by Eva Gordon
She stirred the awful smelling excuse for food and gazed up. “Tell me you feel warmer.”
“I do.” In human skin, clothes always felt better.
“Good. Not sure if we plan on leaving in the morning, but I went ahead and cooked enough for four people. I imagine you eat like a horse, or rather a bear.”
He chuckled. “The biggest bowl of porridge for me, Goldilocks.”
She dug out bowls, mugs and utensils from the bin. “Let’s eat before hunkering down for the night.” She cocked her head. “That is our plan to leave tomorrow, right?”
“Yes, but only if the storm passes. Even I, Chernobyl Werewolf can’t guarantee you won’t freeze to death as we climb down.”
“As long as we leave before more werewolves arrive.”
“Agreed.”
“Those men who followed me to Namche, were they also werewolves? They weren’t among the abductors.”
“No. The bearded man and his two henchmen are humans. Most likely, they belong to that pack.”
“Okay, here we go again with this humans belonging to a pack deal. What’s up with that?”
“As I mentioned earlier, humans can be members of the pack, but for their own protection we say they belong to us.” Not exactly the truth, but at this point, he wanted to ease her into pack life. His idea of being on the run with her and hunted by Team Greywolf and the rogue pack no longer seemed appealing. He’d risk his life, but not hers.
They sat and ate, until she broke the silence. “Rule one, I don’t belong to anyone. Rule two, I will not be a breeder to improve bloodlines and rule three, I will continue to practice medicine.”
Little did she know, lycans made the rules and humans followed them. Better she learn the ropes from another human, like Mia or her father. Coming from him, she’d think he was an ass. “Dr. Becker is a respected comrade. We value your father as a research scientist and surgeon.”
“I suppose Howard is not the type to be owned.”
“Perhaps, you can practice medicine alongside him.”
“A possibility, except I’ve never treated werewolves.”
“We get injured but heal fast. We rarely suffer from human diseases such as cancer or heart disease.”
“From the werewolves I’ve known thus far, you look like the picture of health. I’m curious to meet more of your kind.” She poured them some brandy.
He swallowed the drink before narrowing his eyes at her. “Before we leave, I will mark you.”
Rachel sipped the brandy. She shuddered and signed. “What happens if you don’t mark me?”
He stiffened and glared at his glass. “The packs will order your execution. Unless, I can convince them I erased your memory.”
“No way in hell will you erase one single memory cell from my brain.”
“Are you sure?”
She lifted her chin in determination. “I don’t want to live in a world where werewolves don’t exist.”
“Pack social behavior and norms will take some getting used to.”
She swallowed more brandy and wiped her lips. “I figure there is an alpha in every pack, kind of like the boss. No problem.”
“It’s not that simple.”
She downed the rest of the brandy. “Okay. Do it.”
Lev stiffened. She would be the first human he marked. He’d have to take care to be gentle, yet deep enough to make a permanent scar. “Now?”
“No use waiting. We can use the rest of the brandy as a disinfectant.”
“My bite will heal any further chance of infection.”
“Okay.” She removed her coat and then her sweater. Down to a long sleeved shirt.
“Pull up your sleeve or better yet take off your top.”
“I bet you say this to all your dates.” Rachel smirked.
“Only the ones with long golden locks and amber eyes.”
Rachel shot him an insufferable look and pulled off her top. Shivering in only her bra, she presented her arm. “Be quick.”
The shock of seeing her shapely breasts aroused him, but he focused on the task. Fangs emerged and claws extended. He drew her in. “Don’t move,” he half-growled.
Rachel stiffened and closed her eyes.
He positioned her arm and in three quick moves he clawed three clean, deep, but not dangerously so, slashes.
Rachel gasped and then passed out.
Lev sucked her wound, tasting her drugging blood. Delicious to the point of ecstasy, he forced himself to release her. He growled in frustration at letting go. As difficult as a man in the desert dying of thirst offered one sip of water when an entire liter was available. If he imbibed any longer, he’d be unable to stop. He’d given her enough of his healing saliva without draining anymore of her precious blood. He dressed her and zipped her into the sleeping bag. She would wake up refreshed and no doubt quite bewildered.
