by Beverly Rae
Smoothing the material of the tight dress her sisters had convinced her to wear, Hilly fingered the hem and wondered, for the zillionth time, if the dress was too short. Several men shot her admiring glances while the women with them pelted her with warning scowls. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm under their scrutiny.
Why had she come? Tanner was passing through, a man who seemed out of place in a small town. Even his Italian shoes looked out of place. He held a dark presence that made her tingle in alarm yet intrigued her more than she cared to admit. Then there was the problem of how they’d met. What kind of man hid behind bushes to hook up with women? Certainly not someone she wanted to know. Yet she’d come to meet him anyway.
She inhaled, suddenly aware of his presence. She jerked her head toward the other side of the restaurant, the side containing the bar, and saw him.
Damn, but he was hot.
Hilly swallowed, her mouth gone dry. He found her, his mesmerizing silver-blue eyes melting into her then pulling her to him. His dark hair, tied back, shone under the dim lights of the bar, and his black shirt and slacks shimmered as though allowing a small part of his inner essence to escape.
Meg was right. Tanner was a bad boy. The ultimate bad boy without being obvious about it. She could sense his magnetism compelling her to give him whatever he wanted for as long as he wanted it. Danger seethed around him, edged in his strong jawline, pulsing in the hollow of his neck. Unbridled power ebbed from him, a power born of enormous strength and sexual energy.
Once again, she told herself to leave. Once again, she disobeyed.
Praying her legs would hold her, she walked toward him, clutching her purse in a death grip.
Tanner rose to greet her, and she settled into the booth opposite him. The power she’d felt several feet away intensified, surrounding her with a sexual need. The closer she came to him, the harder it was to think, to breathe.
“I was worried you wouldn’t come.”
Although he sounded sincere, Hilly recognized the lie behind his words. She doubted any woman had ever stood him up.
“You look amazing.” He took her in, the hunger in his eyes almost palpable.
“Thank you.” She sighed, relieved at how normal her voice sounded.
Tanner motioned to the waitress and without bothering to ask Hilly, gave her directions to bring them the best champagne in the house. The waitress shifted from one foot to the other.
Hilly smiled at the girl, understanding her dilemma. “Um, they don’t carry champagne here. But I’d love a glass of chardonnay.”
The young girl gave her a look of thanks and took Tanner’s order to refill his drink. She paused, reached toward Tanner, then yanked her hand back as though he’d tried to bite her. Hurrying away, she glanced back over her shoulder several times before making it to the bar.
Hilly kept her eyes on the girl, hoping to give her heart time to slow down. At last, she blinked, then looked at Tanner to find him staring at her.
“What is it?” Please don’t tell me I have a wardrobe malfunction.
Tanner leaned back, resting against the booth cushion with an air of nonchalance, yet the air around him thickened, sizzling with electricity. “I know what you are.”
Chapter Four
Hilly gripped the edge of the cushion. “I’m sorry?”
Tanner’s silver-blue eyes darkened, changing to a smoky gray. “I said…I know what you are.”
She forced a laugh and inwardly cringed at the brittle sound. “Well, of course you do. Everyone in Cottageville does. I’m the part-owner of a bakery.”
The waitress returned with their drinks, glancing at Tanner so many times she managed to slosh Hilly’s drink onto the table. Hilly took the goblet from the entranced young woman, grabbed a napkin and wiped up the spill. The girl stayed where she was, playing with the ends of her hair.
Was she waiting for payment? But no, the girl wanted something—someone—more.
Tanner waved his hand, dismissing the waitress. “Thanks. Just put it on my tab.” But the girl didn’t budge. Instead, she stared longingly at Tanner.
If Hilly hadn’t been worried about what Tanner was going to say to her, she would’ve found the girl’s infatuation amusing. Did she expect him to sweep her into his arms and carry her away? “Um, she’s still here.”
Tanner sat back in his seat, studied the waitress for a moment, then snapped his fingers. “Go away.”
