Dare

by T. A. Foster

  “Want something to drink? Or did you want to try to get a session in?” He moved toward the kitchen.

  “You said you wanted to see me. So, here I am.”

  “Oh God, the drunk dialing. Yeah, that wasn’t cool. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” My heart almost stopped when I caught his eyes locked on my lips.

  “Actually, I kind of liked it.”

  “You did?”

  “Yeah, I did.” I ran my bottom lip under my teeth.

  I stepped closer to him. I wanted to throw my arms around his neck. I hesitated. I wondered if he was annoyed with my road trip, or if I had played it so cool that he didn’t know I had a full-blown out-of-control crush.

  I inhaled, my chest moving with my breaths. This was torture.

  He caught my wrist as if we were sparring, pulling me close to his chest. I held my breath. “I meant every single drunk word last night. I missed you. I missed these green eyes of yours. I missed your voice. I missed your lips.”

  I thought about saying all the same things about how I thought about him when I was driving. How I wondered what he was doing all weekend. How I wanted to fall asleep next to him, with my head on his chest, but he didn’t let me utter a single word.

  His mouth covered mine and I couldn’t think. I forgot all the words and all the things I wanted to tell him.

  I clung to him, my lips feverish for the way he kissed me. It was like the first time we kissed, but deeper, more powerful.

  This was everything I had been fighting for. The right to choose whom I wanted to be with. The right to fall in love with the perfect man. A gorgeous, sexy, smart-as-hell, adventurous man. This man.

  I pulled him tighter, our mouths moving frantically. His tongue dipping against mine. I savored the beer on his lips. He groaned against my throat, his mouth covering my skin.

  “What’s this?” He pulled back, his eyes focused on my neck.

  “I got a few new stars today. Does it look terrible?” My hair covered the five new stars until he had swept it off my shoulder. The stars had started to trail farther along my neck.

  “No, it looks hot.” He kissed gently by my collarbone. “Does it hurt?”

  “Not when you do that.” I smiled.

  “How about when I do this?” He kissed the other side.

  “No.” I closed my eyes. His mouth moved along my shoulder, pressing kisses into my skin.

  “And here?” He tilted my chin toward him, kissing the base of my throat.

  I kept the purrs within, but I wanted him to know how good it all felt. Just being here with him.

  My eyes opened and he cupped my face with his hands. “I want you.”

  My breath was ragged and rough. My head was spinning.

  “I want to take you to my bed and show you just how much I want you. How much I missed you. How much I fucking need you. Are you ok with that?”

  My legs shook for a second. Long enough that I knew I didn’t want to say no. Everything in my body wanted a taste of him too. I had always wanted it.

  I nodded.

  His room was dark and the sheets cool as he laid me on his bed. I didn’t think about what was going on outside of the house. For the night, I let myself believe that the world was in perfect order and that I deserved the perfect guy.

  Vix would take care of the initiates, and Maya would make sure Abi ate and slept. Ian would keep an eye on the locator map. The stars would glitter over the city, and everyone was safe for one night. It was all I needed. One night.

  Tonight I would let Zac keep me safe. I would let down my guard, and let him in.

  I stretched out next to Zac. I liked watching him sleep. I studied the way his muscles connected. The strength in his arms, the sharp cut of his jaw. The only problem with him sleeping was I couldn’t look in his blue eyes.

  There were hues of blue I didn’t even know how I loved. Cobalt when he was serious. Aqua when he was making a joke. And sky blue when we were training. I had memorized all the shades. I couldn’t help it.

  The sun peeked in through the blinds. I had never stayed all night anywhere. I had missed patrol.

  I pulled the sheet away, but before I could get a foot on the floor, his arm circled my waist, drawing me against his chest.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” He nuzzled in my neck.

  “I have to get home. Vix is going to worry.”

  “Send her a text.” His fingers ran along my hipbone, dipping farther each time.

  Staying overnight was unusual, staying in bed long enough for morning sex was unheard of.

