“Shit! I’m sorry, Larissa. I wanted to ease you into this gradually, but Katrina’s arrival necessitates a rather speedier introduction than I’d anticipated.” His speech was urgent and pleading.
“Introduction to what? If you don’t tell me what’s going on in the next two minutes I’m out of here!” She was not sure whether he heard the lie in her voice.
“Fine, but not here. Let’s walk. I’d feel better, safer, if we were moving.” Zane stood, too fast, like Katrina.
“Do you really think your girlfriend would try to hurt you?” Larissa couldn’t keep the apprehension out of her voice. She felt foolish admitting it even to herself, but she was terrified of anything bad happening to this man she had just met. Okay, so he was a beautiful TV star who was throwing some serious sexual energy her way, but it was more than that. She felt she knew him, had known him for, well, her entire life.
“It’s not me I’m worried about, and she’s not my girlfriend.” Zane looked Larissa in the eyes, taking her hand as she stood, and this time he did not let go.
CHAPTER FOUR
“You expect me to believe I’m a witch? Not just a witch, but a witch with shape-shifting ability. Your pick-up line could use some work. Does Sarah know you’re delusional?” Larissa was pissed off and babbling, but she couldn’t help it; the idea was so absurd.
She was mostly angry because up until this point, she’d really liked Zane. Now she was thinking he was just another nutter. Unfortunately, that hadn’t negated her physical attraction to him.
They had stopped at a bench along the Thames, and she sat eyeing him in utter disbelief. He stood poised, surveying their surroundings. The rain must have stopped some time ago. The seat was dry and the streetlights only illuminated a few small puddles around them. The early spring evening was unseasonably warm after the recent rain. Nearby, Big Ben chimed seven o’clock.
When they’d started walking toward the riverfront, Zane began to tell her a tale of gypsy magic. It was like one of her grandmother’s old stories, but none of those had ever concluded with Larissa being a witch. His version did. He held her hand as they walked, and Larissa was now sure it had been to keep her from running away screaming.
“Larissa, don’t be an idiot. Why are you so ashamed of who you are?”
This outburst surprised her, yet the fear, once again, accompanied a deeper yearning. “I am not ashamed of being a Zingari, but this is exactly why I left. My grandmother lived in a fantasy world that had nothing to do with reality!”
“Well it’s sure as hell your reality now, Larissa. You’ve known this your entire life, yet you act as if it’s a surprise. I know you remember Mala’s stories about the wolves protecting camp and the caravans. The special pets each family kept. Damn it, for once in your life, believe in something!”
Zane sounded more frustrated than angry. Larissa registered the fact he’d used her grandmother’s name, and wondered vaguely why Sarah had given him all this information about her. Shaking her head to dispel the visions his words formed, and now swirling in her mind, she squeezed her locket in her fist. “This is ridiculous. They were just stories; bedtime tales to make me stay in the caravan at night and not wander too far from camp in the day.”
“You saw the wolf and you heard the howling at night; you know it’s real.” He crouched in front of her and cupped her face in his hands. This and the fervor in his voice made her start to question her own sanity. Yes, she remembered the stories but that was all they were—weren’t they? The birds that hunted for the family or raised the alarm when strangers came calling, the cats and dogs that stayed by the babies’ cribs as playmates and guardians. Mala had joked they were shape-shifters, or at least Larissa thought it was a joke. She remembered her own cat, Princess, stopping her when she tried to play with the fire embers. Princess was the only creature that could calm her down when upset.
“Princess?” she said quietly, a question to herself.
“Sarah,” Zane replied, still holding her face, but his grip relaxed a little. “She’s always been with you to protect you, to care for you.”
Larissa could feel the wetness in her eyes, despite the rest of her being numb. “Why hasn’t she told me this before?” She pulled back, fighting the tears.
“Because she loves you. She thought she could protect you in the outside world. It helped that you didn’t believe. But your bloodline is too powerful not to be noticed, and she was afraid she couldn’t protect you on her own, so she rang me.”
“I don’t understand. What about my bloodline?”
Zane released a sigh. Larissa guessed it was because of her burgeoning change of heart. “Both sides of your family are steeped in the supernatural. Your mother’s side are witches, mostly healers, but some are capable of far more powerful magic. Your father’s side, shape-shifters, guardians of the families in which they live.”
The tears flowed freely now. “I never knew. They both died when I was a baby. How is it you, a stranger, know more about me and my family than I do? Why did Sarah call you?”
“I’m not a stranger.” Zane’s hands dropped from her face and his black eyes that penetrated Larissa so deeply became suddenly sad as he looked down. “I was the wolf you saw howling outside your window, the one that followed the camp.”
Larissa looked at him now, although afraid of what he might see on her face—fear, disgust... longing—she didn’t know how she felt about any of his revelations. She stared harder, as if willing herself to see the beast within him. He still did not look her in the eye.
“I was young and alone, half crazed with anger... hurt... denial.” He spoke these last three words slowly and deliberately as if reliving each emotion again. His reverie broke as their gazes met. “I couldn’t control the shifting. Mala found me in the forest, and helped me come to terms with what I was, what Katrina had made me.”
