Riley Jensen 03 - Tempting Evil Part 14

The bear-s.h.i.+fter stood in the middle of the room, her large paws on her larger hips, and her short dark hair fairly bristling with anger.

Nerida, the fox lady, stood in front of her, defiance written all over her red features. She was game, I had to give her that. Berna was twice her height and four times her girth.

"I got here first," she said. "The window is mine."

"I need fresh air or I snore. Believe me, if you cherish sleep, you would not want me snoring."

All this angst and noise over a d.a.m.n window? "Really ladies, this is easily settled."

Berna gave me a dark glance as I walked in. "We don't want thieves in this room."

"The thief doesn't steal from friends, and there are no other beds left anyway, so tough." I walked across to the bed in question and stripped off my coat. "To settle the argument, I'll take it."

Nerida glanced up at Berna, then the two of them stepped forward as one. Something about that itched at my senses. There was just a little too much precision in the way they did that-like it was a move they'd practiced more than once. Maybe Nerida was also a wrestler.

And maybe something else was going on.

Dia had mentioned that someone in this group wasn't who they pretended to be. Maybe there was more than just one pretender.

And why would they fake a fight? To make it seem they weren't friendly to watching eyes, perhaps? Now, why would they want something like that?

"I'm at least three times your girth, wolf, and probably twice as strong. I could thump you into the floor without even thinking."

"You could try," I said mildly. "I doubt you'd succeed."

She bristled. "That a challenge?"

I shrugged, and kicked off my shoes. Feigning disinterest when every sense I had was tuned on the both of them, waiting for a move. Any move. "Take it any d.a.m.n way you please."

I half-turned, and that's when the fox sprung. I dropped, moving under her leap, then grabbed her and whirled her quickly around before letting go. I had no time to see if she'd hit the bed I'd been aiming for, because the air screamed with the warning of an approaching blow. I surged upright and caught Berna's fist in a two-handed grip. Held it and stopped it, even if the force of her blow sent Shockwaves up my arms and rattled my teeth.

"Looks don't always indicate strength," I said softly, as surprise flitted through her brown eyes. "Do not try and attack me like that again." I looked at Nerida, who'd landed beside the bed rather than on it and was currently rubbing her hip. "Either of you."

I pushed Berna backward and released her, then got back to the business of stripping off. "Do you know what's happened to our bags?"

"Coming once we've sort sleeping positions out."I glanced at her. "Which we have."

She sniffed. Whether that meant acceptance, or whether it meant I was going to have to turf her out of the bed when I got back was anyone's guess.

"Why are you stripping?" she asked.

"I'm going to explore."

"Trust a wolf to do the naked thing," Nerida said, contempt heavy in her voice.

"Better naked than having no choice."

"They're paying me to fight and f.u.c.k. They are not paying me enough to flaunt myself to all and sundry."

I couldn't see the difference and said as much.

She snorted. "That's because you're a wolf, and everyone knows wolves have no morals."

I raised my eyebrows. "So what's so moral about fighting and f.u.c.king for money?"

"Perhaps not a lot, but there are lines some of us won't cross. Werewolves don't seem to have any lines."

"And you've had how many years experience with werewolves?"

She looked away and mumbled, "None."

I snorted. "One good thing about wolves is that they prefer to judge a person by their actions." I stripped off my knickers and dumped them with the rest of my clothes. "I'm off to explore."

Neither woman commented or offered to come along, for which I was extremely grateful. Not only did I plan to scout the house and grounds, but I also wanted to find me a stallion. And maybe even catch a little riding action.

The main house seemed a whole lot bigger in life than it had on the plans and, as Dia had warned, there were cameras everywhere. If the halls weren't darkened at night, then moving through them without being seen was going to be next to impossible.

After touring the rooms that were accessible, I glanced at my watch and was relieved to see I still had nearly two hours before I had to be back. I found a door that led outside and followed the white pebbled driveway around to the paddocks that housed the barns and the horses. There were several women out riding-some of them naked, some not-and men in dark uniforms hanging over the fence, wolf-whistling and throwing lewd suggestions at the women. Like that was attractive or something. I guess some men simply never grew up.

A crinkled, weather-worn man who had to be at least eighty came out of the barn as I approached. "You here to ride?"

I nodded and looked past him, searching the shadows for Kade. I couldn't see him immediately, but the barn was huge and he could be anywhere.

