Tooth and Claw

by Annmarie McKenna

“I know. I don’t know how I know, but I do.” She angled her head even further, allowing him total access to the rush of blood on his tongue.

  “Taste so good, Princess.”

  “Just don’t make too much of a habit of this or I won’t be able to stand.”

  He sighed and closed the small wound, thereby cutting off the temptation of taking more.

  She gripped him with her arms and legs when he tried to withdraw.

  “I’m not going anywhere, Princess.” He rolled, taking her with him so they lay side by side, facing each other.

  Paxton tucked her head against his chest and shivered as the cool air wafted over her sweat-slicked skin. “How crazy would it be for me to say I think I love you?”

  “Not crazy. I love you.”

  “Ugh. It’s just so weird. I’ve done so well avoiding you and now after one romp in the sack I’m professing my undying love to you. Why?”

  “Well, technically, that’s twice we’ve made love. You forget the cage so quickly?” he baited. “It’s the mating thing. Once I’ve come inside you we will always be connected. I guess it was nature’s perverse way of tying a female to a vampire male. I don’t really know.” He tensed. “Does it upset you?”

  Her head snapped up and she looked at him as though he were crazy. “No.”

  “Good.” He tucked her head back under his chin, content to stay with her this way for eternity, skin to skin.

  The phone rang.

  “Shit.”

  “Let the machine pick up.”

  It rang two more times while they waited to hear if the caller left a message.

  “Pax, since I couldn’t get you on your cell, I figure you and Toothy are probably busy,” Luke snorted into the machine, “but we got Ava Carmichael’s son. Cap wants you and Seth to meet us at the precinct. Call me.” The phone clicked off.

  “Damn.” Paxton groaned and stretched in Seth’s arms.

  “Probably won’t take too long.”

  “I know.” She yawned. It was the middle of night and while he was wide awake and fresh, Paxton probably wasn’t used to keeping long nights all the time.

  She scrambled off the bed and down the hall to look for her clothes.

  “Speaking of semen,” she said when she came back.

  Seth cleared his throat before answering her. “Were we talking about semen?”

  “Yes. We haven’t used any protection.”

  He cursed himself for being so caught up in having her that he hadn’t thought about protecting her. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

  She waved him off. “I’m on the pill, so there shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “Uh, about that.”

  “What?”

  “The, um, pill won’t have any effect on my sperm. I should have thought first. I’m sorry.”

  “You’ve said that.” She touched her hand to her firm abdomen. “So you’re saying I could have just gotten pregnant?”

  “Are you fertile right now?” He hadn’t smelled her ovulating, but then that had been the furthest thing from his mind.

  She thought about it for a minute, mentally calculating, he guessed. “It’s close.”

  Seth got off the bed, feeling like such a heel for letting her body get the better of his brain. “No use thinking about it right now. If it happens, we’ll deal with it.”

  She nodded. “You’re right. It isn’t like getting pregnant is new to the world, right?”

  He took her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly. “Not that I’m aware of.” Of course, if she were to carry his child, there was a fifty-fifty chance she would also carry the new prince, the next generation of vampire shifters. The child would be special and extra care would have to be taken to ensure his safety. Not many knew of him, but of those who did, there were some who would like to see him destroyed.

  “Besides,” he continued, “it could always be a girl.”

  “And that matters why?”

  “It doesn’t matter to me. I just thought you might be more comfortable with another little human around than a miniature me.”

  “Oh.” She looked a tad unsure which gave him hope. Perhaps she didn’t care either.

  Seth patted her butt, content with the knowledge she was altering her view of his species, and changed the subject.

  “We better go. Impatient Luke, remember?”

  Chapter Seven

  Paxton thought she had herself composed, for the most part, by the time they reached the precinct. Tonight had been a roller coaster of emotions. She’d smeared on some lip gloss and even managed to make sure her buttons were done properly and that her pants weren’t on backward or something equally as freakish.

  “You look fine, Paxton.”

