Carnal: A Dark Shifter Romance Read online

  Logan hesitated, finally sliding his weapon back into his holster. “If you say so, partner.”

  I waited until he left before inching closer to Stone. “You better not be lying to me, Stone. I’m in no mood for bullshit. None.”

  “You never were, Max, which is one reason you never stayed close to the pack. What a shame.” His grin pissed me off but now wasn’t the time or place to start a fight.

  I could tell he wasn’t lying. For a few seconds, we both remained quiet even as the tension continued to grow. We’d once been friends, blood brothers in more ways than being a part of the Lycan species. He’d meant everything to me, part of the three amigos who’d ruled the city of Roselake with honor as well as vengeance.

  Now we were bitter enemies.

  “Just keep in mind what I said and if you do see him, you damn well better call me.” I yanked a card from my pocket, tossing it in his direction. As if the man would ever call me for anything.

  We weren’t only enemies by choice; our two packs had required us to never speak again. The Nightwalkers were considered armed, dangerous and deadly to members of the Wolfen. They’d once been considered security for our pack, men capable of the type of violence the Wolfen abhorred. They still had incredible numbers, many now living in the Denver city limits instead of staying close to their pack. That in itself was unnerving.

  “ATF. You certainly made something of yourself,” Stone said, laughing as he pocketed the card.

  I shot my look toward the open mechanic’s bay. “So did you.” I was instantly sorry I’d sounded so damn caustic.

  He narrowed his eyes and for a split second, I could see extreme sadness in them. The man was haunted by demons. Maybe we both were.

  “We all have our reasons for living different lives. Now don’t we, Max?”

  I couldn’t deny the truth. I wanted nothing to do with my past, although I had the distinct feeling I wouldn’t be able to hide from it for much longer.

  As I walked out, I felt a pang of remorse.

  And guilt.

  But I knew I could never return to the past for any reason.

  Including death.

  Chapter Two

  Max

  “Open your legs for me, Kathleen.” The moment she hesitated, I delivered a series of hard smacks on her naked bottom.

  She moaned, blinking several times, finally succumbing. “Yes, sir.” As she opened her legs, her hands flew to her breasts in an attempt to cover her hard, rosy nipples.

  I growled, my thirst growing as I climbed onto the bed. “I’m going to feast on your pretty pink pussy. Then I’m going to fuck you in the ass.” As I hunkered down, dragging my rough tongue along the edges of her swollen folds, her whimper and her quivering body were my reward. I couldn’t wait to fuck her.

  “Jesus,” I hissed, almost disgusted from the vision, vivid images floating through my mind in a constant reel. I’d thought about nothing but taking her in a primal manner, a match to the beast I truly was. I’d awakened from yet another dream, soaked in sweat and my hunger off the charts. I’d almost transformed in an effort to find some sense of satisfaction.

  Control was getting to be difficult.

  A growl remained in my throat, low-slung and husky as the beast hungered to breach the surface. Here I was, stalking her like some damn predator.

  You are...

  I heard every sound on the busy street as I rounded the corner, the ridiculous conversations as people scampered to their required destinations. I noticed every nuance of the men and women walking hundreds of yards away, my keen vision able to detect the pulsing of their throats, the very lifeblood they had flowing.

  At this point, I needed a couple of shots of bourbon to squelch the increasing thirst.

  I fisted my mouth, shoving aside what many considered to be my natural tendencies. If what I suspected was correct, I would need every ounce of control in order to keep my promise to myself.

  I was a fool to think taking her would be that easy. Kathleen Kelly would indeed fight me every step of the way. I rubbed my hand through my hair before holding it into the hint of moonlight, although I didn’t need any light to hone in on every line and pore. Every sense was heightened, even on edge. I crossed the street, heading down the sidewalk. She lived close to the city in an area that most would consider dangerous, yet she didn’t seem to care. The woman acted fearless, refusing to acknowledge any safety concerns.

