Hunger Awakened (The Feral Book 1)

by Charlene Hartnady

  “Of course.” What did he say next? Should he do something? Vicky had said to ask questions to get the female talking about herself. “Tell me about your likes. What do you enjoy?”

  She made a humming noise, still looking at him funny. “Well, I enjoy lots of things. Would you like me to keep my answer PC?”

  What was PC?

  By claw but this was confusing. “Yes, I think so.” He gave her a quick half-smile.

  The female looked disappointed for a second. “How boring, but if you insist.”

  “I do, at least for now.” What was he insisting on?

  She shut one of her eyes, looking squinty for a moment. Then she gave a quick laugh. “That’s better.”

  Fortunately, she seemed placated by his answer. “Yoga, obviously.” Sandra giggled again, looking up at the ceiling. “I like taking long baths. I enjoy having my nails and hair done. If I had it my way …” Stay focused, Talon! The human went on and on about things that held little importance to him or his people in general. About things that made no sense to him. Talon had to force himself to listen, he needed to learn. Needed to try to understand.

  “What do you think of this particular shade of blonde? This is a silver blonde, which is really in right now.” She didn’t wait for him to answer as she fingered her long tresses. “I changed it to this from a champagne blonde, which is less silver and more … um … champagne, I guess.” She laughed at her own joke.

  “Yes, I like your hair very much.” He nodded once. “I’m sure it looked good in the other color too.” What was he saying? He wanted to ask if there was a reason her hair changed colors. If there was a real significance, as with his species changing feather color, but didn’t want to accidentally say the wrong thing. Sandra kept on talking about hair. On and on. Saying so much but without really saying anything at all. He nodded his head every so often. Sometimes asking a question or commenting on something she said.

  “So, you don’t think I should change it back to red?” She wrinkled up her nose. “Redheads are supposed to have more fun, you know?”

  Talon felt himself frown. “I didn’t know that. Very interesting.” What did hair color have to do with having fun? Had he missed something?

  Sandra laughed. She laughed at almost everything he said. Did she think him a simpleton or did she think he was being funny? He couldn’t tell. She laughed so hard this time, leaning forward and bracing herself on his thigh. “Why is it that redheads are supposed to have more fun?” he asked, genuinely interested.

  She straightened up, keeping her hand on his thigh. “They don’t.” Sandra blinked one of her eyes again, squeezing it shut for a few seconds this time. Did she have something inside it? Maybe a bug or … no, it seemed fine all of a sudden. “It’s common knowledge that it’s blondes who have more fun. Most definitely. Especially those with silver blonde hair. What do you think?” She squeezed his leg, making him feel uncomfortable.

  He did not want this female to touch him, but he didn’t want to fail Vicky … make that, he didn’t want to fail his people. He still had much to learn. That much was apparent.

  That airhead had her greasy mitts all over Talon. To add to the problem, all that giggling was starting to get on her last nerve.

  Okay, maybe the airhead didn’t have her hands all over Talon, but that one hand had decided to take up residence on his thigh. Every now and then the bimbo touched his arm or his chest with the other hand, so it was only a matter of time before that one moved on in as well. Next thing she’d be on his lap, all giggling and rubbing and—

  Hold up!

  Why was that so bad?

  Why was it such a huge problem?

  It shouldn’t be. After all, she was trying to teach the guy how to pick up women. She had hoped Talon would be able to hold his own in a conversation, had expected to have to help out here and there. She hadn’t expected this though.

  No way. Not this. Not yet, at least. But why not? Talon cleaned up good. Really good. It was to be expected. He might be from a different culture, but he was intelligent. Like he said, his species adapted easily. It wasn’t like that Sandra person wanted any type of serious relationship with him. She clearly wanted a hook-up though.

  She forced her eyes off the two of them. Talon seemed to be lapping up the attention, even though Sandra was the one doing most of the talking. Just as she had taught him.

  Eyes off!

  Carmen was quite sweet. Turned out they had the same taste in television shows and Carmen also liked cats, except she had three of them and was busy telling Vicky how she got each one. They were already on cat number three.

