Bitter Black Kiss

by Clay, Michelle

  Aaron shot her an incredulous glance. “I know that, but Dave doesn’t.”

  The nose of the car dipped into a deep washout. Nicole’s teeth snapped together. “Sean’s an even bigger asshole than you are.”

  He returned his attention to the path ahead.

  Nicole tried to think of another way inside his head. “Why were you following me? Did you really want to make things right between us?” The idea revolted her, but she laid a hand on his arm. Her fingers brushed the skin just below the hem of his sleeve.

  Aaron’s laugh was cold and left a twinge of dread within her. “Not anymore. Tell me, why would I want you back when everyone else has had you? You’re a whore, Nicky.”

  “But you came looking for me.” Her hand fell away.

  “Sean asked me to mess with your head. It sounded like fun.” Aaron grinned. “Plus, he pays well.”

  The road, if you could call it that, became impassable. Other cars were parked by the sandy, rocky pathway. The murmur of many voices rose above the crash of waves.

  Aaron killed the engine. “We’ll have to walk from here. Don’t try anything, I will knock your ass out again.”

  He reached across and cupped her chin. His fingers tightened and forced her to make a kissy-face. Aaron’s free hand withdrew a syringe of clear liquid. He squirted away the air bubble.

  Nicole grunted and slapped at his hands. If she could just knock the syringe away… His fingers tightened, forcing tears from her eyes. He’d probably break her jaw just for the fun of it.

  She winced as the needle slid into her skin. The ooze of liquid ran through her veins then turned fiery-hot the next instant. She squirmed against the seat and tried to jerk her face from his grasp. He took the opportunity to get out of the car while she was dazed.

  Nicole grasped the syringe that still hung from her arm and slung it to the floorboard. There was nothing left in the cylinder. A woozy, euphoric wave of adrenaline vibrated through her. She stumbled from the car. All senses were hyper-aware of her surroundings.

  Aaron was a few feet away, watching.

  “What was that?”

  He joined her and wrapped a rough hand around her upper arm. “A special cocktail I make for bitches like you. Come on, let’s get a move on. We’re a few minutes late.”

  He yanked her forward. She stiffened her legs and refused to move. The idea that her senses were awakened empowered her. The roof of her mouth might explode. A sharp twinge of pain rocked down her spine and made her knees quiver.

  Something snapped within Nicole. Her body shuddered and she sucked in a sharp gasp. The changes inside her forced her onto the ground. Aaron yanked her back up.

  She jabbed him in the ribs then wheeled to run toward the car. He was on her in a matter of seconds.

  Aaron dragged her past a ledge of rocks, toward a group of people gathered on the beach. “It’s no use, Nicky, you can’t fight it. Just let it do its thing. It’s a lot easier that way.”

  “What do you hope to gain from this?” Nicole demanded.

  He glared at her then gave her another shove. “Let’s go.”

  “Sean will throw you out with the trash,” Nicole informed him. “That’s what he does with garbage once he’s done with it.”

  Aaron said nothing. He merely gave her another shove to force her to move.

  They maneuvered through thirty to forty people, all of which were focused on something at the head of the group. There was a mix of men and women, young and old. They were in various stages of undress. Some were unclothed while others wore only their underwear. A few curious glances followed her and Aaron’s progression toward the front of the pack. Their lips curled or they scented the air with twitching noses.

  Being this close to a pack of werewolves frightened Nicole. The changes that took place within her might trigger a response from them. She spotted Sean and the man he’d talked to in his office. They stood inches from each other, in mostly human form.

  “He’s the Alpha?”

  “Not for much longer.” Aaron gave Nicole a less than gentle shove. She stumbled forward and fell to her knees in front of the two men. Both peered down at her. Surprise flitted across Sean’s face.

  “What the hell?” Sean’s gaze slid in her direction.

  Dave grinned. “If you’re going to make a play for the title, you’re bitch ought to be here.”

  Nicole’s fists curled in the damp sand as the nails grew into claws. Fine blonde hair sprouted across her arms. Her nose reshaped itself into a snout, forcing her to gasp for breath. Her ribs cracked and popped, an iron band around her chest couldn’t have hurt more. She tried to focus on anything but the pain as she struggled to her feet.

