It really was a lovely little lake, and she wondered what it must be like to live there all year round. Her eyes traveled back to Dash’s, but there was still nothing to suggest that anyone was home. No lights shone out from the inside.
She turned back to her kitchen and put on some water to boil. She made herself a cup of tea and settled at the island with some of the research she had brought with her to town.
Over the past few years, she had been especially interested in the stories of shifters and the idea of men who could turn into animals or fantastical beasts. When she had searched online, she had found so many legends and stories of people who had had personal experiences, but the town of Bridge Hollow kept reappearing. Since she had been a child, her grandmother had told her tales of her grandfather’s travels, and they always came back to the same town.
Bridge Hollow.
It was a place he had come to for work, when he was a young man, not long before the second World War, and he had found himself swept up in the legends and all the magic of the mountain. Her grandmother had always been slightly cagey when it came to exact details, but she had made it abundantly clear that her grandfather believed there was something special about this place. And he truly believed in the existence of shifters.
Jannie opened the folder on the table and scattered out the information in front of her. She had her own notes, pages upon pages of ideas, to do with weaving shifters into her book, and then she had newspaper articles and clippings from strange events that had happened and been connected to the town… and, in particular, the things that had been happening since the beginning of the year.
She looked at the article on the missing hunters, the weather and the way it had changed in this area, the trees and land that appeared to be rotting, and the animals and birds that seemed to have just collapsed and died. One thing she had noticed in all of them, was that it appeared to happen in the center of a forest, close to where an abandoned mine had been located. And it had sparked her interest.
Her grandmother had mentioned the mine. Her grandfather had been tied to it, in some way, all those years ago and he had told her stories about the theories and legends. Now that Jannie was there in town, she wondered if she would hear anything about it, or even if she would dare to go looking herself.
She flicked another page and looked at the image in front of her. It was of a man turning into a wolf and it made a tingle run down her spine. She looked at the notes she had highlighted on the printout and it was on shifter and animal behavior. She scanned down the article and began to read. As she made her way through it, things were beginning to stand out to her, and her suspicions about Dash suddenly didn’t seem very outlandish after all…
These men are incredibly animalistic in nature… they are natural-born protectors and will do anything to ensure the safety of their chosen ones. There is a theory that, within the shifting community, one is always looking for their fated and one true mate. Once they have discovered this other half of their soul, they are said to know instantly and will do anything to keep another shifter from imprinting on them first. Sometimes, this can lead to inter-pack fighting and serious danger for all concerned…
Jannie rubbed the back of her neck and thought of the way Dash had stopped Ryder from taking her hand. It wasn’t exactly the biggest declaration of love and commitment, but it had definitely meant something. Something that Ryder had understood and hadn’t questioned.
She bit the corner of her lip and felt herself get a little excited. Maybe she should write a book about a shifter boyfriend.
She grabbed her pen and started to write some notes as fast as she could before the ideas in her head all floated away.
As the day wore on, Jannie had written at least five full pages of ideas and notes and all freehand. She sat back and exhaled, her wrist and hand aching as she pushed the papers all out across the table and looked at them. She had invented a world where the men protected their women, but she imagined them all to be emotionally immature and unavailable. She thought of the legends she had heard about these creatures, how their magic made them superior in so many ways, but their fear of being discovered had driven them deep underground. She could only imagine that, if they were to ever fall in love or get involved with a human woman, they wouldn’t be the best kind of boyfriend. In fact, she had the feeling they would be a complete nightmare. She imagined their intense sexual energy, the fact that they would probably have groupies wanting to sleep with them. She wondered if Bridge Hollow ever got serious Shifter fans turning up, girls looking to get laid by a man who was half beast and enjoying the excitement of the danger attached to it.
Danger was something Jannie certainly didn’t need.
It was her biggest fear.
She had been down that road so many times, and now she was determined to look after herself, and the more she thought about the precarious nature of the town, the more she wondered if she should even be there at all.
She looked around the delightful little kitchen, and the way it opened out into the gorgeous living area with the vaulted ceiling and mezzanine level above. She looked out across the lake, at the clear blue water, at the sky-high pine trees and the stunning views. She had heard this place was dangerous, and even Dash had said to her the night before that things could get weird around town… but she honestly couldn’t see how, when she was sitting in such an tranquil location.
“How wild could things honestly get around here?” She laughed to herself as she looked at how peaceful the scenery was around her. “Maybe in town things can get a little hairy, especially with those burly looking bikers hanging around… but here, around this lake? I just don’t see it…” She shrugged her shoulders and jumped down from the bar stool.
It was almost 4pm and she had spent a full day, dreaming up ideas and working. She missed not having a real designated writing area, but knew she was lucky to have Dash’s help. She wondered when he would bring the desk over for her and help her get it set up on the mezzanine.