The young girl blinked and shook her head as though coming out of a trance, opened her mouth to say something, then let out a little squeal and rushed off.
“Do you always have such an effect on women?” She couldn’t blame the girl. Even the woman at the bar had a difficult time taking her attention off him. Hilly took a drink of her wine and adopted an innocent expression.
“I do.” The beginning of a soft smile played on his lips.
She choked on the last sip, then coughed, trying to recover. “I guess modesty isn’t a concern for you, is it?”
“The facts are the facts.” He leaned forward, his eyes sparkling even as they darkened. “I can’t deny what I am any more than you can deny what you are.”
Oh. My. Word.
How dark would his eyes turn? What did it mean when they grew dark? Hilly swirled her drink, using the movement as an excuse to tear herself away from his tantalizing eyes. Even without looking at him, she could feel his magnetism, feel his overpowering charm oozing from every part of his body. How could one man possess so much charisma, so much allure, so much…danger? She itched to touch him, to explore every inch of him, to have him touch her in every way.
Get a grip before you start acting like the silly waitress.
“Did you hear me?” He waited until she lifted her head to meet his gaze. “I know what you are.”
“Hmm?” She took another drink, unsure of what else to do. She couldn’t just keep acting dumb.
Would he follow her if she got up and left? She caught him studying her in an I-want-your-body kind of way. Trouble was, her body wanted to answer with a resounding “yes!”
Did she even want to leave?
He laughed, turning the head of every woman within fifty feet of them. The warmth in the laugh, the fullness of his voice rippled through her. “You, Hilly Tristan, are amazing. A real treasure. That’s what you are.”
Hilly let out a long, slow breath of relief. She was wrong. He didn’t know what she was, after all.
“Of course, being a treasure goes along with the fact that you’re a shape-shifter.”
Her quick inhale brought the wine into her throat and up through her nose. She grabbed a napkin and covered her nose and mouth as she sputtered.
“Are you all right?” He started to rise, but she held a hand up and shook her head, keeping him where he was.
“I’m fine.” Swallowing hard, she dabbed the napkin at the corners of her eyes. “You caught me off-guard, is all.”
“I’m not sure why what I said surprised you. You didn’t think I was fooled by your impersonation of Emma Grace, did you? Granted, it was a dead-on impersonation, but maybe that was part of the problem.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His face lit up as though intrigued by her denial. “Seriously, Hilly? Come on. No one, not even identical twins look exactly alike. You were a perfect match, from the hair, the skin tone, down to the tiny scar on her forehead. Are you trying to tell me two children can get a scar in exactly the same place and both scars are exactly the same length with a slight bend at the end? You were too close a match to be anything other than a shape-shifter.”
“A shape-shifter?” She had to think, had to find a way out of the conversation, but every time she looked his way, she couldn’t think straight.
“Are you really going to play dumb? You are much too intelligent a woman to play games. You know what a shape-shifter is as well as I do.”
She couldn’t see any way out of the situation. Besides, what
was the point if he already knew what she was?
“I wasn’t trying to fool anyone.” She straightened her shoulders. “Okay, maybe in a little way I was. But not directly. Not like I was attempting to trick anyone. I was just playing with my niece.”
He tilted his head, and the slight gesture made her take note of his strong jawline. Did he always have five o’clock shadow? Did he ever shave so a woman could skim her hand along his face and feel the smoothness?
“Oh, I know. I didn’t mean it any other way.” He took a sip of his drink and surveyed the room around them before bringing his attention back to her. “I think it’s great that you entertain your niece. Shows you have a real maternal instinct. But then, we already knew as much since you took care of your sisters when you were barely more than a child yourself.”
“Since the cat’s out of the bag, I was going to ask you how you knew. Granted, you noticed I was too much of an exact copy, but were there other signs?” She might as well learn how to hide in plain sight better.
He shot her a grin. “Why do you want to know? So you can perfect your charade for the next time?”
She shrugged. “Curiosity, I guess.” She couldn’t help but grin. “You know. As in ‘curiosity killed the cat’?”
