Page 8 of The Buck Stops Hare

“Eve!” I reached out, but she’d invaded Grim’s space too quickly. My cervine form held greater sway over my mind, andwhen I reared back, a loud crack silenced our squabble and sent Grim reeling back at a stumble.

With a sharp twist of her form and a flying fist, Eve went for Grim once more, sending him back to fall on his ass, staring up in utter bewilderment.

“Where is my brother? What did you do to Cliff?” She sneered down at Grim, who could breathe fire, who could discorporate her form, if so he chose. Any inkling of anger he’d had before melted away.

“Safe. Unharmed.” If I wasn’t mistaken, a shaking note of awe filled the old bloodletter’s voice. As stricken as any mortal by her fist, he sat in the dirt staring up at us.

She shook her fist out and turned her back on him, hands on her hips, every inch of her lovely caramel skin gleaming in the morning sunrise, the undertones of red in her so much more prominent as she swept her short locks of pixie-cut hair back from her forehead. “Good. Let’s go get him. Point the way, birdy boy.” With a rude gesture toward Grim, she waited for him to stumble to his feet, dust caked over his legs as he brushed himself off halfheartedly.

“Of course.” Despite his usual violent nature, he shifted into his beastlike form, some part panther, the other part eagle, a gryphon of sorts with fur as golden hued as his skin, and knelt for her. Without hesitation, she climbed onto his back, her toned thighs locking over his hackles and clearing his wingbases.

“Follow me, please.” His growling voice near purred as he said so and took off, eliciting a whoop from Eve, far too smug for what strangeness had just happened. So, when they took off, I shifted, clutching Jacque in my talons. The creature, for having been dropped by a bird of prey, seemed to enjoy flying. He stuck his head out, sniffing at the morning air until an errant bird streaked past us. Oddly enough, he barked at it territorially, as if to say that it was his sky! If it weren’t for Eve’s oncoming mortalperil, I might have taken a moment to enjoy it. Nevertheless, it was the one bright spot in the whole thing.

We arrived at what must have been an old school at some point, a compound full of expansive buildings headed by an ostentatious stone home that stood out in ghastly contrast to it all. Even the grass around the home held greater stature and care than the dust-laden surroundings inundated with the scent of boar.

Down I swept until the ground neared my feet, and I shifted in such a way as to have Jacque in my arms when feet touched ground. The bunny barked from the opening of the bag and struggled out, thumping around in a dust patch for a moment excitedly. With a sharp bark, he shook himself off and forged forward, standing up on his hind legs expectantly as he approached Eve and Grim. The god regarded him with apprehension before canting his head. “The thing is flawed.”

“Jacque isspecial.” Eve bent down to give him an affectionate pat that threw him off-balance enough to fall. After, with a quick shake and stumble to his feet, he returned to me, pawing at my leg to be picked up once more.

Smart little guy.

Even disabled, muted, and set back, he managed to get his point across. I picked him up as Grim ignored my presence and marched Eve through the front of the building. “I believe there has been somewhat of a misunderstanding—”

“Misunderstanding? You kidnapped my brother!” Eve glared at the god who backed down near instantaneously. “That’s not a misunderstanding!”

“Had I known he was an aspect—”

“A what?” I snarled, the first scents of sweet earth, sunbaked stone, and high altitude hitting my senses. An aspect.Mine.The territorial rage that boiled in me made my beast rear and drewfrom me a horrid noise through a human throat that couldn’t contain it.

“Brother! A mistake! I didn’t—” Grim held his hands up placatively but earned a swat to the side of his head from Eve, sending his dark, silken locks scattering over his back and shoulders.

“Take me to him!” I pushed forward, following the maddening scent. I’d mocked Storm for his lack of control around Rayne, but the scent that clawed at my nostrils and tore its way through my body was—“Mine.”

“What the hell?” Eve asked, her question met with whispered placations from Grim. She no longer mattered. Grim no longer mattered.

I approached a doorway locked from the outside and marked with the scent of boar. I reached for the knob, intent on destroying whatever stood between me and the scent. My mate,mine.

Grim reached forward and unlocked the door, and what lay within gutted me.

He was beautiful, all strong, lean lines. Cut muscles sculpted hips that would make shifters jealous, the aforementioneddoll jointsthat Rayne had once mentioned he disliked.

More for me.

Dark hair with a slight texture lay mussed over a mostly bare scalp. Sweat drenched skin as pretty as Rayne’s, a soft sort of warm taupe, gently haired over his chest. So, I dared to gaze lower and take in the sight of a fine trail of hair starting at his navel going down, obscured by a hand buried in half-removed boxers. Unashamed, he threw his firm jaw back, neck standing in sharp relief as he swallowed, jerking himself off shamelessly. Jeans hung from one ankle.

Heat.My nostrils flared and Jacque struggled in my arms until I released him. As if understanding his master’s struggles,he stood on his hind legs and sniffed before tottering back to my side, keeping at my heel.

Grim whispered something to Eve and kept her back before I shut the door out of politeness and turned, body shaking more than I thought possible for a god. “He’s my aspect.”

“Brother in blood. I—” Grim’s wretched face twisted into genuine apology.

“What has been done to him?” I pushed into Grim’s personal space, snarling. Though he stood a good six inches above me, he slouched and did something a breath less than cower. He conceded.

Shaking his head, he gestured toward the door. “They sensed omega and dosed him with an estrus stimulant, thinking that an appropriate way to bridge the gap of life.”

“By rape? By—” The words didn’t come to my lips.

Grim sneered. “Not. My. Decision. I requested the vet tech get a vial of megestrol to help, but he’s not responsive to it.”

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