by Susan Bliler
A surge of visceral possessiveness crashed over Tyson so mightily that he couldn’t stop himself from taking a step toward her.
Cersi jerked back and shot him a scathing look. It was one that forced him to hold himself in place as she gritted out, “Just can’t seem to find him though.” She gave her head a sad shake. “No dark knights left. All the heroes are dead.”
Her words felt like a challenge and an insult. Hands balled into tight fists to keep from grabbing her, Tyson’s shoulders hunched forward as if he were about to spring any second. His eyes too were locked on her, narrowed like a lion ready to strike. Worse, his wicked incisors had punched through his gums and were flooding his mouth with blood. To her, he must look like a man set on destruction. Too bad the only thing he wanted to annihilate was her pussy.
Swallowing hard, he winced at the coppery tang that slid down his throat. Forcing himself to take several deep breaths through his nose, his voice was still polluted with his animal when he snarled, “Careful what you wish for.”
Without another word, he turned and stalked away. He knew he had to put some distance between them because right now, the only thing keeping him from ripping her clothes off, throwing her on the kitchen table, and devouring every fucking inch of her wasn’t the fact that his pack still filled the space. He could give two fucks what they thought right now. No, what kept him standing fast was the subtle scent of fear that perfumed the air. Cersi hadn’t been able to mask her panic when he’d stepped toward her. But, how could she be afraid of him? Her! Miss Tough As Iron. Miss I’m Not Afraid of Anything.
As Tyson stalked out to the forest to shift, he wondered if it was actually him that Cersi was afraid of. As soon as he thought it, he slammed to a halt. Blinking rapidly, his mind whirled with the possibility that maybe, just maybe, Cersi wasn’t afraid of him at all. Maybe, she was afraid of…herself. Maybe she was afraid of what would happen to her if she let him in.
Turning, his eyes locked on the cabin, and rage filled him that she’d done it again. She’d brought out the worst in him, and he didn’t know whether he was to blame or if it was her fault. Hell, he’d gone to the main house to talk to her, to apologize. Now, once again, he was storming off to keep from doing something they’d both regret. Well…something she’d regret because him striping her bare and slipping his tongue into her pussy wasn’t something he’d apologize for.
Chapter 19
Cersi spent the morning doing everything in her power to avoid going outside. Vesa wanted to give her a tour of BlackLodge, but she balked at every mention. Why? Simple. She didn’t want to run into Tyson. Still reeling from what had happened between them, Cersi couldn’t bear the thought of having to occupy the same space as the man. Not right now. Last night, he’d weakened her defenses, and if she was honest, she was mostly to blame. She’d taunted him, she’d snaked her stupid hands up and down his steely resolve until she’d found the slightest of fissures, and then she’d pried it open. Still, his rude dismissal stung. Even now, she felt hollow at the way he’d simply tossed her out.
Glancing at the window, she sighed realizing that morning had given way to afternoon, and now the sun was tucking itself away behind the mountains. Eying the grounds, she wondered when the hell the guys were going to get to plowing the roads. She’d been waiting all day. Vesa said the guys typically did their chores in the same fashion every day. Noah usually shoveled the walks, Tyson chopped wood, Brayden checked the cabins, and Haddix was usually in charge of plowing the roads. But today was different. Today, Haddix, Brayden, and Noah had seemed content to simply hang around the house while outside the snow piled higher and higher. She couldn’t get her jeep out in this, not unless the roads were plowed.
Turning, she shot Haddix a mutinous look. He was the leader, or Alpha, or whatever the fuck the man in charge was called around here, yet there he sat, nestled up on a plush leather sofa facing the fire burning brightly in the hearth with Vesa cradled on his lap.
Yack!
They acted like lovesick teenagers. Brayden and Afften weren’t any better. Noah though, Noah was the worst. He pestered her incessantly like an annoying little brother. All day long he’d shadowed her asking dumb questions. Even now, he was pressed up next to her shoulder-to-shoulder as he glanced out the window while she faced the opposite direction, glaring at Haddix and willing him with her fury to get off his ass and get to plowing.
