by Eve Langlais
“That’s far enough,” a deep voice said, one that raised the hairs on his neck.
Dominick halted and clenched his fists. He sensed more than saw the figures that stepped out to surround him. He twitched, his skin itchy and tight. Uncomfortable.
“Who are you? Where’s Anika?”
“Right here.”
Anika suddenly emerged from behind a monument, coming to where he could see her. Eyes wide and frightened, mouth gagged, and hands bound in front of her.
His rage bubbled under the skin. “Release her.”
“You don’t get to make demands.” The man sounded amused as he stepped where he could also be seen. A tall and lean fellow with a dark shock of hair and a cruel twist to his lips.
“Who are you?” Dominick asked.
“You can call me Gwayne. And you are?”
“Nobody.”
“Everyone has a name, friend. What’s yours?”
When he would have remained silent, Anika made a sound as her hair was caught in a fist.
Dom trembled. “Dominick.”
“Dominick, who?”
He didn’t want to say. Didn’t want his family brought into it.
But Anika…
“Hubbard.”
“Was that really so hard? Now for the next one, what are you?”
“A dude.”
“You’re more than just a dude,” Gwayne mocked.
“I’m ex-military, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Are you being deliberately obtuse? What do you think, gang?” Gwayne asked of his companions, reminding Dominick that he was alone against a group.
“Thomas Fitzpatrick, a man who had to get a hundred and fifty stitches, is claiming a panther attacked him.” This came from the woman holding Anika.
“Thomas is a liar.”
“Is he?” the woman asked. “Because he also claims he saw a naked man emerging from her apartment.” She pointed to Anika. “And that the man turned into a cat.”
“Obviously high. Seeing things that aren’t there.”
“Is he? Because I have to wonder. Your scent”—Gwayne angled his head—“is different than humans’.”
The choice of words chilled him.
“Again, I’m going to ask, what are you? And before you lie, let me add incentive. Don’t tell the truth, and she gets hurt.” As if they were an act, the woman shoved Anika to her knees and drew her head back, exposing her throat.
Dominick snarled. He couldn’t help it. “Don’t touch her.”
“You know how to keep her safe.” The man didn’t move, and yet the threat remained implicit.
He also obviously knew. The jig was up. The only thing Dominick could do at this point was bluff his way through and hope. “It’s recently come to my attention that I’m an huanimorph.”
“What the fuck is that?” exclaimed someone behind him.
“Would you understand if I said werepanther, instead?”
No shock or mockery appeared on the other man’s face. On the contrary, rather than laugh, Gwayne’s gaze narrowed. “Shift and show me.”
A snort escaped Dominick. “It’s not that simple, buddy.”
“Actually, it is. Niles, please demonstrate.”
One of the fellows flanking him moved to his left and, to Dominick’s disbelieving eyes, began to strip. But it was the fact that he changed from human flesh to wolf fur—in a contortion so fast and impossible—that had him gasping.
“Werewolf.”
“We prefer the term Lycan.”
“Lycan.” He rolled the word around. “Is that what I am?”
Gwayne snorted. “Hardly. You are an oddity. A rumor that, until now, I didn’t believe.”
“Meaning what?”
“Lycans are the only true animal shifters.”
Fake it to own it. He’d had a drill sergeant who used to bark that. “Guess again.”
“Before I make my decision on your fate, shift.”
“I can’t.”
The man didn’t signal, and yet the woman tugged Anika’s hair, causing her to cry out and the gag to loosen. “He needs catnip,” she yelled.
Way to give up his kryptonite. Then again, he couldn’t blame her.
It was just his luck that Gwayne didn’t believe him. “You need what to shift?”
Dominick rolled his body as he admitted, “I only seem to go hairy when I eat catnip. Sniffing it just makes me horny and shit.”
“Interesting.”
“Meaning what? What did your buddy use to change shapes?” He pointed to the wolf sitting by Gwayne’s side.
“A Lycan of strong blood needs nothing but willpower. The lessers require a full moon.”
“You make it sound like there’s lots of you.”
“More than in your family.”
That chilled him. “What do you know about my family?”
“Enough to say this conversation has been most enlightening.” Gwayne snapped his fingers. “We’ll be seeing you again soon.”
“Why?”
“Because I am the Lycan Alpha of the Valley Pack. And you are an unaligned threat in my territory that now needs to be dealt with. Failure to do so won’t end well.”
With those final words, Gwayne left with his posse.
Dominick wasted no time running to Anika, snapping the ties binding her wrists and pulling the gag completely free. He then scooped her into his arms, buried his face in her neck, and breathed in her scent.
It couldn’t calm the raging beast inside.
Which was why, once he got her back to her apartment, he knew he had to say goodbye.
22
The bike ride was thrilling and quiet, the roar of the engine and the whip of the wind making conversation impossible.
But once they got to her place, they couldn’t avoid it.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. They didn’t hurt me, really. More used me as a prop to scare you.” Her nose wrinkled.
“I’m sorry.” He sagged. “I had no idea I’d bring trouble down on you.”
“You can’t seriously be taking the blame for this. I’m pretty sure you didn’t do it on purpose.”
He shook his head. “It’s been a weird twenty-four hours.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I shouldn’t.”
“I see.” She could sense him closing himself off from her. Pulling some of his usual macho bullshit.
He exhaled. “I might be in danger. My whole family, actually. My brother Stefan thinks the lab that made us might still be after us.”
She blinked. “Back up. What lab? Start from the beginning.”
So, he did. Told her how they were made and smuggled out. How he never suspected he was different.
“You really have no clue what you’re doing as the beast?”
He rolled his shoulders. “Nope. I’m just glad I didn’t hurt you. Which is why I gotta stay away.”
