Lonely. So lonely. Stay with me.

Myka gasped, and Spike broke the kiss.

She was breathing hard, her pupils spreading but her body shaking. His instincts screamed at him to take Myka upstairs, lock her into his room with him, and not let her go until they’d made a couple more cubs to go with Jordan. Nature wanted him to do this, and Spike’s mind wasn’t fighting nature too much. But there was more at stake right now.

Spike had the hardest time asking for anything, let alone pleading for it. Warrior Shifters didn’t plead. They killed, they gloated over their enemy’s body, they sated themselves on the first woman they saw after that, then they got up the next morning and did it all over again.

Spike caressed Myka’s hand between both of his and met her eyes over it. “I need you to help me.” He dredged up the word inside him. “Please.”

Myka hesitated. She’d say no, she’d walk out, get into her pickup and drive away, leaving him watching after her, bereft. Warrior Shifters were never bereft . . . which was a big, fat lie.

Myka let out her breath. It whooshed over his fingertips, sending a tingle through his veins that went straight to his cock.

“All right,” she said. “I’ll stay. Jordan needs looking after. For a little while.”

Spike kissed her mouth again, tongue gliding over her parted lips.

A little while was fine. Gave him plenty of time.

*** *** ***

Ella came hurrying down the stairs as Myka held on to Spike’s hand and wondered what she’d gotten herself into.

“Liam’s coming,” Ella said. “I saw him from the window. Spike, what did you do?”

“Who’s Liam?”

Ella’s brow furrowed, her eyes flicking to Shifter. Spike tensed again, the ease Myka had felt in him when she’d promised to stay a while vanishing. He strode to the door and opened it.

“Who’s Liam?” Myka repeated.

“The Shiftertown leader,” Ella said. “He’d never come here, to our territory, uninvited, if there wasn’t a problem.”

Myka went to Spike’s side at the open door. He moved to put himself in front of her, guarding her, she realized. She peered around his large body, expecting a monster to come running up the steps, snarling and ready to kill.

What she saw was a tall man in jeans and T-shirt strolling up the sidewalk, his long body as graceful in movement as Spike’s. Sunshine gleamed on his black hair, the sunglasses he wore against the bright afternoon, and the black and silver Collar around his neck.

He stopped at the base of porch steps, took off the sunglasses, and looked up at Spike with very blue eyes.

“Spike, lad, can I talk to you?”

The man asked, but his body language told Myka he expected Spike to agree. Spike’s body language said that he wanted to do anything but. Her work with horses had taught her that animals didn’t need words to speak volumes, and Myka saw forcefully that these two men were more animal than human.

Spike made a conceding gesture, and Liam came up the steps, in no hurry. He stopped in the middle of the porch, then his gaze moved around Spike to Myka and stayed there.

The man looking out of the very blue eyes had seen many things and suffered hardships, the scars of them evident in the weight of his stare.

“Who’s this?” he asked, an Irish lilt to his voice.

“Her name’s Myka,” Spike said. “She’s under my protection.”

Liam’s gaze shot to Spike again, leaving Myka alone. “Oh, aye?”

“Oh, yeah.”

Liam looked back at Myka and drew a sharp breath through his nostrils, then he frowned. “Not mate-claimed.”

“Not yet,” Spike said.

“Hmm.”

Spike stepped out onto the porch. He folded his arms and stood in front of Liam, effectively blocking Liam’s way into the house, not that Liam made any indication he wanted to enter. But Spike was positioned so that if Liam tried to go for Myka or Ella, he’d have to first get past Spike.

“And your cub?” Liam asked. “He’s all right?”

“He’s sleeping.”

“Good for the lad. A little peace and quiet for you too, eh?” Liam smiled, a warm, charming smile that told Myka he could really turn it on when he wanted to. “We can do his naming this Sunday. Sound fine to you?”

“What do you want, Liam?” Spike asked.

Liam’s smile dimmed, but only a little. “I always wondered what would happen if you became a dad, had a family. Now I know. You’re standing there wantin’ to tell me to go to hell.” He chuckled. “My most loyal of trackers has found his teeth.”

Spike didn’t relax. He and Liam were about the same size, Spike’s bare muscles glistening with sweat, Liam’s mostly hidden by his shirt. If they’d been alley cats, they’d be circling each other, sizing each other up, deciding whether to make the first move, or whether it would be too dangerous to follow through.

Myka didn’t want to wait. She pushed her way past Spike and marched onto the porch, evading Spike who tried to grab her.

“What did you come over for?” she asked Liam. “Seems like it’s a big deal that you did, instead of calling first.”

The only move Liam made was to bend his head to look down at Myka. Behind Spike, Ella made a soft sound of fear, but Liam did nothing more threatening than stare. The power of his gaze, however, made Myka want to take a step back.

She made herself not move. Horses played this power game, and Myka always made sure she won. She had to, or she couldn’t do her job.

Spike, on the other hand, snarled, a low rumbling noise that held dire warning. He skimmed around Myka in one swift movement, his hand coming up to Liam’s throat.

But when Spike would have closed on the other man’s neck, Liam wasn’t there.

Liam now stood four feet away from Spike down the porch, just out of arm’s reach. Myka didn’t remember seeing Liam move, but she felt the breeze of his passing touch her face.

“Easy, lad,” Liam said, no fear in his voice. “I won’t touch her. I respect the pride.” He gave Myka another look, this one a little softer. “Besides, I know how headstrong human women can be. Trust me.” The smile came back, and he tipped Myka a wink.

“You haven’t answered his question,” Myka said. He could keep his wink, no matter how charming he was.