Taming the Moon (10 page)

Olivia frowned and lifted her head. Come to think of it, she hadn’t heard anything from the kitchen since Declan went in there. She focused her attention, and her frown deepened when she realized that they weren’t in there.

“They went to their room.”

She looked at Sully, who had lifted his head and looked at her through heavy-lidded eyes.

“About two minutes after Dec went into the kitchen,” he added. His hands slid up her back. “So it’s just you and me.” He drew her closer.

An inch away from his mouth she murmured, “I am not making love to you on their recliner.”

His breath wafted over her face, warm and smelling faintly of coffee. “But you will make love with me?”

“Yes.” She could resist him no more than she could resist taking her next breath. With his hands at her hips she jumped out of the recliner.

He kicked down the footrest and stood, taking her hand in his. The trip from the living room of Declan’s house to the small
casita
out back took only a few seconds. Ripping off their clothes took even less time.

Growling his pleasure, Sully nipped at Olivia’s lips. When she reached around and grabbed his buttocks to hold him against her, he moaned. Pulling away from her, he picked her up and tossed her onto the bed.

She landed with a bounce, her soft laughter echoing in the room. She held out her arms in sensual invitation.

He paused, getting his first real look at her nudity. Her pink-tipped breasts billowed above a narrow waist and generous hips. Dark hair flowered between creamy thighs.

Sully came down on top of her and kissed her, his tongue sweeping into her mouth to mate with hers. Her hands came around him, and he felt her fingers flex into his back. She moved her legs restlessly, and he slid between them, his cock stiff against her belly.

Drawing back, he braced himself on one elbow and brushed the hair away from her face. He skimmed his fingers along the curve of her eyebrow, over long, silky lashes, across satiny lips. Then he curled his hand around the back of her neck and smoothed his thumb along her jawline just below her ear.

There was strength there, too, yet fragility. He knew he could snap her neck with ease, and the fact that she trusted him enough to be vulnerable to him made his gut clench.

The fact that he was just as vulnerable to her didn’t escape him.

Olivia’s eyes heated to a slumberous amber, and her lips parted. “Sully.” She brought one hand to the arm braced at her side and the other to his face. She touched his cheek, his nose, the center of his chin, lightly, wonderingly, as if she couldn’t believe he was really there.

Her teeth came down onto her lower lip as she brought her hand, and her gaze, to his shoulders. She traced the lines of his collarbones, pausing at the dip at the base of his throat. Then she trailed over his Adam’s apple to his chin, putting the tip of her finger beneath his lower lip.

“What is it?” he whispered, stroking his thumb along her jaw.

“I just…” She shook her head. Her gaze met his, that look of wonder still in her eyes. “If someone had told me a week ago that you and I would be like this”—she sighed—“I’d have told them they were crazy.”

He smiled and pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth.
“Sometimes being crazy can be a good thing.” When her hands came up and clasped behind his head, fingers sifting through the short strands of his hair, he slanted his mouth over hers. Her lips clung to his, her fingers tightening in his hair as she held him as if she never meant to let him go.

One kiss blended into another. Tongues twined and danced. Breaths mingled. His heart thudded against his ribs; an answering pulse pounded in his cock.

He mouthed his way down her throat, scattering kisses across her chest. He tongued each stiff nipple before making his way down her flat stomach.

He parted her legs wider, stroking his fingers in the moist folds between her thighs. She jerked when he touched her, a sharp cry of pleasure escaping her.

Sully pushed a finger slowly inside her tight, hot sheath. At once her muscles clenched around him, velvet soft yet firm. And God! So wet.

His cock swelled in response.

Her hips pressed forward wantonly. He thrust another finger into her, stretching her, preparing her. More than anything, her pleasure mattered to him, after their first primal, rough mating.

Her cunt pulsed for him, wanting, demanding, and he fed that hunger, pushing deep, retreating, thrusting again so that her hips followed his lead.

