“When we learned that you would come here, I was overjoyed,” her mother continued. “I tried to come up with a way to meet with you, and to see your little brother but then we learned that Brenna would come, too, and this friend of hers you call Rick.”
Hearing his name, knowing it was him who had driven her father and brother to what she was thinking was safety made her freeze.
“Why was dad wounded? Why did you have to kill Kiana’s brother? Or her father?”
This time regret did appear on her mother’s face.
“This was a risk I had to take giving that task to half-breeds. If the hunters were that close, there was a chance that they would simply see it as half-breeds losing control. That it was merely a random attack without any meaning. But chances are that when they find out you were taken, they will come after us again, to finish what they had started twenty-one years ago: Erasing the divine bloodlines.”
Lia’s head started to hurt and she pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Divine bloodlines?”
“Call them divine, ancient, blue or royal, none of them really fit,” her mother answered. “I gave you your name for a reason. For hunters, it was my melancholy. My name is Kiala, and I am the current leader of our clan, and you are my heir. Your father, your real father was his clan leader’s son and brother to their heir. Movies and books call us alfa’s but we are divine blooded. You can recognize us by the gold in our eyes.”
I have golden eyes when the sun shines into them!
“Yes, you have,” her mom smiled and patted her hand.
“You can read my mind?” Lia was shocked.
“One of the perks or curses of being ‘divine,’” her mother quoted that last word with quite some sarcasm, and got ready to leave. “You should eat something and take a shower,” she pointed across the hall. “That bathroom’s yours and there are clothes your size in the closet.”
“Wait, mom!” Lia jumped onto her feet, desperately needing more information. “Why now? I mean, why did I never change before?”
“Your medication,” her mother stated. “Before I had to leave I talked to… your dad about it. I didn’t want you to change completely alone and draw attention to yourself. I honestly didn’t expect your dad to never come back here. I did my best to nudge him into it, so that I could meet you in secret, but I guess his pain sat too deep.”
Lia had so many more questions, some of them were deeply embarrassing her, but she still had to know, but her stomach was rumbling loudly, making her blush and her mother laugh.
“Eat something, then come find me outside, so that I can explain everything to you, the more you know the better for you and all of us. You need to be prepared for what is coming.” With these word,s her mother shut the door behind her.
Does she even know I had sex? Didn’t he take me back because he didn’t want my mom to know? Is he a half-breed?
After her mother left, Kiana came back and ate breakfast with her and much to Lia’s relief she didn’t ask anything, most definitely because she didn’t want to know. Lia had the feeling her cousin believed that she would be allowed to go home one day and to not be a fish out of water for the rest of her life.
When Lia decided to go outside and find her mother after having taken a long hot shower, Kiana told her that she would stay in her room, a smaller one right next to Lia’s and after she closed the door, Lia could hear Kiana lock it and place a chair against the door knob. She couldn’t blame her for that.
The moment she stepped out of the mansion she was sure that this once had to have been a rich man’s summer residence for hunting parties.
No matter where she peeked through the houses there were close to hundred-yard field, or grass, or plantation, or vegetables then the wall and then forest. There had to be forest around the entire estate.
Humanity probably has completely forgotten about this place.
But what once had been a summer residence was now a small seemingly self-sufficient village. They had water and electricity from windmills, and her bathroom was fully functional. But there was no public light, probably, because none of them really needed it.
After looking for her mother, fruitlessly, she couldn’t really stay away from her dad’s car. Lia assumed all their belongings and camp equipment were in there so there had to be her phone with her music, maybe her brother’s iPod, something she could salvage and hold as her own. Something told Liala that the Land Rover wouldn’t be locked, so she could give it a try.
“Don’t,” a deep baritone voice rumbled as she reached out for the Land Rover’s door handle and Lia turned around.
“Why?” She asked the stranger, who felt oddly familiar.
He was considerably taller than her, his hair was pitch-black and his eyes had a color of green that resembled a gemstone. Lia inhaled sharply.
He’s the big black one.
For a second she panicked, believing that he might be able to read her thoughts. It had seemed like it when they had sex, or rather when he had fucked her. Memories from last night invaded her mind and she quickly cleared her throat, and his thoughts seemed to have strayed far, too. He looked a tiny wee bit uncomfortable.
“Because we just finished preparing it to be placed,” he explained, “and we can’t have your fingerprints where we don’t want them.”
It was hard to focus on what he was saying when all Lia could hear was his voice moaning in pleasure.
“Oh,” she bought time, doing her best to evoke the words he had spoken from her memory. “But my phone is in there, and my purse, my dad’s and…”
“Your phone never got here, no devices that can be tracked are allowed ever near this place, sorry,” his answer came off a bit cold.
Oh wow, so he’s one of those guys.
“I gave the pictures and the book to Jax to take them to your mother, so that she could give them to you,” he explained and he suddenly became defensive. “I didn’t know you were her daughter. I’m… uhm, sorry.”
“Sorry about what?” Lia dug deeper. “And who’s Jax?”
