Red Velvet Moon

by Theodora Lane

  His cock, hard as steel, pushed against her belly. She’d come, but unselfishly, he hadn’t. It only endeared him more to her. Unselfish, funny, erotic, and sexy as hell.

  He was absolutely the right man for her. She sighed. But it was time for some payback.

  She sat up, looked him in the eyes, and said, “Are you ready for that rodeo now?” She took his cock in her hand and held it as it hardened and straightened even more.

  “Hell, yeah. Climb on up, baby.” He grabbed her hip with one hand and eased her to her knees as she straddled him. The desire burning in his eyes changed their color. Once brown, they turned amber with a dark-brown circle along the outer edge, and his pupils seemed impossibly wide.

  Feral.

  He pulled her down by the back of her head to take her lips in a heated kiss. She bit his lip, tugging on it, making him groan, trying to ignite him, to take him to the limits of his pleasure. All she could think about was having him slide into her, fucking her and making her come again.

  And again. God she wanted more of him. Nothing mattered more than giving him the same pleasure he’d given her.

  He held out his thick prick, and she settled on the crown of its head, soft as velvet, just nudging her petals apart, finding the source of the moisture she leaked as if her dam were about to break.

  She grabbed his shoulders and sank down. Eyes closed, head back, she let it fill her, going deeper and deeper until it bumped up against her cervix. God, he was big and thick and filled her like no other man ever had.

  As if they were two halves of a whole. Meant to be together this way. Their bodies locked onto each other.

  “Christ,” he whispered, as he took her breast in his hand, weighing the heft of it and then pushing it up toward his mouth. She leaned back, arching so he could reach it. He closed his mouth over the hard tip and sucked.

  She gasped. He pulled hard on it, tugging with his teeth through the lace fabric of the bra, then released her. He bit again, this time catching just the cloth, and pulled. With a shake of his head and a deep growl, the bra split, and her breast spilled out.

  Tony cupped it in his hand and licked it, swirling his tongue around the outer circle, taking the peak to new heights and her along with it.

  “Yes, God, yes!”

  He smacked her ass, not hard, but arousing her. “Fuck me, baby.”

  Daphne rose onto her knees, dragging her pussy over his cock, sliding upward until his dick almost came free, then lowered back onto it. She set a steady rocking rhythm of up and down, as pleasure pooled low in her belly, deep in her womb.

  She needed to feel skin. Pushing at his shirt, she got a button or two open, then laughed, grabbed one side with each hand, and ripped. The shirt came open, buttons flying, exposing his chest to her sight and touch.

  Dark, curling hair covered his chest, growing in a deep V toward his cock. His nipples were brown, pointed, and looked delicious. She pushed back and found one with her tongue. Lapping at it, she tasted the saltiness of his skin, of the sweat that beaded like a fine mist over his lean-muscled body.

  He ran his hands over her ass and over her thighs as she rode him. She touched and stroked and petted his body, learning its planes and angles, its softness and that glorious hardness she impaled herself on.

  He thrust upward, going deep, then gathered her into his arms, pushed her legs around his waist, slid to the edge of the chair and stood. God, he was so strong. More than he looked, and she loved that. He made her feel weightless.

  Tony carried her to his bed, his cock still inside her pussy, and lowered her onto the covers. Keeping her legs wrapped around him, he angled her hips upward. She held on, as if should she let go, she’d fall away from him.

  ∙•∙

  Tony kissed her, soft and sweet. “My love. My woman.” My mate.

  His body screamed at him, and his control slipped even more. He’d sprouted chest hair, and he knew his eyes had to have changed also. This would be as feral as he’d go while making love to her. Any further and the change would complete itself.

  Having a full-grown wolf standing over her would come as more than a shock to her. It would put an end to any chance he had with her.

  In this half-wolf state, he needed only to complete their mating; then she would be his and unable to deny him. He’d marked her body with his teeth and, once he marked her on the inside with his cum, she’d be linked to him.

