A/N Here we go with the longest chapter so far. Apparently I don't know when to shut up. Lol. Thanks to my reviewers: pinkshirt, eskimogirl58, LivingOnFire, hilja, and Buffyk0604. Be warned, we're starting to get into the mature chapters. There's a lemon in here, and expect them regularly from now on. If that's not your thing, now would probably be a good time to drop this fic. If you're still with me then enjoy!
The Imprinted Chronicles: Book One
Chapter Nine
"Oww! Embry, if your girl pokes me with that thing one more time, I'm not responsible for what happens to her."
The wolf in question stuffed a cheeseburger into his mouth, swallowing it whole before bothering to look over from his place on Samantha's front porch swing. He raised an eyebrow at Brady.
"I'm going to pretend that you didn't just threaten Sims, pup," he said very slowly. "And to prove it I'm going to eat another cheeseburger. I'm going to eat your cheeseburger, Brady."
Brady's eyes narrowed and he was about to reply, but instead he jumped and yelped.
"Oh, quit being such a baby." Samantha rolled her eyes as she pulled her makeshift needle through the thick leather fabric near his thigh. Her regular needles kept breaking on the material so she had moved on to a homemade wire needle that Embry had so kindly fashioned for her. She was pretty sure Embry deliberately made it that sharp. Even though it was a Saturday, she had still insisted that the two youngest wolves come over to her house to work on schoolwork, and Brady had been whining ever since.
"I know you have tougher skin than this, Brady. You guys are all rock hard. And it's not my fault you botched our project while I was in the hospital and we have to do extra credit now."
"I botched it? What about Collin? He was right there along with me!" Brady complained, giving his friend a death glare. Collin didn't see it, because he was too busy sharing Brady's extra cheeseburgers with Embry. Samantha had finally made the boys pay up and Embry was hanging around, enjoying the benefits of that immensely.
"Collin gets a freebee for thinking of extra credit in the first place," Samantha chirped. Then she slapped Brady's leg in irritation. "Oh, for the love of…If you'd just stop fidgeting this would be done already."
"I don't see why I have to be the one who wears this shit," Brady continued to complain. Samantha winked at Embry, who grinned at her around his mouthful of burger.
"You're the brilliant one who picked cultural diversity in music in the seventies, Brady," Collin piped up. "I wanted to do something easier. At least Sims was able to think of something."
"Has it occurred to you that she's doing this to us just because she can?" Brady growled, and then he snorted. "Dude, man, don't cross your legs like that. I can see your package."
Collin looked down at his skin tight and very diminutive jean shorts and sighed, tugging at the frayed hems. "It's not my fault. Wolf packages were not made for this kind of wardrobe," Collin lamented. "Sims, you might have to make me a new outfit. I know I'm a sexy construction worker and all, but I might end up flopping out during the song and dance number."
"Why…the hell…is there a song and dance number?" Brady growled, and then he yipped as Samantha frowned.
"Ouch, I poked myself," she murmured, sticking her finger in her mouth.
"You okay?" Embry asked, eyeing her finger sympathetically, and Samantha nodded.
"Yeah, dude, she poked her finger," Brady rolled his eyes dramatically. "Once. She's been digging that shit into my crotch for the last hour! And for the record, Sims, there are parts of our bodies that aren't rock hard."
Samantha snickered and when Brady saw the looks everyone was giving him he swore and gave them the finger.
"It's really not that bad, Brade," Collin said soothingly. "This could be kinda fun. The girls at school will love it."
"So says 'David the Construction Worker', not 'Felipe, the mother fucking Indian Chief'!" Brady screeched. "Indian chiefs did not wear this shit! I would know, I'm a direct descendent of one. Embry, make her stop this!"
"Nope." He popped the 'p' just because he could. "Think of it as punishment for oversleeping patrol two days ago and making me miss my date with Sims. She's a hot girl, Brady. You shouldn't have done that to me."
"I was devastated," Samantha told Brady with doubtful sincerity. "I thought Embry didn't want me anymore. I sat right here on my porch wearing this tight little dress, not knowing if he was off making puppies with someone else while I sat and cried. It was very upsetting." In actuality Samantha had figured something was up and had went ahead and cancelled their reservations for Embry, not at all minding getting out of her Seth funded clothing. It never even occurred to her that he would deliberately stand her up.
"There was a tight little dress, Brady," Embry munched slower in remembrance. "It was put away by the time I got here. Brothers shouldn't do that to each other. Sims, I think you should add a few more feathers, he doesn't look quite chiefly enough to me."
"Hmmm. I think you're right."
"There's no way you cried," Brady glared at Samantha as she super-glued several more gaudy peacock feathers to his headdress. She patted Brady on the head absently before returning to sewing fake animal pelts around his leather clad privates. "Kicked his ass maybe, but you didn't cry, not even jokingly. I don't think you know how, you cruel she-devil."
"No one understands me," Samantha murmured, and then she smiled proudly. "All done!"
"I look like a freak."
"I think you look cute," Collin told him with a smirk and Brady lunged at him. Samantha watched the two relatively naked men wrestle around, and as feathers and tool belts flopped with wild abandon out into the street, she began to grow a little uncomfortable. Embry just looked disturbed.
"He's right," she told Embry. "I'm doing it just because I can, but maybe making them Village People is going too far. They were culturally diverse, though. What do you think?" She looked at him for his opinion.
"Are you still going to school in camo that day?" Embry asked slyly, and Samantha nodded.
"I planned on it. I'm the military guy. Girl. Person."
"In that case you should definitely go through with it. And then you should come find me immediately." Embry gave her a naughty grin and reached for her, tugging Samantha into his lap. Her back had healed enough that it only ached dully when she overexerted herself, but Embry still had to be very careful of keeping his heavy arms folded around her waist and not tightly over her chest. Samantha wiggled a little to get herself more comfortable, and then she leaned back into his embrace.
"You're a perv," she smiled up at him over her shoulder, and Embry kissed her lightly. "Are we still on tomorrow?"
"Pending Pack related disasters or Brady bailing on me, then yes." Embry rolled his eyes at that. They still hadn't managed to make it out on another official date, although the past couple weeks had included several very enjoyable make-out sessions on her porch when her father had been gone.
After the last day at Embry's home, Samantha had instigated a no Embry's bedroom rule. They had just started dating and already it was insanely hard for her to keep her hands off of him. The added privacy his place afforded them was dangerously tempting. Embry was going along with it, and he was becoming a familiar fixture on her porch, although Joe was adamant that Embry stay out of his house. Samantha felt a little bad for her dad, it was obvious that he couldn't forcibly remove Embry from the property and Embry could be found there almost every night after he was done at the dojo. The compromise was that Embry stayed outside and left before Joe got home, and Samantha's dad didn't say anything even though he knew that the younger man had been there.
"What are we doing?" Samantha asked curiously and Embry tapped her on the nose.
"Curiosity killed the Sims," he teased, but then gave her a hopeful look. "You don't have to dress up, but if you wanted to pull that tight little dress back out again, I wouldn't complain."
"Nope. That kind of thing works best when it's not expected. Don't worry, I'll think of something you won't absolutely hate," she promised and Embry smiled, tugging her closer. He lightly kissed the nape of her neck, but then grew distracted by her earlobe. Samantha giggled when his breath tickled her ear.
"You two are gross." Apparently today 'David' had made 'Felipe' his bitch, causing Brady's bad day to be complete. Collin had Brady in a headlock and was looking at Samantha and Embry with mock disgust.
"Says the naked construction worker and his more naked Indian chief," Embry smirked and Samantha laughed when Brady rolled his eyes. "You two can go away now," he added. Collin looked a little bummed but shrugged and did as he was told. Brady simply stalked off into the early evening in all his buckskinned glory.
"That was kind of mean," Samantha said in a chastising tone, but Embry was more concerned with her neck then the two boys' feelings.
"They were stealing my time with you," Embry declared absently, giving her ponytail a sniff. "Did you change shampoo brands?"
