Wicked Ugly Bad (A Kinda Fairytale) (28 page)

“I’m
surprised she hasn’t already.  Why send you to the WUB Club, at all?”

“I
told her I’d set it up so the shoe would be delivered to Charming if Dru or I
wound up dead.  She believed me.  Whatever spell she’s using on him, it has to
be strong.  But, I’m telling you, Charming’s smart.  He
has
to be
sensing something’s wrong.  Just bringing him the shoe probably wouldn’t get
through the spell, but if I can get Dru to him, I can
show
him the
truth.”

Marrok
thought for a moment.  “How did Cinderella put the whammy on Charming, in the
first place?  You’re right, that’s not an easy trick.  What kind of powers does
she have?”

“She
doesn’t
have
any powers.  I’m sure of it.  She must have had help. 
Probably those damn rats.”

“Since
when do rats have magic powers?”

“Well,
she hired someone, then.  What does it matter?”

“Because,
before we go after her, it would be good to know if she’s hired someone who can
vaporize us with magic.”

“‘Us?’” 
She repeated.  “You’ll really help me stop her?”

“What
do you think?”  His teeth nipped her earlobe.

Letty’s
eyes drifted shut, instinctively moving against him.  “So… you’re not upset
with me, anymore?”

He
nuzzled her temple.  “Oh, I’m seriously,
seriously
upset that you lied
to me and let me picture you wearing that asshole’s ring for so long.  But, my
annoyance is mitigated by the knowledge that you’re
not
wearing his
ring.”

“It
wasn’t really a lie.”

He
ignored the half-hearted denial and went back to untying the sash of her robe. 
“Besides, I can’t possibly stay mad at you when you’re half-naked and sitting
on my lap.”

“I’ll
remember that for the next time I
don’t
lie to you.”  Her gaze met his as
he peeled the terrycloth down her arms.  “Charming really isn’t an asshole, you
know.  He’s a nice guy, under a spell.”

“Christ,
you’re beautiful.”  He whispered staring at her naked body.  His hands came up
to caress her breasts.  “On the list of stuff I feel like discussing right now,
Charming ranks dead last.”  All his focus was on massaging the soft globes. 
“I’ve got something much more fun on my mind.”

Scarlett
arched into his hands and tried to concentrate.  “Fun or not, we
have
to
save Charming.  If for no other reason than I need him to wake-up Dru with True
Love’s kiss.”

“Well,
seeing as how I hate the guy, you’re going to have to make this rescue effort
worth my while, Red.”  His thumbs strummed over her nipples.

“What
do you want?”  She asked breathlessly.

He
gave a wolfish smile.

“You
really are Bad.”  She raised a brow.  “You think I’ll sleep with you just to
convince you to help Charming?”

“No.” 
He leaned forward, his mouth hovering above hers.  “I think you’ll sleep with
me because you’re my True Love and I’m asking you to.”  His lips brushed hers.

Letty
bit back a moan at the brief contact.  “You’re
always
asking me and I’m
always
telling you no.”  She reminded him, just to prolong the game.

“This
time is different.  I really do need you right now.”

“Am
I supposed to melt at that?  Because, you could be more romantic if you said
something about my hair or my eyes…”

“I
really
need you, Scarlett.”  His topaz gaze met hers and she saw the
strain he was trying to hide.  “Please.”  He said hoarsely.

…And
Scarlett melted.

Scarlett’s
biggest problems are her
ideas.

Bad folk
should never get ideas.  Ideas just confuse them.

Psychiatric
case notes of Dr. Ramona Fae

He
was going to die if he didn’t have her.

Marrok
tried to suppress his need, not wanting to scare her, but the wolf was trying
to take control.  The news that she
wasn’t
determined to marry Prince
Charming roared through him like fire.

Scarlett
was sitting on his lap, allowing him to take the robe from her still damp body,
keeping her magical blue eyes on his… and it was all he could do to stay in
control.  Despite his attempts to rein it in, he could see the black smoke of
his wolf form begin to appear on his arms.  The wolf wanted out.

It
wanted Letty.

In
the dungeon, Marrok had ground his teeth and urged her to come against his
hand.  He’d been aching for her, but he’d known how important it was to move
slowly.  To tempt her closer.  To try and be
gentle
.  He still knew that
it was the smart play.  The long view.  It was what Scarlett deserved.

But…

“I
need you so much.”  He whispered.  “I’ll make it good for you.  You know I
will.”  His teeth nipped her lower lip.  “Say yes, baby.”

“Yes.” 
She breathed.  Instantly, his mouth slammed against hers and she gasped.  “Oh
yes.
” 
Her hands tugged at his clothes, as wild as he was.

Marrok
could feel his body changing even as his mouth ravaged hers.  In his wolf form,
everything was heightened.  He could hear every seductive sound.  He could
smell her desire.  He could feel her small movements, and see her perfect body,
and –
God--
could he taste her.

Marrok
dipped his head to lick the side of her neck.  “Mine.”  It was a growl.

She
shifted, so she was facing him.  Her legs parted, straddling his lap and she
smiled up into the face of The Big Bad Wolf.

The
innocent show of trust turned him on even more.  The wolf wanted to be inside
of her before she changed her mind.  Its hands pulled Scarlett even closer and
she whimpered.  It didn’t want to coax or take its time.  The swirling edges of
the wolf form licked along her skin and his deepest animal instincts screamed
to slam into her.

To
just take.

No
.

Marrok
gave his head a shake, holding onto control.  He wasn’t an animal.  What was he
doing?  She was too small.  Too breakable.  Too Good.  What if he hurt her?

Suddenly
terrified, Marrok pulled back.

Blue
eyes met his, dazed with need.  “You okay?”

“I’m
scared.”  He said breathing hard.

