by Jenika Snow
Evernight Publishing
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2012 Jenika Snow
ISBN: 978-1-77130-111-4
Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs
Editor: Marie Medina
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
A little danger never hurt anyone. This is for you and all those times you broke the rules.
PRETTY LITTLE THING
Romance on the Go
Jenika Snow
Copyright © 2012
Chapter One
Fiona ran as hard as her legs would carry her. She regretted wearing shorts and a tank because her flesh was beat to hell. Another branch snapped across her thigh, causing Fiona to bite her lip in pain. She could not cry out, not when it was so close. She knew it was toying with her, because it could have easily caught her by now. She was so tired, but she could not slow down.
She turned her head left and right, trying to find the cabin. She knew it was here, had seen it a thousand times in passing. Another branch scraped her cheek and she did cry out that time. Run faster, harder.
There it was, just in the distance. She forced herself to move more quickly. The feel of its hot, humid breath on the back of her legs gave her that little bit of extra strength she needed.
“Help!” Fiona screamed, praying it was loud enough for him to hear. Please God, please let him hear me. Like a beacon of light from heaven, the front door opened and there he stood. She could have cried in happiness if not for the fact a growl right behind her let her know her pursuer wouldn’t give up.
He stepped off the porch and she flew into his arms. She cried hysterically into his chest, just waiting for the pain of death to take her away.
It didn’t come.
“What happened? Are you okay?”
She could hear and understand him, but she couldn’t form any words to respond. All she could do was shake her head over and over again and mumble incoherently into his shirt. Fiona was aware that they were no longer outside when she heard the crackle from a fire and smelled cinnamon. Her heart beat so fast she was surprised it hadn’t broken through her chest. When he started slowly helping her to stand, Fiona gripped onto him tighter.
“Shhh, you’re safe, you’re safe.”
Was she? She still felt like she was running, fighting to survive. As her pulse started to slow and her breathing took on a more natural speed, Fiona forced herself to loosen her death grip on him. He took a step back but kept his hands on her upper arms.
“Just breathe.”
He sounded so calm, so reassuring that Fiona found herself doing just what he said.
“Here, have a seat and I’ll get you something to drink, then maybe you can tell me what the hell happened to you.”
She sat down, her legs so shaky she wouldn’t have been able to hold herself up any longer anyways. The fire in front of her not only created a soft glow, but also warmed her. She was surprised she was even cold given the fact it was a warm night, but her whole body shook and her teeth chattered.
As she stared at the fire, she thought about how close she had come to dying. This could have been her last night on Earth, a realization that made her numb.
“Here, drink this. You look like you need something to help your nerves.”
He placed a cup in her hands and she instantly felt herself warming. The heat that seeped through the ceramic took away the chill, but didn’t help her body to stop shaking.
“It’s the shock that is causing your body to react that way.”
Fiona looked over at him. She brought the mug to her lips and took a sip of the tea that was definitely spiked with something much more potent than chamomile. Maybe she shouldn’t have been drinking alcohol, but right now, as it traveled through her blood stream, it seemed like the most perfect thing in the world.
“Now, can you tell me what scared you so bad?”
She kept her eyes on him and took in his calm disposition. She had seen him on a dozen different occasions while she hiked in the woods, had even found herself sidetracked from her group as she had watched him chop firewood, skin animals, and work on his truck with no shirt on.
When she didn’t respond he smiled at her gently. “I’ve seen you around, right? Aren’t you with that college group that is studying the wolf population here?”
Fiona nodded, surprised he had actually noticed her. Every time she had seen him he had seemed oblivious to their presence, or so she had thought.
“I shouldn’t have wandered away from the group, but the tracks I found suggested the wolves were really close.” She took another sip of her spiked tea and noted her hands were less shaky. “I didn’t think I had been gone too long, but next thing I noticed my group was gone and the sun was setting.” She shook her head, realizing how foolish she had been.
He had a first aid kit in his lap, but didn’t make a move toward her. “You really shouldn’t have ventured away from your group, especially not so high up in these mountains, but it’s lucky I was home when you got into trouble.” He leaned back in his chair and brought his own mug to his lips. “You acted like something was chasing you, although I didn’t see anything. What spooked you and how did you get so tore up?” With that said, he set his mug down and stood. “I’m going to tend to some of those wounds so they don’t get infected. Would that be okay?”
She didn’t know why she hesitated at first, but then she nodded. He moved closer to her slowly, as if she were a wounded and scared animal, which she supposed she was, in a way.
He knelt in front of her and Fiona shifted, a little taken back by his close proximity. She hadn’t been very modest when she had hurtled herself into his arms just moments ago, but now that she was thinking a bit more clearly, she felt her cheeks warm in embarrassment.
