But she felt no fear.
Only a sharp stab of lust that caused her to shudder around him, and her interior walls to clench and pull him deeper.
She opened her eyes and stared into his once blue eyes now gone amber. “Who do I belong to, Woolven? You, or the beast?”
“I am the beast.” He stopped thrusting, holding her there against the wall for a long moment.
Goddess, but she needed him to move. Needed the friction of his cock and she shifted, rolling her hips, taking what she wanted, but then he held her still and it was the most delicious torture she could’ve imagined.
“Say you’re mine.”
She knew that even though he still wore a mostly human veneer, there was nothing human about Parker Woolven now. His beast had obviously decided she belonged to him.
Belle searched those amber eyes and she wasn’t even sure what she was looking for.
She didn’t want to be anyone’s property. She belonged to no one but herself. That was why she’d left the murder. She wasn’t their property. She didn’t live or die at their words and whims.
Her body made the choice for her.
Belle didn’t speak the words, but she turned her head to the side and offered the beast her throat. It was an act of submission, and invitation she knew he’d accept.
She could admit she wanted it, his teeth at her throat. Maybe the mark wouldn’t stay, but she could damn well enjoy the orgasm it gave her when he tried. If it had been that intense on her inner thigh, his bite on her throat might actually end her.
It would be one hell of a way to go.
Except his fingers were on her chin, turning her face back to his and the amber light in his eyes had receded to a light ring around the blue. His beast was still there, but it had stepped back and now the human part of Parker was in charge.
“Did I scare you?”
Tears welled in the back of her throat from some stupid reason. She was a monster, just like him. She was a predator, too. She’d offered him her throat and any other beast of her acquaintance would’ve taken it, probably without asking.
Now, here he was, after demanding she say she belonged to him, making sure it was actually something she wanted.
It turned her on even more, but it played with her emotions. Touched them in unapproved ways.
If she was honest with herself, it made her want to belong to him. To put her burdens on his shoulders and let him carry them for a little while. She wanted to hide in the strength he offered her.
Before she could think better of it, she said, “Only with what you make me feel, Parker. It’s so much. Too much.”
“Do you want to stop?” he asked, cock still hard inside of her.
“Fuck no.” She dug her nails into his shoulders. “Bite me.”
The beast reasserted himself and his jaws closed around her throat. It was a pleasure unlike she’d ever known as his teeth sank into her flesh. It burned, but it made her whole body pulse with wave after wave of ecstasy.
It took her to that place outside of time, the one where she was sure her insides knew his, that they’d been there together before the world was made. Something told her they’d be there together after the world had been unmade, too.
Every nerve ending was alive with sensation. Parts of her that had gone numb over the many long years were suddenly awake and she was bombarded with scents and sound. Everything she felt centered around that bite, even as it healed, it pulsed and the shockwaves echoed straight to her clit.
As the hurricane ebbed and she came back to herself, she put her head on his shoulder and whispered, “I hope you meant what you said.”
“I always mean what I say,” he reassured her. “Wolves don’t lie. It’s not in our nature.”
“That’s good, because it’s never felt like this before. If I’m yours, you’re mine.”
“Fine,” he said, his tone light, teasing.
“Fine,” she said back.
He laughed and eased her to her feet. “Now, we really have to talk.”
“I know.” She stretched and grabbed for a towel. “But I’d rather do that again.”
“I’d rather do that pretty much every day, all day,” Parker assured her.
She laughed. “I don’t think we got very clean.” Belle did like the way her hair smelled. “I like this all purpose cleansing bar. That’s nice.”
“I’ll have your bathroom at Aphelion stocked with them.”
“Aphelion?”
“It’s my family compound. You’ll be safe there.”
“You still want to take me there even knowing I’m a vampire?” She studied him. “Everyone else there is like you? A wolf?”
“Not everyone. One of our scientists is a vampire. He was taken and turned by Kumarin. My brother, our Alpha, got him back.”
“And he lives there?” She’d never heard of such a thing.
“Yes. He’s actually my brother’s father-in-law, if you want to put a label on it. He is well-loved by our pack. Part of our pack.”
“You Woolvens are a different breed of wolf, then, aren’t you?”
“I suppose you could say that.”
“I haven’t spoken with another vampire in a hundred years. I mean, there are plenty of them in Vegas, but since I can go out in the sun, we don’t smell the same to each other. They smell dead to me and I smell like human to them. Actually, if any of them realized who and what I was, they’d sell me back to my murder so fast. Or maybe they’d pick me apart, trying to see what makes me tick and how they can walk in the sun, too.”
“How can you walk in the sun? Do you know? David misses the sun.”
“It’s not complicated. I don’t drink humans. Something about human blood enhances the sensitivity to sunlight. I’m also old enough that I could probably drink human blood now and still get away with a few minutes in the sun without turning to dust.”
“Tell me about your murder, about who is after you?”
“I guess I should. You keep asking, and I keep not answering. It’s dumb, but talking about them hurts. I miss them. As awful and horrible as they are, the bad things they want to make me do, I still miss them. I still love them.”
