Shepherd’s Watch: Serviced
J. Hali Steele
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Copyright ©2010 J. Hali Steele
ISBN: 978-1-60521-140-4
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Changeling Press LLC
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Martinsburg, WV 25402-1046
www.ChangelingPress.com
Editor: Chrissie Henderson
Cover Artist: Bryan Keller
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Shepherd’s Watch: Serviced
J. Hali Steele
Ren Alsatian is no one’s guide dog, but when forced to care for a blind woman, the last thing Ren expects is the straight-laced librarian who reads him like a book. She fills his dreams nightly with page after page of raw sex between the dusty aisles. He wants to show her how to smell, touch and taste again.
Marguerite Pinkston knows it isn’t going to be easy living with the service animal assigned to her. She dislikes dogs and this one comes with a handler whose husky voice and wild, sexy scent enflame her with visions of entwined bodies. If only she could see…
Chapter One
Begging wasn’t how Ren wanted to start his day, but shit happens. It always did when he worked an assignment in Vegas.
Shaking his head, he moved up and down the neat, color-coordinated row of shoeboxes in his dressing room, peering into the see-through sides. Nothing. Not a goddamn thing to match his new outfit. Well, nothing that he wanted to pair it with anyway. Ripped jeans and sneaks would work fine for anyone else.
The gig Ren was handling tonight called for him to blend in with his client -- some new kid on the hip hop scene he’d be shadowing at the music awards.
So he’d beg. Just a small advance until payday. His older brother, Max, not only held the company purse strings, but this morning at breakfast the shadows under his eyes were darker than usual and he’d been in a piss-poor mood. Not getting laid enough, if you ask me. The speech about spending money to make an unnecessary fashion statement was growing old and Ren didn’t feel like hearing it today.
Who would notice his feet anyway? By the end of the evening, his feet would be bare if he was lucky. Jobs like tonight’s concert always ended with him getting laid and he was in dire need of some female attention. A smile tugged at his mouth and his cock twitched to life, forcing him to use his hand to adjust himself. “Easy, boy, we’ll take care of you real good tonight.” For crying out loud, now I’m talking to my dick. Life, sometimes, was a bitch.
Ren Alsatian and his brothers, Max and Wade, were German shepherds masquerading as men. Shifters, if you wanted to call them that. His brow puckered. A genetic fuckup is what they were thanks to Mendel the maverick Austrian monk who studied more than pea cells.
Ren and his brothers had resided all over the world since they had been accidentally set free in the mid 1800s. Keeping to their very small packs, they were unknown to most paranormal creatures. There was no fancy magic like disappearing or mind reading, though they had a heightened sixth sense. They had extraordinary olfactory abilities and their hearing was sharpened. The shepherds were like cheetahs on steroids when it came to running -- they didn’t grow tired.
As dogs, they were abnormally strong and were immune to human diseases. There were only a few packs, and one in Europe had a doctor who had discovered that they aged only in human form, but at a much slower rate than normal men.
The Alsatians had all been given a clean bill of health when the doc was in the States a few months back. He said they each resembled human males in their thirties.
That was the limit of anything special.
Well, there was the alpha control they were able to exhibit over other breeds, which was put down to shepherds being smarter than most dogs anyway. “And much better looking.” Ren glanced at his reflection as he passed the mirror. The black jeans and pale gray turtleneck he wore looked fine. He had given up on finding the perfect shoes. He had a few hours yet.
Bounding down the steps, he joined his brothers in the office to discuss business and anything else that might be pressing. They owned and operated Shepherd’s Watch, an elite company that provided professional protection and guard dog services to the rich and famous -- or infamous, depending on how you looked at it.
Max eyed his watch. “Ren, how many times do I need to remind you we start at nine?”
“Christ, it’s ten after.” Wade slouched across from him, his mouth a slash, his eyes barely slits.
What the hell was going on? “I was looking for something. Let’s get started.”
“Shoes?”
“What?” Ren peeked under the table. “Aww, fuck.” He still wore his slippers. “Hell, now you’ll rag me about how I dress for meetings.” He glared at Wade. “What’s your problem?”
“Screw you, Ren.”
“You’re both acting like someone died or something.”
Max gritted his teeth and the sound skidded across Ren’s nerves. Shit. Something was up. Maybe his brother had good reason to be irritated this morning.
“There was an accident last night with one of the rotties guarding the senator.”
“Damn, I keep telling you those guys are rough around the edges. Who was handling?” Some of the human employees had a tough time with the stronger dogs. Rots and pits only went out with experienced controllers because of their inherently rowdy nature.
“Daggett.”
“He’s one of the best.” Ren turned to Wade. “Guess you know what happened since Dag’s a friend of yours.”
“What does his being my friend have to do with anything?” Wade’s eyes remained lidded, his voice gravelly.
“Don’t go all defensive, tell me what happened.”
