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  Licking Her Wounds

  Fran Lee

  This story is a sequel to Hallie’s Cats.

  Cal wants a mate of his own. He knows she is out there—he can feel her. He desperately needs her.

  Omegas are forbidden to mate in the Lykos pack. But one look at the golden leopard shifter in his human form is all it takes. He sets off something deep inside Jessie that she can’t deny. His touch is something she would to die to feel.

  Dogs don’t mix with cats…but their human halves won’t be denied.

  Licking Her Wounds

  Fran Lee

  Dedication

  To my good friends, Heidi, Cindy and Anny. Your kindness and concern have been a great boon to me.

  Prologue

  Bayou Sauvage c. 1823

  Deep in the swamps to the north of the old city of New Orleans and south of the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, that great brackish saltwater estuary which was all that remained of an ancient inland sea, the Lykos clan of the loup garou and the Seronta leopards shared the same territory…a narrow bit of snake- and gator-infested bayou and wild swamp that had not yet been destroyed by their greatest common enemy…man.

  Over time, the humans had coveted and overrun every bit of land that the two clans had dominated for nearly five centuries. In the deep past, the shifter clans had been strong, numbering in the thousands, living in peace with their environment. But peace was no longer possible. With the unrelenting infestation of humans, their most sacred places had been destroyed. The plentiful wild game that had fed them for centuries had been annihilated, leaving only the humans and their domesticated animals for prey.

  The Seronta, wanting only to be left alone, migrated across Lake Pontchartrain to the virtually untouched swamps south of Lake Maurepas to escape the encroachment of men. With their natural prey scarce they were hard-pressed to sustain their dwindling numbers by preying on snakes and birds and an occasional gator. The leopard clan was barely managing to survive, steadfastly refusing to prey on humans. They had lost far too many of their own to the Lykos and human raids on their territory. Too few females were born into the clan. There were too few mates to go around.

  The Lykos, refusing to leave, began raiding remote human settlements and feeding on domestic animals as well as the weakest of the human interlopers…the children, the elderly and the females. But as the remnants of the once-powerful Lykos pack was also driven north by enraged humans intent on destroying the creatures who stole their children and killed their cattle, peace was a temporary, shadowy thing at best…

  Chapter One

  The twins stopped as if they’d been turned to stone, remaining silent and alert, facing the woods ahead. Cal nodded in approval as he moved quietly up behind the boys, and proudly settled a large hand on each strong little shoulder. “Well done. Can you tell me what’s in the trees ahead, Jet?” His low voice brought two sets of golden eyes up to his face. He waited for the older twin to respond.

  “It’s a covey of quail, Uncle Cal!” Jet piped up before his one-minute-younger brother could speak, and Cal nodded, waiting quietly for him to continue. When the boy didn’t offer anything more he turned his attention to the child on his right…a carbon copy of his older brother in every way but for his blond thatch and quiet demeanor.

  “Is that what you smell, Jon?” he prompted gently, a smile lifting one corner of his lips. He waited patiently for the slightly pensive younger twin to respond.

  “Um…I can smell the quail, Uncle Cal, but I smell somethin’ else in the trees.”

  The thoughtful frown on the youngster’s face brought Cal down to his haunches between the children and he asked softly, “Can you tell me what the other thing is?”

  “A owl. I think it’s hunting the quail.” Cal hid a grin as he ignored the child’s grammar.

  Jet put his small fists on his hips and glared at his brother. “I don’t smell no owl!”

  Cal chuckled. He made no attempt to correct either brother as he shook his head and ruffled the older boy’s dark hair. “You might not be able to smell it, but it is there. And it most likely is hunting for a meal. Next time, just take a bit more time to catch all of the scents, and you’ll have the full answer instead of just part of the answer.” He rose to his feet and grinned down fondly at the boys.

  They were like two peas in a pod except for the color of their hair and a pound or so of weight. Jet, being the older, was dark like his father, while Jon was golden blond, as was always seen in the genetic makeup of the Seronta Clan of leopard shifters. It had always been so. Within the male lines of the clan, the eldest was always the alpha. Most Seronta families were made up of only male cubs and females were extremely rare. Females were protected and nurtured…especially since the ancient alphea line, the line of females who could guarantee female litters, was extinct.

  Cal and his brother Gar were not twins, nor had they been born close together. No less than fifty years separated their births. The other siblings born into their family unit had not survived the harsh life of the Louisiana swamps. Alphas often died in battle, but Gar had survived to begin his own small clan.

  He sighed as he smiled at the boys. These two were the last of Gar’s bloodline. Unless Hallie produced more young, that was. And unless the youngsters managed to find mates when they matured, there would be no more born into Gar’s family line.

  As for Cal, there was no chance in hell of him finding his own mate. If there were any Seronta females left, they were certainly not hanging around rural Nebraska…and that meant he would have to seek a leopard mate not of their own clan. Fat chance of that. Not many big cats around here…

  Although there were reportedly other clans of leopard shifters who still survived in the deep swamps of Louisiana and others who had traveled as far north as Saskatchewan, those clans jealously guarded their female population from outsiders.

