For just a moment, their eyes met and she felt as though she could see right through to his very soul.
‘Tamriel,’ he hissed, his breath brushing across her lips.
Heat roared through her, warming her to the very tips of her toes and her head spun as his mouth slowly, oh so slowly, moved towards hers.
He lifted his hand and buried it deep in her hair as he cradled her, holding her closely against him, crushing her into his chest.
His scent swam around her, creating a blanket of heat and safety as she relished in the feel of him, arching her body, pressing herself as close to him as she could physically get.
After a few painstaking moments, his mouth brushed hers, only slightly but enough for her to taste him, for her lips to burn with the need for more, for him to press her against him and let her lose herself in him for all eternity.
She could have sworn that sparks literally crackled between them as they slowly pressed their lips together. She wanted him.
‘Are you decent, Tamriel?’ Doc barked from the other side of the door, bringing them both crashing harshly back down to reality.
Leyth cursed as he tucked her head against his chest, wrapping his arms around her, making her breasts sway gently as she moved.
He took a deep breath. ‘Not yet,’ he growled. Visibly collecting himself, Leyth moved away, holding her at arm’s length.
‘Looking mighty fine there, Tamriel,’ he said, studiously keeping his eyes on her face and away from her bare skin.
‘Fank you,’ she said around her long and pointy teeth, her face going red in embarrassment. Crap. The first chance she’d had to really get close this man and she had frigging canines in the way.
She sternly told her wolf to rein it in, but thanked her nonetheless for staying. Relief washing through her, she was glad that animal was there; though she had really only just found her wolf, that half of her soul was as much a part of her as her own skin. She couldn’t imagine life without the heat of the second half of her soul, now she’d finally found her.
Leyth chuckled, handed her a pair of scrubs he’d found somewhere, and helped her pull them on. Once she was decent, he sat on the bed beside her and ran his fingers through her long black and red hair.
Ahhhh! That’s where the red streaks came from! she thought, suddenly putting two and two together. Red wolf, weird dream, red streaks.
It was all coming together!
‘So, um,’ Leyth said after a while, ‘nice ears.’
‘Shit,’ Tam snapped, shooting a hand to the top of her skull. Sure as hell, the two wolf ears were still in place, the furry points sticking out from the crown of her head. ‘My ears were the first things I managed to shift,’ she muttered by way of explanation.
‘Amazing,’ he said, stroking the tips. ‘Your eyes are different too.’
‘That might explain why the lights are so horribly bright,’ she huffed.
‘How did you do this?’
‘Do what?’
‘Only shift part of your body? I’ve never heard of a wolf being able to do that before.’ He continued to gape at her.
‘I don’t know, I was trying to listen to something when I was in the—’
‘Circle’s base,’ he finished for her and she looked at him sharply.
‘That was a base for the bad guys?’
‘Yeah. Thanks to you, we managed to rescue several captives, including Alison.’
‘The blonde?’
‘Yeah, she’s Julian’s sister; the male you spoke to earlier? He’s the alpha here, sort of our leader if you get me?’
‘That makes sense. Is she OK?’
‘Yeah she seems to be, she still hasn’t woken up though.’
‘She was out of it when I found her, I had to drag her back.’ She cringed at the memories as they flared to life. He stroked her hair, whispering silent words of comfort as she pushed them away.
‘Can I leave them for now?’ she said, fingering one of the ears. ‘It won’t get stuck like this, will it?’
‘Of course you can!’ he laughed. ‘Not that I know of, you and your wolf have clearly bonded; once you’ve done that, you’re partners for life, two halves of a whole. You should be able to shift as much as you like. Or partially shift, as the case may be.’
‘Partially shift?’ Doc said walking through the door, stopping dead in his tracks and eyeing her with intense curiosity. ‘Nice ears!’
‘Yeah. Everyone seems to think so.’ She grinned.
‘That’s astonishing! Not even full-blooded wolves can partially shift, not that we know of anyway!’
