"God, Josie," he whispered, resting his forehead against hers, breaking the kiss long enough to take a deep breath and look into her eyes. The words were almost a moan and were met with the same from her. This time, he took, knowing he wouldn't be able to get her out of his head.
Josie had just become accustomed to the feel of him fitted against her when he broke the kiss, whispered her name from somewhere deep inside and then dove in again, pushing her gently against the edge of Martin's desk. His tongue probed, exploring, as if it were trying to find her core. A million sensations erupted through her body. She was alive. For the first time in four years, she knew how that felt.
* * * *
Jake hadn't been able to forget that kiss. He had waited all day for her to come to him. They had agreed to discuss the situation with the kids and the snakes. She had withheld the rest of the groups for today, just until they could come up with an alternate plan that would insure that curious hands didn't set loose potentially dangerous creatures. He hadn't been able to work since she left this morning. Too many emotions were warring inside of him.
He wanted her in a way that he couldn't comprehend. She had done something to him. She had injected him somehow with her essence, causing some kind of breakdown in his brain, not to mention what she was doing to his crotch. He had seen the sweet innocence in her eyes when she stood before him, terrified of the snake earlier. And he had also seen her fear. There was something else there. Trust.
Josie could lie to herself all she wanted. She could scream that she hated him, she could try to attack him in Martin's office, she could even say that she didn't trust him, but he knew that deep inside of her she did trust him. If she didn't, she wouldn't have stood so still while he caught the snake. She would have bolted then. That tiny action betrayed everything that she claimed to feel for him. And it confused the hell out of him.
"What's got you staring into space? You didn't even move when I came in." Paul wore that same lopsided grin that he had been wearing since he saw Jake and Josie together at the party the other night. It seemed to grow with intensity every time he showed up.
"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking. You know, about Lucy. It's time to start trying to breed her." He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, knowing that his lie wasn't very convincing.
"Could've fooled me. Looked to me like you were daydreaming. Wouldn't be a pretty brunette, now would it?" Paul took a seat on one of the high stools by the snake cages.
"No, it wouldn't," he lied, shoving his glasses into his shirt pocket, trying not to let the lie show on his face.
"I heard about what happened today. Heard she was really shook up about it."
"Yeah. And she thought I did it on purpose," he laughed, though he really didn't think it was funny.
"It's your reputation. Right up your alley with all the stunts you pulled in school."
"I guess so." Jake quietly studied his friend, wondering if now would be a good time to ask what he had wanted to know all day, what he had hoped he wouldn't want to know. Finally, he decided to just ask. "Paul, can you tell me the story? You know, about Brian?"
"Brian's not the story," Paul said. "Josie is the story."
Chapter Six
Jake folded his arms and settled against the back of his chair while Paul recounted the past four years with Josie. He had known that she was driven, dedicated. He had seen that in school. What he hadn't known was that she was basically in hiding now. The real Josie had died with Brian, leaving behind someone who didn't really have her own goals or dreams.
Paul shrugged, "So she just sort of picked up where he left off."
"What did she do before?"
"I don't really know. She always loved kids and wanted some of her own. I know Brian used to talk about that a lot. She was here a lot, supporting him, working with Martin. I don't know if it's what she wanted or what she did because she loved him." He studied Jake's serious expression. "She's really gotten under your skin, hasn't she?"
"No," he said too quickly. "Tell me, how did Brian die?"
"It was a bad situation. Attacked by some kind of wild animal out in the woods by the bluff. They found his clothes and stuff, you know, covered in blood. But...."
"Let me guess, they never found a body?"
"No, but it's not like that. He didn't just up and leave. Wouldn't do that to her. Something out there got him and likely ripped him to pieces. Nothing was ever found." Paul's eyes were serious as he spoke, as if his words were meant to be a warning. Too late for that. Jake had seen enough things that were unable to be explained, and he knew one thing for sure: There was an explanation for everything, even if it defied logic.
"So she just gave up after that?"
"Yeah. She says the thing was after her, that Brian protected her."
A sick feeling started in his gut as he listened to Paul talk. Whatever had attacked him so many years ago had done so right after he and Josie had made love. His stomach threatened to lurch at the thought. Maybe it had been after Josie all along.
"Thanks, man." Jake stood, hoping Paul would take the hint and leave the office. Tonight was the night before the full moon. If Jake didn't have to be caged, he would go out into the woods himself and see what was out there. But he couldn't risk it. He had to know that his formula was working, had to be sure.
"No problem. You know, Josie is pretty special to everyone here for one reason or another. She would do you some good." Paul shot him a grin as he opened the door.
"Yeah, well you know me. It's gonna take a hell of a lot more than a good woman to settle me down."
"We'll see about that."
* * * *
Jake looked back over his figures. The formula should be concentrated in his system enough for the moon not to affect him. There was only one way to be sure, though. Whatever had attacked him that night had changed something on a genetic level. The transformation he underwent was a complete molecular one, turning man into beast.
