by Jaci Burton
“What’s wrong?” Chantal asked.
“I smelled something.”
She inhaled. “Wolf.”
He couldn’t describe the sensation, but it prickled down his spine like a sixth sense of foreboding. He grabbed his gun and released the safety. Chantal’s eyes widened.
“Do you think it’s the wolf you’re looking for?”
“Maybe. Could be nothing, too. I don’t have a handle on these new senses slamming around inside me. But I’m not going to take any chances.”
He stalked the area, tuning into his senses. Chantal followed, staying behind him and a little to his side, remaining within his field of vision at all times. Good girl.
Was the wolf following them, or was it stalking other prey?
A rustle in the bushes ahead and a scream made him start.
He had the answer to his question. The wolf hadn’t been after them. Ballsy sonofabitch, though. He knew they’d been there and just hadn’t cared.
“There.” He shot straight ahead, Chantal hot on his heels.
A wolf had a dark-haired woman backed against a tree. Dylan pulled his gun and fired at the ground in front of the wolf, the shot spraying grass and dirt in front of the wolf. The wolf started, jumping back and turning to snarl at Dylan. Dammit, he couldn’t shoot the thing, it was too close to the girl. If he missed, he’d hit her.
The wolf’s eyes glowed like golden flame in the darkness, its sleek muscles undulating under its gray fur. For a second Dylan was sure it was going to lunge at him, but then it turned to the left and sprang through the dense bushes, disappearing from sight. The young woman sank to the ground in a heap, out cold.
“I’m going after him,” Chantal said, pulling her clothes off in a hurry. Dylan watched, transfixed, as within seconds and at a dead run a naked Chantal shifted from woman to wolf and disappeared into the brush.
He checked the woman for injuries. Other than a few scratches on her arms and legs, she seemed okay. Probably in shock. He took out his phone and called Noah, reporting what happened while he waited for Chantal. Goddammit, he wanted to be able to shift and go with her. Wasn’t that just the oddest thing? He didn’t want to be a werewolf, didn’t want this upheaval and complete change in his life that had been thrust upon him.
But it sure as hell would come in handy right now. Because he’d like to chase down that sonofabitch who’d tried to attack the girl. He looked up at the moon. Almost full. He felt the draw to it, immersed himself in its power.
It was almost his time.
Chapter Six
Chantal hadn’t been able to catch up to the wolf. Once she hit the end of the park, the trail ended at the fence leading onto the Golden Gate Bridge, the bastard. No telling where he’d gone from there and his scent had gone cold. In human form she wouldn’t be able to follow his scent. Only when he was in wolf form. He must have shifted and taken off over the fence where he had a car waiting or he’d walked across the pedestrian part of the bridge.
She’d hurried back to Dylan and found him and Noah with the girl. She was conscious, but her memory was a blank. She didn’t even remember the wolf, only that someone attacked her and she fainted. Said the last thing she remembered was meeting some friends for drinks at a bar called The Joint on Market Street, a popular nightspot. The police arrived and they gave their statements, saying they’d come upon an unconscious woman while walking in the park. Dylan identified himself as NCA and indicated he’d fill his superiors in on what happened. Then they left the scene and headed back to the house.
Dylan ate a pound of bacon and some eggs while they sat around with Lamont and Maia and a few of the others from Lamont’s higher echelon.
“The others who were killed also were young and hung out in very trendy bars like The Joint where the woman was last night. Our wolf is obviously targeting his victims there,” Dylan said.
“Maia and I hit that bar a lot. We know all the regulars. It’s a popular place for the downtown crowd,” Chantal said.
Lamont frowned. Chantal shrugged. “We go before dark, okay? And only one or two drinks.”
“Lighten up, Lamont,” Maia added. “We are allowed to mingle among the human population. It’s not like we ate anyone. Well, not in the werewolf way, anyway,” she finished with a cocky grin.
