Thomas gave me a nod. “I believe they will not stop until they"ve brought the Council down.”
“It sounds like they want absolute power.” I stated as I turned toward Daniel.
Daniel"s gaze fell upon me, considering my words, he nodded. “We"ll be careful.”
Daniel"s arm slid around my waist as he placed a tender kiss on the top of my head.
“Excuse me Daniel, I will be right back.” Thomas darted off to the other side of the room.
The Dark Wolves were a new problem we really didn"t need at this point. And the question remained unanswered; where did they come from? The thought of them killing their brethren upset me. They were a pack forming rapidly against the Council. It appeared for the moment, we had more than our share of worries. The list was growing with the threat of being hunted by werewolves, seductive vampires in our midst, and now Dark Wolves attacking us. There was no wonder why Daniel was stressed these last few days. I didn"t know what to do to help him. One thing I could do, stay away from Richard. Daniel had enough worries. Eliminating the fear of being attacked by a vampire would help.
A slight touch on my shoulder and I jumped. It was Thomas. There was a very thickly built blond man standing beside him. I was caught off guard by his size. He was around the same height as Daniel, around six-four with a heavily pronounced chiseled facial structure. The squared jaw clenched as his eyes fell upon me. Daniel turned and instinctively took a step in front of me. I watched carefully as the blue eyes of this stranger sized me up. Daniel"s spine stiffened as he noticed the stranger"s interest.
“Daniel, I would like to introduce you to Holt Tanner. Holt will be your second in command. He is with the Assembly.” Thomas turned to the blond man. “Holt, this is Daniel, my son, and his fiancée, Julie Knight. They are to be married in a couple of weeks.”
Holt stepped forward and offered his hand to me. “Julie, it is nice to meet you.
We"ve heard wonderful things about you, even in my part of the country.”
I reached around Daniel and took Holt"s hand. “And what part of the country would that be?”
“Washington State.” His attention immediately went to Daniel. “Your news also has traveled very far. I hear your research has been ground breaking.”
“Well, I do my best.” Daniel replied as he shook the man"s hand.
Thomas cleared his throat. “Holt has been informed of the situation with the werewolves and these Dark Wolves. We are ready to begin cleaning house when you are. I would like to discuss the plan of action with you.”
“Of course.” Daniel turned to me. “Julie could you…”
I nodded. My feelings were kept intact. I knew it was a man thing. Politely, I excused myself to allow the men their privacy as I mingled through the crowd. My stomach growled, which told me it was time I had something to eat. I inhaled the scents in the room. It was good to be a Lycan. Every scent of food in the room was clearly identified. I nodded for a server, who apparently had a nice tray of tiny meat sandwiches. She arrived and held the tray for me as I greedily grabbed two of the tiny sandwiches, and popped one at a time in my mouth. I was starving. I hoped Daniel didn"t stay too long tonight. The expensive finger food wasn"t going to stop the hunger pangs that were overwhelming me. I wanted meat, lots of meat. Real meat. A plate full of meat. Mouthwatering meat. My stomach growled loudly again. I turned and grabbed another appetizer from the next waitress who passed by.
As I was taking a sip of my champagne, Daniel"s warm hand touched the small of my back as he handed me one of those finger sandwiches.
“I could hear your stomach from across the room. If you are ready, we can leave if you want.”
“Daniel, I need some real food. I"m starving.” I pressed my hand on my stomach as it loudly growled again.
“I know you are. We should get you home before that thing jumps out and grabs someone.” He chuckled softly.
At this point, a small animal might do. Daniel and I both raised our eyebrows as the thought crossed my mind.
“Oh, no you don"t! I have plans tonight and you are going to be a good little wolf girl. We have plenty of meat in the house to keep you busy. I think I stocked the freezer with half of a cow last week.” He mused.
I laughed out loud as Daniel led me back through the crowd. We chatted briefly, saying our hellos and goodbyes. My stomach remained silent for a few moments until we made it to the front door. Another growl erupted so loudly the butler gave me a curious look. Daniel took advantage of the moment to inform him that I may have him for dinner, if he didn"t find our coats in a hurry. I think Daniel must have scared the poor man to death, because he was back within a few seconds with our coats.
