by Day, Vella
As she followed Liz, she spotted the large diamond ring on her finger. “I see congratulations are in order.”
Liz grinned and wiggled her hand. “Yeah. I got the best two, but you both have fine men, too.”
Elena wouldn’t trade hers for anything. Hers? When had she started thinking in terms of keeping them both?
Clay held out his hand and when their fingers touched, a tremor raced through her. This man did something to her at a molecular level. Clay introduced her to about ten more Pack members, but she had a hard time remembering their names. All were muscular, well-groomed, and somewhere between twenty-five and thirty-five.
She looked up at Clay. “Are there any fat werewolves?” Mr. Couch only had a small pooch, but he was significantly older.
“Plenty, but we train to keep in good shape to fight the Colters.”
That made sense. Clay introduced her to a few women who he said had shifter dads. More questions bombarded her. “Can they shift, too?”
“Don’t worry. Only men can shift. These women only have a very slight difference in their DNA from you.”
For the next two hours, she stayed with either Dirk or Clay enjoying the Pack’s tales of heroism. She suspected the more they drank, the more the tales became exaggerated.
Trax’s phone rang and he had to hold a hand over his ear. Eventually, he stepped down the hallway. He returned, made a beeline to the music system, and shut it down.
“Dirk, Brandon, Sam, Drake, and Kurt. We have a job to do.”
Her heart sank. The party had been so much fun. She tugged on Clay’s arm. His jaw had tightened, and his shoulders appeared stiffer than cement.
“Do you know what’s going on?”
She doubted he could know as only Trax received the call, but perhaps this happened often.
“No. Let me find out.”
At least he hadn’t been asked to go. Perhaps Trax figured Clay needed to take care of her. The mood of the partygoers turned dark as Trax gathered his team.
Liz and Chelsea came up next to her. “This sucks, huh?” Liz said.
She studied both women. “You seem to be used to this sort of thing.”
Liz nodded. “Trax is one of the group leaders, so he’s always getting the call. The general has his number on speed dial.” She seemed more resigned than worried.
Clay trotted back to her. “Seems there’s been a tip about another human sale. The general gave the orders to take them down.”
Both Liz’s and Chelsea’s brows furrowed. Elena’s stomach churned at the horror they might uncover. “None of the men can die, right?”
Chelsea placed a hand on her shoulder. “Not unless the special bullet pierces their heart or enough poison hits the bloodstream and they can’t get the antidote made in time.”
Clay drew her near. “Let’s not scare my mate to death.” He kissed her forehead. “Dirk can handle himself, as can the other men.” He glanced from Chelsea back to her. “Kurt offered his beach house to us tonight.”
“A home on the beach sounds wonderful.” The idea of being alone with Clay was appealing, but knowing her, she’d be worried about Dirk the whole time.
“It is.”
Had Clay asked Kurt if they could stay there for her safety? “Am I in danger?”
“I hope not, but I don’t like to take chances.” He wrapped an arm around her waist. Something seemed odd about the offer, but questioning him would only elevate her anxiety. “Are we going right now?” It was close to midnight.
“As soon as we stop back at the house to pack a few things.”
She had no idea how far away this house might be, but if it was on the west coast of Florida, the only reason to leave now was because Clay knew more than he was saying.
Chapter Nine
Elena felt a little embarrassed falling asleep in the car on the way to Kurt’s other home.
“We’re here.” Clay cut the engine and she stretched.
“Sorry, I wasn’t much of a companion. Where are we?”
“It’s a small town called Orangeburg. It’s about forty-five minutes south of Gulfside.”
She’d never heard of it. Clay opened his door and she opened hers. The air was chillier here, but the salt air smelled refreshing.
He gathered their suitcases. “Follow me.”
As soon as they neared the door, lights clicked on. “That’s handy.”
“The place is rigged with all sorts of cool stuff.”
When they entered, lamplight lit the cozy living room. The pastels and soft fabrics gave it a lived-in feel, yet from the carefully placed artwork, it appeared professionally decorated.
“I like it.”
“I do, too. Tomorrow, I’ll give you the full tour. Let me show you to your room.”
Since she could barely keep her eyes open, she was good with that. For a moment, she thought Clay might suggest they share a room, but sleeping alone worked, too. It would give her time to figure out what she wanted to do.
He pushed a door open and motioned for her to enter. As soon as she went in, the light from three soft sconces cast a yellow glow over the room. The king-size bed only took up a portion of the room. A two-seater sofa, two chairs, and a coffee table huddled in the far corner.
“This is amazing.”
He chuckled. “Don’t get too used to the luxury.”
Uh-oh. “I didn’t mean your place wasn’t nice.” Yeesh. She had a sleep-deprived brain.
“I know. I’m kidding.” He put down both suitcases and rubbed both of her shoulders.
When he leaned close, her heart hammered. His lips parted and she thought he’d kiss her. All right, she wanted him to kiss her.
“Are you going to be okay by yourself in a strange place?”
The first night at their house, she said she didn’t want to be alone, but instinctively understood Dirk was the one for her. As much as there was a strong attraction between her and Clay, at least on her part, she didn’t think it was reciprocated.
