Defender's Blood The Turning (An Urban Fantasy)

by A. K. Michaels

  She settled back and watched James drive and then they started talking, about anything and everything. It all felt so good. Her heart kept skipping beats every time he looked over at her. Her Wolf was howling and telling her to mate with this male. It wanted her to mark him, seal the deal so to speak. Lisa laughed at her Wolf. Too eager, you’re too eager, she told it.

  Soon, they reached Pack land and passed through on their way to the cabin. Once past the Pack houses and onto the dirt track, she told James to stop and phone Zach – they were near to the cabin.

  Chapter 8

  Zach had been checking on his mate all day. She hadn’t moved, and he was getting worried. He checked her stitches and he finally saw an improvement.

  It looked as if she was going to get through the first stage. He didn’t know if he was happy or sad at that thought.

  He left her lying in the bed, coming downstairs to have a good look around. A door led off from the living area on the opposite side to the kitchen and he looked inside. It was another bedroom, large with a bed and small toilet and sink off to the side. Shit, if he had looked properly when he had arrived he wouldn’t have had to lug all that water and stuff upstairs.

  He stood outside on the veranda, letting his senses loose to see what was around them.

  He could sense lots of animals, small and not so small. If he wanted to eat anything, he could catch it – though he hadn’t eaten food since the battle began. Of course he didn’t need food to live, he just enjoyed eating, especially with Alexina.

  Then he realised that if he wanted blood he would have to hunt anyway. He wasn’t keen on animal blood but it would do in a pinch, especially as he had forgotten to bring any donor blood with him. He couldn’t sense any Wolves nearby, for which he was grateful. If Alexina turned, he didn’t want her to hurt one of the Pack.

  He was just about to go back and check on Alexina when his phone rang.

  He took it out and, seeing James’s number, answered on the second ring. “Hi James, everything okay?”

  James’s raspy voice came through loud and clear. “Hi – uhm yeah, we’re nearly there. Is it okay for Lisa to come to the cabin?”

  Zach sighed. “Yeah, all safe at the moment James. See you in a bit.”

  James just said okay then hung up. Zach walked back in and sat on one of the sofas waiting for James, still not sure it was a good idea him being there.

  *****

  In the jeep, James turned to Lisa with a small smile. “Zach says it’s okay for you to come up to the cabin. Do I just stay on this track?” he asked.

  Lisa grinned – God her smile is beautiful, he thought – then nodded. “Yes, there’s a bit coming up when we will turn right, but just keep going for now.” Her voice sounded good in his ears and he thought he would like to hear it lots more.

  Soon James could see a fork in the road. “Take it this is where I go right?” he asked. Lisa nodded and did that smile again. Fuck – did she know what it did to him? Probably not, she didn’t seem to realise just how sexy and gorgeous she was. If he had the chance, he was going to let her know.

  A bit more driving and James saw a little light breaking through the darkness, realising it must be the cabin. The next minute his eyes could make it out, the front door opened and Zach stood waiting for them.

  *****

  Zach watched as James parked and got out then – very quickly –made his way round to help Lisa. The resulting smile from her was clearly what he had been after, and he got it.

  He helped her down then turned to Zach. “Come help, Zach. I’ve got quite a few bits and pieces with me. There’s a load of blood too, I didn’t think you had remembered to bring any.”

  Zach smiled. James was always thinking of others. Maybe it would be good to have some company after all, he thought.

  As Zach started to walk down and help, a scent hit his nostrils. What the hell? There was a very strong scent of arousal and climax coming from Lisa. He took a deep breath and he could scent James on her – all over her, in fact. What the hell happened on the journey? Did this Wolf and James have sex? No, the scent was of her climax, not a male’s. So what then?

  Zach’s mind was trying to figure it out when he gave himself a shake. It was none of his business. If the Wolf could give James some fun then that’s good, Christ he deserved it. He carried on to help James but noticed that Lisa had turned bright red.