"Unfortunately. I ran out of the rest of my old stuff and it's too expensive to keep buying," Samantha told him, kind of bummed at the thought.
"I could get you some--" Embry started then he cut himself off. "And then you would give it right back and tell me to mind my own business. Never mind."
"Aww. Embry's learning." Samantha smiled and tapped her fingernails against the muscles on his arms. "Being broke sucks, though. I'm missing my job already."
"I'm not," he shook his head. "It was a pain in the ass having to follow you there every night and back home every morning."
Samantha narrowed her eyes. "You didn't have to---," she started then she stopped. "Except for the fact that at least three of those nights a vampire broke through the borders and you kind of did have to. Never mind."
"Aww, now Sims is the one that's learning," Embry joked, and then he sat up, yawning and stretching his arms over his head. "Hey, Cullen called Seth. He wants to do a checkup on you. Seth asked me to bring you to the treaty line tomorrow morning before we go out."
"And why exactly is my doctor calling Seth to make my appointments instead of with me?" Samantha wanted to know as she stood up, her eyes once again narrowed. Embry gave her an amused look.
"Because if we smell leech on you without advance warning then we might react badly towards said leech," Embry shrugged as if that was a given. "The truce we've got going on is deliberate, not instinctual. Instincts tell us to rip them apart. Cullen's protecting his own. Jake already gave him the go ahead to treat you, so going through Seth is simply a professional courtesy. Why are you complaining? This way you don't have to sit for hours in a waiting room and Cullen doesn't charge for on the side work. You make out better in the end."
"Couldn't I see that other doctor instead, Dr. Foster? She was nice, I liked her." Samantha avoided Embry's knowing gaze.
"The professional courtesy goes both ways," Embry added quietly. "Acts of trust on both sides strengthen the truce. But if it bothers you that much being around them, then I won't make you, Sims."
Samantha shrugged in a non-committing way. "If it helps, then I guess I can hang. I just don't want to make a habit of this, Embry." No, she did not want to make a habit of spending time with vampires. Just because everyone viewed the Cullen's as 'good', it didn't make them not vampires.
"If Cullen gives the go ahead to start easy, I'll let you back in my dojo," he offered enticingly, knowing that Samantha would cave. Embry had kicked her out, insisting that the temptation for her to try some easy workouts was too great. He was right, not that Samantha liked to admit it. Samantha stuck her tongue out at him, knowing she was being manipulated, but then she smiled.
"Okay, you win." She had volunteer hours to get back to, and Embry knew that was higher on her priority list than almost anything.
"Of course I do," Embry said easily as he yawned again and stood up. He went from looking up at her to looking down, and he touched her face lightly. "In a few more minutes I'm due to relieve Paul, so I'm going to go. I'm doing a double patrol tonight, so I can be off all day tomorrow and tomorrow night. Can I pick you up after I get some sleep? Maybe around ten?"
"Yeah, sounds good." Samantha leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him and Embry chuckled when she still couldn't reach. He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers lightly, but then he seemed to reconsider and he deepened the kiss. Samantha let herself enjoy that for a moment, but then she broke away, pushing on his shoulders uselessly.
"None of that, now. You have to go sniff out the bad guys, remember?"
"I can multitask," Embry insisted, kissing her again. Samantha wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him down for a better one, letting her free hand drift enticingly along the hard planes of his stomach. Her fingers hooked into the waistband of his jeans and she gave it a little tug as she finished the kiss.
"So can I," Samantha murmured suggestively as she pulled away, to which Embry's grin widened. She tapped him on the nose and added firmly, "Which you'll never get to experience if we don't get some real alone time. You can't be late for patrol. Go. Sniff."
"Okay, now you win," Embry sighed, and Samantha laughed as he shifted slightly uncomfortably.
"Of course I do," she smirked, echoing his words. "Have fun being all vicious, honey."
Embry winked and smiled winningly at her before trotting down the steps and across the street, disappearing into the woods at the exact time a motorcycle revved to life a few houses down. Samantha peered over the railing, watching a slick red and black superbike pull out of the Clearwater's garage. She drooled a little, envious as she wondered how either Clearwater sibling could have managed to afford something like that. It started to head the opposite way, but then the driver did a 180 degree turn in the middle of the street and drove back towards Samantha.
"Hey baby, wanna ride?" the driver asked when they slid to a stop in front of her father's house. Samantha grinned and ambled down the steps, eyeing the motorcycle appreciatively. She didn't know much about cars, but she knew an expensive bike when she saw one.
"Depends on what's between your legs," Samantha quipped back and Leah laughed, taking off her helmet and tossing it to the younger girl. The eldest Clearwater sibling was looking good, her long lean form in tight torn jeans and a sleeveless black leather vest that matched her boots. Samantha wished she could pull off biker bitch half as well.
"Yamaha YZF-R1," Leah said proudly, patting the raised seat behind her. "He can go almost 180, but he'll be good and keep it around half that. He wouldn't want to break Embry's new toy."
"Him?" Samantha chuckled over the hum of the engine, and Leah smirked.
"Best damn man I've ever had beneath me. Come on, we've got places to be. That is unless you're happier sitting around letting Embry play overprotective mommy, which he will when he hears us talking." Leah glanced at the woods. "Want me to start the countdown?"
"Naw, it's a Saturday night with nothing better to do. I'm in." Samantha swung her leg over the back of the bike, fastening the helmet on her head. Leah revved the engine and just as Samantha straddled the motorcycle and gripped the seat beneath them, she swung it around in a circle. Samantha let out a gasp of surprise when Leah accelerated quickly, and Samantha had to grip the seat tighter to keep her balance. Leah laughed and made a hard left at the end of the street, darting in front of oncoming traffic with a recklessness that was only now becoming understandable to Samantha.
When you're a nearly indestructible shape shifter, then it takes a much bigger thrill to get your blood pumping.
Samantha's couldn't help her whoop of delight when they hit the stretch heading out of town and Leah gunned it, the bike standing up as it shot ahead. At this point Samantha gave up her pride and clung to Leah's waist as the bike dropped back down and roared across the pavement. There were a few cars on the road, and Samantha was pretty sure they didn't appreciate the way Leah weaved in and out of oncoming traffic. The sun was setting low in the horizon, and as they shot through the reservation breaking at least three or so laws at once, Samantha thought maybe the speed and the sunset were playing tricks on her eyes. She could have sworn she saw flickers of grey and brown in the trees.
The highway emptied out about five miles out of town and Samantha leaned low against Leah's back. The wind whipped over her limbs and screamed in her ears, so she never heard the other motorcycle coming their way, she only saw the heavy Harley-Davidson streak past them going back towards town. She did hear Leah's wild holler, and it was just enough warning to grab on tighter when Leah hit the brakes. They leaned sideways and burned rubber, and for a brief second Samantha was afraid that Leah was going to drop the bike on them, but then they righted again and turned around. Samantha panted, realizing that her fingers were digging painfully into Leah's sides.
"What was that for?" Samantha yelled up to the older girl, but Leah didn't reply, instead revving the bike and gunning it forward. Over Leah's shoulder, Samantha saw that the other biker was coming back their way. Leah aimed for them head on, and Samantha let out a panicked yelp when the other bike didn't deviate, ducking her head and bracing for the crash. Instead the two drivers just barely avoided each other and again Leah hit the brakes, the bike squealing as she spun them in a tight circle. Through the thick one way reflective plastic of her helmet Samantha saw that the other driver had done the same. As the two were spinning around each other in the middle of the highway, she got a good look at the second driver.
He was absolutely huge.
"Who's that?" Samantha yelled over the squealing tires, staring at the dark haired man. He was tall, easily seven feet, and his russet colored skin marked him as Native American. He wasn't just tall. The man was massive, muscled to the point of making the wolves look slim. Leah laughed.
"That's Jake. Son of a bitch didn't tell us he was coming back!" Their words were lost beneath a trio of ear shattering howls almost on top of them, ones that actually sounded excited. Jake must have heard Leah and her just fine because his face split into a grin, white teeth sparkling. Leah laughed again and revved the engine once more. "Too bad, we've got places to be!"
