by Lynn Hagen
Please don’t be the reverend.
“We won’t be open for another hour,” I said before I turned to see the guy who had been watching me closely in front of the drug store. Standing next to him was the guy he’d been whispering to.
The stranger who’d been eyeing me gave me a smile that was so wicked I couldn’t look away. “I hear you are the best at grooming animals.”
I nodded numbly as I stared between the two sexiest men I had ever laid eyes on. Up close, I could see the guy’s greenish-amber eyes, and damn if they weren’t something to look at. “I don’t know about the best, but I give each animal the finest treatment it deserves.”
The guy leaned on the counter, and the smell of musk and something wild filled the air around me. I instantly thought about the forest for some reason. I forced myself not to react, not to inhale deeply as my eyes fluttered closed for a brief second.
“I’m Lucas York.” The man stuck his hand out. His voice was deep, mesmerizing as he spoke to me.
What is wrong with you? Maybe I was still spooked from my feeling that someone had been watching me outside the house. It also might have been my dream. Whatever it was, I felt like my nerve endings were exposed.
I stuck out my hand. “Dillon Durst.”
Lucas wrapped my hand in his, caressing a thumb over my knuckles as he continued to stare into my eyes. “I have a cat that needs some attention. He’s been vastly starved for affection.”
Why did I have a feeling he wasn’t talking about a pet? “I groom animals, Mr. York.”
His chuckle had my dick getting hard. What was it about this man that had my heart beating just a bit faster? Lucas turned a little and waved to the man behind him. “That’s my brother, Mikhia.”
What a strange name.
“Anyway…” I cleared my throat. “I groom animals. This isn’t a pet sitting service nor is it a place where animals come to be stroked.”
Though I wouldn’t have minded getting stroked by Lucas. Fuck, what a sexy beast he was.
Lucas’s eyes lit up with a hunger I had never seen before. At least not aimed at me. I yanked my hand free. The two were disturbingly handsome, tenebrous, and had me ready to call the reverend in there because they couldn’t be human. Not with those killer looks and dangerous auras. “Just bring your cat in and I’ll make sure it’s taken care of.”
Lucas leaned closer. “I’ll hold you to that promise.”
Every nerve I possessed went taut. “I really do need to get the shop in order before we open for the day. You’re welcome to come back later, but I need you both to leave.”
Mikhia glanced my way, and I had the distinct impression that he wasn’t happy with my order. He had the same color eyes as his brother, but Mikhia seemed a bit more mysterious, quieter.
Lucas moved until I could only see his face, blocking out his brother. “We’ll be back, kitten.”
I flipped the schedule book open, pretending to ignore the man’s open flirtations as I checked the day’s appointments. I was in a shop all by myself with two strangers that looked like they could do some damage.
Just don’t get sassy with them or you just might find out. With a sigh of resignation, I glanced up to give Lucas a tight smile. “Thank you for stopping by.”
“I think that’s our cue to leave,” Lucas said to Mikhia. I must have been losing my ever-loving mind because I could have sworn I heard Lucas giving a low rumbling purr before he turned back to me. “We’ll be seeing you around.”
I hurried around the counter once the two were gone and locked the door, leaning against the etched glass as I finally was able to breathe. I eyed their tight buns as Lucas and Mikhia walked down the street. My subconscious wanted to bite each man on his ass.
God, I’m losing my mind.
But I had no doubt that Lucas and Mikhia would return. I could see the promise in Lucas’s gorgeous eyes.
The question was, what did they want?
Then a worse thought crossed my mind.
It seemed as if my dream had just become my reality.
Chapter Two
Lucas…
“I smelled that minion in there,” Mikhia complained as we walked to the car. “What if Dillon works for the son of a bitch? Why would you give up so easily?”
“We’re not giving up, Mikhia. We tracked him this far, and the guy wasn’t there,” I explained as we slid into my car. “It’s not like Dillon or Bodin are leaving town. Bodin doesn’t even know we’re here.”
