by Livell James
“Oh, he’s a nice boy, I guess, hard worker and all.”
The short answer bewildered Kaylee; her Grandma was a gossip, but she wasn’t saying much about Lucas. Maybe she needed to look into the guy a little after all. Maybe her thoughts about him being a con man weren’t all that far off base, but he didn’t give her that weird creepy vibe. He gave her another vibe all together, one she wasn’t really sure she wanted to think about with her grandma so close.
“I saw his house or part of it. It’s pretty far back in the woods. Funny, I never noticed it before.”
“Oh, Kaylee, you haven’t been here in so long, things have changed. The Valentin’s have had that house for several decades.”
Huh, Kaylee thought, still seemed weird to her that she had never noticed it before. She was a watcher, always had been. People, places, things—it didn’t matter, she watched. She could pick out trees along the road which were familiar just by their shapes, but that house, not even a small memory. It didn’t make any sense.
Chapter 2
Lucas had working with Edwin when he got the strangest urge to go to the road. His beast was calling to him, and it wouldn’t be denied. He made his excuses and took off. When he found himself standing in the middle of the road with an SUV coming straight at him, he was dumbfounded for a second. His body tightened, and he couldn’t move. Lucas didn’t sense a threat, but he did sense something, he just couldn’t put his finger on it. Drawing his brows together, he tried to see through the windshield, but the sun’s glare was making it impossible. All his senses were pinging on the car or rather the occupant of the car, and he willed himself to see better, clearer, trying to make the impossible possible. What the hell was going on?
His first instinct was to charge forward, stopping the car with his bare hands, but he held himself back. He had never reacted this way in his life and couldn’t figure out what was going on now, but just as the car came closer, he realized, at the last second, whoever it was, wasn’t going to stop. Stepping off to the side of the road, his foot caught on something, and he fell. Seconds later, he heard the screech of tires, making him cringe.
When the door of the Eclipse burst open and a blur of blonde hair and curves darted toward him, Lucas was floored. His jaw dropped, his hands clenching at his sides in tight fists as though he was trying to hold his body back from getting up and running straight for her. His thigh muscles bunched and contracted with the effort to stay in one place.
The woman was beautiful, so beautiful in fact, Lucas hadn’t realized he’d stopped breathing until his amulet started to burn the shit out of his chest, causing him to come back to the here and now. She was saying something to him, but he didn’t hear the words. He could only look at her, taking everything in. What the hell! Lucas loved women of all shapes and sizes, but he had never had this kind of response to one, not even close.
Wrapping his hand around his amulet, he allowed the burn to sink into his hand. She was kind of short for his tastes. Lucas had always liked tall women, he was never attracted to short, tiny ones like this lady. He would have to turn himself into a pretzel just to kiss her, but he knew it would be worth the effort. None of his previous feelings or tastes made a damn bit of difference now. This chick was just right as far as he was concerned. He felt his canines drop from his gums, pricking his lip. The sting caused him to grunt in pain, but made him focus. He needed to get his shit together because she was coming right at him, full speed. Showing a human his Otherness was not permitted, for any reason.
He had a duty to the McClanes and his pack to keep his secrets well-hidden, or he would be facing more than just a slap on the wrist. Allowing humans, other than mates, to know about his abilities or other forms was against Pack law and punishable by death. Something his Alpha would gladly carry out. Breathing slowly, he concentrated on his thoughts and not his senses because right now all those senses were pinging on the tiny blonde.
His beast was clawing at him to move, to get closer, and scent the air. When the urge was too great, he couldn’t have stopped himself if he tried. Lucas lifted his nose into the air, needing to imprint her unique scent into his soul. The sweet smell of honeysuckle invaded him, wrapping him in a calm he had never felt before; his mouth watered for a taste. Shaking his head, he chastised himself for thinking this way. She wasn’t fried chicken, after all, she was just a woman. An extraordinary woman, but a woman just the same.
