Carnal: A Dark Shifter Romance

by Piper Stone

  The rage became all consuming, threatening to strip me of my control. I snarled, my entire system rumbling as the beast clawed to the surface. I couldn’t allow that to happen, at least for now. In a fit of anger, I tossed the glass into the fireplace, biting back a primal roar as it shattered into hundreds of pieces.

  “Come to me, Max. I need you. I hunger for you.”

  I closed my eyes, her lilting voice swimming in my head. How I longed to hear her say the words. While her body had succumbed, her heart remained on edge. She was afraid of me even though her desires were almost as uncontrollable as my own. I wanted nothing more than for her to surrender to me in every manner.

  I sneered given the ugly realization. I was a true barbarian. As I closed my eyes, the sweet vision of her standing in front of me, dressed in nothing more than a white gown, was so damn real. I reached out with my shaking hand, the image allowing me to brush my fingers across her lips.

  “You are my lover, my husband, and my mate.”

  The guttural sound that erupted from my throat was pure beast. I gripped the mantel to keep from falling, my chest rising and sinking, my throat constricting. “Yes, and you belong to me.”

  How many times had I issued the statement?

  “Yes, my love.” She tipped her head, a look of utter adoration on her face as she slid the silky material down from one shoulder then the other. As the billowy shift flowed to the floor, I was left breathless and in awe of her extreme beauty.

  “This isn’t real,” I whispered, taking gulping breaths. Dear God, I could still see her; the way her flaming red hair cascaded down to her rosy nipples, her slender waist moving to exquisitely rounded hips and her long legs that seemed to go on forever. “Fuck. Fuck.”

  I wiped away beads of perspiration from my forehead, struggling to push the fantasy away.

  “I am all yours, my love. Command me. Take me. Use me.” As she dropped to the floor, lowering her head, I could take no more.

  The urge to have her, to take her was too strong to ignore. I shot a look at the staircase, trying desperately to control my breathing. That just wasn’t going to happen. I took long strides, taking the stairs two at a time and the moment I’d reached her closed door, I’d shucked my clothes. Using every ounce of restraint I had left, I opened the door slowly, but with every passing second, the longing shifted into a compulsion.

  I wouldn’t be able to hold back for long.

  “Kathleen...” I whispered, my voice raspy from desire.

  Her sleeping form was nestled under the covers, the scent of her filtering into the room even more concentrated than before. My senses were heightened to the extreme, able to detect her rapid heartbeat, her increased pulse.

  Even her body temperature was higher than normal. As I walked forward, I gathered a whiff of our earlier sex, the moisture trickling between her legs. I could almost taste her on my tongue. The raspy sound of my breathing grew louder as I walked toward the bed.

  Control. You must have control.

  I issued a slight snarl as I reached down. “Kathleen.” When she finally opened her eyes, staring directly into my own, the myriad emotions were almost too much to bear.

  Fear.

  Curiosity.

  Frustration.

  Hunger.

  Kathleen eased into a sitting position, covering her breasts, her gaze directed and full of heat. She remained quiet, the pulse in her neck pumping her life’s blood raggedly.

  “I want you.” I knelt onto the bed, drinking in her sweet essence before ripping away the sheet. Nothing was going to keep me away from her. “And I will have you.”

  While she didn’t utter a sound, her lower lip quivered. Seeing her completely naked body was a powerful aphrodisiac, my cock aching and my balls swollen.

  She eased her arms behind her and arched her back in a blatant offering. My mouth watered as I moved closer, lowering my head until our lips were almost touching.

  A slight whimper slipped past her lips, but she lifted her head even more, taking several deep breaths before closing her eyes. “Yes.”

  I cradled both sides of her face with the flats of my hands, a series of raspy growls permeating the dense space. I allowed our lips to touch, hungry to bite into her tender flesh, to taste her blood of life and truly make her mine.

