A howl sounded in the distance and my entire body tensed, my head turning to look out into the dark woods. The wolf heard it too. He stood and approached the mouth of the cave, turning back to look at me. He whined softly, then stepped out.
Five minutes passed. Ten. I rose to my feet and winced at the crackle of leaves under my shoes. Paused. Waited to see whether he’d stalk back in on padded paws.
No sign of him.
I cautiously approached the mouth of the cave and stepped out into the crisp night air. My thoughts went again to the trapping kit in my car, but I knew that even if I’d had it, I wouldn’t have gone back out for the insects Jeremy wanted. There were wolves out tonight.
I backed away from the cave, keeping my eyes in the direction the wolf had gone when he walked away. Then I smacked into a hard wall of muscle and turned with my heart in my throat.
Holy crap.
He was more than six feet tall with dark, careless hair and glimmering golden eyes. I felt my mouth drop open as I slowly moved my gaze up and down his body, taking in the sinuous muscles, the way he stood with a regal grace. The man was the most incredible thing I’d ever seen. His sensuous lips parted as he raked me with a throbbing stare of his own.
I felt that look in every inch of my body: through the strands of my messy hair, over the soft curve of my breasts and in the secret space between my legs, which lit up and smoldered. Before I could move, he brought his hands up to grasp my shoulders and pulled me toward him.
“Let go,” I said, struggling against the hard heat of his body. As my breasts rubbed over his chest, my breathing changed and I felt the fire below blaze out of control. “Please,” I said softly, stopping my motions lest I embarrass myself. I couldn’t remember ever having been so turned on, and the man before me hadn’t even said a word.
He put his nose to my hair, scenting the tumbled locks, then moved his head to the side and took my ear between his teeth. The pressure on my soft skin made me shudder against him, overwhelmed with the sensation. “Who are you?” I asked him as his mouth went lower, nuzzling my neck and dipping into my cleavage where he took a deep breath, inhaling in my scent. “Wh-what do you want?”
“Mine,” he growled, standing back up. I knew I should run—but, like the wolf who’d brought me to this man’s cave, he was a creature of speed. I knew that I had no chance of escaping him. And, though I was loathe to admit it to myself, part of me was dying to know what this man was offering when he rocked his hips against mine and I felt his erection hard against me.
“Follow,” he said, and pulled me toward the cave. I reached up on tiptoes to press my mouth against his ear.
“There are wolves.”
“Safe,” he said in a guttural tone, and I believed him. I followed him into the cave.
The thick scent of the fire and the wet ground outside were forgotten when he raised my head with his iron grip and brought his lips to mine. I was overwhelmed with his scent: earthy and masculine. It teased my nose as his lips descended, molding mine until I was straining against him. Then he slipped his tongue between my lips and stroked softly. I melted into the touch.
No kiss in my life had ever felt so wild, so wanton. All my doubts, all my fears about the animals in the wood drained away. They were lost in the perfect, commanding beauty of his kiss. His fingers went to the base of my t-shirt and he grasped it, then yanked it over my head. For a moment I was lost in a sea of green cotton, but then my head came free and I could see his warm eyes taking in my plain white bra.
He growled, then turned me to face the wall, sucking on the pulse point at my neck. I shuddered. Never had a man’s mouth made me want to take him inside me. Sex was always okay in the past, but I’d never wanted to climb on top of a man and ride him until he came. I’d never had the urge to get down and just fuck—but now there was nothing I wanted more.
I felt him cut through the straps of my bra. The cups fell, exposing my breasts so the pink-tipped crests touched the cold rock wall. They hardened into painful points, and then his hands wrapped around them. His sharp nails bit into my skin and I bucked, moaning at the sensual assault. It was all I could do to stay on my feet.
He opened my shorts and delved his fingers down to find me behind the black cotton panties that were soaked against my fevered skin. I moaned when he made contact with my wet slit, sliding one big finger back and forth until finally—finally—he stroked my clit. Shivering hard, my palms braced against the stone, I pulled my head to the side to give his mouth more access to my pulse points. Could he feel the thud of my racing heart? Then all questions evaporated as he sank a finger inside me while thumbing my clit, and I came, shaking against the hard wall of muscle behind me as explosions wracked my trembling body.
