Fergus just stared at her, then turned to Liam. “Does she ever shut up?”
“Not that I’ve noticed.”
“Not a point in her favor.”
“I don’t know,” Liam said with a faint smile. “I kind of like it.”
Fergus’s lip curled. “Bring her to me.”
“Sorry, Fergus,” Liam said. “I’ll be leaving that choice up to her.”
The room held its collective breath. Kim didn’t have to be an expert in nonverbal cues to see that Fergus’s whole stance now said, Obey me or suffer. Liam’s stance said, No way in hell, but Kim noticed he wouldn’t meet Fergus’s eyes.
“I’m not going to hurt the woman,” Fergus said, tight-lipped.
“No?” Kim broke in. “Why am I not reassured?”
“He’s telling the truth.” Liam’s voice warmed her ear, his voice so tight she realized how much he must be holding himself back.
“Could have fooled me.”
Liam turned Kim to face him. He touched her cheek, his eyes wary but with a sparkle of excitement deep within them. “He doesn’t want to hurt you, love,” he said softly. “That was never his intention. When Fergus called Dad last night, he ordered us to bring you down here so he could claim you as his mate.”
Kim’s blue eyes went wide, shining with anger, fear, and astonishment. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Liam smoothed a lock of her hair, trying to soothe her with his Shifter touch. “Don’t worry, love. I’m not going to let him.”
It struck him suddenly that he’d been waiting for something like this. Maybe all his life. He’d told himself he’d passed up potential mates to give other Shifter males a chance at happiness, but he realized now that he’d simply not found a woman he wanted to be with. Easy to be altruistic when he wasn’t making much of a sacrifice.
But when this sassy human female had walked into his office yesterday, with her blouse buttons straining, her short gray skirt smooth over her sweet rump, when she’d started laying out a heated, well-reasoned argument why he should help her before Liam could even speak, his well-ordered world had overturned. She’d managed to touch something that Liam had always kept protected. Maybe she’d touched it because he hadn’t kept his guard up, hadn’t expected a human to reach what no Shifter had ever reached.
Last night, when Dylan had broken the news that Fergus expected Liam to bring Kim to him so Fergus could claim her as mate, Liam had flat-out refused. Dylan had argued, not understanding. What was the fate of one human against the good of all Shifters? Fergus could control Kim, and that would be the end of the matter.
Liam had nearly punched his father in the face, something he’d never in his life dreamed of doing. Kim would go to Fergus over his dead body, he’d said. Dylan had regarded Liam first in amazement, then comprehension, even sympathy. He’d stopped arguing, told Liam he agreed to disobey Fergus, then walked out of the house.
Mate. Mine. Protect.
Liam wanted to hold Kim and not let her go. He wanted to kiss her, screw her, make her pancakes the next morning. The instincts that hadn’t manifested in a hundred years of living suddenly rose and raged.
“Why would he want me to be his mate?” Kim was asking. “Whatever that means. He’s never met me before today.”
Goddess, how could a male not want her? But she had a point.
“He wants to control you,” Liam said. “Because you’re right. It would cause him major problems if he killed you. But if you’re his mate, you’re subject to him and clan law. And no longer a threat to Shifters.”
“And if I refuse?”
Fergus wasn’t going to let her refuse. Liam wasn’t certain how Fergus planned to subdue Kim—drugs, spells, terror—but the man wanted Kim under his thumb.
Fergus also likely wanted to see how far Liam would go to protect her. Once Fergus knew what Liam felt for Kim, the better he could manipulate Liam and the rest of his family. Either way, Kim would be watched, controlled.
“You won’t have to,” Liam told Kim.
Fergus gave them a narrow stare. “Does this mean you make the Challenge for her?”
Liam sensed Dylan and Sean move in behind him, their instinct to protect manifesting, no matter how bloody stupid they thought Liam was being. Liam wished Connor would get the hell out of here. Connor was a kid, a cub, and he wasn’t ready yet for this kind of confrontation. Liam didn’t think Fergus would take that into consideration when he started meting out punishment.
Liam slid his hand into Kim’s, looked Fergus straight in the eye, and reached for a Texas phrase that would make Ellison proud.
“Damn straight.”
Chapter Eleven
Fergus’s gaze locked with Liam’s, and Liam felt a surge of triumph.
“Dylan,” Fergus snapped.
Dylan answered in a calm voice. “My son is not yet mated. It’s his right.”
Don’t defend me, Dad. Walk away. This isn’t your fight.
Dylan remained in place. Liam hadn’t really thought he’d be wise and disappear. Dylan would never desert his offspring, even if it meant his death.
“Excuse me,” Kim burst out. Heads swiveled to her, a hundred pairs of Shifter eyes pinning her, but she didn’t flinch. “I don’t like all this talk about mating, thank you very much—especially when it involves me.”
Liam wanted to laugh out loud. She was a treasure. Shifter instincts were starting to blot out his human reason, making him yearn for Fergus’s blood under his claws and then Kim in his arms.
Sex with Kim would be glorious, even if he had to stay in human form for it. He’d gotten a taste of her last night, her sweet mouth, her kisses, her touch on his body. He wanted to lie on top of her, practicing more human kissing as he slid inside her and made her his.
Fergus’s own pheromones rolled off him, thick and strong, polluting the air. Smelling them, Liam realized Fergus didn’t plan to make Kim mate in name only. He wanted Kim, wanted a furious f**k. Liam would die before he let that happen.
“Silence her,” Fergus growled at Liam.
Sean stepped to Kim’s other side. Even without the sword, he stood like a warrior, ready to fight. “Liam has made the Challenge,” Sean said. “Nothing we can do but see how it plays out.”
“Screw that.” Kim tried to twist out of Liam’s hold, but Liam wasn’t about to let her go. “Connor,” she said over her shoulder. “Can you find something for me to stand on? A chair or something?”