Noah snorted. Maia shot him a lascivious gleam. Chantal shook her head, having seen that look from her friend before. Her brother was in serious trouble. Then again, Noah might enjoy being “eaten” by Maia. And that was somewhere she didn’t want to go, mentally.
“So how about a double date tonight at The Joint?” Dylan asked. “Since Chantal and Maia are regulars, they’ll fit in and we won’t look out of place.”
Maia shrugged. “Sounds fine to me.”
“And you, Dylan? How are you holding up under the impending change?” Lamont asked.
“I’m fine and handling it.”
Lamont’s brows lifted and he looked to Chantal, who nodded. “He’s right. He’s doing okay. And I’m taking care of him,” she added before he asked.
“Tomorrow is the full moon. I don’t think I need to remind you that Dylan will need to be kept here when the change occurs.”
“Noah and I will take care of it.” Geez, like she didn’t know when the full moon was?
They’d slept during the day. She woke to dusk settling over the room, Dylan’s even breathing behind her.
Interestingly enough, Dylan hadn’t gone to his room to sleep. He slept in her room. Even more interesting was that she didn’t mind when he followed her, undressed and slipped into bed, drawing her against his body and pulling the covers over them both. She’d passed right out, cocooned within his embrace.
She was getting used to having him around, which was a very bad thing. As soon as she got him past the transition, she’d go back to her job and he’d go back to doing his. Wherever that was. They had no relationship—okay, other than the bond they would always share because of what she’d done. But that didn’t make them partners forever. It didn’t mate them. Not unless it was by choice on both their parts.
Dylan didn’t know the first thing about lupine society and its rules. And Chantal wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment. She had…things to do with her life before she settled down in a pack with one mate.
Though at the moment none of those “things” came to mind. The only thing pressing on her mind was Dylan’s long body stretched out behind her, his warmth surrounding her, his hand resting in the hollow between her breasts, one leg over hers.
Possessive. She never even let guys spend the entire night with her before. She might fuck them, but she never slept with them. But Dylan had slept with her. And she was comfortable with him. What did it mean? Was it because she had no choice, or was there some special quality about him that other men she’d known didn’t have?
The sex was phenomenal, that was for sure. She smiled in the darkness and inhaled a satisfied breath. Admittedly, she’d never been quite so…pleasured, before. And they’d only scratched the surface. She knew there was more. So much more.
In fact, that “more” was lengthening against her ass right now, the heat of his awakening cock sliding between her legs. Dylan cupped her breast.
“I feel you’re awake,” she teased.
“Uh-huh.” He moved his hips against her. Her pussy responded with a flood of moisture. God, she was so easy where he was concerned. Her nipples puckered, begging for his attention. He rolled her over on her back and took one hard peak between his lips and sucked.
She arched, thrusting the bud into his mouth, letting him graze on her nipple in lazy abandon. Waking up this way, letting him love her body in slow, leisurely fashion, was another new experience for her. Her nerve endings tingled in anticipation as a desperate rush of passion surged to life. The yawning awakening had been replaced with hungry need. She lifted her hips to his, trying to edge closer to his cock.
He used his own hips to push her back down on the mattress. “Not y
et, baby.”
Damn him. “Quit teasing and just fuck me.”
“You’re too impatient.” He licked her neck, causing chills to pop out along her skin.
“You’re too damned irritating. We need to get going.”
“Plenty of time,” he murmured against her breast as he shifted lower, licking at her nipples, sucking them, gathering one between his teeth and lightly biting. She nearly came off the mattress at the exquisite sensation. Twice, because he did the same thing to the other tortured bud before moving his way south, sliding his tongue into her belly button and tormenting her.
“Dylan,” she warned, trying to throw him off. It was useless, like trying to crawl out from underneath steel. He had her pinned. At least her bottom half, his hands grasping her hips as he kissed her inner thighs, then teased her sex with his rough bearded chin.
“Yeah, babe. I know what you need.” He kissed her clit.
A feather touch, not at all what she needed. All it did was prime the pump, make her want more. She twined her fingers in his hair, trying to direct him to her pleasure spots. But the damned man wouldn’t budge. He looked up at her and smiled.
