Loving The Wolf

Loving the Wolf Marie Treanor All rights reserved. Copyright ©2006 Marie Treanor No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Changeling Press LLC. ISBN (10) 1-59596-489-4 ISBN (13) 978-1-59596-489-2 Formats Available: HTML, Adobe PDF, MobiPocket, Microsoft Reader Publisher: Changeling Press LLC PO Box 1046 Martinsburg, WV 25402-1046 www.ChangelingPress.com Editor: Crystal Esau Cover Artist: Karen Fox

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Chapter One Lara knew he was watching her.

She couldn’t see him, and she refused to turn and look, but still she knew. The tiny hairs at the back of her neck stood up. Her scalp tingled, and all her senses sprang to full alert. All except hearing, which was still being battered into submission by the raucous music shaking the whole building. She’d been wary enough entering this weird club in the first place, but she had been a cop back at the Dome long enough to trust her instincts, which positively shrieked at her now to take great, great care. Poised for any action necessary, she forced her foot to continue tapping out the music’s relentless beat. She began a wide sweep with her eyes, taking in the heaving mass of gyrating bodies directly in front of her. Beyond them, on a raised and precariously vibrating stage, was the band -- a very small collection of wild and unkempt individuals to be responsible for such a huge noise. Lara’s eyes lifted to the high rafters under the crumbling roof, from which hung large braziers that scattered leaping flame lights and shadows across the walls and the faces below. Halfway up to the ceiling, a platform ran the whole way around the hall, making a mezzanine floor round which several people prowled. Some leaned there against a very temporary-looking grill in order to gaze greedily down at the sweating dancers, as if searching for prey -- which they probably were. Of one kind or another. But the eyes observing her weren’t up there. They were -- directly behind her. Spinning on her heel, her fist clenched and ready, she caught a flash of silver light, the tiniest, blurred glimpse of a swiftly moving figure, before another man blocked her view by standing mere inches in front of her. “Hey, looking for someone?” the obstruction asked, grinning. He shouted expertly over the din of the music, without appearing to use excessive effort. He was big, chunky, mostly muscle. Yet his smile reminded Lara of a snake. “Actually, yes,” she murmured, peering past him. There he is. A tall young man with long hair that glinted peculiarly silver in the club’s weird light. There’s my man. He made no effort to hide himself now, which made her wonder if he ever had. His face looked pale in the strange, flickering light, with heavily hooded eyes and deeply shadowed hollows beneath rather delicate cheekbones. He wore a light-colored leather jacket, maybe grey, and jeans that stretched tight across his thighs and hips. He looked lean and dangerously hungry. With his shoulder against a concrete pillar, he gazed directly at her. He was certainly worth gazing back at. The words lithe, predatory and raw crossed Lara’s mind. So did beautiful, but she managed to squash that one before it fully surfaced. “Anyone in particular?” enquired the chunky snake annoyingly. A group of young people wandered past, blocking Lara’s view, and reluctantly she shifted her attention back to her interlocutor. “Very particular,” she returned. She thought the man she’d been watching was staff. Some kind of bouncer. Either way, he gave off the air of knowing. He smiled again. “Perhaps I can introduce you. I know several very nice -- and not so nice -- men who want to meet you.” “They’re not my kind,” Lara said impatiently. The snake, clearly, was the club pimp. In the Dome, she’d already have arrested him. Here she just looked beyond him once more, but the man with silver hair had gone. A pang of disappointment twisted through her stomach. Oh well, interest stirred and interest died. It wasn’t as if she was prepared to pursue it anyway. But hell, it had been nice to look. “Wow!” said the snake. “Swift decision-making, I like that! Well then, what is

your kind? Whatever it is, I can help. A young boy? An older woman? A vampire to suck your blood? Or a willing man who’ll let you suck his? A werewolf to… ” “A werewolf?” Lara interrupted, staring at him. “For God’s sake, what sort of perverts do you encourage here?” “All sorts,” the snake replied frankly. “Werewolves are particularly popular. They can fuck all night. And, baby, I mean all night. So if you change your mind, just let me know.” A little shiver ran down Lara’s spine. His coarse words struck an unexpected chord in her, an ache of secret loneliness and frustration, a sudden rush of lust not dissociated from the silver-haired young man. Now him she probably wouldn’t mind in the least fucking her all night. But some arsehole who thought he was a werewolf? Or, even worse, some other arsehole who imagined women wanted him to be a werewolf! Dear God, she’d rather cross her legs and take a vow of celibacy. Dragging her mind back to the moment as her chunky snake began to move away, she said, “Hey. I am looking for a man, tallish, thirty years old, short black hair, glasses, mole on his right cheek… ” The pimp blinked. “Particular? You weren’t kidding!” “Know one like that? Anywhere in the city. I’d pay you whether he’s yours or not.” “Can’t see moles in this light,” said the snake dryly. “All right. What about a blond girl, mid-twenties, pouty lips, heart tattoo on her left shoulder? Pretty, curvy, looks like a fallen angel… ” “I fancy her already.” “I’ll take that as a no.” Lara felt tired. She was wasting her time here too. Even the promising instinct when she had felt herself being watched had turned out to be nothing more than an attack of lust, no doubt reciprocated. But since she had neither the time nor the stupidity to screw strangers in this God-forsaken city, it was time she went back to the lodge and began her search afresh in the morning. Ignoring the snake’s leer, she swung round and began to push her way through the dancers toward the exit. He emerged from nowhere. One moment she saw only a sea of swaying, writhing bodies, reluctantly parting to let her through, the next, he stood in front of her, quite still. The silver blond hair fell forward over his forehead, stirring faintly with the motion of the dancers. Lara’s hand, halfway up to push at the next shoulder, paused in mid-air. Shadows from the braziers above flickered crazily across his lean face, emphasizing the dark hollows below his cheekbones. His eyes, strangely pale, reflective eyes, glinted orange in the flaring light. They gazed straight down into hers, paralyzing her. Oh yes, interest definitely stirred. He had something, some power of personality or sexual magnetism. He hadn’t even spoken to her and yet she felt a rush of moisture between her legs. Too long without a man, Lara… Slowly, he reached up toward her poised hand. Shocked at last out of her paralysis, Lara quickly balled it into a fist. But his movement changed, suddenly quickened, so that before she could even twitch in defense, his big hand closed over her knuckles. His touch was electric. Astonishment prevented her from even trying to fight back, and in fact there was nothing aggressive about his grip. It was firm, but light,

allowing her to escape easily if she wanted to. But curiosity --yes, truly, curiosity -- kept her still. As a sop to her pride, she lifted one interrogative eyebrow at him. She meant it to be haughty, though she doubted it turned out that way for in response his lips -- full, expressive lips -- only curved upwards as if she had granted some kind of permission. He lifted his other hand toward her, palm upwards. Slowly, without really meaning to, Lara laid her own free hand in it. This time, he didn’t smile. Holding both her hands, he took two steps backward, drawing her with him into a larger space. The gyrating dancers immediately closed in around them. The heat from their bodies invaded Lara’s. She could smell their sweat. Still holding her gaze, the silver-haired man lifted his arms loosely around her waist. Since he hadn’t released her hands, they too were carried behind her body and held in the small of her back until she stood in his arms, breast to breast, almost but not quite touching. In an instant, she had let down her guard to a stranger -- and one she had sensed instinctively as dangerous before she had even seen him. And now she stood totally vulnerable in his hold. Worse, she didn’t care. It actually excited her to be held like that, although if anyone had even suggested such a thing even five minutes ago, she would probably have either laughed them to scorn or punched them. Yet in this moment, while the loud, tuneless music beat through her, her nipples stretched out to this stranger, desperate for even the slightest brushing touch. The pit of her stomach ached with sudden, wild need, churning her to her core. Yet still he only watched her, silently. Then, slowly, he began to sway to the rhythm, and she could only follow him, her heart thundering in her suddenly constricted chest. Silently, and unconventionally -- at least where Lara came from -- he had asked her to dance. A dance like no other. She didn’t understand the rules, if there were any, but she did grasp the mating ritual feel of it and her body’s response was overwhelming. Part of her knew she should stop this now before it went any further. But some other, long-suppressed and very needy part was desperate to keep up this level of arousal, if only to see just how high it would go before he blew it with some crass comment or gross act. But there was nothing crass about this, nothing gross. Blatantly sexual, yes -- yet so hypnotic that she felt curiously, sweetly powerless. When his chest touched her pebble-hard nipples, the pleasure reverberated through her whole body, causing a new flood of moisture to cascade down her leg. Lara almost moaned aloud. Instead, because she could, she moved against him, brushing her breasts against his chest. It felt so good… She leaned closer until her hips fitted into his. Then she did gasp, for his erection was rock hard. And huge. Its heat pressed over her pubic bone and across her stomach. Still in rhythm with the music, he moved it against her. She could feel its outline, even its stiff, ribbed veins, just as if it were naked against her skin. He lifted her slightly upward till only the tips of her toes touched the floor, molding her body into his. His knee brushed between her legs, made room for his cock to nestle. Now when he gyrated against her, it actually stirred her clitoris. The pleasure was so sharp that she took fright at last. This was ridiculous! She was being seduced by a stranger who hadn’t even troubled to speak to her! Abruptly, she jerked in his hold, opening her mouth to say -- she didn’t know what -- and in any case she never had the chance. In an instant, both of her hands were

transferred into one of his and his freed finger touched her lips in a universal gesture that pleaded silence. Once more, astonishment kept her captive. Her objection remained unspoken, her escape unattempted while his eyes continued to gaze intensely down into hers, as though trying to communicate something important. Important, yes, thought Lara, grasping like a drowning woman for her native cynicism. The man wanted to get laid. But then, she admitted, as his finger caressed the shape of her upper and lower lips, so did she. It was the music, the sweaty, uninhibited dancers around her, the beauty of the man who held her. The hard, sexy body of the man who held her. Though he exerted no force to keep her, she was very aware of the strength in his arms, the thick muscles in his thighs as they rubbed against hers. His hips still moved, with more emphasis now, brushing his hard cock against the hot, tender fringes of her pussy. A trickle of sweat ran down between her breasts. She felt hot enough to burst into flames. She knew an urge to lay her head on his shoulder, give herself up to the sensual fire burning between them, just to let it take its course and see where it led. But her body urged beyond that. Her sexual famine returned to haunt her. He was there, he stirred her more strongly than she could ever recall, and he was deliberately coaxing, seducing. And he knew what he did to her. She could read it in his eyes, hot, knowing, hungry eyes. Sexy eyes, dear God. And all the while that hot, sexy body was moving against her in quickening, arousing circles, rubbing his cock rhythmically between her legs. She could hardly stand. If it wasn’t for his arms holding her up, her weak knees would have given way to the shaking lust, the ever-increasing pleasure… It’s a dry fuck, she thought suddenly. He’s dry-fucking me! Then: Well, why not? Because you don’t do this! I’ve never had the chance. I can do it now. No one cares, no one will notice. Christ, he’s gorgeous and if I don’t come now I’ll die. I will, I’ll die… Almost without meaning to, she pressed back. The subtle swaying of her own body, still pretending to dance, changed to match his gyrations. A flash of triumph crossed his clouded eyes, where she could read his own candid lust. His breathing was uneven, but his rhythm never paused, he just held her a little closer, pushed a little harder. Unconsciously, her hands twisted in his, grasping his fingers as if they were her only salvation. His grip tightened in instant response. Oh Christ, I’m going to die anyway. I feel it coming now, this will kill me, this will… Lara arched her hips wildly into him, and came. Instinctively, she tried to bury her face in his shoulder, but his head bent over her and his mouth covered hers, taking in and swallowing her gasps of joy as her body shuddered on and on in the grip of its long, powerful orgasm. And God, yes, he could kiss too. His curiously soft, sensitive mouth turned hers over and over while she came. His tongue tangled with hers, stroked her teeth and lips and finally, as her convulsions subsided, broke the suction. For an instant, Lara stood unmoving in his hold, her hands held still behind her back, her parted lips tingling, her eyes still closed with sexual passion. She sighed with pure satisfaction, and opened her eyes to find his barely an inch away. They blazed with lust and triumph, shocking her back to reality. Oh Jesus, did I just do that? Please tell me I didn’t do that! I’m dreaming, right? Lara, you arse, you have better things to do! Get yourself away from there!

