Legacy: Alexandra's Legacy Part 9

"It's weird to hear you call him that."

"That's the only name I ever heard him called until recently. He's practically a legend where I come from."

"Really?" It was strange to think of her father as anything but, well, her father. "Tell me about him."

He hesitated. "I'm not sure how much he wants you to know, but I guess it's moot now. You'll hear all the stories when we get back to Wolf Creek. You almost done?"

She'd eaten three slices while they'd talked. Joshua had almost finished plowing his way through the rest of the large pizza. She was pleasantly full. "Yes, thanks. Help yourself." Taking her at her word, he pulled the box over in front of him and started on the two remaining pieces.

"Why don't you brush your teeth and crawl into bed. That way it doesn't matter if you fall asleep while we're talking."

Made sense to her. "Okay." She grabbed the toothbrushes, toothpaste, comb and lotion as she stood. Only when she was on her feet did she realize that with both hands full, she couldn't tug down the hem of her shirt. Joshua seemed occupied with eating so she made her way to the bathroom as nonchalantly as she could, while pretending it was no big deal that he could probably see the bottom curves of the cheeks of her a.s.s as she went.

When she pushed the bathroom door closed behind her, she leaned back against it and groaned. A quick glance in the mirror told her that her face was indeed as red as it felt. Dumping the stuff in her hands on the edge of the sink, she buried her face in her hands and groaned again.

Yes, Joshua had already seen most of her body, and yes she wanted him, but this was all still very new to her. She was twenty-two years old, but he was the first man to ever see her naked. And that had happened when she was already in the grip of pa.s.sion, which was much different than walking across a motel room floor with nothing underneath her shirt while he was casually eating pizza.

She'd better get used to it if she was going to try to seduce him over the next few days. She knew he wanted her, but he wouldn't take her because of his honor. While she respected that, she wasn't about to let the next few days slip by without trying to solidify some kind of relationship.

It would be easy for him to walk away from her when they reached Wolf Creek. That thought made her stomach lurch with panic. She wanted to make sure that didn't happen. It would be much harder for him to do so if they'd established some kind of physical and emotional bond.

"Okay," she muttered. "Get a grip on yourself." Scrubbing her hands over her cheeks, she raised her head. At least Joshua hadn't seemed to notice the fact that the shirt was just a tad too short to adequately cover everything.

She had to act like a mature woman who was used to having a man see her half-naked. No big deal. Her s.e.x spasmed, reminding her that it was a huge deal. Ignoring the growing ache between her thighs that never seemed to fully subside, she brushed her teeth, combed her hair and slathered some of the lotion Joshua had purchased for her over her pink nose and cheeks. She'd gotten a bit of sun on her face today as they'd tromped all over town.

When she finished, she used the bathroom and washed her hands. She was as ready as she'd ever be. Resting her hand on her stomach, she tried to calm the b.u.t.terflies beating within her. She was going to sleep with a man for the first time in her life. Granted, all they'd probably do was sleep, but still. His large body would be lying next to her and that bed wasn't all that big. They'd be bound to touch one another at some point. At least they would if she had anything to say about it.

Joshua dropped the piece of pizza in his hands back into the box the moment the bathroom door shut behind Alex. He was a dead man. Watching her walk across the room clad in nothing but the T-shirt and a pair of socks had been torture. His gaze had followed her every step of the way. The seductive sway of her hips, the enticing nape of her neck and the tantalizing glimpse of the milky white globes of her a.s.s had all but made him swallow his tongue. His c.o.c.k was harder than a steel spike.

His skin itched as the wolf within him fought to emerge. The animal part of himself wanted to claim her now, didn't want to leave anything to chance or to give her the opportunity to choose from the other single males of the pack. His brother's words echoed in his brain.

Take her.

Growling, he grabbed the pizza box and the empty bottles and stuffed them in the garbage can that sat beside the ancient television. When the remains of their meal were cleared away, he began to stalk back and forth across the room, trying to tame his raging hormones.

Alex was everything he'd ever hoped for in a mate. She was strong and independent, but her strength was tempered with gentleness, a kindness of spirit. She didn't know that he'd watched her walk to work this morning, seen her give her coffee to the aging prost.i.tute who'd she'd stopped to chat with. Watching her with her father had told him even more about her. Alex was loyal. When she was committed to someone there was no half-measure. It was all or nothing.

