by Tara Rose
Once he was back home, which had only taken ten minutes, he sat down at his desk and got to work. It was the only way to keep his thoughts from focusing on last night, and everything they’d talked about. He especially was trying not to focus on her fantasy of having sex with two men at once, but now that she’d put it out there, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Until she’d brought it up again after he’d told her about Tia, he had wondered if she would even remember saying it. She’d been in subspace more than once last night, and Maverick knew it was quite possible that she wouldn’t recall it. Or, if she did, she’d dismiss it as one of those heat-of-the-moment things that didn’t really mean anything.
But now, Maverick knew that neither of them had simply ignored it. And, knowing that she was spending part of this day with Kane didn’t help matters any. He was very confused about all this.
He hadn’t asked if he could drive her to work this afternoon, because he didn’t want her feeling obligated to him. But it was killing him not to know what she and Kane would do today, or what they might say to each other. Kane had seemed like a nice enough person at The Saloon on Saturday night, but that didn’t mean Maverick was ready to share Felicity with him. He didn’t know if he’d ever be ready for that.
He mentally shook away the thoughts and tried to concentrate on the job he was being paid to do. He knew he was jumping to conclusions here and making leaps that might turn out to be unfounded. But Felicity was unlike any woman he’d ever met, and he wasn’t ready to give her up to a stranger who had wandered into town three or four days ago. And, although part of him was intrigued by the fantasy of watching her get fucked by another guy, in reality Maverick wasn’t sure he could actually do that, even if it was something she really wanted to do. He didn’t know how he’d react, and Maverick didn’t like to be in that position.
He only knew one thing for certain. He was in deep, deep trouble here with Felicity, but he didn’t care about that. He liked it. He liked it a lot.
Chapter Twelve
As soon as Maverick dropped her off at home on Monday morning, Felicity took a shower and put on fresh clothes, then she started her washing machine. Next, she called Winona, who had just arrived at work. She hadn’t really had a chance to talk to her yesterday and wanted to know more about this YouTube video that Brett Warner had posted.
“Summer just told me about it,” said Winona. “Apparently, Brett took pictures and filmed him and Angela having sex when they were still together, and the other day he posted a video he’d made of those pictures and film clips on YouTube.”
“Why on earth would he do that now? I mean, think about it. She dumped his ass for posting one with him and another woman while they were still together. Doing this only means one thing. He’s out for blood.”
“I agree, and so does Summer. She said that Angela is devastated.”
“What do Nash and Ian think of this?”
“I don’t know. But I’m sure they’re not upset with her. From what I hear, she’s tight with both of them.”
“Someone needs to beat the shit out of Brett.”
She and Winona moved on to other subjects, but Felicity’s thoughts kept wandering back to Angela and Summer, both of whom were now involved with two Doms each. How did they handle it? Were the guys okay with it? Had they talked about it first, or had it just happened? She wished there was time to talk to Summer or Angela before she had to meet Kane this morning. Not that she expected anything to happen today, but after the conversation she’d had with Maverick last night about the subject, she knew if it was on her mind this much, it had to be on his as well.
Ten in the morning came too quickly for Felicity. She walked downtown, wearing her favorite pair of jeans, a light sweater, and hiking boots. He’d said he wanted to walk, so she was dressed for that. The fact that she had also curled her hair and put on jewelry had nothing to do with anything. She simply hadn’t wanted to look frumpy.
Sure. Just keep telling yourself that.
He was waiting for her in front of the totem pole, and when he spotted her and broke into a huge grin, her pussy contracted in tiny spasms, reminding her of the multiple orgasms she’d had last night. She was in deep shit here.
His eyes looked even bluer in the crisp morning sunlight. He also wore jeans and hiking boots. His green plaid shirt, open at the neck to show off a fine dusting of blond chest hair, only enhanced the image of him as sexy and a bit of trouble. As she approached, she reflected that it wasn’t so much his clothing. It was his aura, and that almost predatory look in his eyes. Was she his prey?
“You look very pretty today, Felicity.”
“Oh, thank you. You look nice, too, Kane.” She glanced at the totem pole, only because looking into his eyes gave her a sudden urge to kiss him. “So, what do you think of this? You said you’ve seen others. Are they all the same?”
“With a few exceptions. Tell me the legend behind this one.”
“How do you know it has a legend?”
The grin was back, and Felicity struggled to rein in her hormones. What was going on with her this week? “They all do.”
“Well, this one has carvings from six Native American tribes, and they’re all mixed together.”
“Most tribes share symbols for the same things.”
“Yes, that’s true. There are symbols here from Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Pueblo, Shoshone and Ute lore. Local legend holds that if you stare at it long enough, and visualize a question or a situation with which you need guidance from a spirit guide, you’ll see the answer to your problem.”
He glanced up at the pole. “Does it work?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never tried.”
He turned his gaze toward her again. “Never tried because you have no burning questions, or because you don’t believe it?”
She laughed, but only because she suddenly felt self-conscious, as if he’d reached into her brain and poked around at her thoughts, the same way she’d sworn Maverick had done a few times yesterday. “Everyone has at least one burning question.”
