“Mate bond?”
“It’s what Shifters feel for each other when the mating is right. It’s a magical thing—a Goddess thing.”
Diego’s black brown eyes were as dark as night. “And that’s what you feel for me?”
“Yes.”
Diego gazed down at her, his lips parted. Cassidy cursed herself for babbling it all out to him. He was human—how could he understand? Maybe the last thing he wanted was a Shifter woman confessing she considered herself emotionally bound to him.
The next thing she knew, Diego was crushing her into the wall, his body heat and scent all over her.
“Damn it, Cassidy,” he whispered.
She opened her mouth to explain and found Diego’s mouth silencing her with a strong, hot kiss. The cement wall scraped her back, but Diego was hard against her front, hemming her in, his body so damn hot.
Cassidy wanted him, and she didn’t care who knew it. Her hands went to his buttocks, and she pulled him against her.
Diego’s mouth was hot and hard, taking. Gentle fingers wiped away her tears while he kissed her like he couldn’t get enough of her.
He tugged the laces that held up her sweatpants. She wore nothing under them, so when he yanked them down, his fingers could sink right into her heat.
So erotic, to be against the wall while the hottest man she’d ever met started her toward ecstasy.
Cassidy tugged at his belt, then his zipper. Diego almost ripped his pants open, and then she was rising against the wall, Diego holding her firmly. Hard and blunt, he slid into her, high up inside.
As in the shower, he couldn’t move as much in this position, but he was inside her, holding her so tightly against him. The mate bond surged, its warmth starting in the place they joined and entwining her heart.
“Diego.”
He opened his eyes. They were dark, like starless night, and yet warmer than anything she’d ever seen in her life. Cassidy could see all the way inside him, she thought, and he was letting her.
Diego, I’m falling in love with you.
Diego’s head went back as he felt his pleasure, and his eyes closed, but that didn’t shut him off from her. He was giving her everything, all of him. She barely noticed the harsh wall at her back with Diego’s arms around her and his wild heat inside her.
His seed scalded her even as she hit her own climax. Diego opened his eyes again, cupping her face, the liquid sound of his voice pouring over her. He stared right into her heart, and Cassidy, much to her anguish, let him.
Damn, she was so beautiful. Diego eased off his climax by kissing Cassidy’s face, every inch of it. He could have lost her today.
He kissed her again, her lips and chin, while he slowly and reluctantly withdrew. “If this is the mate bond, I like it.”
“It’s more than that.” Cassidy sounded worried about it.
Diego stayed pressed against her, loving the heat of her against his groin. “No problem. We can go out to dinner sometimes too.”
“Diego.” The word ended on a sob.
Diego smoothed her hair, kissed it. He thought he understood what was up with her. Cassidy had lost her mate—her true love. She feared that falling in love again meant she’d not really loved Donovan.
Not true. The heart, the human one at least, could form strong bonds with many people. Diego loved his mother and his brother, and what he’d had with Jobe could be called love—not in a gay way, the macho side of his brain quickly added, but in a best-friend-a-guy-could-ever-have kind of way.
Affection and love. Diego would die for these people. He’d have preferred to die for Jobe instead of the other way around.
“Cass,” he said. “I’ve fixed on you. I don’t know if that’s the same as your mate bond, but I’m willing to believe it is.”
“I don’t know what it is.”
Cassidy had stopped crying, but she sounded confused.
“I’m willing to wait until you figure it out,” Diego said. “Hell, I’ll try to help you figure it out. And if we have to enjoy screwing each other every day until then, fine with me. I’ve got the strength.”
There it was, Cassidy’s smile, the spirit returning to her eyes. “You’re full of yourself, human.”
“You think I don’t have the stamina for a Shifter?”
She pretended to consider. “You’re not bad so far.”
“Not bad so far. Evil woman.” Diego moved his hips, enjoying the hot feel of her. “My life has been crazy since I met you, chiquita. I think I needed waking up.”
“You know your pants are down around your ankles, right?”
Diego grinned. “Yours flew off in the bushes somewhere.”
