Wicked Games - Moon Kissed Part 17

"You never could. I try to keep the two of you in different places in my heart. You are my mate, Bella."

"But will I ever be as close to you as you were to her?"

"I hope so."

She understood what he could not put into words. Bless her for that. And it gave him all the more reason to try his d.a.m.nedest never to allow Aby into that place in his heart that Bella now occupied.

"I suppose you should be going?"

She eyed the keys he held out. Please change your mind. Stay away from the vampires, and make love with me tonight.

She took the keys. "Remember what I said about staying out of sight."

"I bow to your command, sweet. But know, if all h.e.l.l breaks loose, I'm going to be there, loud and proud."

"Deal."

Scarlet was a local bar that catered to Goths and, now that Bella thought about it, probably paranormals, as well. She'd been here only once previously, with Seth. The entire place was lit in red: the booths were red vinyl, the dance floor was lit underneath by red bulbs, the windows had red stained gla.s.s and even the toilets were red.

An appropriate place to meet vampires, she supposed. If one wanted to meet a vampire. Which she did not.

"Please don't let him be a vampire."

Thankful they were meeting in public, she parked the Mercedes in the lot and hopped out. Wearing red might be overkill, but she never failed to dress the part when clubbing.

Though consciously aware of her surroundings, she didn't spot a werewolf lurking in the shadows. Of course, Severo would be discreet. She smiled to think he was out there somewhere, keeping an eye on her. And it didn't feel like she was being stalked, only that she was loved.

Her black velvet stilettos clicked on the sidewalk, and she had merely to flash the bouncer a smile for admission.

It took a while to adjust to the atmosphere. The red tricked her eyes and painted the faces around her.

Dirgelike music surprised her. Seth liked the funky techno stuff. He'd call this stuff a snoozer.

"Where are you, Seth?" She sipped her drink and scanned the crowd and the upper level. Seth waved and lifted his drink.

With a glance to the door-would Severo make good on his promise to follow her?-Bella headed upstairs.

Seth rose and kissed both her cheeks and mouth. Lemon, cologne and beer-the scent worked on him. His hair seemed darker, the long fringy bangs hanging over his eyes. A couple of silver rings flashed on his fingers. Seth had never worn jewelry; bling, he said, was for posers.

Bella slid into the booth next to him. He held her hand, so she had no choice but to sit close. That was usual. He seemed to be the same old Seth, except for the rings. But a turtleneck in this weather?

"I've missed you," he said close to her ear so she could hear over the music. "You look great, Bellybean."

"You don't look so bad yourself. You dump Elvira?"

"No b.i.t.c.hy stuff tonight, Bella. Please. She's my lover, and you're going to have to accept that."

"I can, but does that mean you're a vampire?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Severo said you couldn't have survived this long without her turning you."

"You still hanging around that b.a.s.t.a.r.d werewolf? Is that why you're never home?"

"I had to move out to his place after vampires tried to kill me. Did you hear that, Seth?" She leaned close to his ear. "Vampires tried to kill me. She's doing this, you know. She's jealous."

"I don't want to get into this argument again. You're being brainwashed by that dog."

"Don't call him a dog. He's a wolf."

"Yeah, and I'm Renfield." He slugged back the beer. Bella stroked the stem of her cosmo goblet. She had no appet.i.te for alcohol right now. Or for snotty friends.

"Hey," he said in a calmer voice, "we started on the wrong foot. Let's just chill and catch up, okay?"

"Is that why you wanted to see me?"

"It's been so long, and I know I've been ignoring you. So you've moved? Permanently?"

"No, I still have the loft. I'm not sure about moving to town right now."

"Fair enough. What about the audition? Wasn't that a few nights ago?"

He'd remembered. Good old Seth.

"I didn't get the apprentices.h.i.+p." She shrugged. "I'll give it another go next time."

"Bella, I'm sorry." He hugged her and kissed her jaw. Beyond his usual scent, he smelled like something darker. Blood? She didn't want to think about it. "Want to come to a party next weekend?"

"At your woman's house?"

"My house. But she'll be there. I'd like to introduce you. Sans wolf, of course."

Next weekend was the full moon. Bella didn't want to go anywhere. Nor did an invite to meet Elvira sound particularly intriguing.

"Can I take a rain check? Severo's got some things going on."

Seth laughed and a jerk of his arm spilled the cosmo across the table. "Ah, s.h.i.+t. Sorry. Just push it all to the other side. That's cool." He pressed his nose against Bella's hair and kissed her hard on the neck, lingering too long. "Let me guess. Full moon coming soon? He's going out on the prowl. Does the werewolf f.u.c.k you, Bella?"

She hauled off to slap him, but the small booth wouldn't allow her to get her arm around. Seth caught her fist and kissed it. His wicked smile disturbed her.

"You're crude, Seth."

"Yeah, but you know what they say about werewolves, don't you?"

"What?"

