Animal Attraction Read online

  ALEXA & PATRICK SILVER

  Animal Attraction

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.®

  1056 Home Avenue

  ,

  Akron OH 44310-3502.

  An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

  www.ellorascave.com

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 1

  “All flights are delayed. Please do not leave the airport. Your airlines will inform you when we have further details. I repeat, a strong storm has developed off Lake Michigan and…”

  Tabitha Downes tuned out the announcement. She and her husband Wes had heard it a half-hour ago and again fifteen minutes ago. She understood. Their flight was delayed. They were going to miss their cruise and spend Valentine’s Day in this miserably overcrowded airport. Message received, check!

  If they had been wise, they would have rushed to the doors and taken a room at the one airport hotel. When she had suggested this, Wes hadn’t been interested. He was sure this would be a brief delay and still held out hope that they would catch their cruise. Tab, on the other hand, knew the Murphy’s Law Fairy had been flying overhead, dive-bombing them. The flight was almost four hours long and the cruise was set to leave in six hours.

  Now, they and the other few thousand folks in the airport wanted to get on the first flight to the warmth of Florida. The lines at the ticket counters had been ridiculous, so Wes had dialed the airline 800 number, only to be told that all departing planes from this airport were going to be held on the ground for now, even the craft in the taxi line. The deicing machines were running full tilt and the plows could be seen clearing the runways but no planes were going out and very few were coming in.

  “Dammit. This ruined everything!”

  Tab winced at the angry tone of Wes’ voice. Wes had been pinning a great deal of hope on this cruise. He saw it as their last chance for a new beginning. She thought the gesture meant the world. At least Wes seemed to care again, and that was the first step in saving their marriage.

  “Wes, it’s okay.” She rubbed his arm in a comforting gesture. “Let’s get away from the crowds here and find a quieter place where we can sit down.”

  Her husband scanned the packed lounge area and the restaurants overflowing with harried travelers, and nodded. She picked up her overnight bag and started walking toward a corridor.

  “I think this is where they have all those fancy lounges. Want to stop here?” Tab questioned. Her husband groaned but his overnight bag fell to the floor with a thump, Wes following it down. Tabitha sank to the carpet beside him, rubbing his arm. This was going to be a long day, and if Wes was in a rage, it could turn out to be very stressful for her as well.

  When Wes settled his head in her lap, Tabitha began stroking his light brown hair. He’d always loved her backrubs and massages—sensual and therapeutic—and she hoped this would soothe him. He shifted, resting his head against her pussy, and she felt the first twinges of arousal.

  She and Wes hadn’t been intimate in some time. Their marriage was on the rocks, and neither had been ready to risk emotional intimacy with the other. There hadn’t been any fireworks or huge fights, just a dull, boring rut of work, home improvement projects, time spent with friends and awkward silences in their home life. They had been drifting apart for months—maybe even years.

  Tabitha hadn’t expected any Valentine’s Day gift. She and Wes had never been huge gift givers. So she was shocked when he tugged her back into bed this morning and informed her that he’d arranged for her to have a two-week vacation and that they were going away. He’d even packed her bags for her!

  The romance of the day just kept getting better when Wes brought her breakfast in bed, a necklace and a ring. She was wearing both of them now, the small rose pendant nestling close to her heart and the ring sparkling on her finger.

  And now, Wes was most definitely nestling his head deeper between her legs. He wasn’t acting overtly sexual, but her body didn’t care. She began to moisten anyway. As she combed back his hair she nestled his head lower, trying to increase the delicious pleasure on her pussy.

  She dug her fingers deeper into his scalp and he moaned happily. His nostrils quivered. Can he smell my arousal? Sure, they were in an empty corridor, but who knew how long they would remain alone in this little oasis of peace.

  A small gush of liquid moistened her crotch at the thought. She’d never been someone who had taken chances, and neither had Wes, but right now it seemed as if they were shucking their conservative everyday lives for this romantic getaway. And Tabitha was more than ready to play along.

