by Bonnie Vanak
A wolf’s needs.
Alive and aware and filled with joy, I opened my arms. Intimacy was something I never excelled at, for my father had drilled into me to never let my guard drop around a lover. Stephan was not Fae. There were no Fae here.
After last night’s terror at the club, I wanted to relish every moment of life, while I still lived. Lap up each droplet of pleasure until I burst.
Maybe the memories of lovemaking and feeling cherished would warm me on the cold, hauntingly lonely nights to come when I left for California.
Stephan mounted me, parting my thighs with his lean hips. He kissed me deeply, his tongue thrusting deep inside my mouth. “Sienna, I’ve longed for this moment. Dreamed of it.”
Fisting a hand in my hair, he stared intently. So much hunger and passion in those once-laughing blue-green eyes. “I’ll make it good for you, I promise. But I need to know first if you’re on birth control.”
I slid my arms around his neck and opened my thighs wider. “Yes. You’re fine.”
And then he was kissing me again, guiding his erection between my legs and pushing into my core. A small exhalation of breath at his size, for male Faes aren’t usually so well-endowed. I felt stretched and full as his penis invaded me, my slick channel widening to admit the intrusion.
Rocking back and forth, he kept staring down at me, focusing so intently as if trying to see into my soul. I’d felt pleasure and connection with Grayson, a hurried lovemaking that left me wrung out, after the tumult of emotions in the club. But with Stephan, it was different. He thrust slowly, gently almost, as if fearing to break me.
Pulling him closer, I urged him to go faster. “I can take it, Stephan. You won’t break me.”
Smiling a little, he kissed me again and again. “I want to please you, Sienna.”
Then frowning in absolute concentration, he did as I requested, his cock slipping in and out to build up the friction all over again.
We shattered together, clinging to each other.
Stephan dropped atop me, panting, burying his face into my pillow. I stroked his sweat-slicked back. “That’s never happened to me before.”
He raised his head. “Me either.”
A tingling coursed through me. Dismay squeezed my heart. As usual with me, when I had sex, uninhibited and unrestrained, and opened myself to my lover, a little of my magick passed into the flesh of my lover.
Not much. Just a little.
Blinking, he moaned. “Whoa. That feels odd. I came with you, but my cock feels like it’s on fire. In a good way. What is that?”
Oh damn. My magick was leeching out of me like sweat from my pores, driving into the nearest recipient – the shifter buried deep into my body.
I couldn’t tell him what happened, only divert his attention from the delights he experienced in hopes he’d think it was the bliss of sex with a Fae.
“Kiss me,” I demanded.
He did so. Rolling over, he took me with him, still firmly lodged inside me. Making love with Stephan was different, yet as pleasurable as it had been with Grayson. But the magick leaving me proved deeply unsettling. It would not last long, and Stephan couldn’t tell, but it happened all the same.
I wondered if Grayson would be upset if he found out what he’d done.
But deep inside, I couldn’t help the suspicion that he knew, and in fact, wanted it this way.
Chapter 13
Stephan did end up making me that omelet downstairs in the chef’s kitchen. He was also making one for Grayson and a few others because by the time I showered and dressed in a pair of jeans and a print top I’d found in the dresser, everyone else in the house was awake.
Smells of bacon, sausage, onions and peppers had me salivating as I skipped down the stairs. It had been a long time since I’d slept in someone else’s place, so when I entered the kitchen, I felt shy at first. Then I saw Grayson, in a long-sleeved black T-shirt, jeans and bare feet. His blue gaze lit up with a combination of desire and delight as I said good morning to everyone.
“Sienna. Good morning,” he said in his deep, velvet drawl.
I took the mug he handed me and helped myself to the coffee from the carafe on the counter. “Hi. I didn’t know werewolves liked coffee. Maybe I’ll stick around for a few days.”
“Maybe a lot longer,” he murmured. “Let me make introductions.”
Marc and Dana, who lived in the house, and their daughter Jodi, had rooms on the first floor near the library. Immediately I felt at ease. Marc and Dana were elderly wolf shifters and Jodi was a tall, statuesque redhead concerned with her parents. They sat at the table by the window, drinking tea and talking and greeted me warmly.
