by Anya Nowlan
Naomi
Standing in Sawyer’s spare room, in between two men with identical faces, Naomi hardly had time to fully grasp the situation before the real Sawyer reached out and grabbed her hand, yanking her away from Verin’s grip.
Verin’s head snapped to her, and for a moment, Naomi thought he might grab onto her again, and she’d be in the middle of some bizarre game of tug of war. But luckily for her, Verin dove for the safe instead, leaving Sawyer time to push her behind him.
Verin pulled the heavy metal box out of the closet like it was nothing, a crazed expression on his face. He held the safe in his hands, denting its thick walls in his grip, and finally, his true face began to show through.
Sawyer’s high cheekbones and elegant nose fell away, revealing Verin’s true features, his thin lips curled upward in an unpleasant smile. Where Sawyer’s face was symmetrical and balanced, Verin was disproportionate, from his oddly short nose to his lifeless, far-set eyes.
Trying hard to keep her whole body from shaking, Naomi stood behind Sawyer, clutching onto his arm.
“We can’t let him take it,” she whispered.
“I know,” Sawyer replied. “Stay back.”
With that, he lunged forward, his elbow shooting out to strike Verin across his face. The demon’s head snapped back for a moment, an incredulous look on his face. When Sawyer leveled another punch at him, Verin tossed the safe aside, and it landed with a loud thud at his feet.
“You mutt,” he snarled, blocking Sawyer’s next punch with his forearm.
Verin’s free hand shot out to curl around Sawyer’s throat, his knuckles whitening as he squeezed. Flattening herself against the wall, Naomi fought against the panic rising inside her. Her gaze darting around the room, she frantically tried to think of a way to help Sawyer, before Verin choked him to death.
But her brain kept dragging her back to that night in her old home, to the way she cowered, helpless, as Verin crushed her father’s head. It had taken her a while, but now she really recognized that she couldn’t have done anything that night.
She had been a teenage girl, and her father merely human. If she had done anything but run, there would have been three Moore headstones on the family plot, instead of two. But this time was different.
Sawyer had already driven Verin away once before, and with his shifter strength, he had a real shot at least at getting both himself and her out of this apartment alive. All he needed was a distraction, just a moment where Verin’s attention was scattered.
Desperate, Naomi dove for her duffel bag, still half-unpacked on the floor, throwing stuff out until she found her toiletry bag. Fingers shaking, she quickly unzipped it, grabbing her metal nail file.
Before she could even process exactly how stupid of an idea it was, she jumped forward, plunging the file as deep into Verin’s shoulder as she could.
“Ow!” the demon exclaimed, turning to face her. “Now that was rude and unnecessary.”
Drips of thick, black blood fell from his wound, the pink plastic handle of the nail file sticking out from the hole in Verin’s shirt. Face to face with the demon, Naomi gulped, frozen in place as she waited to be struck again by the demon, or worse.
Her cheek still stung from the first time he had backhanded her, trying to get the location of the statue out of her. Her cheekbone had already swollen up to twice its size, and she wouldn’t have been at all surprised to find out it was broken.
But there was still no way she was going to run. Bracing herself for an attack, she was surprised when it didn’t come. Instead, Verin crumpled forward as Sawyer kneed him in the stomach, hard enough for a sickening crunch to reach Naomi’s ears.
Verin let go of Sawyer’s neck, and Sawyer fell to his knees for a moment, gasping for air. But he got up as fast as he had gone down, pushing himself off and slamming his shoulder against Verin.
Yelping, Naomi quickly got out of the way as the two men barreled into a wall, plaster flying in the air when Verin hit it with a reverberating thud. With Verin cornered, Sawyer hit him, again and again, his fists leveling out a barrage of hits on the demon’s face and torso.
But to Naomi’s surprise, Verin only swayed on his feet, instead of collapsing under the force of Sawyer’s blows. When Sawyer pulled back for a moment to catch his breath, the demon just laughed, looking none too worse for wear.
“I’m going to enjoy killing you more than I thought,” he said, his voice grating, a strange echo to it. “Naomi will get to watch. Again. Ah, what a joy this evening is turning out to be,” he laughed, revealing a row of short, stumpy teeth.
Heart racing almost as fast as her mind, Naomi could only stare at the two men. Was this really how things were going to end? Would nothing stop Verin from taking everything from her yet again?
A vicious snarl ripped through Sawyer, his body sinking into a menacing crouch.
“You will never hurt anyone ever again,” he growled.
With that, his body began to shake and morph, changing shape faster than Naomi would have ever believed possible. His broad shoulders shrank, his wide frame turning more lean and sinewy.
