Hungry Like a Wolf (29 page)
Adrenaline rushed through him.
Invigorated, he began to struggle in earnest. Something was happening, something significant, and this human woman appeared to be the cause. He wanted to know why. His slumber should have lasted until and unless the threat he had been created to counter had stirred. Kees felt no indications that any such thing had happened, so why did he appear to be waking now? Why here? And why did this human seem to hold the key to finding the answers?
His human grew more intriguing by the minute.
And he grew closer to breaking free.
His human stirred, shifted as if to rise, and the magic coursed through him like an electric current, lighting every nerve ending with fierce energy. She was the source, and he couldn’t let her leave until he discovered how.
One moment he crouched poised on his pedestal, frozen in the same position he had occupied for more than a thousand years, and the next, he and the human stood in unison, stretching to their full heights, his even fuller due to the three feet of slate beneath his talons. She rose in a nearly silent shift of cloth, but after so long in his fixed pose, Kees heard the crack of stone as he lifted himself to his feet.
His human heard it, too.
He saw the exact instant the sound and movement registered. She froze in place, her back to him, her every muscle tensing with the rush of primal awareness that signaled danger was near. He intended her no harm, but her instincts wouldn’t know that. To them, something huge and fanged and supernatural had just stepped into their orbit. Even before she turned and saw him, Kees knew that the most basic, animal portion of her brain would be screaming at her to run. Fight or flight, and even the electrical and chemical impulses in her brain possessed enough intelligence to know that against him, to fight would be futile.
Her only chance for survival, her instincts would tell her, was to run. Now.
She hesitated just a fraction too long.
With a shift and a flex of muscles long unused, Kees gave his wings half a beat and launched himself into the air above her head, landing easily a few feet in front of her. For the first time he saw her face with no veil between them. Her features were soft and even, her lips bow-shaped, her eyes wide and gray with no hint of blue or green to muddle their purity. And in that moment, they stared at him in pure, frozen terror.
Lifting a hand, he stepped forward. “I won’t hurt you.”
Also by Christine Warren
Drive Me Wild
On the Prowl
Not Your Ordinary Faerie Tale
Black Magic Woman
Prince Charming Doesn’t Live Here
Born to Be Wild
Big Bad Wolf
You’re So Vein
One Bite with a Stranger
Walk on the Wild Side
Howl at the Moon
The Demon You Know
She’s No Faerie Princess
Wolf at the Door
Anthologies
The Huntress
No Rest for the Witches
Praise for
New York Times
bestselling author
CHRISTINE WARREN
DRIVE ME WILD
“Warren is back with another sexy, sassy romp, focusing this time on the oh-so-sensuous Rafael De Santos. As always, there is a great deal of humor, sizzling sex, and off-the-wall adventure in Warren’s Others series, which makes for a truly lively, amusing read.”
—
Romantic Times
“Christine Warren sets the pages ablaze once again with
Drive Me Wild
!”
—
Joyfully Reviewed
ON THE PROWL
“Christine Warren brings her blend of humor, romance, and thrilling mystery to
On the
Prowl
.”
—
Fresh Fiction
“Christine Warren has created an incredible, alluring world and then populated it with the most amazing heroes and heroines. Never a disappointment, Christine Warren continues to dazzle our senses with her books of the Others.”
—
Single Titles
NOT YOUR ORDINARY FAERIE TALE
“Warren has made a name for herself in the world of paranormal romance. She expertly mixes were-wolves, vampires, and faeries to create another winning novel in The Others series.
Not Your Ordinary Faerie Tale
showcases Warren’s talents for creating consistent characters with strong voices and placing them in a fantastical world.”
—
Romantic Times
“
Not Your Ordinary Faerie Tale
is a delightful read from the first word to the last. Christine Warren has created two amazing characters, given them an incredible plot, and laced the story with witty conversations, lots of snark, and a hefty portion of danger.”
—
Single Titles
“Christine Warren merges lust, laughter, and intrigue magnificently in her latest installment of The Others.
Not Your Ordinary Faerie Tale
is a fun and fast faerie adventure.”
—
Joyfully Reviewed
BLACK MAGIC WOMAN
“Excitement, passion, mystery, characters who thoroughly captivate, and a satisfying romance make [it] a must-read.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“Will capture your senses and ensnare your imagination. Another great novel from Christine Warren.”
—Single Titles
“Sexy, action-packed romance!”
—
Joyfully Reviewed
PRINCE CHARMING DOESN’T LIVE HERE
“Christine Warren’s The Others novels are known for their humorous twists and turns of otherworldly creatures. Like her other Others novels,
Prince Charming Doesn’t Live Here
is an excellently delicious story with great characterization.”
—
Fresh Fiction
BORN TO BE WILD
“Warren packs in lots of action and sexy sizzle.”
—
Romantic Times BOOKreviews
“Incredible.”
—
All About Romance
“Warren takes readers for a wild ride.”
—
Night Owl Romance
“Another good addition to The Others series.”
—
Romance Junkies
“[A] sexy, engaging world … will leave you begging for more!”
—
New York Times
bestselling author Cheyenne McCray
BIG BAD WOLF
“In this world … there’s no shortage of sexy sizzle.”
—
Romantic Times BOOKreviews
“Another hot and spicy novel from a master of paranormal romance.”
—
Night Owl Romance
“Ms. Warren gives readers action and danger around each turn, sizzling romance, and humor to lighten each scene.
Big Bad Wolf
is a must-read.”
—
Darque Reviews
YOU’RE SO VEIN
“Filled with supernatural danger, excitement, and sarcastic humor.”
—
Darque Reviews
“Five stars. This is an exciting, sexy book.”
—
Affaire de Coeur
“The sparks do fly!”
—
Romantic Times BOOKreviews
ONE BITE WITH A STRANGER
“Christine Warren has masterfully pulled together vampires, shape shifters, demons, and many ‘Others’ to create a tantalizing world of dark fantasies come to life. Way to go, Warren!”
—
Night Owl Romance
WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
“A seductive tale with strong chemistry, roiling emotions, steamy romance, and supernatural action. The fast-moving plot in
Walk on the Wild Side
will keep the readers’ attention riveted through every page, and have them eagerly watching for the next installment.”
—
Darque Reviews
HOWL AT THE MOON
“
Howl at the Moon
will tug at a wide range of emotions from beginning to end … Engaging banter, a strong emotional connection, and steamy love scenes. This talented author delivers real emotion which results in delightful interactions … and the realistic dialogue is stimulating. Christine Warren knows how to write a winner!”
—
Romance Junkies
About the Author
Born and raised in coastal New England,
Christine Warren
now lives as a transplant in the Pacific Northwest (she completely bypassed those states in the middle due to her landlocking phobia). When not writing (as if that ever happens), she enjoys horseback riding, playing with her pets, identifying dogs from photos of their underbellies, and most of all reading things someone else had to agonize over. She enjoys hearing from readers and can be reached via email sent to [email protected].
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
HUNGRY LIKE A WOLF
Copyright © 2013 by Christine Warren.
Excerpt from
Heart of Stone
copyright © 2013 by Christine Warren.
All rights reserved.
For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
eISBN: 9781466836358
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / July 2013
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.