Stripped (Wolves of Mule Creek #2)

by Katharine Sadler

  Doc tapped her nails on her desk and shook her head. “It shouldn't work that way. I could understand if the combination of your blood and vamp saliva somehow combined to be toxic to vamps, but that shouldn't affect the contents of your stomach, not unless you'd ingested the vamp saliva.” She looked at me. “I could take your blood and compare it to wolf blood, but I won't understand its reaction to vamp venom unless we can get some to mix with your blood. We'll probably never understand what happens in your body without replicating a vamp attack and that would be way too risky for you.” She smiled. “And me, since Zane would kill me if I let you near another vamp.”

  “I'd be happy to give you my blood. But I'm not interested in letting any vamps near me ever again. I thought if we could recreate whatever I vomited on Leopold we'd have a weapon against the vampires.”

  Doc nodded, intrigued. “I'd kill for a sample of your vomit, but I'm sure the scene's been cleaned and cleared by now. I'd be interested in studying your blood, just for the sake of science, if you're okay with that?”

  I was more than okay with that, so I let her tap a vein and take a good-sized sample of my blood. “Thanks,” she said. “Now, go get something to eat. I'll send Zane to his house when he wakes up.”

  I thanked her and left.

  Zane's front door was unlocked, so I let myself in and shut the door behind me. It was crazy how much Zane's house had come to feel like home to me, how just stepping through the door made me relax and smile. If I lived there, I'd put some art on the walls and maybe add some color, but I wouldn't change a thing about the overall layout or the basic, comfy furniture.

  I walked into the kitchen to see Iris, head inside the fridge, bent over and rummaging. She stood as soon as I walked in, probably having heard my footsteps with her wolfy hearing. She shut the fridge and rushed me, nearly knocking me over as she wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me hard. “We were so worried about you, sweet girl. I thought Zane was going to kill Aron and Payne for letting you leave.”

  “It wasn't their fault. I snuck out.”

  “A human shouldn't be able to sneak past a werewolf, honey. No offense.”

  “I think maybe I got past them because werewolves, in general, tend to underestimate humans.”

  She beamed. “You might be right, dear. You might just be exactly right. Why don't you come in and sit, I was stocking Zane's fridge for him, I figured you both would be hungry. Will he be here soon?”

  “He fell asleep at the clinic. Doc will send him here as soon as he wakes up.”

  “Doc?” She grinned. “Oh, you mean Alexis. I've known her since she was in diapers and I've never quite adjusted to her being an adult with a medical degree.” She patted my shoulder. “Are you hungry? I've got leftover beef stew I just put in Zane's fridge. With some fresh bread?”

  “That sounds wonderful. Thank you. Can I do anything to help?”

  “You just sit there and relax, Abigail. I heard what you did for the pack, confronting Leopold like you did and nearly dying. You are a hero.”

  “I believe some people, your son included, would say I'm an idiot.”

  She bustled around the kitchen and was soon heating the stew and standing by the stove while she stirred. “It was risky, that's for sure. I know Zane would rather have you safe than anything else in the world, but what you did may just save us. Now that we know why the vamps and the council want us and our land, we can fight them. You gave us options we didn't have before and I, for one, am very grateful to you for that.”

  “You've lived on this land for a long time?” I asked, glad to change the subject from my heroism.

  “All my life,” she said. “I don't know anywhere else and I don't want to. If we'd had to move away or watch our home be overrun by vampires…” She shook her head. “I'm not sure I'd want to survive it.”

  “Have you never traveled?” I couldn't imagine anyone choosing to stay in one place their whole lives.

  “A bit. It's hard for us. We need to have places we can shift and run or we get antsy and aggressive. A trip to Paris could turn into a real-life re-make of a horror movie.” She set a bowl of stew and a slice of fresh bread on the table and sat across from me. “I've never minded. I'm a homebody at heart.”

  “And has Zane never traveled?”

  “He went to college in California and he's taken short trips all over the world, but that was in his early twenties. He hasn't said anything about wanting to travel, lately. Are you worried he's thinking about leaving the area?”

