by Kate Douglas
So in love with the man beside her, she almost hurt.
She looked down at her left hand, grasped tightly in Anton’s right, and felt the first sense of tension since they’d left the cabin.
“He’ll be waiting, you know. We won’t be able to shift. He’ll see us.”
Anton turned and smiled at her, looking more feral than when in wolven form.
“I know. I look forward to meeting Mr. Burns.” He looked ahead, skillfully maneuvered around a stalled truck, then turned back to Keisha. “I doubt he’ll enjoy it as much as I intend to, though.”
He squeezed her hand in reassurance, then returned his attention to the heavy commuter traffic. Keisha sat back against the seat and watched the road ahead.
A car was parked in front of her townhouse. Anton’s senses went on alert. He had to consciously tamp down the need to shift, to become the predator he was at heart.
I believe Mr. Burns is waiting for us now. Do you recognize the car?
Keisha shook her head. Perspiration beaded on her brow. It’s been in the neighborhood off and on since I returned. I don’t recall if it was here before my trip to Montana.
If it is him, follow my lead. Stay in my mind if you must, but don’t question anything I say.
You’re not going to kill him, are you?
No, though I’ve thought about it. It would be most satisfying to gut the bastard, but it would make a horrible mess. He turned his attention from the car at the curb to the woman beside him. It’s important, Keisha. Will you do as I say?
She turned, showing no fear. She laughed out loud. Saluted. “Yes, sir!”
This was the woman he loved.
Finally relaxed, now that the battle had come to him, Anton pulled into the driveway.
A portly, middle-aged man immediately got out of the car at the curb. From the rumpled appearance of his clothing, he looked as if he’d practically lived in his vehicle over the past few days.
“Ah, Ms. Rialto. I was sure you’d return eventually.” He held his hand out, totally ignoring Anton.
Big mistake. Anton barely controlled the low growl starting deep in his chest. His skin shivered and twitched with his desire to become the wolf, the predator in his nature almost overwhelming his civilized self.
“I’m Carl Burns, reporter for the—”
“We know who you are, Mr. Burns. Thank you for coming.” Anton bit back the snarl and stuck out his hand, intercepting the other man’s hand in a tight shake. Burns’ bluster turned to confusion.
“Thank…”
“It’s wonderful of your newspaper to acknowledge Ms. Rialto’s memorial garden. It was truly an honor when her design was selected.”
“But that’s not why…” Burns shook his head. “I’m not here to…”
“Come this way.” Still speaking, Anton put his hand on the other man’s back and guided him up the stairs. Claws appeared, then receded. His spine rippled with his need to transform, to kill. “I’m sure you’d like to get some shots of Ms. Rialto’s drawings, maybe information about the exotic plants she’s selected? It’s really quite exciting.” He turned to Keisha. “Sweetheart, hand me the key, would you?”
Shaking her head, biting back a grin, Keisha turned the keys over to Anton, grabbed their luggage and followed the two men up the steps. She felt Anton’s struggle, knew the wolf was close. The fact his anger was so near the surface yet so tightly controlled made her feel more loved and protected than she could imagine.
She closed the door behind them. The moment it clicked shut, Anton grabbed Burns by the throat and shoved him up against the wall. There was a feral gleam in his eyes, and he bared his teeth, but somehow, to Keisha’s surprise, he controlled his rage.
Instead of the wolf she feared, it was a very angry human watching the reporter gasp and squirm, his feet dangling six inches off the floor, his face turning purple from the choke hold Anton continued to tighten.
“You will not write about the wolf. The wolf does not exist. If you persist, you will die. It’s a simple choice to make, Mr. Burns.”
Burns’ eyes bugged out, his hands scrabbled at Anton’s muscular wrist, and his feet scraped at the wall. Keisha held her breath, wondering how far Anton would take this, knowing full well she couldn’t let him kill the reporter no matter what she had promised Anton, no matter how great a threat he posed to all Chanku.