This time Samantha was prepared for the sudden acceleration and the bike going vertical. However she wasn't prepared for the second bike to shoot ahead right along with them, away from town and so close that she could reach out and touch Jake's arm if she wanted. She also wasn't prepared for the bike dropping back down into a surging pack of massive wolves. There were three of them, one on either side of the two bikes and one that pushed in between. The ones on the far side and in the middle she didn't recognize, with their chocolate and sandy colored furs respectively, but the slimmer grey wolf with dark spots running along his back triggered a memory. It was Embry. And even with nothing else, it would be hard to ignore the beautiful chocolate eyes that she knew so well.
The way he was baring his teeth at Leah was a dead giveaway.
"I don't think your boy toy likes you playing with me," Leah laughed over her shoulder as she accelerated again. The wolves ducked out of her way as she swerved into Jake, forcing her Alpha to either hit them or to swerve as well. He chose the latter, but then to Samantha's horror he swung back into them. Samantha grabbed onto Leah harder as she veered again, the sandy colored wolf dancing sideways as he easily kept pace. The chocolate wolf let out a happy bark and Jake was grinning. Samantha realized that the grin was for her, and how tightly she was clinging to Leah. The son of a bitch was laughing at her.
"Hey Leah!"
"Yeah?"
"Wolf or bike, which's faster?"
"Wanna find out?" she glanced over her shoulder with a grin and Samantha heard Embry snarl.
"Burn 'em all and I'll buy you dinner!"
"Now we're fucking talking!"
Ten seconds later Samantha decided that these wolves were going to be the death of her. Extreme cliff diving was one thing, but one hundred and eighty mile an hour road rash was probably going to get her killed. Of course the moment that the Yamaha blew past wolf and man alike was totally worth it. When it was obvious that the superbike was going to leave Jake's Harley in its dust, Leah's Alpha saluted them with a grin and dropped back, the sandy and chocolate wolves doing the same. The sun had slipped behind the trees, leaving the road a dark grey that hid the huge wolf that still kept pace. Samantha turned her head and watched Embry run, his lean body bunching and stretching easily with every stride. She had been on the back of a motorcycle, but she had never gone this fast before and keeping her eyes on the wolf kept her adrenaline from pushing her into a full blown panic attack. He stayed on their side until the running lights of a semi-truck appeared far ahead of them, and he only veered off at the last minute, barking warningly at Leah who just rolled her eyes.
"What a baby, like I'm going to crash," Leah shook her head as she slowed back down to a safety conscious ninety miles an hour. Samantha chuckled from behind her helmet, her heart still pounding.
"My mortality is a sensitive spot for him. Where're we going?"
"Hoquiam, Washington. It's supposed to be a two and a half hour trip, but we'll make it faster. There's a guy we need to see."
Samantha nodded, even though Leah couldn't see it, and she settled in for the ride. They left La Push and once they hit Forks, they jumped on the 101 highway and headed south. For awhile the road curved right out onto the coast, and the bright moonlight flickered prettily across the Pacific Ocean waves. As they swung back inland, following the border of the Olympic National Park, a light mist began to fall.
"Does it always have to rain around here?" Samantha called up to Leah, who looked over her shoulder with a grin.
"This side of the park gets twelve feet of rain a year, city girl. You need to invest in something other than t-shirts, or you're gonna start molding."
"Thanks," Samantha murmured sarcastically as she looked around. "Does your territory stretch this far?"
"Technically? No, our borders stop at La Push, although we patrol Forks and the surrounding woods as well. Theoretically? Everything outside of La Push that Jake can hold from any other Alphas belongs to us. That is, if he wants it."
"Other Alphas? I thought that Jake was the only one. I thought that the shape shifting was only a Quileute thing."
"It is."
"That doesn't make sense."
Leah slowed down and pulled off the side of the road, the mist leaving a thin sheen of moisture on her skin that evaporated almost immediately. She killed the engine and half turned on the seat, looking at Samantha.
"Your father is a descendant of Levi Uley. Did you know that? He was Levi's sister's grandson. Your own blood's too dilute for you to have ever changed like I did, but if your father had been in close proximity with a coven, he probably would've phased. Do you think that it would have mattered if he was sitting in the middle of a reservation or not?"
Samantha thought about that for a moment, trying to understand where Leah was going with the line of thought. "If he was in Chicago at my age and there were vampires around, he could've phased in the middle of the city," she mused. "I bet that would've freaked him out."
"More so without having anyone around to tell him why," Leah added. "No one is supposed to know that the legends are true, at least not until they are a part of the legends themselves. So yeah, it would be one hell of a shock. Take a look at the world, Samantha. Do you think that any of us wanted to stick around in a shithole like La Push for our whole lives? People move on, people have babies and their babies have babies, and people never come back. Add a couple hundred years, possibly a thousand or more of virtual immortality on top of it, with nothing to do but run around and phase and make more babies, and what do you think that gives you?"
"There are a lot more wolves out there." She wondered why she was surprised.
"So we've been finding out. Not that it's your business," Leah smirked at Samantha and turned back around, restarting the bike. "Not that any of this is your business, beyond the fact that Jake doesn't want to keep you entirely in the dark. He seems to think that knowledge is power, and the more you understand the more you'll keep your mouth shut." Her smirk turned into a laugh. "After all, no one wants to have to kill you."
Gravel kicked up as they took off again, and Samantha held on to the seat beneath her, not one hundred percent sure that Leah was joking.
It was almost ten at night when they made Hoquiam, and they had just passed the "Welcome to Hoquiam, pop. 9097" sign when Leah made a turn on a gravel road. Two miles down was a large pole barn, its metal sheeting not as pretty and shiny as the many cars and trucks parked in front of the entrance. There were several picnic tables outside under an overhang, most of them occupied by the overflow from the bar which, Samantha saw from the gaudy neon blue sign, was named 'Barney's'. The purr of the superbike's engine caught the attention of several patrons, including the bouncer, who watched them with interested eyes.
"Is this where I stay and guard the ride?" Samantha asked half joking and half seriously as Leah parked next to several other motorcycles, most of which looked like Jake's had. Heavy music rolled outside through the opened windows and it only took one sniff in the air, booze and smoke of various kinds, to tell her all she needed to know. There was no way a seventeen year old was allowed in this place.
"Give me your driver's license," Leah commanded, and Samantha sighed, handing it over.
"This isn't going to work," she warned.
Leah didn't answer, only held out her hand for the helmet, which Samantha returned as she climbed off the bike. To her surprise Leah just left it on the seat and headed inside, Samantha following behind a little stiffly. Her back was still sore from the attack, so two hours hunched behind Leah hadn't been as comfortable as it would've been a while ago. At least she'd managed to keep her chest from slamming into anything despite the wild ride. Leah had this way of moving, tall and imperious, and the crowds melted in front of her even though Samantha could feel the eyes following them both. Leah stopped in front of the bouncer, a short stocky man with a heavy mustache and a slight beer belly who only came up to Leah's shoulder.
"Heya Mike," she lightly knocked fists with him and kicked her head back in Samantha's direction as she handed both their I.D.'s to the bouncer. "This is Samantha, Embry's girl. Is Jack working tonight?"
The man gave both cards a cursory glance. If Samantha hadn't have been watching closely, she never would've seen the folded twenty dollar bill between the cards disappear before he handed both back to Leah.
"It's Friday, where else would he be?" Mike the bouncer eyed Samantha curiously. "Keep it easy tonight, Leah. I don't want to have to throw you two out. My knee still hurts from the last time I tried." Leah chuckled and gave Mike a little pat on the cheek that he might have found condescending if he'd bothered to pull his eyes off her chest. Leah turned and sauntered in the door. When he did the same stare to Samantha, she took him firmly by the chin and turned his head to the side. As she followed her friend inside, Samantha could hear Mike the bouncer chuckling behind her.
