by Cameo Renae
It wasn’t fair. “I wish you were here,” I wept, resting my forehead against her headstone. I missed her so much, and the ache in my heart was growing, making it hard to breathe.
Footsteps from behind made me jump to my feet and crouch in a defensive stance . . . something my dad had taught me.
I waited, my pulse racing, when Rylan stepped out of the woods.
I quickly wiped my tears and straightened. “What are you doing here?”
His hazel eyes met mine with a hint of concern. “Looking for you. Why? Aren’t you glad to see me?”
I huffed, but wasn’t going to lie. I was relieved it was him, and not someone—or something—else. “How’d you find me?”
“I have my ways,” he said, stepping closer.
I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my puffy eyes. “Are you stalking me?”
A playful grin rose on his lips. “I don’t need to stalk you, cupcake.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
His head cocked slightly to the side as he tapped his left temple. “Intuition.” He then took another tentative step closer. “But I think the bigger question here is . . . how did you get here? How did you find this place?”
There was no way I was going to tell him I followed a magical glimmer of light. So, I tilted my head slightly, tapped the side of my temple, and replied, “Intuition.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “So damn feisty.”
As he neared me, he slipped out of his black leather bomber jacket. “You must be freezing,” he said, laying it over my shoulders. The warmth inside his jacket seeped into my skin, instantly warming me. I pushed my arms through the sleeves and hugged it closer. His scent—his unique fragrance of pheromones mixed with hints of pine and wind—made my head tingle.
“Thanks,” I breathed, my heart hammering at his closeness.
Glancing around, I noticed the glimmer was gone.
“I’m sorry about your mom,” he said, standing next to me, facing her grave. “Your uncle told me what happened. She was brave and selfless.”
I nodded, trying not to answer, because I knew if I did, I’d start crying again. As my eyes focused on the headstone, I noticed a subtle etching behind the words. It was of a wolf howling at a full moon, and within the moon was a pentagram. It was who my mom was, and maybe what I was to become. A wolf and witch.
“Why is she buried out here?” I asked. “What is this place?”
“This cemetery is for the supernaturals who live in this town. The other is for the humans.” He paused for a moment, then glanced at me. “Just so you know, your aunts are freaking the hell out. Lydia called me, frantic, thinking you were kidnapped. They sent me to look for you, and if I don’t get you back soon, she’ll blow a major blood vessel.”
Crap. “Have they called my dad?”
“Not yet. But the longer you’re away, the more likely it is for those two to start gathering a search party.” He chuckled.
“Do you have a phone? Can you call them?”
“Yeah,” he said, pulling a cell from his back pocket and showing me. “But there’s no service here.”
Double crap.
“But they said they’ll be waiting at Coffee Haven until they hear from me.” He extended his hand. “Shall we?”
As soon as I took his hand, a current of vibration traveled from his to mine. I gasped, and his hand flinched, but neither of us let go. His hand was so warm, I didn’t want to.
He quickly led me back to the entrance of the Havenwood Falls human cemetery, and sitting off to the side was his motorcycle.
Seriously, how did he know I was here?
Rylan hopped on his motorcycle. “Put this on,” he said, holding out the helmet to me. I didn’t argue. I walked up to him, took the helmet, and pushed it onto my head. It smelled like him.
“I’ve never been on a bike,” I admitted.
“Just hop on the back and hold on.”
“To what?”
His head angled to the side, and his smile became serpentine. “To me.”
He turned on the ignition and revved his bike. I carefully slipped onto the back and wrapped my arms around his waist. I was so close, my front pressed up against his back. And I liked it. I leaned against him, letting his warmth seep through me.
“When we go around turns, just lean with me,” he instructed.
“Okay,” I exhaled. “What about your helmet?”
“I only have one. Besides, I have a thick skull.” Before I could respond, he pulled out from the cemetery, making my grip tighten around him. He glanced sideways, a broad smile raised on his lips.