  Quite the opposite, but I wasn't willing to get into that with Iris. “I was just curious about him.” I took a bite of the beef stew, rich and creamy, but with a bit of a kick, and nearly died of pleasure. I was hungrier than I'd realized.

  While I shoved in the food, Iris told me stories about Zane as a kid. He'd been a bit of a loner in a pack that was centered on the idea of togetherness, but he still managed to get into his fair share of trouble, to make close friendships that had proved to be lifelong. I wondered how different my life might have been if I'd known Zane when I was a kid, if I'd had a friend like him. I wouldn't have felt quite so alone, so different from everyone else, I suspected.

  “I'm so glad he's found you,” Iris said, as I was finishing up and resisting the urge to lick the bowl.

  “I figured you'd want him to end up with another wolf.”

  She smiled and patted my hand. “I've always just wanted him to be happy. You make him happy and you're strong enough to allow him to be who he is without complaint.”

  I thought of my idea to make him sexy up his yoga videos. “I like Zane. More than anyone else I know, but I'm not as convinced as you that I'm the right person for him. I mean, you know I'm a stripper, right?”

  She remained unfazed. “You are a strong, smart, beautiful woman who looks at my son like he hung the moon. You risked your life to help your friend and to help his pack, his family. It doesn't matter what you do for a living.”

  “I'm not a hero,” I said. “Going to see Leopold didn't feel like being heroic, it just felt like doing the right thing.”

  “Which is exactly why you are heroic.” She took my empty bowl and stood. “And he looks at you like you're the center of the universe. When you walk into the room, his breathing hitches and he can't take his eyes off you. He moves to wherever you are and stands close to you, touches you. You are it for him, Abby. I hope you'll stay.”

  “I…”Shit, why were my eyes burning. “I can't—”

  She turned to the sink. “Zane's home. Why don't you let him in?”

  She had to know the front door wasn't locked and that he had a key if it was, but I went to the door anyway and opened it to find him standing on the porch, his cheek creased from the pillowcase, his hair ruffled. Something in him relaxed when he saw me and I wanted to step forward and wrap myself around him, but I held back. I was already too much wrapped up in him and in his life. I needed to pull back.

  “Feeling better?” I asked, moving to the side and letting him in.

  “Much.” He grabbed my waist as he passed and pulled me in for a hug and quick press of his lips to mine. “How are you feeling?”

  I moved back, even though it felt like the wrong thing to do. Zane didn't miss the movement, his expression shuttered and his smile faded. “I'm feeling pretty good,” I said. “There's some beef stew in the kitchen if you're hungry.”

  He didn't touch me again, but he got close enough that I could feel his heat and be surrounded by his scent. “I'm starving, but not for food.”

  I giggled and dodged before he could touch me. If he touched me, I'd cave and I'd probably never leave. I walked to the kitchen. “All I've got to offer is food. Your mom heated it up, and it's still warm if you want some.”

  Iris had left while I let Zane in. I wished she'd stayed. I grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and filled it with stew. I spun to find him seated at the table, his eyes on me, hungry. I shivered, set the bowl in front of him, and backed up until I was lea
ning against the sink and far out of his reach.

  He kept his gaze on me while he ate, lifting the spoon to his mouth and tearing the bread in a way that somehow breathed sex and made my knees weak and my panties wet. Why did I have to be sensible? I could have sex with him again and it wouldn't mean anything. It wouldn't make it harder to leave, wouldn't make me hate Denver because he wasn't in it. I could handle it. “How is it that you have food?” I asked, because I couldn't lie to myself. I couldn't handle sex with Zane, couldn't handle getting any more wound up in him.

  “Dad and I like to have plenty of food if the mood strikes us to cook for a bunch of people.”

  “And the rest of the town?”

  He shrugged. “Haven't asked. I imagine they have extra food stores or they're hunting for their meals. Now that Leopold's gone, we should be able to get food in town again.”

  “With what money?”

