Dark Curse (Dark Wolf Series Book 2) Read online

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  Hadria stood alone in the kitchen watching Nick’s retreating back. She’d handled that badly, and didn’t know what she could do to fix it. She wished it wasn’t the middle of the night, then she could phone Samara and ask her what she should do. She knew what her heart wanted to do. It wanted to be up there with Nick, making love with him. The sex with him was better than anything she’d experienced in her life, and she’d lived a long time and had had good sex before.

  Her head was telling her that she had to be cautious, that Nick might betray her. She hadn’t listened to that voice in her head when she was with Alex and look what happened there. She was starting to realize that she hadn’t really committed herself to Alex, despite what she told herself at the time. A part of her had held back with him too. And now she was doing the same thing over again with Nick. Maybe the key to breaking the curse was giving herself wholly to the man she loved. And she did love Nick. Not as a friend, although he was the best friend she ever had, but as a man, as a lover.

  She walked up the stairs, listening to the steady rush of water from the shower. She pressed a hand to her stomach as she blew out a slow breath. She questioned the wisdom of what she was about to do. She could get badly hurt if she let this go on any further, but then again she didn’t think anything could hurt more than not having Nick in her life. She suspected for all his seemingly endless patience, Nick would reach his limit with her. He would give up on what he saw as a hopeless situation.

  She realized now how cruel she was being to him with her indecision. She’d given him her body and shortly after, acted like she didn’t trust him. The funny thing was, she trusted Nick more than she’d ever trusted anyone else.

  She walked through Nick’s bedroom, and stood outside his bathroom door. She drew her top over her head, clenching the fabric in her fist before dropping it to the floor. She didn’t know why she was so nervous. This was Nick, and she wanted him and needed him in a way that she was afraid to admit, even to herself. She pushed her jeans down her legs and stepped out of the puddle of fabric they made on the floor. Her panties followed. She stared at the door knob and reached out to grasp it, pulling the door open in one smooth movement. She walked into the bathroom. The air was thick with steam and the scent of the soap Nick favored. Swallowing hard, she drew open the glass door enclosing the shower.

  Nick’s head came around when he saw her standing there. She didn’t know what to say to him, so she stepped into the shower.

  “What are you doing?” Nick’s voice rumbled out of his chest, deep and raspy. She’d always loved the sound of his voice, and it never failed to send a shiver down her spine as it did now.

  “I’m sorry.” She didn’t know what else to say to him as she slid her hands up the wet skin of his chest. She pressed her open mouth against his warm slick skin, tasting the water running down his flesh. She heard his breath hiss in through his teeth before he put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her away.

  “Why are you doing this? I can’t take this hot and cold act you have going on. If you want me now, don’t push me away later. I can’t take it, not from you.”

  “I promise, I won’t push you away again. I got scared and I listened to my head instead of my heart.”

  “What is your heart telling you now?”

  “That I can trust you, and that I want you.”

  His fingers tightened into her flesh as he drew her flush against his hot body. She snaked her arms around his neck as his hands cupped her bottom, lifting her up against him. She wound her legs around his waist as she devoured his mouth. The water sprayed down on her body as he turned around to hold her under the shower head. It heated her skin, while the desire she felt for him heated her inside. She felt hotter for him than she had when she made love with him earlier. Whereas the time before had been a gentle coming together of two people just learning to be lovers, this time was different. It was a hotter, wilder, more passionate encounter of two people destined to be mates.

  He ripped his mouth away from her, and she could feel the straining of his muscles as he lifted her higher. He turned her again, bracing her against the wall of the shower as his open mouth skimmed down her throat, then her chest until he reached her nipple. She clenched her fingers in his wet hair as his mouth closed around her. She felt the steady draw of his mouth as he suckled her, and she cried out.

  “I want you now Nick. I can’t wait.” She didn’t know how she managed even to speak. She wanted him so badly that she was shaking.

