Fanged Desire (Leyore Coven #3)

Chapter 20

Addison

She kissed me like she wanted to devour me entirely. She kissed me like she wanted my breath in her lungs. She kissed me, and I couldn’t imagine ever kissing anyone else.

Hunter’s lips found mine with a fervor that made my head spin. There was something almost disarming in how her hands caressed my body, a kind of ravenous reverence, like she’d been waiting ages to memorize every part of me.

When we finally broke apart her eyes searched mine, a glint of amusement evident amongst the delirious desire burning behind her pupils.

“Is it too soon to say I’ve been wanting to kiss you again for… well, a while now?” she murmured, brushing her thumb over my bottom lip.

“The feeling is mutual,” I whispered back, drawing her closer by the collar of her shirt. “But maybe best not to dwell on it right now, or we both might come to our senses.”

She chuckled, pressing her forehead to mine. “Good point.”

I let out a small gasp as she abruptly tilted my head to the side, slowly, sensually, trailing her lips down my throat. Her hand slid under my shirt, fingers skittering across my stomach, savoring every inch she uncovered. Each touch was unhurried, deliberate, and I felt myself melting under the strange tenderness of it all.

“While we’re both being stupid,” she murmured against my skin, “I’d very much like to taste you.”

I sucked in a breath as her fingers found my bralette, slipping under the material with inquisitive intent.

“And, just so you know,” she continued, her tone playful but tinged with a satisfied sincerity, “I’m not rushing this. I plan to take my time.” When I arched my back, her fingers found my bra strap, loosing the garment with a faint click . “If you’ll let me.”

I could only nod, vaguely dizzy from the sensation of her fingers tracing over my skin. It was like she was piecing me back together with every touch, making me feel alive in a way I hadn’t realized I’d been missing. Her mouth found mine again, her hands slipping freely under the fabric, running up my spine as I arched into her.

With one swift tug, and zero resistance on my part, Hunter lifted my shirt over my head, taking my bra with it. My chest was bare, my breaths coming in increasingly ragged gasps, and Hunter took in the sight with a drawn out inhale, biting down on her bottom lip.

When she descended on me again she dragged her tongue across the length of me, and I cupped a hand around the back of her neck, the other knotting in her tousled hair as she kissed her way down my stomach. Unable to hold it together a moment longer, I tugged her closer, rocking my hips against her in a silent plea.

I moaned at the steady throb growing between my legs and writhed beneath her, coaxing her lips up to my breasts, rising and falling rapidly where I lay. Hunter dipped her head to catch one of my hard nipples in her mouth. Her left hand roamed to grasp my wrist, pinning it to the desk beside my head. The other trailed over my body, before delving between my legs. Her touch was light against my stockings, but precise, pressing at my throbbing clit with staggering precision.

That coaxed another moan from me and I released a stuttered breath. I had almost forgotten how it felt to let go, to allow myself to be pliant and malleable in another’s hands. The fierce ache was familiar, but nothing could come close to the depraved sensuality of Hunter’s touch.

“Damn, Addison,” I felt her smile against my skin, “you’re making it hard to keep my composure here.”

“Then don’t,” I groaned back, a thrill racing through me as she grinned, her gaze dark and intent.

I worked my fingers through her hair while Hunter gripped my stockings, slipping the tight fabric and embarrassingly skimpy underwear down my legs, stilettos clattering to the floor. Her fingers fluttered against my inner thigh, stoking a fire in my belly that already had me wet between the legs in anticipation.

She held my gaze, even as she pushed up my skirt, bunching the fabric at my waist. Goosebumps dappled my exposed skin, shivering up my bare legs. She sank between them, dark eyes pinning me in place where I lay spread like a banquet, loose and languid under her touch.

Without warning, Hunter thrust her palm against my entrance, rubbing circles over my exposed clit with her thumb. I could only close my eyes and whine in response, jutting out my jaw as she laughed at the sound, breath hot against my inner thigh.

Lost in her lustful presence I felt my usual sense of control slipping away. Here, with her, that desperate need to be in charge vanished. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel good to let go.