Getting away turned out to be surprisingly easy. The stranger who had just brought her to orgasm finally released her hands, lifting one of his own to her cheek. It was an unexpectedly tender gesture, and Lara was conscious of an urge to put her arms around his neck. However, sexual appetite appeased, she was able to think again. Brazen it out. “Thanks,” she said, and turning on her heel, she walked quickly to the exit.

Chapter Two She hoped he couldn’t see her legs shaking as she left the club. She prayed he would accept her brash behavior as real and never sense any of her confusion, the delight and the shame that tried to tear her apart. Pushing past the doorman with a glare that dared him to mention what she had just done, what had just been done to her -Christ, as if he could have seen anything in that tangle of thrashing bodies, let alone cared! --she threw herself into the blessedly cold air. The door slammed behind her, shutting in the noise and excitement, separating her from him. Drawing a shaky breath, she descended the rickety stairs to the street rather more slowly than she had come up it only an hour ago. Her legs still trembled. Between them, little aftershocks still thrilled. Well, hell, what did it matter? Nothing mattered in this God-forsaken city. She had committed no crime, touched no flesh, endangered no one. She had accepted a cheap thrill and moved on. So move on, Lara. Jack. Finding Jack was the important thing here. It was why she had come to the city in the first place, why she had gone to the club. Not that she could imagine Jack there, but from all she had heard about it at the lodge, it was exactly the sort of place April would hang out. And where April went, Jack would not be far behind. If he was still alive. If either of them were. There was no law, no peace, no security in this city. It was Lara’s definition of hell. Pausing at the foot of the stairs, she lifted her left foot as if to shake loose a stone, and discreetly withdrew the knife from its sheath inside her boot. Hardly a great hiding place, but it had evaded the searching bouncer on the way in. Now, she held it poised in her right pocket. In her left, her fist balled ready too. Lara walked down what had once been a road, and was now little more than a churned up track full of loose stones, ripped tarmac and rubbish. Her eyes scanned continuously to left and right while her ringing ears tried to adjust to the silence. Relative silence. But the noises of the city night were even less comforting than the blaring music of the club. Barking dogs, sudden crashes and shouts, bursts of laughter, the odd scream. Children crying -- or adults, it was hard to tell. The only light came from fires glowing in nearby yards and alleys, each with their share of wretched people huddling around them for warmth. By their dim illumination, Lara could make out the ruined and crumbling buildings on either side, some open to the elements, roofless and windowless and largely wall-less, others just deserted. These were scarier, because of the human noises that occasionally came from inside them. Lara warily crossed the road to avoid the more intact buildings. Up the next side street, several pairs of eyes around a fire regarded her without curiosity. They had a dog lying beside them. It whimpered but didn’t bark. Beyond them, what was left of a building burned desultorily, almost as if it couldn’t be bothered. Without doubt, this was the most depressing place Lara had ever seen.

She found herself wondering what it had been like before the war, with the buildings standing tall and proud, the streets clean and smooth, full of bustling people going about their normal business, cars and buses running in between. There would have been gardens, neat and tended, with green trees and colorful, sweet-scented flowers. Above, the sky would have been light and blue. There would have been sun, a warmth you could see and feel, not just vaguely sense was out there when the darkness wasn’t too intense. Once, it was probably a nicer place to be than the Dome. Now it was just downright dangerous. If she had forgotten, she was reminded forcefully as two shadows detached themselves from the ruin on the left, moving purposefully toward her. She let them come, until one moved behind her and her every sense prickled, tensing her whole body. The one in front kept walking toward her, as if to distract her. The other ran up behind her. Lara took him out easily with her left elbow. She heard it connect with his nose, the sickening cracking sound before the grunt of pain and the dull thud as he landed on the road behind her. She didn’t wait to look. Already she grasped the knife in her right hand, facing her other assailant. He, however, merely lifted both hands in the universal gesture of surrender. “No trouble, lady. Only looking for some food… ” Lara held on to the knife as she drew level with him. At her significant gesture, made with the knife hand, he backed off several paces. She drew her left hand out of her coat pocket and threw a small packet on the ground. “Next time, say please.” Behind her, as she walked on, she was aware of the man falling on her food scraps like a hungry dog. And God knew there were enough of those in this city too. She caught the shadow of one slinking across the ruined wall opposite. Almost immediately, something moved on her other side, and she jerked round in time to see an indistinguishable shape disappearing behind a heap of rubble. Lara grasped her knife more firmly, and sped up her pace. All around her now, she could hear the faint patter of soft, padded feet, the odd sniffle. The dog-shaped shadows were so numerous that they seemed to fall over each other. Either it was humans using tracker dogs, or one of the wild dog packs she had seen running in the distance… Neither idea soothed her. A couple of food scraps was hardly likely to be enough to get herself out of trouble this time… The dogs had had enough of waiting. As if at some unspoken command, they came at her suddenly from all sides, silently trotting through the darkness toward her. Lara stopped, hearing only the thunder of her own heart. There were too many of them. They would rip her throat out and eat it before she could as much as injure more than one of them… But what was she thinking about? They were dogs! Not so long ago they fetched sticks and slippers for their masters and rolled over to have their tummies tickled after walkies! They stood still now, gazing menacingly at her. “Sit!” Lara said sternly, and strode forward. None of the dogs moved. In the darkness, their eyes seemed to glow yellow --pair after pair of them. Lara came to a halt again, instinctively, then decided that was a bad idea. She had to walk straight through them, without fear. Just as if they were dancers obstructing her way to the club exit. More jerkily than she intended, she began to walk again. The dogs didn’t like that. A low growl echoed among them. Two of the dogs

loped forward, apart from the others, and Lara could finally make out the shape of them in the darkness. Large, square-ish heads with upright ears, like German Shepherds, or even Huskies. Big dogs. Strong. With lips pulled back in a snarl Lara didn’t like at all. And supported by many companions. Lara stepped back, away from the approaching dogs, which just kept coming. Panic rose. She had to flee, but the prospect of running through these dark and dangerous streets with a pack of angry dogs behind her was hardly one she relished… Desperately, her eyes sought a way out. A howl of pain from somewhere behind her stopped the dogs in their tracks. But there was no time for relief. Lara heard snarling, some sort of dog-fight, which seemed to hold the attention of those in front of her. The snarling stopped. Annoyed with herself for not using the distraction more quickly, Lara stepped aside -- and brushed against something warm and furry. “Shit!” she gasped involuntarily. A large dog slid round her legs and stood in front of her, facing the others. Lara held her breath, afraid to move. Somewhere nearby, something else went up in flames. The fire shot upwards, spreading brief, startling light upon the odd scene before her: the menacing pack of dark, yellow-eyed dogs, all staring down the one practically standing on her toes… he was paler in color, almost grey, with a trickle of something dark -- blood? -- running down his head and neck. Only this wasn’t a dog. None of them were dogs. They were wolves. Lara didn’t pause to wonder how it was possible. She backed two paces from the pale wolf, and when she got no reaction, she turned tail and ran. She almost tripped over another wolf lying wounded in the street, but that didn’t hold her up either. She didn’t know how long she ran -- not enough to fear never finding her way back to the lodge, but enough to hear her breathing labor in her chest -- before she became aware of the wolf running alongside her. “Oh Jesus Christ!” It was the pale wolf, the fighter, and he seemed to be on his own. How perspectives changed, when the prospect of being torn asunder by just one wolf seemed almost appealing. But the pale wolf didn’t attack. He ran beside her, watching her until against all sense, she began to feel… safe. Or at least not threatened. Gradually, she slowed her pace and so did the wolf. As they passed an alley-opening, the wolf abruptly cut her off, forcing her to turn that way, and panic returned. But although he brushed against her to force her direction, he didn’t otherwise touch her. It seemed the wolf was not hungry. Lara wondered who he’d eaten earlier. Emboldened, she tried standing still. At first, the wolf just looked at her. Then, like a dog, he nudged her forward with his nose, pushing at her hip. This was crazy. Two louts emerged from another alley, clearly drunk. Again, Lara felt for her knife, but catching sight of them, the men simply dropped their bottles and ran amid the tinkle of breaking glass. A wolf companion, clearly, was not all bad. Curious now, Lara let herself be urged on. She realized she was deathly tired, and it occurred to her that the wolf might be going to a place she could safely rest. Safely? With a wolf? This is one weird night… But it seemed she was right. The wolf led and pushed her up a couple of winding

alleys, then across a rubble-filled yard and through a door, up some broken stairs to a room that still had a ceiling. When Lara remembered her torch and shone it around, she saw that it also had a very worn armchair and a few cushions. A couple of paperback books lay on the floor. Lara stood unmoving in the doorway as the wolf pushed past her. In the torch’s beam, the blood on his neck stood out like a beacon. It stemmed from a nasty looking wound in his head. And as he walked into the room, his legs wobbled. Lara knew an unexpected upsurge of pity. It struck her that for some reason the wolf had saved her from the pack, and was still helping her to hide in the only way and place he knew. Fanciful… yet here she was. And the animal was definitely hurt. He staggered across to the cushion by the wall and flopped down, laying his head on his paws and closing his eyes. For the first time, Lara wondered who lived in this room, who normally sat in the armchair. This wolf must surely belong to someone. He was tame… The wolf let out a sigh that was half growl, half moan, as if he was in pain. With a surge of pity, Lara started toward him. He stretched. His body seemed to lengthen. Lara blinked to clear the blurry illusion, but it was still happening when she opened them again. The wolf’s head was changing shape, its ears flattening, its nose receding. The fur was vanishing from his cheeks, his chin. “Jesus Christ… ” Lara whispered. The wolf’s face twisted in agony, contorting until it no longer looked like a wolf’s. It wasn’t. It was a man, with a man’s totally naked body. And a man’s long, silver hair.

