I risked a glance over my shoulder to see if it was following me, only to find it bounding alongside me, just feet away. The beast looked almost jovial as it watched me, its large, fleshy tongue flapping around in the breeze as it easily kept pace with me.
It was pointless. I would never be able to outrun such a massive creature.
Disappointment stabbed my heart as I halted, giving up on my grand escape.
I was too tired, too depleted, to be dashing through the forest on the false hope of safety. My hands found my knees as I tried to catch my breath.
Movement from the corner of my eye drew my attention back to the massive creature.
It sat there, ashen-tipped tail wagging and its tongue still lolling out the side of his gaping muzzle, panting almost playfully as it watched me. It almost looked like an average, goofy dog waiting for me to throw a toy for it to fetch.
My brows furrowed in confusion and curiosity. Something about the beast seemed almost familiar. His bright green eyes, his lack of care for my disheveled nerves.
But it couldn’t be.
I studied the beast from afar. His thick white fur tainted with dusty black markings lining its face and back shook as he panted. It didn’t bare his teeth or hunch its back. Its ears were perked up in full attention towards me, waiting.
Waiting for what?
It stood and slowly strode towards me. I stood up, straight as a board as my steps backwards matched his as he descended on me. My chest heaved in panicked breaths as I found myself trapped against a the large trunk of a pine tree, my body pressing tightly against its bark as if it would give way and hide me with in its base.
The beast’s gaze met mine at eye-level with a familiar look, a seemingly cocky glint flashing in its eyes.
“I’m usually out hunting or looking over the grounds...” The memory suddenly surfaced of my earlier conversation.
“I haven’t had a chance to look into all the latest innovations. But I have seen TV. Max loves it. He sits in front of it for hours, his tongue hanging out, his tail wagging.”
It couldn’t be. Could it?
“M-Max?” I croaked. I felt ridiculous. I was talking to an animal, and from what I knew, they couldn’t respond, let alone understand us beyond the commands we conditioned them into learning.
His hot, slimy tongue dragged across my cheek in response, licking the entire side of my face. My body shuddered in disgust at the stale smell and sticky slime he left behind.
“Gross!” I groaned as I feverishly wiped at my face. My eyes fell on him in disbelief, gazing at him in awe that he could transform into such a massive creature.
My brows furrowed, anger finally replacing my shock, and I stomped my foot like a child throwing a tantrum.
“Why did you chase me?!” I yelled, causing his ears to pin back as he shook his head. His large green eyes narrowed into slits, boring into me like daggers as he gave me a brief growl.
It struck me after a moment what he was trying to relay to me.
His sensitive hearing.
I let out a deep sigh. “Sorry,” I mumbled under my breath, still irritated that he had startled me so badly. “But you scared me half to death. You deserve it.”
He let out a ragged huff. Was he laughing at me?
“I’m glad my fear is so entertaining to you,” I scoffed, and folded my arms across my chest. “Now can you help me get home now?”
He sat back on his hind legs and closed his mouth, blinking slowly as if to refuse my request.
I rolled my eyes, my irritation growing stronger at the stubborn mutt.
“Please?” I asked in a sickly sweet tone.
His jaw dropped as he let out a drawn-out, whimpering yawn, displaying his massive canines and thick, fleshy tongue like he had grown bored of my antics. Then he stood and brushed his side against me as he strode away, leading the way back to the house.
After hours of being lost in the woods, the thought of a hot meal, water, and the comfort of my bed sounded like heaven. But my mind still wandered back to Julian. He had been gone for a whole day at this point and had yet to return.
I wonder what he would think of my little excursion and how this massive wolf he called his friend had to come rescue me on his own land.
Chapter 16
We finally approached the homestead after an hour or two, the warm stone structure of the mansion glowing in the dusk, peeking through the tree line as we drew closer. Just the sight of it made me sigh in relief. I yearned for a long, hot bath and to fill my aching stomach with food. I hobbled along, trying not to put too much pressure on my feet that begged to stop moving forward, aching and sore from gashes and cuts from the unforgiving forest floor.
Max disappeared around the corner of the house and reappeared in his human form, zipping up the tight shorts I had brought him earlier.
“I figured it would be easier to help you up to your room in human form.” He smirked and gracefully swept me into his arms without permission.
I wanted to yell at him that I was independent and could walk on my own, but the second my feet left the ground, they throbbed in appreciation. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to withstand putting much pressure on them anytime soon.
He gracefully strode through the house and up to my room, as if I weighed nothing. Cutting through the bedroom and entering the bathroom, he flipped the toilet seat down with his foot and set me down on the closed lid.
Max turned from me and my brows furrowed as he flipped the knob to the faucet, filling the tub with hot water.
“What are you doing?” I asked him, bewildered by his gracious actions.
Flashing me a snarky grin, he laughed. “If you saw what you looked like right now, you would be thanking me, not questioning me.”
My cheeks stung red and I glanced at my tattered nightie, mud and other various debris clinging to its sheer fabric.
“Is it really that bad?” I asked, drawing another laugh from him as he tested the water with his hand.
“You’re filthy.”
