Belonging to Hayden (Tales of Moonspell 1)

by Jessica Coulter Smith

  Hayden narrowed his eyes but nodded his understanding. After waiting for the vampire to leave, he left the house and went in search of his project. It wasn’t hard to find, but he had to admit he was a little surprised. When Julian had said a storage building, Hayden had expected something modest, something any home would have. But no, nothing like that for the illustrious Aiden Grant. The structure in front of him was two stories tall, three rooms wide, and four rooms deep. It could have easily housed a small family.

  With the tools, he found a set of blueprints, showing that the second floor had a regular staircase that led to it, as opposed to a ladder like he’d assumed he’d be building. There were even rooms instead of just one wide-open area on both floors. No wonder the vampire had looked so smug; he’d known the project would easily take the full month, if not longer.

  But he wasn’t going to be around to finish the task. By nightfall, he and Daniela would be on their way home. He knew Julian had seen his mark. So why hadn’t he commented on it? The question bothered him.

  Setting to his task, he tried to keep his thoughts away from Daniela, but it was hard. He wondered what she was doing, if she was safe. Had Julian made good on his word and provided her with things to occupy her time, or was she alone and bored, waiting for his return?

  They’d had an amazing night together, better than anything he’d ever experienced in all his forty years. It was unprecedented for an alpha to go so long without a mate, but he’d held the pack together regardless of his single status. There had been times when it had been tricky, trying to stay one step ahead of conniving females, but he’d made his position clear. He would have no serious relationships; he would wait for his mate. That wasn’t to say he hadn’t enjoyed the company of women now and again, because he had. But they always knew the score, knew it was just a one-time deal, and he made sure to choose women outside of the pack.

  During their various discussions the previous night, not once had they mentioned their age difference. He didn’t know her exact age, but if he had to guess, he’d say she was no more than thirty. Her black hair was curly and lustrous, her blue eyes beguiling. She had the softest skin he’d ever felt, pale as ivory.

  The second Daniela had stepped into the room she’d become the most important thing in his life, his very reason for breathing. He knew she’d felt hesitant at first, and he was thankful she’d overcome her initial uncertainty and welcomed him into her bed and her life. Having known werewolves before had probably made it easier for her, and there wasn’t a single inhabitant of Moonspell that wasn’t aware of the werewolf population. Still, she’d seemed uncertain about mates and how they were marked. Perhaps she didn’t know as much as others.

  As Hayden hammered nail after nail, he thought about his pack. He couldn’t wait for them to meet Daniela. He knew they would welcome her into the pack with open arms and quite a bit of curiosity. They’d always assumed his mate would be another werewolf, but somehow, he’d been destined to love a human. Oh, he didn’t love her yet, but the connection was there. The all-powerful urge to be with her, to protect her, to make sure her every need was satisfied.

  Glancing at the sky, Hayden sighed. He’d been at it for a good hour or two, but it was obviously going to be a very long day. He’d never hated the long days of summer until now.

  * * *

  Daniela stared at the men with wide eyes as they carried in a small entertainment center, a TV, and a few small boxes. She had no idea where it all had come from, but she was thankful for the distraction. She’d spent the past two hours staring out the window and replaying the previous night’s events, wondering if she’d lost her mind to so readily accept Hayden into her life. She understood the concept of a mate, and knew that if she was truly his mate, which it seemed she was, then they were destined to be together. But it was all a little overwhelming and slightly frightening. The mark on his arm, and the one on her back, proved his claim -- she was indeed his mate. But how did that make her feel?

  Honored, for one thing. She’d never heard of a human being selected as a mate before. Scared for another. What if his pack rejected her? What’s more, this was a major life change for her. She would be giving up her apartment, her things, her life as she knew it. Would she be allowed to work, or would Hayden expect her to stay home? She had so many questions for him, questions she hadn’t had the time or the courage to ask last night. They’d been too occupied with other things, and just learning the basics about each other. Tonight. Tonight she would ask.

  She watched the men set up the entertainment center on the wall opposite the loveseat that was situated on the right side of the room. They placed the small, flat-panel TV on top and hooked it up. She didn’t see a cable hook-up, but next they opened a box and removed a small DVD player. Peering into the box, she saw at least thirty movies. The sight of so many movies bothered her. She knew Julian had to have seen Hayden’s mark, so why send so many when they’d be leaving?

  Being nosy, she opened another box and found it filled with books. Romances mostly, with a few mystery and horror novels thrown in for variety. The third box held magazines and a small netbook. She was surprised, thinking they would want to keep her isolated from the rest of Moonspell. What if she emailed the chief of police and told him she was being held captive? Or would they monitor her usage?

  One of the men noticed her interest. “Don’t get too excited. You won’t have Internet access, but it has a handful of games loaded on it. Julian thought it might help pass the time.”

  “Julian?” she asked in surprise. She wasn’t sure who else would have sent the items to her, but it seemed a little odd that the vampire was seeing to her comfort. “These things are all from Julian?”

  He nodded.

  The vampire had surprised her. She was little more than a prisoner. She doubted all of their captives were treated so well.

