by Jaci Burton
Chantal looked with fondness toward her friend, Maia. “It’s certainly not your fault, Maia. I take full responsibility.”
“As well you should,” Lamont said. “Though Maia bears some blame in this too. We hardly run an escort service here, Maia. And you know how I feel about pack members mating with outsiders.”
Maia nodded. “My humble apologies, Lamont.”
“Leave us,” Lamont said.
Maia turned away, smiling and winking a violet eye at Chantal on her way out. One of the few friends Chantal had made since being assigned to this pack two years ago, Chantal refused to allow Maia to take the blame for her own error. Chantal had been the one to approach Maia about needing a man and not wanting to mate with a pack member. Maia didn’t mate with anyone inside the pack either. As a flight attendant, she had plenty of contacts in other packs and had offered to make arrangements.
No one else was going to suffer for Chantal’s mistake. It was bad enough Dylan already had.
The object of her thoughts walked into the room at that moment.
Her breath caught. Freshly showered, his hair still damp, he wore a white polo shirt and jeans, looking fit, casual and entirely too sexy. Her heart picked up a rapid pace, a hunger coursing through her that had nothing to do with food.
His gaze shot to hers, nostrils flaring as if he were breathing in her scent.
She’d seen that look between pack mates before. In heat.
Oh, damn.
“Dylan,” Noah said, stepping over to him. “This is Lamont Burkhart, the San Francisco pack leader. Lamont, Dylan Maxwell.”
Chantal hadn’t even known his last name.
Dylan shook Lamont’s hand.
“We are terribly sorry about the unfortunate event that has brought you here,” Lamont said, casting a chastising look at Chantal. “We hope you accept our humble apologies for what has happened to you.”
Dylan shrugged. “I’m not sure I know exactly what’s happened. But I’m slowly grabbing a clue.”
“It is Chantal’s responsibility to guide you through this process,” Lamont explained. “Come, you must be starving. The impending change will cause you to be ravenous. You need to eat.”
They sat at the table and ate. Chantal sat next to Dylan, breathing him in. Soap and the underlying scent of pure male that she attributed uniquely to him. It was burned into her olfactory senses now. She could probably pick him out of a crowd of thousands.
Dylan downed his food like a man starving, tearing through two thick, rare steaks until nothing was left but bone. They consumed a couple bottles of wine, which Lamont explained would help relax the agitation within him.
Chantal was pretty damned agitated herself. And at a loss for what to do for Dylan. Or for herself.
Dylan wiped his mouth and took a swallow of wine. He stared at the remains of the two steaks he’d damn near inhaled. Two huge steaks. Almost rare. Damn, he’d been hungry. He always liked his meat well done. Scorched, in fact.
What the hell.
“You’ll find your tastes changing,” Maia said, smiling at him. A petite woman with the body of a stripper, she had unusual violet eyes and short, spiky blonde hair. “A lot of your tastes will change. More meat, less of the side foods.”
“Uh-huh.” All the people at the table looked so…normal. They ate, they drank, had normal conversations, even laughed and cracked jokes. Just looking at them one wouldn’t notice anything unusual at all. Did they finish dinner, clear the dishes then turn into wolves and run wild through the parks?
“All your appetites will be more enhanced. Especially at the beginning,” Lamont said. “Food and sex.”
His gaze shot to Chantal, who turned a bright crimson.
“Chantal will see to your sexual needs.”
His brows lifted. “Is that right?”
“Yes. You will have a voracious sexual appetite before the change occurs. She will satisfy all your requirements. Anything you need, just ask her.”
Interesting side benefit. “Tell me about this change.”
“Even now your physiology is changing. All your senses are heightening. You are growing stronger. During the full moon you will complete the transition and shift for the first time. It will be painful. Extremely painful. Chantal will assist you through that too. Trust her, let her help you. Do not leave her side at all for the next few days. It is important you stay here at the compound.”
