Sedona Seduction (Sedona Pack Book 2)

by Lisa Kessler

  “I will.” I glanced up at Vance and caught him staring at me. Heat crept up my neck. Oh shit, was I blushing? I focused on Asher again. “See you in a few hours.”

  I hooked my elbow on one of Vance’s arms, Chandler on the other. My wolf growled, the rumble echoing through my soul. She didn’t enjoy touching Chandler. Weird.

  “I’ll let you two shift before I turn the lynx loose.” The shift from human to jaguar was painful, seemingly no different from the full moon shift into a wolf. Cole, our pack doctor, had explained it as the shifter gene in our DNA being drawn forward by the gravitational pull of the moon, reshaping our bones and muscle structure. Whereas my lynx had been born with me, been a part of me, and from my earliest memories, I could shift at will, like we were two sides of the same coin. Some kind of ancient magic.

  I was no expert on all the supernatural beings in this world. There were probably plenty of other races and creatures I knew nothing about. But I embraced my life and all the changes I’d survived. Besides, I was used to being unique. As my mother always said being normal was highly overrated.

  Chandler walked off behind a boulder to the north of me, but Vance hesitated. He caught my hand, and I turned his way, frowning. “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah.” A sexy grin curved on his lips. This was the Vance I knew, but it made me wonder what he might be hiding behind that smile. “I’d skip shifting tonight if I could.” He kissed my forehead. “See you soon.”

  He walked away from me, but with my heightened night vision, I had no trouble seeing the way his jeans fit him just right. Yeah, if we could, I’d skip shifting tonight, too.

  I found a flat rock and sat down, trying to focus on the whistle of the desert wind instead of the wet popping of joints as the men transformed into hulking black jungle cats. I wasn’t ready to surrender to the lynx just yet, and since my shift was instantaneous, I had some time.

  The stars sparkled above my head, reminding me that I was a tiny part of a much bigger universe around me. My problems were small in the grand scheme of things. Already it was easier to breathe. I still wasn’t sure what to do with the fact that Vance was my mate, though. Shouldn’t I be happy?

  His kiss was even better than I’d imagined it might be, and that was saying something. But why now? For three years we’d never touched. What made tonight different?

  He’d been part of Nero when we first met. Was that what kept him from acting on his feelings until tonight? Maybe. But he helped us beat Caldwell, and afterward he fought alongside us to keep rogue Nero assassins from wiping us out. He’d more than proven his loyalty to our pack, but maybe the guilt for working for Nero still clung to him.

  I wish I knew.

  Something moved in the corner of my eye. From the south, a black jaguar with hazel eyes approached me, tail twitching. Vance. He was gorgeous and deadly.

  Not so different from the man.

  Enough. It was time to move. I blinked, slipping through a well-worn portal in my soul, woman morphing into lynx. My clothes fell behind as the cat trotted ahead, hissing at the jaguar. Another jungle cat stalked us from behind the boulder. Chandler. I stayed alert, encouraging my lynx forward. We waited for both jaguars to catch our scent, and then I ran.

  The pure freedom of racing through the desert at night never got old. Animals still possessed the instincts humanity had lost ages ago. My ears twitched, taking in the crunching of the weeds under the large paws of the jaguars. They were following. I led them farther into the wide-open valley, far from the city limits, where humans would never see us.

  Gradually, my human worries faded as my spirit joined with the lynx. Our only focus was the game of cat and mouse with the jungle cats, hunter and hunted. They were larger, but I had speed on my side. Plus, no one knew this territory better than I did.

  I was dressed again before the sun came up. While Vance and Chandler were still shifting, the rush of the chase faded, and memories of that kiss with Vance crept back in. I ran a mental pro and con list on rapid-fire. On the pro side, Vance was already a member of my pack. He knew I’d been bitten, changed into some kind of hybrid werewolf and skin walker. Also on the pro list, holy moly the man could kiss! I cleared my throat, refocusing my attention.

  On the con side, although we’d been friends for a few years, I didn’t really know much about his past. He never talked about it. He had bought a local rock shop and played in an amateur rugby league. But he spent most of his life killing for a living. What did that do to a person?

