“You are all crazy.” she looked around the parking lot. “This place is getting busy.”
“They might be missing us.” He stepped closer to her.
“What are you doing?”
“Smelling you.” He answered truthfully. “I like how you smell.”
“And how do I smell?” Amusement colored her scent and voice.
“Like warm chocolate.”
“What?” she asked as he stepped to within centimeters of her. His large lean body almost brushed hers. She never back down from anyone, but this time her instinct was to run and never look back.
“I think I could become addicted to chocolate.”
“This is not a good idea-“
“No, this is a great idea.” He concluded as his lips captured her.
He did not ask permission to sample her lips. He lapped at them until, she open hungrily for him. The world became centered, just his lips on hers. The feel of them taking, searching. She felt his claw slip lose as he used it the free her hair. One hand fisted in it as the other held her neck to ease his plundering.
She had known his touch would consume her. She finally felt relaxed yet excited in her skin. Just like the moment right before a kill. She felt no need to run, no desire to hunt. This was where she wanted to be.
She could smell his arousal and feel his heat. And she welcomed it, stepping closer to bask in both. His lips were warm and mobile as his tongue map the recesses of her mouth.
And without thought she allowed her passion free rein. Her lips and teeth and tongue battled with his. While both became more aggressive, fighting to control the passion between them.
Her hand tugged on his butterscotch hair. It was as warm and soft as she had thought it would be. She was sure his fur would be just as wonderful.
His large hand spanned the back of her waist as her pulled her snug against his arousal. She shivered at those long fingers touching her bare skin. She could not wait to feel them touch every part of her.
At the sound of the crunch of gravel, his head shot up. Mara slipped from his grasp and disappeared into the shadows. He tried to find her as her as he searched for source of the noise.
“Don’t sneak up on me, pup, you are not very good at it.” Mara grouched as the young male was dropped at Vincenc’s feet. She eyed him angrily and stomped into Gregorio’s.
“Wow, Vincenc. She was on me so fast I never knew what hit me.”
“Anything broken?” He asked of the pup that had destroyed his evening. One look at Mara and he knew she was not going to let him near her soon.
“No, she just picked me up and tossed me at your feet.”
While still young the male was almost 6 feet of gangly limbs. Mara had hauled him by his belt as if he was a feather. There was more than just beauty to this female.
“The gravel.”
“I know, but I wanted to see her.” He grinned unrepentantly.
“Well, you got to see her up close.”
“Not as close as you did.”
Vincenc sighed in memory. She had been fabulous up close and personal. At the fire that had burnt between them he would have thought she was his mate. He had searched for the scent that called to him. But the scent of his mate was not there. She was not his. And just the thought of another having her filled him will uncontrolled anger.
He would have her now and he would not share her.
∞
Mara grumbled all the way into the bar. How had she let herself be so distracted? If their uninvited guest had been anyone other than a young pup they both could have been dead. And they had not been alone in the area.
Why had she allowed him to touch her? She would forever remember the feel of his lips on her. Taking and commanding a response. She shivered and controlled herself. She would not get both of them killed.
She was here for one night and then she would finish the job she was sent to do. She would fulfill her promise to the matriarch and leave. Resolved she grabbed her tray and went to work.
Vincenc stood at the bar and barely refrained from growling. Mara worked with speed and efficiency. She spoke to everyone and made eye contact with none. She brushed off all personal comments and had more than one customer laughing heartily as she walked away.
But none touched her. He was not sure if it was because they had heard what she done to the wolf. Or that his scent still clung to her.
His beast rumbled it was his scent but another part had watched as the males stirred cautiously around her. She moved in a way that belayed her scent. She was a commanding predator in a room filled with predators.
They were more afraid of her than him at the moment. He almost laughed at that. If she had smelled of his mate he would have marked her and none would dare step between them. But she did not carry his mark. And now all in the bar knew it.
“How is it going?” He raised a brow as she stepped to the bar.
“Fine. Three beers,” she turned to the kitchen “three steaks, rare.” And then stepped away without a smile.
She had not spoken to him since their kiss. No matter how he had tried to engage her. She had dismissed him.
Mara avoided the temptation that the male at the bar presented. She knew he watched her and she felt his possessiveness tugging at her. His beast was confused. And she could not tell him the source.
