September Moon (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #8)

I tore his towel off and tossed it. There was no time to admire his fine physique. The bloodlust was in the driver’s seat, and I was merely a passenger. With both hands on his chest, I shoved him down on the bed. I buried my face in his throat, breathing deeply of his scent.

It hit me like a punch in the stomach. The bloodlust twisted into something deeper and darker than what it already was. It wasn’t just blood I wanted but the vibrant energy of his desire for me. Sex and fear produced the most potent, satisfying energy. It was an essential part of the feed.

I slid a hand down his body to his manhood, stroking him until he was hard and ready. It didn’t take long. With the hunger driving me like this, the anticipation of warm, tangy blood on my tongue and a lover between my legs was all the foreplay I required.

Shaz was tense beneath me, awaiting the moment my fangs would slice through his flesh. His excitement grew rapidly, and I reminded myself that I needed to take care with him.

Not all that long ago, he’d been sleeping with vampires at The Wicked Kiss to get off on the rush. I shouldn’t have been victimizing him at all, but since resuming our intimacy in Vegas, it was one of the ways we felt most comfortable together. Though as good as Shaz was at playing the submissive, he could dominate like a champ too.

I timed it perfectly so that my fangs pierced his skin as he slid inside me. It took me to a place where words and thought stopped. Shaz’s wounded flesh was hot against my tongue. He gripped my hips tight with clawed fingertips. A growl accompanied the groans and sighs. I wasn’t sure which one of us it was.

I moved fast atop him, delighting in the way he felt. I feasted on the erotic energy of our lovemaking. In no time I was high as a kite and feeling no pain or weakness. At last I collapsed beside him with great satisfaction. My lungs heaved, and my heart pounded. I laughed, a sound of whimsical intoxication. It was all about the bliss moment, and I wanted to savor every second.

“Start talking,” Shaz said, rolling onto his side to face me. “Tell me what brought that on. Not that I’m complaining.”

“You’re not going to believe the thing Jez and I hunted tonight.” I reached to slide a hand through his damp platinum hair before stroking it down the side of his face. “I’m going to hit the shower and tell you all about it.”

I bounded off the bed with a spring in my step. Though I was still feeling some of the fatigue from earlier, the crushing burnout was gone. The worst of my hunger had been sated. I’d been careful not to take too much. It was dangerous for both of us.

From the shower in the en suite bathroom, I told Shaz about the nasty flesh-eating demon. Raising my voice over the sound of the water, I described it in great detail. I focused on that part of my night, leaving out any mention of Kale. It just wasn’t necessary.

When I re-entered the bedroom, I found Shaz passed out, snoring into a pillow. So much for my storytelling skills.

The sun wouldn’t be up for two more hours, but I was ready to fall into bed. I yawned and abandoned the idea of going downstairs for a snack. My white wolf was much more appealing. I turned off the lights and climbed into bed. Shaz turned toward me in his sleep, curling his naked body around mine. I snuggled in close against him and hoped for a deep, dreamless slumber.

I wasn’t sure how much time passed before I sneezed myself awake. A noxious odor tickled my sinuses. Sulfur.

Alarm bells rang inside my head. I focused on remaining still though the change in my breathing surely revealed that I was awake. Fear sat like a heavy weight upon my chest. There was a demon in the room with us.

Chapter Four

I wasn’t at all surprised to discover Shya. That, however, did nothing to eliminate my terror at finding him in my bedroom. Since my fear manifested best as anger, I sat up seething.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I snapped at the demon who stood close enough to touch. How unnerving.

“Ah, you’re awake,” he said pleasantly, as if he’d dropped by for coffee and was pleased to find me at home. “I apologize for the unannounced visit. I won’t be long.”

Shaz stirred beside me, and with a flick of his wrist, Shya stilled his movements. Shaz continued to snore, unaware of the demon’s presence.

“What did you do?” I shook Shaz and panicked when he couldn’t be roused.

Shya’s red eyes seemed to glow in the darkened room. I was disoriented, unsure if it was just before sunrise or just after sunset. Shya couldn’t take physical form during daylight hours. How long had I been asleep? My head felt foggy, so it couldn’t have been long enough.

“I would prefer to do this without incident or interruption. Shall I render you unconscious as well?” Amusement laced his tone. He was constantly amused, until he was pissed. Then he was downright terrifying.