by Jan Gordon
I resigned myself to the inevitable. “Ladies, I’d like to introduce Mr. Steven Colburn; Cole, this is Mrs. Weston and Mrs. Monroe.”
Mrs. Monroe stuck out her hand and Cole shook it. Mrs. Weston actually simpered when Cole greeted her. I’d never seen these two women speechless before; it was worth introducing Cole to them just for that experience.
Cole didn’t stay to chat. He turned to me so they couldn’t see his face and raised his eyebrows. He leaned forward and putting one hand on my waist he gave me a gentle squeeze and kissed me on the cheek. “I’ll talk to you later.” Turning back to the women, he said, “Ladies,” and I could almost imagine him tipping a hat at them.
They both watched him leave the store and then turned to me with expectant faces. Mrs. Weston was first to speak, of course. “He seems like a very nice young man.”
Mrs. Monroe was very quick to get her two cents worth in. “Yes, and so polite.”
“Extremely handsome too.” Mrs. Weston was not to be outdone by one of her disciples.
I smiled at them both but kept my comments non-committal. “Yes, he is very nice, and polite too.” No way was I going to discuss his looks with those two. “Now ladies, was there something special you wanted; if so, could you wait a moment or two? I need to take off my coat and switch on the cash register, I won’t be long.”
“No, no. We bought lots of books yesterday.” Mrs. Weston was more than a little flustered. “To be completely honest, my dear Victoria, we saw your young man and couldn’t resist coming in to meet him.”
I didn’t want to alienate them, even though I would’ve loved to have thrown them out. “That’s fine, I’m sure he was very pleased to meet you. Now if you’ll excuse me.” I slipped off my coat and walked to the back of the store. I opened the door to the little room I used as an office and went in to hang up my coat. I had to stifle a scream when two strong arms grabbed me from behind and turned me around. My smiling mouth was soon captured in a mind-numbing kiss which I enthusiastically returned. When he released me, he grinned, put a finger to his lips, and then dematerialized.
As I returned to the counter in the front part of the store, my one thought was that my life would never be boring again.
ooOOOoo
Cole brought sandwiches and coffee in for lunch and after we’d eaten, he helped me shelve books. We were standing by the paranormal romance section, when it struck me that a lot of the books were quite close to the truth. I said as much to him and he nodded.
“I think a lot of these authors are weres. I don’t know if they’re just writing what they know will sell, or if they’re preparing the world for a time when our secret is revealed.” He slotted one into its allotted spot. “What I do know, is that a lot of them are very accurate.”
“You read them?” I was astonished; why would a man read chic-lit?
“I’ve glanced through a few. My taste runs more to murder mysteries or spy novels.” He wandered over to the window and stood still, watching the street.
I came up behind him and tried to peer over his shoulder, wondering what he was looking at. “What’s up? Is something happening out there?”
“I keep feeling like we’re being watched.”
“It’s those town gossips, Mrs. Weston and Mrs. Monroe; they’d do anything for some juicy tidbit to pass on to their cronies.”
Cole smiled down at me. “No, it’s not them. The feeling I’m getting is malevolent and those biddies are harmless.”
“Kincaid?”
He shrugged. “Maybe.” He turned away from the window and held me close. “Do me a favor? Don’t go out of the store unless I’m with you.”
“Okay.”
“Promise?” He gave me a little shake to emphasize the importance of what he was asking of me.
I put my hand up to his cheek. “I promise, Cole. I’ll wait for you this evening before I leave. And I won’t leave the store during the afternoon.”
He let go of me, and I moved away faster than I would normally, because I suddenly realized we’d been cuddling in the center of my shop window for the whole of Farmingdale to see.
I was as good as my word, and I stayed put all afternoon. Cole came back at five and sat down in the back room to read an old James Bond novel until I was ready to close.
It had been almost six before I was ready to leave. Some late customers had come in and they’d taken their time selecting their books. Finally we were in the car and on our way home. Cole had offered to drive and I’d happily handed over my keys. I sat back in the passenger seat and closed my eyes.