Dylan’s gaze shot to Lamont. “Wait. Can’t do that. I have a job.”
“It’ll have to wait.” Lamont crossed his arms.
Dylan shook his head. “It can’t wait. I need to leave.” How could he have forgotten his goddamn job? All this shit had messed with his mind. Werewolves and sex and fucked up transformations didn’t matter. A killer was on the loose and he had to find him before he struck again.
“You cannot leave the safety of the compound. You will have to contact your employer and ask for time off.”
“It’s not that simple.” He looked to Noah.
“Lamont, we need a minute in private to discuss this,” Noah said.
Lamont nodded and looked at the others. “Leave us.”
The others rose and exited the room immediately, leaving Dylan, Chantal and Noah alone with Lamont.
“Dylan works for the NCA as an agent. He’s investigating the wolflike murders,” Noah said.
“Oh, I see. Well, that’s rather ironic.” He looked to Dylan. “We have nothing to do with those.”
Dylan steepled his fingers. “Any idea who is?”
“We have thoroughly investigated these killings within our own justice system. It’s no one in our pack. We think it’s a rogue. Definitely a werewolf, though.”
Dylan’s gaze shot to Noah. “Would have been nice if you’d let me know about this before.”
Noah shrugged. “It’s not like we go about revealing our identities to the Feds, man. I couldn’t tell you. Would you have believed me anyway?”
“Not before last night.” Shit. “I still have to do my job. I was in the park last night because I was supposed to meet an informant. Some woman with dark hair who had a lead for me. I thought Chantal was the informant.”
Lamont looked at Chantal.
“Don’t give me that look,” she said. “I didn’t even know about these murders until Noah told me about them this morning.”
Dylan stood. “I have calls to make, leads to follow up on. I’m on assignment here. I need to report in to the NCA or they’ll be sending a shitload of field agents to look for me. You don’t want that. Let me go do my job.”
Lamont sighed. “Very well. But I want Noah and Chantal with you at all times. And they do have the inside track on the werewolf population here in the area as well as around the country. They can be of use to you.”
Dylan shrugged. “If it’s okay with them, it’s fine by me.”
Lamont looked to Chantal.
“I can take a few days off work. I just finished a case.”
“I’m free for a few too,” Noah said.
“Good,” Lamont said. “We do, of course, require your discretion in this and would appreciate you not notifying the government of the existence of werewolves.”
“Considering my current predicament, it would be a death warrant to my career. You have my word.”
Lamont nodded. “And night of the full moon, Dylan, you come back here for the change. It’s dangerous for you to be out there.”
“Fine.”
“Then it’s settled.” He stood. “Chantal will see to any of your other needs and questions. If you require anything else, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
After he left the room, Dylan turned to Noah. “Doesn’t he remind you of Lurch?”
Noah snorted. “He’s a little dry and humorless, yeah.”
“More like those movie vampire types than a werewolf if you ask me.”
“And just what are our ‘types’?” Chantal asked.
“Not sure yet. Y’all seem pretty
normal to me. Except for the snarling and biting.”
“You haven’t seen the half of it yet,” she said with a half smile.
“Show me.” He tilted back in his chair and laced his fingers over his stomach.
“Uh, yeah. That’s my clue to leave before I get icked out.” Noah stood. “You need me, Chantal, buzz my phone. I’m going out but I’ll be nearby.”
“I need to make some calls,” Dylan said.
“Make your calls,” Noah said. “You won’t be going out for a few hours.”
“Why’s that?”
“Urges, my man,” Noah replied with a snicker as he walked out. “Urges.”
Dylan turned back to Chantal. “I feel like there’s a private joke I’m not privy to.”
“Sexual urges. Now that you’ve eaten, they’ll be hitting you shortly. Better make your calls.” She stood. “I’ll be in my room.”
“Naked? Legs spread? How nice of you to act like a whore for me during this transition.”
