Bitter Black Kiss (26 page)

Chapter Twenty-eight

Nicole sputtered and coughed. A moment’s worth of panic shook her when she didn’t see Sean. Was he waiting nearby to jump her again?

She pushed herself up onto elbows and sucked in a much needed, clean breath of air. She choked and gagged. Wet sand crusted her body.

Nicole drew her knees up then pushed up to her feet. She wobbled at first, still a bit lightheaded.

The moon hung high in the ink blotted sky. Its luminous glow reflected off the water and allowed Nicole to see the immediate area around her.

To her left a hairless and very naked Tony lay with his eyes wide open. Each time she moved, his eyes followed. His left arm was bent at a painful angle. The flash of bone made her stomach churn, but she experienced no sympathy for him.

A wounded yelp snapped her head toward the water. The two werewolves tangled against each other in knee deep waves. Teeth snapped and claws flashed as they fought. Sean gripped Brody around the waist and pushed. He staggered backward, but didn’t relinquish his hold.

Brody’s teeth sank deeper into Sean’s neck.

“He’ll be the pack leader.” The familiar voice was drenched with boredom. “Sean won’t forfeit. Your boyfriend will have to kill him.”

Nicole jerked around to face Aaron. He walked toward her and didn’t bother to hide his nakedness. Streaks of dried blood stained his skin. Bites and scratches still bled. She sent one last glance in Brody’s direction and grimaced. Was that the real reason he attended the Wild Hunt?

“Sean nearly punched your ticket.” He brushed sand from his hip and his lips pulled back to reveal cigarette stained teeth.

“Did you pull me out of the water?”

He shook his head. “Brody did. I wouldn’t have wasted the energy.”

Nicole glared at him. If it was possible, she hated him even more.

“The boy’s got balls, I’ll give him that.” He scratched at his crotch. “I’m surprised Sean didn’t off him when he figured out you were screwing Brody behind his back.”

She didn’t bother to argue that Sean had no claim on her. What good would it do?

Aaron’s nostrils flared. “I can still smell it on you, you know. The water didn’t wash it away. It’s leaking from your pores.” His eyes darkened. “You smell good, Nicky.”

He reached for her with familiarity. Nicole knocked his hand away. She would no longer play the part of the victim.

“The Wild Hunt isn’t over yet.”

“It is for you!” She brought her knee up and smashed his balls. He hunched over, clasped his injury and moaned. For good measure, she knocked him over.

“Bitch!” Aaron got to his knees. “You’d better run.”

Nicole spun and took all of three steps. His body slammed into her and she hit the sand hard. Her chin bounced and her teeth snapped together. She tasted blood where she’d bitten her cheek.

The sand crunched nearby. A shadow moved low and fast. Using the flat of its head, the wolf butted Aaron off her. Teeth flashed followed by a snarl.

Aaron’s sharp intake of breath told her that he was in pain. He threw his hands up to shield his face, but it did no good. The wolf’s mouth latched onto his arm and hauled him to his feet.

Nicole scrambled up. It was too dark and they were too far away now for her to tell who it was. The dark lump of Tony’s body still lay a few feet away. She glanced at the water.

The moon broke through a cloud. Slivers of moonlight danced across the water to reveal a silvery-white body submerged face-down. She squinted against the darkness. She had to be certain it wasn’t her imagination.

Aaron’s scream tore her attention away from the water’s edge. She moved across the wet sand then stopped only feet away from the two bodies twisting on the beach. One was mostly human, the other was not.

Brody held Aaron immobile. Aaron kicked at him, but to no avail. Her ex tried to gouge Brody’s eyes with his free hand, but never found purchase. Aaron’s fingers captured Brody’s silken ear. He gave it a sharp tug and forced the wolf to yelp.

Brody jabbed Aaron in the gut. His claws pierced the skin and tunneled their way into the flesh. His mouth clamped over Aaron’s face and the crack of bone sent shivers down Nicole's spine.

Although she hated Aaron with every ounce of her being, she’d shared a portion of her life with him. To say that she was sorry, he was dead pushed the envelope. Still, she had never wished this upon him. And to witness his death, a death so painful and gruesome, made her nauseous.

