All the men’s faces were grim, but Quinn’s expression was totally forbidding. He’d closed himself off after they’d checked the second location and found nothing.
Bethany had prayed they’d find Chrissten. She felt sick at heart. She couldn’t begin to imagine what Quinn felt like. It was his sister who was missing, after all.
Michael and Benjamin headed upstairs to their apartment to shower and Teague went in search of his mate. Bethany looked around, not quite knowing what to do. She didn’t belong here, yet she couldn’t leave. Not yet. Not until Chrissten was found.
“Come on.” Quinn’s hand was warm on the small of her back as he urged her toward a door in the back of the room. It was usually locked when the bar was open as the stairwell led to the upstairs and the family’s apartments.
“Where are we going?” His finger stroked along her spine and she barely suppressed a shiver of desire. Just having him close to her was a turn on. She knew she should be concerned by her attraction to Quinn, but right now she just couldn’t summon up enough energy to care.
“Upstairs.”
Well, duh, she knew that. Obviously they were going upstairs. Quinn had explained earlier that there were two large apartments on the second floor and three smaller ones on the third. They continued on to the third floor. Teague and Neema shared the larger apartment, while Kevin and Hank each occupied smaller ones. That is, they had until Quinn and Craig had moved in and taken over Kevin’s place.
It had gotten even more crowded since she’d moved in.
Craig was nowhere in sight. He was probably off somewhere working on his laptop, digging for more information. It might be cowardly, but she was glad she didn’t have to face him with the news of their failure. She didn’t want to see or feel his disappointment.
She was depressed enough as it was.
Quinn was silent as he unlocked the apartment door and held it open for her. She hurried in and went straight to the bedroom.
All she wanted right now was a shower and a nap. She’d be working downstairs in the bar tonight. Not that she minded. It felt right to do her share, to contribute. After all, these people had taken her in when she was alone and desperate. She’d been a complete stranger to them, yet they’d opened their door and let her into their lives.
She rubbed her hands over her face. God, she was tired. All she wanted was a week of normalcy, of her ordinary, boring, humdrum life. She hadn’t appreciated how good she’d had it until after she’d been kidnapped, before all this werewolf craziness began.
As though she’d conjured the sensations from her thoughts, her skin began to itch, to heat. Bethany sank down on the edge of the bed, wrapping her arms around herself. The air in the room wasn’t overly warm, but she felt hot. Her entire body ached and she was afraid only one thing would ease the growing need inside her.
Quinn. Or more specifically, sex with Quinn.
Meredith had told her she had to mate with a male werewolf if she wanted to release her own wolf. If that didn’t happen by the time she finished being in heat—God, she hated that word—then her wolf would stay contained for another year. She had about a week, give or take, according to Meredith.
The heat, the sexual longing, would grow to a fevered pitch in another day or so. Maybe longer, maybe less. All she knew was that all the unattached males would find being around her much harder, if not downright impossible. Any unattached female attracted any unattached males. It was simply the nature of the beast.
She didn’t like the sound of that. She didn’t want any male coming around for no other reason than he was horny. That was not the least bit attractive in her opinion.
Yet she couldn’t deny her growing awareness of the other males of the group. They were all strong, virile men.
But it was Quinn who drew her gaze again and again. It was him that her body craved.
She was a total mess.
Bethany didn’t hear him come in but she knew the second he entered the room. The skin on her arms prickled with awareness. Her clothing felt like it was two sizes too small. Constricting. Uncomfortable.
She glanced up and immediately wished she hadn’t. His nostrils flared and his pupils dilated. His hands rested on his narrow waist, emphasizing his broad shoulders and thick biceps. Oh yeah, she had it bad.
He leaned in slightly, sniffed the air and gave a small groan of pleasure. Her nipples automatically puckered as if he’d touched them. She squeezed her thighs together to try to still the ache. Her panties were damp. Again. It seemed to be a common condition whenever she was alone with Quinn.
