Half-Breed

by Marcia Colette

  This time I found it hard to speak, though I managed a whisper. “Count me in."

  Chapter 12

  I needed a good excuse for leaving town on such short notice. That alone bogged my mind down so much that when Matt burst through the door shouting victory, the most I could muster was a “That's nice, dear.” Matt thought I had lost my mind. So when he picked me up and danced me around the kitchen, it forced me to perk up right away. Five minutes later I went right back into my distant state, get-out-of-town plans surging through my brain.

  Then it hit me.

  A business trip on such short notice wouldn't be a first time. So that was the plan—lie—and I stuck to it.

  Three days later, I still couldn't manage a descent night's sleep. A few hours at the most, and my eyes would snap open with beads of sweat gluing my tangled hair to my face and neck. Nightmares turned sleep into one of my least favorite parts of the day.

  And that was just the beginning.

  Whenever the phone rang, I jumped. When Matt broke a dish in the kitchen, I ran to the hall closet for my crossbow thinking someone was firing sniper bullets through the window. If one of our neighbors stopped by the house, I made use of the peephole, the curtains, and cracking the door with the chain lock in place. Me, paranoid?

  The only reason I didn't leave when I found out about the contract was Matt. The Georgia Pack wanted his services so bad for their Miami Project that they had him booked on a flight the moment the hearing ended. I couldn't see any way of leaving my husband home alone; not knowing when the next knock on the door might come from some bounty hunter. After all, someone had to watch over my baby.

  Too many times, I thought about telling Matt the truth. But each time I came close, I chickened out. I hated myself for many reasons, but lying to him sickened me the most.

  We sat on the couch watching Terminator 3 for the millionth time. I lay between Matt's legs, lounging against his chest. In my mind, I had the point position in case someone came bursting through our front door. Hell, if they killed me first, I'd deserve it for keeping secrets from my husband. A harsh punishment, I know, but that was the way of things.

  Matt kissed my head from time to time and stroked my cheek. His fingers came close to my eye and stopped.

  "We should go to bed,” he said, smoothing his other hand along my back. “No sex. Just sleep. If your eye bags sag any more, we can use them to pack groceries."

  "Very funny,” I said, smiling.

  "I'm serious, hon, you haven't slept in nights. You get about two hours in before you start flipping out in your sleep. Then you get up and walk the house as though you're walking a perimeter."

  I shrugged. “It's nothing."

  "Three times in one night? What's got you that bothered?"

  Think fast, girl, he's waiting for an answer. “My time of the month is throwing me off a little. That's all.” Stupid answer. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

  He pushed me off his chest for a better view and stared through hooded eyes. “It's never been this bad. You go through two days at the most and that's it."

  "Hon, I've always had some sort of precursor to my period. Just like millions of other women."

  His perturbed state didn't surprise me. When Matt found out my period averaged two days out of every forty-five, he lost almost a week's worth of sleep fretting over it. Female werewolves experience their one day menstrual cycles once a year during the late fall or early winter. Matt thought my cycle should be the same as a human or like that of a werewolf. Far be it for me to run middle of the road like everything else in my human-hybrid life.

  "I think you should see a doctor,” he declared.

  A chuckle slipped from my lips. “Have you lost your mind? Werewolves don't walk into the local clinic and ask for a pelvic exam without someone running tests."

  "I don't care. I'll worry about the repercussions later. Hell, I'll even go with you and kill the doctor once we get the results."

  "Matt, you're crazy. They won't know what to look for because of my wolf blood."

  "Maybe the pill screwed things up. How long have you been off those things?"

  "About five months."

  He sighed and shook his head, resting his fingers against his temple. I could tell he looked at the TV without really seeing it. Too many thoughts filled his brain behind those dark, empty eyes. Had I been in his position, I would be feeling pretty helpless right about now.

  I cupped his cheek in my hands and kissed his forehead. “Honey, if it gets any worse, we'll figure something out. I promise."

  "Maybe the pack knows someone who could give you—"

  "Shhh.” My finger touched his lips. “We'll figure something out."