I felt welcome and at ease. Nicolas strolled into the kitchen, wearing a pair of low-cut black jeans, bare feet and a bare chest that made my mouth water for more than the omelet. I had the feeling he did it deliberately, to taunt me.
Standing at the stove, wearing an apron that said Kiss The Cook over his jeans and gray baseball shirt, Stephan grinned.
“Hungry, Sienna? Breakfast is almost ready.” Stephan added cheese to the pan.
Unless you hunger for something other than food, his wink indicated.
“Good morning, Sienna,” Nicolas murmured. His silky black hair was tangled, and bristle shadowed his lean cheeks and sensual mouth.
I’ve always been a sucker for a man with a day beard.
His dark gaze swept up and down me, and then over to Stephan.
His brother turned his head, saw Nick staring at him and then back at me. Stephan blushed. It was the sweetest thing, as if he’d been a virgin after his first time.
But Nicolas’ reaction stunned me. He actually smiled and relaxed even more.
“Show a little respect, and go put on a shirt before you eat,” Stephan ordered.
More surprises. Nicolas actually left the room and returned shortly after, wearing a gray T-shirt. He hovered at the counter, studying me as if I were the main course. But I sensed approval rippling from him.
Because I had slept with his brother and he could tell? Interesting.
“We’re going to eat outside,” Marc said in his raspy voice. “It’s a lovely day out.”
The couple shuffled outside, followed by their daughter, carrying a silverware container. Stephan slid three puffy omelets onto plates, carried them with expert ease, and went outside to place them on the patio table.
After Stephan put another omelet on a plate and set it before the alpha, Grayson sat and patted his lap. I shot him a questioning look. “Aren’t there enough seats for me?”
Carrying a mug filled with coffee, Nicolas took the seat opposite him. “You’re the guest. You get the place of honor.”
Not that I minded. Too long had I gone without touch and the comfort of another person snuggling next to me. Even as I internally warned myself not to get used to this, I went to the alpha and slipped onto his lap.
“As long as you’re not expecting me to lap dance,” I teased. “This isn’t Crossroads, I don’t work for those kinds of tips, and I’m hungry for breakfast.”
He slid his arms around me and leaned his head on my shoulder. “I want you to feel safe here, lass. My home and all of my territory is secure.”
Then he added in a soft voice, “I want you to feel at home.”
A sarcastic reply danced on the tip of my tongue because my throat seized up with emotion. Home? Home was a smoldering ruin far underground, with the remains of those who had betrayed me. Home was a place where I had felt safe while growing up, and then it turned into a prison where the warden wanted something from me that I refused to surrender.
But I couldn’t share my past with Grayson.
He forked a piece of omelet and brought it to my mouth. “Open wide.”
Obliging, I did and chewed and then swallowed. Fried peppers, onions, sausage, sharp cheddar and bacon blended into eggs all exploded in my mouth. Most Fae don’t eat meat.
I’m not most Fae.
�
��Wow. Amazing. More.”
Stephan turned off the burners and took the seat at the table’s head. He looked anxious, as if waiting for my next move. Grayson fed me a few more pieces and then set the fork down.
I noticed the satisfied expressions on Stephan and Nicolas.
Grayson lifted the curtain of my hair and planted a gentle kiss on my nape. “You please me, Sienna.”
Suspicion filled me. “Why do I get the feeling there’s a deeper meaning to what you just did?”
He turned my head gently so I could see Marc and Dana outside on the lanai through the sliding glass doors. Jodi speared an omelet piece, handed the fork to Marc, who fed his wife. At first, I felt pity. Perhaps Dana was too feeble to eat on her own. Then I saw Dana pick up her coffee cup in a steady hand.
Uh-oh. This meant something in shifter land. In Grayson’s pack.
“When a woman takes food from a man’s hand in our home, she acknowledges she belongs to him. And in his bed.” Nicolas’ heated gaze regarded me over the top of his coffee mug.
