Grave Attraction

by Lori Sjoberg

  He opened a drawer and grabbed what looked like an old address book. Time seemed to drag while he riffled through the pages until he finally found what he was searching for. “Ah. Here it is. Mistress Zoe was her name. She bought three pieces. Paid cash.”

  Marlena looked disappointed but covered it quickly, giving Freddie a pat on the arm. “See, that wasn’t so hard, now was it? Let me know the next time you get a shipment of rue in. Cassie’s starting to run low.”

  As she turned to leave, she motioned for Adam to follow. He fell in line with her steps, ignoring the nearby vendor barking out a sales pitch for a home security system.

  “You want to tell me what that was all about?” Adam asked once they were halfway down the aisle.

  “Just curious to see who else was in the market for horn,” she said, her eyes busy scanning the area. The crowds in the market were starting to thin, and some of the dealers were already closing up shop.

  “Do you know who Mistress Zoe is?”

  “Oh, yeah.” She sounded far from impressed. “She’s a witch, and not a very good one. Mostly, she deals in love potions and shit like that.”

  “Could she be the one who put the whammy on my associate?”

  Marlena pursed her lips as if mulling it over. “I suppose it’s possible, but I doubt it. I’ll have Cassie give her a call, though, and see what she’s up to.”

  “Sounds good.” As they walked past the concession stand, he considered buying a funnel cake, but then he remembered something the vendor had said. “Why was Freddie so afraid of me?”

  “Because you’re a reaper.”

  He stared at her for a few beats. “Care to expand on that?”

  She looked up at him as if the answer was something he should already know. “In case you haven’t noticed, you guys have a bad reputation. Folks generally don’t like to mess around with something if they know it can suck out their soul.”

  Well, that explained a lot. But it wasn’t like reapers ran around harvesting souls for shits and giggles. It was a grueling profession, one he and his associates took seriously, and not every reaper made it through with their sanity intact. Just look at what had happened a couple years ago with the reapers who’d snapped and gone rogue. In the end, twenty-nine of his kindred were lost, including two that he considered close friends.

  He was about to say something when he noticed that Marlena had frozen dead in her tracks. “What is it?”

  She held up a finger to indicate she needed a moment. Closing her eyes, her head tilted up, she seemed to be sniffing the air. Her chest expanded on a sharply drawn breath, and just as suddenly, her eyes flew back open. Pure fury flashed across her face. “One of the lowlifes who kidnapped me is here.”

  “Are you kidding?”

  “Do I look like I’m kidding?”

  “No, you look royally pissed off.” Adam scanned the aisle but didn’t see any signs of danger. “Where is he?”

  “It’s hard to tell with so many people around.” Inhaling again, she focused on the scent of her prey. It belonged to the submissive member of the duo who’d taken her prisoner. During her time in captivity, she never saw his face, so her memories were limited to smell and sound. Another deep breath, and she pinned down the origin of the scent. “This way.”

  She took off like a shot, not waiting for Adam, determined to capture her quarry before he got away. A couple with three small children blocked her path, forcing her to slow down to maneuver around them. Once free, she raced through the exit and into the rear parking lot.

  Shit, where did he go? She sniffed the air, but his scent was gone. That probably meant he was inside a vehicle. A number of cars were heading for the exits, but since she’d never seen what the guy looked like, she couldn’t tell which vehicle belonged to him.

  “Dammit!” Frustration filled her with the urge to punch something. Breathing heavy, she balled her hands into fists so tight her fingernails dug into her palms.

  She sensed Adam’s presence nearby, close but not quite touching. The smell of him—rich, earthy, and male—invaded her senses and took the edge off her nerves. A part of her yearned to turn to him for comfort, so tired of being alone. So tired of existing instead of living. And even though she ached with the need for her chosen mate, she gritted her teeth and held herself in check.