Chapter 12
Rachel blinked. Except for the flickering fire, the cavern was dark. She lay cocooned inside the sleeping bag. “How long have I been out?” She sat, pulling the sleeping bag with her to stop the frozen air. Lev did not appear cold the least bit. She raised her brow. Nuke wolf probably never gets cold.
Lev sat beside the fireplace and turned. “An hour. How are you feeling?”
“Groggy, like I have a hangover, but without the ill effects.” She gently twisted to work out the kinks, but oddly, there were none. “Well rested, actually.”
“That was from my bite.”
“Huh?”
“To heal your claw marks.”
All Rachel remembered about the marking was blinding pain and then nothingness as she passed out. The firelight provided enough illumination to see. She pulled up her sleeve and glanced at her arm. Instead of deep cuts, not to mention the sharp pain she expected, the slashes looked like old scars or claw mark tattoos. No angry red signs of infection. “Whoa, how did the claw marks heal so fast?”
“Alpha saliva has healing properties and works especially fast on humans.”
She fingered the smooth marks and stared incredulously at them. “We need to patent the formula.”
“No. We don’t. Trade secret. Not for humans.”
“But think of all…” He met her eyes and she stilled. Her rant about all the studies she could conduct on its chemical composition halted before it began.
“Humans do well with their own cures, don’t they, Dr. Becker?”
“Yes. We do.” Not that she agreed with letting it go, but compelled to do so. She figured the revelation would break lycan rules.
“Our human comrades get the benefit of our bite when they are injured.”
She touched her neck. “Not the first time you bit me, I bet.”
“You are right. The first time, you were gone. Frozen. Beyond hope. I had no choice.”
“Really? My heart had stopped. I died?”
“About to.”
Not only should she have frozen to death, but her limbs should have frozen beyond repair. Frostbitten. Amputation, the only option. Alive, but no longer able to practice medicine and maimed. Yet, here she was. Whole and alive. Heat radiated through her chest. “I owe you my life at least four times over.”
“Lyutik Zolotistyy, I plan to keep you alive, no matter what it takes.”
“Bite me anytime.” She smiled. “Is that Russian for ‘marked human’?”
“Lyutik Zolotistyy is Russian for Goldilocks.”
Rachel fingered loose curls that sprung out of her wool cap like yellow tendrils. How did he know that was her nickname in elementary school? She blew a curl off her brow. “Not very tame hair.”
“Tame is for circus animals.” He stood and walked over. “Let me check your marks.”
Rachel extended her arm. “Just a mild tingle. No pain.”
Lev took her arm and grazed the indents with his lips and sniffed, sending a chill throughout her body. He released her arm. “Healing well. In a few days, the tingle will go away.”
“Amazing.” Eve
rything that had happened the last few days was weird, but amazing beyond words. A new species. A growing fondness for such a different creature. Still, what would happen next? She stared at the fire and shivered.
“Trust me.”
She met his eyes. “I do.” How could she not? Yet, she knew next to nothing about Lev, except he was a shifter devoted to keeping her alive. Rachel had never trusted anyone more. The fact he was hotter than any man she’d ever dated helped. Could she trust him with her heart? Not that she felt love, but rather lust. Moisture had gathered between her legs the moment his lips touched her skin. Love happened over time. Instant love, like with her parents, was short-lived. A disaster. Her mother and father had been opposites, with different interests and goals. Never friends. As different from Lev as she could possibly be. They were different species, and she had no interest in participating in some hybrid experiment.
“What’s wrong?”
“Everything. My life will never be normal again will it?”
“No, it will not.”
Her nipples tingled at the sound of his deep masculine voice. Her moisture increased. Were werewolf men aphrodisiacs to human women? Was she under his mind control again? No I’m in control. “How late is it?”
“It’s the middle of the night. Best you sleep.”
