He glared, his hands on his hips. Then he laughed too. “I really like cooking, but it’s fun to be mad at Grand Pops.” He gave me a fork and a steak knife. “Try it, see how it tastes.”
I cut into the meat and stuck it into my mouth. “Mmmmm,” I said, chewing. Then swallowed. “It’s delicious.” I cut another bite.
“Good.” Troy went about cleaning the utensils and pan. In between bites I watched. He was tall and lean. He had muscle though. His biceps flexed as he scrubbed the counters. His hair was cut close to his head and nearly the same color as mine, maybe a little blonder. His eyes were brown and he was tan. I knew Ashley, Eva, and Cassidy would fight for his attention. Every once in a while he brushed his forehead and I wondered why. He caught me staring, so I asked.
“I just got my hair cut and I can still feel phantom strands of it hanging in my face.” He smiled big and I noticed there was a dimple in one cheek. He whipped the dishtowel over his shoulder. Basically, Troy was adorable.
“The haircut looks nice on you.”
“Thanks.” He leaned over the counter and watched me take a bite. “So what was it like to fight Rocky? You were awesome, by the way. I didn’t think anyone could take him. Some of us want Snow to fight him. I think she could beat anyone, but of course, she won’t even hear of it.”
“Snow?” I asked, cutting another piece.
“You haven’t heard of her?”
I shook my head, intrigued. It seemed Troy had a serious crush on her.
“She’s seriously kick a—s”
“You are so whipped, Troy Boy,” Cole said as he walked in. He’d changed and was wearing a white tank top and another pair of loose fitting jeans. His black hair shone, wet. I guessed he showered.
“Dude, she’s awesome,” Troy said, standing straight.
Cole chuckled. “She seems nice,” he said.
Troy made a strange noise. “I suppose you want me to fix you something too?” Troy asked, feigning irritation.
Cole shrugged. “Nah.” He glanced at me. I froze mid-bite, waiting to see if he was still angry. “I need to speak to Beatrice alone, if that’s okay.”
“Kicking me out?” Troy tossed the dishtowel on the counter and walked out. “No respect,” he mumbled.
I smiled after him.
Cole sat on the barstool next to mine. He clasped his hands together and was staring at them like he expected them to do a trick or fall off. I took another bite, waiting. Apparently he had anger issues and I didn’t want to set him off.
“Sorry, Beatrice,” Cole said, his words tight.
I placed my fork on the empty plate and walked it over to the sink. It was more than I’d ever done in the kitchen. Then I turned back to him. Part of me wanted to hold a grudge. He’d hurt my feelings. But he seemed to be beating himself up more than I ever could. And I really did like him. “I didn’t mean to make you angry.”
Cole shook his head. “I let down my guard.” He blew out a harsh breath. “You’re the first girl I’ve ever felt comfortable talking to.” He crushed his hands together. “You can imagine how this—” he slapped his chest, “went over with the ladies.”
I thought about it. If he’d been a student at my school prior to the curse, or the reverse curse, I would’ve been horrible to him. Just awful. “I’m sure it wasn’t easy,” I admitted softly.
“So I stayed away from people. I never let anyone touch me. But in the space of an hour, we touched, laughed together, and you didn’t run away or look at me with disgust . . . or turn to stone.” His eyes were alight with wonder. “You’re a special person, Beatrice.”
I felt my face get hot. It was a compliment I hadn’t believed I ever wanted to hear. Cole needed to understand I’d been the meanest person ever. “I was a total bitch in high school. I treated everyone with distain, but especially those who were different. I was truly beastly to them. And I never felt anything.” I glanced away, ashamed.
“So this curse has allowed you become all of who you are?”
“I guess so.” I moved closer to him. “If you’d met me a week ago, you would’ve been sickened by my behavior.”
He reached out and put a hand over mine. It was cool and hard. Certainly not repulsive. “When I’m around people I tend to bring out the worst in them. Over the years I’ve developed a really short temper.”
I tried to imagine him in high school. Had he turned someone to stone?
