Half in Love [Willie Krenshaw] (Siren Publishing Classic) (7 page)

“I have an idea. Follow my lead.” Nick turned her into his arms and slid his other hand around her waist. He looked her in the eye and grinned before bending toward her with clearly devious intent.

She let out a gasp of surprise. Her eyes widened in fascination as she watched him lower his head and touched his lips to hers. The impulse to shove him away was silenced the moment his warm lips feathered over hers. Her eyes drifted closed as warmth flowed through her body, burning through all emotions other than passion. With a single meeting of lips, she could feel her body taking her right back to the heated need she had felt in his house. She breathed him in and sighed as her body warmed from his touch. She melted against his chest and invited him to deepen the kiss with a slow, sensual lick along his bottom lip. The hands that were going to push him away grabbed his coat instead, pulling him tight against her. Her breath hitched as he slowly invaded her mouth with a tentative stroke of his tongue along hers. She felt him maneuver her body with his, backing her against a pole. The cold metal was in startling contrast to the heat between their bodies. It almost pulled her from the kiss. Almost.

Strong arms made her feel safe, secure, and treasured. This was so different than the harsh mauling she endured earlier when the rage rode him. This was how a woman should feel in the arms of a man she was attracted to. Their breath mingled as he deepened the kiss, twining his tongue with hers. She was overwhelmed and on the edge of losing control. She kept her hands fisted in his coat, fighting the urge to wrap her arms around his neck and hold him tightly against her body. His lips burned a hot trail across hers, leaving heated and aching flesh behind. Lips moved slowly along her jaw and nipped at her earlobe. A sharp canine bit into the flesh. Pain and pleasure flashed through her mind. He licked the hurt before taking her mouth again in a bruising, captivating kiss. She moaned into his mouth when he sucked her lower lip into his mouth, nipping and licking his way across her mouth. Slowly her control slipped as the heat he created replaced her nervousness with need. She wasn’t focused anymore on what Nick was, just that he was the male that her animal wanted. Hell, if she was honest with herself, he was who she wanted. She wanted to delve into his mouth, suck his tongue into her mouth, taste every inch of his body. She wanted to wrap her body around his and invite him into all of her intimate places.

Her cougar was at the edge of her conscious mind, growling and pacing, looking for a way to take control and mark her mate. The cat was purring so loudly that Willie couldn’t hear anything else. The sound was making thought impossible. Her canines itched to elongate and take a nip at this male that had her at such odds with herself. Her clit was throbbing in time to her heart beat. Moisture was pooling in her slit, and the need to be filled by Nick was threatening to tear her sanity apart. She wanted to bite him, to leave her possessive mark on his body. The need to claim him as hers, so no other female would approach him, rushed through her. A growl rumbled in her chest before she could stop the sound.

“Easy. Keep it together, Willie. They’re already starting to leave. Just another minute or two and we can leave.” Nick’s voice was rough with passion as he breathed the words into her ear. A shudder raced through her body from the intimate sound. She wanted to hear him talk dirty to her in that voice. She wanted to hear him yell her name in passion with that voice as they climaxed together. “I’m trying to keep your scent covered with mine so they don’t catch a whiff of your shifter side. You need to keep a handle on your animal because your scent is changing. Gods, but you smell hot and wet.”

Willie groaned and nodded her understanding. She leaned into his body, burying her nose in his neck. His scent had driven all other thoughts from her mind, and she was so close to losing her handle on her human form. Lust flowed hot and thick through her veins. She wrapped her hands around his neck and thrust her fingers into his hair. With a swift movement she wrapped her legs around his waist and gave into her need for more contact. She ground her cleft against his groin. She noted with the very small part of her brain that was still functioning that he had a rather large cock, and it felt delicious against her heated core.

“I’m sorry. I just need to feel you against me. Something is wrong with my cougar. She wants you, and I can’t keep her under control without more touching,” she gasped. A moan escaped her lips and was muffled by his coat. She kept her nose buried in his neck, sucking in his scent like it was oxygen itself. She licked at the skin she could reach with long, wet laps. He tasted like spices and heat.