He closed his eyes and concentrated on his heartbeat, which was still human. Timing his pulse, he scribbled the numbers down in his file. So far, everything seemed to be okay. Usually by this late in the day, his sense of smell was heightened, his breathing labored and his heartbeat erratic. Maybe he was right and his serum was working.
He watched Lucy slither around her cage, the attempt at mating having been a disaster. She and Killer were incompatible, each refusing to go near the other. He wished he and Josie had the same problem. Right now, he could imagine the gentle sway of her hips as she walked, the inviting scent of her perfume, which was never too heavy, the sweet smell of her...
The knock on the door interrupted him before he could go any further, recalling her body in exquisite detail as if it had only been yesterday when she lay beneath him calling out his name.
"Come in," he called, frustrated by the intrusion.
The door handle turned slowly and the object of his every fantasy entered. Good God. Today, she had on another one of those little sundresses. This one was red with white flowers on it and was accented by her shapely, tanned legs and high-heeled sandals. The woman was obviously not dressed for work.
"Well, well, hot date tonight?" He tried to act casually, tried to pretend that his heart was not raging out of control.
"Not exactly." She pushed her hair away from her face, the seductive movement almost enough to make him fall out of his chair.
"Then what's the occasion, darlin'? Don't tell me you got all dressed up just to come see me."
She still stood in the doorway, though she had closed it behind her. "Maybe I did."
He raised an eyebrow at the way her tongue flickered out of her mouth to swipe along her bottom lip, which seemed poutier and fuller today than it normally was.
"And to what do I owe this pleasure?"
"I can't really say." She hadn't moved toward him yet, but her body was screaming an invitation in the way she stood, legs slightly parted, hands on hips, as if she were daring him to come to her
and taste the neck that she had so generously bared for him.
"Well, honey, all I've got to say is I'm glad you came. You sure do look hot in that dress."
"Hot? You plan on wooing a girl with words like that?"
"I didn't know I was expected to, uh, woo anyone. Why? You here for me to whisper sweet nothings?" He folded his arms, refusing to take the bait while his heartbeat was so out of control. Sweat was forming just beneath the rim of his cowboy hat and his cock was already primed and ready. All she had to do was say the word, slide on over here, sit on his lap and ride him till sunset.
"Actually, no." One of the straps slid down her arm, but she didn't seem to take notice. Instead, her eyes were intensely focused on him. "I'm not sure why I'm here other than that something inside me told me to come here today, dressed like this." She spun around slowly, giving him a full view. "Do you like?"
"You look pretty enough to drive a man crazy."
She smiled. "I wasn't looking for pretty or crazy."
"What's your game then? You wanna put it all on the table so I'll know what it is you want me to do?"
"If I have to spell it out for you, Jake Moore, then maybe I came to the wrong man."
He stood then, as if she had challenged him, and watched her eyes change as she took in his height. Jake knew he had a commanding presence when it suited him, and right now, it suited him just fine to have a little bit of fear flicker in her eyes. "I can't spell real good, so you'll have to do that for me. What do you want, Josie?" He looked down at her, wondering what she would do now. Never before had he seen her act so boldly seductive.
"I want you. Right here, right now."
When her hand covered his crotch, his breath caught in his throat. This was not the Josie he was accustomed to, but, hey, who was he to complain? "You sure about that?"
"Does this seem sure enough to you?" She guided his hand to her breast and then gave it a squeeze.
"Feels pretty good to me."
"Then what do you say? You interested?" She bit her bottom lip as she asked, as if she was unsure about his answer. God, the woman didn't know what she was doing to him. Her perfume surrounded him, blocking out every other scent in the room, save for one. She was wet for him. He could smell her juices coating her underwear even as he stood here, his hand grazing over her nipple. When she let out a low moan, his cock reacted, begging to be freed, begging to be buried inside her.
"Darlin', I'm more interested than you'll ever know."
"Why don't you let me see about that?" She fell to her knees before he could protest having her move away from him. Her breath was hot on his crotch as she looked up at him. "You look pretty interested to me, but I think I'll have to get a closer look."
His breath caught in his throat and he closed his eyes when he heard her lower his zipper. His cock sprang forth, painfully swollen, dying to be inside something warm and wet, particularly her body. Every animal instinct he'd ever had was driving him right now, consequences be damned. There was no controlling this, especially when she wrapped her hand around his cock and took him into her mouth without warning.
God, she moaned against him as she slid his cock into her mouth, wrapping those luscious swollen lips around it, taking it in to the back of her throat. Her moan felt like a low humming as it vibrated against the roof of her mouth and came back around to caress and tease him. Her hands went around to his ass, pulling him further into her, as if she couldn't get enough of him. Then her head started moving, sliding him in and out with an ease as if she had done this several times before.
He couldn't think about that, wouldn't. Not while the goddess he had dreamed of for so long was here with him, her mouth wrapped firmly around him, threatening to take him somewhere he had only gone once before.
"Mmmmm," she moaned against him again, her hand now busily stroking his cock as her mouth greedily took it in again and again.
