by Welsh, Hope
He saw the hesitation in her eyes as she thought over what he said. Finally, she sighed. “You’re probably right.”
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he said and jogged his way to the back of the building.
Why did her window have to be so high? He could shift, but that was always dicey out in the open, and he didn’t take unnecessary risks unless he absolutely had to.
As he studied the wall, he noticed a small space where a brick had been broken or fallen out. Using that for a foothold, he boosted himself up and climbed in through the open window.
Since she didn’t have her keys, there would be no way for her to get in until he let her in. Knowing he may not get another opportunity, he took a deep breath and imagined the animal he needed to become. He shifted quickly into a dog.
Somehow, the intruder had hidden his tracks, but it wasn’t as easy to hide his scent.
He didn’t have long before she would expect him to let her in, so he moved fast, sniffing around the room. He’d been inside less than a minute and knew, without question, that the only human scent belonged to Lana. Scents like lavender and soap—but nothing else.
Quickly, he checked the rest of her apartment, going room-by-room, still puzzling over the fact that the only smells he came across in the entire place belonged to her. Someone had been in her apartment, she’d said. Considering he’d seen the man chasing after her, he really didn’t think she had lied about him being inside.
This was wrong, dreadfully wrong. There must’ve been something more sinister going on than a bungled burglary or attempted rape. This was getting deeper and stranger by the minute. He should have smelled some other scent—anything. So why hadn’t he?
That’s what was missing outside. There was no scent of the man he’d seen.
Trying one last time, he held still, his back completely rigid. His nose moved from side to side as his nostrils flared, his ears taut, listening for sounds that didn’t belong.
Nothing.
Did she know more than she let on? If she didn’t, should he keep it that way and investigate it quietly on the side, or should he question her more and find out if she was hiding anything?
On a frustrated growl, he changed back into human form. He still had no answers, just a stockpile of new questions.
“I was afraid someone might have still been inside,” Lana commented when he opened the door. The corner of her mouth twitched. “Well, that or you just weren’t going to let me in.”
“No, just being cautious.” He grinned widely. “Why? Did you miss me?”
Lana tilted her chin up in a silent challenge. “Maybe.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “You know, Lana, I do believe I like your style and sense of humor.”
She chuckled. “Who said I was joking?”
Without thinking, he reached out and brushed a hand slowly down her cheek. “I do like you,” he decided. It was the truth, but he still had a nagging feeling that there was something else happening. He’d be damned if he wasn’t going to figure it out.
“I like you, too.” She paused, a serious look on her face. “Did you find anything?”
“Do you think I could get a drink?” he asked, evading her question.
“Oh, of course. We can go sit in the kitchen.” She walked to the kitchen. “Is coffee okay, or would you prefer something else?”
He followed and leaned against the doorjamb. “Coffee sounds great.”
§§§
The Evil One frowned from his hiding spot in the woods. Why could he no longer sense the woman?
CHAPTER TWO
What exactly was she thinking inviting a stranger into her house? Well, inviting him could be taken as a bit of an overstatement. He pretty much handled that himself, but she probably would have asked him anyway.
His eyes were… she couldn’t describe it. They were intriguing, she admitted, unique. The way the green and blue swirled together like the edge of a storm over the ocean.
Still, there was more, too. Something that called to her, pulled at her, screamed that she should trust him.
She sighed as she retrieved coffee cups from the cupboard, and after sitting them on the counter, she started the coffee. The last thing she needed in her life right now was another complication. Especially one in the form of tall, dark and dreamy. She started to pick up the cups on the counter again to bring them to the table.
“Need some help?”
“What?” She turned fast and rapped her head against the open cupboard door. “Ouch!”
“I’m sorry.” Cole took the cups from her hand and set them on the counter. His hand brushed against her sore temple. Instinctively, she held her breath. The touch was soft, electrifying. Unexpected.
After taking a small step back, she picked up the coffee mug he’d taken from her and held it between her palms. There had to be a barrier between them—anything.
She retreated to the fridge and cleared her throat. “Do you need milk? Sugar? Cream?”
“Black is fine,” he replied.
He watched her intently as she filled the cups and brought them to the table, then sat back down. His look could only be called pondering. “What?” she asked, a little flustered.
“Do you have any idea what’s going on here?” he asked at length.
Resigned, she sighed. There was no point in asking what he meant. She smiled and tried to keep her voice light. “Probably nothing you would believe.”
Cole’s eyebrow rose in silent inquiry. He gave her a steady look when she didn’t elaborate. “Try me.”
Her spine stiffened at his commanding tone. “I don’t know the first thing about you,” she said pointedly.
“That’s true, you don’t, and you have no reason to trust me or take my word for anything. But if it helps, I’m a private investigator, and I’ll help you. If you give me the chance to.” He paused for a moment. “Will you let me look at that ankle?”
The refusal sat on the tip of her tongue, but she changed her mind. She lifted the bottom of her pajama pants, revealing her slightly swollen ankle.
