Read NocC 003 - The Ancients 02 - Bonnie Vanak - Mated to the Wolf - Harlequin 2011-11 for Free Online Page A

“I’m no angel, Samantha.”
    “Neither am I.”
    “No, you’re not.”
    “I’m a demon and an angel.” She gave a sour laugh. “I’m confused.”
    “You’re strong, sweetheart. You’ll get through this. You have courage enough to face whatever comes next and fight your way through it.”
    “I wish I had faith I could,” she whispered.
    “I do.”
    She took his face into her hands.
    Her kiss was urgent and demanding. Grayson let her lead as she nibbled and kissed his lips. Her innocence charmed him; her desire equaled his own. As her mouth parted, he took the initiative, plunging his tongue into the moist cavern of her mouth. She tasted of sweetness and sin, and he grew heady with her scent swirling around him. Delight raced through him as she boldly stroked his tongue with her own.
    When he nibbled and kissed his way down her slender throat, she explored with her hands. The crisp hairs on his chest, the pads of muscle on his stomach, and then she tunneled through the thicker hair lower and found his erect penis.
    Beneath her playful grip, a strangled moan escaped him. Grayson delved his fingers between her legs, found her heat. He slid a finger across her wet cleft, making her groan in turn. She was slippery and the musky scent of arousal went straight to his groin. When he pushed a finger inside her, her hips pumped upward instinctively. She squeezed his cock.
    He stopped, looked down at her passion-dazed face.
    “I want you, Samantha. Now. If this isn’t what you want, then get out of my bed because there will be no going back.”
    A fine tremor shook her body. The shifter holding her was rock steady. She was teetering toward a cliff, her breathing ragged, her excitement painful.
    Many had called her demon, some angel. Her father playfully named her “poppet” and her sisters called her “mouse” because she hid from danger.
    But none had ever called her strong or brave.
    This Ancient, who guarded himself, had seen inside her, and wanted to save her. Not that she could be saved. All she’d wanted was revenge. Not now. All she craved now was closeness and the warm intimacy of this big male, his arms unyielding as iron.
    Chasing away doubts, making her feel special and cherished.
    Grayson was a Hunter, she was prey. His kind killed. She shouldn’t touch him, but she wanted to. The tiny bristles shadowing his jaw, the sexy indent on his chin, the hard curve of his shoulder. Samantha rubbed her thawing foot along the muscled contour of his calf, the silky hairs tickling her toes.
    She wanted to mold herself to him, chase away the confusion, pain and aloneness that had been her only companions for six years. For once she wanted what everyone else knew, the physical closeness.
    “I never go back,” she finally told him. “Only forward.”

Chapter Five
     

    The kiss he gave her was tender, gentle, but the heat of his body seared hers. She’d been cold before, but now delicious warmth raced through her veins. Samantha gave in to his kisses as they became more urgent.
    Her pulse jumped as he caressed her body. Electricity crackled between them with every stroke. She did not want his touch, but craved it. A harsh intake of breath came from him, as if he fought to control himself.
    His eyes were dark as a cold winter day, and she could smell the sex coming off him. Her fingertips grazed the hard biceps, strayed over a puckered scar.
    Dark bristles shadowing his jaw abraded her tender flesh as he kissed her neck. He took her earlobe between his teeth and softly bit, then chased away the tiny pain with a soothing kiss.
    When he palmed her breasts and flicked thumbs over the cresting nipples, she whimpered with pleasure.
    “You’re so beautiful,” he said hoarsely. “So lovely.”
    Grayson tore back the covers, his expression fierce with intent. He slid down her body, kissing her belly, laving his tongue inside the indent of her navel. The sweep of his tongue felt like wet, rough velvet. Then he pressed