"I think he just eye fucked us," Samantha muttered as they wound their way through the crowded floor, and Leah grinned at her. The far side of the barn had been set up with a stage, although the music was beating out of a set of speakers and not from anyone playing. One long wall of the barn was a bar with two different bartenders working, and off to the side there were two large grills blocked off from the patrons dolling out hamburgers and hotdogs as fast as they could cook them. Most of the place was standing room only, the small cocktail tables lining the walls prime real estate, which explained the number of people loitering outside. The concrete floor was a makeshift dance floor, packed with drunk gyrating Hoquiams, and Samantha couldn't help but laugh at how many of them wore cowboy hats and belt buckles the size of salad plates.
"Let me guess, there's nothing else for the locals to do here on a Friday night but get drunk at Barney's?"
"How could you tell?"
"Just a feeling."
Leah led them up to the bar, not hesitating in shouldering people out of their way. The bartender, a hard looking woman in a sparkly black tank top and too much eye shadow gave Leah a dubious look.
"They let you back in?" the bartender asked disapprovingly when Leah leaned in on her elbows. "I hope those boys that came with you last time stayed at home. They messed this place up so bad we had to replace part of the bar."
"It's just us, but I'm sure between the two of us we can help if you wanted the rest of it to match." Leah smirked and nodded back at Samantha, who grinned cheekily at the bartender. "Where's Jack?"
"Jack? Now you leave that poor boy alone, Leah. Jackie's too sweet to be hanging out with your likes." The bartender sniffed and popped open three beers, handing them to the customer beside Samantha. "He probably heard you were coming and ran for the hills."
"I don't think the locals like you, Leah," Samantha chuckled and Leah barked out a laugh.
"Bullshit. The locals like me just fine. It's their mommas that don't."
The bartender flushed angrily at the insult to her age, and Samantha clamped down on her giggle as Leah gave the woman a wink. "Don't worry, we'll find him. I'll just have to sniff him out."
"You do that, honey, and then you sniff your way back home."
Leah laughed again and turned around against the bar, giving the woman her back as she leaned lazily. "So, what do you think?"
"I think that the music is compensating for the people, but just barely." It was true, the music was good, and it had her drumming her fingers against her hips. Leah nodded.
"There's that. Come on, there's someone here I want you to meet." Leah stood up and slapped a bill on the bar, hooking two freshly poured beers from the bartender's hand as she was passing them to another customer. The bartender gave them a dirty look as Leah handed one to Samantha.
"Don't drink more than one, you want to be sober for this," Leah told her with a devilish look as she led Samantha towards the back corner. "Drunk and you don't stand a chance."
"I don't stand a chance?" Samantha took a small sip of her beer as she followed. "I don't stand a chance against wh---oh…my…god…"
"Told you. Hey Rico!"
Samantha stopped dead in her tracks, her beer cup forgotten and hanging loosely in her fingers against her leg. For one, two, three glorious moments she just simply stood there and stared. The far corner table was the largest she'd seen so far, and it was already occupied. Most of the occupants were just the same as the rest of the other girls running around, but the main occupant was the reason why Leah was nodding smugly.
Sorry Embry. Rico was quite literally the best looking man she'd ever seen in her life.
Samantha had been spending a lot of time with her wolf and his friends, so she thought that she was growing immune to what a lean muscular body could do to a girl. She was wrong. And it wasn't just the body, or the short blonde strands hanging sexily across his forehead, or the blinding white smile that flashed their way as he looked over and saw her. It was how his golden eyes sparkled warmly as he uncurled from his sitting position and headed straight for her, closing in until she could swear she could smell his sweet breath, could taste what it would be like to kiss him, could feel what it would be like beneath him…
The liquid sloshing across Rico's shirt snapped Samantha out of her trance like a slap in the face. She looked down and realized what she had just done. She had just thrown beer on a vampire. Oh shit.
"Well, that's a first," Rico said in an amused voice, staring down at his simple cotton t-shirt in mild dismay as Leah howled with laughter. "Usually my first impression on a woman goes better than this."
Those golden eyes locked onto her curiously, and Samantha shivered when he smiled sexily at her. Vampire. He was a vampire. She knew he was a vampire, and she had no idea why Leah was just standing there laughing when the vampire was coming closer. Her instincts said to run, but there was no way she could outrun him. Her instincts also told her to come nearer, to soften beneath his warm gaze and lean in closer as he…
He caught her hand before she could even start the shove that might get him away from her, and he lifted her fingers to his lips. When he kissed her wrist, grinning devilishly at her, Samantha made a frightened little eep.
"Oh Leah, she makes noises," Rico said as if this fact were wonderful, humming pleasantly as Samantha tried and failed to regain her hand from him. He moved in closer, stalking her the way Embry had done, and backing up helped her just as little as it had before. He dropped his voice low enough that the table of irritated girls behind him couldn't hear his words, the sound rolling down her skin like thick honey. "Do you talk, little one, or am I going to have to convince a few more noises out of you?"
Say something. Say something, Samantha.
"Please don't eat me," she managed to squeak out. Damn, Samantha. You could've said something else.
Rico let out a deep chuckle and before Samantha could pull away his mouth was at her ear, purring languidly. "Don't worry, I only bite things that feel good when they're being bitten. It's kind of my specialty. If you're curious I can show you."
"Not…curious. Nope, definitely not curious." Samantha cast around for her friend. "Leah! A little help here!"
"Everyone's curious," Rico whispered seductively, dropping his sex eye mojo on her so heavy that she felt the ground beneath her legs start to give. Or maybe just her legs were the things that were giving. He had the audacity to blow his cold breath across her ear. "The things I could show you are sure to--."
"Embry!" Samantha gasped his name like a lifeline and the vampire blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"Embry can show me. Not you. So back off popsicle boy before I call him and tell him I found him a new chew toy!" Samantha declared weakly. While she was proud of herself for telling him off, it didn't help that Leah was just laughing at her harder and that Rico was gazing down at her like she was a cute little puppy he wanted to take home.
"Embry, huh? Well, there's nothing wrong with a little competition." Rico ignored her flapping hands and stepped in closer, his eyes locking with hers. Samantha felt weak, felt her resistance to this man softening, felt herself enjoying the contact of his arm around her waist…
"I'm underage."
Rico blinked a second time.
"I'm underage, which makes you a pervert, and so no more touchy." She shoved at the arm around her waist, which he let drop in surprised amusement. "And, ummm…yeah," Samantha felt like her mouth was vomiting, but for the life of her she couldn't make the words stop coming. "They have televisions shows on how to catch people like you. Pervy people, not grrr people, and no one wants that. So go buy me a drink, Rico, because you wasted mine. A Coke. Yeah. No roofies please. And buy Leah a beer, three beers. So, yeah, and…uhh, shoo. Go away now."
Leah was crying from laughter at this point, Rico looked like he wanted to put her in a jar and keep her, and Samantha wondered just what the heck she was doing with the lot of them. Utterly pissed, Samantha stomped past the vampire and the wolf and sat down on Rico's empty seat. The girls around her stared in shock, but then jerked when she growled at them to get the hell out of her face. Leah wiped her eyes and wandered over to the table, helping a brunette vacate her chair and plopping down into it instead. The others huffed and puffed and went storming off to find Rico, who was thankfully gone. Samantha turned on Leah, snarling.
"Thanks for the warning," she whispered venomously. "If I wanted to be supernaturally molested I would have stayed home and done a strip tease for the wolf boys, tweedle horny and tweedle hornier. That was a vampire, Leah!"
"Rico? Yeah, he's a leech but he's a veggie one. There's nothing to get all worked up about," Leah paused and waggled her eyebrows. "Unless you want him to get you all worked up. I hear he's quite good, but I wouldn't know. I can't hold my breath that long."
"I am not sleeping with a vampire," Samantha hissed, and Leah just gave her a smirk.
"No? But you will sleep with a werewolf? Not that you have, but come on it's a given. That's a little biased, don't you think?" Leah rolled her eyes. "Isn't one supernatural lay the same as another? At least Rico has several centuries of experience under his belt and isn't going to mind meld playtime with eight other horny guys when it's over."
