"I'm sorry." Guilt crushed her, condemning her own narrow-minded assumptions and prejudices. It served her right for making snap judgments. Ever since she'd been little, her father had cautioned Victoria, citing her tendency to do so as a barrier to someday taking over leadership of the pack.
"Don't apologize." His piercing gaze conveyed the unsettling impression that the man could read exactly what she was thinking. "My family understands that wolves don't share their magic with outsiders. I don't know whether it was properly expressed at the time, but we appreciated the offer. We're grateful."
Relief washed over her. Maybe, just maybe, Jake Barrett wouldn't oppose Victoria dating his oldest son as strongly as she'd feared. And she despised the fact she even cared what Daniel's father thought. But damn it, the man exerted influence like a black hole—even in his absence, his sway affected everyone and everything for light years around. She worried about unforeseen consequences to herself and her pack if she chose to pursue a relationship with the Hunter King's eldest son.
"You can speak for your father on that?" Victoria asked, needing to be sure.
"I speak for my father on the matter," Daniel said. "Dad thanked your parents at my mom's funeral."
"I didn't know." She hadn't attended the funeral because the invitation only extended to her parents. However, his words had the ring of conviction—and the scent of it. Truth. And she considered him a man to be taken at his word. Victoria smiled, content, and dismissed the matter—and her doubts.
His unwavering gaze pierced her defenses, seeing past all her facades. "Are we good now?"
An involuntary smile split her mouth. "Yeah, we're good."
They rose in concert, smoothly as through a practiced maneuver. But thanks to her diminutive height she beat him to it. The food still smelled plenty inviting, but the birria she'd consumed had taken the edge off. She hungered still—but for other things.
Sliding toward him, she raised her hand and pressed her palm against his bare chest where the robe split. Smooth skin over firm muscle. His heart beat strong and steady—a cadence to put her faith in. She parted the material, exposing the tattoo over his heart. Ever so lightly, she feathered her fingers over the two words— Absit omen.
"What does this mean?" Victoria asked.
"Absit omen—may what is said not come true." His smile was strange and quirky, as though the man had a secret he wasn't sharing. She scented evasion if not outright deception. She suspected him of leaving a lot unsaid. And that was okay. He'd explained enough to satisfy her curiosity.
She liked an intriguing hint of mystery in a man.
"Is that a blessing or a curse?" She scraped her nails across his pecs, deliberately grazing his flat nipples—he tensed beneath her touch.
"A bit of both? I'm not entirely sure sometimes." Daniel's gaze locked on her face, his pupils fully dilated. Unmissable arousal permeated his aroma—notes of toasted spice and rich earthiness—all him except for the lingering hint of soap and the hotel's complimentary citrus shampoo.
"It's a ward against possession," she surmised. During the fight at the hotel, the wight had tried so hard to enter him but hadn't even been able to get a foothold—this explained why.
Fleeting surprise crossed his face. "Yeah, it's a ward against involuntary possession."
But it allowed voluntary possession? She licked her lips, tempted to ask, but thinking about other things. So apparently was he, because he bent and captured her lips in a ravenous kiss. He wrapped his powerful arms around her, caressing her back through the terrycloth. Reaching up, she clung to his broad shoulders and stood on her toes. Their mouths merged, tongues stroking. The all-too-evident proof of his desire tented the front of his robe.
Too much clothing. With a whimper of frustration, she caught his wrist and guided his hand beneath the V-neckline to her small, firm breast. His rough palms covered her completely and abraded her nipple. Liquid heat coursed through her.
"Oh, baby." Daniel's breath escaped in a slick hiss. The air thickened with the musk of his spiked arousal. He claimed her mouth in a kiss of crushing gravity—irresistible attraction.
In a coordinated motion, they scuttled the three feet to the edge of the bed and tipped over into it, landing with an energetic bounce that broke their kiss. Laughing, she rolled over so she faced him. Daniel propped his head on his hand, a devilish little smile on his lips. His breath ghosted over her face; firm lips feathered across her temple. Victoria inhaled and stirred in his arms but held back. She didn't want to rush—too lazy and too content. Their first time together was special and should be savored.
"Mmm, you smell good." She stroked her hands across his bare chest. She extended her leg to brush his bare calf—coarse, springy hairs beneath the pads of her bare toes.
"So do you."
"There's something I need to know..."
"What's that?" Daniel asked, foggy and distracted.
"Whether you're compensating..."
"What?" He frowned in clear confusion.
Victoria tried and failed to suppress giggles—she erupted into a girlish fit. As bold as she pleased, she slipped her hand past the part of his robe and captured his cock, wrapping her hand about the heavy base. His thick length pressed against her palm and the inside of her wrist... Her grin widened.
He groaned, leaning into her touch. "Am I compensating?"
"We'll see." Victoria coached her tone to snarky. "I was taught growing up, it's not what you've got but what you do with it." She rolled him onto his back and threw a leg over him, straddling his thighs.
A squawk of dismay escaped her when he flipped them using an unexpected wrestling move. He shoved her robe aside and slid down her body, the hot exhalation of his breath playing across her skin. He kissed and licked her navel. She moaned, coherent thought destroyed, reduced to a quivering mass of need.
Daniel chuckled. "And I was taught—ladies first."
The End.
I hope you enjoyed Hunter's Mark. Reviews are always appreciated! Don't forget to join my newsletter for free reads, exclusive sneak peeks, and giveaways.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melissa Snark is a paranormal and romance author with a particular interest in werewolves and Norse mythology. Her Loki's Wolves series combines elements of both in a contemporary fantasy setting. She lives in Northern California with her husband, three children and a glaring of cats. Visit Melissa at
http://www.melissasnark.com/ or http://www.thesnarkology.com/
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BOOKS BY MELISSA SNARK
Romance
A Cat's Tale
Learning to Fly
The Mating Game
Urban Fantasy
Loki's Wolves Series
Valkyrie's Vengeance (Book #0)
Hunger Moon (Book #1)
Battle Cry (Book #2)
Wolf's Cross (Book #3)
Blood Brothers (To be released)
Star-Crossed
Hunter's Mark
Revision Log
12/27/2016
First edition.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Praise for Valkyrie's Vengeance
Copyright
Book Description
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Revision Log
Hunter's Mark: A Star-Crossed Book (Loki's Wolves 0) Page 12