by Tia Louise
Scanning the open area, I don’t see anything unusual. Still, I’m breathing faster, knowing something or someone is out there watching me. Sniffing, I try to catch the scent, but nothing familiar meets my nose. I’d know better if I were in my lynx form.
Calming inhales, I work to ebb the adrenaline pumping in my veins. In my human form, my senses are not as sharp, my night vision is impaired and my hearing is weaker. Still, I’m strong, and I can protect myself.
I know you’re there, I project my thoughts. I’m not afraid of you.
A breeze sweeps through the space, and the sensation recedes. Whatever it is, whoever it is, is pulling back, leaving. I only wait a moment longer before I turn and jog up the steps into my family home. Last night I had one pleasant encounter with a stranger. I’m not looking to push my luck.
It’s late, and Penny’s already in bed. A crisp white envelope is at my place at the table beside a small plate of food. I pick it up along with the dish and head upstairs. Once I’m in my bedroom, I turn the envelope over and open it, sliding out the linen card embossed with a large black C.
Mercy,
Please forgive Grant for what he said at dinner last night. You might not have guessed it, but he tends to be a romantic idiot when he’s had too much wine.
Nothing is more important to me than our friendship. I hope you won’t allow his words to make things strange between us.
I care about you, little thing.
Your friend,
Hayden
“He does write a good apology note,” I say, running a finger down Phoebe’s belly as she rolls onto her back on my bed.
Tossing the note on my dresser, I shimmy out of the baggy jeans and throw my dirty tee on the pile of laundry in the corner. Pushing through the soft sheets on my bed, I stretch out, noticing my muscles are no longer sore from last night’s activities. I’m asleep before I remember to turn off the light.
Koa
The walls in Doris’s garage apartment are thin, and it probably doesn’t help that I’ve got all the windows open. I’m not bothered by the small size of the place, but I don’t like feeling trapped. I crave open air.
As a result, I’m treated to the noise of Ted and Lydia shouting to each other from opposite floors of their house. Blinking at the ceiling, my hands are behind my head. Can’t you two go to the same room to talk? I think.
Doors slam and cars drive by. I can handle those random sounds, but when a baby continues screaming for what feels like an eternity, I throw back the thin sheets and trot down the back stairs to the alley.
Leaving my one pair of loose jeans hidden behind the steps, I drop to my knees and spring into my panther form in the blink of an eye. Stretching out, I dash into the thin woods surrounding the area and head up toward the Observatory.
Thoughts of Mercy fill my mind, but I’m not intentionally looking for her. I’d love to see her again, but the chances of that are slim to none. I don’t even know where she lives.
Scouting the area, I look for a dry shelter where I can sleep. I’m not far from the little creek near the clearing where we made love when I’m stopped in my tracks. Danger.
My fur shoots up on my back, and I lift my nose to scent the air. Something very wrong is here. A supernatural being is moving fast through the woods, and it’s not a shifter. I don’t know what it is, but negative energy is rippling off it in powerful waves.
I drop back into the shadow of the trees. My black coat hides me in the night, and I wait, watching, on guard. The air turns unnaturally cold all at once. My thick coat protects me, but my breath rises in gusts of steam. Death.
Moving deeper into the darkness, I lower my body, resting my head on my paws. He isn’t coming for me this night, but I don’t know what he wants.
I don’t blink, I barely breathe as I wait for him to pass. He’s closer, and my insides tighten. Then it goes still. The presence seems to move away. I have no desire to pursue him, but I’m curious. Why would Kanaloa be in this forest?
Suddenly, a loud roar cuts the silence. A flash of purple, and a wave shoots across the grass at me, faster than I can get out of the way. He must have sensed me. The blast hits me right in the face, knocking me down. Arms flailing, I’ve shifted back, but it’s too late. I’m slipping into darkness…
Next thing I remember, bright sunlight warms me. I’m lying on my back in my human form blinking up at the sky. Lifting my head, I look around. I’m in the same meadow as before, but from what I can tell I’ve been alone the entire night.