“Luckily,” he went on, “my abilities didn’t start to manifest until I turned sixteen.” He tugged his ear. “The first time I touched someone and she started turning to stone, I ran away. Professor Pops found me in California. He went through all the channels to legally adopt me.” He shrugged. “That’s pretty much it.”
“Well except that in the battle between a Vaktare and a Gargoyle, the Vaktare totally won.” I did a little barstool dance.
Cole shook his head. “Rematch?”
I laughed. “Maybe later, definitely not now. It was scary.” I had a feeling if he would’ve stayed and continued to fight I wouldn’t be sitting on a chair dancing.
“Fine. We’ll wait a week. Then it’s round two.”
“Deal.” I put my other hand over his. “I’m so glad we met. You’re amazing.”
Cole’s stormy eyes studied mine. “I feel the same way about you.” He leaned in and I realized he wanted to kiss me.
I didn’t want to anger him again, but I wasn’t ready. Gently, I put a hand on his chest. “I’m not ready for that,” I whispered.
Cole whipped out of the chair. “Afraid I might turn you to rock? Don’t worry, it only happens when I want it to. I can control it.” He smacked the bowl of fruit off the counter. The bowl shattered and fruit went everywhere.
I stood. “No, Cole. That isn’t it. There’s—”
Troy walked into the kitchen. “Cole, chill. There’s someone here to see Beatrice.”
“Really?” I wondered who it could be. No one knew where I was.
“Hello, Beatrice.”
“Adam.” He strode in confidently. The lights from the kitchen lit him up. My heart froze. I’d never been so eager and so petrified to see someone in my whole life. “Hi.” Our kiss flashed through my mind and I felt myself blush. “What—How did you get here?” I knew he hated to fly. Had he driven?
Or did he run the whole way in his werewolf form?
Swearing And Shouting
Seventeen
“I drove,” he said, coming around the counter. “It’s good to see you.” Adam’s blue eyes sparkled with happiness.
He wouldn’t look so happy if he intended to kill me, right? Or maybe he was happy because he was close enough to commit murder.
I shivered. “I’m so surprised you’re here. I thought you were going to stay in Utah and wait for my return.” The speed of my heartbeat picked up.
Adam came close and leaned in. “There’s something I need to discuss with you.”
“Do you mind, we were in the middle of a conversation,” Cole snapped, putting his hand on Adam’s shoulder.
Adam grabbed Cole’s hand and spun away from him. I was surprised he could move like that. I knew Adam was strong because he’d carried me from the pool up to my room, but that was different than having fighting skills. Not to mention Cole was hard and sturdy as a giant boulder.
He’s a werewolf, that’s why he can fight.
Cole’s hair started to change and I knew I needed calm him down.
“Let’s go.” I grabbed Adam’s hand and dragged him out of the kitchen toward the front door. Troy followed us out. “Tell Professor Pops I’ll be back.”
“Yep,” he said coming around us and opening the door.
I heard a crash in the kitchen, along with some swearing, and shouting.
“And could you tell Cole I’ll see him soon? Please?” Another loud crash sounded from the kitchen and I flinched.
Troy patted my arm. “He’ll be fine.” He gave me his mega-watt smile. “Cole just needs to break a few t
hings and then he’ll be back to his mellow self.” He chuckled at his own joke and I laughed with him.
“It was so great to meet you, Troy.”
He winked. “Maybe one day we can see who would win in a battle between a Vaktare and a dragon?”
I felt my eyes get big. Was he trying to tell me something? “Are you—” I began, but he put a finger over his lips.
“Say no more. Even the trees have ears.”
I wasn’t sure whether to take him seriously or not, but I didn’t have the time to really talk to him. I needed to talk to Adam. “We’ll talk again soon.”
I went down the steps. Adam was already at the car. He had driven the Lykan after all. I was glad to see he’d told the truth about that. Adam opened the passenger door.
I climbed in.
Troy waved. “See ya.”
Adam closed the door. I waved through the window.
“Why are you so crabby?” I asked.
He kept silent while the motor roared to life and he peeled out of the driveway.
