by Becca Van
Celeste tried to stop herself from slipping into the blackness so she could hear the answer, too, but exhaustion won out.
Chapter Five
Hodge didn’t need to look toward the entrance of the shed to know that Celeste and Tammy were coming in the doorway. The hair on the nape of his neck stood on end and the delectable aroma that was unique to his and Tarik’s mate drifted to his olfactory senses on the cool breeze. His sabear butted against his insides trying to get out to mate with their woman but he shoved his animal back down.
“Behave.”
“Want mate. Now!”
“You think I don’t?” Hodge sighed mentally. “She doesn’t even know about us. We need to give our mate time to get used to having us around.”
His sabear growled and grumbled before stretching out his front legs, yawning and curling up into a tight ball with his back to him.
“This is where my brother and Hodge make all the furniture,” Tammy explained, as she and Celeste moved farther into the room.
“Oh. Wow.” Celeste’s soft musical voice seemed to reach into Hodge’s chest and grabbed hold of his heart, but that wasn’t the only body part that responded to her nearness, her scent or the words she spoke. His half-hard cock twitched and pulsed against the zipper of his jeans as it filled with blood. He’d been in this state since he’d first set eyes on her and he knew that he was going to be in this state until she agreed to his and Tarik’s mating claim. If she accepted their mating claim.
Hodge eyed her from his periphery as she ran her small hand over the oak table he and Tarik had completed a few days prior to her arrival. He wondered how that hand would feel wrapped around his hard dick as it pumped up and down. He closed his eyes, sucked in a deep breath and pushed his lascivious thoughts aside as he tried to get his arousal under control. He opened his eyes again when Tarik cleared his throat.
“We need to finish sanding the dresser down.”
Hodge nodded and then spoke to his best friend on their private link. “Your eyes are glowing.”
“So are yours.”
“Shit!” Hodge hadn’t realized that although his sabear was still curled up in a ball, that he was avidly watching their mate and so close to the surface. When he gazed inward and intently studied his inner animal, he noticed his beast wasn’t as relaxed as it tried to portray. The big shit was waiting for an optimum opportunity to pounce. “Don’t you fucking move.” His animal yowled at him but his muscles slowly relaxed.
“You’re safe,” Tarik said when he met Hodge’s gaze.
“You, too.”
“This is amazing.” Celeste met Hodge’s gaze briefly before slowly wandering around the shed. She turned toward Tarik. “You made all this?”
“We did,” Tarik answered.
“These are a work of art.” Celeste stared at the large coffee table and the two matching smaller tables. “Do you sell what you make?”
“We do,” Hodge answered.
“Wouldn’t it cost too much to fly it out?”
“We factor freight costs into the price of the furniture,” Tarik explained.
Celeste nodded. “So, you have a website?”
“Yes,” Hodge replied, as he took a step closer to his mate. Tarik moved in on the other side. He cocked his head when he heard a cell phone vibrating and pinpointed its origins. The buzzing noise was coming from Celeste’s coat pocket. Either she couldn’t hear it or she was intent on ignoring the text or call. When he noticed her shoulders tense up and her lips pull into a straight line, he decided on the latter. He met her gaze and just before she glanced away he was sure he saw fear in those gorgeous blue eyes.
“Do you get a lot of orders?” Celeste asked, and relaxed again when her phone stopped buzzing.
“Too many to keep up with,” Tarik answered.
She opened her mouth to say something else but quickly closed it again when her phone started up once more.
Tarik shifted until he was only a couple of feet from her side. “Aren’t you going to answer that?”
“No. I’m on vacation.” Celeste shrugged nonchalantly but it was a forced move.
“Are you ready to see more of Savoonga?” Tammy asked.
Hodge wondered if Tammy had heard Celeste’s phone going off, too, when he noticed she was frowning.
“I’d love to.” Celeste smiled. “You’re both very talented. I will definitely be back to look over what you have for sale. I love those tables.” She waved as she followed Tammy out the door.
