Synopsis
The only thing that frightens shapeshifter Selene Rhodes more than the full moon is the idea of falling in love.
Selene Rhodes has lived her whole life with a terrible secret: not only can she take the form of any animal at will, but once a month the full moon transforms her into a fierce wolf-creature without a human conscience. Managing her condition means living by a strict routine, and more importantly, abstaining from intimate relationships with human beings. Selene is convinced that love and friendship can only bring her pain.
Forensic pathologist Eve Thomas is well-acquainted with the pain of romantic love. Swearing off relationships after having her heart broken by a cheating ex, Eve throws herself into her work: catching murderers. When Selene comes to her aid after an attack by a masked man in Golden Gate Park, Eve is shocked by how powerfully she is drawn to her mysterious savior.
Shaken by her own feelings for Eve, Selene is even more terrified to realize she isn’t even close to being the scariest monster stalking San Francisco. There is someone out in the city who is killing for pleasure, and his next target is the one woman he thinks might be able to stop him: Eve.
Wild
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Wild
© 2011 By Meghan O'Brien. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-1-60282-522-2
This Electronic Book is published by
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, New York 12185
First Edition: June 2011
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Credits
Editor: Shelley Thrasher
Production Design: Stacia Seaman
Cover Design By Sheri ([email protected])
By the Author
Infinite Loop
The Three
Thirteen Hours
Battle Scars
Wild
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I want to thank Shelley Thrasher for another excellent editing experience. It’s truly a pleasure to watch my first draft evolve with her guidance. Thanks, of course, to Radclyffe for being both an inspiration and a fantastic source of support. Also to the rest of the BSB crew, who work so hard to make us authors look good—thank you!
I also need to thank my friends Ty Justice, K.E. Lane, and Sandy Lowe for reading rough first drafts and offering feedback. Also, my sister Kathleen for being generally awesome (and because I always acknowledge Kathleen). Last but not least, thanks to my partner Angie for engineering quiet time for me to write—not always easy with a five-year-old in the house.
Dedication
To Angie, always.
Chapter One
Selene Rhodes hated the full moon. Not just what it did to her after the sun went down, but the way it hijacked her body during the long hours leading up to its appearance in the night sky. How it had her in its grip from the moment she woke up in the morning, skin too tight and nerve endings screaming. The sensations only intensified as the sun arced overhead, bringing not pain but pleasure so intense it nearly crippled her. By the time the escort arrived an hour before sunset, she was so aroused that even the simple brush of fabric against her arm threatened to usher her into mindless release, and that made an already difficult appointment absolutely unbearable. No matter how crazy the full moon made her, fucking wasn’t an option, not even with a professional.
Tonight was particularly painful. Not only was it the perigee moon, the biggest one of the year, but she had to train a new escort for the first time in fourteen months. She was proud of the last girl for graduating from medical school, but this change in routine had Selene sick with worry. She had finally settled into some sort of rhythm and hated to start from scratch again, especially while battling horniness that would kill a weaker person.
And because the universe clearly hated her, the agency had sent a redhead. A gorgeous, curvy one who stood on Selene’s porch oozing sex and looking like she knew a secret that would make Selene happy for the rest of her life. Selene suppressed a groan at the bolt of pleasure that shot straight down to her toes. Next time she definitely needed to request they send a blonde. This monthly ritual was hard enough as it was.
Gathering all her strength, Selene said, “You’re late.”
“I’m sorry. Traffic was a nightmare.” The escort stepped inside Selene’s house with a subtle glance around. “I’m Renee, by the way. Not sure if they told you who they were sending.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Renee.” Selene stayed calm even as she eyed the wall clock. She didn’t have much time to explain the routine, but what was done, was done. Now she had to focus on making it through this next part. “I hope you don’t mind if we start immediately.”
“Not at all.” Renee searched Selene’s face but betrayed no reaction other than attraction. She was very good at her job. “So you were one of Kelli’s clients?”
“For over a year, yes. Really nice girl.” Selene hoped she sounded polite and that it wasn’t obvious she was struggling to put one foot in front of the other as she led Renee to her spare bedroom. “What did they tell you about this appointment?”
“Only that you like to be dominated. Tied up.”
The smell of Renee’s shampoo briefly chased away thoughts of the urgency of the situation. It would be so easy to push her up against the wall, to kiss her full lips and slide a hand under her skirt. To take her hard and fast while she still had time. She could smell that Renee wanted it, not just because she was being paid. Selene stopped in front of the guest room door and closed her eyes, exhaling.
Not an option.
“I think I’m going to enjoy tying you up, Selene.” Renee’s fingers trailed lightly down Selene’s arm. “Very much.”
Selene pulled away sharply, gritting her teeth as her pussy contracted and a weak orgasm rolled through her body. “Please don’t—”
“Did you just…?” Renee’s grin reached her eyes. “Wow.”