* * * *

Nick’s chest vibrated with a deep growl. His arms tightened around her and slid down to cup her ass. He pulled her tighter against his body, pumping his hips to the same tempo she created with her hips. He was losing control of his own passion, and having a wiggling, little female body plastered to his own wasn’t helping. His canines had slid from his gums minutes ago, and the urge to sink them into her body and taste the feisty little morsel was almost too strong. This idea to cover her scent and get a taste of her lips in one action sounded like a brilliant idea when it started. Now, he wanted to bury himself in her heat and never leave. The soft little noises she was making in the back of her throat as she battled her animal were the most erotic things he’d ever heard.

He slid one hand up under her shirt and stroked the soft skin along her lower back. He was momentarily astounded by the electric feel of her flesh under his hand. His need increased until he could think of nothing but the female in his arms. He ached to take her, make her his. He pushed her even harder against the metal pole to get as close to her as possible. When she subconsciously gave him access to her throat, he almost gave in to the overwhelming urge to bite into her. He wanted to taste her blood on his tongue, feel the flow of her hot essence entering his body, nourishing him. The faint glow of his eyes reflected on her pearly skin shocked him out of his bloodlust.

With a shake of his head, he took control of his actions, taking one final taste of her lips before unwinding her legs from around his waist and taking a reluctant step away from her. He chuckled darkly at their predicament as he tried to catch his breath. His heart was beating loudly in his ears, and it took every ounce of self-control to not grab her again. He noticed that Willie wasn’t having much more luck getting herself back under control. He could smell her arousal, and the sweet perfume made him want to bend her over a car parked along the street and plow into her like a rutting buck.

“Well, that was interesting,” he said hoarsely. His fangs were just starting to retract, and the night air was beginning to bleed her scent from his nose. With one final shake of his head, he stood and stuck his arm out to her, an offer of civility after the carnal mauling.

“Yeah, you could say that. Interesting. Devastating. Asinine,” she said in a whisper. She glanced up from her hunched position with need still blazing from her eyes. Her petite canines still peeked from between her lips. She noticed the arm he offered and hesitantly reached out to loop her arm in his. She sighed. “Let’s go home before something else goes wrong.”

The two sauntered down the block arm in arm, both tensed for an attack. Nick took deep breaths, trying to scent their vamp brethren that had drained the poor schmuck dead in the alleyway. His eyes swung up and down the street, checking trees and rooftops. As he observed the surroundings, he couldn’t get his mind off the kiss he’d just shared or the warm body so close to his.

Willie wasn’t anything like the females that he usually dated, but there was something so alluring about her. His feral side wanted her with a need that was breathtaking. He prided himself on his self-control. After two hundred and seventeen years of being a vampire, he was well versed in control. Control over hunger, lust, and greed. He worked for the Council as an investigator because of his legendary control. It had all but shattered a few moments ago with the lust that had poured through his body.

They made it to her house without incident. She unlocked her front door and entered the dark house with palpable trepidation. Her entire body had tensed when they crossed her tiny yard. He tried not to smile, but he couldn’t stop a mischievous grin from settling on his face. He could feel the draw of his body to hers, and if what she’d admitted earlier about her shifter side was true, she was going to be in a world of lust with him under her roof. He didn’t want to cause her any pain, but to know that she was going to be in just as much discomfort as he was made him want to laugh at the situation.

“I’ll give you the quick tour, and then if you want to shower before you head down to the lockroom, you can.” Willie’s voice shook just a tiny bit, and he could see the tension riding her shoulders. She was tense and her movements were choppy. She turned abruptly and stalked through the house. She briskly pointed out the location of her kitchen as they walked through the dining room. She walked into a short hallway and pointed out the bathroom. She stepped into it and quickly collected a towel and extra toothbrush for his use and handed them to Nick without making eye contact.