“Addison.” She murmured my name, her voice low, edged with a tenderness I hadn’t expected. I opened my eyes, meeting hers, and I could see a similar sense of quiet surrender in her gaze.

When she slid her hands over my hips, tightening and tugging me to the edge of the desk with a low, quiet growl, it sent a thrill through me that came out as a breathy groan. This was a side of her that drove me wild – protective, fierce, unguarded. Hungry. It made my pulse quicken, this side of Hunter who’d fight for me, who held me as though letting go wasn’t an option.

Her knees hit the floor with a low thud, though I couldn’t hear much else over the blood rushing in my ears. Her crooning words sounded right through me, her lips achingly close to that sensitive spot between my legs. Every word a titillating rumble up my spine.I turned my eyes to the ceiling as my body shifted and tilted with need. My legs wanted to close, the cold air of my exposure prickling goosebumps along my lower body. But her arms kept them open, kept me vulnerable – fitting for her personality, and no doubt she was reveling in watching me squirm.

“Hunter…” I rasped, but before I could fully form the title, I felt her tongue glide on the inside of my thigh, upwards towards my core, slow in its journey, silencing me in an instant. My back arched out instinctively, a bolt of electricity crackling up my spine. I wanted this, and I wanted more. My body acted on its own accord, emphasizing my need with every shuddering jerk. No doubt Hunter could sense my yearning for her, could feel it under her thumb as she continued to circle my sensitive clit with slow, rhythmic strokes.

After what felt like an eon of exhilarating agony, coaxing me to the edge of completion but never fully letting me tip over the edge, she suddenly removed her prying fingers. I jerked my gaze towards her, desperate in light of her absence between my legs. But Hunter wasn’t done yet. Catching my wide-eyed gaze, she smirked, before burying her head between my quivering knees again.

She let her tongue glide along my other thigh – teasing me, enjoying every moment of it – her mouth a wet ocean my body ached to swim in. I dropped to my back again, lifting my hips, begging with my body, but Hunter held firm. She stopped right before my entrance, sighing, and all the while keeping that vice-like grip around my waist, pinning me in place as she tormented me with her restraint. All I could see was the ceiling, but that lack of stimuli only heightened hers, and the yearning cut through me as I felt her there, waiting, driving me to ecstasy with the absence of her lips alone.

And then she was on me. Her mouth enveloped me the way a fever would the sick. Her tongue licked up my length, finding my clit and taking it in her mouth as my fisting hands scattered papers across the desk. I was hers in that very moment, an instrument played, every hot, wet movement of her mouth sounding a new tone. I moaned, loudly, but my body was screaming.

I could hear her own low moans of arousal as she held my legs open, pushing forward for more. She was devouring me, devouring my resistance, my doubts, and everything else. The world fell away as she sucked at my clit, filling the air I breathed with electric pleasure. Her fingers slowly slid into my dripping entrance, lapped on by her tongue worshiping my most sensitive nub. She kneaded into me, and my hips instinctively coaxed into her for more.

I was forced upward by another jolt of pure pleasure, propping myself on my elbows as I felt it coming on. I wanted to be consumed by her. I rocked against her as she pushed deeper, reaching out to tangle a hand in her hair. Paper clips and abandoned coffee cups scattered from the desk like my thoughts, falling to the floor like my walls.

My body bucked as she increased the pace. I could feel the orgasm coming as it heaved through my body, a fire burning from my core upwards. It built to a crescendo and exploded in a fiery roar, bursting from my lips as I sang her name.

All at once I collapsed onto my back, a crumpled collection of limbs and a sparkly skirt, riding out the wake of an earth-shattering orgasm as she worshiped my pussy with her mouth.

When Hunter finally pulled back I stared at her, my breath catching in my chest. She assessed me, sprawled there, for a long moment. And then, clearly satisfied with her handiwork, she wiped her mouth and smiled.

A soft, stuttering sigh escaped me as she got to her feet and brushed a strand of hair back from my face, her fingers lingering at my cheek.

“Thoughts?” she whispered, her voice carrying that familiar hint of amusement, though she was far more breathless than before.

