Eden

by Eden (lit)

  “Alright, so he may not have been directly responsible,” Viktor admitted. “But I’m still not convinced he’s not involved.”

  Catrina put down the teddy bear and ran her hand inside Viktor’s shirt. As soon as she touched his skin she felt her body react.

  “There’s something else I’d like to talk to you about,” she whispered. “It’s about us.”

  “Go on,” he panted as her fingertips grazed one nipple.

  “I don’t want to leave you hanging, but I don’t want to be pressured for a decision either.”

  “I haven’t meant to pressure you,” he said.

  “You haven’t,” she assured him. Catrina rose to her knees and pushed Viktor back onto the pillows before removing her shirt. “I’d just like to know, that is if it’s alright with you …”

  “Spit it out,” he said, putting his hands on her hips.

  “Can I make up my mind after this is all over with? I mean all of it. Once we find out who’s responsible. Once I know whether or not Alexander is a killer.”

  At her words Viktor sobered somewhat. “You mean once you decide if you want me or him.” It wasn’t a question. When she didn’t respond he knew that’s what Catrina was trying to say. His smile was playful as he said with a wink, “Let me show you why I’m your man.”

  “You’re really okay with that?” she asked.

  Viktor sat up and wrapped his arms around her, burring his head against her breasts as he said, “I’m a vampire. I’m okay with a lot of things.”

  “But I don’t want you to feel used,” she said as she unzipped his pants.

  Before she could blink he had her flat of her back as he assured her, “I really don’t.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “I’ll still be around when you make up your mind,” Viktor whispered. He slid out of his pants with practiced ease and began to remove hers.

  “Are you sure?” she moaned. “I’ve never had a relationship exactly like this before.”

  “You mean dating two men at once?” he asked as he tossed her pajama pants onto the floor.

  “Well, yes. I told him I was dating you.”

  Viktor kissed his way along her inner thigh as he said, “When we fake our break-up he’ll make a move. Until then you can be his friend.”

  “But--”

  He nipped her gently as he said, “I want you to be sure of your decision when you come to me. If you have doubts about Alexander they will always haunt you.”

  “Who said anything about always?” she asked, gasping as he bit her thigh again.

  “I did. Didn’t anyone ever tell you that vampires are forever?”

  “You mean to tell me that after the way you reacted to Jacob being here ….” She paused to catch her breath as Viktor’s lips moved higher. “You wouldn’t be angry if we--”

  “I don’t want to know what you do with him,” he interrupted. “All I want to know is when you’ve made up your mind.” Viktor moved his way up to her stomach and nipped her skin again. “Get him out of your system if you need to, just don’t shut me out.”

  He crawled up until he was leaning over her again. His lips hovered above hers and his hair spilled all around her face as he said, “Try not to scream. I wouldn’t want to disturb Father Marion.”

  * * * *

  Catrina fell asleep after they made love and Viktor spent the rest of the night watching over her. He woke her shortly before dawn to open the window so he could return to The Palace.

  He threw one leg over the window sill and turned back, pulling her to him.

  “Get some rest,” he whispered as he placed a soft kiss against her forehead. “Meet me at The Palace early Friday night, we’re going out.”

  “We are?” she teased.

  “It’s business,” he said with a wink. “Mostly.”

  For the first time in at least a week, Catrina slept till eight o’clock. She yawned and stretched before rolling out of bed and putting her pajamas back on. She couldn’t fight the smile that kept creeping back onto her face every time she remembered Viktor. In fact, she was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t pay much attention to the noise she heard in the kitchen. But when she turned the corner and found Jacob cooking breakfast she nearly screamed.

  “What are you doing up?” she asked.

  He shrugged. “Apparently, I have insomnia.”

  He was dressed in black, but without his usual priestly robes, though he still wore the collar. He turned to her as if nothing were amiss and put a plate of scrambled eggs in front of her.

  “But you’re a vampire,” she insisted. “What about the sunlight?”

  “I drew the curtains,” he said, gesturing toward all of the closed windows.

  “But … how in the hell?”

  “I really don’t know,” he answered. “But I was thinking I might as well make myself useful.”

  They sat there for a few moments in silence while Catrina ate breakfast and he poured her a glass of orange juice.

  “You know,” he said, “your personal life is really none of my business.”

  “But you’re going to comment on it anyway,” she said.

  “Aye, I am.” The priest leaned back in his chair and crossed his arMs. “Whatever you feel for him, it’s obvious how he feels about you.”

  His words made her blush. “Really?”

  “That’s all I’m saying about it, because it really isn’t any of my business.”

  Later in the day once Jacob had finally fallen asleep, Catrina was still thinking about what he had said at breakfast. She’d spent the morning in her pajamas, but it was time to get dressed. She pulled on a favorite pair of faded old jeans and a form fitting turtleneck sweater. Red wasn’t her usual color, but it went well with her hair. After finishing her makeup and selecting a more stylish than combat ready pair of boots, she was ready to go.