Groaning, he felt all the blood in his body pooling in his groin, making the calm he felt for a fraction of a second evaporate just as quickly. He wasn’t a teenager, he was fucking twenty-seven. He had been controlling his body for years. It was embarrassing.
When she offered him her hand, there wasn’t a force on earth which would have stopped him from taking it. The shock which coursed through his body the moment their hands met was breathtaking. He wasn’t a poetic guy, but it was as if Zeus himself had shot a lightning bolt right through the two of them, binding them together. When she pulled away, he almost growled.
That was enough to stop him in his tracks. He needed to block her out, get his shit together, and get the hell out of here. But he also needed her touch. When she offered her hand a second time, he held on a little tighter. He didn’t need any help getting up, he just wanted to feel her touch.
When her mouth fell open a little as she took him in, Lucas smiled. Maybe he wasn’t the only one affected. He could smell her honeysuckle scent deepen, become headier with her arousal.
Lucas stood and adjusted himself covertly, not wanting the woman to think he was a pervert or something worse. She might be attracted to him, but she was also human. Weres and Vamps were different; as long as the attraction was there and both parties were in agreement, neither would hesitate to take this attraction further. But this woman wasn’t putting off any vibes she was looking for a hook up of any kind. Her reaction to him though, hell, that made him feel ten-feet tall.
Lucas decided to focus on her face, it seemed the safest thing to do. Were and Vampire, he had excellent vision, hearing, and strength, but distance caused distortion. That’s why he hadn’t been able to see her through the windshield of her car, well, that and the sun. Now, he realized there was something to be said about an up close and personal view.
He could see the light green specks in her expressive, but hooded blue eyes framed by black glasses, along with the small spattering of freckles decorating her tiny nose. Her perfectly glossed lips were supple and plump. Right now, the bottom one was more pronounced as she pursed them together. Her little pink tongue was peeking out of the corner as if she was concentrating extremely hard. Fuck, the sight made him think of other things those lips and tongue could do to him and put him right back where he started; maybe he needed to just not look at her at all.
But damn, her blatant perusal of his body made him smile wider, and his dick, the bastard, became even harder. A few seconds ago, he would have doubted that was even possible. He was wrong. When she focused on that part of him, he couldn’t help the little growl of approval which escaped his throat. He and his beast liked what she was doing, and he figured what the hell, two could play this game. Lucas let his eyes wander over the woman, the curves he noticed before generous. Fuck, they were more than generous.
When her eyes met his for the first time, he couldn’t help smiling at her, letting her know that, yeah, he knew exactly what she’d been doing. He was grateful she hadn’t looked up sooner and caught him doing the same. But then everything quickly changed. He could smell the fear coming off of her in waves and knew he needed to do something. When she started to walk away, he couldn’t let her go, so he followed and offered an apology and introduction. He really wanted to know who this woman was. When she didn’t offer her name, he decided it was probably better to walk away. She might entice him like no other, but he wasn’t a creeper.
Before he got too far away, she called out to him, making his day. He couldn’t remember the last time he had smiled so much. There wasn’t much
in his life to smile about, but almost getting hit by this woman and meeting her for the first time made him happy.
Now that he knew her name, he also knew exactly who she was. Ruth and Edwin had been talking about her nonstop for the last couple of weeks as he worked by Edwin’s side fixing up the old cabin. He knew they loved her dearly, but that she was also only coming out of a misguided belief Edwin was ill. Lucas didn’t like deception on any scale, it had been the story of his life for way too long. He preferred honesty in all things. He didn’t blame the old couple, but he still didn’t like it. No one should be blindsided the way Kaylee was about to be.
Lucas Valentin had grown up knowing exactly what he was and what was expected of him. He was a Were, a man who changed into a beast, more specifically a wolf. But most importantly, he was the Guardian of the witches, the highest honor among his kind. Chosen at birth, Lucas was given the amulet currently resting on his chest right above his heart. He didn’t know much about the object except it held untold power and allowed him to walk in the daylight; he wasn’t just a Were, he was also a Vampire.
