by Lynn Hagen
Keller was grounded in science, not myth. He couldn’t wrap his head around a cythraul being real. Then again, men who could shift into panthers shouldn’t be possible either.
“If I believed you, why would one be in our backyard?” That was a big if because Keller didn’t want to acknowledge that they existed. Large wolves with red eyes that could change into a man? The thought was downright frightening. Not because that meant another species of shifters existed, because Keller knew others did exist, but because of what they could do.
If his Aunt Beatrice had been telling the truth through her stories, cythraul were embodiments of evil who terrorized their intended target, and nothing short of removing their head and heart would stop them. Wait. Beatrice had said something about fire, too. She’d told those stories so long ago that Keller was sketchy on the details.
“I don’t know why it’s here,” Hayward said. “But I’ll never forget that smell. It’s like a decaying body and overturned earth.”
Now how in the hell was Keller supposed to meet Horace at the restaurant? He didn’t want to leave his family alone. Not when there was an infant and mates inside, one of which was pregnant.
“We need to tell the others.” Keller started back toward the house. He would get Horace’s number from Layne and apologize for canceling their date.
Not a date. Keller grimaced. He needed to stop thinking of Horace that way. He was just trying to make peace with the guy, but ditching him tonight wasn’t going to win Keller any favors.
He knew Layne would understand once he learned that cythraul existed and were real. Maybe. Keller still straddled the fence on that, but Layne wouldn’t hold it against him.
Horace was a whole other story.
* * * *
“Are you sure I can’t get you anything else?” Sheila Buchannan asked. “Do you want some more breadsticks or a refill on your drink?”
“No thank you.” Horace gave her a tight smile. Keller was supposed to meet him at seven. It was already after eight.
“There has to be a really good reason why he didn’t show up. You’re a great guy. and anyone would be insane to stand you up.”
Sheila meant well, but she wasn’t helping. Horace felt beyond embarrassed that he’d waited a full hour for a no-show. He’d wanted to believe that Keller wasn’t a jerk, had hoped the guy was just having a bad day, but this proved the doctor wasn’t a decent guy.
Horace got up and slipped from the restaurant before Sheila could pity him even further. In truth, Horace had never been on a real date. He wasn’t a virgin, but he usually hooked up with someone and went to their place.
No one had ever shown up with flowers and taken Horace out. They never wanted to stick around for the long haul, and why on earth was he shedding tears over Keller? That made Horace only madder.
Fine, if Keller wanted to be a jerk, Horace was completely done fawning over the guy. Keller could shove his stethoscope up his ass. Horace wasn’t going to accept any more apologies from him.
Worse, tomorrow was Horace’s birthday, and not one of his friends had mentioned it to him, hadn’t said they were going to dinner or hanging out. Had they forgotten? He knew Layne’s and Stevie’s lives were was pretty busy right now, but had they been so busy that his birthday had slipped their minds?
Not even Stanton, who was pretty good at remembering dates, had said a word. Feeling utterly deflated, Horace got into his car and drove home. As soon as he walked in, Stanton hurried into the living room. “Well, how’d it go?”
He knew Stanton wasn’t really interested. He was just being supportive, and Horace loved him for that. He opened his mouth to tell Stanton what had happened but closed his mouth when a burning lump formed in his throat.
Stanton narrowed his eyes. “Did he say or do anything inappropriate?”
Horace shook his head. He swallowed and inhaled a deep breath, calming himself, wondering why he was so upset. “He didn’t even show.”
“Are you serious!” Stanton threw his arms around Horace and hugged him tightly. “That bastard doesn’t deserve a sweet guy like you. Screw him.” He pulled back. “I’m gonna give him a piece of my mind.”
“No!” He grabbed Stanton’s arm. “Just let it go. It doesn’t even matter. I’m not talking to him anymore.”
“But he can’t stand you up and get away with it,” Stanton snapped. “Who does he think he is? Just because he’s a doctor doesn’t mean he can be rude and…and…an asshole!”
