“That’s just a stupid story passed on through the years. It isn’t true,” I insisted.
I didn’t like the desperation in my tone. This couldn’t be true. So focused on my thoughts and fears I didn’t hear him approach me. I could only stand there as he wrapped his arms around me. I struggled to get free, but he was stronger than I realized.
“Haven’t you felt the change? Your passion for the hunt has left you. That’s why you show up more and more as the months go on. You want only me,” Jordan whispered against my neck.
I shivered and closed my eyes. Canines scraped the juncture where shoulder met neck. It was both heaven and hell. The sensation curled my toes. I didn’t want to want this.
“I—I…” I couldn’t speak. Jordan traced the teeth marks with his tongue.
“Shh, don’t think. Feel, Annemarie. Let me love you,” he coaxed.
I pulled as far away as I could. Love? We didn’t have love. We had sex and feeding. That was it. It didn’t matter that any time I stared into his dark brown eyes I wanted nothing more than to fall into them. It didn’t matter that I reveled in the feel of his strong arms wrapped around me. It also didn’t matter that I craved his kisses. Love wasn’t my deal. In all my two-hundred and thirty-five years I had never felt love and I wasn’t about to start now. No matter how his smell made me want to lick him from head to toe. Lust. That is what I had. A good old case of lust.
I allowed him to draw me back into his arms. I relaxed into his touch and let him lov—sex me up. Yes. I wasn’t saying that word. Wasn’t even going to think it.
This was my show and it was time I got it on the road. I shoved until Jordan stumbled against the couch. He gave me a cocky grin, but I was about to wipe it off his handsome face. I’d feed and leave. No reason to stay around. I wasn’t about to start some weird paranormal family with shifter boy. Wait…shifter.
I pressed my body to his, holding him in place. Well, maybe he let me. I wasn’t going to worry about it right now.
“So what do you shift into?” Not what I really wanted to ask, but it would do.
Jordan bucked his hips and let me feel his erection through his slacks. Damn, but he was tempting. I wanted to rip his clothes off and fuck his brains out. Maybe then he’d forget about me and this stupid notion of mates.
“A frog.”
“What?”
He chuckled. “What do you think I change into? A wolf, my dear. I shift into a wolf.”
He was trying to distract me with humor and it was almost working. When he rose up enough to kiss me, I let him. When his hands grabbed my ass so he could grind against me, I was ready for action.
“Clothes off. Now, wolf boy.” I stood to take my dress off. The touch of skin to skin would soothe me like nothing else.
“We have time. Why must you always rush? I thought—”
“What? What did you think? That you would declare your love for me and tell me we were mates and I would fall at your feet and beg you to give me everything?” Now I was naked and pissed.
“Well—yeah. I did.”
“Your powers of persuasion aren’t that good. One, I don’t believe you and two—I don’t believe you.”
“I can prove it.” He winked at me.
No way was I going to admit we were mates, because it wasn’t true. I’d never met a vampire who had a mate. Ever.
I glared at him and put my hands on my hips. “Sure you can.” Disbelief laced my voice.
“Annemarie, have a little faith in me.” He held his hands up and moved closer. “Let me bite you and then you’ll see.”
“What the fuck? No. Not happening. In what universe would I let you bite me? I’m not baring my throat to you.”
“You did it earlier tonight.” He continued to creep closer.
“You’re not helping your case here, bud.” I backed away. For every step he took toward me, I took two in the other direction.
“Are you afraid?”
Fuck this. I wasn’t afraid of anything. Certainly not the mutt in front of me.
“Fine. Do it. But once this is over, I’m out of here for good.” I tilted my head, leaving my neck open to him. I stared into his eyes because no way did I want him to think this meant I was submitting to him.
“When you bite me, my cock gets hard and I want nothing more that to pound you into any surface available. I can feel you in ever pore of my being. We are so connected that I can’t tell where you end and I begin. It will feel the same for you. And you’ll want to bite me back. You have no idea how difficult it’s been to stop myself from taking a sip. I knew you weren’t ready then, but it’s time now. I need you, Annemarie.” He’d crept closer with each word.
He’d mesmerized me enough that I leaned forward, anticipating the feel of his teeth breaking my flesh. I licked my lips at the images he put in my head. When his canines pierced my neck, I moaned. He drew my essence from my body and I melted. My knees would have buckled, but he clutched me close. My fangs extended. I craved him but I wanted him deep inside me when I fed.
His tongue soothed the wound at my throat and I knew it was healing already.
“Anything different, love?”
Where did that come from?
“What?” I said out loud.
“Can you feel our connection? Close your eyes and listen.”
That was Jordan speaking in my head. I looked at his face for a second before closing my eyes. And there he was. I could feel him in every part of my body as if we were one. My heart settled and my breathing calmed. I felt…at peace.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt this loved. That he would sacrifice himself for me if the need arose came through our bond. How was this possible? We were…mates.
I opened my eyes to see his intense gaze on my face. I knew he must see awe on mine because I couldn’t school my features like usual. I was out of my depth. I needed some control. He had to have sensed it because he backed away and took off his clothes. I followed him into his bedroom.