Oh, god. “Well, thank you then,” I mumbled and picked the twigs and leaves from my clothes.
He beamed and stood. “You’re welcome. Do you need help getting in?”
Initially, I scowled up at him, but immediately retracted my displeasure as I caught his soft green eyes laced with concern. I could see it in his face that he was being sincere, and I started to feel ashamed that I had misjudged his intentions.
I shook my head. “No, thank you. I think I can handle this part on my own.”
Nodding, he dismissed himself, and I waited until I heard the door to my room close.
As I sat there, I lifted the nightie up over my head and tossed it in the corner. I whimpered out as pain shot through my feet as I stood to remove my panties. Quickly, I slid them from my body and limped over to the tub, easing myself into the warm water as I attempted to keep pressure off my feet. The warm water engulfed my tender flesh and the stinging pain faded into relief.
I took my time in the bath, slowly scrubbing away the dirt that caked my body and hair. Once pleased, I had planned on wandering into the room in the nude, thinking all of the towels had still been confiscated from me, only to find fresh neatly folded towels and a red silk robe hanging on the towel rack. Drying my hair with a towel and sliding into the robe, I forced myself to my feet and went to find another set of lingerie to wear.
Once I had finally hobbled my way over to the wardrobe, I opened the top drawer and grabbed the first item I saw: a sheer, form-fitting black teddy that hugged my every curve. Intricately sewn lace cups covered the bust with two thin straps hugging either side of each breast and connecting into one between my cleavage to accentuate its shape. A single strap of similar lace design wrapped around either hip, breaking the solid sheer fabric in the classic design and hugging the edge of my mound.
It wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, but if Julian was to come home and see me in this, I knew he would be pleased. And maybe it would b
e distraction enough from the fact that I’d mindlessly wandered off into the woods alone.
I eased my way back down the hall with tentative steps and into the courtyard to rest my feet in the pool in hopes it would ease the pain.
Night had fallen since my bath, and I basked in the starlit sky. Slowly, I found my way to the pool’s edge and sat on the stone surface, resting my feet in the cool, glowing, crystal water, a sigh of relief brushing past my lips.
The clicking of claws against the stone walkway caught my attention, and I had to suppress a screech as Max approached me in his wolf form. I still wasn’t used to it. His massive stature was shocking every time I saw him.
“Hi, Max,” I greeted him as he lowered himself to lay by me poolside, his fur gently grazing against my skin. I was still in awe of this massive creature. The fact a man was able to transform into such a beast was astonishing. I took the time to really observe him. He was just as stunning in wolf form as he was in human form, but I almost preferred the animal version. He didn’t speak this way.
His coloring was a mix of black and white. A thick patch of pitch black fur ran along the length of his back, reaching from his hind to his head and meeting his black nose. The dark hairs bled into his white underbelly, an almost tan shade of fur running down the front of his shoulders as the black and white hairs intertwined. Bright white patches made up his eyebrows, accentuating his brilliant green eyes as charcoal gray circles hugged the bottom lids before bleeding into crisp white fur that covered the rest of his face and mouth.
I reached out hesitantly, afraid he wouldn’t approve of my curiosity. But instead, he seemed to relax as my palm stroked his neck. His fur was coarse and thick, yet soft when gathered under my palm as I pet him.
He was a magnificent beast.
After a few moments of relaxing by my side, he grew antsy, huffing as he stirred and flopped from one side to the other before sitting on his hind legs and glancing around the courtyard.
Suddenly, he bounded off full run into the field and disappeared into the dense forest. Paranoia gripped me. Did he sense something out there? Was he chasing something off?
I intensely watched the tree line, waiting to see if he would return.
Moments passed, and panic flooded my nerves. He was gone too long. Maybe he had found something or was still in pursuit of a trespasser.
Just as I was about to stand to go and find him, he returned, his thick fluffy tail wagging as trotted back to me with a large stick in his mouth.
He dropped it by my side and lowered his head between his shoulders in deep concentration, his eyes glued to the stick as he hunched down, lowering himself towards the ground as if he was going to pounce.
My confused glance flitted between him and the stick.
“What am I supposed to do with this?” I asked, leaving it on the ground where he had dropped it.
He took another step back, licking his chops as the intensity in his eyes grew.
I sat there, dumbfounded. He could understand me, but I had no idea what he was trying to relay to me.
I threw my hands in the air. “I don’t speak dog.”
His eyes fixed on me as his eyelids drooped and he gave me a slow blink. Was he sassing me?!
Playfully, he pounced at the stick, howling in the open air.
I glanced from him to the stick again and picked it up. Maybe he simply wanted me to have a random piece of wood.
As I grasped it in my hand and lifted it off the ground, he pounced back and forth before returning to his focused stance.
It dawned on me. He was like a gigantic dog.
“Do you want me to throw it?” I asked, bewildered at his demand. At the question, he barked again and lowered himself in a braced crouch.
“I’ll take that as a yes, I suppose,” I mumbled to myself, scowling at the animal in faux irritation.
