Regale, Rhea - Wild Nights [Blood Moon Legacy 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Rhea Regale

  The instant they broke into the forest, Riley spun, grabbed Eliza around the waist, and sprinted down the incline. He ignored Eliza’s vicious struggle against his iron hold. Paws thundered over the ground close behind them. Leaves and twigs crunched, and subtle grunts accompanied each leap.

  Riley threw open the door to the Escalade and tossed Eliza into the seat. She kicked at him.

  “What the hell—”

  “Keep your mouth shut until we’re gone, or I’ll leave you to be puppy chow,” Riley warned, slamming the door shut. He rounded the truck to the driver’s side and hopped in. He caught sight of the wolves, agilely weaving around trees and obstacles that hampered their pursuit. With his heart hammering against his chest, he turned the engine on, slammed the truck into drive, and peeled out onto the road, the two bastard creatures skidding to a stop in the middle of the road behind him.

  Chapter Three

  Aya’s gaze scoured Lenox Carter. She was utterly aware of the filth that covered her in the presence of this heart-stopping creature. Everything about him pulsed with iron strength and unwavering confidence. It struck her harder than his looks, which left her mouth dry and her body simmering in fiery lust. Questions brimmed her mind, but not one touched her lips.

  Instead, she admired the man unlocking the door to a rustic single-story cabin. Simple clothes covered him, from the dirt-smudged white T-shirt to his torn-at-the-knees blue jeans, both of which hugged him sinfully. The well-cut muscles that stretched straight down to his fingers flexed every couple of moments, causing a giddy flutter in her stomach. She could see the defined rack of muscle along his abs as if he were shirtless.

  Lenox pushed open the door. He surveyed the dim interior in silence, his nostrils flaring slightly. Aya couldn’t pick up on any menacing energy humming through the air. Then again, she didn’t know what kind of threat she’d be searching for.

  “Safe,” Lenox murmured. He flashed an assuring smile, one that tugged her heartstrings and made the butterflies in her stomach zoom. She stepped over the threshold as he guided her with one strong hand splayed over her lower back. Such a simple touch, and yet, it ignited a fireball of emotions within her.

  You’re exhausted. Body and mind are overreacting.

  The door closed behind them. A bolt slid into place. She swallowed down a sigh when Lenox removed his hand from her back. Oddly, his absence left her cold.

  “Follow me,” he said, keeping his voice low. There was nothing soft about him, right down to his voice. It was thick and husky and rolled with a vibration of command. She sensed his sincerity in the gentle way he approached her, and it did much to dull the otherwise sharp edges of his persona.

  Most, she was sure, extended from the powerful alpha wolf stirring in his spirit.

  She followed him through a doorway leading to an open living room and connecting kitchen with a large dinette area. Her gaze lowered on Lenox. She couldn’t help but notice the way his legs stressed the seams of his jeans. The roundness of his rear fit too perfectly in the seat of those same jeans. Her fingers curled into her palms and she tried to will away the delightful images of what he might look like beneath his simple attire. Moisture built between her thighs, and she licked her rapidly drying lips.

  Lenox flipped a switch. The lights in the ceiling spilled a soft glow over the dining area. He tossed the paper bag from his friend’s house onto the round table and turned to her.

  She didn’t have time to lift her gaze before she caught the prominent bulge nestled between his legs. Heat washed over her face. She shifted her attention to the house behind him. He snagged her chin between two fingers and lifted her face to his.

  The stormy gray color of his eyes darkened. A mixture of artificial light and waning sunlight reflected off his night vision lenses. A smile tugged slowly at the corners of his kissable mouth, a shallow dimple forming to the left. His gently slanted eyes crinkled at the corners, adding a delectable edge of mystery to his densely layered persona. His face, sun-kissed bronze, molded too perfectly over sharp contours, from high cheekbones to strong jaw.

  Lenox Carter was a coal artist’s dream model. Every slight movement cast the articulated cuts of his face in a different shadow.

  Aya tried to moisten her lips, but her tongue was sandpaper parched. She tried to look away, but couldn’t. Her attention was fastened on Lenox. Thoughts of what the man might do to a woman in bed flitted through her mind.

