He loved her. She'd finally admitted that she loved him, so unsure of how he might react. After all, she had called him selfish and uncaring and then left him flat in Kissing Town.

But, now, she'd told him how she felt and he'd asked her to play Hide-N-Seek.

Not entirely sure what he was talking about, she'd seen the look of lust in his eyes and said yes. If he wanted her, that was great--she wanted him too, and Virginia was tired of pretending that she didn't care about him. As she crept through the bushes, she knew that he was counting. She could hear his strong, husky voice behind her; she still had time to find a place to hide. On and on, she went, moving as quietly as she could through the underbrush.

Despite the quiet, she knew he would find her with no problem...he was a half-wolf and he'd said he could find her anywhere and anytime. It'd been sweet the way he'd said it, earnest and bright-eyed. The counting stopped. Virginia crouched low in the bushes and tried not to breathe, praying that the waving ferns wouldn't give her away.

"Here I come!" Wolf's voice came drifting to her and she grinned wickedly.

From the first time she'd seen him, she'd been taken back by his startling rough beauty and his hypnotising gray hazel eyes. Of course, he'd been trying to eat her grandmother at the time, so she'd not given his looks much of a thought. She'd bashed him over the head and run. Now, it was different. She wanted him to catch her...to take her down, to make love to her, to make Virginia his life mate forever and always.

There was no noise. No sound of Wolf approaching. No sound of anything. Virginia waited, still trying to breathe shallowly.

"Rrraaahhooooo!" His cry came behind her. Close behind.

Virginia wheeled just in time to have Wolf land on her, having leapt through the air.

They rolled through the green ferns. Virginia laughed and gasped for her lost breath. Wolf was laughing, too, as he stared deep into her eyes.

"My, what big hands you have, Mister Wolf." It was all she could get out between the giggles. They'd stopped rolling and were now laying still, crushing the bushes. She could smell the green sap of broken stems and bruised leaves. Both were breathing hard and she became aware of a musky scent that was nearly smoky---Wolf's own personal smell.

"All the better to hold you down with, my dear, sweet Virginia." His chin lowered and he began to sniff deeply, a whine forming in his throat. She was enjoying this, the conquest and capture.

"My, what big eyes you have, Mister Wolf."

They widened even more, and flashed a golden red in the sunlight that dappled through the trees.

"All the better to see you with, my darling Virginia."

Virginia began giggling harder as he began to run his tongue over her throat and cheeks. It was raspy and tickled, but it made something stir deep within her gut. Sensuously, she caught his hair in both of her hands and held him tight against her.

"My, what a wet tongue you have, Mister Wolf."

Between slurps of her throat, he growled like a dog guarding his food.

"All the better to taste your dreamy creamy skin with, beloved Virginia..." Then, his teeth nipped at her and she jumped. It felt delicious to be touched...his hands were all over her body, seeking, exploring, and squeezing.

"My, what big teeth you have, Mister Wolf."

Wolf raised his head and looked at her from under his eyebrows. His eyes were dark and forbidding. His body had tensed and become hard as a rock. His nostrils had flared and then he smiled, his hands tight on her ribs. The fangs were sharp and dangerous looking. He had become the animal hunter and he'd caught his prey. Like his ancestor, he'd caught the girl and now-----

"All the better to eat you up with, sweet, delicious Virginia!"

She didn't even have time to scream. The shock at the face that nestled so close to her own took her voice and she was silent and shaking as he broughthis teeth down to her throat and tore.

The flesh gave way easily. Blood spurted as he reached the jugular vein andthe arteries. With a muffled roar, he pulled backwards. Her trachea and voice came with his teeth.

She stared now. She was dying. She'd been wrong about him. She'd had her chance to keep him and it was past. It had died in the restaurant in Kissing Town. She'd made it impossible for him to do anything but what the queen wanted. He'd given in to the queen and done as he was bid. Now, the queen's daughter was dead; not that the queen even knew who it was he was killing for her...but he knew. He'd always known.

Not that it would much matter to Virginia that he was doing this for her mom, the queen. She was dying fast, dying silent and still beneath him. Wolf lapped at the blood and then licked his fingers. She was truly as tasty as she'd smelled.

Now, it was Tony's turn. Easy enough. The fool would never even have the solictitude that he'd shown Virginia. No, he'd lope into camp, howl, and rip him to shreds. It was time to finish this mess that he'd let the queen talk him into. If he had his chance, he'd get to her, too, for tempting him so much that he'd had no choice but to do this.

But, then again, Virginia was tasty. He'd probably have done this later, anyway.

He lifted his head and howled his appreciation of her skin and blood and flesh. "Raaarwhoooo!"