“It’s okay. I tend to be warmer than most.” His nostrils flared, and his eyes flashed a shade lighter.
Libbie gasped. The shifting eye color, his heat, it made sense. “You’re a wolf, aren’t you?” Most werewolves had some magical abilities. It wasn’t quite the same as being a witch, but with the proper education, they could make most spells work for them.
He grinned at her, cocking his head to the side a little. “What gave me away?”
“Your eyes, mostly, the color lightens sometimes. I haven’t seen a werewolf in decades.” She leaned in closer, watching for his reaction.
“That happens when the wolf wants something, and I don’t let it have it.”
“What does it want right now?” Her heart raced, and her gaze darted to his lips again. She had a feeling she knew what the answer was, but she wanted to hear him say it.
He stepped forward, crowding her, and bent his head to her ear. “He wants me to rip all your clothes off and take you right here against your car,” he whispered before licking the tender shell of her ear.
Her nipples tightened and her pussy clenched at his words. “Oh.”
“I won’t do it, not here, but I want to.” He took a deep breath and stepped back. “For now, we’d better check on our friend.”
Libbie nodded and turned away, grinning like an idiot, but she couldn’t help it. If her hunch was right, her life was in for some major changes, and as much as she would have protested only yesterday, she looked forward to it. The past months had been lonely as hell, even if they were self-imposed.
She’d only just started up the stone walkway to the house when Jay stopped her with his warm hand on her arm.
“Would you mind holding this for me?” He thrust the umbrella toward her. If it weren’t for the twinkle in his eye, she might have thought the gesture innocent enough.
Once she had her fingers wrapped around the handle, he brought both hands up to her face, holding her before he pressed his lips to hers. It wasn’t the kiss of the previous night, all fire and passion, but still as potent. The tender moment stretched on until she melted against him. She hadn’t realized she’d brought her free hand up behind him until she clenched her fist into the shirt at his back, fisting the damp material in her palm. With a moan, he deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping between her lips to tangle with hers.
By the time he pulled back, Libbie was trembling. The kiss had poured fuel on an already burning fire. She fought against leaning into him and kissing him again. They had to talk to Kurt. Once that was out of the way, they could go somewhere more private.
“Good morning. I didn’t get to say it earlier,” he said, his voice deeper than it had been moments before.
“It certainly is,” Libbie replied. There was no point in denying the chemistry between them, and they both knew it. “Let’s get this over with so we can leave.”
A soft sound rumbled from his throat, and Libbie’s nipples pebbled again. Yeah, they had to get out of there—fast. She turned on her heels, but before she could take more than two steps, he pulled her against him and lifted her so that her back was against his chest. Libbie squeaked at the sudden shift in balance. He took a huge step forward before sliding her down his front. “Puddle,” he said, his voice a little strangled.
He didn’t release her yet, letting her feel every hard inch of him, scrambling her thoughts further. “Huh?”
His chuckle turned into a soft laugh in her ear. “You were about to step in a water puddle.”
“Oh, thanks.” Heat crept up her cheeks. She hadn’t even noticed it. With his longer stride, he was able to clear the puddle, but she would have come up short. Even after he released her, she lingered against him, shifting her weight from side to side, stepping away only once he groaned. If she had to spend the next hour or so off balance, then it was only fair that he would, too.
Chapter Seven
Jay pounded on the door again, rattling the window. The man was there. He could smell him. He just had to get his drunken ass out of bed and answer the damned door. With Libbie so close, the wolf itched to get out, to touch, and taste. If this Kurt guy didn’t get his ass to the door soon, he’d either have to break it down or take Libbie away so they could get closer. He was about to put his fist up to the door again when he heard shuffling feet coming from the other side. About damned time.
After what seemed like forever, the door swung open. The guy he’d put into the cab still wore the same rumpled clothes from last night. His bloodshot eyes widened when he saw them.
“You,” he said, glaring at Libbie.