Sitting up slowly, I rub my eyes. Pushing off the ground I walk a few paces before resuming my shifter form. I need to know more about what happened last night, but I can’t be late for my first day at Andy’s. I’ll be back here tonight.
I’m still shaking off the effects of the night, trying to understand what happened. Was it a dream? Perhaps I dozed off by the creek. It doesn’t explain how I ended up unconscious in human form.
Walking down the hall toward the weight room, Jim stops me from behind the juice bar.
“Dude, you can’t wear jeans to train,” he says.
Holding out my hand, I shrug. “I wasn’t expecting to get a job as a trainer.”
He nods his pale head and disappears for a moment before returning with a pair of black nylon pants and a tank. “Andy said these would incentivize me. I don’t know what that means, but they don’t fit. You can have them.”
Taking the workout clothes from him, I hold up the pants. “Thanks,” I say, looking down. “I actually think they’re my size.”
“Of course they are. You’re made for this stuff.”
I step into the men’s locker room and quickly replace my jeans and tee with the more gym-appropriate attire.
“Hey,” Jim says, tossing a pair of training gloves at me. “See what you can do with that boxing equipment.”
Shaking my head, I stuff the thin trainers in my back pocket and walk back to the weight room. It’s early, and only one guy is in the place. I nod, and he proceeds to get on the treadmill and start jogging. For now it looks like I’m on my own killing time.
Nothing else to do, I pull the gloves from my back pocket, pull them on, and hit the heavy bag. Left, right, left-right-left.
I clip the heavy canvass, stepping back and in, feeling the soothing burn of energy in my muscles. I’ve always loved to fight. It’s all I ever wanted to do until that night. Right, left, right-left-right.
I exhale a big breath and wipe the sweat off my brow with my cuff. I go in for another, longer round of punching when I see in my peripheral vision two people have entered the weight room. Time to do my job.
Lowering my fists, I turn and take a surprised step back. Mercy is in the middle of the room gorgeous as ever, her shining blue eyes round.
“Mercy,” I say, stepping forward.
She walks straight to me, but she isn’t smiling. She seems angry, although I can’t imagine why. She’s dressed in a black jog bra and yoga pants, her lined torso exposed. She’s so fucking hot, I can’t help the flood of pornographic images flickering through my mind. It’s only been two days since I had her all over me.
“What are you doing here?” her voice is a soft growl.
Wasn’t expecting that. I haven’t seen her since our night in heaven, and I’m pretty confident I left her one satisfied customer. I decide to be honest and see if I can figure out what the hell’s going on.
“I decided to stay.”
“Well, if this is about me, you’re wasting your time.”
“Actually, my decision had nothing to do with you.” My voice is low, but it’s not a whisper. Now I’m getting annoyed.
“Stay away from me.”
My brows shoot up, and it’s official. I’m pissed. “Don’t worry, princess. You’ve got all the space you need.”
Her eyes flash, and she turns on her heel stalking back to where a pale, mousy girl is waiting. I turn back to the bag and resume punching. My strikes are a bit more forceful, but
I’m doing my best to keep the anger off my face.
The last time I saw Mercy, she was thanking me for blowing her mind. No idea what changed between now and then, but it isn’t the first time I’ve encountered a psycho female.
The description turns in my stomach. It doesn’t fit. I’ve tasted Mercy, and she isn’t crazy. She tasted good, strong and focused. My thoughts drift to last night and my experience in the forest. Something isn’t right in this town.
A client enters the weight room looking for a trainer. He’s an older man, and what he really wants is a spotter. Still, I follow him around, giving him tips and helping him move up a plate on his bench pressing. His name is Seth, and he’s a regular, salt-of-the-earth Midwestern type.
“How long you been in town?” he asks between sets.
“Only a few days,” I say, wrapping the gym towel around my hand as I wait for him to recover.
“Jim says you’re from Hawaii?” He says the word like How are Ya.
