by Vella Day
She pressed her lips together. “How about that meal instead? It’s hard to think on an empty stomach.”
“Sounds good. My name’s Sam by the way. Sam Pompley.”
“I’m Lexi Daniels.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lexi. How about getting in while I speak with my boss? I think I know of a way to help you.”
“Your boss?”
“The other man; his name is Connor McKinnon.” He nodded to Connor’s car. “I work for McKinnon and Associates. We’re a security agency.” Her eyes glowed, implying she might be on the run and could use someone to look after her—or else that had been wishful thinking on his part. He stepped out, walked around to the other side, and held open his truck’s passenger door. “Hop in. I’ll get your luggage.”
Wolf lady sucked on her bottom lip as if she couldn’t decide whether to trust him. “Why are you doing this?”
That question took him by surprise. “Because I’m a nice guy?” Her eyes narrowed and he continued. “I just returned home after several tours in Afghanistan. Helping others is ingrained in me.”
Her shoulders seemed to relax. “What about your boss?”
She was cautious, and he liked that. “He’s a good guy. Trust me.”
The wind howled and more flurries fell. “Okay.” She slipped into the front seat but kept her gaze on him.
Sam hoped he was doing the right thing in wanting to give her shelter, praying the Changelings hadn’t sent someone as lovely and vulnerable as this woman to infiltrate their camp.
Chapter Two
‡
With Lexi’s luck since she’d left Vermont, these men couldn’t possibly be as nice as they claimed. She’d already been fooled once on the way down here. Connor was a shifter like herself, which in itself made her suspicious. What were the odds of another shifter finding her? At least she hadn’t run into someone who believed she was a regular wolf. That person might have tried to capture her and keep her in a cage—or worse, killed her.
Each man was hot as hell and made the coincidence seem even more improbable. Connor was about the same height as Sam but not as beefy. Both had rather short dark hair, but it was Sam’s straight nose and full lips that really appealed to her.
Stop it. What was she doing thinking about these men like that? She was here for a meal and then she had to move on.
The huge man with the thick hair returned after speaking with his boss, climbed in the front seat of his truck, and then turned toward her. Her pulse soared and a random blue spark shot off her hand. What the hell? Sure, he smelled divine—though anything would smell good compared to the garbage stench she wore. Besides, being excited had no place in her life—now or in the future—especially since she was running for her life.
“I just spoke with my boss and he’s okay with you staying at our safe house if you’d like. You can clean up before we grab some food.”
Lexi hadn’t eaten in twenty-four hours and was starving. It was why her brain cells had short-circuited. Go for it, her wolf urged. I like him.
“That sounds too good to be true,” she told Sam. For once, Lexi agreed with her wolf and decided to follow her gut. These two seemed to be on the up and up. Besides, she’d never felt grimier in her life and couldn’t think about eating until she showered and changed. She didn’t know how this man wasn’t gagging.
The second man waved as he got into his truck and drove off.
Lexi was totally ashamed at having these men see her stoop so low, but she’d been desperate for food that when she spotted the dumpster, she thought she’d check out what the restaurant had thrown away. The smell of pizza had enticed her. Boy, had that been a mistake. She was so lost in her head that she didn’t realize Sam was speaking to her. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
Sam gave her a kind smile that showed he knew she had been off in her thoughts. “I just asked where you’re from, Lexi.”
“Up north.”
She glanced over at Sam cautiously. Could he tell she didn’t want to give away a lot of information? It didn’t matter. She’d shower, eat, and then decide what to do. Of course, with no money and a broken down car, her options were limited, especially since she was stuck in this town with a blizzard threatening to block all the roads.
“I see.”
“What’s the name of this town anyway?” she asked.
“Silver Lake.”
She’d never heard of it. While she considered asking if there was a shifter community here, she decided against it. Lexi could tell he wasn’t a shifter and even though his boss was one, she couldn’t risk saying anything if Sam didn’t know that. Obviously, he was aware she was one. What am I doing? It wouldn’t matter if there was a community or not since she’d be leaving soon.