Jay cleared his throat and took a small step closer to his mate. He didn’t like the tone the man used with her, and the wolf liked it even less.
“Hi. I was hoping we could come in to speak with you this morning, Kurt.” Libbie placed her hand on his arm, soothing the wolf with her simple touch as she spoke with the man.
“I have nothing to say to you, and I sure as shit don’t want to hear what you have to say.” He started to close the door.
“Don’t make me force this on you. I don’t want to, but I will if I have to,” Libbie said. “I’m only trying to help. If you let me in, I can explain what happened last night.”
When even that didn’t make Kurt stop, Libbie tried again. “Jennifer is very pretty. Her hair is long and blond, and poker straight. She has huge dimples in both cheeks, and her eyes are as blue as the sky. She didn’t want to leave you, Kurt, but she had no choice. Cancer took her by surprise, and they didn’t have enough time to fight it.”
A ragged, pained moan tore from Kurt’s chest. “Please, stop.”
“Let us in. We can talk about it.” Libbie took a step forward, whispering a soothing spell under her breath.
The man shuddered and seemed to shrink under the weight of the hand she placed on his shoulder, but then he nodded and went back inside without uttering a word. Jay looked at Libbie and smiled. Her answering smile told him that things weren’t going to be easy once they got inside, but he was glad to be there with her, if for no other reason than to support her.
Kurt led them to a sitting room to the left and headed for the fireplace, plucking a framed photograph from its mantle and staring at it for a moment before sighing and setting it back. “Say what you have to say.” He turned back toward them, motioning them to the couch while he stood to face them.
“I’ll start by saying that I can’t read minds or tell fortunes. I can’t give you any winning lottery numbers or anything like that. I’m not looking for anything from you. Not money, not favors—nothing. I’m just trying to help. I have nothing to gain here, so there’s no reason for me to deceive you.” When Kurt just kept staring at her, she continued, “I can see and speak with spirits.”
Kurt just shook his head and started pacing. “You’re crazy,” he said, but the earlier venom in his voice was gone.
Libbie didn’t bat an eye at his words, making Jay wonder just how often people had accused her of such nonsense.
“I know how it sounds, but how else would I know about Jennifer? I didn’t know her while she was alive.”
Kurt spun away from them, shaking his head. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe you Googled it, or stalked the obits and thought you could make a play for something. How the hell would I know?” he asked bitterly.
“Careful, buddy.” Jay was happy to let her do her thing, but he wouldn’t tolerate the guy’s disrespect toward his mate.
“And who are you, and how do you fit into all this? Do you see ghosts, too? What’s your cut in this?” Kurt snorted.
“I won’t warn you again. She’s trying to help you. I’d listen to her if I were you.” He could understand the hurt and the insolence. He’d even tolerate it directed at him, but Kurt had better not say a hurtful word toward Libbie.
“Whether you believe a word I say or not is irrelevant,” Libbie said. “We were there last night. We saw what you saw. You weren’t the only one attacked.”
“What
do you mean?” Kurt’s eyes rounded, and his breaths quickened. “Who else was there?”
“Jennifer,” Libbie said softly, but Kurt reeled back as though he’d suffered a blow to the gut.
“What… I don’t understand. Did they hurt her?”
“I don’t know. She went away before I could help her. I haven’t seen her since.” Libbie’s gaze fell to the floor.
“Well, do whatever it is that you do, and find out!”
“It’s not that simple. She has to come to me, and I don’t even know if she can now.” Libbie’s voice trembled.
The guilt emanating from Libbie nearly did Jay in. She had done everything she could last night, and here she was this morning, still trying to help. Yet she blamed herself for what had happened to the ghost. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but what do you remember?” Jay brought the man’s attention back to him when what he wanted to do was take Libbie out of there and hold her.
Kurt looked at him, then at Libbie again, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t remember a whole lot.” He scratched at his chin and looked off to the side. “I was drunk, and some thugs attacked me in the alley.”
