Taming the Beast Read online

  Jade gave an involuntary shiver and immediately shut down the screen. She was the target of the mages, after all, and her time as their captive was still muddy in her mind. Her assistant had been feeding the mages information about her work, which is why their leader, Stefan, had her kidnapped. She was taken, put in a van, and then drugged. Actually, she didn’t remember a lot of her time in captivity, which was, perhaps, a small blessing. The Lycans worked to get her back, of course, and apparently, Grant has asked Sebastian Creed for help in rescuing her.

  Sebastian Creed. She cringed, thinking of him. God, it was embarrassing and such awful luck on her part. Oh well, she shouldn’t dwell on it. It’s not like she’d ever see him again.

  “Jade!” Meredith called.

  “What?” she asked.

  “You said we can go shopping at lunch! It’s now exactly 12 noon!”

  “Ugh!” Jade exclaimed. “Fine. Let’s go.” Let the torture begin.

  Chapter Four

  The guests gathered around the entrance to The Conservatory, cheering loudly as soon as the doors opened and the happy couple strode in. Lara looked especially lovely in her simple white dress, and she blushed prettily as Liam wrapped her in his arms, dipped her, and gave her a kiss. The crowd burst into applause and whoops, stretching on and on as Liam refused to let go of his bride.

  “Congratulations!” Jade greeted as Liam and Lara walked over to her a few minutes later. She wrapped her best friend in a tight hug and gave the groom a kiss on the cheek. “You take care of her, now, you hear?” she teased. “Or you’ll answer to me!”

  Liam laughed. “I promise. And if I don’t, I’ll hand myself over to you on a silver platter.”

  She gave him a playful shove. “All right, go and greet your guests!”

  As they left, Jade let out a sigh and looked around her. The reception was gorgeous, and it was fitting. Surrounded by nature, it was the perfect place for a witch and a Lycan to celebrate their union. She shook her head. When did she become so poetic?

  “Jade?” a familiar voice said from behind.

  Spinning around, she found herself staring into friendly, chocolate brown eyes. “Matt!” she greeted. “How are you? Did you just get here?”

  Matteo Moretti nodded and flashed her a shy smile. “Yeah, just got here with Enzo,” he nodded his head across the room where a bunch of women were surrounding his twin brother. “He loves weddings.”

  “I bet,” Jade giggled.

  “Do you want to get a drink or something?” Matt said, offering his arm.

  “Sure,” she said, placing her hand on his arm as they walked towards the bar. When they got there, the line was three deep, and they waited their turn.

  “You look real nice,” Matt remarked, his eyes roving over her before settling back on her face. Gentleman that he was, his eyes never lingered too long on one spot.

  “Oh, thank you,” she said with a blush. She had to admit she was glad she went shopping with Lara and Meredith. Initially, the other Lycan wanted matching dresses, but Jade was sure what would look good on Meredith wouldn’t look good on her. So instead, they decided on matching colors—a pretty pastel yellow that complimented both their skin tones. Meredith had chosen a strappy and daring dress that was slashed up to her thighs, showing off her long legs. Jade, on the other hand, had chosen a flowing, off-the-shoulder chiffon dress with a sweetheart neckline, which she paired with low-heeled sandals. Meredith styled her long, brown locks into cascading waves down her back and put on some of the makeup they bought for the bachelorette party. When the other Lycan was done and she looked at herself in the mirror, Jade hardly recognized herself. She actually felt attractive, and judging by the stares she’d been getting all night, other people, men in particular, thought so, too.

  “You look nice too, Matt,” Jade said. Tonight, he was dressed more casually in a light gray suit jacket with matching pants and blue shirt opened at the collar to show off the olive-toned skin at his throat. The last time she saw him at Frankie and Grant’s wedding, he was wearing a formal black tux. She thought he was kinda hot then, and though he certainly looked handsome, something was different about him tonight. His hand over the small of her back didn’t even do anything to her. He was just…Matt.

  “Hey, bro,” Enzo said as he bounded over to them. “Ooh! It’s the hot doctor! She’s back!” he joked, which made Matt send him a warning look.

