Harlee wasn’t certain if that was a compliment or not. “I think maybe he saw Duncan and me together today.”

  Annmarie nodded. “Probably. And I’ll bet he was jealous as hell. Isn’t that great?”

  “Great? He probably hates me now.”

  “Honey, trust me. He doesn’t hate you. He wants you. He feels something for you. If he didn’t feel something then seeing you with Duncan wouldn’t have meant a thing to him. The fact it pissed him off means something big. That kind of thing doesn’t happen to Adrian and he doesn’t know how to handle it.” She threw herself back onto the bed and giggled. “Oh this is just perfect!” Rolling onto her side, she propped her head against her hand and said, “Now we just need to figure out how to torment him about it.”

  Harlee’s face fell. “I don’t want to torment him. I feel bad he saw what he did. Something happened today between Duncan and me. It was like a boiling, urgent need that I couldn’t control. I don’t know. Maybe it was just relief that he wasn’t seriously injured.”

  “Or maybe it’s the lycan half of you needing to mate.”

  She wished her feelings were that easy to explain. But since she wasn’t lycan, there had to be another reason for her to have jumped Duncan when she’d never intended to.

  “Tell me something,” Annmarie said. “If it bothers you so much that Adrian saw you and Duncan having sex, then maybe your feelings are stronger for him than they are for Duncan?”

  God, she hoped not. “Why would you think that?”

  “Well, let’s put it another way. Picture you and Adrian doing the mattress mambo together. And Duncan walks in. How would you feel knowing he was watching you?”

  She pondered the thought for a few minutes then realized she was getting turned on picturing Adrian’s long, lean body covering hers, his cock pumping in and out of her wet pussy and Duncan standing beside the bed, stroking his thick shaft as he watched.

  “That’s a damned exciting thought,” Harlee admitted.

  “Thought so. You’ve got it bad for my cousin. You have my sympathies.”

  She didn’t know what to make of these mixed-up feelings, but she was at glad to at least have Annmarie to help. “I should go to him and explain about Duncan.”

  “That is the last thing you should do. Never go to a man. Make him come to you. Especially someone like Adrian. I can guarantee that thoughts of you are filling his every waking moment. You’re driving him crazy. It’s only a matter of time, honey.”

  “Until what?” Annmarie made no sense.

  Annmarie smiled knowingly. “Until he comes storming through that door, rips your clothes off and fucks you until you’re too weak to stand.”

  Dear God. Could she handle that? “I’m not sure about this.”

  “Trust me. It’s coming. But be prepared for it, Harlee. He’s pissed off about how he feels. I know my cousin. He uses women for a quick fuck and he doesn’t like entanglements. He’s tangled with you in a big way and he doesn’t like it one bit.”

  Her heart pounded and her palms grew moist at the thought of an incensed Adrian crashing through her bedroom door and taking her without a single word. She’d never subscribed to the caveman dominating his woman theory, but right now the visuals bombarding her were just that. And the strange thing was, she wanted it, craved it with a need that was stronger than anything she’d ever felt.

  “Someone else touched his woman, and Adrian’s about to lay claim,” Annmarie said. “Vampires are very territorial about their mates. When they mate, they don’t share.”

  “Mate? I’m not his mate.”

  “Yeah, you are. Anyone within the vicinity can feel the vibes between you two.”

  Harlee shook her head in denial. “If that was the case, then why did I have sex with Duncan?”

  “Instinct. Because you have to. It’s part of your lupine nature to mate with a wolf. But you’re also half vampire and that need is growing just as strong. Besides, my cousin gets to you, though heaven knows why since he’s a rude pain in the ass.”

  Refusing to delve into the whys of her feelings for Adrian, she said, “That still doesn’t explain Adrian. Why would he even care who I fucked?”

  “Because he’s already claimed you as his. He just hasn’t admitted it to himself yet.”

  “How do you know all this?”

