Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Icouldn’t believe I’d just had my first orgasm with a man, fully clothed and in public, for crying out loud, having just fought off four full-grown shifters.
I needed my head examined, but first, we needed to get the hell out of there.
I didn’t bother telling him the police tended to ignore calls unless a fatality was reported.
At this point, I needed to get him to a safe place.
When the door to the bar shut behind the couple who’d brought me out of the lust-filled haze, I noticed the man beneath me was staring.
“My name’s Lyric. What’s yours?”
He cleared his throat. “Rowan,” he answered. “Listen, I’m not sure what’s going on, but we need to file a police report.”
I shook my head. How was I going to explain what I’d just done, or what had been done to him?
Had I allowed the other shifter’s venom to continue flowing through his veins, Rowan would have become connected to him, a part of his pack, whether he wanted to be or not.
I had done the only thing I knew would fix it, making him part of my pack.
From the moment I’d seen him in the hallway, my wolf had sat up and called to the man, but I had pushed her back.
Now, I’d gone against pack law and would have to face not only Kellen, but my brother Xan.
My wolf beat at me to mark him and claim him as my mate.
“We can’t. You know what you saw can’t be explained. They’ll think you’re crazy and lock you up at best. Worst, they’ll arrest me and possibly make a lab experiment out of us.”
Rowan’s grip on my waist tightened almost painfully. “Never. Nobody will ever hurt you.”
The fear knotting my stomach lessened, but the urgency to get him as far away from the bar as possible was paramount.
I needed a few minutes to figure out where to go that was secure for us both.
Somewhere, he’d be safe for the change, before I had to face my alpha and my brother.
Then I’d offer to let him go free. I wouldn’t mate him. My wolf whined.
“Come on, help me get you up, big guy.” I eyed the gorgeous man beneath me, trying to think how I could maneuver him into a vehicle.
The man had to be taller than both my brother and Kellen, putting him at over six feet two.
I imagined him on a motorcycle with me wrapped around him.
The thought of the tight fit made heat rise to my face.
“If you don’t quit looking at me like that, you’ll be under me in ten seconds flat.” His black eyes flashed.
I laughed. “When you’re all better, I’ll take you up on that offer. Now, let’s get out of here.” With the agility of my kind, I hopped off him. “Did you drive?”
He got up with a lot less finesse than I’d seen him move with earlier.
The wounds from the wolves were already healing, but I had seen humans turn, and he was going to be hurting sooner rather than later.
I wanted to find the ones that got away and turn them over to my brother.
A shiver raced up my spine. Xan was going to kick my ass.
“Of course I drove, darlin’.” Rowan’s southern drawl seemed thicker. For crying out loud, his voice was panty-melting.
“Lead the way, or do you need me to?” I asked.
I snorted at the outraged look he gave me.
The overly large, four-wheel drive pickup truck he led me to was sexy as fuck.
It gave me a lady boner. I enjoyed big trucks, hot cars, and motorcycles.
Thankfully, the MC had plenty of toys I got to play with.
Rowan’s truck would definitely fit in. Back up, girlfriend.
I needed to quit thinking of him as mine.
Eyeing the huge leap into his rig, I had visions of needing some sort of equipment to lift him into the vehicle.
He shocked me by expertly maneuvering himself into the passenger seat without groaning or showing the least bit of pain.
I shook my head and went around to the driver’s side, happy he had running boards installed, making it easy for me to climb in.
Once inside, I held my hand out for the keys.
His way too sexy lips tilted up in a grin before he reached into his tight denim jeans.
My eyes followed his fingers as they dug into his pocket, seeing the bulge still straining against his fly.
Licking my lips, I tore my eyes away, only to meet the heat in his.
Quick as a snake, his free hand shot out and pulled me to him.
Our lips met in a clash of teeth and tongues.
There was no finesse, only a deep hunger fed by the fans of heat within my body and his.
Rowan pulled back, blinking to peer at me through heavily glazed eyes.
