The Wild (Shifting Passions - Volume 1): Shifting Passions, #1

~Volume One - The Wild~

Eva’s had a very long day. Between counseling the youngest member of her pack since the crack of dawn and dealing with the drama caused by her brother, the pack leader, on a near-daily basis, she’s ready for a drink and a soak in her tub.

But at the bar, she finds Nathan: hot, human, and as hungry as she is for a spicy end to this day. He wants to forget all about his day, and his troubles, and he’s ready to hold her close and turn up the heat.

But will their spark lead to something else entirely?

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Note: Parts of Shifting Passions were previously published as Eva’s Secret.

Also includes Sneak Peeks at some upcoming novels!

~Volume One – The Wild~

I was damn tired. It had been a long day, and I didn’t want anything more dramatic than a drink to loosen up my tight shoulders, followed quickly by a nice trip to my bed.

Mickey, the bartender, knew me well. He knew the look in my eyes, the line of my back. Before I even got to the bar, he had the vodka tonic ready on the bar. While I slammed that back, he made the second, the one I’d sip. He stuck around until I tasted the second to make sure he got the proportions right.

Night like that, huh, Eva?

I nodded. There wasn’t more to say, not to someone who wasn’t part of the pack. Mickey was a were. The bar was full of them on a Friday night like tonight, but Mickey wasn’t a full wolf. Other groups didn’t work like ours did. Mickey wouldn’t understand that I’d spent my day talking down a young man who’d just joined us. He was wrecked at the idea of his brother finding out. His brother had tolerated his queerness enough to have his boyfriend over at the family Christmas dinner. But, the idea that his baby brother turned furry once a month―that was too much to handle. I’d held his hand while he sobbed that he was about to lose the only family he’d ever had. It was too soon to explain that we were all the family he’d ever need for the rest of his life.

I wasn’t Alpha, at least, thank the moon. That job fell to my older brother and his wife. My brother had been a therapist before the change and he looked after the emotional health of our pack. My sister-in-law had been an MMA fighter and she saw to our more physical conflicts. My brother had picked me as one of his lieutenants, early on. Some days the job paid better than others. But on days like today, I wanted to pull that bottle out of Mickey’s hands and drown myself in it. Shame the booze didn’t affect me like it used to.

If you’re looking for more than a drink, Mickey said as if he were reading my mind, there’s something in the corner that I think would suit you.

I intentionally didn’t look as I pulled a bill out of my pocket and slipped it under the first glass for Mickey.

Matchmaking pay well, Mick? I asked.

He didn’t look at the tip any more than I had looked at the guy he pointed out.

Pretty well, thanks for asking, Eva. Have fun.

I laughed at him, and turned to see what—or who—had captured his attention. Mr. Corner Booth intrigued me from the moment I laid eyes on him. In a were bar masquerading as a dive bar, he had unwittingly wandered in, completely human, and found himself a prime spot to watch everyone, even though it seemed like he was watching no one. He smelled utterly luscious to me, and to my inner wolf. To me, he smelled like sandalwood and honest sweat mixed with a layer of beer and misery. To my inner wolf, he reeked of sex and need. He smelled like prey, which always ended up delicious.

He sat back in the shadows of the corner booth, staring down the neck of his beer bottle as if it held the answer to—to whatever had brought him here in the first place. His coloring was fair, although his corner was dark enough for me to question whether his hair was red or blond. He studied that bottle, clearly wondering how it had gotten itself so empty, and completely betrayed by its failure to refill itself. He had the sort of physique that tended to catch my attention. He wasn’t an Adonis, but his body was strong, and had a carefully controlled power to it. I could hear his heart beating, strong and regular. I watched the way his hands curled around the glass bottle, and thought about them curling around my wrist or cradling my ass. Mickey was right. I was tired, but never too tired for this.

I slid into the booth across from him, holding my vodka tonic.

I’m not looking for company, he said, without looking up at me.

He was obviously taking me for some barfly. Cute. To be fair, I was wearing jeans and a tank top with a button-down shirt over it. The bra I had thrown on was not my best one. My blonde curls were a wreck, thrown back in a haphazard ponytail. Any makeup I’d bothered to put on this morning had long since worn off.

I smiled, and made my tone slow and slippery.

Neither am I, dear heart. Or at least, I’m not looking for conversation.

He looked up at that, ready to scold me for pressing, but he stopped as his eyes took me in. I was vain enough to pose, just a little, placing my hand behind my curls with my elbow out and seductively biting my lower lip. His pupils flared, and his earthy scent changed to something spicy and sharp. He drew a deep breath, and then smiled at me.

What is it you’re looking for, then?

I took another sip of my drink while I considered how to phrase my response in a way that would hold his interest, now that I had his attention.

I have had a very long and very hard day. The kind of day that leaves a person seeing nothing but long, hard days in her future. You understand?

His nod was fast and jerky.

I thought that you might, I continued. When I see that parade of days in front of me, I want to do something to break up the monotony. You look like you might enjoy a diversion as well.

Who are you? His tone was harsh and ragged.

