Once Bitten Read online

  We ran. We chased each other and wrestled amidst the underbrush. We lifted our voices to the sky, howled together in a crescendo of harmony that haunted my rapidly shrinking human side. Miles away, a farm dog took up the howl in acknowledgement of our mighty declaration.

  Dawn streaked Shaz’ white fur with a colorful glow as he ran ahead. I loped along behind him and watched as he gave chase to two ravens that dared to settle too close to his path. We had run so far out of town that we needed the better part of an hour to trot back to the field behind my house. A brilliant golden glow crept over the town with the promise of another hot summer day.

  I wondered if Arys could sense the magnificence of the sunrise, which he would never again experience himself. His presence returned, heavy in my mind. He’d been there before my change to wolf; our connection crossed physical limitations. I felt I could call out to him, and he would hear me.

  As we crossed the field to my house, I felt eyes, not from my house or even my street but from the street that ran perpendicular to mine. Shaz’ startled expression indicated that he felt it, too. A scan of every backyard on that street showed nothing. We were a good distance off though.

  I stopped where I was. I just stared in the direction of our watcher; I could feel Zoey.

  No way in hell was I going to lead her to my house if she didn’t already know where it was. Unfortunately, five in the morning was not a good time to give chase through the streets of Stony. I maintained my stare across the field, until I felt her go.

  Why she was following me? I didn’t know, but if for one minute she thought that she was going to take me out for stealing Raoul’s warped affections from her, she had another thing coming. Of course, my nagging human side pitied her; the sight of Shaz and I together as wolf must hurt her more than I would ever know.

  Shaz’ furry eyebrows raised in question, and I nuzzled him briefly before breaking into a run. I wasn’t too keen on having the neighbors witness our approach in the early morning light.

  Within half an hour, we both lay sprawled across my bed, sipping coffee and watching the morning news. I’d slipped into a plain black tank top and wrapped my favorite silky leopard print robe around me. I thought of Jez every time I put it on. Shaz reclined beside me clad in just his blue jeans. His slender body was well muscled and firm, inviting me to touch.

  “Now, let me get this straight,” he said in between mouthfuls of refreshing java.

  “Raoul’s estranged half-breed daughter is running amok, murdering his lovers out of jealousy. He expects your help but refuses to believe she’s too far gone to ever come back.”

  I picked a fluff off my fuzzy bedspread and watched it float down to the grey carpet.

  “Yeah, that more or less sums it up.”

  “I wonder why she was watching us,” he mused, staring thoughtfully into his cup.

  “She’s a complete idiot if she’s jealous of you.”

  “Thanks for that.” I sneered sarcastically as I punched him in the arm.

  “No, I mean that you and Raoul can barely stand each other. It’s not like he’s pouring a whole lot of love on you.”

  “True. But, who knows what’s left of her mind now? I’d just as soon not be involved in this mess. But, she killed Belle, so now it’s personal.” My grip began to tighten on my coffee mug. I took a sip and frowned when it burnt my tongue.

  “I can’t believe she’s gone. It doesn’t seem real.” Shaz’ voice grew soft.

  I tried to hide my disgust. Belle had been a lady that every male werewolf in this town had gotten to know very well at some point; Shaz was no exception.

  “Yeah, well, it looked pretty real to me.” I pictured the bright red splatters in her bleached blonde hair and grimaced. I don’t care how rotten your existence is; serial killing isn’t the answer.

  Who are you to talk? A little voice taunted me. You murdered David in cold blood.

  And it wasn’t even personal. So what’s your excuse? Getting your kicks from sating your vampire lover’s borrowed lust?

  I shuddered, and Shaz asked if I was cold. I shook my head and said, “I don’t think we can make our date tonight. We have to find this crazy chick. Can we reschedule?”

  He beamed a grin that set a butterfly to flutter in my stomach and reached for my hand. “No problem. Let me know what you want me to do. I’m at your service.”

  “You’re too good to me.” I felt silly, but the words were out. Before he could reply, the news lady began to talk about the missing man from Stony Plain.