“Pants around your ankles looks funnier. Especially since you’re wearing socks.”
Diego let his gaze rove Cassidy in only a sweat jacket, her strong, slim legs bare. “You look better.” He let go of her long enough to pull up his jeans and fasten them. “Want to come home with me?”
She smiled, making his heart warm, then her smile faded. “Only if Reid is contained.”
Real-life problems came rushing back. “There’s still a lot of things I don’t get about him. Like what is so special about that rock cave? It’s not very big, it’s in the middle of nowhere, but he keeps going back to it.”
Cassidy broke from him to fetch her pants. Diego’s thoughts stumbled to a halt. Her hips moved in the most delectable way as she bent to slide the sweatpants over the sweetest ass he’d ever seen in his life.
“I can tell you’re a good detective,” Cassidy said, tugging the ties together. “You don’t close the case once you’ve beaten the suspect into submission.”
He forced his brain to start working again. “We shouldn’t let him go, Cass. Like I said, what’s to say he won’t get over his remorse and try to kill another Shifter?”
“I know, but…” Cassidy stopped, still holding on to the ties of her sweatpants. “I’ve wanted to kill him for a long time. But all of a sudden, it seems like the wrong solution.”
Diego’s thoughts switched to the dingy living room with Enrique, his state-of-the-art electronics surrounding a sofa that held thirty years of soil. Diego had wanted to kill Enrique so many times when Enrique had been a dangerous and deadly gang leader. Last night, Diego had held the power and strength, and Enrique had seemed pathetic, a waste of time.
Maybe Cassidy felt the same way about Reid. However, Diego still didn’t trust him. All this talk about hoch alfar and dokk alfar and gates to Faerie seemed like so much fanciful bullshit. Diego liked to deal in the concrete.
And he would, he thought as he slid his arms around Cassidy’s waist. Just as soon as he got done kissing Cassidy.
Reid was still in the living room when they got back. The man sat on the floor with his back to the wall, his runner’s legs drawn up under him. He looked at the carpet, as though not very interested in anything around him.
“He asked for my protection,” Eric said.
Cassidy looked amazed. “Did you grant it?”
“Haven’t decided yet.”
“What does that mean?” Diego asked.
Ever since Cassidy had sliced open her hand to pledge that she believed in Diego—and if she was wrong, Eric could kill her—Diego realized that Shifters took their oaths and promises seriously. Just saying, Sure, I’ll return your library book for you, might have dire consequences.
Eric lounged back on the couch, his feet up, as though the morning hadn’t been all that interesting. “If he were Shifter, and I granted my protection, that would mean I gave him the same status as someone in my pride. Meaning I protect him with all my strength. Meaning I expect him to show me the same loyalty I expect from those in my pride.”
“But because he’s not Shifter…”
“I haven’t decided. Plus there’s the whole fact that I still want to kill him.”
“If anyone kills him, it will be me,” Diego said. “Where’s Xav?”
“Next door. He’s talking
to Shane.”
Reid lifted his head. “Escobar, I’ve never liked you, but you’re a good cop, and you’re trustworthy. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m asking a Shifter for protection. That’s my way of pledging I won’t try to hurt them anymore.”
Cassidy folded her arms. She’d shown compassion, but her compassion didn’t make her weak. “You told us you needed Shifter blood for a spell.”
“I’m willing to try to find another way, look for another grimoire and more spells. There has to be some way I can trick the hoch alfar and cross back into my world, without me having to be a monster to do it.”
Diego sank down on his heels to look Reid in the face. “You can vanish whenever you want. Why can’t you vanish back to your world?”
“Do you think I haven’t tried that? I can teleport, but only in this world. The funny thing is, when I was home, I couldn’t do it. Many dokk alfar can, but I never manifested the talent.”
Eric gazed down at them from the couch. “Interesting. Maybe that has something to do with why you can’t get back.”
“You know about these things?”
“Not really.” Eric yawned and stretched, like a lion preparing for his post-hunt nap. “But I know someone who knows someone who might know something. I’ll talk to them this afternoon.”
“You’ll give me your protection?” Reid’s voice was full of hope.