I waited, giving him a chance to say whatever he needed to say. We got on the interstate. He weaved in and out of traffic like the rest of the cars weren’t moving. I held on for dear life and was about to ask him where we were going when he pulled off the interstate into Boston.
A few minutes later he pulled the car up to the entrance of the Boston Plaza.
As soon as Adam put the car in Park a guy in a hotel uniform came up to the car and opened the door. I got out. He gave me a once-over and I remembered I was shoeless, had barely freshened up in two days, and still wore the black workout clothes.
“Welcome to the Boston Plaza,” the guy said.
“Thank you,” I muttered.
Adam handed the guy his keys. “Drive it carefully. There better not be a scratch on her.”
“Yes, sir,” the guy said, climbing into the car.
Even though whatever Adam needed to say was urgent, he still took the time to watch the Lykan drive out of sight.
We walked into the hotel lobby and up to the front desk.
A perky blond was behind the desk. When I walked over, she stopped typing on her keyboard, gave me a once-over, and turned back to her computer screen. “Can I help you?”
It didn’t matter that I looked like a homeless person and probably smelled like one too. I was also Beatrice Cavanaugh, considered American royalty. People knew me and I would be heard.
The receptionist’s nametag said her name was Diane. I slammed my fist against the counter, causing Diane to jump. “Yes, Diane you can. My name is Beatrice Cavanaugh. You have a reservations for me and I’d like to check in.”
She typed some information into her computer. “I’m seeing a reservation for a Beatrice Cavanaugh checking in last night but she never arrived so the reservation was cancelled.” She glanced up. “The room is now reserved. We’re full.” She smirked.
I was about to slam my fist again, but someone grabbed it. I gasped. Adam patted my hand, taking it, and tucking it under his arm. “Diane, my name is Adam Haddox. I’m here to check in.”
She smiled. “Let me check.” After a few seconds, she said, “It looks like you’re in the suite.” She winked. “I’ll just need a credit card and a driver’s license.”
“Right.” He took his wallet out of his back pocket, opened it and handed her the black American Express card I’d given him, along his driver’s license.
Diane took them, casually brushing her fingers against his hand and smiling.
If I hadn’t been in complete shock, I might’ve punched her. Instead I clamped my mouth shut, held on to Adam’s arm and waited while Diane did whatever she had to do.
“Please sign here,” she said, placing a piece of paper on the counter in front of Adam.
He did.
She handed him a key card. “Take the elevator to the top floor. Do you have luggage?”
“Not now. Thank you.” Adam pressed his hand into my lower back and steered me toward the elevator.
Something about his behavior brought back all my worries from the previous night and I wondered again if he really was the same “Adam” mentioned in my parents’ book.
The thought hit me with such paralyzing force that I stumbled, only just catching myself before I hit the highly polished floor. Reaching out, Adam took my hand in a gesture of apparent concern that, only an hour ago, I would have trusted was entirely genuine. Now I wasn’t so sure.
A tiny voice at the back of my mind told me to run, to get away from Adam now. But my thoughts were spiraling so completely out of control that I was helpless to escape.
I allowed myself to be led, barely noticing the beautiful ceramic floors or the way the sun struck the chandelier, making thousands of tiny rainbows dance everywhere. I barely knew when we entered the elevator and felt Adam guide me to the room.
When we were inside the suite, the first words out of my mouth were, “Are you going to kill me now?”
Drowning In Pain
Eighteen
Adam took my hands and walked me over to the couch. “No, Beatrice.” He shook his head. “Why would you say that?”
Relief punched through me when I heard his words, and instantly transformed to wariness. Could I really trust him? I still wasn’t sure.
I debated going into it, telling him everything I’d read. It was the perfect time. But when I opened my mouth, nothing came out. I pulled my hands from his grasp and walked over to the windows, checking out the view of the city.
“Why are you here?” I finally asked, deciding to start with that.
