Branded by Lust: 4 (Night Seekers) (21 page)

She shook her head. “After this I think I’d believe
anything. I’m not a child, Mr. Tanner.”

“Considering everything you probably should call me Logan.”
He looked at the others again, saw the tension on Ben’s face and sighed. “She’s
right,” he told them. “And we can’t waste any more time. Rebecca, take Randi
and get in the helo with Ric. Ben and I will get going in a moment.”

“All right. Just…whatever you see, don’t freak out, okay?”

“Freak out? You mean there’s more?”

“Just…hold it together until later. Okay, let’s go.”

Logan watched as Ric led the two women to the waiting
copter. Saw them all climb in. Watched Ric hand the big hunting rifle to
Rebecca and make sure both women were buckled in. Then he and Ben walked out
onto the back porch.

“Time to do it,” he said.

“I just hope Randi’s looking the other way.” He sighed. “Not
that I can do anything about it. All right. I’m ready.”

They undressed on the porch and Logan handed Ben a chain
with a small disc on the end.

“What’s this?”

“When Ric spots the devil beast he will radio us the
direction. This is the receiver.”

In seconds they had shifted into wolf form and raced off
across the snow. Logan happened to glance up at the helo, which was still
rising. Randi Turner’s face was plastered to the window, frozen in shock.
Another thing they’d have to deal with later.

* * * * *

Rebecca was so focused on the landscape below that it took a
few moments before she realized Randi was tapping her on the shoulder. Ric had
set them up so they could all hear and speak to each other so she didn’t even
have to turn her head to say anything.

“You saw?” she asked.

“I don’t even know exactly what it is I saw,” Randi answered
in a strangled voice. “Was I hallucinating?”

“No.” Rebecca’s smile was grim. “Unfortunately not. Or
fortunately, depending on how you look at it.” Silence. “Randi?”

The other woman’s voice was unsteady when she spoke again.
“So, if I saw what I think I did, are you also…” Her voice trailed off.

“No. I’m not. But can we please discuss this later?”

“Oh. Oh! Of course.”

Then there was nothing but the sound of the rotors filling
the cabin as Ric flew them over the mapped area. Below them, barely more than
fast-moving dots against the white, Ben and Logan sped in their wolf forms,
moving at a far greater speed than real wolves. Rebecca kept her high-powered
binoculars glued to her eyes as she scanned in every direction. Her eyes were
starting to feel the strain and she blinked hard, looking away for just a
moment. She was just about to lift the glasses to her eyes again when Ric
touched her arm and pointed.

And there it was, about three miles ahead of Logan and Ben.
She increased the power of the binoculars to zoom in on it more tightly then
almost wished she hadn’t. It was worse than the photos she’d seen. Even worse
than Randi’s sketch. And far more horrifying than the carcass they’d killed in
Maine.

Oh yeah. Someone’s been working on this. Someone with a
brain seriously out of whack.

Then she cleared her mind. She heard Ric speaking into the
mic, sending the information on the beast’s location to Logan and Ben. In
seconds they had changed direction, moving like sheepdogs to herd the beast
toward a clearing. She slid the cabin door back and sighted down the rifle, the
scope glued to her eye.

“Take me lower,” she told Ric. “I want to get this thing
before it somehow disappears.”

Obligingly he tilted the nose and dipped lower, bringing her
within rifle range. The beast, obviously distracted by the noise, paused and
looked up, just as Ben and Logan neared where it was. She saw its lips curl
back and its long tongue extend as it stared at the two wolves.

It’s going to attack! No! No, no, no!

She fired without thinking, again and again and again. The
specially built rifle packed a bigger punch than an elephant gun but it still
took five shots to stop the creature. As if reading her mind, Ric flew in even
lower, giving her the chance to pump five more shots into it.

And finally it was still.

* * * * *

They all sat in the kitchen of Logan’s ranch house. It was
John Turner who poured the drinks this time, something they all needed after
the past couple of hours.

Ric had contacted Craig Stafford via the radio to send
transport and scientists for the latest carcass. Then he’d radioed the sheriff
and hovered over the spot while Logan and Ben sped back to the ranch. As soon
as Danvers’ people arrived Ric went back to pick up the two men, now dressed
again, and they all waited, crime-scene tape strung around the scene, until the
unmarked but familiar Stafford Global helicopter arrived with the men who would
do the retrieval.