  When she found out about his wolf, it would be too late for her to deny him.

  Part of him wanted to howl at his taking of her.

  Part of him knew he should stop. Explain what it meant to do this. Let her make her own decision.

  The last thing he wanted was to have her question her feelings for him. If she loved him, he wanted her to love him because she did, not because she was his mate and compelled to do so.

  But if he stopped now, told her what he was, what she’d be getting into, and she bolted, horrified, refused him, he’d just die.

  She was his. He was hers.

  It killed him, but he knew what he had to do.

  Chapter Nine

  “I can’t do this.” Tony groaned and pushed himself off her. His cock was still buried inside her as he looked into her eyes.

  “What?” Daphne’s brow furrowed. “Do what?”

  “This.” He gulped and cupped her face in his palm. “Make love to you.”

  She looked up at him and cocked her head. “I don’t understand. You are”—she waved her hand at where their bodies were still joined—“inside me. My legs are wrapped around your waist. We are making love.”

  “No. I can’t…finish.” One side of his mouth pulled up in a grimace.

  “Is something wrong? With you?”

  Tony’s cock deflated and slipped from her grasp.

  “I suppose so. Or it’s me.” She gave a nervous laugh as he climbed off and rolled to the side.

  “It’s not you. Trust me.” Tony ran his hand over his face. His brothers would never believe he’d stopped making love to Daphne over a fit of guilt. They probably just did it, mated, claimed their mates, and damn the consequences. Despite being very close, they didn’t kiss and tell, so he really didn’t know what they’d done, or how they’d broken the truth about being wolves to their women.

  “Okay, it’s you. What is it, exactly?” She lay next to him in bed, her bra ripped, nipples still erect, twirling a tress of her hair around her finger.

  “I have to tell you the truth. I can’t lie to you, or trick you into this.”

  “This? Sex? What did you lie about?” She rolled over onto her side to face him, as if they were having a casual conversation about what to eat for dinner. He rolled over to face her.

  Gazing into her eyes, he sighed. No matter what they did, it just felt right. Even lying in bed, talking about why he couldn’t consummate with her. But even with that, he still couldn’t figure out how to say “I’m a werewolf” without sending her running for the hills.

  “Are you married?” she asked.

  “No!”

  “Are you engaged or with someone?”

  “No, it’s not that.”

  “You’re not gay, are you?” Now she ran her finger down his chest. His hair had lessened, and he knew his eyes had returned to their normal color.

  “No. Look, did you notice anything different about me?”

  “Different? Like how?” Her eyes narrowed.

  “Well, like my body hair.” He touched his chest. Where thick dark hair had covered him, now only a light dusting grew.

  She looked at it, then reached out and ran her fingers over his abs. “Hey, I could have sworn you had more hair. And it was darker.”

  “Exactly. Anything else?”

  She stared into his face. “Your eyes are brown now. Before, when we were making love, and at the restaurant, they were sort of golden.” She licked her lips. “That’s really odd.”

  “Right. Odd. You don’t know the half of it.” He inhaled and decided t
o dive in. “I’m not who you think I am, Daphne.”

  “You’re not Antonio Lobos? Please don’t tell me you’re an escaped convict or you’re in the witness protection program.”

  “No. Worse. I am Tony Lobos, but…” He exhaled. “Do you know what Lobos means in Spanish?”

  “Sure. Wolf, right?” She shrugged.

  “Exactly. My brothers and I, and my father when he was alive, are all different from everyone else. We’re special. My dad used to tell us we were a different breed.”

  “I’m not sure I understand where this is going. Can’t you please come out and tell me? Because this beating around the bush is killing me.”

  “Sure, but you’re going to think I’m crazy.”

  “Too late, Lobos.” She frowned. “Are you trying to dump me? Because if you are, I’d really rather you say, ‘I’m just not into you.’”

  “Hell, no!” he said. “If I was, I’d never have brought you to my house, I would have done you first, then split, or never seen you again, not come up with a story that’s going to sound like I’m insane.”

