by Vella Day
Maneuvering around a few rocks, he reached the back wall where a small fire ring existed. Next to the ring sat some firewood. “Did you do this?” she asked, nodding to the wood.
“No. A lot of people use this cave if they spend the night around here. Most of the time there’s leftover wood.”
“Cool. Do we need to put a Do Not Disturb sign on the outside or something?” He cleared his throat, acting as if he thought she was considering making love. It wasn’t a stupid idea. The hot fire would make it possible. Obviously, he wasn’t thinking along those lines. “I was kidding,” she said.
Not completely. She wanted to have Sam to herself even if it was just for a picnic. She wouldn’t appreciate other hikers barging in on them.
“I think our snowmobile and footprints are enough to keep other humans away.”
And other shifters hopefully. “Good point.”
From the backpack, he pulled out a small packet, maybe three inches long by one inch high. He ripped it open with his teeth, and then shook out a four-foot by six-foot emergency blanket made from a silvery reflective material.
“This will keep us dry. Have a seat,” Sam said.
While Lexi had been on a few picnics, never had any of them been in a cave in winter. When she dropped down, she was delighted not to have a cold butt. “This blanket really works.”
“I know,” Sam said. “We used them in the service, but only if we were in the high desert where it grew cold at night.
He emptied the backpack. Before they went on their excursion, they’d stopped at the store to pick up the picnic supplies. Sam had been amazing, trying hard to figure out what she liked to eat. They’d both agreed on fried chicken, potato salad, and potato chips, though she doubted Sam ate like this very often.
He handed her a bottle of water then held up his. “To a beautiful day.”
She smiled and tapped her bottle against his. “Indeed. So, tell me about these Changelings.”
Chapter Five
‡
Sam explained how these Changelings came to be, and what havoc they’d caused in Silver Lake. Lexi had no idea that such mutant creatures existed. “As horrible as they sound,” she said, “they seem to have a few similarities to some of the people in my Clan.”
“Like Justin?”
At his name, worry rushed in. “Yes, like him, as well as many others.”
“Why do you say that? Do you think some of your clansmen might have tainted genes?”
She hadn’t planned to discuss her Clan members’ infidelity, but she wanted him to understand where she stood in regards to shifters. “Not that I’ve heard of, but lately it appears that my Clan members have grown discontent. Many of the shifter matings have ended in divorce, or the equivalent of it in the shifter world. To me, it’s possible there is something genetically wrong with some of them, because I’ve been told that when two shifters mated, it was for life.”
“That’s what Connor told me too. I thought all shifters around the world were the same—other than the Changelings.”
“Apparently, not.”
Okay, she never should have brought up that depressing topic, and she needed to change the subject. She considered asking about his time in the service, but most likely what he did was still classified. One of her brother’s friends had served, but when he returned, his PTSD was so debilitating that he had to seek counseling. War really messed with a person’s head. Sam, thankfully, seemed to have returned unscathed—or else he hid his issues well.
“Why did you decide to leave the service? You are still young.”
“I thought I could do more good at home. Besides, I missed my family, though my parents are still on a sabbatical for another year.”
He’d mentioned he had a sister, but he hadn’t spoken of his folks. “Do they work at a University?”
“Not exactly, though they do teach. They work at a spiritual camp that caters to psychics and such.”
“Really? That’s cool.”
“I guess.” He gnawed on the last chicken leg. “My sister, Teagan, benefitted the most from it, but I never felt as if I fit in with all that creative stuff. Sure I have my abilities, but I like regimen, being on time, and thoroughly examining a topic. My folks however, don’t seem to notice that time exists. They’re happy, so maybe their lifestyle is better.”
“I like organization and order too. I guess I don’t want to leave the future to chance.”
He dropped the bare chicken leg he’d eaten in the trash bag. “It must have taken a lot of guts for you to leave your hometown then.”
She nodded. “It was, but I had to if I valued my life. While I can fight one wolf, I’m not ready to take on Justin and his team of followers.” Talking about her stalker caused her mood to plummet once more.
Sam reached over and squeezed her hand. “You don’t have to worry about him here. My team will make sure you stay safe.”
There were those wonderful words again. Sam must have sensed the change in her mood, because he kept quiet and began to pack up their food. Lexi helped.
Once they finished, Sam rolled up their thin blanket, stuffed it into the sack, and led her back outside. The bright sun made her squint, but the fresh air helped reinvigorate her. Halfway back to their snowmobile, Sam faced her. “Have you ever slid down a hill on your butt?”
She laughed. “Nope. I’ve used skis, a sled, a flying saucer, and a snowboard, but never my rear.”
“I know just the place.”
For someone who liked order and regimen, Sam sure was spontaneous. Perhaps all those years in the service had worn on him, and this was his chance to let go.
At the snowmobile, he set the backpack on the seat. “It’s just over this ridge,” Sam said. “Come on.”
“I can’t wait.”
Together, they plowed through the snow. From the workout, her body began to heat, and she was so tempted to shift and romp around. That chance at freedom however would require her to undress if she wanted to have something to wear on the ride back to town. Not only would it be chilly, she wasn’t sure she could keep her naked form from Sam’s sight when she shifted back. Tempting fate wasn’t her thing, so in the end, she decided to just enjoy being human.
