Mating Behavior

by Mandy M. Roth

  Men.

  “What do you mean, is that all there is to it? Were you expecting something with room service maybe?” Alan asked, licking his lower lip. Tempting her.

  He always managed to have a smartass comeback at the most appropriate time. He also had one hell of a temper with everyone but her, it seemed. She’d pulled Alan off many fools who thought to test his patience. Living in New York City meant there was someone stupid enough to try and take him on at just about every turn.

  “Ring a bell and I’m at your service,” he said, a boyish grin lurking just below a devilish one.

  Katie smiled and shook her head as she watched Alan walk toward his backpack. He was seriously ripped and even through his layered clothing, she could easily make out his muscular frame. If she didn’t know better, she’d have assumed he was a supernatural. She’d grown up around men who possessed immortality, superhuman strength, prowess, looks that seemed too perfect to be true and the ability to do amazing things. Alan was just like every other human out there, oblivious to the fact supernaturals really existed. It didn’t matter that he was prone to odd behavior that left Katie questioning how much, if anything, Alan might be open to knowing about her. In the end, he wouldn’t understand what she truly was. Those who weren’t supernatural weren’t permitted to know they existed. That reason alone had kept Katie from acting on her impulses where Alan was concerned. Telling him she was a witch would never happen.

  The idea of full disclosure was as absurd as admitting to him how she truly felt. The constant worry when he was gone on business trips. The overwhelming need to be near him as much as possible. It was craziness. So was the fact that every man she attempted to bring into her life with the idea of something romantic happening, sickened her, making her stomach twist in a knot before they could get much further than first base.

  I only want Alan. Too bad he doesn’t want me.

  Many a night she’d lay in bed, imagining his hands running over her body, pleasing her before she concentrated on his needs. It was bad enough Katie was best friends with a human, but to have sex with one, knowing how hard it was to control her gifts during orgasms, was plain old insane. Granted, there was something about Alan that set him apart from other humans, but she’d met many over the years who possessed slight gifts. Nothing that would qualify them to be labeled a supernatural. Most were psychics and other sixth-sense people. Some even had the ability to channel energy for the sake of healing. Alan was one of them.

  Katie never really took to the side of her that wasn’t “normal”. The side she was ashamed of. Coming from a long line of black magik wasn’t something she was proud of. In fact, she spent most of her childhood not only afraid of the dark, but of just about everything in her family home. Her family pet was suspected of eating a neighborhood vandal, and yet it was one of the cuddliest things she knew as a child. Sure it was a hellhound, but its base form was that of a poodle so it had the element of surprise on its side.

  Yep, my family freaked the best of ‘em out.

  Once Katie moved away and learned household pets didn’t make a habit of eating people, she thought about getting a cat. The minute she mentioned the idea to Alan, his eyes widened and he launched into a rather dramatic argument as to why she wouldn’t want a cat. In the end, he wore her down before she ever really got a clear picture of why he disliked cats so much.

  She knew all about the craft—spell casting, glamours, controlling the elements, where to buy eye of newt in bulk—the works. She even knew how to draw upon one's worst fears and use them as a weapon. Her mother and sisters wouldn’t have had it any other way, but she didn’t pride herself on the knowledge. The times she’d watched that power in particular be used had left her sick to her stomach and begging forgiveness from a higher power. Katie doubted any such reprieve would be granted.

  The second she was able to move out, she did, spending her first four years of college in a dorm room. The college she’d selected was across the country from her family. They didn’t question her leaving or try to stop her. Just because they practiced black magik didn’t make them evil to the core. It simply made their morals questionable and their motives something one quirked an eyebrow at. Through it all, Katie somehow managed to come out “normal” or as close to it as one in her situation could. Still, Katie wanted nothing of the life they offered. She wanted a clean slate and that’s what she’d found in New York—with Alan. He never looked at her with fear in his blue eyes and he never accused her of hexing him—a regular assumption at the Spencer household.

