by VA Dold
Out of frustration and dread, he roared her name. Glass panes rattled in their frames, and neighboring dogs whimpered in fear.
Seth’s need for vengeance on behalf of his mate was so deep, so deadly his breath billowed like a fog around his face. His panic crystalized the moisture in the air around him, layering everything within ten feet with frost.
The Park. She is there. Go! Fang demanded.
In seconds he and Fang were at the park. Arriving as an unseen blur, they seemed to materialize from thin air.
Slightly out of breath, Sara slowed when the gruesome scene came into sight. She looked left and then right. Listened hard for sirens. When she was sure the coast was clear she skirted the crime scene, viewing it from every angle. It had been Paul, she was sure of it. She squatted a few feet from the body in an effort to see what was under it.
A twig snapped behind her. Sara shot to her feet and whirled about as she pulled her gun from its holster. The hair on the back of her neck stood up, and her skin prickled with protective energy. Paul was close. She slowly scanned the tree line. He was there somewhere in the shadows. She could feel his eyes boring into her.
As if someone pressed a mute button, all sound ceased. Not a leaf rustled or bird called. She watched for movement or shadows changing shape. Anything to give his location away. He was there, somewhere just beyond the edge of the sunlight, she was absolutely sure of it. That meant he was close to her. Very close. Killing close. What had Seth said? Oh yeah, shoot for the head. She raised the angled of her gun a few inches, ready to take a head shot.
She held her breath, listening for the slightest movement or breathing, but he didn’t give his location away. Damn it. He’d set a trap for her, and she’d fallen for it. And now it was just her versus a predator that was a skilled killer. She wanted to kick herself for taking the bait.
Everything in her screamed RUN! But she knew that was the worst thing to do. Predators were incited by a chase. No, she was stuck right where she was. Where the hell was a cop when she needed one?
Sara’s head jerked to the left. Something moved. She saw it with her peripheral vision. Her breath caught in her throat. There. It moved again.
Planting her feet shoulder-width, she aimed her gun at the movement. This is it, she told herself.
A worse for wear Paul in human form stepped into view. Spittle frothed and pooled at the edge of his mouth. His eyes wild and crazed.
“What are you waiting for you bastard? Can’t handle an armed adversary?” Sara scoffed with more bravado than she felt.
He didn’t respond. Maybe a rogue didn’t possess the ability to speak.
Paul’s lips peeled back on a snarl. Then a low rolling growl reverberated around the park, bouncing off buildings and parked cars.
He lunged across the ten feet separating them. His arm drew back, claws extended.
If he expected a terrified, docile human, he was sadly mistaken. Shock colored Paul’s expression when Sara sidestepped at the last second. Before he could regroup for a second attack, Sara put three rounds into him.
As she took aim at his head, he leapt again. The speed of his attack knocked her hand aside and sent the shot into a tree trunk. The impact sent them to the ground. Sara rolled over and over several times putting distance between herself and the beast. In a move any Olympic gymnast would be proud of, she did a summersault followed by a flip and landed on her feet.
As the rogue scrambled to his feet, Sara took aim at his head again. The bullet grazed the beast’s ear. Damn it. Paul was too fast. He’d leaned his head to the side just in time to avoid a hole in his brain.
In the next heartbeat, she was on her back with two hundred pounds of slathering rogue sitting on her hips. The collision having knocked the breath from her lungs and the gun from her hand, Sara was without a weapon. With no other option, she grabbed two fists full of Paul’s hair and smashed her forehead into his nose. A sickening crunch verified she’d made a solid hit.
“Fuck!” Her head hurt like a son of a bitch.
The beast howled in pain. Blood gushed like a river from his broken nose, raining wet and sticky over her face and chest. Taking advantage of his temporary incapacitation, Sara pressed her thumbs into his eye sockets. Just as quickly, Paul shook free of her hold, crushing her wrists to the ground at her sides, and roared in her face.
Why didn’t he rip her to ribbons with his claws or bite her? She swore he frowned for a moment. Why didn’t he tear her limb from limb like he had Grant? The light of sanity flickered on and off in the rogue’s eyes like a strobe light with a short. One second he was snarling, and the next looked confused. The weight of him lifted from her as he rose to his haunches.
Dare she hope? Would she live through this to see her sister or Seth again?
“Get away from me while you can,” Paul demanded with more of a guttural growl than words.
She had to move and quickly before the slathering mindless beast returned. Only two options presented themselves—scramble from beneath Paul and walk calmly away to avoid triggering the animal that was on the edge of breaking free or run like hell. Both options held risks, terrible risks.
Slow movements logically offered the best odds of survival. A quick glance at Paul told her it was now or never. The veins of his neck bulged with his effort to maintain control.
Sara scooted back until she could gain her feet. Slowly she backed away, never taking her eyes from the rogue. Just when she thought she would make it, Paul lost his battle and lunged.
Moving so fast she couldn’t track him, he grabbed her ankle and yanked her to the ground again.
Sara came down hard, cracking her head on an embedded rock. The world went fuzzy and then came back into focus. Shaking off the fog, she pressed her back against the hard ground using the leverage to kick at the beast repeatedly. At this point, she was operating more on instinct and training than anything.
