Christmas Moon (3 page)

Confidant in her abilities, she had never feared animals, domestic or wild. When she’d started college it had been with the intention of becoming a vet. It was the logical choice for someone who could communicate with animals. She was no Dr. Doolittle, but she’d do. It had only taken one summer job at a vet clinic to change her mind.

When she’d walked in the door, every animal in the place had gone wild, and she’d exhausted herself calming them down one by one. She’d been better prepared when she returned, sending out soothing, welcoming vibes as she walked through the front doors. It got a little easier with time, but by the end of the summer she was worn out, and it was clear that kind of an environment would never work for her. Plus, the other employees seemed to know there was some kind of connection between her and the animals in the clinic. Something not right. She’d been relieved to leave the weird looks behind and had happily turned to accounting when she returned to school.

Ignoring the uncomfortable memories, she concentrated on the wolves, smiling at the way they teased each other with light nips at each others heels and mock growls amid lunges. The longer she watched, the more fascinated she became. She didn’t even notice how cold she’d become, how the shivering had overtaken her body and her teeth chattered, until they both looked up at her.

She tried to send out calming vibes, tried to assure them she meant them no harm, but couldn’t tell if they understood. They approached. Slow. Cautious. It was almost as though they were afraid of scaring her off. At the bottom of the steps, they paused. She should be afraid but wasn’t and tried harder to reach them. She only got a vague sense of curiosity and satisfaction that left her confused and frustrated.

Freeing one of her hands from the folds of the quilt, she stretched it out, urging them to move closer. She shook her head. Not her brightest idea. Would serve her right if one did approach and bit off her hand. Both crept up the steps, not stopping until they rested at her sides. She dug her free hand into the pelt on one side of her body and let go of her grip on the blanket to run her fingers through the other. They were soft and silky, the palest grey. Almost silver. A memory of the twin’s hair flashed through her mind. Odd how similar the colors were.

Her hand shook as she stroked them and after mere seconds they stood, one moving in front of her, and the other at her side. The one at her side lowered his muzzle to her wrist, gently took it in his jaw, and tried to tug her up to her feet. The barrier between their minds came down suddenly, and she felt a burst of disapproval and anger. A vision of herself huddled outside against the cold filled her mind. Sighing, she tried to gather the blanket around her shoulders again, tried to push to her feet, but she was too cold. Alarmed, she gritted her teeth. She’d stayed out too long, was likely to freeze to death if she didn’t get her ass moving, but her next attempt to stand was as unsuccessful as the first.

The wolves exchanged a look, woofed at each as if in a language all their own. Hell, maybe it was. Or maybe she was finally going crazy. Then the damndest thing happened. One minute she was watching her two wolves, and the next they were changing, their bodies shifting forms until Abel stood before her and Cain at her side. Both were naked as the day is long. She blinked.
Must be hallucinating
.

Cain stooped down, his arms sliding under her, and he picked her up while Abel moved around them and opened the door. For the second time that night, she was deposited on the couch. Abel left the room, and Cain pulled the cold blanket from her fingers, replacing it with one from a corner chest. He turned to start a fire and had it blazing when Cain returned and handed her a steaming mug. She took a tentative sip, smiling when the hot chocolate coated her tongue. She drank it down, sighing as it warmed her insides. When it was gone she considered asking for more, but one look at the brothers’ faces and she didn’t dare. They were good and pissed.

She narrowed her eyes, remembering what she’d seen out there on the porch. She didn’t ask them about it, refused to acknowledge it. Werewolves didn’t exist. And yet…what had she seen if not two wolves change into men?

“That was a damn fool thing to do, woman.”

It was Abel who spoke, whose angry voice made her wince. And here she’d been thinking of him as the nice, mellow one for some reason. Cain didn’t speak but his disapproval radiated from him. For some reason that got her back up.

“Which part?”