When they moved past a grove of pines, he pointed to a treeless slope. “How about here?” he asked.
“You want to show me how to do this?”
“There’s not much to it. Just sit down, lift your legs, and push off.”
That seemed easy enough. Because she was so much lighter than Sam, and her pants were nylon, she bet she’d have less friction. That translated into moving faster. “I’ll race you.”
He laughed. “You are so going down.”
“Not unless you have a turbo booster shooting out your butt.” The second she said it, Lexi regretted her crassness, but hey, she always spoke her mind.
“You’re on. What’s the prize?”
She was about to suggest that the loser had to kiss the winner, but that would only land her in trouble. “The loser buys hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream.”
“Oh, that is definitely a deal.”
Once they were in position, Sam nodded. “Ready, set, go,” he shouted.
Lexi lifted her legs and pushed off. The hill was steep enough that she slid fast at first until the snow built up between her legs. Then she came to a stop. Crap. After digging her way out, she started again.
Sam seemed to be experiencing the same issue, but somehow he managed to be a few feet ahead of her. Dang. Lexi hated losing. When the slope began to level off, she needed to change her tactics. She lifted her legs higher and leaned back, lessening the amount of contact with the ground. For the last few yards, she dipped her hands into the snow and paddled. Neck in neck with Sam, she dug in harder and faster. While there wasn’t a definitive end point, where the ground leveled out seemed to be a good ending spot.
Just as she slowed to a stop, Sam slid next to her. Lexi dropped back and lowered her
legs, giving her abs a break.
“You won!” he said. “Great job.”
Exhilarated, she let out a sigh. He dropped onto his back too, his breath coming out a bit labored. “I don’t know when I’ve had so much fun,” she said. The clouds floated overhead, contrasting with the bright blue sky. Everything was perfect.
“Me neither. I need to do this more often.” He sounded wistful, as if he spent all of his time working.
Lexi rolled onto her side and lifted up on her elbow. Her butt was wet, but she didn’t care. Adrenaline was coursing through her system from the race, erasing every bad thought in her head.
Kiss him, her wolf urged. Just to thank him for what he’s done.
For once she didn’t balk. She owed this man a lot. Without giving it a second thought, Lexi leaned forward and cupped his cheek. “Thank you for today.”
Before he had the chance to respond or stop her, she closed her eyes and kissed him. In seconds, her whole body turned traitor, sending erotic pulses straight to her core. Her eyes had probably already turned amber. She opened them, only to find Sam had shut his, and his moan made her forget all of the reasons why she should stop.
He wrapped one hand around her neck while placing the other along the side of her face. When he teased open her lips, she could no more turn him down than she could have stayed another minute in her dad’s trailer.
The first taste had her heart rate ramping up and her body heating. Her sparks flew so much that she literally pulsed waves of blue. Holy shit, Batman. That had never happened before.
Mate, mate, her wolf chanted.
Who cares who or what he was. Right now, she couldn’t get enough of him as his fresh scent imprinted itself on her brain. Moving closer, she fully pressed up against him, and her bones cracked. When the bulge in his pants became evident, the rational part of herself jerked her back to reality.
Lexi broke the kiss. “Sorry, I got a little carried away.”
Sam grinned, and dimples creased his cheeks. “I liked it a lot.”
As if the gods were on her side once more, a large dark cloud blocked the sun, forcing her to look up. “Do you think another storm is coming?”
That was a dumb thing to say, but if she didn’t talk about something other than her intense reaction, she’d probably lean in and kiss him again, and she wasn’t sure she had the willpower to stop a second time.
“It’s hard to say, but mountain weather can be fickle. Are you saying you want to head back?” he asked, his voice tinged with disappointment.
No. I want to stay here with you like this forever. “Sure.”
He stood and helped her to her feet. It was better this way. She’d gotten the urge to taste him out of the way, and the last thing she needed was to become distracted by Sam Pompley. No matter what Sam said about having someone keep an eye on Justin, the man was capable of finding her. Justin had what seemed like an endless supply of money at his fingertips—illegally procured she was sure. He was the type to hop on a private jet and fly down to Tennessee should he learn of her location. Having fun with Sam like this could not only cost her to lose her life, but it could also put others in danger.
When they reached the snowmobile, Sam dangled the keys from his finger. “Do you want to give it a try?”
“Me?” Her pulse raced. She hadn’t driven one since she’d turned nineteen.
“If you don’t feel comfortable, I—”
She snatched them from his hand. “No! I’m good.”
Lexi slapped her helmet on, excited to take control. Sam stored the backpack and then donned his headgear. He looked really cute in it too. She climbed on and he slid behind her. Only then did she realize what being the driver meant. He was free to hold her as tightly as he wished. His legs would be pressed against her thighs, his chest to her back, and his crotch would be pressed against—don’t even go there.
If they didn’t have to wear helmets, she could imagine him nibbling on her ear as she made her way down the hill, trying to distract her. Stupid wolf, putting ideas into her head. If she shifted in the middle of the ride, they’d crash for sure.