As they headed away from town, the storm intensified and buffeted the truck. Less than five minutes later, he pulled in front of a building that looked like a fortress. Made of cement, it sported few windows—at least on the street side. No other buildings were close, which could be good or bad, depending on the circumstances.
“This is our office, which has a safe house underneath it, along with a few spaces underground for parking. There’s also a large gym.” He waved a hand. “Never mind. I don’t know why I even mentioned it. I doubt you’ll want to use it. You can crash in the suite for however long you need.”
The words safe and house had her heart jumping for joy—as did the concept of staying in comfort for a few days—in a suite no less. If by some chance word got back to Justin Kapok she was staying there, being hidden underneath this large structure would be fantastic. “I really appreciate it.”
Sam parked outside and grabbed her suitcase. “Wait here for me for a second while I open up. I don’t need you to freeze.”
While he was being very chivalrous, she didn’t want him to think she was a wuss.
“I’m good.”
She followed him to the front door, trying to ignore her cold and tired body that was begging for some nourishment and rest. He pressed his thumb on some kind of entry scanner, and the front door clicked opened. The moment she stepped inside, her muscles relaxed. Perhaps it was because the room smelled clean and felt safe. The overhead lights automatically flooded the space with light, giving her a chance to check it out. The warm, contemporary furnishings in no way matched the sterile exterior.
The taupe walls, gorgeous large photographs of a mountain range in the fall, and divinely luxurious light yellow sofas really drew her in, as did that thick white area rug. Oh, how she craved to walk barefoot on it. “It’s beautiful.”
“We like it. Connor’s father, and the father of one of our deputies, built the place. It’s totally state of the art. Hell, they have technology here that surpasses what I had overseas in the service.”
Lexi barely listened to what he said. Instead, she enjoyed the way he spoke. His voice was so soothing; Sam Pompley would make a great radio announcer. He led her through the entranceway into a large room that seemed to be separated into two areas. Sofas and chairs were clustered on one end, though she wasn’t sure of their purpose other than it being a place to hang out. On the opposite end was a long wooden table that sat eight. It was across from a kitchenette with a coffee bar.
“The entrance to the safe house is down here,” he said.
As they entered the hallway, more overhead lights automatically flickered on. Nice. He wasn’t kidding when he said this place was state of the art.
Sam opened a door near the end of the corridor then stepped into an office. A desk faced the entrance and had a bookcase behind it. Two leather chairs sat off to the side of the desk. While there was a computer on top, it was rather sparse—no desk clutter and no artwork on the walls. If this was Sam’s office, she would have thought he’d at least have photos of him with his unit.
“This is our spare office. Connor’s brother Devon works in another state, and if we have to call him in to help, this is where he works.
That explaine
d a lot. “It’s nice, but I thought you said there’d be a shower I could use.”
Sam smiled, and her body nearly exploded with desire. Her bones even started to crack. What was up with that? Clearly, she needed coffee and food to help clear her head.
“Watch this.” He moved three books on the fourth shelf to expose a button. As soon as he depressed it, the bookcase hinged open to reveal a stairwell. “The safe house is down here.”
Wow. Had the short entryway not been flooded with light, she might have balked. “It looks safe.”
“No one can get to you, I promise. We have motion sensors and cameras, but only in the hallway. You’ll have total privacy in the suite.”
When he’d first used the word suite, she’d blown it off, thinking he was being generous with his usage. Now she wasn’t sure, though she was convinced something had to be wrong with this whole setup. What were the chances she’d break down in a town of shifters—well, at least one shifter—and then be saved by two hunky men, one of whom was doing something to her insides. Her wolf was overjoyed being near Sam that was for sure. For most of her life, her animal kept quiet. Why did she have to wake up now?
Mate, mate, her wolf cried.
Nonsense. Her mind had to be playing tricks on her.
