Instinctive (26 page)

“Oh God, Jaclyn,” he rushed out, and hauled her inside with him.

She tilted her head back to look at him. “Slyck—”

He put a silencing finger against her lips and then held her
face between his palms. “I know, sweetheart. I know everything. Drake filled me in.” He trailed his fingers over her body and pulled her hood down. “Let’s get you out of this.” Once he rid her of the slicker, he said, “I thought I saw you at home a minute ago.”

A wave of passion overcame him and warmth spread over his skin as she wiped her damp bangs back and blinked the water from her eyes. “It’s Sunray. She’s covering for us.” Her voice was rough with emotions and stirred him in crazy ways.

As he stood there looking at Jaclyn, the air around them charged with electricity. His hands brushed hers, and he dipped his head and covered her mouth with his. Her chest heaved, and when he felt her deepen the kiss with wild abandon, he inched back and said, “Come with me.” Slyck gathered her hand in his, led her to the bedroom, and peeled her clothes away, his depth of desire for her stronger than ever.

Glistening green-and-blue-flecked eyes stared up at him as her fingers spiraled over his body, pulling at his clothes. His heart pounded erratically while his panther ached to mate with her.

Profound silence ensued as Slyck quickly shed his clothes and then stood back to stare at the beautiful woman before him. His eyes left her face and slowly tracked down her body as he sorted through matters.

The moon would rise and the moon would fall—that they had no control over—but tonight they had each other, and as long as they were both alive, he wasn’t going to waste one minute with her.

He breathed a kiss over her parted lips and backed her up until her knees hit the mattress. She gripped him hard, careful
not to sever the connection as he laid her out and crawled in beside her. Long, dark lashes fluttered as she stared up at him in longing, and he saw love shining in her eyes. The way she looked at him flooded him with emotions and brought on a convulsive shudder.

With her mouth poised open, her voice dropped to a whisper and she murmured, “I love you.”

His heart skipped a beat, and a maelstrom of sensations whipped through his veins. “I love you too,
We-Sa
.”

His lips found hers again for a slow, simmering, soul-stirring kiss. The way she kissed him back, with such passion, desire, and love, made him feel a little raw and a whole lot vulnerable. When he finally eased away, they were both left shaken.

He breathed in her sweet panther scent and gave a low growl of longing. He gripped the side of her hips and buried his face in her neck. “I love you so fucking much, Jaclyn,” he murmured, his voice raspy with emotion. Hands shaky with need, he brushed her hair from her face before he ran his mouth over her body, kissing and touching every speck of her warm naked flesh like he couldn’t get enough. A whimper escaped her lips. She quivered beneath him, her body beckoning his touch, his mouth, and his cock, her throaty purr resonating through his body.

Her breasts crushed into his chest, and she pulled him down on top of her. He took note of her quickening pulse, the urgency in her eyes, and the desperate edge in her voice. “Make love to me,” she cooed, everything in her voice and her body language letting him know she feared this would be their last and final mating.

He slipped a finger between their bodies and found her wet and wanting. When she let out a little gasp of pleasure, he thought his heart would explode with all the love he felt for her.

The near-full moon outside shone though his window and danced over their bodies, a taunting reminder of things to come. Fuck, were they fighting the inevitable? Slyck pushed that thought aside for the time being and gave all his attention to the woman beneath him.

“I need you inside me,” she said, her voice nothing more than a rough whisper. She put her mouth near his; her warm breath brushed his face like a lover’s kiss. He heard the tremor in her words when she added, “Slyck, please . . .”

Slyck began trembling from head to toe as he positioned his cock at her opening, and lightly brushed his fingers over her clit in preparation. Needy and desperate, she bucked forward, forcing the head of his cock inside.

A muscle in his jaw flexed and he smiled down at her. “Slow down, baby,” he whispered, despite the fire raging between his thighs. He blew out a shaky breath and murmured softly into her ear, “We have all night. And I plan on making love to you until the sun rises.”

She began panting heavily as he slowly pushed into her, offering her only an inch at a time. Her warmth wrapped around him and branded his nerve endings. The sweet friction made him throb and he shuddered involuntarily.

