Primal Heat

Citation preview

Primal Heat By Donna Grant This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Primal Heat Copyright© 2008 Donna Grant Cover Artist: Croco Designs Edition, License Notes This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to ARe.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. www.DonnaGrant.com

Chapter One

Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom Six hours before midnight, Halloween “How could I be so stupid?” Krista Evans asked herself for the hundredth time since exiting the doors of her work. She shook her head and ambled her way through the crowded streets of Cardiff. It was easy to become lost in such a city. She’d moved to Britain just three months earlier away from friends and family. She hadn’t been able to make her family understand the…need…she had to be in Cardiff. It had been all she thought about. It consumed her, though she didn’t know why. Could it be because of research she’d done for her college history professor? Could it be some type of magic that drew her? Her family blamed it on her biological parents, but then what else would a foster family do. No matter how she looked, there was no reason for her to want to be in Cardiff. No family, no friends. Nothing. She’d tried to ignore the longing for Cardiff, but it had only made the need flourish until it consumed her morning and night. Even in her dreams. It wasn’t until she’d finally decided to go to Cardiff that the overwhelming urge subsided. Against her family’s wishes, she’d packed her bags and left the States, never looking back. Thanks to Krista’s penny-pinching foster mother, she’d saved up money not only to get her to Wales, but to find a flat, and keep her living decently for four months until she’d found a job. She’d been lucky enough to be serving sandwiches at a café near the water when she’d met the owner of Principles, a popular high-street chain store for women. Krista had never considered herself outgoing, but even she wasn’t about to allow such an opportunity pass her by. In part to her experience working retail in the States, and her business sense, somehow she’d been hired on as the new buyer. She had thought things were finally coming together. Not only did she have a good paying

job, she was at a fabulous company with potential to continue to rise within the company. Life was good. Making new friends proved more difficult, however. Her new coworkers were a tad standoffish. They weren’t at all impressed with her experience, and it seemed that two of them had been vying for her position. Krista couldn’t stand the tension. She had to work with these people, so she put on her best smile, and at one break happened to join in the conversation about some Halloween dare. “Stupid, stupid, stupid,” she muttered. She wasn’t paying attention and a man slammed into her shoulder as he rushed by, sending her spinning and her purse flying off her shoulder and to the ground, all its contents spilling out. Krista sighed and looked at the sky, though the words “what else” never left her lips. She knew exactly what else could happen, so she didn’t tempt fate. Instead, she hurriedly grabbed the items and stuffed them into her purse. She stood, the conversation from the break replaying in her head. Even now she could hear how nervous her voice had sounded when she’d agreed to take the dare from Candy. She’d wanted to impress her co-workers, to show them she was a likable person. “Only teenagers take dares, you idiot,” she mumbled to herself as she hailed a taxi. The black taxi pulled up along side her, and she climbed inside, a sigh releasing as she sat against the seat. “One hundred forty Cathedral Road, please.” As the taxi pulled away from the street heading to her flat Krista allowed her head to rest against the seat. All she wanted was to eat and rest. And forget about the day. Yet, the dare and Llanrumney Hall where she was supposed to perform this dare filled her mind. It wasn’t that Krista was afraid. She was more than scared. She was terrified. Especially after all she had learned about Llanrumney Hall through a search on the internet. The mansion was supposedly one of the most haunted in the area and said to contain the headless body of the last prince of Wales, Prince Llewellyn. There was no way she was going through with the dare. She believed in ghosts and the supernatural. She wasn’t one of those people who had to have proof of their existence. The proof was the tingling in her spine every time she thought of it. Krista suppressed a shudder and paid the driver when he pulled up at her flat. She got out of the car and blew out a breath as she stared at the tall grey building with bright white trim that

was her home. The wind blew her unruly hair into her face. She tucked the long brown strands behind her ears, thinking again of getting it cut. Her heels clicked on the steps as she walked to the door and inserted her key. Once inside, she leaned against her door and covered her mouth with her hand as she yawned. “Food and a bed,” she said as she let her purse and briefcase drop on the chair. “That’s all I need tonight. No haunted mansion, no dare. I don’t care what they think of me on Monday at work.” She knew it for the lie that it was, but nothing would get her to that mansion. Nothing. Krista couldn’t hold back another yawn. Ever since she had arrived in Cardiff she hadn’t slept the night through. Most people wouldn’t mind being woken by erotic dreams of a man making love to them, but the lack of sleep was taking its toll on her. She kicked off her heels and hung up her coat by the door before she walked into the kitchen to grab a bottle of wine her favorite white wine. After pouring a glass, she moved into her living room and slumped on the couch barely able to keep her eyes open. With her legs tucked underneath her and her skirt riding high on her thigh she sipped her wine. Something odd had happened when she landed in Cardiff. It was unexplainable, indefinable. But there was no doubt she had changed. It felt almost as if she had come home, as if now she were waiting for…something. But what kind of person had she become? Her taste in clothes hadn’t changed. Neither had her taste in food or what she watched on TV. Yet, inside, it felt as if she were a different person. She thought the same, laughed at the same jokes, and still followed the morals her family had ingrained in her. So what was different? No matter how hard she tried, Krista couldn’t put a finger on it. There was a calmness about her now that had never been before, a tranquility she had only dreamed of feeling. It seemed odd, almost eerie, that a move to a city she had no ties to could do that to her. Sometimes it had felt as if invisible strings had pulled her to Cardiff, the tug constant and powerful until she had given in. And the more time she spent in Wales, the more that thinking made sense. Not that anyone spoke of magic, but there was something definitely different about the city. As always, her mind turned to the man in her dreams. Each night the dreams came. Each night she was caressed, touched as no man had ever touched her. Each night her body knew pleasure unlike anything before.

And each night her lover’s face remained hidden. Goose bumps ran over her skin as she imagined her dream lover running his fingers down her arm, barely touching her skin. Sometimes his touch was light, sometimes it was so powerful that he touched not just her body, but her soul. The pleasure was undeniable, but how much longer could she continue as she was. She needed rest, a full night’s rest. And she needed to forget the dream lover her mind had concocted. “I’m in need of a date. That’s what’s wrong with me,” she said before she lifted her wine glass to her lips. She swallowed the delicious wine and felt it settle warmly in her empty stomach. “Peter in Accounting keeps flirting with me. Maybe I’ll flirt back. Anything so that I’ll stop talking to myself.” She drained her wine and flicked on the TV and tried to watch the news. The images on the screen began to blur and it grew more and more difficult to keep her eyes open. Finally, Krista stopped fighting it and allowed her lids to fall shut. Krista was powerless to fight the lure of passion, of desire that called to her each time she closed her eyes. She glided to the darkness, praying she found her lover again. **** Orrin Black let his gaze slowly move around the humans. He and Stefan had just come to Cardiff, but the city was nothing compared to some he had seen in the universe. But such was the fate of a Tracker. “This is the place.” Orrin glanced at Stefan’s stony face and pretended not to hear the irritation in his voice as they paused in their walk along the river. His long time friend and fellow tracker was the closest thing he had to a brother. Stefan relished the hunt in ways Orrin probably never would. Not that Orrin could blame him with the Weres killing Stefan’s entire family. Orrin glanced at his friend, his short blond hair not moving in the brisk wind of Fall. Orrin blinked and shook his own hair out of his eyes. “Aye. I feel it, too, my friend.” For three months now, he had felt the pull of Cardiff growing stronger with each pass of the

sun. Orrin wasn’t sure what had called him to this place. That was exactly true. He had an idea who had called to him, but he couldn’t be sure. Yet. However, it was more than coincidence that they tracked werewolves to the same city. What awaited him here? Destiny? Death? Or both? Orrin was an adventurer. Why else would he roam across the universe in his quest to track – and kill – werewolves? But the unsettling feeling that there was something awaiting him in Cardiff made him wary. Made him uneasy. His steps slowed to a halt, his gaze looking around him at the people, shops, boats, and the city in general. “Cardiff has changed since the last time we were here,” Stefan said as he leaned against the brick of a building. Orrin snorted as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his overcoat. He and Stefan wore the same type of clothes as those around them, blending them seamlessly into whatever society they visited. It was just one of the perks of being a Tracker for his people, the Acanti. “That was four hundred years ago. Of course, things have changed. Although, I’m not sure for the better.” “What? Don’t like their nifty cars?” Stefan asked, his voice laced with sarcasm, his pale blue eyes holding a wealth of disgust. “Or the fumes that come from them polluting the very air the people need to breath?” “If only humans could see what would become of their world in a few hundred years, they might stop making gasoline driven vehicles.” Stefan shook his head. “You know better than I that humans have to learn things the hard way. They’ll use petroleum until the planet runs dry of it.” Orrin wished Stefan was wrong, but he had seen for himself just what would happen to Earth in the future. Futures could be rewritten, but humans were a stubborn species. They wouldn’t listen to anyone. At least not until Earth was no longer habitable. “What now?” Stefan asked, jolting Orrin’s mind to the present. Orrin jerked his chin towards the rising full moon which hung heavy and large in the darkening sky. “It’s Halloween. The werewolves won’t be able to contain themselves.” “Is that why the werewolves came here? To run amuck and feed because of All Hallows

Eve?” Orrin clenched his jaw when a passerby jerked around his head to look at them. “Careful, Stefan,” he whispered. “We don’t need the humans to panic.” “Is that why the Weres came?” the big man asked again in a quieter voice that was no less demanding. “Yes. How do you think the superstition began about werewolves?” Stefan rubbed his hands together against the chilly, damp air. “Why Cardiff though? Why not somewhere in the country with less people to witness what they do?” “Exactly.” Orrin pushed away from the building and walked across to the railing that overlooked Cardiff Bay. “Why Wales? Why not London? Why not the Highlands? Why the UK at all? There are larger cities on this planet. We need to know what has brought the Weres to this city.” “They are here for a reason. They might be animalistic, but they’re smart.” “Sometimes,” Orrin said with a snort. “If we find them, you’ll get your answers.” Orrin watched a cargo ship slowly exit the bay. He had a feeling that whatever pulled him to Cardiff had also pulled the werewolves. If only he knew what—or who—called to him it would give him an advantage. You know who. He was hesitant to think about the beautiful woman who haunted his dreams with her soft cries of pleasure and her delicious body he couldn’t seem to get enough of. But it couldn’t be her. Humans didn’t have the ability to communicate with his kind. Orrin halted his train of thought instantly. He’d been down that road several times over the past few months with no answers forthcoming. There was no need to revisit it again because it only frustrated him. Despite not knowing what was in Cardiff, he was eager to close his eyes each night, willing to run his hands down warm, silky flesh. Impatient to plunge into her hot, tight sheath and give into the pleasure, the release only she could give him. No one knew of the woman of his dreams. Was his loosing his mind? It had happened to Trackers before. All the crisscrossing of time could affect his brain. Orrin briefly closed his eyes as he heard her breathy moan in his mind, felt her hands roam over his back.

