by Trina M. Lee
“I’m glad.” I beamed up at him, my hand clasped in his. It was warmer than usual.
That was a good sign. He slid a hand beneath the front of my skirt where it trailed along the edge of my thigh high stocking. The breath was knocked out of me, and I blushed.
“I knew you’d look sensational. I couldn’t come underdressed.” Despite his neutral tone, the heat from his hand on my thigh caused a rush of blood to flood the private place between my legs. I sucked in my breath and quivered uncontrollably. This brought a smile to his lips, revealing fangs.
Between him and Shaz, I wasn’t sure how I could handle this much smoking hot man flesh. I wanted them both with an equal ferocity but for very different reasons. Was that even possible? I forced the thought from my mind, scoffing at the absurdity of it.
I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder, towards the bar where Shaz had gone. “I seem to have my hands full tonight.”
Those entrancing eyes gazed at me with their perfect frame of silky black lashes. “Is that so?” He followed my gaze to the bar before looking back at me. “Do you think you can handle both of us?”
The blush that warmed my cheeks was instant. Only this bold vampire would head down that trail of thought.
“That’s not what I meant,” I laughed nervously and looked away. “Though I can’t say that I wouldn’t love to find out.” It was something that slipped out freely, something I never would have said to Shaz.
I felt Arys studying me, enjoying my discomfort and embarrassment. He leaned in close so that his lips brushed my ear, whispering, “Be careful what you wish for.”
A jolt of electricity slammed through me from where his lips touched me, all the way down my spine. His words were shocking due to the passivity of his tone. There was a lot about Arys that I had yet to understand.
When he pulled back, he wore a strangely disconcerted expression. I felt the shift in his energy as if it had been my own. His instant wariness had me glancing around suspiciously.
“What?” I asked him, a little too fast. I didn’t sense anything amiss. “What do you feel?”
He looked over my shoulder to where Shaz now waited in front of the staircase. A petite redhead dressed like a cop was showing him her handcuffs.
“I’m not sure. Go to your wolf. I’ll come find you.” He was gone in the time it took me to blink, moving rapidly through the crowd in search of something I could neither see nor feel. A chill stole over me in his sudden absence.
I went to Shaz but couldn’t deny the urge to look over my shoulder. The redhead looked up at my approach, vacating promptly when I boldly kissed him full on the lips, sliding my tongue between them.
The passion he kissed me back with matched my own in its fierceness. When he pulled back and gazed deeply into my eyes, the first question out of his mouth was,
“Where did Arys go?”
I’d kind of hoped my kiss would have swept the vampire from his thoughts. I was feeling the lively pull of the moon. I’d just have to get his mind to focus on other things.
“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.” I didn’t hesitate to run my hands over his hard chest the way I wanted to. “So where do you want to go?”
Shaz trailed a hand through my hair, entangling it in his fist. A playful smile danced along his lips. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Here?”
“Here.” I nodded, ignoring the curious looks from those going up and down the stairs. “I just have this ache inside me that I need you to ease.”
Between the moon, the power I shared with Arys and my own wanton desires, I was ready for him. I had been since arriving.
Shaz appeared to consider it. It didn’t take long. “Where would you like to go?”
“Anywhere you want.”
He surveyed the club before saying, “Let’s go out back.”
Honestly, I’d expected more resistance from Shaz. It was clear that the rousing atmosphere was stripping away his inhibitions and riding him hard, too.
He entwined his fingers in mine and pulled me along toward the back exit. Nobody used the exit except for staff. The back door led into a dark alley that just led to another alley and the back of the neighboring buildings.
Outside that door, Arys and I had wiped out a crazed vampiress that had tried to kill me. I used our bonded power to destroy her, forcing the energy into her until her heart burst. That entire scenario had been utter madness, especially since she had been trying to employ my services. She’d wanted me to kill Arys.