The question was sarcastic, and Cain’s eyes narrowed even more, while Abel just arched an eyebrow. She got the impression she was going to get an earful and then some. A sudden vision of being pulled over his lap and spanked filled her gaze. His eyes lit up, and she gasped, realizing she’d picked that vision up from him, not the dark desires buried in her own mind. It was shocking not only for the arousal that flooded her system at the thought, but because she’d never been able to pick things up like that from humans. But then, they weren’t exactly human, were they?

“What are you?” she asked, but she wasn’t sure she wanted an answer.

“Later,” Cain said. “First, let’s discuss the ground rules.”

She leaned back against the couch, letting the blanket fall to her waist, and crossed her arms over her chest. She wasn’t about to let some stranger order her around.

Cain started ticking his rules off on his fingers. She would have laughed if she weren’t so furious at his gall.

“One. Don’t you ever leave this house again after dark without one of us with you. Two. Don’t ever approach a strange wolf like that again. No place is perfectly safe, and we both have enemies. They’d love to strike at us through our woman.” Her eyes widened at that one, and she wondered if she’d walked into a movie mid-reel. “And third. Don’t you have a coat? Jesus Christ, you could have gotten hypothermia out there. Think about what could have happened if we hadn’t been here. I know you’re a beach bunny, but I expected an accountant to have a brain and the sense to use it!”

Oh, that last bit did it. She jumped to her feet, ignoring the way her body still shivered with cold, and put her hands on her hips. “I don’t know who you think you are, bubba, but I’ve been on my own a long time. I can take care of myself, and I sure as hell don’t need some stranger bossing me around. I’ll call Chloe and get out of your hair.”

No way in hell was she staying here. She circled the couch, determined to go upstairs and prayed her cell phone was charged enough to work, prayed she got reception up here, but her path was blocked. He was several feet in front of her, but he didn’t stay there. He stalked her, his approach stealthy and inexorable. His hot, angry, lustful gaze held her still. When he reached her, he slid a hand around the nape of her neck and tugged her closer. He bent his head to her shoulder and took a long, shuddering breathing.

“I’ll tell you who I am, Delilah. I’m Cain Williamson, and you’re mine. My mate. And you’re not going anywhere.”

“Ours,” Abel said softly.

“Ours,” Cain agreed.

Her body thrilled at the idea of being possessed by them,
both
of them. Thank God caution, and confusion, ruled the day. She jerked away from Cain, saw by the look in his eyes it was only a temporary reprieve, and put some distance between them all. She crossed her arms over her chest in a useless effort to hide the visible proof of her arousal. “I don’t understand.”

“We’ll explain everything, but I think we should check you over first, make sure you don’t have any signs of frost bite.” Abel held out his hand. “C’mon, Delilah. Sit down.”

She rolled her eyes. She wasn’t out there long enough to get frost bite or hypothermia, but they were sure pushing the issue. Rather than escalate the argument, she returned to the couch, determined to get some answers. Abel sat next to her and turned her so she leaned back against the arm of the sofa, then he pulled her feet into his lap. He made a show of checking out her toes before starting to rub the balls of her feet.

The massage inched upward, and she closed her eyes, bit her lip to keep in a moan of pleasure, and didn’t even protest when his hands inched up her calves under the loose, flannel pants. It wasn’t a sexual touch, but it turned her on nonetheless. His skin was hot against hers. His fingers kneaded muscles she hadn’t even realized were tense. He passed her knees, moving on to her thighs. He paused just a moment when his thumbs brushed the crease between her legs and hips, as if asking for permission, waiting for a sign from her. She lifted up, moving her hips toward him, encouraging the touch she burned for.

She hadn’t put on underwear after her shower, and when his fingers danced over her pussy lips, she hissed and jerked against him. Blood engorged the area. Desire spiked through her. She reached for the waistband on the pajama bottoms, determined to get them off and get closer to Abel.

When Delilah started to shimmy off her pants, Abel thought his head would blow off. The little one. He was quick to help her—didn’t want her changing her mind—and yanked them off. She was left exposed from the waist down, and he sucked in a deep breath, forcing himself to exhale and keep on breathing.

