by Milly Taiden
He could tell Emma had a million questions she wanted to ask. And he knew Aria wouldn’t ask a thing until they were alone. He hoped he’d survive it. “Well, Emma, Mason can tell you everything that’s going on. I’ve updated him to now.” He nodded toward the living room and sliding glass door leading to the pool.
“Wait, Trevan, here.” Mason took a key off his keyring. “The door’s locked. There’s some munchies in the cabinets, but not much else. We’ll feed you all when you wake.” A big smile spread on his face. “Now, go. Get out there, and don’t worry about the sheets. The household help comes tonight.”
Emma slapped her hubby’s arm. “Hush. You can’t say that.”
“Well, it’s true.” Mason hopped away, wanting to avoid further reprimands. Emma put her fists on her hips.
Trevan laughed and opened the back door overlooking the pool.
TWELVE
Inside Central Wolfe pack’s guesthouse, Aria plopped onto the cushy sofa while Trevan put the pitcher of cow blood in the refrigerator. He shuffled into the open area of the combined kitchen/living room.
With a sigh he dropped into the recliner opposite the sofa.
“Don’t get too comfy,” Aria said. “I haven’t decided if I’m letting you live yet.” Damn, she was sexy when she talked mean. Her throaty voice sent quivers down his spine. “And keep your smells to yourself, too. I don’t want to breathe in your—” His what? Desire for her, passion to strip her naked and play hide the cannoli? He grinned. Yeah, he got to her like she got to him.
With a huff, she partially sat up. “So, are you going to tell me why you shot me or am I dragging it out of you one ripped-off ball at a time?” The thought of her hands or her hot mouth around his balls made him instantly hard. Fuck. He squirmed in the chair, trying to find a better position, but it wasn’t happening.
He needed to tell her something. Was he going to be brave and tell her everything, or keep himself safe from rejection? Did he even want her? Fuck yes! his wolf screamed. He told his wolf he wasn’t talking to him.
Then who are you talking to?
Himself, dammit.
Only crazy people talk to themselves.
Shut your pie hole.
Just sayin’.
He glanced at his beautiful mate across the room. She was fewer than ten feet away, yet she felt like a million miles. He wondered what was going through her mind. She sat patiently, waiting for him.
“What’s the holdup, wolf?”
Okay, maybe not that patiently. “I don’t know where to start.”
“Start with the dart.”
The dart. He could handle that. It wasn’t as bad as the rest. “While dealing with the kids abducted and taken to the club and finding out who was in charge of that, I heard things here and there about someone wanting to get rid of you.”
She gasped. “Me? What the hell did I do?”
“You mean besides stopping a human trafficking ring, killing the southern clan’s leader, destroying dozens of his followers, burning down the only place for your kind to go—”
She held up a hand and stood. “Okay, I get it. Yes, I did some things. But those assholes were in the wrong. And they don’t fucking see that. He broke the rules and they want to punish me!”
He whipped up from the recliner and stood in front of her. “Who wants to punish you? I’ll rip their fucking throats out before they touch you.” A low growl rumbled in him. She gently placed a hand on his chest. Fear, love, anger, compassion, desire poured through him. But no hate. Could that be true, after so many years? He scooped her hand and brought it to his lips as he did earlier and kissed each finger. “Tell me what’s going on. I’ll protect you.”
When he saw the corners of her luscious mouth turn up, he realized what he said to one of the strongest creatures alive. “Okay, you probably don’t need protecting, per se. But nonetheless, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
“Ah,” she said. “So you tranqued me in front of the clan’s house so they would think you planned to kill me.“ Her eyes softened and became glassy. “You really want me to be safe, don’t you?”
He took a quick second to analyze his feelings. No anger came when he thought of his family. He missed them, but he didn’t hate her because of it. “I do.”
Aria raised onto her toes and hesitantly pressed her lips to his. Holy fuck. His body temperature shot through the roof. He was going to combust with the heat and desire roaring through him. He couldn’t breathe, didn’t want to if it meant she had let go of him. He would die a happy man. Wait, he couldn’t protect her from those who want to hurt her if he was dead.
