My head was buzzing and I was coming awake, coming alive. With one loud belch I backed away from the carcass. There wasn't much left—only head, legs, and fur.The world looked strange as I blinked rapidly. In and out of focus, I could see leaves a mile away. I swayed on my knees.Paul's golden eyes watched me. He gripped my arm more tenderly than he'd touched me thus far. He used the back of his hand to stroke my face. He sniffed deeply then his tongue came out to roughly lick at my still split and injured skin. His tongue felt good against me as he cleaned me. I didn't move while he did this. He took his time, but when his tongue ran across one of my nipples, I jerked away from him. I didn't want the Werewolf turned on. Sex with a monster was too much for me. Ten minutes into his cleaning, I realized that I should be the one licking his wounds because I had anesthetic in my saliva.Tentatively I leaned into him and touched his arm with the tip of my tongue. I don't want the bea
I wanted to make another attempt to contact my human family who hadn't been at the house, but I was faced with the dilemma of what to tell them even if I did make contact. Did I have them come and face another Werewolf attack?I groaned anxiously. Please let this nightmare end. Tears of frustration fell down my cheeks. Please don't let me be faced with the massacre of those I love …~*~When the house was in sight, Paul's Werewolf tensed, growling low in his throat. There was still danger then.I couldn't bring the creature back, but I did drop teeth.Paul leaped up onto the second floor balcony. I jumped, too, but because of my fatigue I barely made it. Paul gripped my forearm and swung me effortlessly up and over the railing.This was Monica's suite. I rushed to the French doors that had been ripped from their hinges.Blood was everywhere. I swooned and weaved on my feet. The Werewolf brushed past me into the room. I braced myself and searched for any signs of life … or ju
I could hear them talking in the other room. "You said you were done with her," the girl said. "You saw with your own eyes the condition she's in, Natalia," Tony said. "She's a Council member. This is Council business.""Well, why did she come here?" Natalia asked. "Natalia, this is not the time, baby. Tige is dead, and so is Julie and everyone else that would have been in her house."Natalia sighed. "Will you keep me in the loop, Tony?""Yes. Now go home.""I still don't trust this." Tony returned to the bathroom alone. "She's gone."I nodded."Have you fed? You look exhausted." He led me back into the bedroom and started searching his drawers for clothes. He found me a jogging suit that billowed around me. "Follow me back to the house." And then I vanished.When I reappeared it was to the sight of Paul in human form. He was naked, filthy, and curled up on the floor naked and breathing heavily in an exhausted sleep. I knelt down beside him and touched the pulse in his
I awoke to Paul stroking my hair. He looked as exhausted as I had felt the night before. His eyes were deep set and hollow, and his skin was ashen. Even his normally wavy hair was lank and hanging in his face.I sat up and looked around. We were in the bedroom of someone's house. The room was small but cozy and comfortable.Although the curtains were drawn I could tell that it was day. "What time is it?""About two PM.," Paul said. "Where are we?""We're in some type of Vampire safe house just outside of Poland. The windows are supposed to be Vampire safe." He looked around. "We got here about half an hour ago. I didn't know if you were going to wake up during the transport to this place. I just wanted to get you in here as quickly as possible and out of that coffin. As soon as I got you out of it, I could see that you were waking up." "How could you tell?" "You just didn't look dead. It's a real small difference, but it's there. Even though you're not breathing, you look
I don't know why I did that. I knew the Werewolf could attack—but maybe that's what I wanted. I don't know.I felt Paul brace himself, but that was all that happened. He moved back enough to look at me. After a moment he offered me his neck again."You trust the Werewolf?" he asked."We have an understanding." I sank my teeth into his neck again and fed from my husband for the first time in over a year.He sighed. "That feels good …" His legs over the edge of the tub and his body in the water against me, Paul got comfortable. "Damn, I've missed this," he whispered. "I've wanted you to put your teeth in me for so long. Don't stop … don't stop …" I held on to Paul and drank long. Meat … blood. I didn't know which was right or which was wrong.I helped him pull off his shirt and threw it on the floor in a wet heap. He squirmed out of his pants and kicked off his shoes and socks. When he was naked, we readjusted positions until he was on bottom and I was straddling him.With glazed
I sat on the front stoop and gave in to my tears. It hurt to cry and it hurt not to. I pictured Monica with her long blond hair up in a hasty ponytail poring over legal documents and fine-tuning even the smallest errors. The memory of Tyler's easy laughter and her intricate tattoos brought sobs ripping from my throat. I missed Julie with her little hands and serious expressions. But my Tige, my Tige who I had burned for, risked my life for, my Tige who had been taken so easily away from me.I covered my mouth and tried to press my tears back inside. I was rocking and dizzy with my grief when I felt someone beside me.I thought it would be Tony.But it was Ran.His eyes were hollow and dark. He pulled me into his arms, and I collapsed into him and didn't try to hold back my sorrow. I cried and wailed and gripped Ran to me while he absorbed everything I had to give him."Julie," I whispered. "Julie …" I must have said her name a hundred times while Ran held on to me.A long time la
Neratomay swarmed around me. Tony lifted me in his arms. "Kim!""I-I feel them," I said."Who?" Tony asked."Tyler and Monica. They're still alive.""Tyler!" I called repeatedly, but there was no answer. I called Monica as well. No answer.I started trembling. I could trace them clearly though they hadn't responded. I knew where they were!Tony was talking to me. "Where are they?" "They're here! Not far!" I stood. "I'm not going to wait for Paul. I'm going now.""Wait!" Twenty Neratomay shouted at once."They're not going to be alone," Tony said. "We need a group to go in with you and another group to sweep through from the outside. You have to wait for Paul's arrival.""Paul! Paul!'"Baby! What's wrong?""Tyler and Monica are alive!" I could feel a world of emotion emanating from him. He must have pulled over the motorcycle because I could no longer sense his movement. I could sense his confusion and relief as well as joy and anger."I'm not far from the village if y
"Jason," I said in a husky voice. "Get Monica to safety."Ran hurried to Monica, lifting her and vanishing. I turned and sensed Jason's whereabouts.When I materialized again, I was alone in a room of two-dozen werewolves, several guarding Jason, who was chained to a wall. "Were you expecting me?" I howled. "Let's do this." Before I could go to battle, the air grew bitterly cold, and the werewolves looked confused. I smelled, of all things, fresh flowers. A woman no taller than five-two appeared between the werewolves and me. She was drop-dead beautiful, her skin the deathly white of an old Vampire. Her hair was a luscious black that ran down in curls to the small of her back. Her green eyes were striking against her face and hair. She wore a gown of sea foam green that glistened with diamonds and hugged her body like a glove. She was obviously an old Neratomay, but she knew how to dress like a modern-day heiress.Ignoring the dangerous werewolves at her back, the woman smil