by Erin R Flynn
I played a girl trick, hoping it didn’t backfire. “I need my bear to show me he craves only me. I thought he’d want to after protecting me. Twice.”
“I do only crave you,” he promised.
“I want what you’ve only shared with me. Don’t you?”
“Yes, but I’m all over the place and not in control.”
“Isn’t that the time you turn to your girlfriend?” I frowned. “Isn’t that how it works?”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I can take it, and I want you. If you don’t trust me or want me then—”
We were off the sofa in a flash, but then he moved me to lie down on the wide, plush arm. “You’re sure?”
“Yes,” I moaned, squirming in anticipation. “Do it to me again, Dylan. I’ve wanted it so, so much.”
“You are wet again,” he teased me. I heard his zipper and felt his pants fall, brushing my naked legs. Then I felt the blunt tip of his monster pushing against me. He was gentle to start, checking I could take it, shivering when I moaned in delight and begged for more. “Mine. You’re mine now, Jasmine. No more running.”
“I’ll try.”
“I’ll chase instead of waiting,” he growled, sounding a bit turned on by that possibility, but I didn’t feel like it was a threat.
Just a promise.
He linked our arms, and I bucked against him, groaning when he thrust hard in answer and nipped my shoulder in warning. But I didn’t stop, I fought the whole time, making him earn every moment of pleasure.
And there were a lot of them. I came screaming again and again as he completely fucked me and fucked me good. When he finished he roared, sounding more bear than man almost.
It made me realize something important that I didn’t want to leave hanging. We gasped for air for a few minutes before he gently pulled out of my well used body. I felt every ache and a lot of numbness still. When I could move, I rolled to the sofa and then slid to the floor on some pillows someone had found.
“Let me meet him,” I whispered, smiling up at Dylan. “I haven’t met him, and he’s protected me. Let me meet him after I accepted you and bear sex again.”
Dylan’s eyes filled with more than heat this time, looking more like when I saw guys get all gooey over their spouses or mates. It made me swallow loudly, worried he felt that way for me when I was just trying to adjust to not running. He nodded, and I felt the air change around us before he changed into a massive fucking brown bear. I mean even way bigger than the biggest in nature.
“Wow, pretty,” I breathed, seeing him in the bear’s eyes. I yelped when the bear immediately sniffed me intimately, seeming to understand I’d accepted Dylan’s seed. He moved over me and licked my face, smiling down at me. “Do you let your girlfriend ride on your back and snuggle during naps?” I bit back a giggle that almost slipped out when he nodded.
I rolled out from under him and pulled on his fur a bit to climb up. I burst out laughing as he headed toward the kitchen as if to say either I needed to eat or he did. I winced when I saw David and Nathanial were still there.
David gave me a soft smile, his eyes crinkling in the corners. “We know you were lying that sex wasn’t any better than the toys. It was a kind white lie, but we knew.”
I opened my mouth but then closed it before trying again. “I’ve had a lot of sex that wasn’t as good as those toys or what you did to me. Mason’s toy is way better than a lot of sex I’ve had. So it wasn’t a total lie.” Dylan huffed, and I leaned forward, scratching his ears. “Are you trying to feed me, or do you want to eat?” He just huffed again as if reminding me he couldn’t talk.
Right, duh.
I wasn’t hungry, so I focused on feeding him. I wasn’t sure what, but we didn’t have any raw food at the place. Instead, I focused on giving him anything with meat, which was easy given we’d had burgers. He inhaled any I tossed him, and I scratched his ears and head in between, laughing when he kept giving me kisses.
When I went to clean up, he growled in warning. I gave him a look like that might be pushing it, but I left it for now.
“Fine, but when I’m all gross later you’re showering me,” I grumbled, snickering when he nodded. I went back to feeding him, and after he seriously ate a tray of burgers, he shook his head he was full. He plopped on his butt and then laid back, holding his arms out for me. I burst out laughing as I realized what he wanted.
