He held onto her, moving his hips, each thrust sending another electric jolt of ecstasy through her system. He groaned as his own orgasm overtook him, showering her neck and shoulder in kisses, nipping at her sensitive skin as he found his release.
As her breathing slowed, she raised her head to look at him. His satisfied smile tugged at her heart, but the bright-red scratches trailing down his chest made her stomach drop. “I’m so sorry.” She slid onto her side and ran her finger over the marks. “I hurt you.”
“Nah. I’m fine.” He rubbed a hand over his pecs. “They’re already fading; no harm done.” Rising onto an elbow, he kissed her cheek before whispering into her ear, “I liked it.”
His breath against her skin made her shiver, and her stomach flip-flopped at his playful words. The marks faded before her eyes, turning into light pink lines before disappearing completely. She must not have scratched him as hard as she’d thought. She looked into his eyes, and her heart raced into overdrive. “I…liked it too.”
Rolling onto her back, she stared at the ceiling. What had she just done? She’d acted like an animal, letting her primal desires overtake her, acting on instinct rather than listening to reason. For the first time in her life, she felt a sense of completeness. Something about being here with Luke felt so good…so right.
Luke slid out of bed and tossed the condom in the trash, and a smile tugged at Macey’s lips. He was all smooth skin and hard muscle, and his backside looked as good as his front. Maybe she should let her instincts take over more often.
He climbed back into bed and pulled her close, and she allowed herself to get lost in the comfort of his embrace. Though he was nearly a foot taller than her, their bodies fit together perfectly, as if they were made for each other.
He pressed his lips to the top of her head, and his chest vibrated as he spoke. “If this is what I get for stalking you, I’ll have to do it more often.”
She propped her head on her hand and grinned. “Next time, I want a proper date first.”
“So there will be a next time?”
She bit her bottom lip. If she had her way, there would be lots of next times. “I hope so.”
“Good.”
She laid her head on his shoulder. What was she saying? If she started going on dates with him, she’d start feeling things she didn’t want to feel. She’d already opened up to him way more than she should have, and those feelings she didn’t want to feel were starting to creep into her heart.
So much for the need being purely physical. Coldness flashed through her core, and she sat up. This couldn’t be happening, could it? She swallowed the lump from her throat. The feelings weren’t creeping; they’d slammed into her chest like a sucker-punch before she even had time to react.
“Where are you going?” He took her hand.
Good question. She had to get away or she would drown if she didn’t come up for air. “You have to get up in a few hours. I should let you sleep.”
He rose onto his elbows. “I’d sleep better with you curled up next to me.”
His grin melted her heart, soothing her frazzled nerves. Something about his presence calmed her, making her want to stay in bed with him all night and all day tomorrow. But she couldn’t. He needed to sleep, and she needed some alone time so she could sort out her emotions, decide what these strange new feelings meant. “I’m not tired. I work nights, remember?”
“I’ll stay up with you then.”
She smiled and rested a hand on his chest. The familiar tingle shimmied up her arm, and she was tempted to slide her fingers beneath the sheets. His smooth skin and intoxicating scent beckoned her to stay, but she fought the urge. She needed to gather her scattered thoughts and figure out if she was capable of letting Luke in.
Sliding out of bed, she picked up her clothes and dressed. “I’d rather you get some sleep, so maybe you’ll remember to call me and ask me out on that date you keep promising me.”
He sighed as he rolled out of bed and pulled on his underwear. “Let me at least walk you to the door.”
He kissed her as she left and stood in the doorway until she got in her car and backed out of the driveway. Her chest tightened as she shifted into drive and headed home. She was in way over her head with this man. He was sweet, sexy, amazing in bed…
She’d built a fortress around her heart, but she may have found a man worth lowering the drawbridge for.
Luke only got three hours of sleep, but he woke the next morning feeling more refreshed and lively than he had in ages. Making love to Macey had been better than he could’ve imagined…and he’d imagined it plenty of times. It was a shame she took off the way she did, but he didn’t want to push her to stay. Neither of them had planned on the night ending with them in bed together, but he was so damn glad it had.
He could’ve lain there all morning imagining her beautiful face. The way her warm, supple body would feel against his as they cuddled the day away. But he had a job to do and a pack to run. Damn responsibility. After last night, there was no doubt in his mind Macey was the one for him. She was his fate-bound; it didn’t matter that she wasn’t a werewolf. He couldn’t deny fate.
The first order of business would be to convince the current alpha that Macey was an acceptable mate. Once his old man was on board, everyone else would follow.
After getting ready for work, he skipped down the stairs. Bypassing his truck, he took advantage of the gorgeous morning and walked to the job site. It was only six blocks away, and his body buzzed with excited energy. The morning sun hadn’t risen high enough to peek over the buildings in the Quarter, so he was spared from the sweltering heat that would soon fry the dew from the grass. Jackson Square bustled with activity as the local artists and entertainers hurried to set up their displays as the tourists ventured out of their hotel rooms. Fortune tellers set up folding tables on the sidewalk, and painters hung their creations on the wrought iron fence that enclosed the grassy park. Luke waved at a man encrusted in gold paint from head to toe. He smiled to reveal a set of matching gold teeth.