Suddenly Anton took a deep breath and released his hold on Burns. Gasping for breath, the man slid to the floor. When Anton leaned over and grabbed his hand to pull him to his feet, Burns appeared transfixed for a brief moment.
Then he was shaking his head, absentmindedly rubbing his throat before straightening his coat, apologizing for his clumsiness in tripping over the carpet.
Keisha wasn’t certain how Anton had managed it, but he had Carl nodding and smiling as if nothing at all had happened in the entryway of her home. The reporter pulled out his notepad and jotted down information, even grabbed his camera for a quick photo of her drawings in the upstairs studio. He also took a picture of Keisha, standing beside her greenhouse.
She almost laughed when he had her hold some of the very grasses that helped her become the wolf. Anton stood behind the idiot, his canines practically clicking in frustration. Keisha sensed the fury simmering just beneath the surface of Anton’s civilized behavior.
Burns left a few minutes later, obviously unaware of how close to death he’d come. The minute he was gone, Keisha grabbed Anton by the back of the shirt and spun him around. “Would you mind explaining to me what just happened? You practically strangle the man, then he acts like it’s all his fault and we’re his new best friends. What the hell is going on?”
“Why, Mr. Burns merely stumbled in the entryway before he interviewed you about your memorial garden.”
With his smile he was innocence personified, but the effect was ruined by the snarl in his voice.
“That’s not exactly why he was here. How come he totally ignored the fact you tried to kill him?”
“If I’d tried to kill him, he would be dead.”
“That’s not the point, and you know it. Why didn’t he ask about the wolf?”
“Merely an implanted suggestion, m’dear. A form of hypnotism, if you will.”
“What?” she practically shrieked, took a deep breath and tried again. “You’re saying you used mind control? How?”
His look was pure Anton, all testosterone-driven male, proud of himself and of his ability to protect his mate.
Keisha growled.
Anton took a deep breath and answered. “You forget. Before I was a wolf, or before I knew I was a wolf, I was a very powerful wizard. Those skills are part of me, learned through many years of study. I merely convinced Mr. Burns that a story about your lovely memorial garden in Golden Gate Park was the entire reason he’d been trying to reach you. And you, my lovely lady, have been terribly elusive because you’re very shy by nature.”
“Yeah. Right. Shy.” She snorted.
“Not very ladylike, however.”
“Will he ever remember? Will he come back?”
Anton nodded, kissed the end of her nose. “He’s going to find his notes, references to you as a wolf. He doesn’t have photos, or he would have used them to blackmail you. I imagine, however, that he has a lot of information in his files. It may confuse him at first, but eventually he’ll remember. Hopefully by then we’ll be long gone.”
“What about the bruises on his throat?”
“I’ll let him wonder about them.” Anton looked away for a moment, the fury radiating from his elegant frame almost palpable. He took a deep breath, and Keisha heard him grinding his teeth together. “I wanted very much to kill him, but it would create too many problems for you.” He swept his hand over her hair. “I think you’re safe now.”
“What if he finds us?”
“If he comes after us, I just may eat him.”
From the feral gleam in his eyes, Keisha wasn’t sure if he was serious or tea
sing. “You don’t…”
“Nah. Too much fat. Bad for my cholesterol.”
Laughing, she threw her arms around him and kissed him hard on the mouth. “Anton, I love you. As soon as the project is over, take me home, please.”
“You’ve got it.” He kissed her back.
Lord, but she loved the taste of his mouth, couldn’t wait to taste the rest of him. Mind control. He could make someone think whatever he wanted…
“Anton?” She pulled away, moved out of his embrace. “Why didn’t you ever try that on me? The mind thing. Why didn’t you just convince me I wasn’t raped, I didn’t kill those men. It would have been so much easier for you.”
His pensive smile told her how much he’d thought of just such a thing. How difficult it had been for him not to help her.