  Sure, the minute the front door takes on a life of its own and begins telling people to wipe their feet before entering, I get blamed for it. She smiled as she reflected on her childhood, and the look on her mother’s face when the door informed her that the day had been deemed a happy day and only those with a smile could pass its threshold. Hmm, maybe I should have pulled back on the love and happiness. Bet that was a dead giveaway I was behind it all.

  Katie watched as Alan pulled a piece of flint from his backpack. The man was prepared for just about anything. Shamefully, she’d always assumed he was a born-and-bred city boy, regardless of the number of times he told her he grew up near these very mountains. The slightest tinge of a drawl surfaced at the oddest times with Alan. Still, it was hard to picture the man who always smelled like temptation and had better fashion sense than she did as a mountain man. He always seemed so “Wall Street” to her and she knew he lived below his means. That being said, Alan was certainly more adept in the wilderness than Katie. She was a city girl through and through.

  The closest she ever came to roughing it was when she’d been reading a book and accidentally sent herself into the storyline. Unfortunately for Katie, the book revolved around a jungle and crazed tiger stalking the lead character. On a good note, her father had been annoyed with her tardiness at the dinner table, so he cast a retrieval spell and ripped her from the story and straight into her chair. He then proceeded to complain about her smelling like a group of monkeys in the wild. She never did confess to what had really happened. She’d been twelve at the time.

  She cast a sexy smile in Alan's direction. “You’re so quick to pick on me, but I’ll have you know that I hiked the entire way up here and never once complained.”

  “The fact you’re complaining now negates that, you know?” Alan winked, laughing softly. He tossed a hand in the air and gave her a Gallic shrug. “I give. What didn’t you complain about?”

  Pulling her foot up, Katie undid the laces to her boot a bit and tugged on her sock. Her thick jeans got in the way and she had to pull them up too. The unnaturally mild air of March was still cold enough to bite at her exposed skin. A red, angry bruise had the start of purple in it and it was easy to see that her ankle was swollen. Daylight was fading fast, but enough remained to see clearly.

  Alan’s laughter died instantly. “Katie, what the hell happened?”

  “Twisted it shortly after we stopped for that break. I’m only showing you so you’ll stop teasing me about being such a spoiled princess and give me some tough chick points. I’ve earned them.” She beamed. “And thank you for doing this for me. Not many men would volunteer to drag a woman who knows nothing about the outdoors camping to try to observe the mating rituals of wolves.”

  Alan pushed a hand through his chin-length dark brown hair and let out a growl. It was a move he made often when he was worried or upset. From the look in his blue eyes, he was both. He had an uncanny ability to mimic the sounds of a real wolf. It both excited and frightened Katie. Currently, it sent shivers of anticipation through her body. “Dammit, I told you I could have shown you how they mate in the comfort of our home, Katie. I didn’t need to drag you out here to break your leg.”

  “Right,” she rolled her eyes, “because you can re-enact their mating rituals for me. Planning on stealing wolves from the zoo?” She wiggled her foot and sensed a wild streak in him a mile wide. “It’s not broken. I’m fine. Besides, I told you I
want tough chick points here, Alan, not a lecture. Even though, you’re oh so good at droning on and on when you’re mad.”

  “I don’t drone.” The look on his face said he wanted to lecture her, but was holding back.

  Good boy.

  Dropping down in front of her, he touched her ankle lightly. She winced. “I’d ask if that hurt but I already know the answer.” Alan slid his fingers over the red, swollen area and Katie’s breath caught. His scent, rosemary and cedar moved over her, besieging her senses and leaving her breathing in short, sharp gasps. His touch was like magik—it always had been. Heat seemed to pour over her and she knew better than to question Alan about it. The man had secrets that Katie knew he’d never share with her.

