LycanMate Page 7

  As on that first night, she knew her healing would not awaken him. She stood over him and placed her hand over his chest. His heart was racing. She frowned. Something was off. She didn't pick up on grief. She picked up on something sensual and hot and passionate. Who was he dreaming about? She knew she should turn around and leave, but couldn't. Her gaze ran over his sinewy muscles and lower to his waist where a faint line of hair disappeared beneath the sheet. She didn't know what came over her, but something stronger than her will overpowered her.

  Without thinking, she bent her head.

  The moment her mouth touched his, she knew she made a mistake. She'd only meant to give him a light kiss and leave, but the second her lips met his, he released a deep growl and his arm slid around her waist, drawing her closer to him. She stiffened, trying to pull away, but his mouth moved sensually over hers, parting her lips and her body melted.

  His other arm slid over her waist and he slowly pulled her down. She inhaled sharply though her nose as she felt her breasts touch his chest, the heat of his skin scorching her through her silk robe. Oh my God. She had to stop this. He didn't know what he was doing. He probably thought this was part of his dream.

  She was about to pull away, but his tongue plunged into her mouth and meshed and mingled with hers. All her thoughts disappeared and she kissed him back, whimpering when she felt one of his hands slide between them and clasp her breast. Her nipples hardened beneath his touch. Stella's limbs went weak and a slow, painful throb grew from the lower region of her body.

  And then his sensual, slow kiss changed. It became more passionate, rising in urgency and he removed his hand from her breast to shove her robe aside. Stella stifled a scream beneath his mouth as his hand touched her bare breast while his other hand pulled her body over his until she was lying on top of him.

  No. This was so wrong. She had to stop this before this went too far.

  A low, deep growl rose in his throat as he continued to ravish her with the passionate onslaught of his kiss. She felt dizzy with desire, nearly incapable of sensible thought, and moaned with pleasure when both his hands slid to her bottom and pressed her over his thick erection. He slid his hands beneath her robe and trailed a hot, searing path up and down her back. She whimpered beneath his warm, sensual mouth. Stella couldn't take this anymore. She was almost at the edge of coherent thought.

  She dragged her mouth away from his, bracing her hands on his shoulders, and looked down at his face.

  She sucked in a harsh breath. His eyes were open. "You're awake!"

  "Evidently," he replied hoarsely.

  "You weren't supposed to wake up. My healing touch should have put you under," she said huskily.

  "It didn't."

  A thought struck her. "That…that first night you were awake the whole time I healed you from your nightmare?"

  His gaze dipped to her breasts. "Yes." With a low growl, he grabbed her around her waist and lifted her body over his until his mouth clasped hungrily over a throbbing peak.

  Stella's limbs exploded with pleasure as his tongue laved and lavished her breast. And when he moved to the other breast, she almost saw stars.

  "No! Stop!" she gasped. God, what he must think of her coming to his room in the middle of the night and… "I said stop!"

  She felt him stiffen, and slowly he withdrew his head, releasing an almost feral sound from his throat. His breathing was laboured, his mouth grim, his expression dangerous.

  "Leave now before I change my mind," he growled.

  A flash of shame heated her face. Remorse and guilt coursed through her veins. "This was my fault. I'm sorry, I--"

  "I said leave now," he exploded, "otherwise I will be making love to you and nothing you can do or say will stop me."

  Quickly, she slid from on top of him, fastening her robe. She couldn't look him in the eyes. She was speechless. He must be thinking she was the biggest tease, or worse--slut, he'd ever met. She cringed with shame and left his room.

  She went down the stairs blindly, raising a trembling hand to her lips.

  Groaning, she sat on the edge of her bed and waited while the passion he'd flared inside her ebbed and disappeared.

