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Moonlight Ch. 01

By: AnyaLeena



She ran like moonlight across the lake, such silent beauty. Trim muscles tightening, she leaped over the fallen tree and was slipping through the night once more. Breathing deeply, she took in the scents of the forest. Moist earth. Crisp air. Hot blood.

She stopped and sniffed the air once more. No, it wasn't a mistake. She could smell it. Taste it. That pulse of life that made her tongue tingle. She darted to the right, chasing the flickering scent. Glimpsing the flash of white, she pounced on the defenseless creature. And shifting shape, howled at the moon with victory.

~~~~~~

"Lena, wait up. Please? Just one little favor, that's it."

Turning away from the counter, Selena continued counting her stock. "I told you last time, Sunny. No more favors. They just cause trouble, and I'm done with trouble." She looked back at Sunny and knew she had to get her out before she gave in. Sunny was the baby of the family, and knew enough tricks to get her way. And Selena was tired of caving in. Sighing, she turned down the next aisle to continue her work, Sunny following right behind.

"Look, little sister. You know I'd love to help you. But let's face it. You're a walking natural disaster."

"Now don't you think that's a little harsh? I mean, it wasn't totally my fault that the pier gave way." 

Selena cocked her hip and shook her head. "Course it wasn't totally your fault. You just happened to have forgotten to let Jim know that you put the anchor down. So when he took off in the boat, the pier took off with him."

Sunny flinched. "That was a little mistake..." Lena walked further down the aisle, noting that the paraffin lotion was running low. 

"Then there was the time when you were at the beach, and leaned against the concession stand. I've never seen a building collapse without the use of dynamite before that." 

"But those were all accidents, Lena. I'll be super careful this time. I really need this job. Please."

Selena huffed and glanced behind her. Sunny was right. She really needed this job. Now that it was just the two of them left to take care of Aurora, they needed all the money they could get. 

"Fine, fine. What time's the interview?"

Sunny jumped up and down, then grabbed Selena for a hug. "Oh thank you, thank you, Lena. I knew you wouldn't let me down. You're the best sister ever!" 

Jostling up and down, she took Sunny by the shoulders to steady herself. "I didn't say yes.... I asked what time the interview was." Sunny stopped jumping, and now acting prim and proper, answered, 'It's at 4 p.m. this afternoon." 

"Left it to the last minute huh?' Noting Sunny's embarrassed grin, she continued. "I can cut out of work here by 3:30. Meet me here then, and I'll drive you over. I don't trust you with my car, but I think we should be relatively safe with me driving." 

"Thanks, big sis. I owe you one." And with one last hug, the whirlwind known as her sister rushed out of the store. 

"Man, I caved in again!! You've really got to stop this Selena. Don't give in. Stand your ground," she muttered to herself. Shaking her head, she went back towards the counter. She glanced at the mirror above the gift wrap table, looking for the 'sucker' written on her forehead. Instead she saw the same face she saw every morning. Curly black hair that tended to get a little unruly. Gray eyes, like fairy smoke, her mom had once said. And enough of a tilt on the ends of her eyes and nose to look like exactly like that fairy. An annoyed one at this moment. "Yup. Next time, it's definitely a no." Wrapped up in her appraisal, she missed the sound of the bell above the door. "Oh well. Family's family."

"You know, they say it isn't healthy to talk to yourself." Startled, Selena whipped around and looked up. And up. Into the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. God, he's built. And running a glance down his body, she could attest that he was built everywhere. Down girl, Lena thought a second later, feeling herself grow damp at the ideas flashing in her head. You don't have time to go there. 

"Nope," she said. "It's only bad if you answer back." As he grinned at her remark, she couldn't help but notice how white and shiny is teeth were. She'd always been a fool for a great smile. "So what can I do for you?" she asked, heading back toward the counter."

"I was actually hoping you could tell me where the owner is." He leaned up against the counter, flashing that grin again. Always up for a little flirting, Selena put her elbows on the counter & propped her chin in her hands. 

"Now why would you want that?"

"Well see, I'm the new sheriff in town, and I'm going around introducing myself to the locals. I want to make sure they know who I am, and feel comfortable with me. Let them know this town's in capable hands." 

Selena was frozen. She heard over & over, I'm the new sheriff. The new sheriff. New sheriff. Oh no, she thought. And things had been going so well. Looks like we might be moving again. 

~~~~~

Lena stood upright and stuck her hand out. "Well, you're talking to her. Selena Murray, proprietor of Luna." 

He took her hand, but instead of shaking it, simply held it. "Nice to meet you, Ms Murray. Sheriff Conor Quinn, at your service." 

A hot spark raced across her palm, causing Selena to pull her hand away. She came around the counter, and went back to straightening the shelves. "It's a pleasure to meet you. How do you like living here at Silver Lake?" 

He followed behind her. "I will say the views here are spectacular." She glanced over her shoulder, and caught his grin. "But besides the view, it's been great. The people here are very friendly. And the weather's much better than Michigan, which is where I'm from." 

She made a note on the sheet that her mint body cream was low. "That's because you're here in the summer months. Winter in the Northwest can get just as cold." 

Conor's grin flashed once more. "Well now, the best remedy for the cold is a warm body next to you, or so I heard." There was no mistaking the invitation in his eyes. It was just too damn bad he was a cop. 

Lena moved further along the aisle, making notes here and there. "Well lucky for you Sheriff that there are plenty of single bodies up here. I'm sure you won't be left wanting for company." She laid her clipboard down and turned to face him. "It's been a pleasure to meet you, but as you can see, you caught me right in the middle of inventory. Welcome to Silver Lake and have a great day." She turned to escort him to the door. 

"Believe me, the pleasure's been mine." He caught her eyes, letting her see the heat there then calmly reached to open the door. Just before walking out, turned once more towards Lena, who was watching him with wary eyes. "I'll be seeing you around."