Parker drew her close to him and she turned her face against his chest, allowing herself the luxury of his comfort. It would be so easy to get used to this.
“They’re your family. Of course you feel those things. I can’t imagine living without my pack. My brothers. My uncle. Their mates. No matter what horrible things they’d done.”
“My murder is one of the oldest. We trace our parent murder back to Mesopotamia. We are Asakku.”
At his sharp intake of breath, she knew that he’d heard of them. Who hadn’t? They were only the most feared of the murders, Kumarin coming in as a close second.
“The Asakku in some places are worshipped as old gods. I was born to a priestess who’d given herself to the murder. I shudder to think what kind of dark magic she used to bring me into the world, but here I am.” Belle shrugged. “I ran away many times, but it wasn’t until the 1700’s when I came to America that I was able to hide successfully from them. Now, they’ve caught my scent and I can guarantee you they will stop at nothing to get me back. My father wanted to marry me to Kumarin.” After he’d turned him. When Kumarin had been human, she’d loved him.
“Well, that’s just disgusting,” Parker said, holding her tighter. “I won’t let that happen to you. Woolven has a lot of resources at our disposal. We have witches, dragons, hunters… we have the hunter Lenore Breslin. We have humans, too.”
“What can humans do?”
“They’re far more terrible in their schemes than any supe ever could be. You know this. There’s a government agency my brother has brokered a deal with. But that’s not for anyone you love. At least, not as a first resort.”
She looked up at him. “I’ve never seen a dragon.”
“The outlaw biker gang, Drago Knights?”
“Everyone knows who they are. Th
ey’re like the Hell’s Angels, at least as far as notoriety.”
“Yeah, they’re dragons. Actual dragons.”
“That’s so cool. How is it I’ve lived so long and don’t know these things?” she sighed.
“Because you’ve been alone, but you don’t have to be alone anymore. Woolven will be your murder. I know it’s not the same, and I can’t imagine the pain you’re in, but you don’t have to go through it alone.”
She realized this had all gone so far off the rails. He was talking about forever, and as pretty as it sounded, that wasn’t for them. “All for agreeing to fake marriage?”
He stilled, and his body had gone like marble. Had she hurt him? But that’s what this was. It was all an accident. It was all fake.
Except for the sex.
Wasn’t it?
He was talking like she was his mate, and that wasn’t a thing that happened. Vampires and wolves didn’t do that.
“Yes, Belle. All for agreeing to be my fake wife.” He released her and started getting dressed.
Playing pretend was over. They weren’t anything to each other, except a means to an end.
Except she didn’t want it to be over.
Which was why she had to put fairy tales out of her head. That was how they’d caught her the last time, and it had ended in blood. Which, most fairy tales did. The blood of the villain, but he’d been the hero.
Just like Parker.
Well, no one was like Parker.
But she wouldn’t allow him to step into the role, only to lose his life, while she still had to face endless eternity with the weight of her sins.
Chapter 5
Aphelion loomed, dark and perhaps sinister to some, but for Parker, it was home. While he had his own various residences around the world, nothing caused that warmth to bloom in his chest like the long, winding drive to the giant sleeping beast that overlooked the small village below.
This was home.
This was Woolven.
He felt a strange sense of pride bringing his bride home, even though as she kept reminding him, the bond between them wasn’t real. Parker supposed his feelings were normal, given that he’d bitten her. Marked her. Even though the mark hadn’t stayed on her skin, his wolf had known it was done and had accepted her as his mate.
The Asakku were not gods, even if some thought they were. Some thought werewolves were gods and he knew he was no god.
It was time to remind these Asakku that there was more in heaven and earth…
“You’re growling,” Belle whispered.
He turned to look at her. “It’s a thing I do sometimes.” Parker flashed her a devil-may-care wink to soothe her fears.
“Are you getting ready to protect me from your family? Is that why you’re growling?” Her dark eyes were wide.
“No. I won’t need to protect you from them. I already told you. I’ve given my word. They’ll back me. It’s what family is supposed to do.”
The car slowed to a stop and upon seeing no one was there to greet them, he realized they’d all be in the boardroom.
“I’ll take it from here,” he said to the driver.
He led her inside the Aphelion, the wards giving her no trouble, and he headed straight for the boardroom, where he found his brothers and uncle inside.
Warner was the first to speak. “Boy, do you realize that’s a vampire?”
Parker coughed. “I do.”
“Just checking then.” Warner sniffed the air, his eyes bright amber, as he was always closer to his wolf form than his human. Then he smiled. It was a wide, toothy grin. Big Bad Wolf to the core. “She smells like chocolate.”
Belle smiled. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”
Parker narrowed his eyes. “I’ll thank you to keep your snout to yourself. You don’t need to be sniffing my bride.”
“She doesn’t mind it,” Warner gave her another one of his grins, which was usually reserved for those he was about to kill.
Parker didn’t like it. Not one bit.
His brother Drew nodded slowly. “She does smell like chocolate. The pure cacao, no sweeteners. Unprocessed. Very nice.”
