Perfumed Heat

by Judy Mays

  Sighing contentedly, Moira snuggled against him.

  His still erect cock jerked, and the werewolf inside of Artemis snarled with displeasure. He had yet to mount Moira and truly claim her as his; but, for the few minutes it would take to get into the house, he could wait.

  Raking his fingers through his hair, Artemis grinned. Making love in the back of a limo—at his age. Once Brendan heard about this, he’d never hear the end of it.

  Chapter 4

  Lifting his hips, Artemis slid his cock back into his trousers, tucked the ripped edges of his boxers inside, and pulled up the zipper. He pulled his shirt together as best he could and tucked the tails into his pants.

  Moira’s bare breast brushed against his arm, and the werewolf in his soul leaped for control.

  Artemis stifled its rebellion with a surge of will.

  Moira was stretched out on the seat next to him, her eyes closed, a slight smile on her face. Wisps of auburn hear curled against her cheek and neck. Her dress was still around her waist. Her nipples were hard buds, and the ruddy curls at the juncture of her thighs seemed to glow with a fiery light all their own.

  Artemis shifted to accommodate his erection. If they didn’t get out of the car now, he’d have her all over again.

  “Moira, we’re home.”

  She opened her eyes and smiled.

  A fierce jolt of possessiveness surged through Artemis as he stared into her eyes. Home. She was his! No other man would ever have her again.

  As Moira stared into Artemis’s face, the fog from her multiple orgasms vanished from her mind. Home? Whose home ? I thought we were going out for dinner.

  She pushed herself up, and her naked butt sank into the soft leather cushions. Two scraps of scarlet silk lay next to her on the seat. Artemis had ripped her panties in two.

  He’d ripped the top of her dress and bra, too. No man has ever been so excited about making love to me .

  Moira glanced down and warmth rushed into her cheeks. Her breasts were fully exposed. What’s more, her dress was around her waist. She pulled it down and covered her breasts with her hands.

  Artemis chuckled. “I’ve already seen your breasts, love, and kissed and sucked them.

  Moira flushed even more. “Maybe you have, but I don’t intend to get out of the car half naked so every other Tom, Dick, and Harry can get an eyeful.”

  Grinning, Artemis shrugged out of his coat. “Put this on.”

  Rose -colored nipples peaked in the cool air as Moira slipped her arms into the coat and pulled it tight around her body.

  Once Moira had wrapped his jacket around her torso, Artemis opened the door and stepped out. Motioning the driver away, he held out his hand.

  As Artemis helped her out of the car, she looked around. Warmth spread from her chest to her face when she saw him staring at her, an amazed look on his face.

  God, I can’t look that bad, can I ?

  His hand in the small of her back, Artemis guided her into the modest brownstone before them.

  Once inside, an elderly man met them.

  “May I take—a- your coat, Miss?” he asked in a dumbfounded voice.

  Moira flushed again. Damn, I haven’t blushed this much since my first gynecological visit . “Ah, no thank you. I’m a little chilly. I’ll keep it.”

  Behind her, Artemis chuckled. “That’s all, Paul. Go to bed. It’s late.”

  “But Mr. Brendan and Miss Belle…”

  “Can take care of themselves. You’re tired. Go to bed.”

  Paul’s shoulders sagged a little and he nodded. “Very well, Mr. Artemis. Breakfast at the usual time?” he asked as he walked away.

  “I’ll let you know.”

  Momentarily, Paul stopped, half turned, then reconsidered. He disappeared down a dark hallway.

  Moira glanced at Artemis. “Why is everybody staring at me like I have two heads?”

  “Because I’ve never brought a woman home with me before this.”

  Her mind cleared more. “That’s right. You’re a widower.” Then the full meaning of his words struck. “You haven’t ever brought a woman home before?”

  Artemis stepped closer. “I haven’t made love to a woman since before Myste died.”

  Moira felt her mouth drop open. She snapped it closed. “You haven’t had sex since your wife died? My God.”

  Artemis smiled a toothy grin. “The gods had nothing to do with it. I’ve never met a woman who appealed to me more than Myste.”

  Moira stepped back away from the intensity in his eyes and swallowed. “She had a beautiful name.”

