Carnal Knowledge by Celeste Anwar Read Free Book Online Page A

come any closer,” he said, smiling with a confidence that
    boiled Navarre’s blood.
    Navarre’s fingers curled with the urge to take his heart.
    He licked the blood from her neck with one long swipe, drawing a
    strangled gasp from her throat. “Mmmm. She tastes almost as sweet as
    Lycans. Maybe it’s because she fucked one.”
    “Why are you ... doing this?” she gasped out, her hands falling limp
    to her sides.
    He gave Navarre a look. “Why not?”
    “Did Danior send you?” Navarre said between his clenched teeth.
    Was this some twisted method of revenge on the Lycans? He would kill
    Danior if it were true. If he lived through this night.
    He laughed, a mocking, snickering sound that grated Navarre’s
    strained nerves. “Danior has gone. Disappeared. He told us not to touch CARNAL KNOWLEDGE
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    the Lycans, but he is nowhere to be found, so we do not obey his
    commands. Perhaps I will be the new master.”
    “Perhaps not, mon ennemi. Perhaps we all die this night.” Navarre
    tensed imperceptibly, waiting for the moment of inattention that would be
    her salvation.
    “I think you are right. Let’s start with this bitch.” He slammed her
    head to the side and sank his teeth into her neck, shredding her throat.
    Kaeli’s scream cut off almost before it began, her body going limp as
    the poison paralyzed her body. Blood bubbled from her lips.
    It was his only chance. Navarre jumped, shifting in an instant,
    ignoring the pain of transformation. His pants fell away as his body melded from man to wolf, sailing through the air, propelled by inhuman strength.
    He hit them both with his heavy forepaws, knocking her to the side, out of the vamp’s grip.
    A fountain of red liquid streamed from her neck as the suction of his
    mouth broke away. The vamp’s eyes had gone red with his glut, her
    precious blood flowing down his chin.
    Navarre landed on the ground, his veins singing with his beast. He
    twisted, tearing at the vamp’s belly, forcing him back. The vampire slid on blood slickened grass, his feet flying beneath him as Navarre pressed
    forward, going down.
    Navarre was on him before he could flash and use his own mind
    against him. He landed on the vamp’s chest, teeth sinking into his throat.
    He shook him like a rag doll, the taste of blood fueling his rage, taking over his human half, drowning out his reason.
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    There was nothing but the taste of the kill, the flutter of his heartbeat, hands ripping at him, feet flailing ... and then nothing. The head rolled away. He’d severed it without realizing it, so fogged with bloodlust had he become.
    Seconds only had passed, an eternity for the last moments of life.
    Navarre released the vampire, padding to Kaeli as the vamp crumbled to
    dust.
    She lay in a crumpled heap, her eyes closed with the pain. Blood and
    saliva frothed her lips, thick red pumping from her jugular.
    In a moment more she would be dead. He had but one choice to save
    her. If it failed, she would suffer a more horrible death than he could
    imagine.

CHAPTER FIVE
    Kaeli was mercifully unconscious as he knelt over her and pressed his
    snout against the wound on her neck. One bite, one scratch in this form was all it took to infect her. The full moon had risen above them, dappled light CARNAL KNOWLEDGE
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    shining down through the edges of the trees. The change would be almost
    instantaneous ... if she survived.
    May god have mercy on his soul.
    Navarre sank his wolf’s teeth into her neck. She moaned softly,
    whimpering as he released her. He shuddered, shaking off his shift as he
    changed into his human form. He crouched next to her, naked, touching her body as the first spasm wracked through her.
    Her eyes flew open, looking up at him but not seeing, filled with pain.
    She screamed, grasping his wrist with a strength that would break a mortal man. A ripple flowed over her skin like water. The blood from her wounds ceased its