by Sarah Makela
Besides, the pain in my body was growing worse, and if I didn’t use some of the healing salve, I’d be feeling a whole helluva lot worse tomorrow. I would have to cancel my job interview. An interview that’d likely prove as fruitless as all the rest I’d been on recently. If I’d known getting a job after college would be this tough.... Ugh.
“Damn. You’re right.” He pulled back, his hand brushing my thigh. The second it did, he froze. His gaze met mine, and a spark of something I couldn’t place burned in his eyes. “Sorry.” Just like that, the moment was gone, and I wasn’t sure what I’d seen.
Chapter Three
Ethan
I threw my bag in the backseat of Mia’s pristine car. Why the hell couldn’t Nolan just have requested time off, instead of having his little sister pick me up? Once I got to my apartment, I’d be giving him a piece of my mind. Whether he liked what I had to say or not.
However, it did bring to the surface some things. Things I wasn’t quite sure I knew how to comprehend. Why had the big dog, which had looked suspiciously like a wolf, decided to attack us in the airport’s parking garage?
Mia was in some kind of trouble. She was very careful not to explain to me about anything that had gone on. Besides, where had the fire come from? How did she do that?
This was the exact opposite of how I’d imagined my return from deployment would be. Aside from seeing Mia. But she was off limits. Chasing after my best friend’s little sister was wrong on so many levels. I had a moral code to follow, even if she’d grown into a body that took my breath away.
Our moment in the car had been a little too close, but I hadn’t wanted her to mistake my reaction for something creepy. The space between us had tempted me. I’d wanted to close the distance and taste her lips, but I’d needed just to back the fuck off her.
I rested my forehead against the top of the car, taking a deep breath before I climbed into the driver’s seat. “Talk. If you’re not spilling by the time we leave the garage, I’m doing as I said.” I threw the car in reverse, backing out of the spot, then we headed down to the first floor of the garage toward the exit. “Do you understand me, Mia? I’ll take you home and leave.” Even in my heart, I knew I didn’t want to do that. Protecting her from harm was important. I wouldn’t stand back while she was in danger.
She nodded, keeping her gaze on her lap. Her denim skirt revealed long, milky white legs. “I...I don’t know where to start.” She tugged at the skirt’s hem, before smoothing it out again.
“What was that thing that attacked us? Why would some dog or wolf want to attack you? The animal seemed smarter than one you’d find in a zoo. What the hell is going on?” Anger surged in me, but more from helplessness than frustration with her. Why wasn’t she talking?
Mia jerked and slid lower in her seat. “It was a.... I don’t know how to say this.”
I turned the corner, getting closer to the exit. “Just say it.”
“Werewolf! That was a werewolf.” Her voice shook, and she clenched her hands into fists, keeping them on her thighs.
“What the hell? Are you on drugs? There are no such things as werewolves or vampires.” I muttered under my breath, not wanting to believe her. “You always did have an active imagination as a kid.” However, it didn’t explain the fire.
“I’m trying to be truthful, even though it goes against my very being, since it’s not a good idea for you or anyone else to know about the supernatural community that resides all around you. You’re just going to get yourself hurt. More than you already have, at least.” Mia’s breath came out in gasps. “Please. Don’t press me, Ethan.”
While I knew Mia wasn’t one to lie, I couldn’t believe what she was saying, even though there’d been a wolf. Although, maybe it had been a dog with rabies. Weird things happened all the time. Maybe we were both delusional. I should’ve thought about the hospital sooner. Maybe she’d hit her head against the car a little too hard. That had to be it. Besides, she was getting pretty emotional and I hated seeing her cry.
“Don’t worry about me getting hurt. I’m more worried about your safety right now.” I glanced over at her, before turning my eyes back to the road in front of me. While I wanted to drop it, I did have several more questions. Questions I didn’t want to wait for her to answer.
The fire and scent of burning hair had been real. She’d been chanting and doing something. What exactly had she been doing? How did it fit in with everything else? While I wanted to ask, what would she say?
