The wolf was gone and David stared down at her - the hunger still in his eyes. Without consciously realizing what she was doing, Mya brought her hand up to brush his long black hair away from his face.
Before she could say a word, his mouth was on hers - devouring her lips. His kiss sizzled with hot - ravishing hunger - a hunger that she shared. Mya returned his kiss, biting at his tongue. His lips left her mouth, and found their way to her throat. She could feel his teeth against her flesh, but she wasn’t afraid. In fact, she welcomed the pain of his teeth piercing her skin.
Feeling his hot breath against her skin sent ripples of heat throughout her body.
“I want you,” he growled.
There had been no need for him to say it. She could feel his stiff erection pressing hard against her hip. Everything but her burning need for him retreated into the background - her doubts - her grief - her desire to do what was right. This was right. She felt as sure about being with him as she had ever felt about anything. It was like her entire life had been about this moment.
Mya slid her fingers along his bare back, enjoying the feel of his firm muscles as they rippled beneath his skin. A low growl erupted from his throat. She had consented without words, but something told her that at this point her consent might not matter. His passion had gone beyond thought - he would take her regardless.
Though she was looking at a man, she could still sense the savagery of the animal within him. With one swift movement, he’d torn the thin material of her T-shirt from her body. Now only her white lacy bra hid her breasts from his burning gaze, but not for long. That too was removed. Next were her shorts. His movements were liquid smooth as he expertly slid them down her legs.
Mya cried out with delight when she felt his hot tongue circling her taut nipples. His mouth moved to the hollow between her breasts, and then lower. Wherever his lips touched her, he left a trail of scorching fire that seemed to steal the air right from her lungs.
The sensation of his teeth scraping against her inner thigh left her trembling with an all-consuming need. Mya screamed and arched her hips to meat his mouth. When his tongue darted into her core, she fell into a world of divine ecstasy. This time when she screamed, it was with wild abandonment, and a sense that nothing existed outside of his touch.
David brought her right to the edge, but then stopped. Lifting her legs, he draped them over his wide shoulders
He was poised and ready to take her completely, and that was when reality intruded to subdue her desire. Mya reached up and touched his face. “David … if we do this …”
Her words were cut off by his tormented moans. “I can’t fight it anymore Mya.”
With those words barely out of his mouth, he thrust hard - penetrating her with his thick flesh. Mya screamed - pain and pleasure mingling to become pure delight. Their bodies moved together in perfect rhythm as he rode her with a savage need that had been too long denied.
An electrical shock sizzled through her and every muscle in her body jerked as he took her to the height of heaven and over the edge. He let out a guttural growl and his body froze as he sent wave after wave of his hot seed deep into her body.
Her legs slid from his shoulders and he collapsed, resting his head against her breasts. Mya wrapped her legs and arms around him, wanting to keep him inside of her for as long as possible.
“We shouldn’t have done this,” Mya whispered.
Lifting his head to look into her eyes, he brushed her lips with his. “Do you regret it?”
Mya shook her head. “No … I’m just afraid. What if it’s true?”
Her question was met with silence. He closed his eyes to hide the turmoil that she knew he must be feeling.
“David … what if they’re right?” she asked again, this time more urgently.
He shook his head violently. “We won’t let them be right,” he said in a gentle tone as he brushed long strands of hair away from her face. “Until we find a way … no one needs to know we have been lovers.”
When he rolled away from her, the cold night air against her skin made her shiver. David gathered her into his arms, giving her some of his body heat.
“There’s something you have to know about me,” he whispered in her ear.
Mya smiled. “You mean other than you being a shifter?”
David frowned, drawing his brows together. “I’m serious. I know I should have told you about that, but there’s more.”
Mya tilted her head so that she could see his face. Beneath the light of the moon, he was so devastatingly beautiful - so mysterious. In her heart she knew that it didn’t matter what he said to her, she would still want to be with him.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m exactly where I want to be,” she told him, snuggling closer to his chest.
David pressed his lips against her forehead. “It does matter.”
Mya said nothing as she waited for him to continue.
“I think you understand what the Sinapu are now.”
Mya nodded in response.
“But I’m not just a Sinapu, I’m also one of the priests,” he frowned.
“Isn’t that what we have been talking about?”
He went on as if she hadn’t said anything. “The guardians are an elite group among the Sinapu … a kind of priest. We must devote our lives to protecting the heart of the people,” he explained.
“Well that makes sense. Isn’t that what the skinwalkers are trying to derail?” Mya softly ran her fingers along his firm chest.
“Mya,” he sighed heavily. “Soon I will turn permanently. I will become the wolf.”
Mya jerked up. Propping herself with her elbow, she stared down at him. “Explain.”
“When I take my place as a guardian … I will be a wolf.”
“But you’ll change back,” Mya countered.