Insane or not, he wasn’t about to turn away from his dreams. The woman, fictional or real, made him burn, made him yearn. Emotions so deep, so profound that he couldn’t ignore them. And he didn’t want to. He opened his eyes to find Stefan watching him intently. “We have less than six hours before they’ll begin,” Orrin said as he turned and leaned against the railing. Stefan pushed aside his black overcoat and fingered the set of silver throwing stars at his waist. The weapons were crafted by the best masters of their world, and Stefan’s stars with their four points were deadly accurate weapons. “Maybe we need to split up,” Stefan suggested. “Cardiff has grown significantly. We’d cover more ground.” As much as Orrin didn’t like to divide forces, they had little choice and little time. It was imperative they find the Weres before anyone was killed. “All right. Be careful. The Weres will be ravenous.” “They always are,” Stefan said with a grin. He gave a wave before he trotted off, melding with a throng of people. Orrin stayed as he was for a few more minutes. His gaze moved over the fast-paced city. If it was the woman of his dreams who had called him to Earth, she might be able to help him with the Weres. It was a flimsy excuse to see if she was the one whom he felt the pull to the city, but one he had to see through. His balls tightened just thinking of her. The overwhelming urge to find her was too much to resist. He closed his eyes and opened his mind to hear the summons again. He sucked in a breath at the wave of desire that slammed into him, through him. Over him. How he wanted to see her face, her eyes. He knew every inch of her body from the neck down, but no face, no name. It drove him mad some nights as he would stare at the place her face was supposed to be and only saw darkness. It was as if someone were teasing him. Like a thousand times before, he saw her, her naked body beneath him as he thrust inside her. He palmed a breast, her dusky nipple between his fingers as he pinched. Her full lips parted as she moaned and arched her back. Orrin’s blood heated as his cock thickened in response to the image. It took every ounce of his control to pull away from the vision. It was only because of his power as an Acanti time

traveller that he was able to hold open the link between him and the woman. It’s time I found you. Lover. His eyes snapped open as the link between them pulsed stronger the longer he held onto it. He pushed away from the railing and followed the link, each step bringing him closer to a woman he yearned to touch, to kiss. He wasn’t sure what it was about her, but each night, her body called to him. Each night, she asked him to take her. And each night, Orrin gave in to the temptation. If he could hold back his lust long enough, Orrin intended to learn how this woman had called for him and what planet she was from. More importantly, he would learn what she wanted from him. ***** Krista licked her lips as the desire wound tighter, her body burning with need. Her sex throbbed, eager to feel his hands stroking her sensitive, heated flesh. She moaned as her breasts swelled and her nipples hardened under his gaze, a gaze she couldn’t see but felt. If only she could see his face, know his name. His fingers gently caressed down her neck to her breast before he rolled a nipple between his fingers. She fisted her hands in the covers and lifted her hips, seeking him. There were no words between them as he cupped her sex and pushed a finger deep inside her. Krista cried out at the exquisite sensation and ground her hips against him. He flipped her onto her stomach. She tried to look at him over her shoulder, but he was kissing her neck and shifting her so that she was on her knees. His hands roamed over her bottom and he nipped her shoulder before he reached around and expertly stroked her clitoris. His finger softly swirled around it, teasing her, tempting her. His every touch made her burn, made her…yearn. His hand turned her head and his mouth descended on hers in a kiss that took, claimed. Seized. Her body was no longer her own. It was his. From the first moment he entered her dreams she was his. His to take. His to command. Simply...his.

She moaned as he deepened the kiss, their tongues dueling while his fingers continued to wind her desire tighter and tighter with each stroke of his skilled fingers. He ran his thumb back and forth over the hidden bud, faster and faster. One finger, then a second filled her as he pinched down hard on her nipple. She gasped, her eyes flying open and her body jerking, at the flood of pleasure that washed over her. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced, and she never wanted it to end. Before she could drag a breath into her lungs his cock replaced his fingers as he pushed inside her, stretching her. With his hands holding her hips he gave a deep thrust and seated himself to the hilt. A low sound, half growl, half moan tore from him. And sent a thrill through her. She had done that to him. She had given him that pleasure. But she wanted to give him so much more. Her sex clenched around him, eager to feel him. She was so close to reaching her peak that she knew she wouldn’t last, but she wasn’t ready for it to end. Not now. Not ever. He shifted his hips and pulled out of her only to plunge deep once more. Soon, he had set a tempo, their bodies moving in time with his long, hard strokes. Their harsh breathing mixed with the sounds flesh meeting flesh. She dug her hands into the covers and leaned back to meet his thrusts. His fingers dug deep into her hips as he held her still and pounded into her, his rhythm moving faster, filling her harder, deeper, until sweat glistened over their bodies. Desire swarmed her, took her making her blood boil and scream for release. Her heart pounded in her chest. Her breaths were ragged, erratic. And her body was flushed with pleasure she could no longer hold back. Her lover lowered his head to kiss the nape of her neck and then her cheek. She struggled to see his face, to know him. Her heart missed a beat as she saw his black eyes. She stared at the desire flooding his gaze, making her own heart miss a beat. Just before he ran his tongue over her lips, he whispered something she didn’t understand. A scream lodged in her throat as she climaxed. He gave a final thrust and buried his head in her neck, his body straining against his own orgasm. “I’m coming! Wake up. Now!”

Krista’s eyes flew open, the sound of her harsh, uneven pants filling her small flat. She stared at the ceiling above her as her heart raced. Her sex still clenched from the unbelievable climax that left her floating as if on a cloud. That dream was the first time he had ever spoken to her. And the first she had ever seen his eyes. What he had said she didn’t know, but the sound of his husky, deep voice sent chills over her skin. It was a voice she would never forget. It had seemed harmless enough to have such vivid, erotic dreams, but for him to warn her he was coming? She was more than a little freaked because she wasn’t sure what it meant. No sooner had that thought crossed her mind than her doorbell rang. Krista jerked upright and stared through the archway to the door. She slowly stood on shaky legs and padded barefoot across the carpet to the door. She rose up on tiptoe to see out the peephole. All she saw was the back of a man with hair as black as pitch and as untamed as the wind. Krista took in a steadying breath as she lowered herself and reached for the handle. She opened the door an inch and peered around the edge. “Yes?” The man turned, and she stared into black eyes, eyes that were branded into her memory. Eyes that had just been staring at her full of desire and longing in her dream. Her stomach fell to her feet as her lips parted in wonder. He had black hair that fell to his shoulders in thick waves, one curl falling over his forehead. Brows as inky black slashed over his eyes. Those same eyes were framed with thick, black lashes. He had an aquiline nose, and hallowed cheeks that only complimented his square jaw and chin. Her gaze traveled to his wide mouth, with his bottom lip fuller than his top. She remembered how much pleasure he could ring from her with that mouth. Her eyes continued downward over his long dark coat that did nothing to hide the width and breath of his shoulders. He pulled his hands from the pockets of his coat and she caught sight of the dark sweater beneath that stretched taunt of a chest thick with muscles. She had run her hands over his body. She knew how his wide chest tapered to his narrow waist and hips. She knew how his legs were as corded with sinew as the rest of him. “By the stars,” the man murmured, a stunned look upon his face as if he knew her.

Krista nearly melted at hearing his husky voice again. She briefly closed her eyes and wondered if she should slam the door shut and hide in her room, to forget that somehow the lover of her dreams was at her door. But for too long this man had haunted her dreams. She needed to know who he was and what he wanted. “May I come inside?” he asked as his dark gaze searched her face. “I won’t hurt you.” She wondered what he saw when he looked at her. His voice wasn’t exactly British. It was more cultured, more…exotic. “Who are you?” “Allow me inside, and I will explain.” She raised her brows. “Seriously? Rape and murder still happens in Cardiff, you know.” A small smile pulled at his wide lips. “You’ve seen me before. Haven’t you?” “Just your eyes. And well, your body,” she admitted before she could stop herself. His dark gaze flared with desire before he glanced away. “I’m not here to hurt you. I give you my word.” For some inexplicable reason, she believed him. Was it because he had touched her, brought her pleasure? Or was it because of something more? Like what had brought her to Cardiff. She had no answers, but somehow she thought he might. She stepped back so he could enter. He walked past her, the scent of sandalwood, leather, and man filling her. Krista closed the door and led him into the living room where he stopped in the doorway, the muscles in his square jaw clenching. “What is it?” she asked, her hands folded in front of her. It was a nervous gesture she had, one she couldn’t seem to stop. “I can still smell it.” “Smell what?” His black eyes caught and held hers. “Sex.” Her nipples hardened at his words, and her breathing quickened. “Who are you?” “My name is Orrin. Orrin Black.” She glanced from his raven locks to the faint shadow of a beard graced his impeccable jaw line. “Well, Orrin Black, explain to me how you know who I am?” He smiled and stepped towards her. “I don’t know your name. Tell me what it is. I need to know.” “Krista Evans. Now, tell me. How do you know me?”

