I slipped inside my house, tiptoeing and closing the door as quietly as possible behind me. Caden had been asleep when I’d left to help with an emergency kitten rescue, and I’d wanted to avoid waking him.

A low growl sounded behind me. I spun around, pressing my back to the door.

Caden was sitting in his black panther form, his golden gaze freezing me in place.

You went out after midnight without me. Do you want to get eaten? He stood, his body of midnight silk slinking toward me.

Heat rose up in me and I shivered. This was a game we played often after Caden realized being scared got me revved up. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, but there was no arguing with the jolt of adrenaline when he shifted into this form and looked at me like I was a snack.

“ Want is a pretty strong word here.” I squeezed my thighs together, craving the pressure on my clit.

Caden stood on his hind legs, bracing a paw on each side of my head. He growled, low and dangerous, and it reverberated in my chest as if I were standing next to an amp at full volume. Goosebumps covered every inch of me, my skin hot as he growled again.

Foolishness must be punished .

I reached out and buried my hand in his fur. It was velvet soft, inky black, and my fingers disappeared into the thickness of it. I scratched carefully and Caden’s golden eyes closed slowly. His purr rumbled in response.

That’s cheating .

I leaned in, nuzzling his chin with my face, getting my other hand involved in the scratches. A ripple wavered his muscles and the purring grew louder. If he was going to punish me for taking unnecessary risks, then I was at least going to get him in a better mood first.

Caden shook his head and glared down at me. This isn’t funny. You have no sense of self-preservation. I’m not letting you get taken out because you stopped to pet a shifter without realizing.

“I’m sorry . We got the call, and they’d have died if I hadn’t gone. You were sleeping so deeply I didn’t want to wake you.”

Caden wasn’t a huge fan of my work with fosters for an animal rescue for the very reason that had saved his life: I couldn’t tell the difference between a shifter and a regular animal, and I was willing to foster just about anything.

Five years ago, that had meant I’d happily taken in Caden and his younger brother when they’d shown up injured in my front yard.

I hadn’t found out they were shifters until almost two months later.

Now he insisted on sniff-testing any animal that came into the house to make sure I hadn’t hauled in anything dangerous.

“Besides,” I continued, “these are in the baby potato stage. Even if they were shifters, they’re newborns, so I’m not that concerned.”

Newborns have parents , he pointed out. They’d smell me on you .

“Quit being so stanky, then.” I laughed and gave him a squeeze. “I returned in one piece so there’s no need to be so fussy.”

Protective isn’t fussy. Caden shifted position and dropped us both down to the ground, his massive cat form hovering over me. He settled further, his whole weight draped across me. My bones protested with a series of crackles, and inhaling became a chore.

“You’re killing the spicy vibes . ”

Magic made him shimmer and his fur slipped away in favor of skin until his human form stretched out on top of me. Butt naked. Shifting didn’t accommodate for clothing, unfortunately.

Or fortunately, depending on your mood.

It was usually a very fortunate occasion in my house.

I grinned, lifting my wrists over my head and spreading my thighs so he could settle closer to me.

Caden pinned me down, a hand on each of my wrists, his hips tucked firmly against mine.

His hazel eyes watched me expectantly. I wanted to trace my fingers over the dark stubble at his jaw, but he only held tighter when I tried to move.

“Better?” he asked.

“Mhmm.” I looped my legs around his waist. “Much better.”

“Did you save the kittens, at least?”

Caden dipped down to my throat, his fangs sliding against my neck.

He nipped carefully, not quite breaking the skin, and lapped his tongue over the spot.

I shivered, need pulsing through me. I strained against his hands and let out a startled moan as he braced me in place, the tips of his fangs resting at the pulse point in my throat.

As much as I love you making that sound, it’s not an answer to my question.

It was too hard to think with my heart hammering and my pussy clenching.

Words.

You know words.

Use them.

Why didn’t the telepathy work both ways? I could think so much easier than speak in these situations.

“Yes.” I shuddered as he ground his hips down. “The kittens are at the shelter to get their vet check.”

“Mmm,” he murmured against me. “Good, then I have you all to myself.”

His growl turned my insides to liquid fire and I squeaked, clit pulsing, as he freed my hands and laid a palm over my throat to keep me in place. Gods. I was too weak for him. Five years of Caden and I still melted like the first time.

“Now, about that punishment.”

A patterned knock struck the door and Caden froze.

The sound of it kicked my sexy mood right down the drain.