  After the men were finished and had left, she rifled through the DVDs and selected one she’d wanted to watch but had missed at the movie theater. Curling up in the corner of the loveseat, she settled in to watch the movie. If nothing else, it would pass the time and keep her from thinking about Hayden for a bit.

  * * *

  Hayden watched as the sun finally sank beyond the horizon, leaving him in total darkness and giving him the freedom to return to Daniela. Putting his tools away, he walked across the yard with determined strides, each step taking him closer to his goal. When he reached the inside of the house, he practically ran up the stairs and hurried down the hall.

  He pushed open the suite door and was surprised to find Daniela stretched across the foot of the bed flipping through a magazine. It seemed Julian had kept his word. As much as he hated it, he owed the vampire. Julian had ensured Daniela had something with which to occupy her time, while Hayden had been helpless to give her anything.

  She looked up and smiled. “You’re back.”

  He nodded. When she rose and started across the room, he stopped her.

  “You should probably keep your distance until I’ve had a shower. I’ve been working outside since I left this morning.”

  “They brought your clothes a little while ago. I placed them in the dresser.”

  He smiled. “Thanks. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll opt for boxers only tonight. I just about fried out there today.”

  “Go take a cold shower and dress however you wish. It’s just the two of us here.”

  “I’m sure dinner will be along shortly.”

  “I’ll call and have it delivered while you’re showering.”

  Hayden nodded in acknowledgment, grabbed a clean pair of boxers, and went into the bathroom. He heard Daniela speaking in the other room and knew she was ordering their dinner as he started the shower. After baking in the sun all day, he didn’t even bother turning on the hot water. He stripped quickly and stepped under the icy spray, growling as it hit his heated skin. Soaking his head, he felt a little better. He washed away the sweat and grime, not even able to stand his own st
ench. He’d been surprised his mate was going to come to him when he’d walked into the room. She had to have smelled him from across the room. It was nice to know it hadn’t mattered to her.

  He stayed under the water until he heard the door open and shut in the other room. Just the thought of food had his stomach growling. He’d taken a short lunch, practically swallowing his sandwich whole, before getting back to work. Not that he really knew why he was rushing the job. If he completed it, they’d just assign him something else to do.

  After drying off, he pulled on his boxers and tossed his wet towel in the hamper. He heard the door open and close again and knew he and his mate were once more alone. Entering the bedroom, he sniffed the air appreciatively. If he wasn’t mistaken, it was lasagna with a side of garlic bread. Most people thought garlic repelled vampires, but it really had no effect on them at all.

  “Dinner smells delicious,” he said.

  “I don’t know about you, but I love pasta of any kind. Lasagna just happens to be my favorite,” she said with a smile.

  He filed that little tidbit away for later, when they were free of this place and he was able to cook for her or take her someplace nice.

  They sat and dug into their food. At first, neither of them spoke, merely stealing glances at one another. But after a few minutes Hayden couldn’t take the silence any longer. There was too much he didn’t know about her to waste so much as a minute of the time he could be getting to know her better.

  “What was your life like before the vampires found you?” he asked.

  “Average, I guess. I dated some, but it never worked out. The last guy I was with tried to kill me. The police arrested him, and of course you know what happened next.

  “Aside from that, I went to work, paid my bills, and just did the same things any other woman does. Went to movies, had dinner with friends… nothing spectacular, but I was happy.”

  “Where did you work?”

  “Cummings, Cummings, and Wilshire. I’m a legal secretary.”

  His eyebrows rose. “I pegged you as more the creative type.”

  “Nope, not a creative bone in my body. I’m good with legal documents and crunching numbers. Before working at the law office, I worked for an accountant.”

  He had a hard time picturing Daniela doing that type of work. He’d thought for sure she’d tell him she was an artist, or a writer, or built websites or something. A wardrobe full of suits was a little hard for him to wrap his mind around. Of course, he’d only seen her in slinky nightwear so far.

  “What do you do?” she asked.

  “My family owned several rental properties around town. I manage them and spend the rest of my time focusing on the pack and their needs. I’m not rich by any means, but I’m comfortable enough. I have a three-bedroom house over on Mulberry just south of Elm. It’s a quiet neighborhood.”

  “I’ve always wanted a house, but I didn’t see the point in buying one for just me, so I rent an apartment at The Lakes. It’s a one bedroom, but that’s all I really need. Of course, it’s left me money to spare so I have a decent savings account. On the off chance I was ever unemployed, I saved.”

  He’d already known she was smart, but she was practical too.

  “Would you want to help me with the legal aspect of the rentals? Maybe keep track of the contracts? You could even see if they need to be updated,” he said, wanting to give her a way to be a part of his life, to share in his day-to-day existence other than on an intimate level. He wanted her to feel like she belonged.

  “I’d like that. But it brings up a question I thought of earlier. Actually, I have lots of questions, but I imagine we’ll get to them over time.”

  “Ask me anything you want.”

  She twirled her fork, seeming nervous. “Do you expect me to quit my job?”

