Bound to Night (9 page)

“Take off your clothes,” he ordered and her skin quivered with anticipation.

“Ooh, I love it when you go all masterful on me.”

Jack shook his head. “Just take off your clothes, Natasha.”

Her mouth went dry, and she licked her lips. She unbuttoned her shirt, her fingers clumsy, her whole body trembling with expectation. She slipped out of the shirt then unfastened her jeans and slid them down her legs. She kicked off her shoes and stood for a moment in her underwear. Jack said nothing. He continued to watch her as she removed the rest, until finally, she stood before him naked.

“Come here,” he said.

She forced her legs to move and went to stand in front of him. His eyes glittered as they moved over her bare flesh, making her skin tingle. The feeling intensified on the tips of her breasts, between her legs, cramping the muscles of her stomach, and she swayed toward him.

He reached out and caressed the soft skin of her belly, down over her hip, slipping between her legs to stroke her inner thigh where the blood thundered so close to the surface. She was melting from the inside out, but she had to ask one thing before they went any further.

“Jack?”

“Yes?”

“You’re not just doing this because you feel sorry for me, are you?”

He laughed softly.

“What’s funny?” she asked.

“Stop thinking so hard.”

She wished she could. She really did. “Make me,” she challenged.

He stared at her, allowing the mask to drop so she glimpsed the fierce predatory beauty beneath, and something close to fear unfurled deep within her. He reached out and pulled her to him, so she fell across his legs. He leaned down and kissed her savagely. His lips were brutal; his tongue thrusting hot and wet, into her mouth, his whole body hard against her own. It was minutes before she came up for air, panting. “Jack?”

He sighed. “Yes?”

“I feel strange. This whole wolf thing, it’s not going to happen right now, is it?”

“No, not quite yet.”

“Good, because I’d hate to try to eat you.”

He laughed again. “Feel free,” he murmured, leaning down and licking slowly across her breast, biting gently on the swollen tip. “Because I definitely plan to eat you.”

He lifted her effortlessly, turning her so she lay on her back beneath him. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted this?” he asked, pressing his body into hers. “What you did to me in that cell, rubbing your sweet little body against mine? Teasing me. Begging me to take you.”

He stood up then and stripped off his shirt, swiftly followed by the rest of his clothes, and Tasha stared. “Wow,” she said, mesmerized by the sheer size and beauty of him, the evidence that he really did want her.

He grasped her knees and parted her legs, coming down to kneel between them. “This isn’t going to be slow or gentle,” he warned as he reached down and touched her between her thighs. He parted her drenched flesh, opening her to him, his nostrils flaring. One long finger pushed inside, and her inner muscles clenched around him. He withdrew his finger slowly, spreading the moisture over the tight little nub, already engorged with need. He rubbed over it repeatedly with the pad of his thumb until she was writhing against him. When her hips bucked uncontrollably, he withdrew.

He sat back and regarded her for what seemed an age, then slowly clasped his hand around his erection. Tasha followed the movement and stared at him in awe. He was long and hard, the skin silky pale, stretched, the head darker, swollen with the same need she was drowning in. He leaned toward her, positioning himself. She closed her eyes as he nudged at the opening to her body. He paused, and then thrust into her, sheathing himself in one skillful move. Tasha cried out in shock; he was huge, scorching hot, filling her completely. She lay still for a moment, as her body grew accustomed to his. His large hands slid beneath her to cup the backs of her thighs and pull her closer to him. Her head fell back, and he came down over her, his mouth at her throat.

She flinched at the sharp, quick stab as his fangs pierced her skin. Then gasped, but he gave her no time to think as he started to move inside her, almost leisurely at first, withdrawing, and then pushing into her with a slow grinding sweetness. She bucked under him, needing more, and he increased the tempo until all she could do was wrap her legs around him, dig her nails into the satin skin of his shoulders, and hold on as he drove them both higher and higher. She writhed and twisted, wanting more, but unsure as to what it was she needed.

He went still, eased his fangs from her throat, and rose above her. Her blood stained his lips, his black hair was loose around his shoulders, his green eyes fierce as he stared down into her face. And suddenly, she knew what it was she wanted. She wanted all of him, his body
and
his mind. She reached out with her inner sense and crashed straight into the wall of his mental defenses.