“I know your body, the weight of your breast in my palm, and how to stroke your sex just right to cause you to peak almost instantly. I know because of the dreams.” Krista’s knees buckled as his words brought back the images of her dreams, images that caused her to grow damp just thinking about his touch. She sank onto the couch and shook her head. “It’s not possible. They were just dreams. Erotic dreams, but just dreams. You can’t be real. None of this can be real. It’s just another dream.” “I’m afraid I’d be lying to you if I agreed.” He took a step closer to her, his head cocked to the side. “I came because I need you to tell me why you called to me.” She blinked. “Excuse me? Called to you? What are you talking about?” “You brought me here.” “I didn’t bring you anywhere. You showed up at my door remember.” He frowned, a muscle in his jaw ticking. “You aren’t British.” Krista folded her arms over her chest. “No, I’m not.” “You’re American.” “Is that an issue?” He laughed. “Not at all. Usually American’s don’t feel the pull of the…things…that occur in Britain.” Right. He’s great looking but not all there in the head. “I think you need to leave.” “I can’t. If I left now, I wouldn’t be able to protect you.” Krista licked her lips and stood. “Protect me from who?” “Monsters.” She put a hand to her forehead and rubbed as her head began to throb. This can’t be happening. Nothing was making sense. Orrin spoke in circles. “Erotic dreams or not, I don’t know you. I didn’t call you, and I don’t believe in monsters.” His gaze lowered as he took another step towards her. “There is one thing you cannot deny, Krista Evans.” “And what might that be?” There was no refuting just looking at him caused her blood to heat. “The desire between us.” She sucked in a breath at the sudden, intense throbbing of her sex. “Did…did you just do that?”

His black eyes caught and held hers. There was desire and yearning there, need so strong she felt herself leaning towards him. “There is a connection between us. I don’t understand it, but I can’t ignore it.” Moving wasn’t as option as he came to stand in front of her. His finger caressed down her neck, sending shivers over her skin. She inhaled the scent of him, allowed it to fill every pore. “You’re very beautiful, Krista.” No one had ever called her beautiful. Their bodies drifted closer, the distance between them shortening with every breath. Until their hands met, fingers clutched. Her breath left her in a rush, her stomach fluttering. Her eyes drifted shut as his head lowered to hers leisurely, deliberately. His lips grazed hers, sending shock waves charging through her. Those same amazing, tempting lips settled over hers. His tongue swept past her lips, and Krista was lost. If she’d thought his kiss was incredible in her dreams, it was nothing compared to the real thing. Seduction was in every sweep of his tongue, and she was a willing participant. Not to be outdone, she gave him everything - every want, every wish, every craving she poured into the kiss. He answered with a groan that rumbled through his chest. His hands gripped her hips and pulled her to him, holding her against his thick arousal. She stood frozen, her heart pounding and her blood like fire in her veins while his hands slowly moved up her arms to cup the back of her head. “Can you feel it?” he murmured between kisses. “The desire, the passion that burns between us? It’s what led me to you.” Her lips parted as his mouth brushed against hers once more before he took hers in a slow, sensual kiss that robbed her of the ability to think. His mouth moved over hers, devouring her, learning her, and she was powerless to do anything other than enjoy the wicked, decadent taste of him. When he finally ended the kiss and lifted his head, she saw the yearning, the need in his black gaze. Her body reacted instantly. Her breasts swelled and moisture gathered between her legs. “I can smell your desire,” Orrin whispered. “It feeds my hunger for you.” He wanted to tear the clothes from her curves right then, but somehow he held himself in

check. Ever since she had opened the door and he caught sight of her he’d been hard. Her long brunette tresses held touches of deep gold and red within their dark strands, and her blue eyes were the brightest he’d ever seen. Her heart-shaped face with her wide, expressive eyes and high cheekbones set her apart as a beauty. As did her full lips that begged to be kiss. But it was her curvaceous body that could bring a man to his knees. She touched his face, and Orrin stilled, allowing her to feel the warm skin beneath her hand. The desire between them permitted her to push past her wariness, but he still had to tread carefully. He sighed as she ran her fingers through his too long hair that brushed the back of his neck. Her nails skimmed his scalp while her blue eyes darkened. He was going to take her, to truly make her his. There was only one reasoning behind his need, and that was because somehow she had reached out to him through the stars. And he’d heard her. It was coincidence that he’d found her at the same place as the Weres. The thought of those monsters getting a hold of Krista made him want to tear the creatures limb from limb. They had destroyed so many races, but not this time. Orrin wouldn’t allow any harm to come to Krista. “Do you deny your desire?” he asked when she didn’t respond to his earlier statement. “You’ve made love to me every night for three months.” “Only in our dreams. You’ll know the difference this time.” Krista’s chest heaved as she waited to see if he would touch her, take her as she craved. A sigh passed her lips when his hand cupped her breast and his thumb moved over her nipple. Pleasure streaked through her body to center at her sex. With one yank he tore open her top, buttons flying around them. She jerked her skirt down her hips before he could tear it as well. A heartbeat later her bra was unhooked and floated to the floor. Krista had never felt such raw desire before. The need to touch him, to learn him, consumed her. She shoved his coat off his shoulders. He let it fall to the ground as he kicked off his shoes and unfastened his pants while she yanked his sweater over his head. When the last piece of clothing hit the floor, Krista sucked in a breath at the heat that burned through her veins. He pinned her against the wall and slanted his mouth over hers in a fierce, consuming kiss that fanned the sparks of desire until she thought she might go up in flames. He cupped her sex and cursed in a language she didn’t understand before he ripped her panties from her.

His fingers parted her curls to tease her heated, throbbing flesh. Krista moaned when he grazed her clitoris before he dipped a finger inside her. Her hands gripped his shoulders as he moved that finger sensuously in and out of her while he kissed her. She moaned as he bent and took a nipple in his mouth, swirling his tongue over the tiny bud. He added another finger to the first, stroking her so proficiently that she would peak soon if he didn’t stop. Just as in her dreams, she wasn’t ready for it to end. Suddenly, he lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he smiled. His cock grazed against her sensitive flesh, and she ground her hips against him. She needed to feel his hard length, to have him inside her. His eyes smoldered with longing, but he held her still when she would have taken him inside her. Again and again he rubbed the blunt head of his arousal against her sex. He teased, he tantalized. He aroused. “Orrin. Please,” she whispered. His lips fell on hers and he kissed her, deeply, passionately. And then he pushed inside her. She tore her lips from his and cried out at the exquisite sensation of him filling her, stretching her. With her back against the wall and her ankles locked around him, he began to shift his hips as he thrust inside her. The flames of passion grew with each stroke of his arousal. Her nails sank into his shoulders as the pleasure became too intense. The desire wound tighter, every nerve ending sizzling. She looked at him to find his head bent, watching as his cock filled her again and again. The sight of his thick flesh pumping into her only pushed her further toward the edge. She tried to hold back her release, but she was too far gone. She screamed as her body jerked and the waves of her climax swept her into a chasm of pleasure, of bliss so intense she didn’t think she’d ever recover. “Krista,” she heard him whisper, his voice strangled. He pumped inside her twice more before he threw back his head and shouted his release, his fingers digging into her hips. With her body still pulsing from such a powerful orgasm, Krista held onto to Orrin as if he were a lifeline. When his gaze met hers, she knew something profound had just happened between them. She wasn’t sure how or why, but it had. “Krista.”

She put a finger over his lips to silence him. “No words.” He merely lifted one side of his lips before he carried her to the couch. She sighed when he pulled out of her, but then he laid down and pulled her against him. “You may not want to talk, but there are things I need to tell you.” “I want to know everything,” she said over a yawn. “Just not sure I can stay awake.” She’d just had the most amazing sex in her life, and the contentment was swiftly lullying her to sleep. His arms tightened around her and she snuggled against his chest. “For now, I will let it go, but later we must talk.” “Yes, later.” She closed her eyes as he caressed her back. Within moments she had fallen into a deep sleep.

Orrin tried to bring his breathing back under control, but it was difficult with Krista in his arms and her scent on him, around him. He gazed down at her long brunette locks and creamy skin. Her blue eyes had sizzled with longing and fanned his own flames until he had smoldered. She was small compared to his six-foot frame, but her curves were just what he desired. She mumbled something in her sleep, and he reached up to caress her cheek. She was stunning to look upon, but the passion inside her showed him another part of her that intrigued him even more. He followed the gentle arch of her brows with the tip of his finger and grinned. Every emotion she felt, every thought was reflected in the vivid blue of her irises. There was much he didn’t know about Krista, but there was much he did know. Like the taste of her, the feel of her. Her screams of pleasure as she peaked. His body hungered for another taste of her. It had been the first time he had ever made love to a human, and it made him wonder why he had stayed away from them before now. But Krista was different. As impossible as it was for humans to do, Krista had somehow made a connection with him. No human had ever had such a link, of that he was sure. It was his job to know, because a human who could contact a non-human could bring about the end of the world. For half an hour, he was content to hold her in his arms, his mind trying to find the link between her and the Weres. He was forming the words in his head to tell her of the werewolves

when his mobile rang. Without disturbing her, Orrin reached for his coat on the floor and pulled his phone from the outside pocket. He had set aside his normal communicator for the human’s cell phone so as to blend in better. He glanced at the caller id to find Stefan’s name before he answered. “What did you find?” “There are two of them,” Stefan whispered breathlessly into the phone as if he’d been running a great distance. Orrin’s muscles tensed as they always did when closing in on the Weres. “Did you find them?” “Not yet. I’m close. It will take both of us.” Orrin glanced at Krista. “Where are you?” “I’m at the docks at an abandoned warehouse. It’s where I found their ship.” “Stay put. I’m on my way.” Orrin ended the call and hesitated as he looked at Krista. She needed to know of the Weres to protect herself and her friends, but there was a chance he and Stefan could end it all now before the slaughter began, before she had to know of the monsters that were near. He decided then not to wake Krista. Orrin was damned good at his job, and he was confident that he could kill the Weres. Then, he could take his time getting to know Krista and how she had linked to him. Moving slowly off the couch and untangling their lings, Orrin looked down at her. Regardless of what happened that night, he was coming back for her. The intense attraction and desire between them couldn’t be ignored or denied. There were things that needed to be said, questions that needed asking. Though he dreaded telling her who he was, he had no choice, not with the connection between them. He looked around for paper and pen once he was dressed. He left the note on the bar and gave her a kiss on her forehead before he walked to the door. One look back, at the woman sleeping so serenely, and he was gone. It didn’t take him long to reach the docks. Orrin lengthened his strides as he neared a warehouse. The quicker he found the werewolves the quicker he could end the threat they caused Cardiff. It was a constant battle he, Stefan, and the other trackers faced. The Weres weren’t the only species who wanted the humans. Ten minutes later, he spotted Stefan standing outside of a warehouse. “Are you sure?” he

asked his partner when he reached him. “Positive. They won’t go too far from the ship, either.” Orrin nodded. “Show me.” He followed Stefan into the abandoned warehouse. Dirt and trash littered the floor but nothing else. No blood, no dead bodies. Nothing. Stefan took him to the very back where they walked through several doors that led to a large room. Orrin whistled as he saw the sleek dark blue space ship. As advanced as the human’s were, even with their explorations into space, there were ways to get past their telescopes and satellites. “That’s what we’re looking for. Now we just need to find the Weres. They’ll be feeding soon, and with it being Halloween, anything can happen.” “That’s why we’re here,” Stefan said with a sardonic grin. “It’s been awhile since we fought these sons of bitches. I’m looking forward to a fight, and with Halloween being a time when the Weres are even stronger, I’m eager to pit myself against them.” Orrin smiled at his partner’s need for blood, not that he blamed Stefan. If Weres had destroyed his family, he’d hunt them as well. Revenge fueled Stefan, but the need for balance is what drove Orrin. “You’ll get your fight tonight, old friend,” Orrin said as a plan began to form.

