Hour of the Lion (The Wild Hunt Legacy #1) (13 page)

Vic spotted a group across the street with one woman and four men, all giving the woman the devoted attention of starving dogs circling a bone.

Was this a test of a new pheromone perfume? Spray it on and every man in the area will be at your feet? ―I want some too,‖ she muttered.

* * *

Vic never had figured out what was going on. After consoling herself with her new book, Vic ventured out as usual after sunset. Hands in her jacket pockets, she sauntered here and there, scuffling through the leaves on the sidewalks. The surfeit of people had disappeared from Main Street. She kept walking…and wasn‘t it odd she ended up at The Wild Hunt?

Even odder, the sign in the window said, ―CLOSED", but cars filled the parking lot. It looked like a party, and Calum hadn‘t invited her. She sniffed indignantly, trying to ignore the I‘ve-been-left-out ache under her ribs.

She paused. Should she walk on? Did she really want to discover the answers, considering she‘d begun to think they might be unpalatable? Nonetheless, it was her duty. Move out, sergeant.

As she crossed the lot, she noticed they‘d lowered the window blinds. Usually Calum only put them down to block the glaring afternoon sun. Well, hell, snooping might be tougher than she‘d figured. She tilted her head, trying to hear what was going on. Generalized babble, laughter, an occasion shout—nothing ominous.

The scuff of a footstep spun her around.

―Well, now, here‘s a pretty female.‖ A tall, bulky man in his thirties circled a car, his eyes

intent upon her. Another guy with flaming red hair and freckles walked behind him.

Caught like a first-year spy. Embarrassment heated her cheeks and deepened her voice.

―Um. Good evening.‖

―And to you, miss,‖ the redhead said. ―Are you unaccompanied?‖

―I—‖

―Not for long,‖ the tall man said. ―My name is Duke, that‘s Tim, and let‘s just say that

you‘re with us.‖ He grabbed her hand and pulled her to his side.

She could have flattened him, but here she‘d found the perfect way to get inside.

As they entered the tavern, Tim leaned in to brush her hair away from her face and audibly

sniffed.

Now that was just rude. She wasn‘t wearing perfume. Did she stink or something? She

scowled at him. He took a step back. ―A bit slow getting started, huh?

―There‘s no hurrying a female,‖ Duke said, keeping his arm around her.

A few paces into the boisterous room, Vic gawked like a new fish on the first day in combat.

As she studied the milling people, she realized there were a lot more men than women. The

women were sitting on the bar, on the tables, even on Calum‘s prized pool tables and men

crowded around them, talking loudly over the lively country music.

The hallway door that led upstairs was propped open, and a couple emerged with the

satisfied, flushed look of recent sex.

At a nearby table, the snooty-looking blonde who‘d run her hand across Calum‘s chest had

two men next to her; one stroked her shoulder, the other kissed her fingers.

With an effort, Vic closed her mouth, tried to look blasé, but Jesus fuck, was this some kind

of orgy? Calum was into this? She hadn‘t thought he‘d be so… Dammit, she liked him. This is

way confusing.

The redheaded guy from the parking lot smiled at Vic. ―So miss…‖ He leaned in and ran his

hand over her butt.

Not a chance. She slapped his arm away and gave him a look that should have fried him in

his shoes.

He shrugged. ―Oh, well. Come on, Duke, let‘s find one that‘s interested.‖

They walked away, leaving her standing alone by the door. A second later, she realized that

a lot of men were looking at her. Assessingly. Oh, fuck. Time to leave.

Too unnerved to take her eyes from the room, she groped behind her for the door handle. A

big hand closed on her fingers.

―A little out of your element, Ms. Waverly?‖ Alec slid a hard arm around her waist.

―Yeah. Very.‖ Thank you, Jesus. ―I was walking and got dragged in here by a couple of

guys. What‘s going on?‖ She tried an innocent look, but as Alec pulled her closer, she gave it up.

God, he felt good. Watching all the sexual displays was like…contagious…and now she was

horny as hell. When Alec ran his hand up and down her back, every nerve fired, and each stroke

made her skin more sensitive.

Unable to resist, she turned into him. His other arm went around her, and he curled his

fingers under her butt, squeezing and pulling her up against his thick cock, lifting her slightly so

her pelvis slid down against the hardness.

