Branded by Lust: 4 (Night Seekers)

by Holt, Desiree

  Logan took a long swallow of his coffee. “As a matter of fact, we’re beginning to think there’s more than one of them. There has to be, because we have the carcasses of the ones we’ve killed yet more killings turn up.”

  “Our current theory,” Rebecca told him, “is that some madman somewhere has a huge lab facility where he’s breeding them. Combining the DNA of different animals and…and humans.”

  Greg’s eyes widened. “Are you shitting me? Someone’s deliberately creating these abominations? And using people as part of the experiments?”

  “The wife of one of the Night Seekers, Chloe Guitron, had a friend disappear when they were in South Texas photographing landscapes for a book, right about the time the Chupacabra went on a killing spree there. We think whoever’s behind this kidnapped her.”

  Greg and John stared at her, shocked expressions on their faces.

  “We’ve compiled a history back at team headquarters,” Logan went on, “documenting as far back as we can the kills of the Chupacabra. Originally it only attacked animals, and small ones at that. Goats were its largest prey. Then it began to attack humans and its kill score has been climbing since.”

  “Apparently over the past decade,” Rebecca added. She looked at Logan. “Does John know—”

  “The details of the team?” He nodded. “How and why we were brought together. Everything.” A look of desolation swept over his face. “He found the bodies with me so he’s seen the beast’s handiwork up close and personal.”

  “A devil beast,” John spat.

  “Its attacks seem to be escalating.” Logan blinked as if trying to erase images from his brain. “The more we kill, the more pop up, and with increasing frequency.”

  “Hence the breeding theory,” Rebecca said.

  “Holy crap,” John said at last. “Well, you know anything we can do to help you is a given.”

  They spent a long time going over the reports and looking at the photos. Greg had also brought clippings from the Great Falls newspaper.

  “They keep trying to say a bear did this,” Logan noted. “But there’d still be blood around the scene and very little left of the carcass.”

  “I tried to tell them,” Greg said, anger lining his face. “But I should have saved my breath.”

  “They’ve got someone coming down from some national wildlife place to study this situation,” John spat out. “As if they’ll even know what they’re doing.”

  “Well.” Logan shuffled all the papers together and stuffed them back in the folder. “I think we’ve gone over this enough for tonight.”

  “Are you going to try to talk to the sheriff?” Greg wanted to know.

  “Probably. I even brought pictures and reports from the other killings to show the similarities. But my old boss is pretty much of a hard head so I don’t think it will do me much good.”

  “Well, I wish you good luck. Want me to take you out to where they found the bodies?”

  “No. I appreciate it but you’ve got your own stuff to do. You left a map in here so we can find it easily. But thanks.”

  Greg stood up. “Then I’ll get going. You and Miss Black probably want to eat some of that casserole and get to bed.”

  “Rebecca, please,” she told him.

  John rose also. “I’ll get back down to my house. The cattle are all in the winter pastures now. We’ll be putting out more feed for them tomorrow but otherwise they’re doing just fine.”

  Logan nodded. “Thanks for everything, John. I’ll check in with you when we get back from our little trek up the mountain.”

  Rebecca and Logan ate in a comfortable silence. She didn’t know what Logan was thinking but her brain was whirling with the fact that she’d be staying in this house with him, virtually alone, for however many days they were here. And the sexual energy flowing between them seemed to ramp up steadily.

  “Let me show you where your room is,” he told her, lifting both suitcases and leading the way up the stairs.

  The room he showed her into was large and airy with a big window that looked out over the rolling pastureland. The bed was a huge four-poster and like the rest of the furniture looked to be made of rich, intricately carved wood.

  “All the furniture in the house is made from ponderosa pine,” Logan said when he saw her studying it. “There’s a man in town who makes it although you have to order it way ahead of time. When I first bought this place the stuff that was in it was a disgrace. About the only thing in good shape was what was left of the cattle. I slept on the floor in a sleeping bag for a good long while.”

