Charles cleared his throat behind them, and they jumped apart.
“Um, sorry to interrupt, but if you two need a room, there’s a bed and breakfast about a mile or so up the road in case you’ve forgotten.”
Taking Selene by the hand, he threw some money on the counter, grabbed the jerky, and exited the store. The cab was still waiting, and this time he got inside with her.
“Are we ready this time?” Nash glanced at them in the rearview mirror, impatiently drumming his fingertips on the steering wheel.
“Change of plans,” Nick said. “Take me home.”
He glanced over at Selene. She had the tips of her fingers pressed to her lips, a look of puzzlement on her face.
“Are you okay?” He asked.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Selene stared back at her reflection in the mirror. On the outside, she was the same. On the inside, she felt like a changed woman. She touched her lips again. Every time she thought about how Nick had kissed her, she experienced a tingling sensation there. In all her twenty-eight years, no one had ever held and kissed her like that.
After what had happened to her at the hands of the scar-faced man, she appreciated her life more. She’d certainly learned her lesson. She would never skip town without telling anybody again. Anything could have happened to her. She could have been dead…probably would have been dead if it weren’t for Nick.
She had felt guilty for making the taxi driver turn around, but intuition told her to stay. There was something more than his irresistible laugh that intrigued her. Something about being in his presence calmed her soul and warmed her heart.
Selene exited the bathroom and walked out into the main area of the cabin that Nick called his home away from home. He was a puzzle, and the same curiosity that had got her into trouble a couple of days ago now emerged again, eager to learn more about the man and the wolf.
The layout of the cabin was open with the only closed off section being the bathroom. There was a tall folded divider marking off the sleeping area where a dresser, a nightstand, and large four-poster bed sat. It had an extremely small galley kitchen, but it was complete with stove, counter space, and mini refrigerator. The largest section, of course, was the living area.
Nick was standing in front of the fireplace. His hand was rested on the mantle and he appeared to be glancing down into the flames. He straightened and looked up at her. His gaze lingered on her for what seemed like minutes. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better after the shower.” She came to stand in front of a sofa. Taking a seat, she curled her legs up under her.
“I called a good friend of mine, Devin. He’s invited us to have dinner tomorrow at his home. His mate may have something you can wear in the meantime.”
“I appreciate that.” She looked down at the pair of sweatpants she wore. They were comfy, but it took her a great deal of rolling at the waistband to keep them up on her hips. “When my car is found, I can repay you for it all.”
“There’s no need.” He pushed himself up off the mantle and came to sit next to her. “I wish we’d met under better circumstances.”
“I’m glad we met…when we did.”
He smiled.
“You were saying over dinner that your pack has a new leader and that there is rivalry.”
“Yes. After Devin claimed the title, those who were advocates of his opponent separated themselves from the pack. And if you haven’t figured it out already, the wolf that held us is called Darius.”
“So you were held prisoner for being an enemy?” She asked.
He nodded. “He seems to think he owns the land where they captured me. But the history with Darius and I go way back. Even before he was banished from the pack, we held a serious grudge.”
“A grudge?”
Nick dropped his gaze to the floor. “Over a silly dispute.”
“What did he want from you?”
“He probably wanted to get Devin’s attention more than anything else,” he said. “Did Darius tell you why he held you captive?”
Selene swallowed the lump that suddenly rose in her throat. “He attacked me.”
“Attacked you how?” His seemed to hold in his aggravation, but the sound of his voice was angry and forced.
“Apparently, his wife cannot have children.”
Nick shook his head, his forehead creased in confusion. “Why would he keep you against your will?”
“He tried to rape me and said I would carry his child.”
Nick shot to his feet instantly. “You’re kidding, right?”
She shook her head slowly.
“That snake!” He clenched his fists hard against his sides, and the veins rose on his neck. When he turned to her, his fangs were barred. Upon seeing her state of alarm, he took deep breaths and his irate demeanor subsided. “Did he hurt you?”
“I was thrown in the cell with you for refusing and lashing out. If he was going to do that to me, it wouldn’t have happened willingly or easily.”
“I’m sorry this happened to you,” he said, returning to the seat beside her. “He will pay for this.”
“We’re free from being caged like animals, that’s all that matters.”
He cringed.
Suddenly, she realized what she’d said was uncalled for. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No, I am an animal. There’s no changing that.”
Selene took his hand in hers. “Tell me about the powers of the Caedmon.”
He leaned back in the sofa. “Some of us are stronger than others, depending on how far removed one is from the founding tribe. The ability to shift at will is a given. Heightened agility, strength, endurance...”
“So you shifted at will to save me.”
“I don’t think I could have remained in human form even if I tried. The downside to having a wolf spirit is that sometimes they take charge. Not only did I want to protect you, but so did the wolf.”
