That was the problem with living for so long—he couldn’t be as hands-on as he’d prefer. But he managed. The people who worked for him thought him the great-grandson of the founder. Or was it great-great-grandson? He’d lost track.
“Wow. I never would have thought that.” When he raised a brow in question, she laughed, and a light red tinge covered her cheeks. “I would have said wilderness guide or wildlife photographer, maybe that you worked on the oil rigs or fishing. Something more physical.”
“Ah.” Most folks looked at him, noted his size, and couldn’t see past it. He’d expected better from her.
“I’m so sorry. I know better than to judge people by their looks.” She leaned forward and reached out to him. “I truly am sorry. That’s the second time I’ve judged you unfairly this morning.”
He couldn’t even be mad with her, because he wasn’t exactly what he was presenting himself to be. Unwilling and unable to reject her overture, he took her hand. “It’s okay.”
Her smile was so very sad. “No, it’s not.” She stared out the small window at the snowy landscape. “People are always more than what they seem. Everyone has a story.”
“And what’s your story?” He had to ask, even if it drove her away. Sure enough, she withdrew her hand and sat back. He missed her touch, the heat from her skin.
“You really want to know?”
His heart raced. He had no idea if a vamp’s heart actually needed to beat, but his big bear heart did. “Yes, I really do.” Would she lie? She wouldn’t tell him the whole truth. No one ever did. It would be up to him to figure it out.
His bear rippled beneath his skin, wanting out, wanting to shield her from whatever was making her sad. And she was sad. He could smell it, sense it. And her normal vibrant personality dimmed as she drew inward and collected her thoughts.
Cassie rested her elbows on the table and propped her chin on her hands. “It’s a family thing.”
Seeing his obvious surprise, she wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, not very original.”
He wanted to smooth the lines of worry from her forehead. Her hair was sticking up in dark tufts on the top of her head. It gave her a sleepy, tousled appearance that made his jeans feel about two sizes too small.
Attraction sizzled between them. He did his best to ignore it, which sure as hell wasn’t easy, and really listened. His instincts, which had always been good, had been enhanced, continuing to develop as the years passed.
Silence made people uncomfortable. Most would rush to fill in the gaps rather than allow the quiet to grow.
Eventually, she sighed and rubbed her face. She looked tired. He wanted to pull her into his arms and cradle her while she slept.
That would not go over well. Instead, he fisted his hands in his lap.
“I was in the family business. Never wanted to be, but didn’t have a choice, either.” She drew her feet up onto the chair and curled her arms around her knees.
Cassie was always in motion, something he’d noticed when she was working. He wasn’t sure if it was natural or due to nervousness. When she tilted her head back, the earrings she wore reflected the light. They were different from the pair she’d worn last night. These were a trio of silver stars in each ear, the stars getting larger as they dropped.
After five minutes passed, he realized she wasn’t going to tell him anything else. That made her rare, as most people would have spilled their guts by now.
Once their basic needs were met, everyone desired love. But what all creatures craved even more was someone to listen to them, to honestly see them and care.
He sincerely did care, as he was usually tasked to assassinate whoever he was sent after and didn’t want to make a mistake. People sensed his genuine interest and talked to him.
He waited a few more minutes before quietly prompting. “You left?”
She nodded. “I left. But my family is not the kind you can walk away from without consequences.”
Who the hell was her family? And what was she? This wasn’t some mafia hit. They had people to handle that kind of thing. It was also something he and his immortal brethren would never involve themselves in. The mafia—Italian, Russian, Chinese, and the rest—had learned that a very long time ago after an incident that had resulted in most of a mafia family being slain by a very pissed-off member of the Brotherhood.
They’d been given a very large berth by that type ever since.
She swallowed the last of her coffee and stood. “Thanks for breakfast.”
It was a dismissal. Deciding not to push his luck, he stood and started clearing the table.
“I’ll do that,” she told him.
She was pushing him away. He understood that she sought her space back, needed to rebuild the walls she’d erected around herself. That was fine. For now. He’d chip away at them bit by bit until he could get through. Most people would expect him to use brute force, but bears were well known for their intelligence. And their stealth.
He set the dishes down, pulled on his sweater and hat, and faced Cassie. She seemed so alone standing in her kitchen with her arms wrapped around her.
“Can I call you?” He knew the answer before he asked.
She shook her head. “It’s probably best if you don’t.”
He reached into his back pocket and drew out a card. It had no name. Just a phone number. He didn’t try to hand it to her but placed it on the table. “If you need me, call.”
He left her alone, fighting the instincts urging him to stay. Pausing on the landing, he waited to see if she’d call him back. When she didn’t, he headed down the outside stairs.
With the memories of the past so fresh, she would be trying to distance herself from him and everyone else.
But he couldn’t stop himself from glancing back. Sure enough, she was standing in the window watching him leave. He didn’t raise his hand. This was not goodbye.