Mikhia glared at me. “Now we have to find a damn cat to take in to Dillon. What was with the whole cat-grooming thing you were pitching at him?”
“He smelled good,” I confessed with a smirk. I could still smell Dillon’s light fragrance, and the scent was making me hard. I wanted nothing more than to turn around and go back. There was just something about the human that had me panting in need. Of course, it could be the fact that my brother and I had been tracking the minion for six months now and I hadn’t gotten laid in all that time.
Mikhia curled his lip as he turned his head away. “We’re here to take Bodin down, not hook up with some male.”
“Speak for yourself.” I knew what Mikhia’s problem was. “I don’t think he helped Bodin.” Dillon had seemed too…naïve. I couldn’t think of another word to describe the impression I’d had of him. The human didn’t seem capable of conspiring with an evil bastard.
“Is this your opinion or your dick talking? Because it sounds to me like your little head is doing all the thinking right now.”
Mikhia pinned his eyes on the door of the pet-grooming place. My brother never did have any patience, but I wasn’t going to rush things. We were going to plan this out strategically and then kill Bodin. The man had already proven he was strong as hell. Going in without a plan wasn’t the smart thing to do.
And if Dillon was working with the minion, he would die as well. I started my car and pulled away, glancing around the small town of Hungry. The day was just getting started, men and women hurrying toward their destinations.
Ever since Mikhia and I had hit town, I had a strange, homey feeling. It was something I couldn’t explain, but I could see myself settling down in this out-of-the-way place.
Especially if Dillon lived here.
I found myself oddly attracted to him. I normally didn’t tangle with humans, but as soon as he looked at me with those stunning hazel eyes, my black panther opened his mouth in a soundless yowl.
“You better not get mixed up with him,” Mikhia warned. “We’re here to get our revenge, and then we’re moving on. That’s what we agreed, remember?”
Mikhia needed to lighten up and have a little fun. The guy was too damn serious, like, all the time. I liked to play, to pet, to purr. My cat found Dillon enticing, beautiful, and I fully agreed.
My cat wanted to hunt, and I had a feeling I wouldn’t be able to stop the beast. I just had to get Mikhia on board, or my brother could prove to be a problem.
Once we were back at our rented room, I began to pace as I stared past the window into the streets of Hungry. My mind was on Dillon and his hazel eyes. My panther batted at me, telling me to go back, to claim the guy.
“What’s wrong with you?” Mikhia asked. “Go run and work off that excess energy.”
Running wasn’t what I was thinking about. Petting Dillon until he begged for me to fuck him was more to my liking. “Tell me you didn’t find him the least bit attractive.”
Mikhia sighed as he dropped onto the bed. “For a guy, he’s very pretty, Lucas. I’ll give you that. But I don’t know him, so I don’t trust him.”
Dillon was almost androgynous. He had delicate features, soft-looking skin, and high cheekbones. He was also short and slim, making my dick hard just thinking about him in those skinny jeans and that gray work shirt.
“Then why not get to know him? Why not find out if he is as soft as he looks? I mean, what if he isn’t guilty? Don’t you want to find out more about him?”
Mikhia scowled. “You sound like a juvenile with his first crush.”
I flipped him off. We were alphas, and I wasn’t going to stand there and let him dictate to me who I could sleep with. “I’m going after him. Whether you’re on board or not, that’s your call.”
“You’re serious about this?”
I nodded before I stilled in front of the window. I gazed out over the large oak trees that lined the front of the cottages, the Spanish moss that hung like large veils growing along all the trees. I could even smell the scent of fish that clung heavily in the air.
“I want him, Mikhia.” I turned. “But I want you to want him as well.”
My panther yowled in agreement. I had always been close to my brother and couldn’t see having a life with someone if Mikhia wasn’t a part of that. But he wasn’t the only person I had to convince. Dillon seemed a bit timid and straight laced. He’d tried to be tough in the store, but I could scent his nervousness.
