Forbidden Attraction (21 page)

Werewolves.

She froze, glancing over her shoulder to see Maura’s ears laid flat on her head while her hackles rose. A low growl rumbled in her throat and she glanced around them.

Heidi looked past her, spotting the humans near the water where they’d just been.

There were four males, all shouldering some large guns. Hunters, and with weapons to take out big animals.

Shit.

She hated feeling trapped. Humans on one side of them and werewolves somewhere ahead of them. Maura met her gaze, her silver eyes glowing against her white coat. Now what the fuck were they supposed to do?

One of the humans yelled and Maura jumped.

“I see them!” The humans’ excitement was all the encouragement either one of them needed.

Heidi would much rather run into a group of outraged werewolves than be shot at by a bunch of lunatic humans. She leapt forward, Maura obviously coming to the same conclusion. Both of them bounded up the rocks, racing for the safety of their cave.

Something attacked her leg, sending a burning sensation through her. At the same time, an explosion sounded in the air. The ground underneath her seemed to shake and loose rocks scattered down the mountain, almost tripping her. For a second, she couldn’t figure out why she couldn’t get her footing.

Maura yelped, turning quickly and almost knocking her over. She growled, the burning attacking her leg. Maura circled her, then began licking her right where it burned. Heidi growled again. Maura’s actions didn’t make any sense. And for the life of her, she couldn’t seem to quit stumbling.

Then she saw the blood staining her white coat. She fell to her side, frantically fighting to keep her wits about her and stand at the same time. The black blur that flew over her head startled the crap out of her. Everything seemed to be happening too fast.

She’d been shot. Her leg burned so badly she could hardly walk. And Maura wouldn’t give her enough room to try to regain her footing.

Maura spotted the Malta werewolf jumping from the cliff above them at the same time she did and almost crushed Heidi while roaring at the same time. If her friend was trying to protect her, she was bringing more attention to the two of them than ensuring their safety.

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Another Malta werewolf appeared, this one strutting toward them with a fierceness in his expression that about made Heidi’s heart stop beating. She didn’t recognize the scent, but he wasn’t Nicolo. Maura bared her teeth, growling while refusing to get off Heidi.

There were screams below, more gunshots, and Heidi bolted forward, running into hard steel when she hit the Malta werewolf broadside. The impact sent her flying backward onto her ass. Pain shot up her leg and she screamed.

In the next minute, another werewolf appeared, climbing back up the mountain.

She tried standing and finally found her footing, although the world seemed to slowly be spinning around her.

Nicolo’s scent wrapped around her, filling her lungs and seeping through her. She stared into his eyes, feeling his outrage before she smelled it. Maura moved close to her, still growling but finally stepping to the side in order to not be trampled. Nicolo pushed Maura out of the way, his low growl all the warning her friend needed to step aside and allow him to take over.

Heidi didn’t dare move when he inspected her leg, sniffing and licking her fur until finally he raised his head and met her gaze. The deadly looking predator’s expression didn’t soften at the sight of her. Instead he straightened, letting out a low, demanding bark when he focused on the other Malta werewolf with them.

His order was clear, and slowly the four of them turned and headed up the mountain. Heidi wouldn’t think about what he’d done with the humans.

Heidi’s heart pounded so hard that she barely noticed the pain in her leg. Her excitement and nervous energy smelled stronger than the metallic odor of her blood.

Nicolo was here. He’d sniffed her out. She knew he couldn’t possibly be here for any other reason. Not this far south of their packs. Maybe they’d trailed her scent all night long. Malta werewolves didn’t have the speed that
lunewulfs
had, and he could have been thrown off her trail a few times. Possibly he’d lost her when they’d found the cave.

She didn’t know why they’d just arrived, but she’d find out.

His anger bothered her, but it could exist for a number of reasons. She looked up into his dark face and he instantly met her gaze. Heidi leaned against him, the warmth of his large body better than any cozy comforter imaginable. He growled, lowering his head and raising the corner of his lip. She wasn’t daunted. Let his temper run its course.

