The Fire Inside

by Virginia Cavanaugh

  Tyra crouched low in the bushes and stared at the tall bald man who stood over her mother.

  “He should have taken me up on my offer,” the man sneered.

  “We would never align ourselves with filth like you.”

  Tyra felt surprised at the strength behind her mother’s words. Fear had her own limbs trembling. The man’s facial features hardened and his thin lips pulled tighter. “See, I was only going to kill you, but now I think I’ll make it slow and painful. Maybe I’ll even show you what a real man is like. Maybe then you will learn to mind your tongue.”

  Fury filled Tyra and she moved toward the man. If her mother could brave this beast then so could she. For the first time in her life, rage filled her and she wanted death. His death. Her mother’s gaze caught hers though, and she saw the silent plea in them. Her mother’s lips formed the word go.

  As the man gripped her mother’s arm, his claws digging into her flesh, Tyra turned and ran as her mother had said. The dense foliage slapped at her face and body, but she didn’t slow her pace. She didn’t know how long she ran, but the first light of dawn glowed in pale blues and purples on the horizon. She stopped, looking around. She was alone. A pain-filled howl tore from her lips.

  Tyra bolted up in the bed, panted breaths parting her lips. Alone. She tossed the covers back and gripped the towel around her body as she ran for the front door and threw it open. He was gone. She closed the door, her hand trembling slightly as she engaged the lock. The nightmare had shaken her up. That had to be it, because there was no way in hell Konrad’s absence could make her feel this way. She refused to feel this way. Hell, she didn’t even know him, so how in the hell could she miss him?

  She sucked in a breath and marched toward her bedroom. What had she expected? For his wolf form to still be curled in front of her door? What a fool she would have made of herself if he had been. The nightmare always left her chilled and vulnerable. If he would’ve offered comfort, she most likely would’ve taken it, which would not do any good toward pushing him away.

  She glanced at her alarm clock by the bed and blinked. Four thirty in the afternoon. It had been forever since she’d slept late. She only had an hour before she had to be at work. It would be best to forget about Konrad and focus on her goals. Pushing away any stray thoughts of the nightmare and Konrad, she crossed over to the closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and a shirt.

  * * * * *

  Konrad pulled into the parking lot of Harry’s Bar and spotted his second-in-command, Luken, standing by the entrance. With a flick of his wrist, he silenced the engine of his truck and opened the door. Konrad had hated leaving Tyra during the day, but he had several meetings scheduled over the next few days. He wanted everything to be in order when Thanasis signed over the land.

  Konrad approached Luken and clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks for keeping an eye on her.” Even though it had been hard to leave Tyra earlier, knowing that Luken had been there to watch her had made it bearable.

  “Not an issue.”

  “Hey, if you don’t have plans, I’m buying,” Konrad said as he pulled open the door to the establishment.

  “Hell, if you’re buying then I’m in.” Luken smiled, leading the way inside.

  “How did I know you wouldn’t pass up free beer?” Konrad replied with a smile of his own as he followed Luken through the door. Loud country music mixed with the dull roar of the night’s crowd. It didn’t take long for him to spot Tyra in the jam-packed room. She stood next to the bar, loading a tray with drinks. Her long dark hair fell in a braid down her back. A few tendrils had escaped and now swayed lightly at her nape. She paused in her task and turned her head to look directly at him.

  Konrad smiled as he held her green-eyed stare, but she didn’t return his smile, instead she jerked her gaze back to the bar and resumed loading the drinks on her tray. So much for her being happy to see him. He followed Luken over to a high-top table in the corner and claimed the seat that afforded him the best view of the bar. His gaze panned the interior, taking in the full tables and crowded dance floor, before coming back to Tyra as she made her way to a table. The red shirt she wore hugged her full breasts and clung to her lean waist. Her jeans were tight, showing off her heart-shaped backside to perfection. Several of the men in the bar had noticed as well, casting lust-filled glances her way, making him want to permanently blind them.

  A short, petite blonde woman approached their table, balancing her empty drink tray on her hip. “What can I get the two of you?”

