by Beverly Rae
“I don’t know what happened.”
He growled, the sound low and mean, and yet comforting. “Just think what he could do if he glamoured you.”
She shuddered. “I’m not sure he didn’t.”
“If he had, he would’ve slapped the old voodoo on you and taken control of your mind. Don’t look him in the eyes again.”
Irritation flashed alive and Mari ducked under his arms, then moved away from him. “I know, and I didn’t during the game. But then, afterward, when he said my name…I couldn’t resist. Are you sure he didn’t glamour me?”
“I don’t think so. He caught you like a deer in headlights but I don’t think he really tried to put a mind hex on you.”
“Oh, my God. If that wasn’t glamouring me, I’d hate to find out what the real deal feels like.”
“Let’s just make sure you never do.” Tucker clutched her arm, pulling her with him.
“What the hell, Tucker? Will you stop dragging me?”
“Bascom just came out. Do you want to hang around and have another little chat with him? Or would you rather come with me?”
Mari glanced back over her shoulder and found Bascom staring at her. The icy chill zipped through her again. She started to turn back, but Tucker jerked her forward.
“Come on. We’ll go to my room and discuss what to do next.”
“Your room?”
He shot her a sly grin. “Or yours. We need privacy.” His grin faded away. “Take your pick. You can stay around here and have the vamp give you a mind meld or you can come along with the big bad wolf. What’s it going to be?”
“How do we fight a vampire?” Mari remained standing even when Tucker stretched out on his king-sized bed. “We can’t pull out a stake and stab him through the heart with all the spectators and cameras. Although the idea is appealing. Or can we?”
His chuckle gave her much-needed warmth. Would she ever warm up after experiencing Bascom’s cold stare? “As much as I’d like to, no. After all, I don’t have a problem with his being a vampire as much as I dislike cheaters of any kind. And glamouring your opponent is cheating, as far as I’m concerned.”
“I agree. Using magic would give me an unfair advantage. Besides, I like the idea of winning because I’m good.” She grinned at Tucker’s bemused expression. “What I meant to say is that I’m the best. So I’ll win, barring any cheating by anyone else.”
“Well, at least you don’t lack confidence in your abilities.”
“I think my record of tournament wins says it all.”
He sat up and patted a spot on the bed next to him.
Why did she suddenly feel like Little Red Riding Hood? But she had to wonder, was Red’s wolf as hot as Tucker?
“No thanks. I’ll sit over here.” She slid into the hard, uncomfortable chair next to the small, generic hotel table.
“Suit yourself.” Instead of staying where he was at the end of the bed, he slid over to the side closest to her. “I’ve gotta ask. How set are you on your no-magic policy?”
“I told you. I don’t use magic when I play.”
“I get it. But have you ever encountered a cheat before?”
Mari shifted in her seat as the sinking impression settled in the pit of her stomach. “Sure I have. Every player does at one time or another.”
“Have they been human or supernatural?”
He was leading her, but what choice did she have except to follow along? “You and Bascom are the first supernaturals I’ve met at a poker table. To tell the truth, I haven’t met too many supernaturals—other than witches.”
Tucker leaned forward. Was he closing in for the kill? Yet Mari found herself leaning toward him instead of away. He was magnetic, commanding. Not in the scary way Bascom was, but in a purely sexual I’ve-got-to-have-you kind of way. She let her gaze drop to skim over his crotch and fought against licking her lips. Hmm. She wondered how the big bad wolf tasted.
“Tell me. How did you handle the human cheaters?”
“If I could show the officials how they were cheating, then I exposed them.” Oh, my. Her gaze flicked over him again. She’d sure like to expose him.
“And if you couldn’t?”
“Then I did my best to beat their butts.” An image of her spanking Tucker’s bottom brought a smile to her face. “At the table, of course.” Or maybe she should be the one to lie on the table and let him spank her? She ran her palm over the smooth surface. Lust lashed her, sending heat to her pussy.