  He rolled on top of me, pinning me underneath him. I moaned as he rocked against me. I could resist a lot of things, but this was impossible. He kissed my throat and the new stars behind my ear, each time pressing harder until I couldn’t resist anymore. I needed to feel all of him. I rose to meet him, taking him deep. It wasn’t like last night.

  Our bodies slowed, knowing how good it felt the deeper we went. The urgency had been replaced by the need to savor the way his skin felt sliding against mine. The way I arched into him when he looked into my eyes, the way I was falling harder than I ever had before.

  I wrapped myself around him, knowing the energy was building and eventually it would crest and we would collapse together. I held on to him, wanting us to stay connected, delaying the wash of bliss that would cover us. But as it built, as he kissed me, as he swayed me with his hips, I couldn’t stop myself from wanting more. Clawing at him, devouring him, taking him under with me.

  “Don’t you have to go to work?” I asked. My head rested on his chest. I could hear his heart beating.

  “I should. But as long as you’re right where you are, I’m not moving.” He kissed the top of my head. “This is worth a thousand lectures from the director.”

  I traced a finger over his flesh, feeling the warmth of his skin. “I don’t want to move either.”

  “I haven’t slept like that in forever.”

  “Why not?” It had been a luxurious deep sleep.

  I heard him hold in a breath. “I’m a restless sleeper, I guess.”

  I felt as if there was more to it. “You can tell me.”

  He sighed. “I have dreams sometimes. They wake me up. But last night, with you in my bed, I slept. I think I’ve found my sleep remedy.” He pulled the sheet away from my hip, running his palm over the curve of my waist.

  I smiled. I liked thinking I helped him sleep. “I have dreams that wake me up too.” The wedding nightmare hadn’t stopped. It was getting worse.

  “And what about last night?” he asked.

  I shook my head. “No, not a single one.”

  “This thing between us…” He stopped for a second. “The way I feel about you…I want you to know I haven’t felt like this in a long time. Actually, I’ve never felt what we have.”

  I tilted my head so I could see him. “I haven’t either.”

  He smiled. “Does this mean we’ve lost our damn minds?” He laughed and his chest shook under my chin.

  “It depends on what you’re saying.” I slowly crawled to a sitting position, my hair sliding over my shoulders.

  He sat forward. “I’m saying that I’ve never met a girl like you. I’ve never kissed a girl like you. I’ve never spent a night with someone like we had…or a morning.” He winked.

  I wanted words that fit the moment, but I couldn’t tell him everything surging through me.

  “See? I told you this would happen.” He tucked my hair behind me ear. “Guy meets girl in the library. Girl asks guy out for coffee. Guy ends up falling head over heels for cool girl. It’s like we knew all along we were going to end up here, and I don’t mean in my bed. Since the day I’ve met you, I would have done anything to get an extra minute with you, an extra laugh, a smile. Because God knows, you’re all I can think about it.”

  I didn’t have nights like last night. I couldn’t promise him we could have another one.

  “What if all we have is today?�
�� I looked into his eyes. “What if I can’t promise you tomorrow, but I can give you today? Would you still take it?”

  “I don’t know what you’re asking me. I’m in this with you.” I saw the flecks of cobalt surfacing under his lashes.

  “If I have to leave, would you still want last night? Would you make the same decision if I didn’t stay?”

  I felt the roughness of his palm stroke my cheek. “Because of last night, I know I’ll never be the same man.” He kissed me, his mouth hovering over my lips. “Tell me you aren’t going out of town again. You saw how awful my drunk dialing is.”

  I tried to laugh. “Not right away, but I might have to leave for a while.”

  “I just found you. You can’t go.”

  “I don’t have a choice.” I let him pull me back into the crook of his arm, where he could hold me tighter.

  “There’s always a choice, Dare. You always have a choice.”

