Three’s a Clan (3 page)

Chapter Three

Shelly

There aren’t many things that shake me. I have been on this earth for a long time and I know myself. Doc and Alpha Paulson surprised me. How they bracketed my body and the way their scents made my libido jump up and down was amazing.

I rolled my neck from side to side and let the ligaments pop and crack. I did the same to my shoulders and knuckles. Tension plagued me. I felt my fangs lengthen. I needed a drink. I eyed my water bottle.

I needed a
fresh
drink.

Dimple boy was outside the bar where I had asked him to join me. I decided twenty minutes was too long to wait. I plastered a smile on my face. My underwear was slick between my legs and dimple boy was going to get lucky.

“Glad you called, Shelly. I was a little anxious to get together too.”

Judging by the bulge he sported, he wasn’t lying. Hopefully the boy had a little bit of staying power or a fast recovery time. His wasn’t the skyscraping redwood I had glimpsed a few minutes ago. This guy had more of a sapling. It would have to do.

“Speaking of anxious, I was wondering if we really had to do the whole bar thing. Personally I think the alcohol is a waste of money. I’d rather just head back to your place and skip the dance. That is, if you are interested in engaging with me sexually this evening. Do you have roommates?”

He sputtered at me. “Um…yeah, they aren’t home. I have the place to myself.” Dimples shook his head. “Did I hear you right?”

“Do you not enjoy sex? Or is it that I am an unacceptable partner? I find myself in need of a sexual release tonight. If you are unavailable, I understand, and I think it best we part ways.”

“Shit, no! I mean, yes. I mean…hell, I’ll wave down a taxi.” The human put a hand to my back. With just a little pressure against my spine I could feel his elevated pulse. He smelled good and I was grateful he had showered. I tended to make men nervous, and the odor of sweat was not one I enjoyed.

I thought back to the Paulson’s gym. Well, I didn’t
usually
enjoy it.

I took a swig of my water bottle and slowed my pace. A quick miasma double check and I realized I left my blood-letting kit on campus.

“I left my purse in the office. We need to stop by there. It won’t take me but a second.” I rolled my eyes when he seemed to deflate a little beneath my statement. “Don’t look like I stole your cookie. I still want to have sex.”

He perked back up like a dog that was about to get a Scooby Snack. My desire faltered a bit. This was so much more a boy than a man. Mind wandering as we got into the cab, I had a flash back of Alpha Paulson with the weights. Definitely needed to get laid.

Just an hour later and I was at the 7-11 by Dimple Boy’s house. I wasn’t getting condoms. I was buying batteries. I bought a twelve pack of AAs. My favorite vibrator only took three. I planned on wearing that machine out when I got home. College boy was a very willing participant in some evening fornication, but when I got a look at his shaved chest, his shaved balls, and his lack of any hair on his body aside from a tightly trimmed goatee, I wasn’t sure it was worth the cleanup I’d have to do after.

A quick dazzle, a little blood, and I was on my way. I left the bugger some cookies and juice from his cupboard by his bed. I put a timer on his cell phone and set it next to the night stand to wake him up thirty minutes after I left. His girlfriend called as I was putting in the timer. Guess she wasn’t thrilled when I answered. There was a part of me that felt bad for Dimple Boy, but the fact that he was cheating on his girlfriend was one of those lovely little facts that allowed me to take the blood I needed without feeling so guilty.

I was blessed with some truly classic beauty. I never had the curves that were en vogue in the earlier part of last century, but the blonde hair and fair skin seemed to make up for any trend in body type I was missing.

Then my mind wandered. I was supposed to meet the Paulson Pack leaders in less than two hours.

Richard embodied his title of Alpha. He was an oppressive presence. I was not of their species and a part of me still wanted to bow at his feet. Then his Beta, Trevor, entered my mind. The stolen moments I had shared with him were softer. Given enough time, he would see to the fulfillment of my every desire, because that is just the type of guy he was. Concerned about everyone else’s needs.

He had passion, but it was tempered. Something simmered beneath the surface with that one, and the analytical part of my mind wanted to figure it out. I wanted to see what would happen if someone pushed him over the edge and let what he was trying to contain boil over.

