by Anya Bast
Glaring, she pushed past him and bolted for the door of the bar.
He exited into the night air, breathing in the late Minnesota autumn. There was a chill bite to the air, a hint of winter on its way. Like most weres, he relished the colder temperatures—all the better for running in fur.
She hugged herself against the chill and gazed down Oak Street. This end of town was just starting to come alive, the nocturnal shops and restaurants opening at twilight. They needed to walk two blocks down, to Hessian’s, a restaurant located between vamp and were territory, but mostly frequented by weres.
Kylie tipped her face up to the sky, where the moon was ripening toward full and stars shimmered all around the silver almost-orb. His gaze traced her jawline and the slender column of her throat, his body tightening and his cock twitching in his jeans. He gritted his teeth, clamping down on the impulse to draw her into his arms and slide his mouth over hers, then follow the line of her throat with his tongue. The closer to the full moon, the harder it was to control his desires.
She drew a deep breath. Apparently he was doing a good job of masking his thoughts, since she smiled at him. “The council pointed out to me this morning that if I reject you and Michael, I could be rejecting my soul mates. The timing of this is bad for me, yet passing up my one true chance at love would be a pity.” She studied him closely. “Do you think you’re really my soul mate?”
“I know you’re mine, Kylie. Known that for years.” He managed to mostly disguise the growl in his voice. “That’s all I know.”
Her eyes widened a little and her lips parted. The slight shiver he imagined he saw may have been wishful thinking.
Before he could do something to scare her off, he turned and started walking down the street. “I’m hungry, aren’t you?” He was hungry, but not for food. His body hummed with awareness of her and he wasn’t sure they’d even make it to the restaurant.
Be civilized, Christian. Don’t scare her off. She’s human.
She fell into step beside him, the heat of her body radiating out and warming his side. The faint scent of her perfume teased his nose and made his balls tighten. There weren’t many free women in his pack, but he’d slept with almost all the ones who were free. Still, he’d never had any woman affect him the way Kylie did. That’s how he knew the council was right the moment they’d made the proclamation.
They walked in silence, Kylie looking up into the night sky and admiring the stars, Christian warring with his impulse to pull her into the dark and kiss her senseless. His hands fisted at his sides. He was losing that fight.
Darkness closed around them as they entered a quiet stretch. Huge oak trees stood sentinel at equal intervals on either side of the sidewalk, streetlamps glowing above them and casting dappled shadows on the concrete walkway.
Kylie glanced at him. “So, how—”
He turned, took her by the waist and dragged her up against his chest, his other hand finding her nape. In the dim light, he saw her surprised expression and cursed his inability to resist her…then he kissed her.
Her body stiffened against his, then relaxed. She kissed him back with surprising intensity, her lips sliding over his. His tongue found the seam of her mouth and pushed inside. A slight growl issued from the back of his throat as the sweet taste of her spread through him, made him want more. His cock went hard, pressing painfully against the zipper of his jeans. The wolf inside him throbbed with savage need for its mate. He couldn’t wait any longer for her; he couldn’t be civilized—not now, not where Kylie was concerned.
He dropped his hand from the nape of her neck to her waist and pushed his hand under her shirt, finding the smooth skin of her lower back. She felt so nice—like silk. He wanted to know what the rest of her felt like, wanted to experience her nude body rubbing up against him.
She broke the kiss and he worried for a moment she’d pull away. If she pulled away, he would have to let her—but it would be hard. “You affect me in a dangerous way, Christian.” Her voice was shaking, a little uncontrolled. “I shouldn’t want this. I should run away from you right now…but I can’t.”
The wolf inside him howled in triumph. His mouth curved in a feral smile. She was his. His. “Then let’s forget dinner. Come home with me.”
Her eyes seemed wide and extraluminous, part of her face in shadow. He held his breath waiting for her answer, hoping with everything he was that she would listen to her body and not her head, listen to the faint whisper in her heart that was telling her the truth—she loved him, she just didn’t know it yet.
Then she nodded and he didn’t hesitate. Taking her by the hand, he hightailed it to his car before she could change her mind.
Chapter Four
What was she doing?
She’d completely convinced herself that she was going to resist these men, then Christian had kissed her and all her hard-assed sentiment had flown out the window on the wings of her goddamned undersexed libido.
She could tell herself she was just doing this because she was a woman with certain…needs and Christian was an incredibly attractive man, but she wasn’t heartless. Christian and Michael both actually seemed to care for her—amazing as that was. She wasn’t the type to use a man for sex and then walk out the door.
Therefore, every inch of her was aware of the commitment she was making by going home with Christian right now. By doing this, she was agreeing to explore the bond the council said she had with these two men.
The darkened streets of Sweet Rock flew by the passenger’s side window of the car at an alarmingly fast rate. Christian was pretty impatient to get her home and into his bed and she was impatient to be there—consequences be damned.
He pulled into the driveway of his small, neat white house at the edge of town and practically broke the sound barrier getting around to her side of the vehicle to open her door. He lifted her straight into his arms with a strength that gave her pause and carried her up the steps and into the house, slamming the door behind them with his booted foot.
