by Unknown
Her stamina gave out long before his; Josie finally stopped pushing for more and submitted. Her supplicating hands slipped down his chest.
“Jared, please,” she begged. “Make me come. I want to feel—”
Jared grunted and leaned back to slide his hand between them, brushing her experienced fingers aside. He was at the end of his rope anyway. Parting her pussy, his fingers found her clit and closed on the nub, thrumming to heighten her torment.
“Beg pretty,” he commanded.
“Please, please, please…pretty please,” Josie chanted, fucking herself on his cock with her helpless writhing. He wound her up, causing her to sweat and moan and finally quake in pleasure. In the end, she screamed for him.
The contraction of her tight vaginal walls around his cock pushed him over the edge. The spasm started in his balls, moving through him like a chain of lightning. His vision went white so he closed his eyes, and every muscle in his body grew rigid with the physical exertion of remaining still.
He growled, long and low, declaring his dominance with a cry as primitive and primal as the blood of the wolf running through his veins. In that moment, Jared died inside her sheath. Josie wrapped herself around him like a mink and purred loud enough to send reverberations through the tiny room. Panting, Jared met his own accusatory gaze in the mirror. So much for good intentions.
Day 6
“Ooph.” Jared’s breath expelled from his lungs with the sudden addition of Josephine atop his chest. The cot creaked under the strain of their combined weight.
The curious blue-eyed cat shoved her head between the werewolf and his book. He had been ignoring her for hours to read. It was unacceptable. “Whatcha doing?”
“Plotting to take over the world. What the hell does it look like I’m doing?” He closed his book.
“Don’t be surly.” She stuck the pad of her palm against his chin and brushed his lips with her knuckles. “No one likes a grumpy werewolf.”
“Funny, I don’t recall ever worrying about my popularity.”
“You should.” Josephine watched as he set the book aside. “Does Shakespeare say anything about cats?”
Beneath her, Jared contemplated in silence, his chest rising and falling with comfortable regularity. “In Othello, he says, ‘Drown thyself? Drown cats and blind puppies.’”
“Ouch! Hey, no claws!” Jared jumped as Josephine’s claws dug into his bare chest; he grabbed her and lifted her. His laughter echoed through the small cell.
“Something more flattering.”
“Henry IV: ‘I am as vigilant as a cat to steal cream.’” He lowered her to rest upon his chest again.
“Better.” Josephine allowed a purr to erupt from her throat, demonstrating her pleasure. “You’re growing a beard,” Josie said, stroking her palm across Jared’s cheek. His facial fur was short and rough, but she liked it. It was good to be able to touch him whenever and however she wanted.
“It happens when I can’t shave,” he replied with a grunt. Her wolf regarded her from beneath lowered eyelids. He looked sleepy, but the tension in his long body said otherwise.
Footsteps sounded from above them.
“They’re coming. Get over in the corner and cower.” Jared sat up on the cot, dislodging Josephine in the process. Naturally, she landed on her feet, but she resented the loss of her lover’s comfortable chest. Jared seemed to have no issues at all about being used as a mattress.
“Ask for something other than cheeseburgers,” Josephine told him, retreating to her appointed corner.
“Shut up and try to look submissive,” Jared shot back.
Josephine opened her mouth to make a pithy reply, but then Evangeline entered the basement with her guards. The werecat shut her mouth; she was smart enough to know when it was safe to sass back.
“Jared, isn’t it a wonderful evening.” Evangeline said. The vampire wore a long blue chiffon gown that dragged on the floor behind her.
“Oh yeah, it’s a lark,” Jared agreed. His sarcasm passed so high over Evangeline’s head, it soared.
The vampire beamed as she talked about her party—decorations, music, the guest list—she went on and on. Jared all but yawned. “I’ve invited a dozen guests to my party, including three of the most prestigious of my kind in the county,” she prattled.
“You’re one of them, right?” Jared asked, arching his brow.
The vampire stared at him. “One of who?”
“Naturally,” Jared said with a bland smile. “You’re one of the most prestigious vampires for miles in every direction.”
