Free Taming the Darkness: Love & Monsters, Book 2 by Devin Harnois Page A

there. He pulled her into a rough kiss and it took all his restraint not to go farther. A faint scent of desire rose off her, making it even harder to pull away, but he did.
    She looked up at him with her cheeks flushed. “Careful. We don’t want to give Berkstrom a show.”
    The image that flashed through his mind was very appealing. “He can watch.”
    “Down, boy.” She put a hand on his chest. “We have a job to do first.”
    He looked up, thinking of all the nasties out there. “Yeah. Fighting first.”
     
    By the time they drove through the gate in the third wall, Victor was more focused. Claire knew getting into the cell with him for nightfall had been crazy, but over the last few days she’d seen that how much control Victor thought he had and how much he actually had were two different things. At least when she was around. It might be different with anyone else, but with her he wouldn’t get out of control.
    “We’re not going out as far tonight.” She laughed as an odd thought occurred to her. “It’s like the three bears. Last night there were too many, the night before there weren’t enough. Maybe tonight it’ll be just right.”
    Victor turned with a grin. “How many other fairy tales can we fit in? Little Red Riding Hood isn’t going to work. How about Beauty and the Beast?”
    She looked at the dark street. “I think it’s little early to plan happily ever after.”
    “How about just happily?”
    She squeezed the steering wheel. “A few days ago you threatened to eat me.” She was reminding herself more than she was reminding him.
    “Yesterday I gave you an orgasm.”
    She glared at him.
    He looked back, one eyebrow slightly raised. “What? It’s true.”
    “Is that your way of saying things have changed?”
    “Yeah,” he said with a little chuckle.
    When they were about half as far as they’d gone the night before, she stopped the AV. She put on her goggles and checked her gun. “Let’s go kill something.” She exchanged a grin with Victor and both of them got out.
    “Let’s try to stick as close to procedure as we can. Stay within fifty feet of the AV, get back inside if we want to chase something farther than that, all that kind of stuff.”
    Victor shifted from foot to foot, his nostrils flaring. “How about you get back in and follow me if I chase something. I’ll be fine.”
    “Like you were last night?” The image of him being clawed and flung through the air made her sick.
    He glared at her. “If it’s that big, I’ll get back in. Happy?”
    “No.” Following familiar rules would make her feel safer. “We stay within fifty feet of the AV.”
    A soft growl vibrated in his throat. “If I see something out farther than that, I’ll get back in. But if I start chasing something, I’m not gonna stop.”
    Claire considered it as she scanned the area. “Fair enough.” She’d pushed him more than enough for one night, and she understood there were limits to his control.
    “Good. Mind if I get more comfortable?”
    She turned back to him. “What do you mean?”
    He tugged at his sweatshirt. “Clothes are annoying.”
    She made a face. “You mean you want to get naked?” She had mixed feelings about the idea of him running around naked all night.
    Victor smiled. “Nothing you haven’t seen before.” He stripped off the sweatshirt and tossed it on the street.
    Claire rolled her eyes. “At least put your clothes in the AV.”
    “Should I fold them all nice and neat?” He pulled off his pants and she tried not to stare. She had seen him before. Even in the green glow of night vision, looking at his naked body was more enjoyable than she’d expected.
    Victor leaned over very deliberately to scoop up his clothes. “Getting ideas, aren’t you?”
    “Dammit. You and your fucking sense of smell.”
    He laughed and threw his clothes into the AV. He joined her back in front of the headlights and his humor died. “This won’t be pretty.”
    “What?”
    Then