Into the Lair

Chapter Forty-Four

“She’s getting worse,” Ian said wearily as he and Marcus stood watching Katie and Braden from inside the glass doors leading to the deck.

Marcus frowned. “How so?”

Marcus had flown in to perform his regular check-up and physical on Katie. These days he spent his time between Damiano in Nepal and Katie in Argentina.

“We’re having to use the inhibitor far more frequently, and we’ve had to sedate her three times in the past two weeks. I’d hoped…”

Ian broke off and rubbed a tired hand through his hair. “I hate this, man. I love her and I hate to see her suffer.”

“And what about you and Braden?” Marcus asked.

Ian gave him a startled look.

“Any unexpected shifts? Further instability?”

Ian shook his head. “Braden shifts regularly. He’s pretty good at doing it at will now. He hasn’t made a single move toward me and Katie. We’ve tested his recall, and it’s odd. At times he can clearly remember events that occur while he’s in panther form. Other times, however, it’s all a blank. When that happens, he backs off shifting for a while, and he gets edgy. It scares him when he can’t remember. He’s too afraid he’ll hurt Katie or me.”

Marcus nodded, a thoughtful look in his eyes. He started to speak, but was interrupted when Braden knocked over his chair getting up. Katie sat stock-still in hers, her face pale, her hands shaking violently. Tremors rocked her slight body, and she looked at Braden in panic.

Ian made a grab for the syringe that lay on the table inside, and he threw open the door. He made it over to Katie, prepared to inject her when Marcus caught his arm.

“What the fuck? Let me go, man.”

“Don’t give it to her,” Marcus said calmly.

“What?” Braden demanded.

Katie clutched her arms, rubbing almost violently. Fear shone vividly in her eyes. She was terrified.

“I promised her, I swore to her that I’d never let this happen,” Ian bit out.

“Listen to me,” Marcus said. “You don’t know if she’s stable or not. You’ve never let her explore the depths of her abilities. She’s understandably frightened. We don’t even know what her ability is. What if she’s like Gabe and can control her shifts? We have to let her try. She can’t go on like this, living in terror, being sedated every time the urge comes on.”

“Christ,” Ian muttered.

He looked up at Braden, seeking his input. Braden looked tortured with indecision. Finally he closed his eyes and nodded.

A strangled cry burst from Katie’s throat. Ian reached for her, grasping her shoulders. “We’ll be right here, Katie. We’ll help you through this.”

“I don’t know what to do,” she said desperately.

Braden shoved in and framed her face in his hands. “Just let go, baby. Surrender to it.”

She closed her eyes then bolted upward. She stepped forward and then back as if she had no idea where to go. Then she crumpled. Ian lunged for her, but Braden held him back.

“Let her go,” he said in a strained voice.

They watched in agony as her body spasmed, and she cried out in pain. It was like watching a battle between human and animal. And finally the beast won.

Tawny fur rippled across her skin. Hands became paws. Black spots appeared. Her clothing ripped and fell away. Her head twisted, and her jaws opened wide as a sound that wasn’t quite human or animal escaped in an eerie howl.

And then where a human woman had fallen, a cheetah arose, graceful and sleek. Yellow eyes stared calmly back at the men.

“Amazing,” Marcus breathed.

“A cheetah,” Ian whispered.

So much made sense now. His and Braden’s reaction to her from the very beginning, how she called to the cat inside of them.

“She’s beautiful,” Braden said, his voice barely above Ian’s.

Slowly she closed the distance between her and Ian. She sniffed delicately, her head bobbing as she stared up at him. He fell to his knees, and she moved in close, butting her head against his chest. She rubbed and nudged at his chin and then along his cheek.

Braden knelt beside him and extended his hand. The cheetah closed her eyes and began to purr as he stroked her head. Then she sidled close and rubbed her jowls over his shoulder and chest.

She finished with a lick to his cheek before she moved around him and took off in a lope.

Both men stood and turned around to see her streaking across the back of the compound. She was magnificent, wild and running free.

“I’ll be damned,” Braden murmured.

“It is through you and Ian and Katie that I have hope for Damiano,” Marcus said. “The fact that you can shift at will and that you retain memories of being the cat. And now maybe Katie will enjoy control over her shifts as well. My theory with Damiano is that if he can train his mind, he can control the beast. I’d say you learned that yourself in your own way.”

“Or maybe I just knew Katie needed me,” Braden said with a smile.

He turned to watch her again, and then with a mischievous grin, he closed his eyes and fell to his knees. In a matter of seconds, the panther rose and loped after the cheetah.

The two raced across the ground, nipping and swatting at each other.

Marcus turned to Ian and smiled. “Damn fine family you have, Ian.”

Ian grinned, his heart soaring with such profound relief. He wanted to laugh and cry all at the same time. “That I do, Marcus. That I do.”