"Ugh. Gross thought. And it's different," Samantha said stubbornly. "You guys are different."
"No, we're not." Leah suddenly turned serious and she drained her beer before staring hard at Samantha. Her worlds were coldly condescending. "You think I can't use my own 'supernatural molestation' abilities to land most of the guys in this place? You think I couldn't get pissed and tear your head off without stopping to think about it? Embry about smashed in your chest, you don't think that's a little fucked up? It's cool you don't blame him, but wake up Samantha. There are two sides to all this, but it isn't the 'cold and scary one' versus the 'warm and dangerous one' as you so quaintly put it to Embry. Cold or warm, we're all scary and dangerous. The point is who at the end of the night who's gonna take you home and love you good and who's gonna take you home and rip your throat out. You can't pick one monster and declare all the other ones bad."
"Embry's not a monster. You're not a monster."
"Cool. Neither is Rico, he's just a dead sexy leech that enjoys getting freaky with humans."
"That's perverted," Samantha shook her head, but she was starting to get where Leah was coming from. Leah realized this and dropped the condescension, instead leaning in towards her friend.
"Maybe, but I'd rather get freaky with a human instead of one of the Pack. Does that make me perverted?"
"I'll get back to you on that," Samantha teased and Leah rolled her eyes again. "Although I don't think there's anything wrong with Embry getting freaky with me, so I guess I have to back my stance up to merely thinking sex with vampires is yucky. Is that sufficiently non-biased for you?"
"Better. Don't get me wrong, the support and acceptance is appreciated, but you have to understand that some of us are monsters. That bitch that tried to eat Claire was. Her mate wasn't half bad, he just ran with the wrong crowd. Got himself eaten instead. That's gotta suck. The Pack are pretty good guys, but don't think that Jake doesn't keep a tight hold on us at all times. Get us bored, get us mad, or get us jealous and we can cause some major damage. The bartender wasn't lying. Seth tore this place apart before Jake showed up and calmed him down. The rest of us couldn't do a thing to stop him once he ordered us to back off."
"Seth? Sweet little Seth?"
"Sweet little Seth had his first solo kill at fifteen, and has enough strength to hold Jake's whole Pack in order for months at a time while he's gone. That's not something to brush off lightly. He's Beta, and a strong enough one that even I have to do what he says some of the time, if he really means it. He can order the rest of the guys to do just about anything he wants and Jake's even worse. With Seth, I might be able try and resist a bad order, even as I'm doing it, and Seth and Sam just might be able to resist Jake for a moment or two. But if Jake told me to kill my own mother, I gotta be honest. I don't think I could stop myself."
"You make it sound so matter of fact," Samantha whispered, a little chilled at the thought. "Let me get this straight. If the Alpha is a monster, than the rest of you are. If he's good, then so are you." Leah nodded. "That's frightening. It takes away your control, Leah. How come you seem so calm about that?"
"I'm calm because this is how things are. I'm calm because my Alpha is strong and good and even if I don't like his decisions, they're always the necessary ones. And basically, this is my life. This is Embry's life too, by the way. It's not just whether or not the asshole imprints. His whole world is going to drag you in and you're going to have to be subject to what that entails just like the rest of us. We didn't have a choice, Samantha. You do, and honestly? Embry's not worth it," Leah added quietly. "Not when he's just about guaranteed to screw you over. It's actually not too late to back out. All you'll have to do is keep your mouth shut and keep your distance and it'll be almost the same as before."
Samantha thought about that for a moment before she shrugged.
"Don't get me wrong, Leah. I'm not stoked about the dual natures of the company I'm keeping, but before wasn't good." Samantha grew quiet and cast a quick look at Leah, wondering if she could trust the other girl with personal information. Finally she sighed.
"Before was pretty bad, actually. Meeting Embry was…necessary. Even if he does imprint. You know, forget about imprinting for a minute. Even if we suck as a couple and don't make it just because of us, it doesn't change anything. Embry was the first smile I got here. He was the first real laugh, the first hug, the first nap. He was the first reminder that the world hadn't stopped under my feet, and that I actually was still walking somewhere. My decision about him is still the same."
"Oh hell, you're in love with him aren't you?" Leah looked up at the ceiling in despair and Samantha blushed.
"I wouldn't go that far," she mumbled and Leah gave her a resigned look.
"He's not worth it. I'm telling you, you should have gone with option two," Leah mumbled and Samantha laughed out loud before giving Leah a knowing glance.
"Would Sam have been worth it?" she countered. "If you had found out before he imprinted?"
"Sam's fucking my cousin. What the hell does it matter?" Leah flapped her hand as if that was so long ago that it didn't even count anymore.
"Because Embry isn't Sam. I'm not you. That's the end of the story. If I happen to end up you, Leah, I'll buy you a beer." Samantha shook her head. "Out of curiosity, is he actually buying us drinks or not?"
Leah stared at her for a second then laughed. "Probably. It gives him an excuse to come back and try again."
"Try what again?"
"You don't think he'll give up that easy, do you?" Leah smirked and Samantha gave her a suspicious look.
"Give up on what?"
"On taking you home and proving Leah right about me," Rico suddenly was purring in her ear, standing behind her and leaning in so that his arms were boxing her into the table. Samantha let out another mouse-like squeak. "What do you say, want to try and prove me wrong?"
"Leave her alone, Rico," a second male voice said, this one gruff and a little embarrassed. The second man was plain, of medium height and build, although his clothes outlined his muscles nicely when he sat down next to Leah. His skin was browned, as if he spent most of his time in the sun, and he seemed uncomfortable even as he handed Samantha an unopened can of Coke and Leah the three beers as requested.
"See, Leah? I brought you something to play with too," Rico winked at Leah, who laughed. The man next to her grunted and Leah gave him a flirty little grin.
"Hey Jack, did you miss me?"
Jack just shook his head, flushing little at the attention, although the corners of his mouth tipped up. "Don't we all?" he replied in his rough voice and Leah laughed as if he had made a joke. Jack eyed the vampire who was currently nuzzling the side of a very freaked out Samantha's neck. "Rico, back off. That's Embry's girl. Can't you smell him on her?"
"Not enough to deter me, my friend. Only enough to make it all the more interesting," Rico chuckled, although he did back off and sat down, much to Samantha's relief. When he tugged his chair over towards hers she made a growly noise that was supposed to warn him off, and only made him grin as if she were adorable.
"Can I keep her, Leah?" Rico asked very politely, beaming as Samantha scooted her chair away. He tugged her chair right back, ignoring Samantha's indignant cries and her swatting hands. "I'll be very good, I promise. I'll even call Embry and explain everything."
"Yeah, that's one conversation I'd like to hear," Leah laughed. "Embry, it's Rico. I stole Samantha. She's made several escape attempts, but so far they've been useless." Samantha was currently trying to duck under the table to do just that, but a vampire holding onto the waist of your pants will stop you every time.
"Le--ah," Samantha whined piteously as she was deposited back on her stool, a vampire arm around her. Then she remembered what Jack had said, about smelling Embry on her. That wasn't normal right? She gave him a speculative look. "Leah? I'm assuming I'm in entirely mixed company?"
"That's a delicate way of putting it," Leah smirked. "Jack's one of us, although not in the Pack. Not yet anyway."
"Jackie's a solo type of guy, my little button," Rico cooed and Samantha snarled at him. How had she ever found this guy attractive?
"Button? Button?!"
"Baby button?" he tried and Samantha went for the violent eye gouge method. It didn't help.
"I keep telling her she's wasted on Embry, but she doesn't listen to me," Leah told Jack, idly playing with the label on her first beer. "You're not manning the grills?"
"I'm working all night so they gave me an hour break," he replied, shifting uncomfortably under the weight of Leah's attention. He was obviously the shy type, unlike the vampire that started playing with Samantha's hair.
"Does this actually work with girls?" Samantha hissed at Rico, batting at his hands as he grinned.
"Very much so. You're just the stubborn type. I like a challenge."
"I have a lighter and I'm not afraid to use it."