  Someone to her left grabbed her arm and yanked her closer. A fat man smelled her hair and tried to kiss her. She shrugged him away only to be grabbed by another. This one wasn’t as polite. The man grabbed the front of her shirt and ripped it open. Buttons littered the sand around their feet.

  Nicole growled then shoved him away. The crowd was fidgety, anxious to get the night’s festivities underway.

  A shadow of concern briefly darkened Sean’s face, but was replaced by a mask of calm indifference.

  Dave puffed his chest out in triumph. “Aaron mixed up something special for her.”

  Sean glanced at her, but refused to allow his eyes to meet hers. He would allow them to do whatever they wanted. He’d told her nothing would get in the way of the title of Alpha. She believed he meant it.

  Nicole struggled to pay attention to their words. The fact that the crowd had inched closer, that Tony and Aaron were a whisper away, forced her to move. To run would be a mistake, they’d follow en masse. She was as sure of this as she was anything.

  She wrapped her arms around her middle and gasped. Her ribcage moved beneath her fingers, the bones reassembled and formed something new. Searing pain shot through her sternum. If she was lucky, maybe she’d pass out again and wouldn’t have to feel the changes her body was going through.

  Dave watched Nicole with interest. His nostrils flared and he struggled to pull his attention away. “That’s right. Did you forget Aaron is a janitor at Pharm-lab? He found this combination made a powerful aphrodisiac. I believe he uses it on all his dates.”

  The corners of Sean’s mouth turned downward. “You gave her BST laced with wolf pheromones?”

  Nicole took a step toward Sean. The idea of owing him a favor repulsed her, yet stiff legs carried her in his direction. “Sean?”

  Tony moved into her line of sight. His one-eyed stare was trained on her with growing interest. Other parts of his anatomy grew too.

  “Fuck off!” Nicole shoved him away. He stumbled, but didn’t fall.

  A man who looked like a younger version of Dave slunk toward her. His hand twined in her hair. He took in her scent and groaned with approval. The tip of his pink tongue caressed the curve of her jaw.

  One lithe, brunette pushed through the group of men. Her face twisted into a scowl and she yelled over the voices and growls. “She’s not even part of this pack!”

  “Who cares? She’s ripe for the taking. She’s begging for it.” Dave’s brother stroked a hand down her back. The other circled one of her wrists.

  Nicole snarled and slashed her claws at him.

  The strange sensation of fur sprouting across her back forced her to shudder. Tony moved closer and stripped off his jacket. The woman who had moved from the group had dropped her skirt. A naked man walked toward her, his erect penis bobbed in front of him. A shiver ran up Nicole’s spine. It was about to begin and she was outnumbered.

  “You could end this now.” Dave sneered at Sean. “You can take your mate and walk away.”

  Sean looked at her, an expression of confusion and anger on his face.

  She sucked in a shaky breath. She’d never been more scared in all her life. The idea of all these people screwing her until she was nothing but a raw mess disgusted her.

  Those around her lifted thei
r heads and sniffed at the air. A chorus of approval rang out. It reminded Nicole of dogs smelling a bitch in heat.

  Nicole wanted—no, needed—to stop this now. She had to find a way to turn off her body’s single-minded determination to be in wolf form.

  “Sean, please...” She reached for him, but she was jerked backward into the crowd.

  More hands groped her, each touch more demanding than the last. Fingers trailed through her hair. Someone’s tongue ran up the back of her calf. Another grabbed hold of her ass. The rest of the crowd surged forward, but still hadn’t touched. They looked at Dave, eager for the go-ahead.

  Someone squeezed her breasts through the fabric. She landed a kick to his shin. He snapped at her with teeth that were still human. Nicole snapped back and clamped teeth onto his arm.

  The shock of blood in her mouth forced her to let go and she staggered backward. His own surprise sent him back into the crowd. She brought a hand to her mouth and wiped it away. But, God it had tasted good. Her body bucked, bent her at the waist. Something terrible was happening. The blood had triggered the primal instincts within her. Desires arose that had nothing to do with sex. She wanted to hunt, to tear her attackers from limb to limb, to make them bleed. Someone’s hands closed around her upper arm and spun her around. A growl rattled up her throat.

