Lust Unleashed (Night Seekers, Book One) Page 11

  * * * * *

  The jackrabbit had done little to slake the beast’s hunger or thirst. At least the beast was able to devour every bit of it. Not even a bone was left. But the wildness was still rising uncontrollably within him. Driving it, telling it what it needed to do.

  The landscape had been still, disturbed only by the faint rustling of leaves and the whisper of other animals as they moved in their nocturnal wanderings. It’d snapped the rabbit’s neck as soon as it caught it so its outcry was little more than a squeak.

  But the feeding had been over far too quickly. Getting caught in the act was not a problem, as long the beast picked its prey in areas where nothing could disturb it. It was long gone by the time the discovery was made. And thanks to its special ability, it left no trace. But like any other wily hunter, it knew it couldn’t attack if there was an audience.

  Now it was back in its lair, still restless, still hungry for only that which would satisfy it. If it couldn’t suppress it before the sun rose, it’d have only one option left open to it. It scrabbled to make a more comfortable place for itself, lowered its head and closed its eyes again. But sleep would not come, and by the time dawn was casting a rosy glow over the landscape, it rose and headed for the prey it knew would satisfy it.

  * * * * *

  Jonah awoke with a start to a room in pitch blackness. For a moment he was disoriented, unsure of where he was. Or who the warm body was sleeping next to him. Then it came back to him.

  Dakota.

  Mind-blowing sex.

  Her invitation to stay with him.

  More mind-blowing sex.

  He had to struggle to remember that he was actually here on an assignment. That spending hours in bed with Dakota was not the sole purpose of his stay here, unfortunate though that might be. And to remember that finding the beast that killed Jenna was his primary goal in life.

  Casually his fingers traced a pattern along the smooth skin of Dakota’s arm. What an unexpected reward she’d turned out to be. If he could find and destroy the Chupacabra maybe he could lay Jenna’s ghost to rest and see if there was the possibility of a relationship with this woman lying next to him.

  At the moment, however, he had another more urgent problem. His body was telling him he needed to shift. He could only suppress the urge for so long. Before Nathan, his father, died he’d taught him where to find the special herbs he needed to keep the urge under control. And how to mix them. Idly he wondered if they were herbs Dakota grew for her potions and blends. Or if she could make room for them in her garden.

  Stop! Back to business!

  Moving slowly, in incremental moves, he slid from his position cocooning Dakota’s body. With each change of position he held his breath, waiting to see if she woke. When she mumbled something he paused. Was she waking up? He counted to ten, waited, but she settled more deeply against her pillow and the soft rhythm of her breathing returned.

  Standing up, he reached for his watch on the nightstand and pushed the button to illuminate it. Three in the morning. Could he go for a quick run and get back before Dakota woke up? Could he chance it? The sensations racing over his body were the signals that if he didn’t it would happen anyway, and when he was least prepared for it.

  Okay. One hour, and he would be good for a few more days.

  He was already naked so he had no preparations to make. And no worries about where to leave his clothes. Walking softly across the room he eased the door open and stepped onto the front porch. Closed the door. Waited again long enough for Dakota to wake and open the door if she was going to. Waited another minute beyond that.

  When there was no sound, when Dakota didn’t yank open the door and appear on the porch, he took a deep breath. Let it out. Closed his eyes. And shifted.

  In a moment, where a two-footed man had stood was a four-footed gray wolf, silver eyes looking in every direction. Then he launched himself off the porch and loped through the yard into the trees. An hour. That’s all he’d allow himself. He’d be back before she woke up. But he knew if he planned to hang around he’d have to find some way to tell her about himself and hope she didn’t freak out.

  * * * * *

  Donna didn’t know what had awakened her. Something…unsettling. Something…out of place.

  Then she heard it. A low growl, but not natural. More of an unearthly sound. She turned over in bed and checked to make sure the loaded shotgun was still propped against the wall by the headboard. Not that she expected to use it in the house. She’d made sure to lock all the doors, but with Fred on the premises she wasn’t taking any chances.

  She listened for another sound but when none came she turned over in bed and nestled deeper into the covers. She had just dozed off again when she heard the sound again, this time louder. She shivered as a trickle of fear skated over her. Something was out there, probably getting into her garden. She should go out and scare the damn thing off but her garden wasn’t worth the chance of being attacked.

  Donna lay there listening again, wondering what kind of animal it was, when she heard the crash of something on the back porch. This time the fear rolled into a ball in the pit of her stomach. Was it Fred? Had he gotten drunk and decided to break into the house and… And what? Steal from her? She had little to give. Rape her? Surely not, once he’d had a look at her.

  Pulling back the covers she grabbed the shotgun, cocked it and moved slowly down the stairs. In the hallway she kept to the wall, finger on the trigger, eyes darting everywhere. No. Nothing inside. All right, then. If it was some animal after her garden or the chickens she kept she’d either scare him off or blow him to kingdom come.

  Very cautiously she unlocked and opened the back door. If it was Fred she’d fill his backside full of lead. Asshole. She yanked the door wide but no way was she prepared for the sight that waited for her on the porch. Her breath froze in her body and she could have sworn her blood actually stopped moved.

