by Marie Medina
Vince differed from every other werewolf she’d ever met. He was oversexed, yes, but he was so kind and had a great sense of humor. She had noticed both of those qualities as severely lacking in every other werewolf she had ever encountered. She’d expected him to dismiss her and lock himself away when he saw the glow in her eyes. She’d felt it come forward when he came up out of the water. He had to have recognized she wasn’t a true wolf. Yet his eyes had been curious, had seemed to reach out to her. She tried not to think about how amazing his body had looked. Male werewolves always appealed to her physically, but that usually faded once they reacted to her. Did Emerson know? If he did, he would obviously do anything to keep his friend’s secret, so she didn’t feel comfortable asking him. She sighed.
Strong arms slid around her waist.
“That sounded sad.”
She turned in Emerson’s arms. “Tired, maybe. It’s been a long week, and I guess I am worried about Vince.” When his face fell, she added, “And you. I can feel how much it’s troubling you.”
His expression softened as he nodded. “He said we’d talk tonight. He’ll keep his word if I have to make him do so. At least I finally got him to admit something’s troubling him. That’s always a big step for him.”
Putting her arms around his neck, she sighed again. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“Thank you for coming.” His right hand came up to caress her cheek, and when she leaned into his touch he brought their lips together. The kiss was sweet and tentative, but she could feel the hunger in it. Thoughts of Vince mixed with thoughts of the sweet, gorgeous man kissing her, and she arched in his embrace. He moaned and deepened the kiss, and a pulse began low in her belly. His hands roamed her body, moving up and down her back and then circling her waist and caressing her hips. He made no move to do anything more, though every time she pulled away he drew her back in for another kiss.
When he finally let her breathe, she said, “I think you’ve been holding that back for a while, Emerson.”
He smiled down at her. “That’s the first time you’ve said my name.”
“What?” She laughed. “I’ve said your name dozens of times.”
Shaking his head, he said, “Not in my hearing. I would have noticed.” He brushed his lips against hers again. “It sounds perfect on your lips.”
Thunder sounded in the distance, and Emerson rotated her in his embrace so they could both face the approaching storm.
“How far away is the grocery store? Those clouds are really dark.”
“It seems like we’re really far away from everything, but the town is only about five minutes down the two-lane we turned onto when we got off the highway. The guys will be back soon, I think.”
A bolt of lightning struck in the distance, and Emerson tensed. “Did Vince ever come back? I could just see him going back into the lake or lying out in a field right now, the way he’s acting.”
“I didn’t see or hear him, but I can’t be sure.”
He scanned the trees as his hands stroked up and down her sides. “Was his phone in his shorts earlier?”
“They were really light. It didn’t feel like anything was in the pockets.”
He gave her a squeeze and kissed the back of her head before releasing her. “I’ll try calling anyway, then go look for him.”
She wanted to say that he’d be safe, but she wouldn’t be able to explain that someone like Vince would instinctively know exactly when the storm would hit. “Okay. Be careful.”
Coming forward, he kissed her cheek and then turned away. He dialed and raised the phone to his ear as he hurriedly left the bedroom. She gazed out over the trees again, wondering if Vince’s true nature were the source of the recent issues Emerson had mentioned. She hoped that, whatever the two men talked about tonight, they would be able to come to some kind of understanding and ease both of their minds.
Chapter Three
Vince watched Emerson standing on the back patio with his phone to his ear. As soon as he moved away, Vince came out from behind the tree and snuck into the house. He found Alicia in Emerson’s room unpacking.
He stood in the hall and knocked gently. “May I have a minute?”
Alicia’s head snapped up. “He’s looking for you. We were getting worried with the storm.”
“It won’t really break for another fifteen minutes or so. It’s moving pretty slowly.”
She nodded, obviously understanding just how he knew that.
“Could we sit?”
She moved to the bed and sat, then gestured to the chair in the corner.
Once he was seated, he didn’t know where to begin. “So, you know what I am.”
“You’re a werewolf,” she whispered.
“Yes. My question is how you know that. Not to mention why your eyes tell me we’re the same but your scent never gave it away.”
“My father was one. I have no relationship with him, and he’s never been a part of my life. Mainly because he’s an asshole who didn’t care about my mother, but also because I am not a true wolf.” She shrugged, looking down. “I can’t shift.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
“I don’t know what I’m missing, so no reason to feel sorry for me.”
“I’ve never met anyone else like me. I’ve seen them, but never been able to get close in human form.”
Her head snapped up a second time. “What?” The expression on her face surprised him.
“I was adopted. And the records were sealed. I have no idea who my real parents are. Since they didn’t want me, I don’t really care, but I got the surprise of my life when I was fourteen.”
“I’ll bet that was quite a surprise.” Her brow furrowed. “Hmmm. That explains your reaction me. You weren’t raised by werewolves.”
“My reaction to you?” He leaned forward. “I’ve never gotten this close to someone like me. I’m thrilled.”