Doesn’t matter, I said. You don’t really care, and neither do I. This isn’t about names or jobs. Just what we both need.

He nodded slowly.

My name is Eva, I finally said. Eva Rose.

Nathan, he said. My name is Nathan. I don’t want to talk about why I’m here, or why I was crying, or anything. I’m not a project. I don’t want to be fixed.

I hadn’t noticed the tears; that explained the salty tang in the air. I smiled for him, picked up my drink, and slid from my side of the booth into his.

Quite frankly, Nathan, I prefer my men just a little bit broken.

I set the drink down, and unwrapped one of his hands from his beer. I turned his palm over so that I could press a soft kiss against the pad below his thumb, and then traced with my tongue up to the tip of his forefinger. My eyes locked on his as I slid his finger inside my mouth, delicately sucking at the tip for a moment, and then dragging my teeth over his skin as his finger pulled out again. His breath was shallow. His eyes drifted closed for a moment, and his hand clenched around the beer bottle hard enough that I thought he might break it.

I should warn you, I said, I can sometimes be rather hard on my toys.

Good, he said. I’m not in the mood for gentle.

We should get out of here, then, I said as I finished off my drink and stood up.

He followed me, his eyes locked on my ass, trusting me for no reason other than I was offering him something that he seemed to want very much. I reached out my hand, and watched carefully as he slipped his fingers into mine. A thrill shot up my arm at the firm grip of his hand. He wasn’t going to treat me like a delicate little princess. That was promising.

Did you drive? I asked him.

He nodded.

Let’s take your car, then. I’m within walking distance, and no one here will screw with my car.

It wasn’t my house I was taking him to though. No one went there with me, at least no one who wasn’t pack. I kept an apartment in the city, for nights like this one, and also for pack members who needed a place to stay in the city. But no lost souls would be there tonight so it was free for our pleasure. I was hoping there would be a lot of pleasure.

He followed me out to the parking lot and led me to his car. It was nothing fancy, a basic imported compact car. It was probably good on gas and had a reasonable amount of storage space, but nothing you could fit a canoe inside. He came around to the passenger side and opened the door for me, but as it swung open, he blocked me from getting in with his arm. I looked up at him with one eyebrow raised. He pressed me back against the frame of the car and wrapped his arm around the small of my back to draw me close to him. He lowered his mouth to mine, slowly, his lips hovering over mine like butterflies. A flurry ignited in my stomach, something softer and more delicate than the need that had driven me to his booth in the first place. I slipped my arms around his neck, stretching up on my tiptoes to kiss him deeply with my tongue. He teased me, slipping away from my darting tongue to nip my lower lip, then kiss his way up along my jaw until he caught my earlobe in his teeth. He tugged at it, making a soft sound that was just shy of a growl. Even my goose bumps were aroused. His hand cupped my ass, urging me against him, and I could feel that he was hardening.

His teeth drifted down to my collarbone, biting almost hard enough to hurt, and then he backed away.

Just thought we should make sure the chemistry would last, he said, panting slightly. Before we drove all the way to your house.

My nipples were so hard and rigid that I thought they might shred my flimsy bra and thin tank top.

I think we’ll manage, I said.

Do we need to stop at the drugstore for anything?

No, I said. I’m well supplied.

I watched his eyes; this was the moment when some men panicked, or got self-righteous. Nathan just smiled.

I thought it was just Boy Scouts who were always prepared.

I shrugged as I slid into the passenger seat and buckled the seat belt.

Girl Scouts just don’t brag about it.

I’d been in way too many trucks lately. It was nice to slide into a seat that fit my 5’5" frame instead of climbing into an extended cab that was as high as a kite.

Which way am I heading?

I gave him directions to my apartment, which occupied the top floor of a converted Victorian about three blocks away from the center of downtown. We drove in silence. Sometimes, the quiet killed the sexual tension and desire, but not this time. At every stop sign, he glanced at me, his eyes lingering on my legs, my hands, my neck. His nostrils flared. I could smell his want, his need, filling the car. My body tightened thinking of him, of how I was arousing him just by being nearby. My panties were soaked already, clinging to my crotch. I put my foot up on the dash of the car, and ran my fingers over the inner thigh of my jeans. His breath hissed out in a rush.

If you don’t want to be fucked in this car, I recommend you stop doing that.

The thought was tempting.

Not this time, I said.

He let out a guttural sound that was part groan, part whimper, and all desire. I laughed, low and growling, throwing my head back to expose my throat.

Turn here, I said, gesturing into the darkness.

He spun the car into the parking lot outside my apartment and slammed the transmission into park. Before I could so much as unbuckle my seatbelt, he climbed on top of me and flipped a switch that laid my seat back. The delicate kisses he had given me outside the bar were gone. Here in the steamy cabin of his car, he ravaged my neck and my jaw with his teeth and tongue, his fingers twisting cruelly at my nipples. I was so accustomed to being the aggressor. It felt wonderful to be the object of someone else’s aggression.