He hated to, but he pulled away. “You’re not trying to distract me to keep from telling me what’s going on, are you?” She lowered her heels to the ground and smiled.
“No, of course, not. But I can handle it—”
“I know you can and will,” he got in before she finished. “I just want to know in case it pertains to why I put a dart in your back.”
“Oh,” her face scrunched, “I guess we should share information. Just in case.”
Holding her hand in his, he guided her to the sofa, sat, then pulled her to sit between his legs and lean back on him. Damn, finally in his arms again. He was in heaven. The scent of her hair was intoxicating. He wanted to lay kisses down her neck, place a bite on her shoulder. Whoa, slow the train. One step at a time.
She sighed. “The Vampire High Council has me under investigation for the murder of that asshole, Filip.”
He frowned, not liking her words. “But he was in the wrong. Not you.”
She pursed her lips. “I know, right? That’s what I keep saying. They don’t seem to get it.”
“What’s not to get? He was kidnapping females for blood. Not to mention working with a psycho wolf. So they have no case,” he said.
“That’s my thought. Penelope, Julian, and Zane are in Spain trying to reason with the dipshits.”
“Spain? Why there?” he asked.
“That’s where all the elders and our ‘government’ is. My grandfather came to America fleeing persecution.”
His body involuntarily jerked at the mention of her ancestor. He tried to cover it by hugging her tighter. Epic fail.
She twisted to see his face. “What’s wrong? Why did you flinch?”
In his most innocent voice, he said, “Who me? Did I flinch? I didn’t flinch.”
She grunted. “I can smell a lie just like you can, wolf.”
Oh, shit. She could. He reached up and pinched her nose closed. “I didn’t flinch.”
“Hey!” She slapped playfully at his hand. “Get your grubby paws—”
“Grubby paws?” He feigned surprise, then a sly smirk. “I’ll show you grubby paws.” He slid his hands up her ribs and started tickling. She yelled out a laughing holler and wiggled around, trying to pry his fingers from her sides. That wasn’t happening. If he had his way, his hands would never leave her body.
Oh, fuck. His dick turned to rock when her ass slid up and down his front. This would lead to only one place. And he wasn’t going to drag out getting there.
THIRTEEN
Clothes came off faster than a heartbeat. She slid her hands up his warm body to his shoulders, digging her nails into his biceps. She’d never been with a man who’d made her this hot. This…desperate. Other men had been vampires and the humans she’d always been careful with, afraid to break them.
Gliding forward, she rubbed her body on his. The steel length of his cock pressed at her belly, long and hard. She couldn’t help herself and dropped one hand, gripping him. He tore away from her. “Fuck, sweetheart.” He looked deep into her eyes. “I love this. Your hands on me. Touch me.”
Her throat turned Sahara Desert dry. She slipped her hand down his washboard abs and within seconds she filled her hand with his cock. The hard bar pulsed in her grasp. Hot. Goosebumps rose over her skin as she slid her hand up and down his length. He kissed her neck, chest, and se
ized her nipple with his lips. Her breath hitched.
He sucked her breast into his hot mouth and grazed his teeth on the tiny nub.
“Oh god.” Her grip on his cock tightened. He thrust into her hand. Her pussy grasped at nothing, wanting to be filled. Wetness slid down the sides of his cock as pre-cum lubricated his shaft and allowed her to jerk him with ease. He squeezed her other breast, tweaking her aching point until she thought her pussy would burst into flames.
Oxygen pounded its way into her lungs. Harder. Faster. Until she struggled to breathe like she’d been fighting a hundred vampires. One of his hands slid between her legs. She bit her lip and widened her stance. When he delved his fingers between her pussy lips and around her clit, fireworks sparked behind her eyelids.
“Please.”
He stopped nibbling on her breast and glanced up at her, eyes filled with explosive passion. “You’re so fucking beautiful. Your tits. Your body. Your gorgeous mouth.”
