In that moment she would have done anything he asked of her. A large hand grabbed her ass, pushing her forward, driving her down onto him. She cried out as her climax hit. Nick thrust erratically several times and then squeezed his hands tightly around Vanessa’s hips as he found his own release. They sat there a few moments, gasping for breath before falling down onto the mattress. The wave of euphoria that enveloped Vanessa was incredibly satisfying. Nick scooped her up into his arms and she pressed her cheek to his chest. Within minutes their breathing had evened out and they were both fast asleep. By the time morning came, Vanessa was sore, exhausted, and ridiculously happy. After their brief power nap, Vanessa and Nick had woken up quite a few more times in the night. Vanessa had never come so many times in her life. Apparently lycans were nothing short of freaking unbelievable in the sack. Honestly being a lycan seemed completely unfair. They were buff, athletic, gorgeous, and

She gave a quick nod and the tingling took her under once more. They reappeared in the hallway, just at the edge of the now-mound of bodies. Several of the lycans were on their feet, fighting fruitlessly as Collectors clung to their shoulders, necks, and legs. A cold wind blew down the corridor and Vanessa lifted her hands in the air. As she called upon her icy gift, every single Collector turned in her direction. They must have been drawn to her power. “Get ready!” she shouted as loudly as she could. The lycans who were on their feet seemed to comprehend her meaning as they dropped quickly to the ground. A massive wave of small knife-like ice shards sped across the room. Vanessa tried to control the direction they went, but in her panic she lost control. Ice went everywhere. She cringed as several small, jagged ice shards pierced the limbs and torsos of her companions as well as the Collectors. She had to pray their lycan healing would protect them from the worst of it. While the ic

Nick …” she whimpered. “Please.” He brought his mouth up to capture her lips in a feverish kiss. Nick released his hold on her wrists, quickly unbuttoning his pants as he discarded them with ease. Staring deep into Vanessa’s green-grey eyes, he planted his hands firmly on the backs of her thighs and lifted her off the floor. Vanessa wrapped her legs around his waist, as he pressed her back harder up against the wall. She rocked back and forth, the friction between them feeling delicious and tortuous at the same time. Nick reached a hand between her thighs and guided his tip to her entrance. Without waiting for him, Vanessa pressed her hips up and forward, burying his hard length inside her. Nick growled and gripped her hips more tightly. Slowly, he began to move in and out. The rhythm continually increased as Vanessa gripped his shoulders and begged for more. The sensation of fullness when Nick was inside was absolutely mind blowing. She buried her hands in his shaggy, jet-black hai

“Hello again, Ice Queen.” Lucas gave her a warm smile. He was awfully dreamy with his blond hair and Aussie accent. It was a stark contrast to Nick ’s jet-black locks, which Vanessa preferred. “I hope you’re ready for today’s lesson.” He gestured toward the vast collection of swords, knives, crossbows, and other weaponry. “Honestly this is not my area of expertise.” Vanessa laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever used anything in this room. You really think I’ll have access to all these types of weapons in the middle of a real fight?” He cocked a blond eyebrow in Vanessa’s direction. “You don’t need access to them. All you need is to know a little bit about their make-up, and how to use them.” Lucas continued, “Vanessa, I think we can channel your powers. If you could learn to give shape to your ice, like you do with the shards, you could be capable of making any type of weapon at will.” Vanessa felt a rush of nervous energy. “You want me to make weapons out of ice? What if I can’t do it

He gave her a mischievous smirk. “You’ll see.” Vanessa let out a small sound of protest. “First, you need to take a shower and get ready for dinner.” “Dinner?” she asked. He nodded. “Dinner, at Alpha Marcus ’s place.” Vanessa couldn’t hide her surprise. “In the penthouse? But why?” Instead of answering, Nick bent down to capture Vanessa’s lips in a deep kiss. She felt dizzy as he pulled away. “No more questions. I’ll pick you up at seven thirty,” he said as he dropped her off at her door. He bent to give Vanessa one last kiss. “You’re not coming in?” She frowned. “I’ve got to meet with Aria. She’s been bombarding me with party planning all day.” Vanessa laughed. “She can be very persistent.” “Yes she can be.” Nick rubbed his temples. “I’ll be back at seven thirty.” “See you then.” She watched him head down the hallway, his tall frame moving with long purposeful strides. Damn he looked good from behind, from the front, in a suit, in his sweats, in nothing at all. Nick stopped