  “Everything is beautiful.” She ran her hand along one of the bedposts, feeling its satiny finish. “You can tell he takes a lot of care with this.”

  “The bathroom’s through that door.” He pointed. “I’m sure Eve, John’s wife, has it well stocked with towels and whatever else you might need. Do you have an alarm? We’ll need to get an early start.”

  “Yes. I have one I always travel with.”

  “Good. Well then.” He stood by the door as if suddenly uncomfortable. “Set it for six. I’d like to get an early start.” He paused. “Good night.”

  “Good night.” She smiled at him. “See you in the morning.”

  She closed the door after him, wondering what had been running through his mind. What was behind the intense gaze that he suddenly had focused on her just before leaving the room? The same thing she was thinking? Here they were, alone in this house? With maybe a chance to act on what had been simmering between them since Maine?

  She’d been attracted to other men, had a couple of lovers, but nobody had ever made her body sing with just a glance the way Logan Tanner did. One glance from him and her pussy clenched and her nipples ached. She always worried that he could sense her reaction.

  He hadn’t made one move while they were in Maine and there certainly had been opportunity. It wasn’t as if they had all been crowded into a dormitory. Everyone had their own rooms at the motel. And Sophia’s evening trysts with Clint were no secret among the four of them. Maybe Logan just hadn’t felt comfortable about asking her into his room with her sister next door, despite Sophia’s own agenda. He could always have invited himself to her place for a cup of coffee. For starters. But maybe he just wanted private time away from both her sister and the others he knew.

  Whatever.

  Her subtle overtures had gone no place, which was one of the major reasons she’d been so thrilled to get the invitation from Craig Stafford to join Night Seekers. Being partners with Logan on this assignment was a huge bonus. She had gotten to know Logan pretty well in Maine but she was unsure of his feelings toward her. They still had to work this case together here.

  She didn’t want to do something to alter the relationship between them and make that uncomfortable. But maybe now that they were alone together…

  Sighing, she undressed and carefully folded her clothes onto a chair then went into the bathroom to turn on the shower. The heated spray felt good on her body, weary from the long day of tension, and she stood under it for a long time. Finally, feeling guilty for using up so much hot water, she stepped out of the big shower stall, dried herself off and pulled on the heavy sleep shirt she’d packed.

  She was startled when she walked back into the bedroom to see Logan standing there wearing only a pair of jeans, unbuttoned and riding low on his hips. They stared at each other for a long moment.

  He cleared his throat. “I hope I’m not misreading the signals here.”

  “Signals?” She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry.

  He nodded. “If I am then I’m about to make a Texas-sized mistake, so I’m really hoping I’m right.”

  “Mistake? What do you mean?”

  “I could be way off the mark but it sure feels like there’s something going on between us. Has been since we met in Maine. I know for damn sure there has been on my part and I think there is on yours too. And Rebecca? I’m not just talking about quick, hot sex here.”
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br />   She couldn’t say anything, so she just stared at him. Had he been somehow reading her mind? Her mouth was so dry Rebecca could only nod.

  “The timing for this wasn’t right before,” he went on, moving farther into the room. “We were caught up in the case, and besides, I didn’t want to start anything with your sister right there in my face.”

  And hadn’t Rebecca just nailed it.

  “But,” he went on, moving closer, “Stafford sending us up here together—well, I took that as a sign of fate, Rebecca.”

  He took another step and another until they were in each other’s space. “Because you have to know I want you so damn much.”

  “Yes.” The word was barely a whisper. He could have been echoing her thoughts.

  “And as I said before, my gut tells me this is a lot more than just sex. More than just a physical attraction.”

  His eyes were like twin beacons of lust boring into her.

  “W—What are you talking about?” The sleep shirt covered her to well below her knees but suddenly Rebecca felt almost naked.

  He drew in a deep breath, let it out slowly and then he was right in front of her, his hands on her shoulders. “This.”