Chapter Two

Five hours before midnight Krista awoke to the ringing of her phone. With a frustrated moan she abandoned her sleep and leaned over the arm of the couch to grab the receiver. “Hello?” “You’re not going to do it, are you?” Krista grimaced at Candy’s thick Welsh accent. The last thing she wanted to hear after being woken up was Candy’s voice. Krista didn’t particularly like her anyway, but after being pulled from her sleep, she could almost hate her. “Do what?” “The dare, Krista, the dare. You are going through with it, right?” Krista sat up and pushed her hair from her face. She still didn’t understand everyone’s desire to see her tromp out in the middle of the night to an abandoned house that everyone claimed was haunted. She had been in such a deep sleep that she couldn’t focus her mind clearly. She looked around, but saw no sign of Orrin. The hurt swelled within her, and she found herself only half listening to her co-worker as Candy ambled on. “You gave us your word,” Candy reminded her. “Yeah. Okay.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth Krista squeezed her eyes shut. “Wait. What were you talking about?” Candy laughed with glee. “No. You said you’d do it. No going back now. Don’t forget to pick one of the roses.” Krista really hated Candy in that moment. With her body lethargic from Orrin’s loving and her mind still trying to wake, Krista couldn’t think of a way out fast enough. “It’s a rose. How in the world will you know it’s from Llanrumney Hall?” “Believe me, Krista. When you see the roses, you’ll understand. Everyone who works at Principles does this dare at Halloween. It’s a rite of passage in order to work there. And we all know how much you want to fit in.” It was a load of bollocks, but Krista agreed once more and hung up. She put her head in her

hands and sighed. After a moment she lifted her head and slowly got to her feet. His clothes that had been scattered over the floor were gone, as if he’d never been. “Wonderful,” she murmured. “The first time I have sex with a complete stranger and he’s gone.” She’d thought him different. She had seen it in his eyes and the way he moved. She felt it in the way he touched her, and when they had made love…it had been better than any of her dreams. He’d acted different, spoken different. He’d felt different. So why had he left without waking her? Krista grabbed her robe from the bathroom and pulled it on as she walked to the kitchen to make fresh coffee. She was going to need it to get through this night. The clock above the sink showed it was only seven o’clock. Krista had several hours to kill before she headed out to Llanrumney Hall. Maybe she could have Orrin accompany her. Then she remembered Candy mentioning that she had to go alone. Krista had seen enough scary movies growing up to know her co-workers most likely intended to scare the pants off her. It wouldn’t be hard either. She had always been easily frightened. She couldn’t watch suspense movies without covering her eyes. And horror movies were pretty much a no-no for her or she’d never get to sleep. As old as the UK was, and as many battles that had transpired over the land, it was no wonder ghosts and other supernatural occurrences seemed to happen every other day. There was something about Cardiff that seemed…different than any other city she had visited. It wasn’t until she poured her coffee and turned to lean on the bar that she saw the piece of paper with bold writing. Her stomach fluttered when she spied Orrin’s name at the bottom. She picked it up and read it twice before she took a sip of the steamy liquid. She stared out her window and wondered why he was so adamant about her remaining in her flat. Since she didn’t know what time he had left, she didn’t know if the hour he had promised to return had already come and gone or not. Undecided on what to do, Krista blew out a breath and turned to open the fridge to see what she could cook. “Oh, hell,” she mumbled. How could she have forgotten to get to the store? Other than a couple of cans of Coke, OJ

and butter, there was nothing inside. The thought of ordering Chinese again turned her stomach. She decided to take a shower and wait for Orrin. Maybe they could go get a bite and talk. She was curious as to where he had come from, and how she had ‘called’ him. Krista finished her coffee before she set the mug by the sink and hurried into the bathroom for a shower. **** Orrin inhaled deeply and curled his lips as he smelled the unmistakable stink of the Weres around the warehouse. There was nothing that could hide the smell of wet dog. “They haven’t been gone long.” “I want in their ship.” Orrin glanced from Stefan to the spacecraft. “That ship is smaller than I’ve seen before. They were in a hurry to get here.” “And didn’t want to be seen,” Stefan said as he walked around the tall and narrow ship. “They hid themselves well.” “Not well enough from us.” Orrin studied the spaceship. The Weres had a thirst for technology that rivaled the Acanti’s, but their base instincts to kill prevented them from gaining a strong foothold in humanity. Stefan crossed his arms over his chest and braced his feet apart. “We could smell them out like we usually do.” “There isn’t enough time. In a city this size it could take hours, hours we don’t have.” “What’s going on, Orrin? You’ve not been yourself since we landed on this planet.” He turned to Stefan and shrugged, unsure what to tell him for the first time in their friendship. “By now, the slaughter should have already begun.” “Maybe they’re waiting.” “Maybe they’re after someone in particular.” Orrin put the statement out there to gauge Stefan’s reaction. It was against the rules for an Acanti, especially a Tracker, to sleep with a human. “Who?” Stefan’s blonde brow’s rose, his keen blue eyes sharpening. “How do you know

who it is?” “She called to me.” Stefan whistled long and low. “She? And she called to you, you say? Sounds intriguing. Not sure if I want to know first. Why you think it’s a human the Were’s want, or why you kept this from me?” Orrin decided to answer the first question. He trusted Stefan with his life, but Orrin’s instinct to protect Krista was strong. “She’s the only human I’ve ever known who has been able to call to me.” “Why link with you? Better yet, how do the Weres know she called you?” “That I don’t know.” But how he wished he did. Stefan dropped his arms and turned on his heel. “Then we need to find this woman before the Weres do.” “I’ve already found her.” Stefan halted abruptly and turned to face him. “You already found her? How?” “The link between us is strong. She says she doesn’t know how she called to me, and I believe her.” “That isn’t possible.” Stefan ran a hand through his mane of short blond hair. “No human, with advanced physics or not, has been able to reach us. Never, Orrin.” “I know.” Stefan wasn’t telling him anything he didn’t already know. It’s what captivated him about Krista. And her body. Orrin took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. Just thinking of Krista’s full breasts and her soft cries as she peaked made his blood heat. His balls tightened when he remembered her slick, hot sex surrounding him. “She had to have had some help. Is she with the Weres?” Stefan asked. Orrin scratched his jaw. Stefan was distrustful of anyone connected to a werewolf, but Orrin trusted his instincts. “I didn’t get a chance to talk to her about it. I don’t believe she is, however. Her surprise at seeing me wasn’t an act.” “I don’t like this. There are too many coincidences. The Weres have to know we’d follow them. If they are after this woman, wouldn’t it stand to reason they would know she could contact you?” “Maybe.”

“It could be a trap for us.” Orrin nodded. “I’ve considered that, which is why I wanted to see Krista myself. Trust me. I’d stake my life on the fact she’s not in league with the Weres.” “You better hope you’re right. Does this Krista know to stay inside tonight?” “I left her a note.” “A note,” Stefan repeated with a roll of his eyes. Orrin fisted his hands as he realized Krista probably would leave the safety of her home. She didn’t know the danger, and a note wasn’t incentive enough to keep inside. “Fuck. We need to get to her. Now!” Once outside the warehouse, Stefan clasped him on the shoulder to halt their hurried footsteps. “We’re going to need more weapons.” “Yes. See if we have another tracer on board. I want it on the Were’s ship to track them.” “I’ll get it done.” “Then meet me at Krista’s. She’s at one hundred forty Cathedral Street.” “Be careful,” Stefan shouted over his shoulder as he rushed off. Orrin wasn’t worried about himself. Being an Acanti, it would take more than a Were to kill him. It was Krista that had his chest in knots.