On the way back to our house, Daniel explained to me that I was to stay home tonight. Holt was going to be my guard dog until Daniel returned from the run with the Assembly. I wasn"t sure I like the idea of having a guard dog. Daniel didn"t want to take any unnecessary chances that Richard would return when he wasn"t there.
After Daniel dropped me off, I noticed another car pulling up behind us. It was Holt. Great, a guard dog that drove a blue BMW. Nice car, I admired. It was one of those new sportier models with all the sensor controls. At least he wasn"t going to stay inside the house with me.
Daniel walked me to the front door, and gave me a quick kiss. “I won"t be gone long. Lock the doors. Holt will be outside. You should be safe.”
“Daniel, does he know what he"s protecting me from?” I asked softly, peering past his shoulder as the stout man stepped out of his fancy new sports car.
Daniel turned back to look at him. “Yes. He has had a few run-ins with vampires.
He knows how to kill them.”
“Kill them!” I shot out.
Daniel turned to me. “I am just kidding, Julie. Besides he is the best protection I can provide to you while I am out there in the middle of a bunch of werewolves. Please just do not worry.”
My disapproval was met by another kiss as I entered the house. Daniel waited until I locked the door before he turned around and headed back to his car. I set the alarm and headed to the kitchen.
After stuffing myself with everything I could get my hands on, I was finally full.
My stomach was quiet and happy. Well, for a few minutes anyway. I placed my hand on my chest. The tight feeling of gas welled inside threatening to erupt. I pounded my chest for relief as the bubble of gas escaped through my mouth. My eyebrows rose. What a manly belch. I hurried up the stairs to take something, and then retire to bed. I felt like an overstuffed turkey at this point. Just like the wolf I was, a full stomach and I was already beginning to feel the effects of sleep taking over me.
After preparing myself for bed, I slipped under the covers and fluffed my pillow.
Sleep would come on swift wings. I knew Daniel would be fine with a group of Lycans at his side. I, on the other hand, felt somewhat safe with Holt on duty. My eyes closed as I drifted away on the soft pillows.
Where the dream began, I don"t know. My surroundings told me I was in a thick wooded area. The full moon brilliantly illuminated the darkness of the forest. I was in my wolf form, moving through the woods. The smell of water was in the air. I moved cautiously toward the smell. The sound of the water trailed in the night as I listened intently.
The smell of the water drew a thirst inside of me. The river was just ahead. I licked my tongue over my lips, anticipating the taste of the cool river water. Only a few feet away from me, I could hear it. I moved along side of the stream. There it was. Cool and refreshing. I peered over into the running water. The reflection of the moon danced on the surface. The sound of the gentle flowing river moved slowly down stream. Then there was the wolf. I moved back suddenly, startled as the wolf moved back as well. It was right behind me. I turned. No one.
I turned back again and peered into the water. There it was again. I realized it was my own reflection in the water, the shadowy reflection of a black wolf. Its large size and dainty head watched me
cautiously. The ears of the wolf perked forward as I watched with curiosity. Almost in a playful way, my ears flickered as I let out a small laugh. The laugh came out as a small bark. Yes, this was me. I leaned closer and lapped generously, allowing the coolness of the water to flow over my tongue. My eyes closed tightly as I drank my fill, attempting to cool my thirst. But the cool water didn"t quench the burning in the back of my throat.
A twig cracked in the distance. I jumped. The remaining water ran down the sides of my jowls as I stood in a frozen state. I held my breath and listened, focusing my hearing to determine the direction of the sound; another sound of leaves rustling in the distance. My attention snapped to the right of me. Whatever it was, it was moving slowly. I lifted my head in the air and inhaled a quick breath. Hundreds of woodland scents encumbered me, exhilarating my senses all at once. The strong scent of another animal caught my attention. I couldn"t determine whether it was friend or foe. The smell was not recognizable. Another crackling noise, and I jumped again. The sound was closer than before.
