by Sky Winters
Chapter 3
Weston Randall gazed out the window of his perch in the back of his limo, staring at the little bar. It was a typical New York haunt; small, cozy, and full of life. He’d had his eye on it for a while now, and considered its location as prime. He rolled the window down in his limousine, glancing at the newspaper stand beside the bar. His face was plastered all over the most recent issue of one of the popular magazines, naming him one of New York’s most successful men under 30.
He was proud of himself, though the magazine’s editor had begged them to keep out the fact that he was a shapeshifter. His kind were very controversial, and he thought that people might not relate to a man whose ruthless business sense might come from a no-nonsense and aggressive genepool. He was already seductively handsome. Most men couldn’t compete with that.
Weston had never been ashamed to be a shifter and rarely hid who he was from anybody, but he agreed for the feature’s sake to keep his blood line out of it. The editor had argued that it might be discouraging to humans without shifter blood if they couldn’t relate to him. They all wanted the secret to success, and if the secret was to be a wily bastard and only half human, most of the men reading the article wouldn’t be able to succeed. It was simple business; or so the editor had said. They featured him to sell stories, not to lose readers.
But there he was, sniffing out the joint with his feral wolf’s senses. Something told him that this was a good place to be. At least right at that particular moment. Somebody inside smelled irresistible.
“Wait here for me,” he told his driver. Normally, he wouldn’t be caught dead inside a bar. At least not one outside of the safety of the shifter country clubs that had been built to protect the wealthy shifters from the public eye. But he couldn’t help himself. Something was luring him in.
When he opened the door, he paused. A gorgeous, voluptuous woman was on stage, tuning her guitar. She was radiating the smell that had set his senses to tingling, and he made his way slowly toward the stage, careful to stay out of sight. The interior of the bar was actually quite posh and comfortable. Couples were chatting and dancing to the music on the loudspeakers as the captivating woman set up the stage for her performance.
He took it all in as he watched Melanie, examining the architecture and making mental notes of things he liked and things he might want to change when he bought the place. All the while he kept his eyes and ears on Melanie, who had just finished with her preparations and started to sing.
He was instantly enamored, and took a seat at one of the round, candle-lit tables. It was a nice bar, he decided. Classy but not snobby. He leaned back in his wooden chair, and kept his eyes on the woman’s beautiful face. He especially liked the way her lips moved when she sang, their fullness never leaving his sight. And her smell. He couldn’t get enough.
If she was interested in shifters, he would find out. Most women were intimidated by them, but a few had made it their life’s choice only to date shifter men. He couldn’t peg her preferences from the stage, not when she was putting her all into the music like that, but if she was openly attracted to shifters, he would smell it upon meeting her.
He wasn’t sure he could wait that long to find out. Perhaps she would have a profile on the ComeShift app. It was one of the many ways he had made his fortune, though the editorial had also been vague about this, saying only that he had engineered a popular dating app for smartphones. He found it insulting, but at the same time, Weston was okay with focusing on his other works during the interview. These projects often stayed under the radar of the public eye and he was happy to draw attention to them.
How was he going to find out who she was on the app without a name though? He sighed in frustration. And then, the first song ended and a miracle occurred.
“I’m Mel with the Blue Rangers. Thank you for coming tonight and listening to our stuff.”
The Blue Rangers. Weston typed the name of her band into his search browser, and his phone immediately pulled up the website for her band. Her name was Melanie Fraser. He scrolled through the website as he listened to her set, his mind on one thing and one thing alone – making her his.
He pulled up the ComeShift app and searched her name. He was shocked to discover that she was there, and her account was under the username “DancesWithWolves69.” His heart hammered in his chest as he considered the possibilities. She was interested in shifters. Apparently, specifically the wolves. Like himself.
The band started playing again and his eyes turned from her profile, which was barely filled out, to her face. The gorgeous woman could belt out a song like there was no tomorrow, and her skill on her instrument was astounding. How was she not famous? It baffled him. She must not have had many opportunities to be heard by the right people.
Weston glanced at his watch. It was getting late, and he had planned to meet a few friends at the club for dinner. But they would understand his distraction. Once he had his mind set, he couldn’t let it go.
As the set drew to a close, his sharp green eyes followed Melanie off stage. Before she had a chance to leave, he sent her his invitation. It was one she would be unable to refuse. He smirked to himself, and stirred his drink. Now it was time to play the waiting game.
Chapter 4
Melanie took a long drink of water and felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.
“Great job guys,” she said to her band members as they filed past her.
“Hell yeah!” George cried.
“That was awesome,” Tammy agreed.
She watched as her band members left, her body still bristling with excitement. They were all pleased to have landed the gig at the bar. It was a follow up, which made it even cooler. It was nice knowing that they were being appreciated enough to be asked back.
She put her guitar in its case and heaved it over her back, pulling her phone out to check her messages. It wasn’t an ordinary text though. It was her first message from the ComeShift app. She felt a burst of excitement electrify her chest. She hadn’t realized that she was so interested in hooking up with a shifter. But somehow, just seeing that someone had found her profile and was asking about her had deeply aroused her.