Here's your hat, what's your hurry? Conor thought, as he walked out of the shop. That was the quickest 180 flip he'd ever seen. She went from being warm and flirty to cold and quiet in a second. The second he'd mentioned he was a sheriff. He hoped she wasn't wanted for anything. There was something special about this one. She managed to soothe him and excite him at the same time. Well, he'd do a little digging around her background, and get some up close and personal time with her. He always did love a challenge. If there was something going on, well, he'd take care of it in his own time. But if there wasn't... well he'd be putting a different kind of look into those smoky eyes of Selena Murray.

~~~~~~

"Dear goddess, that was close." Selena grabbed the clipboard and sat behind the counter. She couldn't even seem to focus, but instead kept staring at her hand. That spark. The moment they had touched, her wolf inside had jumped for joy. Her heart was still beating at triple-time and she could feel the sweat pouring down her back. She didn't know what was going on, or why her wolf had wanted to jump the man and mate with him, but she wasn't going near him again. Conor Quinn was going to be trouble. She could taste it. Too bad she'd rather taste him.

The jingle above the door broke her train of thought. Lena looked up and saw Sunny looking at her a little sideways. 

"You okay Lena? You look a little shell-shocked."

She shook her head, and stood up to walk around the counter. "I'm fine, don't worry. But what are you doing back so soon?" 

Sunny just smiled indulgently at her. "You did say to meet you at 3:30 right?" Lena looked up at the clock on the wall and couldn't believe her eyes. It was indeed 3:30. The meeting with Conor hadn't taken long, so she must have been sitting there for quite some time. 

"I did say 3:30. Sorry but I didn't realize what time it was. Let me just grab my keys to lock up and we'll head out. Where's the interview at again?" Selena headed into the back to grab her purse and jacket just as Sunny responded. Walking back out again, she stated "Sorry Sunny, didn't catch that. Where did you say it was?

"The Crescent Doll." Sunny waited for the explosion. She didn't have to wait long. 

"WHAT! No way, I don't think so. You are not working at a strip club, Sunny, no matter how classy they say it is." 

Lena grabbed Sunny by the arm, and dragged her out the store, locking the door up behind them. "I'm taking you home. You can call them from there and say that there was a mistake. That's all."

"I won't be stripping, sis. I'm just gonna be the bartender. I won't even be working around the crowd. I'll be safe and sound behind the big bar." She rolled her eyes as Selena just stood there, arms crossed, foot tapping. "Besides Lena. The explanation still applies. I need this job. And it's the only thing I can start right away. Everything else will take a while. You know that. I know that. Hell, even Rory knows it."

Selena stood looking at her sister for a little while longer. With long blonde hair, and bright blue eyes, Sunny was the very image of her name. She was always cheerful and friendly, and those great traits could sometimes get her in trouble. "Sunny, why don't you just work for me? You know that the shop is doing well enough now that I could use some help."

Sunny chuckled. "No offense, Lena, but you know I couldn't work for you. It's bad enough that you're the boss of us at home. I don't think I could take you being my boss when I'm at work too. But I'll make you a promise." At this, Sunny grabbed Lena's hand solemnly. "If anything happens, and I mean anything, then I'll quit and work at the shop until I can find something else. Deal?" 

Selena was quiet for a moment, and then hugged Sunny tightly. "It's a deal. But I get to say I told you so. And maybe kick some butt, ok?" 

"You got it," Sunny laughed. "Now let's get going. I don't want to be late on the first day."

During the car ride, Sunny prattled on about one thing and another. That was one trait about her sister that Selena could be thankful for. She didn't need another person to participate in a conversation. She was perfectly capable of handling the dialog all by herself. Which gave Selena some time to think about their current situation, and the new developments. Or rather, one hot hunky development. Whoa, so not going down that alley again. Granted he was gorgeous. And from the look of his build, she'd love to have a taste, she thought. But he was a distraction and one that they didn't need right now. They had just settled in, and didn't have the funds to move again. Plus they'd all agreed to stay put this time, no matter what happens. This was bound to happen at some point in time anyway. No need to freak out because a sheriff had stopped by. 

As if Sunny had read her mind, she turned to Selena and asked, "So, have you met the hot Sheriff Quinn yet?" 

Selena whipped her head around. "What? What do you mean? Did he say something to you?"

Sunny lifted her hands in surrender. "Hey, slow down Lena. It wasn't anything like that. Earlier today, I stopped by the club to get some of the last details out of the way when he stopped by to speak with Dennis. I was standing close by and heard him say that he wanted to meet everybody and say hi. And that he wanted to make sure that there'd be no trouble coming out of the club." 

She gradually calmed down. "So what did Dennis say?" 

Sunny brushed her hair back and checked to make sure her makeup was still perfect. Grabbing her bag, she freshened her lipstick. "Said that he wouldn't stand for that kind of shit anyways, and that the sheriff would be the first one called the minute something happens." 

"I'll give Dennis credit," Lena said. "He definitely doesn't take shit from anyone. For a strip club, it is pretty safe I guess." Lena pulled into the parking lot, cut the engine, and turned to face Sunny again. "But a deal's a deal, Sunny. If anything happens, you quit. That day. No two week notice. Got it?" 

Sunny got out of the car and peered through the window. "No sweat, Lena. I promise. I should be done here around 1."

Lena started the engine back up. "I'll be here to pick you up tonight. We'll celebrate your first night. But for the other nights, see if you can arrange a ride with one of the other girls, k? At least until we get you a car."

"Will do. See you tonight!" With that, she ran to the door. Just before walking in, she turned to wave to Lena. With a sigh, Selena turned the car around and headed home.

Moonlight Ch. 01



It was their first night together in a truly long time. They had been together for 3 years, both of them 21, but Maria had gone away on a business trip. True, she was rather young to be working for a big name company, but she and Thomas had been working their hardest since 14 so that one day in the (hopefully near) future, they could buy a house and move in together as quickly as possible. Finally, after 6 months of suffering, they could see each other again, and they were doing so on this date tonight. 

"So what do you think you'll be getting?" Thomas spoke, ravenously looking over the menu in front of him. They had planned the date at Dîner de Jean-Luc, a moderately fancy- but not too over the top- French restaurant that was located nearby. 

"Hm... I have no idea," responded Maria with a humorous look of shock on her face, "everything looks so good!"

Thomas tilted his head up slightly and glared at Maria, "I'm looking at something better," he retorted. Maria looked up at him with a look both of playful disappointment and a slight smile.

"I can't tell if that was extremely cute or extremely sexual," she began, Thomas smirking to himself, "but then again, knowing you, it was probably more sexual, wasn't it?" This made her boyfriend chuckle to himself as she shook her head laughing. 

They had dinner and after the sun had fully set in the sky, as they could see clearly from the window adjacent to them, and the summer wind crept in, chilling the air with its cool fingertips, the two made their way out into the dim light of the parking lot and into Thomas's car. Before he put in the key and started the car, he laid his head back against his headrest and sighed.

Maria, looking over at him and taking his hand, spoke out gently, "Hey, are you ok?" He looked out his window at the dark night sky.

"Yes, thank you. This type of atmosphere has just always really calmed me."

"Haha. Ok, just making sure." She smiled and squeezed his hand, turning to look out at the same sky above. After a few seconds of calm silence, Thomas closed his eyes and then turned towards Maria. She sensed the movement and turned to look back at him to find him staring deeply into her beautiful brown eyes.

"I don't want to leave you baby..." He said, the words making their way from his calm lips oh so gently.

"Neither do I sweetheart," she answered, frowning.

He took her chin, "Hey, baby, don't frown, ok? Please?"

"Don't leave me," she said, staring back up into his sincere hazel eyes. 

"I would be out of my mind to do that Maria." She gave a slight smile and a few inches of the distance between their lips closed.

"I love you."

And a few more.

"I love you too."

And then their lips met for the first time in a great while, slowly and continuously pushing against each other and then breaking apart, only to meet again half a second later. The passion between their lips in this kiss was particularly great, and they both felt a spark ignite in a deep corner of their heart that hadn't been ignited in a long time. The moon above shone brightly upon them, with no other light with exception of the dim parking lot lights in the distance. Thomas placed his hand across Maria's cheek, moving slightly closer and sighing with relief. If it weren't for an animal outside by a nearby bush running by, causing both Thomas and Maria to flinch, who knows how long the kiss would have continued. They both stared into each others eyes and smiled. After a few seconds, Thomas put a hand on Maria's shoulder, then took it back and started up the car. He pulled back and then out into the street where he drove off into the darkness, away from the silent, moonlit parking lot.



Moonlight Ch. 02



**Hi all... thanks for giving me a chance. Reviews and comments are always welcome. Just so you're aware. there's not as much steam in this chapter. Still building the characters. Either way, hope you enjoy! ;)

*

"Rory, you here? I'm home!" Selena slammed the door shut and tossed her coat and purse on the couch. Where'd that girl go? Aurora should have been home from the library by now. As the youngest sister, she tended to get her way. Thank the goddess she didn't ask for much. She was the sweetest, and the best of them. It was Aurora who had suggested coming to Silver Lake, with its thick forests and wide fields far away from the city. And it was Aurora who had suggested that Lena open the store, using her knowledge of herbs and plants to earn their living. She had also been the one that suggested they stay put for the time being. 

Stepping out of her heels, Selena thought once more about what her life would have been like if they had been normal. There would have been college classes and city life for the three of them. Traveling to foreign countries. Walks in the moonlight. Flirting with handsome sheriffs... She shook the thought from her mind. It wasn't meant to be. They've learned to get along fine with just the three of them. 

Stepping to the phone, she checked to see if Rory had called yet. Aurora had planned on going to the library to see if there were some other plants and flowers in the area that would work better for the potion than what they'd been working with. After 10 years of being an herbal practitioner, they were no closer to finding a cure than they were when she had first started. She hadn't said anything to her sisters, but some days she didn't want a cure. She liked her wolf. She enjoyed the sense of constant companionship, and even though she didn't always agree with her wolf, she always liked its independent spirit.

Seeing the blinking light, she pushed the button to hear her messages. "Hey Lena. Rory here. I think I might have found a couple things, but I'm not a hundred percent sure. I'm gonna stay a little while longer, see if I can find some other books to compare these to. I'll call before I head home. Later!"

Moving towards the kitchen, she opened the fridge to see if what there was for dinner. Lena had only half an ear tuned towards the message, requesting a donation, when she heard the next message begin. With a start, she stood up too fast, banging her head on the shelf. Turning the air blue, she strode back to the answering machine and started the message from the beginning. 

"Hello, Ms. Murray. This is Sheriff Quinn. Hope you don't mind that I'm calling you at home. But I had some questions, and was hoping that you'd help me out with them. I'll stop by a little later, say around 7:30 tonight. Thank you."

Selena stood there with her jaw opened. What a pompous ass! Didn't he even think about the possibility that she might have had plans for the night? Just because she hadn't had a date for several months now doesn't mean he should be so presumptuous. She looked at the clock to see how much time she had, and felt her jaw hit the floor for the second time in 5 minutes. No way. There is no way that it's already 7:00. That wasn't nearly enough time to get ready. She wanted to be in a dressed-to-kill outfit, looking like she's heading out when he was coming up. Oh well. She had enough weapons in her arsenal to come away looking like a champ, and him just looking. She ran up the stairs to her room to begin gathering all her weapons.

~~~~

Conor knocked on the door. He had a feeling that Selena Murray would not be happy that he had dropped by and was probably going to let him have it. But all day he had been hounded by thoughts of her. The color of her eyes. The swing of her hair. The curve of her neck. Hell, even the frosty attitude and the 180 flip had him salivating. He shoveled a hand through his hair. The background checked showed nothing that would explain the sudden cold shoulder. He didn't know why she didn't like him. But he couldn't resist a challenge, and Selena had that word written all over her luscious body. Then the door opened and even thoughts of her had flown out of his head.

"Hello Sheriff. Come on in." Lena had somehow looked even more graceful and beautiful than when he had first laid eyes on her. Her legs were stunning beneath her short black skirt, and appeared to have started at her ears. Those cute perky breasts of hers were showcased in a gorgeous red sweater. She had done something to her eyes to make them smoky and mysterious. But what had the drool pooling in his mouth were her luscious lips, painted bright red to match his sweater. Conor had to fist his hands from reaching out and hauling her up to him. He shook his head as he watched her walk back into her house. He followed close behind her, catching a whiff of the sensual scent that trailed in her wake. "First, I have a quick question."

Selena glanced over her shoulder as she led him to the kitchen. "And what would that question be?"

"Was it your intention to make me wanna beg?"

"Why, of course" she replied, with a soft smile.

"That's what I figured." He looked around the kitchen. Even with the night closing in, the room radiated warmth. The sunny yellow walls were highlighted by the bright white cabinets. Conor didn't cook much, but even he knew that the appliances were top-grade professional tools. All around were pots of fresh herbs and copper pans. "Do you do much cooking?"

"Yes, actually. I find it a very soothing and relaxing hobby. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Sure. Some water would be great." 

She moved around the table to grab a couple of glasses out of the cupboard. She was thankful for those few moments with her back to him. When she had opened the door to him, it took all she had to keep from jumping him and asking him to take her. She remembered his lean lines from earlier, but she had never understood the appeal of a man in uniform... until just then. By all rights, the khaki shirt and pants should have made him look boring and staid. Instead, he looked powerful and in control. And amazingly sexy.

"I'm afraid you've caught me at a bad time, sheriff. I was about to head out dinner, so I hope your questions won't be too long."

Conor was suddenly gripped with a tight fist of jealousy. Who was she meeting? Didn't she understand she was his? She had a deep well of passion in her, and he wanted to make sure that he was the only one in a position to take advantage of it. He took his hat off and placed it on the kitchen table. "Unfortunately, it may take a while. You may want to let your date know that it may be awhile."

"Oh, I was just going to meet up with Sunny and Rory in a while up at The Crescent Doll later. They'll understand."

Conor's eyes narrowed as he gazed at her across the table. "Isn't that the strip club off of Peterson?"

"Yes it is. Why?"

"You have to ask? It's a strip club, for crying out loud. That's not a place for someone like you!"

