by Brigit Aine
“So Kat, the guys told Cass and I they ran into you yesterday while they were taking a walk and that you had a story to tell about settling here in Torrent. We know that you are afraid and on the run but that is about it. Since that isn’t very much at all, why don’t you tell us a little bit more about what is happening with you and why you are being followed?” Red said in a low, fierce voice. “We don’t let people take advantage of us here, and we don’t like those who cause us trouble. It draws too much attention to our safe haven. There are very few places that people with talents can go where they feel comfortable and accepted. No one is going to make Torrent an unsafe place for anyone. So now that you are officially a resident here, we will take care of you and keep our eyes out for this stalker of yours.”
“Stalker.” Katherine laughed a little. “I hadn’t really thought of it like that before. Stalker is the right term given what Christopher is doing, but he is actually my father.” Looking around at the four people with her, Kat saw they were listening. She knew she was going to have to tell them more than she had ever divulged if she wanted them not only to help her, but to be safe while doing it.
“Father?” Jared’s voice broke into Kat’s introspective thoughts.
“You wouldn’t know it from the way he acts and treats me. He wants me to help him become governor of our fine state, but he wants to do it using my talent. Actually, I think he has higher aspirations he hasn’t shared with me, but the more power he collects, the more corrupt he seems to become. The saying about power and corruption came true in my household long before I could see it and stop it. I no longer recognize him as a person, let alone as my parent. He thinks, with my talent, I can help him get money and support from the powerful people by telling him who to invite to his parties and what they are ‘really’ thinking when he talks to them.”
When she stopped talking, Kat glanced at the people around her for their reactions to what she had said. She didn’t tell them about how Christopher wanted her to read people for their bank accounts and political ties. She didn’t know how they were going to react to what she told them about the legal stuff—the illegal stuff could come later, if she felt they were trustworthy enough. Until now, she had never felt comfortable talking about the environment she had been raised in or how her father treated her. Most people who knew just shook their heads, and then turned the other way. No one wanted to upset Christopher—he had collected too much power over the years.
“Stupid man,” Red spat out. She was really angry—Katherine could see it in the color of her cheeks and the spark in her eyes. No one had ever been angry on her behalf before; she wasn’t sure how to feel about it and Katherine could see Red wasn’t finished with her thoughts. “How dare anyone treat you or anyone as if they were a means to an end? That’s inhumane and cruel - and when it is done to a young one, child abuse. Doesn’t he know or understand that the most precious thing a parent can have is their children? Heck, even as adults, parents don’t just forget about their kids, no they still are a family. Mine were so happy when I came home to help with the bakery that they sold me a third of it.” Red sat there shaking her head, clearly unable to conceive of a house like the one Kat had grown up in, where little ones weren’t taken care of, but exploited.
Katherine was stunned; no one had ever defended her before, let alone painted Christopher as the bad guy. She wasn’t sure what to say to Red and looked over at Ethan for guidance. Ethan smiled at her and then reached over and patted his wife’s hand.
“Calm down sweetheart, not everyone has parents like yours. You and Cassie, and all the children who have been raised and are being raised here in Torrent are extremely lucky.”
“We know Ethan, but for Kat to have lived that way, I just don’t like it.” Red was still spitting angry, and Kat could hear it in the bite of the words that were meant to soothe.
Ethan laughed at her. “You lived in the city long enough to know that not all parents are like the ones that are here in Torrent. Although, I have to say, that in a wolf pack, no matter where it is located, parents know that cubs are the most important thing, and that they are to be raised to be respectful and loved so that they can show love for their own children someday.”
“See, even wolves know that kids are gifts given to them. This man needs to be taught a lesson.” Kat could almost see wheels turning in Red’s head at the last statement.
“Jared and I are also having trouble understanding how it is a parent can try to use a child in this fashion, to further their own career and place in life.” Ethan placated his wife with another pat on the hand.
Katherine was trying to figure out why Ethan had used wolves as an example when he was talking to Red. “Ummm…wolves?”
Looking over at her, Ethan lowered his voice and said, “Jared and I have that talent; we are werewolves.”
Katherine didn’t think she had ever been so speechless in her entire life. She tried hard right then to read them, as she had been since she first met them, but she still was not able to get anything at all from them. Now wondering if part of the reason they were unreadable was because they were werewolves, Kat realized she didn’t know the answer. The closer she studied them, the realization that part of why Kat felt protected when with them was because they radiated an intense sense of safety. It was a feeling people got when they looked at someone and felt that, if they could just be next to them, all the worries and scares of the world might just disappear. That was the only thing Kat could get from them, and now that she knew to look, there was a sense that they were not entirely human, but she still wasn’t able to see what they were. They were raw power, just sitting there in that bakery, like it was natural, and she supposed, for them, it was. Red had said Torrent was a safe haven and Kat knew from researching places, where people who were different flocked, that this statement was true, so she wasn’t as surprised as some people might have been at what Ethan said. Her own talent had shown her that there was more in the world than the everyday person realized.