  “I don’t have a condom,” he said through clenched teeth as he lowered her to the shower floor. She wanted to tell him to forget it, that she wanted him inside her and didn’t care if they were protected or not. She’d never taken such a foolish risk with anyone before and it cooled her down enough to be level headed about it. She didn’t know if Nick could even make her pregnant, since he was a werewolf and she wasn’t even human. Still it would be better not to take the risk.

  “Then let’s go where the condoms are.” She reached out and turned off the shower. Nick opened the glass door and drew her out. He wrapped her in a towel before clasping one loosely around his waist. She pulled him to her to bite his bottom lip, she couldn’t keep her hands from him long enough to get to the bedroom. He growled in response and picked her up, carrying her into the room and tossing her on the bed. He ripped the towel from his body, and she licked her lips when she saw the proud, heavy jut of his erection. Her eyes traveled up his body, until she looked into his face. His eyes were heavy lidded, and a feral smile stretched across his mouth. She pulled her own towel away, and watched as his eyes widened as she arched her body, running her hands down until she reached the moist flesh between her legs. A growl ripped from him as she caressed herself, and he lunged at her, flipping her over onto her stomach.

  She arched back against him as his body came down upon hers. The biting sting of his teeth as he nipped at her shoulders and neck drew a breathy moan out of her. His body was hard and hot against hers, and she didn’t think she could get enough of him. His hands slipped under her body, and her hips pressed and lifted against him in time with the steady rhythm of his kneading and squeezing her breasts.

  The chill of the room touched her when he lifted his body away to move toward the bedside drawer. She looked over at him, intending to roll over onto her back.

  “Stay on your stomach.” His voice growled out and she shivered at the command in his tone. He quickly took care of the protection, and in a matter of moments he was back with her, lifting her hips slightly with his hands. She could feel the blunt tip of his erection pressing at her entrance, and she tilted her hips up and he slipped inside.

  A groan tore from her throat as he filled her. She undulated beneath him as he withdrew and drove home again. The sheets felt cool against the hot skin of her palms as she clenched the fabric between her fingers.

  She shut her eyes as she felt her desire rise higher and higher. She didn’t want this to end, this pleasure that only he seemed to bring her.

  She felt him slip from her body and her eyes flew open. “Oh God, Nick. Don’t stop.”

  “I have no intention of stopping.” He flipped her over onto her back. “I want to see your face when you come.”

  She drew him down on top of her, her legs spread wide to accommodate his frame. He slid back inside her as his mouth found hers. The thrust of his tongue in her mouth matched the thrust of his cock inside her. Tension coiled and tightened in her muscles, pleasure and desire washed over her body. How could she have ever thought she could go on without his touch, without his body inside hers?

  He continued to thrust, slow and steady at first. She ran her hands down the bunching muscles of his back as he picked up his pace. Her body burned as she climbed higher and higher toward the orgasm building inside her. She called out his name as she hit her peak, her body spasming as wave after wave of pleasure consumed her. Distantly she heard him call her name as he joined her in the ultimate pleasure
, his sweat covered body collapsing against hers. She held him tight, not wanting to let him go, not wanting to lose the feeling of being as close to him as it was possible for two people to be.

  Long minutes passed as her heart rate slowed , and the sweat cooled on her body. His body shifted to the side, and he left the bed to dispose of the condom. She stared drowsily at the ceiling, hoping the doubts that had plagued her earlier had been laid to rest. She needed him in a way that she’d never needed anyone before. A smile danced across her lips when he settled back on the bed with her, drawing her close and pulling the covers over them both. Her eyes drifted shut, and the last thing she remembered before falling into sleep was the feel of his lips pressed against her temple.

  Chapter Seven

  Nick whistled as he walked into his office at Headquarters. He drew off his coat and tossed it onto the coat tree standing beside his door, pumping his fist when it stayed in place. Funny how the love of a good woman could change a man’s whole outlook.

