“You need to go, Wen. I really can't help you now.”
“I disagree.”
She gaped at him.
“I need you to pull this off.”
“Are you insane?” She secured her towel a little more. “I don't have a death wish. We’ve had sex once. I can remove your scent if you get out of my way and let me in that shower.”
“No. This ghoul maker is dangerous, and so are those rogues he’s seeking shelter with, but I can handle them. I just need to get close enough to take them out. You can help me do that. I'll be the target they come after if shit hits the fan, not you.”
She shook her head, gazing at him with disbelief etched on her features. “I'm not talking about that. You want me to play lover to you as a cover to get in deep with those pricks, but that means we're going to have to keep having sex. I'm not naive, Wen. You have the urge to test a mating. I wish I could forget everything about my childhood but I was raised in your culture. Every time you touch me, that urge is going to grow stronger. Your scent on me will grow stronger too. Am I wrong?”
“No.” He wouldn't lie to her about that.
“And if I taste right to you, if you have those strong feelings, you're going to mate me. Period. Nature is going to bitch-slap you so hard, you won't have a choice. Am I wrong about that?”
He frowned, saying nothing.
“I'll take that for a no. You’re either damn sure I'm just going to be O positive with a little lack of iron in my bloodstream when you do bite me, or you already know someone else is your mate, so you feel safe enough to risk it. Which is the case?”
“I've never found someone else I wanted to test before. You're the only woman I've ever had feelings for.”
“That makes it worse. What if you bite me and it's instant insanity time?”
“Then I'll know you're my mate.”
“And what then? You'll find super VampLycan strength and be the first man ever to resist claiming a mate? Are you that delusional?”
He hesitated. “I'm sure I can control the urge to bite you. I also wouldn't be the first one to resist claiming a mate. It just doesn't happen often.”
“I've never heard of that.”
“You've been gone a long time and weren't privy to what was going on in other clans. Another VampLycan refused to claim a mostly human half-breed for his mate in Decker's clan. His love for her was strong enough to make sure she wasn't killed. Decker would have taken her out. Lorn knew it was a death sentence to his Kira if he made her his mate while Decker ruled.”
She studied him. “Do you love me, Wen?”
He drew in a deep breath and released it. “I always have, Gerri. You will never know how close I came to killing the humans you dated. I wanted to rip them to shreds every time I read about one in a report. I would never endanger your life by taking you as a mate. I know it would be a death sentence for you in the long run. My clan leader would accept it but my parents wouldn’t.”
“Then walk away. It's too risky.” She blinked rapidly. “Because I know I wouldn't be strong enough to say no if you asked me to go home with you.”
“I'd rather have this time than none at all.”
She glanced away and hugged her waist.
“We don't have forever, but I'll take whatever time I can get with you. The memories will be easier for you to live with than me.”
Gerri whipped her head up and peered at him. “How do you figure that?”
“You have a much shorter lifespan, G.L. You're going to haunt me long after you're gone.”
She closed her eyes and walked to him. “Goddamn you, Wen.”
“Is that a yes?” He hugged her around her middle. “Will you come with me until my mission is completed?”
“This is so damn stupid…but count me in. I'll regret it otherwise. I already do,” she admitted. “But I love you too.”
He lifted her, determined to carry her to bed and make love. This time he'd take it slower, with her facing him, and be more prepared for the way he was going to respond to her. He'd keep his skin or put on a muzzle if he needed to, just to keep from biting her.
But the way his chest tightened and how strong his urge was to claim her told Wen more than a blood test ever could. She was his mate.
Chapter Three
Gerri woke with a big, warm body curled around her back. Memory was instant. Wen's hand cupped one of her breasts, his leg wedged between hers while they’d slept. The feeling that woke her was his stiff cock lightly tapping against her ass. She bit her lip and lifted her head off his other arm, which pillowed it.
One glance at the clock and she clenched her teeth. Her shift had started three hours before. Her boss would be pissed enough to fire her. She’d also lost her chance at getting laundry done.
“Go back to sleep or I will fuck you again,” Wen rasped, his husky voice sexy.
“I'm going to be sore,” she admitted, feeling tenderness between her legs. “Human, remember?”
He adjusted his body a little on the bed and nuzzled her shoulder with his face. The kiss he placed there was open-mouthed and he raked his teeth gently against her skin. “Sorry. We had a lot of time to make up for. I could bleed for you.”
“No.” She hated the way his offer had her stomach knotting.
“You can take my blood. That's safe and it will heal you.”
“Pass. I'd rather feel a little pain than be hornier than hell. I know it's going to make me feel higher than a kite and give me an adrenaline rush, since I’m not hurt. Mom clued me in.”
He chuckled. “That's not a bad thing.”
She dropped her head back against his arm and closed her eyes. It was time to change the subject. “I'm shocked my phone isn't ringing. My boss should have called me.”
“I turned your phone off after you fell asleep.”
Anger surged. “You what?”
“You don't need that job. You're working for me now. I also returned the key to the old woman after you fell asleep, so she'd never miss it. I braced your door too. You should always put those bars across it. Some asshole could have gotten in the same way I did.”