I reached over my shoulder with stick in hand and flung it as hard as I could, and he immediately dashed towards it, his claws scratching at the stone as he gained momentum. It didn’t go far, but it apparently was enough to please him.
He fetched the stick and brought it back to me, throwing it at my side before taking his stance.
I laughed and shook my head. “You are unbelievable,” I muttered and threw it again.
After a few more throws, Max stirred, pacing by the stick as it laid on the ground, his attention on something behind me. I turned to find Julian, his brilliant smile gleaming as the pool light danced across his handsome, rugged features. My heart stuttered in my chest at the sight of him. I quickly got to my feet in an attempt to greet him, but in my excitement I had forgotten about my venture and the wounds that laced my feet and I stumbled, legs collapsing beneath me as I hurtled towards the ground.
Julian’s arms wrapped around me and swept me into his strong embrace before I found myself face-first on the stone.
My eyes locked onto his full lips, aching to taste them against my own. Instead I dragged a finger across his exposed collarbone and smiled, meeting his blue eyes.
“Welcome back,” I said softly as his arms tightened around me.
He chuckled in return. “Thank you,” he replied, his brows furrowing. “What was that all about?” he asked, clearly inquiring about my awkward tumble.
My mouth ran dry. “Well...” I said, trying to think of how to word it. “You see… I had decided to, uh, explore. A bit,” I said slowly, stuttering over my words. “And I came across Max over there.” I looked over my shoulder and Julian’s gaze followed, a humorous smile stretching across his face that was replaced by laughter as it dawned on him what I had meant.
He glanced at my feet and shook his head at the sight.
“We’ll get that fixed up, I promise.”
I smiled at him, adoring his caring gesture. But I had other things on my mind.
“Enough about me. What about Kiera? Was that her? Did you find her?” The questions flew from my mouth without restraint.
He briefly shook his head. “No, we have still yet to locate her. I’m pretty sure it was her, but she was long gone by the time we arrived,” he reported.
My heart sank, my excitement fleeing at the news.
“Another day, maybe,” I said softly, trying to mask my disappointment.
Max padded over to us, his large paws thudding across the ground. I reached out and gently tousled his fur between my fingers.
“Thank you for keeping me company while Julian was away, Max.”
He snuffled at me in response and strode off into the tree line, leaving Julian and me alone together.
My gaze caught Julian’s and my breath caught in my throat. His brow was quirked as he watched me questioningly.
“You and Max seem to be getting along well.” He sounded displeased.
My mind reeled at what he meant. I thought that would have been a good thing.
It dawned on me suddenly what was happening. He was jealous.
My eyes narrowed into taunting slits as I forced back a grin.
“Stop being so possessive,” I teased, my grin finally breaking through my facade.
His hand instantly bounced off my teddy-clad backside, stinging the exposed flesh and rousing my nether regions.
I bit my lip teasingly, and his eyes darkened in a lustful gaze before he hooked his arm behind my knees and cradled me in his arms.
He carried me through the house to his room, effortlessly opening the door with one hand.
My knees retracted to my body as he set me on his large, lavish bed, the pillow top caressing the curves of my backside. I watched him longingly, my heart racing as he slowly unbuttoned his top and removed his belt.
He kneeled down in front of me, taking one foot in his hands as he produced his fangs, the pearly white daggers flicking out beyond the others. My gaze locked on him as I watched him press the meaty flesh of his thumb against the sharp point of his fang until crimson droplets formed, pooling around his tooth before he dragged the blood across the wounds. T
he remaining aching pain instantly vanished as the blood seeped into my minuscule wounds.
Watching the muscles of his taut chest flexing behind his open shirt, my mind had wandered. The relief of his healing touch went unnoticed as my body hummed in response to his exposed flesh. All I wanted in that moment was for him to take me, ravish me to make up for our time apart.
Reading my thoughts, his gaze caught mine, reflecting the same desire. His hands steadily slid up my calves and over my thighs until his fingers could clutch my hips. I gasped as he swiftly dragged me to the edge of the bed, my legs draping on either side of him as his rippling abs pressed against my hot mound. His hands ventured on, gliding up my sides until they found my supple breasts. He groped them hungrily as a shallow growl rolled from his chest, compelling a moan to flee my lips.
In one swift motion, he gripped the straps constraining my chest, ripped them apart, and slid the sheer fabric down, exposing my breasts fully. His mouth drifted from one nipple to the other, suckling and nipping at the tantalized flesh. My fingers laced through his thick hair, gripping his head in encouragement to take me as sensual moans rippled from my throat.
Julian grabbed the sheer teddy and swiftly slid it down around my ass and past my feet before tossing it aside. He explored my body with his sensual mouth, kissing and nipping at my tender flesh, his hands finding my thighs and forcing them apart before descending on my aching mound. The moist heat of his tongue glided between my slick lips and flicking at my sensitive bud.
“Oh, yes!” I breathed as my body collapsed onto the plush bed, my back arching in response to his abusive tongue.
Feeling his mouth leave my body, I opened my eyes to see him removing his shirt and unfastening his pants, revealing his massive erection as he slid his pants to his ankles.
Blood Slave (Warring Hearts Book 1) Page 12