He drew a fortifying breath and watched, transfixed, as her eyes took on a darker shade of green. He felt his chest puff up, in pride of his mate. Her pretty pink tongue slid over her sensuous
bottom lip, and she spread her legs a little more to offer him better access.

“Oh baby.” He let out a low moan as he slid into her—as he slid home. The onslaught of pleasure nearly shut down his brain.

Her arms and legs locked around his, holding him in place as though fearing he’d escape. A shudder rippled through her, and he watched her throat work. The sweet scent of their lovemaking curled around them, and he inhaled, pulling it into his lungs.

With slow, controlled movements, he pumped into her, drawing out and savoring every sensation, every moment in her arms. As his orgasm mounted, he watched the play of emotions over her face and could feel her muscles tighten and clench. Her flesh suffused with color and her eyes darkened with desire. She opened her mouth but no words formed.

Slyck smiled down at her. “I love the look on your face when you come for me.” His words pushed her over the edge. In no time at all, her damp heat seared his cock and dripped down his balls.

He continued to ride her, picking up the tempo as he chased an orgasm. As he reveled in the sensations, pressure built inside him, and his throat tightened with emotions. He gulped for air and slammed into her, pushing high and joining them as one.

Unable to hold off any longer, his muscles strained and he let himself go, jettisoning his come high inside her pussy. His orgasm was so intense, his entire body shook violently. As his seed filled her, she quaked beneath him, tumbling into another climax.

“Oh my,” she cried out, and clamped her legs around him harder. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that. But I’m willing to try.”

As tension drained from his body, Slyck laughed out loud and collapsed beside her. Jaclyn curled in next to him and pulled the blankets up.

“That was beautiful,” she purred.

“You’re beautiful.”

Their lovemaking was soft, intimate, tender, and so damn powerful, it left him in a weakened state. He gathered her into his arms and held tight, never wanting the night to end.

She snuggled close, and when her breathing returned to normal, he said, “Jaclyn.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you trust Sunray?”

She blinked up at him. “Yes. Why?”

“It was just something Drake said earlier, that maybe she was working with Vall and playing us for fools.”

“She’s not like that,” she responded firmly. “Drake doesn’t know her like we know her.”

“Do you think she can get you out?”

He didn’t miss the uncertainty in her voice when she said, “Yeah.”

Not wanting to put a damper on their evening together, despite the dire circumstances, he changed the subject. “So I take it from your mother’s scowl that I’m not her first choice for a son-in-law.”

Jaclyn laughed, and it filled him with such warmth. He’d yet to hear her laugh, really laugh, and he vowed when this was all over, he’d do whatever was required to make her laugh more often. She jabbed his chest. “What matters is you’re
my
first choice.” She
rolled into him and lightly touched his face. “And, besides, what’s not to love? I give her five minutes and she’ll be charmed.”

“Yes, I suppose I do have that going for me,” he teased, then arrogantly blew on his knuckles and brushed them over his chest.

Her hand slipped between their bodies, and when her warm palm connected with his cock, he immediately hardened. The smile fell from her face and was replaced by inviting, come-hither eyes. “Hey, big boy, why don’t you show me what else you have going for you?”

He climbed on top of her and spent the rest of the night taking her, again and again.

“Jaclyn, wake up.”

Jaclyn slowly opened her eyes and came face-to-face with Sunray. Her body warmed as memories of her wonderful night with Slyck and the protective way he’d seen to it she’d gotten home before sunrise came rushing back to her mind.

“It’s time.” Sunray pulled the blankets from Jaclyn’s fatigued body and reached for her hand.

Jaclyn’s heart missed a beat and she swallowed down her rising panic. “Already?”

“Yeah, Vall wants you to hang out in the den until the shift. If we show disobedience, he’ll know.”

Jaclyn considered the events leading up to the transformation and the mating that went along with it. “Will he want—”

Sunray shook her head. “Not yet. He just wants you there for safekeeping.”

Feeling numb and cold inside, Jaclyn reached for Sunray’s
hand and climbed from the bed. She went through the motions—showered, dressed, and followed Sunray to Vall’s den, which was situated on the outskirts of the woods, and used only on shift night. It was in the perfect location for the pack to gather, shift, and then run into the woods to feed, or fornicate, or whatever the hell they did.