Chapter 3

Four hours to midnight Krista drummed her fingers on the arm of the couch. She had never taken so long to get ready for a man, not even for her senior prom. Yet here she was an hour later dressed in a dark red satin shirt that plunged down her neckline to her breasts and dark jeans. She lifted her foot to look at her black boots with their four and a half inch spiked heels. The boots were her favorite despite the fact they hurt her feet. They gave her an extra few inches on her short five foot three inch frame. Even the jeans she had on were her favorites. Though she tried to tell herself she hadn’t taken particular care with her hair and makeup, or worn her favored clothes for Orrin, she knew it for the lie it was. She wanted to look good for him. A man she didn’t even know. You do know him. Sex dreams didn’t count, even though she wished they could. She knew nothing of Orrin. Not where he came from, where he lived, what he did for a living. And most importantly, she didn’t know how she had called him to her, if she could believe him. There was no denying who he was. He was the man in her dreams. It gave her a little thrill that sent her stomach aflutter to know he had also dreamed of her. What worried her more was how easily she had succumbed to his touch and his kisses. She had been unable to resist his lure. What made it even worse was that she had wanted him with a desperation she had never felt before. And that scared the hell out of her. Krista glanced at her watch. She was hungry and confused, and she was tired of waiting for him. She rose and reached for her coat hanging by the door. After she’d shrugged into it, she grabbed for her purse and keys and took hold of the door handle. He said to stay. Something at the back of her mind warned her to stay in her flat, but Krista had learned the

hard way not to put her life on hold for a guy. If Orrin wanted to return, he would. But she wasn’t going to be sitting on the couch waiting for him. She yanked open the door before she changed her mind and slammed it shut behind her. Her boot heels clicked on the pavement as she put her hands in her jacket pockets. The night was growing colder, and the full moon hung in the inky sky as if watching her. A shudder ran down her spine as she saw the faint red glow that encircled the bright orb. “Stop it,” she mumbled to herself. “It’s just the moon.” She squared her shoulders and continued on to the outside café a few blocks away near the bay. The restaurant was one she visited frequently, and by the time she reached it, her stomach was growling. “G’evenin’, Krista,” said the bouncy redhead as she walked up. “Hi, Shelly. You’re busy tonight.” The hostess smiled and winked. “Never too busy for you. Follow me.” That was one of the good things about living in her little area. It was almost like a small town unto itself. You saw the same people day after day. “I appreciate this,” Krista said as she pulled out her chair at the table. Shelly shrugged. “We always leave a table open for our regulars.” Krista watched the tall, skinny redhead walk away. Shelly was always smiling, always cheerful as if she took a bottle of happy pills every morning when she woke. Krista chuckled. Maybe she should find some of those happy pills. ***** Orrin pounded on Krista’s door for the third time. He gripped the doorframe and hung his head as the realization sunk in that she had left. He knew he should have done more than leave a note, but he hadn’t expected to be gone so long. Now, he had to search for her again. “Bloody hell,” he muttered and spun away from the door. His looked first one way then the other trying to determine which direction she had gone. He clenched his jaw and fisted his hands. If the Weres found Krista, if they touched her, there was nothing he could do to save her. The Weres would take her in a matter of moments. He should have told her everything. It wasn’t like he had planned things though. One look at

her, one smell of her desire and he had been unable to control the raging lust. He should have been able to restrain it. Her very life depended upon it. Despite the many years he had tracked aliens, not once had he messed up so royally as he had with Krista. Orrin knew it was the unexplainable connection that had caused him to lose his tightly guarded control, but it had felt so wonderful to hold her in his arms, to taste her luscious mouth. He needed to find her and protect her, but all he could think about was the different ways he wanted to make to love to her, to hear her scream his name as she climaxed. His cock hardened just thinking about it. Orrin took a deep breath and reined in his desire. He could have all the time he wanted with Krista, but first, he had to find her. ***** Krista put the last of her turkey and cheese sandwich in her mouth and sighed. She had been so hungry she didn’t want to wait for anything that took too long to cook. Every now and again, she had looked up from her food and glanced around in the hopes that Orrin might walk up. It was silly. He had no idea where she had gone, and for all she knew, he hadn’t returned to her flat to find her gone. But maybe it was a good thing he hadn’t been there when she’d woken. She wasn’t sure she could keep her hands off of him long enough to learn the answers to all her questions. Which wasn’t like her at all. She wasn’t a prude, but she didn’t make a habit of sleeping around, especially with men she had just met. Krista pushed away her plate and reached for her wallet. The more she thought about Orrin the more baffled she became. She tossed the money on top of the ticket with the tip and rose. She needed to walk. And think. She strolled along the bay, content to look at the dark water and the moon’s reflection upon it. She groaned when her mobile rang. She hesitated to answer it but pulled it out of her purse anyway. When she saw the caller was Candy, she groaned. “What?” she asked after answering the call. “Just checking on you.” “Stop it.” Krista had had enough. She had accepted the dare. She wouldn’t turn back now.

Candy laughed, and a male voice in the background joined with her. “You sound annoyed. Or is it you’re scared.” “It’s just a damn house.” “Then why aren’t you already there?” Krista had known they were up to something. “You’re there, aren’t you?” “Of course. I want to see you come here for myself.” “Tell her to hurry,” a male voice said into the phone. Krista stopped walking. The voice wasn’t one she recognized as their co-workers. “Who is that?” “Just a friend. Don’t worry about him, Krista darling. Just get your pretty little arse to the house.” Krista ended the call and dropped the phone in her purse. Ever since the dare had been brought up a week ago, she had suspected something, and Candy had just admitted it. Krista had no doubt there were more people than just Candy and her ‘friend’ at the house. She shook her head, disgusted with herself for even giving in to the peer pressure. But Krista wasn’t the type of person to go back on her word. She lifted her hand to signal a taxi before she changed her mind and returned to her flat to wait for Orrin. Besides the sooner she got this “dare” over with, the sooner she could turn her attention to Orrin. ***** Orrin had wasted so much time already. He had doubled back to look for Krista when he found Stefan waiting for him in front of Krista’s flat. “I take it she left before you got back.” Orrin gave a jerk of his head. “These damn modern women. Had this been a hundred years earlier, she would have listened to me.” “Maybe.” “You aren’t making things better.” Stefan shrugged and opened one side of his coat. “Want this?” Orrin grasped his sword. It felt good to have his weapon with him again. He removed his

coat and strapped on his sword so that it rested on his back between his shoulder blades. “Where do you think she went?” “I don’t know.” Orrin shrugged back into his coat to cover his own weapon. “She could be anywhere.” “And the link between you? Do you still feel her?” Orrin hadn’t wanted to use the link, not when it sent him into a raging lust, but they were out of options. He closed his eyes and concentrated on Krista. “She’s alive,” he said. His balls tightened, and he opened his eyes before the link went too far. “And headed out of the city.” Stefan’s eyes narrowed. “Which direction?” “North.”

Chapter Four

Three hours to midnight The taxi drove off, leaving Krista to walk the long, dark drive to Llanrumney Hall. She glanced at the fading taillights of the car and wondered at her sanity. It was Halloween, and if the stories around Britain could be believed, this was the night all sorts of craziness happened. Whether she believed it or not, Krista knew what awaited her in the house wasn’t going to be good. She cursed herself for ten kinds of fool for not demanding the driver stay to return her to her flat, but he hadn’t wanted to drive her to the house to begin with. He had yanked the money from her hand and nearly taken off before she could get out of the cab. Now she would have to walk the five miles back to Cardiff. In the dark. On Halloween. Wonderful. Just fucking wonderful. Krista stuck her hand in her purse and wrapped her fingers around the can of mace. It might not stop a ghost, but it would halt any mortal attackers who might try to come at her. You’re being silly. She wasn’t so sure anymore. There was an eerie sense of foreboding as she looked through the swaying trees empty of their leaves to the tall, dilapidated house in the distance. No lights shown through the windows or down the drive. Shadows were everywhere, and more than once Krista could have sworn she saw movement in the trees. If there was ever a house that looked more sinister, more eerie, it was the one before her. “Which is why they chose it for the dare,” she whispered. Krista licked her lips and made herself start walking. The sooner she got the rose, the sooner she could get back to Cardiff. She wished she had a flashlight in her purse, but she wasn’t one of those women who carried their life in their handbags. She preferred to keep just the necessities:

wallet, keys, mobile, tampons, lipstick. And mace. But a flashlight would be really good right now. She decided if she made it back—no, when…when I make it back—to Cardiff, a flashlight would become a necessity. With her heart pounding in her chest, she took slow, measured steps down the drive. Other than the wind whistling through the trees, the silence was deafening. The unnatural glow of the moon on the house made her skin crawl with dread. There was evil in the house. She knew it with a certainty that made her blood run cold. Krista blew out a breath and glanced over her shoulder. The trees seemed to swallow the road, trapping her. She turned to the road and considered forgetting the dare, forgetting everything and returning to Cardiff. Until two men, huge and menacing, stepped onto the drive, blocking her. No exit now. She considered using the mace on them, but there was something in the way they stared at her, something that told her not even a gun would get her past them. With no other choice, Krista shivered and continued towards the house. ***** Orrin lengthened his strides as he rushed past a small corner restaurant with an outside café. He stopped and stared at the table that was being cleaned. “Something wrong?” Stefan asked. Orrin nodded to the table. “She was here. I can smell her.” Stefan stepped in front of him. “First, you tell me you are linked with her, and now, you tell me you can smell her?” “It’s difficult to explain.” “No. It’s not.” Stefan raked a hand down his face, his concern evident in the lines bracketing his mouth. “You know what this means?” Unfortunately, Orrin did. “We can talk about how completely screwed to Hell I am after we find Krista.” “If we find her.” Orrin stepped around his friend. “Leave it.”

“We have never mated with humans, Orrin,” he whispered. “You know we aren’t supposed to. It’s forbidden.” He didn’t bother answering. What good would it do to tell Stefan, he had already made love to her? None. “Orrin, bloody hell. Stop.” “There’s no time.” Stefan’s big hand clamped on his shoulder and pulled him to a halt. Orrin spun around to face him. “What do you want me to say? That I regret it? I don’t. As soon as I find Krista and she’s safe, I plan on making love to her for several months.” “It isn’t done.” “Right now, I don’t care. Right now, it doesn’t matter. Right now, we have to find her because our time is running out.” Stefan’s lips pressed into a flat line. “Is that why the Weres want her? Do they know she has such a strong link with you?” Orrin let out a breath. “It’s a possibility I’ve considered.” “If they catch her, if they…” He didn’t need to continue. Orrin knew exactly what he meant. “Yes. If they take her, they’ll have me as well.” “This is the reason we don’t mate with humans. They have no defenses.” Orrin slashed his hand through the air. “Enough,” he bellowed. “Her scent fades here.” Stefan clenched and unclenched his hands several times before he relaxed his shoulders. “She got into a car.” “Yes.” “Can you find her?” Orrin closed his eyes, but each time he thought of Krista, she would fade, as if something was blocking him from finding her. The strain of trying to link with her caused his head to pound. The more he tried, the worse the pain became until he lost her all together. He blew out a breath and looked to Stefan. “She’s not in the city.” Stefan rolled his eyes. “That narrows it down. Why can’t you find her?” “I’m not sure. Look, she can’t have gone far. I saw trees and what looked like an old house in the brief image I got.”