I pushed him onto the bed, reasserting control. He must have loved it because he was as hard as a rock. I licked my lips. I wanted a taste. I used my tongue to make a path to the juncture of his thigh and let my fangs take control. I sank into his vein and his heavenly blood flowed through me. For the first time, I was fully aware of the thing that made his blood unique. The thing that brought me back time and time again. That sense of me in him. My other half. It was right there in his blood. It always had been. I had just been too blind to see it. But at this point, I didn’t really care. This moment was mine and I would take it and him.
Sealing the wound I’d created, I focused on his lovely cock. I sucked on the tip and used my hands to stroke his length.
Hands tugged at my hair. “Annemarie, please. I’m not going to last. Too excited. Please, baby.” He tugged again and I released him.
I moved up his body, kissing every inch of skin I could find. He was mine. I paused to leave a mark on his stomach. Mine.
I finally got to his lips and they tasted sweeter than I remembered. Hands grabbed my hips and lifted me so I hovered over his cock. I was so wet I wouldn’t have any problems gliding down. We both moaned when I settled fully on him. We continued to kiss, battling for control.
Never had I felt so wild. Usually I had total control. I see now that he let me think I was in charge. We were evenly matched and the struggled turned me on even more.
He sat up and I wrapped myself around him, moving my hips faster and faster. Jordan gripped my ass and squeezed. Our lovemaking turned feral, building inch by inch until we exploded. My orgasm raced through me. I growled when he bite my neck. Not to be out done I found the closest part of skin and bit him back. I couldn’t stop trembling. My climax wouldn’t let me go and I continued to milk his shaft inside me.
Finally, I collapsed on top of him. Jordan rolled so we were side by side and I snuggled in. Not something I was used to, but it felt right.
“This isn’t going to be easy,” I said after
a few minutes.
“You think I don’t know that? It took me months to get you here.” Jordan chuckled.
“I feel—”
“Whole?” he asked.
I nuzzled his chest. This after part was kind of nice. Usually I ran off by this time. I’d missed a lot running from him. I didn’t know if I was ready for what was to come.
I shrugged. “I guess. Different for sure.”
I placed a hand on his chest and felt his heart beating. I couldn’t lay there for long. I placed a kiss on the spot over his heart and got out of bed. I paced as I warred with indecision.
“Don’t go,” he whispered.
He knew me so well. I almost didn’t hear him as I stalked the length of the room.
“I—I’ll stay. For now. But this is so much.” I could feel my anxiety rising but I turned to face Jordan. He held out his arms and I went to him.
“Don’t stress, Annemarie. I’m not asking you to move in tonight. I just want you to acknowledge us and know that I am here for you. When you’re ready we’ll talk.” He kissed my forehead.
I could feel his contentment. That’s what eased me. Something clicked into place. I bit my lip, nervous. Jordan soothed me with a hand stroking my back.
“I want to try.” I felt better as the words left my mouth.
“That’s all I ask. We’ll do this together. You’re my other half.” He took my lips in a fierce kiss and I welcomed it.
His other half. I could get used to that. Love practically glowed between us. I didn’t know if it was his or mine and I really didn’t care. My fear could bite me. The past months had gotten me to this place and I was happy.
“Mine,” I moaned against his lips.
“Yours,” he answered.
Something Wild
by Tracey H. Kitts
I opened my door and stepped out into the hot summer night. My car had always been reliable. I had no idea what was wrong. To say I was pissed was such an understatement that it made me laugh. The scenery was beautiful. There was nothing but trees and fields for miles, and not a house in sight.
I reached for my cell phone. “Searching for signal,” it said.
“Shit. Why does this have to happen tonight?”
I was meeting a friend at his summer cabin. We’d been close since high school and he had someone he wanted me to meet. At first I was offended when he made the offer.
“I don’t need you to fix me up.”
“Nicole, it’s been a year since the divorce, and you’re still single. Obviously, you do.”
He was right, and since his offer was made out of kindness, I accepted. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Now here I was in the middle of nowhere with no car, and no phone. To make matters worse, I was wearing heels.
I walked to the trunk, opened my overnight bag, and changed on the side of the road. Hell, no one was around to see. I exchanged my nice pants, blouse, and heels for some jeans, a t-shirt, and walking shoes.
According to the map I’d printed, I was five miles away from my friend’s cabin. I sighed. At least this wasn’t my first five-mile hike. I stuffed the map into my back pocket, locked any valuables in the trunk, and set off with only my keys and a flashlight for protection.
“This isn’t safe,” I told myself.
But, what choice did I have? In twenty minutes not a single car had passed. I could do the five miles in an hour, easy. Then Matt, my friend who was also good with cars, could drive back here with me and make this nightmare go away.
Despite the circumstances, the night was beautiful. Crickets chirped in what sounded like a chant, as if they were trying to communicate with the golden moon above.
The moon was so bright; I didn’t need the flashlight. Physical activity always helps me deal with stress. So the more I walked, the better I felt. Matt could fix my car, I was certain. I’d been too upset to even try to figure it out. Not that me looking under the hood would have done any good.