After a few moments of him waving his paws at me, I shrugged and plopped on him. His fur was ridiculously soft, and when he hugged me to him, I was crazy warm and fast.
“Shit, I’m calling on you anytime I’m somewhere cold again,” I mumbled, drifting off even if I was too warm given we were in the Caribbean. I woke a bit later and not lying on a bear but tucked in on the sofa with just a sheet over me.
“I’ll apologize later, but you need to see this,” Kiera announced as she came into view. “Elijah spanked me properly.”
“I’m sure you hated that,” I mumbled, giving her a smirk. Several of us knew of her crush on the terrifying ancient demon, and even if she felt the same, she still wanted him. I’d never understood that, but now I sort of did. Aidan might not have been as scary as Elijah, but he was scary and I kinda got it now.
“Shut up,” she grumbled, hating that people knew, that Elijah knew as we couldn’t hide much from each other. He pretended like it didn’t even register with him, which was a bit dismissive, but she wasn’t much older than me, and I was pretty sure he was used to younger demons flirting or being drawn to darkness like him.
I took the phone from her and frowned when I realized it was the phone I used for Cara. Then I was pissed when I saw the messages. “Is this bitch like nuts?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t like it,” she worried. “I know you were a bit down on the tank, but she is treating you like you’re a total newb and weak demon.”
I shook my head. “I dampered my power a bit and I wanted to be a bit hungry around her, but this just… She’s not that old either. This is ridiculously brazen.” I shook my head. “No, I’m not letting her blow apart the Cara cover for this case. We’re already at the nuclear level on this and too much else.” I tapped on the message to call Pete, glad when he answered.
“Hey, Cara, thanks for calling me back finally,” he grumbled.
“Yeah, sorry, had something blow up, and I think I’ve been sitting here for a few minutes shocked at what I was reading,” I replied, showing it in my tone but keeping cool like Cara would be.
“So you’re not on board with this?” he checked.
I snorted. “I barely know Tahnee. We see each other at the gym, and she’s chatted me up like she wanted the distraction during cardio, but now I’m thinking it’s more than that if she’s using my name to try and set up parties. I saw her at a fundraiser that I didn’t know she was involved with, and she was like trying to pimp me out while asking me for dirt. It was really weird, and I don’t plan on seeing her again.”
He burst out laughing, taking a few moments to calm down again. “Wow, just wow, that’s totally different than her story. You’re complete besties, gave her my number even—”
“I would never give someone your cell without checking. You know that.”
“I do which was the first red flag, but I’m curious how she got it.”
“Caden,” I sighed. “She knows him. She was talking about his review of me like—I don’t know, Pete, the whole thing was weird. I think I’m going to bounce out of LA.”
“Can you handle her though so I’m not the bad guy?”
“Sure, if you could give me her number, I’ll call her.”
He coughed for a moment. “You don’t even have her number and she’s trying to host parties using your name? What the actual F, Cara?”
“I don’t know, but she’s going to get an earful from me about it, I promise.”
“I’d like to see that, but I’ve got a lot going on too.” He blew a raspberry. “And speaking of Cad
en, I think getting out of LA might be smart.”
“Why?” I drawled, Kiera’s eyes going wide.
“He’s looking for you.”
“Is he seriously trying to blame me for his shit performance or whatever?”
“No, it seemed, um, more territorial than that. His manager—who I’m tight with and why I had the party—says he’s spun out since Bain won and then asked you out. He’s determined the wolf not bed you like you’re taken. He’s lashing out like a tiger and—I think you’re just in the middle of it. Bain’s a good guy, but he’s an idiot for doing it that way.”
“Yeah, he’s admitted that,” I sighed, glancing up and realizing he was in the room, locking gazes with him. “We talked and I told him I’d maybe have a drink with him after the death threats cooled off on social media because he’s such a hot number now.”
“People are scary for sure.”
“Sorry you got dragged into any of this, Pete.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’ll make it up to me. You’re good like that.”
