“Stay close behind me, along this side of the wall,” she said. I nodded even though she couldn’t see it, because she was in front of me. The hallway was the same gray concrete floor and white concrete walls. After rounding another corner Lenorre knocked softly on the door. A wash of blinding white light spilled over my face and I shielded my eyes with a blood-covered hand.
“It took you guys long enough,” Rosalin said. “Kassandra, I’ve put your stuff in the guest room.”
The room was a drastic change from the basement and entry hall. The walls were a light gray. The carpet was the color of dark ash. A large couch sat against the far wall. A glass coffee table was placed in the center of the room. There were two bright red armchairs on each side of the table. I looked at the back of the love seat. Both couches were a darker gray than the carpet, but not quite black. A huge crystalline chandelier hung above the circular coffee table, and rainbows of light bent through each crystal. It was fancy.
A man and a woman sat on the couch that was against the wall. They sat close enough to be lovers. It wasn’t until the male looked at me that I recognized him from the forest. He stood up, smiling brightly and wiping his hands on his jeans. “I’m Trevor, Rosalin’s friend.”
He pushed the light brown tresses of surfer hair out of his face. “I’ve heard you’re interested in joining the pack.” He held his hand out to me.
“I’m thinking about it,” I said, doing my best to ignore the hand he offered.
Rosalin leaned over and whispered. “You’re going to have to learn how to greet other pack members if you decide to join.”
Trevor looked at her. “She’s not very friendly, is she?”
“She’s just standoffish.” They both laughed and I frowned.
“The proper way to greet another member is like this,” Trevor said. He reached for me, and before he could touch me I grabbed his wrist, sweeping it up behind his back. I shoved my left knee into the back of his leg, catching my heel on his right ankle. I pushed my body into his like a punch and the momentum took him down. It wasn’t exactly graceful, but I rode the back of his body until I felt him hit the floor. A rumbling growl filled the sudden silence, and I realized it was coming from me. My lips pulled back from my teeth and I kept them close to his neck, the wolf still irritated with having to give up her earlier fight.
“Rosalin!” Trevor yelped.
Rosalin put her hands up in the air. “Hey, I told you not to test her strength.”
The female had suddenly moved from the couch and stood beside me. Her voice whispered hauntingly. “Get off him.” I loosened my grip and Trevor instantly tried to throw me off. It made me come back to myself, and I slammed his wrists roughly into the carpeted floor.
“Try to manipulate me again,” I growled, tail lashing angrily, “and I’ll dye the carpet a new color.”
The woman’s eyes widened a touch and she backed away, hands fiddling with the edge of the blue miniskirt she wore as if she had nothing better to do.
“Kassandra.” It was Lenorre’s voice that made my body shudder like a chord being struck. Her fingertips brushed across my cheek as much as they had earlier. “You need a bath. If you come with me I will show you to it.”
She was trying to calm me down, to offer a distraction before somebody got hurt. My eyes went to the man I was sitting on. His eyes were closed and he whimpered helplessly. A wave of satisfaction went through me. The small helpless noises he was making were like sweet music to my ears. The thought scared me enough that I slowly climbed off him. I took the hand Lenorre offered and allowed her to help me stand. Her eyes caught mine for a moment, but I quickly looked away. I didn’t want her to see what was in them.
*
I sank down low in the tub. It was deep enough that bubbles tickled the edge of my jaw. Once I was alone I had forced the beast into her cage and shifted back. It was best to shift before taking a bath. When I shift it leaves a film on my skin a lot like sweat resin. I found a bottle of soap that smelled a little too soft and feminine for my tastes. The blood had dried in clumps at the ends of my hair, so that I had to scrub the strands between both hands to get it out. The sweat from shifting back had washed some of the blood off, but not all of it.
Lenorre’s bathroom was as generous and classy as the rest of the house. The tub sat in the corner. The marble steps surrounding the porcelain tub were tricolor. Silver, black, and white stood out starkly against one another. The countertops matched the marble around the bathtub, offset by the white marble tile on the floor and light gray paint on the walls.