Her eyes scanned his entire face, and he couldn’t read her expression as she said, “I’m only half blooded, and I can’t shift. I’m a mutt.”
Her face told him he should be reacting in some way, but he didn’t understand. “And others don’t like you because of that?”
“They hate me. Mutt is very derogatory. I am beneath their notice. If I could shift, they’d be okay with me, but they still wouldn’t fully embrace me. Trust me, you didn’t miss out on anything by being adopted.”
“I’ve only seen a few others after they changed back to human form. That’s how I recognized that glow in your eyes. Are they really that cliquish? They always ran away from me. I gave up eventually. It’s been years since I’ve seen another.”
“That glow was part of my instinct. That’s what they call shifting, the instinct. My body wants to shift, but it can’t.”
He reached for her hand. “I don’t care. It’s so amazing to share this with someone. Being a werewolf is wonderful in lots of ways, so I think it’s sad that others act the way you’ve said.”
“So Emerson doesn’t know?”
“No one knows but you.”
“Is it hard for you? Is it the reason you’ve distanced yourself from others?”
“He said that?”
She nodded. “He’s very worried. Afraid he can’t reach you.”
“We’ve been friends since we were thirteen, but even when all this started, I kept it from him.”
“If this is the source of your problem, maybe you should tell him. I’d back you up and reassure him you aren’t crazy. I think you can trust him.”
Was she kidding? He couldn’t tell anyone else about this. “No, I can’t do it.” I can’t even tell him how I feel—how can I tell him I turn into a fucking wolf?
“You seem to be hurting. Maybe I’m wrong about that. But I see him hurting.”
He swallowed. “I see it, too.” I see it, sense it, feel it in my bones. It’s all I think about lately.
“Then reach out and try.”
He rubbed her hand between his. “You’re goin
g to be good for him. He’s crazy about you, and I can tell you soothe him. He really needs that at times.”
She looked at her hand clasped between his. “You really do love him more than anyone else?” She met his eyes. “Don’t you?”
Vince pulled away from her, but he held her gaze. “He’s falling for you. He’s lonely in so many ways, ways I can’t remedy.”
“How do you know you can’t?”
He slumped back in his chair. “Well, my being a man is the first of many reasons.”
“He said he’s open minded.”
Had he heard her correctly? When in the hell had they talked about that? In the car? “Excuse me?”
“Can I be honest?”
“Please, dear God, yes. I am having a hell of a day. Not that I need more complications, but if you have an opinion, feel free.”
“Your love life is one source of his concern. He believes the promiscuity makes you unhappy. I happened to ask if you were actually bisexual. He said yes. Also, until just a couple of weeks ago, I thought he was gay, mainly because of the way you tease him all time. Though, now I’m seeing that in a completely different light.”
Vince groaned and closed his eyes. After a minute, she tapped his knee, and he looked up at her again.
“And I just wanted to be sure he was straight. He said yes. But he also said ‘open minded, I think, but definitely like women’. I can see why telling him about being a werewolf would be scary, but he’s not going to run away if you tell him you prefer men.”
“I prefer one man, Alicia. And I never want him to not be in my life.” He stood and started to leave. “There are no guarantees if I tell him how I feel, and I really can’t believe we’re even discussing this.”
She jumped up and stopped him. “Because he invited me here? Because he likes me?”
“I want him to be happy.”
She backed away a couple of inches. “You look like you might hurl.”
“That’s what he told me earlier.”
“So you’re simply going to bottle all of this up and let it make you sick? Let it slowly kill you?” She took his face in her hands. “Don’t do that.”
He felt a surge of desire when she touched him, and when he gazed down at her he saw her eyes glow. She pressed her body closer. That immediate, instinctual reaction stirred something deep inside him. She smelled so damn good. While he wanted to crush her to him, he stepped back out of her arms.
“I think your, uh, instinct is coming out again.”
She closed her eyes and took a breath. “I think so, too. I’m sorry.”
When she opened her eyes, he said, “Don’t be. I’d love to explore it with you—in every way—but that would hurt him. I can’t.”
“But you want to?” she said very softly.
He came forward, feeling his eyes change. Her allure strengthened as he relaxed into his other self. “Yes, but unless you think you can talk him into joining us, we shouldn’t.” He drew the wolf back in and moved away. “I’ll try to control myself from now on.”
“You’re a master of mixed signals, Vince.”
“He tells me that all the time.” He walked from the room, forcing himself to take each and every step. Five more minutes, and he wouldn’t be able to resist the need to touch her.
Emerson came in the front door, looking scared and anxious just when Vince hit the ground floor. When he saw Vince, he visibly deflated. “Where were you?” The anger and accusation in his tone battered at Vince’s heart.
“Looking for some antacids. Your earlier comment was dead on. I stayed out in the woods because I was puking my guts out. I don’t know what’s wrong, but I’m going to turn in.”
“Do you have other symptoms? We can get whatever you need or call a doctor.”
As Emerson advanced, he retreated, eager to get to his room. “I’m gonna skip dinner for now, but maybe I’ll fix something later. Apologize to the guys for me. I’m sure I’ll be fine tomorrow.”
