Free TherianPrey by Cyndi Friberg

head then rushed through her objections. “This
is the twenty-first century. You can’t tell me there isn’t an alternative.
There has to be a pill or an injection that will put out this fire!” She
watched closely for his reaction. Did he know about the nasal spray? Or was he
one of those who preferred his women powerless?
    His hold remained constant, yet it only hurt when she tried
to pull away. “Scientists have tried to duplicate the chemical reaction, but
it’s different for each couple.”
    That much must have been true. Erin said it wasn’t a cure,
just an aid. A way to manage the unmanageable. “I think it’s too late. My body
is already…”
    “Shifting to accommodate Quinn?” He urged her backward, not
stopping until the couch pressed against her calves. “How far did it go? Did he
fuck you?”
    Just the mention of Quinn’s name rekindled the heat. “It’s
none of your business!”
    “Did he hurt you?” He reached for her face, but she turned
her head.
    “No. To both questions.”
    “When did he kiss you? In the morning at your shop or after
he took you from your house?”
    She glared. “Why do you care? He said it would return, and
it has. Nothing else is important.”
    He stepped back with obvious reluctance. “I told him I’d
kill him if he ever used his power again. I need to know if he deserves to
die.”
    “I don’t know!” The harder she tried to concentrate, the
more her body rebelled, but it wasn’t like before. She wasn’t aroused. Ian was
still standing too close. She couldn’t think, couldn’t seem to catch her breath
with him so near. “I don’t think so. Please get away from me. I can’t breathe.”
    “What did Erin say to you? Did she—”
    The musical crash of breaking glass interrupted his
question. Ian pivoted as a massive black cat landed in the middle of his living
room. Carissa gasped and sank to the couch, terrified yet captivated.
    “Stay there!” Ian tossed the order over his shoulder as he
turned to confront his uninvited guest.
    Cold air gushed in through the broken window pane, rapidly
lowering the temperature in the room. Ian stood with his legs braced, fists
planted on his hips. His back sparkled then glowed as his wings manifested with
a smooth rolling motion.
    A sharp feline cry split the silence and she slipped off the
couch, creeping to the left so she could see the intruder. The cat was huge,
his black pelt gleaming in the moonlight. From his massive paws to the compact
power of his hind legs, the cat emanated strength, agility and danger.
    Without realizing why, she inhaled deeply, tilting her head
as she scented the air. Ian’s smell reached her first, but her brain quickly
identified the cat’s scent. She’d touched this man, breathed his breath and
tasted his mouth. Even in cat form, her body recognized the intruder.
    An odd thrill raced through her system. Hearing Quinn
describe his jaguar and actually seeing him were two very different things. Her
heart fluttered and her fingers tingled. She should be frightened, yet she felt
energized and…excited?
    Quinn’s head jerked toward her, eyes glowing gold in the
relative gloom. He made a low rumbling noise, tail high and swishing. Ian took
advantage of Quinn’s distraction and knocked him sideways with a vicious swipe
of his wing. Quinn rolled and regained his balance, teeth bared in a menacing
snarl.
    “Stop it! Both of you.” They paused and looked at her,
bodies still tense and ready for battle. “If Quinn wanted to hurt me, he would
have done so before you ‘rescued’ me. Our focus has to be Ava. This isn’t
helping anyone.”
    “He’s in my house uninvited,” Ian pointed out. “That’s
reason enough for me to kick his ass.”
    With hypnotic grace, Quinn flowed from cat into human form.
His body rose and reshaped, leaving him naked and agitated. “As if you could
take me—in any form!”
    Ian swung his wing again, but Quinn was ready this time.
Quinn ducked and spun,