He stretched out on the mattress with Jasmine on top of him. She didn’t protest, just shifted her legs to the sides of his. Her rapid breathing slowed as she recovered and he yanked up the nightshirt to stroke his fingers down her back and ass. She had a nice one and he’d marked it up a little when he’d gripped her too firmly. His blood inside her would assure there’d be no bruising but the red imprints of his hold were there when he lifted his head to peer down.
Bastard. He should have taken her on the bed, made love to her instead of nailing her against the wall. She deserved better but he’d denied himself far too long. He’d tried being noble by resisting his attraction to her. No more. He’d never forget seeing her in that basement with torn flesh where she’d been bitten, her wrists raw and bleeding, and how she’d trembled in his arms when he’d held her. One more day and she wouldn’t have survived. He hadn’t even known she’d been in trouble.
I should have kept tabs on her. I should have watched out for her. I should have— Fuck! He’d left her exposed to danger is what it boiled down to. She was his mate and he’d been too stubborn to admit the reality of it. He’d shrugged it off as strong attraction and nothing more. Seeing her so near death had been an instant wake-up call.
“How are you?” He nuzzled her cheek.
“Good.”
He loved her voice, so feminine and pleasant to his ears. Her skin was soft and she had the sexiest curves. One hand slid to her hip, giving it a gentle squeeze. His mate wasn’t bony the way most werewolves and vampires tended to be. She’d been right about the women who frequented the club. They were too perfect, thanks to their bloodlines. Or because of plastic surgery, if they were groupies there for the thrill of living dangerously. The humans thought it was just a place to meet rich, handsome men in the Goth scene and were interested in having sex with them in hopes of a fun time or a benefactor. They weren’t aware they were volunteering to be late night snacks for any vamp whose eye they caught.
Jasmine was all his, perfect just the way she was, and he’d make sure that didn’t change. He could protect her by keeping her hidden inside his den. No way did he plan to expose her to the people he knew. His vamp bosses were trustworthy but other vampires were pricks. They viewed humans as the weaker species, only good for drinking and fucking. There were rules in place to stop them from killing for either purpose but she’d view vamps as monsters. He could relate. Sometimes he hated their cold indifference to anyone they believed was inferior.
He cringed when thinking about his pack. He’d never intended to become their leader but they’d smelled the wolf inside him. Their alpha had challenged him the moment he’d taken the job as head of security at the club, refusing to take orders or back down. He’d had to kill the idiot when he’d refused to submit.
Some of the females in the pack aggressively pursued Chase. He wasn’t interested, but Jasmine wouldn’t easily be accepted as his mate. He could think of two bitches who would challenge her for the right of being at his side. Not going to happen. He’d walk away from the pack, his job, everything just to keep Jasmine safe.
He and his sister would protect her if Arry ever gave away the location of his secret den. It was doubtful it would happen. They had too much in common, came from the same clan in Alaska, and while she was a pain in the ass, he didn’t count her as a threat. She just annoyed him by believing they should settle for each other as mates. He’d set her straight.
Jasmine stirred on his chest and raised her chin. Uncertainty shone in her direct stare. He easily read all her concerns. It was good that she was taking all this better than he had guessed she would. Screaming and crying had been options he’d considered.
“You’re safe here with me. I’d never allow anyone or anything to hurt you.”
“What do you really want from me?”
It was a tough question. The answer would scare her. Everything. “Your life as you knew it is gone. The rogue might have friends and he was recently turned. That means he has a master. I didn’t find any indications of anyone else living with him but it’s a real possibility that someone is keeping tabs on him. A master would seek revenge. You could become a target.”
Dismayed thoughts hit him in waves. She’d worked hard to buy a house she loved. Her family wasn’t close but she worried about never speaking to them again. Real estate was all she knew. Financial concerns came next.
“Enough,” he ordered. “I have more money than we could spend. You don’t need to work. I know you enjoyed it but it’s too dangerous. I am the alpha of a werewolf pack and we’re always accepting new members who need homes. You could help find homes for them to avoid becoming bored. You’ll be able to call your family and friends sometimes. It would be best if you tell them you fell in love and married someone from another country. I can handle the cell phones to block our location. I’m good at that. Your house, well, I’m sorry. You’ll have to sell it but I think you’ll love this one once you take a tour.”
“Married?”
She was stunned and it amused him more. “Mated is married. We could have an official ceremony if you want. I’m not opposed. What’s a piece of paper and some guy saying words compared to the kind of bond we’ll have?”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“It’s deeper than anything you could imagine. You’ll learn soon enough though.” Just as soon as she agrees. He didn’t want to rush her but he wanted to seal the bond. He closed down his ability to read her, swamped by how rapidly she could come up with new things to worry about. “It will be fine.”
“Says you.” She tried to wiggle away but his arms hooked around her waist to hold her secure.
“Kiss me.”
“I know how that ends. Are you going to keep seducing me until I agree to stay here?”
It was a great plan. “Maybe.” He chuckled. “I could do worse things.” He hated the fear that ghosted in her eyes. “It was a joke. You have to believe I’d never hurt you.”
