Animal Lust. Lacy Danes
eyes flashed, and his fist hit the desk. “Don’t you bare your teeth at me, boar. I am not your competition for your mate. I am watching out for this family. She will not be one of us.”
“No!” Martin reached across the desk and snagged his father by the cravat, lifting him out of his seat and up into the air. “You are trying to interfere with instincts I have no control over, desires older than time. Something you told us always to trust and obey.”
His father tore from his claws. The linen about his neck was crushed and torn; he leered at Martin. “I will have you locked up, Martin. If you cannot stay away from her, I will make you.”
“Try.” His father had never been able to match his strength. He turned away from his father. What happened to all you taught us? He scoffed, disgusted by what came from his father’s mouth. Thank goodness their mother no longer lived to see this. She would be heartbroken to know his father regretted his choice in her. They had seemed happy.
He glanced at his father, who stood undoing his shredded cravat from his neck. “Were you not overjoyed with your choice in a mate?” Martin asked.
His father’s blue eyes narrowed in anger. “Hold your tongue. Your mother centered my world. What I regret is that I fought and killed my brother to get her.”
Martin flinched at the pain in his father’s voice. He knew the tale; the entire family did, though his father never spoke of it. Why his father thought he had had any control over what happened to his brother or what would happen to his sons amazed Martin. Would he never learn? The more any of them fought the powers, the worse the outcome.
That outcome had happened to his father. He’d denied his feelings for their mother because of his brother’s fancy. Then Orsse had started, and his instincts had overpowered his will. He’d thrashed his brother in order to mate with her. She’d had no choice but to take his father; that, or go through the incredible pain of shedding an unplanted Ursus–ready womb and end up ruined, a society outcast.
Her not having a choice was what bothered Martin. His father could have avoided that. If he had shown their mother his interest, she could have chosen.
He would not put Jane in that position. He would be damned if he locked away those strong emotions. He didn’t know if he could. How his father had lasted to the point of Orsse without their mother knowing, he couldn’t fathom.
“I will not allow you to lock me away in order to try to control actions you cannot. Where is Mac?”
“I don’t know.” His father’s voice was a whisper.
He spun around to face his father. His father’s face was pale, the wrinkles about his eyes deeper than the day before. Fear etched the frown on his lips. Terror of losing one of his sons made him act such.
Martin nodded. “If you find Mac, Father, leave him be. Let the powers work this out.”
He strode to the door and opened it before his father could say more. Stepping into the hall, Martin strode directly into Devon.
Devon jumped back from him.
“Holy hell, Martin! Did you kill him?”
Martin pushed past him and continued down the hall. He needed to change back, and quickly. “No, killing your sire is considered ill-mannered. Not that the thought hadn’t crossed my mind.” He shook his head in an attempt to get his vision back to normal. Damnit! The heat and emotions hurt his eyes and made his body ache for release…for Jane.
He cast a quick glance at Devon, who hurried to walk beside him. “Devon, have you seen Mac?”
“Not since breakfast. He was quite shaken by your actions and I hate to say a bit intrigued.” Devon ran to keep up with his brisk pace as he headed to the family wing of the house.
“Indeed. I won’t be seen again until this is straightened out. Please check in on Miss Milton.”
Devon stopped in his tracks, and Martin kept up his pace, wanting to get to his room and do all he could to change back with all haste.
“Martin, don’t you mean to have her? To have her join us?” Devon shouted at his back.
“There is no doubt. She will be joining us,” he growled.
But with who?
Jane couldn’t sleep.
Her nerves held taut, her stomach in a knot. Terror of this night held her mind captive. But what did she fear? This house, for sure. But more so, the intense desire for this strange man, when only a day ago she would have married another. Was she that wicked of a woman? Jonathan had been in her thoughts in some form or another for the past year. Now Martin consumed her thoughts. Sweet mother! She was confused.
When Martin had held her and protected her from the rain today, she sensed something entirely different for her life. A lifetime full of being cherished and desired beyond any capability she imagined. But what was Martin? What was this family? He had said she shouldn’t be afraid of him. She didn’t believe they wanted to harm her; they would have done that already.
She rolled onto her side and watched as the embers sparked in the grate. The rain was a gentle pelting at the window; normally it would have put her to sleep in a moment. And this bed—any other moment in her life she would have drifted into a slumber in mere seconds in such comfort.
She wanted Martin to come to her. Show her what he was so she could put her mind at ease and either leave or…or what? Stay? What a shocking thought. Martin had talked to her with his mind. Could she do the same? If she called for him….
Martin, come to me.
She giggled. How silly….
The wind outside picked up, and growls and howling came from somewhere in the house. She counted the bolts on the door. All eight were locked. She closed her eyes, and images flashed of Martin spread over her. The smooth velvet of his touch caressed every inch of her body. His prick moved within her until she screamed, cinnamon filling her nose until she could smell nothing but him. Her body quivered, and she pulled the covers closer in an attempt to find the warmth his body had provided the night before.
I can smell your arousal from the other end of the house, filtered through her ears. Would you shut me out if I came to you?
Liquid coated her sex at his words. Her eyes squeezed tighter. She shouldn’t want this. She should be rational. But Martin…She did want him.
Come to me, Martin.
Her body wanted this man beyond reason. She wanted this man. Her limbs shook.
A growl came from the direction of the door, and her body trembled.
Sniff, sniff. You desire me.
Her nipples hardened as warmth, hotter than any blanket or fire, slid over her, possessing her heart and soul. Wetness slid up her belly as smooth silk traced her nipples and then up her neck. How did he do that? She didn’t dare open her eyes. She couldn’t; she didn’t want to see the red-eyed beast she had glimpsed last night.
Warm breath puffed at her ear. I will make you feel like you have never felt.
“Yes….” Her sex clenched as she spoke the word, more moisture spilling to her curls, to her thighs. She was mad! She didn’t know what he was, and she wanted this act with him. Wanted him in a way that defied all she knew. Her heart ached for him. Her body. She couldn’t turn him away if she tried. He commanded her emotions, her thoughts.
He growled, and teeth grazed the flesh of her neck, dragging down the skin as his humid tongue slid.
Her hands reached out to touch him and stopped midair, unsure what she would find beneath her touch.
Touch me, he demanded, deep and gruff. Her hands connected with his head, and her fingers slid into his silky hair. Loose locks fanned out across her body, tickling her flesh.
His head wiggled beneath her hands as his mouth latched over her nipple,