Werewolves of New York (12 page)

I
n the morning
, Eli threw Rose into the pale turquoise ocean as far as his strength could. She screamed as she flew through air, landing an impressive distance away. Bursting up from the clear salt water, she threw back her wet hair and called back. “That’s the best you’ve got?”

He faked anger and came running into the water to get her, his movements slowed by the awkward sand and waves. This was the first time he’d been to a beach, and it was something else. He was eager to describe it to the guys. It was a little hot for him with his warm blood, but the ocean was the salve his wolf had been craving. He dove in the rest of the way and swam to her. This was nothing, he was a strong swimmer from his years by a river that had a hell of a strong current. The salt in the water here hurt his eyes, so he had to find Rose by sound. She made it easy as she splashed, trying to get away from him. He used the vibrations of her veins sending sound currents and the splashing to lead him straight to her. He grabbed her legs and pulled her under, hearing her scream before she submerged. They were both laughing their heads off when they came up for air and she threw her arms and legs around him, the sun shining on her. Her eyes matched the water and his smile went intimate as he stared at her, transfixed. “You’re beautiful.”

Her smile changed and she kissed him. “Thank you, Eli.”

“Too bad I have to drown you,” he breathed into her neck then grabbing her waist to throw her as far as he could. Because he had to pull her out of the water first, the distance wasn’t as far as last time, but she still screamed the whole way.

She plunged into the ocean then reappeared and yelled at him, “You bastard! You tricked me!” She took off swimming.

He called over with a grin, “I really do think you’re beautiful,” his hand cupping his mouth for comedic effect. When she didn’t come back, he suddenly thought of sharks and dove underwater like a flash. Within seconds thanks to his speed, she was in his arms again. She fought him, but not that hard. He held her fists and looked around the water.

“What’s wrong,” she asked, getting quiet and looking around, too, to see what he saw.

He shrugged and laughed it off. “All of a sudden I had this image of sharks eating you and me not there to stop them.” Blinking away the droplets of ocean water that slid down onto his lashes, he frowned.

She ran her finger down the crease, like he’d done to her. “The only wild creature who’s going to eat me is you.” She reached into his shorts and pulled out his cock. “What’s this? Look what I found!”

Frown vanishing, Eli chuckled, “I think you should keep exploring it to find out.”

“Is that an order?” Her eyes went smoky.

“What do you think?” he said, simply. With mischief in her eyes, she stroked him and reached down lower to take his sack in her hand, fondling it and running her fingers around where it met his body. He groaned with pleasure as she wrapped her small hand around the base of his cock and slid it all the way up, hesitating at the top to play with the tip and make him moan. With her thumb she rubbed it, then stroked his length again. He moved her bikini bottoms to the side and took control of his cock back, pushing the blunt tip against her opening. Her lips were parted and her hair was drenched, the hot sun already having dried her face. They stared at each other as he penetrated her, taking her legs and wrapping them around him as he stood on the sandy floor and slid into her. She glanced to the beach but he reassured her, “No one’s there. I can hear when someone comes.”

“Oh,” she smiled, her breath hitching. She licked her lips and allowed him to manipulate her body, raising her up and down on his cock. Their breathing synchronized and they kissed as he got harder and she more open to him. Sliding slowly in and out, he filled her as far as he could go, loving how tight she was and all the great sounds she made when he stretched her. She wanted more and he had a lifetime of it to give to her. When their orgasms came, hers brought his on and he rocked in her, squeezing her tight and biting her shoulder. She bit him back and he groaned at the welcome sensation.

“There’s the tigress again,” he smirked, holding her to him even as he softened inside her body.

“Rawr,” she growled like a human would, and he laughed. “Eli?”

“Yeah?” he kissed his way up her neck.

She didn’t answer, so he met her eyes and cocked an eyebrow. She looked like she was going to say something and it wasn’t, “I’m hungry.”

He searched her, and let it go. “Let’s get some breakfast.”

In Bungalow Dolphin, he changed into dry clothes and she caught him watching her slide into a sundress. . He guessed from her laugh that his look must have shown what he was thinking. “Oh no, you don’t. I want to get some food.”

He ignored that and took her against the wall anyway, reminding her that he called the shots, and enjoying every moan and whimper she made as she trembled once again in his arms.

Over the next three days they went diving and explored the destination’s promised shipwreck, which was very cool, and something neither of them had ever seen. They swam with tortoises and all kinds of beautiful saltwater fish they didn’t know the names of. When she suggested looking them up, he took the phone from her and laid it down telling her it was more interesting to keep it a mystery. She’d smiled at him and he couldn’t help but think the true mystery was how good he felt when he was with her. He’d never been away from his pack for this long, but he didn’t mind at all. He would never have guessed that.