His hands dug into her shoulders while he longed to tear off her dress and impale her on his lap. The urge to do so became so strong, so primal, it was all he could do to control himself. Then he realized, the change was on him. The sun was sinking and soon, he would no longer be a man, he would be a beast. And rather than sinking himself into her flesh and driving them both toward ecstasy, he ran the risk of ripping into her flesh with his teeth and destroying the one person he wished to protect.
"Josie, honey." He tried to pull away from her, tried to hold back the impending fangs that threatened to break free of his gums and land against his bottom lip.
"What?" She looked up at him. "You're not enjoying yourself?"
"I'm enjoying myself just fine, but there's something about me that you don't know." He tried to still his heartbeat as he spoke, tried to subdue the beast who longed to be free.
"What? You don't have a disease or something do you?" She rose up now and pressed her crotch against his cock. "Or are you just not interested in a blow job?"
"What I'm interested in is...." God, the pain shot through his skull, forcing him to his knees. He reached out for her in the midst of his turmoil and gripped the hem of her dress as he fell.
"Are you okay? You're not having a heart attack, are you?"
He groaned, trying to control his body even as he felt the hair grow on his chest, his back. "Get me to the cages," he managed, the words coming out between clenched teeth.
"The what?" Her eyes were large and filled with fear as she looked down at him.
"The cages. The lion cages. The holding cells. Get me there now."
She pulled him to his feet and managed to zip his jeans. "Jake, what's happening to you?"
"No time. Now. Must go now."
Jake's heartbeat had reached an erratic level by the time they stumbled to the holding cages, just a few yards from his office. He fell into the closest cell and pulled the door closed behind him.
"Jake?" The panic in her voice was obvious.
"Lock me in," he begged just as he felt the wolf's howl erupt from his chest.
Her hands shook as she fumbled with the keys. From the window, he could see the moonlight shining in. And he could feel her terror. She stumbled backward, her hands unable to move from the obvious fear. And he knew she was watching as he turned. For a second, the whole world was a blur. Then, the wolf came and the change was complete.
* * * *
Josie scrambled to retrieve the keys she had dropped. The scream that was lodged in her throat refused to come, refused to give her the release she needed. Instead, it stayed right on the edge, holding her prisoner as she watched the man whom she had just attempted to make love to turn into a beast. Had she not been watching the transformation, she would not have believed it.
"Jake," she cried out when she found her voice. He answered with a low growl, his mouth fixed on her and drooling, his eyes showing none of the desire that had flickered there before.
"Oh God, Jake! What happened to you?" He lunged for the cage door and it swung open, putting nothing between them. Her heart hammered in her chest. She had not been quick enough to lock the door. Surely he wouldn't hurt her, would he?
He stopped just a few feet in front of her, as if he were waiting for her to run, giving her a chance so he could hunt her down. Fear paralyzed her as events from so long ago clouded her mind. The thing that attacked Brian! The scream came now, flooding the room while tears blinded her eyes. She shielded her face as he leapt forward.
Her heart stopped as she waited for his sharp teeth to sink into her neck, to take her life just as he had taken Brian's. But the contact never came. When she was finally brave enough to open her eyes, she knew the reason why. They were not alone. And the other wolf, one who looked even more fierce, had entered the room with them and was now challenging Jake for the right to feed.
She wasn't sure how she managed, but she scrambled across the floor to the cage and pulled the door closed behind her. Her hands gripped the keys, trying to place them into the lock as the two creatures circled one another, testing each other
. Only when she heard the lock click into place did she move to the far corner of the cage and wait, watching in horror as the dance for dominance began.
The gray wolf let out a howl as he approached Jake, his teeth bared, his nose and lips back in a snarl. Jake let out a howl that sounded much like a warning, as if he were giving the gray wolf a chance to run, much like he had done with Josie. She shook with fear as she watched the two finally leap into one another.
The room became a frenzied mass of flying fur and heart-piercing howls. Somewhere during the fight, sometime after the blood had been spilled, she knew she fainted. Everything went black and the sounds from the room drowned into a low hum. The keys that she had clutched to her chest fell to the floor.
* * * *
Jake struggled to his feet as the first rays of light found their way into the room. His whole body ached from the night before, from the struggle with whomever it was who had come to fight him for dominance. Wolves were territorial and he couldn't help but think that this one was doing more than just marking off an area. He was after Josie.
Reaching for the extra clothing he had brought to the room early yesterday, he dressed quickly and then used a broom to pull the keys from inside the cage. Josie mumbled as he lifted her body from the floor and pulled her to him. She was so cold from having slept there last night, but at least she had been safe. Neither he nor his enemy had been able to reach her.
Her head fell back on his arm and her body felt like deadweight against him as he carried her to his SUV. When she didn't wake, he noticed the bruise on her forehead and the knot on the back of her head. Somehow, she had hit her head against something and knocked herself out, which meant this situation was more serious than just a bump to the head or a hard night's sleep. His instincts told him to take her to the hospital, but to be honest, he was afraid that whatever had been after her would find her there. He could protect her, he vowed, so he took her to the one place he knew she would be safe: his house.
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