She felt her heart skip a beat when she saw the sadness in his eyes. “No I won’t … at least not for any amount of time. Once we take our place as priests, we can only take the shape of men on the full moon. Don’t you see … that’s what this is all about? The skinwalkers are using you to get to me. They think that if I fall in love with you … I won’t go through with it.”
It was too much to process. All along she’d suspected that he was something other than what he’d appeared to be, but it was too much to believe that he would become a wolf that could take the shape of a man, and not the other way around.
Mya was looking for anything that would put holes in his story. “But what about the women at your house?” she asked, her throat tight with emotion.
“I will take one of them as a mate. I have to! The bloodline of the alpha must continue,” he explained, his voice soft but unyielding.
Mya’s eyes watered with unshed tears. “So what do you need me for?”
“I want you,” he told her as he gently caressed her face. “But it could only be during the full moon.”
Jerking her head away, Mya glared at him. “So I am good enough to lay with, but not to become your mate!”
David shook his head. “I know you don’t understand … and I would not blame you for walking way from this. But know that when you do … you’ll be taking my heart with you.”
“Answer my question! Why am I not good enough?”
“Mya, no Sinapu has ever taken a human as a mate. If we were to have children together, they may not have the ability to shift … then what? Our son could not take his place among the priests.” David’s voice betrayed his desperation. He needed her to understand.
“So basically what you want is for me to become your mistress?” Mya’s voice shook with anger and heartbreak.
David gave her a brief nod and turned away. “It’s the only way … but I understand if you can’t do it. I know this is a lot to expect from anyone.”
The world that had seemed so perfect just moments before - now came crashing down around her. Mya was crushed beneath the realization that she could never be more than a diversion for him. She was
humiliated that it hurt so badly.
Without saying a word, Mya stood up and put on her tattered clothing. Her shirt didn’t cover her well, but it was all she had.
“I have a jacket you can use to get home,” he offered.
Mya shook her head. “Goodbye David,” she said before turning and leaving him.
The image of him sitting beneath the full moon - his eyes pleading with her for understanding - would haunt her for a long time to come. There was nothing else she could do.
Loving him and being with him would mean accepting what he was. They would have a few nights a month to share, and the rest of the time she’d be alone. She might be able to handle that, if that was it, but it wasn’t. On those nights she would have to share him with his legitimate mate, and this was something she could not do. Just the thought of him being with another women made her cringe - she couldn’t do it.
Mya thought about calling her mom and talking it over with her, but then she remembered that she would never be able to call her mom again. The pain came from all directions, leaving her feeling as if she would soon drown in anguish.
She had to get away. It was the only answer.
* * *
David watched her walk away. Every fiber in his being urged him to go after her, but he didn’t. This was for the best. At least that’s what he kept telling himself. If they were to continue as lovers, it would only bring her heartbreak, and could very well end in the destruction of the people.
He wanted her like he’d never wanted any woman. No it was more than that - he needed her. But how could he expect her to be happy with some freak that could only give her love sporadically?
David no longer believed that a spell of enchantment was responsible for them coming together. That would have been too superficial - too easy to conquer. If it had simply been his lust he was fighting, it might not have been so difficult, but he was fighting against his own heart. Mya was his heart and he had no choice but to let her go.
Chapter Sixteen
Mya sat in the café - staring into her glass of soda, as if she might find the answers to all her problems somewhere in the dark liquid. Last night had been one of the most beautiful nights of her life, as well as one of the most devastating. She was wise enough to know that to find such love and passion, like she’d found with David, was a rarity, making her decision to walk away even more distressing. Each time she thought of him, she felt like her heart was being ripped out.
She was in love with him. It was time to admit that, even if it was just to herself. At some point over the past few weeks he’d stolen her heart, and despite the fact that she would probably never see him again, he still possessed it.
It was the sound of Trent’s voice that brought her out of her moment of wallowing in self-pity.
“I heard that you are leaving.” Trent took a seat in the chair opposite her.
Mya nodded. “It’s time I got back home. I need to take care of my parents’ stuff in Wyoming.”
Trent gave her a nod of understanding. “I’m sorry about your parents.”
”But it was your people that did this,” Mya said, her eyes shooting angry sparks.
“No,” Trent shook his head. “I tried to warn you about all of this … remember?”
In a way he had, but he was still one of them. “So tell me … do you have a demon in you too?”
A mischievous smile touched his lips. “I would love to let you find out before you go. I’ll rock your world.”
Trent had never really made a secret of his attraction for her, but right now she just didn’t feel like dealing with it. “I don’t think so.”
Trent shook his head in mock regret. “It’s your loss.”
“So why do you keep going against everything that your people are trying to do? Wouldn’t it ruin their plans if you and I were to hook up?” she asked.
