Vampires Never Cry Wolf (11 page)

Her primary concern was the club, and the last complication The Coven needed was their hot, new DJ bursting into flames from too much werewolf blood or—God forbid—getting so hopped up that she took too much and killed the wolf before dying herself. That would be a clusterfuck of epic proportions.

A vampire having sex with a werewolf was ill-advised.

Bloodlust and physical lust were too tightly linked for most vampires. Although once Sadie learned how to block the blood memories, it also helped dampen the sexual hunger that often went along with them.

At least until last night.

God damn that Killian Bane and his sexy naked body for messing with her head and her routines! All she'd wanted was a relaxing swim, and instead he had her head swimming.

Sadie must have had a scowl on her face, because Trixie's worried voice touched her mind and interrupted her private flogging.
What
the
hell
happened
with
Justine?
Trixie waved Sadie over to the end of the bar.
You
look
like
you're ready to drain somebody dry.

I'm fine.
Sadie shook her head and pointed to the back hallway.
I'm going to go downstairs and get the booze you need.

Running her hands through her long hair, Sadie headed for the storage room. She didn't mind making the run, actually. It was nice to take a momentary break from the sounds and scents within the club, especially the thrumming heartbeats of the humans. Even after two centuries, she experienced moments of weakness and the pull of bloodlust could be overwhelming. She suspected it was tugging at her tonight because of her lack of sleep. Wonderful.

Boss.
Damien, the club's bouncer and one of Sadie's newest siblings, reached out to her. As always, he was manning the doors of the club and handling the crowd on the street.
We
have
a
pack
of
visitors
again
tonight, and this time they brought a few more of their friends.

Sadie was about to respond and ask how many there were, and that's when it hit her. The thick, pungent scent of wood burning on a crisp winter night curled around her like smoke…
Killian
. Sadie's fangs hummed and erupted as a pang of desire shot through her, warming her normally cool body. Sadie stopped dead in her tracks, barely feeling the humans who bumped into her while jostling past her to the dance floor. Eyes closed, she willed her fangs away and wrestled for control amid the sudden tsunami of carnal need.

Sadie, the wolves are—

I
know.
Sadie snapped. With her back still toward the door of the club, she squared her shoulders and turned around slowly.
I'm coming.

Yeah, but he brought—

Trixie,
she interrupted with more than a little annoyance,
I
said—

—A date.
Trixie sounded as shocked as Sadie felt.
Or
do
you
call
the
females
of
their
kind
bitches?

Trixie, what are you
—every thought was driven from Sadie's mind when she spun around and spotted them—
talking
about
?

A beautiful, elegant blond was draped all over Killian like a second skin, and there was no mistaking that this woman, whoever she was, was a wolf. David and Ivan were present, and each of them had a woman on their arms as well. The other two were also she-wolves, and although they were well dressed, they didn't look quite as good as the blond. Figures, Sadie thought with a huff. It reminded her of brides who chose hideous bridesmaid dresses so their friends were guaranteed to look worse than them on the big day.

Sadie's eyes narrowed and locked onto Killian's smug, satisfied-looking face.

He waved his free arm—the one that didn't have the blond clinging to it. That son of a bitch actually had the audacity to wave at her, like it was no big deal that he had showed up at her club with a date. Anger and an odd feeling of possessiveness filled Sadie as she held his stare and stalked over to the bar.

Shaking off the uncomfortable emotions, Sadie chided herself. They had only shared one stupid kiss. He was free to bang cocktail waitresses or heiresses two at a time if he wanted to. Besides, they weren't going to kiss again anyway. Nope. Not gonna happen. Tearing her gaze away from the wolves, she straightened her back and snagged a stack of drink menus off the bar.

“She looks expensive,” Trixie said while wiping a glass dry. Jutting her chin toward the group, she shook her head with disapproval. “A chick like that will bleed a guy dry. I've seen broads like that a thousand times in this city.”

“I know who that is,” Maya whispered loudly, her big blue eyes pinned to the group of wolves at the door. She scurried to the very end of the bar and put herself between Sadie and Trixie. “Given my
condition
, Shane thought it would be smart to study some of the more prominent members of their people. Just in case, you know?” She lowered her voice further, worried that even with all the noise and music the wolves would hear. “That's Christina Wolcott. She's General Wolcott's daughter and, by all accounts, the woman that Killian is supposed to mate with. Girls, you are looking at the next werewolf king and queen.”

