by Desiree Holt
“I’ll do it again later, in private, for you,” she promised.
Sophia had stayed with her to hook the GPS locator around her neck and open doors. Now Regan moved tentatively among the others gathered there, waiting for their reaction. It was Clint, the ebony-black wolf, slightly larger than the others, who moved toward her first, rubbing his snout against hers in a gesture of acceptance. Dante could almost feel the tension ease from her body.
When she moved close to Dante and pressed against his leg, a bolt of lust laced with more emotion that he’d felt in forever shot through his body. Was this what his destiny was now? Had this astonishing woman, half wolf, been sent to help him get on with his life and open his heart again? He’d seen firsthand the incredible bonds shared by the shifter and human pairs. He’d had that with Felicia and never thought to find it again. But now? He hardly dared to hope it was real, but the connection that had formed so instantly between them was telling him differently.
He reached a hand down and caressed the top of her head then softly stroked her snout. She pressed against him harder, as if reinforcing his thoughts. He prayed silently that she’d be safe tonight.
“Randi will be manning com central again,” he told them. “Sophia, Rebecca, Dakota and Chelsea will be here as back up if we need them. I’ll be riding with Ric, using the night-vision binoculars and the handheld GPS to track you. We’ll drop you off at two locations and extract you from the same spots.” He studied the group carefully. “Look out for each other. Okay, let’s load up.”
The wolves all trotted behind him as he followed Ric to the hangar that housed the three helicopters. The long cabin door was open and each of the wolves leaped inside. Dante smiled when he noticed Clint nudging Regan to a safe position in the open space and Logan moving close to provide stability if she needed it. Night Seekers watched out for each other.
Ric began his preflight check and Dante climbed into the copilot seat. He hung the binoculars around his neck and propped the Browning rifle between his thighs. Preflight finished, Ric took the pilot’s seat and turned the key. Slipping sideways out of the hangar, he edged the copter upward, banked, and headed for the first target area.
The sound of the rotors filled the cabin as they slipped over the landscape. Dante kept the binocs glued to his eyes, sweeping left and right, looking for any sign of a threat or danger. Their first landing area was a stretch of ranchland for sale, more than a thousand acres. There was no one around to see them either land or lift off.
The moment the skids touched the grass, five of the wolves leaped gracefully from the helo, took a moment to orient themselves and then were off running. They spread out, each taking a different direction. They had assigned routes, scoping out the situation with each isolated target. There were certain things to watch for—trees surrounding the houses that could hide the beast, lack of activity around the house, opportunity for stealth approach.
They also had to be on the alert for other animal marauders, ranchers with guns who might spot them even in the dark, and of course, the devil beast itself. This was a timed exploration. Each medallion also contained an alarm. In one hour it would go off, signaling them to return to this spot.
Ric lifted off and headed for the second zone, an area much like this one only rockier and with more hills. Again the wolves took off, noses lifted to the wind, seeking a scent.
Waiting for the wolves to return was an exercise in discipline for Dante, who did his best to avoid constantly checking the time. He had to force himself to concentrate on his job and push all thoughts of Regan to the back of his mind. As Ric flew a number of different patterns, crisscrossing the area, Dante constantly scanned the ground for any sign of the devil beast. At the same time he watched for any type of danger to the wolves. He didn’t know if it was a good thing or bad that he didn’t spot anything out of the ordinary.
Ranches with massive herds of cattle bedding down in fenced pastures were separated by vast, empty stretches of ground. Rocky hills and thick stands of trees broke up the landscape. Occasionally he spotted the wolves as they ran, weaving in and out among trees, clambering over rocky surfaces, racing across open spaces to investigate each isolated dwelling. Later, when they had all the results, he and Ric would put everything together and list locations in order of priority.
With multiple areas as possible target zones, he was glad the size of the pack had increased.
Exactly one hour after dropping the first group, the alarm strapped to Dante’s wrist beeped. He saw two of the wolves below stop and reverse course as the same signal hit them. The shifters were now headed back to the extraction spots.