It was unheard of and he was loathed because he hadn’t been strong enough to resist “him.” Lucas felt the shiver run up his spine just thinking about “him” and what had happened that fateful day. He hated those memories and hated what he had become. Concentrating on where he was going, he took off at a greater speed, knowing Kaylee wouldn’t see him now. Lucas tried to shake himself out of the past. He needed to concentrate on his job because it looked like his newest charge had just gotten to town. He would do just that, protect the McClane’s at all costs. He hadn’t made it very far before Edwin came into view.
“Guardian, you know better than this. She’s off limits to your kind,” Edwin McClane said. He wasn’t a powerful Warlock, but he was a part of the McClane Coven, and Lucas had a duty to him, so he stopped and addressed the man.
“I know my place, Edwin, I also know Kaylee is different, special.”
“Oh, and how do you know that, Lucas?” Edwin said with a sneer.
“I don’t know, Edwin,” pulling his shirt aside he revealed his amulet, “maybe you can explain to me why my amulet just changed from smoky quartz to amethyst and burned the hell out of my chest when she arrived, and I got her scent. Then maybe we can talk about how off limits your granddaughter is to me.”
Lucas didn’t give Edwin a chance to reply, instead he stormed off. By the time he made it to the forest edge, he didn’t have any choice but to shift. His animal and vampire were playing havoc with him and needed to be set free. Stripping himself of his clothes, he shifted. Looking back in animal form, he could see a figure at the window of Kaylee’s room, and he howled out his pain at being denied. Lucas ran as fast as his four legs would take him away from Kaylee.
Chapter 3
Kaylee was exhausted, confused, and sticky. She really needed to jump in the shower and change her clothes, but her mind kept drifting back to the man on the dirt road, Lucas. Kaylee couldn’t wrap her head around why the man wouldn’t leave her thoughts. He was a stranger, a gorgeous one, but still a stranger.
Being back her in her grandparents’ home and why she was here should be the only thing taking up her brain space right now. Stripping off clothes, Kaylee cringed. Going to the tiny attached bathroom, she took a quick shower. She had no sooner gotten dressed in some warm comfy clothes when she heard a knock at the bedroom door. Kaylee turned just as Grandma walked through, holding a cup in her hand.
Kaylee smiled; she had missed her grandma and being here in this house, and without Lucas as a distraction, was brought back to why she was here in the first place. Walking over to the bed, Kaylee sat down, and Grandma followed her, putting her arm around her, hugging her tightly.
“Here, little one, I brought this up for you.”
Kaylee smelled the mint and knew this was her grandma’s special blend of tea. When she stayed here as a child, Grandma always made it for her; it was a cherished memory.
“Thank you, but you didn’t have to do this for me. I was going to get cleaned up, then come down and help you with dinner.
“Oh, hon,” Grandma patted her thigh and smiled, “it’s been a long, hard day for you with all that driving and your little scare on the road. I thought you would like a little tea and maybe a nap before we even thought about making any fuss for dinner. Grandpa is still out, so we still have some time.”
Kaylee thought about that for a minute; why hadn’t her grandpa been here to greet her? She could have sworn Grandma had called to him when she arrived, but she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of the man.
“What’s up with the old coot why haven’t I seen him yet?” Kaylee tried to make light, but her feelings were hurt.
“Oh, hon, you know him, he’s always tinkering around, doing something or other. He’ll show up, you just have to give it time. He and Lucas have been working on the cabin for weeks, getting it just right for you. He wouldn’t want to disappoint his favorite granddaughter, you know.”
“I’m his only granddaughter, Grandma.” Her grandma looked at her funny, but Kaylee didn’t want to talk about it anymore and said under her breath, “I just kind of wanted to see him, you know.”
Kaylee felt the burn of tears behind her eyes. Maybe she was more tired than she thought. Grandpa was always wandering about. This wasn’t the first time he hadn’t been there when Kaylee arrived, and she was pretty sure it wouldn’t be the last, but she still couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for herself. She had come here because he was ill; she wanted to get a good look at him for herself.
