His mouth joined his finger in pleasuring her and he waited for her to shatter under his tongue. She didn't make him wait long. The fires grew until there was nothing left in her mind but the pleasure he was giving her and then she burst like millions of stars, but he was far from done.
She was still seeing stars when he moved up her body with small kisses to leave a trail of flames along his wake. "Xander," she begged, "please!"
It was what he wanted and the wolf was howling in ecstasy, but whether it was his or hers, she couldn't tell. He slid himself inside her and filled her with his length. Her sex was hyper sensitive after his foreplay and his patch of fur caressing her clitoris was almost torture. Her body moved with his in tandem and their thoughts were so entwined that she didn't know which were hers. They were both on the verge, barely holding onto what they were and both dancing dangerously on the edge of giving in to the wolf.
The flames were building again. Xander's breathing became more ragged as he fought both the wolf and the satisfaction that he both craved and desperately needed. She rolled him over and pinned him beneath her. He put his hands around her waist and she resumed their rhythm. This time, she was making her claim. She wanted him to experience the pleasure that she could give him. He was hers and she wanted to take him to the stars with her. She felt the flames growing and the wolf lurking dangerously close. No! She thought and she shoved the beast away. This time, it would be her, and not the wolf, that brought him over the edge.
His grip tightened around her waist and she felt him thicken inside her. Her world was aflame as their dance quickened. She felt him explode both inside her body and her thoughts just as she reached her climax. They soared over the edge together into an endless sea of stars. His low rumble sent shivers down her spine and she collapsed contentedly into his arms.
The wolf purred with gratification and curled back into the shadows without being prodded. Alyssa nestled herself into Xander's chest as the remnants of stars faded and a cloud of euphoric bliss settled in their place. Xander was stroking her ebony hair while his breathing became more even and his heart rate slowed to a steady beat. "You are a jewel, indeed," he said, "but there isn't a man alive who could tame you."
"Would you ever want me tame?"
"Never," he answered, taking her mouth in a sweet kiss. "I need a woman as wild and untamed as I am."
"So I've noticed," she chuckled. His eyes had turned a pale blue as soft as a spring sky. There was no hint at all of the wolf that lurked within. For the moment, at least, he appeared as tame as any man could ever be, but the devilish smirk playing at his lips proved there was never any hope of being domesticated.
She tried to hide a yawn that gave away how tired she was, but Xander was not fooled. "Get some sleep, Alyssa. I'll be right here when you wake up," he promised. As if she had needed his permission to sleep, she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep wrapped in his strong arms, surrounded by his comforting scent.
She awoke to fever and chills and a searing pain in her bones that started from her shoulder and inched its way outward. Her agonizing screams were the only sounds she heard. There should have been a fire crackling and a soft but demanding voice asking for breakfast. She should have heard the raspy breathing of her mother, or a cough. Silence filled the emptiness between her screams.
Every fiber of her strained to shift her body enough to look at the bed where her mother slept. Inch by excruciating inch, she willed her body to move until, finally, the bed was within her field of vision. She could see the thin form covered by thick blankets, but there was no movement. There was no steady rise and fall from her chest and no vapors rising, though she could see her own breath clearly in the chill.
"No," she rasped. "Mother?!" The cry became a scream as the pain seemed to double as it penetrated her heart as well as her body. Her mother was dead, and she had been helpless to save her. It would not be long, she thought, before she shared her mother's fate. They would both die alone, but lay together in death.
The full moon had come and gone. She was just now able to transform at will, and tonight, she was on the hunt. Her black coat was invisible in the dark of the forest. Her prey never had a chance. She gorged herself on elk flesh until the wolf had eaten her fill, but still, she felt empty.
Her mother had been everything to her, and she had allowed her to die alone. The sickness had finally claimed her the night she had been bitten. She cursed that night a million times over. If she found the wolf that bit her, she would personally rip out his throat herself for what he had done to her.
Her mother's house had been burned down for fear of spreading the sickness that had taken her life and she had become an outcast. Rumors flew like wildfire in a small village. They knew something was awry. How had she escaped sharing her mother's fate? She had become a monster right out of their nightmares, and they didn't know the half of it. She vowed to get her revenge on the ones responsible for turning her into a monster and casting her into the shadows.
Her head lifted to take in the sky where only the stars were looking down at her. Her black fur meant the new moon was best for hunting. She let out a crying howl that was meant for her mother, but an answering call sounded from the depths of the forest close to her. Her ears pricked and her fur bristled as she heard approaching paw steps. she was prepared to guard her kill if she had to, but she wasn't prepared for what came out of the trees.
Katarina found herself surrounded on all sides by a pack of werewolves. At the head of the pack was a familiar rust-colored wolf with yellow eyes. She snarled a greeting and exposed her teeth at him. You!
So you do remember me, how thoughtful.
The rest of the pack chuckled behind them and Katarina grew furious at being mocked. Her thoughts were red with blood, but she knew she was outnumbered and she was still new to this body. She held her ground and waited.
You are a feisty one. I knew you would make a fine wolf that night in the woods. So fearless.
