He turned away from me and released a pent up sigh. I bit my cheek, hard enough to make the tears come easy and hot.
“Alright, alright. Just please tell me you know what caused this!” The manager waved toward the mess on the floor in front of the TV.
Ha! You'd have me committed if I told you the truth. I doubted any hotel in Klamath Falls had ever gotten a bear inside it.
I shrugged. “No idea. Please, just take my money. I have to go. Now.”
I zipped up my jacket and reached into my purse. Plucking out several crisp twenties, I pressed them into his hands.
Thankfully, the manager lingered in the room, still staring at the mess my grizzly intruder left behind.
I threw my stuff into the backseat and checked the trunk. Something huge had ripped it open by one hinge. The metal bobbed beneath my hand like flimsy paper.
Annoying, but nothing I couldn't get the nearest garage to tie down. I jumped in the car. It started without issue and the radio kicked on.
Good. Sorry, Nick, looks like you weren't smart enough to cut a brake line or give me a nasty leak.
You really should've slowed me down.
The man who held me hostage and stole my treasure didn't know me. He thought I'd turn tail and run after being threatened like that.
He thought wrong.
I gripped the wheel and pulled out of the parking lot, pointing it onto Klamath's main strip leading out of the town, toward the rugged wilds of northern California.
I didn't give up easy. I swore I'd take that big jade ball back or else make my new friend finish his hit.
The door popped easily with a quick screw and turn of the knob. No creak, its hinges were well oiled.
Thank God for small favors.
I'd never been in a werebear's house before. Just a couple rickety dig outposts nearby, where their inattentive researchers scratched and pulled up new treasures, seemingly at random.
In bear territory, they clearly didn't bother to lock their doors. I supposed the bears didn't have thieves among them, and the idea of a human interloper coming through wasn't very threatening when any one of them could change and make her into a snack in a lightning minute.
I swallowed, held my breath, and crept gradually inside, pushing the door gently shut behind me.
The place smelled remarkably clean. A few wood carvings were on a shelf near the wall, just below a painting of huge, snow capped mountains that looked like they'd been fashioned from Western Montana's jagged peaks.
I picked up an owl and turned it over. NICHOLAS T. was carved on the bird's flat little podium. The signature was more uneven than the sign I'd seen outside engraved with the same name.
I've come to the right place. But where the hell would he keep it?
I put the owl down and very slowly walked through the small kitchen. The bears normally slept late on their own turf. Morning to early afternoon was always the best time for artifact raids, before they woke to prowl around at night.
Normally. But hell, was there anything normal about this?
A big, faint growl from the room up ahead curled the air. I froze, feeling hot adrenaline cool into icy fear in my veins.
I didn't move a muscle for a full five minutes. When there was nothing else, I moved forward again, unease nipping at my back.
As a big girl, I wasn't exactly the most sneaky or nimble. I relied on smarts, patterns, everything I'd learned about the Klamath Bear Clan after dear old dad's death.
My studies drilled in one thing: these skinwalkers were always very regular, ritualistic creatures.
According to one of their legends, their human and bear sides communed deeper during sleep. A bear who didn't get proper rest wasn't just risking his physical life, but the two spirits inside him, animal and man.
I stopped and stared into Nick's bedroom. My jaw dropped.
He slept naked, the lower half of his body barely covered by a big furry blanket. He was stretched out from the waist up, bare chested and immaculate, his big arms curled up around his head.
That's one big, pretty, sleeping baby. I inwardly cursed myself, wondering how anybody's good looks could make me forget about what he'd done.
Just now, I needed to forget the rage, though. I had to get past him, to see if he was still hiding the damned thing in his room.
I took another step, bracing one hand on the frame leading into his bedroom. I peered around the corner and nearly laughed.
Holy shit! Right on his dresser, still in its paper wrapping and all.
All muscles. No brains. Figures.
I took a long, slow breath, mentally prepping for the hardest part. One foot forward at a time, I moved in.
