In a Dark Embrace

by Simone Bern

  He went inside and checked his closet. What the hell should he wear for a night out in the big city? Jeremy grabbed his phone and flopped onto the messy bed as he dialed. Eric would know. The two of them had worked together for five years and he was as close to a friend as Jeremy had. Eric was a couple inches taller than him and twice as wide. He was the most imposing-looking guy on the force. They had circled each other warily for the first six months of their association, both used to being the pack leader. Then a house party had turned ugly and the two of them had been targeted by a bunch of juiced-up hockey players. Between them they’d laid flat a half dozen of the idiots and the rest had backed off. Ever since Eric had subtly acknowledged his dominance and they’d gotten along splendidly.

  A gruff voice barked a hello.

  “Eric, I need your help.”

  “What? That you, Jeremy? I must have heard wrong. Sounded like you said you needed help.”

  “I did. Got a date tonight and I’ve no idea what the fuck to wear. She’s Yaletown. Think I should dig out a suit?”

  There was dead silence on the other end of the phone. “Let me get this straight. You, the guy who has fucked so many different women over the past three years that you can’t remember their names, are worried about what to wear on a date with a Yaletown girl?”

  “Yeah. She’s got one of those fancy restaurants in mind.”

  “What does she look like?”

  “What difference does that make?” Jeremy snapped.

  “Big difference. Depends what type of Yaletown girl she is. Is she a polished career woman? The artsy kind? Or a tarted-up secretary looking to marry rich?”

  Jeremy thought about it for all of two seconds. “None of the above. She’s petite, reddish-brown hair and beautiful without a drop of makeup. Rides a motorcycle and works as a counselor. She’s really…different.”

  “Huh. Must be. Where did you meet?”

  “In a park.”

  “What, just now?”

  “No. Last night.”

  “During one of your middle-of-the-night strolls? Geez, man, haven’t I told you that you give people the creeps by doing that? You know who hangs out in dark, secluded forests at midnight.”

  “Yeah. The big bad wolf. But I met Riding Hood and she didn’t run away. Now answer the fucking question.”

  “All right already. Definitely not a suit. She doesn’t sound like the type. My call is those Gap khakis you have and a button-down shirt.”

  “Thanks. I owe you.”

  “Don’t hang up,” Eric shouted into the receiver and Jeremy grudgingly put the phone back to his ear.

  “What is it?”

  “You met her in the park last night.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Then what happened?”

  Jeremy was surprised at his reluctance to answer. He’d been pretty loose with information about his sexual adventures over the last little while. The women hadn’t meant anything to him and he figured if Eric wanted to pick up where he left off his friend might as well know the score beforehand. Besides, bragging about a good fuck was just something guys did.

  “Jeremy, buddy, come on. Did you bring her home? Was she hot?”

  “Yes and yes.”

  “Better than Melissa?”

  Melissa was one of the women they’d shared, passing her back and forth several times over the past year. She was terrific in the sack, plenty of enthusiasm and damn fine physical attributes but without the critical mass of brain cells required for intelligent conversation.

  “There’s no comparison. Melissa doesn’t even rate.”

  Eric chuckled. “I look forward to meeting this girl.”

  “I’m not introducing you so get your hands out of your pants.”

  “Do you have any idea how uptight you sound? I don’t think you were this tense even with Emily. Call me tomorrow and let me know how it went.”

  Eric hung up and Jeremy was left holding a dead phone to his ear.

  Emily had been his last attempt at a real girlfriend. He had wanted to make it work with her. And it had, for eight months. But there had been too many unanswered questions, too much aggression in him and not enough answering fire in her. She’d delivered the “I can’t trust you enough to marry you” line and taken her toothbrush out of his bathroom. He’d tried so hard to act normal and she hadn’t fallen for it. Jeremy admitted to himself that it had been disappointment more than hurt that consumed him when she left. The failure of their relationship confirmed that the usual sort of life with a wife and kids wasn’t going to happen for him.

