by Lilly Cain
She frowned but he cut her off before she could say anything. “No, they didn’t tell me. Your staff is loyal. But I read people very well. I can tell when they’re lying, just like I can tell you’re lying. So what are you hiding?”
“I… I’m thinking of leaving the company.” She shifted slightly in the chair and crossed her legs. Damn, she had hot legs.
“Also a lie.”
The corners of her mouth tipped down slightly. She’d lost most of her lipstick and her eyes looked tired, but she’d lost none of her appeal. He pulled the fork from his pocket. He toyed with it with one hand, and watched her while he took a sip of brandy. He didn’t miss the way her eyes widened at the appearance of the twisted utensil. She jumped to her feet and paced back to the bar where she tossed back her drink.
“I think you should go. If you don’t want to work with me, that’s fine. I’ll assign another developer, unless you want to give up on Multoma.” She turned back to him. Her mouth held a grimace. “They are the best, though. You aren’t likely to get a better deal or have a better person manage it.”
He stood and walked to her, leaned closer while he set the glass on the counter. “I know.” He took her glass from her and she let him, though he could see the tension in her jaw. He set her glass beside his. “You are the best. And I want you.” He meant it in so many ways and tried to tell her a few of them with his tone.
She closed her eyes for a second, seemed to take the time to make up her mind. Then she opened those beautiful golden eyes. “I want you, too.”
He reached out and touched her hair. She tensed, but let him cup the back of her skull. He pulled her closer, smelled the floral scent of her light perfume. Her long black hair slid over his hands like silk. Most women in business wore their hair up but she never did, something he appreciated. He pulled her gently toward him and she took the step that he needed to know that this time she told the truth.
She wanted him.
* * *
What was she doing? Why was she letting him in? She couldn’t tell him the truth except about how he affected her. And was that part of the change too? Would she have acted this way a few months ago? Was the desire she felt, the need, all a part of her curse?
What would happen if she let him…? No, not if she let him take her, what she felt was stronger than that. What if she took him? A part of her, a growing part, wanted to grab hold of him and roll them onto the floor right now. To growl and bite…
And then he was kissing her, his lips firm and warm against hers. She opened her mouth and tasted him. He tasted like he smelled, of brandy and man, and she wanted more, so much more.
He wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her close. She melted against the onslaught of his hands, his lips... It felt so good to be held, be desired. It had been too long and maybe it was worth the risk to have his embrace for a little while. She kissed him back and he must have felt the change in her because he gripped her tighter, pressing her tight to his body so she could feel the heat of him everywhere.
She ran her hands over the strong muscles of his arms and back. They were tense, as if he were poised for action. Did he want her that much or did he already know that this was a bad idea? Did he have any clue about the danger he was in simply by being near her? She pulled her lips from his but didn’t let him go. For a moment the only sound was their breathing. After a moment, he let her go and stepped away. She let him, although it was the exact opposite of what she wanted.
Stopping was the right thing to do. While it would be fun and a huge relief of tension, sex meant intimacies she wasn’t able to share anymore. And even if she could get things sorted out on a personal level, they were going to be business partners. Business and pleasure never mixed well.
He turned back to her. “So, you aren’t even going to tell the truth about this. There’s a pull between us that could make things really, really good. You know it.”
He’d stiffened, his shoulders rigid, and the corner of his mouth tilted down. He was right—she was lying. But how could she tell him the truth? In another week the change would become too difficult to control and she’d have to leave. Next month maybe, after she found the Rom and made them take their curse away, she’d be able to tell him something. He’d never believe what was happening to her now.
Hell, sometimes she didn’t believe it.
She tried to clear things up. “We’re going to be working together—”
“Maybe. Maybe not,” he practically growled.
His frustration and desire heated the room and his scent had changed, growing sharper with frustration. His aggressive stance made her heart pound as much as his kiss had earlier and her bra suddenly seemed too tight. Her hands tingled and she glanced down. Her fingernails were darkening, sharpening. Oh, God.
“You have to go. I need you to go.”
He took a step toward her. “Just tell me what is happening. What are you involved in? Are you in trouble? I can help—”
Tears threatened to fall and it was all she could do to hold them back. “You can’t help.” What could he do but complicate things further? She could fix this on her own, once she found those goddamn Gypsies. She pulled her shoulders back and lifted her chin, then walked to the door. She opened it and waited. After a moment he walked out but hesitated at the threshold.
“When you’re ready to tell me the truth, I’ll be ready to help you. Until then, I think business can wait.” He walked to the elevator without looking back and she quietly shut the door.
She’d lost the deal for Multoma. No way would he work with them now on either project and it was all because of her. Promotion or not, she’d likely lose her job, her career. Everything she’d ever worked for would be gone and because of what? Because she’d done her job and some Gypsies got in the way.
