Kiss of Moonlight

by Stephanie Julian

  Lost in all-consuming orgasm, Kyle knew only Tamra.

  Her pussy wrapped around his cock, her legs around his waist. The look of utter bliss on her face as she lay spread out before him, her body completely open before him.

  He’d watched her come, held off his own orgasm until he’d seen her lose herself in the pleasure.

  Only then did he let himself implode in the most devastating climax he’d ever experienced.

  Hell, it’d felt almost as magical as when he called forth his pelt.

  Shit.

  He froze, his mind beginning to spin. He’d heard others talk about finding their mates. He’d listened to Dan explain how it’d felt to him one drunken night. How he’d connected so deeply with Margie that she actually had control to some degree over his wolf.

  “It’s a total loss of control, man. Scary as hell at first, to know someone has that power over you. But it’s kind of like a safeguard. You know you’ll never hurt her, could never hurt her.”

  Kyle hadn’t understood then. Hadn’t ever wanted to understand or give anyone that much power over his body. Over his being.

  He’d never imagined one tiny blonde eteri would rip it out of his hands. Or that he’d let it go without a fight.

  Tam sighed, drawing his attention. Reluctantly, he pulled out of her body and immediately wanted to get back in. Next time, he wanted her on top, riding him. Letting her control.

  “Kyle?”

  Tam smiled up at him, her eyes barely open, sleep already pulling at her.

  Shoving all thoughts but her comfort out of his mind, he leaned down to press a kiss on her lips. Before he could get lost in her taste, he straightened, picked her up in his arms and repositioned her more comfortably on the bed. Since the night was still warm, he didn’t cover her with the sheet. He planned to do that with his body.

  “I’ll be right back, hon.”

  After a quick trip to the bathroom, he returned to find she’d moved so she could see him. Still awake, she watched him walk back to bed, her eyes traveling all over his body. It made him hard in seconds.

  Sliding onto the bed next to her, he placed his arm around her waist and drew her closer until their lips were separated by mere centimeters.

  “Go to sleep, Tam.”

  “Are you okay?” she asked after a brief pause.

  Hell no. “I’m fine. You need to rest.”

  Her eyes drifted shut. “Don’t go anywhere.”

  “Not on your life.”

  Her lips curled up in a smile. And he wondered if she realized he’d meant every word.

  Chapter Five

  Barely awake, Tam opened her eyes to hazy, dawn-pink light.

  And a wonderfully relaxed feeling in her body.

  “How’d you sleep?”

  Until that voice made every muscle in her body tense in expectation of pleasure.

  God, the man made her heart pound.

  Stretching her entire body like a cat, she propped herself up on her elbows and looked at him. Kyle sat on the chair next to the bed in jeans and nothing else, elbows on his knees, staring at her.

  Starting at his waistband, her gaze traveled from the six-pack abs to the tattoo she’d noticed last night, a beautifully stylized depiction of a sun with tiny dots ringing an inner circle. She’d already seen the alien-looking markings on his arm but hadn’t realized the harsh, coal-black symbols went all the way to his shoulder. She wanted to ask what they meant but when her gaze met his, she got lost in that glittering topaz gaze, though his expression was set in stone.

  She smiled at him, feeling lighter than she had in years. She’d had the best sex of her life last night. She hadn’t freaked out. And Kyle… Kyle made her feel alive again.

  “I slept fine. Thank you. And you?”

  He didn’t answer right away, just watched her with those eyes.

  Finally he sat up only to slouch back into the chair. She’d never seen anything as sexy in her entire life.

  The man was a work of art, from the ripped abs and broad shoulders to the chiseled cheeks and muscled arms. Those arms could have terrified her, reminded her of the attack. Instead she’d felt safe. Protected. Had anchored her even when she was flying from the first orgasm she’d ever had with a man.