Sweat beaded on my brow as I came closer to his bed. Making a single sound would've been a big mistake. And looking at him too hard or intently just might make me do it.
No time for any distractions, pleasant or otherwise.
Come on, Lyla. Focus. Focus!
Closer, closer, steady and stealthy...
I was hunched over walking forward now. I passed a mirror, frowning when I caught my chubby thighs in the periphery. They were thick slabs even though they worked well.
Self-consciousness about my figure stirred at the worst possible time. It made me think of seeing myself naked, and that led to thoughts about the sleeping Adonis next to me, buff and perfect in every way.
Oh, except for that whole I-need-to-kill-you thing.
Good thing I didn't come here to win Miss Oregon. I plucked at my bottom lip with my teeth and pressed on.
Finally, I was at his dresser. I wondered how often bears needed to re-stock their drawers when they tore their clothes to shred with every transformation.
Nick stirred behind me and flopped over on his side, making me look anxiously over my shoulder.
Fuck. Don't let him wake up now. We're on the home stretch...
Then I remembered it was wrapped up tight in that crinkly paper. Damn it! There was no hope of moving it without making one hell of a ruckus.
Behind the artifact, he had a small box filled with knickknacks. My eyes searched, looking for anything sharp and heavy to free my prize, so painfully within reach.
Scissors. Black handled, beautiful, shiny scissors!
My heart thumped when I saw my golden ticket to freedom. They were a small hand held pair, like something a man might use to clip stray hairs or trim his mustache.
Easy...easy...
I picked them up, testing to see how smoothly they pivoted apart. More luck was on my side. They moved quick and easy, without making more than an almost imperceptible snap.
I chose to start at the top of the artifact's wrapper and work fast.
Some noise was inevitable. I avoided the worst crinkling, forming a clean cut along the side, exposing the dark green surface inside.
The thing sparkled a little bit when the sunlight hit it, gold slits around the little bears on the side glowing. One of many reasons I'd found it sitting in an unguarded box in the first place.
I let myself smile when the wrapper was off. Come to momma!
I nestled it against my breast, admiring its smooth, cool shape. This pretty baby promised to bring in some serious dough and piss off the great big grizzly man behind me like nothing else.
I still had the sphere clutched tight when pure force slammed into me from behind.
Not tight enough. The artifact jumped in the air and landed on the dresser with a thud, rolling against the wall, easily launched by two hundred pounds of masculine fury behind me.
Rolling around, I screamed, feeling for Nick's face. I didn't stand a chance unless I scratched at his eyes.
The thought of putting out the beautiful fires dancing there forever saddened me. Made me weak too – painfully weak. This was combat, damn it, where every second counted big.
Nick caught me first, tugging at my hair. I screamed again, rolling as he clasped me in the other arm. He turned me all the way around and we dipped, tumbling to the
bed, flattening me on his messed up covers and mattress.
“You're not welcome here, female!” he roared, one hot, menacing threat in my right ear. “Your persistence is going to fuck you up bad. And I really, really didn't want to be the man to do it.”
I kicked at his legs. He just snarled, tugging harder at the ponytail fisted in one hand, growling the whole time.
“Maybe you wouldn't have to if you were better at protecting your – what is it? – your precious culture.” I sneered. “Do it. Release the beast inside you. Finish me!”
The inferno hardening his face weakened. He looked at me more softly, moving his face so close to mine I could feel each breath.
Probably wondering why I have a death wish. Why I'm not afraid of him and his stupid bear power. Not like I should be afraid, anyway.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” he snapped. “What did my people do to make you like this?”
I jerked in his hand, refusing to answer. If he was going to kill me, I needed to die without a confession to my enemy.
I wanted to die brave like a smuggler. Not like a scared little girl, breaking down, crying, and begging for her life.
“That's between me and God,” I said in a huff. “None of your fucking business.”
He curled his lips, half-smile and half-snarl. Another jerk at my hair.
