by Cherie Marks
“She clearly doesn’t wish to marry me, and I can’t say that I blame her. We know nothing about each other and both live in the modern world where arranged marriages are far from mainstream. So my question is, when I catch up to her, because I will, she’s going to be beyond pissed. What if neither one of us wants to go through with the marriage? What’s to stop us both from running our separate ways?”
A painful look crossed Olev’s worn face as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He looked like the weight of the world had just been unloaded onto his shoulders, and Alex got the impression he wasn’t going to like the answer to his question.
“In all things, I strive to be a decent and honest man. My businesses are legal, and I pay all my required taxes. However, after my wife’s death a year ago, I was in a dark place and allowed someone I thought I could trust run things for a time.” His fists tightened on the tops of his knees, unease in every tensed muscle jumping under his skin. “I thought of this man like a brother, but Nikolai took advantage of the situation. He embezzled money from one of my packaging plants, but that was not the worst of it.”
He seemed reluctant to admit whatever was on his mind, but it was clearly the reason for his palpable anxiety.
“Go on.”
“He used my business to run drugs for some very bad men. Those men are led by Vadek Pajari and are tied to the Russian Mafiya, and when Nikolai disappeared with their money, I was left holding the bag, so to speak. They want their money, of course, and if I sell the packaging plant to them at a loss to myself, they will be mostly satisfied. My pride is bruised, but I can let that go. Yet, during negotiations, if you want to call them that, they threatened my family. Specifically, they threatened Anastasyia, and though things seemed to be over and decided, she caught the eye of Vadek, the criminal bastard, and I would not put it past him to go after her anyway.”
“But surely the police…”
“Are in their pockets. At least some are, and I do not know which ones I could trust anyway. I just thought if I could get her far away from here, she would be safe, but when she did not return from her run, I believed the worst had happened.”
Alex sat forward. “You think they’ve taken her?”
“At first, I did, and nearly went mad with the thought. But Dasha, another one of my daughters, gave me this.”
He reached a hand inside his jacket pocket and pulled a folded piece of paper free, handing it to Alex. Alex unfolded the paper and read:
Father,
I did not want it to come to this, but I cannot stay here and let my future be chosen for me. I have gone to a place where I will have opportunities beyond being a wife and mother. I hope you can understand and that you will not try to find me until I am ready for you to. When I am ready, I will contact you.
Take care,
Ana
Alex looked up and met Olev’s gaze. “Do you know where she is?”
“Dasha said she gave her a name of a contact to get in touch with when she reached the United States.”
A stifled laugh escaped Alex as he realized the irony of the situation. “You mean, she’s more than likely in the country I left behind to come here.”
“Yes. I am afraid she’s in a place that must have called to her. Indi-ana is a place that even contains the name I have called her since birth.”
“That helps some. Do you know where she is in Indiana?”
Olev sat back, concern still etched on his face. “Dasha said her contact lived among a myriad of shifters in a place full of magic. It was a small college town. Someplace called Woodland Creek.”
Alex straightened. “I’ve never been, but I’ve heard of it. Will she be able to blend in there?”
“Aside from a slight accent, her English is impeccable. She has had many tutors over the years.”
“Anything else I should know?”
“I have told you everything that is important. I know it is a lot to ask, Alex. Yet, she is in real danger, even if she does not realize it.”
“I’ll be honest with you, seems to me, she might be a bit…” he cleared his throat before continuing, “indulged.”
“You can say it. She is a brat. Perhaps, we had a difficult time telling her no on many occasions, but she has a heart for others, and before all of this happened, she had planned to study art, so she could instill a love of it in children. I could not let her continue her classes though once I knew her life was in danger.”
“Didn’t you ever consider explaining your concerns with her? Surely she would have understood you were trying to keep her safe?”
“Perhaps I should have trusted she would make good decisions, but I am afraid she has been raised in a secure environment, and she trusts the system to maintain that security. Unfortunately, I would be afraid she would not take the threat seriously enough. I could not protect her all the time, and if something were to happen to me...”
Alex ran a weary hand down his face. “Okay. I make no promise that I will marry your daughter. I will not force her to do that, but I will find her and protect her. Rest assured, she will be safe.”
A look of relief washed across Olev’s face. “For now, that will do. Once you have gained her trust and gotten her somewhere secure, I will wire your payment and arrange for her to be brought home. Then, if you would like, your involvement will be over—that is, if you decide you do not wish to marry her.”
Truth be told, Alex didn’t want to be married to anyone…ever. His own mother abandoned her marriage and, as a result, her two sons. The last thing he wanted was to tie himself to a flaky, prone-to-run brat. Unfortunately, he had his own reasons he was considering the marriage. He had his own freedom to think about. If he ever wanted to be his own boss, instead of following his father’s orders, he’d have to marry the girl.
“Still debating it.”
“Well, either way, I must warn you, her spirit is strong. It might be best not to let her know who you are and why you are there. I am afraid she might run again.”