I didn’t notice either Ky or Jez as Shaz and I snuck down the long back hall past the washrooms, to the door at the end. I did wonder where Arys ventured off to, but I trusted that he could take care of himself.
I was wild with anticipation when we slipped out into the night. The sudden change in atmosphere was like a slap to the senses. It was so quiet, only a dull roar could be heard from inside. The stars twinkled overhead. The one, lone streetlight stood yards away, casting a pale glow just beneath it.
I allowed Shaz to lead me away from the door to the far edge of the building that was draped in darkness. He pressed my back against the cold brick, taking a dominant role right off the bat. The intrigue that that one action instilled in me was adrenaline inducing.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” He gave me one last chance to reject the impromptu setting.
“I can’t believe you have to ask.” I maintained eye contact with him as I ever so slowly lifted the front of my skirt up.
As I revealed more flesh, his eyes darted to my thighs and what lay between. “Forget I asked.”
His first response was to thread a hand into my hair so that he held my head tight, a display of control that thrilled me. His lips and teeth immediately sought my throat. The generous erection that he pressed against me was perfectly outlined by the thin leather.
The material felt cool and smooth where it touched my bare skin.
I reached down as if to pull my panties off, and Shaz caught my hand in his. I was happy to relinquish all control to him. I loved it when the wolf was as strong in him as the man. The cold felt soothing through the flimsy red cape, despite the fact that I was leaning on bricks.
When he looked at me again, his eyes were all wolf, and his four fangs made his young face achingly beautiful. His energy was running strong, and I reveled in it. In that moment, it was just the two of us and the moon.
Shaz nuzzled my neck, the tip of his warm tongue darting out to trace the edge of my earlobe. I remembered how Arys’ lips had just been in that same place, and the fire grew within me.
When he dropped to his knees before me and reached up under my skirt, I gasped in delighted surprise. My breath caught as he hooked his fingers in my thong and dragged it down my legs. After stepping out of it as daintily as I could, I quickly untied the cape and tossed it aside.
Shaz looked up at me with emotion in his green wolf eyes from where he kneeled at my feet. The sound of people in the parking lot on the other side of the building carried to us. On our side, it was quiet. Nothing moved but the slightest breeze.
Without warning, he broke eye contact and turned his attention to my inner thigh.
The touch of his tongue and then his fangs brought a whimper from me as I tried not to go weak in the knees.
His hands curved around my hips as he licked and bit his way between my legs.
When he brought his mouth down on me with a hungry, probing intensity, I automatically buried my fingers in his hair.
I let my head fall back against the building so that I looked at the stars. There was nothing commanding my focus except for the moist heat of Shaz’ talented tongue and the sharp point of each upper fang that occasionally grazed me. It heightened the pleasure immeasurably.
Soon, he brought me to orgasm, and I quivered against him. A cry broke from me, and he silenced it by rising and pressing his lips to mine.
Before I could request it, he freed his throbbing, rock-hard cock from the tight leather pants. I licke
d my lips with anticipation and reached to stroke it. He astonished me by grabbing my hands and pulling me away from the wall.
With one swift motion, he picked me up and switched us so that his own back was against the wall to support our weight. He had a hand under each of my thighs, and I wrapped my arms around his neck eagerly.
He slid into me with a slick thrust. I was positioned so that I could move up and down on him rather well as he supported my weight. The excitement of what we were doing and where only added to the overall intensity.
In this position, we were directly face to face, almost forced to look into one another’s eyes. And, I loved it. The carnal look in Shaz’ eyes as he buried himself deep inside me was both frightening and enticing. I fell into the mesmerizing pull of his jade orbs as well as the natural rhythm that we had together.
The atmosphere crackled all around us as the power of our union drew on the energy of the moon. It all felt so natural, like it always did with Shaz. Two wolves and the moon, united. So, the sudden rising of the undead power inside me was both unexpected and surprising.
