Taken By Surprise (6 page)

“There’s no law saying harpies can’t love someone.”

Elena laughed, but abruptly stopped when Tamera flashed a look that would kill a mortal. “You fell in
love
, Zo?”

“It’s not a dirty word, Elena!”

The two sisters glared at one another before turning their attention back on Zori.

“Well, did you fall in love, Zori?” Tamera asked again, her hazel eyes filled with concern.

“I—I don’t know.” She didn’t. And if the searing ache in her heart had something to do with the “L” word, she wasn’t sure she wanted any part of it.

“You’re mine, Zori.”

She could hear Greyson’s claim as clear as day, mocking her emotional distress and harpies didn’t suffer from frickin’ emotional distress! He didn’t want her. He had walked right past her. It was unbelievable. It was unforgiveable.

She deserved it after the way she’d treated him on the beach.

More tears tested her resolve and Zori stumbled to her feet. “I gotta get out of here.”

Chapter Five

Elena reached out to her. “We’ll come with you.”

“No! I need to be alone.” She could see the hurt in her sister’s eyes. “Please. I’ll be all right.” She smiled at them and her hot face felt like it would break as they nodded.

“Call us when you get in.” Tamera hugged her tight.

“I will.” She squeezed Elena before leaving them both at the bar.

Zori made her way through the party-goers with her new mantra rolling over and over in her head:
I will not cry in front of these humans.

Each step towards the exit brought her closer and closer to her first meltdown and it was going to be epic. The brisk night air made her shiver as she stepped outside clad only in her party dress, but she welcomed the chill. She drew in several deep breaths, ignoring the flirtatious comments of two males entering the club. The wind stung her eyes and the tears she refused to let fall as she walked down the sidewalk amongst energetic New Yorkers. All she could think about was the indifference written all over Greyson’s face before he went right past her like…like they didn’t even know one another, let alone burn up the sheets together.

I told him to leave me alone.

“Dammit!” She wanted to scream in frustration and pain. So, this was what it felt like to be rejected. Zori shivered, but not from the cold. She wanted to be numb as she pushed back the urge to shed her human form, soar into the sky and fly until the emptiness consuming her went away.

What was wrong with her?

How could she allow him to mess up her head like this?

And it was pretty messed up.

A wave of righteous anger warmed her blood as she walked faster down the street.

Thank you, Greyson.

His rude snub had given her the motivation she needed to get him out of her system and there was only one way to do it.

Filled with determination, she walked towards the house beat bumping through the doors of another dance club. The wild atmosphere matched her new mood. Tonight, she would find sexual satisfaction with a new male. She would take control. She would make him scream her name as she took her pleasure a hundred different ways. It would be easy to find an interested guy, but she was choosy. She moved through the gyrating bodies on the prowl.

Too short.

Too thin.

Too weird.

She almost laughed at that one. Who was she to call anyone weird?

She impatiently scanned for possible prospects when she spotted a tall male eyeballing her as he danced. He was attractive with the kind of physique she preferred.

Bingo.

She started towards him, keeping her eyes on his face as she crossed the dance floor. There were two lovely ladies dancing close on his body, but she wasn’t worried about the competition—in fact, she welcomed it. She could make out the colour of his green eyes in the dimly lit club as strobe lights swarmed over the heads of the dancers. A new song came on and Zori put a little more dip in her hips, walking in tandem to the rhythm of the music as her target watched. She made sure not to step into his personal space as she began to sway to the beat, her body emulating the sexual overtones in the song. His female companions glared at her, but she ignored them and continued to seduce her soon-to-be lover with her come-hither dance. She wasn’t surprised when he stepped away from the blonde and brunette who gaped after him.

“You’re so beautiful.”

Not terribly original, but it’ll do,
Zori thought as she flashed him a winsome smile. “Thank you.” She grabbed his hand and led him away from his frustrated playmates to the centre of the floor.

