Afflicted

by Novak, Ava

  “I told you what I wanted last night Victoria.”

  His words floated in her mind as she recalled them. It wasn’t the only thing she started to remember last night. She resisted the urge to look down. How could she forget? It was the cause of her late night activities when she got home.

  Don’t smile. Whatever you do Vic, don’t smile, and let the guy know you are enjoying this.

  “Yeah you did,” Victoria said as she rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

  “I meant it.”

  “Hmm, too bad I’m leaving town then.”

  “Yeah but we could still hang out. I would like..no I would love to show you the real Collins and what you have been missing while being cooped up in that tiny office at the bank.”

  “And what would that be?”

  “Trust me on it. Just say sure Kaden I am down for whatever.”

  “And what is down for whatever?”

  “Fun and you know you need it. I would hate for you to leave without tasting what this town is all about.”

  “No I’m good actually.”

  “You don’t know what you would be missing out on. Come on, you know you want to Victoria.”

  “Well aren’t you the persistent type.”

  “That should be obvious.”

  She was not sure what to think of Kaden. He was attractive, confident, and he wanted Victoria. She didn’t think Kaden was serious about a relationship and that was something that wasn’t going to happen. Not now when she was putting in her two week notice on Monday. Deep down she desired to give in. As outlandishly as it seemed she wanted to be his and wanted to stay here to see where things might go with Kaden.

  Alright I’m going to toss all caution aside. What’s the worst that could happen?

  “You know I’ve always wanted to go hiking here in Collins. I kept putting it off but I would like to do that before I leave.”

  “I can arrange that. Allow me to take you on the hike of your life.”

  “I don’t know you never seem to keep your lips to yourself. “

  “I think I can manage this once to do that,” Kaden said as he held up his hands in surrender.

  She wanted to say, “You can kiss me all you want.”

  Hell, she didn’t mind. It seemed every time they’d kissed she felt a strong spiritual connection. She didn’t believe much in true love and wasn’t going to call random smooching love. And she wasn’t going to deny the fact that she enjoyed his company and only wished they’d met sooner. For now she was just going to take him up on his offer of fun. She’d been living here for months and had yet to indulge in the amenities offered here. Victoria knew there was a lake were the town folk of Collins frequented for swimming, fishing, canoeing or kayaking, and camping. She’d done nothing but work, visit the few shops around town, and spend a majority of her time cooped up in the cabin. Hiking was something she’d wanted to do for the longest since arriving here in Collins.

  “When do we go?”

  “Now, so go change into something comfortable.”

  “But I thought you had to make reservations a day in advance to go hiking on the Akko trails.”

  “We are not going on that weak dull trail. Trust me Victoria. Now go get dressed. I mean I like what you have on but those pink slippers aren’t going to be worth two cents out there. I’ll be back in thirty minutes.”

  “See you in thirty minutes,” Victoria said as Kaden headed back to his truck.

  Victoria closed the front door did a happy dance and then rushed to the bedroom. She hunted through her dresser for clothing that was suitable for hiking. After settling on a pair of shorts and t-shirt Victoria headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower and brush her teeth.

  It’s not a date. No it’s not one at all.

  ***

  Less than thirty minutes later Kaden was parked outside the cabin waiting on Victoria. Kaden was leaning against his truck when a beat up older truck parked beside his own truck. He nodded a greeting to Adam who jumped out the passenger side of the pickup.

  “Hey man,” Adam said as he walked to Kaden. “Thanks for inviting us along.”

  “So this is your mate,” Kaden said as a blonde haired woman grabbed a blue backpack from the cab of the truck.

  “It sure is,” Adam said with a smile on his face. The woman jogged over to Adam’s side. He reached out and linked his arm around her waist and pulled her in close.

  “So this is my mate. Kaden this lovely little angel is Melody Ashton. And Melody this is Kaden Wright. The one I was telling you about.”