Do not waste your flattery on me. I'll hear none of it! Who are you? She demanded to know.
I am Lucius Trajan, recruiter for the noble, Matthias, and leader of the Were Army, and you, my darling, are coming with us.
How dare you? I would rather die than go with you! I have no desire to join you, Lucius. You banished me to this life, now leave me to it!
You should have come willingly. Now, I must bring you by force. I hope you enjoyed your meal. A stubborn wolf like you may not see another feast for many moons.
He lowered his head and like a single unit, the surrounding wolves echoed his movements and advanced on her. Katarina would not go down without a fight. She took the first wolf to reach her and crushed his windpipe in one powerful snap of her jaws. He fell to the ground in a bloody heap, but the next one landed on her back and tore at her pelt with sharp canines.
She tried to throw her off, but she was being attacked on all sides. Katarina knew she never stood a chance of winning this fight. She saw Lucius leap for her throat and only barely moved before he delivered a death strike. His weight slammed her to the ground and knocked the wind out of her. Before she knew it, the world had gone completely black.
Alyssa shot straight up, nearly knocking Xander out of bed. Then she remembered. She had slept with Xander and had fallen asleep in his arms. She was not in the forest being torn apart by wolves, but she was panting as if she had been.
"Alyssa? Are you okay?" Xander asked, sitting up and curling one muscular arm around her naked body.
"Was I dreaming? Did I walk the planes?" He was so close. She could feel the rise and fall of his chest against her skin.
"I heard nothing at all in your thoughts. What did you see?"
"I think I saw my mother's past, but it was more like a memory, like I was seeing through her eyes."
Xander's eyes narrowed at the mention of her mother. He seemed to consider for a moment then said, "Either you are inside her head, or she's in yours, and I don't care for either scenario. She's
dangerous. I know she's your mother, but you have to keep in mind what she's capable of doing."
"I know, Xander. I've seen with my own eyes what she did to Jessie, her own daughter. I just wish I knew why. What was she after in the first place? She certainly didn't come here to chat."
He placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder, then her collarbone. He was such a pleasant distraction. "Lay back down with me," he coaxed and began kissing her neck. She did not hear the wolf lurking in his thoughts, nor did she feel the beast stirring within herself. It was just Xander and Alyssa and she felt so refreshingly normal that she fell back into his arms.
He held her for awhile, skin against glorious skin. The curves of her body blended with his hard muscular planes. Their scents mingled together, his on her skin and hers on him. It suited her just fine. The wolf was happy and so was she. Still, there was that nagging feeling in the back of her mind. Was it lingering feelings for Nevar or something else? She didn't know.
Sleep would not come for Nevar. Instead, he stood watch over the she-wolf. Her dreams were as haunted as Alyssa's had been, but Jessie's were different. Hers were seemingly normal human nightmares. She had suffered loss many times in life and relived them many more times as she slept. It was an existence that Nevar understood all too well.
As the first hint of wakefulness showed in her thoughts, Nevar debated whether or not to leave the room. Something in her told him she would not like to wake up alone, so he stayed, but involved himself in some mail that he had been neglecting. No matter how old he was or how many lifetimes he lived, there were always bills to be paid and they arrived like clockwork. Petty matters to him, they consumed his time more than anything, but time was something he had plenty of.
"Nevar?"
He looked up from his task and saw her sitting upright in the bed. He had brought her to his office room and let her sleep in the day bed. This gave him access to his desk and allowed him to guard her while not appearing improper. "Yes, Ms. Foxx?"
"No, Jessie's fine, please," her voice quavered almost imperceptibly when she spoke. Her nightmares had affected her.
"Alright, Jessie, as you wish. What may I do for you?"
"You can stop being so proper for one. You make me feel inferior when you talk that way."
He had to fight a smile at the way her lips pursed slightly when she scolded him. It was cute, he had to admit. "Yes, ma'am. You are certainly not inferior by any means. I simply grew up with a much older frame of tongue, but I'll try to talk without sounding so formal."
It was difficult to train his tongue to form the words and he stumbled awkwardly over the contraction. It brought a smile to her lips and he thought it worth the effort to make a fool of himself to make her happy. "Thank you," she said. "Could you show me where I can take a shower and go to the bathroom?"
"Of course," he said. Being mostly werewolf, her body was still very much alive and functioned accordingly, unlike his own. He stood up and approached the bed, holding out a hand for her. She gave him a strange look, but then her expression softened. He was not being condescending to her. He was being a gentleman, nothing more and nothing less.
She accepted his hand and allowed him to assist her out of bed. He guided her across the hall to a large bathroom with a walk-in shower and a Jacuzzi tub large enough for two. He stopped at the door. "You should be able to find everything you need, but don't hesitate to ask if there is anything I can bring you."
"Thank you, Nevar, if it's not too much trouble, could I get a change of clothes?"
"I will ask Alyssa to attend to that for you, if it suits you. I don't pretend to know the in's and out's of the current fashions of women's clothing."
