The singer stopped, mopped his shiny forehead. A b.u.t.ton pressed and canned music rang out through the room. Patrons resumed their loud chatter. Beer bottles clinked, while the street outside roared with revelry.

He drew her close and bent his head next to her ear.

"Give in, chere. You asked me to let go. It's your turn now." His deep whisper sent a delightful shiver coursing down her spine.

The promise of s.e.x gleamed in his dark green gaze. Her body hummed instinctively to the sultry call of his demand.

"I need to go powder my nose."

"Hurry." Damian playfully tapped her nose.

She grabbed the little jeweled purse, pushed through to the ladies' room. Antic.i.p.ation raced through her as she stared at herself in the mirror. Rosy face, pulse racing, pupils dilated. Jamie ran water on a paper towel, dabbed her hot face. Arousal suffused her entire body. Her phone rang. Jamie fished it out of her purse, flipped it open.

Opening the phone, she shivered upon reading the message.

MUSM. I want U. U will b mine. 2nite. DAMIAN.

Miss you so much. I want you. You will be mine. Tonight.

She thrilled to the challenge. Jamie shut the phone, dropped it into her purse and returned to the bar. Damian leaned against the counter, a small smile on his lips as he palmed his phone. She tilted her head.

"Not bad. Not bad at all."

He pocketed the cell, touched her mouth. "KOL." Kiss on the lips. Damian didn't wait for her answer. His mouth on hers was teasing, light. He flicked his tongue lightly over her bottom lip.

Jamie pulled back, trembling, hot. Needing him.

Satisfaction gleamed in his gaze. Damian's long, strong fingers curled possessively about hers. He tugged her out into the street and the chilled night air. Two college-age boys staggered past, foamy beer splashing over their cups like seawater spilling from a ship's deck. Sights and smells a.s.saulted her heightened senses. The scent of sour sweat, the stench of stale beer and Damian's delicious, curiously refreshing scent. He looked far too urbane and sophisticated for the Quarter's decadent revelry. Yet an air of natural authority clung to him, as if he ruled these streets, and with a flick of a finger could command all to do his bidding.

The more she pulled back his layers, the more exposed she felt, and the more dangerously she teetered toward something more lasting and permanent. Like that four-letter word.

Love.

Love was scary. People professed it and then twisted it into something dark and sinister. All she'd ever wanted was a family who accepted and loved her for herself, but they all tried shaping her into their image of the perfect Jamie. Her parents molding her into a good daughter. Her uncle beating her into a meek niece. Mark dismissing her into an approval-seeking sister. Renee chiding her into a safe neighbor who didn't practice magick.

Damian gently squeezed her palm. "What's wrong?"

Jamie offered a brave smile. "Just pensive."

He stopped and pulled her to the side, letting pedestrians pa.s.s. Damian sheltered her with his big body.

"Tell me," he insisted.

The tenderness in his voice undid her. "I can't," she whispered. She leaned against him. For once, she just wanted someone else to take charge, someone else to take over and protect her from all the fears r.i.m.m.i.n.g her mind.

He slid a palm around the back of her neck. Instead of soothing, it stirred all her senses. Her nerves screamed to life. He leaned close enough for her to count the dark stubble shadowing his jaw. She felt open, wet and aching. His touch lingered over her neck, featherlight, erotic as he stroked her skin. Damian's gaze scanned the crowd streaming past them.

"Let's go home. Too many eyes," he said authoritatively.

They turned a corner. As they went to pa.s.s a dark, narrow alley, her hackles rose. Damian ground to an abrupt halt, thrusting her behind him.

"d.a.m.n it," he muttered. "I knew we shouldn't have come out. Too dangerous." He glanced at her, looking torn. His gaze then landed on the door of a locked business. He herded her toward it, waved his hand, unlocking the door and pulling her inside as he handed her his cell phone.

"Stay here. Morphs are in the alley. If you see one approach, punch number one. It's my signal for Rafe. He'll respond instantly."

"Damian, let me help you. I have powers now."

He shot her a warning look. "Stay here," he growled, then shut the gla.s.s door behind him as he left.

With a wave of his hand, his clothing vanished. Barely had she registered the sleek, smooth muscles of his long legs and taut a.s.s, than he shape-shifted into a large gray wolf. The wolf raced toward the alley.

The h.e.l.l with this. She wasn't some helpless woman in need of rescue. Jamie wriggled her fingers, feeling the power rise up. She went outside, cautiously approaching the alley.

Her vision sharpened as moonlight speared the inky black alley. Blood splattered the wall nearby. She recognized Adam, the Draicon admonished by Damian for letting her escape. Four hulking creatures with thin, wispy hair and yellowed fangs attacked. Morphs. They slashed his arms and legs, snarling as sharp talons raked over his chest. Her stomach gave a sickening lurch.

From the back of the alley, a lone figure charged forward, a dagger in his hands.

"Ricky," Adam yelled. "Watch my back!"

But instead, Ricky kept running. The Morphs dropped back, didn't attack him. He ran out of the alley, nearly colliding with her.