  “Hi. It’s nice to see someone else who is just like this guy over here,” Melody said as she pointed up at Adam. “It’s nice to meet another shifter.”

  “It’s nice to meet you to Melody. Adam has told me a lot about you and your sworn vow to never blab about our existence.”

  “I have not uttered a word about your kind and I understand the risk of exposure.”

  “Good.”

  “It’s about time I got introduced to more shifters. You have to stop hiding me like I’m some freaking dirty little secret,” Melody whined. She shoved Adam’s shoulder. Adam pulled her closer and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

  “I told you why. And I’m your dirty little secret,” Adam said huskily close to ear.

  “Touché,” Melody said.

  Kaden tried not to laugh at the look that Adam and Melody were exchanging back and forth. It was evident the two cared about one another a lot. Adam seemed content. Kaden felt better. There was someone out there with a human mate besides him but Kaden didn’t have his mate as his yet. Kaden glanced over the faded mark on Melody’s neck. It was a sign that she was a taken. All shifter males marked their mates this way. A heavy sigh escaped Kaden. He wanted Victoria to have his mark badly.

  “Hey man you alright?”

  “Yeah I’m good,” Kaden said to Adam, as he ran a hand through his hair.

  Damn I gotta have Victoria as mine. I can’t allow her to walk out of my life.

  “So are we ready to get started on this hiking trip that you talked me into doing today,” Melody said as she poked Adam.

  “Babe, stop it. You know I’m extremely ticklish in that spot.” Adam tried not to laugh as he tried to capture the finger Melody was poking him with on his side.

  “I will be right back,” Kaden said as walked away from the giggling couple.

  Kaden knocked once on the door and waited for Victoria to answer it.

  “Hi,” Victoria greeted once the door was opened.

  “Are you ready to go?”

  “Yeah,” Victoria said as she stepped out of the cabin and closed the door behind her.

  “Come on.”

  Kaden glanced over at Melody and Adam who were in an embrace and whispering to each other. He didn’t ask Adam and Melody to come along for the two of them to be wrapped up in each other’s or to relentlessly show a public display of affection. He asked them to come along because Kaden didn’t want to be alone with Victoria on this hike. Kaden had some self-control left but he didn’t want to risk it. The sooner she was his, the better.

  It’s just a hiking trip. You can keep your hands and lips to yourself for a few hours.

  Victoria repeated her question to Kaden who’d completely zoned out.

  “Are they coming with us?”

  “Yeah they are. Come on.”

  Kaden held out his hand to Victoria. She smiled at him as she took his hand. Kaden led Victoria over to Melody and Adam. He made quick work of getting everyone introduced. Kaden grabbed his own backpack from his truck before he started directing everyone to the woods in front of them.

  “Where are we going,” Victoria asked. Kaden glanced over at her.

  “Hiking like you wanted.”

  “Yeah but, why are we walking into the woods up ahead?”

  “There’s a hiking trail this way.”

  “What? You mean this whole time there has been a hiking trail sitting right in
front of me.”

  “Yep but only a few know about this one.”

  “I’m guessing you have been on this trail on more than one occasion.”

  “Not for a very long time.”

  The trail Kaden had them on hadn’t been used by the pack in years. Kaden had no doubts Victoria was going to enjoy every bit of it. Adam took over and was in the lead with an arm wrapped around Melody’s shoulder.

  “So, what made you come here to the middle of nowhere,” Kaden asked to break the silence between them.

  “Nothing I care to talk about at the moment.”

  “You aren’t a fugitive or something are you?”

  “No,” Victoria squealed as she nudged Kaden.

  Kaden chuckled.

  “Are you a serial killer?”

  “Kaden stop it.”

  Victoria laughed and gave him another playful nudge. Kaden chuckled as they walked side by side.

  Damn, I can’t even remember the reasons why I was against her being my mate.

  “Okay enough. So tell me what do you for a living?”

  “Ah, you are going to flip this on me. Okay, nothing fancy,” Kaden said as he shrugged his shoulders. “I work on an oil rig from time to time up in Alaska.”

