Shift (Southern Werewolves Book 1)

by Heather MacKinnon

  “Hi,” I squeaked.

  He covered the distance between us in a few long strides, and before I knew it, I was wrapped in his strong arms. His scent overwhelmed me as he lifted me a few inches off the ground.

  “I missed you,” his voice rumbled in my ear.

  I missed you too.

  “It’s only been a couple days since you saw me,” I breathed instead.

  His chuckle reverberated through my chest, and he set me down, but didn’t remove his arms from around me. There was less than an inch between us, and it still felt like too much.

  “Is that all it’s been?” he asked with a smile.

  I nodded stupidly, and his eyes twinkled with mirth. He spun around and led me to his monstrous truck.

  “You weren’t kidding about that big truck, huh?” I commented.

  He leaned down to whisper in my ear. “There’s two things I never kid about, and one of em’s my truck.” His warm breath made the loose hairs around my ear flutter and tickle my skin.

  “What’s the other thing?” I asked barely above a whisper.

  “My women.”

  I turned around and leveled him with a glare. “Women?”

  Where the hell had that spark of jealousy come from?

  He laughed and spun me back around toward the truck before opening the door. “Well, in this case, it’s just one woman.”

  I glanced over my shoulder. “Is that so?”

  His eyes were dead serious. “It is indeed.”

  I didn’t want to assume he was talking about me, or let on that I’d be insanely jealous if he wasn’t, so I did the smart thing, and shut up.

  With a dubious look at the height of the truck, and another at my tight skirt, I tried to figure out how I was getting onto the seat when I heard a chuckle from behind me.

  “That skirt’s a little tight, huh?”

  “It’s not that tight,” I responded indignantly. “It’s not my fault you’ve got a massive monster truck. If I’d known you’d be picking me up today in this, I’d have worn pants instead.”

  His hands gripped my waist, lifting me with ease, and settling me on the tan leather seat. “I like the skirt,” he admitted gruffly, before shutting the door, and giving me a much needed reprieve from him.

  Damn. I’d only been in his presence for a few minutes, and I was already a mess. Maybe it was because of that dream I’d had.

  Oh, no.

  My dream.

  Instantly the sexy images of the two of us raced through my mind, heating my blood and face. My pulse pounded, and my breaths came in short gasps.

  I needed to get a hold of myself. Quickly.

  Baseball.

  Corn dogs.

  Butterflies.

  Grandmas.

  Donkeys.

  I desperately tried to think of un-sexy things in an attempt to dampen my hormones before it was too late.

  Abraham climbed in the cab and turned to me with worried eyes. “You all right?”

  “Daffodils.”

  He raised a dark brow. “Beg pardon?”

  Oh my god, I said that out loud.

  “Uh. Um. Have you seen the daffodils blooming yet?”

  He looked at me suspiciously, tilting his head to the side, and taking a deep breath. His nostrils flared, wide eyes pinning me to the seat.

  “Uh, can’t say I’ve noticed,” he responded, reaching up a hand to scratch the back of his head. “You got a thing for daffodils?”

  I shook my head. “Not particularly. I prefer peony’s.”

  He looked even more confused. “Then what were you talking about daffodils for?”

  I shrugged my shoulders in what I hoped was nonchalance. “Just making conversation.” With a glance out the window, I took a deep breath, and faced him again. “So, what brings you out here, anyway?”

  Less than five minutes. That’s how long it took you to lose your cool, Montgomery.

  I needed to get myself together ASAP.

  Chapter 19

  Abraham’s face solidified into a mask, shutting me out as if he’d closed a door between us. “Something’s come up, and I needed to speak with you, and Evey about it.”

  “It’s something bad.”

  He nodded and continued to drive through the rush hour traffic.

  “Hey, how do you know where you’re going?” I’d just realized I hadn’t given him directions. Without waiting for an answer, I posed another question. “And, how did you know where I worked?”

  His posture relaxed slightly. “Evey gave me your address, and when I got there, she was on her way to get you. I offered instead, and she gave me directions. It’s a good thing you’re a lawyer, and not a detective.” His teasing tone belied his less than stellar assertion of my wits.

