Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance (33 page)

refreshments.

A waiter stopped at their table and took out a pen and

tablet. "What can I get for you?"

"Coffee," Laura answered.

"I'll just have a hot chocolate," Ben told him.

After he was gone, Laura whispered to Ben. "Do they have

soda pop here?"

Bed nodded. "They make their own in Coyopa'. The coffee

beans are grown here, too. As you saw with Detar's home,

Outerlands
is more than just this city; it is as big as the

earth. There are other villages and farms where our food is

grown, and other kingdoms and races too.

"But I thought you were all werewolves and that you

hunted."

"We do not hunt like that all the time, we just need fresh

raw meat, and the farms can provide that as much as they

can cooked meat. Besides, not even all of
Coyopa
' are

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Sungmanitu
. There are many descendants of the original

Baalam
here too, and lots of other kinds of people the mortal

world could never accept or understand," he explained to her

patiently.

Laura smiled. Ben seemed much wiser than his years.

After their order had arrived, Laura sipped the hot liquid.

She was absolutely sure it was the best coffee she had ever

tasted.

"We have to return soon. I was told to make sure you were

back in time to get ready for Justin's dinner party." A shadow

seemed to have dropped over his bright eyes.

"Yes, I was told about that this morning as well." She

grimaced.

"The party is supposed to be so they can announce Justin's

engagement to the Mayor's daughter."

Laura felt her throat constrict as pain pierced at her heart.

She said nothing because she found that she could not speak.

Ben seemed to know the affect his words had on her and

was instantly sorry. "It's an arrangement that has been in

place for many years, but until now ... Justin has delayed," he

added after a moment. "I guess he just figures it's time now."

Laura fought back the tears that were stinging her eyes.

She remembered Justin's vow to take another woman as his

wife. Obviously it hadn't been just an idle threat. Even then

he had known that one day he was to marry someone else,

but still he had lain with her and let her fall in love with him.

Laura could no longer hold back the bitter tears and they

spilled from her eyes to roll down her pale cheeks.

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Ben took her hand. "I'm very sorry, Miss Laura. Justin

should have told you this himself."

Laura shook her head. "It's okay. I'll learn to live with it."

She paused for a moment before continuing. "Do me a favor

though, don't ever tell Justin about this," she motioned to her

tear streaked face.

"Don't worry, Miss Laura, I won't."

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Laura sank into the steaming tub, wanting nothing more

than to escape the reality of the day. How could she possibly

hope to get through this night without betraying her heart,

and her secret?

Gently, Laura brought her hand down to touch the tiny

mound in her lower stomach. As much as she wanted to hate

Justin and think of him as an evil creature, she could not. He

had given her this child and how could she ever truly regret

that? Already she felt a love for her unborn baby that no

words could ever adequately describe.

Though she could not quite make herself hate Justin, the

fury she felt burned like an inferno. He had deceived her and

disregarded her love like he would brush dust from his jacket.

Lost in her sorrows, Laura hadn't noticed how tepid the

water had become. Finishing her bath, she climbed out of the

tub and wrapped herself in a large white towel. Sitting at the

gold dressing table, Laura used the large mirror to begin

brushing her hair dry.

The sharp knock tore through her thoughts, startling her.

The bedroom door swung open before she had a chance to

answer, and she turned her head to face the intruder, she

found herself lost in Justin's turbulent eyes.

"What do you want?" She found it an impossible feat to

keep her voice from shaking. "Anna has informed me that you

refused to wear the gown I sent up this morning."

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Justin's eyes seemed to burn right through her and Laura

suddenly realized she was wearing only a towel.

Blushing crimson and feeling more vulnerable that she had

ever felt in his presence, Laura answered hotly, "I'm sure I

have something just as adequate."

"You will wear the green gown," he ordered.

Laura swayed between anger and fear. She could not quite

believe his arrogance.

"I will not," she told him before turning back to the mirror.

An instant later she felt a vice grip on her arm as she was

swung around to face him. "You will do as you're told, Laura."

"Are you commanding me, Your Highness?" Laura's own

anger had risen to meet his.

Justin stared at her silently before reaching behind him to

lock her bedroom door.

Alarmed, Laura stood up and backed away from him.

Taking slow, purposeful steps toward her, his removed the

leather vest he wore, revealing his hard hairless chest. Before

taking another step in her direction, he unbuttoned his pants

and pulled them off.

Laura could not take her eyes from his already stiffening

rod. Without averting her gaze, she took another step away

from him, but he shot forward and grasped her arm.

"I am commanding you!" His words were forced out

between tightly clenched teeth.

Laura attempted to wrestle her arm out of his grasp, but

he only pulled her closer until she could feel his hot breath on

her face. His hand snaked up to her chin, forcing her to look

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into his eyes. She felt herself quickly sinking into their

smoldering expanse.

"Here ... I am the ruler, and I will have whatever I wish,"

he hissed.

Laura knew what was coming next and she began to

struggle but his hold only became tighter and more painful.