With her this upset, it was better to wait until she had calmed down. If what I’d seen had been real, I didn’t want to piss her off. If I did, she might start throwing fire at me. I shook my head, not wanting to think more about it.
The thought of taking her to the hospital to get checked out could’ve been good, but there might be too many questions asked. If there were such things as werewolves...what would that make her? A witch?
Frowning, I pulled to a stop, waiting for the traffic to clear on the road. A few cars zoomed past. Well over the speed limit, from what I’d guess. When the coast was clear, I pulled onto the main road. “What are you?”
She started violently coughing. “Wh...what do you mean?”
A sinking feeling weighed on my chest. “I’m pretty sure I saw more than just the wolf attack us. What did you do to it? What are you?”
Mia shook her head, leaning more and more away from me, her fingers gripped the door. This didn’t look good. When I pulled to a halt at the next stoplight, she lunged for the door handle, but I grabbed her wrist.
“Let go of the door, damn it. Talk to me.” I tried not to squeeze her wrist too hard. I didn’t want to hurt her, but the ferocity of her wriggling made me grip her tight. “Mia, damn it. We’ve known each other for years. Calm down and talk to me.” Hitting the button, I engaged the doors’ locks, trying my best to keep her in the car.
“Please, let me go, Ethan.” She tried to pry my fingers off her wrist, but she didn’t have much luck. I was strong; I had to be to fight the nation’s enemies overseas. “Stop it.” Her gaze flicked from my hand to the door again.
No way would I be letting her go, not when she’d made it clear that she’d jump from the car. I didn’t want to hurt her. But I needed to make sure she didn’t hurt herself either.
“Stop squirming. I will not release you if I’m not confident that you won’t open that fucking door. You can either settle down, or I’ll have to tie you up and throw you in the backseat.” She didn’t need to know that I didn’t have rope.
Mia met my eyes for the first time since I’d started driving. Her eyes widened in fear and her lips parted, the tip of her pink tongue swept over her lower lip. The thought of crushing my mouth against hers filled my mind. Pressing my body on hers as she lay beneath me, her hands bound and her body wet and ready. Behind me, a car honked, and I looked up to see the light had turned green.
Damn it. If I didn’t watch myself, I’d be in for a cold shower when I got home.
Shifting in the seat, I tried to adjust my swollen cock, which was pressed tight against my uniform, without drawing too much attention to what I was doing. Fucking hell. This woman was going to drive me crazy before the holidays were over.
She leaned back in the seat, sitting incredibly still, her wrist limp in my grasp.
After a few minutes, I glanced over at her, making sure she wasn’t getting into mischief. Instead, she was just staring out of the passenger window. She chewed on her glossy pink lower lip and shook her head. Her breasts rose and fell with her breathing, and she leaned back against the headrest.
I turned onto the main road near where we grew up, where the high school we’d graduated from was situated. “What’s wrong?”
“Take us to my house. Please,” she said, her tone resolved if not a little sad. “I’ll look at your wound...and...and I’ll try to talk to you. Just please listen to me. Don’t assume I’m trying to pull anything. I’m not thrilled about opening up about this. It’s h
ard for me.”
Mia had never been very outspoken before, but she was a confident woman who rarely faltered and always seemed put together. However, right now, she wore vulnerability like a cloak and I wanted to strip it away.
Instead of turning onto my street, I made my way to her house. I’d only been there once when she’d moved in. Nolan and I had done most of the work when it came to unloading her moving truck, while she and her mother had started unpacking. Her father had back problems, so he’d only moved lighter things to do his part.
I’d had no reason to go back there, since we didn’t hang out much, aside from the occasional dinner with her and her parents. I wouldn’t have minded being with her more. However, I’d had no reason to be. But seeing her again after being overseas...there had been so many times when I’d thought of her. My parents were dead. I had no siblings, so her family was my family now. Nolan was more like a brother to me than a friend.
