Shifters Unbound 03 - Wild Cat by Jennifer Ashley

Author:Jennifer Ashley
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Paranormal, General, Romance, Fantasy, Adult, Fiction, Contemporary
ISBN: 9781101553862
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2012-01-03T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

There was nothing like waking up with fifteen hundred pounds of bear on top of you. Diego shoved, but Shane was still out.

He heard another crackle of Taser, smelled more burning flesh, then heard Xav’s voice. “No, you’re staying down.”

“Diego?” That was Cassidy.

Diego slithered and slid out from under the unconscious grizzly and climbed to his feet.

Xavier stood over Reid, Reid out on the floor, his bare torso covered with sweat, blood, and dirt. Cassidy lay naked on the stone, very still, as though afraid to move. Diego limped to her, holstering the Taser he still held and kicking candles out of his way.

Chains wrapped Cassidy’s wrists and feet, and wires ran through those up and down her body to her Collar and then to a Taser. No wonder she didn’t want to move. If she set off the Collar, she’d light up the chains as well.

“I’m sorry, Diego,” she murmured.

“Why are you sorry? Reid did this, not you.”

Diego felt along her Collar for the connections—simple ones, he was happy to find, but Reid would pay for every one of them.

“I shouldn’t have gone back into your apartment without checking it out, first. I knew Reid was still out there somewhere. I should have had Brody come with me.”

Diego gently pulled wires from the Collar. “Don’t beat yourself up, Cass. I’m kind of wondering why you went out the window in the first place. My mom’s chilaquiles aren’t that bad.”

“I’m Shifter.”

Diego finished with the wires and worked on the chains. They were locked in place with small padlocks. A quick search produced no keys, but small locks like these were nothing to a boy who’d been trained to break into cars by age ten.

Diego picked them carefully. “I’m not going to hide you,” he said.

“No, but humans and Shifters don’t mix well. It’s hard on the human.”

“You want to let me worry about that?”

“I’ve seen it happen, Diego. Humans lose their jobs, get shunned by their families. Don’t risk that for me.”

Cassidy was the one bound hand and foot, and she was worried about him.

“Mamita wants to meet you. She’s not going to shun you. As for my career—an asshole from my office kidnapped you and wrapped you in chains. I’m not the one losing my job.”

The last chain fell from her wrists. Cassidy rose with a groan, but her arms went right around Diego.

Diego gathered her to him as he helped her to stand, then they held each other. Cassidy buried her face in Diego’s shoulder, her embrace strong and warm. Diego was happy to hold her and soothe her, which helped soothe him.

He leaned into her, rubbing her skin, absorbing her warmth. Animals tended to cuddle together for reassurance, and Diego thought they were pretty smart.

A rumble filled the little cave. Shane rolled up from the floor, waking up and fighting mad.

“Easy,” Xavier said. He turned the Taser on him.

Shane opened his mouth and roared.

He’s like a bear waking out of its hibernation sleep. He doesn’t know who we are.

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