She watched Damian attack and kill most of the Morphs, but one got away. Ricky stepped before her. His breath came in short, stabbing pants as he dropped the dagger.

Stretching out her hands, Jamie aimed a surge of energy at the dropped dagger. The snarling Morph leaped at her as Damian sank sharp fangs into its hindquarters. She sent the dagger hurling straight into the Morph's heart.

The Morph exploded into a shower of gray ash, covering Jamie, Damian the wolf, the brick walls.

Shocked, she stared at her hands. Gray streaked up her arms now. Her head pounded again.

Burns marked Damian's muzzle. He shape-shifted back to his human form, waved a hand and clothed himself again. Adam shifted back, as well, shrugged into his clothing then joined them.

Blood streamed down his side even as the vicious cuts on Damian's arms began healing. A violent trembling affected his hands as he wiped gray ash from her face.

"Did it hurt you?" he demanded.

She couldn't speak. Damian gripped her shoulders. "Jamie, tell me."

"I'm okay," she managed.

Damian flipped open his cell phone, barked an order. In a few minutes, Raphael and Gabriel appeared on their motorcycles, Rafe abandoning his to ride with Gabriel. Damian took over Raphael's bike and motioned for her to join him.

She went, knowing it was pointless to argue, and logical to leave.

When they arrived at his house, Damian herded her upstairs. In her room, he closed the door. Turning, he loosened his tie, pulled it off, removed his jacket and tossed it aside. Fury sparked his eyes. His big body tensed as he removed her gloves. Her nails, wrists and part of her forearms had turned the color of a leaden sky.

Jamie lifted her chin, ready to duel.

"I told you to stay put. You could have been killed, Jamie."

"And I knew how to protect myself. Everything's cool." She drew in a breath. "It's no big deal."

His mouth flattened. "No big deal? Those were Morphs, ready to rip you to pieces, Jamie. You know what they do, but you seem to forget. They won't stop until you lie there, broken and bleeding and dying. You can cry out for mercy and beg someone, anyone to rescue you, and they'll keep slashing at you until you pray for death. And then they'll drink your terror, relish it and watch as you bleed out, whimpering in agony. They kill anyone, anything, women, little girls...Dieu, she never had a chance..."

Damian cut off his words. Torment flashed across his face as he ran a hand through his sweat-dampened hair. "I should never have agreed to let you come out tonight. Too much of a risk. I swore I'd never use such poor judgment again."

She bit back the bitter disappointment. "The attack could have happened anywhere. And you had fun," she protested.

Intensity radiated from him. He fisted his hands. "Fun? What the h.e.l.l point is it when you could have been killed? You talk of enjoying yourself when there's danger at every corner and your life is at stake. I should have paid better attention to my instincts. I let down my guard and you were almost hurt. It's not worth it."

"And me? I'm not worth it?" she cried out.

A muscle ticed in his strong jawline. "You're worth every single breath I take to protect you, Jamie. It's my duty to keep you safe. With every last drop of blood in my body I will do it, but no more taking risks. It's too dangerous and life is too precious to be so d.a.m.n foolhardy. I won't ever make that mistake again."

This was a side of Damian she hadn't seen. He was blaming himself, his anger directed inward. Not at her. What the h.e.l.l had happened to him that he couldn't forgive himself?

"If you were so intent on keeping me safe, why did you help Ricky and Adam? It was their battle, let them fight on their own."

"Because they're pack. Rafe put them under me and I take care of my own. That's what family is, Jamie. You step in when it's needed. Teamwork. Don't you understand the value of a strong family?" His voice softened. "Surely your brother did the same for you at some point."

Never. Mark was more interested in his career than her needs. Pack, family. She was a lone wolf. No one ever helped her, so she learned to go it alone and it was a direction she was happy to take. Or had been. Thinking about what she'd never had grieved her so much she lashed out.

"It's only important to you because you see yourself in charge of everything and everyone. You can't let go. You have to have control, always. It's an obsession with you."

His eyes glittered with intent as he stepped forward. "Chere, you wouldn't want to see me lose control."

Power radiated from his big body, the muscles tense, his green eyes locked onto her like a laser. Her body responded to the overwhelming masculinity, aching and yearning, the s.p.a.ce between her legs throbbing.

Something inside snapped, s.e.xual frustration boiling over like a volcano. "Try me," she taunted. "I can handle it." Jamie stared him down. "But I doubt you can."

No chance to bite back the words, change her mind. Damian cupped the back of her head and crushed his mouth against hers. It was no gentle, teasing kiss, but one of pure possession, staking his claim. His tongue boldly thrust past her lips, tasting her, exploring the wet cavern of her mouth. Jamie moaned and clutched fistfuls of his shirt. Her knees threatened to give out as she sagged against him.

He kept at it, exquisite sensual torture, the tension simmering just below the surface. As if his life depended on her, his next breath, instinct hammering at him.

Heat and masculine l.u.s.t radiated from him. A tiny shiver skated down her spine. He nipped her bottom lip, then licked it in a lingering caress. Boldness overcame her as Jamie cupped his erection, squeezed.

