by Lila Kane
Quicker than she could blink, Ryan stood in front of her. He scooped her up and brought her to the queen bed. He set her back on the pillows and took off his own jeans. She heard the rip of a packet, and had to appreciate he was being careful. She hadn’t even thought that far ahead. Yeah, it had been too long since she’d done this.
When he joined her on the bed, he was completely naked, his whole body toned and hard and warm. She wished she could see him better, see every perfect inch of him, but what she couldn’t see, she could feel.
She reached for the strap of her bra, but he caught her hand. “Let me.”
He eased her up, unlatched the bra in back, and held her close for another kiss. He pulled the bra from between them and she pressed against his chest, her nipples hardening.
He gave a low groan. “Myra…”
She rose onto her knees, pressing closer, making all her senses crazy. She captured his mouth, suddenly hungry for him, all of him. Her tongue mingled with his, a heated dance of give and take. In one swift moment, he had her on her back again. Her breath whooshed out and her hair spread on the pillow.
“Beautiful,” Ryan murmured, leaning over her. He hooked his fingers in her panties and pulled them down her legs.
On his way back up, his fingers brushed her shins, her knees, the insides of her thighs. She fought a shudder of pleasure, but couldn’t stop the moan. “Ryan,” she whispered.
“I need more of you,” he said. “All of you.”
Those words made her shiver in anticipation, and elicited other emotions in her she wasn’t ready to explore. She opened for him, arms reaching up as he settled between her legs.
In the darkness, she caught a glint of light in his eyes before he entered her. He eased in, slow and full, and her back arched off the bed. She gripped his hips, fingers clenching as he pumped in and out, his breath coming in short spurts.
He said her name again, a quiver on his lips. His mouth found her breast, tongue teasing the nipple and then pulling it taut. She hissed in pleasure and squeezed her eyes shut when the climax hit her.
When she opened her eyes again, his gaze was on hers. She locked her hands around his neck as he continued to move. Then his body tightened and shuddered once before he collapsed on her, arms squeezing her tight.
His lips brushed her ear as he whispered something she couldn’t make out. And she relaxed there, completely relaxed and comfortable with his arms wrapped around her tight enough she felt wanted. Needed.
“Are you hungry?” Ryan asked.
Myra managed a chuckle. “Not really. I tested too much banana bread, I think. I…”
Her voice trailed off. She was tired and so, so comfortable. More than comfortable. Happy. And she didn’t want to move.
So, she told him so.
He untangled himself from her and she frowned. “Hey.”
His hand brushed her cheek. “I’m going to get some water, make sure everything’s locked up. You relax. I’ll be back.”
“You’re staying?”
The bed shifted under his weight when he moved. “Is that okay?”
She smiled, her eyes already closed. “It’s perfect.”
She heard him stand and rustle around, probably putting his pants back on. He left barefooted and the footsteps vanished down the hall as she dozed off.
She woke to the sound of her phone ringing. Confused, she shifted, only to find Ryan’s arm around her, holding her close. “Ryan,” she mumbled.
Her phone was still in her pants and they were still in the doorway. She tried to untwist the covers from her legs. Ryan woke just as her phone stopped ringing. Then his started.
“Ryan,” she said, fully awake now. Worry tinged her voice.
He either heard it or felt it, too, and fumbled for his phone on the nightstand. “Hello?”
She could hear the voice on the other end, Logan talking urgently. She heard Willow’s name and then the rest of the sentence.
Her hand clenched on Ryan’s arm and he turned to meet her eyes in the dimness of the room.
Willow was gone.
Chapter 7
Ryan parked behind Logan’s car at Willow’s house and turned to Myra. She’d been quiet the entire ride there and he was starting to worry about her. Myra always had something to say.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he said, turning to her before she could get out of the truck.
Her blue eyes met his. “Kane took her to get her to do the spell.”
He nodded. They knew this. They just hadn’t known how far he’d go to get it. Kidnapping her was one thing, but hurting her was another. Logan had to be out of his mind right now.
“She can’t do the spell,” Myra whispered. “She won’t do it.”
“We’re going to figure this out.” He had to. He was supposed to be looking out for Willow. Her mom was still in a coma, and now he’d imprinted on Myra and felt responsible for her as well. He had to figure it out. He had no choice.
“I don’t care if I get sick again,” Myra said, voice certain. “Let’s get her to reverse the spell. And then Kane won’t have his group of people behind him. They won’t have their powers and they won’t have any reason to stay–”
“No. Myra, no–we’re going to figure this out together. With the rest of the group. And it doesn’t involve you getting sick again. Okay?” He couldn’t let her get sick again. That wasn’t going to happen.
When she didn’t answer, he leaned in. “I’m not going anywhere. We’re going to figure this out. Logan’s going to need you to be calm right now.”
She blinked. Then nodded. “You’re right.”
“Good.” He brushed his lips across hers.
“Maybe we shouldn’t tell him about…you know. Us. Whatever this is.”
He nodded, in complete agreement. But it was going to come up sometime. It wasn’t just a thing. Something to get them through the long days. This was consuming him at the moment, mending together all the detached places in his heart and brain. With Myra around, with himself linked to her, he felt whole. He felt like he had more of a purpose.
