FMR

by SL

  Before he consciously realized what he was doing, he lightly brushed

  his lips against hers before capturing her mouth in a full-blown kiss.

  He wanted her ... bad.

  CHAPTER 7

  It has been so long since Jac had been properly kissed, she thought

  she'd melt right there on the sofa. The pressure of his lips on hers was

  absolutely delicious. All thoughts of wolves, sanctuaries and

  magazine stories dissipated as she yielded to his kiss.

  A low moaned escaped from her as he removed his lips to dot the

  curve of her jaw with tiny, light kisses. Jac's senses reeled. Arousal

  crackled inside her as Ray encircled her in his strong arms and drew

  her close.

  "I've wanted to do this since we met," Ray confessed between

  kisses. Her heart skipped a beat. Deep down, she did, too. Once

  again, they were on the same wavelength.

  The room suddenly became very warm. Ray's lips trailed from her

  jaw down the column of her neck. Closing her eyes and tilting her

  head back, she gave into the pleasurable sensations. "Oh that feels

  sooo good," she moaned. "Don't stop."

  The trail of heated kisses suddenly halted. Jac's eyes snapped open.

  He raised his head, his gaze meeting hers. There was a twinkle of

  mischief in his eyes. "Don't stop, huh?" he teased.

  "Oh, Ray." She gave a playful pout. "Quit toying with me, please."

  "Well, I did say I could think of other things we could do since

  we're snowed in." He chuckled. "That is, if you want to?"

  There was a glow behind his eyes, despite his jovial mood. A

  shiver went down Jac's spine. Something about him that she just

  couldn't put her finger on. Something mysterious, yet sexy at the

  same time. It made her entire body buzz with erotic electricity.

  Jac nervously licked her lips. Yet, there was no doubt she wanted

  exactly what he wanted. "Okay." She nodded.

  Before she could blink, Ray rose to his feet, scooping her up off the

  sofa. "Hey! What are you doing?" She gasped as he carried her out of

  the living room and down the hallway.

  "My room's more comfortable." He grinned, bumping the door

  open with his hip.

  Decorated in deep forest greens and ivory, the room was warm and

  inviting. A vaguely familiar aroma greeted her senses when Ray

  gently laid her down in the center of his large bed. She propped up on

  her elbows and watched him switch on the CD player by the

  nightstand.

  The mellow harmonies of The Eagles' Hotel California filled the

  room. Ray peeled off his shirt, revealing his hardened torso to her

  eager gaze. With a quirky smile, he sank down onto the bed,

  spreading his body over hers.

  "Now, where was I?" he whispered in a low, husky voice.

  "You were kissing my – " The words dissolved in her throat,

  replaced by another low moan of pleasure when Ray's lips brushed her

  neck with kisses.

  "Oh, my God." She panted as a warm hand slid beneath her

  sweater. Even though his palm was rough, his touch was silk, gliding

  up her tummy to the lacy cups of her bra.

  Her skin burned with heat while Ray deftly moved the lace aside,

  freeing her pebble-hard nipples to his touch. Sinful sensations washed

  through her body. He brought his lips back to hers for another

  scorching kiss.

  Ray felt the moon zinging through him. The sithech inside him

  relished the sweet taste of her mouth. His body tingled with

  excitement while his cock thickened in response, buried in his jeans.

  A low growl escaped from back of his throat. Jac pulled away,

  gazing up with a dazed smile. "Wow! You sure know how to kiss

  with gusto," she teased, pressing her body against him.

  "Say, why don't we lose these clothes? I'm smothering," Ray

  suggested. If the truth be known, his skin itched, the sithech-blood

  pumping through his veins.

  He lifted up, giving her enough room to remove her sweater. As

  she discarded it, his mouth watered at the sight of her breasts accented

  by the thin, lacy bra.

  "Here, let me help you," he offered. His nimble fingers reached

  around, unhooking the bra.

  Jac blushed as he peeled away the lacy material and tossed it aside.

  "Damn, you're gorgeous!" Ray couldn't help himself. She licked her

  lips with a nervous gesture of her tongue and pulled the tie from her

  hair. He stifled a groan. His cock pressed tighter against the denim.

  Whether she knew it or not, Jac was melting away every ounce of

  his self-control.

  Jac felt the intenseness of his gaze. It had been a long time since

  anyone had looked at her with such blatant longing. Encircling her

  arms around his shoulders, she drew him back to her. She wanted him

  desperately with every fiber of her being.

  Their lips met again with such heady sensations, Jac was

  intoxicated. It was a kiss favored with cinnamon and passion. He

  pulled his lips from hers and gazed down at her, lust shining in his

  eyes. "Ah, this feels wonderful," he smiled.

  Jac's eyes widened in disbelief. "Oh my!"

  "What?" Ray's brows knitted together. His expression was tender,

  yet perplexed.

  But, for the life of her, she couldn't remember. "I-I just had a funny

  sense of déjà vu."

  "Déjà vu?" He grinned.

  Her cheeks warmed with embarrassment. "Never mind," she shook

  her head, then lowered a hand to the fly of his denim jeans. "Now,

  where were we?"

