Sanibel Sizzle - Vampire Werewolf Menage (9 page)

Curling his lip with s
omething that resembled a smile
but didn’t quite make it, he answered, “It’s
definitely
a touch larger
with you.”

“Not large
, i
t’s
an
immense
structure
, Blade.
  It looks painful
… like
it could
be
painful.
”

Studying her face, he blinked and
easily
soothed, “Don’t worry, it’ll fit.”

Right, and when sh
e opened her mouth to argue
, she
sliced
her tongue
on something foreign
.  Pushing her index finger inside her
mouth, she felt around and discovered tiny erupting canines
. 

“Ah, baby,” Blade crooned, closing the distance between them, “you want to dri
nk from me.”  Wrapping
heavy arms around her, he
finally pulled her tight, naked skin to naked skin. 
Yes.
  Surrounding her with
lulling
comfort and bringing his neck close, she wanted to taste
everything
.

“What’s happening to me?”  He
r skin prickled with that same tingly sensation
she experienced
when her foot went
to sleep.   Although it wasn’t
unpleasant, she realized, especially
in the nipple area
.
   “Is it the heat?”
  Why not ask?  He knew everything about heat.

Leaning back without breaking
his hold, he stared down
sadly.   “How easily I forget you were raised by your brother
and not a mother
.  He didn’t explain anything to you?”

“I guess not, since I’m pretty confused right now.  Well, I’m not confused about wanting you.” Bringing
her chin up, she waited for Blade
to lower his head for a kiss.  He obliged and she took, rolling her tongue over his, memorizing his taste and missing it even before he pulled away.

“
Wanting isn’t a fair description for
how I f
eel,” he whispered true, lovingly
tracing his thumb over her bottom lip
. “You feel it don’t you?  All the currents between us, the pulling and knitting of our souls, our very existence
,
”
he asked a little wary.

“I do.” After her declaration, his wash of relief made her smile.

“Words that normally would
make me run, I crave from you.” He pulled her closer. “
Back to what’s happening with you
r body
,
Bren probably didn’t want to scare you with a few simple facts, or he was a coward.  Probably took the easy way out with a tight lip.”

“What would Bren be a coward about?” She rolled her eyes at the thought.

“This.” 

He carried her from the shower and settled her in front of the sink.  Staring back at her reflection, she had a highlighted sheen over her skin
, eerily
silver
.  The only way
she could describe it was iridescent
.  No
temper, no flash, no
claws, but those tiny canines – like bone-colored needles – changed her smile.

“Fucking hell,” he breathed
behind her
, fully taking in her shimmering nudity.  “All of this,” he
said proudly, rubbing his hands over her before
pre
ssi
ng his palms into her hips and
dipping one finger down over her crimson curls
,
“belongs to me.”

“This….this is…,” she couldn’t find the words.

“It happens in
full-blood females when they begin the mating process
, a mystic
al
mark
similar to full males
.
  You
know
how
you could always run faster than mortals and had amplified senses and reflexes
?  T
hat’s all kicked up now.  You’re the new and improved
Red Becca
.
My female,” his words held pride
and his broad smile backed it up
.  “
Undoubtedly, when we have younglings, you’ll sprout
cute little
angry claws if
they're
threatened.”

“
Blade
,” her words projected the nervousness she couldn’t hide, “
h
ow do I control this?”

He pulled her back
tightly
, swallowing her with strong arms.  “I’m a
bout to give you a quick lesson, and Becca?”

“Yeah?”

“Ciaran
is
misting
close
.   He’s coming back
for
you
.”

C
iaran rapped
battle-
torn knuckles across his mother’s bedchamber door, now occupied by his
soon to be mistress
.  Waving a palm unlock
ing the latch, he waited for Renee
to open the door.  He
didn’t know why he granted the lass
this simple courtesy. 
He was Alpha.  She was mixed blood.
 

He didn’t want to want her.

But he did.

“What?”

Livid
emerald
f
ire hypnotized him,
sparkling
field green eyes
with the threat of brushfire
, daring him to spar.
  He had better ideas.
“Come,”
Ciaran
sai
d simply while holding out a
hand. 

Curling her lip at his offering, she hid both her hands
behind her back. 
“I’m not touching you.”

“Oh you’re not?”

“That’s what I said,” her
voice firmed.

“I smell the shaman.  He’s still with you?”  Ciaran didn’t sense th
e shaman’s presence, but he positively
scented him
all over lushly rounded temptation
s
.