  “Now that Leopold won't be keeping us out of Aspens Whiten, those who still have jobs there can go back to work. We'll have money soon enough.”

  He wiped up the last bits of stew from the bowl with the last bite of bread and stood to carry his bowl to the sink. I hopped out of the way before he could cage me in and steal a kiss that would change my mind.

  “We should work on that yoga video,” I said. “The sooner you get it out there, the sooner you can start making money.”

  “Do we even need it? Now that Leopold's gone, maybe I can get my yoga studio back.”

  “Until the next vampire king decides to use the same leverage Leopold did to chase you out of Aspens Whiten. You need to have an income stream the vampires can't touch or interfere with.”

  “You're probably right, but I'm not doing this alone.” He pulled his cell phone from his back pocket. “I'm calling a couple guys to come over and help.”

  “If you know anyone with a nice video camera, call her, too.”

  He made the phone calls and went back to his room to change. I went downstairs and picked up the room to make it as neat and sparkly as possible for the video.

  Zane walked in topless and in tight-fitted shorts. He took my breath away. I considered grabbing my stuff and running to Denver because just the sight of him made me never want to leave. He glanced my way and started stretching. His expression was tense. He hated this.

  “Thank you,” I said. “For going for a sexier look. I know you hate it, but I promise, it will get you the attention you need.”

  He stopped stretching and stalked over to me. “I don't care if we make a naked yoga video, I hate that you're pulling away from me. You haven't even left, yet, but you're already forcing distance between us.”

  “It's better this way.” My heart cracked. “The more attached we get—”

  “I'm already attached, Abby. There is no getting more attached for me, and you pulling away now isn't going to make it hurt any less when you leave.”

  I swallowed against the tight knot in my throat. “Then I'm doing it for me,” I said. “If we get any closer, I won't be able to walk away.”

  “Abby.” His voice was gentle now. He leaned in and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “I—”

  A knock at the door stopped him. I slipped under his arm and raced for the stairs. Julie waited for me, video camera in hand. “Hey,” Julie said. “I know Zane called Kara for the camera, but she's got some stuff to do. I figured I'd bring the camera by and stay for the show.”

  “Great,” I said, maybe with a bit too much gratitude in my voice based on Julie's wide eyes and raised eyebrows.

  She stepped inside just as two burly men in sweatpants and baggy t-shirts stepped onto the porch. “Hey, babe,” one of the guys said, running his gaze over me. “Zane called us about a yoga class.”

  “Come on in,” I said.

  ***

  “Okay,” I said, once everyone was in the basement, yoga mats spread out. “We're making a sexy yoga video to generate followers and views online so that the pack can benefit from advertising money.”

  The guys, Rodney and Mitch, glanced at Zane, wide-eyed, to confirm. He nodded and gestured toward me to let them know I still had the floor.

  “What that means is, I'm going to need you guys to lose the shirts, possibly the sweatpants, but we'll make a call on that after you lose the shirts.”

  Again, the guys glanced over at Zane, who nodded. “Sex sells.”

  Rodney and Mitch pulled off their shirts to reveal tanned, fit torsos that would be perfect for our video. Were all wolves built like that? Without the shirts, their sweatpants hung low, revealing the flat planes of their lower abdomens, impressive six-packs, and a lovely muscular V that led down to happy pastures. I looked over at Julie. “Shorts? Or do the sweats work?”

  “They look good to me. Maybe sweats for this first video and shorts for the next?”

  “Good idea.”

  “I feel like a piece of meat,” Mitch said.

  “A piece of meat who can demonstrate yoga moves to thousands of online viewers,” I said. I returned my attention to Julie. “Do you think you could film them from the back and the right side of the room? I'll get the front and the left side and then we'll edit the two videos together.”

  “I'm not an expert, but I think I can do a fair job,” Julie said.

  I moved to the front of the room and arranged the men so they'd all be visible at different camera angles. I didn't have a ton of experience with filming, but I had taken an online class in the subject of videography as part of my business degree. I worked out a shorthand form of sign language with Julie to let her know when she was in the shot and she was quick to move out of the way. She'd probably learned a thing or two when they were filming the reality show of her life.