Well, they were going to pay for it. After this change, she was going hunting. And before she exiled herself this time, she was going to discover just where her hunting territory would extend. She wiped away the tear that had managed to escape and picked up her briefcase. At least her claws had become nails again once David had left. The alpha strength of him had made her appreciate what that strength could do for her sexually, and that had brought on the beginning of her change as much as his aggression had. And wouldn’t that be the end of any sexual adventure. Sorry, David, you don’t mind a little fur in the bed, do you? Care for a bite?
She snorted, and then took a deep breath. At least she could still see a little humor in it all. Dark humor, to be sure, but what the hell, better than crying. She strode to her desk in her home office and unpacked her weapons—a powerful laptop and a top-of-the-line cell phone.
She’d begun the search for the Rom immediately after her first change, but this time she wouldn’t be distracted by anything. Whatever they had done to her had to stop. Maybe it was magic…what the hell else could it be? So, she’d have to search that, too.
Hours ticked by until she forced herself to stop. Her stomach growled fiercely the moment she stood. She walked to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Not much inside had any appeal but she made herself a quick omelet. She considered her options as she got ready for bed. There was no way she would ever find a cure herself. The Rom had done this to her and they would have to fix her. But at least she had an idea of where to find them.
She climbed into bed and went to turn out the light. It wasn’t on. She looked around the room. She could see as well now in the dark as she used to with the lights on. Another part of the curse that was just a tiny bit like a gift. What a mess. She closed her eyes fell back on the pillows.
Running. Running with soft pine needles beneath her feet. Wind in the air brought scents of the forest, and him. She grinned and raced past another tree, chasing her prey and gaining ground. The breeze tickled her sides and feathered through her hair. She laughed aloud and dug her bare toes deeper into the pine needles, pushing herself faster and faster as the chase was nearly over.
Then she was o
n him. She knocked him to the ground with a grunt and fell with him into a pile of dried leaves. They crunched beneath them as he twisted and flipped her and she reveled in the way his scent mixed with hers and the sharp scent of pine needles, the moldy smell of dried leaves. Sex in the woods like this with David was the best. First the chase, then the rough sex that pleased the beast inside her. They’d go for finesse later. She caught hold of his shoulder and bit him hard, drawing blood. The taste was heaven—sharp and powerful and invigorating. But he shouted and she jumped away from him in shock.
His eyes were wild. David. She smelled fear and growled, the sound low and deep. Was he afraid of her? Her heart seemed to drop into her stomach.
But his gaze had shifted to the woods around them. He wasn’t looking at her at all and while relief was sweet, she turned to stare at the woods that suddenly seemed dark.
The shadows moved.
“Run!”
Helen threw off the covers and jumped to her feet. The urge to run brought panting gasps from her lungs. She shivered and ripples of sensation—goose bumps, each individual hair rising—raced over her skin. She glanced at her bed and found the sheets shredded. There was no more time. She needed to go now, not next week.
The change was coming.
6
Thank God for GPS. For the last two hours the road had become a narrow, twisting, single lane path amid a dense forest of trees. Not a house to be seen, let alone a convenience store or gas station. Good thing Helen was fully provisioned. Yesterday, when she’d put in for her leave, it was immediately approved. That never happened. She must’ve scared her boss more than she’d thought. How much of the change had he seen? Would she even have a job to go back to? She had the next two months—the entire eight weeks that she’d built up over the last two years by never taking a day off. The vacation time had grown without her noticing. Her life centered on work and nothing else—perfectly boring.
But she had plenty of excitement now, didn’t she? The irony of it brought a half laugh to her lips.
Finally, she spotted the even smaller turn off, or at least she hoped this was it. The lane wasn’t paved, basically just a graveled path in the woods. She’d driven for most of the day and it was getting darker now. Of course, the twilight meant little to her. Twenty minutes later, the gravel ran out and the path was nothing but two ruts. She bit her lip. If she couldn’t find the place, she’d end up spending the night in her vehicle. The idea was unsettling, although she really didn’t have a lot to fear these days. People maybe, and discovery, but not much else. If anyone found out what she’d become, she’d end up a dissection project in some mad scientist’s laboratory.
The urge to turn around and find a way back to civilization was becoming insistent when she spotted a building in the shadows. This was it, and it was pretty much as she’d expected. Old, rarely used, and nearly abandoned. Nearly, because she knew David had been here a few months earlier. Gray cedar siding and a sagging porch with a roof, small windows and a good-sized chimney that made her long for a crackling fire. If David hadn’t provided the coordinates of his father’s old hunting camp in his proposal, she would’ve never found this spot.
She parked to one side of the cabin and sat in the SUV, staring out into the shadows. She would have to stay here for the next week and a half. Long enough to keep her secret, and prevent anyone from getting hurt, including her. Hopefully, there’d be a decent bed, although she’d picked up a sleeping bag and some basics at the camping goods outlet, just in case.
Well, nothing for it but to get out and unpack, move in no matter what conditions she found inside. The grass had grown tall around the old place. Luckily, she’d put on a pair of jeans for the trip and a T-shirt. She pulled on her light jacket—no point in getting bitten by mosquitoes and ticks—popped the trunk, and got out. With the car off the radio fell silent. The shadows had grown longer and she was struck by how very alone she was in this place. Alone was good. Alone was safe.
