“Yes,” she murmured, her eyes still firmly closed. “So good…feels so good.”
“Won’t be good for long if you keep this up,” I growled, pulling away from her. “Come on, baby—you need to let go. Need to—”
Suddenly, Taylor’s eyes flew open and she sat straight up in bed.
“What…where am I?” She looked at me uncertainly and then recognition flooded her eyes. “What are you doing here? Where’s the wolf?”
“He’s here.” I thumped my chest. “I changed back.”
Her eyes flicked over my naked body, no doubt taking in my cock, which was standing at attention for her.
“Uh, sorry,” I muttered, shifting to try and hide it. I wanted to pull the covers over my hip but we were sleeping on top of the spread for some reason.
A look of fear crossed her face and she scooted suddenly away from me, putting distance between us.
“What have you been doing to me since you changed back?”
“Nothing.” I held up my hands in a “don’t shoot” gesture. “I swear.”
“I don’t believe you,” she snapped. “I thought…I thought I felt your hands. We were both naked and you…you were touching me.”
“Look at yourself, sweetheart,” I said, not bothering to hide the sarcasm in my voice. “You’re still dressed—well, sort of. And I’m only naked because I just changed back. You must have had a dream.”
“But…but why would I dream about that?” Her voice quivered. “I don’t even like that. I never want to ever again. I don’t—”
“Taylor—” I started but she shook her head.
“No, leave me alone. I just…I can’t.” Swiftly she jumped off the bed and ran out of the bedroom.
“Watch out for the sun,” I shouted after her. “It’s three in the afternoon and this is the only light-tight room in the house.”
The words were barely out of my mouth when I heard a scream from the kitchen. Damn it, now what? Grabbing a pair of sweat pants from the closet, I ran after her.
Taylor was standing in the center of the kitchen, surrounded by a brilliant flood of late afternoon sunlight. She must have been running blind and ended up there by accident but it was the absolute worst spot in the house for her to be. Because of the L-shape of the room and the large windows I had installed, the entire place was flooded with light—all but one small spot in the center directly opposite the wall where the large oven range and overhead-mounted microwave were located.
That was where she was standing but it was clear she’d been through the sunlight to get there—there were angry red blisters on one of her arms and red marks on her legs. Now she huddled in the tiny area of shadow, trembling with fear, a trapped look on her face.
I could see how it must have happened—Taylor running blindly to get away from me, sliding into the kitchen too fast to stop. Being burned by the light and skidding to a halt in the tiny oasis of shadow. Now she was stuck there with the blinding, deadly light all around her like an animal caught in a trap.
An animal caught in a trap. That was me last night.
I suddenly flashed on the way she had talked so soothingly to me right in this very room the night before. I had warned her specifically that my wolf form might be dangerous to her and yet she had let me in and treated my wound, risking grave injury to herself to help me. These weren’t images pushed forward by the wolf—they were primal memories, stored in my subconscious and just now coming out. With them came a powerful sense of protectiveness. I had to help her—had to save her. She was mine.
Taylor looked up at me, her blue eyes wide with fear and panic.
“Victor,” she whispered. “I can’t…I’m afraid to move. The sun is too strong. I don’t…don’t know if I can go through it again.”
“Stay right where you are,” I told her, fumbling the sweatpants on as fast as I could. “It’s going to be okay, baby—it’s going to be all right.”
“It’s so bright.” Her voice sounded choked and tense. “I’ve never been up this early since I was turned. I forgot…forgot how hot it could be.”
“Everything is going to be okay.” I came to her, walking through the sunlight that was deadly poison to her pale skin. I held out a hand but Taylor shrank back from me.
“What…what are you going to do?” she whispered, eyeing me fearfully.
“Just shield you,” I assured her. “Look, I’m going to come up behind you and keep my back to the windows. You’re small—I should be able to cover you completely.”