A car slowed as we traveled down Stuart Street, and Rylan slowed, too. As both vehicles came to a stop side by side, a guy around our age, with dark hair and eyes, rolled down the back window.
Rylan addressed him. “Hey, Kase.”
The boy gave him a nod. “I was going to call you.”
“What for?”
“We overheard a couple of human visitors say they saw Camden talking with two guys on black ATVs the night he was found. So keep an eye out.”
“Thanks, man. I’ll tell the family.”
“No problem.” Then Kase glanced at me. “Who’s that?”
Rylan turned his head sideways. “Cam’s sister, Eris.”
“Eris?” His eyes widened as I gave him a nod, keeping my helmet on. I didn’t want them to see my face, which was probably red, puffy, and splotchy from crying. “Welcome back,” he said.
“Thanks.” My reply through the helmet was muffled.
“I’m Will Kasun, or just Kase.”
Kasun. The sheriff. This must have been his son, because I could see the resemblance.
“Hey, you guys coming to the Festival of Lights on January eighth? It’s our first day back to classes,” he groaned. “A group of us is meeting after school and heading up to Mt. Mae on the ski slopes. The views up there are killer. Much better than in town.”
“We’ll think about it,” Rylan answered. “Thanks for the info. I’ll catch you guys later.”
“No problem,” Kase answered, then waved as Rylan pulled away.
It wasn’t long before we were back in town, pulling up in front of Coffee Haven. I slid off the bike and reluctantly took off the helmet, handing it back to Rylan. “Thanks,” I said.
“My pleasure.” His head nodded toward the store, where my aunts came rushing out, clearly shaken.
“Oh my God,” Aunt Lydia exclaimed, throwing her arms around me, squishing my cheek against her boobs. She then pulled back and held the sides of my face in her hands. “What happened to you? Your face is all red and swollen. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I answered.
Aunt Vera hugged me next. “Eris, you were just about to send us to an early grave. What happened? Where did you go?”
There were eyes all around us, making me want to throw on Rylan’s helmet and have him whisk me away. “I—I went to the cemetery to see my mom.”
They both glanced at each other.
“Sweetie, you should have told us,” Aunt Vera replied. “We could have taken you there after shopping.”
“I know. And I’m sorry,” I sighed. “I just felt like I needed to go there on my own.”
“Well, you should have at least told one of us,” she said, before her eyes softened. “But we do understand.” I felt horrible that I left without telling them, and caused them so much stress. But I couldn’t rewind the moment. “We have a few more places to stop before we head home. Did you still want to go to the ski shop?”
“Actually,” I turned toward Rylan, “I was wondering if he could take me home. I’m really tired.”
Rylan’s brow rose. “Yeah, sure. I was headed home anyway.”
“Honey, if your daddy found out you were riding on the back of a motorcycle with a boy, he’d not only kill us, he’d kill him.”
“I promise, it’ll be straight home. And I’ll wear a helmet.”
&nb
sp; Aunt Vera stepped up to Rylan. “First, thank you so much for finding her,” she said, laying a hand on his shoulder.
“No problem,” he answered.
“Second, promise me that you’ll drive super slow and safe, and take her straight home.”
“I promise,” he said, laying a hand over his heart.
“All right,” she sighed. “He found you and brought you here safely. I trust him to take you home just as safely. I know you’ve had a rough few days. We’ll finish up quickly and be home as soon as we’re done.” She dug a notepad and pen from her bag. After writing on it, she handed it to me. “Here’s mine and Lydia’s numbers. If you need anything, call us. But Garrick is home too.”
“Thank you,” I said, hugging them both.
I slid Rylan’s helmet back onto my head and wrapped my arms around his waist as he started up the bike.
“Be safe! We’ll be home soon,” Aunt Lydia yelled as we pulled away.
Chapter 8
After a quick tour of the town, Rylan took me home. In no time, he pulled up to my front stairs.
“You want to come inside? It’s lunch time, and I can make a pretty mean sandwich.”
