Stripped (Wolves of Mule Creek #2)

by Katharine Sadler

  “You know,” I said. “I'm suddenly not very hungry. I think I'm just going to go back to the room and lay down.”

  His smile fell and concern filled his expression. “You should eat, especially after you exercised. I'll give you space if that's what you want.”

  And how could I tell him that's exactly what I wanted without looking like a coward, without cluing him into exactly how much he terrified me? “I can never eat right after I've exercised.” I handed him the plate. “You can have this, I'll get something later.”

  He opened his mouth like he wanted to argue, then he shook his head and smiled, though it looked forced. “I'll be up as soon as I finish eating.”

  I walked away from him as quickly as I could without full-out running and looking exactly like the chicken I was. I took little delight in pushing the elevator button this time and couldn't hear the whirring of the gears over my heavy breathing. There was definitely something wrong with me. I hurried off the elevator and slid the key into the lock, the little light went green and I shoved the heavy door open. One step into the room and someone shoved me forward, two cold hands on my back.

  I tripped into the room and hit the floor hard on all fours. “That's how I like to see you,” Leopold snarled. He stepped over me and looked down at me. “You should always bow down before me.”

  I got to my feet and looked around for a weapon, some way to defend myself, but there was nothing. No weapon, and I had zero idea how to defend myself against him. I backed up until I had the door behind me.

  He laughed. “You think you can run from me? I'll have my fangs in your throat before you can even turn that knob.” He stalked toward me and grinned, fangs flashing. “You thought you could escape me before, with your silly little stripper cops, but I found you.” He braced one hand against the door and leaned in close, sniffing me. “You're spending time with the werewolf, but you aren't fucking him. Can't imagine he'll want to protect you much longer if he's not getting a taste of your sweet pussy.”

  “What do you want?”

  He licked his lips. “I want you, sweetheart, broken and at my mercy. I could have you so easily. I could look into your eyes and ask you to suck my cock and you'd be on your knees like that.” He snapped his fingers and his pupils dilated, his eyes going red. “But I can get anyone I want to suck me off. You. You're special.”

  He wrapped one hand around my neck and squeezed gently. It hurt, but I didn't flinch, didn't move. He could kill me with no more effort than it took me to walk across the room, and there was nothing I could do about it. I could, however, make sure he didn't see fear in my eyes, that he didn't get my tears.

  He gazed into my eyes and I felt it, the pull, the desire to do whatever he asked. I fought against it, tried to keep my own will, tried to keep control, but I was slipping under his spell. He stroked a finger down my cheek. “You give in to me so easily, almost too easily. I want you to stay with the wolves for a while. Befriend them, fuck them if you have to. I want you to listen and I want you to meet me, every Wednesday at two in the afternoon at the Diner in Aspens Whiten. You will tell me everything you know about them, their weaknesses, their financial situation, the pack members most likely to leave, to betray the pack. You will give me all the tools to destroy the pack and then you'll watch as I do it. You'll watch me and then you'll be truly mine. You'll belong to me in a way no one ever has before. Tell me you understand.”

  I wanted to scream at him to go fudge himself, I wanted to spit in his face, but my mouth formed his words against my volition. “I understand.”

  “Good.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine, kissing me. I wanted to shove him off, but my arms were limp at my sides, my body immobile. He pulled back just enough to nip my bottom lip. He sucked on it, pulling blood through my lip until I was sure it puffy and swollen. “Sealed with blood,” he said, finally pulling away. “Until you come to me, pretend you're crazy about the wolf you're here with. Do whatever it takes to keep him from suspecting anything.”

  He pulled me forward and slid past me and out the door. As soon as he was gone, mobility returned to my body and I dropped to my knees on the hotel carpet. Freaking hotel carpet. Leopold had ruined hotels for me, because now I'd think of him and his mind rape every time I visited this one. He'd ruined hotels for me and I'd never, ever forgive him. Tears streamed down my cheeks and I rubbed at them, I had to stop crying or Zane would be suspicious.