  Sean pulled her against him. His mouth closed over hers. It didn’t seem to make any difference to him that she was in between forms.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Brody moved with stealth and silence past the rocky cliff. He drew closer to the group of revelers and the breath stilled in his lungs. He caught a glimpse of Nicole half phased and scuffling with the front of the crowd. Dave stood to the side, looking pleased with himself. Stone pulled Nicole toward him. He kissed her then shoved her aside. Disgust warped his features.

  “Nice try, Dave.” Stone’s voice was thick and Brody was unsure whether it was from repulsion or lust. “The title of Alpha is more important than this whore.”

  Nicole was pulled into the horde. Hands touched her, caressed and stroked her. She scrambled backward and they followed.

  “Stop!” Fear and anger stained her face. Her body continued to twist and jerk.

  Hands groped at her breasts and exposed one. Someone else tugged the waistband of her jeans, eager to get inside. The man who stood at her right went through Lycanthropic transformation.

  Dave’s expression darkened. “She’s in heat. Whoever catches her, however many catch her, will have their way with her. Unless you forfeit. Give me the win and the two of you can walk away. The choice is yours, Stone.”

  Stone turned away. “I don’t give a damn about her.”

  Hands were all over Nicole, pulling her further into the crowd. Brody couldn’t tell if she was struggling to get away or trying to suppress the desires growing within her. She cried out, the sound of despair calling to his inner beast.

  Brody descended the rocky ledge and made his way toward the group. He pushed past the onlookers who weren’t certain of what had happened at the front. They pushed and shoved, eager to see what was going on. Their murmured confusion and their anxiety to get the fight started worried him. They were ready to riot. Frankly, he didn’t give a damn what they did after he got Nicole away from here.

  Stone’s nimble fingers unbuttoned his dress shirt. The material flapped around his body in the slight breeze. Dave shrugged out of his own shirt, but his movements were slow and Brody feared he’d already given up. He continued to push and shove his way through the mass of bodies.

  “Brody!” someone called his name.

  Furry ears twitched as he plodded onward. In the past, Dave had sent a few of the pack females to persuade him to join. He’d enjoyed the persuasion, but they’d had no luck convincing him. A few of the others murmured his name with hope. Were they that desperate for a new leader?

  Dave’s brother, Mike, cupped Nicole’s chin. His tongue ran down her smooth cheek and she tried to bite him. Brody jerked up onto two legs. His heavy hand fell onto Mike’s shoulder and yanked him away. He palmed the face of another. Little by little, the group backed off.

  Brody grasped Nicole’s hand and pulled her to him. Her fingers entwined with his and a soft sigh of relief escaped her.

  Mike pushed past Aaron and Tony in order to halt Brody’s progress. His eyes glided over the split seams of Nicole's jeans leg before he managed to look Brody in the eye. “Brody…”

  There were so many questions in that one word. Brody groaned. Mike was under the delusion that he’d shown up to bail Dave out of the mess he’d gotten himself into.

  He and Nicole pushed past and came to a stop in front of the two men at the front. Dave’s face split into a grin, but it melted away. Stone wore a smile too. He didn’t understand why Stone was so happy.

  Dave looked bewildered and hopeful at the same time. “Have you come to challenge me?”

  Brody gripped Nicole tighter. He growled at anyone who dared get close. She was in heat. He could smell it on her like a cheap perfume. She was drowning in it and it drove him mad. A number of the males were well aware of this too. She would’ve been in deep shit if he hadn’t shown up. She might still be if they didn’t get out of there fast.

  Nicole stumbled away from him, toward Stone. Her arm lashed out and a slap landed on Stone’s clean shaven face. His head rocked to the side and he cupped a hand to his cheek. Surprise saturated his features.

  Nicole drew herself up. “You were going to let them have me?”

  Brody yanked Nicole back to him. There was no reason to incite Stone or the others. The more emotive she was, the thicker the cloying scent of pheromones became. The closest males shuddered with desire. Dave looked on with interest. Sean might try to hide any lust he experienced, but Brody could see it shining in his eyes and in his stiff posture.