  She reached up, placing her hands over mine, darting out her tongue. As she drew a lazy circle around my lips, I realized that beyond just our electric connection, I was falling hard for her. I shuddered involuntarily as she slid the tip of her tongue across the seam of my mouth, her breath so sweet as she blew across my face.

  As our fingers tangled together, she managed to calm the savage beast. I rubbed both thumbs across her cheeks before capturing her mouth, savoring the sweet flavor of her. I could drink her in for days, taking my time to explore every inch of her body. Every part of my skin was on fire and the sight of goosebumps popping along her naked skin was breathtaking. Even the slight hint of the moon cascading in from the partially closed blinds added to the romantic moment.

  For tonight, I was simply a human.

  The kiss was sweet at first, but I wanted so much more. I rolled my tongue against hers, my grip tightening.

  She slid her fingers down the length of both arms, kneading my chest with one hand as she slowly lowered her other to my throbbing cock. When she moaned into the kiss, I shuddered from the way blood pumped through every vein. The way she touched me, wrapping her lithe fingers around the base of my cock was almost overwhelming.

  I was so damn hungry, so aroused that I was forced to break the kiss, taking several deep breaths. “God.”

  She offered a mischievous smile as she slid her other hand between my legs, rolling my balls between her fingers. “So hard. So swollen.”

  “Yyyyeeesss...” I chuckled darkly as she pumped my shaft, moving up and down in a very deliberate manner.

  “Be careful, little girl.”

  “Or what?” she whispered, lowered her head until she was able to press a series of kisses on my chest.

  “Or you might find yourself...” As she twisted her hand, moving up and down, the friction forced me to lose concentration.

  “Or what, Maximillian?” she murmured, licking around first one of my nipples then the other. She squeezed her hand around my balls, clamping with enough pressure that my entire body shuddered.

  “Fuck. Jesus.” I fisted her hair, tossing my head back. The sensations rocketing through me were white hot, searing every nerve ending.

  “Mmm... Speechless.” She dragged her tongue down the center of my chest, finally pushing me back aggressively.

  “You’re not in control. You need to remember that.”

  As she straddled my hips, rubbing her wet pussy across my aching cock, it took everything I had not to impale her, taking everything I wanted from her.

  Kathleen shifted between my legs, lowering down and blowing another round of hot air. As she brought the tip of my cock to her lips, rubbing it back and forth, a trickle of pre-cum was immediate. “Mmm...” she purred, licking the few drops as she closed her eyes.

  I hadn’t anticipated seeing her in a playful mood, allowing the ravages of the case to fall to the side. Maybe she felt protected around me. Maybe her hunger was increasing. What I feared was something else entirely. I blocked out every negative thought, preferring to close my eyes as she taunted me, rolling her tongue around my cockhead in lazy circles.

  Her fingers drew zigzags down the underside of my shaft, teasing my balls with gentle scrapes of her nails. She knew exactly what she was doing, driving me utterly insane. I would hold off for as long as possible even though I wasn’t a patient man.

  The thought gave me a smile, my body relaxing from her touch alone.

  She licked up and down, taking her time as she continued to squeeze my balls. The slight pain was sensational, driving a series of electric jolts into every muscle and tendon. I was thrown into a pit of fire the instant she pulled the tip into her mou
th, using her strong jaw to suck. All the while she stroked the base, moving up and down rapidly.

  Damn, the woman had a powerful hold over me, the kind that would forever keep the beast far too close to the surface.

  My legs began to shake involuntarily as she took my shaft down an inch at a time, sucking and licking. She held the position for a few seconds then pulled back, blowing across the tip. I heard her raspy purring as she licked down until she was able to take one of my testicles into her mouth. The heat and the extreme wetness yanked me up, roaring into the air.

  I gazed down at her with lazy eyes, remaining on my elbows. “Such a bad girl.”

  “And I think you like that about me.” She sucked on my other ball, her tongue laving in zigzags and circles.

  I’d never felt so damn alive, every sense heightened. “Yes, but you will learn to behave.”