  He touched her then, just a hand to her shoulder, and the contact made the ache almost unbearable. No, not yet. Not until she was certain they were still compatible, and not until she knew that he wanted and accepted her for who and what she truly was. Closing her eyes, she focused her mind on the gentle warmth of his fingers.

  “I’m okay,” she said, her voice sounding shaky to her own ears.

  “Bullshit. What you went through would have broken most people. You’re a tough woman, but everyone has their limits.”

  Slowly, insistently, Adam turned her around and gathered her into his arms. It felt so damn good, to be held, to be consoled, that she melted against the strong wall of his chest and blanked everything else from her mind.

  She didn’t know how long they stayed entwined together, but eventually she heard an announcement over the public address system that the market would be closing in five minutes.

  “We better go,” she said as she stepped back from his embrace. Already, she missed the heat of his body, but she needed some fresh air to clear her head.

  But instead of turning toward the car, Adam cupped her face with his hand, his thumb caressing her cheek. The heat in his gaze mesmerized her, and a tingling sensation snaked down her spine and pooled between her legs. When she licked her lips, his brown eyes darkened and his head tilted downward. It probably took him less than a second, but it seemed like forever before his mouth finally claimed hers.

  Oh, yes. The kiss started gentle but quickly ignited. In an instant, his fingers tangled in her hair, holding her head steady while he plundered her mouth, tasting, taking, stealing her breath and her resolve. Head swimming, she grabbed a handful of his shirt to keep from losing her balance. One of them growled—she assumed it was Adam because she’d never heard herself make a sound so feral.

  He slanted his mouth, taking the kiss deeper, and the mate bond hummed in her blood. Christopher had never kissed her like this. He’d always been tender and sweet. The thought hit her like a brick between the eyes, and every muscle in her body locked tight.

  “What’s wrong?” Adam asked as he drew his head back. His heavy-lidded eyes filled with genuine concern, and it made her heart clench in her chest.

  “Nothing,” she lied with a sharp shake of her head. It wasn’t fair to make those kinds of comparisons. They were two different people from two very different times, and the sooner she got that through her thick skull, the better. Pulling herself together, she dug her car keys from her pocket. “Come on, it’s late, and Cassie’s going to wonder what happened to us.”

  Chapter 8

  By the time Marlena and Adam returned to Cassie’s house, the sun had started to descend over the horizon, painting the sky with pinks and oranges. The sound of cicadas filled the summer air and drowned out all other noise.

  “Cassie, you home?” Marlena called out as she walked through the front foyer. She paused for a second or two, listening for signs of activity but hearing silence instead. Funny, she didn’t remember Cassie saying anything about having plans. But who knew, in all the excitement she might have simply forgotten. “Guess she must have gone out.”

  Adam followed her inside and closed and locked the door behind them. Despite her repeated assurances, he’d insisted on coming in to make sure the place was safe and secure. He stood so close behind her she felt the heat of his body, which in turn made her think of the heat of his kiss, and it was all she could do not to dive back into his arms and pick up right where they left off. But she didn’t want to rush things, so she tamped down the urge and pulled her mental shit together.

  “Where do you want the supplies?” he asked.

  “Might as w
ell put them in the kitchen. You can leave the bag on the counter.” Marlena had learned a long time ago not to mess with Cassie’s supplies. The witch was a stickler for details when it came to her ingredients, preparing and storing them in her own meticulous fashion.

  She strode into the kitchen and flipped on the lights. One of Cassie’s concoctions was simmering on the stove, the scent of basil thick in the air.

  “Smells good,” Adam said. “What is it? Love potion? Binding spell?”

  “Marinara sauce.”

  She lifted the lid and gave it a stir. The delicious aroma made her stomach growl, reminding her of how long it had been since she’d last eaten. “Can I get you something to drink?” The least she could do was offer him a beverage after dragging him all over creation. It had nothing to do with the fact she enjoyed having him around and wasn’t quite ready for him to leave. “Water? Soda? Beer?”