  Lenox brushed his knuckles over her cheek. Trails of heat followed the path of his fingers. Her nerves hummed a seductive purr that resonated deep in her body. His gaze hovered on her lips before he turned back to the table. He smoothed over his dark waves, the ends barely brushing the top of his collar, and began unloading the contents of the bag.

  “You’re awfully quiet. I’m sure you’ve got some questions you want me to answer.” Lenox popped open one of the Styrofoam containers. The rich aroma of cured ham, pineapple, and spice struck her mercilessly. Her jaw tightened, and the dry-spell of her mouth flooded with hunger. Her stomach grumbled. Lenox glanced back at her, one brow arched over his eye. A hint of humor flashed in his grin. “Take a seat. You need to eat something before you wither away to nothing.”

  When he moved to the kitchen, she adjusted the aroused swells of her breasts against the uncomfortable restraints of her bra as inconspicuously as possible. A deep, rich chuckle filled her ears, her spirit, and left her pussy wet and aching.

  “You know, little one, I can hear your thoughts.” He rounded the granite-top island and returned to the table. Heat washed over her face, and she quickly fell into the seat. He handed her a fork and took up the seat next to her. “Many of those thoughts you may wish to keep private.”

  “Like what?” She played the card in hopes of calling his bluff. She speared a piece of ham and shoved it into her mouth. The juices from the cool meat trickled over her tongue and she moaned. She hadn’t eaten anything in almost twenty-four hours.

  “The ones that involve you and me, sans clothing, rolling around in a bed. You’re too tempting for me to discard those images easily.” Lenox rested a hand on her thigh, bordering indecent. She shifted in her seat, half wanting his hand to move closer to her throbbing center, half wanting to shove him away.

  She knew nothing of this guy aside from him being a godforsaken beauty.

  Aya pinched his middle finger and tossed his hand away like she might a soiled rag. It earned her a mystifying smile.

  “Well, we’ll keep it on a thought-to-thought basis. No need for physical implications,” Aya said. As hard as she tried to sound certain, she swore to herself when a purr lingered on the end of her words. Clearing her throat, she crossed her legs and squeezed them tight, willing away her arousal. She stabbed into two more pieces of ham. “Can I see the letter?”

  “It’s in my pocket.” Lenox cast her a quick glance, his eyes sparking with challenge. “I promise I won’t bite.”

  “I’m not digging around your pockets. I don’t know you from the next conceited guy down the road.” Aya drew the meat between her teeth. The hint of dried blood tinged the delicious meal, mixed with more bitter flavors of ash and dirt. A split-second image of Lenox’s mouth tasting hers glided into her thoughts. She hesitated in mid-chew, her eyes lowering to his lap. The bulge in his pants grew right before her. An invisible rope constricted around her lungs and her throat.

  “My head’s not in the gutter,” he teased.

  “No. Your head is the gutter.” Aya tried to hold on to her frustration. The man sitting feet from her managed to inject his warmth and calm into her spirit. He all but made her bones melt.

  Lenox shifted, lifting his ass off the chair. He retrieved the mangled piece of paper from his pocket. Every muscle in his torso and arms flexed. Shadows dipped into deep hollows. He was a formidable sight, especially to a woman who sought to hold on to some sense of decency. The itch in her pussy expanded. She pressed hard into the seat, trying to ease the mounting pressure.

 
He slid the letter over the table. She eyed him suspiciously, trying to ascertain his intentions. Intentions of midnight kisses and hours of steamy sex.

  His grin held steady, the spark of playfulness swirling in the torrid storm of his eyes. Eyes, she duly noted, she could easily find herself lost in.

  Before she could stop herself, she reached up and brushed aside a stubborn wave that had fallen over his forehead. He caught her hand and brushed his lips over her palm. She heard his sharp intake of breath as his thumb stroked the heel of her hand.