“Senator Gardner hugged some lady, she dropped her purse and when she bent to pick it up, she lost her balance.” His eyes cast down. “She fell back into Dag and the dog went berserk.” Wade cleared his throat. “The rot slammed her face-down on the pavement.”
“Shit, is she okay?” Ren swallowed hard.
“Dag’s at the hospital with the senator now.” Wade’s voice cracked. “The rot’s dead. Daggett broke his neck pulling him back. Everything happened so fast and he feels responsible.”
Shepherd’s Watch had lost dogs before. Clients, too, for that matter. Why was this one different? “Accidents do happen.”
Max stood and walked to the open bay window. Curtains billowed in the morning breeze. “The woman is the senator’s niece
; he raised her like a daughter.” Turning back to the table, he said, “He’s pretty upset.”
“She’s going to be okay, right?” Senator Jack Gardner was actually a good politician and a nice person. He had connections everywhere, even Hollywood. He’d recommended clients, and Ren didn’t want to think what could happen if he pulled his business from the Watch.
A heavy sigh floated on the breeze. “She’s blind. Doctors aren’t sure how long it will last or if she’ll ever see again.” The chair thudded on the floor when Max sat down. “He wants us to supply a guide dog and a handler to help her adjust.”
“We can’t, everybody who’s capable of that kind of service is on assignment. We don’t have time to train a new dog.” Wade and Max continued to stare at him in silence. Finally, it hit Ren like a ton of bricks. “No. Fucking. Way.” Coffee cups clattered in their saucers when his fist hit the table. “I’ve got an assignment. I’m not babysitting some blind chick. Find someone else, man.” The chair scraped loudly across the floor as he stood.
“Wade will cover the concert.” Max slid an envelope across the table. “You’re all we got and… uhh… you can handle both roles. After all, she’s blind and won’t see you shift. In here is everything we know about her, where she lives and works, even what she likes to read.” His fingers tapped annoyingly on the envelope. Ren opened his mouth and Max’s hand flew up. “You’re it. I’ll do everything possible to get you out of this as soon as I can. We can’t lose the senator’s contract.”
Ren’s growl circled the room, bouncing from the walls. He ripped his clothes from his body without a care and fell to his knees. The long velvety snout was already forming and his hands twisted into gnarled paws. Ren didn’t even feel the fleeting pain associated with the change as a hunch pulled his shoulders up. Sucking in a draft of air, he slammed his front paws to the wood floor. Toenails scraped beneath his weighty body.
Raising his head, he loosed a howl that would have made a wolf proud.
* * *
She shivered at the clicking sound of nails scraping across the floor outside her living room door, and wished she’d kept her jacket on. A dog. From the sounds of it -- a very large dog. It would be living with her in the spacious guest house she occupied on the grounds of her uncle’s home.
Marguerite Pinkston clenched her hands at her sides. She’d moved around a lot and didn’t have a dog when she was growing up. She wasn’t afraid of them but they were hairy, messy animals, and having one underfoot now wasn’t what she wanted. She squeezed her eyes shut, and in slow motion she saw the big square head of a huge black dog coming at her again. That could be the last thing she’d ever remember seeing.
She’d had a slight concussion. Tests showed a swelling around the optic nerves. According to the doctor, she should have regained her sight once it had gone down. Almost a month later nothing had changed and more tests were inevitable.
Her first day home and she fought back tears at the idea she needed a guide dog. “Uncle Jack, can’t we just get a visiting nurse?”
“Marguerite, we don’t know how long this may last. You need to start preparing yourself if you expect to get around on your own.”
“How does one prepare for never seeing the sun shine?” Tears slid silently in rivulets down her cheeks. “How will I do my job at the library? And please stop calling me Marguerite. You know I prefer Margy.”
“Honey, give it time.”
A throat cleared, reminding her of when she came to in the hospital. Ren Alsatian. He’d stayed with her day and night, never saying a word unless spoken to. Ren escorted her to therapy, guided her back to her hospital bed, and only left when she slept. He would handle the dog that would be her eyes for God knows how long. The few times he approached the subject, she’d cut him off, hoping it wouldn’t be necessary.
This morning he’d arrived at her home with the animal that restlessly moved about in her hall. She missed Ren and the way he touched her, the way he moved quietly around her. Margy missed the smell of him.
“Miss Pinkston, Ren will stay with you until you no longer need him.”
That was Max Alsatian. Funny how she’d learned to tell them apart so quickly. Their voices sounded practically alike. She dabbed her eyes with a tissue. “What’s the dog’s name?”
“The dog…” Waiting, Margy shredded the material in her hands. “His name is Shooby.” Her hands shook at the low growling. He sounded so close.
“Margy, I’ve got to attend a luncheon so I’ll leave you to get familiar with everyone. I trust these men explicitly.”