  “What? You aren’t an underwear model,” Victoria said in a feigned surprised tone.

  Kaden let out a throaty laugh as he shook his head.

  “Come on slow pokes,” Adam said from over his shoulder.

  “We are right behind you,” Kaden replied.

  Adam waved at them, urging them to pick up their pace, and yelled at them to hurry up. Victoria and Kaden walked a bit faster to catch up, their hands still connected.

  “Come on. Tell me, what made you come here of all places?”

  Victoria shrugged her shoulders.

  “Nothing, I just came.”

  “You just came, to Collins of all places, a town in the middle of nowhere,” Kaden said as he shook his hand from side to side. He wanted to know why she came here. “Come on spill the beans.”

  “I needed it.”

  “Sorry I don’t follow.”

  Victoria sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. “It’s a long story.”

  “I get it. You don’t have to tell me about your life as an assassin.”

  “Yes, because I don’t want to have to kill you after telling you about my double life,” Victoria said through fits of laughter. Kaden was beginning to enjoy the sound of her laugh.

  Hmmm, okay Rick might have been right. Damn it, the old man was fucking right.

  A content like smile formed on Kaden’s lips as they continued to walk along the hiking trail. His smile quickly disappeared as he remembered Victoria was no longer going to stay in Collins.

  Why didn’t I fully think about this? Shit!

  Hell, he was going to be leaving before the summer was over. He was fucked from the start. No, the moment he decided to walk into that bank. If he knew his mate was going to be there, he probably would have got the fuck out of Collins like a bat out of hell.

  Still can’t believe I have a human who is my mate.

  Is she worth the sacrifice? Could I really convince her to stay by my side? So many questions ran through his mind at once.

  Damn this is not the time to start being indecisive. I either try to make her mine or I don’t!

  Chapter Ten

  She found the untamed elements of the green wooded area to be enchanting. Victoria was happy Kaden had taken her on this hiking trip. She was never going to forget this experience. It made her want to do it again sometime soon. Victoria couldn’t believe she’d stayed cooped up in that cabin all this time.

  “Water,” Kaden said as he handed over the bottle he’d retrieved from the backpack.

  She muttered a thank you as she took the bottle he offered. Kaden pulled another water bottle from the backpack. She smiled at him as she put a little distance between them. Victoria had to get away from the heat radiating from him. She was thankful they weren’t alone. Victoria was certain if he’d kissed her by now she would have encouraged it to go beyond that. She strolled over to a tree stump and sat down.

  Damn my feet are killing me. They’d only been hiking for twenty minutes. She wasn’t expecting to get a workout in the process or having to cross over huge tree limbs, walking up and down as if she was walking up a mountain and then going down one. Her thighs were burning. And according to Kaden there wasn’t much left but a good ten minutes to go to get to a certain area he and Adam were keeping a secret.

  “So, how long have you known Kaden?

  Victoria turned her head to the right and looked up at Melody.

  “Not long. How about you,” she asked.

  “I just met him today. It was good to meet someone else that Adam knows.”

  Melody hesitated to speak as she glanced over in Adam and Kaden’s direction.

  “Do you like him?”

  Victoria frowned at being asked that question. Was Melody looking to get her hands on him? Suddenly Victoria felt territorial. How could she not when he was after her? When he made it known that he desired her and wanted her? Victoria pushed the feeling aside. She wasn’t the type to fight over a man that wasn’t even hers.

  Simmer down Vic. You aren’t even in a relationship with the guy. Plus Melody is with Adam. So chill!

  She could kick herself for even feeling remotely jealous. The man wasn’t even hers. Even if he’d already made it clear he wanted her she had no right to feel like she did. Besides Melody was only asking a question.

  Then make him yours. Victoria shook her head at the thought. It would be pointless to start something when she was moving out of state. And a long distance relationship was not ideal at the moment.

