My cock is hard just thinking of her on top of me again. I shove away the thoughts since they won’t do me any good.
I sprint off around the side of the house, letting my wolf overtake me.
I scatter a flock of birds hunkered down from the storm. The mountain air smells sharp and woodsy. Gusts of snow blow into my face. I breathe deeply. Wishing I had time for a long midnight run. I shake my fur, flinging icy pellets against the building, rattling the windows. A curtain moves inside and then the door opens, carrying Riyah and her scent with it.
As always, her aroma intoxicates me. She’s all bundled up, prolonged cold being lethal to vampires. Her body tenses as I move forward. I slow my approach and then stop, reining in my wolf spirit. After a few moments, I lower my head again.
Cautiously, she climbs on my back. Her gloved fingers dig into my fur, making me growl low in pleasure. What I wouldn’t give to feel her bare skin against mine. How could a vampire be my mate? It seems impossible that Riyah is the one person closest to my heart. Yet she is. I know that deep within my bones. Somehow, she is as much in my blood as my wolf.
Having her legs around me brings images of her draped across me in my human form. I long to feel her smooth, soft skin glide over mine. I want to claim her, sink my fangs into her as she takes every long, thick inch of my cock. The need to be inside her and know her completely is nearly overwhelming.
But to give Riyah the fuck of her life is a death sentence.
She stills, sensing my preoccupation. She tugs one ear, urging me to move.
I set off at a faster speed than before. The temperature dropped during our visit with Maddy, and the wind has increased.
The crisp blowing snow is perfect for rolling through. Sleepy Briar is glorious. Even with an illicit trapper to catch, this far north is the only place I want to be. And when I catch that sick fuck, I’m hauling him up the mountain and ripping him apart until my wolf is satisfied with his death.
Riyah’s weight is like that of a snowflake on my fur. All of a sudden, though, a muffled cry catches my attention. Glancing over my shoulder, I see that Riyah is no longer a passenger.
I stop and circle in place. Then, holding my nose to the ground, I retrace my steps.
There.
Lying face down in the snow.
I reach her in half a dozen steps. I nudge her with my nose. Her body is colder than normal, and her scent is diminished.
My wolf paws are for swimming and hunting. I have no fine motor skills in this form. Meanwhile, Riyah is freezing.
I debate my options. I am halfway between Maddy’s and my cabin. Going for a snow machine would take time. Either way, it wouldn’t really solve my problem of getting her home now.
Fuck.
Shifting leaves me sitting naked in a snowdrift next to Riyah. As a shifter matures, changing forms becomes more difficult. Shifting again in such a short period makes my head ache like I’ve been on a vodka binge. I crawl to Riyah and carefully roll her over.
Her eyes are closed. Her pale skin is bleached white. Even her normally berry-red lips have a bluish tinge. I check her pulse and find only a faint, irregular beat.
“Don’t die on me!” I kiss her cold lips, but there is no response. Sweeping her up into my arms for the second time that night, I run.
Riyah is a featherweight for my wolf, but not so much for me in my human form. My body is working to keep warm, run, and carry her, which is leaving me winded. I stumble once, then twice, barely keeping us both from plowing headfirst into the snow. The snow is hip-deep in places. Even following in my earlier tracks is tough. The wind drifts fresh snow over my steps.
Tightening my hold on Riyah, I press forward, running till I’m dizzy, then panting for a few steps, then running again. Finally, I stumble back onto my property. I blink at my cabin, fearing I’m dreaming.
Brody is still nearby. I sense him.
I call out to him, but the wind washes my voice away in its howl. I slow. With my arms stiff with cold, it’s difficult to hold onto Riyah. I expelled too much energy chopping wood for Maddy and now I’m paying for my generosity.
My body isn’t responding to my directions. Did I only a short time ago relish the wild elements? Ironic, since they are now going to kill me and Riyah is probably already dead.
A wolf barrels out of the tree line. “Jax! Jax!” Brody shifts mid-air and lands near me in human form.
I throw Riyah’s cold form into his waiting arms. “Take her,” I say through numb lips.
Brody gathers Riyah into his arms, then hurries back into the cabin.
That selfish bastard. My mind works slowly.Has he wanted her to himself all along?I shake away the possessive, claiming thoughts of my wolf.