  “Lawyers don’t make assumptions, Mr. Smartypants,” I grumbled.

  His deep laughter rolled through the space between us, and I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face.

  Minutes later, he pulled into my complex, and parked in front of my building. I tried to slip out of the giant truck without his assistance, but he was there in a flash, catching me, and slowly lowering my feet to the ground.

  “Thank you.” I stepped away from him as fast as I could without seeming rude and walked up the path to my building. When I realized he wasn’t following, I spun around to find him staring at me. I was too far away to tell what he’d been looking at, but I had a hunch. “Abraham McCoy, were you just checking me out?”

  I placed a hand on my hip, and enjoyed the way his face reddened, and he floundered for a response.

  “N-n-no! I wasn’t! Well, I was, but it’s not what you think.” I raised a brow, but remained silent. Another trick I’d learned as a lawyer was to let people talk without interruption. Usually, they didn’t need prodding to tell me what I wanted to know.

  Abraham blew out a big breath and ran a hand through his dark hair. “I was watching you walk, but not in the way you think. I was checking to see if you were still limping since I haven’t seen you in a few days, and you haven’t mentioned any pain.”

  Now I was struck dumb, searching for an appropriate response. To tell the truth, I’d all but forgotten about my injuries. I suppose if I thought back, the last time I’d had any pain had been Monday night. Then with the promotion, and excitement of having a roommate, I hadn’t given it much thought.

  “I’ve felt fine honestly,” I told him.

  His full lips turned up into a smirk. “You look fine.”

  I rolled my eyes, and continued up the stairs, his heavy steps thumping behind me. Once again, I opened my apartment door to mouthwatering smells that had my stomach rumbling.

  “Hi Evey! Where’s my handsome man?”

  “I’m right here,” Abraham answered from behind me.

  I chuckled and shook my head. The man was incorrigible. Charlie came running full speed out of the kitchen, and like always, didn’t have enough time to stop before he collided with my stockinged legs. I picked up the black and brown tabby and gave him a good head scratch. “There’s my handsome guy. Did you have a good day today? Hmm? Were you behavin’ for Miss Evey?”

  “So, this is Charlie.”

  “Yep. This is my main man.”

  Abraham’s eyes held barely concealed disgust, but he reached out a tentative hand, and gave him a pat on the head. “Never thought I’d be jealous of a feline,” he muttered.

  Abraham’s eyes widened as he took in my colorful apartment. Like I’d done with Evey, I turned to scan the tapestry-covered walls, and colorful mandala carpet designs with him.

  “Colorful place you got here.”

  “So I’ve heard,” I deadpanned.

  I wandered into the kitchen to find out what Evey was cooking today. The petite woman peered over her shoulder at me while she basted the massive chicken she’d roasted.

  “How was your day?” she asked.

  “Busy,” I responded as I snuck a potato out of the pan, and popped it in my mouth. I
t was piping hot, but that didn’t detract from the flavorful taste. I moaned out loud, and Evey chuckled while Abraham cleared his throat behind me.

  “Do you need any help, Evey?” he asked, his voice sounding strangled.

  She waved him off like she’d done me so many times. “Nah, I’m good in here. If you want to set the table while Elizabeth gets changed, dinner will be ready in just a few.”

  When I returned from changing, the siblings were already seated, and I took the chair across from Abraham. They’d both piled their plates high with the feast Evey had made, and I followed suit. “Evey, this all looks amazing.”

  Her smile beamed across the table. “Hope it tastes as good as it looks.”

  “You’re being modest, Evey,” Abraham lightly reprimanded. He turned to me. “Evelyn was always in the kitchen cooking with our mom when we were younger. That’s where she learned all her tricks. Our mom was an amazing cook.”

  Evey nodded, her mouth already full of food.

  “Well, that explains why I’m so hopeless in the kitchen. My mother never cooked.”

  Both sibling’s mouths fell open. Thankfully, they’d swallowed their food beforehand. “Never?” Evey clarified incredulously.