  Behind me the lock clicked and the door swung open, I crab walked to the other side of the room and pressed my back tight against the wall. Zane stepped into the room, took one look at my face and was by my side in a moment. “What the hell happened?”

  I shook my head, unable to speak. I couldn't tell him what happened and I couldn't lie to him, which is what my brain was screaming at me to do. He tilted his head back and sniffed the room. “A vampire? A vampire was here?”

  I'd crawled into his lap and pressed my lips to his before I'd realized what I was going to do. I needed to distract him, needed to make him forget about the vampire.

  He growled and shoved me off his lap. He looked furious and, for the first time since I'd met him, I was afraid of him. “What happened in here? You left me downstairs and you were scared, running away like I was the big bad wolf, and now you're kissing me? This isn't you.”

  I was shaking, my whole body warring with the directive given to me by Leopold and my own desires. I couldn't hold up under this pressure, I'd shake until I split or went completely insane. A part of me wanted Zane. All it would take to fix this was a small white lie, and then I'd give in to the lust I'd felt for him for days. “There was a maid in here when I came back,” I said. “Maybe she was a vampire.”

  His face reddened and his mouth started to shift, sharp canines lengthening. “I know that's not what happened, Abby. Tell me the truth.”

  I wanted to tell him the truth, god did I want to tell him the truth, but there was… My stomach roiled and rose into my throat with a suddenness that had me bolting to my feet and racing for the bathroom. I bent over the toilet and vomited. What came out of me was vile, black and viscous, like black mold, and it smelled worse. Zane was at my side in an instant, holding back my hair and rubbing my back. “It's okay,” he said. “You're okay.”

  The words comforted me, even as I heard the doubt and fear in them. I heaved until I was puking up last night's pizza and then I kept heaving, empty, dry heaves that made my throat hurt and my stomach twist. “It's all out,” he said, still rubbing my back. “It's okay, baby. You got it all out. You can stop now. Please, baby, you can stop now.”

  He spoke in a low, soothing voice and I listened to his words like they were from a deity, a promise I could believe in. I needed something to believe in, because I had no freaking clue which way was up or what the heck was going on. Sobs wracked my body as I heaved. My body and my emotions were going absolutely haywire. I sucked in deep breaths of air between heaves and, slowly, my stomach stilled and my tears subsided. My body stopped trying to throw up my internal organs and I fell back against Zane, exhausted.

  He lifted me in his arms and pressed a kiss to my forehead. He laid me down in the bed and tucked me in. When he started to walk away, I grabbed his wrist, my eyes only half open, barely having the energy to speak. “Don't leave me.”

  “Water, babe,” he said. “I'm just getting you water.”

  Letting him go, I closed my eyes. My whole body hurt and my head was screaming with pain. Zane didn't just leave to get me water, I heard him talking to someone, probably on his phone, but I was too tired to open my eyes and look. Then he was back. He lifted me to a sitting position and placed a bottle to my lips. He tilted it and I drank, suddenly desperate with thirst.

  “Not too much,” he said, pulling the bottle away. “Lay back, now, and go to sleep.”

  He climbed into the bed behind me, wrapped his arms around me and whispered over and over, “I've got you, baby. They won't touch you again. I've got you. I've got you.
”

  I fell asleep to the rhythm of his promise. It felt so good in his arms, I felt safe, truly safe, which was crazy considering what had happened. Too tired to grapple with those thoughts, I groaned, wishing for the oblivion of sleep. Zane rubbed my stomach in a warm circular motion. “I've got you. I've got you. I've got you.” I leaned into him, and I let myself fall.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  I woke to the sound of low voices. Zane's arms were still around me, tight, like he'd never let me go. His was one of the whispering voices, right over my ear.

  Someone chuckled. “I never thought I’d see you like this over some human girl,” one of the voices said. “You’ve never even looked at a woman who wasn’t pack.”

  “She’s not human,” Zane said. “She’s part siren.”

  “She’s not wolf is what I know, man,” the same voice said.

  “And she’s a hot stripper,” another voice said. “Not exactly the type to settle down, and you’re the settling down type if I’ve ever seen it.”