  As inconspicuously as possible, she took a deep breath. Warm sunshine, brisk redwoods, and crisp outdoors filled her lungs, but what caught her wolf’s attention was the distinct underlying scent of male. His arousal, a delicious mixture of masculinity and raw heat, made the back of her throat tingle and her vision quake. She found herself leaning toward Lenox, the stiff and stained fabric of her shirt scraping her peaked nipples. Waves of erotic chills shot straight down to her womb.

  Gods, this was too much for her to handle.

  “You’re right,” Lenox murmured. He lowered her hand to the table and pressed to his feet. Aya followed him with her gaze as he leaned up against the island and folded his arms over his chest. He smiled, but the twinge of sympathy that touched the outer banks of his eyes infused a somber air between them. “We have things to discuss before we get carried away.” He nodded to the letter lying next to her forearm. “Read it. I’ll grab a towel and set up the shower for you.”

  “Where am I sleeping?” Aya asked. She unfolded the crinkled paper and smoothed it out over the table before the intense burning of his attention drew her gaze up to him once more. A shadow crossed over his eyes.

  “With me.”

  Lenox disappeared down an adjoining hallway, leaving her to wonder what exactly he meant. Surely he had a guest room. The cabin, although cozy, had to hold more than one bedroom.

  Aya looked around from where she sat. Floor-to-ceiling windows lined two walls of the living room, showcasing a majestic scene of the dense forest surrounding the back of the cabin. Solid wooden beams acted as a partial divider between the living room and the kitchen. Triple glass sliders lined the wall in front of her, opening to a beautiful deck. Cushioned chairs, a small chaise, and a two-seater sofa were strategically placed around a large brick pit. Ashes coated the inner bricks a dark gray. Charred logs poked out from the teepee of fresh wood waiting to be lit. A wooden railing lined the far end of the deck, but lengthwise against the forest was open.

  The yard sloped down a distance before the towering redwoods sprouted up at the forest’s edge. The grass still held a lush green, despite the onset of fall. Overall, Lenox had a spectacular view with a warm home and plenty of fashionable utilities. His entire kitchen was top-line stainless steel and granite. Even the floor beneath her feet was pristine and polished mahogany.

  Warm. Encompassing.

  She needed all the comfort she could find. Her cracked resolve began to crumble as the events from the night prior sank in marrow deep. Her spirit tore, her wolf howled with grief. She lowered her fork, her appetite dwindling, and shifted her attention to the letter.

  Carter—

  You must have been searching for Aya for some time now. Word travels through the wolfen communities, even in California. I hope you understand and accept why I kept her hidden this long. She needed to grow, to learn, as any young woman would. It was her mother’s wish.

  Recently, I have become aware of a rebel pack hunting me. It’s only a matter of time before they find us. I must know that Aya’s future is secured. I have taught her the basic ways of the wolf. She knows how to transform, to speak along the telepathic links, and connect with her inner spirit. She has become extremely attuned to her wolfen self, and I’m sure, with further guidance from you, she will blossom into a magnificent alpha leader. However, I have not disclosed the legacy to her.

  If you’re reading this, most likely I have perished and Aya is running from danger. I trust in you to keep her safe and aid in her development as the stunning white wolf we all dreamed she would become. You have been given a sacred position as her mate. It is your duty to keep her safe from harm, to give your life in place of hers. Remember your vow to the spirits on that fateful eve and forever hold her dear to you. She is one of the last white wolves.

  With these words, I give you my niece. I will leave it up to you to convince the other of his position in her life.

  Charles White

  The haunting sound of her uncle’s voice recited the letter in her mind, bringing a swell of emotion to the surface. For almost sixteen hours, adrenaline drove her without food, sleep, or tears of mourning. She was rushing along on fear and panic, a grimy outer shell lacking a pilot to direct her. Tears brimmed the barriers of her eyes, and she finally allowed them the freedom to fall. Grief welled up like an overinflated balloon in her chest. Pressure pained her, constricting along her throat. Her chin quivered. The salty scent of streaming tears stung her nose.

  Her uncle knew someone was after him and never told her. It explained his efficiency last night but didn’t make the loss of him any easier. If he knew someone was after him, why didn’t he move her? Why did he let them destroy everything they built? All of their memories?

  Why did he sacrifice himself?