  *****

  Lisa was mortified. Holy fuck. Zach could smell it on her, she knew he could. He had taken a very deep breath and then had a look of confusion on his face. She blushed scarlet as she realised this and tried to not meet his eyes.

  She realised she’d better have a shower and quick, before anyone from the Pack smelled it. That would cause big problems – ones that she wasn’t yet ready to face.

  There was a stream on the way home, she would go Wolf and have a very cold wash in it before she got back. That should do it. She tried to rid herself of these thoughts, as she turned to help James and Zach take the stuff from the jeep into the house.

  *****

  James had brought loads, Zach thought. There were boxes of food, lots of beer and a small fridge running off a battery was set up in the back, which held quite a lot of blood. Good grief, how much did he think they would need?

  All the while Lisa and James were chattering away to each other, and it didn’t escape Zach’s attention the way Lisa looked at his friend. I think she’s smitten, he thought. Was that good or bad?

  He wasn’t sure but James looked the happiest Zach had seen him in over thirty years, since the bomb that had changed his life. It brought a small smile to Zach’s face.

  He hoped Lisa didn’t hurt him, he had told her not to and if she did, well, he would not be a happy Vamp.

  Once everything was inside, Zach showed James the downstairs bedroom, then left him and Lisa to take his things through there. He walked to the kitchen and got a glass of wine, before sitting back down and trying to relax. The sounds of laughter from the bedroom had him wondering what they were up to. When it went quiet, Zach thought he knew.

  *****

  When Zach had shown James his room, a smile had broken out on his face and he raised an eyebrow at Lisa. She had blushed but smiled back at him and her tongue darted out to lick her top lip. Fuck – he got hard again just watching her.

  Zach left them to it, and they started to bring his stuff into the room. Once it was all in he turned to the Wolf. “Hmm, that bed looks very comfortable Lisa, what do you think?” he asked her.

  She blushed again and he took a deep breath in. He could smell her arousal again.

  She punched his arm, pretty hard. “Stop doing that – you’re embarrassing me!” she squealed.

  James looked at her as if he didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. “What? I’m not doing anything!”

  She laughed lightly, “You know very well what you’re doing, Vampire! You’re scenting me!”

  James’s voice was far huskier than normal when he replied, “And what if I am, Lisa? I love your scent and your arousal smells sooo good.”

  Lisa did a little squeal again, “James! Stop it – Zach is in the next room!” she whispered.

  James’s arm reached out, quick as a flash, and pulled her up close, looking down into her face and taking another, very, very deep breath.

  Lisa’s heart was beating way too fast, her breathing too, she needed to slow it or she would faint. She looked up into James’s face and suddenly there was a frown there. “What’s wrong James?” she asked quietly, scared of his answer.

  James frowned even more, as soon as he had pulled her close and she looked up at him he realised what folly this was. He was a mess, on the outside and in. He had horrendous nightmares, he couldn’t bear to look at himself, he lived mostly like a hermit. What kind of life would that be for anyone – never mind this gorgeous being in front of him.

  His voice was low, barely a whisper. “Lisa … maybe this isn’t a good idea. You dese
rve so much more than I can give. I’m damaged Lisa, badly. I know you said it didn’t matter but it would. Maybe not today or next week or even next year but soon, far too soon, it would. I couldn’t bear that. So maybe we should stop ‘this’ – whatever it is – now, before either of us gets hurt.”

  It was for the best he thought, even though his insides churned at the realisation that he wouldn’t get to be inside her, feel her come around him. That ... well, that was just a dream and he lived in reality. Every time he saw himself in a mirror.

  Lisa gasped. “James! Please don’t talk like that. I know I probably seem mad to you, when I said I knew what you were? Please don’t laugh at me – but I know you’re my mate. I know you think it’s crazy, but trust me when I say I know. Nobody else will do for me. I have tried and tried to find a mate, nobody does to my body what you do. My Wolf wants out, it wants to roar with glee ... seriously, it’s trying now to get out! If we care about each other we can work it out, really we can!”

