Heart of a Huntress Page 7

  “What about you?”

  Her fingers wrapped around his shaft, and he bit back a moan. His own needs surged forward, and the wolf inside growled. He wanted her so badly, it took every ounce of self-control not to ram into her right then and there. “No more condoms, remember?”

  “That doesn’t mean I can’t finish what I started last night.”

  Before he could protest, she sank to her knees. Her lips enveloped his head, and it was his turn to use the tile wall for support. Dear God, the things this woman could do with her tongue. It coiled around the length of his shaft as she took him deeper and deeper, all the way to the back of her throat. She sucked her cheeks in, increasing her suction, and began to bob her head back and forth with her tongue continuing its tantalizing dance.

  Her hand cupped his balls as she practiced her artful fellatio, such a soothing contrast to the way she occasionally grazed her teeth along his cock. Tension mounted deep within him, and he grew unsatisfied with her teasing. He began to thrust his hips forward, taking over the speed and depth of her strokes.

  He expected her to pull away, spittin’ mad for him seizing control, but instead her throat relaxed, taking him in even deeper. Her moans vibrated along his shaft and added a new dimension to the act. His balls tightened. Her hot mouth felt like heaven.

  Lana lifted her eyes and met his. Amusement glowed from them. She knew he was sitting on the precipice of an orgasm and she increased the flicks of her tongue.

  That’s when the wolf inside seized control of him. Unsatisfied with simply fucking her mouth, no matter how great it felt, it demanded more. It wanted to mate with her without any barriers.

  He reached down and pulled her up by her hair. The man inside watched helplessly as he smothered her shocked gasp with his mouth and kissed her until she whimpered. His hands grabbed her ass and lifted her up to the right height so he could plunge his cock into her swollen, wet cunt.

  If the need hadn’t been so urgent, he would have drawn things out, relishing each stroke. But the wolf refused to budge an inch. He thrust into her over and over again with such force, he almost cracked the tiles.

  Lana rolled her head back and clung to him with her legs wrapped tight around his waist. Instead of screaming and begging him to stop, she tilted his head toward the tight pink buds of her nipples. He took one breast into this mouth, teasing the taut peak with his tongue until her breath hitched. Her frantic whispers for him to continue urged him on.

  He could fuck her all day long like this—rough, primitive and mind-blowingly powerful. Her mouth formed a perfect O, and her body stiffened. The walls of her pussy clenched, and he followed her over the edge, coming at the same time she did. The tightening and release of her inner muscles milked the come out him, drawing out his orgasm longer than he imagined possible.

  Time stood still. His consciousness welded with hers like an out-of-body experience. They became joined in more than just the physical sense. Their pulses pounded as one, and their souls seemed to open themselves up like a book. He saw glimpses of pain and loneliness in her past, fear for the future, but most importantly, a light brighter than the sun. It surrounded him, engulfing him with her love. And he knew she felt the same from him.

  He should have been terrified, knowing how exposed he became to her at that moment. Instead, he felt freer than he had in years. They were now mated, bonded for life to each other, and there was no turning back.

  The light retreated, and the cold water of the shower prickled his skin. Her legs still cinched his waist, and her breasts bobbed up and down with each ragged breath. Despite him losing control, she remained unbitten.

  He kissed her plump lips, tasting the sweetness of her mouth. “Sorry,” he whispered.

  “Don’t be.” She grinned and kissed him back, her fingers threading through his wet hair.

  His legs wobbled like Jell-O. How could he still want more from her when he could barely muster the strength to stand?

  She unwrapped her long legs and cradled his face in her hands. Her mouth opened like she wanted to say something, but she hesitated and chewed on her bottom lip instead.

  He understood how she felt. After that intense encounter, words seemed a little flimsy. Only one more step remained to complete the mating process, but he was willing to wait for that. First he needed to tell her what he was before he asked her to change. The thought chilled him to the bone and brought him back to his sobering reality.

