“I had to leave the dance floor because of how much I wanted you,” I admit in a rush. “I thought I was going to die earlier, and all I could think about was you and that I should have kissed you when I had the chance. I loved you, and you broke my heart when you didn’t come back, but I still want you.”
Our eyes lock. A grin tugs at the corner of his mouth as his hands move toward my head. I watch him with a bewildered squint as his fingers rake through my hair. With a gentle tug, he slips the tiara free and tosses it onto the bed. His eyes never leave mine.
I want to ask him what he’s doing, and why, but then his hand shifts. His thumb presses into my cheek, and I lose the ability to speak. When it glides over my bottom lip, I stop breathing.
His eyes lower to follow the path of his touch. Then his lips are on mine, softly at first. He brushes up, then down, nibbling one side and then the other, as if remembering what I feel like. The light caress feels like coming home, and I let out a sigh. My mouth opens, and his tongue slides against mine. He kisses me so deeply I briefly worry that the fairies didn’t fix me. I’m dizzy and disoriented and tingly all over, but it’s all courtesy of Luca.
We fall back onto the mattress, bodies and mouths fused together. My hands fold around the back of his neck as he nips, tastes, and teases my lips. Someone moans. Someone growls in response. He hooks one hand around my hip to move me against him. He’s hard and thick and ready, and it does shocking things to my body. He swallows my gasp with a sweep of his tongue.
When my fingers flirt with the waistband of his trousers, his hand snaps from my hip to my wrist. A tortured sound comes from the back of his throat as he tosses my arm up, pinning it above my head. He rises up to peer down at me with hooded eyes.
“We can’t.” His eyes squeeze shut, and his forehead lowers to mine. “I mean, we can, but I don’t think that’s what you want.”
“Umm. I think I do.” I flex my fingers, but his grip on my wrist doesn’t let up. I unfurl my other hand from around his neck. It travels over his shoulder, down the center of his hard chest, and across a plane of noticeable muscle before being ensnared and placed above my head with the other.
“You don’t understand. Royal shifters”—Luca pulls back to look down at me—“mate for life.”
My eyes go wide. “As in . . . I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Wolf?”
“As in forever. You’re so close to the change, and I don’t know . . .” He holds my gaze intently. “As much as I love you and have always loved you, I don’t want to risk forming an unbreakable bond sealed in magic because trust me when I say that you are moments from the change, and forming a bond now isn’t something that we can undo later.”
I attempt a smirk, but it’s hard to pull off with my heart about to explode out of my chest. “What a mood killer.”
“It’s amazing, Sav,” he tells me softly, “and you are going to be a beautiful wolf. But we’re not in a forever place. Not yet.”
I overlook his choice of words, particularly the “not yet,” because I’m not even in a place where I’m ready to discuss the possibilities of what those words could mean in the future. Tonight, I’m a here-and-now kind of girl.
“Kiss me,” I demand with a smile. “Until . . . it’s time? Kiss me until then?”
His eyes smolder when he releases his grip on my wrists—but only to slide his fingers between mine. He lowers his head with a grin that really makes me wish we could do more—fairies and magic and talk about forever be damned.
There is nothing soft about the way Luca kisses me now. His mouth moves over mine with a burning intensity meant to brand me. His tongue invades me, searching and demanding. His hardened body presses down, searing me in all the right places. Hot need combusts in my belly, turning my body into a live wire. I arch my hips and find the relief I need. Luca rocks against me, and I nearly explode.
“More,” I grit. I strain against the hold he has on my hands, but he doesn’t let go.
“I know what you need,” he murmurs against my lips. “I’ve got you.”
He rolls off of me, temporarily releasing me. He pins both arms above my head with only one hand this time. His mouth closes over mine, first stifling my words of complaint and then my sighs of pleasure as his free hand drifts down the front of my dress to where I need him the most. His fingers slip between my legs, and I turn into a shuddering, trembling mess.