  * * * *

  The next day, I found out that I should have clarified my position better. Matt went behind my back and asked Aiyana if they had a trusted physician I could see. I couldn't believe that numbskull told the pack about my female problems. I wanted to shake the house off the foundations when I found out. Okay, granted this was partly my fault anyway, but still, he had no right. Aiyana called the house twice a day for the next two days, ruminating if I could be pregnant or if there was something else wrong. She even volunteered to buy me a home pregnancy test, for heaven's sake.

  My being pregnant would mean instant acceptance into the pack. What better way to prove your worth than the ultimate advancement of the race? They would invade our house twenty-four hours a day seeing if we needed anything. Knowing Matt, he and the other pack members would have ushered me off to new living quarters at the den for safe keeping.

  "I can't believe you went behind my back like that,” I seethed, slamming the pots and pans into the dishwasher. “Now the entire pack thinks I'm pregnant."

  Matt brought the rest of the dishes into the kitchen and set them on the counter. “Forgive me for being concerned. Far be it from me as your husband to worry about you."

  Sarcastic jerk.

  I wasn't the mood to face him, so I watched Mr. Gunter outside our kitchen window as he took the trash out. Although his face sagged due to aging, I could see his bulging blue eyes scan his surroundings as though he expected someone to mug him. While dragging a large green trash can to the curb, he checked over his shoulder several times. His finger rested on the trigger of a black cylindrical object with keys dangling at the other end. Pepper spray, most likely.

  Ever since we moved in, our fifty-something neighbors have kept a shifty eye on their surroundings. They asked us if we had heard wild dogs, howling in the forest out back. One time, Matt celebrated a winning court case with a client by getting wasted at a nearby bar. He returned home, changed to his wolf form, and howled for hours in the woods out back. The Gunters called animal control to check the area for rabid animals. It was good thing I got to him and dragged his sorry, naked ass back inside before someone called the police. If this fight ended in him storming out the backdoor and changing forms, they might end up calling the police on him again for howling out his frustrations.

  "Don't sling your sarcasm at me,” I spat. “You're driving me insane with your worry. For once in your life, can't you just worry less?"

  "Shit, Lex! Ever since you came back from that spa, you've been edgy, crashing around in your sleep, neglecting your job. Even when you say you're doing your online class, all you do is sit there and stare at the screen. What the hell am I supposed to think?"

  "That everything is fine unless I say otherwise. That was the deal. We'd handle it! Not you on your own.” I put the last dish in the dishwasher and slammed the door shut.

  "Like you'd tell me anything."

  "Is that it? Are we going all the way back to why I introduced you to Graham for the first time at our wedding? Because it's time you chucked that four-year-old horse shit."

  "This had nothing to do with that!"

  "Then what's the problem?"

  "It has to do with..."

  He grabbed me around the waist, pulling me into his mouth. He kissed with the de
speration of a madman, lips pressing hard, tongue wrestling mine for dominance. I kissed him back with the same ferocity, wanting to pull him inside me in other ways too. Missing one night of sex turned us into savages. Missing him from the rest of my life would tear me apart. Breathing hard, he pulled himself away, leaning his forehead against mine.

  "I just wish you would let me in on things. We don't have any secrets but ... I can't help thinking you're keeping something more from me. No matter what it is, I can handle it."

  My eyes closed. Could he open the door any further? Oh man, I wanted to tell him. Entrust my secrets to him. But I couldn't. Maybe when I returned from North Carolina. Maybe.

  So once again, I yellow-bellied out. “Graham is an overbearing pain in the butt who loves to intrude on my life. I fell in love with you. Not the person he chose for me."

  Matt picked me up and sat me on the counter. Keeping his eyes even with mine, his warm hands slipped under my shirt and bra, fingers kneading my breasts. I leaned into his tantalizing touch, a moan escaping my mouth. He pulled his hands out and slid my shirt over my head. We both knew where this was going, but did we care? When his hands went to my back, undoing my bra, I got my answer.

