Banshee Seduction (Montgomery's Sin Book 1) (21 page)

“Since he found his mate.” Daniel’s wry smile kicked up as he took a precautionary step back.

Darby’s thin lips stretched in a wide smile, making his wrinkles form folds across the lizard’s face. The firm touch of the old boy’s hand on his shoulder had Matt closing his eyes as his coach’s whiskey-hued voice washed over him. “About time, son. We’ll send a message to the lady. You lie back and relax.”

A dark curtain smothered the lights, and a blanket of tranquility stole over him.

•●•

His head pounded. He slumped his listless body into the bench, with barely the energy to stay upright.

His eyes tried to track the movement of the ball, but the pain behind them pounded and made him feel like he was watching a camera in slow motion. The sick churning of his stomach stopped him from moving.

The bright white reflection of Ginny’s hair somehow soothed him, and he relaxed deeper into his seat. She was still there. The laser blue of her stare burned him from the other side of the stadium. His dragon vision zoomed in on her, and his heart pulsed. The acid in his stomach churned, not with nausea, but anticipation. She hadn’t left when he’d shown his weakness and was carried off the field. She’d stayed. She smiled and ducked her head to listen to the middle-aged woman beside her. He blinked in his confusion, sure he recognized the other woman.

Play ground to a halt, and Matt glanced up at the scoreboard. The Boston Pirates were ahead by six points, and the Chameleons—with all the injuries they’d sustained—seemed to be struggling to keep them from advancing up the field.

Matt leaned his elbows on his knees and shuffled forward to get a better look at the field.

Easier now, his heart pacified by the presence of his mate, he cruised his gaze over the field, took in the waiting positions, and effortlessly predicted the next play.

Ellory, their wide receiver, was about to be intercepted by the Pirates’ hairy safety the moment Wolf passed him the ball. Still young and inexperienced, Wolf’s bravado often outweighed his judgment.

Matt came to his feet, adrenaline pumping through his system to shake off the remaining languor. The desire to yell to his quarterback was strong, but Wolf wasn’t about to hear him above the roar of the crowd.

He glanced at Darby and watched the man come to his feet as play started. Matt squinted across the field to follow the arc of the ball as it left Wolf’s hands. He knew the wide receiver would block out all distractions with steadfast focus. The crowds and the defenders would all fade into insignificance as he concentrated on the flight of the ball and positioned himself to take it. The guy had a great feeling for space in the zone, but the Pirates’ safety was coming from behind. Airborne, the wide receiver reached; his speed and agility catapulted him forward, almost outpacing the safety.

As the taller guy took the ball with soft hands, he twisted in midair, getting his toes down to stop himself from stepping out of bounds, but before he could sprint, the dumbass was on him.

The roar of the crowd vibrated through the stadium, wild and hysterical as they came to their feet in single-minded frenzy.

Matt lowered himself to the bench, powerless to help as the coaches and medics rushed onto the field and peeled the guy from Ellory who lay awkward and broken on the ground. Matt had a pretty good idea of how the guy felt
.

As he watched the wide receiver gain his feet and then collapse screaming like a girl, Matt glanced at Darby. Injuries had certainly taken their toll this season, and by the look of it, Ellory was out of the game with a knee injury.

Matt rubbed a hand across his mouth as he gave a cursory glance around at the remaining players. Hitchin, with a wrist injury, was going nowhere. They didn’t dare risk Parker yet with his two broken ribs.

He stood to make his way over to the stretcher as the medics brought Ellory off the field. A quick high-five and a soft punch to the shoulder reassured Matt the kid would be fine with a pack of ice, a shot of painkiller, and some anti-inflammatories. He’d recover quickly, but not quick enough for this game. Matt followed the procession with his gaze until they disappeared through the tunnel. A few weeks of physiotherapy and the young guy would be back in shape, but it didn’t help the current situation. Goddammit.

The huddle on the edge of the ten-yard line drew his attention, and he stepped forward with the aim of listening in on Darby’s intended play. No way were the Chameleons about to win the game. He couldn’t resist a quick glance at the scoreboard, knowing full well the figures would not have changed. Frustration groaned in the pit of his stomach. So close.

Matt edged up to the sideline and squinted as Darby raised his hand and beckoned him over, halting him before he could do his bidding. The old guy sent a bolt of confusion through him as he indicated for Matt to put his helmet on. It looked like Darby had some intention of including him in the final minute of play.

Anticipation sent a dart of excitement through his veins as he broke into a trot, dispensing with any remaining fogginess in his brain. Matt made a quick glance up into the stadium and resolved not to take his concentration off the ball this time. The sexy little banshee was worth every second of his devotion—once he’d finished on the field. But right now he needed to turn his attention entirely to the game.

Still, she warmed his heart when she gave him a tentative smile.

The players parted to allow him into their tight circle, and Darby took him by surprise as he yanked him in closer. A wild thrill shot through him as his quarterback relayed the coach’s intentions for their final play of the game. Ambitious, to say the least.

This time the big bastard wasn’t going to get him because there was no way the Pirates would expect the plan Darby and Wolf were about to set in motion.

Matt hunkered down as he took up the wide receiver’s position and centered himself. The sound of his own deep, controlled breathing inside his helmet stirred the dragon. Matt narrowed his eyes, checked the players’ positions, and gave his hands a brief rub on the dirty white material covering his thighs.