She pushed calmly back from the table and leaned over him, her mouth inches from his, her gaze boring into his. “Guess I deserved that since I put you in this predicament. But get this straight. I’m no man’s whore, Dylan. I’m doing this out of guilt and pack responsibility. Nothing more. When you’re ready and the urge hits, I’ll be ready to take care of it for you, because that’s what I’m supposed to do. Don’t assume I’ll derive any pleasure from it.”
She turned on her heel and walked out of the room.
Well, that was strangely unsatisfying. But goddammit, he didn’t choose to be a werewolf. Sex kitten Chantal Devlin had decided she wanted a romp in the park, took a bite out of him and as a result his whole life had changed overnight.
Didn’t he deserve to be a little pissed off about that?
As far as her not getting any pleasure out of fucking him? Huh. He’d see about that.
Chapter Four
Chantal paced. Stopped in the middle of the room and stared at the door. Nothing. She resumed her pacing until she reached the center of the room, then halted again, crossing her arms over her chest.
She looked at her watch. It had been an hour.
Where was he? Her panties were damp just thinking about how it would be with Dylan again. Hot, carnal and wild, just as it had been last night.
She might be irritated as hell with him, but she couldn’t deny wanting his cock inside her again.
So why hadn’t he shown up yet?
She finally grew tired of wearing a hole in the rug with her heels. Disgusted at her nervous anticipation, she kicked off her shoes and fell onto the bed. Exhausted, she figured she’d just close her eyes for a few minutes. She’d hear Dylan when he showed up.
When she opened her eyes the room was dark. Damn, she’d slept the rest of the day. Of course she hadn’t gotten any sleep at all last night so it was no wonder. She yawned and grabbed her pillow, snuggling deeper into the soft down. Warmth. Oblivion.
Her eyes shot open when she caught a familiar scent and heard movement. She wasn’t alone in the room.
She started to move.
“Don’t.”
Dylan’s voice, tight and strained.
“Stay just like that. God, you look hot, sprawled out on your belly with your legs spread and your skirt hiked up to your thighs.”
He was panting. She scented his arousal in the air around her, her panties flooding with moisture as she breathed him in. She heard a zipper drawing down, the rustle of clothing as it dropped to the floor.
“Where’ve you been?” She hated asking the question, but couldn’t help it.
“Fighting this. My cock’s been hard for the better part of four hours. I paced, I worked out, I read, I made some calls. I did everything I could to keep from coming in here. I even thought about jacking off, but I knew it wouldn’t even begin to take the edge off. It’s you I crave. I need you, Chantal. I don’t want to, but I do.”
The bed creaked as he climbed on the end and came toward her. She gripped the sheets in her hands, anticipating, wanting, squirming as she rubbed her pussy against her wet panties. Her clit swelled and she moved it against the mattress, feeling the burst of sensation sparking inside her.
“I can’t promise to be gentle,” he muttered, his body surrounding her on all sides.
“I don’t want you to be.”
He touched her calves first and she jumped at the contact.
“Shhh,” he whispered, smoothing his hands upward, over the backs of her knees.
Slow. Too slow. He crept to her thighs, raising her dress as he moved his hand underneath the fabric to her upper thighs. When he reached her panties, he growled, “These are in my way,” and tore them with a harsh rip.
She gasped. “Those cost twenty dollars.”
“Send me a bill.”
The animalist nature of the act only served to heighten her excitement. She lifted her hips, begging silently for his cock. He patted her ass and ran his finger between her cheeks.
“I want to fuck you everywhere. Including here. I’ll bet your ass is just as tight and sweet as your cunt.”
She shuddered at the sensation of his fingers teasing back and forth along the puckered hole. When he bent and kissed the small of her back, she whimpered. When his mouth went lower, his tongue finding her drenched pussy lips, she cried out and dug her nails into the mattress.
She could shift, could take over. He wasn’t lupine yet. She was stronger. But oh, she felt so feminine under his assault. And she needed to let him have his way, let him do this to her. She owed him that much. God, she needed him inside her.