“Bethany?” There was no denying the question in his voice. Seated as she was, she was at eyelevel with his groin. The bulge was impressive when he wasn’t aroused. When he was…well, she’d never seen anything quite like it before.
His cock was long and thick as it pushed against the soft fabric of his well-worn jeans. She licked her lips and he gave a low, guttural groan. He was breathing heavily now, his chest rising and falling as he sucked in air.
He was as aroused as she was.
This was wrong. This was crazy. They barely knew one another.
Yet, it felt incredibly right. More right than anything else in her life. Everything she’d ever known, ever believed had been turned upside down. She wasn’t human. Not totally. She was part of this group, this pack of werewolves and half-breeds. There were people out there who would kill her simply because of what she was. There were others who would stop at nothing to possess her.
Life was uncertain at best. She, better than anyone, knew that.
Why shouldn’t she reach out and take what she wanted?
Quinn was still standing right in front of her. Waiting.
Feeling bolder than she ever had in her life, she reached for the snap of his jeans. The backs of her fingers grazed his erection as she undid it. He groaned and his hips jerked.
The heat from his body seemed to sink into her skin as she drew down the zipper. The sound was loud in the otherwise quiet room. All the normal noises of the outside traffic faded into the background like white noise, leaving them cocooned in this small room.
Outside, the world waited. But in this room there was only the two of them.
Their problems weren’t going away anytime soon, but didn’t they deserve a respite from all the worry, all the pain? If they could give each other some comfort why shouldn’t they?
Decided, Bethany shoved his jeans and boxer briefs down until his cock jumped free. It was long and thick. The bulbous head was broad and damp.
He groaned when she wrapped her hand around him and stroked from base to tip. The skin of his penis was soft, velvet over steel. He was so hot, so alive, pulsing against her palm.
This was what she wanted, what she craved. She wanted his cock buried inside her, burning her with its heat, filling her, stretching her. She leaned inward and nuzzled his groin, the wiry hair tickling her nose. She breathed in his scent, taking it deep into her lungs—hot and male and musky. Her pussy spasmed, pulling a soft whimper from her. She wanted Quinn more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life.
“You’re killing me, babe.” His voice was gruff with lust.
She no longer cared if it was right or wrong, biology or proximity, or if there was something real between them. All she knew was he was here and so was she. That was enough.
His hands were large and firm on her shoulders as he drew her upward. “You have too many clothes on.”
Now that he mentioned it, her clothing was making her skin itch something fierce. Just being around him seemed to have raised her core temperature. She started to sweat.
She yanked off her fleece and tossed it aside. Her top and bra followed. Naked from the waist up, she let him look his fill. His pale blue eyes weren’t icy cold as they often were, but filled with heat and need.
Bethany arched her back, wanting him to like what he saw.
There was no warning. No hint that the volcano stirring inside him was about to b
low. One second he was patiently watching her, the next her back was against the nearest wall and he was devouring her mouth.
Blood pumped through her veins like lava, slow and thick then faster and hotter. Their teeth clinked as they tried to get closer. She couldn’t get near enough to him to suit her. But she tried. Oh, how she tried, rubbing her chest against his, gripping his muscular shoulders, pressing her pelvis against his.
He still wore his shirt and it blocked her access to his flesh. She tore at the fabric. A ripping sound split the air. Quinn leaned back long enough to yank his shirt off and toss it aside.
She made a low purring sound in her throat as all that prime masculine flesh came into view. She stroked her palms over his chest, enjoying the heavy beat of his heart against her hand, feeling the strong, supple muscles ripple beneath her fingers.
His cock pressed hard against her belly, a vivid reminder of what she really wanted.
She shoved at his chest and he took a half step back. His blond hair was tousled, his eyes narrowed. The predator lurking inside him was close to the fore. She could see it in his eyes, sense it in the way he watched her, his eyes narrowed, his gaze focused. If she ran, he’d chase her down.
It was appalling. It was sexy as hell.