“That’s true. Maybe one day you’ll tell me yours. So, where shall we walk first? I’ve seen this street.”
“Have you been down Sandcherry Lane?” As soon as she asked, she laughed again. “Yeah, I guess you have since you’ve been to where I work. But have you seen Mystic Ridge Enterprises? It’s a sheep ranch that Mateo and Pedro Alvarado own now. It’s been in their family over one hundred years.”
“Not much of a sheep fan, actually.”
“Okay. Well, then do you want to just take a walk up and down the streets in town? I could point out fascinating places like the schools and where I hung out as a kid.”
He took her hand, and a tiny jolt of electricity ran up her arm and then straight down to her clit. “That sounds perfect.”
She led him to the street just south of Juniper, and when they turned the corner, he let out a sound of surprise. “Ah. There you are. I missed this one.”
“It’s easy to. That row of blue spruces at the end makes it look like there’s nothing behind the stores but forest. The elementary school is first.” She led him past the one-story brick building, pointing out which classrooms were which grades on this side of the building. “See the colors painted on the doors and frames? Blue is kindergarten and first grade. Yellow is grades two and three. On the other side of the building is red for grades four and five. They have their own cafeteria and gym as well.”
“Someone must have done a study that said ten year olds can’t hang out with younger kids.”
She laughed. “Ah. I see you’re familiar with our education system here in the state.”
“They’re all pretty much alike.”
Walking down the street on this gorgeous late summer day with Kane suddenly seemed like the most natural thing in the world. He was surprisingly easy to be with, and because Felicity hadn’t expected him to be, she began to think she’d misjudged both him and Maverick on first impression
s. “It sounds like you’ve traveled quite a bit, Kane.”
“I have.”
“And you’re here in Passion Peak because of Trace Coleman, right? Or did you come for the skiing?”
He grinned. “Not enough snow for that yet, is there?”
“No, I guess not.” When he didn’t remark on her question about Trace, Felicity pushed a bit more. “Maverick mentioned that he’d talked to you in The Saloon on Saturday, and that you told Van and his crew you were here because of Trace Coleman.”
He gave her a curious sideways glance, but she couldn’t tell if it was because of what she’d just said, or some other reason. “How close are you and Maverick? I’m only asking because I don’t want to step on toes or assume anything.”
“We only met last week. He knows I’m with you this morning.”
Kane raised his eyebrows, but then the gesture was gone just as quickly. “All right. Since we’re being so open then, I did come here to find Trace Coleman.”
“Why were you looking for him?”
“If I tell you, it has to be a secret for now.”
The tone of his voice sent a shiver up and down her spine. “Then why are you trusting me with it? You don’t know me.”
He chuckled slightly. “That’s true, but I have very good instincts. You’re a trustworthy person.”
She couldn’t tell if he was feeding her a line, but she was very flattered, just the same. “Okay. Your secret is safe with me.”
He stopped walking and glanced up and down the street, even though no one else was around. “Trace Coleman has left a string of complaints all across the eastern seaboard, and now the Midwest as well. He preyed on a family member of mine. A wealthy one. By the time he’d found what he was looking for, she was out a lot of money that she’d paid him in advance to get rid of so-called ghosts in her home. That was bad enough, but he also took something from the house that he had no right to.”
“Holy crap. You know, we’ve all been hearing rumors about him for years, but I honestly didn’t know there was any truth to them. I figured he was just some nut job. Why hasn’t he been arrested for all of this?”
“No one can prove it was theft or fraud. He covers his tracks quite well, and the things he looks for in homes are often stolen, or at least have a shady history to begin with. The homeowners don’t want any trouble, so they either let it go or don’t say anything about it, even when Trace puts holes in walls or goes snooping where he doesn’t belong. They simply throw him out and threaten him if he comes around again.”
“That’s ridiculous. How long does he think he can keep getting away with this?”
The grin that split Kane’s face was predatory, and Felicity shivered. “He won’t get away with what he did to my grandmother. But I need to sit on this for a while, all right? I need to watch and see how it plays out here in town before I give your local cops the information I have.”
“Why?”
“Because I may not have to, and if I can keep her name out of it, I want to do that. She’s very prominent in my hometown, and this would embarrass her. I made that promise to her before I drove out here.”
Felicity’s heart skipped a beat. The conviction for what he was doing was evident in his voice. His love for his grandmother was as well. If he had told Maverick, Van and his crew all this last night, they would have understood that this guy wasn’t trouble. He was on a mission, but it wasn’t out of revenge or a sense of justice. It was to right a wrong done to a beloved family member. She’d misjudged him, and more than likely so had Maverick and Van. “So Trace Coleman isn’t really looking for ghosts. That show he has is just a front.”
He nodded. “Exactly. Trace Coleman is nothing more than a fraud who uses paranormal investigations as a ruse to gain entry into homes where he believes money or jewelry was hidden a long time ago.”
“And now he’s targeted this town.”
“He has. I’m a paranormal investigator myself, and I can tell you for a fact that what Trace Coleman passes off as ghosts on his show is pure crap. But now that I’m here in Passion Peak, and I know Trace won’t be leaving anytime soon, I’ve also discovered something that fascinates me, and I need to learn more about it.”