“That’s it, love,” he breathed against her stomach. “Just like that. I want you ready for me.”

“I am ready for you.” She panted, her slender hands grasping his hair, trying to pull him up to her. Or push his face farther down. She couldn’t seem to make up her mind.

“No, you’re not. Not yet.” He dipped his head to her folds, tasting her, holding her flavor, her essence, on his tongue. Tart. Spicy. Hot and slick.

Her breath hissed out, his name a whispered plea.

He lifted his head and looked at her. “Open your legs wider, Olivia. I want to feast.”

Her thighs moved farther apart. He pressed his finger into her again. She was tight and hot and wet, and he groaned her name before lowering his head to her once more.

He licked his way up her folds, teasing and sucking at her until she was sobbing, writhing beneath him, thrusting helplessly against his mouth. He built her passion and gentled her, taking her higher each time so that her body shuddered with pleasure over and over.

Sully knelt between her legs and guided his cock to the entrance of her body. She was unbelievably wet, her cream trickling down her thighs. He pushed his hips forward, saw the moist tip of his cock slide past the slick folds of her sex, and felt her, tight and hot, close around him. The sensation shook his control. “Olivia!” Her name burst from between his clenched teeth. He grabbed her firm ass and lifted her as he slid in another inch. “You okay?”

“Fine. I’m fine.” Her eyes were bright, amber flecks sparkling in the blue depths of her irises. “I’d be better if you’d just hurry the hell up.” She reached down and grabbed hold of his ass, squeezing hard. “I don’t need soft and gentle, Sully. I’m not some delicate flower. I can take it. Give it to me hard.”

He laughed, a short, sharp burst of sound from a throat tight with need. With a hard flex of his hips, he buried his cock deeper. It had been a long time since he’d felt such ecstasy, perhaps never. Lowering his head, his tongue flicked the taut peaks of her breasts. The action tightened her body around him even more.

“I feel full,” she whispered. “But I want more. I want all of you.” She tightened her grip on his buttocks.

“Me, too.” Sully surged forward. Her sheath was slick, hot, velvet soft, and so tight it was just about to kill him. He buried himself deep, withdrew, thrust hard again. He watched her face for signs of discomfort, but her expression held only a look of passion, her eyes glazed and glowing amber, her breath coming in fast pants.

Satisfied she felt the same pleasure as he, Sully began to move, gliding in and out of her, deeper with each stroke. He tilted her hips so he could thrust even deeper, wanting her to accept every last inch of him.

Accept his soul.

He buried himself to the hilt, shoving so deep he felt her womb, felt the spasms of her climax beginning. His rhythm became faster, harder, his hips surging forward, beyond any pretense of control. Olivia cried out and stiffened, and Sully felt the strength of her inner muscles gripping him in the intensity of her orgasm. He pumped into her frantically, the explosion ripping through him from his balls to the top of his head. Helpless against the raging beast his hunger had awakened, he bent and sank his teeth into the meat of her shoulder.

He shuddered against her when another orgasm rippled through her. Her hips slammed against his, her mewling cries echoing in the small room.

Sully let loose of her shoulder and threw his head back, her name a muffled shout as his cock pulsed, flooding her with hot seed. The small explosions jetted from him again and again until, finally spent, he exhaled and slumped against her, resting his head against her heaving breasts.

Olivia wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. Her hands stroked over the moist skin of his back.
He flicked his tongue against her nipple, a languid back-and-forth motion that sent renewed shock waves through her body. Her pussy rippled and tightened around his still-hard shaft.

And the primal dance began anew.

O
livia rested her cheek against Sully’s shoulder and sifted her fingers idly through the dark hair on his chest. It felt good to be in his arms, feeling the warmth of his skin, the bulk of his solid body against hers.

She’d missed this. Being with a man in the aftermath of sex, listening to his heartbeat, the sound of his breathing. Any sex she’d had since becoming part of Eddy’s pack had always been fast and furious, animalistic in the truest sense of the word, with very little tenderness in the coupling. But with Sully, it was like…before. Before she’d become a werewolf. Before her life had turned into a nightmare.