“Good for him.” Sadie gripped the laminated cover of the drink menu and fought the urge to run. “They make a lovely couple.”

“She looks like she wrinkles easily,” Trixie said with a snort of laughter. “The face and the clothes.”

“The Wolcott family is one of the wealthiest families among their people,” Maya murmured. “Some people say they're even richer than the royals.”

“I'm sure they're perfect for each other. Get the Cristal ready, Maya.” Doing her best to seem uninterested in Killian's date, Sadie smiled broadly. “Those ladies look thirsty.”

She headed over to greet their guests, knowing that she should have been happy to hear that Killian had a mate. Sadie
should
have been completely thrilled for them, ready to run out and buy the lovely couple a wedding gift or some shit like that. After all, wasn't she the one terrified by the thought of being Killian's bloodmate? Hadn't the mere notion of being mated to a werewolf filled her with pure unadulterated fear? Sure. She should be feeling one hundred and fifty percent relieved.

Then why wasn't she?

The scent of the wolves swamped Sadie's senses as she got closer, making her almost dizzy. Even amid the pungent onslaught, she detected Killian's distinct aroma above all the rest. It was richer and almost sweeter than the others, tickling her from the inside out. A pang of desire shot through to Sadie's core, and it took inhuman willpower to keep her fangs at bay.

“Ms. Pemberton.” Killian bowed his head and Sadie almost laughed out loud at his professional airs. His glittering eyes latched on to hers and the hint of a smile played at his lips. “We were hoping to occupy the VIP booth again this evening.”

“Good evening, Mr. Bane,” Sadie said in the most formal tone possible.
Two
can
play
at
this
game
, she thought to herself. Killian's expression faltered and Sadie had to keep from laughing out loud. Turning her attention to his date, she smiled broadly. What? Did the guy think she'd burst into tears because he showed up with another woman? Guess again, Casanova. “Please follow me.”

“It's about time.” The Wolcott woman stuck her nose in the air and plastered her admittedly hot body up against Killian. Her busty, curvy form was covered in a barely there pink dress, and a black wrap draped dramatically over her slim shoulders. The woman might be a werewolf and sprout fur under the moon, but even Sadie had to admit that Christina Wolcott was sexy, beautiful, and elegant. No wonder Killian wanted her for a mate.

Christina was everything Sadie wasn't. Most importantly, a werewolf.

“My apologies, Ms. Wolcott.” Sadie forced a small smile and didn't miss the look of surprise from not only Christina but Killian as well. “I can assure you we want all of our clients to be well served here at The Coven. If you'll follow me, the VIP booth is right this way.”

Not giving any of them time to respond, Sadie turned on her heels and went directly to the VIP booth. Pulling the red velvet rope aside, she waited as patiently as possible for the pack to settle into the massive curved booth. Killian was the last to take his seat.

“Mr. Bane and his friends are regulars here at The Coven, and I'm well aware that they enjoy partaking of bottles of Cristal.” Sadie placed drink menus in front of each of the women. She took turns looking each of them in the eye while intentionally avoiding Killian, even though she could feel his gaze on her. “However, I haven't met you ladies before, and I wouldn't want to assume that you'd order the same drinks as your
dates
.”

“Well, well.” Christina placed her wrap and clutch on the seat next to her while keeping her blue eyes on Sadie. “You seem to know quite a bit about us. How is it that you know my name?” She nuzzled closer to Killian who, to Sadie's delight, actually looked uncomfortable. “Did my Killian tell you about me?”

“No, he's never mentioned you,” Sadie said flatly. Christina's smile fell and she sat up straighter in the booth. The two other girls smirked until the woman shot them a look of warning, quickly squelching their reactions. “I'm Sadie Pemberton, and since this is my club, I make it my business to know my customers.” Sadie stood taller and arched one dark eyebrow at the group. “Especially my supernatural customers. I find that being prepared and knowledgeable is the best way to avoid
complications
.”

“I'll take that under advisement,” Christina responded in a voice edged with anger. She snatched up a menu and flipped through it quickly before letting out an exasperated sigh. “Where's the food menu?”

“We don't serve food at The Coven.” Sadie widened her grin and dropped her voice low, knowing the wolves would still be able to hear her. “Only drinks.”