“That was strange,” Hodge mumbled.
“Yeah.” Tarik ran his fingers through his hair. “She looked really uptight and almost scared.”
Hodge nodded. “Something’s wrong.”
“We’ll give her a few more days and then we’ll get to the bottom of whatever is scaring the hell out of her.” Tarik stared toward the empty doorway.
“Yes, we will.”
* * * *
Celeste glanced at Tammy and realized from the determined set of her friend’s shoulders and the implacable gleam in her eyes when she met her gaze, that she was going to have to fess up.
Tammy stopped outside the corner of the general store with her hands on her hips as she tried to stare Celeste down, which was kind of funny since she was more than a couple of inches shorter than her.
“Okay, sister, spit it out.”
Celeste made sure no one was close enough to overhear before she began to explain. “I have a stalker.”
“What?” Tammy screeched.
“Keep it down.” Celeste’s hand fluttered nervously at her throat and made sure no one was taking any notice of them. She spied Hopper behind the counter in the general store and though he wasn’t looking directly at her, she felt as if he was watching her. However, she was far enough away that the man wouldn’t be able to hear her and Tammy talking.
“Explain.” Tammy shifted her weight to one foot cocking her hip and crossed her arms beneath her breasts.
Celeste drew in a shaky breath and began to explain. “For the last few months, I’ve had a creepy fan turning up to all my photo shoots.”
“Did you inform the authorities?” Tammy asked.
She nodded before continuing. “The cops can’t do anything unless the asshole makes a move and so far, he hasn’t.”
“Shit.” Tammy frowned and curled her fingers at Celeste. “There’s more.”
She nodded again. “I don’t know how he was able to get my information, but he emails and texts me nearly every day.”
Tammy looked angry. “Someone you know gave him your cell phone number and your email address?”
“That’s the only way he’d be able to contact me.”
“Do you know who it was?”
Celeste shrugged but then shook her head. “I work with so many people. Some of the other models are bitchy. It could have been one of them.”
“It could have been someone at the agency. Money talks you know.”
“I asked everyone at the agency but everyone denied it.”
“So, when I offered for you to come stay here, you jumped at the chance to escape your creepy stalker.” Tammy hugged Celeste. “I’m glad you did.”
“You make it sound like I only came because of the stalker, but you know that’s not true.” Celeste squeezed Tammy before drawing back.
“I do. What else has this guy done? Do you know his name? Can you get a restraining order on him?”
“I don’t know his name. He uses a fake name and I can’t get a restraining order because of that and because he hasn’t done anything bad.”
“But?” Tammy quirked an eyebrow.
“I think he managed to get into my hotel room when I was doing a shoot in Hawaii.”
“He probably did. He followed you to Hawaii?”
“Yes.”
“Where else?” Tammy asked in a harsh whisper.
“He followed me to Australia when I was doing a bathing suit commercial on Whitehaven Beach, Queensland.”
“You went
there?”
“I did.”
“You lucky bitch! I’ve heard about that place. It’s on an island and is supposed to have the whitest sand in the world.”
“Whitsunday Island.”
“That’s near the Great Barrier Reef?”
“Yes.”
“Did you—” Tammy waved her hand. “Never mind. We need to get back on track.”
“There’s nothing else to tell.”
“How do you know he got into your hotel room?”
Celeste glanced toward Hopper to find him staring at her and Tammy but when she looked closer he looked like he was staring right through them, his gaze unfocused. She gasped when she saw that his eyes had that same luminescent glow she’d seen behind Tarik’s and Hodge’s eyes and wondered if that was because of the islands location, or because of a genetic anomaly. She would have to remember to ask Tammy.
“Some of my things had been moved and the drawers had been rifled through.”
“It could have been the cleaning staff?”
“I don’t think so,” Celeste replied. “I’ve stayed at that hotel before and never had a problem.”
“You kept your room locked?”
“Of course I did.”