“Please, Jack,” she whispered. “I love you. Let me in.”

Something flickered behind his eyes, then the wall melted, and she was deep in his mind. He started to move again, his eyes never leaving hers, and, through the link joining them, she shared his exquisite pleasure. It echoed her own, with each thrust of his hard body. And beneath the pleasure, she could sense the love he felt for her, and how close he was to complete surrender. She sank into the sensations, rising up to meet each stroke, the feeling building within them until finally, when she thought they could take no more, he went rigid above her, pressed once more, and they both exploded into a million pieces.

“Double wow,” she said and heard his soft laughter as she faded into blackness.

“Tasha, wake up.”

She ignored the words and snuggled closer, loving the feel of his hard body against her own. He nipped her earlobe between his teeth.

“Ouch,” she said. “What was that for?”

“We need to get you back. The pack is waiting for you.”

She sat up reluctantly. “You know, I’d sort of forgotten the whole werewolf thing. Is it really going to happen?”

“Yes, and Sebastian said the sooner the better.”

“You talked to Sebastian about this?”

“I wanted to be prepared.”

She sighed. “Just one kiss then?”

When he didn’t move, she leaned across and kissed the pale skin of his chest, licking her tongue across one hard nipple as she trailed her fingers over the ridged muscles of his belly, wrapped them around the hard, silken length of him. She leaned across him, breathed softly over the swollen head, and he jerked beneath her fingers.

He groaned, reached down, and pulled her up until they were face to face. “Just one kiss…” he replied.

Sometime later, she stirred uneasily.

“Jack?”

“Hmm?”

“I feel strange. I mean—really strange.”

He glanced into her face. “Shit.” He sat up and grabbed her hand. “Come on, we’re out of here.”

They were silent on the drive back to Sebastian’s. Tasha sat tense beside him, fighting the trepidation building up within her.

“Relax,” Jack said.

“I can’t.”

Prickles were running up and down her skin, and she rubbed her arms trying to ease the sensation. She could sense something alien stirring inside her, peering out from her eyes. Opening the window, she let the cool air soothe her.

The drive seemed to go on forever, but at last, Jack pulled up in front of the house. He came around and opened her door. “I can’t come with you,” he said as she got out. “But I’ll see you tomorrow night. Good luck.”

“Will I need it?”

He smiled. “No.”

He pulled her to him, and gave her a lingering kiss on the lips, his tongue sliding over hers.

“Tomorrow night,” he murmured.

The car disappeared down the drive. All around her, the night pulsated with expectation. Tasha couldn’t see anyone, but she could sense them waiting for her. A wolf howled, and she followed the sound, walking slowly around the back of the house and into the dark woods. In a clearing, she found the pack, and at the center, Sebastian stood, still in human form. She walked forward, and the crowd parted for her, forming a circle around her and Sebastian.

He looked down at her and shook his head. “Been feeding the leech again?” Then he smiled and held out his hand. Tasha took it, and he drew her into the center of the circle. He released her hand and began to unbutton his shirt. “You don’t need to undress, but the clothes vanish when we change. We find it easier to take them off.”

She nodded and slowly removed her clothes.

Sebastian watched her, his eyes gleaming with appreciation, but she couldn’t concentrate. A change was happening inside, making her body tremble.

“Relax,” Sebastian murmured, “It only hurts if you fight it. Let it flow through you.”

Her skin was too tight, stretched over her bones. The feeling was building and building until she raised her head to the sky and screamed. She fell to her knees, her fingers clawing at the wet earth, the wolf within her rising to the surface, demanding to be released.

Sebastian fell to his knees beside her. Then he was gone, and a huge silver wolf stood in his place.

She stopped fighting and felt herself shift—felt her wolf’s leap for freedom—and a moment later, she stood on all fours, panting. She shook herself, turned her head to stare at the dark russet fur of her back, lifted one paw and sniffed the air. The night was rich with smells; the tang of the wet earth, the musky fragrance of the other wolves, and far away the scent of prey—the intoxicating odor of hot blood and warm flesh. Filled with a wild elation, she raised her head to the starlit sky and howled. All around her, the others joined her song.