“Not easier for you, though. It would have taken away a very powerful part of who and what you are. You needed to come through this by your own choice. You’re a survivor. I would not cheat you of that victory. It’s an amazing testimony to your strength that you’ve done this on your own. I love you the way you are, who you are. I don’t want someone I’ve helped create. I love you, Keisha Rialto, fears, flaws and all.”
“Flaws? You’re saying I have flaws?”
“Well, you do have an odd habit of thinking you’re in charge of things.”
She threw herself into his embrace. Once again, as always, he caught her. Just as he would always catch her. She whispered against his lips, kissing him between the words. “As soon as the project is over, you’re taking me home to Montana. There’s so much more for me there than here.”
Anton nuzzled her hair, then raised his head and grinned at her. “You’re right. You can’t forget Xandi…and there’s still Stefan.”
Stefan? Stefan, with a body and face so much like Anton’s, with a quirky sense of humor and limitless compassion—and an obvious interest in sex.
“You wouldn’t mind, wouldn’t feel jealous, seeing me with another man?”
“Do you feel jealous when I make love with Xandi—or, for that matter, with Stefan? When I have Xandi’s breast in my mouth and Stefan’s cock deep inside me, do you want to stop what we’re doing?”
She shook her head, picturing exactly the scene he described, realizing it no longer held fear for her, only desire. “No. I want to be there with you. When I linked with Xandi, I wanted so badly to be a part of your lovemaking, but I couldn’t be. I was too afraid. The fear’s gone now, though I imagine I’d like to sleep alone with Stefan first, before we do it as a group. I need to start slowly. Would that make you jealous?”
“It would make me very proud to see how far you’ve come. To know you truly embrace the part of you that is Chanku. I love you.” He kissed her again, much more thoroughly this time.
“C’mon. I know a few things Stefan enjoys. How about I show you what you need to do?”
She laughed. “So I’m getting instructions now? You would presume to…”
Anton swept her up in his arms, kissed her mouth and headed for the bedroom. “I presume you love me. I presume you’re mine forever and beyond. I presume you can’t wait to make love. And I presume the bedroom is down this hall?”
“You presume correctly.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “On all counts. I sure hope Stefan appreciates how much we’re willing to sacrifice for his pleasure.”
“Oh, he does. I’m sure he does.” Anton tossed her on the bed and kicked the door shut behind them.
PART FIVE
The Gift
Chapter 23
Stefan set the phone back on the table and sighed. Anton and Xandi had arrived safely in Portland in spite of an unexpected snowstorm. The house seemed so empty with them gone. He hadn’t expected to miss them this much, but hearing Xandi’s sweet voice made his heart hurt.
A week, no longer. It should take only a week for Xandi to sign off on the lease for the apartment she’d once shared with her ex-fiancé, formally resign from her job, pack her belongings and make the long drive in the rental truck back to Montana.
If Anton hadn’t had business in Portland, Stefan would be the one with her now, but Anton had business there and Stefan didn’t, and it only made sense that Stefan be the one to stay here with Keisha.
Keisha. Stefan watched her through the large front window.
She leaned over the deck railing, her slim body silhouetted by the setting sun, her once kinky black hair now falling in soft, tousled waves past her shoulders, its new texture a direct result of her Chanku heritage.
She looked so lonely out there, so alone. He’d grown used to seeing Anton by her side. Always touching, protecting, loving her. Keisha was such an enigma. Fun-loving, brilliant, beautiful—yet still so conflicted, Stefan’s heart ached for her.
He pushed himself to his feet and poured a couple of glasses of wine. Keisha looked up at him and smiled when he shoved the door open with his shoulder and joined her at the railing. The freezing air practically took his breath away, but the clear sky and brilliant stars were worth the chill.
“Beautiful out, isn’t it?” He handed Keisha the glass of Chardonnay, watched her throat constrict when she took a small sip, nodded when she smiled at him.
He opened his mind, but found her thoughts blocked. Unlike the others, Keisha kept her barriers in place more often than not. He wasn’t certain, but he suspected that her rape and assault were never far from her mind, that she still suffered the trauma of her attack.
