Wolf Creek Enforcer (14 page)

Melanie tugged her braid, groaning.  “This is all crap.  It’s probably not even the same wizard.  He felt my magic, but I don’t believe he knows I’m a druid.”

“I hope you’re right, but I’m not counting on it,” Ian said grimly.  “So the plan stays the same, rescue the target, protect Melanie.”   

“We’ve got an early start tomorrow with a long ride, so let’s get some sleep while we can.  Tomorrow we’ll be sleeping on the ground, enjoy your beds tonight,” David said.

Chapter 9

Melanie found herself fiddling with her things while Ian prowled around their room.  He finally settled by the window, leaning against the wall.  Full of nervous energy, she couldn’t sit still. 

She watched as Ian straightened, slowly stalking her on silent feet.  Now she knew what it felt like to be hunted.  Moving around the bed, she had the strangest urge to run.  She knew he would never hurt her, but her flight or fight instincts kicked in.

She chose flight.  Running around the bed, her goal was to scramble across the quilt, hit
the floor running and be out the door before he caught her.  Logically she knew she didn’t stand a chance, but her brain was screaming, run, run, run! 

Ian smiled in anticipation,
relishing the adrenalin rush.  He loved a good chase.  Too bad they weren’t in the woods.  His wolf loved nothing more than stalking their prey silently through the forest. 

Melanie had her hand on the door, about to wrench it open when she was smashed up against the door.  Ian had his entire body pressed up against her, breathing down her neck. 

“Going somewhere?” he whispered.

Melanie gulped audibly, thinking fast.  “Umm, just thought I’d go get some food to take with us tomorrow.  It’d save us from having to eat our energy bars.” 

She felt goose bumps run down her back as he nuzzled her neck.  His arms caged her in, palms flat against the door, with his erection pressing against her lower back. 

“I think you were running.  Want to tell me why?” he asked.

Melanie turned, dropping her arms and peeking up at him.  “Okay, well, you were giving off a really weird vibe, like you were about to pounce.”  She shrugged, trying to act casual, “So I did the logical thing.”

“If you run from a predator, he’s going to give chase,” he growled. 

Ian crouched and lifted her in a fireman’s hold, easily carrying her towards the bed.  He flipped her over, laying her across the bedding and quickly stripping her.

Melanie squeaked, surprised at how fast he’d gotten her naked.  She was still slightly dizzy from being held upside down
with blood rushing to her head. 

Turning her head, she saw Ian already had his shirt off and w
as quickly shucking his jeans.  In a flash, he was on top of her, pressing her into the bedding. 

“And when a predator catches you, he’s going to eat you up,” he said.

Melanie couldn’t help but giggle, “Are we playing Little Red Riding Hood now?  Just so you know, I refuse to state the obvious.”

Ian felt the tension leave his body now that he had her where he wanted.  Not wanting to think about what they would be up against, he focused on the moment.

“And what would that be?  My big eyes, or teeth?”

Melanie clamped her lips shut, trying hard not
to laugh.

“Or could it be my big,” he paused, “ego?”

Now she laughed out loud, “Yeah, uh huh.  That’s what I was talking about.”

Melanie’s laughter fled as Ian licked her breast, then pulled her nipple into his mouth.  Using his teeth, he tugged,
gripping it between his canines.  Releasing her breast, he reached between them and slid his fingers through her slit.

Moaning, she pushed up against his hand, wanting more.  She felt Ian move his cock between her lips, poised at her entrance.

“I can’t wait, babe.  I need to claim you again,” Ian said as he pushed in, pausing while she adjusted. 

“Not slow, fast!” she paused
.  “Duke.”

Ian reached up and pinned her wrist next to her head, sliding all the way in and stopping.  He stilled her body with his weight, controlling her movements. 

“I’m going kill you if you don’t start moving,” she cried.

Ian chuckled, starting a slow glide in and out, with the tip of his cock stopping just before slipping out.  “Keep your hands right there, don’t move them.”

“Or what?  You’ll tie me up?” she asked, disbelieving.

“No, I’ll just torture you by not letting you come,” he said.

Melanie reached back and gripped the headboard. 

He sat back on is knees, lifting her slightly onto his thighs.  She was still impaled on him, open for his caresses.  Sliding his hands up her legs, he
paused at the crease, moving his fingers to encircle her clit. 

Melanie
groaned when he hit the perfect spot, fluttering his fingers against her.  Biting her lip, she started yelling, “Yes, yes, yes!”

Ian couldn’t hold off any longer with her squeezing him so tightly.  He planted his hands on either side of her shoulders and started pounding into her.  His muscles were taut as he dropped his head, thrusting his tongue into her mouth. 

He needed to mark her again.  Not knowing what would happen tomorrow, he felt the urge to bind her to him once again.  Releasing her lips, he licked her shoulder before biting down with his canines, breaking the skin. 

Melanie screamed when she felt his teeth sink into her skin, coming again so violently, her body shook.  She felt Ian’s release as he grunted, then licked her wound. 

His voice was gravely when he spoke.  “I love you, babe.”

Drowsily,
she replied, “Ditto, Fifi.”

“That’s a female dogs name,
I win.”  But she was already drifting off.

* * *

Ian woke to someone pounding on the door.  He rolled out of bed, snarling as he yanked open the door to see a grinning Devlin.

“Guid mornin brathair.”

Groaning, “Shit, your accent sucks.  Don’t let Angus or the others hear you, they’ll think you’re mocking them.”

“That would be ‘shite’, by the way.  Rise and shine, everyone’s downstairs
about to ‘break their fast’ before we head out,” Devlin said. 