"No you don't and yes you are, and I can see why Embry likes you. Beneath the slight reek of dog, you smell very tasty." He proved it by sniffing and Samantha made a gagging noise, glaring death at the she-wolf that seemed completely content to just sit back and watch. Jack looked a little on edge and he kept giving Rico bothered looks, and Samantha noticed that Leah was watching Jack more than she was Rico and Samantha, the same way she watched Seth when he was doing his 'in-charge' Seth thing. She was even positioned slightly turned towards him, as if being deferential to the other wolf.
"Hey Jack? Out of curiosity, are you an Alpha?" Samantha asked, trying to push away the face that kept finding different spots to smell on her. Jack gave her an uncomfortable look, glancing at Leah who nodded that Samantha could be talked to about Pack business. Jack didn't seem thrilled with the idea.
"Not really. Since I'm the only one here in Hoquiam, Jake lets me handle this area even though I couldn't stop him if he wanted it." Jack's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why do you ask?"
"So," Samantha continued, trying and failing to wriggle out of Rico's cold arms, his amused chuckles in her ear. "This is your territory."
"I guess so. Yeah."
"Cool. I'm the girl of a wolf in a Pack much bigger than yours, Jack, and I'm in your territory. Get this fucking leech off of me."
All three of the non-humans at the table froze. Samantha wasn't dumb, she knew exactly what she had done. She had just made her problem a Pack problem. Damn straight. Leah's eyes flickered quickly from Rico to Jack, who was frowning. Rico had gone quiet, although his arm was still draped over Samantha, and he was watching Jack carefully. Leah let out a hissing breath when Jack slowly stood up.
"Your girl's smart," Rico told Leah with an amused look, even though his eyes never left Jack.
"I would've counted pitting a dog and a leech against each other in the middle of a crowded building as a dumb thing to do," Leah replied, and Samantha didn't miss how she was easing herself away from the table where she would have more room to move quickly.
"Surely the girl's own Pack should've made it a non-issue before she had to call in reinforcements," Rico smirked as he too slowly stood, his fingers brushing Samantha's neck. Jack growled warningly and Leah flushed, but she remained seated.
The two men stared at each other for a long tense moment, and then as if something passed between them, they both relaxed. The vampire gave Samantha a pat on the head and a fond look as he and Jack changed seats. Samantha immediately felt better, that was until the wolf pulled her roughly onto his leg, his arm locked around her waist just as tightly as the vampire's had been.
"What--?" she started but Jack actually growled at her and Leah barked out a laugh. Rico just beamed.
"That's your own fault, Samantha," Leah grinned. "Don't ask a wolf for protection unless you mean it. You made yourself a Pack issue, and you threatened to sic Jake on him. Don't be surprised if you get personally escorted back to La Push and booted none too gently out of Jack's car."
"Jake? Huh? I kind of meant Embry, actually."
"Bad idea, Jack's about twenty five times older than Embry. He'd eat him for breakfast. But Jake would take exception to that, hence threatening him with Jake. Aren't you a little fresh around here to be dabbling in Pack politics?" Leah teased as she drained her beers one by one. "You're gonna get Embry's ass in trouble. Not that I mind, by the way."
Samantha was more concerned that she was seated on the lap of a pissed off five hundred year old werewolf who was still growling irritably at her. So she did the only thing she could think of to do and hoped it didn't backfire. Samantha murmured an apology and kept her eyes downcast, tilting her head to the side enough that the expanse of her throat was exposed to him. She shivered a little when she felt his eyes on her throat, but then the growl in his chest softened to almost nothing, and he put his hand on her jaw, lowering her chin towards her chest. The arm around her stayed there, although it relaxed slightly.
"I'm still holding to the opinion that your girl's smart," Rico piped up having watched the exchange. Leah actually looked pleased with them all, and she dug something out of her pocket. It was an envelope that had been folded in half and she slid it across the tabletop.
"Here, Jack. This is why we came down. Jake's been bullying the council and they finally caved."
Samantha felt Jack stiffen behind her, and his hand was trembling a little when he picked up the letter. He didn't open it, and Leah gave him a tiny smile. "Congrats, old wolf. You're back in."
Jack didn't say anything, but suddenly his arm tightened around Samantha's waist and he hoisted her closer. Umm, okay.
"No need to break the human, old friend," Rico said softly in a kind voice, and when she turned to look at him, Samantha was startled to see water in Jack's eyes. Leah stood up and stretched, ignoring the sentimental moment.
"Well, we're out. I think I've offended enough locals for one night and Samantha almost started a three way war, so I'd say it's been worth the trip. Jake's in town and I want to see him."
"Tell him…" Jack's gruff voice had dropped even lower, and he seemed to be having a hard time with his words. "Tell him that a pup came through here a week ago, heading for Mexico. He was young, still a kid, and his head was messed up from his first phase. I think don't think he'd been able to phase back yet. I wasn't able to grab him in time, the second voice in his head freaked him out too much. Jake might have better luck."
Leah looked disgusted and she ground her teeth in irritation. "Really? Now you start to share? Dammit, Jack. Jake just drove in tonight, and you know he'll be gone tomorrow over this. Come on, chica, I want my Jake time before he leaves. Later, guys."
When Jack didn't immediately release Samantha, Leah stepped over and touched Jack's face gently. "You did good. It's okay, I'll take it from here." Even with that, the older wolf seemed reluctant to let her go and Leah had to take Samantha by the arm and tug her away from Jack. Once released from guardian duty, he seemed to forget that the girls were even there. Instead he held the letter in his hands, clutching it as if it was precious. Rico was already talking to him in low serious tones that Samantha couldn't make out the words of, to which Jack was merely nodding.
"Samantha, let's bail," Leah stated, grabbing Samantha by her hand and dragging her back through the crowds and out the door. Samantha wondered just when she had become the she-wolf's tag along. Oh well. At least life was more interesting these days.
Unfortunately the hand holding was taken the wrong way by some of the locals. While Leah was starting up the bike, a five-foot-ten, tattooed and red-headed woman named Sugar came up and drunkenly introduced herself to Samantha. She then proceeded to grab Samantha's ass. Having been groped against her will enough for one day, Samantha didn't feel the least bit bad about knocking the woman flat on her face. Mike the bouncer just shook his head, called them crazy ass La Push girls, and said not to come back for awhile.
No problem there, bouncer Mike.
Samantha buckled her helmet on and got on the bike behind Leah. The rain had lightened up so it was almost pleasant on the drive back, but Samantha was silent most of it, trying to process everything she had learned. Finally she voiced her thoughts, calling over the sound of the engine and the winds.
"Leah, what's the deal with Jack?" Samantha asked. "Is he really five hundred years old?"
"Give or take a decade or so," Leah called back over her shoulder.
"Why did he get all choked up about that letter?"
"Don't worry about it," Leah drawled, sounding bored. Apparently that was none of her business.
"Okay…Hey Leah."
"Yeah?"
"I get why you dragged me out with you tonight," Samantha told her ruefully. "Point made. Not all vampires are bad; some of them are just horny assholes."
Leah chuckled at that. "Anytime, chica. If you ever need to be reminded, I think Rico took a liking to you. It's not often that a human turns him down, maybe only every other century or so. If you'd been single and not with me, he might have actually tried."
"That's a frightening thought, I'm glad you warned me before I met him. Oh, you didn't. Fuck you, by the way."
The older girl laughed out loud and accelerated, and as the bike sped down the dark lonely road, Samantha didn't try to talk anymore. It was well past two in the morning when Leah pulled down their street, and Samantha stiffened in distaste when she saw that her father's friends' vehicles were parked outside her house. It was early enough that they would still be up, and she wasn't sure that she had the patience needed to keep from losing her cool around them after everything this evening.
"Do you think you can drop me off anywhere else?" Samantha asked sourly. "I might accidentally kill someone tonight if I go in there."
Leah looked over her shoulder, seeming surprised that Samantha was taking the easy way out for once, but then she shrugged. "Whatever. Want me to take you to Embry's?"
