Hagen

by Janice M. Whiteaker

  She opened her eyes.

  “Can you feel mine?”

  With him it was so much more than simply feeling. What moved from him to her was far beyond what happened with other people. Hagen’s energy affected her. Filled her with something she couldn’t yet explain. And already craved.

  Should she tell him he was different? If he knew just how much she could feel from him would he pull back? How would she react if he did?

  If he didn’t?

  She nodded again.

  He moved closer. “What does it feel like?”

  “I don’t know how to explain it.” She tried to slow her breathing, an attempt to maintain control over her own emotions as Hagen’s pulled them forward, out into the forefront, trying to convince her to let them out, to let them be.

  “Try.” He took another step, bringing the front of his body to the front of hers. “Does it help if I’m closer?”

  It did, but not like he imagined. All she could feel was him. His curiosity. His warmth.

  His desire.

  “Yes.” Her voice was hoarse, barely rasping past her lips as she fought to keep control, to push her own feelings back where she liked them. Safely corralled and under control.

  But maybe this one time it would be okay. Maybe she could handle what might happen.

  Even if it ended.

  Hagen pushed against her. One hand laced into her hair, weaving into the waves at her nape. The other slid around her back, slow and easy. He leaned down. “What does it feel like?”

  She let her head rest in his palm as the warmth of his hands sank into her skin. “Like this.”

  His grip tightened. “This is how you feel everyone?”

  Hagen’s jealousy flew against her. Rhea looked up at him. His jaw set in a tight line and his eyes flashed with the threat of violence.

  But not toward her.

  She shook her head. “No.” Rhea licked her lips afraid to admit the last little bit because it could change everything. Hagen could break her. She knew it almost from the first second.

  And he probably would. But right now, it almost seemed worth it.

  Rhea took a deep breath.

  “Only with you.”

  ****

  Hagen couldn’t move. The feel of Rhea against him, knowing she could feel what he felt. And always did. It was terrifying. Intriguing.

  Arousing.

  He watched as Rhea’s pupils dilated, pools of black filling her gold flecked iris. Her lips parted just the tiniest bit as she inhaled sharply. Was this simply a reaction to his own desire? Or was it something else?

  It made him doubt everything he thought he knew.

  “How do you tell the difference?” He fought to push down his own feelings. Tamp them to the point they couldn’t influence hers. Like he did in the woods when he was trying to figure out just how she discovered Magni. But the beast pushed back. That part of him didn’t care why she felt the way she did.

  The haze in Rhea’s eyes cleared. “Why are you doing that?”

  “I want to know what you feel Red.” He shook his head at her. “Not what I make you feel.”

  Her spine stiffened. “No one makes me feel anything.”

  That was exactly what he wanted to hear and the perfect way to hear it. Nothing was sexier than a woman who knew her strength. And none of them were sexier than this one.

  Hagen smiled down at her and let his fingers work into her scalp. “Simmer down Red. I only wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”

  He waited for her to ask what page it was they were on. It was the perfect lead in to what he wanted to do next.

  He kept waiting.

  Rhea’s eyes stayed clear and sharp as they studied him. Slowly she straightened. Lightning flashed outside the dining room window, making her hair almost glow in the flare. “I decide what I do. I’m not the kind of girl who can be swayed by the way someone else feels.”

  Hagen felt a push against him. He stepped back.

  “I am in charge of what I feel and what I don’t.” Rhea’s head bobbed in a tiny nod.

  He took another step back.

  “I control it.” She stepped in his direction, her eyes glowing with waves of gold lapping at the brown.

  His back bumped the narrow bit of wall where the kitchen opened to the dining room. For the second time in twenty-four hours Rhea was advancing on him, rapidly. And this time he wasn’t going to run.

  She hesitated for a second, the fire in her eyes ebbing just a bit as thunder rumbled, shaking the house.

  “I hope.”

  The words came under her breath and a second later her hands were on him, in his hair, on his face, gripping his arms as her mouth covered his.

  It was the opening his beast waited for. Rhea made Hagen weak. Made him allow the beast more freedom than ever before. Because they both wanted the same thing.

