Seth

by VA Dold

  She glanced at him, then looked away, and quickly wiped at her cheeks, flushing with embarrassment.

  Seth leaned forward to kiss away a tear that had escaped her notice and then he brushed his lips across hers.

  “Thank you.” Her voice was breathy, barely a whisper.

  The bottomless pit of despair she was drowning in faded, vanquished by Seth’s unconditional love.

  His heart ached. Her eyes, once so bright but now dulled by grief, looked up at him. She was broken and forlorn with such guilt that he felt crushed under the weight of her dark emotions. In her mind, she was convinced she was alone. She wasn’t. He would always stand beside her. He’d hold her up when she needed a shoulder to lean on. Provide emotional comfort in any way she would allow. “You’re wrong, mon coeur. As long as I draw breath, I will always be with you. It’s natural to feel confused and alone. You lost your brother in a horrific fashion. Never forget, I’m here for you in whatever capacity you need.” With that, he sent her waves of love and security, infusing the emotions with strength and confidence.

  Sara gasped. “I felt that.”

  He lifted her chin and held her gaze. “Your memories can’t have you. As painful as they are, they’re in the past and cannot be changed. You have to live in the now. In this moment and no other. Can you do that?”

  His words were impossible to ignore. Besides, he spoke the truth. She couldn’t change the past, but she could make sure the rogue didn’t destroy other lives.

  Sara took a breath, trying to drown out Grant’s screams still ringing in her ears. “I hear what you’re saying, but I can’t stop the dreams from coming.”

  Seth’s arms tightened around her, and his head dropped on top of hers. Suddenly, a feeling of comfort and calm wrapped around her like a warm, fuzzy blanket.

  “I know, mon amour. But I can teach you ways to control them. The practice is called lucid dreaming, and it allows you to wield a degree of control over the characters, narrative, and environment of the dream. Tell me one thing that happens every time. Something early on in your nightmare. Something benign, for example, stubbing your toe.”

  She thought about that for a minute running the first moments of the dream through her mind. “I bang my knuckles on the car door when I get out.”

  “Okay, think about that for a minute. Do you feel the pain or is it just something that happens?”

  Sara tried hard to remember. “I don’t recall ever feeling any sensations in the dream. Funny, I never noticed that.”

  “Good. What I want you to do tomorrow is rap your knuckles on things as many times as you can. As you do that ask yourself ‘am I dreaming?’ When you feel that little bit of pain, tell yourself ‘I felt that. I must be awake.’”

  “How is that going to help?”

  “When you’re dreaming and you bang your knuckles your mind will automatically ask if you felt it. The instant the answer is no, you’ll realize you’re dreaming. Once you’re aware it’s a dream you can control what happens.”

  “No Way! That works?”

  “Absolutely. I do it all the time.”

  Sara leaned across the bed and banged her knuckles on the nightstand. “Ow! I must be awake.”

  Seth barked out a laugh. “You don’t have to hit things that hard.”

  Sara smiled up at him, and to his surprise slipped a hand behind his neck and pulled him down. The next thing he knew she initiated a kiss. Just that quick. Just that sudden. She was kissing him of her own accord. He moaned, tightened his arms around her, and deepened the kiss.

  She turned her body into his, twining her arms around his neck, pressing her lips harder to his in a fevered kiss. Energy tickled his lips, swirling and growing in power.

  “Crap.”

  Sara pulled back, worry tightening her expression. But Seth ignored her concern and gathered her against his body again.

  “Don’t let your gift worry you, mon amour. Close your eyes and examine the energy both around and inside of you. Do you feel acceptance or animosity?”

  She sucked in a breath as her eyes widened. “Acceptance. My gift likes you.”

  “Of course it does. I’m your mate. No matter how much power you gather, you will never harm me.”

  For a moment, she stared off into space, contemplating his words. He would give her as much time as she needed to understand what was happening. Tempted by the exposed flesh of her neck, he leaned closer to nuzzle the tender skin behind her ear. She tipped her head to the side, allowing him better access. Her gift receded until only the softness of her skin was beneath his seeking lips.

