The Mane Squeeze
Page 8
Its not that bad.
Lock released the canine. We need to get this one he jostled Gwen a bit, much to her annoyance
to a hospital. She refuses to go, Im taking her anyway.
The other female placed her hands on her hips, her much shorter, less well-treated nails tapping against her waist in the same way the felines had. Again with this, Gwenie? Again with this bullshit?
Im not going, the feline said calmly and with much certainty.
Yes, you are, Lock told her.
Oh, no, Im not.
The canine put her hand on Locks arm. Its all right, she said. Lets just get her back to the house and clean up that wound ourselves.
Lock scowled, not liking that idea, because he knew how bad the wound was, but the canine gave him the tiniest wink. He almost missed it.
Okay, Gwenie? the canine asked, smiling.
Yeah. Thats fine.
Great.
Lock began to release Gwen, but a quick shake of the canines head had him stopping and, instead, he tightened his grip. The feline looked down at his arm and then her head snapped up to look at the wolfdog.
Blayne Thorpe, dont even think
The canine, Blayne, took her friend out with a beautiful right cross to Gwens jaw. The impact of the hit so strong, Lock was forced to take a step back in order to keep the woman in his arms. He hadnt seen a punch like that since he was a recruit in training.
Lock gaped down at Blayne. She had this innocent look to her with that beautiful brown skin and those full cheeks with deep dimples that flashed every time she smiled. And yet
You hit her.
Of course I hit her, she said, shaking out her hand and wincing. Although shes got a jaw like granite.
But if we tried to take her to the hospital wide awake, she would have put up one hell of a fight. Now we can just lift her up and go.
Lock sighed. I forgot.
Forgot what?
Philly logic.
Blayne laughed and patted his forearm. Lets get her to the hospital before she wakes up.
Lock lifted Gwen in his arms and turned, but found an alley cat in his way. Dont I know you? Lock asked, feeling like hed met the man before.
Give her to me.
Turning away with his prize, Lock shook his head. No. Get your own cat.
Shes my sister.
Lock looked at the Asian feline in his arms and at the Anglo lion standing across from him, seething.
You dont look related, he said flatly.
Its complicated. When Lock merely stared at him, he added, Im the half-brother of her half
Stop, Lock cut in, remembering that impossible family tree, and in no mood to hear itagain. Look, Ive got her, Im carrying her, and Im taking her to the hospital. So you can back off and let me do what Im going to do, or you can get your ass kicked and Im still going to do what Im going to do. Your choice.
Lock saw a flash of lion fang, but the She-wolf whod been sitting off to the side and watching all this time leaped between them, going up on her hind legs, her front paws landing on the big cats shoulders as she shifted from canine to human. Now, darlin, she said in an accent Lock found kind of irritating, you gettin
all upset aint gonna help our Gwenie one little bit. Well let him carry her and well be right behind em the whole way.
The lion leaned down a bit and whispered, But shes naked.
Oh, yes. She was. And Lock was enjoying every second of it. She had the softest skin, and with her being so much smaller than he was, he could rub her all over his body like a loofah sponge. He wouldntbut he could.
Darlin, were all shifters here, the She-wolf stroked the cats shoulders. Now dont you worry, we wont let anything happen to our Gwenie. The She-wolf looked over her shoulder at Lock and smiled. You wont let anything happen to our Gwenie, will you, Mr. uh?
MacRyrie.
Will you, Mr. MacRyrie?
Nope. I wont let anything happen to her.
Good. She patted the lions chest. See? Shell be fine, Shaw. Lets just get this doneokay?
The cat sighed, but nodded his head. Okay. But Im not happy about it.
Lock walked off with Gwen tight against his chest and Blayne beside him.
You didnt back down from him at all, Blayne whispered, her eyes wide in awe.
Why should I?
Because hes the always-dominant male lion.
Yeah. And I can use his thighbone to pick my teeth.
Laughing, Blayne patted his arm as they all headed to the medical center.
She looked up from her mystery novel and watched as the younger members of her Pack limped and yelped their way back to the cars. She knew those two hybrids couldnt have done this much damage. Then again, maybe they werent as alone as shed first thought.
It was an ONeill shed sent the younger members of her Pack after. She knew it was an ONeill as soon as shed seen the pickup truck by the Macon River pier that morning with the family name stenciled on both doors, and when shed seen that the female getting out of the drivers side was Asian, shed known without a doubt it was Roxy ONeills half-breed spawn. Years of hatred had welled up nicely, and she didnt even bother trying to let it go. Sometimes things were simply too perfect to pass up.
