by Livell James
“So beautiful, Kaylee.”
Kaylee bowed her back, pushing her breast into his hand, begging him with her actions to continue. Lucas smiled down at her, but shook his head.
“Shh, Kaylee.”
Bringing his body over hers, she relished the weight of his taut, muscular frame on her own. His touch was still soft, but commanding. As he settled in the apex of her thighs, Kaylee let her hands roam, feeling every part of him she could reach. His moan only encouraged her to continue with the delightful journey.
The moment their bodies met was pure bliss. The world outside didn’t matter anymore, the only thing which mattered was them together, and Lucas taking her, claiming her for the first time.
“Do you want this, Kaylee, do you want me to claim you as mine?”
Kaylee smiled, he knew she did, but he was going to make her say it, beg. It seemed to be his way, and she didn’t have a problem asking for what she needed.
“Please, Lucas, make me yours, give everything to me, I want it all of it. I want to be yours, I want to feel you inside of me. Please, Lucas.”
Bringing her legs up, she circled his waist and ground herself against his hard shaft. Lucas groaned, leaning down, kissing her lips. A chaste kiss, at first, but Kaylee wanted, needed more. Opening her mouth, she brought her tongue out to play with his fuller bottom lip, nipping him with her teeth when he didn’t take the hint to take the kiss further. Kaylee could feel Lucas’ smile against her mouth.
“I see slow and sweet isn’t what you’re looking for.” Kaylee never got a chance to reply as he devoured her mouth, taking the once sweet kiss to a level which took Kaylee’s breath away. There wasn’t a part of her mouth he didn’t explore with his tongue, teeth, and lips, and Kaylee was so lost to the sensations, she didn’t care she needed air to breathe, she just wanted this kiss to continue forever. When he ended the kiss and smiled at her, she was lost, once again. This man was gorgeous, every tattooed inch of him.
“Are you ready to fly, my sweet girl?” Lucas whispered.
Kaylee pretty much thought she was already flying, but nodded. She could feel him at her entrance and with just one short thrust, fireworks exploded behind her eyes. His head was buried in her neck, and he was breathing heavily.
Lucas took her hands in his, pulling them above her head and laced his fingers with hers, pushing them into the bed with force, while he continued to thrust into her body. Kaylee lit up like a roman candle. He was so deep inside her, she was sure he was kissing her womb.
When he started to lose his rhythm and his movements became frantic, Kaylee watched as he bent his head back and howled. The sound, along with the blast of heat she felt in her womb, threw her over the edge, again, causing Kaylee to black out, a contented sigh on her lips.
“KAYLEE!! HEY!!! KAYLEE!!”
Pounding and a voice from outside the room made the bliss Kaylee had been feeling disappear. The warmth she had been feeling dissipated, leaving Kaylee cold and confused. She wanted to shut her eyes and go back to wherever she’d been. Her mind still heavy with sleep, Kaylee said his name, just once, but it seemed important.
“Kaylee, are you awake? It's time for dinner.” Grandma Ruth voice kept getting louder, the pounding on the door more insistent.
Kaylee looked around the room and down at her still-dressed body. Bringing her hand up, she pushed the sweaty mess of hair away from her face, still trying to wrap her head around what had just happened.
“Why are you yelling for Lucas?” Grandma yelled through her door.
It couldn’t have been only a dream, could it? Kaylee could still feel his touch, his kiss, but it was, it had all been just a dream. Her body quaked and shivered as she came crashing back to reality. Why in the hell was she having a sex dream about a virtual stranger? Not only a sex dream, but the best sex dream of her life. She was mortified because her Grandma was standing right outside the door. Hell, she’d lived on her own for years and never once had this happened, well, at least not to this extent. Why now, why him?
Kaylee knew she needed to acknowledge her Grandma or the woman would be barge in at any second.
“Sorry, Grandma, just a dream. I think that little scare on the road got to me a little more than I thought. Give me a second, and I’ll be right down.” Yeah, that sounded plausible, she just hoped her grandma bought it. Holding her breath, she waited until she heard the creak on the steps and knew Grandma Ruth was walking away. Thank you for small favors.