  Adam checked his watch before sitting down at the kitchen table. “A beer would be great.”

  “What’s your preference?” She opened the fridge and scanned the bottles on the top shelf. “Pale ale or porter?”

  “Pale ale, as long as it’s good and hoppy.”

  Ah, a man after her own heart. She glanced over her shoulder and grinned. “What’s the point of drinking an ale if it isn’t loaded with hops?” Pushing aside the chocolate porter, she grabbed a bottle of Ruination IPA and popped the cap. “Here, see if you can handle this.”

  Adam paused long enough to read the label before taking a swig. The hops must have been too much for his tastes because his mouth puckered up like he’d sucked on a lemon.

  It took everything she had not to laugh. “Too strong?”

  “No, it’s okay. I just wasn’t expecting it to be that bitter.” He coughed before taking another sip, and this time his face didn’t scrunch up as badly. Leaning back in his chair, he crossed his legs at the ankles. “I’ve been meaning to ask—what did Freddie mean when he called you ‘shifter’?”

  Was he kidding? “The term’s pretty self-explanatory.”

  His eyes widened. “You’re a werewolf?”

  Marlena made a disgusted sound. “Oh, for Christ’s sake. I’m not a goddamn werewolf. I’m a shapeshifter. Big difference.”

  Adam gave her a blank look. “Excuse the shit out of me. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m kind of new to all this. So if you could do me a favor and explain the difference, I’d certainly appreciate it.”

  The edge of her impatience softened. “You really don’t know?”

  “I wouldn’t be asking if I did.”

  She watched him for nearly a minute, unsure if she should bring him up to speed. By nature, shifters kept to themselves to guard against human detection. But Adam wasn’t human, at least not anymore, and his secrets were as sensitive as hers. More important, she’d come to trust the young reaper, and maybe even liked him a little.

  Okay, she liked him a lot.

  “Weres can only change into one particular animal. Wolves by far are the most dominant form, but I’ve heard of a population in Central America that shifts into panthers.” Years ago, out of curiosity, she’d traveled to Belize in search of them but came up empty-handed. Perhaps they never existed or they’d already gone extinct. From what she’d heard, the wolf population had dipped so low that many considered them on the brink of extinction. So rarely seen, most non-humans considered them a myth. “Shapeshifters don’t have those types of limitations regarding what they can change into.”

  Adam blinked, blinked again, clearly digesting everything she’d just told him. “Then why didn’t you turn into a mouse or something? You could have just walked right through the bars.”

  Straining for patience, Marlena dragged a hand through her hair. “It doesn’t work that way. I can only shift into objects of equivalent mass. If I changed into a mouse, it would still weigh over a hundred pounds.”

  He let out a low whistle. “That’s one big frigging mouse.”

  “Got that right.” When he offered her the bottle, she took a big swig, enjoying the bitter taste of hops. “Besides, the silver collar made it impossible to change.”

  “Ah,” he said with a nod. “So the silver part is true?”

  “To a point. Silver bullets cause more damage than conventional ammunition, but they’re still not lethal unless they pierce the head or heart. The metal suppresses our ability to heal, as well as the ability to shift.” Her mouth tightened at the memory of being trapped in that godforsaken cage. If she ever got hold of the sadistic bastards, she’d make them pay for the pain and humiliation.

  Adam didn’t say anything right away. With his arms folded over his chest, he leaned back against his chair and gave her a long appraising look. “Could you show me?”

  The question surprised her. She wasn’t accustomed to taking requests, but she’d do it this one time for him. “What do you want to see?”

  He swallowed another swig of his beer. “I don’t know. What’s your favorite animal to turn into?”

  That was easy. “Leopard.”

  Words failed to describe the exhilaration she felt when she let her animal side come out and play. Unfortunately, the growing human population hindered her ability to move about freely while in her chosen form. Still, she shifted at least once a month, even if it meant limiting her activities to the privacy of her apartment or Cassie’s house.

