Feral Passion by Avery Duncan

sides.
    Mary would have sighed, shrugged, rolled her
eyes, or something else, but the look in his eyes and the tone of
his voice stopped her. “You act like you know something about the
situation, Jacques,” she commented quietly, considering.
    “I’ve been here no less than a week and I
know more about you and this whole town than you ever could. Now,
why didn’t you stay with him?” he asked, trying to calm
himself.
    “I’m not going to hide behind my family. I
also won’t be putting them in danger,” she reinforced, crossing her
arms.
    “So your going to get cameras to protect you?” he asked
incredulously.
    “Well. . .”
    “Darlin’, cameras can’t hit back,” he growled
low, the southern accent that vibrated between them making the hair
on the back of her neck rise. Her breasts felt tighter, and she was
too sure it wasn’t because of the heat.
    “I can though,” she retorted, narrowing her
eyes on him.
    “Will it make a difference? You may be
powerful, but you are still a woman,” he said, berating her.
    Romero’s gasp joined hers, and then he
started laughing.
    “Jacques, you have a death wish!” he hooted,
holding his stomach.
    Mary rounded on her brother’s long-time
friend. “And you’ll be next, after I finish with him,” she threatened, jabbing a finger at
Jacques.
    “The day you beat me is the day I kiss your
ass, Ms. Waters,” he said in her ear, the smirk in his voice
annoying her.
    She got in his face, forgetting about who she
was and the people around them. “The day I let you kiss my ass is
the day I drop dead,” she hissed, eyes flashing.
    “In pleasure?”
    He smirked.

Chapter 17
     
    Raffaele stared into striking green eyes that
he knew could become his permanent solace if only he had the will
to let it happen. Anger, passion hiding in her eyes, and the look
that she would cut him into little pieces if she got the chance did
nothing for his libido. In fact, it might have made it worse.
    Amused, he leaned down closer, knowing that
Romero was too busy studying the scene to notice their antics. Her
slim finger came up to stab him in the chest; he only wished that
she would touch him in other places.
    "Actually, no," she said, lip moving to pout
mode even though she still sounded angry. A gust of wind blew part
of her long pony tail into her face and she swiped at it
angrily.
    He chuckled at her, nudging under her chin.
"Don't act so tough when the wolf is ready to hunt, babe," he
warned, flashing a fang charmingly
    Her chin jutted into the air haughtily. "I do
believe that you aren't a wolf or any sort of animal like that, Mr.
Jaques."
    Raff shrugged carelessly. "Whatever suits
you, Ms. Waters."
    He watched her eyes widen right as a paw of a
hand clamped down on his shoulder. Freezing, all expression
dropping from his face, he turned slowly to meet familiar forest
eyes.
    Pissed off forest eyes.
    "I see your paws on my baby sister again, I'm
going to chop them off and give them to her daddy," the big guy
growled, eyes flashing to a threatening black color.
    Instead of coming to his aid, the brunette
imp behind him started to laugh and as much as he found the sound
pleasing, he was pretty sure no one would be laughing when the
man's hand was down his own throat.
    Raff snarled at the feel of hands on him,
shaking them off and balling his fists. Right when he would have
given a fear-inducing threat, Romero came over to clap the man's
shoulder. "Got here fast enough," he said sarcastically, looking
the man up and down, considering.
    Ulrich crossed his arms over his shoulders
defensively. "Macy didn't want to wake up," he said as an excuse,
then practically forgot the man as he walked over to his
sister.
    They hugged, Ulrich's more gentler than it
would have been if it had been glass he had been hugging. "How was
the rest of your night?" Raff heard him ask, which piked his
curiosity.
    He stared over the man's boulder shoulders at
Mary, noting the bags and wary glances around her.