  “Enjoying yourself?” Matt asked his twin.

  “Of course! I love weddings! It’s the best place to score!” Another glare from Matt made him laugh. “Sorry…I mean, you know! These chicks, surrounded by all this wedding shit! They love it! Gets them all fired up!”

  “Sorry about my brother, Jade.” Matt shook his head.

  Jade laughed. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “Yeah, so…” Enzo began. “I’m talking to these two chicks, right? And guess what? They’re twins!” he said excitedly. “But they don’t believe me when I tell them I’m a twin too!”

  “What’s your point, Enzo?”

  “You gotta come with me and show them!” Enzo begged. “Please?”

  Matt gave Jade an expectant look.

  “Um…Go ahead, Matt,” Jade said. “I’m going to get a drink and then check on Lara. See if she needs anything. I am her bridesmaid, after all.”

  Matt flashed her an apologetic smile. “All right. I’ll find you later, okay? Maybe we can dance or something.”

  “Sure,” she said, putting on her best smile. Enzo tugged his brother by the arm, and as soon as they left, she gave a relieved sigh.

  What the fudge was wrong with her? She shook her head. Matt was obviously interested in…something. This was what she wanted, right? Matt Moretti was kind, handsome, and she thought he was hot. Well, thought, as in, past tense. Now, he seemed so…brotherly. Maybe it was the idea that seeing Matt naked would mean she would also see Enzo naked, which was just plain weird. She wondered what it was like for people who married a twin.

  “Miss?” the bartender asked. The line of people in front of her disappeared. “Did you want anything?”

  “Oh yeah…uhm, how about a margarita?”

  “Sure thing.” The bartender turned around to make her drink.

  “Starting a little early, aren’t we?” A low voice behind her said.

  Jade felt the hairs on her arms stand on end. She’d only heard that voice once, but instantly knew who it was. Slowly, she pivoted towards the voice. “Mr. Creed.” She nodded. She quickly turned back to the bar, though it was a feat of strength to not ogle him. Dear Lord, he looked impossibly handsome in his dark navy suit and white shirt, she thought.

  “Ms. Cross.”

  “It’s Dr. Cross,” she corrected, doing an about face to look at him straight in the eyes. How dare he question her choice of drinks! She was an adult. Or was he reminding her of their unfortunate first (or was it second?) meeting?

  “Doctor, then,” he said, as his eyes raked over her.

  Unlike Matt’s polite perusal, Sebastian’s gaze was anything but gentlemanly. His dark eyes were the color of storm clouds now, and Jade could feel the heat in them as he lingered over the curves of her body. She gave a huff, ignoring the way his bold appraisal sent thrills of excitement through her.

  “Did your date leave you?” Sebastian continued. “I think he’s talking to those blondes over there,” he cocked his head towards Enzo and Matt, who were, indeed, chatting with a pair of gorgeous blonde twins. “Doesn’t seem right to leave a lady like you all alone.”

  “He’s not my date, and it’s rude of you to insinuate he would be so uncouth as to leave me by myself if he were,” she bristled. She grabbed the drink from the bartender and took a delicate sip, the cool liquid a contrast to the sudden anger she felt. “Furthermore, I’ll thank you to never remind me of that night at Blood Moon. I was very happy for my friend, and we were celebrating. I’m sorry you judged me to be some lush who can’t control her drinking, but that’s not who I am. Now,
have a good evening, Mr. Creed.” Jade slammed the glass down on the bar and sauntered away, suddenly losing her taste for the drink. She heard a soft curse behind her, but she kept on walking. What had gotten into her? What he said and the way he said it put her on the defensive. It was like he was angry at her, but she didn’t even do anything. For fox’s sake, she hardly said two words to the man before tonight. And the way he looked at Matt was frightening.

  “Jade! Wait!” Sebastian called, but she ignored him, walking out one of the glass doors that led into the main gardens.

  The sun had just set, leaving pink and blue streaks in the distance and she followed the path around the pond filled with water lilies and lotus plants, not sure where she was going. Heavy footsteps followed behind her and she picked up her pace. By the time she reached the end of the pond, the footsteps were right at her heels.