She loved his grin. He transformed, his grin overtaking his face and making his eyes sparkle with mirth. With or without a grin, he was hotter than hell. God, how she’d love to lick his earlobe. She took another sip to keep from sliding her tongue over her upper lip.
“I could tell by the way you behaved. Emma Grace acted like a five-year-old girl. You acted like someone older, someone who’s used to being in charge. Between the exact copy thing, and your rather advanced speech pattern and attitude, it wasn’t hard to figure out.”
“You’re very perceptive.” She relaxed a little, her mind finally getting up to speed. Now that he knew what she was, shouldn’t he come clean about his identity, too?
“I am. Of course, having known several shape-shifters in my time may have helped. Each of your kind is special, but I can sense the same underlying fundamental nature.”
“You know other shape-shifters?” Who was he anyway that he’d have the opportunity to meet others like her? She’d only met one other shape-shifter. “Where? Who?”
“Here and there.” He lifted a black eyebrow. “Hilly, are you saying you haven’t met anyone like you?”
“I’ve met one. But I was too young to ask the right questions. Before I knew it, she was gone.”
“Too bad. Shape-shifters on the whole are a lot of fun. Although I get the impression you need to loosen up.”
Loosen up? She’d almost shagged him in the hallway of the bakery. How much looser could she get? “It seems like you get a lot of impressions.”
He didn’t respond, instead dropping his attention to his drink, then slugging back what was left. “You must’ve found it difficult growing up as the only shape-shifter in your home. I guess a sister who’s a witch wouldn’t be much help in understanding your unique abilities. Still, judging from your impersonation of Emma Grace, you’ve managed to hone your skills.”
Would he ever stop surprising her? “How do you know Meg’s a witch?” Was it another impression?
“From the first moment I saw her I knew. Her aura is amazing. She’s very powerful. Especially now—”
“Especially now what?”
He took a sip, his expression unreadable. “Nothing. I’m not sure why I said that.”
Silence fell between them as Hilly digested the information. But she had to wonder. Did he know about Allie, too?
“Allie, however, seems quite…normal.” He winced, looked at the floor, then brought his focus back to her.
“Normal? Do you mean human?” A light sweat wet the back of her neck. Why was he digging into her personal life? Which begged the question, why was she answering him? Yet, she couldn’t help herself. Something about the man made her want to respond.
A flash of their tryst in the hallway struck her. Just the thought of his hands on her body, his tongue in her mouth, made her wipe her palms on her legs. If she knew what was best for her, she’d get the hell out of there. But she couldn’t move. Damn, she didn’t even want to move.
“Hilly, are you all right?” The lopsided smile he gave her contradicted the concern in his tone. In fact, if she didn’t know better, she’d swear he knew what she was thinking.
“I’m fine.” Irritation stiffened her neck. “Answer the question. Do you mean human?”
Again, he looked to the floor then glanced away quickly. She frowned, followed his gesture and wondered why he kept checking the floor. She couldn’t see anything unusual about the floor. He shifted in his seat, and she could see his jaw work as he gritted his teeth.
“Yes. She’s human. Although I would’ve thought all three of you would be special.”
Something must’ve shown on her face. Damn.
“What is it, Hilly? What’s Allie’s story?” He narrowed his eyes and she could feel him probing for the answer.
“Allie used to be different. But then she met Tom, her husband, and went through a transformation.” Why was she telling him anything?
“Ah.” He leaned back and closed his eyes. “I see it now.”
Hilly jumped a little when he opened his eyes, his gaze boring into hers. “She was a succubus, wasn’t she?”
Her mouth fell open, showing her astonishment more than she would’ve liked. “How did you figure it out? Who are you, anyway? What are you?”
“I have my ways.” He smiled, his enjoyment lighting up his face. “Besides, it makes sense, doesn’t it? She was fine with what she was until she met Tom. Then she changed. But why? Because she was a vampire who feared she’d feed on her new love? No. Allie’s most definitely full of life and not an undead. The only other being I can think of that might fear hurting the man she loves would be a succubus.”
