Wolf Hills

by Bianca D'Arc

  Jason’s hands moved from her breasts upward, to cup her face. “Sweetheart, wolves mate for life. There will never be anyone but you ever again.”

  “Good. Because I have a gun and I’m not shy about using it.” She tried to deflect the tension with humor, but failed. “Do you mind that I can’t become a wolf?” There. It was out in the open. Her biggest concern now that she’d committed to him.

  It worried her. Would he grow tired of always having to run alone? Would he see her as too weak or too human to be his equal? She knew his sex drive was urging him on now—as was hers—but what about later, when their passion cooled to a more manageable level?

  He lowered his head to stare deep into her eyes.

  “Get this straight. I love you. No matter what form you come in. I love you. Nothing can ever change that. The only thing we can’t do is mate while furry and frankly, I lost my taste for that kind of pastime soon after puberty.”

  “Really?” She was intrigued by how being a werewolf really worked. She hadn’t thought about them having sex in that form.

  “Mating in our fur is all about the animal.” He pulled away and began working on her jeans. He talked while he continued to undress her. “It’s about dominance and control. It’s not something I ever really enjoyed, to be honest.” He shrugged as he helped her step out of her boots. His fingers went to her waistband and he tugged down on the jeans and panties at the same time, pausing only when he revealed her neat curls.

  He let the fabric fall the rest of the way and she kicked out of it while he sat on his haunches in front of her, his gaze fixed between her thighs. Gently, he pushed downward on her hips until she sat on the edge of the bed. He spread her thighs and made a place for himself between, petting her curls as he continued the conversation.

  “Some men like the primal rush, from what I understand, but I prefer the nuances of making love in human form. For instance, in wolf form, I couldn’t do this…” He pushed one finger deep inside her, using his other hand to spread her wide for his inspection. “Beautiful,” he murmured, sliding his finger in the slick juices her body produced for him. He watched with rapt attention as he added a second finger, stretching her, preparing her, though in truth she was already primed and ready for anything.

  “Jason,” she panted his name as his fingers began a steady rhythm within her. She clutched his shoulders for dear life.

  He gave her a small climax before retreating to remove his jeans. She licked her lips as his hard cock bobbed in front of her. She wanted to taste him but he moved out of reach.

  “Later, sweetheart. I’m too close to the edge right now and I want nothing more than to be inside you.” His voice was ragged as he moved around the edge of the bed, encouraging her without words to slide into the middle of the huge expanse.

  If it meant having him sooner, she was all for it. Sally scooted backward, hoping he would follow. His gaze was centered on her pussy as she spread eagerly for him. It didn’t take long for him to join her, climbing over her in the most primitive, exciting way.

  “Don’t wait, Jason. I want you now,” she whispered in his ear, rising up to nip his earlobe. Her instinctive action seemed to drive him over the edge.

  Jason found his place between her thighs and slid home in one long, forceful stroke. Her body welcomed him and she felt complete as she hadn’t since the last time they’d been together. No other man had ever made her feel this way. No other man had ever claimed her so totally—body, heart and soul. It was all his. All for him.

  She let go of his earlobe and licked the place she’d bitten. “I love you, Jason.”

  Her whisper seemed to ignite him. His hips began to move in a primal rhythm, thrusting and retreating, pushing her up the bed with his force. She dug in her heels and matched him as best she could. Her body strained, her passion rising with his as he powered into her. They were a matched set, each reaching for something only the other could provide.

  When the crisis came, it came upon them both at the same time. She screamed his name as he went rigid inside her, his head thrown back as his muscles strained. The pleasure blinded her and she knew he felt the same. On some basic level, her newly discovered magic reached out and intertwined with his.

  She would never be the same again.

  Jason breathed hard as he collapsed half on top of her. He’d tried to roll away, but neither of them had much strength left after the cataclysm that had rocked them both.

  “What was that?” he asked, wonder in his voice along with a bit of concern.

  “I don’t think it’s anything to worry about. I sort of expanded my abilities a little when I had to help Leonora. Putting her into that tree opened something up within my mind. At least, that’s how it felt. I can’t really describe it.”

  “You put her in the tree?” Jason found the strength to roll away until he was facing her, one hand propped under his head so he could meet her gaze.

  “Yeah. What did you think?”

  “I figured she did it somehow, with her last little bit of energy.”

  “No, she was too far gone. It was all I could do to get her into the tree. She showed me how. She spoke into my mind.” Sally squinted, searching for the right words to describe what had happened. It was so out of the realm of her prior experience, it was hard to come up with accurate descriptions.

  “Telepathy,” Jason nodded as if it were commonplace. They’d have to have a long talk about what was considered normal in this altered world of his. She definitely had a lot to learn.

  “I guess,” she continued. “Dmitri gave her a few drops of his blood to help counteract the poison and she stopped fading, thank goodness. She had enough strength to show me what to do and I followed her instructions and my own instincts. She connected me with the forest in a way that I’d never experienced before.” Her voice trailed off as she recalled the wonder of those moments. They’d been fraught with fear for Leonora and a myriad of other strong emotions, but they had also been magnificently magical.