Is he enjoying this? Typical brutal bear!
“You really shouldn't have come to our reservation, Lyla. That goes double for my home. If anyone else finds you, they won't be so forgiving.”
“Maybe to you,” I said sourly. “That's really what you're worried about, isn't it? Saving yourself? It must be a serious crime to do anything with a human girl that doesn't involve your teeth and claws.”
A low growl thundered out his lips, onto my bare, vulnerable cheek.
Despite the courage and sass shielding me, I started shaking. Nobody in their right mind could hear a bear's warning growl so close and stay firm.
“Stupid, reckless, beautiful girl...” He released my hair and cautiously lifted up. “You have no idea.”
Jesus, he was completely naked after all. A very big, swollen erection jutted up between his muscular thighs, angry as the rest of him.
“No? You obviously didn't finish the job last night. You had your chance to kill me and you blew it. Someone's got to be pissed about that.”
Another growl. He shook his head, mostly to himself, and paced quickly to the other side of the room, slamming the door shut.
Nick wanted me sealed in. He stood near it, arms folded across his big, beautiful chest, lording over me like an enormous guard dog.
Guard bear?
“You're right,” he said, stepping forward, a dark note in his voice. “I should've finished what I really wanted to last night.”
He lunged forward. I whimpered as he landed on top of me, cradling me in one big arm. Then he flipped me over, onto my belly, dragging me by the calves toward the edge of the bed.
Nick tore at my jeans. My eyes popped in surprise as he unclasped the brass button and dragged down the zipper.
Before I knew it, the denim was around my waist, exposing the lacy black panties underneath. Nick had an instant glimpse of the wet spot between my legs too.
Damning proof that fear wasn't all I had on the brain. Not by a long shot.
“Hold still!” he roared. “I'm going to spank your big, beautiful ass raw. You're a brat, Lyla, and I'll do you one better than killing you. I'm going to knock some fucking sense into your sweet body, if it's the last thing I do...”
He told the truth. I still gasped in surprise as his palm landed on my right cheek.
Fire shot through me. No man had ever spanked me before, not even my own father.
If he wanted to shock me, then mission accomplished. I lay tense on the bed, my back slightly arched, weathering four more blows spread equally over both of my big, round cheeks.
The heat condemned me, total and hot. Not just from his hands.
I pinched my thighs together, feeling my sex constricting, gushing in delight. The emptiness inside me became a gnawing void; a dark, irrational, totally irresistible need.
This firm spanking just added to the storm. The sudden, sharp sensations moving through my body, above and below, were like lightning landing in a forest fire.
Sharp, agonizing grunts slipped out between my teeth. I stiffened, absorbing another round of ass smacking fire, suddenly pushing my plump rear closer to receive them.
He must've given me a dozen good whacks before he stopped. His hand rested gently on my well numbed ass. Nothing except the sound of our heavy breathing filled the room.
Sweet silence. Even sweeter lust.
“Get out of here. Leave the artifact alone. Be a good girl and go home.”
One last chance. That's what he's offering. Dare I listen to common sense for once?
Of course not.
I swiveled, rolling underneath him, reaching both hands around his neck. My senses were overwhelmed, too hungry to do anything but what I did next.
Nick growled his surprise, just as awed as me when I pushed my lips to his. One kiss can corral a lot of things.
My hunger spilled into him. Our mouths sucked and licked. He took the lead, winding his tongue around mine, ringing my plush, warm lips with soft, wet strokes.
We kissed for a long time, making a whole meal of it. I wondered if it was this intense because he was love starved like me. Or was it just because he wasn't fully human?
God! I'm seriously kissing a fucking bear!
I ran my hands down his shoulders. His whole body was hard, a full slab of a man, muscles working in concert for work and pleasure.
I'd broken the ultimate taboo. And there was no going back after one kiss.
