by Beverly Rae
“Are you sure—”
“Am I sure we don’t have time?” Tucker traced his thumb over her bottom lip. “Yeah, I’m sure. Except for maybe a little of this.” He took her head in both hands, holding her still as he pressed his lips to hers. She inhaled, drawing in the fragrance of a musky aftershave along with a scent she couldn’t define. Suddenly, she remembered the way his fangs looked, the way they’d felt on her skin, and she slipped her arms under his to grip his back.
The kiss was soft at first as he teased her with a lick, then a nibble. But she needed more, wanted to give him more. Unable to stand the teasing a second longer, she leaned her head back and plunged her tongue inside his mouth, demanding he give her what she needed. He groaned, enveloping her in his arms to leave no space between them. He sucked on her tongue, then lightly bit her upper lip.
Taking her breast, he fondled her, finding her taut nipple through the material of her blouse. He massaged the hard nub, stroking her and stoking her fire.
She melted into him, pushing her pelvis against the bulge beneath the denim. Moaning, she took his hand from her left breast, then slid it under the top of her blouse, under her bra to find the nipple of her other breast.
A growl rumbled in his chest and throat, and for a moment she wondered if the wolf was free. If she looked into his eyes, would she see amber flecks? She swiped her tongue around his mouth, searching for fangs, but found none. She made a disappointed sound.
He pulled up the side of her skirt, then skimmed his hand over her thigh to cup her buttock. He squeezed both breast and butt cheek at the same time, and she cupped her hand around his neck. His silky hair tickled her fingers.
Mari lifted her leg, opening herself to him, and he didn’t hesitate to explore the crack between her cheeks. Her mind blanked except for one goal: to get Tucker in bed and underneath her.
Another growl, different in tone from the first, ground out of him, and he pushed away from her. Panting, he wiped his mouth, his intense gaze fixed on her.
“Damn, woman, we don’t have time for this.” His words may have denied her, but the waves of emotion coming from him were undeniable desire.
Mari pulled her blouse together and smoothed down the skirt. “Hey, don’t go putting all the blame on me. I didn’t hold you down this time.”
“I’m not blaming you for anything.” He licked his lips. “Except maybe for being the hottest woman I’ve ever met.”
She blushed. What the hell could she say? “Umm…”
Tucker took a step closer to her, hands out to take her, then abruptly backed off. “Whew. How about we keep our mind on the business of getting rid of Bascom?” A grin turned the corners of his mouth up. “But after that? Nothing’s going to stop me from having you again.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
His grin brightened his face. “Well, then, let’s go get the bloodsucker so I can get you back in bed where you belong.”
“You seem a tad under the weather today, Mari. Are you all right?” Bascom’s smoother-than-silk tone called to her, urging her to look away from her cards and into his eyes. Instead, Mari continued to do what she’d done through the two hours of game play. She kept her eyes on the table, the dealer and Tucker—and away from Bascom.
“I’m fine, thank you.”
The allure of the vampire had grown stronger every minute. So far she’d held out, refusing his silent call to look at him, but she wasn’t sure how long she could keep it up. Sweat trickled down her spine, and she almost wished she could give in.
“Mari, did your mother not ever tell you that it is impolite not to look at someone when they are talking to you?” Bascom’s teasing voice echoed in her head.
“Why are you so interested in how Mari’s feeling, Bascom?” Tucker’s voice was, to anyone else listening in, conversational and light. But she knew better. She could hear the warning edge behind the words and silently thanked him for drawing the vampire’s attention away from her.
“Should I not be interested? Do you not wish good health to your opponents?”
The murmur of the audience grew louder. Mari could feel the stares of those surrounding her and tried to concentrate on her cards. So far she’d managed to win most of the hands, cutting Bascom’s stack lead and placing him in last place in the chip count. Tucker was holding his own, yet if she had to wager a bet, she’d swear he was throwing hands to help her increase her lead.
“Most of them.”
