“Probably the same way you did—on your back.”
Charlie couldn’t help but give a bark of laughter at the hostility. “I’ve had backstage security clearance since day one; why would I need to have to do anything to have it now?”
“Cut the crap. You’re not doing much of anything anymore, just running around without a care in the world. Not to mention the fiasco at the last concert. You’re going to ruin High Velocity…but you know what’s worse? You’re not even a true fan. True fans have Velocity Violet in their hair.”
She pulled on the tips of her bangs, which were painted a vivid purple. “What do you have? Nothing. I don’t get it, I really don’t. Here I am, a true fan, and Zane walks offstage for
you
? Tell me just what’s wrong with that picture.”
The pout on Lola’s face along with the glint of malice behind the words had Charlie fighting to keep everything that came out of her mouth classy and professional. “I don’t think this is an appropriate conversation. We’ve gotten along in the past—how about a change of subject?”
The dark look continued to hover on the other woman’s face and after a pause, Charlie received her answer. “I don’t think so. You just remember that I had him first.” A low growl. “Zane’s mine.”
Charlie snorted. “Yours? Oh honey, there’s nobody out there that could own Zane Alexander, least of all you.”
“Whatever.” With that, Lola stood and strutted off and Charlie watched her leave. What was the point in being so catty about the band members? As far as she knew, Lola didn’t have a particular favorite—besides rock star. Groupies were always forming inappropriate bonds to members of bands, wanting to claim them as their own. It just made it worse when you were dealing with werewolves. They could be a tad bit on the impulsive and possessive side.
“Whatever indeed.” Putting her worries over her strange relationship with Zane and Lola’s aggressive behavior on a shelf to deal with later, Charlie flagged Conner down, the need to do something rising fiercely in her chest. “Need me for anything?”
“I think we’re covered. With the intensity of security we have set up, everything should be good tonight. I think the boys are ready to have themselves a nice night of rock and roll.”
“Good.”
“See ya. Oh, and try to get Zane to keep it in his pants until after the show is over, eh?”
She felt herself start to burn. “Er, sure.” Good grief, she was catching hell wherever she went and the whispering and pointing from those backstage was becoming an unbearable itch. It seemed Zane’s little walk-off had sparked a bigger reaction that she’d ever expected and spending the last day hiding had only increased the rumors, the names.
“Fuck it, people are always going to talk,” she told herself and, shoving past the whispers and glances, Charlie settled in for the show. She had a concert to enjoy and to avoid the buzz in her head, she was going to keep an eye out, to see if she picked up anything that Conner had happened to miss. It was nice to be back in the saddle, so to speak. It was good to be where she felt useful.
***
He leaned back in his chair as Reese did his makeup, her hands skilled beyond her twenty-six years. Her blonde hair was tied back in a knot at the base of her neck and held with oriental sticks, the tip of her tongue sticking out in concentration as she worked. She was exceptionally quiet tonight. She hadn’t said more than two words to him, and those were to tell him to turn his head.
So Zane’s curiosity got the best of him. “What’s up, ladybird?”
She finished lining one eye in kohl black, then looked right at him. He was so used to seeing her bubbling, happy-go-lucky, go-get-em attitude that the solemn expression on her face was foreign. “Do you really think a guy in your position will be able to make a long term relationship work?”
He was glad she’d stopped with the eyeliner, because it snapped his head up in an instant. “What?”
“You and Charlie. It’s all over the place, the rumors and half-truths. People say that she’s your little whore. The other wolves on crew say that you’ve claimed her as your mate. But do you really think it’ll work out?”
Zane slowly shook his head, the pit at the center of his stomach becoming a gnawing black hole. “Haven’t thought that far ahead, honestly,” he told her, though it was a lie. He’d been pondering it lightly, amidst the music in his soul, but he’d come to no conclusions. “But to quiet the rumors, at least for a moment, what Charlie and I have is friends with benefits. Not saying I’m not trying for more—but that’s off the record, got it?” He looked at her sharply and she nodded.