  And his smile, when his mouth finally loosened enough for it to curve, was a revelation. “Probably better than I should have.” Then he sighed and the smile disappeared. “We need to talk, Tam. We need to figure some stuff out and we need to go talk to someone.”

  The real world tried to intrude but she wasn’t ready for it. Not yet.

  Instead, she let her gaze drop to his lap, where she saw the bulge of his erection pressing against his zipper.

  She did that to him. God, she loved knowing she affected him like that. “And we need to do that right now?”

  His gaze darkened as he held hers, heat beginning to build between her legs. Her lungs felt heavy and the air in the room thickened. She wanted him again. Wanted him to take her and make everything else go away again.

  Then he shook his head. “You have time for a shower and breakfast. Then we gotta get going. I want to get started tracking down who those men were working for.”

  She wanted to groan but bit her tongue. Now that he’d mentioned the men, reality burst through her bubble of arousal. Last night had been an oasis, almost a dream. But the languor in her body and the slight ache between her thighs let her know it wasn’t.

  If she could hold on to those sensations throughout the day, maybe that would make everything else feel less surreal too.

  “Where do we have to go?”

  Her resigned tone made his mouth twitch into a half-assed grin. Unfolding from the chair, he eased onto the side of the bed, finally close enough to touch.

  Her fingers itched to stroke over that heated skin, but he beat her to it, lifting his hand to cup her jaw and rubbing his thumb across her lips. “To talk to someone who may be able to help us find who those men were working for.”

  “And who’s that?”

  “One of the strega in Margie’s boschetta has the Gift of praenuntio. She can see the future. I want her to read you, maybe find out if and when this woman will try for you again.”

  “You think she will?”

  “I think whoever it is went to a hell of a lot of trouble to find you. And I want to know why.”

  Before she knew what he was doing, he leaned forward and kissed her. Closed mouth, hard contact and only for a second. But enough to rattle her brain.

  Then he pulled away and ran finger across her cheek, making her shiver. “Now. Get up and get a shower before I crawl back into bed and we don’t leave.”

  She licked his taste off her lips and smiled at the heat in his eyes. “Would that be such a bad thing?”

  She shrugged and felt the sheet slip away from her hold to pool in her lap. Naked from the waist up, she didn’t bother to cover herself. She wanted him to look, wanted him to see her. To want her.

  And he did. He let his gaze drop to devour her, his predatory gaze skimming her over her breasts, nipples peaked and sensitive.

  Please touch me.

  Couldn’t he hear her? Didn’t he know she wanted him to reach for her? To cup her breasts in his hands and lift them to his mouth? Lick the sensitive buds with his tongue and pull them into his mouth?

  Her breath froze as he stared, his hands clenching and unclenching on his legs. Then the air left her lungs in a rush when he shook his head and looked away. As if to avoid temptation.

  “No. Another time, I’m gonna take you up on that. But not now.”

  Disappointment made her shoulders droop as he sighed, pushed to his feet and headed for the door.

  Of course, she watched his particularly fine ass all the way until he turned out of sight.

  Flopping back onto the bed, she pressed her cheek against the pillow next to hers and drew in a deep breath. It smelled like Kyle, musky and male and sexy. She wanted to curl around the pillow and just sn
iff it but he’d think she was deranged if he caught her.

  And just what does he think of you?

  That little bitch voice in her head spoke up, but she couldn’t fault it. The man had the hots for her. No doubt about that. But what she couldn’t figure out was why.

  She’d never been the kind of girl who turned heads. She and her mom had never stayed in one place long enough for her to have a steady boyfriend, and she wasn’t interested in casual relationships.

  Hell, she hadn’t been interested in long-term relationships at all. The men she’d dated in the past had never stuck around for more than a month.

  So what are you doing with Kyle, who happens to be a freaking werewolf?

  Since she didn’t want to think about that, she flung herself out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

  But the lingering thought wouldn’t leave her as she took a quick shower and dressed in a light sundress. She’d had shorts in her hand but had decided at the last minute to wear a dress. She wanted to be feminine and sexy. For him.

