Touch

Chapter 9| Trouble

My mouth watered as I took in her scent; from the moment  I stepped into Ascend, she was all I could smell.

It was more potent than it had been when I last saw her; she wasn't in my direct vicinity and yet her scent was strong to the point of overwhelming.

I didn't need her exact location in order to find her in the sea of people occupying the space. Her fragrance was an invisible force penetrating my senses, latching on to me, tethering me to her.

Like a faint whisper floating through the air she was calling out to me, and I answered.

Luckily Maverick was calmer than usual, but it wasn't out of choice. Although my senses were intact, the urge to shift subsided considerably due to the wolfsbane.

Still, I could feel Maverick trying to fight against it but it was of no use, tonight he would have to observe.

Before I could move in the direction of her call, Balfore questioned, "What is that smell?"

I turned to find my men with noses titled in the air, eyes aglow with arousal, all in search of the direction from which the scent emanated.

I could feel Maverick's hackles rise as my fangs descended, "What. Smell." I didn't question, I demanded.

Feeling the weight of my alpha command, they turned to me, the struggle evident in their posture.

"Honey, cinnamon, and...musk," Andrew answered as the others nodded in agreement. I could see the strain in their muscles as they tried to fight against the alpha command.

Her scent was too alluring; it called out to the primal instincts rooted deep within our beasts to mate.

But they couldn't because I wouldn't allow it. She was mine to claim, only mine, and with that thought, I could feel Maverick clawing his way to the surface to meet the challenge.

At that moment, I didn't recognize friend from foe, blood would still this night if anyone got in my way.

If my wolves could scent her, it meant she was aroused, and even worse it meant the vampires could as well.

Amina was a fucking beacon signaling every fucking paranormal in the building. We weren't going to be here any longer than we needed to be, as soon as I found her we were leaving.

To say I was livid would be an understatement. Fury hot as magma practically burned through the wolfsbane circulating in my system.

Who was she with?

Why was she aroused?

Who was touching what belonged to me?

I threw all caution to the wind, two instincts overriding every other. Hunt. Kill.

"Do not. touch. my woman," the worlds spilled slowly out of my mouth as Maverick surged forward.

By that time all effort to keep Maverick subdued was long gone with my system having burned through the poison. Amina was my main concern, Goddess knew I would turn this place upside down to find her.

"I will find her, you guys spread out. She isn't safe here and I may need backup."  At my command, they dispersed into the crowd. Matthew stayed behind, looking to me as if awaiting my command.

"Matthew, find the other girls. Stay with them until my men can get to you," he nodded and headed in the direction of the VIP.

~~~~

With a shaky breath, she attempted to steady herself before asking, "What are you doing here?"

For the second time tonight, I couldn't suppress the chuckle that escaped my lips at the shock and nervousness evident in her tone.

I didn't bother answering her, I'd already answered a question this night and she had yet to respond to mine.

"I asked you a question," I said from behind her as I basked in her scent. The hand I had splayed over her abdomen began its painfully slow descent and I could feel her tremble against me.

"You like it when other men touch you?"

"Yes, I mean, no I..."

"Well, which is it?" I asked as I took her earlobe into my mouth, I knew it was wrong to play with food, but could you blame me? I had stayed away from this siren for an entire week.

One whole week. It had been too long, too cruel to have denied myself of her, and it didn't help that every part of her body tasted so sweet. No, tonight I hunted, and I had every intention of enjoying the spoil.

Another moan escaped her lips, and I growled right into her ear. She was bringing out the animal in me, and I didn't care to stop it.

Lifting the hem of her short dress, my hand pressed into her inner thigh, silently demanding she part them for me. She threw her head back to rest against my shoulder as she granted me entry.

Just as I was about to plunge into her heat, I was interrupted, "Alpha," Balfore sounded off through the mind link.

"What?!"

"You two have attracted too much attention, you need to leave now. I linked Jeffrey, he's brought the car around front."

I looked up to see too many unwanted eyes on us. Balfore was right, we needed to leave before this turned into a bloodbath.

I turned Amina away from the crowd, she hadn't realized all the eyes that were on us, but we were done giving them a show.

"I'm on it. Thank you, Balfore."

"Oh, and Malachai?"

"Yes?"

"The man she was dancing with before we got to her..."

Balfore never paused, he was always straight forward, so why now unless... "Who was it, Balfore?"

"Michael Cirini."

Fuck.