All I Want For Christmas Is A Werewolf (Changeling Encounters) Read online

  Wasn't that how all sociopathic murderers lulled their victims? Trying to gain trust, trying to give comfort...initially. Don't be stupid, Faith!

  Slamming her elbow back with as much force as she could muster, Faith hit him in the stomach, but he didn't even grunt, didn't flinch. Squirming, she tried to twist, to break his unyielding hold around her waist.

  As her ass came in contact with his groin, she halted abruptly, momentarily stunned as her jean-clad butt came in contact with the largest, hardest erection she had ever encountered.

  Crap. He's a rapist? Was this actually turning him on?

  Strangely, her pussy flooded, her body melted. Involuntarily, her ass shifted backward, trying to make contact again and again with his sizeable cock, needing to rub against it, wanting to sink into his intensely hot body.

  Panic gripped her as she realized that her body was responding to him, even as her mind rebelled. Putting every bit of strength into her attempted escape, she grabbed the open door of the car, trying to use it for leverage, pulling with all of her might to get out of his steely grasp.

  He was panting, hot and heavy exhalations wafting over her ear. "Stop. You'll hurt yourself," he growled, as Faith continued to struggle with him, getting nowhere.

  "Let me go. I won't tell anyone." She'd run straight to the police, but the lie was worth a shot.

  "Stop!" he said with authority, as though he expected her to obey.

  Faith opened her mouth to scream, looking around frantically for another person in the parking lot, but she didn't see a soul. Still, it wouldn't hurt to try to attract attention.

  The anguished sound had just started to leave her throat when a large hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her immediately.

  Suddenly, her head started to spin, twirling faster and faster until it was unbearable. Nausea rose in her throat and darkness threatened, throwing her off- balance, her legs refusing to support her. She inhaled deeply through her nose, her mouth covered by his hand, and the scent surrounding her was incredible. She sank into his body, struggling to regain her equilibrium.

  I'm only twenty-seven years old and I'm going to die.

  It was the last thought she had before darkness consumed her.

  *****

  Gavin cursed as he materialized back into his home, his woman held safely in his arms. Her eyes were closed, obviously shocked into unconsciousness by the volatile transport. He should have taken it slower, but her panic had made him hasten the task.

  He sank down on his leather couch with his bundle of femininity sprawled on his lap. What now? It wasn't like he was keeping her. His cock as hard as granite, prodding into her luscious ass, he muttered, "She won't accept me as a mate. And I don't really want to go through the hell that I went through twenty years ago." Unfortunately, he might not be able to avoid it. Mating instincts weren't something that could very well be ignored after one encountered their mate.

  Twenty years ago, Gavin had found his intended mate. He had courted her, given her every material item she'd wanted...and then some. Lena had been young, timid, and completely horrified when he had revealed what he really was to her, wanting her to accept him as her mate. She hadn't. To this day, Gavin remembered the look of repulsion on Lena's face, a look that made it clear that she viewed him as a complete abomination.

  Like the woman he was holding in his arms, Lena had been human, probably with a very diluted Changeling bloodline. Many Changeling mates were human with a Changeling ancestor somewhere in their family history. But still, they were human, unable to accept the existence of Changelings. Noah and Rafe had gotten lucky, their human women accepting them, bonding with them. Unfortunately, he hadn't been as fortunate, and had needed to wipe Lena's mind of his existence, perform the ceremony to break the mating connection between himself and Lena because she had rejected him. It was a painful process, one he wasn't anxious to repeat anytime soon. Actually, he didn't want to do it again - ever! He had been perfectly happy to remain unmated, having been through the pain of refusal once.

  He'd never told either of his brothers about the humiliating experience. The pain had been too raw, too intense. Later, it had just never seemed important enough to talk about, not to mention the fact that it had been fucking embarrassing. No Changeling really wanted to confess that his mate had found him so abhorrent that she cringed in horror whenever she looked at him.