  “Dmitri gave her his blood?” Jason seemed more interested in that than her experience, which drew her back to the moment and made her look at him.

  “Yeah. Is that a big deal?”

  “A very big deal. Vampire blood is potently magical and can heal mortal wounds. But ingesting it forms a bond. Considering how long they live, most bloodletters don’t form those bonds easily or often.”

  “Leonora agreed to reciprocate once she was better,” Sally offered.

  “Curiouser and curiouser. I’m not sure what nymph blood would do to a bloodletter.” Jason looked pensive. “It could probably kill a young one, but someone of Dmitri’s age and power…” He paused for a moment. “I guess he can probably handle it. It might give him a boost in magic too. Quite a bit for Leonora to trust him with.”

  “They talked about that, I think, and moving their friendship to a new level of trust. Something like that.”

  “Interesting.” Jason rolled over onto his back.

  “You know, with everything that happened, I never did find out who shot Leonora.”

  “A guy named Alvin Sanders. At least that’s what his driver’s license said.”

  “That’s the man who bought the house where Jimmy was kept. Dmitri had Carly watching his bank account for possible Venifucus ties.” Sally’s mind spun as she sorted through the various tendrils of information.

  “Looks like we found them. He won’t be a problem anymore.” Jason’s voice was very definite.

  “I saw Dmitri kill Sullivan. How can you hide something like that from the police?”

  “Simple. We don’t.” He sighed. “Much as I dislike it, we’ll have to blame their deaths on the bear they killed and present it to the local cops as fait accompli. That way, the cops won’t go on a bear hunt in our woods. The killer has already been dealt with and we have a convenient explanation for two mauling deaths.”

  “Won’t the coroner look more closely? Any good forensic specialist should be able to tell t
he wounds weren’t made by a bear.”

  “You’d be surprised. But, if anyone starts asking questions, Dmitri has spent a lot of time building relationships with certain key people in the area. So have we. We just don’t mix with humans as much as the bloodletters do. But if we need help, we have enough friends in high places to make this work.”

  “I’ll take your word on that. If we want Leonora back anytime soon, I have to find her other grandchildren. Leonora claims they all have magic and that together, we can bring her back. I promised her I’d try.”

  “We’ll do more than try. We’ll make it happen, sweetheart. Leonora’s my friend too.” He rolled toward her and pulled her back into his arms. She hugged him, loving the fact that she was free to do so and would be for the rest of their lives.

  “I never thought I’d have someone of my own. Someone who loved me and that I loved in return.” Her words were full of the wonder she felt.

  “I dreamed of it, but never really expected it to happen. I’ve looked for you for a long time, sweetheart.” Jason kissed her, reigniting the fire that had been banked in her blood, then pulled back to place little kisses all over her face and neck, working his way downward. “I never expected you to be so magical.”

  “I didn’t either,” she agreed breathlessly. Then a thought occurred to her. “Does it bother you?”

  Jason’s head rose and his gaze met hers. “Never. You’re perfect just the way you are and whatever you become as you learn more about your heritage, I will love you for the rest of my days.”

  “Oh, Jason.” Tears sparkled in her eyes as the love within her welled up and overflowed.

  He rolled with her so that she ended up on top of him. Her legs spread for balance and her mood changed in an instant as she discovered his renewed interest.

  “Really, Jason?” One eyebrow rose in teasing question. “So soon?”

  His smile warmed her from within. “There are many advantages to being a werewolf.”

  “I think I’m going to enjoy learning all about it.” She didn’t resist as his hands cupped her shoulders and guided her downward.

  Her breasts were in perfect line with his mouth and he took full advantage. He started out gentle, licking and nibbling, but as his caresses grew progressively more demanding, her body began to sing above his, demanding more. He knew just how to touch, just how to tantalize, just how to drive her wild.

  “Jason,” she gasped as one of his hands found its way between their bodies to touch between her thighs. Just a light touch—at first. Like he’d done above, he gradually increased the contact. What started as light petting of her curls grew into the slick slide of his fingers deep inside her until she couldn’t stop squirming above him. She needed him again. Now.

  His name became a litany as he teased her into a state of acute sensitivity and need. For him…and him alone.

  “Are you ready for me, sweetheart?” His tone said he already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear her say it just the same.

  She didn’t mind. At this point, she’d do just about anything he asked. As long as he’d give her what she wanted. What she needed.

  “Please…” Her voice trailed off as he drove her higher. He really did know just how to touch to send her passions soaring.

  “What do you need, sweetheart?” His fingers slowed, then withdrew. She wanted to whine at the loss. Only sheer force of will kept her from begging.

  “I need you, Jason. Inside me. Now.” She was demanding in her need but he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he gave every appearance of liking it.

  Emboldened by his response, she took matters into her own hands, reaching between them to wrap her hand around him. She squeezed, tantalizing him as she held his gaze, but she couldn’t wait too long. Promising herself she’d play more later, she guided him into her opening and sank downward.

  Oh, yeah. That’s was it. That was what she needed. That…and more. She began to move on him, slowly at first, drawing out each sensation, but then the need spiked and she began to lose control. Her movements weren’t as fluid, her muscles quivered under the strain.

