by Lisa Kessler
I wished I had the power to make our clothes vanish. Right now I needed to feel his skin on mine, our bodies united. His teeth skimmed over my collarbone as he reached around me to unclasp my strapless bra. He tossed it aside, his large hands caressing my newly bared skin, his thumbs teasing my nipples until I cried out.
His hips rocked toward me as I stroked him. Underneath us, the Harley tilted slightly, but his strong legs steadied us and kept the bike from toppling over. Never in my life had I even contemplated making love on a motorcycle, but there was no way Gareth would let me fall. I understood this on a primal level. He would keep me from harm, protect me… No matter how much I distracted and pleasured him.
He pulled gently at the sensitive tip of my breast with his lips, soothing and teasing all at once. I reached behind to brace myself on the handlebars, my back arching toward him, offering myself as I watched his mouth on my skin, his tongue circling my nipple. He moved his other hand lower, pushing the bottom of my dress up. Moving his fingers up the soft skin of my inner thigh, he rubbed and teased me through the thin fabric of my thong underwear.
“I need you,” I gasped. “Now.”
He ripped my thong like it’d been made of tissue paper, and slid his fingers deep inside of me. His growl made me shiver with desire as he discovered just how ready I was for him. I gripped the handlebars tighter and leaned back a little, breaking the kiss as I stared into his eyes. Gareth took hold of my hips and pulled me closer, guiding me onto him. Every rock hard inch slid into me so slowly, my entire body shuddered with pleasure.
He reached forward, taking my hands from the grips and putting them around his neck. Nose to nose, his dark eyes locked on mine as he thrust deeper inside of me. “You’re mine. I’m yours.”
I wasn’t sure what was happening, but my wolf came alive in my soul and I whispered, “I claim my mate.”
Gareth held me even tighter, kissing me with a passion I didn’t understand, but at the same time hungered for. Keeping the bike level meant we had to move slowly and savor the union of our bodies. I fought the urge to rock my hips faster. Oh but I wanted to. He filled me so completely I ached, but falling over on the Harley would be a huge mood breaker. I tightened my fists in his hair as he stoked the passion brewing inside me. He brought one hand between us, his finger teasing me until I broke the kiss and called out his name.
His lips caressed my ear as he growled, “You’re mine, Nadya. Come for me.”
My hands came out of his thick hair, and I dug my fingernails into his shoulders, bracing myself as my inner muscles throbbed. His hips rocked into me one last time, just as my entire body shuddered in his arms. The aftershocks of my orgasm pulsed around him until he finally erupted deep inside me, holding me so tight he could’ve cracked a rib.
And I didn’t care. I couldn’t get close enough to him. Gareth. My mate.
I struggled to catch my breath, clinging to him. I wasn’t sure how much of the off-the-chart desire had been me, and how much had been werewolf instinct, but whatever it had been, I had just had sex on a Harley. Really amazing, mind-blowing sex.
Gareth smoothed the back of my hair. “I never want to move, but I don’t think I can keep us upright much longer.”
I lifted my head, legs still tight around his waist. “Okay. How can I get untangled without taking us both down?”
“You’re not going anywhere. Just hold on to me.” He held me with one arm at my waist while he tipped the bike and nudged the kickstand down. Carefully he let the eight-hundred-pound motorcycle settle onto the stand before he leaned forward and slid his other leg over the seat.
“Do you need me to walk?” I clung to him, knowing his legs had to be tired.
“Not yet.” He carried me deeper into his shop to his studio apartment in the back.
He laid me on the bed, our bodies finally separating. Gareth kicked off his pants and got in beside me. I stared at him, trying to memorize every angle of his face. “I’ve never…”
He ran his finger along my jawline. “Me neither.”
We hadn’t used a condom. I wasn’t sure why that popped in my head right at that moment, but I decided it didn’t matter. At this point, I probably wouldn’t live long enough to get pregnant. But I needed to live.
For him.
Gareth stared into my eyes, and my heart hurt.