  Since being bitten, I had killed a couple of times but both were in self-defense.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

  Just hearing Vance’s voice heated my skin.

  Okay, so sex appeal was definitely on the pro list.

  He stopped beside me, and I smiled, shaking my head as I spoke. “I know I’ve been running all night and I should be exhausted, but…”

  Mischief flashed in his bright eyes. “Almost seemed like foreplay.” His eyes flicked to the boulder where Chandler was finishing his shift, then back to me. “Can we ditch him now?”

  I didn’t realize I’d been half expecting Vance to pretend the kiss had never happened. Having him own it made me a little off-balance in the best way.

  I chuckled. “No.”

  His gaze wandered over my face, warming my skin with just a look. Damn. I’d never wanted anyone so badly.

  Chandler came out just in time. “Did I make you wait long?” he asked.

  “Nah.” I put some space between me and Vance in an effort to keep my hands to myself. “We’ll still make it back before sunrise.”

  I sent Asher a text to let him know we were on our way. The sun would be up in another hour, and another new moon would be behind us. With the Nero satellite facility nearby, every new moon had potential for an attack by the jaguar shifters. While I kept our jungle cats busy, the rest of the pack stuck together at the ranch to watch over the little ones in case the Nero jaguars came hunting. There was strength in numbers, but we still weren’t sure if we outnumbered the jaguar assassins. Either way, seeing the sunrise after the new moon was like a huge sigh of relief.

  The three of us made our way back in silence. I was lost in my thoughts. My pro and con list about Vance had taken a back seat to my wolf instincts. Having Vance near me and not allowing myself to touch him had the wolf on edge and way too close to the surface. The full moon was still two weeks away; my animal instincts were usually more manageable than this.

  I flexed and clenched my hands as I walked, struggling to release some of the tension building inside me. Yes, I’d been attracted to Vance for years, but now that we’d touched skin to skin and my wolf had recognized her mate, my yearning for him bordered on unbearable. What if he didn’t feel the same way?

  And what exactly did I feel anyway? Did I get any choice?

  This one-mate-for-life thing was animal magnetism, not love. It didn’t change the fact that Vance had secrets or that he could probably kill me and Chandler right now without breaking a sweat. What did a wolf know about relationships anyway?

  By the time we got to the ranch, I’d mentally talked myself in so many circles, I wasn’t sure what I wanted anymore.

  Asher came out the back door to greet us. “Welcome back.”

  “Thanks.” I glanced at the men behind me. “They stayed out of sight.”

  I went inside the house, leaving the guys chatting outside. Naomi was in the kitchen adding strips of bacon to the frying pan.

  I raised a brow. “Wow. Bacon before the sun comes up?”

  She grinned. “The whole pack is going to wake up hungry so I thought I’d get a jump on the five pounds of bacon I bought.”

  I reached into the cupboard, almost as familiar with the pack kitchen as my own, and took out another large frying pan. “Can I help?”

  “You’re the bomb.” She handed me another package of bacon. “How’d it go overnight?”

  “The shift was fine. They stayed clear of humans
, and Chandler seemed to work well with his jaguar. He wasn’t aggressive with me.” I peeled the strips of bacon apart, carefully avoiding eye contact with Naomi.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah.” I shrugged. “I think so.” The bacon started to sizzle. I poked at it with the tongs, but Naomi’s gaze was burning a hole in the side of my face. I snuck a peek and chuckled. “What?”

  “You think you’re all right?” She had her hand on her hip, trying not to smile. “What’s that mean?”

  “Wish I knew.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m trying to wrap my brain around something, and I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about it yet.”

  The door opened, and Naomi lowered her voice. “I won’t twist your arm, but I’m here if you need me.”

  “Thanks.”

  Asher came into the kitchen. He stopped behind Naomi and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Any sign of Dex and Deacon yet?”

  “Nope, but Cole and Shane are back from their sweep. They’re in the living room.” She looked back at him. “The others are still sleeping.”

  “We’ll keep our voices down.” Asher motioned for Chandler and Vance to follow him out to the living room, but Vance hesitated, his gaze locked on mine.

