SelkiesSeduction (8 page)

“Oh, quit with the campaigning and fuck me.” Now was so not
the time to discuss her opinion on the whole bonding thing.

“With pleasure.” Wolfe withdrew his finger and rose above
her, bracing himself on muscular forearms while his massive shaft pressed
against her eagerly creaming entrance.

He hesitated a critical second, the grin on his face
wickedly dark while she bucked her hips up, instinctively seeking to impale
herself.

Then he surged forward, thrusting strongly, seating himself
to the balls in her eager sex.

“Damn, you’re tight.” He withdrew slowly, and started to
shaft her with long deep strokes.

Nikki wrapped her legs around him, hooking her heels
together behind his back as he pumped that luscious cock into her, every stroke
sending waves of liquid heat searing through her. She knew the danger, knew
they could both be badly hurt, but she couldn’t stop the little moans escaping
from her lips.

Later. Later she’d worry about her sanity. Right now, she
just wanted to feel.

Wolfe seemed to sense her change of mind and picked up the
pace, pistoning into her harder and faster, dipping his head to nip at her erect
nipples, laving the sensitive peaks with his tongue.

Darts of white-hot flame licked across her skin, the heat
consuming her as she gasped for oxygen, her hips rising to meet him thrust for
thrust. Just when she teetered on the brink, he slowed his assault, gentling
the strokes for a long minute before building the tension all over again.

When she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, would go mad
from sheer pleasure, she felt the orgasm start deep within her, ripping through
every nerve, every muscle, and every cell in her body. The world spun out of
control as Wolfe gave a hoarse shout and his hot seed spurted deep inside her.

They collapsed in each other’s arms, hearts beating fast as
they lingered in the aftermath of their union, tiny aftershocks continuing to
ripple through them.

“You are amazing.” He smoothed a stray strand of hair back
from her face. “I swear the earth moved beneath us.”

Nikki opened her mouth to reply when a noise from outside
the chamber caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand up.

She looked toward the door. “What the hell was that?”

Wolfe put a finger to his lips.
Stay low and be quiet.
He unwrapped his large body from hers and slid to the edge of the bed.

Grabbing his pants from the floor, he silently pulled them
up over his hips before he glided to the door, senses on full alert. He could
feel a presence outside but he couldn’t identify the source, which meant it
wasn’t another Druid or anyone he’d dealt with before.

Glancing back to make sure Nikki had followed his orders, he
was gratified to see her crouched on the floor beside the bed, quickly dressing
while her big green eyes watched the door with a hint of fear.

Not a stranger to fear, he noted, determined to change that.
No woman of his should have to worry about her safety. He turned his attention
to the door. The lack of windows was a two-edged sword. Whoever was skulking
around outside couldn’t see in, but he and Nikki couldn’t see out either.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, attempting to feel the
location of the intruder. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t pin them
down. He gave an impatient growl and reached for the doorknob. Sometimes the
simplest solution was the best.

Yanking the door open, he quickly stepped outside. A colorful
motion to the left caught his gaze and he pivoted, reaching out with his left
hand to grab the man’s collar and drag him closer.

He’d already raised his right fist when the man put his
hands up to cover his face, yelping with fear. “Don’t hit me! Wolfe! I just
wanted to talk to you!”

Wolfe hesitated, lowering his fist a fraction while he
focused on the man he’d captured. “Todd?” The geeky young man staring back at
him looked decidedly unnerved.

“Yeah. It’s me.” Todd moved his hands slowly in a conciliatory
gesture. Thick glasses distorted his expression. “I didn’t mean to startle you,
I was just trying to decide if I should knock or wait until you came out.” He
relaxed slightly when Wolfe lowered his fist. “Jack said I should talk to you.”

Wolfe frowned, his suspicious nature not entirely convinced,
although he couldn’t imagine a less threatening person. “How did you know we’d
be here? This isn’t a scheduled visit.”

Todd shrugged uncomfortably. “I didn’t. I was on my way to
the Oak Grove when I heard some noises coming from the chamber.” He ran a
shaking hand through his lank hair. “You’re the only one who uses this nexus,
so I came over to see if it was you.” He tried to look over Wolfe’s shoulder. “You
said we. Who’s with you?”

Wolfe didn’t answer immediately. Todd’s explanation made
sense, but something didn’t feel quite right. He loosened his grip on the other
man’s collar, giving himself a mental shrug. Having a bond mate to protect was
a new experience for him. Until they figured out who was chasing her and why,
he’d have a hard time relaxing. He didn’t need to take it out on Todd. The
youngster was slightly less dangerous than a kitten.

What is going on out there?
Worry laced Nikki’s
thoughts.

Just a misunderstanding. An acquaintance came looking for
me.
He sent her an image of Todd.
I’ve met him here before; he knows
your sister and Jack.