  “I might be a brassy, loud-mouthed bitch, but I also study the nature of vampires and lycans. Trust me, the men are as primal as it gets when it comes to their women. They take, they mate, and it’s for life. I know Duncan. He desired you, and obviously the feeling was mutual. We indulge our physical desires without apology, Harlee, so you have nothing to be ashamed of.

  “Now Adrian is different. He wants you, but it’s more than physical. You’re going to have to decide pretty damn quick if it’s him you want, because if it isn’t you need to let him know.”

  Let him know? How could she let him know anything when she didn’t understand herself? “I’m not sure I can. I’m so confused!” And getting more so by the minute. She might be letting them believe she was half lycan and half vampire, but Adrian was full vampire. And Annmarie wanted her to commit to Adrian? How could she do that? She was human and she didn’t belong here.

  What if he did do what Annmarie said he was going to do? Then what? Could she still extricate herself from this situation? Did she even want to? She dropped her chin to her chest and closed her eyes, too tired to think anymore tonight.

  “You’re exhausted. Get some sleep.” Annmarie kissed her cheek and pulled the covers over her. “I’ll tell Adrian to stay the hell out of your room and let you get some rest. You know where to find me if you need to talk.”

  Harlee nodded and watched Annmarie flip off the light and close the door on her way out. She rolled over and pulled the blanket up to her chin.

  She didn’t want to talk. She didn’t want to think. She wanted to go back in time to a few days ago when her life was completely different, before it became so damned complicated.

  Go to him. Don’t go to him. Talk to him about Duncan. Or don’t. Make love to him. Don’t make love to him.

  What the hell was she going to do?

  TEN

  Adrian paced the hallway, his keen sense of hearing picking up the sound of Harlee’s breathing.

  Typically any instruction Annmarie gave him would be ignored, but her tone when she told him to stay the hell away from Harlee tonight rang of genuine concern. And Annmarie was usually never concerned about anyone but Annmarie.

  So what was wrong with Harlee? Was she sick? Upset? Pissed off?

  And why the fuck did he care? Christ, the woman made him crazy. Why couldn’t he just do what he needed to do with her and leave it at that? Why did he even care if she screwed Duncan? He could have joined them, gotten off and fulfilled his obligation at the same time. But no, he had to act like some moronic jealous lover and storm off.

  Now his cock was still hard, his balls were tied up in knots and his frustration had reached the boiling point. The problem was, he didn’t know if he was more upset at Harlee or at himself for feeling this way. And frankly, he was tired of these pent-up frustrations. Harlee’d all but offered herself to him earlier with her sexy shower dance, but Annmarie’s typical lousy timing had stopped him.

  Tension and frustration had mounted for the past few days. First this mess with Stefan’s death, then having to rush over and kidnap Harlee, then being told he had to fuck her, then wanting to fuck her, then the attack… Christ, what a mess. Maybe if he took out his frustrations on Harlee, this constant driving need that seemed to be directed at her would go away.

  Pausing in front of her door, he made his decision. Reaching out, he turned the knob on the door handle and stepped in, expecting to find the room in darkness and Harlee sound asleep. But as soon as he opened the door, the room filled with light. Harlee sat up in bed and looked at him, an expression of wary expectancy on her face.

  “Thought you were asleep,” he said, closing the door behind him.

  She looked down at her hands. “I can’t sleep.”

  “Why not?”

  “Don’t know. Too much going through my mind, I guess.”

  He knew the feeling. There was a reason he was pacing outside her room in the middle of the night instead of putting a guard at her door and getting some sleep himself. He approached the bed. “What’s on your mind?”

  She looked up and watched him. “Things.”

  “What kind of things?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Talk wasn’t what was on his mind either. He stopped next to the side of the bed, inhaling her scent. God, she smelled sweet. The perfume of her blood was an aphrodisiac, compelling him to dive into her neck and puncture the artery there, then drink from her until he came, hard. He wanted to change her, to bring out the beast within her.

  He wanted her to be vampire. It had suddenly become important and he knew exactly why.