“Not originally.” I move to the head of the bench as he lies back and puts his hands in place. I give the bar a lift and steady it as he begins his final set. “I grew up in New Jersey, but my family is originally from Molokai.”
“Never heard of that.” He grunts as he exhales.
“It’s one of the islands.”
He finishes the last set and stands, putting a towel over his shoulder. “How long you planning to be in town?”
“Not sure, sir.” It’s noon, and I figure I’ll follow him out, see if I get a lunch break.
“Well, I’ll keep my eye out for ya. Take it easy.”
“Thanks,” I say, stopping off at the juice bar. He continues down the hall stopping at Andy’s office. Nobody’s behind the counter, and I look around for a schedule.
I’m about to ask, when Andy steps out of his office and asks to see me. Heading down the hall, I enter the closet-sized space.
“Close the door a minute.” He’s behind his desk.
I comply, and before I can even ask him what this is about, he launches into a speech.
“Look, I get it. Mercy’s hot. It’s how I know a member’s gay—if he don’t notice Mercy.” He sits and makes a note on the large calendar in front of him.
“I don’t understand.” He’s coming straight out of left field.
“Hell, she’s sexy as all get out, but she’s Off. Limits. You get me?” He finishes writing and cuts his eyes up to me. “Keep your mitts off Mercy.”
What the fuck? For starters, I won’t mention how my mitts were all over Mercy night before last—and how much she loved it. I’m more curious what the hell is going on with this chick and why.
“Off limits.” I repeat, doing my best to stay neutral. Still, my curiosity is overwhelming. “Like a princess.”
“Exactly.” His brows lower over his dark eyes. “Mercy is one of the blue bloods in this town. I don’t know why she’s slumming with us, but she’s a good worker and clients like her. Piss her off, and you’re fired.”
“I see.” Humans don’t order me around. Ever. Still, I keep my voice level. “I’m not looking to piss off anybody, and I’m not interested in Mercy.”
It’s possible that’s a lie. I haven’t decided.
Andy relaxes and even cracks a small smile as he stands. “Right. I’m sorry if I seem stern. Just had to give you the warning.”
The warning? What the fuck does that mean?
He reaches across the desk to shake. “We good?”
Try as I might, I can’t keep the irritation out of my voice this time. “That girl is safe as the crown jewels.”
I’m ready to go out there and find out what the hell crawled up her ass. Only, I guess I was just told to stay away from her. Shit.
“Hey, I’m not pissed or anything,” Andy continues. He’s around the desk on my side now, patting my shoulder. “Seth stopped in to tell me you’re a good spotter, and he never compliments anybody.”
“I guess that makes things even,” I say, heading for the door.
“Chalk it up to on the job training.”
He can chalk it up to whatever he wants. I’m calling it a day. “See you tomorrow,” I say.
“Monday,” he calls from behind me. “Gym’s closed on Sundays. You know. God.”
“Right.” I wave and head out the door, wondering what I’ll do with an entire day on my own. Seems like a good time to get to the bottom of this place, so I can get back on the road.
5
Boundaries
Mercy
Andy’s Gym is one thing I will miss when I leave Woodland Creek. It’s quirky and fun, and it’s the first place I really spread my wings outside of Dylan’s control. I got to know residents of the town, and I became something of a leader.
I arrive a half-hour before self-defense class in case Sally shows up for strength training. I hadn’t set a definite time for us to meet, so I have no idea when to expect her—a situation I plan to remedy today.
As I make my way inside, heading to the juice bar to stash my bag and pick up my nametag, I bump into Jim. Funny, simple Jim.
“Ready to hit me with your best shot?” I tease, giving him a wink.
“No, dude.” He shakes his head, eyes round. “I would never hit you.”
His sweet response makes me smile. “It’s just an expression. I know you’re only pretending to attack me.”
“Still… You defend yourself pretty hard.”
“I try not to.”
“It’s weird, you know,” his head cocks to the side. “You’re really strong to be so little.”