“Hey,” a deep voice whined behind her, “what about me? I’m a werewolf too.”
Heart pounding, the voice immediately reminded Kat that she was supposed to be keeping watch for people and things she didn’t know. Her new friends didn’t show any worry or fear at the voice, but for Kat it was like a splash of cold water, bringing back her worries that Christopher had found her.
Frantically, she whipped around, only to find herself gazing into deep brown eyes, the likes of which she had never seen. Katherine knew there was no way anyone could have color like that – melted milk chocolate was the only thing she could think of that even came close to matching it. Gazing up into them, Kat didn’t want to look away from them to check out the rest of him, although she figured that if the rest of him matched his eyes, it was pretty spectacular. She immediately calmed down when she saw him there, her heartbeat slowed down, not at all worried by his presence. Her energy locked onto him as if he was all that existed. Somewhere deep in her soul, she knew this man would never hurt her and in fact would make sure she was taken care of in all ways. This knowledge was beyond her gift, a bone deep sense that he belonged to her and she to him. Her body wanted to see what some of those ways were right then.
* * * * *
He was entranced. There was no other word for it. The creature sitting in front of him, holding his gaze, as if no one else was around, was perfect. The bright turquoise eyes holding his own were made for him to drown in and he would go a happy wolf to his drowning. He felt like he had come home and he never wanted to leave again. He wanted to know what was going on and how he could make sure she never left his sight, because his wolf had sat up and taken notice immediately.
“Hello…? The rest of us are still here.” An amused voice pulled Kraig from the drowning he was submitting to. He glanced around to see amused faces watching him and the beautiful woman in front of him. He saw that she blushed and looked down at the table for something to keep her attention. Kraig smiled when
she fiddled with her coffee mug and the napkin to hide her face.
“Why don’t you grab a seat and join us at the table, Kraig, since you seem to have joined the party anyway?” Ethan’s tone was amused, but Kraig heard the slight edge to it. He grabbed a chair from the closest table and sat down next to the woman he was now entranced with.
Kraig colored a little at the rebuke from his boss and alpha. He knew he had overstepped his place when he made his comment, but from the minute he had stepped into the bakery for a snack, he had been so drawn to the table and the vision sitting with his friends that he couldn’t help himself.
“Hi, I’m Kraig.” Kraig slipped into his flirting mode, hoping it would cover the intensity of the feelings he was having. He wasn’t sure exactly what was happening, but he knew that he couldn’t just let it go. His heart was telling him that this was going to be one of those life-altering meetings though. He had watched Ethan and Jared go through something similar when they met their—oh no—when they met their mates. Well, he figured, if fate was going to throw him such a tempting morsel, he wasn’t going to turn his face away from it. If this goddess was his mate, he would willingly go head first into it.
“I’m Katherine,” was the soft reply from the beauty in front of him. She didn’t reach out to shake his hand and he hoped that meant that, even with Cassie there, the intensity of his feelings must be reaching her. He knew he was giving off serious vibes, but he wasn’t sure how to rein them in.
“Hey, you guys…a Kat for the wolf… pretty funny, huh?” Kraig said to the rest of the group. Kraig realized what he had said as soon as it left his mouth. This pretty thing, this woman he didn’t know, was his mate and he had just announced it to the table at large, granted in a pretty casual way, but still. Turning a deep shade of red, Kraig stammered, “Uh… I mean…well damn, open mouth and insert paw. Sorry, Kat, I was just foolin’ around.”
Kraig hoped that explanation was good enough for Katherine until they could get to know each other a little better. He didn’t figure that telling her she belonged to him was a good way to go. Although it had seemed to work for Jared and Ethan, he didn’t think it would go over well with Kat, or at least, it wasn’t going to be his way. He was going to be the smart wolf at the table and get to know the woman first. That was his intention, though he realized his inner wolf wasn’t happy with the way he was thinking.
* * * * *
Katherine looked at the faces of the people who had gathered at the table. They were all looking back and forth from Kraig to her, and there was shock, surprise, and excitement in the air. She knew something important had just happened, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was. Looking back at Kraig, Kat felt her destiny shift. His statement had changed something, Kat just didn’t know what. Within her own self, she felt as if something had connected that she hadn’t known was unconnected. Becoming aware deep in her soul that this man was going to be a very important part of her life, Kat drew a deep breath. His statement about “the Kat for a wolf” would have to be thought over and brought to the cards, but if fate had decided they were meant to be, there was little either of them could do to alter it. Kat also felt, from whatever connection they had, that Kraig was trying to help her feel more at ease, even though she didn’t need it. A little fun was in order with him, since he wanted to keep her at ease. Shaking her head at the thoughts, Kat realized that fun might become more common here in Torrent, something to look forward to. Fate had brought her here, it seemed, for more than just safety, but for friendship, laughter and perhaps love.