  Why he expected it to was a mystery. His father had never found a woman to stick with. He brought home one woman after another but none lasted above a few weeks. The other werewolves he knew were just as bad. Dustin had a woman he went back to regularly but that was nothing more than easy sex. Garet was married to a sad, submissive little rag. He screwed around on her all the time with no more consideration than he’d give to the furniture. Werewolves made shitty role models, Jeremy thought dryly.

  Why hadn’t any of them found a wild witch as a mate? Maybe witches were even more scarce and secretive than werewolves. Certainly he’d never believed they were real before meeting Lee. Even now he wasn’t sure. She clearly thought she could face him down but so far the only powers he’d seen her display were the ability to read his emotions and put feelings into him. That had been the strangest thing. He hadn’t felt that kind of panicked fear since he was a kid. It had startled him but it wouldn’t have stopped him from snapping her neck if he’d wanted to.

  What made her so sure of herself in his company? Lee’s warnings had been clear enough. The usual games of power and dominance wouldn’t work with her. She’d neither cave nor run away. But if he went too far she’d pull something nasty out of her hat and walk off with that cool dismissive look she did so well. He found it hard to accept that she had any really threatening power but maybe he’d better act as if he believed. He didn’t want to risk losing her through arrogance. If thinking she could kill him was what robbed her of any fear he’d be happy to perpetuate that belief.

  Jeremy kicked off his jeans, curled up on top of the bed and buried his nose into the sheets where Lee had been. He fell asleep thinking about how marvelous his witch looked when her green eyes lit with angry fire and her lips pushed out in a pout.

  * * * * *

  Lee was fumbling for her keys, the helmet hanging from one hand, when the door down the hallway opened. She tried to hurry and ended up dropping the keys. Damn. She was scrambling on the floor, cursing quietly under her breath, when she heard her neighbor’s cheerful greeting.

  “Hi, Lee! Oh my God, what on earth are you wearing? Really, girl, you have to be more aware of how you dress, even while riding that dratted bike of yours. You never know who you might run into.”

  Lee’s eyes focused on delicate gold sandals and moved up over cream-colored cropped pants and a pale pink t-shirt. Well-groomed, that described Alicia. She had a cap of sleek blonde hair, artfully streaked with copper, and a way of dressing that showed off her tall, leggy looks without ever being overdone. Lee almost snarled. She alternated between considering Alicia her friend and seeing her as a particularly nosy neighbor. Today the woman definitely fell in the nosy neighbor category.

  Alicia had been ragging on her recently to dress better. Lee had made the mistake of complaining about the dearth of men in her life and that had resulted in a critical analysis of her wardrobe and personal style—or lack thereof. Apparently now that she was thirty she could no longer rely on her “natural pretty face” to catch a man. To which Lee had replied that any man who wanted a painted Barbie doll in designer clothing wasn’t her type. Alicia’s snide comment that she was too old for university boys and had better learn to fish in different waters still stung.

  Lee stood and deliberately tugged on Jeremy’s oversized t-shirt. “Oh this? I borrowed it from a friend.” She thoroughly enjoyed the way Alicia’s eyes widened.

&
nbsp; “A tall friend,” Alicia said in a voice ripe with curiosity.

  “Very tall. You’d like him. Which is why I have no intention of introducing you.”

  The blonde woman laughed. “Since when have I ever poached on your turf? I know how to play safe. Besides, he’s probably one of those rugged outdoorsy types.”

  “Definitely outdoorsy.” Lee smirked. Having sex in the woods was not on Alicia’s to-do list. But then guys had been known to change their preferences to be with a stunning blonde. She’d meet Jeremy down in the lobby tonight, just in case her door was being staked out. “I really need a nap. Chat later.”

  “Oh, come on, Lee. Don’t leave me hanging. Who is this guy? And where have you been? I called twice to see if you wanted to work out.” They sometimes went down to the local gym and did the weight room together. Alicia worked as a manager at a fancy hotel and had odd shifts as well.