  He settled behind his desk, and switched on his computer. A smile creased his face as he thought about waking up next to a warm and sated Hadria this morning. He’d been tempted to convince her stay in there with him, but duty called and they had both gone their separate ways into work.

  “Someone’s in a good mood this morning?”

  Nick looked up to see Lee standing in the doorway of his office. “It’s a beautiful day out there.”

  “It looks to me like it’s more than the weather that has you grinning like that.”

  “What can I say, I’m a happy man,” Nick said, not even trying to hide the grin that insisted on spreading across his face.

  “It must be true than.” Lee walked into Nick’s office, and settled into the chair on the other side of the desk.

  “What must be true?” Nick had a feeling he knew what Lee was talking about, but wanted to hear him ask it.

  “I heard that you and Hadria are more than just friends now, that your living with her?”

  “Actually, we aren’t living together. I was only staying with her until I was certain she was on the mend, but as her doctor I’m sure you know that she is feeling much better. As for her and I being more than just friends, I really don’t want to discuss it.” Nick did his best to take the smile off his face, but Lee gave him a knowing look.

  “Well, I’ll respect your privacy then. Let me just say that you getting together with Hadria would not be a bad thing. After all she went through with Alex, it would be nice if she finally found a good guy to be with.” Lee stood and walked back toward the office door, and turned to look at Nick. “It’s been quiet around here, which is a good thing. I’m heading out so I’ll see you when I come in for my shift later.”

  “See you Lee.”

  Nick opened his electronic appointment book to see what kind of day he had ahead of him. He and Lee weren’t only the emergency doctors here, they also acted as general practitioners and looked after the health of the members of the Order and the paranormal creatures in the community. His day was pretty light, but he was happy to see Samara was coming in for her prenatal check up today and that she had an ultrasound scheduled. Because she was now part werewolf, and werewolves more often than not had difficult pregnancies, he wanted to monitor her closely as her pregnancy progressed.

  He glanced at the rest of his appointments, frowning when he came to his brother Rowan’s name. Since he’d been released from the hospital, Rowan had been told to come in periodically so they could check to make certain there were no adverse side affects from the formula he’d been injected with. Nick also took that opportunity to talk to his brother, to try to see what was troubling him. So far, Rowan had been stoic and closemouthed about the whole thing, but Nick still held out hope that he would reach him eventually.

  The morning passed fairly quickly and Nick glanced up in surprise when Eric poked his head into the office. Nick grinned at his brother, his euphoric mood not dissipating at all. Eric gave him a puzzled look for a second before comprehension dawned and a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

  “You got laid.”

  “What makes you think that?” Nick asked as he tried to relax his face into a neutral expression. Although he’d never been shy about his brother knowing the details of his sex life before, this time he wanted to guard Hadria’s privacy. Plus, he didn’t really like his brother using the term laid in association with her. Last night meant more to him than just getting laid.

  “I know you Nick. I know that smile. You’re the only guy I know who grins like the village idiot the day after you get some. So was it with the one you’ve been pining for or was it someone different?” Eric lounged in the chair across from Nick’s desk. Nick frowned at him, hoping to discourage any further talk about what happened last night, but his brother didn’t take hints. Nick decided to be blunt.

  “I’m not discussing my sex life with you,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

  “It must have been Hadria then.”

  “Who said it was anybody? Can’t I just be in a good mood.”

  “I know you. You definitely engaged in some type of sexual activity, and now I know it was with Hadria. You have feelings for her, and you don’t want to get into locker room talk about her. It’s cool man. I feel the same way about Samara. Speaking of Samara, she’s in the waiting room and we have an appointment to see my baby, so if you’ve finished mooning over your woman, could we get on with it?”

  “I’m not mooning, but I’m eager to see my niece or nephew, so let’s go. I don’t think we’ll be able to tell the sex of the baby today, but when the time comes do you want to know?” Nick stood and walked around his desk. His brother fell in step beside him as they made their way out of Nick’s office.