  Jason was there to help. His hands framed her hips, supporting her as her pace became frantic, aiding her movements, thrusting upward with his hips to meet her. Oh, yeah. He knew exactly what to do.

  “Just like that, sweetheart,” he whispered as his breathing increased yet again. They strained together upward, toward some goal only they knew. Together.

  Pleasure broke over them in unison and for that moment out of time they were truly one. Sharing one skin, one being in the face of the tempest. Sally screamed his name as the warm essence of him filled her, bathing her senses in the greatest pleasure she’d ever known. Only with him.

  Of all the men in the universe, this one had been designed with her in mind. As she had been made for him. Together they were unstoppable. Unbeatable. Invincible.

  And their passion was one for the ages.

  And then, inevitably, it was time to let go of nirvana. Time to come back down to live among the mortals once again. But that glimpse of heaven remained and would be reachable again in the not too distant future.

  That’s what life with Jason would hold. Moments of perfection followed by other moments of laughter, love, joy and, of course, some pain. But he’d be there to catch her when she fell as she’d be there for him. And he would comfort her as she would comfort him. They were a team now. A partnership never to be broken.

  Sally liked that. She liked belonging to someone and having someone so incredibly special belong to her for the first time in her life. She liked being a part of Jason’s life. She only feared one thing…that the rest of the Pack wouldn’t be as welcoming.

  She knew she had a hurdle to jump there. The soldiers in the field with them had accepted her and a few others at the Pack house. But the Pack was made up of many individuals. Some had already taken a dislike to her based purely on genetics. There could be others who would make her life difficult—and Jason’s by extension—because of her.

  Jason rolled them to their sides and made her comfortable in the aftermath. She was glad he had the strength and presence of mind to take care of them both because she was useless. Limp as a wet rag and completely wrung out.

  “You okay?” Jason panted, his breathing still affected by their exertions.

  “Never better.” She tried to be nonchalant but he didn’t seem to be buying it. His hand came around her waist and squeezed gently, forcing her to meet his gaze.

  “What’s with that little frown between your eyes? Can’t be what we just did because that seemed just about perfect in every way.” A little sliver of doubt crept into his expression and she was quick to reassure him.

  “You know it’s not that. Every time we’re together it only gets better.”

  “Then what is it?” His hand smoothed over the skin of her waist and back, soothing her.

  “I’ve been thinking…”

  “Well, that’s your problem right there,” he joked. She smiled, but she wanted to talk to him about this. She just didn’t want to sound like a scaredy cat. He sobered when her tension didn’t ease. “Seriously, how can you think after that? My brain is fried.”

  “Yeah, mine pretty well short-circuited there for a while too, but then the little doubt came back.”

  “Doubt?” He seemed appalled, shocked and a little scared, though hid it for the most part. “Doubt about what? Can’t be about us.”

  “No, not about us.” She stroked his shoulder, reassuring him again with her touch. “But about how your Pack is going to accept me. I don’t want to cause you trouble. I know I’m not what they expected. Not what you expected, for that matter.”

  “Sweetheart, you’re you and that’s all that matters. You’ve already proved yourself to the toughest badasses in the Pack. The soldiers are the ones who would give you the most trouble if you weren’t strong enough to be their Alpha’s mate. If you weren’t an Alpha female in your own right. But you’ve already prov
ed that to them. The rest of the Pack will get the message and fall in line. If the soldiers support you—and after last night, every last one of them thinks you walk on water—then you’ve got no problems. Believe me.”

  She tried. She really did. She wanted to believe what he said was true, but a niggling little doubt remained. Her first experience at the Pack house hadn’t been exactly peaceful. And women could be a lot cattier than men. Or maybe that should be wolfier, in this case? She laughed at the thought and he seemed to relax.

  He pulled her back into his arms and they cuddled for a bit, dozing as the events of the past day and night caught up with them again.

  It was around lunchtime before they finally got up for the day. It seemed werewolves ran on only a few hours of sleep—something that had been characteristic of Sally all her life. She and Jason were well-matched in that respect. They showered together, sharing a quickie that involved a lot of slipping, sliding and soap bubbles, not to mention laughter and incredible passion.

  Sally had to borrow some of Jason’s giant sweats, but it was way better than putting on her dirty, torn and ruined blouse. Her jeans went in the wash with some of his clothes and they left his house for a companionable stroll through the woods.

  She knew they were heading for the Pack house, which was just over the hill as the crow flies, but with Jason’s arm around her shoulders, she found it hard to be apprehensive. Still, when the big structure came into view, she felt her heart sink and a bit of the fear return. How would they receive her? Would she be welcome among them? Would they accept her as Jason’s mate?

  They mounted the steps to the big house together. Each step she took closer to the doorway saw uneasiness build in Sally’s mind. When they reached the door, Jason turned to her and put his hands on her shoulders, looking deep into her eyes.

  “It’ll be okay. I promise you.” He dipped his head for a quick, reassuring kiss and turned to open the door. He wasn’t giving her any more time to stew.

  He stepped across the threshold to the back part of the house where the giant dining hall was and the noise level within dropped like a stone. Oh, boy. Sally followed him, expecting the worst.