Total Eclipse of the Heart Read online

Instinct roared through me, untamed, uncontrolled. Feral wolf. Leaning forward, I bit her exposed throat. She jolted against me, screaming. The sweet nectar of her blood flooded my tongue. I felt her pussy jerk spasmodically as she came apart in my arms. I sucked at her throat, licking the bite as it healed. She shuddered and moaned, her hips snapping forward in short, slamming thrusts.

  Through it all, I felt Jerrod’s eyes upon us. It was hotter because he watched. The smell of his desire reached my nose. Wetness flooded my pussy, and I moaned deep in my throat. My hips twisted in unrelenting want. For my mates. Both of them. Harsh emotion banded my chest at the thought. Yes. Possession, need…and love warred for dominance. My eyes squeezed closed.

  Lena’s arms wrapped around me, her face burying into my shoulder. I stroked her ebony curls, holding her close. I remembered what it was like to mate the first time, the overwhelming flood of emotion, connection. She trembled against me, her breath puffing across the skin of my neck.

  “Lena.”

  Her tongue flicked out to lick me. “Yes, mate?”

  “Finish it.” Yes. I wanted to be claimed.

  She pulled back, slipping her hand up to cup my cheek. “Not so fast.”

  “Now.”

  “As you wish.” Bending forward, she sucked my nipple into her mouth. She pressed the tip to the top of her mouth, biting down. The cloth of my shirt rubbed against the sensitive flesh.

  Heat rushed through me, and I arched toward her hot, wet mouth. She moved to my other breast, nipping the crest. My hands clenched in her soft hair as I tried to pull her closer. Desperation whipped through me. The need for her, the need to mate, the need for fast, hard orgasm.

  “Lena, please. I want…more.”

  Her fingers pressed between my legs and I relaxed my thighs to allow her access. She thrust two fingers into me. A hard, harsh push.

  “Yes.”

  I twined my fingers with her free hand, clenching tight. Hot shivers streaked through me, the rising tide of orgasm jerking me forward. I rocked against her fingers, loving the feel of her within me.

  She lifted my hand to her mouth, kissing the center of my palm. I trembled. Our gazes locked, and her eyes burned to a translucent blue. She was close to feral, the wolf breaking loose. Opening her mouth on my wrist, she bit down hard. Claiming me. I screamed, my body jolting under the sensation, and I flashed over into sudden orgasm.

  “Lena.”

  She laved the bite mark again and again, drawing out the feelings and pushing me hard against the edge of sanity.

  Tears burned my eyes, spilling over to slip down my cheeks. Sweet relief swirled through me. Yes. This was perfect. The pain and dread that rode me all day fell away into nothingness. A connection that could never be broken spun between us. It was so right, so good.

  A sharp knock sounded on the door, making me jerk in surprise. Benny’s voice rang through, “Hey, boss.”

  Jerrod stepped aside, cracking the door open. He exchanged soft words with the other man, and then closed it again.

  He flicked a glance over his shoulder, a knowing grin tugging at his lips. “I—uh, think we need to take this upstairs.”

  Chapter Three

  “You moved to Los Angeles recently?” I asked the question as we walked up the steps to the apartment. I could feel both their gazes burning into my back.

  When I reached the top landing, I turned to punch the access code into a keypad mounted beside the door. My hands shook so badly I had to concentrate on a task that was almost second nature. The locks clicked back.

  This was it. Letting someone enter our wolf den was huge. I sucked in a deep breath, trying to settle my nerves. Everything had changed in a blink of an eye. And now that the storm had passed I was freaking out. Two mates. Oh my holy Jesus. Breathe. Just breathe. That was the key here.

  “Yes. How did you know?” I heard the surprise in Lena’s voice.

  Laughing, I glanced back at her. “No one lives in L.A. long without coming to Eclipse. And this is definitely your first time here.”

  “Yeah. I-I was in Phoenix and just decided to move a few weeks ago. It was sudden.”

  “Instinct?” Reaching around both of us, Jerrod pushed open the door to our apartment.

  She sighed. “At the time I thought I was crazy, but now…it makes sense.”

