by Croft, Nina
Daniel lay still at her feet. He’d told her he loved her and she’d killed him. She willed him to move and his eyes flickered open. He winced but didn’t get up.
“Are you going to check to see if I’m still alive or just stand there staring at me?”
“Or maybe I’ll finish the job,” she said brandishing the jug handle. “What the hell did you think you were doing? I thought you were Sophia come back to rip me into little pieces and eat me.”
“You should have known it might be me.”
“Well, excuse me, but you were the one who said that we weren’t ever going to see each other again. So when someone creeps into my bedroom in the middle of the night—when there’s a perfectly good front door—you’re the last person I expect it to be.”
“I thought I should check on you in person,” he said. “You sounded a little off on the phone.”
“Of course I sounded a little off. I’d had a stressful night. I’d nearly died. I’d just found out you’re a freaking werewolf. I’m more than a little off. I’m totally off.” And you love me. You’ve always loved me. She willed him to say the words he’d spoken on the phone.
Instead, he frowned. “Shhh, Julia will hear.”
“Maybe I want Julia to hear. Maybe I want her to come and take her maniac brother away.”
“I’m not a maniac,” he said.
“No, you’re a werewolf.”
“Yeah, I am.”
He sounded strangely defeated, and she wanted to hug him and make it better. But she guessed being a werewolf wasn’t something you could heal with a hug and a few kind words.
“Why did you really come?” she asked.
“Because I couldn’t stay away.”
That was almost as good as “I love you.” She held out her hand to him, but he shook his head. “If I touch you, I won’t be able to stop.”
That sounded fine to her, but she stepped back and allowed him to get to his feet. He brushed bits of pottery from his faded jeans and white shirt. In the casual clothes, she caught glimpses of the old Daniel.
“And I wanted to tell you that Sophia is dead,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about her anymore.”
Lissa almost sagged as the words hit her brain. She’d never before wanted anyone to die; Sophia was a first. She bit her lip and studied Daniel, searching for some emotion. Even if they had never been lovers, they had known each other a long time, and Sophia had obviously felt something for him or she wouldn’t have been so jealous. Lissa searched for something kind to say but settled on the truth. “Maybe I should feel bad. But I don’t. All I feel is relief.”
“There’s no reason to feel bad. She was a monster. So am I.”
“Don’t be so melodramatic. You’re not a monster. You were kind of fluffy and cute and…” When he didn’t appear convinced she decided to change the subject. “You’ve got blood on your shirt.” She pointed at his chest and he glanced down. The scarlet of fresh blood stained the white cotton. He must have cut himself on the shards of broken pottery that littered the floor.
“So I have. I’d better take it off.” He slowly undid the buttons, his eyes never leaving hers. Her mouth went dry as he shrugged out of the shirt, dropping it casually on the floor.
The jeans hung low on his hips; his skin was tanned golden smooth over the swell of muscle with a line of dark blond hair disappearing into the waistband of his pants. Her fingers itched with the need to see if that hair was as silky-soft as it looked. Their lovemaking that morning had been so urgent she hadn’t taken in the details, now she wanted to touch him everywhere, feel the texture of his skin…taste him.
Out in the forest he hadn’t seemed quite so large; here in the enclosed space of her bedroom, he appeared huge, his big body lean and hard. Without giving herself a chance to back out, she slipped her T-shirt over her head to stand before him naked.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmured, and she swayed toward him, giving in to the need, and placing her hand flat on the hot skin of his chest. Beneath her palm, she could feel the rapid thud of his heart, and she slid her hand down, ran her fingers through the hair, then hooked them in the waistband of his jeans.
“So are you, and you’re wearing way too many clothes.” She flicked open the button and lowered the zipper. He was already hot and hard and his erection sprang free. She wrapped her hand around him, soft velvet skin over a core of steel, and squeezed gently. Dropping to her knees, she pushed his jeans down over his thighs, leaned in close, breathing in the musky scent of him. Above her, he’d gone still, and he didn’t move as she kissed the tip of his erection. Taking him in her mouth, she sucked gently, loving the salty, clean taste of him and the way his swollen shaft pulsed against her lips.
He groaned as his hands shifted to her shoulders and he pulled away slightly, tugging her to her feet.
“I want to make love to you.” He stroked her cheek then cupped her face in his hand. His palm was hot. “Can we have tonight and not think about the future?”
“Please.”
He lifted her and carried her to the bed, laying her down on the mattress and stretching out beside her. Leaning over her, he kissed the tips of her breasts, then lower, dipping his tongue into her navel and she squirmed.
“Stay still,” he murmured. “Or I’ll stop.”
She went still, even holding her breath as he blew gently on the curls at the base of her belly. A pulse throbbed insistently between her thighs. Clasping her legs above the knees, he bent them up against her body, opening her to him, parting the folds of her sex with one hand.
“Christ, you are gorgeous, I’ve dreamed of you so many times.” Then he was devouring her, his tongue tasting, probing. His mouth hot, burning where he touched, and the heavy weight of desire built inside her. His tongue licked a long slow swipe across her sex, pushing inside her, teasing her clit with the warm, wet tip, until she was sobbing for release. Finally, he sucked the swollen nub into his mouth, bit down gently, and she came screaming.