He was here. They were together. And right now, that was all that mattered.

Maura smelled nervous as hell, but held her head high, looking ready to challenge either male if they got too close to her. She stayed on the other side of Heidi, sniffing her repeatedly and making sure she didn’t stumble by keeping her body close. Heidi knew she also nuzzled next to her because the two incredibly large males were intimidating as hell.

Almost twice their size, completely black with their long, straight hair almost flowing to the ground, Nicolo and his companion were two werewolves not to be messed with. The smell of their virility, domination and aggression filled the air around 110

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them. Heidi’s excitement probably kept her from hurting so much. There was no denying the strong sex appeal wrapped around both males.

When they reached the spot where their cave was, Maura disappeared behind the rocks, snapping at the Malta werewolf who was with Nicolo when he looked like he’d follow her. She reappeared after a minute and dropped Heidi’s clothes at her feet. Then she went back for her own clothes and returned with them in her mouth. She held her head high, refusing to look at either Malta werewolf but focused on Heidi.

Maura was terrified, but she was a strong bitch. Regardless of the fact that she probably viewed the two of them as caught—or possibly worse yet, kidnapped by the enemy pack—she stood tall, refusing to let either male see her shake in fear.

If they were going to walk all the way back to either of their packs, it would take days to get there. Heidi and Maura had run at full speed to get this far the night before, and
lunewulfs
could cover some distance in their fur. Not to mention, her leg now hurt like hell. She would need to rest, clean her wound and allow it time to heal before being able to take off running. Just climbing the rocks wore her out, and more than once she tripped, howling in pain in spite of Nicolo preoccupying her with his close presence.

Instead of continuing their trek, Nicolo moved past both bitches and entered the small cave. His large body didn’t ease between the rocks as easily as theirs had. When he returned, he forced himself between the rocks, almost jumping back into the clearing like he had to put some force into springing into the open. He barked at the other Malta werewolf, who then turned and leapt down the mountain, moving faster than Heidi would have guessed his large body would be able to do.

Nicolo nudged Heidi until she got the hint and entered the cave. Maura was right behind her. When both bitches were inside, they glanced through the opening to see Nicolo sitting outside, watching their surroundings and waiting.

Who or what they waited for, Heidi hated to guess.

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Nicolo leapt off the rocks with Heidi in his arms. He turned, watching the blonde female leap with a natural grace and then glare at him, her soft blue eyes full of distrust.

“I’ll ride in the back,” Josie offered, and Nicolo caught him giving Maura an interested look.

He didn’t blame his friend. Whoever the bitch was, she was fucking hot as hell. The light discoloration around her eye bugged him but was none of his business. The hatred he smelled on her could come from the fact that they were Malta werewolves or that she didn’t trust males. She looked abused.

Josie opened the passenger door to the truck and held it while Nicolo placed Heidi inside the warm cab.

“I’m curious to hear your explanation for being this far south, little bitch,” he whispered into her ear once he had her in the truck.

She nibbled her lip, meeting his gaze. “I wasn’t running from you,” she answered simply.

He nodded, still pissed off that she hadn’t run to him. Something had sent both bitches fleeing, and the fact that Heidi hadn’t sought him out bugged the shit out of him. Where the hell did she think they were going by coming this way?

He headed around the truck, catching Maura eyeing Josie warily when he held the door for her.

“Your chariot awaits you, my lady,” he said with a gallant bow.

Maura growled at him and Josie grinned broadly. “It’s about nine and a half inches.”

Maura’s face turned so red that Nicolo rolled his eyes, getting into the car while the smell of the bitch’s embarrassment clogged his senses.

Josie never let on to anyone that he could read minds. He flirted with more danger than he knew with the hot little
lunewulf
bitch. Nicolo wouldn’t wish the pain of falling for a female from a breed that his kind feuded with on anyone. At the same time, he was damned glad to have Heidi by his side again, even under these circumstances.

“I am a mated bitch.” Maura climbed in next to Heidi, her attention still on Josie.

