by Amy Cissell
“Chicken.”
“I will gladly accept that label if it means you aren’t getting…eaten…by the shifter tonight.”
I blushed.
“Are you blushing right now, woman? I didn’t think there was an innuendo that could get to you.”
“He was so…powerful.”
Finn glanced over his shoulder at me while he rummaged in the fridge. “Powerful? Really, Ellie? He was a Sasquatch who turned into a giant slavering beast. A beast that wanted to kill us.”
“I know. I’m not saying his anger management issues didn’t put a damper on his attractiveness, but did you see those arms?”
“Attractive? I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.” Finn thumped the fridge door closed. “Grilled cheese and tomato soup okay?”
“It’s too hot for soup, but grilled cheese sounds divine. Can I help?”
“Nope. My kitchen is sacrosanct. I wouldn’t want it defiled by someone with your kitchen skills.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have mad kitchen skills.” I hopped up and went to the fridge.
“Mad skills? You eat take-out five of seven nights.” Finn swatted my ass. “What are you doing in there?”
“Helping. I’m making beverages.” I emerged with two beers. “I can cook, I choose not to.” I opened the beers, handed one to Finn, and resumed my place at the table. “Are they all like that?”
“Like what? Hairy, slobbering creatures that are more animal than human with hair triggers? Yep. Most of the shifters I’ve met at least wear clothes, though. We should probably send this one a Nordstrom’s gift card or something and then get him an appointment for some manscaping.”
“He wasn’t so bad. Maybe a little hairy, but the nudity thing was working for him.”
“Christ, Ellie. I don’t want to hear you wax poetic about every hairy Tom’s dick. Can we drop it?”
“Sorry, Finn. Consider it dropped. Can we talk about his potential motivations and the probability that we’ll be able to find and open the gate without being attacked?”
Finn sighed. “Of course. You said he’d warned you before, right? Do you remember his exact words?”
“Not exactly, but he asked me to stop looking for the gate. He said that I was going to destroy the world, the gates were locked on purpose, and he was going to report to his pack. He said I was an honorable foe since I threw my knives to injure and not kill.”
“Why’d you do that?”
“It was an accident. I missed. I almost told him that I had bad aim, but decided that was not the wisest course of action.”
“Probably for the best.” Finn plated the sandwiches, and we took our dinner out to the deck.
I slept late the next morning and every muscle in my body screamed in protest when I attempted to get out of bed. Even though I knew I’d spend the day getting sweaty, I couldn’t do anything until having a shower. The hot water felt divine, but putting on the previous day’s sweat-encrusted clothes nearly ruined my post-shower high.
I headed downstairs and followed the scent of fresh coffee out to the deck. The morning was already hot. It was going to be one of those rare Portland summer days that dawned hot and muggy and only got worse as the day wore on.
Other than the pot of coffee and a plate of mini muffins on the table, there was no sign of Finn. Two cups of coffee and five mini muffins later, he still hadn’t appeared. I found my cell in the backpack, but when I called him, his phone rang from the same backpack pocket.
I was considering launching a search party when I heard my truck pull into the driveway. Finn climbed out of my truck and walked up to the deck, tossing my keys to me.
“Idiot. You can’t disappear without leaving a note. Last time you did that you were gone for twenty-four hours getting the shit beat out of you.”
“Awww, Ellie! Were you worried about me?”
“What would give you that impression?” I tossed my hair and threw a muffin at him. It hit him right between the eyes. I’m not sure which of us was more surprised.
“Nice throw! Looks like all the practice is finally catching on. And for the record, I much prefer having muffins in my face rather than water bottles.”
“Give me an arsenal of tiny muffins, and I’ll be unstoppable!”
“Your reputation as a fierce muffin tosser would make the bad guys think twice about attacking you. Muffin tosser. Heh.”
“I can always count on you to bring the twelve-year-old wit into any situation.”
“I’m here for all your adolescent humor needs.” He bowed. “If you’re adequately caffeinated and fed, let’s get going.”
Finn called a halt in late afternoon after hours of fruitless searching.
“Let’s go, Ellie. It’s hot, we’re both tired and cranky, and your concentration is slipping. We’re not getting any further today.”
I wiped the sweat that was dripping down my nose. “You’re right. I can’t concentrate for shit right now.”
“Let’s go back to your place, get cleaned up, and then I’ll take you out for dinner and dancing.”
“You’re going to take me out for dinner and dancing? Aren’t you afraid of the shifter?”
“The full moon cycle is over. It should be safe, and you need to blow off some steam.”
“Did you do something wrong? I can count on one finger the number of times in the last six years you’ve offered to take me out for dinner, and you hate dancing.”
“Why are you questioning my motivations? You’re tired. I’m tired. I’m not cooking, and I’m pretty sure if we order pizza again, they’ll stage an intervention. I want a good drink, some good food, and a distraction from thinking about gates or shifters or the Fae. Is that too much to ask?”
“Okay, Finn. Sorry.”
He grimaced and ran his fingers through his hair. “My temper is a wee bit short right now. Let’s go home and shower; then we can find martinis.”