He wanted that loyalty, strength and gentle spirit as his own.

If he were home, he'd change into his wolf and race through the night, allowing the animal part of himself full rein. The smell of the night air, the thrill of charging headlong into the dark would calm him. But he couldn't do that here in the city. The air was filled with the stench of man and all that went along with city life. Plus, there was no way he'd leave Alex unprotected.

The only other way to calm himself was with s.e.x. Hot, hard, grinding, sweaty s.e.x. The kind of s.e.x that lasted for hours, only ending when the two partic.i.p.ants were so exhausted they couldn't move and melted into sleep. The kind of s.e.x that had been missing in his life for a long, long time.

The last time he'd had that kind of a night had been almost twenty years ago with a widow from the pack who had made it clear from the start that their short-lived relationship was only about s.e.x. That had suited the young man he'd been then, but he wanted more than a few hours of mindless pa.s.sion now.

Since that time he'd had the occasional one-night stand with other widowed females from the pack or with a human female, but he'd stopped even that about five years ago. It was unsatisfying and left him with an even deeper yearning for something more. Not that he'd had time for anything deeper over the past decade, not since his father had been killed and he'd a.s.sumed the role of protector of the pack.

He wanted s.e.x, but he wasn't going to get any tonight, wouldn't allow himself to take it. Not from Alex. She was special. The only way he'd ever know for sure if she would have chosen him was if he gave her the opportunity. It would be too easy to take advantage of her at this moment when she was off balance and dependent on him. And that he would not do.

Call it honor. Call it pride. Joshua didn't care. He only knew that he already thought of Alex as his future mate and as such would do nothing that might bring her dishonor or shame.

But that didn't help his raging hard-on. Yanking his shirt out of his jeans, he let it hang down in front of the heavy bulge. It helped, but not much. As he paced, he began to take one deep breath after another. His brothers would all howl with laughter if they could see him now. They often accused him of having ice water running through his veins, but Alex made a joke out of his self-control. Around her, his blood ran hot and thick.

He stifled a groan and concentrated on his breathing. Yes, his brothers would never let him forget this if they ever found out. He had no intention of ever telling them.

The door to the bathroom opened and Alex stepped out, a tentative smile on her face. It slowly faded as she stared at him. He could well imagine what he looked like in her eyes. His hair was disheveled because he'd raked his fingers through it as he'd walked, his body was stiff and his face felt as if it had been chiseled from stone.

"Is everything all right?" She took a tentative step toward him.

"Everything is fine." He walked stiffly to the side of the bed and tugged back the covers. It was impossible to walk any other way with his d.i.c.k at attention and his b.a.l.l.s heavy and aching. "Get into bed."

He could see the question in her eyes, but thankfully she said nothing. As she slid beneath the covers, he caught a whiff of her arousal and a glimpse of her p.u.s.s.y. A picture of those slick, pink folds was forever burned into his brain. He licked his lips, wanting another taste of her sweet nectar.

She blushed as he tucked the sheet over her. Her gray eyes were soft and smoky. A man could easily fall into her seductive gaze and never find his way out again. Never want to.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. I need a quick shower."

"Of course." She picked at the top of the covers, her gaze darting away from his.

He caught her chin with his fingers and tipped her head up. "I won't bother if you're afraid to be alone."

"No! No," she replied more calmly the second time. "I'm fine. I should have thought of that and let you have the bathroom first. The water should be hot again by now." She closed her mouth abruptly as if aware she was starting to babble.

He was beginning to know her well and knew she only talked this fast when she was nervous. Joshua grabbed her knives and gun, which were still at the bottom of the bed. Laying the knives on the nightstand, he then handed her the gun. "Keep that with you and if you hear anything come and get me. I won't be long." Unable to resist, he dropped a quick kiss on her lips before disappearing into the bathroom, leaving Alex all warm and snug in the bed.

A cold shower sounded real good right about now.