Dark gray fur erupted out of his skin, and within seconds, a huge wolf stood on all fours in the middle of the room, tail twitching and lips curling back. Eyes wide, Naomi couldn’t help but admire the ferocious beast in front of her, and even Verin looked impressed for a second.
Long, sharp nails scraping on the floor, Sawyer slowly closed in on Verin, yellow eyes trained on the demon’s every move. Before Naomi could even blink, the wolf was on Verin, raking his claws across the demon’s shoulders and chest.
Verin cried out in pain, looking down at the deep gashes on his chest with alarm. Sawyer didn’t let up, growling as his huge, heavy paws slashed across the demon’s body. Trying to fight back, Verin grabbed at Sawyer’s fur, attempting to push the wolf off him.
But Sawyer wasn’t about to let that happen. Getting up on his hind legs, the wolf leapt upward, teeth bared, and sank his fangs right into Verin’s neck. The demon screamed at first, beating his fists against the wolf’s sides, but as the screams turned to gurgles, it was clear there was little fight left in the monster.
Shaking his head, Sawyer ripped at the wound in Verin’s throat, not stopping until the demon’s legs gave out and he crumped into a pile near the wall. A nauseating wet sound filled the room as Sawyer pulled back, his muzzle covered in dark blood.
The black liquid dripped from his fangs as he stood over Verin. The demon’s eyes were wide open, staring at the safe on the floor. But there was no life behind his gaze. His expression fell slack, his chest was unmoving, and after a while, Naomi realized…
“He’s dead?” she questioned aloud, unable to believe it.
Sawyer licked his lips with a growl, his nose working as he sniffed the air. They both looked at Verin before turning to face each other. Naomi stepped closer, admiring the huge, regal beast in front of her, letting her eyes travel over his luxurious fur.
And then, as fast as he had changed into a wolf, Sawyer shifted back, his body rippling under a wave of transformation. The way every bone in his body realigned looked almost painful, but Sawyer didn’t make a sound, changing his four-legged stance for a two-legged one with practiced ease.
His face was still stained with the black liquid that passed as blood for demons, but other than that, one could hardly tell he had just been in a fight for his life. Except for the bruise around his neck, that was.
“Are you okay?” he asked, rushing to her, wrapping her in his arms.
“Are you okay?” she countered, relaxing in his embrace. “And is he really dead?” she asked, getting on her tiptoes to peek over his shoulder.
“I listened to his heart stop,” Sawyer replied. “He’s dead.”
Relief surged through Naomi’s body. The day had finally come. The demon that had killed her parents, the demon that had murdered David and who knew how many others… was finally gone.
Yet, instead of feeling
pleased or vindicated, or wanting to celebrate her revenge, all she could think about was how happy she was Sawyer wasn’t seriously injured in the process.
“I’m so sorry,” she murmured, all her feelings flooding to the surface now that the rush of adrenaline was subsiding. “And I want you to know I stayed. I never would have chosen Verin over you. Never,” she said, pulling away to look at Sawyer.
“I’m the one who’s sorry,” Sawyer scoffed. “I stormed out of here in a huff, leaving you unprotected. That’s unforgivable. Verin had to have been watching the place, just waiting to make his move. And I made it easy for him.”
“Well,” Naomi tilted her head at him. “Not exactly easy. He is lying dead on your apartment floor.”
“Fair point,” Sawyer smiled.
“Sawyer,” Naomi started, taking a breath to gather her thoughts. “Once you left, things really fell into place for me. I needed to hear those things you said. And I want to tell you that I am ready to move on. I’m ready to make my life my own, and I want you to be a part of it.”
Brushing his thumb over her cheek, Sawyer stared into her eyes, as if looking into her very core.
“We’re both guilty of getting stuck under the weight of our past,” he replied. “But I can’t wait for us to build a future free from all that. And what you heard me say earlier… It’s true. You are my mate. We belong to each other, and now there’s nothing stopping us from exploring all of what that means.”
Throwing her arms around his neck, Naomi grabbed him into a tight hug, tears springing into her eyes.
“You know just what a woman wants to hear, Sawyer Blake,” she whispered, as his hands slid over her back.
“You better get used to it,” he chuckled. “Because I plan on sweeping you off your feet.”
And of that, Naomi had no doubt.
Epilogue
Naomi
Sitting behind her desk in the new offices of Blake Investigations, Naomi leaned back in her chair, a smile permanently stuck on her face. The clock on the wall said six, meaning she had to rush home to get ready for dinner at eight, but she couldn’t help but sit there for just a moment longer, letting the day sink in.