Shoving her hand into her mouth, Josephine stifled a laugh. At the same time, she bit her fingers. Jared’s cavalier attitude scared her. If he pissed off Evangeline before he got out of the cage, he might never escape.
The cat’s tiny motion attracted the vampire’s attention. Evangeline glared at Josephine. “Why is that still alive?” she demanded.
Jared’s entire demeanor transformed from haughty to submissive. It was an abrupt and awkward transition. “Mistress, as I explained, I get bored. And Carl here keeps me well fed.”
Evangeline sneered. “Perhaps I should have Carl cut back on your rations.” She glared at Josie. The werecat dropped her gaze and did her best to vanish. “I think maybe I’ll have cat for dinner instead of wolf.” Her tone signed Josie’s death warrant.
Josephine shook in outright terror. Jared would do his best to intervene, but there wasn’t much he could do if Evangeline decided to drain her. Even her wolf had limits.
“Mistress,” Jared said. He stepped between Josephine and Evangeline. His wolf rose, dark and powerful and seductive. “Evangeline,” he said, speaking as a lover did. He made eye contact and had her. The vampire gazed at him as if bewitched.
“Don’t waste your time with the cat,” Jared said. “Come to me. I need to feel your touch.” He extended his hand, coaxing the vampire through the bars.
Josephine stiffened and bit back a caterwaul. Abruptly, she was in the grip of a green-eyed monster, ears flat and tail twitching. She knew—knew—it was all for show, but she longed to gouge the vampire’s eyes out. She wanted to rush over and claim Jared—mine, mine, mine.
“Open the cell door,” Evangeline commanded.
Carl stirred and seemed about to argue. “Let me fetch the cattle prod,” he said. “And the shotguns.”
The vampire glanced at her servant, irritated and impatient. But Evangeline retained enough sense of self-preservation to agree to the safety precautions. She waited until her servants were in position, shotguns held at ready, and then she entered the cell.
Evangeline rushed Jared. She seized the werewolf and pulled him into an open-mouthed kiss. Jared was already bare-chested; his shirt had been shredded in a bathroom skirmish days before. The vampire clawed at his pants, ripping open the buttons of his fly. The blue chiffon dress tore at the hem.
“Evangeline,” Jared managed, allowing the vampire to shove him toward the cot. Evangeline finished stripping his jeans. Jared had to resist…not to resist. Josephine’s stomach churned and nausea besieged her as she crouched, helpless, watching while the vampire mauled Jared.
Evangeline pushed Jared into a sitting position on the cot and kneeled between his open thighs. Evangeline shoved his legs further apart and flashed fang, bending to sink her teeth into the femoral artery along his inner thigh.
The wolf’s mouth twisted in a silent snarl, and his eyes turned solid gold. Jared seized Evangeline’s hair with his hand, forming a fist. His cock was flaccid. Features twisted with hatred and disgust, he turned his gaze to Josephine and pinned her with his topaz eyes.
Evangeline drank her fill and finally rose from her crouching position between Jared’s thighs. The vampire wore a rapt expression and her unseeing eyes failed to register her victim’s misery and lack of physical interest.
“It’s true—werewolves are ambrosia,” Evangeline said to no one in particular. Her human servants did not dare respond. Carl opene
d the cell door for his mistress and stood aside as she passed. Josephine fancied even Carl appeared disgusted and uncomfortable with her depravity.
After Evangeline departed, Josephine remained crouched on the cold cement floor, too sick with guilt to move. Jared lurched to his feet, ignoring the blood flowing from the bite wound on his thigh. He staggered into the bathroom and retched in the toilet.
How many times had she reacted in a similar way to such a vicious violation?
Crawling, Josephine followed him and shoved the bathroom door shut behind her. She found him beside the toilet, kneeling with his forehead against his knee. Hand shaking, Josie reached out to touch him and stopped, unable to complete the act.
“Just worshipping the porcelain goddess,” Jared said. He looked up and his misery made her weep. “Don’t cry, pussycat,” he said. “Not worth it.”