“That figures. What else would you expect from a bunch of vampires?” Christina huffed and brushed her long, blond hair off her shoulder. “I don't know why you consider this place any type of competition, Killian. We'll be serving food at
our
place
and giving our customers much more variety.”

“I'm sorry?” Sadie cocked her head and folded her arms over her breasts. Christina must have meant the werewolf club, not that she actually owned it. “Did you say ‘our place'?”

“Yes.” Christina linked her arm through Killian's and looked at him lovingly, but he kept his serious gaze on Sadie. “When I heard Killian was opening a nightclub and restaurant here in Manhattan…well, I just had to be a part of it.” She flicked that stony blue stare at Sadie. “I don't let profitable opportunities pass me by.”

“I'll just bet you don't.” Sadie locked eyes with Killian for a split second, and an ache bloomed deep in her chest. She hated herself for feeling jealous and getting worked up over a man who couldn't possibly be hers. Glancing back at the bar, she touched Trixie's mind sharply.
Get
that
Cristal
over
here
now
and
take
their
order. I need some air.
“Trixie will be over in a moment to take the drink order from the ladies. If you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to.”

Not waiting for any kind of response, Sadie moved swiftly through the crowd, desperate to get away from the wolves. Who was she kidding? She needed to escape Killian, or more to the point, the feelings that being around him evoked. She burst through the edge of the sweaty crowd, barely seeing where she was going as she ran down the hall to the door that led to the storage facility.

Tearing the door open, Sadie trotted down four steps to the small landing before opening another door on the left. She stepped into the cool space and let out a sound of relief when the door shut silently behind her. Surrounded by bottles and boxes, she leaned against the glass door of the temperature-controlled wine case. The smooth surface felt wonderful and helped her fight her way through the intoxicating effect of Killian's scent.

Eyes closed, she tore off her jacket and tossed it onto the floor before undoing the top two buttons of her ruffled white shirt. It had felt as though it was choking her. Even the black leggings she wore and the tall black leather boots seemed tighter than they ever had before. The world was closing in on her. That's how Sadie felt. Like she was being smothered. Smothered by her body's reaction to Killian Bane, and if she didn't get control of it soon, someone or something was going to break. And it would probably be her.

“Hold it together,” she whispered.

Focusing on finding her center of gravity, Sadie kept her eyes shut and tried to fixate on the feel of the glass. If only she could get Killian's warm, cozy, inviting scent out of her head! She couldn't. No matter how much she fought it, his distinct male scent had slipped into her body and practically imprinted there.

Sadie froze when a deep, familiar voice interrupted her private moment.

“That's funny; I was just telling myself the same thing.”

Sadie's fangs erupted and her eyes snapped open as she shoved herself away from the glass. In a battle-ready stance, she found herself face-to-face with Killian Bane. Silently berating herself for being so sloppy and not picking up on his arrival, Sadie curled her lip back, flashing him her fangs. How the hell did he sneak up on her like that?

“The door was open,” he said quietly, pushing the door shut tightly behind him. His sturdy six-foot-tall frame loomed large in front of her, blocking her exit. His dark, wavy hair was swept off his face and the shadow of a beard, one that seemed ever present, covered his square jaw. The jeans, button-down white shirt, and coffee-colored blazer covered his body but did little to hide his well-built form. The one feature she was drawn to the most, though, was that set of intense, almost caramel-colored eyes. “I didn't mean to startle you.”

“What are you doing down here?” Sadie retracted her fangs and snagged her jacket off the floor before pulling it back on. “This area is for employees only. It's not for customers, and it certainly isn't for my competitors. Besides, I'm sure your date is getting lonely.”

“She's not my date.” The muscle in Killian's jaw flickered and he took a step closer before stopping. Even though Sadie knew she should get the hell out of there, she didn't. Holding her ground, she met his apologetic gaze. “Christina is—”

“Your partner.” Sadie folded her arms over her chest, feeling the need to steel her resolve any way possible. “And your future wife. Congratulations. She's quite a bitch.”

“Sadie,” he said softly. “Christina's father is an investor. If she chooses to call herself my business partner, fine. She is not, however, my future wife.” Killian continued to move a step nearer, and as he closed the distance between them, Sadie had the distinct impression of being stalked. “My father and mother can toss around that idea all they'd like, but Christina is not the woman I want for my mate.” His brow furrowed. “I'm now more certain of that than ever.”