“What do you mean? You didn’t link with her?” Orrin plunged his hands into his coat, weary to his very soul. “Something was blocking it.” “Not something, my friend. Someone. The Weres.” ***** Krista’s gaze scanned the mansion as she walked closer. Vines grew up the side of the house, and shutters hung broken and chipped from the windows. The front door had been boarded over, but someone had kicked through a couple of boards. She stopped when she saw the front door standing open behind the boards. The roses were supposed to be in back of the house, but it was like an unseen force pushed her towards the door, enticing her inside. Her mind rebelled, but she couldn’t make her feet do as she wanted. It was as if someone had control of her. Even when she tried to think of Orrin, his face faded from view each time. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and climbed through the boards into the dark house. What little furniture was inside was covered by moth-eaten sheets and layers of dust. Huge spider webs hung in the corners and from the lights. Her gaze turned to the curving staircase, and before she knew it, she was walking up the stairs. When she reached the top, she dropped her purse and put a hand on the railing to steady herself as the room began to spin. “Krista,” a voice whispered through the house. She shivered and her heart raced. She wanted to run from the house, but she couldn’t. Something dark, something powerful was coming for her, and she was helpless to do anything against it. “Krista,” the voice said again, stronger, deeper. A male voice. Her eyes became difficult to keep open. She struggled to stand upright. “I knew you would come, Krista. You belong to us.” She tried to shake her head, but she couldn’t manage it. A groan of fear tore from her throat as someone came up behind her and wrapped their arms about her waist. A hard, male body

pressed tightly against her, his hot breath blowing on her neck. “Are you ready?” a new voice whispered in her ear. “No.” He chuckled and nuzzled her neck. “You will be.” Out of the shadows came a second man, the voice who had whispered her name. He smiled at her, showing even white teeth. “Hello, Krista. We’ve travelled a very long way to find you.” “Me?” She squeezed her eyes closed and it took every amount of effort she had to pry them open they were so heavy. He nodded and shrugged out of his jacket. He was tall and powerfully built with black hair that hung thick and silky down his back. “Yes, you, Krista. You don’t understand now how important you are to us, but you will.” She swallowed and tried to move out of the second man’s arms, but he tightened them around her. “She smells…delicious, Kilgorin.” “Yes, Anathar, I can smell her.” Krista’s blood turned to ice as fear clawed its way through her. “Who are you?” They men shared a laugh before Kilgorin leaned close to her and inhaled deeply as if smelling her. “It’s not who we are, dear Krista. It’s what we are.” “And that would be?” His face was so close to hers. She saw his eyes and how they shown almost golden, even in the dark. “Better saved for later,” Anathar said. “Come, Krista. It’s time.” “Time for what?” But they didn’t answer her as each took a hand and guided her down a corridor to the back of the house. There was no trying to get away. Whatever was keeping her languid was also keeping her next to them. Krista stumbled, and it was only their hold that kept her from falling on her face. “Easy,” Kilgorin whispered. “You did too much, Anathar.” Anathar grunted. “I gave her what was needed. She’s a strong one, my lord.” Krista gave tried to yank away from the two giants, but they had iron grips, and she did nothing but hurt herself. Up ahead, she saw light beneath a door. She thought of the mace in her purse and wished she still had it with her.

“I don’t want to go,” she tried to scream, but it only came out as a whisper. The giant on her left who was the leader, Kilgorin, patted her hand. “All will be well. You’ll see.” As they reached the door, it opened and the two men steered her into the room. All around her were naked bodies rolling around on the floor, their moans and sighs of pleasure filling the large chamber. The smell of sex lingered. She turned her head to the giant on her right. “Anathar, let me go.” “That I cannot do. “ He smiled, the corners of his yellow eyes crinkling. He had silver hair that hung straight down his back. It wasn’t silver like an old man’s, but a shiny, vibrant silver. Krista blinked. Yellow eyes? No one had yellow eyes. She looked to Kilgorin to find him watching her with the same golden eyes. “What are you going to do to me?” “I’m going to make you mine, Krista.” A scream lodged in her throat when the two men lifted her hands above her head and clasped the manacles around her wrists that hung from the ceiling in the center of the room. She struggled against the chains when a familiar figure leaned against the doorway. Krista glared at the woman. “Candy.” Her co-worker ran a finger down her naked body between her breasts. “You kept your word. That’s a good thing. You really didn’t want these two,” she said as she glanced at Kilgorin and Anathar, “roaming the streets of Cardiff looking for you.” “Why are you doing this?” Candy threw back her head, her strawberry blonde locks barely moving. “Once you get a taste of them, you’ll understand.” Krista was tired of people telling her she would understand. She wanted to know now. If only she could shake the fog from her brain and fight, but whatever the two men were doing to her, couldn’t be shaken off. A hand cupped her breast, and she looked down to find Kilgorin’s thumb rubbing over her nipple. “It won’t be long now, Krista. Soon, you will know everything.” She turned her head away to find Anathar’s eyes almost glowing. Orrin!

Chapter Five

One hour to midnight Orrin skidded to a halt on the dark road and braced his head with both hands as Krista’s scream echoed in his mind. “Orrin?” The terror in her voice took the breath from his body. He fell to one knee and squeezed his eyes closed until the pain subsided. “Orrin!” He took a second to drag in a ragged breath. Then he looked at Stefan and lumbered to his feet. “They have her.” “Damn. Did she call to you again?” “She screamed.” “Did you see where she is?” Orrin smiled, the smile of a man going into battle. “I did.” Stefan’s answering look would have put the fear of the cosmos in the Weres had they been there to see it. “What are we waiting for? I’m itching to slice off some Were head.” Orrin had always prided himself on his calm when hunting, but anger coursed through him now burning with a need for revenge that would destroy every Were in his way. “Then let us hunt.” The two ran down the paved road. Their stamina was twice that of a human’s, which allowed them to run longer, faster. With every step Orrin knew their time was running out. The thought of Krista beneath one of the Weres turned his stomach. If they took her, marked her, he would have to kill her. The thought made his chest ache which made him miss a stride and stumble. He righted himself and ignored the look Stefan threw at him. He pushed himself harder, the need to reach Krista pumping through his veins. “We’ll find her, old friend.”

Orrin hoped Stefan was right, because if he wasn’t, killing Krista was going to be the hardest thing he had ever done. ***** Krista pulled back when she saw the large knife Kilgorin held in front of her. He caressed her cheek with his other hand as he stared into her eyes. “I’ve waited for you for so long. You don’t know what I’ve gone through to find you.” Krista didn’t care. All she wanted to do was curl up in her bed and forget the nightmare that surrounded her. “Let me go. Please.” “Oh, I will release you.” He slid the knife between her breasts so the blade sliced open her shirt. With one jerk of his hand the edge cut through her bra and shirt to the waist of her jeans. “I will most certainly release you. And when I do, you’ll thank me.” She wanted to tell him to go to hell, but he held a very big, very long knife against her flesh. She held her breath as he flicked the tip of the knife at the fabric at her shoulders. Her beautiful red satin shirt and bra fell to the floor, leaving her bared to the room. With no heating in the old mansion, her nipples hardened. Kilgorin’s irises dilated, and he licked his lips. He bent down and sucked a peak into his hot mouth. She tried to jerk back, but Anathar had come up behind her to hold her still. There was no doubt in her mind they planned to rape her. She heard Anathar’s voice speaking in a language she didn’t understand. Suddenly, all her fear disappeared and her knees buckled. “Easy, little one,” Anathar whispered in her ear. “There’s no need to fight.” Kilgorin pinched the nipple he had just suckled and groaned. “No, no need to fight, not when we can take away your fear and your pain.” Krista’s head fell back against Anathar’s chest as she moaned from Kilgorin’s teasing of her breasts. He gently kneaded them, his thumbs teasing her nipples until they were hard and straining. Moisture gathered between her legs as a slow heat began to build. She couldn’t understand how they controlled her body. She had not drunk or ate anything since meeting them, so they couldn’t have drugged her. She squeezed her legs together as her sex throbbed, and Kilgorin smiled.

“Ah, you feel the desire, do you not?” The pleasure pumping in her veins wasn’t the pure lust she had felt with Orrin. What she felt now was…forced. She wanted to jerk away from the men, to scream and heap curses upon their heads, but her body wouldn’t obey her. Anathar’s hands held her waist, his thumbs rubbing small circles on her skin while Kilgorin continued to tease her breasts. Behind the black-haired giant, the moans from the couples escalated as their frenzy grew. Krista tried to fight the desire, the hunger rising within her, but the need was too strong. “I want to take you now, to show you what you have missed in your human form.” Kilgorin stepped closer to her, his cock straining against his pants. “Wolves mate for life, Krista. Nothing but death can separate wolf mates. It is rare to find our mates outside of our own. You may not have all of our blood, but you have enough. We’re destined for each other.” She lifted her gaze to him. She didn’t understand why he kept speaking of wolves. Wolves had been extinct in Britain for some time now. He cupped both her breasts and rolled them in his hands. His moan sounded almost like a growl as he ground his jean clad hips against her. Krista couldn’t stop her own moan as she found herself trapped between two men, their hardened cocks rubbing against her. Her breath came faster as the need heated her blood. She didn’t want the men touching her. She kept thinking of Orrin, of how his hands stroked her and how delicious his kisses were. He was the only thing that kept her sane. “She’s thinking of another,” Anathar ground out. Kilgorin gripped her chin and forced her gaze to him. “You will forget him.” She looked into his yellow eyes and her mind went blank. “You will only want me.” A moan passed through her lips as he ran a finger over her nipple. Krista blinked. She had been thinking of something, but all there was now was darkness calling to her. And desire. The pleasure pulled her down, drowning her in its bliss. Kilgorin stared down at the mate he had searched galaxies for. It hadn’t taken much to enter her mind and control her, but once he let loose her Were blood, she would be almost as powerful as he. And as his mate, she would rule their pack with him. Her breasts were full, heavy in his hands. His cock strained to be free and bury inside her, to

delve his fingers in the dark curls between her legs, but he couldn’t. Not yet. He had to wait until midnight. Then, he could free her from her mortal body. “My lord.” He looked up to find Anathar’s eyes dilated and his breathing labored. The desire Anathar felt for his mate was natural, but if Anathar took her, he would kill him in a heartbeat. “What is it?” “He is gone from her mind now.” Kilgorin smiled. “Yes. He is gone, and I am in his place.” He ran his hands down her side to her trim waist and full hips to hold her as he ground into her again. Her soft body shook from her need, her arousal filling his senses. A breathy sigh escaped her full lips, and he leaned down to kiss her. She responded to him, but the force of their mind control was the only thing making her react. For now. “She is ready,” Candy said as she walked up behind Anathar and grasped his cock though his pants. “I kept my promise, my lords.” Kilgorin glanced at Anathar before looking at the human. “And we’ll keep ours. After Krista has been freed, we will turn you.” Candy’s red lips quirked into a smile. “May I join you three. I’ve never been so horny in my entire life.” “Join the others,” Kilgorin said with a jerk of his head. Candy gave Anathar’s cock one more stroke before she moved off to join the orgy behind them. Kilgorin had never liked human women, and he didn’t understand how they mated with anyone who suited their fancy. Not to mention the humans had no loyalty to their own. Candy had given up Krista for the promise of immortality. She had no idea the consequences of what she asked. Krista arched her back and moaned as she rubbed against his straining cock. “Soon, my love,” he whispered as he kissed her neck. “Soon, I will take you. I will free you.”

