Her moans made him feel alive, and so he urged her on, tongue and fingers working together in a fast rhythm that had her sobbing out his name and exploding for him. When she was down from her high, he worked her up again, making her climax for the second time until she was lax and loose. All this time, he’d been ignoring his own desire, which had now built up so high that he could have spontaneously convulsed with it and died a happy man. But she tugged him up insistently, and her hand wrapped around his cock, stroking him over and over until he was shaking.
He positioned his tip at her entrance. Then he slid in slowly, letting her adjust to his length, watching as her blue eyes flared until he was fully to the hilt. Then he was thrusting inside her, first in slow strokes then changing his angle and movement until her hands raked on his back and her legs wrapped around his hips. He pounded inside her with the need that was throbbing in him, and she moved her hips back and welcomed him, pulling him down for a kiss that left him breathless all over again. The wolf inside Dylan howled, and her panther purred in response. Unable to stop himself, he placed his mouth on her throat and sucked as he pistoned even faster.
Then his teeth pierced her skin, and blood flowed out. Her nail raked at his shoulder and drew blood out as well, and she placed her mouth there, a kiss as much as a drink.
He’d found his mate, and she’d found him.
He knew when she exploded again for him as her muscles clenched around him tight. He let her savor it, watching her face in her throes.
A few more thrusts, and he was following her into oblivion.
*****
She stayed with him for the rest of the night, giving and receiving more pleasure until they were both too tired to do so. When he woke up at dawn, she was still there, curled up against him and sleeping softly. He smiled and placed kisses on her hair and shoulder, watching as her eyes fluttered open and met his.
“I’m leaving in an hour,” was all he said.
The smile that was just spreading on her face slid off. She closed her eyes and held on tighter, and the unspoken emotion in them had him bracing for her answer.
When she opened her eyes, he breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’m coming with you.”
He kissed her again and savored her answer. Then he reluctantly let her go, knowing they had to get dressed.
They still had one obstacle to face.
In Brazil, at least.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Simon watched the scenario with equal parts fascination and horror—like a train that was coming full-force, beautiful but with a deadly speed, and you knew you couldn’t stop it no matter how you tried. This was certainly not something he’d expected when he woke up today, much less when they were just minutes away from leaving.
Dylan and Isabella were standing in front of Isaac. It was a sight that would have merited no second glance, if not for something different this time.
They were standing with their hands held.
Simon spared a glance at Robin, who looked just as horrified as him. She glanced at Isaac, then at the new couple, then back at Simon. Her hand shot out and clutched at his elbow.
“Maybe we should make a run for it before Hart kills us, too,” she muttered sorrowfully.
Simon shook his head. “Dylan will handle this.”
Whatever this was.
His sensitive ears picked up the words Dylan said in a low tone to Isaac, while his eyes watched Isaac for any change in reaction at all. It was obvious he’d already seen the hand holding and was displeased, even when their hands broke apart in the middle of Dylan’s speech. The speech itself held Simon’s attention, his eyes widening as he took in the words of his clan leader—or rather, the leader of the whole shifter community in general.
Holy shit.
“Oh, boy,” Robin said out loud, then clamped her mouth shut as she realized she’d spoken it out. So the witch was using her magic to listen, too. Simon tugged her in warning, and she flicked his arm in return.
Isaac’s face was a master of neutrality now, the displeased look gone. When Dylan finally finished, Isabella spoke out too, and told her brother that she was going with Dylan but would return to check up on the children they weren’t going to take with them.
And that was the exact moment Isaac’s face transformed.
“Battle to death,” Isaac growled, teeth growing and claws sharpening. “Now.”
Holy shit.
Simon was already there jogging forward, joining the group even when he wasn’t part of the conversation. He heard hissing behind him, then Robin calling out his name, but he ignored her. A few seconds later, he heard her cursing under her breath and following him. He kept ignoring her.
He had a leader to defend.
*****
Isabella turned as Simon was suddenly there, standing beside Dylan and looking like he was ready to defend and conquer. Robin stood beside him, her expression more reluctant than determined, but her hand sparking with her magic.
Oh, no. No kids. Isabella’s eyebrows rose at their stance that indicated they would be loyal to their leader until the very end—then she stepped forward, too, essentially blocking any attack Isaac would do.
Isaac snarled.
Isabella rolled her eyes, not necessarily scared of him. This was how her older brother dealt with his temper—by snarling it out and showing he was Alpha, as he was doing so now.
“Isabella…”
“I’m old enough to make this decision,” she told him firmly.
“And I think I’m old enough to defend myself,” Dylan said, bemused.
Isabella shot him a look, then turned back to her brother and placed a palm on his chest. “Isaac, I don’t want a battle. He didn’t betray anyone.”
“He betrayed my trust,” Isaac shot back.
