Undead Or Alive (Bad Things #3)(22)

“Sweets…that isn’t the move you want to make.”

He’d lifted his mouth from hers. His bright gaze glared down at her—filled with fury and lust. “Don’t play games with me. You won’t win.”

“I wasn’t…” Crap. He’s still holding that knife. So she couldn’t stop her words. “I want you. I want you so much it scares me because I know you aren’t a safe lover. You kill with a touch, and all I can think about is having you touch me everywhere.”

His face changed. “Don’t bullshit me.”

If only. “I want you. I have…there is something inside of me that’s…others have said it’s wrong. That I’m wrong.” She’d heard that accusation plenty of times. “I want the men I shouldn’t. I want danger. I want darkness. I looked up in the bar and saw you and from the first glance, I wanted you.”

“Then you found out I was the f*cking boogeyman.”

Her eyes squeezed shut, but she couldn’t hold the words in. “And I still wanted you. Maybe even more.” Because in her dark and twisted paranormal world, power was sexy. Cass had so much power within him.

“You…aren’t lying.”

Her lashes lifted. “No.”

And then his face changed. Shock…need…lust. Raw and wild and so savage. He threw the knife—just as he’d thrown the scythe before. It whirled and she heard the thunk when it sank into the nearby trunk of a tree. But she wasn’t looking at that knife because Cass had locked both of his arms around her. He yanked her up against him and took her mouth. His control was gone—she could tell that immediately. His kiss was out of control, ferocious with its need, and her desire burst to the surface. She was as desperate as he was.

“It changes nothing,” he growled.

The need. The hunger. “I know.” The knife wasn’t forcing her to share that truth. He wasn’t touching the weapon any longer, but she was still telling him the truth. This time, the truth was her choice. Even if that truth hurt. Her hands wrapped around his neck and she pulled his mouth back to her.

She loved the way he kissed her. Loved the need and desire that she could taste. He kissed her with such intensity, as if she were the only thing that mattered to him.

He backed her up against that tree and his hand slid under her shirt. When she felt the touch of the glove on her skin, she jerked a little.

“Easy…I swear, I won’t hurt you.” Cass breathed those words against her mouth.

She believed him.

His hand slid up her rib cage. His mouth trailed down her throat. A moan slipped from her because he felt so good. She loved his mouth. She wanted it everywhere.

His fingers brushed against the edge of her bra. Her breasts were tight and aching and she—

A twig snapped. In a flash, Cass had yanked down her shirt and whirled away from her. His hands were fisted at his sides and he stared to the right, at a thick line of trees.

Her breath came too fast, too hard, and her heart was racing in her chest. Goosebumps were rising on her arms. She’d been too distracted to notice her alarm system going off. “It’s…” Not the vampire, don’t be the vampire… “Tell me it’s not Gregory or Leo…”

“It’s not.” Cass didn’t look back. His right hand lifted and she felt that odd hum of energy again…and then the scythe was in his hand. “Show yourself!” Cass yelled.

And the trees moved—no, something burst right out of the trees. A big, snarling black bear. Its fur seemed to explode from its body and it hurtled toward Cass.

Her jaw dropped.

“Ivan, turn your ass back into a human,” Cass ordered, keeping the scythe at his side.

Less than two feet from Cass, the black bear halted. Its mouth opened and it let out a bellowing roar.

“Not impressed,” Cass tossed back. “And you’re about to lose some fur.” He lifted the scythe. “I’ve had a seriously shitty day and it’s barely dawn. Don’t test me.”

The bear…shifted. Slowly. Shifts were always brutal to watch. And to hear. Bones snapped and popped and the thick fur melted away until the beast was gone and a man stood in his place.

Ivan.

He rose—naked—and his gaze slid to her. He was tall, about Cass’s height, but stockier with his muscles. His skin was a dark brown and his eyes were a sharp, contrasting green. Those eyes stared at Amber with curiosity.

Well, curiosity was better than a killing glare.

“I hate when you guys always wind up naked,” Cass muttered. “Shifters…I swear, can’t you cover your junk?”

Ivan tossed back his head and laughed. “Reaper, you are such a prude.” He marched toward a nearby tree, and Amber averted her eyes. She thought it might be the polite thing to do.

“There, better?” Ivan called.

Her gaze jerked back to him. He’d put on a pair of sweats. The guy kept emergency sweats handy in those woods? If that was the case then…

Then they must be in the bear’s territory.

Cass hadn’t taken her down some random dirt road. He’d had a plan in mind. A destination.

Figured.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Ivan drawled. The faintest hint of a southern accept dipped into his voice. “Thought you wanted a plane, but then I saw you and the lady and realized you were…you know, doing other things.”