“Look at me,” he said.
In the dream, she opened her eyes, and then she was complete, seeing the face of her lover.
“Mine,” he growled.
The vision melted away to the sound of her alarm clock, as she awoke and slowly sat up, pushing her hair off her face. Glancing around the bed, she saw that it was a mess of twisted linens. Part of the blanket was dangling onto the floor, and her pillow was bunched up against the headboard.
The air conditioner came on, bringing a cold breeze, and she shivered, noticing her nudity, the wetness between her thighs, and her peaked nipples.
Stumbling over her feet to the shower, still half-asleep, she let the water hit her, as she recalled the dream and the man in it. Desire flooded her, and she removed the handheld showerhead from its base on the wall. Moments later, she erupted with his face emblazoned in her mind and his voice telling her to come for him.
After she dressed, she went to the kitchen. Fruit and yogurt didn’t sound as appetizing as it usually did. Instead, she wanted a juicy steak, rare and bloody. The thought troubled her, but she’d had similar experiences over the years that she’d always been able to subdue. That time, though, the urge was stronger than before. With the realization that the craving would not be denied, she grabbed her keys and headed to the diner down the street. She ordered a T-bone, topped with eggs, and a side of pancakes.
Chapter 18
“Hey, Lee!” Imogen said into her phone, as she wrangled a cocker spaniel into the sink. “What’s up? Everything going good with Piper?”
“Yeah, great!”
“That’s awesome! Hold still!”
Lee laughed and asked, “Need me to come and help out?”
“No, but I can’t talk long. I’m on a deadline with this one.”
“Why don’t you come over after work? Have a drink with us and get to know Piper.”
“Are you sure? I mean, you just mated. I don’t know much about that, but it sounds pretty serious. I don’t want you two to start pawing each other in front of me.”
“Was that a shifter joke?”
“I don’t think so,” she said with a giggle. “Maybe a groomer one?”
“What time can you be here? Piper wants to have the wine and hors d’oeuvres ready when you arrive.”
“Eight?”
“Perfect.”
She didn’t give him the usual reminder about her vegetarian diet, as she’d given it up entirely. Once the piece of steak landed on her tongue, she knew that part of her life was over, at least for the time being. She thought that maybe her body was telling her something about her health and decided to speak to her doctor about it. She figured she’d run some blood tests to identify any vitamin deficiencies she might have, and then she’d pop some pills for a while and return to her normal lifestyle.
“Thanks. I’m glad you invited me. I need to talk to you about something, anyway. Hopefully, Piper won’t mind. I don’t wanna be a wedge between you two. Ya know, I tried to give my key back.”
“Of course, you’re not! We’ve been friends forever. My mating isn’t going to affect that. So, what’s going on? Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just not getting much sleep, and when I do catch an hour or two, I keep dreaming about this guy.”
“Describe him.”
“Why?” she asked, as she squirted shampoo onto the dog’s spine.
“Uh… maybe telling me about it will help you get it out of your system.”
“Well, okay. But I’m sorry if it’s TMI.”
“As if. Come on.”
“Okay.” She paused, massaging the pup’s back. “He’s incredibly handsome. Dark hair. It comes down to the middle of his neck. It’s unruly, so he puts stuff in it to try to tame it.” She laughed. “It won’t cooperate with him.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Thick brows... but not the yucky kind. You know what I mean.”
“Yeah.”
“Piercing brown eyes. And when he looks at me, it’s like he sees right down into my soul.”
“Go on.”
“Tall. Maybe 6’2”. I’m not sure. But when he holds me, everything fits right, and I feel so safe. It’s like I’ve fallen in love with him.”
“He’s touching you in your sleep?”
Imogen sighed, as she sprayed water on the dog, rinsing the suds away.
“How honest can I be with you?”
“Completely.”
“He’s making love to me in my dreams.”
“Whoa. Whoa. Whoa! Immie, are you serious?”
“Yeah. Sorry to be so blunt, but you’re my best friend. If I can’t be honest with you....”
“You can tell me anything! You know that.”
“It’s a shame that doesn’t work both ways.”
“What does that mean?”
“You didn’t tell me about your feelings for Piper.”
“I was trying to figure it out. I wasn’t keeping it from you on purpose.”
“I hope not.”
“I wasn’t.”
“Okay. I’m not gonna lie. When you introduced me to her, I was a little hurt. That was something really important that was going on with you, and I had no idea.”
“I’m sorry. Forgive me?”
“Yeah, of course! I’m so happy for you, Lee! When’s the wedding?”
“Huh?”
“You know, the ceremony.”
“Oh, we won’t be doing that. I mean, we’re mated, so there’s no need. But after my secret operation is over, we’ll have a huge party.”
“That sounds great! Make sure to let me know when and where!”
“Let’s get back to you and what you haven’t been sharing with me.”
“Well, it’s the best sex I’ve ever had, and wouldn’t you know...” She rolled her eyes at her predicament. “...it’s with myself.”
“Hmm.”
“Ya know what’s weird, though?”
“Besides what you’ve already told me?”