  I leaned into him, taking his soft lips into mine. Luxurious kisses filled my mouth, riling the beast inside me.

  The bra fell off at some point; I heard it drop on the tile. My skin pimpled straight up my bare arms and rippled to the tips of my breasts.

  Matt had an answer to that. He leaned down, laying his head between my small breasts. His heated breath steamed my nipples to fine Hershey's Kisses. A flick of his tongue came first, followed by a deep suckling.

  Oh god. The best I could do to keep the moan from turning into a howl was to clasp my lips together and luxuriate myself in the sensual ride. A hard suckle brought a screech out of me. My brain turned off and my body turned on. Eyes closed and my head thrown back caused a desperate moan to escape next. Only he could get me that hot and bothered. Drunken passion titillated every erogenous zone my body possessed. If I stood up now, lightheadedness would send me crashing to the floor.

  A zipper unzipped. My eyelids flipped open. He stood naked from the waist down with his manhood perked and ready to go.

  Shooooooot. It was time to get rid of that sweater. I would have done it myself, but it was a birthday present from my blue-collar parents that probably cost them a couple of days’ worth of wages. Plus, I knew for a fact Matt was quite fond of it. But if he didn't get that thing off, I'd tear it from his flesh and knit it back together later.

  As if he read my thoughts—they probably translated to my slobbering tongue—Matt stepped back and slid it over his head. I hopped off the counter and started to undo my jeans.

  "No,” he said, placing his hands on top of mine. “I want to do it."

  He unbuckled my pants, taking the sides in his hands and sliding them down my legs, his dark eyes staying on mine the whole time. Lust coated my body, covering up the places my jeans once occupied. When he passed my knees, Matt lifted my legs and pulled the jeans from around my ankles.

  Hurry up, man or I'll jump you on this floor myself!

  Still on his knees, Matt rested his face against my stomach, another one of his favorite spots. Mine too, from the way he took special care in stroking it with long succulent kisses.

  Damn. We were arguing about something. Whatever it was, we knew we had digressed. Pull-leeease. As if we cared.

  Matt grabbed the sides of my underwear and slid them down to my ankles. A little bit of tongue flecked out over my stomach, sending a twinge of excitement down to my clitoris. Gasping, my smile jerked into place. Sticky cream flowed down the inside of my leg.

  Reaching back, I grasped the edge of the counter for support as Matt's tender kisses worked their way towards my groin. My head fell backwards between my shoulders.

  Ooooo, lord help me. Help me! I was going to die of ecstasy right there on the spot.

  Matt stood up and rekindled the kiss again. His tongue explored every inch of my mouth to the point that he could have touched my tonsils.

  Hands gripped my hips and lifted me back to the counter again. Matt worked his hips between my legs and grasped his thick erection. I bit my bottom lip as he slid it home, right inside my tight womanhood. I gasped, my hands clawing his shoulders. I knew he wouldn't get away now, but for some reason my body wanted to make sure. My legs wrapped around his waist, desperately clinging onto him like a koala bear. He started out so slow, backing his way out of me. My body did its damnedest to tighten around him. Pushing back inside, he took his time studying my reaction.

  "Don't tease,” I breathed, a tad irritated. “My seventy-five year old uncle moves this slow."

  Matt burst out laughing. “How would you know?"

  "Call it a lucky guess."

  Matt answered me in such way that it choked off my laughter and left me forgetting how to breathe. He thrust forward repeatedly as though he wanted to leave me something special to remember him by. Ah, the lovely sounds of flesh slapping against flesh. Talk about beautiful music. Hell, my body certainly thought so.

  And what better time to have heightened senses. I could feel every inch of his swollen erection as it humped my vaginal canal. That sensation alone left my body throbbing and crying out for more. My teeth clamped down on my bottom lip, biting back the urge to yell in ecstasy.

  "Honey,” he breathed. “The curtains are open behind you."

  "Forget it,” I gasped. “Those uptight fifty-somethings are in need of a how-to-relax lesson anyway."