"You know the rules?"

Again I nodded. "We're allowed to ride anywhere, aren't we?"

"As long as you do your half hour in the front paddock for the boys, you can go where you like on the estate. Within the boundaries already outlined, of course."Which meant we weren't likely to raise suspicions when we nicked off into the forest. Excellent. "And are we at least allowed a saddle blanket? Horse hair and nether regions are never a pleasant combination." And I knew that from experience.

He gave a short, sharp laugh. "You got that right, girlie." He reached behind the door, then handed me a blanket, girth, and halter. "Any one of them bad boys is yours."

I raised my eyebrows. "They're all stallions?"

"Mostly. The boss does sometimes bring in a mare in heat, just to watch the boys fight."

"Nasty."

He shrugged. "It's nature at its finest."

Or madness at its finest. "Thanks."

He nodded. "Just remember-you get hurt, we aren't responsible."

"Has anyone ever got hurt?" I asked, curious.

"Yes."

"So what happened to them?"

He shrugged. "Isn't my problem."

I very much suspected they weren't Starr's problem, either. Not after he'd tended to them in a less than conventional way. Like burying them. Dead people don't talk-unless, of course, they were vamps, and Starr was the type to stake first, ask questions later.

I flung the girth and blanket over my shoulder and walked into the shadowed barn. A careful study of the upper s.p.a.ces of the barn didn't reveal any cameras or microphones. Maybe they figured nothing of interest would happen in the barn and hadn't bothered-and for that I was extremely grateful. It at least meant I could sneak in here after hours and not worry about anyone spotting me.

The air was rich with the scents of horse, hay, and s.h.i.+t, and as I moved down the aisle, heads swung my way, dark eyes gleaming intently in the muted light. They were all tall and strong looking, most of them chestnut or bay. And all of them reacted to my presence, either snorting in fear or backing away. Horses and wolves were never a good combination. Kade, a magnificent mahogany bay, was down the far end.

"Hey, big boy," I said, for the benefit of the stable hand cleaning the stall opposite. "Want to go for a ride?"

He stomped a foot and snorted, his velvet brown eyes seeming to gleam with antic.i.p.ation. I grinned and opened the stall door, not bothering to lock it again because Kade wasn't going anywhere. I looped the halter over his nose and ears, threw the reins over his head, then tossed the blanket across his back. And noticed, when I was bending down to cinch up the girth, his erection.

"Someone's pleased to see me," I murmured, and had my rump nipped for my trouble. I chuckled, and hauled myself onto his back.

Kade was moving before I was fully settled, trotting back down the aisle and breaking into a canter once we'd reached the paddock. I moved in rhythm with his stride, enjoying the whip of wind across my skin and through my hair as much as the sensation of being a part of so much contained power. The bouncing b.o.o.bs weren't so enjoyable-actually, they were downright painful-but I doubted the wolf whistlers hanging off the fences would care either way.

We did our allotted half hour, then cantered around the lake's sh.o.r.eline before into the trees, not stopping until we'd reached a small stream deep within the shadowed, green darkness.

I slid off his back and stepped back as the golden s.h.i.+mmer of shapes.h.i.+fting appeared on his nose and quickly spread across the rest of his body. He was just as magnificent in human form as he was in horse, his mahogany skin, black hair, and velvet brown eyes a truly striking combination. And it wasn't only his coloring that was magnificent. He was built like a thoroughbred-broad shoulders, powerful chest, slim hips, and long, strong legs. I knew the power of those legs. Knew how hard and strong they could hold a person as he drove himself deep.

I wanted to reel that again.

Badly.

He stepped free of the blanket and girth, his gaze holding mine as he pulled the halter away from his neck.

"Do you know," he said, his voice deep and somewhat husky, "how long it has been since I've had a woman?"

I let my gaze slide down to the tent pole he had happening. "A while by the look of that."

"Three weeks," he murmured, as he moved toward me. "Three horrible, torturous weeks in which heaven was so close, and yet so far."

I grinned as he pressed a hand against my shoulder and pushed me backward, until my spine was pressed up against a tree. "I gather we're talking about the naked women riding you?"