“It’s all the strength training,” I deflect. Can’t have him knowing the real reason for my unusual strength. “You know, the kickboxing and stuff.”
“Oh, dude! Andy hired a boxer yesterday to help with the men. He’s a real cool guy.”
Interesting. Andy didn’t say he was looking for help. “Really?”
“Yeah, and he’s living in the apartment above my Aunt Doris’s garage.”
“That so?” The bell above the door rings, and the small blonde enters. A timid smile curls her lips when she sees me, and I wave her over, hoping to put her at ease.
“Yeah, I’ll introduce you if—”
“After class, okay?” I give Jim a wink and head out to meet my client. “Sally! Hi!”
“Hi, Miss Mercy.”
Putting my arm around her shoulder, I give her a brief hug. “I told you, it’s just Mercy. I’m only twenty-three.”
Her eyes brighten. “That’s how old I am!”
“See? Come on then.” I turn and lead her back to the weight room, thinking through a course of training that won’t be too hard for a beginner. “In the future, we should probably do these sessions after self-defense so you’re not too tired for…”
The words die on my lips as we enter the small weight room. The staccato Pow! Pow! Pow-pow-pow! of gloves clipping the heavy bag draws our attention, and I freeze on the spot. An incredibly sexy mountain of a man I immediately recognize is in the corner, giving the boxing set a run for its money.
With every precise jab, his muscles ripple across his shoulders and arms. His biceps flex, and I can feel them in my fingertips. He circles to the side, and I see the line in his square jaw move beneath the shadow of his beard. I can’t help a shiver remembering how it felt against my skin.
Chin tucked against one broad shoulder, he’s so focused, so powerful and intimidating, I don’t even realize I’m staring or my breath is shallow. All I can think about is the meadow, me on his lap riding hard, him behind me, pounding as I moan in ecstasy.
“He’s good,” Sally whispers at my side, pulling me from my erotic daze.
“Y-yes,” I say, clearing my throat. My whole body is on fire.
The staccato pops stop, and Koa notices us as well. He straightens, lowering his gloves, and his dark brow flinches slightly over his green eyes. I know he’s as surprised to see me as I am to see him.
He picks up a towel to wipe his face
before walking to us, and I step back, my emotions swirling in my chest. He’s not supposed to be here. I already decided he needed to keep going. He needed to stay a hot memory. Someone like Koa in Woodland Creek will only distract me, weaken my resolve to leave this place, and I have to leave here or I’ll never be free.
“Mercy…” his low voice is a tingling vibration in my chest, but I fight against it. I have to fight him the same as I fight Dylan, even if it’s for vastly different reasons.
Stepping forward, I draw on all the frustration I feel at being a prisoner in this place, at being alone in that mansion, ordered around like a slave, my dreams always dismissed as silly.
“What are you doing here?” My whisper is sharp, and my inner lynx cringes.
He’s surprised by my tone and my words, but he covers quickly. “I don’t know exactly,” he says in that sexy bass.
“If you stayed for me, you’re wasting your time.” Every word is a slice to my heart. I don’t want to push him away, but I can’t have him chaining me to this place. “Stay away from me.”
He straightens as if I’ve slapped him. I don’t blame him. I’m not making any sense after the glorious night we spent together.
His tone is angry when he replies. “Don’t worry princess, you’ve got all the space you need.”
He turns his gorgeous, muscled back on me, and I want to cry. He has every right to be angry. He can’t possibly understand why I’m saying these things, but I have to put distance between us. My entire body is trembling as I return to Sally. She can tell I’m upset, but she doesn’t say anything. I can’t imagine what she must be thinking, but there’s no time.
“I-I’m sorry, Sally.” I’m struggling to regain my composure. “We have to go out front for class.”
“It’s okay.” Another timid smile. “I don’t mind starting my training next week.”
“Thank you.” I touch her arm, and she follows me to the front.
The group of twelve mostly college-aged girls from Thursday waits for us, and Jim is in his padded suit ready to attack me.