“I’m going with you tomorrow.”
I blinked, struggling to follow. “Tomorrow?”
He nodded. “To Jason’s.”
My stomach clenched. Nero had killed his brother. He wouldn’t be thrilled to hear Jason had brought in a scientist who genetically engineered the wolf who bit me.
Keeping this secret from my sister was hard enough. Could I keep it from my mate?
Sensing my hesitation, he brushed a kiss to my forehead. “You’re a warrior fighting this thing, but you’re not alone. Not anymore. We’ll be stronger together.”
“It’ll upset Jason.”
“He’ll get over it. Someday he’ll find his mate and he’ll understand.”
“But he hasn’t found her yet.”
“Not my problem.” He shook his head. “If it will make you uncomfortable to have me there then I’ll wait outside…”
Here was my chance to keep Dr. Granger a secret, but if I agreed I’d be lying. Not just withholding the truth, but outright lying. Because having Gareth with me when Dr. Granger injected the serum would be a huge comfort.
Gareth rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. “You don’t want me in the room with you.”
“That’s not it.” I ran my hand up his chest, watching my fingers slide over his tan skin. “It’s the serum. I can’t let Adam find out or I won’t be able to get it anymore.”
The muscles on his chest tightened. “You think I’d say something to Adam?”
“He’s the Alpha, and the fewer members of the Pack who know, the better.”
He grabbed my wrist and removed my hand from his skin. “Let me explain this to you. The Pack is my family, but you’re my mate. I hold you above all else. Even the Pack.”
“You might not agree with my choice.”
“I still won’t go to Adam to settle it. This is between you and me.”
“And Jason.”
He growled and got up from the bed. “Damn it. You’re worried about hurting Jason? Seriously?”
Anger coiled in my belly. I sat up, my head throbbing and my nerves shot. “You know, twelve hours ago Jason was all I had.”
My words hit like I’d smacked him across the face with a two by four. Gareth stared at me with cold eyes. He turned for the door. “I need some space.”
I watched his broad shoulders as he walked out and into the garage. Half of me wanted to take my words back, and the other half wanted to scream. What was happening to me? My pulse raced, my fingers tingled. Oh crap.
My body was trying to shift again. Already.
I stood and the room tilted. Blinking hard, I took a step toward the bathroom, the surge of rage replaced with trepidation as I opened and closed my hand. Sweat slid down my spine. Maybe a cold shower would help.
Metallic tools clanked in the garage and the image of Gareth working on something in his unbuttoned tux shirt and nothing else filled my mind. If my knees hadn’t buckled, I might’ve smiled.
I hit the ground hard. Gareth’s scent filled my lungs before he knelt beside me. He helped me up from the floor and lifted me into his arms. Tremors wracked my hands, and I grit my teeth to bite back the pain in my joints. He sat on the edge of the bed, holding me close. I rested my head on his chest and realized he was humming something deep and low. I focused on the sound, forcing the fear and the flares of agony into the background.
Gareth took my hand, rubbing at the joints with a tenderness I never would have guessed he possessed. “Should I call Jason?”
I shook my head, staring at my steadied hands. “I’ll get another injection tomorrow. Hopefully that’ll slow this down.” I looked up so I could se
e his face. “Whatever you were singing, that helped.”
“My Mom used to hum it to me and Gabe when we were scared. It’s a wolf song.” He swallowed and held me a little tighter. “Not sure if I was chanting it for you or for me.”
His fear and sadness seeped into me before he could bury the emotions. I laced my fingers with his. “I’m not going to give up.”
He sighed, his gaze distant. “I wish I could take this from you.”
I reached up, bringing his attention back to me. “I’m sorry about what I said. Whenever the change surges inside, so does this vicious temper I never knew I had.”
“But what you said… You were right. I should’ve been here, and if you don’t want me with you tomorrow I’ll deal with it.”
“I want you with me, but I don’t want to upset you.”
He frowned. “How will holding your hand while you get an injection upset me?”
