He wanted her. He wanted to claim her, and she could feel it in his movements, see it in his eyes. The fight against his inner beast was evident in his hardened face. Yet he didn't give in to it. He protected her, just like he said he would.
The problem was now she warred within herself. Her heart longed for him to claim her, to make her his. It knew it had found its missing half. Yet her head couldn't comprehend it, couldn't fathom knowing who your life-mate was moments after meeting them. To her head, this was just a fling, a what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas rebound. It tried to rationalize the feelings inundating her heart that she loved him. Yet those words freaked her the hell out. She couldn't possibly love him, she didn't know anything about him. Other than he was a SEAL, and she'd dreamed about him practically her whole life.
Her head had no explanation for that.
He eased her from around his waist and rinsed them off before shutting off the water.
“Braxton,” Sylvia said with hesitation, not knowing if she should acknowledge what she saw.
He hung his head. “I'm sorry. Are you freaked out?”
She cupped the sides of his cheeks and forced him to face her. “It was actually kinda hot. I guess in a way, I didn't believe you really were that in to me.”
He blinked. “Are you kidding me? Have you not heard a word I said since the moment I met you? You are everything to me, Sylvia. You are what I want, what I need. I don't know how else to tell you, to show you without freaking you totally out.”
She rolled to her tip-toes to reach his lips, as he towered over her. He curled his arms around her and swept her mouth in a knee-wobbling kiss.
He brushed the hair from her cheek and smiled. “We should get ready. I'm famished. You make me work up quite an appetite. And you have your game reveal.”
She nodded. As much as she didn't want to leave the hotel room, much less to go into a crowded convention hall, she knew she had to. But the thought of coming back to the room with him later that night fueled her onward.
She couldn't get enough of him, and it shocked her. Yeah, she loved sex, but it had never consumed her before. The driving need to be with him, by him, have him in her overwhelmed her. The only thing that quenched her desire was his touch.
Then she thought back to Mark, and going into the convention hall, and the threats on her life. What if she got Braxton killed, too?
Fear was like a punch to the gut, watering down the fire burning for him. She didn't think she could come back from losing another. If something happened to Braxton because of her…she shook her head and got herself dressed. She had to keep him far away from her, and her heart.
* * *
Braxton peered over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of Sylvia in the other room. It was getting harder and harder to tamp down the beast within when he was around her. He thought maybe the more they had sex, the less the wolf would howl. Instead, it worked the opposite. He fought shifting right in front of her in the shower after they made love. His wolf wanted her, needed to bite her, claim her, bad.
At least she handled it better than he anticipated. She didn't run or scream, but instead calmed him,talked him down. Maybe tonight, after the stress of her game reveal at the convention was over, they could come back and he would show her everything, reveal his wolf form. Then he would make love to her like never before and claim her once and for all.
He buttoned his shirt and rolled the sleeves to his elbows as he headed to Sylvia's room. She looked beautiful in a pretty flowered sundress and cowboy boots. Her acid-wash jean-jacket covered up her soft, sloping shoulders that he loved to nibble on. He enjoyed the low v-neck of the dress, accentuating her full breasts. He leaned against the doorway and folded his arms, all but licking his lips, watching her curl her long blonde hair.
She caught him staring and nearly dropped her curling iron, as if he startled her. It worried him she was still so on edge, whether about the event, the stalker, or him. He promised her on his life he'd protect her, and he never went back on a promise.
“Careful, darlin'.” Braxton rushed over to her, taking her hand in his and brushing his lips over the burned fingertip.
“I'm fine,” she said, tugging her hand from his. “We should probably head out.”
Braxton nodded in agreement, but something felt off with her. Maybe he freaked her out more than she let on in the shower. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked out after her.
“Are you hungry?” Braxton hated small talk, but he had no idea how to broach the subject with her about the sudden tenseness between them.
“Um, no, I'm okay. But if you want to grab something and meet me later, that's fine.” Sylvia picked up her pace as they exited the elevator to the convention hall floor.