  “It might be easier to understand why he did what he did when you hear about how you survived the massacre twenty-five years ago.”

  Lenox’s soothing voice unleashed the floodgates. Aya broke down, lowering her head to her arms. She wrapped her hands behind her neck. The memory of the fire—its acrid scent, the intense heat that billowed outward, the horror that befell her as she watched her uncle dive straight into the madness, helpless to stop him—overwhelmed her.

  Lenox knelt down on the floor beside her chair. She didn’t resist when he gently eased her off the chair and into his arms. She clung to his waist and pressed her wet face to his hard chest. He rocked her, stroking her back while the searing pain of her loss finally consumed her.

  “Shh, little one. Everything will be okay,” Lenox cooed. Somewhere amidst her sprouting agony, warmth suffused through her. Lenox pressed his mouth to her hair. “You’re in my care. Nothing will harm you now.”

  * * * *

  Kyle’s eyes widened. Eliza looked over her freshly polished nails, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips. She uncrossed her legs, teasing her pets with a peek of her cunt. The thrill of a hunt made her wet. Wolf or human, she was turned on, and she needed to be sated.

  And if Riley wasn’t going to fuck her, she’d turn to the next man waiting in line.

  She spread her knees a little more, sliding her ass to the edge of the chair. Her short skirt hiked up her thighs. Behind Kyle, Jared licked his lips, his eyes flashing with heat.

  “Where is she?” Kyle asked. His voice had taken a deep turn for hoarse, rasping along her nerves and strumming the coiled cords in her womb. The heaviness of arousal permeated the cool air.

  “She’s found herself a local pack.” Eliza snickered. Her men were practically salivating with excitement. The hunt, the chase, the kill. It stirred together to create a potent toxin. “A bed-and-breakfast in a remote location, although I’ve gathered the man she left with wasn’t staying there.” She tsked when Kyle leaned down toward her. “Business first.”

  Jared growled, his lip quivering. He began to unfasten the buttons on his jeans. Kyle ripped his shirt over his head and fell to his knees, his eyes glazing over with primal hunger as he drank in the sight of her pussy.

  “What do you want us to do?” Jared’s voice raked along her spine. The delight in his dangerous tone made her wriggle against the chair. “Where’s Riley?”

  “Riley’s in town. You two will gather the pack. It’s time we take the reins here. I don’t care how you do it. Kill the others. Slaughter them.” Eliza laughed for a short moment. Then, she sobered and leaned toward Kyle. She gripped his chin between her fingers and drew her tongue up the side of h
is cheek. A silent rumble rolled through him and down her arm. “Those two in HoodRiver maimed my sister. I will have my revenge on them, but I want this one now. I want Ayasha White, pelt and all. I want to see her suffer. I want to bathe in her blood and have her head mounted to my wall. She is here, and she’s under the protection of her mate.”

  “She was appointed two mates by the spirits.”

  Eliza’s jaw twitched. Ah, yes she was. But the second wouldn’t be a problem much longer.

  “I’ll handle the other,” she murmured.

  “You know who it is?”

  Eliza turned her gaze up to Jared. The silence thrummed with energy. The potent mixture of arousal, musk, and need whipped together the brewing of a storm.

  “It seems I do.”

  Oh, yes, I do. And he’ll keep me warm every night when I’m through skinning him.

  Chapter Four

  Aya stayed beneath the methodical patterning of the shower water until it became cool, washing herself until her skin was pink from scrubbing. She couldn’t bear to wear the physical memories from the fire. Most of her wounds were healed, or in the advanced stages of healing. A benefit of being wolf, she thought solemnly.

  Lenox left her a fresh change of clothing. She couldn’t help but chuckle when she held up the oversized pair of jogging pants and long-sleeve shirt. He was massive next to her, a sure foot taller and packed with honed muscle. Charles always said she was deceptively meek from birth, hence her name meaning “little one.” Throughout the years, she’d proven what she lacked in size, she made up for in stubborn wit.

  “You may look small on the outside, little one, but you’ve got fire and the call of the wild burning inside your spirit.” Charles’s supportive words resonated in her mind and she sighed.