For once, I had no clever response, just the warmth spreading through my chest, the lingering electricity shivering through my limbs. I sucked in a breath, reaching up to trace her jaw with a soft, shaking touch. “Heavenly. Maybe you are an angel after all.”

I knew then, what I should have known all along. Hunter wasn’t just a distraction. She was becoming a part of me, someone I knew I couldn’t possibly walk away from. Not now, and not ever.

When I cracked an eye open Hunter was right there, lying beside me on the floor of her office. One arm was wedged under her head, the other draped loosely over my waist. I could feel the way her fingers fluttered, unsettled, clenching and unclenching like she was caught between holding me closer and getting up to leave. Her gaze was unfocused, lost somewhere beyond the room.

“So.” I broke the silence, turning under her arm as I studied her profile. “What now?”

Hunter’s attention trailed back to me, but she still had that faraway look in her eyes. Her usual confidence was muted, though a small, wry smile tugged at her lips. “We lie here – forever – and then we never have to deal with the consequences of what we’ve done.”

When I flicked her nipple through her shirt she chuckled, then her face grew suddenly serious. She tilted toward me until we were nose to nose, hand tightening on my waist.

"Look, this could be messy. I’m messy. And I don’t want to subject you to all that.” She whispered her words, holding my gaze fast. “I mean… with everything else going on. You’ve got enough on your plate as it is."

I understood what she wasn’t saying out loud. The fear that she might pull me into something dangerous, or that her world might somehow hurt me. The fear that I might hurt back. Even if she didn’t say it, I could tell it weighed on her. I could see it in her eyes.

I propped myself on my elbow and balanced my head on my hand, savoring the lingering warmth between us as my bare legs brushed up against hers.

“Look, I don’t have all the answers right now. Not with my sister missing, and everything else that’s happened. I don’t think either of us know exactly what we’re doing, or what this was – is.” I swallowed, choosing my next words carefully. “But maybe we can agree to just… take it as it comes?”

Hunter stared at me, unblinking, but I caught the ghost of a smile on her lips. “So you’re saying, keep things light?”

I nodded, though my heart wasn’t exactly in sync with that decision. Because when she was around, light didn’t feel like enough. “For now. Until I get to the bottom of what happened to Penelope, I just… I need to keep my focus.”

She seemed to be turning it over in her head, her expression shifting to something both relieved and conflicted. “All right. No strings, just… enjoying things while we can.”

The smile broadened, though there was a flicker of hesitation there too.

“A prudent plan.” I settled beside her again, rolling onto my back with my hands clasped at my stomach. “We’re good at this.”

Hunter uncoiled at my side, shirt tugged open as she stretched her arms above her head, cracking her back with a satisfied groan. “Indeed.”

We lay there in comfortable silence, listening to the muffled sounds of the outside world waking to a new morning. The first rays of light sliced through the office blinds, streaking the floor where we sprawled.

And despite the uncertainty, despite the guilt that would no doubt return to crush me the moment I stepped out the door, I felt something like peace in her presence. I told myself that this arrangement would work, that I could stay grounded and keep my heart in check.

But as Hunter hauled herself upright, pressing a lingering kiss to my shoulder before pulling away, I had to admit, it would be much easier said than done.

Two days later, the nerves I thought I’d managed to shake off after my unexpected night with Hunter rushed back in full force as I walked into Esmerelde Flawne’s spa.

The sleek, snazzy interior was draped in the same soft tones, the air vibrant with the stifling scent of lavender this time. I usually liked lavender, especially in bubble baths – but this scent was cloying, overpowering, clotting in my throat.

Esmerelde herself was hovering near the reception desk, chatting away with her secretary, but her gaze landed on me the moment I stepped in. “Ah, it’s you! Right on time.”

I faltered for a moment, my greeting lodged in my throat at her cheery tone. I’d been steeling myself against the scalding expression she’d turned on me the first time we’d met, but this Esmerelde was all smiles, pearly teeth and sunshine as she rounded the desk to take my hands in hers.

“It’s – uh, thanks for having me.” I stuttered the words out, searching her eyes for any hint of her previous sneering disdain. But there was none. It should have comforted me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about her.