  “Shut up, both of you,” Zane said. “She’s a person. A strong, smart, kind, gorgeous person. She might not be the settling down type, but if she’s willing to give me some of her time, I’m going to take it and thank her for it.”

  Someone snorted. “Always the hopeless romantic, man. When I think of all the tail you’ve turned down because you’re looking for something more, something lasting, I want to cry. And then, after all that, you take up with a human stripper, it’s—”

  “Enough,” Zane said. “Another word like that and I’m going to rearrange that pretty face of yours, Payne.”

  “Not to mention, she’s been hanging out with vampires,” another voice said.

  “She nearly died,” Zane whispered, his tone hard and angry. “She’s been through enough and I won’t subject her to idiocy from either one of you. Keep your opinions to yourselves and treat her with respect or leave.”

  “We’ll do our job,” one of the men said. “But I don’t trust her. Women like that are always looking out for themselves, always looking for a way to make another dollar from every situation.”

  “She would give every dollar she has to help the people she cares about,” Zane said. “She’s been supporting my broke ass with her money since the fight at her club. And I trust her, so that’s going to have to be enough for you.”

  “Look, man. We’re just looking out for the pack. We’ve got enough shit going on to be inviting vampire lovers to stay for a while.”

  I’d heard more than enough, it made my heart light to hear Zane defend me, but I couldn’t handle anymore insults. “I know you think humans have subpar hearing, but you're right over my head. I can hear you.”

  Zane squeezed me tighter. “We've been whispering over you for three hours, babe.”

  “Well, I was asleep. I'm not deaf.” I know it was a lame comeback, but my head still ached, my stomach felt scraped raw, and I was exhausted. I vaguely remembered Zane waking me to give me more water, but I felt like I could drink an ocean. I tried to sit up, but Zane held me tight. “Let me up,” I said, my voice a dry rasp. “I'm thirsty.”

  He helped me sit up and put a water bottle in my hand. “Small sips.”

  “I'm not a child,” I said. “I've had the flu before.”

  Taking small sips, I slowly opened my eyes to see two men I didn't recognize. “Hi,” I said. I tilted the bottle back for another sip, but Zane took it from me. I turned my head to glare at him, but the movement hurt and I winced.

  “Ouch,” Zane said, his face crinkling like he felt my pain. He kissed my brow. “These guys are pack members, Aron and Payne. If you heard anything they were saying a few minutes ago, ignore it, their brains haven’t fully developed yet. They came out here to help in case the vamps show up again.”

  I turned my head slowly to look at Aron and Payne. One was tall and thin, like a spaghetti noodle, the other was short and round, but all muscle. “Just one vampire,” I said. “Leopold.”

  Zane's arm around my shoulders went vise tight. “Fuck.”

  “What did he—?” Aron asked.

  “Stop,” Zane said. “The last time I asked her questions, she almost threw up a lung. Just let her rest.”

  I took a quick mental inventory, but I didn't feel any sort of pressure to do or say anything. “That's not what made me throw up. I'm pretty sure I puked out the compulsion.”

  “That's not possible,” Aron said. “Even werewolves aren't immune to the compulsion.”

  I shrugged as much as I could with Zane's arm keeping me tight against his side. “I'm not a werewolf. The best way for us to test my theory is for me to try and tell you what he said to me.”

  “No,” Zane said. “Not until you're stronger. If you get sick like that again—”

  “It's fine.” It should be fine. I just wanted to know if I was free. The risk seemed worth taking to find out if I was still under Leopold's control.

  Zane let me go to get in front of me, on all fours, and put his face close to mine. “For me, honey, just wait. We'll keep you safe. He can't get to you. Just wait until you're stronger. Please.”

  It was the please that stopped me. The please and the look in his eyes, the concern and the desperate worry. “Okay,” I said. “I'll wait.”