  “So says the man who just screwed my brains out.”

  “Hmm…if you’re lacking brains, perhaps there’s no reason to go in there.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him and flung the door open. “Maybe we shouldn’t go in together.”

  “Still worried about your coworkers? Should I wait out here for a few minutes and act like I’m so happy to see you again once I get inside?” He grabbed her hand when she swung at him.

  “This coming from a man. I’m telling you gossip amongst men can be worse than between women. And in a precinct, worse than anywhere else.”

  “I wouldn’t think a woman like you would care what anyone else thinks.”

  “I don’t, but it’s damn hard to quell rumors. It’s hard enough to be a woman in a man’s world.”

  “So noted.”

  Seth half dragged her to the front doors. Really, why should she feel embarrassed by the act of walking into her own place of work with a man on her arm? She sucked in a deep breath and mentally pulled up her big-girl panties. Her coworkers hadn’t said anything after the cage incident, and Paxton had a sneaking suspicion Seth would make it so they didn’t say anything this time either.

  Ava Carmichael sat at one of the officer’s desks, clutching her purse in one hand.

  “Ms. Carmichael?” Paxton asked, going over to her. The woman’s eyes were filled with tears.

  “They arrested my Chris.”

  “I think they’re just going to question him right now, Ava.” Paxton tried to console the poor woman who looked like she was going to collapse.

  “Chris is not a bad boy, Detective. He just took his father’s death very hard. He can’t be blamed for what that other boy put him up to.”

  “Other boy?”

  “Yes. I told them they had to talk to Chris’s roommate, Brian, too if they were going to talk to my Chris. I know this is all Brian’s doing.”

  “Well I’m sure they’ll question anyone they think might be involved.”

  “Speak of the devil,” Ava spat, directing her gaze to front entrance.

  Two policemen flanked a young man Paxton could only assume was the infamous Brian. He wasn’t handcuffed, which meant he wasn’t under arrest and had come willingly to be questioned, but he had a sneer on his face that made Paxton want to slap him.

  Seth took her hand and started to push her in the opposite direction, an act that efficiently put him between her and the smirking, angry man.

  “I am a cop, Seth. I don’t need your protection.”

  “Sorry. Comes with the territory.”

  “Well make it go away. I’ve got a job to do and you can’t hold my hand when I go on a case.”

  “Too bad.”

  “What the hell does that mean?” Too bad, he was going to do it anyway, or too bad, he wasn’t allowed to?

  “You.” Ava leapt to her feet, her face an angry red. “My Chris wouldn’t be in this situation if it weren’t for you.”

  The man laughed. “He’s in it because you smother him to death. You made him a momma’s boy.”

  “He did it,” Ava shrieked, stabbing her finger in his direction.

  Paxton’s heart nearly tore in half at the desperation in Ava’s voice. The woman stuck her hand in her purse and jerked o
ut a knife, brandishing it in a fist above her head. Two officers jumped to get a hold of her before she attacked.

  Seth was quicker.

  “Knife,” Paxton shouted.

  Every officer went for their weapons, drawing and pinning the woman in their sights. Even Paxton had hers in hand.

  By the time she got her eye trained on the woman, Seth was already there. Her stomach rolled. In a blur of movement he’d put himself in the direct line of the knife-wielding woman whose arm was slicing through the air.

  Seth jerked backward with a grunt, leaving a space between him and the stunned, wide-eyed woman. Paxton had a clear shot between two of her fellow officers and took it. Her aim rang true, punching into Ava’s upper arm and forcing her to drop the knife with a strangled yelp. The room descended. Half on Ava, pinning her to the ground, and half on Seth.

  “Oh God, oh God.” She flew across the room to him, knowing he could have been stabbed anywhere. Blood poured from a wound in his side even as someone pressed on it. His eyes were closed, his body still.

  “Goddamn you, Seth,” she cried, shoving an officer out of the way and kneeling near his head.