“Why do you keep looking outside?” Noah asked leaning forward to stare up at the sky. “What are you looking for?” He turned a knowing grin on her. “I know. You’re looking for Ty-son, aren’t you?”
Fuck, she wanted to slap him. Instead, she flashed him a dead-eyed stare and grumbled. “Snow. I’m looking at snow, Noah. That’s all that’s out there. That’s all that’s ever out there! That’s all that’s ever gonna be out there!”
Shoving away from the window, she walked toward the den. “Haddix, you gonna plow anytime today?”
He didn’t even bother taking his eyes from where his finger twirled a lock of Vesa’s hair while she stared up at him adoringly. “Nah.”
“Why?” she snapped a little too aggressively.
Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at her. A moment of silence reigned before she huffed, “I was hoping to get on the road today.”
Vesa scrambled off Haddix’s lap, eyes going puppy-dog sad in an instant. “What? Why? Why do you want to leave? I thought you liked it here. The guys said things were going well between you and Tyson, so I don’t understand.”
The revelation rocked Cersi. Eyes shooting to Haddix then to Brayden then to Noah, she asked, “The guys said what?”
Shrugging his shoulders up to his ears, Noah didn’t even bother looking repentant as he beamed, “Wolves.” He pointed to his nose. “We smell everything.” Clapping his hands together once he shrugged again. “We’re glad you and Tyson are getting along, or getting off, or getting each other off, or…”
“Stop!” Cersi held up a hand and then looked pointedly at Haddix. “What exactly can you smell?”
Haddix at least had the good sense to look apologetic as he stated. “His scent is all over you.”
Cersi turned her nose to her shoulder and lowered her chin, taking a sniff before grumbling. “What do you mean, his scent on me? I showered.” She felt her cheeks flame before she tacked on, “And we hung out together. So what!”
Beside her, Noah was shaking his head with an ear-to-ear grin. “Nah, Haddix said it wrong. Tyson’s scent isn’t just on you.”
“Oh, dear God.” Cersi threw her hands up and stormed out of the room tossing an, “I’m getting something to eat and going to bed,” over her shoulder.
In the kitchen, she jerked the fridge door open and snatched out a jar of strawberry jelly as mortification blasted up her neck and landed in her cheeks. They stung she was blushing so damn hard.
“Hey, Cers.”
Standing, she locked eyes on Vesa before slamming the fridge door closed. Giving Vesa her back, she stalked to the cupboards and jerked them open one by one until Vesa hurried to one, opened it and handed her a jar of peanut butter before opening another cabinet and getting her a plate and glass.
Cersi made the angriest pb&j in the history of sandwiches. By the time she was done, Vesa was at her side trying to hold back a laugh. Cersi snorted, looking down at the pb&j disaster that was all ripped and oozing too much jelly onto the plate.
“Wanna try again?” Vesa handed her the loaf of bread, but Cersi shook her head. She didn’t like wasting food.
“You could have told me,” she huffed out and Vesa’s grin vanished.
“I thought you knew. I mean you spent all those days with Tyson, and when you got here, you already knew what he was. I assumed he told you everything.”
“Not everything.” Cersi ripped a piece of crust off her bread and nibbled on it before asking. “How much do they know?”
“They know you and Ty were intimate.”
Heat flooded her cheeks
again, but Vesa rushed to tack on. “They weren’t talking about you or anything. It’s not like a bunch of guys in a locker room bragging or anything.”
Pissed, Cersi swallowed her bite and gave Vesa a hard look. “That’s what it’s like, Vesa. That’s what it’s always like with men.”
“Not these ones!” Vesa argued angrily.
Her resentment at Cersi’s statement gave Cersi pause. Vesa was her sister, her only family, and they had each other’s backs no matter what, so Vesa defending the BloodMoons here felt like a shift.