“What have you discovered?”
“Shapeshifters.”
Felicity had a sudden, disturbing image of Mason, Mancie, and Nevada, standing in their Sleepy Cat tent, but she didn’t know why. Rumors about them had been part of local folklore while growing up, but she’d never paid too much attention to it. “What do you want with them?”
“Your first question is that? Not ‘What are shapeshifters?’ or ‘Are you serious?’ or something along those lines?”
“Kane, you’ve spent enough time here already to know that people in this town believe in some pretty wild shit. That Sleepy Cat Legend, for example. I don’t know if I believe in the existence of shapeshifters and ghosts or not, but let’s just say I prefer to keep an open mind where supernatural things are concerned. I mean, who’s to say they aren’t real?”
“Exactly. Okay, to answer your question, I’m only interested for purely academic reasons. Not to hurt any of them or capture them.”
“Are you trying to prove their existence?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I can. The same way people search for loved ones who have passed on, or Bigfoot, or the Loch Ness Monster. It’s what I do. It’s what I enjoy. But when someone like Trace Coleman comes along who uses paranormal investigation as a way to rob people, I take a stand. I work to expose them so that others aren’t hurt. He made it personal, and I’m not going to let him get away with it.”
“So, that really is why you came to Passion Peak. To expose Trace.”
“Yes, it is.”
“But you’re also trying to find out if someone is a shapeshifter. Who?”
“Specifically, Mason, Mancie, and Nevada Ruiz. But they might not be the only ones. There might be more.” His voice was so quiet, Felicity had to strain to hear him. A hawk flew overhead, and its familiar screech that she’d grown up listening to suddenly sounded ominous. A cool breeze blew across her body and she crossed her arms, wishing she’d worn a jacket as well as the sweater.
“Are you all right, Felicity?”
“I’m fine, but you’ve certainly piqued my curiosity.”
“No one in this town seems to know very much about them, especially Mancie and Nevada.”
“The Ruiz family has always kept to themselves. They’re harmless.”
“I can see that.”
“And, truthfully, I don’t know much about shapeshifters. What’s the mythology behind them?”
“They’re beings with the ability to shift into another form, usually by way of magic, but sometimes because they’ve been given the power by a deity. The mythology actually goes back to the earliest histories.”
“How long have you been interested in this?”
The corners of his mouth turned up. “I’m a mythology nut. I spent a lot of time gaming when I was younger, and I was always drawn to the games with werewolves, ghosts, and vampires. Things like that. I wanted to design them at one time and spent a lot of time reading about the mythology behind them.”
“And you really believe that the Ruiz family are shapeshifters?”
“Is that so far fetched? I’ve only been here a few days, and I think there’s something very odd about them. You’ve lived here all your life, right. Can you honestly tell me that you think of them as just your everyday, average residents with nothing to hide?”
“No, but that’s just how they are. They’re different, but harmless, like you said. They don’t hurt anyone. They just sell their Sleepy Cat stuff and leave the rest of the town alone.”
Kane squeezed her hand. “Felicity, I’m not saying they’re dangerous or that they deserve to be hunted like freaks. I’m simply telling you why I’m here, because you asked.”
“But you’ve found them. I mean, they�
�re in the same place every day. Downtown, in that tent. So now what?”
He smiled at her, but she had the uncomfortable feeling that now he was indulging her. The look in his eyes was almost condescending, and she began to wish she hadn’t come out with him this morning. “I love it that you’re so protective of them. But I haven’t crossed a line, and I know if I do, the people in this town will be all over me. All I’ve done is ask questions. I don’t mean anyone in this town harm.”
She wanted to believe him. She didn’t want to think he could be here with a hidden agenda. That would make her the biggest fool this side of the Rockies. “Well, like I said, you’ve found them. What happens now?”
“I need proof.”
“And how do you expect to get that?”
“The legends all describe a key. A catalyst, if you will. Something that causes the being to shift. It can be a moon phase, or a stone, or even an emotion that they have to conjure up.”
“I’ve never heard anything like that. Are you sure about this?”
“Do you know Zoe Ewing?”
She nodded. “Yes. She owns the Unique Boutique on Juniper.”
“I talked to her on Saturday. She said that Mason’s ancestor described the Sleepy Cat as a cougar, and that he watched it turn from a cat into a man.”
“That’s in the literature they hand out. And Zoe Ewing will repeat anything that anyone says if she thinks it’ll get a reaction out of someone. So if you’re trying to gather information from her, you’d be well advised to look elsewhere.”
He chuckled softly again, but this time she didn’t have the feeling he was laughing at her. Rather, he found what she’d said about Zoe humorous. “Such as, right in front of me, perhaps?”
“Kane, I wish I could tell you that I’ve seen a cougar turn into a man, but I haven’t. No one I know has, and believe me, my friends would tell me if they had. I’m only saying that rumors in the literature the Ruiz family passes out in their cute little tent everyday and reality are two very different things. I’m not going to tell you that you’re wrong here, and I’m not going to say that Mason, Mancie, and Nevada aren’t elusive or mysterious, but I also can’t say that I believe they can turn into cougars.”