  Her.

  Rhea pulled back, eyes wide, her breath coming in heavy pants. “Did you just growl?”

  He froze. He shouldn’t have let his guard down. Not with her. Especially with her. He didn’t have a good answer to give her. Yes wasn’t going to cut it even thought it was probably the truth.

  “Do it again.”

  The beast in him didn’t make her ask twice. Hagen grabbed her tight and spun, pushing Rhea’s back to the wall. He caught her hands and pulled them above her head, holding her wrists together with one hand. He wanted to look at her. Every fucking inch.

  Hagen started at the top of her head letting the fingers of his free hand lace in the thickness of her flaming hair as he watched the crimson strands slide between them. A faint line of freckles dusted her narrow nose and cheekbones.

  Rhea held perfectly still as he drank her in. The first raindrops of the storm pelted the windows as his eyes roamed slowly down the pale column of her neck and over her collarbone to the shallow valley between her delicate breasts.

  She sucked in a breath as his gaze drug across their gentle curve. He let a finger trace a slow line from the tiny divot in her chin, down the front of her smooth neck and between her breasts. He traced the faint indent where one met her ribcage.

  “I want to touch you Red.”

  Her eyes burned into his. “I know.”

  This was a different game than he was used to. Any control he thought he had with Rhea was all an illusion. One she allowed him to have. One he couldn’t fight and she couldn’t stop even if she wanted to. The advantage was hers. All he could do was try to use it to his as well.

  Hagen gave her a slow smile. “Will I?”

  Rhea’s head slowly turned from side to side. “No.”

  Her answer surprised him, especially since he absolutely knew how he felt. And right now all he wanted was to touch her. “Really?”

  “Really.” Her face was serious.

  Hagen leaned in and let his lips taste the soft skin behind her ear, hoping to change her mind. “Why not?”

  “Because you want me to touch you first.”

  This time he heard his beast growl for her. He dropped her hands. If Red wanted to touch he wasn’t going to stop her. Not when it was all he thought about for the last three nights as she slept on the ground beside him.

  Rhea’s hands wrapped in his hair and pulled his mouth to hers. Her lips opened and the taste of her filled his mouth as her tongue moved across his. Hagen braced his hands on the wall above her head, pushing against the drywall, fighting the need to put them on her. The desire to feel her skin under his palms.

  She stretched her hands to meet his. The tips of her fingers traced along the inside of his wrists, slowly brushing over his forearms and down his biceps, cupping the muscle as it strained against her touch. Her lips curved under his.

  “Why are you smiling?”

  She looked up at him. “I like touching you.” Her hands continued their journey, moving over his shoulders, her fingers stroking the hair covering his jaw.

  He took a deep breath, hoping it would slow his pulse. “I
like you touching me.”

  Rhea raised an eyebrow. “No you don’t.” Her hands moved down his neck softly stroking over his chest. She smiled. “You’re miserable right now.”

  Her touch slid over his stomach, continuing its downward path.

  “And you’re enjoying my misery.” His breath caught as her fingers dipped under the waist of his jeans.

  “Maybe a little.” The button on his jeans popped free.

  “If you pet a bear too long eventually you’ll get bit Red.” His hands fisted against the wall as she pulled at the fly of his pants, the zipper easing down one tooth at a time.

  She shook her head. “You said you didn’t bite.”

  “I lied.” He let Rhea have her way, get a little of what she wanted. Now it was his turn. Hagen grabbed her waist and picked her up off the ground, throwing her over one shoulder.

  It was barbaric. It was animalistic. It was savage.

  That was how she made him feel. The side of him her presence called to.

  But even savages had standards. And this one wanted her spread across his bed, covering it with her scent. Marking another piece of his life.

  “Hagen.” Rhea smacked at his backside. “Hagen, someone’s at the door.” She pointed to the shadowy figure on the blinds over his front door.

  He paused at the bottom of the stairs and the sound of a fist hammering at his door finally registered. “Dammit Jerrik.” Hagen walked back to the front door.

