Chapter Two

Jace found himself with his arms full of gorgeous woman. A hungry gorgeous woman. Her kiss pushed him flat against the truck, the ridges of its door digging into his back.

Against his front, he felt nothing but soft woman—breasts, hands, thighs. Deni’s mouth was all over his, lips seeking, tongue swiping into his mouth, giving him a taste of spice and wildness.

Jace told himself to push her away, but he cupped her waist and ended up dragging her closer. Another roar came from the arena, galvanizing her, winding up Jace’s heat in response.

The sarong bared much of her flesh—the garment clasped at one shoulder and wrapped her hips, leaving Deni’s neck, arms, and most of her back bare. Her warm skin was silken under Jace’s fingers, curves lush. A full-bodied Shifter woman.

Deni was tall, as Shifter women were, but Jace was taller. He scooped her into him, liking how she fit against him. Her bu**ocks were a handful, her br**sts the best cushions.

He opened his mouth to hers, welcoming her greedy kisses. She was hot in his arms, she smelled good, and her hair was silken against his skin.

It was exciting and erotic, pulling a woman he’d just met into his arms, the two of them wound up from the fighting, wanting to relieve themselves in the shadows with fervent, hard sex. Her body rubbed his hard-on, tingling raw pleasure through him. Some Shifters were already scratching their itches tonight in this parking lot, with humans or other Shifters. By the sounds and scents, they were at it in cars or in the shadows beyond. Frantic, basic coupling.

Deni groped for the button of his jeans, fingers sliding along the zipper. In a few seconds, she’d have his hot c**k in her hands, and he’d be done for.

“Not here,” Jace managed to say. He had just enough presence of mind to not want to be caught banging Ellison Rowe’s sister up against the side of a Shifter’s pickup. A few steps and they’d be in deep shadow, on hard Texas earth.

Deni nodded, her eyes the light gray of her wolf. Jace swung her off her feet and ran with her beyond the circle of light.

He didn’t bother trying to find a soft place to lie down in the darkness. Jace could hold the both of them up—he was plenty strong. One tug of strings and the sarong fell, baring her to him. Jace buried his nose in her neck as he nipped her flesh. He loved how she smelled. Feminine, strong, beautiful.

Deni managed to get his jeans open. Jace let them slither down his legs, then his underwear followed. He lifted her, cradling her hips, and she slid straight onto him.

Her eyes widened. Beautiful silver white eyes, moonlight eyes. Jace caught her head with one hand, loving the feel of her hair against his fingers, and he kissed her.

Hot, amazing woman wrapped around him, as hungry as he was. Jace was deep inside her, the penetration satisfying, filling him up as much as he filled her.

Deni moaned a little against his mouth. Jace released her from the kiss, but he wanted to go on kissing her, her mouth hot. Goddess, how lucky was he that she’d run to join in his fight?

Jace thrust what little he could, lifting her with hands under her bu**ocks and lowering her onto him again in small, swift jerks. They were both making noises now, and not being quiet. Anyone passing would know two Shifters were finding relief out here in the dark.

This was raw, rough sex. No finesse, no romance. Just a man and a woman doing what the Goddess had made them to do. Come together, join, mate, create.

“Jace.”

Deni cried his name, then her head went back, passion making her incoherent. Jace held on to her, taking their combined weight on his planted feet, rocking to seek more and more of her.

He gathered her hard against him, feeling his seed build in its need to reach her. Shifters wanted more than anything to make more Shifters, and Jace’s body knew it. Instinct, desire, whatever he wanted to call it. It took over, and he couldn’t fight it.

“Son of a bitch,” he whispered as his climax hit him, harder than any he’d had in his life. He felt his seed go and felt her take it, heard his own shouts drowned in hers and another, final victory roar from the arena.

Jace shuddered, whatever the hell he said lost to the night. Deni clung to him, her gasps of pleasure not muffled. She hung on to him until the last thrust, and then Jace simply held her, wondering that he’d found something so beautiful so unexpectedly.

His body was still crazed with need. He felt his c**k rise again, not that it had deflated much.

Oh, hell no. Jace was crawling with heat, desire rampaging through his body. He thought he’d be sated with a quick coupling—that both of them would be sated.

But the Shifter in him had other ideas. Mate. Take. Mine. “Son of a bitch,” he whispered again.

This was not the time for mating frenzy—that basic Shifter need to take a mate someplace safe where they could screw for days. And days. Weeks, even months if need be. Not to come out until they were both half-starved and exhausted, and the female was plump with cubs.

Shifters could follow their rituals, ceremonies, laws, protocol—whatever they called it this century—but the truth was that the mating frenzy could still grab them by the balls at any time and not let them go.

The woman in Jace’s arms had awakened his frenzy as no other female had before. This was crazy. Jace had only just met her—he hadn’t known her more than an hour.

The mating frenzy didn’t care.

With effort, Jace made himself loosen his hold on her. At least he could give Deni the chance to run.

Then I can hunt her, the leopard in him said with glee. Chase her. Catch her. Make her mine.