“Vic. Wake up.”
“Hmm? I wasn’t asleep; I was just resting my eyes.” I yawned and stretched.
Cole laughed. “Yeah, sure. Sweetheart, you were snoring.”
“I don’t snore.” I was indignant, but my protests landed on empty air because he was already out of the car and coming around to my side. He opened my door for me and I stepped out. I looked up at him and repeated my protestation that I didn’t snore.
He kissed the tip of my nose and smiled. “Okay, you don’t snore. I guess you’re just a little congested.”
Wisely, I chose not argue further. I had been asleep of course, but I wasn’t going to let him get away with saying that I snored. My chance would come, I just had to bide my time.
Cole had my keys so he opened the front door and I followed him in. “I’m too tired to cook, Cole, would you phone for some pizza or something?”
“Sure. Where do you keep your menus?”
“By the phone in the kitchen.” I went into the living room and flopped down on the couch. I kicked off my shoes and put my feet up on the coffee table. A voice that wasn’t Cole’s filtered through from the kitchen. “Good evening pretty boy, I hope you’re hearing this.” What the hell? That sounded like it was coming from my answering machine; Cole must have pressed the message button. My blood ran cold when I recognized the voice. “Are you ready to see your girlfriend with her face cut? Or maybe she would prefer that I cut you? I don’t care which one of you I slice and dice.” The voice became sing song. “Victoria, don’t forget to call the Sheriff’s office, or I’ll be sharpening my knife, making it ready for you... or your boyfriend.”
During the recording I’d gotten up and walked over to the door of the kitchen. I stood there staring at Cole, my heart was racing and I could taste my fear. “Kincaid,” I whispered.
Cole tried to hold me but I pushed him away and went back to the front door. I locked and bolted it and then went to check all the windows. When I reached the second window, Cole grabbed my hands. “Mouse. Calm down. He’s not getting in here. Not tonight at least.” He put his arms around me and I felt his lips rest briefly against my temple. “Come and sit down. I’ll order pizza, we’ll have a glass of wine, and we’ll talk about what we’re going to do about Kincaid.”
I nodded and allowed Cole to lead me over to the couch where I sank down into the cushions. Mister wandered over to me and jumped up onto my lap. When he started kneading my thighs I stroked his head, and his purring began to make me feel calmer.
Cole came back in and handed me a glass of wine. “I’ve ordered. When the delivery boy gets here, let me answer the door, okay?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I’d probably suspect him of being Kincaid’s partner or something. I’m sorry, I don’t know if my nerves are shot to hell because I’m tired, or I’m tired because my nerves are a mess.” I took a sip of my wine and put it down on the coffee table before leaning my head back on the cushions. “He’s stalking me you know.”
Cole prowled around the room, his anger tangible. “He’s terrorizing you, and it’s has to stop.”
I leaned forward to pick up my glass again. “Well, there’s not a whole lot we can do... unless we call the Sheriff.”
“No.” Cole’s angry outburst startled me. “I’m sorry, Vic, but no. The Sheriff’s department is useless. Kincaid is running around town, free as a bird, and no one has managed to find him.” He ca
me over to the couch and sat down next to me. “We can catch him. You and me. Or rather you, me and the panther.”
“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. You said the other day that you wanted to stay ‘under the radar.’ If we get Kincaid, we’d have to hand him over to the Sheriff and explain how we caught him.” I shifted my position to face Cole and Mister jumped off my lap. “Your other self isn’t exactly low profile and I’m worried that you’ll be exposed.”
“I haven’t thought it all through yet, but I can blend into the shadows. Trust me, no one will know that the panther has been around here.”
