“She’s exactly my age—we’re twins,” Sadie said. “But fraternal, not identical.”
Fiona arched one auburn eyebrow. “And is she experiencing the same symptoms you are?”
“Not that I know of. I think she would have said something.”
“Well then—she’s probably safe. The Gene has been known to skip members of a family, even twins.” Fiona looked pleased.
“What? But how is that scientifically possible?” Sadie protested. “I mean, we’re twins—we should have most of the same DNA including the Juvie Gene.”
“Indeed, my dear but there’s nothing scientific about it,” Fiona said. “Ultimately it is the will of Lady Moon that decides which female will have the Gene and which female’s Gene will activate. Perhaps she simply doesn’t have plans for your sister to become a Juvie. If she’s your age with no male to claim her and she still hasn’t begun the Rejuvenation process, she should be all right.” She smiled. “There—that’s one less worry off your mind, I’m sure.”
“Um, I guess so.” Sadie wasn’t at all sure she believed that some unknown deity held her sister’s fate in her hands, but Fiona seemed certain that if Sammie hadn’t started going through Rejuvenation so far, she probably wouldn’t start it now. That was a good thing—she hadn’t been looking forward to explaining to Samantha that her body would soon undergo a process which would make her physically twenty years younger and send her into a state of hyperfertility which would result in sex with a stranger under the full moon. And don’t forget the whole turning into a prehistoric animal afterward, a sarcastic little voice whispered in her head. Can’t leave that out—it’s practically the best part.
“Well, I’m glad I could put your mind at ease.” Fiona smiled at her.
“Thank you.” Sadie rubbed her temples again. “Now if only you could help me get rid of this headache.” She looked around the crowded shelves. “Do you sell ibuprofen here? You know—Advil?”
“Oh, Advil won’t help that headache, my dear. What you need is the touch of an Alpha.” Fiona nodded wisely.
“But—” Sadie began but just then the shop bell jingled and another customer came in.
Feeling that she couldn’t take up any more of Fiona’s time, Sadie left the Cougarville Chemist with a sigh. It seemed that her life was about to get a whole lot more interesting than she had ever bargained for.
She just wished she could have Mathis to help her through it.
Seventeen
Rubbing her throbbing temples, Sadie trudged back to her office and let herself in the front door. The reception area was empty so she got quite a shock when she walked back to her private office area and found Liam Keller lounging like a lazy cat behind her desk.
“Mr. Keller?” Sadie stopped just inside the doorway and put a hand to her racing heart. “What are you doing here? And how did you get in? I was sure I locked the door.”
“Locks don’t bother me.” Keller shrugged, as though her locked door was a minor annoyance at best. “I came to make sure you’d received my gifts. And to bring you another one.” He raised a brown paper bag with grease stains on the side. “I brought you a Sloppy Sally—that’s our famous pulled pork sandwich down at the Den—along with a side of slaw. And fries, of course.” He smiled, showing teeth much longer and sharper than Sadie remembered them being the day before.
“Mr. Keller—”
“Liam, please.” He gave her a lazy grin.
“Mr. Keller,” Sadie said again firmly, as she stepped all the way into her office. “I am very grateful for all you’ve done for me since I got here but you can’t just come in my office unannounced like this.”
“Actually, I can.” He grinned and shrugged, his broad shoulders rippling under the expensive-looking dark green sweater he wore. “I own this building—I’m your landlord, Sadie.”
“You are?” Sadie was nonplussed. “I didn’t know. The rental agency—”
“Is also owned by me. So you see—” He broke off abruptly and sat up, his nose wrinkling. “What the hell?”
“What—” Sadie began but before she could get another word out, Keller was striding around the desk and invading her personal space.
Taking her by the shoulders, he pushed her up against the wall. Pressing his face to her neck, he inhaled deeply. The feel of his skin against hers made Sadie shiver.
“Mr. Keller, please!” She tried to shove him away but it was like pushing against a brick wall. He was at least as big as Mathis and apparently not inclined to stop sniffing her until he felt like it. “Get off me!” she demanded.
