Imprint
by
A. M. Ellis
Published by A. M. Ellis
https://amellisauthor.wordpress.com/
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used. The reproduction of this book in whole or part, electronically or mechanically, without the express written consent of the author constitutes a copyright violation.
IMPRINT
Copyright © 2015
ISBN 978-0-9903757-7-7
Cover Art Designed by For the Muse Designs
Edited by Clio Editing Services
Chapter One
Imprint
Are they following her?
Jace Bana peered through his rain-streaked windshield across the street at three men stalking a petite woman with a mass of curls. Two were tall and the third was short and husky. The husky one walked with a bit of a hunch: a characteristic of lycanthropes who spent more time in their animal form than human. All three had their eyes trained on the lovely young woman.
Jace took a deep breath and glanced back at the subject of his investigation. The guy he’d been following for a week was definitely cheating on his wife with a busty blonde. The wife’s instincts had been spot on; he’d been sleeping with his secretary. Jace snapped a few more pictures of the guy and the blonde kissing in the hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant. After the last click of his shutter lens, Jace refocused on the young woman being followed.
She tossed her midnight hair over her shoulder and jogged up the steps to the library’s front doors. The three exchanged glances before once again focusing on the woman. The hairs on the back of Jace’s neck stood straight. In fact, so did the hairs on his arms. He made it a habit not to rely on his animalistic qualities, but it wasn’t normal to see a trio of lycans stalking a human. None of their faces were recognizable and that alarmed him.
Why are they following her?
She slipped a book into the return slot near the doors of the library. The two tall guys casually ascended the steps, but about-faced as soon as she descended in their direction. The third stood posted at the bottom of the staircase. Soon, the three men had fallen into step a few paces behind her. Now the four of them quickly walked up Lincoln Avenue.
Jace released a frustrated groan. He was on assignment. Although he’d gotten proof of his target’s indiscretion on film, he didn’t know this girl with the raven hair. Nor did he know her three shadows — and frankly Jace preferred it that way. He’d spent years building a life for himself out from under the umbrella of the city’s lycan clan. This is probably another attempt by my uncle to drag me back.
The girl was beautiful.
And she appeared to not notice her tails.
Jace jumped out of his car, keeping his eyes on the group.
The young woman stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to collapse her umbrella. She ducked into a nearby coffee shop. Her tails loitered outside.
Jace adjusted the hood of his windbreaker and crossed the street to the bank ATM a few doors down from the coffee shop. He sniffed the air. Past the undeniably fragrant scent of the woman was the combined stench of the three lycans. Jace wrinkled his nose. One of them hadn’t showered in at least a week. It was probably the hunchback.
Jace feigned checking his bank balance at the machine while distinguishing the voices of the three from the sounds of the rain, the passing cars, and the rush of people’s feet through puddles of water on the sidewalk.
“What is she doing in there?” The hunchback.
“Probably getting coffee.” Tall lycan with a gruff voice.
“How long do we have to wait out here?” Hunchback.
“You know what we have to do. Stop asking stupid questions.” The other tall lycan’s voice held a touch of command. He was likely the leader.
They were so focused on their subject, Jace remained undetected by the trio. He took a chance and moved from the ATM to the edge of the curb. Facing the three, he moved his gaze to look in the shop windows. The young woman was at the counter, paying for her coffee. Jace’s eyes shifted back to the lycans. Their gazes were on the woman.
What are you three doing? Jace mused to himself. If this wasn’t a setup by his uncle, then he had three rogue lycans overtly pursuing a human female for a purpose that wouldn’t be sanctioned by clan leadership. And her smell… Women were sweet, but not this intoxicating. Maybe that’s why they’re losing it. Jace believed in the strictest of separation between beings. Lycans, vampires, and other creatures that possessed powers of the paranormal were better off not disclosing their abilities and lifestyles to humans — if they wanted to live. The human race had an insatiable hunger for power and domination. They would naturally wipe out anything they didn’t understand or that posed a challenge to their sovereign rule.
The woman exited the coffee shop. Her umbrella popped open and she covered herself and walked briskly in Jace’s direction. The off-white glow of the streetlights brightened her lovely caramel skin in the shadowy evening darkness. Jace nonchalantly turned toward the street to keep his face from view. Her nearness heightened his senses. Her scent was the strongest and most potent he’d ever smelled from a human female. He held his breath to avoid getting intoxicated from drinking it in. Her heart beat at a strong pace. She was a confident woman.
The wolves were nearly on top of her and Jace darted across the street to avoid his own scent being picked up by the three. Did my uncle give these guys permission to chase her? It wasn’t likely that Roman would allow any lycan — including members of the pack — to freely chase a human female. Roman regarded the safety of his territory and the clan as the pack’s top priority. This was a violation of protocol — last Jace had checked. Having left the clan a few years before, Jace didn’t keep up with the comings and goings of lycans. I’ll ask Kipper; he may know them.