  “All right then,” Adam said. “Let’s see it.”

  Apprehension pricked her nerves, and the room suddenly felt too small. Funny, she’d changed in front of others before, but somehow it seemed different with him. “Turn around.”

  “Why? I want to see how it works.”

  “Because …” She considered telling him that shifting was too personal for an audience, but that was a bald-faced lie. The truth had her kicking herself for allowing human modesty—or was it something else?—to flush her face with heat. “Clothes get in the way.”

  “Really?” His lips twitched once, twice, before his entire mouth split into a sexy grin. “I’m starting to dig this shifter business.”

  She ignored the flare of heat moving lower and lower as she propped a hand on her hip. “Face the wall, or I’m not doing it.”

  “Okay, fine, whatever you want.” With a reluctant sigh, he set the beer down, pushed up from his chair, and gave her his back.

  Quickly, she undressed, leaving her clothes neatly folded on the kitchen table. The warm air felt wonderful against her bare skin, and for a moment she simply closed her eyes and basked in the freedom that came without the confines of clothes. Nearly three weeks had passed since she’d last changed forms, and her body hummed with restless energy.

  After dropping to her hands and knees, she focused inward and envisioned the animal she intended to become. A prickly sensation rippled from her head to her toes as tissues, muscles, and bones softened before morphing into her chosen form. Her vision blurred for a moment or two before sharpening with feline clarity. Peering down, she watched the black rosette pattern form on her tawny fur.

  The change always left her feeling exhilarated, but this time it was mixed with a sense of unease over how Adam would react to her transformation. Would he still be intrigued when he saw what she’d become, or would the reality of the change disgust him?

  Not making a sound, she padded across the room and bumped his hand with her head. Senses heightened, she picked up the faint smell of soap on his skin along with his unique masculine scent. She inhaled deeply, drawing it into her lungs.

  With a start, Adam peered down. “Holy fucking shit.” Eyes wide, mouth open, he studied her leopard form. “Is it okay—would you mind if I touched you?”

  It was impossible to speak while in an animal state, so she bumped his hand with her head again and purred.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  Smart man. She purred louder.

  Crouching, he lightly stroked her head and ears before running his open hand along the length of her back. The s
troke of his palm had her purring even louder, and her back instinctively arched. A sense of wonder lit up his face, his mouth on the verge of a smile. “My God, you’re gorgeous. There are so many questions I want to ask. But you can’t talk like this, can you?”

  She moved her head from side to side. Later, she’d give him the full explanation, but for now he’d get the gist.

  “Can you change back, then? I mean right now?”

  Of course, but not until he was staring at the wall. She lifted a paw, gesturing for him to turn around.

  A pair of lines formed between his eyebrows. “Seriously? I’m looking at you naked right now. What difference does the form make in the grand scheme of things?”

  A low growl vibrated in her throat. So it made no difference to him what form she took? Let’s just see about that. Her body shimmered, and she morphed into a human male. For good measure, she made the male old and wrinkly. And well-endowed.

  “Dude!” Slamming his eyes shut, he jerked his head to the side. “Oh, that was so wrong.”

  “You asked for it. Now are you going to give me some privacy, or should I get dressed in another room?”

  Adam cracked one eye open, making a point of looking over her shoulder instead of directly at her. “Please tell me you’re not really a guy.”

  She tried not to laugh but it came out anyway. “I can assure you that I was born female.” Truth be told, shifting into a different gender made her extremely uncomfortable.

  Giving in to the urge, she switched back into her feline form. She sat on her haunches and stared up at him, waiting for him to comply.

  Adam let out a relieved exhale and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Fine. But you know it’s only a matter of time before I see the real you naked.”

  Cocky bastard. He was probably right, but she refused to admit it. Undeniably, the man pushed all of her buttons, but she still hadn’t figured out exactly why, and that bothered her. Was it because of the man he was now or the man she used to love? She really wanted to know the real answer before she made any moves.