Her body burned with the need to have him inside. “You’re not so bad yourself.” He dipped a finger into her. She immediately flexed her pussy muscles around him, sucking on the digit.
“Fuck!” He growled low. “I need more. I need you.”
“I do, too. This isn’t fast enough for me, wolf.”
He pulled his finger out of her and licked it. “I knew you’d taste sweet, like honey.”
Goddamn. “Fuck me. Please.”
They went straight for the massive bed. Every touch turned into a new point of exploration. A brand. Their lips met in another scorching kiss. A kiss so intense and deep, it unlocked something she wasn’t sure she wanted to acknowledge right now. He was hers. Her mate. The one man made for her and he was a wolf. But at that moment, that didn’t matter. He was there and she’d take him. She’d take all of him, until she had to turn him away.
He kissed his way down her body, to her quivering belly and her hips. Gripping his hair for dear life, she held on as he settled himself between her legs. The first swipe of his tongue was enough to make her shudder. “Yesss.”
He shoved his entire face between her folds. Her pussy slickened, dripping cream down to her ass. He dipped two digits into her sex and fucked her. It felt so damn good. So perfect for him to touch her. To own her. She moaned, thrusting her hips closer to his face.
Tension curled into a jagged ball inside her. He brushed his tongue over her clit in what she’d swear was motorized rotation. The quick flicks, partnered with his fingering of her sex, shoved her so close to the edge, she could look down and see herself falling.
He sucked her clit hard. She tensed and everything snapped inside her like a rubber band. “Oh…god!”
Pleasure rushed through her in a wave of release so powerful, she was left breathless. Her orgasm flowed over her in a rainbow of bright colors. He continued licking her, slowing his thrusts to drag out her orgasm.
She whimpered, legs spread eagle. Her body blazed.
“You’re so hot.” His deep voice shot pricks of lust down her spine. “Beautiful.” He stared between her legs. “You’re mine now.” He slid his cock inside her, gliding deeper in the slick folds. “All mine. Forever. Mine.”
Then he moved up her body and bracketed her head with his arms. She tugged his head down and linked their lips together. He groaned deeply in his throat. She held him captive in her kiss, pushing him over the edge.
He plunged into her in one quick drive. Her breath caught in her chest, but he continued to kiss her. His cock stretched her nerve endings. She jerked her face away from the kiss and moaned. “Oh my god. Fuck, that feels so good. My…fuck, wolf! You’re big.” She gulped. “I had no idea.”
He chuckled. “I hope that’s a good thing.”
She licked her lips.
“Good? That’s fucking awesome!” Her pussy quivered. He propelled back, until he was almost out of her, and thrust forward so hard, skin slapped skin and the noise sounded like music to her ears. She met his gaze. “Again. Harder now.”
His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched. He thrust in and out of her in fast, pummeling drives.
“Fuck, sweetheart. This is perfect. So damn perfect.” Her hands moved from his bunched arm muscles down to his firm ass. She dug her nails into his cheeks and pulled him deeper into her. Pleasure blossomed with each stab of his cock.
The familiar winding started inside her. His thrusts increased to a demanding speed that only allowed her to whimper with each glide. She was glad the bed appeared to be bolted down, because at the speed he moved, she was sure they would have made a hole in the wall.
He kissed her again. Their tongues dueled in wet caresses and panted groans. She slipped a hand between their bodies and rubbed the swollen nub of her clit. Spirals of lust grew until her skin felt tight and her pussy throbbed with the need to come. Perspiration slickened their bodies. He quickened his pace. Each thrust turned punishing.
She went stiff under him, her release pushing her to the edge again. He ground his cock so far into her she broke. “Ohhhh!”
Her body softened with the tidal wave she rode. Aftershocks shook her. She gripped his ass and panted, glancing into his gold-rimmed eyes. The lines of his face tightened. With each breath, he slowed until he held himself rigid above her. His cock pulsed inside her. He nuzzled hot breaths into her shoulder.