I am literally in the palm of his hand as I squirm and writhe beneath him. If the smug grin on his face as he watches me is any indication, I think he enjoys having me at his mercy. The proof of just how much he likes it presses against my hip. I want to touch him, but his grip tightens around my wrists as if he knows exactly what I’m thinking.
“Is this what you need?” His mouth skims my throat, and I toss my head back with a sigh. I’m incapable of a response, and he doesn’t wait for it.
His hand presses down precisely where I ache for him, over my panties. He moves in small circles, each pass further tightening the bundle of nerves in my belly. I strain for the elusive release he holds just out of my reach. My frustration grows until a loud, torturous moan flies out of my mouth.
His lips touch my neck, and the vibration of his husky chuckle ripples through me. “You want more?”
“Yes. Oh, God, yes.”
He gives me exactly what I want, shoving my panties aside and sliding one finger inside me. The heel of his hand presses harder to send me skyrocketing toward the land of the big O.
My legs squeeze around him, and my hips buck off the mattress. With another swivel of his wrist, I explode. Waves of pleasure wash over me, one after another, until I am sure I will drown. But what a way to go.
Then his mouth is on mine, breathing life back into me and pulling me back from the brink. He releases my hands, and I wrap them around his neck as if he is my lifeline. The softness of his kiss heals me.
It turns urgent and demanding far faster than I expect because the need is rising in me again. Of course, there is still the matter of the massive erection still pressed against my hip to address. I tug on his shoulders, pulling him closer.
His mouth tears from mine with a groan. “Sav . . .”
“I want you, Luca.”
“And you’ll have me,” he says with a promise in his eyes. “But not tonight. It’s time. What you feel now is your wolf straining to break free.”
He’s right. It’s a different type of hunger building inside of me now. A hollow, restless sensation rumbles through my stomach like a shock wave. I cry out as a sharp pain slices through me, and my face pinches tight.
“Don’t fight it, Sav,” Luca whispers into my ear. “It will come naturally. Let the magic work.”
“I don’t understand.” I bite my bottom lip as the ache spreads to consume every inch of me. “Why does it hurt?”
“Your wolf isn’t very patient,” he explains calmly. “You’ve held her back long enough, and she needs to be let free.”
I shake my head. “But I—”
He lifts me up, positioning my legs around his waist, and his arms wrap protectively around me. “I’ll be with you every step. I promise. We’ll do it together.”
I whimper as another ripple zings through me. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Your wolf does. You won’t remember a thing, but her instincts will take over. Trust your wolf. Trust me.” Luca pleads with his eyes, encouraging me to nod.
Not that I seem to have much of a choice at this point. My legs tremble, and my breaths come faster and faster. Apparently, my wolf is more impatient than I am. That could be a bad thing, right? What if she decides to run off? What if I can’t change back?
I worry about Luca’s claim that I “won’t remember a thing.” I worry that I will never be Savannah again. I worry—
“Stop worrying.” Luca’s gentle words fill my ear. “Don’t be scared.”
The next ripple of discomfort is interrupted by a loud boom in the distance. Another quickly follows, and I l
ook to Luca for an answer.
“The fireworks,” he says. “The ball is nearly over. You have to shift now, Sav.”
“Okay, yeah.” I squeeze my eyes shut with a frantic nod of my head and will myself to turn into a wolf. Nothing happens. “I don’t know what to do.”
The pop and crack of fireworks continues in the distance, louder and faster. It sounds like a hell of a show going on out there. It would be nice to witness if I weren’t busy trying to shift into a wolf mere moments after being rocked by an earth-shattering orgasm.
What a night it’s been. My first Monster Ball has been a memorable experience for sure, and not something I will forget anytime soon.
“Wait.” My eyes spring open when I recall something Luca said earlier. “You don’t think I’ll remember this, do you? My memories—”
I cut myself off when Luca gives me a slow, sad shake of the head. “I don’t know how much you will remember, if anything.”
“Not even . . . you?”