  His mouth came down on hers, so gently at first she wasn’t sure he was actually touching her, his lips brushing gently back and forth. And with that first light contact she knew he was right. They were both right. There was something deep brewing between them and it was as unstoppable as a Maine or Montana snowstorm.

  Her breath was trapped in her throat and liquid heat surged through her body. She parted her lips slightly, apparently the only encouragement Logan needed because his tongue swept inside like a hot flame.

  Now his lips pressed against hers in earnest with a searing open-mouthed kiss, his tongue still doing an erotic dance with hers. Rebecca dug her fingers into his biceps to hold on for balance, her pulse tripping in a staccato beat. Her entire body was focused on the contact, every nerve singing. Logan threaded his hands through her hair and cupped her head, slanting it first one way then another to give him a better angle. When he finally lifted his lips from hers she was totally breathless. Her legs were so wobbly she wondered if she’d fall down if she let go of Logan’s arms.

  “I take that as an okay.” His voice was hoarse, rough edged with heated desire.

  Rebecca hesitated a moment, her brain fogged with desire. Was she making a big mistake here?

  Other Night Seekers, her sister included, had found that special person during an assignment. And for all of them it had been hot and instant, yet they’d known this was the one. Was it the same for her and Logan or was it just the lust binding them? And if so, how would she handle it when this assignment was over and they still had to work on the team together?

  But oh god, she wanted him. There was no denying that.

  “Rebecca?” he urged, breaking into her thoughts, a slight uncertainty in his voice. “Are we good here?”

  “Yes,” she told him in a soft voice, giving in to the signals her body was sending her. “A definite yes.”

  He wasted no time in grabbing the hem of her sleep shirt, dragging it over her head and tossing it to the side. Rebecca stood before him, trembling, while his eyes ate up every inch of her.

  “Exquisite,” he rumbled. “Just as I imagined. No. Even better.”

  He moved close to her again and bent his head to capture one taut nipple in his mouth. She felt the pull clear to the center of her pussy, inner muscles vibrating, cream soaking the sensitive flesh.

  He worked the nipple, teeth lightly grazing it, tongue flicking over it, plucking responses from her that traveled to every nerve in her body. She clutched his head, as much for balance as to hold it in place, crying out when he released the pebbled bud.

  But in the next moment he turned his attention to the other one, giving it the same treatment while his finger and thumb paid attention to the one his mouth had just released. By the time he lifted his head again Rebecca was trembling with need and a hunger that surged through her like an unstoppable tidal wave.

  Logan lifted her and placed her gently on the bed, arranging her so her legs were spread wide.

  “I want the best view while I get rid of these jeans,” he told her.

  Rebecca lay there nervous at being so very exposed, wondering if he approved now that he saw her with every intimate part of her body exposed. She felt beyond naked until he took off his jeans. Then all thought of anything else flew out of her head.

  There he was, naked, the golden glow from the bedside lamp casting its ambient light on his magnificent body. And oh, Rebecca thought, magnificent didn’t begin to do it justice. Wide shoulders tapered to a narrow waist, those lean hips to long, well-muscled legs. Dark-brown hair covered his chest and flat abs, narrowing to a line that led to a thick nest of curls.

  And rising from them a cock that made her mouth water. Long and thick and swollen, it stood fully erect, the head a dark purple. She wanted to feel it in her mouth, inside her body, rubbing against her everywhere. As she stared at it she slowly licked her lips.

  “Like what you see?” he asked in his low voice.

  “Oh yes.” She barely whispered the words. He was truly magnificent.

  “Me too.”

  He knelt between her thighs, his body looming over hers, his lips coming down on hers again. He took the kiss even deeper this time, tasting every inner inch of her mouth. Rebecca ran her fingers through the thickness of his hair, tightening her grasp to pull him even closer. Once again when he moved his head she felt a loss—but in the next moment he was licking the upper swells of her breasts, swirling his tongue around her hard nipples and tracing a path through the valley between the mounds to her navel.