He decided it was time.

T
hat night
they returned home from dining out at a local restaurant that was really just a local’s home redecorated, but the fresh snapper was extraordinary and Eli had two helpings. They’d had some wine, and when she asked if they should get a third glass, he’d shaken his head. He wanted her to remember everything about this night, and he wanted to make sure she was present for what he was about to show her.

In the room, she walked to the balcony, her salmon-colored skirt hitting her mid-thigh and her white halter top bringing out her new tan. She glanced to him, realizing he was staring. “Have you seen the stars tonight?” she asked.

He nodded. “I have something I want to do.”

She turned and tilted her chin. “What?” Her voice was tender and he hoped that when she saw everything he was, she’d remain as comfortable with him as she had become. They weren’t just lovers, they were friends. He’d thought about it while they were swimming in the warm, clear water that afternoon, that maybe he didn’t miss his packmates because he had found his best friend.

“I want to shift for you, and introduce the other side of myself. If you think you want to.”

Her hand floated to her soft, pink lips and she whispered, “Really, Eli? I was wondering if you would, but I didn’t want to push.”

He chuckled. “Really? I wasn’t sure if you’d thought about it.”

She crossed to him and ran her hands down the length of his arms, her touch gentle and very feminine. “I have. I’d love that. What should I do?”

On a small smile, he motioned for her to stand back. “Maybe sit on the bed?”

“Okay,” she whispered, her heart rate picking up as she slipped off her sandals and climbed onto the king size, holding onto the edge with her feet hanging off. She looked small again. He forgot often how tiny she really was since her personality was so big. And those breasts. Oh man.

Focus, Eli.

He faced her and held up a hand. “It is going to be a little scary at first. I’m nervous myself, so I can only imagine how you feel.”

“I’m excited,” she grinned.

He laughed at that. “Well, let’s wait and see what you think afterward.”

“Will you able to hear me?”

He blinked, just then understanding how little she knew. “Yeah. I’ve got complete control. We’re one and the same. It’s really not like in the horror films. It’s just my primal side has a face.” She gave a short, expectant nod.

He walked to stand in front of her, stripping off the faded blue jeans he’d worn also on the day they arrived. He had on a chocolate-brown button-up shirt for the dinner, and he undid each button slowly, holding her eyes. “I’ve never done this.”

“Neither have I.” She offered him an encouraging smile and kicked her feet.

He’d been shifting of his own accord since age twelve and the years had made the motion smooth and not at all painful. He liked to do it, he needed to express both parts of himself and this was the most raw and honest way.

Standing naked before her, he cracked his neck and called his wolf to come out. His bones compacted and reformed quickly and he dropped to the ground as his body covered itself in a golden brown protective coat of fur. His eyes were as bright as she’d seen them before, only now his nose was a snout and his muzzle was covered not in stubble but in soft, short fur, his fangs sharp and his legs long.

He kept his eyes on her as it happened, the bond remaining intact and deepening between them. He felt it, just as he had when they first made love.

She gasped and grabbed the side of the bed, her knuckles white and her blue eyes wide with shock. He expected to see fear and would have forgiven it, but instead he saw awe. He couldn’t believe it. She stood up when the transformation completed and walked to him with her hand held out.

“Eli?” she asked, hesitant.

He nodded and padded to her, not sure what she would do. She got on her knees and looked him in the eye. “You’re amazing. Your coat is the color your eyes get when you let them glow. It’s like warm honey on cinnamon toast.” She smiled and ran her hand down his back, feeling his back legs and finally holding his muzzle with both hands. “You can hear me?” He nodded again and licked her nose. She laughed and shook her head in wonder. “Wow. I mean, just wow.”

He was overcome, never having a human woman touch him when he was in wolf-form before. He backed away and rose up to two legs, completing the full shift back to man in less than five seconds. Still on her knees on the blue tile, she stared up at him, aghast. “Does that hurt?”

He shook his head, holding out his newly formed hand to help her up even as his nails were still retracting from claws. She took it while watching the final forming of his nails.

He wanted to speak but he couldn’t.

“It’s so fast. You can, what do you call it…shift?” He nodded. “You can shift so quickly, it’s amazing to watch. Have you ever done that in front of a mirror?”

He laughed. “No.”

She took his hand and led him to the balcony. Opening the door, she walked out and he followed her gaze up to the stars. “You see those?” she asked, pointing upward. He nodded. “You’re as amazing as those right there.”