“For now.”
Cassidy relaxed. “Thank you, Eric.”
Eric lifted his head, still the lion who could come alert at any second. “It also means that if he breaks any part of his word, I get to rip his head off. Don’t worry, Diego, I’ll do it discreetly.”
Eric sank back down and put his arm over his eyes, finished with the business at hand.
“You see?” Reid said to Diego. “The Collars are useless when they really want to do something.”
“If you despise Shifters, why are you asking for Eric’s protection?” Diego asked.
“Because I’m not a fool. The Shifters here would kill me without it, and my greatest wish is to return home. I’m willing to do what it takes. I’m not a killer. I only want to go home.”
Whatever truth was in Reid, he at least believed what he said. Diego himself was not sure what to feel.
He rose to his feet. “If Reid is staying here, I want Cassidy with me.”
Eric moved his arm enough to peer at Diego around it. “You don’t have to ask my permission.”
“I just don’t want you talking about ripping my head off.”
“Cassidy’s a grown female. She can do as she pleases.”
“Cassidy’s standing right here,” Cassidy said, hands on hips. Dios mio, she was sexy when she did that.
Diego shot her a grin. “I asked you before, want to come home with me? Or better still, to my mom’s house? There’s some things I still need to take care of.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
His mother’s house. Cassidy wasn’t sure how she felt about that as she slung an overnight bag into Xavier’s truck.
Diego was talking in a low voice with Xav a little way away from the truck. Cassidy worried a bit about leaving Eric and Jace here alone with Reid, but, interestingly, Nell had volunteered to stay over and watch him. She looked delighted, Reid apprehensive. Nell wouldn’t rough him up too much. Maybe.
Cassidy got into the front seat, leaving the door open, and waited. She pretended to study her hair in the visor’s mirror, but she strained her Shifter hearing to listen.
“You sure, hermano?” Xav was saying. “Enrique’s word isn’t necessarily reliable. He could be luring you down there for a reason. A dying man’s last nasty trick.”
“I can’t not check it out. First lead I’ve had in a long time.”
“If the captain finds out, you are dead meat. I like you, Diego. You’re not bad, for a pain-in-the-ass older brother.”
Diego shrugged. “Captain Max told me to take some leave. Nothing says I can’t go to Mexico for a vacation.”
“Yeah, but most people vacation in Mazatlan or Cabo. Not some bandit town in the middle of nowhere. Besides, what about Cassidy?”
Out of the corner of her eye, Cassidy saw Diego look her way. She busied herself rubbing at an imaginary dirt mark on the corner of her mouth.
“With Reid here, Cass will be good at Mamita’s,” Diego said. “Especially with you to look after her.”
“No way, Diego. If you’re going down there, I am too. You’ll do something stupid and end up in some Mexican jail, and we’ll never see you again.”
“It’s true that I could use your help. After I make sure Cassidy is safe.”
“Good. I’m with you.”
“Just don’t tell Mamita.”
Xav laughed. “You got that right.”
Cassidy put up the visor as they approached and pretended she hadn’t heard a word.
She wasn’t sure why Diego wanted to go to Mexico on the word of this Enrique, the one he’d been forced to shoot, but she sure as hell wasn’t letting him go alone.
Cassidy did want to see the house that Diego called home. She knew from what he’d told her that he hadn’t grown up in the modest house in Boulder City he took her to, but even so, Cassidy knew it was a home the minute she walked in the front door. Just as the house she lived in with Eric and Jace in Shiftertown was now home, so was this one. Loved ones were there, the people with whom you shared sleepy mornings around the breakfast table, who didn’t mind that your hair was a mess or your clothes unkempt.
Comfort and love. This house rang with it.
Diego hugged his mother, a woman half his height, with a firm embrace. “Mamita, this is Cassidy.”
Cassidy found herself under the scrutiny of a sharp-eyed, dark stare. The stare wasn’t unfriendly, just interested and assessing. So, this is the woman sleeping with my son.
“I heard you jumped out the window when you heard Xavier coming,” Juanita Escobar said.
