Chapter One Night with a Werewolf
Extract - One Night with a Werewolf
“Mr Reyes. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Elijah’s smile widened. “Rhett said you seemed formal, but I wasn’t so sure,” he said. He slipped past Asher and into the room. “I wanted to see for myself.”
Asher turned, leaving the door open. “And?”
“And, what?”
“What do you see?”
“Someone I’m going to enjoy hunting,” Elijah said, utter confidence in his voice. A sharp jolt of want shot through Asher. Whatever he’d expected from Elijah Reyes, it hadn’t been… this.
He crossed his arms over his chest. “You think I’ll be easy prey?”
Elijah scoffed. “You think that’s what I enjoy hunting?” he shot back. When Asher didn’t answer, he shrugged, apparently indifferent. “Anyway, Rhett wanted to be sure you fully understood the rules. Despite all the paperwork you signed already saying you do.”
“I understand.”
“Oh?” Elijah leaned against the wardrobe, crossing his arms across his chest in an imitation of Asher’s pose. He lifted his chin. “Tell me.”
“Tomorrow night, you will… transform.” Asher felt his lips twist as he spoke and saw amusement dance in Elijah’s eyes. “And you’ll hunt down anyone left in this manor. If you catch them, you’ll—”
“Kill them.”
Asher shook his head. “That’s not what Mr Balker told me.”
”Rhett,” Elijah corrected. “And no, of course he didn’t. There are two ways to tame my beast, Asher. It wants to kill, and it wants to fuck.”
“If we don’t want either?”
“Then, you leave. If you’re outside these walls tomorrow after the moon rises, you’ll be completely safe. You know that already.”
Asher nodded. He did. Rhett had been exceedingly clear, and he’d signed several different forms that said Elijah and his estate would not be responsible should anything… untoward occur.
Elijah sighed. “Having second thoughts?”
“Absolutely not.” There was money to be had, after all. If any of them held out – if Elijah’s beast neither killed nor fucked them – then they’d win a prize.
Even if there hadn’t been money… Asher found himself surprisingly intrigued.
His answer seemed to shock Elijah, at least for a moment, and he scrutinised Asher more closely. His heavy gaze was like a physical touch, and Asher swallowed, shifting from foot to foot.
“I could give you a preview,” Elijah said, somehow managing to sound magnanimous even with the dirty grin spreading across his face. “Get you used to the idea.”
Asher kicked the door shut without looking back and strode across the room, pinning Elijah against the wardrobe with one hand on either side of his head. Elijah was a few inches shorter than him, but even craning his head back to look up, he didn’t appear to be intimidated.
“I wouldn’t want to lose before the game has even begun,” Asher said, dropping his voice low.
“Oh, I don’t think I could hold anything that happens now against you,” Elijah replied. “Just a taste…”
Asher barked out a laugh and leaned back a little, though he didn’t move his hands. “And give you the upper hand tomorrow night?”
Again, surprise sparked in Elijah’s eyes. His grin softened into something delighted, like he was pleased to be caught out.
“You are clever,” he said, voice full of wonder as he looked Asher over again. “Brains, brawn, beauty… What else are you hiding?”
“I don’t think I’m hiding any of those qualities,” Asher replied.
He went to straighten up, but Elijah’s hand on his arm stopped him.
“You deserve a prize for that deduction,” he said.
“I told you, I—”
“No. I won’t touch you.” His hand dropped from Asher’s arm. “And you won’t touch me. But I can show you.”
Asher swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry as the implications of the words sunk in. He settled back into the position he’d been in before, their faces close enough that Asher knew it would take nothing for their lips to meet.
“Show me.”