As soon as we got home, I hopped in the shower. It didn’t take long to rinse the dirt away, but washing the stresses of the past five weeks away took longer. I turned off the water, toweled off, and headed into my bedroom. I selected my only pair of designer jeans that had survived the packing extravaganza and a black, sleeveless top low-cut enough to hint at my generous cleavage without needing to worry about a wardrobe malfunction. Black, sparkly jewelry and a pair of stilettos completed the look.
Finn finished his shower and disappeared into his room, so I darted into the bathroom to finish getting ready. Although hair products and makeup were seldom in my repertoire, tonight I was going all out. It might be my last chance to be fancy before the end of the world. When I finished, I stepped back and looked at myself in the full-length mirror. I would never be a super model—too damn short and curvy—but I could recognize when I looked smokin’.
I took a moment to ensure everything was in place and then opened the door. Finn was exiting his bedroom, and the look on his face said I was right in my self-assessment. He looked good, too. He’d put on a suit and was adjusting his cuff links. The blue-green color of his shirt complimented his blue eyes, and the dark suit set off his pale Irish skin perfectly.
“We are hot,” I said. I grabbed my purse and started towards the stairs.
“I’ll be a minute,” he said in a strangled voice. I shrugged and continued downstairs. When he joined me a few minutes later, he’d regained his equilibrium. “Shall we?”
We stopped for pre-dinner drinks and appetizers at a martini lounge in the Pearl and then walked down to a trendy bistro a couple of blocks away for dinner and more drinks. After two martinis and half a bottle of wine, I was ready to dance and blow off some steam.
Music flowed from a dark bar that straddled the line between dive and posh. “Haven” blinked in green neon above the door. The bored-looking bouncer intoned, “Ten dollars, two drink minimum,” when we approached. Finn handed him a twenty, he took a cursory glance at our IDs, and then went back to watching porn on his
iPad before we’d even cleared the doorway.
The bar was busy, but not packed, although the dance floor was pretty crowded. “Is it safe?”
“Look around. Check out your fellow patrons.”
I did as commanded. There wasn’t a single mundane human in the joint. I looked back at Finn and cocked an eyebrow.
“It lives up to its name. No humans can wander in by mistake, and no violence can be committed.”
We headed to the bar to get some drinks, and Finn grabbed a couple of barstools. I looked longingly at the dance floor.
“Go ahead,” he said. “I’ll save our seats.”
I headed to the dance floor. The steady beat crawled up into my body; I closed my eyes and let it move me. When the song ended, I looked for Finn and saw him chatting with a woman wearing enough leather to retrofit an entire heard of cattle. I grinned and melted back into the crowd.
I was swaying in time with a slower song when a strong pair of arms wrapped around me from behind. “Hello, sexy,” a low voice whispered. “Are you in need of a dance partner?”
“I wouldn’t mind a little diversion,” I answered.
“Let me see what I can do.” He pulled me closer and moved against me in time with the music. It didn’t take long for the dance to turn from sexy to erotic. His hands slid down my sides to grab my hips. He pulled me back against him, and his hardening cock pressed against my backside. I turned around in his arms to get a look at my new friend. He was so tall that my first glance, pressed this close together, was of a massive chest. I ran my hands up his abs to that impressive chest before my eyes finished their journey up to his face.
I froze. “You,” I whispered.
“Hi.” The yellow eyes of the wolf shifter stared down at me, and before I could say anything, he dipped down and kissed me. His kiss was intense and wild and everything I’d imagined it would be. He plundered my mouth with his tongue. He tasted rich and earthy. I kissed him back with a passion I didn’t even know I’d possessed. I could tell we were moving, but didn’t care, even though I knew I should. When my back hit a wall, I tore myself away and looked around. We’d left the dance floor and were in a dark, narrow hallway. There was no one in sight. I tried to convince myself to be terrified, to call for Finn. To do anything but what I wanted desperately to do.
His hands slid to my ass and lifted, and I let him pull me up. I wrapped my legs around him, and all I could think was how much I wanted him inside me.
He released my legs and held me up as I fought for balance. “Not this time, Princess, but soon.”
He stepped back, and I gasped when his heat left my body. I stared at him, torn between reproachful and relieved, and that’s when I saw Finn at the end of the hallway. He did not look happy.
I opened my mouth, not sure what I was going say, but the shifter interrupted. “The pack has decided not to oppose you. They did decide that one of us would accompany you to ensure that you don’t wreak too much havoc, and to take appropriate steps if it looks as though you’re losing control.”
My mouth hung open. “You think you can come with us? After you tried to kill us last night?”
“I wasn’t going to kill you, although I did enjoy the chase. Too bad your friend cheats.” He leaned in to my neck, inhaled deeply, then bit down hard. “You weren’t that worried about my homicidal tendencies a few minutes ago.” He pressed his body into me, pushing me into the wall, and I bucked against him involuntarily.
“You need to stop,” I said. “My friend is going to walk the rest of the way down this hallway and realize who you are. I don’t think he’ll be as forgiving as I apparently am.”
The shifter pressed into me again, and I whimpered. “I’ll let you go now, but I’m tracking you, Princess. I will be coming with you and this,” he rubbed his blue-jean clad erection against me again, “isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”
He stepped back and turned to walk away.
