"What was that? She isn't your type. Pretty sure she'd be an alpha. If she were one of us anyway," said Tristan.
Kian couldn’t stop glancing at the door. His muscles coiled in restraint. Finally it registered that his friends had said something. What had they asked?
"Uh. What? I have no idea," was all he could say for several seconds. "She's different." His eyes were drawn right back to that thin bit of wood separating him from her.
"Man, you sure you're okay? I think it's time to hit the mats. I'm starting on the bag. That week off kicked my ass and last thing I need is one of you two pussies having to carry me out of the next fire we get called on," said Ethan.
"Yeah. Sure. Let's go. I'm doing a fight this weekend and really need to get my shit together," said Kian.
Ethan stood up first and headed to the gray mats that covered ninety percent of the open space in the rustic warehouse. Large heavy bags lined one wall while mirrors lined another. Ropes dangled from a couple of rafters and in a corner was some work out equipment, just in case someone happened to need more than just the ass-kicking most of the guys received on the mat.
"Is this a caged fight again?” asked Ethan
"I need this fight. I won't be breaking anything but the other opponents will. It's been too long, I'm getting restless."
“You better not break any ribs this time. You know what a bitch it is to carry a full pack and gear. And this time we won’t help you out princess.”
Tristan and Ethan were his closest friends and both happened to be part of his team at the fire department. Lucky for him they got him. His cougar growled at his hesitation to work out.
Kian couldn't shut down his mind. His human side fought the animal. Alone was good. He wasn't one of those pack animals. No, alone was best for him.
Strolling to the heavy bags, he decided to start there. Pulling up his hands to either side of his face, he widened his stance and he focused on the bags. Alone was a good thing, or so he told himself every time his fists connected with loud thuds.
His cougar growled. The problem with everything was his cougar didn't think alone was right for them anymore. Kian stepped and swung, his shin connecting and rattling the chains supporting the bag.
He needed to beat down whatever it was his cougar wanted. Right now. A mate was not in the picture.
Blowing out a sequence of breaths, he swung even harder this time. Kian's reward was a loud thud as his fist connected. Punching a bag could only solve some many of his issues. Every breath was a reminder that this was him against his soul and guess who was losing?
For as long as he could remember martial arts could control the rage within him. Focus and discipline. Clearing his head he isolated each muscle. He needed control; Kian had kept the beast happy. He had to keep the beast happy. Only once had he ever lost control and things didn't end well.
The bag swung in front of him. He'd spent his entire life remembering how not to be an animal, driven by instinct. Until now and the smell of the woman made him purr.
"Seriously dude. If you look at that door one more time I'm going to practice my roundhouse on you,” said Tristan.
Kian turned back. "Who is she talking to? I can hear her voice, not her words, but her voice. You don't think someone is in there with her do you?"
Both men stopped a switch-kick and stared at him as if he'd just grown a second head.
"Who the hell cares? Train. Now. You're acting like a puppy dog." Ethan said.
Kian nearly shifted as his cougar reared up to attack Ethan.
“Did you just go there? A dog. F-off."
Just as he went to turn around the door to the room opened and out walked Raine. His cougar stretched out deep within him itching at a chance to take control and have her.
Without looking away he spoke to both men. He couldn't look away.
"For fuck’s sake. What the hell? I'm barely keeping a lid on my shit." He ran a taped hand down his face. "I have got to do it. I can't take it anymore. What was her name again? Take me to see that matchmaking lady. You're right. I can't do this. I can't find my own dates and if I don't soon, this cougar is going to be the death of me."
Tristan slapped him on the back. "Seriously. You are going to kill someone in the ring if you don't figure out how to control yourself. I already told my wife to call Geri. Sometimes a man needs help - even the pretty ones."
Kian kicked out so fast that he knocked the wind out of Tristan.
"That's the Kian we remember," said Ethan.
