After the Moon Rises

by Karilyn Bentley

  Permanent, slid across her mind. Yeah, it would be a permanent type of thing. Would she be able to handle permanence? To move in with Tom? Staying with him when the mating heat vanished?

  At least he wouldn’t call her a dog.

  And he was way ahead of her ex on the attractive scale, the nice scale and the family man scale. All in all she wouldn’t mind a bit of horizontal time.

  “I’m sorry to drag you into this.”

  Vonda gave Tom a wolfish shrug, wishing she had her human features so he could read on her face how much she wanted him. Not all of the desire came from the mating heat. Sure, her core pulsed and she wanted nothing more than his staff thrusting into her, filling her, but a part of the desire throbbing in her veins was for Tom. Just Tom.

  Something within him spoke to her on a base level.

  And she wanted that in a permanent way.

  You didn’t exactly drag me, you know. I saw them taking her first.

  Tom nodded and swallowed, his hand stroking Elizabeth’s back, his eyes refusing to meet Vonda’s.

  A shaky hand shoved through his hair. “Are you willing?”

  He spoke the words to the trees, but turned to face her before the sound died.

  She didn’t hesitate. If he was willing to have her, knowing she turned furry once a month, she would take him. And she got a hot body in the bargain.

  Yep. If you don’t mind me looking like this monthly.

  He shook his head, opening his mouth to speak, but the alpha chose that moment to return.

  “So, what’s the decision?”

  “She’ll move in with me. And you won’t be taking my daughter,” Tom growled the last words.

  Damn, if that wasn’t the sexiest thing Vonda had heard.

  The alpha nodded. “That is acceptable. We will check on you monthly to see how Elizabeth is.” Her eyes moved to Vonda. “And to see if you have questions about us. You need a pack.”

  Thank you. I would like that.

  “Now since you’ve decided to mate, we will need to make sure you consummate the relationship.”

  “And just how do you suggest you do that?” Tom’s lips pulled back, exposing his teeth.

  “I’ll follow you back to your house and ensure the mating is consummated. I’ll return later to talk more to Vonda about the pack. Are you ready to go?”

  Vonda exchanged a glance with Tom. PL was going to watch them? Eww. She didn’t get into starring on sex tapes. Talk about performance anxiety.

  Elizabeth lifted her head from Tom’s shoulder. “Hey, Dad, what’s consummated mean?”

  Chapter 6

  Vonda touched the silver picture frame containing a photo of a black-haired woman in a white, strapless wedding dress and a younger looking Tom. Husband and wife. Until death do us part.

  They’d looked so happy, so in love. How could Vonda hope to achieve that with Tom?

  First things first. They needed to consummate this agreement, something Tom looked rather hesitant to do. He paced the room, running fingers through his short hair until it stood like captured soldiers, nervous and trembling.

  “Elizabeth will be okay. She’ll sleep for awhile. Margie put her under and promised she’d stay asleep.” The alpha, Margie, had claimed she had the ability to make Elizabeth catch eight hours of zzzs, and set about proving it with a wave of her hand.

  Tom stopped his pacing and stared at her. “I should be up there with her, not down here with you.” He ran his hand through his hair again, making matters up top worse. “Dammit, that didn’t come out right.”

  “I know what you mean.” And she did. Tom should be with his daughter, not trying to have sex with Vonda.

  Although sex sounded great at the moment. And how screwed up was that? Mating heat was a bitch.

  “Did it hurt?” Tom gestured at her.

  Vonda looked down her body from Tom’s t-shirt around her torso to his sweat pants on her legs and wondered what the hell he was talking about.

  “Did what hurt?” Having his shirt rub against her sensitive nipples or his pants rest against her already wet core? Somehow she didn’t think that was what he wanted to know.

  “The change back.”

  Oh, yeah. That. “Well, it wasn’t the best feeling I’ve ever had.” The only thing she could imagine worse would be having her tonsils ripped out through her nose. “But it doesn’t seem to have any lingering effects. I didn’t realize changing back to a human while the moon was still out was even possible.”

