, and here you got me to buy it all.”

  “Silk is always a nice treat.” Kaley smiled.

  “Thanks for doing this.”

  “We both needed to get out, and you needed some new stuff.”

  “Won’t argue there. It has been a long time since I went shopping. Hell, last time I went it was for a pair of jeans after mine busted out on me,” Vesper said and laughed.

  “Well, get used to it. Shifters like to spoil their women, and I’m sure Stray will do that very soon if he hasn’t already.”

  They ordered, and then Vesper noticed how Kaley started to withdraw a little, staring out the window. “What’s on your mind?”

  Kaley snapped out of the daze and shook her head, giving a short smile. “Nothing.”

  “Come on, I know that look.”

  Kaley looked Vesper right in the eye. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “What did it feel like the first time Stray kissed you?” Vesper felt her face heat up. “I’m sorry,” Kaley rushed out. “Didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

  “No, you didn’t. It’s just, um, well I think that first kiss sort of happened at your house.”

  “But I thought he had mated you a while ago.”

&n
bsp; “He did, but I don’t think there was much kissing.” Now she knew she had to be blushing. “From what I’m learning, it was sort of in-that-moment thing. I think he called it a heat.”

  “So he just sort of claimed you in the heat of the moment.”

  “Something like that.”

  “What was that like?”

  Vesper stilled. She didn’t feel uncomfortable about the question, just confused. “Have you never been with a man yet?” Kaley shook her head now. “Wow.”

  “Well, in my world that is not done. Females save themselves for their mates.” Kaley rolled her eyes. “And in my household, you just get overlooked.”

  “I sort of know what that is like. Or better yet, I tried to stay in the shadows.”

  “Why?”

  “My father.” Vesper took a deep breath and straightened up. “He was abusive to my mother and brother. I got a few slaps, but my mother took most of it.”

  “What happened to her?”

  Their food came. Vesper smiled up at the girl who brought it and waited until she left before answering. “He beat her to death. He’s in prison right now.”

  “And your brother?” Kaley dug into her food, watching Vesper the whole time she chewed.

  “He turned out to not be a very nice guy.”

  “Lora got everything she ever wanted. My mother never said no to her. If my father did, she just would go to my mother and get it anyway. They used to have so many fights about it,” Kaley said. “She also liked to have things that she couldn’t, just like a male.” She took a big bite and chewed fast. “She wanted Mika because I had this crush on him.”

  “Do you still?” Vesper also started to eat. Both had ordered loaded salads and they were huge.

  “I don’t know.” Kaley sighed. “He’s a big pain in my ass.”

  Vesper chuckled. “Yes, he is.”

  “And control freak. Taking my credit cards is going way too far.”

  They ate a bit in silence, the crunching sounding loud between them. Vesper was the one to break that silence. “Can I ask you something now?”

  “Sure.”

  “If you’re still interested in Mika, then why haven’t you made a move toward him?”

  “What makes you think I’m interested in him?”

  Vesper snorted. “Please. Men might not be able to see things like this, but women do. I do. I see it, Kaley.” Kaley looked away with a heavy sigh. “And it’s all right.” That had Kaley looking back. “Sometimes we have to do things we don’t think we can do in order to achieve results.”

  “I can’t do what you’re suggesting, Vesper,” she said low.

  “Why not?” Vesper shrugged. “Woman take charge all the time, Kaley. Just because you’re one of them doesn’t mean you’re not a woman also.”

  9

  “All right, what am I up to now?” Stray asked the question as he held the ping-pong ball and paddle in his hand, narrowing his eyes on Kaley at the other end of the table.

  “Vesper?” she asked, grinning back at him.

  “Fifty bucks, sweetheart,” Vesper answered. “And two shots.”

  “Fifty! Are you sure?” Stray asked with a bit of a high pitch in his voice.

  “Yep. You said five a round and you’ve lost every round,” Vesper said. “Plus the shots,”—she held up two fingers—“two of them.”

  “Not true.” Stray pointed a finger at her. “I won twice.”

  “And I subtracted that from the seventy. Now you are down to fifty.”

  Kaley giggled and Stray turned his attention to her. “I think you two are ganging up on me.”

  “Nope,” Kaley said, shaking her head. “You just still suck at this game.”

  He served and she slammed it back so hard that Stray had to duck or get hit. “Where the hell did you learn that from?” Stray cried out.

  “Me.” Everyone stopped and looked at the doorway. Mika was leaning against the frame with a strange relaxed look about him. “Very nice, by the way.”

  “One of the few things he decided to teach me.” Kaley smirked at Stray.

  “You were the only one who would play the game,” Mika said.

  “Yeah, well, I think I’m going to call it and just pay up before you take everything in my pocket,” Stray said. He dropped the paddle on the table and dug into his pocket as he went over to the smaller table where the liquor was.

  “Smart man,” Vesper added.

  Stray only gave her a dirty look with a nod then picked up one of the shots and downed it with a hiss. “This shit is nasty.”

  “You are just a big pussy,” Kaley said pointing the paddle at Stray and giggling.