He set her down in the entryway and immediately began to kiss her. These weren’t just any kisses—they were kisses that stole her breath and made her knees weak. He slid his arm around her and bent her toward his body, his mouth slanting hungrily over hers and his tongue sliding into her mouth to ease up against her own.
Inch by inch, he moved her backward toward a doorway she could only get a glimpse of. The dark house closed them in lovely, velvet seclusion. Traveling through shadows and discarding clothing as they went, Christian nudged her into his room and up against the side of his bed.
His hands found the hem of her shirt and lifted it over her head, throwing it to the side. Her breasts, still cupped in her bra, brushed his chest as she did the same, exposing his powerful upper body to the exploration of her hands and lips.
He undid the button and zipper of her pants, slid them down her legs and pushed her back onto the bed gently to pull them completely off, along with her shoes. She reclined on the soft mattress wearing nothing but her bra and underwear and stared up at Christian in the shadowed light. He stood wearing only his jeans, his chest bare and beautiful in the shadowed light. Her fingers itched to touch him and her tongue thirsted to taste him.
“Come here,” she whispered.
He crawled onto the bed over her, his mouth coming down on hers as she worked the button and zipper of his jeans and pushed them past his hips, his hard, long cock springing free. He shed his jeans and tangled his fingers in her underwear, yanking them impatiently down and off.
Planing the inside of her leg with his hand, he parted her thighs and made a hungry noise in the back of his throat as he stared down at her bare cunt. She shifted on the bed, aroused to the point of begging, and thrust her hips up at him just a little in invitation.
He bent his dusky blond head and kissed along her upper thigh, making her bow her spine and moan his name as he worked his way up. His mouth closed over her sex and she bit her lower lip to keep from crying ou
t. The sight of his head between her legs as he sucked her swollen, aching clit almost undid her.
“God, you taste good,” he whispered, his breath warm on her sensitive, aroused flesh. “I want to make you come this way.”
Her fingers gripped the blankets on either side of her as his finger found her entrance and pushed inside. She gasped as her body adjusted to the width and length of his digit. It had been a long time since anything had penetrated her and her muscles clamped down around his thrusting finger. He added a second, stretching her even farther, then lowered his mouth back to her clit and nibbled and sucked it until she was near-incoherent with lust.
She closed her eyes and tossed her head, her toes curling as the first hint of impending orgasm teased her body. His fingers thrust in and out of her faster and harder, making pleasure ripple through her while he made low sounds in his throat as though she was the best thing he’d ever tasted.
The first climax she’d had in years burst over her body like a bomb exploding. Her back arched and she cried out, clawing the blankets on either side of her as the sensation gripped her hard. All she could do was hold on and go for the ride.
When the waves of pleasure finally passed, she lay panting and sated on the mattress for a moment. Then she pushed up and sealed her mouth to his as though not kissing him would kill her. He used the press of his lips to push her back down onto the mattress, one hand slipping behind her back to undo her bra strap.
Her fingers found and curled around his cock, stroking him from root to luscious, smooth tip until he groaned into her mouth, making the hair on her nape rise and her body quicken for him. She couldn’t wait to have him inside her…
“Oh,” she whispered. “Birth control.”
He jerked a little, as though the words came as a surprise to him. “Birth control,” he agreed and reached over, fumbling in a drawer by the side of his bed for a condom. He went to tear open the package with his teeth, but she plucked it from him before he could.
Scooting away from him a little, she let her bra fall off and stifled a smile at the way he studied her bare breasts so intently. Her breasts were one of her best physical features, full and nicely shaped. Right now, her pink nipples stood at hard attention, letting Christian know just how excited she was.
Parting her legs so he could glimpse her aroused sex as she worked—just to tease him a little—she ripped open the package and crooked a finger.
He came toward her on his knees and she bent her head to his erect cock, sliding her lips over the smooth crown. He jerked and groaned, his fingers tangling in her hair. She gave him a few long strokes, then teased the underside of the crown with the tip of her tongue. Then she slid the condom over his length slowly, her gaze caught intently with his.
“On your hands and knees.” His voice came out rough and needful. It sent shivers through her body.
She did as he requested, tilting her pelvis up and showing him her damp, excited sex. He studied her for a long moment, then ran his hand over her aching sex, spearing two fingers in her from behind and thrusting in and out until she was a panting mess, nearly coming again.
He took her roughly by her waist and pulled her flush up against his pelvis. The jut of his cock pushed like an iron rod against her delicate flesh. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting to get you into my bed?”
She rubbed along his cock, making him moan. “I’m happy you finally got me here.” She was happy now, but she’d probably be regretting this in the morning.
His hands found her breasts and caressed them, rolling the nipples between his thumb and forefingers until her body jerked in a sudden flush of pleasure. “You are so fucking beautiful and I can’t wait to hear you come again.”
She shifted her hips. “Then what are you waiting for?” Her voice came out breathless.
He guided his cock to the entrance of her sex and pushed slowly between her lips. She moaned, hitting the mattress with her closed fist as her muscles stretched deliciously to accommodate him. Pleasure skittered through her body, stealing her thoughts and sometimes even her breath.
