Obsession: A Rejected Mate Shifter Romance (The Mate Games #1)(16)

“Intense?” Moira asked.

“Yeah.”

“I forget how sheltered you’ve been. Don’t worry. No one will bite you tonight.”

“They’d better not.” Alek leaned in, and a shiver ran down my spine as his lips brushed the shell of my ear. “It’ll be the last thing they do.”

Wowza. He really had the whole sexy, murdery smolder thing down. And I liked it. A lot. Definitely more than I should. Not that I was about to admit it, especially not to him. Alek didn’t seem like the kind of guy who needed any ego stroking.

“I can take care of myself,” I protested.

“I don’t doubt it.”

“Leave her alone. She’s my date tonight. And I need her to dance with me,” Moira said. “Don’t make me turn you into a toad.”

Alek laughed. “You know as well as I you don’t have that power. I, however, do.” He smirked and snapped his fingers, a spark of green filling the room as Moira transformed into a cute little tree frog. She gave an annoyed croak before he snapped again, and she returned to her normal form.

The free use of magic had my eyes flaring wide. I glanced around, wondering what everyone else thought about the random club toad, but no one batted an eye. I guess it was just a typical Friday night as far as they were concerned. Looked like Moira was right; my life was definitely sheltered compared to theirs.

“I’m going to have your balls for that.” An orb of fire sat in her palm, and matching flames filled her eyes.

“Oh, I’m so scared.” He held up his palms and pretended to shake.

“You should be.”

I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. “You’d better sleep with both eyes open tonight.”

“It would take more than a whole coven of Belladonnas to faze me.” He tossed me another of his panty-melting winks and walked away. “If you need me, I’ll be over there,” he called over his shoulder as he headed for a corner booth where a few other people I recognized from school were sitting.

“Jackass,” Moira called to his retreating back. Then she sighed and added, “But goddess, is he pretty.”

She was not wrong. I couldn’t seem to make myself look away from him, my eyes trailing down his muscled back and locking on his ass. Man, did he wear the hell out of those jeans.

Moira cackled when she caught me drooling. “Come on, let’s cool you down before you combust.”

Moira and I snagged drinks and strolled around the large space together, scoping out the best places to dance, stopping to talk to a few of our classmates. The music changed to a song both of us loved, so we downed our drinks and headed for the dance floor. We laughed and moved to the music, the lights flashing, changing colors and making it look like we moved in slow motion as we spun and writhed.

I closed my eyes as the song morphed again to something a little slower and a lot dirtier. Moira had found a girl to dance with and abandoned me two songs ago. I didn’t care. I loved the freedom of swaying to a beat and giving myself over to music.

“You’re indecent. Do you know that, dove?” The scent of bergamot washed over me as Noah slipped his palms over my waist and pulled me against him from behind.

My heart lurched, then my pulse began racing, a dangerous reaction to have around a vampire. He recognized it too, if the way his fingers dug into my hips, pressing me even closer against him, was any indication.

“I didn’t say you could dance with me.”

His lips slid over my neck, trailing up until he nipped my ear. “You haven’t stopped me yet.”

“I like dancing.”

“You like me.”

“Don’t be so sure.”

“I can feel it in your pulse. I can taste it on your skin. You’re just as drawn to me as I am to you, little wolf.”

He spun me around to face him, those amber eyes locking onto mine and making my nipples pebble as arousal gripped me.

“Don’t you dare try to use your vampire powers on me.”

“I would never. Not with you.”

“That’s what you say now, but how do I know it’s not exactly how I ended up in your bed? You could have easily glamoured me and made me forget the whole thing.”

His low chuckle covered me like a soft blanket. It was safety and comfort I felt then, not menace. It may prove to be the stupidest thing I’d ever done, but in that moment, I trusted him when he repeated his earlier words.

“Not with you. I’ll have you, dove. One day soon. But not until you beg for me to take you.”

An insistent flutter took up residence low in my belly, making me achy with need and oh-so-aware of the way he was holding me. The grip he had around my waist was strong enough I couldn’t get away even if I’d wanted to, and the hard length of his cock pressed against my belly, persistent and ready.

“Why do you suddenly want me so bad?”

His dark brows lifted. “Suddenly? I’ve been running from your scent since the day you arrived.”

“Running? From me?” The thought of someone as strong and obviously powerful as him trying to escape me made me want to laugh. No one ever considered me a threat. Certainly not enough of one to run from.

He brought his head close to mine, ensuring I was staring deep into his molten gaze. “Yes, little wolf. You. All the while, my instincts demanded I hunt you. But I’ve given up. I shouldn’t want you, but I can’t help myself.”