Fur, Fangs and All (The Elementals Book 2)

by Meredith Allen Conner

  “We’re not dogs, Livie.” He said, clearly irritated. “We’re Werewolves.”

  She raised her brows, palms up, and?

  Mac laughed when Roc simply glared at her. “And, although dogs do love to hang out windows, they’re domesticated.” Mac said. “We’re predators. We sort through our sensory information differently and at a faster rate. If you add in more speed it can turn painful.”

  Can turn? How about did turn. She swiped away a few tears that had escaped. At least her nostrils no longer burned.

  And to think, she’d actually been missing her guns and knives. Just the brief thought of bullets this close to her heightened senses, the feel of cold metal against her skin . . . Livie nearly shook at the thought.

  They turned a corner and Livie sat up higher, just ahead stood the green tiled, two-tiered archway that marked one of the boundaries of Chinatown.

  Rea.

  Dear God, please let us find her.

  They’d made record time in getting here. Within minutes of Cam’s announcement regarding Rea possibly being in Chinatown, they had tickets and were on their way to the airport.

  One plane change later and they were on the ground.

  Cam parked the vehicle on the street, just outside the archway. Before she could rip open her door, Roc grabbed her around the waist and pulled her out his side. He shut the door and pressed her up against it, head raised as he scented the area.

  Warily, Livie lifted her head as well. Her nose still felt as if she had snorted hot sauce, but she would do whatever she had to in order to find Rea.

  A cautious inhale revealed a plethora of Chinese herbs and spices, exhaust, sweat, perfume, metal and concrete. Roc’s musky, earthy smell coated everything.

  A strong hand cupped her chin. “It’s something that needs to be learned and trained, Livie.” His eyes bored into hers. “Don’t try it now. I want you to stay close to me. I’ll track your sister.”

  When she would have protested, he gently tapped her between her eyes. “You use your eyes. It won’t be so disorienting.”

  As much as she hated to admit it, he had a point. If she concentrated on using one of her super senses, she would be more efficient than splitting her attention.

  “All right.” He clasped her hand in his large one, his warmth replacing the cold, nervousness that had been creeping up on her.

  Please, let us find her.

  She looked at Sela, finding the same desperate hope in her face.

  “They’re here.” Cam growled.

  He snarled something more and then took off in a blur of speed up the hill. Mac and Sela headed to the right as Livie followed Roc left.

  His head swiveled constantly as they ran. They covered two blocks then Roc turned and tugged her in another direction. Despite his speed, she didn’t have any trouble keeping up. Air flowed easily through her lungs, her legs able to match his pace.

  Without warning, Roc dragged her to a sudden halt, shoving her into an alcove and placing his body in front of her. He whispered in her ear, “The Order. Three of them. Coming out of the clothes store.”

  She peered over his shoulder in the direction he indicated. Sure enough, three men dressed all in black stood in front of a store, heads bent in discussion.

  Each had a bulge, either at the side or in the back of their jackets.

  Bastards.

  After a second, they turned and entered another store. Roc took Livie’s hand and they set off again, dodging people, animals and sidewalk displays as they ran.

  Another three blocks whizzed by before he slowed his pace, sniffing the air. The heightened air of tension in his body alerted Livie to the danger ahead.

  Despite his instructions earlier, she breathed in cautiously. It was a mistake.

  They stood in front of one restaurant with another two just in front of them. Her nose burned, the aromas so strong she started to cough. She tugged her hand out of Roc’s grip to pat her chest and that’s when they attacked.

  Three stepped out of the restaurant to their side, weapons drawn. Five more walked out of two different stores in front of them. Two held handguns, one a shotgun and the other two each cradled long barreled tranquilizers.

  Livie started to take a step back, but Roc snatched her up to his side. “Behind us.”

  Twisting her head, she counted four more behind them.

  People began screaming all around them, bodies racing away and more flying to the sidewalk, hands covering their heads.

