Unbound

by Sara Humphreys

  “Not wolves. Only humans.” Sadie’s voice was tight with restraint. “Besides, I don’t get blood memories from anyone. Not anymore. I taught myself how to block that shit out. I have too much of my own history to carry around. I don’t want or need anyone else’s problems.”

  “Interesting. You can shield yourself from blood memories?” He inched closer. “Is that a common ability?”

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “You brought it up,” he murmured playfully.

  “Whatever.” Sadie didn’t give an inch. “I will do anything to protect my family.” Her eyes seemed haunted by something, a memory perhaps, and she whispered, “Family is precious and too easily lost.”

  Silence hung between them with only the sounds of the city filling the air—car horns, wind whistling between the buildings, a siren wailing in the distance, and the savage pounding of his heart.

  “I thought you were leaving,” he murmured. Killian leaned closer, ever so slightly, and breathed her in. When her fresh, crisp scent filled his head, a deep growl rumbled in his chest. Sadie held her ground and didn’t retreat, although he sensed her body quivering, almost humming. He closed his eyes and reveled in the unique vibrations and musical hum her beautiful body emanated. The erotic pulses thrummed through him, called to him. Damn it all to hell, he itched to touch her. To taste her. “You could leave…and yet, here you stand.”

  Eyes still closed, Killian inched his large frame nearer so that her nipples scraped lightly against his chest and the heat of his erection brushed against the cool skin of her belly. His body twitched as flesh met flesh, and still Sadie did not retreat. The vibrations rippling off her damp, quivering body skittered over him like music and, combined with the whisper of her touch, his last ounce of resolve evaporated.

  His fists clenched and unclenched at his side until he finally gave in to the driving desire and trailed one finger up her arm. Sadie flinched almost imperceptibly as he traced the curve of her shoulder and then along the line of her collarbone. A moan escaped her lips when he brushed the back of his knuckles up her neck before gently cupping her face.

  “I never run from a challenge,” Sadie murmured. She pressed her breasts against him, the soft mounds of flesh searing against him.

  Killian felt like he was in the middle of a game of double dog dare—and it was a surefire bet he was going to lose. Sadie sighed, a seductive sound that made his cock twitch.

  Oh yeah. Dead wolf walking.

  “Me neither.” Killian lifted his head and clapped his hungry gaze onto hers. Her eyes were wild, her mouth parted slightly, revealing the tips of her fangs so there was no mistaking her desire for him. Her body molded against his in all the right places, and the beast inside him fought for control. “This goes against the laws of nature.”

  “Yeah? So does a werewolf who wants to live in the middle of Manhattan.” Sadie’s lips curled back, flashing more of her fangs. Killian’s gut clenched when she popped up on her toes and flicked his lower lip with her tongue. A wicked look twinkled in her eye. “I’d say it’s time to nut up or shut up. All this talking is gonna make me think you’re all bark and no bite.”

  “Wouldn’t want to let you down.” On a curse, he covered her eager mouth with his, and the world he knew ripped wide open. She tasted cool, sweet, and rich, like ice cream in the summertime, and in that instant Killian knew he would never, ever get enough of her. Laws of nature could be damned. This woman’s taste was all he would ever crave. Were there other women? Who the hell cared?

  Sadie’s soft, pliant lips opened to him as he ran his tongue along the seam of her mouth and she welcomed him in. Grasping her head with both hands, he groaned and took full control of the plundering kiss. He tangled his hands in her long, wet hair, which felt like ribbons of satin as it rushed through his fingers. Killian groaned when her tongue swept along his, seeking him out with the same desperation and urgency.

  This was what he needed. This woman. Her touch. Her taste. How on earth could this be wrong?

  “Killian?” The sound of Ivan’s voice shattered the moment and yanked him from the haze of lust. The fear of discovery was enough to have them both put on the brakes with gut-wrenching speed.

  Sadie shoved him away with far more force than he would ever have thought she possessed, and easily extricated herself from his grasp. Breathing heavily and feeling completely stoned from that kiss, Killian stumbled back but caught himself before he fell into the pool. Could Ivan’s timing suck any worse?

  In a blur of motion, Sadie grabbed her pile of clothes. She looked at him, stunned.

  “Sadie, wait.”

  “No way,” Sadie whispered shakily. Her quivering hand went to her mouth and she stared at him with wide, frightened eyes. The tough-as-nails vampire had been replaced by a terrified young woman. She looked almost…fragile. “That’s never happening again.”