Stripping off his clothes, he left them in a pile on the floor. It was only when he was naked and reaching out to turn on the taps that he noticed the cotton bra and panties. The fabric was practical but their pink color spoke of the woman who wore them. They were so like Alex, practical, yet with a softness she hid behind a layer of toughness. He doubted many people knew the true woman beneath the tough faade.

The bikini underwear looked ridiculously tiny as he lifted them off the rack and held them to his nose. Her scent was gone, replaced by the smell of soap. Sighing, he carefully draped the delicate fabric back over the rack to dry. He'd love to see her in lace or better yet in nothing at all, spread across his bed at home waiting for him.

Growling, he flicked on the taps, keeping the temperature low. Stepping beneath it, he allowed the spray to cool his heated flesh. He grabbed the bar of soap and began to scrub his body. When he was done, he soaped his hand and slid it over his c.o.c.k, wrapping his fingers around the hard length. It throbbed against his palm, demanding he do something to release the pressure.

There was no way he could sleep beside Alex all night unless he got some control over himself. If he didn't she was just as liable to wake up in the middle of the night with him buried deep inside her.

The way he'd been feeling since the moment he'd laid eyes on her, he knew this wouldn't take long. Closing his eyes, he began to pump his fist up and down his shaft. The sac between his legs was heavy and he gripped it with his other hand, ma.s.saging his b.a.l.l.s. The water beat down on his body as his hand moved quicker and quicker. Images of Alex filled his mind. He could see her standing against the sink in the bathroom of the restaurant this morning, her naked b.r.e.a.s.t.s swaying as she rolled her hips toward him.

His b.a.l.l.s pulled up snug against his body. He pumped his hand harder with each stroke.

He could feel the soft slickness of her p.u.s.s.y as he stroked his fingers over it. Remembered the way her inner muscles clasped his fingers, drawing them deeper. His c.o.c.k jerked in his hand. Yeah, he wanted to bury his c.o.c.k so deep inside her that she'd never ever forget him, would always want him.

He'd barely touched her when she'd come. G.o.d, she was gorgeous when she came. There had been no holding back. She'd given him everything. Every cry, every gasp had been music to his ears. The scent of her cream had been rich and thick. He wanted to taste it, to lap it from the soft, pink folds of her p.u.s.s.y, teasing her c.l.i.t with his tongue and his teeth until she came again. He wanted to make her come over and over until she was screaming at him to f.u.c.k her, begging him to fill her.

His harsh breathing filled the room. He kept pumping his hand as his b.a.l.l.s pulled up tighter against his body. s.e.m.e.n sprayed from the tip, some of the whitish fluid covered his belly, while the rest of it was washed down the drain. Releasing his grip on himself, he leaned against the shower walls and lowered his head, spent. The cold water rained down on him as he gasped for breath.

When Joshua recovered, he raised his head and pushed away from the wall. Grabbing the soap, he lathered his belly and his relaxed p.e.n.i.s, making sure he was clean before he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower.

He dried off and hauled back on his jeans, as well as his socks and boots. There was no way he'd do more than catch a quick nap or two tonight. He had to be on guard and ready for anything. He did leave off his T-shirt, tossing it over his shoulder as he left the clammy bathroom.

Alex was curled on her side with one hand tucked under her head, the other wrapped around the gun. Her silky brown lashes were resting against her cheeks and her mouth was parted ever so slightly as she emitted a soft snoring noise. He smiled, imagining that she'd deny the fact she snored. And it wasn't really snoring. More of a soft whistle. It was actually very cute.

Tossing his shirt over the back of one of the chairs, he stood and stared at her for the longest time. In less than a day, this woman meant everything to him. How the h.e.l.l had that happened?

He had no answer. He only knew deep in his gut that she belonged to him. They belonged together. Reaching down, he carefully removed the gun from her grasp and placed it within easy reach on the bedside table. She made a snuffling noise, but she didn't wake.

Turning off the light, he eased down on the bed beside her and gathered her into his arms. She came easily, settling against his chest as if she'd been doing it for years. He sifted his fingers through her short hair. It was soft and silky, clinging to his fingers as he continued to stroke her.

Contentment filled him. He took a deep breath and felt his entire body relax. Even the wolf within him was content. All it took was this particular woman lying in his arms. There was no doubt in his mind that she was his, and he'd move heaven and earth itself in order to claim her.