At last he stepped back, a grim look on his handsome face.
“Why is another male’s scent all over you?” he demanded. “Not just any male—that fool of an herbivore, Mathis!” His eyes narrowed. “And you’re wearing the same clothing you had on yesterday. Did you spend the night with him?”
Sadie felt her face go hot but she straightened her rumpled sweater with dignity. So much for being a gentleman—clearly her buried instincts had been correct. Liam Keller was not a nice guy.
“That isn’t any of your business,” she said icily. “It’s between Mathis and me.”
He scowled. “So you’ve made your choice? Did you let him bond you to him?”
Sadie frowned. “Well—”
“Wait, of course not!” Keller laughed suddenly. “He had a mate before and his kind can only bond once. Idiotic herbivores. So he can’t form a life-bond with you.”
“I like Mathis,” Sadie said stiffly. “And anything we have between us stays between us. You have nothing to do with it or with me.”
“Oh, no?” He raised one eyebrow at her mockingly. “You might be singing a different tune come tonight when the moon is full, my lovely Sadie. You’ll need a male to breed you and bond you—one who’s Alpha enough to help you find your true form.”
“That . . . that might not happen,” Sadie denied uneasily. “Fiona told me sometimes it takes a long time to reach that, uh, point. And I haven’t been Rejuvenating for that long. I only noticed the major changes a few days ago on my birthday.”
“Did Fiona also tell you an Alpha can smell when you’re getting ripe?” He sniffed her again. “And under all that herbivore stink, I can tell you’re getting extremely ripe and ready, my pretty little Juvie.”
“You’re lying!” Sadie exclaimed.
“Most certainly not. When you first came in, you were rubbing your temples—you’ve been having a headache that won’t go away. Correct?” He raised his eyebrows at her.
“Well . . . yes,” Sadie admitted grudgingly.
“But just now it’s gone. Also correct?”
“Mostly,” Sadie lied. Actually, the headache had drifted away as mysteriously as it had come in the first place.
“That’s because I touched you, my little Juvie.” Keller stroked her cheek lightly with his fingertips. “The touch of an Alpha is the only thing that can alleviate such pain. And it will be the only thing that can help you tonight.”
“Don’t touch me!” Sadie jerked her head away from his light caress.
“Even if my touch ceases your pain?” he murmured.
“Even so,” Sadie said evenly. “I’d like you to leave my office, but before you do, I need to talk to you about paying for the tires you sent my way yesterday.”
“No payment necessary,” Keller said silkily. “The tires were a gift. As was the cheeseburger yesterday and lunch today.” He nodded at the bag still sitting on her desk.
Sadie frowned suspiciously. “Why are you so eager to give me gifts? Is there some kind of Shifter law that says if you give a Juvie enough gifts you have some kind of claim on her?”
“Very shrewd.” Keller’s leaf-green eyes narrowed speculatively. “Actually, there is a Shifter tradition that any female who accepts three gifts from a male is technically under his protection . . . which gives him a claim on her when it comes to making her his mate.”
“What?” Sadie demanded. “Then
I most definitely don’t want this.” She marched to the desk and held out the bag to him. “No thank you.”
Keller lifted an eyebrow. “You’re refusing my offer? You could do worse, you know. I’m ruling Alpha of the largest Shifter group in town. The Cougars outnumber other Shifters at least three to one. Hence the town name.”
“I don’t care about that,” Sadie said, frowning. “I don’t like being tricked into a relationship. I am not interested.”
“But you will be.” Keller’s eyes gleamed. “Your Rejuvenation is far advanced. Anyone with a nose can tell it, despite the fact that you’ve tried to cover it with herbivore stench.” His nose wrinkled. “When the full moon rises tonight, you’ll feel the breeding fever and if you don’t have a male to slake it—if you don’t have an Alpha to breed you—why then, you’ll die.” He shrugged. “It’s as simple as that.
Sadie felt a chill run down her spine.
“Die? What are you talking about?”
“Oh, is that another fact Fiona failed to mention?” He gave her a look of bland concern. “What a shame. Yes, I’m very much afraid it will be breed or die for you once the moon rises tonight. When that time comes, you might not find the idea of being mated to me quite so distasteful.”