“You still have my full support in all your endeavors,” Dylan promised, his tone now full of that brightness that he used to charm whoever he talked to. This time, Isabella glared at him. His dratted charm wasn’t helping at the moment. “I will not break your trust until you deem yourself untrustworthy.”
A muscle in Isaac’s jaw ticked. Isabella growled.
“Dylan…”
“Battle. Now,” Isaac repeated.
This was a mess. Her eyes met Robin’s, who had snuck forward too in little steps and was looking at her pointedly. Her hands were now full of sparks, and Isabella watched as she slowly let them flow to the floor, where they slithered and formed words.
Battle. Trust me.
Her eyes widened. They were gone when she blinked, and when she looked back up, she saw that the others were too busy staring each other off to notice it. So Isabella took the risk.
“Fine. Battle it is,” she announced.
Needless to say, it was enough to break them from their stare-off.
“The winner gets to do their wishes. And if no one wins, then my wishes are done.”
Isaac’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t protest. She glanced at Dylan, who was now nodding his head gravely.
“Let’s do it.”
*****
Robin was brilliant, and Isabella repeated her praise as they watched the ongoing battle happening in the clearing, with no crowd but her and the two teenagers. The witch had done a spell that prevented them from delivering the killing blow—and in doing so, had effectively altered the dynamics of the fight as the two men battled each other in human form and knocked each other out—over and over for hours on end until Simon complained that he was hungry and went off to get some food.
Two hours later—and ten hours of nonstop fighting—they both finally fell to the ground, with multiple injuries on their bodies and a look of weariness on their faces. Munching on a chip, Isabella strode towards them as casually as she could, where she looked down at Isaac with a sweet smile.
“Isaac, I told you already a hundred times before. I’m adult enough to make my own decisions and I’m making this one now. Understand?”
Isaac slumpe
d and nodded, still catching his breath.
She then turned to Dylan. “Still want to be my mate?”
Dylan grinned—a full-blown one that showed off his teeth, made his eyes twinkle and made her heart skip a beat. “Absolutely.”
“You’d better treat her right, Masters,” Isaac warned.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Dylan repeated.
Isabella grinned.
All was right in the world. For now.
THE END
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CHAPTER ONE
Valley Joy was the kind of sleepy town that didn’t really bring much excitement about, considering its main hobbies involved the following: too little population where everyone knew everyone, gossiping between neighbors being a common thing, and no fun places to go to at night.
Erik O’Riley wasn’t a fan of the first, because he couldn’t be as invisible as he wanted to be. Cities and crowds were much better for the likes of him, where he could move without too much detection.
He didn’t really like the second, because what if one of the neighbors found out his true nature by accident? It would be all over town in less than a day, and they’d probably hold pitchforks while demanding to burn him at the stake.
He definitely wasn’t a fan of the last because…well, where were you supposed to drink and pick up women willing to heat up the sheets with you?
But Erik had a job to do—and unfortunately, that job included going to Valley Joy.
It was late afternoon by the time he arrived in town, and he headed straight to the police station and looked for the town sheriff right off. Erik waited in the station’s tiny waiting room, trying to ignore the young blonde secretary gawking at him. He’d give it five hours, tops. He was pretty sure his appearance would be described a couple times over as gossip was passed around regarding the new neighbor.
Ten minutes later, he was ushered into the sheriff’s room and finally met the man.
John Malone was as robust as the day Erik had met him ten years ago in the city—but the man looked somewhat happier now, he had lost that sour expression he wore all the time. They exchanged pleasantries for a bit, with Erik politely asking about John’s family and kids. He didn’t miss the way the sheriff’s face lit up when he answered.
Then John got right down to business. Without preamble, he pulled out a folder and slid it on the desk towards Erik, who picked it up without a word and began reading. There were pictures along with the files of victims and the nature in which they died—each eerily similar, each more violent than the last.
John didn’t interrupt, waiting patiently and as still as a cat. It gave away his true nature, though no ordinary man would have figured it out.
When Erik was done, he looked John in the eye.
“So these happened in other towns?”
John nodded. “Neighboring towns. Started further away near the border and steadily drew closer. The last few victims were in the town nearest to ours, a week ago. Then it stopped.”
“Hmm. Did someone warn you? Gave you these reports?”
“The sheriff in the neighboring town did. We all look out for each other.”
Erik looked at the file again, his attention riveted on the bite marks of whatever was left of the victims. They were a combination of violet and black, with yellowish bubbles forming at the sides. Odd.
“Any clues as to what we’re after here?”
John shook his head. “It’s not a shifter. I can’t identify the marks.”
“Doesn’t look vampire, either,” Erik murmured.
“No. Can you stop this from happening in Valley Joy?”
“I’m the man for the job.”
“Great,” John said with a sigh. “I could help, but I want to keep up my human appearances and not disappear when we get victims. I need to reassure the townspeople with my presence.”