I kept my grip on her wrist, even though she’d stopped fighting. I’d let go when we pulled into her driveway, but how could I be sure she wouldn’t bolt from the car. However, I was a pretty fast runner, so I didn’t doubt my ability to catch her if she tried to escape and lock the door on me. Besides, she said she’d talk to me and look at my wound, which was hurting worse by the minute. I’d known her for years, and if she said she would talk, then she would. Besides, I wasn’t the type of guy to use force when it came to a girl; especially not this girl.
Looking at her darkened house, I almost wished we’d stopped by my place instead. At least then I’d be able to have a weapon to protect us from whoever...or whatever...hunted her. Blowing out a breath, I turned to Mia. “Don’t move. If you move toward the door, I’ll pull out of this driveway and go back to my place, then you’ll have to talk to Nolan about what’s going on as well.” I knew that was a horrible idea. Getting Nolan involved in this wasn’t safe. However, if it was between scaring her into a cooperative mood, or not doing that, then I would make sure she didn’t go off and do anything stupid.
“No, you can’t involve my brother. That’s too dangerous. You know that.” Mia jerked in my grip, pulling at her wrist with every intention of breaking free, but I had a firm grip. There was no way she would be budging from that car, not unless I wanted her to...or if she threw a fireball at me. I hoped she wouldn’t resort to that, but if she did, I’d have no choice but let her go off and do whatever the hell she was going to do.
I only hoped she’d accept my assistance. “Help me help you. If you keep struggling, I’ll have to drag you through the car from the passenger seat. Your neighbors will get quite a show,” I said, nodding at an older woman peeking through the blinds. “But we don’t want to draw attention, do we?”
Mia widened her eyes. She followed my gaze to the neighbor and shot the woman a look. Her demeanor immediately changed from rebellious to calm...er...albeit still hostile. “Fine. I’ll play nice. Don’t involve my brother, and don’t you dare drag me through the car.” Her lips thinned into a severe frown.
“Deal. Stay in the car. I’ll open your door for you.” I started to climb out, but I paused to give her a backward glance. “Don’t move.”
She didn’t respond, just stayed still, staring straight in front of her.
I grabbed my bag from the back seat, even though the pain of the attack still gnawed at me. Standing on my feet was harder than I’d anticipated. If I didn’t get attention soon, I might pass out. However, if anything, I needed to stop the trickling blood leaving an ever-growing stain on my uniform.
Chapter Four
Mia
This evening was getting worse and worse. I hated being treated like this. I was a woman, a witch fully capable in taking care of myself...aside from my magic flaking out on me so badly when I’d needed it the most. As much as I hated to admit it, Ethan had saved my life.
Helplessness clawed at my throat, but I pushed the painful emotion aside. Usually I wasn’t this much of a weakling, so why did I feel that way? Ugh...The next time I spoke with Nolan, I’d be giving him a piece of my mind. Ethan was his best friend. My brother should’ve been there for him. It was ridiculous that he hadn’t.
If it weren’t for Nolan, I wouldn’t be in this position, where the man whom I’d adored was now second-guessing me. He suspected what I was! And he thought I needed to be protected. The idea of him watching over me wasn’t distasteful. The spark between us for that moment had made me forget about everything except the close proximity of our lips.
Geez...get yourself together, girl.
The car door opened, startling me for a moment. Ethan stepped aside, giving me a little space to get out but not much. He might as well have put handcuffs on me, the way he acted. If he got Nolan in on this, I’d never talk to him again. Ever.
Besides, if I had werewolves after me, it’d be better for me to leave. Even if I hated the idea of leaving behind my family and those I held dear.
The old woman who lived next door kept blatantly watching us. She needed to learn how to mind her own business. I cringed to think of what we looked like. The last thing we needed was for her to call the police.
Ethan placed his hand on the small of my back, leading me forward toward the door. His touch lit a fire inside me. I wanted to melt into his arms, but I’d heard his cries of pain when we’d faced the werewolf. Pissed off or not, I still needed to help him as best I could.
I unlocked the door, but Ethan nudged me aside. “Let me go in first. I’ll make sure it’s safe,” he said, his deep command not giving me much choice.