Then my mind wandered to handling Rick’s massive power, open and honest, and whatever surprise of emotion and character Trevor hid. Wow. I walked faster. I damn near flew. The mansion loomed ahead. I went to the rear of the house. No one was out in the gardens this time of night. Everyone who had the ability was out hunting, or working on their role that the Matheo had assigned.

I checked off the list in my mind, and there was only our butler in residence. He would be busy for the remainder of the evening. Unfortunately he would be cleaning rooms about now. Not so great for masturbating over werewolves.

We maintained a garden. Our enhanced senses could enjoy the fragrant blooms and herbs from inside the house. It was also a great place to bring “dates”. When I say the place is enchanting, I mean it.

I made my way down a winding stone path. It meandered past an herb garden.

The herbs had been cut sloppily last time. The stems were torn rather than snipped, and usually the cooks trimmed in a neater fashion to keep the esthetics up. The miasma added a note to my ever-growing list of items to work on.
Discuss the maintenance of the garden appearance.

A breeze picked up. The cool wind whipped around my body. The light jacket I had on billowed behind me. My simple tee pressed against my belly and breasts and the fragrance of the garden surrounded me. It was beautiful out here. I sat on a small stone bench beneath the cover of a slightly overgrown weeping willow. I remembered why I had bought the batteries when I sat down.

My underwear pressed against my core. The fabric had cooled slightly, but the dampness had me right back in that weight room again. I tried to relax, but the images battered me more than the wind. I let my heart pulse. Being a vampire, I had control over the blood in my body and the organ that moved it around. Right then, I wanted all my blood moving south. My body enflamed in an instant. The pressure built in my clit, and I had to touch myself.

Rick’s chest pressed against the backs of my eyes when I lowered my lashes on the world.
Photographic memory.
I was assaulted with what had gotten me so excited. His pecs rippling as he lifted the weights, the pulse of his blood moving through the muscles. Then to remind me it wasn’t just information I was interested in, my mind—my feminine desire—pushed through the miasma.

I imagined his arms flexing over me. I imagined that heavy erection pushing toward my core. My underwear was still wet, but with a fresh heady moisture now. No one was around, and I’d be damned if I was waiting until I got my vibrator from inside the house. I slid my miniskirt up. There wasn’t much to it, and the fabric was snug against my belly, putting pressure against the outside of my g-spot.

When I slid my fingers lower, I gasped. I could come with just a touch right now. I tested the theory. I slid off my underwear and propped my legs up on either side of my body. I was open and there was more than desire around me. Magic was in the air. Something more.

I didn’t want to think about that. Luckily, when I pressed against my clit, all rational thought raced from my mind. The images of the Alpha and my wet fingers sent me flying in a second. I remembered how his jaw tensed when he had been over my body in the woods.

The memories from the forest blended with my fantasies, and my photographic memory did one hell of an edit. The images blurred together. I wanted them both. I would have them both in my mind as my fingers thrust inside me. Rick growled as he watched the orgasm rack my body. If he were here now, he would take me and bend me over whatever surface was available. He would bite me. He would mark me and make me his. Then Trevor would take my face.

I would pull his cock into my mouth and suck him dry without tasting a drop of his blood. He would come down my throat with force and pressure and a feral howl to let me know he finally gave himself over to pleasure.

I was thrusting against my pussy, but it wasn’t enough. Because if I were with the wolves, this wouldn’t be enough either. I licked the finger of my other hand. It wasn’t until I sank it into my ass that I threw my head back in another release. My body contracted. My ass tried to pull my finger deeper, and my channel quivered around the other hand. My hips rocked and rode the wave until every last shiver was pressed from me.

My back flattened on the rough stone bench. I knew my juices were dripping onto the gray rock, but I couldn’t have cared less. Sated and relaxed lasted me about thirty seconds before my brain wrapped around what fantasy had wrung that release from me.
Shit.
This was not in the plans. I looked at my watch. My fantasy and my orgasm had lasted longer than I thought. I was supposed to meet the men of my wet dreams in less than thirty minutes.

I tossed the panties next to me in the garbage in front of my house as I took off. I was slick with arousal and wearing no underwear beneath my rumpled skirt. This was not the way to go meet two single werewolves.

Little Red Riding Hood had nothing on how I was about to torture these poor guys. That brought a little smile.

At least I wouldn’t be the only one suffering.