  Before Killian could respond and assure her that was definitely not the last kiss they’d be sharing, Sadie shot into the night like a ghost.

  “Damn it,” Killian shouted.

  Killian heard Ivan coming and realized he was standing outside, naked, with a raging hard-on and a growing case of blue balls. Thankfully, he had enough of his wits about him to jump into the water in an attempt to hide his condition. Ivan came out just as Killian surfaced and swam to the edge of the pool.

  “Everything okay up here?” Ivan, gun in hand and wearing only a pair of sweatpants, looked around the rooftop with more than a little curiosity. “I could swear I heard you talking to someone and I got…I don’t know…a weird vibe.” He tilted his nose to the air and Killian stilled. “I smell a vampire…and something else.”

  “Nope.” Killian swiped his wet hair off his face and perched both arms on the edge. “Just me. I was feeling a little wound up and decided to take a swim before I hit the sack. You didn’t shower tonight, did you?”

  “No.” Ivan looked around the area suspiciously. “Why?”

  “I can smell the club all over you, man.” Killian laughed and swiped water from his eyes, hoping this would satisfy Ivan’s curiosity. “Vampire. Humans. Sex. Shit, Ivan. I hate to break it to you, but you stink.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right.” Ivan nodded and looked around one last time. He was about to go inside when he snapped his nose to the air and stilled. “I smell blood and I know that wasn’t at the club tonight.” Turning back to Killian, he squatted down and pointed at Killian’s face. “What the hell happened to your lip? You’re bleeding.”

  “I am?” Killian licked his lip and swiped at his mouth. Sure enough, the unmistakable coppery taste of blood bathed his tongue and his fingers came away with a streak of red. “Huh. I bumped the bottom when I dove in,” he lied. “I guess I scraped my lip.” Killian shrugged and waved Ivan off. “No big deal. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “No wonder the king wants you to have a two-man security team.” Ivan gave him a doubtful look and rose to his feet. “We leave you alone for a little while and you hurt yourself.”

  “Very funny.” Killian laughed as Ivan disappeared into the penthouse. “See you in a few hours.”

  Licking his lower lip, Killian looked to the purple and indigo predawn sky in search of Sadie. As he suspected, she was nowhere in sight. Hoisting himself out of the pool, he went inside and dried off, replaying that kiss over and over again in his mind. Kiss? Hell, that didn’t cover it. He had never kissed a woman—human, wolf, or whatever—and experienced anything like that.

  After a cold shower, Killian settled into the massive king-size bed and stared at the ceiling as golden light from the rising sun streamed into his bedroom. With sleep flirting at the edge of consciousness, one image haunted his mind—the fearful look on Sadie’s face just before she flew away. Maybe she was afraid of getting caught by Ivan or breaking the no-fraternizing rule? But deep in his gut he knew that wasn’t
true. There was something more to it. Because up until that second, Sadie had been just as into it as Killian was. The question was, what had scared her so badly?

  Killian made a silent vow to find out so he could put her fears to rest and claim her as his own.

  Order Sara Humphreys’s next book

  in the Dead in the City series

  Vampires Never Cry Wolf

  On sale March 2015

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  Acknowledgments

  Many thanks to my editor Deb Werksman and the incredible staff at Sourcebooks. I feel so blessed to be part of such an awesome publishing family! Thank you to all of my readers! The world of the Amoveo has been such a pleasure for me to write, and I hope it provides you equal joy. I can’t wait to bring you more tales about these sexy shifters and their mates.

  The biggest thank you of all must go to my husband and sons. Thanks for putting up with me and my crazy writing schedule. I love you all more than I could ever express.

  P.S. For those of you waiting for Steven’s book…you won’t have to wait much longer. His story is coming soon.

  About the Author

  Sara Humphreys is a graduate of Marist College, with a BA degree in English literature and theater. Her initial career path after college was as a professional actress. Some of her television credits include A&E Biography, Guiding Light, Another World, As the World Turns, and Rescue Me.

  Recently, Sara joined the HEA Blog at USA Today as a contributor, and her novel Untamed won two PRISM awards—Dark Paranormal and Best of the Best. Sara has been a lover of both the paranormal and romance novels for years. Her sci-fi/fantasy/romance obsession began years ago with the TV series Star Trek and an enormous crush on Captain Kirk. That sci-fi obsession soon evolved into the love of all types of fantasy/paranormal: vampires, ghosts, werewolves, and of course shapeshifters. Sara is married to her college sweetheart, Will. They live in New York with their four teenage boys. Life is busy but never dull!