The door opened and I jumped, sloshing water and bubbles over the side of the tub.
Rosalin smiled. “I thought you might want this.” She put a black fluffy towel on the cabinet by the sink.
“Would you learn to knock?” I asked. “How did you get in? I thought I locked the door.”
She held up a small silver key. “Why knock when I have the key?”
I laid back against the edge of the tub. “Because it’s rude just barging in.”
“Lenorre told me to bring you a towel.” She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “I’m just doing as I’m told.”
She crossed her arms over the tight white T-shirt she was wearing. A pair of snug-fitting jeans hung low on her hips, showing the slight arch where they began.
“Aren’t you old enough to do what you want?” I asked.
She smiled, and it made her honey brown eyes twinkle in the light. “Who said I’m not doing what I want to do?” She leaned back against the cabinet and stared at me brazenly.
“Very nice.” Her voice was breathy as the grin split into a wide smile. My eyes followed her gaze and I realized Rosalin was getting a show. The bubbles had decided to congregate at the foot of the tub.
“Shit.” I sat up, trying to pull the bubbles over my body like a sheet.
Rosalin pouted once I had arranged the bubbles back into place.
“Why’d you have to go and do that? I had a good view.”
“I wasn’t offering you the view,” I said.
“Would you offer it to Lenorre?” she asked. It sounded too forced, too steady, and too much like she was trying to be calm. I turned to look at her, and even though her expression was blank it was obvious how much effort it took her to keep it that way. It was the set of her shoulders, the look hidden within the depths of her eyes that told me she wanted to know not for curiosity’s sake, but for other reasons.
“Rosalin, is it any of your business?” I asked. “You’re not my lover or my girlfriend.” It sounded harsh, but I wanted her to know where we stood. I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. I found her attractive, but that didn’t mean I knew her. Nor did it mean I was ready to have another relationship. It wasn’t just that I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. The truth was that I didn’t want to get hurt either.
Rosalin pulled herself up so that she was sitting on the marble countertop. “What if I wanted to be your lover or your girlfriend?” she asked, tucking a tendril of auburn hair behind her ear.
I shook my head. “I’m not interested.”
“Why?” She looked genuinely curious.
“I have my reasons,” I said and then asked, “Will you hand me the towel?”
She picked the towel up and slid off the counter. She stopped in front of the bath, holding the towel in the air. The only way for me to get it was to stand up out of the water. I frowned at her.
“Fine.” She sighed, lowering the towel where I could take it from her hands and then moving back to her seat on the counter. Opening the towel, I stood when I knew I could wrap it around my body without flashing her again. The towel was large enough that it hit my knees, and just by the feel of it I could tell it was one hundred percent cotton. I walked carefully down the marble steps, and was surprised to find that they weren’t as slippery as I thought. I stopped once I felt the cushioning of the rug beneath my feet. It matched the walls, as if that was a surprise.
“How
long has it been since you’ve made love to a woman?” Rosalin asked.
I looked at her, tilting my head to the side. “What’s with the twenty questions?”
“Why won’t you answer me?”
“Because I don’t think my personal life is really any of your business.”
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
I drew a deep breath, telling myself that I wouldn’t get angry. If she kept persisting…then I might.
“Will you just get off it?” I asked in the nicest tone I could muster.
I watched as she slid from her perch and approached me. She was only a few inches taller, and I realized I didn’t have to crane my neck to look up at her.
“I think that’s your problem,” she stated in a low voice.“You need to get laid.” Before I could respond she leaned in, closing the distance between us. Where her lips met mine they were smooth and gentle. She smelled of some clean perfume, but beneath that was the smell of musk and fur, earth and forest. A flicker of acknowledgment shuddered through me as Rosalin opened her mouth, pressing the entire length of her body against mine. Her hands went to my shoulders as her tongue parted my lips.
