Let the Wild Out (11 page)

Desire rippled through her, washing over her entire body in
waves. She couldn’t get enough of him. Douglas gasped. He jerked, pulling her
off him before his seed spilled. He lifted her by the shoulders, bringing her
mouth up to his. She made a weak noise of protest, but his kiss silenced her.

He rolled onto his side, pinning her against him. His leg
slipped over hers, holding them down. “You are a miracle worker. I feel much
better already.”

Fingers peeled at the layers of clothing that kept her flesh
from his hands. Silver flashed in his eyes and he crawled over her with a
predatory grace. His lips brushed across her breasts, teasing the peaks before
they passed lower. He gave her body the same attention she’d given his, only
his caresses were harder, sucking and licking and biting down and up her legs.

Rachel writhed beneath him, spreading her legs as he neared
her sex. Her pussy was wet, ready for his touch. She felt no inhibitions when
she was with him. When Douglas caressed her, looked at her, moved over her with
graceful intent, she knew she was safe. His smoldering gaze told her he wanted
her, a deep and burning need that could barely be contained.

He nipped at her inner thigh, instantly soothing the tiny
bite with wet kiss. Douglas licked his way towards the apex of her thighs.
Warm, firm lips glided along her slit, as he parted the folds of her sex with
his tongue. She moaned softly, knowing she should protest and demand he mind
his wounds, but the pleasure of his mouth felt too great. Hair tickled her
thigh. She watched his head move between her legs.

He stroked her with his tongue, rubbing the tight bud of her
clit with the moist, hard pressure of it. She squirmed and threaded her legs
over his back to pull him closer. When he growled, the dark sound vibrated her
and her hips jerked violently. He did it again, rubbing harder. His nose
skimmed the top arch. His tongue swept up and in, only to return to her clit
once more. She grabbed his hair, vaguely aware of the incoherent pleas escaping
her lips. She ground against him. Tension built, almost painful in its intensity.
And then finally, sweet release. She came, jerking and panting, tensing and
kicking. It was too much, and she pushed at his shoulders to back his mouth
away. She couldn’t catch her breath.

Wickedly seductive eyes found hers as he finally released
her clit from his kiss. He crawled over her. “I like you wet.”

Before she could protest, the unmistakably hard press of his
cock found entrance. He thrust into her pussy, filling her trembling sex with
the full length of his staff. Douglas began to strain, fucking her in long,
gliding strokes. The smooth pull of muscles drew her eyes to his chest. Red had
seeped into the bandages, staining the white with crimson streaks. He didn’t
seem to notice.

Hips pounded her ass into the mattress. Grabbing a leg, he
lifted it over and across his body so that both of her legs lay against one of
his hips. The position tightened her pussy’s hold on his cock and he groaned.
His words came in hard gasps, “Ah, there. Take me. Take it all.” He grabbed her
wrists, pinning her down. As the pleasure built inside her once more, he found
his own release. A subtler, gentler climax hit her the second time, building
upon the one she’d just experienced.

With a groan, he fell next to her on the bed. Rachel’s heart
pounded violently. A smile crossed her features as she straightened her limbs.
Then, remembering the red, she turned to Douglas in concern. His eyes were
closed and he breathed deeply. Reaching for the bandages, she pulled them back
to see his injuries. Though there was blood, she couldn’t find any open wounds
where it could have come from. The puckered marks which should have seeped were
healed shut.

Douglas’s hand skated up to cover hers, stopping her
exploration of him. He didn’t open his eyes. Rachel settled next to him, too
drained to move.

“Did you look at that list I gave you?” Magda asked, taking
her place by William.

William turned his attention from where he stared at the
ceiling to the old shifter. “No. There is no need. I think we’ve made our
decision.”

“The American?” she frowned. “I had hoped once you got to
the United States you would see how distasteful the heathens there are. There
is a reason they’re isolated from the rest of us. They’re a wild, dirty lot of
half-breeds.”

