Blood Enchantment (12 page)

“You're rugged for a prince,” Bowen huffs as he speeds through the woods.

Drek lets the next branch swing back. He hears it whip Bowen, who curses.

“Kidding!” Bowen shouts from behind him.

Drek smirks. Bowen is always poking fun.

Loud voices in conflict reach his ears.

“Wait!” Drek says, wrapping a long arm around a trunk to assist his slowing.

Tahlia's sweet scent fills his nostrils, and Drek inhales deeply, relief flooding him. Nothing compares to a female of royalty, and Tahlia's safety.

He scowls, his nose wrinkling at the second scent: one who is in heat. The odor reaches him easily—all male Were would scent the same.

Bowen reaches him, eyes as wide as his nostrils. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Yes,” Drek says.

“Tahlia has somehow come to the pack, and another female is in her heat cycle? I'm wracking my brains, but I am certain none of our females were cycling.”

Drek nods. Bowen is correct. He shakes his head.
A female in heat?
In the middle of a pack of Were?
Even the Lanarre will be hard-pressed to restrain themselves. Royal lineage does not negate the primal needs of werewolves. The three
F
s are in full play: feeding, fighting, and fucking.

Bowen races ahead.

Drek follows closely—he cannot have Tahlia in the middle of the fray. He's relieved she's safely in Lanarre territory. It was his hope that her scent would lead here.

When he arrives in the heart of his den, his relief is short-lived.

Tahlia is screaming, held down by three Lanarre males.

Meanwhile, a demonic guts whoever comes within striking distance of the female he and Bowen had scented as fertile.

His voice booms over the space, the trees shaking from the resonance of the growling timbre, “Stop!”

Scott

“Scott!” Julia says loudly.

He blinks slowly awake. Julia's perfect face comes into focus.

But it's her bare breasts that really get his attention.

Her hands on his shoulders, she sighs, sitting back on her heels.

Scott sits up, eyes pinned to her nude form.

“Perv,” she says in a sullen voice.

He grins, grabbing her and setting her on his lap. “What happened?”

Julia giggles softly. “I think we blew a fuse or something.”

Scott nods, eyebrows hiked. “Nice.”

Champagne hair sweeps forward over her wrinkled brow. “I don't think passing out every time we have sex is all that great.”

Scott's brows meet. “Oh, yeah. Why not?”

He leans in, rubbing her nose with his then kissing the tip softly. “I'll pass out with you anytime.”

“Perv,” she whispers again, but more softly this time. Her voice is edged with desire and a hint of happiness.

“You betcha, all the way.” Scott covers her breast with his hand, and her sharp intake of air is felt in both ways, through flesh and a warm breath of air through his soul.

Scott shudders. “I don't know how I'm going to get used to that.”

“We will,” Julia says, snuggling deeper into his body.

They hold each other quietly for a few minutes, saying nothing as Scott explores every inch of her skin with his palms. “I can't believe you're mine.”

Julia nods.

Scott feels her sadness through their link and leans back to see her face. A sheen of tears wets Julia's amber eyes. “Hey,” he says as the first one slips out. “No crying. I forbid it.”

She laughs, nodding. “How can I be this happy when all this shit is raining down all around us?”

“Ah,” Scott says, understanding sinking in like unwanted teeth.

Julia disentangles from his embrace and grabs his shirt off the floor, throwing it on over her head. Julia heads to the bathroom, and Scott gives her the space. Water runs, then a toilet flushes.

Scott stands and walks naked to the thermostat on the wall. He looks at the temperature setting.
Too cold.
He turns the dial up to seventy-two.
Balmy
. He frowns. His balls will melt off, but Julia will be toasty.
Sacrifices must be made
. His lips quirk as he leaves the setting warmer.

Julia leaves the bathroom, skin flushed.

He walks by her, trailing his fingers over her neck and down her spine as he moves to the bathroom and uses it himself.

Water runs down the drain as Scott holds his toothbrush loosely, inspecting his face in the mirror. He doesn't know what he was expecting to see. Their soul-meld is complete, but he really doesn't feel much different. He loves Julia. He still wants to protect her. Nothing's changed.