Mara eyed the clock, still hours to go before she could leave. She smiled at the warlock as she placed his drink in front of him. He smiled in return and magic whiffed around him.
“Put that away before I pull it out of you and strangle you with it.” She whispered in his ear. None in the place needed to hear this conversation.
“You think you have the power to do that.”
“Warlock, either I spill your blood here or in the parking lot.” She stepped out of his personal space and waited.
“Follow me.” He stated arrogantly laying money on the table.
He rose gracefully and head towards the door. He paused and raised an eye brow as she finish delivering her last two drinks. He smiled to the other waitress and continued out the door.
Mara stomped pasted the bar. “I’m on break.”
Vincenc brow rose but he did not follow her. His mother was tending bar with him. But he would not leave her alone in the crowded place. He tracked Mara’s scent as she stomped into the parking lot. She went no farther.
He breathed a sigh as he continued to serve the drinks. Gregorio only served drinks compactable with humans. There was never a need to watch the type of being drinking and speculate if a customer would lose control in front of a human.
Gregorio’s was a place for the other species to interact comfortable with one and other, unlike some of the club where no humans were allowed. Things were changing in their world. He had heard that the Demon, Lycanthrope and Vampire kingdoms had united. But it still had not affected them here, other than to make him more cautious.
He sniffed the air again. Mara was still close. There was very little magic in the place tonight. The lone warlock had left already.
“No vampires tonight?” Zephyr asked as he slid into his seat as the bar.
“No so far.” Vincenc returned unconcerned.
“Full house.”
The demon was wearing some glamour to hide his horns from a human accidentally seeing them. The dark haired demon was always good about obey the rules. And tonight he appeared to be in the mood for some conversion.
“Mostly the ususal crowd.” He leaned on the bar and wiped it clean again.
“So, that an eagle with those lions?”
“First time he has been in.”
“Hear there was a problem with the wolves earlier.”
“The waitress handled them all by herself.”
“That was what I heard.”
“From where?”
“From the wolves. They are jonesing after the pretty thing.”
“They will keep their paws to themselves.” Vincenc barely kept a handle on his temper. His fang flashed as he spoke.
Tarben the bear slide into the spot next to Zephyr, “I did not see a mark on the little thing.”
“You plan on drinking. Or do I need to take you out back?”
“I have no plans the tangle with you. I just needed to make sure there is no mark.” He snickered.
“You mess with her and you will be sorry.”
“But it will be worth it. That is what the wolf said.” He turned and headed to his seat.
Vincenc struggled to control a possessiveness he had no right to. He had been close enough to know if she was his mate. But she had not smelt right. However he was not about to share her with the lot of them.
∞
Mara sidled across the parking lot. The warlock stood arrogantly. He had no idea what awaited him. He had already blocked his scent from those in the bar.
“Your time is up.” Mara said as she threw the warlock to the ground.
His magic sparked yet made not contact. She quickly overpowered the frightened warlock and pulled him into cypress trees.
“Who are you?” He demanded.
“What did you think you were going to do? Did you think you could control me?” She hissed.
“How did you know?” He whispered the smell of his fear overwhelming her.
“It would take someone much more powerful than you to control me.” Rage filled the air. “I will send you back to him in piece.”
“Xiomara.” He whispered horrified.
“Never speak that name.” She stabbed the warlock in the heart with a blade stolen from the kitchen, and pulled the knife and his heart from his chest.
As she knelt in the grove of cypress tree she waited. The warlock had been after someone. Someone here was a target. She drew the symbol on his stomach.
“Reveal, and return to him that controls you.” She commanded the magic in him. His last breath would tell her who the warlock was after. Tarben, the bear’s name, appeared and the warlock returned to his master.
Mara shook as she looked at the blood on her clothes. Magic coated her. The smell of the warlock she had defeated covered her. She breathed in and his power slid over her skin. She trembled. Garvan would know his warlock was dead. But not who had stolen his power.
She wiped her hands over the blood, absorbing it and the power within. She did not waste the precious power to remove his scent. Soon it would not matter. In fact his scent would hide her from Ranulf. She smiled at the thought.
Garvan thought she would not use all those around him against him. He thought she was weak. Soon he would know how wrong he was.
Into the light of the parking lot she returned. She had to find her target and bring in the bear. Tonight.
