“Get dressed,” he commands and tosses my dress at me. I barely grab it before it smacks me in the face.
“Who’s out there?” I whisper, trying to find the front of the garment.
Just then, we both hear a woman’s voice all through the shop. “Hello? Who’s there?”
“Oh, no! What do we do?” I begin to freak out.
“Get dressed. We have to go.”
Well, no shit, buddy. He turns to walk back out. “Wait, you can’t just walk out the front door! Are you nuts?”
“Whoever that is, they’re not human, or at least not anymore. We’re not safe here. Get dressed. I’m not going to tell you again.” His voice once again cold, he disappears, and it’s then I hear the commotion and sounds of furniture being destroyed. With all the chaos outside, he doesn’t have to tell me twice. I throw my dress over my head and shimmy it down my waist. The sounds are becoming louder and then suddenly stop. Complete silence washes over the room. Afraid Sin has been hurt, I disobey him and run out of the room. I notice a soft glow coming from the front of the clinic lobby.
“Sin?” I whisper loudly, trying to get his attention. He doesn’t acknowledge me, but the thickness in the air tells me that now might not be a good time to inquire about what’s going on.
I search around for whoever he was fighting when lightning strikes, sending me barreling backwards onto my ass. Thankfully, I cover my head with my hands before I hit the hard floor. I hear commotion in front of me and before I can gather my bearings, a crazed hyena is standing over me, its paw slamming me back to the ground, my head hitting the floor this time.
Its fangs are expelled, bleeding saliva all over me. Its eyes are glowing a deep emerald, and it doesn’t look like it’s here to be pet behind his ears. I’m frozen with fright, unable to move. The hyena swoops down, jaw open. Before it bites my face off, Sin in leopard form attacks, throwing the hyena off me. They fight, rolling around the lobby floor as they claw at one another. Sin, who easily overpowers the hyena, slices the hyena’s neck with his claw, causing the animal to retract, falling to the floor. Before my eyes, I watch as the animal, now bleeding out before me, transforms into a human form… a female form.
“Oh, my God!” I cover my mouth with my hands. I can’t take my eyes off the dead woman bleeding out on the clinic floor.
Shifting into human form, Sin is on me. “I told you to stay in that room,” he furiously scolds me.
I pay no attention, most likely in shock or adding onto my concussion from earlier. “She’s… She’s the vet’s assistant here. She— she—her husband just reported her missing. Oh, God, why would she attack you?”
He cradles his hands around my head, checking for wounds. He brings his hand back with a touch of crimson covering his fingers. “You’re hurt.”
I don’t even realize it. I look at his eyes, still glowing. Bringing my hands up to feel for any cuts, I wince once I hit the open wound in the back of my head. “I’m fine,” I begin to say as I sway slightly.
Sin is all over me, swooping me up and sitting me on the lobby chair. “Stay still. Let me heal you.”
I don’t move. I barely acknowledge him as he moistens his hand with his saliva. He places his palm to the back of my head, and I sense a tingling feeling like earlier. Before I’m able to ask what he’s doing, he is pulling away from my scalp.
“What did you just do?” I lift my fingers to a now-closed wound.
“Helping you,” he replies, his tone softer. He doesn’t give me a chance to take that in, but goes into answering my prior question. “That was not her mentally,” he continues. “Zander must have gotten to her. He’s getting stronger.”
“What? How can you tell?” I pull my eyes back to her still form, needing to understand Sin’s words.
“He’s able to lure other shifters and brainwash them into doing his bidding. He’s full-bred. Both parents were shifters, so his blood is stronger than mine. Not only can he lure any human, taking their minds to do as he sees fit, but he is now getting creative luring shifters to do his dirty work.”
“So, he is turning your kind against you just to get to you?” I ask, too shaken up to fully comprehend his words.
“Looks like it. We have to go.”
“Go where? Don’t you think it’s a bad idea to go out into the night when he can have anyone out there attacking us?”
“We don’t have a choice. We have to find the wizard now. Can you stand?”