Eager to put some distance between them, Selene opened the door to her guest room. Then she turned to gauge Renee’s reaction to the large metal table bolted to the center of the floor. This was the part she hated, when the escort got her first notion that Selene wouldn’t be her average client.
“Okay.” Renee flashed a seductive smile. She was definitely a professional. No hesitation at all. “Why don’t you tell me what you like?”
Selene untied the belt of her robe, letting it slip off her shoulders and fall to the ground. She picked up Renee’s quiet inhalation at the sight of her nudity, then the quickening of Renee’s heartbeat. Resisting Renee would be easier with her clothes on, but when Selene shifted tonight, she would become very large. The clothes would tear, which would lead to questions tomorrow morning. Naked, she would leave no evidence, nothing to indicate that she was anything other than a garden-variety fetishist.
“It’s very simple.” Without allowing her gaze to linger on the woman who obviously yearned to give her exactly what she craved, Selene hopped up to sit on the edge of the table. “I want you to secure me with the wrist and ankle cuffs, then tie me down with rope as tight as possible. Tighter than you think you should. Put the keys to the cuffs in your pocket when you’re done.
Then go home. You’ll take my house key with you and lock up when you leave. In the morning you’ll come back at eight o’clock and unlock my restraints.”
“That’s it?” Renee raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “You don’t want me to get you off?”
Even the words made Selene want to come. It had been years since she’d been with someone, and she burned to experience that closeness again. But she’d learned a hard lesson the last time she allowed herself to share such intimacy, one she never wanted to forget. Sex wasn’t purely physical—at least not for Selene—and she refused to do anything that might cause her to form an attachment to a human. It could only end in heartbreak.
“No.” Selene kept her tone as brisk as possible. “It’s not about that for me.” She pointed to a wad of bills and the house key she’d placed on the end of the table. “Half your fee up front, half when you release me in the morning.”
Renee picked up the money. Her throat moved as she thumbed through the bills. “This is practically my entire fee right here.”
“I’m willing to pay extra for discretion.” Taking a deep breath, Selene lay back and raised her arms above her head. She placed her hands at the corners of the table, then spread her legs, lining her feet up with the ankle cuffs. “And for very, very tight rope.”
Renee pocketed the money and the key. Her gaze ran down the length of Selene’s body, then up until she met Selene’s eyes. Licking her lips, Renee murmured, “You’re wet.”
That was an understatement. Selene’s inner thighs were slick with arousal, and she could only imagine how she must look. “I take pleasure from the loss of control.” Selene was so used to spouting the lie, it rolled off her tongue easily. But it still embarrassed her to tell it. “I like knowing I’m helpless in here, dependent on you to set me free.”
“And what if I get hit by a bus?” Renee laughed, but Selene heard genuine concern behind the question. “Not that I have any plans to get killed tonight, but don’t you worry about that?”
“I have an arrangement with your boss.” Selene glanced at the door to the room, wishing she could see the evening sky. No windows in here, for her own safety. The sun had to be nearly down by now. They needed to hurry or Renee would get a hell of a lot more than she bargained for. “I’ll call her tomorrow after you untie me. If I don’t, she’ll send someone to do it…and I imagine you’ll lose your job.”
Renee’s eyes hardened slightly, but Selene didn’t mean it as a threat. She paid for high-price escorts from a reputable service for a reason: She counted on their dependability and willingness to do what she required without asking questions. And she wanted to put Renee at ease, to convince her that she had no reason to fear leaving her helpless and alone. Renee had to follow her instructions to the letter, for everyone’s sake.
“Please,” Selene said quietly. “We need to hurry. Do you understand what I require?”
“Yeah.” Renee grasped Selene’s wrist and fit it inside the metal cuff attached to the corner of the table. This businesslike contact was no less potent than the previous seductive caress, and Selene had to grit her teeth not to react to the pleasure of warm fingers on her skin. “You really want the rope, too? Seems like these cuffs are more than enough to make sure you won’t go anywhere.”
“I need the rope. Yes.” The cuffs alone might not hold her once the full moon rose and tore away the last of her humanity. She possessed a frightening strength on these nights, and tonight—with the perigee moon and the touch of a beautiful redhead lingering on her skin—she would no doubt be nearly impossible to contain. “As tight as you can, remember.”
Renee secured the cuffs on her other wrist and her ankles in efficient silence. Then she picked up the rope and gave Selene a wary look. “Okay.”
Selene concentrated on her breathing as Renee tentatively wrapped the rope around her upper body, lashing her to the table. “Perfect.”
“Like this?” Renee tugged on the binds gently, then began to tie her first knot. “Is this tight enough?”
“Tighter.” Renee was too tentative. The last girl hadn’t been afraid to practically cut off her circulation, which was what she required. Renee was treating her like a porcelain doll that might break if handled too roughly. “I told you, tighter than you think you should.”