  Rebecca ran her hands up and down his arms, enjoying the tactile pleasure of the fine covering of hair beneath her fingers. Sophia had told her that male shifters had more body hair than human males and she’d always been one to be turned on by body hair anyway.

  Now his tongue was tracing a pattern through the furled skin of her navel before moving farther down her body to find her clit. The first sweep of his tongue nearly sent her off the bed. Streaks of electricity sizzled through her and her pulse pounded with a new fury. Automatically she widened her thighs and Logan took advantage of the greater access to lick the walls of her pussy, circle her opening and plunge his tongue inside.

  “Ohmigod!” she cried, bucking her hips toward him.

  His low chuckle vibrated through her body, causing tremors to race through her cunt. Logan curled his tongue so with each pass he scraped her sweet spot. Her skin felt too hot, too tight. And hunger was clawing up from deep inside her body.

  She slid her fingers down to Logan’s broad shoulders, scraping the skin as he fucked her with his tongue and used his clever fingers on her clit. When the climax broke over her she dug her fingernails into him and cried out, wrapping her legs around his neck and pulling him tight to her.

  Tremors were still rippling through her when Logan reached down for his jeans and lifted a foil packet from a pocket. He rolled it onto his very erect shaft with a deft movement and then he was back, poised over her.

  “There’s so much more I want to do to you,” he rasped. “For you. With you. But tonight I just can’t wait any longer.”

  “Do it,” she begged, already feeling the next orgasm building although he’d barely touched her again.

  Bending her knees back to give him better access, he positioned himself at her opening and, with his eyes locked onto her, moved into her with one long, slow, powerful glide. Rebecca sucked in her breath at the feel of him stretching her, filling her, the very tip of him touching her womb.

  “Look at me.” His voice had a rough edge to it.

  She opened her eyes to his own glittering in a face dark with lust.

  “Next time I’m going to taste every part of your body and drive you wild with my fingers and my tongue. Maybe slide my cock into your mouth and let you wrap those lusc
ious lips around it.” He dropped his voice even more. “And one of these nights I’m going to tie you to the posts on this bed and—”

  “Yes, yes, yes,” she cried. “But can we please get on with this right now?”

  His laugh was pure male. “You bet.”

  He drove into her, hips moving slow then fast and hard. She could sense the control he was digging for, the fine edge of it nearly ready to snap. He pumped into her, his balls slapping against the curve of her ass. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, pulling him into her, and met him thrust for thrust.

  It hit them both at once, a volcanic explosion that tossed them over the edge and sent them spinning wildly. The walls of her pussy clenched his pulsing cock, milking him, every muscle in his body taut with the force of his orgasm. Rebecca wound her arms around his neck and hung on for dear life, barely able to breathe until the last of the tremors subsided.

  Her heart hammered wildly, her blood pulsing in her veins. Logan’s chest heaved as he dragged air into his lungs. And then they were spent, lying in each other’s arms, enclosed in a blanket of satisfaction.

  And something more.

  When he kissed her it was more tender than erotic, not bruising like his other kisses had been. He rolled to the side, taking her with him, their bodies still connected.

  “That was…amazing,” he said at last.

  “Yes,” she agreed, failing to find the words that would express how much he’d reached deep inside her.

  “I knew we were meant to be together.” He brushed her hair away from her damp face. “We belong together.”

  “I get the same feeling,” she agreed. “There’s…some special connection between us.”

  He was silent for so long she wondered if he was reconsidering his words.

  “Logan? What’s wrong?” Oh god, was he having second thoughts already, despite what he’d just said?

  “Rebecca, there’s something you need to know about me if you don’t already.”

  “You mean about your being a shifter?” She grinned at the startled look on his face. “Sophia told me. She said six of the original Night Seekers are. So is Clint. And Chloe, Mark’s wife.”