Falke’s Captive Read Online Free PDF

What the hell was going on?
    A bank of computers took up the top of one table. He was in the only cage, and it was big—the right size for a full-grown cougar. A stainless steel freezer-looking thing occupied one wall, along with some storage cabinets and more countertops with a microscope and a bunch of other equipment he couldn’t begin to identify. On the desktop near one of the computers lay a tranquilizer gun and three red-and-white-tailed darts.
    He snarled again.
    “I wonder. How long have you been on your own?” Beth stood and lifted a bowl off the floor. As she approached his prison, she moved with more caution than before and whispered, “It’s okay, big boy. Really. We’re not gonna hurt you. I promise.”
    She stared at him as she came closer, and she damn near mesmerized him. Her eyes were so light they were almost unreal—so intense. At the pub, they’d sparkled with humor and what he was sure had been lust. Now they showed tender caring. Her voice was husky, sexier than all hell. And her scent. He licked his chops, wanting a taste. That chaste, almost nothing kiss they’d exchanged at the hotel had left him hungry for more. And now, in his catamount form, he could smell her and knew she’d taste like heaven.
    Before he realized what she was doing, she opened a small door at the bottom of the cage and slid the bowl of water inside. He glanced down at it as the momentum made a few drops splash over the side of the dish. The tiny door clinked back into place.
    “See there? It’s okay, big fella. It’s just water. You must be thirsty. Right?”
    Should he trust her? Would she drug him again?
    “Go on. It’s okay,” she murmured, her forehead furrowed. Under the harsh fluorescent lighting, strands of spun gold shot through her deep auburn hair. It must be amazing to see in the sunlight. Like the night before, her tresses were pulled back into a bun, but this one drooped a bit, and he could see a few pieces of what looked like twigs stuck in them.
    She gave him a tentative smile. So damn eager and friendly. As if she didn’t mean him any harm.
    He bent his head and sniffed the water. It smelled clean. He took one lap to test it, then more and more, trying to quench his thirst and bring moisture back to his throat.
    “That’s a good boy. Tim’s out getting you some food now. We’ll take good care of you until we figure out where you belong.”
    That brought him up short.
    All he had to do was change into human form and unlatch the cage to free himself; she hadn’t used a padlock on the cage’s slide bolt. But he couldn’t shift in front of her. What if she never left? He glanced around again looking for sleeping bags or other camping equipment but found none. How long would he have to sit in this prison? How long before his family, or at least Reidar, realized he was missing and went looking for him?
    Shit . All they’d find was his clothes strewn on the path behind Axel’s house. Not good. So not good. Kelan sat on his haunches, his head drooping. As pissed off as he was at Axel, he didn’t need his brother worrying about him. And his dads. Damn it. He couldn’t have them thinking he might’ve run off.
    The anger returned, this time aimed at himself. How could he have been so fucking careless?
    “Hey there, big guy. What’s wrong?”
    He looked up at the woman who stared at him with obvious concern. Caught by a girl—a pretty girl, but still no excuse. He tried to glare a hole through the floor.
    “You’re probably not used to being locked up, huh?”
    He huffed and wanted to roll his eyes.
    She made a sad face. “I know, but I swear it won’t be long. I just need to locate your owner and get this all figured out.”
    Great. Even worse. She’d find his family, and they’d tease him mercilessly for the rest of his life for getting shot in the ass by a city slicker. He had to get rid of her and get the hell out before anyone went looking for him.
    Her expression changed to one of