Sunray unlocked the dead bolt and motioned for Jaclyn to enter. Jaclyn stood by the door and glanced around the cabin. It was much larger than she had expected. It contained three sofas, a fireplace, blankets strewn across the floor, and even a kitchen with a stocked pantry.

With only one small window, the room felt dark and dank, and it smelled stale. Heart racing, she took one measured step inside and inhaled. When she choked on the stench of wet dog, her eyes watered in response. Grimacing with disgust, Jaclyn turned to Sunray and met her glance. “How can they—”

The look in Sunray’s eyes stopped her. Shit. Sunray was one of them and she’d just offended her.

“I can’t help what I’ve become,” Sunray said softly. “But I do what I have to do to survive. And to survive, I change with my pack, run in the woods, and feed on animal blood.”

“Sunray, I didn’t mean—”

Sunray held her hand up, palm out. “It’s okay. We all do whatever we have to in order to survive, and tonight I’ll do whatever it takes to help you survive.”

Jaclyn felt her heart pound harder. “Why, Sunray? Why are you doing this for me?”

“Because I care about you, and because I can feel Ray on you.
And somehow I just know you’re very important to me and my future.”

“Ray?” she asked. “That was his name?”

A small smile touched Sunray’s mouth, and she went quiet for a moment. “Yeah.”

“You’re Sun
ray
and he was
Ray
? Why do I think that’s not a coincidence?”

“My name is Sunni. I combined our names after Vall killed him and turned me so I could carry him close at all times and never forget the love we shared.”

When she saw the sadness in her friend’s eyes, Jaclyn pulled her into an embrace and held her body close. She understood why Drake would question Sunray’s values and her loyalty to Vall, but he didn’t know Sunray the way Jaclyn did. No one could fake the pain and heartache in the depths of Sunray’s silver eyes. Silence ensued as they both became lost in their own thoughts.

Sunray broke the quiet. “Vall is a sneaky bastard, and never to be trusted. Let’s just hope Drake is as capable of handling him as Slyck was.”

Sunray’s words hit Jaclyn like a slap in the face. Jaclyn drew back, flabbergasted. Ohmigod, how could she have been so selfish, so caught up in her own dilemma that she’d never once considered Slyck’s position? Not once had she even considered that Slyck would be leaving his pack, everything he’d ever known. Wasn’t he the one who said that the pack came first, and that they’d go so far as to sacrifice one for the greater good? She swallowed hard. Oh God, everything he’d done was for her, and if Drake wasn’t up to handling Vall, she could be the downfall of his entire community.
How could she allow him to walk away from his people? How could she allow herself to be the destruction of everything he’d spent years building and protecting?

Sunray dropped onto the sofa and gestured for Jaclyn to have a seat.

“What do we do now?” Jaclyn whispered, her heart lodged somewhere in her throat.

“We wait. And I plan.”

“How—”

“Don’t ask.”

The day passed slowly. Jaclyn spent most of the daylight hours pacing, worrying, and praying that they were going to get out of this.

Soon the sun disappeared behind the mountains, and nighttime fell like a guillotine. As the full moon crept higher in the sky, an eerie energy blanketed the small town and made Jaclyn’s skin crawl. She sat nestled in the corner, trying to make herself invisible as the cabin filled with creatures. Because she felt like a gazelle caught in the lion’s den, her survival instincts kicked in and she pulled her knees to her chest. Except she was a kitten, not a gazelle, and this was a dog pen, not a lion’s den, and if they found out what she was, they’d eat her alive and use her bones to clean their teeth.

Heavy boots outside the den heralded Vall’s arrival.

Sunray must have sensed her sudden increase in heart rate and burst of anxiety. “Stay calm,” Sunray whispered, and Jaclyn nodded, hoping like hell she could follow the advice.

The hinges creaked and Vall strolled in, his presence darkening
the doorway. Jaclyn glanced behind him and watched the clouds peel back to reveal a full moon, nearly reaching its peak in the summer sky. Looking virile, powerful, and animalistic, Vall stepped farther inside his den and perused the room, taking stock.