  While their backs were turned, the group of Lycans edged closer. He could identify Tony and Aaron by smell. They closed in, ready for a confrontation.

  Nicole’s sinful body molded against his. An involuntary whine rattled up his throat. Her hand gripped his arm and sent another wave of yearning through him. It was all he could do to keep from mounting her right there. He struggled to ignore the pheromones that burned into his senses. With great effort, he managed to focus his attention on Dave and Stone again.

  "I had to bring his girl." Dave couldn’t meet Brody’s murderous glare. “I didn’t think you’d show.”

  Brody’s ears stood erect and he bared teeth in warning. So it was Dave who had brought Nicole here and drugged her? He lurched forward and Nicole was dragged along with him.

  There was fear in Dave’s dark eyes. He hunched his shoulders in a display of submission. Brody took another step toward him, a rumbling snarl bubbled up from his throat. He left Nicole alone for a moment. The pack inched closer in his absence.

  “What are you doing?” Dave demanded. His worried gaze darted from him and back to the crowd, but it looked like he was more scared than concerned about their opinion. He probably just wanted to make it through the night.

  Stone laughed. “Have you come to challenge him, Brody?”

  Brody focused on Stone and deepened the growl. He wanted to tear them both apart. One question remained. Who should he start with?

  An outcry arose and Brody’s name was chanted throughout the crowd. Dave held up a hand in request of silence. It went unanswered.

  Stone laughed maniacally. “You’ve fucked yourself over Dave.”

  The current pack leader looked from Brody to Stone. Understanding reached him. His eyes were glassy and his mouth fell open in despair. “She’s your mate? I-I thought she was Stone's.”

  Brody’s ears snapped forward and he glared at both men.

  Stone sneered at him. “So what’s it going to be, Brody? Fight or fuck?”

  “Oh god, it hurts!” Nicole fell to her knees beside him. Her back bowed and the shirt split at the shoulders. She pitched forward on hands and knees, much to the
salivating male’s approval behind her. She tried to call his name again, but her words turned into a moan.

  Her face except for the muzzle and ears were still human. Shreds of fabric lay around her. Most people looked strange in this state, but not her. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. His tongue flicked over his teeth and he fought the urge to bend her over the closest rock, bite her neck and screw her.

  Someone at the back of the crowd howled. Nicole’s body bucked against his leg. She threw her head back and answered the call. Two, three, four more voices joined hers. She was a beautiful golden blonde wolf with blue eyes. Nicole tried to stand. She wobbled then decided to drop to all fours instead. The expression in her eyes showed the panic she felt.

  It shouldn’t happen like this. She should be shown how to transform properly, to do it in a safe environment and without drugs. To go through this with someone who loved her, someone who could soothe her through all of it. He should be her mentor, the one to nurture her and ease her into this new life. It was unfair for her to be forced like this. The idea of the drug being laced with something to arouse the pack’s sexual hunger pissed him off. Nicole aroused those desires naturally. She didn’t need an extra boost of chemicals to turn him on.

  Tony, who was now furry, lurched forward. He reached for Nicole with a gnarled hand. Brody turned to snap at him and caught Aaron’s movement out of the corner of his eye. The rest of the group was restless. While his attention had been stolen, more had morphed into wolf form. Aaron shoved his muzzle against Nicole’s underside. She yipped and backed away.

  While Dave’s interest was on the crowd, Stone shuddered and allowed his bones to slide in and out of shape. He dove at Dave, missed his throat and latched onto his shoulder instead. Dave scrambled away, but Stone followed. Dave had yet to fully shift and Brody knew his reign over the pack was finished.

  Brody pushed Nicole in the opposite direction. He hoped she would run for safety. He could not fend off the entire pack of males and there was no way she could do what they expected. To think of anyone but him mating with her enraged him and urged him onward. He snapped and bit at the wolves that got close. Dave’s younger brother, Mike, raced past to join the melee. He lashed out at Stone and even his own brother. Tonight hadn’t gone as anyone had planned.