by Jenny Penn
“You didn’t pack the picnic.” Chance reappeared alongside the bed. “Betty packed the picnic.”
“And I asked her to do it.”
“Who’s Betty?” Getting sidetracked by the feminine name, she couldn’t help but give in to the temptation to ask that question.
“My dad’s cook,” Chance answered, his attention focused on checking out the contents of the basket. “Which is why you shouldn’t be all blown over by Davis’s thoughtfulness.”
“Yes, she should.” Davis shot Chance a glare, pausing before taking a bite of his food. “It wasn’t even on your stupid list. Sustenance, the first thing a good man provides his mate.”
“Only if he’s a wuss.” Chance shot her a smirk and a wink. “Otherwise, the first thing a real man gives his mate is the kind of pleasure that makes her glow for hours. And I must say, you look radiant, baby.”
Lacie rolled her eyes at his lecherous perusal. Chance might be amusing her, but he had Davis all flushed and looking ready for battle.
“Say, where are the peaches?” Chance scowled as he started pulling things out and dumping them on the quilt. “I told Betty to put a jar in.”
“Already eaten.”
“What? Damnit, Davis. Those were my peaches.”
“See,” Davis shot her a conspiratorial look as he nodded at Chance, “thinking only of himself.”
“No, I—” Chance stopped abruptly, appearing to reconsider whatever he’d been about to say. “I brought them for Lacie.”
“And she ate them.”
“And now she’s waiting to hear why fighting a demon in this world would be different than another one,” Lacie stated sharply enough to have both men giving her grumpy looks.
“It’s not really relevant, baby. All you need to know is we’ll take care of you.” Chance plucked a sandwich out of the pile and gave it his full focus.
“No,” Lacie disagreed. “What I need to know is how you plan on taking care of this situation. That starts with you explaining what’s so different about this world.”
“I can’t explain it all, because I never studied the whys behind world formations.” Davis shot Chance a look, clearly inviting his friend to step up. When Chance just shrugged, Davis turned back to give her what little insight he apparently had.
“What I do know is not all worlds are created equally. Earth,” Davis used his second sandwich to gesture at the pastures, “is a highly ordered world. Not a lot of room for magic. That limits our power just as it does our enemies.”
“I see,” Lacie whispered even though she really didn’t. What she did understand was the handicap would be shared. That had to be a good thing, especially considering the demon had hellfire on his side. Hopefully they could tip the scales in their favor with a good plan.
“So, what do we do now?” She looked expectantly at her mates. “I mean besides eat lunch.”
“Well, now you tell me everything you remember about TJ.”
“And then,” Lacie prodded, wanting a bigger picture answer.
“Then we have sex.” Chance smiled at her, his eyes taking on that special sparkle. “Lots of sex.”
“Sex?” He had to be kidding, only he didn’t look like it. “How can you think about sex when we’re talking about demons?”
“You’re not wearing any clothes,” Davis retorted instantly. “Besides, what else are we going to do to pass time while we hide?”
“Hide?” That had to be a joke because Chance and Davis didn’t strike her as the type to hide in the closet. “You two big, bad, ‘we got perimeter guards and fought demons before’ are going to tuck your tails between your legs and go hide?”
“Yep.” Chance nodded, looking completely unfazed by her anger.
“Are you insane?” Lacie had to ask because if not, then maybe she was. “Haven’t you ever heard the expression the best defense is a good offense?”
“And we got one,” Davis assured her. “We call it the pack. Everybody has their job. Your job is to stay alive. Ours is to make sure you stay alive.”
“And everybody else fights.” That didn’t make Lacie feel any better. Actually it kind of made her feel worse. “Why are we so special?”
“Because of the future, our future, the pack’s future. We can’t have one without women and children.”
There was a simplicity to that theory that Lacie couldn’t argue. Maybe she could have if her mind hadn’t gotten stuck on the word children. As much as the notion filled her with warmth, Lacie couldn’t accept the idea of bringing a child into a world when a demon threatened her life.