His chest hurt. He pulled her to him and kissed her lips in a crushing embrace. Flipping her around, he pulled up her skirt and yanked down her panties. She gasped as he moved her legs open with one knee and arched her ass in the air. Kneeling down he shoved his tongue in her pussy from behind, penetrating her and making her cry out with surprise. He rose up and held his stiffening length against her opening. “I know you’re sore. I just want to be inside you for a second.”

She nodded and said, “I know. I want it, too.”

“I’ll go slow,” he rasped, and pressed into her a little at a time. She arched her ass up for him and stared out at the ocean. There was a single spotlight on it in the distance, up the beach and they watched the dark waves crashing there against the shore as he ever so slowly worked his way in. He threw his head back as he finally filled her, and held there, reaching around to hold her close to him. She rose up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his, her flesh so soft compared to his.

They stayed like that for a long time. Then he carried her inside and curled up with her beside him, falling fast asleep.

O
n the fifth
morning when they walked down the sandy steps to their cabin, they opened the door to Rose’s phone ringing. She ran to catch it, muttering as she swiped to answer the call, “I don’t know the number.” He leaned against a wall watching her face change as she listened to the caller. He could hear a woman’s crying voice explaining something so fast the words stumbled over one another.

“Okay, slow down. It’s okay. I knew you were going to call,” Rose said. Then she covered the phone and whispered to Eli, “It’s Diana!”

He snapped to attention and went to stand by Rose so he could hear what was said.

Diana was hysterical. “I called the police! She’s in jail. Eli said I could call you and I don’t know what to do.” She broke down into sobs as if she’d fallen to the floor.

Rose was filled with compassion and patience as she soothed her. “Diana, what you did was very brave and you don’t have to worry.”

“I can’t afford a lawyer!” Diana cried.

“Eli already told me he’d take care of it.” Rose looked to him, emotion welling in her eyes. He nodded in encouragement for her to keep going. “I will make sure she never hurts you again.”

“She’ll come back! She always does and this time she was so…cruel. So brutal.”

Rose urged her, “Diana, go to somewhere safe, where you feel loved. Eli mentioned you have a friend nearby?”

“But she’s already done so much,” Diana whispered. “I don’t want to be a burden.”

Rose looked at Eli with her eyebrows raised. “Her friend will help,” he said quietly enough that only Rose could hear him. “Tell her to go there.”

She nodded and told Diana, “I think she’ll be happy to help you. That’s what friends are for. And I’m out of town but I’ll come home early.” She looked at Eli and he nodded. “I’ll catch the next flight. We’ll press charges together. Okay?”

“Okay,” came her quiet reply. “Thank you.”

“Thank you, Diana. What you did was very brave. You’re very strong, much stronger than you can think. Borrow my faith in you until you believe in yourself.”

“Okay,” Diana whispered but she started crying again. “I’m so scared.”

“You don’t have to be scared anymore.”

Eli watched Rose say goodbye after getting the address of where she could find Diana, just in case. He strode to the bed at once feeling impressed with Rose for sacrificing so quickly, and with Diana for doing the thing he didn’t know she would. He had to search for his phone, completely forgetting where he’d left it since he hadn’t needed to use it. “And here I teased you about making sure your phone was charged,” he muttered, grateful she hadn’t listened to him.

“I’m so sorry we’re going back early, Eli. You don’t mind?”

He spun around and saw the cloud around her face. Stunned, he rushed to her and took her face in his hands. “Are you kidding? I’m so glad you didn’t hesitate. This is a huge thing she just did and she’s going to need support.”

“Shanna Cove will always be here,” Rose smiled.

He kissed her. “We’ll come back.”

“I hope we do.” He released her and she went to pack as he checked flights. They were on one by the afternoon and with the changeover, they were home by nightfall. She called Diana in the cab on the way back from Newark, and set up a meeting with her in the morning. He dropped her off at her place so she could look up everything she could find on spousal and partner abuse. “I want to arm myself with as much knowledge going in as possible. You understand right?”

“Of course,” he assured her. She gave him a big kiss before she left and he made the cab wait until she got inside her building. She turned around and waved goodnight, blowing him a kiss before she vanished inside. “She looked back this time,” he told the cabbie.

“What?”

“Nothing.” He grinned, sat back and gave him the address for his old flat. Texting Nathaniel he was coming over, he watched New York fly by. Everything looked different. The buildings still glittered with lights, but he felt like he had changed, and would never again be the same wolf again.

The second Nathaniel opened the door, Eli locked eyes with him and said, “I’m not getting married. But will you help me buy a ring tomorrow?”

Nathaniel’s dark eyebrows shot up.