As Shaz and I moved as one in the dark outside Lucy’s Lounge, I felt Arys. He was close, so very close. Amidst the throes of passion, the awareness did little more than stoke the inferno raging inside me.
My heart raced with the barest trace of fear when I felt those dark blue eyes on us. If Shaz felt it too, he gave no sign. Instead, he kissed me with total abandon so that I could taste myself on his lips.
I knew the exact moment Arys emerged from the dark behind us. Like a ghost, he seemed to materialize from thin air. Because my back was to him, it was Shaz’ face that he looked into.
I watched him as he stared into the vampire behind me. Shaz’ pace slowed but never stopped. I was willing to bet he’d been more aware of Arys’ approach than I thought. The look he wore was challenging, but it lacked menace.
The next thing I knew Arys was just there, his hard body against my back. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous pressed between the two of them. I flashed back to Arys’ question before he left me in the bar. Could I handle both of them? Was it even wise to try?
Part of me fully expected Shaz to withdraw from the situation. But if anything, he liked it. He thrust into me harder, forcing a small cry from me. All the while, he stared over my shoulder at the vampire.
Arys moved slowly; his energy, strong and enthralling. He reached one hand under my thigh, careful not to touch Shaz. I realized he was helping to support my weight between the two of them. Shaz looked suspicious, but he also had a curiosity that I could read in his eyes like a book.
With his other hand, Arys reached up to sweep the hair away from my neck. He stroked a finger ever so gently along the sensitive skin beneath my ear. I realized exactly what his intention was then, and my heart sped so fast I could hear it thundering inside my head.
The two men shared a look, and I could sense what it was they were not saying. I risked a glance back at Arys. He stared at Shaz with heat in his gaze and more. There was nothing friendly in the look they shared. The rise of power that enveloped us then was enough to force a moan from me. I was amazed to hear Shaz echo it.
As Arys’ lips and tongue touched my neck, I shuddered and moved faster on Shaz. I saw my white wolf give the briefest of nods, his eyes locked on the vampire as fangs sunk deep into my flesh.
I let out a pained cry as my blood spilled and the power responded. Though I was tempted to close my eyes, I wanted to watch Shaz’ face.
He stared at the place where Arys’ fangs were embedded in my flesh. There was a combination of horror and intrigue on his youthful features. However, I couldn’t help but notice that he increased the strength behind every thrust so that a moan escaped me with each one.
A trickle of blood began to run down my neck and chest with Shaz’ eyes following it. Arys licked and sucked at the wound, feeding the energy that seemed to captivate us all.
I was hurtling fast toward climax. The sensation of being between the two of them was so spicy that I couldn’t believe it was real.
As I’d suspected he wanted to, Shaz gave in to the urge to lick the spilled blood from my chest and collarbone. For the briefest of moments, his head was just inches from the vampire’s.
I watched his face when he pulled back. He leaned his head against the building, but his gaze landed on me and Arys, drinking from my throat.
The effect the power was having on him was evident by his huge pupils. Having a third party was something our power seemed to like. As we all fed off each other, the rush of white noise grew loud around us.
I hit that crucial peak without warning, and the orgasm rocked me to the core. As Shaz’ climax accompanied mine, he let out a series of growls and snarls. Even Arys gave a low moan as he tongued the punctures in the side of my neck.
I was soaked with sweat, and I clung to Shaz as the aftershocks and waves racked me. With one arm, I reached back to Arys, my hand brushing against the side of his face.
He promptly placed a kiss in my palm. A faint bloody smear remained.
Power hummed around us, cloaking us in a blanket of it. Of all the things I expected to feel right then, the urge to cry wasn’t one of them. Hot tears threatened to fill my eyes as I was overcome by the energy and my own personal emotions. I blinked quickly, but it was too late.
The tears fell to my cheeks, and I saw shock spread across Shaz’ features. He caught a drop on his finger, examining the crimson tear. He knew just as well as anyone that only vampires cry blood tears.