  Someone yelled to call the paramedics but she heard Luke say behind her, “Don’t bother for Seth.”

  Paxton turned and glared at her partner. “What the hell is wrong with you? We still have time.” Her face was wet with tears as she elevated his head and put it on her thighs.

  Luke knelt beside her. “If you will give him some space he’ll be fine.”

  “He’s not a fucking god, Luke, he’s a man.”

  “He’s a vampire, Pax. He’s hurt, yes, but not mortally wounded. His body will heal itself in rather quick fashion.”

  “How do you know?”

  “His head has not been severed from his body,” Luke said dryly.

  “I’m glad you can be so cavalier about this.”

  He looked hurt by her words. “Have I ever lied to you, Pax?” he asked softly.

  “No.” She could say that with one hundred percent certainty. Her partner had never once lied to her. Never pulled his punches. And he’d never been this quiet before. He was her friend more than anything, and she felt like she’d kicked a puppy the way he was searching her face with sad eyes.

  Seth moaned. His head turned on her thighs, his hand lifted across his body to the knife wound on the opposite side and he peered down at the blood.

  “Damn that’s a lot of…blood.” His voice quavered.

  Paxton rubbed his cheek with her palm. “Nice to have you back, Toothy.”

  He stared for another second at his side before looking up at her. His face leached of color and his eyes rolled back in his head. A heartbeat later his head lolled to the side.

  “Seth.” She slapped at his cheek. “Oh shit.”

  Luke cleared his throat. “Um…did I forget to mention he faints at the sight of blood?”

  Seth tilted the bottle of Synth Cap had given him to his lips and drained the rest of the liquid. Someone had been thoughtful enough to warm it for him so it wasn’t cold the way they’d served it at the bar earlier.

  “Feeling better?” Paxton’s fingers combed through the hair at his nape.

  If she wasn’t careful he’d have her on her back right there on Cap’s couch. He might have gotten stabbed but he’d have to be dead, literally, not to want to fuck her.

  “A little sore. Tomorrow I’ll be good as new.”

  She grunted. “Any chance you’ll tell me how a vampire gets woozy seeing blood?”

  “Nope.”

  “I’ll just ask Luke then.”

  “Over my dead body.”

  “Well technically—”

  He rounded on her, laying her back on the arm of the couch. “Listen, Princess, not one word unless you want me to strip off your pants and put my hand on your backside.”

  She smiled and smoothed a thumb over his eyebrows. “It’s a really endearing quality for a vamp to have, don’t you think? Makes you more…human.”

  He growled at her.

  The door behind them opened. “Oh come on, now. I just had that couch cleaned.”

  Paxton squeaked and shoved at Seth’s chest, trying her best to shove him off. He wasn’t ready to move, though.

  “Chris and Brian confessed,” Cap said.

  Seth watched Quinn sit at his desk, unruffled by the vision of one of his detectives under a vampire.

  “Move it, Toothy,” Paxton rasped, one eyebrow rose while she ever so lightly lifted her thigh between his to press against his erection. What man wouldn’t back down?

  They both sat up straight. Seth wrapped his arm around her shoulder and drew her closer, unable to be apart from her.

  Luke entered, a Coke in one hand, and grinned. “You guys are so cute.” He saluted Seth. “Nice one out there, by the way.”

  Seth nodded. He hadn’t done it for himself. When he’d seen the woman pull a knife, the only thing he’d thought about was protecting his mate. If he’d saved another life in doing what he’d done, then great.

  “Guy’s name is Brian Zeebol.” Cap stuck a pair of wire-rim glasses on his face and looked at the report he’d carried in with him. “Says he and Chris Carmichael started off stealing panties as a game. Who could get the most. Then it turned into who could fleece the most money off the undies by blackmailing their victims with photos. They were friends with the mayor’s son and thus had access to his house. They were under the impression they were going to make a lot of money off Mayor Perkins’s fetish.”

  Seth squeezed Paxton’s shoulder. She melted into his side with a sigh.