That actually made Horace laugh. Stanton’s indignity was palpable, but also endearing. “Thanks.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to call Stevie?” Stanton asked. “You know he’ll give Keller a tongue-lashing.”
As entertaining as that might be, Horace shook his head. Stevie had to live there, and Horace didn’t want any animosity in their house.
“Let’s watch a movie instead,” he said. “And I didn’t even eat, except for some breadsticks, but I think, between the two of us, we can come up with enough cash to order a pizza.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to clean the entire house?” Stanton teased.
Horace was really, really trying to change, to break the neurotic crap his father had instilled in him. He was itching to find a cleaning cloth and pull out the vacuum, but Horace took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “Nope, I’m good.”
“I’ll order the pizza, and you pick a movie,” Stanton said.
As soon as Stanton walked into the kitchen, Horace’s phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”
“I’m sorry about tonight.”
“Who is this?” Horace had caught on to Keller’s deep and alluring voice, but he was still pissed.
“Keller.”
“Sorry, I don’t know anyone by that name.” He hung up, although he did store Keller’s number in his phone. Just in case he needed to find out where the doctor was so he could strangle the guy.
His phone rang again. Keller’s name popped up. Horace started to hit Ignore but answered it. “Hello?”
“Why’d you hang up?”
“Who is this?” Horace dropped onto the sofa.
“You know who it is,” Keller said. “I know you’re pissed at me, but I at least want to make this up to you.”
“Ha!” Horace rolled his eyes. “Like taking me out to dinner? No thanks. Do you know how embarrassing that was to sit there by myself while I waited on a guy who never intended to show up?”
“I intended to show up,” Keller argued. “But things happened that prevented me from getting there.”
“Have you ever heard of a phone?” Horace asked. “You can call me now, so why didn’t you call me then? And tell Layne or Stevie, whoever gave you my number, that I’m gonna kill them.”
“So you won’t let me make this up to you?”
God, the guy’s voice was made of sin, deep, husky, and made Horace’s body pulse with need. His brain knew Keller was an asshole, but his body didn’t care.
The doorbell rang. Thankful for the distraction, Horace got up and went to the door. “My pizza is here, so I gotta go. Have fun messing with someone else’s head, you turd.”
Horace hung up and opened the door. It wasn’t the pizza guy. He was half tempted to slam the door in Keller’s gorgeous face.
“Can we talk?”
“About what?” Horace folded his arms. He wasn’t even sure why he was so angry. He wasn’t an idiot. Keller wasn’t interested in him. The guy had just been trying to make up for being a rude jerk. It hadn’t been an actual date, but even so, it was an epic fail. Keller had cemented himself as a rude jerk.
The story of my life.
Keller grabbed Horace’s arm and pulled him outside, closing the door behind him. The guy’s touch felt hot against Horace’s skin. Unfortunately Keller had already gotten under Horace’s skin. Those pretty gray eyes, his commanding way, all those muscles that begged to be caressed and licked.
I’m such a loser for still wanting hi
m. That thought only succeeded in pissing Horace off even further.
“You don’t get to manhandle me,” Horace snapped.
“I’m not manhandling you,” Keller replied. “I just want some privacy.”
“For what?”
Before Horace knew what was happening, Keller pulled him into his strong arms. The kiss was drugging, sensual, slow, and Horace whimpered at how well the guy could kiss. Keller’s stubble scraped over Horace’s sensitive skin, and he knew he would have whisker burns. But he didn’t care as he clutched at Keller’s swollen biceps, heady from the way Keller held him, his hands running up and down Horace’s back. The guy’s masculine scent rolled over Horace and pulled him under, making him needier than ever.
Horace swooned when Keller finally pulled away. The guy blinked several times as he stared at Horace. “I have no idea why I did that. That hadn’t been my intention.”