Her lust no longer contained, she blurted, “Not unless, you join me.”
“If I join you, I will do more than sleep.”
“I wouldn’t complain,” she said.
“I know, but I should return you to your father without having to explain too much.”
“Huh? Oh?” Now she felt really stupid, like a teen who skipped four years of sex ed. “Of course, not without a condom.”
Lev’s laugh reverberated through the cave. “That is not a problem. You are not ovulating and we lycans don’t give human STDs.”
She kept close tabs on her cycle and damn. He was right. “How would you know I’m not ovulating?”
“My werewolf nose.”
Obviously, an advantage for birth control. Shit. If he could smell her cycle, he certainly smelled her arousal. Okay, so he is not into you.
“Sleep. I’ll wake you in the morning.” He stood and walked toward the entrance. He’d left a small opening for viewing and stared out.
Not so fast, Wolf Man. This tainted nonsense was downright medieval. Rachel had taken risks, but tonight she’d take the greatest risk of them all. Seduce a sexy Russian werewolf. Would he respond to her seduction?
Beneath the sleeping bag, Rachel removed her clothes, unzipped the bag and stood. “I’m cold.”
Lev swallowed, knowing what to expect when he turned. He heard her remove every stitch of clothing. Now. Alone in a cave. In the middle of a blizzard. His wolf licked his chops, ready to ravish her. Rachel had no idea, what she was doing. She inadvertently called his wolf to form a bond none could break. The commitment of human marriage seemed frivolous. In the dark, he made out her goddess-like naked form. His wolf howled with lustful greed. Mine. His human pet. Her magnificent breasts undulated as she shivered from the cold air. Or was her tremble due to realizing she toyed with his untamed nature?
He growled. “Rachel. I may not be able to…stop.”
“Lev, I need you.” Nipples, amber-colored like her beautiful eyes peaked, begged to be suckled.
Lev raced to her side and drew her to him. His lips flattened. Her skin was cold. Heat emanated from him, warming her. “Are you mad, Goldilocks? You will freeze to death.” He slid a hand down and up her smooth back, tilting her toward him.
“Oh…yes…your hand is like a heating pad.” She threw him a mischievous smile. “You said you would keep me alive no matter what.”
Lev gazed into Rachel’s amber eyes and fingered her hair, now free of the wool cap. “I did, didn’t I?” For a human, she was quite the seductress. Even so, he felt like he had somehow influenced her behavior, though he had not used mind control. “Rachel, we shouldn’t.”
Like a wilted flower, she sighed. “You are right. It’s too one sided.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I’m interested in you, not the other way around.”
“Absolutely not. I desire you more than the night desires the moon, but it’s not so simple.”
“Who says simple is a good thing?”
His fangs sprang out in greedy desire. “Forget simple.” He grasped her ass and lifted her so he could reach her luscious lips. Rachel wrapped her long legs around his waist. “Wrap your arms around my neck.”
She obeyed and he hastily removed his coat and shirt, until his bare chest felt her soft breasts against him. His trapped cock pressed against his pants. He dropped his pants and his hardened shaft rested below her ass.
Now, I will ravish her mouth. His tongue found hers, tasting her essence.
Rachel moaned in pleasure. He inhaled her arousal. Hot. He released her mouth as his fangs emerged. He didn’t want to risk hurting her.
She kissed his chin. “Bite me.”
“Don’t tempt me.” The drugging effect of his bite probably made her feel inebriated. Hell, tasting her blood he’d be inebriated and if he wasn’t careful, she might end up his blood mistress. He’d be her blood slave. Obeying her every whim.
Rachel’s eyes widened. “Wait. I’m not going to become a werewolf on the full moon.”
Lev laughed. “Would that be so terrible?” He brought her back to the sleeping bag before his heating powers waned, and knelt with her still clinging to him.
“Breaking and reforming all my bones doesn’t sound pleasant.”
He brushed a curl from her brow. “Our shift is not like that. But no, you will always be human.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend.”