“Darlin’, you better start this truck, or I’m thinking we might be christening the backseat.
” His words were teasing, but his brow was furrowed and his expression tight.
His entire body seemed poised as if he’d toss me over the seat and follow through on the threat at a moment’s notice.
A wicked thought of doing exactly what he’d said at a later time—especially since he’d used the word christened, meaning he’d never had another woman there—had me smiling slowly.
“Another time, big guy.” I took the keys from him before I could change my mind and pulled around to the back of the club, where my bike was parked.
Making a quick decision on how to load my precious baby without a ramp, I circled to the side of the building.
After backing up to the ditch that bordered the edge, I quickly climbed out, pulled the tailgate down, and released a sigh.
My calculations were spot on. Hurrying over to my Harley Davidson Sportster, which was far from original, I started the Harley before easing it into the back of Rowan’s truck.
It took longer than I’d have liked to strap it with tie-downs.
The poor man in the vehicle had fallen into a restless sleep, not even stirring when I opened the driver’s door. “What am I gonna do with you?” I had an insane urge to run my hand over his beard-roughened jaw. Instead, I put the truck in gear and pulled away from the bar.
Syn had mentioned the cabin on Kellen’s land, but that was too close to the alpha for my peace of mind. He’d smell Rowan on the first stiff wind. I needed time to get him through his change and give him a choice. Stay or go. Mate or no. Even if the last made my wolf whine like a little bitch.
“Where are you thinking of taking me?” His voice rasped.
I maneuvered his truck onto the busy highway. “I’m trying to figure that out. I don’t have enough cash for a hotel, and I’m not sure if that’s really a safe place anyway for your first time.”
Rowan straightened to look out the window. “Darlin’, I’m far from a virgin.”
I nearly slammed into a BMW at his words. “Not…that first time. I mean, shit. I can’t do this on a six-lane highway.” I smacked my hand on the steering wheel.
A pained groan filled the extended cab pickup, followed by a deep exhale. “I know what you mean. My place is a couple of miles down the highway. I think my truck has a mind of its own,” he tried to joke.
I glanced over to see his expression in the low, dim lights from the dashboard. “You’re an ass,” I said, smiling.
He gave me the directions, but I wasn’t properly prepared for the place he called home. Yes, his truck was top-of-the-line and new. However, I didn’t expect his home to rival the size of a lodge.
“Is this your home?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The man was one shock after another. First, with the way he’d handled three full-grown shifters, then the fact he was still alive and talking while being bitten, and now as I stared at the million-dollar spread. Kellen and Xan were going to flip their collective lids.
“I’m so in deep shit.”
Rowan turned his head. “I’ll protect you.” His tongue peeked out and licked his lips; teeth sharper than normal appeared.
Shivers raced down my spine at the thought of him placing his canines in my throat, or anywhere on my body.
I’d heard mated pairs talk about the eroticism of having their mate bite them during sex.
I’d love to wear his marks and wondered if he’d want mine.
My own teeth ached to grow. The bite I’d given him had been to erase the other pack’s venom—a mating mark was a whole other ball game.
I didn’t want to push on him, even though my wolf was chomping at me.
“What the hell do you do, Rowan?”
The tree-lined drive was lit up with security lights, but the most breathtaking view came from the wraparound porch. Several wooden rocking chairs with tables between them sat invitingly on one half, while a huge swing hung on the other side.
“Pull up in front. We’ll worry about putting this in the garage tomorrow.” He sounded exhausted, and I felt guilty for putting him in that position.
“What about my bike?” I never left Pixie out in the elements.
“Shit, I forgot about that. Keep going around to the back.”
I did as he instructed. The rear of the property was every bit as impressive as the front, with a four-car attached garage.
From the middle of the console, he pulled a controller and pointed it at the big bay doors.
As they opened, I stared slack-jawed at what all he had inside.
The boys at the MC would definitely want to come over and play with his toys. If they didn’t kill him first.
“Ease in beside the Lexus.” His voice came out in a rough whisper.
