by Lacey Savage
“Not yet. I want to show you something.” He turned and headed for the door, and Eve saw no option but to follow.
He led her down the hall and ushered her into his office. It was a spacious room with floor-to-ceiling windows that bathed the place in sunlight during the day. At night, they offered a perfect view of the city.
One end of the office housed the usual furniture: a wide mahogany desk, leather chairs and a matching sofa, bookshelves and a widescreen TV Daniel used for teleconferences. The other end had been turned into a private lab. Stainless steel and flawless white marble floors gave that part of the room a sophisticated, scientific appearance. All of it smelled lightly of disinfectant.
He paused in front of a large, state-of-the-art microscope. “Have a look.”
Despite herself, Eve had to admit she was intrigued. Daniel never showed her what he was working on, and she’d learned long ago not to ask. Their scientific methods and approaches were too different, but they worked well together… when they weren’t working on the same project.
She pressed her eyes to the lens. Red shapes came to life before her, swirling in circular patterns. “What is it?”
“That’s the million dollar question, isn’t it?” She could hear the pride in his voice, the barely-controlled need to share his breakthrough. She waited for him to continue. “It’s the answer to a legacy.”
Eve swallowed a sigh. That was just like Daniel. Talking in riddles and not saying much. “I don’t understand.”
“What would you say if I told you I found a way to cure your friend of his condition? Permanently.”
She blinked twice, trying to read between the lines and figure out Daniel’s meaning. Her boss loved to play games. The more obscure his scientific references, the happier he was when someone finally figured out why his latest discovery was so important. “You lost me again, Daniel.”
His brows furrowed, forming a crease just above his nose. “I’m talking about J.C. Hill. He’s a sick man, as you well know.”
Eve’s heart pounded against her ribcage. How did he know about J.C.? What did he know about J.C.?
“Lycanthropy,” Daniel continued in a calm voice, as though he was talking about the day’s weather, “is a disease, like cancer, AIDS, or multiple sclerosis. And I can cure it.”
Eve gripped the edge of the stainless steel table, feeling the metal bite into her palm. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“On the contrary. I spent the last twenty years perfecting this formula, and it’s finally ready.”
His smug, self-satisfied grin made bile rise to the back of Eve’s throat. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you’re in a perfect position to administer the cure.”
“I am?” She needed to sit down, but there were no chairs in this part of the office, and the leather couch looked so far away. She wasn’t sure her feet would carry her without her knees turning to Jell-O on the way there.
Daniel picked up a black plastic case and handed it to her. She opened it with trembling fingers. A syringe and a vial of clear liquid sat on red velvet lining, like a morbid offering. She snapped the lid closed.
“Inject the alpha with the serum, and its effects will spread through the pack like wildfire.”
Eve gnawed on her lower lip. “How?”
“Genetics. J.C.’s boys’ night out is the perfect opportunity for the formula to do its job. Brad will be cured next, as will anyone the two of them have sex with from there on. It’s fool-proof.”
Thoughts churned through Eve’s brain, flashing by before she could formulate them into coherent sentences. The last week had been a jumble of strange situations and bizarre phenomena. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, yearning for the days of never-ending spore analysis.
“How do you know so much about J.C.?” she asked at last.
Daniel shrugged. “Any good scientist does his research before embarking on a new project, you know that. When J.C.’s father died, I was the one who performed the autopsy. I know more about lycan anatomy than anyone else.”
Doubt nagged at the back of Eve’s mind, but she couldn’t quite grasp its source. Something in Daniel’s explanation didn’t make sense. “Did J.C.’s dead father tell you about his son’s fondness for men?”
He waved away her question as if flicking away an annoying insect. “Don’t be absurd. Knowing their physiology isn’t enough. I needed to know the alpha’s habits, his hobbies, his impulses and obsessions.”
He still hadn’t answered her question, but she didn’t push him. Her head spun. “Why don’t you inject him, then? Why do you need me?”
