by Elisha Bugg
What she wouldn't give to be home now, curled up on the sofa with a good book rather than surrounded by people she didn't recognize.
She'd hoped to see a few familiar faces, but the only one she knew, she'd just lost in the crowds.
What was she going to do now?
Anya squeezed tighter on her chain and took a deep breath. It was no use. She'd have to make a decision.
She took a right, hoping to catch a glimpse of Keri up ahead, or at least find a room less cramped and loud than the halls.
"Anya?" Keri called from behind, forcing her to spin around and bump into a boy next to her, who corrected her footing and smiled down at her. Only he wasn't smiling at her face. No, he was looking down at her chest, his wide-eyed grin a dead giveaway as he leaned in closer, an overpowering aroma of vodka seeping from his open mouth.
Anya hugged herself tighter and hurried toward Keri, glad she'd turned up when she had.
"You're white as a sheep. What's up?"
"I thought I'd lost you again," Anya admitted, tugging on her dress in a vain attempt to cover herself as she looked back at the boy who still watched her, nudging and whispering with his friends.
"Stop it," Keri insisted, swatting her hand away. "You'll stretch the dress."
"You're smaller than me. This dress is too tight; and people keep staring at me. I knew this was a bad idea."
"They're just jealous, so stop squirming."
Anya forced a smile but continued to fuss with the dress despite Keri's protest.
She wasn't used to wearing something so revealing, but Keri hadn't stopped pestering her until she caved. According to her, none of Anya's clothes were suitable for a masquerade ball.
If it was a few years back, it wouldn't have mattered. Their sizes were similar. Now, Anya was curvier, filling the dress to the maximum. It was a surprise she could even breathe. Keri was taller, standing almost a foot higher than her. Normally it bothered Anya how short she was against her friend, but right now, she was grateful. The dress was already short, stopping half way up her thigh. If she'd been as tall, it would barely cover her.
"Stop fussing," Keri scowled over her shoulder. "You're not going to make a good impression if you don't stop fidgeting."
"I'm sorry, but I'm really uncomfortable."
Keri just shook her head and grabbed a hold of her hand, pulling her through a large archway.
Anya's mouth fell open in awe.
The hall they'd been searching for was massive, taking her breath away.
A swarm of people filled the room, their masked faces glowing ice blue in the moonlight shining in through the high glass ceilings. The familiar scent of mulled wine filled the air around her as candles burned on each table scattered around the room. A beautiful Celtic song played in the background, loud but not deafening like most of the other rooms around the house. It was almost peaceful here.
“Keri,” a male voice called from behind them.
Anya turned around quickly causing her head to spin. She steadied herself on a nearby table and closed her eyes as a wave of dizziness washed over her.
Reopening her eyes, she came face to face with a stranger.
“Who’s this?” he asked Keri, continuing to stare at her beneath her mask.
Anya could feel her cheeks burning as he leaned even closer, not caring a bit about her personal space. His nose almost brushed hers, his warm breath tickling her face.
She thought he was going to kiss her like the man upstairs, only she didn’t have the urge to kiss him.
He was quite handsome with his short, light brown hair spiked up on his head in an almost military fashion. She wondered whether it would be prickly beneath her fingers.
His dark eyes were like chocolate, twinkling when he flashed her a dashing smile which lit his whole face; she couldn’t help but smile back. Yes, this stranger was handsome, but he didn’t make her heart soar, or her stomach flutter.
“That’s Anya. She’s the friend I mentioned to you the other day, the one who’s just moved back,” Keri replied, walking passed them to another man who approached, throwing her arms around his neck in a display of affection.
“Oh? My name is Hugh. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
He took her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles with an old-fashioned charm.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest when she snatched her hand away and cradled it against her, rubbing as pain spread up her arm.
“S-sorry. I think I hurt myself earlier when I fell.”
“Wait. What? You didn’t tell me you fell over.”
“You didn’t exactly give me much of a chance,” Anya muttered, still clinging to her arm.
To her surprise, Hugh burst out laughing and moved even closer, draping his arm across her shoulders like he’d known her years.
“She can get a bit carried away, can’t she?”
“Hey. I’m right here,” Keri scowled, punching Chase’s chest playfully. “Aren’t you going to defend me?”
“You’re tough enough to look after yourself. You punched that guy earlier because he pinched your arse.”
“He had it coming. But that’s not the point.”
Hugh shook his head as Keri and Chase continued to bicker between one another and turned to face Anya with a smile on his face.
“Would you like some ice?”
“Pardon?”
“For your hand.”
“No, no. I’ll be fine. Thank you.”
“Alright. Let me take a look,” he insisted, not waiting for her to agree.
He took her hand, causing her to bite down hard on her lip to keep from screaming. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth and the edges of her vision began to fade. She shook her head and fought against the feeling she was falling, snatching her hand back and rubbing at her sensitive skin.
“Hurts that much, huh?” he asked, brushing his thumb over her lip, causing her to shudder and wince.