Chapter Four

Rick

The smell hit me. Sex. Sweaty pounding heavenly sex. The perfume wafted into the door and my cock felt like it would burst. Agony. Who the hell was that? That was no co-ed that one of the members of the Pack had seduced and brought home. I hadn’t felt this kind of attraction since…well, since nearly a year ago on a forest floor. More than just one part of me woke at the scent.

Pack magic was magic I could also use to wrap around that attraction and push it back. This wasn’t the time, and I definitely didn’t want it to be the person. I needed to be ready for Shelly.

Standing outside an apartment building at two AM would normally mean a lack of activity because everyone was asleep, but we were near a college town with a bunch of men and women who would remain young and vital for centuries. The party wouldn’t end until well after five. We were trying to hit the window when all the homebodies were asleep and all the party animals were well out of the complex.

Shelly walked around the corner at a fast pace and with an odd wiggle to her step. Her cadence lent to her being uncomfortable. Good. Because that smell was making me very uncomfortable. Doc stood next to me and his intake in breath would have been audible to a human a dozen feet away. He caught the bouquet as well.

“I’m not late, am I?”

Vampires had the ability to force blood through their bodies when they wanted to. Shelly had her body pumping with arousal. Was she trying to tease us? Or was she flaunting her time with her date?

Then I wondered if it was real arousal for one of us. The last thought had my dick jumping up and down and yelling “oooh, pick me!” And that right there was just one more reason why this was a bad idea. Pitting an Alpha and Beta against each other was bad at any time, but our Pack was unstable at best.

“You’re right on time,” Doc said. He had some gravel to his voice, but at least he could form words around that scent. Two points for Trevor.

“Good. Thought I wouldn’t make it. I didn’t have time to shower. Hope you don’t mind?” Shelly crossed her legs and hopped up on the halfwall surrounding the small pond and hot tub.

Her scent piqued. I shook my head and turned to Trevor.

“I don’t mind at all, Shelly.” He grinned at me before he turned back to the conversation. Either he wasn’t as affected as I was, or he had better control of his wolf at the moment. “I always enjoy the scent of a woman who has had an eventful evening…alone.”

Now
that
got my attention. Head slightly clearer, I realized he was right. There was no masculine to complement the feminine. The diminutive vampire before us had been pleasuring herself before she came over. What had been on her mind? My dick hardened again thinking that I might have had a part in her need.

Wolves tend to hunt in groups, and that was exactly what this felt like—a hunt. She immediately hopped from her perch. Both Trevor and I took two steps forward for every one Shelly took back. She had given herself to each of us once before. I knew how she tasted, and how her pussy felt around my dick as my Beta watched. Ever since that night, the three of us had been trading innuendo and double entendre like hungry children in the lunch room sharing chocolate pudding and ho hos.

I didn’t have much time for introspection. She wasn’t just aroused…she was on the move. Prey. I kept pace, but when my shoulder bumped Trevor, I realized this was not going to work. An Alpha and a Beta couldn’t share a woman. Especially this one, and I wasn’t about to make a woman choose again.

We were close enough that I could look down at her. My voice reverberated with far more animal than I liked, but I was done playing.

“Sit.”

Her butt hit a nearby bench. I looked at Trevor and he backed off giving me space. “Now. Quit fucking with my under-appreciated libido. You’ve pushed enough for tonight. You’re playing with fire. And vampires burn.”

“Laying it on a little thick aren’t you, Rick?” Trevor was still close enough to elbow me as he spoke. “Although that was puntastic.”

I growled, and he just chuckled as he backed off a few steps with his hands up in surrender.

“What is going on that we need to know?” I asked.

“I wanted to talk about the extra work the Matheo gave me as punishment.” Shelly took a deep breath. “Along with all the new financial responsibility, he’s got me working to supply extra blood for neighboring Families. I’ve got a handle on all the transfers. We’re missing units, and he’s not having me track the blood. You know why they are missing.”

She waited until we agreed. The bastard was making hybrids. A controllable army.

Not that I wanted to know, but I had to ask, “How much is missing?”

“Too much.” She took a breath she didn’t need. “I think he may be working an angle to frame me for the blood theft.”

That threw an ice bucket on the libido. I wasn’t as well-versed in vampire politics as Trevor, but even I knew that stealing from the Family stash was an offense punishable by death. I had been trying not to think about the danger Shelly had put herself in with the Matheo by helping my daughter’s Clan. I felt compelled to fix the situation. The first step was understanding the problem.