Wizard, right. Stretching out my hand, he clasps his around mine. I stand and look over again at the dead woman lying cold on the floor. “So, what happens to her?” I question, feeling overwhelmed with guilt. She had nothing to do with all this, and her life was taken just as a decoy to get to Sin. Or me.
I begin to feel sick to my stomach. I turn away from the leakage pouring from her neck, just inches from touching my toes. I try and shake it off, forcing myself to close my eyes. I’m struggling to get air into my lungs, and my chest is tightening.
“Emma, breathe.” I hear Sin’s voice. “Breathe, Emma. We don’t have time for you to freak out now.” His hand wraps around my neck, bringing our faces together. The touch of his forehead to mine calms me.
I manage to slow my breathing and take in slow gulps of oxygen. “Okay... I’m okay.”
“Good, now, let’s go.”
If there is one thing I am not, it’s a badass. Sin, now he is a badass. He just walks in the night like the predator he is. After he got dressed, we left the vet’s office, me saying a silent apology to the poor woman. We’re walking through the town, like it’s a normal Monday night. It’s pretty quiet with the town mostly asleep. We turn off Main Street and take the road heading into the forest once again. “I need to shift.” He stops and begins to unbuckle his pants.
“Why? Can’t you just stay in… um, you?”
He stops undressing to step closer to me. “Emma, this is who I am. I’ve fought for way too long to hide what I am and deny the animal inside me. I’m done with that.” I feel guilty making that comment. He reaches for my face, placing his large palm over my cheek. “Stop. I am not ashamed of what I am. Not anymore. Now, for us to get to this location, I need to shift. Take my clothes and wrap them around your arm. Once I change, climb up and hold on tight. Like before.”
Haha, like before. Just jump on the large kitty and enjoy the ride. I shake off the nonsense.
He brings me out of my delirium, grabbing at my face and crushing his mouth to mine. I melt into his bruising kiss and he pulls away just as fast. “Stay with me, okay?”
“Okay,” I breathe.
And with that, he undresses and in a blink, he shifts into his animal. Acting like I’ve done this a million times and there is nothing strange about this routine, I gather Sin’s clothes and wind them around my forearms. I take a deep breath and jump on his back, wrapping my arms around his thick neck. Before I have a chance to say I’m ready, he is taking off toward the woods.
We make it into the clearing before he begins to slow. Once he is fully stopped, I let go and slide to the ground. By the time I’m lifting myself up, Sin is already in human form, holding his hand out to assist me to my feet.
“The wizard’s home is just past the river’s clearing, on the other side of High Moon Creek.” He points to where we need to go. “We will walk the rest of the way. My senses will be able to smell any danger this close, and if the wizard sees any animals, he might not hesitate to shoot before asking any questions.”
Uh, shoot? “Why would he shoot? You said he would know you were a shifter and not an enemy?”
“I said a shifter would know how to find him. Not that he would be friendly about seeing us.”
Great. Add an angry wizard to the list of crazy half-brother and possessed towns people to beware of.
We continue to walk through the plush forest until we make it to the creek bed. The water seems higher than one would expect. The moment Sin walks into the deepness of the river, I freeze. He senses my relu
ctance and turns. “What’s wrong? Let’s go.”
I can’t seem to form a sentence or force my legs to move toward the water. “Emma, we’re wasting time, let’s go.” He reaches for my wrist to tug me along.
“No,” I sob, closing my eyes and attempting to catch my breath. I start to feel pressure in my chest, as if I have been under water and I’m near the last remaining seconds before I run out of oxygen. I feel like I’m drowning. Just like in my dream.
“Emma!” Sin is now on me and he’s shaking me. “Dammit, Emma, what’s wrong? What’s happening?”
I want to explain. I want to tell him that I’m in my own nightmare and the water—God, the water. It’s so real, filling me. Suffocating my lungs. I barely register Sin picking me up and carrying me away from the river. He sets me down on a clear patch of grass, his hands holding my face. I try to focus on his beautiful features, until I feel the pressure begin to release and the gulps of air I’ve been begging for rush into my lungs. “Oh, God,” I gasp.
