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Mr. Kitty."
Sam's bright green eyes landed on him. "Handle me?"
God, that was hot. He approved. "You need a
handler. Maybe I need a chair and a whip."
"I will bite your face off and chew on you."
"You can chew on me all you want, babe." Gus
wandered to the bed and sat, his hand on Sam's side.
It took a minute, but Sam leaned into him. "I don't
want to go back. What am I supposed to tell them? My
kind doesn't want me either?"
"Puss, I told you we don't have to stay. We just drop
the kids off and go." He knew Sam would want to see
his mom, but there was no reason for Sam to stick
around and feel like shit.
"I know, but..." Sam was ashamed. He could smell it.
"No. You have a place now. With me. We'll be
misfits together."
"I tried to be strong." Sam near whispered the words,
then stood and staggered over to pack the handful of
clothes they'd found for his Puss.
Just Like Cats & Dogs - 177
"You were. You were really strong. Verging on
stubborn and possibly dumb." He let Sam do it. He knew
the man needed to do shit on his own.
Sam flipped him off, the move almost idle. "I told her
you'd come for me."
"I did, right?" He'd been a little dense about why Sam
wasn't calling, but that was okay. He'd managed it and
gotten to his mate before it was too late.
"You did." Sam came to him, fingers in his hair. "I
barely remember; it's like some fucked up dream."
"More like a nightmare." He slid an arm around
Sam's waist. "I was afraid for you, Puss."
"I was, too." Sam petted him, sighed. "I'd given up."
"Well, now we need to get strong again, huh? We
need to move." They had to. That was that.
"Let's go. I'm ready."
Gus opened his mouth to say that he had a few more
things to pack when he heard Gray's furious barking.
What the fuck? This was not chasing ducks.
Sam frowned. "Gray?"
Then they heard a wild, pained scream.
Gus ran for the door. He didn't know that voice, but
that couldn't be good.
Sam was behind him, as the scream came again.
There were five cats -- huge and black, two on Gray,
three attacking a half-changed Marina.
"No!" Sam snarled, black body flying off the porch,
shifting mid-air.
"Fuck --" The word cut off when Gus changed, his
challenging howl ringing out. No. Sam was right. Just
no.
Sam was all teeth and claws, diving for the ones
attacking Marina, fangs sinking into the flank of one
huge cat. So Gus went after the bastards fighting Gray,
not that the big, blind wolf wasn't holding his own.
Just Like Cats & Dogs - 178
In fact, Gray had one down, muzzle buried in an open
throat, blood flying.
Gus flew into the fray, taking out a back leg. It was
harder than he expected, the cat's bones seeming thicker
than a wolf's. Gus wasn't letting go, though. Not one bit.
Claws raked at his fur, the tips scoring his skin, but
not digging in enough to catch, tear. He twisted,
snapping at the cat who was trying to eat his ass.
His mate was there before him, wild and screaming,
sending the big male tumbling. God, it was beautiful.
Sam was fierce and wonderful and perfect. Almost
distracting, but Gus knew it wasn't time to stop fighting
yet.
He shook hard, feeling the bone snap in his jaws. His
pack. His mate. His.
Marina flashed by, finally fully shifted, insane little
growls coming from her throat. She caught the cat with
the broken leg by the throat and snapped until it stopped
moving.
Sam stood there, growling, and both Gray and
Marina turned toward him, teeth bared. Gus moved
between them, protecting his mate. In the heat of battle
they might mistake a cat for a cat.
Gray backed off first, then Marina, her little sounds
confused, scared.
Gus took a deep breath before surveying the
battlefield. He had to make sure there were no more
threats.
Fur and blood and bodies covered the ground,
scattered like raw meat. There was a savage sense of
satisfaction to it, a heavy duty surge of pride in his pack.
His.
Gray came to him, muzzle bloody, and bowed,
panting hard. Gus gave praise where it was due,
Just Like Cats & Dogs - 179
nuzzling Gray's face, then neck. He sniffed, searching
for injuries, but there was nothing life-threatening.
Marina was next, her instincts clumsy, but there.
She'd been torn up, and he licked the wounds, cleaned
them, vocalizing to her, letting her know how good she
was, how proud he was of her.
When she relaxed, he turned to Sam, who yowled and
swiped at him, then wrapped strong forepaws around
him to groom him. Gus let his tongue loll, let his mate
have at him until his eyes crossed and his back leg
kicked helplessly.
Sam nuzzled his belly fur, then dragged himself up
on the porch, cleaning his dark, sleek face and heavy
paws. Gus went to help, cleaning the back legs that were
still so sore, so hurt.
Gray had one paw on Marina, the two grooming each
other quietly, letting him curl around his mate, tongue
sliding over the heavy pelt. His brave Sam. Sam thought
he wasn't strong anymore, but Gus knew better. His
mate could stick kick ass.
Sam purred for him, grooming his tail, smoothing his
fur.
He let it go on as long as he could. He wanted to stay
right there forever. They had to move, though.
It was Sam who shifted, cheek on his flank. "We
need to go. Somewhere. Not here. Maybe not home,
either, but we have to take them and go."
Gus concentrated on his human body, the smell of
blood almost making him gag when he changed. "I
know, babe."
"I'm sorry." Sam looked over at Gray, at Marina. "I
didn't mean to get everyone fucking involved."
Gray barked before going back to grooming, looking
so happy it kind of hurt to look at him.
Just Like Cats & Dogs - 180
Gus shook his head. "I think everyone is pretty much
involved." He looked at Marina, too. "I think we might
just have our own pack."
Sam arched one dark eyebrow. "I'm not calling you
Alpha."
"Uh-huh. Pussy." He started chuckling, the relief of
winning the fight almost overwhelming.
"Fucker." Sam swatted him. "I've never liked you."
"I know. Good thing you love me." He could live
with that. He really could.
For the rest of his life.
Just Like Cats & Dogs - 181
Chapter Thirty
They drove for hours, Gray vocalizing to Marina, his
brother flat refusing to shift out of wolf form.
Sam rolled his eyes as Marina groomed him. "You're
going to spoil him."
"I'm allowed to. He's hurt."
"He had a bite on his furry butt."
Gray farted, loudly. That was so gross. Stinky. Sam
tried hard not to roll his eyes again. "Butthead."
Gus chuckled. "More like stinky butt."
"Maybe he's rotting from the inside."
Gray snapped the air idly, the threat making him
smile. It made Gus smile, too. Marina just whapped
Gray on the muzzle. Those two were so made for each
other.
He stretched, his lower back aching, his legs tingling.
They were heading home; it was the only thing anyone
could think to do. Sam knew it was a bad idea, and he
knew Gus knew that, too, but it would be like closure or
something.
At least they'd be able to get Gus and Gray's shit,
possibly get some practical clothes for Marina. Him. His
mom was sure to have some soft sweats. He and Pete
were close in size if nothing else. Pete wasn't a hulking
monster like his brother, Gus. Gus. Yum.
He let himself look a little, admire the strong jaw, the
way those hands wrapped around the steering wheel.
Gus glanced at him sideways. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah." He was a little horny, but yeah.
"You sure?" Gus' mouth curved up on one side,
letting him know it hadn't gone unnoticed.
He growled softly. Bastard. "Positive." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]