If they weren’t from the population of lycans in the city, and if Roman had changed his policy about hunting humans, they were making a grave mistake. It was customary for out-of-towners to ask the territory’s clan leadership for permission to roam free and unescorted. Forgoing meeting with the residential clan was a sign of high disrespect.
The woman turned down a short alley that would eventually curve around to a side street that led straight to an upscale apartment complex. A dangerous path to take at night. Was she naïve? Can’t she smell the hunchback?
The three picked up their pace. Jace’s gut tightened. He, too, lengthened his strides. The three separated, with the two tallest venturing forward, flanking her sides, while the husky one lingered behind, creating a ‘V’ shape. They’re going to grab her. She still had at least a quarter mile to go before reaching the safety of the apartment building — if she was headed there. If not… There’s no way she can outrun three full-blooded lycans in animal form — or human, for that matter.
Jace heard an unmistakable low growl. They’re not seriously thinking of changing here…now? None of them were in public view, the dark, narrow alley providing shade to hide an attack. The growl grew louder and was accompanied by another. Jace took a deep breath.
Jace couldn’t stand in the shadows and watch the scene play out. He didn’t know if the three were going to grab her, or worse, attack her in the alley. She could end up kidnapped, violated, or dead. He felt his blood heating and his muscles expanding. He wouldn’t shift, but he’d need the extra strength. The three were within feet of her. Jace sprinted to close
the distance.
She looked over her shoulder just as the gruff one reached for her, claws extending from his fingers. In a flash, her face contorted from curiosity to deadly fright. A high-pitched scream pierced the air. Her umbrella fell away and rain splashed her face. The coffee cup slipped from her grip, and the top flew off, the liquid splashing her jeans as she attempted to run.
The gruff one was quick to lay a hand on her before she could gain any momentum. He gripped her shoulder and drew her back. The leader took hold of her other arm and placed a hand over her mouth to silence her cries. The husky one chuckled — until Jace knocked the side of his head, with his fist, from behind.
Immediately the heads of the other two turned in his direction. Two pairs of glowing eyes swerved to the unconscious form of their companion slumped against the alley wall.
“Let her go,” Jace said, his voice an octave lower than normal. Her heartbeat was rapid and erratic, and from beneath the palm covering her mouth, Jace heard soft, fearful whimpers. The sound nearly sent him over the edge of transformation, but he stopped the process after his nails extended a couple of inches from his fingertips.
“Come and get her,” the gruff one replied.
It had been a long time since Jace had faced his own kind in serious combat. Although he worked out daily to stay in shape for his job, he wasn’t quite sure he’d win a fight with two full-grown lycans.
But he was going to try.
Adrenaline surged through his body as the prospect of an all-out brawl with these two strangely excited him. He fisted his hands. Neither man appeared willing to move forward; their hands held fast to their prey. It didn’t matter to Jace. He was always good at attacking.
The gruff man’s cry turned into a howl and he snatched his hand away from the girl, gripping it. She had bit him, and the momentary distraction allowed her to wiggle from the grasp of the leader. He was back on her in a split second and she fell to the ground with a groan.
Jace lunged at the gruff one. His first blow to the face was blocked, but he was the quicker mover and landed a solid punch to the gut, followed by a slice of nails to the man’s face. He sensed the lycan’s change was imminent, and the only way to stop it was to knock him out. With the man doubled over, Jace smashed his knee into the man’s jaw, snapping his neck back and sending him to the ground.
The leader growled at Jace, appearing undecided as to whether to join in the fight or keep his paws on the girl. His face began to elongate, and his nails dug into the flesh of the young woman, who cried out in pain. He watched as Jace kicked the face of the gruff one, who had propped himself up on one shaky arm. He was out cold.
Jace breathed heavily, taxed by the effort of willing himself not to shift. For generations now, lycans had developed the strength to resist the pull of the moon. The cloudy night hid his master; even a sliver of it made the transformation all the more easy. Rain continued to pelt them, and it cooled the hot skin of his face. “Let. Her. Go.”
The last man standing made no attempt either to obey Jace’s command or to run. The woman was whimpering now, and trying in vain to forcibly remove the man’s hand.
“I’ve got my orders.”
That piqued Jace’s interest. “From who?”
“No one you know.”
“Why do you want her?”
“None of your business.”
“You attack a defenseless woman in the dark of night…I’m making it my business.”
Jace took a step forward with his fists raised. The woman stumbled as the man shoved her toward the wall of a nearby building. She groaned when she hit it with force. Jace willed his attention on the man in front of him and not the girl. He could check her for injuries after knocking this guy out.