His hand came to my stomach and he guided me around until I was facing the mouth of the cave. I stepped out of my panties and shivered as cool air rushed across my skin. The man pushed me to my knees and I was filled with excitement at the thought of being able to taste him—but then he moved me so I was on my hands and knees. A soft breeze blew across the exposed skin of my sensitive pussy, the light touch making me moan.
I heard a zipper lower. The man knelt behind me and took my hips in his hands. I was wet, supple from my orgasm and ready to feel his enormous erection inside me. I was aching for it. Aching to have him deep inside me, making me helpless with pleasure.
He pushed in, thrusting as deep as my body would allow. My walls pulsed around him, gripping him so that he made a sound low in his throat. I could feel the way his body shook as he moved in and out of me. It made me hot. It made me crazy.
I’d never wanted anyone so much.
I forgot that we were in the woods. That I’d almost died. That we could become meals for hungry animals. I just braced myself on the hard ground and let him take me. His hands came up to play with my hard nipples, tweaking and stroking them before running them down my stomach and fingering my clit. When I was panting, his hands returned to my hips. He held me tight and I knew there’d be bruises there tomorrow.
He said nothing, just thrust. Just made deep sounds in his throat like growls.
I came again, the wave crashing over me and making me drop to my forearms, offering him everything. The sex was animalistic. Every time he pushed his shaft into me, I’d squeeze the pulsating head. When I was nearly insensate with lust, he reached up and grabbed my shoulders, slamming into me in long, luscious motions until he came, shooting deep inside me as my pussy clamped down on his cock, squeezing it tight with my own orgasm.
The man dropped to his hands, his body wet against mine, his breath chuffing in my hair. It hit me then, exactly what I’d done with this stranger. A man whose name I didn’t know. But I couldn’t will myself to move, to leave the cave and hot foot it back to civilization. So I waited, and then it was too late. He stood up and kicked his jeans aside, leaving them on the ground so that when he reached for me, I finally saw his naked body.
It was a masterpiece. Hard edges and shadowed plains glistened with sweat in the light of the fire. A black tattoo curled over his chest and around his forearm. I wanted to follow its lines with my tongue.
I held up a hand so he could help me up, but he didn’t grasp it. Instead, he threw me over his shoulder and carried me into the dark forest. I struggled, but it didn’t move him. He’d said he would keep me safe and all I could do was hope that wherever he was taking me, he’d keep his word.
Oddly, I believed he would. Despite the strangeness of the situation and the adrenaline still coursing through my veins, being held by him felt safe. Felt right.
At least, I thought, whatever odd place we ended up at, there wouldn’t be any more wolves.
Three
Sam
I cracked my eyes opened and hissed against the bright light streaming in through a broken slat in my blinds. “Fucking sun,” I groaned, slapping a hand to my forehead. The morning after a transition is the worst sometimes—like a hangover, except I don’t get the bea
uty of introducing myself to a new bottle of Jim Beam first.
Michael would give me a rain of shit that wouldn’t stop for days if I didn’t drag my ass out of bed and get to the meeting. That’s my only beef about being the Vice President of Howlers Motorcycle Club—I can’t skip a meeting without a damn good excuse.
Broken bones, I thought. That might be good enough. If they prevented me from moving.
Heaving my legs over the side of the bed, I sat up. There was just enough time to grab coffee and wash the furry feeling out of my mouth before I headed over to the clubhouse at the center of the compound.
A scent hit me, distracting me. I closed my eyes and inhaled, the sweet fragrance captivating me. It was the best thing I’d ever scented in my life. Like perfume on crack.
Then I heard her.
No.
