Ethan swore. His partner was right and he should have known it. His only excuse was that his brain had stopped working the moment he met Dana. He paced the room, unable to stand still.
“He wanted me out the way to get a clear shot at Dana,” Ethan said. “He’s ready to abduct her, isn’t he?”
“We’ll keep her safe,” Leo said, watching him pace. “There’s a patrol car parked outside the house. Let me know if you need someone else to stay with her.”
“I can handle it,” Ethan insisted. No way was he leaving his mate’s safety in hands of someone else.
Leo shrugged. “I thought you’d say that. But if you do need help, I’ll be around.” He checked his phone before picking up the box. “I’m still waiting on forensics from Becca’s gifts. It’s a long shot but it doesn’t hurt to check. I’ll let you know if anything turns up.”
Once Leo was gone, Ethan went to check on Dana. She was under the covers, sound asleep, sprawled on her back, one arm thrown up beside her head. He kicked off his boots, undressed, and lay on the bed beside her, careful not to wake her. He hadn’t slept well the night before and he was exhausted. Before long, he had joined her in sleep.
***
It was getting dark when Dana woke up. She rolled onto her side, then pain had her hissing and scrambling to sit up. She had forgotten about her sore arm.
“What’s wrong?”
She stifled a squeak at Ethan’s voice coming from beside her.
“Sorry, sweetheart,” he soothed, sitting up beside her. “I didn’t mean to startle you. Are you okay?”
Dana pressed a hand over her racing heart. “Yes. I wasn’t quite awake and I forgot about my arm and rolled over onto it.” She glanced at him. He was naked. Gloriously naked.
His hand stroked down her back, soothing and arousing at the same time. “You slept for quite a while. Do you feel any better?”
“Yeah,” she answered, taking stock of her injuries. “As long as I don’t lean on my arm or leg, I’m fine.”
“Good,” he said, swooping down for a kiss. He paused just before he reached her lips and murmured, “Because we have unfinished business, you and I.”
Then he was kissing her. One of his hands was in her hair, holding her head steady for him. The other arm was wrapped around her, keeping her upright. Just as well because Dana felt like her bones had melted into goo. His tongue twined with hers, the kiss gentle at first and then building in passion. His hands slid down to the hem of her T-shirt, pulling it up. She lifted her arms and allowed him to remove the shirt. A glance at his face showed his gazed riveted on her breasts. He cupped them and squeezed them together before sliding his hands around to undo the clasp of her bra and slide it down her arms, careful to avoid the bandage around her arm. His hands slid upwards to cup her again, his thumbs lightly brushing her erect nipples. She shifted impatiently, the touch too light. More. She needed more.
Ethan chuckled at her sigh of impatience but increased the pressure, pinching her nipples like she wanted. It still wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. Still kissing him, she changed position, swinging a leg over to straddle his lap. She could feel his erection pressing against her and she rubbed herself against it. Ethan groaned into her mouth, one of his hands slipping down to run gently through her curls and dip into her wet heat. Now it was her turn to groan.
“So wet,” Ethan murmured against her lips. “I have to taste you.”
Before she could formulate a single thought, Ethan had her spun around and flipped onto her back. He spread her legs and looked intently at his prize. She was vaguely aware that she would normally be embarrassed at this point but she just didn’t care. She just needed him to touch her. Fingers, mouth, cock. Something. Anything.
“Ethan,” she whined.
“I’m here,” he answered, caressing her inner thighs. “So smooth. I can’t wait to have them wrapped around me.”
He bent his head and kissed along her inner thigh, before switching to give the same attention to her other leg. So close but not where she needed him.
“Ethan,” she growled, earning a laugh before he moved to her aching pussy. He placed a gentle kiss there, nuzzling at her. Dana was seconds from grabbing his head and grinding him into her when he finally increased the pressure, licking along her slit and then around her clit. She shivered in excitement as his tongue danced around her clit, the touches light and teasing. She lifted her hips a little higher, trying to increase the contact but Ethan’s hands pushed her back down and held her securely.
