Batch (Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance) (Desired by a Dragon Book 2) (6 page)

My jaw stiffened. “Not nearly as well as he should have been.”

“Tell me what you know,” Silas insisted.

I moved to sit on the armrest near Scarlet’s head. Once I’d situated myself, I folded my arms over my chest. “She called me and said she needed help. I heard her mutter something about Dylan and her heart, so I came.”

“How did you know where she was?” Violet asked. “I mean, you’re new to town, so how did you know where Dylan’s apartment was?”

“I was with Becky, a girl she works with, when Scarlet called. She told me where Dylan lived.”

“Oh, that makes sense. I wasn’t sure if it was some kind of magical bond the two of you shared because of well, you know.” Violet swiped a few strands of hair away from her face. “I don’t know how all this dragon business works yet.”

“Because of what? Is there something I’m missing?” Silas was quick to ask.

“Oh, crap! I forgot he doesn’t know.” Violet gasped. “Silas, I really think this is something we should talk about later.”

Silas stood and stepped toward me until inches separated us. “Do you have something going on with my little sister?”

I lifted my gaze to meet his and said the words I’d wanted to for so long straight to his face. “Yeah, I do. I think I love her, man.”

A smile shifted across his face, surprising me. My body tensed because I wasn’t sure if he was about to sucker punch me or crack apart like a madman. When he reached out and patted me on the back, I wasn’t sure what to think.

“About damn time you came around,” he said, grinning.

A flush of adrenaline tingled through me and I was forced to exhale a shaky breath. “What did you say?”

I knew there was no way he’d said what I thought he had. Silas had told me years ago to never screw with his little sister’s heart. In fact, I remembered him saying it more than once.

“I said, it was about damn time you admitted your feelings for my sister. The two of you need to stop screwing around and just be together. What’s holding you back?”

“You knew about them?” Violet asked before I could say anything.

“Of course I did. Batch and Scarlet have had a thing since we were kids.”

“How did you know? I always thought I did a pretty good job of hiding it,” I said.

“No. You sucked at hiding it. And my dad was the one who pointed it out to me.” Silas grew quiet as the memory of his late father surfaced in his mind. He’d died a few years back in a battle against a hunter. It was another reason why we were so close—because hunters had stolen our parents from us. “He knew after a few weeks of you being with the tribe that you and Scarlet had a strong connection. He pointed it out to me when we were around ten or eleven years old, and since then I’ve been waiting for you two to admit it.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. All this time I thought he’d disown me if I admitted to having feelings for his sister. “Then why did you tell me to never screw around with her? You made it sound as though you hated the thought of her dating one of your friends.”

Silas laughed. “I did, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, you did.” I narrowed my eyes at him, not understanding what was so damn funny.

“I was giving you hell.” He slapped me on the back. “Now, back to Dylan.”

Anger rushed through me at the mention of his name, and I cleared my throat. “Dylan was subdued for a while. Scarlet managed to gouge him in the stomach before passing out.”

“Good. I knew she would never go down without a fight.” Silas’s eyes drifted to his little sister and pride swirled through their bronze color. “Have you come up with any suggestion as to how we can remedy the situation? Dylan is human, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, he is, but I think I have a solution.”

I told him everything Becky said about Dylan and how she thought he knew what Willow Vale really was about. I even mentioned how she’d been willing to help in whatever way she could before I told him my proposal.

“Let me get this straight.” Silas situated himself in the recliner. “You want Becky to go to Dylan’s apartment, call the cops, tell them he attacked her and she was forced to defend herself with a kitchen knife?”

“Yeah, I think it might work. If he’s been in on the whole shifter thing for a while people have probably thought he seemed a little off, which means they’ll probably believe he went batshit crazy and attacked someone.”

“I agree with Batch,” Violet insisted. “I think the whole Becky thing could work. As long as she’s willing.”

“You have her number?” Silas asked me. I nodded. It was still on my cell. “Then call her and see if she’s game.”

