“Oh.”
If she recalled correctly, Ross was the new intern and half Caro’s age. Not wanting to hear the sordid details, Eve switched topics, and the two soon got down to the business of discussing potential new projects and trends within the art world. When the meeting was done, Eve transferred her canvases to Caro’s car and watched as the woman drove off, pleased to have avoided further interrogation about Rafe.
She wondered if he’d be back today to check for further evidence of the wolf. He said he would, and something told her he was a man of his word. With that in mind, she decided to quickly finish her errands in the hope of being back before he arrived at her cabin. It wasn’t because she was afraid he’d be angry that she’d ignored his instructions to stay inside—after all, he wasn’t in charge of her—but on the other hand, avoiding a confrontation seemed…prudent. And, if she was home, she’d have another opportunity to ogle him, which might increase the chance of a continuation of last night’s erotic dream.
A smile graced her face while she completed her shopping, thoughts of Rafe keeping her sufficiently occupied that she barely noticed the emotions of the local townspeople she encountered. The cashier at the grocery store was feeling lusty. The man ahead of her at the bank was stressed. Minor glimpses into people’s lives, and she was easily able to block them out by focussing on Rafe. It made for a pleasant change, and she chuckled inwardly, deciding that she could call daydreaming about the man a form of therapy.
It wasn’t until she arrived at her car, arms laden with her purchases that her calm began to waver. A faint niggling in the back of her mind had her puzzling and then that sense of being watched returned. She placed her parcels inside her vehicle before turning around to scan the street. Cars moved past at a moderate rate, shoppers walked by singly or in small groups, intent on their errands. The owner of the Gas and Go, Mike Privet, was washing the wind shield of a car while Gordie, his apprentice mechanic, was checking the tire pressure. Gordie tipped his ball cap at her while Mike waved. She returned the gesture. A few other people casually glanced her way, but no one was paying her any particular attention.
Surely, the wolf wouldn’t have followed her into town. Wild animals shunned humanity…unless they were sick. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms, trying to dispel the chill that had settled over her at the idea of a rabid wolf stalking her. Of course, she was being ridiculous. The animal was probably miles away and it had appeared perfectly healthy, even if it was on the thin side.
Eve forced herself to stand tall, straightening her shoulders that she had unknowingly hunched. There was nothing to be worried about. No wolf was walking the streets of Grassy Hills and no one was watching her either. And even if someone was, what could that person do in the middle of town?
Slamming the trunk shut, she rounded the car in preparation for leaving only to notice the man from the café sitting on a bench across the street. He’d been hidden from view by a truck stopped for a traffic light, but now she could easily see him. His body was hunched forward, elbows on his knees while he stared at the ground; the epitome of dejection.
Eve winced at the emotional pain he must be feeling and even took half a step towards him, feeling the need to offer him comfort, when a thought struck her. She wasn’t experiencing his pain as she would from most people. Strong emotions were so hard to block out. Instead, it was his posture she was reading.
For a moment she stood there puzzling over the fact. That made two men—Rafe and this stranger—who she couldn’t sense. How weird was that? Maybe the gift didn’t work when it came to hunks? She snorted at the idea but curiosity had her crossing the street. If she were closer to the man and actually tried to read him—not out of a morbid need to know his private feelings—perhaps she’d be able to determine what made him different from the rest of the population.
She was only a few car lengths away when he suddenly straightened and looked directly at her. The angle of the sun seemed to illuminate his eyes showcasing the strange silver rimmed by blue. The effect was so startling, so intense, that her steps actually faltered and a shiver of awareness coursed through her. As she stood there transfixed, he abruptly rose to his feet and walked off at a brisk pace.
Eve opened her mouth to call after him but, not knowing his name, that wasn’t possible. She hesitated, briefly weighing the pros and cons of her actions before deciding to follow him. Whoever he was, she wanted answers; exactly how she’d get those answers without revealing she was Fae she didn’t know, but she’d figure that out once she managed to corner him.