“You wouldn’t hurt me.” She knew it with a certainty she wouldn’t argue.
“I’m dangerous.”
“Only because it’s new and you need to learn to control it.”
“Yeah, by staying away from catnip.”
“You said your brother has a handle on it. Why can’t you? You’re stronger than you know, Dom. You are, after all, a veteran.”
“I see what you’re doing,” he grumbled.
“Trying to stop you from making a mistake. You are not breaking up with me, Dominick Hubbard. Not before I’ve at least tasted Thanksgiving dinner.”
His lips twitched. “Actually, it would be cruel of me to deprive you of Christmas Eve fondue, Christmas Day dinner, and Boxing Day leftover coma.”
“I agree. Just like I’ve heard something about a mean Easter ham.”
He ran his finger down the side of her face. “Staying with me could be dangerous. And I’m not talking about just me. Look at what happened tonight. My enemies kidnapped you.”
“They also let us go.” Sh
e cupped his cheeks. “Listen, I don’t know where this is going yet. Other than a weird direction. But I want to stick to it for a bit. See if this thing between us can weather the fact that it’s wild and kind of enjoyable.”
“Only kind of?”
She grinned. “Maybe I need another demonstration of the perks.”
“I don’t deserve you, Anika.” He huffed softly against her hair as he held her close.
”Just promise me I’ll never see you licking your balls and coughing up hair.”
“That isn’t funny.”
“If we don’t laugh, what can we do?”
They could make love.
A quick and furious coupling that started with a kiss and ended with them naked, her clothes on the floor, her back against the wall, him sinking balls-deep into her.
She clawed his back and exhaled his name when she came.
She screamed when he later made love to her in bed.
She almost killed him, though, when he woke her early. Much too early, but she’d make an exception for sex.
“Come here,” she purred, reaching for him.
Instead, he whipped back the covers. “Get up.”
“Why?” she whined, reaching for the warmth. “It’s my day off.”
“Because we can’t be late for breakfast.”
“Pretty sure my box of cereal doesn’t care what time it’s being eaten.” She’d splurged and gotten a name-brand version.
“Mom is making Belgian waffles with whipped cream, along with banana peanut butter crepes, peameal bacon, sausage, and…” He leaned close. “Her famous pumpkin spiced coffee, which she only makes one day a year.”
“I’m sure she doesn’t want an extra mouth to feed.”
His brows shot up high. “You obviously don’t know my mom well.” His phone, with its cracked screen from its earlier flight, buzzed, and he gave it a quick glance before saying, “Maeve just texted. Says Mom heard you like eggs Benedict, so she’s whipping up some fresh English muffins and prepping the sauce.”
Her legs swung out of bed. “Is it too soon to say I love your mom?”
He grabbed her and swung her until she faced him. “Love my mom. Love me.”
“Do I have to?”
She expected a cocky reply a la Dominick. Instead, he pressed his lips against her forehead and whispered, “I can only hope I’m good enough to be worthy of you.”
As if there was any doubt. She couldn’t have said when she fell in love, only that she knew for sure in that moment. But she didn’t tell him until after breakfast when they lay in the backyard on a blanket, enjoying the autumn sun.
She had to unbutton her pants and groan. “I ate too much.”
Who wouldn’t love a man who patted her belly and said, “Wait until you see what we’ve got to eat for dinner. You’ll look ready to give birth.”
“Just make sure you leave room for dessert.” And, yes, she winked as she said it.
Because she was in love with a man who could eat her—in all the best ways.
Epilogue
Nana glanced over her family seated around the massive dining table, built by her boys while in high school. It had been repaired a few times since, as had the benches, but she was never happier than when it was full.
All but two of her children converged for dinner. Jessie, who’d been on a European tour for a few years now. Daeve, deployed and determined to give Nana gray hairs given his determination to show up his older brother with the number of missions he went on.
She had to remind herself that Dominick had made it back in one piece. And, even better, finally appeared to be settling in, thanks to Anika.
As they conversed over dinner, she thanked a god she didn’t believe in for keeping her family safe and thanked all the spirits watching that she still had her children despite her secret being revealed.
Mostly. A few items she couldn’t divulge still remained. She couldn’t reveal them. Not yet. What if her fears never came to pass?
Then again, what if another of her children got an anonymous package?
Were they safe?
Thanksgiving dinner involved lots of conversation about their origins. There was no point in keeping it secret from each other, especially once they discovered that Daphne had eavesdropped on the entire conversation.
The only one acting aloof with her was Stefan. Given how long he’d been hiding his striped secret, she could understand why.
They’d need to sit down and chat. Soon. But not tonight. Tonight was about too much food. Family. Love.
The knock at the door happened as they were about to have dessert. Pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream and drizzled with caramel. As she dished it, Stefan went to answer and returned with an envelope.
“What is that?” Odd getting mail, it being the holiday weekend and all.
“No idea, but it’s addressed to the Hubbard Family Clan,” Stefan said with a frown as he turned it over in his hands.
“Maybe we won the lottery!” Daphne clapped her hands.
“Maybe, pipsqueak. Let’s see what’s inside.”
They had to impatiently wait as Stefan tore open the envelope and pulled forth a gilded card.
He read it aloud.
“The Hubbard Family is to present itself to the Valley Pack on Halloween.”
“Valley Pack? Those are the assholes who kidnapped Anika,” Dominick blustered.
“Then they can go fuck themselves.” Stefan lit the invitation on fire.
But he’d soon realize that it wasn’t the kind of invitation that could be refused.
Stefan will soon discover that the price of their survival will mean curtailing his own. Fur will fly when this tiger meets a wolf princess who decides she wants him. The problem being, she isn’t the only one.
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