“You have a special way of putting things, darlin’.”
Her gaze met his, the sparkle in his revving her libido a notch higher. “I guess. But you get what I mean, don’t you?” Oh, please get what I mean!
Tucker brightened, the ends of his lips curving into a wolfish grin. “Yeah, I do. But I doubt we can prove Bascom’s cheating. All he’d need to do is glamour the official into believing him instead of us.”
She frowned and shook her head. “So how do we stop him?”
Tucker lunged toward her and grabbed the arms of the chair. She squealed but didn’t try to get away. He moved his face close to hers. Mari inhaled, taking a whiff of his heady, musky scent along with her breath.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures, darlin’.”
Would he mind if she licked him? Probably not, but somehow she managed to stop herself. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”
He grinned, showing his white teeth. The better to eat you with, my dear? The memory of his head between her legs sent flares to light the coals of desire.
“Well, since I don’t think tying him up and holding him hostage is a viable alternative, that leaves us with one choice.”
She stretched, using the move she’d done to distract her opponents to thrust out her chest. Tucker’s gaze fell to the swell of her chest, lingered, then lifted to her face again. Amber flecks dotted his dark eyes.
“And what’s that?” she asked.
“I’m afraid you’re going to have to break your promise.”
His lips, full, yet masculine, tempted her to press hers to his, reminding her of how forceful his kiss had been, how his tongue had slid between them to tantalize her with a quick skim over her lips.
“No. I don’t want to.” Ask me to do something I want to do. Like wrap my legs around you.
“Think of it as payback.”
“Payback?” She leaned to the left, brushed the side of her breast against his arm, and earned a groan from him.
“He used his power on Ramona and the rest, and now you’re going to use your magic on him. It evens the playing ground. Hell, it’s payback.”
He had a point. “I try not to make promises, but when I do, I don’t like breaking them.”
“Sometimes you have to do things you don’t like to do. Besides, you made the promise to yourself, right? So I don’t think yourself will get too upset when you break it.”
Damn, but she loved his grin. Among a host of other things about him. “Oh, ha-ha.”
But the grin was wiped away by his serious tone. “Think about it, Mari. If we don’t use your magic against him, what other weapon do we have?”
“How about your powers as a werewolf?”
“Well, I could kill him, but I try not to take a life—undead or living—if I don’t have to. The pack kind of frowns on it. Unless it’s in self-defense, of course.” His chuckle washed over her. “I don’t think him winning a hand would count as a direct attack on me.”
A zing of excitement tightened her neck. What would he look like in his werewolf form? Would he remember who she was? Would she be in danger? But the danger factor only added to his allure. “I agree. Bloodshed isn’t the answer.”
“Other than biting him, I only have one thing to offer. He can’t glamour a shifter. That and my good looks are all I’ve got.”
She couldn’t help but giggle. “Don’t forget your modesty.”
“Judging from what happened earlier, however, I’d say he could most lik
ely glamour you.”
Mari shivered, remembering the cold hold Bascom had put on her.
“So what’s it going to be, Mari? Is keeping your promise more important than keeping Bascom from glamouring innocent people? Or from putting a vamp hex on you?”
He did have a point. A damn good point. “Maybe you’re right.”
His amber-lit eyes twinkled with mirth. “Darlin’, I’m always right.” He grew serious. “Then we agree? You’ll use your magic?”
“Okay. But we have to be careful. I need all the advantages I can get.”
“Don’t I know it? You may be a witch, but I don’t think you’re much of a match for an ancient vampire.”
“Oh, so you don’t think I can take him?” She wasn’t sure she could either, but why did he have to assume as much?
“I didn’t say you can’t handle yourself, but let’s face it. You’re going to need a lot of help. That’s where I come in.”
She crossed her arms and smirked. “And just how will you help, since I’m the one with the magic?”
“I’ll play bait and distract him, giving you time and cover to do your thing.”