Dr. Stan Grimaldi, who headed the team, looked depressed as
he directed his people.

“Whoever is doing this,” he told Logan, “is improving these
creatures faster than we can catch up. It’s obvious the lust for the kill, for
blood, is ramping up.”

“I could have gone all day without hearing that.” Logan
rubbed his forehead. “But I have to agree with you. And lust is exactly what
it’s turning out to be. It’s almost like the creature’s brand.”

“I told Craig we need to find the lair before it destroys us
all.”

“You know he’ll give you whatever you want. And us too.”

“All I can say is, get busy.”

Then there had been the commotion with Danvers and his
deputies, many of whom insisted on snapping pictures with their cell phones
before Rance could chase them away. Logan would have preferred they not do it
but he supposed in their place he’d be hard-pressed to restrain himself.

Now everyone else was gone. Eve had come to the house to
prepare a meal for all of them although no one seemed to have much of an
appetite.

“So I guess it’s back to Texas for you,” John said, taking a
sip of his drink.

Logan nodded. “We’ll hang around for a day or two but yes,
we need to get back. Because sure as hell, when we draw a breath another one of
these devil beasts will show up and we’ll be off again. Craig also wants us to
have a brainstorming session to see if there’s any way we can narrow the search
for the lab to a particular area of the country.”

“What if that place isn’t even in this country?” Randi’s
voice was tentative.

She was sitting next to Ben but it was obvious she was still
processing everything she’d seen. Logan had seen better expressions on the
faces of people who were shell-shocked. He sighed. Something else to deal with.

“That would multiply our problems exponentially,” he
answered. “Let’s hope you’re wrong.” He paused. “So Ben? Think you’ll be able
to go back to the quiet life in the wilds of Montana after this?”

He made a rude noise. “After such rousing support from my
neighbors I’m thinking of selling my place and finding someplace else to retire
from the world.”

Logan exchanged a look with Rebecca. They’d both spoken to
Craig about this and he was in full agreement with what they suggested.

Rebecca studied the other man’s face. “What would you think
of relocating to another part of the country? To a place so remote it’s called
Desolation Ranch? Where you’d have others like you to befriend and work with.
And be able to run whenever you wanted to.”

The smile Ben gave her was the first she’d seen from him
since they met. “Are you kidding? You’re asking me to join your team?”

She nodded. “We talked to our boss and he’s in full
agreement. It’s up to you if you want to say yes.”

He tossed back the rest of his drink and leaned forward.
“Damn straight I do. I just need to make arrangements to put my place on the
market and trailer my horse.”

“The team will take care of that for you,” Logan told him.
“All you have to do is say yes.”

“Yes. Of course yes.”

“Um, I wonder if it would ever be possible for me to visit
your place?” a small voice said.

They all turned to look at Randi. The expression on her face
was a mixture of panic and excitement.

“I mean, I know what I saw today but
don’t
know what
I saw. And I got to see that horrible beast in all its reality after drawing
it. Since my folks moved I really don’t have any ties left to the area.” She
shrugged. “I don’t want to intrude—”

“Intrude?” Logan raised an eyebrow. “Are you repulsed by
what you saw today or curious?”

“Um…repulsed by the beast but curious about the rest. I have
a lot of questions I’d like to ask. About all of you.” But it was Ben she
glanced at.

For a moment no one spoke. Then Logan nodded.

“Maybe you could come back with us for a week and see what
we’re all about. As long as you remember there’s a confidentiality factor. No
media. At all.”

“Who wants the media? I’m just not ready to let go of this.”

“Okay then. Ric? How about you take the bird back to the
ranch and I’ll call down there for them to send the plane back.” He relaxed for
the first time since he and Rebecca had arrived in Montana. “Our little family
sure seems to be growing.”

Rebecca closed her eyes and arched her body, the silken
sheets beneath her smooth against her skin, the hard muscles of Logan’s body an
arousing contrast. Catching himself on his forearms so she didn’t bear his full
weight, the man she’d fallen so deeply in love with was worshipping her mouth.
That was the only word for it. He nibbled at her lips, tugging with his teeth
before licking each spot with a slight brush of his tongue. He traced the
entire outline of her lips before resuming the nibbles.

She pushed herself up against him, wanting him to hurry to
get to the rest of her quickly. His low laughter rumbled through her body.

“Patience, honey. Anything worth doing is worth doing well.”