  Her plea sounded bad in her ears, she sounded desperate. Fuck, no wonder he didn’t want her.

  A tear escaped from one of her eyes and started to roll down her cheek. A very gentle finger wiped it away, she looked to see James’s hand there, his finger raising to taste the tear on his lips. She leaned into him and let out a huge sigh. Whatever it took she would do it. No matter what, she would have her mate – she didn’t know how but she would. He would come to care for her, she knew she could make him, fuck, she had to make him.

  As James saw the tear escape he had reached out and let it fall onto his finger. Raising it to his lips, as soon as he tasted it something broke inside him. His heart was beating wildly, what the hell was going on?

  Shit, he didn’t think he could stop this, he tried and one tear, one fucking tear, had undone him. He was angry at himself, he should be stronger. Push her away, tell her he didn’t like her, didn’t want her, didn’t want to sink his manhood deep within and hear those sounds ripping from her throat, that he knew she would make.

  He had closed his heart the day of the bomb and nobody had broken through ... ever. But one look, one smile, from this Wolf and she had done it – how?

  His hand reached behind her head and roughly grabbed her hair, pulling her head towards him, as he growled deep within his throat. Kissing her with an abandon he didn’t think he had ever felt, even before the bomb.

  He had never been what would be called a gentle lover, he only hoped she could take what he was going to give. He sighed and talked while kissing her. “Lisa, are you a virgin?”

  She gasped and blushed, and hell what kind of question was that?

  She shook her head and pulled away a little bit. “Uhm, no. I’m a Wolf, James, we have breeding periods, mating times, in heat, whatever you want to call it, and if we don’t get a release it can be painful for us. So yeah, I’ve had sex before – what I would class as quickies – just to get the pain to subside. I haven’t had sex outside my mating times because I liked someone or anything like that.” She was embarrassed telling him this but she guessed he had a reason.

  He kissed her deeply again before he pulled back slightly. “Lisa, I’m not gentle, I’ve never been gentle. If you want me to stop you need to back away now ... I won’t want to stop once I start. You need to know that, you need to understand it could get a little rough.”

  Lisa’s heart nearly stopped. Rough? She had never had that. Only quickies when she was in her mating period to ease the throb and pain that came at that time without sex and release. Could she? Did she want to? She wasn’t sure. Her doubt must’ve shown on her face, because James all but snarled and kissed her again, in a way she had never been kissed before.

  He owned her mouth as his hands moved, pinning her arms behind her back and locking them there with one of his, the other moving once more to her hair. In this position her breasts were pushed forward, and the need for him to touch them, kiss them, was strong in her. She still hadn’t answered him, did she want him to stop? She moaned into his mouth and rubbed her breasts against his chest.

  Finally, finally, he moved and his head bent and took one into his mouth over the top of her shirt. Fuck! Her legs were getting weak, her head spinning – she had never felt like this before. Her whole body was on fire and burning with need.

  James pulled away again. “Now, Lisa, I need an answer now, because I won’t be able to stop if this goes any further and I don’t mean just tonight. You’ll be mine, Lisa ... all mine.”

  His eyes bored into hers, the feeling it elicited in her core made her throb with need. She nodded her head and then thought, what the hell have I let myself in for?

  James let out a husky growl, so low she barely heard it, then his eyes started to shine brighter. What the hell? Lisa thought. He spoke down at her. “Now Wolf, we’re going to go to that big bed and I’m going to make you purr!”

  She nodded her head again and he lifted her up quickly and all but threw her down on the bed.

  He spoke quietly with a deep need in his voice. “Get those clothes off now, unless you want to go home naked, because I’m going to rip them off.”

  Lisa reacted instantly and pulled at her clothes quickly, trying to get them off as fast as she could.

