by Lisa Emme
Tess looked at me, her eyes narrowed. “Now whose turn is it to spill?” She arched an eyebrow at me.
“What?” I waved her off. “It’s not like you didn’t know we were having sex. Hot, steamy, blow-your-socks-off sex.” I gave a little shrug.
“Nuh-uh.” Tess eyed me critically again. “There’s more. You’re not telling me something.”
I ignored her, my flaming red face giving me away, and carried a pan full of dirty dishes into the kitchen. She followed, hot on my heels.
“Oh no, Harry,” Tess said, waving a finger at me. “You’re not getting off that easy.” She stood with her hands on her hips.
I continued to ignore her for a few more minutes while I loaded the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and flipped it on. Finally, I turned around and faced her. “I sort of bit him,” I mumbled, my words mostly lost to the hum of the dishwasher.
I turned my back to her again to grab a clean rack full of dishes from the drying area. I started to brush past her, intending to take the clean dishes to stock the shelves out front, but she grabbed my arm. “You what?”
I rolled my eyes and stopped, putting the rack of dishes down on the counter. “I…I sort of bit him last night.”
“During sex?”
“Well, yeah. You know, in the heat of the moment, I sort of,” I bit my lip, “I sort of fanged out.”
Tess laughed. I scowled at her and turned to grab the tray of dishes. She grabbed my arm. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” She took the tray from my hands and set it back on the counter. “I didn’t mean to laugh, honest,” she said, struggling to keep the smile off her face.
I huffed out a breath. “Yeah, sure.” I crossed my arms defensively over my chest.
“No, truly, I’m sorry.” She gave me an apologetic look. “So tell me what happened. What’s the big deal? Did Nash freak out on you or something?”
“No, nothing like that.” I waved off the idea. “In fact…” I gave a little shrug.
“What?”
I leaned in close to Tess, keeping my voice low. “It was fucking amazing.” I took a deep breath, trying to ignore the little flutter of heat I felt as thoughts of the previous night flashed through my mind.
When I found myself sprawled across Nash’s naked body, there were no boxer briefs for anyone's protection this time. The shirt I had worn to bed was also gone, courtesy of Nash and his ‘no clothes in my bed’ rule.
Half asleep, I had run my fingers through the downy mat of hair on his chest. His nipples rose to attention and I circled the closest one with my tongue, sucking the little nub into my mouth. Nash had growled, his arm scooping me up to deposit me on top of him. I straddled his hips, grinding against him and he groaned.
“Ride me, little minx,” he growled.
I obliged, lifting my hips and slowly lowering myself onto him. When I was fully seated, I rested my hands on his chest, my fingers playing with his nipples, and then I slowly started to rock and grind my hips against him. As my momentum built, I leaned back and Nash slipped his hand between us, his fingers adding to the sensation with each thrust of my hips. He reached up with his other hand, grabbing my breast almost roughly, his thumb and finger pinching my nipple and my hips bucked in response. I reached out to grasp his wrist for balance as I bent farther back, my hips rocketing up and down.
I don’t know when I first noticed the pulse pounding in his wrist. I could just suddenly feel it pulsating beneath my fingers. I was so close to orgasm, the need was intense. Before I knew what I was doing, I had pulled Nash’s hand to my face. I licked the pulse point on the underside of his wrist and he cupped my cheek with his hand.
“Oh god, I’m so close,” I moaned. “I need…”
“Take what you need, minx, whatever you need.” Nash’s voice was rough, his breathing erratic and I knew he was close as well.
I felt my fangs fall into place with a ‘snick’. I could smell the tang of his blood as it rushed through his veins and I licked his wrist again. His skin was salty with sweat. My tongue played against my fangs. They felt foreign in my mouth. I looked at Nash and his eyes were wide, but excited. I ran my fangs along the tender skin on the inside of his wrist and he gasped. “Oh god, yes,” he moaned. “Do it.”