  Margie was one powerful bitch. Holding her hand toward Vonda, she had forced Vonda’s wolf back to its hiding place, bringing out the human half to writhe in agony on the cold linoleum floor of Tom’s kitchen. For the first time since she hit puberty, Vonda saw the moon out of her human eyes.

  It was worth every bit of pain.

  “Maybe she’ll show me how to do that. She’s going to teach me what it means to be a pack member.” Vonda couldn’t wait. After all these years alone, she would learn what it meant to be a werewolf. There had to be more to it than getting furry once a month.

  “That’s good. That’s real good.” More with the hand through the hair routine. “I need to go check on Elizabeth.”

  Tom headed for the door, but Vonda beat him to it.

  “You can’t go anywhere until we, um, until we mate.”

  Her hand on his arm sparked heat, a tangible arc crossing the air to Tom, stilling him. He took a deep breath, turning to face Vonda. His green eyes smoked with desire, firing the blood in her veins, whipping it into a frenzy being with her ex had never produced.

  It was callous of her to want sex after all that had happened tonight, knowing a ten-year-old frightened girl lay upstairs. But with the mating heat firing her blood, she couldn’t help it. All she wanted was Tom. His arms around her, his body pressed to her, his thick staff inside her.

  Her imagination kicked into overdrive as she pictured him pumping into her, in and out, his big body slamming into her over and over again. She felt wetness between her legs as her core wept, wanting him in her, needing him to complete her.

  His nostrils flared. “You smell good,” he said, his voice a low growl that distorted the words.

  She didn’t think she could get wetter, but that growling thing sent her core into overdrive.

  Holding his gaze, she started working the buttons on his shirt. His breath sawed in and out of his lungs as her hands crept down his torso. Once the shirt was unbuttoned, she pushed the sleeves down his arms, dropping it onto the floor. She ran her hands up his arms, feeling the muscles tense at her touch. Damn, but the man was strong. She loved the feel of his pecs under her palms, the way the springy hair dusted his chest.

  She needed her skin against his. Now.

  Working quickly, Vonda yanked her shirt over her head and smiled at a transfixed Tom. Once she dropped the shirt onto the ground, he snapped out of his trance.

  His hands shoved her pants over her hips and Vonda kicked them off. A wave of embarrassment passed through her. What if he didn’t like the way she looked? Her sexual experiences were limited to fumbles in the dark and a man who called her a dog.

  If that growl meant anything, she shouldn’t have worried. Tom brushed a hand over her collarbone, across her breasts, down her stomach to her core, the feather-light touch scorching like fire.

  “You’re beautiful.”

  Vonda felt her muscles relax at his words.

  “You’re pretty good looking yourself.”

  He bent his head, his lips pressing against hers. The tip of his tongue traced the crease between her lips and she opened for him, letting the strokes of his tongue against hers carry her into that place where nothing mattered but the two of them.

  Tom held her head with one hand, while his other teased her nipple into a hard point. Vonda stopped thinking, her body pure instinct, wanting him, needing him in her. She fumbled with the button on his Levi’s, while his fingers flicked against her nipple. A moan escaped her and she finally
freed the darn button, which allowed her to yank the zipper down. She shoved the jeans over his hips then pulled the waistband of his tighty-whities out and over his staff, freeing him for her feeling pleasure.

  Vonda ran her hand up the length of him, loving the velvety skin, the thick head, the swollen sac. Damn, but he was huge. She’d be sore tomorrow.

  She could hardly wait.

  Tom moaned in her mouth as she stroked up the thick length. His thumb rubbed against her swollen nipple as his other hand stroked from her waist to her hip, each pass drawing closer to the place between her legs that ached for him.

  He kissed her until her surroundings dimmed, until the only thing that mattered was his lips on hers, his skin against hers, the feel of his staff in her hand as she drew it through her grasp. She circled the broad head, once, twice, feeling wetness seep out of the slit. Rubbing the moisture into his skin, she continued her lazy strokes, up and down, up and circled around, while Tom’s hand moved closer to her mound.

  He touched her core, his fingers sliding in the wetness he found there. She felt his staff kick in her hand, spurts of cum coating her stomach.