Kian had a hard time getting the long blonde hair of Raine's out of his mind. His hands itched at the idea of running his fingers through it. What he wouldn't give to have her scent all over his bed. He turned back to the bag and punched it, once, twice, three times. He'd keep going until his muscles burned.
The boots. Good Lord, those boots. He punched again. She'd had on some kind of tight pants and tank-top that had left little to his imagination. But those damn boots had managed to make his head spin.
If he didn't watch it his baggy athletic shorts weren't going to be hiding much in a minute. He threw himself into his work out. Lightening speed and reflexes were his strength. He could be just as lethal as a human as his cougar.
He was a hunter, and yet when it came to women he couldn't find the right one if she were wearing flashing neon with a raw steak dangling around her neck. Apparently, he'd starved himself for so long that his freaking beast was ready to pounce on anything. Too bad the current anything was definitely something he wanted to act on.
He focused. Blocking out the pulsing music in the background, the banter of the guys, he saw nothing but his opponent. Right now that was a bag. His cougar fed on the release. He readied his stance and the one face that fueled his anger appeared on the bag. His father.
The face that could lie to anyone and everything except him. He never wanted to see him again, but if he did Kian would be in control this time. He'd trained for years, more years than he could count. His biceps began to burn as he slowed realizing he'd been punching the bag as hard and as fast as he could. Today hadn't gone the way he'd expected.
The cougar had wanted to go for a run, but not today. Today he'd been awakened by a call and the message had fucked the entire day.
"Walsh? Kian? Man, you okay?" asked Ethan.
Kian blinked to clear the red in his vision.
"Man, what’s up with you? You're all out of control today. Do we need to get you laid? Maybe we should head to the woods and run? You aren't looking good."
Ethan and Tristan both focused on him.
He backed away. "Yeah. Fine. I'm always fine. Why wouldn't I be?"
Both men crossed their arms over their chests, they weren't to be screwed with apparently.
"Fine. If you two want to be gossipy and jump my shit, fine. My dad. He's out. They released him today. The prick tried to call me, but I don't give a shit what he has to say. He should have rotted in jail forever."
Kian didn't like the look that passed between the two. Both took too large steps, nearly charging him.
Tristan grabbed his forearm and dragged Kian away from the poor innocent bag. Kian back-pedaled to keep up.
"What the hell guys?"
"Screw the work out Walsh. It's time to go. The bar is calling our name," said Tristan.
"Right. Sure. But I'm not drinking and you know that."
They both laughed. "No one is making you do anything, big guy. But right now you are about to rip a hole in that bag and the gym isn't going to appreciate that. Let's get some food and you can piss and moan all about your daddy issues," said Ethan.
Tristan released him and Kian turned. They paused long enough to grab their bags and shoes, enough time for him to start questioning if a public bar would be good or bad.
Kian would have punched one of them too, but they were right. Maybe talking would help, probably not. The long-legged blonde ran a circle right back into his thoughts. His blood pressure ramped up a few hundred beats as he imag
ined wrapping those legs around his waist. Maybe what he needed wasn't food and it wasn't a workout. He didn't need a bar with a bunch of easy women either. He needed something that he'd never felt before. The longer he waited on this whole mate thing, the worse he got. A shifter's life sort of sucked sometimes. The human side of him was driven by logic, but his inner animal was driven by instinct. Today his instincts screamed to go and find his father and get rid of that threat. He couldn't do that though. He'd learned his lesson years ago, sort of.
The rage still seemed as fresh today as it had then. The pain of not being able to protect his own mom still broke him soul-deep. That last thought squashed the desire to find out any more about Raine. But then again, he was losing the battle of holding back his instinct to find a mate and contain the rage within him. He was becoming the volatile creature he despised in his father.
"Hey, guys. I'm just going to head home. I don't feel like hitting the bars. Besides Kellie wouldn't appreciate me taking her new husband to the bar."
Tristan shook his head. "Aw, come on. She doesn't own me. Ethan get the pizza and meet us back at this moron’s place."