Arys took a step back, bending to gather my things. Shaz lowered me so that I could get steady on my feet again. I tugged my dress into place, smoothing it anxiously. My legs felt like jelly.
“Alexa, are you ok?”
I smiled at my white wolf as Arys draped the cape over my shoulders. That silly wolf worried about me too much. He was high as a kite on my blood and power, and all it took was a few tears to snap him back to reality.
“Yes, Shaz. I promise I am.” I wanted to ask how he felt but didn’t want to put him on the spot in front of Arys.
The vampire stood quietly to one side, observing Shaz but acting as if he weren’t. No sooner had I tied my cape securely than the back door of the Lounge burst open.
Chapter Fifteen
Tawnie stood illuminated in the glow from inside, casting a frantic glance around. It didn’t take long for her to spot our small group huddled in the dark. If there hadn’t been three of us, she may not have noticed us at all.
“Shaz,” she called frantically. “We have a pretty bad fight going on in here. We could use your help.”
“I’ll be right there Tawnie. No worries.”
Shaz’ eyes never left my face as he replied to her. The power that belonged to Arys and I was clearly manipulating him. He’d tasted me both physically and metaphysically, and it had affected him. The dazed expression on his face seemed to overrule his struggle for control. I smiled when he actually gave his head a shake as if to clear it.
Tawnie disappeared back inside. Arys maintained a safe distance as if unsure what to expect from Shaz.
“I love you,” Shaz whispered, nuzzling the side of my face as he would in wolf form.
“I’ve got to run, but I’ll find you after.”
I didn’t want to let him go, not before the afterglow had begun to fade. He didn’t look at Arys as he made his way to the door though he had to have felt those vampire eyes following him. Knowing the taste and feel of my blood lingered on him drove me crazy with curiosity. I wanted to know what he was feeling.
When we were alone, Arys turned to me with a satisfaction in his eyes that reminded me of the cat with his paws in the fishbowl. I trembled in the breeze as the sweat cooled on my skin. He swept me into his arms in a swift, smooth motion.
“The wolf pup certainly surprised me.” He spoke soothingly, my head tucked beneath his chin. “He is bolder than I ever would have believed.”
“You don’t g
ive him enough credit.”
“He loves you madly.”
Arys’ observation hung heavily as if suspended in the atmosphere around us. It struck me as a strange thing to say just then.
“I know,” I murmured. My hand went to the place on my collarbone where Shaz had licked the blood from me. “I don’t deserve him.”
“Nonsense. You’re both so young with so much yet to experience. Enjoy what you have while you have it. Don't learn the hard way that there is no time for regrets.”
I pulled back to study his face. He raised an eyebrow and gave me a playful smile, but I wasn’t fooled. He clearly spoke like someone who knew firsthand.
“What’s up with you, Arys?”
“What are you talking about?” He fidgeted then, something extremely uncharacteristic. I tuned into our energy and focused on him, the vibes of his emotions.
He was trying to shield what he was feeling from me. I could sense it.
“What’s with the cryptic remark? And, all of a sudden, you’re encouraging my relationship with Shaz. You tend to be very back and forth on that.”
“Yeah well, I’m an asshole. But, I’m also realistic.” He shrugged and held out a hand, playing with the psi ball that rapidly formed. Like always, it was a gaseous vapor swirl of blue and yellow, the color of our energies.
“How realistic?” I laughed when he gave me a dirty look. He dropped the ball, and I felt the energy reach out to us as well as the natural elements before it ceased to be.
“We should get back inside before your lady friends start to think you’ve abandoned them.” With a warm hand, he steered me towards the door.
I didn’t miss the way he scanned the area before turning his back to it. He seemed more alert and wary than usual. I didn’t sense anything when I mentally searched the night around us.
The moment we stepped inside, my senses had to readjust to the volume and the many smells. I winced against the onslaught. All of my senses were heightened after our power play outside. It was a little unbearable.