Too bad it couldn’t last. Once he found out she was the one who’d attacked him, had been the one to turn him into a werewolf, well, he’d hate her. They all would.

She pushed that thought aside. There would be time enough later for regrets. She’d enjoy what she had at this moment. She’d hold on to this, hard, so she’d have something to remember in all the lonely nights ahead.

The time had come for planning. She rubbed her palm over his ribs. “So, you think if your friend Ryder comes to Tucson that will bring Eddy running?”

He squirmed and clamped a hand over hers. “Yes, I do.”

She rose up on one elbow and looked down at him. Pursing her lips, she wiggled her fingers and managed to skitter over his ribs again.

He grimaced and jerked.

She laughed. “You’re ticklish.” How delightful.

“Just a bit.” He quirked his eyebrow. “Don’t be getting any ideas, you hear? Because I’m bigger than you are.”

Olivia grinned. “Yes, you are.” Her smile faded as her thoughts turned once again to her sweet little Zoe. “It will take Ryder a day or two to make arrangements and get here, Sully. I don’t have much time left.”

“How long do you have?”

She shook her head and sighed. “Eddy gave me a week. I’ve already lost three days. I’m afraid that”—she bit her lip—“when I check in with him later, if I tell him I’m still working on it, he’s not gonna be happy.” She blinked back tears. “He wanted Declan dead and that didn’t happen; he wanted you dead, and it didn’t happen. He’s running out of patience.”

“You said he loves your little girl. How can you be so sure he’d hurt her?” Sully reached out and stroked his hand down the side of her face, leaving a sparking trail of warmth in his wake.

God, she wanted to stay in his arms forever, be comforted and encouraged by this man for the rest of her life. However long that might be—and it wouldn’t be long if Eddy had his way, she knew. A six-year-old orphan would be much easier to mold without her pesky mother getting in the way.

“He’s done it before to other children.” At Sully’s shocked expression Olivia went on. “Just after I joined the
pack, one of his lieutenants failed at turning a councilman that Eddy wanted in his back pocket. The councilman ended up dying.” She pressed her lips together.

Remembering her horror at witnessing what followed that failure, she could hardly believe she’d been so naïve, so ill-prepared for the terrible new world she’d found herself in. “He brought the werewolf and his family—he had four children—in before a ‘tribunal’ as Eddy called it. A tribunal where Eddy was the judge, jury, and executioner.”

Olivia paused, swallowing back the bile that rose even now, two years removed from that horrendous scene. “He made Calvin—his lieutenant—choose which of his children would pay for his failure.” She shook her head and stared down into Sully’s compassionate gaze. “How can a parent choose which life to end?” She swiped at her eyes. “Eddy’s a monster. When Calvin said he couldn’t choose—that he
wouldn’t
choose—Eddy killed them all.” She drew in a deep breath and held it a moment, then exhaled in a loud puff. “He killed them all without breaking a sweat, even though he used to treat the youngest just like he does my daughter—like a doting uncle. That’s just how much of a monster he is. And that’s how I know he would kill Zoe in a heartbeat.”

“Goddamn.” Sully put his arms around her and drew her down to his chest, pressing her face against his shoulder. “Sweetheart, the life you’ve had to lead…” His sigh ruffled her hair. “I wish…”

When he didn’t finish, she prompted, “You wish?” She tilted her head to look up into his face.

He bent his head and placed a soft kiss on the end of her nose. “I wish I’d been there for you. That you didn’t have to go it alone.”

Oh, God. It was too much.
He
was too much. And he
wouldn’t want to be anywhere near her once he found out she was the one who’d turned him.

Olivia pasted a smile on her face. “We should get with Declan and make plans, don’t you think?” She pulled away from him and got off the bed. “I’ll just take a quick shower.” She grabbed her clothing and headed toward the bathroom.