“Mara, what are you doing?” Vincenc asked
She had felt the itch grow on her skin and known he was near. She did not like her reaction to him. She shrugged her shoulder and continued toward the back door. Vincenc’s nostrils fared as he smelt a warlock.
She felt him move just as he grasped her arm and swung her around. She knocked his hand from her and leapt away. She landed automatically in a defensive crouch.
“Do not mess with me.” She rumbled.
He could feel the beast within her struggling to be free. She was so close to turning Vincenc’s great cat snarl to be free also. He was sure he did not want an untried shifter changing in the parking lot. No matter how bad his beast wanted her to be free.
“Easy sweet-” he stopped as she growled, “easy Mara. Why don’t we calm down and take a walk by the water?”
She hissed at him, her dark eye narrow and anger filled. If she released the beast within he was afraid he would have to injure her to control her. One moment he heard her dark rumble and the next she sprinted into the trees.
Ranulf. He was near. That meant their prey was near. She breathed deeply they were in pursuit. The prey had escaped four wolves. Ranulf was getting sloppier and sloppier.
He was a worthless peace of fur. And one day he would pay.
Mara could not believe Vincenc continued to silently follow her through the trees. Why had she met him now? She was too close to her goal. She would not let him distract her. Eye on the prize.
Vincenc chased the now silence female. She was a beautiful sight. Her long bare legs and feet quickly covered the ground. He chased her for more than an hour. He could not believe the speed and stamina she had. One minute she was on the ground and the next she was in a tree.
“You make me loose him and I’ll remove a favorite part of your anatomy.” She hissed and stretched across a branch.
Vincenc settled into another tree and waited silently. Who was she stalking?
He did not have to wait long. He hear them coming. A single male vampire was being hunted by four wolves. He saw a momentary flash of white as Mara smiled. It was the only move she made.
The vampire ran right under Mara’s tree. The stake in his heart prevented him from dematerializing away. She never moved until two of the wolves pasted under her. Then she attacked.
One wolf had a chopping blade, one Vincenc was sure had been in Gregorio kitchen, through his skull. Now he lay on the ground screaming in pain.
Vincenc leaped from his tree landing on the two wolves that had turned on Mara. His claws pierced ones ribs as he began to release his wolf. Vincenc barely restrained his beast as he heard Mara growl.
“That’s for the ribs.”
She back handed the second wolf. He went flying into a tree branch and she attacked him. She reached into his stomach and pulled out his intestines out. And then she stalked towards were Vincenc was fighting the last wolf standing.
“Had to call in help little girl?” Ranulf snickered.
“No needed.” She laughed wickedly, “I just like to watch you have your tail handed to you by anyone.”
“Mara, get out of here.” Vincenc commanded. “They are not dead.”
Ranulf laughed and Vincenc smashed the wolf’s face. The jaguar was amazing to watch in battle. While Ranulf was not the brightest bulb in the pack, he was the strongest. He was a vicious and deadly killer and Vincenc was controlling him with little problem. Too bad she could not stay to watch Vincenc finish him off.
“You cheating little whore.” The wolf shouted as she turned to run.
“Four on one. And I cheat.” Her laughter filled the grove of trees.
She breathed deeply and filled her lungs with the scent of the vampire’s blood. He did not even know enough to not leave a trail behind him.
Mara quickly hunted the vampire. Unable to dematerialize he had not been able to outrun her. While she preferred to wait for the prey to come to her, this time she chased him. Ranulf and his goons already had him on the run.
Mara attacked the vampire. Laying open his flesh, the smell of vampire blood covered the area they fought in. Ranulf would not hold against Vincenc long. Alone without a pack the wolf would quickly concede. She needed this vampire restrained.
Within minutes enough of the vampire’s blood was on the ground. He was too weak to fight. Without blood he was trapped. “Conceded.”
“Never, will I concede to Garvan’s minions!” He spat.
Mara stomped on his face. And the vampire slid into oblivion. Mara sniffed the air. The warlock’s blood hid her scent. No one would see her here.
She used magic to wipe the blood from the vampire and seal his wounds. She tossed the vampire over her shoulder and began to run. Soon she found an abandoned shed and placed the vampire inside. One repulsing ward and she took off running.
If anyone found him they would smell the warlock she had sent to Garvan but not Mara. Ranulf would not be looking for the warlock. As she neared Gregorio’s she brushed the scent of all the other away from her skin. The warlock had indeed proven useful this day.
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