FavoriteObsession (11 page)

“Why now? I understand your concern about the Council’s
order and the prophecy, but a few more decades won’t mean much in the grand
scheme of things. The odds of me conceiving in the span of a human lifetime are
slim anyway. Can’t you push back? Give me a reprieve?”

“No.” Kade yanked her against him, one hand in her hair and
one at her lower back. “The goddess visited me the day you licked Josh’s wounds.
She showed me a vision of the future.”

When he only stared at her, she prompted, “Involving me?”

He nodded. “And Josh. Why do you think I’ve worked so hard
to keep the two of you apart?”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Tell me.”

“He dies.”

She swallowed hard. “He’s human. He’s going to die anyway.”

“Yes, but—”

Raised, booming male voices sounded in the hall and stopped
his words. The door flew open. Aron’s angry gaze settled on Kade. A deep growl
rumbled his chest a moment before he lunged at them. Rafe followed behind and
shoved Aron away before he made contact. They rolled across the floor, snarling
and snapping at each other. Josh ran in next. He hopped over the fighting males
and moved directly toward her. Kade jumped in his path and held him back with a
firm hand splayed on his chest.

“Enough!” Kade shouted.

Although everyone stilled, none of the males looked happy
about it. Aron seethed, Rafe glared at his twin and Josh lifted his lip in a
silent snarl.

Kade looked past Josh. “What’s going on?”

Aron pointed at her. “She has disgraced me with her whorish
acts! I will not allow my mate-to-be to suck another male’s cock!”

Mira barely had time to process his words before Josh
launched himself at Aron. Kade yanked him back with a hand gripping his
waistband while Rafe kept Aron pinned to the wall with his claws dug into Aron’s
shoulders. Growls filled the room. Both Aron and Josh strained to break free.
The tension skyrocketed.

“Mind your tongue, cousin.” Kade leveled a hard look on Josh
before facing Aron. The warning was clear,
don’t start anything
. “That
is no way to address the female you want to mate.”

“Correction,” Josh stepped between her and the rest of the
room and widened his stance, “That is no way to address
any
female,
especially the one I hope to marry if she’ll have me.”

Kade gaped at Josh. “You still want her?”

“Yes, more than I have ever wanted a woman.”

Kade glanced her way. Sadness flitted across his features
for a moment before he blanked his reaction. Silence stretched as he held her
gaze. Her heart pounded hard while her cats paced the confines of her soul.

Eyes still locked to hers, Kade addressed Josh. “I won’t
allow it. You’ve wasted your time coming here.”

Kade jerked his head toward Rafe and snarled. Their fluid
facial expressions betrayed their telepathic argument. All royals could
communicate along a general path when in close proximity to one another, but
they rarely used it. The intimate form of communication often disturbed their
animals.

She watched their silent battle and her hope fizzled. Defeat
settled over Rafe’s face. He cursed and pushed away from Aron.

Kade picked up the phone and dialed. After a moment, he said
to the person on the line, “Tell Zach and Jazz to come up. We’re having this
damn meeting now.”

He slammed the phone down. Her heart sank.

Aron smirked and sauntered toward her. Fear and disgust
tightened her chest as she followed his approach. She held her ground,
unwilling to retreat and risk triggering his instincts to chase her. She might’ve
been promised to him, but he’d broken the vow. No way did she want him to
suddenly decide to set his sights on her. However, with the hard line of arousal
straining his pants, she feared he already had. Either that or he was damn
horny.

Josh stepped between her and Aron. “The Council’s order
gives me the right to be with Mira. I will not allow you to dismiss me if she
wants me.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Do you, Mira? Do you want to be with
me even if it’s only for a little while?”

“Yes.” The word was out before she could think better of it.

He grinned at her and her heart melted. “Then you and I are
tying the knot, baby. The sooner, the better.”

Kade spun around and fixed Josh with a murderous glare. She
tensed, ready to jump to his side. Her pride leader’s booming voice stopped
her.

“You are not now, nor will you ever be her destiny. I should
never have allowed this infatuation to continue.”

Josh stepped closer, fists clenched at his sides. “I will
not allow
you
to force her to be with another man. She wants me, not any
of you.”

