Arms as round as some of the branches she'd just climbed caught her easily. "This one's a fighter," the man said, chuckling in a low, booming voice. He set her on her feet and she winced as sharp agony tore through her side. She clutched it with one arm, his large hand still wrapped around the other. She glared up at him, way up. Her jaw fell slack as she stared.
He was the largest man she'd ever seen, towering over her and three times as large. He had to have two hundred pounds and two feet on her easily. He smiled down at her, the corners of his black eyes crinkling, but his gaze held no warmth, just cold humor at her helplessness.
Black waves fell over his forehead as he gazed down at her. "Leroy," he called. "Take her back to the village. The rest of us need to hunt. We’ll be back in the morning."
Another man stepped forward, taking her arms as she was shoved toward him. He turned her and she caught sight of the large man shrinking...until an enormous black wolf stood in his place.
The pack didn't hesitate as they followed their leader away deeper into the woods as Leroy pulled her along in the other direction. She followed in silence, having no interest in speaking to her captor.
They reached the village in less than an hour. It was small and primitive. Nothing like the luxuriousness of the mansion she grew up in. Small, wooden houses were scattered within a few hundred yards of one another. Dirt paths ran between them. A few small buildings stood on the edge of the village, and a large ring of rocks were placed in the center with a pile of logs and branches inside. She could see several women flitting in and out of the houses, carrying crude dinnerware and clothing.
Leroy lead her through the village, throwing her inside a small shed.
"In here," he snapped at her before shutting the door. The lock clicked, confirming her imprisonment. She darted over to the small window, clawing at it to get it open. But the damn thing wouldn’t budge. It was locked tight. Stupid thing was too small to climb through anyway, so she didn’t know why she’d bothered, giving herself a few splinters in the process. She cursed loudly.
Someone gasped behind her, making her spin on her heel. She squinted in the dimly-lit room, spotting another woman, not much older than herself by the looks of her, crouched in the far corner of the room.
Nessie kept her distance, watching the woman with a wary eye. But she simply stayed in her corner, shaking like a leaf with her hands over her ears. Nessie’s chest twisted with pity as she realized the poor thing was probably another slave. And one who had been through way too much. Her long, red hair was in a wild tangle around her slender face, which was smudged with dirt and other bright colors. That was when Nessie noticed the large mural on the wall behind the woman.
“Did you paint that?” Nessie asked as she admired the painting of a field of bright wild flowers. When the woman didn’t answer, Nessie took a step towards her. Instantly, the woman’s body shook harder and she clenched her bright, green eyes shut. Okay. Keep my distance, then. Nessie backed up, sliding down the opposite wall and taking a seat.
“It’s a beautiful painting,” Nessie continued in a soft voice.
She spent the next hour trying to coax the woman into a conversation. But she wouldn’t cooperate, her lips clamped shut tight as a fist. Finally, Nessie huffed in defeat and curled into a ball on the floor, hoping, praying, to someone, anyone who would listen, that she wouldn’t end up like the poor woman across the room.
***
"C'mon, girl. Up!"
Her eyes snapped open, and she blinked away the blurriness as a hand hoisted her up from the floor. Leroy was back and dragging her out of the room. She glanced back in time to catch a tear falling from the woman’s eyes, watching as Nessie was dragged from the room.
"C'mon, move it!" he snapped as he tightened his grip. She sped up trying to keep up with him. The cold night air had bumps breaking out over her skin. A large fire blazed in the stone circle with a crowd standing on one side. Mostly males stood huddled together, a few women and young boys dotted in between. The man pulled her around it and a large boulder came into view. The black wolf, now a giant man once again, stood atop it. His gaze found her for a second before he turned to whisper to the man beside him. A moment later, he turned back toward her and motioned her forward. Leroy led her up to him and forced her to stand in front of the giant as he surveyed her.
She narrowed her eyes on him as he inspected her, and his eyebrow quirked when he caught her gaze. The corners of his lips curved into a smirk. "This one has a stubborn streak in her," he said, humor dripping from his mouth. He watched her a few moments longer and then his arms crossed over his chest and his face grew serious. "Strip."