“My pace, sweetheart,” Ethan said, pressing a gentle kiss to her abdomen. “I’ve been looking forward to this. I’m not rushing it.” He pressed soft little kisses on her as he added, “I’m going to savour… every… single… second.”
“Fine,” Dana muttered grumpily, lying back and flinging an arm over her face. “Wake me when you’re done.”
Ethan laughed, a rich and deep sound. “Oh little moose, I can assure you that you won’t be sleeping through this.”
He returned his attention to her pussy but thankfully he did pick up the pace just a little. His tongue flicked her clit and circled the little bud while he stroked her slit with a finger. It felt good. So good. She could feel the pleasure building, slowly but surely, with every lick and every stroke. A finger dipped inside her, stroking at her inner walls as he sucked her clit hard. She squealed and bucked under him, her climax suddenly within reach. He renewed his efforts and before long the pleasure exploded from her. As she came down from her climax, she could feel his tongue thrusting inside her, prolonging the pleasure.
Ethan lifted his head, his expression so smug that she’d have slapped him if she still had control over her limbs. He crawled over her, looking every inch the wolf stalking his prey. Her climax had not dimmed her passion, even a little, and when he trailed his hand up her thigh and stroked her again, she moaned in anticipation. His kiss was hungry and she responded in kind. She felt him nudge her entrance and she tilted her hips a little, inviting him in. Slowly he filled her and she arched beneath him, revelling in the feel of him stretching her.
“God, Dana,” Ethan ground out. “So fucking tight.”
Finally, he was fully inside and he stopped for a moment, looking down at her. They both panted as they looked at each other. Then he began to move. Slowly at first and then with increasing speed.
“More, Ethan,” Dana breathed. “Please.”
“Anything,” he promised her, beginning to pound into her. His hips pumped between her legs, establishing a rhythm that drove her wild. She got lost in the sensations and all she could do was wrap her legs around his waist and hold on. The smell of sex hung heavy in the air and she could hear the sound of their bodies slapping together over and over again. Nothing had ever felt this good. He angled his hips slightly as he thrust into her and managed to hit just the right spot, making her gasp and claw at his back. The pressure built again and she knew she wasn’t going to last.
“Ethan!” she wailed. She could feel her moose trying to assert itself and she clamped her mouth shut, determined not to bite. She wouldn't go there. Not yet.
“Come for me, little moose,” Ethan panted. She could see his fangs flash. Clearly his wolf was as impatient as her moose. “I’m not coming until you do.”
He reached between them and firmly rubbed her clit as he continued his thrusts. The added stimulation was the last straw and she hurtled over the edge, screaming as she came. Dimly she was aware of the heat of Ethan spurting into her as he joined her in bliss. His head was back, his face strained with both his climax and the fight to keep from biting her, claiming her. He had kept his promise. Another little piece of her heart thawed.
Ethan held himself over her, keeping his weight on his arms but resting his forehead against hers. They gasped for air, trying to calm their rapid heartbeats. Dana felt that she should say something. Something deep. Something affectionate. All that came out was, “Fucking hell.”
Ethan snorted in laughter, burying his face into her shoulder, nipping gently at the skin there, making her shiver.
“Yeah,” he agreed. “My thoughts exactly, my articulate little moose.” He rolled them over, lying on his back and pulling Dana onto his chest.
“Hey, mister,” Dana mock scowled, poking his chest. “If you fuck my brains out, you have to expect a drop in wordyness.”
“Duly noted,” Ethan smirked, running his hand down her back and kissing her forehead. He looked far too pleased with himself. “By the way, we’re still not finished.”
She squinted up at him. “What?”
He tugged her hand downwards to feel that he was still semi-hard. “I’m a shifter and we’re mates. Give me a minute to stave off having a stroke and I’ll be good for round two.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.
She giggled into his chest. “I think round two might kill me right now. Better give me ten minutes.”