She and Grandma chatted for a while, and Kaylee was getting really tired by the time she finished her tea, she was practically asleep sitting up. She felt Grandma help her lay down and was helpless to do anything, but drift off to a pleasant sleep. She heard her grandma close the door and the sound of her feet going down the stairs.
Kaylee was so warm and comfortable, she didn’t want to move. As her body relaxed into the bed, she couldn’t help but moan in satisfaction as she snuggled further down in the blankets. This was like lying on a beach with the sun soaking into her body and the best massage rolled into one, and yet, she was only lying there in bed, falling asleep. Her mind flickered to a strange thought, what was different about this time?
Moving her legs, she rubbed them against the silk covered bed, marveling at the feel against her legs. The silky caress amplified the amazing feeling. There was a small part of her brain which couldn’t place the silky bedding, but the feeling overwhelmed her, and the thought soon fled, leaving her in a blissful state.
She moaned in delight, everything felt so right against her body. Even the sturdy, toasty wall at her back brought her comfort and joy. Hey, wait just a minute, sturdy, toasty wall? Kaylee struggled against it until she heard a whisper in her ear.
“Wake up, Kaylee, it’s time.”
Time? Time for what she wondered, but she knew that voice or at least thought she did. Lucas? Kaylee tried to get up and move away from the man. She might recognize his voice, but he was still a stranger. Nothing she did seemed to move her body away from him. Getting a little scared, she asked, “Lucas, how, are you here, why are you here?”
“Shh, sweet girl, let me take care of you.”
Those word and the sound of his deep, growly timbre, made her fears melt away. It also caused a reaction in her body she wasn’t ready for. Her breast became heavy and her nipples beaded into painful, diamond points. Kaylee moaned, rubbing her thighs together, desperate to relieve the ache. She felt his long, adept fingers slowly rub up the inside of her thighs, pulling them slightly apart. She knew on some level, she should stop this, stop him, but the warmth of his body and the natural scent of him—woodsy with just a hint of musk—enticed her. The movement of his fingers as he ran them up higher on her thigh intrigued her and, she realized she didn’t want him to stop. Kaylee felt his warm breath on the shell of her ear before she heard his whispered words.
“I want you,
all of you.”
Kaylee whimpered at his declaration, parting her legs a little further, encouraging him to move them to where she needed them most. Then he stopped, and Kaylee cried out in frustration.
The warm wet kiss to her shoulder caused another sensation, distracting her from the disappointment she felt. Arching her hips further, giving him more room to explore, Kaylee groaned when feather soft lips move to her ear and nip, causing shocks of pleasure to erupt all over her body.
“Let me take you. Let me feel you,” Lucas said as he continued to nibble on her ear and worked his way back down her neck, moving his hand to the place where she could lose herself in the ecstasy Kaylee knew his talented fingers would provide. But his touch was still so light and not nearly what she needed. When she started to squirm again, Lucas moved his hand back down her thigh and squeezed it firmly.
“Shh, Kaylee, settle, let me do this for you. Concentrate on how good I can make you feel when just let go.”
Kaylee nodded, words completely useless to her, she was so caught up in the moment. She realized she wanted this, she wanted Lucas to touch her and give her everything he promised. Kaylee did as he asked and let go. Let her body go slack for whatever he planned next.
As a reward, Lucas kissed her neck and pulled her closer into his heat. Kaylee could feel the heavy weight of his molten staff as he ground against her ass. The slight dampness leaking from the tip showed his need and want for her.
Kaylee could feel her own arousal increase, wetting her thighs. Lucas was in full control now, and she was surprised how natural it all felt. His words and whispers became more of a growl as she felt him move away a little, only to pull her onto her back. Kaylee cupped his cheek, looking directly into his eyes.
The noises he was making should have scared her—it wasn’t natural, he was growling like an animal—but they didn’t. They made her feel safe and cherished. His blue eyes brightened and changed to a burnished gold and like the first time, drew her deeper into him. His rough, calloused hand cupped her breast as if testing its heavy weight.