Haulcon's Revenge Read online

  “I feel a bit foolish now.” A chuckle slipped from her mouth, a little broken and unsure.

  “Don’t. Now that you are better you should head back to the city.”

  “You’re right.” She rose to her feet, strong and steady, not like the quivering mess she was when she came looking for him.

  A wolf howled and the sound was echoed by several others. His throat itched to return the call. The wolves would know he was something different, something more, but when his people were in wolf-form the canines accepted them; allowed them to run with them in the night if they chose.

  She glanced left then right. “I’m a little turned around. I wasn’t quite paying attention…more like my body was just dragging me around.” She ran one hand up the opposite arm.

  Unsure or chilly, he didn’t know. He wanted to just point her in the right direction and say, ‘head that way’. But, somehow he knew that if he did that, they would still end up with her tracking him down.

  He exhaled loudly, making sure she understood that helping her was an inconvenience to him. There was the pressing matter of reclaiming his clan and avenging himself that he needed to attend to. “Where did you park?”

  “The rest stop beside White Shadow Bluff.”

  The place was well known to even his clan. The thickness of the trees in that area provided a great feeding ground for them. Hikers were always meandering off into the woods there. That area allowed morning fog to settle practically until mid-day before it cleared, keeping it shadowed. Perfect for valfs.

  They understood why humans loved that spot. When the fog lifted it revealed a breathtaking view. The mountains and valleys of the forest were showcased with a sparkling flowing river. A waterfall was not too far from that point which added to the heavy morning mist.

  “You shouldn’t park there in the future. If you can take the longer walk, park at the base of the river closer to town and hike up. Keep to the riverside,” he advised. With her delightful blood, his people would hunt her down if they got a taste.

  Even now, his fangs were dancing in his gums—lowering and retracting. He wanted another taste of her. There was another feeling in his body that let him know, it wasn’t just her blood her desired, but her body as well. The latter thought he shoved aside.

  “I would spend most of my day walking. I’m a wildlife photographer and more animals are higher on the mountain and moving in their natural habitat. Better shoots.”

  That bit of knowledge gave him pause. “You’re a photographer?”

  Her eyes lit up and a smile graced her lips. “Yes. I’ve done if for years and love it.”

  “And you shoot wild animals?”

  “I do-o.” The smile on her mouth was lowering some as if she picked up on something in his tone.

  “I’ll escort you back to your car.” He stood, assuming his full height.

  She quickly looked away. “Wow, you are clothing optional. What happened to the shorts I gave you?”

  “They don’t remain when I shift.”

  “Well, I don’t know how comfortable I am with traveling the woods with a naked man.”

  “No worries. My wolf will lead you.” There was an urgency in his gut to get this woman as far away from his clan as possible. Even though they weren’t really close to their location, still at times his people traveled out this distance if they desired a run at night.

  He didn’t know anything about this woman, but if she was a photographer he was sure she was just like all the others who had been snooping around and getting too close to his people trying to catch them on camera. Publicity for them only drew more danger. Valf hunters, human females that believed the falsehoods from television that they could mate with them and even worse those that were somehow capturing and killing them. Yes, this woman—Adair—had to go.

  “Oh, okay.”

  “Follow me.” Without further comment, he shifted and took on his wolf form once again.

  ~YH~

  Adair was breathing heavy. The stunning white wolf with pale green eyes that was leading her through the forest was practically in a full sprint. If she slowed down for a moment she was afraid she would lose him. The only thing she could be grateful for was the fact that she worked out a few times a week and did lots of hiking, even though the thick curves of her body didn’t show it, that was the only way she was keeping up. She wasn’t sure why Haulcon appeared to want to get rid of her so fast. That was the only thought that came to her mind as they rushed around large trees, big bushes and up and down ravines. There were no paths the way he was taking her. Being a wild animal photographer she understood that animals didn’t move straight patterns like people.

  However, because he was taking her through non-tread terrain in the dark she sent up a quick prayer she wouldn’t twist an ankle. The way he seemed to want her gone, he may just leave her out there to fend for herself.

  Also because of her profession she couldn’t help admire his wolf. Most wolves in America were brown or gray. Even in the zoo it was rare to see a white wolf. The only time she’d seen such majestic creatures was when she had taken an unpaid internship in college. Room and board was what they offered her as she got to work alongside ecologists in Northern Alaska. She’d only taken the job, and practically froze her ass off, because she pulled a genealogy study on her mother’s side of the family. She didn’t know much about that side of her family. A saliva swipe to a DNA research lab had sent back a report that a large part of her genetics from her mother came from Central Alaskan Yupta people.

  That had shocked her, because there wasn’t much about her that resembled an Eskimo, besides her round face and distinct cheekbones, but she always chalked that up to her father’s latent Indian genes. The internship hadn’t given her any more knowledge about her mother’s family except that someone had married an outsider and left to the lower part of North America. It was so far back, that she’d lost count of how many great, great, great-grandmothers it was from her birth. The only good thing that had come out of the trip was that the majestic wild animals she’d seen in their natural habitat had given her a career path. When she returned to school she’d changed her major from liberal arts to journalism with an emphasis in photography.