She doubted anyone in the entire room had missed Tucker’s meaning. Hell’s bells. Don’t take it too far. They didn’t want to force Bascom to use his power. Not yet. Granted, they’d agreed that Tucker should bait the vampire, but she hoped he wouldn’t jump the gun.
Bascom’s chuckle held all the warmth of hell frozen over. “Mr. Manning, your talent for subtlety is sorely lacking. But no matter. I do not take offense.”
Mari lifted her gaze to find Tucker grinning at Bascom. She shot him a pointed look. Take it easy. Don’t show your hand yet or he’ll realize we’re up to something. She raised Bascom’s current bet, making both men check the growing pot.
If she could keep her head down and make the right plays, she could take him out.
“Oh, goody. I’d hate to think I’ve offended you.” Tucker continued to taunt the vampire. “Watch out, Bascom. Your stack is dwindling by the second. But hey, coming in third isn’t so bad.” His chuckle was filled with animosity. “Er, wait. I’m wrong. Coming in third would totally suck.”
Mari cringed at Tucker’s emphasis on the last word, especially when the announcer repeated the exchange to the television audience. But she couldn’t do anything more to warn him to slow down. Instead, she concentrated on the cards in her hands and calculated the unlikely odds of Bascom holding an ace. If she was right, she had him beat.
Mari stated her bet, listened to the awed reaction of the crowd to her large wager, then moved her chips to the center. Sensing Bascom lean forward, she focused on the green cloth of the table and said a quick prayer. Would he take the bait? If he did, he’d lose big.
Amazingly, Bascom matched her wager.
She let out a slow breath and waited.
“Mari.”
Almost as if she couldn’t help herself, she glanced up at Bascom. Had he said her name out loud? He still had on his black sunglasses, but she could feel his intense glare. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to glance at Tucker, who had his focus squarely on Bascom.
Tucker!
“Mari, look at me.”
Like a moth to a flame, she brought her gaze back to Bascom. A chill raked over her, making her shiver. She opened her mouth, hoping to warn Tucker, but found she couldn’t speak.
“Mari, keep your eyes on me.”
The chill intensified, turning to a cold that froze her to the bone. She placed her cards face down and gripped the side of the table. Shit, shit, shit, shit!
Slowly, Bascom lifted his hand toward his sunglasses. She struggled to breathe, struggled not to pass out. Her body shook, from fear and from the dead frost capturing her.
He was taking off his sunglasses, and she’d see his eyes. Tucker, please, help me.
Drawing on every ounce of strength she had, she lifted her right hand toward her earlobe. Her hand shook as she grappled to remember the words of the commanding spell. If she could say the spell at exactly the right moment, she might have a chance of controlling the vampire. If the spell worked on vampires.
Tucker!
Her hand was at the tip of her ear when Bascom pulled off his sunglasses. Suddenly, the world around her disappeared, clouded over by a blackness as deep and endless as the universe. Her breath hitched in her throat, and the hair on her arms stood on end. The overwhelming cold broke apart only to turn to a fire that threatened to burn her from the inside out.
Then, as swiftly as the darkness and fire had swept over her, it was gone. Left behind was only one thought: she must do whatever Bascom wanted.
“Mari. F
old.”
Chapter Six
Psych!
Tucker darted his gaze back and forth between Mari and Bascom. The vampire hadn’t uttered a word since matching her bet, but he had the terrible impression that Bascom had caught Mari in a trap. “What the hell?”
Mari paused, her hand only centimeters from her earlobe. Bascom leaned forward and whipped off his sunglasses.
“No.” Tucker’s hissed exclamation came too late. In horror, he watched Mari toss her cards to the table and declare she was out of the hand. An uproar erupted around him as stunned spectators shouted their disbelief. But he couldn’t take his eyes off her. Like Ramona and the others, Mari’s eyes were glazed, her jaw slack and her face expressionless.
Bascom had glamoured her.
Bascom spread out his cards for everyone to see. Putting his sunglasses back on, he slid his body lower into his chair and waved at the audience as though their astonished reactions were praises for his move. With Mari bowing out of the bet, Bascom gained a large chip count and took over first place.
