by A. Vers
Caine raises a brow with a wicked grin. "Do tell, mon amour."
I swat at him. "This is not funny."
He reaches out and brushes my ponytail from my shoulder. Even that small caress leaves me damn near dripping in my denim shorts.
His fingers trail down my arm, the long digits brushing the side of my breast. I tremble, spine arching. There is no thought of pushing him away. My body doesn't care that he isn't Tanner. I need something—someone to ease the heat.
"I see," Caine says, his ruby eyes burning. He peers around before reaching behind me. I'm urged into a close sided changing room, and Caine peers at me in the dimness. "I can feast at your body, little kitten. Or I can drink your lust so you can think clearly. Either is fine with me."
I have a split second vision of his dark head between my thighs and I whimper with need. "Fuck me for all I care." And it's true. The notion brings tears to my eyes.
I’ve always been more selective than this, more picky.
And with Chuck’s infidelity so very fresh, I should be even more so. But the heat batters at me, burning through every inch of my body in time to my heart. It borders on painful. And I have the distinct feeling that if I let it go unchecked, it will indeed dive into something I don’t want to fight.
Caine frowns. "Kitten." That one word is oddly understanding.
Some of the heat fades. He wraps an arm around my back and pulls me into a surprisingly muscular frame.
"No tears, kitten, for the cat will rip my skin from my bones, and I am rather fond of this vessel." His words draw a ragged laugh from me. One long hand strokes down my ponytail. "Tis a lot, I know. Being thrust into a world of supernaturals. Perhaps ... Our fair Lilah is rather familiar with human life before her existence as a vampire. As many of the fang folk are. You can always speak to her on such matters."
"Vampires don't go into heat, Caine," I mutter into his chest.
"Not true, kitten." That makes me pull back to look at him. "Their transitional phase is rather ... arduous. Sex is just another form of lust after all."
I wipe at my eyes. "So ... It's not weird that I feel like this?"
His gaze widens. "Sex is not something to be ashamed of. It is natural. Adam and Eve once dwelled in the Garden in naught but their skin. It was only after Eve ate the forbidden fruit that sex became foul in their eyes. Something to be done behind closed doors."
"I don't want to fuck Tanner in the woods tonight, Caine."
He blinks. "He is rather attractive for a cat, I would have assumed—”
"No. I want to fuck him, Caine. Just not in the woods."
He chuckles. There is no condescension. Just more of that understanding. "Ah. Well, unfortunately, I cannot do so much to help with that, kitten. But I can ease what you are feeling now."
As an Asmodean, I know he can. Caine could take me in a million different ways and leave me a panting, sated mess.
And I won’t deny a hint of curiosity at the thought.
"Will it hurt?" I can't stop the quiver to my voice.
His fingers are gentle over my cheeks "No. You will experience a small release from it. Nothing more."
Oh.
A release sounds great.
"Okay."
He nods, suddenly serious. "Close your eyes, kitten, and picture our cat."
I do what he says and pull up everything about Tanner that I am growing to like at a rapid rate.
The dark fall of his hair, his keen silver eyes in beast form. The cunning, cold intelligence that speaks of a hard life and even harder choices. How his body is honed for battle. Long, lean, and so damn sexy it makes it hard to breathe.
His agile hands, the slight shadow on his jaw. But most of all, how whenever I am around him, his eyes never stray from me.
Daisy said Tanner is the definition of a leave ‘em kind of guy, and after spying him with Ebony, the pack enforcer, I suspect she is right. But whenever I am near, he never looks at the women we pass. Never breaks eye contact. There is a kind of primal focus there. One that Chuck never had.
Something soft brushes over my lips, and I let myself believe it is Tanner. Let myself hope for one second that maybe he could want me as much as I want him.
Heat flows from my mouth down to my core like a ribbon, brushing over my slick folds. I make a sound. Strong hands wrap around my wrists, holding me in place.
Another glide over my inner thigh, dancing higher and higher. The heat caresses me, rubbing against that one spot at my apex.
