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The bed in the corner should be thrown on a dumpster pyre so I settle her on the couch and twitch my fingers against the fabric, feeling bones and mice burn away at my slightest touch. They squeak and try to escape in terror but I just smile and my eyes close, feeling their pain and torment.
Dumb animals. They can’t possibly escape me. Nothing can.
Especially not my innocent mate.
CHAPTER4
Artemis
Iwake again and this time I’m lying against something incredibly warm and hard. When I open my eyes, my mouth drops open in shock. I’m lying against a hard, bare male chest that’s decorated with a black tribal tattoo on one side of his muscular chest. He’s sleeping lightly, his dark eyes closed and I can’t stop staring at him. Desire curls through my veins and rises inside me until I’m fairly thrumming with it. I need him. Need him badly. More than I’ve ever needed any other man.
I’ve never been with a man. Mainly because I’ve never wanted one. I’ve always felt like there was something wrong with me and believe me, I had men that told me there was something wrong with me because I didn’t want them.
I snort. Every damn man out there just expects a woman to drop to her knees or open her legs wide if he feels the urge. Give me a break. I want to want someone, to actually feel something for someone before I scratch that itch.
Now I’m acting like I’ve got Poison Ivy or something. The itch is insane and I’m barely holding back from rubbing myself all over him like a damn cat in heat.
There’s a clatter at the door and my brow lifts when the sleeping devil’s dark eyes fly open and he shoots up, pushing me behind him in one fluid movement.
Shaking my head, I sigh. “I doubt if it’s your monster. It’s probably the Sheriff.”
But my words don’t seem to matter to him. His full lower lip is curled and his big fists are clenched so tightly that I can see how white they are. I can see the veins throbbing in them.
He ignores me and there’s a constant low rumble coming out of his chest. A rumble which changes to a hiss as he suddenly seems to shimmer in front of me in a fiery red haze.
A haze that finally resolves itself into the sleek, frightening shape of a Taipan. The serpent flicks its tongue out and I jump behind the couch, terrified, but covering my mouth so that he doesn’t become agitated.
The triangular head turns towards me and my initial fear returns twofold.
“I don’t know what’s going on, Radric, but I need to tell you that I’m terrified of snakes. I mean, absolutely petrified,” I whisper. “So I’d really appreciate it if you could change back right this second before I lose my mind and scream this place down.”
The triangular head weaves back and forth in a hypnotic dance and then my nose twitches when I smell roses again.
My favorite flower is the rose. Mainly because they were my mother’s favorite. In particular Sterling roses. I still miss her and wish she hadn’t been taken when I was so young.
But I can’t see any roses around here. Just a huge-ass snake that’s eyeing me like his next meal and that’s not making my nerves settle at all.
He slithers closer and I stiffen, my eyes wide, my muscles so tight that it feels like my bones could crack. The closer he comes the harder it is to breathe. I shudder, keeping my eyes open as his huge, sleek body comes so close that I can see each one of his golden-brown scales. I try to watch as the serpent circles me, shivering and whimpering as it slithers over my feet and wraps around my lower body, his body tightening around me.
“Oh…oh my God!” I whimper, trying to keep from passing out. So far that seems like all I’ve done lately. Since I found out that shifters exist.
It’s been a rough couple of hours really. I could really use a break.
But now the serpent is slinking up my body and the feel of his coiled muscles moving around me makes my skin break out in hives, my breath shallow and rapid. His huge, triangular head pops up in front of my face and I almost lose my mind. I can’t breathe. Can’t think. I just want to get the hell out of here. Unfortunately I’ve now got a snake wrapped around me and staring me right in the eyes.
There’s another knock at the door and I hear a deep, commanding voice hollering, “Hey, this is Sheriff Lobo Canton from Magic. Who’s in there? This place is supposed to be deserted so I’m gonna need you to open the door.”
The snake’s head whips around as soon as he hears the voice and he hisses, opening his mouth wide so that I can see his fangs glistening in the faint light.
“You need to come back, Radric. I need to answer that door before it gets busted down and I don’t want to have to explain a huge snake to the Sheriff.”
He eyes me and then he slides down my body while I attempt to breathe at all. He backs away and then I see that red shimmer again and he’s standing in front of me, smirking, as his dark head swings towards the door.
“We can’t keep the big, bad sheriff waiting can we?” And he stalks over to the door and swings it open, one big hand holding onto the doorjamb.
A large, dark man stands outside, his head slightly bowed to keep from hitting the doorway. When the light hits him, his head comes up and his golden-brown gaze narrows on the man standing in front of me.
“Miss…I’m surprised to see you out here. Seems to me like you said you were on your way home after you made your report.”