Without waiting for a reply, she closed the bathroom door behind her and leaned against it for a moment. Hot tears burned beneath her eyelids, finally escaping to roll down her cheeks.

This thing had gone sideways from day one. She’d dillydallied when she’d first started trailing Sully back in the Isles of Scilly. She’d had more than one opportunity to attack him, to do what needed to be done in order to save her precious baby.

But he’d been so caring of Pelicia—a woman he didn’t even know—out of loyalty to his friend. Add to that the face and body of a god, and it had made it even harder.

Maybe if she’d been a stone-cold killer it wouldn’t have mattered. But she wasn’t, and it had.

She’d been able to attack him, all right. She just hadn’t been able to kill him.

Now…now she’d gotten to know him even more, and she was very much afraid she was falling in love with him. Even knowing that another plan was in the making, or soon would be, she couldn’t shake the thought that the option of killing him was also still on the table.

To try to cover up the sounds of the sobs she could no longer contain, Olivia twisted the faucet to the shower and didn’t wait for the water to warm up. She stepped into the stall and stood underneath the stream, the water making her skin as chilled as her soul.

As the water quickly heated, she wished it could warm her on the inside as well.

Sully stayed on the bed a moment, his keen hearing picking up the sounds of Olivia’s distress. He’d seen the tears that brightened her eyes and could now hear the soft sobs over the sound of the water running in the shower.

He rubbed his forehead. He hated feeling helpless. He wanted to do something—take away her pain and fear.

He guessed that killing the fucker who’d taken her daughter would work.

He rolled off the bed and pulled on his clothes. She was right—they needed to nail down a plan, and the first thing that had to happen was a phone call to Ryder.

But she was also right that it would take Ryder at least a day to make travel arrangements and get there from the Isles of Scilly. So, what to do in the meantime?

He paced in the confines of the small bedroom, his thoughts racing. He and Declan could go to New York, at the very least get a scope of the situation—see just how many bodyguards this Eddy fellow had and suss out a way to get the girl.

And if they were seen? If Eddy—who most likely
was
Ryder’s cousin Miles—was the one behind this, he knew what both Declan and Sully looked like. Sully had met the man once—at the memorial service for Ryder’s parents.

Even though he and Miles had both been eighteen at the time, Miles had seemed much younger. He’d been silent and sullen, even pouting. Not grieving, at least not that Sully had seen. He’d wondered about that reaction then, but in the intervening years—and especially in light of the most recent events—he had to wonder if Miles had instigated the elder Merricks’ murder/suicide.

Given the fact that Ryder’s cousin was so desperate to
make Ryder pay for whatever imagined slight he’d given him, it made more and more sense. At any rate, the fact that they’d met—that each knew what the other looked like—made a trip to New York less and less feasible. Because if they were seen, Eddy would know that Olivia had confessed the plan to kill them.

So…scrap that idea.

They could call the New York police, even though Olivia had said no. While he didn’t have any contacts there, he wouldn’t be surprised if Declan did. If he didn’t, well, the cops in New York could make a call upon Eddy out of courtesy to a fellow officer, even if he was from across the pond.

When they got there and asked questions…

Sully sighed. As violent as Eddy seemed to be, what Olivia had predicted might happen would very likely be the outcome. A couple of New York City’s finest would find themselves becoming furry once a month.

That wasn’t a secret you told. Because who in the ordinary world would believe it?

So, scratch that idea, too.

He paced over to the doorway and stared into the living room. While his eyes looked ahead, he trained his ears toward the bathroom, waiting for any sign that Olivia was done with her shower. He hated that she was in there crying. Alone. Hated that she felt the need to hide her tears, her grief, and fear from him when all he wanted to do was comfort her, care for her.

Did she believe he’d think less of her if she wasn’t strong one hundred percent of the time?

He snorted. That sounded like him. He’d always believed any sign of weakness was unacceptable. That to show a momentary chink in the armor he presented to the
world would somehow decrease him in the eyes of his friends, his subordinates. His boss.