Chapter Six

Thirty minutes to midnight Orrin skidded to a halt as he found the driveway that led to the mansion. Krista was inside. He could feel her, could sense the fear and anger. Until all her emotions vanished. “What is it?” Stefan asked as he stopped beside him. “They’re controlling her mind. I can no longer link to her.” Stefan shook his head. “It’s just the two of them, Orrin. We can take them and stop what they’re doing to Krista.” “The Weres have come for more than just food.” Stefan’s head jerked to him, disbelief etched in every line of his face. “By the stars, no.” As much as Orrin wanted to ignore what had been thundering through his mind all evening, he couldn’t. “I knew they wanted Krista, but I thought it was because of what her blood could give them.” “Because she was able to call one of us, an Acanti?” “Yes, but I was wrong. They want Krista because they think she’s a mate to one of them.” “Shit.” Orrin couldn’t have said it better. “Krista is more than just human.” “Obviously.” He jerked off his coat and tossed it on the fence that was falling down. He unsheathed his sword, the sound loud in the silence. “They’ll suspect us and set traps.” “I’m ready for them.” He gave Stefan a nod, and they set out towards the mansion keeping to the shadows. The full moon and cloudless sky kept everything flooded with light. It wasn’t until they were ten paces from the house that they saw movement. Orrin stepped into the light and smiled when a human man moved to block his entrance to the house. The Weres had control of the man’s mind, and though every fiber of Orrin’s being told him to kill and find Krista. He couldn’t. He was there to protect humans, and killing was

only a last resort. When the man attacked, Orrin easily ducked the fist aimed at his face. With one punch from the hand that held his sword, the man crumbled to the ground. Stefan came to stand beside him and snorted. “He doesn’t even have a weapon.” “The Weres will want to slow us down. Once midnight comes, and we don’t have Krista, it will all be over.” “You think there are more humans who will try to stop us?” Orrin groaned as ten men came around the house. “Yes, my friend, that’s exactly what I think.” “Fuck me.” Orrin sheathed his sword as he and Stefan moved back to back. “Don’t kill unless you have no other choice.” “Be warned, some have weapons.” Orrin took a deep breath as five of the men came at him. He hissed as a blade cut across his arm. Pain lashed through him while the blood rolled down his arm and into his hands. While he lifted his arms to block a downward swing of a mace, another man punched him in the kidneys. Orrin sword was torn from his grip, and another punch to his kidneys doubled him over. “Orrin!” Stefan bellowed.

Fifteen minutes to midnight Krista moved her shoulders and heard the chains rattle above her head. She didn’t know why they kept her bound. There was nowhere for her to run, and she wasn’t even sure if she wanted to escape anymore. There was something different about them, and more than just their height and their golden eyes. She squeezed her bare toes into the hardwood floors and wondered why she wasn’t embarrassed to be completely nude in a room full of strangers. Maybe it was the orgy in front of her and the moans of pleasure that sounded like music in the old house. Maybe it was the two men who stood near her, their desire evident in the way their pants

molded against their arousals. Or maybe it was the hunger that burned inside her. She didn’t care as long as someone touched her and eased the ache inside her. She needed to peak, to drain some of the need in her. It didn’t help that Kilgorin continued to fondle her breasts. He had kissed her once, but he had done nothing else since. “You want my touch?” he asked. “Yes.” He grabbed his shirt at the collar and ripped it in half. She sucked in a breath at the sheer size of his bulging muscles. He kicked off his shoes and jerked off his belt. “The time is approaching, my love. Can you feel the power?” Was that what pumped in her veins? It was like a drum pounding, increasing in tempo with every minute that ticked by. She moaned as a rush of need caused her to squeeze her legs together. “Yes,” he said with a knowing smile. “You feel it.” Before her eyes his nails lengthened to sharp points. Then he shredded the waist of his pants and they puddled at his feet. His huge cock sprang free. Krista licked her lips, eager to feel him enter her, to have him ease the hunger rising rapidly inside her. Her eyes rolled back in her head as Kilgorin’s hands gripped her hips and lifted her so that her legs wrapped around his waist. Anathar’s hand grazed her breasts, wringing a moan from her. She ground her hips against Kilgorin seeking his cock. He hissed as his rod rubbed against her sex. A smile pulled at his lips as he licked a finger before he pushed it inside her. She moaned and waited for him to fill her, to make her one with him. Nothing could stop the craving that had taken hold of her.

Five minutes to midnight Orrin pushed the last human from him as he rose to his feet. He held his hand against his ribs and bit back a groan. “How bad are you hurt?” He turned to Stefan and shook his head at the blood and dirt that covered him. “I don’t feel

half as bad as you look.” “That’s comforting. Do you think there are any more?” “Maybe in the house.” “I’m ready if you are.” This time Orrin grabbed his sword. He didn’t want to kill humans, but Krista’s life was at stake, and if a human got in his way…well, he would do what he had to. Orrin took the lead and crept into the house. He stopped in the foyer and listened to the moans that grew louder above them. He motioned to the stairs. Stefan nodded and palmed his throwing stars as they silently raced up the stairway. To their surprise, no more men waited in the shadows to stop them. When they reached the second floor, they followed the light that led to a large back room. To the left, naked men and women writhed on the floor, their cries of desire covering any sound Orrin and Stefan made. To the right Orrin spotted Anathar standing behind Krista who was chained to the ceiling with her legs wrapped around Kilgorin’s waist. She and Kilgorin were naked, and by the look of need in Krista’s eyes, the Were was about to take her. “Are you ready to be shown who you really are?” the Were asked Krista. “Who are you?” she asked. Orrin stepped into the room. “He’s a werewolf.” Krista’s eyes jerked to his. For a moment, she stared at him. Then she blinked, as if gaining control of her mind, and unwound her legs from the werewolf leader. Stefan moved to his left, and they faced the two Weres who growled as their fangs lengthened. “You didn’t invite us to the party, Kilgorin. My feelings are hurt.” Orrin faced the leader of the Weres. There would be no escape tonight.

Krista jerked against the chains. Her mind was foggy and had begun to pound incessantly. The desire that had taken her left her body in a rush. She was thrilled to see Orrin, but with the way the two giants circled him and his friend, they would be lucky to leave alive. Had Orrin said werewolf? Yeah, right. There’s no such thing.

No sooner had she thought those words than Anathar tilted back his head and let out a howl. The group of men and women in the orgy screamed and rushed from the room. Krista swallowed and opened her mouth to yell as Kilgorin transformed to an eight foot tall, solid-black, hairy beast with the elongated head of a wolf and the claws and paws to prove it. A moment later, Anathar shifted into a silver werewolf. The two beasts looked like wolves, but they walked on their back paws—Oh, my God! Paws!—like men. “Acanti. My favorite meal,” Kilgorin growled. Orrin grinned menacingly as he swung his sword around him. “You know us. We can’t stay away from the fun you Weres always have.” The four held still as if each waited on the other to make a move. Krista wanted to look away, but fear for Orrin kept her gaze glued to him. She was afraid to move and break the silence that expanded through the room. Time stretched, the tension tightening and tightening. Until… All hell broke loose. The Weres let loose howls, while Orrin and the man with him released fierce bellows. She screamed and jerked away as Kilgorin leapt at Orrin. Anathar wasted no time in attacking the other man. The house rattled when a body was slammed into the walls. She winced each time Kilgorin’s claws sliced through Orrin’s skin and cheered for every time Orrin’s blade brought the werewolf’s blood. Anathar tossed Orrin’s friend out of the room, and they tumbled down the hall, which let her concentrate on Orrin. Kilgorin crashed atop Orrin, pinning him to the floor. The beast raised his paw as his claws extended. “No,” Krista screamed. Suddenly, a clock began to chime midnight. Kilgorin reared back his head and let out a howl full of anger and desperation. He turned his head to her and leapt from Orrin. His black paws grasped her and jerked her to him. “No!” she cried. “You will want me,” he said. “You will understand later.” Krista jerked with all her might, but the strength of the Were was too much for her. He positioned her body over his cock and was about to plunge inside her with he let out another

howl, this one filled with pain. She gasped as she saw the silver tip of a sword extend through Kilgorin’s chest to halt inches from her face. The beast released her and stumbled back as blood poured from his wound. Her gaze moved behind the Were to Orrin were he held his blood soaked sword. He stumbled to her and turned her face away. “You don’t want to see this,” he whispered. Krista was content to hide her face in his neck as Kilgorin’s screams of pain sounded behind her. It seemed to go on forever before silence once more filled the room. She glanced behind her to find nothing more than a pile of ash. She turned to Orrin and looked into the black eyes of her savior. He gave her a quick kiss before he cut her chains with his sword. Her arms fell to her sides, and she moaned from the pain as blood rushed to her fingers. “Did they hurt you?” he asked. “No. Was he really…?” “A werewolf? Yes. He was.” The events of the evening were too much for her, and when Orrin brought her against his chest and wrapped his arm around her, she clung to him as if he were a life line. “Orrin,” someone called. “I’m fine, Stefan,” he shouted. Orrin stroked her hair and said, “He’s is a friend.” Footsteps sounded on the stairs before Stefan entered the room and tossed Orrin’s coat at him. “I thought she might need this.” Krista smiled gratefully at the tall blond man as Orrin helped her into his coat. It hung to the ground, but it covered her body. “What of Anathar?” she asked Stefan. Stefan glanced at Orrin. “He got away. For the moment.” “We’ll find him,” Orrin promised. But Krista didn’t care. She wanted out of the house. “I want to go home.” “Yes. Home it is.” He took her hand and led her outside. To her surprise, a car was parked in the drive. She looked at Orrin. “What can I say? Stefan is resourceful.” Krista was grateful since she didn’t want to walk the five miles back to Cardiff. “I’ll meet you back at Krista’s,” Stefan said. “I cannot allow Anathar to get too far ahead.”