The silver wolf was before her, pouncing playfully, swatting her nose. He nipped at her shoulder then turned and ran. And she followed, racing after him through the dark forest.

She woke the following morning in her own bed, naked. After a brief knock on the door, Sebastian entered. He was dressed in faded jeans and a dark blue shirt, which exactly matched his eyes. He sat down on the bed, his gaze searching her face. “How do you feel?”

“Fantastic. It was the best night of my life.”

“Good. So, how was it with the leech?”

Tasha frowned. “Stop calling him that.”

He grinned. “Are you defending him? God, it must be love. So how did it go?”

“How did what go?”

“You know…” Sebastian waggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

“Mind your own business.”

“Hey, you can’t blame me for being interested,” he said. “Vampires are such secretive bastards.”

“Well, I don’t think he sleeps in a coffin if that helps.”

He shook his head. “Just be careful. Don’t let him overwhelm you.” He ran his fingers almost absently over his throat. “I know what it’s like.”

“You? I thought you said you didn’t feed vamps.”

“Actually, what I said was, we don’t voluntarily feed vamps.” He shrugged. “When Jack first approached the pack, we fought. We fought. I lost. He fed. It was just the once, a dominance thing more than anything else. I’m only telling you because I know how good it can feel.”

Tasha’s eyes widened. “Did you and he—?”

“Have sex?” Sebastian finished the sentence for her. “Mind your own business. Anyway, it was a long time ago.”

“How long?”

“Fifty years, give or take a few.”

Tasha ran her eyes over him. He looked pretty good for someone who had to be at least seventy.

“So, are werewolves immortal?” she asked.

“No, but we are very long-lived. The truth is we tend to come to some sort of gruesome end long before we reach a natural death.” He shrugged again. “Vampires tend to destroy themselves. We destroy each other. It’s the nature of the beast.”

“And humans, like my ‘father,’ what about them?”

“Oh, they destroy everything.” He smiled. “Anyway, I just wanted to make sure you were fine after last night. You did great by the way. Welcome to the family.”

She lay in bed for a long time after he left. She’d told Sebastian the truth; it had been the most amazing night of her life, and she didn’t want anything to spoil it. But she knew she had to talk to her father. She needed to know what he could tell her if she was to have any chance of moving on with her life.

Picking up the phone from beside the bed, she dialed the number.

Chapter Nine

“She’s gone,” Sebastian said.

Shock hit Jack in the gut. Had something happened, something gone wrong when she’d shifted? “Gone? Gone where?”

“Don’t worry—I’ve got people following her as you asked—she won’t come to any harm.”

“She’d better not.” He should have expected this, should have never let her out of his sight, but he’d had no choice last night. She’d needed the other wolves when she shifted for the first time and they wouldn’t have tolerated his presence.

“You have to let her do this,” Sebastian said. “She’ll never be free of him until she accepts what a bastard he is.”

Jack knew Sebastian was right, but everything screamed at him to protect her from harm and her “father” was a double-crossing bastard. What sort of man could bring up a child, and then casually have her murdered. And Jack still wasn’t convinced Tasha’s mother’s death had been an accident.

He’d keep that from her if he could.

Last night had been amazing, he’d felt her deep in his head, and he hadn’t minded. Hell, he’d liked it. He couldn’t hide anything from her, but the opposite was also true. She loved him.

“I’m going after her.”

“I never expected anything else.” Sebastian tossed him a cell phone. “My men are on speed dial.”

***

Her father had promised to come alone.

Tasha watched from the shadows as he spoke to the two men who had accompanied him to the meeting place. A moment later, they disappeared into the darkness of the alley behind him.

It was a trap. She should have felt worse, but deep down, she’d expected nothing else. Still, it didn’t prove everything he’d told her that morning was lies. Was she a danger to those she loved? Unless she found out, she could never be with Jack as she longed to be.

Something moved behind her. Every muscle tensed, and then relaxed as a hand stroked the hair from her neck, and a soft, slow kiss brushed against the flesh of her throat. At the slight scrape of fangs, her body quivered, heat pooling at her core. She pressed herself back against the hard length of him. After a moment, she stepped away and turned to face him.