“There’s always a 9 mm on the nightstand, and I hate guns. What is this guy, mafia, or something? How the hell is my head coming up with this?”
“Be here at 7, Immie. Earlier if you can. Piper really wants to spend some time with you and get to know you better. I’ve told her how important you are to me.”
“Unless I get a cancellation, 8 is the earliest I can make it. I gotta go home and clean up, before I go to your place. I’m not gonna sit down to a glass of wine with your new mate, smelling like wet dogs and flea dip.”
“I don’t think it matters,” he mumbled.
“Huh?”
“Nothing. Just bring the change of clothes you keep in your backpack and shower here. It’ll be faster.”
Assuming Lee wanted her to bond with Piper as quickly as she could, she said, “Okay. I’ll do that. Gotta go!”
Chapter 19
Gunner woke the next night, his insides raging, burning as if he were on fire.
“Aaahhh!” he groaned, pulling his knees up to his chest.
“Here,” Blaine said, as he tossed a few blood packs onto the bed. “I ordered more from the supplier.”
Grabbing the one nearest to him, Gunner drank it dry and then moved to the next. With each bag, his thirst began to lessen. After the tenth, he was able to sit up and lean against the headboard.
“The pain is so intense.”
“Perhaps it’ll end tonight.”
“What time is it?”
“It’s 7:15.”
“A few more packs, and I think I’ll be okay.”
“What’s her name again?”
“Imogen.”
“And you think that once you have her, your ailment will stop?”
Gunner eased himself to the side of the bed and placed his feet on the floor.
“I do.”
“After you told me what Piper had hypothesized, I did some research and made a few calls. She was right. What you have is a rare thing, Gunner.”
&
nbsp; “What is it?” he asked, and then he sank his fangs into yet another pack.
“It’s called the Thirst. It affects vampires the way the Hunger does shifters. If Imogen is the source, she’s your fated Bloodmate.”
“Perfect name for it,” Gunner said, dropping the empty plastic to the ground, as he grabbed another. “All I wanna do is drink. It’s taking all my mental capacity and strength not to tear out into the night and drain humans.”
“But if she’s not….”
“Then, unless I find my mate, I’m gonna go fucking batshit crazy the way that shifter I told you about did. I can already feel the insanity bubbling in my mind like a rising stream.” He stood and stumbled his way to the bathroom. Looking back over his shoulder, he said, “This makes prison seem like Heaven.”
“I’ll see you downstairs when you’re ready.”
“What are you gonna do, Blaine? Go with me and be my babysitter?”
“Exactly. What would you do if the shoe was on the other foot?”
Lowering his head in acknowledgement of his friend’s dedication to him, he said, “I’d make sure you were okay.”
“And friends don’t let friends drink and drive, so I’ll be behind the wheel in case you need to feed.”
After Blaine left, Gunner closed the bathroom door and turned on the taps in his granite shower, letting the water run, as he shed his clothes.
The thing he couldn’t admit to Blaine was that in addition to everything else, his cock had been hard since the night he captured her scent. Erotic thoughts filled his mind on a loop, a steady stream of the taste of a woman’s pink and tender flesh and the sound of her sighs and moans. He’d jerked off in the past few weeks more than he had during his teen years, and that was saying a lot.
As his thoughts wandered, he walked under the stream, taking his erect member into his hands.
Bracing his legs wide, as the hot rain pounded against his chest, he worked himself up and down in his fist, picturing Imogen naked and in the shower with him. In his mind, beads of water pearled onto her raised nipples, and he dipped down, sucking one between his lips. She threw her head back in pleasure, grinding against him, using her legs wrapped around his waist to bring him deeper inside her, all the while, begging him for more.
He was willing to give her anything she wanted.
Like all the other instances, he shouted loudly, as his essence burst from his cock. But that time, with her face imprinted on his heart, it had been mere seconds of self-pleasure rather than minutes. He dropped to his knees on the shower tiles, watching his come, mixed with the water, circle the drain before going down, an exhibition of his not having her body to spill into.
“Imogen,” he murmured, as his cock hardened once more.
Chapter 20
Imogen rolled up to Lee’s house a little after 6:00. Turning the rearview mirror to look at herself, she noted the stains on her shirt, the smeared mascara and eyeliner, the messy updo, and her generally unkempt appearance.
She’d thought about going home to change but knew that there must’ve been a reason for Lee’s insistence that she shower at his house. Maybe he wanted his mate to see her looking awful, so she wouldn’t consider her a threat.
In the end, it didn’t matter.
“This is who I am, the person I’ve fought to be. Piper needs to see it if she’s gonna accept me.”
Grabbing her backpack, she opened her door and jumped down from the seat.
Lee appeared on the doorstep and said, “Hey! You’re early.”
“Is that okay? My last client rescheduled, but I can drive around for a while if you want.”
“Oh, my!” Piper said with a giggle, as she sidled up behind Lee. “Honey, come inside and get yourself cleaned up. That just won’t do.”
As she approached the house, Imogen tilted her head to the side, wondering if Piper had insulted her.