“Wow.” Hilly shook her head. “Are you a magician? Or something else?”
He made a face. “Hell, no. Can you see me pulling a rabbit out of my hat?” His chuckle sent a warm glow over her.
“Okay, then.” She rested her elbows on the table and whispered, “Are you a sorcerer? Perhaps a warlock? You have to be something with magic. You obviously have powers and I don’t mean just your powers of observation.”
He edged forward to put his hands over hers. “Do you really want to know? Are you sure?”
Hilly nodded, then wished she’d never asked. Tanner’s expression grew guarded, his skin and eyes becoming darker. A sizzle of power erupted around him, lifting the metal objects near him. A salt shaker floated in the air by his arm and a spoon slid across the table to bump into his hand. She gasped, then put her hands to her ears as her earrings strained toward him.
“What are you?” she whispered. She shivered at the cold air wafting off his body.
“I’m every woman’s dream and every man’s nightmare.” Tanner bowed his head, a sad smile forming on his lips. “I’m both heaven and hell.”
She blinked, tried to understand what he meant, and failed. “What kind of an answer is that?”
“A truthful one.” He lifted his glass to his mouth, then scowled as he realized it was empty. Standing, he covered her hand with his and leaned closer, putting his face inches from hers. “I hate to leave, but I need to attend to…someone. Please forgive me. I promise to make it up to you the next time we get together.”
“But…”
He touched her lips with his fingertips and shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I have to run. Something’s come up.” He grimaced at the trite excuse. “But don’t worry. We’ll meet again.” His wonderfully wicked smile was back, making her heart skip a beat. “Maybe even in your dreams.”
She gasped as he pressed his mouth to hers and slid his hand under her hair and behind her neck. He coaxed her mouth open as he slid his tongue into her mouth. An exquisite spicy taste played across her tongue, and she inhaled, drawing in an aroma
so male, so sexy that it made her head swim. He rubbed his thumb on the curve of her neck, and she relaxed. If he’d wanted to push her down on the seat and take her, she would’ve rejoiced.
All at once, he broke their kiss, leaving her breathless and reaching for him. Although the kiss hadn’t lasted long, her lips were plumped with an I’ve-been-thoroughly-kissed feeling. He feathered his hand along her shoulder, leaving a sizzle tingling along her skin as he strode toward the exit.
Hilly touched her fingertips to her lips, then raised her eyes to find the waitress and the lady at the bar gaping at her. Their eyes were glazed and their mouths slack, almost as though he’d kissed them, too.
“What the hell is that?”
Tanner cringed, took a deep breath, then swiveled in his chair to glare at his mother, who stared at the computer screen. Although he’d hoped he was wrong, had hoped what he’d sensed at the restaurant was just his nerves, he’d known she’d wanted him to meet with her.
He glanced at the clock on the wall. The midnight hour. Mother’s favorite time of the day. He should’ve known she’d wait until now.
“Hello, Mother. How goes it down below?” He kept his tone level, restraining the flash of anger he always felt whenever she showed up. An image of Mira’s lifeless body slashed through his mind. Although Bryna denied culpability, he couldn’t shake the gut feeling that she’d sent the nightmares to Mira.
“Down below? Please, son, why must you always refer to my home with a euphemism? Call it by its proper name. Hades.”
“Fine. How goes it in Hades?” If she hadn’t already seen what was on his computer, he would’ve tried to block her view. As it was, all he could hope to do was distract her. “I haven’t heard of any major earthquakes or tsunamis lately. Have you been feeling ill? Gone off your game?”
His mother’s flaming red hair swirled around her head in unruly curls reminding him of Medusa. Yet poor Medusa had nothing on his mother. Not only could his mother turn men to stone, she could cause natural disasters. Her beady, silver eyes shone as she peered past him to sneer at the promotional photo of Hilly, a beatific smile on her face while handing out cupcakes, as she proudly stood in front of Sweet Nothings Bakery. Reaching out a bony hand, his mother pointed at the monitor.