The thick green brush moved. The foliage parted slowly as another wolf pushed its way through the thick brush. It was a black wolf. Its yellow eyes locked onto me. The scent was strong and woodsy. I sniffed the air again, the strong smell of spicy male musk tingled my nostrils. Immediately, I knew it was an Alpha male. He lowered his head as he moved slowly toward me. I took a step back. The natural instinct to lie down and expose my bare belly swept over me. The thought soon changed as a growl erupted from his chest. Before I had a chance to return the growl, the wolf bolted forward in a run. Every muscle tightened in his body, flexing as it galloped toward me at full speed. I couldn"t move fast enough. My eyes widened as his body leaped into the air. My chest dropped to the ground, preparing for his pounce when his body flew over mine. A loud thud, then growls and snarls erupted loudly behind me.
I turned abruptly. The black wolf was locked into a battle with another wolf, a Lycan. From that point, I couldn"t tell who was who. Both were large and moved around one another, rising up and down on their hind legs. Teeth snapped ferociously into one another"s faces. The two wolves dropped back down on the ground and the attack continued. Deep, menacing throaty rumbles barreled from their chests. Chills ran over me as I heard the gnashing of teeth and the high to low pitch snarls and growls continued. I knew one thing; I needed to run. I didn"t want to be here when the battle ended. I made my retreat through the woods, my tail tucked firmly between my legs.
There was only a short distance gained, before I ran into a pack of large black wolves grouped together in a circle. Dark Wolves, I presumed, and too many of them for my taste. If they decided to attack then I was in trouble. They saw me, and it took only a second before they bolted toward me. I turned and broke into a run, running as fast as I could. My feet pounded against the ground as I moved, giving me the distance I needed to survive. I needed to find another way around them. My muscles stung and burned from the distance I ran. My tongue lagged from my mouth; I was exhausted. They were still on my trail. I could run no more. A few more steps and I collapsed on the ground.
Confusion surrounded me, and my mind was at a loss. I heard the pack as their ear piercing high-pitched howls barreled out in the distance. My body trembled then jerked, I was changing forms. There I remained, lying still on the cold wet ground as a human. The howls pierced through the night again. Something or someone had grabbed my body. Was death certain?
“Julie!” the voice shouted. Was I still dreaming? There was no one around. “Julie!”
Suddenly, I felt my body trembling.
My eyes flew opened. It was still night. I inhaled a deep breath. It was Daniel. I was fully awake from his warm spicy sent as he leaned over me.
“What on earth was it this time?”
I tried to focus on his face. “Was I screaming?”
“No, you were just breathing heavily; panting actually.” He smirked with a grin.
“Were you having a naughty dream?” he purred.
A grin crossed my lips. “It depends on what you call naughty.” I paused, remembering he had just returned from his run. “You"re back. How was your run?”
“We will talk about that later. I guess…” he inhaled a deep breath, allowing the air from his lungs to come out in a low growl. “I guess, I could find out the hard way. ” He whispered against my neck. His lips pressed into a kiss. Slowly his mouth opened on my throat, teasing my skin with soft nibbles and kisses.
Fire welled in my veins. My breath came out in a pant. Daniel chuckled softly against my neck. His lips met mine, gently grazing over them. The warm spicy scent grew stronger, captivating me, drawing me to him. The scent lingered in my mouth and the warmth of his tongue teased mine. Taunted and played with me until my world slipped away as I gave in to the kiss. The pulse in my fiery veins raced. My breath caught in my throat. A soft growl rumbled in his chest as his mouth pressed harder against mine.
Neither of us was prepared for what came next. As I threw myself into the kiss, Daniel leaned in, taking over and consuming me. His hand grabbed at my leg, moving me underneath him. The passionate kiss came to a halt. Daniel"s lips moved to the sweet spot again. He nipped and bit softly at the sensitive spot until a soft moan escaped me.
He inhaled a slow breath. My blood pounded against every vein in my body. In a swift motion, he pulled my nightshirt over my head and gave it a toss to the side. After that, I was in such a heated rage, our clothes scattered in different directions.
