by Rena Marks
Then he kissed me. “Back in a sec,” he promised, and headed to the connecting door of the nursery.
I dimmed the lights while he was gone. I stripped and took a two minute shower, lotioning my skin until it shone satin smooth while I waited for my wolf lover.
Naked, I looked down at the bed, wondering if I should wait on it or in it.
I never had time to make a decision. With a growl, Leo pounced, landing on top of me on the mattress. He nipped my shoulder, and I shivered.
“I really missed you,” he said, gently licking the area he’d nipped.
“Then get naked, silly. Don’t make me beg.”
He laughed, and I reached around him to pull his hair from the ponytail. When it was loose, I ran my fingers through the silky, golden strands.
“Love me, Dr. Freedman.”
“My pleasure, my wolf queen.”
Just looking at Leo’s magnificent form got me worked up. His chest was massive, great bulging muscles that rippled across his chest. The muscles ended in a “V” that tapered to a narrow waist, with a small trail of fine hair kissing its way to his groin.
He dropped his jeans, pushing them down his legs. Lord, I never knew how the denim covers the towers of thigh muscles. His legs were perfect, absolute perfection. His erection was hard, standing proud with an upward sweep.
I dropped to my knees, kissing the area where the base of his shaft met his body. He groaned, tangling his fingers in my hair.
“Anjelia, my love,” he murmured.
His cock was hot, like a fever rubbing against my cheek. I turned my head slightly to kiss it. His cock was thick, and solid ropes of veins ran along the length. I traced one with my tongue, following it to the tip. I lapped at the moisture there, before sucking the head into my mouth. I dragged my tongue over the purple, smooth head.
His thighs trembled, and I lightly scratched them with my fingernails.
Musk arose to waft at my nostrils, the pheromones of man and shifter. The unique scent of my mate.
I sucked at his cock before he pushed me away, hauling me up alongside him so he could plunder my mouth, tasting himself on me. A wolf loved this, the possessiveness of his own taste marking his mate.
I needed him just as fiercely. His hands slid down to my hips, one of them delving between my thighs to seek my clit to massage. He wasn’t gentle as he furiously located the hot spot he knew would make me burn for him. I moaned against his tongue and reached for his cock, fisting it tightly.
I was soaked, noticing how wet his hand became from cupping my sex and manipulating the bundle of nerves. He breathed deep, as if inhaling my scent, another snarl catching in the back of this throat.
He dragged me closer to his body and lifted me up, demanding I wrap my legs around his waist. He leaned me backward to peer at the V between my legs, and impaled me on his dick. He groaned while watching, as if the image of seeing himself disappear into me only drove him more insane. He wouldn’t last long, was too excited, but I knew his excitement only ramped mine higher.
He adjusted his fingers and two of them played with my slit, a finger up alongside each side of my labia. I wriggled against him, rocking myself against him until the edge of his finger pressed against my clit.
I bucked my hips, helping him delve deeper inside my channel. He pressed his thumb against my clit, and began to rub it in short, even circles, round and round, a pattern bringing me to the edge and retreating.
He threw his head back and snarled when my vaginal muscles squeezed tightly around his shaft, my body growing close to the finish line.
“Fuck, I’m going to come. You feel too damn good.”
He took a ragged breath, and began to move, rocking his hips. One arm hooked around my back to keep me still as he pressed so deeply I thought he’d never be able to come out. My muscles contracted in an instant explosion, squeezing him as I cried out, feeling my own gush of release.
Leo buried his face in my neck as he quaked, roaring. His cum shot out, splashing into me in a rush of hot, thick liquid.
We held still, panting. His hold eased slightly as his body began to relax, the aftermath of such intense sex beginning to fade. He held me tenderly now, kissing my bare skin, and nuzzling the side of my face.
“Wow,” I teased. And it was a tease, because he always made me feel this way.
He softly growled. “I don’t know how I ever lived without you, my love.”