I spread my knees, giving him better access, and managed to wrap one leg around his waist, pulling him closer to me. He groaned again, and his mouth finally lowered to mine. I bit at his lip, then plunged my tongue into his mouth, meeting his tongue again and again as he thrust against me. His breathing was short and fast, and his skin quivered under my hands. I could feel a hot, burning sensation building in my core, and as he brought his mouth down on my nipple again, I came in a sudden burst, orgasm that rushed through me like a wave. My body surged up under him and my teeth locked together, choking back the scream that wanted to be free. He went wild, moving against me in short, rapid bursts as I rode out the sensations as long as I could.

He tore himself away from me, all of a sudden, going still and quiet.

Going to come in my pants like a kid if we don’t stop, he said, his voice quivering with laughter and want. I’m guessing you want more than that.

I cupped him lightly through his jeans, just enough to make his eyes close and his lips curve in a smile.

Very much more. Let’s head upstairs?

He nodded and moved back to let me out of the car. I slipped out from underneath him, leaning on the car for a moment to hide the fact that I wasn’t sure my knees would hold me up. I waited while he unfolded his much taller self out of the compact car. I was tempted to make a joke about how confident he must be in the size of his penis to drive such a little car, but it didn’t seem like the appropriate time. I let him lock the car, and then I threaded my fingers with his.

This way, I said.

The house had several apartments, but the entire top floor was mine. I led him up the internal stairs, into what had once been an attic. I unlocked the door and slipped inside, leaving the door open behind me. I could see perfectly well in the dark, and I took a moment, as I always did, to draw in a deep breath and make sure there were no unfamiliar scents or sounds disturbing the peace here. My name wasn’t on the lease, and I didn’t talk about this place with anyone outside of pack, but if someone was following me, it wouldn’t be hard to track me here. We didn’t have many enemies, but not many isn’t the same as none. It was worth being careful.

I heard Nathan enter behind me and shut the door as I walked into the kitchen. I flicked on a light so he could follow me, then poured myself a glass of water.

Want anything?

He followed me into the light, blinking a bit. He had his hands crossed in front of him, and was studying me carefully. What did he see that made him watch me so closely? My messy curls? My slight, slim frame? Did he see more inside my eyes? Could he see the wolf? Smell it in the air, even if he didn’t know what it was?

I’m—I’m fine, he said, but he kept his eyes locked just over mine, on my forehead.

Nathan, is there something wrong?

I reached out and touched the back of his hand, light as a feather, and he flinched away from me.

I’m not in the business of seducing the unwilling, I said. If you’d like to leave, or just want a place to hang out for a bit that’s different from where you’ve been, that’s alright. The sofa folds out into a couch, and you’re welcome to rest here, if that’s what you need.

His mouth spread in a smile, but it didn’t reach much above his cheekbones.

That’s nice of you, he said. It’s not—I’m sorry, I just have something on my mind. I thought it would be easier to shake it.

I took a long sip from my glass of water, enjoying the feel of it gliding down my throat, and then touched the back of my hand against my mouth to wipe away the drop that had collected in the corner of my lips. His eyes followed every move.

Would you like to talk, or be distracted? I asked.

His soft eyes—which were incredibly blue, now that I could see them in proper light—met mine. They were hollow and full of storms.

Distract me. Please.

I could feel a soft smile glide upwards from my lips to warm my eyes. I let the smile turn into more than pleasure, into my want and need for my own distractions.

Gladly, I said.

I set the water glass down, and with careful, precise movements, I walked forward until I stood directly in front of him. I hooked my fingers in his belt loops and tugged him towards me. He came willingly, step by step, until my back was pressed up against the island in my kitchen. I boosted myself up easily, which put my mouth on level with his. I curled my arms around his neck and tugged him in close to me.

His breath was slow and even, but his pupils were as wide as the moon, and just as fascinating.

Why me? he asked, suddenly. Just because I was alone in the bar, or because of something else?

I shrugged the question off.

You smelled good.

I leaned close and inhaled deeply, filling my nose with his scents, warm and thick and essentially male. And aroused. Even with the hollowness in his eyes, he was so aroused, so full of want. I licked him from the hollow of his throat up to his jaw and felt him shiver.

And, you looked fun.

I dug my fingernails—not particularly long, but very strong—into his shoulders. His eyes twisted shut.

Yes, please, he whispered. More.

I shifted my hands, spreading my fingers wide, and dug my nails in again. He shuddered so hard I wondered if he might come right there, pressed against me in my kitchen. His head fell forward onto my shoulder, and his breath came in short, shuddering gasps. Almost instantly he turned into a flurry of violent motion that was so fast I had to pay attention to track his movements, his hands clutching at my back, then twisting at my nipples, then clutching my head against his mouth as he thrust his tongue into me.

Taste you, he muttered, Need to taste you.

I moved my hands to the buttons of my shirt, but he got there first. One sharp pull, and my buttons popped off and pinged off the linoleum. He didn’t bother pulling up my tank top or unfastening my bra, just lifted my breast out and latched his mouth onto my nipple, viciously working over the hard peak with his tongue and teeth. Heat flowed through me again. I moved against him, feeling his hips