“What can I say? I’ve got a dirty job.”
“You’re gonna turn into a franchise. You know that, right?”
“From your lips to God’s ears.”
“No, it’s happenin’.”
“Why?” Imogen asked, as she went up the stairs to the porch. “What’re you doing?”
“Me?” Piper said, placing her hand over her heart. “Nothin’ but spreadin’ the good news about the best groomer around.” Imogen smiled, happy that her earlier thoughts were wrong. “So, what’d you bring to wear?”
Piper reached for Imogen’s bag, and she shifted it behind her back.
“Jeans and a top. Why?”
Piper looked at Lee with a worried expression, and he shrugged in reply. She then began hustling Imogen into the house and gave her a little shove towards their master bathroom.
“Go get in the shower, and I’ll take care of the rest of it.”
“What?”
“Just do it, Immie,” Lee said, leaning against the doorjamb. “Trust us.”
Suddenly, the way they were acting became crystal clear in her mind.
“Wait a minute.” She pointed her finger at each of them in turn. “Are you two trying to hook me up with someone?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t call it that,” Piper murmured, as she rummaged through her closet, glancing back at Imogen, giving her a onceover.
“Then, what would you call it?” Imogen shrieked, angry at their arranging a blind date without telling her first. “I know that you two are all hot and heavy, and I’m thrilled that you found each other. And Piper, I’ve done everything I know to do to show you that I’m not interested in Lee romantically. I’ve never looked at him in that way. So, what’re you doing, throwing your castoffs at me? I’m not desperate.” Tears threatened to fall, and she fought them and her embarrassment back at what she perceived as their treachery. “And I sure as hell don’t need a pity fuck!”
“Of course, you don’t! Imogen, I’d never think that of you.”
“Immie, it’s nothing like that,” Lee said softly. “It’s what you shared with me earlier... and the secret job I’ve been involved in.”
“You told her?” Imogen asked, hurt at his apparent betrayal.
“No!” Piper protested, as she swished hangers left and right.
“Not all of it. Come with me.” He went to her, took her hand, and led her into the bathroom. He sat on the side of the tub and let her go. “Why would you think I’d tell anyone what you shared with me in confidence?”
“Because you did! I can’t believe....”
Lee shook his head and raised his palms toward her, and she stopped talking.
“Not like you’re thinking. Hear me out. If you want to rip my head off afterwards, so be it.”
“Fine. Talk.”
“There’s a guy I met who’s central in this operation I’ve been working on. I thought you two might hit it off.”
“Why?”
“Well, I think he’s the guy in your dreams.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Just what you told me about him.”
“Describe him.”
“Tall, brown eyes, dark curly hair....”
“That could describe a lot of men.”
“Yeah… but….”
“What?”
“His name.”
“Well?”
“It’s Gunner.”
“I’m not sure where you’re going with this.”
“There was a 9 mm on the nightstand in your dreams, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I think it represented him. Why else would it have been there, Immie? Like you said, you hate guns. Plus, he’s a part of law enforcement for supernaturals. It makes sense to me.”
Sucking in a breath, Imogen dropped the backpack she’d been holding, as memories of her dreams slammed into her mind, and the impact of what Lee was saying hit her.
She whispered, “You’re kidding.”
Reaching for her again, he pulled her down to sit beside him.
“I’m not, Immie. I think something might
be happening between the two of you, drawing you together. I want to make sure that you meet him in a safe environment. At any rate, it’s worth checking out.”
“You think I could be in danger?”
Cocking his head to the side, he said, “Considering what’s going on with this case, yeah.”
“Can I come in?” Piper asked from the other side of the door.
Lee arched a brow at Imogen, and she said, “Yes, of course. It’s your house.”
Piper breezed in and went to stand in front of Imogen.
“We need to clear somethin’ up, Immie.”
“Okay.”
“I don’t want you to feel defensive around me. I’m not threatened by you at all. I get that you and Lee have a history and a bond that you and I will most likely never have, and I’m fine with that. I appreciate what you’ve done in givin’ us space to try to get settled together, but you’re a part of his life, and I don’t want that to change. You’ve already shown me that you respect our relationship, and I thank you for that. I’m happier than I’ve ever been, but it’s still been a scary time for me, movin’ into a new house with a man I barely know. Even so, everything in me is tellin’ me I need him as much as the air I breathe.”
“I can’t even imagine what you’re dealing with.” Imogen stood and went to Piper, who was holding back tears. “I’m so sorry I added to your stress. I didn’t mean to do that.”
“But see? Because of what I went through—even though it’s better than I could’ve imagined—I wanna make sure that if you’re connected to this vampire, it works out for you. I care about you!”
“I overreacted, and I’m sorry, Piper. There’s so much happening to us all so fast. It’s been a whirlwind. Please don’t cry!”
“Your happiness and connection to Lee is as important to me as it is to him. You’re my sister now, too.”
Imogen nodded and said, “And you’re mine. Like I told you, we’re family, and I did mean that.”
Imogen drew her into a hug and felt the tremors of emotion pass through Piper, as she struggled to regain her composure.
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