We cuddled until he softened, and then he slowly pulled out. He tucked me into the sheets and climbed in after me, pulling me to him.
* * * * *
Luc woke me early, and I nursed my son. By the time I returned to our room, Leo was showered and ready to head to the hospital.
“I’m going to miss you,” I said, watching him from the doorway.
“It won’t be long and I’ll be there, too. All three of us.”
He kissed me tenderly, and left. I smiled. He had no idea I’d be surprising him later. I checked Luc on the monitor, he was still sleeping. He had late mornings in common with the vampires. I showered quickly and packed my toiletries.
Anna and Rhett should be along any minute to pick up Luc for me, and take him to Bang’s. I heard some noise down in the living room.
Finally, Luc stirred. “Good morning, my love muffin,” I cooed.
“Ma,” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes with tiny fists.
“Let’s wash you up, babycakes.” I carried him into the bathroom, wetting his face and hair. It was so fine, it slicked right down. I stripped off his diaper, and heard a noise downstairs.
“Hello?” I called down the stairs. A tinge of wariness hit my midsection.
Rhett poked his head out and I was instantly calmed.
“Come up. I'm changing Luc.”
I wrestled my son back down on the changing table, fastening the diaper tapes quickly. I snapped his one-piece underneath his crotch, and yanked up his baby jeans. Swinging him onto my hip, I headed out.
“Hello, my baby nugget,” Anna cooed.
Luc reached his chubby arms out for her. He slathered sloppy kisses on her face.
“I’ll be there in a couple of hours,” I said. “I’ll just stop by the hospital for a quick bite with Leo, before I pick up Luc and we head to France.”
“Take your time. We’ll be fine,” she cooed, and then she and Rhett left. When Julian’s limo arrived, I hopped into the back seat.
“Change of plans,” I said to the driver. “We’re going to stop by the hospital first. You can wait for me, and then we’ll head to pick up Julian.”
“Change of plans,” the driver said back. “Please sit back and enjoy this.”
The partition between us raised, and right before it shut completely, he tossed a canister into the back. Smoke hissed from the can.
Chapter Thirteen
The man speaking had an accent. And he was werewolf. That was all I realized when I woke up.
My mind was fuzzy and dimly registered that I was shackled to a wall. It was dusty and crumbly, with hay strewn about the dirt floor. It looked slightly familiar.
That’s where I’d seen it before. Verity had been kept in an area like this.
“Where's the baby? Why was he not with you?” The man said. “The limousine was supposed to pick you both up to go to the airport.”
I didn't answer right away, and he kicked my leg.
I grunted at the short burst of pain that shot clear up to my hip.
“Answer me.”
He was short, with dark hair and a mustache. His hair was parted on the side and slicked down with hair grease. I tried to place his accent, but I was woozy from the drugs.
Spanish. He was of Spanish descent. The hairstyle gave him away.
“The baby,” he growled again. “We want him.”
“I’ll never tell you where my son is hidden,” I snapped. God, they had come so close to getting their hands on my baby. Thank heavens I’d had Rhett and Anna pick him up. Unfortunately, it would be sev
eral hours before anyone realized I was missing.
“You have a few days to change your mind. The full moon hits then, and I won't have as much patience without my human form.”
“I'm a mother. I'll die before I hand my child to you.”
“Then rot.”
The door was locked with a bang, and I slumped against my shackles.
I was bone-weary from the sleep drug I was given while traveling. I could hear Julian and Leo through our three-way connection, but I couldn’t seem to communicate back. I was farther away, while they were closer together. Our triangle was separated by distance and the clog of unnatural drugs in my system.
I had been taken somewhere away from them.
“I'm not anywhere near you two,” I said through my mental link.
“Anjelia. Look around you. Describe where you are,” Leo said.
“It’s a tower. A stone tower, much like the one where Verity was kept in the French Quarters.”
“Are you in France, then?” Julian asked.
