Betting the Moon: Cannon Pack, Book 4 (6 page)

“More times than I can count. So you’re just now figuring that out?” He slid his hands along her arms, then pressed his lips to hers.

The kiss, tender at first, deepened, growing from warm to blazing hot in seconds. Mari leaned into the kiss, then brought her arms up to clasp her hands behind his neck. He enclosed her in his arms, cocooning her from the outside world and all its problems. Their tongues danced together in her mouth, then she slipped hers out to tickle his lip and tease the corners of his mouth.

“Tucker? Mari? Are you two a couple?”

Surprise broke through the hazy fog of desire, propelling Mari away from Tucker. She rubbed her swollen lips and used the gesture to hide her grin. The reporter who’d asked the question thrust a microphone in front of her, but she waved her hands in front of her to ward him away. Tucker came to her rescue again, stepping between them and stating that they both had no comment to make.

He swept his arm around Mari and bent closer to whisper in her ear. “Stay cool, darlin’, and don’t look him in the eyes when he removes his glasses. I don’t know how, but we’ll figure out how to take this damn vampire down.”

Vampire.
She hadn’t said the word, as though not saying “vampire” out loud would make everything Tucker had said untrue. Mari bit her lower lip, glanced at Bascom who sat grinning at her, then slid into her chair.

A vampire. Hell’s bells.

Chapter Four

Keep Your Damn Eyes off Me!

Relief swamped through Mari as the end of play was called. Thankfully, the earlier disruption had shortened game time. Otherwise, she doubted she would’ve been able to keep from going out. Keeping her head bowed and her eyes on her cards had kept her in the game—barely. But she had the short stack and a long way to make up tomorrow.

Blowing out a long breath, she stood, ready to forget the usual pleasantries at the end of a day’s play in favor of dashing out of the room. Anything to get away from Bascom.

“Mari.”

She couldn’t help herself. She had to look at him.

Ty Bascom locked his silver gaze on her, forcing her attention. The cold shiver she’d experience earlier shuddered through her again. But this time the chill grew even colder, freezing her until she had to clench her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering. A sense of foreboding overwhelmed her, enveloping her in a darkness that was almost tangible. She tried to move, tried to step away, but found her body wouldn’t respond. Panic gripped her, ripping thought away.

“Do forgive me for the familiarity. I should have asked your permission first. May I be so bold as to use your first name?”

She nodded, slowly, stiffly.
Just let me go.

“Wonderful.” Bascom tilted his head to her. “And please, do call me Ty.”

Ty? The name didn’t fit. Not like Bascom did. Not like the word
evil
did. Yet she nodded again, unable to do anything else.

“I thought perhaps you would like to get a drink with me.” The corners of his mouth lifted as he arched an eyebrow at her. “Would you like to join me, my sweet? Perhaps even for a bite to eat?”

Mari wanted to shout at him, to tell him she didn’t want to be anywhere near him, much less sitting across from him at a dinner table. But her voice was lost.

“Mari.” Tucker’s hand on her arm jolted her out of the trance. “Let’s get out of here.”

Bascom’s cold, dead eyes shifted toward Tucker. “Let the lady speak for herself.”

She stepped closer to Tucker, relieved to be able to move again. But she still wasn’t ready to confront Bascom. Fortunately, Tucker was ready to do it for her.

He let out a low growl and slid his arm around her waist. “Mari, what do you want? Do you want to go with Bascom?”

Tucker growled. Like a wolf.
“No.”

Bascom’s eyes darkened, and Mari’s throat closed up. Frightened by his intense stare, she attempted to soften her answer. “I mean, I appreciate the invitation, but—” Her brain froze, unable to finish the sentence.

Once again, Tucker came to the rescue. “But she’s already accepted an invitation from me.”

Thank you, Tucker.
Feeling like a bobblehead doll, she nodded again.

Bascom’s eyes lightened. Although his face was a mask of composure, fury intensified his stare. Mari leaned into Tucker, needing the extra support.

“Very well then.” The tiniest of sneers lifted the corner of his mouth. “Perhaps another time.”

Tucker pulled her away, giving her an excuse not to respond. Bascom’s look had shaken her more than she’d thought possible. Men had looked at her in many ways, but she’d never seen the type of hunger she’d seen in Bascom’s eyes. A hunger that wanted more than mere sex. He wanted her body and her blood. She clenched her fists, fighting off the bile rising in her throat. But she sensed he wanted more. Yet what more could he possibly want? Her soul?

She struggled to keep up with Tucker as he strode toward the exit. Once in the lobby, he pushed her against a wall, then flattened his hands on either side of her head. “Are you okay?”

The pounding of her heart thudded in her ears, and for a moment, dizziness swept over her. As though finding a life preserver in a turbulent sea, she found Tucker’s eyes, saw the worry in them, and met his gaze.

“Take slow and easy breaths. Don’t worry about doing anything else. I’ll take care of you.”

A whimper escaped her, but she didn’t care. The only thing she wanted was to feel safe in Tucker’s arms. Safe from the evil she hadn’t known existed until a few hours ago. She did as he’d told her, drawing in one breath, then releasing it in a long flow, until at last the cold left her body and her pulse returned to normal. Or at least as near to normal as it could get standing close to Tucker.

“I don’t know what happened.”

He growled, the sound low and mean, and yet comforting. “Just think what he could do if he glamoured you.”

She shuddered. “I’m not sure he didn’t.”

“If he had, he would’ve slapped the old voodoo on you and taken control of your mind. Don’t look him in the eyes again.”

Irritation flashed alive and Mari ducked under his arms, then moved away from him. “I know, and I didn’t during the game. But then, afterward, when he said my name…I couldn’t resist. Are you sure he didn’t glamour me?”

“I don’t think so. He caught you like a deer in headlights but I don’t think he really tried to put a mind hex on you.”