“Could you not?” Parker sighed. He knew he had this coming. He looked to Blake, just waiting for the barrage of shit from him. Especially since he’d given Blake’s mate all kinds of silver weapons to torture him with and had teased them both mercilessly.
He knew his brother would have an opportunity to return the favor, he’d just not expected it would arrive so soon.
Blake had a grin of his own. “I seem to recall that before you left for Vegas you said something about liking your women soft, and sweet. With no bite.”
Fuck! Of course, that would be the one thing that Blake remembered and decided to trot out now in front of Belle.
“No bite?” Belle looked at him. “Well, that’s not what he said on the plane.”
“Or in the hotel room when the paparazzi was snapping pictures of his dick,” Warner said with a cackle.
“Why are you laughing, old man?” Parker grumbled.
“Because it’s damn funny. Even if it did fuck us in the ass sideways.”
“I like him,” Belle said.
“Of course you do.” Parker rolled his eyes. “By the way, that’s my uncle, Warner. That’s Drew, and that’s our Alpha, Blake.”
Warner shrugged. “It’s the scars,” he added before anyone could speak to the introductions. “Randi tells me ‘chicks dig them.’”
“You’re positively chatty today, Uncle.” Parker peered at him, looking him over for some sign he’d been possessed. Or was a shapeshifter pretending to be his uncle.
“Ripping the top of a limousine with my bare hands and then running back to Aphelion put some vigor in these old bones.” Warner rolled his broad shoulders and cracked his neck.
Old? Yeah, not so much. Warner liked to think of himself as a gray tail, but he was as strong and fierce as ever. He’d probably outlive them all.
“Where is your bride?” Parker looked around, as if expecting to see her.
“Under Randi’s tender loving care,” Blake answered.
“Is she upset?”
“Doesn’t seem to be, no.” Blake stood. “I’m sorry, forgive our rudeness.” He addressed Belle. “But we’ve gone to war.”
“And I’m not helping matters. I told Parker that—”
Blake held up his hand. “A Woolven honors his word. We can still protect you. If you protect us.”
Parker felt the urge to put himself between Belle and Blake. He knew, even his beast knew, that Blake meant her no harm. That he would never hurt her, but the instinct to shield her rose nonetheless.
“I have to tell you that the murder you’d be dealing with is unlike any other. You know Kumarin? I am from the Asakku. It was my father who made Evgeni Kumarin who and what he is.”
“Perhaps a challenge,” Blake granted. “But I’ve dealt with Kumarin’s murder. There are a few strays still on the loose, but the rest have…” Blake paused. “Donated their bodies to the US government in the name of science.”
“If he ever gets free, he’ll come for you,” Belle said.
“And I’ll tear his head off and mount it on the wall outside Aphelion for all my enemies to see.” Blake’s tone was calm and even, but the power of the wolf echoed in a dark undercurrent of the promise.
Warner growled with something that sounded like approval.
Drew took this opportunity to speak. “So here’s what needs to happen. We need a very public display.” He looked at the Alpha. “You too.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Blake grumbled.
“Pup, you knew that this was coming. You’re not only the Alpha, but the CEO,” Warner said.
Drew spoke again, “It’s going to be a double wedding. The bigger, the better. We’re already getting hounded for press passes.”
“Do not give them to any of the outlets that published those pictures from Vegas. Make sure when you deny them entry, y
ou tell them that’s why,” Parker said.
Blake nodded. “Good idea. Aversion training. If you want the scoop on Woolven, do it through approved channels, or get shut out.”
“A wedding? More paparazzi?” Belle asked. “I feel this is going to end badly.”
“Our suggestion was to hide in plain sight. Especially after what’s happened with Kumarin’s murder. They’ll think twice about going against Woolven. Even while we’re at war,” Drew said. “We have many allies outside of the werewolf nations. The supernatural side we have covered. It’s the bottom line with the board that we need covered. Can you do that?”
For one horrible moment, Parker thought she was going to say no. That she didn’t believe that they could protect her.
That he could protect her.
Parker had never wished to be anything other than what he was, the youngest brother. The baby. The one who was free to carouse, to make mistakes. It was almost like these things he did were expected of him. The women, the drunken nights in Vegas after snatching the family’s private jet.
It had never bothered him.
Not until now.
Not until he was standing by this woman he’d married, and she doubted him.
His human brain warred with his beast.
His human brain said that he didn’t need to protect her. She was a vampire who was much older than he was. She could walk in the sun, for shit’s sake. She didn’t need Baby Woolven to do anything for her.
Except she did.
She needed someone to stand between her and the force of Asakku coming for her. Who would make her into something she didn’t want to be. Who would take her strength, her choice…
His beast raged because it needed to be more than Baby Woolven.
He’d never wanted the mantle of Alpha, but if he had it now, there would be no doubt of his ability to protect her. Not from her, not from his brothers, and most importantly, not from himself.
“Parker,” Blake said. “All will be well.”
He searched his brother’s face and saw the reassurance there he’d wished he could feel himself. He wanted to ask Blake if he really believed that, or if this was just the strong face he put on for everyone.
The Mate Mistake (The Woolven Secret Book 3) Page 4