Emerson stopped when Vince gripped the knob on his bedroom door. “Are you trying to avoid our talk?”
“Come straight down when you wake up tomorrow. We’ll talk then. I need to sleep. And think.”
Emerson came forward, and Vince would have bet the house they were standing in he was going to kiss him. And he did. He grabbed his head and brought it forward, planting a chaste peck on his forehead. Vince felt like a dog who had just been petted, but he tried not to let his chagrin show. “You wake one of us if you need anything or feel worse. My cell will be by the bed.”
Vince nodded, and then he watched Emerson cross the foyer and go upstairs. He went into his room and closed the door, locking it. He didn’t know what he dreaded more, the thoughts he would have if he couldn’t sleep or the dreams that would fill his head if he could.
****
Alicia had a hard time getting through dinner. Garren and Mike sat in front of the television and talked about baseball, while Tom and Emerson sat at the large card table with her and talked about their next album. The conversation was interesting, but her encounter with Vince had left her both physically and emotionally anxious. When Tom’s girlfriend, who lived in California, called, he excused himself and left the table. Emerson turned to her and touched her arm.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.”
“You look drained. With Vince sick, it kind of worried me.”
“I don’t think what he has is contagious. Seems like he wanted to hide for a bit.”
He dropped his hand and nodded. “I know, but tomorrow’s almost as good as tonight. If he needs more time before we talk, it’s okay.”
Mike got up and began clearing plates. “So, the verdict? Good?”
“Yes, it was wonderful!” she said. To her surprise, Mike had handled the entire meal of pumpkin lasagna plus a delicious salad and cheese-smothered garlic bread. “I had no idea you liked to cook.”
“It’s what I trained for. I did two years of college and left for culinary school.”
“And you left that career to be in a band?”
“The hours were hell, and the job market was insane. I have more freedom this way, believe it or not. I still worked in restaurants until we took off though. I may open one when I retire.”
“That sounds fun.”
“No dessert tonight, but tomorrow I’m making apple pie, and probably cookies, too,” he said as he exited the room with their pile of plates.
“Sounds wonderful,” she called. Twisting around to look at Emerson again, she laughed. “I’m picturing the spread in the next issue of Kerrang. Mike in leather pants without his shirt, showing off all his tattoos, and his dreads tied back and a blue and white checked apron over the whole ensemble as he extends a fresh baked pie toward the camera.”
Emerson and Garren both laughed. Garren rose and switched off the television, walking by and gently nudging her shoulder. “These guys all have hidden depths. Except me,” he paused in the doorway and bowed, “I’m just a perv.”
“Yes, I have noted that,” she said as he made his exit. His laughter echoed through the foyer as his footsteps echoed toward the basement where they practiced.
Emerson got up and kissed her forehead. “I’m gonna look in on Vince.” He wound one of her curls around his finger, then let it go. “Then I’ll be up.”
“Okay.” She watched him go and then followed him to the foyer, climbing the stairs as he went to Vince’s door. But she didn’t hear the door open. Stopping on the landing, she saw him trying the knob again. He stepped back and stared at the door for a minute before spinning around to head for the stairs as well.
“It’s locked,” he said when he reached the landing. “He probably knew I’d peek in on him if he left it open.”
“You two sure know each other well.”
“We’ve been friends for twenty years, since we were thirteen.”
“You’ve shared a lot in all those years.” She kept thinking about what Vince had said. Unless you think you c
an talk him into joining us, we shouldn’t. As much as she resented her father and every werewolf who had ever been cruel to her, she couldn’t deny that Vince did call to her in that way. Had these two men ever liked the same girl before? She’d seen them embrace many times, and Vince was never shy about laying a kiss on anyone—had anything more ever happened?
“We have, so I’m going to do like you said. I’m going to keep trying. He can’t hide from me forever.”
No, he can’t. Just one day of being around them away from the work setting and the hectic atmosphere of traveling with the band had shown her that. They had to work things out, and she felt confident she knew exactly how to make that happen. She wanted Emerson, and now that she knew Vince’s true nature, she no longer wanted to fight her attraction to him as she had been since they’d met. And these two men needed each other in a way she’d never seen before. If they would let her be a part of that, she couldn’t refuse the chance. She’d made the decision to change her life and really start living months ago. She hadn’t expected anything like this, but nothing in the world would persuade her to walk away from it now.
When they reached her door, she nodded across the hall. “You unpacked?”
He shook his head.
She opened the door to his bedroom. “Then get your stuff. You’re staying in here.”
His gaze heated as he smiled at her, and then he turned to go into the other bedroom as she made her way into his. When she heard his bags hit the ground, she turned, and he was already right beside her before the door had even clicked shut. She went right into his arms and kissed him.
His response was immediate, his arms sliding around her waist as his cock pressed to her leg. She ran her fingers into his hair, something she’d fantasized about over the past week. His lips left hers to tease at her neck.