Then he felt what she must have felt—hot sparks of pleasure where their lips touched that quickly spread to the rest of his body. It might have startled him if he’d been able to focus on anything but that incredible sensation. Jaden had never felt anything like it.

Lyra’s arms slid up and around his neck, and her body curved into him, melting against him just as her mouth did. Her lips parted, her tongue flickered out to give his a tentative brush. The slow burn between them ignited with a wave of hot need that rolled through him like a summer storm. Jaden heard himself make a sound, some soft, longing sound that he knew gave away far too much of what he was feeling, what he wanted of her.

She seemed to know, to understand. They fell into one another at the same time.

Lyra’s hand fisted in his shirt as the kiss began to turn hotter, hungrier. The initial sweetness of the moment vanished in the face of a desire that had been simmering beneath the surface ever since Jaden had first set eyes on her. When he felt her pushing him back to the ground, he allowed it, pulling her with him and then rolling her so that she was the one on her back. Jaden partially covered her, his weight on one hip, savoring the feeling of finally having her beneath him. Lyra didn’t seem to mind: her kisses became insistent nips and licks while her hands roamed over his shirt, then slipped under it, seeking out bare skin. The muscles of his stomach jumped and twitched at the light glide of her fingers.

Jaden let out a shuddering breath. He cupped one small, perfect breast through her shirt, thumbing the taut pebble of her nipple. He was rewarded with an approving moan. Her hands grew more demanding, as did her mouth. Jaden was happy to urge her on, filling his hands with her, drawing out the wild thing that was the natural essence of her being.

Letting his own beast surface in response.

So this is what it’s like with a wolf, he thought dazedly. The vamps have been missing out…

A thin sheen of perspiration began to appear on his normally cool skin. Lyra was making him hot, hotter than he ever remembered being. His heart picked up the rhythm of hers as they fumbled together on the ground in an eager tangle of hands and mouths and teeth. He could think of nothing but getting closer to her, of lying with her in the grass, skin to skin. It wasn’t until Jaden moved to settle himself fully between her legs, throbbing hard and hot against the very center of her, that he realized how perilously close he was to embarrassing himself the way he hadn’t since he was a young and awkward mortal. He pressed into her, a gentle, teasing thrust, and groaned. The sensation made his head swim. Her accompanying gasp only intensified the sensation.

He could imagine how she would look, spread beneath him, her skin tawny in the moonlight. How she would feel, so slick, so ready for him to move within her…

Lyra’s fingers slipped beneath the waist of his jeans, seeking out the hottest part of him. His eyes slipped shut. Her fingers closed around him.

“Lyra,” he whispered.

“Lyra!”

The unfamiliar voice sliced through the air, freezing the two of them in place. For a moment, neither of them moved, waiting to see if the disembodied voice was real or simply some kind of warning from whatever powers lurked behind the immortal veil, informing the two of them that the various vampire and werewolf deities did not find their performance amusing.

“Lyra!”

The second time, there was no question the voice belonged to a real person, and getting closer. Jaden opened his eyes to see the raw passion on Lyra’s face vanish in favor of confusion and embarrassment. Her hand was quickly withdrawn, which sadly did nothing to quell his very obvious arousal. Jaden struggled to find something, anything to say that might bring back some of the heat she’d just allowed herself to feel for him. His entire body felt kissed by the sun.

Don’t be ashamed of it, he willed her. Just don’t be ashamed of me, of this…

“I… Jaden, that’s Simon… crap, we need to… can you…?” She spoke breathlessly, wiggling a little to try to get him off her. Jaden had to grit his teeth to grant her fragmented request, since her wiggling had the opposite effect of what she’d intended. He managed to shift his weight, sliding off her to rest on one hip on the ground. Lyra slid up to a sitting position, her knees tucked close to her chest. He noted how quickly she scooted away from him, how she angled her body toward the approaching Simon instead of him.

He knew, on a rational level, they’d let it go too far. But he wasn’t interested in rational right now. Not with his body screaming they hadn’t gone nearly far enough.

Jealousy was quick to move in. And the young wolf now running toward them was a perfect target.

Simon’s face was dark with concern and suspicion when he reached them, and when he spoke, it had the slightly breathless quality that indicated he’d come to find them in a hurry. Jaden watched the wolf’s sharp gaze take in the picture he and Lyra presented, on the ground together in the dark and fairly rumpled besides. It was hard to suppress a smug smile when he saw the pieces click together.

“Well. I guess I don’t need to ask if everything’s all right out here,” Simon said.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jaden saw Lyra flush. Fortunately, he had no similar shame to get in his way.

