HISS (10 page)

slipped them in her holsters as well as her knife belt, which she secured low on her hips. Killing her

competitor should be easy. Slit his throat and leave him where he dropped for the scavengers to pick

apart. Goddess, but she loved this shit.

Chapter Nine

Jamison slithered across to the clearing to the tree in which he left Marree.. He flicked out his

tongue and could taste her sugary scent. She was gone. He relaxed his muscles and fell to the ground,

shifting in the process. Landing in a crouch, he rose and swiveled, taking in everything around him.

His clothing had disappeared also. He’d left his slacks and shirt at the base of the old oak as a marker

to find Marree’s tree

He walked in circles, widening his search area with every rotation. Frustrated, Jamison stuck out his

tongue again. He picked up on the direction Marree headed by the strength of the fragrance she left in

her wake and took off running. Within a few steps he’d changed forms, dropping to the ground with a

heavy
thud
. He moved faster as his beast sliding over fallen branches, through the overgrown

vegetation, around roots and large stones. Guilt ate at him. If something happened to her, it would be

his fault. She ran from him before. He should have expected her to run again. But he’d determined to

lure their attacker away from her.

There was something off about the assailant. The unknown entity carried no discernible odor to

reveal which clan he belonged to. Briefly he caught the sour scent of sweat and excitement, but it was

quickly masked. He’d circled around the asshole, intent on catching this aggressor by surprise, wrap

his coils around the guy so tightly he’d break bone and split skin until there was nothing left to crush.

When he’d slithered under the brush the fella wasn’t there. When he’d moved in closer to investigate,

bullets rained down on him from somewhere above and he’d returned to the cover of the bushes. When

the gunfire cut off, he’d waited a few minutes before sliding down into a ravine, and used the sludge

as natural cover to slink around the small hill.

Too late. A few casings littered the ground but whoever was tracking them had slipped away. His

first thought was of Marree. Determined to keep her safe, he moved over gravel and crossed into soft

grasses that rubbed his belly as he moved through the swamp. He prayed Marree had remained hidden.

She hadn’t though, and now someone was searching for her just like he was. Creatures which snakes

preyed upon scampered out of his way as he passed them. Marree must have been moving at an

incredibly fast pace to have covered so much ground so quickly. He travelled farther into the marsh.

Had he gone after her when she’d first left him, their lives would have been significantly different.

He’d come home from the library to find Marree gone and his mother sipping tea from his

girlfriend’s treasured porcelain cups. That’s when it all started. Before he could question what the hell

was going on his phone rang and it was the clan elders calling to offer him his clutch’s Alphaship.

Monroe, that old rattler, put pressure on him, telling him he had to make a decision immediately and

then he spied the pictures scattered over the cocktail table. Half listening to the old snake spouting

clutch procedures, he reached down and snatched up the photo to get a closer look of the people in

damming image.

Marree sat laughing, her head close to the man sitting beside her. It appeared as if they were sharing

a secret, with the intimacy of a couple absorbed with each other. Confusion must have marred his

features because his mother placed her palm over his hand and offered him a sad smile. He shook his

head at Cheryl’s silent accusations. Monroe was still speaking, telling him he needed to return home

to Rattler. So close to graduation, the first in his family to even go to college and it was all because

Marree had believed in him.

His mom pulled the photo from his fist and laid it on the table. Marree had left him and he was

alone. His dreams were spinning beyond his control and there was no way he could stop it. The phone

was tugged from his fingers and his mother tone dripped with sweetness. She assured Monroe that he

would stand before the elders for a confirmation ceremony. The phone was tossed on the table and

clattered against a dainty cup.

“Son, this silly dream of yours to practice law ends now. You’ve been chosen by the board of elders

to lead our clan. Pack what you need and I’ll send a servant to secure the rest of your things.”

“But Marree…graduation?”

“Marree is gone. She wasn’t here when I arrived. I’d heard the tribe’s council was tossing your

name around and came to tell you immediately just in case. The door was open and the photos were

lying about just as you found them.” Cheryl sighed. “Don’t fret, sweetheart. College is for humans.

After all, they must find some way to compensate for their shortcomings.” She moved to stand in front

of him and cupped his face in both her palms. “You’re meant for much greater things. Imagine in a

few short years you could be president of the shifters board. So many wonderful things are falling into

place for you. That Marree girl would only hinder your success. We don’t even know what she is.”

Anger burned hot, searing his soul. “Marree is snake and a member of the Constrictor Clutch. Never

forget that.” He spoke those words with confidence, sure someone was playing a cruel joke on him.

Realization cast his fury into despair and he buried that feeling of inadequacy deep in his soul. He

wasn’t beast enough to keep his mate. He’d been tossed aside for a human. With one last look at her

image, he spun on his heel and went to the area where the bed he’d shared with Marree was to pack a

suitcase. His dreams of becoming a lawyer walked out the door with the woman he’d thought had

loved him unconditionally. In that moment he’d figured all he had were his people and his mom.

Had a snake been able to snort he would have done so. He should have questioned everything that

happened that day. Instead he’d been stupid and went blindly along with whatever the elders or Cheryl

wanted. But they hadn’t been able to control him for long and once he’d gotten his clutch’s finances

into the black as well as taking care of the land dispute issues, he’d up and left. Signed on to be an

educator acting under the shifter council. That had actually been the best decision he’d ever made and

he’d done it without the outside influence of his family. Funny how things happen. What he gone in

search of—a mate and family—the Goddess had already taken care of. He came to a clearing and

flicked his tongue. Marree’s scent was stronger. She wasn’t much farther ahead of him. He continued

to follow the aromatic trail she left. He wouldn’t make the same mistake he’d made years ago. Marree

was the other half of his soul, she always had been and he would happily swallow any motherfucker

whole who tried to hurt her.