The rogue’s chin lifted as he roared in pain, offering the perfect opening she needed. She drew back her right foot and put every ounce of force she could manage behind the forward thrust. The sickening crunch was loud in her ears.
Shock flared in the rogue’s eyes as he staggered back, gurgling and gasping for breath through a crushed windpipe. As if in slow motion, the beast fell to its knees.
Adrenaline-fueled blood and the instinct to survive had Sara on her feet. She rushed toward the edge of the park. Running for the safety of Seth’s house. Again, she wondered where the police were.
Sara was shocked when a blast of wind came out of nowhere. There hadn’t been a hint of a breeze a moment ago. It wasn’t until a hand grabbed her arm and spun her behind a hard body that she realized the wind had been Seth’s arrival.
Seth filled the park with his malevolent presence and promise of death. The very air around him warped and billowed like a bubble until the cars and houses lining the park became a blur.
He gave his mate a quick glance to verify she was unharmed, before a battle roar rose from his very bones, so thunderous Sara covered her ears. She didn’t know it, but Paul had her right where he wanted her. The beast wasn’t touching her, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be on her in the blink of an eye.
Fang took a deep breath and fought for release. The stink of rogue was on their mate. That monster had touched their woman.
The rogue’s face was a bloody mask of fury. His lip curled back in a return challenge. Seth noted the tensing of the beast’s muscles as he prepared to attack
“Don’t even think about it, woman. Stay where you are,” Seth growled when Sara tried to move from where he’d put her.
The rogue bent his legs to leap forward. Seth met him halfway.
“Seth! No!” He vaguely heard her scream as he entered the war.
He acted on instinct and training. He pulled his sword free as he launched himself at the beast. Only, when he swung at the rogue’s head all he sliced was air.
“Ssseeethhhh.
”
Garbled nonsense that strangely sounded like his name rumbled from the rogue's clenched teeth. And the beast’s eyes showed a modicum of intelligence and sanity. What the hell was going on?
Fang cocked his head to the side and whined, as confused by the rogue as Seth was.
Then a siren broke the silence, growing louder by the second. The rogue glanced at Sara, and Seth swore he saw regret in the beast eyes. Then in a heartbeat, the beast was gone. Swallowed by the trees and shrubs surrounding the park.
“What the fuck!” Seth snarled at the emptiness that once held the rogue's form.
Sara glanced from him to the trees and back. “What happened?”
“No time. We have to go. Now.” Seth took her hand and pulled her across the park. They dashed across the street and into the row of houses. He didn’t stop until they were hidden behind a delivery van parked in a driveway.
Sara twisted her hand left and right until he released her. “What are you doing?”
“Hiding. What does it look like?” he hissed back. “Do you want to be hauled to the precinct to explain why you were at the scene of the crime? Perhaps be accused of the murder?”
“No,” she hissed back angrily.
“Once they’re busy taping off the area and examining the body we’ll stroll on out of here.”
He felt and ignored her annoyance. He would deal with that later. Right now, he had to get them clear of local law enforcement without being seen. Seth smiled to himself. Regardless of how she felt about him, she peeked around the side of the van to watch. Then she pulled a tiny notepad and pen from her pocket and started taking notes. Sara was a homicide detective through and through.
Seth leaned in close to whisper in her ear, “That’s enough, Columbo. It’s time to get out of here.”
Sara shook her head, scribbling observations as fast as she could. “Just a few more minutes.”
“Now. They’re about to search the entire area. We need to be gone.”
She flipped her notebook shut and huffed, “Fine.”
Seth glanced at the cops across the street to make sure they were looking the other direction and then grabbed Sara’s hand again. “We’re going one house down and then through the backyards. Come on.”
“Why don’t we go through this backyard?” she asked as she hurried to keep up with his long strides.
“Because it’s fenced and patrolled by a Rottweiler. Dogs bark and draw attention.”
“It’s a good thing you know the neighborhood.”
He shook his head as he pulled her alongside the next-door neighbor’s garage. “I don’t know this area at all. I’ve never been here before.”
Sara pulled him to a stop. “Then how do you know they have a dog?”
Seth tapped his nose.
“Oh.”
“Shit.” An officer was headed their way and would see them any second. Seth swung her into his arms and became all but invisible as he ran for home. He didn’t stop until he had her inside his house. He kicked the front door shut and dropped Sara’s legs to the floor, but he didn’t release her. Cupping her face with his hands, he kissed her hard. Adrenaline, terror, and relief were a powerful cocktail of emotions multiplied by a hundred times when a person hadn’t allowed himself to feel anything in over a century.
Sara’s mind struggled to catch up to her body. Traveling at the speed of a shifter caused dizziness she’d been unprepared for. She clutched Seth’s shoulders for support, instinctively returning his kiss. Between kisses, she inhaled the spicy amber scent that was Seth. The aroma soothed her instantly.
Several minutes passed before he calmed enough to ease his hold on her. Sara pulled back a few inches to search his face. She expected condemnation for her stupidity. To her surprise, all she saw was concern in his glowing eyes.