  After moving past several of the homes, I remained on the corner, still able to easily gaze into one of her windows. I could tell she’d recently moved in given the number of boxes piled against one of the walls, the reason I hadn’t seen her in the neighborhood before.

  My father told me everything happened for a reason and only when we could handle the significance.

  I’d been reduced to a man stalking a woman I barely knew. What the hell was wrong with me?

  The big, bad wolf indeed.

  You will succumb to me in every way, surrendering your body, your heart, and your soul to my darkest desires. There will be no turning back, no escaping my savage needs. And you will be punished for every infraction.

  I snarled after thinking the words, although every one of them was true.

  Predator.

  An animal that naturally preys on others.

  The definition was one I knew well, a brutal desire I’d felt my entire life, the kind of hunger that burned deep within my very soul. If it weren’t for centuries of evolved humanity, my kind would live on their primal needs alone.

  Still, there were some who would call me a dangerous man—correction, a monstrous beast. I thought about my earlier confrontation with Stone, knowing my interrogation wouldn’t go over well with the other Nightwalkers, but my visit had been necessary. I’d never allowed a criminal to go free and I wasn’t about to allow that to happen now. I snickered at the thought.

  While Brody Miller was still on the run, it wouldn’t be long until he was apprehended. If Stone was lying, he’d connect with Brody within hours. Stone’s mechanic’s shop would be under twenty-four-hour surveillance. He wouldn’t dare allow the fucker to come within two miles of the Nightwalker village for fear of my wrath.

  I was ruthless in both my profession and my personal life. Others would simply say I had an innate gut instinct for my job, my hardcore abilities necessary in a profession I’d come to love. I took no shit, refusing to allow anyone to engage in excuses. Because of my fierce nature, I was considered a top notch detective, yet I alienated almost everyone I came into contact with.

  As if I gave a shit.

  Yet I was damn proud I was extremely good at my chosen profession. I collected human monsters with ease, shoving them behind bars of steel, stripping them of their ability to destroy any additional lives. But I was even worse.

  Brutal.

  Savage.

  Unforgiving.

  Which member of my team would be required to hunt me down?

  And they would if legends were to be believed, one day our kind would all return to our primitive state.

  Then everything would change.

  We had our share of enemies, certain factions of humans who truly believed in the prophecy of werewolves, although the term was one we loathed. There were also other species of wolves who would fight us to the death for superiority. And the legend lived on through the eyes of authors and movie producers.

  I chuckled as I gathered a whiff of the light breeze. The wondrous stories told over copious glasses of wine grew larger than life with every telling. If the ancient scrolls and the myths were to be believed, we were only years away from that occurrence. Hell, no, not on my watch. I’d heard all the rumors about the disease that had brought us into existence rearing its dormant head, forcing us back into creatures of the night. Sighing, I closed my eyes briefly, my gut telling me everything was about to change.

  On this dark and chilly night, I was on edge, much more so than normal. Although I was unaccustomed to giving in to my own natur
e, I was forced to admit the various fragrances from exotic perfumes to cooking oil were a pungent reminder my senses were highly sensitized and had been for hours.

  The reason was simple—a beautiful woman.

  All I could think about was taking her, tasting her.

  Fucking her.

  Ravaging her.

  My true destiny.

  I remained where I was, watching as one light was switched off, another turned on. She was preparing to exit for the night, leaving a warm glow to fend off would-be criminals. Little did she know the devil himself was hiding in plain sight. I pictured her kitchen, the exquisite yet stark appliances, so very much like the woman hiding behind the mask. I knew the layout of the tidy little space, every dimension and exit by heart.

  And I’d never been inside the quaint single-story house.

  As the swirl of clouds swept past the almost full moon, every inch of my body was alive. Every blood cell sizzling from extreme heat. Every muscle aching. Every tendon stretched to the snapping point. I was close to turning, but it had nothing to do with a ridiculous gothic myth, a grizzly ghost story told around campfires in the middle of the night. The full moon meant fucking nothing to our kind.