Everything has.

He walks out of the bathroom, catching sight of the pensive way she's standing. “We're not going to discuss what we can't help.” As Scott walks over to Julia, her eyes dip to his hips and a deep-pink color invades her cheeks.

Oh yeah, got my dick hanging in the wind.

Scott grins.

Julia blushes harder.

This is too fun.
Scott's gaze never leaves hers as he laces his fingers, placing his hands on the back of his head. Swiveling his hips, Scott whips his semi-hard-on back and forth. His cock slaps his thighs.

Scott waggles his eyebrows.

Julia busts out laughing, covering her mouth. “
Really
?”

Scott nods. “Oh yeah—
really
!” he races toward her, and she squeals, turning to run.

Scott seizes her around the waist, heaving her on the bed. She bounces once, and he's on her in a flash.

He runs his fingers underneath his T-shirt, searching for all the obvious tender spots to torture, and soon, she's breathless with laughter.

When his palms cover her breasts, Julia's laughter drains from her face, and serious luminous eyes regard him.

Scott grows hard for her again as fierce possessiveness courses through him.

Julia's eyes widen. “That's how you feel about me?”

He nods.

“It's almost too much.” Her eyes hold fear—and wonder. Her hand rises to his face, and light fingertips trail over his day-old stubble.

“Nah,” he says, fingering the strands of hair caught in her mouth from laughing so hard. “It's never too much.”

“You want to own me, every bit—my mind, my body.”

“Your soul,” Scott whispers with a seriousness he didn't know he had in him.

Julia nods, searching his face. “That especially.”

Scott presses his mouth to her lips. Breaking the kiss, he cocks his head, giving her hooded eyes. “Let's start on all that right now then. No better time than the present.”

“I haven't even brushed my teeth!” Julia protests.

His eyes narrow. “It's not your mouth that needs kissing.”

“Oh,” Julia says in a breathy voice.

Scott works his way down to where he just was a handful of hours before.

Time unwinds.

*

“Victor is going to know we were in here humping like bunnies.” Julia covers her face, toothbrush sticking out of her kissable
clean
mouth.

“Victor-smictor.” Scott shrugs, slapping her cute little round ass.

“Hey!” Julia says through her toothpaste, but she's smiling.

He loves to see her smile. Scott feels her every emotion down to his feet. And when they're good, they're great.

She spits and rinses, the foamy toothpaste disappears, and she rolls her lips together, sighing in relief. “I hate a sweater on my teeth.”

Scott laughs. “Great visual, sweetheart.” He gives her a slow wink.

Her lips twitch as she arches a golden eyebrow. “You're so immature. Rhyming Victor's name.”

What can I say?
“Mhmm.”

“Oh my word, what have I gotten myself into?”

Scott turns, grabbing Julia and hiking her up by the ass. Her legs go around his waist. He groans as he gets his third boner in twenty-four hours.
My dick's gonna fall off.
“You're killing me, Julia.”

“Ah, no. I'm the one who's sore, big guy.”

Scott feels his sheepish grin. He squeezes her, whispering against her neck, “I didn't hurt you too much?” His heart rate picks up. The duality of his soul-meld completion is somewhat contrary. He had to hurt his soul-meld to make her his—a small hurt for better protection and so much more. Though he can justify what he did, there's no denying his guilt over the process.

“Hey,” she says softly, sliding down the front of him.

Nothing like a few thoughts of hurting Julia to make him a limp noodle. Scott looks away from her burning gaze.

She swings his jaw back to her. He swims in the liquid fire of her eyes.

Their breathing instantly comes together. “I
wanted
to have sex. I don't think you have any idea how much.”

Scott remains silent.

She touches his cock, and it springs to vivid life again. Julia wraps her fingers around him, and his erection strains toward her. “I wanted this, Scott.” She strangles him for a second, and he stops breathing. “All of you.”

“Okay,” he squeaks. “Got it.”
Now what are we going to do about it?

She looks at him as though she heard his question aloud.
Probably.

“I thought you just mentioned Victor…”

Then her small hands tear down his underwear, springing his dick free.