I hesitated. Rosalin pressed into the kiss, forcing her tongue deep within the cavern of my mouth. Power like divine honey slid down my throat. I suddenly found myself returning the kiss, tasting it, rolling that power like candy on my tongue. Her energy pulsated against mine, calling to the shadowy creature that dwelled within my flesh.
Any thoughts I had before, any reservations that I held, turned to ash in the fire of her touch. The palms of her hands swept across my ass, causing a moan to build in my throat. Our tongues danced against one another like two velvet serpents twining.
I felt her beast rise ghostly and unseen, felt its energy pouring over me like warm water. A growl vibrated against my lips, and I drank it.
Rosalin broke the kiss, lifting me and carrying me with supernatural ease. She placed me down on the countertop. Beast ridden, I craved. I desired. I cupped her face in my hands and an echo of longing howled through me—a wolf’s mournful song. I felt her furred body beneath the bones in her face. Though she did not shift, I felt her beast. I felt her wolf. I felt her.
I tried to wrap my legs around her and growled my frustration when the towel got in my way. Her hands found the edge of the towel, pushing it up over my knees. She pushed it higher until my thighs were free. The tip of her tongue teased mine, until I leaned over to catch her mouth in another deep kiss.
Her skin was warm where her hands lingered on my shoulders. She lowered her hands, trailing the tips of her nails across my skin. I closed my eyes, chest rising and falling with each breath. The scent of her desire rolled over me, took me under.
“Fuck,” I whispered as she leaned over and caught the skin of my neck in her mouth. Her tongue was hot and moist as she licked a wet line across my collarbone. The force of the towel being ripped open made my body jerk. I moaned as she kissed the dip in my shoulder with lips as light as a feather.
Yes. It was the wolf’s thought, not mine. I froze.
“Rosalin,” I whispered, but it was breathy, a vain plea whispered in the heat of passion. If she didn’t stop, I wouldn’t be able to stop. The heat between my legs grew as she nibbled and sucked on the skin around my breasts.
“You don’t want to stop.” Her breath was hot against my breast, and my nipples grew taut. “Your beast doesn’t want you to stop.” I felt her shudder against me. “Oh God, Kassandra, don’t you feel it?”
As I pushed myself off the counter, I seized the towel in my hands. I stumbled and realized she was holding the other end of it. Her eyes were like amber gems, and my body tightened. I felt it.
“Rosalin.” I shook my head, trying to think, but she kept moving toward me with that unnatural grace, and I couldn’t think. My back hit the wall and she leaned forward, putting a hand to either side of my face. Then she lowered one hand and placed it between my legs. A startled cry escaped my lips and then I moaned for her.
The tip of her finger slid into the wetness between my legs. She circled my clit lightly at first, teasingly, and then her rhythm changed until my back arched against the wall.
One arm snaked around my back, and she lifted me, holding me against the wall. I dug my nails into her shoulders, growling my pleasure into her mouth. Heat rose from the center of my body, spilling out of my mouth in a muffled cry as I came against her hand.
My knees buckled. Rosalin helped lower me to the ground. I leaned back against the wall, eyes narrowing.
“Why?” I asked, trying to get my lungs to work properly. Her power left the sweet taste of cool ginger in my mouth. Her scent lingered in my senses like patchouli.
She knelt in front of me, gazing at me with eyes that were sincere and warm. “You needed it,” she said softly.
I stared at her for several moments, eyes narrowed, unsure of how I felt. I was angry with her, angry that she had pursued, but more pissed off with myself. I’d given in. I’d allowed the beast to override my sensibilities. I closed my eyes. I knew if I gave in to that anger, there wouldn’t be any stopping it. It would rear its ugly head, and there would be hell to pay, because once my anger found a target, it wasn’t easily satiated.
Her touch was light as she took my hands in hers. “Kassandra?” She made it a question. “What’s the big deal? It was just sex. You enjoyed it…”
I threw her hands away, snatching the towel as I stood. She watched as I wrapped the towel around my body. My hands and words shook with anger. “It’s never just about sex, Rosalin.” I opened the bathroom door and walked out. Once the door slammed shut I stopped in my tracks. I had a moment to wonder which was more frightening—facing Rosalin, or the scene on Lenorre’s bed.