  Konrad leaned closer so the woman would be able to hear him above the noise. “We’d like it if Tyra took care of us, we don’t mind waiting.”

  Frown lines formed across the blonde woman’s brow. “If you want Tyra to wait on you, you’ll have to go sit in her section, and at the moment it appears to be full.”

  Konrad reached into his pocket and pulled out a fifty. “I’ll give you fifty dollars to let us sit here and have Tyra wait on us.”

  The waitress smiled and nabbed the fifty from his hand. “I’ll send her right over.”

  Luken shook his head, an amused grin lifting the corners of his mouth.

  “What?” When Luken didn’t reply, Konrad turned his attention back to Tyra. She stood next to a table, placing three draft beers in front of the three men seated at it. As she put the last one down, he noticed the guy closest to her make a move to put his hand on her ass. He rose from his seat, ready to pound the guy into the floor for daring to touch what was his. Luken gripped his arm, staying him, just as Tyra gripped the offensive man’s hand and twisted it, applying pressure that had the man leaning out of his chair to the side. He couldn’t hear her rushed words, but he had a good feeling he knew along what lines they were.

  “Sit back down, Konrad. She handled it.”

  Konrad glanced over his shoulder at Luken, and he released his hold. Even though he still wanted to go knock the asshole’s lights out, he went ahead and resumed his seat, his gaze following Tyra as she approached the bar. The blonde waitress waved her over, and Tyra looked none too pleased when the short woman pointed at his table.

  Tyra ground her teeth as Julie went on excitedly about her fifty-dollar tip. She should’ve known she wasn’t going to get rid of Konrad so easy. He stared directly at her as he said something to the tall, dark-haired man beside him. Both of them made a striking pair and more than one table of ladies had noticed them. It took all she had not to spill a drink in one woman’s lap as she had spelled out a wistful fantasy that had her doing body shots with Konrad. It pissed her off that she even cared. He didn’t belong to her, so he could do body shots with whomever he chose.

  “You’re going to wait on them, aren’t you? I really want to keep my fifty-dollar tip.”

  Tyra turned her attention back to Julie, who looked up at her with pale-blue eyes that silently begged. She knew the waitress had just split up with her old man and really did need the money. “Yes, Julie, I’ll wait on them.”

  Julie giggled and did a small happy dance. “Thanks, Tyra. And I noticed the one with the short hair keeps eyeing you, but could you see if his friend is single, because that man looks totally yummy.”

  Tyra rolled her eyes and laughed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “I owe you one.”

  Tyra made her way toward the high-top Konrad sat at, thinking Julie owed her more than one. She’d scented him the second he’d walked into the place. Already her body buzzed as if she were some kind of junkie who needed her Konrad fix. He had on a pair of dark dress slacks and a white button-up shirt, sans the tie. The top two buttons had been unfastened, showing off the tan skin, dusted with dark hair beneath. He made a stunning picture as he continued to watch her. No, she definitely hadn’t missed him coming in. She hadn’t missed him coming out of his chair a minute ago either. Royce didn’t have a clue about how close he’d just come to losing a limb over his drunken ass-grab move.

  She arrived at their table and decided to cut straight to t
he chase. “What are you doing here?”

  The man beside Konrad hid a smile with his hand as he turned to look toward the dance floor.

  Konrad smiled. “Nice to see you again too, Tyra.”

  Oh the things that smile did to her. A tickle started low in her belly and she tried hard to ignore it. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be here.”

  “We’re paying customers like everyone else,” Konrad said, leaning back in his chair.

  “I saw you get up a minute ago.” She watched as Konrad’s tongue ran across his upper teeth beneath his lip.

  “I didn’t touch him.” His lips tipped up in a smile, chalk full of mock innocence.

  “Yeah, but you wanted to.”

  “Damn straight. And he better heed your warning if he wants to leave here with all his limbs intact.” Konrad continued to smile.