Inhaling the cold air, he sauntered back to town. It wasn’t snowing, but the temperature had to be well below zero. A perfect day.
…
Cassie watched him walk away and shivered. How could he not be cold? She zipped her hoodie, chilled now that she was alone.
What had prompted her to tell him those things?
She turned away rather than keep on watching him. “You didn’t tell him anything. Not really. Lots of people decide not to work in their family business and walk away.”
To keep busy, she piled the dishes in the sink and ran hot water. The apartment didn’t include a dishwasher.
Alexei was different from most men. There was a stillness about him. He put her in mind of an animal on the hunt. He might be into real estate, but he was no stranger to the outdoors, either. He was an enigma. An unknown.
She should pack her bags and run, far and fast. Her family might have hired him to find her. Except that wasn’t their style. They handled this sort of thing on their own without involving outsiders.
“Maybe that’s reason enough. It’s not something I would expect.” She cleaned the last dish and placed it on the drain tray before sliding the pans into the sink to soak.
“And you’re going to drive yourself crazy trying to reason things out.” Being alone a great deal of the time meant she talked to herself too much. Didn’t mean she was going to stop.
Maybe that’s why she found Alexei irresistible. He asked questions and then really listened. Fisting her hands in her hair, she pulled and released a short scream.
“All I want is to be left alone. Is that too much to ask?” She knew it was. A reaper reaped souls. It was as simple as that.
She should catch the first flight out of here to anywhere. Somewhere hot and remote, far away from the ice and cold of Alaska. The heart of the rainforest would work.
It was tough to imagine Alexei trekking through the thick rainforest. She tried but just couldn’t
picture it. He belonged in the colder climes with his long hair and bushy beard.
Of course, he’d also look hot as hell with a sweat-covered chest, his hair pulled away from his face, his beard neatly trimmed, and a machete in hand. She sighed and forced the fantasy away.
If she ran, he wouldn’t follow.
Alexei had wiggled his way into her life without really trying. Now he was gone. She’d never see him again, not after sending him away.
He was male and had to have a healthy ego. And he didn’t strike her as the type to stalk a woman. But, then again, what did she really know about such things?
She’d always shown up at such scenes as they were coming to their horrible conclusion.
Not pleasant. So many times, she’d been tempted to take the stalker’s soul instead, putting the woman back in her body. But that wasn’t done.
The universe was a delicate balance. And those that kept it would tolerate no interference. Kill one person or refuse to do your duty and you could start a ripple that might end in the total destruction of the world.
And that wasn’t just a theory or cautionary tale. A dereliction of duty had led the world to the brink before Death righted the situation.
It had been a horrible time.
She dried her hands on the towel, went over to the table, and stared down at the small white rectangle resting there. The only thing on the card was a phone number in black ink. No name, no business number. Nothing.
What kind of man walked around with a card with only a phone number on it? The short hairs on the back of her neck rose.
Whoever Alexei Medvedev was, there was a whole lot more to him than the drool-worthy outer package. She’d barely met him, yet he’d gotten closer to her than anyone since she’d run.
Self-preservation was high on her list of priorities, but she couldn’t leave. Not yet. Not until she uncovered who or what he really was and who’d sent him. Maybe he was nothing more than he seemed, but she was beginning to believe that less and less.
If survival was her goal, it was time to be smart.
She picked up the card and tucked it into her back pocket for safekeeping. Since there was plenty of time before she had to get ready for work, she retrieved her laptop and set it up on the kitchen table.
Time to do some research.
Chapter Five
Ping. The alert on his laptop had chimed sooner than he’d expected. Even though he knew who it was, he checked anyway. Living a long while had given him time to acquire various skills. Naturally curious by nature, technology fascinated him.
As he’d suspected, Cassie was online searching through various sites trying to uncover what she could about him. Not that there was much to find. He liked his privacy and stayed off chat groups and all social media.
The only thing she’d discover was that he did indeed own a real estate company with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, and Hong Kong. He also had a small firm in Moscow that he kept separate from the rest. Politics were a bitch in that part of the world.
On one hand, he was thrilled she was interested enough to try to find out more about him. On the other, if she was that curious, she could be suspicious of him.
He angled his computer screen away as the waitress returned to his table. This was his third breakfast of the morning. All different places. He’d only stopped at home long enough to fetch his knapsack. “Can I get you anything else?” Her tone was polite, but there was an edge of curiosity. The problem with isolated places was that strangers stood out.
“No thanks.” It was time for him to head back to his own place where he could relax, get the privacy he needed, and do some serious research.
He gathered his belongings and stood, doing a search to make sure he left nothing behind. The waitress backed up and scurried behind the counter. After handing over enough money to cover his meal and a healthy tip, he left.
The air was crisp and clear, but it was no longer quiet. Members of the community were out, going about their business. While he might live on the edges of civilization, he enjoyed people-watching, trying to imagine where they were going, what they were thinking about. The sun was shining, so he slipped his sunglasses out of his pocket and pulled them on to cut down the glare.