Lena placed her glass carefully on the table as she stood up. Her hands had fisted so tightly, a mannerism that her sisters knew spelled trouble. "What exactly is that supposed to mean, 'someone like me'?" 

Conor rounded the table until he stood right in front of her, forcing her to look up to meet his gaze. "You know exactly what I mean. Your type doesn't belong there!"

"What? Are you kidding? Exactly what kind of type belongs there?"

Conor lost what control he had, and grabbed her elbows, pulling her closer to him. As she fell into him, she glanced up at his face. And as she stared into his deep blue eyes, she felt like she was falling into him. Like she was losing a piece of herself. Panicking, she struggled to pull away from him. As she fought against him, Selena realized that he was so much stronger than he looked, and yet that strength was tempered with gentleness. He wasn't hurting her. Merely keeping her in place. 

He crushed his lips against hers. For a split second, Lena froze. But then, she arched against him, kissing him back passionately. She had never experienced such immediate lust before. She was so aroused, she couldn't help but rub herself against his hard thigh. With a deep moan, Conor wrapped his arms around her, bringing her up against his hard length. Heedless of anything but the passion igniting between them, they missed the sound of the front door opening.

Conor pulled himself away from her, to look deep into her eyes. "You know what type belongs in that place, Selena. Only blowsy blondes with empty heads, fake breasts, and a waiting line between their legs belong at The Crescent Doll. Not a sexy smart woman like you."

"Well now. Guess that means I won't ever get that Nobel Peace prize I was hoping for, Rory."

At the sarcastic drawl, Conor quickly pushed Lena behind him, as he faced the person he was sure was his rival. Only to stop and stare for the second time that night. 

This time he recognized the speaker as the young woman that had been at the strip club earlier this evening. And while he had pegged the blonde part, he had a feeling that the rest of his description had been extremely far off base.

"I don't know, Sunny. You could always shoot for a Pulitzer and describe the madding crowd that appears to be waiting for a spot between your legs. Though that would be really interesting to see you do that, considering how picky you are when it comes to men."

At this, Conor looked just past the stunning blonde, to find an equally stunning redhead. The two women moved past him, seemingly to check on Selena. At her nod, they turned to face him, standing together as a unit. As sisters. At that moment, he realized not only had he made a serious error in judgment, but that trying to remove his foot from his mouth would not be a very enjoyable or easy experience with these three.

~~~~~~~~~

"Selena, are you okay?" Rory asked quietly. At Lena's nod, Sunny gave her shoulders a quick squeeze. "Don't worry, we'll be rid of him shortly enough."

"Well then, sheriff. What were you saying, before we so rudely interrupted you from accosting our sister?"

At this point, Conor did the only thing he could think of. The one thing he hated doing. He apologized. "I'm terribly sorry. I can only say that I regrettably lost my temper and while that's no excuse, I'm sorry if I offended you."

"IF you offended me?" Sunny exclaimed. "You were doing pretty good up to then. But there is no if about it. I may be blonde, but I resent the rest of it. You are such a stereotypical ass!"

Ever the peacemaker, Aurora stepped in. "Now, now Sunny. I'm sure the sheriff didn't mean it that way at all, did you?" 

Conor threw his hands up in the air. "No ma'am. No offense was meant."

"There you see? Why don't we let the whole situation go as a mistake? One that will never be repeated again." Rory threw a pointed look at him, one that had him glad he hadn't said anything about redheads. 

"Absolutely. Thank you... I'm sorry but I didn't quite catch your name."

"My name's Rory. And the not blowsy, empty-headed but definitely blonde sister glaring at you is Sunny."

Realizing that he had gotten jealous over nothing made him feel even more like an idiot. He picked his hat up from the table as he headed out the door and glanced over at Lena. "Ms. Murray, I'm terribly sorry to have abused your hospitality. I was only trying to look out for your well-being. Please feel free to call me if you have anything you'd like to talk about."

As he headed for the door, he glanced back at the trio of women standing together in the kitchen. He didn't know what it was, but Conor could tell that there was a sense of power that surrounded the women. These were women who would make the best of allies and the worst of enemies. It was just too damn bad that he had already started off in the wrong direction.



Moonlight Ch. 03



*As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated. Let me know what you think. ~AnyaLeena

*

"Good lord, Lena. What the hell was that about?"

At Sunny's exclamation, Selena sat down at the table and put her head in her hands. "I have no idea what just happened. It kinda came out of nowhere."

Rory grabbed one of the glasses Selena had taken out, filled it with some water and placed it before her. "Why don't you start at the beginning?"

"Well, the sheriff came in earlier today at the shop. Right after you left, Sunny. And I swear, my wolf wanted to sit up and beg. There's just some type of chemistry between us. But I wasn't planning on doing anything about it, I swear."

Sunny sat down next to her and took one of her hands. "Well, of course! You haven't wanted to do anything with anyone lately. Ow!" Sunny rubbed her side, where Rory had elbowed her. "Sorry... go ahead, Lena. What happened next?"

Lena took a deep breath. "Well, when I got home, there was a message on the machine from him, asking, no, telling me, that he was going to stop by to ask some questions. I got all riled up, thinking about how he was such a pompous ass, and how egotistical it was to stop by without checking if I had plans already. So I decided to get a little payback. I dressed up and when he came by, I said that I hoped it wouldn't take long, as I was planning on meeting the two of you at the Crescent Doll."

Rory started to giggle. "Oh dear, I can see where this is headed. Here you are looking all sexy, there's already some chemistry, and then you say you're going out to a strip club. Bet you didn't say we were your sisters huh?"

Lena moaned as she buried her head even further in her arms. "Oh man. No I didn't." At this, even Sunny started laughing. "So it's even worse. She's going to a strip club with 2 men while she's looking hot. I could almost forgive him for the comments then."

"Oh god, I didn't even thing of it that way... He still acted just like a typical man though." Lena blew out a breath as she sat back in her chair. "I will make a confession though." She looked around at her sisters. Her best friends. "I've gotta tell you. When he held me so close, I felt this fluttering in the pit of my stomach. My wolf even knew. He smelled different."

Sunny stopped laughing, and quietly took Lena's hands. "What do you mean?

Lena gave a short ironic laugh. "He smelled like home. Like my mate."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Selena stood behind her counter, ringing up a purchase. As the woman left the store, she couldn't keep her mind from wandering. Back to that night. She's never felt such chemistry before, and in such a short time period. Not to mention the fact that he was still pretty much a stranger.

Lena glanced down at the palm of her hand. No, one touch had been enough. Even now, she could close her eyes and remember the sizzle from the feel of flesh on flesh. Lips crushing. Tongues gliding. She couldn't even imagine what that sizzle would have turned into had her sisters not walked into the room. She could see his face in her mind. That shaggy mahogany hair, in need of a trim. His face, all hard angles and strength. And his eyes. That had been the first thing she had noticed. That midnight blue. The color of the sky right after dusk.

"Excuse me..."

Selena looked up and found herself staring into that midnight sky once more. Jumping back a bit, she saw that Conor was standing in front of her, looking a tad more than uncomfortable. 

"Sheriff Quinn. Well, it's a surprise to see you here. What can I do for you?" Lick you, take you in my mouth, jump you? Any or all of the above?

Unaware of her thoughts, the sheriff nervously shifted from foot to foot, 6 ft of boyish charm. "Well, actually Ms Murray, I came to apologize to you. I was completely out of line with the things I said and did. And I wanted to assure you that nothing like that will happen again. Thing is, my mama would have skinned me alive if she had seen me treat you with such disrespect." Conor glanced down to where Lena was absently rubbing her hand. He whipped up to look at her, as he remembered that spark he felt from the slightest of touches. 

Slowly, as to avoid scaring her off, he reached across the counter, to hold her hand. And felt that spark of electricity shoot up his arm deep into his body. The night sky in his eyes darkened with the hint of storms and the boyish charm shifted into the deadly attention of a man.

"Truth is, Selena, I can't seem to get my mind off of you. And it's more than the outside packaging, gorgeous as it is. It's your quick mind, your affection for your family. That way you have of making a man drool with just a look. I'd like to get to know you a little more. And I'll admit, I was a little jealous at the thought of you heading up to a strip club with 2 other men. But that's what I get for making assumptions." 

He reached across for the other hand now, wanting to make sure she wouldn't bolt. "I'm really hoping you'll take pity on me. At least let me take you out to dinner, coffee, anything. Just give us a chance to get to know one another. You might find that I'm actually a likeable guy."

"I...I..." Selena stammered as she was torn in two. The human part of her understood the need to protect the family. But that wolf part of her wanted to give in to the craving. It wanted to feel the passion, just waiting to ignite. She glanced out to the calendar, hoping for an answer. And found one.

"I'm sorry, Conor. Really I am. But I just don't think that I can give you an answer right now. I have a lot of things to work out, and I tend to do best when I'm on my own."

"I think maybe you are. A little sorry, that is. But at least tell me this, Selena. Tell me you're as attracted to me as I am to you."

"I won't deny it. But attraction isn't everything. I need more than just chemistry."

"I think what we've got is a little more than chemistry." Conor donned his hat and headed towards the door. Pausing for a moment, he turned back for one more picture of Selena. Her raven curls all piled up on top. That curvy body, hiding behind a serious business suit. And those storm gray eyes, lost and confused. Sad. "What we really have going on is more along the line of holiday fireworks. But that's alright. I'll give you a little time to think on things. Just don't expect me to quit on the first strike. I can wait you out." 

As he headed out to the sunshine, Selena followed his retreating form. "That's what I'm afraid of."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So. The sheriff asked me out today," uttered Lena, seemingly casually

Utter and complete silence met those words. Then, chaos. With screams, Rory and Sunny raced in from the living room, where they had been watching a little TV. "What? Where? What did he say? More important, what did you say?"

Selena continued mixing the marinade for the steaks she planned. She looked out the window above the sink, seeing the lush green of the forest in the back. Tonight she'd have a good run. "Umm, where to start? He asked me out at the store, after squeezing out another apology for the asshole behavior. Then he saw me rubbing my hand and reached out to grab it." At her sister's squeal, she moved over to the fridge, hoping for a little space as she grabbed the steaks. 

"So what happened next. Come on. Details" Rory snagged a cookie from the jar, then plopped on the bar stool.

"Well, not too much after that. He said how he couldn't keep his mind off of me. Wanted to give us a chance to get to know one another. He also wanted me to admit that I was attracted to him."

Sunny snorted. "Well duh, given the fireworks we saw last night,t hat one's a no-brainer. What did you tell him?"

"I said that, yes I was attracted, but attraction isn't everything."

"So...."

Lena looked up from where she had finished placing the steaks in the freezer bags to soak. "So what?"

"So... Do you have a date with him?"

Lena rolled her eyes at them. She grabbed a glass of water and sat next to her sisters. "Of course not. You know what night this is."

"It doesn't have to be tonight, you know." Rory said. She looked into her sister's eyes, seeing the fear and confusion. 

"But we've got so much work yet, Rory. We still haven't tried the new combination of herbs, and you know how long that can take. And are we forgetting about one major obstacle??"

Sunny sighed. "Lena, just because he smelled like mate doesn't mean you have to drag him to a church for marriage that day. You can still enjoy spending time with him. Hell, just plain enjoy him."

"But I remember what Mother warned us about. Once we've slept with our mate, that's it. The world ceases to exist, time stops, and everything that you were doing grinds to a halt until you've produced cubs. And I have too much at stake to go through that right now."

Sunny came around the table and put her arm around Lena. "My darling sister. How out of touch you are with the current times. It's the new age my dear! These wonderful things called condoms now allow you to enjoy the pleasures of sex without the burden of cubs. So you can have your cake and eat it too. Or in this case, have your potions and eat Conor too!"

"Okay, okay, enough on this topic of eating Conor. We have a lot of preparing to do." Sunny rinsed her hands off, then led the way down to the basement. Flicking lights on as she went, she stopped at the bottom of the stairs to survey her lab. This was her domain, her sanctuary. Even perhaps her eventual salvation. The equipment stationed around were top of the line, allowing them to produce and test the various potions they've created to halt the change. 

"Rory, we tried the wolfsbane and hemlock potion last. Obviously, that didn't work. What did you find at the library?"

Rory walked over to the center table and spread her notes out. Sunny and Lena gathered round to see what info she had gathered. "Okay, I found some old tomes about magicks." At Sunny's grunt, Rory looked up and stared at her. "Sunny, I know that they're full of nonsense. But they also tend to have a grain of truth. That's how we found out that the main compound has to be a mix of wolf blood, human blood, and dove feathers. This mentions use of daisies and baby's breath to increase purity of blood, yarrow for healing, violets to calm the wolf, and thyme to induce a healing sleep."

"But, Rory, we've tried all those before. They didn't work."

"True, but we never tried them together. We always mixed them with other ingredients, but we never tried this specific mix. It's worth a shot."

Sunny thought about it and looked at Lena. "What do you think, Lena?"

Lena sighed as she rose to look out the window. Already it was well after 5. It was decision time. "Okay, let's go for it. Rory, did you gather the flowers already?"

"I've got them right here." Rory pulled out a burlap sack stuffed with flowers. 

"Okay, Sunny, go get the blood stored in the cooler. I'll start setting up here." As the sisters rushed off to gather the supplies, Lena looked once more out the window, watching as the night started to creep into the yard. "I hope this works.

