When The Fur Flies (5 page)

“I don’t have to claim her.” Even as he said it, his inner Wolf raised its dark head to howl in protest. He rolled his shoulders in a conscious effort to keep himself from changing as his Wolf demanded.

“You already have.” She paced away from him, her movements agitated, yet still graceful. “No, we must use this to our advantage. You have her scent now. You’ll be able to find her anywhere?”

“Of course I can.” He inhaled and breathed in just her lavender scent. It was very faint, as if she were already far away from them. Her scent was unique, soft and soothing—hell! He was getting hard just getting a small whiff of her.

“Down, Wolf man.” The Keeper’s giggle was musical, her smile ethereal as she turned toward him. “You must bring her to me. I would go to her, but my sweet cousin has learned much these past years. She has erected some powerful barriers. I can’t track her. You must find her for me. I have to make her see sense. She has to let me talk with Elaina.”

“You want me to fetch for you?” He folded his arms stubbornly over his chest.

“She is your mate, Alpha. A mate in danger by her own device. What do your laws tell you to do?” She smiled as he growled at her. “Welcome to the family, Reginald.” She turned on a slender bare foot and walked two steps into the darkness, leaving him alone in the alley.

“Damn Witches!” They were always sticking their noses where they were not wanted. Now, he’d tied himself to one. What in the hell had he been thinking? His hands curled into tight fists as he shook his head. One deep breath and her unique scent told him exactly what he’d been thinking about.

Why did this one troublesome little Witch bring his Wolf so close to the surface that his hormones were leading him where no Wolven should go? It wasn’t that she was anything special. There were plenty of female Wolven in the Den who were better looking. Many who would welcome their Alpha to their beds, yet here he was, his body thrumming with hunger as he set out in search of the one woman who was definitely going to get his ass in trouble.

The world was going to hell when a Wolven found himself lusting after a Witch. The fur was definitely going to fly when he brought her home to his pack. He heaved a frustrated breath as he realized he would bring her home to the Den and his family. The question was what the hell would he do with her then?

Chapter Four

Allison was pacing back and forth in her motel room, not because she was afraid to lie down on the stinky bed, but because her entire body was crawling. She felt like her insides were shifting. It was annoyingly more painful than having a spell backfire. She’d tried to change into her cat form to find some relief with no luck. She couldn’t even sense her inner cat. The poor thing probably bolted the instant she let that dog touch her! She rubbed harder at her arms.

She never should have attempted a displacement spell, much less actually accomplished one. Any spell cost a Witch in energy and aura, but she didn’t feel at all drained. The displacement spell should have drained her to the point of exhaustion, yet she could feel the power and aura inside her stretching, reaching for her to use them, again. Allison let out a cry as she fell to her knees, rocking back and forth. She wouldn’t succumb to the demands of her magic. That way led to disaster. One had to learn to master their magic at a young age to prevent it from taking over like an addiction. She knew of stories about Witches who never learned control. They went mad with evil and had to be hunted by their own kind. It was not something she looked forward to.

Throwing out a hand, she lit the candles burning on the small table, and then locked the door as the shades on the windows flew together. The air conditioner came to life with a grumpy metallic clunk, blowing cool air across her heated face. It was enough to give her the strength to stand and move to the bathroom.

Under ice cold water, she stood shivering and chanting softly. The self-protection spell should have made the pain ease, but it didn’t. Her stomach muscles clenched as she fought the need to be sick. What was wrong with her? This wasn’t the repercussions of a spell gone badly, or even a hangover from the use of mega magic. She felt like her insides were twisting inside out.

“What did that mangy mutt do to me?” She gingerly touched the bite marks on her neck. A warm shiver ran over her, directly at odds with the cold water pouring down on her head. “Goddess, take pity on me. I didn’t intend for this. Don’t let me...” Her eyes flew open. What had she been about to say? Don’t let her die? No! She wasn’t afraid of dying. She had no one who would miss her, no future, and no reason to walk the earth for the eternity that was a Witch’s existence. Wasn’t she the one who looked on her death as an escape? What was wrong with her?