Little by little, he pushed deep inside her until he was seated to the root and Kylie was filled up more than she thought she ever had been. Then he began to thrust.
She saw stars. Moaning, she gripped the blankets as he stroked inside her faster and harder. His hand slipped down to flatten against her abdomen, then eased between her thighs to find her aroused clit. He teased the swollen bit of flesh with the pad of his finger as he fucked her, keeping time with his thrusts.
Her second orgasm hit her like a freight train, pleasure pouring through her and nearly making her lose the ability to remain on her hands and knees. She cried out, her muscles spasming around his thrusting length.
He groaned her name, then bellowed in agonized pleasure, his cock jumping inside her.
When it was over, he lowered her to the bed, took care of the condom and then returned, tucking her against the curve of his body. She snuggled against him with a smile, inhaling the scent of his skin and enjoying the sweet aftermath of really good sex.
His hand roamed her body as though he just couldn’t make himself stop touching her. “Kylie, I wasn’t kidding when I said I’ve wanted you for a long time. I mean, since school. You always seemed so unapproachable, I guess because you’re human. Aside from being gorgeous—” he stroked his warm palm over one breast and her nipple tightened “—I always admired your strength, coupled with that hint of vulnerability you have. You always seemed a little sad and I had the urge to make that sadness go away. I’d always hoped the council would match us.”
She sighed and closed her eyes, her body still tingling from the way he touched her. She knew the sadness he was talking about. “Carolyn told me you’ve been crushing for a while. I had no idea.” It was pretty flattering, in fact. She smiled.
“Right, I forgot she’s your friend.”
“My best friend.”
“She’s a valued member of our pack. I wouldn’t be surprised if the alpha took her one day.”
“Really?” She turned to look up at him. “I don’t think Carolyn has any clue that’s a possibility.”
He shrugged. “I can see it happening. She’s the strongest female in the pack, probably the best option Brady has for a mate. I think he’s just waiting to see what the council says.”
Kylie snuggled back into his arms. Brady Callahan, leader of the Sweet Rock pack, was alpha in every way. She had the impression that Carolyn was both awed and frightened by him—Kylie wondered how she’d take this bit of news.
“What do you know about Michael?” she asked softly.
His hand stroking her outer thigh faltered for a moment, then resumed. “I know him about as well as any werewolf knows a vamp in Sweet Rock. I grew up around him, same as you, but wolves and vamps don’t occupy much the same space.”
Michael and Christian were around the same age, but supe kids of different natures didn’t tend to hang around together. The school in Sweet Rock was integrated, since it was such a small town and there were so few kids, but Michael had been educated mostly away from the school, at home.
“It’s so stupid. I almost feel like I cheated on him. Dumb. I don’t owe him anything.”
“It’s the bond you share with both of us, Kylie. Doesn’t matter what the council said about the three of us, or what anyone else might think—now that your chemistry with me and Michael has been pointed out to you, you feel it. That’s why it feels like you betrayed him by sleeping with me.”
She closed her eyes for a moment, wanting the truth of that statement to go away. Yet, she’d always been attracted to these two particular men. Even when she’d been with Louis, the man she’d thought was the love of her life.
The thought of Louis made her blood go cold. She couldn’t think about him right now, not while she was in Christian’s arms.
“This is all too weird for me.” Her voice came out trembling.
“It’s not my ideal situat
ion, either. My ideal situation would be to have you all to myself.”
“I guess the fact that Michael is a vamp makes it worse.”
“Nah. That doesn’t bother me. Honestly, maybe it’s better this way. At least he’ll keep different hours than I will.”
She laughed. “Yeah, right, and if I accept you both, I’ll never get any sleep.”
He flipped her to her back and slid between her thighs. His mouth came down close to hers. “Baby, tell me you’re not at least a little fascinated by the idea of having two men at once.” He nipped her lower lip and her body tightened in desire.
“Two men…I haven’t really thought that far ahead.”
He slipped on another condom, then nipped her lower lip again, this time a little harder, then licked the tiny hurt. “Four hands on your luscious body, two mouths, two tongues, two cocks…” He moved the head of his cock to her entrance and found her wet and willing. One little thrust and he was inside her again, making her gasp against his lips. He slid a hand beneath her and touched her rear entrance. “You know that if we take you together, one of us will need to go here.”
She jerked as he pushed the tip of his finger inside and then moaned as delicious, curious and unexpected sensations rolled over her at the contact.
“Ah, yes, it’s good, isn’t it?”
“Strange.”
“Just relax and I can show you how good it can be.” He pushed in a little farther and gently thrust into her cunt at the same time.
Her body went rigid as ecstasy slammed through her. She gripped his shoulders and held on as he very gently pushed deeper inside her rear, continuing to drive in and out of her sex at the same time. The sensation of having both her orifices penetrated blew her mind. It produced a blossom of pleasure she’d never known before.
“Christian,” she gasped. “It’s good.” Her words were slurred.
“Oh, baby, you’re killing me.” His voice was rough, uncontrolled. “You don’t know how bad I want to flip you over and take you in your sweet little ass right now.”