I was still skeptical but I was willing to wait and listen to his plan as soon as he put it all together. The pizza arrived and the delivery boy left my house without incident. Cole and I spent the rest of the evening quietly. I sat in what was fast becoming my favorite position; sideways on the couch with my feet up on Cole’s lap. My current choice of novel kept me amused and his hands on my feet and ankles kept me relaxed. Cole seemed to be almost meditating; his eyes were half-closed, and apart from the movement of his hands on my feet, his body remained completely still.
Chapter Thirteen
I’d given up on my book and was considering going to bed early when Cole sat up straight and gripped my feet. “Ouch, that hurt.” I pulled my feet out of his hands but he captured them again and continued to rub them, soothing the pain his hands had just caused.
“Better?” I nodded and he began to tell me about his eureka moment. “Tomorrow’s Wednesday and the notice on the door of your store says you open at noon on Wednesdays, right?”
I nodded. “Yes, tomorrow is my errand day. I was going to do grocery shopping, do you want to come with me?”
He gave me a calculating look. “No. I want you to go alone. And perhaps you can find other errands to run as well?”
Confused, I asked, “Alone? I thought you didn’t want me to go out alone until Kincaid was caught.”
“Yes, but now I want to set a trap.” He half turned on the cushions so he could face me and still keep my feet in his lap. “A... and you’re the bait.”
“Me?” I squeaked, sounding just like the mouse I’d been named for in high school.
Cole lifted a hand. “Hear me out. Kincaid is watching us, we know that. I felt him yesterday. He’s left a note and he’s called you, both here and at the shop. And he’s broken in here. Tomorrow I want you to make yourself as visible as possible during the morning and then open the shop as normal. What time do you usually close on Wednesdays?”
“Umm... depends on whether or not there are customers in the shop. Six-thirty or seven.”
“Okay, I’ll arrive at six-thirty, the later you leave the store the better. We need it to be full dark. I’ll walk you to your car and then we’ll argue and I’ll storm off.”
“You want me to drive home alone... and in the dark... with Kincaid knowing I’m alone?” It didn’t sound like a good plan to me.
“Yes. I’ll duck down an alley, shift and follow you on foot.”
“My argument from before still stands, Cole. You’ll be seen!”
“No, that’s why I need it to be full dark. I’m hoping he’ll follow you and confront you when you get home. I’m fairly sure he won’t stop you on the way home because your route is well populated. I’ll take a short cut and be waiting inside the house when you get here.” He grinned at me, obviously excited at the prospect of action. “Just make sure he comes into the house with you and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Why can’t you just zap yourself into my house? That way I’ll know you won’t be seen, and I won’t worry.”
“Because, I want to be able to keep an eye on you as you drive home.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. There are too many variables. It’s too risky.”
“I’ll make sure it works.”
I pulled my feet off his lap and moved to kneel next to him on the seat. His hair felt like silk as I threaded my fingers through it and cupped the side of his head, forcing him to look at me. “You’re not Superman, Cole. Yes, you’re special but you can die, just like me. I don’t want to lose you.”
“And I can’t continue to live like this; always in half-hiding because some crazy druggie is out to get you.” He gripped my waist and dragged me onto his lap with my legs straddling his thighs. “I want to explore what we have going between us and we can’t while Kincaid is loose.”
The invitation was implicit and I leaned forward to kiss him. The touch of my lips awoke his passion and I became lost in a sea of his lust. Cole ravaged my mouth like a starving man at a banquet and I was happy to be on the menu. He moved onto my neck before he gripped my shirt, ripping the buttons off in his haste to get at his next course.
I arched into him, my skin turning to fire wherever his mouth and hands touched. I pulled his face back up to mine and did some feasting of my own; my mouth and tongue feeding off his. I felt bereft when he pulled away to return to my neck, but I angled my head to give him better access and he took advantage of my movement to nip and suck at the sensitive skin.
His hands were busy rubbing, squeezing and pinching my breasts, forcing my nipples to hard points.
Cole lifted his head and looked at me square in the face for just a second, but that was all it took for me to see that his eyes had changed. Was he shifting? Had he lost control of his human side? My breath caught in my throat from fear as I caught a glimpse of his elongated canines before he used them to rip through my bra.