Larissa gasped, raising her hand to her mouth, trying to process what he was telling her. She stared ahead, even after Zane moved to sit on the bench, her focus remained unblinking at a lamplight’s reflection in a puddle before her.
“The animal resides within until another shape-shifter releases it. I’m here to help you through that transition. I am so sorry to put this all on you, but you have to know, to be prepared, for what is coming. I won’t let any harm come to you; it’s my duty, my destiny.”
“Duty? So I’m some kind of assignment for you.” She spat the words at him. She wanted to be so much more than just an obligation.
Zane lowered his gaze. “Yes and no.” His head quickly snapped up, gaze searching the shadows. The numbness was gone and she felt her heart beating, like a loud drum in her ears. “Come on, let’s move. Do you have a car?”
Larissa tried to follow his stare but saw no obvious danger in the growing darkness. “Yeah, at a car park next to the convention center.” She turned back to look at him, and saw his body tense. She’d swear if he were in his wolf form right now, his hackles would be up and he’d be growling. An alpha defending his pack. Now she swore she could almost see the beast within.
“Good. Let’s go.” She tried to keep pace, but as he got faster she knew her legs would just trip her up. The inevitable happened. Larissa stumbled and Zane caught her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close—nice—his hand under her elbow. She rested on his hip, her feet touching the ground every few steps. Larissa had done barely any work, but the adrenaline was surging through her body. His reaction to the nothing in the shadows had her panicked.
“Jeez, why don’t you just put me under your arm like a rugby ball and be done with it!” Her fear was making her bitchy; her skin was cold and covered in goose bumps, despite the adrenaline. A shiver rolled over her body and she wasn’t sure if it was due to dread or proximity to Zane. She hoped the latter.
“What? Oh, sorry.” He released her as they reached the car park. He still looked to be on high alert, his head constantly moving, his body erect as he surveyed their surroundings. If se
eing him like this didn’t scare her so much, she’d be really turned on right now.
They located her car easily, and as she reached into her bag to find her keys, Zane pushed her back against the car. The shove was quick, but gentle. Zane’s back was to her, though out of her reach, his arms outstretched protectively, a growl ripping through his throat at an unseen danger. Before she could blink, a small shadow approached with an eerie speed that was quicker than the shudder that broke over Larissa’s body. Zane huffed out a blast of air and convulsed back as if punched in the stomach. It moved him a little closer to Larissa and she automatically reached out to him. She felt the need to protect him as much as he was protecting her.
“Damn it!” He sounded slightly winded as he straightened up. The shadow had disappeared as quickly as it had come.
She lowered her hands, knowing it was futile, and not wanting to distract him from his foe. Once again, Larissa could see the shadow coming toward them preternaturally fast. Zane was ready this time. Larissa watched as he lifted a long-nailed claw and swiped down and across the air in front of him. Something heavy thudded on the ground. She dared to look around her protector and saw what appeared to be a raven lying in front of them. The sound of the thud was completely disproportionate to the bird lying there.
“One of Katrina’s minions,” he vented violently.
As she watched, the form exuded a blanket of immensely bright light that didn’t permeate its surroundings. Larissa closed her eyes for only a second. When she opened them, she saw a man; long, lean, and naked. A large gash decorated the right side of his head.
“Is he dead?” she asked warily.
“No. But he’s out for the count, and he’ll probably have a hell of a headache when he wakes up.”
Larissa noted the hint of pride in his voice regarding his handiwork.
Zane turned so quickly it startled her, and his hands— not claws, she realized with a flood of relief— gripped the roof of the car on either side of her. He looked her over, his gaze intent. “Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you when I pushed you against the car, did I?” He leaned in, the sound of his deep inhale sending shivers of a much sexier nature down her spine. “No blood.” His smile was weak, a poor imitation of their first meeting, but no less breathtaking to her eyes.
She found his concern for her well-being rather endearing, which just increased her attraction to him. Larissa could feel the heat emanating from him and smell a sweet familiar scent lingering on his body. Like the frankincense earlier, it reminded her of her childhood, but this time she couldn’t pinpoint what it was. The smell was starting to make her feel lightheaded. Her knees buckled and he scooped her up in his arms before she had moved more than a couple of inches.
His body was softer than she expected. She felt the tiniest give in his chest and stomach as he pulled her to him. Not rock hard. She liked this more. It felt good, better than good—incredible—like fitting into a mould made just for her. He placed his index finger gently beneath her chin, lifting her face toward his. “I think I’d better drive.”
“Drive?” she questioned groggily, intoxicated by his scent and closeness.
“We still need to move, honey.” That sounded good; his calling her “honey”, yet her body stubbornly refused to move. Larissa longed to keep the closeness they shared, indeed pushing her body closer, if that were possible. She wanted—no, needed—to feel every last part of him.
For the briefest moment he seemed to struggle with some internal turmoil, but then he slowly leaned down, parting her lips with his own. His tongue skillfully traced the contours of her mouth; his breath sweet, delicious. She reciprocated eagerly, exalting in the taste of him. She ached to have his mouth travel over her whole body, but too soon, he stopped.