When all nine wolves were back in the helo, Ric headed for Desolation Ranch.
* * * * *
As soon as Ric landed, the wolves took off for their individual places. They would shift, dress and gather in the war room for a quick debriefing. Dante followed Regan to their suite and closed the door behind them, a thrill of anticipation racing through him at what he was about to see.
If a wolf could be called delicate, that was the word he’d use to describe Regan, standing there in her rich cream-colored pelt, excitement almost crackling from her. She padded over to Dante and nudged his hand with her snout. After he stroked her head, she pushed her nose against his crotch.
He laughed and lifted her head away. “You are a very bad wolf. You can have that, but not until you change back. And after the damn meeting.”
The wolf gave a playful nip at his thigh before moving away. Then she turned and spun in a circle, moving so fast he actually lost sight of her.
Dante could barely catch his breath throughout the short transformation. It was the most unbelievable thing he had ever seen. He felt himself caught up in the mystical aspect of it, drawn to the wolf the same way he was drawn to Regan in human form. His eyes were riveted to her as the body he’d come to crave was revealed. When she stood naked before him, it nearly took his breath away and his cock hardened painfully. Would he ever be able to look at her without wanting her this way?
Her eyes dropped to the bulge at his crotch and she grinned.
He chuckled. “Yes, you do that to me. All the time.” He scanned her face. “Were you okay tonight? Did it feel right to you?”
“Ohmigod, yes! I can’t begin to tell you how exhilarating it was to run with a pack again.” Regan’s eyes sparkled as she lifted her arms and did a little dance in place.
“Come here,” he ordered.
When she was standing next to him, he wrapped his arms around her naked body and pressed her close. “I’m so glad for you.”
“You aren’t, you know…turned off by any of this?”
He laughed. “I’ve had some time to get used to it with the others, although there’s certainly a difference in our relationships. But no. Not at all, surprisingly. Excited though.” He took a little bite of her lower lip. “Aroused even.”
She licked his mouth. “Me too. Who knew when you walked into The Black Wolf, how much would come out of that meeting, or out of this tragedy?”
“I’m glad that you have friends to run with now. I’m sure it was hard for you and Reed.”
“You have no idea. It’s not exactly as if you can ring your neighbor’s doorbell and ask if anyone inside is a shifter. Reed and I had to be very careful. Lots of times when we couldn’t suppress the urge any longer, we’d drive to some isolated spot just to have a few hours of freedom.”
He brushed his fingers against her cheek. “It makes me happy that out of tragedy, you can find some kind of happiness.”
Her expression turned serious. “Not just with them, Dante. But with you too. Right?”
He saw anxiety flash in her eyes. He would never forget Felicia, but Regan had opened a door for him he’d thought closed forever and he planned to keep walking through it.
“Yes, my little wolf. With me too. In fact, I would like nothing better than to bury myself in you right now. But damn. Business first, I guess.”
/> Regan rubbed her naked body against his fully clothed one and boldly cupped his throbbing cock. “I’ll hold you to it later.” Then she pushed away. “But yeah, I’d better get some clothes on before someone decides to come looking for us.”
Minutes later, when Dante took his place at the front of the room with Ric, he could actually feel the energy crackling in the air. It sizzled from each of the shifters so intensely it was almost visible. And he saw the same charge of excitement in their eyes that he’d seen in Regan’s. It shocked him to realize he even felt a touch of envy.
Ric nudged him. “Let’s get to it before their energy level drops and they all start crashing.”
“On it.”
Once again, Ric put the map up on the screen, the one diagramming the courses they’d plotted. Each person fed him information on the sites they’d scouted and Ric marked them—blue dots for the less likely, green for the hot spots. When they were finished, they had narrowed twelve sites down to four. Much more manageable.