Besides, staying in one place for long wouldn’t be smart. However, she had to earn some money to at least pay for gas and food—enough to get her to Florida where she planned to hide.
“Here you go,” Sam said as he pushed open the door.
Once more the lights flicked on, and her pulse soared. This was a dream. It sure as hell was nicer than any place she’d ever lived. It appeared to be a one-bedroom apartment, complete with a small kitchen and a living room with a huge flat screen TV. “This is amazing. Who stays here?”
“Our clients who need to hide, but you’ll be our first guest.”
Having such a large television along with a kitchen she didn’t have to share would be a luxury. Any income she had earned teaching went to living expenses and then to helping her dad survive. Now she could see that had been money down the drain.
“Go ahead and shower then meet me upstairs.” He set down her suitcase.
“Thanks.” She was still unable to believe how nice the place was.
As soon as the door closed, Lexi spun around, not believing her good luck. The gods surely must be looking down on her. Hell, with her newfound luck, maybe she should take Sam up on his offer of forty dollars and buy lottery tickets!
Lexi peeked inside the bedroom, never expecting the king-sized bed and the all-wood dresser. The teal bedspread came with four large pillows and screamed comfort.
How much did these men charge their clients to stay here? The accommodations were nicer than nice. Oh, right, it was a safe house. The cold and hunger were messing with her.
After placing her suitcase on the bed, she stepped into the large bathroom. The shower floor was made from river rock and three of the sides were covered in a copper colored tile. The fourth was a glass door. An inset shelf had shampoo, conditioner, and soap. While Lexi had never been to a spa, she suspected this was what it would look like. The stack of white fluffy towels only added to the luxury.
Not wanting Sam to wait too long, she turned on the shower then ditched her stinky clothes. Seconds later, steam rose. Really? They had a tankless water heater? It was something her mom had always dreamed of having.
The moment Lexi stepped under the hot flow, she moaned at the intense relief coursing through her body. As much as she wanted to stay there for hours, enjoying the heat, her stomach was urging her to hurry.
Ten minutes later, she stepped out of the shower and toweled off. The hair dryer attached to the wall was a godsend. After absorbing all that heat from the shower, she’d finally warmed up. Her straight brown hair was long, but not thick, so drying it took only a few minutes.
Even though she’d put on her clothes after having been in the dumpster, they still smelled bad. Lexi was tempted to trash them, but she didn’t have enough to spare. For the time being, she let them soak in the sink, hoping it would help.
After pulling on a clean pair of jeans, a plain T-shirt, and a sweatshirt, along with her boots, she rushed upstairs to the main room. As she was about to pull open the door, she sensed another shifter. Her first jumbled thoughts imagined it to be Justin Kapok, until she remembered that the other fellow with Sam could shift. In fact, he ran the place.
Blowing out a breath, Lexi stepped through the vacant office and then into a hallway that smelled of tomato sauce and cheese. She almost melted on the spot.
Driven by hunger, she rushed down the hallway. Both Sam and the owner—what was his name? Conrad? No, Connor. Both sat at a table with several pizzas in front of them.
“You’re looking better,” Connor said with a smile.
“I feel a lot better. The hot shower was divine, thank you.”
Sam stood and pulled out a chair next to him. “We thought it would be easier and faster to bring the food to you.”
Now she knew she was in a dream. These men were too good. What a shame she had to keep moving, but she couldn’t chance Justin finding her—and find her he would. Not only had he paid for her, he wanted her for the healthy continuation of the Clan.
For now she needed to push those ugly thoughts aside. Lexi dug in, and the men each grabbed a slice.
“Sam tells me you’re from up north. Which part?”
Lying went against her grain, but a little fudging wouldn’t hurt. “New Hampshire.” Vermont abutted it, so it was only a small lie.
“Nice. What brings you down this way, especially during snow season? The roads are often impassible.”
Perhaps it was the warmth from the shower or the food that made her willing to talk, but she wanted to tell them something that wasn’t a lie. “I’m kind of running away from someone.”