  I shook my head as I cut up my chicken. “Nope. We had a cook. She wouldn’t be caught dead in the kitchen except to give out orders.”

  When I looked back at the pair, Evey’s eyes were still incredulous, but Abraham’s looked a little sad. “That’s certainly a different upbringing from what we had,” he commented.

  I shrugged. “I’m learning that a lot about my childhood was different.” On that solemn note, we all dug into our food, and were silent except for the scrape of forks and knives on our plates.

  Not much later, I finally set my utensils down, and waved the proverbial white flag. I couldn’t possibly fit another bite in my mouth. “That was so good.”

  Evey smiled wide as she took a sip of white wine. “Glad you liked it. I got a sweet potata’ pie coolin’ for later.”

  I groaned, but couldn’t wait until I’d digested enough to fit a piece of pie in too.

  “So, Abey,” she turned toward her brother, “I know why you’re out here.” Her eyes cut to me and back so quickly I might have imagined it. “But, what is it you had to talk to us about?”

  Abraham set his fork down and took a long sip of water. I watched in fascination as his prominent Adam’s apple bobbed up and down with his swallows. I was so entranced, when he finally spoke, his voice almost startled me.

  “There was another attack.”

  Evey gasped. “Wait, what?”

  Abraham nodded solemnly. “We found her this morning. It was just like all the others.” He glanced at me. “She was found strangled and covered in wolf urine. Must have only been there a day or so before we found her.”

  “Isn’t that a little soon to fit the profile?” Evey asked.

  He nodded again. “He’s accelerating.”

  “Why do you think that is?” she asked.

  Abraham ran a rough hand through his hair and leaned back. “My best guess is he was frustrated he was interrupted with Elizabeth, and to make up for that, he attacked again.”

  My heart dropped, and my mouth went dry. “Another woman’s dead because of me?” I asked quietly.

  Both siblings instantly denied it, but Abraham’s voice rose above the white noise in my head. He placed a hand over mine, and my eyes met his. “No. That’s not true. You did nothing wrong by surviving. Never be sorry for that. Nothing this guy does is anyone’s fault, but his.”

  I heard his words, and they made sense, but deep down, I knew this woman wouldn’t be dead if he’d been able to kill me. I couldn’t wish I’d died, but was my life worth more than hers? Should I have lived while she died? Those questions and a hundred more whirled through my brain like a tornado, tearing apart anything in its path.

  Abraham’s warm hand was still on top of mine, and he squeezed gently. “Elizabeth, listen to me. Do not blame yourself.”

  I pulled my hand away and sat back. “I hear what you’re saying, Abraham, and I know you’re right. But, you can’t deny this woman would still be alive if I’d died. Sure, he would have killed again, but not this soon after. Who was this woman? Are her parents looking for her? Does she have a husband she’ll never come home to? Kids that will have to grow up without her? I have none of that. Why should I have lived while she died? It doesn’t make any sense.”

  Abraham shook his head, but it was Evey who spoke up first. “His pattern has been escalatin’ all this time. Sure, he’s never attacked two women in one week, but who knows? He might have done that, anyway. He’s a serial killer, Elizabeth. You work with criminals and know how they are. His motives are his own, and you can’t take any blame or responsibility for them, you hear me?”

  I nodded, but didn’t comment. She was right. They both were. But I couldn’t help the way I felt. Couldn’t help knowing I shouldn’t be alive, and that someone else was dead because of it.

  All I could do was live my life in part for that woman who lost hers. I’d make sure I took nothing for granted anymore and pull myself out of this self-imposed isolation I’d been living in for years. With a quick glance at the only two visitors I’d had in this apartment in the four years I’d lived in it, I knew I was on my way.

  “There’s more.” Abraham’s voice rang out in the silent room, and my stomach fell. He stared at the wall, not meeting any of our gazes when he dropped his next bomb. “We found a new piece of evidence at this last crime scene.”

  Evey’s eyes met mine before turning back to Abraham. “What was it?” she asked.