  “Let’s get out of the shower before we turn into popsicles.”

  She nodded and cuddled next to him. Her taut nipples brushed against his chest, and he resisted the urge to pull them into his mouth and bathe them with his tongue. Would he ever be able to think straight when she was near him?

  He turned off the water, draped a towel over her shoulders and led her back to bed. Perhaps he wouldn’t make love to her again, but he could at least hold her in his arms until she stopped shivering. There would be plenty more nights for them to spend together.

  Chapter Nine

  The phone rang and rang, but Espe didn’t pick up on the other end. Lana frowned. Weren’t all teenagers supposed to be addicted to their iPhones or whatever the cell phone du jour was? Maybe they’d forgotten how to actually talk on a phone. She hung up and typed out a text message instead, asking her mentee if she’d filed a report to the Foundation when she got home.

  The sink turned off in the bathroom, and the song Byron had been crooning became clearer without the interference of the running water. The rich tenor of his voice almost melted the ice walls she’d managed to put back into place around her heart after he’d ducked in there to shave. Damn, the man could sing. Images of him serenading her in bed flashed through her mind.

  She shook off the creeping desire. She needed to think clearly now, not hop back into bed with him. As it was, she already needed to make a side trip to Walgreens later today to pick up some emergency contraception. Her rational self was still lecturing her on her recklessness in the shower, but it had felt so good to be fucked like that. She’d never pictured herself to be the kind who liked it rough. Next thing she knew, she’d be asking him to chain her to the wall, blindfold her and incorporate a whip into their foreplay. She shivered in delight at the thought of it.

  Then her stomach sank. No, there wouldn’t be a next time. The Foundation frowned on relationships, and she could easily become addicted to Byron if she continued to indulge in his lovemaking. She’d have to be happy with last night and this morning. She’d have to tell him to leave her alone, to stop following her, to not tempt her…

  He stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a towel around his lean hips, and pure lust grabbed a hold of her mind. While the space between her legs grew wet, her mouth went dry. Her pulse pounded through her veins. Dear God, this must be how a heroin addict feels when they start to go through withdrawal.

  The corner of his mouth rose in a cocky half smile as if he knew exactly where her thoughts were headed. “Are you sure you have to leave?”

  She licked her lips and forced herself to look away from him. Outside, the low afternoon sun glittered orange off the hundreds of windows on the Strip. “Yeah, I need to get home, change and get back to work. Besides, Espe’s not answering her phone and I’m a bit worried about her.”

  “Why?”

  Material rustled behind her, and she stole a quick peek at his chiseled ass before he pulled up his jeans. She bit her bottom lip to keep from whistling in appreciation. “Um, she’s kinda new to the area.”

  “So she hasn’t been your roommate long?”

  “Nope. She’s been in Vegas for literally two days.”

  “Family?”

  Lana laughed and played with the dirty dishes leftover from the lunch they’d ordered through room service an hour ago. “Not exactly. She works for the same employer I do, and she was sent here to learn a few things from me before she goes solo.”

  “Ah, she’s the Padawan and you’re the Jedi.”

  “So
mething like that.” Just please don’t let her go over to the dark side. She’s already enough trouble as it is.

  His arms wrapped around her waist, and his breath tickled the nape of her neck. “I suppose we should go, then, before it gets dark.”

  If she’d been the swooning-type, she would’ve melted right there in his arms.

  Luckily, she wasn’t. She forced the no-nonsense huntress up to the surface. “Exactly.”

  His arms tensed like the one word hit him with the force of a punch. She fought the urge to reassure him. In order to leave him, she had to be tough. Cold. Lonely for the rest of her life.

  Resentment boiled up inside her. This wasn’t fucking fair! Maybe if she could train Espe to take her place, she could retire and live a normal life.

  Aw, who the hell am I kidding? The vampires here know my face. Retired or not, they’d still hunt me.