Her belly button was pierced. He’d known that already, since he’d seen a flash of the metal loop in it when she’d been walking around earlier. His gaze traveled up her body and zeroed in on her nipples. He’d bet they were pierced, too. They pebbled hard and large in the cool air of the living room. He couldn’t wait to see them but was determined not to rush this, not to give into the wolf side of his nature that was urging
now, now, now
.

Returning his gaze to her middle, he lifted a hand and traced the tattoo that wrapped around her waist. A rose vine complete with thorns. He smiled. It seemed an appropriate theme for her. She was lovely, the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on, but prickly. Stubborn, too, but pure joy.

He’d been afraid his heart didn’t have room for another bond as strong as the one he shared with his twin. He’d been so wrong. He wished Cain was here to share the bliss of her, but he’d already left the room. He was on his own tonight. They’d agreed that Abel would have her first, that they’d take as much time as they could introducing to their world and the idea of being mated to two men.

In the were world that only happened with identical twins, and even in their world it was considered a little odd. For the first time, worry edged its way into his mind. The concern that she couldn’t accept what he was, couldn’t accept that it wasn’t just one mate she was getting. He tried to ignore it. When that didn’t work, he went for distraction.

He pulled her off the couch and laid her down on the thick rug before the fireplace, settling on his belly between her thighs and leaving the thin shirt and the secrets it hid in place. Squeezing his eyes shut, he took a deep breath. Her scent was going to drive him crazy. Decadent and luxuriant; fiery and sweet. He moved forward, swiped his tongue in one long sweep from her ass to her clit. She tasted like a rich, spiced rum. Perfect. No other woman had ever tasted like this, and he and Cain had shared several. He could die happy right here, right now.

She whimpered when his tongue passed her clitoris, and he went back to it, loving the way her hips thrust up, the way her pelvis undulated against his mouth. Sucking the small nub between his teeth, he gently bit down. Her back arched, and she groaned, long and low. He could feel her body begging for more, tight and trembling under his, and he smiled as he sucked harder, bit harder. So their newfound mate enjoyed a little pain? Good. They’d be happy to oblige her. Thrilled even, and relieved not to hold back. Of course, this didn’t give him a clue what her limits were. What he really wanted to know was how she would take to a whip. Would it get her wet and hot? Get her off? Turn her off? Maybe a little test was in order.

He recalled the image of her going outside scantily dressed, ill prepared for the cold and inviting the attentions of two wolves she didn’t know. Then there was the hair. He’d almost wept when he saw she’d cut most of it off. He’d so looked forward to seeing that hair every day, getting his hands in it. Watching her as it swung around her naked ass. Yeah. He might be more pissed about the haircut than the other.

He slowed, softened his ministrations, knowing instinctively it would drive her crazy. The soft, easy strokes over her clit would build her arousal, but it wouldn’t bring her to orgasm. She needed more. But he loved the sight and scent of her, and though he planned on punishing her before letting her come, he wouldn’t turn away from the chance to torment her a little more.

He replaced his finger with his tongue. Light, gentle strokes. Then thrust it into her channel. Oh, God. That might have been a mistake. She was hot and wet and tight, and he just wanted to bury himself in her forever. He had his first moment of unease. How was he going to share her with his brother? Why did he have to be born an identical twin?

He got lost in her, and thankfully Cain felt it. He entered quietly, but Abel heard him. He didn’t shift his position but lifted his gaze, arching an eyebrow. He didn’t welcome the intrusion.

“Why are you stopping?” Delilah choked on a sob after she asked.

He sighed, reluctant even as he recognized the necessity.

“Because punishment comes before pleasure, baby,” he answered.

She gasped, glared, but his fingers were still buried inside her, and he felt her response. Her cunt spasmed around him. Her core grew even wetter. He was relieved. She needed it as much as he and Cain did. He moved then, standing and extending a hand to help her up. When she was standing, he ripped the shirt over her head. Might as well have full view of her as he did this. Since Cain was here, and she’d already seen them shift, they might as well up their schedule. He met Cain’s gaze, communicated in their private way that he should strip. His brother cocked an eyebrow, but he didn’t hesitate in removing his clothes.