Claimed by Her Panthers Read online

  “That … is a long story,” Stephan murmured, and she felt him shiver under her caress. “And not a story for now, cupcake.”

  “Then when?” she asked, curiously yet distracted, his masculine scent playing havoc with her.

  “Later. Now, get on the bed.” Stephan helped her onto the middle of the bed and moved over her. He kissed his way up her body pausing at her breasts to suck one in before doing the same to the other. His fingers glided up and down her body.

  Angelica closed her eyes as sensation bombarded her, and she felt the building promise of an orgasm.

  “Stephan, you started without me. That wasn’t nice. I’ll have to dive in and taste.”

  She snapped her eyes open when she heard Owen.

  Owen climbed on the bed and lay between her legs his mouth, then went straight for her pussy licking her from top to bottom. Angelica screamed in pleasure at the first contact of his rough tongue.

  “Stephan, she’s soaking.” Owen licked her pussy and sucked on her clit until she didn’t think she could take any more, and she came undone yelling, “Oh God.”

  “No, sweetheart. Not God. This time when you come scream my name.” Owen moved back to her pussy, and he became relentless, fingers added to his brilliant tongue.

  Stephan’s mouth seemed to be everywhere on her body. His fingers stroked over her leaving trails his mouth followed.

  “Stephan, nothing ever felt this good.” She whispered as Stephan breathed over her nipple before he sucked it into his mouth.

  Owen’s mouth and fingers left her pussy. “Noooo.”

  “Stephan, I can’t wait. I have to have her now. My panther is still so close to the surface.”

  Stephan moved away as Owen slid up her body. She felt his cock line up at her entrance, and he pushed his way in. Angelica arched into him, searching for her second release. Stephan’s hands came up cupping her face so she looked into his eyes as he eased all the way in.

  “You made me wait too long. The last couple of days have felt like months.” His mouth took hers in a kiss that left her mindless.

  Owen started to move, and quivers of pleasure racked through her body. His thrusts got faster, and she moved her hands around to cling to his back. Growls vibrated from Owen. He pumped into her in a blur of consuming passion.

  “Owennn!” Her release washed over, and she dug her nails into his skin. Owen lapped at her shoulder for a moment before he grunted and bit her shoulder like he had last time. He gave one last powerful thrust before stiffening, and she felt him have his own release.

  Angelica was in a fogged out bliss. Owen eased off her, and she lay spent.

  “Cupcake. You’re not done.” Stephan rolled her to her side and came up behind her.

  “I can’t take anymore. I … please … Stephan.” He slowly slid inside her still pulsing pussy.

  Stephan held her to him, and a hand rested on her clit. His fingers strummed her nub, and then she felt hot breath as Owen sucked one breast into his mouth then moved on alternating.

  Her body was so overstimulated and already on a high that she didn’t think she could take any more. “I can’t. Stephan … I don’t—”

  He snarled and held her tighter to him. “You can come for me.” Stephan pistoned into her becoming relentless, and in her already sensitive state she was already so close to exploding.

  Owen’s mouth came up, and he crashed his mouth to hers until she was panting for breath.

  “You’re so beautiful. Come for Stephan. I want to watch you.”

  Angelica felt Stephan’s lips kissing her shoulder and up her neck. He nipped, and she shivered at the onslaught. Letting herself go she yelled her release.

  Stephan growled and bit down on the opposite shoulder from what Owen had, and she felt his release flush through her, and nothing had ever felt this good. She closed her eyes and basked in the feeling of complete euphoria.

  She hadn’t slept much the last couple of days. Her mind had been on information overload. Angelica still had a lot of questions she wanted answers for, but she knew Owen and Stephan would answer them.

  “We can move everything inside in a while. Sound good, cupcake?”

  Stephan’s voice had her cracking an eye open. “Sure.” Right now she didn’t care about her stuff. She felt too good and tired.

  Owen kissed her cheek. “Sleep, sweetheart. We’ll get your things.”

  Closing her eyes she let sleep take her.

