Moon's Sweet Poison Read online

  Studiously ignoring the mocking face of the full moon, Viktor made his way to the entrance and sauntered past the guards, who didn’t even attempt to check his ID. As he walked in, the excitement of seeing the swirling bodies on the dance floor and smelling the scent of male arousal that permeated the air did wonders for his mood. Viktor felt the dancers’ appraising looks slide over him like an invisible caress, but paid them no heed. Every time he came to the club, the same thing happened. He didn’t even have to bother to look for someone to sate his lust. They all flocked to him, willing—no, begging—to do whatever he pleased.

  Heading towards the bar, Viktor ordered a drink and sat down in a more secluded corner, surveying the crowd. Even under normal circumstances, the club overflowed with patrons, but tonight seemed to be a particularly good night. Scantily-clad males flooded the dance floor, most of them engaged in dancing that bore a significant resemblance to hard core sex.

  Naturally, the sight did not leave Viktor unaffected. A creature of instinct, his inner beast wanted to feast on the prey spread out before him. However, Viktor knew that showing interest would be pointless. Humans felt an unnatural attraction to the danger Viktor represented, requiring little effort from him when it came to getting what he wanted. This made his conquests empty, but what could he do? Willing prey didn’t deserve a true hunt.

  Viktor reined his wolf in and, abandoning his drink, proceeded to fish a cigarette pack from his jacket. Lighting a cigarette, Viktor reveled in the soft feel of the smoke inside his lungs. Considering the fact that any hallucinogen or alcoholic substances didn’t really affect werewolves, this was more a habit than an actual vice. Like the club, it made him forget, made him feel more human.

  Viktor knew that he would probably be approached before he managed to properly finish his first smoke, and his suspicion proved to be correct. While extinguishing his cigarette stump, his keen hearing managed to pick up the sound of approaching footsteps, even over the noise in the club. The beast within stirred again, but Viktor ignored both it and the blond man sitting down beside him. Staring impassively at the crowd, he disregarded his new companion entirely, waiting. His patience was soon rewarded as the human spoke. “Ummm…I’ve just arrived and I couldn’t help but notice you. I don’t suppose you’re here alone?”

  Lifting the glass before him, Viktor pretended to focus on his drink, hiding his smile behind the glass. He didn’t know whether to feel amused or bored by the human’s tone. The lousy attempt at coyness tried to combine shyness with seduction. Viktor inwardly shrugged. This human would be as good as any.

  Placing the glass back down on the counter, Viktor turned towards the blond human with a smile. He looked cute, in a twinkish kind of way, and his entire body radiated desire. Viktor licked his lips. Yes, most definitely, this human would do. “Actually, I am. Care to join me?” He patted his lap, grinning suggestively at the human.

  The human grinned back, slipping seductively into Viktor’s lap. He intentionally squirmed a little, rubbing his ass against the werewolf’s crotch. Viktor growled and pulled the daring human towards him, mashing their lips together. He ravaged the human’s mouth, swallowing moans and whimpers with savage satisfaction.

  * * * *

  Kai had initially felt irritated upon being forced to go on this job on so little information. However, the moment Kai’s eyes landed on his target for the first time, he knew he need not have worried. The brief description in the file didn’t do him justice. Viktor’s white hair reminded Kai of pure snow and his ice blue eyes shone like a cold flame in the darkness. He walked like he owned the world, his gait arrogant and seductive. He was a walking wet dream, the image of power and sex wrapped in one incredible package. Unsurprisingly, the humans seemed drawn to the werewolf like flies, and Kai himself could feel the attraction. He swallowed, fighting back the overpowering feeling of lust. He really wished the file had provided him with pictures. They could have at least prepared him for the perfection of Viktor Petrovic.

  Kai shook himself and pushed back the lust that clouded his mind. He needed a clear head if he wanted to be successful in this. From his hidden position in the back of the club, Kai carefully watched as his target toyed with a little insignificant human and made a face. The heat of aroused bodies almost made him want to hurl. He hated coming to such places, where his sensitive eyesight could see more than he actually wanted to.