Usually, she wouldn’t care. She would have said thanks and have left. But this guy, he just struck a nerve in her.
“Jax was the one you ran over with your dad’s car. And I am also sorry for killing one of them in front of you.” He made it sound as if there had been no other possibility.
“I guess you just lost your temper, huh?” She gave back without much thought and then felt she could punch herself right in the face.
What a bitch I am!
She had no idea if he really was a half-breed and sticking it to him was just Brenna’s style not hers.
“I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean it the way I said that,” Lia added quickly, bringing her hand up to her mouth that for her, just made everything worse.
“In my defense,” he responded, smirking crookedly. “You just had run over one of my best friends. You sort of got me pissed off and I tend to forget how fragile humans can be. It’s been a while.”
Lia had the strong feeling that this big black wolf was being ambiguous and wanted to make her squirm for being a little bitch.
“We haven’t been properly introduced,” she reached out her hand. “Unless one of the sounds you made were actually your name.”
He blinked once and then barely managed to burst into laughter and that was a beautiful thing to behold. Taking her hand, he shook it once and then pulled her closer towards him.
“I’ll tell you for a kiss,” he whispered as if he was sharing a secret.
Before she knew what she was doing, Liala had slapped him and he was just as surprised as she was.
“I’m going to call you ‘ass,’ then,” she recovered fast, trying to act like she had done it intentionally and turned away, just to realize that he was still holding her hand.
“It’s Nate,” he rumbled and then laughed, rubbing his cheek with his free hand. “I guess I deserved that. It was worth a try.”
“I thought you know
now who my mother is,” Lia nudged him verbally.
“It only makes what we did more, complicated,” Nate shrugged, letting go of her head.
“What ‘we’ did?” Lia put her fists onto her hips.
“Yes,” Nate smirked again. “I asked you, remember?”
Lia’s hearts stopped beating for a second.
He’s right!
“I asked for your consent,” his voice became lower and he leaned in closer with every word he spoke. “And you pretty much ordered me to…”
Lia pressed her fingers on his mouth before he could either say the words or kiss her.
Now at least I have an excuse to look at his lips. Fuck, I shouldn’t have.
His lips were soft against her fingers. Soft and exactly full enough to make her absolutely certain that they were to die for, because absolutely everything about him seemed to be crazily alluring to her and that fact simply annoyed her as much as it did something absolutely different.
“Stop that!” She whispered although she wanted to shout, warping her face to prevent herself from grinning.
“I can’t really blame you for not knowing what that means,” Nate brought back the distance between them and Lia felt oddly cold. “And if I had known, who you were, I wouldn’t have put you in that position.”
“So why did you?” Lia demanded to know and he gave her a look, tilting his head, almost shaking his head and that gave her the feeling she had forgotten how to spell her own name: “Because I wanted you, and I don’t rape.” He said. “Where were you headed anyway?” He continued as if they never had talked about their sexual encounter. “I saw you strolling around, and didn’t want to disturb you while you were getting yourself familiar with everything.”
“You’re not getting off the hook that easily,” Lia shook her head.
“Well, tell me where you were headed, and I’ll take you and you can continue teasing me,” Nate suggested.
Crap, I want to jump him right now. Is that how he feels around me?
“Okay, but you have to tell me what this ‘asking for consent’ is about, okay?” She poked his upper right arm with her index finger. “I was looking for my mom.”
“Deal,” Nate nodded and started walking. “And you shouldn’t poke me, I have a temper.” he teased.
“Oh really,” Lia gave back. “I didn’t notice.”
“I think your mother is meeting with the elders, and they are contacting the spirit world for guidance,” he explained and talked as if his choice of words was the most normal thing to say, but for Lia all of this was so new.
“Because of what happened last night?” she inquired carefully as she fell in to step with him after a few yards.
It seems as if he was making smaller steps so that she could keep up with him. He was definitely six foot six in his human form, and his eyes were just as mesmerizing. His skin appeared slightly olive colored which gave him a healthy, lightly tanned look, while she herself was rather rosy-toned. Everything about him was attractive to her, his size, his looks, the way he talked and sounded, and definitely his voice. And then there was that other part of his body.
“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?” Nate suddenly said, lustfully with a gleam in his eye and Lia stopped walking just as he had, seemingly totally confused.
“I didn’t hear you, did I?” she realized, embarrassedly.
“Yes,” he was straight forward, another very attractive feature she liked in him.
“Could you say it again?” Lia asked weakly.
“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?” He repeated his last words innocently, but couldn’t stop grinning.
“You fucker,” Lia punched him in his chest playfully.
“Hey!” – “What? I didn’t poke you.”
Nate turned towards her and that move alone was enough to invade her personal space. Lia didn’t retreat and because of that she had to lean her head back a little, just in order to look at his face and he was already leaning towards her, so they ended up with their noses almost colliding. The sudden tension between them was tangible.
Fuck, I really want to kiss him. How the fuck does he do that? It’s not fair!
Liala’s eyes hurt from not looking at his lips. If she did, he would defeat her a second time. And this time he was playing fair. Not rubbing anything against her.