  * * * *

  The moment she left, he vaulted out of bed and drew in a ragged breath. Hell and damnation that was close, he thought, running a shaky hand through his hair. He staggered to the window and stared out into the night sky. The full moon beckoned him, taunted him to do what his primal instinct urged him to do since he met her, to claim her. He couldn't. He wouldn't. He wasn't going to condemn her to his life of hell. He wasn't going to turn her into a monster.

  Grimacing, he raised his head and shifted into his Lycan form. His eight-foot length of sinewy muscle nearly touched the ceiling and he lowered his head. He squeezed his eyes, trying to bring his passion under control. His hearing was more pronounced in this form and he heard her move in the room below his. He had to put some distance between them, especially tonight. With a sharp jab, he opened the window and sprung outside to land on the grass below. He ran to the back of her fence and vaulted over the wire to the forest in the back.

  He raised his head and howled long and loud at the full moon.

  * * * *

  Stella couldn't sleep. It had been an hour already since she left his room and had lain in bed, staring at her ceiling. Frustrated, she flung her sheet aside and rose. After securing her robe tightly around her waist, she left her bedroom.

  Maybe a little outdoor air would help her. Trying not to make any sound, she went through her back patio door and closed it behind her. She wondered if Gunnar was sleeping or if he was as restless as she was. On her grass, she looked up at his window and saw his light was on. She was torn between going up to him and avoiding him altogether. A flash of shame heated her face and she turned away and walked to her vegetable garden.

  The full moon cast enough light for her to inspect her garden, and she bent down and plucked a cherry tomato. She popped it into her mouth when she heard a long, ominous howl in the forest past her fence and stiffened.

  Nervous, she narrowed her gaze past her fence and caught a shadow, a big upright shadow about eight feet high. She gasped, stumbling back. What the hell was that? She heard the sound of twigs and branches being snapped and she screamed. The shadow was approaching her. She spun on her bare feet and started to run back to the inn, but she lost her footing and stumbled onto the grass. Her heart raced so fast she thought it was going to explode.

  Hands grabbed her by the shoulders and helped her up as she heard heavy breathing behind her. Almost hysterical now, she stared up at Gunnar and felt relief flood her veins.

  "Gunnar, thank God! There's a monster back there! I've never seen anything like it."

  His breathing was laboured, his expression grim, as his gaze dipped to her cleavage. Stella stiffened. He was naked. She inhaled sharply at the look of desire on his face.

  "You shouldn't be here," he said hoarsely. "Go back inside. Now."

  "Gunnar, what's wrong? Where are your clothes?"

  "I said go back inside," he ground out.

  "Come with me! There's a huge thing out there. We need to call the police."

  "I…you," he looked down at the rapid rise and fall of her breasts and swallowed hard.

  Stella couldn't move as something significant arose between them. Was he what she'd seen in the back and the moon's glow had played tricks on her?

  "Gunnar, what's wrong?" she whispered. She inhaled slowly as his hands moved slowly around her and ran up and down her back.

  "End my misery," he said hoarsely.

  She could cut the sexual tension between them with a knife and threw caution to the wind. Their gazes locked in a passionate heat, she parted her lips and moved closer to him until their bodies touched. She could feel his heat through her silk robe and everything left her mind. She still wanted him. She knew he would be leaving in a few days, but all she could think about was the here and now.

  Slowly, she brought her hands to her sash and untied her robe. He sucked in a harsh breath as she dropped it over her shoulders onto the grass.

  "You are so beautiful," he said deeply, his gaze running over her body.

  "Make love to me, Gunnar."

  "Your life will never be the same again if I do."

  "My sentiments exactly," she said and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Naked skin on naked skin made her stomach jolt and she gasped at the sheer pleasure coursing through her veins.

  Gunnar's face was grim as he grabbed her face and bent his head. His kiss made the ground beneath her feet move and Stella whimpered under the passionate onslaught of his mouth. Then his hands were everywhere, on her back, on waist, and lower on her bottom, and she moaned against his mouth. Gently he lowered her to the ground and darts of electricity coursed through her limbs. They were going to make love.