  My entire system was tingling from arousal, atoms ready to explode for a reason that even I had difficulty comprehending. The calling was irresistible and would not be denied.

  If what I felt inside was true, the electricity sizzling my senses to the point of combustion, I’d found my mate, the very one I’d searched for my entire adult life.

  Only she was very human and completely off limits.

  The text in the ancient book my father carried didn’t make any sense. I knew for certain. We’d always been told that Wolfen couldn’t mate with humans. It had been forbidden.

  “My son, once you find the one who can soothe the savage beast, there will be little else you can do. You will not sleep or eat without thinking of her. You will do all you can to protect her, including losing your own life if necessary.”

  “What if I’m not ready?” I’d asked my father all those years ago when I was barely eighteen. His solemn look had been telling. I would have no choice but to follow my calling.

  “You are the future of the Wolfen. Do not take your destiny lightly. So many have died in an attempt to keep our pack together. You will one day lead us into the light.”

  “But you’re our leader, Father.”

  His smile had been telling. “One day I will fade into the darkness. You will know when it’s time to take over.”

  The light. I’d been told all the stories over the years, the ancient babbling of our elder pack members. We were true beasts, but I’d refused to live my life in that manner. I was human first, the call of the wild something that I barely tolerated. I hadn’t turned in years and only then for a night of running through the mountains, free from the earthly chains and laws. Wolfen were a civilized breed, unlike the majority of others. We had rules to follow and I was supposed to be the keeper of the peace. The last thing I needed was to become any more primal than I already was.

  The thought brought another round of desire, fresh and raw, nagging at my insides.

  I took a deep whiff and even the cheap thick brick and mortar of the building, the sheathing and wallboard couldn’t inhibit the scent of her. I dragged my tongue across my lips, my cock twitching at the mere thought of driving my shaft deep inside her pretty pink pussy. I savored the thought, my emotions running high as the carnal testosterone filled every synapse.

  I could take her.

  I could fuck her.

  I could mark her.

  That’s all the creature clawing at the surface hungered to do and I was almost overcome by the thirst that wouldn’t be quenched until she was in my arms. Thank God I still had some elements of constraint. At least that was my nature, a training perfected by decades of practice.

  But she was ripe with desire and as I envisioned her luxurious flaming red hair, her voluptuous body and aristocratic features, my yearning only increased.

  I shifted even further into the darkness as a group of young women walked by, every one of them reeking from the stench of marijuana. By all rights I should arrest them, performing my job as required by the oath I’d taken. I chuckled at the thought. The wayward women meant nothing to me.

  After they passed, I walked closer to her home, surveying the exterior. I’d spent my entire life being exactly the opposite of tonight’s behavior, perhaps avoiding my true lineage, proud of the fact I’d become an officer of the law. My job was to defend and protect.

  As my skin began to crawl, I took several gulping breaths, staring down at my shaking hands. I’d been warned by my father, the moment of being awakened by my mate more powerful than anything I’d ever endured. He’d been right. There would be no more holding back, no way to hide from the monster I’d been born as.

  I was Wolfen.

  Soon to be king of my people.

  Heir to an ancient throne.

  And if she was my mate, I would take her as my queen.

  I watched as she exited the premises, looking both right and left. I could swear I almost felt her skin crawl as she pulled the coat more tightly around her, immediately heading down the dimly lit sidewalk. She glanced over her shoulder only once, but something told me she sensed my presence.

  I crossed the street, keeping my distance as I headed in the same direction, thinking about the day before, the moment that the revelation of finding her had become cumbersome.

  Meeting her in the coffee shop had been unexpected but explained the number of dreams that had occurred during the last week.

  Our connection had been instantaneous, jarring in every manner.

  “God damn it!” she yelped, catching her foot on a leg of the counter as she shifted sharply. “Watch where you’re going, asshole!” A snarl pushed past her luscious lips as she swung around, venom in her eyes. She raked her gaze up and down as if she was ready to snap me in two.