‘Well, us half-breeds clearly have an edge that you don’t.’
‘I have a great love for half-breeds, don’t you get sassy with me,’ he chuckled, walking over to her and giving her a once-over.
‘It’s amazing that you survived the change without—’ He shot a glance at Leyth.
‘Proper directions, but to partially shift? It’s unheard of.’
‘But I’ve seen your canines when you were in human, uh, form,’ she said to Leyth, ‘I think I have anyway.’
‘Yeah, when you call to the wolf, the first part of the shifting process is the teeth, the second you call to your wolf, your canines will come out. It’s just the way it is. I’ve never heard of anyone being able to shift any other part of their body without completely shifting though.’
‘It’s just amazing,’ Doc finished for him. ‘Do you mind if I check your wounds?’
Tamriel lay back on the bed and shuffled the scrubs out of the way so he could inspect her.
‘They’re healing nicely, but I’d still like to bandage you up and give you some painkillers if that’s OK?’
‘Yeah.’ She grinned.
Doc made quick work of re-cleaning the large gashes and applying cream to them, the ones on her stomach needed a few stiches, but her leg wasn’t as bad. He wrapped gauze and bandage around her stomach and leg, and gave her special slippers to wear for her feet.
‘Sleep is what you need. Go and get some rest, Leyth. Do you want her to stay in your room or in here?’
‘She can crash in my room, it will be more comfortable. If that’s OK?’ He glanced at her, and she could have sworn his cheeks flushed a little red.
‘Yeah, I’d like that,’ she muttered, blushing right back at him.
‘Right. I mean it. Sleep. You need to let your body heal.’ He eyed the two of them for a minute before adding, ‘As soon as you wake up, try shifting again, it will make the wounds heal faster.’
Tamriel wobbled at first, getting used to walking on two feet again. Leyth slipped an arm around her and subtly helped her walk through the door and out of the clinic; thankfully there weren’t too many people around, though most of the medical rooms were now occupied. She recognised some of the voices. One of them was the shifter, Carl?
‘Hey, guys.’ Sapphire stuck her head out of the door. ‘How are you feeling, Tamriel?’
‘Better, thank you.’ Tam grinned, eyeing the female. Her red hair was tied in a heavy braid that fell over her shoulder, her green eyes locked on to Tam’s. She recognised that female on such a deep level it was truly strange, lord only knew where from though.
‘Are you going to eat?’ The female smiled widely at her. Hell, she’d met her before, she was absolutely sure of it.
‘Sure, come with us.’ Tam grinned, subtly looking her up and down. She really reminded her of someone now, but she just couldn’t put her finger on it.
‘Cool.’ Sapphire gave her a toothy smile, her bright-green eyes sparkling underneath the overhead lights, eyes that looked nigh-on exactly the same as Tamriel’s own eyes.
She wrinkled her nose as Sapphire strode forward, her hips swaying,
Together, they left the warehouse-style area that made up the clinic’s many rooms and came back through the large wooden doors into the mansion’s reception area.
‘Hope you’re not too hungry.’ Sapphire glanced over her shoulder with a grimace.
‘The kitchen is not a pleasant place in a house full of men!’
Leyth motioned her towards the doors on the left of the grand staircase and Tamriel let herself be taken into a large, empty room; there was literally nothing in it but a few chairs scattered around with leather jackets strewn over them. The room itself was beautiful, but worn by time.
On the left-hand side, there was yet another set of heavy wooden doors, these led into a kitchen that was almost industrial.
Stainless-steel surfaces were strewn with empty pizza boxes, beer cans and crisp wrappers. The coffee pot was mouldy, the cupboards open and bare.
Leyth hit the fridge, obviously trying to find something vaguely edible as Tamriel leant against the counter, trying desperately to ease her aching body.
‘So, Tamriel, how have you been?’ Saph smiled at her again.