I dance in place, thighs clenching.
"Still, kitten," Caine's voice is dark, full of promise.
"I can't."
One of my wrists is released, then wrapped against the other. The grip is harder, grinding my bones. But even the pain cannot dissuade the pleasure building rapidly.
One long finger trails up my thigh. I go still. "Caine."
"Do you want me to stop?"
No. What I want is him to shift just a bit...
My body answers for me by dipping a little at the knees.
He hisses under his breath as his palm comes into firm contact with my mound. We both stiffen.
"Fuck,” he says and I can’t help but agree.
I open my eyes to find his glowing.
My lips part. "Caine—"
His eyes widen, then flare with amusement. "Oh, kitten."
“Don’t stop. Please. I like you, Caine. Like, if Tanner was not in the picture—"
His grin is saucy. "You would take me in the dressing room?"
I let my eyes trail over him. The man is sexy. Sinister, but like you know a bad boy is. It would be the sex of my life, but it would break my heart the next day. "Oh yeah," I breathe. “I’d climb you like a fucking tree.”
His laugh is vibrant. He wraps an arm around me, tucks me into his side, and plants a firm kiss on my temple. "That is the highest compliment I have had recently, kitten."
I can't help but smile. Caine happy is interesting.
The door flies open. We both whirl.
Tanner stands framed in the small opening, his eyes swirling silver as his nostrils flare.
Shit.
"Did you find something to wear?" His voice is a growl so low it raises the gooseflesh all over my body. My mind draws a blank.
Wear? I don’t want to wear anything with him so near.
Caine pushes me forward a bit and shoves a rather revealing number in soft sea green into my hands. "I believe we have selected this one."
Tanner looks between us.
I clench my hands into the damn dress. "Do you like it?" My voice is soft.
Why does he seem so very angry?
Some of the silver fades from his gaze to leave a hint of hazel peeking through. He runs one hand down my bare arm, thumb trailing back and forth over the back of my bicep, as he pulls me closer. I shiver.
Who knew such an un-sensual area could be so sensitive?
His eyes flare again, and a small smile curves his lips. "You would be beautiful in a burlap sack," he says softly. "But in that, you will stun the moon." He leans in and kisses the curve of my cheek.
My eyes flutter closed and I start to move into him. To cling to this rough yet surprisingly gentle and honorable man. He inhales again.
"I can smell him on you." Tanner's voice is almost nonexistent in my ear. My veins freeze. "Be careful playing with fire, Nisha. Especially demon fire. It may burn you in ways you don't expect. Now a shifter's heat ..." He nips my earlobe with his teeth before letting his tongue flow down my neck in one long, wet, hot line.
Oh gods.
My legs buckle.
Tanner catches me, pulling back to gaze into my fluttering eyes with a knowing smile. "I'm going to enjoy chasing you, Nisha."
My heart slams wildly.
Does that mean—
“And when I catch you, because I will, I'm going to take you in every way I know how until you forget all about demon fire or your past as a human."
His irises glitter. "So
no panties, huntress," he croons. "Because you won't be wearing them long."
Chapter 26
Tanner
I barge into Callus' office, uncaring about knocking or making any kind of big fucking deal about my appearance. "Any sign of the human?" I snap through tight teeth.
He looks up from his desk, a ready scowl on his face. "No." I drop into the chair opposite him. "Have a seat," he says coldly.
Like I fucking care.
My smile is just as angry as his glower. Inside I'm quaking, wound tighter than I can ever remember being. Caine's fucking scent was all over Nisha in the store. And they both went out of their way to stay clear of me at the campground. But here? Here there is only so far for them to go.
And Callus seems more than willing to let me stew.
"What do you want, Tanner?" he finally asks.
“The pack may be attacked again tonight.”
He scans the papers before him. “I am aware. We are taking precautions.”
“Good because I brought along a few precautions of my own.”
His head whips up. “You invited outsiders to the pack run? Without consulting me?”
“I have a plus one and so does Nisha. The rest will be stationed with Daisy at the hospital.”