  “You were drawn to us.” We walked in, and I went straight for the kitchen. Wine. I needed something to settle me. Deep breathing wasn’t cutting it. I was about to hyperventilate. My heels clicked on the gleaming hardwood floor. Jerrod and I had spent a whole year restoring the upper story of the warehouse that housed Eclipse. It was all worth it, the place was gorgeous. And the commute couldn’t be beat.

  Lena followed me and wandered about, touching this and that. She stroked a finger over the marble countertops. Curiosity shone in her gaze as she looked at everything. What did she see when she entered our den? I was afraid she wouldn’t approve. There was so much we didn’t know about each other. But we were mated.

  I rounded the island, stooping to pluck up a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Get a grip, Rachel. So many emotions crashed through me I wasn’t sure how to react. I wanted Lena here, but how would it affect Jerrod and me? And I felt selfish and ashamed for even thinking it.

  Jerrod snagged the wine bottle from my trembling fingers over the kitchen island. His steady gaze met mine. “You’re worried.”

  That was Jerrod. A man of few words who cut right to the chase. He was my rock. “Yes.”

  “You think the werewolf pack leaders will have a problem with our mating?”

  Um. No. The thought hadn’t even occurred to me yet. Shit. I bit my lip and tried not to have a mild mental meltdown. We weren’t exactly a werewolf pack leader favorite, and this could really fuck us up. “It is a concern.”

  Jerrod shook his head. “One for another time.”

  “No. It’s not a concern.” Lena walked up beside me, her arms crossing over her chest.

  I sighed. “It’s not that simple.”

  She shook her head firmly, eyebrows raising. “I just found you. Both of you. I won’t give that up so easily. Not because someone is too narrow-minded to see how right it is. Instinct pulled me to you. And I’m staying, damn it.”

  Stubborn. A good word to describe my new mate. A good word to describe both of my mates. It was going to be fun to see the two of them butt heads. I grinned, forcing myself to think of something besides the possible scrutiny of werewolf pack leaders. Lena was a much more gratifying subject.

  “So…what do you do?”

  Her arms slid around my waist, pressing her body to mine. Her soft breasts pillowed against my side. I closed my eyes and swallowed, a lightning strike of pleasure flashing through me. My pussy heated, dampened in anticipation. I dragged in a deep breath, trying to quell the rising excitement, but I pulled in Jerrod’s scent. Hot, masculine. Mine. Both of them. Mine.

  “I’m an electrician.”

  “W-what?”

  “I’m an electrician.” She laughed. “I could light up your world, baby.”

  Jerrod snorted. “Does that line actually work on people?”

  She pulled away from me to face him. A slow grin bloomed on her lips as she reached out to run a fingertip down his bare chest. “Did it work on you?”

  His gaze heated as he looked down at her, but he said nothing. Stepping around the island, he snaked an arm around her waist, and he spun her back to the cold stainless steel refrigerator. She gasped, arching against him. I knew what that look in his eye meant, he was going to…yes. His lips moved over hers, slow and hot. He bracketed her jaw with his fingers.

  Desire twisted through me. I expected to feel jealous, seeing my man with someone else, but I just…didn’t. It was like a missing piece had slid into place for me. A hole I didn’t even know was there had been filled. And watching them—God, it turned me on.

  Palming her breasts, he flicked his fingers over her hard nipples. She moaned into his mouth. Heat explo
ded through me, and I leaned a hand against the island to stay upright. Kissing his way down her body, he knelt before her. He glanced at me, a small grin on his lips. Tipping his head with a wink, he invited me to join them.

  Hooking her knee over his shoulder, he shoved her skirt up and out of the way. Her fingers fisted in his hair. Licking the smooth flesh of her thigh, he opened his mouth on the corded muscles. His gaze met mine, the irises turning a pale, icy blue. Then he bit down.

  “Jerrod!” Lena screamed, her body arching as she came. I leaned forward to catch the sound in my mouth.

  I thrust my tongue between her lips, joining our mouths. Her kiss was frenzied, desperate. Tangling my hand in her hair, I held her still while I stroked the fingers of my other hand over the mate bite on her neck. She quivered, whimpering against my lips.

  Her fingers fumbled with the front of my shirt before slipping down to thrust between my legs. Now it was my turn to moan as she worked her fingertips over my swollen clit through my panties. I caressed her bite mark in time with her strokes. Her hips bucked as Jerrod licked between her thighs.