  “Aren’t you going to put me down?” Rhea was trying to straighten up.

  “Nope.” He yanked the door open and scowled at his brother. “I’m gonna fucking kill you.”

  Jerrik smiled at him. “Hey Rhea.” He peeked around Hagen’s back and gave her a wave. “How’s it going?”

  “Good. Things are good.” She tugged at the hem of her tank top, pulling it over the tiny strip of exposed skin between her pants and shirt.

  As if that was what a man was going to notice when an ass like hers was displayed at eye level. And his brother wasn’t even pretending not to see.

  “I will kill you.” He carefully set Rhea’s feet on the ground and tucked her behind him. “Keep your eyes to yourself.”

  His brother held his hands out. “Don’t get upset. You’ve made it perfectly clear that one’s yours.”

  Hagen’s body lurched toward his brother, caught off guard by a strong push from behind. Jerrik tried to step out of the way, but wasn’t fast enough and they collided, stumbling across the porch. As he struggled to regain his balance, Jerrik grinned like an idiot.

  “That one’s got spunk.”

  Rhea stood in his living room, her hands on those perfectly full hips Hagen almost managed to have under him, glaring. “I’m not the front seat of a car. You can’t call dibs on me.”

  “I can.” Backing down in front of his brother wasn’t an option, no matter how sweet the opposition was. “And I did.”

  Her eyes moved slowly between Hagen and Jerrik. She was figuring them out. Trying to read them. Probably doing better than trying.

  Rhea tipped her head back, her shoulders set as her eyes locked on his. She was going to let him have this one.

  Her gaze snapped to Jerrik. “What’s wrong?”

  He pointed at the ceiling fan over her head. “You were probably too busy to notice but the power’s out.”

  She looked up then back at him. “What does that mean?”

  Hagen blew out an aggravated breath. “It means we’ve got to make sure the generators are running.” He yanked at the waistband of his pants and rebuttoned his fly as he walked back in the house. “Damn storm.”

  “It’s one of the downsides to living this far out.” Jerrik followed him in.

  “How long will it be out?” Rhea stepped back as Hagen shut and locked his door.

  “Could be days.” Jerrik sided up to her. “We’ve got generators on the B&B, the bar, and the store but sometimes they’re flaky.”

  Hagen wrapped his arm around Rhea, easing her away from his brother. “You can stay here. I’ll get the generator running and be right back.”

  “No.” She stopped and looked up at him. “I’ll just go with you. I needed to go to the store anyway.” She smiled. “Remember?”

  “Of course you can come with us.” Jerrik smiled over Rhea’s head. “I’d love to hear about what you guys ran into out in the woods.” He gave Rhea a wink. “I heard it was partial to you.”

  Rhea snorted. “I don’t think that’s the case. I’m pretty sure the guys wouldn’t notice Bigfoot if it spooned them while they slept.”

  “So what you’re saying is you’re more perceptive than the rest of your group.” Jerrik’s words sounded easy going but Hagen knew better. His brother was fishing.

  He turned away from Rhea and narrowed his eyes at Jerrik. Dead. He mouthed the word at him so she wouldn’t hear.

  Jerrik didn’t even flinch at the threat. He just kept smiling.

  Until he looked at Rhea. Then his smile disappeared.

  He glanced back at Hagen, shifting on his feet. Jerrik leaned in to Hagen, his eyes never leaving Rhea. “She’s scarier than you are.”

  Hagen looked at the woman still staring Jerrik down, arms crossed, feet planted, her red hair like a halo of fire, the gold in her eyes flickering like flames.

  “Yes she is.”

  12

  “We are here, in the exact spot where the pile of fur was found just over twenty-four hours ago.” Chauncey looked into Stewart’s camera, his face shadowy in the waning light. “Tonight I am positive we are going to catch something more for you on camera.”

  Rhea blinked to keep from rolling her eyes at the drama oozing from Stewart’s boyfriend and looked at Heath. Chauncey wanted to get a few good shots of himself before the sun went down and insisted on the four of them coming back to the spot she and Stewart ended their chase last night.