That was all the encouragement I needed. My fangs slid into his skin as easily as a hot knife through butter. The warm, coppery liquid burst into my mouth at the same time my orgasm exploded over me. I drew a mouthful of Nash’s blood in and it tasted like nothing I had ever tasted before. It was rich and savoury, spicy and sweet, all at once. It made me feel euphoric. I sucked on his wrist, pulling in another mouthful. Nash cried out, his hips bucking right off the bed. He sat up, his other arm reaching around me, holding me in place while his hips continued to rock and buck with his release. I licked the two little bite marks on his wrist until the blood stopped trickling out, and then dropped his arm and fell forward, sprawling across his chest. My heart was pounding as my body continued to vibrate with the echoes of my orgasm.
“Harry!” Tess waved her hand in front of my face. “Earth to Harry. Omigod, those must have been some epic shelves. You totally just zoned out on me.” Tess laughed.
My face, which I didn’t think could get any redder, flushed even more. “Epic doesn’t begin to describe it.” I shot her a wicked grin and grabbed the rack of clean dishes, heading out the door to the front. As far as I was concerned, the conversation was closed.
Chapter Sixteen
Tess chose not to follow me back into the shop demanding details. Yay, for small favours. I was busy putting away the clean dishes when suddenly the door chimed. I looked up in time to see three dishevelled-looking men, norms around my age, stalk in. Their eyes scanned the shop, clearly casing the place. Jon, one of my werewolf babysitters for the day, flicked his gaze to mine and I gave a little shake of my head. The leader of the group strode up to the counter where Tiffy was meticulously polishing the Deco. The other two men spread out to either side of the shop, standing with arms crossed, meant to intimidate I’m sure.
I stepped up to the counter, moving in front of Tiffy. “Can I help you?” I gave the goon my most pleasant smile.
“Gimme everything in your register. Do it now and no one gets hurt.” The man, I’ll call him Goon A, had his hand in his jacket pocket and he gave it a little wave, like he was holding a concealed gun. “I said now, sweetheart, or are you too blonde to understand?” He laughed, looking over at his buddies to see if they joined in. They did.
“Oh, you so did not go there,” I replied, shaking my blonde head.
“What?” Goon A looked confused.
“Don’t worry about it. Listen, I don’t have time for this shit right now. Why don’t you three idiots go on home and we’ll all forget this ever happened.”
“No, you listen, bitch.” Goon A waved his pocket around again. “Give me all your money or I’ll cap one between your fucking eyes.”
“Seriously? Do people actually talk like that outside of movies?” I gave him a look of pity. “You’re just going to get yourselves hurt.” I included his back-up goons in my gaze.
“Are you nuts or something, bitch?” He looked at me in shock. “Who’s gonna hurt me? You?” He gestured with his pocket again - like I believed he really had a gun in there, please, give me some credit.
“No, not me, my associate.” I gave a little shrug. “Oh Tess,” I looked over at Tess. She was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, watching the exchange with a grin on her face. “Tess, would you be a dear and come out here and speak to these idi-, I mean gentlemen?”
Tiffy, who, in uncharacteristic fashion, had taken a bold step out from behind me to stand at my side looked at the three men and gave them a grin. “Oh you’re in trouble now, boyos,” she said, her grin growing wider. I did a double-take. I wonder if anyone else noticed the extra row of cra
ggy, shark-like teeth?
The three men looked at me, clearly confused by my lack of cooperation, and then Tess stepped out from the doorway. “Certainly, Harry,” she said with a smile.
The goons took one look at all five foot three of her and burst out laughing.
“That’s your back up?” Goon A guffawed. “Oh, I’m soooo scared.” He turned to share a laugh with his buddies and then turned back to face Tess. “Careful sweetheart, you might break a nail. Now quit fucking around and give me the ca-”
With lightning quick, werewolf speed, Tess was in front of the goon, her knee delivering a blow to his groin that would probably leave him choking on his own testicles for a week. The goon fell to his knees with a squeal of pain and Tess followed through with a knuckle punch to the throat, leaving him rolling on the floor in pain, gasping for breath.