Her breath hitched and she blinked up at him. She must have heard him wrong, she told herself.
"You heard me, female. Strip, now." His face came down, making long journey down to just inches from her own. "Or I shall do it for you."
She took several steps back, but her body crashed into another man behind her. Her eyes darted around her, searching for a way out. She tried to run, but a man behind her caught her arm and held her tight. She would not strip! No way in hell would she do it willingly.
Her elbow slammed behind her, making contact with the man's stomach. Her hand followed suit, fist connecting with groin. She heard an ooof and a groan before the hand that gripped her arm released her. She turned on her heel, her knee coming up and smashing into his face. He reeled back. She made to run off the side of the boulder toward the woods, but those tree-trunk size arms enveloped around her, squeezing until she could just barely breathe. As her lungs started seizing painfully through her hyperventilating, she persisted her struggle.
"You were right, Jaxon. This one is a fighter." she heard Leroy say to the giant man. She couldn't stop a small smile from forming as she saw the man she had assaulted in her bid for freedom. His hand clutched his nose, which was gushing blood through his fingers. His eyes held murder as he glared at her.
Jaxon growled low. "She is strong for one so small." Her vision started to go fuzzy, and as much as she wanted to continue, her body weakened with lack of air and she felt herself slumping in his arms. He handed her off to Leroy. "Hold her still," he commanded.
Turning toward the crowd, he held his arms up and the chatter died. "Human female. Young, ripe, and a little feisty if that's your thing." She caught him winking at the crowd, and a few masculine chuckles rang out in return. "Any takers?" A dozen sets of eyes landed on her, scrutinizing her like a piece of livestock.
Facing her again, he shoved a finger at her. "Do not struggle again. Or you will regret it. I promise." His hands grasped the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head.
As she locked her gaze with his, he faded away. And Master stood before her. His cold, dead hands coming at her. To hold her still and drain her dry. Gasping, she tried to back away, but someone held her tight. She blinked, and Master was gone.
She could hear men shouting in the crowd, calling out bids, but she blocked them out. Their voices muted as Jaxon’s hands grasped the sides of her jeans. Her underwear slid down as he peeled them off her. She swung her foot up, slamming it against his chin. Her foot exploded in agony as his head jerked up.
He lowered his face, his eyes glowering with the promise of pain.
She forced a smile at him. "Sorry, muscle spasm," she said in the sweetest voice she could muster.
He stared at her a moment before his booming laugh rang out.
"Definitely a feisty one, Jaxon," the man behind her said.
Jaxon’s fingers reached behind her and found the clasps to her bra. Unsnapping them with his big, clumsy fingers took longer than he was willing to wait, and he ended up tearing the material off her instead. He gazed down at her, stepping back as his eyes roved over her naked body. Shaking inside, she lifted her chin and locked gazes with him. His lips curved into a grin. "Feisty, indeed," he rumbled, running his fingers over his five o-clock shadow as if mulling something over.
He turned around to
face the crowd again, holding a hand up. The males shouting bids fell silent instantly. He straightened himself to his full height, his barrel-sized chest heaving as he said, and “She is mine."
A rush of breath escaped her, her eyes scanning the crowd. But no one would dare challenge his claim on her.
He faced her again, white teeth gleaming as he spread his lips, his eyes locking onto hers. "And I will enjoy my prize now."
Oh, shit. She had a feeling she knew what he meant. And she prayed like hell she was wrong.
Her jaw clenched painfully as he took a single step toward her.
“Don’t touch me,” she spat at him. Her foot came up, but he anticipated it this time, his long fingers wrapping around her ankle. He jerked, the man behind her releasing her. She lost her balance and fell onto the boulder. Jaxon was on her in a moment, scooping her up and throwing her over his massive shoulders. The struggles she made did little to faze him and off the ground she found little leverage to use against him.
His fingers inched up her calf as he carried her away from the crowd and into the line of trees behind it. Her struggles intensified. “Get your hands off me!” she screamed as she slammed a fist onto his back.