“But why?” Sadie shook her head. “Why would you want me, I mean? I’m at least thirteen or fourteen years older than you and you don’t even know me.”
“Very true,” Keller said coolly. “But I wish to pass on my Genes and have a son to rule my Den after I am gone. Only a Juvie can give me that and as you are the only Juvie who has been seen in town for years, I very much wish to claim and mate you.”
“But you don’t love me,” Sadie protested.
He frowned. “Who said love had to be a prerequisite for mating? I’ve never let a female touch my heart and I’m not about to start now. We can, however, treat it like a business transaction. I’ll help you take care of your monthly cravings and you can raise the child however you see fit as long as I have regular visitation rights.”
“Wow, you make it sound so romantic,” Sadie said flatly. “Like a ready-made divorce.”
He shrugged, a smooth catlike gesture that seemed more animal than human.
“As I said, romance does not need to enter into the equation at all. In fact, I think it’s probably better if it doesn’t. Having feelings for someone only muddies the water and makes complications.”
Sadie narrowed her eyes. “It sounds to me like you’re speaking from experience. Did someone hurt you in the past?”
“Not at all.” He frowned. “I just prefer to remain . . . unattached emotionally. So . . .” He raised an eyebrow at her. “What do you say? Why don’t you come down to the Cougar’s Den with me and have lunch if you don’t want the sandwich I brought? Just think about the idea.”
“I don’t have to think about it.” Sadie took a deep breath. “My answer is no. I don’t want a relationship—especially a permanent one—without love and passion and caring.”
Keller spread his hands, his expensive Rolex glinting on his wrist.
“I’m afraid I have no love and caring to give. Although I can manage passion.” There was an animal lust in his silver-green eyes that made Sadie shiver. “Quite easily, in fact.”
“No, thank you,” Sadie said, though a little voice inside her head was asking if she was doing the right thing. Since Mathis didn’t want her, she might be turning down a proposition that could save her life. But she’d just gotten out of a loveless relationship—no matter what the consequences, Sadie just couldn’t see getting into another one. There had to be another way. “No,” she said again, more firmly.
“Suit yourself.” Keller shrugged laconically and headed for the door. “Don’t bother coming with me—I can find my own way out.” He gave her another grin. “The same way I found my way in.”
It was on the tip of Sadie’s tongue to say something really nasty about trespassing assholes but just then her cell phone rang the Grey’s Anatomy theme. As Keller left her office, she fumbled around in the depths of her purse until she located it.
“Sammie!” she exclaimed, bringing it to her ear.
“Sadie—there you are! I’ve been trying to get you for ages but reception in your new hometown sucks.” Her sister sounded happy and perfectly well.
A weight Sadie hadn’t known she’d been carrying fell off her shoulders—she’d been worried when she couldn’t get her twin on the phone. There had been a nagging concern in the back of her mind that Samantha might be in some kind of danger. Now that her fears proved to be unfounded, Sadie felt the tight ball of uncertainty in the pit of her stomach relaxing.
“I’m so glad to hear your voice,” she said. “I was worried about you!”
“Not half as worried as I was about you.” Now Samantha sounded slightly reproving. “I could be in Sin City right now listening to lectures on all the latest trauma techniques and flirting with cute surgeons from around the world. Instead I’m sitting at this hole-in-the-wall bar and grill place eating the best bacon cheeseburger I’ve ever had in my life.”
“What?” Sadie felt as though someone had suddenly injected ice water into her veins. “Say that again? Where are you, Sammie?”
“At this local joint—the Cougar’s Den. When I first came in, the owner told me he knows you—tall, good-looking guy with brown hair and killer eyes? He seemed like kind of an asshole at first, but when he found out I was your sister, he offered to pay for both our lunches. Wasn’t that nice?”
“Oh, no!” Sadie wanted to shout but somehow her voice came out as more of a whisper. “Sammie, please tell me you didn’t accept his offer.”