  She loved the way Ray closed his eyes, surrendering to her touch as

  she unfastened his pants and slowly slid the zipper down. His musky

  scent filled her senses, quickly dissipating the nagging feeling in the

  back of her mind.

  It was her turn. She gave him a hand, tugging down the jeans from

  his waist. As she tossed the denim aside, revealing his stiff cock to

  her gaze. She flashed him a wicked grin. For a moment, she could

  have sworn he blushed.

  "Are you modest, Ray? Surely not," she teased, reaching over and

  stroking over the length of his cock with a light brush of her hand.

  Ray quivered at her touch. He let out another low, ragged groan. A

  groan of pure pleasure.

  "You're making me crazy." He opened his eyes. They were dark

  and hooded with passion. He reached for the fastenings of her jeans.

  "I want you sooo bad."

  "Same here." Her body was heavy with lusty heat. It mingled with

  the strange, impulsive desire to jump his bones.

  As soon as he peeled off her jeans, the scent of her arousal filled the

  room. Moisture tickled between her legs. She lay back on the soft

  mattress and swiftly wiggled out of her panties.

  Jac beckoned him closer with a crooked finger. "Come here."

  Ray had never witnessed a more beautiful and inviting sight. A

  woman who desired him as much as he did her. Mixed emotions

  flooded through him, along with the heat of the moon. Like a giant

  magnifier, the power of the moon was amplifying his feelings for Jac

  Hamilton.

  Her musky aroma and willing demeanor was acting like an

  aphrodisiac, overpowering his self-control. He was hard,
his body

  aching from head to toe. The sithech-blood pumped with intensity

  through his veins.

  Ray quickly rose from the bed and stood over her. He gritted his

  teeth, balling his fists at his sides as he willed to control the sithech

  inside him.

  "What's wrong?" She angled her head, gazing up at him with a

  perplexed expression. "Do you need a condom? I have some in my–"

  "No. No, that's not it." He shook his head.

  Jac rose gracefully from the bed. The sight of her luscious curves

  was wreaking havoc on him while she stood in front of him.

  She snaked her arms around his shoulders. The softness of her

  belly pressed erotically against his cock. She leaned closer. "I haven't

  felt this way in a long time, about anybody. You're special, Ray.

  There's something about you that makes me feel ... "

  Her silken voice trailed off. However, the look in her eyes pierced

  his heart. Ray inhaled sharply. His senses were overloaded with

  lunar-induced desire. She caught him off-guard, assaulting his mouth

  with a hungry kiss.

  Heat shot up, flaring between their naked bodies. Ah shit! No! Ray

  quickly grasped Jac's shoulders and pulled her away from him.

  "Back away," he snapped. "Back away, now, Jac!"

  His skin began to itch. He was powerless to stop the

  metamorphosis. The last thing he saw was the hurt on her face. His

  shape rapidly began to change form. It happened.

  Jac fell back onto the bed with a shrill, startled cry. A large, jet-

  black wolf was standing in the spot where Ray had been. Her heart

  raced in her chest. She scrambled back on the mattress, clutching a

  loose sheet to her chest.

  "Oh, my God!" She gasped, not taking her eyes off the wolf.

  Shock and fear coiled in her stomach.

  The wolf's ears flattened against his head. He tucked his tail

  between his legs when his dark gaze met hers.

  The creature's eyes were familiar. A shiver went down her spine.

  "R-ray? Is that you?" she stammered.

  The wolf gave a pitiful whimper and then turned, bolting from the

  room.

  Jac leapt to her feet, wrapping the sheet around her before she

  scrambled after him. Her fear evaporated, she raced down the

  hallway toward the kitchen.

  Her only concern was Ray.

  "Ray! Come back!"

  When she reached the kitchen, her heart sank in her chest. The

  doggie door was slapping to and fro. He'd escaped outside. She

  flipped the latched, pulling open the backdoor.

  Jac called out again, stepping out onto the frigid porch, but was

  only met with silence. A trail of paw prints marked the snow-covered

  yard which lead out to a large expanse of wooded glade.

  "Damn it," she cursed as the biting cold permeated the thin sheet.

  Stepping back inside, she slammed the door. Her legs wobbled

  beneath her. Pulling out a chair, she sank down at the kitchen table as

  the initial wave of shock hit her.

  Ray McShaw was a wolf.

  Jac palmed her face, her mind racing. What the hell just happened?

  It was like an episode of The X-Files – with her in the starring role.

  She drew a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Pull yourself together.

  Then again, it's not every day a handsome man morphs into a wolf

  before my eyes!

  A chill passed over her. She stood and headed toward the bedroom.

  With trembling hands, she picked up her clothes scattered about the

  room, putting put them back on to ward off the cold.

  Her organized, ordinary world had been turned upside down.

  * * * *

  Snow crushed under his paws, but Ray didn't notice the bitter cold

  dampness which clung to his fur. His mind was elsewhere. He'd

  heard Jac calling out to him when he dashed out of the house, putting

  a safe distance between him and her.

  His heart ached recalling her fear. It was his fault. He was unable

  to control the sithech. He had got caught up in the full moon fever ...

  and it left him stunned and changed.