Lock released the canine. We need to get this one he jostled Gwen a bit, much to her annoyance
to a hospital. She refuses to go, Im taking her anyway.
The other female placed her hands on her hips, her much shorter, less well-treated nails tapping against her waist in the same way the felines had. Again with this, Gwenie? Again with this bullshit?
Im not going, the feline said calmly and with much certainty.
Yes, you are, Lock told her.
Oh, no, Im not.
The canine put her hand on Locks arm. Its all right, she said. Lets just get her back to the house and clean up that wound ourselves.
Lock scowled, not liking that idea, because he knew how bad the wound was, but the canine gave him the tiniest wink. He almost missed it.
Okay, Gwenie? the canine asked, smiling.
Yeah. Thats fine.
Great.
Lock began to release Gwen, but a quick shake of the canines head had him stopping and, instead, he tightened his grip. The feline looked down at his arm and then her head snapped up to look at the wolfdog.
Blayne Thorpe, dont even think
The canine, Blayne, took her friend out with a beautiful right cross to Gwens jaw. The impact of the hit so strong, Lock was forced to take a step back in order to keep the woman in his arms. He hadnt seen a punch like that since he was a recruit in training.
Lock gaped down at Blayne. She had this innocent look to her with that beautiful brown skin and those full cheeks with deep dimples that flashed every time she smiled. And yet
You hit her.
Of course I hit her, she said, shaking out her hand and wincing. Although shes got a jaw like granite.
But if we tried to take her to the hospital wide awake, she would have put up one hell of a fight. Now we can just lift her up and go.
Lock sighed. I forgot.
Forgot what?
Philly logic.
Blayne laughed and patted his forearm. Lets get her to the hospital before she wakes up.
Lock lifted Gwen in his arms and turned, but found an alley cat in his way. Dont I know you? Lock asked, feeling like hed met the man before.
Give her to me.
Turning away with his prize, Lock shook his head. No. Get your own cat.
Shes my sister.
Lock looked at the Asian feline in his arms and at the Anglo lion standing across from him, seething.
You dont look related, he said flatly.
Its complicated. When Lock merely stared at him, he added, Im the half-brother of her half
Stop, Lock cut in, remembering that impossible family tree, and in no mood to hear itagain. Look, Ive got her, Im carrying her, and Im taking her to the hospital. So you can back off and let me do what Im going to do, or you can get your ass kicked and Im still going to do what Im going to do. Your choice.
Lock saw a flash of lion fang, but the She-wolf whod been sitting off to the side and watching all this time leaped between them, going up on her hind legs, her front paws landing on the big cats shoulders as she shifted from canine to human. Now, darlin, she said in an accent Lock found kind of irritating, you gettin
all upset aint gonna help our Gwenie one little bit. Well let him carry her and well be right behind em the whole way.
The lion leaned down a bit and whispered, But shes naked.
Oh, yes. She was. And Lock was enjoying every second of it. She had the softest skin, and with her being so much smaller than he was, he could rub her all over his body like a loofah sponge. He wouldntbut he could.
Darlin, were all shifters here, the She-wolf stroked the cats shoulders. Now dont you worry, we wont let anything happen to our Gwenie. The She-wolf looked over her shoulder at Lock and smiled. You wont let anything happen to our Gwenie, will you, Mr. uh?
MacRyrie.
Will you, Mr. MacRyrie?
Nope. I wont let anything happen to her.
Good. She patted the lions chest. See? Shell be fine, Shaw. Lets just get this doneokay?
The cat sighed, but nodded his head. Okay. But Im not happy about it.
Lock walked off with Gwen tight against his chest and Blayne beside him.
You didnt back down from him at all, Blayne whispered, her eyes wide in awe.
Why should I?
Because hes the always-dominant male lion.
Yeah. And I can use his thighbone to pick my teeth.
Laughing, Blayne patted his arm as they all headed to the medical center.
She looked up from her mystery novel and watched as the younger members of her Pack limped and yelped their way back to the cars. She knew those two hybrids couldnt have done this much damage. Then again, maybe they werent as alone as shed first thought.
It was an ONeill shed sent the younger members of her Pack after. She knew it was an ONeill as soon as shed seen the pickup truck by the Macon River pier that morning with the family name stenciled on both doors, and when shed seen that the female getting out of the drivers side was Asian, shed known without a doubt it was Roxy ONeills half-breed spawn. Years of hatred had welled up nicely, and she didnt even bother trying to let it go. Sometimes things were simply too perfect to pass up.