‘Good, thank you, considering.’ The two of them eyed each other with interest for a moment. ‘Where do I know you from?’ Tamriel finally asked. Something about her made her feel so comfortable. It was almost like she was a home away from home in some sense.
‘Tamriel Chambers,’ Sapphire said, as if that explained everything,
‘Er, yes?’
‘My mother’s maiden name was De La’Cie.’
Tamriel’s jaw dropped open. She now realised exactly who Saph reminded her of, it was her own mother. ‘Your mother was Erin De La’Cie?’
‘Yes. And your mother was Ellie De La’Cie, before she married John?’
‘So that means—’
‘I’m your cousin, Tam.’
‘Good God. I haven’t seen you since we were—’
‘Five!’ Saph finished for her.
‘How do you… how did you…’
‘End up here?’
‘Yeah?’
‘Well, when my mother passed away all those years ago, Dad and I ended up joining Julian’s pack. We met them through John, your father.’
‘And my mother obviously did almost the polar opposite, staying away from the pack and keeping the two of us in the normal world, so to speak.’ Tam eyed the female; no wonder she’d felt so drawn to her, she was family.
‘So you know my father is alive?’
‘Yes, he didn’t want to involve you in the pack and force you to live under the Council’s rule if he could help it.’
‘Does my mother know?’
‘I don’t know, Tam, I’m sorry.’ She paused, considering her words. ‘Are you going to tell her about it?’
Tam thought about that for a moment. She really did need to phone her mother and tell her everything she’d learnt over the last week or so.
‘I will, but not yet. I don’t want her to worry unnecessarily.’
‘You want to wait until you’ve found out for sure about your father?’
‘Something like that.’
‘That makes sense.’ Sapphire looked at her for a long moment, before striding over and wrapping her in a spine-crushing hug. ‘I’ve missed you and Auntie Ellie, you know. It’s been lonely since Father died.’
‘I’ve missed you too, Saph.’
As the two of them stood, embracing each other for possibly the first time in almost two decades, Tamriel couldn’t help but smile. This really was home, she even had kin here.
‘Fancy ordering some food?’
‘Yeah, pizza?’ Tamriel suggested, as her stomach rumbled.
Christ, she felt like she hadn’t eaten in years. She was starved.
‘I’m gonna get it ordered up to my room, I think.’ Saph said, stepping back. ‘I need to get cleaned up and so do you two.’
Tamriel nodded, suddenly feeling grimy.
‘You should talk to your mother, Tam. If she’s anything like my mother, she will already know most of it anyway.’
‘Yeah, mothers have a way of doing that.’ Tam grinned at the thought, though the expression on Sapphire’s face made her frown suddenly.
‘No, I mean if she’s anything like my mother was, she will already know.’ And with that, the female spun on her heel and strode out, waving over her shoulder, leaving Tamriel standing in the kitchen, confused as hell.
‘Right.’ Leyth stalked over to the phone. ‘Hi. Yeah, would you mind grabbing us some takeout? Yeah. Pizza, pepperoni?’ He glanced at her and she nodded. She seemed to be living on pizza lately.
‘Yeah, two of us, make it two large. Thanks. My room. Thanks, bye!’
‘The pizza guy delivers straight to your room?’
‘No, we have uh, staff, that are employed by the Council. If there are humans found with wolf blood, they get sent here to, uh, “serve” us.’
She scowled at him, but he hastily continued before she could start cursing him. ‘We refuse to let them work as such; Julian’s fond of our wolves, half-breed or no, they are still pack.’
‘Ah, so that’s why this place is so grubby.’ She grinned.
‘Yeah.’ Leyth eyed the kitchen with new-found disgust. ‘The problem is, most of them were raised here, and they want to work, to help around the house. Julian doesn’t like it, he feels like he’s making them do it. So he built them all houses on the land and tells them not to do anything.’
‘Why would they want to be servants?’
‘Honestly? I think it’s because they don’t want to fight the tuhrned.’