Adam came to stand beside me. “After you left, later that night a group of werewolves surrounded the mansion. They got in and ransacked everything. They seemed to be looking for something. Isaac, Mrs. Dotts and I tried to fend them off, but in the end we had to hide.” He seemed to struggle with the words. Something still felt off.
Ask him! Ask him if he’s the Locanis who tried to kill your parents and stole your father’s medallion.
“Are Isaac and Mrs. Dotts okay? What about the other servants?”
“Yeah, they’re fine.” He leaned in and despite my fears I still wanted him to kiss me.
I stepped away, needing distance to keep my emotions in check. “Did the Locanis find what they were looking for?” I picked up a magazine and flipped through it before setting it back down. I hadn’t seen a word on the page.
Adam ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know.” He sighed. “Once I knew they were gone, I sent Isaac and Mrs. Dotts to stay in a hotel and then I came after you.” He tried to grab my hand, but I pulled away. “What’s wrong? Is it that Cole kid? I can tell he’s different. His hand was hard as rock. And I can tell he likes you, which is completely understandable.” He gave me a sideways smile. It was a new look and I realized I didn’t really know Adam at all. Probably even less than Cole.
“No, it’s not that.” I wished I had the guts to ask him. But if he knew I knew the truth, would he try to kill me right away? “Tell me why you’re really here.” I swallowed my nerves and tried to remember I was a vicious werecat that could take on a gargoyle.
Adam took a deep breath. “It’s just so difficult to explain. When I first met you, it was . . .” He walked back over to the window. “But I’m weak.” He punched the wall and his fist went right through it. “Shit.” He pulled his fist from the plaster, shaking his hand. That was going to cost a bunch to fix. Hotels normally didn’t take kindly to their suites getting destroyed.
Adam went on, “I thought it would be easy to—”
A howl echoed through the night, above the honking of horns, and the buzz of the city. It reverberated off the walls and seemed to sink into my toes.
“Stinking dogs.”
Adam froze and I suddenly felt bad. “You heard that.”
“Yes, I heard it,” I spat, anger superseding my fear. “I know why you’re here. You’re supposed to kill me.” I slammed my fists into his back and he fell to his kn
ees.
“I bet Celeste isn’t even your real mother. You didn’t come to my house to pay a debt. You came to kill me.” When he didn’t move I glared at the back of his head, shooting daggers with my eyes. “Too bad you didn’t finish the job while my mom was still pregnant with me.” Angry tears fell onto my cheeks, hot and wet. He hadn’t denied my allegations and his silence spoke much louder than any words. “If you’d succeeded you wouldn’t have had to waste your precious time coming after me now, pretending to like me and kissing . . .” A sob ripped out of my throat. I put my hand over my mouth. He still hadn’t tried to get up. “It was all a lie.” I fell to my knees behind him, unable to stop myself from pressing my head into his back. “I don’t even know you, do I?” The last words came out as a whisper. It felt like my heart was breaking.
Adam turned and took my face in his hands. “Beatrice.” His eyes searched mine. He was scared. “Please, believe me when I say I’m sorry. I didn’t know you when I agreed to the plan.”
I heard his words but didn’t understand them. I was drowning in pain. “You should’ve killed me, you stupid, stupid . . .” I thought of vilest word I could call him. “Dog.”
“Beatrice.” He spoke my name again softly.
“Shut up. Just shut up. If you want to kill me, do it.”
“I’m not going to kill you, Beatrice.”
My pulse responded to his words by speeding up. My breath came out in gasps.
Adam shook me again. “I swear an oath on Altuatha.” His eyes dropped to my lips. I licked them. “You can trust me.”
I wanted to ask him who Altuatha was but there were other more pressing matters.
Adam growled, pulling my face toward him. Even on our knees he towered over me. He tugged my chin upward, and slammed his lips into mine. I clawed at his face but he just kissed me harder, deeper. It only took a few moments and my own body betrayed me, and I was sighing. Freaking sighing into his kiss. There was desperation and raw desire that flamed his movements. I was suddenly in Adam’s arms and on the bed. His hands found their way under my shirt. I clung to him, wrapping my legs around his hips.
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