Chapter Three Will woke with a sore head and aching limbs. Yet he felt unaccountably warm, dry and comfortable. He lay on a pile of cushions, with his head pillowed on another. He was covered in a blanket. His blanket. He could smell it. He could smell her too. She hadn’t left him. Slowly, he opened his eyes. The candles were lit, lots of them, casting warm, friendly light into all but the most distant corners. She sat on the other side of the room, her back propped against the wall, as if trying to get as far away from him as she possibly could. Her jet black hair had come loose from its ponytail, tumbling forward across the delicate bones of her face. At the club she had looked rather severe, with her hair dragged back. Severe and sexy as hell. Tough and capable and well able to hold her own against the pimp who’d tried to set her up. Will had heard every word of that conversation. He had been entranced by the odd vulnerability of her mouth, even while it spoke so sharply. Her clean, sweet scent, spiced with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon, had filled his nostrils from the instant she’d walked in, arousing him… Now, she gazed across the room at him, her mouth resting on her trembling hand. The vision he’d carried into his dreams, of her face clouded with sexual passion, with the secret joy he had given her, faded into harsh reality. He scared her shitless. And yet she was still here. He said, “I thought you’d run.” She took her hand away from her face. “I should have… You were hurt.” Instinctively, he reached for the wound in his head. It was clean, already beginning to heal. “You looked after me.” Her skin flushed. He could feel the surge of heat from her body, smell her sudden

sexual arousal as she remembered. “I covered you up before you died of hypothermia.” “I’m grateful.” Her gaze slid away from his. Will’s heart lifted, because however scared by the wolf inside him, however embarrassed to suddenly find a naked man in need of her help, she was certainly not indifferent to the sight. Or to the memory. Her curt “Thanks” at the club had thrown him for a minute. Only the unseemly, un-cool speed of her departure had signaled that she wasn’t taking their sudden intimacy in her stride. He had followed her partly to protect her, partly to find out where she lived, to see her again… And now he was glad. “What’s your name?” She looked back at him, starting as if he’d asked something outrageous. “Lara… ” Her tongue flickered out, moistening her dry lips. Will’s body stirred. He remembered that agile little tongue dancing with his, and the memory inspired several other suggestions for its use. She said, “Do you have one?” “A name? Will.” “Will.” She swallowed. One unsteady hand pushed the hair off her face. He could see the effort it cost her, but looking him in the eye, she said it anyway. “What are you? What happened to you?” Will pushed himself into a sitting position. Her gaze dropped to his naked chest, then slid away. It would have been nice to imagine she was fighting her desire for him. But vanity was not one of Will’s failings and he was well aware that Lara’s reluctance to look at him stemmed from revulsion. The hair on his chest grew thickly enough to remind her afresh what he was, what she had seen. He said, “I don’t know.” Her eyes came back to his, and locked. He could read pity there now, which wasn ’t much better than revulsion, but also curiosity, and therein lay his hope. “You don’t know? Doesn’t that… scare you?” He shook his head. “Not now.” “But it -- it hurts! When you… changed I saw it in your face.” “Is that why you didn’t run?” Her gaze fell again. “No. Yes. Maybe. I had this idea that you had protected me from the wolf pack.” He shrugged, pleased that her eyes flickered downward with the droop of the blanket. “They’re turning feral, no discipline, no leader. And they’re hungry.” “Turning feral?” She stared at him. “They’re wolves! Which is another thing! I know there were rumors before the war that wolves were being reintroduced to the Highlands, but how come there are so many of them here? Did they come down looking for food? Or… oh. Oh Jesus.” The idea hit her like a sledgehammer. It was Will’s turn to be curious as he watched it sink slowly in. “They’re like you. They’re all like you… ” Will said, “You’re not from the city, are you?” “Why do you say that?” “You don’t smell of here. You smell -- different. Exotic. It’s one of the reasons I first noticed you.” When the color flooded her face, Will began to think reminding her of

their first encounter might not be a good thing. In fact he wasn’t entirely convinced she wasn’t about to bolt, so he added quickly, “Besides, I don’t just disgust you -- I astonish you. You’ve never heard of the lupi, have you?” “Lupi? Is that what you are?” “It’s what I’m called,” he said steadily, but something in her face changed, as if she’d caught and understood his feelings about being so judged. By her. He shrugged. “That’s the politer name. We use it ourselves. Another is werewolf. I think you’ve heard that one before.” He knew she had, and in what context. Werewolves are particularly popular. They can fuck all night. And baby, I mean all night… He wanted her to remember. She shifted position on the floor, and her hair fell forward, hiding her face. “Were you always this way? I mean were you born a -- lupi?” He nodded. “I don’t remember changing as a child, but I always knew I was different. When I grew into adolescence, I changed every night.” “Not with the full moon?” she demanded sarcastically, as if she couldn’t help it. As if, despite everything she’d seen, she still wanted to be skeptical. “We think it’s an influence,” he answered evenly. “Although since no one has seen the moon since the war, it’s hard to be certain. There is a cycle to the timing and strength of the changes.” She sat forward. “And are your parents lupi too? Are there whole families here?” “There are a few families. But my parents aren’t lupi. Neither is my sister. We think the radiation during the war caused some gene mutation, though why some of us and not others were affected we have no idea.” “But everyone suffered radiation poisoning to some degree! There are other open cities, and I’ve never heard the remotest whisper of this particular mutation anywhere else.” Will shrugged. “We had the power station as well as the bombs. Maybe that had something to do with it. At least for those of us with susceptible genes. I don’t know. We ’re kind of short on scientific research facilities in the city, and those there are would neither employ me nor sully their own hands with such research.” He began to get up, shoving aside the blanket before her agitated movement reminded him that he was totally naked. He stopped, the blanket falling across his thighs. It hid his semi-hard-on, but he didn’t really care what it revealed. He said sardonically, “Animals don’t wear clothes.” She flushed, but to his surprise she looked him straight in the eye. “You don’t look like an animal to me.” “I think I did, earlier this evening.” “Do you blame me for being shocked by that?” His head fell back against the wall. “Blame you? There’s no blame in being who you are. Look at me!” Abruptly, he rose to his feet, letting the blanket tumble to the ground. She gasped, made alarmed little movements as he began to walk purposefully toward her. “This is who I am!” He felt the heat rise in her again, heard her breath quicken. He knew she was attracted to him. He had sensed it in the club, the way she’d looked at him, even before he’d danced with her and felt her melt and come in his arms. His cock grew and hardened further at the memory, interfering with the point he was trying to make. Worse, he could smell her arousal spilling from her pussy, and knew he could take her

now. He could sink his cock into her warm, eager body and take her over and over again, each time making her scream out in joy. And Christ, he wanted that. He needed that. A tiny sound came from her throat, half moan, half growl. In triumph, he said, “You like who I am!” She didn’t deny it. Her throat jerked as she swallowed convulsively. He’d like to find another use for that too. There was lust and longing in her face, and he gloried in that, in the beautiful clouded eyes that drank in his body. But behind the desire, he saw confusion and fear, and that held him back. Still a few feet from her, he paused, gathering his own breath, controlling his own desires and disappointments with the return of the original plan. “But this, this is also who I am.” And deliberately, he began the change.

Chapter Four Lara didn’t know which she felt more, fear or pity or downright frustration. This gorgeous naked man had walked toward her, his sexual intent excitingly clear in his blazing eyes and in his stiff, still upward-growing cock. She had never seen a more beautiful male body, from the top of his silver head to his long, slender feet. Every inch of him was lean and fit. With every step, muscles rippled up his powerful thighs, across his broad chest and shoulders. He looked like some kind of lustful god or fallen angel, and she could no more have resisted him than she could have stopped breathing. Excitement rose so fast and intense that she felt dizzy with it. Moisture pooled in her pussy and overflowed. In that instant, she would have given up everything to have him make love to her just once. “This is who I am,” he said, and that was just fine with her. She wanted what he’d given her in the club, and so much more. Werewolves are particularly popular. They can fuck all night. And baby, I mean all night… A moan began deep inside and struggled upwards. She would have leapt up to meet him if only her legs hadn’t turned to jelly and refused to function. He came to a halt in front of her, presumably to give her a better view. Greedily, she drank him in. “But this, this is also who I am.” Then came the fear, of the unknown creature he harbored, pity for his pain, the really annoying frustration of her own desperate desire. In front of her eyes, he changed once more, his spine twisting and shortening till he fell to all fours, his pain-contorted face shifting shape and lengthening to a wolf’s snout. Lara realized she was trembling and no longer knew why. The silver-grey wolf stood before her, slightly panting, but otherwise quite still. He looked at her with his oddly glowing yellow eyes, and she remembered feeling almost hypnotized by them in the club. Like this, he still had power and presence and magnetism. She felt those things, she just didn’t know what to do about them. She couldn’t make love with a furry animal! She doubted he wanted her to, and yet if this wolf was also him, had she not already done so? Did dry fucks count? God, this was too weird even to think about! So she thought about his eyes instead. They looked soft and gentle, though not like a dog’s adoring gaze. They were too wild for that. And yet gazing into them seemed to calm Lara. She began to realize she didn’t need to do anything about this apart from accept it. Accept him. Slowly, she lifted her right hand and held it out to him, fingers outstretched. He