  Transferring her to his chest with a snarled “hold on,” Roc spun to the side. The smell of gun powder filled the air as sharp retorts echoed everywhere.

  He hunched forward, tucking her further into his protective embrace. Unable to reach his shoulders, Livie gripped his shirt in her fists and held on.

  With a syllabant hiss the cotton material ripped slightly as Roc’s shoulders broadened. She gathered more of the fabric in her fists. He twisted her, settling her legs around his waist before he tensed and launched them upwards.

  She lost the air in her lungs. What the hell?

  She lurched forward, his arm holding her in as he slammed into something. Bullets flew around them. She couldn’t see a thing. She knew Roc could only die if he was beheaded, but what about a bullet hitting him in the head?

  He moved his arm away, propelling them upward rapidly and she finally realized that he was scaling the outside of a building. She slipped downward, gathering more of his shirt as she tightened her legs.

  It didn’t matter. With each movement of his arms, the material of his shirt came further apart. It was unraveling right under her hands.

  Shit.

  She wasn’t balanced. The movement of his body continually shifted her. She couldn’t adjust her grip and grab him and she wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer.

  The shirt gave way.

  Braced for impact, she locked her ankles together behind his back. This was going to hurt like hell.

  Roc thrust them into the air. Livie screamed as she fell backwards, arms wind-milling. He caught her, just as they landed.

  “Are you all right?” Roc set her down, not giving her a chance to answer. He ran his hands up and down her arms, chest and legs then spun her around.

  He’d managed to catch her in mid-air. She looked around, stunned. They were on top of a flat roofed building.

  He whirled her back around. “Livie, answer me. Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.” She shook her head to clear it. She rubbed a hand over her head, amazed to find it shaking.

  “I thought you said that bullets couldn’t kill me now.” How the hell had he done that? She knew the mechanics of it, she’d just lived it, still . . . she’d never been carried up the outside of a building before.

  He brushed her hair back. “They can’t. However, they do hurt like hell.” He rolled his shoulders.

  Oh no. She’d been protected. He hadn’t.

  “Turn around.” She whispered.

  He shook his head at her. “I’m fine. We need to keep moving. They’ll be up here soon and . . .”

  “Turn. Around. Now.”

  He stared at her, chocolate eyes swirling. Face altered, teeth enlarged, bones shifted, jaw extended. Bare chest broader and configured differently – thicker, with more muscles than any human could ever hope for. Those powerful muscles rose and fell rapidly.

  She knew claws tipped his fingers without glancing down. Roc, in between man and beast.

  But still a man and capable of being hurt.

  With a sigh, he showed her his back.

  I’ll kill every single one of those bastards.

  She reached out, not daring to touch him for fear of causing him more pain. His back was pockmarked with bullet wounds. Some larger and bleeding more heavily than others. The shot guns.

  She couldn’t imagine how he could stand right now, much less climb the building with her wrapped around him, while he took shot after shot in order to keep her from harm.

 
“Roc.” Her throat wasn’t working properly. She couldn’t speak. Blood dripped between, running from his head all the way down his legs.

  His head. “You . . .” She swallowed. “Your head, Roc. You . . .” He spun around.

  “Hey,” he pulled her in close. “I’m fine. Don’t worry. A bullet can’t hurt me. Our bones are like titanium, nothing can penetrate our thick skulls. And my body will expel the others in a few minutes.”

  He’d been the one shot and yet he was comforting her.

  She’d been planning to run after they found Rea and she shook like an injured dog because Roc had been hurt.

  God, am I messed up or what?

  Metal scraped against metal, the sound close enough to fingernails scratching a chalkboard to have them both wincing. Roc growled.

  He turned his back to her again. “Hop on. They’ll get that door open in a second.”

  Livie spared a glance for the roof entrance. The metal lock bowed outward under the force shoving against it.

  “I can run.” She told Roc. She would not jump on his bullet-ridden back. No way.