My clothes clung to me, both from the heaviness of the air and the sweat I had worked up. I checked my watch. I was making good time. I paused to stretch my legs and it was then I became aware of another presence besides mine.
Someone was watching me.
“Hello. Is anyone there?”
No reply.
“Just my imagination,” I said, hoping the sound of my voice would steady my nerves. I continued to talk to myself as I started walking again. “I shouldn’t watch so many horror movies. Zombies are not going to jump out of the bushes.”
The sound of a limb cracking made me jump. I held the flashlight like a club as I continued forward.
The crickets had stopped. Everything was quiet.
A fine tremor had begun in my hands by the time I reached the end of the road. I took out my map and confirmed which way to go.
Something leapt past me and I stumbled back, hitting my foot on a rock. As my butt smacked the pavement I cursed myself for acting like those stupid women in the movies. Were rocks just magically around when you tried to run?
What looked like a wolf leapt into the bushes just down from where I had fallen. Trees and darkness obstructed my view, so I couldn’t be sure. But that wasn’t possible. There were no wolves around here. Not in Florida.
Amber eyes glowed in the darkness, much too high up to be even a large dog. They moved toward me, moving ever higher, as if they were floating. Then I knew I must have fallen and hit my head. Because out of the woods stepped a gorgeous and completely naked man.
My first thought was, ”Crap. My red shirt even has a little hood.” Later that would be funny. But right now I was terrified.
His amber eyes took me in with a glance. Hunger was evident in the look he gave me. But what he was hungry for I wasn’t sure.
“I won’t eat you,” he said, his voice deep and rough.
“Well, that’s a damn shame.”
What had come over me? I decided to enjoy my obvious delusion. Hot, naked men don’t just walk out of the woods. And there is no such thing as werewolves.
His lips curled in a slow, side-of-the-mouth grin and I noticed his short fangs. He moved toward me with grace a dancer would have envied. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Before I could even register the thought of a storm approaching, it began to rain.
Nothing could have prepared me for the sight of him standing there in the rain. He looked wild and dangerous and all I could do was wish he would come closer. Water poured down his body, washing over each curve as if the rain couldn’t resist touching him. Whatever color his hair was, it was so wet that it appeared black. Dark strands clung to his throat and shoulders, making the contrast of his skin seem pale.
I watched as water ran down his hair, beading in his long eyelashes. I watched a drop of rain as it slid down his forehead, down his face, his collarbone, around one nipple, and down the ridged curves of his abs. I wanted to follow that drop lower, but was interrupted by a growl.
I shook my head. I was coming undone from watching a man standing in the rain. And he wasn’t even real. This couldn’t be real.
He came toward me and I watched the muscles of his long legs flex with every subtle movement. He truly was a work of art.
He knelt beside me, his amber gaze penetrating. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. My car broke down about a mile up the road.”
Why was I telling him? He wasn’t here and this wasn’t happening. I’d hit my head and was lying on the side of the road in the rain, having a wonderful delusion.
“Do I frighten you?” he asked, a trace of growl still in his voice.
“A little bit.”
He leaned closer, his face just above my abdomen. He moved slowly upward until we were face to face again. What was he doing, memorizing my scent?
“You want me,” he said. “I can smell your desire, hear your heart fluttering. I do frighten you.”
“Not enough to keep me from doing this.”
I had intended to kiss him, but I didn’t get th
at far. When I pressed my palm against his chest one thing was certain. “You’re real.”
He laughed, a deep rumble that thrilled me. “Of course, I’m real. What did you think?”
“I thought that when I tripped I hit my head instead of my ass.” I looked at my hand, resting against his chest. Why should the fact that he was real change my intentions? “You’re hot, burning.”
“The moon is almost full.”
“What does that mean?”
He smiled again and I could feel myself growing wetter. Even if we weren’t in the middle of a storm, I thought my jeans would already be soaked through by now.
“You know what I am. You saw me.” He laughed again. “And you didn’t hit your head.”
When I just looked at him he asked, “Are you hurt? Do you want me to take a look?”
You’re damn right I did. I pulled up enough to put my hand behind his head and pulled his lips to mine. His kiss burned. Whatever fever ran through his body made his lips warmer than anything I’d ever felt. I was already growing cold from the rain and as he pulled me into his arms I sighed, melting against his warmth.
He was right when he said I wanted him. There was something about him I couldn’t resist. I didn’t want to. I was tired of resisting my natural instincts. I needed to let go, to do something completely out of character … something wild.
He leaned forward slowly, then faster than I could imagine he lifted me up, moving off the road to the cover of nearby trees. My back was pressed against a large oak, my legs around his waist.
This was crazy, but he made me feel something I never had, and I didn’t want to lose it. I didn’t want to walk away from him and never feel again what I felt right now. His hands slid beneath my shirt and I arched against him, hungry for the feel of his skin against mine. My need for him was so sharp that my pussy ached.
“I won’t hurt you,” he said softly.
He lowered me to the ground so that I stood, pressed against him. I knew he was going to kiss me again and felt my lips parting in anticipation as I rose on tiptoe to meet him. His gentle kisses were a relief from so many lonely nights.
Just One Bite Volume 2 Page 5