  He frowned as he glared down at the woman in his arms. His body was reacting completely different to her than it had to Lena. And so was his wolf. His connection to Lena had been more subtle, not as overpowering. His wolf had been quietly content, mildly pleased, barely whimpering when Gavin had been forced to break the mating connection between himself and Lena. Now that he thought of it, Gavin, the man, had felt about the same way about Lena. Happy that he had found his mate, wanting to bond because she was his chosen partner. No intense reaction, no violent physical lust. The painful part hadn't really been disconnecting himself from Lena, it had been the ceremony of separation. The pain of the ritual had sent him to his knees, making him feel like he had been thrown into the fires of hell, making him almost wish for death rather than suffer another moment of the soul-shredding, body-ripping agony of the procedure.

  Luckily, Lena had slept, never suffering any pain. He had left her in her bed, asleep, waking with no memory of him or the entire incident. It was only the Changeling, the creature of magic that had to endure the misery.

  Why? Why is it happening again? One rejection, one ceremony was fucking enough!

  The woman stirred in his arms, her long lashes brushing softly against flawless skin. She shook her head, as though she were fighting her way out of unconsciousness.

  God...she was beautiful, her body lush and soft, and her perfect skin made him wonder if she was as silken all over.

  Mine!

  Gavin's hold tightened automatically as she struggled to remove herself from his lap. His wolf howled, prowled restlessly, and his body shuddered as he tried to control his reaction to this woman. He wanted her with an intensity that he had never experienced with Lena. And it was a gut-clawing, mercurial response, one of such intense need that he felt a growl rising up in his throat, threatening to choke him.

  Mine! Need to bury myself inside her, make her come, hear her cry my name in ecstasy.

  "Fuck, no!" He whispered harshly, wanting to push her away, but needing to get closer. He was drowning in her scent, gasping for air. He pulled her closer, feeling her ample breasts rub against his chest. Not enough. What he really needed was to rub against her, skin to skin, marking her as his, owning her. He needed to bury his cock so deep inside her, satisfy her so completely, that she would crave him constantly, need him until she felt like she would go insane if she didn't have him.

  The way I feel right now! Like a fucking green-eyed monster.

  "Take your damn hands off me," she insisted, as his hand cupped her ass, drawing her closer.

  Never!

  Mine!

  Gavin fought his instincts, hearing the anger, but also the fear in her voice. Can't scare the shit out of her.

  Protect. See to her safety. Comfort.

  Those mating instincts were stronger, forcing him to break his hold, sweat trickling down his face from the struggle.

  She rolled immediately off his lap and he groaned aloud as his head fell back against the cool leather of the couch. Having her body ripped away from his was like peeling off a layer of skin; it was painful and left him raw.

  She peered at him with distrust, wary. And he fucking hated it. Her dove-gray eyes were also alight with fury, an emotion that both surprised and delighted him.

  My woman has fire. Passion.

  His eyes raked over her, coveting every inch of her, his control sitting on a knife's edge, wavering precariously.

  She was perfect. He loved everything about her, from her husky take-me voice to her fiery gaze spitting flames at him from behind a pair of glasses that made her look like a furious, adorable l
ittle owl. She was smart, sizing him up, taking his measure.

  Mine!

  Gavin's body tightened, flinching at the intensity of his mating connection to her, at his need to reveal his true nature. Now! It was an unstoppable compulsion, and one that he hadn't experienced with Lena. Hell, he hadn't experienced any of this with Lena.

  Not letting this woman go. Can't. This one belongs with me.

  Problem was she had to agree.

  Gavin scowled.

  Her brow shot up in challenge as she asked him, "Where in the hell am I? Who are you? Why am I here?"

  She wanted to know his intentions, and at the moment, none of them would probably go over very well with her, so he answered simply, "I'm not going to hurt you."

  "You are hurting me, just by kidnapping me. Did you drug me? I was overcome by some unnatural scent," she asked him hesitantly, as though she were speaking to a person who was emotionally unhinged.

  "So was I. That's why you're here." Because your enticing, irresistible scent made my cock hard, had it begging to be buried deep inside you.