One of the goon’s buddies (Goon B) suddenly realized they were in trouble and stepped up to help his friend, but by that point I had already vaulted over the counter. I landed in front of him, bringing my elbow up to smash him in the face, breaking his nose. He stumbled back, blood gushing down his face, into the waiting arms of Jon. Mike, my other werewolf babysitter, quickly pinned back Goon C’s arms as well, leaving Goon A defenseless on the floor. Just as well the goons were the only norms in the place or we would have had a hard time explaining everything.
I stepped over to Goon A where he was curled in the fetal position, wheezing and holding his groin, tears running down his cheeks. Tess gave him a push with her foot, rolling him flat on his back. She put a dainty little foot down on his chest. “I guess we’ll have to call the cops,” she said with an exaggerated sigh.
“Maybe not,” I replied with a shrug. “Tiffy? Will you be a dear and reach under the counter and grab my katana?” After last night’s unwelcome visitor, I had felt it best not to come to work unarmed. I held out my hand and Tiffy placed my scabbard in my palm. “Do you know what they used to do to thieves in the olden days?” Goon A began to squirm but Tess’s foot couldn’t be budged.
Tess smiled wickedly. “Oh yeah.” She switched to kneeling with one knee on the goon’s chest and wrestled his arm out from his body. I pulled my blade out slowly, the sound ringing through the shop.
“What the hell?” Goon A screamed. “You can’t do that!”
“Who’s going to stop me? You? Your friends?” I pulled his arm out, stepping on his hand to hold it in place. He howled as my heel ground into the bones of his hand. I made a show of lining the blade up with his wrist.
Goon A flinched, his eyes closed tight. I waited a minute, letting the suspense kick in. “No, please, wait. Wait! I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” He looked at me, pleading with his eyes.
“Not as sorry as you’re going to be,” I said, bringing the blade down with a chop.
The goon screamed a blood curdling scream and then suddenly it stopped. His eyes popped open and he looked in surprise at the blade resting on his wrist. I had pulled back my swing just before I broke the skin. I slowly drew the blade across his wrist, leaving a thin red line. Blood immediately began to well. It would sting like a bitch in a minute.
I stepped away from Goon A, after first stopping to wipe my blade clean on his jacket. Tess stood up. The moment her knee left his chest, the goon rolled away and got to his feet. I turned, dipping the end of my katana to touch his chest.
“Spread the word, boys. Next time someone comes into my shop with a gun, real or otherwise, I’m keeping it and the hand that held it.” I stared at each man in turn. None of them would meet my eyes. “Now get the hell out of here before I change my mind and call the cops.”
***
Compared to the visit from our would-be robbers, the rest of the afternoon was thankfully uneventful. Tess left to go back to the gym. She had an early evening class to teach. Nash ambled in a short while later, looking damn sexy with his day old stubble. His partner, Dev, followed on his heels. I had hardly seen Dev at all lately. He always seemed to be tied up back at the precinct putting out supernatural fires.
Dev was a norm, but he had the gift of persuasion, something that came in handy when trying to deal with supernatural crimes while keeping the norms in the dark. He must have had a witch in his family tree at some point, his gift skipping a generation or two. I eyed him speculatively. Maybe he was part Fae. I’d have to get Mrs. P to scope him out. He certainly had the otherworldly good looks to have some Fae blood, with his mixed race colouring and baby blue eyes, he was definitely a head-turner. Even Tiffy didn’t seem to be immune from his charm. Dev was more ‘pretty boy’ though, and not my type. No, Nash, with his roguish good looks, was more my taste.
I flashed Nash a smile from across the room, then suddenly remembered Jon and Mike, wondering if they had tattled about my little encounter with the goons earlier.
Nash’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me, his smile becoming a smirk. “Oh no, what now?”
“Nothing,” I said, trying to feign innocence.
“What?” Nash replied, his face puzzled. I looked at him, my teeth worrying my lower lip. He crossed the room, heading towards me. “It’s so sexy when you lick your lips like that. I can’t help but imagine that sexy mouth of yours wrapped around something else.”