Chapter Nineteen
Lenorre was like some dark mysterious dream caught between the folds of erotic and horrifying. Her eyes rolled upward, reflecting the candlelight as I walked into the room. Why did I suddenly feel the urge to turn tail and go back the other way? Her eyes were like silver mist, deep, intense, and untouchable. The power I felt in the room was thick, making it hard to breathe, like an overpowering smell in a small area. There was a woman in her lap. The woman’s neck bent back at an awkward angle. I expected to see pain written across her features, but what I saw was the look that really good sex will give a person.
Lenorre watched me while she fed. Her onyx lashes fluttered, as if she found it pleasurable. The blood pounded in my ears. I tried to reason with my body. One foot in front of the other, that’s the way to go, but my legs didn’t seem to be working.
Lenorre stroked a hand down the woman’s back, cradling her, comforting her. It was too gentle a gesture for what was happening. I tried to move, but my body felt too heavy, too solid. The hairs on my arms stood on end. I felt the magic riding in the air, coming for me a second before it hit. The pain that shot through the side of my neck was sharp and cramping.
The magic spilled across my skin like something liquid, filling my blood like sweet poison. A hand stroked down up and down my back. Every muscle in my body relaxed while her mouth worked at the wound. Each flick of her tongue against the wound was long and sensuous. I felt weightless struggling against a pleasure my body wanted to accept. My mind did not want to accept it. I felt the metaphysical bars of her power and screamed.
Someone was drawing deep ragged breaths. I knelt on the floor as my vision blurred around the edges. The candlelit room slowly came into view as the spinning in my head seemed to slow down.
I was the one who had sounded like she was about to hyperventilate. Closing my eyes I took meditative breaths, counting each. It helped to push some of the panic away. I opened my eyes to find Lenorre kneeling in front of me. Blood painted her lips and the sight made my heart bang against my ribs. I tried to move out of reach, but she was too fast. Her lips caught mine. With her tongue she pushed the taste of blood into my mouth. The beast stirred at that promise.
I touched
her hair, twining a handful around my fingers. I ate at her mouth as the hunger rode me, ate at her mouth like I was dying for it. The edge of her fangs brushed across my tongue and I hesitated, about to pull away when the beast howled through me. How could we refuse such a prize? How could we not honor such a gift? I pressed into the kiss, no longer worried that she might bleed me. I cleaned the blood from her mouth, licked it from her lips.
The metaphysical bonds that held the beast in place relaxed. We were one.
“You smell of sex.” Lenorre breathed against my mouth.
“You smell like blood,” I said. If we were going to point out the obvious, might as well start there.
“So do you,” she said and I looked at her. Her eyes were their usual cloudy gray, no longer misty with vampiric powers. The robe she wore was silk, sleeves ending at the elbows in a spill of black lace. It draped open down the middle, revealing the low neckline of the nightgown underneath. The beginning of her sternum peeked through all of that black, making her skin look inhumanly white. A jolt of longing cut through me. I clutched the towel tightly to my chest.
“Was it worth it?” she asked, freeing the white streak in my hair. She twirled the wet strand around her finger, tugging lightly.
“It wasn’t my idea,” I said.
Lenorre stood in a swish of black silk. “You say that it was not your idea?” She looked at me. I nodded.
“But did you enjoy it?” she asked, eyes intent.
“Yes,” I said, then thought about it. “No.”
“Kassandra, choose one. I want the truth from you, not a mixed message.”
I glared at her. When did it become her business? Better yet, why was everyone suddenly up in my business? First Rosalin, now Lenorre.
“Yes,” I said and watched as her face hardened in disgust. I wasn’t going to lie to her. Whether it was the wolf, or me, some part of me had enjoyed sex with Rosalin. I hadn’t enjoyed the fact that my longing, the beast, and my groin had gotten the best of me.
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