  She shook her head. "I don't understand. Are you trying to tell me that we were both drugged and we somehow ended up here in someone's home? Together?" Her voice was soft, gentle, but her eyes were still shooting flames.

  Fuck it! The need to acknowledge her as his mate was pounding at him relentlessly. "You're here because I'm a wolf Changeling, and you're my mate. We were both overcome by the mating connection, the mating scent. You're in my home, where you belong," he growled, unable to contain his emotions.

  "Oh, God. You are insane." She scooted her ass along the seat of the couch, getting as far away from him as possible, stopping only when her back collided with the arm of the sofa.

  Gavin sighed heavily...and shifted.

  *****

  Faith blinked...then blinked again...then she gasped audibly as her whole body quivered, trying to make sense out what she was seeing before her eyes.

  Optical illusion?

  Is her sanity taking a vacation?

  Or truth?

  Man had morphed into a huge white timber wolf, and it had happened so quickly that she hadn't actually seen the conversion. One moment he had been a large, frightening stranger who she was afraid, had quite a few screws loose. Now, in the exact same spot, sat the most beautiful enormous wolf she had ever seen.

  "This isn't possible. I'm a woman of science. Werewolves don't exist," she whispered, trying to convince herself that she wasn't seeing what was obviously right in front of her.

  She held her breath as the wolf squirmed forward, tail wagging, eyes beseeching.

  His eyes!

  They were the same gorgeous midnight-blue eyes of the stranger who had sat on this piece of furniture only moments ago.

  Instinctively, she held out her hand, letting the wolf scent her as it moved closer, using the technique she would use with any animal. The big canine came toward her without hesitation, without fear, nudging its big head against her knee, rubbing against her leg playfully.

  Her breath left her lungs in an audible sigh as she buried her hands in the silky white fur, enjoying the texture, the pure exhilaration of touching such a fierce animal. The wildlife biologist in her shivered with excitement, thrilled at the opportunity to run her hand over the wolf's muscular body, feel the power of the awesome carnivore.

  Gavin turned his head, licking the hand that was idle on her lap.

  "How is this possible?" she whispered, her hand moving over a furry chest. The scientist in her denied it, but her mind and heart wouldn't let her discard the truth.

  "Magic. Changeling magic."

  His low, husky voice rumbled beneath her hand that was suddenly, inexplicably caressing a very muscular, very solid male chest through the light cotton material of his dress shirt. The same blue eyes glanced up at her, his head resting against her knee.

  "Tell me your name. Please." Although he asked politely, it was a demand. His hand moved up to cover hers, engulfing it, keeping it positioned firmly on his chest.

  "Faith. Faith Prescott." She didn't dare deny him, and really, what did it matter if he knew her name? "Is what you're telling me really true? Am I really your mate? Are you truly a...Changeling?"

  "Faith" He breathed her name softly, testing it, and it rolled off his tongue in a sexy, husky voice that had her pussy flooding, her nipples hardening. "It's true. I think to some extent, you know it's true. You don't feel the connection with the same intensity, but you must feel it." He hesitated before adding, "My name is Gavin."

  Gavin. Somehow, the name suited him. And yeah, she felt the connection all right. Now she understood why her body reacted to him, why his scent made every cell in her body jump with excitement, anticipation. She was reacting as a mate, wanting her male, and wanting him badly. "I do," she admitted, still trying furiously to figure out, as a scientist, how such a species had evolved.

  "We didn't evolve. We've always existed."

  Realizing immediately that she hadn't spoken aloud, she pushed his head off her leg and shot to her feet. "Are you reading my mind?"

  His hand snaked around her wrist and tugged, sending her off-balance, bringing her back down on top of him awkwardly. Gavin changing position faster than Faith could process, meant that she ended up beneath him, his powerful body covering hers. He pinned her wrists at the side of her head as he rasped, "Acknowledged mates can communicate telepathically." Gavin took a ragged breath before he continued, "Don't run from me. It makes the mating instinct worse. It makes me want to chase your gorgeous ass down until I have you under my control, panting for my cock, begging me for it."