“Of course I did,” Samantha said cheerfully. “You know me—I’m not one to turn down a free meal. So come on over and eat with me before the fries get cold.”
“I’m coming,” Sadie said faintly. She hung up her phone and got to her feet on wobbly legs. Leaving her purse and coat and everything else, she left her office as quickly as she could . . . and nearly ran into Keller, who was lounging indolently against the doorway in the reception area.
“So,” he said, giving her a cat-that-got-the-cream smirk. “I take it we’ll be having lunch together after all.”
“You bastard,” Sadie snarled. “You’d better not hurt my sister! If you so much as touch one hair on her head—”
“Sadie, please.” Somehow Keller made his predatory green eyes wide and innocent. “I would never harm your sister in any way. After all, it’s not her I’m interested in—though she is distractingly lovely, I smell no scent of Rejuvenation on her. You are the one of interest to me.”
Sadie frowned. “So then . . . you’ll let her go?”
“Certainly.” Keller gave her a lazy shark’s smile. “As soon as you agree to be my mate.”
“What? No!” Sadie exclaimed. “You can’t do that! You can’t use my sister as a bargaining chip to get into a relationship with me.”
“I believe I just did,” Keller said mildly. He offered Sadie his arm and nodded at the front door of her office. “Shall we go? I believe your lovely sister is waiting.”
Seething with rage, Sadie pushed out of the office and headed down Main Street to the Cougar’s Den. How dare Keller treat Samantha like a hostage to get her to go with him? This was the most outrageous thing she’d been subjected to yet and that was saying something considering the crazy experiences she’d already had in Cougarville.
Keller trailing behind her, laughed softly. Sadie had the violent and most unladylike urge to kick him, but what good would it do? Instead she fumed quietly, pointedly ignoring him.
As she marched down Main Street toward the Cougar’s Den, she couldn’t help thinking nothing in Cougarville was as it seemed. The quiet, sleepy-looking little town was home to creatures from a dark fairy tale—one of which she herself was about to become. Mathis, her gruff and scary neighbor, had turned out to be a kind man—a considerate and tender lover. And Keller, who had seemed so urbane
and charming, was just a thug in expensive clothes.
Well, so much for first impressions.
“Sadie! It’s so good to see you!” The minute she and Keller entered the dim interior of the Cougar’s Den, Samantha came rushing up to greet her. Sadie enfolded her twin in a hug, glad despite everything else that was going on, to be with her again.
“I missed you, Sammie,” she said, pulling back at last. “But we need to go.”
“Not until you’ve had lunch! They make the most amazing cheeseburger here. Come on.” Samantha started pulling her back to the bar table she’d been sitting at but Sadie resisted.
“I’ve tried it,” she said, throwing Keller an unfriendly glance that he returned with a bland look. “I don’t want anything else this place has to offer.”
“Why?” Samantha studied her face anxiously and then frowned. “Sadie,” she said. “What’s going on with you—you look so young. Like you did when we were in college. I thought you were kidding or exaggerating with all that stuff you told me over the phone. But this—”
“It’s a long story.” Sadie started pulling her back toward the door of the Cougar’s Den. “I’ll tell you outside.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let you ladies leave. Not yet.”
Keller was suddenly blocking their path, muscular arms crossed over his broad chest.
“What do you mean?” Samantha, who was about four inches shorter than Sadie, which made her well over a foot and a half shorter than Keller, glared up at him fearlessly. “Have you changed your mind about lunch being on the house? Because I can pay—you don’t have to be a jerk about it.”
“I’m afraid I’m not looking for monetary compensation.” Keller smirked at Sadie. “Your sister knows what I want—ask her.”
“What does he want?” Samantha asked, turning to her. “What the hell is going on, Sadie?”
“Like I said, it’s a long and extremely crazy story.” Sadie glared at Keller. “This isn’t the right way to get a girlfriend, in case you’re wondering.”
“I told you before—I don’t want a girlfriend or any kind of romantic attachment,” he said blandly. “Just agree to be my mate and bear my child and I’ll let you go.” He smirked. “Although I guarantee you’ll be running back the moment the moon rises.”