“I don’t blame you. Lie down.” Throughout history, humans feared the monstrous werewolf said to savage the innocents. Legends that, unfortunately, were often true.
“Yes.” She backed onto her elbows.
Lev smirked. “We are in no hurry.” He nestled her with blankets so he would serve as her top blanket. “Are you warm enough?”
“I am.”
The gooseflesh said otherwise. Lev covered her with his body, leaning on his arms so as not to crush her. His hard cock rested on her flat tummy. He focused on her breasts and then squeezed one nipple. Rachel threw her head back and moaned. So responsive. While Lev pinched one nipple, he bit the other, gently. His fangs out.
Rachel held his arms and quivered. “Oh, my god.”
He sucked gently then harder. She flinched, but then her breathing grew rapid as pain gave way to a wave of pleasure. “Oh yes.”
Lev released her nipple and licked it until it peaked to amber brilliance. Not wanting to neglect the other nipple, he switched and suckled the other. Her soft gasps and the feel of her ripe breast nearly undid him. He licked her nipple and slowly moved down between her ribs and trailed kisses to her belly button. One hand explored her tender wet folds, massaging her clit, feeling her tense and then melt as he continued.
“Oh, yes.”
Claws sprung out of his hands, and he spread her thighs and gazed at the apex of her damp pussy.
Rachel rose on her elbows and stared. “Are you going to…?”
“Eat you. Yes. Do you know why my sweet woman?”
“You are a carnivore.”
“There is one rule all must obey, and that is the alpha eats first.” Lev clamped down on her pussy, and she threw her head back and helplessly moaned as he pleasured her until Rachel shuddered in one explosive climax after another.
Rachel silently screamed as wave after wave of orgasms surged through her. The feel of his rough beard, fangs and the claws spreading her thighs was the most erotic sex she’d ever had. His hungry mouth over her clit made her feel like a beast feasted on her. Rachel’s sweet rapture of surrender melted her soul. Lev was relentless. He waited for one orgasm to subside and then his wicked mouth pleasured her again until she was left boneless.
Lev released her, but his fingers continued to massage. Slowly. So slow, she begged. “Please, don’t stop.”
He flicked her clit and dipped his finger into her, using her fluid to massage again. He drove her to the delicious edge of nothingness. Ah, so close. Her body braced for yet another moment of climax.
“Do not come yet.”
Rachel rasped. “What?”
“We come together.” He lifted her arms above her, imprisoning her wrists with his clawed hands. In the dim light, his sculpted muscular body reflected his raw masculinity. His intense feral gaze and rumbling growl mesmerized her. A werewolf was about to ravish her and she desired it.
Lev slowly eased his hard length into her and filled every inch. She moaned in pleasure.
“Yes.” Her pleasure peaked again, but she held back. Wanting became agony. She closed her eyes and she too growled, although it sounded more like a frustrated purr.
“Open your eyes and look at me,” he commanded.
Rachel stared at his glowing blue eyes, like beams penetrating her soul. She arched to meet each powerful thrust.
His voice husky, he mumbled something in Russian, sounding sexy as hell. He picked up the tempo. “Rachel.”
So close. She arched as if possessed by a succubus. “Yes. Please.”
He paused and chuckled. “My educated doctor is insatiable.”
“Please, don’t stop,” Rachel rasped.
“A wolf can fuck for hours.”
“Hours?”
Lev rasped. “Come, Rachel.”
Though she didn’t need much prodding, he pumped into her like a vibrator on steroids. Rachel cried out. “Oh, god. Oh…” Each stroke sent her into convulsing spasms of relentless ecstasy. Until…oh, god.
Lev held on as long as he could. Her helpless quivering body beneath him and her cries of passion undid him. He released her arms and braced himself for coming. He bucked into her and abandoned himself to pleasure.
Her fingers grasped his shoulders.
Together, they rode out their simultaneous climax. Each crying out in release.
He grunted one last pulsing explosion and found her soft nape. Gently nibbling until he bit in, piercing her vein.