  She looked relieved, and that gave him a little hope.

  “I’m sure whatever it is, it won’t make any difference to me. Spill it.” She gave him a friendly punch in the arm. “I’m a big girl. No pun intended. I can take the truth.”

  “All right. Here goes. My brothers and I come from a long line of werewolves. We have the ability to change at will from man to wolf.”

  Daphne stared at him, then burst out laughing. “Right. Werewolf.” She held her belly as she rolled on the bed. “Like, grrrr…” She bent her hands into claws and pawed at the air. “The big bad wolf… Wolfman…” She gasped between guffaws. “My, what big teeth you have!”

  Tony frowned and sat up. “I knew you’d think I was crazy.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed and ran his hand through his hair. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me, but I never expected you to laugh at me.”

  “Seriously? You think you’re a werewolf?” She sobered and sat up next to him.

  “I don’t think; I know. It’s what I am. What my brothers are too.”

  She stared at him for a moment. “Well, I’m sorry I laughed, but you sort of dropped a bomb, you know? Of all the things that ran through my mind, werewolf wasn’t one of them.” She put her hand on his leg as if to comfort him. “Tony, what did you expect me to do? Run away, screaming?”

  “Yeah, sort of.” Tony took her hand as he slumped over. “I understand if you don’t want to see me anymore.”

  ∙•∙

  For a long time she sat there, thinking. She’d never given any thought to werewolves, vampires, ghosts, or whatever hid under the bed. Those were bedtime stories and horror movies. But she’d seen Tony’s hair thicken and grow, seen his eyes change from normal to feral. And he sure as hell had the growling part down.

  Still, it sort of all made sense. If she let her sanity go a little crazy for an instant and considered this as the truth. A werewolf? All three brothers? Tres Lobos?

  In Sleeping Dog? She groaned. So, maybe he was insane? This might be a figment of his imagination or a manifestation of some psychological break with reality. But all three brothers? And if he was crazy, what did that mean for her?

  It came down to one thing. Did she want him? Want him enough not to care if he was totally nuts, or if he was actually a wolf?

  Bottom line, did she love him?

  She closed her eyes and brought his hand to her lips. Kissing it, she inhaled, taking in his scent, letting it take over her senses, wrap her up in his essence, invade her body with her need for him. This was heaven. This she could become addicted to without much trouble. This was the man of her dreams.

  Okay, she could handle him being a dry cleaner. After all, he was an independent businessman, much like her, and she could relate to that.

  But a werewolf?

  Sure, if her dreams had been creepy, filled with fog, swamps, and full moons.

  But for the last four months, her dreams and her heart had been filled with Antonio Lobos.

  No matter what, he was hers.

  She glanced at him from under her lowered eyelids. “What if I do want to see you again? Does that make me crazy too?”

  He bolted upright. “What?”

  “Hey,” she said as she took his face in her hands. “I waited four months for you to ask me out. And when you finally did, it was the best time I’ve ever had with a man, from that incredible dinner to the fantastic sex. You were honest with me. Now I’m going to be honest with you.”

  “Okay.” He gripped her hand tight, and his gaze never left hers.

  “Antonio Lobos, you’ve touched me like no other guy, physically and emotionally. And that scares me. My experiences with men haven’t been…well, let’s just say it’s hard for me to put myself out there. But when I first met you at the cleaners, something about you drew me to you and the more I saw, the more I wanted you. The more I wanted to take a chance with you.” She kissed his lips. “I want to know how you feel about me. Are we going through all this just to have you figure out I’m not the woman for you?”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I guess I’m asking, what are your intentions?”

  “My intentions?”

  “Yes. Where do you see this going? I know this is our first date, but look at how wild and intense it’s been. I don’t sleep with men on the first date. Not on the third, most of the time. With you, I’ve done things I only fantasized about.”

  “You have?”

  “Yes. I can’t explain it, but when I’m with you, I feel free. Beautiful and desired. I haven’t felt that way in forever. Maybe never. I like it. I really like feeling this way.”