Nick broke first, moving to my neck, nipping and needling me with faint stubble just beneath the ear. I reared up against him, crying out, sputtering for more, more, more!
He knew what I needed. Maybe he could smell my arousal or just taste it on my skin in a way a normal man couldn't.
My enemy-turned-lover swept lower, clawing at my shirt. I straightened my arms so he could yank it above my head.
Big, ripe, needful breasts popped out into his hands, wobbling for attention. He tore the undersized bra down, letting my left nipple pop right into his mouth. Perfect timing.
Electricity zapped through me. I lifted my legs, wrapping them around his muscular flanks, alarmed at how fast I wanted to be utterly consumed by this beast, this bear.
He sucked my nipple deep behind his lips, holding it with his teeth. When they pinched together, I screamed, hooking my chin over the top of his short, sandy hair.
Indecent girl! You can't hide anything from this bear, can you?
Hell no. Especially not when he pawed at my other breast, plumping it fuller, tweaking both nipples with fingers and teeth.
I melted beneath him.
I pushed up, grinding against the wonderfully naked bulge pressed to my panties. I wanted – no, needed – to get them off. I wanted him in me, hard and deep and instant, unceasing until I was fucked into submission.
Nick's teeth and hands changed place. Now he teased my opposite nipple with those rough, eerily precise teeth, using the slickness left on my newly freed breast to roll it between his fingers.
I hissed. I moaned. I might have even cried a little.
I never thought it was possible to come just from having a man suck at my boobs. But I was dangerously close, each lick and stroke melding me a little deeper into the pleasure, another inch closer to –
“Huh?” I lifted up, wondering why his weight wasn't so perfect along my body anymore.
Nick's head sank lower. I reached, running my fingers through his short hair.
It didn't take me long to figure out where he was going. He looked up, making sure I could feel the hot words and rough breaths steaming out his mouth.
“Hold still, beautiful. I'm gonna lick you where it counts, and
I won't stop until you're punching those bed springs, making them share your screams.” He pushed my legs down.
Nick wasn't lying. The old springs creaked loudly, fueling our carnal inferno.
Fuck!
I flushed, and opened my mouth to try to sway him in a different direction. Having a man's face buried between my legs made me self-conscious. Up close and personal – especially down there – he could see every imperfect fold, every overly plump ripple in my flesh.
Nick grabbed my panty waistband and ripped. It zipped down my legs, twirled off around my ankles, giving total access to the hard, determined creature between my legs.
He didn't even hesitate. Nick dove, kissing and licking his way up my right thigh, sucking hard at the vulnerable flesh of my inner thigh.
I saw stars. My legs shuddered, but he forced them wider. All the better to bring his handsome face with its wickedly skilled mouth right there.
His tongue spread my labia apart. One big lick up the center, one lap of pure steam.
My whole body jerked in delight. Muscles I didn't know I had convulsed, swaying like they'd been hit with a steady, relentless current when his evil tongue found my clit.
Around and around and around he licked...clockwise, counter-clockwise. Up. Down.
Very wise.
Flames darted up my womb, coalescing into a fireball. My thighs began to shake, but it just made my new lover pin them down harder.
He sucked. My sensitive button disappeared behind his lips, carefully balanced between his teeth, awaiting one final tap.
Literally on the edge, I held my breath, mashing my head deep into the mattress. One lick was all it took.
I exploded. Screaming, clawing, bundling my thick thighs around his head.
Orgasm roared up and consumed me. Nick was still cutting tight, wet laps around my clit, forcing my body to match the circular rhythm.
Jerking, I pinched my ankles into his back, wishing I could pull him into me. For now, his tongue, his teeth would do nicely.
Very, very fucking nicely.
Sharp spasms lifted me high. Each burst streaked through my body hotter and deeper, warming me from the inside out. My whole sex danced for him, a drunken tango starting at my womb.
Fated Mates: The Alpha Shifter Boxed Set (12 Book Bundle) (Insatiable Reads) Page 49