Chapter 4
Lucas ran hard, trying to restrain and calm his beast. The bastard wanted to go back and claim what was his, Kaylee, but Lucas wasn’t ready; hell, he didn’t know if he would ever be ready. Shifting back to his human form, he huffed his annoyance at his naked state. It was a common occurrence in the shifter world, a fact of life for them, all of them. His state of undress left him with another problem, his Alpha and Father. Lucas had been forbidden to shift on his own.
He was hesitant; Lucas didn’t want any of the pack to catch even the slightest hint of Kaylee’s scent. He wanted to keep her to himself for just a little while longer. The Pack would need to know she’d arrived, but not yet. Feeling drained from his wayward emotions, Lucas chose not to shift back into his beast form and started running through the woods. Probably not the smartest thing to do with his junk flopping from side to side and his fangs still pressing against his lips. But hell, he couldn’t find the will to give a shit at the moment.
He needed to come up with a plan for when he got back to his pack’s home. He didn’t think of it as his home, not anymore, but the pack’s house. He wasn’t accepted, only tolerated because of his Guardian status. A status only the witches could remove from him, much to his father’s displeasure.
Every day, the man insisted on belittling or taunting Lucas, trying to get him to do something stupid, like challenging him. That day would come, his father just didn’t know it yet. His father wanted everyone to believe Lucas’ vampire side made him weak or less than a full-blooded shifter, but the truth was it made him stronger. From the very beginning, the moment he had been changed, Lucas knew he needed to keep that to himself.
His biggest obstacle was the pack itself. He needed their backing to remove his father, and right now, he didn’t have it. Marcus made sure of that by isolating him and spinning tales regarding Lucas’ weakness. His brother, Matthias, didn’t help, going along with dear old Dad, spinning just as many horrid little stories.
The pack consisted of seven males and two females, each having a very defined role. Lucas’ father, Marcus, was the Alpha and ruler of their pack. His dictates were to be followed, or he dished out extreme punishments. He wasn’t a good man, just the opposite. Lucas hated him. Matthias was the prince of the pack; he and Lucas might be twins, but Matthias was the favored son. Matt was Marcus’ only wanted child. Matt was so intent on gaining and keeping Marcus’ favor, it made it hard for Lucas to remember he loved his twin brother.
If it were not for Kaylee's Ostara ceremony, Lucas would have stayed away. The timing couldn’t have been any worse, but his duty to the witches prevented him from doing so. As it was, he had only been back in Eclectic for three months, and already, his father’s stifling reign had him feeling collared and cornered, not a good feeling for a man who was an animal at heart.
The Valentin pack itself wasn’t as bad as their leader. Eric, the Beta, was a good person, but he could only do so much. Marcus didn’t like anyone questioning how he did things. If someone was brave enough to, his response was to cause pain.
Emily was Marcus’ bitch in every sense of the word. Early on, Lucas had noticed she tried to divert Marcus’s attention away from him by enticing Marcus in other ways, but lately, she had stopped trying.
Danica, the only other female, was submissive to her core. She was also the healer and caretaker of the pack. Danica had an inner strength and sweetness which astounded Lucas.
Then there were the enforcers, Dylan and Macon, both good men. They had been L
ucas’ best friends growing up, but once he was bitten, they turned their backs on him, just like the others. Since coming back, there had been a couple of times the playful banter between them reared up, but they were few and far between; Marcus made sure of that.
Flynn was the last of the group; he was the Omega. His powers of empathy and compassion were meant to calm and bring the pack together, but even he wasn’t that good. Marcus treated the man worse than he did Lucas and that was saying something.
Lucas stopped running, his mind a little clearer, and decided he needed to go back for his clothes. Maybe he could get one more glimpse at Kaylee before he had to face the pack and his isolation for the night. Taking a couple of deep breaths, Lucas noticed his heart rate had slowed, and his panting from the long hard run had stopped. He started to walk at a much slower pace, letting the breeze cool his heated flesh.