She turned his hand over and traced the dark lines on the inside of his palm. “You barely know me. Why not just leave me? You killed two guards to save me. Won’t that cause more of an uproar between Darius and the new leader?”
“It was bound to happen, Selene.” He shook his head. “From what I learned, Darius had plans to cause mayhem before you were captured. Even before I crossed the property line.”
“What were you doing out there anyway?”
“I thought it’d be refreshing to bring back some good memories for a change. I’d climbed the mountain before as a young boy with my father. We’d sit on the mountaintop for hours waiting for sunset and then sunrise. He’d tell stories and I’d listen. I missed him. I missed that kind of company.”
“Watching the sunset and sunrise must be beautiful. Something I’d love to see.”
“It is. I’ll take you one day…whenever you are ready to face your fear of heights.”
She smiled, and brought his palm to her cheek. It didn’t bother her that he was also an animal. There was a wolf inside, but from the very moment they’d met he’d been nothing but gentle with her. Plus there was this urge that she kept having. An urge that had never surfaced before for any man.
“I want you to kiss me again,” she said.
“You do?”
Her face grew warm. What had gotten into her? She’d never demanded a man kiss her before. “I liked it before. I want you to do it again.”
Nick grabbed the small of her waist and drew her closer. “You are addicting, Selene.” His mouth was inches away from hers.
“So are you,” she whispered.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
She swallowed. “I trust you not to.”
He picked her up and brought her to sit on his lap with her legs straddling his thighs. She grasped the lean biceps on his forearm, letting her fingertips massage the muscles. Her breath came unevenly, and she felt as though she didn’t have enough of it. Perhaps it was the adrenaline rush that surged through
her whenever he looked at her. Or maybe it was the way her skin tingled when he touched her. Whatever it was, she craved the feeling. She didn’t want it to end.
As soon as his lips met hers, an icy molten sensation spread up her spine. His hands were at her back, stroking her, and pulling her closer. He took her mouth softly, again and again until she parted her lips. She ran her tongue along the seam of his lips before offering it totally. He tasted of fresh rain, and smelled like pine at the onset of spring. Their tongues danced feverishly, and their breaths came in pants.
Suddenly he pulled away, but his fingers still gripped the back of her neck. He studied her with intensity and desire in his eyes. “Are you trying to seduce me?”
“I…I don’t know.”
Nick tilted her head, and pressed his nose to the vein along her neck. A warm jolt shot through her loins, and her center ached. “It’s working.” He dragged his lips up the column of her neck, leaving a hot trail against her skin. When he reached her chin, he sipped at her jaw gently. “Do you know what I would do to you?”
His tongue sliced across the vein, and she gasped. “No…”
“Can you imagine?”
Selene’s entire body tensed in what could only be described as hot lust. Her fingernails gripped into his arms. “No.”
“Let me give you a hint.” Nick grabbed her hips and pulled her forward.
She bit her lip as her center pressed firmly against his rock hard evidence of desire. Never had she craved something so exotic. “Nick…”
He worked his way up, past her jawline, and crushed his mouth against hers. She kissed him back, relishing the moment. How would she ever be able to forget Nick when it was finally time for her to return home? Maybe she shouldn’t have turned around. How could she have let emotional instincts guide her? No, she didn’t want to forget him. This seal of a kiss would serve to make sure he stayed in her memories.
Suddenly, he pulled away but his erection did not subside. It pressed through the fabric against her mound. She shifted above him. The tension at her core tightened and the ache became unbearable.
He moaned, and then touched his forehead to hers. “Why must you do this to me?”
“Do what?”
“I want you…intimately.”
“Look at me.” She lifted his chin and held his gaze. “And you don’t want to feel this way?”
“I do, yes, but to take you like I want would yield consequences.”
Take. The very thought of him taking her sent warm jolts between her legs. “What do you mean?”
“It’s obvious, Selene.”
She stroked his cheek. “I don’t care that you are part wolf. It was a shock to me at first, but I’m beyond that now.”
“My world is not like your normal human world. I can’t bring you into this.”
“You already have,” she whispered.
“I will drive you myself to the train station before it’s too late.”
“No,” she said, quickly.
“Selene…” he warned.
“Please.” This time she kissed him, pushing him against the back of the chair. She thought she heard a low growl emanating from his throat.
“What exactly do you want from me?” He asked between clenched teeth.
“Your friendship.”
“Friends don’t kiss each other like this.”
“I don’t know why, but I keep having these thoughts about you.”
“What thoughts?”
“Naughty ones.”
He straightened against the chair cushions. “The thoughts you’re having might not be your fault.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The powers I told you about earlier. They include sex appeal. We wolves multiply through mating. In order to attract a female, we need lots of it.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“My wolf is very much a part of me, but is just as dominate.”
Selene threw him a challenging look from under her lashes. “What are you saying?”
“I’m attracted to you, Selene. Every part of me is attracted to you.”
