She took one more deep breath, enjoying the feel of the cool moist air filling her lungs and then reluctantly began to stand. Yet, even as she started to move, a slight noise drew her attention and, looking to the side, she saw the wolf emerging from the mist.
Large. Lean. Black as sin with piercing silvery eyes. Her breath caught in her throat.
It stopped barely ten metres away and sat down, its head cocked to the side, as if it was trying to figure out what she was doing. A family pet might sit in just such a pose, but there was no denying this wasn’t a pet.
Oh hell! Her heart started to pound, her skin turned icy cold. Waves of fear washed over her and the fine hairs on her arm stood at attention. She swallowed hard and tried to stay calm even though every instinct was urging her to flee. From somewhere in the back of her mind she dredged up a bit of knowledge that running would make the creature see her as prey and inspire it to give chase.
Ever so slowly, she lowered herself into the chair and set down her drawing supplies. With shaking hands, she reached for the gun that lay at her feet, all the while keeping her eyes fixed on the wolf.
She felt around with her fingers for what seemed like ages before finally making contact with the cool metal of the barrel. Inch by inch, she pulled the weapon up from its resting place on the floor until it was in her arms.
The wolf narrowed it eyes but didn’t move.
Curling her fingers around the trigger, she thought of all the times she’d gone skeet shooting with a former boyfriend; he’d turned out to be dead boring, but at least she’d learned a useful skill while dating him. Now, if she could only get up the nerve to actually shoot at a living target.
The idea made her stomach turn. Perhaps she could make it inside before the animal bounded across the distance? Damn, why had she been so careless? Here she was congratulating herself for not walking over to the trees, when in fact a wolf was within striking distance!
Eve licked her lips and swallowed with difficulty, all the moisture having left her mouth. “Hey there, Wolf. How you doing?” Her tone was soft and low, trying to reassure the creature that she wasn’t a threat.
Its ears twitched in response and she hoped that was a good sign. At least it hadn’t leapt up and attacked at the sound of her voice. She decided to try again.
“Nice day, isn’t it? I was just enjoying the view. What about you?”
She winced at the inane question. It was watching her and hopefully not sizing her up as potential dinner material!
The wolf opened its mouth, its tongue lolling in and out in what resembled a silly grin. Grinning was good. Taking it as a positive sign, she slowly stood up. “I’m heading inside now…” As she rose to her feet, the animal whined and stood up as well. Eve froze, her heart pounding so hard it was all she could hear for a moment.
“Are you getting ready to attack me, Wolf, or just being polite? A gentleman stands when a lady enters or exits a room…” Oh God, she was babbling now.
The wolf sat down again and Eve actually felt dizzy with relief, clutching the back of the chair to steady herself.
“So, you’re not planning on attacking me. That’s nice of you, real nice.”
The wolf didn’t move and Eve took a sliding, sideways step towards the door. A sad whine emitted from the beast and she paused, studying it carefully. It looked…lonely.
“Do you want some company?” She took another step towards the door while still talking. “Is it lonely, being a wolf without a pack?”
Shadows passed over the wolf’s eyes. Eve had a fleeting impression of the café man. He’d been dark and lonely looking, too with the same unusual eyes. “At least you’re more sociable than he was,” she muttered to herself, still thinking of how he’d disappeared without a trace.
The wolf cocked its head and Eve could almost swear the animal understood her. She chuckled softly and found herself explaining her encounter with café man to the animal.
“I don’t know what I would have done if I’d actually caught up with him.” Eve shook her head. “I could hardly tell him the real reason. I mean, who would believe it.” She paused and then continued in a conspiratorial tone. “You won’t tell anyone my secret, will you, Wolf? You see, I have a gift. My gran told me about it when I was little, but I didn’t really believe her. I mean, who believes in being Fae in this day and age?”
The wolf raised its brows as if it didn’t believe her either.