  Amusement won out and Tyra couldn’t hold back the grin. “Who’s your friend?” Tyra turned her gaze to the man sitting across from Konrad. As if on cue, the man turned to face her, no longer needing to pretend he wasn’t sitting there. Milk-chocolate eyes stared back at her. His long dark hair flowed past his shoulders, hitting the middle of his back. She could definitely see why Julie said he was yummy. His high cheekbones and olive skin tone spoke of Native American heritage.

  “This is Luken, my second. Luken, my mate, Tyra.”

  Tyra turned to stare at Konrad. “According to you.”

  Konrad’s lips parted to say something, but he stopped as a table across the room called her name. She turned and noticed their raised empty glasses. Her gaze went back to Konrad. “I can’t really talk right now. What can I get y’all?”

  They ordered a couple domestic drafts and she walked away from them, waving at her other table to let them know she would get their refills as well. Maybe if she was lucky he would leave after he finished his beer, but she had a major feeling that was only wishful thinking. Good thing the bar closed at midnight on weekdays. It would only be another two and a half hours ’til last call. A very long two and a half hours under the weight of Konrad’s stare.

  She quickly gave her orders to the bartender and loaded her tray, stopping first at the table that had called out her name before making her way across the room toward her troublesome wolf. His gaze danced with mischief, which should have warned her. She placed the first frosted mug in front of Luken, and had barely sat the second in front of Konrad before he gripped her arm gently, pulling her closer to him. She was about to protest, but then he slid his hand into the back pocket of her jeans. Her words died a quick death as the flames of desire began to kindle.

  His hand slid slowly out of her pocket as he inhaled a deep breath before whispering near her ear, “Keep the change.”

  She took a step back as his hold loosened on her arm. The satisfied smile spreading across his face irritated her. She knew he’d scented the effect he’d had on her, but the brazen move had affected him too, the scent of his own desire lacing each breath she pulled in. She turned, moving across the bar to check on her other tables, but she didn’t miss Luken’s statement.

  “Damn, I was hoping she’d put the smack-down on you, like she did the other guy. Now that would’ve been entertaining as hell.”

  A laugh bubbled up inside her. She was too far away, with the noise of the rowdy patrons, to hear Konrad’s reply.

  The next two and a half hours went by fast. Tyra had been too busy to chit chat anymore with Konrad and Luken, and every time she brought them new drinks, she stayed safely on Luken’s side of the table, which had amused them both. But she couldn’t risk getting close to him again. She needed to function and do her job, and the way he made her feel wasn’t conducive to thinking straight.

  Her physical reaction to him irritated her, and made her wonder how long her heat cycle would last. That had to be it. She didn’t think she could face it being a true mate bond between her and him. Her heart felt heavy as she thought about the loss that could be felt by having a pack—by having a family. If she didn’t have those things, then no one could take them from her. So it had to be her heat cycle. Maybe if she would just find someone to work out her frustrations with, she would feel better. Problem was, the only person that came to mind when she thought about the option was Konrad.

  She slammed the empty mug down on the bar with a little too much force, which had Mark, the bartender, looking at her, his dark brow furrowed.

  “Is someone giving you trouble, Tyra?”

  Her gaze went to Mark. “No. I’m fine. Just ready for the night to be over.”

  He pulled the white towel from his shoulder and wiped his meaty hands on it before slinging it back into place. “If you’re sure? I don’t mind lining someone out for you.”

  She forced a smile. Sure, the stocky man could deliver a pounding to most humans. “I’m sure.” She turned and headed back into the crowd, coaxing the stragglers to finish their last drinks and hit the road. She could feel Konrad’s gaze on her the whole time. She spared a look in his direction and noticed the earlier mirth that had marked his facial features had been replaced by a look of concern.

  “All right, everyone! Closing time! You don’t have to go home, but ya can’t stay here,” Mark bellowed from behind the bar.

  She watched as Konrad and Luken rose to their feet and made their way toward the door, walking on steady feet, unlike the rest of the people that were hobbling their way toward the exit. She could only hope that they would be gone by the time she finished her side work.

  With a sigh, she began loading the dirty mugs into the dishwashing racks behind the bar, thinking maybe she should drag her feet and draw out the process. But it was Mark’s night to lock up and she would be holding him up as well. A very feminine squeal had her turning her head.