  There was more bad weather in the forecast, but it wasn’t supposed to start before late afternoon. Even though the day was overcast and cold, it was absolutely beautiful. The city seemed to come alive on cold dark days, at least for Catrina it did. She preferred the cold weather, though it never got too hot in Eden. They had also never experienced a drought. A reporter wrote an article a few years back that came to mind as she drove. “It always rains in Eden,” he’d said. Her parents had long since moved to California to avoid what they called, “The Blues,” from all of the cold and rain.

  They hadn’t had much contact over the years, except for birthday cards and Christmas. It wasn’t that she didn’t care, Catrina had just never felt a real connection to her family. Not just her parents, but any of her family except her sister and her late uncle. Mandy, despite her brutal attack years ago, still lived in the city on the upper west side. Thanks to years of therapy and Father Marion’s gift of a .45 caliber handgun, she felt relatively safe again.

  Since Catrina was enjoying the ride so much, it seemed like no time at all before she was out of the city limits and nearly to her destination. After breakfast, she’d done a bit of research on Dr. Alexander Anderson. Though he did have a famous face, Catrina hated gossip magazines. She knew who he was on sight, but had never read a single article about the sexy alpha werewolf. Reporters referred to him as “the beast with brains.” She even found the article where he said he felt that werewolves and all other shifters were treated like, “second class monsters.”

  According to her research, Eden University was still considered fairly liberal in their views toward monsters. They were the first university to employ someone who openly admitted to being a werewolf. As she drove onto campus she laughed at the sign which read, “Home of the Wolfman.”

  She parked her motorcycle and started walking across campus. Even though she had never taken classes at Eden University, she had gone to several plays there over the years and knew right where to find the theatre.

  Catrina heard voices inside and assumed there was a class going on. She entered as quietly as possible and remained by the doo
r for several minutes. They were rehearsing the second act of Antony and Cleopatra and they were awful. At least the guy playing Antony was.

  “No,” a clear deep voice said sternly from the front row. “Read it again and try to pretend you give a damn about what you’re saying.”

  At the sound of Alexander’s voice she started to move forward. When she was halfway down the isle he stood up suddenly and yelled, “Stop!”

  Alexander turned and looked her straight in the eye. Her heart began to hammer so hard against her ribs that it became painful. His piercing blue eyes said so much more than what came out of his mouth.

  “Catrina, come here please.”

  She walked the rest of the short distance to where he stood. Her knees felt wobbly, but she managed to not stumble. He took a step toward her and Catrina took him in with a glance. He was wearing a black suit and a pale blue shirt to match his eyes. The top three buttons were open and the tie was tucked in his pocket. He looked delightfully tousled and she fought the urge to run her hands inside his coat.

  He reached for her and her hands turned to ice as he led her down front, right in front of the stage. He tossed down the script as he turned toward her and said, “Where hast thou been, my heart? Dost thou hear, lady?”

  She almost answered that she’d been just across town, but then Catrina remembered he was quoting Antony’s next line. She looked up to find the wolfman’s bedroom smile waiting for her, asking her without words to play along.

  “If from the field I shall return once more to kiss these lips, I will appear in blood; I and my sword will earn our chronicle: There’s hope in’t yet.”

  As he spoke he caressed her lips with his fingertips. Then without warning, he kissed her. His soft kiss was a welcome and intoxicating surprise. It was almost like tasting chocolate for the first time, she knew she’d be back for more. Catrina melted against him and ran her hands inside his coat. The gentle press of Alexander’s lips seemed to burn into her skin. She moaned softly into his mouth as he deepened the kiss before pulling back.

  “And that is how it’s done,” he announced to the class.

  “Wow,” two girls said in unison from behind them at the same time the would-be Antony said, “I didn’t know I was supposed to kiss her there.”

  Alexander rolled his eyes as he told them all, “Do it again, from the top this time.”

  The smile he was wearing when he turned back to her was enough to make Catrina unsteady on her feet. “He’s not supposed to kiss Cleopatra at that part. I hope you’ll forgive me for adlibbing.”

  “No problem,” she answered as he led her across the room to the side exit. But her voice was breathy and her pulse was racing. And Alexander could sense it all.

  “It’s good to see you,” he said, turning toward the hallway. “Please, my office is this way.”

  Once the door was closed behind them he asked, “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

  “You invited me,” she answered nervously.

  “I know that.” He smiled again, flashing his even white teeth. “What I’d like to know is why you decided to come.”

  Catrina watched as he moved behind the desk, took the tie out of his pocket and tossed it onto the back of the chair. Bookshelves packed to capacity lined the walls behind his desk and on both sides. The only clear space was a small window in between. It looked like the shelves had been built around it so that he wasn’t completely blocked in. His desk was massive and made from a dark colored wood. His leather chair creaked as he sat down and motioned toward the other chair. “Please, have a seat.”

  But Catrina remained standing. “Have I done something wrong?” she asked. “You seem different.”