Ian closed the door in his face and turned to look at Melanie.  She was on her side with her head propped up on her elbow.

“Yer just a wee bit testy, mo chroi,” she said.

“Good Lord, not you too.  Alright, get yer arse moving, we’ve gotta go,” Ian growled.

Melanie was laughing as she sat up, pulling the blanket off to cover herself as she walked across the room.

Ian shook his head, frowning.  “You’re going to
have to get used to being naked, especially around me.  Once you go through the ceremony and become wolf, you’ll be nude when you leave the pond.  If you shift wearing clothes, you can get tangled up in them.  Going from fierce predator to comic relief.”

Melanie shrugged him off, “I’ll manage.  I
visited a nudist colony once, so I don’t have a problem being naked around other people.”

“So
, you’re saying you have a problem being nude around me?” he questioned. 

“Yup, that’s what I’m saying and I don’t want to discuss it anymore.”

Ian grinned, “So I make you uncomfortable.  My little hippie is shy.”

“I believe I said I’m done discussing it,” she said, as if speaking to a peon.

Sobering, he told her there would be no more nudist colonies in her future.

She found it difficult to dress while holding a blanket
, “But I’ve heard good things about the ones in Texas.  In fact, there’s one in Wills Point, a little over an hour away.  I Google mapped it,” glancing over her shoulder, she rushed to the door and pulled it open.

Ian grabbed the wood, barely managing to keep from getting his face smashed in
when she tried to slam it closed. 

Melanie could hear him growling as he followed her down the stairs. 
Ignoring him, she ran to the bench where Devlin sat and scooted in next to him.  Ian squeezed in next to her, pushing Devlin aside.

Once everyone finished eating, they gathered in the courtyard.  Angus had the horses packed and ready
to go with him leading the way.

* * *

They traveled in a group to the base of the mountain, camping along the way.  Angus stopped and pointed to the woods in the distance.

“We’ll be camped there, i
f ye have need of us.  If ye doona come down in three days, I’m coming ta look fer ye.  No arguments lass,” he said. 

Melanie pulled the reins, moving closer to Angus.  She reached over and hugged him.

“Thank you,” she said simply.

“Doona I get a hug too?” asked Rory.

“No, you doona,” Ian stated.

The four of them turned their horses toward the mountain, with David and Devlin in the lead. 

Surefooted, the horses picked their way, avoiding the trees that pushed out at different angles from the soil.  They were soon hidden in the shrubs and bushes growing along the trail.  The path wound around the mountain, slowly taking them higher in elevation. 

They stopped to let the horses drink from a stream tric
kling down the mountain, forming a small pond at the base. 

Taking their snacks out of their saddlebags, they found seats on the boulders
for their makeshift picnic. 

“How much further, do you think?” Ian asked quietly.

They had been traveling for two hours, trying to be as silent as possible.  He had no desire to camp out on the mountain, hoping they would find their target quickly and head back down.  If they were really lucky, they would not even come close to the wizard living there. 

“The pull is much stronger now, I think we’re getting close,” Melanie said.
 

Devlin stood suddenly, sniffing the air with Ian by his side.  “Do you smell that, bro?  I think we’re being stalked.”

Ian and Devlin climbed over a large boulder near the pond and saw a cougar watching them from a perch in the trees.  The cougar jumped down and landed silently on the ground.  Padding over to the water, the feline watched them as it drank, showing no fear of them, nor any aggression.  She sat and licked her paw before grooming herself.     

David pulled his sword,
tugging his sister behind him in case the animal attacked.

“Put your weapon away.”  Devlin glanced over at them, grinning.  “It’s Melissa.”
  Devlin and Ian jumped down and went to stand beside the cougar.

“Melissa?  How the hell did you get here?” Ian asked, amazed.

Devlin walked over to his horse and got a blanket and shirt from his saddlebag. Standing in front of her, he blocked her with the blanket.

There was
a shimmer in the air, then a beautiful woman stood behind the blanket.  She quickly slipped her arms through the sleeves and pulled the shirt closed.

“Thanks for the shirt, but do you have a pair of pants too?  I really don’t want to walk around with my ass hanging out,” she said.

Me
lanie quickly pulled a pair out from her bag and handed them over.  Once she  was dressed, she rolled the bottoms up since they were too short, making them look like capris.

“Thanks
,” Melissa smiled at Melanie.

Devlin handed her a power bar and mo
tioned for her to sit once she was dressed.  Introductions were made as she found a seat on a boulder. 

“I need your help.  Robert is being held by a wizard
in a cave further up this mountain.” 

“Who’s Robert?” Melanie asked.

“Remember me telling you about our fae friends?  Robert is a fae warrior, one of the Faerie Queen’s guards,” Ian turned to Melissa.  “I saw you leave with Robert after Rafe and Lisa’s changing ceremony.  Wasn’t he taking you to Faerie?”

“
We did go to Faery, but it was supposed to be for a short visit, not almost five months.  We were only there for a couple of days in his realm, but much longer for ours.  When we came back to my realm, he took me on a dinner date to Houston.  I was shocked when I got back and learned the date,” Melissa said.

Devlin laughed, “How very mundane.  The great fae warrior goes
all the way to Houston to impress you.  Did he choose a McDonald’s?”

Melissa sighed, “It wasn’t McDonalds, you moron.  We went to Will
ie G’s, he likes the seafood there.  Anyway, after dinner, he flashed us to Galveston Island where he rented a car and we took the ferry over to Bolivar.”

“Why take the boat when he could get you there instantly?” asked Ian.

Rolling her eyes, Melissa replied, “I think he was trying to be romantic, the sun was setting over the horizon while we stood at the rail and watched.”