There was only inches between us. The heat of him burned across my skin, and the air was deliciously filled with his musky odor and the rich scent of desire. It had me melting in an instant, and wanting him more than I'd wanted anyone for a while. Well, for at least the last twenty-four hours, and for wolf, that was a long time.

He raised a hand and brushed wispy strands of hair from my cheek. "I missed you."

His fingers trailed heat where they touched, and the longing already trembling inside became a symphony. I touched his chest and let my fingers explore the well-defined ridge of muscles that ran down his stomach. This man was hot in so many ways.

"And I you."

The smile that tugged his lips went beyond s.e.xy, and my hormones did an excited little jig. Of course, my hormones never needed much prompting.

His touch moved gently down my neck, and sent my pulse tripping. Between his caress, the way his breath teased my lips, and the desire that singed my senses, I was pretty much in danger of internally combusting. But he didn't get on with it, just said, "You realize this first time will be fast. I need you too badly for it to be anything else."

"Fast is good." Right now, even I didn't want slow.

He smiled, then wrapped his arms around my body and crushed me close. His lips claimed mine and for several minutes, it felt like I was tasting heaven. And yet, despite the urgency that burned between us, our kiss was slow, and tender, and so very, very thorough.

But I could feel the tension in his broad shoulders. The hardness of his erection pressing against my stomach. The quivering in his muscles as he restrained desire. It was too much. I didn't want his restraint. I wanted him. Wanted to feel the heat of him deep inside. Not in five minutes, not in two minutes. Now. And if he wasn't going to take any action, then I d.a.m.n well would.I slipped a hand between us and wrapped my fingers around his c.o.c.k. His body reacted to my touch, seeming to jump with eagerness.

"Someone's anxious," he murmured, as I guided him to where it was warm and wet and ready.

"Very," I whispered. "So stop mucking around and get down to the serious stuff."

The words were barely out of my mouth and he was in me, driving hard and deep. Horse-s.h.i.+fters took after their animal counterparts when it came to the shape and size of their c.o.c.k, and having him fill me so completely was an incredibly satisfying sensation.

His thick groan was a sound I echoed, especially when he began to move. His strokes were fierce, like he couldn't drive himself hard enough or deep enough. Or simply couldn't get enough-a feeling I understood completely. s.e.x with Kade was entirely different to s.e.x with either Quinn or Kellen-not better, not worse, just different. And it wasn't something I was ready to give up in a hurry-no matter what the other two might wish.

I wrapped my legs around his hips and urged him deeper still, using the tree to support my back as he thrust and thrust, until it felt as if the rigid heat of him was trying to spear right through my spine.

My breathing sharpened as pleasure spiraled, and all too quickly my climax hit, the convulsions stealing my breath and tearing a strangled sound from my throat. He came a heartbeat later, his body slamming into mine, the force of it driving slivers of bark into my back.

At that moment in time, the slivers could have been daggers and I wouldn't have given a d.a.m.n.

When the tremors eased, he leaned his sweaty forehead against mine, his breathing harsh, velvet eyes alive with amus.e.m.e.nt and desire.

"Well, that took a little of the edge off."

I grinned and ran a hand down his hot, sweaty cheek. "So there's energy left for a more timely seduction?"

"h.e.l.l, yeah." He kissed me fiercely, then added, "Did I mention I haven't had s.e.x for three weeks?"

"It's a wonder the sperm factories didn't explode under the stress of all that production and no outlet."

He snorted. "Isn't that the truth."

I lowered my feet to the ground, and he stepped back. "How much time have you got?"

I glanced at my watch. "About three-quarters of an hour."

"Good." He took my hand, walked across to grab the saddle blanket, then led me to the water's edge. "Sit," he ordered, after spreading the blanket. "And I'll remove the bark you undoubtedly have in your back while I update you."

"Update being a new term for s.e.x?" I said hopefully.

He grinned and slapped my b.u.t.t. "Behave. We need to discuss business before we get down to more serious pleasure."

"And here I was thinking s.e.x came first, second, and third in line for horse-s.h.i.+fters."

"When I'm not working, it does. You turning Jack on?"

"G.o.d, what a revolting thought."He chuckled. "You know what I mean."

I did, and flicked the com-link into action. "Jack? I'm with Kade."

"About time you reported in. I was getting worried."

"I had to pa.s.s a few more tests, and that house is sh.o.r.ed up tighter than a straight boy's a.s.s at a gay bar."