  She wouldn’t say it. She didn’t have to. It was the magic. I didn’t know what kind. I didn’t know how it affected her, but it had something to do with that damn cave and the witches who had screwed with my memory.

  My notes and lame sketches were useless.

  The only link I had to any of it was Silver, and that was a stretch. Maybe, just maybe if we could corner the Ghost of the Forest I could find the source of the magic. I could find out what was taking Dare away from me. If I could talk to her, the human version of her, I would have a way to help Dare. I could protect her.

  I called in sick to work. Lacey sounded annoyed, but told me she would pass on the message. It gave me the rest of the day to prepare for the night.

  Silver called and said tonight was the night. He had everything he needed to set the trap. All he needed was the bait. Me.

  I didn’t like the idea of going back into the woods. The last time I had been attacked, and if it hadn’t been for Dare, I would have died. Silver agreed it might take a few nights before the jag attacked again, but he seemed to think he and the Ghost were involved in some type of turf war. His theory was if I were in danger, she would appear.

  The problem was the jag. Silver said he had acquired a dart gun and several tranquilizers we could use to take them both out. That was what had taken so long. He said things on the black market moved a little slower than he liked.

  I didn’t know what kind of tranquilizers would work on half-human half-cat shifters, so I left the details to the painter.

  I poured a cup of coffee and sat at the table, reading over the morning’s headlines. I couldn’t focus. I walked into the garage and turned on the AC. I needed to still my mind and find center again.

  Since I wasn’t allowed to talk to Dare about the magic, I couldn’t tell her ever since the elixir had rid my body of the poison, I felt more alert. More alive. It was possible I was on an adrenaline high from where our relationship had gone, but I didn’t buy that. I could feel nuances in my muscles I had never felt before. It was as if I hummed with a new energy.

  I closed my eyes and started my routine. I could get lost in this until it was time to meet Silver.

  On the drive through town, I spied Isaac cleaning a glass through the pub window. There were joggers prepping for next weekend’s 5K. Sullen’s Grove seemed normal. It seemed like an idyllic place to live. Then why was I on my way to capture a panther? I almost turned around.

  I parked at Oaks Park. Silver was waiting near the gravel path. He could sit a few more seconds. I pulled out my phone to dial Dare. I got her voicemail and left a message.

  “Hey, I have to work late tonight. Maybe you can come over later? Or I can meet you at your place. I’ll call you.”

  I stuffed the phone in my pocket as I walked toward Silver.

  “You ready to meet our muse?” He looked happy.

  “I don’t know about this.” I looked at his truck. There was a tarp in the back and I saw rope coiled in the front seat.

  “I’ll be within sight the entire time. You’re not going to get hurt. I’ll hit the jag with the dart and then her. You just keep talking long enough for me to get a shot off.”

  “I don’t speak panther.”

  “But you said she understood you. She’s human. She’ll understand. Just keep talking.”

  “And what am I supposed to say?” We walked on the trail deeper into the woods.

  “Make it up.” He threw his hands in the air. “I don’t care. Just keep her occupied long enough. That’s all I’m asking. Can you do that?”

  “I guess I can. Want to strap a steak to my neck while we’re out here?”

  Silver laughed. “Nope, you’re fresh meat without it.”

  “Great.”

  I followed him until we were off the path. I knew we were getting close to where I had seen the jag.

  “How long do you think she’ll be out?” I asked.

  “Long enough. We just have to get her back to my studio. I have everything I need for her there.”

  “I just want to talk to her. That’s all.” I wanted to make it clear I didn’t want her hurt. I just needed a few minutes with her. He didn’t need to know why. I still couldn’t believe I was going along with this.

  Silver tossed an end of the rope over a tree branch.

  “What are you doing?” I watched as he started to haul himself up the trunk.

  “I need a high vantage point. Now just stay in the radius of the tree. He’ll show up.”

  I shook my head. This was freakin’ crazy. I turned off the flashlight and meandered through the brush. Silver thought the more leaves and branches I touched, the more my scent would travel in the air. If the jag were in the area, he’d pick up on it quickly.