  He shook his head and lowered his gaze to his hands clenched on the tabletop. “An empty jar, with a rope tied around the top. Almost like a necklace. It was empty, but it was clear it used to hold wolf urine.” He took a deep breath and looked up at Evey. “It was the same scent that’s been on all the women.”

  I furrowed my brow in confusion. “So, he pees in a jar, and then dumps it on his victims? That doesn’t make any sense.”

  Abraham shook his head slowly. “No. It’s not his urine in the jar.”

  Now I was even more confused. “Why would he pour someone else’s urine on his victims?”

  Evey gasped, blue eyes wide. “To mask his scent,” she whispered.

  Abraham nodded solemnly. “Which means, one, or maybe all of us, would have recognized his scent had it not been covered by this other wolf’s urine.”

  I struggled to connect the dots. “So, this is someone you all know?” He nodded. With a stroke of insight, I finally understood. “He’s probably a member of your pack.” I didn’t need to ask, it was clear in the distraught faces of the two siblings.

  Abraham sighed and met my eyes. “That’s what we’re thinking. Of course, it could be someone from a neighboring pack, too. Someone we’ve had dealings with before”

  We sat silently for a long while, before Evey finally stood from the table, and began slowly clearing it. Abraham and I followed suit, and the three of us worked to clean the kitchen, all while lost in our own thoughts.

  I was having trouble getting around the fact that my attacker might have been close this whole time. Have I met him? Had he been at the cookout? Does he live in the lodge with Abraham?

  Evey’s sweet potato pie did little to lighten the mood, even though it was just as delicious as I thought it would be. The petite woman did her best to keep our minds off the recent discovery, but the black cloud over our heads persisted.

  “So Abey, you’re going home, and then coming back to pick me up tomorrow?” Evey asked.

  We’d settled on the bright pink couch in my living room with warm mugs of coffee in hand.

  “That’s the plan,” he confirmed.

  “Who’s coming to stay next?” I inquired over the rim of my cup.

  Abraham blew out a big breath. “Well, that’s something I wanted to talk to you about. Callie’s supposed to spend the next w
eek with you, but Del’s got a gig Friday night that she doesn’t want to miss. I was hoping you’d spend the weekend at the lodge and then come back here with Callie on Sunday.” His bright smile, and earnest eyes almost had me agreeing immediately.

  But, I resisted.

  “I don’t know,” I told him, searching for any excuse. I didn’t really have a reason to decline his offer, but it was almost a reflex at this point. I was so used to being alone, I made up any excuse isolate myself.

  “Do you have plans?” Abraham asked, his voice a shade darker than it’d been a moment ago.

  “Well, no, not plans. But, I usually try to get work done on the weekends…” I trailed off.

  “Is it something you could bring with you?” he pushed.

  I stayed quiet a minute as I debated with myself. Why was I trying to get out of this? I enjoyed his company, and I enjoyed spending time with (most of) his sisters. I’d gotten along with (most of) his pack and wanted to learn more about them. What did I have to lose by saying yes?

  I thought about that poor woman who’d lost her life in the woods instead of me. Hadn’t I just promised to live my life since hers had been cut short?

  “Del would be really happy if you came to her show,” Abraham added sweetly.

  “Okay, I’ll spend the weekend out there with you guys.”

  His answering smile was brilliant. “Okay great, I’ll pick you both up tomorrow.” He stood and placed his mug on the table as if he was getting ready to leave.

  “Wait, you’re leaving right now to drive to Asheville, only to drive back here tomorrow night?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “I thought about getting a hotel room for the night.”

  I scoffed and shook my head. “That’s ridiculous. Why don’t you stay here? We don’t have another bedroom, but you can take my bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch.”

  He was shaking his head before I’d finished my sentence. “No way am I kicking you out of your own bed. Not gonna’ happen.”

  I took a look at his tall frame, and then a dubious glance at my couch and back again. “I don’t think you’re fitting on this couch, Abraham.”

  Evey piped up. “You’ve got a king size bed in your room, don’t you? Why don’t you and Abraham share?” she asked innocuously.