  “Lilly was this tiny orange clump of fur as a kitten,” Carmen said, sipping her drink. “I didn’t want a third cat, you know? Had no plans to adopt another one.”

  Vicky nodded.

  The airhead laughed again at something Talon said but she forced herself to stay focused on her own conversation. She took a sip of her freshly ordered Piņa Colada. The bartender had brought them all another round of drinks and Talon had paid with another crisp hundred, telling the guy to keep the change … again. She needed to talk to him about that. It was great that he was so generous, but he was sending out the wrong signals. Some people would do anything for money. The Feral did not want to attract that kind of woman. The kind who only had eyes on the bottom line.

  “So, I had to take her home, I just had to,” Carmen said.

  Oh shit! Vicky hadn’t heard a thing the other woman had said. She nodded anyway.

  “The poor thing had the snuffles and wasn’t at all well. Her full name is Tiger Lily.”

  “That’s a lovely name for a ginger cat.” Especially considering tiger lilies were orange in color. “And unusual for a ginger to be female.”

  Carmen nodded, her eyes clouding. “I thought so too. Unfortunately, Lily isn’t with me anymore, she was run over by a speeding car. It happened when she was only one. So young.”

  “That’s terrible!”

  “Yeah, people speed along my street all the time. It’s the main route to the junior high. I did end up adopting another cat just last week. Not to replace Lily, of course.”

  “No, of course not.”

  More giggling erupted, drawing Vicky’s attention. Sandra was practically on Talon’s lap. She said something that sounded very much like ‘kiss me’. Talon shook his head and smiled, he whispered something in her ear which had Sandra groaning like she was halfway to an orgasm. Talon wasn’t touching the bimbo. He wasn’t trying to get her off him either though.

  “You look worried,” Carmen said.

  “Um … I guess I am … a little.”

  “Your cousin is a grown man, capable of taking care of himself.” Carmen took a drink from her straw.

  “It’s just that he’s from a really small town.” She felt herself glowering. “I don’t want to see him taken advantage of.” Maybe she shouldn’t have said that. These two ladies were friends after all.

  Carmen’s lips twitched.

  “What is it?”

  The other women took another sip of her drink. She licked her lips. “I have this sneaky suspicion that your cousin would like nothing better than to let Sandra take full advantage of him.” She waggled her brows. “If you know what I mean?”

  Vicky got a sick feeling in her belly. “Yup, I can certainly guess,” she sighed.

  “You still look worried.” Carmen frowned.

  Vicky frowned right back, not sure what to say. Truth was, she was jealous. Seriously jealous! She didn’t like the idea of having this bimbo take Talon home, or even worse, have Talon take her back to Vicky’s place. No damned way … he could think again. It was not going to happen. Forget it!

  “Now you look angry.” Carmen sounded amused.

  “Talon is staying at my place … on the sofa. If he thinks he’s bringing your friend over so that they can … you know …” she widened her eyes, “on my sofa.” She shook her head, feeling her blood heat in her veins. “They
have another thing coming. That’s all.” That wasn’t all. Not nearly.

  Carmen laughed. “Okay, yeah, I can see how that might piss you off. I wouldn’t worry. Sandra has her own place. She and her boyfriend broke up a few months back, so Talon is just what she needs to get back on the horse.” She winked.

  Vicky forced a laugh. It sounded … well … it sounded forced. “I see. I guess he needs to make his own decisions. Like you said, he’s a grown man.” Talon had told her on several occasions that he didn’t plan on actually having sex with anyone. This was purely for learning purposes. She didn’t think he was going to go there. She was just being paranoid and jealous. It irritated her. All of it did.

  It would all be okay. Talon and Sandra rose to their feet. The airhead wore a smug smile. She held onto Talon like he was her lifeline, like she just might fall at any moment if she let go of him.

  Talon looked like his normal self, all intense and broody. All the women in the room looked at him. Checked him out. They all wished they were Sandra.

  “Hi,” Sandra gushed, her voice all breathy. “We’re heading out. You guys don’t mind if we ditch you?”

  Say what?

  What the …?

  “Not at all,” Carmen said. Her voice sing-songy.

  Vicky felt her jaw literally drop open. “You’re leaving?” She narrowed her eyes on Talon.