Another whore. How could she smell so good? I closed my eyes and groaned again, louder. I was so fucking careful to stay away from women on the night before the full moon. When I wolf out, I want to eat and run and fuck. The first two are okay, but the third one is a no go—until the transition fades and I turn into Neanderthal Sam. Little verbal ability. Driven by impulse. Semi-amnesiac.
Last cycle, I’d brought home a bartender who’d gawked at my brothers before I drove her back to the city. My fault for choosing to run in the streets where there was a chance I’d end up around women who had a thing for cavemen. Should stay away from people anyway, because you never know when the need to hunt will overcome you. Networks of alleys and streets make for such good mazes and something about the scent of fear is intoxicating when my wolf is out.
That’s why we moved to the compound in the first place. Michael got sick of cleaning up other peoples’ messes and I wanted a forest to run in. We were safe here, but isolated. Sometimes one of the woman mated to a brother went for a grocery run into town, but in the years since we’d come to the compound bordering the state park, I hadn’t left except for ill-advised runs through town or to drop off mistakes at their homes.
It was safer that way.
The beast inside me laughed. He knew.
“Hello.” The girl had a soft voice. I took a deep breath; my muscles were tense and knotted. The beast must have had fun last night. I’d at least try to be nice to this one before getting rid of her. I turned.
“Jesus,” I said, stunned. The wolf was stunned too, but recovered faster. He curled up inside, content, while I was left to deal with reality.
She was a walking wet dream. Her tits were barely covered by the thin sheet she’d drawn up around herself and I could see her hard pink nipples behind it. Her mouth was pouty, pink like the blush that spread over her skin while I took her measure. Sharp cheekbones. Tangled black hair. She looked like a sexy version of Snow White.
Suddenly I wasn’t eager to evict her. I took a deep breath and got her scent again, all apples and lavender.
She’s the one.
Four
He stared at me like he wanted to devour me in one gulp. That was the only way I could describe it and it didn’t exactly give me confidence that I’d get out of there in one piece.
“I’m sorry,” he said at length, still staring. “I didn’t remember bringing you home until I heard you clear your throat.”
Great. This isn’t embarrassing at all. Note to self: get checked for diseases.
“You carried me here from a cave in the woods. There was a wolf. My car. I mean, I was in an accident and the car exploded.” I tripped over my words while I stared at him. In the soft morning glow, he was even more attractive. His face was beautiful, I thought, and then remembered where his face had been the night before and blushed.
“Where?”
“Maybe two hundred yards from the lake. The rangers probably found the car by now.” He reached for a mobile phone sitting on his dresser, sent a message, and then sat down on the bed next to me.
“How did we meet?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—.” I felt terrible that I’d let this man possess me so completely when he couldn’t even remember meeting me. Of all the ways I’d pictured the morning going when he laid me down to sleep last night, this wasn’t one of them.
He hadn’t smelled even a little like alcohol.
“It’s just fuzzy. In the woods? Were you going for help?”
“Actually,” I said, “a wolf ripped apart my seatbelt and dragged me from my car. It saved me. Then it took me through the woods to a cave and left. When I tried to leave, I ran into you and…” I trailed off, waiting for him to call me crazy. I sounded crazy to myself.
Of course, I thought, the room was littered with empty liquor bottles. A leather jacket was hung on the wall by the door, but nothing else looked like it was where it should be. It wasn’t disgusting, but it was a whirlwind. Maybe crazy was par for the course around here.
“There are a lot of wolves in the woods,” he said. “You’re lucky it didn’t hurt you.”
“I guess it had already had dinner,” I said, lamely attempting to make a joke. He didn’t laugh.
“Maybe. Look, I need to go to a club meeting and then I’ll take you to wherever you want to go. We could stop and eat or something. Are you from town or were you camping? What’s your name?”
“Yes, town. My name is Eleanor—Ellie. Club?” The words came out bullet quick. Stop and eat? I never intended to see him again once I was safely on my doorstep. My tolerance for embarrassment is fairly high, but this was off the charts.
“I’m vice president of Howlers Motorcycle Club.” His eyes drifted to his jacket and he walked across the room, then shrugged it on over his white t-shirt. Turning, he drew my attention to the patch on the back. “See?”