  “Jade, stop!” Sebastian’s voice boomed in her ear, and a warm hand wrapped around her upper arm.

  “Let go of me!” She tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong.

  “Look, I’m sorry!” He let go of her, sending her toppling backward. She regained her balance on her own, and he rubbed his face in a frustrated manner. “Shit. Fuck, shit! Motherfucker, I didn’t mean…fuck!”

  “Mr. Creed, if you’re trying to apologize, you’re doing a poor job of it.”

  “Fuck! I mean, Jade…” he paused and took a breath. “Look. About what I said. I’m sorry, I was out of line.”

  “You sure were, Mr. Creed,” she said in a cold voice.

  “Sebastian. My name is Sebastian,” he said.

  She paused. “Fine. Sebastian, I accept your apology.” She turned around, intending to head back to the party. Then she realized she was going the wrong way and froze in her tracks. Oh fiddlesticks. She stepped back, hoping to make her way back to The Conservatory, but collided with Sebastian instead.

  Two warm hands grabbed at her shoulders, brushing her hair aside. “Hey, I—” Sebastian stopped, and his hand stilled. “Is that a—”

  Jade cringed, realizing what he had seen. She whipped around, brushing her hair over her back. “Don’t, please,” she whispered, turning her face away from her.

  “Jade.” He moved closer to her, slowly, as if he were approaching a wounded animal. He tugged at his left sleeve, revealing the beginnings of a sleeve tattoo.

  Something about the tattoo seemed familiar. Had she seen it before? A flash of a memory came back to her. Oh Lord, she remembered asking him how far it went.

  “Show me yours?” he asked, cocking his head to the side.

  Jade frowned. “That’s rather…forward, isn’t it?”

  He shrugged and said nothing, but waited for her answer expectantly.

  She should walk away now. She had never shown anyone the tattoo on her back, and always wore shirts or dresses that covered it up. The memories were just too painful.

  Sebastian waited patiently. With a sigh, she brushed her hair over her one shoulder and turned her back to him. It was an intimate gesture, and as a Lycan, she knew showing someone your back was no small matter. He was human, though, so he probably didn’t understand the meaning of such an act.

  Warm, rough fingers traced the whorls and lines of ink on her back. The dress revealed only the top part of the design, covering the rest of it, as well as the shameful scars the ink was hiding.

  “What is it?” he asked in a low, rough voice, the rough pads of his fingers lazily stroking her skin.

  “It’s the Tree of Life, but it’s done in lines,” she said. His fingers were branding her as they touched her, sending heat straight into her core.

  “What does it mean?”

  “Well, the Tree of Life is a symbol from different mythologies and religions—”

  “No, Jade,” he said, his lips moving close to her ear. “I know what the Tree of Life is. What does it mean to you? All tattoos have a meaning.”

  She opened her mouth, then stopped.

  “It’s okay.” He pulled away and brushed her hair back in place. “You don’t have to tell me now.”

  They stood in silence for a moment before Sebastian spoke up. “I wanted to say sorry for being a jackass and make it up to you.”

  She raised a brow. “How?”

  He flashed her a smile, the first she’d seen on his face. Slipping his hand into his coat pocket, he took out a bottle filled with honey-colored liquid.

  She laughed. “Did you steal some liquor from the bar?”

  “Don’t worry, I tipped the bartender generously to look away,” he said, his eyes twinkling.

  “Are you sure you want to get me drunk?” she asked wryly.

  “This isn’t about getting drunk, darlin’.”

  God, his voice sent shivers through her body, and the way he called her darling made her want to melt into a puddle. Was everything the man did sexy? “Then what is it about?”

  “Just enjoying the taste of good bourbon.” He took her hand and started leading her away from The Conservatory.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Somewhere we can enjoy this more,” he said cryptically.

  Jade allowed him to drag her off, though she had to take longer steps to keep up with him. When Sebastian noticed her struggling, he gave her an apologetic look and walked slower to match her strides.

  They didn’t go very far, just farther south of The Conservatory, to a row of smaller glass houses. Sebastian opened the door to the first one.

  “Are we supposed to be here?” she asked, looking around.