She looked down at the piece of paper on the table. She had kept it close to her since the night before and even though she hadn’t entered his number into her phone, the temptation to call him had been pulling at her since he had left her back at Shifter’s Bliss.
She chewed her bottom lip and twiddled the paper in her hands. She had such a strong urge to call him, and her heart had been tingling ever since their fingertips had touched in the bar. He had done something to her, even if it was just awakening her to the possibility that she didn’t really need to be celibate for the rest of her life. And now, she felt connected to him somehow… as if there was a pull between them. She looked back toward his cabin and noticed that Jet was out on the dock. It was as if he were lounging and looking her way. She wondered if dogs had better eyesight and if he could see her clearly, or whether she was just some kind of blur to him inside a window−that was, if he could even see her at all.
She noticed a sharp glint of blue, and even though he was far away, she could felt as if it had come from his eyes. She was sure she had seen it. As if Jet had heard her thoughts and it made her clutch her robe at her neck and take a step back.
She held her breath for a moment, until she was sure that she must have just been imagining it, and then she turned and headed back into the hallway and away from temptation.
She was going to get showered and dressed and walk back to town for an early dinner. It had been a long day alone, even with all her wonderful ideas flowing and her creativity peaking. But now, she was ready for a change of scenery, and she knew just where she wanted to go.
7.
Dash rubbed a sweaty palm down his face, grazing against his stubble and itching his skin. He had had a tough few days. In fact, he had had a tough year in general. Bridge Hollow had been all kinds of fucked up lately, and he and his pack knew something dangerous was about to happen.
They could smell it in the air. They could see it in the way the trees moved. The animals around them may
have spoken a different language, but he knew they felt it. They all could.
And now, something had murdered a man right there in front of their eyes in the middle of Shifter’s Bliss.
What the fuck was he going to do?
He, Ryder and the rest of their packs had taken the body of the drunk to the top of the mountain and buried him in a shallow grave. It was the first time that the bears and wolves had truly had to come together and do something that they would all swear an oath to protect. The man had been a Bridge Hollow resident. He had been missing now for almost a month and there were posters up around town. It had, so far, managed to stay clear of national and state news, but he and everyone else knew it was only because the town’s sheriff was pacifying the family and giving them false hope.
The truth was, the sheriff was just as worried as the packs. He may not have known what he was up against, but he certainly could see strange things were happening and he didn’t know what to do about it. Dash could see his fear of looking incompetent or in over his head was clouding his judgement, and for all of them, during this difficult time, that was probably for the best.
The puncture wounds on the victim’s neck had suggested something particularly sinister. And they had known they could no longer face whatever was coming on their own. For years, the town’s packs had stayed apart from each other. Wolves and bears had always trod a fine line, and after the initial unrest a few months ago, when they had all started to act crazy, they had known that they were going to have to come together, to join forces for the good of them all.
Dash picked up a cigarette and flicked a lighter. He inhaled and instantly felt calmer as the nicotine coursed through his veins. He knew he had to quit, he didn’t even like it that much, but in stressful times his good habits seemed to be diminishing, and he knew he had to get back on track. But now, he had the added stress of the girl.
Jannie.
She was something else.
When he had seen her standing there on the dock on the opposite side of the lake, he had felt something come at him, fast and furious. It was like a rush on the wind, and it hit him full in the face and woke him up.
He hadn’t been expecting it, and now, he was more confused than ever. She was someone to him… he felt it deeply. He had never looked at a human and wanted to be so close to them, but he couldn’t pull her into all of this. He was glad she was only staying for six weeks. If it had been any longer, he honestly didn’t know how he would cope. He had shot himself in the foot by offering to give her the desk because now, he was going to have to see her again. He had had to force himself away from her the night before when she had gone with him to Shifter’s Bliss. She had tried to push him away in the same way, and he had tried to resist… but in the end, his common sense had taken over.
He couldn’t get involved with anyone right now. Especially, a human. And especially, someone he thought could be the one he was waiting for. With that being said, he still didn’t want another shifter even shaking her hand. He wasn’t taking any chances that anyone else could develop a bond with her. He wanted her all to himself.
And that was where his head was fucked.
He knew he wanted her.
He knew he needed her.
He even knew that he felt things that he never thought he ever would… but, with the unrest in Bridge Hollow, he was scared.
Scared that this perfect girl could get hurt.
Scared that he could put her in harm’s way.
And scared that, with this all happening around him, he may not be able to protect her in the way he deeply needed to.
He took another drag on his cigarette.
This was all so fucked.
“Hey!” Ryder’s voice came from behind him and broke his thoughts, and he turned to see him standing in the doorway of the bar.
“Hey,” Dash exhaled.
He had been waiting for him, and now that he was here, it was time for them to go and find advice from an elder. A shifter that none of them had seen or made contact with for decades.