Cassidy’s face heated to roasting. “I wasn’t sure who it was, and I didn’t want to cause trouble for Diego.”
“Because you’re Shifter.” The small woman nodded. “I understand that. Gang warfare is the same all over, even though humans and Shifters might not admit that’s what it is. Don’t be found with the wrong people.”
“Something like that,” Cassidy said.
“Diego won’t let anything happen to him because of you. Or to you because of him.” Juanita held out plump arms. “Diego tells me that Shifters don’t worry about showing affection. Very sensible. Come here, mi ja.”
Cassidy surrendered to her hug. The small woman held her tightly, and Cassidy returned the embrace.
“Now,” Juanita said when they parted. “That’s done with. I made another batch of chilaquiles, since these two boys ran off without eating any. We’ll have them now.”
Cassidy admired herself for her patience all the way through the flavorful dinner. She listened to Diego and Xav banter, answered their mother’s questions about Shifters, and praised Juanita’s food. Not until after she’d helped Juanita do the dishes, while the brothers went outside for an impromptu game of basketball, did Cassidy have the chance to confront Diego.
She walked out to the front driveway where they played in the growing twilight. Diego had his shirt off, Xav keeping his on—so they could tell which team they were on, she supposed. Not that she minded watching Diego’s well-honed muscles play under his dark skin.
Diego dribbled the ball, keeping his back to Xav, while Xavier tried to get around him. Diego shot, but the ball hit the rim of the hoop and bounced off. Cassidy dashed in, jumped, and tipped the ball into the ring.
Diego whooped, laughing, lifted Cassidy off her feet, and whirled her around.
“Hey, no fair getting help from your girlfriend,” Xav said, catching the ball. “Your tall girlfriend.”
“We make a good team,” Diego said. He set Cassidy on her feet and kissed her lips, turning the swift kiss into a lingering one.
Cassidy liked him like this, smiling, relaxed with his family. Happy.
“Diego, we need to talk,” she said.
“Uh-oh,” Xav said. “Never a good way to start a conversation.”
“You’re in on this too,” Cassidy said.
Xavier raised his hands, the basketball still under one arm. “What did I do? Whatever Lindsay told you, I only danced with her, I swear. That’s all. So far.”
“Nothing to do with Lindsay.” Cassidy took the ball from him, set up a shot, put it through the hoop, and caught the ball on its first bounce. “It’s about Mexico.”
Diego shot Xav a look, and Xav shook his head. “I didn’t say a word. When would I have had time?”
“Shifters have good hearing,” Cassidy said. “You’re going to Mexico to find the guys who killed your partner, aren’t you, Diego? That Enrique guy told you something about them, and you’re leaving to check it out.”
“Not so loud,” Diego said. He retrieved his T-shirt and pulled it on. “I don’t need Mamita worrying.”
“Or chewing out your ass,” Xav said.
“I understand why you want to go,” Cassidy said. “For the same reason I went after Reid; for the same reason I still want to find the human hunters. But I’m not letting you go without me.”
Any humor in Diego’s eyes vanished. “Like hell I’m taking you to Mexico. It can be fucking dangerous down there, and you’re a Shifter. You can’t exactly go back and forth across the border. Hell, getting permission to go from state to state is tough for a Shifter. You want to end up in some Shifter Division cell, in Mexico?”
Cassidy waited for him to finish. “How were you planning to get there?”
“Xav’s truck. We’ll probably need four-wheel drive for where we need to go.”
“Conspicuous. Why not fly in as close as you can and find transportation from there?”
Diego shook his head. “Because I’m not a rich boy with a private plane.”
“If you let me come with you, I can provide the plane,” Cassidy said. “And the pilot.”
Diego blinked. “How?”
“First, promise you’ll take me with you.”
“Cass…”
Cassidy folded her arms and waited. At the beginning of the week, she’d have never admitted to Diego, a human, that Eric knew people who could help with clandestine trips, but things had changed. Diego had saved her life—more than once—and he hadn’t had to. He’d kept her from being locked up by Shifter Division, helped her with Reid, and understood what she was going through.