  “Shit!” Tom exploded as his hips bucked against her hand, while she milked him dry.

  Well, that didn’t take long. What about her?

  He dropped his head to her shoulder, breathing deeply. “I’m so sorry. It’s been awhile since I’ve...yeah.” He tried to take a step and tripped over his jeans, falling into her. “God, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. This just isn’t going to work. Not now anyway. I just...” He ran his hand through his hair.

  Vonda blinked. “But what about Margie?”

  “Fuck. I don’t know.”

  Vonda looked down and saw cum running down her stomach. She wiped it off, smearing onto her core and the insides of her legs.

  “Hey, Margie! It’s finished!”

  Hopefully the alpha would smell him on her and leave before this night got any worse.

  Vonda heard Margie on the other side of the door, breathing deeply.

  “Ah, good. The mating is complete. Is Tom...okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m good.” His hand did another run through the hair.

  “Oh. Well, then. That’s great. Great.” Why did she sound so disappointed? “I’ll let myself out and leave you two lovebirds alone. I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon to talk to Vonda.”

  Vonda and Tom listened as Margie’s steps echoed down the hall, the sound of the front door shutting propelling Tom into action.

  “God, I’m sorry.” He reached for his underwear and jeans, drawing them up in one motion while he talked. “We can...yeah...maybe later, right? I’m going upstairs with Elizabeth. You can have the bed in here.”

  He yanked his shirt off the floor and closed the door behind him, never once looking her in the eye.

  What was it with her and men? She slid one finger inside her while circling her clit with another. Two strokes later and her hips bucked, the orgasm rippling through her. Her body relieved, she wished she could say the same about her heart.

  She walked into the bathroom and started cleaning herself with a wet washcloth. How would she face Tom tomorrow? She understood his need to be with his daughter and it was just plain weird to even try to have sex under the circumstances, but still. He could have stuck around long enough get her off too.

  Although that wasn’t fair, was it? Yes, yes it was. Even if he was embarrassed. Everyone knows men can’t always control those things. Vonda pitched the washcloth onto the rim of the bathtub. Still. The mating heat hadn’t abated. She could do with a dose of Tom right about now.

  But she knew getting him back into the bedroom would be a challenge.

  Good thing she loved challenges. She had what was left of the night and all day tomorrow to come up with a plan. Vonda smiled. Yep, Tom would soon discover werewolves didn’t give up so easily.

  Chapter 7

  Tom walked in the back door, leaned against the wall and pulled his muddy boots off. He heard the female voices like a squabble of geese, pecking around the kitchen. Vonda’s laughter rang out and then the squabble dropped to a manageable volume.

  Shit. He’d managed to avoid Vonda all day. What did you say to a woman when you came all over her and then left the room? Thanks? And what an ass he was, didn’t even bother to see to her pleasure.

  The only good thing that came of it was he knew his dick still worked in front of a woman.

  Now he had to face Vonda and how embarrassing was that. Maybe he could sneak up the back stairs.

  “Daddy!” Elizabeth ran around the corner, smack into him, her skinny arms surrounding his waist with a squeeze.

  Or maybe he couldn’t sneak anywhere.

  “Is that you, Tom?” Vonda called.

  Yep, not sneaking anywhere. Time to face her. He was a big boy, really. Yep, yep.

  “Come on, Daddy. Margie’s been telling us about the pack.” Elizabeth tugged his hand, drawing him into the kitchen.

  Within a few hours, Margie had gone from Elizabeth’s worst enemy to her best friend. And wasn’t that a good thing. Made things easier on him too.

  Margie and Vonda sat at the kitchen table, tea cups in front of them. An extra cup sat in front of an empty chair. Elizabeth slid into the empty and took a sip out of her cup.

  “Want some tea, Dad?”

  “No, sweetie, I’m good. Just going to change out of these clothes, then I’ll come back and fix dinner, okay?” He rubbed his hand over her head, chuckling as she ducked and squeaked, “Daddy!”

  He walked out of the room toward his bedroom, feeling Vonda’s eyes on him. Way to continue to avoid her, Tom.