  He nodded. “Sandra has asked me to sleep with her at her house.” He said it like it was the most normal thing in the world.

  What the hell? Really? What happened to him not fucking around? The first woman to offer him a little bit of ‘meow’ and he was all over it. Like white on rice. Like fat on bacon. Like …. like … like … Shit! She was too pissed off to think of any more similes.

  “Um,” she forced a smile, “do you think that’s a good idea?”

  Talon shrugged. “I am fine with it.”

  Sandra giggled, rubbing herself up against Talon. As in, she stuck her perfect, perky little tits against him. Make that her perfect, perky, little tits on a really nice long torso, all over him. Bitch! “Um, Talon, we have a meeting really early tomorrow. I don’t know that you should be sleeping over at Sandra’s place. Not tonight anyhow.”

  “What meeting?”

  She rolled her eyes. “It’s that family meeting. The one about Uncle Steve’s Will. It’s the whole reason you’re visiting with us, remember?” She prayed he got what she was trying to say. Really, really prayed that he was on the same page, despite being a different species. One with very little understanding of humans … and women in general.

  Talon frowned. He frowned some more. “Oh, that meeting. It’s tomorrow?” He locked eyes with her, confusion evident in their depths. “You’re sure it’s tomorrow?”

  Good, he got it. “Yes, I’m afraid it is,” she said.

  “Sorry!” He shook his head. “I lost track of the days. I’m on holiday.” He looked at Carmen and then down at Sandra who was scowling.

  “Oh, no. You can’t come over?” She did this stupid, pouty lip thing.

  If Talon wanted to have sex while he was here, it was fine with Vicky, just not with the likes of that hussy. She didn’t know her Scandinavian countries from the Nordic ones. What a complete idiot! So what if she was fit, toned and gorgeous. There was so much more to a person besides looks. Talon needed better taste in women.

  “I’m sorry, Sandra. You will have to sleep by yourself tonight,” Talon said, looking so sincere. So sweet! “Will you be okay?”

  “It will be terrible.” Sandra pouted some more.

  Vicky had to fight to hold back an eye roll. Not just any eye roll, but the motherlode of eye rolls.

  “I’m sorry. I should have checked with Vicky first before agreeing to sleep with you,” Talon put it out there. Said it like it was. He sounded really upset. Looked devastated that he wasn’t going to get between her legs tonight.

  Vicky hated him right now. Hated him, even more, when Sandra giggled, pulling her full bottom lip between her teeth and biting down. Is that how the female population flirted nowadays? She sure as hell hoped not because she was in serious trouble if that was the case. There was no way she was pulling shit like that. Giggling, pouting, biting on lips ‒ forget it! She would rather die with a cobwebby vagina. Honest to god!

  “Maybe tomorrow night then?” Sandra raised her brows, she seemed to even stop breathing.

  Talon seemed surprised. “Oh, will you still need me tomorrow?”

  Vicky felt a gagging sound emerging from the depths of her throat but managed to swallow it down.

  Sandra fluttered her fake lashes so hard Vicky was sure one of them would fly off at any second. Unfortunately, it never happened. Her beautician must use some serious glue on those babies. “I’ll definitely still need you tomorrow.” A soft purr.

  Oh brother. Vicky’s eyeballs positively twitched with the need to roll yet again.

  “Well, alright then.” Talon nodded once.

  The bimbo dug in her purse, finally pulling out the biggest phone Vicky had ever seen. It had a screen to beat all screens. Huge. And its protector was covered in glitter and sparkles.

  Glitter and sparkles galore. Sunglasses were a requirement to look at that thing. And Talon wanted this? Wanted her? Men! All men! It didn’t matter that he was a different species. They were all the same. They could only think with their dicks. Finished.

  Sandra handed her phone to Talon. “Why don’t you program your number—”

  “Nonsense,” Vicky said, putting it on a bit. “Talon is the guy and you are the lady.” She used the term loosely. “It should be up to him,” she pointed with her thumb at Talon, “to contact you.” The reality was that the thought of this hussy having Talon’s number so that she could start to text him the moment they left, didn’t sit right with her. Talon could do better. Much better. That had nothing to do with jealousy. Even though she was jealous. Very. She hated that fact. For a moment she was tempted just to let things play out, but she couldn't do it. Talon was paying her to help him learn about women. It was her duty to steer him clear of these types.