  Oh God. My panties were soaked. Her fingers were touching me just right. She froze, shuddering as she came. Her back arched as I raked my nails across her mate mark. She went limp, collapsing into Jerrod’s arms. I sighed, squeezing my thighs together to try and suppress the unrequited lust that still burned there.

  Jerrod rose to his feet, licking his lips and grinning down at Lena. His arms encircled both of us, and a moment of sweet silence surrounded us. I relaxed, resting my cheek against his chest. My gaze met Lena’s and we shared a smile.

  I glanced up and laughed.

  His eyebrow arched. “What?”

  Reaching up, I snagged his bowtie and untied it. “Happy anniversary, lover.”

  Using the sides of the bowtie, I pulled him down for a long kiss. I could taste Lena on his lips and I moaned. God, the mingled flavor of them was sweet on my tongue. His soft hair prickled against my palm when I slid my hands into the short black strands.

  Lena lifted one of my hands away from him and brought it to her lips. Her tongue licked the mated mark on my wrist. I moaned, arching hard against Jerrod. Liquid heat flooded my pussy. Wrapping my leg around his, my hips molded to his. His hands cupped my backside, lifting me into his thrusts. The cloth of his slacks felt rough against my thighs. I threw my head back, my breath bellowing out of starved lungs.

  “Please. Please. Please.” I don’t know which one of them I was begging, but I wanted…I needed…please.

  My body twisted under the dual lashes of pleasure. I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t. My back bowed hard as I came. I squeezed my eyes shut and tears leaked down my cheeks.

  Lena drew me away from him and over to the island, running her hands under my top to ease it over my head. I wasn’t wearing a bra, so my breasts were now bare. They beaded tight under her gaze. She jerked her top off and dropped it to the floor. Her breasts were gorgeous. I wanted to suck the dark tips into my mouth. I stepped forward, and she wrapped her arms around me, her hands stroking down my back. I moaned as our naked skin made contact. She reached behind me to unzip my skirt, and I did the same for her. Shifting her torso, she rubbed our breasts together, and building excitement flashed through me at the friction.

  Using her werewolf strength, she pushed me away and lifted me onto the icy marble surface. My breath hissed out in surprise at the contrast against my overheating skin. Hooking a finger in Jerrod’s belt loop, she pulled him to us. Looking into his eyes, she rubbed his straining erection. He groaned as she freed his cock from his pants, pumping him between her fingers. Shoving his slacks down, he kicked them and his shoes aside to stand naked before me. God, he was a beautiful man.

  Lena stepped back and pushed him toward me. “Fuck her.”

  “What?” My eyebrows rose.

  Grinning, she ran a finger over Jerrod’s shoulders as she stepped around him. “It’s my turn to watch.”

  “You can’t see from back there.”

  “The view from here is just fine, thanks.” She laughed as her palms came around to stroke his nipples.

  He groaned, closing his big hands around my knees and spreading me wide. I leaned back on my hands for leverage as I lifted my hips. He thrust deep, and I moaned. God, he was huge. The fit was so tight and the angle was perfect as he moved in me. He ground his hips into mine, and I watched Lena’s hands stroke over his chest from behind. I clenched my inner muscles on his cock, milking him as he worked his shaft inside me. Pleasure burned in his gaze as he looked at me. I loved it, that we could do this to him, make it better for him. Every push of his cock shoved me closer to orgasm. We moved together faster and faster, harder and harder until I wanted to scream with it. I bit my lip to keep the sound back—only our harsh breathing could be heard. Hot pleasure washed through me, building in waves. Tingles shivered over my flesh. I was so close, so very close to the edge. One of his hands lifted to brush over the mate mark on my collarbone. It was enough. My thighs tensed as I came so hard that for a moment I saw starbursts.

  He bent over me to suck my nipples deep in his mouth, drawing out my pleasure. I could see Lena behind him. Her eyes flashed pale blue. She leaned forward and sank her teeth into his right shoulder. Satisfaction thrummed through me at the sight. The circle was complete. Each mated to the other. Bound. Now he would have twin marks—one on each shoulder. Lena’s and mine.

  He shuddered as he pumped into me, slamming hard. Lena ground his nipples between her fingers, licking both his mate bites until he groaned long and loud. His hips jerked in a hard, frantic rhythm until he froze, his heat flooding me as he came. He braced his hands on either side of my hips, head bowed as he sucked in great gulping breaths. The muscles in his arms shook.