Orrin nodded. “I’ll be waiting. Be careful, my friend.” Once in the front with Orrin’s arm wrapped around her, she said, “Why did the Weres want me?” “The same reason I didn’t understand how you could have called me to Earth,” Orrin replied softly. She licked her lips. “You two aren’t human, either?” “No,” he answered. The single word hung in the air between them. “Where are you from then?” “Another planet. We protect humans from creatures such as the Weres.” She rubbed her forehead wondering why she found it so easy to believe them. “It’s almost like a movie. “ “Better actually,” Orrin said with a smile. She turned and touched his face. “You aren’t human, but you look like us.” “Yes, but we are different. We aren’t immortal, but we live drastically longer lives than you.” “And heal faster,” she added as she glanced at the wounds that had all but healed “Amazing.” “As for why the Weres wanted you, and why you were able to call to me when no other human has ever been able to… You are more than just a human.” She laughed, but it died on her lips. “More than human? What does that mean?” “Humans are a special species,” Stefan said. “You are protected by intergalactic law.” “Which means what?” she asked. Orrin’s hand covered hers. “It means that if anyone wants to mate with a human, they have to have permission first.” “Well, I hate to break it to you, but Kilgorin wasn’t asking permission. And neither did you.” “It’s like any law, Krista. It’s put into place to protect, but it isn’t always obeyed which is obvious by your birth. Who are your parents?” She turned and looked out the passenger window. “I don’t know. All I know is my foster family.” “If I can take some of your blood, I can determine what species is mixed with your human

blood.” Krista sighed and faced Orrin. “This is a nightmare. I never understood my need to get to Cardiff or the dreams I had of you. “ “I’ll find your answers for you,” he promised. The SUV pulled to a stop in front of her flat. Orrin opened the door and got out. Just as her bare feet touched the concrete she remembered her purse and her clothes. “I left my stuff at the house.” “We’ll get it.”. “Will Anathar come after me?” “Stefan will take care of him, but even if he manages to get away he won’t bother you. You were Kilgorin’s, and he’s dead.” “That’s a relief, I suppose.” Orrin took her hand. “Would you like some company?” She was so glad he wanted to stay that she didn’t trust her voice. She nodded, and he walked her to her front door. In the house, she walked straight to the bathroom and into the shower. She scrubbed her body twice before the shower door opened, and Orrin stepped inside. He pulled her against him and lowered his head to her lips. His kiss was slow, sensual and made her blood burn for more. When he lifted his head and caressed her face, she waited for him to speak. “You haven’t asked what I am?” “You’re Orrin, and you saved me. That’s all I need to know.” He smiled. “If only it were that simple. I wasn’t jesting when I said no human has been able to call to an Acanti before now.” “What does that mean for me?” “It depends on what you are, I suppose.” She wrapped her hand around his thick cock. “Right now, the only thing I want is you.” “I can give you that,” he murmured before he took her mouth is a fierce kiss. Krista fumbled with the knobs to turn off the shower as he pulled her out of the bathroom and into her room. He tossed her onto the bed and hurried to cover her body with his. “I’ve never felt desire this…scorching before,” Krista admitted. “Is it because you aren’t human?”

He shook his head. “No.” “Good.” She forgot all about the other questions floating in her mind as his hand cupped her sex and began to swirl around her clitoris. She bit her lip as the desire increased. He moved down her body until his head was between her legs. His finger caressed between her curls to push inside her as his tongue found her clit and began to suckle. Krista cried out from the delicious pleasure. Her hands fisted in the covers as she fought to keep from peaking too soon. But Orrin’s hands and mouth knew just how to touch her. The desire coiled within her tighter with each stroke of his tongue until her body jerked, and she screamed as her orgasm washed over her. Her sex still pulsed with her climax when Orrin entered her with one thrust. She moaned at the hard length of him. When he began to move within in her, she met him thrust for thrust. A fine sheen of sweat covered them before he reached between their bodies and grasped her clitoris between his two fingers. “Come with me,” he whispered before he gave a small tug. Krista was blinded by the force of her climax. She held onto to Orrin as he buried himself to the hilt and shouted her name as his seed poured inside her. For long moments, they simply held each other, content in the glow of their lovemaking. “Orrin.” “Shh, Krista,” he whispered. “Sleep.” Unable to hold open her eyes a moment longer, she gave in and let the sleep claim her. Orrin waited until she was asleep before he rose and dressed. He pulled a small needle from his pocket and pricked her finger to draw a drop of blood. He covered Krista and hurried from the flat before he changed his mind and stayed with her all night.

Chapter Seven

Krista woke to find the sun bathing her room in light. She smiled as she remembered the way Orrin had loved her the night before. She rolled over only to find the bed empty. Fear crept around her chest like iron. He couldn’t have left again. Surely, he would have at least told her goodbye. Wouldn’t he? She threw back the covers and rose from the bed to look in the bathroom. His clothes were gone. Her heart fell to her feet like a rock. She turned and walked to the kitchen on wooden legs only to come to a halt. “Orrin?” He looked up from reading the paper to smile at her. “Good morning, sleepy head. How did you rest?” “I thought you had left.” He folded the paper and tossed it to the counter before he moved to stand in front of her. “How could I leave the only thing that has ever touched me the way you do? You don’t understand what you do to me, Krista, but with you, I’m the man I’ve always wanted to be. With you, I’m the man I always should have been.” Tears pricked the back of her eyes. “You weren’t in bed this morning.” He sighed and took a step back. “I had to know what you are. I took a sample of your blood last night.” “You should have asked. I would have given it to you.” “I know. Forgive me, but I couldn’t wait. I had to know.” She lifted her shoulders, almost afraid to discover the answer. “And?” A slow smiled pulled at his beautiful mouth. “You are human, but you’re also Acanti. I think it was the mix of our two species blood that made Kilgorin believe you were his mate. You see Weres and Acanti share many similarities.” “I think I need to sit down.” She sank onto the bar stool, her gaze locked with his. “With your Acanti blood, it allowed you to call to me.” “But I never intentionally called to you.”

He laughed and took her hands in his. “On my planet, calling is how we find our mates.” “Oh.” Her eyes widened as the realization of what he said sank in. “Oh!” “Exactly.” “So, I’m your…” “Mate,” he finished for her. She laughed, giddy with the sensation. It all somehow felt…right. “What does that mean for us?” “I’m still a Tracker for my planet. I could give it up.” “But you don’t want to, and you shouldn’t have to.” He licked his lips and glanced at the floor. “You could come with me.” Excitement prickled her skin. If she had the nerve, adventure waited for her. But more than that, the man Fate had delivered to her would be next to her. “Really?” “Yes.” He smiled and pulled her against him. “I could show you so much of the universe. There is much to see and experience. I want to show you everything, including my planet. Our planet. Will you come with me?” In her mind, there was only one answer. “Yes. “ His smile was blinding as he lowered his head and kissed her long and slow. She wrapped her arms around him and threaded her fingers into the cool locks of his hair. “What of your family here?” he asked as he placed kisses along her jaw. “Can I tell them?” “They probably won’t believe you, but we can stop off and see them before we leave Earth.” She laughed. “Leave Earth. Now, that’s not something I ever expected to hear. What of the other Were?” “Stefan found and killed Anathar as he tried to leave your planet. No more Weres.” Krista turned and raced into her room. “What clothes do I need? I don’t think I have enough luggage to pack everything.” Orrin chuckled and followed her. “Take what you want. We can store your entire apartment on my ship.” “Ship?” She jerked on her panties and bra. “A spaceship? Oh, my God, I’m going into space!” “Get some clothes on. We can come back later for whatever you need.”

Krista had never dressed so fast in her life. After one last look in the mirror, she faced Orrin and the future he was giving her. “Ready?” he asked and held out his hand. She placed her hand in his. A new life with a man who had given her the world awaited her. “Oh, yes.”

Author Bio

Donna Grant is the award‐winning author of more than twenty novels spanning multiple genres of romance – Scottish Medieval, historical, dark fantasy, time travel, paranormal and erotic. She was born and raised in Texas, but loves to travel. Her adventures have taken her throughout the United States as well as to Jamaica, Mexico, and Scotland. Growing up on the Texas/Louisiana border, Donna’s Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life, while her Texas roots gave her two‐steppin’ and bareback riding. Her childhood dream was to become a professional ballet dancer and study under the amazing Mikhail Baryshnikov. Though she never got to meet Baryshnikov, she did make it to New York City, where she performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Later, Donna’s love of the romance genre and the constant stories running through her head prompted her to write her first book. Once that book was completed, there was no turning back. Donna sold her first book in November 2005 while displaced from Hurricane Rita, a storm that destroyed portions of the Texas Gulf Coast. Since then, Donna has sold novels and novellas to both electronic and print publishers. Her books include several complete series such as The Druids Glen, The Shields, The Royal Chronicles, the Sisters of Magic, and her award winning, bestselling series, Dark Sword from St. Martin’s Press. Despite the deadlines and her voracious reading, Donna still manages to keep up with her two young children, three cats, and one long‐haired Chihuahua. She’s blessed with a proud, supportive husband who’s learned to cook far more than frozen chicken nuggets. You can visit Donna at her website: www.donnagrant.com. Find Donna around the net: Twitter: http://twitter.com/donna_grant Facebook: http://facebook.com/AuthorDonnaGrant Fan Forum: http://www.donnagrant.com/forum