Free Memory of an Immortal Heart (Immortal Hearts) by Kita Bell

her paws on a map?
    Eva had
just slunk over the top stair to the small park amphitheater, debating that
issue, when a heavy weight slammed her to the ground.
    Sakai .
    Terror
rose inside Eva, so that her pulse turned thready as a dozen half-healed
injures flared to life across her body. She snarled, whipping her claws around
to eviscerate the threat and instead found herself in the grip of a
much-too-strong hand as it latched around the ruff of her neck and shook her
like a kitten. A quasi-familiar voice snarled, “Change back , Eva! Before
the police get here!”
    She
scented the dark masculine scent of citrus, of warm sunlit leaves in shade
– aka the scent of desire and her inconveniently over-active hormones. Brand .
    Oh
thank god. Eva didn’t think, she turned and wrapped a foreleg over his shoulder
as he rose from his crouch and licked his face. Brand tasted as good as he
smelled – and he gave a soft snort of amusement, the harsh biting scent
of his concern fading as he buried strong fingers into her fur and gave
another, lighter shake. “Change back now, Evita. Someone sighted you in the
park and called the police. Sakai are going to be all over the place in a
matter of moments.”
    “As if
we don’t have enough problems,” Joshua muttered before looking at her. His
brows arched and he smirked, “Bad kitty,” even as Eva flashed her teeth in
annoyance. Joshua rolled his eyes, almost entirely cloaked in the shadows of a
pillar as he thrust a bag forward. “Give her the clothes Brand, so she can
Change and we can at least stop worrying about animal control.”
    Brand
pulled his fingers from Eva’s fur, leaving her strangely bereft as he set the
plastic-smelling Walmart bag on the ground before her. When he looked like he was
going to stand there and watch her Change, Eva gave a short growl. Brand may
have seen her naked, but this – this was personal. Only family
members were allowed to watch her change. Joshua laughed softly from the
shadows as Brand turned away.
    Perhaps
it was because Eva had such a fine view of Brand’s backside, but the Change
came easier than usual for her. But then, the Change had always felt like
foreplay, and with Brand standing so close…
    Eva
snarled softly as she resumed human form. The cold night air bit at her skin.
Her nipples, already hard from the Change, tightened painfully. But the cold
was in no way as palpable as the hot feel of Brand’s eyes tracing her naked
body.
    He had
turned back to watch her.
    Was
there an air of possessiveness in his gaze?
    Eva
shivered, cupping her fingers over her breasts, and very carefully did not look
at him. She bent her head, looking for her shoes…or something. Anything to
avoid those electric sapphire eyes. Desire had sparked inside her earlier, when
she first saw Brand – it had jumped, leaping for him – and now Eva
was afraid what she would see reflected in his gaze as he looked at her
injured, too-thin body.
    No, she
wasn’t even remotely attractive at the moment. She knew that.
    I never
should have allowed myself to be taken by Rohe.
    She had
been weak – stupidly weak.
    “You
weren’t supposed to watch,” she said quietly.
    Brand
shrugged, cleared his throat, and didn’t say anything.
    Eva
turned her back and quickly sorted through the plastic bag for a pair of jeans
and a sweater; she’d worry about underclothes later. Eva was shivering by the
time she pulled the clothes on turned back around. Brand frowned at her bare
feet. “You need shoes again.”
    “These
will work until we reach my Gens.”
    “Yes.
About that. We need to talk, Eva.” Brand grabbed her hand, pulling her back
into the thick shadows that surrounded Joshua.
    “You
mean, talk about why we’re in Ohio of all places?” she said, trying to
find the edge of her earlier temper – and failing. They both ignored her.
    “The
Sakai are nearing the treeline. We need to split up to break the trail,
otherwise they’ll find us all.” Joshua’s voice