Hacking That Sass: Sassy Ever After

by Élianne Adams

  Only when the borrowed energy from the adrenaline rush left her and Kaitlin was no longer able to add her voice to their song did Jaxon end it. One by one, the others came into silence with him.

  Pride filled every part of him—in his mate for having braved the monsters most humans didn’t know existed and coming out of the attack on the other end in one piece; in his pack for standing with him even though he’d never been great at communicating how much they all meant to him; and for the Alpha of Blue Creek, who’d had every reason to take the hard drive and run to Philly before another attack came, yet had chosen to remain and help him save Kaitlin. Deep in his soul, something that hadn’t ever fit quite right clicked into place, bringing with it a peace he’d never felt.

  In the space of a heartbeat, Luca took his human skin. “Don’t try to change back. You’ll heal better in this form.” He ran his hands gingerly through her fur, careful to avoid her neck. Both sides would be sore for a while, but he wasn’t sorry. She was still alive. That’s what mattered most.

  Jaxon shifted next, then Aric, and Emmet. Niko sat on his heels, his cheeks suspiciously damp, grinning at him as though he understood the revelation Luca had undergone. And maybe he did.

  Giving his brother a quick nod, he turned to Aric and held out his hand for a shake. “Take whatever car you want. You don’t even have to bring it back if you don’t want to as long as you get that thing out of here once and for all.”

  Aric clapped him once on the back and tipped his head toward Kaitlin. “Congrats, man.”

  “Thanks for the help. I appreciate it,” Luca said, his voice thick, meaning it. It had taken every wolf in the area to save Kaitlin. He would never forget it.

  “You’d have done the same. Take good care of her,” Aric said, nodding at Jaxon and Emmet before getting the hard drive from the car, then shifting back into his wolf and loping off toward the barn with the device clamped between his teeth, his enforcers in hot pursuit.

  Twenty-Two

  Kaitlin peered at her reflection in the mirror. When Luca had finally agreed it was safe enough for her to return to her human form—three days after the attack—the sight of the pink, puckered flesh on her neck had shocked her. It sometimes still did when she caught sight of it. But today, she grinned at herself as she prodded the tender skin. It was official, she was badass. She’d survived a mother-fucking vampire attack.

  Luca hadn’t needed to tell her, though he had—repeatedly—how close he’d come to losing her. The strain of it still showed in the lines around his eyes and the hard, knotted muscles in his shoulders. It didn’t escape her notice that he had yet to let her out of his sight for more than a few minutes at a time. And not once had he taken her out of the house unless they were both in wolf form—and only when the sun shone brightly above. And that, she suspected was more out of the need to satisfy her wolf side. She’d been so tired the first week, her body adjusting to the changes it had undergone, that it hadn’t bothered her.

  The second week was dreamlike. With Luca’s sweet kisses and innocent caresses, he was slowly dimming the haunting memories of the night she’d almost died and replacing them with love and joy. He hadn’t left her side, sleeping with her when she slept, eating when she ate, and snuggling every moment in between.

  She curled her top lip back over her teeth, inspecting her eye teeth just like she did every time she was alone and in front of a mirror. They were a little longer and pointier than they’d been before she’d come to Dexter, another visual reminder of her ordeal.

  With her new wolf hearing, she was aware the moment Luca re-entered his bedroom. Their bedroom. The hinges didn’t squeak, and he was so light on his feet that a regular human would never hear, but she did. Brushing out her long curls until they bounced softly down her back, she took a steadying breath.

  Operation Get Luca Naked was a go. Ever since the night of her change, he’d taken great care of her, but each time she was near, he tensed up and treated her like she was made of fragile porcelain. Well, that was over. Her body was healed. Mentally and emotionally, she was as good as could be expected, and she wanted—no she needed—more. Of him. Up against the wall, in the bed, the bathroom… She didn’t care where. As long as it involved her sexy mate and each of them naked, she’d take it.

  She swept her lips with a light coat of gloss, then blew herself a kiss in the mirror before tugging the bottom hem of her cropped Superman T-shirt down a little, only to have it bounce right up again to end at the base of her ribs. It was a size too small—intentionally so—and hugged her breasts tightly, showing off her nipples through the thin fabric. Covering her butt, she had red boy shorts that hid absolutely nothing.

  She’d debated buying a sexy ensemble. Something soft and silky, and she was sure Luca would have loved that set, too, but when she’d seen the T-shirt and boy shorts online, she’d had to have them. And she was willing to bet that Luca was going to lose his mind over them, too.

  “Get ready, mate. Here I come,” she said, not bothering to hush her voice. He’d hear her even if she whispered. With one last steadying breath, she opened the door and stepped into the room.

  Damn, Luca looked good leaning against his dresser with his hands bracing him on either side and his ankles crossed. He’d already taken his shirt off in preparation for bed and had his pecs and stomach on display for her hungry eyes. His low-riding jeans were open at the button, and the urge to nibble on the muscle just above it coursed through her.

  As soon as he saw her, his eyebrows rose, and he sucked in a breath, then released it with a hiss as he let his gaze travel the length of her body, pausing at her hips, her waist, and then again at her breasts before settling on her eyes. “I’m ready, babe,” he said as he adjusted his jeans, his voice deep and growly.