  “Or what?” she asked before rearing back, undulating her hips provocatively.

  “Don’t tease me, little girl. A fair warning.”

  “A dangerous warning.” She blew me a kiss before engulfing my cock once again, this time going all the way down until the tip hit the back of her throat.

  “Fuck!” I reached for her head, entangling my fingers in her long strands and keeping her in place. The feel of her lip pressed against my balls was pure ecstasy. I kept her there for a few seconds and when I released her, she sucked up and down vigorously.

  Within seconds, I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold back for long. I took several deep breaths, trying to maintain control, to keep the amazing experience going, but I refused to come this way.

  Not yet.

  Not until I’d explored every inch of her.

  With another keening cry, I yanked her away, dragging her up until her sweet little pussy was over my face.

  “Oh. Oh!” She threw her arms back, gasping for breath as I pulled her down, dragging my tongue around her clit. “My, oh, my.”

  I wiggled my head, savoring the sweet taste of her, licking in a fervent manner. She was so wet, her juice instantly filling my mouth. I sucked up every drop before driving my tongue past her slickened folds. As I gripped her hips, pumping her up and down on my face, the mere sight of her voluptuous breasts yanked out the savage in me.

  “Oh, God. Oh!” Kathleen tossed her head from side to side, her head lolling forward. But her eyes never left mine.

  Watching.

  Searching.

  Learning.

  I’d known she’d seen the golden ring around my eyes and there was nothing I could do to hide the portion that harbored passion.

  And need.

  And hunger.

  With every swipe of my tongue, I was pulled further into my beast. The promise I’d made to myself was nearly being broken. I fought with the inner beast, refusing to change. I closed my eyes, feasting as her pussy muscles clamped around my tongue, drawing me in even deeper.

  I was surprised when she clenched her legs against me, pushing hard until she was able to break the connection. Laughing, she scrambled off, far enough away that I couldn’t reach her.

  Or so she thought.

  She raked her hands through her strands of hair, the look on her face wild and free. “Not so fast.”

  “Hmmm... I think you need a lesson in who’s boss.” There was no hesitation. I simply grabbed her wrist as I sat up, pulling her over my lap. While she squealed and wiggled, I peppered her ass with several hard swats, moving from side to side in a rapid motion.

  “Oh, no. You’re not... You’re not doing this.” She fought hard, laughing as she attempted to take back control.

  I continued to smack her beautiful bottom, enjoying the heat building in my hand. I’d never felt this playful or free, the moment more vulnerable than I could ever imagine. Suddenly, I was unable to let the controlling side of me go. With ease, I pushed her down onto the bed, dragging first one leg over my shoulder then the other before leaning over.

  Panting, she smacked her hands against my chest, her breathing raspy. “That’s no fair.”

  “Everything is fair because it’s my choice.” The guttural rasp of my voice was followed by a series of growls, but something happened in the few moments I held her in place.

  This was no longer just about carnal attraction, a connection that neither one of us could ignore or explain. This was about much more. A coupling. Sharing.

  I planted my hands on either side of her, hovering.

  Waiting.

  This was her choice.

  A slight smile crossed her face as her eyes darted back and forth across mine. She slid her hand down, easing the tip of my cock to her pussy, rubbing my cockhead up and down for a few seconds. When she finally placed my shaft just inside, she seemed embarrassed, as if allowing me to see her vulnerability was more troubling than anything we’d experienced before.

  “I promise that I won’t hurt you,” I said quietly.

  “But you will never let me go. Will you?”

  “Not unless you ask, but I hope you won’t.”

  She nodded only once, lifting her arms over her head in a moment of surrender. Her lower lip continued to tremble as I slid my cock in an inch at a time. The way her muscles expanded, accepting the thick invasion pulled on my heartstrings. I’d never felt this way before, had never allowed myself to be this close.