  He dragged his mouth from hers and looked deeply into her eyes. His expression was grim. "You make me want to lose control, but we can't," he rasped.

  She reached for his face as a melting pool of heat warmed the place between her legs. She wanted all of him. His male sex was hard as it pressed against her thigh. He wanted her, too, and she didn't want to hear any more talk of we can't"

  "Stop talking. Please, just take me," she said huskily.

  "Listen to me, dammit. You don't understand. You'll change into a--"

  He sucked in a harsh breath, his expression a mixture of agony and pleasure as she slipped her hand between them and guided his manhood into her opening. "Stop…talking," she gasped, near mad with desire.

  He filled her and she exploded with sheer ecstasy. They were one and still she couldn't get enough of him. Oh my God, she was crazy about this man. She dug her nails into his back as h
e started to move and she met his movements with matching passion. She felt like she was going to splinter into a million pieces.

  She was soaring, flying high into the heavens as he drove in and out with rising urgency. Stella gasped and threw her head back in abandon. She was careening over a precipice as her body exploded into tiny fragments of joy as wave upon wave of ecstasy wracked her body.

  Gunnar threw his head back and growled his release.

  They lay still for a few moments until he braced his elbows on the grass beside her head and stared down at her face. He was breathing hard, his gaze running over her face in wonder. "You are the one," he said hoarsely, almost to himself. "I knew it the moment I saw you."

  Stella didn't understand his cryptic remark, but she did understand the look on his face. His expression mirrored her feelings for him. She reached up and took his handsome face in her hands. She lifted her head and kissed him on his mouth. "I knew from the first moment I met you, too, it would be like this," she whispered.

  Her blood ran cold as she stared up at him. She expected him to respond with a me, too, or another kiss, not what she was witnessing.

  Stella froze. "Gunnar?"

  His face twisted in pain and she grew frightened. And then she gasped in pain. Oh my God, what was that? A scorching flame coursed through her body, and she winced in agony. She didn't even have time to register Gunnar's look of regret as he took her face in his hands and cursed under his breath because her skin and bones felt like they were…expanding.

  She threw her head back and groaned as searing pain consumed her. She gasped for air, looking back at Gunnar's face, and her breath caught. Mortified, she stared at him as his forehead shifted and his jaw morphed. She willed herself to breathe because what she saw defied belief. Right before her eyes, she witnessed Gunnar's face change. His forehead protruded, jowls appeared, his brows met at the bridge of his nose.

  "Gunnar, what the--"

  She stiffened violently. Was that her voice? It sounded low, eerie, like a recording in slow motion. His face, or what was left of his original face, was inches from hers and he threw back his head and howled long and loud. When he stared back down at her, he fell silent and touched her face tenderly.

  "Brace yourself," he said in that same deep, eerie voice as her own.

  Numb with shock, she stared at him. Only it wasn't him. It was a…a monster. Her heart raced so fast she thought she was going to have a heart attack, and she threw her head back and screamed as she pushed at his chest. Her screams sounded more like a hissing, growling noise and she clawed at his chest, pushing and scratching, as she tried to escape this madness.

  She stiffened, catching sight of her hands. They weren't hands. They were a beast's claws with long, dangerous talons. She growled up at him. Scared to death, she slashed her hand across his face, her talons making a deep, red gash.

  "Be still," he said and grabbed her hands and held them at the side of her face.

  She couldn't look into his face. It wasn't Gunnar. She squeezed her eyes closed and prayed this was all a bad dream, hoping she was going to wake up any second and realise this foray into madness was a nightmare. She tried to calm her racing heart.

  "It will be over in a moment," he growled.

  For the first time, she was conscious of their naked bodies touching from chest to legs. Another rush of panic filled her. He was huge, at least eight feet long and she nearly met his long, muscular, sinewy length. Her throat was parched and she flicked her tongue over her mouth. Her lips and teeth had disappeared and in their place were jowls and fangs.