Grassy Hills wasn’t a large place. A typical prairie settlement, businesses lined the highway that went through the centre of town and several side streets led to small residential areas. Still, it was large enough that she could lose him and so Eve quickened her pace, cursing softly when he rounded a corner. By the time she got there, he was gone.
“Damn!” The expletive slipped from her lips. A woman passing by with a small child in tow gave her a dirty look. “Sorry,” Eve apologized distractedly while trying to decide her next move. He couldn’t have gone far.
She walked down the side street, noting the empty sidewalks and peering into the alley that ran behind the stores. There was no sign of the man anywhere. Hands on her hips she frowned. Now where could he have gone?
Damien watched as Eve walked back to her car, obviously having given up on finding him. He stepped out of the shadowed doorway he’d hidden in, narrowing his eyes as he considered the close encounter. A part of him had wanted her to find him, to have a chance to talk to her and hear her voice.
And it had been a perfect opportunity to get to know her. Why hadn’t he grabbed it? Was it because he wanted to maintain the illusion for a few days longer? After all, as long as he kept his distance, he could pretend, right?
He inhaled deeply, the faint remnants of her scent lingering in the air. So like Beth…and yet not.
When she’d walked into the café this morning he’d had difficulty not staring at her. Close up, her resemblance to Beth hadn’t been as strong, though it was still enough to stir his memories. He’d felt his inner beast awaken, too. His wolf had immediately been alert and keen eyed, scenting the air, attempting to activate the long-dead blood bond. Tendrils of thought had hovered in the air, waiting, hoping for a response, for some hint of recognition. Of course it hadn’t come and the eager expectation of the animal had subsided into a dejected heap. Almost, almost, he’d felt sorry for the creature but there was too much history between the wolf and him. Instead, he’d ignored the animal and concentrated on his own reaction.
The woman’s presence had caused a myriad of emotions to play through his human self; pleasure at seeing her again, regret that she wasn’t his Beth. It wasn’t the woman’s fault that she so closely resembled his dead mate, but the disappointment had been too much to bear and he’d left abruptly despite his intention to speak with her.
He shook his head, berating himself for his behaviour. There was no room for attachments, no room for dreams in his life. He knew what he had to do. Next time he’d have to act, take whatever opportunity presented itself and do what he must.
A noise from the alley behind him had him twirling around, ready for an attack. He let out a faint huff of laughter when he saw a stray cat peering out at him from behind a garbage can. The creature was thin and wary with tattered ears and a scarred nose.
“You’re up against it too, aren’t you, cat?” At the sound of his voice, the cat bristled as if expecting him to attack. It stared at him, then glanced around before slipping away into the shadows. “Yeah, we’re two of kind,” he murmured. “Never let your guard down, never trust anyone.”
Taking his cue from the cat, he studied his surroundings intently. He was off the main street now but that didn’t necessarily mean there weren’t Trackers around; they knew ways to hide their presence. And after over a year and half on the run, his luck was due to run out. Had someone been plotting his movements and realized
he’d end up here? It was possible.
He thought about the werewolf he’d scented earlier. This was supposed to be an unclaimed territory. Had they planted someone in the area in the hopes of luring him into a trap? Cross and double-cross, wasn’t that how Lycan Link worked?
A growl rumbled in his throat as his wolf considered the idea. Lycan Link is the source of our sorrow. If we hadn’t worked for them, our mate would still be alive.
He gave his head a shake. His wolf hadn’t spoken in weeks. It almost felt…odd…to hear another voice in his head. Was the animal correct? Would things have worked out differently if he’d never worked for Lycan Link? Or was he being paranoid, jumping to conclusions that had no basis in reality? There were times when his whole life seemed surreal, as if he were watching a movie playing out before him. Months and months of being alone were chipping away at his sanity, yet there was no other option. The path he’d chosen was set.