“Shhhh,” he whispered. Clamping his hand over her mouth, he suckled her as her back arched, and she came again.
The pleasure was still pulsating through her as he rolled her onto her front. Wrapping a hand around her waist, he pulled her onto her hands and knees, and came up behind her. He nudged her thighs apart and the scalding heat of his shaft pressed against her.
He pushed into her slowly, filling her completely. “Did you know,” he murmured, leaning close to her ear so his breath whispered across her skin, “that werewolves have superhuman strength?” He flexed his hips and pushed into her, filling her again. “And amazing stamina.”
The muscles of her stomach clenched at the words.
“I could keep this up all night if I wanted to.”
“Is that a challenge?” she said and tightened her inner muscles around him until a spasm rippled through his body.
He started to move, keeping the pace erotically slow, leaning down over her, to scatter moist kisses across her shoulders and throat. One hand gripped her hips, holding her steady, the other slid around to cup her breast and tease the nipple, and lower, down over her belly and between her thighs to lightly stroke her clit. She was still sensitive and she came at once, burrowing her face in the pillow, to cut off her screams. The last thing she needed right now was Julia running to the rescue.
She closed her eyes as the waves of pleasure rolled through her body. Then he ground his hips against her, his whole body stiffening as he reached his own orgasm and spilled himself inside her.
…
Daniel did manage to keep it up most of the night—literally. They dozed once or twice, but were awake as the sun came up, bleeding light into the room. The night was over and the future had to be faced.
“Tell me what happened. How you became a werewolf. Everything,” she said.
“You always did want to know everything.” He sat up, leaned back against the wall, and pulled her against his side. “Okay, where to start. I was twenty-four a
nd had just finished my doctorate and been offered my dream job. I’d taken some holiday first and booked myself a flight to Africa—”
Shock hit her in the gut and she straightened and turned so she could see his face. “Why were you going to Africa?”
“I was coming to get you, of course. I’d decided you’d run long enough and if I left it any longer you might run right into someone else and I’d lose you. I even had a ring—”
He was breaking her heart all over again and she took refuge in flippancy. “Not the same one you gave to Sophia, I hope.”
“No. Not the same one. It’s a yellow diamond, the closest I could get to match your eyes.”
She wanted that ring, it was hers, but she held back while Daniel finished his story.
“You were right that night, when you seduced me. Not that I needed much seducing—”
“No, you were definitely easy.”
“You said I was waiting for my princess, and I was, but it was you, always you.”
“I didn’t know. That summer, I’d do increasingly stupid things just to get some reaction from you, but it never worked.”
“I didn’t want to scare you off. You never used to talk about your family, but there was obviously some reason you were wary. Julia was the only person you ever opened up to.”
He was right. If he had come on strong back then, it would have sent her running for cover.
“Anyway,” he continued, “life seemed perfect. Until one night, two days before I was due to fly out, I went out for a drink. On the way home, I was attacked. It was Ethan. He’d targeted me on purpose; apparently he’d read an article about me in a scientific journal. He needed someone to head up some research and decided on me.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“Yes, but strangely, he was almost gentle. He was human, except for his hand—some of the more powerful wolves can change only part of their form—and he drew it down across my chest. It felt like a burn, as though it would sear me to the bone. Then he knocked me out. When I woke up I was locked in a cell, a silver cell. I stayed there for a week until the first full moon when I shifted. Ethan explained what was going to happen—he told me I was privileged.”
“Lucky you.”
“Yeah, you’ve got that right. I didn’t see it that way. From the top of the world to the bottom of a big pile of shit. I went wild, refused to cooperate. I wanted nothing to do with Ethan or the pack. When I threatened to out them to the world, they decided to stop me.”
From the tone of his voice, she knew something bad was about to be said. She wanted to cover her ears, but forced herself to ask. “What did they do?”
“They killed Barbara.”
Shock flashed through her and for a moment, she couldn’t speak. “I don’t understand.”
“What’s there to understand? It’s quite simple. When I was first changed, I refused to do as they asked. So they showed me I really didn’t have a choice. Not if I wanted any of my family to survive.”
She swallowed, the full horror washing over her. “Are you sure?”
“It was Sophia. She had them tie me up and made me watch as they raped her. Afterward, they ripped out her throat—she died screaming, pleading with me to help her. So yes, I’m sure.” Intense pain flashed in his eyes and he closed them briefly. He pressed his fingers to his lids, then ran a hand through his hair. When he opened his eyes, the expression was gone and she wondered how hard it had been to hide his feelings from everyone. For all these years. He must have felt so alone. She reached out and rested her hand on his forearm and he laid his hand on top of hers and squeezed gently.
“And guess what,” he said, his tone bitter, “if I’m a good boy and behave myself, they won’t repeat the exercise with the rest of my family.” He’d been gazing out into the rain, now he glanced back at her. “Or with you.”
“I’m glad Sophia’s dead.”
