Sinful Instincts (Woodland Creek) (10 page)

“I don’t even know who he is! And why do you care? What’s with you? You’re like a bipolar alien. Is that a side effect from being whatever you are?”

“A shifter?”

“No, crazy.” I clarify, my breathing becoming heavier under his heated frame. He doesn’t respond. He
does
bend his head just a smidge closer so his breath is again hitting the smooth contours of my cheekbones.

“I could smell the desire coming from him. He wanted you.”

“Great. Congratulations, you have a nose of champions, but I have never seen him before in my life. And not that it’s
any
of your business, but I am on a hiatus with men, so no thanks.”

At my confession, his frown eases into a mask of curiosity. Staring down at me, a ripple of sensations spasm throughout my body. His intensity is making it hard to breathe, and the way his skin is brushing against mine is almost too much to bear. I know he can sense my nervousness, and that does nothing to ease my discomfort. In fact, he presses his hard self further into me, and that’s when I feel it.

Like,
it
.

Yep, we’re thinking the same ‘it’.

“What... what are you doing?” I babble, unable to speak while his goods stiffen between mine.

“You said you were done with men. I’m just feeding my curiosity on your statement.” He then dips down, and not in a gentle
I think I like you
kiss kind of way; he roughly catches my mouth and ravages it. Sucking my bottom lip into his mouth, I pathetically waste no time and succumb to his assault by wrapping my arms around his neck. I’m melting into his touch and his kiss becomes more aggressive, working my mouth open and his tongue finding its way inside.

God, this is awesome. Like a kid’s first trip to the toy store awesome. The taste of his mouth consuming mine is like breaking from a dry spell, the wetness flooding my senses. I moan audibly as I pull his neck closer, demanding more of what he is so beastly offering.

Beastly.

I am a shape-shifter.

Did you know that within the word shift, take out the
F
and that spells shit?

Shit.

I stop my tongue from molesting his and pull away. “Wait!”
What am I doing?
“Shit, this is
sooo
not a good idea,” I pant, trying to tell him. Or convince myself, who knows. He doesn’t reply. His gaze feels like he is trying to eat at my soul. “What? Stop looking at me like that.” Suddenly, I’m feeling nervous.

“It’s time to stop fighting what is happening between us. You cannot deny me just as I cannot deny you.”

“What?”

“I don’t need to look at you to sense your desires. You want me, Emma. It’s your destiny to.”

Okay, he’s gone too far with me now. “Whoa there, cowboy. I definitely
don’t
want you.”
Hoping he can’t smell lies, too.
“Maybe a slip of judgment, but don’t get ahead of yourself here.” At that, he pushes himself harder into me and my eyes fail me, fluttering closed as a peep of a moan escapes my lips.

Jesus Almighty.

“I smell your lust, Emma. You’re pouring desire for me. And it’s because you are mine. Bred for me and me only.” His words send a wave of excitement straight to my throbbing center.

“Well, great.” My voice is strangled. “What
I
smell is a huge letdown, so can you just get off me?” I fib because right now, I really want to dry-hump anything on his body.

His intensive hold on me tightens. “It’s not I who would let you down, little one. As your divine lover I own you, and I will do anything but ever disappoint.”

Little one? Oh, no, he didn’t!
“Listen, you oversized, arrogant ass! — and what did you just refer to yourself as?” I push at his chest. Yep, nothing. “Get off me! I’m sick of this wacko shit. We’re so done here.” I attempt another escape push, but it’s like trying to move a cement wall. My words also don’t help me, since his facial expression has quickly hardened. Thankfully, he gets the hint and begins to release me.

Just as he lifts his chest off mine, an explosion sounds from the front room, throwing us both off the kitchen table, our bodies flying into the wall. Sin wraps his arms tightly around my waist, turning us in order to take the brunt of the fall. The smell of smoke and bright flames immediately pour from the living room and threaten to consume us.

“Holy fuckin’ shit.” I attempt to get up, but my balance is off and I stumble.