“She hasn’t given her other suitors a chance to earn her
attentions. This is the reason why courting shifter females has become
commonplace—to avoid the fights between hopeful suitors as the number of
available potential breeding partners have declined.”

Josh worked his jaw, the look on his face contemplative. She
could almost see the wheels turning in his head. Finally, he nodded. “So be
it.”

“Good, I’m glad—”

“I’ll court her too.” Josh shrugged. “Dating is popular for
a reason. It builds the anticipation.”

Kade took an aggressive step forward. “No.”

The door opened, stopping the argument. Jazz entered and
moved to her mate’s side. Mira didn’t return Jazz’s sympathetic grin. Her
attention zeroed in on a scowling Zach. He leaned against the farthest wall,
gaze locked onto the floor. At least there was one suitor she didn’t have to
worry about fixating on her. His love had already been given. Pity for him, he
didn’t know to whom.

“Now that everyone’s here, we can get this over with. Jazz,
will you act as our witness?” Kade waited until she nodded. “Good. Then in
accordance with shifter law as adapted to align with human mandate, I
officially announce Mira’s suitors as Aron, Zach and myself. Between now and
sundown three weeks from now—”

“Don’t forget me,” Josh cut in. “I officially request—”

“Don’t say it, human.” Kade glared at him. “I’m warning you.”

Mira gave a low, threatening growl. “Stop this!” Every male
turned and looked at her. She wanted to cower under their intense scrutiny but
couldn’t. There was too much at stake. “Doesn’t anyone care what I want?”

Kade snarled. “No, Mira, in this I do not. You will pick a
mate from your real suitors.”

“My real suitors?” She closed the distance between them. “You
mean Aron because you know Zach wants no part of this ridiculous game.”

“That includes me, Mira. You will choose between me, Aron or
Zach. No others.”

“No!”

Kade walked toward the window. “Enough, Mira. We will
continue this discussion in private. This meeting is over.”

Josh’s piercing blue eyes caught her attention. She glanced
at him. He tilted his head in the direction of the door, an indication she
should leave. She studied him for some clue as to what he was up to, but
another jerk of his head forced her to obey. She spun on her heel and walked
out of the testosterone-filled room with her head held high. No use showing how
defeated she felt. Pretenses were everything.

Josh followed Mira’s retreating back with his eyes. Once the
door slammed closed, he cleared his throat. Everyone looked his way except Jazz
and Zach who stood off to the side whispering to each other. Rafe smirked, Aron
scowled and Kade watched him with open speculation, eyes narrowed and lips
downturned.

“Am I a member of your extended family?”

“Yes.” Kade crossed his arms over his chest. “You are a
member of my pride and as such, must follow my rules. I clearly—”

Josh raised his hands in a mock gesture of supplication. “You’re
absolutely right. I’ve learned my lesson.”

Kade peered at him with narrowed eyes. “You concede?”

“Absolutely.” Josh nodded. “Rules are made for a reason.”
To
be broken
.
Or remade. Either worked.

Kade sighed. “Good, I’m glad you understand.”

“I should’ve come to you first with my request but better
late than never.” Josh waited until Kade’s scowl returned before he continued. “As
a member of the Alexander pride, I officially request your permission to pursue
Mira.”

Kade ran his fingers through his short hair, holding his
head for a moment. He dropped them and leveled his best ‘don’t argue with me’
look on him. “Dammit, Josh. I cannot allow her to be with you in any way, not
as a lover or wife. You need to stay away from her.”

Josh took several deep breaths to calm his growing
frustration. “You keep saying that. Tell me why.”

Kade ambled toward the window. With his hands linked behind
his back, he studied the darkened landscape. “The day Mira made you her beloved
human, the goddess bestowed onto me a vision of your death. I will do anything
I can to prevent it from happening.”

The announcement hit Josh as hard as a physical blow. He
stared at Kade’s back, unable to respond.

“If you’re going to tell him that much, you must share the
rest of the vision.” Rafe turned to him when Kade didn’t respond. “Kade was
shown three flashes of the future. The first of Mira standing over you with
bloody claws, the second of Devin giving you blood and finally, Jazz crying.
That’s it.”

Kade glanced over his shoulder. “I knew Mira would’ve been
terrified by the vision. I meant to protect her from it and save your life at
the same time. That is why I kept you apart.”