  * * * * *

  “Great! Wonderful! Are we going to sit on the tarmac any longer?” Brand Hove was getting deeply concerned. They had been sitting on this plane for some two hours. The last cockpit announcement was that they were eighth in line for deicing. He glanced out the window, knowing full well that the plane wouldn’t be departing today. Hell, the plows couldn’t even keep up with the snowfall.

  He glanced at the flight attendant sitting in the seat across the aisle. Thankfully, he was the only one in the first-class section, so he was able to stretch his legs and pace when the restlessness got to be too much for him. But if he went furry, there would be hell to pay! And the longer he sat in this overgrown tin can, the more likely he’d go quadruped. And then he’d be in a mess!

  “Mr. Hove, can I get you anything?” The flight attendant—Janis, according to her nametag—had been watching him quite closely, flirting with him, wafting her pheromones his way.

  “Yeah. I need to get off the plane.” He motioned to his cell phone, which was charging in one of the power ports. “You may have heard that I’m having a family emergency.”

  She didn’t have to know that the emergency was that he was worried about any stranded brethren who hadn’t yet checked in. He jiggled his leg and then began to pace the small aisle. Three steps forward, pivot, three steps back. The walls seemed to be closing in on him.

  “We’re still readying for takeoff. Please sit down. Can I get you something to drink?”

  Brand shook his head and threw himself back in his seat. “No. I just have to get off. I can’t just continue to sit here. Can’t we deplane? I’m not stupid, nobody has taken off in hours.”

  The flight attendant consulted her watch. “I’ll get a status update from the cockpit. Please fasten your seat belt.”

  He did as told. Janis called another flight attendant to the front and asked the pilot to open the secured door. As he waited for her to come back, Brand drummed his hands on his thighs. The first sign of an impending change was this burst of energy. He couldn’t repress it, didn’t want to, in fact. That would just lead to bigger and more furry problems.

  “Mr. Hove? The captain just informed me that airport management and the air traffic controllers will be making an announcement at the top of the hour. That is less than ten minutes away. We request your patience until that time.”

  Brand nodded and picked up his cell phone. At least they hadn’t asked for electronic devices to be turned off. For the last couple of hours, he’d had the in-seat satellite television on, hoping that none of his brethren had shown themselves to the public. So far, so good, but their luck could run out any minute now. Starting with him if he didn’t get off this plane soon.

  He grabbed his phone and connected immediately to the Council headquarters. He needed a status report. None of the rest of the ruling body had been caught in this storm, and many of the shifters on getaways with their spouses were either driving or had been diverted to other airports. The eastern h
alf of the United States was in for a nasty storm, so his office informed him, and he was stuck in it. Must be my lucky day.

  This snowfall meant that his meeting with the owners of Blood Anonymous, a vampire-shifter coalition, would be postponed. Denver, his assistant, would take care of rescheduling. For now, all Brand Hove, President of the International Shifter Council, needed to do was stay human until he had secured a hotel room. Easier said than done. He, more than any other shifter, was affected by human pheromones. If it was almost overwhelming in a plane that held maybe a hundred humans, what would the airport and city’s hotels be like? Stupid question. He’d be swimming in a sea of human arousal. This day of the year, of all of them, guaranteed that.

  Unable to stop himself, Brand pressed the heel of his hand against his cock, enjoying the thrill that the pressure provided. It had been aching for the better part of the hour, but had not become fully erect yet. He thanked every deity he could that he had been able to retain some control, because Janis was looking at him as if he was the prey and she was the big-game hunter. She had no idea she was hunting a dangerous wild animal. When furry, he could snap her neck in an instant, controlled only by the animal raging within. Not that he’d ever killed anyone. His parents had made sure of that, raising and rearing him to be a responsible human and shifter.