  My pulse surged in answer. Shit. If we’d been alone, I would’ve been all over him. I needed to get a grip on this wolf inside me.

  I cleared my throat. “Are you all right?”

  He nodded with a hint of a smile. “Just wondering if I can help you in here.”

  Oh, you could help me all right.

  I barely managed to keep my answer to myself. I smiled and shook my head. “I’ve got this. Thanks.”

  I watched him go, and Naomi bumped me with her hip. “Is that what you’re not ready to talk about yet?”

  “Huh?” I shot her my best innocent look.

  “You two…” She waved her tongs from me to the doorway Vance had disappeared through. “Something finally happened between you, didn’t it?”

  I turned the bacon and met her eyes. “My wolf thinks he’s our mate. I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Maybe I could distract her.”

  “Why wouldn’t it be a good idea?” Naomi whispered. Even so, I kept watch over my shoulder. Wolves and jaguars had amazing hearing, and I didn’t want any of our conversation to leave this room if I could help it. Hopefully the sizzling bacon would cover us.

  “I don’t know. He used to work for Nero.”

  “Asher never would have brought him into our pack if he doubted his loyalty.” Naomi laid a couple of raw strips of bacon in her pan. The angry grease hissed, covering our voices. “Besides he helped blow up Nero, and he’s retired now, remember?”

  “But he never talks about it.” I hadn’t asked him about it, either, but it’s not the sort of thing you question someone about. I fished some crispy bacon strips out of the pan and placed them on the towel-lined pile. “And if he’s been attracted to me, why did he wait so long to make a move? Why tonight?”

  Naomi shrugged. “You didn’t make a move either. Why did you wait so long?”

  Good question. I checked over my shoulder before I replied. “Remember what happened to Chet?”

  She nodded. “That wasn’t your fault. Caldwell sent his wolves to bite you. Chet was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  “He died trying to save me.” I swallowed a lump in my throat. “What if that dream I had was a warning? What if another man I care about gets killed because of me?”

  Naomi’s gaze softened. “You can’t blame yourself for Chet.”

  “But if he hadn’t been in love with me, he’d still be alive right now.”

  “This is different. Vance can protect himself.” She glanced at the empty doorway and back to me. “And your wolf isn’t going to just ignore this. It’s primal.”

  “I get it.” I added a few more bacon strips to my pan and looked at Naomi. “It’s him or no one, but what if he doesn’t feel it? I already resigned myself to being alone, and that could end up saving his life.”

  “And ruining yours.” Naomi sighed as she turned off her burner. “Kaya, you’re a one of a kind in our world, but that doesn’t mean you have to be alone. This is your chance for a partner, for love.”

  “I guess I just need to sit with this for a while.” How could I explain to her that when it came to Vance, I had more questions than answers?

  “’Scuse me, ladies.” I turned at the sound of Vance’s voice. His gaze locked on mine, and my skin flushed with heat. “Abby and I are heading home.”

  Naomi pointed her tongs at the heaping pile of bacon as I added a few final strips to the top. “Want some breakfast first?”

  He grinned, shaking his head. “Nah. I have rugby practice with the Black Sheep later this afternoon. If I don’t sleep first, I’ll be a waste of skin on the field.” His focus shifted back to me. “I think I left my scrum cap at the restaurant. Is there any way I could get you to let me in?”

  It took me a second to remember what the hell a scrum cap was, and another second to realize he hadn’t brought the leather hat or any of his rugby equipment to the restaurant yesterday. What was he up to?

  “Sure.” I turned off the burner on the stove and washed my hands again. “I guess I’ll be back in a little while.”

  “Take your time.” Naomi shot me a knowing smile.

  I passed by Vance, careful not to touch him. There was no sense in encouraging my wolf. That didn’t stop me from breathing him into my lungs, though. God, he smelled like a thunderstorm—electric, dangerous, clean.

  Outside, with Abigail in tow, Vance caught my arm, his cocky smile faltering. “What’s wrong?”

  I braced myself and looked up at him. “I’m still trying to figure out how we screwed up years of friendship in two seconds.”