“No worries—I have always wanted to be someone’s Kat.” Katherine figured a little flirting wouldn’t hurt since it was clear from his tone and body language she wouldn’t be rejected. If nothing else, Kat figured she could work on her flirting skills, since they didn’t get used that often. She was watching Kraig’s face when she said it and his smile turned from fun and flirty to sexy and sultry in a split second. His already intense face deepened with what she thought might be desire. His eyes turned the color of dark chocolate and the tip of his tongue came out to touch his lips. Katherine’s body temperature skyrocketed at the look and she was sure her stomach had left the building. No one had ever stared at her the way Kraig was right then. Okay, maybe she was out of her element with the flirting, but if this man kept watching her like that, she would go for it any day of the week. Just looking at him made her feel weak and shaky.
“Okay,” Red said gently, and Katherine saw her taking the two of them in, “now that the important stuff is out of the way, can we get down to the stalker?”
“Stalker?” Kat watched as Kraig’s posture changed to one of alertness and he sat up immediately. “What stalker? What are you talking about? Why haven’t I heard about a stalker in town?”
“Kraig, calm down. We haven’t really gotten very far into the conversation, so you are in at the beginning.” Ethan’s voice soothed yet held enough steel to brook no argument from the younger wolf, and Katherine could easily see why he was in charge. “Katherine is a tarot reader and psychic. She came to Torrent because she has a talent that someone is trying to exploit. She had heard that there were lots of talented people here and that no one bothered them. All we have learned so far is that her ‘stalker’ is actually her father and that he isn’t a pleasant person.”
Katherine realized that Ethan had summed up her entire plight in four sentences. She began to chuckle.
“Kat?” Kraig sounded worried and reached for her. She put her hand in his without a conscious thought to it and continued to chuckle. Holding his hand felt right, it was rough and much bigger than hers, and she felt sheltered just by the touch.
“I’m sorry. It isn’t so much that it is funny in the ‘ha-ha’ sense. You have to understand, this has been an issue my whole life and, after only being here for one night, I have five people who care about what happens to me and who can sum my life up in four sentences. That might sound somewhat pathetic, but I have never felt as safe as I do right now. For me, that is even more relieving than the muffin or Cassie the ‘damper’.”
At those words Cassie turned a blinding smile on all of them. “I so love it when someone likes me despite my talent. Kat, I know it seems a short time but you have just become part of a very elite group, people I love. You are pretty much—outside of my parents and Red’s parents— sitting with all of them. My talent doesn’t always allow people to say what they are really feeling, but you just did, and for that, I thank you.” Jared took Cassie’s hand and kissed the back of it. Cassie had tears in her eyes and Kat wondered what it would be like, to never know how people really felt about you or what was going on around them. She knew there was a story behind Cassie and Jared and someday she would hear it. The thought of being part of an elite group, who was loved in spite of what they were, was an idea that brought joy to Kat. She smiled and there was something different about it. Bigger, stretching facial muscles that had been unused for a while, it was the first “real” smile in years. Sitting here with these people, Kat felt that life was going to be just fine, and she was going to be rid of Christopher.
* * * * *
Kraig’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of her smile. Kat was beautiful when she was just at rest, like when he had first walked in, but this smile turned her into something beyond gorgeous. Her ethereal quality was glowing through and she seemed to emit a white light—he didn’t quite understand but figured it was part of her talent. He did know that psychics were a little bit different than those who had gifts like they did. Her turquoise eyes were luminous as her happiness seemed to shine through them. The light surrounded her and made the red highlights in her hair glint like burnished gold. Unable to stop himself, Kraig leaned forward, as though in a trance, reached out and lightly touched a lock of hair, rubbing it gently between his fingers. Silk, he thought, I am holding silk in my hands.
Kraig couldn’t believe the trust she was placing in him. She was letting him close, allowing hi
m to touch her. He gently cupped her jaw and felt the softness of the skin beneath his hand. She was a precious gift, meant for him and no one was going to hurt her, let alone her own father. He ran a finger from her cheekbone to her jawline as he lifted his hand from her face. Kraig looked around the table at the friends that had just witnessed this moment. Their expressions ranged from surprise to smirks. They knew that it was he who had just fallen in love with Kat—not the wolf who had claimed her earlier, but the man. Now, explaining it all to her, and keeping her safe from her father, that was going to take some doing, on all their parts.
* * * * *
Kat’s world seemed to have shrunk down to the wolf in front of her holding her hair in his hand, as if it was the most precious treasure in the world. Afraid to move, because she wanted him to keep touching her, and worried he might stop if she moved, Kat sat perfectly still. She watched as he held the strand gently between his fingers, rubbing it as if it was the softest thing he had ever felt. Kat turned into the hand holding her hair, put her face up to him, wanting him to touch her face, not just her hair. She wasn’t sure why, but she trusted him and knew that his touch soothed her even more than his presence. His hand felt safe and strong and she felt as if that was where she belonged, as if her very soul was complete.