“It’s true, Wolf. I’m not making it up. It started a little over a year ago. I’m an empath. I can feel other people’s emotions.”
The wolf shook its head, ears flapping, and she laughed.
“Yeah, that’s sort of what I did when I first figured out what was happening. I thought I was going crazy…some days I’m still not so sure!”
Inside the cabin, the phone started to ring.
“I’ve got to go now, Wolf.” She stepped closer to the door and this time the wolf hung its head.
“Why don’t you go find a lady friend? Start your own pack?”
A shuddering sigh escaped the wolf and it sank down, resting its chin on its paws, the picture of dejection.
Waves of heart-breaking sadness washed over Eve and with a start, she realized she was reading the wolf without even trying. She stared at the creature wide-eyed, unsure what to do. The phone continued to ring, its peal sounding more and more insistent.
“I’m sorry.” Tears welled as she experienced it anguish; a horrible, heart-wrenching ache that had her clutching her chest. Its pain was more than she could bear. “I’m sorry, Wolf… So sorry…. I…” Her voice broke and she shook her head not knowing what to say; no words of comfort could ever be sufficient. Inside the phone quit ringing only to immediately start up again somehow conveying the anger of the caller. “I really do have to go… Come back and we’ll talk again.” With that she slipped inside. Closing the door, she took a moment to wipe the tears from her cheek and blew out a steadying breath before reaching for the phone. As she picked up the receiver, she looked out the window and watched as the wolf got to its feet and slowly padded into the shadowed forest.
“Hello?” She answered distractedly, still staring the spot where the wolf had disappeared.
“Eve, where were you? I thought I told you stay inside the cabin.” Rafe’s voice barked down the line.
“Oh. Hi, Rafe. I was inside…mostly.”
“What do you mean, ‘mostly’? If you were inside it shouldn’t have taken you that long to answer the phone.”
“I just stepped out on the porch to do a bit of sketching. But don’t get all huffy. I took the gun with me and nothing happened.” She was sure she’d kept her voice even but something must have given her away.
“You’re not telling me everything. What’s wrong?” His tone was demanding and despite the distance that separated them she reacted as if he were right there, staring at her with those soul searching, chocolate brown eyes.
“Nothing. I drew some trees…” Her voice trailed off.
“And?” How he managed to convey the arching of his brow through that one word, she’d never know.
God, she was a lousy liar. “All right. I saw the wolf again.”
“I’m coming right over. And stay the hell inside this time!” He hung up before she could protest.
Eve set the phone down with extreme care. If she hadn’t, she might have thrown it. How dare he bark at her like that! The usual nervous quivering she felt when thinking about him began to fade as her temper started to rise. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became and she began to pace the length of the living room anticipating what she’d say to him when he arrived!
Chapter 8
As he drove towards Eve’s cabin, Rafe fumed over her reckless behaviour. Twice now she’d left the safety of the cabin after he expressly told her not to. Didn’t she realize she was dealing with a wolf? A creature that could easily take her down and rip her to shreds! And that was only if it was a normal wolf. But this was
a rogue. Twice as deadly as a normal wolf because of its size and strength, let alone the human intelligence that controlled all that power.
While he might work with rogues, even firmly believe in and advocate for their rights and the chance to integrate into society, he was under no illusions about them. No rogue was allowed near someone he ca—
Rafe stopped himself mid-thought and took a calming breath. Slow down, he told himself. He didn’t care about Eve; he was concerned. It had been obvious in her voice that she was upset. As her landlord, he had a certain responsibility for her welfare. She might be cute and have a lot of gumption, but that was immaterial. So what if her tiny size brought out all of his protective instincts. He wasn’t interested in a relationship with her.