Surprised at the reluctance he felt, he stepped aside to
allow Todd into the chamber. He had to force his voice to sound polite. “This
is Nikki, Trina’s sister. We were just heading over to talk to them.”

“Nice to meet you.” Todd inclined his head to Nikki but his
attention still rested warily on Wolfe. “Jack said I needed to tell you about
my sister.”

Wolfe followed him into the room and perched beside Nikki on
the edge of the bed. Somehow, she had managed to not only get all of her
clothing back on, but to get that gorgeous mass of hair under control.

He waved Todd into the chair in the corner. “I didn’t know
you had a sister. Why would Jack want me to know about her?”

Todd clasped his hands in front of him, lacing his fingers
nervously together. “I don’t know. I asked Jack for some advice about her. I
mean, what I should do about her.” He cleared his throat, and sighed
apologetically, adjusting his glasses. “I’d better start at the beginning.” He
glanced over at Nikki. “If that’s okay? It’ll take a few minutes.”

He’s really nervous. What did you do to him?
Nikki
smiled sweetly and Todd lowered his eyes.

I barely touched him. You don’t have to flirt with him. You
seem to have a thing for young misfits.
Wolfe gave her a reproving frown
before turning back to Todd.

“We’re in no hurry. Tell us about your sister.”

Todd perched on the edge of the chair, his eyes fixed on a
spot just over Nikki’s head. “Her name is Sasha. She’s older than I am. Mom had
her before she married my Dad. I guess that makes her my half-sister really,
but I always thought of her as my sister.” He paused, his oversized Adam’s
apple bobbing nervously.

Is he always this nervous?
Nikki glanced over at
Wolfe.

Wolfe shrugged.
I don’t think so. To tell the truth, I
never paid much attention to him. He’s usually hanging around the edges of the
gatherings.

“She’s missing and I think someone kidnapped her.” The words
tumbled out of Todd’s mouth in an agitated spiel. “She’s special, like Trina.
There was a man, a doctor, who approached her and wanted her to participate in
some genetic study he’s doing. He said he knew what she was, but he wasn’t
going to expose her. She told him he was mistaken, and there was nothing
different about her. He seemed to buy it, she said, and he went away. That’s
when she started to get the feelings that something was wrong. She told me she
thought someone was stalking her. She’s always been nervous and somewhat
dramatic, so I didn’t pay much attention at the time. I thought she was
imagining it. I told her not to walk alone after dark and to make sure she
locked her doors at night.” He lowered his head into his hands, a muffled sob
escaping. “I should have listened. I should have checked it out. Now she’s
gone, and it’s all my fault!”

“You don’t know that.” Nikki crossed the room and lowered
herself gracefully to crouch beside his chair. She laid a hand on his arm, and
Wolfe tensed. Just the sight of her touching another man, even one as young and
harmless as Todd, put him on edge.

“Maybe she’s just taken off with a boyfriend for a holiday,
or gone on a road trip with some of her girlfriends.” Nikki’s soothing voice
flowed over both of the men.

Todd raised his head, and Wolfe could see the anguish in his
eyes. “When I couldn’t get her to answer her phone, I flew down to San
Francisco, where she lives. I have a key, in case of emergencies. Her neighbors
said she’d been gone for weeks, and yet her luggage is all still in the closet,
and her purse and wallet are still there. I checked, and her passport is still
in the safe. No way she went for a holiday without her credit cards and driver’s
license.”

Wolfe worded his question carefully. “Why do you say kidnap,
instead of murder? This could have nothing to do with the doctor who approached
her. Has someone contacted you with ransom demands?”

Todd shook his head, his eyes widening. “No.”

Nice going, Wolfe. He obviously never considered she
might be dead.
The glare Nikki shot him would have felled a lesser man. He
ignored her. Something about this seemed wrong, but he couldn’t quite put his
finger on it.

“Have you contacted the police?”

Todd nodded miserably. “Yes. They said the same thing you
did. There’s no sign of a struggle, and nobody has sent any ransom demands, so
they don’t think there’s any reason to worry. They figure she’ll show up in a
week or two with a new boyfriend in tow.”

“But you don’t believe that.” Nikki rose and crossed to sit
beside Wolfe, leaning into him slightly as though it were the most natural
thing in the world. He slipped an arm around her waist. Amazing, how just
touching her made him feel so much better.

Don’t be such an idiot. He’s practically a boy, and he
needed comforting.
A faint smile curved the corner of her mouth.
I like
my men more mature.

Wolfe tightened his arm around her. Men indeed. There’d only
be one man in her life and she’d better get used to it.

Todd looked over at the two of them, his shoulders hunched
in misery. “No. She’s very responsible. Even if it were a last-minute trip, she
would have told the neighbors and got someone to pick up her mail for her. She’s
just not the type to take off on a whim.”