―Alec.‖ Her voice came out husky.

His face was flushed, and his eyelids heavy. ―You really, really shouldn‘t be here,‖ he said

and took her mouth as if he‘d been doing it for years.

Everything inside her burst into flame as his tongue swept in, dueled with hers. He leaned in,

pinning her against the wall. As his broad chest crushed her breasts, she gripped his shoulders,

reveling in the rock-hard muscles under her fingers.

―To hell with common sense,‖ he muttered. He slung her over his shoulder like some

demented cave man.

―What the fuck?‖ She thumped him with her fist.

He made a chortling sound. One big hand squeezed the back of her lower thigh to hold her

in place. His other hand slid high between her legs. She could feel the heat of his fingers so close

to her sex, igniting a burn. His finger stroked over the crotch of her jeans, and she wiggled

uncontrollably. He laughed.

As he climbed the stairs, people brushed past them. She heard husky laughs. When a man

ran his hand down her leg, she felt rumbles under her stomach as Alec growled like an animal.

An animal? She stiffened. Wait.

He walked down the hall into a small room, bent, and dropped her. She fell onto softness.

Pushing up, she realized that silky green cushions covered the floor. A fireplace sent out heat and

enough light to see Alec‘s expression.

Alec looked down at Vicki as she pushed to a sitting position. He hesitated. Sex with a

human. Sex with a human during a Gathering. This was a bad idea. It shouldn‘t even be

happening, dammit. Daonain weren‘t attracted to humans.

But as his head explained everything to him quite clearly, the scent of her arousal wrapped

around him, heating his blood, and urging him to possess her, take her. Now.

He‘d already had two females, but it didn‘t make any difference. Not with his Vixen sitting

like a prize, right here in front of him. His cock hardened until it pulsed with every heartbeat.

Logic lost out to the animal inside him.

He dropped to one knee to take her mouth again, and her soft, full lips opened for him, her

tongue twining with his. He took her breath in, gave her his, then pulled back long enough to kiss

down her neck to the curve of her shoulder. By Herne, the little sounds she gave, deep in her

throat, were going to kill him. Wanting—needing— more, he undid the top buttons of her jacket.

Her hands closed on his arms as if she wasn‘t sure whether to pull him closer or push him

away. Holding her gaze with his, he unhurriedly opened her jacket far enough so his fingers

could trace the edge of her bra through her shirt.

Her breath hissed in, her eyes going unfocused. Her scent intensified, fragrant, compelling.

Overwhelming. Hell with it. After shoving to his feet, he ripped his shirt off. A hail of buttons thudded against the wall. She inhaled sharply, but her golden gaze never wavered from his body.

He flung his shoes and pants to one side and knelt beside her on the cushions.

She willingly moved into his arms, all female and fragrant. Her long hair spilled over his

skin in a silken kiss. Oh, yes.

―Alec,‖ she whispered, ―this isn‘t wise.‖

―I know,‖ he murmured, burying his face in the crook of her neck where her scent was

strong and wild. He bit the muscle there, lightly, laved it with his tongue, bit again. ―But right

now, this minute, you‘re mine.‖

Vic ran her hands over his bare chest, ruffling the crisp golden hair covering his hard

pectorals. This was crazy, but oh, God, he felt so good.

―You‘re overdressed, Vixen,‖ he whispered and flicked open the remaining buttons on her

jacket. ―Wouldn‘t want you to overheat.‖ He slid her coat off and fondled her breasts through her

T-shirt, teasing her hardening nipples with his fingertips. The stroke and squeeze of his big hand

sent heat straight to her groin, and she couldn‘t find a no in her when he pulled her shirt and bra off, then her shoes and jeans.

His eyebrows rose at the knife she wore strapped on one calf. Then, he efficiently stripped it

off along with the rest of her clothes.

She was naked before she knew it. Giving a short laugh, she murmured, ―I do love

competent people.‖ But that made her think of other things. ―I‘m on birth control and tested

recently. You?‖

He frowned for a second as if not understanding, then shook his head. ―No diseases.‖

Feeling too exposed under his intent gaze, she pulled him down to cover her like a massive

muscular quilt. He moved slightly, and his cock settled between her thighs, the head teasing her

folds. Oh yes.