“You son of a bitch.” Tucker kept his voice low even though he doubted anyone could’ve heard him in the noisy room.
Bascom feigned a hurt expression. “My word, have I done something wrong? Whatever the case may be, my friend, I would urge you to keep a civil tongue.” His grin oozed evil. “A man could regret his words very quickly around me.”
Tucker glared at Bascom, his palm itching to throttle the vampire. The beast inside him ached to be set free, to disregard the television cameras and the throng of innocent humans. Instead, he found the director of the tournament and stared pointedly at him, willing him to call a time-out.
Still, he was surprised when the man spoke into a microphone, declaring a break in play and asking the audience members to vacate the room during the intermission.
At the announcement of the break, Tucker leapt to his feet and hurried around the table to Mari’s side. Bascom, startled by Tucker’s abrupt move, started to rise, then gathered his composure and settled back into his seat.
Tucker took Mari by the arm and shook her. “Mari, come out of it.” But she remained silent, her gaze stuck on Bascom. “Mari, it’s me. Break free of his hold. Come on, darlin’, fight him.”
“She will do only what I tell her to do.”
Tucker rushed around the table faster than was humanly possible. Bascom, however, was as quick as he was and darted to the far wall. Growling, he shoved the vampire against the wall, then clenched his fists to keep from strangling him. Shaking from rage, he took a step back. Panic flashed across Bascom’s composed features a second before Bascom shook himself and straightened his shirt.
Bascom adopted his slimy grin and nodded toward a few people still standing by, their attention locked on the scene. His dark eyes sparkled as he lightened his voice with a singsong quality. “Uh-uh-uh. People are watching.”
Tucker lowered his head and narrowed his eyes. “Release your control over her, you asshole.”
Bascom arched an eyebrow. “Be careful. Obviously you were unaware of what I am, which puts you at a disadvantage. However, I must admit that I, too, am at a disadvantage. I did not realize until now that you are someone…special. Tell me. Are you one of my own kind? Are you a vampire?” His wicked grin stretched wider at his shocking revelation.
Tucker spat his words. “I’m no shitty bloodsucker.”
“Hmm.” Bascom’s eyes glittered. “Could it be that you are a warlock? Perhaps even a sorcerer?” He shook his head, then slid his gaze to Tucker’s feet and back. “No, you have no magic.”
Tucker closed the distance between them. “Let me give you a hint.” Making sure the people behind him couldn’t see, he put his face inches from the vampire’s, then shifted enough to bring out his fangs.
“A werewolf,” whispered the vampire. Bascom’s eyes grew round, and he stiffened, pressing his back against the wall to get as far from Tucker as possible. “I should have known from the stench.”
“Seriously, man? The stench? How about the stink of being one of the walking dead?”
Bascom sneered, exposing his fangs just enough for Tucker to notice, and hissed like the snake he was. Tucker doubted any of the observers were close enough to see them.
“Listen up, vamp. By the time I walk back to Mari, you’re going to have released her. Then once the game resumes, you’re going to play fair and square. None of that eye voodoo you do. Don’t take off your sunglasses again and I’ll let you keep your cold, dead heart inside your chest.” He let his fangs lengthen a little more. “If you don’t do as I say, I’ll rip it out and I won’t care who sees me do it.”
“Gentlemen, is there a problem?”
Bascom’s fangs disappeared, and his eyes returned to their silver color. His attitude brightened as his gaze drifted to the man who had come to stand behind Tucker. Tucker reversed his transformation and stepped away, plastering a smile on his face as he turned to face the tournament director.
“No. No problem.” He pretended to be surprised. “Oh this? This isn’t anything. Bascom and I are old fraternity buddies, and we roughhouse once in a while. Just harmless horsing around, you know. Isn’t that right, Basky, ole buddy?”