He snickered at her before assuming a suspiciously serious expression. “I would never have guessed that you’re a screamer.”
“I am not,” she answered.
He snorted at her. “Really? Because my ear is still ringing. There was a scream. Trust me.”
Thinking back, she realized that she had in fact screamed. Loudly. She groaned, burrowing her face into his chest. His chest which was moving as he laughed. Stupid, smug wolf.
A knock sounded at the front door. She froze, looking at her mate. Ethan disentangled himself and jumped from the bed, pulling on his jeans. “Stay here,” he said.
She heard him pad to the front door and after a pause, she heard the door open.
“Everything okay in there?” a male voice asked. “We haven’t seen any trouble but we heard a scream.”
Oh fabulous. The patrol outside the house had heard her and thought she was being attacked. Stupid shifter hearing. She could hear Ethan assuring them that everything was fine. He even lied for her, saying she’d seen a spider. It was pointless as the police were shifters and would be able to smell the scent of sex clinging to Ethan. Stupid shifter noses. Still, his attempt to spare her blushes was sweet and she felt herself falling for him. Hard. At some point she had accepted that they were mates and that they would eventually claim each other. With every minute she spent with him, it became more obvious that it was only a matter of time and she didn’t mind at all.
Ethan returned and climbed back into bed beside her, pulling her back into his arms. It felt so right.
“Ready for round two, sweetheart?” he asked.
Chapter 26
Ethan woke to the sound of his phone buzzing. The room was light and glancing at the clock, he saw that it was 8.30am. He carefully disentangled himself from Dana who was still asleep. He felt some measure of masculine pride that he’d managed to tire her out so thoroughly. Round four had ended only about an hour ago and he was still up for a round five. He had spent the night making love to his mate, his true mate, and nothing could ever top that. Well, except for one thing.
As much as he had enjoyed last night’s activities, one thing had been missing. They still hadn’t claimed each other and his wolf wasn’t happy about it. Honestly, neither was Ethan. It was primitive but as shifters, they retained part of the wildness of their animal sides. Part of that was the instinctive need to claim their mates and Ethan’s wolf didn’t understand why they had not yet claimed theirs. It was all his own fault. His behaviour had made Dana doubt him and delayed the claiming. Now it would take time to fix that.
Ethan followed the buzzing sound to his phone. The display showed that the call was from Leo. He answered it as he walked to the door.
“Hey,” Ethan said softly, as he slipped out of the bedroom to let Dana sleep. He padded down the stairs to the living room.
“We’ve got him,” Leo said.
“What? The Shifter Stalker?” Ethan asked. “Just like that?” So easily? He squashed down the irritation that he hadn't been there.
“Yeah, surprised the hell out of us too,” Leo said. “His body was found late last night. His phone has pictures of every victim. We actually found a couple of fingerprints on the things sent to Becca. They match the fingerprints of the body. We’re waiting on the forensics but we have him.”
Ethan let out a shaky breath. “Dana’s safe?” He sagged against the wall.
“Yeah,” Leo agreed. “It’s over.” He paused. His voice grew hard. “We were right, Ethan. It was one of us.”
Ethan swore. “Who?” he demanded, straightening up and walking to the window. Looking through the blinds, he could see the patrol car still sitting outside.
“Eric Matthews,” Leo sighed. “One of the human cops from the next town over. I’ve never met him but I spoke to him on the phone a few times. Seemed pleasant enough. Alex says that he moved here around the time the first victim went missing. He’s moved around a fair bit and has always been in the same place as the Shifter Stalker. Everything just suddenly came together. It was him, Ethan.”
“What happened to him? How did he die?” Ethan asked. Not that it mattered. The most important thing was that he was no longer a threat to his mate. Still, his suspicious cop nature made him ask. He wasn’t familiar with the man which explained why he hadn’t recognised his scent.