“Don’t you think it’s a little early to start worrying about getting pregnant?”
“Never,” Davis snorted. “I’ve been dreaming about of kids for years.”
“And the demon?” Lacie asked, hating to have to point out the harsh facts they seemed so willing to ignore.
“Will be handled,” Chance offered that little bit of assurance. “In the mean time, we hide. That means if anybody breaches the perimeter, we run. Your safety is the priority, and if you want to help, start by telling me what you remember about Carver.”
Lacie glared mutinously up at him, not able to accept things could be that easy. Minions, acolytes, disciples, not to mention the demon itself, it felt like this could go on forever. Overwhelmed in the moment by fear, Lacie trembled under the sadness invading her.
“Are we ever going to be safe?”
“Listen to me, Lacie.” Davis curled his big fist over her hand and lent her cold fingers some of his comforting warmth. “Once we’re fully mated, you will be safe. The demon won’t have any more interest in you.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” Davis sealed his vow with a gentle squeeze of his hand. “But we need you to promise to obey until this situation is handled.”
He was lying. He couldn’t promise her she’d have a long, happy life. Nobody could. In that moment, though, she’d accept his deception, recognizing that it could be true. Whether he could assure it for her or not, Lacie held hope that future might be as good as he promised.
“I’ll obey.” Lacie gave them her vow and then immediately clarified it. “When it comes to matters of security and handling the current threat, I’ll obey.”
“Good.” The edges of Davis’s lips kicked up, but that’s all the recognition she received for calling him on his bold attempt to milk the situation. “Now let’s talk about Carver.”
Chapter 8
The sun warmed up the day as they ate their lunch. Though the heat might have something to do with the interrogation Lacie endured. She answered all their questions, amazed that she remembered so much. She managed not only to recall what kind of truck he’d gotten into but also the first three letters of his license plate.
That bit of information helped to mitigate the fact that she’d taken the time to watch him walk away. It helped, but didn’t completely absolve her, given she’d pretty much confessed to checking out TJ’s ass. A fact not lost on Davis, who watched her with the kind of indulgence a large predator showed its prey right before it pounced.
Chance had strutted off to make another call, leaving her alone with Davis. It didn’t take a bright woman to read the intent in his gaze. Hoping to avoid getting eaten, Lacie offered him a forced smile and searched for a way to get the conversation moving in a new direction.
“So,” she sighed, her mind racing to find something to say. “You think you can find him? That information about the license plate is useful, yes?”
“Very,” Davis agreed slowly. “Is that all you got?”
Lacie bristled slightly at that question, not sure if he was asking about TJ or prodding her for a better excuse. Not about to get lured into a trap, she inched her chin up and defended herself. “Isn’t that enough? I told you what he looked like, what kind of truck he drove, everything he said—”
“Even what kind of groceries he bought.” Davis smirked. “You know when a man runs into a drop-dead gorgeous woma
n, he normally only remembers what she looks like.”
“Is that a fact?” Because Lacie had a few opinions about that if it was.
“Shit, yeah.” Davis chuckled. “Hell, I don’t remember a damn thing you said until after I pumped that ass, though I do remember how cute you looked yelling at Chance about the cow, all flushed and tense, and those perky little tits swaying every time you shook your hands, which you do a lot when you get agitated.”
“Thank you,” Lacie snapped. “I’m so glad you take me so very seriously.”
“That’s just the thing. I do.” So earnest and so full of shit, Davis looked completely sincere as he teased her. “But I’m still a man. Now if I was a woman, I’d be able to remember everything down to what color your shoelaces were…white?”
“Black.”
“Well, I had a good chance of being right.”
“There is something wrong with you.” And her for liking the way he aggravated her.
“Hey, I’m not the one who noticed Carver preferred organic foods to ones that actually taste good,” Davis defended himself. “Nor am I the one that assumed he had money because of it or cared about his health because he likes wheat bread. Why the hell would you even look at those things?”