M
y eyes fluttered open
. At first, I wasn’t sure where I was, but then the familiar furniture put my mind at ease. I smoothed my hands along my face as I forced myself into a sitting position, wondering why I was in my living room on the couch. The sight of my blood-soaked dress had the events of the night rushing back to me. My hands pressed against my heart, feeling for the dagger I knew had been there.

“Hey, you’re awake.” Batch’s warm voice sedated my nerves. “How are you feeling?”

My eyes shifted to him. He was sitting in the recliner closest to me. His feet were propped up and he looked as though he’d just woken.

“Sore and tender.” I gently rubbed where I’d been stabbed with the palm of my hand. “Where’s Silas?”

“He and Violet went to go help Becky set Dylan up.”

“What do you mean?” I moved until I was sitting up all the way and my feet were touching the floor. The movement brought my attention straight to the dried blood crusting my dress to the skin of my chest. It felt disgusting.

“You know how things work—we can’t kill a human, no matter how much we want to.” Batch shifted to the edge of his seat. He clasped his hands in front of him and rested his elbows on his knees. I got the impression he wanted to reach out and touch me but wasn’t sure I would allow it.

“Yeah, I know.” I remembered how things worked. “So what is Silas planning?”

“Becky agreed to help. You know she’s a panther shifter, right?”

“Yeah, I know.” I nodded. “How is she going to help?”

“She’s going to pretend Dylan attacked her instead of you and that she cut him with a kitchen knife in self-defense.”

“But wouldn’t it seem more believable if it was me? I mean, I’m the one who’s been dating him.”

Batch stood and walked toward the kitchen. “Not necessarily. He could have been dating you both.”

“Was he?” My nostrils flared at the thought. I’d never been two-timed before, and the thought didn’t sit well with me.

“No. Doesn’t mean we can’t make people believe he was, though.” He came back into the living room with a tall glass of water and held it out to me. “I’m sure you’re thirsty.”

“Thanks.” I took the glass from him.

“So what happened?” He moved to sit on the couch beside me, brushing his knee against mine in the process. The contact had every cell in my body jolting to life.

It took me a minute to piece together memories from my night so I could create a clear story of what happened between Dylan and me. After another sip of water, I shifted so I was facing Batch on the couch before I began.

“I don’t know how I missed it, but Dylan was actually nuts.” I pushed a few stray hairs away from my face. “He knew what I am, and he knows about this town. He said he’s been disposing of shifters for a while and that I would have been lucky number thirteen.” My words came out surprisingly calm, but I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking.

Batch reached over and took my glass. He set it on the coffee table before pulling me against his solid chest. His strong arms wrapped around me and his fingers smoothed through my hair. “See, he was crazy. I’m sure people know that about him. The story of him attacking Becky will be believed. He’ll be locked away where he belongs. Where he can never touch you again.” I could feel his muscles stiffen at the sound of his own words. “Because if he ever does, fuck all the rules, I’ll kill him.” His words came out on a low growl that immediately turned me on.

The thought of a man fighting for me was hot, especially this man.

“I have no doubts.”

“I hope so, because I mean it.” He pulled away and cupped my cheek. My breath hitched at the emotions swirling through his eyes. “I thought I lost you, Scarlet. I never want to feel that again for as long as I live.”

I swallowed hard, his agony-filled words catching me off guard.

Batch drew in a breath. “I love you, I always have. I’m done trying to deny it. I’m done trying to make it something it isn’t. And I’m done trying to run away from it. I can’t anymore.”

I hadn’t been expecting to hear those words. Ever. Emotion caught in my throat, making it hard for me to speak. “I love you too.”

Batch pressed his forehead against mine and cupped my face between his strong hands. “I don’t know what I’ve waited longer for, to say those words to you or to hear them come from your lips.”

“That feeling is mutual,” I breathed.

“Good, because I meant it when I said I never want to feel that horrible sense of loss again. I can’t. I know how strong I am, Scarlet, and I’m not fucking strong enough to lose you. I won’t survive it. I know that now.”