  Heat rushed through her as her wolf took notice. Mine, the soft voice whispered into Kaitlin’s head, making her breath hitch. That, she hadn’t yet gotten used to. She didn’t mind it, but it was weird having a voice that was hers, yet not, inside her.

  Ever so observant, Luca stiffened from his relaxed pose. “Everything okay?”

  Kaitlin shook her head slowly as she crossed the room, giving him plenty of time to get his fill as she approached. “No, not yet, but it will be.” She licked her lips, drawing his gaze to her mouth, then smiled when his own tongue slipped over his bottom one as though he wanted to have a taste.

  She didn’t stop until she was within touching distance, and then only long enough for him to uncross his ankles so she could get right close. He brought his hands to her hips, pulling her the rest of the way so the only thing left between them were his jeans, and her Superman outfit. Every hard ridge of his body pressed into her.

  “You look so fucking hot right now,” he said as he lowered his mouth to the side of her neck where he’d laid claim to her, pressing a soft kiss there.

  That scar meant a whole different thing—one that made Kaitlin’s heart pitter-pat every time she saw it or he touched it in any way. It meant she was his. And now, it was time for her to make him hers, too. It wasn’t just what she wanted, it was a soul-deep need to cement their connection—their bond.

  “I need you, Luca,” she said, her voice tinged with the wildness of the creature residing within her.

  His sexy growl vibrated against her skin, answering her wolf’s call and making her nipples tighten. “Is that right?” He gave her claiming mark a nibble, and she was gone.

  With a soft moan, she lifted her hands to his chest, reveling in the strength and power the body of her mate contained, then slid them down to his waistband again, dipping her fingers just beneath the zipper. “So much.”

  Rather than let her continue her exploration, Luca took her wrists and dragged her hands back up, resting them on his shoulders. She opened her mouth to protest, but he claimed it before she could utter a sound.

  He stroked his tongue along her lips, and she opened, letting him in without question. If her wolf could purr, it would. She loved
the taste of her mate.

  When he brought his hands around her, cupped her ass and pulled her up against him so that her feet no longer touched the floor, she grinned against his lips. So strong. Good mate, her wolf said, filling her with warmth and joy.

  He took them to the bed in a few of his long strides, his mouth never leaving hers. When he reached it, he pulled back. With a wicked glint in his eyes, he dropped her to the center of the mattress. She squealed and bounced twice. But he didn’t make her wait long before he climbed in after her, covering her with his body.

  “You may never get to wear anything else. You know that, right?” he asked as he propped himself up on his elbows and looked down her body. With one finger at her neckline, he tugged the material out of the way, devouring her exposed cleavage with his gaze as his moan rumbled free.

  “Not even to show you my Pikachu set?” she asked, giggling at the heat flaring in his eyes.

  “If it’s as sexy as this one, maybe we can alternate between them,” he said, pressing a soft, biting kiss to the swell of her breast before releasing the fabric, allowing it to cover her once more. He brought his gaze up to her eyes, the familiar concern burning in them making the copper of his wolf shine through. “You sure you’re up for this?”

  Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pulled him to her, loving the feel of his weight on her. “You’re going to fuck me today, Luca. I swear, if I have to tie you to this bed, I will,” she threatened, only half kidding.

  His smile stole her breath. It was full of joy and heat and everything masculine. And it made her body throb with need. Luca slid down, keeping his gaze pinned to hers as he kissed her belly just beyond where her crop top ended. He stroked his fingers underneath, swiping across her nipples.

  “This is mine,” he said, teasing the soft flesh of her stomach with his teeth before he lifted the shirt, exposing her breasts. “This is mine,” he repeated as he gave one nipple a slow lick, then turned to the other, repeating the caress before sucking it between his lips and releasing it with a pop. “Also mine.”

  She didn’t dispute his claim. She couldn’t. Heart, body, and soul, she was his. “Yes.”

  “Say it,” he demanded, his voice rough. “Say you’re mine.”

  She reached down, tunneling her fingers through his hair as he kissed his way lower, past her belly button to the edge of her boy shorts, where he gave her a sharper bite. It stung, making her jump, but then a second later, the discomfort morphed into heated pleasure surging inside her.

  “I’m yours, Luca. Forever,” she admitted with a gasp when he hooked his fingers beneath the waistband.

  As soon as the words reached his ears, Luca growled, the sound possessive, and filled with need. He tugged her panties down past her thighs and off without pause, then buried his face between her legs.

  She cried out at the first swipe of his tongue between her folds, her grip tightening in his hair. Her pussy pulsed and throbbed at the sudden invasion as pleasure streaked through her. After waiting so long for this, she wasn’t sure she’d last long—or that she wanted to.

  “Give it to me, mate. Your pleasure is mine, too,” he demanded, stroking one long finger into her as he laved her clit with his tongue, swirling it around and over.

  With the next thrust of his hand, he inserted a second, curling it just right as he sent her flying closer to the edge of her release. Just when she thought she couldn’t take anything more, he sucked on her flesh. With a desperate cry, her body tensed and released around him as she crested and freefell with her climax.