Plastering on an empty smile, Vesa took swiped the empty glass off the counter and walked to the fridge. She filled it with milk as she explained. “These guys aren’t like that, Cers. They’re just…not. And I know you have trust issues and that you’re thinking it’s time to run now because you let Tyson in, but you don’t have to. She came back and set the filled glass on the counter next to Cersi’s plate. You could stay you know. You could give this place a try. Haddix and the guys are okay with it, and Tyson…”
“Tyson,” Cersi cut her off in annoyance. She’d been about to confide in her sister that Tyson had asked her to leave, but the back door banged open sending a blast of arctic air swirling through the room.
“Ty!” Vesa crowed. “Where you been all day? Want a sandwich?” She hurried for a plate but stopped when Tyson shook his head.
Stomping the snow off his boots, he slid his bright green gaze from Vesa to Cersi and asked in a gruff tone, “Can we talk?”
“Yes!” Vesa hurried out of the room, encouraging loudly, “Yes, talk! That’s a great idea.”
Just being alone with Tyson had Cersi feeling vulnerable. She hated it! Almost as much as she hated how much she liked the way Tyson looked all splay-legged in low slung jeans, tall winter boots, and a form-fitting thermal shirt that had a rip at the collar. The shirt looked worn and comfortable, and she bet it smelled like him.
Fuck!
She wanted to snatch her plate and glass off the counter and hurry for the doorway with a clipped, “Goodnight, Tyson.” But, that would be cowardly. It’d be retreating, and worse, it’d let him know that she was avoiding him, which she actually was, but he didn’t need to know that.
Staring at him with a bored expression, she lifted her sandwich to her lips, ripped off a big bite and chewed while she waited for him to talk.
“About last night.”
“No!” she spoke around her bite and swallowed before shaking her head. “Not talking about the past with you. Say what you need to say so you can feel better and let me eat in peace.”
His eyes flashed green, and his jaw ticked once. “I didn’t mean it how it came out.”
She took another bite and chewed and narrowed her eyes on him.
“I didn’t want you to leave. I was trying to warn you that…”
She held up a hand. “You still talking about last night? Cuz I said that wasn’t happening, remember?” Shoving the last of her sandwich into her mouth, she chewed it and swallowed it down before taking a large drink of her milk. Licking her lips, she flashed him a forced grin. “Let me clear things up. We fucked. Calm down. You flatter yourself by thinking I wanted to stick around after. It’s done. Let it be done.”
Tyson made an angry sound deep in his throat as his eyes flashed that jungle green she was getting to know so well. “I’m staying here in the house tonight.”
She shrugged indifferently.
“And I’ll clear things up for you. What we did last night wasn’t fucking. Be prepared. You insult yourself by thinking I used you and tossed you out. It ain’t done. We’re just beginning.”
An eerie feeling blasted up Cersi’s arms, and all she could do was watch as Tyson gave her his back and left the room. She heard his booted feet on the stairs and was drawn to the doorway of the kitchen to watch as he ascended. He took the steps two at a time, the low slung jeans he wore moulding to his firm ass as he moved.
We’re just beginning?
No, that wasn’t happening. It couldn’t happen. She couldn’t get any more involved with him than she already had and she sure as shit wasn’t playing this get out, no wait, come back game with him.
Tomorrow, Cersi vowed. Tomorrow she’d get her ass off this goddamn mountain if it was the last thing she did.
Chapter 20
In the morning, after a quick shower, Tyson padded barefoot down to the kitchen clad in just a faded pair jeans and fitted t-shirt. Once again he hadn’t slept a wink, but last night had been even worse than the night before, and the night before had been hell. The scent of Cersi clung to his sheets. After she’d left, he’d humiliated himself by actually rolling in her scent like the damn animal he was. Hell, he’d even peeled off his sheets so he could sleep with his nose pressed up to the spot where she’d dripped her cunt honey all over them. No, he hadn’t slept that night either because he’d been too busy licking his sheets and beating his shit like it owed him money while he remembered how Cersi’s pussy had devoured him. Last night though… With a deep sigh, he plowed his hand through his unruly hair remembering how Monster had risen up and pinpointed the sound of Cersi’s breathing and then her heartbeat through all the other sounds of the house. When Monster honed in on her scent though, it was nearly Tyson’s undoing. He’d gone hard in an instant, and his dick stayed rock hard all night. Even now he winced at how swollen with seed his balls were. Cersi’s cycle had ended a few days ago. She’d just become fertile! The fucking scent of her pending ovulation had Monster snarling and tearing him up inside, and he got it. They could fuck her and put a pup in her and then she’d have to stay…right?