He claimed her lips in a bruising, violent kiss, biting her

tongue when she made any attempt to pull away.

Laura whimpered and Justin pulled away but continued to

hold her close, though his touch had become gentle. With

swift motion, he removed her towel. His large hands found

her breast, and he began to play her body like a fine

instrument. His fingers pulled and squeezed her erect nipples,

extracting a moan of desperation from deep within her.

How many times had they been together that they had not

ended up having sex? Laura could only think of a few

occasions since they had met, that she'd been in his presence

without it ending with her screaming from the wicked

orgasms he could bring her to. She could not even be in the

same room with him without wanting to meld her flesh with

his.

From her breasts, his hand slid down to the heat between

her legs. His fingers parted her swollen lips and moved within

her to that one spot that would make her mad with hunger

for him.

"No Justin," she panted.

"I will have what I want," he said, his breathing becoming

labored. "And at this moment I want you."

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His fingers were moving faster, and Laura let out of moan,

betraying her need.

"I want to fuck you hard . . . harder than you've ever had

it." His voice was a mixture of deep passion and angry snarls,

but in that instant she didn't care. The mere thought of what

he wanted to do to her made her weak in the knees.

Laura sensed that they were both losing themselves in a

cyclone of desire and she made another attempt to fight her

way clear of it.

"No, please don't," she whimpered.

As if she had never spoken, he took his fingers from her

yearning body, lifted her into his arms and deposited her on

the bed. His lips and tongue seared her flesh as he made a

trail of burning passion from her thigh to the center of her

aching slit. Laura trembled, her need for him consuming all

reason. She closed her eyes and surrendered to her heart and

her body. If it meant she must betray herself to feel his magic

once more, then so be it.

His rough hands lifted and spread her legs, making her

ready to receive him. She could feel the heat of his flesh,

even before he impaled her with his rigid cock. Laura gasped

as he buried himself deep inside of her. This time when he

claimed her lips, there was no violence ... only urgency. He

devoured her mouth with a hunger matched only by his need

to possess her and as he moved within her, she felt herself

falling over the edge of reality, her consciousness spinning

out of control.

She bucked beneath him, trying to drive him even deeper

into her wet sheath. His hips moved in harsh circular

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movements, letting her feel his enormous masculinity

invading every crevice of her.

Laura heard his sharp intake of breath, just before he

stiffened. She could feel his hot eruption within her as his

passion reached an explosive release, he took her with him

and she screamed, unable to control the spasms that shook

her body.

Justin collapsed, his weight pinning her in place while his

hand gently caressed her still wet hair.

"We should not have done this," Laura whispered in his

ear.

Instantly he stiffened, as if she had brought to mind some

very unpleasant thoughts. Laura felt her heart twist with pain.

No doubt he was thinking of the betrayal of his bride to be.

When he pulled away she could see that the harshness had

once again entered his eyes. "Of course I'm not your choice of

lovers, but since you take lovers so casually ... I see no harm

done."

Laura's rage held her in a state of suspended animation for

only the briefest of moments, before the fury brought her to

life.

"You animal!" she screamed as she was scrambling away

from him.

Tears stung her eyes, making it difficult to retrieve the

towel that had been hastily tossed to the floor during their

passionate lovemaking—tossed aside as carelessly as her own

common sense. The bitter thought nipped at her heart.

"And I suppose this little encounter will never be known to

your bride to be?" Laura's voice trembled with anger.

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Justin smiled. "If she should discover this indiscretion." He

shrugged his shoulders as if it would be of no consequence.

After wrapping herself in the towel she turned away from

him. "Please take yourself off to the future Mrs., and let me

be."

Justin chuckled. "She may be my future wife, but you are

my current
and
future mistress."

Laura swung around to face him. "I assure you I will not

be your mistress," she told him in total outrage.

Justin smiled arrogantly, as if he was completely aware

that he held absolute command of her heart, body and soul.

"We shall see little wildcat."

"Leave!" Laura hissed.

Justin started for the door ... but then paused. "I do expect

you to wear the green gown tonight."

"You will be very disappointed then."

"My patience is wearing thin, Laura," he growled. "You will

do as you're told or you will be punished."

"Am I to understand that I'm as much of a prisoner here,

as I was with the
Baalam
?"

"Yes you are . . . until further notice." He smiled at her

before closing the door.

Fuming, Laura went to her closet and purposely found a

blue gown. She would never give in to his demands. He may

be the ruler in this fantasy realm of which she could still not

quite accept as reality, but Laura didn't belong here. She

made up her mind that she would never allow him to

command her, no matter what he threatened.

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Laura's anger slowly dissipated and was replaced with

sadness. She would have to find a way to leave here soon,

and she knew that would mean leaving her grandfather and

Kenny behind. They would never agree to her leaving. They

knew as well as she did that it was a great risk to herself and

her child. But what other choice did she have?

Laura could never allow herself to be forced into the role of

Justin's mistress ... and her son. What of her son? Would he