“Does your cock change, too?” Liala blurted out and Nate almost stumbled backwards, taken by surprise.
“What?” he asked, obviously thinking he didn’t hear her right the first time.
“That’s a fair question,” she gave back, doing her best to appear cool and collected, which probably looked absolutely hilarious to him, but he didn’t show it.
“Well, I guess you will have to find out,” he shrugged and turned to continue walking.
“Are we being shy now?” Liala teased. “I guess that means you’re afraid you’re not enough for me as human.”
Liala had no clue what had gotten into her and why she had to tease him like that. It had to be her way to show affection, that was the only explanation. She didn’t even really want to deny it to herself that she was still attracted to him, and that attraction seemed to grow with every moment she knew him. Why couldn’t she just grab him and kiss him?
What if mom doesn’t approve? She said she sent half-bloods to attack us last night. So… he has to be a half-blood. That means I can’t be with him if I am so important that she was willing to sacrifice being with me in order to protect me. Crap, I’m such a coward.
They hadn’t even gotten from the shed to the main road, leading away from the mansion, and the place around the forecourt was completely empty. Before Nate had a chance to act on any impulse he felt, Liala grabbed him by his neck and guided his mouth onto hers. She stepped backwards, so that her back collided with the wooden shed behind her and Nate, he gave in instantly and willingly.
His mouth was soft and yet harsh and demanding, not being satisfied with a single kiss. He wanted more and he took it, after all it had been her again, inviting him in. Lia just didn’t expect him to be that impulsive. Nate grabbed her by her hips and lifted her up as if she weighed nothing, guiding her legs around his hips and then pressed her toward the wooden wall behind her and with that movement, grind his hard-on against her already swollen clit. Liala moaned into his mouth, not really caring about her chance to answer her question for herself, by focusing of the foreign heat between her legs.
“Fuck, I want you right now,” Nate managed to admit.
“Right now?” Lia panted.
“And right here,” he wasn’t kidding.
“What if someone comes?” Lia pulled her face away, but there wasn’t much room for her to go, placing the back of her head against the wall behind her.
“Oh,” Nate smirked, and grind himself against her once more. “Someone will definitely come.”
“Filthy dog,” Lia moaned.
“You know, I’m all but domesticated,” he gave back.
“Are you?”
That’s when Liala realized that she wanted more, even though she didn’t know him. She didn’t know Nate at all. Everything he had told her could be a lie. He could have known who she was right from the beginning.
Maybe he gets off fucking his alfa’s daughter?
And then there was this undeniable fact that he had killed Jason right in front of her, with nothing more but a twitch of his thumb.
“I lost you again, but this time not in a good way,” Nate stated the obvious, but got what he wanted: Lia’s attention. “I still have to tell you what this ‘asking for consent’ is about, right?”
Lia nodded, trying to ignore that she was still sitting on his hips with his cock twitching between her legs. It was way too easy for him to break her composure.
“If you invite me to have sex with you,” he explained, his green eyes staring deeply into hers. “It means that you are considering me as a mate.”
Lia flinched.
“Mate?”
she repeated hoarsely – not that this thought was a bad one. “As in, a lifelong partner?”
“More like a worthy candidate to father your child,” he answered, staring thoughtlessly at her lips.
“What? Like I can just pick someone else after you got me pregnant?” Lia tried to make sense of his words.
“In your case, it might be your duty,” Nate responded again, honestly.
“So, that’s why you said, you didn’t know who my mother was?”
“I don’t fucking care who your mother is.”
8 – Responsibility
Liala felt as if she was losing all sense for reason, when Nate kissed her like this, demandingly, or rather, when his oh-so-delicious mouth brutalized her neck, while his boner was pressed against her clit, making her eyes roll in their sockets. If he stripped her bare right then and there and fucked her out in the open for everyone to see, she would not mind. After all, he had done it once already.
She didn’t care that inviting him to fuck her meant that she regarded him as candidate to get her pregnant. By all means, she would love to practice with him on a regular level.
When did I become such a horndog?
“Lia?!” She suddenly could hear her mother with her ears and with her mind.
Uh-oh.
Liala just knew that her mother was very much aware of what she was doing right now.
This is fucking embarrassing.
She needed to learn a way to shield her thoughts from her mother. No matter how amazing it was to have her back in her life, there was a certain, very certain, need for privacy.
Nate already put her down on her feet and stepped far away enough from her to imply that they just had been talking and nothing more, but considering the glare her mother was giving him, she knew exactly what they had been up to.
“There has been a disturbance at the gate,” she told him, her expression dark. “Go!”
Nate didn’t make a sound, just nodded, and ran off, not even giving Liala another glance, and that hurt, deep.
“He was taking me to you,” she explained, but her mother shook her head.
“You still have so much to learn, Lia,” she told her. “And that is the only reason I am not scolding right now. Nate will have to explain himself. He knows who you are and that you are off limits to him.”
HOWL and HUNT the HEIR: HOWL 1-3 (Dark World) Page 11