“And your wolf...?”
He nodded. “Yes…he is.”
“I’m only human. What would your wolf want with me? Why would I have this type of control over you since you’re the one with the powers?”
He swept her face with a calculating stare. “Should I dare find out?”
“We’re both curious.”
Nick kissed her once softly, then again with a lingering caress of his lips. He lifted her from his lap, set her gently on the sofa, and rose to stand. “The last woman who had this type of control over me betrayed me.”
Her heart fell to the pit of her stomach, and a cool chill ran up her spine. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He dropped his chin to his chest. “We learn from our mistakes.”
“Nick—”
“It’s time for me to have a shower. I won’t take long.”
He entered the bathroom before she could say anything else.
CHAPTER NINE
The phone rang six times before her dad, Charlie Moore, picked up. It was just like him. He hated talking on the phone, and even despised having to do anything related to computers or technology.
“Hello?” His voice held a hint of uncertainty.
“Hi, Dad. It’s me.”
“Selene. Sweetie, is something wrong? You’re calling me from an unknown private number. I almost didn’t pick up.”
She stole a glance at Nick who maneuvered his pickup truck off the main highway onto a gravelly road.
“I’m fine. Don’t panic, but remember that trip I took out of town…?”
“Are you alright?” Of course, he would panic.
“Well, my car sort of broke down, and I’m kind of stranded out here.”
“Stranded out where, Sweetie?”
“Virginia. Up near the mountains,” she said, carefully.
“I thought you flew out to Florida on vacation. Honey, what’s going on?”
“Dad, calm down. I’m fine. There was a change of plans. Don’t worry. I’m safe and plan to take the next flight out in a few days.”
“But you have no car. Where are you now?”
“I’m being taken care off.” She picked at a piece of lint on her pants. “Besides I came here sort of on business. One of my clients needed my help.”
“Selene…”
“I know what you’re going to say, but I’m fine.”
“You’re breaking up. Honey, what did you say?”
Sure enough, some static blared through the phone. Selene glanced out of the window. Branches overhung the roadway as they drove through dense trees.
“I’m going to have to call you back. Okay? Dad?”
There was silence. When she looked down at the display on the screen, it flashed brightly with the words, call disconnected.
“Sorry about that.” Nick frowned. “We’ll drive back into town to get a better reception.”
“That’s okay. Dad would have worried about me one way or the other.”
“Any parent would.” He turned right onto another dirt road. “I take it that you’re his only child.”
“Yes. My parents are separated. My mother remarried and now I have three younger siblings. The divorce happened when I was just ten years old. My dad was so overprotective of me that he somehow convinced my mother and the judge to grant him full custody.” She handed the cell back to Nick. “He’s always been that way. It’s the reason why I’m still very much a single woman.” Her face grew warm when she made the slip up. “Oh…now I’m embarrassed. I didn’t mean to sound so pitiful. I do get out and enjoy life, so I’m not a total nun.”
He smiled. “Are you part nun then?”
She laughed.
“Don’t be embarrassed. Your dad sounds like the type of man no one should underestimate.”
“I sometimes wonder if he runs off my male friends on purp
ose. It doesn’t matter who they are or if I’m even romantically involved with them. I moved out at nineteen, but he’s found a way to keep tabs on me from across hundreds of miles.”
“Didn’t you say you came out here to help one of your clients?”
“Yeah. I’d been working with her for six months when she called me ready to leave her fiancé. The last ping from the phone she called me on was from a location in this town. I hope she’s okay.”
Selene had lost precious time while being held in a cell. Anything could have happened to her friend by now.
“What’s her name?”
She turned slowly, and studied him. “I’m not really allowed to give out that information.” It was a natural thing for her to say.
“Right. I get that.” He nodded.
“It’s nothing personal. Most of the woman I help are in danger of losing their lives or are physically abused. One slip up—even if it’s not intentional—can harm them or stall an escape.”
“Is her name Tamara, by any chance?”
This time she shifted around to face him. “How did you come across that information?”
“You’re closer to finding her than you know.”
Before shifting the gear in the park position, Nick took another look at Selene. Ever since he’d delivered the news that the woman she’d been looking for could very well be Devin’s new fiancé, she’d been sitting on the edge of her seat.
Selene glanced out of the passenger side window at the massive estate that belonged to the new Alpha.
Nick’s attention shifted to the home as well. He’d only been here three times before. As a young boy to deliver a package for his father, and twice recently to discuss pack matters with Devin. Consequently, one of those visits involved appointing him Second-in-Command.
Everything about the mansion screamed royalty. Cast iron gates and stone pillars surrounded the property. A birdbath and rose vine display served as the focal point in the middle of the driveway. Exotic hedges were immaculately trimmed and flawless. It all reminded him of the homes that he and Devin constructed for the rich and famous humans after leaving the pack.
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