Rise & Fall (THIRDS 4)

THIS WAS going to be too easy.

Idiots. Going off to hunt their prey while leaving their baby bird in the nest. That’s why cheetahs struggled to survive. Why they were the most vulnerable of the Felids. So eager to trust, so innocent, needing someone to take them under their wing. Hogan smiled to himself. This was going to be fun.

He pulled the officer’s cap down low over his eyes as he approached the van parked among the trees and dense shrubs, and he knocked on the back door. A few seconds later, the door cracked opened, and the young cheetah Therian appeared.

“Is there a problem, officer?”

&nb

sp; “You have to move your van, son. There’s no parking on the grass.”

“Oh. Sorry, I’ll go ahead and do that. Thanks.” He made to close the door when Hogan grabbed the handle and jerked it open, the kid tumbling out and into his arms. With a toothy grin, Hogan shoved him hard into the van before climbing in and securing the door behind him.

“What the hell?” The young cheetah Therian scrambled to his feet and spun around, recognition dawning on his boyish face. “Shit.”

“Afternoon, Agent Maddock. I hear you’ve been looking for me.”

Big silver eyes widened as the kid took another step back, Hogan’s name escaping from between plump lips. He inched closer to the side of the van where the equipment was.

“I hope you’re not planning on contacting your brother, because it would ruin my surprise.”

The young agent glared daggers at him. Brave little shit. Hogan would give him that much. He almost felt sorry for the kid. No doubt he’d been corrupted by his Human family. A Therian should never be raised by Humans. They’d tamed him. Eaten away at the wildness in his heart until there was nothing left but a harmless kitten.

“Well, well. Aren’t you adorable?”

“Fuck you, asshole!”

Hogan launched at him, grabbed the young Therian around his waist, and tackled him to the ground. It was over in seconds. The kid was no match for a tiger Therian, much less one of Hogan’s size and strength. He used his heavy mass to hold the agent down on his belly against the floor, his arms pinned at the sides of his head.

“And such sharp claws,” Hogan murmured, his lips close to the agent’s ear. “I bet Keeler loves that feistiness. I knew there was something going on between you two. He pretended so damn hard not to show he cared. But we saw right through him. You should have seen his eyes when Merritt said your name. There was this rage vibrating through him. Your ferocious lion could barely maintain a grip on himself. He might have been able to fool the Humans, but he couldn’t hide it from a fellow Felid. He’s in love with you. So much so, he would die for you. This time, I’m going to make sure he actually does.”

“You’ll never beat him or my brother,” the kid spat out. “They’ll take you down and put you in a cage where you belong. With the rest of the rabid animals.”

“There’s that mouth again. I hear it runs in the family. Shame. It’s a pretty mouth.” Hogan held both of the agent’s wrists in one hand so he could run the other down his slim neck and sinewy frame. He was soft yet firm. Hogan pushed his crotch up against the young Therian’s perky little ass. It would be a waste to get rid of the cheetah Therian so quickly. He slipped his hand under the T-shirt, moaning at the silky soft skin underneath. His hand travelled lower down, the tips of his fingers slipping under the waistband of the agent’s tac pants.

“Maybe I should fuck you right here. We could make a little video for Keeler. I would love to see his face when he watches it. When he sees all the ways I defile his precious little chew toy. It’ll destroy him. What do you say?” His hand moved to the agent’s ass and in between his legs where he pressed firmly down. “Shall we give him a show?”

“You sick son of a bitch! Get off me!”

Hogan chuckled before the unexpected blow landed. The young agent’s skull slammed back into Hogan’s nose, causing him to roll off with a litany of curses, the wind knocked out of him when a boot kicked him in the stomach over and over. Officially fucked off, Hogan let out a fierce growl and snatched the kid’s leg, jerking him off his feet and slamming him down against the van’s carpet, making the young cheetah Therian gasp for air. Hogan straddled him, surprised by the kid’s ferocity.

Hogan swiped his arm across his bleeding nose, momentarily letting his guard down when a punch caught him in the ribs. With a growl, he struggled to get a grip on the feral young Therian hissing and clawing at him. Silver eyes flashed with indignation.

“You really think you’re a match for me?” Hogan snarled. “I’m going to put an end to your lover, your piece of shit brother, and the rest of your traitorous team. They took my revenge from me, now I’m going to take everything away from them. First your brother, then Keeler, then that asshole Brodie, and then I’m coming back for the rest.” He snatched a fistful of the agent’s hair and jerked him to his feet. “Then after I’ve had my fun with you and your sweet little ass, you’re going to join them in hell.”

The kid landed a punch across Hogan’s face and kicked at the side of his knee, freeing himself long enough to lunge at the equipment on the console across from them where he managed to hit something on a keyboard. The last of Hogan’s patience snapped. He picked the kid up, shoved him against the van’s wall, took hold of his head, and cracked it hard against the side. The kid went limp in his arms.

“Fucking little shit.” Hogan cursed and winced at his split lip. Fishing the burner phone from his pocket, he put in a call. “Pick me up. Little fucker was more of a pain in the ass than I expected. Don’t underestimate those assholes.”

“DESTRUCTIVE DELTA, on my mark,” Dex instructed quietly, his fingers flexing on his tranq rifle from his hidden position inside the bushes.

Bautista sat on the edge of the fountain in Wagner Cove a few feet away. Around them were agents dressed as civilians. One in rollerblades, another

tending to the grass, a couple walking down the path. Theta Destructive sat in their BearCat several yards away on Terrace Drive awaiting instructions from their Team Leader. Seb had given them only enough information for them to know another team was working the area undercover. It was all they needed. When a team trusted their Team Leader, the agents would follow him or her to hell and back, no questions asked, no excuses given.

Exactly at noon, Collins appeared, giving the area a cursory glance as he headed over to Bautista and gave him a kiss. Destructive Delta listened in on the conversation through the tiny military-grade bug they’d placed on the cross hanging from the delicate gold chain around Bautista’s neck.

“Hey, baby. I’m surprised you called.”