Brody withdrew his clawed hand and wet and juicy entrails smacked the sand. Bile rose in her throat.

“Brody?” She hoped there was some part of him in there. He’d told her that their kind could still think—that they were still the same person, just in a different form. She prayed he’d told the truth. Her one transformation was too quick and frenzied for her to remember her mindset.

He whirled to face her. The motion slung blood across the sand. Fat droplets fell from his stained muzzle. Honey colored eyes stared at her. His ears were pointed upward, mouth open. Pink tongue curled, he loped toward her.

Uncertainty clouded her mind. Would he attack her too?

“Brody?” She took a couple steps backward. She couldn’t remember if you were supposed to stare a dog down or avoid eye contact.

A splash behind them forced his ears forward. Brody trotted to her and used his nose to push her in the opposite direction. She took a few steps, but twisted her upper body to look behind them. It was too dark. She could see nothing in the gloom, but the honey colored wolf beside her.

He used his nose to shove her again. His eyes seemed to say, “Go!”

Nicole forced her feet to move, half afraid he might chase her.
Stop it,
she told herself. He’d already gone above and beyond to keep her safe tonight. Why would he attack her now? She feared the simplest answer of all — he was one of them.

After a while, she spotted the silhouette of a boathouse against the water.

He moved further up the sloped beach. His nose was close to the ground and he never broke pace.

“Wait! We could hide in there.” She followed him into the darkness. They might be lucky enough to find a boat docked inside. She started to tell him, but instead hurried her pace when he dipped out of sight.

Brody waited near a hidden path that wound up the cliff. He made a soft chuffing sound and moved up the rocky path.

“Where are we going?”

He flattened his ears against his head and nudged her again.

“You know if you’d change back I might understand what you want.” Her legs were tired and her body was sore. It seemed like they’d been on the beach for days instead of a couple hours.

Brody allowed her to get ahead of him. He hung back to watch and listen for anyone who might sneak up on them from below. He trotted back to her.

Rocks and pebbles continued to bite into the soles of her feet. The sand stung and she began to slow.

“I have to rest.” Nicole placed a hand on an elevated, flat rock next to the path. She lifted a foot to brush away the sand and inspect a cut.

He growled. When it got no response, he nipped her.

“Keep your teeth to yourself!”

The growl deepened. His ears were forward and both sets of teeth showed.

Nicole scrambled back to her feet and glared at him. “Okay!”

She rested a hand on his shoulders for balance. He padded beside her on all fours. They drew to a stop once a small cabin came into view. He tilted his head up as if to say, “See, I knew what I was doing!”

Brody raced toward the house. His body was low to the ground and his claws crunched across the sand. She watched his shadow circle the tiny cabin. Satisfied that no one was there, he called to her with another quiet sound.

She moved carefully onto the deck. To fall and break her neck in the dark would just be insulting after all she’d been through.

She ran her fingers over the door frame in search of a key, but came away empty. Under the mat proved useless too. He pushed past her then rose up on back legs.

Nicole crossed her arms over her chest. “This would be much easier if you could talk.”

He slammed his upper body against the painted wood. It splintered and the lock busted with a crunch of metal. The door banged against the wall and shimmed to a stop.

She shot a glance over her shoulder and prayed that no one heard the noise. He didn’t seem concerned.

She closed the door and glanced around. Ghostly sheets covered the furniture and the musty odor of disuse hung in the room. Her nose tickled with the threat of a sneeze. The main room was an open area that led to the kitchen. Beyond that was another door which she assumed was the bedroom.

For the first time since going furry, she was suddenly aware of her nakedness. Embarrassment crept over her and warmed her skin. Maybe the owner had a robe or, even better, clothes that fit.

Brody, who was still on two legs, shoved a massive curio cabinet in front of the door.

A jar candle and a matchbook lay on the table behind the couch. She lit it and the scent of vanilla wafted from the jar in her hand. The soft yellow glow lit the room and she spotted an antique clock on the shelf above the stove. She bent close to peer at the time. If it was correct, three hours had passed since she’d first arrived on the beach. They had a lot of time to kill until sunrise.

