Page 33 of Unhallowed Murder
Years of her father raping her, coming to her at night, forcing her into silence. Tired of his human wife, he wantedto fuck a tiger, and when his daughter started growing curves, he’d wanted her, so he’d taken her. Eight fucking years old, and he’d promised it was okay because she couldn’t get pregnant since she hadn’t started her period yet, but he’d guilted her into keeping the secret and not telling her mother or friends.
But he’d misjudged when her period would come — and thus, when her tiger would first emerge. At twelve, with her inner tigress so close, she screamed and cursed at him for the first time, which had brought her mother to see what was the matter, and he’d killed his wife to keep her from calling nine-one-one.
And it was at that moment little Veronica’s tiger had chosen to come out in physical form for the first time, and she’d killed her father. It’d been tiger against tiger, and the little one had eaten his heart. Her tiger had been born of blood, and yet she was a police officer, fighting for human justice, for human laws.
“I should leave.”
She was still in his arms, still naked, but stiff as a board.
“Not an option. You will let me hold you because I need your warmth, and because you need my arms around you. We need each other right now. If you insist on leaving, I will call the Amakhosi and tell him to come get you because you can’t be alone right now.”
Josef remembered the incident from years before — someone had brought Abbott into it for damage control, and he’d contacted Nathan. This was why the little tigress and theAmakhosi were so close. Nathan had likely taken her in for a few nights while he found a feline family capable of handling her until she was grown. In all likelihood, Nathan had taught her how to control her inner tigress, and not Martin. Certainly not her father.
“You wouldn’t!” She sighed and shook her head. “Look — we fucked, it’s over.”
“You don’t believe that. Besides, don’t you want to ride with me later, be there when I fuck with your prisoner’s head?”
“You don’t play fair.”
“I’m not playing, but you’re correct that I’ll do whatever is necessary to stop a catastrophe, and you walking out my door right now would devastate me, and, I believe, you. You’ve put the shield back up so I don’t know for certain, of course.”
“You’re…”
Josef slid a single finger inside her, and her eyes rolled back in her head, her heartbeat stuttered, and her scent…damn, her scent might very well do him in.
Chapter Seventeen
This time, Josef’sBellulacame out of the shower in jeans, a thin sweater, and a sexy female version of modern-day army combat boots. Vampires have total control of every part of their body — even whether their heart beats or not — and yet his dick began to fill without him aiming extra blood flow to the area. He diverted the flow away with a tiny shake of his head. This woman spoke to him as no female had in centuries.No, farther back. Much farther back.
She was a strong warrior woman who wasn’t afraid ofbeinga woman. The warrior men she commanded respected her for it, as they might not have respected a woman trying to act like a man. He’d need to think on this, but not now.
Josef wore black fatigues and a black microfiber performance t-shirt. Abbott’s second-in-command eschewed all modern fabrics, but Josef saw their purpose and appreciated them as a tool. Wars had been won and lost based on who had the most functional attire for the weather and terrain, and he would always think like a general.
He pulled his little tiger into his arms, and she curled contentedly into them as if they’d done it a thousand times. So comfortable, for such a new relationship.
“Thank you, for showing me. For letting me in. I know it wasn’t easy.” It occurred to him he hadn’t let her know he was glad she’d shared it with him, and not dismayed.
She shook her head, her cheek scraping against his chest. “It’s my past, not my present. Nathan warned me you wouldn’t let me stay in control. I knew what I was getting into, but you had it right — I’m not a coward. I like you, and turning away because I was afraid wasn’t an option.”
He leaned back, touched under her chin, caressed the bruised cheek. “You’ve never had an orgasm?”
“I’ve had plenty of them, but I gave them to myself with either a toy or a man’s cock. No one’s evergivenme an orgasm. It was hard, and it might be hard for a few more times, but it’ll get easier.” Her gaze met his, unwavering, resolute. Brave. She telepathed,You touched me in places no one has.
Josef felt a little like that ridiculous Christmas show, where the monster’s heart grows three sizes larger. He pulled her to him and closed his eyes while raw emotionscraped him in places he’d forgotten could be vulnerable, deep, deep inside.
“Right back atcha, Lieutenant. I’m raw inside, and you’ve done it. My heart is yours, please don’t break it.”
She chuckled. “I’m raw inside, too.Damn, you can go forever.”
“I know you canchangeand heal, but I quite like knowing you feel me inside, even now.”
* * * *
Josef chose the Maserati Quattroporte, not to impress her, but to be assured of her comfort. Their conversation was casual as he drove. He asked of her favorite food, and what she didn’t like. She answered all his questions, and he wondered if she knew how long it’d been since he’d needed to ask these things. After some thought, it felt important to tell her.
“I haven’t had to ask someone what they like to eat in so long, I can’t remember when I last did so. I find I’m enjoying getting to know you this way. Anytime you want to give me more, I’m open to it, but I’m not complaining about learning of you by what you tell me. It’s a little like slowly unwrapping a present.”
“Maybe it’s time for me to ask some questions? What doyoulike to eat? Do you prefer male or female? Wolf, human? Something else? Does the food they eat flavor their blood?”