“Wait,” I called. “At least tell me your name.”
He didn’t turn around, but I heard him clearly. “Isaac. Isaac Walker.”
I was staring in the direction in which Isaac had disappeared when an angry redhead moved into my field of vision.
“What the fuck was that, Morgan?”
Oh, shit. He was pissed. He never called me by my last name.
“What do you mean? You were talking to someone so I danced with a hot guy.” I knew I sounded defensive, but I couldn’t help it.
He raised an eyebrow. “That was dancing?”
“Dancing and stuff. What’s the big deal?”
“You left the dance floor. You disappeared. Are you stupid?”
“You said this was a safe place.”
“Someone could’ve dragged you out an emergency exit. Vampires have tried to kill you, a cloaked woman threw pepper at you in your own home, and a werewolf threatened you yesterday!”
“The wolves are no longer after me.”
“And you know this how?”
“The shifter I danced with told me.”
“And how would he know?”
The accusatory twenty questions were beginning to annoy me. “Because he’s the same shifter we saw last night,” I yelled. Finn stilled. I instantly regretted letting the wolf out of the bag.
“You made out with the werewolf who tried to kill us last night?” he asked, his voice quieter and calmer than I’d ever heard it before.
“I didn’t know who he was at first.” That sounded lame, even to my own ears.
“And when you did realize?”
I hesitated. I didn’t know if there was any way to mitigate the situation at this point. “I didn’t care.”
Finn walked away. I trailed behind him. This was not how I’d imagined the night ending.
Chapter Five
“READY FOR SPARRING practice?” Finn asked the next morning as soon as he cleared the front door. He headed down to the basement without waiting for a reply.
We sparred in silence broken only by his sharp, staccato corrections. After a couple non-starters, I gave up attempting to engage him in conversation and concentrated on not getting my ass kicked. He blocked my punches with minimal effort and was landing four out of every five on me. The hits I managed to avoid were more luck than skill. He’d obviously been holding back.
Forty-five minutes later, I was wheezing and drenched in sweat. Perspiration had pooled on the floor in front of me, and in my exhaustion, I slipped and nearly fell. Only then did Finn back off. I swiped my water bottle and drank deeply before sopping my face with a towel.
“Meet me outside in twenty. We’ll head back up to where we left off yesterday.” He disappeared. Usually, he didn’t bother tessering when it was only a few feet, but apparently today, those few extra seconds in my presence were a few seconds too many.
Twenty minutes later, I was outside in my truck waiting for Finn. We drove up Germantown and once again parked in the Wildwood parking lot. He was out of the truck and disappearing down the trail before I even had the ignition off.
I chased him down, and we headed to where we’d left the trail a couple of days ago. Finn held out his hand, not meeting my eyes, and I handed him the pack. He pulled out the compass and map, studied them, and then left the trail to head south. I followed him, dodging the branches he let swing back towards my face, until we got to a small clearing.
“Try again,” he said.
“Finn—”
“Save it, Eleanor. Find the damn gate.”
Sinking to the forest floor, I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing, looking for that still place inside of me that I needed to reach out to the world around me. Finn’s glare burned into my forehead, disrupting my concentration. I gave up. “Either pull out the bug that’s crawled up your ass and died, or leave. I can’t concentrate with you glaring at me.”
“We’ll try again tomorrow.”
He turned and walked out of the clearing, leaving me to scramble to pick everything up and shove it in the pack.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I knew someone was watching me. I turned and the outline of a figure was barely visible against the leafy darkness of the trees.
“Isaac?”
He stepped out into the light far enough for me to see him—and see that he had once again eschewed a shirt. My gaze wandered down, and I told myself that I was not disappointed that he was wearing jeans.
I looked up in time to see him smirk. He winked at me and melted back into the forest so quickly it gave the illusion of vanishing.
I closed the pickup door behind me when I got in. The ride home was filled with uncomfortable silence. Finn’s grip on the steering wheel was so tight that his knuckles were turning white against his already pale skin. He parked and turned off the ignition. Before he could disappear, I grabbed his wrist. “I have had enough. We need to talk.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary, Eleanor.”
“If you want me to find the goddamn gate, it is. I’m tempted to stand outside tonight and give a loud and stirring soliloquy directed towards Arduinna about how my inability to locate the first gate is all your fault.”
He glared. “You wouldn’t.”
“Probably not, but we still need to talk, so get your Irishish ass inside, Finnegan Byrne.”
For a second, I thought it wouldn’t work, but he pulled his hand out of my grasp and opened the door of the truck.
Finn leaned against the dining room wall and looked at me, his eyes devoid of emotion. I grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge and handed him one.
“I’m not entirely sure what’s going on. I need some help. This silent treatment thing is destroying my already precarious concentration. I know you’re pissed at me. I don’t know if I can fix that, but if we’re going to be working together, then we need to work this out.” I paused in case he had something to add. He kept leaning. I took a generous pull of my drink while I searched for the right words.
“Can you tell me why you’re so angry? Is it because I kissed Isaac, because I kissed a shifter, or because I kissed another man?”