I climbed off Grayson’s lap.
“I belong to no man.” There was an empty seat at the table’s end so I chose that one.
“We can change that,” Stephan said with that anxious look again. “Pack comes first here, Sienna. When you belong to us, we give everything to cherish and protect you. It’s our code of honor and loyalty.”
“You become ours, and we become yours,” Nicolas said, but that guarded look came over him again.
Maybe he wasn’t so in love with the idea, but said it because of Stephan.
This shift in conversation, and their intent stares, had me thrilled and uneasy all at once. Thrilled because I secretly loved the idea of three strong males to command, to please me in bed. Uneasy because commitment wasn’t something that I excelled at in the past, and when I committed, I got burned.
Betrayed.
I changed the subject as Grayson handed me the plate with the half-eaten omelet. He and Nicolas started eating their breakfast as well, but Stephan sat, sipping coffee.
“Tell me about Marc and Dana, and their daughter. How did they end up staying here?”
“Marc and Dana were abandoned by their pack when they could no longer shift. I found them in the snow while hiking while on a trip to Alaska. Jodi was trying to convince them not to die in the wilderness as their alpha had admonished.”
The fork clattered to my plate as I stared at Grayson. “That’s horrible. Their own pack master refused to care for them?”
“It happens.” This from Stephan, whose usually carefree expression turned hard. “Some alphas kick you out if you don’t live up to their standards.”
“And you took them in.” New respect for Grayson mingled with suspicion. “Why? What was in it for you?”
His mouth curled upward. “You don’t think I’m charitable, Sienna? Capable of giving an elder couple a safe home for their twilight years?”
“You’re an alpha and run a pack, and several successful businesses. There had to be some benefit.”
His smile widened. “Clever Sienna. Yes, a few. Elders such as Marc and Dana have a wealth of knowledge of the century prior, and their wisdom comes with experience. Marc once ran a successful business, and his advice has been invaluable.”
Nicolas regarded me over the top of his coffee cup, saying nothing.
“We’re not like normal shifters, Sienna,” Stephan told me.
“I don’t know what normal shifters are like,” I confessed. “Never spent much time around them.”
I turned to Nicolas, who seemed to be the most reserved. “What about you, Nick? Why are you here?”
His brown gaze grew hard. “Stephan and I left our pack.”
Curiosity filled me. “Why did you leave? Boredom?”
The cynicism in his smile warned me this was a painful topic. “Survival. That’s all you need to know for now.”
“We didn’t have much choice,” Stephan muttered, staring at the table. “I got in trouble for loving a Fae.”
Swallowing hard, I studied his distraught expression. “What happened to the Fae?”
“You don’t want to know,” Nicolas said smoothly. “Finish your breakfast, Sienna. Or aren’t you hungry?”
Chest tight, I concentrated on my meal. Nicolas had dark edges about him, and I suspected he was far more ruthless, and dangerous, than Grayson and Stephan combined.
I had plowed through my meal when I realized Stephan wasn’t eating. Feeling rude, I set down my fork. “Aren’t you having breakfast? I mean you cooked this fantastic meal for us and deserve one for yourself.”
He avoided my gaze, studied his coffee cup. “I’ll eat later. I’m not quite hungry.”
After breakfast, Grayson took me on a tour. Rolling hillsides covered with green meadow grass marched up to the slope of the mountain. Peace filled me as I inhaled the smell of summer clover, grass and trees. In the nearby distance stood a few tall wind turbines and solar panels.
Grayson pointed to them. “We’re using green energy to partly power the homestead. One of my investment companies is a small start-up that makes solar panels and wind turbines.”
There was a dirt road big enough to accommodate a vehicle. We walked on the road, our boots crunching on the stones pebbling the dirt.
“While you’re here, I expect you to obey my rules. My property, all 100 acres of it, is warded up to the fence line against evil and intruders. No straying outside the fence line. This is for your own good. That’s the number one rule.”
“I’m not a follow the rules kind of gal. Do you expect me to obey all your rules and your commands?”