“Nash!” I gaped at him. I couldn’t believe he had just said that out loud, in front of everyone. In front of customers! I grabbed him by the arm, dragging him down the hall. I stopped in front of the storeroom. The lighting was a little dimmer there and we’d have a bit of privacy. “Nash, you can’t just go saying - ”
I grunted in surprise as Nash grabbed me by the shoulders, pushing me up against the wall, his lips against mine. His hand cradled the back of my head, his fingers grasping my hair roughly. He pulled my head back, tipping my face up to meet his. He nibbled down my neck, his whiskers scratching deliciously across my sensitive skin.
He took a deep breath, taking in my scent and then stepped back, looking at me critically. “What have you been up to?” His eyes narrowed again as he looked at me.
“Nothing,” I replied defensively. “Just working, taking care of business.” I shrugged.
“Then why do you have that cute little ‘I’m guilty’ look?” He raised an eyebrow at me, his mouth turning up at the corners.
“I do not.” I frowned at him, biting my lip.
“Then why are you biting your lip? You drive me crazy when you do that.”
“Yeah, you already said that.” I scowled at him. “In front of everyone.”
Nash looked at me, a confused expression on his face. “What are you talking about?”
“A minute ago….” I stopped, my cellphone ringtone announcing an incoming call from Salvador, the creepy organ music echoing through the hallway. I rolled my eyes. “I should take this. It’s Salvador.”
I stepped away and answered the call. “Good evening, Salvador,” I said, trying to keep my impatience from my voice.
“Harry,” he replied, his usual creepy joviality absent. “I require your presence in the penthouse tonight. We have matters to discuss.”
“We do?”
“Eight o’clock. Bring your wolf,” he continued, ignoring my question. “And Angharad, this is not a request.”
He hung up, leaving me staring at the phone. “Damn bossy vampire.”
Nash eyed me. “I wonder what my ringtone is?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” I replied, pushing my phone into my back pocket.
“What?” Nash frowned at me.
“I said, wouldn’t you like to know…what your ringtone is?”
“But I never said that out loud.” Nash frowned.
“Yes, you did, just now. I heard you.” I frowned back at him. “Just like I heard you say how you like to imagine my sexy lips wrapped – ”
“I know I didn’t say that out loud.” Nash looked surprised.
“You did so. Right in front of every….Oh!” I blinked in surprise as an idea whirled around in my head. “I can hear your thoughts! Can you hear mine?” I aimed my thoughts at him as hard as I could, my brow wrinkling up in concentration.
“I heard that.” Nash’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Holy shit!” I said out loud.
“How is this happening?” Nash looked at me, his face still shocked.
“You know you didn’t say that out loud, right?”
Nash frowned. “Right. Yeah, I knew that.” He ran a hand through his hair. “So can you hear all my thoughts?”
“I don’t think so. At least I couldn’t with Isaac. I just hear the ones you direct at me.”
“Wait. You can speak this way with Isaac?”
“Yeah, remember? When I gave him some of my blood?” My eyes grew wide as realization dawned on me. “Of course, I had some of your blood last night. The mate bond must work like the bond between Isaac and me.”
“So it’s temporary? Or…?”
“I don’t know. I guess, unless I, uh…feed from you again.” I felt my cheeks flame red.
“You look adorable when you blush like that.” Nash gave me a heated look. “About that,” he said out loud, raking a hand through his hair.
I noticed his wrist, the one I had bitten the night before. He was wearing a wide leather cuff bracelet. I grabbed his arm. “What’s wrong with your wrist? Didn’t it heal?” He was a werewolf, it should have healed in no time.
“That’s what I was just going to mention.” Nash pulled at the cuff, opening the snaps to peel it off his wrist. There were two dainty little scars matching my fang bites.
“Oh!” I looked at the scars in surprise. “I didn’t know they’d do that.” I looked up at him. “I’m sorry.” I frowned, looking down at the marks again. I really hadn’t meant to, well, to mark him.
“Hey minx, it’s okay. I don’t mind. Really.” He tipped up my chin so I would look him in the eye. “It’s only fair I guess. I did mark you after all.” He shrugged, a grin on his face.