He brought his vehicle to a quick stop in front of her cabin, gravel spewing to all sides, and jumped out not even bothering to shut the door. His muscles were tensed, ready for an attack. He’d grappled with more than one enraged rogue and wasn’t about to let his one take him unaware. If it was Damien Masterson then the man had more tricks up his sleeve than most. Briefly, Rafe thought of the small vial he’d tucked in his boot. The syringe inside that plastic container held enough tranquillizer to take down a rogue if need be, but he wasn’t keen on using it if Eve was around. She’d question how he came to have such a strong drug in his possession. How could he explain it was part of a professional medical kit he kept with him at all times?
He tested the air. Yep, it was the same rogue as before and he’d been here recently. Rafe was about to start patrolling the area when Eve called his name.
“Rafe McRae, what do you think you’re doing?” She stood on the porch, hands on her hips. That in itself was noteworthy—Eve usually seemed more submissive in his presence—but that wasn’t the case today. It was obvious that she was peeved with him over something but he didn’t have time for that right now.
“Checking to see if the wolf is still around. Get back inside.”
“Quit ordering me around.”
“Eve, go inside where it’s safe. Now!”
“While you do what? Go looking for the wolf just like that?” She flicked a derogatory look from his head to his toes and back again. “If this wolf is supposed to be so dangerous, shouldn’t you be taking a gun with you?”
He opened his mouth to say no but then stopped. She didn’t know he was a werewolf—well, three-quarters—and he couldn’t tell her the gun was all part of the ‘costume’ he’d assumed upon moving here. With a sigh, he turned and headed for the cabin.
As he approached, she began to give vent to her ire. “Honestly, sometimes you men act so stupid. What makes you think you can go looking for a wolf without even a weapon to defend yourself? You’re angry because I went out on the porch, but look at you!” She threw her hands up in the air. “You did it the other day and I was too upset about the wolf to question it but now…” She paused, shook her head and then stomped into the cabin.
“No need to concern yourself, Eve. I’m well acquainted with the ways of wolves.” He followed her inside.
“So you’re a wildlife expert now? I thought you were a counsellor.”
“A bit of both.”
“Yeah. Right. Lots of call for wolf counsellors.”
He clenched his jaw at her snarky comment and slowly counted to ten.
“So how did you get so wise about wolves? Watching the nature channel?” Sarcasm oozed from her as she leaned her hip against the island that separated the kitchen from the living area. Rafe noted the way her worn jeans hugged her slight curves and accentuated her thighs. It distracted him enough that his temper began to subside. He could imagine holding her in a tight embrace, then slipping his hand under the back of her leg and hitching it up around his hip.
“I have a wide variety of interests.” He murmured, his concentration now focussed on her chest. She’d crossed her arms. The action pulled her t-shirt taut over her pert breasts, and he watched as they moved with her agitated breathing. They were exactly the right size to fit in his palm.
Realizing the folly of his thoughts, he jerked his eyes up and looked at her face. Luckily she hadn’t noticed the direction of his gaze and was still warming on her topic.
“An interest?” She snorted. “Everyone has ‘interests.’ I have an interest in sky-diving but I’m not about to go jumping out of a plane without a parachute!” Her cheeks were turning pink and he wondered what it would feel like to cup her face and gently rub his thumb over her skin. Was it as soft as he imagined?
Something she said suddenly caught his attention.
“Parachutes?” Rafe blinked, not following her line of thought. “I thought we were talking about wolves.”
“It’s an analogy. Sky-diving without a parachute is like looking for a wolf without a gun. It’s reckless of you.”
While he loved her spirit, she was beginning to irritate him. “I’m not the one that sat on the porch with a rogue wolf in the neighbourhood.”
“I had the shotgun with me.”
Rafe exhaled loudly. The argument was pointless and a waste of time. “All right. Fine. Have it your way. If it means so much to you, I’ll take the damned gun with me.”
Eve stormed across the room and picked the gun up from its resting place, then got the key for the trigger lock. She couldn’t believe she’d had to argue with him over such a simple precaution. Stalking back to where he stood, she thrust the shotgun at him.
“Here.”
“Thanks.” He snapped the word, not sounding thankful at all. Reaching for the weapon, his hand ended up over hers.