  “Did you enjoy Duncan today?” he asked, refusing to allow himself to sit on the bed next to her. As badly as he wanted her, he was too angry, too unsettled to let himself touch her yet.

  Her eyes widened for a second. “You watched us, didn’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  Her cheeks flamed pink but she didn’t look away. “I don’t know what to say. I feel like I should apologize for that, but why the hell should I? You and I don’t have anything together.”

  “I didn’t ask you to apologize.” Though he was pleased she’d even thought about it. It meant…well, what did it mean? God, he felt like a kid with his first crush. This was ridiculous. “I shouldn’t have come in. Good night.”

  “Hey! Wait a minute,” she said, scrambling out from underneath the covers and following him toward the door. He stopped and turned to watch her progress, his gaze straying to her long legs visible underneath the T-shirt. Her nipples were hard, outlined like pebbles against the thin cotton. “What the hell is wrong with you, anyway? First you come in here like you want to talk, like you want to…”

  “Fuck?” he finished for her.

  “Well, yeah. But now you’re leaving?”

  “Yes. I’m leaving.”

  “Goddamit, Adrian! Quit screwing with my head!”

  She had a lot of nerve talking about screwing with someone’s head. “Oh, right. Like you haven’t been playing a little game of your own with Duncan and me?”

  Her eyes went dark and she shook a finger at him. “I have done no such thing and you know it. It’s the two of you who’ve been pressuring me to play this three-way game of fuck-and-tell, so don’t even try to play innocent. And why do you even care what I do with Duncan? You don’t have any feelings for me!”

  She’d said it like it was an accusation.

  “Don’t tell me how I feel, dammit!” This whole conversation was juvenile.

  As she inched closer, he felt her cinnamon-spiced breath across his face. “And don’t tell me how I’m supposed to feel, or think you can dictate who I sleep with! I’ve just about had it with you! I might just go and live at the lycan mansion for awhile.”

  “Over my dead body.”

  “You’re already dead,” she said, a smug smile on her lips as she crossed her arms over her middle.

  “You watch too much television. I’ve never been dead.”

  “Well then I guess I could tell you to drop dead. So drop dead and get the hell out of my room! I’ve had enough of this.”

  She turned to walk away but he grabbed her upper arm and whirled her around. Her lips formed a surprised o.

  “Enough? We haven’t had nearly enough, Harlee. We haven’t even started. Game’s over and talking is getting us nowhere.” He jerked her against him. “Let’s cut the bullshit,” he said, just before his lips came crashing down over hers.

  He waited for her to push him away, expected her angry response. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and met the thrust of his tongue with a whimper, nestling her body closer to his. She tasted like seduction, like something he needed more than he wanted to. His balls twisted in a knot of agony, his cock hardening painfully.

  Christ, she felt good against him. Her heart pounded against his chest, mirroring his own erratic beats. He moved his hands over her curves, finally having her exactly where he needed her—in his arms and as eager as he was. But one thing was wrong—entirely too many clothes kept his bare skin from touching hers. He pushed her back and jerked the T-shirt over her head, then reached for her breasts, pinching the hard nubs of her nipples between his fingers. Her response was immediate, her groans audible as he rolled her nipples between his thumb and forefinger, squeezing them, pulling them.

  “You like it hard, don’t you?” he asked.

  Her answer came in the form of a loud groan.

  He had to get naked and fast. He wanted to take his time with her, suck her pretty tits, lick her from her neck to her toes and spend all night loving her, but he didn’t have the goddamned patience right now.

  Releasing her breasts, he jerked the shirt over his head and fumbled for the buckle of his belt. Harlee’s eyes widened, but she didn’t say a word, just watched while he removed his clothes then drew her against him once again.

  Though he did like the way her gaze strayed to his crotch and lingered there, enjoyed the way she licked her lips like she wanted to wrap them around his cock. And he wanted them there. His cock wanted them there too, bobbing upward in response to the movement of her tongue across her lips.