  ****

  Stephan held Angelica tight as she drifted off to sleep. He wondered just how much stuff she had brought and whether to take it as a good sign. The more she brought over, the more likely she was to stay … right? He hated feeling this unsure. When she’d arrived his panther had sat straight up, and he knew instantly when the car stopped that their mate was here. He’d wanted so bad to go out and pull her from the car and bring her inside, but he knew that she had to make the step and come in herself. So he’d waited and pretended to work until she came in.

  Owen got off the bed and walked to the shower. “I’m getting a quick shower. Do you know how much she brought over?”

  “No. I’m not sure, but it sounds like a fair bit. I’m hoping that’s a good sign, that she wants us like we want her.”

  Owen nodded. “I don’t think she knows we mean forever. That we have already mated her and there is no going back for us. I’m getting pissed off with myself because the last couple of days I’ve been doubting myself, and wondering if Angelica can handle this.” Owen pointed at himself and then him. “Us. What we are. What being with us will entail. I’ve never doubted myself before.”

  Hearing his friend’s words echo his thoughts eased Stephan somewhat. At least he knew he wasn’t in this alone. “We will just have to show her that we are what she wants. That she is strong and can take anything on.”

  Owen walked into the bathroom, and Stephan leaned down and kissed Angelica’s head. He closed his own eyes to have a doze with his mate in his arms.

  Stephan suddenly awoke to the sound of his panicked mate. “Fuck. Shit. Crap. Why didn’t you wake me? I thought you had to be at work tonight?”

  Sitting up he looked at the clock on the bedside table. It was after ten. He was late for a job, but Stephan wasn’t worried. He knew Owen would have sorted something out. “I am working tonight, but Owen will sort out anything I miss. Do you have somewhere you need to be?”

  Angelica sat up tucking the sheet around her. “I left a note for Joel telling him I’d call. I wanted to talk about what happened.”

  Stephan stood not caring about his nakedness. He grinned as he watched Angelica’s eyes hone in on him, and she turned bright pink. “Your brother will be fine.”

  Angelica nibbled on her lip before she wiggled off the bed keeping the sheet wrapped around her.

  “You do realize I have seen and kissed every piece of your lush body. There is no reason to hide. Cupcake, you’re my mate. You’re living here now.”

  Slowly she let the sheet drop. Stephan purred at the sight of her. She was gorgeous with her hair in wild disarray, her skin flushed and her green eyes filling with renewed lust.

  “This is supposed to be a trial, remember? Just because Joel and I aren’t speaking...” Her eyes dropped, and Stephan could see her withdrawing.

  “Don’t. Don’t do that. We have done nothing wrong. Sure Owen and I are friends with him, but we aren’t going to give up our happiness for him. And you two will be fine once things calm down. You said you left him a note.”

  “I know, but I owe him so much. He gave up everything to raise me.” Angelica started picking up her clothes and didn’t answer him. Growling, he went to her.

  “You’re twenty-two, Angelica, old enough to look after yourself.” Stephan tilted her head so she could see him. “Joel chose to look after you. He chose to give up what he did. Your Aunt Stacey wanted to take you, but Joel wouldn’t let her. You can’t feel guilty and stay now, just because you want to look after him.”

&nbs
p; Angelica let out a long drawn out sigh. “I know. I just love him so much. He’s been everything, a mother, a father, and a big brother. I feel like I’m abandoning him, and I hate that you’re his best friends and I’m having a relationship with you and Owen that he clearly doesn’t approve of.”

  Stephan leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. “It’s not that he doesn’t approve. The man was taken off guard, that’s all.”

  Angelica shook her head. “It just feels wrong, arguing like this.”

  “Maybe Owen or I should talk to him first?”

  She pushed at his chest and moved away, slowly redressing herself. “No. I need to be the one to talk to him. I know you’re his best friends, but he is my brother.” Angelica put her shoes on and gave a pleading glance.

  Groaning because he was going to give into her, he moaned, “Okay, we’ll let you take the lead.”