There was a trail between the pack house and the cabin he and Edwin had been working on for Kaylee and the small road at the edge of the woods which led back up to the McClane's house. Stopping for a moment, he decided taking the trail was the best way. The road wasn’t often traveled, but finding a six-foot-four naked man running around would surely bring attention Lucas didn’t need right now.
The trees were thick and lined both sides of the trail, making it the right choice for his streaking. He hadn’t walked long when he came to a clearing. This place was sacred to both the witches and the pack. On the night of the Ostara ceremony, he knew Ruth would wave her hand and an emblazoned pentagram would appear beneath the grass. Lucas didn’t need to wait for that to happen, he saw the sacred place clear as day, a benefit of his guardianship. Only he and the McClane witches had this ability, to everyone else, it was just barren land.
On the nights of the full moon, his pack, minus him, would also gather in this place to renew and rejoice. The full moon didn’t make a Were shift, it was more of a beacon they needed to celebrate. Just another way Lucas was kept on the outside. He couldn’t go out at night because the urge to feed was too immense for his vampire side. At least, that’s what his father told everyone. At one time, it had been true, but Lucas had battled that need and impulse and won. He now had control of both his sides.
Lucas continued to walk until he was back at the beginning where he had met up with Edwin. Looking at the ground, he found his shirt; it had been ripped to shreds, there was no way he could wear it now. His pants, on the other hand, only showed a few small tears and would at least cover his exposed junk for his trek back. He didn’t even bother looking for underwear because he hated them and hardly ever wore any. Being a shifter, it was imperative they could shift swiftly, and underwear just got in the way.
Dressing, he turned around to head for the pack house, but kept moving forward instead, until he found himself by the shed on the McClanes property. Looking at the house, he let his mind drift and his set his senses free. He just wanted one more peek at the woman who had changed his life so abruptly. He could smell her honeysuckle scent on the wind and took it in, much like he had before. Looking up at the windows of the house, he instantly honed in on her room.
He just wanted to get a little look before he went back to the cold hell he knew awaited him back at the pack house, but much to his disappointment, no movement or light was coming from the window. Just as he was turning away, he heard it, her voice yelling his name.
He wanted to charge into the house, take her, claim her, but held himself back. Seconds later, he heard Ruth’s curt voice asking why Kaylee had been calling out his name. Knowing Edwin would be watching, Lucas’ quickly made his way back to the trail and forced himself to keep moving away from Kaylee; now wasn’t the time.
Walking at a faster pace, Lucas took a shortcut through the woods. The sun was going down, and he knew he needed to get inside soon. Once his foot breached Valentin land, he knew what he would find, his father waiting for him all six-foot tall, muscle-bound part of him.
To some, Marcus Valentin might be considered a nice-looking man, to Lucas he was anything but. What he saw was the hate and greed which marred his father’s eyes. His once black hair was now salt-and-pepper, his smooth face covered with craggy wrinkles. His body looked unnatural for a man of his age, beefed up and muscle-bound. Yeah, Lucas saw evil in the man who had bred him.
“Alpha,” Lucas said. He never addressed this man as father or dad. He didn’t deserve those titles any longer, but his Alpha status couldn’t be denied, even by him.
“Where have you been,” Marcus sneered at him, “and why are you running through the woods shirtless? You know it isn’t safe for you to shift on your own. It isn’t allowed.”
Lucas wanted to laugh. He had no problem controlling either of his beasts; it was Marcus who wanted him on a leash. At six-foot-four, Lucas towered over the man, but Marcus made him feel small. Lucas knew it was a product of his childhood, but even as an adult, he couldn't completely shake it. Standing there with his arms crossed over his thick chest, Marcus Valentin did what he always did, intimidate. Like a good little solider, Lucas bowed his head, baring his neck; the move always burned him. His otherness fought against it, but it still needed to be done.
“I have done nothing except work for the McClanes as is my duty. The weather is warm, so I removed my shirt, that’s all. If there is nothing else Alpha, I would like to retire for the night as is your command. The sun is almost down.” Lucas tried to sound contrite, but he knew he failed miserably. Lucas also knew this close to the ceremony, Marcus wouldn’t attack him, but it didn’t stop the man from putting his hands on him. Marcus grabbed his long hair and pulled his head further to the side.