Her entire body pulsed with growing need. Her unbound breasts felt heavy and overly sensitive. She sank to her knees in front of him. He growled as she cupped his testicles, rolling them gently in her palm. He sounded like the wolf he was.
Primal. Elemental. Alive.
She had to taste him. Leaning forward, she blew gently on the damp crown. His cock jerked and liquid seeped from the tip.
Strong fingers tangled in her hair and he guided her closer. She avoided the flared head, instead licking his hard length from just beneath the crown all the way down to the base. His musky smell surrounded her. His spicy taste coated her tongue. She’d been wrong. He was better than chocolate. More addictive. Her inner muscles clenched with need and her jeans grew uncomfortably tight.
“Bethany.” She loved the way he said her name. Impatient now. Her scalp stung slightly as he tried to tug her where he wanted her to be. Since it was what she wanted, she gave in to his maneuvering.
She parted her lips and took him in. He was so big he stretched her mouth wide open. He was hot and salty. She rubbed her tongue over the slit at the top, savoring the taste of him.
She shifted closer and rubbed her breasts against the soft fabric of his jeans, loving the way it made her nipples tighten even more.
“Fuck, yeah.” Quinn’s hips pumped back and forth as his cock slid in and out of her mouth, going deeper and deeper with each stroke. She took as much of him as she could, wishing she could take all of him. His breathing hitched and then quickened.
Wrapping her arms around his hips, she held on. She needed his closeness, this sense of belonging, even if it wasn’t real, even if it only lasted a short while.
After several long minutes, he eased her head back and she reluctantly released him. His cock was heavy and wet from her mouth. The crown glistened. She licked her lips.
“I don’t want to come. Not yet.” His voice was rough but his touch was gentle as he pulled her to her feet and kissed her. The salty taste of his cock and the heat of his mouth intermingled, sending a flash of heat to her pussy. She lifted her right leg and wrapped it around his hips, trying to angle her pelvis closer to his thick shaft.
Her back hit the wall with a thud. The cool surface felt good against her heated skin.
His fingers speared through her hair and he held her head securely as he ate at her lips. He kissed her, leaving no spot of her mouth unexplored. When he finally tore his lips away, he didn’t stop kissing her. His mouth skimmed her cheekbones and over the line of her jaw before sliding down her neck. He nibbled at her collarbone and then dragged his tongue over the space between her breasts.
She could barely breathe. She wanted him to touch her breasts. She wanted his cock buried between her thighs. She wanted it hard and fast.
It was crazy how badly she wanted him. She didn’t care what he did to her as long as he took her. Here. Now.
The animalistic urges flowed through her, overpowering her human worries and concerns. If he tossed her facedown on the bed and claimed her, she wouldn’t object. Wouldn’t care. Not as long as it was Quinn.
Any other male she’d fight tooth and nail.
And somehow that made it easier to accept the foreign sensations flooding through her. Her senses were keener. Her skin was more sensitive. His callused fingertips on her breasts were heaven. His thumbs grazing her nipples were divine.
“Harder,” she gasped.
He obliged, but instead of using his fingers, he used his mouth. Hot, moist heat enveloped her right nipple. Sharp white teeth tugged gently on the nub. Bethany groaned and wiggled, trying to get nearer to him. Her fingernails dug into his thick shoulders as she urged him closer.
He dropped to his knees and covered her stomach in open-mouthed kisses before dipping his tongue into her navel. The light caress tickled and she laughed in spite of the sense of urgency rushing through her.
She didn’t stop him when he reached for the fastening of her jeans. He quickly undid them and dragged the denim and her panties down her thighs. There was no finesse as he yanked the jeans and her underwear off, taking her socks and shoes with them.
When she was naked, Quinn parted her slick folds with his fingers and licked, his tongue snaking over her hot, swollen flesh before dipping into her core.
Bethany moaned and her hips undulated toward him. She was grateful for the support of the wall behind her, otherwise she’d have slid down until her butt hit the floor. Her legs trembled and her knees were like jelly.