  Nature’s way to protect the clan families was to assure that there were enough males born to defend their territories and to hunt. Cal understood well the need for strong warriors. If it had not been for Gar, he and the young female they had traveled north with would never have survived. Unfortunately Nature hadn’t taken into consideration the fact that some bozo named Khan the Stupid had killed the only remaining alphea female in the clan who would have assured that all-female litters would be born to the Seronta. Only a female of the alphea line could give birth to female cubs in every litter, and assure the future of the leopard clans. And notwithstanding a miracle of epic proportions, there were no Seronta alpheas left in existence since Kara’s death.

  Female leopards of any clan reached their sexual maturity slowly and those of breeding age were few and far between. Since the clan had been nearly wiped out back in the 1880s, there was no way of knowing if other Seronta females existed. There must be one alive somewhere. But he had no illusions about finding her.

  Or any other leopard female. Just my luck…

  With the larger numbers of males in the clans, the females normally took several males into a harem after taking a blood mate. Choosing her blood mate was always the female’s right…unless you had a warped royal around who decided he was above tradition and ancient laws. Only her blood mate could sire offspring, but female leopards in mating frenzy could easily keep several horny males happy. Once the mating frenzy eased, the beta or secondary mates would seek mates of their own or perhaps join the harem of another young female, just to ease her sexual needs.

  Nature had given females all the perks. Stood to reason, since Nature herself was female. Cal shook his head. He knew that he and Gar had been extremely fortunate to have found Hallie. Fate had been kind to them that day.

  Hallie…

  With a deep sigh, Cal ruffled both curly heads. He would have l
oved to have sired offspring, but finding a female of his own was not going to happen any time soon. If ever. He grinned down at them and said, “Okay…who’s ready for supper?”

  Before the words were even out of his mouth, both boys bolted into the trees toward the big house that had been their home since their births seven years ago, leaving their uncle to tag behind as he turned to follow them at a more leisurely pace.

  He drew a long breath, his thoughts on the nebulous future and the all-too-real past.

  Had it truly been over eight years since he and his brother had found Hallie? Time had flown on swift wings since then. He recalled the day she had come into their lives as if it had been only yesterday. Life went on, regardless of circumstances, it seemed.

  After their escape from the swamps, and a long, arduous trek northward along the lush river valley of the Mississippi, Gar had finally found a place they could be safe. Oddly enough, they had been befriended and sheltered by one of the very creatures they were running from. An elderly human had helped them. Thomas Hale had taken them in and given them a home…a future. Knowing they were “diff’rnt”, the old man had not questioned their existence. He had generously supplied them with the means to live free again. He had founded the small town of Rutledge, Nebraska, after losing his wife and three of his children from the fever. He had brought in a real doctor from Kansas City, and had imported artisans and people who grouped together to make a cohesive, prosperous little town.

  He had amassed a fortune over his long life, and he had left them his largesse, having outlived all ten of his children. He had taught them to blend with the humans. Had unreservedly given them his love and his trust. And they had done the same for him, honoring the promise Gar had made to protect Thomas Hale’s beloved town from the threat that had also migrated north.

  And just when it had begun to appear that they would die of boredom and as celibate as hell, a human female had moved to the tiny town of Rutledge…a human female whose scent had been enough to drive them both up the wall every time she was near.

  And Hallie had chosen Gar as her blood mate.

  He drew a deep breath and laughed softly. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. If he found a compatible female of any kind, he would grab on and not let go. And since Gar had himself a mate, there would be no need to share. Ancient traditions die when there’s nobody there to enforce them, right?

  His gut tightened and his cock grew hard inside his jeans. Just thinking about finding his own female gave him a woody. In fact, just thinking about sex in general kept him as hot as hell. He was right in the middle of his young adulthood and could have fucked Hallie every ten minutes if Gar hadn’t put his foot down. After all, she was the mother of twins now and had her own responsibilities…which didn’t include providing constant, hot sex for a horny second mate, no matter how desperately he hoped.

  Cal understood. He really did. But that didn’t keep him from daydreaming…or night dreaming. Especially over the past couple of years. Cal inhaled the warm scents of the woods, sorting out his thoughts. He had felt extremely restless lately. Something was definitely changing. He was in his full maturity and the need to find his own blood mate was pressing on him. She is out there somewhere, waiting for me to find her. It ate at him.

  Hallie, bless her, never refused him when the need got too much for him to contain. He tried never to intrude but, sensing his needs, she often offered, taking him to some quiet place and making delicious love to him, riding him wildly the way he liked, making him feel needed—wanted—even though he knew Gar could satisfy her well enough without his help, now that she was no longer in the painful throes of her first mating frenzy. The memory of her wild need for both of them made him harder than nails.

  It had been a while since he had joined Hallie and Gar in a hot, mindlessly erotic threesome. Hallie had offered, but he truly hated sharing now. He wanted to be alone with his mate…filling her…eagerly suckling her bouncing breasts as he rode her until she came apart in his arms. And when he had time totally alone with Hallie, he made every moment count.

  He bent to avoid a low-hanging branch, and came back to the present as a thick twig smacked him in the face.