  Even with the single woman I’d cared about, I’d never been able to let go. There was something cathartic about our closeness, an absolution that few of our kind ever received. At least not from a pure human. We were always guarded, never far from our beast. With Kathleen, I knew that I could train my beast.

  Mate. She’s your mate.

  The words filtered into my mind. Suddenly, I didn’t want to change her, to force her to live her life as a monster. I would do everything in my power to protect her in more than one way. Another tug at my heart reminded me that with one single mistake, I’d take the life she knew away from her.

  For a few seconds, I was pulled into despair until she cupped my face.

  “It’s okay, Max. I want you. I need you. I don’t know why I feel this way, but I just... I crave everything about you. Make love to me. Please.”

  Her words were said with such softness, every word reeking of passion and...

  Love.

  I closed my eyes, resisting the woeful howl that gurgled in my chest. Now was the time for joy, although we might never share it again. Tonight, she did belong to me.

  I thrust into her again, the feel of her muscles surrounding me sizzling every nerve ending.

  “Oh. Oh. Yes!” She trembled underneath me, her face twisted in pure ecstasy and in those few moments, I realized nothing had ever felt better.

  * * *

  “While no one within the law enforcement community is talking, it is evident that Denver could have a serial killer in its presence. All efforts at finding the detectives in charge have proven futile, further indicating that the good people of our city should be concerned.”

  “Turn that shit off,” Kathleen barked, cursing under her breath. Every news station in the city had finally been tipped off to certain elements of the case. At least the medical examiner hadn’t lied about her exchange with reporters. I had to wonder whether she’d given them insider information, which would further fuel the conspiracy theory.

  “They’re just doing their jobs,” I said quietly, even though I had no intention of listening to any more of the bullshit.

  “Their jobs. Yeah, which makes ours more difficult. The killer is likely basking in his glory right about now, no doubt powering back shots of tequila and laughing.”

  “I doubt the killer is paying a damn bit of attention.” After turning off the television, I crouched by the fire, warming my hands for a few seconds.

  “You can’t know that. Most of them want attention, their grand fifteen minutes of fame.” She tossed a file, huffing as she glared at the computer screen.

  While I hadn’t been able to gather any additional ‘sight’
from the killer, my instincts had created a heightened level of sensitivity. The killer was close. Too close. “This killer has a special agenda in mind.”

  “Oh, yeah? And what’s that?”

  “Revenge.”

  She inhaled, her brow furrowing. “All right. For what?”

  “That’s what we’re going to have to figure out.” I thought about the fact that Stone’s blood had turned up. I didn’t buy the fact he’d had anything to do with the murders. Every aspect of what we’d discovered was tidy and convenient.

  “This Stone Keeler you mentioned. Good guy or bad guy?”

  I chuckled at the question. “Both but he’s no killer. I would bet my life on it.”

  Evening had already settled in, the hours spent savoring every aspect of her body unexpected and perhaps far too indulgent. Yet I smiled as I dragged my tongue across my lips, still able to taste her sweet pussy. Every muscle in my body ached from the rounds of heated sex. I flexed my fingers then clenched them, cognizant that we’d taken far too much precious time away from the case.

  I had the same premonitions that I knew Kathleen continued to have. The killer was lying in wait, the next victim on the horizon.

  And we had no freaking idea who it might be, but I was certain the kills were for revenge, which meant the wolf was completely cognizant of his actions.

  I could feel her utter frustration, sensing her increasing anger in every pore of my body much like her scent continued to filter into my nostrils. I shifted forward, ignoring the growing desire. I was also angry I hadn’t heard a single word from either my father or another councilmember. What the hell were they waiting for, another murder?

  Proof.

  They wanted to make certain that they didn’t drag any attention to the city, no matter the consequences. While I couldn’t blame them for being cautious, they had to know we were risking far too much. Eventually, fingers would be pointed, even if the cause was more about hiding the truth. I bit back a snarl and shoved down my anger. Cool heads were needed in order to figure out a plan.