  “Jump on, Livie. Now.” Deadly determination entered his voice. “You are not used to your new strength. I won’t risk you.”

  As he spoke, golden glints on his back sparkled in the sun. Mouth wide open, she stared as multiple casings pushed outward through his skin by an unseen force. They tumbled to the ground creating a tinkling sound.

  Two mangled disks shot out of his hair. They plopped onto the tiled surface of the roof, spinning in circles before coming to a halt.

  Cheeze-its.

  The roof door groaned.

  “Now, Livie.”

  Holding onto Roc’s shoulders, she threaded her feet around his waist again. He hooked his arms under her legs and took off. In the next second they were air-born.

  Leaping and jumping from roof top to roof top, they were several buildings away by the time the Order managed to break down the door.

  Livie smiled over her shoulder, releasing her hold on Roc long enough to flash them the one-fingered salute.

  ****

  Roc landed on the next roof, casually absorbing the impact in his legs before launching them to the next building, Livie’s weight of no significance regardless of whether the roof was flat or angled.

  Actually, that was not entirely true, her weight comforted him. In any other battle, he wouldn’t want anything pressed against him until all the wounds were sealed. Despite the multitude of bullets he’d taken, he relished her weight.

  He’d protected her. He’d waited nearly five hundred years for this moment. Last week he hadn’t been able to shield her.

  Now he took pride in the fact she didn’t have a scrape. His beast howled, wanting something more. Needing more. Scanning the rooftops, Roc altered course.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Roc set her down on the tarred surface in between two small metal buildings. Not very large, more than likely used to protect some sort of heating or cooling unit, the structures provided a small measure of safety.

  Livie quickly gathered the bullet casings before they could fall. She hadn’t managed to catch them all. A large amount had fallen during their escape, but she’d done her best to keep them from falling on anyone.

  Seven, no eight. How many bullets had he taken?

  She looked up, intending to check his head and froze. Dark eyes stared down at her, gold fleck sparking in their depths. His distended jaw parted, displaying his fangs as harsh pants escaped. His massive chest rose and fell quickly.

  She caught her breath. Her heart stuttered then sped up. She should be terrified right now. But this wasn’t fear. Huge and terrifying, he loomed over her and she . . . oh hell, she got wet.

  His nostrils flared slightly. Pure, primitive male desire exploded in his eyes.

  He stalked forward. One step, two. Forcing her back until she slammed into the side of the building. The hot metal scorched her. The material of her shirt provided no protection.

  Livie arched, she hissed. Roc’s big body pressed her back. The heat from his skin matching that of the metal, sandwiching her in a blaze of heat so hot she thought she might burst into flames.

  “I protected you.”

  This was extremely important to him. She didn’t understand it exactly. But it echoed in his voice.

  He was a werewolf. Strong, dominant, primitive and fiercely male. He’d lived for centuries where the men fought the wars and the women stayed at home. It was a part of him.

  “Kept you safe.” His voice rumbled out of his chest.

  “Mine.”

  He’d defended her in the most basic way, with his body. He’d put himself between her and danger and while part of her may have wanted to take part in the action, another very large part melted at his actions.

  When had anyone ever done that for her?

  She thrust her fingers into his long hair and tugged his head down. “Yours.”

  He growled low. His roughened hands encircled her wrists, tugging them up and over her head, pulling her up higher until she stood on tiptoe. He pinned her hands there in one of his, her body stretched out from hands to toes. She had no defenses, caught in his grasp like some helpless prey.

  She eyed the look in his eyes, a tasty morsel he intended to devour.

  She quivered. Arousal tightening her insides, blood rushed to her skin, flooding the tiny veins so close to the surface, heating every part of her like tiny prickles.

  He lowered his head, rumbling at her, nudging her head to the side, baring the sensitive skin.

  She should be terrified, his fangs were almost two inches long and yet he’d licked blood from her body, healing her with his touch. So enormous and terrifying and so incredibly protective and gentle.