“But what about the band? There’ll come a time when travelling all over the world will strain a relationship. Say you do…mate her.” She picked her words carefully. “What happens when she’s carrying your child? What happens to the band when you become a father?”
He looked at her, his brows furrowing. “Are you asking me to choose between my love of music and my love of Charlie?”
“So it’s love then?”
He whistled. “Damn, girl. Fishing deep. What does it matter? So maybe it’s moving in that direction, but I’m still a musician. I’ve always been a musician. Nothing’s going to change. And if you’re worried about being out of a job—don’t. This is crazy talk. It’s not like I’ve proposed to her.”
She smiled, a little wistfully. “And what happens when Parker falls in love? Benji? Micah? What happens then?”
“I don’t have the answer to that. If they’re in love, if they’re happy? Maybe High Velocity will split, but it’s too early to tell. Parker’s life is filled with one-night-stands, Micah will probably never get hitched, and Benji…” Benji was still nursing the wound from crushing on Charlie. “Sure, it’ll happen, someday. Everyone wants to fall in love and find their mate, but High Velocity isn’t going down without a fight. I promise you that, Reese. Now drop it and make me beautiful.”
She only smiled.
As the guys got ready, the tension in the air was thick like pea soup. The crowd was antsy and rightfully so. Zane called his band mates over and they huddled together with their heads bent. “Okay, guys. We need to make this one powerful. A show that they’ll never forget.”
“Agreed,” Benji said. “Play our strongest tunes.”
“Start with a bang, end with a bang,” Micah agreed. “Sounds good. Let’s give it a hundred and ten percent.”
“Hells yeah!”
The concert rocked on, filling the arena with piercing notes and thudding bass and the pulse of drums. Zane sang his heart out, spilled his spirit to the crowd and told them a tale. It was harder than hell for him to not single Charlie out, even when he wanted to. But tonight was for the crowd. She’d understand.
During a softer song, he unhooked the mic and drew close to the front row, crooning to a couple of girls. They seemed to swoon with stars in their eyes and Zane grinned wide, touching their hands. He turned and saw Lola watching him, mouthing his name, her golden eyes darkened with want. He reached out and brushed his fingertips against hers and she seemed to melt back into the crowd.
“Thank you!” Zane cried out as the concert slammed to a halt. People were still shrieking when Zane headed off stage, energy bounding through him, as if he was a livewire. Parker danced, fist-bumping Micah and then gave Benji a noogie. Zane shouldered up against Benji and that earned him a smile that reassured him that their friendship was still strong, despite the whole Charlie thing.
But when Charlie herself strode towards them, he couldn’t help the tremor that rode him hard, stiffening his body like iron. The boys quieted, looking straight at her, assessing her. He wanted so badly for them to just accept it. Accept that she was part of their lives now, even if it was only for another few weeks. When they relaxed and Micah pulled her to him with a laugh, Zane felt himself relax.
“Let’s run.”
“Seriously? Now?” Charlie looked up at him amidst the hoots and hollers of the guys.
“Yeah. Why not? It’s dark, Conner will take care of everything.” He reached out, snagged her hand in his and drew her closer. “Please?”
“Yes,” she said with a smile. “I’ll let him know where we’ll be.”
After that, they piled in the car, Micah, Parker, and Benji all smashed together in the back seat, and Zane drove out to the woods. Fresh pine blew in through the open window and new scents bloomed around them when they parked. As the guys jumped out, they seemed to shrug off their human skins, then fled into the forest on four paws, a blur of grays and browns.
Charlie threw a grin over her shoulder and shifted, as dark as a shadow compared to Zane’s angelic white. The five of them bolted through the woods at a dead run, yips and yowls rising through the night air, cracking the silence. They spread through the forest on easy paws, chasing anything they could find.
Zane broke away first, pulling to the left with Charlie at his heels. Together, they formed an intricate dance, nimble and quick, nips and dodges. Charlie dropped down in a bow, her rump swaying in the air and the scent that she released had Zane throbbing, aching with need. For her, right here, right now.