  I got in position and signaled Zane to start. That obnoxious music he liked was already playing and he spoke in a dulcet voice with just a hint of a rasp, a sexy voice that went right to my core. When had he learned to do that?

  I tried to focus on all three of the men, but there was something hypnotic about the way Zane moved his body. His voice rolled over me like he was touching me, caressing me. I was focused on Zane when a grunt and a clatter caused me to swing around. Rodney was on the ground, groaning and holding his back.

  I stopped filming and hurried over to him. “Are you okay?”

  “He got stuck in the last position,” Julie said. “I got it on film for the outtakes special.”

  I grinned and gave her a thumbs up. I liked the way she thought. Rodney groaned and I remembered we had a man down. I knelt next to him. “What did you hurt?”

  “I twisted a muscle in my back.” He hobbled to his feet. “I'll be fine once I shift, but I can't do any more yoga until I get it straightened out.”

  “Okay,” I said. “We'll continue on without you until you can come back. Take your time and heal.” He nodded and limped up the stairs, one hand on his back. And they called humans weak.

  “Okay,” I said. “We'll need to keep going so we can get this video loaded tonight. Two isn't ideal, but—”

  “Why don't you get in here with us?” Zane asked.

  “Because I need to film. And I don't know yoga.”

  “It'd be good to have someone less experienced,” he said. “You can show viewers how to do easier moves in place of the complicated ones I've been doing.”

  I considered. It wasn't a bad idea. “I still need to film,” I said.

  “I can handle it,” Julie said. “We've probably got enough footage of tight asses.”

  “Just take your shirt off and get on the mat,” Mitch said.

  “Shut the fuck up, man,” Zane growled at him. “She looks fine.”

  I was wearing a t-shirt and yoga pants. “No,” I said. “He's right.” I pulled off my shirt, leaving me in a sports bra and stepped onto the mat. “Teach me, yoga guru.”

  Zane went back to instructing. I was supposed to be demonstrating the easier yoga moves, but they didn't feel easy to me. By the time I figured we'd gotten enough video, I
was sweating and my arms, legs, and belly were trembling.

  Alec headed out and Julie went upstairs to Zane's computer to start editing. I moved to follow her, but Zane's voice stopped me. “Have fun?”

  I spun to face him. “Actually, yeah, I did have fun. Thank you.”

  “You're welcome.” He grabbed my hips, pulled me against him and kissed me so hard I forgot all the reasons I was supposed to be keeping my distance from him.

  Just as I was melting into the kiss, he released me. “You should go upstairs and edit that video.”

  “Video,” I said, feeling dreamy. I shook my head and snapped back to reality. “Right. I'll let you know when we have something to show you.”

  “I'm sure it'll be fine.” He looked tired and sad, and I wanted to cry. “Just let me know when we start making money.”

  “Okay.” I forced a smile and hurried up the stairs to find Julie already seated at the kitchen table, Zane's laptop in front of her.

  ***

  “This is so good,” I said, scooping up a final bite of homemade ice cream and shoving it in my mouth. I was beyond full but it would have been a crime to waste that last bite of ice cream. Poor Julie and Zane chose not to have any, apparently sugar had some crazy weird effect on them. I couldn't imagine not being able to have sugar. “Can everyone in this village cook better than five-star chefs?”

  “You're sweet,” Iris said. “Zane is one of the better cooks in town, not everyone can do so well.”

  “I made the ice cream,” Zeke said. “Why are you talking about Zane?”

  Iris patted his hand and gave him a look that had him shaking his head, but smiling fondly.

  We were at Axel and Julie's small log cabin having dinner with them and Zane and his parents. We were going to have a viewing party of the yoga video before we posted it online.

  “And it is delicious,” Iris said. She'd been the life of the party, cheerful and chatty, getting everyone laughing and involved in the conversation. I thought I was charming, but she was charming to infinity.