“You in some kind of hurry today?”
“Yes. I want to come. All over your tongue.”
His lips curled and he stuck out his tongue. “This tongue?”
She couldn’t help it. She laughed. “No. Your other one, jackass.”
“Oh, you must mean this tongue, then.” He pressed it down on her clit. Warm, wet, he swirled it around her sex, licking her up as if she were the best ice-cream cone he’d ever tasted.
She melted, pouring over his tongue. He lapped her up and came back for more until she was writhing underneath him, mindless, her only driving thought to climax. She fisted the sheets and clenched her butt cheeks as she approached the edge of reason. When he slid two fingers into her pussy and began to pump them inside her, she lost it.
“Oh God, Dylan, I’m going to come,” she cried, thrusting her hips against his mouth and his fingers as her orgasm tore through her. He latched onto her clit and sucked as she came, sliding one more finger into her pussy and fucking her cunt with a maddening rhythm that made the waves crest higher and higher until she sobbed out his name.
And still, he didn’t stop, licking her from her clit all the way to her ass, lifting her up so he could tease the tiny hole. He invaded her there with his tongue and mouth, wetting her beyond her own juices pouring down there.
What was he doing to her? She was going out of her mind and loving every minute of it. But she guessed his intent and a fire grew deep in her belly at the thought of having him embedded there, where she’d never let a man in before. Oh, she’d fucked herself in the ass with her toys, but she’d never been filled with a thick, hot cock. Her pussy quivered at the thought, anticipation wrenching her arousal a notch higher.
Dylan stood and dragged her to the edge of the bed.
“Fuck your pussy with your fingers,” he ordered, stroking his cock. “I want your ass.”
He pulled her legs up and braced them against his chest, his gaze focused between her legs as she skimmed her flesh with her fingers, teasing her already swollen clit.
“Yes, like that,” he whispered, draping her legs over his arms and spreading them apart. “You have lube?”
His voice was tight, barely restrained. She nodded and pointed to the bedside table. He leaned over and grabbed the bottle, pouring the liquid onto his hand. He coated his cock, then her, positioning his shaft at her entrance. He inched forward, pushing past the tight barrier. The burning hurt.
“Rub that pussy for me, baby,” he said, leaning over her. “Make it feel good.”
She focused on the sensations around her clit, and on his eyes, the darkness within them, the pleasure she saw in his face as he forced past the muscles in her ass. With careful, measured movements he inched his way inside, stopping with every push so she could grow accustomed to his invasion. He’d pull back, watch her caress her clit, let her feel the pleasure instead of the pain.
Even though it hurt, it felt good too, the mix of agony and delight easing the pain of his entry until there was nothing but the sensation of being filled, of having him thick and hot and buried inside her. She dipped her fingers into her pussy, where the thin membrane that separated one part from the other allowed her to feel him moving inside her.
“So tight,” he murmured as he gripped her legs and began to pump against her. “Fuck yourself, Chantal. Fuck your pussy for me.”
The double penetration brought out the wildness within her. She felt the beast begin to surface, and she let Dylan see it, growling at him, scratching his arm with her free hand. His fingers bit into her legs as he began to power deeper, harder, and she cried out, demanding it, needing each punishing thrust he gave her. The animal within him, though not visible, was present. She could see it in the swirling darkness in his eyes and she reveled in its power, its match for her strength. The mating was savage as he pistoned his cock deep in her anus. She thrust another finger in her pussy, using her other hand to tease her clit.
“You ready to come?” he asked, lifting her even higher off the bed as he fucked her now, his voice low, deep, like a growl.
“Yes,” she hissed. “Fuck me hard.”
She dug her fingers deep into her pussy as he slammed his cock into her ass. When her climax hit, she howled as the pleasure splintered her, making her shake so hard she rocked the mattress. She screamed, unable to control the sensations as every nerve ending came alive with her orgasm.