They got out of the car as Cheyenne pulled up. Her smile was forced and she rubbed her hand over eyes that looked like they hadn’t gotten any sleep. “I should have made her leave. Or said something–or done something.”
“We weren’t expecting this,” Myra said. “It’s Kane. He thrives on doing the unexpected and we couldn’t have anticipated this.”
Ryan kept his hands to himself, but he wanted to reach for her hand. To give her comfort and show that he appreciated her trying to keep a level head as well.
Inside, Logan was pacing the living room. When they arrived, he stopped and propped his hands on his hips. “We need to find her. Right now.”
Myra went to him, ready to comfort, but he shook his head.
“I can’t do this. We just–listen,” Logan said, lifting his eyes, scanning the group. “We have to go get her now.”
“Where is she?” Myra asked.
Logan ground his teeth. “Kane came for her and–they can’t leave the town, so they’re here somewhere. Cheyenne, you can tell, right? You can tell where they are.”
Cheyenne pressed her lips together. “I’ve been trying all morning. I can only get a general area.”
“Where?”
“Closer to your house…” She closed her eyes and her expression went thoughtful. “I can’t tell for sure.”
“Damn it!” Logan said, spinning away and shoving a hand through his hair. “We can’t just leave her with him. If she–if he does anything. I can’t–” He choked on the words and ran his hand through his hair again.
Ryan stood back, and for once he actually felt bad for Logan. He’d lost the woman he loved. If that happened to him…Love. Is that what this was with Myra? Out of the blue like that? One moment they could barely stand in the same room together and the next he was binded to her? Imprinted on her? And he couldn’t get enough of her, and he couldn’t stay away. Part
of that, some part of that had to be love.
If he lost Myra right now, he’d probably be acting a lot like Logan.
“Listen, let’s split up,” Cheyenne said. “Logan, go to your house just in case. I’ll check the hospital and make sure Faye’s okay. Ryan…” She hesitated before looking over at him.
“What?”
“Can you work on…you know?”
He tensed. “What?”
“The shifting thing. It might come in handy. That way we can look faster, get to her faster, but without it being so obvious.”
“Yes,” Logan said, nodding. “Good. We can find her that way.”
He looked relieved to have a plan, and left the house faster than Ryan could blink. Cheyenne followed soon after, leaving he and Myra alone. He swallowed, uneasy, and looked around the house he’d spent so much time in. His construction team renovated it and made it marketable just in time for Willow to move into town, needing a home. It was perfect for her. He’d even started to think of it as her house.
And now she was gone.
“You can do this,” Myra said. She took a step toward him but didn’t touch him. “I know you can.”
He shook his head. “I can’t control it like that.”
“You stopped yourself from shifting yesterday. You have more control than you think.”
He didn’t want more control. He wanted it all to go away.
Myra stood directly in front of him, her face open, body relaxed. “Ryan.”
“What?”
She licked her lips. “I’m not the Myra you think I am.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I mean…I’m part vampire, too.”
“Myra, I already know this. I–”
“No, listen–I…I’m changing. I can hear your heart beating from across the room. I can move faster, quieter than I used to. Yesterday before you came over, I broke a glass with my bare hand because I was distracted and I must have squeezed too hard.”
She rubbed her palm absently, and he reached for it. “Are you hurt?”
“No.” She showed him her hand. “It healed almost right away.”
“Good.”
“Not good. I don’t…I don’t like not knowing who I’m becoming.”
He searched her face. He could relate to her words but it didn’t look like she was struggling with it. She looked calm.
“I understand,” he said, reaching for her hand again, but she pulled back.
“There’s more.”
Now she did look worried. “It’s…it’s not something that’s…” Her eyes left his, staring at the collar of his shirt.
“Myra. You can tell me.” He gripped her chin and tilted her face so she’d meet his eyes. “What is it?”
“I feel different.” Her voice was a whisper. “My…my teeth ache and…”
He understood right away. It wasn’t just the heightened senses, it was everything else that came with becoming a vampire. Sharper teeth, probably predatory instincts. And more.
He drew her close, pressing her cheek against his chest. “I’m sorry. I should have realized.”
“It’s not your fault. It just–isn’t something that makes me proud, you know? I’m getting this second chance and now…it feels like it comes with a price. And–this has got to be disgusting to you, right? I mean–”
“Myra,” he said, shocked. “It’s not disgusting–you’re not disgusting. Listen–”
She lifted her eyes, but frowned.
“Listen to me, this isn’t–this is only temporary.”
“And if it isn’t?”
He opened his mouth to assure her it was. But if it was, that would mean the imprinting would go away, too, right? And he didn’t want that. He wanted…
She sighed and tried to smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “So maybe…it was better when we were enemies.”
“Myra,” he growled. “We’re not going to do this.”
“If you…if you can’t accept who you are, and I’m struggling with it, too, this is looking a little hopeless.”
He released her arms and turned away, dragging a hand through his hair before cursing again. He knew what she was doing. She was trying to show him that he could accept what was happening to him if she could accept what was happening to her. And maybe…yeah, maybe she was panicking a little. But she was handling it way better than he was.