  He shook his head at the shameless display and forced his eyes to turn human. He would have thought that one such as Viktor Petrovic would have better taste. For some reason, the image of the stupid twink all over Viktor irritated Kai, and he was startled to realize that he would feel no remorse at eliminating the human. His fangs lowered, and he imagined sinking them into the man’s neck, pouring venom into the young body of his prey until it went limp.

  Kai eliminated the disturbing, and yet satisfying, thought from his mind. He didn’t have any issues with the human, and at any rate, he didn’t have the right to judge the tastes of others. Soon, it wouldn’t even matter. Soon the arms of the werewolf would not be able to circle anyone’s waist, his lips would become cold, and his heart would stop beating. Kai tried to ignore the pang of sadness that the thought brought to his heart. He would do this one last job, and then, he could be free. The rest didn’t matter.

  * * * *

  When the kiss broke, Viktor looked at the blond man, noting the lust-filled expression. His body responded to that lust, but Viktor felt reluctant to follow up on the attraction. He knew exactly why.

  Recently, he had become increasingly aware of the solitude that surrounded him. All around him he saw people that found mates— humans, shifters, and even vampires. The night hid the secrets of a thousand lovers everywhere he turned. And Viktor had no one, no family, no friends, not a single person to give him a smile or a friendly welcome, or to worry about him when he went on a dangerous expedition, or to care if he lived or died. Flame’s mating with Jessica and his friend’s ultimate betrayal, deprived him of the only person he cared for.

  He futilely tried to forget about these treacherous feelings by losing himself in insignificant flings. Every night he went to the club and ended up in bed with a complete stranger whom he promptly cast out afterwards. He used, and he was used in return. For a little while, it meant he could forget and pretend, but was this what he really needed?

  Suddenly feeling disgusted with himself, Viktor pushed the man in his lap aside. He needed to get away. He needed to breathe. Ignoring the human clinging to his arm, he got up to leave, only to then pause when a tantalizing scent tickled at his senses. Viktor's heart started to beat faster, his cock hardening again. Turning, he scanned the crowd, seeking to detect the source of the scent. It took a bit of effort, seeing as the scent of drugs, sweat, arousal, and blood filled the club. Not to be deterred, he continued to look around, finally finding what he searched when he met the most amazing eyes he'd ever seen in his life. Mate. His mate. No, it couldn’t be.

  He thought the human said something, but he got too caught up in those beautiful eyes to care. He’d never seen such color in his entire life, swirling orbs of gold and onyx. In the dim light of the club, they seemed to glow with an inhuman light, a dangerous glint that drew him like a moth to a flame. Heart pounding with excitement, Viktor took in the sinful form of his mate’s slender but toned body, hugged by leather that clung to him like a second skin. The stranger’s long, flowing hair glinted with a peculiar rusty shade, and his full lips twisted in a suggestive smile. His patrician nose gave those flawless features an aristocratic look. Viktor drank in the vision and knew without a doubt that he’d found his destiny.

  * * * *

  For some reason, Viktor abandoned his human plaything and got up, apparently intending to leave. Kai felt a little surprised at the sudden twist. He squashed the glimmer of satisfaction caused by the twink’s failure and considered his approach. He didn’t want to appear pushy or desperate like the human, but the werewolf seemed to be on his way
out. Kai needed to make sure Viktor saw him. Once he did, leaving would be the last thing on the werewolf’s mind.

  Smiling to himself, Kai proceeded with his plan, stepping out of the darkness that shielded him from sight. He could barely contain his surprise when the werewolf’s eyes found him. He had never been detected so easily before. Kai inwardly frowned. How did the werewolf sense him? Luckily, years of training helped him keep his displeasure off his face and set his work mask into place. He doubted Viktor knew or suspected his identity. Perhaps Viktor just scented another supernatural creature. Despite the fact that the assassin guild prided itself on eliminating the chances of such a thing happening, a small margin of error always existed.