“He had to have bribed someone to let them in.”
“He could have picked the lock.”
“I thought that most locks were digital?” Tammy frowned.
“They are.”
“So, what you’re trying to tell me is that your creepy stalker has the technical know-how and gadgetry to bypass hotel security?”
“That’s the only thing I can think of.”
“Fuck!”
Celeste swallowed around the constriction in her throat. “He left me a rose on my pillow, a box of chocolates, and a note.”
Tammy straightened. “What did the note say?”
“Roses are red, violets are blue, I cry myself to sleep, masturbating to you.”
“Eew, that’s sick.”
“You have no idea.”
“Did you take the note to the cops?”
“No.”
“Why the hell not?” Tammy raised her voice.
“Because this guy, whoever he is, isn’t as dumb as he looks. The note was printed not handwritten. He’s not going to leave any evidence behind such as fingerprints or DNA.”
“Surely that was enough for you to get a restraining order on him.”
“How?” Celeste blinked back tears and tried to slow her racing heart. “I don’t know his name.”
“Shit. I forgot about that part.” Tammy narrowed her eyes at Celeste. “You didn’t report the last incident in Hawaii, did you?
“I don’t need to worry anymore. I’m quitting modeling.”
“You are? Why?”
“I hate it. I have no life. It’s always rush, rush, rush. I never get time to just sit and relax. I’m always jet lagged traveling from country to country. I only took it up because I couldn’t afford to pay my college tuition or books, as well as board at the dormitory, and eat.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have found a way to help you out.”
“I have my pride.”
“You are so fucking stubborn.”
Celeste snorted. “Pot. Kettle.”
“Bitch.” Tammy giggled.
“Back at ya, girlfriend.” Celeste burst out laughing and Tammy joined in. When they both sobered, Celeste felt the tension she’d been carrying around for months, slide away. Laughter was a wonderful drug and so was being with her bestie.
As she glanced about the island, she wondered if Tammy would baulk if she wanted to stay. It would be hard to get used to the death-defying temperatures, but she’d always preferred the cold over heat. She mentally shook her head. The town of Savoonga was just under seven hundred people. The rest of the island’s population was just over seven hundred people, and they resided in Gambell. However, that didn’t mean relocating to St. Lawrence Island was out of the question. Celeste was independently wealthy and had more money than she could spend in a lifetime. So, if she wanted she could fly in whatever supplies and contractors she needed to build her own place. That was if there was any land for sale. From the looks of the ragtag placement of the buildings, she wasn’t sure that was the case. Doing more research in regards to Savoonga was needed before making any firm decisions. For now, she was just going to enjoy being with her friend and being safe.
“Come on.” Tammy linked arms with her and led her toward the general store. “You haven’t met Hopper, or tried his specialty cakes.”
“What sort of cake?”
Tammy grinned as she opened the door to the store. “You’ll find out.”
The moment Celeste caught the gaze of the man behind the counter she wanted to turn tail and run. He was gazing at her with a frown on his face, but it was his glowing eyes that freaked her out. She turned toward Tammy intending to suggest they came back later, but ended up taking a step away from her friend. Tammy’s brown eyes had lightened to an amber color and they were glowing, too.
“Ah, Tammy?”
“Hmm,” her friend hummed dreamily, and met Celeste’s gaze. Tammy blinked and the dreamy expression left her face.
Celeste glanced back at the man behind her store counter and then Tammy again.
“What?”
“Why were your and”—she pointed toward the man and whispered the rest of her question—“his eyes glowing?”
Chapter Six
“What?” Tarik roared his question. “Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure,” Hopper replied. “She and Tammy are standing outside the store talking about it.”
“Fuck! Has she mentioned this asshole’s name?” Hodge asked.
“No. She said that’s why she can’t take out a restraining order against the prick,” Hodge explained. “Hang on a sec.”