  She breathed out a sigh when he lapped at her lobe and then nibbled on it.

  Fang rumbled in satisfaction at her soft exclamation.

  Sara gasped when he pulled her onto his lap. When she shifted slightly and wiggled to adjust her position, it was his turn to gasp.

  “Keep that up, and you’ll get more than you bargained for,” he growled into her questing mouth.

  Sara lifted her head and stared into his eyes. The moment stretched between them.

  Fang pushed to the forefront of his mind in anticipation. They’d found something to live for, and now they had that very thing in their arms.

  She smiled, a half smile dulled by the lingering shadows from the dream, but her eyes brightened a little. There was a silent message relayed in that smile. Gratitude for the comfort he provided, yes. But a bit of sexual tension, as well.

  “What is it, mon amour. What do you want?”

  She shot him a devilish grin. He was incredibly handsome, but more than that, he was a rock she could lean on. Not that she needed one. The way he spoke with absolute conviction left no question that he believed what he said. To her astonishment, she believed him too. Paul had shattered her family and her heart. She may have been temporarily down, but she wasn’t out.

  “Grant always told me that I have a stubborn streak a mile long with a liberal helping of daredevil.”

  He brought her fingertips to his mouth and bit gently, his teeth scraping back and forth. A small frown tightened her eyes, but she didn’t pull away. “And what is your inner Evel Knievel telling you?”

  Sara felt her face flush. How to answer that? She chuckled when Seth scowled as she pulled her fingers from his nibbling teeth. She then cupped his square jaw, and his scowl evaporated to be replaced by speculation. His eyes warmed, but concern banked the heat.

  “Kiss me,” she whispered. “My inner Knievel says you should kiss me.”

  He didn’t hesitate. He leaned in and gently pressed his lips to hers. Though he looked like a man who dominated women, he followed her lead.

  Sara teased his lips open and swept inside. The growl that vibrated his chest gave her a rush. His tongue danced with hers but never made demands. Her gift gathered energy from the room. Outlets fizzled and hissed in protest. The power flowed around and through them, caressing and stroking like a lover. A third entity sharing the experience.

  His kiss was tender. Loving. Exactly what she needed to chase away the ugliness of her nightmare.

  She kissed him more fiercely, losing herself in his mouth, obliterating the lingering images in her mind. She wanted to shut down her mind and just feel.

  Seth lifted his head a few inches. His gaze searched her eyes. “Mon amour? What is it? What has your emotions in turmoil?”

  Sara dropped her gaze and shook her head. “It’s hard to explain.”

  “Talk to me. I can’t help you unless I know what has upset you.”

  “I want to forget everything that happened, even if only for one night. Does that make me a terrible person?”

  “No, mon amour. It makes you human.”

  Once again, he was reminded how young she was. She was so self-possessed, strong, and independent it was easy to forget she was…what? He frowned at himself. He didn’t know enough about Sara to answer that. He didn’t know any intimate details about his mate, like her age
or favorite color. He hadn’t taken the time to learn the little details about his mate. At the very least, he should have researched the woman he was about to hunt with. He’d thrown all of his training to the wind and dropped the ball big time.

  “I want you to help me forget,” her voice was hardly more than a whisper.

  “I could make you forget, but to do so would remove the memories entirely. As painful as they are, I don’t believe you truly want that. Instead, I can hold you through the night and keep your nightmare at bay. If it returns, I’ll enter your mind, essentially becoming a character in your dream to help you control what you experience. All you have to do is tell me that you want me to stay with you.”

  “Yes. Please stay.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Seth stood only long enough to pull back the covers before sliding in beside Sara. Hooking her around the waist, he pulled her into him until her back was flush with his chest and then curled his body around hers. It took a second or two but then she melted into him like butter on warm toast.

  Seth smiled. His mate wasn’t a submissive woman. She would do what she wanted when she wanted. Even though he was a man who survived by controlling his environment, he loved her independent streak. Undoubtedly, their future would include intermittent electrical storms, but he could live with that. Hell, he looked forward to it.