“Of
me?”

Only
Letty would ask something so ridiculous.  “No.  Of harming you.”

“You
won’t.”  She leaned up to kiss him.  “You’re always gentle with me.”

Wolves
had no idea how to be gentle.  He tried, for her sake, but he probably sucked
at it.  She had such faith in him, though…

“Show
me what you want and I’ll do it.”  He vowed.  “Give me a minute and I can get
back to my human self.”  His eyes drifted down to her spectacular breasts. 
“Maybe two minutes.”

“You
don’t have to change.”  Her lips whispered across his.  “I like you this way.”

Marrok
groaned.  “Thank God.”  The wolf came out when he was stretched to breaking
point with desire and he didn’t see that abating anytime soon.  “I had no idea
how I was going to keep my word on that one.”  He stood up, carrying her
towards the bed.  “Tell me if I’m too rough.”

“Ditto.”

God,
he loved her.

Her
legs wound around his waist and her lips found his as he tumbled them onto the
mattress.  For an endless moment, everything was perfect.  She was sweet and
yielding and tasted like heaven.  Pillows and blankets were shoved aside as
they devoured each other.  He needed her more than oxygen.  It was what he’d
been fantasizing about for weeks.  He could have her and she would let him.

…Then
what?

He’d
never done this with someone he loved.  Everything felt different.  Better and
hotter and so much more important.  But what if it
wasn’t
different.  What
if she didn’t feel it too?  What if she just left afterwards like the others?

He
couldn’t recover from that.

Uncertain,
Marrok eased back and tried not to notice how radiant she was.  It just made
everything more confused.  He needed her so badly he was shaking and the wolf
was still vying for total control, but he suddenly nervous.

“Marrok?” 
Letty tilted her head so she could maintain eye contact when he would’ve
glanced away.  “It’s alright.  I won’t hurt you.”

He
flinched.  This time it didn’t sound so ridiculous.

“If
you’re not ready, we can wait.”  She assured him in the most caring voice he’d
ever heard.  “Do you want to stop?”

“Christ
no.”  That was the last thing he wanted.  The wolf wanted to howl at the very
thought.  “Just… You’ll stay when it’s over?”  No one else ever had.  Not once
they were finished with him.

“Where
else would I go?”  Her hand came up to his cheek.  “Don’t worry.”  The woman
really did know his thoughts as soon as he had them.  “You’re safe with me,
remember?  This isn’t because you’re handsome.  It’s because you’re
you.
”

He
swallowed.  “Promise?”  The word was out before he could censor it.

She
nodded, blue eyes locked on his.  “Looks actually don’t matter quite so much to
an ugly stepsister, you know.”

“You’re
not ugly, Scarlett.”

“And
you’re more than just a gorgeous face, Marrok.  I promise.”  She hesitated and
he sensed her getting another new and surprising idea.  “Has anyone ever made
love to you before?”

“From
the time I was twelve I was being…”

Letty
cut him off.  “No.”  Her palm came up to his shoulder and she eased him onto
his back, so they could switch positions.  “Has anyone ever
made love
to
you?
”  She rolled on top of him.

He
shook his head, understanding what she meant.  “No.”  In every way that
mattered, there was just Scarlett.

She
leaned down to kiss him, looking flushed and tousled and smug.  “Well, I’m
about to.”

Marrok
gave a reluctant chuckle at her teasing grin.  “Baby, I have been waiting
years
to hear you say that.”

“You’ve
only known me six weeks.”

“I
always knew you’d show up, though.”  He hadn’t known her name, but he’d known
that she’d come.  “I never doubted that I’d find my True Love and that you’d
save me.”

She
smiled.  “You really think I saved you?”

“I
know you did.”

“Because
I
think we’re about even.”  She moved against him and he saw stars.  The
woman was everything he’d ever dreamed of and more.  “I never would’ve gotten
out of the WUB Club without you, Marrok.  In fact, since you would’ve been
released in less than six months, I’m thinking you only escaped
at all
because you wanted to help me.”

“You
couldn’t stay in there.  It wasn’t safe for you.”

“See?” 
Scarlett’s slid down his body.  “You’re always trying to protect me, even when
it puts
you
at risk.  We’re partners.”

Marrok’s
eyes closed as her mouth trailed southward.  “I would do anything to protect
you.”

“I
know.  It’s part of you being gentle.”

“It’s
part of me being insanely in love with you.”

He
felt the heat of her breath against him.  “I think we’re both right.”  She
whispered.

One
of his hands fisted in the sheets as her tongue danced across the tip of his
straining manhood.  “
Jesus.
”  His free palm tangled in her silky, shiny,
soft hair and he tried to keep himself still.  There was no way he could
completely succeed, though.  He urged her head closer to him.  “Baby, I need
you so much I really am going to go crazy if you don’t…”  He let out an
agonized groan as she sucked him deep into her mouth.  “
Letty
.”

No
one had ever done this for him before.  No one had ever cared enough about his
pleasure.  Obviously, he’d known it would feel awesome, but it felt
fucking
awesome
.  Better than anything ever had.  The lush pink lips he’d been
obsessing over for a month and a half sealed over him and he lost the capacity
to think.  He couldn’t get enough oxygen into his lungs.

Marrok
forced his eyes open so he could watch the shifting black mist that covered his
body blend with her red tresses.  It was beautiful.

She
was
beautiful.

“Every
share circle, I spent the entire session picturing this.”  He got out.  “I have
a vivid fucking imagination and it didn’t even come
close
to how
incredible you are.”

She
lifted her head long enough to give him a playful look.  “I
knew
you
weren’t paying attention to those stupid meetings.  You talked a good game to
Ramona about all that psychobabble, but I could feel your eyes undressing me
the whole time.”