I wasn't too surprised when he drove me to Mab's place. I stepped out of the car and looked down at my tattered clothes. "Should we go in looking like this?"
Orion looped his arm threw mine and led me to the door. "There might not be much left of them, but we've still got shirts and jeans on."
The lights were on and somebody was home, namely the black cat. It sat on the counter as we walked through the front door.
Orion walked up and patted its head. "Why don't you go fetch us a couple of glasses of water?"
The black creature hissed and leapt down. It scurried its dark rear into the kitchen as we slipped onto a couple of stools at the counter.
I wagged my finger at Orion. "You shouldn't piss off the business mascot. It might come back to bite you in the ass."
He leaned his elbows on the counter and chuckled. "It has before, but here comes our water."
Mab walked through the doorway from the kitchen. In each hand was a tall glass of chocolate milkshake, and on her face was a sly smile. Two straws stuck out of the brown mixture. She set them down in front of us.
Orion straightened and leaned back. He arched an eyebrow and glanced from glass to waitress. "What are these for?"
She chuckled. "A celebration for the victors."
I blinked at her. "Victors?
Orion frowned. "You know I don't like sweet things."
Her eyes flickered to me. "I thought perhaps you had changed your mind." She returned her attention to Orion and pushed the glass closer to him. "But why not give it a try? It's been a few years since you had one."
He pushed it away. "Maybe another time."
She shrugged and pulled out her pad and pencil. "Suit yourself. What kind of fries would you like with your hamburgers?"
"Plain," Orion replied.
I raised my hand. "I'd like an explanation."
Mab scribbled her pencil across the pad. "One plain, and one curly. Your orders will be ready in a few minutes." She turned away from us and strode into the kitchen.
I stretched out my hand to her. "Hey, wait-" She disappeared. I turned to my companion.
He hunched down and studied the contents of the milkshake. "I wouldn't put it past her to put a sour gumball in one of these. . ."
I leaned forward and caught Orion's attention. I pointed a finger at where Mab had gone. "Mind telling me what that was about?"
A smile teased the corners of his lips and he shrugged. "It's a small town. News travels fast." He leaned forward and took a dainty sip of the drink. His nose wrinkled and he pushed the milkshake away. "Nope, still bad."
I took a sip of mine and frowned at him. "It tastes fine."
He shook his head. "Nope, bad."
"Fine."
"Bad."
"Fine."
Orion leaned toward me and caught my lips in a searing kiss. He pulled away, leaving me breathless and flushed. My mischievous mate grinned. "Bad."
I narrowed my eyes and opened my mouth, but Mab came from the kitchen. In her hands was a tray with burgers and fries. She set down the food between us and smiled. "Enjoy your supper before your fight gets cold."
"It was a friendly disagreement," Orion argued as he picked up a fry and chewed on it.
Mab smiled and turned away. "No doubt."
She left us to our food which was scarfed down at a new land-speed record. A few minutes later I leaned back and patted my stomach. Our tray was devoid of all but the paper wrappings and some grease.
Orion tipped his head back and downed the rest of his water. He smacked his lips and sighed. "Mab sure does know how to serve a good meal."
"We should compliment the cook," I pointed out.
He grinned. "Maybe another time. For now, what do you say about a walk beneath the moonlight? Just to get our minds cleared."
I snorted. "I don't think that'd be a good idea."
He arched his eyebrow as Mab came from the kitchen. "Why not?"
I tapped my finger close to my eye. "I'm still in training wheels with this night vision stuff, so that's a definite 'no' unless you can pull a flashlight out of your torn jeans."
"I have one," Mab spoke up. She pulled a long cylinder from beneath the counter and placed it in front of me with a wink. "I think you'll find it helpful."
My mouth dropped open as I picked up the object. It was my flashlight, the one I'd dropped in the snow my first night in town. I jerked my head up. "Where'd you-" Her back disappeared around the corner and into the kitchen. I slid off my stool. "Hey, wait a-" A hand caught my shoulder. I looked behind me at Orion.
He smiled and shook his head. "Don't bother. If she doesn't want to answer any questions then you won't find her."
I shrugged out of his hold and glared down at the flashlight. "But how'd she get this? I dropped it in the middle of the street."
Orion plucked the flashlight from my hands and held it above my head. "I don't know what Mab's up to, but I know we can talk about it on that walk home."
I pursed my lips. "A good reporter doesn't leave a story unfinished."
He swept me into his arms and carried me to the door. "A good reporter also needs her beauty sleep."