~~~~~~~

After a couple hours of brewing, crushing, mixing, and looking like a gaggle of witches around a cauldron, the potion was prepared. Lena gathered the vials and stored them in the cupboard. "Okay it's too early to do a full trial. We still need to do some more tests. Head on out to the cages. I'll go grab the steaks from upstairs."

Sunny walked up to Lena, placing her hands on Lena's shoulders. "Are you sure we can't try it out tonight?"

"Absolutely not. The last time we did that, Rory almost died. We can't risk another miscalculation like that again. We'll try it tomorrow night."

Accepting her decision, the two sisters headed to the back of their lot, where an old log cabin stood. Lena grabbed the steaks she had left marinating, locked up the house, and followed after Sunny and Rory. As she opened the door to the cabin, she looked around the place where she would rest her head for the next three nights. 

Three steel cages lined the back and several first aid kits were along the wall. Old hospital cots lay in the cages, and there were shackles on two of the corners. The chains on the shackles had enough slack to move around the cage, but kept them at least 3 feet from the sides of the cages. As Rory and Sunny undressed to avoid tearing the clothes, Lena placed a steak in each of the cages. She then removed her own clothing, revealing the lush body that Conor had imagined. She glanced around at her sisters, beautiful in their nakedness. Sunny with her streamlined athleticism and Rory with her waiflike form. So different, yet both beautiful. All that remained of her family stood in this musty room. They had already attached the manacles to their wrists. 

Lena came in to each cage and gave her sister a hug and a kiss. 

"See you guys in the morning," said Sunny. 

"Good luck," whispered Rory. The change was hardest on her, the gentlest of them.

"Back at you both," said Lena. She closed the cage, and applied the shackles. 

And as the sun continued to set, and the moon began to rise higher in the sky, screams filled the hidden cabin and steel crashed against stone. Then, for a moment, blessed silence before the howl of wolves filled the air.



Moonlight Ch. 04



*Thanks for the positive feedback! Let me know what you think... AnyaLeena*

*

Conor stared at the three background checks that lay before him. He told himself that he was merely doing his duty by looking after his citizens.

That was a lie.

He leaned back in the rickety chair. It, like everything else in the sheriff's office, had seen better days. The pale beige walls were in serious need of a fresh coat of paint. Dull water spots marked the ceiling, indicating a leak in the roof of the building. Everything about the police department offered an air of disrepair. The air of tight budgets and weariness that plagued many a small-town PD.

Conor glanced down at the files once more and faced the truth. Civic duty had nothing to do with why he asked his deputies to run them. And yet, he was still in the dark about the beautiful Murray sisters. Besides the fact that they had moved around every two years or so, nothing appeared out of the ordinary. They were squeaky clean. Not even an outstanding parking violation marred their record. And perhaps that's why it irked him. You'd think that there would be something in their files to explain their odd mannerisms. But even his best friends hadn't been able to dig up anything except that the women were all exceptionally beautiful, amazingly smart. And compellingly discreet. 

Flipping open the first file, he winced. He couldn't help but remember what he had said to one Sunshine "Sunny" Murray. Blowsy blondes with empty heads, right. Sunny had graduated at the top of her class, straight As all the way. With an IQ that guaranteed her a position in Mensa. She had entered college for pharmaceutical studies. Only she had dropped out the next year. The year that her parents had died.

Conor opened the next file. Aurora "Rory" Murray, though different in appearance, had been similar to her sister. Straight A's in high school, acceptance to Vassar. Only to drop out the summer after high school. Same time as Sunny.

He came to the last file. He admitted that this one was that had kept him awake at night. Selena Murray was a genius. A qualified brainiac. With a double major of Genetics and Biological Engineering, Selena had been on her way to making a splash in the science field. Only to give everything up for her sisters. 

Conor lifted Selena's picture from the file. Her face was haunting. Taken at their parent's funeral, the three sisters stood side by side. Selena's dry eyes were filled with anguish, as if she knew what the next few years would bring. A nomadic life, marked with temporary jobs. He held such admiration for her, this feisty woman with smoky eyes that gave her all to keep her family together. What secrets are you keeping? He thought to himself. What goes through your mind when you dream of what could have been? When you dream of us?

Conor felt himself harden at the thought of her. Just the sight of her picture was enough to have him leaking. God that mouth. What he wouldn't give to have her sassy mouth wrapped tight around his cock. He'd ease those sad thoughts from her mind, and make her scream with pleasure. Soon enough though. He stroked a finger down Selena's cheek. Soon Lena. You can't run for much longer.

The phone rang shrilly next to him. Picking it up, he drawled as he continued to stare at Lena's picture. "Quinn here."

"Yo Quinn. You get the files I sent you?"

Conor smiled when he heard his best friend's voice. "Hey Jase. Yeah I got them. Was that all you were able to dig up?"

"Yeah. Where'd you find them? These ladies are smoking hot and sure knew how to keep things real quiet. That middle one's a looker. But damn all three are fine. And they made it real tough to find them. I mean, it was tough just trying to find any info from before their parent's death. But man, right after it happened, it's almost as if they just fell off the face of the earth. They sure did jump around a lot though. A new town every two years or so."

"Yeah, I saw that. Something's been keeping them on the run." Conor frowned at the idea of trouble following Lena. He only hoped that the trouble would stay away this time.

"Yeah, they've been running. But it looks like they're done now. This is the longest period of time they've ever stayed in one place. And they've never put down roots. Always renting, and easy to come by jobs. Now that they've bought the house and the shop, looks like they're staying for good."

Conor smiled. "Fine by me. Where you ever able to find out why they were on the run?"

"Nope," Jase replied. "None of them were ever married, and they didn't date much, so no crazy ex's in the picture that I can find. It just looks like they've got a touch of the wanderlust."

"Got it. Thanks for being so thorough."

"No prob. I'll do a little digging and if I find anything, I'll bring it up next weekend when I stop for a visit. Oh, and I call dibs on the middle sister."

"Ha... good luck with that one. I've been working on the oldest one, but having met all three, you're going to have to bring your A game man. Talk to you later."

As Conor hung up the phone, he tried to imagine, Jase gunning after Sunny. He gave a short laugh. Man, he's toast.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I don't know if I can keep this up much longer."

Selena looked up to where Rory had finished dressing. The morning had come, as it always did, bringing them back from madness. They were cleaning up the last remnants of the prior evening's mayhem. Shattered wood and pieces of meat littered the floor. She'd have to remember to take the chairs out next time. "What are you talking about Rory?"

"The change. You and Sunny are so much stronger than I am. Every time we go through this, I'm exhausted. The pain lingers for hours afterwards and I just can't take it anymore."

Lena walked up to Rory and put her arms around her. "It'll be over soon. We've got the new ingredients and we're going to try the new formulas in a while. Hold on just a little longer. I have faith in you."