She sinks before him. Her tongue is wet velvet against the tip of him, and he shudders. “Julia—”

“Shhh.” She licks at him, her tongue trailing the rim of his head, burning a path of fire.

Scott's head tips back as his hand finds her hair, fisting the gorgeous silky strands. He pushes her mouth deeper as she takes more of him.

Julia eases down to his base. She frees her lips and slides to his tip then deep throats him again.

Scott starts to work inside her mouth with his hips. “Julia, I can't—I can't last,” he gasps. He feels her lips part in a smile around his length as his other palm hits the wall behind him.

She comes up for air. “Maybe I don't want you to.”

That does it.
His hips pump.

Her hand joins her mouth, one following the other as she crests at his tip with her hot wetness and slams down to his base, her hand squeezing as she does.

“Ah!” he bellows into the air while hot jets of cum spurt inside her waiting throat.

She swallows him down, and Scott shudders as his release wanes. He slumps against the wall.

Julia undoes him. Flat out.

She places her hands on his ass and releases his dick with a final lick at the tip.

She lays the side of her face against his naked hip. “I love you, Scott,” she whispers, her breath warming where her mouth just was.

What Scott feels for Julia goes way beyond mere love.

He sinks to the floor and kicks off the underwear from his ankles. Gathering Julia to his chest, he kisses the top of her head. “I love you more.”

She tips her head up, and he presses a kiss to her forehead. Julia closes her eyes. He kisses each eyelid.

Her eyes slowly open, and her lips part.

He kisses her mouth. It tastes of him. Scott stands with her in his arms then carries Julia to their bed.

“Again?” she asks coyly.

Scott nods solemnly. “Yes.”

*

“Nobody passed out,” Scott says, turning his head to look at her.

Julia peeks up at him from the crook of his arm. “That's a plus.”

He pushes the hair from her face. “Oh, I don't know. It was kinda novel.”

Julia's laugh is low and satisfied. “Yeah.”

Scott's stomach growls. “All right. I guess that's it then.”

Her eyebrow arches. “It's what?”

“The beast has awoken!”

Julia sits up, tossing her mussed hair behind her shoulder. “I think you
were
a beast,” she says, fluttering her eyelashes.

Is she flirting with me?
He laughs.

Julia's got that look. It's the look that will land her in bed again. Scott's stomach rumbles hard, followed by a gnawing cramp.

“Hell,” Scott says, giving her a considering look.

“We can't just have sex forever, ya know.”

“Says who?” he asks with a chuckle.

Julia blushes.

God, I love her.

Caldwell was a fool.
A rough exhale shoots out of him before he can stop it. The jerk saved her, and Scott will always be grateful for that. But in the darkest part of his mind, the part he doesn't like to admit he owns, he's glad that Jason isn't around to make Julia miserable with all his mood swings.
Fuck, he was a bitch with that emo shit.

“What?” she asks, studying his expression.

“Can't read my mind?”

She shakes her head. “I'm telepathic, but some species—especially Were—and some individuals”—she taps her head—“white noise.” She shrugs. “I can send you a direct phrase if I do it just right, but it wipes me.”

“We don't want that.” Scott gathers her close again.

She gives a soft shake of her head. “No.” Her head falls on his shoulder, and he strokes her back.

Another hunger pang shoots through him.

Scott stands, tugging her by the hand. “Let's grab a quick shower and see what kind of dehydrated bullshit we can rustle up.”

Julia giggles. “It's better than a sharp stick in the eye.”

“Well,
yeah
,” Scott says, carrying Julia to the bathroom.

He turns the water on and slides Julia carefully to her feet with one arm. Hot spray hits the shower wall. Steam rises.

Julia strips the little bit of clothing she had on. Naked, she steps inside. Her eyes grow round when Scott follows her.

*

Julia

Victor turns toward the sound of their footfalls.

Julia tries not to blush.

Fail.
Julia realizes she can't do the things she's done with Scott and
not
have it pinging around in her brain. It's all so new. So amazing.

He stands in all his tall, stately glory, though Julia admits his normally dapper suit is worse for the wear.

“Hi,” she says, hating the breathless tone in her voice. She can't shake the embarrassment and tries to hide it.