  He released her. “Then let’s go. I’ll give you a ride home.”

  “That’s unnecessary.”

  “Can you at least let me play the gentleman for once?”

  She remembered the feral glow in his hazel eyes as he came inside the shower. Nothing gentlemanly there. Just pure primal lust, followed by something she couldn’t name. It had felt warm, bright, so inviting that she’d given in to it. Could that be what falling in love felt like?

  Her knees threatened to give out from under her now in the same way they had earlier. “Maybe I like bad boys,” she said as he steadied her.

  He chuckled and kissed her temple. “You definitely have me playing both parts. When we’re in the bedroom, I want to fuck you like an animal, but everywhere else, I want to treat you like a princess.”

  Can he make this any harder than it already is? Her eyes stung, and she wrenched away from him before the tears spilled over. “Please, I need to get home.”

  His sigh made her heart ache. Yep, somewhere during the last twenty-four hours, she’d crossed the line and fallen hook, line and sinker for him.

  “All right, let’s go.”

  The ride downstairs just added to the tension between them. They stood apart, not daring to utter one word.

  Lana used the silence to rehearse her carefully planned speech. Last night was great, but I can’t get involved. It’s too dangerous for you. I’d hate to see you get hurt, yadda, yadda, yadda.

  All flimsy excuses.

  He waited until they were in his Jeep before he asked, “What’s bothering you?”

  Bile rose into her throat. Was it time for the brush-off already? “Last night was probably the best night I’ve ever had.”

  “But?” He packed so much anger and tension into that one syllable, she winced.

  “But we can’t continue to do this. My job forbids me to get involved with people like you, and—”

  “People like me, huh?” He swerved the car to the right. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” “

  Byron, you’re a civilian. You’re an easy target if those bloodsuckers want to get to me.” She closed her eyes and gripped the “Oh, shit” handle for dear life. Her voice shook as she added, “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  His snort punctuated another sharp turn. “So that’s what you think of me? That I’m some helpless civilian?”

  “Yes.” Her stomach lurched. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride seemed like a jaunt through the country compared to Byron’s driving. As soon as he skidded to a stop in front of her building, she jumped out of the car, grateful to feel solid ground under her feet again. Her platform heels clunked against the pavement as she dashed for the front doors.

  “Then you have no idea what I am?” he asked, hot on her heels.

  “Well, you’re certainly not Superman.” She hit the elevator button for her floor, but he slipped through the doors before they closed. Why the hell was he following her? Had she just slept with some psycho?

  “Thank God. I don’t do tights.” He offered her a half smile at his attempt at a joke. When she didn’t laugh, he ran his fingers through his hair and paced the small elevator car. “But, seriously, I’m not as helpless as you think.”

  The doors opened on her floor and she bolted out. Why was he being so stubborn? Did she have to spell it out for him? She jerked to a stop in front of her door. “Stop this, Byron. I can’t get involved with you.”

  Anguish flashed across his face, followed by fear. “Lana, please, don’t push me away. You have no idea what that could do to me.”

  His pain washed over her, and a sob choked her throat. Her will wavered between drafting her letter of resignation to the Foundation and kicking him in the nuts to convince him to leave her alone.

  She fumbled with her keys to unlock her door.

  He grabbed her wrist before she could insert it into the deadbolt. “Please, just give me a chance. Hear me out.”

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered and twisted her hand free.

  When her key touched the deadbolt, her door creaked open. An icy chill filled her veins and froze her feet to the ground.

  Something was very wrong.

  Byron took a deep breath and wrinkled his nose as if he’d just smelled the contents of a dumpster. “Vampires,” he muttered and pushed her behind him. He reached into his blazer for his gun.

  Her heart slammed against her chest. What were bloodsuckers doing out in daylight? She grabbed her stake from her purse and followed him into her condo.

  They’d trashed the place. Furniture overturned, papers scattered, the whole nine yards.