“Now what?” She sat the candle aside.

Brody didn’t respond. He didn’t offer a bark, growl or any of the other noises he’d made earlier. A trickle of apprehension cooled her skin. Goosebumps spread across her arms and the fine hairs on her neck stood on end.

He rested against the cabinet, eyes trained on her. Although he didn’t growl or snarl, she recognized the danger in his eyes. When the others had pursued her, she’d witnessed the same look on their faces. Aaron had informed her that he could still smell the pheromones she’d been given. It leaked from her pores, he’d said. In such close quarters, she could imagine what it must be doing to Brody.

She’d seen the same hungry expression on his face before. The difference was he’d been in human form. Lust, thick and cloying emanated from him. He wanted her, the evidence grew between them.

Her eyes widened and she dragged in a shaky breath. He wanted her and now she was trapped in a tiny space with him.

Chapter Twenty-nine

The expression on Nicole’s face was not unlike the fear she’d shown toward Stone and the others. Brody moved slow and hoped she’d understand he didn’t want to harm her. He wouldn’t do anything she didn’t allow. What happened next would be up to her. He just hoped he could quell his needs long enough for her to decide.

“No, not you too.”

He closed the space between them and folded her body against his. Thankful she was unharmed, for the most part, he released the tension in his shoulders. He held her there for a moment, nuzzling her hair and taking in her scent. The pheromones were still present, but had dulled. Beneath it, he could smell Nicole's natural scent and salt water.

She stiffened against him and her breath came in soft gasps. Was she crying?

Brody experienced a heady sense of victory. He’d come away the winner. He had the girl. The prize was his. Despite his best efforts not to, he grew hard with the knowledge.

Nicole’s skin was gritty with sand. He brushed it away with a gentle touch.

She made a noise of protest. Her hands pressed against his chest in an effort to push him away. Wide blue eyes stared up at him. Did she expect him to attack?

A wild and untamed hunger surged through Brody. It would be easy to lose control, to hurt her. He wanted to hurt her and to please her all at the same time. He battled the animalistic urges that arose within him. He didn’t want to admit it, but her fear turned him on. Nicole was soft and pliant in his hands. Terror and physical strain had pushed her past exhaustion tonight. It would be so easy to bend her to his will.

His clawed hands wrapped around her upper arms. He wanted to bite her, draw blood to establish that she was his. The beast inside him wanted to take her, overpower her physically. With great effort, he shoved the dark cravings to the back of his mind. He would not do that to her. He was not a mindless animal. He was not.

“Brody?” His name trembled past her lips. He eased her onto the cushions then turned away. To his annoyance, she sprang back up and reached for him. Her fingers were but a breath away. At the last moment, she dropped her hand to her sides. Perhaps she’d remembered he might bite. She picked up the candle instead.

Nicole’s upper body was cast in the soft glow. It gave her a wild and somewhat angelic appearance. Her hair was windblown and still wet in spots. A few bruises and scrapes lent her a vulnerable appearance. Her chest rose and fell. Each shaky breath allowed him a view of her exquisite breasts and their erect pink nipples. He had to get away from her.

“Wait, what happens now?” Nicole asked on a shaky exhalation. It sent shivers throughout his body. He held out his hand in a silent request for hers. She hesitated, but her fingers found his. His claws curled around her fingers. She glanced up at him. “Do we just wait here until it’s over?”

He moved toward the back of the cabin. Though the glow of the candle did its best to illuminate the area, it did not provide enough light for Nicole who resisted being led. Brody navigated around the sparse furniture that littered the way. Nicole stumbled along behind him and he was certain it was because she refused to use her wolfish senses.

He paused at the sight of the bed. She jerked her hand out of his, but he was much faster. Brody caught her by the arm and nudged her toward it.

“Not like this.” Her voice was broken by a sob. Moisture glistened on her cheeks. “I love you, but I can’t do it like this.”

She was in love with him? His heart skipped in his chest and he felt lightheaded.