“Submissive behavior hurts you.”
“Not exactly.” He shook his head. “I’ve observed it enough, though usually from the top-down perspective. I understand it well enough to fake it.”
“You’re an amazing actor.” Josie sighed in despair. Her hands touched his arm, withdrawing twice before settling against his clammy skin.
Jared forced an ironic smile. “I was a theater major in college. I love Shakespeare.”
“I hate seeing you like this,” Josie whispered, fighting a new wave of tears.
His face turned toward the outer cell. “Being close to that walking corpse—” He shuddered and his entire body convulsed. “Letting her touch me like that…I’d rather die than be violated like that again.”
“Raped,” Josie supplied. She knew the right word; she understood the feeling well. Evangeline had fed on her for years. Daily. She knew what it meant to be raped of her blood.
The wolf’s expression turned murderous. “Is this how you feel about me?” Jared demanded.
The question came from so far out in left field Josephine could only gape at him. “I—what?”
“Yesterday, you came onto me to ingratiate yourself,” Jared ground out. “To make sure I won’t leave you behind. I knew it and had sex with you anyway. Hell, I took advantage of you, as if you haven’t lost enough to this hellhole already. You must hate me, Josie.”
“Jared, I—” She balled her fists. “Why did you submit to her? You could have torn her limb from limb. The shotguns aren’t loaded with silver bullets. They’d hurt, but they wouldn’t kill you.”
“You might have been killed in the crossfire,” Jared said. “I couldn’t take the chance.”
“Whenever Evangeline bites you, you look at me,” Josephine continued to speak with an excess of nervous energy. “With so much hatred and—No, please don’t interrupt. Let me finish. Every single time, you’ve stared at me as if you wanted nothing more than to kill me…”
Her voice broke and tears flowed. She hiccupped. “I just don’t understand you, Jared. I know you blame me for getting you captured. How can you hate me one second and protect me the next? It doesn’t make any sense!”
“I don’t hate you, Josie Cat. Hell, I don’t really blame you for getting me into this. Much. Though, an apology at some point would be nice,” Jared said with a smirk. In the face of Josie’s pain and confusion, his misery was forgotten. His gaze was calm, cool, and confident. “I hate her. I only stare at you to remind myself why I’m not ripping out her heart.”
A hand crushed the already broken heart that life had shattered years before. Josephine tilted forward and pushed her face into Jared’s throat. His hands rose in surprise, but he opened his arms to take her in.
“If I could do it over, I’d have asked for your help in that bar. At the time, it wouldn’t have occurred to me that such a thing was possible,” she said. “I’m so sorry I got you into this mess, Jared.”
His grip on her tightened. “It’s okay,” Jared said, and for the first time, Josephine believed him. He eased away enough so she could see his face. His smile was crooked. “Meeting you has been worth it.”
His sincerity left her speechless. Tears filled her great blue eyes, and a lump filled her throat. No one had ever valued her above their own welfare. No one.
“Jared, how I feel about you,” Josephine began, and Jared stiffened. She tightened her grip on him, clinging with small strong hands. “I think you’re giving me too much credit. I wasn’t thinking about anything but teasing you, and when it happened, it was like—” The best damn thing in her miserable life. “I’m not sorry, Jared.”
Smiling, he gathered her into his arms and rose from the dirty floor. “Then I’m not sorry either,” he said, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
It was too much honesty—this overload of intimacy—and way more than any cat could handle all at once. But she might never have another chance. “Jared, if I had a hero, you’d fill out his blue jeans just fine,” she said.
He laughed. “Thanks, I think. Speaking of blue jeans, I want to put my pants on.” She slid down his body to stand, and he peered at her. Those unblinking topaz eyes looked straight into her soul. “Are you done being scared that I’ll leave you?”
“You won’t leave me,” Josephine said. “I trust you, which scares me way more than dying.”
Day 7
“What time is it?” Josie asked, taking a nice long stretch on the cot. The werecat lifted her head; her blue eyes were hooded.
