Beastly Tenderness

Wouldn’t you like to know? she thought. “That’s a wicked smile.” He put his arms around her. “Are you getting ideas now I’ve got you in my den of iniquity?” Den. She liked his choice of words. “And what ideas would I be getting?” “Something like this.” His lips met hers, and his hand slid…

She sat up straight. “No, I’m not. I’m honored,” she answered seriously. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. He relaxed and the smile came back to his eyes. “See you tomorrow?” he asked. “Yeah.” Was she Aiden’s soul mate? Vivian wondered up in her room. Wouldn’t she know if she were? Maybe if she…

“Ahwooooooo!” he yanked at her wrist with both hands. “Ah, come on. You love it,” she said, gripping tighter. “Lemme go!” Esmé called from the living room. “What’s going on?” Vivian glanced toward the door. She was startled to see Gabriel standing there. His eyes sparkled with laughter and his teeth gleamed white. Vivian released…

“Hey, I’ve got to take a leak,” said Aiden. “I better go now, before the fireworks start.” He stood up after kissing her cheek. “So what do you think of The Purge?” Jem asked her. “Bunch of whiners,” she answered. “They should be drowned to put them out of their misery.” One of the gigglers…

I adore the sweet change and the beauty it brings me in the night. When I hunt, I hunt wild prey by the laws of the Goddess. I don’t kill pets for the fun of it. A machine-gun rattle above made her look up to see shooting stars between the leaves. A warbling whistle came…

Aiden’s parents were polite enough, but she didn’t feel as if she was being welcomed as part of the family or anything; she was more of a curiosity. She felt vaguely worried. Would they change Aiden’s mind about her? The meal was served with small talk at the picnic table. Aiden took every chance he…

Rafe stuck his face in hers. “You broke up with me because of the girl I killed to get Axel out of jail,” he said. “But I bet if you got a sniff of human blood you’d get your muzzle wet.” She jerked away. When the Goddess, the Lady Moon, gave wolf-kind the gift to…

I wish I was changing clothes to go to that party, she thought, and threw her brush down. Red dappled the sky, fireflies flickered outside her window-little wantons looking for a night of love-and the voices of the dusk grew loud. The fine hairs on Vivian’s back rose, eager for the change. Wait a while,…

“Hey, silly, you’re supposed to sip,” he said. “I don’t want you doing something you’ll regret later.” His eyes suggested otherwise. Her lips raised into what she hoped was a smile; then she turned away swiftly. How were her teeth? He moved closer and put an arm around her. “You pick a funny time to…

“Yeah, great, some chance. It’s a male’s world, isn’t it? A female may be queen bitch but she doesn’t get to choose her king.” “You loved Ivan, didn’t you, Sis?” Rudy asked. “You didn’t beat the crap out of every new girl who came along with a challenge just for the status.” Vivian watched her…