*
Sam had asked Lexi to drive for two reasons. One, he wanted her to experience some control over her life. Victims often mentioned how helpless they felt. Lexi was right to leave the abusive situation, but without any financial support and an unknown future, she had to be scared.
Perhaps, the biggest reason for asking her to drive was that having her arms around him had almost caused him to lose control once or twice. With her pressed against his back, Sam’s mind had wandered into dangerous territory. Being wrapped around her wasn’t going to be any better, but what a ride it would be. He longed to see if what they were experiencing right now could be everlasting. Sure, she said she wanted to head on down to Florida, but if they could figure out a way to convince Justin to leave her alone, Sam and Lexi might have a future together.
He’d always believed he’d end up with an ambitious woman who yearned to take control of her life, and Lexi had those traits in spades. She also had a deep love of life. For the next few minutes, his goal was to convince her to let go and enjoy herself.
Sam inwardly chuckled. Hadn’t his parents said the same thing to him? Maybe he and Lexi were alike.
“You ready?” she asked.
“Take us home.”
Sam merely grabbed her waist instead of entombing her in his embrace. He didn’t want to scare her or constrict her so much that she couldn’t steer. As he anticipated, she drove cautiously as she headed down the mountainside. While careful, she handled the big machine well, adeptly maneuvering around clumps of trees. When they reached the small field near the road, Sam was disappointed their outing had come to an end, but at least that kiss would stay with him for a long time.
Instead of cutting the engine, Lexi gunned it, sending sprays of snow everywhere. The first turn had him holding on tight and laughing. She let out a whoop as she drove even faster, pushing the machine to the max. A left turn followed by a right almost threw him, but he pressed his thighs tighter against the seat and moved in unison with her sensuous body.
Just as quickly as the little exhibition began, she returned to the road and stopped. Adrenaline soared through his system. Never had he expected her to respond that way. To think she’d been so skittish when he and Connor had found her. Having her kiss him a day later blew his mind. Letting Lexi take the lead—at least until she was more comfortable about him—had been for the best.
She tapped his leg, and he dismounted. His legs were even a bit shaky. “You did well!” he said.
She slipped off her helmet and smiled. “Thanks. It was easy to handle.”
“I could tell. You ready for your first day of real training?” he asked. While it wouldn’t take much to teach someone as sharp as Lexi how to handle customers, he needed to discuss what each man brought to the job. He also would like to complete her education about the Changelings and explain a little more about what they were capable of. After that, he’d offer her some physical training to help with self-defense, something he was looking forward to—unless all that touching eroded his resolve to keep his distance.
Chapter Six
‡
The security work at the McKinnon and Associates’ branch in Pennsylvania was going well; so well in fact that taking time off to fly up to Vermont had forced Devon McKinnon to reassign some of his usual tasks to his trusted employees. He didn’t hesitate to accept the job however, since his younger brother Connor had requested his help. Working with the team in Silver Lake always proved exciting.
Since arriving in Vermont, Devon had learned that Justin Kapok frequently visited the Bull’s Head Bar on Mondays. It was ladies’ night. Connor had forwarded a picture of Lexi’s stalker to him, along with a few articles about the man and his habits. Apparently, much of Kapok’s time was spent gambling at private homes. If Devon needed to gain access to one of these homes, it would take some creativity on his part, but he
could do it.
From what his brother told him about the case, this man was totally immoral, though it was uncertain if he dealt in human trafficking or was merely a gambler with no conscience. Regardless, Kapok was after Lexi, and that meant Devon had to make sure he was aware of the man’s whereabouts at all times.
Devon slid into an empty booth of the restaurant bar, keeping his gaze on the rest of the customers. Booths lined one wall and were parallel to a bar where almost every stool was occupied—mostly by men in jeans ranging in age from twenty to fifty. Between the booths and the bar sat eight more tables, three of which had at least one occupant. At the far end of the room was a small stage—empty right now—behind a ten-foot by fifteen-foot dance floor. A Kenny Chesney song was playing over the loud speaker, but no one was dancing.
Devon guessed the bathrooms were across from the stage, but from the way the room was configured, he didn’t have a direct line of sight.
Even with his sensitive shifter hearing, the noise in the bar was tolerable, at least for now. Then again, it was still early.
A pretty blonde in a very skimpy waitress outfit bounced up to him. “What can I get you, cowboy?”
Devon was a lot of things, but cowboy wasn’t one of them. Wanting good service, he refrained from correcting her. “Anything on draft.” He winked to help boost the chance she might provide him with some information if needed.
“You got it, sugar. You from around here?”
Given her accent, she wasn’t. “Just passing through.”
Her shoulders sagged. “Too bad. One beer coming right up.” While she maintained her smile, the corners of her lips sagged, as if she was hoping he’d be staying in town a while.
As unobtrusively as possible, Devon glanced around for his target but didn’t find him. He wasn’t worried though. According to several people he’d spoken to, Justin Kapok would be there tonight.
An hour later, five shifter signatures entered and approached the bar. One of the men was Kapok. At least now Devon could report that he hadn’t left in search of Lexi.