He was right, of course. She would have a better chance if she could blindside Bascom. “Makes sense. Unless you get hurt in the process.”
Tucker snorted. “Don’t worry about me, darlin’. I’ll hold my own. You just try not to look at his eyes.”
“I’ll do my best. Not that I can take care of myself like you can, of course.” She grinned. Men and their egos.
He placed his hands on her shoulders and rubbed her arm. “I’m sure you’ll do fine.”
Did he just try to placate me? She smothered a laugh.
“Thanks. I’ll try.” In the meantime, maybe she should show him just how strong a witch she was. She crossed her legs, narrowly missing his crotch with her knee. A move that wasn’t lost on Tucker. “So do you believe everyone deserves a little payback?”
He narrowed his eyes, suspicions clouding his face. “Why do I feel like I’ve just stepped into a trap?”
She ignored his question. He’d get his answer soon enough. “I think I owe you some payback, darlin’.”
“How so?”
“Do you remember our hookup in the hallway?”
“I’ll never forget it.”
The sincerity behind his words hit her, giving her more incentive to carry out her spell. “You kind of took me by surprise, you know? Then you took control of me.”
He slid his hand off the arm of the chair to skim along her thigh, slipping his fingertips under the hem of her skirt. His touch awakened her nerves, then sent a thrill up her leg. “Are you sorry I did?”
“No, but I think you deserve a little payback of your own.”
“Really?” He swallowed, then ran his tongue over his upper lip.
“I do. And it’s my turn to take over.”
She murmured the magical words under her breath. Tucker tensed up, then let out a yelp as he was yanked into the air. Mari slipped under him, getting out of the way seconds before he landed in the chair.
“How the hell?”
Not giving him a moment to react, she waved her hands and murmured a binding spell. Tucker’s hands clutched the chair arms. He jerked and yanked his arms, trying to get away, but the hex held, keeping his hands glued to the wood. Growling, he lifted his head to glare at her with amber-rich eyes, then snarled, exposing sharp fangs.
“Hell’s bells!” Mari plopped onto the edge of the bed. “You really are a werewolf. I guess maybe I didn’t truly believe… Wow.”
Tucker growled again as his ears pointed and fur replaced the stubble along his chin.
“Are you changing?” Alarm pierced her, but still couldn’t compete with her curiosity. “Are you still in there?”
Tucker stopped struggling and ducked his head. She sensed the struggle had turned inward with a battle to stay human warring with the animal wanting to be set free.
“Tucker?”
He lifted his head, his gaze meeting hers. Fur no longer trimmed his jaw line and his eyes had returned to blue, his fangs receding as she watched.
“Uh-uh.” She dropped to her knees in front of him. “No, don’t hide them. I want to see your fangs.”
He renewed his fight to get loose. “What are you up to, Mari?”
“I told you. Payback.” She inched toward him and ran her hands over his thighs. He sucked in a breath, his gaze fixed on her. “Damn, that was something.”
“I didn’t scare you?”
“Not a bit.” At his surprised expression, she added, “I know. I would’ve thought I’d run like a rabbit.” She rubbed her hands over his thighs again, then gave him a sultry look. “But I think it’s sexy as hell.”
Tucker’s anger was gone from his eyes, replaced by a different kind of predator’s gleam. “How sexy?”
Mari positioned herself between his legs and tugged the button of his jeans open. “This sexy.”
Chapter Five
You Show Me Yours and I’ll Show You Mine
Tucker sucked in a breath, scooted his bottom to the end of the chair, then lifted it higher, allowing Mari to tug his jeans to the floor. She yanked off his shoes, followed them with his jeans and tossed them away. His shaft already stood at attention as she wrapped her hand around him.
“Ooh, I like it when a man comes prepared.”
“If I had it my way, underwear would be banned.”
She stretched over him, her lips only an inch from the tip. “I hope it’s okay that I wore panties.”