A line of people had already formed outside Café Du Monde as they waited for their taste of the venue’s famous beignets and café au lait. The sweet scent of fried pastries beckoned to him, and he almost stopped in for his own French donut smothered in powdered sugar.
But the pair of glowing red eyes watching him in the distance drew his attention away from the café. Luke stopped cold and returned the stare. Christ! These things aren’t supposed to be out in the daytime.
A low growl resonated in his chest as he crept toward the fiend. The demon’s wicked grin revealed a set of perfectly white, human teeth. Luke paused and eyed the creature. It looked too human to be a creature from hell. He angled his nose upward and inhaled a deep breath. The distinct demon-like smell of rotting flesh floated on the breeze. It was the half-demon born of the first victim. It had to be. He appeared to be a teenager, which put him at the right developmental age for a halfling.
Luke took two more tentative steps forward. When the demon merely sneered, he sprinted, barreling through the crowd toward the fiend. The halfling spun around and dashed away, cutting in and out of groups of tourists before darting into the French Market.
Luke cursed and skidded to a stop at the entrance to the bazaar. Row after row of tables filled with every kind of merchandise imaginable lined the shopping pavilion. People meandered up and down the columns of parcels, and the demon blended right in. At Luke’s height, he could see over most of the patrons’ heads, but the fiend was nowhere to be found.
Luke clambered his way through the market, checking the eyes of every male he passed. None were red. The demon was probably half-way to his hideout before Luke made it to the end of the pavilion. Exhaling a deflated sigh, he made a left on St. Philip to head to the bar. His civilian work would have to wait.
Chapter Fourteen
“What the hell is that bag doing here? People can probably smell it a mile away. Are you trying to get us ca
ught?”
Jimmy curled into a ball on the corner of his futon. He didn’t know where in the room his brother was, but the gash on his forehead hadn’t healed from the last time Ross had struck him. He didn’t want to get hit again.
“You never told me what to do with it. I…thought you might still want it.” He ducked his head between his forearms and held his breath, waiting for the blow that never came. Instead, a cool breeze rustled through his hair.
“Don’t worry, brother. I’m not going to hit you again. We need your face to heal for what I have planned.”
Jimmy peeked his head up and looked around the room. He would never get used to his brother not having a body. It just wasn’t right. He wished Ross would get back into his old body and leave him alone. Jimmy didn’t like the way it felt to have his brother inside him. He didn’t know what Ross had planned, but he was sure he wouldn’t like it either.
Jimmy cringed before asking his next question. He hated asking questions because they were always stupid, and stupid questions got stupid answers. Or punches to the gut. “What should I do with you…uh…the bag?”
“Burn it…No. That would draw too much attention. Go find a cinder block to tie it to, and sink it in the swamp. It’s no use to me now.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll do it right now.” Jimmy swung the pungent bag over his shoulder, relieved to be getting rid of the awful smell. It probably wouldn’t have been a good idea for Ross to go back into his old body now that it was so stinky.
He turned to leave, and the door swung open, smacking him in the nose. An explosion of pain shot through his face, but Jimmy forced his watery eyes to focus on the boy who came in. Though he was only a few days old now, the boy looked more like a man to Jimmy. Ross wouldn’t give him a name, though, so all he could call him was boy.
The boy strutted into the shack and gave Jimmy a mean look. He didn’t even say he was sorry for smacking him in the face. “Master?” the boy called. “Master, I saw the wolf.”
“What?” Ross growled. “When?”
The boy stood straight as a rod with his hands by his side. “A few moments ago, Master. I came here right away.”
A pan flew across the room, missing the boy’s head by two feet. Jimmy cringed. If Ross had been aiming for Jimmy, he wouldn’t have missed. Ross liked the boy better than he liked him. It wasn’t fair.
“What do you have to report?”
“The wolf was with the cop last night. I saw her leaving his house. I think they’re working together.”
“The cop, huh? I’m not worried about her; she’ll be easy to handle. It’s those damn wolves that keep killing my demons. Although…” An icy breeze whirled around Jimmy, making him sick to his stomach. He didn’t want Ross inside him again. Maybe if he tensed all his muscles, he could squeeze him out.
A hollow laugh echoed through the small shack. “If the wolf is spending so much time with her, they must have more going on.”
“What do you mean, Master?”
Jimmy stood there. He was glad the boy asked the question that almost slipped from his mouth.
“They’re lovers. You two are both too naïve for your own good. We can get to him through her. Jimmy! Why are you still here?”
“I’m sorry.” Jimmy shuffled out the door to bury his brother’s body. Whatever Ross was planning, Jimmy wouldn’t want to do it. Maybe he would stay away for a very long time. Maybe he just wouldn’t go back.
But if he didn’t, where would he go?
Chapter Fifteen
“Absolutely not, son. You’re alpha.”
Luke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. The video call with his parents wasn’t going as well as he’d hoped. “Technically, Dad, you’re alpha. I’m still second.”
“You know what I mean. You’ll be alpha as soon as you find a mate, and it’s not going to be the cop. Psychic or not, she isn’t a werewolf.”