  Giving the other man his best come-hither look, Kai leaned against the wall and patiently waited. The werewolf looked at him as if Kai were the prey and not the other way around. Too bad Viktor would die today. He was a truly handsome specimen. As expected, he didn’t have to wait long. Keeping his eyes on Kai, Viktor started to make his way across the club, pushing violently through the crowd. With another seductive look, Kai melted back into the shadows from where he’d emerged.

  * * * *

  When he finally managed to free himself of the crowd, Viktor anxiously sought out his mate, desperate to know where he’d gone. He couldn’t believe it. His mate had been right there under his very nose, and Viktor lost him. How was that possible? Feeling more than a little desperate, Viktor carefully scanned the entire club, hoping to catch a glimpse of his mate’s rusty hair. His gaze moved past the throng of writhing bodies on the dance floor, over the lounging area’s leather couches and to the bar. Viktor could barely contain his surprise when he saw his mate seated close to where he himself had been moments earlier. When did he manage to get there?

  Inwardly shrugging, Viktor decided that it didn’t really matter how his mate ended up sitting at the bar. After all, it took Viktor a while to navigate through the crowd and there could be many other ways to get across the club. Routes he, perhaps, didn’t know of, even if he visited the club regularly. Eye on the proverbial prize, Viktor made his way back to the bar and towards his mate’s seated form.

  His mate ordered a drink and seemed lost in thought, ignoring the looks he received from more than one of the clubbers. His mate seemed, in fact, completely oblivious to a certain more daring human, already making his way towards him, lustful intent clear in his gait. Viktor directed a glare at the approaching human. The man froze in midstride and backed away slowly, reconsidering his actions. Smart man. Viktor did not share well.

  Competition safely eliminated, Viktor carefully approached his mate, suddenly feeling nervous. “Hi,” he began, wincing at how lame the plain greeting seemed.

  The mysterious man didn’t acknowledge him at first, and Viktor thought that he probably missed the greeting due to the volume of the music in the club. Steeling his resolve, he sat down at the bar, next to his mate and repeated his greeting, raising his voice as he did so. “Hi.”

  This time, the stranger lifted his eyes, meeting Viktor’s gaze curiously. “Hello,” he answered simply. His voice sounded like silk over steel, strong, yet soft. It embraced him seductively, wrapping him in a cocoon as mist would, numbing him to everything else. Now that they finally sat beside one another, Viktor could smell his mate’s scent once more, the unique mixture intoxicating as it invaded his senses, driving him subtly insane. His mate, however, seemed reluctant to deal with him, and the wolf inside of him whined in distress, confused as to what his next course of action should be.

  Viktor felt the overwhelming urge to curl into his mate’s side in an attempt to drive away whatever thoughts plagued his mate. He longed to kiss him and possess him until Viktor himself remained the only thing in his mate’s mind. “Can I buy you a drink?” he offered instead, struggling to keep the feral lust he felt inside. This was not the pack, and his mate would not understand or appreciate typical werewolf behavior. He needed to remember that.

  “I already have a drink,” the man said, pointing to the glass in front of him.

  Viktor swallowed, suddenly feeling incredibly inadequate. The whirlpool of emotions and sensations swirling around inside him effectively erased all possibility of coherence. The wolf inside started to pace, acutely feeling the intrinsic rejection in his mate’s words. But Viktor wouldn’t give up so easily. “Can I join you then?” he asked .

  The beautiful stranger just shrugged. “It’s a free world. Suit yourself.”

  A long silence stretched between them, the music coming from the dance floor loud enough so as not to make it awkward. Viktor’s mind raced as he struggled to find something, anything to help his mate overcome his concerns, thus drawing the man closer to him. It was so much easier for the wolf. Animals innately knew what they needed. They didn’t need to use pretense, nor did they feel constricted by the rules that governed a society so different from their own.