  He smiled and pressed a light kiss to my cheek. “Thank you, baby.” He moved back into his previous position, his arm around me. “Just rest for a bit and keep drinking water. Slowly.” He grabbed the remote, the other two guys settled onto the other bed, and Zane flicked on the T.V. He found a romantic comedy and no one complained, not even the uber-masculine Payne.

  I sipped water as we watched and the guys laughed. All of them laughed. Men can be such idiots denying themselves the pleasure of romantic comedies just because of some misguided societal ideas about gender and masculinity. At one point, after Zane had laughed extra long and loud, shaking me and my nearly empty water bottle, I looked over at him and had the undeniable urge to kiss him. Instead, I gripped his chin in my hand, leaned in and said, “Being emasculated has never felt so good, has it?”

  He gripped my wrist and grinned, leaning in and dropping a kiss to the tip of my nose. “You're feeling better.”

  “I'm hungry.”

  His brow lifted and something dark in his eyes fled. “Thank god. What do you want to eat? The guys can get you some soup or some crackers or—”

  “Soup and crackers would be great.”

  Aron left Payne behind and returned a short time later with a steaming bowl of soup for me and burgers for the guys. I ate slowly and, with each bite, felt better. After finishing the whole bowl and all the crackers, I felt like a new woman.

  Zane's dark mood lightened with each bite of food I took. By the time I was done, he seemed like himself again. “Are you feeling up to the drive back to Mule Creek?” he asked, somewhat apologetically. “We've been here two days and I—”

  “I'm good. I just need to change and pack up.”

  “The guys will pack your stuff,” Zane said. “And you don't need to change.”

  “I'd really like to change. And brush my teeth and shower.”

  “Okay,” Zane said. “But I'm helping you.”

  “Seriously, I'm—”

  “You threw up everything you'd ever tasted and then you slept for twelve hours. Please. Let me help you.”

  “Okay.” When I climbed out of bed, I was grateful for his arm around my waist because my legs were weak and wobbly and my stomach gurgled at the sudden change in altitude. Once we'd made it to the bathroom, I had to sit on the toilet lid and rest.

  “Maybe we should stay one more day,” Zane said. “We have the points.”

  “I can rest in the truck on the way back. I'm fine.” I pushed to my feet and managed to brush my teeth without falling over. I took another rest after that. “You should leave,” I said. “I'm going to shower now.”

  He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor. “You're not showering alone.”
>
  I rolled my eyes, but quickly thought better of it as the move made my head ache. “There's nothing sexy about the way I feel right now.”

  He dropped to a squat in front of me. “You are always gorgeous and sexy to me, even when you're puking up your guts, but I'm not trying to get in your pants. I just want to help you, to hold you up if you feel weak.”

  I should have said no, should have protested, but the idea of a shower seemed incredibly daunting, and I liked the idea of having some help. “No funny business.”

  He held up his right hand. “I swear.”

  I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it next to his. I hesitated before taking off my bra. I'd been naked in front of rooms full of people before, but this felt different. I hated that it was happening when I was too weak to make it sexy and he'd seen me puking not long before. He smiled. “It's okay,” he said. “Pretend I'm your doctor.”

  “I've never wanted to have sex with my doctor.”

  His grin was wicked, his eyebrows high. “Did you just admit you want to have sex with me? Cause I'd be happy to oblige.”

  I rolled my eyes. This was ridiculous. Whipping off my bra, I stood and shucked my pants and underwear in one fluid move, perks of a career as a stripper. I hurried into the shower while Zane watched.

  As soon as I was in the shower, I realized my mistake, because the fast movement had sent my head spinning and my legs dissolving into jelly. I braced myself with one hand on the wall, but I could feel myself slipping, my legs giving out. Just as I was about to give up and drop onto the tub side, strong hands gripped my waist and pulled me back against a solid chest. “You really aren't up for this. How about a bath?”

  “Ugh. I know most women adore baths, but I never feel clean after one. I just feel like I've been swimming around in my own stank and dirt.”

  He chuckled. “For a woman so unconcerned with hotel germs, that's an interesting take on baths. How about I hold you up and you clean the parts that absolutely must be cleaned and we get you out of here?”