My heart stalled out. I wasn’t sure what to say. Hell, I wasn’t sure how to breathe. Thankfully, I didn’t have to say or do anything because in the next instant, Batch kissed me. It was a sweet kiss at first, but then his tongue slipped along my bottom lip. Every part of me grew warm and aroused at the sensation. I opened my mouth, allowing him the access he seemed to crave, and entwined my fingers in his hair.

“Scarlet,” Batch whispered between kisses. “Marry me.”

I pulled away so I could stare him in the eye. “Are you serious?”

“I’m always serious, darlin’.” His thumb skimmed along my bottom lip, but his eyes never wavered from mine. The wry hint of a smile crept across his face. “You know me better than that.”

I blinked. “Yes.”

“Yes, what? Yes, you’ll marry me? Or yes, you know me better than that?” His smile faded as the area between his brows puckered.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

“Thank God,” he breathed as he pulled me into his lap.

His lips pressed against mine in a way that had my nipples hardening and my body yearning for more. I slid my hands over his shoulders and down his back until I was able to get them beneath the soft cotton of his t-shirt. His warm flesh met with my fingertips and wetness pooled between my thighs. Batch lifted off the couch, taking me with him. He started up the stairs, his mouth still working across mine. When we reached the bedroom, he kicked the door closed behind him.

“Should’ve done that last time.” I nipped at his bottom lip. My hand reached out and twisted the lock on the door. “That too.”

A rich, low rumble of a laugh bellowed from his chest. “Live and learn, darlin’, live and learn.”

Batch crossed the room to deposit me on my bed. He hovered above me, staring at me in a tender way. His eyes trailed down me, coming to rest on the stain tarnishing my white dress. Darkness burned in his eyes, and I knew the events of the night were passing through his mind again.

“Let’s get you out of this and cleaned up.” He slipped off me to help me into a sitting position. His touch was delicate and gentle as though I was the most fragile thing he’d ever come across.

I slid out of bed and tugged the nasty dress over my head. After I tossed it on the floor, I crossed the room to my dresser and reached for the pouch of moist towelettes I used to wash my face before bed. They were cold as I rubbed them across my chest, cleaning myself up. The moment between us was ruined, and I was more pissed off about it than I should be.

Batch came up behind me. He unlocked my bra and slipped it off my shoulders. It fell to the floor. I stared at him in the mirror above my dresser, wondering what his next move would be. His hard body pressed against my backside, causing his sheer masculine presence to overwhelm me and steal the breath from my lungs. I could feel his erection pressing against my lower back. He reached out and took the pouch from my hand. I watched him as he gathered a few wipes before setting it back on the dresser where it had been. His eyes locked with mine in the mirror while he moved my hair off my shoulders and began to wipe the remnants of blood across my skin away. I closed my eyes, allowing him to clean me. When he was finished, he cupped my breast and rubbed his thumb over my nipple until it hardened beneath his touch. A moan sounded from deep within my throat.

“You’re so fucking beautiful.” His hand slid down my abdomen, causing goose bumps to erupt all over my body. “Every single inch of you.”

His lips began to make a slow trail down the side of my neck, across my shoulder, and along my back until he reached my hip. My breathing picked up as my heart rate spiked and the wetness between my thighs intensified. When his teeth sank into the fleshy part of my hip for a gentle love bite, a gasp escaped me.

“Did you like that?” he asked with a low growl.

“Yes.” I locked eyes with him through the mirror again.

His thumbs hooked into the side of my panties, and he jerked them down to my ankles in one swift motion. I grabbed the edge of my dresser to brace myself for whatever he was about to do next. Batch’s hand reared back and popped me on the ass. The sound of it had pleasure tingling across my skin.

“And did you like that too?”

I bit my bottom lip and nodded.

“Good, we’ll save that for next time.” He lifted me in his arms and carried me to the bed. “Right now, all I want to do is make love to you.”

Batch gently laid me on the bed, before reaching for the neck of his shirt and peeling it off his body. I watched as his fingertips worked the button on his jeans. Watching this man undress was something I could do every day for the rest of my life. After he shed his boxer briefs, he climbed onto the bed. His body hovered above mine as he situated himself between my thighs. His erection was rock hard as it pressed against my slick folds. He moved his hips, creating friction there that threatened to drive me insane. Once he’d teased me to the edge of a climax, he pulled back. His mouth descended on my right nipple as his index finger and thumb rolled my left until it was puckered at attention.

