Read Online Lure of the Blood by Doris O'Connor - Free Book Online

he
may be neglecting his duties and Ion’s temper prickled, the fine hair on his
neck raised as he took a step towards her, every fibre of his being meant to
intimidate. But instead of submitting, the little human just rolled her eyes
and closed the gap between them, her voice clear and angry.
    “Oh, stop that ridiculous noise. Your wolf
doesn’t scare me and neither do your macho antics. Save them for some of the
young females who have been sniffing around you. What are you going to do about
this?”
    Marnie had never looked more beautiful to him
than at that moment, all fired up, ready to go into battle for the females of
his pack, just like his mate should be doing. Whoa, where had that thought come
from? She wasn’t his mate, no matter how much his wolf growled, Mine.
    “Well, cat got your tongue, wolf? Fleas
scrambled your brain? I don’t necessarily expect big, bad you to babysit, but
surely there has to be someone in charge of the females. One of your relatives,
maybe; a sister, mother?”
    Her voice trailed off at the expression on his
face and she swallowed, taking a few steps back, her eyes darting across the
shrubbery nervously as though she had just realised that they were very much
alone all of a sudden. The youngsters had been scooped up by their mothers the
minute his wolf had growled his first warning and his gaze dropped to the
rapidly beating pulse in her neck, his smile turning wicked at her whispered,
“Ion, I’m holding the baby,” as she backed away further.
    “I thought you weren’t afraid of me, little
one?” he kept his tone low and he knew it was his wolf’s eyes she saw when he
looked at her.
    “I…I’m not, at least I’m not, unless you look
as though you want to eat me.” She shifted Leah from her shoulder to her arms,
holding the little bundle between them like a shield, her lips trembling and he
smiled again, his wolf almost foaming at the mouth as he picked up her fear,
mixed in with aroused female, her heartbeat hammering, calling him to the
chase.
    “Who’s to say you wouldn’t enjoy being eaten by
my wolf, little one. Give me one good reason why I should rein him in? He is
very dexterous. Leah won’t stop him.” He allowed his claws to run out,
expecting her to run––but she stood her ground, staring him down, even when he
ran one claw along her jaw line and down to the top of her breasts, before
leaving it there, his eyes searching her face.
    “Cat got your tongue now, little one?”
    It was the silent contempt in her eyes that
made him back away as she continued to stare at him and he ordered his wolf to
stand down. No female had looked at him like that since his mother died and he
could hear her berating him now, for his actions. She was under his protection,
as was the baby she was holding and he shifted on his feet, realising that he
had been slack in his duties. Looking after the finer details of the females
had always been his mother’s job and ultimately would be his mate’s.
    His muttered curse made Marnie jump, and Leah
moaned in protest. Ion’s face softened looking at the baby in Leah’s arms and
his voice was gruff with emotion when he finally allowed himself to look into
her expressive eyes.
    “My mother used to look after the females.
Since she was taken from us, the job has been empty. Louisa does what she can,
but she is not the most maternal of wolves.”
    ****
    Marnie blinked at the sudden change in his
demeanour, whilst breathing a sigh of relief that he was once again just Ion. 
A cloak of sadness had settled over him at the mention of his mother and she
could feel his pain as acutely as if it was hers. Since when had she started to
be so in tune with his emotions?
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. Has she been
gone long?”
    She didn’t think he was going to answer her,
seemingly lost in the past, his shoulders slumped, his hands balled into fists.
    “What happened to her, Ion?”
    She held her breath at the pain she saw in