  A satisfied smile tugged at his lips when he finally leveraged himself upright. “Well, girls, I think it’s past your bedtime.”

  Lena chuckled. “Don’t even think for a second I’m about to start calling you Big Daddy.”

  “Please. Don’t give him any ideas. It’s taken me five years of work to get him this nice.” I rolled my eyes at her as I slid off the island.

  She yawned. “Looks like I showed up at just the right time then.”

  Jerrod led us to the bedroom. We settled on the big bed, tangling together in a heap. Quiet filled the room as we held each other. It left me with time to think, and a stab of fear pierced me as Jerrod’s words ricocheted through my mind.

  Was he right? Would the werewolf pack leaders contest our unusual mating? We knew what we were to each other, but would others of our kind understand? Jerrod and I made our living on the business of werewolves. If we were officially Ostracized—I shuddered, closing my eyes. Oh God. We could lose everything we’d worked for. Eclipse would have to close, and that would be it.

  No.

  I refused to think that way. They had to accept. We would convince them…somehow. They couldn’t deny our instincts, no more than we could. It wouldn’t be easy, but time would only make our new bond stronger, deeper. Right?

  “I’m so glad I found you.” Lena’s husky whisper reached my ears. I didn’t know if she spoke to Jerrod or me. It didn’t matter.

  Jerrod licked the bite mark on my collarbone in a long, slow swipe, making me shiver. His hand stroked up and down my belly. “Me too. Stop worrying, Rach. This isn’t something you can solve tonight. We’ll make it through this.”

  “I’m glad we’re together. All of us.” I closed my eyes, knowing Jerrod was right. We couldn’t fix this tonight, couldn’t change how others would react to us. But we could strengthen our new bond as much as possible tonight. I grinned. Oh, yes. We could definitely do that. Starting right now.

  Chapter Four

  Pounding on the door woke me the next morning. I groaned and tried to roll over, but I was sandwiched between my mates, and I couldn’t move. The pounding continued. “I’m coming.”

  Fuck. Didn’t people know not to wake a bartender befo
re dusk? Jerrod had shifted into his wolf form sometime during the night, so a large timber wolf pressed up against one side of me. Lena lay on her belly, legs akimbo and half off the mattress. I shimmied the other way. Throwing my leg over Jerrod, I deliberately elbowed him in the side as I flopped out of bed. If I had to be awake, he damn well better be too. He snorted and rolled to his back, his paws dangling in the air. Jerking on a robe, I tightened the belt before I poked his muzzle. Hard. “Someone’s at the door. Get. Up.”

  He sighed and stretched, a sound similar to a hundred knuckles popping in rapid succession filling the room as he shifted into his human form. I shivered at the noise—as many times as I’d heard it, it still grossed me out. He groaned and rubbed a palm down his face. “Shit.”

  “Tell me about it.” Lena pushed herself up on her hands and knees. “Who the hell is banging on the door at dawn?”

  Rolling to his feet, Jerrod took a breath, his gaze sharpening to a killing edge. “Alain.”

  The head watchdog of the werewolf pack leaders. He had the air of a sleazy lawyer that sent chills down my spine every time he came into Eclipse for a drink. If he’d been sent by the pack leaders, then it was serious. Oh God. With a snap of their fingers, we could be Ostracized, persona non grata. In a word—screwed. No wolf in their right mind would come to Eclipse if we were thrown out of the pack, and no other magical creature was stupid enough to stick around someone the pack leaders might declare open war on at any moment. No matter how any of them felt about us personally, they had no interest in a family feud.

  We could lose everything. Have to flee and hope to hell another pack would take us. -A million scenarios bounced through my head, each uglier and more devastating than the last.

  “They’re here faster than I thought.” All the blood drained out of my face, and I swayed on my feet. A small part of me had hoped they’d never come.

  Through it all, the steady pounding on the door continued. I hadn’t had much hope that Alain would give up and go away, but that ceaseless knock killed it. My heart hammered in slow, sick dread while my stomach turned somersaults. Nausea built in the back of my throat, and I stared at my two mates for a long moment while they both threw on some clothes. What would the pack leaders do to us?