“No, the trip was too short, I think. I don’t know. I was unconscious for it so I don't really know. But I don't feel like I would have been out the entire time it takes to get to France.”
“Anjelia, you’ve been missing an entire day. Julian hasn’t left for France because the limo that went to pick you and Luc up said you were not at the mansion. We started a manhunt, and Rhett and Anna told us of your plans to meet me at the hospital,” Leo said. “We figured you must have called the limo driver to pick you up earlier than planned, and the call was intercepted.”
“Who took you?” Julian asked. “What does he look like?”
“I don't know him. I’m still drugged, so my mind is cloudy. He has a Spanish accent, and he's a werewolf. Obviously not one of ours. He's short, with dark hair and a mustache. He says I have a few days to turn Luc over. Before the full moon hits.”
“What does he want with Luc?” Julian asked.
But then our connection faded. I slumped, too tired and woozy to recall it.
An intense thirst hit. I looked around and found a pail of water. It didn't look clean, it had dust floating on top. I shuddered. There was no way I was drinking that.
I was left alone. The days merged and I slept most of them away without any strength to contact Leo and Julian. The crone tried to invade, but I sealed her away. I couldn’t have her invade my body in my weakened state. I’d never recover.
The kidnappers didn't feed me, and I grew weaker. The pail of water didn't look so bad anymore. I took a few sips each day. Each night I watched for the full moon. The kidnapper had lied when he said I had but a few days. The moon didn't look that near. Of course, I also couldn't live without food and water, and my pail was running low.
Or without blood.
Or without Julian diluting my werewolf virus.
I began to hallucinate. I wasn't sure if it was an effect of the drugs they'd given me. Or my hunger, or dehydration. Hell, maybe they even drugged the water.
But something wasn't normal.
Finally, it rained. My teeth chattered with cold. Somehow, it gave me enough energy to contact again.
Julian responded, while Leo stayed in the background of our link, holding us strong with our link.
“I grow weak,” Julian admitted. “I know you do, too, without our skin contact.”
His voice sounded so far away, so hopeless. I knew he was much weaker, since I fed him.
“There has to be something we can do. I was able to feed you remotely for a while when you were away,” I said.
“You can only feed from a vampire,” Julian reminded, and I was silent while I pondered this. There definitely weren’t any of those around.
“Leo,” I called.
“Yes, my love?”
“If we can’t find a way out of this—”
“Shh, Anjelia, we’ll figure it out.”
“If we don’t,” I insisted, “and Julian and I die, you need to take care of Luc. See Merrick, maybe he can do something to keep you sane for a few years while Luc grows.”
“My sweet, it’s not that bad yet. Yes, we’re both weak. We’re unfed, hungry. But it’s been one week. We can last much longer,” Julian said. “My kidnapping proved that.”
“No, I’m afraid we can’t,” I said gently. “I'm not being fed. Or given water. I have a small amount here, but it'll be gone soon. The kidnappers haven't been back.”
“Why would they chain you up and not come back?” Julian asked, his voice sharper than I’ve heard so far.
That made me stop and think. Why would they kidnap me, and then leave me?
Leo answered. “Maybe they couldn't come back. Maybe she's in a location they have a hard time getting to.”
Both men were quiet as they sensed something else turning in my brain, some knowledge that I’d kept hidden from them. Now, I was forced to share it, because I couldn't keep them from exploring the link between us. This was a desperate situation, and panic was beginning to raise my heart rate.
“Remember how my blood is infected with the werewolf gene?” I sucked in my breath when a sharp pain hit, and I couldn't control the wave of heat. The pain transmitted through the link to them.
As it slowly faded, I continued to speak, although I panted now. “It appears my undiluted blood is being overrun with the virus. It's growing very painful.”
I screamed vocally when the spasm hit the second time. It hit hard, taking my breath away. I wouldn't have been able to keep this from them if I tried.
“Anjelia, what's happening?”
“My bones,” I sobbed through the ripping pain. “It feels like they're breaking apart.”