As if on cue, a slower song came on. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around her attractive dance partner. She tried to relax as he pulled her close. He smelt nice, but his hands on her waist didn’t make her heartbeat faster. His body was hard, but not as big as—

Stop it!

She
would
get Greyson out of her mind.

“I’m Ty.” He lifted his head from her ear to smile down at her.

And I don’t give a damn.

Zori blinked, focusing on Ty’s face in the dim lighting. “Zori.” She moved closer to him, pressing her body against his in the age-old art of seduction.

“You are a great dancer, Zori.”

His hands slipped a little lower than her waist line as she forced herself to return his smile. “You know how to flatter a girl.”

“That’s not all I know how to do.” Ty grabbed her hips so she could feel the hard bulge in his pants.

She always preferred a challenge, but there would be no thrill of the hunt with Ty.

Just as well.

An easy lay was just what she wanted to forget—

Oh, hell!

“Why don’t you show me?”

The words were barely out of her mouth before he was pulling her away from the other dancers. In no time at all, he had manoeuvred them through the crowd and towards the door. The moment they were outside, he turned, wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her. Zori stiffened in his arms as his warm mouth pressed against hers.

This isn’t right.

Ty slipped his tongue between her lips.

This isn’t right!

“No!” Zori yanked away from him, rubbing the back of her hand across her lips as he frowned at her.

“What’s wrong, baby? I thought you were into me, into—”

“I’m sorry. I can’t.” She took a step backwards, very aware of the annoyance reflected in his eyes before he shrugged.

Ty held up his hands and stepped back. “Whatever.”

He left her there, pivoting to go back into the nightclub. No doubt to see if he had any play left with the two gals he’d dumped for her.

This time the tears won, spilling onto her cheeks as she hurried into the alley alongside the club. She stopped behind a dumpster, shivering and crying as she slipped out of her ridiculously high heels and recited the ancient chant to shift her body. With a soft sob, she took flight, ascending quickly into the dark sky. Up so high, there was no one to hear her crying and Zori gave into her desolation as she flew to her home.

She arrived on her penthouse terrace emotionally exhausted—yet another new experience thanks to Greyson. With a weary sigh, she recanted the magical verse, wincing as her wings tightened and disappeared along with her talons. Her stilettos bit into her chest as she unlocked the new French doors that replaced the previously shattered ones.

She sent up a prayer of thanks for her butler, Robert, as she lit a candle, grateful he took such good care of her household needs as much as her voracious food appetites. Her gaze drifted to her king-sized bed which had been stripped, remade and looked quite inviting with ruby pillows propped along the headboard.

She dropped her heels on the floor and stared at the thick duvet unable to stop the memories of Greyson moving between her thighs. Thrusting deeper and faster and—

A groan escaped her lips as she clenched her thighs together, longing, wanting, wishing—

“I’ve been waiting for you to come home.”

Zori’s stomach dipped down to the stilettos at her feet at the sound of Greyson’s deep voice behind her. She whipped around, eyes wide, heart beating wildly as she drank in the sight of him. “Greyson.”

There were no words to describe the chaotic emotions racing through her as she lifted her gaze to his.

How could you walk right by me like that?
she wanted to scream, but she ground her toes into her plush carpet instead.

“What happened to the other male you were with?” He took a step forward, coming out of the shadows.

Zori wet her lips, fighting the wave of longing ripping through her. She should’ve taken an extra pain pill. Her body positively pulsed from within and she was so hot. “How did you get in here?” Not the question she wanted to ask, but definitely easier than the one on the tip of her tongue.

Greyson ignored her question as he came closer.

It was no wonder she couldn’t erase him from her mind or body. Now she was alone with him again and he seemed bigger, taller than she remembered. His huge shoulders encased in the dark sweater reminded her of his lupine transformation. She could almost envision those bulging biceps shifting, changing into something larger. Everything about him exuded power and he was so damn gorgeous.

She could smell the familiar scent of his skin and the cologne that had to be laced with pheromones she was seriously addicted to.

“I asked you a question.” His dark eyes were hard as he studied her.