She listened to her uncle’s steps retreat down the hall, and jumped at the sound of Max’s voice. “I’m going to bring the dog over so he can smell you. You need to touch him and become used to him. He’s been all through the house and he’ll prevent you from bumping into things. You’ve had quite a shock, and though it’s your home, it’ll take some getting used to again.”
The jingle of chain drove home the seriousness of her situation, but there would be no more tears. Her back stiffened. “Let’s get it over with.” The staff at the hospital had prepared her as much as they could. Though she wasn’t resigned to being blind, she wasn’t given to whining.
She regretted that she hadn’t let Ren tell her more about the service animal while she was in therapy, but she couldn’t bear it. Heat flared up her neck and touched her cheeks. The things she’d thought about each time she heard his deep voice. She’d wet more than one pair of panties listening to him.
Padded footfalls inched closer and closer, taking her mind off the handler. Puffs of air brushed her bare legs and made her wish she’d worn pants.
“I’ll place your hand on his head and I want you to touch him, run your hands down his back to feel his size. He’s a shepherd. They’re very smart, and he’ll guard you once you’re secure enough to leave the house.”
Margy’s fingers tingled as she pushed through the thick fur. It was soft and warm. Not at all what she expected. Muscles bunched and rolled beneath her palm. She shuddered but it wasn’t fear. “I heard a chain,” Margy blurted in an effort to regain her composure. “What’s it for?”
“The harness for walking outside. You’ll be shown how to use it later.” The chain rattled onto the coffee table. “At night, he’ll stay outside your door unless you wish otherwise.”
“Where’s Ren?”
“He’s… He’s unloading and putting his things in the guest room. There may be times he’ll leave you with the dog but don’t worry, Shooby is well trained to service all your needs.” She tilted her head at Max’s chuckle. “He’ll even fetch from the refrigerator.”
She continued to stroke the dog and scratch behind its ears. The animal panted and hunched up into her hand. “Oh!” A cold nose bumped her thigh and a loud sniff followed as he nudged at her skirt.
“A sign of affection, but if you don’t like it, tell him no. Ren has probably filled you in on the proper language and he’ll teach you to use the animal as an extension of yourself.”
“Has he ever bitten anyone?”
“Ren?”
Hesitant laughter slipped from her mouth -- the first in days and it felt good. “No, Shooby.” Margy’s hand was buried in the fur under the dog’s chin while he nuzzled at her leg. “Somehow Shooby doesn’t quite fit.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I don’t know.” Her brow knitted together. She had no idea at all why she said it. “Mr. Alsatian, thank you. I’ll be fine until Ren is finished unpacking. You probably have things to take care of.”
“Yes, I’ll leave you to get acquainted with Shooby, and tell Ren to come in when he’s finished.” He walked toward the door and his steps stopped. “You can trust Ren in any situation but sometimes he’s, well, his attitude leaves a little to be desired and you may have to put him in his place.”
“I’m sure I can manage.” Standing, she felt the dog place his shoulder against her thigh, sending a tremor up her leg. “We’ll be fine.
This won’t be for long and so far he’s been a perfect gentleman. Have a nice day.”
Her dismissal of him bordered on rude but it irked her that people always assumed a librarian was inexperienced with men. Margy considered herself a big girl but she’d enjoyed healthy, sexual relationships. Though, from brief conversations with her uncle, she knew that the Alsatians were nothing like the men she normally dated.
The dog pressed against her thigh again and she thought of Ren. Lately he’d been the only man on her mind. She wondered what it would be like to touch his face, feel his lips, the way she’d been shown in therapy.
Those thoughts would have to stop. Margy wasn’t a fool. The stoic man who had watched over her in the hospital didn’t strike her as the type to waste his time with a blind woman. She’d vowed if she remained sightless she wouldn’t be anyone’s pity fuck. She’d rather be alone for the rest of her life.
Sweeping her hand down the dog’s back, she whispered, “It might just be me and you, boy.”
Chapter Two
Shooby! The bastard.
Ren would take a bite out of Max’s ass right now if he could, but his brother’s footfalls grew farther away. It gave him little satisfaction to know Max would be the one unloading the SUV. A smile resembling a snarl pulled at his furry face. He’d packed a shitload of clothes, figuring on being here for the long haul. He slipped his tongue past his canines and swiped up the outside of Margy’s leg, right above her knee.
“Hey, hey, you’re a fresh one.”
Her melodic voice sent a shiver down his spine. And damn she tasted good. Smelled good too. Christ, if he was in his man form he’d have a raging hard-on. Like the one he’d carried around the hospital for weeks. Yet during her waking hours, he couldn’t stand to be away from her. Ren didn’t need this bullshit right now. He hadn’t been without a female this long since… hell, he couldn’t remember when. Stranger yet -- he couldn’t picture a single one of those he had been with. Woman or bitch.
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