  We both sat up straighter, instantly alert. The police currently had no leads or clues.

  The man’s girlfriend had told police that she’d parted ways with him earlier in the evening, that they had each taken the path that led to their respective homes. Anyone with information was asked to call local authorities.

  “Holy shit.” My heart raced a mile a minute, and I had to take a deep breath. “She didn’t tell the cops anything. That is so fucked up. She knows damn well something got him, and she’s not talking.”

  “Maybe she’s afraid you’ll come and eat her, too,” Shaz laughed, and I gave him a look. “Sorry. Still too fresh, huh?”

  Fatigue began to set in as the night’s events caught up with me. I emptied my mug and set it on the night table, and then I got comfy on the bed beside Shaz. His scent was easily among my favorites, and it lulled me quickly.

  I remembered the days when we would fall asleep together after a run, entangled in one another’s naked limbs. Thinking back on it, I couldn’t quite recall when or how it had come to an end.

  “If you’re ready to get into bed, I can head home. I probably should anyway.” He made as if to rise, and I stopped him with a firm hand flat on his bare chest.

  “No, you don’t have to. I want you to stay.” That came out a little more forward than I’d intended. “I mean, you’re tired, too. Why don’t you crash here? Like you used to.”

  He looked at me so long and hard that I began to regret my choice of words. I was getting ready to back track, but my tongue turned heavy and hard to manipulate.

  “I’m not trying to suggest anything … I just need you here.”

  I was feeling successfully foolish and more than a little vulnerable. I hadn’t really meant to blurt out that last part.

  Instead of responding and adding to my moment of awkwardness, he simply got comfortable beside me. He pulled my silky black sheet over us and drew me against him so that my back pressed against his chest. The comfort was so surreal that I made a point of taking note of every sensation.

  With all that I had to think about, I expected my mind to be in overdrive. However, once we got settled, words were no longer necessary; I was out like a light.

  ———

  Just six hours later, I was awake and drinking more coffee as I spoke with Kylarai in hushed tones in the kitchen. Shaz continued to snore softly in my bed.

  When I filled her in on everything from the previous night, I was momentarily afraid she was going to lose it. Anything to do with men mistreating women in any way had Ky on the offensive. She turned four different shades of red before counting backwards from ten. Her unhappiness with Raoul couldn’t have pleased me more.

  “How dare he think for a minute that it’s ok to bring you into this while withholding that kind of information! Why are you helping him? He’s never gone out of his way for you in a way that’s even remotely comparable to this.” Her grey eyes blazed, and I couldn’t recall the last time I’d seen her so angry.

  “This isn’t about Raoul anymore.” I shook my head and caught the faint scent of Shaz in my hair. “He fucked up. He knowingly endangered Belle, and now she’s dead. If Zoe comes back for him, he’s on his own.”

  Kylarai looked hesitant as she twirled a piece of chin length hair absently around one finger. “You think she’s that powerful? A hybrid?”

  “No. I think she’s crazy and dangerous. Sometimes that counts for more than power and strength.”
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  Kylarai only nodded. We both knew what it was like when sanity snaps, when chaos is fully embraced. How much harder might it be to never come back from that?

  I mentioned my plan to scout the town for Zoey later, as well as how I’d felt her watching Shaz and me. Kylarai’s eyes widened, and she choked on her coffee.

  “Well, I’m coming with you,” she declared. Her tone was defiant, daring me to argue. “She’s messing with pack now. And, don’t forget about your history with Raoul. You might be on her hit list, too.”

  “If she’s got her facts straight then she’ll know I’m president of the ‘I hate Raoul Roberts’ fan club. Anyway, I’m going to give Kale and Jez a call. We can cover more ground that way.”

  I was calling up a lot of manpower for one crazy ass hybrid, but I wasn’t willing to wait for another murder, particularly since Zoey had me in her sights. I’d kill her if I had to, but I expected that I’d have to kill Raoul, too; he wasn’t going to stand by and let me take her out.