“Way to make a guy feel special.” Horace was so over Keller. The guy was a walking contradiction that Horace didn’t need. Saying the guy ran hot and cold would be an understatement.
Too bad Horace’s dick was hard as fuck and he still wanted the jerk in the worst way. He’d drop to his knees and suck Keller off if Keller whipped out his cock.
I’m so pathetic.
“No, that’s not what I meant.” Keller tucked his finger under Horace’s chin. “I loved the kiss. I just hadn’t expected to give it to you.”
“Not making me feel any better.” Horace sat on the chair on his porch, more to hide his flourishing erection than to put distance between them. “And still not a good enough apology for leaving me hanging at the restaurant.”
Keller hunkered down in front of Horace and took his hands. It was a sweet gesture considering the guy was freakishly tall and it looked as though he wasn’t comfortable in that pose.
“I actually came over here to check on you.”
Okay, so Horace was melting a little bit. Dang it. Keller’s charm was working. “I’m fine.”
He noticed that Keller kept looking around as if he were expecting someone. Horace pulled his hands away as his stomach shrank. “Are you already dating someone?”
Was that it? Was Keller making sure his boyfriend wasn’t lurking around? God, Horace hated his suspicious mind, but that had happened to him once, and he never wanted a repeat.
“No.” Keller shook his head. “I’m not dating anyone anymore.”
“What does that mean?”
“I broke up with him before I left California.”
“So you’re fresh out of your relationship?” Horace asked. That meant he was nothing more than a rebound for Keller. Some people didn’t care about that, but Horace did.
“And I’m not looking to get into another one.” Keller got up and sat next to Horace in the other chair. “But it doesn’t hurt to have friends.”
Horace sighed. “Fine, we can be friends. But if you talk to me like that again, or stand me up, I’m blocking you from my Facebook page.”
Keller chuckled. “Deal.”
Horace just couldn’t seem to stay mad at him. His insane attraction to Keller was going to be his undoing. He just knew it. Keller was impossible to resist, a contradiction that gave Horace a headache, but one he couldn’t seem to walk away from.
“Now where’s that pizza?” Keller asked. “I’m starving.”
“Since you stood me up, you’re paying,” Horace said. “And I want chicken wings, too.”
“You drive a hard bargain.” Keller flashed him a smile that didn’t help Horace’s erection go down. “But I got you covered.”
Horace felt as though a weight had lifted from his shoulders. He hadn’t realized how much pressure he’d put on himself about the “not” date. Now that they’d agreed to be friends, he felt as if he could relax.
But he was still freaking horny. Friends with benefits? Too bad that couldn’t be their reality.
Stanton popped his head out the door. “Am I still ordering pizza?”
His friend glared at Keller.
“It’s all good,” Horace said. “We’re just friends now.”
“That still doesn’t excuse his rudeness,” Stanton snapped.
“He’s buying dinner.”
Stanton grinned. “But I guess we can forgive him.” He handed Horace the phone. “Make sure you get me those cookies I love so much.”
Horace looked at Keller, trying his best to give the guy the evil eye. “This is gonna cost you.”
Keller’s grin widened. “A price I’m willing to pay.”
Despite everything that had happened, a bubbly feeling washed over Horace. He liked Keller’s smile, his deep voice, and the way the guy kept stealing glances at him. It made his stomach flutter.
Keller seemed sincere enough, and Horace crossed his fingers that he wasn’t the jerk he’d been making himself out to be.
“By the way,” Stanton said, “Buttercup is chewing on one of your house shoes.”
Horace groaned. He’d just replaced the last pair. If he didn’t get Buttercup’s chewing under control, he wasn’t going to own any footwear.
Chapter Four
Keller couldn’t recall the last time he’d had such a good time simply eating pizza and hanging out. He didn’t even mind the tiny terror that kept coming onto the porch and sniffing him.