Libbie sat a little straighter and looked up again. “What do you remember about the thugs?”
After a long hesitation, he took a deep breath. “Nothing. Even if I did, what am I going to do, go to the cops? I was drunk out of my mind. They’d never believe me. No one would.” He stressed the last three words.
The man was lying, he remembered, but he wasn’t going to admit it. “It’s up to you, Libbie. What do you want to do?”
She shook her head and stood. “I think we should give Kurt some space. He’s got my number if he wants to get a hold of me. Actually, I have a friend.” Libbie dug a business card out of her purse and handed it to Kurt. “Her name is April. I know you think you’re doing okay, but you’re not. You should give her a call sometime.”
Chapter Eight
The moment they stepped out of Kurt’s house, Jay wrapped an arm around her shoulder and lifted his umbrella above their heads. “So why didn’t we erase his memories?” he asked. There was no censure in his voice, just mild curiosity.
“I don’t know. It just doesn’t seem right. The spell is unpredictable at best. If we go too far back—”
“He lives through his wife’s death all over again,” he finished for her. He was silent until they reached her car. “Are you free today? I’d love to spend some time with you.”
“I am. The weather is not great for going out, but maybe you would like to come for dinner? I’m not a gourmet chef, but I can cook.” She smiled at him again, sliding her finger up his arm. “Unless you’d like to come over sooner, or now? I’m sure we have plenty of things we need to discuss.”
Jay pressed his lips to hers then opened her car door for her, waiting until she was inside. “Lead the way,” he said before closing her door for her and sprinting across the street to his vehicle.
Libbie couldn’t stop looking in her rear-view mirror, cursing at herself for nearly running a red light. Had she been going any faster, she might have slid in the water bouncing off the blacktop. She glanced at Jay through her rear-view mirror again. Maybe she should be playing harder to get, but even she knew it would be pointless. No man, human or otherwise, had ever made her melt into a puddle with nothing more than a brief kiss. Her heart raced, and she nibbled on her bottom lip. If she were his mate, as she suspected she might be, then nothing would keep them apart. Just the idea of having found the other half of her soul after centuries of waiting had her smiling so wide her cheeks hurt.
They were only a few miles from her house when the downpour let up, and a dreary drizzle took its place. Not that it mattered. Her entire body vibrated. Energy pulsed through her, igniting her senses. She didn’t rush out when she pulled into her drive, knowing that Jay was right behind her and would escort her in.
She opened her door just as he reached the side of her car, then hesitated when she saw his frown.
“Do you always drive like that?” he asked.
She stood and took a step toward him, crowding him under his umbrella. “No, actually, I don’t. I consider myself to be a very cautious driver though I’ll admit I was a bit distracted today.” Her breasts brushed up against him, and she watched as his eyes changed to the light amber color again.
“Care to tell me what had you so distracted that you almost ran through a red light?” He brought his free arm around her, pulling her closer.
Libbie leaned into him. “I’ll give you one guess.” She lifted on tiptoes and ran her tongue along his jaw before pulling out of his arms and sprinting for the door. She didn’t have to look to know he was right behind her. By the time she had the door open, he had her back pressed against his chest again.
“You keep that up, and we won’t do too much talking,” he growled softly in her ear.
She leaned against him, holding the arm he had wrapped around her waist. “So…am I?” She had to know. For a daemon, there were no signs, other than the crazy physical attraction, when they found their mates, and that was there, in spades. Perhaps the werewolves would have clearer insight.
“Are you, what?” Jay asked as he tugged her collar aside to skim his lips along her shoulder.
“Your mate. Am I your mate?” Heaven above, she hoped so. If he said she wasn’t, she’d die of embarrassment, not that she could die, or at least, not easily, and certainly not from mortification, but her cheeks would burn for a week if he said no.
“What do you think?” He nipped at her skin then soothed the bite with his tongue.