  A beast, yes, but he was her beast.

  Hot breath blew across her neck. Livie shivered. The inability to do anything, heightened every one of her senses, her stomach clenched hard.

  A heartbeat later the rough pad of his tongue lapped at the joint where her neck met her shoulder. She moaned. Shivers ran down her spine.

  Livie arched her neck farther, silently asking him for more. The next swipe of his tongue lasted longer as he traced the outline of her tendon, his fangs lightly scraping. One bite and he could sever the artery there. She might not die from that now, but her instincts were still new to this and heaven help her she soaked her panties at the show of dominance..

  Roc nipped her — a tiny pinch of skin. “I can smell your heat.” He growled.

  He nuzzled her neck and shoulder. In between forms, he had a rough shadow of short hair along his jaw that tickled her and heightened her senses further.

  With an abrupt move, he lowered her. Livie stumbled with the return of her weight. He released her hands, setting his next to her shoulders.

  “Unbutton your shirt.”

  She caught her breath at his heated command.

  Logical thought, awareness of where they were and what they were supposed to be doing fled in a heartbeat.

  “Now.”

  Her fingers were at the top button before she realized it. Handcuffs or a dominant hold, a deeply uttered command and she melted. Literally in certain spots. Who knew?

  Her fingers shook as she raced to release every button under his heated gaze. As soon as she undid the last one he jerked his chin impatiently, urging her to open the material.

  She toyed with the sides, running her fingers up the narrow opening, teasing them both.

  He wasn’t in the mood to be teased. He grabbed her hands and pinned them to the hot metal.

  “Keep them there.”

  Her stomach fluttered and she nodded, but Roc wasn’t watching for her agreement. The calloused skin of his palms settled just below her breasts. He tucked his hands under her shirt, a heated weight.

  Moving slowly, he pushed outward. She hadn’t worn a bra. Her shirt slid open with his movement and caught on the taut tips of her nipples. The scrape of fabric tightened them
further.

  He groaned and moved his arms. Her shirt flapped open, exposing her completely. With a continuous husky growl, he bent and drew one nipple into the heated depths of his mouth.

  He sucked hard, deliberately grazing the sensitive tips with his fangs. Livie cried out, arching her back.

  The movement forced her breast further into his mouth. Roc pressed his tongue upwards, pinning her nipple there, he drew on it with strong repeated movements.

  Electric zings traveled down her body to the juncture between her legs. Her womb clenched in desperate need.

  He released her nipple with a wet pop. And turned his attention to her other one. The hot air felt cool on her moist, oversensitive flesh, causing it to shrivel up further until it was almost painful.

  Livie pressed her hand over her breast, the wet nipple stabbed her palm shocking her and adding to bombardment of her senses.

  “No.”

  Roc pulled away from her other nipple, leaving it throbbing. He forced her hand back to the side of the building.

  Livie shuddered. Her naked breasts heaving, the air brushing her exposed skin with sizzling strokes, every movement tightening the spiral of desire.

  “Don’t move your hands until I say so.”

  A vague threat lingered in his voice, but Livie was too focused on his actual words to care.

  What did he have planned?

  Roc pushed his nose in between her breast, inhaling her scent and slowly scraping his jaw over her tender skin.

  He settled his hands at her sides, sliding his palms down in a forceful move as he dropped to his knees in front of her.

  He gripped her hips, widening her stance slightly and then he pushed his head right over her mound. He growled, the deep notes vibrating over her pulsing nerves and almost sending her over right then and there.

  Livie shrieked. She spread her legs wider, grinding her hips upward, desperate. All she needed was a harder touch. Just a little more and she’d be there.

  Roc pulled back. He took hold of her thighs, his thumbs pressing inward as he pushed her back. Livie tried to arch forward and then wiggle down so that his thumbs would hit right where she needed it, but his grip help her in place. She couldn’t move.