But it was still alone.
Two trips and she had all her supplies on the porch, which was more stable than it had looked. The screen door was boarded shut and padlocked, but a few sharp yanks took care of that and the lock gave way in her grip. She’d never considered herself very strong, but there was something satisfying in the way the metal folded under her fingers. Of course, that brought back thoughts of David and that damn fork.
What did he think of her? What would he imagine when he realized she was gone again? Would he tell anyone? Go to her boss and complain and mention the weird things he’d seen? No one would believe him. Except…she’d frightened Mr. Winfield. Still, people believed what they wanted to believe and Winfield was a pragmatic man, from her experience. She brought the company money, which should hold things in check for a little while.
The inner door wasn’t locked and opened with only a light creak. Inside was dark even to her, so she pulled a flashlight from her pack and flicked it on.
At least here was a pleasant surprise. She hummed in pleasure. The cabin was fully furnished and had a beautiful fireplace. From the smell, someone—David—had lit a fire here not too many months ago. And although the place was a bit musty, nothing had rotted and no animals had gotten in. Her sense of smell could tell her a lot of things. David had been the only person here for some time.
She brought her things in, shut the door, and explored. Using the bedroom didn’t feel right; sleeping in someone’s bed was like she was taking too much of an advantage. The couch would do nicely and was near the fire so she’d be warm, although that wasn’t much of an issue for her this time of the month. But at least the illusion of safety and hominess would be there for her. There was no power of course, but she had her solar charger for her lantern and phone, and a small cook stove and a cooler. It would keep things fresh enough until she didn’t need to… She grimaced at the thought of hunting.
Sometimes she didn’t need to worry about eating human food. Or at least nothing that had to be cooked. Or gutted. Or even deboned.
She pressed her lips tightly together and got busy putting things away neatly. David might intend on leveling this place, but someone had loved it once. There were signs everywhere, including the handmade rock fireplace and the family photos on the mantle above it. She lit a small fire—there was plenty of wood stacked to one side of the fireplace, and she’d discovered a small room at the back that contained at least a cord of dry wood.
One of the photos on the mantle was of David and an older man with similar features. It had to be his father. David was a young man, maybe twenty, and they were laughing. His father had an arm wrapped around David’s shoulders.
She had no similar photo with her father. He’d never been the hugging kind, or the laughing kind, that she could remember. She turned away. Clearly, she was getting overtired. Sentimentality was a complete waste of time. She unrolled her sleeping bag, plopped down her pillow on the end of the couch and tugged a book out of her kit. With nothing else to do, at least she’d be cutting down her ‘to be read’ pile.
* * *
She’d done it again. She was gone and no one had a clue where she’d gone. Eight fucking weeks? She’d booked eight weeks off and disappeared. What the hell?
David paced his office. Goddammit. This was his fault. He’d told her business could wait until she was ready to tell him the truth. Clearly she wasn’t and his trying to force her had pushed her to leave, maybe earlier than she’d planned. But he still had no idea where she was or why she kept taking off. And what about their deal?
He paced back to his desk and dropped into the chair. Maybe this was a sign. He should just back off and find another developer. There were other companies he could work with. Multoma had been his first choice and it could have taken him to a whole new level, made his small company a much stronger one. Now the project would have to wait. And the spa retreat? He’d leave that off the drawing board. He never should have told her anything about it.
His stomach burned.
It was hard to say who he was angrier with—her for leaving, or him, for telling her too much. Sharing his idea when he hadn’t even bought all the surrounding land. Yes, he had a good bit of the property secured on the mountain, but not all of it. She’d been so interested. Wanted all the details.
He sat up straight. What had she said? She’d asked a lot of questions about the land, specifically his father’s old cabin. And before, she’d tried to claim that she’d been investigating land for development when she’d taken off. Could that part have been true? He’d been sure she was lying, but maybe not entirely. What if she’d gone there, to the cabin to check out the mountain while she did whatever she did when she escaped work and the city?
It was long shot, but it was the only thing he could think of. She wasn’t the type to steal his development; he was a good enough judge of character to believe that. But what if she bought the land around it? That was possible. Then she’d be part owner, or Multoma would be, depending on whose behalf she was really acting.
He leaned back in his chair. Something didn’t really fit. He’d already decided she wasn’t crooked; she worked for her company and herself but wasn’t likely to cheat him out of anything. He trusted his instincts; they’d never steered him wrong. His instincts said she was in trouble.
He called her secretary. They’d left on much better terms than they’d begun, when he’d barged into Helen’s office. “Hello, Sherry. I know you said Helen wasn’t in, but I’m wondering if she did or said anything yesterday that might give you any clue as to where she’s gone?
“No, I’m sorry, Mr. Sherman. She put in for her leave, wrapped up a few things, and left.”