Oh, good fucking Christ! He fisted his hair and held on a moment while his muscles tensed. Listen to you! Put a pup in her? Fffffuck! Yeah, I can knock her up and force her to stay. Real fucking noble!
Entering the kitchen, he came to an abrupt halt when he saw Cersi standing at the counter. She was staring out the window, unblinking while stirring a cup of coffee very slowly with a steak knife.
Just the sight of her stole his breath, but seeing her like this, unguarded, it was like seeing a lynx in the wild. It was one of those things that just never happened.
Exhausted, hungry, ornery, and dealing with the worst case of blue balls ever, a grin still wrecked his face as he watched her. Dressed in another pair of tight ass jeans and a loose button-up flannel, he decided then and there that he liked her most when she dressed this casual. Crossing his arms, he pressed a shoulder into the door frame and stared. Clearly, she didn’t know he was there, so he let his eyes trip down her back to land on her ass. It was a nice ass. A perfect ass. Cersi had the kind of ass that had him fantasizing about palming her cheeks while he buried himself between them. It was definitely on his bucket list. Fuck it list. Whatever.
His smile faded as his dick went hard.
Goddamn!
It hurt having all the blood rush back to that area after he’d already spent all night engorged. Even beating himself off had offered no relief.
Gritting his teeth, he seethed at the effect this woman had on him. This woman who clearly despised him.
Lifting his eyes, they collided with Cersi’s. He knew he should be ashamed at having been caught staring at her ass, but he merely shrugged.
Staring right back at him, Cersi lifted the knife out of her coffee, brought it to her lips and placed it in her mouth before closing her lips around it. She made a leisurely show of pulling the blade between her lips until just the point rested on her bottom lip.
Tyson wanted to tear his eyes away, he wanted to act nonchalant like his pulse wasn’t racing and his cock about to explode, but Cersi drug the point of the blade along her lower lip and he was riveted. Concern warred with desire in a whirlpool of emotion. She was toying with him, he knew it, but he couldn’t stop his inner beast from loosing a growl that rattled its way up his chest. Monster wanted him to go take that knife from her. Monster wanted him to inspect her lips, make sure she hadn’t nicked herself before shov
ing her to her knees and giving her something more beneficial to suck on. He held Monster back.
Cersi’s eyes flashed as she ran the knife down her chin and tilted her head back, running the blade down the satiny column of her throat as her eyes fluttered closed. A feminine sigh left her lips. The sound had Tyson’s cock jerking even as his balls drew up tight and released a bead of moisture in preparation for what he wanted. The blade curved to glide over one collarbone before turning and heading back to the center of her chest. Tyson knew she was pushing on the blade now because a white line was left in its wake. When she started running the blade down between her breasts, his eyes narrowed on the thin rise of blood that dotted her skin.
Enough!
In two long strides, he had his hand wrapped around hers. Pulling the blade away from her skin, her eyes snapped open on a startled gasp. For several minutes, Tyson simply held her hand and stared at her as she blinked up at him. Finally, his eyes dipped to the thin cut she’d made right at the top of her cleavage. Inside, Monster slammed into him hard, pissed that he hadn’t taken the knife sooner. Unable to stop himself, one side of his mouth ticked up in a snarl. He thought it’d scare Cersi, but she smiled.
Damn her!
He knew how to wipe that smirk off her face.
Lowering his head, his eyes stayed on hers as his head tracked downward. Finally, he tore his gaze away to settle his eyes on her cut. Just a breath away, he could see that it wasn’t bad. It wasn’t even deep enough to leave a scar, but the scent…the scent of her blood was so damn appealing that his throat suddenly dried up. His heart, which had been racing earlier, was now hammering against his rib cage.
Fuck it!
