Pleasure Cruise (11 page)

Oh, this wasn’t good. It wasn’t good at all. She didn’t want a relationship. She wasn’t ready to be hurt again. Trembling, she silently cursed. She always fell too hard, too fast. Her heart was her greatest weakness. She’d just have to make sure she avoided him for the rest of the trip.

“…welcome to both our supernatural and human guests,” the ghoulish director was saying.

Clare shivered. It was as she’d thought. This was a mixed-race cruise. She glanced over at Kira, who fit easily into the circle of her cabin boy’s strong arms. The man looked human enough, as did Dominik. Clare frowned. She’d never seen Kira get so cozy so fast. Moving to get away from Dominik, she stepped around to Kira’s other side.

“Please enjoy the human meals we have provided for you,” the director continued. He motioned to his side.

Kira’s face paled dramatically, as if she’d just now heard what was going on. Clare swallowed, growing really nervous. An excited energy glanced over the crowd. A line of willing, half-naked men and women were led forward from a side door wearing nothing but white loincloths and barely-there togas. They posed for the onlookers. Some of the women bared their breasts, wiggling around indecently.

Clare flinched. Many humans had a meal fetish and liked to be “preyed” upon by immortals. It was a common enough thing, though she had never actually seen it practiced. The last thing she wanted to do on her vacation was watch some junkie offer up his body as a main course.

Kira let loose a slight sound of disgust. Clare turned, trying to give her friend a light smile of encouragement. Cabin Boy glanced down at Kira from his taller height. His look was possessive, hot. It was no secret Kira hated most supernatural beings. Well, hate was the strongest word Kira had for it. Clare thought it was more like she feared them immensely. Considering vampires had killed her parents, Clare couldn’t blame her.

The cruise director waited for the murmur of supernatural appreciation to die down before speaking again. “Please keep in mind that all
unclaimed
humans on the vessel have volunteered to be here. We only ask that you pleasure them thoroughly and don’t leave them too drained. However, should an accident happen, dial health services on your stateroom phone. For a small fee, new humans can be ordered through room service twenty-four hours a day and are subject to availability.”

A murmur again rose over the crowd and eyes looked around amongst the group. Clare shivered, feeling very much on display as several gazes turned to her. She hugged her arms to her waist, nervously. Her fear only seemed to arouse more interest and she saw several of the men sniffing in her direction.

Kira was still under her cabin boy’s arm and was left alone. Clare watched as the man pulled her friend farther away, walking her toward the bar. Kira had an odd look on her face, as if she was entranced. It was silly, because Cabin Boy wasn’t supernatural. They’d have been able to tell if he was. Maybe Kira really did like the man. He did seem like her friend’s type.

Clare made a move to follow, not wanting to be left alone for too long. Before she could take a step, a big hand clasped around her smaller wrist and she nearly screamed in fright. She glanced up, terrified as a large man with liquid yellow eyes leered at her. His mouth was elongated slightly in his state of arousal, showcasing a mouthful of sharp, pointed teeth. Clare opened her mouth but only a squeak came out. She looked for Kira but her friend had disappeared into the crowd. She was all alone.

“
Mm
.” The terrifying lycan growled. His chest rose and fell in deep breaths. His nostrils flared, as his face looked ready to shift into his lycan form. “You will come with me, human. You will be mine.”

Clare’s mouth opened but only a squeak of protest came out. She shook violently, as tears welled in her eyes. She moved to push weakly at the lycan’s brawny chest, whimpering in fear. He didn’t budge.

A gentle hand touched her back. Bold fingers glanced over her skin, dipping beneath the silk at her hip only to settle on the naked flesh between her gown and her waist. It was a possessive act, one the snarling lycan seemed to recognize immediately. The lycan backed down, but looked angry at the interruption to his plans. She shivered, knowing instinctively who the hand belonged to.

Dominik jerked her back into his chest. A shock went up her spine to feel his length against her. Her body responded to his protection, heating beneath his intimate hand and becoming damp. A finger circled lightly over her navel in the most possessive caress she’d ever felt. His body was tense, as if ready to do battle. His chest heaved.

A low growl sounded in Dominik’s throat. He turned, pulling Clare away from the sweaty lycan. Snarling possessively, he roared, “
She’s taken!
”

Clare shivered, too weak to move. The hand on her stomach kneaded her flesh, hard and controlling. She breathed heavily, feeling the touch shoot wave after hot wave of desire throughout her body. A firm thigh molded itself nicely into her ass, pushing into her, spreading her cheeks ever so slightly. She cursed the crotchless red panties Kira had given her, for they left her opened and exposed. Moisture dripped from her body and made her thighs sticky.

“She does not look taken,” the lycan growled. His eyes narrowed and he sniffed in her direction. His eyes lit with pleasure. “She’s unmarked and I saw her first.”

“What’s the commotion here?” a voice boomed. All three pairs of eyes turned down to the potbellied amphibian-like creature in the captain’s uniform. A long tongue flipped out of his wide mouth. His short frame waddled with authority. His head turned, and Clare was sure he’d be more suited as an old sheriff in a bad cowboy movie rather than commander of a seagoing vessel. By the look on his face, he seemed about ready to spit tobacco on the floor and scratch himself indecently.

Clare stiffened. Her head was light from Dominik’s nearness and she couldn’t think straight. The large lycan stared at her, heaving in anger, ready to fight Dominik for possession over her. Dazed, she tried to figure out what was going on.

“Nothing, I—” Clare began heatedly, ready to deny both suitors at once. She wasn’t going to be “claimed” by anybody. Surely, once she explained to the captain, she’d be left alone.