  “You are beautiful, and I desire you so much, Daphne.”

  “Look, you started this by telling me about being a werewolf, and I hate to bring up marriage on the first date, but I’m looking for the total package, and that includes a husband and kids. If your being a werewolf means you’re not interested in those, tell me now, and I’ll forget you told me you’re a werewolf. We can move on with our lives. No harm, no foul.” She stood and gathered up her clothing. She needed something to do to hide the fact that of all the things Tony had told her tonight, hearing how he felt about her terrified her the most.

  “Of course werewolves get married. You’re my mate. Wolves mate for life. I want kids.” He shrugged. “Is that clear enough?”

  “I’m your mate?” She held her skirt to her breasts, covering them.

  “That’s right. I knew it from the first time I saw you. I just didn’t want to accept it. But every month that went past, I found it harder and harder not to think of you, harder to fight the truth.” He held out his hand to her, and she stepped closer.

  “That I’m your mate.” She took his hand and looked up into his face.

  “Damn right.” He cupped her chin and leaned down to kiss her sweetly.

  She smiled and tucked his hand under her breast. “Wow.”

  “Yeah, wow.” They stared at each other with goofy grins on their faces. She was happier than she’d been in a long time. She must be crazy, because this guy had just told her that he was a werewolf and she was his mate.

  And what did it say about her sanity that she believed him, or how desperate she might be to go along with this? There was only one way to put an end to this. She stepped into her skirt and zipped it up.

  “Of course, you know I’m going to need some proof.”

  “Proof?” he yelped.

  “Is that a problem? I’ll just get my cell phone and snap a picture.” She walked over to her purse and pulled out her phone. If he was lying, this would force his hand and then they could deal with why he felt he needed to lie about himself.

  And if he wasn’t lying?

  “No! No pictures!” He lunged at it, but she moved it out of his way.

  “Okay, no photos, but I do need to see this wolf. You said you change at will, so will it.” S
he put her hand on her hip and shifted her weight off one foot, daring him to either prove it or confess this was all bullshit.

  A big part of her prayed it wasn’t bullshit. That he hadn’t lied, or that he wasn’t crazy as a loon. That he was as wonderful as she thought he was.

  Even if it meant he was a werewolf. How crazy did that make her?

  “You want to see my wolf?”

  “Yes, as long as you won’t bite me.” She picked up her shirt and pulled it over her head.

  “I won’t bite you. At least, not as a wolf.” He winked. He moved to the center of the bedroom and pointed to his chair. “Have a seat. The show is about to start.”

  “Too bad there’s no popcorn.” She giggled as she sat and crossed her legs.

  “Oh, I think this will be more than enough without the snacks.” He rubbed his hands together. “Ready?”

  “Ready.” She grabbed the arms of the chair and hung on. Whatever happened next would either be an incredible truth or a fantastic lie.

  She knew which one she hoped for.

  Chapter Ten

  Tony stepped into the center of the room and faced her. He closed his eyes, and the air around him seemed to vibrate, as if someone had struck a tuning fork. Daphne watched as his edges blurred. His irises turned amber, ringed with dark brown, and where his shirt hung open, dark hair sprouted on his chest.

  Out of nowhere, smoke surrounded him, absorbing him into it, growing larger and darker until she couldn’t make out where the smoke started and Tony ended. It flowed, but instead of being wisped away on the air, held its shape as it floated in some sort of holding pattern.

  Daphne held on to the chair so tight her fingernails dug into the leather, marring it. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t blink, couldn’t think, as Antonio Lobos disappeared.

  The smoke reformed. “Tony?” she croaked.

  She made out the head, shoulders, and back of an animal.

  Four paws. A long, thickly furred tail.

  Those glowing amber eyes. A wolf.

  “Holy shit!” she screamed and leaped over the edge of the chair and thrust it in front of her, anything to stand between her and the large black wolf smiling at her with sharp white teeth.