He released her arm and waited. To say all he wanted was for her to rest was a lie and he knew it. What he wanted was to ravage her until neither of them could walk. He backed away instead.

Nicole breathed a sigh of relief. Her expression grew more trusting. She rummaged through the dresser against the wall. “There has to be some clothes or a blanket we can cover up with.”

He studied the shape of her ass. His groin twitched in approval. The curve of her back faced him and he wanted to fold himself over it and make her scream with mindless pleasure.

This wasn’t going to work. He’d physically hurt her if he attempted to make love to her in this form. He could only imagine what it would do to her emotions. She couldn’t even accept herself this way, why should her acceptance of him be any different? Besides, she’d made it clear hadn’t she? Not like this, she’d said. She found him repulsive in this form. If she couldn’t accept him like this, any relationship he hoped to build with her would never work. The problem was, he was too agitated to return to normal.

Brody whirled away from her perfect, beautiful body and stalked into the adjoining bath.

He left the door open so he could hear if someone broke into their sanctuary.

Brody leaned close to the vanity mirror. He looked terrible. Two of the hoops in his left ear had been torn away. Caked blood made a trail from his ear down the side of his furry face. Someone else’s blood had dried on his muzzle and chest. He could feel other hurts on his body, but couldn’t see them through the sand caked fur.

He stepped into the shower and wrenched the knob. Cold water soaked his fur and he shivered beneath the spray. He slid down the wall, curled in on himself and looped his arms around his knees. He concentrated on holding the beast at bay. The urges and hunger began to recede. Frigid water cascaded down his back. His teeth chattered and his body ached.

Gripping his knees, he allowed the changes to take place. Limbs twisted and slid into a more human shape. He bit his lip and tried to keep the groans of pain from slipping out. He struggled to his feet and removed a bottle of shampoo from the built-in shelf. He lathered and rinsed, unable to bear much more.

Brody twisted the knob to cease the frigid water. He watched the last blood-pink suds swirl down the drain. At long last, he wrapped blue terrycloth around his waist.

He moved toward the bedroom, still dripping from the shower. There was no movement within the cabin and that worried him. He called out to Nicole, but received no answer.

The candle sat on the bedside table. Its glow sputtered against the wall. A movement to his right whipped his head around. A shadow leaped from the wall, a weapon in hand.

Nicole lunged forward. She swung her arm upward and lifted the butcher knife. It came within inches of slicing him. He wrenched it from her grasp then tossed it onto a table.

“What the hell was that for?”

She ducked her head. “I didn’t know you’d be you.”

“Who else would I be?” He knew what she meant, but it still sounded odd.

Nicole had found a red, silk robe while he showered. It was tied tight around her waist, but he could still see the curves of her body beneath it. It didn’t quite reach her bottom and made her legs look damned sexy. Erect nipples pushed against the thin fabric.

Brody fought the urge to touch her through the whisper thin material. He was glad he had a towel to hide his hard on. “You should get some rest. I’ll sit out front and watch for trouble.”

He had just noticed that her hair was entirely wet again. The scent of soap drifted to him.

She touched her hair and smiled. “I rinsed off in the kitchen.”

“Oh,” was all he could think to say.

Her eyes were downcast. “I was going to ask you to save some water for me, but you needed it worse than I did. Are you okay?”

His cheeks colored and he looked away. So she’d peeked in and witnessed his inner turmoil. Had she guessed it was for her sake? Maybe she didn’t think he’d be able to control himself.

“Do you think anyone will find us?”

“I hope not.” Seeing her there, tousled and clothed in only a scrap of silk proved more than he could handle.

Her hand touched his shoulder. Hope swelled within him. His cock did the same. Brody knew he was in deep trouble if just a brief touch sent shockwaves of pleasure through him.

“Thank you, Brody. For everything.”

His voice was gruff, his expression was intense. “I should go take a look around.”

He took a step forward. Nicole shuffled backward, but did not move out of the way. He reached around her in search of the doorknob.

Nicole’s hand gripped his shoulder. “Don’t leave.”