They knew he lived up on the mountain, set away from prying eyes and well above where the skiers liked to go. It was off the main track and away from the slopes and routes that the tourists tended to take. It was cloaked in magic, a place that not even Dash had ever seen.
This elder was a shifter dragon.
And now they were going to find him and ask for his advice. He was the only one they could turn to.
“Are you ready?” he asked Ryder who sidled up beside him and exhaled deeply through his nose.
“I don’t know,” Ryder said. “But I guess we’ve got no choice.”
Dash nodded and threw his smoking cigarette on the ground and stomped it out with his boot.
“Let’s go,” Dash said as he moved forward, and they started to walk in the direction of the base of the mountain. “Once we’re in the trees, we can shift and run.”
“Sounds good to me,” Ryder smirked as they continued to stride.
They were now two men on a mission.
They had to find out what was happening in town. Because not only did they have Bridge Hollow to protect, but now, Dash had something else he wanted to protect to.
Jannie.
This girl was important.
8.
Jannie looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She was in love with her new outfit and she felt perfectly mountain chic. She had put together a pair of skinny jeans with long black knee boots, a black turtleneck and a grey faux-fur gilet. Her dark hair was long and wavy, down over her shoulders and she had spent some time painting her nails a rich purple, which was something she rarely did.
She had had such a positive day; she had worked her ass off on her writing, relaxed and did some yoga overlooking the lake, and now she was showered and ready to head out for an evening meal.
It had been two days since she had seen Dash. And now, she was wondering if she would ever see him again. The cabin on the other side of the lake had remained dark. Jet had been in and out on various occasions, but generally, she hadn’t seen any other movement or signs of life. And now she was worried if he was avoiding her.
He had given her his number, but there was no way she was texting or calling him. He knew exactly where she was, and if he wanted to see her, or the desk was ready, then he knew what to do.
She wasn’t going to be the one doing any sort of chasing. Especially, after a guy who smoked, looked badass and was covered in tattoos.
She kept reminding herself that he was trouble with a capital T.
She was safer on her own. Safer concentrating on her work and safer enjoying her own company and personal growth.
Dash would only distract her and get her in trouble. She was sure of it.
She grabbed her handbag and she headed to the main door of the cabin. After she had exited and locked it behind her, she started to walk up and out of the little dip that kept the lake hidden amongst the trees.
Now that she had been in town for a few days, she was used to the walk. After the first night, when Dash had taken her with Jet, she had done it each day since. She would be lying if she said she hadn’t been hoping to bump into him at some point, but she had been actively avoiding Shifter’s Bliss, just in case he was there, making it seem as if she were looking for him.
She had tried a couple of the coffee houses in town and one of the fancier restaurants that had been full of tourists. It was a quaint little Italian place, but it was lit by candles and all the tables had white clothes and linen. It had reminded her of some of the family run places she visited back home, old school and traditional in their atmosphere, but the food had been hearty and satisfying.
She had barely eaten all day and her stomach was beginning to rumble. She had decided that while she was away and concentrating on her selfcare and personal growth, this would be the perfect time to try and cut out bread and not overindulge. But obviously, since she had done that, bread had been all she could think about and she craved
it like crazy. All she wanted was a cheeseburger, something big and greasy, with fries and a diet coke.
Selfcare at its finest!
She smirked to herself as she wandered along the mountain road and began to approach town. She enjoyed her evening walks the most as they gave her the opportunity to watch the sun set over the lakes and the mountains as she went. It made her feel alive and connected to nature, and it also meant that she could try and figure out which part of the forest this legendary mine could potentially be located.
As she approached Main Street, she slowed her pace and enjoyed walking among the tourists and the residents of the town. It really was so lovely there, and the evenings really seemed to make the whole place come alive. As she passed by the Bridge Hollow Bear in the center of town, she stopped for a moment and looked at it. It really was magnificent, and she saw a collection of tourists taking turns to stand in front of it and have their photographs taken.
She reached into her purse and pulled out her cellphone and took a quick snap of it herself, even with the tourists around it, and then she made a mental note to make sure she checked it out on her way back to the cabin later to try and get a proper picture for her collection.
She had her notebook in her bag, and she was ready to pass the time while she was having dinner writing and jotting down more notes and ideas. She truly had been awakened and her creativity was sparking. Bridge Hollow was certainly good for her soul.
She took a slight turn and crossed over onto the other side of Main Street and as she did, she suddenly felt a familiar presence close by her. She didn’t know how she could tell that it was him, but her heart instantly began to beat harder and a tingle seemed to crawl all over her, as if her body was responding to his, and her skin was radiating heat to try and attract him.
She stopped and didn’t dare move.
Was she actually going mad?
What on earth was this sensation rippling through her?
Bridge Hollow Shifters: The Complete Collection Page 25