This time, she gave him a laugh that showed in her eyes as well as her smile. "That suits me just fine, but if you don't mind my saying so, you seem to know your way around a closet just fine."
He smiled at her in return. This was a new side of her that he was seeing, and it was refreshing to see the butterfly emerge from her cocoon. "I know what I like," was all he said. He left her to attend to her needs and to seek out Alyssa. He reached for her with his mind, hoping he did not read what he already feared, but when he found her, Xander was there in her mind.
She was quick to mask her thoughts to him. He had to admire the skill she possessed to transition between her thoughts and those of the wolf so fluidly. Her powers were maturing beautifully and she needed so little guidance. He shared his thoughts with her and felt the warmth that spread in her through her blood.
She still cast him under her spell, even though he knew it was only her mother's gift that made him feel this way. She did not realize that what she felt for him was only an illusion. She felt what he did through the blood they shared. By a strange twist of events, she had fallen under her own spell, but how was he to tell her? The thought sickened him. He did not wish to tell her that what they had shared together was passion evoked by some mysterious magic passed down from her mother.
Jessie would like a change of clothes, Alyssa. I thought you would be better suited for the task than I, if you don't mind?
Of course. I'll take care of it.
Thank you.
He wanted to say more, but the words never came to his thoughts. He hoped she was happy. He wanted that for her. She had been forgiving, and even kind, for what he had done to her. It was more than he deserved. Now, he wondered if she would still be kind and forgiving without the power of her blood manipulating her feeling towards him. It was a thought he could not bear to contemplate. He had never forgiven Matthias for changing him, but she forgave so easily. It was worth admiring.
She had so much heart, even though it was no longer beating in her. He had let his own heart die long before Matthias had found him. In truth, he had been dead to the world already, so why should he blame Matthias for completing what he himself had started? It all seemed so petty now. In seven hundred years, he had not seen what Alyssa had seen in less than seven days. He felt like a fool for taking so long.
I forgive you, Matthias. I have held a grudge against you for what I am far too long.
He had to search hard for the very weak thread that tied him to the old vampire. It had not been used in hundreds of years, not since he had gone looking for him some five hundred years ago. He reached out across the ancient blood tie, back to Matthias. He knew the older vampire would hear him, somehow. He had perfected the art long ago and his tie to Nevar was much stronger, but when he saw the thin vapor forming before him, the shock showed visibly on his features.
"It truly has been a long time, Nicholas," he paused. "Oh, do forgive me. You go by Nevar these days, do you not? I must say I much prefer your given name, but I will not deny you your eccentricities."
"Yes, Nevar is the name I prefer, or Monsieur Guile, as I have kept my surname to honor my father." He cleared his throat impatiently, feeling slightly annoyed at having to explain to an unwelcome guest how to address him. "I did not expect you to pay a visit, Matthias. Common courtesy would ask for an invitation first, or have you forgotten your manners?"
"You wish to speak to me of propriety when you caused a riot the last time you were at my door?"
"That was long ago, Matthias, and even you must see the error in your ways then. What brings you across the world to my gate?"
Matthias gave him an incredulous look. "Why, you did, sir. First, you bite my daughter and change her into the incredible specimen she is now and now you reach out to me after five hundred years? This is cause for celebration, if I do say so."
"I did not reach out to you to get reacquainted!"
"Tsk tsk, Nevar. Calm your temper. It is not only for your sake that I invited myself. My daughters are here and there is much to discuss with them. They should hear it from me. I cannot keep watching them pass out in the floor over ill-timed news."
Nevar felt his temper rise further rather than being calmed. It was clear to him now why he had been at odds with his mentor for so many years. "How dare you..."
Nevar tried to collect himself and regain composure. It was true that Matthias had always rubbed him the wrong way, but there was truth in his words and he was making an extraordinary effort to be a gracious host. "I will allow you to speak with them, Matthias. I imagine they will have quite a few words for you in any case." It gave him a measure of satisfaction to think of the tirade he was soon to be subjected to by his hybrid daughters.
"Thank you, Nevar. If I may soothe your wounded pride, your home is exquisite. It seems you brought a piece of Paris across the ocean with you. I almost believed it was Versailles when I arrived."
"It was an inspiration, yes, but with a few modern luxuries. I try to avoid the newer architecture as much as possible. The Old World style is much more sturdy and aesthetically pleasing."
"Very true. Where can we talk comfortably? I'm afraid we may have some length of topics to discuss."
"The library would be most suited to accommodate our growing number and there is comfortable seating available as well." As he directed Matthias through the manor towards the library, he reached out once more for Alyssa.
Yes, Nevar?
Your father is here and wishes to have a word with you and Jessie. When you both are ready, meet us in the library.
She did not answer, but she didn't need to either. Nevar felt her surprise and apprehension strongly. He had not been there with her at their first meeting and did not know how she had reacted to what surely came as surprising news to her at the time, but he knew that she was nervous about seeing the man she now knew as her father.
"While we wait for Alyssa and Jessie, allow me to offer you a bottle of my finest wine," Nevar offered.
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