Instead of answering, Bascom stalked past the older gentleman to his chair at the table. Tucker shrugged. “Don’t let him bother you. He’s just a bit edgy. Playing at the final table can do that to a player who’s not on top of his game.” Tucker slapped him on the shoulder and sauntered away, hoping he had preempted any more questions.
Mari, shaken and glancing around, looked confused as he squatted next to her. Her hands shook as she frowned at the small stack of coins in front of her.
“What happened? I was about—” she paused to eye the frowning Bascom, “—to do you know what and then a horrible blackness surrounded me.” Tears glistened in her eyes. “I don’t remember anything after that.”
Tucker held a hand up, shielding his mouth from the vampire. “He beat you to the punch.”
Horror spread across her face. “Oh, no. Did he glamour me?”
“Yeah, he did. Then he took a big pot from you.”
Anger swept away her stricken look. “Damn it. Don’t tell me he took the lead?”
“I hate to say it, but yeah, he did.” Tucker brushed a loose hair behind her ear, then caught Bascom smirking at them. “But don’t worry about it. He knows he can’t glamour me.” He pivoted to speak directly to the vampire. “He also knows I’m going to wipe him out.”
Bascom blinked, his confident façade breaking. “I doubt you are any match for my skill, shif—” As though he’d just noticed the spectators returning to the room, he dropped his voice and tucked his chin. “I am a better player than you will ever be.”
Tucker took his time getting back to his chair. He settled into place, then nodded at the dealer who had just taken her seat, before turning his glare on Bascom. “Wanna bet?”
“I had no clue.” Mari hurried next to Tucker, trying to keep pace with his long legs. “I mean, sure, I knew you were good, but I didn’t think you were amazing.”
“Ow. I think my fragile ego just cracked.”
“I’m sorry. I only meant I didn’t know you’d become so skilled. After all, you’ve only been a pro for a short time and the level of play you showed today takes years of hard work and practice.”
“I guess I’m a fast learner.”
She giggled. “Bascom didn’t know you were amazing, either.”
“He does now.”
“He sure does. You took his stack away so fast he didn’t know what hit him. I swear I could feel the hate burning through those dark glasses of his.”
“Yeah, he was not a happy camper when they called the end of play.”
Heading for the elevator doors, Tucker took her hand and drew her into the elevator with him. The warmth, the security of his hand holding hers struck her, and she smiled. She looked up at him and studied his strong profile.
How had th
ey come so far so fast? If anyone had told her she’d be third in line for the championship and already short-stacked, she would’ve told them anything could happen in a tournament. But believing she’d be tangled up with a werewolf and battling a vampire for the title? No way in hell.
His eyes softened as he took her by the arms. “I hate what he did to you.”
She shivered, the freezing blast once again sweeping over her. Would she ever feel completely warm? Or would the vampire’s cold touch remain inside her forever? “If I had my way, if I didn’t have a tournament to win—” she shot him a cocky smile she hoped would spread to the rest of her body, “—then I’d get as far away from him as I could.”
“If I had my way, he’d have already gone back to the ground as a pile of dust.”
Was he serious? Or was he playing the part of her champion? “You wouldn’t actually kill him, would you? Can you kill someone who’s already dead?”
“I might not be able to take his life since it’s already gone, but I could damn well cause him to cease to exist.”
The anger wafting off of him shook her. But her uneasiness was dispelled when she saw the hardness in his face ease. “Eh, don’t worry about him. I can handle him.”
She laid her palm against his strong chest. Was she really a damsel in distress with her own werewolf in shining armor? When did she start needing a man? Yet she had to admit—at least to herself—that the idea wasn’t half bad.
“I think we deserve a reward for what we’ve gone through today. Especially you.”
She tamped down the excitement and only let a small smile show. “Oh? What do you have in mind?”
“You’ll see.”
By the time they made it to his hotel room, she already had a few ideas of her own. He squeezed her hand, then opened the door and waved her ahead of him. Mari stepped into what had been a plain hotel room and found herself lost in an oasis of roses and fragrant scents.