The irony of the situation didn’t elude him. Now that he was as much animal as man he realized he couldn’t always be strong. That sometimes he had to lean on somebody else.

Needing someone—and being needed in return—was one aspect of what made him part of the human family. With the wolf always lurking just below the surface, Sully was finding he needed that connection more than ever.

Which was yet another reason he wanted to save Olivia and her daughter from Eddy. Not just because the little girl was an innocent—although that was enough. But because he cared for Olivia more than he would have thought possible after such a short time. He was old enough to know it was more than mere physical attraction, even if they had that in spades.

The attraction went much deeper. On some level he felt he recognized her. He wasn’t enough of a romantic to say they shared the same soul or any such nonsense as that. But there was something….

Something that compelled him to help her.

He focused his thoughts back on the problem at hand. After casting off another couple of idiotic ideas, he finally lit upon one that he couldn’t shake.

Eddy wanted him dead? Then he’d have to die.

Or, at least, make it look that way.

He and his squad had faked a witness’s death once in order to keep her safe until she could testify. It would be a simple matter of placing an obituary in the local paper, maybe even create a bit of sensation around his “death” by having Declan or Pelicia talk to a reporter about the “dog” attack that killed him.

They’d have to go with a dog, because Eddy would no doubt expect Olivia to kill him while in her wolf form and, as far as he knew, there were no wolves in southern Arizona. Just the smaller, scrawnier coyotes. He couldn’t see a small animal like that being able to take down a man as big as him.

When they got Ryder on the phone, he’d talk to Taite about the idea. As a former investigator with the local County Attorney’s Office, she had to have contacts they could use if needed.

He gave a wince and rubbed the back of his neck. He didn’t imagine she’d be too happy with the idea of them asking her husband to fly thousands of miles just to put himself in harm’s way. For a woman he didn’t even know.

But though Sully didn’t know Taite well, she struck him as a compassionate sort, one who wouldn’t keep her husband from doing what needed to be done in order to save an innocent child.

Not to mention his friends and family.

Sully glanced toward the bathroom door. Olivia had stopped crying, for which he was glad. He usually didn’t have a problem with weeping women. He dealt with them all the time as crime victims. It was part of the job. But there was always a sense of detachment in those cases.

A detachment he sure as hell didn’t have with Olivia.

He scowled. How had this woman gotten under his skin so quickly? He sat on the edge of the bed and waited for her to come out of the bathroom. Was it just because he felt a bit vulnerable, trying to deal with being a werewolf and all? Or was it—could it be—something deeper?

The bathroom door opened, allowing steam to come billowing out of the room.

Sully turned to see Olivia walk out, her dark hair, still
wet from her shower, tucked behind her ears. Her face was scrubbed clean, her skin clear and soft-looking. She looked…young. Even more defenseless than before.

As if she, too, had shed her armor.

“Are you feeling better, love?” Sully took a few steps toward her.

Before she could reply, the phone in the living room rang.

Sully turned and walked into the other room, and picked up the receiver. “Hullo?”

He was aware of Olivia padding quietly into the room. She stood just behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder to give her a reassuring smile.

She didn’t return it.

“Come up to the main house,” Declan said without any preliminary niceties. To the point, that was Dec. “We’ve work to do.”

Without breaking eye contact with Olivia, Sully said, “Aye, aye, Captain.” As he put the receiver down, he clearly heard Declan’s muttered, “That’s Major to you, smartass.”

Sully couldn’t deny that having werewolf hearing was a good thing. He certainly would not have been able to hear that muttered comment before. Imagine the kinds of intel he could pick up from suspects without the aid of electronic listening devices.

His lips tightened. If he kept on like this he’d be as excited about being a werewolf as Declan was. He reminded himself that he had been ready to rip out a suspect’s throat and that was why he was here in the States.

You don’t like being an animal, remember?