waited a moment, as if to see if she would change her mind. When she didn’t, he walked forward until his wet nose touched the tips of her fingers. He sniffed them, sniffed her whole palm with curious delicacy, then ducked his head underneath her hand. Almost wonderingly, she stroked the smooth, warm fur of his head. Just as in the club, no words were necessary. Lara smiled. The wolf turned into her and licked her fingers once with his soft tongue. Then he looked back into her eyes, holding them. The wolf’s were strangely reflective. As she met their gaze, she realized she could see herself in them. She looked disheveled, but not unhappy. Weirdly, she realized she wasn’t unhappy. Alone in a disused building in the middle of the city from hell, with a werewolf, and she wasn’t unhappy at all. The thought made her smile again. The girl -- both the girls -- in the wolf’ s eyes smiled back. Lara rather liked herself there. She looked relaxed and rumpled, uncharacteristically soft, even pretty. She wondered what he -- Will -- thought of her. He had watched her in the club, approached her, danced with her, seduced her in a way, all without speaking. It might have meant contempt for her, or misogyny, and yet Lara didn’t think so. Will, like the creature inside, was a man of instinct. All that bothered her was how many others he danced with in the same way, how much it meant, how much he wanted her still. Quite a lot, judging by the state of his huge cock when he’d walked toward her so blatantly only minutes ago. There was something about him… something she finally admitted to wanting very badly, and yet what sort of relationship was possible with a man who was also… this? Sighing, she trailed her hand down the wolf’s soft cheek, watching the changes of her own expressions double in his eyes. Even that was weird -- she shouldn’t have been able to make things out so clearly from so small a reflection. She jerked her head to one side, and the reflection blurred with the movement. When it cleared, she looked -naked. Blinking, Lara felt for her clothes, almost relieved to find the coarse thickness of her jacket and sweater and jeans, but when she looked back into the wolf’s eyes, her reflections were still naked. Not only that, they were entwined with equally naked men. Lara’s lips opened with shock. Her reflection’s opened with passion while the naked man closed his hand over her breast and trailed his mouth down her throat and across to her other breast. His tongue snaked out around her dark, peaked nipple, flicking, licking, before his whole mouth closed on it. The naked man had long, silver hair and while he caressed her, the muscles of his back rippled as he pushed rhythmically. His powerful thighs wrapped around her hip. He was obviously making love to her side-on. Sweat trickled down his forehead and chest. His whole face was clouded with desire, lost in pleasure. As was hers. She clung to him, caressing his arms and shoulders and back, arching into him, reaching up for his mouth. Her fingers tangled in his hair, opening and closing with growing excitement as her orgasm began. Will held her hips, slid his hands round to her buttocks, thrusting into her faster and faster. His mouth left hers, opening as he threw his head back to bellow out his huge, unmanageable joy. It was the sexiest, most arousing climax she had ever seen in a man, it was… Impossible! Lara jerked her hand away from the wolf’s head, shaking her head to clear it, squeezing her eyes shut. “What are you doing?” she whispered. Yet when she opened her eyes again, the

wolf still stood there with his glowing yellow eyes. It was a very hazy, very tiny and blessedly clothed Lara who was reflected back at her. The wolf turned round. For a moment, Lara thought he would walk away and felt inexplicable panic, but he only turned twice, as animals do to catch the scents on the wind, and lay down beside her. Without pause, he laid his head on her knee and closed his eyes. Slowly, Lara lifted her hand once more and stroked his head, carefully avoiding the healing wound. Her heart still beat too quickly from what she had seen in the wolf’s eyes, from feeling something of her reflected self’s pleasure. She was still aroused, still caught up in the scene, though she didn’t know if it came from her imagination or his. If werewolves were possible, then so was telepathy and all kinds of things she had never believed in. But it didn’t frighten her. She liked thinking of it. She dwelled on her own passion as he had made love to her, loving the exciting position of their lovemaking, the intimate intertwining of limbs for closer penetration. And over and over, she replayed the ecstasy on her lover’s face as he came inside her. Was that how it would be? Is that how she wanted it, or how he imagined it? The wolf’s head was heavy in her lap, his deep, even breathing curiously comforting. It had been a long day, with far too much to take in. Lara laid her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. In the morning it would be clearer. She would sort it all out then. And carry on looking for Jack.

*** When she woke, she had slumped down onto the cushions. She felt warm and rested, if slightly uncomfortable in one leg. The leg that the wolf’s head still rested on. Gently, she stretched it out to ease it. The wolf’s head lifted at once, and when she had stretched, laid back down. Only with the difference in her position and his, his head now lay at the join of her legs. Lara propped herself up on her elbow to look at him. His eyes were open but he looked quite content. He seemed to be in no pain from his wound, or in any hurry to get up. So she lay down again and tried to think. She had to work out how to find Jack, but instead the memory of what she’d seen in the wolf’s eyes kept intruding. The weight on her crotch didn’t help. Closing her eyes, she gave in, imagining that the head belonged to Will in his human form. How curious that she allowed this intimacy with his animal self when she wouldn’t allow the man anywhere near her! Would she? She remembered the dance. Well, it was because of the dance! And her own unstable needs… Those needs that even now were making her wet for Will. She had to stop this, she had to… A faint groaning noise broke into her reverie. The head in her lap moved, and when she quickly pushed herself up to look, she saw the agony of his changing once more. This close, his pain rent her heart. Reaching out, she stroked his head, as though by doing so she could relieve it, or at least bring some comfort. The wolf’s snout had flattened. The whole face undulated into its human shape, losing its hair. His body lengthened, jerking to accommodate the altered position of limbs and organs. Lara stroked his long, thick, silver hair, helplessly whispering, “Sh-sh, it’s all right… ” At last he lay still, and naked, his knees pulled up under him, his head still in her

lap. With just the sort of intimacy she’d thought impossible moments before. His hair was soft and silky under her fingers, his breath warm on her leg and, as he shifted very slightly, on her still moistening crotch. She caught her lip between her teeth. It struck her that he was breathing deliberately on her pussy to arouse her. If so, it was working. His breath grew hotter. Then, through her jeans, she felt the pressure of his mouth, and gasped. Her legs stiffened, poised for flight, and yet she didn’t move. Still not touching her with his hands, he nudged her legs a little further apart. His mouth began to move across her tender parts with the sort of promise that made her wish there were no inconvenient clothes separating him from her skin. After a few minutes of this pleasurable torture, when she began to relax into it, he shifted position again, taking hold of her hips, and lounging more comfortably between her legs. Now she could see the length of his naked thigh, and his huge, thick cock pointing upwards across his flat, hard stomach. A moan of sheer desire caught in her throat. A fresh flood of moisture gushed from her pussy, and feeling it, maybe even tasting it, he groaned aloud. One hand moved round to the buttons of her jeans, unfastening, so that the other could slide inside, smoothing the skin of her hips and stomach. “So soft,” he murmured, and brought his mouth up to taste. “So sweet… ” She shivered under the touch of his lips, arched into him when his tongue licked a line of flame from her navel down as far as the loosened zip would allow him. Both hands took hold of her waistband and tugged. Helpfully, Lara lifted her hips, and as he pulled the jeans over her thighs, she bent her leg to get them off quicker. When she had one leg free, he turned his attention to her panties, which went much the same way till they hung around one ankle with her jeans. His hand swept the length of one leg, caressing all the way down and all the way back up to the crease at the very top. Here, his breathing ragged, he paused to stroke with one finger, over and over before he replaced it with his lips. Lara moaned, pushing upwards. His tongue explored higher, his lips nuzzling among her soft folds, and began to kiss. Lara writhed under his thrilling mouth. There was no space in her mind or heart for anxiety, only this astounding physical pleasure which came so naturally with the strange but gorgeous creature now fitting his lips to her lower ones in a kiss that almost made her come instantly. Releasing her with a sigh of blatant arousal, he slid his finger up the length of her slit from anus to pussy and pushed it inside. Lara gasped, and held on to it with her internal muscles while he caressed her. His thumb flickered across her clitoris, making her moan aloud and grasp at his hair, tangling her fingers there. He brought his mouth back, using his tongue and his lips to stir her clitoris while his finger pushed in and out and her juices flowed around him. He growled deep in his chest. His free hand reached downwards, taking hold of his own cock, pulling once and then squeezing, as if in desperation. Lara began to orgasm. “Will,” she said, trying to warn him, trying to make him bring his cock inside her in time to join her. “Will, please… ” He growled again, thrusting a second finger inside with the first and swirling as far as they would go. His mouth took the whole of her clitoris and sucked. Lara cried out and fell apart. Wave after wave of shattering pleasure engulfed her, reaching into every part of her body and rolling on and on. His mouth loosening, he lifted his head to watch his effect on her, but curiously she felt no shame, no fear of the vulnerability she revealed. She let him see it all, the full intensity of her sexual joy.

Devouring her with his eyes, Will muttered something she couldn’t catch, and returned to her pussy, latching his lips back on and lashing it with his tongue until the fading pleasure climbed again, so sharply she thought she might die of it. Instead, as if it was the only way to bear the impossible pleasure, she cried out, a long, gasping scream. Will held her bucking hips firmly with both hands so that his mouth could continue to ravish her and draw the last possible thrill from her convulsing pussy. When she could see again, she said, “Oooh,” in a voice of wonder and pure satisfaction. Will licked his lips, wiped his soaking face on her thigh, and smiled. It was a wolfish yet very human smile. His eyes blazed with lust, as well as triumph at the state he’d brought her to. Both were quite all right with Lara. She stretched her arms above her head until her nipples stood out hard and proud through her sweater, then arched her hips once more, lethargically this time. She smiled. “Would you like,” she offered, almost purring, “to fuck me?” She knew the answer, of course. The fire in his eyes almost consumed her. His cock stood so huge and rigid, it looked ready to burst. And it had had so little consolation… With a low growl, he pulled himself up beside her. “Oh yes,” he breathed. He reached out to one breast, his fingers capturing the nipple through the wool. Watching it avidly, he said, “There’s nothing I want more than to fuck you. Over and over. Every way that has ever been thought of, and a few that haven’t. All night.” Lara swallowed. Sated as she was, lust stirred again. “Here it’s always night. What are you waiting for?” Almost reluctantly, his gaze lifted from her breast to her face. His fingers stilled but did not leave her nipple. “I’m waiting for you to want it as much as I do.” Moved, Lara sat up and put her arms around him. His skin was warm and smooth, his body beneath hard with bone and muscle and sinew. He cradled her against his powerful chest. “Will,” she whispered into his shoulder, “Will, I do. I do want you. Do you really not know what you just did to me?” His hand in her hair drew her head back so that he could look into her eyes. His own still flamed, but they were veiled now, controlled. “I made you come. Twice. I made you like it.” “Like it?” His lips curved. Bending his head, he brushed his mouth across hers. She ran her tongue along his lower lip and opened to him. He took her mouth fiercely, fucking it with his tongue until she moaned. Then, releasing it, he whispered against her lips, “I’m a lupi. Like wolves, we mate for life. When I take you, you have to want it that much… ” As though burned, Lara drew back, staring. “You -- you want me for life? For ever ?” “Yes,” he said simply. “But… but… but you don’t know me! You’ve no idea who or what I am!” “Tell me,” he invited. “Well,” she floundered, “I’m… I’m not really this soft, easy person -- I’m hard, and cold… ” She broke off, glaring at him because he’d started to smile. “No you’re not,” he said. “You might pretend to be, you might even have grown