“While you are here as my guest, yes I do.” He squeezed my hand. “Be warned, Sienna. I’m used to getting my way.”
“Is that an admission or a confession? I’m not used to be ordered around.”
“But you are here, and here my word is law.” He lifted my finger with an index finger. “It’s for your own personal safety, Sienna. There are hidden forces outside my land that could damage you.”
He paused a minute and caressed my skin. “We don’t want anything happening to you. Even though you are Fae and powerful.”
Silence draped between us for a minute. I heard the wind rushing through the meadow grasses, felt the sun warm my face and the pit of panic unfurl inside.
“You know what I am.” I took a few steps back, wondering if I should flee now, or give him a chance to explain.
“Yes.”
“Who else knows?”
“Nicolas and Stephan. I told them the moment I found you working in the bar. The rest of the pack does not know. Yet.”
“Shifters don’t like Fae.” Another step back. “And I can’t believe Nick and Stephan are fond of them as well, after a Fae hurt Stephan.”
He did not advance, but let me retreat. “They are fine with you being here. I discussed it with them before inviting you back. I don’t want Stephan to feel… threatened. He assured me he would not after getting to know you from our nights at Crossroads. We are not like most shifter packs, Sienna. You will find us quite accommodating.”
“How did you know I am Fae?” Shaken, I felt my stomach roil. If this alpha detected my true nature, how many others had as well? Inside, I was screaming.
Grayson gave me a long, steady look. Then he lifted my hand and slowly stroked the fingers. “Don’t be alarmed, my sweet lass. I’ve known all along what you are.”
“I’ve never heard of a werewolf being that sensitive.”
“I’m not an ordinary werewolf.” He dropped a kiss on my neck and I shivered with pleasure. “Or an ordinary alpha.”
True. But my internal security alarm was ringing. I wanted to run away because he had discovered the secret I had tried desperately to keep. But Grayson had known about Kallan as well, so maybe he had some kind of internal Fae detector.
I decided to press him harder.
“You promised to reveal all to me, remember? Now’s a good time to l
evel with me, Grayson. What is going on? How did you know about the Fionn Fae back at Crossroads?”
The way he studied me, with such genuine concern, made me hope he would tell the truth. “First know this. Sienna, I promise I will not hurt you. No one here will. You’re safe here.” He spread out his arms. “My land is warded against outside magick and you can do as you please.”
Fine. “I like you, Grayson. A lot. And your betas. But I don’t like anyone getting into my business. Or knowing my business. You seem to know a lot about me, yet I know little about you.”
For a few moments, he remained silent. Then he took my hand. “Let’s walk and I’ll fill you in about my people, why I know what you are, and one of reasons I wanted you here. I want you to trust me, Siena. Trust us.”
What he told me seemed extraordinary. Grayson had founded the pack only ten years ago, after being kicked out of his own pack by the current alpha who viewed him as a threat. He’d had money and a knack for buying and selling businesses.
He roamed the country, found this land and purchased it. And then he proceeded to build his own pack from a ragtag assortment of werewolves, witches and paranormal beings with nowhere else to go.
“Because I know what it’s like to be unwanted.” He paused and looked at me, his gaze filled with sorrow. “I know what it’s like to rove the country, not having a welcome place to rest your head, and not knowing where you’ll be from one day to the next. I wanted to give respite to those like me who were homeless.”
Deeply touched, I kept my thoughts guarded. It sounded wonderful and altruistic. But in my years, young as I was, I knew that no one did anything truly out of the goodness of their hearts. They always made you pay a price.
Sometimes that price was equitable.
Sometimes that price cost your soul.
“And me, Grayson? How did you know what I am? Who I am?”
He did not answer. We walked up the hill until it crested, giving way to a fairly level area of meadow. Near the road was a freshly tilled area of ground that looked dry and unhealthy. My Fae soul ached to see this kind of disuse.
Ground crunched beneath my boots as I entered the garden. I saw and unlaced my boots, stripped away my socks and walked barefoot on the soil. Sadness filled me. It was dry and cracked. My Fae soul felt it crying for help. I squatted down and touched the earth.