Mel walked out to the bar and leaned on the counter as she opened the message. Her hands were trembling, both from the adrenaline of the show and from her excitement. The message was straight and direct, from a man named Wes. His handsome, brooding face was pensive and gorgeous, and she could tell that he was ripped like a god from the tight button-up shirt he was wearing.
“Melanie Fraser. I’m at the bar with you tonight. Let me buy you a drink.”
Her eyes lingered on his picture, and her heart thudded in her chest. He was incredibly handsome. Since Jake had broken up with her, she hadn’t found herself this attracted to another man. But that was just a picture. Who knew if he was going to look just as good in person? But it wasn’t like she was going to get engaged with the guy. It was a hook up app. Hook ups meant casual sex and free drinks.
She swallowed hard. It had been a long time since her arousal had become so physical. Tanner was exaggerating when he said she probably hadn’t been laid in two years, but he was mostly right. It had definitely been a while since the last time she had allowed herself to feel good. She owed it to herself. She had been working so hard lately that it wouldn’t hurt her to have a little bit of fun.
“Okay,” she replied.
***
Moments later, Weston Randall was standing beside her, holding two drinks in his impossibly strong looking hands. He had the longest and most beautiful fingers she had ever seen on a man, and she couldn’t help but stare at them as he offered her the most expensive drink the bar offered. It was the house special, a twist on a martini, and she felt almost like a celebrity, going off-set and being offered such an extravagant drink by such an exquisite man.
Weston’s jet black hair was combed back off his face, revealing his broad forehead and perfectly sculpted black eyebrows. His golden eyes sparkled
down at her, and she found herself immediately drawn to him, as if he possessed some secret to a happy life that she had always been looking for. He exuded charisma and charm, and seemed to represent a lifestyle that she could only dream of.
“Good evening,” he said in a deep, rumbling voice.
“Hi,” she said softly.
They looked each other up and down, both seeming to be pleased with what they had found.
“You have a wonderful voice,” Weston said, pulling out a stool for her to sit on. She took her seat and he stood close to her, his dark amber colored eyes fixed on her. She felt naked in his gaze.
“Thank you,” she said. “How did you know I was here?”
She had mentioned on her profile that she was a musician, and if the man had looked up the gigs her band would be playing then that could mean that he was a creep. Or maybe it had been a stroke of luck on her part. He was flawless. Everything from his face to his muscular body was ideal. Maybe her question really was, “How did you find me and why are you still here?” She felt like he was way out of her league.
“My name is Weston Randall,” he said, ordering himself a drink from the bartender. “I was here checking the bar out and thought I’d see if you might be interested in something a little…less vanilla than other women.”
The lilt in his voice was driving Melanie crazy. He was completely stunning, and the suggestion he boldly made, casually mentioning sex but in such a classy manner, brought a powerful surge of desire to her body. Did he know how he was making her feel? From the look on his wolfish face, he must.
“I…honestly I’ve never tried anything like this before,” she said, her voice nearly a whisper. She was afraid of scaring him away, but she wanted to be honest.
“Oh really?” he asked, his face now glowing with pleasure.
He was even more excited to be speaking with her now. She was beautiful, almost virginal, and she had never been marked by another shifter before. That meant that he would set the standards for her. He hadn’t been with a human woman in a long time, and those who he did hook up with were usually very boring and predictable.
He had a feeling that Melanie was quite different though. He could tell from her smell. He would stop at nothing to have her.
“Yeah,” she said, sipping her drink. She didn’t feel comfortable speaking to him so boldly in front of the bartender, and waited until he moved further away before she continued. “To be honest, I don’t really know what I’m doing.”
“Ah,” Weston said with a handsome grin. Then you’re not going to be very experienced. Is that your concern? Do you think I will find you frustrating?”
Melanie swallowed hard. She had never been so close to someone who exuded such raw sexual energy. It was intimidating in a way, but it also seemed to be putting her under some kind of spell. She was having a hard time concentrating as every word out of his mouth seemed to awaken her from the repressed sexual slumber she had been forcing herself into after her bad relationship with Jake.
“It is a concern,” she said. Her throat felt suddenly dry, and she sipped her martini hybrid for dear life.
“I can assure you that frustration will be the last thing we will be feeling,” Weston said with a smirk.
He took Melanie’s hand, and she found herself unable to resist as he led her outside the bar. As soon as Weston emerged, his driver scrambled out of the car and opened the door of a long black limousine. Weston insisted Melanie step inside, and although she had never been more nervous, she agreed.
Chapter 5
Melanie’s heart dropped when the limo pulled into a vast Manhattan estate. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before. Vast green lawns and gardens, flowers and ornate statues and fountains. All of that was nothing though when they reached the actual house. She wasn’t even sure she could call it a house; it was some kind of castle or mansion. She didn’t know that anybody still lived in places like this.
“Whoa,” she breathed.”