She opened her eyes, startled at his hot, intent look. It warned she'd pushed him too far.

"Right now," he spoke against her mouth. "I will have you. I won't wait any longer."

A low growl ripped from him. Damian felt desperate to get inside her. His body tensed with the crazed need to mount and s.e.xually dominate.

A rose flush tinted her porcelain skin; Jamie's full mouth begged to be kissed again. He stroked and soothed as her hands clutched his wrists. Jamie's soft b.r.e.a.s.t.s pressed against his hard torso. The intoxicating smell of her flooded his senses, the floral shampoo she'd used mixing with her own delicious scent.

His hands slid down her hips to pull her forward then he cupped her sweet little a.s.s, sliding farther up to explore...

The scent of her arousal hit him like a sledgehammer. His body tightened painfully, his b.a.l.l.s aching, his c.o.c.k hardening to solid steel. Damian stepped back, kicked off his shoes, pulled at his shirt. b.u.t.tons popped with the force of champagne corks, clattered to the floor. Desire and apprehension flashed across Jamie's face as he shed his trousers.

He divested her of the plain cotton briefs in a minute, pulled up her dress and tipped her backward onto the bed. Instinct roared, his body primed to penetrate, claim and conquer. The wolf inside snarled for the right to mate. He mounted her, letting her feel his immense strength, his power and prowess. Proving he was worthy of breeding with her. Pinning her wrists to the mattress, he dragged in a deep lungful of her arousal.

Wide gray eyes stared up at him. A quiver went through her body.

d.a.m.n, what the h.e.l.l was he doing? Turning feral, letting the moon ride him.

With all his control, he leashed himself and released her wrists. Don't scare her. Slow. He braced his hands on either side of her body. The kiss he gave her was gentle, tender.

Jamie pushed back farther on the bed as he climbed over her.

His hands explored, drifted over her slender hips, spanned her narrow waist. She seemed so fragile, yet beneath was enormous strength. A survivalist who endured losing so much and faced challenge with courage and spirit. A woman who was more than equal to him. She was life and adventure and laughter.

She was his. He would make certain no other male would dare touch her again. For all his crazed yearning, his touch was tender as he grazed her cheek with his fingers.

Jamie sat up, hugging herself, eyes big as dinner plates. He pushed her down, gently.

"Lie back and let me care for you," he purred. Damian parted her slender legs with his hands.

He stared at her cleft, wet and glistening. His erection strained to the point of bursting.

"You're beautiful, so d.a.m.n beautiful," he said softly, dragging in a lungful of her scent. Ah, so sweet, aroused and feminine.

He'd die if he couldn't taste her.

Jamie couldn't let him control her. Pleasure her. It was a power play, and if he took charge, she'd be hopelessly lost. Giving in meant more than surrendering to his s.e.xual dominance.

It meant forging an even deeper physical link between them, a tie that terrified her. s.e.x presented an intimacy she emotionally could not control.

Damian would trap her in his world, tying her to him.

Resistance to his tender, erotic caresses seemed futile, but Jamie summoned all her inner strength. She tensed and was reluctant to respond to his touch.

And then he lowered his head and put his mouth between her legs.

Licking her, lapping her in long, expert strokes between her cleft, feasting on her sweetness. Damian's tongue on the aching flesh between her legs did crazy, erotic things to her. Every stroke and whorl drew air from her body until she felt herself strained with the need to breathe, to burst out of her skin. He licked, swallowed, the rough bristle from his bearded cheeks abrading her thighs. Tension heightened, spiraling her upward and upward until she stiffened, and gave a keening wail, her body thrashing as she climaxed. The o.r.g.a.s.m exploded out of her so fiercely, she almost blanked out.

When she lifted her head, the hint of untamed danger lurked deep in the depths of his jade-green eyes. A wolf, his beast, barely held at bay. But held at bay, all because of her.

In silent surrender, she pulled off her dress and removed her bra. Jamie lay back, holding out her arms to him. Scared as she was of being dragged into his pack, his family, she instinctively knew he would never hurt her. Her body tingled with arousal, hungering for the contact between them.

Damian leaned back on his haunches, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His c.o.c.k ached with the need to penetrate. Mounting her, he felt the enormous strain of his muscles tensing as he tried to keep himself in check. He kissed her again, his mouth drifting down to nip at her throat. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were like apples, perfectly shaped with rosy, taut nipples.

He kissed one very gently, then ran his tongue around it. She whimpered, her hips rising and falling off the mattress, driven by instincts of her own.

"Soon," he soothed her. Damian took her nipple in his mouth and gently suckled. She clutched his shoulders, her body twisting.

He released her nipple with a small popping sound.

"Give in, ma pet.i.te," he whispered. "Let me inside. It's time. You belong to me."

He rose on his forearms, afraid of crushing her. She was so tiny and fragile, the delicate exterior camouflaging a tough steel core. The heart of a true warrior beat inside Jamie, someone dragged to h.e.l.l who clawed her way back to the light.