“Because she’s checking for flaws,” Chance answered before Lacie could. Returning to the side of the truck, he chunked his phone into the empty basket before elaborating on his theory.
“A man meets a beautiful woman, and the only thing he is thinking is, ‘I think I can. I think I can.’ Women are thinking, ‘Something has to be wrong with this guy,’ so they start looking for the flaw.”
“Only losers think they can,” Davis retorted. “Real men know they can.”
Lacie rolled her eyes at that egotistical gloat. “Are you two quite done? Or don’t you think we have more important things to discuss right now?”
“You said you told us everything about Carver,” Davis reminded her as if she might have forgotten that fact.
“So?” Lacie couldn’t believe she had to explain this to them. “Now what are we going to do? Where are we going to go? What about my clothes? Do I have time to go home—”
“You don’t need clothes.” Chance cut her off with a dismissive wave of his hand. “What you got on right now is just fine.”
“I’m not wearing anything.”
“Let’s plan on keeping it that way, babe.”
“Babe?” Lacie launched to her feet, knowing exactly what he meant by that comment. “No. No. No babe, baby, or honey now. How can the two of you even be thinking about sex? We have a demon coming after us.”
“Not our problem,” Davis informed her cheerily. “We’re just supposed to keep you hidden and safe. All that time with nothing to do but, well, you, honey.”
His gaze dipped, taking a slow, heated stroll down her body and making Lacie flush with renewed desire. “Damnit, we are anything but hidden out here in the open.”
“Don’t be a killjoy, baby,” Chance complained. “We’ve had this plan for years, been practicing since—”
“Practicing?” Lacie stumbled back with the force of her gasp. “Practicing? With who?”
“Well, shit.” Chance made a face that clearly said he didn’t have a clue. “I don’t know, lots of women? About thirteen years’ worth.”
“Ah!” Lacie screeched, pushed to the very limit of her sanity by his cavalier attitude. “Pig!”
“Actually, it’s wolf, baby,” Chance corrected her as if he didn’t have any idea why she was upset. “And you should be thankful we were so dedicated to the task. After all, it was ultimately all for you.”
Lacie narrowed her eyes on his innocent smile, smelling a swine, not a wolf, in front of her. Chance looked smugly expectant, clearly expecting his taunt to be rewarded with outrage. As much as Lacie might wish she could disappoint him, her annoyance wouldn’t let her ignore that grin.
“Well, that’s sweet.” Lacie graced him with her own obnoxious smile. “And I guess you’ll be penning a thank-you note to my old college boyfriend for teaching me a few tricks, too.”
That wiped Chance’s happy look off and had him coming to his feet. “Boyfriend? And is that the fellow I have to thank for ruining you?”
“Oh, don’t try to play me with any more of that virgin crap. You think I don’t know anything and you can just screw with me?”
“Well, yeah.” Davis smirked. “Screwing you is certainly on the agenda. Haven’t you been listening, honey?”
“Ha. Ha,” Lacie gave him the false laughs he was due. “You know that’s not what I meant, and I know there is no virginity issue with mates.”
“Maybe.” Davis lifted off the gate, straightening up to tower over her. “Still, it isn’t right to fling your past acquaintances in our face. It’s disrespectful and rude.”
“Oh, don’t even try that.” Lacie cautiously backed up, putting as much distance between her and them even as she warned them. “I’m not jumping to any bait.”
“Flaunting past lovers, wouldn’t you say that’s a punishable offense, Davis?”
“I would indeed,” Davis murmured, his gaze already glazed with lust and fixated on her cunt. More worrisome, her pussy pulsed and wept in greedy delight with anticipation of what would come next. Except he said punishable, and Lacie knew what that meant. It meant she needed to start retreating a lot faster.
“Don’t even think about it.” Lacie backpedaled through the grass as they started to stalk slowly in her direction. “I know what punishable means—spanking. I’ve heard all about you lycans’ deviant practices, but you better come up with something a whole lot better than accusing me of being disrespectful.”
“Okay then,” Chance agreed easily. “We’ll do better. Starting now.”