“Don't say that about the job thing when we're naked. It sounds obscene.”
His hand on her breast gently squeezed. “You're worth every penny.”
She jabbed him in his ribs with her elbow. “Not funny.”
He laughed. “Was that supposed to hurt? It kind of tickled. You're going to have to work harder at it.”
She wiggled and turned, facing him. He straightened his legs to allow it and rolled over onto his back. His hair was messy from sleep and his usually harsh expression was soft from him just waking up. The sight of him stretched out on her bed with the sheet low on his hips killed her urge to slap him. She reached out instead and ran her fingertips over the muscles along his stomach.
“I thought you didn't want me to fuck you.” His hand gripped hers, stopping her from caressing him.
“Couldn't you have a pot belly?”
He grinned. “No.”
She studied his chest and muscled arms. “You're beautiful.”
“Couldn't you use the term studly or handsome?”
Gerri grinned. “I said I'd never sleep with a guy prettier than me. You blew that one out of the water.”
He suddenly rolled, knocking her flat on her back and coming down over her. He pushed up with his arms, lifting his chest away from hers. He lowered his gaze and licked his lips. “You're the pretty one, G.L. All soft curves.” He looked into her eyes, a glint of humor showing in his gaze. “You are a tiny powerhouse of sex appeal.”
“Tiny powerhouse?”
He braced his weight with one arm to free the other. He gripped her hip with one hand. “You're short but you've got the best ass and breasts I've ever seen. Spread your legs.”
“Anyone is short compared to you. And I want to but I'm really sore, Wen. We did it four times last night and you weren't exactly gentle those last two.”
He opene
d his mouth and his fangs slid down.
Gerri's heart pounded. “What are you doing? Put the pointy teeth away.”
It stunned her when he made sure she could see him bite his tongue. It had to hurt. Blood welled on both sides of it and he lowered himself. “Open to me.” His gaze fixed on her mouth.
“No.”
He released her hip and gently stroked her side. It tickled and she laughed. Wen's mouth covered hers and he instantly deepened the kiss. The taste of his blood mingled on her tongue. She tried to turn her head but he reached up and captured her chin to hold her face steady. He was too good at it, and she started to kiss him back.
She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. He adjusted his body, rising up a little. She spread her legs, knowing what he wanted when his stiff cock nudged her thigh. She was wet and ready as he slowly entered her. She moaned against his lips.
The blood worked fast. She'd forgotten about that. It made her a little lightheaded and disoriented, but Wen kept her anchored to reality as he started to move, thrusting his pelvis in slow rolls, sending pleasure humming through her body. She moaned again, kicking at the tangled sheets to free her trapped foot and wrap her legs higher around his ass. He was gentle though, almost sensing her need for tenderness.
He broke the kiss and she opened her eyes. His were open too, glowing blue. He leaned a little to one side and raised his hand, biting his index finger. Blood welled from the tip and he offered it to her. She opened her mouth, sucking on it. He growled.
“That's so sexy.” He tilted his head. “Give me your neck.”
She released his finger. “You can't bite me.”
He closed his eyes and stopped moving on her. “Fuck.”
She unwound her arms from around him and tried to ignore the other symptoms of taking his blood. Her skin seemed oversensitive and warmth spread throughout her body. She clutched his shoulders and closed her eyes. Every second that passed made her more aware of him and her own body.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I feel like I have a fever and it's spreading from my brain toward my feet. It’s like taking the opposite of a sleeping pill.”
He chuckled. “It's my blood hitting your bloodstream. It will pass in a minute or two. That's why I stopped. I'm waiting for you to recover.”
“I'm glad this amuses you. I don't remember this happening the last time you gave me blood when I was nine.”
“Don't remind me.” He lowered his face and nuzzled her check with his. “I was so terrified that you were going to die.”
She was certain she would too. An innocent stroll into the woods to sit by the stream had almost turned deadly. She hadn’t seen the bear until only about six feet separated them. It had turned around about the same instant she'd spotted it.
She froze, praying it wouldn't attack. One roar later and it lunged.
The rest was kind of a blur. She's screamed and sprinted for her life. There was no safe place to go. The tree branches offered no help since it could climb after her. She just hoped to reach the village and safety. It hadn't turned out that way. She wasn't fast enough and the bear had nailed her with its massive claws, throwing her off balance. Pain assured her she lived when she found herself sprawled on the ground, but then the bear had come at her again. She held still, more out of hurting too bad than being smart by playing dead.
That's when Wen had shown up. She didn’t see him at first but she heard his snarls. The bear roared and she managed to find the strength to lift her head. Wen had shifted to four legs and attacked the bear. He’d been much smaller, but a few well-placed swipes of his claws to the bear's face had it taking off in another direction.
Wen had shifted back and rushed to her side. He'd crouched down and she knew her injuries had to be bad, because he’d looked horrified. That's when some of the shock had worn off and she realized her side had been severely injured. She'd touched her ribs and her hand had come away covered in blood where it hurt the most. It had been a mistake to twist her head to get a look at what damage had been done. The bear's claws had torn through her shirt, ripping into her.