“Don’t worry, I’d thought that far ahead.” Alex stood, already beginning to think through the task before him. “One thing I must warn you of. Once I find her, I won’t break her strong spirit, but for her own good, she’ll have to do as I say.”
Olev stood up also, making his way toward the door. “Ah, indeed, you are confident, and that will serve you well. But, if you figure out the secret to making her mind, I would like to know what it is.”
“It takes an iron will that cannot be bent.”
Alex could’ve sworn Olev hid a smile behind his hand as he covered a cough. “I do believe I thought the same once about her mother. Full disclosure—there was not much that happened around here that my beloved wife did not orchestrate—no matter how unbendable I thought my iron will.”
A prickle of foreboding eased into the back of Alex’s skull. He hadn’t met a shifter yet that he couldn’t subdue. Then again, he hadn’t officially met Anastasyia and had a feeling she might just make things interesting.
Three Months Later
He was back. Anastasyia quickly slid into the little alcove created by a tall divider at the back of the neighborhood café and bakery where she worked. Her mystery crush stepped to the counter to order, and she felt her cheeks flush as she peeked from her shadowed hiding place. Wearing a dark blue cotton t-shirt that accentuated his muscled chest and a pair of dark jeans that did amazing things for the rear-view of him, something in her chest flickered at the sight and a windstorm unleashed in her abdomen. His dark-blonde hair was cut short on the sides, a little long on top, and sexily tousled. His cheeks were sculpted, his lips perfectly shaped, and his nose was slightly crooked, like it had been broken at least once. She had a hard time keeping her gaze off him because he was her kind of tempting in every way.
Currently on a dinner break, she’d just finished eating and had been about to walk back to her station at the cash register when she’d sensed his presence before she’d even seen him. How wa
s that even possible?
A fast look at Beatrice taking his order from behind the register at this moment, showed the girl’s gaze bouncing around the restaurant, no doubt looking for Tasia Connors. Anastasyia had changed her name once she’d arrived in Woodland Creek, and Tasia was the one by which Beatrice would know her.
Not too long ago, Tasia had confided in her friend that she wouldn’t mind getting to know their frequent customer in more ways than just what he liked between the slices of his artisan bread sandwich. No doubt, she would think Tasia was all kinds of coward for hiding right now, but Beatrice didn’t know all the details of Tasia’s past, and she wanted to keep it that way.
No matter how many pleasurable feelings chased through her at just the sight of this man, there was no future there, and despite her aversion to arranged marriages, Tasia was also not the type of girl who did casual encounters. She wanted something meaningful, something she had a choice in. And if she was being perfectly honest, her life wasn’t stable enough for a relationship right now. Not with the possibility of her father sending someone after her. There was no guarantee that she wouldn’t wake up tomorrow and have to run for her freedom all over again. Relationships had a tendency to become a liability in those situations.
He turned away from the counter and nailed her with his golden-eyed gaze. She pulled back with a gasp and realized he’d looked directly at her as if he’d known where she was all along. Did he feel that freaky connection thing between them, too? The thought of that weirded her out and thrilled her all at the same time. She finally understood what Dasha had meant by that moment. Did she just see her forever future in the mystery guy’s eyes? But she didn’t even know his name.
After a few minutes, she dared look out from her hiding spot and saw him sitting at a table toward the front of the café with his back to her now. She eased out and rushed to the counter as quickly as she could where Beatrice was waiting with a knowing grin.
As Tasia drew closer, Beatrice rested her hands on either side of the register and said, “You might try talking to him some time.”
“What and ruin my perfect record of invisibility?”
“But you’re clearly not invisible to him. You’re on his radar. He spotted you before I did, girl.”
Tasia couldn’t tamp down the leap of her heart at Beatrice’s revelation. Then, reality invaded. Being noticed was bad. Very, very bad. If she wasn’t careful, she’d lose everything she’d worked hard these past few months to build in this town. And she liked this town. Woodland Creek was different than most places. It was a town where a multitude of shifters lived among humans, even if the humans weren’t in on that reality. There were even some wizards here, and though Tasia was raised in a pack of Golden Jackal shifters, she’d never grasped the diversity of the paranormal world. This place was amazing and she wasn’t ready to rush away anytime soon.
“Does not matter. Right now, I need to focus on my classes. I do not have time for romance.”
“Who said anything about romance? I was thinking a hot, sweaty night between the sheets would be just what the best friend ordered. I might not be a doctor, but I’m not averse to playing one every now and then, if you know what I mean.”
Tasia laughed loudly, drawing a few stares despite her determination to disappear. When his head turned just enough to glance at her out of the corner of his eye, she risked holding his gaze for a few extra heartbeats before turning away, suddenly sober.
“You know that is not me. I could never do that.”
“How is that possible? You’re a jackal, one of the social shifters who live in packs. You can’t spend the rest of your life alone. You’ll destroy the animal inside you.”
“Shhh! I am not exactly advertising what kind of shifter I am.” Though George and Olivia Cordle, the owners of The Bread Basket and the contacts her sister had given her to get her set-up here, knew who she really was, Beatrice was the only other person in Woodland Creek that she’d told the truth about her abilities. She was a Golden Jackal shifter and needed companionship to survive. Unfortunately, the type of shifter she was could tip off anyone looking for her, so she needed to keep it hidden for now.