  “Mine,” he whispered thickly against her flesh, his big body sagging just a little before he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head against her belly, holding her as though he’d never let her go.

  Her heart stuttered at the drop of warm moisture that landed on her belly beneath his cheek, and realization set in. It wasn’t that Luca had been afraid of breaking her, but the terror of that night still haunted him, too.

  “I’m okay,” she said softly, scraping her nails on his scalp until he relaxed against her.

  He didn’t look at her, but his arms tightened more. “You could have not been.”

  She smiled and shook her head. “But I am. You were there. You saved me. Made me yours. Now it’s my turn,” she said, her voice more breathless than she wanted it to be. Deep in her heart, she knew this was right. It was what they both needed.

  Luca drew his head up and caught her gaze. His eyes questioned her, even though he hadn’t said a word.

  “I want to make you mine, Luca. My wolf needs her mate.”

  With his shifter strength, he flipped them so that he was laying on his back, and she sat astride him. “So, take me. I’m yours.”

  “Just like that?” she asked. “What am I supposed to do?”

  “Your wolf knows. It’s instinct. Don’t worry, you won’t hurt me,” he assured as he brought his hands to her breasts, cupping them together, then stroking his thumbs over each sensitive peak.

  Even though there was nothing sexy about the way she’d received her wolf, he was right. The creature inside her knew what it wanted, and right then, it wanted Luca buried deep inside her. She wiggled off him, tugged his zipper down before pushing the denim past his hips to his knees. Already her body hummed with a need that bordered on desperation.

  When she positioned herself over his hard shaft and looked into Luca’s eyes, he smiled, then thrust into her in one long stroke. Her breath caught in her throat at the fullness and the pleasure zinging through her. If she’d thought of having a slow and sexy ride, it would have to wait. Too long denied her mate, the wolf wanted more. Right now.

  “Next time, we’ll take our clothes off,” she said, offering what little apology she could muster as she moved over him, taking him.

  Luca’s fingers dug into the flesh, helping her up again as she took what she and her wolf needed. With a possessive growl, she leaned forward and captured his lips, desperate for all of him at once. Still, it wasn’t enough.

  When she left his mouth and trailed her lips along his jaw and down his neck, Luca stiffened. “Fuck, yes,” he muttered as he thrust upward on her downstroke.

  “You’re mine, Luca,” she said as she bit his shoulder, not breaking the skin. A deep shudder rushed through him, and a moan escaped his lips.

  “All yours,” he agreed, the words a promise. A vow. Something that would never be broken. “Forever.”

  Without fear or hesitation, she gave the wolf inside her freedom. With their bodies entwined and pleasure rushing through every part of her, she opened her mouth wide, her new, pointy teeth poised at the base of his neck, and bit Luca—hard.

  The taste of his blood on her tongue should have repulsed her, but it only drove her desire higher. The throbbing in her pussy expanded in a thick wave, overwhelming everything else as her wolf surged, claiming her mate.

  With a shout, Luca thrust into her one more time, burying himself deep as his climax took him. He jerked inside her, filling her with his seed, cementing their bond.

  When the last of her orgasm subsided, she crumpled against him, boneless. Luca held her, not saying a word, stroking his warm palm down her spine all the way to her ass and up again, making her feel loved and cherished in a way she’d never experienced. It was like a whole new dimension of feeling had weaved its way into her soul. And she understood.

  Mated couples didn’t stay together because they had to. They stayed together because, without their other halves, they wouldn’t survive intact. She’d figure out her work situation. Mrs. Wagner had approved an extended leave to give her time to recover. If she could work from Dexter, she would. Otherwise, she’d find a different way to earn her living. Either way, she wasn’t leaving.

  “I love you, Kaitlin,” he finally whispered against her hair, a satisfied sigh escaping him.

  “I love you, too, Luca. Always.”

  About the Author

  USA Today Bestselling Author Élianne Adams
is a self-proclaimed tropical climate Princess, so how she managed to be born and live in snowy Ontario, Canada is a complete mystery. She loves to read (and write) romances that lure you into different worlds, the kinds that suck you in until the very end. Her paranormal romance books feature sexy as sin fire breathing dragons, gryphons, phoenixes, and jaguars. If those sexy Alpha shifters aren’t quite up your alley, she’s also larger than life wolf shifters that will melt your heart and set your nights ablaze.

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  Élianne loves to hear from her readers. She can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and on Twitter.

  Other Books by the Author

  Sugar Shack Series

  Northern Sass

  Candy Sass

  Rising Series

  Rising Darkness

  Rising Fury (October 2018)

  Rising Storm (December 2018)

  Dragon Blood Series

  Releasing Her Dragon

  Her Gingerbread Dragon

  Finding His Dragon

  His Secret Dragon

  Saving His Dragon

  Keeping His Dragon

  Return to Avalore Series

  Call of the Dragon

  Rise of the Phoenix

  Once Upon a Fiery Christmas

  Lost in Magic

  Dark Wolves Series

  Torment

  Betrayal

  Wrath

  Burden

  Sassy Ever After World

  Thank you for reading my contribution to the Sassy Ever After World!

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