No one had eyes like Seth’s. The color swirled from dark brown to amber gold when they changed from human to wolf, reminding her of a cats eye crystal. They were loving. Intense. Penetrating. Seeing everything. Seeing into her soul.
“What?” she asked, a little breathless from the rush to Seth’s house and his kiss. She brushed a strand of hair out of her face and gave him a questioning look.
He smoothed her hair with a trembling hand. “I should put you over my knee.”
Sara shook her head and raised her hands in surrender. “I know. I know. I shouldn’t have gone off on my own.”
Seth released a heavy sigh. “I’m relieved to hear that you understand the foolishness of your actions. I know he touched you before I got to you. Are you injured?”
“I’m fine.” Then she frowned and tipped her head. “I’m confused. He had several chances to kill me and held back. He even told me to get away from him. Why did he do that?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never known a rogue to have such control. I’ve never heard of one that was able to speak either.”
“Are you sure he’s a rogue? Maybe he’s just a psycho killer.”
“No, he’s a rogue but unlike any I’ve dealt with.”
Seth looked away and shut down the telepathic link he had with Sara. He stepped back a few feet, not wanting his mate to see or hear the paralyzing fear he struggled to contain, that he was sure still lingered in his eyes. He paced across the room, needing a little space. How could he explain to a strong woman like Sara that losing her terrified him to the very marrow of his bones?
Fang paced back and forth, alternating between snarling and whining. Their mate threw his usual calm off balance. He wanted Seth to lock her up and hunt the rogue. He was driven to keep their mate safe. But he knew they couldn’t do that, and he hated it.
We will get through this and then take our mate back to the bayou. Seth assured Fang.
Fang growled and stomped to the back of Seth’s mind where he threw himself down in a heap. If she gets a single scratch, I will hold you personally responsible. A wolf wouldn’t allow such nonsense.
Sara winced and put her hands on her head. “What did you just do?”
“I shut down our telepathic link. Why?”
“It gave me a screaming headache.”
Seth immediately opened their connection. “I’m terribly sorry, mon amour. Please forgive me. I had no idea it would affect you in such a way.”
Sara closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “That’s better. The pain is gone.”
He turned on his heel and strode toward her purposefully. “Please forgive me. I never meant to cause you pain.”
She gave him a small smile. “There’s nothing to forgive. It’s not like you did it on purpose.”
“Thank you. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to kiss you again.”
Her eyebrows rose, but she didn’t move or tell him no.
With every deliberate step he took, he saw her eyes grow darker. She quivered like a rabbit cornered by a predator but held his gaze and her ground. His heart soared as he watched desire burn in her eyes and spark along her skin—for him, for Seth Le Beau, the rogue hunter.
He stepped right up to her and pulled her against his body. A hot rush of desire flashed through him from head to toe. The moment her hands touched his chest, a zing of power left her fingertips to caress the skin beneath his shirt. Who knew electricity was a sensual element?
His mouth came down on hers. This time with tenderness and every ounce of emotion he was feeling. Instantly the world shifted. There were no thoughts, only feelings. Electricity hummed around them, inside them. The temperature of the room and their bodies rose.
He knew Sara’s lips were soft and warm. What he wasn’t prepared for was the demand she met him with. She parted her lips and swept her tongue against his.
The world opened for him. Pure emotion. Pleasure. Love. To a man who lived for nothing but death, it was both a blessing and a curse. He had so much that he needed to adapt to. He had to learn how to live in the modern world he had hidden from and how to be in a relationship he hadn’t expecte
d. But his woman would ease him back into civilization. As for their relationship? He would figure that out, he was sure of it.
“I can’t seem to fight the mating attraction,” she whispered against his mouth when they both came up for air. Her dark eyes searched his face.
“Then give in,” he suggested hopefully as he rested his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes.
A slow smile curved her mouth. “I’m not ready to admit defeat.” She waggled a finger between them and asked, “Does this happen often when you are hunting rogues?”
“First and last time. There’s only one mate for each shifter, and sweetheart you’re mine. And let me say, I’m blessed to have a woman such as you.”
Sara patted his chest. “We’ll see if you feel that way when this rogue hunt is over. I need a shower. And then I’m going to the precinct. If you want to come along, you can be my chauffeur and bodyguard as long as you stay out of sight.”
Seth watched her hips sway as she walked away. Then he dropped into a chair and plopped his head into his hands. The woman would be the death of him. If the rogue didn’t end him, her determination to deny his claim would.
He pushed to his feet and made for the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee. His Sara was tough. She’d been eye to eye with a rogue and lived to tell the tale. Unfortunately, she wouldn’t fare as well if she challenged the beast on her own again. Seth had no idea how he was going to protect her from her crazy impulses.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Sara huffed out a breath and flipped the case file closed. This was ridiculous. Why would Randy assign her an open and shut case of suicide? She needed a complicated homicide if she was going to erase the images of Seth traipsing through her mind.
She had fantasized about his lips for the past hour. Their perfectly contoured shape and how incredible they felt pressed against hers. The way they were both hard and soft at the same time.
Damn it! Sara dropped her head into her hands. She needed something intriguing that she could lose herself in before she lost her mind.