Ethan snorted. "Dude, I'm texting that to her. Does she know she doesn't own your scrawny ass?"
Tristan leaned over and punched Ethan in the arm as they walked out the doors.
"Just order the damn pizza. Someone needs to watch this fool before his cougar runs rampant and destroys something he'll regret. Feel free to run home to your girlfriend."
Ethan gave Tristan the dead-eyed look. "I don't have a damn girlfriend."
Kian cracked a smile. "You two fight like maybe you should be dating."
As they reached the parking lot, Kian lost his smile. There was something to be said for going home to someone, someone who could tame the storm within his soul. He needed to accept that he was meant to have a mate and he needed to find her fast.
He strapped his gym bag to the back of his Triumph. "All right. Whatever. You do whatever you think matters guys."
He straddled the bike as he put his helmet on. Reaching down he turned the key in the ignition, the smooth purr of her between his legs contained a promise that the freedom of the road wasn’t far behind. He sniffed the air. The scent of spring lifted his spirits, despite the city surrounding him. He revved the engine, the thrilling growl the last his friends would hear of him for a few. One thing the cougar and the man agreed on was speed.
As he backed the bike out of the spot he gave a jerk of his hand to the guys who were yelling at him now.
"Seriously. Go straight home. We will meet you there and catch the game," said Tristan.
A final nod and Kian drove off.
Raine stepped out of the shower, wrapping a huge bath-sheet around her. Gran would probably be in at any moment. That’s what Gran did.
As she toweled off, Raine realized just how much she depended on Gran's company. Paying a witch to ward her apartment against ghosts might have been a good if Gran wasn't one.
Rubbing the heel of her hand she cleared away the majority of fog lacing the mirror. Who was the girl staring back? She figured it was supposedly her but she still didn't know who she was.
Had she known who she was, maybe she wouldn't have become a statistic. All those stupid girlie magazines swore a healthy person could share themselves with someone else. Well, obviously she wasn't a healthy person. For crap sake her best friend was most likely her dead Gran.
"There you are my dear."
Raine didn't even bother jumping. Most ghosts had some kind of purpose in the afterlife, Gran's appeared to be the same as her life: to marry off her granddaughter.
"Hi Gran. Did you seriously not know where I was?"
The old lady let out a belly laugh. "Oh goodness, no. I know everything. I knew everything when I was alive too. Like when you dated that wolf and I told you it would end badly."
Raine shivered. That was the last thing she wanted to think of. "Yes. Noted. I got it. Bad taste in men. I am going to see Geri, just like you asked. I am listening to you. I had to shower though. I smelled like the gym."
Gran floated up behind her, a light dip in temperature where she remained.
"Sweetie, you're beautiful even after the gym. I wish you could see how others see you. Don't you let the past get to you. I will be here as long as you need me."
Raine closed her eyes and allowed herself to breathe out the tension. Her birthday was coming up in a week and this was her first year without a live Gran that could plan her parties. Ghosts weren't exactly allowed to plan things, buy cakes or gifts. Most humans couldn't see them. The only time she usually saw them was if she had to try and contact a loved one. A friend, Quinn, had tried to rope her into helping the police once, but that didn't go well. She'd leave murder victims to Quinn.
"Alright dear. I'll let you get dressed. Hurry up. We are getting you a date for your birthday if it's the last thing I do."
Raine allowed a smile to cross her face. "Gran. I thought the last thing you would do was haunt me until I got off my butt and got over you leaving me? Turns out you're still here, haunting me."
Gran scoffed. "Ha. You know better dear. I will be here until I see my great grandkids. What can I say? I have lot's to do still. Damn old age tried to keep me down. Well I showed it."
"Thanks Gran. Now give me some privacy. We can leave in a few minutes."
She bit the inside of her cheek. Did she really want to do this? To share her crazy with someone? Her parents had been a terrible example of relationships. Raine’s past was a pretty bad indicator. She had yet to find someone who helped her feel any more confident in herself than being alone had.