“Mind yourself, pup. You might be the Guardian, but I am still Alpha, and you will obey.”
Lucas gritted his teeth; there was no sense in talking to the man. He had a point to make, and Lucas was sure he would feel that point very soon. Lucas couldn’t move his head, but he heard someone clearing their throat.
“Alpha, I need a moment of your time.”
Damn, Lucas hated that Flynn was trying to save him because he knew Marcus would take out his anger for Lucas on the man. As he predicted, Marcus released his hair, pushing Lucas away, whirling around to Flynn.
“Omega, what have I told you about interrupting me when I am dealing with my whelp?” Marcus screamed right in the man’s face.
Flynn stood his ground; he wasn’t a lightweight by any means. Standing just over six-feet and heavily muscled, he was a mountain of a man, but his duty to the pack was to calm and contain the Alpha’s fire. Lucas watched as Flynn tried to lay his hand above Marcus' heart, only to have it batted away.
Then Marcus did the unthinkable, reared back and punched the man. Everyone knew if you hurt the Omega, the pain would be returned tenfold. His actions showed just how unstable Marcus had become. Before Marcus could drop to his knees as the fates delivered his punishment, Eric was there to help him move away, leaving Flynn and Lucas laying on the ground.
Lucas stood and brushed himself off, offering Flynn his hand. When Flynn accepted it and hugged him in a manly, side hug, he whispered in his ear.
“You know the time is coming. He is destroying our pack, it is time for you to take your rightful place.”
Lucas pulled back and shook his head in denial. He wasn’t ready, he didn’t feel worthy, and hell, he’d just found Kaylee.
That night, Kaylee tossed and turned; she couldn’t get used to being in a new place. Not that her grands home was a new place to her, just different now that she’d been on her own for so long. Then, there was Lucas. She couldn’t stop thinking about him. Those blue eyes and that gorgeous, sleek body called to her in a way she had never felt before.
Then there was the dream, that amazing, toe-curling dream. She tried her best to go to sleep and continue it, but she couldn’t get her mind to settle. She had so many questions, the top one being, would it really be that good between them? Because, damn, if that was the case, she was more than willing to make that dream a
reality. There were others. Why was he here in rural Alabama when he looked like he belonged in a big city? Was he feeling the same things about her she was about him?
Kaylee tossed and turned for hours, changing her night clothes twice because damp panties weren’t comfortable. She even went into the bathroom more than a few times to splash cool water on her face. Kaylee even considered digging through her stuff and finding her special little friend, B.O.B. If she weren't under her grandparent’s roof right now, she wouldn’t have hesitated to relieve some of the tension the dream and Lucas had created in her body.
When the first light of morning started to shine through her window, she gave up and got out of bed. Throwing on a pair of her most comfortable jeans and a ratty t-shirt, Kaylee went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. She looked like shit. Damn, if the man could cause this much damage after a half hour meeting and a pretty epic dream, she wondered what would happen if she came across him again. Kaylee knew what she would like to happen, she thought, smiling to herself.
Brushing her teeth and throwing her hair up in a messy bun, Kaylee figured this was the best it was going to get today. She didn’t feel like messing with makeup or her countless other morning rituals. She was in the country now, it was time to go au naturale, and if someone didn’t like it, they could suck it.
She was tired and pissy. All she wanted was a Diet Coke to help lift the fog from her brain and maybe some inside information about Lucas. Going back into the bedroom, Kaylee sat on the bed and put her socks and shoes on, readying herself for the day. Then she made the bed because if Grandma Ruth came up there, she wouldn’t be happy if Kaylee left it unmade. Her grandma didn’t have many rules, but she liked things tidy.
Living in Birmingham, Kaylee had purposely not made the bed. She could never understand why it was necessary to make it when you were just going to get right back into it later. Here though, Kaylee would make an effort and not complain, well, at least not to anyone. The things she said in her head were all her own; there she could bitch and moan like no other.