“Stay down!” Sin barks at me as he hurriedly assesses our situation. His movement is quick; I almost can’t keep up with his body flow. I can’t just lie here, so I make another move to sit up. Sin is on me quickly, grabbing my face. “Are you all right?” His eyes are worried. Unable to speak due to my sudden coughing, I nod instead.

“Looks like Zander is going to come to me instead of me chasing him this time,” he announces and grabs me around my waist. “I’m going to run through the living room. I want you to keep your face in my collarbone, okay?”

I quickly nod so he picks me up, and I bury my face into his chest. His body tenses and off he goes. A burst of flames flare up around us, but I don’t feel any heat. Sin’s supernatural speed has us traveling through the blazing living room and down my hallway. Just as I panic because he turns away from the front door, I register his plan.

“Oh, no no no. Sin, what are you doing?” I freak out. He’s heading toward the bedroom, and I know the only way out that way is through the window. From the second floor.

“Wrap your arms as tight as you can around my neck. Whatever you do, DON’T let go!” he barks. Before I have a chance to argue, he is jumping through the window.

Sin

I transform mid-leap, while Emma wraps her small arms around my neck. I hear her screaming as I shift and just as I hit the ground from the second floor, I take off toward the forest. She hasn’t let go, and that’s all that matters. As my mind races on how fast Zander got to me, I can’t stop the dreaded thoughts of what if something had happened to Emma.

Shit. It’s happening.
The possession. The urge. The need to make her completely mine.

I order my mind to stop.
This is a distraction I do not need.
I must remember that I can’t nor won’t care for her. But I would also be lying to myself. Every time I’m near her, I can’t stop thinking about how she would feel under me. How her lips would feel as I devoured them until they were swollen from my wild attack. Her tempting me with nothing more than her attitude and her sultry voice every time she tries to challenge me. And her denial. The scent she releases when she is turned on. The scent of goddamn perfection. Thinking about what could have happened back there infuriates me. I can’t do this again. Watching someone die in my arms. Someone like Emma.
My destiny.

How the fuck did this happen? I never understood the power of finding your true heart’s desire and I thought I was going to have that with Gabriella, but then our time was cut short. I had accepted knowing I would live the remainder of my life alone. But it was never Gabriella. It’s always been Emma. I roar into the air at the realization. I lost one person I let myself love, and now I fear Emma is next.

I told myself I would stop at nothing, but now I can’t do it. I can’t use Emma as my bait. I won’t sacrifice her for this mission. I shouldn’t even have involved her at all. I need to get her as far away from Zander as possible. Far away from me.

I head east into the far end of the woods, in hopes that Zander won’t smell my trail. The smoke now billowing from the apartment building will hopefully throw him off our location. I come to a slow sprint, when I begin to feel Emma’s grip loosen. I haven’t fully stopped, so I’m not sure why she is starting to release her arms. Very softly, I hear her faintly call out my name and that’s when I sense it. She’s close to passing out. I halt immediately, just in time for her to fully release her grip and fall sideways into the lush forest grass. I turn and circle her unconscious body for any signs of injury. In animal form, my sense of smell is strong, and as I prowl around her body, I don’t detect any burnt flesh or signs of open wounds. With my snout, I nudge her chin, hoping to revive her. Her breathing has slowed, and I worry she is more than just a little winded. I calm my mind and shift back into my human form. Bending down, I cover her body with mine as I spread my hands all over her skin, checking for anything I may have missed. I know I haven’t, but I seem to want, need an excuse to touch her.

Raising my hand to her cheek, I caress her smooth skin. I bring my mouth to her ear, where she seems to have a sensitive spot. I’m still panting, starting to worry she is truly hurt. I call her name, using my luring voice.

At first, she doesn’t respond, which sets my nerves back on end. I pick up her head, cradling the back of her neck in my hand. “Emma, wake up, baby,” I hum to her.