Myra walked to the window and stared out at the sunny morning. She didn’t look sick. She didn’t look like a vampire. She looked like a beautiful woman with her whole life ahead of her. And he wanted to be in her life. He couldn’t imagine it any other way. Once he’d decided to let go, to give in to his feelings, a switch had flipped. He couldn’t stop. It might be best, but he couldn’t stop.
“I’ll do it.” Ryan walked to her side, close enough his shoulder touched hers. He couldn’t stop touching her. “If I need to shift to figure this out, I’ll do it.”
Her eyes lifted to his. “Do you think you can?”
“I’ll try.” For her. For Willow.
“I’ll help you.”
Now he stepped back. “No, that’s not a good idea.”
He didn’t want her to see him like that. He didn’t want her to see him out of control.
“Ryan,” Myra murmured.
He gritted his teeth.
“You said you don’t think I’m disgusting,” she said.
He glanced at her sharply. “Because I don’t. You–”
“If you can handle me–vampire senses and–and teeth.” She swallowed. “Then I can handle your shifting. It works both ways.”
“Myra…”
When she stepped up to him, wrapping her arms tight around his neck, he couldn’t say no. He breathed in her scent, turned his face to her hair, and closed his eyes. It staggered him how much he felt for her–and that he couldn’t seem to stop it. He already was out of control–he might as well start shifting now, too.
“Just accept it for now,” she murmured, “because we have to do what it takes to get Willow back. And we’ll go from there.”
“Okay.” He pulled back and kissed her lips. “Let’s do it. Outside, though.”
“Why?”
“Because it’ll be easier to…get out. Go somewhere if I’m not confined by the house.” He nodded, more to himself than her, though the idea of shifting made him want to hit something. Or grab one of his sledgehammers and go demolish a wall in one of his homes. It wasn’t natural and it wasn’t easy for him. Not just because of the pain, but because of the memories.
Outside on the small deck, Ryan faced Myra. Her eyes were hopeful.
“You can do this,” she said. “Do you…uh, focus on a specific animal? The hawk, right?”
He’d changed into a hawk more than once, and it seemed to be the easiest. The most painful, yes, but also the quickest transition.
“I think it makes the most sense,” he said, voice rough. “That way I can search for Willow.”
“Good. That’s good.”
He searched the sky, hoping for some sort of inspiration. It helped to see the animal before he had to change. He didn’t even see a sparrow.
He fought the urge to tell Myra not to watch. She was in this just like him–he had to accept it. So, he closed his eyes and thought about the hawk. Thought about the feel of the wind beneath his wings and the air on his feathers.
It jolted him, the first movement in his bones. Then he doubled over, breath rushing from his lungs as his bones and muscles started to move and writhe beneath his skin.
Myra looked alarmed as she crouched next to him. She touched his shoulder. “It’s okay,” she whispered.
He grunted a response, but couldn’t manage anything more before the shift took hold. It snatched his breath and blinded him with the sudden pain. The world disappeared from around him in an instant. And then…
…the pain vanished. He instinctively flapped his wings and rose above Myra’s head. He swooped low over the deck and
she followed his progress, mouth open in wonder. His clothes lay on the deck next to her, as well as his cell phone, which started ringing.
Myra reached for it, keeping her eyes trained on him as he flew over the backyard. He hated the transition itself, but being in another form was actually freeing. He saw the world from another perspective. Was this why his father loved it so much? Why he was willing to let his family fall apart?
“Good,” Myra said, her voice sounding hopeful as she spoke with whoever was on the phone. “Okay, I’ll tell him.”
She ended the call and looked up at him. He swooped closer to let her know he was listening. Her hair fluttered as he flew past and she smiled.
“Cheyenne said she saw Willow at the hospital, but she doesn’t know what’s going on. Do you think you could get over there and follow her?”
Ryan did two loops around her, wishing he could kiss her once more, before he rose high in the air and headed toward the hospital, hoping to catch Willow and figure out where Kane was taking her.
Chapter 8
Myra made her decision about the bakery after Ryan left, choosing to rent it out for the time being. To keep herself distracted, she signed the lease, cleaned the space as well as she could, and then met with Cheyenne for the bad news.
Willow had been influenced by Kane. She didn’t remember any of them, including Logan. Worse, she thought they were the enemy.
Logan was a wreck and it was all she could do to get him to stay at Willow’s and calm down. He wanted to storm Shadow Hill Hotel and take her back.
But without Willow knowing who they were, they were risking her life and a war they weren’t prepared to handle.
Myra went home that evening feeling lost. She wished Logan had come with her so she could comfort him, but he wanted to be at Willow’s in case she returned. Otherwise, he wanted to be alone.
She wanted Ryan, but she hadn’t heard from him since he left earlier in the form of a hawk. She’d collected his clothes and his phone and hoped he wasn’t hurting too badly.
But by the time she grabbed a glass of wine and headed to the study, she started to wonder if he was going to avoid her. The shift had been hard for him–she’d seen that. But there was more to it. A history. And he was keeping quiet about it.