“I kind of do but we’ve spent so little time together and I haven’t seen you for all these months. You didn’t even call but you want to get married? That’s kind of nuts.”
“Welcome to my world.” He rolled, pinning her under him. She gasped but didn’t fight when he lowered his mouth to her throat. “Wrap your thighs around me. You won’t regret it.”
The swelling had gone down but they were still joined at the hips. He loved being inside her welcoming body. She fit him perfectly, blew his mind, and he wanted her again. Jasmine lifted her thighs to press against his waist and her calves settled across his ass. He began to move slowly, kissing her lips and neck. Her moans of pleasure spurred him on.
No, seducing her isn’t a bad plan at all. He’d do anything to assure she’d stay and be his. He lifted up slightly, adjusted the angle of his cock sliding in and out of her to make sure the shaft rubbed against the still-swollen bundle of nerves at the top of her pussy. Louder moans came from her and her vaginal walls clamped tightly around him. He had to fight the pleasure to avoid embarrassment. He was ready to come as if he were an untried teenager again.
Jasmine was so hot, so wet and so his. She was heaven and hell, temptation and salvation. He’d spent a solitary life knowing he’d never fit in with his clan when his vampire bloodlines had become more pronounced. He couldn’t shift at all and didn’t stand a chance of taking a dominantly blooded mate. They’d fear he wasn’t warm enough to love or feel deep emotions, and instead would be fixed on his need for blood. They were wrong. The woman under him was the most important thing in his life and would remain that way until death claimed him.
Her muscles tightened more until he clenched his teeth, fighting to move inside her without losing his control. He leaned in, so his mouth could reach her breast. Suckling on her taut nipple, he used his teeth to nip at her. It was enough to send her over the edge as she cried out, clawing at him with her fingernails. Her pussy milked his shaft until he threw back his head, let go and filled her with his seed.
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Chapter Four
Jasmine woke alone in the big bed. The fire had been tended recently, the flames high and bright in the room. Chase must have covered her with the sheet since the last thing she remembered was him making love to her until she’d passed out. She sat up and glanced around.
The room was big with brick walls and portions of old wood paneling. It was tastefully furnished with dark antiques. The dresser was massive and there was a matching wardrobe. A door to a bathroom was open. The two closed doors next to it were probably closets.
Her wrists were unmarred as she closely studied them. Not even a faded scar from her injures remained. The infected area on her shoulder where she’d been bitten by the rogue had healed as well. Pink, healthy skin denied any proof of the attack. The other wounds had disappeared too. Chase had healed her.
The handsome man she’d obsessed about was part werewolf, part vampire. It screamed insanity but she believed. She shoved the covers back and put on the nightshirt Chase had relieved her of during one of their bouts of sex. The stone floor was cold under her bare feet as she padded to the bathroom. It was a nice room with a Jacuzzi tub. She longed for a bath but showered instead.
A new toothbrush had been left on the counter for her use. It touched her that Chase had obviously thought about her needs. He’d also left folded clean clothes next to it. She eyed the oversized T-shirt and boxers, assuming they were for her. They hung on her a little due to his size but after brushing her wet hair, she reentered the bedroom. He hadn’t returned.
Hunger and curiosity drew her to the bedroom door. She gaped a little at the thick metal door and the locks on it. She gripped the knob, half expecting it to be locked, but it opened without difficulty until she pushed it. The thing was heavy and revealed that instead of just a typical frame, there were ridges around it as though it could be completely sealed when closed.
The fact that she hadn’t been locked in implied she wasn’t a prisoner. It stunned Jasmine a little when she realized she was inside a large basement as she followed a hallway to an open doorway. She couldn’t remember seeing any windows in Chase’s bedroom or bathroom.
A surprise awaited as she realized it wasn’t just another doorway at the end of the hall but instead there was a door with a wall on the other side. She pushed the wall, stepped into a basement, and turned to study the wine racks attached to the front of the wall. The bottles were dusty, as if they hadn’t been touched in years. When closed, the hallway and bedroom would be concealed to the casual eye. She glanced around. The basement was large, appeared old, and a musty scent hung in the air.
The stairs were solid stone, reminding her of a castle. Part of her feared she wasn’t in the town where she’d been raised anymore. There was a black hole in her memory between Chase finding her and reaching his home. Had he taken her out of the country?
The door at the top was metal and thick again. It creaked slightly when she eased it open to peer at a big modern kitchen. Sunlight streamed through a window. She padded over to look out into dense woods.
“You shouldn’t be up.”
The feminine voice startled her. She spun, gaping at the brunette from the night before whom Chase had claimed to be his sister.
“I’m Jenny. You’re Jasmine.” She smirked. “I guess ‘J’ names are popular.”
“Where is Chase?”
“He had some business to attend to. He’ll be back in a few hours.” The woman’s gaze dropped to her waist. “Hungry? I can hear your stomach rumbling.”
“That’s weird.” Jasmine regretted saying it the moment the words were out, not wanting to offend.
“You’ll adjust to keen hearing once you’re fully mated. It will enhance your senses all around.” Jenny pointed to a table. “Have a seat. I hope you don’t mind cereal. I don’t cook unless my brother demands it.”