“Darlin’, you keep doing what you’re doing and you can wear anything you want. As long as you know it’s gotta come off sometime.” He started to say more but lost his train of thought when she touched the end of her tongue against the tip of his cock. “Go on, darlin’. Wrap your sweet mouth around me.”
Instead of giving him his wish, she continued to toy with him, flicking her tongue lightly over his slit. He groaned and worked to free his hands, but her spell held him as securely as chains would have.
“You’re killing me.”
The evil grin she gave him was sexy as hell. “I don’t think so. But even if I am, do you want me to stop?”
“Hell, no. Still, I wouldn’t mind if you turned me loose so I could help.”
“Not a chance. I like you this way.” She cupped his balls while she stroked him with her other hand. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she dove in, taking every inch of his shaft inside her mouth.
“Oh, shit!” Tucker jerked, then moaned as she matched the up-and-down slide of her hand with the movement of her mouth.
Dragging on him, she pulled, then released, then pulled again. The whirlwind of lust began in his abdomen, then spiraled outward. His cock grew harder, longer, pulsing with need. Her silky blonde hair, so close yet miles from his reach, tempted him to reach out and clutch a handful of the soft strands, and he flexed his hands, desperate to touch her.
He moaned, unable to resist the delicious torture of her teeth as she teased his delicate skin, toying with him, pretending she just might take a nibble. Instead, she sucked his skin in and fondled his balls. His stomach tightened with need, and his shaft jerked as his lust spun out of control. He groaned, giving voice to the urgency whirling inside him.
“Eeggh, let me go.”
She glanced up, shot him a questioning look. “What’s wrong? Can’t you get away on your own? Or is this witch too much for a big, strong wolfman?” She grabbed his shirt with both hands and yanked it open. Buttons flew everywhere, and she laughed, obviously enjoying herself. “Mmm, nice abs.”
Keeping one hand on his shaft, she placed a palm flat on his chest and skimmed it over his stomach. Her fingers tunneled through his hair, making a path to his shoulders.
He thrust out his chin toward her chest. “How about you? Let me see what’s under your blouse.”
Seeing his hunger echoed in her eyes was all it took. She whispered a spell and her blouse opened, exposin
g her braless breasts.
“Man, oh, man.” His lips parted, his gaze raking over her. “Come here, Mari. Quit fooling around and free my hands.”
She shook her head. “Not until I’m ready. Until then…” Another spell and her skirt dropped to the floor.
He groaned and struggled against his invisible restraints. “I thought you said you had on panties.”
She glanced down, gasped coquettishly, her fingers over her mouth, then brought out a very big grin. “Oh, my. Looks like I lied.”
“That’s one lie I’m okay with.” He took her in, aching to feel swell of her soft stomach under his palms. Even now, he could taste her perky nipples, each surrounded by a beautiful brown areola. He licked his lips, his gaze fixed on the curly blonde strip of hair between her legs. “Sit on me, Mari. Ride me.”
She hesitated only a second, then slid onto his lap. He tried to arch upward, to encourage her to let him enter her. She flattened her hands on his chest, pushing her breasts together, and leaned forward.
Tucker latched on to her nipple and sucked, closing his eyes in his relief to finally touch her. He circled her hard nub with his tongue, eliciting a soft mewing sound from her. Pushing her breast against his face, he sucked harder, adding a nibble between licks. Her other breast tickled his cheek.
“Ooh, yeah. Suck on me, Tucker.”
He obeyed her, using his mouth and tongue, wishing he could use his hands. If he could, he’d grab her bottom and force her onto his cock.
As if she’d read his mind, she reached for him, then guided his already weeping shaft into her pussy. He let out an “ahh” that melted with hers. Moving her hips back and forth, she inched his length inside her, until at last she threw back her head and let out a cry. He thrust upward, driving as hard and fast as he could.
Sweat broke out along her forehead as she matched him, riding him like a cowgirl breaking a wild horse. Digging her fingernails into his skin, she paused, tensed, then cried out again as a shudder ripped through her.