“Sure. Let me park this bike at home, just in case your dad comes early. And I’m going to tell Garrick what Kase told us.”
“Who was that guy?”
“Kase is the sheriff’s son. We met during football tryouts. At first, he was an ass, but when he found out what I was, he opened up. He was the one who introduced me to your brother. Even though Camden graduated the year before, they still hung out because they’d played football together. But Cam and I hit it off instantly . . . like two lost brothers finally connecting.”
“That’s cool,” I said, handing him his helmet. I was realizing how much I missed out on Camden’s life. He played football, but what were his likes and dislikes? Was he good at sports? I assumed he was, but had no idea. Rylan, a stranger before today, knew things about him I didn’t, and it made me a little jealous. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Yeah, be right back.” As he drove off, I ran up the stairs and opened the door, quickly ducking out of the cold.
A few minutes later, Rylan knocked.
“Come inside, it’s so cold,” I greeted him.
He stepped in, raking his fingers through his thick hair. “It’s not too bad.”
“Are you kidding me? I need to find the temperature control in here. It’s freezing.”
He stepped toward me, a lazy grin on his lips. “I’m hot blooded. I can keep you warm if you want.”
I gulped. His closeness made my blood stir and ignited something inside. A heat. A warm, wonderful heat. I needed distance, so I stepped back.
“You don’t have to worry about me, Eris. I’m not a big bad wolf.” His eyes traveled to my lips, and I could barely breathe.
I hitched a thumb toward the kitchen. “If you’re hungry, we have a bunch of sandwich stuff.” I took another step away from his gravitational pull.
He noticed and chuckled. “Maybe in a bit.”
“Okay,” I exhaled. “Want to watch a movie?”
“Sure.” He walked past me, deliberately brushing his arm against mine. Jerk.
I followed him into the living room, and he walked straight to a small cabinet under the TV. He knew the place better than I did, and I wondered how much time he spent here with Camden.
“What do you want to watch?” he asked, bending over. I couldn’t help but notice his perfect butt. “Besides my ass,” he laughed.
Oh hell. Embarrassment heated my face.
“Don’t worry, cupcake. I don’t mind.”
“I wasn’t . . . I—I’m going to get us something to drink.” I swallowed hard, turning for the kitchen. “Water? Soda?”
“I’ll take a Monster.”
“A what?”
“Energy drink. They’re on the door of the fridge. Second shelf.”
“Oh,” I exhaled. “Well, at least you know your way around this place.”
He gave another wonderful laugh. “Yeah, this was my second home. It was mine and Cam’s place to get away from the adults and the twins.”
“Are they bad? The twins?”
“Nah, they’re cool. They’re fifteen, but your aunt always asks us to keep an eye on them. I think they hate it as much as we do.”
“So, you know about the Blaekthorns? About what they are?”
He popped his drink and took a swig. “Well, they don’t howl at the moon like the shows suggest.”
He did know. So, I pressed him.
“Did you get a tattoo when you came here, the ones for the supernaturals?”
He turned to me, his hazel eyes narrowed. “You can ask me anything, and I’ll tell you the truth.” He pulled his T-shirt over his head and turned his back toward me.
My breath caught in my throat at the sight. Yes, the almost invisible Havenwood Falls protection tattoo was there, but there was also another, covering his entire back.
Four large slashes were tattooed diagonally from his right shoulder down to the base of his spine. It looked like his skin was being torn apart from the inside out. At the end of the slashes were claws, dripping with blood. But there was something else, peeking from behind those slashes. A wolf, with golden eyes. And its eyes . . . they seemed so real, like they were peering deep into my soul.
My fingers automatically reached out to touch it, and as soon as my fingers grazed his skin, there was a current—a tingling heat, flowing from me to him. The muscles in his back tensed, making me gasp and pull away.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “I didn’t mean to touch it.”
His head twisted to the side, the cocky grin back. “You can touch me anytime, and anywhere, you want.”