Thank gawd there was only one open space big enough for his truck. Like I knew what the fuck a Lexus looked like. I was completely out of my league.
With a nod, I coasted Rowan’s truck inside.
I was so fucked.
I had felt Lyric pulling away from me when we’d driven onto my property.
I was puzzled by her actions since most women couldn’t wait to explore and put their stamp on my home.
I wanted to reach over and reassure her, wanted to take her into my arms and tell her everything was going to be fine, but my insides felt like they were on fire.
My skin ached from my fingers to my toes.
Hell, even my ears hurt. The lights spilling in through the windshield felt like ten thousand watts burning straight into my retinas.
The doors shut down with another press of my finger to the opener. Before I tried to get out on my own, Lyric was there to help me down. Much to my consternation, I needed the extra help. “Thank you. I swear I’m not usually so needy.” I groaned.
Her scent tickled my nose. Sweet strawberries dipped in sin. I loved strawberries covered in whipped cream. Imagining her spread before me, ripe like the sweetest berries, dripping with her own cream, had me pressing her against the side of my truck. “You smell so damn good,” I growled.
“Inside, big guy. Let’s go.” She raised her hands to press against my chest.
I wanted to protest going anywhere that didn’t include me in her, until another round of pain hit me.
I swallowed the bile trying to rise in my throat and took a step away from the delectable scent of Lyric.
The last thing I wanted to do was cause her injury if I lashed out in a moment of weakness.
I listened as Lyric gave a brief outline of what to expect.
The story sounded like something straight out of Hollywood, but I’d seen the truth for myself.
Now, with agony lighting up my insides, I was sure either death was upon me or she was telling the truth.
“Follow me. I’ll show you to a guest suite, and then you should probably lock yourself in for the night.
” My words came out less clear than I liked, but I held my head up and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
I placed my hand in front of the scanner to gain access to my home, then remembered I had Lyric with me.
“Put your palm here.” I grabbed her tiny wrist and placed her palm on the screen.
A few adjustments, and my system now recognizes her palm print as well.
“What the hell was that?” she asked.
“I’m thinking I may be out of it, right?” At her nod, I continued. “Now you can open the doors without alerting the security company to an intruder.”
Lyric rubbed her hands together but didn’t say another word. I wasn’t sure I had it in me to explain further. Hell, I wasn’t sure what to expect other than I was going to be turning furry shortly, and if I survived the change, I could still be killed by Lyric’s pack.
“You’re not going through this alone, Rowan.” Her soft hand on my back burned through my flannel.
It took everything in me to continue walking, lights coming on as we entered the kitchen.
What did she want me to say? I was raised to protect women and children, not place one directly in harm’s way, and the way I was feeling, I was sure she was in danger.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, darlin’. ”
“Quit calling me that. My name is Lyric. Not darlin’, sweetheart, or any other bullshit name you call some nameless, faceless woman,” Lyric growled.
I spun at the challenge in her tone, seeing the glowing amber eyes staring back at me. “Lyric.” Her name sounded right rolling off my tongue. “No matter what I call you, the name doesn’t matter. All I can seem to focus on is your scent. What did you do? Roll around in a vat of strawberries?”
I watched her expression go from angry, to wary, to alarmed in a matter of seconds.
Her hands rested on the countertop. “Shit, this is happening faster than I’ve ever heard of before.”
Lyric put the large granite surface between us, and in my head, I calculated how quickly I could eliminate the space. “I’m going to go shower. You can…make yourself at home,” I said.
Lyric nodded but didn’t say a word. I could smell her fear and anxiety mixed with the arousal and her own unique scent.
I wasn’t sure if I’d been hit too hard on the head and all of this was one big hallucination, or if I was dreaming.
One thing was for certain, and that was I needed to get away from the woman in my kitchen before I did something I’d probably regret.
Like rip our clothes from our bodies and fuck her senseless.
I wasn’t sure I could actually follow through, not with the amount of pain I was in before I fell to my knees in agony.