Josh latched on to the fact that the vision didn’t actually
show him dead, just bleeding. “I’m not afraid of death, Kade. Heaven awaits me
but keeping me from Mira will damn me to hell.”

Kade sighed and grabbed on to the wide window casing. “I
grant your request to court Mira, but I plan to tell her about the goddess’s
vision.”

Josh nodded. Best he’d likely get. “So be it.”

* * * * *

Mira stared at Kade’s retreating back. After he’d dropped
his bombshell, she’d been unable to form any words. Why would she kill Josh?
Unless…unless she actually thought to mate him.

She dropped her head into her hands and groaned. She wanted
Josh. Craved him. Her cats were convinced he was their
one
. She wrapped
her arms tightly around her chest. Each day, her certainty of Josh being hers grew.
But was it real? Or desperation? It was the latter that worried her the most
and the outcome she needed to avoid at all costs. It would tempt her to break
the rules, guaranteeing the vision would become reality.

It wasn’t often their creators spoke to them. When they did,
their words became unbreakable divine law. Visions they could bestow freely,
wishes were theirs to grant on a whim but verbal commands altered the fabric of
their world. The edict surrounding a royal’s ability to bind their human mate
to them set the rules.

If she thought to challenge them, she’d lose everything. No.
She couldn’t allow the goddess’s vision to come to pass.

On shaky legs, she walked to the spot on Rafe and Jazz’s
property where she’d added her scent to Josh’s wounds and set them both on this
painful journey. She sat on the wooden swing, weariness making her limbs heavy,
and watched the gentle flow of the small stream.

Water lapped at the rocks. A few fish meandered in the calm
current. Peace settled over her. Her decision, though hurtful, was the only one
she could come up with. She had to get over her obsession with Josh. The only
way to do that was to move on. Replace him.

Mira pulled her phone out and dialed. “Hi, Aron.”

“Mira? Hey sweetness, what’s up?”

She took a deep breath to settle the sick feeling churning her
belly. It didn’t help. She hated what she was about to do, yet it was best this
way, like ripping off a Band-Aid. “Are you serious about courting me?”

“I wouldn’t have come out of seclusion and traveled half-way
across the world if I wasn’t.”

“Then meet me at the
Black Widow
tomorrow night at
nine. I want to go dancing for our first date.”

Silence filled the line. Finally, Aron said, “I don’t know
if that’s wise, Mira. Josh is working.”

Tears slipped from her eyes. She didn’t bother wiping them
away.

“And? If you haven’t noticed, there isn’t much to do here. It’s
oldies night at the bar. I went there a few weeks ago. It was fun.” She plastered
a smile on her face hoping it would make her shaky voice stronger. “Besides,
Josh knows you’re courting me. He’s going to have to get used to seeing us
together.”

“Didn’t Kade visit you? He approved of Josh’s request to
court you too.”

The tears fell faster. She gave up on the fake grin and
coughed into her hand to clear the lump in her throat.

“Yeah, he did. He also told me not to neglect my other
suitors.” She scrubbed at her cheeks. The wetness irritated her skin. “So, do
you want to go out or not?”

Aron sighed. “Yeah, sweetheart. I’ll meet you there.”

“Great. Looking forward to it.”

Mira ended the call, dropped the phone and gave in to her
crying fit.

* * * * *

Josh was dreaming. It had to be a dream. If it wasn’t, he’d
slipped into some fucked-up alternate dimension. Because he was a cat.

He padded across the hardwood floor and peered at his image
in the mirrored wall above his bar. A lion’s tawny face stared back at him,
complete with a big, shaggy black mane. The scar on his cheek even showed on
the animal’s face. He turned slightly to examine his flank. The jagged white
line of another old wound showed too. Hell, he could even see his tattoos
through the fur. On his shoulder, his inked tiger bared its fangs and the cross
with his nephew’s name, John, stood out as a permanent memorial on his front
leg.

Everything looked different through his eyes. The darkened
room appeared brighter. All the variations of gray stood out sharper while the
vibrant colors in the posters and beer signs he knew should be there, weren’t.
They looked washed out as if somebody had thrown a bottle of bleach on them.