Rubbing a hand over my trim beard, I thought about my parents and sister. Maxine hadn’t even turned sixteen yet, and the creature we were hunting had taken her life from her. The thing had robbed the world of a beautiful person, and I intended to make the man pay.
I hid my anger better than Mikhia, but it was as deep as his.
Mikhia and I had followed Bodin’s scent to this town. There wasn’t going to be any law enforcement involved. That wouldn’t give me the satisfaction I was craving. In my world, in my society, shifters took care of their own and exacted their own justice.
I wasn’t going to rest until my family’s killers met their fate.
If that made me a bloodthirsty man, so be it.
Mikhia sat on the bed, his expression a stony mask. I thought he was going to tell me that he wasn’t interested in Dillon, but he said, “My panther liked him, liked his sweet scent.”
“Then we’re in agreement.” I grabbed my keys from the desk. “Let’s check out this town and see if we can find a decent place to eat.”
“I’ll pick the place,” Mikhia said. “You always manage to pick places that serve the worst slop.”
I chuckled. “I can’t help it if my cat loves any kind of food.”
“It could at least have standards.” Mikhia closed the door to our room.
I stopped him, gripping the back of his neck as I rested my forehead against his. “We'll find them both and get our family’s revenge. This I promise you. But please, Mikhia. Give Dillon a chance. Something tells me there is more to him than meets the eye.”
Mikhia smacked at my shoulder before he took a step back. “Your cat smelled dick.”
“Hardy har-har.” I shook my head. “You’re not as funny as you think you are.”
It was Mikhia’s turn to flip me off before we walked back toward town. There was a place called Casey’s Café not far from our cottage. I inhaled the scent of sausage, fish, and grease as soon as I walked in. I also noticed how everyone turned to stare at us. We were strangers in a small town. What had I expected?
We ignored the onlookers as we slid into a booth. The waitress was at our table in seconds, taking our drink orders. I glanced around the restaurant, seeing that it was designed in a hardwood and cowboy decor.
That was pretty odd for the bayou. I expected to see alligator heads, riverboats, and other things that depicted this small town. Instead there was a bull’s head hanging over the door, pictures of cowboys in their spurs and chaps, with hats on their heads and goofy smiles on their faces. The floor was made of smooth wood, and there were Stetsons in every different color lining one wall.
“Nice place.” Mikhia smiled. “Makes me think I’m out West.”
When the waitress returned, we placed our orders. There weren’t too many places that I could get corned grits and catfish for breakfast. I was finding this town more and more charming by the second.
“I know that look,” Mikhia said as he picked up the cowboy saltshaker and turned it in his hand. “We are not staying.”
Tossing my arm over the back of my booth, I gave my brother a hard stare. “Since when do you dictate my life?”
“Since you have your nose wide open for a certain male.” Mikhia sat up straighter. “C’mon, Lucas. He’s nothing more than a passing interest. Why on earth would you want to settle down here for some tail?”
I was wondering the same thing. But it wasn’t just Dillon. “This place has character.”
Mikhia dropped the saltshaker back into the small bin and glanced around the restaurant. “Yeah, I can tell.”
“Not the restaurant. The town.”
“Well, since I’ve only seen the inside of our cottage, the pet grooming place, and this tacky restaurant, it’s hard to tell.”
Mikhia sat back when the waitress brought us our food. He spoke again when she was gone.
“Did you see that large revival tent on the edge of town? These people are deep into their religion. What do you think they’ll do when they find out about our cats?” Mikhia waved at the other tables. “Take a look around, Lucas. They are Bible thumpers, religious, god-fearing up-tights. I can see it on their faces. I can already feel the noose tightening around my neck.”
I gazed at the patrons and knew Mikhia was right. The customers were no longer outright staring at us, but I could feel their eyes nonetheless.
Picking up my fork, I stabbed at my food. “Maybe you’re right.”