  Whatever it was stood upright rather than on all fours, but it certainly wasn’t human. The head resembled a wolf, but with a wide angular jaw and fangs protruding from the upper teeth. The paws were more like a reptile’s, scaly and with long nails. The body was covered with patchy hair that barely concealed the protruding ribs and the concave belly. It opened its mouth and howled again, and Donna thought her heart would stop beating.

  The creature opened its mouth wider and emitted the unearthly sound again. Her own scream froze in her throat. She forced herself to raise the shotgun with trembling hands, but before she could pull the trigger the beast was on her. Any cry she made was cut off in mid-sound as the fangs sank deep into her neck. Dizziness came over her and she dropped the rifle. She felt herself falling through space, and that was the last thing she felt except for the unbearable pain as claws raked her open from neck to navel.

  * * * * *

  Dakota awoke with the feeling that something was missing. She turned over and reached out a hand, expecting to touch Jonah’s body but her hand met only empty space. She opened her eyes and blinked.

  “Jonah?”

  There was no answer. Frowning, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and turned on the little bedside lamp. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked carefully in every corner. Maybe he was in the bathroom. But when she rapped on the door there was no answer and it opened easily to her touch.

  Did he just decide to leave in the middle of the night?

  No. His clothes were on the chair where he’d tossed them in his frenzy to strip them off. His duffel was still on the floor beside the chair and his satellite phone on the table next to it. Would he have gone outside in the middle of the night stark naked?

  She picked up his shirt and pulled it on before stalking to the door and yanking it open. The moon was shining full on the open patch in front of the house. If not for the light it gave off she might have thought she was seeing things. At the bottom of the steps stood a truly magnificent giant wolf, smoky gray with silvery eyes that reflected the moonligh
t.

  Dakota froze in place and so did the wolf.

  “Lobo.”

  Lone wolf.

  The word was barely a sound on her lips.

  She knew gray wolves were pretty extinct in West Texas owing to the bounties ranchers had placed on them for so many years. Rumors circulated now and then that some had meandered into the area from Mexico, but Dakota had never seen one. Until now.

  Don’t move.

  She could hear her father’s voice in her head. So she stood there, waiting for the animal to move. They stared at each other, as if each was waiting for the other to do something. She could never have predicted what happened next. The air around the animal seemed to shimmer, his body morphed and in the place where the wolf had been stood Jonah in all his naked glory.

  Dakota thought her breathing had stopped. She knew her heart was racing in overdrive. What the hell had just happened here?

  Then Jonah was up on the porch beside her, taking her hand and leading her back into the house. He closed and locked the door and led her to the chair, turning on the lamp next to it. Then he grabbed his jeans and pulled them on.

  “Stay right here,” he told her.

  As if she could move!

  He went to the fridge to get the unfinished bottle of wine from the evening before, poured some into a glass and handed it to her, wrapping her fingers around it.

  “I wish you had some brandy but this will have to do. Drink it. Go ahead.”

  He crouched down before her, nudging the glass up toward her lips.

  She couldn’t taste the wine but the burning of the alcohol woke up her brain and eased the chill that had slithered into her. As she drank he rubbed his hands against her thighs and her calves, and reached beneath the t-shirt to warm the rest of her body. With every stroke she unfroze and came back to life.

  When the glass was empty Jonah took it from her and put it on the floor. Then he lifted her from the chair and took her place, cradling her on his lap. His warm hands still rubbed her skin and he pressed kisses to the top of her head. For a moment she was tempted to leap from his arms and skitter across the room, watching him from a distance. She wanted to leap up and shriek at him to get out of her cabin.

  But her grandfather had always taught her there were things that rational belief could not explain, and to trust those she did not fear. She didn’t feel any fear where this man was concerned, despite what had happened. After the fact, she wasn’t even sure what she’d really seen but she intended to find out. Then she’d decide if he should leave.

  “Can you talk to me yet, darlin’?” His deep voice was like a warm blanket covering her, chasing away the tiny seed of fear.

  Could she? She’d have to. She desperately wanted an explanation for what she’d just seen.

  “Yes.” She nodded, then repeated, “Yes. Jonah, I need some kind of explanation. Please.”

  Jonah sighed, his solid chest moving against her as his breath flowed in and out. “It’s a very long story, Dakota.”

  Her brain was beginning to function again. “I’ve got lots of time.”

  “Just promise me you’ll listen to everything and not say a word until I’m finished.”

  “A-All right. Go ahead.”

  He let out another slow breath, his chest moving against her body.

  “Centuries ago a King of All Creation created four wolf brothers, each with a special task. Three went to live beneath the earth where they perished. They still appear in dreams to the descendants of Gray Wolf, the only one to survive.”

  “Just one wolf?” she asked. “How did—”

  Jonah touched a fingertip to her lips. “No questions yet, okay?”

  When she nodded her head he resumed his story.

  “The only one to survive was Gray Wolf, who was made the protector and guardian of humanity. He was then given smaller brothers, wolves who banded together with him to form the first pack. They were all endowed with the ability to change into the shape of a human so that they might walk among them and defend them. And then, as a special gift, the King of All Creation allowed Gray Wolf and his pack to mate with humans if they wished, after first showing themselves and finding the one who would mate with them in heart as well as body.”