“But I want it all,” she murmured against his mouth. “Right
now.”

“I know you do.” His voice was husky now, thick with lust.
“But I want to enjoy every delicious inch of your body.”

“I want to enjoy yours too.” She shifted her thighs just
enough so she could squeeze his hot swollen cock between them.

“Do that too much and we’ll be finished before we get
started,” he warned.

Then he dropped his mouth to a breast, sucking one stiff
nipple, again using his teeth and his tongue to stimulate and soothe. Rebecca
loved the tiny little jolts of pain from the bites, slivers of electricity that
shot straight to her cunt. As Logan continued to torment her nipple he palmed
her other breast, kneading it rhythmically.

Rebecca continued to squeeze his shaft, moving her hips
slightly, trying to get him to hurry. Move faster.

But god, his mouth felt so good on her, his tongue so
arousing. So hot.

When he moved his head lower the muscles in her pussy
thrummed with anticipation.

“Yes,” she moaned. “Yes, yes, yes.”

He traced a line with the tip of his tongue down to her
mound, tugging on her curls with his teeth before finding the hot button of her
clit and rasping it with his tongue. Again she moaned, wanting more. Wanting it
all.

One finger then two slipped into her hot well, moving in and
out as he continued to abrade her clit. She lifted her legs and draped them over
his shoulders to give him better access to her body. She wanted him to fuck her
with his tongue, to take her every way possible. When he lifted his head and
slid his fingers out, moving her legs, she nearly cried out at the loss of
contact.

Then she heard the familiar ripping of foil and watched as
Logan rolled on a condom. He knelt between her thighs, lifting her legs again.
Opening the lips of her pussy, he entered her in one hard thrust.

“Yessss.” She hissed the word.

And then one finger pressed against her anus, pressed,
pressed until it was inside and pushing deep. His other hand pinched her clit
and the multiple assault on her senses was too much. She came instantly and
explosively, clenching around his cock and crying out his name.

Logan’s entire body tensed. He pushed with his hips again
and again and again, his cock pulsing inside her. His finger was in her ass all
the way, moving in time with his cock. As his hips pistoned so did his finger.
Rebecca couldn’t believe that another orgasm was building when the first hadn’t
yet subsided.

It blasted through her as Logan’s climax wracked his body
and they shuddered together. Nothing existed except the two of them and the
electric void they’d been catapulted into.

Mate!
The word kept echoing through her brain.

She had no idea how long it was before their breathing
returned to normal and she was sure neither of their hearts would beat out of
their chests. Eventually Logan withdrew both his shaft and his finger and
stumbled to the bathroom. She heard water running then he returned and scooped
her into his lap.

“I thought a nice warm bath would be in order.” He nuzzled
the soft skin behind her ear.

“Oh what a great idea.” She sighed. “Craig didn’t look too
shocked when we told him we wanted to plan a small wedding.”

He chuckled. “I think part of Craig’s plan is to make sure
each of us has a mate. We should—” The buzz of the house phone interrupted him.
“Damn.” He picked up the receiver. “Your timing couldn’t be worse, whoever this
is.”

“It’s me,” Ric said. “Sorry to interrupt the lovebirds but
we have another situation. Better get dressed and get yourselves down here
right away. Craig’s called a meeting. There’s been another kill.”

“I can tell what it is just by looking at you,” Rebecca
said. “Let’s get dressed. I’m determined that we’ll beat this devil beast
sooner or later. Hopefully sooner.”

Desiree Holt’s writing is flavored with the rich experiences
of her life, including a long stretch in the music business representing every
kind of artist, from country singer to heavy metal rock bands. For several
years she also ran her own public relations agency, handling any client who
interested her, many of whom might recognize themselves in the pages of her
stories.

She is twice a finalist for an EPIC Award, a nominee for a
Romantic
Times
Reviewers Choice Award. Her Ellora’s Cave release
Rodeo Heat
was
the winner of the first 5 Heart Sweetheart of the Year Award at The Romance
Studio, as well as a two-time CAPA Award-winner for best BDSM book of the year.
She is a winner of the Virginia Romance Writers Holt Medallion.
Romance
Junkies
said of her work: “Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author
of our time and each story is more fulfilling than the last.”

Desiree welcomes comments from readers. You can find her
website and email addresses on her
author bio page
at
www.ellorascave.com
.

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