She had the satisfaction of seeing him frown. It wasn’t something Daniel did often. “Because he trusts you. He’d never let me get that close to him.”
“Will this hurt him? Kill him? What kind of cure are we talking about?”
Daniel’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Nothing like that. He’ll simply no longer be affected by the full moon, or anything else that might cause his shift, for that matter. He’ll remain human for the rest of his days.”
Human? Well, that would be good, wouldn’t it? She’d seen the aggravation being stuck in mid-shift had caused J.C. Maybe a cure for lycanthropy wasn’t such a bad thing. It would certainly solve a lot of problems for him. And for her.
The notion of a relationship between a human and a werewolf was absurd. But if J.C. was no longer in danger of turning into a creature of the night when they were together… well, things could be different then.
Eve slid the case into the front pocket of her lab coat. “I’ll talk to him. I can’t promise anything else.”
Daniel gripped her arm as she turned to leave. “No. You can’t let him know what the formula does. Werewolves don’t see their condition as a medical anomaly that needs to be cured. For them, it’s simply a way of life.”
Pain flashed behind Eve’s eyes as the migraine that had been lurking dimly in her head all night finally hit with sudden force. She shook off Daniel’s grasp. “I’m not promising anything. To be honest, I wasn’t planning on seeing J.C. again. Ever.”
Liar. She saw the accusation in Daniel’s dancing hazel eyes, in the upturn of his lips. “You’ll have to do what you think is best for you, of course. Take the day off and think about it.”
Eve nodded and headed for the door. Back in her office, she pulled out the box from her pocket, shed the lab coat, and grabbed her briefcase and keys.
Outside, the sky wasn’t quite black anymore. Dawn would break soon. The digital display of her wristwatch read 5 AM.
It was Friday morning. J.C. would be at Hard Delights tonight.
And so would she.
Chapter Six
In one short night, Eve had managed to take every rebellious feeling J.C. had ever harbored against finding a mate and turn it into a mass of lust and confusion. He still didn’t want a mate any more than he’d wanted one a week ago. That hadn’t changed. Unfortunately, neither had the pressure the elders were applying. He had just a little over three weeks to mate before the elders took “decisive action,” whatever that meant. J.C. had a feeling he didn’t want to find out.
What had changed, though, was him. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. Every flash of yellow-gold hair, tumbling down a woman’s back, every slip of red material that crossed his path, every pair of sapphire eyes boring into his made his cock jolt to throbbing awareness.
J.C. leaned his elbows on the metal railing overlooking the park. The cool evening air caressed his face with a feather-light touch. It was a busy night. Men walked in holding hands, whispering in each other’s ears, anticipating a night of delightful adult fun. He scanned the crowd, his eyes searching, seeking, desperately yearning for one glimpse of her.
“Don’t tell me you just want to talk again.” Brad’s teasing voice washed over him, reminding J.C. of why he was really here.
He turned and leaned back against the railing, eyeing his lover. They’d been doing this for
years, yet until last week, J.C. had continued to look forward to their nights together as though it were the first time. There was something about Brad that drew J.C. to him, and it was more than his solid build, his thick cock, or his perfect, tight ass. The man carried himself with the kind of confident presence that only came from being truly self-assured. J.C. envied him that.
“No, definitely not. I’m here to fuck. Hard. Take my mind off things.”
Brad grinned. He’d been doing entirely too much of that lately. “Things? Or a certain blonde?”
J.C. grabbed Brad’s chin in his fingers, tilting his head until he could smell the strong scent of his lover’s aftershave. Old Spice. His favorite. “You’re the only blond I have a thing for, and you know it.”
“Then why --”
J.C. silenced him with a kiss. He’d meant it to be gentle, but it turned savage, raw, before he even knew what happened. His teeth scraped across Brad’s tongue when the man’s lips parted to allow him entry. He tasted blood.
Thank the Goddess there wasn’t a full moon tonight. He didn’t want a repeat of their last time together.