“You said she’s like Trina. You mean she can Dream Walk?”
Wolfe changed tactics.

Todd shook his head. “Not very well. She hates it, says it
tires her out too much. I meant she’s a selkie, only a seal, not an otter like
Trina. That’s why she moved to San Francisco. She loves the harbor there, and
she can go swimming whenever she wants. There’s a huge seal population, so no
one thinks it’s strange if they see one swimming on its own.”

“Is it possible she got trapped in one of the fishermen’s
nets?”

Nikki shook her head, and her long hair swayed enticingly. “She
would have shifted back and freed herself. That’s something you learn early on.”

Todd nodded his agreement. “She was always telling me
stories like that.” A faint smile ghosted across his lips. “She likes to patrol
the coast to protect the other species from getting caught in the nets. The fishermen
go crazy trying to figure out how the dolphins get free.”

“Tell us what you know about the people stalking her. Did
she tell you what they looked like, or anything that could help identify them?”
Wolfe watched the younger man’s face, still unsure of why his gut instinct was
telling him something was wrong with this whole scenario.

“Not much. She said she’d caught glimpses of men following
her home from work, or standing on the street outside her apartment, just
watching.” He scuffed the toe of his shoe on the dirt floor. “I never really
asked her about them. Like I said, I thought she was imagining the whole thing.”

“Do you know anything about this doctor? His name? Where he’s
from? How he found out about Sasha?”

Todd lifted his head. “No. I’ve racked my brain, but I can’t
remember. I didn’t think it was important at the time.”

Nikki shifted against Wolfe’s side.
Someone knew about
her, and he didn’t think it was important? Is he really that stupid?

He’s young, and inexperienced. Maybe he thought they were
bluffing.
But she was right. Todd should have realized how important that
was and alerted the rest of the community to this doctor’s presence. His sister
wasn’t the only one at risk.

“I think we should head over to the Oak Grove. Maybe someone
else knows something.” Wolfe got to his feet, pulling Nikki up with him.

“So you think she’s okay? If that doctor has her, he wouldn’t
hurt her, would he?”

Todd looked at him hopefully, and Wolfe had to smother the
sharp response that rose to his lips. If the fool had paid more attention to
his sister when she first came to him, she might still be home and safe.

* * * * *

“Nikki!” Trina ran to throw her arms around her big sister. “We
haven’t seen you in ages. How are you?”

“Oomph. Easy, little sister, you’re going to knock me right
out of the Dream World.” But Nikki hugged her back, hard. “So what made you
decide to send this uncivilized hunk of a Druid over to annoy me? Lucky for him
I took pity on him and let him tag along here.”

Trina’s musical laughter tinkled through the clearing. “I
doubt that. If I recall, your talent for Dream Walking is slim at best. I’m
betting you leaned heavily on Wolfe to get here.” The grin on her face got even
wider. “So you think he’s a hunk, do you? I thought you two might hit it off.”

Nikki shook her head. “Still matchmaking, are you? Well, don’t
get your hopes up. You know why I avoid getting too involved.”

Trina shook her head, her expression sobering. “We’re not
like our mother, Nikki. I know how much it hurt you when she chose to leave us,
but that was her choice. Hers. It doesn’t mean we’d do the same thing. We’ll
never know exactly why she felt she had to leave us, and we can’t let it keep
us from taking a chance on love in our own lives.” She took her sister’s hands,
staring into her eyes. “Don’t let her choices ruin your chances at happiness.”

Nikki felt the familiar ball of apprehension settle in the
pit of her stomach at the thought of her mother’s desertion. Tossing her head,
she forced a smile onto her face and changed the subject. “So where did you
find Wolfe? He’s quite remarkable.”

Remarkable? I’d like to think I’m more than that.
Wolfe’s voice shimmered into her mind, dispelling the grim cloud of doubt that
the subject of her mother invariably brought.
How about witty? Sexy?
Irresistible?

Nikki relaxed at the familiar feel of him in her mind.
How
about annoying? Troublesome? Bossy?

She looked around the clearing until she located him,
lounging against the trunk of a tall tree. Hands crossed over his chest, the
darkly wicked grin on his face belied his relaxed stance.
Adorable?
Enticing? Mouthwatering?

She wrinkled her nose, plastering a mock severe look on her
face.
Did I ever tell you how exasperating you are?

“You’re talking to him now, aren’t you?”

The shock in her sister’s voice brought her attention back
to Trina.

“You two can communicate telepathically!” The look on Trina’s
face was priceless. “I don’t believe this.” She turned and yelled for her
spouse. “Jack! Get over here. Now.”

Everyone in the clearing turned to see what was going on,
and both Wolfe and Jack headed toward the sisters at a jog.

Nikki groaned. “I see you still haven’t learned to keep your
mouth shut. What’s the big deal? I can communicate with you, too. And with Mom,
when she was here.”