“Okay,” Dante told them, “listen up. We go again tomorrow night. This time we’ll concentrate just on the green areas. Ric and I will be in the chopper again, taking a wide look at everything, and I’ll have both rifles with me, just in case.” His eyes scanned the room. “Ben, with the number of target sites reduced, I think it would be good for you to ride in the chopper. As we get closer to the beast’s hunting night, I want as much firepower available as possible.”
Ben nodded. “Not a problem. I can handle either of those rifles.”
“I figured there’s not much an ex-Marine can’t handle. And one more thing,” Dante said, addressing the group. “Tomorrow I’d like to check out the hot spots in daylight. I know everyone needs sleep after tonight. If we wait until past noon to head out, we’ll be doing this in the heat of the day. Still, it gives us the chance to get some photos and more knowledge of the landscape.”
“Won’t we have trouble wandering around on other people’s properties?” Chelsea asked.
“We’ll keep to the roads,” Dante assured her. And at least we can get a bird’s-eye view. Ric and I will do a daylight tour in the helo.” He looked around. “Any more questions? No? Okay then. Thanks for tonight. Get some rest. We’ll need it. According to the timetable, we have twenty-four to thirty-six hours max before this thing feeds again.”
* * * * *
Back in their suite, Dante carefully locked the door and turned to Regan.
“I know you must be exhausted but I don’t think I can sleep without a taste of you, my sexy wolf. Come here.”
She shook her head, her lips curved in a mysterious smile. “I have something else in mind.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Something else? Uh-uh. I think it’s time for me to take care of you. You did all the hard work tonight.”
“Then I should get what I want,” she pointed out. “When I shift and run, it’s…it’s a thrill. It’s energizing. I want to share that energy with you.”
“Then let me—”
“No. This time let me.” She wet her lips with the tip of her tongue, the sight making every one of his nerve endings fire. Her eyes glittered with residual excitement, energy, lust and need. Dante felt heat flash over him so intense he was sure he’d burn up.
Regan pushed against his chest and backed him up until he was sitting in one of the large armchairs. Kneeling gracefully before him, she reached out, lifted his t-shirt and unsnapped his jeans. Slowly pulling down his zipper, the rasp sounding loudly in his ears, she slid her hand into his boxer briefs and drew out his cock.
Dante closed his eyes as she rubbed her thumb gently over the sensitive skin of the head. She bent forward, the blonde silk of her hair falling like a curtain. He reached out with one hand and twisted it around his fingers, exposing the sleek line of her neck and the curve of her cheek and jaw.
She lapped the surface of the crown and dipped the tip of her tongue into the slit, capturing the moisture there. His breath caught in his throat and he was sure his heart would stop beating. Her tongue was like an electric wire everywhere she touched him, her caresses so light and feathery he wanted to scream. When he used his palms to try to pull her head closer, she gripped his wrists and pulled them away.
“My show this time,” she told him, a look at once both hungry and mischievous in her eyes.
He sat back in the chair, looking down on her from beneath half-closed lids. Her mouth was hot and liquid as she took most of his cock into it, the head brushing against the scorching roof of her mouth. She slipped a slim hand into the briefs to find and cup his balls, squeezing them rhythmically as she licked and sucked and drew him in as deep as she could.
He wanted to tell her to hurry. No, he wanted her to go slowly.
Shit!
He wanted to fuck her mouth and every other opening in her body all at the same time. He could tell she was as aroused as he was, the scent of her rich musk heavy in the air. Finally he just closed his eyes and let the arousal build. Her fingers were as magical as her tongue, working his shaft in steady strokes as she tightened her lips around it and sucked harder.
He lost himself in the erotic fog, charged heat sizzling through him everywhere, his heart racing, his mouth dry. Every nerve in his body responded to the electricity of her touch. His pulse beat so loudly it echoed in his ears and he focused only on her sensual touch, her hot mouth, her talented fingers. He forgot where he was, spinning in the vortex of the whirlwind she created inside him. And low in his belly, he felt the beginning of a gargantuan orgasm building, gathering strength.