“But I’ve researched—” He glanced at the door and lowered his voice to avoid any unwelcome eavesdroppers. Trying to control his frustration, he fisted his hands on the desk. “I’ve researched the family history. Our line has mixed with fae and other magical creatures for centuries. Macey is powerful. I can feel it.”
“You feel it with your cock.”
“Marcus!” his mother interjected. “Mind your words.” She looked at her son through the computer screen. “You love this girl, don’t you?”
He sucked in a sharp breath. If being in love meant wanting nothing more than to make the other person happy—to spend every day of the rest of his life with her—then, yeah. Sure it was way too soon to call it love, but he couldn’t deny his deep, primal desire to protect her, provide for her. Werewolf or not, she was his fate-bound. “She’s the only one I can even consider taking as a mate.”
“Well, you’re gonna have to consider someone else,” his father said. “What about that new rogue?”
Luke huffed. “Nice try, but no. And don’t bother sending another one. It won’t work.”
“You think we sent her to you?” His mom looked appalled.
“Didn’t you?”
“No, son. We didn’t.” His father crossed his arms. “But since she’s there, you ought to consider—”
“No, Dad. She’s not an option.”
“Neither is the cop.”
Luke ground his teeth. Why did his old man have to be such a hard ass? He drummed his fingers on the desk, trying to keep his heart from racing out of control. Mating with anyone but Macey was…unimaginable. Maybe he could appeal to his mother’s sensitivity. “Mom, you understand, right?”
She smiled sadly and folded her hands in her lap. “I do, sweetheart. In any other case, I’d say your happiness comes first. But your father has a point. You’re going to be alpha. You can’t dilute the bloodline by mating with a non-were.”
He fisted his hands to stop his fingers from trembling, but nothing could halt the frantic sprint of his heart. If his own mother wasn’t on his side…
He stopped the thought before it could form. There had to be another way. A life without Macey wouldn’t be worth living. “You know, it’s still just a fifty-fifty chance my offspring will be able to succeed me. What if my first born is a girl? Alphas have to be male, so—”
His father sighed. “Werewolves only, son.”
“But—”
Marcus raised his hand to stop him. “Werewolves only.”
They said their goodbyes, and Luke slammed the MacBook shut. He wasn’t ready to give up, but damn it, his mother was right. He couldn’t take a chance in diluting the bloodline. Too many weres were mating with humans as it was. An alpha couldn’t add to the weakening of the species.
He pressed his index finger and thumb to the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes to stave off the impending headache that threatened from behind his temples. Pushing his love life to the back burner for the time being, he rose from his chair and followed the murmur of voices down the hall to the meeting room.
He pushed open the door, and a hush fell across the crowd. Nearly thirty pack members lowered their heads to greet him, already giving Luke the respect of an alpha. Though the meeting was open to everyone, he didn’t expect anyone but the ten people on the demon hunting team to show. The pack must’ve been more concerned about the demon issue than he’d thought.
As he strode to the front of the room, everyone settled into the metal folding chairs that circled the space. Everyone, except his cousin. Stephen stood next to Luke, his arms crossed over his chest, a scowl on his face. The sharp sting of tension mixed with jealousy radiated from Stephen’s body. He wanted to be in control so badly, it showed in every move he made.
Luke scanned the crowd, acknowledging each person’s attendance with a nod of his head. His heart stuttered when he met Alexis’s familiar gaze. If his old man hadn’t sent her as a potential mate, what the hell was she doing at a pack meeting?
“First of all, I want to thank you all for coming. And I want those of you who aren’t
on the demon team to know that we have the situation under control.”
“Do you?” An older were stood. “I’m afraid to let my daughters out of the house at night.”
Luke bristled at the man’s tone. “No weres have been attacked.”
“Not yet. My girls are second and third born. They can’t shift, so they have no way to protect themselves.”
“We’re all scared to death,” a woman said.
“No incidents have been reported in the last week. My men have stopped three demons before they had the chance to find victims.”
The man laughed cynically. “But have you stopped the person who’s summoning them? Do you even know who he is?” He sat down and crossed his arms, murmuring to the woman next to him. Stephen shifted his weight as if he wanted to speak.
Luke took a deep breath. He’d had no idea his pack was this worried, and he should have. His mind had been so wrapped up in thoughts of Macey, he’d been neglecting his people. What the hell was his problem? He needed to get his mind off the sexy detective and focus on his duties. Hell, he needed to get his mind off women all together. As if to drive his point home, he caught Alexis’s gaze. She pursed her lips and gave him a sympathetic look.
He needed to get this meeting under control. Get rid of the demons. Make things normal again. Then he could focus on making Macey his mate. He still had close to two weeks before his old man’s retirement. He could do it all by then.
“I don’t know who’s summoning the demons,” he said, “but I know how we can find out.”
The whispering quieted as everyone focused on Luke. Stephen’s mouth dropped open, and he clicked it shut. “When were you going to share this information with me?” he asked so quietly only Luke could hear.
Werewolves Only: Crescent City Wolf Pack Book One Page 11