His touch made her breath hitch, tingles of awareness springing to life and shooting right to her core.
“You’re welcome.” Eve responded distractedly, forgetting they’d been arguing. She stared at their joined hands, somewhat surprised not to see actual sparks shooting into the air. Rather than pulling away, she allowed her hand to remain in his. He rubbed his thumb over the back of it and heat crept up her arm before spreading throughout her whole body.
Eve dragged her gaze to his face. He was looking at her, his face as implacable as ever, his eyes bottomless pools that she couldn’t begin to interpret. Why did that turn her on, the fact that she had no idea what he was thinking or feeling? She’d tried to read him before but always came up against a blank wall. Was it the thrill of the unknown? Or the challenge of trying to make him lose control?
A naughty imp inside her had her parting her lips and wetting them with her tongue. He seemed fascinated by the action, his already dark eyes now almost black. Was it her imagination or had he moved closer?
It had been ages since she’d kissed a man. What would it feel like to brush her lips over his? To feel his warmth? To taste...?
One or both of them must have moved for suddenly the gap that separated them was gone.
His lips brush over hers. Once. Twice. Gently testing, teasing… Soft butterfly kisses were exchanged before he lighted in place, tracing the seam of her lips, asking for something deeper. She opened to him and their tongues touched.
A kaleidoscope of colours and sensations exploded in her mind. It was wonderful…glorious… Feelings she’d only dreamed about were being set free, washing over her, filling her with need. She stood on tiptoe, sliding one hand up his chest to his neck and then the base of his skull, urging him into a harder kiss, needing more.
Rafe wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. She wanted to feel her breasts crushed against him, to have her hips cradling his groin. Caught up in a whirlwind of escalating desire, she tried to press closer. Something incredibly long and hard dug into her belly and for a split second she thought it was…
Damn. The gun was in between them!
Reality crashed down around her, and Eve jerked backwards, abruptly ending their contact. Her breathing was harsh, her heart was pounding. A faint hum momentarily filled her brain, slowing her thinking as if she were drunk. She blinked and gave her head a shake. Wow, was this what peop
le meant when they said they were kissed senseless?
She looked up at Rafe, still dazed and wondering if he had been similarly affected by the overwhelming passion that had struck her. Exactly what she expected she wasn’t sure but it definitely wasn’t him scowling at her and muttering curses.
He cleared his throat. “Sorry.”
Sorry? The best kiss she’d ever experienced in her entire life and he was sorry? His bland reaction doused her desire more thoroughly than a bucket of ice water. She clamped her mouth shut and shrugged then looked down for fear he’d see the hurt and anger in her eyes. Her gaze fell on the weapon that, amazingly enough, they were both still holding.
Letting go, she stepped away and wrapped her arms around herself.
“Be careful.” She muttered the words, still not looking at him.
He checked to see if the safety was on. “Don’t worry. I won’t shoot myself in the foot.”
She flicked a glance his way. “Not you. I meant, be careful you don’t hurt the wolf.”
“The wolf?” He narrowed his eyes.
“Right. It’s lonely and looks like it hasn’t had a decent meal in ages.”
“And you know this because…?”
“Well, it was only a little ways away. I got a pretty good look at it while we were talking.”
“You were talking…to the wolf?” He had a stunned look about him.
She shrugged. “It was watching me draw I guess—I didn’t notice it until I was finished—and when I went to go inside I noticed how…dejected…it looked and I started to talk to it.”
Rafe took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly, as if he was trying not to lose his patience. “Let me get this straight. You’re worried about me going out to look for the rogue wolf without a gun but you stood on the porch talking to it?”
Eve felt herself flush. “It wasn’t like I’d planned on staying there. I was inching my way to the door and talking to keep it calm.”
He opened his mouth and appeared about to say something but then stopped. She could have sworn she heard him growl. “I’ll be back in a while. Stay—”