Looking at her, at the pensive, faraway look in her eyes, he imagined it was still very much a part of her. Stefan sipped at his wine, then set the glass on the railing. “Xandi just called. She and Anton are settled into their hotel room. Anton’s got appointments all morning long, and Xandi’s hoping to close out the lease and take care of her formal resignation. Packing her belongings will take longer, and they’ll have to rent a truck to move everything here. It looks like they won’t get home until at least Friday.”
“That long?” Keisha frowned as she sipped at her wine. “That’s Christmas Eve.”
“I know. Weather’s been pretty sketchy, too, but they’ll leave as soon as they can.”
“I’ll worry about them all week.” Keisha blinked and looked out across the snow-covered meadow.
Stefan saw the glint of tears in her eyes. He touched her chin with his fingertips, turned her face to him. “They’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. Wanna go run?”
Her eyes widened. “Oh. I guess I never thought of you and me running. I figured we’d wait until they got back.”
Stefan began working the buttons down the front of his flannel shirt. The freezing air made his fingers clumsy. “You’re kidding, right? Go a week without shifting? C’mon.” He slipped out of his clothing, aware of Keisha’s hesitation, her sudden shyness. It wasn’t easy to keep from grinning at her. “Keisha, we’ve shared the same bed. We’ve been naked together. We’ve shifted countless times together.”
“I know.” She dipped her chin so he couldn’t see her eyes. “Anton and Xandi have always been here.”
“Are you afraid?”
Challenged, she glared at him. “No. No, I’m not afraid.” She whipped the sweater over her head, slipped out of her jeans and shifted, her amber eyes glowing in the early twilight. I’m fine. What’re you waiting for?
The barriers were still there, still blocking her innermost thoughts. He shifted.
Nothing. Let’s go.
The week-old snow had formed a hard crust, enough to support their weight as they raced across the frozen meadow. Stefan quickly took the lead, but Keisha followed closely behind, to the right of his flank.
He ran hard, leaping fallen logs, skimming along the icy surface of creeks and bogs, his mouth wide, tongue lolling, ears sleeked back against his skull. Without warning, Keisha nipped his flank and sped past, her eyes bright and tail streaming out behind.
She hit the surface of an old mill pond where the ice was thick and the surface broad. Stefan ran direct
ly into her, bowled her over, so that she slid on her back across the ice, before scrambling to her feet.
She rushed him, eyes gleaming, jaws wide, ducked her head as she reached his belly, dipped her snout under his chest and flipped him expertly over on his back.
Stefan landed hard, slid into a snowbank and came up with his face covered in ice crystals. Snorting, he shook his head.
Keisha stood about ten feet away, feet spread wide and planted firmly. Gotcha! Don’t ever mess with the alpha bitch!
Alpha bitch! You still pulling that crap? He heard her laughter in his mind as he jumped, covering the distance between them in a single leap, and bowled her over before she could react.
The impact took both of them halfway across the pond. A tangle of gaunt willows against the bank stopped their slide. A huge drift of snow cascaded over their heads.
You okay? He heard Keisha wheezing for breath. He scrambled out from under the snow, shifting to his human form as he moved. The cold hit him like a fist, but he reached into the drift and pulled the wolf free.
She shifted, laughing so hard he realized at once the wheezing hadn’t been a problem at all.
Also naked, she wrapped her arms around her slim body and shivered.
“Shit. I’m freezing.” Keisha shook her tangled hair, and snowflakes cascaded all around. “Let’s get back. It’s really cold tonight.”
They shifted together. The run back to the house was more leisurely, the sense of family stronger than ever. Keisha seemed to relax and really enjoy herself.
Still, Stefan felt the barrier, the sense of secrets Keisha couldn’t—or wouldn’t—share. He was still wondering how he could help her when they finally reached the house, gathered their clothing and went inside to shower.
Chapter 24
“Why are you so quiet?” Stefan paused as he cleared the dishes from the table. “Didn’t you enjoy dinner? Oliver outdid himself.”