by Laura Wylde
His tone changed and his eyes started to glow. I took a step back and groaned inwardly. What in the world was I doing? Was this really what I was going to do with myself? I was going to be with a wolf?
I had to. I had to get the money back to Vincent, so that he would get off of my ass about the money. I could sell the rest of the artifacts so that I could pay up what I owed for my parents to be in the nursing home. I needed this to work out, so that meant that I was going to have to do what was necessary. I had offered my virginity on the ad, and now I was going to have to pay up.
He wasn’t bad looking, at all. He was tall, buff, and Connor had a handsome face, as well as a devilish grin. His eyes changed colors, brown and green so far. No, I could do worse, but again, I wished that it was different. I hadn’t been waiting for thirty-four years for nothing. I had wanted it to be special, not part of a deal.
“Well then Connor, would you like the sex portion of the deal now, before we go?”
He paused again, looking at me with a grin on his face.
“You sure you’re ready for that? You sure don’t look like it.”
I don’t know what he saw, I just knew how I felt inside. I felt rough.
“I just want to get it over with.”
He grimaced. “That’s no way to think about it. I want to take my time, have my way with you at my leisure. It will be your first time, so I want to make sure that it is memorable.”
I shivered with his response and he said something about money. He also wanted to know where we could go to talk about details. We needed to make a plan to climb the mountain, as well as getting the artifacts back down.
“Do you want to go to your place?”
“Not with the bounty hunters looking for me because of Vincent. Maybe we could go to yours?”
He agreed and I was just thankful to get out of the coffee shop. There was also the feeling that I could be followed already. Vincent knew that I had something underlying, because I had told him about it. It was to get him to give me a break of what I owed him, but at the end of the day, it hadn't worked. I had just given him more of a reason to have me track down.
“Alright, follow me.”
I followed him a few blocks, he lived so close.
“You weren’t lying when you said you were close.”
“No, I really wasn't. This is also my favorite coffee shop, so I am glad it’s just a few minutes away.”
He lived upstairs and I wished that I had prepared myself better. I didn’t say much as we went up the stairs to the door. I had just agreed to give this man my virginity and now we're going to be alone in this house. What if he decided to collect? He had said that we could take care of it after I had the job done, but I think the anticipation was going to kill me. It felt like it would be easier if he just took what was his. Then I wouldn't have to worry about every look and every touch that he sent my way.
“This is nice. It's a lot bigger than it looks from the street.”
“It’s big enough. It's just me in here, so I don't need a lot of space. I'm usually not home anyways.”
“So, this protection thing, is that all you do? I mean, is that your job?”
“It's a business, but yeah. I used to do very different jobs, but you got to learn to adapt right?”
I agreed, but I didn't really know what he meant by that. There was a lot that I didn't understand about him. He seemed to be messing with me one moment, and completely dead serious the next. I didn't know which way to go with it.
“Now, let's get a real drink and then we can sit down and make a plan.”
“What about payment?”
“Give me the cash you have and like I said, the rest we will take care of later.”
It bothered me though, that he was putting it off. Was he trying to drive me crazy?
“Why do you want to wait?”
“Because I don't even really know you.”
“I didn't think that really mattered to guys.”
“Since you don't have much experience with them, maybe you shouldn't make assumptions.”
Instantly, I wanted to say something rude back to him. It was just a reflex, kind of like breathing to me. I stopped myself though. Why was I trying to get it to happen any quicker? It wasn't like I liked him. I mean sure he was cute and all, but this was just something that had to be done. It wasn't something that I wanted to do. So, if he wanted to put it off, I should just go with it. It's better than the alternative.
“You're right. Sorry. I just think that it's going to be like a doom looming over me that it's going to drive me crazy. If we just got it done and over with, then I wouldn't have to worry about it.”
“Yes, but what if you actually like it? And keep talking about having sex like it's going to be horrible. Is that what you think? It would explain why you haven't done it yet. You just don't know how great it can be.”
He was talking about sex like it was some kind of religious experience or something. Like it was going to be much more than the physical part that I knew it to be. Lots of people talked about it like it was this great thing, at the end of the day, the anatomy didn't really check out. Seemed kind of boring to me, so it never was something that I thought all that much about. It was just another item on my checklist and I had many.
“You're right of course. I can't imagine it being that great though. It actually hurts a great deal from what I hear. It makes me wonder why people want to do it at all.”
He pulled me in close and I could feel his breath on me. I was the one asking for it, telling him I wanted to get it over with, but now that I was in his arms and he was looking at me in a way that made my breath come out faster. I felt like he was going to kiss me, and my body wanted it so badly. Why couldn’t he just give me what he wanted, what we both wanted?
“It only hurts for a moment, and if I do it right, it won't hurt at all. And it will feel really good. Everything will start tingling on your body and all of a sudden, you're just implode from the inside. You feel so damn good that you will call my name until your voice is hoarse and gone. By the end of it Anna, I promise that you will beg for more.”