the shell so close that you believe it to be real.” Thrown by the insight -- which she didn’t even want to think about -- she stared at him. “You think I’m some helpless little piece of fluff who needs a strong man -- or a stronger lupi! -- to look after her?” Will smiled again, defusing her outrage. “No. I think you’re a strong woman who’ s trained herself to be tough and capable and able to deal with just about everything life has thrown at her. So far. But I think maybe that came at a price you’re not really happy paying. I think you’re compassionate and sweet-natured and joyfully passionate, traits at least as worthwhile as the ones you show the world.” Lara slid her gaze free and remembered to close her mouth. “I don’t know where you get all that from,” she muttered. “From your eyes. It’s amazing what you can see in the eyes.” Her own widened, flying back to his. “Do you know what I saw in yours last night?” He only smiled, adjusting his position so that he sat beside her, his back against the wall and his arm around her shoulders. He appeared to be quite unconscious of the fact that he was still totally naked. Lara, making the most of it, looked her fill. “So why the hard shell?” he asked. She shrugged. “I’m a policewoman. I brought up my little brother after the war and had to protect him as well as me. Not everybody likes law and order.” “Some always thrive better without it,” he allowed. His face had grown thoughtful. She said, “I came here from the south, from the Dome City.” “So you have law and order there? A reasonable life?” She nodded. “Better than most from what I’ve seen. The Dome was covered and prepared for war. We grew our own uncontaminated food from the beginning, had our own livestock. Of course, after the bombs, we let in refugees, too many, and there was a period of anarchy. But it’s better now. We have enough to eat, and relative peace. Which is more than I’ve seen elsewhere. This, however… Will, this city is the worst I’ve seen, and I walked all the way up the country.” Will nodded, unable or unwilling to dispute it. “Who is the man with glasses and a mole on his chin?” Once more, her mouth fell open. “How… ? You weren’t close enough to hear that in the club! You were… oh.” “My hearing is enhanced by my condition,” he said calmly. “So is my sense of smell, and touch… Though my eyes aren’t so good. Are you going to tell me who he is?” “Jack… I -- I came here looking for him.” “So I gathered. Is he your lover?” Lara smiled at his jealousy, giving the game away before she reflected it might have been fun to pretend -- just to pay him back for refusing to fuck her. “He’s my little brother. Full grown, and also a policeman. He took up with this girl -- a stranger who came to the Dome about a year ago. A wild kid, ripe for any mischief, had Jack wrapped round her little finger in days. She got bored of course and moved on. Unfortunately Jack followed her. I knew she didn’t want to be found, thought he’d come home when he lost the trail, but he didn’t.” “So you followed him. And now all three of you are here?” “I don’t know. The trail’s gone cold here. I only arrived yesterday, but so far I’ve

found no trace of either of them.” She smiled ruefully up at him. “I don’t suppose you have?” “As it happens,” Will said, “yes.”

Chapter Five Since the dark outside was less impenetrable than before, Lara assumed it was daytime. She sensed rather less threat in the air too, but that might just have been due to the security of Will’s company. Dressed in clothes from the room they’d stayed in -- he explained he had several such hidden dens scattered across the city -- he walked close beside her, leaving both his arms free while his eyes constantly scanned, much as hers did. “Why is it so awful here?” Lara asked. “Is there no authority?” “Only in pockets and for certain people. In the suburbs, some people live in decent houses, with protection and proper food distribution. There are a couple of food centers protected too. Among the lupi, there used to be order, but now they’re too scared and too hungry. This way.” He led her across a piece of waste ground littered with rubble and old plastic packaging as well as piles of things that looked like animal bones. “Is there a lodge here?” Lara asked curiously, wondering how in the world this place was connected to Jack. “No.” He glanced at her. “Don’t look so worried. He doesn’t live in this area.” “Then why are we… ” “Shit,” said Will unexpectedly. Following his gaze, Lara spotted a figure running across the ground, dodging from obstacle to obstacle as if for cover. Cover for what? Ahead was a low, mostly-standing building. Probably it had once been a school. Another figure, further ahead, dived behind a burned-out oil drum. He seemed to be carrying something. “What the hell are they doing?” Lara demanded. “Making life difficult. I didn’t expect them till nightfall. They are self-styled lupi hunters. And responsible for much of the fear and hunger I was just talking about.” Her stomach jolted. She grabbed for his hand, trying to pull him behind her. “Calm down,” he said mildly, although she had the impression her reaction had both surprised and pleased him. “They imagine all the lupi are in there.” He pointed to the disused school. “And asleep. Lupi mostly sleep all day at this period of the cycle.” She tried to take this in. “The -- pack who attacked me last night are asleep in there?” “I imagine so. I doubt they bother with lookouts now.” She frowned. “Then why aren’t you asleep too?” “There is some free will involved,” he murmured, looking beyond her. Lara looked too. From behind a broken wall, someone, another armed lupi hunter by the look of him, waved frantically to them, gesturing them to get back. Instead, Will began to walk toward him. “Wait, Will!” she said impatiently, catching his arm as she trotted after him. “Why are we here? What has all this to do with Jack?” The awful idea hit her suddenly, like a smack in the chest. She felt winded. She felt her eyes dilate. “Oh God, he isn’t -- he hasn’t become -- can he? Will, is Jack… ?” “Lupi? Oh no,” said Will in a small, hard voice. “Far from it. Lara -- Jack, I

believe.” Too surprised to analyze let alone understand the sudden change in his mood, Lara swung round and looked into the bespectacled eyes of her astounded little brother.

*** “Lara?” He had said that several times already, in exactly the same tone of amazement. They were both crouched behind the wall. Jack clutched an old machine rifle to his chest, and stared at her. Will crouched some distance away, giving the impression that it was more for comfort than for cover. He seemed to be playing some complicated game of tiddlywinks with the small stones around his feet. “Will you stop saying it like that?” she said irritably. “Where else would I be when you didn’t trouble to come home?” “It’s not that I didn’t trouble, Lara. It’s just -- I got waylaid! By this!” “What exactly is this? Are you really hunting these poor creatures?” Beyond Jack’s shoulder, she saw Will’s hand still. She thought his lip quirked slightly upward. “Poor creatures?” Jack exclaimed. “Lara, how long have you been here? Do you know how many people they have killed and maimed, how much food they have stolen? Lara, they’re not wolves! They’re werewolves!” “I believe,” said Lara, “that they prefer the term lupi. And from what I’ve seen of this hell-hole, they’re not the only ones prepared to kill, maim and steal for food. Besides, who died and put you in charge? Who gave you leave to desert your duties in the Dome?” He blinked. “Haven’t you understood me? This is important! They -- are -werewolves.” “Lupi,” said Lara provokingly. From his position some feet away, Will said, “He’s right, though. Something has to be done about the lupi. They are important.” Jack’s gaze swung round to him, half-irritated, half-surprised. “Who is that?” “Will. He’s a friend. He helped me to find you.” “Oh?” Jack pulled at his lip, then said decisively, “Well, in that case, want to help find a few werewolves?” Lara tensed. She knew she would defend Will from any attack on Jack’s part. She didn’t seriously doubt that she could do it either. But she didn’t want to have to. Her feelings were too confused. Will was a werewolf after all, and if Jack attacked him… was Will not more capable of hurting him than the other way around? Will stood up and sauntered over to them. Reaching out, Jack yanked him downwards. “Is that a yes?” Will said, “I can find them. But I think you mean ‘kill’.” “Any objections?” Jack said aggressively. Will smiled. “Yes. The lupi could be very important in developing and maintaining order, in making this society thrive.” “What?” Jack stared at him. So did Lara, though for different reasons. Will shrugged. “You’re approaching this from ignorance. The lupi are stronger than other people, they’re faster, superior in all senses except sight. This I know. I also believe, although I have no proof, that the lupi are more resistant to radiation-induced

cancers, and that their brains evolve beyond what humans are capable of.” “Bollocks!” Jack returned with contempt. “They’re animals, with animals’ low cunning, that’s all. If there was ever any order among their packs, it’s fast vanishing! They are feral!” “No they’re not, they’re frightened and defensive, and they’ve lost their leader.” “Yes?” said Jack eagerly. “Did we kill him?” “No, the pack turned on him.” Lara looked at him more closely. For the first time, she began seriously to wonder why Will didn’t live with the pack, how he came to turn on his own kind for her sake. “Why?” she said. “Why did they turn on him?” “Because he was different.” His eyes flickered from hers to Jack’s. “They learned that from other humans. Reject and revile what is different. Because you don’t understand it, you fear it.” Jack frowned, trying to grasp the point. Lara said, “How was he different?” “Well… he could change at will, rather than wait for it to happen; he could tell what they were thinking, communicate without words in either form… lots of stuff.” “Will… ” Lara began, understanding at last, but Will interrupted, not even looking at her. “I’ll tell you what, Jack. You’re a stranger to the city, but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. You’re trying to help us, so I’m prepared to help you. Call your men off just now -- I’ll bring you back to the lupi later… ” “What if they aren’t here later?” Jack demanded. “I’ll find them,” Will promised. “Yes but why? Why should we call it off now?” “I told you, I’ll help you.” “Help me with what, for God’s sake? Certainly not hunting werewolves… !” “Help you with what you came here for in the first place.” Will smiled. “I’ll take you to April.”

Chapter Six “There’s a lot you haven’t told me,” Lara observed, when she caught up with Will ’s long strides. They were on what had once been a main road, leading out of the chaotic town toward the suburbs. Will shrugged. “Of course there is. We haven’t known each other twenty-four hours.” Jack appeared at his other side, his long, swift strides determinedly keeping up with the werewolf’s, though exerting rather more effort. “So how do you know April?” Jack demanded. Will’s lips quirked slightly. “You don’t want to hear.” “I just asked, didn’t I?” said Jack aggressively. Will sighed. Lara had the impression he was deliberately not looking at her. “All right. I was her lover. In fact, when she went to the Dome City, I’m pretty sure she was running away from me.” She didn’t know why it hurt. He was nothing to her except a sexy and very weird stranger. Cheap thrills… Everyone had a past life. She had ex-lovers of her own. It was just… I’m a lupi. Like wolves, we mate for life…

That was it. How could she have come to trust him so quickly? Based on -- on nothing! Had there been any truth in what he said? Which were the lies? “Do you even know April?” she asked in a small, hard voice. He turned to her at last, so unhurriedly that she suspected reluctance. No wonder… He said, “You have no reason to doubt it.” “I have reason to doubt everything.” She fell behind on those words. For an instant, she thought he would follow. She didn’t know if she felt more dread or elation. But Jack distracted him, saying dangerously, “Why did she feel the need to run away from you?” Because he’s a werewolf, you idiot! Haven’t you worked it out yet? Will regarded him as if about to tell him to mind his own business. Instead, after a distinct pause, he said, “April is basically loyal, but she makes bad decisions.” “Like screwing you?” Jack suggested rudely. “Yes,” said Will. “Like screwing me.”