I’d heard of them before. Rumors of rough men on loud, rumbling bikes that came into town to drink or brawl or find willing women. I didn’t drink or go to clubs, so I’d never come across one of their members before. At least, I hadn’t until I let him take me on the floor of a cave while I screamed and moaned.
Shaking my head to clear the memories, I smiled at him when he turned around. “Thank you for finding me in the woods.”
“I did more than find you,” he said, a perverse grin spreading across his face.
“Thank you for that too,” I murmured, glad that he at least remembered something. His eyes lit, making his ridiculously good-looking face even more stunning. Some guys are just too sexy. Something about his golden eyes started a fire in my center, warming me. I looked away. We didn’t have a future.
“Could you possibly take me back before the meeting?” I needed to find out whether I still had a job, and didn’t fancy calling when showing up would be more responsible. Jeremy was probably freaking out. Not about me missing, of course, but about me not bringing him the insect.
Bye-bye, bonus money.
“I have to make the meeting,” he said. “No other choice. Come on. I’ll get you some breakfast in the clubhouse. You can watch TV and eat while you wait, as long as you stay in the common rooms.” I looked pointedly at my body wrapped in the sheet.
“You left my clothes in the cave when you threw me over your shoulder and brought me here.”
“Threw you over my shoulder, did I? I must have been determined to make sure you ended up back in my bed.” I glared at him and his smile just got wider. Crossing the room to his closet, he opened it and reached for a box on the top shelf. “See if anything in there fits. It’s all clean.”
Sweatpants and t-shirts abounded. They were all too big, but I found a pair I could put on without embarrassing myself, and then pulled a black t-shirt over my head. Catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I winced. The difference between him and me was as clear as night and day. He was a god with golden eyes. I was—a girl with a pillow crease on my cheek and mascara smeared over my eyes. I bet you’re having some serious morning after regrets, buddy.
He took my hand to lead me across the grass toward the large brick building in the center of the homes. “Why do you li
ve all the way out here?” I asked, noting the woods surrounding the fence. It seemed strange that he was holding my hand, but he didn’t seem inclined to let it go.
“We like privacy. It’s hard to get any when you’re surrounded by other people, locked in apartment buildings. This property borders the national park, but it’s far from any trails.” I thought of my noisy neighbors who played dancing games in the apartment above me during college, making the floor shake. Point made.
“Can I sit in on the meeting with you?” If I was going to have to wait, I might as well find out more about Howlers. The idea of being surrounded by burly badasses wasn’t entirely unappealing either.
“No.” His tone didn’t invite me to argue. “No women. Especially not a citizen.” He laughed.
“Citizen?”
“People who aren’t in the club.” I hugged my arms around myself for warmth when we entered the clubhouse. The AC was on full blast. The large room had a bar in front of a kitchen and lots of roomy, comfortable furniture clustered in groups. Men in jackets similar to the one…and I realized I didn’t know his name. I grabbed his sleeve.
“What’s your name?”
He laughed. “Surprised you didn’t ask sooner. I’m Sam.”
“Nice to meet you.” He led me forward to the bar and said hello to some of the men sitting around it. “This is Ellie,” he said. “She was nice enough to hang out with me last night.”
“Last night?” A man with chestnut hair and bright blue eyes whipped his head around, zeroing in on Sam. His gaze sharpened, assessing his friend, and I was glad I wasn’t on the receiving end of that look.
“It’s fine,” he said. “Ellie was in a car accident. I texted Matt about her vehicle. I found her wandering around the woods and brought her back here to sleep off her injuries.”
“Where are you hurt?” A delicate blonde woman peeked around the man with the intense expression. He stiffened, then let her pass. “I’m Madison,” she said. “I’m Michael’s wife.” She held out her tiny hand. I took it and we shook. She had kind eyes and soft skin.
KEEPING YOU: Howlers Motorcycle Club 1: A Werewolf Shifter Paranormal Motorcycle Club Romance Page 2