Jace moved swiftly with a series of jabs and hooks. The man was skilled in hand-to-hand combat, deftly deflecting Jace’s attempts to connect with any part of his upper torso. Jace missed a block, but leaned back just as the hairs on the man’s hands brushed the tip of his chin. This lycan showed no signs of tiring, and Jace decided to change tactics.
A skilled wrestler, Jace lunged shoulder first into the guy’s abdomen and sent them both to the ground. The man grunted at the impact of the full weight of Jace’s two hundred and ten pounds of muscle on his front and the cold, hard concrete on his back. Jace quickly flipped the man onto his stomach and locked one leg before securing an arm and his neck in a headlock. His opponent struggled against the constricting grip of Jace’s arm around his neck, but only for a few seconds. In moments, the man was unconscious.
Jace disentangled himself and immediately eyed the other two men. The hunchback had awakened and was pulling the gruff one from the ground, but when he noticed Jace staring at him, he turned and ran from the alley. We’re not sticking around either. Jace moved to where the woman was struggling to stand and swept her up in his arms.
“No,” she murmured. Her hands were balled into fists. She pushed weakly against his chest and turned her head away.
“You’re safe,” Jace whispered. He clutched her close and jogged toward her apartment building. When they had reached the door, the security guard opened the door and allowed Jace to enter. He looked with concern at the pair. “What happened? Is she all right?”
“She was just attacked in the alley, but I think she’s okay.”
“I’ll call the police.” The guard picked up the phone’s receiver.
“No!” Jace knew he’d erred when the security guard eyed him suspiciously. “I’m a friend. I’ll just take her up to her room.” Without waiting for the guard’s approval, Jace located the elevators and pressed the button. The doors of an available car opened and Jace stepped inside. When the doors closed and they were alone, Jace gently sat her on the floor. He opened the satchel wrapped around her shoulders and looked inside for anything that would give him an indication of her apartment number. He noticed a white envelope with a name on it.
Kira Jones…703.
He punched the number seven.
A pair of brown eyes — the color of dark amber — opened and their gazes locked. That’s when it happened. His body suddenly grew cold, yet the depths of his soul burned hot. All of his senses were trained on her. Her fragrance filled his nose, and her scent penetrated deep. He could taste her on his tongue. His heart pumped blood furiously throughout his body, and parts of him hummed with life. As it had in the alleyway, his animal nature began to take over and he feared he might shift right in front of her. But he couldn’t look away. And neither did she. The longer their stares held, the more his body responded involuntarily.
No…I can’t be…
Severing the connection was impossible on his end, and she didn’t free him of her lingering gaze. He was completely powerless. All rational thought disappeared and a singular focus came into being.
Her.
She blinked; the spell broke. Jace released a heavy gasp and nearly fell into her. He heaved and inhaled more of her scent while his weighted breath came rapidly. His eyes found hers again, his body slowly coming back under his control.
She looked at him with a strange sort of awareness. Her eyes drifted down his frame and back up to his eyes. He felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment and…shyness? With two hands, she shoved his shoulders hard, sending him backwards. He caught himself.
“What did you just do?” she asked angrily. Her brown eyes, now sharp, scanned his form once, twice, then three times. “You didn’t, did you?” she whispered shakily. “Oh my gosh. You did. I know you did. Did you just imprint on me?”
“What?” he barely choked out. Did she just say “imprint”? She was a human. What did she know about lycans? “How did you…” Had he just given away his secret? Did she know he was a lycan?
He shook his head, but the fog in his mind remained. He’d almost identified himself as a lycan — a rule rarely broken by his kind for fear that the knowledge would be used against them. Humans were known deceivers and opportunists. He’d heard one too many s
tories of a lycan bragging about his abilities to a human who’d traded that information to their sworn enemy: vampires.
“What do you know about…?” He forced himself not to continue. The urge to discuss the situation nearly had him reveal what he was to her — again. He foolishly contemplated ignoring the last few things she’d said. She had hit her head and maybe she wouldn’t remember anything after a good night’s sleep.
Sleep. How was he going to leave her now? Imprinting was a strong dictator of actions. Very strong. His father had never told him how impossible it would be for him to focus on anything but the woman he would imprint on. Jace wished he’d been more prepared for the intense feelings and desires coursing through him. He was sweating. Buckets. And his hands itched to touch her skin.
“You did, didn’t you? You just imprinted on me,” she repeated. Her cappuccino-colored skin paled, particularly around a dark lump on her forehead. He hadn’t noticed it before.
“You’re hurt.” He reached out a hand to touch the injury, but she slid away. The rejection cut him deep. He wasn’t going to hurt her. He could never hurt her. Didn’t she know that?
The bell of the elevator chimed and the doors opened. She crawled out, saying, “I think I’m going to be sick.”