  Lee grinned. “Sorry. Been busy.” With that she slipped into her apartment and shut the door.

  Damn, that felt good, getting one up on Ms. Perfect Blonde. Piquing Alicia’s interest might not have been a good idea but it was true that she had never moved in on any of her interests. Unlike Barb, the so-called best friend. She would not think about Barb…or Ryan. That was a year and a half ago and she was so over it.

  Lee kicked off her boots and tossed her riding stuff into the entryway closet. She striped off her jeans as she hopped to the bedroom. Those pants were disgusting and the quicker she got out of them the better. She fell into bed and stared at the ceiling. The faces of two men floated in front of her. One was angular and feral, the other boyish but lit up with a wicked smile.

  She had been stupid enough to tell Ryan about her psychic abilities—not the other magics she could do, just the emotional readings. He’d made her tell him what everyone in the room was feeling. In particular which men were attracted to her and which women wanted him. When she told him that Barb found him totally hot she hadn’t thought anything of it even though she’d known that Ryan was attracted to her friend. He reacted to most good-looking women and she’d learned to ignore that pulse of interest. What an idiot. Then she’d come home early one day and pulled the “walk in on her boyfriend and best friend screwing” scene. Opening the door had been completely unnecessary except to let them know that she was there. Unfortunately it had branded the image of slender, black-haired Barb under Ryan’s husky body into her mind.

  Lee muttered a curse. She’d put considerable effort into teaching Ryan alternatives to the missionary position but he went back to it whenever possible. Maybe that’s why he preferred Barb, she was more traditional. Lee told herself she was well rid of him. Jeremy was both sexier and much more adventurous.

  She just hoped her werewolf didn’t show up tonight in jeans and running shoes. Maybe demanding that he come onto her turf wasn’t fair. But if he couldn’t cut it in the city best she know right away. Then she could decide whether to dump him and find a better match for her lifestyle. Lee closed her eyes and acknowledged that dumping Jeremy would not be easy. Not only did she suspect he wouldn’t let her get away without a struggle but just thinking about him made her hot. She burned for his tongue and hands, his long cock and the way he took her with fierce lust. He was everything she wanted in a lover.

  Only she wasn’t sure if she wanted him as a person. There was a pool of violence just beneath the surface with him. That didn’t bother her, at least not as much as it probably should, but his ability to blend in worried her. She wanted to keep her quiet life. By herself she was strange enough to cause occasional ripples in those around her. After she slipped up and let something show it took weeks of pretending ignorance and acting particularly bland for things to settle back down. Jeremy could cause a disturbance merely by walking into a room. And if they paired up… How could people not notice them? There was also the small matter of his possessiveness. She would not tolerate being caged in by a jealous werewolf.

  Yet the pang of potential loss rang through her at the thought of never seeing him again. She didn’t want to let Jeremy go, wasn’t ready to give up the great sex just because of a few potential landmines. Lee could feel his nose nuzzling the back of her neck and wriggled into the blankets. She was smiling as she dropped off the cliff of consciousness into a deep sleep.

  * * * * *

  She woke with a start and immediately glanced at her bedside clock. Damn, it was twenty-five to eight. Lee threw off the covers and dashed into the bathroom. She should have set the alarm. Too late to think about that now. Splashing cold water onto her face, she thought about what she would wear. Her little black halter dress was an obvious choice and it would work perfectly with the new silver stilettos she’d picked up last week. After tugging up thigh-high black stockings she slipped into the dress and shoes.

  Lee applied glossy red lipstick, smudged gray liner around her eyes and put on mascara. Makeup complete in less than five minutes. No time to do her nails. She didn’t much like nail polish anyway. A brush through her hair and it was time to get dressed.

  Jeremy buzzed her apartment at exactly eight. She went down to meet him.

  His eyes widened appreciatively as he took in the slinky dress. It clung in all the right places. “You…ah…look fantastic.”

  She smiled. “Thank you. You don’t look too shabby yourself.” He was wearing a loose white shirt and tight khaki pants. The combination lightened up his dark intensity but did nothing to hide the lithe sexuality.