Giving the persistent ache in his right leg a rub, he headed out of town.
Chapter 5
Rafe paced in front of the cabin he’d rented to Eve. He gave no notice to the way the sun shimmered on the calm surface of the nearby lake or how the fresh spring grass was dotted with a few early violets. The chirping of birds in the nearby trees and the delicate buds that housed as yet unfurled leaves held no interest to him either.
The woman wasn’t there, after he’d expressly told her to stay inside until the wolf issue had been dealt with. He’d been in the shower when she’d called this morning, having spent the night patrolling the countryside looking for further signs of the rogue. Annette had sent him a short list of possible lone wolves in the area, with the promise of a more complete one when she got to work on Monday.
None were deemed particularly dangerous so he’d set out to try and make contact. Of course, after hours of searching all he’d found was an empty den. If the creature wasn’t consistently living rough, it gave some hope that it wasn’t too far gone. He’d been thinking that he could safely grab a few hours of rest before checking on his tenant when he’d noticed the missed call. Unfortunately, Eve hadn’t left a message and when he tried to return the call she hadn’t answered.
A wave of worry had washed over him—likely ill-founded and needless—but there just the same. Why had she phoned, and why hadn’t she answered when he’d returned her call? Had he made an error in judgement? Was the rogue more dangerous than the reports indicated?
He’d flashed back to his last case; the partially rehabilitated rogue unexpectedly shifting and attacking him and his assistant. The girl’s terrified cries, his own shift to defend her; the pain as the wolf had ripped at his flesh before he’d subdued it.
Fear that history was repeating itself—that the rogue had been breaking into the cabin while Eve placed a tearful distress call—had immediately come to his sleep deprived mind.
Without thinking, he’d shifted forms and raced cross-country to her cabin, pounding on her door and calling her name. When she failed to respond, he’d checked the windows for signs of a break-in, and then had done a frantic search of the immediate area. The only scent was Eve’s and—once he forced himself to calm down—he realized her car was missing. Relief that she was all right was quickly followed by exasperation that she’d left the cabin and gone somewhere despite his warnings.
It took a lot to upset him. In fact, those he worked with often marvelled at his patience in the face of provocation, but Eve was pushing those limits. He took a deep breath and forced himself to relax and think logically. His level of concern had been excessive—he acknowledged that fact readily—but truthfully, she’d scared the shit out of him and he wanted to make sure she didn’t pull a similar stunt again.
Calm down, stay controlled. Anger is a pointless emotion. How often had he said those words to one of his clients? Funny how he’d never realized how annoying those instructions were!
Tired of pacing, he sat on the front step and rolled his shoulders, trying to ease some of the tension that had accumulated there. This was why he’d taken a leave from his job. Hours spent in a tiny office pouring over reports and budgets and treatment plans and interventions. Too much stress caused by too many years working with rogue wolves. He was trying to get away from all that, and here he was dealing with the same issues again!
As the head of the Rogue Rehabilitation Clinic, he’d seen Lycans at their worst, knew the havoc they could wreak. While he might work with them daily and firmly believe many could be saved, he was under no illusions about dealing with one outside the controlled atmosphere of his clinic. So it wasn’t that unrealistic for him to assume the worst when Eve had appeared to vanish.
Of course, she wouldn’t understand any of this. Eve didn’t even know Lycans existed, let alone dangerous rogue ones. Rafe rubbed his hand over his face. He should have insisted that she leave. In fact, he still couldn’t figure out why he hadn’t. Well…that wasn’t quite true. The woman intrigued him and he hadn’t wanted her to go; that was the honest answer.
The sound of a car approaching had him rising to his feet. It was Eve. Firming his mouth, he held back the lecture that hovered on his lips.
She parked the car and got out, nodding a greeting at him. “Rafe.”
“Eve.”
They stood staring at each other, saying nothing. He kept his thumbs hooked in his belt loops, his gaze steady, patiently waiting. She shifted from foot to foot, a look of guilt playing over her expression. As expected, his silence caused her to speak first.