First he took off each of her shoes and socks. Her legs burned from all of the numerous scrapes that adorned them. He got what he needed out of the first aid kit and started cleaning the cuts. Fiona sucked in a breath at the first contact.
“I’m sorry. The antiseptic stings at first, but it has a numbing agent in it so it will start to feel better very soon.” He looked up at her and smiled. His dark hair was on the shaggy side, and a lock of it fell across his forehead. He worked quickly, and before she knew it he was cleaning the cuts on her arms.
“What’s your name?”
She licked her lips in sudden nervousness. “Fiona.”
“Nice to meet you, Fiona, I’m Landon.” He finished cleaning her arms and looked right into her face. “You have a few nasty scrapes on your cheek and a bad bruise forming on your chin.”
Fiona lifted her hand to her chin. “It must have been from a branch.” She sounded almost distant, even to herself.
She watched as he poured some more antiseptic on a square of gauze and brought it to her cheek. When he touched the wet cloth to her skin she moved back slightly, surprised at how tender she really was.
“It’s okay, I’m almost done.”
Despite the fact she had almost been mauled out there, Fiona was surprised at the reaction her body had to him. She could smell the cologne he wore, something spicy yet earthy. She took that moment to really examine her rescuer while he wasn’t aware.
&
nbsp; His eyes were focused on his task, eyes the color of the moss she had seen covering the fallen logs. He had a strong, straight nose, cheeks that were hollowed just the right amount, full, red lips, and a strong square jaw.
People had said she was critical, but she was a researcher and it was in her nature to study everything around her. He certainly was a very fine specimen, right down to his wide shoulders and muscular biceps. She blinked a few times at where her thoughts were going.
“Are you okay?”
Fiona turned her gaze to his, hoping that he hadn’t noticed her scrutinizing him. “Yeah, I guess.”
“There, all done.” He picked up his supplies and went back to his seat. “Now can you tell me what happened?”
Fiona took another sip of her tea and then set her mug down. Where could she even begin? Everything seemed like such a blur.
“Once I realized my group was gone I started searching for them. I ended up getting turned around. It seemed like forever until I finally found a cabin. At first I thought it was yours, but the closer I got the more I realized it wasn’t. It was just so damn dark I could hardly see my hand in front of my face.” Just thinking about it had her shaking all over again.
“Hey.” He lifted her chin with his finger until she was staring into his eyes. “Nothing is going to hurt you, I promise.”
Fiona nodded and continued. “This guy came out of the cabin and I told him my story. He stayed on the porch, and with the light from the cabin behind him, I couldn’t see what he looked like. It was then that I started getting a little nervous.” Fiona swallowed. “He didn’t respond to anything I said, just stood there staring at me, smoking this cigar. I can still smell it.” Her stomach roiled at the memory.
Landon stared at her, not speaking, just listening, which she was grateful for. “I ended up telling him to forget about it because I started getting really creeped out. I knew at that moment I would rather be lost in the forest than anywhere near him.”
The image of him was so vivid, Fiona felt like she was still there. He had been tall, a beefy guy that kept his thick cigar in his mouth as smoke billowed around him. Even though she hadn’t been able to see his facial features, she had sensed his eyes penetrating into hers. The feeling had been eerie and still sent fresh waves of fear through her.
“So, I started backing away. I don’t know what it was about him, but there was something not right. It was as I started turning to go back into the forest that he finally moved.” Fiona swallowed roughly. Her heart started beating faster at the memory. “When he took that first step off the porch I froze. He told me not to run, that if I did it would only make it worse.” Tears started to form in her eyes and she quickly wiped them away.
“I didn’t know what he had planned, but what I saw next certainly hadn’t crossed my mind.” Fiona looked into Landon’s face, saw the concern etched into it, and knew that what she was about to tell him would make her sound insane. “He changed, right in front of me.” She saw Landon’s brows knit together.
“What do you mean, changed?”
She took a deep breath and told him. “Into a wolf.”
Chapter Two
Fiona watched as Landon stood and went into the kitchen. He hadn’t responded when she told him, and she knew what he probably thought of her. “I know it sounds crazy, but I’m telling you the truth.” He kept his back to her as he stared out the window. What could she say now? He probably regretted letting some lunatic into his home, but she knew what she had seen.
“That was the last thing I saw before I hauled ass out of there. He was playing with me; I know it, because he could have easily caught me. I finally saw your cabin and recognized it, and well, here I am now.”
Landon turned around then, his expression void of any kind of emotion.
“I’m not crazy.” Fiona said it softly and mostly to herself. “It was as real as you and I here right now.” He still didn’t respond. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he walked back over and sat across from her.