  Within minutes, sleep overtook Sara. Her breath became soft, even exhales punctuated by an occasional sigh. Seth indulged himself, and Fang, by letting his fingers caress her warm skin. He didn’t take liberties; he wasn’t that sort of man. No, he simply stroked the soft flesh of her tummy as he telepathically hummed a lullaby.

  He had held her like that for over an hour when she turned in his arms to face him. Gently so as not to wake her, he brushed a kiss over her lips, then joined her in sleep.

  Squinting against the morning sunshine filtering through the blinds, Seth smiled. Sara was snuggled tight against his side. Little snuffled sounds of sleep rose from under the sheet she’d pulled over her head. Damn, his mate was adorable.

  Seth pushed his hand under the covers until he located hers. He lifted her palm to his mouth and kissed the very center. He may have spent the last hundred and fifty years dining on violence and bathed in blood, but he’d been raised by a tight-knit family, surrounded by love. That beginning was as solid as bedrock and had supported him through the roughest of times.

  Over one hundred years ago, he’d buried his emotions. A hunter didn’t last long if he allowed himself to experience the kills too deeply. A lesson he’d almost learned too late. Another hunter, his friend Mario, taught him how to erect a wall around his heart, mind, and soul. How to deal death without allowing it to touch him emotionally. Every morning during his daily prayers he thanked Luperca for Mario.

  Sara had blasted that wall to rubble and brought all of his long-forgotten feelings of tenderness and love flooding back. He felt raw and exposed, but ecstatically happy and whole at the same time.

  Sara pulled the sheet down below her chin, blinked, and frowned.

  He cupped his hand at her nape, tunneled his fingers into her hair fisting the softness, and eased her head back.

  “Good morning, mon amour.”

  “Mm. Thank you for staying. I haven’t slept that well since the attack.”

  “It was my pleasure.” Seth leaned in and kissed her softly. Feather-light. The slightest brush of lips on lips that wasn’t nearly enough for him or Fang, but he wouldn’t push her.

  Sara seemed to have other plans. She pressed her lips to his and tempted him with her tongue. When the kiss ended, she leaned her forehead on his chin and groaned as if in pain. “Now I understand what my sister meant when she said there is no resisting your mate.”

  He smiled and smoothed back her hair. His gaze rose from her lips to her eyes. “I love that you can’t resist me.”

  “Yeah, well my jury is still out on that. I’m used to being in control and around you I seem to lose my mind. It’s disconcerting.”

  Seth chuckled and rubbed his chin in her hair.

  Sara stretched and covered a yawn by ducking half of her face under the sheets. “I have to be at the precinct by ten a.m.”

  Seth swept his thumb over her lips. “Then we have a little time.” His breath stirred tendrils of her hair. His eye’s glowed like hot embers as he lowered his mouth to her throat. His lips brushed her flesh intimately. He tasted the soft skin behind her ear. The touch was light. Barely there, but enough to mark her with his scent.

  “Mon coeur. Ma vie.” His tone was pitched low, rumbling with Fang’s approval.

  “What did you just say?”

  “It was French for my heart, my life. That is what you are to me.”

  “Why would you say that? I haven’t decided if I want to be claimed.”

  “You’re mine. You belong to me, regardless of a claiming.”

  Sara frowned. Opened her mouth, closed it, only to open it again. “You can have the shower first while I make a pot of coffee.”

  His gaze fixed on her mouth for a long second. Then he pulled back the covers and got to his feet. “I hate the idea of leaving this bed, but coffee and a shower sound pretty good. I’ll only be a few minutes.”

  Sara waited until he closed the bathroom door then she sped from the bedroom so quickly, her mild panic attack scorched the carpet. Her mind whirled with conflicting thoughts. Without a doubt, she respected Seth and his ability to hunt the rogue, but she was starting to like him, like a lot. To compound the issue, her heart was softening toward the man, and her body wanted him in the worst way. This was not what she had bargained for. Dang it, she would not be a shifter mate!