Anya brought a hand to her now stinging lips and gasped, noticing the blood that stained her fingers. Had she really been biting so hard?
Her pulse beat loudly in her ears, her heart racing. Hugh spoke again but she couldn’t make out the words. Everything around her sounded muffled as though she heard it through a wall of water.
Hugh reached out his hand and placed it on her shoulder in an attempt to gain her attention, supporting her as she swayed on unsteady feet, but the contact felt like a branding iron against her skin.
She clenched her fists tight, creating moon shaped dents in her palm as the feeling of flames spread their way across her arms and torso. Her whole body burning as though encased in fire.
Anya moved away from him, aiming for the open patio doors.
With each step, her throat constricted tighter, her breath coming out choppy and laboured.
What was this feeling?
Sweat shimmered on her skin as she pushed her way through the crowds, her hands trembling as she neared the doors.
Strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind in an unbreakable cage, holding steady as her head lolled to the side and the world around her faded black.
Anya awoke to a different kind of heat wrapped around her as she was held against a large, firm chest.
The wind swept over her fevered skin, blowing her long hair across her face, tickling her nose and sticking to her glossed lips. She craved to brush it aside, but her limbs felt heavy and lethargic, the steady beat of this stranger's heartbeat lulling her back to sleep.
She fought against it, shaking her head and cracking open her eyes to look up at the man carrying her.
Who was he?
Not a single street light was lit, his features shrouded in darkness. Except for his eyes, shining bright like sapphire orbs.
This must be a dream. His eyes couldn’t possibly be glowing.
Another gust of wind blew across her face; the scent of musk and pine filling her nostrils, making her inhale deeply.
She tried to sit up in his arms, only to be pushed back again with a sigh.
Her eyes watered and blurred, the darkness creeping in once again. She tried to fight against the pull, but it wasn't enough. Her vision faded to black.
Anya’s eyes flickered open for a second time, the familiar sights and scents of home greeting her.
She sunk deeper into the worn-out sofa and sighed.
She'd never fainted like that before. What was wrong with her?
Covering her eyes from the burning light above her, she moaned and rubbed her aching head. Only she wasn't alone like she'd first thought.
Goosebumps erupted over her flesh everywhere his eyes lingered, sending an uncontrollable shiver down her spine.
Not a pleasant feeling like she'd imagined it would be to have someone stare at her so intently.
She turned to face the room, searching for him, forcing herself into a seated position, her eyes still blurry with dizziness.
“I wouldn’t do that just yet if I were you,” he groaned, pushing to his feet and taking a step toward her. “You still look pale. I don’t want you to faint on me again.”
Her cheeks burned red. What a fool she must have looked. Everyone probably thought she was drunk.
She forced herself to focus on his face as he drew closer.
His eyes caught her attention first, seeming to glow in the dull light like they had outside. She froze to the spot unable to break eye contact, feeling like prey to a hungry animal.
Then she noticed that strong square jaw, dusted in stubble and marked by a dark scar that cut across his sensual mouth.
The mystery man from upstairs.
He'd been the one to catch her, bring her home and wait for her to awaken.
Her face reddened as she thought of how pathetic she must look.
He opened his mouth to speak, only to close it again and look away.
“H-how did you know where I lived? Where's Keri?” she asked when he walked past her, pausing to lean against the wooden frame of the door as she spoke.
“Edwin,” he replied, choosing not to answer her second question.
“You know Edwin?”
“Yes.”
She made a sound of frustration under her breath when she realised he wasn't going to elaborate further.
Why was he making it so difficult?
This man was infuriating, yet she couldn’t stop herself craving him. Just the sight of him filling her door frame, propped against the wood made her mouth water and her fingers tingle with the need to touch.
He was huge, easily over six foot and at least two hundred pounds of solid muscle. His legs like tree trunks, straining against the tight confines of his black trousers. She could easily see the ropes of muscle across his chest and stomach defined beneath his thin white shirt.
Finally she forced her attention away from his body and up to his face. She blushed and licked her lips as she remembered the kiss they shared.
He watched her every move, his nostrils flaring and his deep blue eyes glowing brighter than humanly possible.
Unease crept over her skin, but she continued to watch him. That same feeling of goosebumps erupting over her as a shiver made its way down her spine.
“You need rest," he said, his voice rumbling in his chest, his eyes on her skin, burning.
This was a man she should be cautious of. But when he looked at her with those amazing, yet terrifying eyes, it was hard to remember why.
Chapter Three
It wasn’t wise to leave her alone after she’d fainted, but Thane knew he couldn’t stay around her any longer, not with her scent of lust flowing to his nostrils begging him to finish that kiss.
Thane stepped out into the cool air and rested his head against the wooden door behind him.
How is it possible for this girl to be affecting him like this, making him lose control?
He growled and stepped down from the porch.
There was something different about her, something that called to him like nothing else. The wolf clawed at his insides, fighting to be free. With each step it fought him to turn back. To confront her. To take her.
He growled louder, furious with fate for sending her to him now.
“A human,” he scoffed, glancing back over his shoulder.