  “Thank you, thank you, and thank you. I can’t thank you enough,” Julie went on exuberantly.

  “What did I do?” Tyra asked.

  Julie batted her playfully on the arm. “Mr. Yummy of course. He asked me for my number.”

  Tyra hadn’t mentioned anything to the wolf about Julie. She’d forgotten to with everything else going on. Just another piece of proof that Konrad and thinking straight weren’t meshing. Luken must’ve taken it upon himself to track Julie down. Although, she didn’t know if it was wise for a very normal human like Julie to be getting involved with a werewolf, but then again she couldn’t really say something about it either.

  “Go on, take off. I owe you, so I’ll do your side work tonight.” Julie smiled, showing off white teeth.

  So much for dragging her feet. “If you’re sure?”

  “Go. I think his hot friend is waiting on you outside.” Julie giggled as she trotted off carrying the rack of dirty glasses to the back.

  Tyra grabbed her purse from the cabinet below the bar and made her way out the back door. As she rounded the corner, she spotted Konrad leaning against her car, the yellow security lights bathing him in a soft glow. The man truly had sexy down to a science. A breeze glided by, wrapping his scent around her. He was seriously wearing down her resistance.

  He spoke as she stopped in front of him. “Something upset you.”

  Yeah, him and the complications he presented. But she wasn’t about to go into that with him. “It’s been a long night. I’m just ready to go home.” She pulled her keys from her pocket and he stepped to the side. Without looking at him, she shoved the key into the lock and twisted before retracting it. He made no move to stop her as she got into the car. As she started the engine, she could no longer resist the urge to look at him. The same lines of concern she’d seen earlier lined his face.

  She put the car in reverse, knowing he would follow. She wasn’t an idiot. He hadn’t hindered her progress, because he didn’t plan on leaving her alone. Sure enough, as she backed out of her parking spot, she saw him headed toward a lifted black truck. She hadn’t made it very far down the road when she noticed the truck’s headlights in her rearview mirror.

  Gett
ing rid of this wolf wouldn’t be easy. She couldn’t stop him from sleeping at her door. Maybe one of the neighbors would eventually freak and call animal services on him. She laughed at the thought. Did she even want to get rid of him?

  She growled in frustration. The appearance of Konrad in her life had complicated the hell out of things. She never knew her attraction to another wolf would be so hard to resist—had always thought that her determination to not have close ties to anyone would be enough. Hell, she wanted to push him away as much as she wanted to pull him close. She drove into the parking space she’d vacated earlier in the evening and made her way toward her apartment at a fast clip. She didn’t want to talk to him right now. As she climbed the steps, she heard him silence the engine of his truck. A few seconds later she heard the metallic slam of the door closing.

  With nimble fingers, she unlocked her apartment door and quickly entered, closing it and securing the locks behind her. She knew the move made her look like a coward, but she couldn’t help it. She had to get control of herself before she could face him again—had to rebuild her walls of defense.

  It wasn’t very long before she heard the now familiar sound of Konrad’s wolf form settling against her door. He hadn’t even tried to knock. And even worse, she didn’t know if that made her angry or happy. She stomped off toward her bedroom to grab her pajamas and a pair of panties before turning to march her way to the bathroom. She always showered when she came home, because she couldn’t stand the stagnant smell of spilled beer and other alcohol on her body.

  She let the warm water run over her, hoping it would take the edge off her emotions. Being in heat sucked, she decided. Her emotions were all over the place. Never had she wanted to hit a man and screw his brains out at the same time. When the water turned cold, she stepped out and snatched the pink towel from the rack, using it to dry her body. With a quick tug she pulled the large nightshirt over her head and then stabbed her legs into the panties, pulling them up with a huff of frustration.

  As she strode back down the short hallway to her room, she kept her gaze averted from the front door, grinding her teeth at the thought of the new routine. She sat on the edge of her full-size bed and picked up the ponytail holder she’d left on the nightstand. Her fingers stroked through her wet hair, gathering the loose strands before binding them in a messy bun on top of her head.