“Murdered,” Leo said. “No prizes for guessing what we’re investigating next. He was found out in the woods by a wolf shifter out for a run. There’s evidence of a fight, but in the end Matthews appears to have been stabbed through the heart. Working theory is that someone fought back.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Ethan said, frowning. He caught a movement out the corner of his eye and turned to see Dana, wearing his t-shirt and nothing else. It was a good look. Not as good as Dana naked but he did like seeing her in his shirt. He held out an arm and she walked over to him, hugging him close. He breathed in the scent of Dana mixed with his own scent and sex. His new favourite smell.
“I know,” Leo agreed. “He’s always been strictly one victim at a time and we know he was after Dana. But whatever happened, someone had a problem with him and settled it permanently. It’s him and he’s dead. He won’t be abducting anyone else.”
“Thanks, Leo,” Ethan said, hugging Dana tightly, pleased at how easily she had accepted his touch. “I’ll be in later.”
Dana looked up at him as he ended the call.
“What's going on?” she asked, her forehead creased in a little frown.
He kissed her forehead. “It’s over, sweetheart. They identified the Shifter Stalker and he’s dead. You’re safe now.” The huge knot of worry he'd been carrying around began to unravel. The fear that he might fail his mate. That he might lose her. Now he could concentrate on winning her over completely.
She smiled at him and then sighed. “I’m a horrible person. I’m actually happy that someone is dead.”
“I think under the circumstances, it’s normal,” Ethan said, squeezing her gently. “I’m pretty happy too. I won’t judge if you don’t.”
“I guess we both need to go to work then,” Dana said. “Now that you don’t have to stay with me.” Her tone sounded a little wistful. She sounded like she would miss him. Good.
He tipped up her chin and kissed her. “I don’t have to but I’ll still be around as much as you’ll let me,” he assured her. “And I still plan on talking you into claiming me.”
She smiled at him. Her pretty green eyes sparkled at him. “At some point, I’m going to let you convince me.”
Grinning, he picked her up, loving her little squeak of surprise. He carried her to the bathroom and set her down in the shower, peeling off the T-shirt she wore. Turning the water on, he grabbed the soap and proceeded to wash his mate. When she started to wash him back, his good intentions fled.
***
“I love that uniform,” Ethan grinned at her. Smart ass.
“Shut up.” She glared at him. It only made his grin widen. “We both k
now it’s hideous.”
“It’s so hideous that it’s cute,” he said, smirking.
“That makes no sense,” she pointed out. “It’s just awful and it has no redeeming qualities.”
She reached for the handle of the car door but before she touched it, Ethan gently turned her around.
“Forgetting something?” he asked, eyebrow raised.
“I’m already late,” she protested. “I knew it would have been quicker to shower separately.” Not as much fun though, she admitted that. It had actually been her first bout of shower sex and it had been much more enjoyable than she would have guessed. Of course, she suspected that any kind of sex would be enjoyable with Ethan.
“There’s always time for a kiss,” Ethan insisted, leaning in.
He kissed her thoroughly, leaving her feeling a little dazed and more than a little turned on. With no time to do anything about it. She just might have to kill the wolf.
“Remember,” he said to her, his expression serious. “Be careful and don’t go off anywhere by yourself. The Shifter Stalker is gone but we still have some unanswered questions. We need to stay vigilant a little while longer just to be certain.”
“I know,” she said. “I promise I’ll stay right here until quitting time.” She still didn't feel safe about wandering off by herself.
He nodded. “I’ll pick you up later. Wait for me.”
Another kiss and then Dana got out of the car, waving to her wolf. He didn’t drive off, waiting for her to go inside first. She smiled and went in, accepting a hug from Tara. She looked for Fiona before remembering that she wouldn’t be here. She had been discharged from hospital but was recovering at home. Another girl, Hannah, was filling in for her. She was a pleasant enough girl but tended to keep to herself. Dana missed Fiona already.
“Thank goodness you’re okay,” Tara said, hugging her again. “And I’m so glad you’re back.”
“It’s good to see you too, Tara,” Dana said, hugging back. “I actually missed this place.”
Don't Moose With Her (Bearbank Book 1) Page 11