“Ten minutes after the last time you asked,” Jared said with a glare. Waiting, waiting, waiting…It was driving them both insane. “Since there’s no clock, I have no means of knowing the exact time any better than you.”
“Mrrow,” Josie growled. “Someone has his boxers in a twist.” She turned over and then turned her head in the direction of the stairs. The werecat’s big ears made her hearing better than his.
“Don’t wear any,” Jared informed her even though it wasn’t necessary. She knew the state of his underwear—or lack thereof.
Jared stopped his restless pacing to listen. The werewolf had stalked the length of his cell for hours through the late afternoon. The footfalls overhead were heavy and human, preceding Carl into the room.
The human servant carried a folded stack of clothing and a small brown paper bag sat perched atop the pile. “That cat still alive?” he said in what had become his customary greeting.
“For now,” Jared replied. “I’ll eat her before the party, so don’t worry about bringing dinner.”
Carl chuckled. On the bed, Josie hissed and puffed up, ears flat and tail lashing. Jared did not smell fear; it was just for show. They were a team instead of rivals.
“Here,” Carl said, offering the stack of clothing through the bars.
Jared shifted, uneasy because it was a casual gesture, very unlike the man’s usual caution. After a slight hesitation, Jared accepted the clothing, quelling the desire to reach out and snap the other man’s neck.
“I’m supposed to dress up?” Jared surmised, inspecting what he had been given. It wasn’t much: black leather pants, black boots, and a studded black collar. The paper bag contained personal grooming supplies, including a bottle of body oil.
“Evangeline wants you to oil up nice ‘n shiny for her guests,” Carl said. Then he stopped, about to say more, but hesitating.
“Yeah?” Jared said.
Carl glanced over his shoulder. “Look, I have a pretty good idea what’s gonna happen tonight. I’ve served her for years, but my situation isn’t much different from yours. We’re just on opposite sides of the bars.”
Jared stared at the man, keeping his expression flat. “What are you saying?”
“Nothing,” Carl said, “except, please don’t kill me tonight when you take Evangeline down. I have a daughter in Nogales. I’d like to go stay with her and her family. Start over doing something decent. Maybe be a janitor or a mechanic. Please, let me live. I’m keeping my mouth shut.”
“As soon as I’m upstairs tonight, clear out. Leave the party, get out of town, and don’t look back. I won’t follow yo
u,” Jared said. He allowed his wolf to rise, displaying the natural cockiness he’d been hiding for the last week. The human’s face drained of blood, and he cowed in instinctive response.
Carl nodded, backing away. “You won’t ever see me again.”
“After tonight, you’d better hope so,” Jared said.
“Tonight, there will be two vampires with me when I come to escort you upstairs. They’re supposed to help keep you under control.”
“Okay, thanks,” Jared said, filing the information away. He watched the other man leave and then turned to Josie. The werecat sprang off the cot.
“Was that smart?” Josephine demanded, rushing at Jared with concern. Her hands grabbed for his chest. “What if he changes his mind? He could betray us!”
“He won’t,” Jared said.
“How can you be sure?” she asked. The cat was close to hysterics.
Jared sighed and set the clothes and bag aside. He placed a hand on either side of Josie’s face and gazed into her eyes. “Trust me,” he said. “Trust my instincts. Can you do that?”
Her breathing grew steady and even as she calmed. Her lips twitched and her tail followed suit. She wanted to argue with him but nodded and resisted the impulse.
“Good girl,” he said, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Come into the bathroom with me?”
“What happens next?” Josephine asked. She reached up to grasp his arms, settling her fingertips against the inside of his wrists. She hadn’t consented to accompany him, and he didn’t want to go through their usual production. Not tonight.
“Josie, please.” He kissed her neck below the ear and then her throat above the jugular. Her fur felt velvet soft beneath his lips. “I need you to trust me.”
Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “See? Talk like that makes me trust you less.”
He sighed. “Do you always have to be so contrary?”
“I’m a cat,” she said. “It’s expected.”
“Right.” His mouth twisted in a grimace. Out of patience, Jared picked Josie up and tossed her over his shoulder.