“This isn’t the dawn of the
American War of Independence, Magda. It’s not all peasant
colonies and religious outcasts over there.” He frowned. Sometimes she was so
old-fashioned that he wanted to drag her kicking and screaming into the modern
age. Though, to be fair, he doubted Magda knew how to kick and scream. For a
shifter she was very well reserved. Strangely though, she was somewhat of a
computer genius. He guessed it came from her insatiable desire to be always
informed.

“I’m well aware of the year,” she quipped. “The only thing
worse than an American bride, is an Australian one.”

Instead of needlessly informing her that Australia was no
longer a prison dumping ground but a thriving continent filled with interesting
people, he sighed. “Rachel is special. I think she is up to the task of being
queen of the clans.” He almost said she was an omni-shifter, but refrained.
That one word would have probably quieted the old woman’s protests, but he
would not betray Rachel’s trust. She clearly did not want her gifts to be part
of the public record, and that is exactly where Magda would put it. Why else
would she claim to be a trout instead of one of the most powerful shifters he’d
ever seen?

“Is it settled?”

“Not yet. We have not asked her.” William turned his
attention back to the ceiling. He knew what Douglas and Rachel were doing.
They’d been up there all night. He tried to cool his jealousy, but it unfurled
within him. He wanted to be with her. She should be in his bed. She should be
in his arms. She should be his.

William was not born into royalty. He did not have the ease
that Douglas seemed to carry when it came to sharing the beautiful Rachel. It
had only been a short time and already he burned to possess all of her. What
would happen when it came to marriage? When the months turned into years turned
into decades? Would the jealous feelings lessen? Become some bearable echo he
found other ways to ignore? Or would it eat at him, gnawing away at his heart
and his sanity until he went crazy with it, feral? Shifters were not meant to
share. Not like this.

“William!” Magda said, none too gently. He blinked heavily,
looking at her. “This is what I’m talking about. You cannot afford to be
distracted, and you cannot show that you are jealous of the other chief. It
will be seen as a weakness. You have to be strong. Do you think the Duncanis chief
will show such emotion? No. Listen to me. Find a bride, a
lady
that you
can control yourself around. That is the way to be content in your role. You
must suppress the beast within.”

“Lisbetha you mean.” He sighed heavily. The blonde was
pretty and knew the aristocratic shifter ways, more so than Rachel. Lisbetha
understood the customs and ceremonies. Rachel would have to be taught. William
knew the logic in this. But still… He glanced to the ceiling.

“Or Ginger, or Margot, or Fai—”

“For the sake of my ears, please do not name them all again.
Chief Douglas does not have such headaches, I am sure of it.” William moaned,
rubbing his temple. “Let us first concentrate on who hired St. Joan, and then
we’ll worry about the matter of my future bride.”

“She seems small. Are you sure she can give you strong
children?” Magda asked in a last effort to dissuade him.

“Magda,” William warned, letting the beast into his voice.
She instantly changed the subject.

“We assumed that it was someone wanting to stop you from
taking an American bride, or someone wanting your throne, but word has come
that the vampire king was not pleased at your swift departure and took it as a
slight. He has expressed displeasure and his scorn towards you. The goblin
queen is irked that she has not gotten a personal invitation to your court.”

“I thought the goblins were in hibernation.”

“They are, but they will wake up to spread their ill humor.”
Magda frowned. “And, incidentally, the fairies have put forth bridal candidates
for your consideration. I have already graciously declined and reminded them
that the last pairing of shifter and fairy did not end well.”

“Didn’t the shifter…?” William cringed.

“Yes. He tore her asunder during the wedding night. Fairy
lust is too potent for the beasts we carry.” Then, getting right back on topic,
she said, “So, jealous shifters, vampire king, goblin queen, ah, oh yes, and
the witches’ union.”

“The witches’ union?” His head throbbed harder. “What slight
have I performed against the witches’ union?”