  Cap continued. “Chris was short a couple pair, though, so he got into his mother’s drawer to even up the count with Brian. He was in a hurry and didn’t realize he’d dropped some on his way out.”

  Foiled at last, Seth supposed. “His mother knew something was up with her son, didn’t she?”

  “Yes. She just didn’t want to believe it. She’s been on some pretty heavy meds since her husband died a year ago. Then her son got paired with his roommate, things went steadily downhill, and she unraveled. She’ll be okay, by the way. You just nicked her. Seth’s wound would have been much more life threatening than her scratch had he been human. Anyway, whenever you’re good to go, get out of here, Seth.” Captain Quinn stood and reached for a briefcase on the floor. “Got to get back to the wife myself. And don’t bother coming in tomorrow, Paxton.” There was a gleam in Cap’s eye and Seth smiled. He’d have to remember to thank the man later. “You’ve got to talk to the psychologist before coming back anyway.”

  “How ’bout me? Do I get to go too?” Luke lounged against the doorframe. He tossed his empty can toward the trash and shrugged when it missed by a mile.

  Cap looked over the edge of his glasses at him. “After you pick that up. Oh, and one more thing, Seth. Get whatever the hell you need to out of your system this weekend so I don’t have to send Lukey here after you anymore, would you?”

  Paxton snorted and Seth laughed. He would certainly try and work some things out of his system in the next couple of days. He’d never get rid of it entirely, but he’d give it his best shot.

  Luke flipped the captain off before heading for the can. On his way out the door he winked over his shoulder. “See you guys later.”

  “Right.” With Paxton’s help, Seth pushed up from the couch, grimacing at the stitch of pain in his side.

  “See, if you’d been wearing a vest, this wouldn’t be so bad right now.”

  He cupped the back of her neck and planted his lips on hers. Deepening the kiss, he claimed her, letting her know who was boss.

  “Won’t get you out of wearing one next time,” she whispered.

  “I wouldn’t dream of putting myself in danger anymore.”

  “Don’t forget you said that.”

  “Never.” They walked side by side out of the precinct. Seth leaned on Paxton for support. The knife wound might not have killed him and it was healing at a fas
t rate, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt like hell.

  “So, um, are you too sore to…”

  Seth rounded on her, forcing her back against the car and lowering his mouth to hers. He swiped his tongue against hers, tasting her, feeling the rest of his life beginning.

  “Never.”

  About the Author

  Annmarie McKenna lives in Missouri where she stays busy writing, shuffling four kids to various activities, and training for triathlons. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached at annmarmck@yahoo.com. To learn more about Annmarie, please visit www.annmariemckenna.com or join her Yahoo! group for updates on her latest releases or other information. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Annmarie_McKenna.

  Look for these titles by Annmarie McKenna

  Now Available:

  Midsummer Night’s Steam

  Fantasmagorical

  Serving Love

  Court Appointed

  Blackmailed

  Seeing Eye Mate

  Checkmate

  Two Sighted

  The Strength of Three

  Look What Santa Brought

  Between a Ridge and a Hard Place

  Coming Soon:

  Ultimatum

  Trifecta

  Mystified

  Is it love? Or sabotage?

  Between a Ridge and a Hard Place

  © 2008 Annmarie McKenna

  After a year of being ignored as a woman by her boss, Morgan steps up her game—and strips down. What better way than a miniskirt to capture her hardheaded boss’s attention? The butt floss she can do without, but hey, if the ploy works…and it does, with spectacular results. Now if only she can keep him interested permanently.

  Ridge can’t believe it when the woman he’s quietly lusted after for a year shows up dressed…or rather, undressed…to drop any man to his knees. Instead of worrying about winning a bid after losing the last two under strange circumstances, he whisks her to his place to demolish any notion she might have of changing her mind.

  Then it becomes clear why his company is losing bids—there’s a mole planted in their midst. Ridge suddenly has to question Morgan’s sudden transformation from faithful P.A. to office vixen.