“Who the fuck is that at two in the morning?” I asked.

He slid into his house cat form and dashed toward the door, poking his head through the curtains. A wordless groan from his telepathy was followed by a hiss.

“Who is it?”

Seth.

The name sent a pang of loss through me. I still hated that he’d left and no one had given me the reason yet. Caden had told me I should ask Seth, but I’d never wanted to sour the infrequent visits, so I’d left it alone.

He’d been here a couple of months ago and I hadn’t expected to see him again so soon.

“What does he want?” I picked myself up off the floor and looked through the peephole.

I’d have to ask him to know and I don’t want to let him inside. He’s here too early. He probably pissed off the wrong people.

“Maybe he’s hurt?”

“I can hear you through the door, Logan,” said Seth. “And I can see Caden in the window.”

Caden did that weird cranky growl cats do right before they take a swing at you when you’ve upset them.

I sighed and pulled open the door. “Hey, Seth!”

He swallowed me up in a hug and I froze for a moment. He wasn’t usually so openly touchy with me, but the warmth of him sank into me and I dug my fingers into his shirt.

Seth stepped back and gave me a big smile. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah, of course.” I stepped aside and Seth kissed my cheek as he swept inside, scooping up mini-Caden before he had a chance to shift. “Hey, cutie.”

I ignored the burst of heat where Seth’s lips had touched my skin.

He looked so much like Caden. They had the same gorgeous, sun-kissed skin, black hair, and hazel eyes that turned my knees to jelly.

If I didn’t know one of them so intimately, I’d easily be able to mistake one for the other at a distance.

The only immediately discernible differences were that Seth had a more cheeky, playful vibe than Caden did, and a slimmer build.

Caden hissed and wriggled free from Seth’s grip, shifting to his human form before he hit the floor. “Fuck off.”

“You know, I really thought he’d be in a better mood after he started living with you,” said Seth.

“He hates happiness,” I joked, shooting a wink at Caden. “We weren’t expecting you back so soon.”

“I need a place to crash for a couple ni?—”

“No.” Caden spat out the word before Seth could even finish his sentence.

“Come on .” Seth turned to me, ignoring Caden. “Please. I’ll be good. I’ll even pay for the privilege.”

I raised an eyebrow. I’d never, ever made him pay to stay with me. “You’re always welcome here. You know that.”

He turned his brilliant smile onto me. My heart fluttered happily.

“Have you been hanging around in people form?” I asked. “You showed up in clothes this time.”

Seth laughed. “Yeah, I’ve been spending time with a few buddies. I figured you’d both appreciate it if I popped up while wearing pants.” He looked pointedly at Caden. “Some of us would appreciate it if everyone was clothed.”

Caden’s hackles rose and he stalked away long enough to grab a pair of sweatpants from our bedroom, returning half dressed. “Why are you back early?”

“You’re out of the loop with shifter shit.” Seth shoved his hands in his pockets. “I figured you probably hadn’t heard about the attacks.”

Caden’s nostrils flared. “What attacks?”

“See, exactly,” Seth said. “You have no idea what’s going on with you playing human in Logan-land.”

I snapped my fingers in front of Seth’s face. “Focus. What’s going on?”

“Right, sorry.” He swung an arm around my shoulders. “I was at a club tonight and something killed two of us. I figured Caden should be aware since it was only, like, an hour from here.”

“What killed them?” Caden asked. He tugged me out of Seth’s grip and into his own. I stroked a soothing hand down his back until he relaxed.

“Not a fucking clue.” Seth shrugged. “It was invisible to me and I didn’t stick around. I think it might be the same thing I’ve felt the last couple of months.”

“So, something is probably tracking you, and you’re bringing it here instead of calling?” Caden looked pissed as hell.

Seth stared down at his feet. “I don’t have a phone right now and I wanted you to know. And I figured if I ended up having to run from something, the safest place would be with you.”

The words softened Caden a little, but he was still tense under my hands. “I need you to leave,” he said to Seth.

I bristled at Caden’s words.

“This is Logan’s house, not yours,” said Seth, a panicked edge sneaking into his voice. “If she wants me out, she can tell me herself.”

I barely got Seth around to begin with. I certainly wasn’t going to kick him out when he was spooked. “You can stay.”

Caden’s face pinched.

“Quit looking like you bit into a lemon.” I patted his chest. “We can’t send your brother out into the night when something might be after him.”

“See, she gets it,” said Seth.