  But today would test his inner strength and willpower. If he lost the struggle, not only could innocent human lives be lost, but his lapse could take down the entire shifter society.

  Breathe deeply, he ordered himself, his entire body strung tightly. He was on the razor’s edge of control. He clenched his fists and jaw and stared out the window, lost in thought.

  “Mr. Hove?” Janis was leaning over him, her voice sounding extra sharp to his sensitive hearing. He was torn between wanting to thrust her away and pull her close, grinding his hard cock against her. But he didn’t want her, and he was above using women.

  “Got news?” He bit the words out through his clenched teeth.

  “Yes. We’re going back to the terminal. All flights have been canceled.”

  “Fine.” Thank God and Bast , he’d finally be able to end this trip.

  “But there is a problem. Visibility is so bad that the city is mostly closed down. Please take advantage of our first-class lounge.”

  Great. Just brilliant! He might be stuck in an airport teeming with sexual arousal. He must have pissed off someone in a past life. Otherwise, his personal visit to hell would have never occurred. He would have flown to Pittsburgh, met with the bloodsuckers and stayed at a nice respectable five-star hotel, where his inner kitty could come out to play. Staying in an airport was not in the cards. At least the shifters had their own lounge at O’Hare.

  While he was pondering his woulda, coulda, shoulda, the airplane had been towed back to the gate. Brand grabbed his microfiber carryon—no leather for him, he wasn’t about to use animal skins to clothe himself—and strode off the plane, purposely ignoring Janis’ hopeful look. She didn’t want to play with the kitty, and he had no interest in encouraging her. If he was going to mate, he’d have to find another shifter, vamp or other paranormal. They were the only ones who could match his stamina.

  As he approached the end of the jetway, the faint, outdoorsy scent of shifter pheromones assaulted him. Desire coursed through him, making him stumble and fall to his knees. He nodded at the helping hand of a man, thankful that a woman hadn’t grabbed him. He had no latent desire for men in general, and thus his arousal did not flare out of control. For now, anyway. He needed relief and he needed it fast. Otherwise, Chicago might just see its first runaway lion in airport story. Yeah, great, being plastered on the news was just what he needed!

  Recovering slightly and driven by instinct and rising lust, he jogged through the gate area. There wasn’t time to get a cab and find a hotel. He needed satisfaction and he needed it now.

  Following the distinctive shifter scent, he rounded a corner and almost stumbled into a couple who were on the ground, her hands in his hair, his hard-on almost saluting Brand as he skidded to a stop.

  Shifters. One of them was a shifter. He didn’t care which one was—hell, he’d have both right now.

  “Come on.” He hauled the man up and then pulled the woman to her feet as well. Brand dragged the confused pair along the corridor past the first-class lounge to a plain, unmarked door. He fumbled with a credit card. “This is a special lounge for our kind. Sorry to be so abrupt, but I can’t wait. I need you.”

  Chapter 2

  Tabitha could only gape at the man. She had felt arousal stirring within her, rising irresistibly before this man grabbed her. Exchanging a look with Wes, she was reassured by his slight nod. It made sense to take advantage of the private lounge and the man’s generosity. Whatever he couldn’t wait to do—presumably to rebook his flight or a hotel—could work out for them too.

  Tab followed the tall blond man into the exclusive lounge. With a shrug to Wes, she followed. This guy seemed to know what he was doing. Maybe the best phone services were in there.

  As she and her husband entered the room, the man breezed by them, securing the door. She looked around cautiously, taking in the warm décor, the comfortable chairs and the huge bed that dominated the room. There was even a bathroom attached. It looked like a luxury hotel room, hidden right here in the airport! The man’s heavy breathing brought her attention back to him and she noticed a film of sweat on his forehead. Though he looked sick, Tab guessed there was some other reason for his discomfort. An emotion she couldn’t quite place shimmered toward her in waves, bringing with it a scent both woodsy and warm. It tantalized her and she squirmed, her heartbeat racing and breathing quickening.