“The northern factions are generally discontent with
everyone. Their attentions will turn from you in fifty years or so, or when
word of another accession reaches their ears. Do not worry. All your food is
tested and their hexes rarely take hold over our kind. At worse, you can expect
a rash.”

William arched a brow, not even wanting to delve into that
last comment. Sarcastically, he drawled, “What, no death threats from the
chupacabras?”

“No. I think they mostly take their frustrations out on
goats and sheep.” Magda sighed. “If you are not going to take me seriously
because you can’t turn your mind from the American, then go get her out of your
system. I have a ball to plan.”

“A ball?” That got his attention. “I would think you wanted
us to lay low.”

“I did. I didn’t ask you to come here instead of the safe
house. But as you’re home and with the other chief in tow, it will be expected
you show your face in public. Let whoever it is know you will not be
intimidated. Security will be tightened.”

Normally, William would be all for confronting this issue
head first. That was before he had Rachel to think about. He didn’t want her in
harm’s way. This ball was an open invitation to trouble.

“Go,” Magda ordered a little too harshly. Her annoyance was
clear. “Take your turn at her.”

“I had thought that after my accession you would have become
a little more respectful,” he muttered, pushing to his feet. He couldn’t deny
he wanted to see Rachel.

“If you want someone to coddle you like a newborn, find a
midwife.” Magda marched away before he could answer.

Sighing, William made his way up the stairs, turning once he
reached the top to go to the wing reserved for the Duncanis chief and his
traveling escorts. Though now, only two people occupied the hall.

His stomach tight, he hesitantly listened to the distance.
With great relief, he didn’t hear sounds of lovemaking coming from Douglas’s
room. He quickened his pace. A strange rolling noise sounded at the far side of
the hall, coming from around a corner. Then, after a crash, the sound of
laughter.

William quickened his pace. As he came to the end of the
hall, he heard Rachel scream, “Watch out!”

He leapt back as a ball sped past his feet.

Rachel jogged towards him, looking guilty even as she
laughed. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you coming. We weren’t paying attention.”

When he glanced past her, he saw a grouping of old wooden
bowling pins set up in the hallway. Douglas leaned against the wall, his arms
crossed over his chest and an easy smile over his lips. William stepped aside
as Rachel hurried past him to get the wooden bowling ball that had almost
tripped him.

“Up for a game, ol’ chap?” Douglas asked.

“We found the set in a trunk,” Rachel said.

“We?” Douglas repeated, arching a brow.

“I found the set in a trunk while snooping through the guest
rooms,” Rachel corrected. “He was asleep and I was bored.”

“You could have found me,” William said.

“I’m sure you were busy doing your princely duties. I didn’t
want to be a bother,” she answered.

“She didn’t want to face your court,” Douglas corrected.
Rachel laughed as if the two of them shared a private joke. William tried to
swallow down his jealousy, but it would be impossible to miss the ease with
which the other two conversed. What happened during the night they spent
together?

“That’s too bad,” William answered, after a long pause. “A
ball is being planned in honor of the visiting chief. Apparently, we can’t get
out of it. It’s expected.”

“I forgot how much was expected when you’re new to the
throne.” Douglas took the ball and hefted back his arm. Giving it a toss, he
paused, watching as the old toy wobbled as it rolled towards the pins at a
strange angle. Rachel laughed, hitting Douglas’s arm. Douglas’s hand slid over
hers briefly. The ball managed to hit a couple of the pins.

William felt like an outsider intruding on a couple’s private
moments. Still, he couldn’t force himself to go.

“Well, I think you two will make very handsome dates to the
ball,” Rachel said.

“So you will come?” William asked, surprised at her easy
acceptance.

“Oh no, I meant for each other. You two will make very
handsome dates for each other.” Rachel lifted her hand to brush her fingers
over his forearm. He clenched his fist, feeling a tingle erupt beneath his
flesh. “I have no intention of going to a royal ball. In fact, I’ve been
thinking I’d explore the countryside a little, perhaps London. I’m assuming, of
course, if I get into trouble for being here without a passport, you’ll come
rescue me.”