  He nodded. “She was beautiful, far more beautiful than any woman—until now.”

  “Now?”

  Artemis grinned. “I finally found a woman to take Myste’s place.” Scooping Moira into his arms, he strode into the dark hallway.

  “Hey!” Moira yelped as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Where are you taking me?”

  “To bed.”

  “But I’m hungry.”

  “We can eat later.”

  Artemis’s mouth descended on hers. His lips, mouth, and tongue cajoled, tempted, and teased her into silence.

  Lost in the intensity of his kiss, Moira stopped thinking and simply enjoyed the physical sensations racing through her body.

  His tongue dancing and swirling with Moira’s, Artemis easily negotiated the dimly lit hallway until he got to his door, which he kicked open then shoved closed with his hip. At last, Moira was here in his rooms, his den.

  The jacket she wore had fallen open, and her hard nipples stabbed his chest. Her short gasps and moans fired his passions higher.

  Artemis inhaled, and the combined scent of her heat and the aconite base of her perfume swamped his senses. Fire exploded in his soul, and the werewolf in him asserted its power. The woman in his arms was in heat, and instinct told him to claim her, mate her before another male could do so.

  Artemis slid his arm out from beneath Moira’s legs, cupped her behind, and pulled her hard against his erection. His tongue circled her mouth as his kisses became more demanding, more dominating. He slid his hands up her back, bunched the suit jacket Moira was wearing, and tore it in two. Yanking the ripped halves from her shoulders, he dropped them to the floor. Artemis jerked what was left of her dress up and grabbed her ass cheeks, gripping each cheek as he lifted and rolled them. He thrust his thigh between her legs.

  Lifting his head, Artemis stared down into Moira’s flushed face. Her lips were swollen from his kisses; her eyes were unfocused. Both hands clasped tightly around the edges of his shirt so that her fingers brushed against the hot skin of his chest. He shuddered with the urgency to mate.

  “Mine,” he growled into her ear. “You’re mine.” Burying his face in her neck, he nipped her.

  The sharp nip on her neck jolted Moira out of her sensual haze. The second, sharper nip goaded her into action. She jerked out of his arms and rubbed her neck. “Hey, that hurt.”

  Artemis reached for her and growled. “Come back to me.”

  “Not if you’re going to bite me again, I won’t.”

  Artemis’s eyes were a dark, steel gray as he took a step towards her. “Moira, submit.”

  “Submit? Submit!” Moira fisted her hands on her hips. “What kind of masochistic bullshit is that? Listen, Artemis, this is the twenty-first century. Women do not submit to men.”

  “Mine does.”

  “Yours! I’m not your woman. We had some great sex, but that doesn’t mean I belong to you. I don’t belong to any man, and I never will.”

  Golden sparks jumped in Artemis’s stormy eyes. “You belonged to me the first minute I smelled you.”

  “Smelled me? What kind of crazy comment is that? I don’t smell. What is it with you?”

  Artemis’s nostrils flared. “Your scent is unique. You don’t smell like other women, even under your aconite based perfume.”

  Moira snorted. “More than human. Now I know you’re nuts. I’m outta here.”
She shifted on her feet, ready to walk past him.

  Artemis crossed his arms over his chest and smiled condescendingly. “Naked?”

  Yanking the edges of her bodice together, Moira stamped her foot. Damn him. She couldn’t leave like this. If she didn’t get arrested for indecent exposure, some nutcase would rape her.

  “Give me one of your shirts to wear, and I’ll be fine.”

  “No.”

  Moira gritted her teeth. “No? You’re the one who ruined my dress. You owe me.”

  Artemis’s white teeth flashed. “You weren’t exactly complaining.”

  Moira stomped her foot again. The heel broke on her shoe, and she staggered forward.

  Artemis caught her before she fell.

  “Let me go,” she snarled.

  Conquering the urge to simply throw her onto the bed and mount her, Artemis dropped his hands. Moira’s denial of his advances had struck a nerve. He just couldn’t overpower her and force himself on her. Werewolves didn’t rape their mates. Moira was feisty, an alpha female in her own right. She’d be the perfect mate, but she had to accept and submit to him freely.

  Moira staggered again and fisted her hands in his shirt to regain her balance.