Damn, what was I supposed to say to that? He stepped back and gave me some space, but it was still like he was just right there, ready to pounce again.
“Well, you have quite a vivid imagination. I hope that if I don't respond in that way, that it will still be enjoyable for you.”
“There is nothing you could do to make it less enjoyable. Just being inside of you, I know will be enough.”
I can't believe the way he was talking, so casually about it. I guess I was guilty of the same thing, but it was really just hiding my insecurities. The bravado was an act, most likely easily saw through. Now though, I was trembling inside, and I didn't want him to notice. How embarrassing would that be?
“Right, so I had thought that we were going to be talking about a plan?”
“It is my plan for you Anna.”
I grimaced at his answer and the continued response that my body was having to his words.
“No, not about that.”
My mouth was dry, and I licked my lips, trying to wet them as well. This is all just a transaction. That's what I had made it out to be and he was following suit.
“So really, what’s the plan?”
“About what?”
He chuckled, with made me feel worse. “You really got to get your mind out of the gutter Anna. I am talking about the treasure we have to go get and the hike. How do you know that you’re going to be able to sell it and pay me?”
I sighed. He was worried about money and I was worried about the rest of it. Maybe he would take money in leu of the other. I know that I had offered it, but he wasn’t making it happen, which makes me think that he just doesn’t want it. That’s a good thing, right?
“I have a friend in the business. He will be able to authenticate it for me. It won’t be a problem.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
/>
He thought about it for a minute and then agreed that we would go the next day. It was a bit soon and I was worried that I wouldn’t have time to get everything that I needed together.
“I don’t know if I can get us enough equipment to go up there by tomorrow.”
“Nonsense. I will go grab some stuff and then we will do it tomorrow.”
“Are you sure you’ll be ready by then? It is a lot to do. It’s not just a little mountain, but a bit one and I put the artifacts on top of it all.”
He just agreed and said that it would be fine. Connor had a hungry look in his hazel eyes, that were now green. It was like a mood ring and if I had to guess, I would think that green means horny. It’s certainly the way he was looking at me at the moment.
“Good, you get what you need to take with you together and I will secure the rest of our supplies. Do you think it will be an overnight?”
I nodded my head. “Yeah, even if we left first thing in the morning, we won’t be able to make it to the top and back in time. It will most likely take most of two days just to get us there, then another one going down at least.”
“You’re going to make me work for it, aren’t you?”
It took me a minute to realize what he was saying, and I guess I responded comically, because he just started chuckling.
“Well Anna, I’m quite sure that it will be worth it.
5
Connor
I took off not long after we met. Anna wasn’t at all what I’d thought. I hadn’t even imagined that a woman her age would be able to still be a virgin. The amount of time and men that must have tried. How could I be the lucky one? I wasn’t too much of lucky about anything. Why her and why me? Why did I want her so badly I wanted to croak?
As soon as I met her, I knew two things about Anna. She was a human, a brave one, but human. I could also tell that she was untouched, and it made me want to change that. Someone had to.
I took off to the store to find some supplies. This wasn’t the first time that I’d been security to take people into dangerous parts of the woods. It was where I was the most comfortable and not many humans could say the same thing. I wasn’t worried about bounty hunters or anything else. I believed Anna when she said that she was in danger, but that didn’t mean that I found it necessary to fear it. I was actually looking forward to it, more than other jobs in the past. There was definitely some incentive with Anna. She made me want to finish the job, as fast as I possibly can.
I couldn’t finish my job with complete satisfactory, if she wasn’t going to be honest about it all. I believed what she said, but Anna was not saying a bit more and that’s what I was most interested in. There were discrepancies in her story, like why wouldn’t she just give this Vincent guy the money back? He was obviously a bad dude, so why wouldn’t she just hand over the money and be done with it? Where had it gone? What could a woman like her do with over half a million dollars?
It didn’t make sense in my opinion and I couldn’t even think about partaking in the prize, until I figured out her full story. I knew better than to get involved with someone that was going to cause trouble in my life, I had enough of it already.
While I was getting ropes, food, and a backpack for Anna, one light enough that she could carry, I dialed up Jack. I was hoping that he would have heard of Vincent and would know how I was supposed to go forward with it. I had a feeling that if he was the sort of bad dude that Anna made him out to be, Jack very well could know him. If he was doing anything illegal, he probably did. Jack knew all of the players in the area, human or otherwise.
Jack picked up and I asked him how his day was going.
“Not bad man, how’s yours going? Did you go see that chick about protection?”
I had told him about Anna, because I had wanted to know what he thought. He’d said to go for it, naturally, it was his idea after all, and I wanted to think it was a good one. I was going to get money and a nice piece of tail if I did it. That was quite a bit of incentive for me.
“Just left her. Getting some supplies and I am about to head out and take her up the Killaman Mountain.”