The sun was rising on the horizon. Rays of muted light broke through the dense canopy of tree tops

and dotted the bayou. He stopped at the edge of inlet and stared across the surface of the water to the

lone broken houseboat floating gently..

He knew exactly where she was.

* * * *

caught an unfamiliar smell and holed up in the first place she could find. Finding the old gun behind

the door had been pure luck on her part. Fear filled her, making her muscles knot with tension.

Jamison should have been able to catch up with her by now. The sun was coming up and she hadn’t

seen him. She didn’t believe he was dead but she couldn’t be sure if he wasn’t badly hurt. She sucked

her bottom lip between her teeth. When the sun was higher she would go looking for him.

The gun was loaded and she was comfortable in her seat facing the door. The gun wouldn’t do much

far away, but close up she could easily stop some assholes heart by putting a bullet through it. Her

animal glided through her mind, just out of her reach. An image of razor sharp claws flashed before a

burning pain tore through her temple.

“I swear I can’t leave you alone for five minutes before you bolt.” Jamison’s declared as he came

climbed through the glassless window.

She rose and swung around with the gun still tightly held in her grip.

“Whoa.” Drops of water rolled down his chest. He sat on the window sill and held his hands palms

up. “Why does it always come down to guns between us? Has anyone ever told you, you have a

proclivity for violence?”

Marree lowered the weapon and stared at Jamison. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Goddess we’ve been mated all of three days and already you’re nagging?” He offered her a

lopsided grin.

“I will shoot you…in the balls. It will be interesting to see if you can keep your word.”

He drew his brows together. “Come again?”

“Never mind.” She sighed.

He stalked up to her and pushed the barrel of the gun to the side. “Did you miss me, Marree? Were

you worried about me?” He caressed her cheek.

“Nope.” She turned her head.

Jamison tugged at her chin with his finger until she faced him. “Liar. I told you to stay put and you

didn’t do as I asked.”

“I went to search for help.” She challenged his gaze.

“You’re going to have to learn to trust me, Ree. I see that’s something I’ll have to teach you.”

“What? Don’t start that nonsense again.”

“This won’t do.” Jamison glanced around before gripping her by the waist and lifting her off her

feet. He marched a few feet to the bed tucked in the corner of the small room. He tossed her on the

mattress.

The firearm fell with a
clack
on the floor. She bounced, sending a faint cloud of dust flying into the

air. Marree coughed and raised her hand. “You could have at least taken off the furniture covering

first.”

“You’re a strange woman, Marree. I never know what kind of comments will fall from those

luscious lips.” His knee sunk into the bedding as he climbed between her legs.

She leaned back. “I’m still a liability, Jami. Nothing has changed. I believe it was Cheryl who put it

so eloquently.” Marree tapped her mouth with a finger. “I’m no better than a human were her words, if

I remember correctly.”

“Ask me if I care?” He leaned forward placing a hand on each side of her head. “Can we not talk

about my mother? Just the mention of her name can be a real mood killer.”

Marree glanced down his body. The full length of his cock grew rigid and jerked knocking against

the inside of her thigh. She swallowed and lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. “I brought your clothes

with me.” She tilted her head. “They’re in the corner.”

He smirked. “I don’t think I need them at the moment.” He lowered his forehead to touch hers.

“Accept my claim, Marree. I need you like I need my next breath and I
can’t
lose you again.”

She closed her eyes, skimmed her hand over his head and gripped the back of his neck. “Prove to

me you’re worth a second chance.” She pressed her lips against his.

His neck muscles tensed beneath her fingers and she gently kneaded them until she felt him relax.

She worked her hands across his shoulders and down his triceps. He kept his arms stiff to hover above

her.

When he didn’t respond to her kiss, her eyes fluttered open to meet his intense gaze. She laid back

and crossed her arms underneath her head. Time seemed to still as they stared at each other. His

honey-colored irises swirled like molten gold and the hint of fang protruded over his bottom lip. He

opened his mouth, only to snap it shut before opening it again.

“So what if you never shift, or if our children can’t. I don’t care.” His gruff tone belied the

seriousness of his statement.

Tears welled under her lids. “I can’t complete a claiming, Jami. I know I’m a shifter. I can feel my

beast on the edge of my mind every now and then but I have not, and probably never will, change

form. I have no way of proving my value to you.”

He eased onto his side and rested against her body, supporting his head in his hand. He slid his palm

underneath her shirt. Her stomach quivered beneath his cold touch. Jami rolled the fabric as he

skimmed his fingers up her torso. He laid a palm in the center of her chest. “As long as you allow me

into your heart, I don’t give a damn what anyone else thinks.”

Jamison cupped her breast. He squeezed and her nipple hardened into an erect point. His lips

brushed the shell of her ear and her breath caught in her chest.

“You are so beautiful. Touch yourself for me.”

Marree looked down his body, then down her own. Not once had she ever masturbated in front of an

audience. She knew how to give herself pleasure, usually late at night, secure in her own bed shrouded

under a multitude of covers. And once she was done she would turn over and drift off to sleep. She