  She stared up at Gunnar, her eyes wide with fear. The back of her eyes burned and Gunnar growled deeply in his throat as he placed a gentle hand and wiped an errant tear from her face. Somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered clawing his face and the bloody gash on his cheek, but it was gone.

  Something primal and instinctive urged her to look beyond his head, above in the sky, and she stared at the full moon, the glowing orb beckoning her to embrace the truth. Without meaning to, she threw her head back and howled as her body slowly, mercifully returned to normal. She closed her eyes and felt Gunnar's body shift back to his human form and she released a strangled sigh.

  "It's over," he said in his quiet, deep voice. "Please open your eyes. Don't be afraid."

  She did, slowly, fearfully, and watched him gazing down at her with a look she couldn't quite define, but it shook her core. Was it love? She wasn't sure.

  "What…what the hell just happened?" she said huskily.

  His face was grim. "The Lycan Legend."

  "The what?"

  Slowly he rose, taking her hand with him, and helped her up. He picked up her silk robe and brushed the grass from its folds. "There's a night chill. You'll get cold," he said.

  Numb, she watched his grim face as he drew the robe over her shoulders and helped her slip her arms into it. He took the sash and gently tied it around her waist.

  "Gunnar, tell me what happened," she whispered.

  He stood naked before her as the light of the moon behind him cast a glow on his sinewy shoulders and arms. His shoulder length, blond hair shone and his face was cast in shadows.

  "The Lycan Legend," he repeated. "If a werewolf makes love to their soul mate, their soul mate will turn into a werewolf on the next full moon. In our case it was tonight." His expression was grim. "I'm sorry you didn't have more time. On any other night, I would have had some time, at least, to prepare you for this."

  His words didn't register. "Oh," she said numbly. Then her eyes widened slowly as the dawning realisation hit her. She had shifted into a monster, hadn't she? She swallowed the knot in her throat. "What are you saying, Gunnar?" she whispered huskily.

  He took her by the shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes. "You are a werewolf now, and we belong together."

  His words still didn't register. She was too busy trying to ignore the ringing in her ears. And then everything turned black and her legs gave way. The last thing she heard was his muffled curse as he swept her into his arms before she hit the ground.

  Chapter Nine

  She opened her eyes slowly and tried to gather her bearings. She was in the living room, lying on the couch. Gunnar, dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt, was sitting next to her, his expression deeply concerned.

  She stared at him without saying a word. We belong together he'd said. It was the first thing her mind grasped. She wanted to feel joy hearing those words, but all she felt was panic. Her heart raced at what else he'd told her.

  She was a werewolf.

  "Please, don't look at me like that," he began.

  She inhaled sharply.

  He grimaced, reaching for her.

  She drew back in horror, pushing away his hands. "Don't touch me!" Hysteria bubbled in her throat. This wasn't happening. She was awake in a nightmare. "And to think I was worried how you'd react once you learned about me and my sisters. My God! You turned into a monster!"

  He grimaced. "You're not a monster. Stella, please let me explain."

  "Explain what? How can you reason anything that's just happened to me?"

  "Werewolves and vampires have walked the earth for centuries. My ex was a vampire and we gave birth to a human child."

  She remained silent, her mouth agape.

  He continued. "Stella, I know this is hard for you to take in and I'm sorry you had to find out so suddenly."

  Her face flamed and her gaze wavered under his as she recalled how she'd brazenly grabbed his manhood and…and…she remembered what he'd said about the Lycan Legend. She did this! If they hadn't made love, she'd be human now.

  "It's not your fault," he said, reading her expression. "I couldn't control myself with you either."

  She took a deep breath. "I don't want to be a werewolf. I want things to go back to the way they were."

  "You can never go back. There is no cure. And if you don't want to be a werewolf, you don't have to be."

  "What do you mean?" she asked in a small voice.

  "Werewolves can control their turning, whether it's a full moon or not. And you can shift into a wolf form or a Lycan form."