Erik nodded, opting not to say that a cat shifter wouldn’t be much help, anyway—not when the victims were torn apart like this. John went on to explain that the attackers didn’t stay in the same town for too long—either they got tired of staying in once place easily, or just didn’t want to draw too much attention.
When they were done discussing, they both stood up and shook hands.
“I’ll take care of this problem for you, Sheriff.”
That was, after all, what he came here for. Shifters like his kind were meant to protect—with the right incentive and motive.
“Great. Let me show you where you’ll live in the meantime. There is plenty of food and honey in stock.”
Wonderful. A sheriff after Erik’s heart.
The sheriff led the way out of his office. With one last glance at the folder, Erik followed.
*****
He hadn’t been lounging in his new house—a one-story suburban style place with a bedroom and the basic appliances needed—for more than an hour when he saw lights turn on at the house next door, and voices carrying through. He was standing in the kitchen, eating a juicy steak and contemplating dessert when his sensitive ears picked up the male and female tones.
Quietly, Erik moved towards the living room, not turning any of his own lights on. Through the window, he saw the man—an affable looking fellow who seemed to be trying his hardest to make the woman laugh. Erik noted that his tone was verging on desperate, and wondered how long until the woman cracked.
Erik couldn’t see the woman with the way the porch arch was blocking her from sight, but it was obvious from her tone that she was being painfully polite…and putting him in the friend zone. Erik couldn’t help his grin when the persistent date finally got the picture as she didn’t invite him inside for coffee and practically slammed the door in his face.
“Call me when you can!” the man shouted hopefully before dejectedly shuffling away.
Erik chuckled, then shook his head. He went back to the kitchen to take care of the dishes, the neighbor forgotten as he got lost in his own thoughts. It was too early to shift and scout the area, especially with someone his size—he would need to do that later when everyone was asleep. Valley Joy had lots of forest areas, but it would be best to start securing the houses nearby first before venturing there. In this case, he only had two neighbors in this particularly area, so that was going to be a cinch.
He placed the dishes in the dishwasher, then decided that dessert would be a good idea right now. A light turned on in front of the kitchen window beside his sink. Erik looked up.
He froze.
The polite woman from earlier was now in his field of vision—clearly so. She’d turned on the lights in her kitchen, where a wide window gave him a view of her going to the fridge to pour herself a glass of white wine.
But that wasn’t the only thing she was doing.
Erik watched as the woman drank the wine in one huge gulp, then took out the bottle again and started drinking from there. Two gulps, before she placed it back.
He watched as she began removing her dress, right there in plain view, shimmying it down until he was treated to the sight of creamy skin, a perky butt and a handful of breasts encased in tight, tight underwear. Her hands went to remove her hair from its chignon, and brown hair cascaded down her slender shoulders. He could see her face—not gorgeous, but arresting enough to catch his attention as he took in her long lashes and dark-colored eyes.
Pink lips made for kissing.
Then the woman turned around and bent over to pick up something she’d dropped.
And what had been passing interest for Erik suddenly shifted to full blown desire.
He imagined that ass on his hands, where he molded them as he pressed his front against her back and kissed that soft-looking spot at the nape of her neck. Then he imagined sucking on it before he turned her around to face him and kissed her mouth instead, her soft moan urging him on as
he began sliding her underwear off. Then his fingers would be there, slipping inside her. Then his fingers would be replaced by his cock as he thrust inside her wet heat…
The fantasy was so vivid, Erik had to take a physical step back as he felt his blood pound and his erection strain against his pants. Then he reined in his control, telling himself to get a grip. This wasn’t the time to be a horny bastard, not when he had a job to do.
But Jesus, it had been a few months since he’d last slept with a woman.
Still, this was wrong. He shouldn’t be peeping on an innocent woman, because that just made him an asshole.
He glanced through her kitchen once more, and to his relief, she was no longer there. But where were her curtains? Why were her windows all open?
And why the hell was she undressing just for anyone out there to see?
Arousal changed to irritation. Erik shook his head, deciding it was none of his business—for about five minutes.
What if her desperate date came back and did more than look?
Erik growled at the thought. Then he was marching out of his house and striding towards hers before he could even think about it.
Someone needed to be lectured about the importance of safety and not undressing for the world to see.
CHAPTER TWO
That had to be one of the worst dates of her life.
Charlotte tried not to let the frustration of the night get to her as she went to her bedroom to don a robe before going back to the kitchen. She took out ingredients from her cupboards, intent on baking some gooey brownies and drinking wine for the rest of the night.
The evening had started pretty well. George had been nice and well-educated, and they got along well chatting over dinner. But then he started to hint about after dinner, and maybe she’d have considered it—if he had allowed the first date to stay as it was and asked her out for a second one.
Mate Hunt: An Alpha Werewolf Romance Page 10