She weaved her way through the crowd in the casino leading into the convention hall. Braxton danced around people behind her, trying to catch up. She was a lot smaller than he was, and able to maneuver in the masses.
“Sylvia,” he called out, hoping she'd slow down a bit. He couldn't let her out of his sight.
She glanced over her shoulder, just as a man in a red ball cap slammed into her, knocking her to the ground, then took off in the hoard of people. Braxton pushed through the crowd and scooped her up from the floor before she got trampled.
“Are you okay?” he asked, checking her over as he laid her on a nearby bench.
She placed a hand to her forehead. “Yeah, what an asshole. Rude much?”
Braxton scanned the hall for the red ball cap, but the asshole was nowhere in sight. Something prickled the hair on the back of his neck, and a tingle of imminent danger flooded his veins. He tilted his head, sniffed the air, and glanced at Sylvia's tote bag tipped over next to her on the floor.
“Sylvia, you need to get up and back away from me,” he whispered. He turned to the crowd gathering around them. “Everyone, step back. Stay far away.” He shot up and forced the onlookers against the far wall of the hallway.
“What's going on?” Sylvia questioned.
Braxton didn't have time to answer. He had to get rid of the danger first. “Stay back,” he demanded, unable to control the flicker of his protective wolf side in his eyes.
A copperhead snake slithered its way out of Sylvia's tote bag and into the middle of the hallway. Low growls rumbled in Braxton's throat as he shifted mid-air and grabbed the snake by its tail and whipped it down the hallway, away from the mass of people. Braxton tore after it, dancing around it as the snake rose up and darted at him in attack. Braxton jumped back, extended his claws and snarled as he pounced on it, slicing the creature’s head clean from its body.
Shrieks and squeals from the horde of people surrounding him deafened his ears. He sniffed the air, trying to locate Sylvia. Once he got a lock on her, he trotted to her side, weaving himself around her as he eyed the crowd for any other attack.
Something touched his fur, and another low growl rumbled in his throat, until he caught the scent of Sylvia. She ran her fingers along the back of his head, down his neck to his back. Numbness clawed at his legs, and a flutter hit his heart as she scratched behind his ears. How fucking embarrassing he was just shy of rolling over asking for a belly rub. But her touch unraveled him as much in wolf form as it did in human.
He nudged her hand with his nose, letting out a whimper. Shit, he needed to shift back, but he would be buck-ass naked if he did. Shifters tried to rarely shift in public for that very reason, let alone indecency laws. But he had no choice, it was a matter of life and death. He had to protect Sylvia at all costs.
Sylvia reached into her purse and pulled out the keycard for the hotel room and held it near his jaw. It was like she could read his mind. He tilted his head wondering if she really could, before he clutched the card in his teeth and trotted off to shift and change.
That fucker in the ball cap was going down. When he bumped into Sylvia it was no accident. It was to dump the snake in her tote bag, hoping she'd reach into it unsuspecting and get a lethal b
ite. But the fucker didn't realize one thing, Braxton now had his scent. And he wasn't a he. It was a she.
Game on, bitch.
7
Tremors riddled Sylvia to the bone. Someone actually tried to hurt her, let alone maybe kill her. If Braxton hadn't been there, hadn't sensed the snake, she would have reached into her bag and gotten bit. All this over a stupid video game? Could someone really be that shallow, that black in their heart they'd kill for it?
Sylvia couldn't fathom the idea of it. But then, you can't really understand the insane. Part of her just wanted to pack her stuff up and head home. It wasn't worth it. But the other part of her said not to let the evil win, to take a stance and show she wouldn't be threatened. Of course, she felt a lot braver with Braxton by her side. If he weren't there, she probably would have already been on a plane home.
Still, he could have gotten himself killed with that snake. Another person could have died because of her. She had to call the whole thing off before anyone got hurt.