  I walked back to the tree where Silver had shimmied up a few minutes ago.

  “Do you see anything up there?” I called to him.

  “Shut up. Don’t talk to me. Get out there and be the bait. That’s your one job.”

  “All right.” I shuffled to the other side of the tree, leaning against branches, praying there wasn’t poison ivy in the mix. I couldn’t see anything in the dark.

  I sat on a stump, and tried to find constellations through the thick tree canopy overhead. The clusters reminded me of Dare, the line of stars behind her ear.

  My eyes grew heavy and I started to doze when I heard a branch break. I jumped to my feet.

  “Silver? Is that you?” I didn’t know if I had actually fallen asleep.

  He was likely going to lecture me on what a slack-ass job I was doing.

  “Silver?” I whispered.

  He would probably berate me for calling out to him again, but the air had changed. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I took a small step in the direction of the tree. I stepped on a twig, snapping it in half. Man I was jumpy.

  I reached out for the tree when my hand felt something wet and warm oozing down the trunk.

  “Silver?” I grabbed my flashlight, but when the beam reached the high branch where the artist was waiting, I dropped it.

  “Oh, God.”

  I stooped to pick it up, feeling more drips slide down my neck. Silver dangled above me, his body tied in rope. His eyes were open, but I knew he wasn’t breathing. There was too much blood. The rope wound over every limb, across his neck, cutting off any chance for air.

  I fumbled with the flashlight and began to run toward the path. I heard it. The snorting, the hissing. The jaguar was on my heels. He growled. I didn’t have any weapons. Like an idiot, Silver was the only one armed and I was left defenseless. He had convinced me the cats would somehow sense I was trying to protect myself. It would be better if I were defenseless. Now that seemed like a screwed up plan.

  I ran faster, propelling myself on the trail. I felt the asphalt under my feet. I was close to the parking lot. If I could make it past the next corner, I’d be able to see my car. There was a chance I could make it out of here without dying. That was when I saw him. Ahead of me on the path was another jaguar.

  He snarled and hissed.
His long teeth extended from his gums. I stopped running and turned to see the one chasing me had blocked my entrance into the woods. They scratched at the ground, their stance wide.

  Another jag appeared from my right; soon there were five in all. I was surrounded.

  I realized then there was a good chance tonight I was going to die.

  Tonight was our first patrol as the newly formed Nox. I looked at the girls in front of me. The den was now more like a dorm. Girls had to bunk together until I could figure out how to rearrange our setup.

  The younger girls would enroll in fall classes, but for now, I was working on training them, teaching them the geography of Sullen’s Grove, and teaching them how to identify the Tribe. It wasn’t as if I could set up an introductory meeting with our enemy. They were going to have to meet evil head on, like the rest of us.

  Abi was in her room. Maya said she wasn’t ready to join us. “It’s too hard on her to shift right now,” she explained.

  “I’d rather her stay in,” I directed. “When she’s stronger, she can fight.”

  “I understand. Have you heard from Holly?”

  “No, she said she’d let me know when she had something to help her. I think we’re doing the best we can.” I hugged Maya. “Thank you for taking such good care of her.”

  “She would do it for me.”

  I pressed down the thought of anyone else ending up like Abi. A shell of the she-panther she used to be.

  We joined the others in the den. I scanned the new faces in front of me.

  “Tonight, we will patrol together. If you encounter another shifter, assume they are dangerous. The Tribe has been warned that they need to stay out of Nox territory.” I looked at the smile on Vix’s face. She was dying to claw Noah’s eyes out. “I appreciate that you are all here. I know you left your territories to join us. Thank you.”

  They nodded, bowing their heads at me.

  “It’s time,” I announced.

  We formed a circle, linking arms around waists, closing the gap between us.

  “Be safe tonight,” I ordered.

  “We will,” they replied in unison.