"For you and Sunny. I can hold on for the two of you."

Lena watched as Rory walked out of the cabin, heading back to the house. She hadn't realized how bad it was getting. Sure, she had those same pains and aches. But her dedication to finding the cure kept her so focused on the work that everything else was pushed by the wayside. She decided she'd talk to Sunny, and find out if she had any ideas.

As she walked through the door, the phone started to ring. As Lena dumped some garbage in the trash, Sunny walked through and handed the cordless phone to her.

"It's for you. The hunky but prejudiced sheriff is on the phone."

As Sunny danced away, Lena stood looking at the phone in her hand, her mind completely blank.

"Hello Sheriff"

"You can call me Conor, Lena. This isn't a business related phone call."

Lena sat on the back porch. "Then what kind of call is this exactly?"

"Much more personal, I assure you. Miss me yet?"

"Since I just saw you yesterday, no, I don't. Feel free to stay away a little while more. Perhaps I'll start missing you after all." 

Conor's warm chuckle drifted through the receiver, sending shivers down her spine. "I don't know what it is about that prickly attitude, but even your mean streak gets me hot."

"And I was hoping you'd get a little frostbite."

"Nope, no signs of frostbite. But maybe you'd like to come over and check?"

Lena couldn't hold in the grin at his saucy tone. She couldn't remember the last time she'd flirted with someone. She'd forgotten how fun it could be.

"I'm sure you've got things well in hand."

"I'd much rather be in your capable hands, in more ways than one."

She closed her eyes as his sultry voice started it's seduction. His rich baritone caused her nether regions to flood with juices.

"Lena, when are you going to put me out of my misery? Don't you know that all I want to do is pleasure you? Please you until you scream my name?"

"Conor, I don't need you for that. I've been perfectly capable of pleasing myself."

Conor groaned. "While that is an amazing picture, and I'd love to see it in person, I'd much prefer to being part of the action. If you were here, I'd lay you across my desk. My hands would run down your body, following every curve and line. I'd touch you down there, to feel how hot and wet you were. You'd be so excited, your pussy would be dripping, crying for more attention". 

Conor waited a moment, wondering if she'd stop him from continuing. This was a shaky point, and what her reaction was now would define how he'd go about making her his. When all he heard was the sound of heavy breathing, he went on. 

"I'd lean down, just breathing in the scent of you. Then slowly, I'd flick my tongue across your aching hole, bring the taste of you inside. I'd make love to your hot pussy with my mouth, caressing and tasting every inch of you. And when you can't stand it any more, I'd fuck that hot hole, surrounding myself in your cream. Finally, when the pleasure breaks, and you start to cum, I'd make you scream."

Lena shuddered at the whispered words. The sheer eroticism had her so hot, she ached. "Well, aren't you all cocky? You sure do talk a good game. But I somehow doubt you'd be able to back up them up."

"Why don't you give me a shot? No pressure to do anything tonight. Just a pleasant date, some dinner, time for me to talk you into acting out that fantasy with me."

Lena sat and thought. They were out of the danger zone for now. The new formula still needed some looking over, so they wouldn't be able to officially start working tonight. She replayed Sunny's words in her head. I can do it. I can just enjoy without worrying about the other stuff. "Fine, a date. That's it. Pick me up at seven, and don't be late."

She hung up the phone, unable to believe she'd done it. She'd set up date. Now what?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He watched her hang up the phone from behind a large tree, several feet away. That nasty she-wolf bitch. She was such a fucking slut. Look at her, ready to dive onto any old cock. And she thought she was so smart. All three of those Murrays were bitches. Thought they'd gotten away from him. Shows you what they know. No one got away from him. He was a hunter, and he'd always be able to find them. Always. 

Just a little while more and he could put his plan into place. He couldn't wait to finally send her a message. She always did love his little messages. Soon enough he'd be able to show her his face. Just so that she'd understand it was him that had engineered her downfall. That'd he had been the one to show the world what kind of monster she was. However, he exercised some patience. Soon enough, Lena Murray would know what it would feel like to be an animal hunted.



Moonlight Ch. 05



Oh god, what did I get myself into, thought Lena, not for the first time. Here she stood, basically in her birthday suit, still trying to decide what to wear. And it was already 6:30. She needed to decide what look she was going to go for, and quick. She glanced over her choices once more. She had the three outfits lined up on her bed. "I can go for the Ice Queen look, the Yes I'm Hot and Know It look, or the Sexy Urbanite look." Each of them would be equally stunning on her figure, but she didn't know what she vibe she wanted to give.

Sunny and Rory glided into the room. "Lena, you're going to be late if you don't make up your mind."

"I know!" she exclaimed. "I just can't figure out what to wear. You know what I mean, Sunny. What you put on will set the tone for the rest of the night."

"Okay," said Rory calmly. "That's understood. Then figure out what you want him to think. Do you want to jump his bones tonight?"

"Rory!!!"

"Hey, it was a valid question."

At Sunny's nod, Lena turned towards her sisters. "No, I don't want jumping of the bones on the list of activities for tonight. But I do want him to lick his lips thinking about it."

Rory piped in. "Then go for the sexy urbanite look. It's hot, but in a smart-still-waters kind of way. Not so much in your face, and not look-but-don't-touch."

"Good thinking," said Sunny. "There's enough flesh playing peek-a-boo, but you've still got lots covered up to leave to his imagination. And from the sound of it, he's got plenty of that."

At Sunny's words, Lena couldn't help but think about their last conversation. For hours afterwards, she had been breathless. Just the thought of doing all those things with him had her hornier then ever. She'd had to masturbate in the shower just to calm down a bit. And that hadn't even worked that well.

Rory interrupted Lena's train of thought. "Well, we'll leave you to get ready. And we'll stall him a bit when he gets here."

With that, the two of them left Lena's room, and she started to get ready. Twenty minutes later, she looked at the full effect. "Not bad if I do say so myself."

The fitted white dress hugged along her curves. When she turned around, the low-cut showed the flawless skin of her back right up to the where her ass started to curve. She topped it with a sleek black thigh-length jacket, just a tad shorter than the dress. Her long legs were accentuated by the red patent leather pumps. She'd smudged on a little eye makeup to make her eyes a little more dramatic, and dabbed on some of that sinful perfume she mixed up last week. Now for the final touch, she thought. She grabbed her favorite red lipstick. This will have him thinking some dirty thoughts, I'm sure of it.

Conor sat in the parlor, waiting for Lena to come down. He should have known better, what with Lena being a female and all. But still, he hadn't quite expected her to actually keep him waiting downstairs. 

"It shouldn't be long," said Rory from the kitchen. "She should be down any minute. Are you sure you don't want something to drink?"

"No, I'm fine for right now. Thanks for the offer." He felt like a fool, sitting in the pretty, feminine room, clutching a bunch of flowers. The room was a soft green, and all along the walls were pictures and prints of mythical creatures. And these weren't your ordinary prints. 

He glanced at the painting of the fairy in the corner. She looked out at you with Lena's smoky eyes and her expression had that "I dare you" look as she sat on the rock at the edge of the glade. A pool lay at her feet, and he'd swear that he could hear the chirping of crickets and the gurgle of water against rocks. There was a power to the piece, a certain air of mystery and magic that surrounded the fairy. And though he didn't know much about painting, he recognized a masterpiece when he saw it. 

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting long"

When he turned at the sound of her voice, he felt like he'd been sucker punched in the stomach. The fairy had stepped out of the painting and into the room. How can she look even sexier? She'd done something to her eyes so that they looked even more mysterious, more edgy. And god, those lips again. Every time he looked at her lips, he just wanted to bite them.

"Um... well... uh... no. I haven't long waiting been. I mean, I haven't been waiting long. Um, here," Conor shoved the flowers at her. "These are for you."

"Well aren't you sweet?" She bent her head low to breathe in the flower's fragrance. "That was very thoughtful of you. Sunny, could you put these in some water?" 

"Course." Sunny grinned at Lena as she turned to head into the kitchen. "Thank you for the flowers, Conor." Lena lifted to her toes and pressed a kiss against his cheek.

Conor gulped. "You're welcome."

Smiling at his reaction, she stepped in closer. Tilting her head back, she gazed into his eyes. "Conor?"

He gulped again. "Yes Lena?" 

A quiet sigh. "I'm hungry. Where are we going?" With a quiet laugh of victory, she started out the door, leaving him to trail after her.

"You kids have a good night!" shouted Rory. Selena turned to wave to her sister. She waited for Conor to open the door, then slid into the seat. He came around, got in and started the engine. She didn't know much about cars, but the growl and rumble of it told her that it was definitely one mean machine. Curious, considering he was only a local sheriff.

"So, really, where are we going?" asked Lena, as he pulled away from the curb.

Conor settled into the rhythm of driving. "It's a surprise. If I tell you, then it's not a surprise, is it?"

"Ah, a man of mystery? Okay, then, have your fun." Lena glanced out the window at the scenery passing by. She still found it amazing that they were heading out to a date. What happened to your senses? You're supposed to be the smart one. Mixing it up with the town sheriff is definitely not a smart move. She took a peek at Conor out of the corner of her eye. It may not be a smart move, but it's the first time I've felt a pull for someone in such a long time. She watched his hands as they gripped and maneuvered the steering wheel with such competency and assurance. She never would have thought those traits would be a turn on, but in him they were. Perhaps because of the fact that she had always been the one in charge of her family. It was nice to be with someone who wasn't looking to her for answers, but rather was taking the time to care for her. Even if it was just dinner.

Conor glanced over at Lena as she shifted to stare out the window. He'd never spent time with a woman that could stand being quiet. Most women he knew would fill the air with idle chatter, just words to fill empty spaces. The fact that both of them were perfectly comfortable in silence was, well, peaceful. No fumbling conversations, no awkward pauses. Just a quiet companionship. That was something he could get used to. However, he had to remember the reason why he had asked her to dinner. He wanted to get to know her. The real her. But that wasn't going to happen if she wasn't talking. 