“This is his fault for biting me. I hope he gets a fur ball and—” A cry left her throat as she shut off the water and stumbled from the shower to grab a towel. It smelled like detergent and a strange male. “Damn.” She tossed it on the floor to grab her dirty top. She couldn’t even stand the idea of smelling another male on her body. What was that? “He mated me, damn him.”

Barely making it to the toilet, she dry heaved, but it didn’t help anything. She’d have to lie on the gross bed and try to sleep off this reaction to his bite. Naked and still wet she opened the door to the room and nearly dropped on the spot. Standing there in front of the bed was the man who’d caused her agony. She should have wanted his blood, should have demanded he leave, but all she could do was stare and inhale his unique scent into her lungs.

***

Reginald couldn’t take his eyes off her as she stood there, leaning against the frame of the bathroom door. Her hair hung in wet curls over her bare shoulders, partially covering the round globes of her breasts. Reginald couldn’t help himself as he assessed the rest of her womanly form slowly. She was pure woman, all tempting curves and hollows. He finally reached her pale face and those amber cat’s eyes. There was something in her features, a change he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Boy, did he want his fingers on her. He felt his Wolf lifted its head to sniff in agreement. Her full breasts with their pretty pink nipples beckoned to him to touch, to taste. Damn, the man was right.

“Who was right?” Her brows drew together as she continued to stare at him. He’d forgotten her ability to read his thoughts. He’d have to guard them more carefully around her.

“Gavin Murdock, the poor fellow who copped a feel and was punished for it. Your breasts are pretty.” His voice sounded low and husky to his own ears.

“Look your fill, mutt. You aren’t touching or tasting them ever.” She took a step back, her hand reaching for the door, obviously intending to slam it in his face, but he managed to bang the door back against the wall. His strong arms wrapped around her as he pressed her back against the wall, his hard body easily blocking her escape.

“I’m no mutt, Witch.” His angry gaze burned deep into her soul as he glared at her nose to nose. “What I am is your mate. And as such, I will touch, taste, and bite you anywhere I see fit.” Pure possession burned like a flame deep within his soul as he pressed against her. Her wet skin dampened his torn shirt and jeans, but did little to cool the heat of his lusty needs.

Allison stared back at him with wary, amber eyes. She was trying to play hard to get, as if she detested his touch on her naked body, but his Wolf senses were telling his brain just the opposite. Her body was heating everywhere he touched her. She was a cat in heat. He didn’t have any experience with one of her kind, but he knew the smell of feminine lust. She wanted him. He grinned down at her as he intentionally rubbed against her hardened nipples. A quick gasp of pleasure left her pink lips open as her eyelids dropped.

“You are mine now. Whether either of us like it or not.”

***

Allison’s eyes flew open, a glint of defiance filling her as she stared up at him. He was an Alpha male, all right. Reginald Leclair wanted dominance over her, body and soul. If she let him have an easy time of it, her life would be one of subservience.

Yes, dear. Of course, dear. Anything you say or want, dear.
She shivered against the fear of such a life. She’d rather die young and free.

“No, I won’t be your mate, Reginald. Go find some other Witch to break the rules with. I won’t mix our bloodlines, not for a man who exists only to prey on the weaker species.” Allison tried to remember this was a man who let his pack hunt her charges. The number of humans missing from Medina was decreasing at an alarmingly slow rate. She knew exactly who was to blame for that. Wolven and Vampires.

“I think you need to do a little research before you open that pretty mouth and make accusations about things you know nothing about.” His gaze dropped to her naked breasts as they heaved against his shirt. “Better yet, I’ll take it upon myself to educate you on the way my pack survives. You might like the day to day operations—”

“Oh no!” She shook her head at him, bringing his heated gaze back to eye level, thankfully. “Why don’t you go pick up some poor inebriated bar fly to ‘educate’?” She wouldn’t be his slave, which was exactly what the Wolves did to their mates. They used them any way they chose. The females relinquished their rights, their very lives, to the males. She wasn’t a Wolf. “Better yet, go find a bitch to mate with...”

Allison flinched back at the rage-filled curses flying through his mind as she used the derogatory word to refer to the female of his species. Bitches were used by any Wolf with enough resources to pay for their sexual service. Sex with them never involved breeding; it was sexual gratification and that was all. There was no respect, no sharing, no protection for the woman, and definitely no emotions.