  “Kale, huh?” Ky grinned mischievously.

  I met her gaze with a quizzical look. “Didn’t you just have a date with Tom last night? How did that go by the way?”

  “We had a nice dinner, alright.” She rose to put her cup in the sink before fetching her keys from their hook above the microwave. “But, I don’t see much more than that. He is human, so how serious can that really get?”

  I watched her gather her purse and straighten the jacket of her dressy skirt suit.

  “You’re working today?” I asked.

  “I have to meet a client for lunch in the city. She caught her husband, red handed, in bed with his lover, so the divorce should be a pretty open and shut case.” She smiled then. “I love those. And, what might you be planning to do in my absence? Catch up on some much needed sleep?” She inclined her head toward the hall and winked.

  I knew what she was getting at and so would Shaz if he was awake and listening. I forced the best scowl I could muster and pursed my lips. “You’d better hurry, Ky. Wouldn’t want you to be late for your meeting.”

  “You’re in denial, Alexa. But, I’m sure you’ll come around.” She laughed and turned away in time to miss the finger that I held up for her.

  “So, I’ll see you later then,” I continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “Around sundown. Drive safe.”

  Before returning to my bedroom, I poured a fresh cup of coffee for Shaz. If I was lucky, maybe I could grab a bit more sleep before hunting down Raoul’s nut-job offspring. When they say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, they weren’t kidding.

  Shaz was sprawled in the middle of my double bed, with his eyes closed and the blankets pushed down to his waist. I stole a moment to admire the view. He was gorgeous, lean and finely sculpted. He was such an amazing contrast to Arys’ dark beauty, and I blushed as an image formed in my mind of the two of them awaiting me in that bed together.

  Under the weight of my gaze, Shaz slowly cracked open his eyes. His lazy smile enticed me into the bed. I leaned across him to place his coffee on the nightstand. When his arms encircled my waist to pull me down on top of him, I startled and spilled the hot liquid on the back of my hand.

  “Sorry about that.” His voice came out low, barely above a whisper. I could sense his wolf lurking there behind his eyes, and I licked my lips invitingly.

  Our faces were inches apart; my breasts crushed against his bare chest. I gasped as the energy of our wolves entwined and danced together. The energy grew as it had with Arys, but the bond was much more natural. Shaz’ power stroked a different part of me that was all about the beast within.

  “Shaz, I-,” He cut me off with a warm finger pressed lightly against my lips. The temptation to run my tongue along that finger was strong.

  “Don’t talk. We don’t need to.” The intention in his green eyes had my pulse racing, and I found myself at a loss for words.

  I wanted to ask him if he knew what he was saying, but he kissed me with an intensity that washed away my concerns. He tasted faintly of spicy pine with a hint of cinnamon, and I reveled in it.

  I gave a small shriek when he rolled me over and pinned me beneath him. My heartbeat echoed inside my head as his tongue sought the soft hollow beneath my ear. He sought to dominate me, and by God, I was going to let him.

  My nostrils filled with the scent of him, and an undeniable tingle started between my legs. Despite the ache, the urge to have him inside me after years of teasing torture, I wondered if we were making a mistake. Every part of me that was both human and wolf responded to him in full, and I knew that I’d be an idiot to open my mouth now. My words would break the spell that held us in its thrall. The last four years had been leading to this moment, and I’d be damned if I was going to be the one to stop it.

  When he kissed me again, his warm, wet tongue slid between my lips; I threw myself into it whole-heartedly, with no going back. He deftly slid a hand inside my robe to my breasts, and a thrill shot through me simply from his uncharacteristic boldness. I returned his kiss with a hunger that I hadn’t known was possible. I moved to accommodate him as he pulled at my robe. He tossed it to the floor with careless abandon. My tank top followed, which left me clad in only my pink thong underwear.

  This was happening so fast. Or was it? The anticipation had been building for years.

  After my night with Arys, I’d assumed Shaz would never want to touch me like that. The possessive nature with which he caressed me indicated that he felt quite the opposite. He wanted to claim me even more now.