Her fingers were noticeably cold and bony, her grip just a little too tight.

She cocked her head to the side, demonstrating a sweeping neckline and a throat coated in jewels. “Wendy, was it? I’ve got a client ready and waiting for your demonstration. Are you ready?”

“Yeah – yes. I’m ready.” I masked my feeble stammering with a smile of my own, though it felt more like a grimace on my face.

Esmerelde, however, didn’t seem to notice. She nodded curtly, gesturing to the sugared glass doors to her left. “Excellent. She’s waiting in there, you’re welcome to go in and introduce yourself. I’ll join you in a moment.”

Before I could muster a response, Esmerelde had already turned back to the receptionist, dismissing me with a flourish of her hand.

“All right then, I’ll just…” I backed away, edging toward the glass doors and willing myself to get it together.

Considering all the time I’d poured into my investigations with Hunter, amongst… other things, I realized then and there that I was woefully unprepared to pull off this charade. I swallowed, cursing myself for not putting more time aside to prepare for what was supposed to be a demonstration of some fancy new massage routine.

I hadn’t even thought about the mechanics, let alone a strategy to get through it convincingly. How hard could it be, though, right? I was a doctor, I’d spent years studying muscles and bones and pressure points. The worst that could happen was… who knows, accidentally elbowing someone in the face?

I took a deep breath, adjusted my shirt, and stepped through the glass door – trying to channel what little calm and confidence I had left.

The door slid shut behind me with a soft click and I glanced around, taking in the subtle elegance of the massage room. My “client” was already there, seated on the edge of the massage table, her back to me. She was blonde, poised, tall and lithe, draped in a sleek black coat that looked entirely out of place in the soft ambiance of the spa.

My pulse thrummed in my ears as I straightened up.

"Uh, hi," I started, my voice wavering slightly. "I'm Wendy, and I'll be–"

The woman’s head turned slowly, and my voice died in my throat.

I took in familiar, dark, oversized sunglasses, masking an already unreadable expression. But even with half her face obscured, I recognized her immediately.

My stomach dropped like a stone, and I had to remind myself to breathe.

Of all people, of all places. The very person Hunter and I had been painstakingly tracking down was sitting right in front of me, looking every bit as composed and uncomfortably lethal as she was in my nightmares.

Catherine Raine’s lips curled into a faint, polite smile, and she gestured for me to approach.

“Hi there. Wendy, is it?” her voice was a purr, disarmingly friendly. “Esmerelde said you’d be taking care of me today.”

I forced myself to smile back, swallowing down the lump of panic in my throat.

“Yes… that’s right,” I managed, pinned by her gaze even behind those opaque lenses.

Cathy tilted her sunglasses down, just enough for me to catch a glimpse of her eyes and I had to keep myself from gasping.

They were unsettlingly pale, translucent gray irises, with only the faintest pinpricks for pupils. My heart lurched, a prickle of fear worming its way through my chest, settling heavily in my stomach. Forcing a polite smile I attempted to look nonchalant, as if I didn’t know exactly who – and what – she was.

“All right, just going to wash my hands, and we’ll get started.” I squeaked the words out, hoping the edge in my voice wasn’t obvious. Without waiting for a reply I turned and moved briskly to the corner of the room where a small washbasin sat behind a soft, curtained partition.

My hands shook slightly as I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, fingers clumsily finding Hunter’s number and tapping at the keyboard.

She’s here. Cathy. At the Spa.

I stared at the message for a beat, and then hurriedly added SOS for good measure.

Tucking the phone back in my pocket I took a steadying breath and turned on the tap, splashing water onto my face.

I was here to find answers, but standing just a few feet away from her, I couldn’t deny the sense of dread clawing at my gut. Taking a shaky breath, I straightened and stepped back into the room, hoping my nerves wouldn’t betray me.

When I emerged Cathy was still seated, sunglasses in place, gazing at me with that same cool politeness. She didn’t look the least bit suspicious, but somewhere in the back of my mind distant alarm bells were beginning to ring.