“Let’s go.” Tarik nodded toward the door and began walking. He saw Tammy and Celeste standing at the corner of the general store, engrossed in their conversation. Tarik’s sabear was growling and pacing as he head-butted against his insides trying to get out to protect its mate.
“She looks scared,” Hodge growled.
“She is. Look how pale her face is.” Tarik had never been more thankful for his enhanced senses and eyesight. It didn’t matter that he was hundreds of yards away from Celeste. He could see every little detail and expression with his inner animal’s eyes.
“This guy is one sick fuck,” Hopper said.
“Tell me,” Tarik ordered.
“Seems he managed to break into her hotel room while she was at a photo shoot in Hawaii. He left her a note.”
“And?” Hodge asked.
“You don’t want to know.”
“Spill it!” Hodge ordered.
“Whatever you do, don’t take your rage out on me and for fuck’s sake make sure you have your anger under control before you confront her.”
“Get on with it!” Tarik snarled.
“Just remember I’m only passing on what I’m hearing.”
Tarik’s dominant sabear rumbled out a long low yowl.
“Okay. Okay.” Hopper sucked in a deep breath. “Roses are red, violets are blue, I cry myself to sleep, masturbating to you.”
Tarik’s sabear growled and yowled as it leaped forward trying to shove his way out. From the way Hodge was panting and his eyes were glowing, his friend was having the same problem.
“They’re going inside,” Hodge said unnecessarily.
Tarik picked up the pace when his mate and sister entered the store.
“Oh fuck!” Hopper sighed.
“What?” Hodge asked.
“She noticed our eyes.”
“Whose?”
“Mine and Tammy’s.”
Another low rumble vibrated Tarik’s chest. He didn’t need to ask why Hopper’s eyes were glowing. Whenever Tammy was around Hopper and Phelan, the men’s inner animals couldn’t help react. Tammy was their mate and they’d
known as soon as she’d been born, she was the other half of their soul, but they were good decent men and had kept their distance from his sister, giving her a chance to mature and grow.
Although Tammy was of the same blood, females of their kind couldn’t shift into their animal form. The stealth—another word for a group or pack of sabears—had delved into the ancestry of their origins to see if it was possible for a female’s inner beast to be woken, but so far nothing had been found. The only consolation was that the females were faster and stronger than an average human female, and had enhanced senses.
Tarik sped up to a jog, Hodge meeting him step for step. He entered the store just in time to hear his sister curse under her breath.
Tammy crossed her arms and locked gazes with Celeste. “You aren’t scared of me, are you?”
“Do I have reason to be?” Celeste asked.
“No.”
Celeste snorted. “No, I’m not scared of you. How could you even ask me that?”
“Uh.” Tammy glanced his way. “Do you want to explain?”
Not really.
Celeste peeked at him and Hodge from beneath her lowered lashes and then met Tammy’s gaze again.
“I thought we were going to try some of…Hopper?” Celeste paused for Tammy’s confirmation.
“Yes.” Tammy nodded.
Celeste started talking again. “I thought we were going to try some of Hopper’s specialty cakes?”
“We were, are.” Tammy shrugged her shoulders at Tarik and followed Celeste to sit on one of the stools near the counter.
“Do these specialty cakes have chocolate in them?”
Hopper smiled and offered Celeste his hand in greeting. “Hopper. Nice to meet you, Celeste, and yes they have chocolate.”
“Then I’m in.”
“I love chocolate.” Tammy closed her eyes and moaned as if she was already tasting the sweetness on her tongue.
Hopper made a choking noise and turned away.
Tarik and Hodge walked up behind Celeste. Her muscles tensed with awareness but she didn’t turn around. Hopper exited the backroom with two plates and two mugs. He set them down in front of the women.
Tammy picked up the square chocolate cake covered in coconut and took a large bite. She groaned as she chewed. Tarik glanced at Hopper, not surprised to see his friend staring at Tammy with hungry glowing blue eyes. Nor was he surprised when the door to the store opened. He sniffed the air scenting, Phelan, his sister’s other mate.