  When she walked out into the kitchen, she saw Kyle sitting at the breakfast bar, the small television on the counter tuned to CNN but too low for her to hear it. Could he? Was his hearing that good because he was part wolf? Was he part wolf? What actually happened when he changed? Was his brain still human?

  So many mind-blowing questions. So few answers.

  She wanted—no, she needed answers. And only he could give them to her.

  “Kyle, tell me how it works. Is it really magic?”

  Kyle had wondered how long it would take her to ask that question.

  Last night she hadn’t really had time to think anything through. And he was kicking himself this morning for disregarding the tiny rational part of his brain and giving in to his much larger desire for her.

  Did she regret last night? Did she wake up this morning and think, “Holy shit, I slept with an animal last night”?

  Did she even still believe what she’d seen?

  Some people, after a little time had passed, were able to make themselves believe anything they wanted. Had she convinced herself she really hadn’t seen Cat’s transformation last night?

  What would happen when she saw him do the same?

  Would it make her run all the way back to Philadelphia?

  “Do you want something to eat? I’ve got blueberry muffins or cereal or I could make you some eggs.”

  She didn’t answer right away, just slid onto the stool next to his. “Are you going to ignore my questions?”

  He sighed and took a second look at her. The timid girl who’d shown up for dinner had vanished sometime during the night. He couldn’t say he didn’t like this new Tam. He liked her a hell of a lot better than he did the scared girl spilling out her bruised heart to what she thought was a dog.

  But he didn’t handle questions well, especially not about himself. He had too much to hide.

  Still, if he had any chance in hell of keeping her with him until he found out who had orchestrated the botched kidnapping last night, he better find answers.

  “I’ll answer your question but you still need to eat.”

  She rolled her eyes, reminding him for a split second of Cat. They weren’t that far apart in age and—

  That was really not what he wanted to think about now.

  She huffed. “Fine. I’ll have a muffin and coffee. And I’ll get them myself. You,” she looked straight into his eyes, “start talking.”

  His lips quirked up in a smile. Yeah, he liked this Tam a lot better than the frightened girl. “Where do you want me to start?”

  “At the beginning.”

  Ah. History. He could do that. It was detached. And not specifically about him. “The lucani are descended from the ancient Etruscans, who taught the Romans everything they knew so they could go out and conquer the world. Our civilization has been around for millennia. What the history books don’t tell you is that the Etruscans controlled a powerful magic and still do.

  “There are two races. The Fata and the Enu. The Fata are the elemental beings, folletti and linchetti. The Enu are humans, streghe and the versipelli being the two biggest groups.”

  She turned from the counter where she was pouring coffee from the pot, her face screwed up in a slight frown. “What are folletti and linchetti?”

  “Fairies and elves.” As her mouth dropped open in amazement, his lips curved in a grin. “But if you ever meet a folletta, don’t call her a fairy. They don’t take too kindly to it.”

  “So…you’re human, right?”

  He nodded as she returned to her stool with a steaming mug.

  “And when you’re a wolf…”

  “I’m still human, just with a fur coat. I won’t hurt or attack you, Tam.”

  She grimaced. “That’s not what I was thinking about. Although…can you make someone into a versipelli?”

  “Yes, but it’s difficult and as good as forbidden. It’s like being infected with a virus except you’re infected with magic. The body undergoes a violent change and most people don’t survive.”

  “But you were born like this. And so was Cat.”

  “Yeah. We’re taught how to control ourselves and our bodies at a young age. Even before we transform for the first time somewhere around puberty. Some don’t make it through. And the streghe, the witches like Cat and her mom, Margorie, they’re born with their powers.”

  “So there really is magic.”

  “Yeah, and it’s something some people would kill to get their hands on.”

  She paused as she thought that over. “Do you think someone is trying to use me to get to you? We didn’t even know each other until yesterday.”