  “My sperm count just dropped.” Stray shook his head and took a deep breath.

  “As if!” Kaley laughed.

  “Hey, picked up a few movies,” Mika said. “How about we do a movie binge-watching?”

  “Depends,” Kaley said. She picked up the ball and started bouncing it on the paddle. “What’d you get?”

  “Underworld.”

  “Seriously?” Stray asked.

  “Why not? It’s kind of funny how they get us wrong in the movies,” Mika said.

  “Pizza or burgers?” Kaley asked. Mika just looked at her and she stopped bouncing the ball.

  “Burgers,” Stray said.

  “Pizza,” Vesper said.

  “Pizza does sound good,” Kaley stated.

  “Play you for it?” Mika said to Kaley. “Cuz I wouldn’t mind burgers.”

  “You’re on,” Kaley said.

  “Um, we better move back,” Stray said to Vesper. “This could get dangerous.” He swung around to Mika. “Shot first. It’s the new rules.”

  “New rules?” Mika asked with an eyebrow going up.

  “He doesn’t have the balls either,” Kaley said with a grin.

  Mika narrowed his eyes as well as grinned. “Oh, I’ve got them.” He went to the shots, picked up a glass, and downed it with a hiss also. “Damn, what are you guys drinking?” He picked up a bottle and just shook his head. “Duggan! That shit eats your insides up.”

  “Tell me about it,” Stray groaned with a hand on his stomach.

  “Then I suggest you don’t miss a shot. Each point that goes my way is a shot for you.”

  “Okay then,” Mika blew out. “Let’s do this then.”

  The game started and it was fast and hard. That small ball flew back and forth at such a speed that the white ball became a blur. Mika got a few points as did Kaley, but for the most part they were an even match and neither had to take a shot yet. The game went on and on, not ending as fast as the few Stray had with her.

  “Okay, let’s order both!” Vesper yelled, getting them to stop.

  Mika caught the ball when it came at him. He looked at her, then at Kaley and shrugged. “Sounds good to me.”

  “Sure.” Kaley was breathing faster. “But the game isn’t over.”

  Mika grinned at her. “Okay, fine. Later on we’ll finish it.”

  “Deal.”

  But “later on” never came. The four of them crashed in the large family room with food spread out on the coffee table. The movie started and in no time, all four fell asleep. Kaley on the floor with a bunch of pillows around her, Mika on the sofa sitting up, and Stray and Vesper on the love seat.

  It was about one in the morning when Mika woke, picked up Kaley, and carried her to the bedroom. She didn’t stir. He also woke Stray who took Vesper up to bed, then the two of them cleaned up the mess. Thankfully it didn’t take too long and he could go up to his own bed.

  But getting a peaceful sleep wasn’t meant to be.

  The dreams started up one more.

  Mika was flat on his back, unable to move. Spread-eagled he panted, struggled to breathe as hot breath touched his sensitive body. All he could see when he looked down was long hair covering the face and brushing across his belly like tiny feathers. It caused him to jerk under her and speechless to beg for a touch—for anything!

/>   Hot breath touched his cock and Mika swore he bolted from the bed. But he didn’t. He couldn’t. Something had him pinned and he couldn’t see it, couldn’t figure it out. He also didn’t give a fuck. He was on fire, in need, and wanted lips sucking on his cock. Wanted to feel the back of the throat as he pumped into the lips that teased him now.

  He was at his breaking point, just about to scream at her to do something when her head came up and he saw the face.

  Air rushed from his lungs in shock. He couldn’t move, couldn’t think, and didn’t know what the fuck to do.

  Kaley!

  She grinned, head went back down and her lips touched the crown of his dick.

  Mika woke with a loud growl leaving his lips and the sheets ripping under his hands. Again, his heart pounded hard in his chest, sweat covered his whole body, and his cock throbbed painfully. But he didn’t come this time. No, his anger at the dream kept that from happening.

  Then it dawned on him.

  “That was no fucking dream.” Mika flung the sheet off his waist. He got out of the bed fast, picked up the jeans he took off before going to bed, and was out of the room, zipping them up.

  He walked fast toward her room and didn’t bother with knocking. Mika just walked in and stilled. Kaley wasn’t there.

  “Fuck,” he hissed, turning and leaving with the door open, heading for the stairs and running down them. Mika jogged out of the house toward the pool house. When he got to the door he just banged on it. “Stray, wake up!” He banged two more times before Stray came to the door.

  “What?” Stray asked with a frown, a sheet wrapped around his waist.

  “Kaley has been fucking with me,” Mika huffed. “And now she’s gone.”

  “Huh? What’re you talking about?”

  Mika shook his head. “I can’t believe she would do this!”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “She’s gone and I need to find her right now,” Mika said. “I swear, I’m going to beat her ass when I get my hands on her.”

  “Will you please make sense?” Stray raised his voice and that got Mika to still.

  Mika looked Stray right in the eye. “She’s been seducing me in my fucking dreams. Get dressed, we need to find her.”