The Order Boxed Set (100 page)

That would be one thing off her list.

Something moved in the dappled shadows close to where the branch met the tree trunk. Without thinking she pounced, caught the lizard in her teeth, crunched down, and the warm metallic taste of fresh blood filled her mouth, sliding down her throat, warming her belly.

She stilled in shock. She’d never killed anything before, either as a human or in her other forms. The only time she’d ever attacked anything was the other night when she’d gone back for Carl.

She spat the thing out, and it lay on its back, throat torn out, and she waited for the remorse to fill her.

And waited.

No remorse.

Inching forward, she lapped at the blood. It tasted so good. She licked her lips, picked the lizard up in her teeth, and ate it. The bones made a pleasant crunching noise as they snapped. She swallowed and licked her paws.

This wasn’t right. Maybe she was in shock.

She still had to decide what to do. One thing she knew—she wasn’t going back. She wasn’t going to be anybody’s slave. Not ever again.

She had an image of Asmodai with his throat torn out, like the lizard. What would happen to the sigil then? But of course, she wouldn’t kill Asmodai. She couldn’t believe she was even thinking like this. Suddenly restless, she bounded out of the tree and ran. A golf course spread out behind the beach, and she raced over the smooth grass, pounced into the sandy hollows, ran again. She waited for tiredness to slow her, but she just kept going. Finally, she stopped and sank onto her haunches.

She was stronger, faster, and already she craved the taste of fresh blood again. What the hell was happening to her? In her whole life, she’d never had anyone to explain things for her. How was she supposed to understand?

Maybe she was sick. It was clear she was changing. But into what? And how fast? If she stayed away from the Abyss, she only had three weeks left before… Was that long enough to find out? And then what?

She’d avoided thinking about what would happen after the three weeks, but she suspected she would die, and the truth was she didn’t want to die. Rather, she wanted the chance to live freely. Unfortunately that meant sacrificing something—like the rest of her life.

Anger roiled inside her.

The emotion was relatively new, but it felt good—better than being a pathetic wimp, anyway.

No, she wasn’t going back.

She’d stay with Carl tonight, then tomorrow she would head off. She could get a ferry to cross over to Africa. Except she had no money. Maybe Carl would lend her some. He did owe her. And at least she wouldn’t starve—she was sure there were plenty of lizards in Africa.

She headed back as the sun was going down. They had a couple of hours until the moon rose. When she reached the villa, a huge motorcycle was parked outside the gate.

Cool.

Carl opened the door as she leaped over the gate and shifted back into human form. “Is that your bike?” she asked.

“Yeah.” He’d found another T-shirt, a khaki one that brought out the greeny-gold in his eyes. They were restless and held a feral glint, as though the moon was already calling him. She’d never known a werewolf before, she’d grown up straight after the last demon war, when the portals had been locked tight and movement between worlds almost impossible, but she’d heard they had little control at the full moon.

“I’ve never been on a bike before.”

His lips curved into a slow smile. Heat coiled in her belly, and her nipples peaked. “I’m betting there are a whole lot of things you’ve never done before. Aren’t there, kitten?”

She shrugged. “Maybe.” But if she had her way, soon there would be a whole lot less. “Let me go change into some jeans, and we can go.”

When she came out ten minutes later, he was waiting beside the bike. “It’s a Harley,” he said as he swung his leg over and patted the seat behind him. “You sit behind me, wrap yours arms around me tight, and hold on.”

She climbed on and inched up close until the V of her thighs was snug against his ass. The bike rumbled to life, the vibrations sending a shiver through her. She slid her arms around his waist and couldn’t resist slipping her hands under the soft material of his T-shirt to rest on his rock hard abs. His skin was hot and lightly furred, the hair silky soft.

“Drive to the edge of town,” she said. “Then take the first road north.”

He nodded and then they were moving. The bike pulled away and picked up speed quickly, and her arms tightened around him. He wove through the traffic of the town before taking the road heading into the mountains. Narrow and winding, it gave her the perfect excuse to hold on tighter, digging her nails into the satin skin of his lean stomach.

