It's Raining Men

by Crystal Jordan

  Dedication

  For my girls: R.G. Alexander, Eden Bradley, Loribelle Hunt, Lillian Feisty, Dayna Hart, Jennifer Leeland and Bethany Morgan.

  Chapter One

  Oh God. Kill me now.

  I fought the urge to bury my head in my hands—or toss back the rest of my double shot of bourbon—as I saw who walked in the door of the Eclipse bar. It was my birthday, damn it. My thirty-first birthday. As in, no longer just thirty, but in my thirties. Why couldn’t I spend it in peace?

  Yeah, yeah. As a werewolf, I’d live a couple hundred years. I knew that. But the last few years had seemed to crawl by in one endless string of pain. It was the feeling that werewolves who denied themselves their mates dealt with. Pain. Bone-crushing, head-throbbing, drop-me-to-my-knees aguish.

  And my unclaimed mate had just stepped into the room, so I felt it with the keen agony of the sharpest blade. Michael Trent. Older brother of my best friend, Cynthiana Trent-St. James. Why would she bring him here?

  Eclipse was a place I thought I’d be safe. Only magical creatures came here. Humans who ventured in were just asking to be an after-dinner snack for something that went bump in the night. Or someone. Someone like me. And my best-friend-turned-traitor. Not like her very human brother. I’d managed to avoid running into him for months now. Damn Cyn for forcing this.

  “Hey, sexy.” Cyn tugged on one of my curls, making it bounce against my neck. A low, warning growl vibrated my vocal cords as she slid into the chair on my left. The sound ended in a whimper when Michael settled his big, scrumptious self into the seat on my right. The tiny table and cramped space meant his muscular thigh and arm were plastered against mine.

  My sex throbbed at the benign contact, my nipples peaking tight as my instincts screamed in a desperate attempt to encourage me to claim him. To remind me how phenomenal sex was supposed to be with a mate. My body heated from the inside out, goose bumps shivering over my skin when he shifted his leg and leaned closer to me. “Happy birthday, Candy. You look good enough to eat in that dress. I’m not sure if that makes you Little Red Riding Hood or the Big Bad Wolf.”

  His deep voice caressed my heightened hearing, his breath moving the tiny hairs at my temple. I shuddered and fought to keep myself from throwing him to the ground to have my way with him. Even though he was three times my size, my werewolf strength could easily best even the biggest human. Big Bad Wolf, indeed. I tugged at the hem of my short, tight scarlet silk dress. I mean, I liked my ample curves just fine, but they didn’t need to be falling out for the world to see. The top of this thing was about to give up the fight with my breasts, and I was pretty sure when I stood my assets would be hanging out the back.

  “Ha! I designed that outfit for her present.” Cyn ran a proprietary hand over the beading on my shoulder strap, her fashion-designer self geeking out over her creation. “Doesn’t she look hot?”

  “Oh. Yeah.” He gave me the kind of once-over that had made my heart leap in my chest since the first time I met him. I hadn’t known then that when the sharp, intimidating prosecutor left the courtroom he was an incorrigible flirt. The pain that plagued me every single time I denied the need to sink my fangs into his flesh and mark him as mine gave an especially vicious twist.

  “You should ask her to dance.” Cyn gestured to postage-sized dance floor in front of the stage where couples were locked in the kind of embraces that only Saran Wrap could maintain.

  If I slammed my pointy high heel down on her toe, who would blame me? She knew that Michael was my mate, and she took every opportunity to throw me in his path. She wanted me to hook up with her brother, but it wasn’t going to happen for two very big reasons. First, when Cyn’s husband Andre turned her into a vampire last year, he didn’t exactly ask her permission first. Magical people had a bad rap as it was, since the fighting between wolves and vamps had dragged every single species, from sprite to necromancer, out into the light of day about a decade ago. Well, vampires never made it out into the light of day, but that was beside the point. Michael, being the overprotective human brother, was more than a little bent out of shape about his little sister getting turned into a bloodsucker. Even now, with Cyn and Andre happily ensconced in some overpriced mansion in Bel Air, Michael had serious reservations about magical beings. Like me.