As he negotiated a turn through the mountains, he spoke. "So how long have you and your sister been residents of Silver Lake?" He knew the answers but wanted to hear them from her. 

"We're going on two years now. Absolutely love it here."

"I'm surprised you three are out here. Seems to me like you'd fit right in with the city crowd."

"No, that's not us. We've always been small town girls. Never could get used to all those people. We're a little antisocial that way."

"Don't bite my head off for saying this, but I noticed."

"Well speaking of observations, I've gotta say. I don't know jack about cars, but I do know that this little baby isn't the usually sheriff's vehicle."

"You'd be right. My grandfather was a rich corporate guy. Liked to live large. I absolutely adored the old man, and he adored all of us. His family, that is. When he passed away, he left me the car as part of the inheritance. He knew that I always lusted after this car."

"Car lust?"

"Oh yeah. 1965 Mustang Convertible in Candy Apple Red." He looked over at her, stared at her poppy colored pout and smiled. "I've got a thing for the color red."

Lena couldn't think of a thing to say to that. Smart reposts are easy on the phone, but it's hard to think when you've got all that heat blasting at you. 

The car wound its way along the mountains, passing through the thick forests, and heading toward the lights of civilization. Realizing that Lena had quieted down, he coasted through the scenery, and eased the conversation back to more trivial stuff. It managed to keep them talking until they got to the restaurant.

While they waited for the valet to come around to their car, she smiled coyly at him. "Chiaro di Luna? Pulling out all the stops tonight aren't you?"

"Well, not that there aren't some fine restaurants in Silver Lake, but I figured you wouldn't want to have people staring at you while we're dining. Plus I've heard they're the best restaurant around here. And you can never go wrong with Italian." He tipped the valet, but came around the car so that he could help Lena. He knew it was the valet's job, but he didn't want anyone else seeing those long legs sliding out from the seat.

Walking into the restaurant, he had a quiet word with the maître'd. The waiter led them to a quiet little corner table, with a view of the lake. Selena took a glance around her surroundings. As she sat down, she noted the romantic table candles, the murmur of weeping strings in the background, and the fantastic view. "Just a good Italian place, huh?"

"I wanted to make sure I leave a good impression."

Smiling softly, she replied, "Well, I'm definitely impressed. You seem to have all the smooth moves down pat."

Conor caught her eyes with his serious eyes. "What can I say? When I see something I want, I go for it, and I don't let anything get in my way."

Just then, the waiter stopped by to take their order. Selena was glad for the interruption, as it gave her time to think. She had never had someone chase after her so blatantly. Well, correction. Once she had, but it hadn't been an enjoyable experience.

Alone once again, she took a sip of her wine, continuing to watch him over her glass. "You know, there is a saying I once heard. You can't always get what you want."

"Ah, but there's another one I like to follow." She lifted an eyebrow at the pause. Flashing his boyish grin, he remarked, "Persistence pays off."

Softly laughing, she quipped back. "Failure is not an option?" 

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

With a laugh, she raised her hands in surrender. "Ok, ok, enough. I give up. You are the king of clichés. I bow down to your greatness."

With a slow smile, he took her hand and laid a kiss upon her palm. There's that damn spark again, she thought. As the smile fled her face, Lena saw the predatory gleam return to his eyes. "Never have I had a more worthy opponent," Conor said, "What would you like as your consolation prize?"

"What are my options?"

"The sky's the limit."

Lena slowly drew her hand back, and lifted her chin in challenge. "Any particular date that I have to cash this in by?"

"Nope. It's an open-ended reward."

Just then the waiter appeared with their dinners. Saved by the food, she thought. She couldn't remember the last time she had engaged in such a stimulating conversation. And it was stimulating on more than one level. She looked up as Conor spoke.

"Witty reposts and sexual innuendos aside, I really do enjoy going after what I want."

With a small grin, she said, "The sheriff always gets his man?"

"Something like that."

"Is that why you went into law enforcement?"

"Partially. I enjoy the hunt and the satisfaction of catching my prey. You take that, and my need to fight for what's right, and it made this seem like the perfect fit."

"So what made you leave the big bad city of Chicago?"

"I got tired of watching the bad guys go free. You'd put in so many long hours, building an airtight case. Only to have the guys walk free because of a good lawyer, or some little technicality. It seemed like every time we put one of the bad guys away, another one took his place." 

Lena looked into his eyes. "I can see where that could become frustrating."

Conor sighed. He hadn't wanted to get into his past, but rather learn more about her. But if opening up his old wounds gained her trust, he was willing to pull the scab of himself. "Yeah, that's one way to look at it. I love what I do though, and I didn't want to get completely burned out. Luckily I had someone there to knock some sense into me."

At her quizzical look, Conor sheepishly continued, "My best friends Chase and Ethan. They got tired of my complaining. Told me if I didn't like what I was doing then I should change it. So I made some inquiries, put in an application for the position, and the rest, you could say, is history." 

"I get the need for change, especially when you feel like there's nothing left," she said.

Conor reached out with his left hand and captured her fingers. "What do you mean?"

Lena pulled her hand back and reached for her wine. Even after all this time, the memories were agonizing. She couldn't forget that night. The images of her parents. The wreckage of her home, her life. And the blood. She would never forget all the blood. "A long time ago, my parents were murdered. Sunny and Rory were still in school and we didn't know what was going to happy. All we knew was that everything that we thought we knew changed. The girls didn't feel safe at home anymore. So we packed up everything we needed and left. Haven't looked back since. And though it was the hardest decision to make at the time, it was the best thing we could have done." 

Lena looked down at the table. She didn't know why she told Conor about her parents. She had always guarded her past so zealously, but something about him drew her in. She felt safe with him, protected. 

A hand cupped her cheek, wiping away the tears that had fallen unknowingly. Startled, she looked up into his eyes. There was no pity, only compassion and something a little deeper than affection.

"Sorry about that," she said, shaking her head. "Not exactly the best topic for a date, huh? Sure I haven't scared you off yet?"

He didn't laugh or smile at her attempt for levity. Conor merely stared into her eyes, as if he were searching for something. She has no idea what she does to me, what she means to me, he thought. All that strength, wrapped up in silk and satin, fire and grace. She could mean the world to me and crush me at her feet. 

"Don't worry," he said. He realized that she was still shaken and didn't know how to get back on track. He eased back, dropping his hand from her face. He could still feel her cheeks against his fingertips. Shaking his head, he grinned at her. "It takes a lot more than that to get rid of me. Plus, I still owe you that consolation prize." Lena smiled with relief at the change in topic and the two continued with their dinner.

After finishing of the plates and indulging in more mild small talk, the waiter dropped off the chocolate mousse dessert that Conor had ordered earlier. Conor took a forkful of the decadent dessert and lifted it to her lips. She moaned at the richness of the mousse. He froze when he heard that low sound, so hard that it took all his strength to keep himself from reaching over and tasting her lips. You're here to get to know her, not to ravish her, he reminded himself. If you're lucky, that comes later. To distract himself, he asked "So why did you want to open your own shop?"

"Well, it was all Rory's idea. When we decided to move this last time, she decided that we should try and find a home, and not just a house. We all wanted to come to a small town in the Northwest and wanted to be somewhere that was far away from the bigger cities."

"That explains why you chose Silver Lake but what about the store?" he replied.

"All Rory on that one too," she laughed. "She knew that I've always enjoyed dabbling in herbs and natural remedies. She said that with my background and education, this was something I should pursue. So I got my license, scrounged up the money for the down payment, and voila! I'm a shopkeeper."

He shook his head at her simplified answer. "You make it sound so easy, when I know that it's very difficult to run your own store." 

"It's like any other job," Lena countered. "I just take it one day at a time. I'm grateful that the store provides enough income to support the three of us. The sense of security it provides is immeasurable." 

After they finished there meal, Conor steered her towards to car as they discussed music and movies. With the evening winding to a close, Lena could feel the intimacy wrap even tighter around them. I could fall for him so easily, she thought wistfully. If only... She shook her head to clear that thought out of her mind. No use in going there. Keep it light. Remember what Sunny said. "I can't believe a guy who would have the great taste to listen to Ella Fitzgerald would sink so low as to say that Rambo is his favorite movie."

Clearly affronted, Conor replied, "Hey, look who's talking. You say that you love Louis Armstrong but say that sappy movie Pride and Prejudice is one of the best all time movies. That's got to violate some sort of universal law somewhere."

Reaching the car, she turned to face him. "I see that having your man card has obviously stripped you of the ability to appreciate the subtle complexity of Jane Austen."

Conor stood silent for a while, staring down at her. With moonlight washing over her, she looked even more like the fairy from the painting. With a sudden, irrational fear, he worried she might slip from his grasp and be lost to him forever. He leaned toward her, cupping her face in his hands. "well now, maybe you can help me with that subtle complexity thing." 

She looked up into his eyes. The rest of his face was covered in shadows, but his midnight eyes were so clear in their intent. Realizing he was going to kiss her, she had a heartbeat to make a decision. Then the moment passed and his lips brushed against hers.

Oh, I'm in trouble, she thought. This kiss was nothing like the first. Where before it had been a tempest, this was a peaceful lagoon, tempting her to sink into its warmth. From somewhere came a dreamy sigh. Her body melted into submission against him, clinging to his shoulders for support. His taste was like the chocolate dessert, rich and sinful. He eased away and took a deep breathe. He saw her eyes, like smoke, all hazy with passion. 

He blew out another deep breathe. "I think that's enough subtle complexity for one night. I better get you home before I go for any more. Our sisters will start to think I'm having my wicked way with you."

As she slid into the care, she felt her head start to clear. Turning to him as he got in, she smirked. "You think so? Pretty sure if we're gone too long, they'll know that I'M having my wicked way with YOU."

With a grin, he started to reply, only to be interrupted by the CB in the car. Jolted, she stared as he picked up the handset. She hadn't even noticed that it was there. You're slipping, Lena, she thought. Even now, when it was just the two of them, he would never really leave the badge at home. It was who he was, not what he wore. Seeing the worried look come across his face, she focused on the conversation and caught the tail end of the relay. 