“Oh, my God. If that wasn’t glamouring me, I’d hate to find out what the real deal feels like.”

“Let’s just make sure you never do.” Tucker clutched her arm, pulling her with him.

“What the hell, Tucker? Will you stop dragging me?”

“Bascom just came out. Do you want to hang around and have another little chat with him? Or would you rather come with me?”

Mari glanced back over her shoulder and found Bascom staring at her. The icy chill zipped through her again. She started to turn back, but Tucker jerked her forward.

“Come on. We’ll go to my room and discuss what to do next.”

“Your room?”

He shot her a sly grin. “Or yours. We need privacy.” His grin faded away. “Take your pick. You can stay around here and have the vamp give you a mind meld or you can come along with the big bad wolf. What’s it going to be?”

“How do we fight a vampire?” Mari remained standing even when Tucker stretched out on his king-sized bed. “We can’t pull out a stake and stab him through the heart with all the spectators and cameras. Although the idea is appealing. Or can we?”

His chuckle gave her much-needed warmth. Would she ever warm up after experiencing Bascom’s cold stare? “As much as I’d like to, no. After all, I don’t have a problem with his being a vampire as much as I dislike cheaters of any kind. And glamouring your opponent is cheating, as far as I’m concerned.”

“I agree. Using magic would give me an unfair advantage. Besides, I like the idea of winning because I’m good.” She grinned at Tucker’s bemused expression. “What I meant to say is that I’m the best. So I’ll win, barring any cheating by anyone else.”

“Well, at least you don’t lack confidence in your abilities.”

“I think my record of tournament wins says it all.”

He sat up and patted a spot on the bed next to him.

Why did she suddenly feel like Little Red Riding Hood? But she had to wonder, was Red’s wolf as hot as Tucker?

“No thanks. I’ll sit over here.” She slid into the hard, uncomfortable chair next to the small, generic hotel table.

“Suit yourself.” Instead of staying where he was at the end of the bed, he slid over to the side closest to her. “I’ve gotta ask. How set are you on your no-magic policy?”

“I told you. I don’t use magic when I play.”

“I get it. But have you ever encountered a cheat before?”

Mari shifted in her seat as the sinking impression settled in the pit of her stomach. “Sure I have. Every player does at one time or another.”

“Have they been human or supernatural?”

He was leading her, but what choice did she have except to follow along? “You and Bascom are the first supernaturals I’ve met at a poker table. To tell the truth, I haven’t met too many supernaturals—other than witches.”

Tucker leaned forward. Was he closing in for the kill? Yet Mari found herself leaning toward him instead of away. He was magnetic, commanding. Not in the scary way Bascom was, but in a purely sexual I’ve-got-to-have-you kind of way. She let her gaze drop to skim over his crotch and fought against licking her lips.
Hmm.
She wondered how the big bad wolf tasted.

“Tell me. How did you handle the human cheaters?”

“If I could show the officials how they were cheating, then I exposed them.”
Oh, my.
Her gaze flicked over him again. She’d sure like to expose
him
.

“And if you couldn’t?”

“Then I did my best to beat their butts.” An image of her spanking Tucker’s bottom brought a smile to her face. “At the table, of course.” Or maybe she should be the one to lie on the table and let him spank her? She ran her palm over the smooth surface. Lust lashed her, sending heat to her pussy.

“You have a special way of putting things, darlin’.”

Her gaze met his, the sparkle in his revving her libido a notch higher. “I guess. But you get what I mean, don’t you?”
Oh, please get what I mean!

Tucker brightened, the ends of his lips curving into a wolfish grin. “Yeah, I do. But I doubt we can prove Bascom’s cheating. All he’d need to do is glamour the official into believing him instead of us.”

She frowned and shook her head. “So how do we stop him?”

Tucker lunged toward her and grabbed the arms of the chair. She squealed but didn’t try to get away. He moved his face close to hers. Mari inhaled, taking a whiff of his heady, musky scent along with her breath.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures, darlin’.”

Would he mind if she licked him? Probably not, but somehow she managed to stop herself. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”

He grinned, showing his white teeth.
The better to eat you with, my dear?
The memory of his head between her legs sent flares to light the coals of desire.

“Well, since I don’t think tying him up and holding him hostage is a viable alternative, that leaves us with one choice.”

She stretched, using the move she’d done to distract her opponents to thrust out her chest. Tucker’s gaze fell to the swell of her chest, lingered, then lifted to her face again. Amber flecks dotted his dark eyes.

“And what’s that?” she asked.

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to break your promise.”

His lips, full, yet masculine, tempted her to press hers to his, reminding her of how forceful his kiss had been, how his tongue had slid between them to tantalize her with a quick skim over her lips.

“No. I don’t want to.”
Ask me to do something I want to do.
Like wrap my legs around you.

“Think of it as payback.”

“Payback?” She leaned to the left, brushed the side of her breast against his arm, and earned a groan from him.

“He used his power on Ramona and the rest, and now you’re going to use your magic on him. It evens the playing ground. Hell, it’s payback.”

He had a point. “I try not to make promises, but when I do, I don’t like breaking them.”

“Sometimes you have to do things you don’t like to do. Besides, you made the promise to yourself, right? So I don’t think yourself will get too upset when you break it.”

Damn, but she loved his grin. Among a host of other things about him. “Oh, ha-ha.”

But the grin was wiped away by his serious tone. “Think about it, Mari. If we don’t use your magic against him, what other weapon do we have?”

“How about your powers as a werewolf?”

“Well, I could kill him, but I try not to take a life—undead or living—if I don’t have to. The pack kind of frowns on it. Unless it’s in self-defense, of course.” His chuckle washed over her. “I don’t think him winning a hand would count as a direct attack on me.”