"Yeah, if you think he wouldn't care." It wasn't like she had anywhere else to go, and she knew better than to try and curl up in the woods. There were hungry and horny vampires wandering around, you know, and a girl couldn't be too careful.
"Please, he'll love it. Take a shower before you crawl in his bed first, you reek of leech and male wolf."
"Gee. Whose fault is the first one?"
"Whose fault is the second?"
"Touché."
Leah by-passed their houses and headed for the other side of town. The little house was dark, and when Samantha remembered that no one was probably home, it kind of felt like breaking and entering. When she told Leah that, the other girl smirked.
"Do you want to know how many times stalker boy has been in your house? In fact, I think we all have over the last two months, Jake obviously excluded. Seth was the only one who got away with doing it honestly."
"Sneaky wolves."
Leah buffed her nails against her shoulder. "We try," she said modestly. "Speaking of which, you might want to wear more clothes when you think the house is empty, or invest in bigger towels. You gave Paul quite a show a few weeks ago when he was checking on you. He's spends his time pissing off Embry and Jared by trying to decide who has the better goods, you or Kim. So far her rack is winning but all of the guys are awfully fond of your ass. I've abstained from voting."
"Tell me again why I hang out with you?" Samantha yawned and took off her helmet.
"Spend an hour with any of the rest of them and you'll get it. Get off my bike, wench. Jake knows I'm back and he's pulling at me. When the Alpha calls, we better come running."
"Then run. I think I'll limp." Samantha waved a little goodbye and did exactly as she promised, and Leah was gone before Samantha had even made it to the door. She liked that Leah didn't treat her with kid gloves, but maybe tonight had been a little much on her still sore body. A hot shower sounded good. Leah had told her where the spare key was and so she let herself into the dark empty house. Samantha was too tired to care if any bad guys were hanging around in shadowy corners, and she stripped in the middle of the laundry room, throwing all of her clothes into the washer.
The shower wasn't clean but the hot water was wonderful, and Samantha stayed in so long that her clothes were already done when she emerged smelling of soap and shampoo and toothpaste, and hopefully not smelling of supernatural things. She stole a bottle of water from the fridge and set her clothes in the dryer, and she had intended on waiting until they were done. Unfortunately the rumble of their dryer was putting her to sleep, so Samantha raided Embry's closet for a shirt and fished her mostly dry underclothes from the machine before she thankfully crawled into Embry's huge bed. The sheets smelled like him, woodsy and spicy, and Samantha decided that she needed to stay there until she smelled like him too. That would keep the stupid sexy perverted bloodsuckers away.
She was still thinking of insulting ways of describing Rico when she dropped off to sleep.
"I have a Sims in my bed."
Samantha woke up out of her half doze, blinking tiredly in the darkness as a warm muscled body carefully moved over top of her. "I showered, but if I smell bad, blame Leah," she mumbled nearly incoherently. "Stupid werewolf. Stupid vampire. Stupid other werewolf."
Kisses, sweet and soft along the length of her neck, shoulders, arms. His hot breath on her wrists, the pads of her fingers in his mouth. All very welcome.
"I have a Sims in my bed," Embry repeated slower as he happily nuzzled her still damp hair, and this time the purring in her ear was a wonderful thing. "Is Leah to blame for that as well? I should thank her…wait, what vampire?"
"He said I didn't smell enough like you to deter him, only to encourage him," Samantha sleepily tried to explain. She was the type of girl that woke up slowly when she was in a comfortable environment, and it took her a good ten minutes or so to make actual sense. Embry hadn't learned this yet. "So I wanted to smell more like you, and I came here. Stupid Rico."
"Rico?" Embry's purr became a growl, deep and feral and for once she absolutely loved it. Yes, Embry. Be possessive. Keep the horny vampires at bay. "That leech was sniffing around you?"
"Sniffing? Yes, there was sniffing involved tonight. Lots and lots of sniffing. I've been eye fucked, mentally molested, and propositioned to be sucked and bitten on all in one night," she whined, rubbing her nose into Embry's throat. He seemed to like that and he positioned himself more dominantly over her. His hand ran down the length of her borrowed shirt and over her mostly bare hip, his fingers hooking and lightly tugging the side string of her panties.
"Sounds like a rough night, baby," he murmured, distracted by the long bare leg she absently slung over his jean clad hip.
"I almost started a Pack war, was forcibly restrained in an old man's lap, and a redneck lesbian grabbed my ass," Samantha yawned. "I'm also not allowed back at Barney's for awhile."
"Poor thing," Embry chuckled, only half paying attention as he traced the shape of her hip and the back of her thigh with his fingertips.
"And I kinda sorta almost got you into a fight with Jack." That got his attention. Embry stopped what he was doing and looked at her a little wild eyed, so she sleepily continued her bad explanation. "It wasn't my fault, Leah was laughing and I couldn't get away under the table. Don't worry, my throat fixed it," she added helpfully.
"Do I even want to know?" he rumbled wearily and Samantha buried her whole face in his throat, breathing in his scent deeply.
"It's mostly Leah's fault, but I'm the one that knocked Sugar the lesbian out. Can I smell more like you now?" she asked plaintively. "The horny vampire made me feel dirty."
Embry growled again, half in amusement and half in irritation, but his calloused palms were already moving over her. "Did the leech put his hands on you?" Embry wanted to know and Samantha shook her head.
"He just sniffed me a lot. Stupid Rico."
"It won't happen again," he promised dangerously, sitting back on his heels and pulling his shirt over his head with a rough tug. Samantha's shirt was next, and although he was much gentler with his actions, he didn't ask permission before unsnapping her bra. Samantha gasped as he flipped them over quickly, one hand entwining into her loosened hair and one gripping hard onto her ass. He jerked her forward so that she was straddling him high on his hips, and Samantha groaned when his hot mouth closed over her still bruised left breast. She arched into him, a whining noise escaping her throat as he alternated teeth and tongue on her already sore nipple, and his hand held her hips to his, guiding her back and forth over the hardened length inside his jeans.
"What does it take to smell like you?" Samantha wanted to know curiously, starting to wake up now under his attentions. Her fingers dug into his chest as she tried to keep her balance. "Other than sex. I don't want to do that yet."
"Let me touch you," Embry groaned, sitting them up so that he could palm her breast, teasing her nipple between his fingers. "My skin on yours, I'll smell like you and you'll smell like me. Better yet, let me get you off, sweetheart. The scent of release stays on the skin, and anyone with a nose will know it's because of me."
"What about you? What if you get off?"
"Don't fucking tease me, Sims," he growled, but she shook her head, her hand drifting in between them. This was why they had a no bedroom rule. Ah, what the hell.
Even through his jeans she could feel how hard he was. She squeaked when he rolled her nipple, and she slid her hand beneath his waistband. He wasn't wearing underwear, probably because he'd been phasing. Embry let out a half growl/half groan when her hand closed around him, his hips bucking up as she squeezed his length. He was huge, easily twice as big as the only other guy she'd messed around this far with, but she gave up trying to figure out just how big because before she knew it she was on her back and at his mercy. Embry's mouth attacked hers, his torso held off hers by the strength in his arms but his hips were grinding into hers as she stroked him.
"God, that feels so good," he gasped when she changed how she was gripping him. Samantha didn't try to stop Embry when he reach down and unsnapped his jeans, unzipping them and freeing himself. His mouth went immediately back to hers, and Samantha groaned when she felt his fingers at the hem of her panties. "Can I?" he asked roughly against her lips and Samantha nodded. Allowed to do as he liked, he wrapped his fingers around the fabric and Embry tore them off with one snap of his hand.
"Hey…" she started but his fingers turned her rebuke into a whine as they began to explore.
This was the most they'd ever done. In fact Samantha realized belatedly that she was laid out completely naked beneath him, although it was hard to care when he was doing that. She wasn't even completely sure what that was, only that she'd never known that she had a place that, if it was touched right, it could make her toes curl and her legs actually tremble. Samantha gave up trying to stroke Embry, and instead she buried her face in his chest, holding on to him shakily. She was vaguely aware of the hardness digging into her thigh, and of his voice crooning to her to let go, but mostly she was aware of the heat of his body on hers and his unwillingness to stop touching her there, not letting her find release but still arousing her until the pleasure began building up into almost pain. Oh god, when she came, it was going to rip her apart.