  Those vampires were going to pay for this mess when she caught them. She pushed her anger aside so she could tune into her sixth sense. No tingling on the back of her neck. Nothing abnormal. No sign of any vampires here now, although it was obvious they’d been in here earlier.

  A bitter taste filled her mouth as she surveyed the damage. Not another trap.

  Byron appeared from her bedroom and tucked his gun back into his holster. “The place is clear.”

  “I know.” Then a new wave of fear assaulted her. “Espe?”

  “No sign of her.”

  She sank onto the edge of her coffee table. A curse slipped from her lips, and cold fear stopped her heart. She’d given in to temptation for one night, and now her mentee had to pay for it. Nausea rolled in her stomach.

  Her phone beeped three times, indicating that she had a new text message. She flipped it open, praying Espe had decided to go back and party with those boys at Luxor instead of coming back here.

  Espe can’t come to the phone right now. She’s rather tied up at the moment.

  Lana gritted her teeth and typed back. Who the fuck are you, and where is she?

  A few seconds later, her phone beeped again. The one word that appeared on the screen caused the edges of her vision to turn black.

  Klaus.

  Chapter Ten

  Lana clutched the edge of the table and swallowed the puke back.

  That son of a bitch has Espe, and God only knows what he’s done to her.

  “What is it?”

  “The vampires took Espe hostage.”

  A four-letter word hissed from his lips as he spun on his heel and paced the room. “Any idea where they took her?”

  She shook her head. “I’m sure he’ll tell me soon, though.”

  “It’s another trap.”

  “I know.” She rummaged through the debris for her laptop but couldn’t find it. Dammit. She hated having to call the Foundation with this news. The disappointment in Wade’s voice would be like a knife twisting in her gut. “I need to make a few phone calls,” she said before she disappeared into her bedroom and shut the door.

  ***

  Byron opened a few windows to clear the vampire stench from the room. Judging by the intensity of it, the gang must’ve been here for several hours. What surprised him, though, was that they hadn’t left Espe a drained corpse. Highly unusual behavior for bloodsuckers, and that only added to his unease.

  He needed to track them down before Lana fell into th
eir trap. The guilt and anger on her face told him she’d fight to free her mentee, but he’d be damned if he’d let her do it alone. Time to call in the pack.

  Greg answered his phone on the second ring. “Hey, Byron, how’d last night go?”

  “I need you and whoever you can round up on the ranch in Vegas ASAP.”

  “Uh-oh, what happened?”

  “I’m organizing a little hunt.”

  “Did they hurt your mate?”

  The wolf inside snarled. “Not yet, but they’re sure as hell trying to get to her.”

  “I’ll see who’s here and be on the road in about ten minutes. Need more bullets?”

  “What do you think?” He was about to hang up when he added, “By the way, don’t tell anyone in the pack about her yet. Just tell them I might have a lead on Eddie’s killer. Call me when you get into the city limits and I’ll set up a rendezvous point.”

  “Will do.”

  He shoved the cell phone into his pocket and started trying to clean the room. If this situation had some shred of normalcy, he’d be calling the cops to come and dust the room for prints. Instead, justice fell into his hands. He planned on sticking to Lana’s side like glue, whether she liked it or not. It didn’t take a werewolf to smell out this trap. The only question that remained was why they wanted her.

  When Lana emerged from her room half an hour later, her pale face and tense expression barely showed any of the surprise he heard in her voice. “What are you still doing here?”

  “Helping you.”

  That sparked her anger. Her stormy eyes flashed and her upper lip curled. “How many times do I have to tell you that I don’t need your help? You’re going to get yourself killed.”

  “You underestimate me.”

  The stress of the situation finally revealed itself in the sudden slump of her shoulders. She massaged her temples. “Byron, Espe was a trained hunter, and they got her. What makes you think you stand a chance against a gang of vampires?”

  “I could ask you the same thing.”

  “I have backup on the way. They’ll be here in three to four hours.”