“Let’s get started, shall we?” I skipped over to her, forcing my warbling voice to sound slightly more confident than I felt.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and ignored it. Either Hunter had got my message and was on her way or someone else wanted me, and whoever it was, they could wait. I had to keep my guard up, had to convince this woman that I was Wendy, the sports scientist, and nothing more.

I stepped forward, pressing my hands together to warm them up, running through what little I’d come up with on the drive over.

“So… what are your main areas of tension?” I asked, hoping I sounded professional and not at all out of my depths. “Let me know what you’re looking to ease and we’ll take it from there.”

Cathy tilted her head, reflective lenses settling on me in that unnervingly intense way I’d seen from her in video footage.

“Oh, shoulders, mostly,” she replied lightly, though the smile on her lips didn’t match the subtle jibe in her tone. She shrugged off her jacket, revealing alarmingly bony shoulders under a thin tank top. “But then again, maybe you’d know better what my body needs than I do.”

The back of my neck prickled. I forced a smile, moving to stand behind her, my hands poised just over her shoulders. Focus, Addison . I had to act like I had nothing to hide, to pull off this massage as smoothly as possible, even if my heart was thundering right out of my chest.

Just as I began to knead her shoulders, Cathy spoke again, her voice soft but edged with something that made my pulse jump.

“I must admit, I was curious when Esmerelde told me about you,” she murmured, tone light and conversational. “It’s not every day we find someone… uniquely qualified for a role like this.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I struggled to keep my voice even as I replied, “I’m glad she decided to give me a chance. I hope this works out well for the both of us.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that it will,” Cathy replied, tilting her head back to get a look at me through those massive shades. “In fact, Esmerelde mentioned a few… curious things. She said that when you came in, she noticed something rather distinct about you.”

“Really?” My fingers froze for just a second before I forced them to keep moving. “What might that be?”

“Your scent.” She said it casually, way too casually considering the absurdity of her words. “It’s unique. Quite rare, I’d say.”

My stomach twisted, and I focused intently on her shoulders, digging in just a bit harder than necessary.

“That’s… interesting,” I managed. “I must’ve used too much perfume.”

She laughed softly, a chilling sound that made my shoulders tense. “I don’t think it’s that simple, Wendy. There’s something else. Something… intriguing about you.”

I swallowed, internally scrambling to keep my expression composed. Play it cool, play it cool, I chanted in my head.

“Well, I’m sure Esmerelde overestimated me. I’m as normal as they come,” I replied with a forced laugh.

Cathy didn’t respond, and that silence was somehow more unnerving than any words she could have spoken. My phone vibrated again. I took another steadying breath, hoping to calm my racing heartbeat before stepping back out to face her. As soon as I returned to her line of sight, she tilted her head, that faint smirk curling at her lips.

"You know, my sister also mentioned something else that I thought was quite interesting." She flashed a smile, and I noticed her oddly pointed teeth – and the very concerning fact that she’d just referred to Esmerelde as her sister .

When I didn’t respond, choked up and suddenly sweating, she crossed her legs, resting her hands on her knee. "Apparently, two women showed up at the spa, asking after me. I hear they have taken quite an interest in my affairs."

Cathy’s words lingered in the air, and a shiver crawled up my spine.

The blood drained from my face, but I fought to keep my expression neutral, my mind racing to find a way to play this off. I scrambled for a response, rifling through a dozen excuses that wouldn’t raise suspicion, but my throat felt dry, and I could barely manage to string together a coherent thought.

She’s onto me. The realization hit hard and fast, cold dread unfurling in my chest. I forced myself to stay still, to keep my face placid, but every muscle in my body was tense, waiting for her next move.

Cathy leaned back, assessing me with a casual curiosity that felt far more dangerous than outright hostility. Her voice came soft, like silk, cloaking the daggers beneath.

“The moment Esmerelde picked up your scent, she knew you were special,” she murmured, smile widening like a hungry Cheshire cat. “I see she was right.”

I barely heard her next words over the blood rushing in my ears, but I didn’t need to. I knew I was caught, well before she finished saying:

“It’s lovely to meet you, Addison Moore.”