A hundred questions popped into Jasmine’s head but she settled for a few while she watched the woman prepare a quick breakfast. “I could do that myself.”
“It’s easier if I just do it. You don’t know your way around the kitchen yet.” Jenny glanced at her. “But you’ll need to learn at some point.”
“You live here then? Why would Chase tell you to cook? Do you work for him?”
“He’s my protector so I do whatever I’m told. It beats living on the streets and he’s good to me. He isn’t around much but I suppose that will change now that he has you.” The woman stared at her.
“Protector?” A few hundred more questions resulted.
“We were asked to leave our clan. Our mother really loved to seek out older vampires, the stronger the better, so we got the vamp genes from them. It made some of the clan nervous, knowing we needed so much blood to survive. Mates don’t mind you sinking fangs into them, they kind of get off on it, but they get testy if you drink otherwise. Blood banks weren’t around where we come from.”
“Where is that?”
“A very remote location in Alaska.” Jenny put a bowl of cereal in front of her. “Eat. Ask Chase your questions.”
“He’s not here,” Jasmine pointed out.
“Too bad for your curiosity then. I have things to do outside.” Jenny left through the back door.
So much for us becoming friends. Jasmine ate, rinsed the bowl and then washed it. She wasn’t sure if she was allowed to explore the house but no one had said she couldn’t. Chase had mentioned it was her home too.
The first floor of the house was big, obviously a mansion built in the forties from the architectural details. Some were confusing, as if parts of the house had been remodeled sometime in the seventies. The formal dining room was dusty and it seemed no one had used it in a really long time. One door was locked. The living room had more modern furniture and a big screen television. A small sitting room held tons of older leather-bound volumes of books in the built-in shelves. Two bathrooms were located on the first floor and she paused at the steps, peering up the curved staircase to the second floor.
“Please don’t go up there.”
Jenny startled her again and Jasmine spun around. One hand rested on her racing heart. “You scared me. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I’m quiet. It’s the predator in me.”
“Um, I’m not sure how to respond to that.”
A smile curved the brunette’s lips. She was pretty with blue eyes very similar to Chase’s when they glowed but slightly paler in color. “It’s what we are. We may appear human but never forget things aren’t what they seem.” She jerked her head toward the stairs. “That’s my space up there and I like my privacy. I can’t outright order you to never go to the second floor but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t. Chase doesn’t like to sleep above ground. It’s probably because of what happened twenty years ago after we left Alaska.”
“What happened?”
“Vampires attacked us. They knew what we were and tried to kill us. It was a deadly mistake.” She chuckled. “They sent only five of them after us.”
“Five vampires?” Jasmine was taken aback.
“They should have sent twice that many if they were serious about killing my brother and me.”
“So what does that have to do with sleeping upstairs?”
“They came in through the windows. It was a full breach in the dead of night.” Jenny waved her hand to a chair. “Sit.”
Jasmine took a seat on one of the sofa benches in the entryway. They weren’t the most comfortable things but they were attractive. Jenny sat on the opposite one ten feet away.
“I refuse to give up having a real bedroom with windows, fresh air and sunshine. My brother feels more secure underground. Less points of entry in case of another attack. That’s where he lives most of the time. Under that club he works at they supposedly have a lot of chambers, but it’s rumors. It’s not as though he’s ever taken me there so I’m not certain if it’s true.”
“You don’t like the club where he works?”
“It’s owned by two vampires.” Jenny
watched her as if she were something fascinating. “Did you meet my brother there?”
“No. I was his realtor.”
Jenny studied her. “I’m glad. I’d hate to think he’d accept leftover goods.”
“What does that mean?” Jasmine wasn’t sure if she really wanted an answer or not.
“The women who frequent that club are playthings for the vamps. They fuck them, bleed them, and mess with their minds so they forget everything but the sex.” She paused. “It doesn’t even mean it’s good sex but they can make them believe it was the best they ever had so they return again and again. It’s how they keep a steady food supply.”
It was a little disturbing. “And Chase?”
“What about him?”
“Does he do that? Have sex and feed from women at the club?”
“Not anymore, if he ever did.” Jenny smirked. “You have no clue about mates, do you?”
“I didn’t even know vampires or werewolves were real until last night.”
“He wouldn’t bond with you if he wasn’t sure you were all he wanted. It’s very rare for a mate to cheat. They’d have to be mentally unstable and heartless. Your pain would become his and vice versa. It’s kind of like shooting yourself in the foot. Isn’t that the saying? The bond amplifies emotions, passion, and nothing else can compare to that. It would be unsatisfactory if he nailed another woman.”
“I’ll take that for a no. Why is Chase’s bedroom hidden? Because of the attack? I saw the fake wall.”
“Yes, it’s to protect him and now you in the event of another attack. There are four inches of steel and concrete surrounding his sleeping area. No one would be able to breach it without a lot of work and time. We have dangerous enemies. Chase and I argue often about my preference to sleep upstairs but he’s not here enough to make me comply with his wishes. I grew up living underground. I won’t continue to do it as an adult just in case a few assholes attack us.”
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