  Faith flexed her hips, nearly moaning as she felt his large, hard erection against her core. Her whole body ignited, her only need to have that massive member inside of her, taking her. Reacting like a female mate to an alpha, she gloried in being under his control, wanting to submit to his power, his superior strength.

  His intense eyes narrowed, piercing her with a look that held so much longing, so much need, so much desire for her that it left her breathless. When had a man ever wanted her so fiercely, so completely? Never! And that's probably what made it so heady, so irresistible. "Gavin," her voice was hoarse, infused with yearning, a craving that was soul-deep and desperate to be satisfied.

  He removed her glasses, dropping them carefully onto the coffee table in front of the couch. It didn't matter. She was nearsighted, seeing him perfectly, and his handsome face and look of urgent desire were crystal-clear.

  Gavin was wearing a suit and tie, dressed as though he had just left a business meeting. Releasing his grip on her wrists, he sat up on his knees, ripping the tie from his neck in a frenzy, losing the jacket and ripping the buttons from his shirt as he stripped it from his body. "Touch me. I need to feel your hands on me," he grunted, as his body came back down over hers.

  Touching him was bliss, and agony. He was all sculpted muscle and smooth hot skin. Faith’s hands stoked over his bare shoulders, down his naked back and up again, savoring every powerful inch of his body, but wanting more, needing more.

  "I can smell your arousal, your need. You want your mate." His warm breath flowed over her face as he nibbled at her bottom lip, nipping lightly and then soothing it with his tongue.

  Yes. Yes. For God's sake fuck me. Take me hard and without mercy. "Yes. Please, Gavin."

  His mouth came down on hers without hesitation, his tongue invading the warm recesses of her mouth, making her his with strong, bold stokes meant to brand her, to conquer her.

  Faith felt her core clench with deep powerful spasms that had her pushing her hips up, moaning into Gavin's mouth as his tongue claimed her relentlessly.

  He buried his hands in her hair, guiding her head, angling it to accept the deep penetration of his tongue over and over, until he finally wrenched his mouth from hers, leaving her gasping for breath.

  Whimpering as Gavin rose to his knees, Faith obeyed as he sat her upright, pulling off her vest and ya
nking the sweater over her head, letting it drop silently to the carpeted floor. He lifted her bra from her body, discarding it on top of her sweater. She shivered as he cupped her breasts, his thumbs teasing her nipples in tiny circles. "Perfect," he said, his voice holding a touch of awe and hoarse desire. "You're so fucking beautiful."

  Faith would have thought he was lying if she couldn't hear the truth of his statement in his voice. When had a man ever thought her beautiful, desirable?

  Her head fell back as his warm mouth replaced his hands, nipping and laving each breast, worshipping each of them with his teeth and tongue.

  "Gavin. Please." Faith didn't quite know what she begging for; she only knew that she needed...something. His cock. His tongue. His body. His kiss. Something...more.

  Reaching for the button of her jeans, he rasped, "Tell me what you want, Faith. What you need."

  "You." Badly. Almost painfully.

  He yanked her jeans down her hips, stripping them from her body, taking her soaked panties with them, baring her needy pussy. Her boots came off, hitting the carpeted floor, so he could completely remove her jeans and panties.

  Faith fell back, letting her head rest on the arm of the couch, shivering lightly, not from the cold, but from apprehension. She was naked, her body laid out before him in all its glory. The room was brightly lit, probably showing every glaring flaw. Her generous hips, her softly rounded belly. She was in good shape after two years of endless hiking, but she had a naturally full body that always carried a few more pounds than it should.

  "Incredible. You are silky all over." His hands slid up her thighs, the back of his hand grazing her mound, making the flesh between legs flood with cream, as his hand stroked over her belly. "You're so lush, so soft. Mine. So fucking mine!" He moved between her legs. "You smell like desire and passion, so damn ready to be pleasured."

  He spread her legs wide, one big hand on each of her thighs as he opened her to him. His hands stroked up and down the inside of her thighs. He inhaled deeply, as though he were taking in her scent, moving his head between her legs, descending to her needy pussy.