The Wolf Within (Purgatory #1)(7)
Author: Cynthia Eden

A bolt slid into place, locking her and Duncan in the room. Locking the others out.

“You sure that’s…wise?” Duncan muttered. “You just locked yourself in—”

“With a big, bad werewolf?” Holly finished and turned toward him. Surprisingly, there was no fear in her eyes. “Don’t worry, I can handle you.”

Because she still had her little fingers curved around the remote. “And what if the silver stops working?” That tiny little remote didn’t seem so all powerful to him.

Her gaze went to his neck. “Then I’ll come up with a Plan B. I’m pretty good at coming up with backup plans.”

He wanted to smile. If his life hadn’t gone straight to hell, he probably would have. “You’re too smart for this. You know that you need to get away from me.”

The woman who’d spent so long blushing and avoiding his gaze now tilted her head back and stared him straight in the eyes. Then she began to walk toward him with slow, but sure steps. “Why? Because you might decide to take a bite out of me again?”

He’d be honest. “Because I don’t have a whole lot of control right now, and, doc, in case you missed the little show earlier, I want to f**k you.”

The blunt words made her hesitate, just for a moment. She rallied pretty quickly though. “I…um…didn’t miss it, no.” Holly motioned to the table behind him. He’d glanced back at the straps he’d shredded. Duncan didn’t really recall ripping them apart. “Can you get back on the table? I need to finish my exam.”

Because he was the new science project in the Para Unit. He turned away from her and faced the table. She closed the distance between them, the clicks of her high heels filling his ears and her seductive scent wrapping around him. “Dammit.” His hands slammed down, and his fingers curled around the side of the exam table. He was pretty sure that he was about to dent the metal.

“What is it?” Then she made a mistake. She touched him.

He whirled toward her and grabbed her hand. Careful, careful. Her wrist felt so delicate in his grasp that he was afraid one wrong move from him would shatter her bones.

“Why do you smell like that?” Duncan demanded as he inhaled deeply, desperate for more of that scent.

Her eyes were wide. Darker than the night. “Like what?” Her voice came out as a husky whisper. The kind of whisper a woman used when she was in bed.

“Like honey and sex. Sin. Fucking temptation.” And resisting temptation was becoming harder with every second that passed.

She tried to pull her hand away. “I-I don’t know what you mean.”

Her scent was driving him crazy. His temples began to throb. So did another part of his body.

“You’re senses are heightened. All werewolves have sharper senses than humans. So maybe my…ah…scent just seems different to you because of that.”

Maybe. But he was also starting to think her sweet scent might be making him a bit drunk.

When she tried to break free again, he let her go.

She quickly put about three feet of space between them.

And he realized that she still had the remote in her left hand. “Why…why didn’t you use the collar then?”

She gave a faint laugh. The sound slid right over his skin like a caress. “Because you caught my hand? Duncan, you’d have to do a whole lot more to me than just that. I’m not going to hurt you for a touch.”

But he wanted far more than a touch.

“Climb onto the table,” she said, her voice still with a faint huskiness that he liked too much. “Let me finish my exam. I need to get some blood samples. Check your wounds.”

“I don’t have any wounds.” The truth. He’d felt the skin stretching. Mending.

Any wounds that he’d gotten during his attack were gone.

“Werewolves don’t usually heal that fast,” she said, brows pulling low. Holly attached the collar’s remote to her belt, then she came forward once more and put her hands on his chest as she studied his body.

Her hands were slightly cool. Her touch was probably meant to be the impersonal one of a doctor but…

He had to grind his back teeth together to hold back a moan.

“They’re totally healed. Amazing.” She reached for a needle. Pushed it against the vein near his elbow. The needle snapped. “I was afraid of that.” She reached around him. Lifted a second syringe. “This needle has silver elements in its composition. It will penetrate your skin, but it’ll hurt.” Her lips tightened. “It’ll burn.”

He appreciated the warning, but… “I’m already burning.”

Her gaze snapped up to his. “What?”

“It feels like my blood is boiling. Everything is heating inside me.” He waved his hand. “So drive the damn needle in me. It won’t make any difference.”

She bit her lip. I want to bite it. Instead, he yanked his gaze away from her. Tried to look anywhere, but at her. Because he didn’t want her to see the wild lust in his gaze.

The needle pushed into his arm. Yeah, he barely felt that little sting.

Then she was pulling the needle out. Rubbing his arm lightly with her gloved fingers.

“Stop.” Because he couldn’t handle anymore then. The beast was snarling inside of him, and the silver collar didn’t seem to be holding the wolf in check much.

Want.

It was her scent. Honey and sex. Calling to him. Tempting.

Kiss her. Strip her.

Fuck her.

“Am I hurting you?” Her voice was that soft murmur that she’d probably use after sex.

“Get. Away,” Duncan gritted. Because his claws were still out. If he touched her again, he’d hurt her. Cut her skin. Make her bleed.

Wasn’t that what monsters did? And hadn’t he become a monster?

“I-I didn’t meant to hurt you.” She stumbled back and her elbow banged into an instrument tray.

“You didn’t hurt me.” He held his body perfect still, fighting the urge to literally pounce on her. “But if you don’t get away from me, I’ll hurt you.”

He knew a containment cell was down the hallway to the left. Cell A was separated from the other prisoners.

“Go unbar the door and let me out.” Definitely more animal growl then.

“Where will you go?”

“Cell A.” Maximum security.

She hurried toward the door. A few seconds later, the bar slid back. He didn’t look at her as he nearly ran out of the med unit. He had to get to Cell A. Had to be contained. Before it was too late.