“I asked
you
a question.” She risked pissing off a werewolf for what…personal satisfaction?

“Zori, I’m not going to ask you again.”

A shiver skittered up her spine as she watched the whisky-hued colour of his eyes darken to onyx. “What was your question?” She seriously couldn’t remember. Not when he stood so close to her. Not when it took everything within her not to reach out and touch him.

“What happened between you and the male you were with? I can smell him on you.”

His voice had taken on a rough edge and goose bumps erupted over her arms. “I don’t think that’s really any of your business.” Her tart response shocked her, but she wasn’t going to give him any more than he had already taken.

“Oh, no?”

“
No
.”

She gasped as he grabbed her, yanked her so fast she instinctively resisted which proved to be futile. His arm snaked around her waist and he pulled her hard against his chest as his other hand took hold of her ponytail. She breathed hard as he applied just enough pressure with her hair to force her to meet his stormy gaze.

“He kissed me.” She said it to evoke a reaction, to hurt him as he’d hurt her when he’d ignored her earlier.

Greyson’s eyes dropped to her lips as he cursed then he lifted her up on her toes as he claimed her lips in a punishing kiss. He slanted her head in the perfect angle so his tongue could delve deeper into her mouth. Zori moaned as his hot tongue stroked hers, mimicking the way she knew he could move within her. He held her tighter and tighter against his body, but it wasn’t close enough. She leaned in to him, placed her hands on his arms, feeling his heat and desire.

How she’d missed him, she thought as he tore his mouth away from hers.

“Did he kiss you like that?”

Her lips tingled and her breasts felt heavy as she breathlessly shook her head.

“What else?” His gaze dropped from her swollen lips to her heaving chest. “Tell me what else happened.”

Zori shook her head as he lifted her thick ponytail to his nose and inhaled deeply.

“N-n-nothing else happened.” She sucked in a shuddering breath as he searched her face. The feel of his growing erection pressing against her belly sent razor sharp spikes of desire up from the wet warmth between her thighs.

Greyson pulled the silvery band binding her hair and the silky strands fell around her face. “I know nothing happened. I just wanted you to say it. Now, you will tell me why.”

“Why?”

“Yes. Why didn’t you take that male into your bed?”

His deep rich tone was coaxing…soothing, even as he slipped his fingers past her ears and back into her hair.

Zori balled her hands into fists as he massaged her scalp. It wasn’t fair how much he affected her. “I wasn’t in the mood.” She exhaled sharply as his hand fell from her hair to cup her breast.

“You didn’t want him?”

She moaned as he tugged on her erect nipple through the soft material of her dress. “Greyson…” She closed her eyes to block out the hard lines of his face.

“Tell me. You didn’t want him to touch you?”

She didn’t answer him as his hand trailed between her breasts past her belly button to the hem of her babydoll mini dress. Her groan was a soft plea as his fingers moved beneath her hemline to touch her thighs.

“C’mon on, Zori, admit you didn’t want his hands on your body.” His large hand cupped her sex. “You couldn’t bear to have him touch you like I am now. Admit it!”

“I—I didn’t want him to touch me.” She bit her bottom lip to keep from moaning with pleasure as he leisurely caressed her through her moist lingerie.

“But, as usual, it’s
very
obvious you want me.”

Chapter Six

She couldn’t deny his words as his fingers stroked the growing wet spot on top of her panties. His touch, his kisses, made her body aches all but disappear. She felt healthier and more alive in his sinful embrace than she had for the past week and a half.

“Say it, Zori.”

His long finger circled her sensitive nub through the damp lace and shards of bliss shattered throughout her body.

“Say what?”

His hand stilled between her legs and Zori cried out as he squeezed her soaked pussy.

“
Say
you didn’t want him because you want me.”

He directed her backwards towards the bed, pushed her down on the scarlet duvet and stepped between her legs. “Say you didn’t want him to touch you because you’re
mine
.” His molten gaze seared her soul as he lifted her dress to her waist and exposed her lacy peach thong.