Mikhia reached across the table and placed his hand over mine. “I’m not trying to ruin anything you want, but you have to think, man. This place doesn’t want us. I can feel the heavy vibes in the air. It would be in our best interest to do what we came here to do and get the fuck out before trouble finds us.”
I stabbed my fork toward Mikhia. “But in the meantime and in between time, I’m going after Dillon.”
Mikhia growled his apparent frustration. “Fine, but don’t get attached. When this is all over, he stays and we’re out.”
I nodded. I’d begun to eat when something caught my attention. I turned my head to see Dillon crossing the street, heading right for us.
* * * *
Dillon…
I walked into the restaurant, smiling at Casey when I spotted him behind the counter. I hated when Bert sent me on errands. The man was a jerk who thought that just because he was my boss he could order me to do things that weren’t part of my job description.
Now I was at Casey’s, getting the asshole some breakfast. It hadn’t slipped my notice how Bert kept looking at me like I was some sort of sex object. I’d caught the pervert more than once ogling my ass.
“Hey, sweetie,” Casey said as I took a seat at the counter. “What brings you in here this morning?” Casey and I had been friends since kindergarten, and he knew that I wasn’t a breakfast eater.
“Bert,” I said dryly. “I swear my life sucks.”
Casey curled his lip. “I could drop his food a few times. He’ll never know.”
That got a chuckle out of me. “Although nothing would make me happier, I’ll pass. But thanks.”
With my stinking luck, Bert would somehow know, and being fired on the spot would be the least of my worries. Bert was a big guy and would probably pulverize my skinny ass.
Casey tucked strands of his hair behind his ear and gave me an evil smile. “I could have my granny put a hex on his large ass. We both know he only hired you so he could try to get into your pants.”
I hadn’t known that, but I wouldn’t doubt it. “Ah, I love having a best friend who is so vindictive.” I rubbed my temples, feeling the lack of sleep trying to take hold.
“Having those dreams again?” Casey asked as he pushed my hands away and began to massage my temples. “Please don’t tell me Jason knows.”
“He heard me scream,” I admitted. “He told my dad.”
Casey winced as he squeezed my hand. “Did he threaten to send you to see the reverend?”
“No,” I said. Thank fuck for that. “But if I keep having them, he just might.”
I remembered the dream vividly. The thing was I didn’t have to try so hard to remember my dream. It had taken place already this morning when I met those two strangers, Lucas and Mikhia. But in my dream, when the reverend had stopped me, instead of the familiar face I despised, the good reverend was…stealing a part of my soul. Like, he’d been totally feasting on my face.
But the part where I met Lucas and Mikhia had come true. We even had the same exact conversation in the pet shop as I’d dreamed about. I remembered when the dreams first started. I had seen my mother’s death, had run to my father crying about what I’d seen. My dad hadn’t believed me. He’d said it was just a fitful sleep I had been in. But the next day it had come true.
I’d only been seven at the time. For years my father feared me, but that fear had slowly ebbed away. I continued to have those dreams but had learned not to tell anyone.
Except Casey.
The other thing I didn’t understand about my dream was that I had seen two black panthers sitting beside Lucas and Mikhia. What did that mean?
Of course it wigged me out when I’d spotted them this morning, but I’d gotten distracted by their good looks. Mmm. Lucas’s dreamy voice. I could dine on that timbre sound all day.
“It was about me going crazy.” I gave a small laugh. “I just dreamed about jungle cats.”
Casey looked as if he didn’t believe me. “Fine, don’t tell me.” He pulled out his pad. “What does Bert want?”
“A lobotomy.” I smiled. “Seriously, he wants his usual.”
I felt someone watching me. I turned to see Lucas and Mikhia studying me with those enigmatic eyes. I still didn’t understand why I’d dreamed about panthers, but seeing both of their greenish-amber gazes made my stomach do a funny little flip. My hole clenched, and I suddenly felt very hot.
“Handsome, aren’t they?” Casey asked when he returned from giving the cook Bert’s order. “They’ve been watching you since you walked in.”