“Especially me.” He caresses my cheek with his thumb as if to soothe the pain caused by those two words. “I’ll be back, Sav. I promise you I will come back for you. Nothing can keep me away now. I’ve made my decision, and my choice is you.”
The dull, aching pain consumes me now. I grit my teeth as I force a nod. I want nothing more than for Luca to keep his promise . . . tomorrow. Right now, I just want the pain to go away. I want to shift.
“Help me, Luca,” I beg.
“Shift, Sav.” His words are a command whispered into my ear. His alpha speaks to the wolf inside me. “Shift.”
My lips part with a scream as a rippling sensation tears through me, opening me wide. As a veil of darkness rushes toward me, forcing Luca, the fireworks, and everything about this night from my consciousness, a wolf howls.
Chapter Thirteen
I wake in my bed with my tongue stuck to the roof of my parched mouth and an ache in every muscle of my body. Sunlight pours through the sheer curtains covering my windows, and I wish I had remembered to put something over them before falling asleep last night.
I don’t even remember coming to bed. I don’t remember much of anything beyond the scene in the driveway. Except alcohol. I remember lots and lots of alcohol.
I flop over, pulling the duvet over my head, and close my eyes with the intention of going back to sleep. A vision of clear blue ocean waves appears under my eyelids, and I snap awake. I rub my cheek, surprised to find that it feels a little chafed—as if I spent the night rubbing up against a bearded chin. I press my fingers to my lips and find them swollen. A bolt zings through me, settling under my pajama bottoms.
I fling the duvet off my legs to confirm I’m wearing pajamas. I am though they’re not the ones I usually wear. Whatever possessed me to dress in booty shorts and a tank top I haven’t worn since my training bra days, after drinking myself into oblivion at my birthday party, is beyond me.
My stomach turns over as if it remembers whatever memories elude me. The tingle intensifies, and I squirm. “I must have good drunk dreams,” I mutter, sitting up.
Vienna grumbles from “her side” of my bed. Her face is plastered against my spare pillow, and her mouth is hanging wide open above a small spot of drool. She looks like I feel, which she likely deserves as the organizer of the party.
I don’t want to get up yet, but my bladder has other plans. I stand and stumble the few steps toward the bathroom I share with my sister. Her door is shut, thank God, because I don’t want to know if Steve is in her room with her. Not until I’ve eaten breakfast.
I pass the large mirror on the wall and freeze. Angry bladder forgotten, I turn to peer at my reflection. Specifically, the piece of jewelry around my neck. I recall the heart pendant necklace I received as a consolation prize for dumping Steve. This isn’t it.
I wrinkle my nose. “Why is there a shark tooth dangling from my neck?”
Gripping the edge of the counter with one hand, I reach for the tooth with the other. It looks vaguely familiar, like I’ve seen it before, though I have no recollection of when or where.
Then I touch it.
With sudden clarity, I realize I’m holding a wolf fang between my fingers. I know why I woke thinking of the ocean, why my cheeks are chafed, why my lips feel as if they’ve been kissed all night long, why my legs ache as if I ran a marathon in my sleep, and why I’m dressed like a pin-up in a teenage boy’s bedroom.
The answer to every one of those questions is a whisper on my lips. “Luca Caspan.”
The End – For Now
We hope you enjoyed this story.
Please consider leaving a review!
And turn the page for more Monster Ball…
The Sun
and Moon
By Melissa Haag
Chapter One
A Terrible Fate
Lucas
I paced the confines of the room, the sun-dappled landscapes that covered the walls no longer soothing my temper. The silvery parchment still clutched in my hand elicited a growl from deep within my throat.
Monster Ball. What many considered the most sought-after invitation of the year I thought of as an invitation to my own personal hell. A hell I couldn’t seem to escape.
I crumpled the handwritten note and threw it into the fire. Before the flames even finished consuming the paper, it reappeared in my hand.
I swore softly, and the door behind me immediately opened.
“Still trying to destroy the invitation, Lucas?” Julia asked.
Keeping my back to her, I stared at the flames, the closest thing to sunlight I would ever enjoy for the rest of my life.