Chapter Eleven.

James leaned back against the outside wall of the roof of the apartment building where he was currently situated. He glanced down the fire escape that led from the roof to the first floor, making sure it was still clear. The brick was hard and warm against his back even though the sun had gone down a while ago. He'd been hunkered down here most of the day. Watching. Waiting.

After he'd eaten breakfast at the diner this morning, he'd made his way back home using a roundabout route. Making sure no one had seen him, he'd gone into the rundown apartment building across from the garage and climbed up to the rooftop. Avoiding broken gla.s.s and some abandoned patio chairs, he'd settled in. Then the long day of surveillance had begun.

As he'd suspected, there had been a few werewolves dispatched to keep an eye on the garage just in case he or Alex returned. They had all been in human form, but James knew them for what they were. It was in the way they watched and waited, patient and cunning. There had been some comings and goings throughout the day as various customers dropped by and left again with perplexed expressions on their faces. It was obvious something had happened, but it was a testament to the kind of neighborhood it was that n.o.body called the cops.

He'd been sitting here for almost twelve hours now and all but one of the watchers had gone. They'd left one behind skulking in the alleyway just beside the garage. James would have to take care of him first.

One slow inch at a time, he rose to his feet. Even though he'd been in one position for hours, there was no hesitation. All his concentration was on the task ahead. He had to dispose of the bodies from this morning's fight, lock down the garage and head out of the city.

If all went according to plan, in less than twenty-four hours he'd be in Wolf Creek with Alex.

He swallowed hard as he eased the door to the roof open just enough to slide through, closing it gently behind him. Loping down the stairs, he tried not to think of his daughter. She was the light of his life and her safety was in the hands of another man. He didn't like it, but he knew it was necessary. It was also time. He'd had Alex to himself for twenty-two years. It was time for her to spread her wings, find a mate and start a family of her own. Things would be different from now on regardless of what he wanted.

He moved silently down the stairs and out the back door of the building. He knew this neighborhood like the back of his hand, had prowled it for years. That gave him a distinct advantage over his pursuers. The sky was clear, the moon visible. It wasn't full, not yet, but it was close. It hung in the sky like a beautiful yellow orb, beckoning to him, calling him to run wild and free. Soon, he promised himself. As soon as this was over he'd run long and hard.

The smell of the alley a.s.saulted his nostrils as he stalked toward his prey. After all these years, he still hated the scent of garbage and human waste that seemed to permeate the city. It was also the reason he'd settled in this area. All these noxious odors buried his own distinct scent, throwing off any who came searching for him. And there had been a few over the years. This was the first time anyone had ever been successful though.

His boots made no sound on the loose gravel as he moved quickly and silently. He kept to the shadows, the action as natural to him as breathing. Narrowing his eyes, he sighted the young wolf peering out onto the street at the far end of the alley. He was one of the men who'd attacked them this morning.

Like a wraith, he covered the distance between them. His thick, muscled forearm went around the younger man's neck and he gave a quick, hard twist. The crack sounded unusually loud in the hush of the alley. The man was dead before his mind even had a chance to register he was in trouble. He went limp and James caught him easily, dragging his body into the shadows. He'd deal with this one after he'd finished with the mess inside.

Keeping his eyes and ears open, he sniffed the air. All the usual smells were there, human sweat and garbage and the underlying odors of booze, drugs and desperation. The street looked as it always did this time of night. The bar at the far end of the street was doing a brisk business. The door slammed open and a drunken fool staggered out. A lone, rusty, beat-up car filled with young men cruised up and down the street looking for action. They yelled and hooted at a couple of women who were walking down the sidewalk as they pa.s.sed by. All in all, it was a regular night in the neighborhood.

His spine tingled as he prowled toward the garage door. Someone was inside. Reaching beneath the tails of his shirt, he withdrew his gun, praying he wouldn't have to use it. Not that the sound of gunshots was all that unusual, but he didn't want to do anything that might attract unwanted attention to the place.

He placed his hand on the door handle, turning slowly. It wasn't locked. Taking a deep breath, he released half of it and sprang into action.

Bending low, he went through the door fast, rolling behind the large metal toolbox that stood just inside the door. It was about four feet high, three feet wide and on wheels. He knew the metal was thick enough to give him some protection.