"Embry," Samantha whimpered his name, twisting beneath the body that pinned her down and gasping incoherently. "Please, I can't…too much…too hard…please let me…" Her legs were shaking badly now, and he made a pleased noise deep in his throat.
"Say that again," he rumbled, kissing her throat and nipping at the base, his fingers never easing off her.
"Embry?"
"Not my name. Say please again. You never ask me for anything, Sims. I want to hear you ask me for this." At another time she would kill him for this, but now all she could do was writhe and beg, her eyes squeezing shut as she clung to him.
"Please, Embry," she'd say his name anyway. She knew he got off on it without having to ask. "I can't take any more."
"Open your eyes and ask." She quivered when the order rolled off his tongue, resonating and strong. And because she trusted him, because in her life now she trusted only him, she obeyed. Her eyes locked with his and she tried to maintain the contact despite how hard it was.
"Please, let me come," Samantha managed to pant out as she hooked her knees over his jean clad hips, trying desperately to get closer and ease that pressure away. "Fuck…please, Embry, dammit…oh my god…"
His mouth had replaced his fingers, her left leg was slung over his right shoulder, and that was the moment when Samantha learned that she was a screamer. She tried to muffle it, heaven only knew if Quil was in the next room over, but when his fingers slid inside of her, curling in tandem with the tugging of his teeth on her clit, Samantha couldn't stop herself. Her hips bucked up as the pressure almost instantly spiraled out of control, and she scrabbled at the bedding beneath her for something to grip as he pushed her over the edge.
Rico was right, she did make noises, and loud ones at that. But so did Embry when she tugged him away from his place between her legs so that he was close enough for her to grab his length. He was already soaking wet, and she realized that he had been stroking himself with her juices as he worked her. Embry let out an oath as she continued where he had left off, and she was still coming down from her high when he jerked away from her hand.
"If you don't want me to, then stop," Embry warned her shakily, but he was trembling with need and he didn't pull away a second time when she grasped him. Instead he wrapped his hand around hers, tugging his length hard, once, twice, again. Then with a low cry Embry buried his face in her neck and pressed his hips into hers, holding himself off of her on one elbow as hot thick liquid spilled across her stomach with every roll of his hips. His free hand went between her legs again, his fingers moving inside of her in tandem with the movement of his hips, and Samantha arched beneath him. He seemed to love touching her, didn't mind her legs around his waist, was already sucking on her breasts and biting her nipples. This time the pressure built slowly, but Embry was content to take his time and he stayed where he was pressed against her, working her inside and out until she began panting again.
"Sims, Sims, sweetheart…" Embry breathed her name over and over again in her ear, a mantra of affection that nothing could replace. This was why she was here. He cared and that mattered so much. He mattered so very much.
Samantha couldn't stop herself from writhing beneath him, and she felt the wetness between their torsos spreading across her stomach. If she didn't smell like him now, she never would. For some reason it was that thought more than the motions of his hands that pushed her over the second time, and this time Samantha buried her face into Embry's shoulder and made a keening noise as an easier pleasure rolled through her body. Then she went limp, and she realized that she was trembling still.
"Are you okay?" Embry asked, but she wasn't able to reply just yet. A nod into his arm was the best she could do, and then she was being swept up off the bed, her legs weakly around Embry's waist as he sat up and held her. They were both a mess of juices and sweat and even she could smell the sex on them. His forehead pressed to hers gently, his muscled arms supporting her as she slowly came back to herself.
"You're shaking, baby," he sounded worried and she gave him a weak smile.
"Long night," she managed to whisper. "And twice was a first for me."
This pleased him, so much so that Embry's face split into a happy grin. "I'll have to make a habit of it then," he promised and Samantha sighed in contentment.
"I think I just proved my no bedroom rule," Samantha murmured, but she was smiling. "It was a stupid rule anyway."
"You smell like me," Embry informed her softly. Then he grinned naughtily. "If it helps we can do this every day if you want."
"Embry's mojo is a Rico repellant. Cool. Ummm, speaking of mojo…I'm sticky."
Embry was really good at fixing things. Samantha decided this when her wonderfully sexy wolf twisted and stood up, her still wrapped around him like a human blanket as he walked them to the door and across the hall to the shower. Thankfully there wasn't a Quil in sight. Embry left the lights off, something she loved to do when she showered, and Samantha absently wondered just how often that boy checked up on her for him to know such things. Maybe Paul had told him.
"Do you mind if I join you?" Embry asked almost shyly as he set her down on her feet, steadying her at the waist when she wavered a little. Samantha grinned at that, and she knew that his enhanced eyesight could see it.
"Depends," she smirked as she turned on the water as hot as it would go. "Do I get your vote in the better rack contest, or does Kim have it?"
Embry groaned and allowed her to tug him into the shower behind her. "Does she have to tell you everything? I think I liked Leah better when she didn't have a partner in crime. You two are going to get yourselves into trouble."
"Those are the best kinds of friends," Samantha informed him, quickly scrubbing off the stickiness before handing Embry the soap. She'd already showered once tonight and the point was to smell more like him, not less. Embry took up most of the room in the shower as he took longer, so Samantha just leaned sideways against him, enjoying the feeling of his warm body in contrast to the hot water. When he was done scrubbing, Embry set down the soap and began fondling her bruised breasts gently with his wet hands. Samantha allowed it for a moment, but when he seemed to settle into doing it she gave him an exasperated look.
"What are you doing?"
"Well, I already think you have the better rack, but in case I need to present evidence, I'm collecting some information." He smiled at her innocently and Samantha could help but giggle, shoving his hands away.
"Okay, enough pawing, wolf boy. I'm tired, can we go to bed?"
"I thought you'd never ask. I gotta admit it, the fact that your dad doesn't give a shit where you're at makes my life much easier."
"Didn't you know, Embry? It's all about accommodating you."
"Damn straight."
Pajama pants were found for both parties, although Embry won the battle of the shirts by employing devastating puppy dog eyes. A topless Samantha was too tired to argue the matter for long, especially after what they had already done that night. Not when it was almost morning already. Bed was just as good as before, but even better now that he was there with her. Samantha still couldn't sleep comfortably on her chest or side, and her back was beginning to throb from all the day's activities. Thankfully Embry seemed to know that and he found her some Tylenol, staying away until she had settled as comfortably as she could flat on her back. Then the huge man flopped down next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist and burying his face against her neck as his leg entwined with hers. She could feel it when his lips smiled.
"I have a Sims in my bed," he murmured his earlier statement with just as much pleasure as he had before.
"Why are all the hottest guys total dorks?" Samantha teased, idly running her fingers through his short hair. They were quiet for a while, and she would have been able to drift off to sleep if only…
"Okay really, enough Embry. You have plenty of evidence. Dammit, Embry! Quit groping me!"
"Come on sweetheart, we're years behind Jared and Kim on this. I have to be sure--"
"Embry, Sims, I fully support you in your newly found romantic bliss, but if you two don't just shut the hell up I'm coming in there to collect some evidence myself!"
For a moment there was silence, and Samantha bit her lip, trying hard not to laugh. But then Embry pretend to snore so loudly against her neck that she couldn't help the giggles that burst forth. When Embry did it again, she was lost, howling as Quil began cursing at them with more fervor. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Samantha curled up in a bed that wasn't hers, feeling absolutely content. She listened to Quil and Embry toss obscenities back and forth at each other, holding onto a man that was holding onto her just as tightly. She thought that it was pretty funny that for the first time in months, she finally felt like she was home.
"Mangy flea bit genital elephantiasis little fucker!"
"Quil, that doesn't even make sense. You see, genital elephantiasis would render one completely unable to…" Embry lectured on while Quil started lobbing things against his bedroom wall in protest.
Yep. Samantha was definitely home.