  Angelica stretched up onto her toes to kiss him. “Thank you. Now I’m going to go call him, and then we can see about moving my stuff inside, hmm?”

  Stephan didn’t say anything, instead choosing to kiss his mate until both of them struggled for breath. They’d let her take the lead for now, but he refused to let anyone, including Joel and his pig-headedness, get in the way of their mating.

  ****

  Owen snarled at the Vampire in front of him. He was an old one and without a mate. His dark, almost black hair, scattered with gray gave away his age. The Vampire had to be well over a thousand to be showing signs of age like that. The lack of another’s scent also alluded to being unmated. No paranormal, Shifter, Vampire or other could hide the scent of their mate, and none ever wanted to. Owen was reluctant to fly him back to Mount View, but Vampires and Shifters were in a truce, albeit a tenuous one even after a thousand years.

  “So let me get this straight. You want me to now fly you to Mount View where your coven brothers are staying?”

  “Yes. Is that not what I have said twice now?”

  Owen glared at him. “Have you spoken to the Elders? We have a limit on how many le—Vampires we let in and stay in our division.”

  The Vampire removed a nonexistent piece of fluff. “I was told Mount View is a friendly city?”

  “It is. But you didn’t answer my question.”

  The Vampire shrugged, and if Owen hadn’t been a Shifter he would have missed it. “This trip was last minute, and I may have forgotten to talk to the Mount View Elders.”

  “Call them, because I’m not taking you until you get approval.” Owen didn’t wait for an answer. He stalked off back to the office. He wanted to check this Vampire out.

  At his office Owen paused, surprised to see Angelica there. He hadn’t seen her since yesterday, and he was a good two hour flight away from home. He and his panther were already getting edgy without her. Going to her he hugged her to him lifting her up for a kiss. “Hey, sweetheart. How’d you get here, and what can I do for you?”

  Angelica smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes lighting up. “Jenika and I went shopping today. I know it’s far from home, but the best shops are here, because we don’t have anything like the major center here. I realized how close we were, and after speaking to Stephan I knew you would be here, so I asked her to drop me off instead. Did Stephan tell you that I spoke to Joel?”

  Stephan had told him Angelica had called Joel the previous evening. His best friend had seemed calmer than the last time they had spoken. “Yes, he did. So Joel will be coming for dinner sometime next week?”

  Angelica’s arms dropped, and she stepped away from him. “Yeah, it’s when he next has more than a day off. Things aren’t perfect, but I’m hoping that once he sees how happy I am...” She ran her fingers through her hair. “At the moment he probably thinks I haven’t thought this through, that my moving in with you was a knee-jerk reaction to our fight. Come on, a couple of weeks ago I would never have looked at you the way I do now, nor done what we’ve done. I didn’t even know Shifters existed. Plus add in the fact you want me to be with two men, and I have only had one real relationship and that was with one man, not two.”

  Owen could see Angelica was getting herself worked up. He went to her and wrapped his arms around her. “Sweetheart, it’s okay. I know everything you’ve learned is a lot to take in.”

  Angelica nodded against his chest. They stood like that for a couple of minutes before she sighed and moved from his embrace.

  “I didn’t just come to ask if Stephan told you about what we discussed. I came to tell you I’m all packed. I finished packing all of my stuff, and everything that is left will fit in our cars. It’ll be nice to completely unpack, maybe even organize the house. Hell, I haven’t seen very much of it, come to think of it.”

  Owen chuckled.

  “I don’t find it funny.”

  “Oh, I’m not laughing at you having not seen the whole house. That’s not my fault.”

  “Yes, it i—”

  The knock on his door stopped her, and the Vampire from before opened his door before waiting for permission. “I have spoken to the council. They have given me a forty-eight hour pass. So it would seem you are right, you don’t like us in your city.”

  Owen stood in front of Angelica. He didn’t trust the Vampire. He’d wanted to check him out, but Angelica had distracted him. Keeping Angelica hidden as much as possible he pulled his mobile from his pocket and called his father, who was on the council and an elder. “Hello, Father. I have Draken Stevron in front of me telling me he’s spoken to the council and got the okay.”