“Welcome to my home,” Weston said, turning his shimmering golden eyes onto her. Whenever he spoke directly to her like that, it made her heart lurch. There always seemed to be more that he wasn’t saying. Maybe this was typical of shifters. They used body language more often than they used verbal cues to convey messages, which was why so many of them found themselves brawling with human males and unable to tolerate steady relationships with females.
“This is unbelievable,” Melanie exclaimed as he led her out of the limousine and up a winding brick path to the entrance of his manor.
“It’s all right,” Weston said with a grin. “I try my best to earn a living.”
“I can’t believe it,” she whispered as the door of the manor opened to reveal a stunning parlor. A winding spiral staircase led upstairs, and the ceilings were high. She looked up and gasped at the chandelier that was hanging above her head. “I’ve never been somewhere this extravagant.”
“This is nothing,” he said, suddenly in front of her, his wild eyes glowing down at her. “Wait until you see my bedroom.”
Again, that irresistible thrill coursed through her body as Weston casually let her in on the sexual inner workings of his mind. He laced his arm through hers and led her up the staircase, pulling off his jacket and tossing it over the railing of the stairs. A woman immediately emerged and picked it up, scurrying away with it to hide it away in some unseen closet.
“You shouldn’t make them work so hard,” Melanie said, raising her eyebrow up at Weston. He looked down at her in surprise, then glanced at the woman who was rushing to put his coat away.
“They’re compensated generously for it,” he said, though a note in his voice told her that he was now suddenly unsure of himself. This was a good sign as far as Melanie was concerned. He wasn’t heartless, whether he was spoiled and cocky or not.
“That’s good,” she said, trying to keep her voice non-committal. She didn’t want to ruin her chances with him. Her body was on fire and had been since the moment she’d laid eyes on his profile. If she messed it up now, she wouldn’t forgive herself.
He led her down an exquisite hallway, decorated with paintings of people she assumed were Weston’s family. They all shared the dark, seductively good looks of their young heir, who was walking a few paces ahead of Melanie, his lithe body rippling with muscles that made her heart quicken.
“Here,” he said, finally stopping in front of a closed door. “This room is sound-proofed; make all the noise you’d like.”
She opened and closed her mouth, caught off-guard by his directness. She had never met a man like this before, and had always assumed a man who spoke so presumptuously would be an arrogant jerk and a turn off. But she was shocked to find that when he spoke, turning his amber colored eyes onto her, she instantly felt ready for him to satiate the deep longing she had been trying to hide ever since she had seen his picture on the ComeShift app. She had never wanted someone so badly, and the intensity of it was terrifying.
***
“Don’t worry,” he said, as if he could sense her fear. “Nothing bad will happen to you. I plan to make you feel better than anybody else ever has or ever will.”
Before she could respond, he pulled her into the bedroom, and she gasped. It was gigantic. One wall was lined with bookshelves, and there was a large skylight in the ceiling. The sky was dark and hundreds of shimmering stars shone in. Melanie was used to being in the inner city and hadn’t seen so many stars since she was a child, camping out in northern New York with her family.
“Oh my god…” she said, gazing up into the sky.
“Shifters aren’t happy unless they can sleep under the stars,” Weston said, looking up at the sky. “We’re more animal than man, I would guess.”
“I…“
She had no words, and when she turned to face him, he was right in front of her, fingering her clothes.
“Take them off,” he demanded.
She felt another surge of excitement electrify her body as his command
ing presence stared down at her expectantly. She could feel his energies shifting, responding to her.
Weston stared down at the young woman. The smell that had drawn him to her was overwhelming his senses. He couldn’t help himself when the wolf took control like this. It wanted one thing and one thing only, and now she was going to meet the animal in him. It was what she had wanted, whether she admitted it to herself or not. To be taken by someone who could lose control of human inhibitions, and take her as she was meant to be taken – like an animal.
Melanie’s hands were shaking as she unbuttoned her blouse. Apparently she wasn’t doing it quickly enough because her hands were quickly being pushed away and Weston’s long fingers were tearing it off, buttons flying and scattering everywhere.
“I’ll replace it,” he said, before she could even register what had happened. “You can have three in every color if you like.”
She opened her mouth to reply but all that escaped was a gasp of pleasure as his hot mouth buried into her neck and he pushed her breasts out of her bra. He was thrilled by her curves. His mouth roamed her exposed skin, expertly unclasping the bra as his tongue found the firm mound of her nipple. His hands made their way to her waist and pulled her into his groin, dragging her mound along his erection and igniting waves of intense pleasure deep inside of both of them.
He was moving fast, faster than any man she had ever been with, but it was exactly what she wanted. She didn’t need any time to think. All she wanted was to feel. And she had never felt anything more intensely than she did when Weston pulled her panties off from beneath her skirt, unleashed his pulsing beast, and shoved inside of her without any ceremony.
She cried out in bliss as he forced her walls open with his fervent thrusting, explosive bursts of ecstasy coiling their way around her body as he hammered into her, again and again, his hands and mouth roaming her body as he gratified himself inside of her. Melanie had been waiting so long to be taken like this, so long that it felt like maybe this is always what she had been wanting all along, even with Jake and every other bumbling man she had made the mistake of being with.