He paused, glancing up to find that the boys had made themselves scarce. He knew they’d left for one reason and silently thanking them, he spun on Charlie when she nipped at his flank. He flipped her and pinned her easily to the ground. She licked at his face, ears flagged back, tail wagging. His mouth closed over her throat, biting down until she fell still. Then he covered her muzzle with his, golden eyes locking into ice blue.
Shift.
The word that he reached out and touched her mind with were a low rumble of want.
She shuddered, withdrawing to human form, lying beneath his huge wolf frame. He stood over her, her hands sliding up his muzzle to bury fingers in his ruff. He nuzzled her face, then grabbed her shirt firmly between his teeth and gave a jerk. It ripped clean down the middle and with a jolt, he changed back as well, kneeling between her legs.
She smelled of wild, of woods, of sex. Hungrily, he took her mouth. He trailed kisses and bites down her throat, across her pulse. He slid down her body slowly, cupping her breasts in his hands, drawing the darkened nipples into his mouth and suckling like a pup might. He slid lower, stripping her slacks off with the movement, and she spread her legs wider. Her thighs quivered as he showed her how much he loved her, how much he needed her, with only his lips and tongue.
She moaned his name and he nearly came there. His erection pressed against his too-tight jeans and he leaned back as she kissed him. She deftly flicked the zipper open. Her fingers brushed his cock, gentle but firmly stroking across his flesh and a shudder worked its way through him. Her smile was wicked as she leaned down and took him in her mouth, her tongue swirling, dancing, playing. His gut coiled low and hot and when he could take it no longer, he pressed her to the ground and slammed into her with one solid thrust.
Her gasp was like music, a melody in his head. They moved together slowly, pine needles clinging to her hair as it haloed around her head. Her gasps, her moans were ragged in the night air, so damn sexy it hurt. Zane claimed her mouth in a fierce kiss as her legs wrapped around his waist, taking him in until his thrusts became shorter, faster, harder—and then release.
He kissed her gently as they caught their breath, damp with sweat that cooled in the night air. Then he slid free and retook his wolf form, dropping into a playful bow. He tipped his head to the side, watching her. The howl that sounded in the distance was one of victory and he bounded forward.
She grinned and started to gather up her clothes, but he stopped her with a growl.
Leave them. I’ll buy you more.
She nodded and arched her back as the change overtook her, and then they were dancing away.
They found the boys together. Micah was gnawing on the carcass of a rabbit, teeth gnashing against bone. Parker and Benji had a scrap of fur, tugging it between the two of them. They stopped and looked up as Zane strode into the clearing, smelling of Charlie, and when Parker met Zane’s gaze, testing, Zane growled low.
It was enough to break the tension. Benji sprinted over and nipped at Charlie’s shoulder, starting a game of tag that would last well into the night. Even Micah abandoned his kill for a little fun and the whole time, the only thought strolling through Zane’s head was:
I could get used to this.
Chapter Twelve
Giving an irritated grunt, Charlie slapped the box of purple hair dye on the bathroom counter and continued to stare at it with distrust. What was she doing? Lola had bitched about Charlie’s lack of Velocity Violet, so she’d run out like a moron and bought a bottle. It had been hell finding someplace she wasn’t going to be recognized, on top of buying the correct shade of purple. All because some bitch had made her feel territorial.
Screw it.
Taking the dye and tucking it onto the bottom shelf of the bathroom cabinet, she closed the door guiltily at the sound of a knock.
“Yeah?”
“Courtesy knock, baby.”
She turned her back to the door and quickly stripped down. She’d been in the bathroom for awhile now and felt it would be a little bizarre to just be standing around, fully dressed, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Even if that’s what she was doing.
The door swung open and, larger than life as always, Zane strolled in. She watched him, the way his eyes touched hers, then roved lower and popped back up again. His smile seemed to fade as he looked at her.