Callus grinds his teeth. “Fine. But if they interfere with pack proceedings—”
“They won’t. They have been briefed on appropriate pack behavior.” I stand and eye him from on high. “Do make sure the pack knows not to touch my people. Or I may take it as an insult.” My grin is as pissed, as wired as I am. I need to run. I need to chase Nisha and take her.
She wants me to. I can smell it every time I’m near her.
“Oh,” I begin. "Nisha ... She is mine tonight."
His eyes pulse with his beast. "You have no prior claim, and this is my pack now."
"You're not hearing what I'm saying to you," I say softly, letting my alpha command thread through every fucking note that slips past my teeth. "Nisha is mine. Tonight. Tomorrow. For however fucking long I want her. You or anyone else touches her, I'll rip your fucking hands off and shove them down your throat."
He sits back in the old leather chair. My father's chair. I roll my head on my neck, and fight down the urge to rip his throat out just for that one slight. But I gave up the pack years ago, and I have no desire to take it again.
"I'm going to say this slowly, Tanner." Callus eyes me with cool disdain. "This is my land, my pack, and my run. Nisha is free to choose who she lays with tonight. And last I knew, you were not in any place to dictate that it must be you she is under or over by sun rise."
"I will be hunting her tonight," Callus continues. "Just as everyone else will be. She is prime, fit. And all the better for her to join the pack if she finds a mate tonight as well."
The cat inside me rolls up my body, his claws spread and teeth bared.
If he touches her...
"Fine," I say, moving away before I spill his blood all over the desk. "I will leave you to your preparations." I move to walk out.
"You are not an alpha here, Tanner," Callus says from behind me, making me stop. "If you ever try to use your alpha command on me again, I will take it as a direct challenge."
I peer at him over my shoulder. "And if I ever decide to challenge you, Callus, it won't be given by my alpha command, but by my teeth in your fucking flesh." I rip the door open and stalk out.
Nisha is fucking mine.
And they are all fixing to figure that out. Including the fucking demon waiting just outside.
***
I walk across the gravel driveway back to the others. Nisha is already gone. No doubt to one of the cabins or side rooms for her to get ready. Gage and Caine watch me as I near.
"Wasn't helpful, was he?" Gage asks. There is no teasing in the Fae warrior’s tone, just a kind of dejected fatigue. And I can’t blame him. What was supposed to be a trip to relax has quickly turned into a massive fucking headache.
“Callus never fucking is.” I look at Caine. “You still running?”
He pauses and then gives a gruff nod. “I said I would have your back. And I will.”
“Then I need you to hear me when I say this … Nisha is off limits to you.” I can see Gage turn to me out of the corner of my vision, but I only have eyes for the demon. “I know she picked you as a plus one, but I want Gage with her and you with me. So I can keep an eye on you.”
He makes a mildly affronted expression. “I would never—” I raise a brow, and he sighs. “She was burning up in the store, cat. I offered to slack her lust enough to function. Nothing more. What you walked in on was more of a friendly embrace.”
Gage gapes. “You fucking tried to seduce her too?”
I look at him. “Too?”
Gage continues to eye the demon in distaste. “He tried to feed from Lilah. The night of the attack.”
“Hello,” Caine snaps. “Asmodean. I seduce. It’s what I do.” He looks between us. “I genuinely think everyone keeps forgetting that.”
“I don’t.” Horan’s voice is crisp as he pushes from a small section of pines nearby. His sword is once more down his spine. And I may have forgotten to mention that he would be here to Callus.
Oops.
“You are abhorrent,” Horan continues to Caine. “The great plight upon humanity. I will never forget that.”
Caine bats his lashes. “Oh you do love me.”
Horan snarls and I hold my hand up to silence the angel’s retort. “How’s the perimeter?”
He scowls once at the demon before focusing back on me. “The pathway is clear enough. But are we sure it is wise to leave Ruin and Lilah alone at the hospital?”
“Ruin will kill anyone that comes near her,” I tell him. “Better to have them both far from the frenzy.”