  Soon. But right now he wanted to feel her skin. He dipped and took her lips again, then searched her body his with hands until found the globes of her ass and squeezed hard, jerking her against him, needing to feel her sweet pussy rubbing against his hard-on. When she met his thrusts eagerly, grinding her pussy against his cock, he groaned into her mouth.

  Fuck! He could so easily lose control with her.

  Releasing his hold on her ass, he grasped the back of her neck and claimed her lips, driving his tongue deep, punishing her with a kiss that ravaged, that took instead of asked permission.

  She didn’t seem to care. She tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled, hard. He wasn’t gentle and she seemed to prefer it that way, seemed to need this pain that he inflicted on her. Was her passion as far gone as his? God, he hoped so. Wrapping her hair around his fist, he used it to spin her around and push her against the wall, her palms making contact with a loud slap. He pressed her against the wall until her forehead touched it then swept her hair to one side, revealing the tender nape of her neck.

  “Remember when I asked you at the club if you liked to be bitten, Harlee?” he whispered in her ear, grinding his cock against her ass. “Remember when I told you exactly how and where I wanted to bite you?”

  Harlee moaned, remembering every wicked word he’d whispered to her at the club, how he’d told her he wanted to take her clit between his teeth and tug. Her nipples tightened and cream flooded her thighs. She wanted that. Here, now, tonight, no more hesitation, no more reasons not to. She wanted Adrian and nothing was going to stop it from happening.

  “Answer me!”

  He tugged her hair again, his teeth scraping the nape of her neck.

  “Yes!”

  He bit down lightly, not using his fangs. But still, it hurt. Oh, God, it felt so good. Goosebumps popped out along her neck, her breasts ached for more of the sweet torture of his fingers and her clit was a tight knot of nerve endings begging for his teeth to do exactly the same thing he was doing to her neck.

  “Tell me what you want,” he commanded, his teeth so close to her neck she felt the soft scrape of them along her skin. “Tell me and I’ll give it to you.”

  She couldn’t stand this torture. His cock nestled between her legs, his hard body pressing against her. Why was he doing this to her?

  “Tell me, Harlee!”

  “Bite me, goddamit!”

  He moved to her side, jerked her head back, met her eyes and let his fangs slide down. He bent to her throat, his tongue like fire as he licked a trail along her throat and sank his teeth into her neck. Searing pain burned at the contact.

  It hurt. It tingled. And something else. Something incredible. Pleasure bubbled up like an erupting volcano. As soon as his teeth were buried in her neck, she came.

  “Oh my God!”

  Huge waves of orgasm had her convulsing in his arms. Good lord, she hadn’t expected such pleasure. What was he doing to her? He wasn’t touching her pussy, her clit, wasn’t fucking her but the climax was like being struck by lightning, sparking inside her and coursing through her veins as he sucked at her throat in rhythmic pulses. Harlee clutched his arm and his back, holding tight to him as she rode out the exquisite sensations. Warm, sticky wetness flowed down her neck and onto her breasts. She felt dizzy, hot, her blood boiling as strange sensations poured through her.

  When Adrian released his hold on her throat, she felt empty inside, bereft. She whimpered, holding onto him as if she wanted to beg him not to let go. But instead of feeling weak, she felt a power surging through her, strengthening her. She looked to him and he nodded, his eyes glowing an eerie red.

  “It’s inside you, Harlee. You can’t deny it.”

  She didn’t know what to say to that. Had what inside her? Some kind of weird chemical response to him biting her? She’d been bitten by a vampire. Holy shit. Was that why she felt these weird sensations inside? This sense of power, of invincibility? “I don’t understand these feelings.”

  “And I don’t feel like taking the time to explain them to you right now. I need to fuck you, to eat your pussy, to make you scream over and over until we’re both too damn tired to talk. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  He grabbed her wrist and dragged her over to the bed, literally throwing her on top of it then planting his hand firmly on her belly to hold her in place. Like she’d even think of going anywhere after what he said he wanted to do with her. Despite the orgasm from his bite, need spiraled through her as if she hadn’t come, as if she hadn’t come in a very long time and craved it desperately.