When the familiar tightening began in his balls and the muscles of his lower back, he jerked his hips, his cock thrusting so deeply into her throat she had to tilt her head to accommodate him.
A harsh cry burst from his throat as he erupted, hot spurts of his come filling her mouth. She never stopped her rhythm, continuing to suck and squeeze as spasm after spasm gripped him. He was sure she had sucked every bit of liquid not just from his balls but from his entire body. It was the most intense orgasm in his memory. She kept her lips wrapped around him until the last ripple left his body, giving the head of his dick one final lap before sitting back on her heels, her lips curved in a smile of satisfaction.
When he could catch his breath again, when he was sure his heart had settled into something approaching a normal rhythm, he leaned forward, cupped her head and licked her lips, tasting himself on her. Then he slowly slid his tongue inside the warm cavern of her mouth, trying with one kiss to show her the intensity of his feelings.
They were both breathless when he lifted his head, finding his voice at last.
“Thank you.”
A puzzled look swept over her face. “For what?”
“For…” He let out a breath. “For being you.”
“Then I have to thank you for the same thing.”
“And now I think it’s time we went to bed.” His voice was still low and thick. “We’ve all had a big night.” He grinned. “And a very big one for us.”
He rose, lifting her and carried her into the bedroom. He watched as she carefully took off her clothes, unable to drag his eyes away from the swell of her breasts and the hardened peach-colored nipples that crowned them. If he didn’t know how tired she was, and wasn’t so exhausted himself, he would have thrown her down on the bed and driven them both to orgasm. But it had been a long day and they’d have many more nights.
She slid beneath the covers, waiting while he stripped off his clothes and slid in beside her. As he spooned his body around hers, his last thought as he fell asleep, sated, was how much his life had changed in a few short days. And how important this woman was to him.
* * * * *
Dante hated to do it but he decided he needed to talk to the Hammonds. He knew they were grieving, even as they tried to absorb the unbelievable circumstance of Harley Shaw’s death. But if they could help him warn any of their neighbors, he’d try to convince them to do it. He took Regan with him, figuring she cou
ld help him over the rough spots. After Felicia’s death, he was so consumed with rage he had lost his ability to relate to people on any level. Regan landed in his life with the sudden force of a hurricane, turning him upside down, but he wouldn’t change it now for anything.
Dan Hammond answered the door when they rang the bell.
“Damn it,” he growled. “What now? Can’t you give us some peace here?”
Regan moved in front of Dante. “We are so sorry to intrude on your grief this way, Mr. Hammond.” Like yesterday she pitched her voice low and soothing. “Believe me, we wouldn’t do it if we didn’t need your help.”
“With what?” he demanded.
A tall woman suddenly appeared behind him, sadness evident on her face. “Are these the people from yesterday, Dan? For heaven’s sake, invite them in.”
“But—”
“Invite them in,” she insisted.
With obvious reluctance, he backed away from the doorway.
“I’m Tina Hammond,” the woman said. “You’ll have to forgive my husband. This is a terrible time for us.”
“I truly understand,” Regan said. “We won’t stay long, I promise.”
Tina led them into the kitchen, where she insisted on serving them coffee.
“That really isn’t necessary,” Dante protested.
“Please.” Tina sat down at the table with them. “It gives me something to do instead of thinking of yesterday’s nightmare.”
“Okay.” Dan glared at them. “What do you need? I can’t believe you’re even bothering us now.”
Dante nudged Regan beneath the table, indicating she should take the lead.
She took her tablet from her handbag and brought up the latest version of the map with target sites and placed it in the center of the table.
“I won’t go over again everything we discussed yesterday but I hope you’ll at least give enough credence to what I have to say now.” She pointed to each of the green dots. “Based on past experience, we know the beast hunts in a specific area. Wherever it kills first, it will hunt other victims within a fairly close geographic area. We’ve generated—”