A wild exhilaration filled her. She threw back her head and the wind of their speed tugged at her hair. Closing her eyes, she gave herself up to the feeling. This was freedom—living in this moment, not caring what the next would bring.

As he pulled to a stop and the engine died, a wave of sadness washed through her. She hadn’t wanted the ride to end.

She sat for a minute until she realized she still had her arms wrapped around the man in front of her, was still pressed tight against his ass. She wiggled to get a little closer, feeling the delicious friction through her jeans and panties. She was soaking wet and had never felt like this before, as though the slightest touch would trigger her, send her over the edge.

He swung off the bike, pulling free of her grip as he did so, and turned to face her. Leaning down over her, he slid one huge hand under the hair at the back of her neck and kissed her. This was nothing like the earlier kiss; there was no gentleness, only a need that echoed her own.

He pulled back and straightened. “Shit, we cannot do this now.” His eyes glowed feral and a tic jerked in his cheek. “I am so fucking hard. I’m going to burst. But I can’t touch you, not with the moon so close.” He breathed in. “But I can smell your need, and it’s driving me fucking crazy. Fuck.” He turned away hands fisted at his side and stood breathing deeply for long minutes.

He could smell her need? Ugh. That was a little embarrassing. But she couldn’t deny it, not with frustration clawing at her insides. At the same time, bubbles of excitement fizzed in her veins. He wanted her, desperately.

Finally, he turned back, and a little restraint returned to his features. He gave her a rueful smile. “You do crazy things to me. I haven’t felt this out of control since the year I was bitten.” He took another deep breath. “Let’s go.”

She followed him up a steep track probably only used by goats and wild boar. There were few people living up here; most tended to stay in the villages. He halted beside a steep overhang of rock and looked around. “This is perfect.”

She suspected he hadn’t really needed anyone to watch his back—that he had merely wanted to keep her in his sights a while longer while he decided what to do. But that was okay. She was happy to go along with it.

“Can you still think when you’re a wolf?” she asked.

He nodded. “Yes. Some of the younger wolves lose it, but I’ve always had a clear head.”

She perched on a rock and watched as he stripped off his T-shirt. Her breath caught in her throat. Last time, he’d been too damaged for her to really appreciate his beauty, but now there was nothing to stop her. She let her gaze wander over him, taking in the wide shoulders, the broad chest. He had some sort of tattoo on his left arm and what looked like a knife scar down his right side, disappearing beneath the waistband of his jeans. He also had a set of prints on his belly where she had dug her nails into him while they were riding. She liked that she’d marked him.

His jeans hung low on his hips, but not low enough. At last his hand moved to the button and flicked it open. She could clearly make out the bulge of what had to be a truly enormous erection, and she licked her lips.

He chuckled, and she glanced up. “You like?” he murmured.

She didn’t even think to deny it, just nodded, and he chuckled again. “Well, you’ve gotten to see me naked twice now. Should be my turn soon.”

He kicked off his boots, and then stripped off his jeans.

Last time he’d been hurt and vulnerable. This time he was perfect. All long and lean, with dark hair, and golden skin stretched over sleek muscle.

The sun had set and he was gilded by starlight. She couldn’t look away, and he didn’t try to hide himself. Fully aroused, he was huge, almost vertical, the skin pale against the dark fur on his belly.

She took a step closer, her hand coming out…and he took a step back.

Her gaze jerked to his face. His eyes were a wolf’s eyes, more gold than green, the irises circled in black.

“Hold that thought,” he murmured, his voice a rough growl, velvet and barbed wire. His back arched as magic shivered through the air, and he dropped to all fours. A minute later the huge black wolf stood before her.

It padded closer, and she held out her hand. Warm breath caressed her fingers, a wet tongue licked at her palm, and then he turned and bounded away.

Shera didn’t wait. She shifted into her cat form and raced after him. It occurred to her that a cat and a wolf might not be the best of combinations, but she wanted to stay close.

She maintained a small distance between them, but kept up with ease. Another sign of her growing strength. But she wouldn’t think about it now. The moon had risen, a huge orange ball that hung low on the horizon, and the warm night held magic.

