Figure of Speech

Jim took a deep breath and tried to still the urge to pace. Chloe did not need to know how upset he was. “What did Gabe find out?”

“Hunters in other parts of the country have found bodies with similar wounds, all of them fatal. Worse, all of the victims were half-breeds like Chloe.”

“Someone wants to preserve bloodlines?” To Jim that sounded both elitist and futile. Even he, so new he still squeaked when he walked, knew fate chose your mate, not desire. “That’s fucking stupid.”

“We’re not sure why half-breeds are being targeted, but from what Alex told me they might even be going after kids and making it look like accidents.”

Meaning Alex and Tabby’s child would be targeted, as would any kids Chloe and Jim had. “What do you need me to do?”

“Finish mating Chloe, then find Gabe and Barney. Maybe they have more information than I do.” Julian shrugged. “I’m not a Hunter, so I’m not caught up in the loop.”

“Hunter?” Jim finally turned his attention away from Chloe. Something about the way Julian said that word had him thinking it meant more than guys sitting in a deer blind waiting for a buck to wander by.

“Think of Hunters as the Feds of the shifter world. Their main purpose is to ensure that rogues are taken out before they do damage to humans or other shifters. Ryan, Gabe and Barney are all Hunters.”

“How do you become a Hunter?” Because he could totally see himself in a shifter blind waiting to shoot whoever was after his mate.

“You’re born one, not made, sort of like I was born pretty.” Julian flipped his long hair back over his shoulder and batted his lashes at Jim.

“Uh-huh.” Somehow Jim didn’t think it worked quite that way, but until he’d spoken to the Hunters he wouldn’t know for sure. “So they’re definitely going to want to have a little chat with Spot.”

“Especially since he was the one who attacked Cyn.” Julian’s expression, usually so easygoing, turned briefly fierce. “Unfortunately, I can’t rip his arms off until they question him.”

The human half of Jim was horrified that Julian sounded so serious. They were talking about torturing and killing a sentient being, a person who probably had family and friends back wherever he came from.

His Wolf half wanted to call dibs on the guy’s hindquarters.

“Do you think he had anything to do with the attack on Chloe?” Jim stared down at the Cheetah and tried not to picture him folded into a pretzel.

“There was no scent of shifter near where Chloe was found, but it’s possible I missed it when I was healing her.”

“I owe you for that.” Jim scowled. “No one saw the attack?”

Julian shook his head. “There was an anonymous call made to 9-1-1. By the time I got on the scene the paramedics were already there, working on her.”

Jim’s mind was whirling with possibilities. “Is there any chance at all that she wasn’t attacked there? That she was assaulted somewhere else, then dumped there?”

Julian’s eyes went wide. “Mother fucker.” He pulled out his cell phone and began to dial. “You’re a smart man, Doc Woods.”

“Would the Hunters keep that kind of information from you, though?”

“If Gabe thought he was protecting us? Fuck yes.” Julian held up his hand. “Gabe? We’ve got a problem.”

Jim’s attention was drawn inevitably toward Chloe. The knowledge that she was a target of something larger than a random bashing, that she was still in danger from her attackers, filled him with rage. His fangs descended and fur began to sprout on his arms. He was going to shift, and nothing Jim could do would stop it.

“Sit. Stay. Good woof-woof.” Julian patted his shoulder, and Jim’s Wolf once more calmed under the Bear’s touch. His fangs receded and the fur disappeared.

“Whoa.” He was beginning to understand why so many people called Julian Super Bear.

“Stick around. For my next trick I’m going to make a Cheetah eat its own anus.”

Jim had no doubt Julian would do just that.

Chapter Eight

Chloe glanced at Jim, surprised to find him so calm and cool. She could have sworn she’d heard his Wolf growling so deeply she’d been certain he was about to change. Either that or take her down and claim her like a wild man.

Instead, he was chatting with Julian as if nothing at all was wrong.

“He’s close, but Super Bear got his ass to calm down.” Cyn put her phone away. “Barney’s on his way.”

“So is Ryan.” Chloe had called her brother the moment she and Cyn were apart from Jim and Julian. It wasn’t that she doubted that the three of them could keep watch over one Cheetah. It was more her brother deserved to be there when they questioned him. “I wish I blew why this was happening to we.” Chloe rubbed her arms, chilled to the bone. She couldn’t seem to get warm now that the threat was gone.

Cyn took one look at her chattering teeth and bellowed for her mate. “Jules, get your furry ass over here!”

Jim moved so quickly he left Julian in the dust. “Shh.” He took her into his arms, wrapping her up tight. “I’ve got you.” Jim pointed his chin back toward where he’d been standing. “Cyn?”

“I’ve got it.” Cyn sauntered back toward the entrance of the apartment building. “If he so much as twitches I’m gutting the cabròn.”

“I’m glad she’s on our side,” Jim whispered.

“Me blue.” Chloe was shivering so hard she could barely stand. “I’m sowwy, but I need to spit.”

Jim didn’t hesitate. He picked her up like she weighed less than air and took her straight back into the building. He settled on the stairs with her on his lap, her head tucked on his shoulder.

God, he was so warm, and smelled so good. She’d marked him, but the claiming wasn’t complete until they made love and he marked her back. Even so, just his scent helped settle her shattered nerves and the soothing heat of his touch made her feel safe in a way not even her family could.

She’d needed this, far more than she’d wanted anyone to know.

They sat quietly, not speaking, just holding one another. She could hear Cyn and Julian talking softly to one another, but she had no desire to leave the comforting embrace of her mate to find out what the two were chatting about. The more Jim held her, the more her shivers disappeared until she felt toasty from head to toe.