  The grin slipped off Eric’s face as he walked down the corridor beside him. Nick looked over at him, wondering what had put a damper on his brother’s mood.

  “I think it would be a good idea, at least that way we can be prepared.”

  “Prepared for what?” Nick drew his brother to a stop and turned him to face him.

  “We’ll have to prepare ourselves if it’s a girl.” Eric’s lips tightened and he looked down at the floor. It finally dawned on Nick what his brother was worried about. Eight out of ten female werewolves were stillborn.

  “Listen Eric. Even if you are having a girl, it doesn’t mean that she’s going to die. She won’t be a pure blood wolf. She’ll have some of Samara’s demon blood in her, which will make her stronger, like her mother. Let’s not borrow trouble. Samara’s going to be carefully monitored through out this pregnancy, a lot more than a typical werewolf pregnancy. Have you talked about your fears with Samara?”

  “No. I don’t know if she’s aware of the stats with girl babies, and I didn’t want to tell her. She’s so happy to be having this baby that I wanted to protect her.”

  “Don’t say anything to her then, until we know what we’ll be dealing with. I’m not suggesting that we wait until the baby is born to tell her the risks, but she needs to be healthy and stress free, so if we need to talk to her about it we’ll be up front about the risks, but we won’t let them dominate our thoughts.”

  “Do you really think that even if we have a girl that she’ll survive?” Eric glanced over at him, with a look of hope. It was the same hope that Nick shared.

  “I honestly think so. It was Samara’s demon blood that helped her through the change, and I think it will give your baby the strength to survive. There are a lot of unknowns here, but like I said, I’ll monitor Samara closely.”

  Eric nodded, some of the tension leaching out of his body. Nick didn’t kid himself into thinking that all his brother’s fears had been laid to rest. He was like any other expectant father, who only wanted to have a healthy baby, but at least Nick hoped that he’d assured his brother enough that he wouldn’t spend the rest of the pregnancy a nervous wreck if it turned out that they were having a girl.

  They walked to the waiting
room, where Samara was waiting patiently. She stood, smiled at Nick as she walked over to his brother and slid her arm around his waist.

  “So are we going to get to see the baby today?”

  “Yep. I’ll do some blood work, check your blood pressure, and we’ll set up the ultrasound and see the baby.”

  Nick led them to the examination room and Eric helped Samara up on the exam table. Nick took her blood pressure, which he was glad to see was normal. His next step was to take some blood. He set up Samara and quickly drew two vials of blood, trying to be as gentle with her as possible.

  “Why are you taking blood? Do you think something is wrong?” Eric turned to him, a scowl slowly forming between his eyebrows. Nick sighed. He knew his brother wanted to be involved in every step of this pregnancy, but he could be a pain in the ass when he was worried.

  “I want to keep a close eye on Samara’s blood levels. She is a rather unique individual, and I haven’t had to deal with the pregnancy of a demon-wolf hybrid before, so I’m keeping a close watch on her cell counts. It’s just a precaution Eric. So far everything has been normal and I have no reason to think that it won’t be.”

  Nick looked over at Samara, who smiled at him before reaching up to smooth her index finger between Eric’s eyebrows. “Honey, we talked about this. I’m not going to let you be in the room with me if you’re going to scowl all the time. Nick knows what he’s doing. He just wants to make sure that baby and me are healthy. Would you rather he erred on the side of caution and made sure everything was fine, or do you wish he was more cavalier about this so you won’t worry?”

  Eric sighed and leaned forward to press his lips against Samara’s forehead. “You’re right. Sorry Nick. I don’t mean to question you about this, but I just want everything to be okay.”

  “Everything will be okay, Eric. Now do you want to see your baby?” Nick opened the door as one of the nurses, a female werewolf named Rachel Elliot, wheeled in the portable ultrasound equipment.