“You don’t have anything to defend yourself with.” Worry clenched my throat. He was right. What if there was a werewolf in my home? I’d hate to see Ethan get hurt worse than he already was.
He cut his gaze to me. “I’m a soldier. I’ll be fine.” As if it weren’t that obvious. Without another word, he headed inside my dark home.
Another thirty seconds passed, and I couldn’t stay outside anymore. Staring out into the night, I wondered if Ethan was safe—or if I was, for that matter. What if he needed my help? What if the werewolves were outside, instead of in? I’d be caught off guard and without his help. Argh.... Better to stick together, regardless.
I peeked inside and spotted him heading upstairs. Man, oh, man...if he looked in my room. I hadn’t had time to fold my clean laundry yet. He’d see my bras and panties. I scurried inside, closing and locking the door behind me. If he’d finished looking through the downstairs, at least I knew things were safe down here.
I hurried up the stairs, hoping to cut him off before he went into my bedroom. When I hit the top of the staircase, the door to my room was open. Oh no...I stuck my head around the corner at the same time Ethan was walking out.
He grabbed me by the shoulders and pushed me against the opposite wall, before realizing it was only me. I stared up at him, amazed by his reflexes and their closeness. Before I could stop myself, I reached up, brushing my hand over his chiseled jaw.
His demeanor shifted from strong and tough, to softer and more sensual. “Mia, what are you doing here? I told you to wait outside.”
I lowered my gaze, not wanting to see his disappointment, and to my horror, I saw the claw marks in Ethan’s uniform and the blood soaking the cloth. Oh, God. What had I been doing? He needed help. Fast.
“I couldn’t wait outside. Not if you were in here all by yourself with who knows what. Besides, I need to help you. You should’ve told me you were bleeding this much.” Tears formed in my eyes and it took all I could to hold them back.
He lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. “I’ll be fine. Just please stay here. I want to finish checking out the house before we get too comfortable.” He straightened his spine a little but stopped, a wince tightening his facial features.
I hated seeing him in pain. Hated it. “Just hurry. I don’t want you to suffer anymore.”
“I will. I promise.” He strode down the hall. His footfalls were silent, even though he was a big, musc
ular man in combat boots.
I leaned back against the wall. My pulse raced in at the sight of him, so sexy...so confident. No wonder he’d gotten as many promotions as he had. He was the epitome of the tough, deadly male.
This had been the most we’d talked in our many years of knowing each other, and I wondered for a moment if that would all change once he walked out the door. Would he spend the rest of his holidays with Nolan, or doing whatever he’d planned to do?
However, if he did...what would happen to me? I still didn’t have a clue why that werewolf was after me.
No! Don’t get caught up in Ethan.
Hopefully the werewolves didn’t know more about me, like where my loved ones lived. If they did, I’d be forced to use whatever meager power I had against them, and that wasn’t overly much, from the looks of it.
If I had any chance of surviving, I needed to make sure my powers were at their full capacity, and that meant visiting my mentor, Jessa. My dream was running a shop like that, but it’d be much too dangerous. It might cause people to look too closely at me, and I tried to avoid that. Apparently for good reason, too.
Casting a glance down the hall, I sighed at the sight of Ethan closing the door to my guest bedroom. He headed in my direction, but now he pressed one hand tight against his side. Pain radiated from him like a dark light.
I closed the distance between us. “Everything’s fine?”
He nodded.
“Let’s get you to the bathroom.” I opened the door to the restroom, flipped on the lights, then retrieved a few towels from the linen closet. When I turned around, Ethan stood in the doorway. The bathroom was too small for him to slide by me and sit on the toilet lid, and we’d have to brush against each other. I didn’t mind, but he didn’t seem too eager.
Hurt crept into my heart, but I had to push it aside. This didn’t change anything. I couldn’t expect him to be my hero and me his damsel in distress. I wasn’t a damsel who he needed to save. He put his life on the line for a living. I wouldn’t blame him if he wanted to take a break from that kind of thing, now that he was home.