  But the biggest reason why Michael and I would never find true love was one I was sure his sister didn’t know about. The day Cyn introduced me to him, and I sensed he was meant to be mine forever, I tracked him to his house and found him getting hot and heavy with another man. Yeah, that was great. I was not going to be the one to break it to my best friend that her big, manly brother was gay.

  As in, not into chicks.

  As in, never going to mate with me, and I was going to spend every birthday alone for the rest of my long, long life.

  “I need another drink.”

  Chapter Two

  My chair tumbled to the floor as I shot to my feet. Michael rose with me, his hand burning into the small of my back. “Are you sure you need another drink, Candy?”

  “Oh yeah.” I needed to get away from this table was what I needed. Every instinct lit as his palm stroked up my back to settle on my bare shoulder. He turned me toward him, and his arm wrapped around me. His strong fingers kneaded the nape of my neck. That familiar flirtatious smile curved his lips, an invitation to something I knew he wouldn’t be interested in following through on. But my body didn’t care. All it noticed was the way the calluses on his fingers stimulated my flesh. I swallowed, my lids drooping to half-mast. My claws bit into my palms as I clenched my fists. I could feel the pointed tips of my fangs press against my closed lips. I wanted him in every possible way—in my life, in my bed, by my side. Forever. The wolf within me snapped and clawed for freedom, demanding to claim what belonged to it. Michael.

  Dragging in a steadying breath I caught the scent of his heady, masculine smell. His spicy cologne mixed with an aroma that would always be his. Every second his skin touched mine sent moisture pooling between my thighs. I squeezed them together, but it did nothing to quiet the intense need that whipped through me. Molten heat flowed like lava through my veins, melting everything in its path. I wanted nothing more than to lose myself in the sensations my mate awoke in me. To lose myself in the love that had grown deeper and hotter with every passing day since I’d met him.

  The opening cords of music pumped from the sound system in the bar. Michael leaned in to speak in my ear. “Do you want me to get it for you? What would you like?”

  I’d like him naked and pumping his cock inside me until I burned off this craving I had for his big, muscular body. Until I forgot how much I loved his smile, his sense of humor, his protective nature. Hell, until I forgot my own name. I released a shuddering breath and stepped away from the almost irresistible temptation he presented. “No, I…I can handle it myself. Thanks.”

  Scooting around my fallen chair, I spun towards the long wooden bar that held my only reprieve for the evening. Booze. I needed another shot glass full of joy juice to make it through this. My body still hummed from being in close proximity to Michael. The desire was almost unbearable, and I fought a whimper. Each step made my thighs brush together, and reminded me how much I ached to be touched, to be filled. By Michael. The thought was hot enough to make my breath catch.

  Then, just to make my night a little more fun, the crowd shifted and I saw the man talking to the bartender. My boss, Malcon. Who also happened to be the werewolf pack Alpha in Los Angeles. I was the executive chef for the pack leaders. Collectively, they ran a very successful international corporation, which meant a lot of work for me. It also meant I saw more than enough of the powerful people in my world going through those business headquarters every day, but it fi
gured Malcon would be here. He’d become fast friends with the werewolf owners of the neutral-territory bar since he had assumed leadership and declared that wolves in his pack would no longer be allowed to engage in the war with vampires. It made me like him as a person since my best friend just happened to be a bloodsucker, but that didn’t mean I wanted to hang out with him tonight. He was my boss and the Alpha, after all. He hadn’t seen me yet, and I wasn’t about to call myself to his attention. Switching directions, I darted through the crowd towards the ladies’ room. I needed to cool off and settle down before I dealt with anyone.

  The restroom was empty, thank you sweet baby Jesus. I stumbled to the counter and leaned my shaking hands on either side of one of the sinks. Drawing in slow, deep breaths, I tried to reach for the calm that I’d perfected for the times I couldn’t avoid my best friend’s brother. It didn’t come.

  “Shit.” I glanced up in the mirror and met my own desperate gaze. The pupils seemed to dominate the dark irises, and my dark hair set off the deep flush in my cheeks. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the evidence of my need stamped so clearly on my features. But it only brought my other senses to the fore, and the hint of Michael’s scent beckoned me. I shuddered as lust speared me, my claws erupting to scrape the countertop. The wolf fought for supremacy. When my eyes snapped open, I could see they’d burned to pure, icy blue.