“I’m good.”
“I’ll be next door if you need anything.”
“Thanks.”
He picked up his suitcase and walked out.
A small crack split her heart. She squashed the debate in her head about whether to crawl into his bed or not. The potential rejection seemed too great. Right now, it would be better to have a good night’s sleep and see how things panned out tomorrow. Her goal, too, was not to dwell on Dirk or if he was in danger.
#
When Elena opened her eyes, it took a moment to realize where she was. The heavenly scent of coffee snuck under her door and forced her to get up. Quickly, she changed into a different pair of yoga pants, and layered a short sleeve shirt under a thin sweater. The beach might be cold this time of year.
Pans banged and the rich aroma of breakfast trailed down the hallway. It was easy to locate the kitchen. When she passed through the living room and stepped into the kitchen, Clay was busy scraping the pan with a rubber pancake turner and cursing.
“Need help?”
He whipped around and the tension in his face dissipated. “You cook?”
“My mother is Hispanic. I think I had a pot and a wooden spoon in my hand when I was two.” She stepped next to him. Only a hint of cologne reached her over the burnt eggs. “Did you put any oil in the pan first?”
“Fuck.” He clamped his mouth shut. “Sorry.”
“That’s okay. I might be inexperienced in bed, but trust me, I’ve heard it all.” Too often Harvey Couch would be in his office and would swear up a storm. Looking back, she realized she should have quit months before.
“Do you think it’s edible?” He lifted the pan. The pan was charred and the eggs dirty.
“No.”
“There aren’t any more eggs. You want to eat out?”
“That sounds wonderful.”
He dumped the ruined batch down the sink and ran the disposal.
At some point, she’d have to find a job and start paying
them back. It wasn’t their responsibility to support her—mate or no mate.
“Let’s go.”
She thought they’d take the car, but instead he led them down the drive and across the empty road to the beach.
“You know of a diner around here?”
“Yup.”
The seagulls squawked and the wind whipped so vigorously she had to hold her hair with one hand. But the fresh air invigorated her.
Clay clasped her free hand and the gesture thrilled her. In silence, they walked along the shore, dancing away from the water with each incoming wave.
“Not many people out today,” she said. The clouds had rolled in, but it was still nice.
“Orangeburg isn’t much of a tourist town.”
They’d walked no more than fifty feet when Clay stopped. He pulled her back to his chest and pointed out at the Gulf. “Look. Dolphins.”
As she searched the waves, two fins popped up next to each other. “Cool. I wish I had my phone so I could take a picture.”
“I have mine.” He stepped back, turned it on, and even pressed the camera display for her. “Give it a go.”
The few attempts caught the beautiful animals after they’d already disappeared. “It’s hard to capture them at the peak of the leap.”
“Let me. My reflexes are faster.” He slipped the camera from her fingers.
One more thing she didn’t know about his kind.
He snapped away and grinned. “Got it.”
After he swiped a finger over the screen to enlarge the photo he moved close to show her the shot. The tail of one was about eight inches above the water, but the other dolphin was half in the air.
“That’s fantastic.”
He rubbed the phone on his chest as if to brag. Without saying a word, he held up the camera and shot a picture of her. She immediately covered her face.
“I look terrible. I don’t have any makeup on.”
“I think you’re gorgeous.”
His words stunned her. She was too fat, too short, and a host of other toos, but gorgeous wasn’t one of them. He grabbed her hand and led her a few feet away from the water.
“Sit down and let me shoot you.”
She bit back her retort about not seeing any weapon. “I’m not photogenic.”
He waved a hand. “I wish I had a real camera. What I could do. Mmm.”
Images of her naked, spread out on a bed, slammed into her. Bad girl. Why did being around Clay bring out the worst in her? They were on a beach, and because no one was around, she thought it safe to pose.
She sat, leaned back on her hands and stretched out her legs. Sand would find its way into every crevice, but that would make the shower more divine.
“How’s this?” She dropped back her head and closed her eyes to shield them from the glare.
The digital camera on the phone clicked and clicked. “You’re amazing.”
Any good photographer would try to make her feel at ease and it was working. After twenty seconds, she decided to change poses. She sat up, grabbed her knees to her chest, and turned her face away toward the sea.
“That’s perfect.” Clay got in close, but his nearness didn’t make her tense. Quickly, she faced him and stuck out her tongue. He grinned. “You’ll pay for that.”
“At least you can’t put it up on Facebook for every Colter to see.”
“Damn. You’re right.”
She held out her hand as he pulled her to her feet.
“I want to take pictures of you.”
“Moi? I’m not photogenic.” He kept his voice mockingly high.
She punched him in the chest and took the phone from him. He’d never go for stretching out in the sand, so she shot him standing. When he didn’t object to her moving around, she decided to see if he would be amenable to posing a different way.
“I know it’s a little chilly, but would you mind taking off your shirt? You could hook one thumb in your waistband and hold the shirt over your shoulder like this.” She did the pose for him.