  Chauncey grabbed Rhea and pulled her against his side. “We have figured out that Bigfoot has a thing for one of our camera operators. So far he only shows up when she is around and tonight I am going to use that against him.”

  Was he serious? Rhea looked at Chauncey out of the corner of her eye. He looked serious as a heart attack.

  She laughed.

  Chauncey’s head slowly turned her direction, tipping to one side as it did. “What?”

  His eyes were wide and a little glassy with deep grey bags hanging from the lower lids. Chauncey’s already pale skin was a pasty shade of nothing and his scrappy facial hair hadn’t been shaved since this insane field trip began.

  “I’m not sure why you think Bigfoot has any interest in me.” She couldn’t say it with a straight face. It was ridiculous on so many levels.

  “I don’t think he’s just interested in you.” Chauncey grabbed her by the shoulders. “I think he’s in love with you.”

  Holy crap he’d lost it.

  “Why don’t we go back in and just take a night off?” Rhea looked to Stewart for back-up. Certainly he would see that Chauncey was in no shape to stay in the woods for any amount of time. The man needed good food, a long soak in the tub, about twelve hours of sleep, and maybe a good orgasm. Or four.

  Or maybe that was just her.

  “No.” Chauncey shook his head, losing his balance a little and bumping against her. “We are staying out here until I see that thing.”

  Stewart moved his camera to one side and shoved the microphone Heath held between them out of the way. “Maybe Rhea’s right. What if we go back just for tonight?” He stood in front of Chauncey, smoothing one hand down the front of the skinnier man’s t-shirt. “We could watch a movie and relax a little. Then come out tomorrow, fresh and ready.”

  Chauncey batted Stewart’s hand away. “Why do you want me to fail at this?” He stepped back, his lips twisting into a snarl. “I can’t be with someone who is jealous of my life’s purpose.”

  “Your life’s purpose is hunting Bigfoot?” Stewart’s face was priceless as he stared at Chauncey
. A mixture of shock, confusion, and complete and utter disbelief twisted his nose and furrowed his brow. “That’s what you want to be remembered for?”

  Chauncey’s nostrils flared and his eyes thinned to slits. “It’s more than what you’ll be remembered for.”

  Heath held his hands out. “Let’s just all relax.”

  “Oh shut up Heath.” Chauncey waved one hand at the sound guy. “Nobody cares what you think.”

  “Now you’re just being mean.” Stewart turned away from Chauncey to face Heath. “Would you like to go back tonight Heath and have a little reprieve from all this,” Stewart waved one hand over his shaved head, “fresh air?”

  Heath glanced at Chauncey, then at Rhea. “I, uh...”

  “See?” Chauncey held one hand out at Heath. “He doesn’t even know what he wants.”

  Stewart stepped close to Chauncey. “He doesn’t want to deal with you being an ass to him when he says he wants to leave.”

  Heath pointed at Stewart. “Yeah. Pretty much that.”

  Rhea raised her hand. “I want to leave. I’m not afraid to say it.”

  Chauncey spun on the heel of one mud-caked Converse to glare at her. “That’s because you’re a bitch.”

  “Oh hell no.” Stewart used the back of his hand to flip Chauncey in the shoulder. “Don’t you ever bring my girl into this.”

  Chauncey looked down at the spot Stewart just slapped and then up at Stewart. “Did you just smack me?”

  Stewart raised his brows and wiggled his head from side to side. “So?”

  Chauncey reached out with one hand and shoved Stewart’s free shoulder, pushing the bigger man back a few inches. Stewart’s brows came together. He used the hand not on the camera to push Chauncey square in the chest.

  The heel of Chauncey’s sneaker caught on a thin tree branch and tossed him back into the mud left from the day’s storm.

  Heath held his hand out. “Let’s just all calm down.”

  Stewart and Chauncey both snapped their attention to the sound guy. “Shut-up Heath.”

  Heath stared at them for a second. It was clear the guy was way out of his element on this trip and so far he’d been a pretty good sport, but Rhea didn’t have to be an empath to know he was done.