  “That is a good idea,” Talon said, using that rich, gorgeous voice of his to its sexy fullest.

  “Okay,” Sandra giggled as she took Talon’s phone, programming her number in. It took her less than five seconds. Something she’d done before … a couple of hundred times, maybe?

  Stop it, Vicky! She was being mean. There was nothing wrong with a woman exploring her sexuality. As long as it wasn’t this particular woman with Talon. Damn, the thought of him hooking up with anyone left her feeling all wrong inside. Shit! She needed to stop this. Talon was her client. It was time to take her receptionist’s advice and join one of those online dating sites. Vicky was probably just lonely. It had been over a year since the break-up. It was time to move on. That much was clear.

  Sandra gave Talon a big hug, burying her face in his chest. She rose up on her tippy toes, lips looking distinctly puckered but he didn’t take the bait. Probably didn’t realize that she wanted a kiss, or he’d be all over that.

  She reined herself in yet again. “Well, it was great meeting you guys.” She spoke more to Carmen than to Sandra.

  “It was really nice chatting,” Carmen said. “Good luck tomorrow,” she added.

  It took Vicky a few minutes to realize what she meant. “Yes … yes, of course. It was nice chatting.”

  “Is he your first cousin?”

  Vicky glanced in the direction of Talon. Good lord! Sandra was hugging him again. Plastering herself all over him.

  Vicky nodded. “Yes,” she said, watching how he hugged her right back.

  “Look, your cousin is gorgeous, like next level, but I don’t think cousins should look at each other like that.”

  “Like what?” she blurted. “I don’t look at him any which way,” she whispered.

  “I’m not buying that whole story about Uncle Steve’s Will. Be careful, is all I’m saying. You seem a little too preoccupied.
That’s all.” She held up her hands. “We don’t know each other, and I should probably keep my mouth shut, but I guess I’m one of those people who says it like it is.”

  “You’re wrong. I’m even on a dating website.” Nearly. “I’m not interested in …” she cleared her throat, “my cousin like that,” she whispered. Oh brother! Let the ground open up now, please! “Thank you for your concern and take care. Sorry about your cat. You should keep them indoors if you’re on a busy road.”

  “I learned my lesson.” She looked at Vicky pointedly, trying to convey some or other message. Poor thing didn’t know that Talon wasn’t her cousin and that she was technically allowed to have the hots for him.

  Vicky needed to get a handle on her feelings, on this little infatuation, because that was all this was. She was going to have to give the money back and help him find another relationship therapist if she couldn’t. Her ex. Forget that! She’d get on that dating website and sort this out. First, though, she was having a serious talk with Talon. For his own good.

  Chapter 10

  Vicky threw her keys into the ceramic dish on the dining room table. They landed with a loud clang. Oops! Any harder and the bowl would have shattered. She liked that bowl even though it had been a wedding gift.

  She turned and sucked in a breath. Talon was unzipping his jeans. His torso … make that, his magnificent torso ‒ it was corny but oh so true ‒ was bare. His shirt lay on the coffee table behind him.

  “Wait!” she practically yelled. “We need to talk, and you need to wait until I’m out of the room before you undress.”

  “Why?” His brow creased. “You’ve seen me naked.” He pulled the fly back up and readjusted his cock through his jeans.

  Vicky swallowed thickly, trying hard not to look. Trying hard not to let her body react to that simple movement. To his near nakedness. To how magnificent his chest was … and his biceps … and those muscles on the sides of … Stop! Oh god! She was beyond hot for him. She was practically salivating for a touch and to be touched. It was ridiculous. So stupid! It was a rebound thing. That was all. Had to be, because she’d never been this attracted to another person. Not ever. She’d been in love with Jeff. Thought he was so handsome. Especially in the early days of them dating, but she’d never felt this. It was like a raw, animal attraction. He couldn’t stay here with her. He couldn’t go to another hotel either. Not until he was more trained, for lack of a better word. He might end up in jail or worse if she made him leave.