  Cursing the sithech-blood which ran through his veins, he slowed

  his pace. Sunlight shone through the clouds, but gave little warmth to

  the snow-covered glade. His wolf senses were alive, picking up on

  the wildlife in the area. Ray was not interested. He was distraught.

  His loss of control had revealed his secret to Jac. And, more than

  likely, had frightened her away.

  He knew he'd have to return home once he changed back into

  human form. Being nude out in the snow was not a good idea. But,

  will Jac still be there? He wondered. It won't surprise me if she's

  already grabbed the truck keys and headed back to town.

  If she was still there, then he would have a lot of explaining to do.

  It was something he didn't look forward to. Being sithech was

  difficult enough. Ray realized that revealing it to Jac, who was both

  human and a reporter, would be like climbing Mount Everest in a

  blizzard.

  Settling down beneath a pine tree, Ray decided to rest until the

  fever simmered down in his veins. All he could do right now was be

  patient and wait it out.

  * * * *

  Jac wanted to talk to someone, anyone. The silence in the house,

  combined with the questions running through her head, were enough

  to make her crazy. She stepped to the bay window and glanced out.

  Her heart sank in her chest. There was still no sign of Ray.

  The shrill whistle of the tea kettle jolted her. She headed to the

  kitchen, eager for a soothing hot cup of chamomile to ease her nerves.

  Too bad it's not vervain tea, she mused with a thin smile. She poured

  the hot water into the cup, inhaling the aroma that scented the air.

  But, she recalled, at least chamomile tastes better. Picking up the

  steaming cup, she walked back into the living room, sinking down

  onto the sofa. She was worried about Ray. He'd been gone for over

  an hour. Jac spotted the cordless phone on the coffee table. She

  reached over and picked it up. I should call someone, but whom?

  Jac yelped with surprise as the phone rang in her hand. "Oh man!"

  Her heart beat a rapid tattoo as she glanced at the caller ID. 'Meg'

  showed up on the tiny display. Without hesitating, Jac quickly

  depressed the button.

  "Hello?"

  "Hi, Jac. It's Megan," A familiar voice came through the receiver.

  "May I please speak to Ray?"

  "Uh, Ray? He's not here." Jac's heart was still thumping in her chest

  as she rose, pacing into the kitchen.

  "What? He's not there?" She could hear the surprise in the woman's

  voice.

  "No, he's uh, outside." Jac gazed down at the doggie door. What

  the hell am I supposed to say? She chewed her lip nervously, noting

  an uncomfortable silence on the other end of the phone.

  "Jac, what's wrong?" Megan inquired. "I know something's wrong.

  I can sense it."

  Jac drew a deep breath to calm her nerves, returning to the sofa, the

  phone pressed against her ear. "Ray ran outside about an hour ago. I

  haven't seen him since ... and I don't know what to do."

  "Wha–?"

  "He's changed into a wolf."
There. She'd said it out loud ... to

  another person, to Ray's sister. There was silence on the other end of

  the phone. Oh, good grief. She's going to think I'm nuts! Jac's

  stomach churned with nerves. She grabbed the cup, taking a big sip

  of tea to clear her throat.

  "Uh, Megan, are you there?"

  "Yeah, I'm here."

  Jac let out a sigh of relief. "Oh good. For a moment I thought – "

  "No, you're not nuts." Even though Megan's voice was calm and

  soothing, the hair on Jac's neck prickled.

  "D-did you just read my mind?" Jac sat up straight on the sofa.

  "Are you psychic?"

  "You can say I'm highly intuitive," Megan replied with an amused

  chuckle. "Now, about Ray, what happened? Tell me everything."

  Jac took another sip of tea, and then proceeded to give Megan a

  condensed PG-13 version of what had happened earlier in the

  bedroom.

  Psychic or not, Jac thought with an amused smirk, she'll be able to

  figure out what we were really doing.

  When she finished, there was another long pause on the other end

  of the phone. Finally, Megan spoke again.

  "He was affected by what's known as 'moon fever'." Meg sighed.

  "It runs in our family."

  "Your family? Then, that means you're ... you're a wolf, too!" Jac

  reached for the cup, gulping down the last drop then took a deep,

  calming breath. "Okay, Megan, I wanna know the truth. Please tell

  me what's going on. I'm worried about Ray."

  "You really care about him, don't you?"

  Megan's question caught her off-guard. She went silent. Yes, it

  was true. She was attracted to Ray McShaw from the moment she

  met him. It was an attraction which tugged on her heart strings.

  Something she couldn't explain or rationalize, yet it was mysterious

  and magical.

  "Yes, I really care for your brother." she replied in a lower voice.

  "Now, would you please explain to me what is'moon fever'?"

  CHAPTER 8

  Raising his head from his forepaws, Ray glanced up at the mid-

  afternoon sky. Sunlight broke through the dreary clouds and cast a

  golden glow around him. The entire glade was warming and turned

  the snow into white, cold mush.

  The 'moon fever' which had been brought on by his rapid desire had

  subsided. Relieved, he rose up on all-fours, trotting back through the

  tree-lined field. Any other time, he would love to run free in the