"Sheriff, we have an attempted 459 at 184 Driscoll Lane." 

Conor threw a worried glance at Lena as he replied, "10-4, on the way." He threw the car into gear.

"Conor, what's a 459?"

"A break-in."

Lena grabbed his arm, her pulse racing in fear. "Rory's home alone, Conor."




Moonlight Ch. 05



"She's gonna be ok," he responded. He raced off into the night to the scene. To her home.



Moonlight Ch. 06



"Rory! Where are you?" Lena jumped out of the car as it screeched to a halt in front of her house. The place was flooded with red and blue lights. She felt her heart stop when she spotted the ambulance parked in the drive. She started to yell even louder. "RORY!"

"Lena! I'm in here. I'm okay." Racing to the back of the ambulance she saw her sister sitting next to one of the EMTs. "He's just looking me over, right?"

Seeing the worried look in Selena's eyes, he calmly stated, "She's alright. This is just a precaution."

"What happened?" Lena asked, as Conor caught up to her. Rory looked anxiously at the couple. She bit her lip and said, "I was working on that homework I told you about." She glanced meaningfully at Lena, who nodded her head to indicate she understood. Rory continued, "I was in the kitchen when I heard some glass breaking upstairs. At first, I thought maybe the wind blew through one of the windows and knocked something over, so I got up and started to head upstairs." 

Rory started to shiver as she thought of what happened next. "Then I realized that I could hear footsteps. I realized someone was in the house with me, so I ran outside and went to the Williams place. I asked them to call the police and stayed with them until someone came."

Conor took Lena's arm and swung her around to face him. "Selena, I need you to stay here with Rory. I'm gonna head over to the house and see what's going on."

Lena reached up and stroked his face. "Be safe."

Conor strode through the door and walked up to the deputy standing in the living room. "What've we go here, Jimmy?"

The deputy scratched his head in puzzlement. "Not quite sure, Sheriff. It almost looks like someone tried to pull a smash and grab and tossed the place to find more."

Conor looked around. "I hear a but in there somewhere."

"Well yeah. It doesn't feel right. Some things just aren't adding up if you know what I mean."

"How's that?"

Jimmy gestured around. "You can see they trashed the place. Really made a mess of everything."

Conor looked around the living room. There were deep gauges in the couches where the intruder had slashed at it with a knife. The stuffing had been thrown all around the room. The pictures he had admired earlier that evening were now lying on the ground, their frames smashed. Here and there he found other spots that had been similarly destroyed. "I'd say a mess is putting it mildly. But what's the problem?"

"Well," Jimmy drawled, "It's a little too organized. You can tell by the fall pattern that they went clockwise around the room. Take that, plus the fact that the bedrooms were destroyed even more, and it looks more like a personal issuse. Whoever it was, they were pissed."

"Or trying to scare someone," said Conor darkly.

"Yeah. But that just leads to more questions."

Conor turned to look out the doorway to where Lena stood with her sister. She glanced up and met his gaze. He could see there were secrets in those misty eyes of hers.

"Yeah. Biggest one is why?"

---------------------------------------------

He had to put a hand over his mouth to contain his glee. Oh look at them, scrambling around like mice without a clue. They would never find him. He was too damn smart for the likes of them. He loved seeing that look of terror on that bitch's face. Yeah, he was gonna stroke off to that look tonight. He had almost given in to the urge to kill the youngest one but held back. He was the one in control and it was still too early. He wanted them to sweat. To scream with fear. So that by the time he came for them, they would weep in gratitude. He slid into the night to think of even more nightmares to bestow upon the hapless sisters.

---------------------------------------------

Rory glancred up in thanks as the EMT left, then turned to Lena. "Do you think he's found us?" she asked shakily.

Lena didn't respond as she locked eyes with Conor. She had hoped that chapther of their lives was over. Wasn't that why they had finally stopped running? They had all gotten so tired of being hunted. These last few months had been idyllic. Now that fragile sense of peace and serenity was completely shattered. Looking back, she should have realized that things were too good to be true. 

"He couldn't have. We made sure of that, didn't we?" Rory continued to tremble.

Lena slid an arm around her. "Yeah, but we always knew there was a chance that he got away." 

Just then a car pulled up next to the ambulanc and Sunny jumped out. She ran up to the two of them. "You guys ok? What happened?"

Lena wrapped an arm around Sunny and pulled her in, surrounding her sisters. "We're ok. Someone broke in, but we're ok.

Sunny's gaze was haunted. "You don't think..."

Lena threw her hands up in the air. "Not you too!"

Sunny sat down next to Rory. "You've got to admit. This is exactly the kind of thing he would do."

"Who's that?"

Turning around, Lena saw that Conor had walked up behind them and heard Sunny's words. Crossing her arms in front of her, she said "It's no one."

Looking down at the three of them, he said, "That's funny. It sounded like you were talking about someone to me."

Feeling pressured, she walked away from the ambulance, heading toward her backyard. "Don't worry. It's not an issue."

Conor grabbed her arm, swinging her around to face him. Leaning in, he growled. "You don't make those kind of decisions. I do."

"Says who?" she snorted defiantly.

He glared down at her."Says the badge I wear. You will tell me."

She tried to shake him off, but couldn't get him to budge. "I will not! It doesn't concern you."

Exasperated, he pulled her close and shook her. "Who are you protecting?"

Fed up, she pulled out of his grasp and stepped out of his reach. She yelled back, "My family!" Realizing that everyone had stopped to watch the commotion, she took a deep breathe. Calmly, she said, "I have to protect my family. I'm doing what I think is best."

Feeling a stab in the heart, he straightened. "You don't trust me to keep you and your sisters safe." Lena didn't respond but the silence was telling. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Selena. But regardless of how you feel, it's my job. I've got some friends coming into town this weekend. I'd like you and your sisters to come in, so we can figure out a plan."

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

Conor's gaze hardened. "That's the only option you have. That or I toss you in jail for 30 days for obstruction of justice."

Lena gasped, "You wouldn't!?"

Conor pulled her toward him. "You're damn straight I would, since it would keep you where I can see you. Make no mistake. There is nothing I wouldn't do, no boundary I wouldn't cross, to make sure you were safe."

She stood stiffly, fighting off the shakes that threatened to consume her. "Then I guess I don't really have a choice, do I?"

His tone inflexible, he replied. "None at all. Come on. You and your sisters need to walk through the house with me. I want you to let me know if there's anything missing." Interpreting her worried glance to Rory, he softened his grip and his voice. "Don't worry. I'll be there every step of the way. Plus, this place is still surrounded by cops. I won't let anything happen to you."

They started to head back to the ambulance to get her sisters, when she realized something. "Speaking of that, why are there so many policemen here?" She glanced around and noted about fifteen of them milling around outside, not to mention the officers inside the house. "Not to sound ungrateful, but with Silver Lake being so small, I didn't expect to see so many of them here."

Conor grinned back. Now that he knew she would be with him, he relaxed a little. "Well now, they're not all from Silver Lake." At her confused look, he elaborated. "I'm pretty sure you have every available unit in the tri county area on your property right now. I guess it's the most exciting thing that's happened in a long time. Not that they don't take it seriously."

Reaching the ambulance, Conor outlined what was going to happen next. Once again, he reasured them of their safety, ignoring their dubious looks. "Okay, prepare yourselves. It looks bad but for the most part, everything can be cleaned or patched up."

The walk through the house was devastating. Conor was wrong, Lena thought as she looked at the paintings on the floor, the ones her father had done. Some things couldn't be patched up. Rory came up behind her and wrapped her arms around her. "Oh Lena, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," she whispered, wiping a tear from her eyes. "We can try and fix it later."

They walked up the stairs to head into their bedrooms. Sunny stifled a cry and Aurora broke down in tears. Their keepsakes and mementos were now little more than dust. The perfume bottles they had each received from their mother when they turned 16 lay smashed in pieces. The bedding in each room had been slashed, drapery pulled of their rods. Feathers were all over the floor. More paintings that had hung on the wall lay on the floor, trampled by the many feet that had walked through. Jewelry boxes had been flipped upside down or thrown against the wall. The rooms screamed of violence and hatred.

Conor walked up to Selena and spoke softly. "Can you tell if anything is missing?"

"Not right now, since everything's a mess. I couldn't even begin to try. We'll go through this a little more thoroughly when we start to clean things up tonight." She sighed, her heart heavy with sorrow.

"Tomorrow," Conor replied gently. She glanced up at his face. "Selena, do you think I can't tell that you're exhausted and terrified? None of you will get a wink of sleep in this house tonight. I made reservations for all of you at the Windhaven Inn." He braced himself for an argument, knowing how much she disliked his dominating tendencies.

Surprisingly, she just sighed. "I want to yell at you for being so heavy-handed again, but I can't. So I'll just say thank you for being so considerate." She punched his arm softly at the shock on his face. "Don't be all smug though. It's the only time I'll let you get away with this. Don't expect me to let you steamroll your way through everything." The grin she had fell from her face and the look of quiet fear returned once more. There was a small tug of war inside her, but then she gave in to the urge, the need, for comfort. Walking closer, she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head upon his shoulder. A small sigh escaped as he hugged her close. "Oh Conor, why? All this destruction and for what? Why would someone do this?" She was floored by the devastation, terrified of the answer that whispered in the back of her mind.

Conor knew right then, with her in his arms, that he would do anything to keep her safe. "I don't know, sweetheart. But we'll figure this out. Together."

After they had packed some bags, Conor walked the sisters toward the car. Stowing all the luggage into the trunk, he told Jimmy where he was going to take them. After getting assurances that all was well there, he urged the sisters into the Mustang. He drove off, heading toward the inn at the center of town. The silence in the car was deafening. The night's events had finally taken their toll and the sisters were utterly drained. Just when they were about to pass out, he pulled up to the Windhaven. He checked them in and followed the porter to the suite. "Rory and Sunny, you two can take the double beds in that room. Lena, you go ahead and grab the master. I'll sleep out here in the living room."