“Look, Willie. Why don’t I just clean up and you can show me the house tomorrow. I don’t want to impose on your hospitality any more than I already have,” he whispered softly. The weight of her discomfort was starting to make him feel downright horrible. She was so stiff and so obviously upset by their kiss, and he didn’t know what he could do to make it better.

She glanced up at him, and he watched a flicker of fear in her eyes before a cool mask of indifference closed off her emotions. She nodded mutely and stepped out of the bathroom to allow him to enter. She quietly closed the door behind her, and he listened to her walk to the kitchen. Soft sobs echoed down the hallway and twisted his heart. He’d never hurt someone with intimacy before. He wanted to go to her and hold her. Tell her that there wasn’t anything to be upset over, but he knew that she would probably attack him if he left the bathroom. With a sigh, he climbed into the small shower stall and washed the day’s events off his skin.

* * * *

Willie couldn’t believe that she’d completely lost control twice in the same night. Tears streamed down her face as she cried. She’d been wrapped around Nick like a freaking leech. What had she been thinking? Her shifter side was still very close to escaping. It made her skin tight and hot over bones that wanted to change shape. Her cougar was prowling and pushing so hard against her mind that she didn’t know if she would be able to control it much longer. Never before in her life had she felt so out of control. Even when she shifted the first time and she’d feared that she would lose her mind to her animal form. She closed her eyes tightly and breathed deeply, trying to soothe the beast within.

Stop crying, you big baby
.
It was one fucking kiss. You have done far more with other guys on a first date. You aren’t a prude. You’ve had sex with guys you barely knew before. This is
not
different
. She knew that was a big fat lie, though. This had been different. This man, no, this vampire who was showering in her bathroom wasn’t just a man that she could fuck to scratch an itch. He was a strong, overpowering, uberpowerful male that had captivated a part of her that she didn’t even know she had. Every single cell in her body craved his touch. She sobbed harder and bit her fist to stifle the sounds she was making. Her fangs bit into her skin, and she realized that she hadn’t even been able to retract them completely yet.

Anger finally started to help burn off the need and lust. She was angry at herself, at Nick, at the fucking vampire that trashed his house, and everyone else that screwed up her evening. She slammed her fist onto her cupboard with enough power to crack the countertop. The pain washed the rest of the emotions from her body. She hissed as the pain registered, but it did clear her head. She closed her eyes and ordered her cougar to back down and sleep so she could be free of the yowling for a little while. Tonight had been the longest she’d ever battled the cat. Usually it slept or remained dormant unless Willie intended to shift or the full moon pulled it awake. She’d never had her cat react to a male before, and definitely not to the extent that it had tonight. The constant mental fight made her weak and bone tired.

She took a deep breath and finally got the tears to stop streaming down her face. With practiced movements, she started relaxing the tension from her muscles. Slowly Willie got control again. She walked to the sink and ran cold water on a dishrag to wipe her eyes. She knew that her face was red and puffy from the force of her crying jag. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the sink, playing through the evening. She shook her head at what one little decision led to. Not only did she help a vampire, which she would never have done before, but she made out with said vamp, and just about jumped his bones.

“You look tired.” Nick’s voice was soft, but it made her jump. She hadn’t even heard him enter the room.
Some highly sensitive halfie you are
. With a sigh, she turned to look at him with narrowed eyes. She hoped the anger and pain would keep the emotional reactions to a minimum. Her self-control was in tatters, and she knew that she’d totally fold her hand and call it a night if he even crooked a finger at her.

“I am. I’ve had one hell of a night, as you well know. Now, let’s get you settled so we both can get some rest.” She shooed him out of the doorway so she could escort him to the basement. She held her breath as she walked by him.

“Willie?” His voice was so low she almost didn’t catch the question in his tone.

“What?” She turned to see concern etched on every inch of his face. She blew out a breath. This isn’t his fault, but hell if she didn’t want to blame him.

“I’m sorry for all of this. I know this isn’t want you had in mind for your evening,” he whispered roughly. He cleared his voice and pushed his shoulders back. She knew he was going to say something she didn’t want to hear.