Both men’s faces turned dark. Sam placed a hand on her arm and heat seared her insides. Okay, that wasn’t good. What was it about this man that had her off kilter?
Mate! her wolf said once more.
She almost snorted. Lexi was never that lucky.
“Did he hurt you? Is that where you got that bruise on your cheek?” Sam asked.
On instinct, she touched the spot where Bill had slapped her. Her wolf had healed the cut, but not the bruise. “It wasn’t him. My father did this.”
If they were working for Justin—which she figured was a super low possibility—then they’d know everything anyway.
“Care to explain? If you’re in trouble, we can help,” Sam said.
What did she have to lose other than some dignity? “It started about a year ago. My girlfriends and I went to a bar to celebrate one friend’s birthday. As the night progressed, I drank a bit too much—even for my shifter metabolism. The birthday girl wanted to dance. I agreed. Next thing I knew, I was in the arms of a werewolf by the name of Justin Kapok. Sure, he was charming, but something about him had my sixth sense acting up.”
“Was he a creep?” Connor asked.
“Yeah. He’s rich and a very slick creep.” She explained how he told her that he wanted to improve the bloodline of the Clan by adding a Wendayan mix to his wolf breed—namely her DNA. “Telling me he was interested in what I had to offer really turned me off. All he wanted was a brood mare. He assured me I’d have all the creature comforts I could possibly want, but material things aren’t what I need.” She needed someone to love and someone to share things with.
“May I ask what your specialty is?” Sam asked. “I’m a Wendayan too.”
Lexi’s pulse sped up. Being in the same room with a werewolf and a Wendayan was a rare event. At least now she was free to talk about shifters, since Wendayans and shifters were aware of each other. “I’m stronger than many men, and I’m rather coordinated, which has come in handy when fighting. I can be in my shifted form or my human form, and my magic remains.” She held up her hands. “Just because I can fight doesn’t mean I do very o
ften. I try to avoid conflict whenever possible.” She faced Sam. “What can you do?”
“It’s hard to explain, but I can implant thoughts into people’s heads and make them think things are one way when in reality they aren’t.”
“That’s kind of creepy.” She hadn’t meant to scrunch up her face; it just happened.
He shook his head. “Trust me; I only use it to foil the bad guys.”
That was cool and yet still kind of creepy at the same time.
“Do you think this Justin guy will come after you?” Connor injected, probably wanting to divert her thoughts from Sam’s strange talent.
“I don’t know if he realizes I’m missing yet, but when he figures it out, he’ll come find me and drag me back to Vermont. My dad said as much.”
“Vermont? Is that where he lives? I thought you said New Hampshire.”
Damn. She always sucked at lies. The truth would be easier. “I wasn’t thinking. I went to college in New Hampshire. We now both live in Windwood, Vermont—or rather that is where I used to reside.” She explained that after her mom died, her dad went downhill, drinking and gambling, so she moved back home to help him out. “Apparently, Justin lured my dad to the poker tables, and he ended up owing Justin ten grand. He said that if my dad agreed to hand me over to him, they’d be square.”
Sam’s eyes seemed to change color and his teeth clenched. “He can’t do that!”
“I know. I tried to explain that to dear old dad and got this for my effort.” Lexi pointed to her cheek then placed her hands under the table and rubbed her knuckles. They were still sore from where she’d hit him.
“Are you saying your dad might come after you too?” Connor asked.
She shook her head. “He can’t stay sober enough to drive out of town. No, if anyone comes, it will be Justin.”
“When did this happen?” Sam asked.
“Last night.” She held up her bruised knuckles. “Bill hit me and then I hit him back, hard. After he passed out, I packed a bag and ran. Not wanting to leave a credit card trail, I called my brother and borrowed five hundred dollars in cash from him.” She held up a hand. “I know, I know. How could I blow that much money in one day? I was robbed on the way here.”