This was as close to freedom as she would ever get. Racing across the bare mountainside, she gave up thinking and let feeling take over.

…

Carl woke with the sun, the heat on his naked body tugging him from sleep. He lay under the spreading branches of a tree, dappled light flickering over his skin, Shera wrapped in his arms.

To his disappointment, she was fully clothed. That didn’t seem to worry his dick. It was rock hard and throbbing.

Tightening his arm, he dragged her closer. She was limp, but he felt the moment she came awake, a tension seeping into her body. He rose onto his elbow to look down into her face. Her ebony lashes fluttered, and he was caught in a bright green gaze. She blinked up at him, all sleepy.

“Good morning, kitten,” he murmured.

Her lips curled in a lazy smile as her hand came up. She stroked his cheek, and a shiver ran through him, settling low down in his groin, heating his blood and making his balls ache with need.

He reined it back, pulling himself under control. He didn’t want to frighten her.

But she didn’t look frightened. Her pointed tongue came out to lick her lips, leaving them gleaming with moisture. “Would you make love to me?”

His dick jerked.

Oh hell, yeah.

And perhaps this would get through to her, turn her from the course she had chosen,
if
he made it good enough for her. And if she did go back, he could still see her occasionally. Though chances were she wouldn’t be returning to Asmodai’s. She would be going… Maybe best not to think about that.

He took her hand and dragged it down his body to his throbbing dick. Her fingers wrapped around him, and her eyes widened. “So hot.” She squeezed, her gaze fixed on him, and he just about spontaneously combusted.

Time to move this on.

He sat up, reached across and grabbed the hem of her T-shirt. She grimaced as she had to release her hold but didn’t resist as he dragged the shirt over her head. Beneath it she was naked, and his breath hitched in his throat. Her breasts were full above a narrow rib cage, her skin pale and creamy where the bikini had protected her from the sun, her nipples dark red and prominent. He cupped one breast in his palm, stroking the pad of his thumb over the peak, and shock blossomed across her features. She blinked, and he rubbed again, and her mouth opened. Lowering his head, he breathed in the sweetness of her skin, then licked the nipple until it glistened. One hand came around the back of his neck and held him to her. He suckled her gently at first and then harder, grazing her with his teeth as she made small mewling sounds of pleasure. He bit down, and her spine arched.

He pulled away, picked her up, and laid her down on the soft sandy ground. Her breasts were rising and falling fast and hard. He snapped the button open on her jeans, tugged them down over her hips, taking her black cotton panties with them. She kicked off her sandals, and he pulled her pants free and tossed them behind him. Sitting back on his heels, he stared. She was perfection. The sigil wrapped around her upper arm like some sort of Celtic tattoo added an element of pagan beauty. He touched it lightly, and her eyes flickered to the side.

He trailed his fingers across her breasts, down over her rib cage, dipping into her belly button then to the sable curls below. Her thighs were locked together tight.

“You’re going to have to open your legs if you want me to make love to you. Trust me, kitten.”

“I do. Really I do.” She bit her lip, and her thighs fell open. He leaned down over her, kissed the jut of her hipbone, buried his nose in the curls, breathing in the warm musky scent of her arousal. He shifted around so he kneeled between her thighs. He wasn’t going to last long once he got inside her; he needed to make her feel good first.

He ran his hands up her legs, spreading them wider, then peered up the length of her body. Her hands were fisted at her sides, her eyes closed. “Relax,” he murmured as he lowered his head and blew gently over the curls. With one fingertip he opened the seam of her sex. Inside, she was hot and slick. He parted the folds, revealing the dark pink flesh, the small swollen nub pouting for his touch.

He flicked it with his tongue, and her whole body shuddered. Placing his hands under her knees, he bent her legs, spread them wide, and settled himself into the V formed by her open thighs. For long moments he just looked, feeling the last of his blood supply drain into his cock. He needed her screaming for him.

He ran his tongue along the length of her sex, tasting the sweetness of her arousal, then pushed inside and up to her engorged clit. He circled it with the tip of his tongue, and her hips lifted from the ground, pushing against him.