  Her dress gaped open, giving him a nice view of her breasts.

  He grinned down at her. “Need any help?”

  “No, damn it. Just get me some clothes and call me a cab.”

  Shaking his head, Artemis continued to grin and stared down at her. She was barely half a foot away. Her scent enveloped him.

  She stomped the foot with the broken heeled shoe. “Don’t just stand there, moron.”

  Artemis locked gazes with her. “Marry me, Moira.”

  Chapter 5

  There was an audible click when Moira snapped her jaws shut. “What!”

  Artemis’s expression became more intense. “Marry me.”

  Moira blinked. He’s crazy. “Why?”

  “Because I want you to.”

  “We only met a few hours ago. We don’t even know each other.”

  “I know enough.”

  She shook her head. “No. That’s impossible. You don’t know anything about me except that I’m a good fuck.”

  Snarling, Artemis grabbed Moira’s arms and shook her gently. “You will not degrade yourself like that.”

  Moira wrenched free. “You will not tell me what to do, and I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on Earth.”

  Artemis chuckled. “But I’m not a man, love.”

  Moira snapped her mouth shut on the retort she was about to deliver. Yep, certifiably nuts . “Not a man? Then what the hell do you think you are,” she asked in a derisive tone, “a vampire? That’s why you bit my neck isn’t it. Well, I have news for you buster. Vampires don’t exist outside of sensationalist Hollywood movies and TV shows or trashy romance novels.”

  Artemis threw back his head and roared with laughter.

  Her anger finally getting the better of her, Moira slammed her fist into Artemis’s stomach.

  He didn’t flinch.

  Pain exploded in Moira’s fist and ran up her arm. Tears flooded her eyes as she shook her hand. Shit, but Artemis’s abdomen was harder than some doors she’d run into. She glanced up.

  He was grinning at her again. “Did you hurt yourself?”

  “Yes, I hurt myself, moron,” Moira snapped between blinks to clear her eyes, “but you need a doctor more than I do if you keep thinking you’re a vampire.”

  “I’m not a vampire, love, but I’ll be happy to introduce you to one if you’d like. There are a few I trust.”

  Moira’s gaze darted around the room. Artemis didn’t seem violent, but he was obviously not completely right in the head. Ah, a chest of drawers. There’d be something in there she could wear so she could leave.

  “Yeah, well, another time, maybe.” She turned away from him.

  Artemis grasped her arm, gently. “I’m not a vampire, Moira, but I’m not completely human either.”

  She looked back over her shoulder. His eyes were now the color of morning mist. What are those golden sparks that keep appearing and disappearing in his eyes? “Are you trying to tell me you’re an alien? Why would an alien from another planet come to Earth just to sell men’s cologne.”

  Artemis’s nostrils flared, and his eyes darkened. He was beginning to get angry again.

  Moira bit her bottom lip. Shit, girl. Can’t you just shut up while you’re ahead? He’s bigger and stronger than you are .

  “Maybe it’s better if I just showed you.” Artemis let go of her arm and stepped back a few paces.

  Moira blinked.

  Artemis’s figure was blurring.

  She blinked again.

  A swirling gray mist had surrounded him. The trousers and ripped boxers Artemis had been wearing dropped out of the mist to the floor. Then, the mist was gone and a slivery gray wolf sat before her.

  Moira swallowed and closed her eyes. When she opened them, the wolf was still there. She closed her eyes again and kept them closed. “Damn it Artemis, what kind of tricks are you playing now?”

  No tricks, Moira. Open your eyes. I’m sitting right in front of you. I’m a werewolf .

  Moira opened her eyes.

  The wolf stood, stretched, and paced towards her.

  She tried to run, but her feet refused to obey her.

  When the wolf reached her, it pushed its head, which just happened to be chest high on her, under her hand.

  I’m not a figment of your imagination, Moira. I’m real. You can touch me .

  Involuntarily, Moira’s fingers curled into the silvery white fur on the wolf’s head, fur far softer and silkier than any she’d ever felt on a dog. She swallowed. Her knees began to tremble, and she found herself sitting on the floor looking up into the wolf’s face.

  It swiped her cheek with its tongue.