“Fuck!” He groaned. The rigidity melted from his frame with each jerk. His cock filled her insides with his hot seed. God, that felt so amazing. His semen coating her from the inside, marking her. Taking her and branding her as his. She’d never been much into the whole marking thing, but god, she loved that he came inside her just now.
They lay in blissful content, spooned against each other. Aria rolled onto her back and looked at him. “What aren’t you telling me? And don’t deny it. I know there’s something hanging over us and I want it gone. Is it about the dart?”
He ran fingers through his hair. “There is so much that happened before that.”
“I don’t understand. We met only a couple months back,” she said.
“Yes and no. I’ve known about you for a long time. I’ve spent half my life looking for you.”
“W-why?”
He rolled her back onto her side, and with his arm pulled her as close to him as he could. “Aria, obviously neither of us want to admit we are mates. I knew the moment I held you in my arms that night at the club.” He paused to give her time to say something.
She took the bait. “Yes, I realized that later when I had time to think. That’s why you ran through my burning nightclub to get to me.”
He chuckled. Yeah, he did that. And would again and again. He peeked at her. “And that’s why you ripped the head off of anyone who got near me the night of the Wolfe/Rahound challenge.”
Her cheeks blushed. “I didn’t know you knew I was there.”
“Oh yeah, baby. I knew you were there. You gave me strength to keep fighting, reminding me I had something better to fight for—” Fuck. Did he just say that out loud?
“What were you fighting for previous to that?” she asked. Oh hell. This was it. Could he say it? Fuck. He had to! He held her tightly to him. He wasn’t sure how she’d react.
“Aria, your grandfather killed my entire pack, my entire family.”
FOURTEEN
Aria shoved away from the man she was starting to fall for. The sheets on the bed tangled her legs, making her more irate. “How dare you accuse my grandpa of something so horrible. He was a kind soul and great leader until the day he died. I miss him still.”
Trevan raised his hands in his defense. “I’m sure what you knew of him was rosy and good—”
“Everything about him was rosy and good. He never would have done anything like you say. I don’t even know how you can say that. What proof do you have?”
He remained quiet for a moment. “There was little or no blood in or on the bodies. Several had the sides of their necks torn up. Nothing on the earth at that time was powerful enough to take
out an entire pack, Aria.”
“Granted, there’s always been a general dislike between vampires and wolves, but not enough to just slaughter a pack, unless the wolves did something to them first.” That was probably closer to the truth. What was he not telling her?
“Look, Aria—”
“No, tell me. Why would he have done that?” The thought of so much senseless death was making her ill.
“The only reason I could figure was to get us out of the direct path to the humans in the city on the far side of our territory.”
She had him on this. “That would never be the case. My grandfather and father, like me, didn’t allow drinking from humans. It has always been forbidden.” Something Trevan said clicked in her mind. Her heart ramped. Fangs dropped. “So, you spent your life looking for me? To take your revenge? To kill me?” She slid off her side of the bed, preparing for fight or flight, she wasn’t sure. She had fallen for this wolf. Let him take her heart as he took her body.
He threw off the covers and stood on his side. His wolf flashed in his eyes. Was he ready to fight now?
“Chill the fuck out, woman. If I wanted you dead, you would have been hours ago and not here in a friend’s home.” He had a point. So what was his game?
“You’re the reason my parents and I had to go into hiding, aren’t you?” By the shock on his face, he wasn’t aware of that tidbit. “My father took Mom and me to Spain after we found out my grandfather was killed. We were told whoever killed him was looking for us. If we didn’t keep low, we could be killed, too.”
“I don’t know anything about you going into hiding, but that would be why I never found your family. Well, until I saw your parents die.”
Before she realized she moved, Trevan flew through the air and wall into the other room. Mason and Emma had a new doorway in their guesthouse. She dove at him intending to wrap her hands around his neck and break it. As he lay on his back, he snapped his arms straight up in time to keep her hands from reaching him.
