Redeeming Rue AP4 by R. E. Butler Page A

inhaled and froze in place, not sure what he smelled.  John stopped next to him but said nothing as James inhaled once more.  Among the normal scents of the forest, of trees and moss and animals, was the scent of artificial flowers.
    “It smells like perfume almost,” John whispered.
    “I agree,” James said, inhaling again and turning to the right.  His steps quickened as the aroma grew stronger.  Thanks to his mountain lion nature, his sense of smell was heightened, and he could sort through scents, as he did now.  There was a faint scent beneath the fragrance of flowers, but he couldn’t quite figure it out.  A deeper, sweeter, wilder scent.  He was certain that the source of the scent was what was calling to them both, and his cat snarled.  James knew then that he was following his mate.
    James felt they were close to its source.  He stepped and a thick twig snapped under his foot, and the smell of fear filled the air.  His beast growled in anger at whatever was frightening their mate, and his steps quickened, John at his side.
    Something rushed by near them, and James and John both reached out to stop whatever it was, and a feminine scream rent the air.  They caged the woman between them, and she immediately thrashed and struggled.
    James caught her hands with his and kept her from nailing him in the face.
    John said, “We’re not going to hurt you.”
    “Let me go!”  The woman’s voice was laced with fright as the bitter odor of her fear filled the air.
    James could see that she had dark hair and pale skin, but he couldn’t make out her features even with the help of his beast.  But neither he nor his beast actually cared what she looked like, because he could feel that she was his mate.  His and John’s.  A purr rumbled from his chest, and the woman froze.
    She twisted her wrists from his hands, and he let her go even though he could have easily held her. Her fear had diminished greatly, and he didn’t think she was going to run.
    One of her hands gripped James’ bicep.  “Who are you?”
    John snorted.  “You are trespassing in our territory, sweetheart, and you’re asking who we are?”
    A fine tremble made her shudder, and the scent of her fear returned.  “I didn’t know.  I’m…can you let me go?  I won’t come back.”
    James snarled at the thought.  “Come to our home so we can talk.”
    “No!”  She lurched away from them, struggling to get away.  James wrapped his arms around her and caged her arms to her sides.
    “All right, all right, calm down!  We won’t take you home.”
    The scent of her tears filled the air.  “Please let me go.  This was a mistake.”
    “No, it wasn’t,” John said.  “You came here for a reason, but that doesn’t matter as much as the fact that we followed your scent.”
    “You couldn’t have.  I covered it.”
    For a brief moment, the woman relaxed against James, and he wasn’t so much restraining her but holding her.
    “Why?” James whispered into her ear.  Her hair brushed against the side of his face and the texture felt strange. Not soft like hair should be, but synthetic.
    She let out a soft moan and wiggled against James as the sound of her and John kissing filled the air.  James pressed his mouth to her throat as John kissed her, and James slowly eased his tight hold on her body.  She melted into him, writhing between him and his brother in the darkness.  James licked at her skin, grimacing at the harsh taste of whatever perfume she had on to mask herself.  Underneath the chemical smell was her natural scent, and he wanted to get to it.  To strip her of the fake smell and find out just how sweet she really was.
    She wrapped her hands around his hips and pulled him against her.  He stroked his tongue up the column of her throat and purred as she ground herself against him with a throaty moan.  Her head turned toward him and he kissed her, pressing his mouth to hers and delving his tongue between her