  “Expect it? No. Would I like for you to? It would be a plus to have you home every day, not just because I’d like to spend time with you, but also because of the pack. If something ever comes up and I’m not around, you’ll be the one they turn to as alpha female.”

  She looked shocked. “But I don’t know anything about pack politics!”

  “You’ll learn as you go along.”

  “What happens if they don’t accept me? As far as I know, it’s unusual for a werewolf to mate with a human.”

  “Unusual, yes. Unheard of, no. My pack will accept you, whether you’re werewolf or not. They’ve waited a long time for me to find my mate -- some probably wondered if the day would ever come, or if I’d met her and just missed the opportunity somehow.” He shrugged. “There were times I wondered if they weren’t on to something.”

  “When do werewolves usually find their mates?”

  “Most in my pack paired off by the time they were thirty. No one has reached my age without finding their mate. I don’t know about other packs, except what I’ve heard.”

  “What happens if… if Julian goes back on his word and I have to stay here?” she asked.

  “I’m not leaving you, if that’s what you’re wondering. I’m getting you out of here, no matter what I have to do to accomplish that. You’re my mate, a part of me, and we’re getting out of here together.”

  Daniela pushed her plate away. Hayden had finished his meal over fifteen minutes ago and pushed his plate away as well. Their dinner conversation wasn’t going quite the way he’d expected. He’d known she would have questions; he’d expected her to be curious. But he’d hoped their talk would end with them in bed, doing much more than sleeping. It wasn’t looking like he would get his wish the way things were going.

  “I don’t want you to worry, Daniela. I’m going to protect you.”

  “It isn’t you I’m worried about. It’s the vampires. How do we know we can trust them?”

  She had him there. He was assuming they would hold to the bargain that had been struck, but what if they didn’t? What if Daniela was right to worry? Julian had been straightforward with him thus far. He hadn’t done or said anything to make him think they couldn’t walk away as promised.

  Daniela stood and walked toward the door. Pushing the button on the communication box, she notified the kitchen they were finished with their dinner. Hayden watched her, uncertain what to do or say next. He’d done little else but think of her all day, had wanted nothing more than to hurry to her side so he could take her in his arms and hold her once more. And now that he was here, mere feet away from her, he felt farther apart from her than he had all day. How did he ease her fears? How could he guarantee her freedom when he was little more than a slave of the vampires himself?

  There was a knock at the door a moment before it opened. The kitchen staff entered and swiftly removed their dinner dishes. After they left, Hayden approached Daniela. He ran his fingers through her hair, enjoying the silky texture as his fingers sifted through it. He tilted her chin so she looked him in the eye.

  “I can’t promise they’ll keep their word. I have no control over what happens while we’re here, as much as I wish it were otherwise. Since you’re my mate, I can keep the vampires at bay for at least the time Julian has given us. Try not to worry. We may have just met, but you mean everything to me, and I will do all I can to assure your safety and well-being.”

  “All right. I’ll put my trust in you, my life in your hands, and I’ll do my best not to worry about tomorrow until tomorrow comes.”

  He smiled at her. “That’s all I can ask for.”

  Leaning down, he gently claimed her lips, kissing her softly. Her mouth was so sweet that what started as a simple taste turned into something more. His tongue stroked hers as their breaths mingled. He cupped her cheeks in the palms of his hands, cradling her face as he sipped from her lips.

  When he pulled back, she wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. He returned her embrace and held her close. They might not have known one another long, but she seemed to understand him, something he’d never experienced with a woman before. He’d had sexual release with his
previous partners, but he’d never allowed himself to get close to any of them, and that was what he found he liked the most about being with Daniela. It was because of moments like these that he looked forward to having a mate.

  Chapter Four

  “Make me forget where we are,” she said softly. “Take me away from this place, if only for a little while.”

  His arms tightened around her. “I want you too much tonight to be gentle.”

  “I didn’t ask for gentle. I asked for you.”

  She looked into his eyes as she reached up and traced his strong jaw with her fingertips. It gave him a stubborn look but she supposed he probably was, being alpha and used to everyone obeying his every command. She brushed her thumb over his full bottom lip, and his tongue flicked out to lick the pad. A shiver ran down her spine and she pressed herself closer to him.

  Her nipples peaked and chafed against the silky material of her nightgown. She wanted it off -- she wanted his hands and his mouth on her, his cock filling her pussy. To hell with gentle! Yes, it had been wonderful last night, but right now she needed him any way she could have him.

  Taking matters into her own hands, she pushed his boxers off his hips, letting them fall to the floor. She didn’t have to look to see if he was aroused; she could feel his cock pressed against her, hard and ready. She pulled her nightgown up and over her head, dropping it on the floor. He growled softly and heat flared in his eyes.

  Her pussy was weeping and felt so empty. And still Hayden made no attempt to take her. Feeling desperate, she took a leap and wrapped her legs around his waist. She felt his indrawn breath and watched his eyes dilate.

  “Take me, Hayden.”

  He growled again and stalked across the room. Pressing her back against the wall, he entered her hard and fast. Her eyes closed in ecstasy.

  “Look at me,” he demanded.