I stared into his eyes, and my decision was made. Gareth was my mate. No secrets. “Because the man giving me the serum is a scientist from Nero.”
Chapter Eighteen
Gareth
“Nero?” Was she insane? I ground my teeth together to keep from saying something I’d regret later. “Has Jason forgotten these are the same bastards that created the psycho who bit you? Damn it, Nadya, he could be making you worse. This is the secret you’re keeping from Adam?”
She nodded. “We know this is risky, but it’s my only hope. Dr. Granger has all the research from Nero. He knows how the DNA was modified. By the time Jason caught up with their research, I’d be…”
She didn’t finish. She didn’t have to. I set her beside me on the bed and stood up. Jason was lucky he wasn’t here right now. The urge to beat the shit out of him was overwhelming. “I can’t believe Jason talked you into this.”
“He didn’t. I agreed because I want to live and this is my best chance.” She stared up at me. “Since I was bitten, I haven’t been able to sleep, but after the first injection of Dr. Granger’s serum, I slept for four hours straight.”
“And when you woke up you almost attacked your sister and your hand started shifting.”
Her jaw went slack for a second. “How could you possibly know that?”
I didn’t understand it myself; how in the hell could I explain it to her? “Since I touched you, things have been changing inside of me.”
She got up and came closer to me. “I had a dream that you held me in your arms. Your scent surrounded me. You were really there with me. How?”
“I’m not sure.” I took her hand. “I dreamed about you, that you needed me, and then I was at your side. Chloe thinks it’s a gift, that I’m a Dream Walker.”
“And what do you think?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know what to think, I’m just glad it helped you.” I lifted her hand to my lips, kissing the back. “This doesn’t change the fact that working with Nero is a bad idea.”
She sighed. “Jason is keeping tabs on Dr. Granger, and the first injection did help me sleep.”
“If he finds a way to cure you, what’s in it for him? Nero has the manpower to send a jaguar assassin for him if they found out. He knows that.”
“Jason’s letting Dr. Granger keep my lab results. He’ll be able to enhance his Nero research with them.”
“Wouldn’t it be better for his project to juice you up even more and see how long you live before the mutation affects your brain?”
She pondered my words and slowly shook her head. “He wouldn’t dare. He’s well aware Jason can and would kill him.”
“Maybe so.” Jason would be the least of that asshole’s worries. “But Nero has the manpower to execute Dr. Granger’s entire family.”
“We don’t know if he even has a family.” She sighed and went back to the bed. “You don’t like this. I understand why, but if we do nothing, I’d be surrendering to whatever poison is in my veins. I can’t let it win. I won’t.”
She set her jaw, fire in her eyes, and I blew out my frustrations. This argument was over. If she believed the serum was helping, I’d need to prove otherwise, and right now, I wanted to believe she could be cured as much as she did. “I want to meet this guy.”
Nadya reached behind her back to unzip her dress. “Jason and Dr. Granger won’t be happy.”
“They’ll live.” I sat down beside her and helped her with the zipper.
She slid the dress off and got under the sheets, while I took off my tux shirt and lay down beside her. I watched her index finger trace the barbed wire tattoo that wrapped around my bicep. “Was this to signify anything?”
“Not really.” Even a gentle touch from her made my pulse jump. “I got it after I graduated high school. I was so pissed that my parents were gone. Thought I was badass.”
She smiled and kissed my chest. “You just made love to me on a Harley. You are totally badass.”
And just like that, she made me laugh. I rolled her under me, kissing her, my body already hungry for hers. “I don’t want to miss a second with you.”
She hummed against my lips, teasing my back with her fingernails. “Sleep is highly overrated.”
…
I woke to the smell of bacon and an empty bed. My legs ached, the muscles screaming when I stood and reached for a pair of sweat pants. Memories of making love with Nadya all night filled my head. Holding her, seeing her smile, hearing her moan my name, everything about her called to me.
It almost drowned out the sound of the clock ticking her life away. Almost.