“Cole!” I shouted. “Stop. Please!” I grabbed his shoulders and shook him, my hysteria rising as I desperately tried to get through to him. I was frightened of this Cole. With a snarl he flung me sideways and I clutched my tattered shirt over my naked breasts. I watched in horror as my lover sat at the other end of the couch with his fists clenched. He seemed to be fighting a battle with himself as he tried to back down from the violence of his unbridled passion.
It was possibly no more than a minute or two before Cole was quiet, although it seemed like a lifetime. He hung his head in his hands and his voice was quiet and controlled when he apologized. “I’m sorry, Vic. That shouldn’t have happened; I shouldn’t have let myself get so far out of control.” He glanced up at me and I noticed that his eyes were back to normal. “Perhaps I should sleep down here tonight.”
I decided to ignore his comment about sleeping downstairs, and deal with the more important issue of him losing control. “You started to change and it scared the hell out of me. Why? Did I do something that set you off? Is it some animal thing?”
Cole sighed and ran his hands through his hair and back down over his face. “Weres need to mark their mates. It’s an instinctive reaction when weres mate for life. I wanted to do it the last time we made love but I stopped myself. This time, the thought of Kincaid, hunting him, catching him... it broke the hold I had on my instinct.”
“Whoa. Mate for life? Don’t I have a say in this? And what do you mean ‘mark their mates’?”
“When I met you at the gas station a week ago, I knew you were special. By the time we left the diner the following night, I wanted to get to know you a whole lot more. The first time we made love, just confirmed my feelings. I was falling in love with you.” Cole looked over at me. “I am in love with you. But I’m a were not a human. Weres bite their mates and mark them so other weres know they’re not available.”
“Is it only male weres who do this, or can the females do it too?” I had immediately thought of his father, who in Cole’s own words had tomcatted around the world sleeping with other were females. If his mother had marked his father then surely he wouldn’t have been able to do that.
“I’ve never heard of females marking their mates. It wouldn’t make sense for them to. In the past, weres like my father, would mate with many females, spreading their DNA around; they would mark their females like they were marking their territory, to keep other males away.” Once again Cole was on the same wavelength as me.
“So, you want to mark me as your territory?” I was getting angrier by the second, how dare he think of me as his property... his territory. “You say you love me; it’s a strange kind of love if you think of me as your property.”
“No. You’re not my territory. Nor my property. I’m just explaining the biological reasons behind it. When I said earlier that I wanted to explore what we’ve got going between us, I meant it. If we... Oh shit, I’m making a mess of this.” He hung his head in his hands, again.
We sat in silence for a few minutes. He looked the picture of despair and I, well I was trying to sort through my feelings. I was shocked, scared and angry, but I was also strangely turned on. And above all else I felt something which I thought was love, but I wasn’t sure. “Cole?”
He looked up at me. “Have I totally ruined everything?”
“First let me ask you something. Does this marking thing have to be quite so violent?”
“I was hoping that when I marked you I’d be able to do it with love, make it something like a commitment ceremony.”
“And would it be possible for the marking to be reciprocal?”
He shook his head slightly. “I honestly don’t know. I certainly wouldn’t stop you from biting me, but your teeth aren’t sharp enough.”
“You love me?” Something he’d said earlier had finally clicked, and while it had hardly been romantic, it had definitely been from the heart.
He nodded and looked at me hopefully.
“I care for you, Cole. I care a lot. Do I love you? I’m not sure I know what love is. I thought I’d loved once before and I’d been wrong.” I tried to remember David’s face and found that his image was gone; all I could see was the man in front of me. “What if I made a commitment and found out I was wrong. What you’re talking about is like a marriage, but more so. This marking thing... you said it’s for life?”
He nodded. “Yes, it’s more than a marriage. It’s not very romantic is it? I promise to try and control myself a little better until you decide. If you decide no, then I will leave and you’ll never have to see me again.”