  “You haven’t done anything wrong,” he said, propping his chin against his laced fingers. “I’m just still trying to figure you out.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I think we’re both honest enough with ourselves that we can be honest with each other,” he said. “You know what I am. So surely you must know that I can sense how your body reacts each time you’re near me.”

  He rose from the chair gracefully and walked around the desk. Catrina tried not to act nervous, but she was scared to death.

  “I can hear how your heart races,” he whispered. “Like a small bird flapping its wings.” His pale eyes began to glow as he took a step closer to her and licked his lips. “I can feel you breathing heavier, sense your muscles tensing like you’re ready to spring on me.” He leaned in close, running his nose into her hair as he breathed deeply of her scent. “And I know how wet you get just looking at me.”

  A low growl escaped his throat, but instead of frightening her it had the opposite effect.

  “You’re right,” she answered as she pulled him toward her. “I’ll admit it. I ache to put my hands on you. But what has that got to do with figuring me out?” She ran her hands inside his coat, savoring the way his muscles felt beneath the fabric of his shirt.

  He backed her against the wall as he replied, “The first time we met, despite your obvious physical attraction you tried to keep your distance. The second time, I had to beg you to spend an hour with me. And now you show up here, practically foaming at the mouth. And you’re dating the master of the city. What I want to know is what you’re playing at.”

  Alexander pressed himself against her hard enough that Catrina knew his physical reaction was equal to her own.

  “I’m not playing at anything. I am dating Viktor, but I can’t deny what I feel when I’m close to you.”

  “So, why did you come?”

  She looked into his eyes and decided to tell him the truth. “Because I’m afraid that if I stop seeing you I’ll never feel this way again.”

  Alexander was stunned by her words and pulled away from her slowly. “In your profession, I know you’ve been around a werewolf before. It’s a day before the full moon. You must have experienced this before?”

  “I have been around other werewolves,” she admitted. “But none of them ever had this effect on me.” He walked back over to prop against the desk and she took a step toward him. “I thought that pheromones had something to do with it, because it is so close to the full moon. But yesterday I thought about you …”

  “And?”

  “And I had the same reaction to just the thought of you.”

  Before she could blink he had her back against the wall with his hands on her hips. Catrina reached up to run her fingers through his hair and pulled his lips back to hers. He tasted like coffee and chocolate. His tongue touched hers and she nearly came. She moaned and tried to hold him tighter, but the werewolf pulled back.

  “We can’t do this,” he said.

  “You’re right.” Catrina agreed with every word he was saying, she just couldn’t make her body have the same opinion.

  He visibly fought to control the beast she had aroused as he growled, “When you get tired of playing with vampires, you let me know. I’m sorry, but I’ve got a class to get back to.”

  “No, wait,” Catrina said.

  She put her hand on his arm and Alexander trembled. His reaction was beyond flattering.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t come here to seduce you or to embarrass you. I just wanted to see you for a while.”

  The werewolf sighed as he covered her small hand with his. “It’s me who’s sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. I put you on the spot. I’m the one who crossed the line and I apologize.”

  Her smile did wonders for his mood. “You’re forgiven,” she said softly.

  She made a move toward the door and he blocked her. “I just want you to know one thing,” he said. “When you get tired of Viktor’s cold vampire hands on your body … and you need something to keep you from the cold, you know where to find me.”

  “Yes.”

  He opened the door then and Catrina found she could barely walk. “I’m shaking,” she said as Alexander took her arm for support.

  “That’s what happens
when you do it right,” he teased.

  Chapter Twelve

  “You will stay and watch class, won’t you?” he asked as they walked back down the hall.

  “I’ve got to be going soon,” she said. “I want to beat the rain.”

  “Surely you’re not afraid of getting wet.”

  After a playful debate, Catrina agreed to stay and watch class. She also ended up staying to watch the class after that. In the second class, Alexander lectured about different parts of speech, how different words conveyed meaning more so than others, as well as the importance of inflection.

  “Let me give you an example,” he said. “My friend Catrina is observing us today. Catrina, would you come here for a moment please?”

  She rose expectantly from her seat at the back of the class and came to stand beside him.

  “Now, notice the difference in my tone. I’m going to ask her the same question, but each time will have an entirely different meaning.” He turned toward Catrina then and nearly lost himself in her green eyes. Alexander cleared his throat and said irritably, “You want to go to dinner?”

  “How did that sound to you?” he asked the class.

  “Grouchy.”

  “Like an ass.”

  “Alright,” he said. This time he had the bedroom voice to match the look in his eyes as he asked softly, “Catrina, will you have dinner with me this evening?”

  “Yes,” she answered along with a few women in the front row.

  As soon as the students cleared out after class she walked over to him and said, “You tricked me.”

  “Maybe, but you still said yes,” he answered with a smile. “Surely Viktor won’t miss you for just one night.”

  “Alex--”

  “I won’t even keep you the whole night,” he teased. Then he took her hand and in a more serious tone said, “All I’m asking is to have dinner with me. I promise you’ll get home safe and sound. I’d just like the pleasure of your company for a few more hours if that’s alright with you.”