  My jaw clenched as resignation slid through me. I couldn’t go back out there this way, and I couldn’t bail on my own birthday. Turning my back on the mirror, I walked into one of the stalls and locked the door behind me. Concentrating on my hand, I managed to retract my claws. The pads of my fingers brushed over my knee as I slid the hem of my dress up. My breath hissed between my teeth. Any relief from the desire pulsing through me was enough to make my legs shake. My forehead rested against the cool tile wall, and the contrast to my overheating flesh had me biting my lip to keep in a whimper. Please, don’t let anyone walk in here.

  I never wore panties, and tonight was no exception. The first touch against my swollen clit made me jolt. Tingles erupted down my arms and legs. I swallowed as my fingers slipped into my hot channel. Plunging in quick, hard strokes, I couldn’t keep Michael’s face from flashing through my mind. Pleasure arced through my body like lightning. My mate often featured in my fantasies. I couldn’t help it… I didn’t want to.

  Closing my eyes, I could picture him so clearly. His big body rose behind me, surrounding me as he took over stroking my slick flesh. My mouth opened in a silent scream as he spun me against the wall, lifted me and plunged his cock inside me. The stretch was exquisite pain, and he worked me with brutal speed. He whispered my name as we rode each other. My pussy flexed around his dick as reality and fantasy blurred, and there was nothing left but pure need. Yes. I wanted it to be real so badly, wanted him to fuck me until I thought I’d die from the pleasure.

  My thighs eased farther apart, and my breath rushed in harsh pants as I held on to the dream for a moment longer. The wetness increased as I dropped my other hand to press my thumb against my hardened clit. My hips rolled in an erotic rhythm I couldn’t stop. I was so close, I could feel the contractions building deep in my belly, clenching my pussy around my fingers.

  “Michael,” I breathed, and crashed into the wall of my orgasm. I shuddered over and over again, a low moan ripping from my throat.

  The door to the bathroom squeaked open, and I caught my breath. Reality returned with a rude jolt. I froze, my fangs popping out as the wolf sensed a threat. My nostrils flared to catch the intruder’s scent. Not another wolf, nor a vampire. Fae, probably. I heard the slight flutter of wings. Yep, I was right…a fairy. So, whoever she was, she wouldn’t be able to sense me, or smell the slight musk of sex in the room. Thank heavens.

  I shivered and jerked my hand from under my dress, pulling it down. Jesus, I was going insane. Look what I’d been reduced to, getting my rocks off in a public bathroom stall. Shame flushed my cheeks. What was wrong with me? Oh, wait. I had a gay man for a mate. That was enough to drive any wolf nutty. I sighed and closed my eyes. The lingering pleasure of orgasm evaporated under the unrelenting sadness that never seemed to leave me. I swallowed hard and blinked back the sudden tears that sheened my eyes. It wouldn’t change anything to cry about it, so I sucked in a breath and forced the lonely grief deep, deep down, the way I always did. If I let it take over, it had the power to cripple me, and I might not be able to function.

  The fairy woman left, and the door screeched shut behind her. I sagged against the tile wall, exhaustion crashing over me. Wasn’t my birthday over yet?

  Stepping out of the stall, I washed my hands in the sink and splashed cool water on my flushed cheeks. I didn’t bother looking in the mirror—I just didn’t want to know. Wiping my hands and face with a paper towel, I crumpled the brown paper, tossed it in the wastebasket and followed the fairy out the door.

  I didn’t really want a drink now, I just wanted to go home, but I approached the long wooden bar anyway. Time to paste on a smile and put on a good show for my best friend.

  Jerrod, one of the werewolf owners of Eclipse, worked like a well-oiled machine behind the bar. He had on a black wifebeater and jeans that hugged his big, well-muscled frame. Thankfully, Malcon had disappeared, so I didn’t have to deal with him. Jerrod’s midnight blue eyes crinkled at the corners, and he smiled as I stepped up to order. “Candy girl, you are looking luscious in that dress tonight.”