  At first, it had hurt, knowing there was something different about her best friend, something he didn’t think she needed to know, but over the years, she’d adjusted to it just fine. Besides, she had more than her fair share of secrets as well. It was hard to remain upset with him when she’d kept major portions of herself from him.

  Somehow, Alan’s touch really did soothe her aching ankle, but that didn’t surprise her in the least. She fell on some ice outside of their building and hurt her elbow last year. His touch had calmed it to the point Katie forgot it even hurt. What was even odder was the fact there wasn’t so much as a hint left on her that an injury ever took place. When she’d asked about it, he’d clammed up, refusing to comment and evading the question. The not knowing what had transpired ate at her, having Alan pull away nearly did her in. She gave up and kept her mouth shut.

  Some questions weren’t worth the price of their answer. Besides, if Alan was freaked out by possessing such a small gift, like healing, how would he ever come to terms with her being a witch? A powerful one at that?

  “Thanks,” she whispered.

  He winked, but still held a look of concern. “No problem. Why don’t you put your foot up for a bit while I get another fire started?”

  She grabbed his hand and pulled him close. “Alan.”

  “Yes?” he asked, his light blue eyes locked on her.

  Katie fought the urge to put her mouth closer to his. Alan’s lips were fuller than most men she knew and they served nicely to soften an otherwise too hard face. He’d had a full beard for about six months until she complained about missing the sight of his dimpled chin. The next day, Alan’s face was a smooth as a baby’s bottom. That wasn’t exactly what she wanted either. After much hint dropping, Alan had taken to leaving a light dusting of hair on his jaw line. Each day was a testament of her will power—not demanding he kiss her.

  She ran her hand through his nut brown, layered hair and put her lips close to his. “Thank you for making my ankle feel better.”

  Alan’s brow furrowed as he leaned in closer to her. His warm breath skated over her bottom lip and she had to keep from moaning. He planted his hands on both sides of her and stared deeply into her eyes. It wasn’t something Alan was prone to doing and it caught Katie a bit off guard. “I need to gather more firewood, hon,” he said, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself he needed to move, rather than sway her.

  “Uh-huh.” Katie put her hand over his and caressed his fingers. “Be careful. They tell me there are wolves out here.”

  A slow, sexy smile slid over his handsome face. “You don’t say? I’ll have to be on my guard then, huh?”

  Suddenly, the idea of him being hurt seemed very real for some odd reason. Katie knew they were only joking back and forth, but she couldn’t shake the feeling Alan might very well end up injured. She clutched his hand. Her oldest sister and her mother possessed the ability to see the future. While Katie didn’t, every now and then she could sense pending danger. She knew better to ignore the sensation, regardless of how silly it seemed. “Seriously, Alan, be careful. Please.”

  “Don’t worry. I won’t leave you to brave the elements all by your lonesome, Katie.”

  Pfft, I could control the elements if I focused hard enough.

  Letting go of his hand, Katie cupped his chin quickly. “Alan Lawrence Becker, this is not funny. I don’t give a damn about being alone in the… umm… never mind, I do care about that, but not as much as I care about you. Be careful. Promise me. We’re a long way out from help being able to get to us if we have a problem.”

  Alan puckered his lips and moved forward, pressing his lips to her forehead. “I will. I promise.”

  It wasn’t the first time he’d given her a chaste kiss like that and each time he did, she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to really kiss him.

  Katie ran her hands up the sides of his face and pressed her forehead to his lips once more, savoring the feel of being this close to him. “Give me a minute and I’ll come with you.”

  “And if I should run into wolves, how are you planning to protect me?” he asked good humouredly. “You going to read them the riot act too? Works on me, so it very well could work on them, too.”

  She hadn’t thought about that, but it didn’t matter. It wasn’t as if she could summon her powers and zap a wolf with Alan watching her. Regardless, she wasn’t completely helpless and hated feeling that she was. Katie stared into his eyes as she swallowed hard. Feelings she’d long since given up trying to get to go away resurfaced with a vengeance. “I want to be with you.”