  Moira blinked and began to tremble, slowly at first, then more violently. She closed her eyes and cupped her head in her hands. “This isn’t real. This can’t be real. I was in a car accident. That’s it. I’m lying in a hospital bed in a coma dreaming all this. That’s it. I’m in the middle of a nightmare.”

  Silvery mist swirled again, and Artemis knelt before her. “You aren’t dreaming, Moira. I am a werewolf, and I want you to be my mate.”

  The sound of a clock ticking reached Moira’s ears. Tick tock, Tick tock. Slowly, the sounds of the clock faded away. The room became blurry, then completely black. With a sigh, Moira sank slowly to the floor.

  Cursing silently, Artemis caught Moira before her head hit the floor. Who’d have thought that someone this feisty was a fainter.

  Rising, he laid her on the bed then leaped to the door and yanked it open. “Belle, get up here and bring an ammonia stick. Moira fainted.”

  Lea ving the door open, Artemis returned to the bed.

  “What did you do to her,” Belle demanded as she bustled into the room followed by Brendan.

  “Told her I was a werewolf,” Artemis answered indignantly. “I didn’t think she’d faint.”

  Belle huffed. “What did you do? Say ‘Oh, by the way, I’m a werewolf and just change ?”

  Artemis barred his teeth and growled.

  Totally un-intimidated, Belle shoved Artemis out of the way. He was her father. He’d sooner chew off his own paw than hurt her.

  As the odor of the ammonia permeated her senses, Moira was forced to leave the safety of oblivion and open her tearing eyes. Coughing, she pushed Belle’s hand away. Blinking to clear her vision, she focused on the people around.

  The obvious admiration and simmering lust in Brendan’s eyes had her pulling the pillow from beneath her head and covering her body.

  Snarling, Artemis leaped across the bed and grabbed his son’s shirt. “She’s mine!”

  Brendan immediately hunched his shoulders and bowed his head. “Sorry, Father, but she’s so—naked.”

  “Get her some clothes, Belle,” Artemis snapped. “You—ou
t,” he added for Brendan’s benefit.

  Artemis’s handsome son tossed a quick grin to Moira and said, “Welcome to the family.” Spinning around, he hurried from the room.

  Laughing, Belle followed him.

  Brendan’s comment had Moira gathering her scattered wits. Welcome to the family. No way. No way in hell. I am not marrying a werewolf .

  Settling himself on the bed next to her, Artemis smiled. “Yes you will. I’ve chosen you for my mate. You’ll agree.”

  Shit, can’t I even keep my thoughts secret?

  I’ll teach you how if you want me to.

  “Get out of my head, damn it!” Edging towards the other side of the bed, Artemis was naked, Moira shook her head. “Look, I’m honored and all that, but I really don’t think it would work. I’m human. You’re a werewolf. Two different species.”

  “When you have my blood, you won’t be completely human any longer either.”

  A lead weight settled in Moira’s stomach. Her voice squeaked. “Blood?”

  Artemis chuckled. Moira was white as a sheet. “You aren’t going to faint again are you?”

  Her voice was stronger. “I have never fainted in my life. And drinking your blood is not an option because I’m not going to marry you.”

  Grinning, Artemis shook his head. “You don’t drink my blood. You’ll have a transfusion. A pint of my blood won’t turn you into a werewolf, but it will—enhance—your current DNA. Your senses will be sharper, you’ll be faster, stronger, and you won’t have to worry about catching most of the diseases known to man. About the only thing you won’t be able to do is change into a wolf.”

  Moira began to tremble. He was not taking no for an answer. “Why me?”

  Artemis reached out and smoothed an auburn curl behind her ear. “I told you. You’re the first woman I’ve met who erases Myste from my mind.”

  Moira twisted the edge of the pillow case in her hands. “But wouldn’t you rather marry another werewolf like Myste?”

  “Myste wasn’t a werewolf. She was a wolf.”

  Moira remembered to breathe a minute later. “A wolf. You were married to a wolf?”

  Artemis stretched out on his side. “Not married to, actually. Mated to. I was uncomfortable, restless with my human life. Life as a wolf is so much simpler. Hunt, eat, sleep. Then I met Myste and understood where I belonged. She accepted me as her mate. Life was bliss.”