They drifted into the bedrooms. Conor could hear the soft feminine murmurs, indicating that they were settling in. He went to the pull-out couch, getting himself ready for bed, when he heard Lena calling for him.

Walking into the master suite, he saw Lena sitting on the bed, shivering. He went to comfort her but stopped at the sight of her face. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her eyes were haunted and unfocused. Conor rushed to her side as she started to whisper. "I'm so cold," she said, "I've got these shakes that I can't seem to get rid of." Frantically, she grabbed his hand and brought it to her face. He swore he heard a low groan. "Oh, you're so warm." She leapt from the bed and onto him, burying her hands in his hair, her face in his neck. She writhed almost as if she wanted to crawl inside him. "Warm me up, Conor. I'm so cold and I need you to make me warm again."

With a vicious oath, he clamped his hand around her waist, intending to pull her off of him. Only to find that he couldn't, and was instead pressing her even closer. "Honey, this is not a good idea." He groaned as she pressed herself against his hard length. "You've had a rough evening and you're distraught. I can't take advantage of you like this."

Raining kisses across his face, she mumbled, "You aren't. I need you to make me feel whole and safe again. God, I need you so much. Please."

At her words, he felt himself get even stiffer than before. Hell, he hadn't gotten this hard since he had been a randy 16 year old. "Um, Lena, sweetheart. We really need to slow down. I don't want you to do something you're going to regret." He stopped talking and groaned when she raked her hands down his chest. He hadn't even realized that his shirt had been unbuttoned. "I don't think I can keep up this white knight routine for much longer. And you'll hate both of us in the morning if I don't."

With her legs wrapped tightly around him, her dress had pushed up to her waist, allowing her to grind her hot center against his stiff rod. For a moment, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he almost didn't catch what she said.

"I won't hate you. This is what I need." She nipped his ear and whispered hotly. "I need to feel warm and alive and there's no one else that I would rather be with than you right now. Won't you be with me?"

At her breathy plea, he lost all control and slammed the door shut, flipping the lock. He didn't want anyone to interrupt this dream. Pulling her up against his body, he slammed his mouth along hers. This was no soft seduction, but rather a ravaging lust. He peeled the dress off of her and his breath caught at the image her body presented. She looked like a Christmas present, wrapped up in red bits of satin and lace and still wearing those hot fuck-me heels. "Aw fuck, baby. Don't know how much help I'll be warming you up. You're pretty damn hot the way you are."

She purred, sliding her hands down along her body, skimming along her hips. "I'm sure you can turn it up a bit more." Her hands slid up her torso to her chest, cupping her full breasts and presenting them to him. She pushed the cups down and gently rolled her nipples between her fingers, her back arching at the pleasure. "Are you going to be a spectator for this show or a participant?" she moaned.

"Definitely a participant. But I'm certainly enjoying the opening act." He took his shirt and shoes off and began to unbotton his pants. 

"Wait," Lena said. He paused at her demand. "I want to do that." She eased down to the floor and slowly unbuttoned his fly, all the while maintaining eye contact with his midnight gaze. She slid her hands inside then eased his slacks down, taking his boxers with them. He stood there, naked but strong. The hard planes of his chest and abs mader her hands itch with the desire to stroke him. And speaking of stroke. He was so perfectly shaped, thick and long. Just perfect, a freaking work of art. 

He lifted her off the floor and carried her to the bed. After easing her down to the mattress, he stretched out beside her and cupped her face. Solemn and silent, he gazed down into her eyes. They had turned to peat smoke again and were too cloudy to reveal any of their secrets. All he could see was her need and desire. He slowly lowered his head to rub his lips gently against hers. Lingering, he couldn't seem to get enough of her taste. Sweet and tart at the same time, just like her. His hands dove into her hair and slowly pulled her head back, gaining access to her neck. She gasped at the absolute dominance of the gesture. "Oh Conor." 

"You like that , don't you?" murmured Conor against her neck, licking the sweat off of her skin. "You're so classy on the outside, but inside, in here, you want it a little dirty, a little rough." She tried to shake her head, attempting to deny his claim, but his fist in her hair prevented her movement. "That's okay, sweetheart. It's easy enough to find out if I'm right."

Keeping a tight grip on her locks, his other hand started to roam down her body. Undoing her bra clasp, he cupped her breasts. His palm grazed against her nipple, causing it to pucker tightly. He tweaked them gently, slowly increasing the pressure. The tighter his fingers became, the more Selena would writhe and moan. He was overwhelming her completely, taking her over. "If I touch you right now, will I find you hot and wet for me, Lena? Is your cunt honey flowing from my touch? Do you like it when I'm rough with you?" 

With his words whispered hotly into her ear, she twitched and moaned. She could feel her juices gushing between her thighs. He let go of her hair and kissed her with carnal hunger. Grasping her wrists, he pulled her arms above her head. "I really want to taste you. I have to taste you," he groaned hoarsely. "Now don't move those arms." He leaned his head down and took her nipple into his mouth. She let out a cry as he started to suckle them. He laved them with fervor, tasting her succulent flavor. Her hands keept fisting in the sheets, trying to obey his command. He nipped them sharply and she screamed with pleasure.

Darkly thrilled with her response, his hand began to drift lower. "Well, I think that was a pretty clear indicator, but for one final test..." His hand played along the inside of her thigh and he ran his thumb at the point where her hips met her thighs. She gasped, the sensation almost too much. He marveled at the softness of her flesh and at her responses to his touch. He drifted lower and lightly stroked her through the dampened satin covering her mound. Conor groaned at what he found. "Honey, you are so wet for me." 

She whimpered at his light touch. She wanted more. Harder, deeper, faster. As much as she could get. But his teasing flicks and brushes weren't enough to push her over that cliff. They drove her higher, made her hotter. Lena held her breath as his finger started to slip under the band of her thong to stroke her core. He dipped his finger into her honeyed well, swirling around in her juices. Conor flicked her click with the tip of his finger. She could feel the pressure building with every little dip, swirl, and flick. She was right on the endge of that precipice, only to have him pull back. She cried out to him, and reached out to touch him. "Now, Lena, I'm not going anywhere. And what did I tell you about your arms? Do I need to punish you?" At her low moan, Conor's smile turned feral. "Oh babe, you were made for me. You're dripping at the thought of being punished, spanked." 

He didn't wait for a response but gripped her hips and flipped her on to her stomach. Without a pause, he shackled her wrist with one hand. Conor could feel the tremors wrack through her body and he stroked along her back and ass with his free hand. "Shhh," he murmured, "It's alright, Selena. I know what you need. All that tightly held control needs somewhere to let go. And I'm the only one you can trust, the only one you can be free with."

Her thoughts were chaos, but somehow, she knew he was right. Deep down, she was tired of being the one in charge. She was always the responsible, the one to take care of things. For just one night, she wanted to be taken care of. Lena shook her head. No more deep thoughts. "Conor, please!" she begged. "God, please touch me."




Moonlight Ch. 06



"Don't worry, sweetheart. You'll get everything you need from me." With that, he swung his hand down, smacking her left buttock lightly. At the first strike, she let out a shocked cry. The pain eased into heat and flowed straight into her pussy. Before she could think about why she was so turned on, he rained more blows down upon her ass, alternating cheeks. Soon, she could feel the heat radiating from her skin and trickle down into her folds. She was so wet and turned on by the spanking, she didn't think she could take much more. 

Conor stopped the spanking and gazed upon her stricken flesh. Her rear was a bright red and his marks were so clear against her white skin. He stroked along her skin and eased down into her depths. "Ah, I knew you would like that. But I think that's enough for tonight. I don't want you to get bruised." With that he flipped her over onto her back and eased her thighs apart. His hand shook with need as he ran his palm down her stomach. "I've never seen a more beautiful sight."

Lena sobbed, "Conor, please. I need you inside me." 

"Stay right there, sweetheart. Don't move." Conor reached down to the floor and grabbed the condom from his wallet. Sheathing himself, he moved back between her thighs and lay over her, bracing himself over her body. Grabbing her wrists once more, he stated harshly, "Don't look away, Lena. I want to see your eyes when I take you. I want to see you look at me and I want you to know who it is that owns you." 

She tried to shake her head in denial. She stared up at his eyes, her wolf coming out to snap at his order. "No man owns me."

"Don't argue," Conor growled, "For tonight, and for as long as I live, you're mine.".

"Then I own you right back. You're mine as well," she snarled back. 

"Always." And with that, he eased into her. With every slow and precious inch, he could see her eyes get darker, drowning into black. They stared into each others eyes, panting at his slow invasion. When he was seated to the hilt, they groaned together. "Heaven," he whispered, "So damn tight and hot. You feel like heaven." Conor paused, giving her some time to adjust to him. He didn't know how long he would last, but he wanted to stay just this way forever. 

But Lena would have none of that. "Please, Conor," she begged, "Move! I need you to move." With a shudder, he began to thrust slowly into her, with measured strokes. Each pump into her pussy made her shiver with need. "More, oh God. Harder!" she screamed. 

With that last cry, he felt his control snap. He began to piston into her body, his hips slamming into hers, their skin slapping against each other. She planted her heels and used some leverage to lunge against him. Higher and higher, their pleasure spiraled. The smell of her juices and the feel of her body almost took him out but he didn't want to let go without out her. He let go of her hands and reached down to fondle her clit. "Oh God. Thick. So thick," she gasped, as her body tightened around him. Her body trembled as the ecstacy mounted and she reached out to grip his shoulders. 

Conor rubbed her clit even faster. "Now Selena," he commanded, "Look at me." Not realizing that her eyes had slid shut, Lena's eyes flew open at his order. Gazing down into her eyes and continuing to stroke, he snarled. "Come for me, Lena. Come now." With that last demand, her body obeyed, flying into shards of pure pleasure. She lost all sense of self and could only stare into those midnight depths as she shattered, taking him with her. And in his midnight eyes, she saw that same pleasure and bliss echoed. Lena had no idea how she would ever recover from this moment, or if she would ever want to. Everything she was and knew was lost, in those midnight eyes.