It had only been a few weeks since she had helped Sawyer reopen the business he had once loved, yet discarded, and the calls and e-mails kept pouring in. Even though over a year had passed since he had last been active in the PI field, it seemed his reputation was strong enough that he could just pick up where he left off.
Stretching her arms above her head, Naomi rolled her neck, before pushing herself onto her feet. The office was still a little bare – not a picture frame or houseplant in sight – but it already felt like she belonged.
Gathering up her purse, she checked her cell phone, grinning to see another text from Sawyer.
Happy Birthday, it started with, like all the other texts he had sent that day. I’ll be wrapping up here soon. Meet you at the restaurant?
Typing up a quick response, Naomi made her way to the door.
See you there, she replied.
Locking the office behind her, she made her way down the stairs and to her car, clutching her jacket closer to her chest as the wind played with her hair. Yet even the chill in the air or the approaching rain clouds couldn’t wipe the grin from her face.
Not when she had found everything she wanted in life. The fact that it was her birthday and she got to spend it with the man she loved didn’t hurt either.
It had been hard to walk away from her old job, after all the work she had done to get where she was. Then again, turning over a new leaf was always difficult, no matter the circumstances. But she hadn’t doubted the decision yet.
As much as she loved history, she knew it had never truly been her passion. It was time to do things only for her, and let go of the need to live her life like she thought her parents would want her to.
As Sawyer had once said – all parents really want is to see their child happy. And damned if she wasn’t the happiest she had ever been.
Starting her car, Naomi pulled into traffic, counting down the familiar streets leading to Sawyer’s apartment. Well, to their apartment, really. After they realized she had barely stepped foot in her own house since she had met Sawyer, the decision about them living together officially had become clear.
Now, there was a For Sale sign proudly displayed on her lawn.
I mean, who in their right mind would choose to sleep alone instead of next to a man like Sawyer?
With thoughts of wrapping her arms around him running around in her mind, the drive home flew by. In no time, she was already stepping out of the elevator, her sights on the door at the end of the hall, her very own set of keys jangling in her hand.
Once inside, she rushed to the bedroom, in a hurry to freshen up before she chose her outfit for the night. But she had barely had time to splash some water on her face, when she heard the front door creak open.
Still in her silk blouse and black skirt, Naomi stuck her head out of the bedroom.
“Hello?” she called out.
“Hello yourself,” a familiar voice replied, making her all but run out into the living room.
Sawyer stood in the middle of it, holding a large box with a bouncy red bow on it in his arms.
“Surprise,” he said, grinning at her.
“What the…” Naomi shook her head, walking closer, studying the gift in his hands.
“I know you said you didn’t want presents, but I couldn’t help myself,” Sawyer shrugged.
An odd sound emanated from the box, something like… scratching? And then there was another soft sound, one she really had to prick her ears to hear… Naomi’s eyes had to be as wide as saucers as she stared up at Sawyer, who was suddenly scrunching up his nose.
“Sawyer,” Naomi started, excitement starting to bubble up in her chest. “Is that box meowing?”
“Ah, a true detective,” he smiled, sticking out his arms. “Go ahead and unwrap it, then, so I can finally sneeze.”
Squealing like a little girl, Naomi carefully took the box from Sawyer, revealing air holes in the back. The meowing was louder now, and she gleefully tore the box open, revealing a small, orange ball of fur inside.
A tiny pink collar dangled from the kitten’s neck, as it looked up at her with wide, green eyes. There was something engraved on it, and Naomi got down on her knees, gently picking the cat up and setting it down on her lap.
Once she made out the lettering, she couldn’t help but laugh.
“Mr. Whiskers?” she asked, looking up at Sawyer, who had taken a healthy step back.
“I thought it was fitting,” he replied, a smile tugging at the edges of his lips.
“But you don’t even like cats,” she shook her head. “I know you think I can’t hear it when you growl at them in the street…”
“You’re right, I’m not a fan,” he admitted. “But I love you. And your happiness means more to me than…” he started, before getting overcome by a loud sneeze.
Mr. Whiskers huddled closer to Naomi, and she enveloped the little kitten in her hands, its soft fur tickling her palms.
“I love you, too,” Naomi smiled, getting back to her feet.
Sawyer’s nose was still scrunched as she stepped closer to him, Mr. Whiskers in hand. But at least he didn’t run away when she rested her head on his chest. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, kissing the top of her head.
“Happy birthday,” he said once more.
And that it was.
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