She froze and her embarrassment faded quickly into something a hell of a lot more sweet when Josie touched the top of her cheekbone, running his finger over the remnants of the bruise that remained under her eye.

“You will soon be a widow,” he told her in a deadly whisper.

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His tone even chilled Nicolo’s blood. It wasn’t too often he saw this side of Josie.

Mix the power of his gift with the strength of a determined predator and it proved to be a combination very few werewolves had ever been able to stand up to.

Heidi looked up at him quickly with concern in her blue eyes.

“Your friend is safe,” he told her, ignoring Maura when she glanced his way too.

Josie closed the truck door and jumped into the back. They’d parked just south of the edge of their territory. Curiosity kicked in as to how Josie got the truck to them so quickly. He wouldn’t ever know that answer, and there were other things to worry about at the moment.

“How is your leg?” he asked, touching her thigh gently.

She sucked in her breath, but he didn’t smell pain as much as he did desire. She placed her smaller hand over his.

“It’s just a flesh wound. I’ve hurt myself worse before.” Her bravery and strength added to her incredible beauty.

She looked up at him, giving him a small smile meant only for him to see. The glow in her eyes showed she was as thrilled to have him next to her as he was to be by her side.

“It’s probably the least of my problems right now,” she added quietly.

Nicolo pulled the truck onto the highway. “We’ve got problems. That’s for sure.”

He wouldn’t let her shoulder their burdens by herself. “But first I will hear why you two bitches were all the way down here.”

“She ran because of me,” Maura said quickly.

Heidi turned her head, her short blonde hair ruffled to the side. He glanced at the slender length of her neck, enjoying the hell out of the view even though his little bitch needed a bath. Nicolo didn’t miss the warning look Maura gave Heidi though. He turned his attention to the road, deciding he’d hear out what these two had to say.

“My issues are my own, but I convinced her to run with me,” Maura added.

“Nicolo,” Heidi said, sighing. “I couldn’t take Maura with me into your pack. Bob confined me to my den, took my phone, and I won’t live like that—not when I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“You could have taken me there,” Maura said stubbornly, although when they both glanced at her, it was obvious the thought of entering his pack terrified her. She reeked of fear.

“Bob has accused me of stealing you,” Nicolo told her. She didn’t need to know the gruesome details of him having it out with Dimitri over her. His littermate would come around or not. Either way, Nicolo could handle him.

“Oh shit.” Heidi stretched her fingers over his thigh and squeezed.

Her touch ignited sparks inside him—desire that already brewed but that he needed to keep at bay for awhile. If he had his way, he’d take her straight to his den for 113

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a long, hot shower, tend her wound and then make slow, passionate love to her for the rest of the day.

“Josie and I entered your territory after we found barbed wire covered with the smell of humans.” He took her hand and she locked her fingers with his. Whatever it took, she would stay with him from now on. “That’s when we found out you were gone.”

“I knew the humans were putting up the barbed wire,” Heidi said, as if she’d just solved the problem. “They think we’ll attack each other and kill each other off with it on both our territories.”

“Humans aren’t that stupid, huh,” Nicolo mumbled. “We ran into a few of your pack members and the meeting didn’t go that well.”

“What happened?” Heidi asked, and he glanced at her and saw that he had both of their attention.

Lunewulf
bitches had to be just about the most beautiful creatures on earth. Both of them watched him attentively with bright blue eyes. While Heidi’s light blonde hair tapered around her face and hung close to her neck, Maura’s hair was equally light blonde and fell loose almost to her waist. They were small compared to Malta bitches, but full of energy and life. Heidi had a glow in her expression that Maura lacked though. And when she ran her tongue over her top lip, waiting for him to share more of his story, his cock stirred to life in his jeans. It sucked that they had the other bitch and Josie with them. What he wouldn’t do to show her how much he’d missed her over the past couple of days.

“We told them we came to find out if they had barbed wire that smelled of humans, and they accused us of lying. That’s when I found out you were missing. I won’t tell you it was an amiable visit. I got rather pissed off when I learned you were gone.”