Page 128 of A Monstrous World: The Complete Series

“You’ve still got a little soap right here.

” He tips my head back into the hot stream of water.

His calloused hand runs over my cheek as he brushes my hair back.

The faint yellowish-green glow of his wolf pulses in his eyes.

A low growl echoes out of his chest. “Oh, little witch, what a dangerous game you’re playing.

..” He sounds lost to his wolf. The heat of his warm breath fans over my neck and shoulder.

He bends down, caressing his cheek against mine.

“Do you want the vampire dead? Is that why you fucked him?”

I bristle, glaring up at him. “I fucked him because I wanted to. I don’t know what your problem is, but just because we had sex, it in no way gives you the right to dictate my partners. I’m open to rational discussions, but that requires communication on both of our parts.”

Spinning around, I grab the shampoo again. I don’t know if Echo’s scent is still strong enough for a supernatural to pick up.

Ridge wraps a hand around my shoulder, turning me to face him. His eyes glow a much brighter shade, indicating his wolf is present and agitated.

“I don’t wish to control you,” he murmurs. “But my wolf does. He can’t comprehend why you don’t want us as we want you.”

“I do want you, you big goofball,” I huff. “But I’m not sure I’m cut out for monogamy. More than that, you never asked or mentioned you expected it. I can’t read your mind. Don’t try to guilt me after the fact.”

“That wasn’t my intention. I understand the two of you have a connection due to the tether, but I think you and I do as well.”

“Yeah,” I agree, trying to soap my stomach. “None of that will matter if I get Echo killed by his awful maker because, spoiler alert—they won’t be letting me walk out of this town if that happens.”

Ridge growls low and feral at the sound of Echo’s name. “Are you purposely trying to taunt me, Nadia?”

“No, I’m trying to get clean,” I say.

“You’ll need a much stronger scent than soap to mask the vampire.” Ridge smirks. It reminds me of the cocky looks he shot my way that first night at the gas station and in the woods after. He’s ridiculously hot when he smiles like that.

I can’t let him distract me. “Then, why the hell are we wasting time in here?”

“Is it a waste?” His huge hands wrap under my ass and around my back, lifting me into him. His cock bounces against my sex as he pins me to the wall. He brushes the hair away from my face and stares down at me.

“You need to feed,” he murmurs. “While I fuck you full of my scent.”

Oh, well, that doesn’t sound terrible.

I have no clue why I’m so drawn to Ridge, but dammit, it doesn’t make what I’m feeling any less real.

I should’ve realized how territorial shifters can be.

In my defense, I thought we were on the same page about hooking up, but not even a second later, my stomach drops at the thought of hurting him.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you—” I start, staring at his bare chest.

Ridge cuts me off. “Now isn’t the time. Bite me while I cover you in my scent.”

I give him a shaky nod as he stretches down so I can reach his throat. The hot water batters my left side, keeping me warm, but my right side tingles in the cool bathroom air.

Ridge’s woodsy scent fills my nostrils as I plaster myself to his strong chest. His lips brush mine before his tongue slams into my mouth.

The kiss isn’t gentle. No, it’s a deep and dirty claiming, like he’s trying to erase Echo from existence and, at this moment, it works.

Ridge’s muscular chest melts into mine as he slams me against the wall with eager force.

My fangs descend as my arousal skyrockets. My pussy clenches around nothing as I wiggle against his pelvis.

Ridge pulls back, and my mouth eagerly follows his. “Sorry, little witch, we need to hurry this along. You still want me?”

“I do,” I agree truthfully.

“Bite me while I’ll remind you how good I can make you feel.” The arm banded under my ass lifts me higher. My tongue flicks over his throat, and I don’t even have time to consider it. Instead, I strike. My fangs puncture his skin as his blood fills my mouth.

Ridge growls, shoving me harder against the wall. I don’t have the venom vampires have to make the bite pleasurable, but he doesn’t seem to mind as his cock grinds up into my dripping core.

He tilts his hips and slams home. I whimper, arching toward him as I stretch over his intense girth. There’s a fine line between pain and pleasure. The first few thrusts might qualify as painful, but his blood fills my mouth, and I start to feel a little high.

Alpha wolves have extremely potent pheromones, and Ridge’s affect me on a whole different level.

“I guess we’ve leveled up to blood and fuck.” He squeezes my ass. “Huh, little witch?”

I nod. After several long draws, my fangs retract. My tongue dances over his flesh, sucking every drop of his essence I can manage.

The arm around my back moves, and he slides his hand into my hair, tilting my head back. He buries his face in my neck, inhaling deeply. “I guess it’s better than nothing. I can’t decide if the bloodsucker’s scent is permanently burned into my nostrils, or if you really do still smell of him.”

He frowns, looking so disgusted that I snort a laugh.

My hands dig into his strong shoulders. “You should definitely make me smell like you, then.”

“Fucking gladly,” he growls, shoving his mouth to mine. My back slides around the cool tiles as he works into me so deeply that he bumps the bottom with each powerful stroke. “We want you to smell like us from here on out.” His eyes light with his wolf, making my heart race.

Uh-oh. He makes me feel weirdly melty inside, which is in no way my normal style. I’m definitely in over my head with the mountain of an alpha wolf, but fuck, does it make me nervously excited at the same time.