“G.L.!” The panic in his voice had been clear.
“Get help.” It was all she could think to say.
He looked up. “It could come back. I'm not leaving you.” He savagely bit into his arm and grabbed the back of her head. “Drink.”
“It's against the law!”
“I don't care. Drink. I'm not letting you die.” He shoved his arm against her lips, coating her lower face with his blood.
She'd been scared enough to swallow when it became hard to breathe. The bear had probably punctured her lung on that side. It had been gross to drink blood, it almost threatening to make her throw up, but she was desperate to survive.
Wen had finally pulled his arm away from her mouth and then tore the rest of her shirt to see the damage. He'd hovered his still dripping arm above her torn skin so his blood fell onto her wound.
He'd held her for a bit until she felt better, then scooped her up into his arms to run her back to the village. All hell had broken loose when they’d arrived. Her mother had cried when she'd seen all the blood but her injuries were healing. Wen's father had grabbed his arm and dragged him away from her. She'd heard him yelling at Wen for bleeding for a human.
Her stepdad had promised to speak to the clan leader on Wen's behalf. Trayis had understood why Wen had saved her and hadn't whipped him for breaking the rules, but his father hadn’t been as forgiving. Wen had suffered a week locked inside his room by his parents. It was a horrible punishment for a boy used to freedom. He'd assured her it was worth it, seeing her healed, and she hadn’t even been left scarred.
Wen pulled her from her memories by running his fingertips over her ribs, letting her know he remembered too. “Does it ever hurt?”
“No. You totally healed it with your blood.”
“You never listened to me. I told you to not go wandering around the woods without me by your side.”
“I never did that again. Almost becoming a bear's breakfast wised me up.”
He locked gazes with her. “How many times have you been hurt without me there to heal you?”
“A few.”
He gripped her wrist, lifting her arm. “I noticed this scar. How did you get it?”
She glanced at the jagged, thin line on her forearm. “I told you I didn't want to stick with the pack my mom joined up with. That happened after I used pepper spray on one of the guys who decided not to take no for an answer, when he wanted me to bend over for him.”
Wen's mouth flattened into an angry line. “Where is this pack?”
“Sacramento. Forget it. I have.”
“Did any of them ever force you?”
“I was too smart and paranoid. Only one of them ever got me alone. He nailed me when he blindly lashed out with his claws after I’d sprayed him in the face, but it was only once. I was out of there before he could see again and I smashed a perfume bottle I kept in my purse, this real horrible shit, to confuse his nose and prevent him from tracking me while blind.”
“What did Carol do?”
“Told me not to cause trouble. That's the day I packed up and left. She was more pissed that I'd upset her boyfriend than the fact that I was sporting a big bandage on my arm and was almost forced into being a pack bitch.”
“What the hell happened to her? She used to be so protective of you.”
“Losing her mate changed her. I told you that. She drank booze at first and had a hard time adjusting to life in the outside world. I'm pretty sure she was doing drugs too. She denied it, but yeah, she seemed high most of the time. She liked the alpha. I thought he was a pure asshole, and I had no respect for a guy who encouraged his girlfriend to fuck his pack.”
“I can't imagine. I would shred any guy who put the moves on you.”
“Well, VampLycans are possessive and you all have a god complex.”
He grinned. “You called me a god a few
times last night.”
“I said ‘Oh God’.”
He chuckled. “You're feeling better.” He moved his hips, slowing fucking her in shallow thrusts.
Gerri forgot about everything but the feel of him. She moaned and reached up, sliding her fingers into the hair at the base of his neck. She tugged and he lowered his mouth to hers. She kissed him. The pleasure mounted as he continued to ride her slow and steady until she climaxed. He pulled his mouth away and turned his head, hiding his expression from her when he came. They both stilled, Wen pinning her under him and Gerri clinging to him.
“Are you okay?” She was concerned when his head stayed tucked against his shoulder.
“Yes.” His voice came out too gruff but she didn't feel any hair on the skin she caressed. He'd stayed in control.
“It's getting tougher not to bite me, isn't it?”
He looked at her then, and his eye color had changed to pure black. She was staring at his inner beast. It didn't frighten her. It was still Wen. She reached up and caressed his cheek. “Take some deep breaths. You're going to hurt yourself. You can't go that far over the line and stay in your skin. Do you need to shift?”
He gave a sharp nod.
“Ease out of me first because that would freak me out.”
He withdrew his softening dick and rolled away from her. He was furry by the time he hit the floor on all fours. Gerri climbed out of bed and studied him.
“Damn. You're so much bigger now than you used to be.” She put on a nightshirt.
He tracked her with his intense dark stare. She approached and ran her fingers through his fur. VampLycans in shift didn't look like wolves. They had a more human shape and the fur wasn't as thick. His limbs and shoulders were muscular, even in shifted form. She moved in front of him and crouched near his face, gently rubbing his muzzle. He curled his upper lip, flashing a row of sharp teeth instead of just two fangs.
“You're not pretty anymore.” She fearlessly glided her hand over his extended snout to the side of his face and then scratched behind his ears. “Is this still your favorite spot?”