Julia gave a longsuffering sigh.
“I hate when you’re in a mood like this.”
I felt her approach although I didn’t hear her. The gentle brush of her cool fingers whispered over my cheek.
“You’re too pale. You need to feed.”
“Leave, Julia.” My clipped words, which would have sent any sane mortal running, had no effect on her. She tangled her fingers in my dark hair and gave a tug. I reached out, a blur of motion, and caught her by the throat.
When I turned my head to look at her, she wore a knowing smirk.
“My, my. Eyes aglow just for me?”
“Leave, or I will make you bleed.”
“We both know you won’t make me bleed, Lucas. Now, be a good boy, and let me go so I can deliver the message that Mother and Father sent you.”
I released her and turned away.
“Don’t bother. I’m sure it’s a repeat of yesterday’s message. My answer hasn’t changed.”
Julia moved to the chair beside the fire, sitting gracefully as she studied me. Even with my focus on the flames, I knew the expression on her pale face. Her dark brows, so similar in color to mine, would be arched as if someone had just surprised her. Nothing surprised Julia. She was my elder by one hundred years.
“The whole family is expected to attend. As Vlad Alexander’s son, your place is at the Monster Ball at his side.”
I snorted, and she sighed again.
“Your attitude would improve if you would start feeding from our livestock instead of those clotting blood bags you so favor.”
Feeding from humans just made me crave what I could not have. The barely there taste of sunlight in their veins would never be enough to satisfy me.
Filled with bitterness, I walked to the window.
“Leave now, Julia, while your face is still pretty.”
She swore softly, and I felt her leave the room.
Reaching out, I clasped the emergency override wheel attached to the polished steel shutters that covered the window before me. I caught a hint of my reflection as the sun-warmed metal heated my palm. The dark surface gave my skin some color and my eyes a deeper blue. I held the wheel for a moment, savoring the illusion of being what I once was: a man able to walk in the sunlight.
I’d once shared my thoughts with Julia, but she hadn’t understood. No one di
d. Most didn’t remember their lives before turning. The few who did often sought the sun and ended their eternal existence before it ever had a chance to take hold.
Vlad hadn’t given me that opportunity. The strength of his blood, the blood now filling my veins, couldn’t be burned away by the mere sun. Although, the sun didn’t know that.
I turned the wheel and was instantly blinded. The stench of burning flesh filled my nose, robbing me of even a hint of the sun’s scent. There was no basking in warmth like I remembered. Just agony. Pain seared through me. I gritted my teeth, my canines elongating, and struggled not to roar in frustration.
My attempt to regain just a moment of what I had lost would not be in vain. If I was lucky, my grip on the wheel would stay true, and my weight would keep the shutters open after I collapsed. It would take days to regenerate if the sun could burn deeply enough.
Days of agony that I would happily endure to avoid tonight’s ball.
Joseline
I hugged my knees to my chest and tried to remember how I’d gotten here. Here being a dimly lit, chilly room with an old-fashioned narrow bed that looked like it belonged to a hospital from the 1920s. Sitting on the mattress, I looked around the space for a clue, but there was nothing else.
All I could come up with was walking home from work after my evening shift waitressing. After that it was blank, nothing but waking up here. I couldn’t even remember reaching home, yet I wore my normal tank and shorts pajama set.
Why couldn’t normal shit happen to me?
I rubbed a fist against my forehead in frustration, pushing the loose strands of strawberry blonde hair out of the way. It was only five blocks from my apartment and not even in a bad neighborhood. How did I not make it home?
Not for the first time, I considered calling out and seeing if someone was there. Impatience coursed through me. Not a normal feeling given my current accommodations. I should have been terrified. But I wasn’t. I never felt the way I was supposed to. Especially in probable life-threatening situations. Psychologists over the years thought it was all some deep seeded low self-worth because I was adopted. Every time I said that, I laughed. Go figure.
The Monster Ball: A Paranormal Romance Anthology Page 62