“Oh, Batch,” I moaned as I interlaced my fingers within his hair. My back arched off the bed in an effort to bring my hips closer so I could feel the same delicious friction from before. “I need you inside me.”

“Do you now?” His mouth left my breast in favor of trailing his tongue down the length of my abdomen. “You like the way I touch you? Am I driving you insane?”

“Yes,” I breathed.

Batch grinned as he looked down at me. His tongue snaked out to lap against my folds and I thought I would lose myself right then and there. My hands fisted the sheets on either side of me to keep myself from grabbing him and forcing him to thrust into me. As though he could see the erotic torture he was causing, he gripped the head of his cock and placed it at the slick entrance to my center. Inch by inch, he eased his way in. His eyes were dark and hooded with lust, but it was the love for me reflected within them that had me crushing my lips against his in a fiery kiss.

Batch continued to ease in and out of me as our mouths collided with one another’s. A tightness built in my lower stomach as ripples of pleasure rolled through me from his rhythm. I wrapped my legs around his waist in an effort to pull him closer, to make him go deeper. I wanted to feel every inch of him. No, I
needed
to. His hand slipped down to cup my ass and he thrust into me harder.

“Yes,” I hissed.

The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the air. My legs unraveled from around his waist as a climax blossomed through my body. Batch thrust deep within me and his cock jumped as he came also. His body tensed and shuttered. I lifted up to kiss him deeply.

“Sleep in here with me tonight,” I said as we untangled ourselves from one another. He pulled me into his side while spreading out across my bed. “I want to wake up beside you.”

“You don’t have to ask, I already planned on it.” He kissed my temple as he trailed his fingertips lightly along my forearm.

“Screw Silas,” I said before he could even mention my brother. “I don’t care what he has to say about us. He can’t pick and choose who I’m with. Besides, he should be happy it’s you.” I grinned even though he couldn’t see my face, and molded my body closer to his.

“About that. Apparently, Silas already knew.”

“Knew what?”

Batch nestled his face into the crook of my neck. “About us.”

“How did he know about us?” My body stiffened in his grip.

“It has something to do with your father. He knew we would be together when we were kids, and mentioned something to Silas about it once or twice.”

A wave of heat slipped over me. How was it possible that my dad had known even before I did that Batch and I would be together? And why the hell didn’t my brother say anything?

“Okay, so Silas is fine with us being together?” I asked

Batch kissed my shoulder. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“And how long have you known this?” I pulled away from him so I could make eye contact.

A boyish grin crept across his face, making my heart flutter. Even so, I still managed to keep my eyes narrowed on his. “Since before you woke.”

“Why didn’t you say something to me sooner?”

“One, because it was the last thing on my mind. And two, because not telling you made you feel like you were doing something you shouldn’t a second ago, didn’t it?” He wiggled his eyebrows at me. “Which always makes sex better.”

“You’re such an ass.” I chuckled and slapped at his shoulder playfully.

“Yeah, but I’m one you love. I’m also the ass you said you’d marry.” He climbed on top of me and peppered the side of my neck with kisses.

“I did, didn’t I?”

Batch’s lips pressed against mine, possessing my mouth the way he had my body moments before. “Yes, you did.”

The sound of a cell phone chiming echoed through my room. Batch pecked my lips once more before he lifted off of me to retrieve it. I propped myself up on my elbows to stare at the solid mass of muscles forming his back as he bent and twisted to dig through the pile of clothes on the floor in search of his cell.

“Who is it?” I asked

“Silas.” His thumbs flew across the screen of his cell, replying to whatever my brother had said. “Dylan has been taken care of. Becky called the cops after they were able to stage the scene and they’re on their way.”

I leaned back against my headboard, unsure how I felt about setting Dylan up like that. I knew he’d almost killed me, but still. He was just a human who knew too much about the shifter world and didn’t know how to handle it. It was sad, really.