She begins to stir, unable to fully open both eyes. “Wh-what happened?” she finally speaks, her voice rough from screaming the entire trip through the woods.

“A fire. Someone set off a bomb right inside your apartment.”

She tries to register the words I just spoke and closes her eyes again. “Emma, open your eyes. I need to know you are okay.”

They flutter open then shut again. “I’m not paying for that,” she grumbles hoarsely.

There she is. My little spitfire.
“Baby, can you stand for me?”

She tries to sit up, but the dizziness sends her back down. “It’s fine. Just lie here. I just need to make sure you’re not hurt.” I watch as she drags her hands, her eyes still closed, up and down her torso. The way her fingers inspect her body sends me into a maddened state.
God, how can I get hard right now, when I should be in complete attack mode, trying to figure out Zander’s next move?

I try and shake off the lust building inside me. I can’t do this with Emma. For her sake and for mine. “Emma,” I call her name in a harsher tone. “I need you to get up. I need you to go. Go back to where you came from. Now!” Her eyes open, staring at me with the same intensity I feel.

“Do you hear me, Emma? You need to run. Away from this place and away from me.”

Scrunching her forehead at my demand, she grunts loudly and sits up. “Are you bipolar? Huh? Because
seriously,
one minute you’re like,
I don’t like you
, then you’re shoving your tongue down my throat, then you’re like
don’t misread me, I don’t like you
, then you’re like
I own you
, and calling me baby, and
NOW
you’re telling me to get lost!”

I go to reach out to help her stand, but she swats my hands away.

“I need you to go. It’s not safe for you to be here with me.” She gets to her feet and wobbles off-balance. I grab for her, but she tries to fend me off. My strength overpowers her weakened state, and I know I will win anytime she fights against me. With her being winded, even with her attempt to refuse me, she still leans into my embrace.

“Stop touching me.”

“I just want to make sure you’re all right.”

Back to fight mode, she pulls back. “I’m fine, you big jerk! How could I not be? I mean, I just jumped out a two-story apartment building while you—” she begins jabbing her finger into my chest, “you just turned into a goddamn zoo animal!” she finishes in a bellow.

“I thought I could use you as bait, but my brother is not playing fair. He won’t stop until he has what he wants. I need to know you’ll be safe, but I cannot hunt him down and protect you at the same time. Can you get back to your hometown?” My quickness allows me to duck to the left when she lifts her right fist and attempts to punch me. As I move swiftly to the right to avoid her left hook, I grab both arms and wrap them behind her back. I bring her body smashing into mine, the anger of her outburst close to breaking my resolve. “Stop swinging at me. You won’t win this.”

“Fuck you.”

“Now now. Let’s not throw out invitations that we’re not willing to follow through on,” I reply with a smirk. She struggles in my arms, the fire in her eyes lighting up her beautiful face.

“You are a grade-A asshole. You know that? You suck me into this crazy shit, and now you’re telling me to beat it? You know what? No, I am
not
leaving. You can’t just do this to me!”

“I can and I will,” I return. The heavy weight I’m feeling in my stomach is one I haven’t had in some time. In another life, maybe I wouldn’t be this way. I would wrap her in my arms and claim her, never letting her go. But I made a promise. One I won’t break for anyone—even Emma. My heart constricts, knowing I need to let her go free in order to save her, and for what I do next, which will forever haunt me.

“I’m done with you, Emma. You were nothing but a little toy I planned to dangle in front of my enemy as bait. Did you think I cared if he took your life in the process? Do not misinterpret any of my actions toward you. You are an object to me, as you will be for any man. Now, run home to where people can take care of you. Get out of Woodland Creek as soon as you can.”

I release her and as soon as she is free, she pounces on me. She weighs a feather and her swings I welcome. Her touch doesn’t offend me, but sends shooting sparks through my body. It’s been like this ever since I saw her in that alley. The urge to bring her into my arms and tell her I will protect her until the end of our lifetime is overbearing, but I need to fight it. Wherever Emma’s future lies, she cannot be mine.