*** As they walked, it grew quieter. The hellish noises of the city grew more distant. For a time they didn’t see anyone else, not even a stray animal, on the streets. Then, when they did finally see someone, it was a man in some kind of uniform, with a protective helmet and a gun. In fact there were two of them, emerging from behind a high, wire fence strung out across the road, and they clearly meant to stop Lara, Will and Jack from going any farther. Jack squared his shoulders, clearly ready to speak to them as one law officer to another, but Lara had already worked out that that wouldn’t wash here. Only the recognized were allowed in this part of the city. Here was an isolated strip of order within chaos, and the people of the chaos were kept strictly outside. “What now?” Lara hissed at Will. “Do nothing to threaten them,” Will said calmly. “Keep your hands where they can see them. They’ll let us past.” Almost at once, the first guard denied it. “No further, people,” he warned, as they all came to a halt facing each other. “You need authority to pass into this part of town.” “We know,” Will said calmly. “We have authority.” The guard didn’t look at him. His gaze was fixed on Jack, a faint frown furrowing his brow. Lara began to grow uneasy, wondering if Jack was somehow recognizable to the guard, if he had unwittingly committed some crime in being in this city at all, in hunting the werewolves… Jack shifted from one foot to the other. Will stood perfectly still, regarding the other men from calm, watchful eyes. The guard’s frown cleared. “Of course you have,” he said apologetically. “Go through.” Will led the way through the gateway in the fence, Lara and Jack following in silence. It was Will who called, “Thanks,” back over his shoulder. Lara’s heart thudded painfully in her breast. Not just because of the situation, but because she knew what Will had done. Hadn’t he said he could communicate without words? Well, he obviously had a very strong power of suggestion too. Which meant… what did it mean, about what she had seen in the wolf’s eyes last night? About the night club dance, about the sexual interlude in his hide-out? Could she trust any of her feelings then as genuine? Was she compelled to feel as she did? And how the hell is that, Lara? You’ve no idea how you feel!

Will appeared to know where he was going. In almost total silence he led them up streets and crescents with decent -- even large -- houses. There was even some kind of street lighting rigged up, and lights that weren’t open fires came from inside the buildings. This was more normal to Lara, safer, like the Dome without the Dome. So why did she suddenly feel unsure and miserable? At last she had completed her self-imposed mission: she had found Jack and was about to find April. Whatever happened next, whether they came back with her or not, she at least knew Jack was safe.

*** If Will was to be believed, April lived in a big house set in its own grounds. A high garden wall surrounded it, and on top of that ran barbed wire. Short of cutting yourself to ribbons, the only way in was through the tall, wrought-iron gates at the front of the house. They were locked. Will, however, seemed undaunted. He merely found a button at the side of the gate and pressed. Lara could see a tiny lens winking under the button. It seemed surveillance equipment was not quite unknown in this city. Jack said, “They’ll chuck us out.” Yet he didn’t sound convinced. After all, he’d seen the street guards change their minds for no obvious reason. Lara thought they should probably be very afraid of Will, and wondered why she wasn’t… Risking a glance at him, she saw that he gazed straight at the lens, his face tranquil and at ease. His long, powerful body relaxed against the gate post, carelessly allowing her a perfect view of his lean hips and shapely crotch. With an effort, Lara dragged her stare back upwards. She wondered what it would feel like to hold that hard, muscled body naked to hers, skin to skin, to feel that huge cock he was so shameless about flaunting in front of her, actually inside her own body, sliding in and out… She had known three astounding orgasms with him already. With his cock, she thought she would come all night till she died of pleasure… Jesus, where did that thought come from? Her gaze flew up to his face, searching for a sign that he had planted those desires in her mind. He was watching her, a growing hazy fire of lust in his amber eyes that sent moisture flooding from her aching pussy. She wanted to look away, she wanted to accuse him, yet those hypnotic eyes held her captive and helpless. A buzzer sounded, making Lara jump. Without releasing her gaze, Will pushed open the gate, and the spell broke. Jack, buoyed up over the prospect of finding April at last, bounded through first and strode up the pathway. Following, Lara said intensely, “Don’t you ever do that again.” “Do what?” He actually sounded surprised. “Mess with my mind!” Steeling herself against any further suggestion, she stared up at him defiantly. Though he met her gaze, he didn’t answer immediately. Then: “Lara, I have never ‘ messed with your mind.’ I don’t think I could if I tried.” “No? Then what was all that just now? Back at your den, at the club… ?” His lips quirked. “Sex. Bodily instinct.” “No,” she denied with vehemence. “It’s more than that -- I feel so out of control… ” “That’s good, isn’t it? Haven’t you ever felt like that before with a lover?” “No… ” Abruptly, he caught her by the shoulder, spinning her off the drive and behind a

tall, dead tree trunk. Trapped between the tree at her back and Will’s body in front, his fast-hardening cock pressing into her abdomen, she had no time to protest. “That’s how I want you,” he breathed. “Out of control.” And his mouth came down hard on hers, opening her lips, invading with tongue and teeth while his hard cock ground into her pubic bone, driving her instantly wild. Gasping, she accepted the ravishment of his mouth, completely bowled over by the thrilling sensations of his probing tongue, by the crashing waves of lust induced by his gyrating cock against her. He deepened the kiss even further and suddenly she locked her arms around him, pushing back into him, trying to climb higher to lodge his cock where she most wanted it while she sucked on his tongue and bit his lips. His hands closed on her bottom, feeling, lifting her till his cock could grind the moist tenderness between her legs. Lara moaned, writhing on it, greedily soaking up the pleasure which only made her want more, made her curse the clothing preventing his penetration. “So, do you want me now?” he whispered into her mouth. “Do you want me to fuck you here, hard and fast, and to hell with anyone discovering us?” “Yes,” she gasped out, latching her mouth onto his again, only loosening it to whisper, “Hard and fast -- oh yes… fuck me now, Will, do it… ” His hand forced its way between their bodies, took hold of the waistband of her jeans and jerked. The seam caught hard against her clitoris, almost breaking the climax over her before she was ready. She barely noticed that the buttons tumbled lost among the gravel at her feet, for his hand glided inside her jeans, unerringly found her hot, wet centre. She moaned again, trying to push herself onto his fingers, but his body held her still. He pushed one finger inside her pussy and Lara knew she would explode any second. “Quick!” she whispered against his lips, feverishly sweeping her hands down his body to grasp at his rock-hard, straining cock, fumbling at the fastenings of his frayed jeans. It took a moment to realize that the finger inside her was quite still. She paused, letting her head fall back against the dry, dead bark of the tree trunk so that she could see his face better. It was a blazing mask of pure lust. Lara almost growled. Will said unsteadily, “You really want me to fuck you now? You want to risk your brother discovering you screwing the once and future king of the werewolves up against this tree?” “Oh yes,” Lara said fervently. Laughter caught at his breath, broke up the intense desire clouding his handsome face. “Good,” he said distinctly. He withdrew his finger, ignoring her involuntary sound of protest. “Because when I do fuck you, I’ll make sure neither of us is aware of anyone or anything else.” His eyes closed, briefly, as if summoning back his self-control. Under Lara’s bewildered gaze, he stepped back, adjusted her jeans and fastened her jacket buttons to cover the gaping opening he’d made. There was a crunch of gravel. Jack’s voice spoke irritably. “Lara? Where the hell did you go?” Will turned away from her, leaving her cold and bereft. Her drying desire churned her. Will said, “I was just explaining a few things to your sister. Let’s go.” Lara bumped her head deliberately back against the tree, fighting her frustration.

“Bastard,” she whispered, and again, more loudly, when she caught up with the men striding toward the house. “Bastard.” Without looking at her, Will smiled. To her surprise, he took her hand. It felt warm, comforting, good. Lara began to understand. She couldn’t doubt the honesty or the power of his lust, but he was calculating too. He was continuing with his plan to make her want him as he did her. The knowledge thrilled her, intoxicated her. Because he really didn’t know the strength of her own desire. Besides, two could play at that game… By this time, they had come to the front steps, leading up to a porch. As they began to climb, the door opened, and a tall, distinguished man of late-middle years stood there examining them. He had big, hazel eyes, just like April’s. “Hello, Will,” he said. Will reached up and shook his outstretched hand. The man held the door wide for all three of them to pass through. Courteously, he gestured toward a room on the left of the spacious hallway, indicating that they should precede him. Will led the way. Jack, Lara noticed, looked both bewildered and suspicious. He obviously didn’t like April’s ex being on such easy, friendly terms with April’s father. Here at last was some of the comfort Lara had been used to in the Dome. An old but thick carpet on the floor, tasteful pictures on the wall, sofas and armchairs within easy reach of low, highly-polished tables. Will said, “Henry, these are friends of mine -- and of April’s. From the Dome City in the south. Lara and Jack.” They too were offered Henry’s firm handshake. Jack said, “Perhaps April has mentioned me -- us?” “I’m afraid not,” said Henry apologetically. “I’m afraid my daughter is very reticent about her time spent in the south.” “That’s funny,” said Lara. “She was quite reticent about her time spent here too.” Henry smiled slightly. “Please, sit down. So, Will,” he added, as they all took seats on the comfortable old sofas -- apart from Will who was content to wander around the room as they talked, “what can I do for you?” “Two things really,” said Will from the window. He dragged his gaze back into the room. “Firstly, Jack and Lara were worried about April. I thought if they saw her it might… set their minds at rest. Secondly, I hoped you’d talk to them about your plans for order in the city -- and the lupi.” “The lupi?” Henry repeated in some surprise. “I would have thought you were better qualified than I to speak on that subject!” Will smiled slightly, walking back toward them. “Yes, but I’m hardly unbiased.” Jack misunderstood. “Then you’re a hunter too?” he demanded, with mingled suspicion and jealousy. He had wanted his chance to shine here. At home, in the Dome, Lara realized with sudden insight, he was always overshadowed by her… Will said, “Not exactly in the way you mean, but yes, I am a hunter. I think I have to show you something… ” “No,” said Henry forcefully, which gave Lara some warning. Will had shrugged off his jacket and shirt, was pulling down his jeans. Reaching out, Lara took hold of Jack’ s arm and gripped. Will was changing, the agony he couldn’t hide engulfing his features as they contorted and twisted. Jack jerked in her hold, trying to stand up in his alarm. Lara held on grimly,