“Jesus Christ, what was that?” His face so close to mine. “Emma, I could feel it. Your pain. The suffocating. Was it the water?”
“Yes... I... I felt like I was drowning,” I choke out, my voice raspy. I begin to cough.
His face covered with worry, he places his forehead to mine. “Emma, does this have to do with your dreams?”
“I—I don’t know. That’s never happened before. God, Sin, what was that?”
“I don’t know. Has this ever happened before when you swam?”
“I’ve never swam before. I don’t know how.” I sigh in defeat, sounding ashamed. “Ever since I can remember, I have had these dreams. So it’s made me afraid of water.”
He’s staring at me with great intensity. It makes me feel so weak. “Stop this nonsense.” He pushes my wild hair away from my face. “You’re anything but weak, Emma.”
God, how does he do that? “How do you always know what I’m thinking?” I ask softly.
“Because you’re a part of me now. Are you feeling better? Do you think you can walk?”
“Yeah, thanks, I’m fine.” I begin to stand with Sin’s help. Feeling a bit silly for my outburst, I plant a determined expression on my face. “Okay, let’s go.”
He nods warily and we head back toward the river. Each step causes my stomach to constrict, the tightening feeling returning. I stop a few feet from the water and stare at the active river, the high current flowing past. “I— I don’t know if I can go in that water.” I put my head down, my hands covering my face. “I’m sorry, Sin. Maybe this was a mistake. You should have left me back at the bar.” I wanted to be a part of this journey, but now I realize he was right. I would just hold him back. I lift my head to tell him it’s okay and that he can go without me, but before I do, he is throwing me over his shoulder.
“Jesus, Sin, put me down!” I wail. He ignores my plea and does something that shocks me—he starts walking into the water. “Oh, my God,” I squeal, squeezing my eyes shut and grabbing at his shirt, clinging to him. One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three… oh, fuck this! I’m about to have a full-blown panic attack, because I know my chest is going to collapse at any second. I wait for it to come, and when it doesn’t, I open my eyes. When I look at my surroundings, I realize we’re already on the other side of the river and Sin has me cradled in his lap, perched on a tree trunk.
“What the...”
“Now, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” he jests, the smile on his face stirring up a whole other issue in my stomach. His eyes tender, he cups my cheek. “What are you, my sweet Emma?” His hand moves into my hair. “Why do you radiate such sweetness? Such beauty?” His face closes in, his smile quickly fading, seriousness filling the air. “How in all my life is this how I stumble upon you?” His voice is almost pained, his words not meant to wound me, but they do. My shoulders slump and I try to mask the hurt.
“Hey,” I fake a cheery reply. “Don’t worry. Hopefully soon, you’ll find what you’re looking for and will be rid of me.” The words are like sandpaper leaving my throat. I make an effort to wiggle from his tight hold of me, but it’s useless. His arms go rigid around me, making it hopeless to break free. I’m forced to make eye contact with him, his orbs enchanting in their glowing state. God, he is so beautiful. His eyes continue to bore into mine, causing a wave of goosebumps to wash over my now-sensitive skin.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” I question, his captivating stare almost putting me in a trance.
“See, that’s the problem, Emma,” he begins, his voice turning to silk. “I don’t think I can do that.”
“D-do what?” I breathe.
“Ever get rid of you.” He places his mouth on me, gently pressing his lips to mine. “I can’t picture ever walking away from something so perfect,” he continues, his biceps contracting as he squeezes my body closer to him. “As much as I want to fight you, Emma, my animal would never let you go.” His tongue begins to stroke the inside of my mouth. Something inside me breaks at his confession. A feeling I wasn’t aware I was harboring dissipates. He isn’t going to leave me, I repeat to myself as I shift in his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck, desperate to deepen this kiss. He doesn’t allow me to rush, coaxing my mouth wider in a slow, sensual manner.