Renee cinched the rope down slightly, but not nearly enough. “This will have to be good enough, Selene. I’m afraid you won’t be able to breathe otherwise.”
Selene shook her head forcefully. “No, that’s not enough. You’ve got to do better.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m paying you for a service, Renee.” Selene twisted her neck, watching as Renee tied the knot. “Please do as I ask.”
“Listen, I don’t care how much you pay me. And don’t bother to threaten my job again, either. You’re not the one who’s liable if something happens to you. You want me to tie you down and leave you for hours, fine. But I’m going to make damn sure you won’t suffocate while I’m gone.”
Goddamn it. Renee didn’t intend to listen to her, and it was far too late to call the agency to ask for a replacement. All Selene could do now was send Renee on her way as quickly as possible and hope for the best. “Fine. At least tie my legs, too. Okay?”
Renee clenched her jaw but did as she was told. She left the rope just as loose around Selene’s lower body as it was on her chest, and Selene knew these restraints wouldn’t hold her tonight. Not with the pull of the full moon this strong. Her stomach churned, both at what would inevitably happen and how much damage she would surely cause.
“There you are. All set.” Renee looked Selene up and down, then sighed. “You’re sure you don’t want to just…” Her hand landed on Selene’s forearm, tickling her bare skin and igniting a surge of lust so fierce it took Selene’s breath away.
“No.” Selene’s voice came out harsher than she intended, but Renee was killing her. And the clock was ticking. “It’s time for you to leave. I’ll see you tomorrow. Eight o’clock.”
Renee blinked and stepped away from the table. “Fine.” She walked to the door, glancing back with a strange expression before stepping out of the room. “I’ll be here.”
Selene nodded, trying to conceal her tears of frustration. Whether she would also be here tomorrow morning was doubtful. She closed her eyes and listened for the sound of the front door. Only when she heard Renee leave the house did she allow her tears to fall.
She was so tired of this. Tired of relying on strangers who could never understand the stakes of the sex game she hired them to play. Tired of worrying that the ropes were too loose or that she would wrench the metal cuffs free from yet another solid steel table. Tired of being alone in the world with her terrible secret, of fearing that she might be capable of doing something truly monstrous.
Tired of the goddamn moon.
Chapter Two
Selene startled awake, opening her eyes to stare at gray sky filtered through dark branches. A large rock dug into the bare skin of her back, and her whole naked body ached. Turning her head to the side, she exhaled shakily as she took in the grass and trees surrounding her. Two years without incident, and now here she was, waking up once again without any idea where she was or what she’d done the night before.
Stomach turning, Selene fought not to vomit. She closed her eyes and tried to filter through the meaningless jumble of memories that flitted through her mind. There was Renee, of course, and the loose rope. How scared she had been at the moment of transformation, and how quickly the fear dissipated as nature took over and conscious thought slipped away. But as for her night on the prowl, she had only flashes: the moon, dark city streets, and the trees her beast-self always sought out. She knew only that she was currently in Golden Gate Park, unless she had run very far indeed.
Selene steeled herself, then sat up, checking her body for evidence of the night’s activities. Dirt and bits of leaves were stuck to her skin and in her hair, but she didn’t detect any blood. At least no
t much. Selene studied a smear of crimson near her elbow. It was probably her own, though she couldn’t find the source. That wasn’t surprising—only a very recent wound would still be open. Along with the ability to shift form, Selene was capable of rapidly accelerated healing.
When her adoptive parents had found her the morning after her first uncontrolled shift, sleeping near the carcasses of the dead family sheep, Selene had been covered in blood. The sweet, pungent smell, so difficult to wash off her skin, stank like the end of childhood, like the severing of human ties. Since that day, her greatest fear was waking up with that scent in her nose again. That’s what her whole routine was about, the charade she put on with call girls. She never wanted to harm another living thing. The absence of blood now, after a night out in the city, made her hope that her beast-self knew her human heart and had simply run free among the trees, hurting no one.
“Miss?”
Selene jolted at the sound of a deep male voice. Heart racing, she drew her knees to her chest, startled to see a dark-skinned man in a T-shirt and sweatpants standing on a walking path not fifteen feet away. Her senses were still heightened beyond normal, so he shouldn’t have been able to surprise her like that.
The man held up his hands. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you okay?” He shifted his weight nervously, clearly uncertain about how to interact with a dirty, naked woman in public. Judging from the light sheen of sweat on his forehead, he was in the middle of a run. He kept his eyes locked on her face. “You look like you’re in some trouble. May I help?”
“No, I’m fine.” Selene grimaced at the foreign sound of her voice inside her head. It was always like this the morning after. She felt a strange disconnect with the body that had so recently betrayed her, not to mention the mind that withheld the details of what she’d just been through. “I’m okay.”
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