"I've got a gun." The hoa.r.s.e voice was familiar. It was also female.

"Divine?"

"James, that you?" He heard a scuffling sound at the other end of the room.

"Yeah, it's me. You alone?" He could smell her now, s.e.x and heavy perfume, overlaid with cheap whiskey. The scent of death also hung in the air, reminding him of the bodies still to be dealt with.

"I'm alone." A dim light came on over the workbench. Divine stood there, her face pale beneath the thick coating of makeup, a snub-nosed revolver hanging from one hand. "What the h.e.l.l happened, James? Where's Alex?"

James stood, brushed off his jeans and tucked the Glock away again as he strode toward her. "Alex is safe."

"I don't understand." Divine licked her lips, smearing her bright red lipstick. "Otto from the bakery came and got me this morning. I hadn't even been to bed yet. I was still enjoying the coffee that Alex had given me and having a smoke while I read the paper to unwind after the night. I like to do that you know." The last was said defensively as if she expected him to scoff or laugh at her.

"Go on." he urged.

She raked her fingers through her bottle-blonde hair. "I'd just talked to Alex on the street, not a half hour before, when Otto comes running in saying he heard a gunshot at the garage. We came down to check it out and found the bodies. I told him to go back to work and I'd stay and wait. There were men watching the place, so Otto had his sons watching them all day. They all left several hours ago."

"Not all of them left," James muttered under his breath.

"Oh." Divine's eyes widened. She swallowed hard, not asking the obvious question. She already knew the answer. "What did they want? I know you're not into anything illegal, James. You've been here too long for us not to know if you were."

James sighed, needing to get rid of Divine so he could take care of the bodies. "I'm not who you think I am, Divine," he began gently.

"This has something to do with that werewolf stuff, doesn't it?" She nodded decisively.

James froze. "What do you mean?" What the h.e.l.l did she know?

She shook her head and sighed. "James, did you honestly think you could live here for over twenty years and no one would ever find out? You and Alex were here about five years when I first saw you change. I'd been out late and you were just coming back to the garage. I have to say, you gave me quite the fright. I'd never seen a wolf before, except on television, let alone a werewolf. For a while I convinced myself I'd just had way too much to drink." She laughed. "But there were other signs as well. You kept to yourself and were extremely protective of Alex."

He was stunned. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

She shrugged, the strap of her dress falling down the curve of her upper arm. She pushed it up impatiently. "What was there to say? You're a good man, a wonderful father and a heck of a great mechanic. You never judged me for what I am and you raised Alex to be the same. She's a fine young woman, James. She treats me like I'm a real person, not just some cheap, drunken wh.o.r.e."

"I don't know what to say." He truly was at a loss for words. Acceptance in the human world was rare for his kind and he'd never expected to find it here of all places.

"Nothing to say," she continued briskly. "I know most folks think I'm crazy, but I know what I see out on the streets. I know there are werewolves, vampires and other creatures out there."

James nodded. "You're not crazy."

She glanced toward the stairs at the back of the room. "The thing now is to worry about the bodies upstairs. I was hoping you'd show up, but Otto and his sons are bringing some tarps and the bakery truck in a few minutes. We didn't want to leave the bodies any longer. The smell is getting bad, even for this neighborhood."

"Why would you do that?" James still couldn't quite believe that, not only Divine, but also other people in the neighborhood were willing to help him. His eyes narrowed. "Does Otto know?"

"About the werewolf thing?" She didn't wait for him to answer, but continued on. "I imagine so." She cleared her throat. "Bill from the barbershop and Stanley from the bar also offered their help. I a.s.sume quite a few folks are aware that you're different." She paused. "What about Alex?"

James knew what she was asking and considering all she'd done for him he figured he at least owed her the truth. "Yeah." Sighing, he ran his hand across his face, trying not to think about Alex. He longed to know where she was, to hold her in his arms to a.s.sure himself she was safe. "I'd hoped she'd be fully human, but there were signs. She's reaching maturity as a female now. Somehow word got out that she existed and now single males from packs from all around all want to claim her, whether she wants it or not."

Divine's hand flew to her mouth. "That's barbaric."