Brad broke away, an appreciative smirk spreading over his face, making his eyes crinkle. “Now that’s the man I remember.” He glanced over J.C.’s shoulder and his grin deepened further, bringing out his dimples. “If you’re not interested in any other blonde, then I suppose I shouldn’t tell you who just strolled through the front gate.”
J.C.’s heart pounded against his ribs. Blood roared in his head, thrummed in his veins. His cock twitched in protest at being confined.
And he hadn’t even turned around yet.
“This is stupid,” he said, though more for his own benefit than Brad’s. Taking a deep breath, he spun on his heel and let his gaze wander. It didn’t take long to spot her.
Men swarmed around Eve as though she drew them all like a magnet. J.C. rubbed his hand over his jaw. He hadn’t shaved, and the light bristles tickled his palm.
Maybe she did attract them with unnatural force. Maybe she had some sort of magical ability to draw the attention of every man in sight. Maybe that’s why he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
He craved an explanation, something simpler than feelings, emotions, or anything else that would only get him into trouble. He did not want a mate. And a human mate was worse than no mate.
Tonight, Eve wore another short dress, this one a soft powder blue. He didn’t have to see her eyes to know the color would set them off to their full advantage. Her legs peeked from under a ruffled hem and he couldn’t help but stare at the lean lines of her calves, her elegant ankles, her white strappy lace-up sandals.
A growl formed unbidden on his lips. She looked incredible. No, better than incredible. She looked delectable, good enough to eat. He wanted to run his tongue over every inch of her body. The dress pushed up her cleavage and her breasts bounced with every step she took. Last week, he hadn’t been able to pay much attention to her breasts. He vowed to change that tonight.
A tall black man whispered something in Eve’s ear as she walked past him. She tossed her head back and laughed, the silvery sound of her giggle reaching J.C.’s ears on a breeze. He clenched his jaw, fighting the jealousy that settled like lead deep in his gut.
This wasn’t happening. The feelings pounding at his heart were too much to control, and they were happening too fast.
They shouldn’t be happening at all!
“I think she’s seen us,” Brad said.
She had. Glancing up to where they stood on the wrap-around wooden platform of the “Blow Me Away” roller coaster, she gave a small wave and headed in their direction.
J.C. gritted his teeth. Arousal poured through his veins, set his balls on fire. It drove hot tremors into his hard dick, making it rise and sway in the confines of his pants. If he felt this way now, what would fucking her do to him?
Panic washed over him. He didn’t want a mate, but Goddess, he wanted -- needed -- to fuck Eve.
“I’ll take the wager,” J.C. whispered to Brad as Eve climbed the steps toward them. “A threesome,” he added quickly. “If you win, I’m yours.”
Brad inhaled sharply. “What changed your mind?”
J.C. didn’t have time to answer before Eve reached them. It was better that way… he didn’t think he could have admitted it aloud anyway. Besides, Brad would think he’d lost his mind, but on the contrary, he was thinking clearer than he’d been all week.
A threesome was the answer to all his problems.
He’d get to fuck Eve without the danger of that impulsive action turning into more than it needed to be. After all, any woman willing to fuck two men at once wasn’t mate material.
J.C. repeated that thought in his mind like a mantra as Eve stood on her tiptoes and brushed a light kiss over his jaw. “Shall we go inside?” Her breathy whisper made his gut clench in anticipation.
“You don’t waste time.”
She laughed again, that same silvery sound. “What would be the point?”
“I wasn’t sure if you’d return, especially after the way you ran out of the park last time.”
Her brilliant blue eyes clouded over for only a moment, then she shrugged and the beaming smile returned. “I’ve been thinking about you all week.”
“What a coincidence,” Brad said. “So has --”
“No one,” J.C. interrupted before Brad could say something they’d both regret.
Eve raised a perfect eyebrow. Black liner circled her sapphire eyes, making them shimmer in the park’s hard neon light. “So has no one?”
