She put out a hand to touch its muzzle, but it jerked away from the shaky touch. "Sorry. I'm new to this. Not sure what to do."

Another howl silenced her. It must want her to be quiet. She could do that.

Her legs shook, threatening to bring her down. Bella focused on inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. The scent of roses was so heady, she thought she might be drunk.

Wobbling, Bella did fall backward, catching herself with her elbows on the soft gra.s.s. It was like a half faint. She wasn't so much embarra.s.sed as relieved to not have to stand on her weak legs any longer.

The werewolf reached down with a clawed hand yet did not touch, only lingered above her stomach. It was more a hand than a paw. Longer than anything human, yet finely boned and articulated, with a tuft of fur on the knuckles.

It studied her so intensely, she felt sure it must be struggling with Severo's interior warnings while it wanted to meet its own purposes.

Mating.

A talon slashed before her so quickly, Bella hadn't realized what the werewolf had done. Until the front of her nightgown fell open, exposing her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and stomach.

The werewolf growled lowly. She understood it as a gentle growl, perhaps approving. As Severo did so often while they made love and after he'd climaxed. The werewolf pressed a hand to her shoulder and she winced.

I'm not ready for this. Then again, how could anyone be ready for this?

"So what's next?" she said, forcing a casual tone. "First dates are always so awkward, aren't they?"

The werewolf sniffed her face. Its fur brushed her chin as it moved lower, lingering over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and down her stomach, till it sniffed at her s.e.x.

Claws p.r.i.c.ked her hip, but briefly. At the werewolf's touch, she turned over onto her stomach. She understood what it wanted.

Rising onto all fours, she flinched as a heavy hand hit the gra.s.s next to her and its torso touched her back.

The claiming had been quick, frantic. Once satisfied, the werewolf had loped off across the valley. The silhouette of her masterful beast had crested the hill and transformed itself into its smaller wolf size. It returned, loping up like a playful puppy and lowering its head to nuzzle her open palms.

Now she curled against the wolf's soft fur and snuggled up to it in the thicket of gra.s.s. The night had grown quiet. No longer did the ferocious huffs and grunts from the beastly werewolf echo in the air. Nor did she feel it inside her, moving so quickly she couldn't keep track of how many times she'd o.r.g.a.s.med along with the werewolf.

Initially, it had been frightening.

The first time it entered her, her body had ached.

And then, everything had changed. The werewolf had not spoken or looked into her eyes, for she'd remained in the doggy-style position. Yet, as it had taken her, Bella had forgotten it was the werewolf and had known only that Severo, the man she loved, was inside her.

Severo woke in the gra.s.s and jerked abruptly to a stand. Bella lay on the matted gra.s.s in a torn nightgown, her dark hair strewn across the gra.s.s blades. Suns.h.i.+ne toyed with her toes. Dirt and gra.s.s streaks marked the tattered white silk and her palms and knees.

"The werewolf did it," he said, not sure what exactly he felt.

Horrified? A little. And shocked. But surprised? No, the werewolf had been waiting for decades.

He was also worried for Bella's well-being. What the h.e.l.l had she been put through last night? Would she be mentally scarred from this?

He reached out to touch her, but his nakedness suddenly felt so overt. He called her name, but she didn't rouse.

Forgoing running inside for clothes, he lifted her into his arms. She slept soundly as he carried her inside to the bedroom and as he laid her on the rumpled white sheets, she woke and smiled at him.

She grasped his hand and pulled him to sit beside her. When he wanted to ask her if she was all right, she put her fingers over his mouth.

"I love the werewolf," she said, and closed her eyes and fell to sleep.

Must be something about having s.e.x with a werewolf that'll put a s.h.i.+ne to a girl's smile. Bella posed before the floor-length mirror, turning from side to side to check the brown jersey dress that hugged her curves.

She had showered and hadn't yet seen Severo. She figured he might feel strange about approaching her today. He shouldn't.

Stepping into her low-heeled mules, she sought breakfast.

Heloise was off for the three days, so she scavenged a kiwi and a banana and cut them on a plate. An English m.u.f.fin would hit the spot, but she couldn't find any. Oat toast it was. The guy was into fiber and meat.

From around the corner Severo appeared. Rather, he lingered, like he was unsure about approaching her. He was clad in dark running pants and no s.h.i.+rt, and his tight six-pack drew Bella's eye. Head bowed and thumb to his lip, he looked up through his lashes at her.

"Come here, lover," she urged him.

"I..." He remained in the doorway, the sunlight upon his shoulders. He rubbed the heels of his palms together. "I didn't harm you, did I?" He winced as he said it.

"You did not. Besides being well and thoroughly s.e.xed. But that never harmed a girl before."