If I was about to change into a werewolf, the change would occur mercilessly. My body knew it had been kept from the change by the diluting of my blood. Now it would rush through the first change savagely. I didn’t know if I would survive it.
The feeling was worse than when I took the pain for the werewolves to change. It was worse than the labor pains I’d endured for Luc. It was worse than anything I'd ever been through.
I transmitted the terror I felt through the link, but could only feel male frustration and helplessness through their brain patterns. Their voices tried to console me, but it didn’t do any good in a dark tower with only the light of the moon shining through the lone window.
“I think I’m going a little insane. Like Leo does. The virus doesn't feel normal. I think the witch powers are fighting it. I haven't been able to conjure the crone,” I said. “At first I was afraid to. Afraid I couldn’t control her. Now, she’s gone.”
More pain washed over me, instantly tightening my muscles and squeezing. I gritted my teeth. It was too much and I screamed again.
“Hang in there, baby. We're coming. We have a plan.” Leo's voice, but I barely understood what he was saying. The pain was so intense and I knew they couldn't come, or they would have been here already. Hell, I didn't even know where here was. Leo was simply pacifying me, and I couldn't blame him. There was nothing else he could do.
But the pain was intense, and I had to make it stop somehow. I was writhing in agony now, and so weak from dehydration and hunger.
One last thought transmitted through to the guys, although I didn’t mean for it to.
If I hadn’t been shackled, I’d jump from that window to my death below.
The desperation must have shone through.
“No!” Leo yelled. “Don't even think that.”
I was unable to answer.
“Fight it,” Julian said, his voice tinged with desperation.
I tried, but my brain kept jumping back and forth between sanity and insanity.
Would it be so bad? The pain would be over.
A brief respite from the pain had me panting. Then another sharp pang hit.
You're dying anyway. Why prolong it? Sooner is better than later. Just jump.
I lowered my head, hoping to suck air into my lungs that felt as though they were suddenly c
ollapsed. I looked downward as something caught my eye.
My hand looked...odd.
I raised it in the moonlight, and it shook uncontrollably—like a drug addict going through withdrawals.
The fingers were abnormally long and clawed. I stared at the monstrosity in disbelief, knowing that whatever it was, it was connected to my arm. I was too afraid to send a signal to my brain to wiggle the strange fingers, not wanting to really find out if they were really mine or not.
I wiggled my fingers anyway. When the horrific limb moved, terror unleashed in my gut, threatening my sanity. I knew that it was indeed my hand, attached to my body, controlled by my brain.
And I knew I wouldn’t survive this.
I was a monster. I couldn't change into a wolf, not with all the witch and vamp in me. Too much was unbalanced.
“Oh, God,” I moaned. “Oh, no, no, oh, no, no, no.”
Dimly I heard Julian and Leo shouting, but I was too far gone. The panic had settled into every pore of my being, invaded every cell with white hot blinding confusion, and I jerked the shackles still attached to my wrists.
The shackles ripped from the wall, loosening rocks to collapse on the ground like a small avalanche. Dust rose, choking me and making me cough. Apparently, I had newfound werewolf strength.
Now I could jump.
I was free now, and I jerked to my feet. I stumbled like a drunk when the room spun dizzily, like a person who stood too fast after sitting.
I was high up, from the image of the sky outside. It was like a turret, just like the one I'd found Verity in. Yet this one didn't have crumbling walls.
The open window was ten feet in front of me.
My last thought was of flinging myself through it.
Chapter Fourteen
I woke with Julian looking down at me. He looked well-fed. His cheeks were pink, his lips red. My neck throbbed as though it was on fire, and I knew he hadn’t been gentle when he’d fed.
Leo’s arms were wrapped around me, biceps bulging, squeezing unconsciously hard, as if to protect me from further horrors.
I glanced down at my body, but it was covered in silk sheets. I was almost afraid to lift them, terrified of what I would find underneath. Would I be paralyzed from the jump? Missing limbs?