  Ouch…

  He picked up his pace to catch up with the boys. As peaceful as he and Gar kept it around here, there was still danger for them, and he kept them safe.

  Cal didn’t mind being trusted with the care of the boys. In fact he enjoyed it. He loved things that kept him busy. He routinely hunted with Gar, pulling down a buck or two from the large and healthy herds of mule deer that grazed the rolling grasslands around the area, sneaking a bite or two of the hot, raw meat that his leopard craved. Hallie had been raised human and she insisted on cooking their meals, so raw meat was a rare treat.

  He and Gar patrolled the vicinity at night, keeping a sharp eye on the slowly dwindling pack of refugee Lykos that often came too close to their home for comfort. The boys were never allowed to go into the woods unescorted. Which reminded him that they were out of earshot. He broke into a leisurely jog.

  Cal wanted for nothing. He had a family. He had a comfortable home. He even got to kick some Lykos ass once in a while. But still, something called out to him. Over the past few weeks he had sensed her. He knew she was waiting. But how would he ever find her if he remained here? Lately he had been thinking seriously of striking out on his own. Maybe heading north, where the others had migrated long ago. Gar had Hallie and the boys. He would miss his sibling and Gar’s small family, but there was nothing much here for him anymore. He could sense something else out there…something waiting for him. Something he could call his, alone.

  He loved Hallie but she didn’t need him now…and he had the deep gut feeling that someone else did. Someone…

  He recalled the fact that the boys were out of sight, and that he couldn’t hear them. Not good. He shifted his pace to a ground-swallowing run, easily following their scent trail, tracking them through the undergrowth without great concern…until another scent trail crossed theirs.

  The hair lifted on the nape of his neck as the scent filled his nostrils and sent him into a mad run.

  Dog!

  Without hesitation he shifted, his body splintering into a sinewy mass of golden-furred muscle as his clothes shredded and fell away with every powerful leap. He called out with his mind for the boys, and heard a shaky, whispering voice in his head.

  Help me.

  Not theirs.

  Veering toward it, he leaped over a fallen tree and bounded like sinuous lightning into the small clearing where two little figures stood, close together, on guard as he had taught them, staring intently at a small silver-gray wolf that was standing just outside the tree cover on the opposite side of the glade.

  Dog…you are gonna die…

  Cal landed squarely between the boys and the wolf, creating a barrier with his big body as he crouched in front of them, his ears flattened to his skull, his massive fangs bared in a vicious snarl. The wolf didn’t try to run yet made no move to attack. Cal hissed and batted the air between them with a set of deadly, flared-out claws, showing the wolf what awaited it should the beast make a single move.

  It was Jet who said excitedly, “She’s hurt, Uncle Cal.” And a small hand came to rest on his bristling shoulder. Cal drew in a deep breath at the calming touch but didn’t relax his guard.

  She’ll be dead if she makes a move toward you. Stay behind me.

  But the wolf seemed to be in no condition to attack anyone. Cal watched as she sagged to the leafy cushion of long grasses beneath her feet and rolled slowly onto her back, weakly pawing the air in a sign of meek submission. A trick? A trap? He snuffled at the air. Fresh blood. Her blood, but not the blood of a female in heat. He kept his eyes glued to the injured Lykos, sniffing for others in the vicinity. There was only the one.

  “She says they attacked her and were gonna kill her, Uncle Cal.” Jon ran a small hand over the huge golden leopard’s bristling back, and Cal foun
d himself wondering why the hell the Lykos pack would try to kill one of its own. And how the hell could this dog possibly communicate with leopard shifter cubs.

  Did she attack you?

  Jet quickly shook his head. “We found her layin’ over there and we scared her. She was just gettin’ up when you got here. She’s hurt real bad. Is she gonna die, Uncle Cal?”

  Totally absorbed in the situation, Cal shook his massive body and stalked carefully closer to the panting, bleeding Lykos female. The small voice he had heard earlier repeated the words that had brought him to this clearing…

  Help me…please. If he finds me…he’ll kill me.

  What the fuck? She was using mental communication. He had never heard of the Lykos having that ability. At least not outside their own packs. Cal padded with extreme caution toward the female, low to the ground as he moved, his rolling muscles tensed to attack and finish the bitch quickly should she be playing a game. He sniffed the breeze, and when he was certain she was too weak to be of any real danger to a Seronta male in his physical prime, he reached out with one huge paw and pinned her heavily to the earth. His claws remained extended, splayed over her trembling chest but not digging into her body.

  Help me, please…he will…kill me…

  He felt a shudder go through the thin body under his paw, and he tensed.

  Before his eyes, the bloody fur began to recede, leaving his massive paw resting on a slender, badly mauled human female body, planted squarely between her small round breasts. A jolt of electric heat shot up his foreleg into his chest and he almost snatched his claws back. Luckily for her he had far more control.

  What the…?

  His heart stumbled and his thoughts shorted out.

  “Uncle Cal! Mom can fix her!” Jon wrapped his skinny little arms around the big leopard’s neck and tugged at him to move him away from the bruised and bleeding creature.