Tucking the edge of the towel along her chest she braced her hands on either side of the sink.
"Raine. You can do this. You can find someone that will love the crazy. You can do this. At the very least do this for Gran."
Smoothing her hands over the front of the towel she shrugged. This was her. A hot mess. It was probably time to start letting someone else in the driver’s seat of her love life.
* * *
Raine raised her hand to knock as the door swung open. "Oh wonderful. You're just as beautiful as your grandma said."
Lowering her hand she turned to glare at Gran who suddenly decided to find interest in the sconce on the wall.
"Come on now. Come in. I don't have all day. I have lots of clients."
Raine stepped into a wall of delectable scents. Warm chocolate and fresh bread, and a sweet scent she didn’t recognize tickled her nose. Her stomach growled.
"Let me guess, you don't take care of yourself now." Gerri clicked her tongue. "Go sit. I put out some cake, but you need more than that. Tiny thing, aren't you?"
Raine scrunched her brow as she glanced down; assessing what exactly Gerri thought was tiny. She had huge boobs, hips that would never squeeze into designer jeans, and her legs were so muscular she struggled to find boots that would zip up over her calves. This woman was off her rocker.
"Uh. Tiny?"
Gerri tsked again. "Do not argue with me. Go sit."
Rolling her eyes, Raine glanced around for Gran. Of all the times for her to leave now was not one of them.
"Gran," she whispered, "where the heck are you?"
"Here you go dear. Who are you talking to? Are you looking for your grandmother? I told her to take a hike. She'll be back to walk home with you later."
"Oh. Thanks, I think?" Raine was relieved, but maybe intimidated was a better word. "So you are a paranormal then? Can you only see ghosts too?"
Geri laughed. "Oh goodness no. But as you know, most paranormal beings can see things most humans can't. You my dear are special and just haven't found the right man to bring out your potential."
Shifting side to side, she settled back into the couch. Raine glanced around and loved the homey feeling of the apartment. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea. "I hope you understand that I don't believe in someone else being my soul-mate. That just doesn't seem to be pos
sible, but it would be nice to have someone I at least trusted."
Gerri held up her hand. "I understand. Say no more. I have a one hundred percent success rate. I have never failed and there is nothing I haven't heard before. So let me get a few answers I need and we will go from there."
Raine couldn't resist the plate of muffins in front of her. She leaned forward and grabbed one, nodding to Gerri in the process. Maybe food would calm her nerves. She could take out a guy twice her size on the mats, but dating one was a very different story.
"Now. How do you feel about shifters? Are you okay with feline bloodlines?"
Raine swallowed a chunk of muffin and thought. "Uhm. Are they anything like the wolf packs? I really, really prefer something else."
"Yes dear. I understand. And no. They are not like the wolf packs. Most are loners and enjoy their freedom." She paused. Raine squirmed under her scrutiny. "Just remember Raine, I know best. I need you to have an open mind. Is that understood?"
Raine nodded, somewhat intimidated by the older woman.
"Do you find a sense of humor attractive?"
Her mind shot back to the guy at the gym. He was good looking, he was awkward for someone who could melt her panties by just smiling, but he seemed to have something that could make her smile. A sense a humor could go a long way. She figured a sense of humor couldn't hurt, and maybe it would help them get through the fights. There would probably be a lot of fights. One memory from her mom and dad she couldn’t erase.
A thought crossed her might that maybe she should learn to back down. That was rather doubtful.
A few ticks of the clock passed. "Yeah. I suppose some kind of sense of humor might be good. So. Sure."
"All right. Wonderful. Now tell me, is there anything else I should know?"
Darting her eyes around the room she saw everything yet nothing.
"I'd like to have a date for my birthday if possible. For Gran. Any chance that will happen?"
When It Raines, He Purrs (Move Over Fate Book 2; Paranormal Dating Agency) Page 2