  "Yeah, well ... you know how this neighborhood is. Next thing you we'll have a peepshow audience standing on the lawn."

  Matt wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me off the counter. He reconfigured himself, lying on his back, and putting me on top. Once we were settled, we picked up where we left off, on the kitchen floor behind the island.

  Leaning forward, we clutched each other's hands as Matt plunged inside me. My sex tunnel sucked up every inch of his masculinity. Grinning, I gazed down at his beautiful face, pleasure plastering every pore. His black hair dripped with sweat and his chestnut-colored eyes burned with excitement. Fingers dug into the backs of my hands as we held on for dear life and rocked our way towards climax.

  I came first. Matt watched, the smirk on his face implying he had delighted himself in my reaction. He came seconds later. I collapsed on top of him, his semi-erect thickness still inside me. His arms snaked around my back while we stayed on the floor, pleasuring ourselves in body heat. As was our custom, we thanked each other with tender kisses for a job well done.

  * * * *

  We finished two more rounds of sex just as incredible as the first. We lay in bed with the comforter pulled around us. I stayed nestled in the crook of Matt's arm while he spiraled several strands of my hair around his index finger.

  If anything ever happened to him, I would lose my mind. When werewolves mated, they mated for life. And death. If someone made good on my husband's bounty, my mourning and psychotic break would have to wait. The murderer wouldn't live long enough to spend the money. I'd see to that ... personally.

  Matt kissed my head. “I'm sorry about involving the pack. We're not in and already I'm acting like we are."

  I tilted my head to see his face. “You don't have anything to be sorry about. You have every right to wor—"

  A single finger pressed against my lips. “I worry about you because I love you. If anything ever happened to you ... Well ... I just can't be without you."

  I half smiled. “Funny, I was just thinking the same thing."

  Turning over on my stomach, I slid my leg between his and looked in his eyes. Should I tell him about being a sniper? If I did, then it would be out in the open and he would stand a better chance of protecting himself.

  "Honey, I...” My mouth hung open. And that's all it did, hanging there sucking in air. I closed it and gulped. What did I want to do that for? Now I'd never get it out. />
  He gazed at me, eyebrows knitted. “What is it?"

  My lips parted, but my teeth chattered. “I-I ... will miss you."

  He kissed me, a smile brightening his handsome face. “I'll miss you too."

  Aw, shit.

  Chapter 13

  Holding me close, Matt impaled me with a glare. “I'm calling you every day. Give me one reason to worry, and I'm scrapping Miami and coming after you."

  That was all I had heard since waking up this morning tangled in sheets and limbs. Matt even went so far as to ask me to chuck my trip so that I could come with him and Stephan. As if we had the extra twelve hundred dollars laying around the house for a last-minute ticket like that. Of course, Aiyana volunteering to go to North Carolina to keep me company didn't help.

  Though none of them would admit it, I knew they secretly thought I was pregnant and didn't want to let me out of their sight. When it came down to their pregnant females, werewolves practically held a vigil until the birth of the pup(s). Since I had refused a pregnancy test and held firm to my no-pregnancy claims, we were at a stalemate.

  I kissed him. “You're going to be late for your flight."

  "It's a small price to pay.” No smiles. Simply stating a fact. He pulled me close for another hug and inhaled my scent. “I'm going to miss you so much."

  A tiny smile curled my lips. “Same here. But you should go before—” A throat cleared behind us.

  Standing on my tiptoes, I peered over Matt's shoulder and winked at Stephan. He looked absolutely ravishing in his dark gray suit. Leaning against that black Suburban with all the shiny chrome didn't help. Grinning back, Aiyana reach outside the driver's side window and punched him in the back. Those two were a trip.

  I shook my head and turned back to Matt. “Really, sweetheart ... You should get out of here before—"

  "Yoo-hoooooo!” From a few houses down, Kristen fluttered a wave while hurrying toward us. “Where's that handsome man of yours going? And who's that cute friend he's got?"

  "Oh, shit,” Matt cursed. He gave me one last peck on the lips before turning and running to the Suburban for cover.