He nibbled on her lips and then took her mouth, his lips firm, his tongue wicked.

She kissed him back, threading her hands through his thick hair, holding his head while she

sampled him. She traced a finger over the tiny ridged scar on his cheekbone before biting his

jaw. His skin tasted of salt and man and a shiver ran up her spine.

He hummed when she kissed his corded neck. His back muscles tightened into granite when

she licked the hollow above his collarbone. God, she wanted to just rub herself against him.

Instead, she ran a hand down his flank and grasped his cock.

He slowly pulled away and sat back on his haunches.

Startled, she pushed up on one elbow. ―What? You‘re stopping?‖

A dimple appeared with his slow smile. ―My momma taught me to savor my desserts.‖ His

eyes were like molten heat stroking across her body; his hands followed. His fingertips ran over

her collarbone, her shoulder. He paused, and in the dim light, she saw his eyes narrow as he

traced the shiny scars from Lachlan‘s bite. His gaze on her body, he unerringly found each

remnant of past battles: right bicep and forearm, knife scars; left thigh, shrapnel; left hip, bullet.

How well did he see in the dark anyway? Her muscles tightened. Would he ask—?

―You‘ve had a rough life, sweetheart,‖ he said before nuzzling each scar gently. She relaxed,

worry replaced by something…softer, an unfamiliar feeling as tender as his lips.

Then, with a sinful smile, he started to explore anew. Her stomach muscles quivered at his

light touch. He traced a line up between her breasts, circling each mound with teasing

fingers...circling until her skin felt needy. Hungry. Her nipples bunched, aching for more. When

his lips finally closed on one peak, electricity arced straight to her pussy, and she gasped for air, arching off the cushions.

His mouth on her breast was hot, his tongue hard and ravenous, teasing unmercifully. His

hand possessed her other breast, and the deluge of sensations sent her senses whirling. Her

fingers clenched in his hair—probably painfully—to pull him closer, and she couldn‘t seem to

release her hold. His scent wrapped around her, a sunlit forest, pine trees. Male. Very male.

Her hips rose, rubbing her pelvis against him as she ached with emptiness. ―Alec—please—

‖ Her legs parted, inviting him in.

―Ah, I might have known you‘d get all urgent on me.‖ One big hand stroked down her inner

thigh, pushing between her legs. Yes. Now. Her insides quaked in anticipation of a hard, fast hammering.

To her surprise, he moved back and kissed his way down her body. A bite for her stomach

that made her squeak. His tongue circled her belly button. His breath puffed hot against her

pelvis. There he settled. He grasped her thighs, pushing her legs apart, and opening her fully to

his gaze. ―Oh, yes,‖ he murmured. Bending his head, he nibbled on the tender skin of her inner

thigh.

The muscles in her legs tightened uncontrollably, and her hands curled into fists in his hair.

No. She‘d done this before, and she didn‘t want this. Fast hard sex, that‘s all she wanted, sex where she could control how much she felt. Not this way, lying before him so exposed...so

intimate. ―No, Alec.‖ She tugged on him. ―I want you inside me. Now, dammit.‖

―Not just yet, baby,‖ he murmured.

When she tried to close her legs, his broad shoulders kept her thighs spread. His head lifted,

and he studied her as if he saw more, much more, than she wanted him to see. As if he could see

her fear as well as her arousal.

His steady gaze released her, and he kissed between her hip and pussy. ―Don‘t worry so

much, Vixen. This is making love, not war.‖ His fingers pressed her folds completely open, and

she felt cool air touch her, the slight rasp of his stubbled cheek, and then his tongue slid lightly, tenderly over her sensitive skin. She moaned, her vision blurring, and her legs falling open.

When he nibbled and tongued her inner folds, she tensed even as her hips pressed upward

for more. ―Alec—‖

He gave a growling laugh and nipped her thigh. A wave of heat hit her and her head dropped

back. God, it was too much, felt too good. She was losing control; her mind drowning in the

surging of her body. In the determined gentleness of his touch.

The heat of his tongue circling her clit made her moan. She felt swollen down there, too