“Obviously nobody gave her that memo.” Sadie dropped her arms to her sides as Killian's towering frame invaded her personal space. Heat flowed off his body and washed over her in erotic pulses that matched the strumming beat of his heart. It was tempting and teasing her, practically screaming for her to touch him. Clearing her throat, she tilted her head back so she could continue looking him in the eye. Bumping into a stack of boxes, she took a second to realize that she'd backed up as he approached. “The way she drapes herself all over you, I get the impression she has every intention of being your
partner
in every sense of the word.”

The muffled music from the club pulsed from above but neither of them spoke. The only sound in the room was the constant, solid pounding of Killian's heart. Sadie's gaze flicked briefly to the bulging vein in Killian's neck, and she suppressed a groan when a surge of desire whirled in her gut. Squeezing her eyes shut, she pressed her lips together in a tight line, willing her fangs to remain sheathed.

“I don't want Christina,” Killian murmured. His warm breath puffed enticingly along her forehead and his scent drifted in the air, heightening her desire. “It's not fair to her though, is it? After getting one taste of you last night, no one else stands a chance.”

“Really? Coming here with a date is a funny way of showing it.”

Sadie forced herself to look him in the face, and the instant she did, she knew it was a colossal mistake. His eyes looked like pools of liquid gold, and she could swear he saw straight through to her very soul. A growl rumbled in his chest and Sadie gasped. His eyes flickered and shifted into the glowing amber eyes of his wolf. The sudden and instinctive change was a glaring reminder of who he was…who they both were.

In a remarkably steady voice, Sadie whispered, “Last night should never have happened.”

“The only thing about last night that shouldn't have happened was the way it ended,” Killian rasped.

Sadie stilled when his large hand cradled her cheek. Despite her best efforts to resist him, her body quivered uncontrollably as he surrounded her in every way a person could be surrounded. When the heat of his palm seared against her skin, a needy moan escaped her lips. She sagged against the stack of boxes. Desire curled inside her like smoke, and regardless of the litany of warnings that ran through her head, Sadie's hands found their way to the front of Killian's shirt. She grasped the fabric, still warm from the heat of his body, and pulled him closer. The evidence of his desire pressed against her hip, and images of him in all his naked glory came roaring back into her mind. Sweet Jesus, the man had a body that looked like it had been hand carved by the gods themselves.

“Is that so?” Sadie pulled his shirt loose from his jeans and slipped her fingers underneath before trailing them along the hard planes of his stomach. Arching one eyebrow, she held his heavy-lidded gaze and unsheathed her fangs. “How do you suppose it should have ended?”

“The same way it should end every night from now on,” he growled. Killian slid both hands into her long hair. Sadie shivered when his fingertips grazed her scalp. He pressed his hips against her before slipping his thigh between her legs. Sadie gasped with pleasure as he put pressure on just the right spot, and when a moan escaped her parted lips, a cocky grin emerged on his. Killian tightened his grip on her hair and leaned in so his mouth was just a breath away. “Every single night should end with me buried deep inside you.”

In a blur of motion, he captured her lips with his and dove deep. The man tasted like cinnamon and sex all rolled into one, and in that moment Sadie knew she could become addicted. The heat of his body seeped through the layers of their clothing and his scent surrounded her, consuming her with fire. Needing to get closer, Sadie slid her hands up his bare back beneath his shirt. She sighed into his mouth when the thick layer of muscle on his back moved beneath her fingers. Licking and suckling his lips, she clung to him and rocked her hips, seeking satisfaction. With every pass, wicked pleasure ricocheted through her body, making her sex pulse with unfulfilled need.

Killian grabbed a fistful of her hair and tilted her head back before breaking the kiss and trailing his tongue down her throat. With her arms wrapped around his waist, Sadie leaned back to give him better access to the hypersensitive skin along her neck. Her fangs bared, she murmured tiny sounds of pleasure as Killian reached down and grabbed her ass with both hands. He lifted his head and that burning gaze latched on to hers as he hoisted her up and carried her over to another stack of boxes before setting her down.

“We should go back upstairs.” She was unbuckling his belt even as the words escaped her lips, and he undid all of the buttons on her shirt and pushed it open. Sadie wrapped her legs around him and tugged him closer, just before sliding down the zipper of his fly.