“I am,” I chuckled. “I was talking to some friends about a weekend blow out Aidan O’Malley might be having. That’s who Tahnee was trying to pimp me out to, but he seemed just as shocked.”
“And of course you had some fun there,” he purred.
“No, actually he was a gentleman and we went for real food since we were both starving. I think he’s thinking a longer game than I play, but he’s worth the hype people give him. Nice to servers and everyone without that normal billionaire douche vibe.” It was hard not to laugh when I saw Aidan roll his eyes as we had everyone’s attention now. I held up a finger to him. There was something I was going for.
“Oh, Cara, honey, you invite me somewhere he is and we can meet and I’m your friend for life. I don’t care how much crazy you bring me, I promise.”
I pumped my fist, glad he took the bait. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll see what I can do. I promise not to rock his world and ghost him before I introduce you at least.”
“Love you too,” he cooed. “Gotta jet. I’ll text you her number.”
“Thanks, Pete.” I hung up and held my finger up again as I focused on Kiera. “What if this is her play to get my number? Caden didn’t get it. Caden knew Pete had it.”
Her eyes flashed shock. “You think their setup is to the point they can ping numbers and track people.” Then her eyes bugged out. “You think the tiger isn’t just a member but seriously involved?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted, tugging on my lower lip. “Why would she want me just for him? She thinks I could bring in Aidan and Bain. I think I need to know more about what the traitor said first.”
“I’ll tell Elijah.” She gave me a pleading look to let her help.
I sighed, nodding. Fine, she could go give him good news and get her pat on the head. I didn’t want to enable her crush on him, but it wasn’t my place to block her either. “For the record, if I stuck my nose in this, you would totally deserve it.”
She winced. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed how I did and certainly not while you’re working a case. In my defense, you’re always working a case, Jasmine. I thought if you could have reason to take a break, you’d take a break.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, keeping the sheet there. “Oh, and I couldn’t have taken a break with Mason? You got them involved because Mason was around. That’s a level of meddling I’m not okay with, Kiera, best friend or not.”
She blew out a harsh breath, nodding before she stood and went over to Mason. “I’m sorry I meddled. I like the way Owen and especially Evan have treated her, and I assumed they were the best option for her before even getting to know you. I had a bad experience with a warlock, and I shouldn’t have let it cloud my judgment.”
“You didn’t tell me that part,” I muttered, worrying I was missing something big.
She shrugged as she glanced at me over her shoulder. “Not everyone can wear the crimes committed against them as a shield of armor the way you do. Some of us carry the weight and shame we were ever fooled.” She worried her lower lip and glanced between us. “You do need to know more about warlocks before ever getting involved with one though, Jasmine. There’s a lot of cultural things that—”
“I’ve warned her of a few and classify her as a young one as she’s younger than me and ignorant to warlock ways,” Mason clarified. “The only anything I’ve pulled is making sure I can always find her, as I will need that to be with her but also… I felt the need to.” He glanced over at me and sighed. “And now I’m glad I did.”
I blinked at him, smiling widely. “Well yeah, that’s one way to improve on what I was plotting.”
“Bait. You were going to allow yourself to be bait and now he can find you,” David surmised.
“I’m not telling Elijah that,” Kiera whispered. “Oh no, I’ll tell him you want to speak with him.”
“Quit running to Elijah,” I hissed.
She stormed over to me and flicked me in the forehead. “We love you, dumbass. Stop being reckless. We’re not running to Elijah because you stubbed your toe. There’s an eight million dollar payday to do bad things to you, not including killing you, and you’re on the most wanted list of a bunch of vamps who use lust demons as sex slaves and probably more. Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Fine, fine, call in the scary wrath demon, but you guys are framing it like you’re snitching on me. You can say ‘let’s go talk to Elijah.’ But you guys keep saying you’re just going to tell him stuff like you’re snitching on me.”
“Fine,” she sighed. “Jasmine, it’s time to talk to Elijah. Should I get him, or do you want to?”