What do you hide?

“Sure, I hang out with your lackeys
all day long
.  We’re best buds.”  Raising her creamy chin, she stared
brazenly
, daring him to call her bluff.

Bonny lass
, why do you lie
?

“He brought you this particular
dress?”  What a sight sh
e made.  Jade layers curved her
curves, huggin
g everything he longed to touch and squeeze…hard.
I want to bite you.
Mouthwatering temptation she was.  He hadn’t known such beauty or spirit since –

“
Should’ve been red, right?  To match my blood you’ll spill.”

At that, her voice betrayed her, trembling as she spoke
.
  Tangible emotions brought Renee Shirley
to
a creature of
flesh and blood
before Ciaran’s eyes
, not to be an object of
coldhearted
vengeance
but lasting…affection
. 
Guilt barreled through
, tightening Ciaran’s chest
at the thought
.
“Your clan’
s blood debt is nearly repaid
. Come,” he ordered again.

Her
knees buckled.

Catching her before she hit the floor, he
lifted her, placating
quickly, “Not
your
blood, you will live this day and all
the days
thereafter.  My Beta and pack insisted on a right to mate challeng
e, in which I agreed. 
Therefore, it will remove
the death vow I made the clan
if you’re properly mated
in this pack
.
As no one steps forward as your mate
,
I
then
accept you as mistre
ss
,” he explained
, smugness backing every word while
tightening his palm around her thigh.
  Until, as an unclaimed mixed-blood, she withered with age.  Then he’d keep her on another floor
‘til
she passed on from this earth.  An infallible plan, she needn’t the details.

“No matter what, you’ll never let me go,” she gasped
, clutching her forehead.

No doubt she harbored a
migraine, one his Beta would soon fix
.
“The debt must be absolved
.
  You’re lucky you are a
female and my pack petitioned on your behalf.
”

“
Lucky?  That’s me al
r
ight.
You’
re so sure no one will claim me?
”

“Renee Shirley, how many mates could you possibly have?” 
And I h
ope you drank your
special
water
.

“I don’t want any of you,
especially you,
put m
e down,” she
balked
while still in his arms,
pushing her
angry
fists against his chest.

“You’d better hope you do
n’t have any here,” he snee
red, thoroughly affronted
.
“A place in the Alpha’s bed is the
highest
hono
r and protection, more than any other
could provide
you
.”

“As a
slave, your
whore,” she
spat.

“As
my
mistress
, you’ll be
respected
.”

“Not where I come from, buddy.”

“So you’re to die?”
  Save him from her human logic.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” She bared
her teeth in a most Were way.
How enticing.

“I’m the beast you will be pleasing
.  Shall I unleash my scarier half now, wanna peek?” 
Ciaran liked a bit of snap
in a feisty red-head. 
It pumped his werewolf
and squeezed his balls in the most vulgar way
. 
By the look on her face, he s
hould temporarily rein in his sexual thoughts
.
His over the top desire for her was showing through and this wasn’t the time or the place.
“No need to feel frightened, I’ll teach you my likes.  You’ll learn and obey.”

“
While
you’ve now sworn
not to murder me, let me just say that you are
still
the biggest…”

Tis a shame she went un
conscious, Ciaran wanted a listen at
her little female rant.  But what was done was done.
   So now she floated i
n
an
agreeable state, re
adied
for
rights to mate
. 

Ciaran h
ated rights to mate.

Carrying her out to Afanas and too many eager
face
s, the Alpha
voiced his concern.  “Look at her pallor
…
and her breathing is labored.”

Afanas went pale himself.  Scooping Rebecca up from Ciaran and gently placing her on the soft grass, he tried to stir her. 
“Wake
up.  Come on.  Wake up.”
 

Rebecca heard the words, wouldn’t listen.  Spinning everywhere, she remained weightless. 
Where am I?
  Lying on the earth, she realized, feeling
the moon’s
caress from above
.  Shutting heavy lids, she scented male much too close. 

The Beta.
 

Many snarls and distant growls drifted about.

Ah
, she realized, backed by his merry murdering sons of bitches.

“I told you not to use so much.”  A long-forgotten burr tinged a richly arrogant voice. 
Oh, the asshole
Alpha
is present and accounted for. 
Furious heartbeats thundered her ears.  Thickened blood slowed her body - movement
s
sluggish, if at all.
Fucker poisoned me.
  Rebecca tried to open her mouth.