Cole lifted her foot, careful not to jar it, and lay it on his leg. He rubbed the side of her ankle with gentle hands, softly caressing. “You’re right; I don’t think anything’s broken. It’s likely sprained, but I don’t think there’s enough swelling for a break. Some ice would be good,” he told her, carefully moving her foot from his lap and setting it on the ground. Without a word, he got up, grabbed a bag of corn out of her freezer and wrapped it in the dishtowel from the edge of the counter.
He sat back down, pulled her ankle back into his lap and rested the makeshift icepack against her ankle.
The frozen bag of corn molded around her ankle and helped the pain, but his hand on her ankle felt better.
His actions went far beyond the work of Good Samaritan. He’d actually gone looking for the guy with no regard for his own safety. For something to do, she picked up her coffee and was amazed to find her hands shook. She took a deep breath, hoping to calm her nerves. “It started two months ago with my mother’s death.”
His eyes softened. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “Do you mind if I ask what happened?”
“She was murdered.” Her voice and eyes held a flame of bitterness that she didn’t try to extinguish. “But the coroner ruled it a suicide.”
“How did she die?”
“They thought it might have been a heart attack originally, but during the autopsy they found a lethal level of potassium…something.”
“Was it from a prescribed medication?”
“Yes. Her doctor told her to take it because her potassium had been low at one of her checkups.”
“You don’t believe it was a suicide.” It wasn’t a question.
“No,” she answered fiercely. “My mother would not have killed herself. She loved life.” She gave him a hard look, daring him to argue with her. “You said you wanted to help. You can’t do that if you don’t believe me.”
> “Tell me what you think happened.”
“It’s not even that I have another theory. I just know—knew my mother, and she would not have killed herself. I don’t care what the cops believe, or the coroner’s report, she just wouldn’t have done that.”
“And tonight’s break-in? Do you think they’re connected?”
“I don’t see how they could be, but at the same time, I don’t really believe in coincidence.”
He nodded. “Normally I wait until at least the second date to ask this, but do you want to go home with me or let me stay here?”
The snort that escaped her surprised and mortified her into a fit of giggles.
Cole threw his head back and laughed. The sound was rich, smooth and every bit as decadent as a slice of cherry-topped New York cheesecake.
“I mean it,” he said.
“I appreciate the offer,” she said, going serious. “But I’ll be okay. You don’t think they’ll come back, do you?”
He took a sip of his coffee before answering. “I think it’s unlikely, but if you want the truth, it’s not impossible. Stranger things have happened. Do you want to call the police and file a report?”
“I haven’t decided yet. If there’s anything missing I will, but if not….” She shrugged. “The police already think I’m crazy.”
“Okay, let’s see if there’s anything missing,” he said, then downed the rest of his coffee and stood.
§§§
Cole followed Lana around as she checked and double-checked, but nothing was missing. As he walked behind her, he decided he’d never get tired of the view. Her full hips swayed gently, and for her lack of height, she more than made up for it in the length of her legs. He loved long legs and a nice butt, and she had both.
Together, they walked into her bedroom. He noticed instantly how cheerful it seemed, without being flowery or overly feminine. The colors were gender-neutral in gold, tan and navy blue.
Simple, cozy, even inviting.
She had one of those canopy beds with drapes hanging over the sides in some nearly transparent material. He couldn’t stop the images of her entwined in those hangings, her hair wrapped in his hand.
He watched her bend over to pick up a fallen book, and a wave of desire assaulted him, stronger than he’d ever felt for anyone before.
“I don’t think he had time to get anything out of my room,” she commented, jarring him out of his badly timed fantasy as she walked out of the room and into another.
He continued to follow her throughout the house as she checked the spare bedroom, closets and bathroom. No room had been touched.
Back in the living room, she did a more thorough search. “There’s nothing missing from any room,” she announced, sounding rather unhappy.
“You’re sure?” He frowned as he followed her back into the kitchen.
“Yeah, I’m sure. It doesn’t even look like anything’s been touched.”
Cole thought on this revelation. He didn’t think it had been a robbery to begin with after he’d seen the man chasing her.
Nothing had been moved, which meant they hadn’t searched for anything. This worried him more and made him think she was in some sort of trouble—whether she realized it or not.
She turned to face him, her hands on her hips. “You know, I never thought I’d be disappointed finding out that I hadn’t been robbed. Nothing seems to be missing or out of place. I don’t understand.” The look she sent him made his gut knot up with anger, confusion and a mixture of fear. He didn’t have to know her to recognize those.
She wanted answers that he didn’t have to give her. Yet. Had there been anything missing, he would have felt better about this whole damned situation. He would almost lay odds that whoever had broken in had been after Lana herself and not anything she owned. With her mother’s death only a few months prior, that made the situation stink a hell of a lot more.
She went back into the kitchen and poured another cup. “Are you sure you want more?” he asked. If he wasn’t mistaken, she hadn’t finished her first.