“What’s wrong?” The pangs of rejection filled her and a pout tugged at her mouth. She knew she was behaving like a five-year-old who’d just had her favorite toy taken away, but she couldn’t help it. Maybe she was only an obligation, and everything else was him making sure she came along—for what she didn’t know, because she needed him a hell of a lot more than he needed her right now.
“I hardly think this is the time or place.” His smile was brilliant. “Let’s get you somewhere safe first.”
First? “What are you waiting for then?” She brightened with the idea that maybe, just maybe, there was more to come.
CHAPTER FIVE
“First, we better put this guy in a less conspicuous spot. The longer it takes for someone to find him the better!” Zane easily lifted his attacker and placed him behind a low wall lining the car park.
Larissa was grateful for the early sunset and bad car park lighting that helped to obscure the unconscious form. She was also extremely thankful for the fact that no one had seen this strange exchange take place. How would she explain this to the police? She watched as Zane practically flew back to her side, his speed extraordinary. Everything about him is extraordinary. A surge of intense pleasure raced through her body.
Zane seemed to take up the entire interior of her tiny Mini. For once, she was pleased she had such a small car. It meant being closer to him without trying. He drove fast, but she barely noticed, too busy taking in every ounce of his breathtaking beauty. For a man that claimed to be a wolf, he was surprisingly hairless, on what little flesh she could see. It made her desperate to see under his clothes. Desperate to see and explore every curve, ripple, and muscle he possessed.
Her gaze roamed his immense frame. “Your T-shirt’s ripped. What did that raven do to you?”
He looked down. “Aw, damn it, not my Hendrix. It’s my favorite.” Zane groaned. “He may have looked small, in the big scheme of things, but us shifters can hit like a Mack truck. Our strength isn’t in proportion with our appearance. That bird has as much power as my wolf, or Sarah’s cat, for that matter. It keeps us equal; no shifter can assert more power over another, just because of the form they have born within them.”
This reminded Larissa of something Zane had said. “What did you mean earlier, when you said ‘What Katrina made you’?” she asked cautiously, realizing this might be a touchy subject.
He glanced at her sideways, appearing unsure as to what he was going to say. Zane spoke deliberately, as if he was weighing each word carefully. “The beast within stays dormant until awakened by another shifter. Katrina woke up my wolf.”
“You’ve already told me that,” Larissa complained, perplexed. “But how is it awoken?”
His sigh was long and heavy, his gaze had fixed itself to the road ahead, as if he were afraid to look at her. She guessed this line of questioning was making him uncomfortable, but she didn’t care, she wanted answers. “All shifters have the ability to sense whether someone has a latent feral aspect. So when two shifters come together as one...”
“Oh, you’re talking about sex, aren’t you,” she said matter-of-factly.
Zane grimaced, but nodded.
“Why the hell didn’t you just say that?” She lifted a single, inquiring brow.
“It’s not just sex Larissa; it’s a joining of minds, hearts, bodies, and spirits.”
“And you had that, with Katrina?” Larissa asked, suddenly feeling very inadequate. How in the hell could she compete with the goddess? Larissa folded her arms over her chest and crossed her legs as she tried to hide her many physical failings from the world—okay, not the world, just Zane. Rationally, she knew there was more to people than physical perfection, but rational thinking wasn’t helping her much right now. Because in a rational world, there was no such thing as shape-shifters or witchcraft.
“I was young, I thought I loved her. Hell, I did love her. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until after she’d brought the wolf forth that I found out her true colors; cruel, vindictive, and ambitious. Destroying you, or me for that matter, obliterates the competition you’d provide.”
“I don’t understand how I’m competition for her, in any way. She’s unbearably beautiful, and from what you’ve said o
f shifters, extremely powerful.” Larissa was still skeptical about any so-called abilities she might have.
Zane pulled the car over and turned off the ignition. Slowly he turned to face her. “Katrina trades on her looks to get the mates she wants, to make herself more powerful. Our world is small and she wants to control it. She has been waiting for this for a very long time. Your family has stopped that from happening so far. But since your grandmother’s death she has gained in power, biding her time, choosing gullible lovers to become shifters and not much more than hired guns, minus the guns and plus claws and talons.”
Zane seemed to see the next question in Larissa’s face. “Mala’s abilities went beyond a healer. She could conjure and enchant, but her most powerful weapon was the ability to bind a shifter to their human form without any of the benefits that go with being a shifter, like the speed and strength. Though I never knew her to do it, she could, and that is what kept Katrina away. She’s afraid of being a mere mortal again and only someone with the threat of controlling her will stop her from controlling others.”
CHAPTER SIX
As Larissa sat, mulling over all this new information, she happened to look up and notice that Zane had parked outside her apartment building.
“What the hell? Well, my observation sucks. I didn’t even realize we were heading this way. Though my attention was somewhat occupied.” A sly grin tugged at one corner of her mouth. “I am curious. How do you know where I live?” Larissa raised an eyebrow at Zane.
“I know far more about you than you can possibly imagine, Miss Larissa Lovell. Come on, let’s get you upstairs. We can’t stay long; it won’t be safe, but we can at least get you some gear packed for our trip.”
Wolf's Heart (Feral) Page 2