  “He is a nice fella,” she said nonchalantly. Victoria wasn’t about to admit her true feelings and not here in the open to someone she hardly even knew. Melody’s lips twisted upwards. She seemed to be drawing her own conclusions.

  “But do you like him, is there an attraction, you can’t shake the feeling that this man was meant to be yours,” Melody said with a chuckle. “Like you can’t really describe it but you just kind of know?”

  Okay what is up with the third degree? Is it written on my face that I want to have sex with the guy and maybe just maybe I would like a relationship with him!

  “Uh no,” Victoria said with a nervous laugh. “Why are you asking me this?”

  “I’m sorry I don’t mean to pry. Forgive me.”

  “No, it’s okay,” Victoria said while shifting uncomfortable on the tree stump.

  Melody nodded, glancing back over at Kaden and Adam, both deeply involved in their own conversation. Melody sighed as she drunk from her own water bottle.

  “He is really,” Victoria tried to think of how to say it before she just came out with what she really thought. “Kaden is really sexy. I’m not blind.”

  Yes, I can see exactly how good looking the damned man is!

  She tried not to moan as she observed Kaden. He was one of the sexist men she’d ever met. Kaden had been the star of her explicit hardcore fantasies from last night. Just thinking about her vibrator and one of her well thought out sex scenes made her clench her thighs together. Kaden chose that moment to glance in her direction.

  Oh God don’t give me that look.

  Victoria quickly averted her eyes. She turned around to face Melody. Victoria could still feel his eyes on her. She wanted to look and see if he was still giving her that look.

  “Yeah I’m not blind at all.”

  “You know this reminds of me of when I first met Adam. There was this instant connection. Like that,” Melody said dreamily, snapping her fingers. “And now I am wondering why in the hell was I fighting something that just felt so damned right.”

  “How did the two of you meet,” Victoria asked.

  She took the time to repair her ponytail as she listened to Melody explain how she and Adam had met. Victoria’s eyes went wide at the mention
of a mountain lion. She jumped up and started to walk away. Melody stopped her.

  “Okay I didn’t know mountain’s lions were here.”

  Victoria’s eyes darted everywhere, searching for the dangerous animal.

  “Don’t worry. We are safe,” Melody said, chuckling as she continued on with her story. Victoria crossed her arms as she listened. She knew his eyes were on her again, so she avoided turning her head to check.

  “I am going to guess you gave him that thank you kiss he requested,” Victoria said with a smile on her face. She glanced over her shoulder at the two men. Kaden wasn’t looking at her anymore.

  “No, I did not. I screamed at him to get the hell away from me actually,” Melody stated.

  “Why,” Victoria asked, as she ceased ogling Kaden.

  “Oh, um because I was in shock,” Melody said while rubbed the back of her neck.

  “I would have been too if I was about to lose my life. I’m sure he understood.”

  “Well, long story short here we are now together.”

  “And how did that happen?”

  “Acceptance,” Melody said with a smile on her face.

  Melody and Victoria stood there talking finishing off the five minute break they had before they restarted their journey on the hiking trail. The two women got along well. Victoria chose to not look ignore every time she felt Kaden’s eyes on her back.

  Damn it there was a connection. Well there still is one. And he wants me. Oh enough of that.

  Victoria learned that Melody was an outdoors type of person, worked on her father’s farm, and most of all she was happily in love with Adam. Before the five minutes were up Melody asked Victoria to take a picture of her standing up on the tree stump. Victoria had the camera in place, was waiting for Melody to get into position, when suddenly on her way up Melody stumbled while attempting to stand up on the tree stump.

  Now, why didn’t I offer her a hand?

  It happened so fast. The only thing Victoria could do was gasp and run to Victoria’s aid. She cringed at the way Melody had fallen. Adam rushed over to Melody’s side. She refused to let go of her right ankle.

  “I’m alright,” she mumbled. Melody slapped Adam’s hand away. “You are doing it again Adam.”