  “You’re always welcome to look, hot stuff.” I ran a hand down the red silk covering my hip and winked at him. A grin bloomed on my lips. Flirting with Jerrod was too much fun. Mostly because he was safely mated to two she-wolves. His cup overfloweth on the mate front. Unlike most men, he wouldn’t expect me to follow through on anything. I hadn’t been able to since I met Michael. No other man would do. Just the thought was enough to make me physically ill. There was no infidelity for werewolves—it just didn’t work for my kind. Apparently, my instincts decided I didn’t even have to be mated to remain faithful.

  Jerrod ran his tongue down a canine tooth. “What’s your pleasure tonight, Candy?”

  “I’d like a scotch, neat.” I avoided the too-knowing look in his eyes by scanning the crowd in Eclipse. One of Jerrod’s mates, Rachel, set a cocktail on a table near the front door. His other mate, Lena, stepped through the bar’s entrance just then, and her eyes lit up when she saw Rachel. The two women embraced and gave each other a slow kiss. I could feel their passion for each other from here. They both turned for the bar, that same look of love and lust on their faces when they smiled at Jerrod. I sighed. “You’re a lucky man, Jerrod.”

  “I know it.” He handed me my drink, but when I glanced back at him, he only had eyes for his mates. “Happy birthday, Candy. It’s on the house.”

  Was it bad that I was enough of a regular here they knew it was my birthday?

  “Thanks.” Not bothering to argue, I took my scotch and ran before the lovefest began with the three mates. I was just not ready to deal with that tonight, so I hurried back to the table. Would they notice I’d been gone too long? The only thing I could be thankful for was that none of them was a wolf—they didn’t have enhanced senses to smell the fact that I’d just had a little self-lovefest in the bathroom.

  In my rush to get back, I damn near plowed Cyn’s husband over. It looked like Andre had arrived in time for my party of pain. His hands snapped around my shoulders to catch me before I stumbled.

  “Candace.” His celery green gaze searched my face. “What’s wrong, petite?”

  I couldn’t quite meet his eyes. Andre had been around for a few centuries at least. He always saw more than I was comfortable with. I forced a wide grin to my lips. “Everything’s fine, Andre.”

  “You’re certain?” His French Creole accent rolled like smooth honey, and his teeth flashed white against his chocolate skin as he offered me a reassuring smile. The smile turned positively wicked when his gaze shifted from me to my best friend.

>   “Totally sure.” Shrugging out of his grasp, I plopped into my chair and took a deep drink of my scotch.

  Andre and Cyn kissed, and I kept my gaze pinned to the stage that a small army of men swarmed around, taking down musical equipment from the last band and setting up equipment for the next act. I didn’t want to watch my friend’s happy reunion with her husband. I didn’t want to be jealous of how happy she was with her new undeath, but I was. Yeah, I knew it made me an asshole, and guilt pinched my insides. It twisted within me, tightening around the ever-present frustration and sadness. I couldn’t help it—I just wanted to be happy too. And I never would be. I’d always be wishing for what could never be. That Michael would love me the way I loved him. Hopelessly, endlessly. Damn it.

  “Stephen Parthon’s about to start.” Cyn slid back into the seat beside me, sandwiching me between her and Michael again. I refused to look at him. Andre sat on Cyn’s other side, and their clasped hands rested on the tabletop.

  “W-what?” I finally met her gaze, but had no clue what she was talking about.

  She gave me the kind of look reserved for kids that rode the short bus to school. “Stephen. Parthon. The half-Fae, half-siren jazz singer you were so excited to listen to you blew off my surprise party to see him?”

  “Surprise parties are supposed to be a surprise. How was I to know you planned one?” I gave her a more genuine smile than any I’d managed this evening and took a sip of my drink.

  “Don’t insult my intelligence.” She gave me a sharp smile, complete with a little baring of vampire fangs. “Lucky for you, I’m a great friend, and I brought the party to you.”

  I stuck my tongue out at her. “There went my great escape.”

  Not a scrap of sympathy shone on her face. “Suck it up.”

  “Vampires are the ones who suck, haven’t you heard?” It was part of our relationship to harass each other, and we were really good at it. Like sisters…or so I imagined. I was an only child, and both my parents were long dead. Having Cyn was almost like having family again, and I treasured that. It was nice to know there was someone in the world looking out for me and making sure I didn’t fall through the cracks. Even if we did pester the crap out of each other most of the time. I leaned my shoulder against her, and she hugged me with her free arm, resting her chin on top of my head.