He was going to do this.

He relaxed his muscles, flexed his fingers to soften his hands, and blew out a slow breath.

He watched the dummy plays taking the Pirates’ linebacker to the twenty-yard line. Not as far as they wanted, but hopefully far enough for Matt to outpace him. He glanced at the clock—almost out of time. Wolf had better stop messing about or the final whistle was going to blow.

The quarterback made his move, and Matt’s gaze followed the trajectory of the ball as he feinted left, and then right again, straight into its flight path. With every ounce of energy he had, he pushed himself from the ground. Midair, he seized the ball, twisted one-eighty degrees, and landed without pause to take out the oncoming defensive end and cornerback, leaving them smashed on the ground. Legs pumping, breath heaving, he pounded for the goal line, aware with every tense muscle in his body the mighty force of the Pirates’ linebacker was breathing down his neck, making the hairs stand on end.

Ball tucked under his right elbow, he dodged the first safety. He raised the ball even with his jersey numbers and then cradled it against his chest as he ran straight over the second safety, leaving another guy broken where he lay, without so much as a backward glance. He gripped the ball, launched his body into the end zone, and slammed it down with such force the inner bladder burst, exploding in his hands with the same ferocity as the air that shot from his lungs as several mighty bodies leaped on top of him and obscured the light of day.

•
●•

From underneath the pile of what appeared to be broken humanity, Matt emerged. He shook his enormous body free of inert limbs of the other men, until they wriggled and managed to get to their feet. By some amazing turn of fate, none of them were dead, nor did it appear even slightly injured.

To the roar of the crowd, Matt spread his arms wide, tilted back his head, and hooted while he turned in a full circle, accepting the admiration and cheers he obviously felt he deserved. When he stopped turning, he faced her. He removed his helmet and gave a small bow, but as he straightened, her heart lurched. She knew right away she was in trouble.

Pulse racing, she met the determined green light in his eyes. His straight-lipped smile spread wide, revealing even white teeth, and she swore she saw a quick flash of fangs. As he took one slow step at a time toward her, the ball of fire in her stomach heated and spread, racing through her chest and up her face, tingling her skin, and shimmering through her veins. She glanced at her own hand, held it out to ward him off, but with a hard gulp of disappointment, she knew what was about to happen as her skin started to give off a beautiful golden glow.

She raised her eyes to meet his intent stare, apology on her lips as he doggedly came closer. There was no way she could warn him, but with all the flashing cameras, someone was going to get a fireball on their picture.

“Dear…are you okay?”

“I…” How could she tell them? The sweet ladies who had taken such good care of her. She couldn’t take her eyes off the man heading toward her, determination in every stride.

•
●•

He wanted her. Right there and then, and he didn’t care if there were in the region of sixty thousand people in the stadium plus however many watching on TV. He was going to kiss her blind. Adrenaline pumped through him in a frantic blast, energizing his dragon and pushing the beast.

He leaped onto the wall, grabbed himself a handful of shocked Ginny, and hauled her into his arms as he laughed with the sheer joy of it.

She exploded in a backdraft of fire all over him, washing over his scales, to make them writhe with pleasure under his white and navy uniform.

Surprised, he clung onto her, convinced he could keep her there. She squirmed in his arms, her body soft and squidgy, her mouth keen and sloppy on his. With a horrible premonition, he squinted open his eyes and stared horrified into the frenetic, swirling mists of an overweight, middle-aged blonde. Her bright red lipstick smeared up her cheek where her enthusiasm had got the better of her as she’d slurped at his face, virtually consuming him in one passionate mouthful.

“Bleurgh.” He almost dropped her, but realized just in time if he did, she would be on the wrong side of the barrier, running rampant among the players.

“Hi, honey.” Her broad smile pulled across her face, giving her a strange distorted look similar to The Joker.

Matt placed her cautiously onto her feet, frightened she might leap back into his arms, but she took him by surprise as she gave him a motherly pat on his face, licked her thumb, and scrubbed it over his cheek, presumably to remove the evidence of her lipstick smears. “You can thank me later.”

“Thank you?” He’d never been one to stutter, but he heard the words bubble out of his mouth in small spurts. He let her go and watched her step back and pat her perfect hair into place while he tried to get his mouth to close.

“Yes, honey. You should be more cautious when handling a banshee.” It was then he realized what the noise in his head was; it wasn’t the roar of the crowd but the screams of a thousand hysterical women.

Confused, he tilted his head and inspected the small woman in front of him.

“My niece. She’s not full banshee, you know. It’s why she can’t handle being a public spectacle.” She held her hand out to the other woman and pulled her forward. “My sister Lorna. I’m Ellie. You treat Ginny properly, or we’ll come and wail at you for the rest of your natural life, then follow you into the afterworld. We’ll howl and scream until your carcass has shriveled, your bones are dust, and your soul is a small black worm of writhing despair. You hear me, young man?”

He couldn’t help but hear her. Her voice penetrated his skull and made his brain boil. “I do.”

“Good.” She stroked a gentle hand over his shoulder and gave a scary smile, as if she were a nice, normal person, but he knew better. “Now, go join the boys while we find Ginny to make sure she’s waiting for you when you’re finished.”