  Sara took out her frustration on the cupboards and coffee machine. Banging doors, shoving the glass carafe onto the hotplate harder than necessary. Great, now she was throwing a tantrum. She scowled at the coffee maker and decided it would be best to leave the kitchen before she broke something.

  She stopped short in the doorway between the kitchen and living room and scowled. Seth was obviously not housebroken. Clothing, boots, and blankets were tossed willy-nilly around the room.

  Being a bit of a clean freak, Sara reached down to snag his shirt and leather pants from the floor and nudged his boots into a neat line along the wall. The house was on the small side, so even a tiny mess was enough to send her over the edge.

  As she folded the shirt, she paused to glance at the boots again. They had felt much too heavy. Something wasn’t right. She placed the shirt on the arm of the couch and added the leathers to the tidy pile. All the while eyeing the boots.

  Curiosity got the better of her. She picked one up and inspected it closely. There was a sheath sown inside the boot holding a razor-sharp stiletto blade. She gave the second boot a look, and sure enough, it held a hidden blade as well. Carefully, she pulled one out and held it up to the morning sunlight. The blade had been made by a master craftsman, thin and delicate, yet incredibly strong. Beautiful swirls and symbols were etched into the metal. The handle was wrapped in well-worn leather as if from a bygone era. They must be very old.

  Sara jumped when her phone vibrated on the coffee table. She slipped the dagger back into place and scooped up her phone. “Detective Adams.”

  “Sara, I just got a call about another body found in the Sheridan Park near Thomas Avenue South. If you hustle, you can beat the investigators to the scene and take a look. I haven’t passed the information to the department yet. I can buy you about ten minutes but then I have to notify homicide.”

  “Thank you, Sally. I appreciate it. Just be careful. I don’t want you to get in trouble or lose your job over this.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I know how to cover my tracks. You just do what you do and catch that bastard who killed Grant.”

  “That’s the plan. Thanks again, hun.”

  “You’re welcome. Now get your ass moving, the clock is ticking.”

  Sara ended the
call and hurriedly dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and her running shoes. She pulled on her shoulder holster and hid it under a hoody, then slipped from the house. Sheridan Park was only a couple of blocks away. It would be best to not have her car there if her co-workers arrived. One of them would surely recognize it. If she jogged, she could be at the site in a few minutes. On foot, she could simply slip away without being noticed.

  Taking a deep breath, she sprinted down the block and turned toward the park. If Seth finished his shower before she returned he wouldn’t have a problem tracking her. He was a shifter after all. But if her luck held, she would be back before he even knew she left.

  Seth froze, ignoring the shampoo that stung his eyes like angry bees. Emptiness filled the space where Sara’s energy dwelled. Since the moment he’d met her, the unique vibration that was Sara’s alone had made itself known to him. Panic speared his heart and an invisible vise gripped his insides. Fang! Can you sense Sara?

  Something is very wrong. I can feel her, but it is as if she is a great distance away.

  Damn it! She must have left the house. Seth needed to hit something. Hell, he needed to kill something. The confounded woman would be the end of all of them.

  Fang yelped in alarm, unaccustomed to the sensation of their mate in danger. The rogue has found her. We must hurry!

  Seth felt his heart jerk hard in his chest. He hadn’t allowed fear to affect him since that fateful day he lost his childhood friend. He was an Elite hunter who could go into any situation with ice water in his veins. Now, that he had something precious that he could easily lose terror immobilized him.

  Damn it, Seth, Move your two-legged ass, or I’m taking lead!

  He hadn’t found his mate just to lose her to a rogue. He wouldn’t allow it. Seth bellowed in rage as he felt Sara hit something hard. He cranked the water off and clothed himself with a thought. Heartbeats later he bolted out the door. Track her, he growled at Fang.

  His breath pumped in and out of his lungs in frantic gasps, his chest rising and falling in a series of uneven convulsions.