Twisting in his arms, she looked up at him. “I think so, but I’m not sure.”
A wicked glint made his eyes shine just a little bit brighter. “You’re not sure? Maybe I need to find a way to make it clearer for you.” Jay took a step forward, then another, making her step back into her foyer.
“Maybe you do.” She slid her hands up his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. His mouth was so close that his minty breath mingled with hers. “Or you could just tell me.” She almost wished he would say the words and ease her worry, but finding out in more physical ways had merit, too—a lot of merit.
Jay brought his lips to hers, barely brushing them with the softest of kisses that left her wanting so much more. “Yes. You are mine, and I am yours.” He kissed her again, licking at the seam of her lips, but before she could open up for him, he pulled back. “My wolf recognized you the moment you stepped foot into The Witch’s Brew last night. It was all I could do to keep from tearing that sexy costume off you and claiming you right there on the table in front of all your friends.”
She shifted from side to side against him, making him moan. She was about to repeat the motion when a soft rumbling sound poured from his throat. One moment she was standing on her own two feet, and the next he’d hauled her into his arms and was heading toward the stairs.
Libbie ran a finger along his jaw, following it with little kisses on her way to his lips.
“Which way?” he asked when he reached the top landing.
She waved her hand to the right, then funneled her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer. “First door on the left,” she managed before she took his mouth. She was barely aware of her bedroom door slamming against the wall as he brought her through. He placed her gently on the bed, following her down, but didn’t break their kiss. His hands were everywhere, touching, teasing. He grazed the side of her breast with his palm as he deepened the kiss. She arched her back, needing more—needing his hot skin against hers.
Breaking the kiss, she tried to catch her breath, but already, he had levered himself up on one elbow and was caressing her through her shirt.
“Clothes. Off,” she demanded out of sheer need. Libbie nipped at his chin, then trailed her tongue down his neck. “Jay, please.” She’d never been so out of control. It was as though her body was on fire and nothing but Jay could extinguish it.
Rather than do as
she had asked, Jay groaned and buried his face in her neck. His ragged breaths teased at her skin. “All the way here, I promised myself I wouldn’t take you like a rutting animal. I didn’t come here so we could have sex.”
“You didn’t?” Libbie stilled. She didn’t know where he was going with this, but if it didn’t involve more skin, she didn’t like it.
He chuckled and pressed his lips to her neck. “You sound disappointed.” He licked the skin he’d just kissed, then scraped his teeth over the spot, sending shivers rushing over every inch of her body.
“I...” He brought his lips down her neck to her collarbone, and Libbie lost her train of thought. What had he asked her?
“Don’t get me wrong, I want to, very much.” He pressed his hips forward, showing her just how much.
Libbie couldn’t take the slow torture. Her heart pounded, and her body ached. She needed him. Now. “So why are we still talking?” She turned into his neck and bit down on his flesh.
His whole body stiffened, and he moaned long and deep. When he pushed up with his arms, pulling away from her, his eyes had gone completely amber. His breaths came in short pants, and his canine teeth were a little longer, pointier than they had been. Rather than scare her, seeing him out of control had her nipples tightening into hard peaks and her pussy throbbing.
“Libbie,” he said, his voice rough, and deep.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and thrust up. “I need you, Jay, right now.” Not waiting, she brought her hands up to the top button of her shirt and slipped it from its hole. Jay watched every move, his jaw clenching as she revealed more of her creamy flesh. By the time the third button slid free, Jay made a strangled sound in his throat before replacing her hands with his. He didn’t bother with the slow reveal she’d been playing at. He grabbed both sides of the shirt, and with a sharp tug, the remaining buttons went flying. She should have been more upset at the destruction of one of her favorite blouses, but the hungry look he gave her was more than worth it. He could tear her whole wardrobe to shreds if he kept looking at her like that.
Beyond The Veil: A Paranormal & Magical Romance Boxed Set Page 4