"They aren't happy unless the werewolf has a mate. That it's the monster, not the man, who needs to get boned every full moon. I can't see you s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g a hairy beast, Bella. It's so not you."

"Like letting some Elvira wannabe suck out your blood is any more sane? G.o.d, Seth, just...sit back. You've changed."

"So have you, Bella. You're uptight now. More so than usual. Bet if I asked you to dance, you'd make an excuse not to."

"My shoes are wet with cosmopolitan."

"See?" He grabbed her wrist when she stood and roughly tugged her back to sit by him. "Don't go yet, please? Or is your master here, lurking in the shadows?"

"Is yours?"

His drunken smile cut into her heart. "Touche. As a matter of fact she isn't. I wanted it to be just us tonight. Let's go to my place and watch a movie and make like old times again. Would you like that?"

His eyes were bloodshot; she could tell that even with the red lighting. And he was so pale. He was a vampire. He had to be.

Severo had said he could scent vampires. Bella wished he'd taught her to pick up that distinctive odor.

"Tell me one thing before I decide. And it has to be the truth, Seth. You know I can tell when you're lying."

"Very well, Miss Uptight. What truth do you need?"

"Are you a vampire?"

He smirked and mumbled a lackl.u.s.ter, "No."

Seth always mumbled his lies. G.o.d, what had happened to him?

"I've got to go. Bye, Seth." She leaned in and kissed his forehead. This time he let her go and tilted his head toward the dance floor, not even watching her leave.

Bella's feet raced as fast as her heart as she shoved through the club.

Severo was sitting on the pa.s.senger side of the Mercedes when she arrived. Bella got in, and before she could sniff away the tear, he reached for her cheek and wiped it away.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It was inevitable."

"At least he won't die now," she murmured. Forced optimism didn't work this time. Gripping the steering wheel, she closed her eyes and tilted her head against the seat. "Is there any way he can change back?"

"Impossible."

What she'd suspected.

"Will you drive home?" she asked.

"Climb over me, sweet, and I'll take you away from this nightmare."

The drive home was quiet. He didn't ask her what she was feeling. Bella sensed he knew her thoughts. She could understand Severo hating vampires now.

Halfway home he took her hand in his and pulled it onto his thigh. His silent rea.s.surance made her cry. A gift he couldn't realize meant so much to her.

G.o.d, she loved this man. She ached for him. She loved him for the compa.s.sion he would never admit to possessing. For the domineering spirit that always erred toward protection over humiliation.

And she loved him for his humanity, for the fact that he loved and lived as she did, and was the same as her, except for the one small thing about his ability to s.h.i.+ft shapes.

They pulled into the garage, and the radio shut off with the engine. Severo reached to open the door, but she told him to stop.

Bella climbed onto his lap, straddling him, and he inched over to the middle of the seat. She was grateful it was an old car, the kind without a floor s.h.i.+ft and with a full front seat.

He found her mouth with a fierce kiss. She moaned into him, releasing the last remnants of sadness and surrendering to the desire that had built during the drive home.

Shucking off her sleeves, she tugged down the front of her dress and lifted her b.r.e.a.s.t.s to his mouth. He sucked at each one, again and again, drawing up the intense coil of climax with expert precision. It took no longer than a few minutes before she came, long and loud and crying out in the confines of the car.

"You're mine," he growled.

Bella eyed his fly and he tilted up his hips so she could unzip him. "And you are mine, wolf. I need you now."

"Tell me you want me, then. Where do you want me?"

"Inside me." Yes, she could use his rough language, because she trusted him. "I'm so wet for you."

He sucked in a hissing breath as she fitted herself onto his hardness. They clung together, moving little, for she squeezed him with her muscles, milking him to a fierce and triumphant climax.

This wolf was hers. And though he might think he controlled her, Bella knew otherwise. He was hers to command. And tonight she wanted him to serve her.

Sliding from his lap and lying across the seat, she put her heels on his thigh, pus.h.i.+ng him away.

"I want your mouth on me, lover," she said.

Severo opened the door and stretched out his legs. He pulled her hips up and entered her with his tongue.

With her shoulders deep into the seat and her heels on his broad, muscled back, it didn't take Bella long to find the stars a second time.

Chapter 14.

B ella's shoulders. .h.i.t the wall, her arms stretched above her head. Her lover clasped her wrists, pinning her roughly. His greedy smile thrilled her. Every part of her was hot and wet for him.

He dove for her jaw, nipping along it up to her ear, where he sucked in the lobe. His erection ground against her bare thigh. He was naked, too, and had been since that afternoon, when they'd started making love.

Tomorrow night the moon would be full. Which meant tonight it was waxing and the werewolf would come out if it was not kept at bay with s.e.x. This was a challenge Bella met eagerly.

"I've said it before," she murmured as his kiss found her mouth. "You like it rough."

"You do, too, sweet."

"Your strength is an aphrodisiac."