“Yes. I doubt I’d sleep, even if I wanted to. So, while I’m awake, I might as well work and get something accomplished.”
Makes sense to me, he thought. “What is it that you do?”
“Website design,” she replied.
Cole nodded. “I know next to nothing about computers. I can turn one on, get on the Internet and browse the web if I have to. But that’s about the extent of my knowledge.”
“I confess I’m a nerd. I don’t know what I would do without my computer.”
“Are you sure I can’t stay?” he asked again after a moment of silence as his gaze bore into hers in a silent plea.
“I appreciate the offer, really, I do, but we both agreed it’s unlikely anyone’s going to return tonight. If it was a botched up robbery, then I’m sure they won’t be back.”
Therein lay the problem—he didn’t think it was a burglary attempt anymore, but he nodded. “You understand you’re bruising my male ego here, right?” he asked with a grin. “I’ve always wanted to play the Knight in Shining Armor role, and you’re doing your best to destroy the fantasy before it even comes true.”
Lana chuckled. “Just call me The Destroyer.”
He studied her for a moment. “If you need anything,” he started, his tone serious now, “or see anything that makes you the least bit uncomfortable, call me. At anytime.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled a business card from his wallet. “Day or night.”
She held out her hand to take the business card, but he didn’t let go. “I mean it, Lana.”
“I will. Thank you again, Cole,” she replied, not bothering to glance at the card.
As she escorted him to the front door, he thought about simply refusing to leave. Unfortunately, if he did that, she’d either call the police on him, and/or come after him with a frying pan while he slept. And that was the best case scenario.
Damn, he really hated to leave her alone.
Lana pulled open the door. “It was nice meeting you, circumstances notwithstanding. I don’t make it a habit to let strange men into my apartment…not that I’m calling you strange,” she clarified, her eyes twinkling with humor.
He chuckled. “Gotcha. Call me if you need anything, and I do mean anything, Lana. Even if it’s just a weird vibe you feel.”
She hesitated a second too long. “Of course.”
He didn’t know why she hesitated, but he would find out sooner or later. “I’ll be seeing you soon, Lana,” Cole promised. Before she had time to comment or argue, he walked away. Let her think about that—he would be seeing her again, and soon.
§§§
She had escaped him.
All he wanted was a quick glimpse. It had been foolish to go to her, he knew. But he could hardly resist. After all, what possible threat could she pose against him? He was The First. The best. She was a mere mortal.
What a pleasant surprise it had been when she had sensed his presence. She ran from her house before he could get a good look at her. How she managed to elude his senses for an hour afterward, he did not know. Still, it was an impressive feat.
Well, let her keep her little tricks. It would not help her in the end. He knew where she lived. Where else could she go?
He smiled. She might prove to be a small challenge. Even a small challenge could be…entertaining.
He was above her in every way imaginable, so he did not fear her. He had been in existence since the beginning, where she had only been in this world for a little over two decades. He had power unlike any other being in this world, and she had what? Nothing.
She would not, could not, stop him. He had the advantage. He knew of the prophecy. He took care of her mother before she could tell her foolish young daughter about it.
No, she would not stop him. She would not live past her twenty-fifth birthday. Only a few more of these mortal days now.
His long wait would end very soon.
CHA
PTER THREE
Cole glanced at the alarm clock on his bedside table. The red LED lights indicated it was still shy of eight. He couldn’t sleep and had spent the time tossing and turning since he crawled into bed a little over two hours before.
Frustrated, he sat up and put his feet over the side of the bed. Still naked, he padded to the kitchen and started coffee. He didn’t know what gnawed at him exactly, but he felt uneasy. Leaving Lana by herself had been stupid.
Her arguments had made sense, but he should have insisted on staying or having her stay with him, instead of just offering to.
To hell with it, he thought. Since he couldn’t sleep, he could grab a bite to eat to settle his rumbling stomach, drive back over to Lana’s and check things out.
After a quick shower, Cole dressed in another pair of his trademark jeans and a plain tee. A check in his cupboards made it obvious eating couldn’t be accomplished at home unless he wanted bread crumbs.
He ran a hand through his quickly drying hair and picked up the keys to his SUV from the table. He locked the door behind him and made his way to the car.
Once settled inside the car, Cole grabbed his sunglasses from the visor and put them on. It may have been only a little after eight, but already the sun blazed.
He didn’t know what he’d say when he got there, if he told her at all.
First on his agenda, though, he needed breakfast. Staking out her apartment would require food, so he pulled into the McDonalds parking lot.
He placed his order, received his food and hit the road again within five minutes. The muffin had either been really good or he was hungrier than he thought. Since his last meal had been over twelve hours ago, he guessed the latter was probably true.
He took the spot nearest to the woods when he reached Lana’s apartment building. He’d think of something if she caught him staking her place out, but that didn’t mean he had to be obvious about it.