"A good reporter knows how to walk a beat!" I snapped.
He chuckled. "We'll just your rhythm is off right now."
"You say that, I say nay!" I quipped.
We strode out the door and down the street. The late hour meant the town was deserted. A chill breeze swept over us. I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself.
"Cold?" Orion asked me.
I snorted. "I'm half naked in the middle of autumn in the middle of the night. Yeah, I'm cold."
He grinned. "And a little angry."
I glared at him. "You'd be angry, too, if you were chased by half the county of a place you couldn't escape."
He sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I think I'd be pretty mad, too. Still, there are perks."
I arched an eyebrow. "Name one."
He chuckled. "I'll show you when we get home. It'll solve your cold problem, too."
I rolled my eyes. "Werewolf. Were-bear. They're all still men."
He leaned down and pressed a teasing kiss against my lips. A warm rush of heat swept over me as his whispered words came to my ears. "You know you like it."
I couldn't deny it. My red cheeks were proof enough. I wrapped my arms around him and pressed our lips together. The searing heat of lust sank deep into my body. The long walk felt like a few moments. Maybe they were. One moment we were downtown, and the next thing I remember I was being carried into his bedroom.
Our steamy kisses quickly progressed to blind groping. Our throbbing bodies pulsed with our deep, sensual need Our torn clothes were cast aside and our sweat-soaked bodies were allowed to rub against each other. My moans filled the air. His grunts echoed my calls.
His hands were all over me, exploring me as no other man had done. His lips massaged the tips of my breasts. I groaned and arched into his firm, clinging touch. My body was aflame with lust, and every touch of him against my flesh stoked the fire hotter and deeper.
"Oh god," I groaned.
He lifted his head. His yellow eyes stared at me with the hungry look of a carnal predator. I felt my muscles tighten and stretch as the beast inside me threatened to break loose. My breath came out in quick, shallow pants that made my breasts rise and fall.
"Mine," he growled.
I grasped the sheets and licked my dry lips. My body ached for him. It demanded sweet, sensual satisfaction that only this feral beast could provide. "Yours. All of me."
He spread my legs apart and pushed his thick manhood deep into my hot, wet core. I groaned as he stretched my walls and slid against my trembling womanhood. His thrusts were long and hard. I grabbed his shoulders and rocked my hips in time with his rhythm.
I sank into the bliss he created inside of me. Every thrust, every push was a heaven of shivering pleasure. I
gasped and panted. He continued on, stroking me with his thick, throbbing member as I sank deeper into wonderful, sensual delights.
My body twitched and strained. My fingers lengthened into claws and dug into his flesh. Every part of me begged to be released, to be granted the pleasure every touch of him promised.
My groans deepened in tone as I felt his muscles beneath my fingers change. They stretched and shifted. His thrusts grew faster. His member throbbed and thickened. I gasped and whimpered. He grunted. It was a deep, guttural grunt.
The beast inside me answered the call. Carnal desire overtook conscious thought. I felt myself slipping away as fur sprouted from my body. My sweat-soaked muscles tensed and expanded. My hips rocked faster. I barely recognized my own deep voice.
"Faster. Fuck me faster," I growled.
He snarled and wrapped his arms tightly around me. I was pinned between his thick, muscular body and the bed. The bed rocked back and forth as he pushed harder and faster. Every thrust stroked my trembling nerves. My body was swept into a sea of hot pleasure.
I arched my back and groaned. "Yes. Oh god, yes. Take me. Take me faster."
He abandoned rhythm for pure fornication. His thrusts were fast and quick. I couldn't keep up, but I could feel. What I felt was a deep, insatiable hunger for my mate. My body was consumed by my need for his warmth, for his touch, for him. His thick, sweat-soaked body was a drug that brought me pleasure beyond anything I could imagine.
My body trembled beneath such an onslaught of delicious lust. My cries of pleasure filled the air as I clung onto him.
I nipped at his ears and whispered sweet words to him. "Yes. That's it. More. Oh god, so much more."
His thrusts were hard and shallow now. My body tensed as orgasm teased my senses. I leaned my head back and let loose a long, deep howl as pleasure after blissful pleasure washed over me. My mate joined me in the howl, and in a few moments we both collapsed onto the sheets.
Orion shifted onto his side and pulled me against him. He threw the covers over both of us and wrapped his arms around me.
I buried my face into his warm chest and tried to catch my breath. "Is there. . .every a. . .dull moment around here?" I choked out.
He chuckled. It was a deep, guttural sound. "I hope not."
CHAPTER 24