“What’s the big deal? Everyone knows I shift into a bee. Well, except for the humans, of course. No one judges here.”
The urge to tell her friend the truth was strong. Sometime Tasia might confide in Beatrice about who she really was and why she was here, but for now it was safest for everyone if she kept her secret hidden. “I am just a private person.”
“There’s something odd about you, but I don’t think it’s just that you’re private.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, though your English is perfect, you speak with an accent that sounds Russian or something. Plus, your name sounds Slavic. You show up three months ago with a thin story about wanting to take classes and wanting to know the best place to unload some massive jewelry that looks like you’ve raided the royal stash in a far off country…”
Tasia forgot to breathe. “Could be strange, I suppose.”
“I know what it is! You’re a European cat burglar.” Her eyes lit up and Tasia’s heart raced. “Am I right? You pulled a major heist, and now you’re hanging out until things cool down.”
The relieved laugh bubbled out of Tasia’s chest as she realized Beatrice was joking with her. Her secret was still secure here, and she relaxed a little. “You are mostly right, except you forgot how I also had to get away because my thieving heart was broken by a smooth-talking gentleman jerk.”
“I hate those gentlemen jerks. They seem like gentlemen, but really their just big, ol’…well… big, ol’ jerks.”
“You are such a wordsmith, B. As it turns out, my mother is originally from Latvia, but immigrated to America when I was still young. I do not remember much about living there, but I suppose my mother’s influence is still strong, even after all these years. Unfortunately, that is all you are ever going to get out of me.”
Beatrice’s lips twisted in a look that said, “We’ll see about that,” but she didn’t ask any more questions or make any more guesses. Yet, Tasia knew she’d have to work harder at her disguise. She’d clearly been leaving unintentional clues, even though so much of it couldn’t be helped. She considered the fact she might not have distinguished her name enough from her given name, but when she’d first arrived, though she’d tried to go by the name Lucy, whenever anyone addressed her, she forgot to answer. So, her contact suggested something closer to her original name. Clearly, it hadn’t been different enough.
Time to change the subject and get B’s mind off the topic of Mr. Hot Customer. “Is it not about time for your break?”
Beatrice looked at the clock and nodded. “Well played, Taze. Well played. But just so you know, this conversation isn’t over. We’ll continue at a later time.”
It was time to play things a little more low-key. Tasia needed to make more of an effort to blend in, starting by grounding whatever electricity kept sparking between her and the mystery man.
* * *
Alex did his best to pretend interest in the tea and sandwich on the table in front of him, but in reality, he couldn’t think of anything except how close he was to Anastasyia. It was always like that with her. He understood why their parents had arranged their joining when they were only infants. There was an invisible commonality between them, and though he had a couple more senses than an average human, he seemed to have an extrasensory perception when it came to her.
When he’d entered the small café, he’d known where she was immediately. Her scent had invaded his brain, and the rhythm of her heartbeat was as well-known to him as his own. He couldn’t resist looking at her when he’d turned away from the counter, even though he knew it might reveal more about himself than he was willing to yet. And now, he was simply waiting, biding his time until she finished her shift.
For the present, he still had no plans to approach her. However, he continued to protect her,
keeping a close watch over her comings and goings, working hard to make sure she wasn’t the wiser to his constant presence. He still had no intention of forcing a marriage on either of them, but he’d given his word to make sure she settled in without any trouble. As of now, everything had been ideal, and he was beginning to think he could let up on the intense vigilance he’d been practicing. Perhaps he could even wrap up some of his affairs with a particular bounty he’d heard was nearby.
So far, Woodland Creek seemed like the perfect place for shifters. The humans might not know about the paranormal world they shared, but for a Golden Jackal like himself, with the Running Deer State Park so close for shifting and running, this was a paradise. Though he always was cautious, he didn’t have to be as careful as he would have in another city because there were so many others similar to him. Of course, as far as he knew, Anastasyia and he were the only two Golden Jackals in Woodland Creek, and he hoped it stayed that way.
As the bell over the entrance to the restaurant sounded in a clear ring, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. A trio of muscular men entered one after the other and stepped to the side to consult as they openly stared at Anastasyia. She had her back turned and was straightening some items opposite from the counter.
The three men attempted to keep their voices low, but some shifters, including jackals, heard exceptionally well, and though he couldn’t hear every word, he heard enough to realize they were speaking Russian. He noticed Anastasyia’s back straighten, and he knew the minute she’d heard the men also. Estonian and English were her primary languages, but it was clear she knew Russian as well, or at least she knew the sound of it.
He heard her heartbeat pick up, and she set down the glass in her hand as her muscles tensed to flee. Overly apparent to him because he’d memorized every nuance about her, he knew the three men were also aware of her movements and obvious intentions. She must’ve assumed they were hired to take her back to her father, not unheard of considering the proximity of Estonia and Russia.