  As she did this James started to undress. When his top came off, she saw the extent of his scars. Oh my God, how much pain must he have been in to get those, she wondered. They covered nearly half his face as she had seen, down his neck on that same side, then further down over his shoulder and halfway down his side. How the hell did he survive that?

  *****

  As soon as Zach heard the sounds from the room, he decided to check on Alexina and then go for a run. He didn’t want to sit and listen to what was going on. He padded upstairs and saw that his mate lay perfectly still, so he ran back down and out the door.

  He ran fast at first, to get away from the cabin, then slowed and just enjoyed the feeling of running in the forest. He would give them time and then go back.

  *****

  Lisa’s eyes widened at the steel muscles she saw on his stomach. When he removed his jeans, she noted he didn’t wear underwear. This made her more aroused than anything had in her life.

  His legs were strong, thick, and powerful and, well, that wasn’t the only thing that looked thick and powerful. Her mouth opened in a silent ‘Oh’ and James laughed – a very dirty and sexy laugh, as she closed her thighs tight. He stalked towards the bed, and for the first time in her life, she felt she was the hunted, instead of the hunter.

  She was totally and utterly surprised that this turned her on, and she once more tried to keep her thighs together. Why? She didn’t know, but she did it. James came to the bottom of the bed and climbed on, stalking on all fours up to her.

  Her heart beat wildly and she was panting – she had no idea what was going to happen. When he reached her ankles he grabbed them, pulling her down towards him, as she let out a squeal. His hands ran up the insides of her thighs, prying them apart. She tried again to close them using her Wolf strength and once more James laughed.

  He shook his head at her. “No, no … you don’t get it yet, but you will. I’m the one in charge.” He yanked her thighs apart so quickly and effortlessly that she let out a small moan. He nodded his head, before laying it between her legs and starting to lap at her. She nearly jumped in the air, her body stiffening with the sensation.

  God, she hadn’t let anyone do that to her … and boy did it feel good. She was quickly, far too quickly, nearing a climax and James only laughed again, down deep in her sex. Just as she neared the peak he pulled away and she made a sound in her throat that she had never heard before. It was like a kitten crying.

  James’s head came up and he moved back slightly so that he was sitting on his haunches. “Are you ready, Lisa? Really ready?” he asked her. She didn’t know what to say or do, nothing was making sense in her head.

  “I asked you a question – are you ready?” he asked again, this time more forcefu
lly, and she nodded her head once.

  He moved so fast she didn’t know she had been moved, until her face was hitting the bed. She was lying on her stomach and his hands were travelling up her legs, over her behind and up to her neck and back down. His hands were like fire on her skin and that same kitten sound escaped her lips.

  The sounds she was making were driving James wild and he couldn’t wait to force her to make more and more of them.

  His hands kneaded her soft behind, he started relatively gently and then got more strong, rough, and her noises grew. He pulled her up onto her knees and she moved to get up onto all fours. James pushed her shoulders down hard. “No – keep your head down there. You will submit to me, Wolf!”

  As soon as the words left his throat she nearly came. What the hell was happening to her body?

  She had never submitted to anyone, apart from her father’s direct orders ... and only sometimes to him too. She had many a bruise from him putting her in her place. So why, why, when James ordered her to submit, did she nearly come? She had no idea. Her Wolf was howling and in her mind she could see it cowering in submission, telling her ‘Yes.’

  She tried to lift her head again to see what would happen – she was always pushing the boundaries. As soon as she did she felt a slap on her behind, not a gentle one either. “I said no!” and he slapped her twice more. She was sure her behind would be red. Each slap went straight to her core and she made that sound again.

  James massaged where he had slapped her, he didn’t want to bruise her, only let her know who was boss. His hand slid down into her very wet folds and he pushed a finger in, then two. She pushed backwards, wanting more. He felt all around, getting to know her body, getting to know just where to touch to make her happy, make her purr. Too soon, though, he knew he had to take her.