Quinn gave her one final flick with his tongue and surged to his feet. He was breathing heavily, his eyes narrowed, his jaw tight. He cupped her ass in his hands and lifted her easily, showing her once again just how strong he was. It shouldn’t surprise her. After all, he was a werewolf and even a half-breed had the strength of several human men.
He spread her thighs and the broad head of his penis pressed against her opening. This was what she wanted. What she needed.
“Bethany?”
His hoarse whisper surprised her. She thought they were long past talking.
“Tell me this is what you want.” He leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. His breath was hot on her cheek. She clung to his neck and shoulders for support. He was strong and noble and, for the moment, hers.
“I want you.” She slid her hands upward until she was cupping his face. She loved his eyes, the intensity of him, the strength. She wanted it all. “You and only you.” She wanted him to know this was special and not just an act of biology. She’d rather be alone with her body’s aching needs than to have any other male but Quinn with her.
His eyes never left hers as he pushed inward, past the natural resistance of her body. She was so wet, so ready for him. He slid in easily in spite of his size.
“I love the way you squeeze me. So damn tight.” He was sweating now. They both were.
Leaning down she licked his shoulder. Then she nipped it.
He groaned and she felt his cock flexing deep inside her. “Fuck, yes,” he muttered under his breath.
Bethany wrapped her legs around his flanks, braced her hands on his shoulders and tried to move. Low whimpers broke from her throat. She needed more. She ached inside and out.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you,” he murmured. He shifted his grip slightly and then began to move.
Slowly at first, sliding almost all the way out before gliding back in. Every time he entered her it was like it was the first time. He stretched her slick channel, forcing it to give way to his hard length.
She rubbed her breasts against his chest, loving the way the hair there abraded the sensitive tips. It sent rivers of sensation flowing down between her thighs.
His movements grew more frantic. Faster. Harder. His s
trokes grew shallow. He pumped into her over and over. She hung on, loving the feel of his cock hammering into her.
“More.” She couldn’t get enough of him. Knew she would never get enough of him.
He swung around from the wall and took the few steps necessary to get them to the bed. They fell together with her beneath him. He shoved her legs higher until her ankles were up by her hips.
“I can’t be gentle,” he gritted the words out.
She didn’t want gentle and she told him so. “Hard. I want it hard.”
He growled and began to thrust. He plowed into her, giving her exactly what she wanted. She was buffeted by the winds of desire, by the overpowering need rocketing through her.
All her awareness was focused on where they were joined together. Heat. Moisture. Her softness giving way to his hardness. Female and male. It was elemental and timeless.
He angled his body so his pelvis grazed her clit. Her climax hit her with the speed of a runaway train. She cried out his name. Her body convulsed again and again. Still he pounded into her and her orgasm continued. She felt the hot flood of semen inside her and had a fleeting thought that they hadn’t used a condom. Then it was lost as she drowned in a sea of pleasure.
It was a struggle for her to catch her breath. At some point Quinn had fallen facedown on the bed beside her. The last thing she remembered was him still pumping into her.
She moved and groaned as her muscles complained of mistreatment. She felt well loved and well used. A hot bath or steamy shower would help. She felt replete, yet the always-present heat simmered just below her skin. She had no idea how much longer it would persist. Meredith had told her it lasted a week, but when it was the first time, it sometimes lasted a few days longer.
Quinn pushed himself up onto his forearms and stared at her. He looked tousled and sleepy. The grim expression was gone from his face, at least for the moment. She was glad she’d given him a reprieve, no matter how brief.
“I didn’t use a condom.”
She couldn’t tell if that bothered him or not. “I know.” She matched his tone, trying to be calm and mature. Truthfully, the thought of having a baby, a little boy with blond hair and blue eyes didn’t freak her out as much as it ought to. In fact, it gave her a warm fuzzy feeling in her stomach. A baby. Quinn’s baby.
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