Read Claws for Free Online Page B

“After all she is a cat shifter. My clutch could use some fresh blood.”
    Sasha sank into her seat. Heat rose up her neck and across her cheeks.
    Etienne turned and stared at Loubel, his voice rumbled like gravel rubbing together. “That little fight you had with the wolf a month back will seem like child’s play after I get a hold of you. Keep joking like that and I will skin your ass, then systematically break you down until there’s not even enough to feed my pets. When I’m done, there won’t be enough of your body to be found.”
    She looked over at Etienne. He stared at Loubel and didn’t blink. She was quickly learning his traits and when he didn’t blink, she was sure he was deadly serious. A pissed-off gator was an unreadable one and she wasn’t quite sure what the animal would do in a fit of anger. She swallowed and inched closer to the snake.
    Etienne turned his gaze on her. “Move any closer to the viper and you will give me reason to kill him.”
    Loubel slammed his foot on the brake and they all flew into the dash. “Goddess but I hate creatures and their sensitivities during a mating. It was a damn joke, gator. She’s too skinny for me. Chain your fucking beast before I’m tempted to shift and bury my fangs in the softer hide of your chest. We’ll see who wins when you have a few cc’s of venom flowing through your system.” He pushed on the gas and the truck lurched forward.
    Sasha swiveled her head between the two men. “Exactly how long before we get to wherever we’re going?”
    She needed to get out the truck in the worst way. She had a little devil on her shoulder screaming at her to instigate a fight and see just how far Etienne was willing to go. What the hell was wrong with her? She scrubbed her face with her hands. A run would calm her and given her circumstances, she might hightail it all the way to Volkshire.

Chapter Five
     
    Marree was no help and Sasha could still hear her peals of laughter long after they left the vet’s office. When she was finally able to control her mirth, she looked at Sasha with compassion and shook her head. Sasha’s nails had bitten into her skin. She hadn’t realized she’d been clasping her hands so tightly. A claiming could not be undone. The sinking feeling Sasha had been trying to ignore bottomed out and settled like a lead weight in her stomach. Was there no one in this town who understood how dire her situation was? It was like she was bumping her head against a concrete wall. She was supposed to be securing the place for the committee the Council was sending. Instead she’d been shot, soundly fucked, but she’d never admit that out aloud, and mated a gator. She hadn’t spent much time actually working on her directive. Sasha hung her head. This had to be one of the most bizarre weeks of her life.
    Loubel stayed behind when they exited the building. Etienne didn’t walk toward the truck as she expected. He started off in the opposite direction and glanced back and lifting his arm to offer her his hand. She shook her head. They weren’t lovers out to take a romantic stroll. She was a battle-hardened Volkshire sentential and he was a predator of the basest nature. In the swamps, they would have given each other a wide berth. He dropped his arm, turned on his heel and walked away with his shoulder squared and his back stiff. With a sigh, she trotted to him keeping a bit of distance between them. She glanced over at his profile remembering the night before. Her clit throbbed and her legs went momentarily weak, forcing her to drag her feet for a few steps.
    He didn’t appear to notice her sudden loss of coordination. Crab boats floated down the river, the whir off their engines competing with the sound of the waves crashing against the pilings of the neighboring docks as they passed. The sparse traffic allowed her to start a conversation without raising her voice. She stuffed her hands into her front pockets. If only she knew where to