“Bitch,” I chuckled, shaking my head. “I’m going to go shower. Fine, tell Elijah you didn’t let me have a full day off.” I threw back my head and laughed when she winced. “Yeah, enjoy that spanking.”
“I will,” she grumbled, heading to the portal even as she shook her head at herself. I couldn’t blame her. There were things I liked that I didn’t always understand either.
“Where are clothes for me?” I checked as I stood with the sheet.
Aidan crooked his finger at me. I went to him, and he took my hand, leading me to the master bedroom and showing me a bag someone must have packed for me. Something was up with his attitude though as he slid his fingers in the sheet and pulled it away from my body. His lips were soft as they brushed against mine, not demanding but tender really.
“I liked hearing nice things said about me from your sweet lips for once,” he murmured. “I really liked it, darling.” He ran his nose along my cheek and up to my ear. “I want you so much I ache for you. I hope soon you will believe that, and I want you to be my girlfriend as well.”
I licked my lips and tried to block his desires so I could focus on my own. “I’m not against it. I do think I need a bit more time having my first boyfriend before seriously considering declaring a second.”
“I understand. I just wanted you to hear it from my lips how I felt.” He kissed my shoulder, and his arms slowly moved around me. “I enjoyed feasting from you like that. I did. It was—I understand the warlock’s thrill of drowning in a woman that way. I still taste you like I would the most elegant meal.”
“It was good on my end as well,” I chuckled, turning my head to lay it on his chest as I hugged him back. “Thanks for being patient with me.”
He chuckled darkly. “You’ve been the same with me. This old dog can learn new tricks, but you have to give him time to adjust.” He waited until I nodded. “Why were you so happy that Pete wanted to meet me? Who is he?”
I turned my head so my chin was resting on him as I stared up at him. “He’s a huge promoter. But you can’t buy him. That’s his niche and why everyone listens to him. His YouTube channel alone makes bank on his reviews of places. He will also be brutally honest about any flaws worse than if Gordan Ramsey came to your kitchen.”
“He did and loved my restaurants,” he muttered.
“I know,” I purred as I swayed in his arms. “And I did my homework into you a bit and how much you do for charity. And you fought to help demons get a voice with the move we made. Your everything is geared for upscale clientele with money, but not so much the younger money crowd. Pete can change that. That’s more money for charity and makes you look better to the vampire council that you have a voice in.”
“And what would you like me to do with that voice, darling?”
“Right now? Moan.” I dropped to my knees and opened his fly. I sucked him with all I had, moving his hand to my head and letting him drive even. He finished pretty fast as I was giving him my best, but still it made me smirk a bit that I could. He stared down at me with shock as his chest rose and fell quickly. “Thanks for coming to do battle with ISLE to keep me safe.”
“You’re very welcome. I didn’t do it for a reward, but wow, that is one amazing thank you.”
“I figured I owed you a bit of interest after not thanking you sooner.” I stood and turned, leaning over to reach my bag and find clothes… While showing him everything he wanted to see.
“I would very much like to schedule that carpet picnic date.” He ran his fingers over my naked ass, just a ghost of a touch, but I felt it as strongly as I would have if he spanked me.
Shit, I would really enjoy him spanking me. The thought made me shiver.
“I’d like that as well. Maybe after this case. Unfortunately it’s rare I get to really schedule anything.”
He nodded, turning his head slightly. “Elijah’s here. We’ll talk later.” His fingers ran over my skin again. “Thank you for thinking of me. Your heart really is big. I just wish you weren’t so good at running.” He snorted. “I do like your violent temper though.”
“That was nothing,” I admitted, amusing him even more. I grabbed a cotton dress, but after a minute I realized I had a lot I wanted to get off my mind and work through. I went with a halter top body suit with shorts. It was my go to outfit for when I was working on choreography and even if there wasn’t a pole at the place, I could get started on timing for the new songs I had in mind.