“I…uh… was planning on returning before you came by today.”
“I’m sure you were.”
She licked her lips and appeared to eye him cautiously as if trying to gauge his reaction. “I had to meet my agent in town.”
He said nothing, merely raising an eyebrow.
“I called to see if you’d found out anything about the wolf, but there was no answer and I couldn’t wait any longer.” She spoke in a rush, obviously finding his silence unsettling. “I was very careful. I checked all around the cabin and kept the gun with me as I ran to the car.”
Hell, he thought to himself. She was damned lucky the local police hadn’t pulled her over and charged her for carrying a firearm without the proper papers! The Canadian law was much more stringent than the U.S. and he’d assumed she’d known that. Mentally shaking his head, he folded his arms and widened his stance into a deliberately dominant pose.
He could see her swallow hard and begin to fidget with the strap of her purse. Yep, she was definitely feeling guilty. About to relent, he was surprised when she suddenly did an about face, throwing her purse onto the hood of the car and planting her hands on her hips.
“All right, Rafe, that’s enough. You’re not in charge of me. Sure, this is your cabin, your land and even your damned lake. Yes, you told me stay inside in case the wolf was around, but I was very careful. I took every possible precaution I could and nothing happened. So get off your high and mighty horse and stop treating me like a disobedient child.”
By the time she was done, a faint tinge of pink graced her usually pale cheeks and temper sparked in her eyes. She looked adorable, rather like a tiny white kitten trying to act the part of a lion. His lips twitched.
“Are you laughing at me?” She narrowed her eyes.
He didn’t confirm or deny the accusation. “You have quite a temper on you when you get riled.”
“Well…yeah. I guess I do.” As quickly as it had appeared, her anger dissipated and she actually looked regretful. “Sorry.”
He shook his head. “No need. It’s healthier to let your feelings out rather than keeping them bottled up inside.”
She cocked her head. “You sound like a therapist when you talk that way.”
He shrugged. “Before I took over the cabins I was, sort of.”
“Why did you quit?” She picked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder then went around to the rear of the car.
“I haven’t quit. I’m actually on a s
abbatical, trying out renting cabins as a possible second career.” Rafe moved to help her carry her parcels and then followed her inside.
“Oh.” Eve gestured with her chin towards the kitchen and he set the bags on the counter. “Thanks for carrying those, by the way.” She grabbed the milk and placed it in the fridge and then a carton of eggs. Rafe studied her rear end as she moved items about on the lower shelf trying to find room. For a slim thing, she had nicely curved hips. He imagined what it would be like to have his hands on them, to cup her butt and pull her closer.
Uncomfortable with the direction of his thoughts, he cleared his throat and looked away only to find himself staring at several sketches of himself. Each was an extremely accurate portrayal and…he narrowed his eyes…most had him wearing a minimum of clothing. He moved in for a closer look.
“Damn!”
He glanced over his shoulder and saw Eve darting her gaze between him and the pictures, a carton of ice cream clutched in her hands. “I hadn’t meant for you to see those.”
“Why not? They’re quite well done.” He plucked one off the cork board it was pinned to.
“Because…” She shrugged, her face turning pink again.
“Because now I know you’ve been drawing dirty pictures of me?” He couldn’t resist teasing her. She blushed so nicely.
“They’re not dirty pictures!” She huffed, her embarrassment seeming to change to defensiveness. “They’re artistic sketches and you’re decently clothed in each one.”
“You must have x-ray vision,” he murmured, examining the drawing in his hand more carefully. “To the best of my knowledge, I haven’t appeared semi-nude in front of you.”
“While each person is unique, there are certain…standard parts…that each male has. I simply used my imagination to fill in the bits and pieces.”
“You have an excellent imagination then. I’d almost think you’d been peeking in my bedroom window.”
Betrayed: Days of the Rogue Page 6