He grunted, but chuckled a moment later. “I do love a challenge.” He tightened his grip on her, barely giving her room to wriggle, let alone fight back. After several minutes of him walking and her struggling with little effect, he finally set her on her feet, her back pressed against the trunk of a tree. But a moment later, her feet were off the ground again as he lifted her, forcing his thigh between her legs.
He snatched her wrists, holding them above her head as his face lowered toward her own. She turned away, his breath tickling her neck. She felt him readjusting, one large hand now holding both of her small wrists above her as his other hand came down and forced her face to turn back toward his own. His mouth pressed against hers, trying to force her lips open. She complied, her teeth chomping down as she tasted blood. And, oh, it tasted good. Vengeance, even this small act, was truly sweet.
He yelped at the pain, pulling his face back. His eyes glowed, a frightening gold as his bleeding lips curved into a grin. He leaned back in and she slammed her head against his, groaning in agony. Dots blanketed her vision. And she hoped she didn’t just give herself a concussion. Because this pig had a skull like a boulder.
And hands like giant sandpaper that slid over her skin, making it crawl. Oh, gods. Is this really happening? Her first intimate experience would be like this? What the fuck did the universe have against her?!
The sound of a zipper echoed through her ears like a cannon.
“Please,” she begged, opening her eyes still blurry from the impact. “I’m still a---“
But before she could finish the sentence a branch cracked above their heads. She could make out a dark-haired male leaping from the branches above them. He landed on Jaxon's back, his fangs sinking deep into the larger man’s jugular. His red eyes drew her gaze as her head lulled from the pain. Charlie? Oh, gods, please be Charlie!
Jaxon released her and she fell to the ground as he stumbled backward with Charlie still on his back. He roared and reached up to tear the vampire off him, but Charlie was too fast, ripping out a chunk of flesh before sinking his fangs into the other side of his neck and tearing through another couple of layers of flesh. When Charlie released him again, his fist smashed into Jaxon’s skull. The giant fell onto the ground, his hands clamping over the wounds at his neck. His eyes struggled to focus on Charlie standing over him.
She’d never seen Charlie look…like a true monster. His face was coated in blood from the nose down, some still sliding down his throat. His eyes glowed a bright red, even more terrifying than Jaxon’s had looked a moment ago. That frightening gaze snapped back to her, making her breath hitch.
He rushed over to her and she tried to scurry back, gasping as her head protested. Snatching her up from the cold ground, she wanted to gag at the traces of blood smearing onto her body as he raced away with her. But her body didn’t want to cooperate, her head falling back as the world went black.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
That fucking animal. He’d touched her. His her. The beast had actually tried to claim what was his. By force. It had brought out the monster within his own soul. That one that thirsted for blood and violence. His vision blanketed in raw, red rage before he struck the mongrel as he violated Nessie. The fact that he was the largest lycan Charlie had ever seen didn’t matter a bit. He had the element of surprise, and struck before the brute had a chance to shift. Watching the beast crumple beneath him brought a primal satisfaction, but one he couldn't revel in as his eyes found Nessie sprawled on the ground, gasping for breath.
He tried not to look at her body, stripped and bared for all to see, but he couldn't stop his eyes from taking in every sweet curve. Her ribs jutted out, though, making him curse himself to hell and back. Her need for food had slipped his mind. Having not eaten a morsel in a few centuries, it was no wonder. But that was no excuse. He had to do better. He would do better. For her.
He crossed paths with another mountain lion and a bear on his trek through the woods, but some fang-bearing and growls had them backing down. Taking a quick pit stop by a stream, he ripped off a piece of his shirt to clean the blood of his face. He tried to keep his eyes from wandering as he wiped blood off of Nessie’s skin. You don’t have time to ogle her right now, he told himself over and over. But each bead of shimmering water sliding across her skin drew his greedy gaze. Ogle her later, move now!