  “Aw fuck.” He dropped his hand from my arm, a crease forming on his brow. “Talk to me.”

  I shrugged, unsure where to start. “Let’s go back to my place first.”

  “All right.” Abby hopped into the back seat and Vance rode shotgun.

  I managed to get us to my house in record time, but once we were inside, my wolf clawed its way forward, aching for her mate. This was going to be harder than I had expected.

  Vance raked his fingers through his short hair, which did nothing to tame it. The mussed strands always made him look as if he’d either just woken up or just had sex. Both were a good look for him. All he needed was a touch of guyliner and he’d be a rock star.

  “I had a weak moment. You’re just so fucking beautiful, and seeing you smile at Chandler…” He shook his head and met my eyes. “It broke me.”

  I searched his eyes for any trace of a lie, but his heart rate was even. He was being honest with me. “I don’t understand. We’ve been alone together a million times, and you’ve never so much as held my hand.”

  “And it took all my strength to keep my distance. Last night my self-control ran out.”

  “If you’ve been feeling this way all this time, what was holding you back?” I tucked my hair behind my ear and squatted down to take Abby’s leash from her collar. Anything to keep my hands off Vance. “It doesn’t make sense.”

  He knelt down beside me as Abby trotted off to roll on the carpet. He took my hand, his voice a raspy whisper. “I’ve done terrible things I can never erase. You deserve a man with no blood on his hands, and that’s not me. I promised myself I’d never act on my feelings for you. Call it a penance for dirty deeds.”

  I stared at his rough fingers as they caressed my knuckles. “I know you used to work for Nero. I know what your job used to be, but I’m not afraid of you. You don’t have to keep secrets from me.”

  “I know. I’ve never met anyone like you before.” He swallowed, his eyes searching mine. “You make me wish I could go back and make better choices.”

  My heart cracked in my chest, a tidal wave of emotion drowning out the rational voice in my head. I needed him, and he needed me. My mate.

  He just
didn’t know it.

  I leaned forward, brushing my lips to his. He cupped my face in both hands as we stood up, feeding on each other’s mouths. We stumbled out of the kitchen without breaking the kiss, through the living room, and down the hallway.

  Inside my bedroom, I tugged his shirt over his head, eager to explore every inch of his lean, muscled torso. He growled into the kiss, helping me out of my sweater. I was lost in sensation, the heat of his lips sliding down my neck, the scrape of his teeth on my collarbone as he unhooked my bra, and the flush of desire as he took my nipple into his mouth.

  I freed the button of his jeans and eased the zipper down, enjoying his moan against my skin. He fused his lips to mine as I stroked his erection, aching to feel him inside of me.

  He gasped against my lips. “I don’t…have…a condom.”

  I didn’t either, but I’d been on the pill for years. “On the pill.” I also hadn’t dated in years, and I’d never wanted anyone so bad. Ever. I was out of practice. “Are you?”

  “No, I’m not on the pill.” Damn. His smile had never been so sexy as it was when he was kissing me between every word. “But I’m clean.” He rested his forehead on mine and whispered, “I want you so fucking bad I can barely speak.”

  “Then don’t.” I claimed his lips and surrendered. My mate. That was all that mattered. We could figure out the rest later.

  CHAPTER 7

  Vance

  I should have told her my secret, but having Kaya half-naked in my arms made me weak and ravenous all at the same time. I promised myself I’d tell her everything. And if she never wanted to see me again it would break me, but I’d honor her wishes. Somehow.

  If it came to that, I’d cherish today forever.

  I helped her balance as she stepped out of her jeans. That was as long as I could bear to be without her lips. I kissed her again, running my palm up her soft skin, my fingers splayed, memorizing every wonderous curve. She was perfect.

  Mine.

  And I needed more.

  I scooped her up and carried her to the bed. After I lowered her to the mattress, I stepped back to get rid of my pants. When I straightened, she wet her lips, her gaze sliding up my body. Seeing the desire in her eyes and knowing it was for me was fucking hot. But if I didn’t get a grip on the hunger she inspired, this might be over much faster than I intended.