  “Do you always follow the rules, Doctor?” He looked at her with a devilish smile, then flipped on one of the switches beside the door.

  Jade gasped as light filled the greenhouse. They were surrounded by a multitude of orchids and tropical plants in different colors. “It’s beautiful,” she said, her eyes going wide. “Oh, my! Some of these plants, I’ve only read about!” She peered at one of the orchids, a delicate-looking flower in purple and yellow. “Thank you,” she said, looking up at him gratefully.

  “I’m glad you like it,” he said. “Now,” he opened the cap of the bottle. “This is top shelf bourbon. I don’t have a glass, so we’ll have to make do. Have a sniff and tell me what you smell.”

  Jade pressed her nose to the rim of the bottle. “Hmmm…” Her sensitive Lycan senses picked up several notes immediately. “Vanilla…a hint of caramel. Figs?” She shook her head. “No…dates. Some black pepper and cinnamon. And maybe…oak?”

  He gave her a surprised look. “Wow. That’s pretty good. Have you had bourbon before?”

  She shook her head. “No, I don’t drink a lot. I have the occasional wine with dinner and uh…the tequila from that night. That’s about it.”

  “You must have a good sense of smell then,” he remarked.

  “Uh, yeah.” Maybe she shouldn’t have shown off. Humans weren’t supposed to know about Lycans, after all.

  “Now comes the fun part.” He pushed the bottle lower. She hesitated, but then pressed her lips to the rim. He tipped it and let a small amount of liquid dribble into her mouth.

  “What do you taste?” he asked in a rough voice, his eyes trained on her lips. “Just swirl it in your mouth before you swallow.”

  Heat spread through her body, and she was sure it wasn’t just the bourbon. She let the liquid flow over her palate before she drank it all down. “Uh…it’s like…toffee and butter. It’s a little on the sweet side, but also some spice.”

  He a sip himself, and she couldn’t help but stare at his lips wrapped around the rim, and the way his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Good,” he said, putting the bottle down. “I agree. Definitely sweet and a little spicy.”

  The temperature around her spiked and Jade stumbled, her back hitting the empty shelves behind her. She took a deep breath, and got a whiff of his delicious scent, like a mix of musk and leather.

  “Jade,” he said in a hoarse voice as he moved closer to her. His hands braced themselves o
n either side of her, trapping her like a caged animal.

  She tried to open her mouth, but nothing came out.

  “Tell me something.” He leaned down close and whispered in her ear. “How many people have seen that tattoo of yours?”

  “Just two people, including myself,” she answered. “And the artist. So that’s three, I suppose.”

  “You mean four,” he said with a low growl.

  She tried to turn away as his head moved towards her, but his large fingers dug into her hair, forcing her still. His firm mouth, hot and wanting, landed on hers and she felt all the air leaving her lungs. The small hairs of his beard tickled her delicate skin, making her shiver all over. She sighed against him, and he used the opportunity to slip his tongue between her lips. He tasted like the bourbon, a mix of toffee and caramel, and something else that was male and spicy.

  His hands grabbed her hips, lifting her up as if she weighed nothing and perched her up on the shelf. Spreading her knees apart, he moved between her legs, pressing his hips against her. She gasped and then moaned as something hard pressed against her core. Sebastian let out guttural sound as he began to grind his erection against her.

  Jade whimpered, suddenly hating all the layers of fabric between them. She wound her arms around his neck to pull him closer, wanting to devour his mouth and tongue.

  Sebastian pulled his mouth away and traced it down to her jaw and her neck. One hand crept up her ribs, then higher to cup one of her breasts. She moaned as his hand tugged down her dress, exposing her to the cool air. Rough fingers rolled her hard nipples, and she bucked against him, crying out as his erection brushed against her just right.

  “Sebastian,” she mewled, rubbing against him harder. Her body tightened and pleasure spread through her. Her panties were definitely soaked and she angled her hips, seeking that delicious friction against her hardened clit.

  “Fuck, Jade…you’re so fuckin’ sexy,” he growled against her neck. His tongue darted out, licking the soft skin right where her neck and her shoulders connected.