He chuckled. “Did you notice the name Connor? It doesn’t bode well for it being a good trip.”
He was right of course, but I hadn’t been thinking about that. It wouldn’t be too bad for me, but for Anna, she was going to have a hell of a time doing it. She may be an archaeologist, but she was going to need more for the grueling hike ahead. I really hoped that she had it in her and everything that I wanted to believe about her was true. I really liked the idea of a woman like Anna, being just as perfect as she came across. Women never were through. That feeling I had when I was around her, I am sure it was just a fluke.
“I know, but that’s where she needs to go, so, that’s where we will go. It can’t be worse than where I’ve been before. I should have less people shooting at me.”
“Less, not none? What does this girl want?”
“Someone is after her because she owes him money.”
“Nice, so what does she owe him money for, gambling debts?”
“Nothing like that. She said she accidentally sold him a forged painting.”
“Sounds like a peach. So, all of this is for a painting? She is willing to give up a lot.”
“Not a painting, the money to replace it, which is buried up on that mountain.”
He chuckled and I didn’t like the sound of it at all. His mirth was at my expense after all, so that wasn’t something that I wanted to hear. It grated my nerves and when I made a sound of displeasure, he just started laughing harder.
“You bout done?”
“I guess. It’s just one hell of a story. I am still trying to figure out how you fit in? If she put it up there, whey doesn’t she just go get it?”
“I am working on the details, but for now it’s this art dealer that she sold the bad painting to. He’s after her and if he finds her up there, he’s liable to take the artifacts for himself and just get rid of her. She said that he sent bounty hunters after her, but I don’t believe that they are the kind that are legal. It sounds like she has gotten herself in with the wrong people.”
“You talk like she is innocent.”
“She is, in all ways.”
I emphasized the ‘all’ part, and then he wanted to know what she looked like. I didn’t want to tell him, because then I was going to get more shit from him. I didn’t want to hear it. I needed answers, not to shoot the shit with him. I could do that later. I didn’t have many hours of daylight left and I wanted to prepare. Weather was perfect for leaving tomorrow. There was a few days of sunshine and we needed to take advantage of it.
“I called you, because I needed to know if you know this guy. I know it’s a small chance, but I need information. You know that I don’t like walking into a situation that I can’t walk out of.”
He tried to settle down, but it took time. Jack was probably in tears over there, at my expense. Great.
“So, who is it? Give me a name and I will see what I can do about it.”
“I don’t need you to do anything. I need you to look up a guy name Vincent Barrows and let me know what you find out.”
Jack whistled on the other side of the phone and I didn’t know what to think. I quickly had my answer though. I needed to brace myself, this wasn’t going to be good.
“I don’t need to look him up. I know exactly who he is. He is not someone that you want to mess with Connor, at least don’t walk in thinking he is just another human. He isn’t. He knows our weaknesses and I am pretty sure that he has some of our own kind working for him. Those bounty hunters very well could be the sort that you are going to have to actually kill.”
“Really? I thought she was exaggerating. She said he was an art dealer. I didn’t know those types of people got into that sort of violence.”
“Barrows has a lot of baskets and he is into about everything illegal that you can think of. This isn’t some small-time guy. I think you
should reconsider this job. That is a whole lot of shit that you don’t want to bring down on your head, all for some ass, you say you don’t need.”
I paused. I already knew that I wasn’t going to rethink it. I was going to see it through. It was because of Anna. I wasn’t going to turn my back on her, she did need my help. But it was also nice to know that I needed to be careful. I would figure it out and now I knew who I was up against. It could have been worse. Going in blind was always worse, even if the reality of a situation was not one that was wanted.
“It’s alright Jack. I am taking the job, I already agreed to it. And I think I might need it.”
“Your word isn’t stone to a human. It’s different. Our rules don’t apply when dealing with them.”
I knew that he was right, but I wondered why he was trying to push me so far away from it. Was it that bad? He was an art dealer for Christ’s sake.
“I have dealt with them in the past. It will be fine, but thanks for the heads up. I’m going up tomorrow and when I get back, we’ll catch up. I am sure that I will have something good to tell you. I think it’s going to be worth it in the end.”
Another laugh that was irritating. “Maybe I will meet this vexing human, that has you out of your comfort zone and sounding a bit too happy. It’s a job Connor, remember that.”
“I know Jack. You know that I do the job right though. Do me another favor, check her out for me as well.”
“What am I looking for?”
“Look into her bank statements. She just unloaded a lot of money and I want to know where it went. There is more to this story and Anna isn’t being completely transparent.”
“Again, why are you taking this job?”
I ignored the question. I didn’t have an answer anyways. Not a good one.
“I’m getting off here. Like I said, thanks for letting me know to watch out. I will now.”
I hung up with him and didn’t know what to think. While I’d thought that she was just over exaggerating the situation, it looked like she might have been doing the opposite. She had said that he was dangerous, but actually dangerous wasn’t an answer that I was prepared for.