  “Are you okay?” Tab automatically reached up to touch Brand’s forehead. He was burning up! Was illness responsible for this behavior or were she and Wes in a heap of trouble?

  “Don’t!” The man reached up to push her away then seemed to think better of it. He extended his hand in a gesture she interpreted to mean that he meant no harm. “You should know not to touch me when I’m in this state, sweetheart. The kitty might take a nice big bite out of you.”

  “Sweetheart? Excuse me, do I know you?” She was getting offended by his familiarity and unsettled by the way her body was reacting to his nearness.

  He shook his head. “No, but you know our kind. All the pheromones and all the damn romance. I have to release this.”

  What the heck was he talking about? “Back up. Start from the beginning, what do you—” She stopped abruptly. Why was the man pulling off his coat and ripping off his tie? Yanking his shirt off in a jerky motion? Looking to her husband for help and guidance, Tab started to edge toward the door. This was too strange. She began to think seriously about getting out of there.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” At least Wes sounded strong and in control. Tab exhaled slowly, trying to will her body to calm down.

  “Do you want to do it for me? I didn’t stop to consider…well, okay. Take my pants off.” The man invaded Wes’ personal space, thrusting his hips out in carnal invitation.

  Gasping in shock, Tab spoke up. “Um, enough is enough. Who are you and what specifically do you want?”

  A test. It had to be a test. The man had a hungry look in his eyes as he took in Brand’s chest. The woman was playing coy. He had scented shifter blood in both of them, but he couldn’t work out which one was dominant—the gorgeous blonde or the handsome quiet guy. Their pheromones and desire hung heavy in the air. As he breathed it in, his cock twitched and his stomach clenched. Dammit, he wanted both of them now.

  “What division are you with? Northland? Pacifica? Sucks that you got stranded here, but we can make the most of it.”

  “Division?” The woman was still playing the confused role. It turned him on almost as much as the musky spice of her pussy did.

  “Yes, division. Shifter Division to be precise. Or are you independent?”

  The woman exchanged looks with the m
an and then reluctantly sat on the big bed, the man crossing the room to take her hand. “We’re from north of Green Bay,” he said.

  At least the other guy wasn’t wasting his time. “That’s the Great Lakes Division. Makes sense that I wouldn’t know you. But look, I don’t have much time. I have to fuck her, or both of you if you’re willing.”

  “Name,” Tabitha asked. She had a husky voice full of sexual promise. The woman still appeared to be dazed, though she was responding to the way her man stroked her hand and arm. “I want to know your name.”

  Brand ran a hand through his hair. “Fine, but can we please stop dicking around? I’m Brand Hove, Council President. And you are?”

  “Wes and Tabitha Downes. She doesn’t…she hasn’t found hers yet. That’s why she’s so confused. I’m only half, but…I have those desires as well. What is your animal?”

  “Lion,” Brand responded, “And yours?”

  “Panther. I think hers is feline too. Must be why you’re so attracted.” Wes turned to look at his wife. “I can’t explain much now, Tab, but we have to do this. Please trust me here.”

  The woman gave her man another look. “I want answers, Wes. What is going on?”

  She was resistant and it sounded like she was a cub that had not yet made her first shift. At her age, she should have had at least ten years of changes behind her. She’d likely be feeling the desires, her shifter scent had been tantalizing his. But she’d have no idea how to deal with these thoughts and feelings in her body.

  Brand had to take matters into his own hands. His need burned within him but the woman needed to be handled carefully. He crossed the room and stroked her face with one fingertip. Her body shuddered with clear-cut need. “Just relax and let it happen, Tabitha Downes. My touch feels good, doesn’t it?”

  She shifted on the bed, seemingly unsure of his touch. She clearly wanted to master her reactions, but as her shifter heritage rose within her, she’d feel the need to couple very soon. Multiple times. And with both of them. This was going to be a hell of a weather-related emergency.