Jerk, I thought. Only because I wanted to.
I was glad when he threw his shirt back on. “And in case you’re wondering about the tattoo . . . it’s a representation of the beast inside, waiting to be released.”
“So, you’re—”
“A shifter, just like your family,” he answered, as if he were answering any other question. When I paused, his head twisted back to me. “I told you, I’ll tell you anything.”
“Why? You don’t even know me.”
He sat down on the couch next to me, the space between us instantly heating. “For one, you’re Cam’s sister, and your family has taken me in when no one else would.”
I couldn’t argue with his answer, and I wanted to know, “How did you find Havenwood Falls?”
He smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Instead, they held a sadness—a look all too familiar. One I’d seen many times in my dad’s eyes.
“I came from a protective family and a strong pack. My father was alpha, but being the alpha’s son didn’t mean anything. Life wasn’t any easier for me. From a young age, I had to prove myself . . . to work and fight for everything I got, and didn’t get any special treatment.
“Over the past few years, our pack was targeted by rivals because of our strength. We could never settle in one place, so we became wanderers, moving from state to state for the safety of the pack. Even on the move, we still weren’t safe. One by one, members were picked off, and our group was whittled down from twenty members to eleven.” He turned to me, his face solemn. “About eight months ago, my father went hunting, and he never returned.
“The next morning, a few of the pack members found his body in the woods, shredded to pieces. No one knows who actually murdered him, but we suspected one person. A rogue shifter named Lars.” The muscles in his jaw tensed, his eyes staring blankly at the wall. “Lars has been stalking our pack for years, waiting to find a weakness. Wanting to take over. He also had a thing for my mom. The bastard.”
My heart ached for him. His story sounded eerily familiar, like my parents’, only it was turned around.
“After my father’s death,” he continued, “his beta and best friend, Axel, took over the pack. Axel is a good guy and has been wit
h my dad from the beginning. The entire pack trusts him.”
“Shouldn’t you have been the next alpha if you were his son?” I asked.
“I could have, but I didn’t want the responsibility. After my dad passed, my mom wanted to leave the pack. She knew things would get worse, especially without my father’s protection, knowing Lars was still out there. She felt that if she left, maybe he would finally leave them alone and the pack could survive.
“She asked me to leave with her. And I did. She was my mom, and I had become her protector.” His eyes saddened. He leaned back, his head resting on the couch. I could tell that he was struggling with whatever he was going to say next. I could almost feel his pain.
“You don’t have to tell me,” I said. “Some things are personal, and I respect that.”
He glanced at me, his hazel eyes narrowing. “No, I want to tell you. I want you to know my story.” He paused, then looked away. “You know, so in case you think I’m a prick, you’ll feel pity and cut me slack. Maybe even offer me some solace.”
“Well,” I said, placing my hand on his shoulder. “The only thing I’m offering you today is a sandwich.”
He shrugged, a smile gracing his lips. “Then a sandwich will do.”
Crossing one ankle over the other, he exhaled deeply, and I stayed quiet while he continued. “It was my mom who wanted to come to Colorado. She said she had this wonderful dream about a place where people like us could be safe.” His eyes found mine again. “My mom had a gift. Her dreams were visions, and most times, when she had them, they came true.
“We were so close, not fifty miles away from this place, but we were starving. We found an old, abandoned barn to stay in for the night, and because she was so weak and tired, I insisted she stay and rest while I went and hunted for food.” His eyes closed, and his jaw tensed again. “When I returned, I thought she was sleeping. I went to wake her, but found her throat had been slit.” His brow furrowed, and tears welled in his eyes. He quickly turned away and wiped his face on his sleeve.
“Rylan, I’m so sorry.” There were no other words. What do you say to someone who lost both of their parents in such a short period of time?
He shook his head, shaking the memory away. “Don’t feel sorry for me, cupcake. I’ve learned hard and fast how to deal with life’s twisted games. I’m a shifter. We adapt. We have to or else we die.”