"The werewolf had s.e.x with you?"

"Yes. You don't remember?"

"You know I can't." He slid onto a bar stool across the counter from her.

All she wanted to do was hug and kiss him and show him how much he meant to her, but she sensed his apprehension and would allow him this slow approach. He had to struggle with the right and wrong of it. He was that kind of man.

"Do you want details?"

He winced again. "Not sure. Was it...terrible?"

"Not at all. You're magnificent as the werewolf, Severo. All muscles and growl."

"You weren't horrified?"

"Honestly? A little scared at the beginning. Okay, a lot scared. But the werewolf was gentle."

"Really?" He let out a breath.

"As gentle as it could be. I don't have any scratches or bruises. I checked. I want to do it again," she said.

"Y-you do? Should I be jealous?"

She slid around the counter and climbed onto his lap. Spreading her palms across his chest, she nipped his lower lip. "It's the same guy. One's a lot more intense than the other, and not as handsome."

"You think the werewolf's hideous, don't you?"

"Not at all. Just not as cute as you. There's no compet.i.tion over whom I'd pick from looks alone. Besides, the werewolf has back hair."

"You make light of everything." "Severo, it's fine. The werewolf and I got along, and we had s.e.x like bunnies."

"Like bunnies? I don't want to know. Yes, I do. Did you...enjoy it?"

She nodded. "Might be achy today, but that's nothing given all the o.r.g.a.s.ms."

"Christ, how many?"

"Maybe you're better off not knowing some things."

"Tell me, Bella."

"I stopped counting after six."

He huffed out a breath. Then he laughed and kissed her. "You're cool with it, really?"

"I think you've got yourself a mate, lover."

Chapter 15.

S he did need a rest from s.e.x after three days and nights of endless pa.s.sion.

Heck, a girl could only take so much pleasure. Seriously. So tonight Severo ran Bella a hot bath and sprinkled rose petals from the hedges out back in the water. He lit candles and left her to soak.

He spoiled her. Was it guilt at subjecting her to the werewolf's overwhelming s.e.xual needs? Bella hoped he'd get over that. She could handle it. On the other hand, being spoiled was nothing to complain about.

Blowing a handful of bubbles through the air, she settled into the water and closed her eyes.

Life had a way of tossing you the good stuff, then pulling the rug out from under your feet when you least expected.

It was after Severo overheard Bella talking to Seth that he fisted his hand and put it right through the Sheetrock.

Bella hurried out from the bedroom, eyed the hole and his fist. "I know he's up to something this time. I'm not stupid. He wants me to come to a party."

"Elvira will be there, as well as other vampires."

"I know. I told him I couldn't come." Her cell phone rang again, and Bella stared at the screen. "Seth's number. I thought I'd made myself clear."

"Let me talk to him."

"No." She hit the answer b.u.t.ton. "Seth, I said I didn't want to come."

Severo heard the female voice over the phone and tore it from Bella's grip. "Elvira, what the h.e.l.l are you up to?"

The vampiress laughed.

"I warned you about starting this with me," he said. "If you want a war, you got it."

"Then let the games begin," she snarled. "You can start by retrieving the head of your b.i.t.c.h's dead friend. I've already put the body out in the sun, but you know the new ones take so long to ash."

Severo sucked in a breath. Bella stood beside him, intently watching his face.

"It's not about them anymore, is it?"

"It never was," the vampiress said. "It's been so long since we've dallied, Severo. I look forward to the match this time. Oh, I've such plans!"

The phone clicked off and Bella took it from him. Severo swung around and punched the wall again. And again.

"What did she say? Would you stop tearing the house apart? Is Seth okay? What's going on?"

"Stay back, sweet." He rubbed his knuckles. "This isn't the time."

"It is if it's about my friend. Where is he?"

"It's between me and Elvira now."

"What does that mean?"

"He's dead," he snapped. He should not be so cruel, but he had never been one to couch the truth in euphemisms. "She killed him out of spite. It's me she's been after this whole time. She wants to twist the knife as deeply as it will go."

"Seth is dead? B-but I just talked to him."

Bella's body wavered. Severo caught her as she collapsed against his chest.

"Bella, I'm sorry." His world had finally caught up to hers. It wasn't fair.

"Why is it you?" she asked. Her wide green eyes sought the truth from his. "What did you do to her?"

She deserved the truth, and she'd get it.

"Seventy years ago, I killed her family. She owes me this."

"You've killed? You said you'd never..."

Yes, he'd told her he'd not harmed humans. Unless it was necessary. And those deaths had been necessary. It had been too long since he'd thought of that time in his life. The memory filled his nose with an acrid odor.