Braxton jogged back down the hallway, dodging people along the way. His chin-length hair bounced with each stride. The muscles in his thighs flexed in his jeans, threatening the seams they were so thick and sinewy. He changed from his long-sleeve button-down he had on earlier to a black bicep-hugging t-shirt. He was like sex on legs running toward her. Women stepped aside, gasping and clutching their chests as he brushed by them. The lust in their eyes at the sight of him was evident. And a possessive growl rumbled in her chest. She jumped back, shocked at herself. Where the hell did that come from?
Yet, he chose her. He made love to her only hours ago. Pledged himself to protect her, to love her. It was ridiculous and overwhelming. She couldn't possibly be his mate, could she?
Everything about him turned her on, from his looks, to his sex skills, to his protectiveness. He was a shifter, and a SEAL. Could he be a more lethal weapon? But she liked that she felt safe with him, and that he wanted to be with her.
Her.
Sylvia Schneider.
He rushed to her side and wrapped his arms around her, clutching her to his chest. “I'm sorry I had to take off, but I can't talk in my wolf form. I don't know how you knew to give me the keycard, but thank you.”
Sylvia pressed her cheek to his chest, listening to the rhythmic hum of his heartbeat. “I'm not sure. Something just told me to give it to you.”
“How are you doing? Are you okay?” He pulled back and cupped each of her cheeks in his large hands.
“I'm still alive, thanks to you.” Words left her. How could she thank him for saving her life?
“Do you want to go back to the room? You don't have to go through with this, you know.” Braxton shifted his hand to the back of her neck, tangling his fingers through her hair.
She took a deep breath and swallowed back the lump of fear in the back of her throat. “No. I have to get this done and over with. It's one day. I can do this.” Sylvia blew out the breath and picked up her bags.
Braxton clutched them from her and carried them down the hall into the convention room, while one arm slung around her waist, holding her close to him. The smell of his cologne and his manly aroma sent her head spinning. His nearness set off a fire inside her. Something about him ignited a passion inside her she didn't understand. Maybe there was something to this mating thing. But she was human? How would that even work?
Braxton curled his fingers into her curves, holding tighter to her as they entered the convention room and the mass of people already gathered there. A sea of red ball caps filled the room, and Sylvia dug her nails into his arm, holding on. Anxiety filled her, sending a surge of adrenaline through her veins.
“Hey now, careful or you'll draw blood,” Braxton said with a laugh.
Sylvia glanced at his arm and four red slashes welted up on his skin. She jumped from his embrace. “Holy shit, did I do that?”
He gave a light shrug, as if it was nothing. “Would appear so.”
“I'm so sorry. How did I even do that?”
“It'll heal. As a shifter, I heal faster than most.” Braxton raised his arm, wiped the blood away with his other hand, and the skin repaired itself in seconds, as if she'd never scratched him.
“Well, that's handy.” Sylvia stared at his arm, blinking until she made herself dizzy.
“I've had far worse on the battle-field. Trust me. I know you're scared, rightfully so. You didn't realize you were even doing it. Although,” he paused and took her hand in his, inspecting her nails with vigor. “Your nails don't seem very sharp. Do you bite them?” He arched a brow.
She winced. Just add one more embarrassing thing to her list. “Yeah. Bad habit.”
“Your nails are bit to the bed. So how the hell did you scratch me so bad?” Worry lined his face, and Sylvia felt the same in her gut. How did she manage to cut him with no nails?
Just like last night, with the scratches down the wall. Saliva pooled in her mouth and dizziness swarmed her head. Nausea sprung its way up from her stomach until it inundated her.
“You don't look so good, Sylvia, are you okay? What's wrong? Talk to me.” Braxton's panicked voice only sent her further into a tailspin.
Heat flushed her body, and she clawed at her clothes with her fingers, trying to get them off her, as if they were binding, restricting. Numbness crawled through her like poison, ripping her balance out from under her. Braxton dropped everything and dove to catch her, remarkably similar to the way he did in her apartment. Seemed like he did nothing but save her since the moment they met.