“I figure as long as we keep an active run on the outskirts, the pack will stay center of Silver Rock,” Gage says, eyeing me for confirmation. I give a brief nod. “That way if anything furry breaks the line, we know they aren’t friendly.”
“Do not kill on sight,” I advise them. “Incapacitate. We need answers and I’ll get them however we have to.”
“The Alpha isn’t going to like that,” Caine mutters.
“And Callus can take his opinions on my methods and shove them up his ass, Caine,” I retort.
He snorts.
“We need to get dressed.” I glance at Horan. “You see anything, and I mean anything, and you send up a fucking beacon, track?”
Horan bows in a rather sarcastic sweep and walks off.
I roll my head on my neck and try to force my mind back into the fucking game.
Run. Fuck Nisha. Find the human.
Simple.
Gage and Caine crowd my sides. I look at them. “Well, gents. Are we ready for some pack fun?”
Though the demon seems rather excited about the whole concept, Gage only sighs. “Let the merriment begin,” he breathes.
Oddly, I don’t think the Fae warrior likes parties. Who would’ve known?
Chapter 27
Nisha
Lilah says from the small speaker of my phone. "He said what?"
Apparently Silver Rock has facilities specifically for pack runs. Like rooms to change in and places to rest. Or ... other less innocent things.
I pace the floor, phone in one hand. I need to sate what I'm feeling or pull my damn hair out. Either will suffice at this point.
Everything it too much. Too bright, too hot. My clothes itch and my body tingles. Every pore seems to ache, to be stretched too tight or maybe not tight enough. I wrap my arms around my body, then grimace at the heat it brings.
I wince. "Tanner is going to chase me. Do I want him to chase me? Do I run? Do I stand stock still and let him just come at me? Or in me or—”
Lilah bursts out laughing. "Gods, woman," she giggles. "You really want him."
My expression turns wry. "You have no idea."
There is the soft snick of a door cl
osing through the phone. "Oh ... I may."
"How do you stand it?" I ask. "Caine said you guys deal with something similar during your transition. How do you just not walk around with a vibrator or Ruin's head between your legs?"
There is a soft inhale.
"Do you want me to take her now?" Ruin asks, his voice gravelly and like thunder over the line. "Because you have no idea how hard it is to keep my hands off her without your words."
I snicker. "I can imagine how hard it is."
He hisses at me, but there is no real heat in the sound. No anger. "Look, I've known Tanner for a long time. And he has had his share of women." My stomach knots at those words. "But he never chases after them, Nisha. He lets them come to him."
"Okay," I say, unsure I follow.
"You want to keep Tanner's attention? You need to make him work for it. The man is a fucking panther for crying out loud. A damn large, annoying feline. Make him chase you like you're a fucking laser for a house cat."
"Like a laser?"
"You're fast from what we were told. And that is without diving into the beast inside you. When they take off, you do too. Run. Run fast, but keep near Tanner. Let him see you, smell you on the wind."
"She's going to have trouble fighting the others off, love," Lilah says gently over the line.
“You're fast, open for whatever we want,” Ruin says, ignoring her. I want to deny the 'whatever' part, but he’s right. And I know it.
I was going to let Caine drink my lust. Hell, for a moment I had considered more.
"Okay. So run, but not too fast. Keep Tanner on my heels and what? Pray?"
Ruin scoffs. "Pray hard, Nisha. Because they are all going to be gunning for you. Every un-mated male and some of the women. Tanner is good, but if you want the lesser of two evils, you need to make sure it's him you wake up next to tomorrow."
I huddle in on myself, heart pounding. "So no pressure?"
***
I step to the edge of the ciorcal, gazing down into the deep chasm. My feet shift through the dry earth, coating my toes in fine silt. Tanner was right. Everything is almost sensual. Every press along my instep is like a lover giving me a massage. The wind pulling at my hair and flowing over my bare skin is like the barest of caresses. Even the gown is like being wrapped in arms of fabric. It squeezes my breasts, hips, and thighs.