  Jonah shifted slightly and moved her in his lap so her head was leaning against his should and his chin rested on her crown.

  “The pack continued to grow, with the changelings living in both the wolf and human worlds. They harvested the special herbs the King of All Creation had planted for them to maintain their strength and allow them to remain in human form for more than a few hours. But all of this only so long as they followed the initial charge—to protect and defend humanity.”

  “I know you said not to interrupt,” Dakota said, shifting slightly in his lap, “but I can’t help it. Did they all live in one place? How did they defend? I always heard that wolves were dangerous animals.”

  Jonah nodded, his chin pressing against her head. “Purebreds, yes. But not the shifters, the descendants of Gray Wolf. They are always on the alert for humans in trouble, and protect them in whatever shape the situation demands. When the King of All Creation decreed there would be a Great Migration, the pack separated into smaller packs, with new alphas and spread around the world. We are all descendants of Gray Wolf and that first pack.”

  “Is that what’s in that book that was next to your bed in the motel?”

  “Yes. And I’d like you to read it. It will explain even more things to you.”

  That was good because she had a million more questions. Like, would he change in the middle of them having sex? Or walking down a street in public? What kind of herbs did he need to maintain the balance in his body? Where were the other members of his pack?

  She finally managed to make herself move, sitting up so she could look directly into Jonah’s eyes. Her mind was still whirling, trying to deny what she’d seen or heard yet at the same time believing it somewhere deep inside herself.

  “Where’s the rest of your ‘pack’,” she asked. “Are they here in Texas?”

  A look of intense pain crossed his face. “Most of them were killed during a wolf scare and hunting frenzy in Northern Michigan, where we lived at the time. One other survivor and I made our way south. She’s now with a pack in Alabama.”

  “So does that mean you’re out here all alone?” Surely not, she thought.

  His chest rose and fell with another long exhalation. “That’s a story for another time. We do train for work, like full humans. And my work led me to Craig Stafford.”

  “The billionaire?” Even she had heard of the shadowy, ultra-rich executive.

  “Yes. He’s the man behind Night Seekers and a shifter himself. So in effect, he’s my new alpha.”

  Dakota rubbed her forehead. “Enough. I don’t think I can take any more tonight.” She unfolded herself from his lap and stood up, taking a moment to make sure her trembling legs would hold her. She was very conscious of Jonah’s intense stare, his silvery eyes like twin lasers focused on her.

  “If you want me to leave I’ll certainly understand.” His voice was flat and emotionless.

  She returned his look, searching for some sign of danger. Some indication that there was something to fear. But there was none. Only an invisible string that tugged her toward him and was slowly binding her to him.

  Grandfather, I hope I’m doing the right thing.

  She held out her hand to him. “Come to bed, Jonah. My bed. That’s where you belong.”

  The look of relief on his face would have been comical if it didn’t pull at her heart so strongly. He gripped her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing her knuckle. She watched the play of naked emotion on his face as he struggled to find the right words to say to her.

  “It’s all right,” she told him in a soft voice. “No more talking right now. Just come to bed with me.”

  He allowed her to tug him from the chair and lead him to the bed. He shed his jeans quickly, as if he
was afraid she’d change her mind. Dakota stripped off his shirt and lay down, patting the bed next to her. When Jonah was lying beside her she pulled the covers over them and curled up next to him.

  “Whatever your genes, I love the furry chest it gives you.” She wound her fingers in the soft hair.”

  Jonah laughed, relief evident in the sound. “Thank god for that.”

  “Tomorrow will you tell me why you—did whatever you did tonight and left the cabin?”

  “Tomorrow.” His arms tightened around her. “Right now we need to go back to sleep. Then, in the morning, we’ll have breakfast and I’ll answer any other questions you have.”

  But when Jonah’s sat phone shrilled, waking them to the glare of bright sunlight, they realized breakfast would have to wait.

  Chapter Eight

  Jonah punched the address John Denby had given him into his GPS and pulled away from Dakota’s cabin. She had insisted oncoming with him, no matter how much he’d argued against it.

  “This isn’t something you want to see,” he told her, dressing quickly.

  But she was ready and waiting by the door when he picked up his keys.

  “I have to see what this demon is that’s driving you,” she insisted. “What all this talk is about. Maybe if I see it with my own eyes I’ll believe it.”

  “Dakota.” He put his hands on her shoulders. “Trust me. This is the stuff of nightmares.”

  “Then we’ll share them together.” She brushed off his hands and stomped to his truck.

  They drove to Donna Perkins’ farm in tense silence, Jonah clenching the steering wheel, Dakota staring out the window and gripping her hands in her lap. The farmhouse yard already had quite a few vehicles parked on its gravelly surface. He recognized the sheriff’s SUV. Next to it was a long black van with “Maverick County” painted on the side and beside that another county SUV and a cruiser with the sheriff’s logo on it. To the side was a big delivery truck with the name of a local farm supplies store painted on the door. The driver was sitting on the running board, holding a handkerchief to his face.