Dylan yelled and shot hot cum into her ass, pressing deep, his body plastered against hers as he raised her legs over his shoulder and shuddered against her. She saw the light in his eyes, the yellowing glow as he soared through his orgasm. Though brief, it was still there and she knew then his change was coming soon.
Panting, shaking and drenched in perspiration, they showered afterward. Dylan was achingly tender with her as he washed her all over, his lips pressed to her skin as he rinsed her body. He caressed her, then positioned her up against the wall of the shower and took her again, this time slowly, his cock moving inside her with sweet, oh-so-gentle strokes. She came again with an explosion that nearly sent her to her knees. He kissed her, soft kisses like a spring rain instead of their typical hard passion, until he came inside her with a torrent of shudders, gripping her so tight and so close to his body that it brought tears to her eyes.
He was an enigma. Hard and passionate one minute, soft and tender the next. Challenging her in every way, meeting her head-on and giving her everything she could ever ask for in a mate. A true partner.
Damn him. She was falling in love and she didn’t like it one bit.
Chantal Devlin had never loved a man in her entire life. And she had no idea how to handle this.
Because she wasn’t keeping Dylan Maxwell. He wasn’t her mate.
He wasn’t!
The Joint was jammed up with all the usual people. Chantal led them to the table she and Maia typically occupied near the front window. Their favorite waiter, Joe, came over.
“Hey, you two,” he said, grabbing his pad from his pocket. “Been awhile.”
“Where’ve you been?” Chantal asked. “We missed you.”
Joe grinned a boyish smile. “Visiting family while on break from college.” He rolled his eyes. “Obligations you know. They drive you crazy if they don’t get to do a visual inspection at least a couple times a year. But I’m back now. And I see you two lovely ladies brought dates this time, huh?”
“Yeah,” Chantal said. They ordered drinks and she surveyed the room.
“No one looks out of place,” Maia remarked. “Typical crew.”
Chantal nodded. “But we’ll give it a couple hours and see who wanders in and out.”
While they sat and drank, Chantal watched Dylan. He seemed unsettled. Fidgety. Like something was bothering him. And he wasn’t making eye contact with her. She was sitting next to him, but he kept
looking out over the crowd and didn’t once look at her. She tugged on his shirt sleeve and he turned to her.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“You seem…anxious.”
He shrugged. “Just want to find the guy.” He looked away.
It was more than that. She felt weird vibes emanating from him. His anxiety was rising. She took a glance outside at the moon. Almost full. By tomorrow she’d have him safely locked up at the mansion where she could keep watch during the transition.
Then her duty to Dylan would be finished.
And she could let him go, get him out of her life and off her mind. Return to some normalcy.
That’s what she needed—her real life back. She’d chalk up these feelings to a little mini-vacation from her regular routine. She wasn’t in love with Dylan. She never fell in love. Men were for fucking, not making a life with. Geez, what had she been thinking?
Too much about Dylan, that’s what. She decided to look around The Joint and see if she could figure out who was there that looked out of place. The staff were all the same people.
No, wait. Bartender was new. She hadn’t seen him before. She motioned Joe over.
“Need refills already?” Joe asked.
Chantal smiled. “No. Just wondering about the bartender. New guy?”
Joe glanced over his shoulder and frowned. “Oh. That’s Lance. He started about a month ago. Comes in and works late shift but has to leave before closing. Weird schedule but he’s a med student. He has to be on staff at the hospital so can’t stay for cleanup. We have to do his dirty work.” Joe shrugged. “Cushy schedule, huh?”
“Hmm. Sucks for the rest of you.”
He laughed. “He’s a nice enough guy and the ladies go crazy for him. Must be his pheromones or something but he draws them like flies to honey. I’ll have to figure out his secret,” he said with a wink.
After Joe left, Chantal slanted a look at the rest of them. “Okay, that’s strange.”
“Very,” Maia said. “Especially the pheromones part. If he’s lupine he might be deliberately drawing out the human females. They wouldn’t be able to resist him.”