“Probably,” he snickered. “But then again … I don’t agree with everything they do. That’s why I’m an outcast.”
“I think you like he idea of being an outcast,” Mya rolled her eyes.
“Could be … or maybe I just think you’re sweet enough to be worth it,” he winked.
“Hmm.” Mya looked away, searching for a way to change the subject.
“You’ve done it haven’t you?” Trent’s eyes danced with amusement. “You’ve gone and let yourself be seduced by that animal.”
Mya didn’t have to answer - her flushed face told all.
Trent shook his head. “Oh Mya … how could you be so naive? That’s one of the things the guardian priests are so notorious for. They play with our women until it comes time for their turning … and then they abandon them.”
“I’m leaving anyway,” Mya let her words slip out before she remembered that her encounter with David was supposed to be a secret. Trent was the last person she could trust with this information.
“But will he let you leave? That’s the question.”
Trent was still smiling and it grated on her nerves. “I think he will … regardless of that silly plan your skinwalkers cooked up. He knows what his duty is. Besides, didn’t you just get through telling me that they always leave their play things behind?”
“Well for everyone’s sake, I hope that he stays true to his character.” Trent’s voice grew serious. “So you are just leaving without bringing your parents’ killers to justice?”
“I’m leaving after the funeral tomorrow,” Mya sighed. “You and I both know who killed them. I may not know their names, but I know what they are.”
“And what are you going to do about it?” Trent arched one brow.
“Nothing … yet,” she added. “To tell you the truth, I keep thinking that this has all been a nightmare and I’m still hoping I’ll wakeup.”
“Oh you will,” he put in, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “You’ll go away and it will be like none of this ever happened. Eventually you’ll find happiness again and your time here will fade from your memory.”
“Why do you even care?” Mya’s eyes flashed with anger.
“They killed my brother … and now they are driving you away too.”
“I thought that they wanted me to stay?” Mya was confused.
Trent shrugged. “I think it would probably be dangerous for you to stay now. They have to know that their plan has failed … and you’re too close to them. The skinwalkers know that they might not be able to control you.”
Tired of all the doom and gloom, Mya stood and picked up her check. “I have a lot to do before the funeral tomorrow, but I’m glad I had the chance to say goodbye.”
Trent gave her a curt nod. “You take care Mya Reynolds. Even Wyoming might not be beyond their reach.”
“What do you mean by that?” Mya turned back to face him.
“Think about it Mya. Think about what you are.” Trent leaned back to rest his back against the soft cushion of the bench seat. “If you set your mind to it … you could bring them down. They know your power, even if you don’t.”
Mya started to leave, but again his voice stopped her. “Don’t think they don’t have a plan B. If his desire for you has failed to prevent him from the changing, maybe vengeance will do the job. If something happened to you … he would be very angry and he’d be out for revenge. Be careful Mya.”
Mya turned back to face him. “Don’t think this is over Trent Metzger … and you can tell your friends what I’ve said. One day I’ll destroy them. Jail is not something that they’ll need to worry about.”
With that, Mya turned and left. She couldn’t let herself listen to anymore of what he had to say. Maybe he was on her side, but there was always the risk that he wasn’t. It made sense though. If David was busy trying to get revenge on whoever killed her, he might miss his time for the changing.
Something told her that they were not done using her as a pawn in their effort to destroy the guardians. Trent could be right. Now she might be more use to them dead than alive.
* * *
No matter how she tried, she could not focus on the minister’s voice. His words seemed to run together - becoming noise with no meaning. Though she stood at her mother’s graveside, her mind was somewhere else. She could almost see her mom in the kitchen baking cookies - waiting at the front door for her to return from her first date.
It didn’t matter that Joan Begay wasn’t Mya’s blood; she would always be her mother. When Mya was a child, it had been Joan that had nursed her back to health whenever she was sick - it had been Joan that was there to wipe the tears away when the world became too unbearable. Now that her parents were gone, there was a hole in her life that no minister’s words could fill.
Though there were many things floating around in her head, the one thing she couldn’t push back was the owl. It had been a messenger of death and Mya had ignored the omen. Maybe if she hadn’t she could have saved them - kept them from coming here, something - anything.
It was clear that she’d been conceived for the sole purpose of becoming their weapon. From the time she was born, she’d been a part of the war that was going on around her, but she did not have the heart to participate in it the way she was meant to. The war had taken her parents from her, and she was forbidden the one man that could make her heart sing. None of it seemed fair.
Mya lifted her eyes from the rose laden caskets. There was a large crowd gathered for the graveside service, but just for a split second she thought she saw him. With so many people she couldn’t be sure, but she thought she caught a glimpse of him as a man leaned to the side to whisper something to the woman he was with. It was quick and then the man stood straight and blocked her view of what was behind him.
Bad Moon Rising - Paranormal Romance Page 17