He cocked a brow, but he did as she asked. Once bare-chested, her breath caught. “Wow. You look hot.”
His abs tightened. “Really?”
He must know how good looking he was. “Well, now that you ask, I’m not sure.” She held the camera in front of her, zoomed in to frame him correctly and snapped away. She pictured them rolling in the sand and needing to wash together. If that happened, she’d make sure to explore him more thoroughly.
Last night after the party, she’d decided to give Clay a try. Ménages seemed to work for Liz and Chelsea. Why not her? She’d already sinned once. What was once more?
“Would you mind getting on the sand and clasping your hands behind your head?”
“You sure?”
She giggled. “Just do it.”
He dropped down, tossed his shirt to the side, and placed his hands like she’d asked. Her heart sputtered. She took one full-length shot then straddled his legs to frame his torso.
“If you knelt, I bet you could shoot my better side.” He turned his head as if to prove his point.
She stood directly over his crotch. If she knelt, their two intimate anatomies would line up. Since they couldn’t do anything on the beach in broad daylight, she thought teasing him might be fun. “You’re right.”
On her knees, she leaned close, aimed, and took a few more pictures. Her breath caught at his beauty. When she bought a new cell phone and set up her computer she’d ask him to send her the photos.
He gripped her hips and tugged. Their position turned more awkward when her knees gave way and her crotch landed on his. Heat flew up her face, but she kept her poise and took another shot.
“I think that’s enough for today,” she said.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
Clay removed the phone from her hand and placed it on top of his shirt. Even if she wanted to move, she couldn’t. His grasp was too tight. He pulled her shoulders toward him and kissed her.
His long, deep groan surprised her. The kiss was both tender and intense. His erection bulged right under her, and caused something inside to ignite, forcing away all objections about being with Dirk and Clay. Their claim of her being both their mates still hadn’t sunk in, but his kiss helped convince her there was something right about being with them.
“You drive me crazy.” He moaned against her lips and lowered one hand to cup her breast.
His other hand slid under her shirt and rested in the middle of her back. His nails lengthened and dug into her skin.
“Clay!”
He jerked, lifted her, and set her aside. “I’m sorry.” He jumped up and paced. When he turned around seconds later, he was back to normal.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Had her vagina not been vibrating and her heart racing a hundred miles an hour, she might have run, but something about Clay was endearing.
“I actually wasn’t scared.”
“You weren’t?” His brows rose.
“No. Dirk explained everything to me. I’m actually flattered I cause such a strong reaction in you.”
He pumped a fist and dimples creased his cheeks. He bent over and retrieved his phone and shirt. He stuffed the phone in his jeans’ pocket and drew on his shirt. “I think I promised you breakfast.
At first, she thought he was cool with everything, but clearly he was as rattled as she was.
He led them to the water’s edge. She removed her sneakers and though her toes were cold stepping in the water, she loved the ebb and flow of the sea. They walked in silence, hand in hand, enjoying the vista and each other.
In about a mile, a small strip of shops appeared. One was called The Seaside Cafe. Outside seating looked inviting, but the wind had picked up, and dark clouds were rolling in. A clap of thunder sounded in the distance.
“Mind if we eat inside?”
“Anything you wish.”
The glimmer in his eyes made being with him easy. T
hey ordered scrambled eggs from a limited menu at the bar. The waitress pointed to a table in the corner of the cramped but cozy café and told them she’d bring their breakfast to their table.
They wove around the tables, half of which were occupied. They sat facing each other.
She placed the paper napkin on her lap. “So tell me what it was like growing up with such, how should I put it, potential?”
He laughed. “In one word—hard.”
“Why? Because you had to hide your multiple talents?”
“In a way. I grew up in Washington State where wildlife was plentiful. When I was about three, my dad taught me how to explore my other side.”
“Didn’t that freak you out?”
He shrugged. “I don’t think I knew any different. My dad could run and howl, so why not me?”
That made sense. His life sounded almost idyllic. “Were there others like you nearby?”
“Some. Dirk was my best friend growing up. We tried to share our experience with our human friends, but they just ran.”
“They rejected you?” Her hand flattened on her chest.
He laughed. “You seem surprised.”
“But you had a lot to offer. Couldn’t they see how being friends with such a talented person would benefit them?”
He shook his head. “When a real wolf killed a young boy in town, my parents decided it was time to move.”
“Did someone blame you?”
He swallowed and looked off. “Yes, only it wasn’t me or anyone else like me. It was an honest-to-goodness wolf.”
The server came over and placed their order in front of them. “Can I get you anything else?”
Clay smiled. “We’re good.” He pointed his fork at her. “Let’s eat.”
Her stomach grumbled, but she needed to digest what he’d told her. Being different would be hard especially if you thought defending your kind might make things worse. When she finished spreading most of the food around, she pushed her plate to the side. Her appetite had waned after hearing his story.
“Where are you parents now?” She hoped they were still alive.
“In Wyoming. They bought a large spread a few years back and took up ranching.”
She leaned close and whispered. “Does your dad ever shift and herd the cattle himself?”