Jase

Sunlight bled into the bedroom when I awoke and heard the jeep pulling into Krissy's driveway. I already knew who it would be. The lithe and supple redhead still lay tangled in the sheets, a vision spurning my desires to claim her again. Knowing it was not to be this morning, I settled for a line of fleeting kisses trailing across her shoulder, up to her pouty lips. The good doctor moaned in a mix of pleasure and ire.

Her doorbell rang and her eyes flew open.

I sighed my chagrin, climbed out of bed as Krissy gathered the bedsheet around her body like a shield. "Who's here this early?" She hissed.

"That'll be Jared." I grabbed the towel discarded last night and wrapped it snugly around my waist.

"Jared?" Krissy's pitch had risen a few octaves. "What the hell is he doing at my front door?"

"Why don't I go ask him?" I stole a hasty kiss. "Stay put."

She frowned at the directive but didn't argue.

I strolled out to the living room and opened the door wide. Jared was thrown off guard by the sight of me in nothing but a towel. As a rule nudity didn't bother shifters, but there were just certain places you didn't expect it.

"Boss Man needs to see you." Jared got to the point after stealing a second to recover his words. He was, of course, referring to Garrett.

"How did he even—" But I knew how he'd found me. "Kylie."

The nerdy panther could trace a cellphone with her eyes closed.

Jared nodded curtly. He held up a small duffel bag. "Brought your clothes from last night. Your bike's back at Tank's."

I took the proffered bag and Jared politely looked away as I speedily dressed. "You find a trail for those assholes?!" I asked eagerly.

"We did. Garrett wants all hands on deck before we go after them."

I could knuckle under that order. I wanted my pound of flesh from those two nut-jobs.

"Just give me a minute to explain to the Doc."

"That's another thing." Jared said warily. "Garrett's going to want to know about the last two days, with her."

Knew that was coming. Just wish I had the slightest clue of what to say.

Krissy

After Jase left with Jared I fell back asleep, still needing to recharge after the night's events. I didn't dream this time, because honestly, the reality had been far more…stimulating. Though when I awoke alone a few hours later, I had to admit, I was more than a little disappointed that it hadn't been a chaste kiss from a gallant Knight that had woken the fair maiden.

I wasn't very worried that Jase was going after the shifters who'd run him over. He'd assured me with the pack around he had nearly two dozen wolves backing him up. As far as I was concerned, the sooner Jase or the wolf pack could put a pair of traffickers out of business, the better. I just didn't want to think about what the wolves were likely to do in order to stop them, permanently. It wasn't in my nature to be violent. Perhaps it made my chosen vocation fated.

Pushing the nasty business out of my thoughts, I climbed out of bed. I remembered it was Sunday, so I skipped the proper clothing and slipped into a matching camisole and shorts set, adding my silky bathrobe just for the fun of it. Something for Jase to have to peel off of me after his triumphant return, I thought giddily. Plucking the robe from where it hung on the bathroom door, I found the discarded scrubs and my still soaked sweats from last night's escapades. Sordid images of our tryst raised goosebumps across my arms. I had to squeeze my legs together to try to dull the rising sensations.

What in the Holy Hell was this wolf doing to me?!

Hurriedly, I gathered up the fabric and took them out to the washing machine. Hoping futilely it would be enough to silence my libido, I padded barefoot out to my kitchen. My stomach rumbled with vigour, demanding to be acknowledged. Now that craving, I could manage.

I went about fixing myself a fruit smoothie and it dawned on me for the second time that other than some leftover pizza, I had nothing to offer Jase that would satisfy his wolfish appetite. Perhaps he'd like to go to the market together when he returned? Or we could just go out for dinner together.

Kinda doing the dating thing a little backwards, aren't we?

I didn't understand why things had unfolded the way they had, only that I didn't regret it. It just felt right, like…destiny, or something. A familiar shiver ran through me as images from the previous night flashed through my mind again. Damn it, I needed to distract myself or I was going to soak my panties without Jase even being in the same place!

Taking my smoothie to the sofa, I found Jase had left my cellphone next to my laptop, so I checked my voicemails first. Two messages. One a courtesy call from my assistant, letting me know our furry charges at the clinic had been checked this morning. The second from Remy, who'd heard through the grapevine, aka Angelina, that I saw Jase again yesterday and wanted quote: "ALL the dirty details" about how the flirtation was going. I had to laugh. Clearly it was a little beyond flirtation by now, but she didn't know that. And I decided she could remain in suspense a little longer.

I traded my cell for my laptop to check my emails. Some spam, a couple personal bills, a forwarded purchase order confirmation for the clinic and several emails from my assistant regarding ranchers needing routine inoculations for their livestock.

I had just finished up and was refilling my smoothie when I heard the heavy vehicle engine approaching my house. A thrill went through me. Jase must be back!

It was a little odd when I heard the doorbell, he could have just come in, but I found myself skipping to my front door like a teenager.

"There's no need to be so formal—"

My words stuck in my throat.

It wasn't Jase.

Two men, one hulking, one leering, both menacing, stood in front of me.

The leering one spoke. "Well if I'd actually known my mother, I'd like to think she'd have raised me right."

Traffickers!

I moved to slam my door shut and run for my cellphone, screaming bloody murder as I fled. But shifters were fast, and one of them stopped the door from latching and swung it back open. By the time I got to my phone they were inside, locking themselves in with me and the smaller one was right on my heels, reaching for me. Clutching my phone to my chest, I spun out of his grasp. I pointed myself towards my bedroom, and with my free hand started grabbing anything I could throw back at them as I passed. A picture frame, pillows, a vase, even yanking out a drawer in my kitchen. When I got to my unfinished smoothie, I got lucky and the thick liquid got into the smaller creep's eye. The short hallway was a straight shot to my bedroom where I could lock my door, dial for help and hopefully climb out the window.

I felt a sharp sting between my shoulder blades as I crossed the threshold. My limbs went numb after two more stumbling steps and I felt myself collapsing to the floor, I barely got my hands out in front of me to keep from slamming my head. The last thing I saw before my vision blurred and went black was my cellphone sliding under my bed.

Malcolm and Mort

"Spunky little bitch, isn't she?" The hyena quipped as he wiped away the smoothie with a dish towel.

Mort, never one to mince words, didn't reply as he holstered the tranq gun in the back of his jeans.

"Faster than I figured too. And man oh man, can you smell that?! It's so fucking sweet! Like mini donuts and popcorn and cotton candy all at once!"

Mort collected the redhead, slinging her carelessly over his shoulder. "I think she smells like lemons." He finally spoke.

Malcolm looked at the grizzly quizzically.

The bear shrugged. "I like lemons."

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "What-the-fuck-ever, man. Load her up. Whatever kind of shifter she is, Big Man is gonna want a piece of her too."

Malcolm surveyed the mess and spotted some business cards scattered on the floor by the upended drawer.

It looked like the girl was a veterinarian. And her clinic wasn't all that far from here.

The hyena smiled devilishly.

It was time to go fishing.