Then Sean gave a slow shake of his head and met Jamie’s gaze. “That didn’t go quite as we planned, did it?”
He re-assessed his grand plan. Iona was a strong swimmer. Correction, she was just plain strong. Ten minutes after waking, and the woman was cutting through the water like an Olympic swimmer. Very interesting. Very promising. Jamie smiled and let his anger wash away. “It went even better than I’d planned.” The Blood Queen…Iona…she’d definitely lived up to the stories that he’d heard.
Iona. Her name whispered through his mind. Beautiful. Seductive. A perfect name for his vampire. Before, he hadn’t been able to match that name with a face. Now he knew just what she looked like. It would be impossible to ever forget a woman like her.
He glanced down at the water once more. Then, because he knew where the vampire would go, Jamie turned away from the cliff. Iona thought she was safe. That she was still the paranormal bad-ass that others had to fear.
Once she got to town, she’d see that the rules of the game had changed. She wouldn’t be getting away from him.
Not now.
Not ever.
The bond he’d forged with her could never be broken. At least, not if the vampire wanted to keep living.
Chapter Two
As far as hunting prospects were concerned, the small coastal town of Shade, Oregon, wasn’t exactly ripe with possibilities. Two bars—both rundown as all hell and faded from time—blasted music into the night.
Just two.
When Iona turned up, Jamie knew she’d head to one of those bars. He just had to make sure he chose the right hunting spot in order to catch her.
The music kept playing. Some young band danced across the stage while girls in low-cut tops swayed in their seats. The alcohol was pouring, laughter floated in the air, and as the darkness deepened outside, not one of the humans there seemed to realize the danger that stalked them.
Humans. They could be so oblivious. Maybe that was why they still thought vampires and werewolves existed only in movies and nightmares.
Jamie tapped the counter and the bartender slid him another beer.
Not just in movies, kids. We’re right in front of you. He drained the beer in two gulps.
Now, to just find Iona…
Jamie put his back to the bar and propped his elbows on the countertop behind him. His gaze swept the crowd once more and…
She walked in.
Not still clad in her blood-stained gown, but wearing jeans that curled around her legs, high hells that clicked across the floor, and a tight, black t-shirt that pushed her br**sts forward and had three men scrambling eagerly toward her.
Hell.
Iona smiled, and Jamie saw that she was careful not to flash any fang. For the moment.
But then she took the hand of one of the fools who had rushed toward her, and she began to lead the guy back outside. Talk about your easy prey. Jamie was almost tempted to let the dumb kid die.
Almost. Stupidity shouldn’t be a crime punishable by death.
He tossed some cash down on the bar and stalked after his Blood Queen.
Bodies jostled into him as he made his way through the bar, but he just shoved those bodies the hell out of his way. In moments, he was outside and the bar’s main door slammed closed behind him. The scent of the ocean teased his nose as the wind blew lightly against him. Wind that carried not just the salt of the ocean, but the coppery odor of blood.
His claws wanted to break free. The beast inside roared, but Jamie yanked back on his wolf’s chain. Holding tight to his control, Jamie followed the scent of blood, rounded the building and saw—
The kid—some college-aged guy with sun-streaked blond hair—was pressed up against the side of the building. Iona had her hands on his chest. The jerk was moaning and her fangs were in his throat. Jamie’s teeth ground together as he rushed toward them.
But before he could grab Iona, she fell away from the guy and hit the ground, hard. Her body began to shake as she wiped her hand over her mouth. “Poi…son…”
The blond wasn’t moving. He lifted a hand to his throat and touched the faint wound on his neck. “Wh—”
Jamie lunged forward and grabbed the blond by the shoulder. “Get the hell out of here.”
The guy’s eyes widened, but, despite the fear Jamie could smell, the fellow shook his head and glanced over at Iona. “She’s hurt. I-I should help…”
The dumbass didn’t seem to get that Iona had just tried to eat him. And now he wanted to play Galahad. Figured. Hero complexes. Jamie sure didn’t suffer from them. “Get out of here, or I’ll just knock your ass out.” Jamie lifted his fist. One punch, and Galahad wouldn’t be waking up for hours.
Galahad swallowed. “I-I—”
Iona was back on her feet. “You burned me!” She yelled, then she leapt at her would-be-snack.
Jamie caught her before she could do any permanent damage to Galahad. “Go,” he bit off to the fool. “Now.”
Finally, Galahad left. Iona twisted and bucked in Jamie’s arms, and he was sure that she didn’t mean to turn him on. The woman seemed far too furious, but, damn, her curves were fine and when she kept rubbing that ass right over his groin…
His eyes squeezed closed. Fucking her hadn’t been part of his plan. This hard lust? No, not the plan. He wasn’t supposed to want her so badly. Use her to hunt his enemy? Yes, that was definitely on his agenda. Wanting to strip her and explore that silken body for hours? No, not the plan.
His plans just kept changing.
But then she stopped struggling. Iona just seemed to go limp in his arms. Her head sagged forward.
Uh, oh. He wasn’t sure just what kind of damage the guy’s blood might have done to her. Jamie knew that he probably should have warned her about that little, ah, issue, but she’d run before he could break the news to her.
“Iona?” He turned her in his arms, moving her so that Iona’s chest pressed against his. Her eyes were closed. He bent over her, wondering what to do next.
Her eyes flew open. Too aware. Too…hungry. And rather pissed. In a flash, she’d bolted up and her teeth were on his throat. No, in his throat.
His breath hissed out, but it wasn’t pain that he felt. Her fangs sliced through the skin in an instant, and the only sensation he felt was a burst of pleasure so intense that his whole body shuddered. More of that. Oh, yeah. More.
She was drinking from him, and every soft move of her lips had his body tensing even more. Growing harder. His c**k was swollen, fully aroused, and hot pulses of pleasure lit his blood as her mouth worked on his neck.