Talon/Xavier (Bayou Heat) by Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright Page B

whose blood had both damaged the Wildlands and had caused it to bring forth life?
    And Aristide didn’t tell me?
    What the hell? Xavier mused darkly. Someone needed to be watching out for Amalie.
    The door to The Cougar’s Den burst open and one of Amalie’s dance partners nearly stumbled out. When the greasy male spotted her, he grinned like a fucking wolf with prey in sight.
    “You coming back in, darlin’?” he drawled.
    “No,” Xavier answered.
    Amalie turned to give him a dirty look, then glanced back up at the human male. “In a minute, Beau.”
    Xavier growled at her. “I’m taking you home, Amalie.”
    Her gaze slid his way once again, and no longer was there even a hint of flirtation glittering there. “No, you’re not. I’m here to have some fun. Just because you don’t know the meaning of that word.”
    “I’ll show you some fun,” Beau said, loping down the steps toward them.
    “I suggest you go back inside, Male,” Xavier said darkly, though his gaze remained pinned to Mal. “We’re leaving, Amalie. Say goodbye to your little friend here. Perhaps you can schedule a playdate for another day.”
    “Do you hear yourself?” she growled back at him.
    “I do.”
    She stuck a finger in his face. “I’m not the young cub you and Aristide get to tell what to do anymore. I’m a grown female.”
    Xavier sighed, his nostrils flaring with irritation. Yes, unfortunately, she was. A female with curves designed to make a male anxious to breed. A face angels would be envious of. A husky voice that belonged near a hungry male’s ear.
    All attributes that shouldn’t be allowed near this oily, drunken human.
    “Say goodbye, Amalie,” he said evenly.
    “She doesn’t want to say goodbye,” Beau said with a grunt. “Do you, Amalie?”
    “My name’s Mal,” she corrected.
    Beau chuckled, his eyes pinned to her chest. “Hey, I’ll call you whatever you want, Sexy.”
    “Oh, I like that.” Amalie’s gaze flickered Xavier’s way, and she said something under her breath that sounded an awful lot like, “Why can’t you ever call me that?”
    Xavier pretended not to hear her. Just as he pretended to not be affected by the way she chewed her lower lip. He shook his head slowly. “You know I can’t let this happen, Amalie.”
    Her hands went to her hips. “The funny part is that you actually believe that. Or is the funny part that you’re still doing Aristide’s job? I’m not sure. Wait. Maybe they’re both funny.”
    The human moved closer to her, his eyes now trained on her ass. “I know some funny stories, Mal. I’ll buy you a drink and share a few.”
    Xavier felt his insides flood with aggression. This male was about two seconds away from unconsciousness. Which would be a bad idea, as they were on human land. The last thing Pantera wanted to do was draw attention to themselves. But this idiot was really begging for it.
    “I’m going to say this once more, mon ami .” Xavier’s eyes narrowed on the human male. He wasn’t particularly tall, but what he lacked in height, he made up for with muscle. Not Pantera kind of muscle, but impressive for a human. Something to consider if things went bruised and bloody. “Go inside and find yourself another female. This one is not available.”
    “I’ll decide if I’m available or not,” Amalie said tightly. “You got some nerve, Xavier. Go home.”
    The human grinned, then slid his arm around Amalie’s waist, yanked her close and licked the curve of her ear. “You tell him, Sexy.”
    The haze that had only a second ago glimmered in Amalie’s smoky green eyes receded, and a flare of golden heat took its place. It was the sign her cat hovered at the surface of her skin. Her control was lost, courtesy of too much tequila. In under five seconds, she removed the male’s arm from her waist, took his hand in hers and slammed it back into his face. Making a sound like air escaping a balloon, Beau slithered to the ground and