She gasped when he flipped her over onto her back, then held her firm with his hand on her belly. He tortured her with his tongue, lapping at her pussy with warm, wet strokes, sucking at her clit until she was afraid she was going to die from the sweet pleasure.
She couldn’t take it anymore. “I thought you said you weren’t going to be gentle.”
He laughed. “Impatient for my dick?”
“I want it.”
“Tough. I’ve been waiting. Now you wait. I want you to come. I want to taste that sweet honey again. It’s like a goddamn drug, baby. Give it to me.”
She didn’t like the tone of his voice, ordering her to have an orgasm. Then again, it was damned hard to not have one the way he was licking her clit, sucking it, tugging, then swirling his tongue around it. She was going to come and she couldn’t hold back if she wanted to.
Hell, she didn’t want to. She lifted off the mattress, ground her sex against his face and let go.
“God, Dylan, I’m coming,” she moaned, the hot rush of fluids pouring from her. He clamped his mouth over her pussy and drank from her as she crested the wave over and over again.
She panted, breathing deeply to gather some semblance of wit. Though he hardly gave her much time before he snaked his arm around her waist to lift her up. He flipped her over and shoved a pillow under hips.
Now he wasn’t gentle as he kneed her legs farther apart and positioned himself between them, his cock head finding her slit. Before she could even draw a quick breath, he shoved inside her, burying himself balls-deep.
“Oh yeah, that’s perfect,” he groaned, grinding against her ass as he fit against her, drawing out and thrusting hard.
He was thick, pulsing with heat and she’d never felt anything so good. She rose up and back against him, needing him deeper. He placed a hand on her back, pushing her down.
“No. Let me.”
His growl of irritation only turned her on more, his hand large, hot and powerful splayed across her back, holding her steady. Visions of him holding her in place with his teeth while he mounted her in wolf form sent pools of desire pouring from her.
“You always get this wet when you fuck?” he asked, withdrawing almost completely, only to slam hard against her again.
She grunted, fisting the sheets and pushing back. The answer was no. No man had ever turned her on like this. But she wasn’t about to
tell him that since her emotions were conflicted enough where he was concerned.
In the darkness, every sound, every scent was magnified. Her senses caught and held the musky, totally male smell of his soap, heard every intake of breath he made, the slapping sounds of their moist bodies connecting together. It was hot in the room despite the air-conditioning, their bodies sliding against each other as he lay fully on top of her, swept her hair to the side and sank his teeth into the back of her neck.
She screamed in pleasure, came in a flood of crashing sensation. He growled against her neck as he jettisoned inside her, keeping his teeth buried in her nape, possessing her, riding her.
It was phenomenal. She’d never climaxed so hard or so long. By the time he let go of her neck and raised off her, she felt like a limp dishrag, unable to move, let alone speak.
Instead of leaving the bed, he rolled to the side and took her with him, drawing her against him. Admittedly, she kind of liked that.
She shouldn’t like it. She didn’t even like him. Okay, she didn’t even know him. She was never supposed to know him. That was the whole idea with men and sex. Last night Dylan was supposed to be a quick, anonymous fuck, and he had been. Only the quick fuck had turned into something more…binding. Now she had to keep him satisfied while he made the transition. Which meant she couldn’t just up and leave or kick him out of her room. Her bed.
Dammit.
She had to let him stay.
“You smell good.” He kissed the back of her neck.
She shivered and tried to elbow him. He laughed.
“Not much for after-sex snuggling, are you?”
Glad for the darkness, she shrugged. “You hardly seem the snuggling type yourself.”
“You don’t know me very well, then. I enjoy women. Every thing about them. I’m not a fuck ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy.”
He was right. She didn’t know him. Nothing about him other than he was an agent for the NCA and human. Well, formerly human. She scooted away and sat up, pulling her hand through her hair. “Why did my brother call you Legend when he first saw you?”
“It’s my code name with the NCA.”