  Finally, Haulcon stopped and shifted. Standing before her again naked, he said, “Here you go. Just follow the path around the bluff and you should be able to locate your car.”

  “Thank you.” She placed a hand on her chest. “Where am I exactly?”

  “Keep to the side of this cliff. In a quarter mile it will bring you around to the rest stop. We are on the back side of it.”

  Things appeared so much different in the dark. She was happy she had her flashlight. “Thanks. I appreciate you getting me back here.” She knew she needed to go. Get back down the mountain to the city to safety. Not that she thought Haulcon would do her harm…well not with physical violence, but a bereft feeling was shadowing her heart at the thought of leaving him.

  He stared at her. His face blank of any emotions.

  He is probably happy to be rid of me.

  Haulcon blinked then glanced away. Away from the way in which he had instructed her to go. When his gaze met hers again there was something hot and intense there.

  “You be safe, Adair, when you come into these mountains with your camera. You never know what you may see.”

  She gave him a small smile at the dark humor of his words. “True.” Aiming her flashlight toward her assigned path, she turned and headed that way. No need for her to linger any longer. Even with her heart racing and her gut clenching again, she pressed forward. There was no way she was giving in this time. She’d fight against any pull.

  She focused on the sounds of the owls hooting in the trees and the rustle of small wildlife scurrying. Most likely because they could sense a wolf in the area and they were running for cover.

  Twenty steps away, she was proud over herself. She hadn’t turned around to see if he’d already taken off to his revenge goal or if
he still stood there, watching her with those intense knowing eyes.

  “Adair, wait.”

  Stopping at the rough groan of her name, she turned expectantly. What she didn’t expect was Haulcon to be directly behind her. She hadn’t heard him at all. Stumbling some with shock, she questioned, “Yes?”

  Reaching out, his hand hovered for a moment between them then he lightly brushed the tips of his fingers down the side of her face. The whispered touch caused a fiery trail along her skin.

  “May I?” Those strong fingers continued a path over the sensitive skin of the side of her neck, playing along the tendon.

  She knew what he was asking. What he desired her to surrender. Without responding she tilted her head to the side, offering the sustenance he wanted, needed. Unlike the first time that he just took it from her, allowing her no moment to deny him, she had the authority. If she chose, she could deny him permission to feed from her and walk away.

  However, in some ways she needed this connection possibly more than he did. The last touch, the last good-bye.

  Like a seducer who needed to beguile his conquest, Haulcon met her gaze as he continued to stroke her neck. Those clear eyes began to darken as he stepped closer, allowing her to feel the heat of his body. His burned so much hotter than hers.

  The heavy panting of his breath tickled the skin of her neck.

  “Please,” her voice quivered. A hunger inside of her grew as if she were the one who needed to feed. It made no sense because he would be taking from her. For a moment she did question her own sanity. The last time he drank from her she’d fainted. Would it happen again? This time would he leave her passed out on the side of the cliff to fend for herself. Unlike before, it was evening time and he didn’t need to hide himself from the light or heal.

  Swallowing, she started to step back, ready to change her mind.

  An arm was behind her back, keeping her in place before she could move.

  “Haulc—”

  “Just a little this time. It will be alright, Adair.”

  The low, rough texture of his voice gave her images of his cock sliding inside of her slow and steady. How was it possible she felt as if he were making love to her with a word? Her sex clenched and wept, wanting the true action of the image.

  Lowering his head, he grazed her throat with the tip of his nose. She felt his chest expand as he inhaled.

  She gripped his shoulders in preparation of what was to come.

  A rumbled groan came from him before the short piercing burn on the side of her neck.

  Her clit twitched in response. Then she was lost as she became a whimpering mass of desire as he drew her skin tightly to his mouth. She gyrated her hips against him, feeling the impression of his rising hard cock. A sexual thirst infused her blood, heating it like never before and all she could think about was being fucked by Haulcon. She wanted him to lay her spread-eagle as she’d found him in the forest and take her deep and hard until every bird and animal fled from her screams of ecstasy.

  One of his hands was fisted in her hair causing a burning to her scalp, but she didn’t care. When he palmed her ass with his free hand and brought her flush to him, she sighed.

  As he drank, he ground his cock at the crotch of her hiking shorts and pressed his length firmly to her clit.

  Needing more contact, she lifted one leg. She pressed her knee high along his side and hooked her leg around the back of his thigh.

  He squeezed her ass tighter as he removed his fangs and slid his tongue along the sensitive flesh of her neck.

  That was her undoing. She came, violently and loudly. Her body shook against his and the stars in the night sky blurred in her vision as she tossed her head back and embraced her release.

  “Fuck.” A loud growl rent the air. The she found herself on the ground, crushing leaves and being poked by twigs as her leather belt was ripped apart and her shorts unfastened in a flash and removed from her.