I could have sat with her and tried to make her feel comfortable enough to share what was going on. I wasn’t going near her when one touch of her skin would let my wolf loose and have me bending her over the bench. Trevor or no, I wouldn’t stop once I started.

“Talk,” was all I said.

She wiggled. I growled. She continued.

“The miasma has memory of a Matheo drinking extra blood to frame a Protector he wanted out of the way. A bit of especially fragrant blood spilled on the Protector, and the rest of the Family took care of the problem.”

“What do you need our help with?” I knew where my thoughts were. I wanted the leader dead. He was only alive right now because his Family was large and taking him out could have the entirety of the vampire population coming to avenge an interspecies crime.

“I don’t have enough evidence of anything. I need extra eyes. The Matheo has to be doing at least some of the transactions outside our home.” Shelly wiggled again. “I would know if the transfers were happening on site.”

“Eyes out for vampires buying blood. Got it.” I waved for Trevor to do a round and make sure we were still alone. This meeting needed to end. The more Shelly moved, the more I could smell her. To say my wolf was restless was an understatement. “Anything else?”

She huffed. Her cheeks puffed out, her mouth formed a perfect ‘o’ and I knew I needed her to leave. My body refused to calm down. Her lips were plump and it took no imagination to think of her head lowered and her mouth opening for me.
Dammit.
I adjusted myself under the band of the underwear I was thankfully wearing this time.

“I wanted to let you know that a certain group of hybrids is on their way back into town. I don’t have much information yet. But there must be something else they know. Jake wouldn’t put his Clan up for slaughter unless they had something very important to come back for. Even with Mary’s head popping powers…”

I wasn’t the only one that shuddered remembering that one.

She straightened her spine and continued, “All I got was a text that said they would be home within the week. Prepare your Pack.”

I was digesting the information so Trevor chimed in to finish the conversation.

“We are always prepared. Unfortunately, we have a lot of new members who aren’t going to be very keen to deal with vampires anytime soon.” Trevor knew the people who we had rescued from the Chicago Pack needed a serious break from being taken advantage of. Asking them to go to war again with the very people they had been working with might be a stretch on a still-evolving Pack dynamic.

Amber was coming back. Trevor was talking, but my head wasn’t in it. I had to think about the feasibility of confronting the Matheo. No matter what battle strategy I worked through, it wasn’t enough. I needed to recruit, or at the very least take stock on who was in my territory and see if they’d be willing to help. I felt for the connection to my Pack. Council would have to begin tomorrow. I’d call the meeting as soon as we got out of here. Ready or not, I knew that Amber and her Clan returning meant they were ready to confront who’d pushed them away in the first place.

Something my Beta was mumbling about obviously had tweaked the diminutive woman because she straightened. I tuned back in, but it wasn’t in time. I had missed something.

“I’ll get going then. I can’t stay unaccounted for at this time of night. The Family will begin to trickle back in. I’m usually the first one home. At least I have this.”

Shelly pulled a small bag of—yes, that was blood—from her purse.

The things women keep in their purses.

“Do vampires not have the same sense of smell we do? Aren’t you worried about returning home smelling like us?” I really should keep my mouth shut, but it wasn’t in any Alpha’s nature to stay quiet.

“Our sense of smell isn’t as strong as a werewolf or hybrid’s, but we are enhanced from human levels.” She pinched her brows at me. “But you already knew that. Why do you ask?”

I took another deep breath and leaned toward her. I could smell her from where I was, but my wolf wanted to gather more of that tang of hers to think about later. He also might have been trying to prove something to me. She got wetter as I got closer. “Because, sweetheart, you don’t have to let a soul know where you’ve been. They’ll know you’ve been a busy little bee by the luscious honey scent you’ll bring home. You’re getting wetter and wetter, and unless you want them to smell a werewolf scent mingled with it, I suggest you leave now.”

Heat rushed through me, and I felt the burn of my eyes change. I kept my gaze on her as she struggled to stand without touching me and ran off like a rabbit.

Trevor chuckled at her retreat, but I just walked away. Watching her pupils pulse wide for me and smelling her heady dew had me twitching for something. I was poised for sex or violence. The way I felt at the moment, they didn’t have to be mutually exclusive.