‘That makes sense, and I suppose it’s just like any other job really.’ Tam tossed this idea around in her mind for a second. ‘Why won’t Julian let them look after the land and the houses though? If this is pack-land, and they want to help, stopping them is just as bad as making them do it. Why not just let them do whatever it is they want to do?’
‘That’s a good point.’ Julian laughed, walking through the door and opening the fridge. He leant against the surface. ‘Nice ears.’
‘So everyone keeps telling me,’ Tamriel muttered, grabbing her own beer and cracking the lid.
‘Doc told me you managed to work out how to partially shift. That’s really interesting.’ He looked at her for a long moment. ‘When you’re feeling up to it, mind walking me through how you did that?’
‘Sure thing, but I’m not entirely sure myself.’ She grinned.
‘Cool, would be a good thing to learn.’ He turned to leave. ‘I’m guessing you two are going to try and get some rest. Come and find me when you’re up and about.’ And with that he was gone.
Leyth slipped an arm around her waist and led her out of the room. When they reached the stairs, he swept her up into his arms and carried her up them; she couldn’t help but chuckle.
When they arrived at the top, he carried her past various empty rooms until they came to one near the end. He cracked the door and plopped her on the huge double bed.
‘This is where I’m crashing at the moment,’ he said.
‘Nice.’ She eyed the room. Not much in it, to be honest; bed, wardrobe, a few pairs of trousers and a few jackets strewn about the place. There was a suitcase that had been practically ripped open and a bathroom with a towel.
That was about it.
‘Sorry there’s not much here,’ he muttered, watching her as she lay back against the pillows and sighed.
It was just nice to be warm, dry, and with Leyth.
God, Tamriel looked so beautiful lying back on his pillows, Leyth thought. Her fragile body was dominated by his huge bed. It took every ounce of strength he had not to stalk over to her and wrap himself around her, but he kept himself in check. Now was not the time. She was healing and more than a little vulnerable.
Instead, he reached into a cupboard and tugged out one of the blankets folded at the top and draped it across her.
He then lay his own aching body down on the bed next to her and propped himself up on his elbow.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered, looking him directly in the eye.
‘For what?’
‘Finding me.’
‘Tamriel, I shouldn’t have lost you in the first place.’
‘No,’ she said, determ
ination hardening her features as she looked up at him with those wide green eyes of hers. ‘It was my fault. I’ve always dived headfirst into situations before really thinking about it. My father always said that was my one major downfall, and I always said it would make me a good investigative reporter.’ With a grimace she added, ‘Turns out it’s not such a good quality after all.’
‘There is no such thing as a bad quality where you’re concerned,’ Leyth mumbled, reaching up and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
‘You know, I always liked the idea of being a private investigator. For some reason I’ve always been drawn to investigative work, I’ve just never been patient enough.’
‘It’s the wolf in you.’ He grinned. ‘You enjoy the hunt.’
‘Yeah, I guess that must be it.’ She drew her hand up so it was resting lightly on top of his.
‘Leyth, I missed you. I know it sounds mad, we’ve known each other for such a small amount of time. But I missed you when I was, you know. Away.’
‘It doesn’t sound mad. I missed you too.’ He gently stroked her cheek as he said it, watching her as she turned her head and kissed his palm. Her touch sent ripples of heat skirting through him, shooting directly to his treacherous manhood.
As he looked at her, he wished like hell he could understand what was happening to them. In his heart he knew, yet he wasn’t sure he wanted to find out for certain.
‘Leyth,’ she whispered. The strength in her voice spoke of a female who knew what she wanted, and was determined to get it.
‘Yes.’ Yet, as he looked into her beautiful eyes, eyes that sparkled as they met his, he could almost see the conflict behind that stunning green stare. He knew she felt as he did, and he was so strongly drawn to her that it was possibly the hardest thing he’d ever had to do, to try and keep any sort of distance between them.