It had also been a while since there had been a spring to Keller’s step when he left. Maybe there was more to Horace than met the eye. It didn’t matter to him that Horace had lived on the streets when he was a teenager or what he’d had to do to survive. Working the ER for many years, Keller had seen his fair share of transient youth come through there, lying about their age, needing stitches from fights, or just looking for a safe place to spend the night.
His heart went out to Horace for all he had been through, and a protective streak welled up inside Keller, although Horace was now grown and lived in a decent house.
Keller also couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched ever since he’d rung Horace’s doorbell. Hayward’s words haunted him as he walked home. His brother had to be mistaken. Keller just couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that cythraul were real.
He was also racking his brain trying to remember all the details of the stories Beatrice used to tell them. Was it possible that she’d written them down somewhere? There were a ton of books on the bookshelves at home, and no one had touched her bedroom since coming back home.
No one had wanted to go in there and clean her room out. Keller hadn’t wanted to. He felt guilty for even having that thought, even though the room was on the first floor and would make a perfect home office for him if he decided to start his own practice.
And now he was thinking of Marcus. His cheating ex-lover. The hurt and betrayal wasn’t as strong as before when he thought of what the two could’ve had together. Keller knew why, too.
Horace.
He shook his head and chuckled as he cut around a corner. As much as he protested seeing Horace again, of taking things a step further with the guy, Keller knew he wouldn’t stay away. The guy was funny, handsome, and his smile made Keller’s heart skip a few beats.
This was crazy. Keller had just ended things with Marcus, and he was already interested in another guy. It seemed his panther didn’t believe in a cooling-off period.
Keller slowed when the feeling of being followed washed over him. He dismissed the idea that it could be a demon. Even though Kendall was a small town, that didn’t mean it was crime-free.
For all he knew a mugger was lurking close by. If they thought they were going to rob him, they had another think coming. Keller wasn’t an easy man to take down, and he wasn’t the type to simply hand over his wallet.
Keller felt the person getting closer as he neared his house. He allowed his claws to slide free and was ready for battle when a familiar scent wafted toward him. He narrowed his eyes and looked around but didn’t see Hayward anywhere.
The guy was damn good at hiding. Keller had
a feeling his brother had allowed his scent to carry on the slight breeze. He just didn’t know why Hayward was following him.
When he reached the front door, Hayward was at his side.
“You like playing cat and mouse?” Keller let himself in as his claws retracted.
“I’m not sure what’s going on, but I can smell him all over town.” Hayward wasn’t smiling, and that wasn’t the answer Keller wanted to hear. His brother had already told Nash and Quinn his suspicions, and they believed Hayward. A part of Keller did, too. He just didn’t want to admit it.
“So you think he’s following me around?” Keller didn’t know why. He hadn’t done anything to anyone to warrant a visit from a demon.
“Like I said, I’m not sure.” Hayward went upstairs, leaving Keller in the living room looking around and wondering if he should’ve left Horace and Stanton alone.
Keller went to his aunt’s bedroom. He stood outside the door, unsure if he wanted to go inside. He needed answers, but a wave of emotions swept through him. Had he known she was sick before he’d taken off to college and continued with medical school, Keller never would’ve gone.
Why hadn’t he slowed down to take Hayward’s calls? Why hadn’t he paid closer attention? After taking a deep breath, Keller pushed the door open and stepped inside. The scent was faint, but he could still smell her perfume.
Tears stung his eyes as he sat on the edge of her bed. In his mind, he heard her laughter and her sage words and saw the smile that always made her gray eyes shine.
He should’ve made a point to visit in the past decade. Keller should’ve set aside the time. He wiped at his eyes and looked around her room. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in here. The room was spacious, with lace curtains, a four-poster bed, and white furniture, a contradiction to the rest of the dated house.
Across the room were bookshelves. Keller got up and walked over to them. A lot of them were romance novels, but there was a row of leather-bound ones that looked more like journals. Keller didn’t want to read Beatrice’s private thoughts. He felt as if he’d invade her privacy, but he needed answers only she could give.