remembering her own fear and horror the first time she had seen it. With her other hand, she sought out his gun. “Haven’t you seen them change before, Jack?” she said harshly, to keep him anchored. “You hunted them without knowing who or what they were!” Jack sputtered, “But he’s a -- a -- he’s one of them!” Wrenching himself free of Lara, he leapt in front of her as though to protect her, and reached for his gun. Lara already grasped it. The sound of her emptying the ammunition brought him swinging back to her. “What… ” Will trotted past them, brushing her legs as he made his way to the door. Jack let out a roar of fear and rage, for standing in the doorway was a girl, small and slight and blond, with hazel eyes like Henry’s and the face of a fallen angel. She was gazing at the wolf with no surprise, but not much favor either. She said, “Do you have to come here to show off?” Jack made a strangled noise of terror in his throat. Afraid he’d rush the wolf, Lara grabbed at his arm again, but he seemed incapable of moving. The wolf nudged the girl’ s hand with his snout, and at last she smiled, and stroked the big head. Pain twisted through Lara, with a strength that terrified her, paralyzed her. Was she really so sexually obsessed with this creature that she couldn’t bear any sign of affection between him and someone else? When had she ever been like that? She just knew, like a revelation, that she couldn’t share him with another woman. And yet she couldn’t bear not to have him either. Dear God, when did that happen? Jack said hoarsely, “April… ” And the girl’s head snapped up from the wolf. Her eyes widened as she took in first Jack, then Lara. “Oh shit… ” “Nice to see you too, April,” Lara said sardonically. “Oh hell, I’m sorry.” She pushed past the wolf, coming slowly toward them. “But I didn’t want you to come here. I told you not to follow me.” “I know you did,” Lara said, since Jack was still incapable of speech. “But you can’t mess with people’s lives like that and expect to walk away with no consequences. Jack insisted on looking for you. I couldn’t talk him out of it, though believe me, I tried.” April’s lips twisted. “I believe you.” “When he didn’t come back, I had to look for him. Fortunately, I ran into your old friend here who seems to know everyone.” April gave the ghost of a laugh. “Oh yes, Will knows everyone.” Several things seemed to have penetrated Jack’s brain by then. “You knew!” he accused Lara, flapping one agitated hand at the wolf. “You’re not afraid… ” he added in April’s direction. “He isn’t going to hurt you?” “Of course not,” April scoffed. “Why did you leave?” Jack asked painfully. April looked away. “Lots of reasons… ” “He… Will… said you were running away from him when you came to the Dome.” “Partly,” she admitted reluctantly. “Because you’d discovered about… that?” “No, no, I always knew about that… Look, it’s complicated, Jack, and I don’t want

to talk about it… ” “I bet you don’t,” Lara interrupted. She couldn’t stop herself. She didn’t even know whether she was asking for herself or for Jack when she said, “So did you run away from us to get back to him again?” April laughed, and for some reason Lara’s relief was intense. “Lara, I’ve done the frying pan to fire thing often enough already. I didn’t leave you for another man, Jack, I left you because it was over for us. Can we just leave it there?” “Why was it over for us?” Jack demanded. And this time it was Henry who intervened. “I believe my daughter asked you to leave it.” “I can’t,” Jack snapped. “I have a right to know. I walked hundreds of miles to this hell-hole to find out!” And that, Lara realized suddenly, was the problem. Jack had been worried for April, it was true, but mainly he had pursued her for himself, to find out how to soothe his own wounded ego. Oh Jack, Jack, that just proves she isn’t the one for you… In a small, hard voice, April said, “I told you not to. You have no rights whatever. You don’t want to hear it in front of everyone. You don’t want to hear it at all, and I don’t want to say it, so for God’s sake, leave it alone. Will, take them away again… ” As she glanced back at the wolf, he caught her gaze and held it. Under Lara’s pained eyes, some silent communication passed between them. April said slowly, “Will despises me for running away all the time, for avoiding difficult questions. I’m not a very honest person, Jack, in case you hadn’t already worked it out. So I’ll say it once, clearly. I’m sorry -- I did like you, I do like you. We had fun, and I needed that. I enjoyed that. But I don’t love you, Jack. I can never love you, and you can never love me.” His eyes closed against the pain, Jack said, “Don’t speak for me… ” “I have to, because you don’t know me. You have no idea… ” Her gaze flickered to her father, back to Will. Desperately, almost wringing a spurt of sympathy from Lara, she said, “I can’t show you just now because I’m not as strong as he is, I can’t do it at will. But… I’m a lupi too.” Jack sat down as if his knees had buckled. Fortunately, there was a chair to catch him. Lara sympathized, for this was something she had never guessed at, although maybe she should… Involuntarily, she glanced across to Henry, looking there for confirmation or denial. She saw sadness amid pride… confirmation then. April said wryly, “And if you wonder why I didn’t tell you in the Dome, it’s because it is actually hurtful to see that look on the face of a friend. I’ve seen it on my parents’ -- my mother still can’t bear me near her -- and I’ve seen it on the few so-called friends I have told. Interestingly, I don’t see it on yours,” she added unexpectedly looking at Lara, “where I’m more used to disapproval.” “Believe me, discovering that my brother’s ex-girlfriend is a werewolf is pretty small beer these days.” To Lara’s surprise, April actually smiled at that. The younger girl’s gaze flickered to Will. “I think you’ve made your point -- you can change back to be civilized in my father’s house, if you can bear it.” It was Lara who couldn’t bear his pain. She longed to take it from him, stop his hurting. And she was used to other people’s suffering -- she saw it every day in her job. “Actually,” said April, while with muffled groans the wolf again became a man, “you’ll get along very well with his lot. They disapprove of me too, because I won’t live

with the pack.” Will, casually pulling his jeans back on to cover his impressive nakedness, said, “That’s only because it’s become ‘Us and Them.’ When we’re all on the same side they’ll accept that everyone may live as and where they choose.” “That again?” said April impatiently. “Will, it’s a pipe dream of yours and my father’s! They kicked you out!” “I’ll get them back,” Will said confidently. “They need me.” He looked directly at Lara. “Henry has a plan to bring the city back to life. He wants to unite the suburbs, the inner city dwellers, and all the mutants, including the lupi, who are the most numerous, bring safe food to everyone, decent housing, an economy, education… We can form a council, we have co-operative representatives from most groups and it could work -except we can’t get it started. It founders on law and order. We have no one except the suburb guard with any experience of law enforcement.” His lips curved. “Which is where you fit in -- you and Jack. I’ve no idea if Jack will want to stay under the new rules of this game -- but I very much hope you will.”

Chapter Seven Lara stood by the window of the bedroom April had brought her to. The deeper darkness of night had settled over the dead garden below, but Lara wasn’t really seeing it. She had to look somewhere while the thoughts and emotions chased each other through her mind. Elation mingled confusingly with suspicion. Now that the explanations and plans for the morning and for the future were made, she had no doubt that Will needed her professionally, that he valued her. April had said -- out of nowhere as she left the room -- that Will was strange and distant but he had never been less than scrupulously honest. And yet habits of self-doubt still made her suspect that he had gone through the courtship, the seduction, whatever it was, just to give her a reason to stay in this urban hell… She was about to turn away, pull the heavy, velvet curtains, when some movement in the darkness below caught her attention. A motion-sensitive spotlight flashed on, revealing Will and Henry in its glare. Two strong, determined men. If anyone could rebuild here, they could… With a brief clap on the younger man’s shoulder, Henry walked toward the front door. Will watched him for a moment, then moved back into the shadows. The spotlight went out, but Lara could still see his shape through the darkness, his head turned upwards as if trying to make out the moon and stars beyond the blanket of dark that now surrounded the earth. Without warning, emotion surged through Lara. Something in her reached out in longing toward the strange, powerful creature she knew him to be. A creature of animal instinct and strength, of human calculation and compassion… and the sexiest man she had ever encountered. Her knees went weak just remembering their brief sexual encounters. She knew she wanted more than that. She needed his cock inside her, loving her, just like she’d seen in the wolf’s eyes… all night. Yes, definitely all night would be good… But he wanted her lifetime commitment, for God’s sake! A couple of sexy thrills, even with such tremendous orgasms thrown in, was hardly the basis of a life partnership! Lust was not love as she understood it. The dense shadow that was Will moved and leapt. The spotlight snapped on,

bathing him briefly in a weird, golden illumination. His long hair glinted silver as he swarmed up the dead tree, settling precariously on a bare, creaky branch. There was something boyish about it that made her smile, and yet she ached as well, somewhere in the region of her throat. And her chest and her stomach. All over. There’s more than lust involved here, Lara, and you know it… She didn’t need to find reasons for it, didn’t need to justify her feelings, they just were. Was this what he felt, what he recognized in her? The difference between being April’s lover and Lara’s mate. The difference between Will and her previous men. There was no real comparison. Her breath caught on something close to a sob. The need just to be near him overwhelmed her, sent her running across the room to the door, along the hall and down the staircase to the front door. A spotlight caught her on the front steps, making her pause before she closed the door softly behind her. As she reached the bottom step, Will loomed out of the darkness before her. “Lara? Are you all right?” “Of course. I just came to join you for a little.” He would never know the courage it took for her to say that, and yet once said, she rejoiced in her own honesty, in the smile it brought to his face. Encouraged, she actually took his arm, urging him to walk with her as if they were taking a stroll in the afternoon sunshine in some pre-war park. Looking upwards, as she had seen him do only minutes before, she said, “Do you suppose the sun will ever come back?” “Yes, eventually. I think we can speed it up too -- I’ve been reading up and I have some ideas… but that’s something else we all need to work on.” “Will?” “Yes?” “How did the lupi get such a sexual reputation when they are wolves every night?” She sensed his surprise as well as his smile in the darkness. “You mean Arty’s ‘ fuck all night’ comment?” “That’s the one.” Her face, her whole body, burned now. She no longer knew if it was embarrassment or desire. She did know the feel of his arm against her breast excited her, the easy swinging of his hips as he walked beside her made her smolder, imagining them pumping against hers in all sorts of styles and speeds. “Day or night doesn’t matter much any more. Besides, we don’t all change every night. The important thing to Arty is the sexual prowess. The staying power.” “And that’s what you have, is it?” Lara said, sweeping one hand deliberately down his front from waist to crotch. Her heart beat so loudly, she thought it would burst. Yet the catch of his breath under her light touch elated her. “Do you want to find out?” Lara laughed low in her throat. She gave him a little push toward a nearby tree. “Recognize this?” she said breathlessly. “You teased me here this afternoon… Now it’s my turn.” Releasing his arm, she again slid her hand down to his crotch. Only this time, she lingered, and this time, his well-defined cock was hard, and growing under her palm. “Oh… ” she murmured with pleasure, pressing harder against the outline in his jeans, tracing it with her fingers, running her palm up and down its huge length. Will’s breathing shortened. She felt his arm creep around her, his lips in her hair. He caught her