He was just thankful he could still be out in the sunshine, but it was a bitch that his eyes were now sensitive to light.
With his pack slung over one shoulder, he made his way back to the small house he’d bought. A house was better than an apartment. More privacy. And it always made sense to buy instead of rent. He could come and go as he pleased, and when he was ready to leave, he’d simply lease it and make money.
Keeping his head down, he trekked quickly, all the while aware of his surroundings. Once inside, he closed the drapes and removed the sunshades. The shadows were much easier on his eyes.
Sleep beckoned, but he took the time to send off a couple emails. The first one was to the client, asking for more information on the potential target. All he had was an email address. Not unusual, but he preferred to know who he worked for. It would be interesting to see if he got an answer back.
The next was to Maccus, the leader of the Forgotten Brotherhood. Power radiated from him. You only had to be in his presence to know he wasn’t someone you fucked with. Under the definition of badass in the dictionary, there should be a picture of him.
He’d also been around a very long time and had connections everywhere. So, Alexei asked him to look into the person or group who’d made contact through their website. If there was anything to be found, he would uncover it. Alexei also asked if he was aware of any paranormal creature that could pull off the appearance of being full human.
That bothered him. With his mixed genetics, he should have sensed something. Maybe he was simply tired. He’d been traveling around the North for months searching for her.
After he yawned for a second time, he lowered the cover of his computer. The bedroom was small, but adequate, but that wasn’t what he needed.
He stripped off his clothes and embraced the change. His large body grew even bigger. His bones thickened and reshaped. His hands and feet morphed into huge paws, capable of crushing a man to death with one strike. Thick white fur soon covered him. His nose elongated, his face taking on the familiar shape of a polar. A quick shake helped him settle into his new form.
He circled the living room carpet several times, wishing for his huge, reinforced bed back home. If he tried to sleep in the one in the bedroom, he’d break it.
He made himself comfortable on the floor before resting his head between his front paws. Heaving a great sigh, he closed his eyes.
His last thought was of Cassie. What was she doing? She might believe he was gone, but he had no intention of leaving her alone. As soon as he rested, he’d head back. He was already eager to see her.
It was a calculated gamble that she wouldn’t run, at least not yet. She struck him as a woman who would stand her ground and fight, if she thought she could win.
What if the client had contacted another group besides the Brotherhood? There were more hired guns out there. None as good, but they did exist.
Only someone stupid would do that. Their group didn’t condone such things. Anyone trying to gain their services understood the rules. Any contract was exclusive until it was rejected. Most were too smart to test them.
There was always one idiot who thought the rules didn’t apply.
It would be easy enough to walk back out there, stash his stuff, shift, and watch the roadhouse from a distance.
But what if someone saw him and called wildlife control? The last thing he needed was for some idiot to dart him. Drugs didn’t work on him the way they did on normal bears. That only led to panic and gunshots.
It had happened once before, and that was more than enough. Digging bullets out of his own hide wasn’t fun.
&nbs
p; Likely he was making a mountain out of a molehill, but the fact that he couldn’t trace the client bothered him. Maybe he wasn’t worried about crossing the Brotherhood at all.
That made him either insane or very, very dangerous. Neither of those choices put him at ease.
Swearing, he shifted back. “Fuck.” He dragged his fingers through his hair and headed to the bathroom. She’d gotten under his skin. Normally nothing could keep him from sleep.
Bears loved a good nap. And vamps usually slept during the day.
Yet here he was, awake when he could be resting, all because of her.
Alexei ducked into his shower and blasted the water. Cold or warm, didn’t matter to him as long as he got clean. Once he was done, he brushed out his wet hair and combed his beard before getting dressed.
He took the time to check his email messages. There was nothing yet. It sucked that he couldn’t take his laptop with him, but he’d be out in the snow for hours and hours and couldn’t risk the machine.
After stowing it safely away, he stuffed an empty waterproof bag in his pocket, one small enough to fit when folded. The only other thing he carried was money. He left the keys on the dresser.
Maybe it was stupid not to lock his door, but if someone was determined to get in, they could break the flimsy lock. Plus, if someone stole from him, they’d leave their scent behind. And when he found them, he’d make them very sorry.
His stomach growled. He was still hungry, in spite of all he’d eaten. But it wasn’t food he was craving.
He’d either have to make a quick stop on the way out of town or wait until later and find a donor in the parking lot of the roadhouse after the sun went down. Thankfully, the days were short this time of year.
Leaving the house behind, he began the trek back to the bar, back to Cassie. It was a pleasant walk, at least for him. He could have taken his SUV, but he enjoyed the cold. It allowed him to work off some of the tension thrumming inside him. Plus, if he took his vehicle, Cassie would wonder why he hadn’t had it last night. And a part of him hoped if she thought he was on foot she might ask him to stay over again.
Arctic Bite Page 5