  “Be with me?” Alan asked lifting a questioning brow.

  Katie averted her gaze. “I mean, uhh, I want to help you gather more firewood.”

  “Rest your ankle,” he said, pressing an innocent kiss to the tip of her nose. “I’ll be back in a bit. I promise.”

  She clung to him and Alan drew back slightly. “Katie, what’s wrong? You’re acting strange.”

  I feel strange.

  She held that part back, choosing instead to wrinkle her nose and wink. “Hurry up. Okay?”

  Alan stared into Katie’s dark brown eyes and pushed a stray strand of white blonde hair back into her cap. How she managed to get her unruly mane of hair into nothing more than a knit hat still boggled him. Most of what Katie did managed to surprise him time and time again. She was a free spirit. One he envied greatly. He’d lost count of the number of classes she’d taken that wavered off her major’s requirements some time ago. If she had an interest in it, she signed up for the course.

  When she’d insisted on doing a research paper on the mating behavior of the red wolf, she’d taken the cake, shocking him to the core. She’d gone on to tell him about having a series of dreams consisting of the two of them surrounded by a pack of baby wolves. The thought moved him dramatically. He’d found himself blurting out how he’d take her to observe them, if she wanted, and how they could use his family’s cabin in the mountains. The next thing he knew, the woman he loved more than life itself was wrapped around him, squealing with delight and making him swear to honor his promise. He could no more deny her this than he could deny his feelings for her.

  How he’d managed to keep his feelings a secret from Katie this long was a mystery to him. Somehow, she didn’t seem to notice his lingering stares, his need to be close to her and the way they seemed to live life around one another’s schedule. Neither had been part of the dating scene for six months now. Even when they were, it was merely a ruse. Alan’s keen senses allowed him to pick up other men’s scents on Katie. For the first month or so after meeting her, she’d held another’s scent. He was elated she’d gotten rid of it until the incident six months ago.

  Even then, with the scent of another man on her, he didn’t run off and take another woman to his bed. He thought about it, but ended up bailing midway through dinner and dancing, only to return home and crawl into an empty bed. No one but Katie would do. Of that, he was sure.

  He had lost his temper that night and had come close to shifting in front of Katie. Even now, smelling someone else on what should be his made him bristle in jealous rage. Lucky for him, Alan chose to rush out of the room and slam the door so hard it broke. He then disappeared for sever
al days after, needing time to try to cool his jealous streak.

  I have no claim on her.

  It didn’t matter how many times he told himself that—it changed nothing. He wanted to claim Katie as his mate and no amount of mental psyching out was going to change that. Still, taking her as his would be the equivalent of signing her death warrant. He’d never harm her or let harm come to her.

  When he’d first met Katie, it had felt as if a Mack truck slammed into him, leaving him breathless. She was in the market for an apartment and had no luck finding one. She’d stopped in the same coffee shop he was in and began searching their message board. She was a senior in college at the time, putting her five years younger than him, but something deep inside wouldn’t let Alan watch the moment pass him by.

  He owned the building he lived in and was careful who he did and did not rent to. There was a set of elderly sisters who lived on the first level. One had been harmed in a mugging in their old neighborhood and Alan wanted to know they were safe, so he charged next to nothing for them to live there and kept an eye on them. They took on the role of surrogate grandmothers to the residents of the building, even going so far as to pack lunches for Alan with the crusts cut off the sandwiches. He didn’t have the heart to tell them to stop.

  A single mother lived on the second floor and across from her a man Alan trusted with his life—a long-time friend and fellow outcast shifter. His friend’s obsession with the single mother rivaled Alan’s with Katie, so they left well enough alone and pretended they hadn’t fallen for humans.

  Finally, Alan lived on the third floor. Never in his life had he planned to rent out the apartment across from his. In fact, he’d planned to have the walls torn down between the two, making it one large studio.