“You want to be a bitch, Kitten? I can treat you like one!” She felt the anger raging through his system, heard a howl in his mind as his Wolf protested being pushed beyond its limits by a mate who appeared to reject it. Reginald’s grip on her waist tightened as he lifted her and moved to the bed. She struggled against him, pulled his hair, throwing curses at his head even as he tossed her onto the mattress. Allison panicked as she heard him snarl above her. She tried to roll away from him, which made him smile as she made it far easier for him to grab her waist and pull her naked buttocks up. She cried out as he mounted her from behind. His strong legs divided hers as he pressed against her exposed rear. Hungry male lips brushed the vulnerable spot on her neck that he’d already marked.

Allison cried out as his sharp teeth clenched into the wound on her neck. She fought against his hold on her hips, conscious of the fact that she was on her knees with her naked rear pressed against him as he covered her from behind. She was in a precarious position, one of submission to a Wolf. “Please, don’t do this!” She could hear his thoughts. She knew the fight going on within him. His wild side urged him to not only mark her as his, but to take her with a hunger to submit her independence. “I’m not your mate! I’m a Witch, for crying out loud, your enemy!”

She felt him still against her, heard the self-recriminations going through his shocked mind as his human half fought and defeated the animal within. He was mortified with his actions. Compassion for his inner turmoil rose up within her as he slowly released her flesh. His harsh breath rasped against her ear as he lifted his head beside hers.

“I’m so sorry.” Emotions filled the words and tore her heart as his arms came up to wrap around her waist. “Hold still. I need to gain control. Don’t move.” His urgent warning had her nodding her head. She could feel his entire body shaking with the force of his emotions.

Allison tried to hold back her own shaking breaths, afraid the slightest move on her part would unlock the precarious hold his conscience had on his Wolf instincts. It was odd, but as he struggled with himself, she was beginning to feel changes within her own body. The painful needs that had made her feel like she was crawling out of her own skin were gone, changed instead into a sweet pulse of pleasure. Everywhere his body covered tingled and reached for him. She bit her lip as she realized being near him like this was a balm to the painful ache of his absence. He’d mated her, all right.

“Stay,” she demanded. He turned his head slightly. His nuzzled his soft lips against her cheek, sending a burst of flames through her entire body. A moan escaped her, and he pulled his head back. He cursed as he slowly released her waist to hold his weight off her as she collapsed into the bed.

***

Reginald had never hated himself more. He almost hadn’t been able to stop himself from taking her. Hell, he barely made himself release the hold he had on her neck! He was hurting her, taking her against her will, and destroying any chance that she might respect him. “I’m so sorry—” His apology quickly ended as she turned below him. Her amber eyes burned with a fiery need that had his eyes widening in shock.

“Don’t...” Allison placed her fingers against his lips. Her eyes hungrily examined his features as she wound her other hand through his hair. “I’m all right.” Her soft whisper wrapped around his senses, calming his Wolf with the acceptance in the husky tone.

Reginald held himself above her, not touching her as he watched her with an uncertainty he wasn’t used to feeling as the Alpha. This tiny woman, this Witch, had power to release his inner demon even as she calmed the beast with her touch. She was bewitching him, no doubt. He frowned down at her as she bit her lower lip with even, white teeth.

“This isn’t right,” he said, shaking his head as he focused on her face. She was flawless in her beauty. A temptation no man could walk away from, but he had to try. She wasn’t his mate, couldn’t be.

“Keep telling yourself that. My body and your Wolf know better.” She tilted her head, brown curls wrapping around his fingers against the mattress as if they had a life of their own. “Stop fighting yourself, Reginald. Neither of you would have hurt me. I know that, why don’t you?”

“This can’t work—”

“It doesn’t have to.” She huffed out a heavy breath, wincing as her breasts brushed his bare chest through his torn shirt. “Truth is, I won’t be here long enough to worry about. All I know is I want you, my body needs you, and I’m damn tired of fighting myself.” She pulled his head down as she lifted up off the pillow. Her kiss was soft, an offering as old as time. He was lost as his arms gave out, his entire body collapsing on hers, pressing her lush curves into the lumpy mattress.