  His father growled. “Yes, son. He has a forty-eight hour window to finish his business and leave.”

  “Fine. I’m flying him in.” With that he hung up and glared at the Vampire, who wasn’t looking at him but at Angelica. “Keep your eyes away from her.” He moved so he blocked Angelica again. “She is none of your business.”

  Draken raised one blond eyebrow. “I am merely shocked. She is human and has not one mate but two. I admit she is beautiful. And I would love to—”

  Owen didn’t let the leech finish. Using Shifter speed he punched him. The Vampire snarled and flashed his sharp teeth as he fell to the floor. He got himself off the floor, and his eyes flashed red as he snapped at him. “I will let that slide, boy, only because I don’t want to start the war back up again. I remember a time when I had a couple of you black men as blood slaves. I always did find your blood sweeter.”

  Owen heard Angelica’s gasp, and he turned to see her she was completely white and plastered against the wall.

  “He … he …is a Vampire.”

  “Ah, I see you haven’t told her about all the creatures out in the world. Does she just think Shifters exist? Does she not know what you and your brethren do for a living?”

  Turning back to Draken, Owen snarled, “If you want to get to Mount View, I suggest you shut your mouth, Vampire, before I shut it for you.” Draken’s eyes flared from a deep brown to red before he nodded and strolled out of the office.

  Slowly Owen walked to a terrified Angelica. “We were going to tell you. We just wanted you used to the idea of Shifters before you found out other things existed.” He pulled her into his embrace and kissed her head. “I promise you’re safe. Neither I nor Stephan would ever let anything happen to you.”

  “Oh God. What other creatures are there?”

  Moving them to his seat he sat down and placed her onto his lap. Owen stroked Angelica’s hair, trying to soothe her. “Sweetheart, are you sure you want to know? You just learnt Vampires are real.”

  Owen felt her back straighten against him, and she took a deep breath. “Yes. I want to know. Rip the Band-Aid off in one go, they say.”

  Owen really didn’t want to tell her now, and he wished Stephan was here. He thought he should tell the bad ones first then end with the ones she might think were cute. “Well, there are Demons, Wraiths, Trolls, and Ogres. They are the ones you avoid. They are the ones we Shifters kill. Then there are the Pixies and Sirens. They
sit on the border, and you never know how they will be or what kind you’ll get. Fairies are okay, but they are kinda annoying with their always bubbly happiness and their extreme arrogance. Their need to be neutral in all things can wear thin, too. I like Mermaids or Mermen. Witches and Warlocks are pretty cool, too.”

  “Um … wow. Holy shit.” She straddled his lap and looked up at him. “How do humans not know?”

  He shrugged. “A lot do. Why do you think there are so many stories about these creatures? Human don’t want to know. Some see things and put it down to many things, being drunk, special effects, hallucinating. Being told by so many people that what they saw wasn’t real, they believe it. Things like that.”

  “I agree. My mind wants to tell me you’re lying and that I didn’t just see a Vampire. It took me a while to come to terms when I saw you shift.” Angelica relaxed against him. “Will I ever get to meet any more of the beings you just told me about?”

  Owen hoped not. Well most of the creatures he didn’t want her to meet. It was bad enough she’d met a Vampire. “Probably not, although there are quite a few fairies in Mount View, and I’m sure you’ve met some. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Jenika is a Siren. They do have a thing for trouble.”

  While he may be joking about Jenika being a Siren, her ability to find and attract trouble wasn’t a joke.

  Angelica thumped him on the chest. “Hey, I think you just insulted my best friend. And what did you mean by, ‘Shifters kill them’?”

  “That’s because I did.” Owen said, ignoring her last question as he held her hands before she could hit him again. Leaning down he kissed her, reluctantly pulling away when his phone rang and he saw it was Stephan. Saved by the bell. “Hello.”

  “Do you want me to fly back and get Angelica? Your father just called to say your last passenger who paid for the plane to have to himself is a leech.”

  “No. She can be up the front with me as my co-pilot.”