He squeezed his eyes closed and shook his head. When he
opened them, a lion’s reflection still gazed back at him and the world around
him still held an eerie quality no pair of night vision goggles could touch.

After a moment, the mirror fogged. Black mist spread over
the surface. A woman’s hand extended from the shimmering wall, exactly as it
had in the last dream he’d had. He locked his muscles instead of moving closer.

What the hell was wrong with him? He’d never had reoccurring
dreams before.

A sense of desperation settled in his heart along with
frustration. Neither emotion belonged to him. Anxiety tightened his chest. He
took several steps back. The woman curled her hand, piercing her own palm with
her talons.

Golden blood dripped.

The sight triggered a memory of apple pie and—

Zoe’s curses yanked him out of his dream. He jumped to his
feet and glanced around. Thankfully, the bar looked normal, darkened with all
the right colors. He breathed a sigh.

Another spout of profanity preceded a woman’s piercing scream.
He ran down the hall leading to the employee entrance. The shouts grew louder
and he realized who the other voice belonged to.

Abby.

Goddammit. The woman didn’t know when to take no for an
answer.

He flung the back door open and cursed. Zoe had a handful of
red hair wrapped around her palm. With a tug on the fisted strands, she slammed
her foot against the base of Abby’s spine. She shrieked.

He glanced between Zoe’s sleep shirt and Abby’s skintight
black outfit and demanded, “What’s going on?”

“Go back inside.” Zoe waved at the prone woman at her feet. “I’m
handling this. I was simply explaining to Abby what happened to stalkers.”

Josh noticed the black ski mask lying on the ground near
them. He leveled a hard look on his one-time lover. “You were fucking spying on
me?”

“No, she was trying to break in.” Zoe gave Abby’s hair
another tug. “Guess she didn’t know you’d moved.”

“I did. I was looking for…” Abby pressed her lips together.

“For what?”

“Nothing.”

Drugs, probably. Zeb wasn’t the only member of the Ernest
family who had a problem with addiction. Hell, half the damn town did. That
happened in rural areas when people got bored and looked for a little fun.

He knelt next to the woman. “Leave. Don’t come back.
Understand?”

She nodded.

He really wanted to get a damn restraining order against her
but he couldn’t risk angering Zeb. So far, he hadn’t acted as if he questioned
Josh’s version of the fight or his miraculous recovery. Josh wanted it to stay
that way. Waving around police orders would negate the shaky peace between
them.

“Let her go, Zo.”

She did with a small kick to Abby’s ass as she scrambled up.
Abby flashed angry eyes at his sister. “You’re going to regret messing with me,
Zoe Jane
.”

He grasped Abby’s wrist as she hurried past him. Her gaze dropped
from his mouth to his groin. He gave her hand a little squeeze. “Up here,
sweetheart
.”

She shifted her attention to his face. The bloodshot,
unfocused eyes staring back at him angered him more. He didn’t scent alcohol on
her breath so that meant she’d taken something illegal recently.
Dammit. Probably
the same damn thing Zeb had been on.
No wonder she was snooping around.
Probably hoping she could get a free fix.

“You even think about touching my sister and I’ll make sure
each one of your asshole brothers gets a nice pair of crutches to go with their
broken legs.”

Abby grinned, not the reaction he’d expected. She skimmed
her free hand over his lower belly. He jumped back and she laughed.

“You are a challenge.” She stepped into his personal space. He
held his ground. “And I enjoy challenges.”

He lifted her and set her an arm’s length away. “Then I hope
you enjoy losing too. I’m not a prize you’ll ever win.”

She slowly perused his body, the grin on her face widening
into a full, wicked smile that chilled his blood. God, what the hell had he
been thinking when he’d decided to fuck this woman? He hadn’t. That was the
problem.

For so long, he couldn’t imagine getting seriously involved
with anyone. He’d always felt as if he were waiting for someone. In the
meantime, his one-night stands had served their purpose—to get off. Hell, he should’ve
stuck with his hand, less hassle that way.

“Oh, you’re definitely a prize, the ultimate one.” She
winked at him. “See you later, Josh.”

He watched her walk away and couldn’t shake the feeling that
she’d screw him over. And not in a good way either.