He scooped her up, noticing the nasty lump on her forehead starting to form, and headed on. He took shelter in yet another damp, dreary cave. These mountains were littered with them. One of the reasons he’d chosen this particular path.
Laying her down for a moment, he stripped his shirt off. He sat against the wall and pulled her unconscious body against his own, draping the shirt over her. Eventually, after watching her for a while, he drifted off himself, his dreams once again occupied by the woman in his arms.
***
Nessie sighed as she nestled closer to the source of heat that blanketed her. She hadn’t been this warm and cozy since snuggling between her parents as a child. She peeled her eyes open, but was greeted only by darkness. Shifting, she felt an arm draped over her, tightening and pulling her closer as she tried to nudge it off her. Images of Jaxon’s arms holding her still for his assault flashed through her mind and she scrambled to her feet. The cold air hit her like a knife, taking her breath away and clearing her foggy mind. Jaxon had been sprawled on the ground just before she’d blacked out.
“Nessie?”
A rush of relief swept through her as the familiar voice called out. She reached out in the darkness, her eyes adjusting slowly. “Charlie?”
“Nessie, you’re freezing —”
“You came back for me,” she whispered, stunned by how happy she sounded. His face slowly came into focus…along with the rest of him. Why didn’t he have a shirt on?
“I told you I would. Didn’t you believe me?”
His arms and chest flexed as he reached up and stroked her cheek. Don’t stare. Do not stare. She knew the man was attractive, but…whoa. Hello, gorgeous. Thank god she hadn’t seen him shirtless back when she’d actually crushed on him. She’d have been a goner for sure.
She cleared the lump from her throat and tried to sound indifferent. “I probably would’ve left you there.” Probably.
“Guess that just means I’m a better friend than you are, then.”
“Yeah, guess so.”
“Are you actually admitting that we’re friends now?” he jested, though there was a hint of surprise in his voice.
She shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Ahhh, sweet progress.”
She nudged him in the shoulder. “I said maybe, not yes.”
“Hey, that’s better than a no, am I right?”
She rolled her eyes at him. Smart ass.
“Look, as much
as I am thoroughly enjoying the view, you really should put my shirt back on before you freeze to death.”
Her hands slapped over her chest, skimming over her bared skin. Holy gods, she was still naked!
“Allow me,” Charlie whispered in her ear from behind, making her jump. How had he gotten behind her so fast? Oh, right. Vampire.
“Dammit, would you stop doing that!”
He chuckled. “Doing what? Dressing you? I wouldn’t mind if you stayed naked, but in this weather, I wouldn’t advise it.”
She whipped around to face him, accidentally brushing her nipples against his chest. They both sucked in a sharp breath and she took a hurried step back. Pleasure bolted through her, streaking straight to her core and taking the chill with it. Her body flushed with heat despite the piercing cold around her.
Snatching the shirt from him, she threw it over her shoulders fumbling with the buttons. Her frozen fingers didn’t seem to want to cooperate.
“Here, let me help.” His fingers, so warm, slid over hers before pushing her hands out of the way. She had the urge to slap his hands away, but the heat was too enticing to resist. And she really did want the shirt buttoned as soon as possible. “You know,” he whispered, breaking the silence, his voice cascading over her. The voice that meant his eyes were black. “This shirt isn’t going to keep your bottom half warm. Maybe I should give you the rest of my clothes, too.”
Breathe in. Breathe out. Nice and steady. Do not hyperventilate. Heat radiated from him as he lingered with each button. She wanted to bask in that warmth, melt into it, absorb as much as she could get her hands on. And nothing was stopping her, nothing but herself.
She raised her hand, skimming her palm across his knuckles. His fingers paused on the last button as she brushed up his arm, feeling his muscles flex beneath her fingers.
"Nessie..." he whispered in the dark.
"Shhh," she whispered. His feverish skin felt like he’d been dipped in sunshine, and as all that lean muscle slid beneath her touch, the last chill in her body vanished.
First Kiss of Freedom: A Vampire Shifter Hybrid Romance (The Whitemoon Warriors Series Book 1) Page 8