  We were rushing toward that most crucial moment, and though every human part of me insisted we should slow down; instead, our wolves set and kept the pace. Neither lust nor undeniable animal urges rushed us; we rushed forward because we feared that it just wouldn’t happen if we paused to enjoy the building momentum.

  Shaz maintained his role as the dominant. His lips on my breasts brought a small growl out of me, and I gripped him tightly in response as his fingers sought the warmth between my thighs. I tore my thong off; I needed to feel his persistent touch without the barrier between us. When he lingered hesitantly and brushed the most sensitive part of me, I arched my back and reached to free him of his remaining clothing.

  I reached to stroke his velvety smooth shaft as he hovered above me. When our naked bodies pressed together, nothing remained between us but our own personal worries. He paused, and we shared a thought: Was this going to ruin us? Either way made no difference to us in the heat of the moment.

  I rubbed myself against him; delicious jolts of pleasure coursed throughout me. He made to kiss me again, and I nipped his bottom lip, drawing a small bead of blood. I licked it away with the tip of my tongue and wondered when my fangs had shown up.

  The blood hungry vampire energy low in my core seemed to raise its head the moment his tangy blood hit my taste buds.

  Shaz had no fangs yet, but his green eyes were all wolf. He drew away slightly, and I worried that he changed his mind. When his mouth made contact with the sensitive skin of my most private of places, I couldn’t stop the moan that broke loose, edged with a hint of a growl.

  His wet tongue had just barely stroked my moist flesh when something inside me demanded that this union be made now, before the vampire comes back. That last thought didn’t feel like me at all. Whatever it was that made me werewolf, it wasn’t keen on losing this moment.

  “Shaz,” I gasped his name around my four fangs.

  I looked down my body, into his wild eyes, and a shiver of excitement engulfed me at the untamed hunger I saw there. Could he feel the growing metaphysical swirl that stole my breath and reached out for that, oh so sweet, werewolf power? The blood hunger rose up inside, and the scent of him overwhelmed me like too much perfume.

  I never had to say anything more than his name. He wasted no time; if I’d expected him to stall further, I was happily disappointed.

  The moment that Shaz slipped inside me, the urge to howl rocked me. The sex wasn’t anything sim
ilar to being with the vampire. Shaz and I didn’t join on a metaphysical level; we were all about the carnal wolf and the personal emotion between us.

  Shaz’ fangs now grazed my shoulder as we developed the perfect rhythm. I gripped his lower back where I could encourage the depths he reached for; my clawed nails easily broke his skin.

  Our lovemaking was frenzied but not rushed. We each had a need for the other that quickly took over, and the world outside faded. A series of growls, snarls, and moans filled the silence around us. His breath was hot against my ear as he panted my name. I met each of his thrusts in perfect rhythm as if we’d done this so many times before.

  Instinct led, and we followed.

  I cried out in both pain and pleasure as he bit at my neck and shoulders. When the sensations grew to be too much, when I knew we were hurtling towards a thunderous finish, I braced myself and surrendered as the point of no return claimed me.

  My back arched involuntarily, and I grabbed at him as if to pull him closer than he already was. The energy was like a tornado that had us successfully trapped in the center.

  The moment I reached climax, I felt his instantaneous response as he joined me. The simultaneous howl that went up from each of us blended to sound like one wolf. The sound was chilling in its strange beauty.

  We resisted the return to a normal state of being. We lay there panting, wrapped in one another. We were both equally afraid to move and risk breaking the spell. I stroked his sweaty, disheveled hair; I laughed contentedly and hugged him to me tightly. The tension, which he’d been holding in his shoulders, eased, and he kissed me lovingly. I inhaled the musky scent of sex that filled the room.

  Shaz buried his face in my hair and took a deep breath before sighing, “I’m so in love with you.”

  My breath caught, and the pinprick of tears assaulted my eyes. I knew how hard the admission was, now, in light of last week.

  “Shaz?” My voice was rough, edged with wolf. “I love you. …You know that, don’t you?”