“So am I. But now they know what you mean to me, so you see why I need you to go.”
She did see, but how could she leave Daniel to face this alone?
“Will you be punished for Sophia?”
“Probably. She was useful to Ethan. He might be an evil bastard but he was never sadistic like Sophia—he used her for punishing pack members.”
“It doesn’t sound like much fun being a werewolf.”
She found it hard to believe that they had murdered Barbara. Daniel had had to watch it and now live with the fear of the same thing happening to his other sisters. How terrible that one wrong move could mean the death of those you love.
“We’re going to stop them,” she said.
“Haven’t you listened to a word I’ve said? I won’t risk it.”
“There has to be a way.” She nibbled on her lower lip while she decided whether she should repeat what Jason had told her. Maybe if Daniel was aware other people were investigating Ethan Stone he might not feel so alone, might think there was some hope of getting free.
“Jason was here today.”
“What did he want?”
“To warn us about you. He said you were dangerous.”
“Perceptive of him.”
“But he also mentioned Ethan Stone. He said there are a lot of people who want to see him put away. That he’s into a whole load of dodgy things.”
“You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know.”
“But don’t you see, it means if you go up against him, you’re not alone.”
“He’ll come after my family.”
“You have to tell everyone, Daniel. Not knowing puts them in more danger.” She added, “If I’d understood what you were, would I have walked into Sophia’s trap last night? No, I would have been on my guard.”
“They’ll think I’m a monster.”
Shock flashed through her at his words. Did he think of himself as a monster? “You’re not a monster. In some ways it will be a relief—they’ve been really worried about you—you were acting so un-Daniel-like, and getting engaged to Sophia…”
He cast her an incredulous look, but tinted with a hint of amusement. “You reckon finding out their brother is a werewolf is better than thinking I’m marrying Sophia.”
“Oh yes. Way better.”
He laughed, a short sharp laugh. Then he ran a hand over his face, pressing his fingers in his scalp. “I don’t know. I just don’t know.”
“I can’t let you go, so if you think I’m going to calmly run away and hide and leave you in danger, you are so mistaken.”
“I don’t want you to leave. I don’t like it when you’re not close by.” He glanced at her face as if deciding whether to tell her something he wasn’t sure she would like.
“Come on, Danny boy, spill it. I recognize that expression. You’re hiding something from me.”
He smiled again. “I think you might be my mate.”
“‘Mate’ as in wolves mating?”
“Yeah.” He looked at her warily.
“Er, it may have escaped your notice, but I’m not a wolf.”
“I noticed, and it shouldn’t happen. But it has, and I’m not sure I could let you walk away now, not without a fight.”
She had a flashback to him in wolf form, the huge teeth, the claws. “Not, literally, I hope.”
His eyes widened. “I could never hurt you.”
“Only kidding. I know you would never hurt me. So, where do we go from here? Will you come with me, at least talk to Jason, find out what information he has on Ethan? I’m not saying tell him about the whole werewolf thing, but at least find out what he knows about your boss.”
Daniel was silent, but she didn’t interrupt his thoughts. Finally, he opened his mouth to answer as a tap sounded on the door, and he closed it abruptly.
Lissa didn’t even have time to shout “go away.” The door opened a few inches and Julia peeped around. She grinned at them sitting in bed. “Thank God, you aren’t shagging.”
She nudged the door open the rest of the way with her nose as she c
arried two mugs of coffee in her hands. Hovering at the bottom of the bed, she stared at them, a satisfied smile on her face. Then she gave a huge sigh. “I always wanted you two to get together. Now you’ll really be my sister. How cute is that?”
“Really cute,” Lissa said drily. “What are you doing up so early?”
“I heard talking and thought it was safe to come in.”
“What were you doing? Listening at the door?”
A faint stain of crimson stole across her cheeks. Lissa wasn’t sure she’d ever seen Julia blush before.
“I sort of came in last night and went out again—real fast. I don’t think the two of you noticed me.” Lissa gave her a narrow-eyed stare. “Well, I heard you scream, and I thought The Evil One might have come back to finish the job. I was rushing to the rescue.”
“Thanks.”
“Obviously, I realized that you weren’t in any danger.” Julia shuddered. “But let me tell you—that was more of my brother than I ever want to see.” She grinned. “Nice ass though.”
Lissa decided to shut the image from her mind as Julia came around the bed and handed them both a coffee. She sat up straighter, tucking the sheet under her breasts as Julia perched on the edge of the bed. It didn’t look as though she was going anywhere.
“So are you two going to tell me what’s going on?” Julia asked.
She glanced across at Daniel, but he gave a slight shake of his head. “No,” he said. “But I’m going to go talk to Lissa’s brother this morning and you’re welcome to come along.”
Lissa felt the tension inside her unwind. At least he was willing to consider help. That was the first step.
Chapter Sixteen
“I’d like to see Jason Jackson, please. I’m his sister.”
Daniel and Julia hung back as Lissa spoke with the receptionist, but his gaze didn’t leave her. He wasn’t sure he would ever let her out of his sight again.
“You really love her, don’t you?”