He couldn't allow himself to be driven mad with lust over a female, let alone a human one who could very well be a hunter.
No. She couldn't be. Edwin wouldn't know a hunter like he seemed to know her. But then, why was she there? Why were any of them there?
Thane clenched his fists, turning his knuckles white and punched a nearby wall. The plaster cracked, exposing the brick beneath as the cloud of dust settled to the floor. But it wasn't enough.
No matter how much he told himself it was a bad idea. No matter how much he insisted she couldn't be his, the wolf fought to return to her, hungry.
The sweet scent of her lingered on the breeze forcing him to turn, expecting to see her behind him. She wasn’t. He sniffed the air once more and frowned.
It was coming from him.
Thane turned and began to run toward Edwin’s in search of answers.
Taking a quiet route on the outskirts of town, he sprinted through thick woods on the path that would lead to the old man’s backyard.
Still he fought every instinct not to run in the opposite direction, his muscles aching as he pushed them harder, fighting against the wolf inside, sweat gleaming on his skin under the moonlight.
He dodged and weaved through trees, easily manoeuvring past branches and trunks. Leaping over a fallen log, his body erupted in black fur that shimmered dark blue in the light shining through the broken canopy of trees. His bones and muscles rearranged themselves under his skin as he landed on four paws on the other side. His canines grew into fangs, dripping with saliva, blue eyes glowing wildly as he searched his surroundings before taking off once again.
The trees became sparse. The strong aroma of flowers and bushes tickling his nose. He didn't remember the journey from town being quite so quick.
Looking up at the house before him, Thane couldn't help but compare it to the hunter’s bleached home.
Edwin's house was beautiful, blending in with its wooded surroundings. Everything about it natural, from the stone walls and wood panelling, to the handcrafted furniture. Even the water and electrics were sourced from nature.
A complete opposite to the large, unnatural, and modern house the hunters called their own.
As Thane stepped through the backdoor, into the kitchen, he transformed back into his human self. The transition from man to beast, and back again, had never bothered him. From a young age, he’d learnt to control the change with ease, and as he grew older, the process only became faster and less painful. Now he could change in a matter of seconds, the feeling almost a pleasure.
He continued through the kitchen, helping himself to some of the food laid on the table.
A pair of jeans draped over the back of one of the chairs.
Clearly, Edwin was expecting him.
Thane entered Edwin’s study, brought there by the scent of apple and cinnamon; a scent everyone who knew the old man associated with him due to his obsession with the unusual concoction.
Still pulling on his jeans, fastening the buttons, Thane spotted Edwin seated at his desk, leaning over a pile of papers.
“I take it Miss Shaw arrived home safely?” he asked, never bothering to look up from his work.
“No, Edwin. I left her in a ditch somewhere once I had my way with her,” Thane paused, waiting to gauge Edwin's reaction.
He didn't even flinch.
“Of course I took her home. I even waited for her to wake before I left.”
“She was alright?”
“Fine. A little wobbly. Not that I understand why you care. She’s human,” he scoffed, crossing his arms over his bare chest as he leaned against the bookcase behind him.
“Not all humans are the same. You of all people
should know that. Just look how close you and Amelia were.”
“She was different,” Thane growled, irritated that Edwin would bring her name up now. “She earned my trust over the years.”
Finally looking up from his papers, Edwin mirrored
Thane’s stance as he leant back in his chair.
Much like himself, Edwin was a large man, but when he looked at Thane like that, there was no mistaking this man was head of the Guard.
“What’s the problem, Thane? Don’t you like the girl?”
“This has nothing to do with whether I like her or not. I just don’t get why you felt I should deal with it. Why would you think she’s safe with me?”
“You may have a fiery temper, Thane. But you’d never hurt an innocent girl, whether you were in a rage or not.”
Thane grunted. He knew how bad he got when the animal took control and his human mind was lost. Things ended bloody. Many of the Guards feared him, and so they should. He scared himself sometimes. Even Edwin struggled to hide his fear when Thane lost his temper.
“Besides. When you ran across the room to catch her as she began to fall, I saw the fear in your eyes.”
“I only caught her because I felt responsible. I told you I knocked into her upstairs. It’s probably why she fainted,” Thane replied through clenched teeth, stepping toward Edwin, pounding his fist down onto the table in front of him.
Thane knew he was lying to himself, but he couldn’t admit he was unable to take his eyes off her. All the signs she was about to faint as panic consumed her forced him to step into action. He couldn’t just let her fall in the middle of the room. He wasn’t a monster. Not yet.
“Why am I here, Edwin?” he asked, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and fingers. He didn’t need reminding that he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Even now she was at the forefront of his mind when all he should be worrying about was why he was here.
“The hunters are recruiting again, Thane. Their numbers are flying out of control but I don’t know how they’re getting the people,” Edwin replied, rummaging through the stacks in front of him. “In the last month, they've recruited over thirty new members in a ten-mile radius.”
“How is that possible?” Thane asked, slumping down into the chair next to him, taking the piece of paper Edwin offered.