  “No, that’s not what I think.”

  Her expression turned thoughtful. “Then… Wait, do you think… Are you trying to say I have magic?”

  Tricky going here. “How much do you know about your great-grandfather?”

  Her eyes widened. “Are you going to tell me he was an Etruscan, like you?”

  Kyle nodded. “Yeah, he was. Did you know he changed his name from Guliano to Johnson when he emigrated here?”

  Her frown looked almost painful. “No, I never knew. But…but I don’t have powers. I don’t have any magic.”

  “That’s not exactly true. I can detect the faintest trace of arus in your blood. That’s not unusual. A lot of people have it and don’t even know. But your great-grandfather knew.”

  Her mouth dropped open before she quickly shut it. “Get out.”

  “I think whoever set up last night’s attempted kidnapping knows too.”

  “And that’s why those men were after me? But I can’t do anything. Why would they want me?”

  “I don’t know. That’s what I’m hoping we can find out from Tira.”

  * * * * *

  By the time they reached the boundaries of New Tarquin, the boschetta’s village, Kyle wondered if Tamra was worried or stunned.

  She hadn’t said much on the ride over. Then again, he’d had the music on, thinking it might give them both a reprieve from conversation. Queen’s Greatest Hits. Who didn’t love Queen?

  And he didn’t want to keep asking her if she was okay. But the longer they drove, the more tense she got. He could smell it.

  And since it was ratcheting up his stress level, he could only think of one possible solution.

  Just after turning off the rural two-lane road onto the unmarked lane leading to the village, he pulled his Wrangler onto the shoulder of the road.

  As the car bumped to a stop, Tam blinked and turned to him.

  “Is this it? Are we here?”

  He didn’t answer. Turning off the engine but letting the music continue, he got out and walked around to her side of the car. Queen’s “Somebody to Love” began to blare from the speakers.

  “Kyle?”

  Opening her door, he reached for her as she turned to him, a question in the wrinkle of her nose.

  Which he wiped off when he lifted her
out of the car and against him.

  Dropping his mouth on hers, he kissed her. He’d had only the vaguest notion that he wanted her to relax. Hell, last night, after sex, she’d practically gone boneless and passed out.

  So he kissed her. He just didn’t expect to lose himself in the sensation of her lips against his. At least not this fast.

  Which just showed how much of a fool he was.

  Because the second she opened her mouth to him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders and her fingers winding into his hair, he lost all control of the situation.

  His cock hardened instantly and painfully. And when she lifted her legs to wrap them around his waist, she arched into him, rubbing against his erection until he throbbed.

  He hadn’t been ready for her complete participation. He’d expected to have to coax her into the kiss. He hadn’t expected her to devour him.

  But by that point, he didn’t care. Didn’t give a shit that they were standing on an open road. That someone could drive by and see them.

  He didn’t think he’d notice if someone stopped to take pictures.

  All that mattered was getting his hand under the skirt of her pretty blue-and-white sundress and sinking his fingers into her warm, wet pussy.

  Vaffanculo, she wasn’t wearing underwear.

  He swore his body temperature rose two hundred degrees at the thought.

  With her legs around his waist, she was held open for him. Her moan when he slicked his fingers through her labia blew a few more brain cells as all the blood in his body rushed south.

  By sheer luck, he managed to get her propped against the side of the car as his fingers continued to tease her. Her clit hardened and he mercilessly played the tiny bundle of nerves until his fingers were coated in her juices. He wished he had the time to lay her back on the hood and put his mouth over her pussy, lap at her until she came against his mouth, but that would expose her too much.

  Instead, he played with her, let his fingers glide through her wet folds. Slick moisture coated his skin as he stroked her until she was just on the brink, her body trembling and so close to orgasm he could smell it. Setting her on the bumper, he pulled a condom from his back pocket, then unhooked his jeans and released the zipper. He pushed them over his hips and released his cock, also bare of underwear.