  The smell of earth and cinnamon surrounded her as Haulcon parted her legs wide and entered her. One strong, clean thrust and he was buried inside her.

  Her own wetness kept most of the pain at bay and made a slick entry for him. Although she may have kept herself from staring at his bare cock all day, evaluating it for length and shape, now she knew it more intimately. Her pussy was impaled deep and stretched wide. The fit of his shaft was so tight in her she could feel every one of his heartbeats and the pumping of her blood through his body.

  Just that one thrust and he was coming inside her. Bathing her walls with the heat of his release.

  She stared at his face, seeing it draw so tight she wondered if he would have howled at the moon if he was still in wolf form. She would have loved to capture his passion with her camera. Her lens would love him.

  His growl pierced the night.

  All fell silent around them as he lowered his gaze to her. His blackened stare met hers. He’d been holding most of his weight from her with his hands planted firmly in the soft forest bed beneath her. Now, he pressed her into the ground with his heaviness and kissed her.

  Caught off guard by the feel of his lips covering hers didn’t stop her from giving in, taking what he offered, what he could offer. His kiss was a sweet metallic. Proof that he’d consumed her blood moments before.

  Just like he had promised it had only been a small amount. As if he really hadn’t needed her to give his body sustenance. However, there was plenty of time to analyze that later.

  His tongue thrust into her mouth several times, dancing with hers as she greeted it and circled his. In a way he was making love to her mouth, as if apologizing for not doing the same to her sex. One long, deep, spine-tingling, toe-curling thrust was all she’d gotten.

  Ending the kiss, he pressed his forehead against hers for a moment.

  They both took in a few breaths, as their bodies were still joined intimately, knowing that this was it for them.

  When he leaned away from her, pale moss green eyes met hers. Then he moved away, off her and stood beside her with his hand out to her.

  She couldn’t keep herself from admiring his form in the arced light from her dropped flashlight. His cock was still hard and just a big as it had felt in her body. Had she taken the time to get a good look at it before he stripped off her shorts, she would have called a halt to it going any further. Hell, who was she trying to fool, she’d been so delirious with desire and her own climax she wouldn’t have cared.

  Taking his hand she let him grip her fingers then allowed him to pull her up.

  Feeling bare in body and soul, she gripped the hem of her shirt and pulled it down trying to cover her soft belly, wide hips, sex and thick thighs. “Um, where are my shorts and panties?”

  Completely uncomfortable now that the heat of desire was almost completely dissipated, she shifted her weight from one boot-covered foot to the other as she glanced around the area.

  Turning away, Haulcon stepped into the shadows then reappeared before her with her clothing in hand. His kind’s ability to move with such speed boggled her mind.

  Heat infused her cheeks. “Thanks.” Taking them she moved back for a bit of privacy and stepped into her underwear and shorts, still together. Evidence that Haulcon had removed them both at the same time.

  “You’re beautiful, Adair. You should not feel the need to hide yourself.” He stood with his arms crossed over his broad chest and stared pointedly at her.

  There was no doubt that he could see her clearly in the darkness and it had been silly of her to even attempt to have privacy. But, keeping her nude lower parts out of the harsh light made her feel a little more at ease.

  “I know, I have a pretty face, I’ve heard it since I was a teenager.”

  “Yes, your face is lovely, but your body robs a man of his thoughts.”

  Was he seeing the same body that human men saw? She didn’t think of herself as fat, but she was full-figured with curves that filled her size sixteen shorts to the max.

  “Human me
n are fools.” He commented, evidence of him still reading her thoughts. “Valf males need their woman able to handle loving and bearing of children. We are not slight beings.”

  He had that right. If she was five ten, he had to be a good six four with wide shoulders and muscle definition like a Clydesdale.

  Not wanting to debate the beauty or non-beauty of her curves any longer, she finished fastening her shorts and was thankful they were a little snug because her belt was ruined and of no use to her.

  Stepping closer to him, she grabbed her light and picked up the ripped leather and shoved it into her backpack before slipping the straps onto her shoulders. “I…um…hope you find the people responsible for hurting you and make them pay.”

  “It will be done. Remember to stay to the right of the trees and hug the cliff and you’ll be fine. Goodbye, Adair.” He moved backwards into the woods allowing them to consume him—remove him from her sight.

  This is where he fit. He was wild and free, a being of the night, while she belonged to the city.

  “Bye, Haulcon,” she called after him. By now he probably had shifted to his wolf and was headed home.

  That’s what she needed to do. Turning she took the path toward her car. She was thankful that the ache and gnawing emptiness inside of her that she experienced the other times they parted were not present. It made it easier to keep moving forward.

  She allowed her mind to only think about her job and her father. Concerning herself with any and everything, but Haulcon and her forest, insanity lust. That is how she would refer to it in the future.

  Ten minutes later when she rounded the cliff and stepped onto the asphalt rest stop she’d never felt more relief. The lot was bare except for her small jeep on the far side. Even the rest stop attendants were back in the city until the morning when all the tourist and hikers returned.