My eyes were already wide with excitement, probably black in color as I watched in desperation as his lean body hovered over me. My body felt the increasing need to be satisfied by him. This time I was the aggressor. I wanted Daniel more than ever. I grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him over on his back. In the dim light of the room, he smiled broadly. He appeared to be a little amused by my advances as I nipped at his chest. My fingers traced over the rippled muscles, slowly letting my fingernails graze his skin. The quivers of his stomach against the tips of my fingers satisfied me. Yes, Daniel was all mine. My teeth grazed over his hard nipples. A moan escaped his mouth, followed by a somewhat throaty growl. He had no idea of what I wanted to do to him. I was in the mood to experiment. I had only one hope that I could control my rage, if it came to that. My fingernails grazed down his side as my tongue trailed down his smooth and tight stomach. Softly I nipped and bit at his flesh. To my satisfaction, the moans and breaths that gasped from him excited me even the more.
My fingers gently clasped around his hardness. Daniel was very ample in size, much to my pleasure. I teased and taunted him until he could take no more. Without any warning, Daniel moved quickly. His hands gripped my shoulders as he threw me on my back.
A growl rumbled from his throat. His mouth moved to mine again. Slowly his lips trailed down to my breasts, nipping at them tenderly. I cried out as he pulled them into his mouth. His lips moved from my chest, leaving a trail of steamy kisses down the length of my stomach.
Daniel paused. His eyes lifted to mine. He was so damn handsome. The deep desire I saw in those beautiful eyes could never compare to anyone else. It was his desire to please. My breath caught in my throat. I heard his thoughts clearly. I shuddered. Slowly his hands slid around my thighs. My breath had escaped me. Ragged. My heart pounded loudly. Shivers ran uncontrollably through me as I felt his mouth, then the warmth of his tongue inside of me.
I grabbed a pillow and pressed it over my face. Almost embarrassed by my reactions to him, I cried out into the pillow. My teeth ached in my mouth. My canines had emerged slightly. Control. Get control of it. I held the pillow tight against my face, attempting to cover the whimpers and cries that followed. Suddenly, Daniel ripped the pillow from me. Feathers went everywhere. His mouth pressed against mine. The kiss was feverish and hungry. I wondered if Daniel was going to devour me in his haste. In one easy, gentle motion, long and hard he entered me. My fingernails plunged into his back, drawing blood. Every smooth and gentle stroke brought me
into a torment of blissful pleasure. I wanted more. My back arched, as I gave in to every inch of him. Soon I was matching him stroke for stroke. The whimpers and cries streamed out of my mouth as I pleaded and begged him for more. His hand slid under my knee, resting it on the center of his arm. His body leaned into mine as he drove deeper into my very existence.
Pants raced out of me. My world faded from the tension that had built, forcing us to a higher level of pleasure. My body tensed, my fingers gripped his arms tightly, digging deeper into his muscles. Daniel"s body tensed and I trembled as he soon followed. The wave continued until we both came violently.
Daniel moved his body from mine. He reached down and pulled the bed covers over us. I was too weak to move. Weak from fighting the rage inside me and yet Daniel and I had never experienced a bliss like this before. I wondered what had happened to us to cause such a change.
Daniel pulled me into his warm muscular arms. He pressed a kissed on top of my head and then chuckled softly. I frowned slightly, wondering what he thought was so funny, as if I didn"t already know. He was elated, glowing with the pleasure of the blissful moment.
“Daniel?” I began softly. “Something has changed with us.”
His lips pressed gently against my shoulder. “I have noticed it too. Something is happening.”
“I wonder what it is.”
“Whatever it is, do not worry over it. We will know soon enough.”
“Yes, you"re always right.” I pressed my head against his chest, nuzzling closer to him.
Daniel had exhausted me, totally, and I paused to fully enjoy the moment. I smiled to myself as I heard him softly snoring. Well, if there was one way to put him to sleep, this was it. Tomorrow, I would ask him again about his run tonight. For now, I would let him rest. My eyes closed. I drifted off again, hoping no more dreams were going to present themselves to me. At least, not tonight.
CHAPTER SIX
Lazily, my arms reached over my head as I stretched my sleepy body. It was a typical Monday morning. The aroma of fresh coffee brewing swathed my senses. I had the overwhelming urge to roll over and cuddle against the pillow, just to enjoy a few more precious moments before my day started. The smell of fresh coffee evoked my senses again. Calling to me; drawing me from my warm place of rest. With a sigh, I climbed out of the bed and made my way down the stairs, following the delicious aroma.
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