The closest clear area was the game booth, and Braxton laid her on the floor behind the curtain. “Sylvia, talk to me. What's going on?”
Words felt heavy in her mouth, stuck behind a thick heat and longing for his lips and tongue. Like what could cure her would be his taste, his touch. She gripped either side of his face and pulled him to her, crushing her mouth to his. Something took over inside her, a driving need to unite with him.
She'd never in her life been so forward with a man, but she had no control over herself, over the ache inside that could only be quenched by him. Something else entirely possessed her body. He returned the kiss, shocked at first, before slanting his lips and sweeping her mouth with his hot tongue. Yes, that's what she wanted, what she needed.
She curled her fingers through his hair, against his scalp and a growl rumbled in his chest. That sound drove her onward as she explored this neck and shoulders, kneading his skin under her fingertips.
“Sylvia,” he said, still pressed against her mouth. “Sweetie, I don't think you want to do this here. Let me take you back to the room.”
“No,” she cried out, pulling his face back to hers.
“Hey,” he whispered, breaking the kiss. He clamped his hands on either side of her face, calming her, holding her still. “Look at me. What's going on with you?” Braxton gripped her hands, holding them steady in his. His brows pinched together as he stared at her, worry filling his grayish-blue eyes. “You're really burning up, Sylvie. You must have a fever. We need to get you back to the room.”
Sylvie…no one had called her that in such a long time. Used to be her daddy's pet name for her. But on Braxton's lips, it fired a tingle in her belly, a closeness, a connection. It melted her heart even more for him.
“Only if you come with me.” She moaned every word, unsure if they actually made it out of her mouth.
Her hands shook as she ripped off her jacket and tried to unzip the back of her dress. The heat overwhelmed her, making her even more dizzy. She needed air, she needed to be free of her clothes. Needed to be naked and under Braxton. The clothes, the room, the people, nothing mattered but him. The fever inside her swelled, glistening across her skin in a sheen.
What the hell was happening to her?
* * *
Braxton carried her back to the room and eased her onto the bed. Sweat slicked her body, like a broken fever. Her dilated pupils hid the deep brown in her eyes to a mere halo. Her skin almost burned t
o the touch. He ran to the bathroom and got a cold washcloth. When he returned, she had torn off her dress and tossed it to the floor.
She dropped to her hands and knees and crawled her way over to him. His heart raced, thundering in his ears as he watched her. She was so fucking sexy, like an animal stalking her prey. Yes, baby, come to me.
He kicked his own ass for thinking it. She was sick, this was no time to have sex with her.
“I need you, Braxton. I need you like I've never needed anything in my life…air, food, water… none of it matters unless you're inside me.” She sat back on her knees and fumbled with the zipper on his jeans.
He grated his teeth, gnashing them together as he tried to force his wolf from diving at her and taking her right there in the middle of the floor. Her pink nipples peeked out from behind her lacy bra, and the tiny thong barely covered the patch between her full thighs.
He hungered for her, like she was in heat.
In heat…her fever, her dizziness, her scratching.
But she was human? Maybe she was just reacting that way because she was his mate. Maybe she would finally understand the need to form the mating bond, to be claimed. All of his brothers had mated with other shifters. He didn't know anything about mating with a human.
“Sweetie, you should rest. It's been a rough day, and you're not acting like yourself.” The words tangled on his tongue. He didn't want her to rest, he wanted her to pull his dick out and suck it. But he warred with himself, knowing he couldn't take advantage of her like this.
But no sooner than the thought occurred to him, she pulled out his rock-hard cock and wrapped her mouth around it. The heat of her lips and tongue swallowed him and he lost control, running his fingers through her hair as she worked her mouth on him. The room whirled around him as she took him to another time, another place with each glide of her tongue, graze of her teeth, and pull of her lips.
“Sylvie, shit,” he gasped, thrusting his hips forward in rhythm with her sucking. “You need to…stop. You're…sick.”
Paranormal Dating Agency: Shifting Fate (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Breaking the SEAL Book 3) Page 5