J.C. grunted and stormed through the flimsy door into the shed. Inside, the dim overhead light flickered in the dusty interior of the small room. He heard the door close behind him and the bolt swing into place. He smiled at Brad’s thoughtfulness. Obviously, he didn’t want them to be interrupted again any more than J.C. did.
With one last look around the room to make sure he had everything he’d need close at hand, J.C. turned and took Eve in his arms. A becoming shade of red coated her cheekbones as she grinned up at him. Her eyes sparkled. “Now who’s not wasting any time?”
“As you said… what would be the point?”
She tilted her head, a smile lifting the corners of her mouth. Her nipples pressed into his chest through the thin barrier of her dress. He lowered his lips to the side of her slender throat and her breathing quickened as he nipped the silky flesh.
“Werewolves don’t bite, right?”
“Not the same way vampires do, if that’s what you mean.”
She released a sigh that could only have been relief.
J.C.’s pulse quickened. He ran his hands down her back and cupped her ass, pressing her against him, showing her how much he wanted her. “You still maintain you’re not afraid of me?”
She shook her head and murmured, “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
But her voice had quivered for a moment, just enough to make J.C.’s balls tighten in their sac. Oh, yeah. He’d have her exactly where he wanted her tonight. She’d be at his mercy.
“Then why don’t you let me take control?”
Her giggle held more than a tinge of nervousness. “What do you mean?”
“You’d have to trust me. Should be easy for a woman who isn’t afraid of werewolves, don’t you think?”
She hesitated. He could almost hear her brain working on the puzzle he’d presented. Should she let him do with her as he wished? What if she’d misread him? What if he really was capable of hurting her?
J.C. didn’t push her. He waited until she made up her mind. Another sigh escaped her lips, this one softer, more resigned. “All right.”
J.C. flashed Brad a grin over Eve’s shoulder. The other man had blended into the shadows at the back of the room, waiting for an indication of Eve’s willingness to play with both of them tonight.
“Take off your dress,” J.C. commanded.
She stepped out of his arms, tossed her small purse in a corne
r of the room, and slid the thin straps of her dress down her shoulders. Her creamy breasts sprung free. Dark areolas and tempting pointy nipples took his breath away. He held his breath as her dress slipped lower, revealing her flat stomach, her curvy hips, and the smallest slip of a thong he’d ever seen. She pulled that down as well without needing to be told.
Her pussy looked magnificent in the dim glow. He hadn’t been able to see much beneath the ledge the previous week, but now he could tell she was a natural blonde. A thin strip of hair ran down the length of her cunt, but the rest of her was bare and, he knew from experience, smooth and soft and wet to touch, to taste. Her pink, enlarged labia begged for attention.
“Your turn,” she said, standing in the middle of the room, her gaze fixed on his.
“I’m giving the orders, remember?”
Her brows furrowed, but she didn’t contradict him. He saw her swallow hard. Was she nervous? Maybe even a little frightened?
“See that table?” He pointed to the wooden piece of furniture in the middle of the room. It was square, and had perhaps served as a dining table that sat four at one point. Deep grooves ran the length of the tabletop and thick legs supported its weight. There were no chairs.
Eve nodded.
“I want you to bend over it.”
Her kohl-rimmed eyes widened as she took in the length and height of the table, then her gaze moved to the shadows. To Brad. She jumped and tried to cover her breasts with her arms while her hands flew to her pussy. “I didn’t know you were still here.”
Brad’s wolfish grin gleamed white from the darkness, but he didn’t answer.
“I asked him to stay,” J.C. said.
He waited for her reaction. If she was going to run, this would be the time to do it. “Oh, you’re good.” She tilted her head and watched them both. “You’re very good.”
J.C. smiled in spite of himself. “Bend over the table, Eve.”
She licked her lips. The static electricity of excitement practically hummed in the dusty air of the small shed. After what felt to J.C. like an eternity, she inclined her head. “As you wish.”