“Are you sure of what you saw? Things in the night and the altitude can play tricks on your brain, make you see stuff that isn’t really there.”
Fiona nodded, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that what she saw was real. Landon took a deep breath and ran a hand over his jaw. His bicep flexed under the white shirt he wore and Fiona couldn’t help but watch the movement.
“Then I believe you.”
“You do?” Tears started to well up in her eyes again. She didn’t know why him believing her made her feel like crying, but a sense of relief washed over her.
“I do, because I’ve seen it too.”
Shock resonated within her. “You have?” Her heart started beating overtime.
He didn’t say anything for the longest time and Fiona started to become increasingly uneasy. The way Landon stared at her made her feel nervous.
“Yeah, I have.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “I’m not going to hurt you so you can get that right out of your head.” He said it good-naturedly but there was something about the way Landon acted that told her he knew more than he was letting on.
“Are you hungry?” The way he just changed the subject after saying something like that to her blew her mind.
She shook her head. The thought of food made her stomach queasy. She looked at the front door, unable to let the very idea that the wolf could be right behind the wood leave her mind.
“No one is coming in here. I can guarantee you that.” He said it with such determination that she wanted to believe him.
She tore her gaze from the door and looked back at him. “How can you be sure? We should call someone, do something.” She didn’t know who the hell she could call or what they would do, but it seemed like the logical thing at the moment. She had no phone, and even if she did it wouldn’t have worked with the high altitude. Glancing around his place, she could see he lived rustic. There didn’t seem to be any electricity, and she would be surprised if he even had running water.
Landon didn’t respond right away. Instead, he got up and walked toward the front door. Her heart thundered in her chest as she watched in horror as he opened the door and stepped onto the deck. She was out of her seat and walking backwards until she felt a wall greet her. When the darkness swallowed him and she could no longer see him, she could do nothing else but stare at the open front door. She expected him to charge forward, fangs bared, claws extended. When several minutes passed, she swallowed roughly.
“Landon?” She didn’t dare move from her position. He didn’t respond, and as another moment passed she grew increasingly worried. She bit her bottom lip, but then there he was, emerging from the darkness. Adrenalin pumped through her and she breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Whatever was out there isn’t there any longer.” He shut the door and walked closer to her, slowly.
How could he even be sure of that? He didn’t take a flashlight with him and he was only out there for a short amount of time. She wanted to ask him, but nothing came out. The closer he came the more she worried her bottom lip. When he stood only inches from her, she craned her neck back to look into his face. He could snap her in half if he wanted to and she wouldn’t be able to stop him. It was a frightening thought, but with him being so close, Fiona found it hard not to feel safe.
“You’re shaking.” He lifted his hand and cupped her cheek.
It seemed like such an intimate caress, and she half expected him to kiss her for how deeply he was staring at her.
Several moments passed as they stayed like that, and then as soon as he had touched her, he stepped away.
“I don’t have a phone, but even if I did there would be no reception this high up.” Just like that, whatever had passed between them evaporated.
She blinked a few times and tried to clear her mind.
He walked over to the fire and just stared into it for several moments. “Won’t your classmates be looking for you?”
She didn’
t answer right away. “I don’t know. It isn’t like they take roll call.” Fiona watched as he pushed the logs around before adding one to the fire. “I don’t stay with a roommate who would notice me missing, and we don’t have to do a field expedition tomorrow, so no one would notice I was actually gone until the day after.”
He turned around and glanced at her, and a pregnant silence passed between them. It was like he was having an internal debate, and the longer he stared at her, not speaking, the more she was acutely aware that she was in his home, and if he really wanted to, he could throw her out and not deal with the headache.
“It isn’t safe for you to go out there now, and a storm is coming, so you can stay here tonight. I’ll take you back into town in the morning.” He turned around and braced his arm on the mantle.
The shirt he wore grew snug around his abdomen and Fiona glanced down. She could see the ripples of muscles even through the material. His bronzed skin was a contrast against the white fabric, and she knew it was sun kissed from working shirtless in the sun. She could barely make out a tattoo on his left side. Although she couldn’t see what it was, she could tell it was big.
Fiona wasn’t one to stay at a strange man’s house overnight, but the alternative was something she definitely wouldn’t consider. Besides, he could have done something wicked to her already if he wanted to. He disappeared behind a door and came back out with a shirt draped over his arm.
“Your clothes are pretty dirty and I assume you don’t want to sleep in them, so here is a shirt you can use.” He handed it to her and she took it.
The clock on the wall said it was barely evening, but this high in the mountains it seemed like it was midnight outside.
“There isn’t much to do around here, what with no electricity, but I have a feeling you would rather crash.”