head, turning her face up for his kiss, but she allowed him only the first electric brush of the lips before she slipped out of his hold, dropping downwards until she knelt in front of him, her eyes only inches from his bulging, straining cock. She had the impression Will wasn’t breathing at all now. Purring softly, she spread her palms across the bulge, and stretched her fingers outwards as she pushed back and forth once. Then her fingers fisted, and reached for his buttons. Very slowly, making the anticipation last for him as well as her, she unfastened his jeans. Commando, she remembered. No underpants for the man who had to undress to change form… His cock sprang free, and stood rigid like a steel rod. Lara wished it wasn’t so dark… and yet it was exciting too, to learn him by feel. Her fingers closed around his hot shaft, felt the engorged veins standing out like ribs. He gasped, beginning to breathe again in short pants. Slowly, she massaged his cock, drawing the skin back and forward until he groaned. Then she licked the tip, just once, tasting the salt of his juice. Deliberately, she wrapped her mouth around the whole cock and sucked, teased the length of it with her teeth. “Jesus, Lara… ” Will whispered. Emboldened, she took it deeper into her mouth till she felt it at the back of her throat. She teased a little, and swallowed. Will groaned. She thought he swore beneath his breath. Lara moved her head, taking him in and out. He grasped fistfuls of her hair, caressing her, moving blissfully with her. Then, abruptly, with another tortured groan, he tightened his hold and pulled himself free with a pop. “Enough, woman,” he growled. “It’s my turn… ” “No, it isn’t,” Lara said breathlessly and seized his cock with her lips once more, massaging the shaft fiercely with her hand while she pulled hard with her mouth. “Lara, stop,” he uttered, “I can’t hold this… ” “I don’t want you to,” she said around his cock. “I want you to come in my mouth.” “No, that wasn’t… that isn’t… ” “Isn’t in your plan, Will? Stop manipulating me. I’ll feel what I feel, whatever you do, whatever I do. Wasn’t it you who told me here how much fun it is to lose control? So, you lose control now, Will, lose it in me… ” She sucked again, furiously, and felt him throb. His fingers closed in her hair. Almost involuntarily, as if further aroused by her words, he thrust in and out of her mouth. He’s going to come, he is… ! Moaning with anticipation, she pulled harder and was half-frightened by the sounds she heard coming from him, part-growl, part-groan, part-howl. His climax burst upon them, forcing a long, long shout of joy as he spilled his seed into her mouth, down her throat. Thrilled, aroused beyond belief by the wildness of his orgasm, Lara moaned with him. With his cock still in her mouth, she watched him throw his head back in savage joy. Gradually, his fingers in her hair loosened, caressing her. He drew his cock slowly out of her mouth. “Now you’ve done it,” he said softly. “Made you come?” she teased. He smiled, reaching for her. “I hope you’re prepared for the consequences.” Before she could grasp that, he dragged her up and into his arms, spinning her round so that now it was she who was pressed into the tree, while his mouth plundered hers, and his hands roved all over her body, covering her breasts, sliding up and under her sweater to flick tenderly at one nipple while palming the other breast. Gasping, moaning at this sudden onslaught, Lara clung to him, reaching around his waist to draw

him closer. He pressed into her fiercely, until her pussy moisture flooded down her legs. She had never even imagined wanting anyone as much as this… His mouth left hers, but only to seize her neck in a powerful kiss. She twisted blissfully under his lips and tongue and teeth, as they traced a line of fire around her throat to her nape. Without warning, he pushed down her already torn jeans, using his knee and even his foot to get them to her ankle. Co-operating, she had only time to step out of one leg before he spun her around, and held her by the hips, grinding his cock -how come it was still so hard? -- into her bottom. “Like this, Lara? You want it like this?” “Like this seems just fine… ” she got out, though only just for he took hold of his cock and pushed it straight inside her pussy. She cried out. It filled her, stretching her, reaching sensitive places she never knew she had. “Tell me to stop.” For answer, she squeezed his cock, making him groan with pleasure, nearly making herself come. “Don’t you dare stop,” she warned shakily. He withdrew and pushed back into her, hard, all the way. Sensation thrilled through her entire body. She could almost imagine him in her womb. “Oh I won’t stop now,” he whispered. “I won’t ever stop… ” His words, almost as much as his movements inside her, excited her beyond measure. But there was no time for self-analysis or soul-searching, only blind lust and impossibly intense physical pleasure. His mouth seized her nape once more. She felt his teeth gripping her skin as he fucked her, hard and fast as he had threatened this afternoon. Lara gloried in his every touch, outside and in. Gasping, over and over, she writhed and twisted on his cock, matching his furious rhythm until he outpaced her and she could only hang between him and the tree, letting orgasm take her in its shattering, pleasurable hold. And God, she’d been right, there had never been anything, there never would be anything like the delight his cock brought her. She thought she would die of it, and considered it well worth the sacrifice -- especially when he climaxed himself and she felt his teeth pierce the skin of her nape in his furious joy. His seed spurted up inside her in jet after jet of delicious sensation. Even so, he gave neither of them time to enjoy an afterglow. Pulling out of her, he twisted her round so that he could devour her mouth with so much passion it was almost impossible to believe he had only just come. She could feel his cock still hard against her stomach. When she pushed her hands between their bodies to take hold of it, they both stumbled and Will did nothing to save them, merely pulled her the rest of the way to the ground and covered her. The hard gravel pressed painfully into her back, but she barely noticed. Already soaking wet from their previous bout, she took him back inside her smoothly, then pushed him until he rolled over and she could straddle him. She rode him slowly at first in a deeply sensual circular motion while he thrust in and out of her. The combination was mind-blowing, so fierce that she knew it wouldn’t last. She loved his gasps and groans of pleasure mingling with her own. Inevitably, the sparks of orgasm caught quickly. Sensing it, he took over, twisting her underneath him. The movement caught the spotlight, bathing them in sudden light as he pounded her. Confused by the blinding illumination, Lara tried to pause, to move aside, but Will wasn’t stopping for anything, and in the end she surrendered, uncaring who might see what, only that she give him this pleasure and receive her own.

Even wilder than before, the orgasm tore her apart, setting Will’s off for the third time that evening. In the glare of the spotlight, he knelt before taking his cock slowly out of her, holding her gaze with his hot, lustful amber eyes as he did so. Then, smiling, he leapt to his feet, dragging her with him, and ran through the light to the front door. Her abandoned jeans still lay in a rejected heap at the foot of the dead tree. In the blessed darkness, Will pushed her against the front door and entered her once more. “Will, I can’t!” she gasped. He paused. “Have I hurt you?” he asked contritely. “Oh no! No. But I can’t take any more… ” “Yes you can,” he said positively, and in fact, she co-operated so forcefully that the door suddenly opened under their weight and they fell inside. The hall was in darkness. Still inside her, Will lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist, gasping at the new sensations as his cock penetrated further. His eyes glowed in the dark, like the wolf’s. Will strode into the living room on the right of the hall and with one hand switched on the light. Now she could see every expression, every twitch and crease of pleasure in his handsome face, and it was so exciting that, incredibly, she felt another climax begin its hectic rise. Will set her on the back of the sofa and began to slide in and out of her with long, slow strokes. This time, he didn’t come with her, but with his long, controlled thrusts, made it last for her, watching her avidly the whole time. Then he bent his head and kissed her mouth lingeringly while he held her with a tenderness that made her suddenly want to weep. It was just all too much, too quickly, and she had no idea how to cope with all this emotion alongside the stupendous pleasure… “You are so beautiful,” Will whispered into her mouth, “so sexy that I never want to do anything but fuck you… ” “Liar.” He smiled against her lips and gave them one last kiss before he raised his head. “Well, I never want to stop fucking you for very long,” he amended. “Come, I’ll take you to bed.” She tried to wriggle off him, but uncaring of the possible embarrassment of meeting his hosts -- or Lara’s brother -- on the stairs, he carried her as she was, with his cock still inside her, twitching lethargically. He knew which room was hers and carried her inside, depositing her on the big double bed before withdrawing at last. Then he switched on the bedside lamp to give the room a warm, rosy glow, and sitting back down on the bed, he began to remove the rest of her clothes. Lara watched him, smiling, contented, sated. Mind you, as he quickly pulled off his jeans and sweater, she found she was no longer quite so sure about the last one. Muscles rippled under his golden skin as he moved. She wanted to run her hands all over his broad, hard chest, feel his shoulders, caress his thighs and all the parts she hadn ’t yet got to know despite the wild sex they’d just shared. Will sat down beside her, and she half sat up to put her arms around him. His skin was warm and smooth under her hands, against her arms and breasts, his whole body hard and exciting. Between his powerful thighs, his cock still stood up proud and huge and darkly purple against the paler skin of his legs and stomach. “My love,” Will whispered into her hair. “My mate, my wife, my life-partner.” It sounded like a vow, and not one Lara was prepared to dispute. She didn’t

know when love had entered into it for either of them, only that it had. She clung to him convulsively, till she realized that against the odds, her pussy was tingling, not with satisfied desire any more but with new hunger. Uncertainly, she drew back from him, and he laid her back on the pillows as if she were something precious. The thought made her smile. She couldn’t resist throwing her arms up over her head, the better to display her breasts. “So what now?” she asked innocently. “We sleep the sleep of the totally sexed out, ready to carry out your plans in the morning?” Will smiled and bent to take one pebble-hard nipple into his mouth. Unhurriedly, he kissed it, teasing it with his tongue while he sucked on it. His hand came up to cup her other breast, catching the nipple between his fingers and rolling it sensuously. “Oh no,” he said as she arched into his touch. His breath stirred her darkened nipple, and her pussy released a fresh flood of juices in response. “Now we do it properly. No more hard, fast fucking. This time, a deliciously long, long loving… I want to know every inch of you, inside and out. I intend to take all night about that, and I intend you to enjoy every moment… ” “Oh yes,” she whispered, and he smiled at her eagerness. “And tomorrow, we begin a new day. We take out the hunters. I take back leadership of the pack, and we start to rebuild this city… ” “Just like that?” Lara teased as his hand slid underneath her body. She arched up into him and he caressed down her back and across her buttocks, rubbing tenderly around her anus. Her breath caught at the new sensation. She foresaw a lifetime of new possibilities with Will. “Just like that,” Will agreed. “We have to start somewhere… Lara?” “Mmm?” She was licking at his nipple, teasing it with her teeth. “Run with me tomorrow, back to the city… ” She paused, looking up at him. “Run with you?” “In my wolf form. I want to run free with you, show you a little of that side of my life.” She smiled, wondering now at the normality of such a discussion, of such a reality. How much had changed in twenty-four hours! “Show me everything, Will,” she said, with a catch in her voice. “Everything… so long as we can start now with this deliciously long, long loving you mentioned earlier.” “I believe,” said Will breathlessly, “that I can help you out there… ”

Marie Treanor Marie Treanor was born and brought up in Scotland, but for some years moved around the UK working and studying. Now she is back home and happily married with three young children. Having grown bored with city life, she lives these days in a picturesque village by the sea where she is lucky enough to enjoy herself avoiding housework and writing stories of romance and fantasy. You can find out more about Marie and her books on her website: www.marietreanor.com, and by subscribing to her Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/marietreanornewsletter. She also shares the Sexy Delights loop with fellow Scottish author Kyla Logan. Find out more at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sexydelights. Marie loves to hear from readers, who can contact her at [email protected].