That was her cue to run, to try and escape even if she really didn’t want to.
* * * *
Chance didn’t even give Lacie to the count of ten before he took less than three steps and caught her. As he snatched her off her feet, she squealed, putting on a good show, but he knew that’s all it was. All the cussing, screaming, kicking, and flailing she did as he lowered his ass back to the tailgate and her over his legs couldn’t hide the fact that her little pussy was creaming hard for him.
Their little mate wanted this. He’d seen the excitement flashing in her gaze before she put up that pathetic attempt to run away. Even now, as he slid his palm over the smooth, creamy skin of the plush globes of her ass, he could feel the anticipation that had her stilling.
Enjoying playing with her, Chance let his hands soften her up. Rubbing soothing circles up her spine, he worked the stiffness out of her back until she moaned on a little sigh. At that small sign of submission, Davis’s hand cracked over her ass, jolting a squeal out of her as he left a pretty flush over her rear.
“That’s for wearing your hair in that god-awful bun,” Davis declared, leaving Chance his opening to bring his palm down over the other lush side of her rump.
“And that’s a reminder never to wear it like that again.”
“And this,” Davis didn’t give Lacie time to suck in a breath before he lit up his half of her ass, “for wearing panties.”
“And this is to remind you never to wear them again.”
Lacie’s shocked cries of passion deepened into husky moans as he and Davis alternated excuses and spanks, continuing until her ass glowed a beautiful rosy hue and lifted in a silent plea for more. That wasn’t enough for Chance.
He wanted to hear her beg, to hear her scream, but more than anything he wanted her to know who she belonged to. No grocery store pick-up artist could give her this kind of pleasure. From the slow gyration of her hips, the wet kiss of her pussy against his thigh, and the intoxicating scent of her arousal thick in the air, Chance knew he could get her to give him anything he wanted. Their little mate just had to be coaxed.
He tested her response with a simple glide of his hand down the sweet curve of her ass and into the creamy valley of
her pussy. Feeding her sweet little cunt three fingers, he chuckled over the way her sheath clamped down and sucked him deep into her velvety vise.
“You like that, don’t you, baby?” Chance pumped her pussy with a slow, easy slide that had his woman squirming and moaning. “Oh, yeah. And right here.”
He curled his fingers and swirled them right into her sweet spot. Lacie reacted as if she’d been shot. Gasping, her whole body tensed for a second before it pulsed and writhed with ecstasy.
“What about that?” Chance went back to fucking her nice and even, intentionally avoiding giving her any extra pleasure. “’Cause I don’t have to touch you there. I can keep you just like this, all day long, fucking you slow and easy.”
Lacie panted, her hips arching with a sway as she tried to take it instead. That made Chance smile outright, and he brought his free hand to her hip to hold her still. “I don’t think so, baby. If you want something, just ask for it or better yet, beg. You just might find I can be a real accommodating fellow.”
Lacie grunted at that, shifting over his knees to part her legs a little wider. He thought for a second she was trying to tempt him with a very lovely view of her swollen, pink folds. He sure did like seeing his tanned hand taking outright advantage of her intimate flesh, so pink and delicate and totally vulnerable to him. It made him ache to see that cunt split wide over his cock.
That’s just what he intended to be looking at in the next few minutes, but first the little darling had to beg, and no little peep show would tempt him out of his most prized revenge. Apparently, she didn’t mean to tempt him. Instead, she intended to screw him over by screwing herself.
Her arm bent under his thigh, and he saw her slender little finger go for her clit and felt the flush of anger to the tips of his ears. That was his cunt, and she didn’t have the right to play with it unless he told her to. That was something they had to come to a firm understanding about right now.
With a growl, he lifted her as he stood, turning to splay her out on the bed. Never once did Lacie pause. Just the opposite, her fingers worked her clit hard and fast, making her knees bend and her whole body flush and tremble with an oncoming climax. Then in the ultimate challenge, she snapped her legs closed, trapping her hand and denying him the show.