it.
Vane sprinted through the streets of New Orleans, careful to stay to the
shadows
of the darkening evening. He'd learned long ago that humans had a tendency
to
make him out to be a large dog if they saw him, but still the last thing he
needed was a dogcatcher after him.
He had a long history of animal-control encounters. None of which had ever
been
good for the humans.
It didn't take him long to return to Iberville and the Acme Oyster House
where
he'd left Bride. Rising up on his hind legs to stand against the glass, he
peered inside to see her seated with two other women.
One had dark auburn hair and a ragged scar down the side of her face. If not
for
the ghastly mark, she would have been exceptionally attractive. The other
one
was a very pretty brunette who shared similar features.
However, neither of the skinny women appealed to him.
Only Bride did. The sight of her cut through him intensely, making him ache
with
need. She might claim to be human, but there was more magic in her smile
than
his entire wolf pack possessed.
She was absolutely beguiling and those lips did the most amazing things to
his
body.
To his heart
The three women were talking and laughing while they finished a platter of
oysters. None of them seemed to notice anything different about Bride.
Maybe she wasn't his mate, after all.
But that was a futile thought. The mark only appeared after a Were-Hunter
had
had sex with his mate, and usually within a short time frame. Vane hadn't
been
with any other woman for months now.
There was no one else it could be.
Her hand markings should match his exactlythey were emblems that showed
his
parental lineage and could only be read by another of his kind.
But then again maybe it was different because Bride was human. What if the
mating mark wasn't binding on a human female?
He went cold with that thought.
He would be screwed. Literally.
The only hope he would ever have for a family rested in his ability to claim
his
mate.
But she must be willing
Bride and her friends got up and headed out of the restaurant. Vane
crouched low
as he tried to decide what to do.
"I'm telling you, Bride," the brunette said as she led the way out into the
street, "our sister Tia can hex anyone. Say the word and we'll turn Taylor
into
a eunuch."
Bride laughed at that. "Don't tempt me."
The scarred redhead stopped as she caught sight of him in the shadows.
"Hey
there, big boy," she said kindly, holding her hand out for him to sniff. "Want
Tabby to scratch you behind your ears?"
"Tabitha!" the other woman snapped. "Leave the strays alone. I swear, one
day
you're going to get rabies."
"He doesn't have rabies," Bride said.
"See," the one called Tabitha said. "And the daughter of the vet should
know."
Bride held her hand out to him.
Vane went to her immediately and sniffed her hand. Her scent went through
him,
piercing and hot, along with images of what she'd looked like in complete
surrender to him. The sounds of her pleasure
Nosing her fingers, he forced her to open them so that he could see his worst
fears confirmed.
She was marked.
Damn.
What was he going to do now?
"He likes you, Bride."
Tabitha had no idea just how true her words were.
"I think he likes her leftovers," Mina said with a laugh.
Bride knelt down while she stroked his ears. She cupped his head and
examined
him carefully. "I think he's a wolf."
"A wolf?" Tabitha asked. "Are you nuts? How did a wolf get in the city?
Besides,
he's way too big for a wolf."
"You are a big boy, aren't you?" Bride said as Vane nuzzled her face. She
looked
up at her friend. "Contrary to popular opinion, Tabby, wolves are the largest
of
the canines. But I think he might be some kind of mixed blood."
If she only knew
She stood up and started off with her friends.
Vane followed. In wolf form, it was compulsory. His human half had very
little
control now. He could still understand and listen, but his animal
Vane sprinted through the streets of New Orleans, careful to stay to the
shadows
of the darkening evening. He'd learned long ago that humans had a tendency
to
make him out to be a large dog if they saw him, but still the last thing he
needed was a dogcatcher after him.
He had a long history of animal-control encounters. None of which had ever
been
good for the humans.
It didn't take him long to return to Iberville and the Acme Oyster House
where
he'd left Bride. Rising up on his hind legs to stand against the glass, he
peered inside to see her seated with two other women.
One had dark auburn hair and a ragged scar down the side of her face. If not
for
the ghastly mark, she would have been exceptionally attractive. The other
one
was a very pretty brunette who shared similar features.
However, neither of the skinny women appealed to him.
Only Bride did. The sight of her cut through him intensely, making him ache
with
need. She might claim to be human, but there was more magic in her smile
than
his entire wolf pack possessed.
She was absolutely beguiling and those lips did the most amazing things to
his
body.
To his heart
The three women were talking and laughing while they finished a platter of
oysters. None of them seemed to notice anything different about Bride.
Maybe she wasn't his mate, after all.
But that was a futile thought. The mark only appeared after a Were-Hunter
had
had sex with his mate, and usually within a short time frame. Vane hadn't
been
with any other woman for months now.
There was no one else it could be.
Her hand markings should match his exactlythey were emblems that showed
his
parental lineage and could only be read by another of his kind.
But then again maybe it was different because Bride was human. What if the
mating mark wasn't binding on a human female?
He went cold with that thought.
He would be screwed. Literally.
The only hope he would ever have for a family rested in his ability to claim
his
mate.
But she must be willing
Bride and her friends got up and headed out of the restaurant. Vane
crouched low
as he tried to decide what to do.
"I'm telling you, Bride," the brunette said as she led the way out into the
street, "our sister Tia can hex anyone. Say the word and we'll turn Taylor
into
a eunuch."
Bride laughed at that. "Don't tempt me."
The scarred redhead stopped as she caught sight of him in the shadows.
"Hey
there, big boy," she said kindly, holding her hand out for him to sniff. "Want
Tabby to scratch you behind your ears?"
"Tabitha!" the other woman snapped. "Leave the strays alone. I swear, one
day
you're going to get rabies."
"He doesn't have rabies," Bride said.
"See," the one called Tabitha said. "And the daughter of the vet should
know."
Bride held her hand out to him.
Vane went to her immediately and sniffed her hand. Her scent went through
him,
piercing and hot, along with images of what she'd looked like in complete
surrender to him. The sounds of her pleasure
Nosing her fingers, he forced her to open them so that he could see his worst
fears confirmed.
She was marked.
Damn.
What was he going to do now?
"He likes you, Bride."
Tabitha had no idea just how true her words were.
"I think he likes her leftovers," Mina said with a laugh.
Bride knelt down while she stroked his ears. She cupped his head and
examined
him carefully. "I think he's a wolf."
"A wolf?" Tabitha asked. "Are you nuts? How did a wolf get in the city?
Besides,
he's way too big for a wolf."
"You are a big boy, aren't you?" Bride said as Vane nuzzled her face. She
looked
up at her friend. "Contrary to popular opinion, Tabby, wolves are the largest
of
the canines. But I think he might be some kind of mixed blood."
If she only knew
She stood up and started off with her friends.
Vane followed. In wolf form, it was compulsory. His human half had very
little
control now. He could still understand and listen, but his animal
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