  She took his hand and led him out the door. They were going to Zin. It was only a few blocks away but Jeremy kept trying to walk faster.

  “Slow down. These heels were not made for jogging, or walking either to be honest.”

  “I could carry you,” he suggested.

  “Would we get to the restaurant that way?”

  “Maybe not,” he agreed with a smirk. He leaned close and whispered, “If you knew what that dress did to me…”

  “Oh, but I do.” She smiled wickedly.

  He shot her a hot look then composed his features. “So do you have any hobbies other than tormenting men?”

  “I read, do yoga. I like to swim and ski. You?”

  “I love skiing. Go up to Whistler several times a season. Otherwise it’s the local hills. I like Mt. Baker too.”

  She’d skied at Baker as well. Plus Lake Louise, Sunshine and Norquay in Alberta where her parents lived. They compared ski hills and discussed favorite runs. It was an amazingly civilized and perfectly ordinary conversation.

  They were still deep in their discussion as they entered the restaurant.

  “Lee, darling, you look stunning,” a man said as he came over from the bar. Steve looked like a California tennis instructor—blond, fit and perpetually tanned. He kissed her on the cheek and his arm went around her waist as he turned to Jeremy. “And who is this?”

  “Steve meet Jeremy. Jeremy, this is Steve, an old friend.” Lee did the introductions and watched Jeremy carefully. She could sense the anger and jealousy that had been roused by Steve’s familiarity but Jeremy managed a polite smile.

  “And this is a new friend, dear?” Steve asked, eyeing Jeremy like he was the latest offering at a candy store.

  “Stop drooling. You’re not his type,” she whispered into Steve’s ear.

  Jeremy threw her a sharp glance. His hearing must be very good to have picked up that muted comment. The funny thing was he seemed to relax at the information. A gay man ogling him obviously wasn’t a problem.

  Steve’s dinner companion joined them and Brent also gave her a tight hug. Jeremy did not flare with possessive anger at that greeting. Of course he couldn’t know that Brent had been playfully trying to get her into bed for months. Brent was an equal opportunity kind of guy.

  The hostess led them to a table and Lee waved goodbye to her friends.

  “Have you been here before?” she asked after they’d been seated at an intimate little table toward the back of the restaurant.

  “No. D
o you have a wine preference?”

  “Red.”

  Jeremy scanned the wine list and suggested a perfectly decent Cabernet. She nodded. So far so good.

  “You said your parents live in Calgary. Any brothers or sisters?” he asked.

  “One brother. Also in Calgary. He works for an oil company.”

  “Is anyone else in your family…talented?”

  She nodded. “My mother. And Grandma of course. I have a couple of cousins who are like me as well.”

  “All female?”

  “Yes. It runs through the women of the family. We all inherit, to various degrees.”

  “Interesting. My ability is passed on exclusively to boys.”

  “What about your family. Any live locally?” Lee asked.

  “My dad lives out in the valley. No siblings. No mother that I can remember.”

  “You were raised by your father?”

  “That’s the usual practice.”

  Lee shot him a glance then looked quickly away. The old pain buried in those words called up all her counselor impulses. However a public restaurant wasn’t the place to go into the subject.

  She asked, “Did you always live in the Lower Mainland?”

  “No. I was born back east. Hamilton. We moved out here when I was two. Then after I joined the RCMP I did a few years up north before I got the placement in Surrey.”

  The conversation shifted to their jobs and what they liked and disliked about them. Food arrived and was consumed. Lee began to truly enjoy herself. Jeremy wasn’t hard to talk to at all. And so very easy to look at. The white shirt accentuated the red of his lips, the sapphire eyes and coal-black hair. He could be the poster boy for a male fragrance, something with a name like Seduction or Wild.

  The waiter came to take their dessert order. Lee shook her head.

  “What do you like on the menu?” Jeremy asked. “I’ll order and you can have a taste.”