  He had to face her eventually, no getting around it. She would be living here now. Taking Anita’s place. Tom grabbed onto the dresser, steadying himself. Not only did he have to deal with his little failure in the bedroom last night, but now he realized he needed to come to grips with Vonda, for all intents and purposes, being his wife.

  Anita looked out at him from the photo taken the day of their wedding, her eyes glistening with love. Some of the last coherent words she’d spoken to him asked him to find someone else, someone to keep him warm at night. She was gone, had been gone for four years, her death releasing him from his wedding vows, so why did he feel like being with Vonda was cheating?

  It wasn’t. Definitely wasn’t cheating.

  Layla walked into the room, her nails tapping a rhythm on the wood floor as she made her way to the rug under the bed. She huffed as she plopped down on the rug, her expression one of extreme exasperation.

  Tom took a breath and shut the door. “What’s the matter, old girl? You think I need to move on?”

  As usual she remained silent. Like a dog can talk. Wolves on the other hand...

  He ran his hand through his hair. In the last twenty-four hours he’d had his daughter kidnapped and returned, been given a mate who turned furry once a month and discovered he was half werewolf. If he had any more revelations, he’d need to change his name to John the Baptist.

  Tonight he needed to talk to Vonda. He would, once Elizabeth went to bed, which gave him even more time to avoid the unavoidable. Yee-haw.

  Tom dropped his shirt and pants into the clothes hamper and shrugged on a t-shirt and jeans. Layla remained curled on the rug by the bed, waiting for him to dress. Tom looked from his dog to the bed, the bed where he spent many a fine night with Anita, the bed where he would spend many more nights with Vonda.

  All day he’d thought about Vonda, what he would say, more importantly, what he would do to her body. He felt his erection grow at the thought of Vonda, her brown wavy hair, her amber eyes, her small hand as it grasped his dick, drawing out his pleasure.

  Damn. He couldn’t go out to the kitchen looking like he’d stuffed a potato down his pants. Think, think. Yeah, fixing fences, nothing sexy about that one. Or he could look at the picture of his wife on their wedding day. Yep, that one did the trick.

  Tom ran his hand through his hair.


  “I hope you don’t mind,” he whispered to the picture. “I mean, you asked me to find someone and I did. More like she found me, but whatever, I’m going to take her tonight. Elizabeth will have the mother she needs and I, well, I like her too. I hope that doesn’t bother you.”

  Was it his imagination or did the picture shake its head? He definitely needed some water; he must have been out in the sun too long.

  “I love you, Anita, I’ll always love you. But Vonda’s here with me now and I need her. I hope you understand and that you aren’t mad. What the hell am I saying? You’re not even here. I’m talking to ghosts again.”

  The picture frame felt cold in his hand. With a last look at the picture, he placed it in the dresser drawer. She was dead. Four years now. Time he got on with his life.

  The woman he wanted now sat at his kitchen table and there was no room for ghosts.

  ****

  Vonda watched as Tom walked back into the kitchen and started to pull things out of the freezer. Pots and pans flopped on the stove in a rush of movement. Nothing more sexy than a man who can cook. Especially a man who rocked a pair of faded Levi’s.

  She took a sip of the now-cool tea and openly ogled Tom’s butt. Damn, but the man was hot. She needed to stop ogling especially since Elizabeth sat next to her. Needed to set a good example, since she was going to be the girl’s step-mom.

  The tea went down the wrong way. Margie slapped Vonda on the back as Vonda wheezed and hacked.

  “You okay?” Tom stopped chopping vegetables and looked at Vonda.

  She nodded, whacking herself on the chest. Apparently drinking while thinking of impending motherhood, even if it was motherhood by step instead of birth, should be avoided. At least Elizabeth seemed to like her and the feeling was returned. Of course she doubted Elizabeth realized Vonda was the new mother figure in her life.

  “Well, I should run. Things to do on the full moon. Will you be running with us tonight, Vonda?” Margie stood and hung her purse over her shoulder.

  Vonda coughed one more time. “I’ll probably just stick around here, but will look for ya’ll.”