Without thinking before I speak, the words leave my lips, “I don’t know why I feel this way, because I barely even know you... But just the thought of you leaving me scares me.” I pull away and snuggle my face into his neckline. “I’m sorry, I know that sounds silly. I don’t know where all these feelings are coming from. But something is happening, and it scares me. But it scares me even more to think that you will be gone soon.”
He moves quickly, his hands pulling at my head so I lock eyes with him once again. “Emma, that’s one thing you have to realize. I can’t leave you. I won’t. It’s my fate to be with you. And what you feel? I feel it, too, but it’s stronger for me. Just to be near you sends the animal inside me mad. I didn’t expect this. And I have no idea what to do about it. But I won’t leave you. Okay?” His words sound so promising, his expression stone serious.
“Okay?” he repeats, wanting an answer from me. My thoughts are so jumbled. So much has happened in the last two days that I’m so confused, but also so sure at the same time.
“Okay,” I decide, putting my fate and heart in Sin’s hands.
The creases in his brows release, his worry dissipating at my answer. “Okay then. We need to get moving. We’ve lost some time.”
“Okay.” I climb off his lap, readjusting my dress. We walk less than a quarter mile before a small cottage appears in the distance. The cozy home looks alive, with smoke exiting the chimney and lights blazing through the windows.
“Well, at least we know he’s home,” I point out, stepping over a loose branch.
“Yes, but will he be willing to see us is the question.”
“Why wouldn’t he? Didn’t that wizard from your town see you?”
“Well, yes, but it was not for some time until he did. He knew the moment I spoke of finding a wizard. He sent me in circles until he felt I wasn’t a threat to him.”
That catches me off-guard. I halt and turn to him, “Wait, so he knew you were looking for him?”
“He did. Don’t forget, wizards are very powerful creatures. They see all, no matter where they are. He heard me asking about him miles away. He admitted that he had conjured up spells to create illusions, as you would say. People who were not real, sending me to places that were dead-ends. He told me that if I continued long enough, it would prove my worth and dedication. Eventually, he decided I wasn’t a threat and he led me to him.”
Wow. I didn’t know it took so much to be a wizard. Now I kind of wished I knew one who could track down Scott. I’d pay my week’s wages from the bar to turn him into a goat or something. No, wait—a donkey. So he can officially be called a jackass.
“Can we continue walking now?” He breaks into my mental rant.
“Oh, yeah, sorry. Let’s move it.” I continue walking. “So, like, when we get there, do we just knock on the door? Possibly duck in case he tries to blow our heads off with a shotgun?” I tease.
“Yes,” he replies. “That and we make sure not to be on his front step at all. It could be a trap. A secret portal that dumps us into another time.”
Ha ha! Okay, I was joking. He’s—yeah, that face, which I’ve learned pretty well, says he is completely serious. I stop again.
“Emma,” he warns me.
“Sorry, it’s just that you say something like that so nonchalantly. I mean, a portal? To another time?” I throw my hands up in the air.
“Emma, now is not the time to debate this. Once we get what we need, I will sit you down and explain everything to you.”
Sweet, it’s like the birds and the bees all over again, but this time I’m a grown-up. And instead of the wretched sex and babies’ version I got from my degenerate foster family at the time, it’s coming from this brick of hotness impatiently standing next to me. And he’s going to explain how Harry Potter was born.
“Emma.” Again with the warning.
“Okay, okay,” I begin walking again, and we make it to the outskirts of the wizard’s land. The walkway to his doorstep is paved with beautiful perennials and green bushes. This wizard is definitely sporting the green thumb. Before we make it to the door, Sin places me behind him, not allowing me too close to the stoop. “Are you serious? Come on, we’re not gonna fall into an abyss by stepping on his welcome mat,” I exclaim as Sin picks up a small rock and throws it at the pretty doormat.
“Hey! Don’t throw rocks—” I begin to argue that throwing stones at the poor wizard’s house is not going to do any favors for us when we both witness the rock disappearing through the mat.
Sinful Instincts (Woodland Creek) Page 10