Dominik stopped caressing her and pulled her so hard against him that she lost her breath. He spread his fingers along her ribs, nearly touching the bottom curve of her breast. Her nipples puckered anew, straining indecently for all to see. The men’s gazes turned down to her chest. The amphibian captain licked his lips. The beefy lycan growled. Easily, Dominik said, “I was just going to get my lady a glass of water.”

Clare flinched as he handed her his glass. She didn’t take it. Her heart hammered in her chest. Her breasts felt heavy and she had the insane urge to grab his hand and force it higher. What was wrong with her? They were in public. This wasn’t like her. She didn’t act like this.

Dominik tensed, digging his nails slightly into her skin in warning. He leaned over and whispered into her ear, “Take it or you’ll be going home with him or another tonight. I can guarantee the others won’t be so understanding of your resistance to them. In fact, the smell of your fear will only make them more aggressive.”

Clare trembled as his hot breath tickled her flesh. Her hand quivered in terror from his words. She reached for the glass of water and took a hesitant sip, barely able to swallow. The captain studied them both. The lycan behind him growled, making an aggressive move forward in protest.

Without missing a beat, Dominik leaned over and nudged Clare’s temple, planting a quick kiss against her forehead. The gesture was amazingly tender. Louder, so the onlookers could hear, he said to her, “I’m sorry, sweetheart, I should have known better than to leave you alone when you had on my favorite dress. You can’t blame them for wanting you when you look as delectable as you do. I promise to spend all night making it up to you.”

Clare, who had been about to swallow, choked on her water. Dominik’s chest jerked against her back. He was laughing at her. Did this man never take anything seriously?

“I don’t smell your mark on her!” her other suitor growled.

The captain seemed to study her reaction. Slowly, he asked, “Miss, do you agree to this lycan or would you rather be unclaimed?”

Clare blinked and looked over at the sweaty lycan. He leered at her, making her skin crawl with repulsion. She was about to shake her head until she realized the captain was looking at Dominik. Dominik had gone completely still at the comment. Clare turned, her eyes questioning as she looked up at him. His jaw tensed, his eyes almost appearing vulnerable, as he waited for her reaction.

Oh, gawd!
Clare made a weak noise, searching his face for changes.
Dominik is a lycan!

Clare swallowed. She hadn’t suspected it, but it suddenly made sense—the feelings he seemed to project at her, the way he almost just knew she wanted him from the first moment, even if she’d never admit to it, and the quiet strength of his hold. No wonder he seemed to exude power and confidence. Lycans weren’t like humans. No wonder he’d not thought twice about being in her room. She’d heard his kind often lived in large packs. He probably was used to sharing his space.

Looking from one lycan to the other, she knew she had to choose quickly. There was no choice really. She slowly turned and wrapped her arms around Dominik’s waist, pressing her cheek into the muscular ripples of his chest. His smell wafted over her, drifting dreamily onto her skin, tempting her. He smelled of vanilla and mint and he felt so good against her softer body, so warm. She felt safe.

Dominik relaxed against her, as she openly attached herself to him. His hand had been forced from her stomach as she turned but he kept it possessively on her bare waist. His finger absently ventured down to toy with the thin strap of her panties along her hip.

Clare closed her eyes. She was sure she would faint from his touch, his smell, his possessive nearness. It was almost as if she could feel his emotions inside of her. He wanted her, that much she could tell by his erection, but she also felt that he needed her. Moisture continued to pool between her thighs until she felt only her need for him burning in her blood. Never had she reacted so strongly to a man—
a lycan
.

“You have her answer,” Dominik said, his voice cocky and sure.

Clare didn’t care. Her body raged with desire. She couldn’t think beyond the feel of Dominik’s length to hers. Another weak moan left her in a daze.

“Come on, sweetheart,” Dominik said hoarsely into her hair. “Let’s get you back to
our
room.”

Clare followed him blindly, shaken. He kept her hugged possessively to his side as he walked. She fitted her hand weakly on his chest and she could feel his heart beating in steady thumps against her palm. As they passed through the ballroom to the safety of the hallway, she shivered.

“I’m sorry to treat you like that, Clare. It’s the only thing I could’ve done to get him to back off, short of ripping out his throat.” Dominik said softly. He tried to pull away, but she didn’t let him. Being in his arms was insanity, but for the moment she couldn’t bring herself to care.

Kira turned to watch Clare being led out by Dominik. A small smile lit her face. He was a nice man, if a little on the strange side. Kira supposed it was because he was a foreigner. She’d gotten plenty of time to talk to him when waiting for orientation and found him to be decent enough.

The arm around her shoulders shifted and she looked up at her handsome cabin boy. She wondered if he would mind ducking out of orientation early for a little evening rendezvous. The sooner she got out of this mixed crowd, the better. She was sure no one would notice if they missed the safety briefing.

“Ah, Sir Braden, good to see you again.”

Kira jolted as the little toad man stepped up to them. A long, pink tongue curled from his lips and she made a face. Seeing his captain’s hat, she quickly hid her revulsion. Well, what better creature to command a ship than an amphibian? That was unless the ship started to sink. Then he might not care as much, as he could just swim into the sunset. Kira turned her face away, hiding her amused expression.

Suddenly what he said struck her. She glanced up to the handsome man.
Sir Braden?
She would never have guessed her cabin boy for a Sir, or that he was named Braden. But somehow, it fit him perfectly. She should have known that he was nobility, or at least rich from the cut of his designer clothing. He flashed her a handsome, devil-may-care grin, and she couldn’t resist moving around in his arms to face him.