I wandered out toward my little kitchen and found her standing at the stove with her back to me, wearing my tux shirt and nothing else. In spite of my sore legs, another part of me was ready for more.
“Morning. Hope you don’t mind, but I found bacon and eggs in your fridge.”
I moved up behind her, sliding my arms around her waist as I kissed her neck. “Thanks for making breakfast.”
We put everything on my workbench and pulled up a couple of stools. I didn’t own a dining set. No company and no family, it seemed like a waste of space. She made bacon and eggs to feed a small army, which was just enough for the two of us and our werewolf appetites.
I finished another piece of bacon. “Did you sleep at all last night?”
She kept her gaze on her eggs. “A little, I think.”
“I only slept a little. You were already up and cooking breakfast.”
She sighed and raised her gaze. “I’m sure I’ll sleep like a log after I get another dose of the serum.”
I nodded, but I had my doubts. We cleaned up breakfast, grabbed showers, and got dressed for her appointment. It was all I could do to keep a lid on the conflicting emotions brewing in my gut. Nadya had enough to worry about without having to handle an assault of my feelings on top of it.
“We need to stop by my condo so I can change.”
She was still wearing her dress from the wedding, and the memory of hiking it up reminded me I’d ripped her underwear off. There was nothing under that dress. Suddenly my jeans were tighter.
“We’d better get going then.” I found her helmet on the floor a few feet from the Road King and scooped it up. “And we can pick up your things, too.”
She didn’t answer me. I turned around and she stared at me with her arms crossed. No sign of the dimple in her cheek, either.
“Last night didn’t mean I’m moving in with you.” She pressed her lips together, then added, “You didn’t even bother to ask me.”
“Will you move in with me?”
“No.”
“No?” Her answer took a second to register. My mate just refused to move in with me. I rubbed my forehead like it might help her response make sense. “You’re my mate. Last night we—”
“Had amazing sex. That doesn’t entitle you to make life decisions for me.”
“Last night was just sex?”
“Amazing sex,” she corrected.
Holy shit. She used me. Maybe this was payback for me walki
ng out on her. I had no fucking clue. I thought we’d had some sort of crazy spiritual connection, my wolf claimed her, she’d claimed me. Apparently I was wrong. The irony wasn’t lost on me. I’d never been on this side of the bed. Damn, it sucked.
“Fine.” I handed her the helmet. “I’m sorry I misunderstood.”
I swung my leg over the seat and a dull ache pulled at my thigh. The memory of keeping the Harley from falling over while I slid into her filled my head. She got on behind me, her body pressing tight against my back.
She scooted up as close to my ear as the helmet would allow. “My wolf has made her choice, and she’s got great taste, but for me, the human part of me, I need to know you better before I invade your space.”
I digested her words and the hurt ebbed slightly as she slid her arms around my waist. She said no to moving in right now, but not forever.
I wished I had forever to spend with her. Maybe I should have said it out loud.
We stopped at her condo, and she changed into some worn blue jeans and a form-fitting red T-shirt. “Ready?”
I nodded and followed her back out to the Harley. The view was outstanding.
When we pulled into the parking lot of Jason’s medical building, I lowered the stand and turned off the bike. Nadya led the way. Most of the offices were closed. The lobby was unnaturally silent. Not helping me calm the agitated wolf that paced inside of me. Our mate was taking a huge chance, and instead of stopping her, we brought her here.
The elevator doors closed and her gaze finally met mine. “Are you sure you want to meet Dr. Granger?”
“Without a doubt.”
“All right.” She leaned on the railing, watching the red numbers change.
I watched her, wishing I was better at small talk. What could I say besides, let’s get out of here, and I don’t want them touching you?
“Have you ever been to Virginia City?” The ghost town was about forty minutes from downtown Reno. The opposite direction of Pyramid Lake, but the ride up the mountainside was one of my favorites.
Her attention shifted toward me. “No.”
“Are you free tonight?”