“No,” Jaden said, rising to a sitting position from where he’d been resting on one arm. “You don’t.”

“We were… I was just… Jaden had some trouble,” Lyra said, rushing out the words so that she sounded even guiltier. It didn’t bother Jaden a bit, and he enjoyed watching Simon’s expression darken even further.

“Uh-huh. So you were playing doctor. Got it.”

Simon’s tone was so dry that a single laugh escaped Jaden before he could swallow it. It didn’t seem like the wolf wanted his sense of humor appreciated right then, though. When he turned his dark eyes on Jaden, they were hot and accusatory.

“You think that’s funny, huh? You just waltz into town like you own it, set yourself up at the Alpha’s house, have yourself a little sample of the local wares—”

“Simon, Jesus, I am not a product!” Lyra snapped. “And he’s not sampling anything! Do you see the blood on his shirt? Some other vamp was out here and took a shot at him. I was making sure he was still alive—which is what most non-heartless people would be doing when the person they’re with gets a stake through the chest!”

It was to Simon’s credit, Jaden supposed, that he was able to put his anger aside so quickly. Even if most of his concern seemed to be for Lyra.

“So there was a vamp out here.” He cursed colorfully, then extended a hand to Lyra. “Did he touch you, are you all right?”

Simon helped Lyra to her feet, his hands lingering on hers as he looked her over. Lyra’s easy acceptance of Simon’s assistance only fed the little green monster now perched on Jaden’s shoulder. He watched silently and fumed as he got to his own feet.

“She’s fine. Whoever it was, he was only interested in me,” Jaden growled. “Lyra drove him off.”

“Better safe than sorry,” Simon said. He no longer looked angry, but the suspicion remained. Jaden glanced at Lyra, but she intentionally looked away from him. Frustration formed into a hard little knot in his gut, which only intensified when she focused her attention back on Simon.

“Really, I’m fine. Nearly took the guy’s arm off, so there’s that.” She grimaced. “Not very tasty, but it worked.”

Simon looked grim. “You got lucky,” he said, and Jaden felt a smug satisfaction when Lyra stiffened, a murderous gleam coming into her eyes. It had been the exact wrong thing to say. He decided to add a little fuel to the fire.

“It wasn’t luck. It’s called courage and strength, both of which Lyra has. The vampire who attacked us wouldn’t have run if he’d thought he could win easily.” He paused. “You may not see it, but my kind has no problem recognizing those qualities in our women.”

The knot in his gut eased a little when Lyra looked at him again. Some of the softness and warmth had returned to her eyes, and the tightness around her mouth eased a little to make way for a small smile.

“Thanks,” she said.

Simon looked between them, suspicion written all over his face.

“What are you two doing out here anyway? Dorien said the vamp wanted a look at the site of the Proving, but it’s not like there’s anything to see.” His tone sharpened when he focused on Lyra again. “You’re lucky you didn’t run into Eric. You won’t be the only one out here getting ready this month.”

“If we had, and if there had been a problem, I would have helped her take care of it,” Jaden said flatly, meeting Simon’s hostile glare with his own. “A better question is why you came running out here after her. Lyra doesn’t need some sad little cub nipping at her heels.”

Simon’s eyes flashed, narrowed, and Jaden felt the return of a bit of pleasure, though of an uglier sort. His blood was still pounding through his veins. He was hungry, overheated, and in desperate need of some sort of release. If that release came in the form of pounding the shit out of Simon again, so be it.

“Oh really? I know what she doesn’t need. Some vamp who wants to take advantage while he’s slumming it—”

“That’s it,” Lyra snapped. “I’m not interested in watching another one of these.” She rounded on Simon. “If you’re not going to tell me why you came after me out here, then I’ll go get the information elsewhere.”

She started to walk away, leaving both Jaden and Simon scrambling to go after her. They didn’t have time, however, for more than a couple of ugly looks at one another. Lyra walked too fast for more.

“Wait! You can’t just leave, Lyra!” Simon said.

“Watch me.”

“I had a good reason for coming to find you.”

“Sure you did,” Jaden shot back. “You’re a stalker.”

Simon flashed his fangs at Jaden. When Lyra kept going, Simon cursed softly. “It was the vamp. Reed picked up the scent about a half hour ago. He called your father, who got a few of the wolves out tracking. And he sent me to find you.” He slid an accusatory glance at Jaden. “We never get vamps here. Not until you. So I’m thinking you must have brought this one with you, one way or another.”