  After losing the grip on my cup of coffee and allowing it to tumble to the floor, I snapped my hand around her arm, keeping her from falling. The force of my hard pull yanked her quivering body against my chest. There was a moment, fleeting but significant, in which I was able to see into her eyes, crossing into her very soul. The light of recognition was there, although one she’d forget within seconds.

  I knew mating with a human was rare and powerful, no matter that the act was forbidden by our customs. Was this merely a test of my control, the first of many before I was called into position? My spirit animal couldn’t be so cruel.

  I was shocked, shaken to the point I had difficulty breathing. A fire erupted deep within, nearly knocking me onto my ass.

  “The fault is mine, although it’s been some time before a stranger called me an asshole,” I said with ease. The girl was a spitfire, a woman who refused to be possessed. My entire body was humming like a live wire.

  “Well, maybe you deserve it and yes, it is entirely your fault,” she huffed, jerking to get away from me. “Look at my skirt. Damn it!”

  I dragged her even closer, breathing in every scent she was wearing. Shower gel. Hair spray. Perfume. I was intoxicated from the assault on my senses. “You have a savage mouth on you for such a beautiful woman.”

  She blinked several times, pressing her hand lightly against my chest, her fingers kneading my shirt. “Yeah, well, I don’t deal with assholes very well. I’m pretty certain that I hadn’t planned on wearing an entire cup of coffee.” When she mumbled under her breath, the husky sound created a wave of chills shifting down the back of my legs.

  I wanted her. I craved her. I...

  I smiled, chuckling darkly and releasing my grip. I had to be very careful. Even as I attempted to speak, my breathing was ragged, husky from the desire racing through me. “I cut in on the line. Entirely my fault.” I didn’t need to secure her in any way. There was no denying our instant attraction. I could tell exactly what she was thinking by the warm flush c
reeping up from her long neck, the beautiful blush of pink highlighting her cheeks.

  My balls were drum tight, my heart racing.

  “Might I suggest a truce?” I asked in passing. I moved away, giving her space, watching her intently as she rubbed her hand aimlessly across her clothes.

  “Fine. Whatever,” she snapped then closed her eyes, her hand fluttering to her lips. She took a step back, her demeanor visibly changing. “Damn it. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t take my shitty day out on a stranger. At least allow me to purchase you a new coffee. Please. For my caustic mouth if nothing more.” She finally took two steps away, biting her lower lip. I couldn’t help but notice she allowed her gaze to slide up and down the length of me. This time with desire on her mind.

  “Not necessary and apology accepted. I really should get to work. Maybe I should cut back on the caffeine anyway.” She had no idea the vile and evil things I wanted to do to her.

  Her eyes drifted to the badge located on my belt, a slight sigh pushing past her lips. As if she could trust me. As if I wasn’t going to hurt her in any way. “I really would feel better if—”

  “You were punished for your infraction, the nasty mouth you have, the very one getting you into trouble at every turn?” The words seemed to come out of nowhere, a ridiculous question that had no bearing on the conversation. But I could tell I was right. I wanted nothing more than to drag her over my lap, giving her a hard spanking. My mouth watered at the thought, my cock pinched to the point of sheer anguish.

  “Um... Yes. I do have a... rebellious streak.” Laughing bitterly, she lifted her gaze, finally holding out her hand. “I’m Kathleen and again, I’m very sorry. Perhaps one day I’ll be able to make it up to you...” At least she wanted my name.

  “Maximillian.”

  As I took her hand, every primal thought that I’d been born with swept into my mind, images of ravaging her body almost debilitating. The scent of her feminine wiles was intoxicating, adding fuel to the fire. My throat was tight, my gums aching as my canines longed to be released. All I could think about was stripping Kathleen of her clothes and sucking on her tight little nipples before impaling her with every inch of my cock.