  Normally, in the pack, Viktor would be nuzzling his mate’s neck by now, maybe even sucking a mating mark on it. The wolf growled in satisfaction at the thought, and Viktor scooted a bit closer to his mate, his hand travelling across the bar to gently trace small patterns across his mate’s leather-clad arm. He wasn’t in the pack, but if he played his cards right, he’d be able to do all these things to his mate, regardless. “So…I haven’t seen you around here too much.”

  Viktor’s mate absently played with his drink, fiddling with the rim of the glass. For a second, Viktor actually thought he would be ignored. “I don’t come here a lot. What about you?” The beautiful stranger smiled mysteriously. “Weren’t you with someone already?” he asked, arching a perfect brow.

  Viktor suppressed the urge to blush at the reference to his earlier escapade. “Not really,” he managed to respond. “I just…”

  “That’s all right. I understand.” The stranger’s smile brightened, pulling Victor’s thoughts right back into the gutter as he contemplated how those lips would look wrapped around his cock. He snapped back to reality, only to realize his mate was introducing himself. “Hi. I’m Kaiden Hearne. I suppose since we’re trying to be friendly, you can call me Kai. Before you buy me that drink, maybe you will tell me your name too?”

  Viktor took hold of his mate’s hand and squeezed it, thankful even for that brief moment of contact. He held on to his mate’s palm a bit longer than necessary, reveling in the feel of Kai’s body and noted that his mate’s skin felt peculiarly cool. In truth, he didn’t pay much attention to that particular fact. He felt more than a little flustered by his mate’s remark. He started off their conversation entirely on the wrong foot—or paw, as fate would have it. He didn’t normally introduce himself to the men he picked up. They had no interest in each other’s identities, only in getting off. But, in the case of his mate, Viktor needed to concentrate and think with his head, not his dick. “I’m Viktor. Viktor Petrovic.”

  Kai smiled again and proceeded to free his palm from Viktor’s grip, much to the werewolf’s regret. His mate was unlike anyone he’d ever met. Something about him spoke of an aloofness, a perceived superiority between him and the rest of the world. And yet, hidden beneath that detached, cold exterior, Viktor felt so much restrained passion. “Can I ask you a question, Viktor Petrovic?” Kai inquired, that same inscrutable smile on his face.

  Viktor leaned against the bar, studying his mate’s elegant profile and schooled his features into cool nonchalance, despite the fact that he felt anything but calm. His insides burned with need, the desire to claim his mate giving unprecedented power to Viktor’s wolf. “Ask away,” Viktor managed to answer, struggling to keep his inner battle from showing on his face.

  Kai nodded, those eerie black-gold eyes looking almost magical as they focused on the werewolf’s face. “Why did you refuse blondie’s offer?”

  Viktor felt both startled and aroused by the straightforward manner of the inquiry. He half contemplated using a smooth reply to complement his cool image, but in the end, decided against it.
He didn’t think he managed to do a very convincing job of being suave, anyway. Besides, lying to his mate wouldn’t be a good basis for a future relationship.

  Despite this, Viktor couldn’t just come out and proclaim ownership over Kai’s life. It didn’t automatically grant him rights on Kai’s person, and he needed to respect that. The wolf inside of him wanted to take possession of his mate and mark Kai as his. However, Viktor was not just a wolf. He was also a person, and he refused to allow the animal inside to think in his stead.

  Viktor dug his emerging claws into the flesh of his palms, fighting to push back the beast, instead forcing himself to calmly answer Kai’s question. “I didn’t want what he offered,” he finally managed to croak out.

  Kai arched a brow, disbelief clear in his expression. “Oh? What is it that you want then?”

  Viktor half wanted to give Kai the pure honest truth and say, “You. I want you.” He felt the deep primal need to merge their bodies into one, in order to cement the bond that already existed between them. That bond urged him to approach Kai, as the wolf could tell his mate felt the same attraction Viktor did. However, it also dictated that he needed to tread carefully. It told him Kai was a special, but fragile, person. Something inside, that golden thread that connected them together, held him back, and Viktor opted for a half truth that wouldn’t scare Kai away. “Someone special.”